Ich Bin Soldat
"A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in." - Frederick The Great
The Menagerian Guard had seen better days.
Puroi Sen Jr. – Chief of the Menagerian Guards – looks at his dirty office as he is sitting behind a desk with a frown.
Oh don't get the performance of the Guard wrong, they still have a fleet and a land force enough to reinforce the towns, ports, and the defence for the Chieftain of Menagerie and his family themselves, even conduct collaborative efforts with their Taiwanese allies in clearing out the island from Grim..but, it could be more.
In fact, the Guards were at the height of their power during the Great War – focused towards making sure both sides of the conflict did not attack and at times even had to defend the island away from invaders trying to turn the tide by capturing the island for their means and schemes against their opponents.
But it's been decades since the fighting, where Menagerie took its first steps as a different power next to the other four Kingdoms of Remnant. That didn't mean their schemes have come to a stop, for what else are the tales of mistreatment, and even times violence, mean from the coming Faunus escaping their homes abroad?
No, it meant that a new conflict was soon to be upon them.
While this time Menagerie have allies, it'd be poor showing on their front to allow Taiwan to do everything for them – not to mention how that may increase resentment towards their staunch ally for not being at fault of their own. They don't control the Guard's budgets after all.
They didn't have the funds, the troops, the equipment to defeat the Grimm, nor can they now expand their reach with more outposts across the recaptured territories that now extend the Civilian Government's main control.
No, they can't rely on numerous troops that neither knew combat or the steadfastness – or a veteran force that once made the Humans rarely have battles on the island compared to other places on Remnant. They can't rely on huntsmen that should be focusing more on Grimm, Anti-Grimm defence, or training a new generation to handle everything for them.
However, that did not mean the Menagerian Guard could not adapt.
"Puroi?" A knock cancels his thoughts as his assistant calls out outside his door with a knock.
"Enter."
An aged black-turning white haired woman with cat ears and yellow eyes enters the office. Puroi pales as she enters, quickly standing up with a salute.
"My office has seen better days." The woman smiles amusedly with fondness in her voice, before dropping it as she frowns at the Chief of the Menagerian Guards. "At ease, Puroi. Don't forget I've already retired." She chides him.
"Easy to say when you just retired five years ago." Puroi muttered to himself before coughing to quickly cut his old superior from commenting. "What brings you here, aside from visiting that is?"
She pouts as she looks at him.
"Trying to pull the fun away?" She smirks at him. "I saw those new Earth-based computers in that new research lounge, need some help researchi-"
"Sure, you're hired as our new Research and Ideas department to scout through the Earth's internet database, and download the ones related to the Military: Airforce, Navy, Army, and anything that exists within." Puroi sweeps her under the rug again with a no-nonsense tone and a stony face.
"Why so stony?" She smirks at him with narrowed eyes, making him start to sweat. "What happened to the young private tha-"
"Proceeding to the next point!" Puroi cuts in crisply, already pulling out a document from inside a drawer. "Your contract just needs your signature." he points at the signature label below, with a pen thrown in to stop her from complaining.
Looking at him with an amused look on her face, she writes her signature in a slow manner – every second wasted as she narrowed her eyes into his, while he looks at her with impatience by tipping his foot on the floor gently.
"
Finished, Puroi." She gives him a smirk as he grits her teeth. "Isn't it fun for me to finally retire without causing a scene?"
"Huh?" He looks at her with confusion, alongside suspicion.
"Now I can ~
Give you my
full attention." She winks with a flirty smile.
"Get out!" Puroi grits back as his cheeks finally blushed with embarrassment.
She giggles with amusement as he puts his head to his hands, groaning at losing his cool in front of the former Chief of the Menagerian Guards.
"What ever happened to the old disciplinarian of the Guards?" He complains as he shakes his head into his hands.
"Private." She speaks out in a serious tone, making him stand and snap a salute with sweat running down his head.
Minutes drags on as her face contorted into strictness with calculating eyes, her posture reminding him of her former position as she analyzes her opposing side..
"Made you salute." She breaks out into a smile with a giggle. "Can't I enjoy my retirement and now spend my time making sure your soldiers aren't spending work time on catfish websites on the internet?"
