Soldat und Krieger [Japan] [Mature]

Germany would be very quick to agree that many countries involved in the starting of this war should have been wiser - this in spite of the fact that some might point a finger at him. He did, after all, follow America's lead in declaring war on Iran, only taking a short time to think about it first. But while he can find fault with Israel he believes that it would be hard to dispute the fact that Iran definitely deserves to be punished. It's everyone who disagreed and so strongly that they were willing to bring their armies into it that he really blames for this war.

But though he and Japan may think different things about this war, and he's genuinely sad to see that his friend had to be dragged into it at all, he can count himself glad to be on the same side again. And this time with a better outcome for the both of them, or at least that's his sincere hope - he's sure that neither of them want to experience a loss like the last one they shared again. And, on the other hand, he's quite convinced that Russia could stand to learn the same lesson that both of them learned at that time.

As his plane taxis into place, he can't help but look out the window and a small, pleased smile comes to his face when he spots Japan waiting. And in that uniform - it brings back memories: some good, some bad. He himself is dressed in the modern dress uniform of a German officer - but then again, the design hasn't changed very much since those times, with the differing in insignia being the most obvious. Some things change, but others stay exactly the same.

As soon as the stairs are lowered, he's going down them. He's in a hurry, but he has enough restraint to keep his pace at a quick walk instead of a run. "Japan!" he greets even before he's close, but manages to wait until he's close enough to speak more comfortably before he adds, "It is good to see you looking so very vell!" And that for more than one reason - if the war was going badly for Japan it would be easily seen on him physically. Ludwig himself looks at strong and healthy as ever, because while he's been involved in the fighting in Europe his own country has been largely untouched thus far - save for the loss of his soldiers fighting in other countries. Not being a very 'touchy' person, he refrains from manhandling the other nation in any way, but his pleasure in seeing him is nevertheless very evident in both his haste and his expressions.

"Danke for that escort, mein Freund - my pilot thought he sav someone following us vhen ve came close, but if so your planes scared him avay. Ve didn't see him after," he adds, deciding that's an important thing to note first. Most likely it's nothing to worry about, because even if the origin of his plane was noticed anyone on the other side spotting his arrival is unlikely to know the significance. And the worst case scenario, China or Russia finds out that he's visiting - which is unlikely a problem unless they figure out a way to ambush him when he tries to leave since he should be quite safe now that he's on Japanese soil. And if they are? Well, he's had to deal with that problem before. Just because airplanes have gotten stronger and faster doesn't mean that tactics in the air have changed much - the movements are simply performed at a higher speed. But that's something to worry about later, when his visit ends - right now it's only beginning.

Perhaps the difference in how they're taking this war is that Germany never for once assumed that it was safe to set aside his weapons of war. Of course, he knows that America is partly to blame, having forced the issue on his island friend and promising his protection. But if it had been him, he certainly wouldn't have believed that the American could keep the peace for him forever. That's just not how the world works - war is eventually inevitable. Even Switzerland knows that - just because the man is quick to declare his neutrality doesn't mean that he isn't prepared to back up that stance the moment he's challenged. Pacifism is not an option, at least not for anyone with anything good enough to steal and sometimes even if you don't.

And, knowing that, he'd been fully prepared to face it. Not merely by having a well-prepared army, but mentally as well - he has yet to see all the horror of this world, including all the horror he may cause, and he accepts this. It's not that he enjoys war - even though he recognizes that he has some skill at it - but if it's always going to happen then it's best to be ready for it when it comes in all ways. The only real way he has changed in his thinking about war since the last world war is that he's no longer a conqueror - he now believes that cooperation is better than force. Well, there's also the inevitable guilt about that past that makes him question the rightness of his actions, but it causes him to be careful - not fearful that he'll repeat his past mistakes. If anything he sees this war as an opportunity to help make up for his past.

So though he's lost sleep over this war, it honestly hasn't been very much. He can go to bed feeling like he's accomplished what he must, and knowing that he needs his rest if he's going to attempt to do even better the next day - because, of course, he always tries to do better regardless of how the day went.

