#I had a dream I was rei and was very distressed by having emotions once we were able to heal

[momentary-moss]

Healing

[loser-writings]

first time requesting! Could i get an Alpha Enji x omega reader and he comes home to reader’s omega chirping in distress and his alpha takes over and he’s looking for them, and when he finally reaches them they’re curled up in their little nest crying. So Enji asks what’s wrong and reader says someone at work was making comments about how he only wanted them as something to knot during ruts and Enji gets pissed. Thank you for reading!!

Hello! I hope this is what you were looking for!

Alpha!Endeavor x Distressed Omega!Reader

Enji sighed as he walked into the house he shared with you, nothing extremely luxurious, but it was your supposed dream house and who was he to tell his precious Omega “No.” when you looked at him with such joy. Sure, it wouldn’t have been his first pick, but you managed to truly make this place a home. 

He only grinned to himself, feeling prideful about his lovely omega that managed to make everything better. As he walked towards the kitchen, expecting to find you in front of the stove cooking dinner with a happy grin, he stopped the second he heard your distressed chirp. Within moments, he was rushing by your side, noticing how your nest seemed to be thrown together hastily since it lacked the polish your nests always had. 

“Hey, What’s wrong?” he asked as he carefully sat beside you, moving a rough hand to rake your hair out of your face rather gently before noticing the pungent scent that filled the room. Your eyes were red from crying and you attempted to muffle the sound of your omega chirping as to not alarm the man any more than he already was. You were distressed, and you knew that your alpha hated seeing you sad. 

“Come here, Omega.” He moved to sit in your nest, opening his arms so you could sit on his lap. You tried to resist, but found yourself leaning against his chest with arms wrapped around you tight. His warm scent, reminiscent of charred Cedar wood, was almost thick in an attempt to calm your distress. “Darling, tell me what is bothering you?” He says sternly, but you know it is his way of asking for you to talk to him.

He watches as you hide against his chest, a soft whimper coming from you before you buried your face deeper into his chest. “Just...work drama.” You started before feeling his hand move to rest against your hip, thumb caressing your skin in an attempt to calm you. “I guess, uh...people heard about our relationship there, and several Alphas were just…” He watched as you sunk deeper into his embrace yet he stayed silent. He knew you would say it with time, he just had to be patient. “They said that you must only want me for your ruts. That I’m just a bitch for you, and that I don’t mean anything to you.” 

The more you spoke, the louder the growl that erupted from his chest became. You always knew that he was quite the possessive alpha, and if you didn’t calm him then those alphas would have to move to a whole different country. “H-Hey, Alpha. It’s okay.” You wrap your arms around his neck and hug him firmly, rubbing your scent against him as a way to calm him down. “I just...Got emotional. The words they said were-” “Bullshit.” Enji barked, hands gripping your waist firmly. 

You smiled a little before nodding. “Bullshit.” You repeated back to him before moving to press a soft kiss against his lips as a way to reassure him that you were okay. “I wouldn’t have reacted so negatively, but they mentioned how your relationship was with Rei and that I am stupid for mating with somebody who has a past,” Your hands fell down against your lovers warm chest, brows furrowed as if you were trying to understand their words. “But everyone has a past...And I can say that you are the most amazing Alpha.”

Your arms around his neck made him shut his eyes once more, slowly hugging you back as his body heated up to keep you drawn in the hug. You laughed before pulling away slightly. “Alpha, I’ve been with you for years and you still heat up your body when I hold you.” Enji simply huffed and rolled his eyes. “You enjoy it, so why complain?” Another small giggle coming from you made his alpha feel pride before he stopped for a moment and sighed. He took your hands in his before speaking.

 “I am very aware that I have a past, and I will never forget it. What I did was indeed horrible, but as you have taught me, I should be able to move past that in order to be a better man,” He spoke honestly as he looked at the size difference between your hands. “The most I can do is as you said. Acknowledge what I have done and try to be better.” You nodded and smiled a little as Enji recited back to you what you had told him countless times. 

“I did not ask you to be my mate just to use you. I’m not the man I used to be.  I asked you to be my mate because I can see myself living comfortably with you, My omega.” He pulled you into another hug, smiling a little at how your omega purred. Feeling your arms wrap back around him only made him relax more into your embrace. “I know, Alpha. People's words just get to me.” He hummed before pressing a quick kiss to your forehead. “That’s alright. Let them talk. They’ll get their punishment when the time calls for it.

And it did. After Enji got the names of the people who spoke about your relationship, he promptly got their asses in trouble. You watched as one of the men left carrying a box of their things, oblivious to your alphas actions.

[raevenlywrites]

The Ties That Bind 13 of ???

I couldn’t settle after the oaths. I just couldn’t. The ground seemed to hum with power, and as much as I wanted to do my part to be agreeable, I could not focus on peace talks while my head sang with ancient resonance. I felt half-blinded by ghosts, though as Zane had said scent wasn’t the word, sight wasn’t right for what I was sensing either. It was as if my body was trying to inhabit a different life, moving through steps that were not my own. Something important to the Shardae magic had happened here, and under other circumstances I might have been intrigued, even followed where it led. But I could not focus on either it or Zane, so eventually I gave up on both and asked to return to the farmhouse. If Zane was disappointed to leave this place of such significance to his people--and apparently mine--he didn’t show it.

 I sent Karashan towards the serpiente lands and Raymond to the Lyssia farm, both looking out for the serpiene guards that would be coming to join Adelina and Zane. The rest of us walked with the serpiente, I in deference to their lack of wings, and my remaining guards split between ground and skies as was their formation when I was in the fields. So we had plenty of advanced warned when Raymond returned with news of a small army.

Army was too strong a word for the score of soldiers, but it was exactly the word for their intent. They had swarmed the Lyssia farm and set up a base--so that my mother and her branch of the Royal Flight could land in safety.

 The air in the farmhouse had shifted considerably. Where the Ladies Lyssia had been careful but relaxed around myself and Zane, they were positively on edge around my mother. Maybe the difference was the swarm of soldiers, but having felt exactly this way in my mother’s presence myself, I was fairly confident she was the cause.

 Power poured from her, responding to the emotions we usually kept so carefully leashed. It would take a song to give it concrete shape, but there were battle cries as well as lullabies in our body of hymns.

 I held to Zane’s hand tightly, partly to extend my shield of control to him, partly to keep my body firmly in line with whatever shot any soldier might take. I knew I couldn’t guard him from every angle, but this was the best I could do.

 My head still rang with power, distant echoes of that long forgotten memory we’d raised in the ruins. It wasn’t as blinding as it had been, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was walking in someone else’s footsteps. The wind seemed to whisper in the forgotten tounge as the wings of so many soldiers filled the skies. They circle like vultures, I thought, scenting death on the air. It served to fuel my determination. No more blood would be spilled. I had sworn it.

 So had Zane.

 We approached my mother hand in hand, her fury lashing out to reach us at the sight. I stood firm, bolstered by the power of my vows and Zane’s hand in mine. I wished I held Rei’s hand in the other, but I understood the man at my right needed to be free to react to whatever may happen. He would always be my soldier first and friend second. It saddened me to know that this war had taken him from me even as he walked beside me still. Raymond on his other side was another ghost, the memory of Vasili so strong in his presence here.

 I was filled with an overwhelming sense of having done this before, having faced down this queen before. Only her face kept swimming, the golden aura of her power going ghostly white, silvering with the patina of false memory. I shook it away, even as it cried out at being disregarded. I couldn’t untangle these ghosts right now. I needed to be present.

 “Shardae.”

 One word held the entirety of my mother’s displeasure. Question, condemnation, concern, command--my mother could get so much mileage out of so few syllables. I’d always wished for such clarity of purpose when I spoke, dreamed of the day I could address the Council or even a single General with such authority. But when I answered her now, I felt my voice cling on the way out, made small by something inside me that did not know how to be anything else.

 “Mother.”

 “We were most distressed at your letter,” she said, voice utterly void of emotion. It had all leeched into the power that was coursing and snapping around her. “Once we had actually received it.”

 Beside her, her closest guards flinched. Just a tightening around the eyes, but it was there. I wondered if standing that near to her was hurting them, or if they were recalling a fuller fury when she’d been given word that her daughter had acted outside her authority.

 It was such an odd dance between mother and me now. Something had gone out of her at Xavier’s pyre, burning away as completely as the body of her last son. She’d told me then that my time as queen had come. But then there were moments like this, or when she’d ordered us away from the Mistari camp, that her insistence she step down seemed so... empty. How was I supposed to lead our people without the backing of their current queen? We couldn’t survive a war on two fronts. We just couldn’t.

 “We appreciate your concern for Zane’s wellbeing,” I answered, deliberately misinterpreting her meaning. “As you can see, my healing--“

 “Danica, please.” Her words cut mine down, slicing through the sorry lie as cleanly as the paper it had been written on. “I don’t know why you felt the need to concoct such a ridiculous ruse. It’s idiocy is what had me tearing through field and forest looking for you. I’d thought it the work of traitors; I know my own daughter would never pen something so ridiculously and obviously false.”

 I felt my own anger try to rise, the urge to scream building in the back of my throat. This was why my speech always came out so small; if I gave it any rein at all, it would roar out of me, years of things unsaid pouring out in a vicious wave.

 Zane squeezed my hand, distracting me from my control. My eyes darted to him for only a second, but I thought I saw him smiling. Was it his arrogant mask, or was he trying to encourage me?

