It was already afternoon. Third Reich sat on his sofa and waited for Austria.

Austria could be his chance for a happy friendship and he had to take this chance.

Kira lay with her head on his lap and was stroked by him. Suddenly the doorbell rang at Reich's house. The previously relaxed dog jumped up and ran barking to the door. Third Reich got up and went to the front door, which he opened.

"Hello Austri-", when he saw who was standing there he started again, "H-Hello Soviet Union. What brings you here?" Reich was a little bit afraid.

Even if Soviet Union hadn't hurt him a few hours earlier and USSR wasn't allowed to hurt him for two weeks, he didn't trust him.

Kira pushed past Reich and went towards Soviet, wagging her tail. "I'm here to tell you that Austria can't come and that I should ask for her how you are.", came from Soviet Union.

From Third Reich's point of view, Soviet seemed to be in a bad mood, but he wasn't.

In fact, Soviet himself had decided to visit Reich. He wasn't here for Austria, he hadn't seen her after she disappeared into Britain's office.

Kira sniffed USSR's hand and licked his hand, then he patted the dog's head. The dog of Reich liked this very much.

"I feel much better, but I still feel slightly dizzy. Nothing too bad.", said Reich, "May I also ask why she's not coming?" "She threw a tomato in Britain's face and he dragged her into his office.", said USSR.

"Why did she throw a tomato in his face?", asked Third Reich confused. He answered: "I suppose she was very angry with him for what he did to you."

Only then did Reich notice that Kira was licking Soviet's hand. "Kira stop licking him.", said Reich. USSR said: "It's okay, I have no problem with it."

After a short, uncomfortable silence, because neither of them knew what to say, Reich asked: "Are you only here for a short time or can I offer you something to drink?"

Reich didn't really want Soviet with him, but he wanted to befriend his enemy so that they were no longer enemies and maybe they could spend time together and he wasn't so lonely.

Soviet Union thought for a moment and then said: "If you don't mind, I would like to have a quick drink."

Third Reich opened the door wider so that he could enter better. USSR entered his house and Kira came after him.

The homeowner was still unsure about his guest, but he didn't want to appear unfriendly or strange. Soviet Union took off his jacket and boots.

The little Countryhuman led the bigger one to his dining table. Soviet sat down and turned to Reich: "What would you have to drink?"

Reich told him: "Water, coffee, tea-" "What kinds of tea do you have?", Interrupted Soviet Union. "I only have black tea.", Reich. USSR said: "Then I would like a cup of black tea."

Third Reich went into the kitchen and turned on his kettle before setting up the mug with the teabag. He then went back to Soviet Union and sat on the left side of the table from Soviet Union's position. Soviet took off his hat.

Reich played nervously with his fingers and at least tried to look slightly to Soviet so as not to appear rude. Even Soviet did not try to appear rude, but also remained silent.

The uncomfortable silence was broken by neither man. Both thought about a topic, but didn't dare to start, because both didn't know how to deal with this situation.

At some point Reich said: "We have to help Austria!" Then Reich stood up. Soviet Union tried to reassure him: "Nazi she has a country so nothing will happen to her. Calm down and sit down again."

"I got up to take care of your tea.", Third Reich told him. "Oh... I misinterpreted it.", said Soviet. "It's okay! Going to Great Britain without a plan is worse than killing yourself. Even if I mess with him often and without a plan.", said Reich.

He then went into the kitchen and poured the boiling water into the cup before bringing milk and sugar to USSR and pouring himself a glass of cold water from the refrigerator. He then took the tea bag out of the cup and took Soviet's tea and its water with him.

He put the tea down to Soviet and sat down with him before he said: "I'm still pissed off at Britain. I know you get on well, but I honestly don't understand why. He's arguably the worst person that there is at all. At least for me. I would love to strangle him, but I am and will remain peaceful."

Soviet Union poured a little milk into his tea.

"I can well understand that you hate him-", came from Soviet, interrupted by Reich: "I don't hate him. I just really can't stand him. I still can't and still don't hate anyone.", he said.

"Anyway. I can understand that you have problems with him. From my point of view he's an asshole. He likes to order me around, especially when I'm supposed to hurt you. I still get problems later for not being mean to you as he asked me to be.", admitted USSR.

"You are only mean to me because he asks you to?", asked Reich. Soviet Union admitted: "Often, but not always. You are actually very... strange... special... something like that." Reich replied: "I have already understood. I am crazy and I live out my point of view very much."

"I don't really think that you are crazy, but you're exaggerating by spreading your opinion.", said Soviet and took a few sips of his hot tea.

Reich explained: "For me it is just the case that if I am very firmly convinced of something, I always defend this opinion very much."

Reich also took a sip of his cold water.