"Of course," he replies when Japan promises to see to his safety as much as possible - he certainly didn't doubt that. In fact, he's quite certain that if he were to get ambushed it would be outside of Japan's airspace for that very reason. Unfortunately, the Pacific Ocean is very large and there comes a point where it's simply impossible to know where all your enemies are. Still... "I'm not vorried," he says confidently. He picked the aircraft he arrived in well. It may be better suited for long distances than combat, but it's strong and fast.

"How fares the var here? I'm alvays hopeful that ve're giving Russia enough trouble that he has less to send your vay," he comments. Of course his main motivation is to keep the man out of Europe, but that's also on his mind - especially when he's making good progress only to be pushed back by another wave of reinforcements. At least that's another group of men that Russia couldn't send to his eastern front. Unfortunately, there's not much he can do to help Japan with China - there's just too much in the way. It's India who prevents China from concentrating all his force on Japan.

"Ja, Russia vants all of Europe very badly," Germany is quick to agree - that much is very obvious when you look at how the war is going. This is not like the last time he fought the man - it had only been himself and those of his neighbors that he could drag into it against the Russian and he'd been dividing his forces at the time. This time it's all of Europe fighting him together - at least of those who aren't insisting that they're neutral - and yet Russia has still managed to take his sisters and the Baltics. Granted, the Eastern European countries have long been lagging behind the rest of Europe in strength, but that was still a show of just how eager the Russian was to have them.

"But five hundred thousand? You can spare that many?" he asks, clearly surprised. Then again, perhaps he shouldn't be. Advanced technology allows a country to do more with fewer men, and technology is one of Japan's specialties. It's easy to see the wheels turning in Ludwig's head as he ponders the number, no doubt quickly trying to sort out all the logistics of where that many soldiers would be the most useful. The fact that he doesn't immediately leap on the offer indicates that it's not a simple matter.

But after a long pause he can be seen nodding to himself before he says, "Hmm, ve can certainly use more men on a number of fronts, especially in Eastern Europe. But... I have an idea that may bring even more than that to our side, if it vorks. And if it does, they vill be soldiers more used to the veather, and your men vould do better somevhere else - perhaps even remaining here to shore up your strength. If it doesn't, I vill still vant them in Europe. So right nov I knov that I vant them, but I don't vhere I vant them. Perhaps you can give me a rain check? I vill knov soon and I'm sure that your men von't mind spending a little more time at home until then."

In all this he greatly hopes that he's not offending his friend at all. In spite of all they have in common that makes them friends, he knows that Japan is still Asian and he knows that they can be a bit funny about offering things and not having the offer accepted. He certainly hopes that he's not made any faux pas, even if he's sure that Japan would be quick to forgive him if he has, especially since he merely has the best tactics in mind for the situation. He doesn't want to deploy troops too fast only to find out that he should have sent them somewhere else.

Germany can only nod grimly as Japan speaks of his reasons for entering the war. It had been a sound tactic on Russia's part, he must admit, even if it means that his friend has been dragged into this war when he didn't want to be. Personally, he thought that it was still a rather dishonorable move even if it was tactical, though - there were also other options and Japan has enough internal problems as it is that a more merciful one was probably more appropriate. Of course, he must admit that his friendship with the island nation may be clouding his judgment about the situation.

As he's explaining why he can't immediately accept the Japanese soldiers, he's pleased to see that there's no sign that it bothers the other nation. The last thing that he'd want to do is upset him right now - both because he's well aware that it's not a good idea to upset Japan but also simply because they're friends and he wouldn't want to harm that. Especially not during a war - they need to work together more than ever right now.

Nodding somberly to the idea of more allies, he still comments, "It is not an easy thing to ask someone to fight a var they don't vant to fight. But I don't think it's vrong to ask, especially if perhaps they should have been in the var to begin vith." Especially if the addition may make all the difference.