 I gave up trying to craft a delicate response. I simply spoke my mind.

 “Why is it so ridiculous, mother? Why is it so hard to believe that if I received word of someone in need of my aid that I could go to them? I sat with Gregory Cobriana even though there was no hope of saving him. Why then would I not sit with Zane Cobriana, if he asked me to come to him?”

 Zane’s hand tightened in mine again and I squeezed back, wishing I could give him a smile as well. But I had to keep my composure, both for appearances and for the sake of the power that danced so erratically in the air.

 “I was hurt, Nacola,” Zane said, startling us all. “My heart was sick with despair--“

 “How dare you!” a guard snapped, though whether it was at his lying to the queen or addressing her by her first name, I couldn’t say. Beside me, Zane said softly, “Adelina.”

 I dared to glance at his other side, where Adelina had slipped into that carefully ready pose. With a mad giddiness, I realized it could just as easily be the beginning of a dance as a fighting pose. My heart ached to see Maeve’s kin so ready to fight. Those white scales were the most beautiful in the firelight, dancing with hot reds and golds to compliment the cool blues and purples of my lady’s power--

 I shook my head, violently, trying to dispel these double visions. The power was too thick, I couldn’t breathe.

 “Enough,” I gasped, though it somehow rang through the space, even though I’d barely had breath to send it on its way. It rode on the eddies of power like a wing on the wind, going where the currents pulled it.

 “We should not fight like this,” I said, feeling the words as both my own and not. I gave up trying to dispel the power and just let it guide me. “I would not stand against you, mother of my heart, but neither will I stand with you in war.”

 My mother shivered, shimmering in the power that swirled thick between us. Its silver light snaked across her skin, forming almost patterns, almost letters--

 “You know I do not desire war,” she said, and again, the words sounded echoed, doubled back on themselves and twisting with whispers of wind. I clutched Zane’s hand tighter. I desperately needed its grounding, something solid and real to keep from falling to these ghosts. I had never seen such magic before--never seen any magic at all. But I had also never stood at the scar between my mother’s power and mine. Maybe that was the difference.

 “Then we have no reason to fight,” Zane said, startling us all. Her voice--his--was a misstep, a tiny dissonance in the building song.. But I felt the tide of it, and would not let it slip away. I had sworn to Emune and Raymond on this very ground that this war was ending. I called on that and the words Zane had just spoken to me in the ruins, and hoped they would be enough to shape whatever power we were weaving.

 This war was ending.

 “These hands are sworn to peace,” I said, feeling my words take us further from that ringing place where the ghosts of the past tried to swallow us down. “Kiesha’s kin has sworn to help me build a peace, and before two of my flight I did so swear that I would reign in peace.” It was an odd choice of words to call on Zane’s ancient ancestor, but it was too late to question the names of power I was drawing on. So much of magic was simply instinct, clinging to whatever ancestral knowledge still guided us.

 “So, mother,” I concluded, feeling the power condense as I prepared to hand it off, “will you leave peacefully, or will you have me foresworn?”

Or will you risk my words turn back on me, I added silently to myself, and have me never rule at all?

The air was thick, with power, with tension, with those spidery silver lines that seemed to be the weft of fate itself. I clutched at Zane’s hand in mine, and again was startled by the timber of his light tenor voice against the memory of richer alto that was supposed to go with those scales.

“And I as well. I have sworn to do no more harm save to defend myself, and as Arami of the serpiente that extends to all my people as well. I gave that oath to the heir of the Tuuli Thea, and will give it again when she becomes queen.” He squeezed my hand and gave me a wink, completely at odds with the serious nature of the moment. “Just to make sure it sticks,” he added wryly.

“Enough of this,” my mother said, sounding only like my mother once again. Zane’s wrongness seemed to shattered whatever contest of wills had been building between us--no doubt his intention. “Shardae, this is no place to conduct royal business. If you wish to treat with the serpiente prince further, can we at least move these discussions somewhere more secure?”

“Secure for you,” I heard Adelina mutter, and felt Zane’s spine stiffen. But she had a point.

“We had been intending to spend the week somewhere more neutral,” I said with forced lightness. “The rest of Zane’s guard are already on their way. So unless you intend to invite them all back to the Keep, I think Zane and I are good out here, thanks.”

My mother bristled. “You can hardly expect me to let you spend a week in the wilderness with a serpiente-- Andreios, speak some sense into her.”

I boggled at that. I’d expected her to order me, dismiss me, bodily drag me back to the Keep even. But to entreat Rei?

To my utter shock, Rei took my free hand.

“Until Danica declares me her pair bond, I can only speak as her guard. The Arami has sworn not to harm her. I don’t like it, but it’s not my place to forbid her from doing things I don’t like. I’m sorry, my queen, but your daughter is as headstrong as yourself. No one has ever been able to talk either of you into doing anything you don’t want to. Unless a fight breaks out and I am forced to bodily evacuate her, I don’t think there’s any appeal I can make that I have not already tried.”

Except for that one, I thought, understanding now why he’d taken my hand. The kiss in the ruins hadn’t changed anything for me, but apparently it had been all the go ahead Rei needed to declare himself my pair bond. It made me want to snatch my hand away, but as he’d also said, that was mostly stubbornness. I was grateful for his show of support, and felt powerful with both men on my side. Surely my mother would see now that the tide had indeed shifted, and it was time to let me rule as she kept saying I should.

 “So that’s it then,” she said more than asked. “I just return to the Keep and try to calm the tide of frantic people with the reassurance that you just want to take a little camping trip with the Arami of the serpiente?”

 “I don’t think Danica cares much for the idea of camping,” Zane said with his false cheer. “The woods didn’t seem to agree with her.” To me, he said more quietly, “If your people need you then you should return. We can continue our talks another time. There’s no need to lose what ground we’ve gained here today through stubbornness.”

 I bit back a sigh. “I don’t think you understand my mother. After this little stunt, I’ll be lucky to have only four guards on me at all times. There will be no getting away, and absolutely no way she’ll let you come to me.”

 “Is she queen here or you?” he shot back.

 Fair enough.

 “Prepare the court,” I finally answered her. “Let them know that once Arami Zane’s escort arrives, we will all be returning to the Keep to continue our talks.”

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[chipper9906]

The Best Laid Plans- Chapter 5: A Reflection Of Herself

Link To Chapter 1

Pairings: Kylo Ren/Rey, Ben Solo/Rey

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 12,060

WARNINGS: Violence, Mentions of Blood

Status: Multi Chapter Fic- In Progress

Chapter Preview: 

“Is that so?” Rey’s words were breathy, the simple act of talking too much when trekking in this heat. “If it’s so vital to them, then why haven’t you told anyone in the First Order about it? I mean, they’re excavating the planet for it, right? Why not tell them about this cave?”

Kylo stopped so unexpectedly in his tracks that, if she weren’t paying enough attention, she would have walked straight into the back of him. Confused, and slightly worried, Rey took a small step back, giving back the space that had been taken from his sudden stop. Considering she’s used to how Kylo doesn’t usually show much expression on his face, it was surprising how unnerving it was when she could only read the back of him. Kylo extinguished his saber, holding it limply by his side as he slowly turned around to face her, his eyes drifting up and down her form before rising up to her face to lock eyes with her.

“Because there are things in this Galaxy that are too beautiful to be damaged.”

In the pause after his words, a sudden chill ran up her spine. Not because of his words, no, but because of a realization; it was quiet. Not just quiet, but silent.

“What is it?” Kylo asked, having seen the panicked look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you hear that?”

Kylo furrowed his brow, cocking his head a little as he took a moment to listen closer.

“Hear…what? I don’t hear anything.”

“Exactly. The birds have gone silent. Somethings wrong.”

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Chapter 5: A Reflection Of Herself

Her night had certainly not been one of rest.

It should have been easier to fall asleep after he had, and, considering the bone-deep exhaustion she had been feeling, she was quite surprised that she had not fallen into a deep slumber seconds after Ben had fallen asleep himself. And yet, she found herself staring at his slumbering form for much too long, willing for sleep to come and take her away. She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn’t nervous about their upcoming task; So many things could go wrong, and no amount of preparation will ensure her safety, not when she’s heading right into enemy territory- territory that’s technically controlled by the very man that’s sneaking her in.

When she did finally let sleep take her, it wasn’t a peaceful sleep. She did not dream of pleasant things; of the warmth of her friends embrace, of Han’s quick wit, of Leia’s mothering care, of the thrill of wielding a saber for the first time. No, her dreams were shadowy and sinister, of the disastrous possibilities the next day held, of terrible acts of betrayal and mistrust.

Which is why, perhaps, awakening from such dreams to see Kylo Ren peering down at her did not help in the slightest.

She could only imagine the look of sheer panic she saw on his face was one she was mirroring right back at him. In her groggy state of mind, she had reached out for her staff without a second thought, the solid weight of the metal handle a comforting presence in her hand against what her morning brain had perceived to be a threat. Ben was, thankfully, smart enough to leap away from her side before he could receive any potential concussions, splaying his hands in front of him when the wild, defensive look in her eyes remained.

