Ky smiled and nodded, glancing back at her mother. “How have things been here? I feel like I’ve missed so much.”
"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]
(Very! Quite angsty but it's like, a character study. Not unrealistic in other words)
"It's been fine, mostly." She sat down. "The troll frightened us all; there are more every day flooding toward the mountains. I've seen at least three all at once lumbering by the gates."
"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
(Aha! Nice! I have to take a pesticide exam in a few weeks and am big salty about having to go back into student mode xD)
Ky grimaced and nodded, bouncing Raina on her hip. “Stone or wood?”
"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 have no idea." She tilted her head. "Maybe wood; they were very hairy."
"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 I really don’t wanna take it lol I’m also further demotivated for studying because if I fail the test then I don’t get my pesticide license. And if I’m not licensed, then I don’t have to do a job I really don’t wanna have to do haha so it’s like double dis-incentivized haha)
Ky nodded. “Could be worse, then… I mean, it’s not great. But wood trolls are better than stone.”
"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]
"True." Anneke grimaced. "I'd rather none of them existed at all, honestly. That'd be a load off my back."
"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
(Tis not a choice I was left to make, unfortunately. There's an Air Force nearby and somehow our office got roped into treating an aggressively invasive plant species they let take over. No one knows how or why we got stuck doing this and we're all annoyed by it lol You've got to hike into the backwoods manually hauling tanks of pesticide with you and then spray it. And you intentionally have to do it during draughts when it's really hot so it's most effective. Then a few weeks later you have to weedeat. It sounds utterly dreadful from start to finish. I've managed to avoid it up to this point because I am not licensed, but my boss has informed me that I *am* getting the license so I'll be able to help out if needed. Blergh)
Ky nodded, looking down at Raina. "You're telling me." She sighed, deflating. How long until she had to leave home again? Until her family had to leave to be safe? Was she just cursed to need to be separate from her family to keep them safe? Forever? A tear slipped down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly, hoping Anneke hadn't seen.
"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]
(Aw gross. Y'all are fish people too, right??? What are you gonna do with plants??)
"It'll be alright though," Anneke says, lifting her chin. "We'll be fine."
"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
(THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING Like my organization has an "Ecological Service" branch and this would be perfect for them to have to deal with. Why tf did the fisheries office get dragged into this nonsense???? My social anxiety isn't gonna let me throw this test, though I admit I'm tempted lol I hateeee hiking, especially with weight. It sounds utterly miserable to lug pesticides cross-country and then spend all day applying them in 100 degree weather with my asthmatic self. Guess I'll just need to get on as many field trips as humanly possible so I won't be around to get cornered into helping lmao) (altho I am applying to a significantly better job and I think if I get it then I won't have to -- we shall see)
Ky nodded, forcing the self-pity down. "Of course." She glanced up at her mother and tried for a smile, but she was fairly certain not even a hint of it actually made it to her face. "We're all together now. Safe. That's what matters."
"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]
(Could you use your asthma as a way to get out of it?)
"Exactly." She hugged Ky and Raina again, sighing. "I'm so sorry you were away for so long, my dear."
"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
(Perhaps. But, my ego lol Who I am as a person needs to at least try it before I admit I physically can't. I also have had to say I can't do things a lot this past month with my hysterectomy so my ego is already suffering lol)
Ky kept her arms around Raina, but leaned into Anneke's arms and rested her head on her mother's shoulder, closing her eyes. Ky let out a shaky breath and managed a weak, "not your fault." She felt like she should say more, but she wasn't sure what. "It..." She shook her head slightly, more tears slipping from beneath her closed lids.
"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]
"You're safe now," she murmured, rubbing her back. "That's the only reason you were sent away in the first place. But that's all taken care of, right?"
"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
(can't tell if you're being sarcastic xD but with any luck I'll get this new job, so we shall see. It'd be a permanent job (I only have a 4-year contract currently) and a $20k raise and less bullshit. It'd be wonderful if I can pull it off ^^)
Ky tensed, trembling involuntarily. Such an innocent question, and yet so, so wrong on so many levels. How could she respond to something like that? She couldn't. She had to be strong. Had to put on a brave face. "...yeah."
"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 being serious; it's a mindset I'd apply as well.)
(Ayyy 20k is a pretty good raise! Get that shit my dude, win it!)
"Good. One less thing to worry about, 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
(Thanks! I'm certainly doing my best haha Probably am not likely to get it but I am doing my best to manifest it)
And, just like that, all her faux-strength crumbled. She felt like such a fraud, lying to her mother's face. Letting her pretend everything was okay when it was so, so wrong. She burst into silent tears, forcing herself to keep them under control like she'd learned how as Kyber.
"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]
