Notes: Ignore the season ending. Warning: I have a delightful habit of taking wacky fun kids shows and turning them dark and boringly adult.
This is loosely based off an Anime I saw on Netflix called Attack On Titan. If you haven't seen it I recommend it. It's the first anime I've seen that doesn't have flashing flashing their breasts, knickers or anything else. It also avoids the annoying 'tough girl' character who just hits the male lead, and avoids the idiot 'cute girl' character who inexplicably talks like a four year old and always falls over. No, all characters are pretty equal and interesting, So it's very good, imo. The storyline is a bit hardcore and sad though.
Anyway, enjoy.
Pre-Dawn: The Evening Before.
"Therefore Master, it is looking as though the food shortage situation will worsen over the next few months."
Master Cyclonis grit her teeth, but showed no outer sign of weakness.
The Senate glanced at one another before one began; "however, should we successfully take control of a more prosperous terra…"
"We cannot rely on that," she bit out, hating her words. They were sitting in a darkened room, all around a large, white round table. The Senate were small and made up of the most important people in the Cyclonian Empire who had not, yet, angered the Empress.
There was another moment of tension before anyone dared to speak; desperation made them brave.
"The majority of our taxes are going towards the expenses of the Talons," said Mr. Tinamou, the head of the Cyclonian Merchants and one of the richest, and most corrupt, members of the Senate. "It's becoming insurmountable. We need to see some sort of benefit for our investment. The amount the Dark Ace takes up alone…"
"Silence!" she barked, her voice momentarily becoming that of two people. The Senate cowed. "We all know the situation has changed. With the appearance of the Storm Hawks the acquisition of other Terras has become far more difficult. I will do all in my power to gain more land, but it cannot be guaranteed. It seems that you will need to start doing more- take control of your farmers and force them to work longer and harder hours; make sure you lands are fertile; employ more hands. Do whatever it is you need to do to keep your provinces reasonably comfortable. In the meantime, I shall continue to work on my crystals to create one that will help us. This is all I have to say on the matter."
The Senate looked pissed off, but unable to say anything.
"Anything else?" she queried lightly.
"Crime is on the rise once more due to-" began one.
"Re-instate the death penalty."
"We already have it!"
"Then kill more people!" she barked at him, patience at an all time low, "Death Penalty for any crime- no matter the age of the criminal! That will stop the crime wave no doubt! It will surely help the over-population issue also!"
"Yes Master…"
"There is a situation with the Talons," said another, Madam Emus. "There are increasing reports of deserters."
Cyclonis sighed; desertion had always been a problem for her empire but since Dark Ace becoming their difficult leader, and then the emergence of the Storm Hawks, desertion had been steadily climbing every year.
"Perhaps if military service was not mandatory…"
"Everyone must serve Cyclonia, you know this."
"True," said Madam Emus diplomatically. "But maybe not all should serve as soldiers The role does not suit every personality; some are too incompetent or unhealthy. Perhaps if there were a wider variety of roles we could accept are young men and women in those instead."
"We need the high amount of trained soldiers we have in order to complete our missions," Cyclonis answered. "Individual competency doesn't matter so much if there is a high number of talons wearing down the enemy."
"But the missions are failing!" cried Mr Tinamou, losing all restraint.
"The troops are demoralised," added Captain Rhea, who trained new recruits. "It's becoming harder and harder to motivate them. They see themselves as only being canon-fodder while their leaders what little glory there is. I mean no disrespect to the Dark Ace or any of your Commanders," he added quickly, reading Cyclonis's face, "but we're possibly talking rebellion here; resentment can quickly turn to anger."
"And factoring in the fact that their families are at home starving," sighed Madam Emus, "I wouldn't be surprised if we saw an uprising…"
"Has anyone heard any specific whispers of treachery?"
"No, My Master," said Lord Cassowary, the eldest member of the Senate and one who'd lived through the Cyclonian Revolution when her Grandmother had ruled the Empire, "but I see the patterns of old repeating."
Master Cyclonis snorted quietly. Her head hurt. A migraine was coming.
"Increase the pro-Cyclonian propaganda amongst our Terras," she said at last, "focus on unity and togetherness. Do not mention future rations, but focus on me creating new crystals to help their plight. How is population control? We still have too many people…"
"It's not quite working," said Mr Tinamou grumpily, "I bought in thousands of different forms of birth control, but few are buying it."
"Why?!" cried Cyclonis, feeling frustrated. The birth control was being given out at half price- it wasn't as though the people couldn't afford it.
"The old religion of Terra Tundrus is still making the rounds," answered Captain Rhea, "with the failing missions and starvation, people are turning back to the old sky gods. In particular the Ira Worshippers seem to be gaining hold."
"That mad cult has everyone convinced that birth control is against the wishes of their goddess," spat out Madam Emus.
"What about the educational specials?" Cyclonis put her hand to her forehead in a momentary show of tiredness, "haven't we been showing programmes in schools to teach them about the benefits of birth control?"
"They are distrusted." Madam Emus sat back in her chair, "too many of our people aren't really ours; they're nations we've overthrown and whose sons and daughters we've forced into our armies. I think the refusal to control populations is an act of defiance."
"Then let's be frank with them," replied Cyclonis in a flat voice, "let them know that they will starve if they do not control the size of their families. When the time comes, if it comes, we will not give aid to families large than five."
"B-but," began Captain Rhea, "with such a declaration, the people may panic and begin…well…killing members of their family to get the numbers down. The need for food and resources will make them desperate."
Cyclonis stood, "then they should have obeyed my original command. Let them pray to their sky goddess for mercy. This meeting is over. Madam Emus, if you could write upthe Minutes for this time I would appreciate it."
"Yes Master, they will be delivered out by the end of the day."
The senate vacated the room, all of them in low spirits.
Cyclonis stepped out into the dark red corridors. She knew that her Senate were not impressed or convinced by her answers. Like Ancient Rome, as Cyclonia began to grow, so too did the strain on her and her government. Controlling populations and keeping law and order was becoming difficult. Pleasing everybody was impossible.
However, she had no choice to keep on going- it was her destiny to carry on the family ethos. She let her hood rise up about her, blocking out some of the red, glaring light which was compounding her headache. She found herself turning away from the direction that would lead her to her bedroom and instead heading down corridor she'd been many times since her childhood. Doors of private bedrooms stood in neat rows down the hallway. It was early evening and all her soldiers were eating dinner in the main food hall. Therefore, the hallway was deserted. Punching in the familiar password to his room, ('seriously, had he ever changed it since his arrival?') the door opened and the cool white and grey room welcomed her. She stepped inside. The room, as all the rooms except her own, was exceedingly small, just barely enough space for a slim wardrobe, a single bed beside a window and a desk with a chair beside it.
Pulling off her boots and cloak she climbed into the bed and shut her eyes. Within moments, she was fast asleep.
It wasn't a rare occurrence for Dark Ace to return to his room and find the Master fast asleep in his bed. It was a very annoying habit she'd developed in childhood. It was pretty selfish, to rob him of his bed when she had a huge one of her own, but, somewhere deep down, (down where a piece of him was still the young sky knight he used to be) he understood why she was in his room and as such accepted it with as much grace as he could.
Resigning himself, Dark Ace sat on his chair and leaned his head on the desk. This would be his resting place tonight.