Nodding and about to reassure Japan that he will, of course, not hesitate to ask for the men later, his thoughts of war strategy are suddenly pushed aside when he abruptly becomes aware of just how close the other nation has come. Feeling as if he's frozen in place, he can do little but look at Japan in surprise at the kiss, having not expected that at that moment at all. It only takes him an instant to recover, and when he does his eyes are quickly darting around him to be sure that nobody saw it. It's not that he'd be embarrassed if someone did - Germans don't get embarrassed - but that he sees his relationship with Japan as an entirely private matter between the two of them. It's absolutely nobody else's business but theirs to even know that it exists, so if anyone nearby needs to have it pounded into their head that it wasn't what it looked like then it will be dealt with immediately.

Fortunately, it appears that the other nation chose his timing well, and that it's gone entirely unnoted - they're just a couple of what looks like high-level but not-so-high-you'd-recognize-them government officials having what is likely a boring conversation, so those around them are attending to whatever business they should be attending to. So, once their privacy has been verified, his eyes go back to meet Japan's and his face has a rather stunned expression. And has his ears gotten a bit redder? Hmm, perhaps... Italy may assault him repeatedly and excessively with affection, but he does that so often that the meaning of each individual gesture is weakened. From Japan though... even the little things from Japan are treasures.

In fact, the way that he'd really like to respond to it is something that he's completely unwilling to do here and now - it may be possible to pass off that kiss as 'it wasn't what it looks like', but not what Germany would do. If they were somewhere private it would be a completely different story... But given the situation, he relieves the inner flood of emotion as best as he can by coughing into the back of his hand and then simply nods and says, "Ja, I vill." Though the normally flat line of his lips may be turned up just slightly.

It would be difficult for Germany to explain his feelings about Japan. Mostly because the only one he'd ever explain them to is Japan himself, and that would be pointless - Japan knows. Besides, putting such feelings into words is something that he'll leave for the romantics, and he doesn't consider himself to be one of those. Italy does it all the time, and the results are... too silly to take seriously much of the time, really. Perhaps it's best for things that are indescribable to remain undescribed. All he knows that there are certain moments when he's like a starving man, and Japan is like kuchen. An inadequate way of saying it, but perhaps as accurate as it's possible to be.

The invitation to Japan's home was expected - not because Germany expected that this visit would involve activities of a profoundly private nature, as the two of them are perfectly capable of seeing each other and for all of it to be strictly business if they're not inclined to do more at the time, but because it's easier to talk in depth about what they need to talk about where it's comfortable, quiet, and there are few people around. But given that sort of a reception from his friend, he gathers that there's not strictly business on his friend's mind. Which isn't an idea that he objects to at all - their opportunities to actually see each other are few with the war occupying so much of their time, so they should make the most of them. He just hopes that they both remember that they do have actual business to discuss, and his visit can only last for so long.

Though at the moment, he's having trouble putting his mind back on business, though the only real outward indication of that is that the redness that may or may not be on his ears is lingering. "Ja, this vould be very good. The flight here vas very long, and a bit stressful near the end," he admits. Not to mention the fact that flying two-thirds of the way around the world is bound to cause some severe jet-lag - though he doesn't appear to be too tired at the moment. He was able to sleep during much of the flight over the Pacific, at least until they got close enough to Japan that the possibility of running into someone unfriendly began to go up - he'd wanted to be awake for that.

With a gesture to indicate that Japan should lead the way, he's quiet for a moment until the buzzing in his head eases up enough for him to think more clearly again. "I've been vanting to ask for your thoughts about a problem ve've been having - ve have our drones, Russia has his drones, but ve have jamming signals to stop him, and he has his jamming signals for us. Vhich means that, anyvhere near the front line, if it's controlled by vireless it doesn't vork. Vhich, of course, means that ve've had to get rather primitive vith our methods," he explains, shaking his head - primitive means throwing large numbers of men at your problems and hoping that it works. He's going to assume that it's not a problem that Japan has too much in this part of the war though if Russia's letting China do most of the fighting - like China would have jamming devices that actually work!