“Calm down, it’s just me.” Kylo attempts to reassure her, slowly lowering his hands back down once it seemed like she wasn’t going to take a swing at him. “I didn’t mean to startle you-“

“Then what were you trying to do?” Rey snapped at him, dropping her staff down by her beside and exhaling heavily in relief as the short spike of adrenaline in her system begun to wear away. “I mean seriously, what was that? Were you watching me sleep?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kylo deflected with a frown. “You woke me up.”

“I woke you up? How could I possibly-“

“You were calling out to me in your sleep.” Kylo cut her off. “You were forcing your way into my dreams, reaching out for me over- Whatever it is that connects us. At some point, you started calling out loud, and it woke me up. I could sense your distress as you slept and I… I was trying to do what I could to help.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I…” Kylo begun, seemingly shrinking down on himself at the question. “I thought that, maybe… Maybe if I reached out to you too, answered your calls while you slept that, perhaps… It…It might soothe you. I fear I made it worse, since, well-“ Kylo gestured a hand at her pale, sweat-drenched form. “In my defense, it isn’t something I’ve exactly done before.”

“It’s the thought that counts, I suppose…” Rey mumbled as she pushed herself out of bed, rubbing a hand across her face in an attempt to wipe away the last dregs of drowsiness clinging to her. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather you didn’t do something like that again.”

To her surprise, the frown that seems permanently etched onto his face only seemed to deepen at that. Kylo managed to quickly wrangle in whatever emotion he had briefly let slip, returning to his neutral expression with a clear of his throat and the straightening of his posture.

“I’d suggest you get yourself ready; we have a long journey ahead of us and we’ve eaten up too much of the morning hours already.” Kylo’s suggestion was more of an order than anything, and she would have made such a remark if he wasn’t already heading for the exit of her old home, the fluttering end of his cape the last thing she saw of him as he slipped out of view.

Rey agitatedly swept her staff up off the floor with a frustrated groan, racing around the AT-AT that was baking in the steadily increasing temperature of the morning hours of Jakku to collect what little possessions she had packed to take with her.

“Maybe one day you’ll settle on which personality you want to show to me. That’ll be a nice day…”

* * *

Kylo’s shuttle looked every bit as menacing up close as it did when she spotted it from afar. She didn’t exactly have memories of this ship, except for the fact that she knew this was the ship that he had taken her onto after forcing her into sleep against her will. So, for that reason, she couldn’t help but feel a little bit anxious as she stepped aboard.

Kylo placed his helmet atop the ship's console before dropping himself down into the pilot's seat. He gave her a side glance when she appeared in his field of vision, standing somewhat awkwardly by the seat next to him as she took a good look at the ship's interior.

“Sit wherever you’re comfortable,” Kylo advised, turning his attention back to the console and firing the ship's engines to life. “It’ll take some time to get there.”

“You ever going to tell me the name of this planet?” Rey asked as she slipped into the seat next to him. It unsettled her, when she wasn’t in control of a ship, unable to dictate where she’ll end up. Even if she isn’t the one in control, the closer she was to the controls, the better she felt.

“And let you pass that information onto the Resistance?” Kylo asked in a dead-pan tone, briefly taking his attention away from the steadily shrinking ground in front of them to raise an eyebrow at her. “Nice try.”

“Well, what can you tell me about this planet?” Rey inquired as she yanked her bag around her body. Flipping the top open, she reaches a hand in and searches around until she feels the smooth leather of her holster. “I’d at least like to know what I’m walking into.”

“Nothing you shouldn’t be able to handle. Planets covered in flora mostly, oceans are rather small but we won’t have to worry about them.”

“Anything I should be worried about?”

“So long as we keep a low profile, we should be okay. The place we’re headed to, no one else knows about it, so we shouldn’t have to worry about running into any patrols. The foliage should help keep us covered, so if we’re lucky, no over-head ships should pick us up.”

“Any wildlife?”

“I’ve only seen a few reports that mentioned any potentially dangerous wildlife; most we’ve seen are a few small serpents that have snuck inside the bases we’ve set up. I’ve only been here once, and I didn’t see anything in that time.”

“That doesn’t mean there’s nothing else out there.” Rey mumbled, her focus diverted to her hands as she struggled to clasp her holster around her waist, fingers fumbling across the single strap that would tighten the holster.

“No, but that’s all the knowledge I have on this planet's fauna. There’s nothing we can do but be cautious. Although, there is one thing I had plenty of experience with while I was out here.”

“What?”

“Storms,” Kylo said with a grimace. “They don’t usually hit until the evenings, but when they do… They’re unlike any storm I’ve encountered before; The rain falls so heavy you can barely see in front of you, and the lightning… It would be a beautiful thing to see if you weren’t right in the middle of it. It struck multiple times, I was surrounded by it. You could feel the electricity in the air, feel as it was about to strike you…”

“How did you avoid getting hit?”

“I searched for the closest shelter I could find, which ended up being a rather dingy looking cave. I fell into it really- it was so well hidden within the rock wall. The second I entered that place… I knew it wasn’t just myself that guided me here. The power radiating from deep down within that cavern, I could tell this place was something special, something more than just somewhere to shelter from the storm.”

Kylo released his grip on the ship's controls, leaning over the console and tapping his fingers across its surface, flicking a silver switch above his head before turning to face her.

“And that’s where we’re headed to right now-“ Kylo’s words tapered off as he caught sight of the weapon attached to her hip, his mouth suddenly turning dry. “-What is that?”

“What’s what?” Rey’s brow arched in confusion, glancing down at herself to try and figure out what had gained his attention. “My holster?”

“I meant more the weapon that it's holding.” Kylo noted dryly, nodding to the blaster sat snuggly within its hold. “That’s my father's weapon, isn’t it?”

“Oh, you’re finally going to start calling him your father now, are you?”

“Don’t avoid the question.” Kylo deflected with a dark scowl, narrowing his eyes dangerously at her. “Where did you get it?”

“He gave it to me.” Rey defended herself, pulling the blaster out of his holster to hold close to her. “Like you, he didn’t think I could protect myself with just my staff, so he gave it to me.”

“He just…gave it to you?”

“Yes. I was going to give it back to him- blasters aren’t really my thing- but… I never got the chance.”

Kylo lowered his eyes to the floor, suddenly finding himself unable to meet her gaze. With an annoyed huff, he turned back around to face the stars that were streaming past them, watching the streaks of lights that warped overhead.

“I’m surprised you didn’t recognize it.” Rey noted after a few unbearable seconds of silence. “After all, I have shot at you with it before. Twice, actually.”

Kylo huffed again, though whether this time it was one of exasperation or one of laughter, she couldn’t tell. Judging by the silence that followed, the conversation seemed to have come to an end. With an awkward clear of her throat, Rey joined Kylo in gazing out the front of the ship, content with watching the Galaxy fly past.

“I learned how to shoot with that blaster.” Kylo was the one to break the silence this time. “We used a stun blaster first- didn’t want to risk me accidentally shooting something I wasn’t meant to. Chewie, he- He would set up these targets for me, made of rocks.”

There was almost a wistful look on Kylo’s face as he reminisced, just a hint of a smile twitching at his lips, his eyes glazed over as he found himself lost on his own memories.

“Chewie taught you how to shoot?” Rey spoke softly, not wanting to startle him out of whatever trance he seemed to have fallen into.

“Taught me how to fly a speeder, too. I had a few close calls the first time I tried, but… He was persistent that I learned. I wanted to learn how to pilot a ship like… Like Han did. Said I needed to learn how to fly a speeder before I got anywhere near the cockpit of a ship.”

“I’m surprised Han didn’t teach you.”

“Mom probably would have killed him if she found out he was teaching me how to shoot. When he saw how well I was doing with the stun blaster, he let me start training with that one.” Kylo pointed a finger towards the weapon in her hands. “Not as powerful as his heavy blaster, but lethal enough. Had a safety switch too- something I’m sure helped appease mother as well. I had to give it back to him once I was sent away to my Uncle.”

Rey pulled the blaster out from its pouch, holding it in her hands which were rested atop her lap. The silver gleam of its metal body reflected the various lights of the ship they were sat in, it's metal well-polished after a good clean. She may not know much about using a blaster, but she at least knows that a clean, looked after blaster is a blaster that will never fail you.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you shoot a blaster.” Rey pondered as she looked down at the blaster in her lap. “Were you any good?”

“I could hit the target.” Kylo replied indifferently, shrugging his shoulders. “Which is more than I can say for your skills.”

“Hey!” Rey protested. “I managed to hit a good few of your men!”

“Didn’t manage to hit me.”

“You were deflecting them with your saber! They were still on target-”

“-I distinctly remember seeing some bolts flying past me into the trees.”

“I was running away from you, it’s not like I could take the time to aim! Wouldn’t have mattered much anyway, if you just kept deflecting them.”

“Well, it was that or let myself get shot. Although, I’m sure you’d be glad if I had let the latter happen.”

“Well, I… I wouldn’t say glad.”

“Oh? What would you say?”

“I’d say it would probably have made life easier for me, but… easier is boring.” Rey responded, glancing at Kylo out of the corner of her eye. “Besides, I prefer a challenge.”

* * *

Despite how much Rey had insisted she wouldn’t be able to sleep in his ship, there were many times in their long journey that she found herself drifting off. It seemed that the comfortable seats of his shuttle and the fact that she hadn’t got much sleep last night were really having an impact on her ability to stay awake.

