A peek at a story I'll probably never write. The confluence of several things. Looking up Japanese zoning, small mountain towns, and traditional building practices. Reading a book similar to Starcarft with mechs. And considering some background things going on in my current Work-in-progress.
Wei-lin climbed the ladder to the largest of the Hound's machines. She paused to look down at Mark, only now did she realize he got his nickname of Soseki from the mech and not the other way around. The mountain of a man didn't have a pleased look on his non-Iteyan face, but he didn't stop her. She kept climbing. Once she reached the cockpit of The Soseki, Wei-lin maneuvered her way around the hatch and up higher. The mech had hand holds for gaining access, but they weren't designed for her ridiculously short stature. She inevitably made it to the top and planted herself between the massive main cannon which had a barrel so large she could practically crawl into it, and the easier to hold onto anti-air flak cannons.
Wei-lin looked out over the valley. The green tree covered mountains stood as silent mist covered sentinels. Terraces of rice paddies covered the majority of the open land as they had for centuries. It would have been idilac if it weren't for the smoldering ruins of the village. Her gaze dropped down to the people gathering around The Soseki. The Hounds watched curiously, their dog tags glittering in the dappled sunlight. The Tel'ani stared intensely, their sinuous black tails curling in anticipation. Then there were the destitute refugees, all of whom were looking to her in search of some shred of hope.
Wei-lin was small. Short for even her people and often mistaken for a child. Her voice, while not quite as immature sounding as she looked, still lacked a definitive adult quality. She had to choose her words well. Wei-lin considered The Soseki under her feet. A Soseki was a foundation stone. A very specific foundation stone that the main post of a house would be built upon. The massive eight legged mech was the foundation stone that the Hound's unit was built upon and in a way, their Soseki was now her's. She looked back out over the group, pulled in a deep breath of air, and in two words summed up the sentiment in everyone's hearts.
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"Fuck Anoria!"
The Hounds hooted.
"Fuck their empresses!"
More jeers joined with the Hounds.
"Fuck their imperial bullshit and fuck the Northren Federation too!"
The whole crowd was lifting a fist into the air now and shouting obscenities.
"The Ityans like myself have been here for millennia, as have the non-Ityans who's lineages have been lost to time. The Tel'ani have been here forever. We haven't always gotten along, but we make do. Some of you would prefer to work your farms, but the soldiers rape your women, murder your children, and take your harvest. Some of you prefer to hunt the mountains, but they bomb you camps and torch your ancestral forests. Others wander the valleys, but they take you livestock and force you to settle. Then there are the Hounds, who make the Anorians pay for every inch."
She surveyed the crowd again. They were angry and ready for a solution.
"This is our land!" Wei-lin screamed. "I propose a new way of life. I propose we make the Hounds our foundation stone. The Anorians like to raid us for food. I propose we raid them. I propose we make them regret leaving their open plains and fertile river valleys. And I propose we raid the Federation bases in the east. If the empire wants to have a piece of our lands they can pay for it in blood just like we did. We’ll teach them to beware the Hounds!"
The group cheered and hooted. Working themselves into a fervor. Her eyes met Soseki's, err, Mark's and her grin faltered. The man was almost twice her height, standing at least a head taller than anyone else. He wasn't smiling. In fact he looked sad. The man had only ever known war. It gave Wei-lin a sick feeling.