Chapter 5: Back to Home
It had been four weeks since that brutal arena match, and Josef still didn't forget watching his brother being torn to pieces. He had heard that Miss Pauling dismissed all of the BLUs that were fighting them, and tossed Karl Armbruster's body in a ditch. Luis' body had been sent back to his wife. Josef thought about his own wife, whom he had promised an Australium ring when he got back home. He wondered if she thought he was dead. They were being moved to Germany, in Rottenburg. Josef's perked up when he heard this. Rottenburg! Where his family was! Apparently, Gray Mann had sent robots there, so Josef felt pride in defending his own hometown. He had been assigned some new team members, a new Spy, a new Engineer, a new Sniper. They were aboard a plane for Stuttgart, and they will take a bus to Rottenburg. Billy said that he would want to hook up with some "Hot German chicks", and Jane had said that he will teach those 'Nazis' about America. Hearing that, Helena gave Jane a long lecture on racism, but Jane repeated what he had said again after she was done. Helena officially announced that Jane was a hopeless case, and she returned to her seat. They had the entire first-class just for them, and food brought to them at will. The Scout immediately gorged himself with Bonk! Atomic punch, Root beer and chips. The Sniper started watching a documentary on Australia, and the Demoman fell asleep. Josef listened to some music, then turned on a movie. He wondered what Rottenburg was like. After all, he'd been fighting for 3 years. It was a 9-hour flight, and they took off at two in the morning. They had just gotten the announcement that they will be landing in less than half an hour. Josef and Helena had agreed to be the translators, even though their new Spy, Francois said he knew some German. The new Heavy went throwing up in the washroom as Billy stashed some Bonk! into his backpack. As they landed, Josef got a view of the familiar landscape of Stuttgart, where he had grown up. Helena was from Berlin, but she looked pleased to see Germany again. As they got off, Josef and Helena directed them to their weapon-pick up. As they got all their stuff, they boarded a bus for Rottenburg. The drive was only 45 minutes, and they were greeted by a group of villagers. Josef immediately saw his wife, with his son, wearing a Mann Co. cap. She greeted Josef with a hug, and Josef introduced everyone. She led them to their clean and tidy base and upgrade station, which was built and furnished by the villagers. They each got a bunk, and went to visit the upgrade station. Billy propped down on his bunk and crunched on some chips he had saved, while Josef, Helena, the new Engineer, Pete, reviewed the battle plans. They were to pick off as much robots as possible from a distance, and then charge in. They were announced that the next robot attack will occur 2 weeks later. "IF I HAVE TO CRACK SOME ROBOT SKULLS I WILL!" The Soldier announced to Josef's wife, asking them what their battle plan was. Josef's wife was frightened by his rash behaviour, and went out of the room. Everyone decided to go touring the village after, so they did. Scout bought some snacks and tried to hook up with the local bar girl. The Engineer just shook his head sadly and said "Ya just ain't doin' it right." and went over and said to the girl "Guten tag. Mein kamerad, die Scout, ist psychisch labil(Good day, my comrade, the Scout, is mentally unstable)." The girl chuckled, and Scout asked what the Engineer said, and he just laughed in his face. Medic and Sniper came strolling in, with a few bags of stuff. "Ve got some new gear for everyvun at ze Mann Co. store down at ze corner. Helena is still zere, shopping." The Medic explained, sat down and ordered a beer. Sniper took out a hat he bought, the Brim-Full of Bullets and put it on. He ordered some coffee, and sat down as well. Sniper handed Scout a cooler and a pair of socks. They talked about what they thought the robots would look. Scout thought they would look like normal people, Sniper thought that they were going to be yellow and Medic thought they were going to be robot versions of themselves. Medic was right. They were robot copies of themselves, since that they got a flyer saying feel free to attach robot Heavy or Engineer heads to their weapons. They all headed back to the base with Helena, who had three bulging bags of merchandise. "Mein Gott, Helena! How much did you spend?" The Medic exclaimed. "Around thirteen buds!" Helena replied, giggling. The Scout gasped, then read the price tag of the cooler and socks. "Snipes, thanks for da genuine, but… 4 buds? I don't have dat much!" Scout remarked at the price. Sniper just laughed. "Naa, mate. You can pay me back in a while." They all walked back to the base, where they sat. Helena bought herself a strange Quick-Fix, a strange Blutsauger and a strange Bonesaw. She got around 15 cosmetics, which she soon realized she could not wear all at a time. Scout lay on his bed, sleeping while Medic went in the Medical bay to experiment on Demo. Spy was buying more things in town, since he realized cigarettes are cheaper. Sniper was getting a paint job on his SMG done at the Mann Co. shop, Engineer was setting up teleports, and Pyro was playing with Heavy. Soldier seemed to be eating something that he found on the floor. Medic looked, and found a moldy hamburger. "Soldier! Throw zat avay! It's disgusting!" He yelled, as Soldier grinned. "Negatory! It is shaped like the great country of America!" He said, showing Medic the hamburger. "Hmm… Interesting... " He said, looking at it. "Except zat it's filthy! I vill take a picture of it. Throw it out!" He replied, grabbing the hamburger with his gloved hand and tossing it in the trash. "NOOOOOOO!" Soldier cried, sobbing. Medic shook his head and walked back. He tossed to Soldier Demo's blackening liver, and cried "Vell, if zat looked like America, zis looks like Germany!" Soldier studied it carefully before putting it in a safe.
"Ay!" Demoman cried, rising up from the surgery table.
"I'm still awake, ya know!"