Rey was jolted out of her sleepy state by a crackling sound emitting from the ship's intercom. Kylo immediately straightened to attention at the sound, leaning away from the console and closer to her to whisper in her direction. “We’re approaching our destination. It seems my troops have detected us.”

“Unknown Ship, you are entering into Restricted Space. This planet is strictly off-limit to non-personnel of the First Order. Turn around, or identify yourself, or we will be forced to fire upon you.”

Even though she knew she was currently sat inside Kylo Ren’s ship, she still felt a sharp spike of fear run through her, as if they somehow knew she was in here. It was an irrational thought, she knew that full well, but living the life she had, it had taught her that the best way to survive was to expect the worst of a situation, and make sure you’re prepared for it. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get a word out, Kylo had raised a finger to his lips. While usually she would not accept such orders from him, the urgency she saw in his expression was enough for her mouth to slam shut. Once he felt assured she would not speak, Kylo let his finger slip away from his lips and turned back to the console, leaning closer to the intercom and pressing his finger down onto the button.

“It would do you well to identify your Leaders ship, trooper,” Kylo spoke smoothly into the intercom, his tone sending as much as a threat as his words ever could. “I can think of just a few of the many… repercussions you may face from the First Order after firing upon your leader. If I don’t get to you first, that is.”

“My apologies, Supreme Leader,” The man’s voice had lost most of its superiority, a few warbles away from becoming a trembling mess. “We were not expecting a visit from you today.”

“Snoke may have been a lot more lax in checking up on his trooper's work, but I prefer to be a bit more thorough. No use checking up on you when you know I’m coming. This way, I can see how you’ve truly been doing- And then I can assess your usefulness from that.”

“Of course, Supreme Leader. Welcome.”

With that, the intercom crackled once more, and the ship returned to silence. Kylo released his hold on the intercoms button, moving his hands back over to the console of the ship and messing with a few buttons, taking the ship out of auto-pilot as he grabbed hold of its controls.

“Easy as that.” Kylo turned his head to speak to her, though kept his eyes trained on the windshield of his ship. “And as he said: Welcome.”

It never ceased to amaze Rey the vastly different planets that existed out here. Having lived most of her life on a dry and sand-covered planet, the thought of a planet existing that was covered in plants, lush and full of life, seemed impossible. It was possible, but being stuck in that place… In that state of mind, it was nothing more than a dream. This one looked quite similar to Takonda, and she was sure she had the same expression of wonder and amazement planted on her face as when she laid eyes on Takonda for the first time, aboard the Falcon. The planet was nothing more than a green orb from this distance, barely able to see the small patches of blue that dotted its surface. Rey pushed herself out of her seat, leaning over the console and closer to the thick glass of the windshield, the only barrier between her and the un-survivable cold of space, desperate to get a closer look.

“You might want to sit back down,” Kylo’s voice broke her out of the moment, bringing her sharply back to reality. “I’m starting the descent.”

Rey fell back down into her seat, watching as the small green orb grew bigger and bigger, until it was all she could see. The hazy gray clouds covering the planet split apart as they broke through the planet’s atmosphere, an endless landscape of brilliantly vivid green staring back at her, cresting up the planets mountainous landscape. It seemed that, unless there was an ocean in the way, every square inch of the planet’s surface had become overrun by flora. The stretch of green that made up the ground rapidly rose to meet them as Kylo pushed the shuttle further down, until they were close enough that Rey could make out the tops of the tall, swaying trees that rushed past them.

“There’s no landing pads here- as you can imagine. No landing sites either.” Kylo told her as he decreased some of the engine's output, slowing the ship down.

“Where are you planning to land then? It doesn’t seem like there’s anywhere to safely put this thing down.”

“There is a landing pad near a base, nearly a day’s walk away from where we’re headed. Obviously, using that is unwise, since we’re trying to prevent my troopers from spotting you. Once I had returned from my trek last time, I knew this was a place I was going to return to- So I cleared a small area to land. Shouldn’t be too big as to attract the attention of my troops, but big enough that we won’t have to worry about damaging ourselves upon landing.”

“You cleared an area of forest all by yourself? With what?”

Kylo answered his question by tapping at his saber by his side.

“It took me a while to find a good area- Most of the trees have too thick of a trunk you see, wouldn’t be able to slice through without starting some fires that I wouldn’t be able to extinguish. Fortunately, I found an area that mostly consisted of very thin, but very long, trunks. They were easy to bring down.”

“And you remember where this place is?”

Suddenly, the ship gave a giant lurch, and Rey found herself pinned to her seat as the ship slowed in the air dramatically. She felt her stomach sink as the ship began to drop down rapidly, a feeling similar to being in free-fall. She heard the whirring of gears as the ship's landing gear dropped down, moments before she feels the reassuring ‘thud’ of the ship reaching ground safely.

“Yes, I’d say I do,” Kylo said with a tone that hinted he was barely holding in his cocky smile. After a few more taps on his console, the ship's engines powered down, and Kylo rose from his seat, reaching out to snag his helmet from the console before he took a few steps behind her, disappearing from her line of sight. “Come on, we’ve still got a small walk ahead of us.”

Rey gave him a small glare as she too got up from her seat, turning to see the back of him as he stood waiting by the ship's open ramp, nothing more than a black silhouette against the bright light of the planets sun spilling into the ship. She walked over to his side, very nearly tripping over his cape that was whipping against his legs from the breeze that filtered in up the ramp. Even from here, she could feel the heat of the planet wrapping itself around her. Heat was something she was used to, but this was nothing like the heat of Jakku. Jakku was a dry heat, one that left your lungs feeling scratchy and your mouth so dry that it was as if you had swallowed its sands dunes. This planet's heat was almost wet, the air so dense with it that was sure she was breathing in warm water and not air. She was so unaccustomed to it that she almost felt like she was suffocating, like she was in no way getting enough oxygen to function properly.

Kylo looked unaffected by the planet's condition. Perhaps he had already become accustomed to it in his visits. Or, maybe he was just very good at hiding it, as he is many other things.  After a few moments, Kylo attached his helmet to his side, resting securely on a clip that was on his belt.

“Are you ready?”

‘No.’ That’s what she was thinking, at least, but it wasn’t something she could ever say out loud. After all, she’d already come all this way. She may be fearing not only what’s to come, but what could happen on the way there, but with all this effort put into reaching here, not just by her but by the man standing next to her, turning back now just isn’t an option.

“Let’s go.”

* * *

Every now and then, Rey took a moment to take in the absolute beauty of this planet. Whilst the treetops provided a decent amount of shade from the burning sun above them, there were still a few beams of sunlight peering through the thick wall of leaves, accentuating the gorgeous colors that surrounded them. Whilst it was true that most of what she saw was various shades of green, there were a few bursts of color all around, many different species of exotic-looking flowers trailing up the ridiculously tall trees they were navigating their way past. It was very peaceful, not much to hear but the shuffling of leaves pushed by the gentle breeze that was too warm to do much in terms of cooling her off, and the beautiful songs of the flying creatures that flew over-head, some brave enough to swoop right past the two of them.

Rey’s sure she’d be able to appreciate it even more if she didn’t feel like she was about to drop dead from the heat. She had lost track of how long they had been walking for now. All she does know is that it feels like her skin is melting off her body in this awful heat. The burning pain on the bottom of her feet makes it feel as if she’s managed to rub away the soles of her shoes, the sensitive skin within rubbed raw. Sweat was steadily collecting within her boots, which only served to worsen the friction burn as she walks. A part of her wanted to give in and ask Kylo how much further it was until they reached this cave of his, but a larger part of her refused to do so, not wanting to give away any signs that this long trek was affecting her more than it seemed.

Especially since, in the brief moments she glances over to him, his long strides meaning she’s practically having to jog to keep up with him, the only sign she gets that he’s suffering as much as she is by the glistening sheen of sweat covering his skin, a few drops occasionally rolling down the bridge of his nose. She can only imagine the amount of sweat building up in the big, dark, bulky combat boots he wears, still stomping along the dirt path with his usual forcefulness, as if each step isn’t bringing him intense pain, occasionally swinging his saber in front of him to slice through any vines that stopped their advance.

Still, he hasn’t said a thing about the intense heat. Kylo hasn’t said much, really, which she assumes is because he’s focusing on remembering the way to the cave. The idea that perhaps he doesn’t remember the way, and is too stubborn to admit he’s lost, does briefly flutter past her thoughts, but she’d rather not test his patience by bringing it up right now, especially if this heat has him feeling as agitated as she feels. She doesn’t know how he does it, walking about in this insane heat, covered in layers of nothing but heavy, thick, black clothing. The cloak seems completely unnecessary at this point, and she’s sure it would be such a relief to take it off. And yet, it remains.

However, as time goes on, and with it the ache in her feet worsens, and the scratchy dry feeling in her throat increases, Rey finds that her patience only lessens. He had said that this was a short walk, and while she doesn’t know what Kylo’s definition of short is, this is definitely not it. Not even close.

“Are you sure we’re on the right path?” Rey used her staff to flick away a piece of vine that had rebounded at her off Kylo as he pushed through. “This all seems very… Untouched.”

“It’s been a while since I was here, most of the vegetation has regrown,” Kylo replied, grunting as he cuts through a particularly thick vine that had refused to bend away. “Trust me, I’ll never forget how to find my way to this place. I’d never forgive myself if I did.”

“Sounds like this place is important to you.”

