[Imperial Eagle] Welcome home, Bruder!

[Königreich Preußen]

Gilbert lifted Ludwig’s thick, unconscious frame up and onto his bed, panting heavily from all of the dead weight he had hoisted since leaving their home, several blocks away. His younger brother had definitely grown since the last time Gilbert had seen him, and had gained what felt like several tons to his rather massive, and intimidating physique. Releasing an exhausted sigh, and wiping a sleeve across his brow, the albino straightened. It would probably be several hours until Ludwig started stirring again, and once he did, Gilbert had planned to be far above Berlin, forcing him to stay onboard.

Tapping his lips with a long finger, Gilbert thought quietly to himself, as he moved towards his cluttered, and rather unorganized, mahogany desk. The oil lamp that he kept had flickered out, and he instinctively set about to relight it, noting how many matches he still had and the amount of oil that was left in the reserve. He would need to restock soon.

Dragging the matchstick across the box, Gilbert lit the wick, watching as it slowly burned ember, while the candlelight bounced off of his pale face. He inhaled deeply, letting his thoughts wander to the different ports where he and Ludwig could fill their supplies, once the other woke up. Austria and Hungary immediately came to mind, due to their ideal proximity; and each country was renowned to have well-made products and foodstuffs. Having been to neither country before, he liked the idea of starting off with an adventure to unknown parts -- both places intriguing him greatly.

Deciding to get a move on -- sooner rather than later -- Gilbert set the glass cover over the lamp, giving the room a warm, comfortable glow. He was sure Ludwig would come to see that this way of life was more appealing, and by far, more fun, than the stuffy drabness of life in the police force. Glancing over at him one last time, Gilbert gave a quiet chuckle, before walking towards the door and giving the knob a turn. “Welcome home, Bruder.” He grinned fiendishly, stepping out and into the hallway.
[/size]

[Deutschland]

Ludwig was having a drug-induced childhood flashback.

He was about ten or so; wearing the cobbled together police uniform that gave him so much confidence. He was playing his favorite game with his brother, “Deutsch-Offizier und Gypsy König”, and about to make his arrest. Gilbert had attempted to steal the pretend treasure away from the pretend old lady , but Ludwig was too clever. He cornered his albino brother, whom was desperately running away. But it was only a matter of time.

The two scrambled and skipped through the alley ways, laughing [well, one of them anyway] and name calling. It was then that Gilbert decided it was a good idea to run onto the edge of a bridge, thinking Ludwig wouldn't be brave enough to follow. Indeed, Ludwig wasn't dumb enough to jump on the edge of a bridge. Predictably, Gilbert lost his footing, and fell over the edge.

Panicked, Ludwig managed to catch the sleeve of his brother, and pulled him back to safety. With hurt pride, Gilbert managed a, "Mooooron~ Police officers aren't supposed to save criminals!"

Ludwig looked at him. "But brothers are supposed to save each other, right?"

Present day Ludwig opened his eyes.

It took him a few moments to realize he had no idea where he was. He jolted up, eyes growing wide. "W-what the..." He looked around frantically. Nope, nothing familiar. He quickly got out of the bed, his heart racing. What was the last thing he remembered? Alcohol. Alright, after that?

Gil. He remembered Gil.

...where was he? How did he get here? His police senses were tingling. He grabbed a lamp that sat content on the shelf next to the bed, in case he needed a weapon. He slowly opened the door, making sure the coast was clear. He spotted a window nearby.

Good, maybe I can figure out where I am...

He looked out the window, and immediately his heart rate skyrocketed.

He was in the air.

He raced down the hall, and down the staircase. What is going on?! When he noticed the familiar gray hair from a man sitting, no, waiting, he froze.

"G-gil?"

[Königreich Preußen]

The albino turned his head slowly, his ruby eyes flickering as they met with the cold blue of Ludwig’s confused gaze. “Oh, güt.” He grinned, hopping off the barstool he had been sitting at, and casually moved toward him. “You’re awake. Are you hungry?” Gilbert motioned to the rather German-centered spread behind him. There were several different types of potatoes, spätzle with brown gravy, wurst, and bread rolls, each arranged neatly and in matching dishware. A large barrel with a tap sat off to the side. These were, if Gilbert’s memory served him right, all of Ludwig’s favorites, and he smiled, confident with his purchases.

Glancing down, his lips puckered. “Bruder, why do you have a lamp?” He asked, a laugh in his voice. [/size]

[Deutschland]

Most of what Gilbert said to him was lost on the beefy blond. His eyes were glazed over, in a permanent confused stupor. His mind just could not comprehend what was happening just yet. He didn't answer him for a long time.

