Hans bristled at the callous response, "”

Hans suddenly found Dieter’s hand seizing his collar. When he looked up, he saw something that he had never expected to see. Pure emotion. Dieter’s face was a mask of rage, sorrow and pain, in equal amounts. It seemed that he was visibly restraining himself.

“” Dieter hissed, his voice betraying more emotion than Hans thought possible, ”” The last part had so much venom pushed into it, that Hans could barely believe that Dieter had been the one who spoke. This belied the normally emotionless manner of Erich's brother.

Dieter drew a knife, holding it up to Hans’s face, “”

Hans could only stammer, immediately recognizing the combat knife, which still had Erich's initials crudely carved into it.

Dieter released Hans’s collar, his face already melting back into an expression of total apathy. By now, an inquisitive group of Waffen-SS personnel were surrounding the terrified Rainbow Dash, some throwing quick glances at the two officers. Hans watched as they prodded her and observed her reactions. When she had talked and in no uncertain terms told them to stop, this was received with a great deal of shock and a lot more excitement, as well as a strange lack of death threats. This was the Waffen-SS at its most human, Hans supposed.

“” Dieter ordered his men coldly, “”

“What is their problem?” Rainbow dash inquired.

“Not now,” Hans almost snapped.

Rainbow was taken aback by the sudden mood shift, but remained silent, watching.

Erich had been Hans’s best, closest friend. They, along with Fritz, had known each other since they were toddlers, and were inseparable as children. Hans’s family had been equally close with theirs. Even then, Dieter had been a cold bastard, content to be left alone to his own devices. He rarely talked, and he always watched. When Dieter’s father returned from the war, the Great Depression was only just beginning. Dieter had to work with his father to help support the Heinrich family, and Erich sought out his own job.

Then it happened. The tragedy that changed everything. During a standup, the elder Heinrich was stabbed to death, Dieter badly injured. Hans remembered that day from Erich’s reaction. His face had been a mask of tears. He couldn’t believe that his beloved vatti was dead. He had been so afraid for his brother’s safety. Even then, Erich had been the more human of the two. Dieter did display some emotion, but whatever he was thinking was permanently buried behind that mask of his.

Then, the two murderers died. Erich had commented the night before that his knife (which had been a gift from his father after the Great War) was missing. Hans had spent most of the night staring out the window. During the night, he saw Dieter sneak out of the house. Two hours later, he returned drenched in blood. Erich found his knife by his bed the next morning. The newspapers declared the murders. Hans never told anyone.

Erich had expressed relief that he and his recently healed brother wouldn’t have to go to court. Dieter had simply remained silent behind a cold, emotionless veneer.

Then, the Fuhrer took power. Dieter was one of the first to enlist for the Waffen-SS, and one of the first to enter. Erich had told Hans, with great pride, that his brother had been called an “inspirational, perfect Aryan.” Dieter still didn’t show any emotion. Erich never made it into the SS. Instead, he joined the Heer infantry. Hans went his own way, entering college and attaining degrees in history, English, and French.

The war broke out four years later. Soon, Germany was standing over the remains of Europe, reigning supreme. Hans had noted that Dieter was several medals heavier, as was Erich. Hans had been drafted around the time of Operation Barbarossa. Much to his surprise, he was in the same theatre with Erich and Dieter, and the same squad as Fritz. A rare occurrence to say the least. There had been some good times getting wasted in the Ukraine with his old friends. That was the last time Hans had seen Erich. Now, he was dead. It really hurt. Hans hadn’t even the time to say a proper goodbye.

It wasn't fair! Of the original three, Hans was the last one standing. He never wanted any of this! His two closest friends were gone, and the world didn't even have the decency of taking him with them! God damn the Russians for pulling the triggers that ended the lives of his brothers, and God damn the fuhrer for starting the war! Hans was veritably trembling with a mixture of rage and survivors guilt in equal measure. When he noticed Rainbow Dash staring at him, he forced himself to calm down, clenching his teeth until an audible gnashing noise came out.

He looked back at Dieter, the very representation of Nietzsche’s philosophy of “Beyond Good and Evil”. Dieter did not even register his gaze. He was coldly dragging a captured Soviet artillery man towards a shack helpfully marked “Vernehmungszimmer”. He was still clenching his brother’s knife.

Rainbow Dash, looking in the same direction Hans was, shuddered.

Author's Note

Well, a new update. I hope it is to everyone's satisfaction.
Also, because I (and google translate) suck a German, from now on, things spoken in German will be written in English like this:
"<>"