“That’s because it is. Planets that are rich with naturally occurring Kyber Veins are incredibly rare, especially now that Illum is… not available. It’s a vital resource to the First Order.”

“Is that so?” Rey’s words were breathy, the simple act of talking too much when trekking in this heat. “If it’s so vital to them, then why haven’t you told anyone in the First Order about it? I mean, they’re excavating the planet for it, right? Why not tell them about this cave?”

Kylo stopped so unexpectedly in his tracks that, if she weren’t paying enough attention, she would have walked straight into the back of him. Confused, and slightly worried, Rey took a small step back, giving back the space that had been taken from his sudden stop. Considering she’s used to how Kylo doesn’t usually show much expression on his face, it was surprising how unnerving it was when she could only read the back of him. Kylo extinguished his saber, holding it limply by his side as he slowly turned around to face her, his eyes drifting up and down her form before rising up to her face to lock eyes with her.

“Because there are things in this Galaxy that are too beautiful to be damaged.”

In the pause after his words, a sudden chill ran up her spine. Not because of his words, no, but because of a realization; it was quiet. Not just quiet, but silent.

“What is it?” Kylo asked, having seen the panicked look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you hear that?”

Kylo furrowed his brow, cocking his head a little as he took a moment to listen closer.

“Hear…what? I don’t hear anything.”

“Exactly. The birds have gone silent. Somethings wrong.”

Rey didn’t think he would take her words too seriously, expecting for him to brush aside her concerns as nothing more than paranoia. Instead, she sees him tense up, igniting his saber within seconds and spinning around, trying to get a glimpse of a danger that they don’t even know exists just yet. Kylo took a step back, bumping into Rey’s side, to which he instinctively puts an arm out to try and pull her behind him. Rey goes willingly, turning so that they were back to back and holding her staff out in front of her at the same time that Kylo holds his ignited saber in front of himself. The two pivot on the spot, scanning every inch of the treeline they can see.

“Do you see anything?” Rey turns her head slightly to whisper up to him, making sure to keep her eyes on what’s in front of her.

“No,” Kylo mumbled under his breath in response. “I can barely see a thing through all these plants-“

A deep, guttural sounding growl froze the two of them. The cold chill Rey had been feeling peaked at the sound, her hands much clammier than they were before. The two of them simultaneously turn in the direction of the sound, in no way able to anticipate what it is they were about to confront.

Out from the shade of the trees came a large, sleek beast, very nearly the same height as them. It moved slow and low to the ground, it’s four muscular legs propelling it smoothly forward, prowling towards them. It was covered in fine fur, its color a brown so dark, Rey almost mistook it as black. The sun glinted off its fur as it moved, an odd iridescence pattern appearing, spots of blue appearing as it was exposed to the light. Its head resembled one of a lizard; long pointed snout that cracked open to reveal rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth. Sitting within its mouth was a slender, navy-colored tongue which flicked about in its mouth as it released yet another one of its low growls. The creature came to a stop as its beady, yellow eyes swiveled around to focus on them, it's diamond-shaped pupils dilating, it’s nostrils flaring, catching their scent.

Kylo spun his saber around in his hand, the saber emitting a crackled hum at the movement. The creatures growls increased in volume at the sight, sensing the danger and power within the object in his hands. The creature began its crawl once more, sluggishly moving its heavy mass to circle them, inching steadily closer as it did so.

“Keep behind me,” Kylo ordered in a low, quiet tone, not taking his eyes off the creature for even a second. “I’ll do my best to distract it. Once it’s focused on me, you make a run for it.”

“What?” Rey hissed. “I’m not leaving you to fight this thing off on your own!”

“You don’t have a weapon. Just that blaster,” Kylo shot back in an equally harsh tone. “This isn’t up for discussion. Go!”

“No! We don’t know how powerful this thing is, it could kill you!”

“For Kriffs-sake, Rey! Why can't you just do as I ask-“

Kylo was cut off as the creature unexpectedly leaped through the air, showing much more agility then it had previously. Kylo barely had enough time to react, shoving Rey to the side and twisting away, slashing his saber through the creature’s side. The hit barely glanced the creature, which gave a rough growl as the saber burnt through its flesh. It reacted to the pain by swiping out an arm, catching Kylo off guard. The power of the hit swept Kylo off his feet, sending him hurtling through the air into the depths of the forest, landing somewhere out of Rey’s sight with a painful sounding ‘thud’.

“BEN!” Rey yelled out after him, uneasiness settling within her when she gets no response. 

The creature turned its furious gaze onto Rey at her yell, having become enraged and defensive from the injury Kylo had inflicted. It only gives a small snarl in warning before charging towards her, swiping its sharp claws across the ground as it gets closer. Rey brings up her staff to swipe the creature in the side of the head, sending the creature staggering to the side from the hit. It shakes its head side to side, something akin to a mix of a growl and a hiss vibrating from its chest as it dived towards her with its jaws open wide. Rey shoved her staff in the direction of the creature, the top of it catching the roof of the creature’s mouth. The beast tried to snap its mouth shut, only to be greeted by the bottom of her staff. The creature hissed in anguish, but Rey could feel it biting down harder and harder, felt her staff shake in her hands under the immense pressure. With a loud crack, the staff snapped in two, and Rey threw herself to the ground, moments before the creature's sharp teeth snapped together where her head once was.

She rolls as she lands, bouncing back up to her feet. Before the creature can recover, she yanks her blaster out of her holster, pressing down on the trigger. She only realizes that the blaster isn’t firing because the safety is still on once the creature pounces, its heavy weight pushing her to the ground. It’s nothing but adrenaline and instinct fuelling her actions as she holds the creature by the neck, the only thing keeping its snapping teeth from sinking into the soft flesh of her neck. Its rancid breath washed over her as its snout moves closer and closer, her trembling arms unable to hold the beast at bay for long.

She hears the sound of something gliding through the leaves and dirt of the forest floor until it gently hits her side. Just as the creature rears back, ready for its final blow, Rey grabs hold of the object by her side. Her hands wrap around the familiar hilt of Kylo’s saber and, as the creature strikes, she ignites the saber.

Kylo somewhat stumbles to his feet, his vision still blurry from the hit to his head, the slight trickle of blood running down the side of his face the end result of such a hit. Through the fogginess of his vision he’s just about able to make out the shape of the creature resting atop Rey, both bodies still on the forest floor.

“Rey?” Kylo tries to ignore the icy grip of fear that clung to his heart at the sight, his uncoordinated movements resulting in more of a staggering shuffle in her direction.

The fear releases its grip at the sight of Rey pushing the creature off to the side, revealing the smoldering hole that had been pierced through its chest, his saber still ignited in her hands. He lets out a small breath of relief, wiping his hands across his face, waiting for everything to stop spinning around him.

Rey grimaces as she pushes herself up to sit, glancing down at the saber in her hand to see it still ignited, swiping the ignition switch down to extinguish its blades. Something black appears in the corner of her vision, and she glances up to see Kylo’s glove-clad hand, which she gladly takes, leaning on him as she pulls herself up to stand. Kylo wobbles at the extra weight, and Rey shoots out a hand to stop him from keening over, grabbing hold of his arm.

“Are you okay?” She asks him, eyes drawn to the sluggishly bleeding wound on his head.

“I’ll be fine.” Kylo brushes her off, despite the jelly feeling in his legs. “I’ve dealt with worse.”

“We should really take care of that.” Rey insisted, furrowing her brow anxiously at the wound.

“I said I’m fine.” Kylo snapped, trying to tug his arm out of her vice grip. Instead of letting go, Rey tugs him towards a fallen trunk, pushing him down to sit. Just the fact that she’s so easily able to push him around only serves to prove her point that he is not fine, but that doesn’t stop him from weakly glaring up at her.

Rey pulls open the top of her bag, pulling out a small canteen of water and a few bundles of cloth and gauze, most of them homemade from spare bits of cloth she was able to cut from old clothing of hers, Luke’s and (when they finally gave in) the keepers of Ahch-To.

“We’d be better off with some Bacta-patches,” Rey tells him as she uncaps the canteen, placing a piece of cloth at the lip of the bottle and pouring out some water, soaking the material. “But we’ll have to make do with this.”

Kylo doesn’t say anything in response as she lifts the cloth to his face, wiping as gently as she can across the wound. Kylo can’t help but flinch at the touch, doing his best to hide his wince at the sharp burst of pain.

“Sorry,” Rey whispers in apology, clearing away the blood that had smeared across his forehead. The cloth quickly becomes coated in red, to which she wets another piece of cloth, continuing to wipe away the blood that continued to slowly leak from his head.

“This might hurt a bit,” Rey warns him as she takes a bundle of cloth in her hands and pressing it to the wound, putting as much pressure as she dares. Kylo’s breath hitches as his eyes flutter shut, holding his breath for a moment before releasing it slowly, keeping his eyes shut as he works through the pain.

After a few minutes, Rey pulls the bundle of cloths away from his head, relieved to see the bleeding had all but stopped. She gently grabs hold of the sides of his face, pulling him closer to take a better look at the injury. Kylo’s eyes open at the touch, gazing up at her as she assesses his wound.

“I don’t think you’ll need any stitches,” Kylo feels her breath fan across his face as she speaks. “We should probably keep it covered though, just to be sure.”

