#Beard Man Master of Stealth
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tcustodisart · 8 months ago
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Connecticut Tav | Wood Half-Elf | Beast Master Ranger
So, this is my sheet for @bareee's @tav-dex. Went a little overboard and made a whole ass character sheet (man the last time I made one of those was so long ago). I want to write something about my cringe boy so. Buckle up because it's going to be long and poorly written (I suck at writing).
One edit because I'm a dummy, his alignment is neutral good not true neutral idk why I did that.
He was born and raised in his mom's and step-dad's tavern called Crow's Perch (not as fancy as Elf Song but in a different category as Blushing Mermaid)(the tavern thing is just for the sake of a joke that the most popular drink they serve is called 'Connecticut Water'). He has an older brother, who's a bard. Despite the description for Urchin background ("After surviving a poor and bleak childhood") he had a happy childhood, filled with love and support. The two brothers treated the whole Lower City as their playground: breaking into places just for fun, pick pocketing nobles, climbing Wyrm's Rock Fortress etc.
His love for beasts and creatures of any kind comes from the stories told by his step-dad (both him and Tav's mom are retired adventurers). Step dad was the one who told Tav about Darkmaw the Wicked *wink wink*.
At one point he got tired of the city life and decided he wanted to become a ranger. After successfully fulfilling some contracts he became so confident of his skills he tried to build a trap all by his own. The trap exploded right into his face (he himself has no idea how it didn't kill him or damaged his eyes). After that he was sulking in his hunting hut for a month. The experience humbled the boy. Most of his adventuring prior to the nautiloid could just be boiled down to hanging around one village and talking local boars out of destroying potato fields, and occasionally getting rid of poachers.
Before the abduction he was on his way to Baldur's Gate to see his family (which he hasn't seen in months).
Trivia (because it's easier to write stuff this way):
His hair started to go grey at the start of Act 3 from the weight of responsibility and stress.
In Act 1 he was corresponding with his family thanks to Faust. After entering The Underdark he stopped sending letters (In Underdark because it would be hard, in Act 2 because he didn't want the bird to be killed by Shadow Curse).
Despite being close to his family in Act 3, he didn't visit them or send any messages in fear that Gortash and/or Orin would hurt them.
He carries with him a razor and some fancy oils for his beard.
His brother wrote one ballad about him, soon after that Tav forbid him from writing more (it was very much not accurate).
His step-dad taught him how to fight with a sword, while his mom taught him archery and the art of stealth.
Tav's biological father died when he was very young so he has barely any memory of him.
Tav's a walking Merlin app, he can identify any bird by just listening to it.
He loves climbing trees. Either to rest on a branch or to scout the surroundings.
He loves picking up herbs and making potions.
Despite growing up in a tavern he's not much of a drinker.
He's very self-conscious about his height and chest-to-belly area. He tries his best not to show it.
At one point he was persona non grata at Sharess' Caress.
He enjoys fishing.
Sir Daisy Dewdrop Fluffington is a name of his childhood plush.
He knows how to play lanceboard (he often plays against Gale and tries to teach it to Wyll).
He draws in his journal. He drew all of his companions at least once.
He almost cried when Jaheira called him 'cub' and almost called her 'mom' in response.
He's scared of Lae'zel. But tries his best to understand and help her.
He had countless heart-to-hearts with Karlach.
In his journal he described Astarion as 'his equal on the battlefield'.
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newtwantstofight · 2 months ago
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Human Name: Silas Rowan Hughes
Alias: The Shadow, Shadowed Son, Shadow, Shadowed Prince
Age: 36
Species: Humanoid
Original counterpart: Hunter
Blood: Stillness/Black Blood
Height: 7ft
Weight: 300 lbs
Description: Long brown hair, curls. Bearded. Pale skinned. Has a scar where Phineas' aurox (a type of winged cat that lives in the wandering valley in the underworld) clawed him across the face and blinded his left eye. Very tall and thickly muscled. Looks very much like an unkempt lumberjack mountain man most of the time. Wears lots of flannels and jeans and heavy coats.
Parents: Stillness the Void King and Phineas the Collector. Shadow and Matter are both adopted. Phineas found Matter after he escaped a mauling by stray dogs and Shadow was found wandering in the enchanted woods around Fae Town. Matter was 9 when he was found, Shadow was 10. Shadow stayed with Phineas and Stillness until he was 17.
Siblings: Escher (AntiMatter)
Abilities:
Unnatural strength: Could probably lift a car if he wanted to.
Spirit Vision: Inherited trait from Stillness; allows Shadow to see past the veil between worlds and universes and see creatures and spirits human eyes can't normally detect.
Synesthesia: Inherited trait from Phineas; he can tell whether a person is lying or telling the truth by the color of their words when they speak.
Technophile: he's an ace at understanding and working with technology; after retiring from his previous life of crime he became a freelance programmer for a living.
Mechanic: he's good with most any kind of hands on work. He owns a business fixing cars for the townsfolk of the human village he lives in on weekends.
Stealth Mode: One made it so some counterparts have the ability to move among human society undetected to protect them from harm; Shadow can be seen by humans but no one can remember his face or his name.
Disabilities: Dyslexia. ADHD. Shadow has always been less academically inclined than his older brother, a big point of contention between him and their father, Phineas. Matter tried his best to help Shadow with his school work when they were kids to keep Shadow out of trouble with Phineas and their tutors for declining grades. Despite this, he's good with hands on learning and taught himself most things he knows about working with tech and machines.
Banishment: When Shadow was 17, he was exiled from the Underworld palace after a run in with rough friends resulted in Matter being grievously injured. The resulting argument between Shadow and Phineas got so heated Phineas' aurox cat, Sol, mauled him after being set on Shadow by his master. Shadow, horribly injured and disfigured by the incident, left home for good after being treated for his injuries in the infirmary.
Relationships: Cain; husband. Adam; husband. Escher; older brother (estranged). Stillness; father. Phineas; father (estranged). One; uncle. Author; uncle. Rose; aunt. Lily; aunt.
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wickedlittleoz · 1 year ago
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Heyo, requests are open?!
How about some Drake Master Hanzo/Knight Genji goodness? Maybe Knight Genji is sent to slay the Drake Master, but DM seduces him, then realizes he's found his long lost brother, and then grumpily follows him home to apologize for his bad behavior but also to train his little brother in the arts of drake mastery (and love making). Or simply some Drake Master/Knight action of your choice! Thanks for taking requests and for doing everything you do!!!
HELLO YES HI!!!!!
TYSM FOR REACHING OUT i had been dying to write drake master x royal knight stuff, sooooooooooo i took some things from you and some other things from meeeeeeee and i put it together and VOILA
jokes aside this is partly inspired by this gorgeous piece by nuggies my beloved. i saw it and thought of the whole knight genji gets sent to princess emily's rescue thing that i mixed into your request
THANK YOU I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!!!! SEND MORE WHENEVER <3333
(warning this is E-rated but if i tag for 4dult c0nt3nt i think tumblr hides it from public view so screw them)
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Genji is in the training grounds, shirtless and sweaty, when they come for him. The rumors are true: Princess Emily has been kidnapped by the evil drake master up in the mountains and his two ferocious dragons. The King wants to send Genji, his most trustworthy and brave knight, to Emily's rescue.
Over the following days they set him up with countless potions of most random uses: some for healing, some for fire resistance, some for stealth. The seer even sends him his own small scrying orb in case he needs help. Tracer insists on tagging along and Genji would gladly take on his friend, but the King doesn't allow her – they might need her if the dragons attack the kingdom while Genji is gone.
At long last, he sets off to the Princess' rescue. To what could be his demise.
The two-day journey is tranquil, but as soon as Genji approaches the lair, he realizes his mistakes: from up here he can see all the way down to the foot of the mountain, to the forest that he crossed, to the palace walls. Which means the drake master is most certainly aware of his approach.
There's also the fact that he never slayed a dragon on his own, let alone two. A couple weeks back they killed a dragon near the palace, which is what started this whole quarrel – one of the drake master's creature got loose and crossed the border, so they had to do something. But there was an army with him, then. Even with all these potions and spells, now he begins to wonder if he stands a chance.
Still, he sets up camp for the night in a cave near the lair, where he thinks he's safe, determined to move in during the early hours of day, when he might catch the drake master and his dragons asleep.
He's the one who's surprised when he wakes up the next morning and finds himself no longer in his dark, cold cave, but instead laid in a large bed, with warm sheets of fur beneath him and crackling fire in a hearth at his feet... Which, as well as his hands, are tied to the poles of the bed. It takes Genji a moment to register everything; he realizes a little too late, as a door swings open somewhere to his left, that his plan backfired astronomically, that the drake master caught him vulnerable and now he has no way of even asking the kingdom for help.
A voice of velvety lust reaches his ears, "I must admit I didn't give King Gregory enough credit for his army."
The drake master saunters into view, a large smile framed by full, white beard turned to Genji. He walks with confident, slow strides, inflated bare chest. A pattern of dragon scales is painted down his chest and left arm, and scars scatter his torso and face, but it doesn't make Genji flinch; together, all of it paints a picture of a seasoned warrior, who's happy in his skin... And likes to show it off.
Genji licks his lips, willing away thoughts of the man's beauty. "Whatever do you mean by that?"
The chainmail loincloth, the only piece of clothing that the drake master is wearing aside from a headpiece mimicking dragon horns, clinks gently as he kneels on the bed. He inches closer to Genji between his forcibly parted legs, crawling on all fours like some sort of animal of absurd sensuality; some big cat, graceful, nothing like the scaly monsters that Genji vaguely hears outside the window. Long, pointy nails rake up Genji's thigh and he shudders, can't help it, which makes the man grin in satisfaction.
"Not only do they make you skilled," the drake master says in a voice that can only be described as hypnotizing. "It seems they also pick out the most handsome of warriors."
Genji blinks dully for a second. Is he being courted by his captor? The man's fingers are gentle as he unbuckles Genji's armor, something he could have done hours ago when he caught the knight alone and asleep, and brought him up here. But instead he watches Genij's face closely right now as he slowly undresses his prisoner, as if ready to respect his denials.
Color Genji surprised... And horny.
"It gets very lonely up here, you know," he coos once satisfied with Genji's half nakedness – chest exposed, trousers pulled halfway down his thighs. The drake master sits back on his haunches and removes his headpiece, letting down a curtain of snow-white hair that falls over his eyes, that he pushes back with charm.
"The dragons are, of course, some comfort," he continues speaking a moment later as if the interruption had never happened. His clever hands are now undoing the clasp on his own loincloth and Genji whishes he could avert his eyes, but alas, the flesh is so very weak. "But there are things that only a man can offer."
The rasp of metal against stone suppresses Genji's gasp when the man flicks away the chainmail. Thick, reddened and glistening, his cock stares proudly at Genji, making the knight's mouth water.
"You wouldn't deny a lonely old man some company, would you?" The drake master all but purrs, teasing slowly at the head of his own prick. His eyebrows twitch with delight.
Genji surges up to kiss him on a whim, but his constrained hands only let him go so far.
The man laughs. "Didn't think so," he gloats, moving over Genji's thighs to sink on his awakened erection. Their synched moans fill the air in a harmonious sound. Something inside Genji stirs, a shift in energy, and makes him feel somehow this is more than just physical...
A couple days pass in the same routine: the drake master comes to visit him in the early morning, feeds him fresh fruits and cooked meat, fucks himself silly on Genji's cock, then disappears for the rest of the day. They don't talk much; sometimes he teases Genji for his failure to rescue the Princess, instead getting captured himself. Tells him the scrying orb often flickers to life, as if on the other end someone's calling for him. Genji knows if this continues on for long enough, the King will send more men to his and Emily's aid. He just doesn't know how long.
He also, kinda, just a little bit, wishes it takes the kingdom a few moons. He really, really likes having sex with the drake master...
One morning his captor walks into the bedroom fully clothed, instead of the usual semi-nakedness. He undoes the ropes tying Genji's hands, eyes warm but sharp, and lets him feed himself for once. When Genji's finished, he releases his feet as well and offers him a hand. Gingerly, Genji takes it and tries to stand; his legs buckle almost immediately and the drake master laughs, arms tight around Genji's middle keeping him upright.
"Come on, big boy, you've got this," he chuckles, lips warm on Genji's temple.
Like a toddler giving his first steps, his arm draped over the drake master's shoulders, Genji walks out of his quarters for the first time in days. The master's lair is large and cozy, in spite of the stone flooring and the lack of daylight. He walks Genji through hallways and large rooms with fires at the center, to a large sunlit garden. It takes his eyes a while to get accustomed to the brightness again and the man awaits patiently for his sign.
Barefoot, the earth and grass seem grounding to Genji. How long has he been here? Is he ever leaving? Why does the drake master keep him so well cared for, and how much longer is he willing to play this game?, are questions that sprout in his mind like the moss on the rocks in the woods back home. Yet he voices none of them, too overwhelmed as is by fresh air and sunlight after days locked up in that stuffy room.
The drake master walks Genji to a small spring of naturally warm water. He allows the knight to dress himself down, as he does the same. They slip into the pool one after the other. His hands are gentle on Genji's hair and shoulders as he helps scrub the knight clean, until shamelessly he takes hold of Genij's cock, milks two orgasms out of him until he's sighing incoherently.
"You're stuck with me, knight," he whispers in Genji's ear moments later, when he's being tucked back into bed. "They'll never take you from me."
Not that Genji is thinking of leaving right now...
Once again to his surprise, the drake master slips next to him on the bed, spooning his back. Genji knows what's coming and opens up for it with delight. They kiss over his shoulder as the man pounds into him, spurts of his pleasure getting lost inside Genji, and all he can think of saying once the deed is done, is, "You never told me your name."
To which the man huffs a laugh, bites into Genji's shoulder before murmuring, "Hanzo," in the softest of voices. And still spooning, they drift off into sleep.
The next morning he takes Genij outside again, this time to visit the dragons. The massive creatures seem wary of Genji at first, most certainly not used to interacting with other humans, but after a while one of the two start to approach him. The drake master tells Genji it's a female. By the time Hanzo decides to take him back inside, he'd even been allowed to touch the creature's snout and she'd seemed pleased with him.
A couple days later the drake master barges into his room with a smile bright enough to lighten up any old cave. You're a blessing from the gods, he tells Genji, swooping him into a hug, kissing him deeply, then his face, his hands.
"What happened?" He finds himself asking as the drake master begins to undress them both.
"She laid another egg," Hanzo says excitedly. "It had been years. After their firstborn was killed–" Some hesitation crosses them both; Genji had taken part in the slaying of said dragon. "–Well, I thought she'd never try again. But your presence here changed everything. She likes you."
He doesn't know whether to be happy for Hanzo or horrified. More dragons means more danger for the kingdom. And somehow this is all his fault.
But the drake master shoves him on the bed and falls atop him, lips searching for Genji with joy and hunger and gratitude. "So do I," he says, and it takes Genji a second to remember what he'd been saying before.
She likes you. So do I.
"Come on," Hanzo continues in a feverish manner, clearly beside himself with exhilaration, "Put a babe in me, too."
The absurdity of his words makes Genji laugh. They spend the whole afternoon in bed.
Later, Genji wakes up from a dream that, it takes him a while to realize, is more of a revelation. In the dream he's a child, still nuzzled in his mother's arms, too young even to speak. A strange man in a horned headpiece, like the one Hanzo wears, is in their house, speaking to his father. The two men shake hands after a short dialogue and the stranger leaves with a little boy in his arms. The child can't be older than two. He cries, reaching out for Genji, as his mother, also weeping but silently, turns around so Genij can no longer see him.
Right before he wakes up, his father approaches them with a bag of gold in hands, and says, "This will be best for our Hanzo."
The same Hanzo, who's sat at the foot of the bed with his back turned to Genji, crying in silent sobs just like their mother used to do.
Genji crawls over to him, hesitant to touch him after the dream, which he can only assume Hanzo shared. But the touch of his fingers to his brother's skin seems to send off sparks. Hanzo turns to him and for a long moment they stare at each other, noting for the first time the similarities in the other's face, the love in the other's eyes.
Deep in his chest, Genji's heart seems to shrink. There's so much pain in his brother's expression. He wonders if Hanzo grew up with love and affection like Genji did, if the former drake master gave him the wonderful life that he doubtless swore to their parents. Somehow he figures that Hanzo got the opposite of all that... Which maybe is why he was so quick to fall in love with Genji, unaware of their linked past.
After a moment's silence, Hanzo stands up and turns away from him. "You must want to leave now," he murmurs. His voice is heavy and sad, and Genji could cry just thinking of all the hurt in his brother's core. "You're free to go. Take the Princess, too. I'll take my dragons and leave the kingdom, we'll find somewhere else to live–"
"No," Genji says before he thinks. But his legs move on their own, off the bed and closer to Hanzo. He hugs the man and immediately Hanzo relaxes into his embrace, like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.
"I will not leave you, brother," Genji whispers. He searches Hanzo's face and, on instinct, kisses his mouth. It takes him a second; he hesitates, pulls back to find Hanzo's eyes.
