“I’m fine. I’m here to check on all of you. Gaius wants everyone to go downstairs. It’s safer down there in case it shakes again… is there… anything I can do to help?”
"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]
She thought for a moment. "Ada, can you walk?" "I think so." She sat up and pressed a hand to her head as it throbbed, wincing. Then she tried to stand. She wobbled at first, then took a few steps. "Yes," she confirmed. "Then we can take it from here, Tadaaki. Thank you very much for letting us know. Is anybody down there hurt?"
"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
“Gaius hit his head, but is insisting he’s fine,” Tadaaki said.
Pratik was hovering, barely resisting the urge to wrap his arm around Ada, and instead settled for being close enough to do so if she so much as stumbled.
"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 believe that when I see it." She left Patrick to gather various supplies. "Anyone else?"
Ada glanced over at him. "Mother hen much?"
"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
“Yes.” Pratik wasn’t going to relent just from a bit of sass.
“No ma’am, not that I’ve found so far. I’ve just started on the second floor and am working my way up trying to get everyone.”
"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. Good. Keep at it." She gave him a quick smile as she packed her things into a bag.
"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
“Are you feeling at least a little better now?” Pratik asked, still hovering. “Do you need more ice? Can I help in any way?”
“Yes ma’am.” Tadaaki smiled and dipped his head then moved towards the library.
(Never thought I’d see the day that Pratik turned this soft but here we are)
"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'm fine, I'll be fine. It's just a headache now, Pratik." She walked over to help Sera, moving unsteadily.
(He's so sweet!)
"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
( :’) ) (Lowkey makes me wanna keep writing this novel lol I know he gets with one of Ky’s sisters and I envision it cute but haven’t actually written any of that. Wonder if he turns into a soft boi in canon too lol)
“I will help her.” Pratik followed along. “You just focus on not dying.”
Tadaaki walked inside. How were you even supposed to go about clearing a room this big? What if people were wandering and he’d miss them in the maze? Should he just shout so that he’d get a flurry of librarians coming to chastise him? Draw them out?
"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'm not going to die," Ada snapped. "God, Pratik, I'm fine!" "You're not," Sera corrected. "But Pratik, I believe she'd like some 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
“Right, right, sorry.” Pratik took a step away. Just one though. “Sorry.”
Tadaaki decided that should be a last resort and instead headed for the librarians quarters to start there.
(Probably. I know there’s a scene later on when Ky and Jerica and Pratik are hanging out in a bar and a guy corners Ky and starts harassing her and they see it at the same time and Jerica like grabs the guy and slams him into the wall at the exact same moment Pratik grabs him too and then they just beat the ever loving shit out of the guy while Ky begs them to stop lol)
"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]
Ada gave him a glare and finished helping Sera, who hoisted her bag. "Alright," she said. "Everybody ready?"
Many of the librarians were in the hallway talking.
(That's so freaking good)
"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
“Hey! So, uh, um, Gaius wants everyone to go down stairs in case it happens again. It’s safer down there.”
“Do you want me to get that?” Pratik offered. He felt useless. He didn’t like feeling useless.
"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]
One of the librarians, Ingrid, took a step forward. "Is this the work of the gods?" she asked worriedly.
"No, thank you. Why don't you head downstairs?" she suggested.
"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 don’t know, ma’am.” Tadaaki shook his head. “That’s above my pay grade. We just need to get everyone downstairs for now.”
Pratik looked at her for an anguished minute. “I’d rather stay.”
"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]