Kylo makes no complaints as she turns away to unroll the gauze, pushing his hair out of the way as she wraps the gauze around his head as tight as she can without hurting him. She finishes tying the ends of the gauze in a knot to secure it, her eyes dropping down to see Kylo’s intense gaze locked on her. Her hands slowly drop from his head as she finishes the knot, finding herself unable to tear her gaze away from the intensity of his.

“Thank you,” Kylo spoke softly, his gaze briefly moving from her eyes down to her lips, before flicking back up again.

Rey snapped herself out of it, all but leaping back from him, surprised by how close they had managed to get in just a few seconds. Kylo blinks owlishly for a few seconds before clearing his throat, glancing down at the log he was sat on and picking up the discarded and bloodies bits of cloth. With a few kicks of his feet, he had created a large enough hole to drop the piece of cloth into, kicking some dirt and leaves back on top to cover them. Rey placed the canteen back into her bag, picking up his saber from beside her and glancing up to see Kylo staring up at the sky. Rey looked up to see what he was staring at, noticing that through the cover of trees, she could make out the sun, which was already reaching its highest point in the sky.

“We uh… We should get going.” Rey stammered out, looking away from the sky and awkwardly holding his lightsaber out to him. Kylo doesn’t say a word in response as he scoops the saber back up, only solemnly nods at her and clips the saber back to his belt, turning on his heel and pushing through the forest once again. Rey watches his retreating form for a few seconds, unable to explain why the humming warmth she felt within her chest when she gazed into her eyes seemed to be growing colder the further he walked away from her.

“What just happened?”

* * *

Rey had all but sunk into her thoughts, mostly as a way to distract herself from the ache she felt throughout her entire body at being pinned down by that creature. She imagined Kylo was in a similar boat right now. That wound did look rather painful, and the hazy look she had seen in his eyes, along with his somewhat sluggish movements, didn’t do much to boost her confidence in his wellbeing. As she walks, she glances down to the two halves of her staff in her hands, feeling a pang of sadness for its demise. That weapon had been by her side nearly her entire life, protecting her from all manners of relentless scavengers and other trespassers.

She’s about to take another step forward when her path is blocked by Kylo’s arm, stretched out in front of her to stop her from moving any further. He’s not looking at her, rather he’s staring at a section of a cliff wall that’s adorned by hanging vines and creeping plants extending up and around the cracked rocks. He drops his hand away, sweeping over to the solid face of rock and placing a hand palm forward on its surface. Rey’s about to ask him what he’s trying to do when he takes a step to the side, grabbing hold of a clump of hanging vines and tugging them harshly down, ripping them away. This forms a small black hole, and Kylo continues to pull away more and more of the vegetation until eventually, there’s a hole large enough for them to squeeze through.

“This is it.” Kylo breathes, grabbing the side of the tough, thick vines, grunting with the effort as he pulls it to the side, widening the hole just a bit more for her to enter through.

“Are you coming with me?” Rey asked as she peering into the un-ending darkness within, a small bubble of anxiety forming at the idea of making her way through this cave all by herself.

“Every step of the way.”

She flashed him a grateful smile, to which she got a twitch of the lips from him in response. That’s as good as a smile to her, especially when considering this is Kylo Ren. She ducks under his arm that’s still holding the rebellious vines away that are valiantly trying to return to their original position, stepping into the smothering darkness that threatened to swallow her whole. Her eyes flick about in the dark, the small stream of light making its way through the entrance barely lighting the room. She only has to exist in this uncomfortable state of being without sight for a few seconds before the room is filled with a blinding red. She winces at the sudden, unexpected burst of light, though her eyes quickly recover. She glances over to the source of the light, seeing that Kylo had ignited his saber, holding it out in front of him as a light source. The crackling sabers light gave out a similar glowing effect, its flickering light replicating the effect of a lit torch.

If she’s being honest, the place doesn’t look all that special. The cave is narrow and somewhat claustrophobic, her limited vision making it feel like the walls were closing in on them both. The ceiling is, thankfully, quite high up, and she at least doesn’t feel at risk of the ceiling collapsing atop of her.

“We’re so close…” Kylo whispers into the darkness, his voice, while quiet, amplified as it bounces off the walls that enclosed them. “I envy you, in a way. This experience is one you’ll never forget.”

Kylo began to walk forward, Rey trailing close behind. After all, he’s the one that’s been here before, and she’d much rather not get lost in this place. Without a source of light, she’d never find her way back out, and that’s a fate she wants to avoid at all costs.

“Can you only ever get one crystal?” Rey asks as they advance further and further into the cave, relieved to see that the narrow walkways were beginning to widen marginally.

“I’ve never heard of an instance where more than one crystal has called out to one of the padawans during The Gathering. That doesn’t mean you’re limited to only one, however. There have been many Force Wielders in the past that have returned to Illum to find another crystal, either for another saber, or to create a saber with more than one blade.”

“Then… what’s stopping you from getting another crystal?”

“Nothing but myself,” Kylo replied. “I don’t need another crystal. I’m more than satisfied with the saber I have, and I have no desire to construct another for myself. I could experience collecting a crystal again, yes, but I can never again experience the first time. It’s different. The feeling of rightness is one I cannot explain. You’ll know when you feel it.”

It didn’t take long for Kylo to be proven right.

Rey repeated his earlier actions, shooting out a hand and grabbing hold of his upper arm, forcing him to come to a stop. It felt like a light tickling sensation at the back of her head at first, so subtle she almost didn’t notice it. The deeper down they went into the cave, the stronger it got until eventually, it was more than just a sensation. Now, she could hear it: Unintelligible whispering, floating out from somewhere ahead of them, willing her to come closer.

“You hear it, don’t you?” Kylo asked, and if she listened close enough, she would be able to pick up the slightest tone of excitement in his voice. “It’s calling out to you, Rey. Follow it.”

Rey didn’t need Kylo to tell her this. The need to go and find the source of the whispers was so strong, the notion of doing so utterly natural, something that she has to do, the thought of not doing it simply out of the question. It felt like she wasn’t in control of her body, more like she was just a passenger, watching herself as she descends further and further down, no longer needing the gentle glow of Kylo’s saber to light the way. She could be blind for all it mattered, robbed all of her senses, in fact, and it would not matter. So long as the Force existed within her, so long as she had the privilege of being able to shape it to her will, she would find her way.

Rey didn’t feel like she had truly regained control of her body until she had reached the end of a particularly narrow tunnel, staring agape at the gigantic cavern she had stepped into. The crumbling walls of the cave were now so far apart, the cavern so wide in size, that she could barely see where it ended, especially past the odd, murky fog that floated lazily just above the damp floor. All of this was nothing compared to the ginormous, breath-taking crystals that littered the cavern, most jutting out from the walls of the cavern, others surrounding narrow columns that had been eroded away from the trickling water escaping from the ceiling. If it weren’t for the sense of calmness that had washed over her upon stepping into this place, the sight of the sharp, hanging crystals attached to the ceiling above them would likely have worried her.

But, it doesn’t. She trusts the crystals, as if they were alive, believing with her entire being that they would not hurt her.

“It really is beautiful,” Rey whispers in astonishment, spinning around to take in all that she can.

“It’s certainly something to behold, yes.” Kylo agrees. “The call, it must be stronger now. Almost unbearable, if your experience is similar to mine.”

It was exactly the same as his experience, based on the incessant tug she felt deep down inside her. It almost felt like a physical pull, like someone had wrapped around her waist and was yanking with all its might, willing her to follow wherever it leads. Rey readily gives in to the tug, to the call, letting her feet take her to where she needs to be.

It’s here.

It’s here, and its been waiting for you.

She feels it, more than she sees it. A single, small shard whose energy pulsed through the room, standing out to her like a flashlight in the dark. Her pace quickens as she lays eyes on it, needing to get there faster. She can hear the slapping sounds of her own footsteps as she advanced towards it, hears the echoing footsteps of Kylo right behind her, as he promised.

“Is this it?” Kylo asks once she comes to a stop. Her eyes were focused on only the crystal in front of her. Nothing seemed more important in the Galaxy, at least not right here in this moment.

“This is it.”

No if, no ‘I think’, no buts. This was it. She just knew.

“What are you waiting for?” She could barely hear Kylo’s voice over the relentless whispering that filled her mind. “Take what’s yours.”

Rey reaches out a hand, pinching the tip of the crystal between her thumb and her forefinger. With a flick of her wrist, the crystal cracks, snapping off from the base of the shard. She pulls the crystal into her palm, wrapping her fingers so tightly around it that the sharp edges of the crystal bite into her soft skin, close to drawing blood.

Her mind raced with the possibilities, of what color the crystal would shift into. It had been colorless when she snapped it off, a rather cloudy pale white color, almost translucent. What color would it show to her? What of herself would the crystal reflect at her?

Rey closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to ready herself. Agonizingly slowly, Rey uncurls her fingers one by one, the crystal rocking lightly in her hands. She takes another deep breath, counts to three, and opens her eyes.

The crystal had broke in half.

Two pieces now sat in her hand. Moments ago, it had been one single crystal. She knew that. Felt it as she snapped it off.

But, that wasn’t all. That wasn’t the only thing that had caught her attention. It was the color of the crystal.

Red.

The crystal was undisputedly, glaringly, red.

Her stomach dropped to her feet, dread replacing the hole it’s lack of presence had created. This… This wasn’t possible, was it? She was sure of it. Kylo had told her as much, the crystals didn’t naturally turn red. It was a process, a draining, painful one at that. So why? Why had this happened? Why did she have to be the one for this phenomenon to occur for?