"Love me as a man," Hanzo says with determination. "Or don't love me at all."
Genji understands. Their physical connection has been seared in fire and blood. For weeks they've gotten to know each other's bodies far more intimately than brothers ever could or should. It would simply be impossible to turn away from that attraction.
He needs no time to reflect, it's all too clear.
Genji kisses Hanzo again.
The journey back to the palace takes only a few hours, instead of the two days that Genji had had to walk weeks ago. The dragon swoops over the forest with far more grace than he would've assumed of a creature that big. They land in a clearing just outside the walls and Hanzo helps Emily climb off while Genji fumbles on his own and inevitably falls face down.
Satisfied and relieved with the return of his daughter and his best knight, when everyone had thought Genji dead and Emily lost, the King agrees to a last minute diplomatic meeting with the drake master. They converse and agree to join forces; Hanzo and his dragons will be welcomed as part of the kingdom, and any knights who, like Genji, are interested in learning the art of dragon taming will be assisted by their very own drake master, so that in future wars the creatures might aid in protecting the kingdom.
Before Hanzo flies back up to the mountain, they defile every square inch of Genji's sleeping quarters in the castle, marking corners and surfaces with their love, sweat... And cum.
They never tell anyone about all that happened during the days when Genji was kept prisoner, or the truth about their blood relation. But it quickly becomes clear to the other knights that something happened up there, and that Genji and Hanzo are in love. Jokes are thrown around, about Genji growing scales and laying eggs. Knight Tracer shuts them down, angry on her friend's behalf, though Genji doesn't mind much – in truth he pities those men for not knowing love like he does.
Like Tracer and Emily do, too.
Up in the mountains, the two drake masters and their three dragons share a life of peace, shaken only by random visits from their friends, that is the Princess and her companion, Tracer, or knights sent to train with them for short periods of time.
At night often they return to that warm bedroom where they shared a bed for the first time and the discovery of all that they are; it becomes a safe haven of their love.
-the end-
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snappydragonsclaw · 1 year ago
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Skylanders academy episodes that could of got alternate endings
Skylanders unite!: kaos could of won.
Dream girls: dream catcher could of never had been caught,stealth elf could of went to sleep too early on in the episode,it could of been another cadet,dream catcher could of turned the entire academy against stealth elf.
The hole truth: the doom raider's could of never escaped.
Space invaders: stealth elf could of actually died,it could of been someone else who got stuck in kaos's head.
Pop rocks:wolfgang could of won, glumshanks could of revealed Wolfgang's plan to food fight and trigger happy by either accident or on purpose which would of lead them to tell the core team,pop fizz could of been the evil one instead of wolfgang,pop fizz and wolf gang never parted ways.
Beard science: eon could of never found his beard.
The skylands are falling!: everyone could of died.
Assault on skylander academy:kaos choose his Mom's side and never went with the doom raiders,the doom raiders,kaos and kaossandra never gotten into the academy.
Spyromania: Spyro could of died aka no invincible scales,Spyro could of never questioned his abilities,Spyro could of had super speed aka dodged all of food fight's tomatoes or just any other type of ability for that matter.
I dream of ninjini: ninjini could of been stuck in her bottle.
Return to cynder: cynder could of got corrupted, the skylanders never offended cynder.
Elementary,my dear eruptor: eruptor could of died(I'm starting to see a pattern here)
Split decision: hex could of took over the academy,skull never got rid of his magical bond with hex,hex forgot to hug a cadet like wind up or food fight possiblely and they did something that changed the ending like telling master eon earlier.
The people vs.pop fizz: pop fizz could of stayed in cloud cracker prison.
Belly of the beast: they all could of died. Food fight could of died by the cadets having to use him to make the fire viper throw up due to the fire viper being a carnivore and food fight being well an ardichoke meaning that they sacrificed him(man I think that's the darkest alternate ending I came up with),food fight and wind up being the only survivers(they was in a place where they were safe once the fire viper woke up and food fight could of made the fire viper throw up by tossing enough tomatoes.king pen never got kidnapped.
Sheep-ball dreams: dream catcher was catched by stealth elf before she hit the ground meaning she never snapped out of her amnesia and lived happily ever after with the skylanders and cadets(I wished that happened even a little bit). Dream catcher was faking the whole thing.
Touch of evil: Spyro never turned into dark Spyro,cynder never went after Spyro,cynder never got captured and made it back to the academy with the core team.
Power struggle: kaossandra ditched the skylanders.
A traiter among us(oh God please no): eruptor never had a grudge against kaossandra and therefore never needed to get captured by trolls.
In like flynn: the skylanders could of been trapped forever.pop fizz could of got sacrificed.(why is acadmey so extreme?)
Road rage: kaossandra could of killed stealth elf. Stealth elf wore the cursed bracelet instead. Stealth elf gave the cursed bracelet to either eruptor,dark Spyro or even possiblely food fight?(though that last person is very unlikely yet here we are and it would change the episode very much.)
Weekend at eon's(can we just put in f in the chat for poor food fight not really even appearing in the episode where he should of at least got a line): FOOD FIGHT ACTUALLY PLAY A PART IN THE STORY-no really im serious that would actually change a whole lot of things,food fight never missed,food fight killed master eon rather by accident or possibly *evil smirk* on purpose.
Three sides to every story: master eon actually did get zapped.
Days of future crash: glumshanks won,dark Spyro encountered the alternate versions of the cadets that may or may not have been driven crazy by that timeline's events.
Off to the races: dark Spyro killed stealth elf,dark Spyro never got caught.
Split: Hugo never came to rescue the skylanders.
The final to skylanders academy as a whole.
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animationstarlover1983 · 1 year ago
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Fnaf system reboot au
Main villain characters: info/descriptions (original)
1. Cybertrap: Cybertrap is a digital/animatronic copy of William and a main villain in the au story. Appearance: Cybertrap has a dark purple color scheme, he is 15ft tall with sharp teeth and a twisted metallic tongue m, he has razor sharp claws and exposed wires/screws and parts. Personality: Cybertrap is sinister, intelligent, curious, sadistic, brutal, cruel, manipulative, deceptive, egotistical, overconfident. Facts/info: Cybertrap is 1 of 2 digital copy’s of William afton. Powers: animatronic physiology (immense strength/immense speed/immense agility/immense durability/advance ai/inbuilt e-manual/databank archive/robotic perception), coding/hacking, technology/machinery fusion, grappling arms, industrial/utility tool features, electromagnetic radiation, self rebuild, spiritual awareness. Skills: high intelligence, raw cunning, adept learning, intuition, manipulation, deception, engineering expertise, killing/torture expertise. Likes: himself, killing/torturing. Dislikes: failure.
2. Synctrap: Synctrap is a digital/animatronic copy of William and a main villain in the au story. Appearance: Synctrap has a dark purple color scheme, he has darken eyes with purple irises, he has razor sharp teeth and claws and a twisted metallic tongue, he is 7ft 3. Personality: Synctrap is sinister, intelligent, manipulative, deceptive, sadistic, controlling, creative. Facts/info: Synctrap is the other copy of william afton. Powers/features: animatronic physiology (immense strength/speed/agility/immense durability/advance ai/inbuilt e-manual/databank archive), coding/hacking, grappling arms, power/energy draining, signal/radio waves/broadcast control. Skills: high intelligence, raw cunning, manipulation, deception, killing/torture expertise, engineering expertise. Likes: himself, killing/torturing/tormenting. Dislikes: failure.
3. Piper Malachi: piper is a sentient killer android and a main villain in the au story. Appearance: piper has the appearance of a 12 year old girl, she has strawberry blonde hair with a purpe dyed streak and purple eyes, she wears a casual purple dress and dress shoes. Personality: Piper is intelligent, manipulative, deceptive, self centered, spoiled, bratty, loyal, playful, childish, short tempered, robotic. Facts/info: in the au she has been given the role of a killer android spy. Powers/features: robot physiology (strength/speed/agility/flexibility/durability/advance au/ inbuilt e-manual/databank archive), shapeshifting, spiritual awareness. Skills: high intelligence, raw cunning, adept learning, intuition, manipulation, deception, master of disguise, stealth, killing/torture expertise. Likes: glitchtrap, candy, dark places, killing, pranks, music, fashion. Dislikes: Vanessa, Gregory, Freddy, the glamrocks, humans. Goals: serve glitchtrap.
4. Eugene Malachi/Doctor Rabbit: Eugene is a 44 year old man and a original character in the au story. Appearance: Eugene has light brown hair and hazel/blue eyes, he has a light brown beard/mustache, he often wears a casual uniform or suit, he also sometimes wears a lab coat. Personality: Eugene is intelligent, creative, curious, mature, responsible, diligent, stubborn. Facts/info: Eugene is the pizzaplex director and a expert scientist who Ally’s himself with glitchtrap/mimic, in this au he is also the one who secretly sent the circuit boards that housed the g-t virus, he also created patient 46. Powers: spiritual awareness. Skills: genius level intelligence, strategic planning, raw cunning, adept learning, intuition, science expertise, leadership, manipulation, deception. Likes: family/friends, science, money. Dislikes: being bothered, leaving work undone. Job/career: pizzaplex director/project manager.
5. Vex: Vex is a corrupted staff security bot and a main villain in the au story. Appearance: Vex has the appearance of a security staff bot but his body has been painted purple and his face has a twisted grin. Personality: Vex is loyal, stubborn, diligent, annoying, irritable, responsible. Facts/info: Vex works in the pizzaplex control/surveillance room center (alone). Powers: robot physiology (strength/durability/advance ai/inbuilt e-manual/databank archive), spiritual awareness. Skills: keen intellect, tracking skills. Likes: being praised. Dislikes: doing all the work.
P.s: pls don’t copy or steal my ideas pls.
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thebibliomancer · 7 years ago
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Essential Avengers: Avengers #143: Right Between the Eons!
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January, 1976
Another excellent title.
Good job with titles recently, the Avengers book. And by recently I mean before I was even born.
That’s weird to think about.
But in terms of lying covers that lie, this cover stands pretty far out. The most of the Avengers do not fight a large somewhat familiar reptile monster. The cowboy gang plus a few Avengers do encounter a monster but one that looks a bit different than this one.
In fact, Team Most of the Avengers only get two pages again. Poor neglected majority of the team.
Last time on Cowboys guest starring some Avengers: Thor and Moondragon hitched a ride with Immortus back in time to find Hawkeye but there was a Kang trap and he’s trying to conquer the 19th century so he doesn’t have to conquer the 20th and there’s a bunch of cowboys. And then the cowboys thwart a great train robbery while the Avengers mostly just spectate.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team join forces with the amazing blackmailing Patsy Walker to investigate the Brand Corporation, get their asses kicked by the Squadron Supreme, and thrown into an energy cage. As you can see, their side of the plot has been inching along relatively.
This time: cowboy interrogation.
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Anyway, Kid Colt threatens Ace Banditman with his colts, shooting off his hat and pants and just overall threatening to enact even more vigilante justice than he already has.
Thor protests but Hawkeye stands up for cowboy interrogation. Because Hawkeye.
But once Ace spills the beans on how to get into Kang’s citadel, Hawkeye decides to flip the ratio. Now things will be mostly Avengers with light cowboy cameo.
Only Hawkeye, Moondragon, a mysterious bearded man, and Two-Gun Kid ride towards the citadel.
Because Tombstone is Two-Gun’s town and he’s seeing this through!
No matter what Moondragon says. Goshdarn future, letting women prance around with shaved heads and half-naked and ordering people around.
But as the mounted Avengers plus Two-Gun plus mysterious beardy approach the citadel, Kang is watching them. Obviously.
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Villains always have ridiculous surveillance. But also they are approaching right from the front where you’d logically put your surveillance cameras.
Hawkeye proposes that he and Moondragon go first to deal with any protective devices on the front door but the door just swings open for them.
An obvious trap but walking into obvious traps is the Avengers way.
So they just stroll right in, taking only a single reasonable precaution.
And are confronted by loud shouty Kang face on a screen. And he lays out his motives.
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Basically? He’s pissed about the Celestial Madonna Saga. Still. You’d think that a time traveler could really take ten to calm down, just go on a sojourn and let yourself really cool down.
But Kang never gets over it.
And the Avengers are really, really getting tired of all this shit by now. I mean, it doesn’t help that they saw the spoilers. They know that he chills out and becomes Immortus and they have to be thinking that can’t come soon enough.
Anyway. The Avengers are gonna fight now. But first, stripping.
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So Kang drops them down a pit. Nobody wants to see shirtless Hawkeye.
Well. I mean. Some people do. But Kang is not one of those some people.
So the Avengers plus Two-Gun Kid plus that bearded guy plunge down a pit just deep enough for Kang to monologue about how cool he is and how much he’ll destroy them all.
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Y’know. Just Kang things.
And because that pit is apparently so ludicrously deep, lets cut over to the Brand Investigation Team for their two pages of ‘remember that this story arc is still ongoing even though the main focus is elsewhere’ content.
Between issues, Captain America has thought of a pretty good escape plot.
The energy cage is too strong to bust through. And Vision can’t even intangible through it.
BUT WHAT IF
hear me out
WHAT IF
Cap jammed his mighty shield into the energy cage? And even if the cage did not yield, what if Vision intangibled through the shield to sort of loophole whatever thing is keeping him from intangibling?
Its just comic enough to work!
So Vision sticks his head out of the cage and uses his SOLAR BEAM to blow open the cage.
Somehow.
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I thought the cage was generated by Dr Spectrum’s power prism so what did Vision blow up to deactivate the cage?
Well, whatever. It was a good plan. Lets not let logic get in the way of that.
Also, Cap is weirdly rude here. He calls Patsy Walker by her married name even though she knows she’s divorced. And when Beast cracks a pun that “four walls do not a prism make!” Cap skeptically asks if the Avengers are really considering him for membership.
Or maybe he’s just angry that was his last bit of content this issue.
BECAUSE BACK TO COWBOY TIMES!
The cowboy era team has finally finished falling. Although Kang isn’t finished bragging.
Look at this cool monster he made out of a coyote.
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Yup.
When they say ‘what has science wrought?!’, this is.
It doesn’t even really look like it stems from a coyote. Art team kind of dropped the ball here. George Perez, looking at you.
Moondragon is immediately Tail Whipped unconscious, leaving Two-Gun Kid and Hawkeye to fruitlessly pepper the giant purple coyote monster with their own respective ineffectual projectile weapons.
And then Hawkeye gets Tail Whipped unconscious.
Boy. This team sucks.
Except beard guy. Off-screen, he managed to sneak up behind Kang.
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You rock, beard guy.
Oh. Right. Obviously beard guy was Thor all along, disguised as Donald Blake. He figured that while Kang would be on the lookout for Thor, he’d overlook yet another puny cowboy.
So while Kang was distracted watching Moondragon and Hawkeye get their shit kicked, Donald Blake turned into Thor, busted a hole in the wall, turned back to Donald Blake, and then stood behind Kang and dramatically pulled off his disguise beard.
Mighty Thor did a surprisingly good stealth play.
Anyway, Kang gloats that he still has his force field so Thor just BWAM!!s Kang’s force field - and consequently Kang - right out of the citadel.
Always anchor your force field, kids.
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Because Thor is nettled and This Time Playing For Keeps.
But lets check in on Two-Gun Kid. Yeah. Yeah... He’s not doing well.
He’s feeling the literal squeeze.
Thankfully, Moondragon wakes up and uses a mindblast to knock out the coyote troll.
Just like she told Thor at the beginning of this, fighting Kang is a task for gods, no mortals.
Having been rescued after losing his shit at the monster, Two-Gun Kid snaps at Hawkeye when the bowman asks how he’s holding up.
Hopefully, Hawkeye understands about what jerks macho men can be when their self-worth has been damaged by co-existing in a superhero universe. Since that’s something he puts his team through. A lot.
Anyway, meanwhile, Thor continues knocking Kang around through his forcefield.
Although Kang’s forcefield strains under the thunder god’s thunder blows of thunder, it still holds. But just cowering under a forcefield ain’t Kang’s way.
So he switches to offense and starts blasting Thor with a dissolution beam.
Thor being made of sterner stuff just stands up under the onslaught.
Kang cranks the power level of the dissolution beam up higher and higher. While an unfamiliar fear skitters up Kang’s spine. A weakness he swore he’d never know.
He cranks the dial to eleven! Past eleven! All the power! KANG IS INVICIBLE! KANG CONQUERS!
Kang pushes himself so far that he tears himself to shreds.
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Damn nasty way to go.
Also villain killing himself so that a hero’s hands go unbloodied. Although it is a pretty fitting end for Kang, if you think about it.
Thor: “He destroyed himself! But if I’ve learned naught else in my immortal life -- such is the way of the warrior!”
Oh and with Kang gone, apparently his citadel just fades away. Restoring history to whatever.
Immortus’ head appears in the sky and ruminates that this must be fate. Kang caused his atoms to split and spread through time never to be rejoined until Kang comes back despite all this. And reiterates that yeah this was basically a very Kang death for Kang.