In the back of his mind, he sort of knew what all this meant. There must have been a big reason for all this, since his brother had...kidnapped him for it. Kidnapped. He kidnapped me. His eyes widened slightly. How did he get him up in the sky? They had to be in some sort of zeppelin. Where on earth did he get that? Why? Why was Ludwig even here?

More and more questions flooded his brain, and he quickly closed his eyes, forcing them to stop. Ludwig caught what Gilbert had said last, when he asked about the lamp. He looked confused at first; he forgot he had the lamp in his hand. He stumbled a "U-uh...it's....never mind." He stopped his explanation halfway, due the boiling anger bubbling deep inside him. He kidnapped me.

But it wasn't time to explode just yet.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked, his tone hard and almost threatening. No, it wasn't time to explode just yet. Gilbert's answer determined that.

[Königreich Preußen]

Gilbert felt a knot in his stomach tighten, his smile quickly evaporating as Ludwig stared at him. The question had been rather blunt, and he definitely didn’t like the tone that had been used to deliver it. Tearing his eyes away, Gilbert glanced to the side, trying to come up with an answer that divulged enough information to satisfy his brother, while sounding like it hadn’t been completely fabricated on the spot. After all, lying had served him well thus far, what was one more to him?

“You don’t remember?” He asked casually, hoping that Ludwig might believe he had come here of his own free will. “I invited you here. This is my sky ship! Pretty awesome, don’t you think?”

Gilbert propped his hands up on his hips and looked around proudly. Having piled his winnings together -- after upgrading his own wardrobe, of course -- the albino had remodeled some of the ship’s interiors and was quite pleased with his decorating choices. Deep mahoganies stood out strikingly against the many mechanical knickknacks found onboard, and the rich fabrics he had found quite recently, brought a rather stylish feel to the ship’s cabins and internal meeting places.

Grinning, Gilbert glanced back at his brother, hoping he would acknowledge a job -- he felt -- was surprisingly well done. [/size]

[Deutschland]

"I...you did?" Ludwig blinked, not able to remember much of last night. He did remember inviting Gilbert into his house, what a surprise that was, but the rest of the night was mostly a blur. Speaking of which, he only just noticed how sick he felt; nauseous, dizzy, and a small headache. Was...it just a hangover or....?

Still disoriented and distracted by Gilbert, he looked around the ship. Indeed, it was quite beautiful and...expensive looking. Wait. Wait wait wait.

His eyes widened. "How...how on earth did you get this?" It was a very valid question, as well as something else that was nagging the back of his head. Gilbert could not have become obscenely rich in the time he was gone, so how was it possible that he owned an entire ship?! Oh no....did he...did he stea-

Then it hit him. His police training, his real police training, started today. It started soon. It had to.

If Gilbert had answered him, Ludwig did not hear it. "Christ!!" He shouted. "I have to go! Land this thing! I...my training starts today!" Ludwig was quite close to complete panic.

Which will only make the truth all the more...difficult.

[Königreich Preußen]

Gilbert watched, his eyes blinking and lips puckered, as Ludwig had the closest thing to a freakout he had ever managed in his life. His shoulders were tense and his posture was almost too straight, causing Gilbert to shift uncomfortably, his back becoming stiff just looking at him.

"Calm down, bruder." He said in a casual tone, his rubied gaze following Ludwig as he walked back and forth, trying to figure out the best way to abandon ship. "You're going to start hyperventilating if you don't."

It was sad to see someone so wound up about a dream that would no longer come true. Almost pathetic. Gilbert might have thought he was feeling a bit of remorse for what he had done to Ludwig's good name and standing, the knot of guilt in his stomach twisting as he watched him, if he had not been so hungry.

His stomach growling, the guilt-ridden message ignored, Gilbert gave a shrug of his shoulder as he turned back toward the spread of food and grabbed himself a plate. Loading it full of potatoes and other German favorites, the albino completely brushed off Ludwig's request to land, giving him a grin from over his shoulder, instead. [/size]

[Deutschland]

Ludwig would not stand for his brother's behavior. Too much was at stake for him.

"Gilbert," he hissed, his tone completely threatening, "Land this ship. NOW!" He squeezed the lamp inside his hand almost too tightly, the poor piece of furniture was at the mercy of his rage. Why wasn't landing this thing? He must have told him about his acceptance, and he though Gilbert would be proud of him. There was never a reason to assume he didn't want Ludwig to pursue his dream, he always seemed happy and content about it. Was he hiding something from him the entire time?