Without him saying anything, she simply leaves with a wave, taking a copy of the contract she signed as she closes the door.
"D-did I just bring a returning nightmare back into the Guards?" He rubs his forehead with a suffering look on his face. "No big deal, it'll be good to restore discipline since our last trainer left just before the monsoons."
"I wonder if I can request an order for computers for the administration branch of the Menagerian Guards." Puroi thinks to himself as he grips his chin, before writing down the idea as a suggestion to the next meeting with
Chieftain Denim Sweets and the Menagerian Governing Council.
"
~Chief, sir!" a voice calls out along with a knock on the door.
"What terror has she brought this time?" He grumbles as he grasps his head with one hand, rubbing his thumb on the forehead. "Enter!"
The door opens as the troublesome woman appears with a small smirk, carrying a group of folders at her right side. She takes a look at his face and drops her amusement into a professional facade of seriousness.
"Sir!" She gives him a salute.
"At ease, Head Researcher Kuro Belladonna." Puroi nods his head at the empty chair in front of him. "I'll assume that the week's reports on the internet research front have been fruitful?"
"Indeed, Chief." Kuro sits down, bringing the pile of folders on the desk while pushing it to him. "Many ideas are intriguing, its applications towards warfare and defence of the different countries' homelands more so." She summarises simply before continuing her and the research team's observations.
"As a first test of the procedure, we began with information towards learning from our Taiwanese allies. Their history in the military operations leaves much to be desired, but could not be blamed for the shrewdness of their enemies – especially with what seems to be a problem with leadership that was exploited to expand their enemy's influence that allowed them a swift victory." Puroi checks the more detailed explanation as he looks through the first folder.
"Of course, their operations now are different from before and wisely agreed along with my colleagues to leave searching on them alone. It'll be uncomfortable for both our soldiers and our allies if we attempt to copy them entirely."
"Understandable." Puroi closes the first folder with a nod in agreement. "It would be best if we are at our best to learn the basic information, and nothing more. Just like they and our forces do not interfere directly unless agreed upon in the Pact rules, we will not interfere directly in regards to information as well."
"Next, our research operations are focused towards the United States of America." She begins the next topic.
Puroi opens the next folder on the pile.
"The United States has two centuries worth of history in relation to Warfare, starting as a divided set of colonies unified against what was considered to be the most powerful country of the time, to ending up having wars in different places around the globe – additionally participating in two World Wars in different theatres of war at the same time." He reads through the research notes, considerably more than the Taiwan folder.
"Interesting approach to warfare." He comments mildly. "Industrial Might combined with a focused approach towards Firepower to allow them to win against their opponents. Although, it sounds familiar to a certain country in the north." He flips through some papers to continue more of the discussion. "That does not mean their approach could not be replicated, more so the current guards added with the Taiwanese forces could not follow along with the concept at the present possible moment. Continue to the next, Head Researcher." He closes the folder and places it on top of the first one.
"After a focus on the United States, we turned our attention to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland." He picks up the next folder and opens it to find some information available.
"A reputation for being a colonial power, enough for people of Earth to create jokes about how they'll be the first colonists to colonise their planet's moon, with pictures of launching wooden ships into the outer orbit." He raises an eyebrow before shaking his head at the laughable image it paints in his head. "They have a consistent track record of a military history longer than the United States, however to simplify the matter, dates after the Unification of the isles in 1707 are concentrated on."
"One of their generals is known for defeating an Emperor by the name of Napoleon Bonaparte on the fields of Waterloo." He continues the conversation, looking over the papers on the country. "Of which Emperor was said to be the greatest, no less declared to be by this same general." He flips more papers for continued reading. "An impressive dedication to their homeland and to never surrender even when a swarm of aircraft bombed their island. Not to mention a large tradition towards the navy and their reputation as a superior foe on the seas." He closes it up and places it on the previous folder in favour of the next folder.
"The Fifth French Republic." She introduces as he opens the new folder. "A reputation of violence and known for their surrender in the Second World War."
"Colour me impressed." The Chief mutters to himself before raising his eyebrows.
"Believe me, the research team had that same reaction." Kuro nods her head. "They have a long history of Military Victories, more than every country known to history. Arguably their most consistent strings of victories are within the reign and leadership of one Napoleon Bonaparte. Who managed to defeat and conquer numerous armies and enemies in the span of two decades, before losing most of the French Army in the Winter and Summer of the land of the East."