"Could you please call me by my name and not call me a Nazi if we meet somewhere as friends?", asked Third Reich.

"Yes, but why do you ask me if I will only call you Third Reich when we meet somewhere as friends?", asked Soviet Union confused.

"Because I can understand that you don't want to have a bad reputation because of me.", Reich said, "That's how I had to live my old friends, but we haven't got along for over ten years. I am surprised that he was friends with me at all until then."

USSR asked him confused: "What do you mean by that? Don't you have any friends?"

"I have no friends. I thought you already knew because you recently said again that I had no friends.", said Third Reich.

"I only said that to make you feel bad, but I never thought I was right. I thought you had one or two friends. That's why you wanted to see Austria so much?", he said.

Reich nodded and then drank some of his water again, whereupon he cleared his throat.

Reich believed: "You are definitely not lonely or alone." "I'm not lonely, but I live alone.", replied Soviet Union.

"I thought after so many women who are after you, you would definitely have a partner already.", came from Reich.

Soviet told him: "Unfortunately not. I don't understand women well and just want to be with someone I know well. For me it has been the case for a long time that I am no longer... interested in women's bodies."

"Are you gay or what?", Reich asked him. Reich didn't really understand what Soviet meant.

"I think not. But I won't find it out, although it probably doesn't make any difference at my age anyway.", believed USSR, who then changed the subject, "How can you still be so stubborn about your opinion after so many years?"

Soviet drank again. Reich said: "I don't know. I'm just like that. Every now and then I wish that I could just shut up, but as you know I have never been able to. I would so much like to be able to give up... to be able to give up everything, since I have nothing anyway, but there is always an invisible spark of hope that makes sure that I get up again at some point. I don't know what that spark is and maybe I'll never find out."

Soviet Union felt a little sorry for Reich , but he just wanted to listen to what Reich had to say and not interfere for the time being.

They talked for a while, but then Soviet Union had to go. The two said goodbye to each other.

Third Reich was poked by his dog shortly afterwards. "Kira what is it now?", asked the Countryhuman. Kira ran ahead to her leash and then touched the leash with her nose.

"Well, whatever you want. We'll go for a walk in a minute, let me get another jacket first.", said Third Reich.

He ran up the stairs and went to his room. Reich put on a little more than just a jacket before he went back downstairs and his dog came along with a hat.

The hat looked familiar. Reich was someone who wasn't too fond of hats, so he immediately assumed it was one of his. "Kira, it's so warm that I don't need a hat.", Third Reich said.

His dog then pressed the hat to his leg so that he finally took it. "If you really want me to put the hat on.", said the Countryhuman, who didn't understand.

He took the cap from her and put it on. The smell on the hat was very familiar to him, but he couldn't tell where it was coming from. The smell reminded him of before, but he didn't think much of it.

Then he went to the mirror in the wardrobe and looked at himself with the hat in the mirror. The hat was very warm, soft and cozy. He liked this hat.

But then he noticed that there was a red star in the front. Third Reich took the hat off and looked at the star. The red stone, which was presumably a ruby, had a gold mount. On closer inspection, a hammer, a sickle and a star could be seen in the ruby.

This hat belonged to Soviet Union. "Has Soviet Union left his hat here?", asked Reich. Third Reich decided to take the hat with him to give this Soviet back.

He put on his jacket and took a bag to hide the hat. Last but not least, he put a collar on Kira and walked out of the house with her before locking the front door.

They walked down the main street to Soviet's house together. At the beginning of her walk, Kira often pulled on the leash, but it got better over time, as Reich kept stopping so she had to wait for him.

At some point, Reich came near USSR's house. He could see Britain standing on the doorstep talking to Soviet Union. Soviet Union did nothing but look down. How could a Countryhuman so tall make himself so small? Reich wondered.

Third Reich could only hear about a hundred gold pieces, but did not understand much more. And, as suspected, it was Soviet's hat that Kira had found, since he wasn't wearing one. Soviet went inside and gave him two sacks of gold. In terms of size, both should fit about fifty each.

Thereupon Britain yelled one last time at the Soviet, who just closed his eyes and continued to look somehow subservient.

Third Reich didn't know what to do, but he got a little idea for Soviet. He turned around and made his way home.

At home he went to his cellar and took two sacks of gold with him. He put the sacks in the bag with the hat and went back to Soviet Union's house, where he put the bag in front of his door and rang the doorbell before hiding and watching.

Soviet Union picked up the bag and looked inside. From where he was, Reich could see Soviet smiled when he saw his hat. At once Soviet put his hat back on and looked at the other things in the bag. He took out the sacks and opened them. He looked in shock at all the gold.

Soviet looked around and Reich pressed himself even more against the wall and looked away. When he looked again, he saw no one and heard USSR closing the front door. Then Reich went on again to complete the walk with his dog.