Chapter 8 – Visiting HQ
Toshiro looked at a ceiling unfamiliar to him.
"Ugh, where am I…" He murmured to himself,
He looked around.
"Oh, right… I'm in Adolfine's home, somewhere in Buenos Aires… Yuki, time?"
"You adapted quite nicely, Toshiro. 0620, almost normal."
Suddenly memories of the last evening came to him.
Ah, crap… What an emotional evening it was, damn… And Adi tried to 'comfort' me… On her own volition! But I really wasn't in the mood… Less than ten hours till the funeral, rather fast must I say… Time to drag my ass off the bed.
Toshiro stood beside the bed and scratched himself in a well know spot.
Hmmm... It's warm here…
Toshiro looked at the wall under the windows and saw cast iron heaters.
As I thought… But this means that… Shit, Adi had to wake up at least half an hour earlier than me, probably go down to the basement, stoke the fire under the water boiler and then keep it running… Aaaaahhhggghh, and I'm supposed to be the man… But on the other hand, she also wears pants, heh…
Toshiro dressed himself in his long sleeved attire and went down the stairs.
"To the left!" Adolfine shouted suddenly.
Toshiro looked to the left, and saw a rather well equipped kitchen plus a table for at least eight people, with an appropriate amount of chairs. Adolfine was standing by the stove and frying some scrambled eggs with a big fat wurst.
"Adolfine in an apron… Something is wrong here…"
"How about good morning, huh?"
"Ah, yes… Good morning, Adolfine."
"Good morning, Toshiro. How was it?"
"I cried myself to sleep… When I looked through the contents of the box… I just couldn't hold back anymore… But I slept like a log, if you're worried about that."
"I hope… You'll visit HQ today, but don't worry, no work planned for you."
"Even Karlslanders know when to stop working…" Toshiro said with a smile.
"Hey, hey, don't make fun of this proud nation! You're one of us now anyway!" Adolfine pouted loudly.
"Heheheh…"
"It looks like breakfasts ready. First drawer to my left – forks and knifes. Cupboard to my right – plates and glasses. Fetch some juice from the fridge."
"Ah, I see that you're using your authority from the morning…"
"I have to use it while I… ah, you can have a beer if you'd like, I'll be driving today."
"Nah… But anyway, thanks for heating up the house, you probably had to get up… forty minutes ago?"
"An hour. I did some quick exercises in my gym."
"I have to see that room… But wait a second… If you have the gym here, that means I sometimes caught you in your house, right?"
"Yes. I have a phone here, complete with a small office. I actually prefer to work at home, but you know – in the HQ I can keep tabs on everything."
Toshiro got all the necessities he was told to fetch, and they sat at the table.
"Mhhhm! Dewishush!" Toshiro mumbled with his mouth full.
"Oh have some dignity… But thanks… How does it compare to Yoshika's?"
"Basically same stuff. You can't really mess up scrambled eggs and fried sausage…"
"I don't know if that's a compliment or if you just pricked me with a poisoned needle…"
"A compliment, Adolfine… Don't be a bigger grump than me…"
After they ate, Adolfine asked, "Say, Toshiro, can I borrow that memoir box from you?"
"Hmm? You want to look through?"
"That too, but I want to make photocopies for the Reichsarchiv, just as a precaution…"
"Ah, okay, you can have it."
"I'll remind you when we'll be heading out. You can go and take a seat in the living room, I'll do the dishes and give you a tour around the house."
"Okay. Is that the big room with the fireplace opposite this one?"
"Yup."
Toshiro went into the living room. A big, stylish couch was standing right before the fireplace, which wasn't too shabby either. There were a few pieces of furniture in the room, all at least a century old. He saw a gramophone standing lonely on one table, with a stack of records under it. The spectrum of music genres was impressive, from classic music to jazz.
"I see you're eyeing my records, Toshiro." Adolfine said suddenly, making Toshiro startle a bit.
"It's impressive…"
"I like to listen to good music. If I like it, the genre doesn't matter. Come on, I want to give you a quick tour before we leave."
"Yeah, sure, lead on."
Going through the corridor on the ground floor she said, "The bathroom is here, but you know that. The next door to your left is part one of my kingdom." She said and opened the door.