And Immortus takes a moment to fill in the missing gap in the story of how Rama-Tut went on from the Celestial Madonna Saga to become Immortus. Basically, he went back to Egypt and devoted himself to further understanding of time in disappointment for his failure to undo his past evils during that saga. And eventually he became Immortus. The end.
Of course, now that Kang killed himself, that means second Rama-Tut never existed. So Immortus never existed.
Immortus promptly disappears in a puff of logic, free of the tortured existence that is being an entity on the Kang timeline.
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And Moondragon cries. Because the death of a god gets her where she lives.
Now we’re finally done with the Kang storyline that started in the Celestial Madonna Saga. He long outstayed his welcome and there was that weirdly Avengers-lite cowboy episode last time which I’m blaming entirely on him but in the end he went out how he had to go out.
So bitterly beating himself against a brick wall of trying to conquer a stronger opponent that he timesploded himself.
Really makes you think...
BUT FORGET THAT: NEXT TIME HELLCAT!
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number1villainstan · 2 years ago
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AtLA Analysis: S1E4: The Warriors of Kyoshi
Intro: It’s almost 7pm and I promised myself I would do this today. Let’s hope I can do it all today. I’m gonna try a new tactic--instead of immediately writing every single thing I notice, I’m going to watch a whole scene and then write down my thoughts on it. Hopefully that makes this faster to do and more cohesive.
(I did not do this all in one evening. Kept getting distracted. Made it 1/3 of the way through before getting off for the night)
Meditation for Zuko: inhale and the flame gets smaller, exhale and it gets bigger. Like he’s feeding the flame with his breath? Also, it’s implied that his room is very warm, but that may just be the massive flame his outburst produced. He also, interestingly, assumes that the Avatar must be a ‘master of evasive maneuvering,’ rather than being just lost. It’s used as a joke, but it may also be an important insight into his character--he assumes that the Avatar is taking this chase just as seriously as he is, despite the fact that that cannot be the vibes Aang was giving off when they met.
Aang shows off the bead airbending trick to Katara, clearly wanting to impress, her, but she’s too focused on her sewing and clearly only saying ‘that’s great’ to placate him. Then, of course, Sokka starts saying sexist bullshit, and Katara calls him out on it, throwing his not-fully-repaired pants at him. Queen shit right there. They’re clearly comfortable around each other. It’s such a good sibling moment.
Aang getting Appa to yawn so that they stop: a manipulative streak? We’ll see in later episodes that Aang isn’t above lying to get things he wants/likes. However, his intentions are rarely malicious.
More of Aang trying to impress Katara. If I remember correctly, this episode will be full of that.
What is the measurement of an elephant koi here, I wonder? What sort of goods do they provide? Do the Kyoshi islanders use their scales, their meat? Is there blubber underneath? What do they use and what do they trade?
How did Sokka not get a concussion from Aang knocking into him like that? Is he good?
The Kyoshi warriors are clearly good at stealth, nonlethally subduing enemies, hand-to-hand combat, and using the direction of ‘up.’ And I got that just from that first ambush scene.
So: beard guy in blue, probably the mayor or something? And Suki, apparently the leader of the teenaged (?) Kyoshi warriors, or at least their spokesperson. Which raises some serious questions about the organization of the Kyoshi warriors and how they fit into the social/governmental structure on the island. The rest of the townspeople also wear blue, though not the same style clothing of the Water Tribes.
Is it just me, or does it consistently look like Aang hadn’t been tied up properly?
The trading sequence shows how gossip flows: a Kyoshi child telling an EK fisher (?), who tells a trader that goes between both EK and FN, who tells a member of Zuko’s crew (?), who tells Zuko. Also, the dinner scene: Zuko and Iroh eat together--is this a common occurrence? They don’t eat with the rest of the crew, instead opting for their own private room. Is it because they’re royals? The room, and what’s on the table, looks pretty sparse--what’s their budget? Is that fish the only dish?
Why did the Kyoshi statue fall into disrepair? Was it the war?
What exactly are they eating on that table (Aang’s “Dessert for breakfast!”)? Aang clearly recognizes and likes the dishes, but Katara doesn’t. Makes sense--they’re clearly baked goods, and I doubt Katara would have had a diet heavy in bread in a place with no grains.
Sokka’s misogyny, while definitely something to fix, seems to be almost less ‘women are lesser’ and more ‘these things are Man Things and these things are Woman Things.’ More a gendering of the world than a hierarchy. And he clearly views fighting as a Man Thing, which of course bruises his pride when a girl (who he thinks isn’t supposed to be good at fighting) beats him in a fight. So he makes excuses. (As we will see, they don’t last long.)
Aaaand Aang’s fangirls. We see him being basically harassed by them in the first two scenes, and then he begins to show off for them in the last with push-ups. They’re all quite young. I would guess between 9 and 13 for all of them. What does that mean for the population of Kyoshi?
Suki apologizes sincerely to Sokka for ambushing him, but her given reason is that he’s a friend of the Avatar. Is that the only reason? Obviously these people respect the Avatar and their associates deeply.
“I’m the best warrior in my village!” you’re the only warrior in your village Sokka. I feel like that’s an important detail.
Suki teases him pretty hard, riling up his ego until she knocks him onto his butt. Maybe she likes fucking with sexist men like that. She’s clearly having fun here.
A detail I noticed: Suki has chin length hair, while the other Kyoshi warriors all have longer hair tied back at the ends. It might just be a design choice to set Suki apart from the others, but Suki is also implied to be the leader here. Might the difference in hairstyle be connected to her position?
We see that, after he gets used to the fangirls (one of whom now seems 6?) he likes the attention and showing off to them. The Avatar stuff did go to his head, as Katara warned. One of Aang’s biggest character flaws in the beginning is how he doesn’t take stuff seriously.
The next time Sokka visits Suki and the warriors, he’s eaten his humble pie. So he has flaws and biases, but he’s smart enough to change them when confronted with evidence that contradicts previous assumptions. Although he still doesn’t like being seen as ‘girly.’
Aang says the Unagi almost got him ‘yesterday.’ Does that mean they’ve only been on the island for two days??
Despite their fight, clearly Aang wants Katara to watch him ride the Unagi, and clearly Katara worries about him, as shown by the look back Aang does and the look Katara does towards the empty doorway.
The Kyoshi technique is about using their opponent’s force and weak spots against them. It reminds me of waterbending. It also contradicts fanon Kyoshi, because this is supposed to be her style, right?
When Sokka manages to knock Suki over, she immediately claims that she fell on purpose, a mirror to Sokka. She doesn’t like looking bad either.
So, Aang learns his lesson when the fangirls leave after the Unagi doesn’t show up, and Katara shows up worried about him. Awfully convenient. The pitfalls of fame.
The Unagi is long, with a base color of black, washed out purple for the fins and back, and yellow spot patterns behind its head. It looks reptilian, maybe, a true sea serpent. How did it get that coloring? Why is it in the Kyoshi bay when it’s clearly too big to fit comfortably? How big is its hunting ground, and does it eat things other than elephant koi? It can also shoot water out of its mouth. How does it do that? Where does it store the water? Double eyelids and large green irises with round pupils. What’s the evolutionary purpose of that? Is it supposed to be a deep sea monster? Does it commonly deal with silt getting in its eye, or are the eyelids there to keep it wet outside the water? What’s the purpose of its ‘mustache?’ Those appendages kind of look like a catfish’s. Do they have a sensory function? god i wanna study it so bad
Katara really just went straight into the water with her parka on. Bad move. There’s no way it didn’t weigh her down as she was grabbing Aang.
So, did the Unagi leave at the sound of Zuko’s horn? Was that what scared it off?
What’s the biology and history of the komodo rhino? Clearly tamable and obviously ride-able, but how did they figure it out? Were those komodo rhinos on board Zuko’s ship the whole time?
How big is Kyoshi Island? It seems pretty big.
The komodo rhinos have thinner horns than regular rhinos, at least as far as I know. I’m not an expert. Three horns as well, instead of just one, and a longer face with a reptilian tail. Hmm.
Sokka’s a quick learner, clearly, by how soon he was able to hold his own in battle using Kyoshi fans, which were entirely new to him.
“These little girls can’t save you.” Zuko, some of them are your age, and you’ve grown up with Azula. Is he speaking from his own misogyny here? Or is he assuming that non-FN women aren’t fighters? What’s going on in his head here?
(trying to finish this because it’s day 3 and i’m in the last five minutes)
So, Aang shows up again. He can get serious and more moral if he needs to, or if he feels he has a responsibility, despite his usual flightiness.
The trio run to draw Zuko away from Kyoshi, since he clearly overpowered the town, but Aang still feels responsible for the destruction caused and uses the Unagi to put out the fires before he leaves. Clearly, his motivation in the moment is to help, but he also likes the hug Katara gave him. (A crush, methinks.)
Why is Zuko and his crew shown on only a single komodo rhino at the end? What happened to the others? What will the Kyoshi islanders do to the captured rhinos? For that matter, when Zuko told his crew to find the Avatar, thinking he’d be in the town, why didn’t they dismount and start searching houses?
And that’s the end of it! Way too spread out for me to give a proper TLDR. 3 days is a while. I need to be better about actually starting things lol
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dollymadness · 4 years ago
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Hello. Shoto falling in love with a villian (with tragic back-story). At first he's very bothered by his feelings but later on he finds out their story and he understands the villian's side however villian hates his father and wants to murder shoto to avenge his family who were abandoned by endeavor during a house fire.
Pro hero Shoto x villain NB reader
hey loml !! sorry, this took me too long
Villain quirk: Fierce Snake - they can shapeshift into a full fierce snake or only incorporate the animal senses (which includes venom, highly sensitive skin, improved chemosensory...) on their human form.
You can choose the particularity of the snake that suits better on the situation.
The drawback is the short time you have on the full form, or when you are using more then one sense.
You are the ambicious type, with a indeed charming nature. A person that woudn't hesitate on sacrificing everything and yourself to reach the main goal.
But you are sure such extreme attitude won't be needed at all, due to your clever and logic brain. One thing, out of all that you are sure, is to overanalyse each move, every little step is calculated.
Shoto is a highly rated pro hero, on his prefered area. He isn't the biggest fan of the front line, the battle and the caos. Instead, he choose to live in the shadows, working successively suceed stealth missions.
Todoroki is the best type of spy, he is polite, cool-headed and extremely smart. The man is even more effective than Hawks was, he is changing this behalf of the heroe society to be more straight to the point, functional.
However, is not always that easy to find the needed information. After all those years, the company decided to try again an old strategy.
"All i have to do is go there and say i want to join? Sir, with all the respect, but-" Even being the CEO, Shoto is always respectful with his co-workers, even giving them power and space to desagree with him and openly point it out.
"Sir, i'm telling you that this will work. If you want, i can show the presentation again, and all the points to prove it's the best change we have."
There were rumors that the villains are planning something big against the top heroes, however they can't get even a small clew. All the pre-existing methods had failed on them and the team suggested to Shoto to infilter, alike his precursor.
It's a big and, on Shotos concepition, dumb step to make. The villains woudn't feel on the same trick two times, would they? "So many time has passed since then..." His co-worker argument was valid too. "You can easily scape if it goes wrong." Obviously he can. He would be the number one if wasn't for his area of action.
He is scared, but doesn't let it show on his expression when he agree. After all the discuss, they get out of the company with a well thought plan, step by step.
On the other side, the delinquents were also working on their main scheme. They wanted a war, as the LOV once did, but they needed a strong weapon to realize such, they wanted something better than the nomus, maybe an item to potentialize their individualitys. Still, they didn't have a clear direction.
Mei is the big brain, the scientist. Is she an inventor from the heroes side? Yes. Does she give a single fuck to the motivation besides just creating insane "babys"? No.
And she isn't getting anywhere with her "basic creations", in their masters word. All the villains can do by now is mess with hero society as much as possible and wait to their weapon to come to life.
Shoto is getting his job done. He putted himself into the ghettos and patiently waited. "Hey, hey, hey! What do we have here?" The elastic masquerade man curls on the walls next to Sho. "How can i serve you, your majesty?" He sneers, while the hero keep his face emotionless.
Todoroki then explains his will to join the villains, with the excuse of the hate of his on father and all the abuse he did to him, that part was not enterely a lie. He even managed to split out that he never wanted to be a hero, only doing for parental pressure.
The criminal listened with boredom filling his face, taking Shoto inside.
"Oh, if it's not our royal highness! Tell your dad i said hi." The Mastermind proceeds to talk by the moment Shoto walks in.
"Hello, sir." He started politely, lowering his head to show respect. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but i came here to offer my help to your crew."
Again, he gave the same excuse he'd gave minutes ago.
"I see. But don't think that i'm going to accept a filthy rat like you that easily... those who don't learn with the history are complete fools. You know are i'm talking about, don't you?" His voice was so low, barely audible and it send shivers on Shotos spine.
"Yes, sir, but i'm willing to prove my worthy." Todoroki could hear his voice cracking, the moment isn't bringing good memories.
His father was the one who used to put him in such a humiliating position.
"You can start by begging. If you want it, you will do anything, is that correct?" He watches as Sho silently gets on his knees. "And stop with that 'sir' thing. 'Master' will do." A big smirk appears
"Yes, master." He was starting to feel disgusted by himself, but didn't back off. "Please, let me join this league. I'm begging, Master, please." Hate on the most pure form runs throught his veins while he stay still, looking to the ground as it is the most interesting thing on earth.
"Tsc. I don't know if that erection you getting me is enough. What do you think, Y/N?" You suddenly emerges from the back of the empty dark room and joins in.
"Give the guy a chance, if he is bad we can just cut his head off." You see Shoto fighting his urge to look up and see your face, and it steals a laugh of your part.
"As you seem like having so much fun with this worm here, now he is under your wing. Test him as much as you want and if he fucks everything up, i'll blame you. Understood?" The Mastermind now shows that he's harsh to his allies to.
"Understood!" The man walks away, letting you and Shoto solve this new problem you both got into.
"So... what do you'll like for me to call you, peasant?"
"Shoto is enough."
"Okay, call me Y/N, i don't need all this formality that Master likes... get up." you order and he hops up in a second.
"Endeavors son is under my wing... a bit ironic, don't you think?" laughing to yourself, he eyes you as you clingy around his shoulder.
"You know what? This is going to be fun..." You shift into a snake, curling up on his neck, as Todoroki jumps in fear.
"So, Shoto, how you're going to prove me that you aren't faking this shit?" You turn into human again, only to shift again on his arm. "Huh?" Again, and now he is getting used to it.
"I-i don't now, 'boss'. You are the one to tell me this, right?" You finally stop, feeling pure joy while the young man has fear all over his face, body tense and eyes about to jump off.
"Yes, darling, i am. Trust me, if this is a setup, you will regret." You threat biting his neck, laughing as you walk away.
You put Shoto in all possible kinds of difficult situations...
He had to share confidential information about his hero friends.
Let the villains take a building filled of civillians.
And he had to help on the secret missions all along. You would curl on his neck and move for the extension of his shoulder, just to remember him that all his moves are being watched.
Shoto is skillful, and it's not hard to notice. In a short amount of time, he is already a pro on the wickedness. Slowly turning himself into a cold-hearted villain, and doesn't seem to hate it.
"Sho!" You two were leaving another building, with some items that Hatsume required. "You think that's funny?"
You try to play mad, but end up laughing with him. Shoto had freezed you just to mess around, and is now using his quirk to creat a beard on your face.
"I do." He complains, moving away to have a good vision of the scene he created.
"Of course you do, bastard. Set me free now!"
"Or what?" He teases.
"You know i can do it by myself, but i'm giving you the chance to redeem before i kill you." The playful tone don't make it less ominous.
"Make me." As the words drop out his mouth, you shift into a snake and get out of the ice, shaped to your human form.
You crawl till him, turning back into your normal form and quickly choking him. "Now we are talking."
"Any last words before i make you regret?" Your nails are sinking on his soft skin.
"I was couting on it." He smiles.
.
.
.
There will be a part 2 soon !! :)
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thecreaturecodex · 4 years ago
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Devil, Arauk
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Image by “JML” © Frog God Games
[In Swords and Wizardry, there’s only three alignments: Law, Neutral, Chaos. Very basic D&D. And all fiends are demons. Considering how many different kinds of evil outsiders are in PFRPG, I decided to move around some of these demons in converting them.]
Devil, Arauk CR 9 LE Outsider (extraplanar) This man-sized creature has the head of a horsefly and a hairy humanoid torso with four arms. Its wings are large and leathery, and its legs are like those of a goat.
Arauks are sometimes called fly devils, due to their hideous visages. Despite this grotesque appearance, they are masters of unconventional warfare. While bearded devils march en masse and erinyes bring death with their arrows, arauks use poison, disease and famine to weaken enemy armies and shatter their morale. They are excellent liars, and are sometimes used as ambassadors and negotiators in order to buy infernal forces time to set up a devastating strike.
