novel bin Chapter 1633 A Couple More Little Things
Chapter 1633 A Couple More Little Things
--- Kat ---
The next morning was filled with a whole heap of nervous energy. Even if the arguments were now quiet or missing that didn't mean things were calm. Brook and Church had picked up their randomly assigned storage items and had finalised their plans for what they were taking, many others had done the same.
Trumbor had moved into the library and was already tearing through the information as quickly as he could. At the moment he was focusing on big picture stuff, just trying to find out if there was anything at all of practical use that could be expanded out further. A couple of other people were helping him, Craunch, Stensil, Amalak for example. Even if none of them had plans to stick around they also didn't have much to pack. Heck, even Sloane was helping out.
Lily had been tempted to lend some assistance as well... but when she found out the truth about the library? She'd immediately declared it sacrilege. See, Kat and Lily had heard about the library once they'd woken up. Trumbor had forgone sleep to start his research and had already done a bit of work overnight. Enjoy exclusive content from empire
Kat and Lily hadn't even been aware there was a library before breakfast... and after seeing it Lily was adamant there was not in fact a library. The entire 'library' area was just a bunch of computers, a few conference rooms and a lot of nice fluffy carpet. There were no real books stored in the library. The closest you got to 'real books' was a big tv-screen wall that had books as the default screen saver.
Lily had fallen down to her knees and meowed at the injustice of it all, and even with Kat attempting to calm her down somewhat, Lily had refused to recognise this as a library or even a place of learning. Which Kat felt was a little unfair, they'd done plenty of learning in the computer labs back at school, so just because this didn't meet their definition of library didn't mean it wasn't a place of learning.
Doubly so because of how fancy the computers were. They were essentially built into the desks and summoned up a whole bunch of floating holographic screens that could be moved around and even act a bit like books where you could 'turn' the pages by making a flipping gesture. It wasn't the default for most software, but some of the older books had been scanned in as recreations of actual books and had no equivalent text file.
Kat found it pretty fun to mess around with. The UI was intuitive, the books weren't hard to read despite the fact that the screen was somewhat see-through. Kat had been worried that it would all count as illusions and not work at all with her eyes, but the fact you could touch and interact with them, as well as the fact they weren't hiding anything meant that it was 'real' enough for her eyes to consider them valid. Or something. Kat didn't really know.
They didn't stay long, in the end, it was sort of still freaking Lily out. Oh Kat knew her girlfriend was exaggerating for comedic effect and in part to uplift the spirits of the people who'd be spending their time here potentially looking for nothing... but yeah Lily did not enjoy the rooms. It was just sliding into the uncanny valley for her and Kat could see where that would lead things. So Kat simply carried Lily out of the room once it was time to leave and headed for other areas.
Said other areas first ended up being the pool. There she could see quite a few people swimming with Malt watching from the side. Walking over to him Kat asked, "So... what's going on here?"
All of this meant that if Lily was uncomfortable? Kat wasn't going to question it she was just going to move on. So she gave a nod to Malt and then headed out, this time with a bit more purpose then 'somewhere not here'. Kat ended up in the gardens a short time later. Kat's plan had been to let Lily run around in her Memphis form and burn off some of that restless energy while Kat herself did some katas or something in the centre of the room.
Finding Sephy sitting in the room just staring up at the ceiling was not what Kat expected. Nor was the fact the girl had sunglasses on. Kat wondered why they even had sunglasses down here? Did the enchantment on the ceiling necessitate them? Was it a fashion thing? Did Sephy actually need sunglasses? Kat didn't remember anyone else using or mentioning them while here.
"You know, staring at the sun as bad for your eyes right?" asked Kat. "Especially once you get outside?"
Sephy sighed but nodded, "Yeah I've heard that. Don't really understand why... but I've heard it said a bunch in stories and shows,"
Kat had sort of hoped Sephy would make some comment relating to the outside after her own question... but that hadn't happened. *
Guess I'm playing therapist again.*
"So... how are you I guess?"
"I dunno? Listless? Apathetic? Drained? Something like that. I was tired and angry with Fonze and Strek yesterday and I don't love how that conversation went... but I'm not sure if I actually regret anything I said? Like... I think I meant everything and I don't remember lying. I... I'm going to go out and see the world. This little garden is lovely and I want nothing more than to take it all with me... but I want more than that. I want to see what other wonders the world has... and I don't think I'm going to see them with my friends anymore.
"That... I guess I don't know what to think of that part. I thought we'd always be together, and even though it was rough when we all agreed to leave as three I was happy... but... but I don't want to force Fonze into anything. He clearly wasn't happy with the idea, he never was... and I just... I dunno. I want him to be happy and if that means he needs to stay here? Then he SHOULD stay. I think I'd hate it more if he hated me and came along... but it's just... a lot you know?" explained Sephy.
Kat thought back to all the kids she'd seen adopted. The ones that had been around longer, that were losing their friends. The kids that had to move on, even knowing they might not meet with the others ever again. Kat remembered her own feelings after hearing she would have to move out soon when she turned eighteen. It got resolved in the end... and sort of lost in the whole 'wait I'm a demon thing'. Yet Kat nodded, "Yeah I guess I do understand,"