Thinking about last night made him think even harder. As a German, Ludwig knew full well what kind of drunk he was, assuming he did get drunk last night. What was strange was that Ludwig never had memory issues due to alcohol. He got headaches the next morning, sure, but he never felt queasy or sick like he did right now. He certainly did not remember agreeing to seeing the ship, and it was strange that he would agree to such a thing, knowing he'd have to get up early the next day for something so very, very important. Things did not add up. What was he hiding?

He waited for his answer.

[Königreich Preußen]

Releasing a sigh, Gilbert turned his gaze forward and stared ahead, depositing a roll on his plate as he did. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Luddy." His utensils clattered together as he picked them up to eat. "You and I ... " He hesitated, unsure how to continue. Gilbert wanted to tell him about all the adventures they were about to have, but now did not seem like the best time. Maybe a speckle of truth would help? "Well, let's just say, you're not going to want to stay in Berlin, anymore."

The breaded pork cutlet practically melted in his mouth as Gilbert chewed, his mouth slowly savoring the tenderized meat. Few things made him feel as good as German food did. Breathing in and taking a drink of his beer, he tried not to think about Ludwig's eyes piercing the back of his, nor his rising temper, which Gilbert could practically feel radiating off of him. [/color]

[Deutschland]

Ludwig froze, his eyes widening and his lips becoming thinner and thinner. His pent up anger forced parts of his face to twitch violently, like the corners of his eyes and edge of his mouth. His fists clenched so hard that his fingernails broke skin, but he didn't care. His tone was icy and sharp, but somehow radiated red hot anger, boiling over to the point of furious steam. "What the hell do you mean by that?" he almost screamed, just barely hanging onto his control. "What did you do?!"

He summed up the events leading up to this point in his head. He got accepted into his official police training, setting off his dream to become an established police officer. A few days after, his brother, whom had left home unexpectedly, returned to congratulate him. They had a few drinks, and from there, Ludwig had no idea what happened next. Then he woke up here, on this damned ship. To top it off, Gilbert was refusing to let him off, knowing his training starts today. And he says he shouldn't go back....why? Kidnapping, lies....what else did his back-water brother accomplish?

"If you don't tell me exactly what's going on Gilbert, I swear to Gott I will never call you my brother again! Now. What the fuck did you do?!"

If Gilbert believed he did not mean what he just said, he would be sadly mistaken.

[Königreich Preußen]

Gilbert's shoulders tensed. Ludwig had gone from harsh to threatening in a matter of seconds, and there was no longer any placidity in his voice. Brushing his tongue across his lips, Gilbert set down his fork and knife, and inhaled as deeply as he could. Things were about to get very ugly.

"I might have persuaded a few people back in Berlin to ..." He stalled, trying to think of the best way to phrase his treachery. "Let you go." It was a lame concluding copout, but it was the best he could muster without going into the all the nasty details. Ignorance was bliss, after all.

"That being said," Gilbert continued, turning on his barstool to look at his younger brother, the bottom of his boots squealing against the metal, as he did. "You should get acquainted with the ship, and decide where you want to sleep, as you're going to be here for a very long time."

Shifting his crimson gaze, Gilbert's eyes glanced at the hardwood floor, before returning to Ludwig, lowered but alert. "You aren't going to training, Luddy. And you're never going to be an Officer."

[/size]

[Deutschland]

Ludwig could hear shouting in the back of his head. Angry shouting, filled with disappointment and even deeper, fear. He recognized this anguished sound, of thousands of screams and expressions of emotion, but he couldn't remember where or when. But he knew what that sound was. It was the sound of his dreams being shattered apart.

See, Ludwig was a simple man, of simple tastes. He didn't need much to keep him happy, no need for vast riches or luxury. Normality was all he could ask for. But all he needed was a plan. And he had one. He dreamed of becoming a police officer, a man dedicated to justice. The pay didn't matter to him, he just wanted to fight for the right side. To protect the ones that he loved.

He dreamed of a house with a backyard and fence, a common wish for a German. He had dreams of dogs to keep him company and nice neighbors. Daily stops at the pub to meet up with the regulars. Then later on, get promoted and perhaps have the chance to teach young Germans policing. A few years of that, then...settling down. Meeting the right lady for him. He had dreams of marriage and a few kids. Watching them grow up. Sending them to college. Retirement. More time to spend with his wife. Grandchildren. Then dying peacefully as an old man, content with a life well spent, doing the right thing and believing in it without a doubt.

But now, that life was impossible.

Because of the man he called his brother.