"Impressive record." Honestly, it really is, a leader that according to the information gathered in the folder belongs to the age where heroes of old are said to remain. What is he doing outside of it? "Created a set of laws and reforms to the country that its variations are still in use to the modern time Taiwan comes from. The only way for the Coalition forces to defeat him is through not directly fighting Bonaparte in battle, focusing on his marshals." He frowns as he reads through a point in one of the papers. "Only Spain remained to be the worst nightmare for his..'Grande Armee' to fight in – similar to Vietnam from that United States folder." He closes the folder and places it on top of the last folder he read. "What is the last one for the report?"
"The Kingdom of Prussia, known in the Modern Day of Taiwan as 'The Federal Republic of Germany'." He raises an eyebrow at the name change of the mentioned country, not to mention Kuro's voice sounding more livelier than the other countries. "While officially abolished in 1947, the Prussians already had an influence in its culture from ideas of the military to businesses and the establishment and sciences, to even having the same capital alone. Therefore, while it is incorrect to say they are the same country, it is correct to say that Prussia is the major influence to the nation of Germany." He opens the folder to find a large package of papers, with a noticeable focus towards the Kingdom of Prussia compared to the Federal Republic of Germany."
"Different from many countries of its time, the Prussian Military enjoyed a large budget with rigorous drilling exercises and changes in tactics under Frederick the Great during the Seven Years War, which decreased by the time of its first iteration in favour of other projects such as industry, Sciences, the Arts, and railroad building as examples." She introduces the topic. "Again, different from other countries, they placed a large precedent towards education amongst the rank and file as an important aspect towards their military efforts, in addition to an adoption of new concepts and ideas as a way of having an edge against their opponents of the time under Minister of Defence Roon and Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke 'the Senior'."
Puroi's intrigue in the matter increases at the basically admission by the Prussians themselves to need new ways to conduct warfare in a world where there is a strong favour towards the classics, even from his observations on Remnant says the same – to the point its reluctance may describe one reason why the Armies of the world disintegrate with Atlas as the last nation to hold one.
"Recognizing this, Helmuth von Moltke had the army invested in new ways of communication and travel, designing new formations and doctrines of attack that promotes the concept of Self-Action of units to exploit an enemy's weak point, the creation of a General Staff that focuses on reform and helping Moltke's new form of combat, and other details that allows them to swiftly defeat Denmark, Austria, and France within the span of a decade." Kuro finishes with a small smile on her face.
"Interesting." He commentates as he looks over the file.
"Not only that, but there is an aspect that can be seen with more exposure than the other countries combined." There, she gives a grin.
A crowd of people looks at Kuo Kuana palace of Menagerie, which is really just a glorified house with extensions and additional developments that has the government expanded in its new departments that requires new rooms with new equipment and other factors that justifies the expansion of the palace.
It is one of those annual meetings of the Pact where the President of Taiwan visits the Government of Menagerie, purely ceremonial and diplomatic when both sides' ministries are working in the completion of projects, the decision of projects, and the waiting of said decisions to either be delayed, greenlit, or have enough funds and focus to justify its continuation. Overall, projects that would've bored the ordinary citizen comfortable with their lives – or in some cases focused on other facts of life like Tankery, development of new movements, or people complaining that life in the other Kingdoms are more fun than peaceful Menagerie.
Suddenly, a new tune enters the minds of the people that are standing by, patriots in the crowd confused by this new distraction from the event of officials arriving in the country.
It was until the arrival of a newly uniformed group of individuals, with the leader holding onto a pointed stick with the flag of Menagerie in a triangle formation flowing at one side with the conductor at the other side, the pointed stick bobbing up and down. The uniforms consist of helmets that look similar to the ones Taiwanese soldiers wear, except with pointed tops with smooth yet metallic basis that gives a sense of height and some factor of intimidation, with the tops having a dark blue colour while the bottoms are the colour white.