Toshiro looked inside and saw a bright with room without windows with racks full of weights, a training cycle and a bench for weightlifting.
"Impressive… Very impressive… But doesn't it get stuffy inside?"
"That's the point, Toshiro. If the temperature goes up high, then I burn fat faster."
"What fat?" Toshiro said and laughed.
"Ohoho, you coquet you…" She poked him in the side. "Let's go on, shall we?" Adolfine said and closed the door.
At the end of the corridor, she opened another door.
"This is my office at home, Toshiro. As you can see, it looks rather… standard…"
"I agree. It's something between Minna's office in Britannia and the office of our two in Romagna… But it furnished in very good taste."
"I'm glad you like it, Toshiro." Adolfine said with a smile. "The rest of the house… Do you need to see the attic now?"
"Not quite…"
"Good, because it's a dirty mess… The entrance is up the stairs and dead straight to the right if you want to visit it."
"How about the basement?"
"Ah, I can take you there. You'll see something… familiar…"
"Familiar you say… okay, lead me to it…"
The entrance to the basement was beside the bathroom door. Adolfine turned on the lights, and they descended into the wood inlaid basement. He saw the water boiler, insulated thickly all around, and a big stack of firewood beside it.
And then he really saw something familiar.
"I see that you don't want to heat up the basement because of all the wine you yoinked from Romagna, right?"
"Oh, come on… Somebody had to take care of all that wine…" Adolfine answered a tad flustered. "It would only go to waste if the Romagnans laid their grabbers on it…"
"Valid concern… Hmmm… You know, there's one more room I'd like to see…"
"And that would be?"
"Your bedroom."
"W-W-Why?!"
"I want to see how my boss spends one-third of her day." Toshiro answered with a cheeky smile.
"I advise against it…"
"Why? Is your bedroom all pink and has a load of teddy bears around it?"
"No, no… It's just… You'd get a bit jealous… A-A-And it's been sometime since a man entered it..."
"Come on… Don't be a spoilsport…"
"O-Okay…" Adolfine sighed and after she loaded some firewood into the furnace, they went to the second floor.
"Oh? Your bedroom is just beside mine…"
"I didn't really put much thought into that…" She said and opened the door.
If not for the fact that there was not bathtub, the dark wood panels were replaced with white ones, the fact that the queen size bed was replaced with a king size one with a white baldachin, and the balcony door being slightly different, Toshiro would say that it's a carbon copy of his room in Romagna.
"Yeaaaaaaaaah… Now I know who designed my room back then…"
"No hard feeling for giving you such a simple room?"
"I'm only a bit jealous but… You're the boss, I have to know my place, right?"
"If you see it that way, than I'm at peace."
"I noticed that our beds are only separated by the wall. Coincidence?"
"Total coincidence." Adolfine replied without batting an eyelid.
"Hmmm…" Toshiro murmured as he approached the window.
He saw a backyard, and a big shed standing in the corner.
"What's the shed for?"
"Firewood and some tools."
"Okay…" He turned his eyes towards two uniform coats hanging in the front of the closet. "I didn't know they made the coats unisex…"
"Now you know… It's more efficient that way…"
"And I guess ergonomics prevent from making uniforms like that too, right?"
"Y-yeah… Spot on…" Adolfine said while bringing her arms a bit closer to her chest. "Take your coat to your room, and then take a shower. Afterwards, put on your better shoes, we may not be able to return here to get dressed."
"Should I put on something special?"
"Remember about your cap… Hmmm… Take your Knight's Cross, but only that. You don't want to look like a damn Christmas tree…"
"Yeaaah… I would look like one with everything I've got… But you know… Come to my room for a second?"
"Umm, why?"
"Nothing wicked, come on." Toshiro said as he took his coat.
"Well, okay…"
They entered his room, and Toshiro hung his coat just like Adolfine did. He pulled out the memento box out of the chest.
"You want to show me the photos? But Toshiro, we don't have much time…"
"I'll be quick, come closer." Toshiro said and sat on the edge of the bed.
Adolfine in turn simply stood before it. He opened the box and started pulling out items and placing them on the bed in a specific manner.
"Here… The certificate and the Iron Cross of my pa. The photo in the upper right is my newborn father being held by grandma. The photo below it are my father and mother, probably when they first met in Fuso."