“Ben?” She whispers, his name coming out as more of a tremble. “Ben, I don’t understand, I didn’t think that-“

But when she turns to address him, he’s gone. Nothing but darkness exists in the place he had once been, seemingly vanishing from existence.

“Ben?” Rey calls out, her voice echoing back to her. “Ben!”

Panic is quick to take hold. She refused to believe he had just abandoned her. It just wasn’t possible. He had been by her side seconds ago, there was no way for him to have left as quickly as he did. Nothing made sense.

You went straight to the dark…

Rey whirled around, eyes desperately searching in the darkness for the source of the sound. Its cruel whispers bounced around the room, echoing its harsh words back to her.

It offered you something you needed. And you didn’t even try to stop yourself…

No….No, not this again.

I’ve seen this raw strength only once before in Ben Solo. It didn’t scare me then. It does now…

“Stop it…” Rey whispered, eyes wide in fear as she stumbled backward, her mind beginning to play tricks on her in the dark. “Just… Stop it…”

You think you can turn him? Pathetic child…

“Shut up!” Rey snaps at the irritating voices. “Bring everything back! Bring Ben back!”

The voice shifted once more, no longer the voice of her mentor, or the being that had once ruled the First Order. The darkness had granted her request, but not in the way she wanted.

And somehow, you convinced the droid to show it to you. You. A scavenger…

“This isn’t real…” Rey whispered to herself, her attempt to reassure herself not going as planned when her own voice whispers back, “How can you be sure?”

You had no place in this story. You come from nothing. You’re nothing…

I know that when the time comes, you’ll be the one to turn. You’ll stand with me, Rey.

“I won’t!” Rey wailed. This was just a test. That’s all it was. Then, why did it feel more than that? The crystal burned in her hand, a reminder of its presence, that of which she had somehow almost forgotten about amidst all this chaos. She tightens her grip around the crystal halves, the stinging pain of their jagged edges a grateful distraction. “I’ll never go down that way. I’ll never be tempted.”

“But words are easier than actions, are they not?”

It was her own voice again. Except, this time, it did not come from her own mind. No, she heard them spoken out loud, a dull tone that made her whole body shiver in disgust. And it was coming from right behind her.

The figure was shrouded in darkness, barely see-able due to the black garments it had draped itself in. A long, thick, dark cloak that pooled around their feet, clad in military-esque black boots. Black strips of fabric wrapped around the top of the boots, leading up and joining the equally black colored leggings. The thing that caught her attention the most was an all too familiar mask covering their face, the sight of the ragged blood red lines hitting her like a punch to the gut.

For a second, she almost whispered Ben’s name. After all, who else would wear such a mask, but the man who had hidden behind it for years? But, no… No, the figure was much too feminine to be him, too petite in size, too slender. And if the voice she had heard emitting from the figure has truly been her own, then…

Her worst fears are confirmed when the figure pulls the helmet off their head, that recognizable hiss of air sending a wave of nausea through her body. The most frightening thing about it all was, perhaps, that the face that was staring back at her had barely changed. Apart from the clothing, it seemed like she was just staring into a mirror. It was herself, and she seemed like herself.

“It had been one of his most brilliant ideas,” The other Rey stated, staring fondly down at the helmet in her hands. “ ‘The Mystery of Kylo Ren.’ The unstoppable being of raw power, that would bring the Galaxy to its knees with nothing more than the swing of saber, and the wave of a hand. One Kylo Ren was terrifying enough, but… What if there were more than one? One equally as strong with the Force, one that could complement his power with their own… What being would stand a chance against both of us?”

“No.” Rey denied, unable to stand the sound of her own voice, not when it was saying such words. “I would never agree to such a thing…”

“Oh, but we did,” The other her gloated. “And I was here, once. Just as you are now. And I said the same words that you did. And I believed them as much as you do right now. But things change. People change. And the more things changed, the more I learned… All of sudden, the words I once thought were from the ramblings of a tyrannical leader started to claim some truth to them.”

“Liar.”

“You can tell yourself what you want to believe. Try and change things as much as possible. But at the end of it all, you’ll stand here, just as I am now. The Force will call out to you, ask for your guidance to teach another. Teach you. And you will do it gladly. You will tell yourself to give in to that happiness. Of what you were missing all this time…”

“Tell me whatever you want. I won’t listen to a word of it. There is only one truth, one such power that can grant us a view into the possibilities the future may hold, and that is The Force. You are nothing more than a cheap trick to sway me. The Force may show me such possibilities, but I am the one that controls my own destiny.”

“Yes.” The other her agreed, much to Rey’s surprise. “You do control your own destiny. And that thing in your hand right there? That is the piece that leads you down this road, to becoming the person you see in front of you.”

The other her slowly placed a hand behind her back, yanking away a saber that had been cleverly hidden within a holder strapped to her back. She ignited the saber, revealing two fiery blades which, to her horror, were of the same ferocious energy as Kylo’s saber, the crackling red projecting across the sharp lines of dark her’s face.

“You take those crystal pieces from this place? It will always end up back here. Back in this saber in my hands. This will always be its place.”

“I won’t give in. Not to you, not to Kylo, not to the Dark. I will never become like you. I’ll make sure that never happens. No matter what it takes.”

The smirk on dark her’s face slipped away, lips curling in disgust at her past self.

“So be it.”

Dark Rey flicked the saber in her hand, the forceful movement pushing one saber down until it locked into place, forming a two-sided staff. A satisfied smile appeared on her face at the fear that washed over Rey’s face.

The crystal pieces in Rey’s hands began to burn ferociously, hot enough that she was tempted to drop it to the floor to relieve the searing pain. The burning spread across her hand, the crystal joining and becoming… Larger? It was morphing shape, tall enough that she could wrap her hands around it. It’s smooth surface had changed, the ridges she felt under her fingers very familiar. Rey pries her eyes away from her other self long enough to glance down at the crystal in her hands.

Only, it wasn’t a crystal anymore.

It was Kylo’s saber.

Rey wasted no time, flicking the ignition switch up to his saber. It did not emit the crimson blades she was used to, instead out came a pouring of blindingly bright white light. It retained its unstable, crackling energy, casting a flickering white light all around the cavern. It’s light lit up Dark Rey’s face, and this time it was her face that had constricted in fear, though she still retained that look of disgust, now directed at the saber in Rey’s hands.

“Abomination,” Dark Rey spat at her, her fear quickly morphing to fury. “Do not try to deceit me. Kylo would never do that to his saber. He would never do such a thing.”

Rey had no idea what the other her was babbling about, but clearly, it had disturbed her deeply. From what she could see, the only thing about the saber that had changed was its color, and she would confess she knew little about a sabers color, even more so, she had never even heard of a lightsaber turning white. This was not a new saber, it was very obviously Kylo’s one. She could never mistake it. So how had the crystal within changed color? And why did it upset the vision she was shown so much?

Rey doesn’t have much time to dwell on it, for the vision in front of her charges, lightsaber raised, ready to strike. Rey swings Kylo’s saber up in retaliation, placing a foot behind her to steady herself as Dark Rey’s saber clashes with Kylo’s. The force of the hit has Dark’s Rey’s saber sliding off to the side, to which she spins and aims a blow at Rey’s side. Rey just barely manages to aim Kylo’s saber down by her side in time to catch the hit, the hit nearly pushing Kylo’s saber into her own flesh. Rey kicks out her foot, landing squarely on Dark Rey’s chest. Dark Rey stumbles back with a pained grunt, though it quickly turns to amused laughter as she spins the saber-staff from her left hand to her right, taunting Rey with a wave of her hand, gesturing her closer.

Rey doesn’t rise to the bait.

‘Don’t strike first.’ A smooth voice filters through her head, wrapping its comforting presence around her mind. ‘Let her come to you.’

“How many years into the future are you?” Rey asks her future self as she begins stepping to the side, to which Dark Rey copies, the two slowly circling one another. “To think; You have all these years of dark side training over me, and yet, you can’t beat me.”

Dark Rey does rise to the bait.

She snarls, taking a few powerful pouncing steps towards her before she uses the force to launch herself into the air, aiming the end of her staff at Rey as she falls. Rey struggles with the weight of Kylo’s saber, sluggishly swinging it into the air and knocking the staff to the side before it can impale her. Dark Rey’s feet are centimeters from touching the ground, but before she can land, Rey throws out a hand, using the Force to push her away before she can attack once more. Dark Rey uses the Force to slow down her landing, feet skidding across the rocky floor as she slows to a stop, crouching low to the ground as she lands to take in the impact of the landing, her staff held tightly behind her back. In a flash, she’s back on her feet, the staff in her hand a blur of red and black as she takes repeated swipes in Rey's direction. Rey parries, mostly instinct and muscle memory fueling her movement as she reflects the hits. Rey pushed down the staff with Kylo’s saber, pushing it further and further down until it meets the floor. The floor hisses at the contact, rock slowly melting away as the tip of the staff is forced further and further down into the ground. Dark Rey pushes the other side of the staff towards Rey’s who flinches back enough to avoid the other end of the staff from spearing her face and lifts Kylo’s saber into the air, bringing it down hard onto her future self. Dark Rey throws out a hand, catching the saber mid-air. Rey’s arms shake with the effort as she tries to resist the force pushing up on her saber, and to her surprise, see’s that she’s winning the fight as the saber inches slowly downwards. Dark Rey unexpectedly releases hold of the saber, rolling away to the side to avoid the saber slicing through her.