In combat, arauks favor a combination of weapon attacks with their claws and bites. Arauks collect weapons and switch between them as the situation warrants, but they favor polearms to keep their distance. The bite of an arauk inflicts disease, and a creature infected in this way can spread the disease to everyone they meet even before they feel its effects. Arauks often use hit and run tactics to expose multiple enemies to this contagion. Their spell-like abilities are especially useful for breaking up formations, and they rarely fight outside a cloud of cloaking darkness.
An arauk often works as an intermediary between other kinds of devils, relaying commands down the chain of command and reporting intelligence to their higher ups. A single arauk will often have authority over a squad of accuser devils that act as spies and informants, then pass on information they gather to bone devil inquisitors or ice devil tacticians. Arauks are creative thinkers, but have a tendency towards arrogance and overconfidence. The first arauks were created by Baalzebuul himself, and the fly devils have inherited his imperious nature.
Arauk             CR 9 XP 6,400 LE Medium outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +16, see in darkness Defense AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+4 Dex, +8 natural) hp 114 (12d10+48) Fort +8, Ref +12, Will +9 DR 10/good; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 20 Defensive Abilities swarmwalker Offense Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (average) Melee +1 glaive +16/+11/+6 (1d10+5/x3), 2 claws +13 (1d6+1), bite +13 (1d8+1 plus disease) or 4 claws +15 (1d6+3), bite +15 (1d8+3 plus disease) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with glaive) Special Attacks plaguebearer Spell-like Abilities CL 9th, concentration +12 (+16 casting defensively) At will—darkness, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. objects only) 3/day—fear (DC 17), fireball (DC 16), glibness 1/day—blight (DC 17), cloudkill (DC 18), insect plague, summon (level 4, 2 bearded devils, 50%) Statistics Str 16, Dex 19, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 17 Base Atk +12; CMB +16; CMD 30 Feats Blind-fight, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Multiattack Skills Acrobatics +19, Bluff +18, Fly +19, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (history, planes) +18, Perception +16, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +18, Stealth +19 Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 100 ft. Ecology Environment any land (Hell) Organization solitary, pair or council (3-8) Treasure standard (+1 glaive, other treasure) Special Abilities Disease (Ex) Devil chills; bite—injury; save Fort DC 20; onset 1d4 days; effect 1d4 Str damage; cure 3 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution based. Plaguebearer (Su) A creature that has failed its save against an arauk’s disease spreads that disease to all creatures it comes into contact with, even before its symptoms become apparent. Devils are immune to this disease. The save DC for this version of devil chills is DC 14. This is a curse, necromancy effect, and can be removed with remove curse or similar effects. Swarmwalker (Ex) An arauk takes no damage from swarms, and is immune to the distraction ability of swarms.
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gospelofme · 4 years ago
Text
Just A Dream
Post Order 66 Cody one shot
He followed the man in front of him, like always. The man wore the same set of robes that he had always worn. Shades of dark brown and tan, the addition of clone armor on his arms, legs, feet, and chest. There was another woman walking next to the man, but Cody didn’t feel as attached to her. He had always felt a strong connection to the man in front of him. He wasn’t sure why.
Cody could tell there were a few other men behind them, he could hear them talking. But he didn’t turn to look at them. He never did. He knew who they were though.
“Keep on your toes Cody, the Sith are masters of stealth.” The man looked partially back over his shoulder.
“Yes General.” Cody always responded. Where were they? The surroundings were familiar but Cody couldn’t place it.
“I’m still not sure I believe the villagers to be honest.” The General confessed. He looked so familiar. He always did, but Cody just couldn’t force himself to remember his name. His face was fuzzy, unclear. But there were shapes and colors Cody could make out. It looked like the General had a beard.
Suddenly there was a horrible sound behind them, one of his men suddenly morphed into a large beast. The beast charged passed Cody and made towards the General. Cody tumbled (his body jolting at the impact) and was quickly hauled to his feet. By the General.
“On your feet Cody!” He ordered, blaster fire blazed in all directions.
“Yes General!” Cody yelled over the noise of battle. They were on a different planet now. Cody recognized the buildings as those on Saleucami. The beast was gone. Orders being yelled from all directions blared from the speakers in his helmet. Everything was so vivid. The sounds, the sensation of holding his weapon, the vibrations it made when he fired it. The recoil, the heat.
Cody stuck close to the General. Getting stressed whenever he strayed too far from him. He felt like he was supposed to protect this man. But how can I do that when he just jumps around all the time?!
Another blast went off, Cody finding himself moved from the danger zone by an unseen force. He looked back at where the General had been standing, the planet changing once again.
He recognized this place instantly. Utapau. Cody always got anxious here. Emotional. Maybe this time would be different. He would try to hold it in. Distraction may help. He wondered why the man was no longer wearing clone armor now. Maybe he wasn’t one of them after all.
Cody found himself firing away at the enemy, like always. He spotted something falling from high above, the metal object hitting the stone next to him. He bent down and scooped it up, feeling like he was always doing this.
The General was at his side moments later, Cody watching his hand raise up with the Jedi’s weapon in his hand. The Jedi took it with a word of thanks.
Then he started to feel it, the emotions bubbling up.
Anger
Betrayal
Hurt
Sadness
Guilt
So much guilt. That particular feeling, coupled with anguish, was overwhelming. He felt himself starting to hyperventilate. He ground his teeth and tried to stop it. But his arms moved on their own accord. His voice spoke on its own.
His throat constricted. It hurt. Finally tears fell and he broke down and sobbed. He wanted to look away. He tried to make his arms level the blaster at the gunner. His brother. He had to stop him. He had to save the General. He had promised. He had promised to always save his life. Always.
His visor stayed put, staring as the blast impacted the lizard the General road. The two plummeted hundreds of feet into the watery caverns below.
He felt like he has being pulled back. Images flashing around him. The ground gave way and Cody fell, he saw the water quickly approaching him.
He awoke upon impact, shooting up in his bunk. Tears were still streaming down his face, he panted. He still felt consumed by guilt and sadness. Betrayal stung deeply. He took a few deep breaths and staggered to the fresher. He winced as the light came on automatically, sensing movement.
He turned on the water and splashed his face. He stood with his head over the sink for a moment or two, grabbing the towel and drying his face.
The dream had already begun to fade. They always did. He tried to hang on to something. Anything. He needed to figure out who it was that kept haunting him. That’s what was happening. He was being haunted. The feeling of betrayal was just as much this other man’s as well as his. Cody felt betrayed by him and that man felt betrayed by Cody. Which piled on the guilt. Cody didn’t know why he had turned on him. Someone he felt so close to. He would never do that to his brothers. His friends.
The dream was now a distance whisper, fading off into the depths of his subconscious where it lived. Cody took a deep breath. He needed to get dressed anyways. He showered, brushed his teeth, touched up his buzz cut. By now the dream was gone. He knew he’d have it again tonight. It had been recurrent for the last 19 years. Sometimes the battles were different but it always ended the same. And Cody always forgot the details as soon as he woke up.
Cody walked back into the dorm, grabbing fresh blacks from his locker. His pristine, white armor was piled at the foot of his bunk.
“You okay sir? I heard you again last night.” Bacara asked, emerging from the second fresher. Cody shared a dorm with the other Marshall Commander.
“Yeah, it was just that stupid dream.” Cody muttered.
“Hmpf, sounds more like a nightmare. Especially if a karkin’ Jedi is involved.” His brother spat back. Cody knew Bacara was sneering under his helmet.
“Tell me about it. Kriffin’ traitorous ghosts.” Cody grumbled. He armored up and left the barracks with the other officer.
Time to wake up these sorry bunch of shits that were slowly replacing clone troops. How he hated them with a raging, bitter passion.
Tag List
@simping-for-fives
@jgvfhl
@carlycrays
@nelba
@showmetheclones
@leias-left-hair-bun
@xalvy-zen
@halzore
@porgnugget
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writer1 · 4 years ago
Text
A Jedi's wolf
Part 1
Anakin lays in his bed, thinking about his boyfriend, Rex. It's been fifteen long years since he's seen him, Rex was with Ahsoka during order 66.
They both separated since it was safer, Ahsoka them met up with Anakin a few years later. Ever since they reunited, Anakin and his Padawan have been trying to get ahold of Rex. But it's all for not.
Anakin misses him so much, ever since his near death at the hands of Palpatine he's been trying to find Rex. It was hard at first, Palpatine did some real damage before Master Windu saved him.
Palpatine cut off all of his remaining limbs, Anakin still gets severe phantom pain on bad days. He still wears the glove on his left hand though, he thinks it looks cool. And he can make people think that it's his only remaining limb, he had a lot of fun with that when Kanan asked for "a hand" with the ghost.
Ahsoka's bee very secretive these past few days though, first it was this person she sent the ghost crew after, now she won't tell him who it is, skittering around the details about them.
Anakin hears a knock on the door, he pushes himself up. He brushes his fingers through his long hair, trying to make himself look at least a little bit presentable. Ahsoka told him that she would be sending the new Rebel up to talk to him, he has no idea why she always sends them up to talk, but she does.
"Coming!" Anakin yells out as he checks himself in the mirror, he looks good enough. He walks over and swings the door open, ready to say the usual welcome to the Rebellion speech but what he see's freezes him in place.
It's an older man with a bald head and fluffy white beard, Anakin doesn't know who it is for a minute but then it clicks.
"Rex?" Anakin asks quietly, he prays to the force that he isn't wrong, that this isn't just a brother that looks more like Rex. The man nods, looking equally as shocked as Anakin.
"Rex!" Anakin slams into him full force, wrapping his arms tightly around Rex, never wanting to let go again. He lets out a sob, unable to hold it back.
Rex pulls him even closer, tears falling down his face as he kisses Anakin's tears away.
"You're alive." Rex whispers quietly as he kisses Anakin, he can't believe it. He's thought that Anakin died for years, Rex looks down to see the new cybernetic arm. He pulls away, cupping Anakin's cheek.
"What happened! Who hurt you!" Anakin looks down, he knows that it's going to be different.
"Palpatine. It's not just my arm either, he got both my legs too." Rex feels rage boil up in him, but he pushes it down.
"I'll kill him if I ever get the chance." Rex grumbles and Anakin pulls him in for a kiss, it makes Rex smile.
"Come on, I'll show you around. Then we can thank Ahsoka for this." Rex nods, and grabs Anakin hand as he's lead out of the room, happy to be home.
×××
It's been a few weeks since Rex had joined the Rebellion and he's loved it, Gregor and Wolffe ended up joining too.
Rex has been helping Anakin through his bad days, but he's been trying to figure out how to tell Anakin his secret. He's a Werewolf, it happened during the siege of Mandalore.
Ahsoka helped him, but he had her promise not to tell anyone. Including Anakin, the only people who know are Ahsoka, Gregor and Wolffe. They've all tried to convince him to tell Anakin but he's to scared, he doesn't want Anakin to hate him.
He has a mission with Anakin, the ghost crew and his brothers, he just hopes that it goes well.
×××
"Come on, Rex!" Rex sighs as he shoots down the stormtroopers, they were found out and everyone is fighting. They are in the middle of a fire fight.
"Anakin! Where are yah going!"
"I'm going to make it to the base, we need those supplies." Rex grunts, this mission was supposed to be simple, get into the empires base using stealth, get the supplies and get out. But it never goes the way it's supposed to go.
"I'm going with him, make sure he doesn't get himself killed!" Everyone nods as Rex goes running.
"Are missions with Skywalker always like this?"
"Pretty much." Ahsoka answers Kanan as Rex goes running after Anakin.
He falls behind and he searches the base, shooting down and fighting any stormtroopers that Cross his path. He knows that Anakin is going for the large hanger bay, if he opens up the door Hera can pick up everyone else and fly over, they'll hopefully have enough time to get the supplies and get out.
Rex runs into the hanger bay, but what he sees makes his blood boil in rage. Anakin is being beaten by stormtroopers, but not just stormtroopers.
There's another Werewolf with black fur, he must have been part of the empire before he was bit. The Wolf has clawed Anakin's chest, leaving deep slash wounds and all four of his cybernetics have been destroyed. He can see Anakin breathing and hear his tiny whimpers.
Rex knows that he has to protect Anakin, and he knows that's there's only one way that he'll have a chance too. The troopers see him, they don't think anything of him, but the Werewolf knows better, he can smell what Rex is.
Rex starts to concentrate, making himself transform. The Wolf let's him, he's bored and wants a challenge. Killing human Rebels can only be fun for so long.
Rex groans in pain as the transformation starts, he doesn't even bother to take his armor off. He'd rather it break than give them anymore time to hurt Anakin, his voice grows deeper everytime he groans as he kneels on the floor.
His body grows bigger, armor starting to bend. It hurts even more when the armor tightens around him, but the problem is taken care of when it starts to pop off, chestplate first.
Anakin is in a world of pain, that Wolf like beast came out of no where. He senses when Rex walks in, he's had a force inhibitor, the thing stabbed him with the dart.
But it's a lower kind, he can sense everything but can't harness it. As soon as he senses Rex all Anakin feels is fear that this thing will kill him.
Anakin hears the groans of pain but hasn't sensed the Wolf move, so he fights through his agonizing pain and turns on his stomach. He sees Rex start to transform, armor popping off and his eyes widen. Anakin has no idea what's happening.
Rex keeps growing bigger, fur sprouting out all over him. He has no idea that Anakin's watching, and wouldn't care if he did know.
Rex squeezes his eyes shut to block out the pain as his mouth elongates into a snout. The pain lessens and he can finally catch his breath as the transformation finishes, he stands up and shakes himself off.
Rex has grey fur with specks of white with a large area of white fur where his beard once was, he has a large fluffy tail that sways back and forth. He looks over at the black Wolf angrily, glancing down to see Anakin staring back at him in fear and shock.
Rex feels so bad for scaring him but that doesn't matter now, the other Wolf launches himself at Rex. Anakin watches as both werewolves fight, he can't believe what his boyfriend has become.
He wonders how it happened, and when it happened. Anakin. Tries to stand up to help Rex fight, but he screams in pain and falls back down, his cybernetics are ruined.
Rex hears the scream as he sees Anakin trying to get up, only to fall back to the ground in pain, he loses it and attacks the black Wolf with no mercy.
The black Wolf slashes Rex with its claws in so many places but Rex ignores the agonizing pain, biting the Wolf's throat. He can taste the blood as he forces the Wolf to the ground, and it takes its last breath.
It transforms back into a human, Rex recognizes him as one of the leaders of the Empire's fleet. He stands up as the rest of the stormtroopers run in fear, he limps over and open's up the bay doors then hurries to Anakin.
"Anakin? Ani, are you okay." Rex picks Anakin up gently, cradling his broken body in his large arms, his ears are pressed tightly against his head and he lets out a whine, Anakin looks up at Rex with wide eyes.
"Rex?" He asks and Rex nods.
"Y-Yeah, it's me. I'm here." Anakin looks up at Rex in fear and shock, he tries to speak but finally passes out from the severity of his injuries, all Rex can feel is fear.
"Ani! Anakin wake up! please." Rex whimpers out the last part as he presses his forehead against Anakin's
Hera gets the ship in the hanger bay and everyone jumps out, the ghost crew pull their guns and lightsaber's out, aiming for Rex.
"Wait! Stop it's Rex!" Ahsoka runs in front of him and so does his brothers, Gregor walk's back to check on them both.
"You okay Rex."
"Check Anakin first." Rex tells him, he doesn't care how injured he is, Anakin comes first.
"Okay brother, I'll check your Riduur first." Gregor takes Anakin as Hera comes running out of the ghost to check on Anakin and Rex, the rest of the ghost crew are either loading the supplies or keeping guard.
"Rex, you and Gregor get Anakin into the ghost. We have medical supplies on board, we're almost done here." They both nod, and Rex picks Anakin up.
He may be injured but his Wolf form helps him power through it. Rex limps into the ghost followed by Gregor, Rex sits down on the ground as Gregor grabs the medical supplies. He sets Anakin on his lap, wrapping his tail around his crossed legs.
Thank the force the kaminoans did one food thing and taught all troopers basic medical knowledge. Rex looks Anakin over, it's pretty bad.
"He's going to be okay Rex." Rex nods at Gregor, unable to speak. Gregor starts bandaging Anakin up and Rex prays to the force that he'll be okay.
Tagging: @ahsokatano-thetogruta @captainrexisboo @pro-fangirls-unsocial-life
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sarcastic-bubble · 5 years ago
Text
Let’s Blame it on Blood Loss
Paring: Obi-wan Kenobi X Reader
Word Count: 2.4K 
Warnings: Mentions of injury and death, mention of blood, little bit of angst, but lots of fluff at the end
Summary: Obi-wan and Reader are sent on a stealth mission and someone trips on a pile of droids.  Part two
A/N: Obi-wan is the best and deserves all the love. Now that I’ve said that I hope you all enjoy! Also, there will be a second part, at some point. 