"I never knew such a photo even existed…"
"Me neither… But you know why I arranged them like that?"
"Why?"
"I want you to find someone who will frame these in the exact manner you saw."
"Oh… Hmmm… No problem, Toshiro. But give me all of these for now, okay?"
"Yeah, you wanted to make copies…" Toshiro said, packed everything in the box and gave it to Adolfine. "Here."
"I'll be sure to take good care of these."
"You will!"
"Hey, don't forget who's whose boss!" Adolfine said with a smile. "Go and take that shower already!"
"Jawohl!"
Toshiro rushed out with his bath supplies and took a quick shower. This time when he returned, Adolfine wasn't present in the room. He dressed himself, strapped the pistol holster and ammo pouch to his belt and he put on the coat. With his cap in his hand, he exited the room.
Apparently, Adolfine did the same in the same time. They looked at each other and nodded.
"Yes, perfect…" Adolfine said silently.
She carried Toshiro's box and her own cap.
"You have different pants?"
"Fine observer… Yes, I changed my usual leather pants to regulatory Luftwaffe pants, just like yours."
"They make them in a female flavor?"
"Sure, Toshiro. Many non-magical or post-magical women serve in the Luftwaffe as secretaries. Some prefer skirts, some like pants."
"Today I learned… So, are we going?"
"Yes. Go forward and make yourself comfortable in the car."
Toshiro ran down without uttering a word and sat shotgun in the Kübelwagen. He saw as Adolfine closed door to the house and the gate. In a high of good manners, Toshiro opened the door from the driver's side.
"Oh, thanks…" Adolfine mumbled and dumped her belonging on the dashboard.
She started the engine, and they were off.
The drive was rather short, but it's because of the early hour. They drove through one of the entrances onto a cobblestone plaza with a miniature park in the middle and some green stripes on two sides. Encompassing the plaza from three sides was an enormous, blocky building with brown tiles on the roof.
"But Adolfine… That's…"
"An exact copy of the Reichskanzlei. Yes, we started building one just in case in '39."
"You guys really like to blow money on majestic stuff…"
"Well, the Kaiser and the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, or OKW for short if you want, have to keep up to decent standards."
Toshiro stopped before the main entrance, and immediately someone shot out of the building.
"Woah, who's that?"
"Joachim Spitzer, my assistant. You probably bounced off him once or twice while you tried to reach me…"
"I only heard his voice, so…"
"Guten Morgen Frau Generalmajor!" Joachim shouted in attention.
"Yup, that's him…" Toshiro sighed, exited the car and pulled on his cap. "Remember me?"
"Sch… I mean, yes, Herr Oberst!"
"Good, because I remember you. Hey, Adolfine, are you coming?"
"Ah, yes, I just watched you two if you wouldn't start brawling."
"Who do you think I am? Trude?"
Adolfine got out of the car, and Joachim immediately drove it off.
"The parking is in the back." Adolfine explained. "Come on, let's go inside."
They entered the building. The interior was a bit Spartan, but it looked awe inspiring. One would immediately know his place. A reception desk was placed in the junction of three corridors and just before the staircase. Toshiro looked at the receptionist, and she looked back at him, and smiled.
"Toshiro, I believe you two met, right?" Adolfine asked.
"Yes, we met but… I never asked for a name…" Toshiro admitted flustered.
"Feldwebel Helga Hildemeier." The blonde receptionist introduced herself. "It's good to see you again, Herr Oberst."
"Did they transfer you from Sicily?" Toshiro asked.
"Yes, I was an intern so to speak. They sent somebody else in my stead after my internship ended, and thankfully the previous receptionist resigned so… now I'm the gatekeeper, heehee…"
"Helga, we're going to the Kaiser, give word to Inge."
"Will do, Adolfine." Helga said and picked up the phone.
"Inge?" Toshiro asked.
"Stabsfeldwebel Inge Bergman, she's you uncle's Cerberus."
Toshiro and Adolfine listened to a series of 'ja's' and 'uhums', and finally Helga laid down the receiver.
"You are cleared to go." She said with a smile.
"Thank you, Helga. Come on, Toshiro, this way." Adolfine said and pointed out to the stairs behind Helga.
