A few kilometers outside of the village of Takara
Moguni Island
Aqua Anu, People's Unified Federation
Sebastian Wedou enjoyed it up here, a nice spot overlooking the sea, his home village of Takara in the distance. The stars twinkled in the sky as the sun faded under the horizon, a final goodbye to this relaxing day. He stretched out on the grass, content with his day off. He could see the fishing boats returning from a long day, while ferries brought people back from their jobs up the coast. Roads existed, but the Sea was the lifeblood of Aqua Anu. “Life by the Sea, On the Sea, With the Sea.” it was more than a motto to Anuiens, it was the scripture they grew up on. The Sea gave life in the form bountiful fish, gave prosperity in the form of trade, and could just as easily take it all away in a hurricane or Tsunami.
But tonight, with not a cloud in the sky, the seas were calm. Tonight, she only gave him him the faint smell of saltwater to remind him he was home, and the steady rhythm of the waves in the distance to aide in his relaxation. It was more than enough. The chirping of crickets, faint sounds of life from the village, ands even the steady sound of a plane overhead didn't take anything away from the night. One day he'd have to put up a hammock here, but that might invite others to discover his spot. Besides, setting one was probably to much work.
A bright fireball lit up the middle of the village, getting Sebastian’s attention. His ears perked up as the sound of an explosion reaches him seconds after. Sirens ands warnings wailed in the village. With cat like reflexes Sebastian stood up and stared. He knew that fireball originated outside the market just from growing up here. Was it a propane truck? He needed to get home fast. Whatever accident had happened would need every abled body they could get. Hopefully airlifts to the hospital in Minamoguni would be arriving soon.
Another fireball rose up, this time from the docks. It completely destroyed the front side of a warehouse, leaving the rest of the building to collapse in on itself. It was only then did he let his attention focus on the Sea. A small fleet of military ships, four or five total, was steaming passed. The larger ones seemed to be birthing smaller ships, while the two thinner ones had cannons the size of telegraph poles pointed to the village. One fired, and Sebastian turned to back to the village. This time a fireball arose in Fisherman’s Quarter, one of the village’s small neighborhoods.
They were being attacked. By who? Cartels? Ordenites? Castillians? Scandivans?
As another fireball exploded in the village, something finally clicked in Sebastian’s head that he had always known on some level, but never had the experience to fullu understand. Until now.
The world was cruel. Mothers shield their children from it, fathers fight against it, but, eventually, the world wins and gets it way.
He watched as shells hit the buses leaving the village.
He watched as the shells got closer to the Marshite Temple in the city center.
He watched as the little boats climbed onto land, and opened up with machine gun fire on the villagers. He watched as the people ran and fell, never to run again.
He watched as the Temple was hit again and again, finally collapsing under its own weight.
There was nothing to do but watch, watch and listen to the screams echoing up the hills to his secluded spot. Tears rolled down his face as he stood powerless to do anything. Unable to save anyone. Mother, father, Mary, all somewhere in there.
Today Sebastian learned what it meant to be Neko in a world of humans.
City of Minamoguni
Militia blockade of 26th street
Moguni Island
Aqua Anu, People's Unified Federation
The dust settled after the final explosion, the Battle Axe cruiser at sea taking time to reload it's massive 205 mm guns shelling the city. Every 15 to 20 seconds, the guns would fire again as the cannons moved to a new target. The most recent target had been their command post on main street. Just a couple block west. Lieutenant Hayashi Sayuri of the Neko Defense Militia climbed back to her feet and looked around at her platoon. Everyone was still alive, it was a good start.
“Rei, take your squad and get to the command post, find me anyone alive! Kane, follow Rei’s lead. Kenji, we're going to hold the line here!”
Not waiting for the next explosion, Sayuri unravelled the antenna of her militia issued radio and began broadcasting on the open militia channel.
“Attention all units, enemy artillery is targeting rally points and armories, be advised, enemy knows armory locations."