Amongst them, are holding different instruments with the first two rows with drums with the National Symbol of Menagerie, followed by rows of wind instrument musicians, some drummers and cymbalists as additions into the band, with the last group of the small parade by another flag bearer in the middle of the overall formation with a larger and more rectangular flag with a group of soldiers marching in matching steps – one would think a goose Faunus would train them to step like – like the rest of the forces, however only carrying a rifle in the same motions as each of the non-musicians.
The crowd couldn't help but feel invested in the sequence of events. Taking place where usually are filled with boredom having to wait for the leaders to appear, now filled with a song that gives off a sense and taste of victory to any that listens to it – for some confused of the change and many growing a sense of pride amongst the ones that are listening. Most likely this was a new detatchment of the Menagerie Guards that was formed to fill in entertainment or establish a sense that something important is happening? If it was both, or perhaps more, then it made its purpose clear as day.
At the end of the second song, a moment of silence was heard as the band was already in position, facing a red carpet and also the crowd as the Chieftain of Menagerie and the President of Taiwan stood at one side of it. If one were to focus on the two leaders, the President looks confused at this new yet familiar setting.
A few moments later, which means pictures taken by journalists attending the ordeal,
a march starts playing as the two leaders walk through the red carpet heading towards the entrance of the palace.
"Good thing the Chieftain enjoyed the performance to the point of not feeling spited at a late-announced entourage of the newly formed Music Corps of the Menagerie Guards." Puroi Sen mutters to himself as he looks at a piece of paper with a smile. "Felt happy enough to promise an increase to the Guard's budget, and actually fell through with it."
He turns his head to other ideas he and his team of researchers wrote down to develop further down, with priorities in regards to budget to allow the expansion and reformation of the Guards to what he hopes to be considered a true military force – equal to the Taiwanese military than what he believes to be a subservient, even if that was simply because of numbers and military hardware and other related factors.
The list is as follows:
- The Creation of the Menagerie Guard General Staff
- The Creation of the Menagerie Financial Commission – a sub-department of the General Staff focused towards the financial and logistical statistical finances aspects of the Military.
- The Creation of the Menagerie Guard Reform Commission – a sub-department of the General Staff focused towards Research, Reform, and Reform Maintenance/enactment.
- The Creation of the Menagerie Guard Disciplinarian Department – a sub-department of the General Staff towards disciplinarian action, defence of military buildings, and maintenance of the army policies.
- The Creation of the Menagerie Military Intelligence Group – sub-department of the General Staff focuses on the foreign and domestic military intelligence.
- The Menagerie Grimm-Infestation Counter Forces – a sub-department of the General Staff dedicated towards aiding Anti-Grimm operations in securing a village attacked by Grimm as the Aura users focus on the Grimm themselves. This group aids the defence, reconstruction, provides medical assistance, and defence operation liaison to the attacked village.
- The Creation of the Menagerie Special Forces – sub-department of the General Staff, consists of Aura Users or Huntsmen/Huntresses that enlists into the Menagerie Guard.
- The Creation of a Pact Huntsmen/Huntresses Tankery Academy that promotes further cooperation and training of new defenders against the Grimm.
- The Menagerie Guard Military and Tankery Academy – An official building dedicated towards the training of up-coming Soldiers, NCOs, and even Aura Users who decided to become part of the Menagerie Guard than become a Huntsmen/Huntress - not to mention with a part-time in the big leagued Tankery Tournaments.
Sure, a list that is incompleted and completely expected to expand and change as time goes on, with changing priorities mattering to the strategies and doctrines the Military would need to employ. A sure thing, however, is funding in the training and technology of the Menagerian Guard to play as a levelling field despite the small number of troops compared to the other powers.
After all, the original plan usually never survives contact at the enemy's approach.
"Knew I forgot something." Puroi Sen Jr. grumbles to himself as he writes down an idea for an official department for Military Engineering and Logistics. With further thinking, expanding into another with the proposition of a new Military Doctrine for the Guards to take inspired by the Prussians with added ideas to be explored by the research team and himself for the new General Staff meeting once it's established.
N/A: While I'd like to end it on a Parade March, I decided to continue on a little to the end that signifies a new beginning for the Menagerie Guards, inspired heavily by a certain country with influences from Taiwan and other nations on Earth and even Atlas when it comes for Aura Users and the Military.
Puroi Sen's based on a Colour Naming (as it'd be in rage at this point in time) that is quite amusing.