Time can be a funny thing among nations - when you live for so long, decades can seem like days and sometimes mere minutes can feel like years. Which doesn't mean that the small number of times that he's seen Japan since the war broke out is adequate, at least not in his eyes, but at the same time they can speak now as if no time has past - save for the need to update each other. But even then there's only so much to say, because though the situations of the world change quickly, nations usually change very slowly. The last time he and Japan changed very much was directly following the last world war, as a response to their respective losses and what that meant to each of them. Even so, some things never change.

"Mmm," he says, acknowledging the loss of men due to the problem of the jamming signals. Of course, Russia has lost a lot of men too due to the problem, but it's difficult to celebrate that given the price that's being paid for it. War is ugly no matter how you do it, but it's less so when fewer lives are lost. He nods easily as some possible solutions are listed. "I did think of using a nev frequency - but so did Russia. Vhich is vhy the jamming signals on both sides cover all the frequencies. I considered vays of disabling it as vell, but so far I have not found a vay to do that," he explains, but that's exactly why he decided to run the problem by Japan. They're both good at technology, but each of them has their strengths.

When AI is mentioned he nods, but says, "Perhaps that vould vork, though I vould prefer veapons that are fired by people and not a computer." Not that he has any silly belief in the idea that if you arm robots they might take over, but he'd rather that the decision to kill was left to an actual human brain. Still... "Perhaps I should run the problem by America as vell," he comments, hoping that doesn't offend Japan in any way. He knows that Japan is extremely proud of his software, but ironically America's tends to be superior when it comes to artificial intelligence. It's hardware that seems to be more of Japan's specialty, while Germany tends to be the best at mechanical engineering not involving computerized components. He simply nods as Japan says he'll think about it, adding a quick, "Danke." It's a difficult problem, but if they can somehow solve this problem in a way that Russia can't replicate it could easily make all the difference in the war.

As they leave the airport and Japan's car pulls up, it quickly distracts Germany from the jamming signal problem, especially since it's now basically been as discussed as it needs to be at this point. He and Japan have had a friendly rivalry when it comes to cars for quite some time, though their ideas about what makes the perfect car is quite different. For example, Japan is really into trying to conserve energy, while Germany insists that a car ought to be powerful. And of course they each have their own ideas about aesthetics. Still, he can't help but take mental notes as he eyes the car and takes a seat in the passenger seat. He's sure that after the war everyone will start to care more about cars again, and he can't have Japan getting the jump on him when they do, now can he? "Very impressive!" he remarks, allowing the compliment but conspicuously not saying anything to compare this to what he's been working on. His mind may be mostly on the war these days, but even he needs a break at times and thinking about car design is a fun distraction.

When they're both seated, it does not escape Germany's attention that they're now alone in the car, and that the car itself is the driver, and that Japan is sitting very, very close to him... but on the other hand he also noticed that the car's windows are not one-way glass. So, he can wait - it won't be long until they'll have the full privacy of Japan's house, after all. Besides, Japan's comments on the Indian front with Pakistan are very important. It's not one that he's paid too much attention to since that fight is so much... well, the two countries have wanted an excuse to go to war for a long time, so it's easy for both sides to see that feud as something that's just between those two. Still, India is an ally so it's not as if that front doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, and if India is asking for help that's not a good thing - he, above all nations, has the ability to throw large numbers of men at his problems.

...Who the hell is he kidding? He can't wait! Full of both the strong confidence of someone who knows that his actions will not only not be rejected but enthusiastically reciprocated and an intense burning desire ignited by that so recently stolen kiss, Ludwig simply reaches out with his right hand to turn Kiku's face toward him so that their lips can meet. And it's not just any kind of a kiss, but one that is instantly insisting on being very deep and strong - not rough but full of passion and anything but subtle. It's an 'I've missed you and I want to make up for all of the lost time right now' kiss - the one that he wanted to give him earlier but not with that many people around. The idea that people in the other cars might spot them is certainly in the back of his mind, but then again the odds that any of them would recognize or remember them specifically have gone down significantly. This is private enough for him - or at least he'll tell himself that it is so that he doesn't have to wait.