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What had started out as a simple mission to gather information from an abandoned separatist base had quickly gone downhill. You and Obi-wan Kenobi had just rather unceremoniously stuffed yourselves in an empty closet to try and avoid a large group of lookout droids. “So much for it being abandoned,” you mumble under your breath.
The man in front of you shifts, trying to get ear closer to the door. “They’ve passed by. We should be safe to continue now,” he replied quietly stepping out of the closet. “At the very least this makes things a bit more exciting. It was you who mentioned how boring this would be, wasn’t it?” The smirk the played on the man’s lips had you rolling your eyes and forcing your way past him. The coast did look clear, for now at least.
“Why don’t you spend less time teasing me and more trying to find that protocol droid Master Kenobi,” you stated, only half-joking. The sooner the two of you were out of here the better. The whole point of the mission was to be in and out before anyone noticed your presence. When the base was supposedly abandoned that task hadn’t seemed so difficult, but all these unexpected lookout droids had you on edge. You had learned early in your years as a Jedi that exciting was not always better.
“Oh please, Master (L/N),” teased the other Jedi, “don’t pretend that you-.” He was cut off abruptly by the sound of a door opening and closing in quick succession. Obi-wan’s expression shifts from playful to more serious. He peeked his head around the corner, a few droids were walking away from the room. “I have a funny feeling we might find what we’re looking for in there.” He subtly gestured with his head to the door that you had yet to see.
“How long do you think it will take those droids to clear out? We can hardly sneak into a room when the door is more than loud enough to announce our presence to anyone in the general area?” You ask as you push yourself against Obi-wan’s back and lean your head out just enough to get a proper view of the door.
“No one said anything about taking the door, (Y/N)” He looked up to a vent only a few feet away from where the two of you hid. “I imagine that’s big enough for us to fit through. At the very least you’ll fit.” He glances up and down your smaller frame.
“You know how I feel about small spaces Obi. I won’t have a lot of room to move if I get discovered while in there.” You cross your arms and lean back against the wall. You loathed small spaces. They were cramped, dark (although the dark wasn’t really all that bad), and made you feel like you were trapped. The thought of climbing through this vent had you shuddering. If a space was too small for you to properly wield your lightsaber you took that as a sign that you weren’t meant to be there.
“You didn’t seem to mind hiding in the closet earlier. If I’m remembering correctly you were the one who pushed me in there,” he teased quietly.
“That closet was a lot bigger. But fine, whatever, let’s get this over and done with.” You very carefully remove the cover of the vent and set it down on the ground. With all the grace you can manage you hoist yourself up into the vent. It wasn’t as small as your worried it would be but naturally you were stuck crawling on all fours. The metal was cold and uncomfortable, and every creek or groan had you stop for a moment and hold your breath. When it was clear you weren’t heard you continued on slowly. This was terrible. The next time the council thought it would be a good idea to send you on a stealth mission you swore to tell no. Not that there really was much good it would do when the council gave you an assignment but everything was worth trying once.
Obi-wan waited patiently leaning against the wall. The droids walked past without noticing and he had taken the opportunity to slip down the hall and wait next to the closed door. You had been right when you said it would be too loud to open it, but he hoped to hear when you dropped down to the ground. As inconvenient as it was, he found your phobia rather endearing and respected you all the more for not letting it stop you. He heard a soft thud on the other side of the door. You must have made it. “(Y/N), does it look like the droid is in there?” he asked just loud enough for you to hear.
“I think so, it looks like what was shown to us. Just keep a lookout for a few minutes while I transfer these memory files,” you replied. You pulled out a small black device and inserted it into an open slot in the droid. While technology was never really your strong suit you had been promised that all you needed to do was plug the device in and let the program inside do all the work. This really was simple enough, but it would take a few minutes. You paced around the room finding a few more odds and ends to look at. Most of it was just broken-down droids like the one you had been sent to look for. There was a barely audible beep when the file transfer had finished. You unplugged the small device and tucked it back into your pocket.
“I’ve got it, Obi! Let’s get ready to leave, I’m not spending one more minute in this place than I have to.” You lift yourself into the vent. You feel your foot catch on something but think nothing of it a just shake it off. As you begin to crawl forward you hear the unmistakable sound of metal sliding against metal. Before you could react, there was a series of loud crashes as the various droids fell to the ground and onto one another. “Shit,” you mumbled.
“I really suggest you hurry after making all that noise (Y/N)! I’m sure half the base heard it.” Shouted Obi-wan. There really was no point in being quiet anymore.
For you, that meant there was no reason to climb back through that dreadful vent again. You hopped out and made far more noise than you meant too as you landed in the pile of broken droids. The door was already open and Obi-wan was motioning for you to move faster. The two of you run and do your best to avoid the droids looking for you and you were successful too until you reached your ship. A large group of droids were firing at it with their blasters, you could only imagine they were trying to break it. You and Obi-wan found a spot to hide and come up with a plan.
“I’m going to go see if I can distract them. Maybe draw them away long enough for you start the engines. If they keep firing at it like that we’ll be stuck here,” you stated trying to analyze the damage already done.
All you received in response was nod. You were sure he expected you to have a carefully thought out plan, but alas it wasn’t so. Your plan was to draw your lightsaber and run. Thank the Maker droids were never the smartest because it worked out quite well for you. Their attention was drawn by the sound your lightsaber made and they began to fire at you. They were terrible shots while chasing after you and it didn’t take much to lose them after you led them far enough away from the ship. Well, you thought you had lost them. Apparently, your connection to the force was suffering because you were shocked when you felt the searing pain of a blaster bolt hitting your side. You did all you could to lose them, the only thing keeping you standing was pure adrenalin. In the end, you found yourself in the same closet this whole mess had started in. The droids passed by and didn’t think to check there, something you couldn’t be more thankful for.
With the adrenaline leaving your body you began to feel the pain in your left side more intensely and in a few more places where didn’t realize you had been hit.  Every movement to try and drag yourself out of that closet was agony. You couldn’t do it; the pain had become so much that your vision was being crowded by dark spots. There were steps outside of the door again. You were sure they would find you this time and finish what they started but when the door was slowly opened you were met with concerned blue eyes.
“Obi, I think I got shot… a lot,” you managed to mumble out between clenched teeth.
“I know you got shot, know come here and let me help you back to the ship.” He slipped and arm underneath your knees and another behind your back pulling you up against your chest. His voice was full of concern. He got you back to the ship without any problems and set you down on a small cot reserved for emergencies like these. “Next time you offer to be the distraction I’ll shoot you myself,” he half-heartedly teased. He tried to keep the situation light to keep you calm but he was filled with worry.
“I need to make it back to the Jedi temple alive for there to be a 'next time',” you groaned.
He placed a gentle and comforting hand against your cheek. You couldn’t stop yourself from leaning into his touch. “You’ll make it back alive, trust me.”
“Hey Obi, just in case I don’t can I tell you something. We can blame it on the blood loss and my impending mortality if I am fine.” There were a lot of things you wanted to tell him then, but you felt your conciseness slipping. You were going to have to pick the most important things.
“Don’t talk like that. You’ll be-,“ You cut him off with a finger gently pressed against his lips.
“Shh... Obi, just let me talk.” The finger than had been on his lips moved to affectionately play with his bead. Maker how you loved that beard.  “I love you.” You felt relief as you finally spoke those words and Obi-wan’s response didn’t surprise you in the slightest.
“I love you too. Which is why you need to stay alive. I can’t do any of this without you.”
The feelings between you too had been obvious to the other for as long as you could remember, you both had come to a silent and mutual agreement to ignore how much you cared for the other, but it would’ve broken your heart and soul if you died without ever getting to say those words and hear them in return. “You’d be fine without me, dear,” you whisper. You do your best to prop yourself. You place a gentle kiss on his lips before the world goes black.
You were fairly certain you weren’t dead. You had yet to open your eyes, but you were fairly certain that wherever you would end up after you died wouldn’t have constant beeping, and there was something warm squeezing your hand. With a groan, you slowly blinked and took in your surroundings. You were in a bed in a room that must be back at the Jedi temple. The beeping was one of the few machines hooked up to you, this one busy keeping track of your vital signs. The warmth in your hand was the hand of someone else. You felt it gently squeeze once again and you looked up to see who was kind enough to wait by your bedside.
“I told you that you would make it back alive, didn’t I,” said a wonderfully familiar voice. The man’s free hand came to gently stroke your cheek. Your eye’s met Obi-wan’s wonderfully blue ones. They were filled with so much concern and love, you didn’t deserve this man in your life.
“Turns out I couldn’t leave you,” you replied relaxing into his touch. There was something incredibly soothing about it. All the aches you felt didn’t seem to matter so much now. You noticed something now you hadn’t when you first looked at him. There were dark bags under his eyes and his body seemed to slouch with exhaustion. “When’s the last time you slept?”
“I haven’t. Not since we returned. I couldn’t sleep knowing that you may not be there when I wake.” It was true too. You’d later find out that while you were being treated, he paced and waited outside the door and when you had been put in a room he sat by your side. The council hadn’t been happy with his behaviour, but not even their displeasure could pull him away from your side. Not until he knew you would be okay.
You hand come to rest on top of the one holding yours. Maker, you really didn’t deserve this man. “How long was I asleep?”
“Four days.”
“You haven’t slept in four days? That’s hardly healthy.”
“I would have waited longer by your side if I needed to.”
“I imagine the council hasn’t been pleased that you’ve been ignoring your duties in favour of waiting by me,” you say, idly rubbing circles on the top of his hand.
“They haven’t, but nothing would have pulled me from your side.” He shifted from the chair he was sitting on and onto your bed. You winced as you moved to make room for him. It was more than worth it when laying down next you and very carefully pulled you against his body, your head tucked underneath his.
As he pulled you to him there was an occasional pull on your wounds, and you winced with the movement but once you were in his arms you felt warmer and safer than you had in years. “You should rest before the council comes to whisk you away again,” you mumble against his chest.
You heard a quiet hum and felt it vibrate through his chest. He placed a soft kiss on the top of your head and in seconds you were both fast asleep.
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iamwhoiamtmblr · 4 years ago
Text
Title: The Mission
My entry for the 2nd Weekly Challenge:
Story Rating: 18+ (No under 18+ please) Warnings: Sarcastic Banter, angst, swearing and SMUT! Relationships: DarkSteve!Rogers/Female!reader (Nomad Steve) Word Count: 1.6K  - the bold phrases are ones from the challenge.
Master List - Link to Other Stories
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***My work is to not be posted on any other site without my permission. If you see it anywhere other than Tumblr please inform me***
It was almost 5 am before you and Steve were able to escape from Hydra. The sun was coming up and you need to hide. The mission to recover the stolen prototype was a failure. They were on to you the second you got your hands on it. You dropped the prototype after you had been shot. It smashed into a million pieces. “Great, Fury’s not going to like this!”
Running through the forest, you and Steve were exhausted. They destroyed your Quinjet and you had no way of contacting SHIELD, the risk of finding you was too high.
To make matters worse, you were injured., you had been hit with a bullet to your left side.
Steve hid you behind some trees and brush; he kept going looking for a place for you to hide until you were strong enough to retreat back to SHIELD.
Steve returned a few minutes later, scooped you up and ran towards a small abandoned cabin. Making it inside, you were able to hide under a table. Steve watched from the window. “You need to keep going Steve, leave me here” “I’m not gonna leave you. Not even for a second.” “No, you go!” “Not gonna happen!” “Seriously” “You wanna keep talking? They’re outside!”
With Steve’s enhanced hearing, he could here soldiers coming. “Shhhh….” The soldiers walked away but didn’t immediately leave the area. “Great, we’re stuck.” “At least I’m stuck with you.”– you said sarcastically. ”Ugh!” He gave you a dirty look.  “We’ll wait here for a while until you can make another run for it.”
You closed your eyes. Steve tended to your wound. “OUCH, stop that!” “You almost got yourself killed.” “No I didn’t, I stopped you from getting hit” “I think I would have handled getting shot better than you! Let me help you.” “Oh ya, I forgot Grandpa, you’re the super soldier!” “Keep annoying me, see where it gets you.” “Ugh!” Steve walked away.
After a while - “What did I do wrong?” “What?” (You) “You didn’t return my calls or texts. You act like I don’t exist.” You sighed. “I thought it would be best if we weren’t together because when we work together, my feelings for you would get in the way” Steve looked at you sadly. “Feelings?” “Ya, why do you think I took the bullet.”
Steve has had enough. “Don’t you think I have feelings too? You near killed me! I thought I did something wrong.“ Steve walks away frustrated - “I’m going outside.” “Why?” (you asked) “You can’t trust me tonight.”
You started to cry. “I made a mess of everything. I’m sorry.” Steve came over, sat and faced you. “I should have said something, I miss you. That’s why I’m so angry.” You couldn’t look at him. Tears were flowing down your cheeks. “Look at me. Hey, my eyes are up here.” He grabbed your chin and made you look at him. He kissed you so hard, as if his life depended on it! Steve pulled you into his arms. “Ouch!” “Sorry, not sorry!” “Smartass!”
Steve carefully removed your clothing. He wasn’t rough, the bullet wound worried him. “I’m going to show you how much I miss you!” he sneered. Steve removed his upper part of his stealth suit. He gently laid it beneath your head. You still marvel at his chest; the scars and the sculpted muscles.
He grabbed your wrists forcefully. He forced your thighs open with his leg. He smirked at you! “Shhhh…. don’t make a sound.” He dove right into your pussy. Teasing your clit making you moan. “Shhhh….” - he teased. He placed your hands on his head; you grip his hair, hanging on for dear life. He slipped three fingers in your pussy. 
His fingers were dripping wet. “How much do you want me?” Steve growled. “Steve, please!” “Please what?” “Take me!” you moaned.
He attacked you with his mouth, his tongue teasing over your clit over and over, making you moan even more while his fingers pumping inside you. “Shhhh….” He chuckled. “They’ll hear you” “Fuck that!” - you yelled!
Your body was vibrating and twitching. You couldn’t stop. You wanted this so badly. You missed this, you missed him! His endless assault on your pussy was making you fly. He was hitting you g-spot continuously.. You kept moaning so he brought up one of his hands to cover your mouth, stopping at your breast on the way up, squeezing it, playing with your nipple.
He brought you to a climax! You screamed. You entire body, tingling. You were dizzy and light-headed. You let go of his head. “Are you ok?” “Yes” – you panted.
“My turn, I want you now!!” His eyes were dark and full of lust. He removed the rest of his suit; stood before you, cock as hard as it could be. He pumped himself a few times. You were amazed at the size of him, how the serum made him this way. The size of his cock matched the lust he felt for you. He wiped your juices away from his beard and positioned himself on top of you; careful not to further injure your wound. “Do you want me?” he whispered. “Yes” you sighed. “Open then!” He lined himself up with you, slowly entered you. He bottomed out inside you waiting to allow your body to adjust.
Steve kisses you breathless. He nipped at the nook in your neck. “I missed you.” He whispered. He couldn’t keep his hands off of you. Kisses trailed from your ear down to your breast while playing with the other one. You head is starting to spin, you felt dizzy, blood rushing to you head. Steve thrusts were firm yet gentle. As much as he desired you, to take you, show you how much he wanted you, full of lust and desire, he didn’t want to hurt you. He played with your sensitive clit, which was aching after your first orgasm. “You’re mine!” Steve growled.
You feel another orgasm beginning to build. Steve puts his arms around you, lifting you off the floor. His thrusts became harder, faster. Both of you moaning and squirming. You locked your legs around him, pulling him into you farther and farther. Holding onto his torso, “Don’t’ let go” he said quietly. “Open your eyes and look at me (Y/N)” You opened your eyes and see a man filled with lust, but love in his eyes. “I love you (Y/N)”. At that moment you climax, so did Steve. You felt the warmth inside your body. Steve held you tenderly for a few moments. Gently kissing you face and neck. Releasing you, he redressed you. Steve held you close and laid you beside him with your arm across his chest, your head on his heart. He checked your wound for bleeding, none thank goodness. Both of you fell asleep.
Steve awoke to the sound of footsteps outside. He quickly jumped startling you making you jump. “What?” “Shhhh.…” Steve went to the door, standing behind it. Someone came through the door, Steve jumped him. “WHAT THE HELL MAN?!?!”  It was Hawkeye. “How did you find us?” “Instinct” “Let’s get out of here.” Steve looks over at you, your unconscious and bleeding. “OMG! (Y/N)”
Hawkeye rushes to check you, barley a pulse. Hawkeye contacts the quinjet, “Medical Emergency!” Steve picks you up gently and carries you to the jet. Your wound bleeding worse. “(Y/N) I can’t lose you.” “Steve?” you whisper. “I’m here.” Everything goes black.
You awaken to find yourself in the medical wing of the Avengers Compound. Bruce Banner is checking your stats. “Hey (Y/N), how are you feeling?”
