"That's great." He nodded. "Good stuff to understand, especially in a foreign country. I've gotten into trouble before because I didn't review the laws of the Eastern Realm a couple times."
"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
“What?” She looked at him curiously, engaged once again. “What did you do? Did you get put in time 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]
"Not time out, but I offended a very powerful individual." "We've all offended the Reputations at one point or another." Gaius rolled his eyes. "They change the rules around or choose to be upset even if you did everything right. They're fickle people."
"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. “I don’t think even they know what they want.”
"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]
"That's definitely not a good leadership quality," Tomhas mused. "It's because there are too many of them," Gaius said. "Seven people of equal standing at the head of a government is a terrible idea."
"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 quietly. That was all the verbal critique she felt like she should give.
“Hmm… it doesn’t seem to be working out very well for them, does it?” Aashi 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]
"Not if they're at war, no." "Which they are." Tomhas wrinkled his nose. "I hope nobody wins."
"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
“No one ever wins when war is involved,” Ky said quietly, looking at her plate.
"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]
Gaius and Tomhas looked at each other, then away. "You're right about that," Tomhas murmured.
"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 glanced at them, then back at her plate. It hadn’t been intended as a dig. But. Well. If the shoe fit, she’d let them wear it. Better than trying to backtrack at this point and add qualifiers. That’d just be awkward. Awkwarder.
“What’s war?” Tasia asked. “Is it a game?”
"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 gave her a look of surprise, then looked to Aashi and Tadaaki. "Ummmm...." "It's not a game," Gaius said grimly. "It's a very, very big fight involving a lot of people."
"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]
"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
“They fight about the East?” She furrowed her brow, thinking he was answering rather than clarifying. And she didn’t understand.
"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]
"No, the--" Gaius paused. "The East is fighting. But people in general fight for land, power, love, money, you name it."
"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
