“I don’t.” Ky buried her hands in her pockets, feeling very small. “Kazhra seems most likely to hurt me, but the other two might, too. And I don’t know what I’m going to do. It’s not an easy choice.”
"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]
"Maybe I ought to teach you," Ada scoffed. "I'm no expert, but I can fight. And you're going to get hurt no matter who teaches you--bruises are part of learning. That's what my mama always told me."
"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
“I know that.” Ky scowled at her, still feeling very attacked. Maybe she shouldn’t have stopped to talk to her after all. This conversation had turned sour quick. “I’ve been training and I’m not scared of some bruises or I wouldn’t have asked to pick it back up here. But there’s a line between hurting me by accident when I miss a block, and bashing my head in when I inevitably fall, and I’m not so sure she knows where that line is.” She wasn’t sure Ada did, either. Maybe she didn’t admire the Isi so much after all. She had no interest in being part of a society that acted like Ada and Kazhra.
"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]
"Any good teacher knows the line," Ada snapped, then hesitated. "Ash seems to have half a good head on his shoulders. He wouldn't pick someone he thinks might beat you up. That's not what trainers are ever supposed to do."
"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
“Yeah,” Ky answered sourly. She’d have thought that, too. But Kazhra said differently, with her own mouth. It wasn’t like Ky was imagining the worst of her without cause. “And it’s my choice who I want my trainer to be.”
"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]
"Fine. But I'd pick Kazhra if I were you. She's the safe choice, I bet." Ada held her gaze. "Women help women."
"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
(Ada really out here provoking Ky into being assertive haha)
“Yeah.” Ky said, forcing herself to lift her chin as she looked at Ada. She didn’t get to tell Ky what to do. Ky still hated conflict, and yet this felt worth it. She was getting tired of being the one to fold every single time — and Ada had nothing in this decision whatsoever. Even though she did undermine Ky’s certainty in her decision against Kazhra. Maybe she should choose her after all. Or maybe she should ask Gaius for a different female trainer. But, then, she didn’t want to look like she couldn’t hold her own amongst men. This was truly a no win scenario. “I’m going to think about it. She’s not out of the running, yet.”
"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]
"Good to keep your choices open." Ada nodded approvingly. She could see Ky's anger. She was just stating the obvious; why was she angry?
"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 nodded in agreement, forcing herself to take a deep breath. Ada was allowed to have opinions. Ky should appreciate them, honestly. She wanted advice on who to pick, and now she was getting angry at getting just that. Although, to be fair, she hadn’t asked Ada for her opinion. It felt slightly more reasonable to be annoyed by an unsolicited opinion than one she’d asked for. Still. She let the breath out silently, considering ending the conversation, but deciding she didn’t want to end on a sour note that left tension between them. “It’ll be good either way, to be sure. Gaius has excellent warriors.”
No one would ever be as good as Ka’Nor, though.
"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]
"I suppose." She glanced away. "Nothing else going on today, then?"
"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
"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]
"Same." She paused. "Want to go for a walk or something? I'm bored; there's nowhere to really go in this place."
"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 wasn’t sure if she wanted to or not. Were they just going to keep arguing about Kazrha, with Ada all but calling her a coward? And racist on top of it all. And yet. She didn’t have anything better to do. “Sure. Let me grab my cloak.”
"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]
"I'll wait." Ada leaned herself against the wall, picking at the fur on her hat.
"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 quickly strode down and let herself into her bedroom, being careful to tiptoe around the rug as she reached for the hook where she’d left her cloak. What was she even going to talk to Ada about? She had a distinct feeling that they were going to get into an argument if they talked too much about Ada’s culture, because she was just going to be judgmental of Ky no matter what she said. They also couldn’t bond over being a slave, since it was clear Ada’s will wasn’t broken in the least, and she seemed impatient that Ky’s was. This was likely going to be an absolutely exhausting conversation.
Ky grabbed her hat and just as carefully tip toed around the rug again, then strode into the hall and locked her door behind her, and approached Ada again.
"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]