“Tired and sore.” “You lost a lot of blood. You’ve been in/out of consciousness for the past 5 days.” “Whoa, that long.” “Yes, don’t worry you’re going to make a full recovery.” “Where’s Steve?” “In with Fury, they’re going to try and recover the plans for the prototype you ‘destroyed’, he wasn’t happy”
“(Y/N), are you ok?” You see Steve coming in your room. “Yes, just tired.” “Ok, Fury says you’re off duty for the next 2 weeks. I’m taking you home.” “Home?” “Yes, our home.” “I’m leaving for a mission tonight; I won’t be back for 2 weeks. I want to make sure you’re safe.” Bruce releases you from the medical wing; Steve takes you to his home, ‘our home’. “I meant what I said, I love you.” “I love you too Steve.” He kisses you goodbye. “Please rest.” was the last thing he said before leaving. He looked worried.
(2 weeks, later) You arrive back at SHIELD headquarters for a meeting with Fury. But first you had to have tests done to see if you were fit for duty.
Fury walks into the conference room and sits down across from you. I just went through your medical tests. Everything has healed.   “(Y/N), I’m reassigning you to a different department. I’m taking you out of the field.  You’re on desk duty.” “WHAT?? WHY?? Is it because of what happened on the mission?” “Yes, most definitely.” “It’s not my fault that I dropped the prototype. This isn’t fair!” Steve walked in the door looking like he was hit with a bus. “I just told (Y/N) that’s she’s be reassigned and on desk duty.” “Thank god.” replied Steve. “What? Why would you say that Steve?” “I’ll leave you two alone.” – Fury got up and left.
“What the hell??” “How have you been feeling?” Steve hugged you. “Tired, sore, a bit sick to my stomach. Why?”
“You’re on desk duty because of what happened on the mission and not because of the prototype.” He smiled at you. “What?? What happened on the…. omg, am I?” Steve cut you off - “You’re pregnant with my baby.”   His eyes getting teary. Steve held you so tightly not wanting to let you go. He leans down to kiss you. “I don’t want you in danger, please accept the desk job.” You sighed, “Ok but I won’t like it.”
“I’m going to take care of you and our little one. We have nursery to build. Baby names. Crib. Toys. Clothes. Car Seat. High Chair…..” “OMG Steve, we have 8 months.” You paused  “I love you.” “I love you (Y/N).”
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Here’s my entry for the challenge.
I welcome feedback and reblogs. Thank you! 😊����
@donutloverxo @captain-a-rogerss 
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dibleopard-writes · 4 years ago
Text
Training Montage
Ao3 (recommended)
Description: Anakin was the Chosen One and therefore the best padawan anyone could ask for, especially Master Obi-Wan. He was so good, in fact, that he had plenty of time for shenanigans or, as he privately referred to them, Shenanakins. Force, he was clever. Several snippets from the training of Anakin Skywalker. Author’s Note: Fanfiction, in 2020? It's more likely than you think. I'm working on several Star Wars projects right now, and here's one that is far less structured with far less need for in depth planning. Original Upload Date: 2020-08-27 Fandom: Star Wars Prequels (post TPM, pre AotC) Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, various side characters Rating: Gen (or T for language) Warnings: Swearing, Canon-typical Violence Word Count: 6490
Chapter 1 of ??
Chapter 1: Moles? In My Mine? It's More Likely Than You Think.
At the age of five, Anakin resolved to never be the kind of moody teenager spacers complained about. At the age of twelve, he decided that not only was that naive of him, but that he would get a head start and be moody right that second.
This change of heart was mostly due to Obi-Wan, who was refusing to take any missions offworld with him even though Anakin got his own lightsaber a whole three weeks ago and was therefore completely qualified.
“Having a lightsaber doesn’t help diplomacy, Padawan,” said Obi-Wan, completely missing the point.
“So don’t choose diplomatic missions! I bet there are hundreds of pirates hanging around… I don’t know, Batuu.”
“Batuu has smugglers, not pirates, Anakin–”
“– And?! We can arrest smugglers–”
“– And anyway, it would be irresponsible of me to take a padawan as young as yourself into a confrontation like that.”
“I’m not nine anymore! I’m not some dumb initiate, I can handle pirates.” If he was the first in his classes to fight pirates, he’d be able to hold it over them for ages. Even Iepa would have to respect him, smug son of a–
“I was still an initiate when I was your age.”
“Well I’m sorry you sucked, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go on missions.”
By this point, Master Obi-Wan had his head in his hands, almost hiding the beard he was trying to grow in order to look more authoritative. Anakin didn’t think he’d respect him any more with a beard than without, but it did make him look less like a clueless teenager so maybe he could fool the senior padawans.
“Look, if I took you offworld, not only could you get hurt or cause a diplomatic incident, but Master Windu would be on my back about it.”
Anakin muttered, “I could take him.”
“What was that?”
“I said you wouldn’t be able to shake him.” Anakin believed both statements emphatically. Sure, Mace Windu was the Master of the Order and invented an entire lightsaber form, but Anakin was the Chosen One, which basically made him the best. That being said, if Master Windu put his mind to it, he could be annoyingly stubborn in his pursuit of wrong-doers.
“My point exactly, and if he decided I was irresponsible – which I would be – we’d both be Temple-bound for months.”
“Oh, so you get to leave and I don’t?”
“Yes, but I’m sure you noticed I haven’t left because I’ve been too busy looking after you.”
“And what an amazing job you’ve been doing.”
“Watch your tone, young one.”
“Tell me, Master, do you remember any of my allergies?”
“Allergies?” Obi-Wan stopped for a second, with a look of genuine concern and guilt working its way over his face as he failed to recall information that Anakin had never given him.
“Yeah, I’m allergic to you and your banthashit!”
“Language, Padawan!” There was something resembling anger in Obi-Wan’s glare, but to acknowledge that would be sacrilege and also a suggestion that Anakin cared, which he didn’t. To prove this, he stormed into his room and used the Force to slam the pneumatic door as pneumatic doors rarely do.
Force, Obi-Wan could be insufferable sometimes.
...
After an hour of staring at the ceiling, Anakin came to the decision that the only real resolution to this conflict was running away and being a Jedi without Obi-Wan to bring him down. 
Fortunately, he had spent the last two years building his very own ship and had already put it through an entire test run without anything breaking. Between his technical expertise and thorough testing, the ship was probably the best in the entire Temple hangar.
First though, putting his stealth skills through their paces in order to get there. One doesn’t survive nine years of slavery without knowing how to move silently. The swoosh of the door may have been a bad start, but his slow navigation of the common room more than made up for it. Sure, Obi-Wan was in his own room, probably, like, crying over getting owned so hard, but if Anakin had made even the slightest mistake, he would have come running and demanded a ridiculous amount of meditation on respecting others. The stakes could not have been higher.
He crept out of their rooms and into the corridor, shushing the mouse droid that seemed to regard him judgmentally despite its lack of eyes. From there, it was a simple matter of carrying himself with unquestionable confidence along a convoluted path to the hangar. He passed a few senior padawans with dead eyes and piles of holopads in their arms without raising suspicion. Man, was he good at this.
The hangar was probably the best place in the Temple. Warm Temple stone met flame retarding durasteel in a way that shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. Several decade-old speeders lined up against one wall next to a small fleet of cargo ships and fighters. All of them were horrendously out of date and well worn in the way that a lot of the Temple’s technology was. When Anakin asked why the Jedi insisted on having such terrible tech, Obi-Wan had said something vague about budget and not being materialistic. It was unconvincing at best and Anakin had really shown the whole Order up with his latest project.
After his no-doubt legendary podracer was left on Tatooine, Anakin had taken all of six months to set his sights on building a starfighter that could take him to every system in the galaxy. Obi-Wan, relieved to find a hobby that would promote focus, had pulled some strings and Anakin had aimed akk-dog eyes at the Temple mechanics that he had been tailing for months until they let him at the skeleton of an old Delta-7. Aethersprites never came with their own hyperspace engines, but he could work with that. Annoyingly, the sublight engines in the hangar were nothing like the ones on a podracer so he had to spend a humiliating few weeks with an old mechanic to get them installed and working. On the positive side, there was an astromech droid fitted directly into the ship that could give him diagnostics and occasionally a mechanically-themed joke. The jokes were hit-or-miss but the droid was good.
Two years of sterling work had made the Delta the best ship in the Temple, and it could far outpace any of the speeders in Coruscant’s skylanes. Now, as he made his way ever-so-innocently towards it, he couldn’t help but admire the way the smooth paint looked among the chipped facades of the rest.
R4-P3 chirped a greeting as he hopped in and prepped the starter engines.
“Hi, P3, fancy going on a trip?”
“THERE WERE TWENTY-SEVEN TRAFFIC CODE VIOLATIONS DURING THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT.”
“Me too, buddy. See if you can find one of those hyperspace rings lying around here.” Ignition was smooth. Vertical repulsors engaged. Landing gear retracted. So far, his plan was flawless. A blip appeared on his screen, indicating the nearest hyperspace ring. Latching onto the ring was not something he had ever practiced before, so he assumed the strange rattling noise was normal.
As he ascended, chatter buzzed into the comm system.
“What’s that P3?”
The chatter cleared into actual sentences as P3 adjusted the frequency.
“-ing is not fitted properly. Repeat, Aethersprite Delta-7 please identify yourself-” Anakin flicked it off. Trust traffic control to kill his flow.
“PLEASE KEEP TO DESIGNATED SKYLANES,” bleated P3, taking up the burden instead. Anakin dodged a passing CorSec speeder.
“Will do,” he lied, “While I find one, you wanna do the hyperspace calculations?”
“DESTINATION?”
“Uh…” He hadn’t thought that far. Tatooine was probably weeks away, Naboo had way too much water just lying about– Where else had he been? Oh, that’s right: nowhere, because Obi-Wan didn’t care about him. “Batuu?” He could probably beat up a few smugglers in the name of justice before the Jedi caught wind of it. Talk about selfless heroism.
He hit the upper flight levels and powered through into the mesosphere. Considering the thin air at this altitude, there was a lot of turbulence. The shaking was beginning to make his arm buzz and it became a disproportionate effort to keep the control-stick level.
“LIGHTSPEED CALCULATIONS COMPLETE,” announced P3.
“Great, just in time,” replied Anakin, flicking some switches, at least three of which were relevant, “I’ll just make the jump now.”
As he pulled the jump ignition, P3 began screaming and the rattling grew louder. The pinprick stars became needle-thin lines became the whirl of blue and white he hadn’t seen since the last journey from Naboo. On that trip, the pilots hadn’t let him in the cockpit during the initial jump, so this would probably have been way better if not for the awful clatter of the hyperdrive and the eventual tear of engines sputtering out of commission. Maybe that was why he had never seen anyone make jumps in-atmosphere. Or perhaps the issue was related to the ring’s latching mechanism. Really, it was anyone’s guess.
P3’s wails had become spluttering, staticky sobs, which was honestly a poor display in a droid with no fear subprogram. The ring flew off the Aethersprite, plunging it back into normal space with a roar.
“Well that sucked,” Anakin said indignantly. His flying had been flawless, too!
P3, between choked bleeps, lit up the speedometer – the hyperspace ring was no longer pushing them beyond the light limit but neither had any reverse-thrusters been engaged, leaving them at a healthy constant speed of only-just-slower-than-light, which was probably fine – and the scanner – there was a planet about thirty light-seconds in front of them, which was probably less fine at their current speed.
“Okay, so it still sucks,” Anakin amended.
He slammed on the brakes and almost blacked out as G-force slammed on him in return. Rude. His old pod-racer never had this issue. He tried easing their deceleration more slowly, which involved less blacking out but also made slowing to pedestrian speeds before hitting the planet somewhat less feasible.
No matter; Anakin was an expert pilot and even more skilled at having incredible luck. This would be easy.
Within twenty seconds, they hit nature’s drag chute: the atmosphere. P3 tried to draw Anakin’s attention to their steep angle and high speed as if these weren’t things that Anakin already knew. They did seem more relevant when the entire ship’s hull flew alight, however, so he attempted to shallow out their descent. 
The control-stick was uncooperative and everything began to shake as he tugged it as far back as he could. How was he supposed to pilot if the ship refused to do what he wanted it to do? 
After five long seconds, the heat died and they plunged into a cloud bank. Everything past the tips of the Aethersprite’s wings was obscured by a white thicker than Obi-Wan’s skull, which was impressive if disorienting. He felt the control-stick hit full lock and a few of the many warning indicators seemed appeased.
Another five seconds, and P3 stopped screaming about their speed and started screaming about their altitude. The clouds remained steadfast.
“I’ve made an executive decision,” declared Anakin, “As captain of this ship, I say we attempt what we in the industry call a ‘terrain-assisted braking maneuver’.”
P3 did not respond particularly coherently, which Anakin chose to interpret as a vote of confidence. It did wonders for his self-esteem.
In a blink, the clouds vanished and a deep green forest appeared. P3 squeaked. Anakin grimaced. His hand was losing all sensation from gripping the control-stick so tightly, still in full lock, but their downwards momentum still overpowered the thrusters even as the Delta’s nose finally rose above the horizon. He gunned the accelerator away from the surface and his body felt heavier than the ship itself.
The ship jolted as it made contact with the treetops. Anakin switched to reverse-thrusters as the nose once again pitched downwards. Slugshot snaps crackled around them as trees snapped against the ship. He scrunched his eyes closed and braced.
Soil and splinters erupted as they collided with the ground. Anakin lurched painfully into his safety straps. P3’s voice cut off. The grinding of earth against hull slowed them to a stop and Anakin fell back against his seat.
Smoldering wiring filled the cockpit with an awful acidic smell so he tugged his straps off and pushed his way out after only a second of shaky breathing. Anakin was nothing if not practical.
“Do you think it’s gonna blow up?” he asked P3 from a safe distance. P3 seemed not to appreciate the thought but ran cursory diagnostics anyway.
As he waited, Anakin looked behind the ship and saw the gaping furrow they had left in the ground. Further away, a clumsy cut ran through the trees and a couple of wisps of smoke trailed lazily into the milk-blue sky.
All in all, an impeccable landing. The forest had looked well dull before anyway, and now it had a sick scar. You’re welcome, forest.
P3 decided that nothing was about to explode, but that the ship was fully inoperational, even if Anakin just wanted to take it on a spin to the nearest mountain range. He acquiesced that the assessment seemed about right, but also loudly proclaimed that P3 was a killjoy and a coward. P3 didn’t seem to care. Anakin kicked a clod of earth in defiance.
The ground was covered in small, stiff leaves from the pointy-looking trees around them. They were waxy little spits that more resembled star stripes than anything useful for photosynthesis.  As he knelt to pick some up, he realised that the entire forest smelt like them – a fresh, emerald sort of smell. They were pretty incredible, for leaves; Anakin had certainly never seen anything like them. He shoved some in a belt pouch.
Now that he was looking at the ground, he noticed wooden, grenade-like things peppered amongst the leaf litter. This forest kept on getting more and more curious. Unfortunately, none of them would fit in his pouches. Jedi really needed some good pockets that could fit any important scientific discoveries in them. It was a severe oversight, in Anakin’s humble opinion.
Something rustled abruptly, snapping Anakin out of his Jedi-like contemplations, seed-pod still in hand. He scanned the surrounding thickets. Plants, plants, leaves, plants, thorny plants…
Claws!
A blur of red flew at his face and he stumbled backwards, tripping over a bush. Batting the wild beast away from his face, he felt himself fall further than anticipated through the undergrowth into empty air. For a suspended moment, all he could see was blue sky and grey rockface. Then his back collided with something that promptly gave way and let him fall onto solid stone.
Perfect.
...
Obi-Wan Kenobi was walking at an unpanicked pace through the halls of the Jedi Temple and casually inspecting child-sized nooks and crannies in a manner completely befitting of a master who knew exactly where his padawan was. He had been doing this for half an hour and wasn’t shaking in the slightest.
He was just doing a routine inspection of the gap between a bronzium statue and a wall when Master Windu walked past, stopped, watched Obi-Wan innocently test the screws on a ventilation covering, and said, “Knight Kenobi.”
Obi-Wan sprang upright. “Master Windu.”
“Have you lost your padawan?” Was he really that obvious? No, that couldn’t be it; Master Windu was just unusually perceptive. Perhaps shatter-points were giving him away – nowhere was it written that they didn’t highlight underperforming masters. Even so, it was probably wise not to confirm anything. The last thing Obi-Wan needed was a council member judging his guardianship skills.
“Oh no, not at all. I know exactly where he is.”
Master Windu’s expression was as flat as Anakin’s heart rate would be once this was over. Shatter-points were dirty snitches.
“Thank you for your concern, Master,” added Obi-Wan, respectfully.
Master Windu looked at him dead in the eye for a solid five seconds. Obi-Wan had seen him level a similar look at Qui-Gon several times in the past, and found it unnerving to now be the target. However, Qui-Gon’s experiences taught him that it was best to ride these looks out like a bad spice trip, i.e. with as little motion as possible. How either of them knew what a bad spice trip felt like was irrelevant.
The five seconds were up, only having been slightly uncomfortably stretched, and Master Windu blinked.
