"So she hides back here a lot?" Ky asked in a whisper. She knew that she could speak, but she figured setting the example of a whisper may encourage prudence in her young companion's volume.
"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]
"For hide and seek yeah, but she changes it up a lot too." He spoke at a loud whisper.
"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
"Guess we gotta see where she is this time!" They rounded the corner so that the little area came into view.
"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]
It was empty. Mattathias frowned. "Aww, she isn't here!"
"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
"Shh," Ky reminded, then glanced around. "Where else might she 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]
"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
"But I don't know where to look," she pointed out, striding back towards the door of the library in hopes of getting him out before the librarians got cross with either of them.
"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]
"Around this floor of the library or Papa's office, or everywhere."
"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 felt uneasy at that. Marcella wouldn't have the audacity to go into Gaius's office... would she? Well, if she did, then she won this round. There was no chance in hell Ky was going into Gaius's office when he was in it without being summoned -- and even less chance of her going into it when it was unoccupied. She didn't have a death wish.
Well.
Okay.
She sort of did. But not like that.
"'Everywhere' doesn't really narrow it down," Ky mused.
"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]
"Well except for the floors we said. Wanna go look in Papa's office first since it doesn't have as many hiding places as here? Or do you wanna do the library? We can go together!"
"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
"... let's do the library," Ky said, deciding she needed to figure out a way to distract him before he insisted on checking 'Papa's office' and getting them both in trouble.
"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]
"Okay! You check the left and I'll check the right side." He ran off.
Spoiler
This can be read as an opportunity to find the journals if you want or not
"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
(ohoho) (lowkey feel like this is a trap for Mattathias to rat her out to Gaius xD)
"O...kay." So much for checking together. She turned in the opposite direction and wandered through the maze of shelves, lazily looking for Marcella but mostly looking at the various topics that she passed.
"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]
Mattathias started at the far side and began circling his area, checking for alcoves and empty shelf space.
"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
(Good to know... we will see what happens haha I think she may still be cautious/wary but we shall see)
Ky subconsciously got slower and slower as she wandered, all but forgetting her search for a child as she got sucked deeper and deeper into the collection. She really needed to get started on this soon if she wanted even a chance at getting through any of it before she went home.
Except... she was leaving soon. Now? She still hadn't decided.
No. Now was to write a letter to her parents. Then figure out how and when she was going to go home.
Why was she entertaining children when the entire world was ending? Perhaps she should quietly ditch the game and leave Mattathias to search for his sister until they both got bored.
Anxiety started gripping at her chest 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]