They went up the stairs to the second from the top floor. They were saluted by so many people, that Toshiro's arm almost felt sore.
"Adolfine, if I'm going to salute yet another person, my arm will fall off."
"Then don't. You don't need to salute back to everyone. It may be a bit rude, but it's permitted."
"Thanks for saying it just now…"
"No problem." Adolfine smiled and pointed out forward. "You can see the door to the Kaiser's office already. And part of Inge's desk."
Toshiro clearly saw the brown wooden doors, spanning from floor to ceiling and wide enough to move a piano through it. And indeed, on the right side, there was a desk, with a bespectacled, silver haired beauty, about Adolfine's age, sitting behind it.
Seeing Toshiro coming first, she shot up and saluted him. Toshiro forced himself to salute back, since he knew he'd probably see her a few times again. Inge's gaze wandered slightly to the left, as she saw Adolfine.
"At ease, Inge." Adolfine said. "Why are you always so official? We've know each other since… pff… the Hispanic War?"
"Friendship is friendship, but duty is duty." Inge responded. "I can fraternize with you when we're drinking beer." She winked.
Adolfine sighed and said, "You'll never change… Is the Kaiser ready to receive us?"'
"Yes, he is."
"Then come on, Toshiro. Let's go inside."
"Ummm…"
"What, Inge?"
"Could I… get an autograph from the Oberst?" Inge asked shyly, dropping all her defenses.
"What say you, Toshiro? Want to give an autograph to your fan?"
"My fan? Almost never met them… A few in Yokosuka, but nobody beside it… I really have fans?"
"A fuckton!" Inge cheered. "Oh, pardon my language, Herr Oberst, it won't happen again! Um, anyway… I'm number two in the official Edelweiss fan club…"
"I even have a fan club dedicated to me…" Toshiro wondered surprised. "Who's first?"
"The Kaiser, of course."
"Hahahahaha!" Toshiro burst out in laughter. "And if everyone gathered in one place, how long would I have to give out autographs?"
"At a normal rate… From dusk till dawn…"
"Holy shit… Well, let's get one down… Prepare something to write on, and I'll give you a nice autograph when we're finished with uncle, okay?"
"Okay!" Inge cheered.
Toshiro looked at Adolfine with a perplexed look, but she only shrugged.
She approached the door and knocked twice.
"Come in!" A familiar voice shouted.
She opened the door and entered the room, with Toshiro following her.
If his room combined with the office in Pescara were spiffy, than this was Versailles. The amount of gold in the room would probably flood it if a fire broke out.
"Toshiro, my dear nephew!" Franz shouted with his usual jovial voice while moving forward from his desk. "How nice to meet you again!"
He hugged him tightly as a bear and added, "You have my sympathies, Toshiro."
"Well… Thanks…"
"So, how do you like this place so far?"
"The city looks sort of nice, Adolfine has a nice crib, this building is something and your office… Mother of God… I know that you're the damn Kaiser, but…"
"I have to look good before people coming to me, you can't deny that, right?"
"Yeah… Oh, and it's a tad cold outside now."
"We basically have winter here. But in summer, you'd melt away. At least I am…"
"You should cut down on the Eisbeine, Uncle…"
"Oh come on, all skinny rulers were neurotic maniacs! And I'm always happy! Well, maybe not when things go south…"
"Well, if your doctors allow it…"
"What's that box, Adolfine?" Franz asked suddenly.
"Memoirs. Toshiro got them from Mary before she… passed away… I wanted to make photocopies for the Reichsarchiv."
"Hmmm… May I see?" Franz asked Toshiro.
"Sure, sure! Both of you should see it!" Toshiro cheered and looked around. "Can we sit on that horribly expensive looking sofa?"
"That's what a sofa is for, Toshiro."
Toshiro sat in the middle, and after receiving the box from Adolfine he pulled out the first photo.
"This is a photo of grandma and… step-grandpa? I believe I should call him that…"
"Hmmm… Your grandma looked like a hottie, Toshiro." Franz said. "No wonder my father fell for her…"
Adolfine could only sigh with a resigned face, but her eyes sparkled once Toshiro picked out the next pic.
"Oh! Who's that cute little guy?!" She shouted.
"That, I believe, is my father, age unknown but probably under a year."
