Ky grinned, delighted at his silliness. It made it easier to feel comfortable with her own again. To remember the kid she used to be. “No beast that goes up against Lord Tomhas Loquitur shall live to tell the tale.” It was the closest thing to a compromise that she could bring herself to, at this point. Slipping his first name onto his name. But not removing the lord. Not yet. She giggled at the thought that struck her next. “I bet you’ll become a mythological creature to them. ‘No, no, dear we don’t venture across the sea. There are Loquiturs there! A force like no other!”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Their appetite is a thing to behold," Tomhas growled, making his voice go comically deep. "I've seen them scarf down entire wedding cakes in one bite! Their jaws can unhinge and swallow the sea!" He puffed himself up and tucked his chin in, furrowing his face into a stern glower.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky laughed harder than she had in a while. “Not the wedding cake! The horrors!”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Our power is limitless!" Tomhas stomped to the door. "We must consume the wheatcakes the cook is making before they cool on the tray!"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky laughed again, springing to her feet as well. She gently say Petrir on the seat. He meowed but then snuggled into the warmth she’d left behind. She patted his head gently, then turned and started toward the door. “They’ll never know what hit ‘em!”
(I enjoy that Loquitur is always like — but consider: food, tho)
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(The man has a bottomless stomach; half of his thoughts are about food.)
"Away, fellow conqueror!" Tomhas bounded out the door after a boyish jig. He loved being the sort of person to stay a child even as an adult; it was something so few Lords seemed able to do. Why not have a little fun as a politician? Gods knew he needed it every once in a while.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky grinned broadly and skipped after him. She caught herself after a single leap. What was she doing? She shook the thought off quickly. If Loquitur could do it, why couldn’t she? She jogged lightly after him. Then had a thought. It might be pushing her luck. But she’d see how he reacted. She gave him a mischievous grin. “Race you?”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Tomhas's eyebrows shot up. "If you think you can beat these stick legs of mine. Last one there's spider food!" He took off without warning, quickly gaining ground.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky laughed and took off after him as fast as she could. She seemed to be matching his pace — so he wasn’t gaining more of a lead — but it also seemed like she wasn’t going to be able to catch up. Which she’d half expected. But there was something satisfying about a good race, even with the expectation of losing it. And, if nothing else, it got them to the wheat cakes faster.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Tomhas rounded the corner and leaped toward the stairs, nearly sailing completely down them but skidding to a stop just before he made that mistake. He glanced over his shoulder with a wild grin and began a speedy descent.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky however didn’t slow down — taking the steps three and four at a time. She shouldered past Loquitur, jostling him playfully. Before she realized the momentum was going to carry her straight into the wall. She turned, hoping to make it around the bend and down the next flight of stairs, but went skidding into the wall instead, shoulder first.
She bounced off it, cackling. This was exhilarating. Delightful. Ridiculous.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Tomhas let out a triumphant hoot and pulled past her, doing a jaunty spin to run backwards for a moment before turning back around. His cloak was billowing out behind him, caught by the wind of his momentum.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky kept laughing, but they were coming out as huffs as she panted for air and raced after him again. Her lungs were burning and heart beating so hard she could feel her pulse in her ears. She’d never felt so alive.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Tomhas nearly tripped down the last flight of stairs and on the final step he sprawled flat on his stomach. He lay there winded for a moment before staggering to his feet and, for a split second on all fours, sprinted for the finish.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky hesitated as he fell, but then kept after him as he sprang back to his feet. She got to the kitchen half a moment after he did, and leaned against the doorframe with another laugh, chest heaving. “You earned this one.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