It was a betrayal that shattered his world, from the man that he grew up with. It ushered his normality, his common sense and justice, into an insane rage that told him it didn't matter if his brother was alive or not. And that he needed revenge.

Ludwig's face transformed into a dog-like snarl, glaring with putrid hatred toward his older brother. Gilbert, if not for knowing beforehand who Ludwig was, wouldn't have recognized Ludwig; his demeanor and face was so radically different than before.

"You....you..." he snarled, his entire body shaking with livid anger, "fucking...." he gripped the lamp in his hand,"BASTARD!!"

He threw the lamp as hard as he possibly could toward Gilbert. Gilbert, having the sense of good dodging, managed to duck in time before the lamp made contact with his face. It hit the wall above him and practically exploded, raining down shards of glass onto the cowering albino.

But Ludwig wasn't finished. Oh no. He made his way over to his brother, completely intending to beat him senseless.

[Königreich Preußen]

Eyes widening, Ludwig's footfalls heavy with anger, as he stalked toward him, Gilbert scrambled to get behind the bar, throwing a stool down to try and stop him. "L-ludwig! He stammered, fleeing to the other side of the long counter. "I only did it for your own good!"

Ludwig had lost his mind, and he hadn't even figured out the whole truth, yet. Gilbert shuddered to think what he would be like once it all came spilling out, before giving a small yelp, as a plate was thrown at him. "Luddy! Stop!" He crawled out on his hands and knees, making a beeline for the door, as he jumped back up onto his feet.

Rushing out into the hall, Gilbert skidded across the newly polished wood, causing him to swear loudly, as his arms flailed to keep him upright and off of his ass. He didn't dare look over his shoulder to see if Ludwig was right behind him.

"Think of it this way!" He yelled, continuing to bolt towards his room. "I'm just putting your skills to better use! Augh!" Gilbert's head twisted as he missed his door.
[/size]

[Deutschland]

It was true that Ludwig had in fact, lost his mind. All he had was pure rage, and unfortunately, the source of his anger was right in front of him, cowering in his presence. It was as if he had forgotten Gilbert was his own brother, their childhood forgotten and the promise he made to Fritz to look after him disregarded.

He stomped towards his brother in a horror-flick fashion, unburdened by Gilbert's attempt to create a wall between them with a stool. He snorted at what Gilbert said, not stopping. "Bullshit! You did this only for your own benefit!" Ludwig could no longer speak in a normal tone, there was only threat and malice behind his voice. "You couldn't care less how happy I am as long as I heed to your every whim!" Saying it out loud only made him angrier, so he picked up a plate, not caring about the spilled food, and threw it at Gilbert just like the lamp. The plate shattered beside the terrified albino, too close for comfort. He yelped and managed to stand, after a few failed attempts at catching his balance. He managed to escape this room and into the hallway. Ludwig didn't need to pick up his pace, but he hunted Gilbert down easily enough.

His rage sparked once again when Gilbert opened his mouth. "My skills?! My skills were meant to be used on the side of justice! And you- you took that from me!!" He snarled at him, as he watched Gilbert attempt to open another door, but failed. He used that opportunity to snatch his brother up by the collar, shoving him roughly against the wall, not caring that he was certainly hurting his brother.

He glared at the trembling man, his face monstrous. "I should....I should take something from you." He raised his trembling fist behind him, bringing it down hard onto Gilbert's pale cheek. Gilbert made a gurgled sound, his body twitching in pain. Ludwig brought his fist up again, intending to hit him harder each time. But he hesitated. He looked at his brother's anguished and terrified face. If he hit him as many times as he wanted to, he would surely kill him. Either that or damage him too much, condemning him to a life of paralyzing handicaps. He had to decide what to do.

Hopefully it would not involve finishing the deed.

[Königreich Preußen]

The first blow had been hard. While not completely unsuspected, Gilbert hadn't any way to deflect the fist, and reactively let out a grunt as he felt Ludwig's knuckles connect with his cheekbone. The skin beneath his eye twitched involuntarily as he turned his frightened gaze upward, watching Ludwig's shaking hand above him, his cheek swelling.

"Luddy?" Gilbert gulped, tearing his wide rubied eyes to glance at his brother. He could barely move, and Ludwig's arm was pinning him uncomfortably against the wall, as he tried to shift against it.

"Luddy!" He said again, Ludwig's hesitation giving him a moment to gather his courage, his hands clawing at the wrist holding down. "Get off of me, dammit!" Frantic to scramble away, Gilbert squirmed beneath his much larger captor, huffing to pull himself from his clutches. [/color]