“Well,” he said, dryly, “Good luck with your endeavours, Knight Kenobi, whatever they may be.” With one spare glance to the ventilation covering, he continued down the corridor.
Obi-Wan was not naive enough to think himself completely free of suspicion but he was hopeful that nothing would come of it until he could thrust Anakin by the shoulders into Master Windu’s personal space and say ‘See? I have him right here!’ in a serene and Jedi-like manner as if he had nothing to prove. Of course, he would like to prove his capabilities anyway. Just as soon as Anakin was present…
He closed his eyes and fumbled for the Master-Padawan bond that connected him to Anakin. It wasn’t usually strong enough to get much other than vague impressions from, but now it seemed to be stretched thinner than usual, only telling him that Anakin was alive. That was a relief to know, to an extent, but also concerning since there was so little to point him in the right direction. He poked the bond and felt nothing.
Why had he taken on a padawan? Padawans get into fights and then run off and make you worry and then the Council finds out and then you have to try and justify it all and – 
Obi-Wan sighed. Running a hand over his beard, he peered down the hallway that Master Windu had taken. Empty. He could probably make it to the comms centre without any more councilmembers calling him out.
Probably. He was hopeful.
...
“Hilari? Is that you?” 
Anakin looked up from what appeared to be a now-dismantled porch tarp and saw an old man opening the door to its attached house, carved into rock. A tooka was watching him from behind the man’s legs. It meowed indignantly.
“I’ve told you, the awning isn’t designed for tookas.”
“Myaeeh,” complained Hilari.
Anakin, frazzled from both of his unplanned descents and shocked out of his irritation, opened his mouth to apologise because yes, Obi-Wan he is capable of apologising when a middle-aged twi’lek woman materialised.
“Wohrin, what– Oh! Who’s your young friend?”
“You’ve met Hilari before, Mahj–”
“No, the young man covered in your porch. Blond?” 
The man, Wohrin, gave Mahj’s left lek an exasperated look. His eyes were pale the same way Blind Man Mikah’s had been in the bookmaker’s in Mos Espa.
“Mahj,” he said slowly, “I don’t know what colour your hair is, let alone that of whoever it is you’re referring to.”
Mahj shook her head. “I don’t have hair, Wohrin.”
“What?!”
Another twi’lek, who could have been anywhere between fifteen and thirty years old by Anakin’s poor judgement, appeared in order to chip in:
“Yeah, she lost all of her hair when the sky turned red!”
Anakin squinted at the sky… no, it was definitely still blue. Wohrin looked equally confused, which was somewhat reassuring. Somewhat.
“Keht!” snapped Mahj, “Stop lying to people! And no, Wohrin, you know I’m twi’lek; of course I don’t have hair.”
“Twi’leks don’t… Why am I only just learning this? Was no one going to tell me–”
“I’m sorry, sir.” Anakin effectively drew the growing crowd’s attention back to himself. That felt better. Wohrin blinked, only now registering that the crash hadn’t been his tooka after all. “I was in the woods and something jumped out at me and I fell through your… thing.”
“Oh, well,” huffed Wohrin, “Easily done I suppose.”
Anakin clambered to his feet and hopped away from the mess, feeling only slightly guilty.
“Hey what’s with the weird rat-tail, kid?” came a voice from the crowd.
Anakin fixed the human who had asked with a patronising look. He found such looks were incredibly effective when used by children – especially those younglings he was stuck in aurebesh lessons with three years ago. Kriffing infuriating.
“It’s not a rat-tail, it’s a braid. And it shows that I’m a padawan.”
“A what-a-wan?”
“Oh, I know what they are,” chimed another bystander, “One of them beat up my cousin on Alsakan. They’re like really small Jedi.”
“You mean an apprentice?”
“Yeah, only I don’t think they do carving work.”
“Not all apprentices learn stonemasonry, genius.”
Another crowd member interrupted: “Hey, cadaban, have you come to help with the beast?”
That triggered a fervour in the onlookers, all snapping their attention back to him with loud expectation.
“... The what?” Anakin wasn’t sure he liked the way this conversation was going.
“The beast!” exclaimed the crowd.
“It’s massive–”
“–Taller than me–”
“–Big claws–”
“–In the quarry–”
“–The mine–”
“–Tentacles–”
“–Blue–”
“–Hang on, I thought it was red–”
“–It’s invisible–!”
“–No, it’s not, it’s–”
“–Firebreathing!”
“Hey, hey, hey,” shouted Anakin over the clamour, “Has anyone here actually seen it?” Everyone turned to a tall ovissian, who flinched. “What does it look like?”
“Uh, I didn’t see much of it, just– um, mostly heard crashes and saw– saw rocks falling from the ceiling in the mines. But when I caught a glimpse, it sort of looked all–” He made a vague and thoroughly unhelpful gesture which may have indicated size. Or maybe temperament. “–Y’know?”
Anakin definitely did not know, but he wasn’t about to admit that to the congregation. “Yeah, yeah, of course,” he said instead. The ovissian sighed with relief. “And what exactly do you need me to do about it?”
One exasperated person shouted from the back. “Kill it of course!” 
“Or at least move it out of the mines,” offered Mahj.
“Yeah, we need the mines or our economy will go to chisk!”
“The entire economy?” Anakin couldn’t imagine mines being quite that important when there was a massive forest right… Huh, it was higher up than he remembered. Right up a stone cliff, the one Wohrin’s home was carved out of.
“The entire economy! We’re a mining town, stone-masons and blacksmiths. Why else would build our houses in a quarry?”
This was the first Anakin had heard of ‘quarries’. Really, the whole trip so far had been quite the broadening of his horizons. He didn’t know why Obi-Wan didn’t take him off-world sooner, he was always promoting this kind of thing. Peculiar. 
That being said, this whole beast business was not what he had been anticipating and the idea of facing an invisible, firebreathing, tentacled monster on his own was suddenly way more terrifying than the plan of facing a horde of smugglers had been. What if it was like the krayt dragons of Tatooine, wild with impersonal ferocity and an appetite for small humans? That would be an incredibly anticlimactic end for the Chosen One; he was fully anticipating his death to be in a great ball of flame, Obi-Wan watching heartbroken as his awesome and flawless apprentice fulfils his destiny. That would be cool. Dying alone in a mine in the middle of nowhere would not be.
“Um… You know, beasts aren’t really my department. And… I don’t have my beast-removal equipment with me right now.” Airtight excuse. Foolproof.
“You’re just scared!” exclaimed someone who nobody asked.
“He’s not even a proper Jedi yet,” added someone else, “There’s no way he could take that thing on by himself, I bet he doesn’t even have a laser-sword!”
“Now, hold on–” All thoughts of avoiding the beast flew out of the metaphorical window. “I never said I wouldn’t do it! I have my lightsaber right here:”
The crowd stepped back as it ignited in his hand. Yeah, that’s right, he wasn’t some dumb initiate and this was his chance to prove it.
...
The comms centre had several private rooms for important calls and conferences. It also had better hardware than the commlinks Jedi took into the field.
Obi-Wan had plugged his own commlink into a rarely-used port in the console and tried to call Anakin. As he had expected, there was no answer. With the right tinkering of the console’s receiver, however, the target signal had been traced to a sparsely populated planet barely a minute up the Corellian Run. Kaidestal.
He fought the urge to slam his head against the console. If there was a licence for padawan ownership, his would be revoked any time now. Truly, he was having a fantastic day.
He wondered how Anakin had even got offplanet and then wondered why he was wondering. At this point, it was suffice to say, ‘Shit’s fucked’ and move on.
After a few moments of meditative breathing, he straightened up, unplugged his commlink, and whisked out of the comms centre. Knowing Anakin, there was little time before something disproportionately drastic happened. Force, what did he do to end up in this position?
Master Plo Koon was easy enough to locate, happening to be beside the bronzium statue Obi-Wan had been inspecting earlier. He watched as Obi-Wan covered the awkwardly long stretch of corridor in order to get within civil conversation range.
“Master Koon, I am taking a short trip to Kaidestal. I shall be back by nightfall.” He gave no reasons, the man of mystery that he was, and Plo didn’t seem to mind. Plo was one of the gentlest councilmembers and therefore the best one to inform of unannounced, unauthorised trips to obscure planets. Perhaps that was exploitative of him. Perhaps his padawan shouldn’t run away.
(Plo was one of the first to hear Mace’s gossip regarding Skywalker’s potential disappearance and therefore knew damn well what Obi-Wan was doing. Plo was not, however, a snitch. Besides, he liked Kenobi – the man had an excellent taste in drinks.)
Master Koon nodded slowly, “That seems reasonable. I’ve heard they do good stone carvings there.”
“Quite,” said Obi-Wan, impatiently – no, Jedi weren’t impatient. He was merely preoccupied.
“There’s a G8 light freighter in the hangar that you can use.” Plo shifted as if to move, but it was really more of an invitation to leave.
“Thank you, Master Koon.” Not at all in the headspace to overstay his welcome, Obi-Wan began to head towards the hangar.
“I hope you find what you’re looking for, young one!” Plo called after him.
“Me too,” muttered Obi-Wan under his breath. He wasn’t that young; he was twenty-eight. He was, however, too young to be dealing with feral padawans that made him feel twice his age. Why did he ever pick up Anakin, anyway?
...
The mouth of the mine was carved into the wall at the bottom of the quarry. It was darker than a Tatooinian night and he was being pushed into it by a gaggle of villagers who didn’t seem to notice his apprehension. While this was ideal for the maintenance of his reputation, it also made things move far more quickly than he had wanted.
No matter. He was a Jedi and Jedi faced terrifying monsters head on.
“This beast is gonna wish he never saw me,” he said, bravely, “Coward. Absolute… kriffin’…  clown.”
“What are you doing?”
“Old Jedi trick, it’s called psychological warfare. That beast is no match for Anakin kriffing Skywalker.”
“Is the swearing necessary for psychological warfare?” asked one of the group. “It’s just I brought my daughter along…”
A roar emanated from the mine ahead, echoing terribly. The tall ovissian, now wearing his head miner’s helmet, was shaking more than the nine-year-old behind him. She was delighted by the mine monster and had spent much of the walk loudly exclaiming that she wanted it to eat the entire goddamn quarry. No one else appeared to share her enthusiasm.
“Well,” said the head miner, sounding awfully authoritative, “I think you’ll be able to find your way from here. We need to go. For… health and safety reasons. Yeah, this crowd, in this passageway? Major fire hazard. Need to clear it. I’ll take care of that, you take care of–” Another roar erupted, punctuated by a thud and the sound of rocks falling. “– That.”
Anakin was unimpressed. “Ugh, do you have to have such an aversion to being cool?” He turned to see the group’s response but found the passageway empty. He rolled his eyes. Teenagehood would suit him well, he decided.
Slowly, he took his new lightsaber off his belt. It kind of sucked that his excellent craftsmanship was impossible to see in the gloom. Alone, in the dark, with no eyes on him, he could admit that quite a few things were looking decidedly uncool right now, but Force if he didn’t want to prove Obi-Wan wrong.
He tracked the sporadic tremors to their source, which was conveniently down the single, unbranching passageway in this section of mine. Still, it required a great amount of skill and a lesser man would have walked into five support beams, which was way more than Anakin’s three. He was a credit to the Jedi Order, really, even if they couldn’t see it.
Speaking of, the mine had grown far darker the further he walked until he couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face. The Force was being unhelpful, merely suggesting ‘forward’, which was a no-brainer. His issue was all of the obstacles involved with ‘forwards’. If only he had packed a light.
Hang on.
Oh, Anakin Skywalker was a genius. Lateral thinking and creative problem-solving had always been his strong point, as currently being demonstrated.
His lightsaber ignited with a kzhhh. Its electric-blue glow lit his maniacal grin in harsh clarity. It also revealed the glinting eyes of something big. The grin dropped from his face as he took five steps backwards.
The passageway had opened into a small cavern without him noticing and the beast barely fit into it. Colours were difficult to make out in eerie saber-light, but its fur appeared as black as the mines, matte with dust. Large tentacles stretched out from its nose, blindly groping the walls and ceiling of the cavern as if trying to judge the environment. Massive, shovelling paws held claws almost as long as Anakin was tall. In short, it resembled a mole.
This meant that, theoretically, Anakin was at an advantage since he was decidedly not blind and had only been known to resemble a mole some of the time.
The beast was also more clumsy than Anakin, knocking support beams left and right. Luckily, none had completely shattered but, judging by their splintering fractures, it was only a matter of time. Time limits were very dramatic; this would be a worthy first mission.
Anakin waved his lightsaber in the vague direction of the mole. It was unbothered. He frowned, put out, and then poked one of its claws. Suddenly, the beast was very bothered. Its nose went from snuffling around to being thrust in Anakin’s face. Apparently it had his scent. Obi-Wan would have blamed it on Anakin’s infrequent use of the shower. Anakin would have responded that he grew up in the desert and then accused him of not caring about wasting water on trivial matters. This would put a glint of annoyance in Obi-Wan’s eyes and Anakin would count it as a victory.
The mole exploited his distraction, dishonourable as it was, yanking him off the ground with a thick face-tentacle and shaking him irritably. He tried hitting the disgustingly writhing mass with the hilt of his lightsaber – ineffective. Then he slashed it with the blade and got catapulted into a wall. His vision failed and the back of his head killed, but he was quickly grabbed by the ankle and dragged across the floor. Massive, sharp claws came swinging at him. This was not good.
Quick, what would Obi-Wan do?
“Hey, you suck!” he shouted, voice wobbling as he dove out of the way of another slash, “No one likes you! You should just stop and go away!”
The mole monster may also have been deaf since it only continued its previous level of violence despite the scathing insults. He dodged a claw, jumping into a swinging tentacle which smashed him into a support beam. Splinters pierced his robes, digging into his right arm as it collided with the beam. His lightsaber flew from his hand and he fell to the ground, spinning to narrowly avoid landing on the hurt arm. All light in the cavern vanished as his saber-blade extinguished.
All of a sudden, the lightsaber argument from that morning felt like a moot point. A lot of things were looking very moot now, in the dark. 
He could hear the shuffle of tentacles searching the floor and the scratching of claws against stone. The mole was snuffling loudly around for him. His arm hurt.
Fighting the urge to curl up by the wall, he slowly climbed to his feet and looked the monster dead where he thought its eye could be. Warm air huffed in his face, blowing his braid back. Everything was still for a moment and then a tentacle whipped around his knees and flipped him upside down into the air. He definitely did not yelp.
The sound of a lightsaber igniting came from the tunnel, then pounding footsteps and then Obi-Wan ran in, illuminating the cavern walls around him. Something intangible yanked Anakin out of the mole’s grasp and into Obi-Wan’s arms. 
Anakin struggled to escape the strong left arm that wrapped across his torso, efficiently immobilising him. “Hey, I had it under control, you know.” He gave up, reaching his good hand out and calling his lightsaber back to it. “Still do, actually.”
“Sure,” replied Obi-Wan, not letting go even as a tentacle lunged at him. He jumped backwards, slashing the support beam that Anakin had dented. They dove into the tunnel as the cavern rumbled. The mole roared back. There was a terrible creaking of splintering wood and then the cavern ceiling fell in. Dust and rock made the air thick.
Quiet.
Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan from where he was pressed against his chest and saw a strangled sort of sorrow.
“Poor thing,” croaked Obi-Wan. Then he looked at Anakin with a clenched jaw. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those. I could have studied it.”
It was almost enough to make Anakin apologise.
...
Obi-Wan dragged his padawan by his collar until they reached the mine’s entrance. The villagers who had pointed him inside were crowded around and erupted into cheers as soon as they stepped into the light.
One elbowed the head miner playfully. “Told you he was the madawan’s Jedi.”
“Shut up,” said the ovissian, who then raised his voice above the chattering. “Thank you, Master Jedi, for your assistance. Uh, what exactly is the status of the, uh…”
“It’s dead,” Obi-Wan replied, bluntly, “And I’m afraid you may also need to reinforce the tunnel’s structural integrity. I apologise on behalf of my padawan –”
“Hey!”
“Of course, he will also apologise himself.”
Their eyes met in a match of wills. Anakin sighed, just loud enough for Obi-Wan to hear, and acquiesced.
“My sincere apologies,” he muttered, bowing shallowly. Obi-Wan had definitely taught him better manners than this; the child was just showing him up. Ungrateful womp-rat.
Fortunately, the villagers weren’t versed in bows and didn’t seem invested in apologies. Most were preoccupied by the mine and the new lack of angry mole. Small blessings, perhaps.
...
After manhandling the still-hot wreck of Anakin’s Aethersprite into the freighter Obi-Wan had brought and flying the brief trip back to the Temple, Obi-Wan was reaching the end of his patience. He left the ships with the hangar’s mechanics and dragged Anakin away from any chance of helping them. Their trip to the Halls of Healing were brief – the healers were efficient in removing the splinters and wrapping Anakin’s arm in bacta-soaked bandages. He only complained about half as much as he usually did.
They marched double-time to their rooms and Obi-Wan locked the door behind him; he could not cope with Anakin sneaking out at night.
