At first, Versailles doesn't even realize that there's anything different. She's in her room, pouring over a book Marg had given her to help her learn how to read - growing up in the wilds, she never even knew what a book was. She's struggling, concentrating on trying to remember which letter is which sound. The vowels are easier to remember, the consonants a little harder due to how many there are. Her pace is slow and tentative and, for a moment, she feels rather stupid. She doesn't know how to read, and it makes her feel like she has to be dumbest thing alive. It's intimidating, it's frustrating, and it's embarrassing; certainly embarrassing enough that no one but Marg and Bast know about this handicap (and maybe Suite too, Suite probably knows already).

It's during another bout of frustrated silence that Versailles first smells the smoke. For a second, she figures it's just another Ascendant playing with their fire powers (tch, they should really be more careful with that), but the smell grows ever stronger until it's almost seeping into her fur. That's when she knows something isn't right. Immediately hopping up to her paws, she runs to the door and pushes it open just to hear Bastille's yell, followed by - oh God, what is that? Sirens are blaring and lights are flashing and, for a second, it's a little too much for Versailles, stepping back and rubbing her eyes on one hand and trying to cup her ears in the other. It's too much noise in such a little space and she's still not used to it. Her head is pounding, blood rushing in her ears, stars dancing behind her shut eyelids as she tries to take any semblance of calm she can get.

She forces deep, acrid breaths into her lungs while she still has time, feeling the ringing recede with every gulp. When her eyes open again, they're steely and determined, and suddenly she's rushing to gather whatever supplies she could from her room and shoving it into a small pack Bast had given her. Wrapping her tail around the strap when she knows she's kept what's important to her, Versailles finally bursts out of her room and looks around, noticing the encroaching flames from the far corridor. She just stands there for a few heartbeats, watching the golden embers dancing in a sea of black smoke - there's something quite fascinating about the way they shiver in the air - but she soon snaps herself out of her awe and runs down towards the Circle before veering for the exit.

Just as she's reached the grassy plains beyond, she realizes - what if anybody's still in there? She can't live with herself knowing that she's the coward who saved only herself. With a determined gnash of her teeth, she throws the pack outside before running back in, hoping she can find and direct everyone else lagging behind to safety. Versailles finds herself next to Rin, aiming a nod the other Ascendant's way before running back into the hell of it all. Bast would probably kill her if she doesn't die, but hell, she will never leave any straggling clanmates behind, even if it's the last thing she does.

Roy was in his room when the fire broke out. While Bastilleprisoner had his little power mishaps in the past, Roy thought Bastille had them under control now. The male wasn't expecting the fire, and when the smoke reached his nostrils, he was quickly running to the entrance of his room. Roy knew this can't be another power mishap, never once did Bastilleprisoner's past incidents ever cause the fire alarm to go off. Roy heard Bastilleprisoner's cough filled voice, ordering them to evacuate.

Roy should have listened to the order, but Roy was planning to stay behind- Bastilleprisoner wasn't wrong that there are Ascendants members who wield fire. Roy happened to be one of them, there was a reason why he was called the Flame Alchemist. While he can produce flames with a snap of his mutated claws, he can also kill them. This fire certainly seemed much larger than the small fires Bastilleprisoner caused in the past, he can only hope he won't suffocate in the process of putting it out. But before Roy could run deep into the black smoke, his ears pricked up at a familiar voice.

"Dad? Daddy?"

That was Aaliyah, she was in another room! She's in trouble- she's caught in the smoke! Aaliyah was almost six months old, she no longer had to stay in Roy's room anymore. She had her very own room so she can have her own privacy. Suddenly, Roy was deeply regretting that decision- he indirectly put her into danger. If she was still staying in his room, she'd be able to get out without getting caught in the smoke. Her room was closer to the fire, meaning the more smoke you inhale, and the harder it is to breath. "Aaliyah!" Roy yelled out in between coughs as smoke went into his lungs, the male shaking his head. He has to get to her- he has to get her out of there and outside to safety. And then, he'll go back in if he doesn't see Riza outside.

Without another thought, Roy crouched low to the ground, so he was under the smoke. And then, Roy began to crawl, slowly making his way over to Aaliyah's room. Thankfully, Roy knew where Aaliyah's room was- Roy was still quite the protective parent, so he got there as quickly as his three crawling legs could. When he finally crawled into the room, it seemed like Aaliyah's yelling grabbed another groupmates attention. Atreus also came after Aaliyah, to whom Roy spoke up to first. "Go! I got her!" He said to them with a commanding tone, blue gaze landing on Atreus for a moment. Quickly after, his gaze landed back onto Aaliyah, he crawled his way over to her. "Hold you breath Aaliyah," Roy coughed out as he crouched beside her smaller body, attempting to grab her by the scruff with his jaws. "I'll get you out of here," He said with a mouthful of fur, before he began to crawl backwards, attempting to safely guide Aaliyah out of the observatory and away from the flames and smoke.