"Daaaaaw, how cuuuute!"
"Adolfine has a thing for babies, you can probably guess why…" Franz whispered.
"Probably…" Toshiro whispered back.
They went through a few photos of his father in various stages of his youth, and they got to the graduation photo.
"Ah yeeeees… University of Posnania, Theoretical Mathematics, class of '08… I still remember most of our classmates… Fritz, Eberhardt, Leo, Brunhilde, Elza, Johanna, Ignatz, Michael..." Franz pointed out all the people on the photo. "… and of course – Lucas. Those were good days…"
"My, my, I'm learning something about my Kaiser that I won't out of history books…" Adolfine said and giggled.
"At least not those published during my life." Franz retorted.
Toshiro pulled out the photo of his father in a military uniform. Adolfine looked at the photo, then at Toshiro and back at the photo again.
"You know, you surely follow after your father…" She said.
"Except for the fact that he had a moustache like Uncle here, and I'm absolutely devoid of facial hair, thank you mom…"
"Nah, don't blame your mother for that Fuso blood of yours. You'd look awful with a beard or with a stache." Adolfine replied honestly.
"Whatever… Now a photo that stunned me a bit…" Toshiro said and pulled out the photo of Lucas and Akiko together.
"Hmmm… I never thought such a photo existed…" The Kaiser murmured.
"Me neither…" Adolfine followed. "They look happy together…"
"Yeaaah…" Toshiro sighed deeply. "Imagine this would be a perfectly normal sight for me… Well, at least I have you two and Yoshika…"
"Oh… Toshiro um… You're treating me like part of your family?" Adolfine asked totally flustered.
"Didn't I always?" Toshiro asked. "You're really like a good aunt to me, despite you always shouting not to call you that, always caring for me from the shadows. I wonder how many times you've orchestrated some supplies or help for me without me even suspecting you of doing anything…"
"Many times!" Franz laughed and slammed him a few times on the back heartily. "Besides being my advisor, she's working diligently in the Wirtschafts und Rüstungsamt, so she reaaaaally has all the power to pull EVERYTHING off."
"So if Adolfine demands, it gets supplied?" Toshiro asked with a smirk?
"Ohohohohoh! Yes, exactly!" Franz laughed, shaking like jelly.
"I think we had other issues to discuss…" Adolfine mumbled with a red face.
"Ah, yes… There are a few indeed… Toshiro, about the funeral today… Do you want only us three and a few other handpicked guests or should we go all out?"
"First option. I know that some kind of flashy state funeral would be nice but it would be blowing things out of proportions…"
"Just as I thought… Can Adolf take some photos during the event?"
"Why are you asking me, Uncle? You're the boss…"
"I'm just taking heed of your feelings, Toshiro…"
"Okay. But only him."
"Sure. Mary, for all I know was a Catholic. Will you be attending the service?"
"From all I know, I won't be smitten just for entering a church and hearing a sermon. So yes, I will."
"I just thought that your goddess might be jealous…"
"She isn't, really. She's a really open minded goddess, heh… I can even have a Catholic wedding with Yoshika if I wish so…"
"Good that you've told me that… I'll keep that in mind…" Franz said. "Do you want another place to live?"
"Nah, Adolfine's home is cozy and nice. I'll gladly fill it with my being."
"Then I have no more questions. Go and follow Adolfine around the building, help her with some paperwork maybe… Meeting adjourned, so to speak."
"Let's go, Toshiro. I'll take you to my office. My desk is probably a wall of papers now…"
"Bye, Uncle."
"Bye, Toshiro. I hope we'll get to see each other a few more times."
"Huh? Could it be a problem?"
"It could, I'm a busy Kaiser after all. Despite being your only blood related relative, I can't devote all my time to you. I hope you understand…"
"Yes, yes, I understand… Bye then!"
Adolfine saluted and they both went out, and were immediately assaulted by Inge. She had a big format picture and a Magic Marker with her.
"Please, Oberst, your autograph!"
Toshiro took the marker and the picture. He looked at it, and recognized a frame from the movie he starred in. He shrugged and gave a flashy autograph. Inge plucked the photo out of his hands and started prancing around like a preschooler.
"Seriously…" Toshiro sighed.
"Come on, she's on cloud nine right now…"
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