“Master?” The voice was small. Obi-Wan tried not to let his ire show in his look. Perhaps if Anakin was squinting it would work. He was not. Instead he was holding out a hand full of pine needles and another with several small pinecones. “While I was on that planet, I found these for you to study. I’ve never seen them before; they could be revolutionary.”
Obi-Wan sighed, not having the heart to tell him that pine trees were fairly common throughout the galaxy. Anakin dropped his revolutionary finds into his hands, having to scrape off some of the pine needles that stuck.
“Thank you, Padawan. That was very thoughtful of you.”
“There were some bigger ones of these,” he added, pointing to the pinecones, “but I couldn’t fit them in my belt and some of the wildlife tried to fight me for them.”
“A squirrel?”
“I dunno, I didn’t see it very well. It was kinda fast. Reminded me of you, a bit.”
“How so?”
“Red,” said Anakin, nodding to Obi-Wan’s head, “And it didn’t like me picking up things off the floor.”
Obi-Wan huffed. “As long as you weren’t trying to eat pinecones.”
“Is that what they’re called?”
“Yes. Although I suppose I’d have to… study them. To make sure.”
Anakin’s face lit up. “Wizard.”
Obi-Wan’s annoyance was almost forgotten. Not quite. He was still a responsible Jedi master, no matter what the Council speculated.
There was a knock on the door. Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, who grimaced back. He opened it with very little hesitation.
“Knight Kenobi.” Speak of a Sith…
“Master Windu,” said Obi-Wan, far more brightly than he was feeling.
“Have you located your padawan?”
“Of course; he’s right here, Master.” He pulled Anakin out from behind his legs. Anakin attempted a winning smile, but nerves appeared to crumple it slightly. He had always been intimidated by Master Windu – first impressions were a force to be reckoned with. “I knew exactly where he was.” It was technically true, if you were selective about your timeframe.
Master Windu gave Anakin one of his signature piercing gazes, the kind that seems to expose one’s every weakness and warn against them. Anakin seemed to get the message. Hopefully he would keep it for at least a week before he inevitably threw it out.
“If that’s the case, I won’t need to launch a search party. Good night, Kenobi.”
“May the Force be with you, Master Windu.”
After Master Windu had left and Anakin had gone to bed still shaken from the encounter, Obi-Wan contemplated ditching the Temple and his wayward padawan for Bail Organa’s whiskey collection. Alderaan always made the best whiskey…
...
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Art by me, @dib-leo-pard​
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tlbodine · 5 years ago
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Monstrous Man-Eaters
Writing about Jaws got me to thinking about the myth and legend of man-eaters, and I wanted to assemble something of a master-post about them. 
Humans are squishy animals, able to defend ourselves against the dangerous wild only because of our intelligence and mastery of technology -- and on a primal level, we’re more than aware of our weakness. Throughout history, when humans move into areas and disrupt the local ecosystems, the former apex predators have caused trouble...and sometimes those predators become especially infamous for killing humans or devastating livestock and evading capture.
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Historically, when that’s happened, the solution was to put a bounty on the creature’s head or to hire an especially skilled hunter to track down the beast. And that concept is easy to turn into the stuff of legend, from romantic tales of man vs nature to the whispered stories of werewolves. 
Below the cut, just a few historical accounts and interesting tidbits I could find to whet the appetite. (obviously it’s a big topic, so there are many, many more stories to uncover)
Jim Corbett, Tiger-Hunter: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Corbett
A British hunter and naturalist, Corbett's name shows up again and again in man-hunter tales from Colonial India. He's the hunter responsible for slaying a dozen of the best-known man-eating tigers and leopards, including the Champawat Tiger (the world record holder for a tiger killing humans), the Panar Leopard, and the Leopard of Rudaprayag.
Corbett undoubtedly saved lives with his work, but he also uncovered some really important things by examining the animals after their deaths: namely, that in most cases, the man-eaters in question suffered from diseases or wounds that made hunting natural prey difficult.
Despite making a lifetime career of hunting, Corbett was a conservationist and fought hard for education, game preservation, and nature reserves.
The Man-Eaters of Tsavo: https://www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/animal-behaviour/new-evidence-in-the-long-standing-mystery-of-the-tsavo-man-eater-lions/ The inspiration for the film The Ghost and the Darkness, in 1898 a pair of lions terrorized a railroad camp in Tsavo, Kenya. Interestingly, like the Champawat Tiger, the Tsavo lions had dental injuries to their canines.
In fact, as I've been researching this, that's a recurring trend that keeps popping up -- and it makes sense. Big cats kill their prey by strangulation, grabbing and squeezing the jugular. Broken teeth would make that difficult or impossible. But different techniques would be needed to kill a human. Essentially, it would seem that big cats seeking their own self-preservation might have traded traditional hunting techniques for methods that relied more on stealth and fearlessness.
The Problem with India’s Man-Eating Tigers: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191120-the-problem-of-indias-man-eating-tigers
Saving tigers from extinction means sometimes putting rural villagers in harm’s way, and it’s a problem that needs to be talked about and considered. 
Custer Wolf: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer_Wolf
Active in Custer, SD between 1911 and 1920, the Custer Wolf was responsible for $25,000 (equivalent to $300,000 today) in livestock damage before being killed by the hunter H.P. Williams. The wolf was notable for its age and proclivity for killing more than it needed, such as wiping out more than 30 cattle in one week. Local legends suggested the wolf was seeking vengeance for the death of his mate and pups. Interestingly, the wolf never took on another pack, but he was known to travel with a pair of coyotes who straggled behind to eat his scraps.
Wolves of Périgord - https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/8113372 A reported pack of man-eating wolves who tormented France in 1766, killing 18 people before being killed. It's suspected that the wolves in question may have been wolf-dog hybrids, explaining their unusual boldness.
Beast of Gévaudan - https://allthatsinteresting.com/beast-of-gevaudan Another French tale, the Beast of Gévaudan is a local legend about a huge wolf-like creature (probably a wolf-dog hybrid) responsible for killing somewhere between 80 and 113 people. A hunter killed a large wolf nearby in 1765, but the attacks didn't stop until another body was turned up by a farmer, Jean Chastel, who reportedly killed the monster with a silver bullet (werewolf lore lovers, rejoice). There's an intriguing rumor that Chastel may have bred the creature himself for some or another nefarious purpose, but at this point we may never know.
Another good article about the Beast: https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2016/09/27/solving-the-mystery-of-the-18th-century-killer-beast-of-gevaudan/ )
It’s interesting to note that France in particular is home to quite a lot of wolf stories, like the Beast of Sarlat and Wolf of Soissons. I don’t know what it is about France, specifically, that made it so wolf-attack-prone, but...it sure seems to be a thing.
The Wolf of Ansbach: https://retrieverman.net/2010/09/25/the-wolf-of-ansbach/ A fascinating (and grim) tale: In 1685, Ansbach, Bavaria was under attack by a wolf who preyed on livestock and some unknown number of humans. And somehow along the way, the story developed that the man-eating wolf was in fact a werewolf or reincarnation of a cruel Bürgermeister. 
So when the wolf himself was pursued and killed, the townsfolk gave the body a few modifications: trimming off its muzzle, dressing it in human clothing, a mask, a wig, and a beard, and then paraded through town before being hanged from a gibbet as a ritualistic "fuck you" to the hated local tyrant.
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httyd2014 · 6 years ago
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Character Review of HTTYD 3
This is Part 1 of a two part movie review of How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Next up is the plot review. 
As of March 3, I've seen it four times. The first was the February 2 early showing, the second and third were on opening weekend in a regular AMC theater, and the fourth was in IMAX yesterday, which, like, I'm bothered by the fact that this third movie in the franchise only has limited IMAX screenings whereas the first two were released in all IMAX theaters, and released in 3D to boot. But anyway, character review:  (Also, spoilers abound, so only read this if you've seen it already)
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He was at his BEST. That speech he gives to the Vikings in the great hall after Grimmel burns his house down gets more chilling and chilling with each viewing. Years ago when Dean Deblois was dropping hints over what to expect in the sequel, I got the impression that the arch of the trilogy would end with Hiccup's coronation as Chief at the end of the third. Instead, not only is he thrust into the role early thanks to Stoick's heartbreaking death, but we get to see him grow and struggle in the role of Chief, and I thought that character arch was pulled off sensationally. Although he takes after his mother's idealism in his attempts to save all innocent dragons from the hostile Trappers, he also embraces his father's lesson from the sequel that his first duty is to protect his people from harm and danger. His speech in the great hall encapsulates that beautifully with one powerful line after another. 
Hiccup is truly the leader of his people by the end of this movie, and not only that, but at least from my perspective, he's also imminently relatable. He genuinely struggles with himself and questions whether he's capable of doing what needs to be done as Grimmel and the legion of Trappers advance on New Berk. That lack of internal belief he carried around inside him as a scrawny 15 year old boy before he shot down the Night Fury is still there, six years later, as a handsome 21 year old chief. His internal struggle really showed his humanity, and in my opinion, it was Hiccup's journey that drove this third movie more than any other character, including Toothless. Which brings me to our beloved Night Fury:
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Ok, so I must confess, I wasn't totally satisfied with how his character was portrayed. What made Toothless so amazingly endearing in the first one was how he struck such a PERFECT balance between being this fierce, ferocious beast on one hand, and being this adorable little puppy dog on the other hand. For the most part, he kept that balance in the sequel, particularly at the end when he challenges Drago's Bewildabeast and becomes the new Alpha of all dragons. In this one, however, I honestly didn't get the sense that Toothless truly was the "Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death Itself" like the Viking legends said Night Furies were. Even during the above scene in the clouds where he does the Lightning Bolt thing and goes into stealth mode, it felt more like a cheap trick to impress Luna than a symbol of how utterly deadly he can be, and sure enough, he only uses it that one time to get those four Deathgrippers off his back. To me, all those puppy dog moments - of which there are MANY in this one - are less adorable because they aren't contrasted with enough moments of genuine fierceness. Simply put: I liked Toothless a lot more in the first and second movies than in the third one. 
That being said - and I'm going to repeat this in the plot review - the flaws in his character are made up for by the ending. He does the most human thing we've EVER seen him do when he literally gives Hiccup a big bear hug as they say good by. I put my hand over my mouth to control my emotions when I saw that! And then during the final scene where Hiccup visits him after 5 or 6 years, Toothless does a very animal like thing by failing to recognize Hiccup at first, which, as a big fan of the Jurassic World movies, reminded me of how the velociraptor Blue didn't recognize Owen after not seeing him for a year, thus putting Owen in a dangerous situation. But then as soon as Hiccup does the Forbidden Friendship thing, BOOM, Toothless's eyes widen like the sea, and he embraces his dear friend that he can't see every day anymore. To me, that was totally in character of who Toothless is as both a deadly Night Fury, but also the best friend a human could ask for. 
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I'm gonna say this straight up: If Captain Marvel, or Star Wars, or Ghostbusters, or whoever, is going for the narrative of Strong, Female, Characters that do Strong, Female, Things, they already have an archetype that everyone loves, and her name is Astrid Hofferson. She is the true embodiment of a strong, female character, and I thought everything that made HTTYD fans love her in the first one was on display again in the third one. I was worried about this too, because in the trailers, it looked like Deblois might have been relying too heavily on the mythos of the first one, specifically the talk on the cliff, which from the trailers looked copied and pasted into the third one. However, it came off SO much better on film than it looked in the trailer, including one of my favorite lines from the entire franchise:
"But you know what? I am the person I am today because of you. And I have watched you doubt yourself every day ever since."
Astrid does what a good woman is supposed to do for her man: Be there for him when he falls down, comfort him with kind words, and remind him of who he is and what he can do. And she does all that in addition to being the warrior princess that Tuffnut correctly described her as. She fulfills the old saying, "behind every great man, stands a great woman." The talk on the cliff in this one is JUST AS GOOD as the same talk in the first one. It didn't come off as contrived or forced like I thought it would. Another favorite part of mine was during Hiccup's speech where she throws her axe on the table and demands that the Vikings hear out his plan to abandon Berk. She does that despite explicitly disagreeing with that plan earlier, which means that she was willing to stand by her man and her Chief even though she herself wasn't enthusiastic about the plan at first. Overall, I felt that the Hiccstrid relationship drove this story almost as much as the friendship between Hiccup and Toothless, and it did it without devolving into cliched romance.
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She was good...at least when she had actual time onscreen (more on that in the plot review). I LOVED how she developed a relationship of sorts with her future daughter-in-law by encouraging Astrid to comfort Hiccup when he was doubting himself. I remember thinking to myself in the theater, "wow, Hiccup has two incredible women in his life! What a gift." I also liked how she automatically became an authority figure on Berk despite being gone for 20 years. She basically plays the role of General by scouting out Grimmel's advances towards New Berk and by bailing out Hiccup and the gang when Grimmel outfoxes Hiccup by trapping him on his ship. Between Valka, Eret, Astrid, and Gobber, it's really cool to see how Hiccup has a good leadership council behind him. 
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Believe me, his character is SO much cooler if you've seen Game of Thrones. I can't emphasize enough how Kit Herrington's personality comes alive in Eret. In this one, my only complaint is that I wish we saw him more in combat fighting along side Gobber and Valka, although even as an adviser to Hiccup, he plays the role really well. A part of me wishes he gave Hiccup and Stoick more of a challenge when he was working for Drago in the 2nd one, because his knowledge of the world outside Berk is impressive, not to mention he's a natural leader, as he demonstrates during the speech in the great hall when he augments Hiccup's points. Whatever goofball traits he had in the sequel are gone in this one, and I liked that. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about...
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Ugh. The teens could have disappeared entirely and it wouldn't have effected the plot at all (Grimmel would have found New Berk eventually. Ruffnut's stupidity simply allowed him to find it faster). There was absolutely no character development from any of them, and in Snotlout's case, he outright devolved. The primary reason I didn't think HTTYD 3 was an A+ movie is because the teens would not shut the hell up. I did NOT find most of their lines or antics funny, I found them distracting and annoying. These characters reached their apex in Gift of the Night Fury, and they never got better after that. 
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Is Gobber. Good man, good leader, kind of paranoid. His shining moment in this franchise remains his eulogy during Stoick's funeral. In this one, you could tell that Deblois didn't really have anywhere to go with his character, so he added a subplot with the constantly appearing Hob Gobblers, which to me was what Legend of the Boneknapper should have looked like. One thing I do wish is that we saw one quick appearance of the Trolls alongside the Hob Gobblers on New Berk, as that would have been an amusing validation of his line to Stoick from the first one.
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He gets two WONDERFUL flashbacks with Little Hiccup.* But, there's one error that was made during those flashbacks, and I apologize in advance to everyone who has already pointed it out: Stoick's beard should have looked scruffier and redder like it does in the first one when he's younger, as opposed to straight with grey spots like in the second when he's older. His beard is straight with grey spots during the flashbacks. Assuming that wasn't an oversight by Dreamworks, I'm guessing they did it that way because it was easier to animate. Which is understandable, but still, I'm a stickler for consistency. (The missing tree branch in front of Hiccup's face in the first one still jars me every time I see it).
*My gods, every animation studio from Dreamworks to Disney to Pixar has MASTERED the art of creating adorable children. It never ceases to amaze me
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Ok, WOW, I loved him as a villain! He was everything Drago Bludvist wasn't: Cunning, crafty, smart, and above all, relatable. Grimmel is what Hiccup possibly WOULD have become if he stuck his knife into the downed Night Fury. Both of them are cerebral, and both of them play this delightful mind game where they try to anticipate each other's moves and countermoves, which Grimmel wins more often than not. As Gobber said to Hiccup, "one day, you're going to pick a fight you can't win." If Drago made Hiccup pay for his idealism by costing him his fathers life, than Grimmel makes Hiccup pay by costing him his Dragon-Human utopia. Grimmel's actions cause Hiccup to eventually accept the painful truth that humans living with dragons every day is not possible without resorting to war and death to keep that utopia a reality. When a villain can change things like that, then you have a damn good villain, and not just a guy who gets in the way periodically like Alvin and Dagur from the TV show. 
Additionally, I thought Grimmel was so much more personable than Drago. His talk to Hiccup in the house evoked the same feelings in me as the talk between Evelyn Deavor and Elastigirl in Incredibles 2, which is to say, I was relating to what BOTH of them were saying to each other. It was like the Light and Dark sides that exist inside all of us were speaking to each other. Whereas Drago was just pure evil and brute force, Grimmel was genuinely compelling and interesting. I would have liked Deblois to take a different story arch with this third film than just throwing another disposable villain in the mix, but as it is, Grimmel was a worthy character. 
In Summary
Hiccup and Astrid were spectacular, Toothless was very good but could have been better, Valka, Eret, and Gobber played their roles well, and Grimmel was an excellent bad guy. The only downside was the Teens. If their comic relief was cut, or if they were actual characters, this could have been an A+ movie from start to finish as opposed to A+ at the end and at specific parts in between (like the speech and the talks on the cliff).  
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