She listened for a second, hearing the generic chatter on the line as various units tried to coordinate. Eventually she took advantage of a pause:
“This is Militia Lieutenant Hayashi of the main street garrison, I am assuming command of Main Street Garrison.”
The radio squawked back something her squad couldn't here.
“I don't know who's on the line feeding false info, if you don't believe me look up code River Sky Bridge Seven Six. That will be us…. Yeah, find it? Good! Now keep those battle lines secure until reinforcements arrive.”
Setting down the radio receiver, she turned to a soldier and commanded him to operate the radio. She didn't know who reinforcements might be, either the better equipped Marshite Militia on the island, or hopefully Federal Marines. She was only militia, and militia didn't get fancy helmet radios or advanced combat armor. Instead they made due with what they could afford and that was a simple steel helmet, flak vest over their uniforms, and a surplus FAL rifle.
“Contact, 12 O’clock!” Someone shouted, it was an amphibious assault vehicle, not the Marshite designed ones the Federal troops used, but an older one. Infantry formed around it and then the shooting began. Sayuri dove behind the sands bags as bullets whizzed past, before finally getting up and returning a few shots. The Assault vehicle turned its gun and grenade launcher to the blockade. Shots and explosions tore through the roadblocks and sandbags across the street. Screams filled the air as her squad got tore apart.
Within seconds, an explosion tore open the top of the amphibious assault vehicle taking out its guns, then another tore open its side. The Gustav rifles had finally opened fire, knocking out the armored escort.
“Get inside!” she screamed to anyone left, grabbing her radio operator by his vest and pulling him with her. FAL aimed towards the enemy, she unloaded suppressing fire.
It was only a few feet, but the run to cover felt like eons, every step could mean death as the attackers fired back, wood splitters shattered from the building got hit. The whizz of bullets passing by caused her ears to perk up in alarm, but it was out of her hands. Throwing the radio operator inside she fell practically on top of him as a Gustav fired an anti personnel shell at the attackers.
Rolling herself back to the door, she lined up shots and took them as targets appeared, until finally the blockade was quiet once more. Only now, did she finally get a good look at the amphibious craft that burned in front of them. On the undamaged side was the logo of the Tenshu Followers Militia. The militia that served The Kogyokist Church. They had finally broke the peace and launched an attack against her kind. This was not going to be a simple war, this was going to be a fight against extinction.
GMB Angelic Path
San Antonio Class floating dock
Off the coast of Moguni Island, Aqua Anu
“When your Sovereign abandons the Lord. Whom do you pledge your loyalty to? Your pagan sovereign, or to the Lord?”
The Colonel stood in front of his men. Soldiers of the Holy Guards of Ama-Ototosama. The Elite of the Tenshu Followers Militia. Behind him others were already loading in amphibious assault craft and getting ready to deploy. As the third wave, they waited outside their transports in formation, ready to load up. None had known when this naval exercise began that they would be actually invading a Neko populated island, but none questioned the order either.
“Our Queen does not share our faith, instead she openly mocks us for allowing these Yokai to live as her subjects. What do you make of a Sovereign that has Oni serving her?
Make no mistake, we are in a spiritual war.
Shugenja and Oni rule these islands, every day they try to erode our faith, temp us into submission. You've all seen it yourself, have you not? It is our duty as soldiers of The Lord to defend the Faith, even from its own inaction.
Nearly 30 million people on Nippon Island follow Tenshu, and tomorrow when the sun rises 30 million will rise up in revolt. For in our sacrifice, they will be made to see the Queedom and Federation for what they really are, a modern Sodom and Gomorrah.
Tonight, your orders are to eliminate every Yokai you find, every soul corrupted by their presence. The Shugenja and Oni will send their armies against us, and we will eliminate them. Make no mistake, we will be outnumbered, but we will hold our lines and show these Oni what a few hundred determined Christians can do. So when they turn their greedy eyes to Nippon, they know what it will cost them to try to corrupt us.
Tonight, we start the war for the soul of Nippon.”



