You can thank the growing irredentist policies of Ikrisia Levinile for this one. At least, that’s what Ankyela Iskoliyey felt after a meeting with like-minded Progressive Party individuals, individuals who believed the Vekaiyun state had quite enough of this sharing of cultures and unionizing themselves with lesser nations. It was, in her view, an attempt to water-down the Vekaiyun ideal and the Vekaiyun way of life.
Despite being the leader of the growing rift in the dominant Progressive Party, her position was both one of strength and one of weakness. Indeed, rumors were abound with the party fracturing in half and therefore losing its iron grip on Vekaiyun policies. No one exactly knew which side would win out in an election. But, she was elected from a staunchly Progressive district - Provinsk. And calling out one’s own province for watering down the Vekaiyun culture did not bode well for her prospects. So she walked a fine line in the confusing game that was Vekaiyun politics.
At least she looked like she was from Provinsk. After all, she grew up there. Her fur was a bright red and white, contrasting her hair, combed straight down with streaks of purple - beet dye - a fashion statement popular these days back home. Her pinstripe suit went will with her small glasses, which she routinely removed for extra emphasis when she had the floor.
“Viktor,” she said with a nod as she passed her fellow party member in the hall. The golden sun shined through the elongated windows of the The Vekaiyun Peoples’ Hall, where the legislature gathered in Eldura, casting dark shadows across the hallway as the afternoon slowly gave way to the evening. Viktor was Viktor Imusre - a member of the Progressive Party and pretty much the antithesis of her beliefs.
Viktor also contrasted her looks. Despite being about the same age as she was, he appeared a bit older, perhaps out of place in his black suit with white trim, which looked to be about two sizes too big on him. His hair was uncombed and seemed to stick up in spots like sticks in the mud. Despite his appearance, the people liked him, and he was not in danger of losing his spot next election, so far, at least. Between the two of them, they represented the polar opposites of the great Progressive Party - opposites so great that it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume the party was really two parties combined into one.
“Ah, Ankyela,” he said matter-of-factly as he walked alongside her. “You seem to be very busy these days with meetings and deliberations here and there… it’s a bit interesting that I’m not really invited to half of these meetings, I’ve noticed.”
“There are dozens of smaller sub-committees. You wouldn’t be invited to all of them, I guess.”
“Yeah, but they’re definitely not just random sub-committees. I notice those attendance sheets. They’re… kind of the extreme side of our party.”
“Not of my party,” she replied.
“Oh yeah! But what is your party? Is it the Progressive Party, the party that sides with the Premier?”
“You know very well she refuses to pick a party! Besides, I think it is wrong to ascribe an ideology to our beloved Premier. Why, just yesterday I read in the paper that she took over more territory because she happened to visit a rest stop there one time three years ago. Why, that’s certainly enough justification to water down the Vekaiyun way of life, you know, by absorbing a lesser culture.”
Viktor shrugged. “That’s what you think. I believe the Vekaiyun culture is robust and should be shared to all. I mean, if they want it.” He paused and greeted a staffer as they continued to walk. “It’s not like Dveria would readily accept our culture. We kind of had to let them do their thing.”
“Because killing vulpines is an acceptable culture.”
“Well, no… but because they’d revolt if we forced them to be a part of ours.”
“Any culture that advocates wanton destruction of another culture is a lesser culture that should never be a part of this Union. We don’t need them to join our ranks. They need to accept our culture and our way of life.”
“And what if they don’t?”
She shrugged, emulating his shrug from moments before. “Then they lose. Cultures come and cultures go. It’s not our duty to ensure their identity survives; rather, public opinion will choose which culture survives and which fades.”
“I just think it’s the best way to prevent war. The best way to increase Vekaiyun influence. The best way…”
“The best way to increase Vekaiyun influence is by maintaining our culture and ideals!” she poked a finger on his chest as they stopped walking. “We are stretching ourselves as a nation. And by doing so, we leave ourselves vulnerable to lesser influences. They’re not needed! Especially considering we can barely rope in that disaster of a state Listonia. We would be much better off if we weren’t feeding them by this Union!”
Viktor rolled his eyes. “And when’s the last time you’ve heard Unionian spoken freely in Dveria? Eh?”
“Who cares! Codexian is slowly being adopted in our district in Provinsk! We traded our own identity and for what? To get a bunch of haters to speak our language?”
“But they’re no longer a threat!”
“They’re a forever drain on our resources!” By now others have stopped to listen what the two were speaking about. “We station troops there and install leaders to keep the peace, but don’t be foolish - we know it is only temporary!”
“I think you underestimate Vekaiyun superiority,” Viktor muttered grimly. “If those Dverians had taken Vekaiyun lands, they’d kill every one of us. But us, we are able to forgive. We are able to rise above it. We are able to be the protectors of their lands, indeed, even the entire continent.”
“That notion is garbage! If we stretch ourselves out too far, we lose our identity, and the more we accept their cultures and their hatred, the more we lose ourselves in the process! We’re a majority-vulpine nation! We are designed to be such! We do not need Dverians under the Vekaiyun banner!”
“But they need us.”
She appeared flabergasted. “Well then. Luckily this is a debate among two people. Perhaps we will need to figure out what exactly the Vekaiyun people believe is the correct choice.”
He smiled. “I like that plan.”