Youjo Senki: Falling is like Flying

V

The boots of Tanya Von Degurechaff were heavy upon the street. Children laughed and played, pointing and gawking, some cheering for her as she passed, her medals positively gleaming. Adults nodded their thanks or explained to their children who she was. She got a few cold stares from those who lived under the Star of David or their like, however that was the last thing on her mind. The first thing was the Prachtstraße.

Whilst the Prachtstraße was not open to the public, an exception was made for officials and guests of the Fürher passing through. The Fürher has assured them that it was all going according to schedule, but she was curious as to how it was actually going.

Tanya barely had to give a nod before the guards ushered her through the checkpoints, saluting as she moved into the location, dipping her head as she took the cap off to brush some of her hair aside. When she looked up, several things happened

Tanya saw the 5 kilometre long Prachtstraße in all its glory.

The cap fell from her hands.

Her arms fell to her sides.

Her jaw fell open.

It was beautiful.

"It is quite impressive, is it not Colonel Von Degurechaff?" A smooth voice from behind her spoke. "A pity it is not finished, but like I told der Fürher, my work cannot be rushed!"

Tanya turned to look at the man, recognising him from his dialogue and the suit he wore, standing out amongst the nationalists present.

"Herr Speer I presume?" Tanya snapped her heels together, then held her hand out to shake.

"Ja. It is an honour to meet you Miss Degurechaff." Speer shook her hand, gently guiding Tanya down the completed half of the street. She admired the sheer beauty of the location, gazing up at the towers, standing high above the main street.

"You are a hard woman to get in contact with, you distance yourself so greatly from all things political."

"I did not wish to endorse any party that I saw unfit, I stand by that."

"Ah, well we are honoured that you saw us worthy of your endorsement." Speer raised an eyebrow, smirking.

Tanya instead gazed into the large water feature in the middle of the completed end of the Prachtstraße. "This is quite the feat of engineering.... Where are we going?"

Tanya could tell Speer was mildly annoyed by the change of topic, but was content with the situation. "We are going to meet der Fürher in the Volkshalle." He nodded at the large dome ahead of them. At a closer range, Tanya got an idea of its size, watching the workers scramble over the building like tiny ants.

"... oh my god.. How big is it?" Tanya deliberately amplified her awe to an extent, suppressing the smile that she would have given, had Speer not been facing her or in front of her.

As they approached the dome, Tanya noted 4 guards standing outside the one completed entry, which stood around 10 meters high, each of them armed with a rifle she had never seen before and dressed in the same uniform she was currently dressed in.

Despite their appearance, Tanya could tell they weren't mages, there was no residual energy in the air.

The moment she stepped inside, however, she was bombarded by magic energy. There were low level mages everywhere, construction workers. But there was a strong presence above her. Black clad guards, dozens of them, standing on one of the levels, their gaze directed at her and Speer.

And then Tanya saw him. One of the most powerful men to ever live. Der Fürher.

She froze. Who wouldn't..

Speer continued walking, moving next to the Fürher and saluting, before engaging in a hushed discussion, giving Tanya time to compose herself and snap into a salute, the heels of her boots slamming together loudly. The Fürher turned to her, an eyebrow raised.
"Ah! Guten Morgen Colonel! Tell me, do you think the building would look best with or without statues inside?"

Tanya blinked, her arm faltering and falling to her side. She was called here for this?

"U-uh... In all honesty mein Fürher, I think the statues would be a nice touch.." Tanya managed. Was this how this meeting would go?

The Fürher chuckled at his victory and dismissed Speer, the man in the suit running off to organise the construction of the latter end of his masterpiece of a street.

"Incase you were worried, I did not request your presence to talk about architectural aesthetics." At this, Tanya released a breath she unconsciously held. "It has come to my attention, that the François republic is on the path to war. I will be blunt, I wish for you to lead my mages into combat against them, to restore Germania to its former glory!"

This. This is what she was here for. Tanya chuckled, laughing soon after. She looked up at the Fürher with a maniacal grin on her face.

"Jawohl mein Fürher."

With that, the ripples echoed out from the moment. Ripples in time.

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At the end of those ripples, a gunshot echoed, a scream reverberated ethereally and a body hit the floor, a mane of blonde hair falling.