Rey bends back up from the strike in time to see Dark Rey holding out a hand to the wall of the cave. A harsh rumble fills the air, the floor shakes, and then, a chunk of rock is ripped right out of the wall. It hovers menacingly in the air for only a moment before it’s sailing through the air, thrown in her direction.

‘Grab it!’

Rey flicks out a hand, calling out to the Force as she imagines physically swiping the rock away. The rock all but soars away to the side, slamming into the side of the cavern with such a forceful impact that the cavern begins shaking again. Then, there’s another chunk of rock flying towards her.

This time, she grabs it.

The rock floats in front of her, a few bits crumbling away to the floor at how hard she was ‘grabbing’ it. Instead of letting the rock fall to the floor, she lets her rage get the best of her, screaming in fury as she launches the rock back at her opponent. Dark Rey dives to the ground, the rock going sailing over her head. Rey advances towards Dark Rey, taking advantage of her opponent's weakened position on the ground. She twirls Kylo’s saber in her hand until it’s pointed downwards, pulling the saber across her body and striking slantways at Dark Rey. Dark Rey only just manages to get her staff up in time, but her grip on her weapon wasn’t strong enough, and the staff is wrenched from her hands, clinking across the floor and rolling away. Rey sneers at her future self as she watches her weapon disappear into the darkness of the cavern, raising Kylo’s saber until the tip was pointed down at her head, ready to bring it down.

‘DON’T!’

The voice was so deafeningly loud now, startling her enough that she took a few stumbled steps back. Her first few steps land on solid ground, her startled retreat pushing her further and further into the suffocating darkness of the cavern. It’s only once she’s fully surrounded by the darkness, barely able to see her future self still knelt frozen on the ground, head bowed in preparation for the killing blow that her next step meets nothing but air, and then she's falling, falling down into the deep, inky pit of nothingness.

She expects the intense pain of her body meeting the hard ground before she fades into oblivion. The world around her is still dark, and she can certainly feel the solid ground under her back and her legs, laid out across the floor. Except her head is cushioned on something soft, and she is very aware of the feeling of warm, calloused hands caressing the sides of her face.

Her eyes flutter open, escaping the all-consuming blackness she had slipped into. Her vision comes into clarity, focusing on the sight of Kylo’s face leaned over her, eyes closed and face twisted in pained concentration, the edges of the bandage on his head drenched in sweat. All of a sudden, his eyes snap open, and they immediately drift down to her face. The relief on his face upon seeing her awake was palpable. He tilted his back slightly, blowing out a puff of air as he closed his eyes once more.

He looked immensely tired.

“What…” Rey gets out blearily, feeling like she had just been flattened by a speeder. A pained groan escaped her lips as she bent forward, pushing down the heat rising to her cheeks at the realization her head had been resting in Kylo’s lap. “What happened?”

“You dropped the second you touched your crystal,” Kylo answered, not moving from his knelt position on the floor. “I managed to catch you before you hit the floor.”

“Does that always happen? When you touch your crystal for the first time?”

“Not to me. I tried to wake you, but nothing was working. I had to enter your mind to find out what was happening.”

Something unpleasant coiled in Rey’s stomach at that. She had experienced Kylo searching through her mind without her permission once before. The thought of someone so easily being able to sift through her thoughts, to take whatever they want from her… It unsettled her, to say the least. Kylo seemed to sense that, the closest thing to shame she think’s she’ll ever see from him flittering across his face.

Then, it clicks in her mind. That voice. It had been so familiar, so comforting… How had she not recognized it?

“It was you, wasn’t it? The voice I heard, that was you?”

“I wasn’t sure what state you were trapped in,” Kylo answered. “I didn’t want to find out what happens if you were to lose to her.”

“That other me, she… She said I’d turn out like her if I took this crystal.”

“I heard.”

“She’s wrong.”

Kylo raised an eyebrow at her.

“You don’t sound all that confident in that.” Kylo challenged her.

The most irritating part was that he was right. All of her decisions since she had discovered her connection with the Force had been fueled by the visions the Force had shown her. The way her opinion had changed of Luke once Kylo had shown her a vision of the past, of the night Master Skywalker had considered taking his life. How that in itself had only added fuel to the fire when Kylo had reached his hand to her across the burning fire of her hut, of the agonizingly beautiful future of Ben Solo the Force had shown her the second her fingers had brushed against his, only reinforcing her decision to drop everything and go to him, to ensure that vision would become reality.

And now, her future apparently lied in the crystal she held in her hands.

They both looked down to her hand that held the crystal, her fingers clenched so tight that her knuckles were turning a milky white, straining against the thin layer of skin covering her hand. Kylo’s gaze briefly shifted up to her face; seeing the trepidation there, the hesitation to truly gaze upon the crystal for the first time.

“We can’t just sit here and stare at your hand forever,” Kylo said gently, placing his hand over hers, her small hand engulfed in his. “I’m here every step of the way, remember? We can do this together.”

Ever so delicately, Kylo tugged at her fingers. Her fingers followed the movement, uncurling under his hand. Now there was nothing blocking the crystal from the light of day but Kylo’s own hand over hers.

“Together?” Kylo said in a questioning tone, ducking his head down to meet her gaze. He wouldn’t remove his hand until she was sure she was ready.

“Together.”

Kylo’s hand slowly slipped away from her own. Rey gasped sharply at the sight of the crystal. Even Kylo took in a sharp breath as he laid eyes on the crystal. The crystal was not a deep red as the vision had shown her. It was a wonderful, shining gold crystal nestled safely in the palm of her hands. Rey looked up to Kylo, who had a similar look of astonishment on his face.

If she were to guess, that meant this didn’t happen all that often.

Right now though, she didn’t care what it meant. All she cared about was the crystal was whole, in one piece. Not cracked into two pieces as her vision had shown. It was not red, at least, not now. The vision had been wrong, and she had never felt so thankful for such a realization.

“Well, you got one thing right,” Rey said, glancing up to Kylo’s curious face with a tired laugh. “This is certainly something I’ll never forget.”

Link to Chapter 6

[bouncyirwin]

The WIP game

List all the things you’re currently working on in as much or as little detail as you’d like, then tag some friends to 👀 what they’re working on. 

This can be writing, art, vids, gifsets, fanwork, or original work!

I was tagged by my brilliant partner in crime @denilmo , @notesintheflyleaf and @groovy-hottub-llama

All my WIPs are for the Naruto fandom. Some are NSFW but you’ll get a warning next to the title of these. I have so many WIPs but I’m only going to mentions the ones I’m actively writing right now.

*I’m also going to exclude Querencia from this list as it’s something I’m co-writing with Deni and instead I’m focusing on my individual works for this post.*

I’m tagging: @mydarlingl0ve @mouseymightymarvellous @moonfox22 and @raendown

——

Resolutions - part 2 In which Sakura realises it isn't too late to find happiness and lets go.

“Oh.”

“Sakura?” Kakashi’s worried voice came from across the table. He had come over for lunch earlier and stayed to help make dinner for Sarada who was due to return from her four days mission tonight. “What does it say?”

Meanwhile, Sakura was fighting down white-hot pain and anger. She shoved the letter Kakashi’s way, her heart racing in her chest and her fingers trembling. She watched as Kakashi’s eyes scanned the letter and his face morphed into an expression of anger. “This is horseshit.”

Sakura squeezed her eye shut and took a deep, tremulous breath. “Yes, apparently, this is very inconvenient and if I were pregnant it doesn’t matter.” her brow ticked, “Hand me a fresh paper Kakashi.”

He complied and watched silently as she began to write.

Your Highness,

Seeing as I am such an inconvenience, I’ll cut this short and blunt (how you like it, clearly) because you’re being a whole new brand of annoying: I want a divorce.

 A Shift in Space - Chapter 3 - time travel Naruto Uzumaki was forced to watch every single friend he's ever cared about die except for one. Together, they will fix this. Together they'll rewrite fate.

For a split second— the time Shikamaru allowed himself a fleeting glance in Naruto’s direction— the blond thought he was going to refuse Gai. That the Nara was going to come up with a brilliant escape route none can see through and their training session would be over.

But then Shikamaru squared his shoulders and easily crossed the space from the edge of the field to where Neji stood, standing rigidly in front of him.

Neji arched an elegant eyebrow, lilac eyes narrowing speculatively as he sized up his opponent. But then he smirked and Naruto sighed again. Well, there was nothing to be done now.

Hyuuga Neji was about to taste defeat served cold. Haven’t everyone learned their lesson when it came to underestimating a Nara?

(tentatively titled) Scatted Sakura - Time Travel Sakura is a brilliant ninja and an unrivalled medic but she’s not a miracle worker. When Tsunade orders her to stop the Uchiha massacre, Sakura’s anything but the mighty warrior with the fists that shatter the earth. Instead, Sakura finds herself on Uchiha Fugaku’s doorstep, asking for a job.  

She walks on senseless legs, shuffling into her small bathroom. The clinical white light hanging overhead hurts her retinas, makes her reflection look even more ghostly, further deadening her dulling green eyes. She tentatively thinks that she looks like death warmed over.

Minutely trembling fingers fumble with the sink and icy water comes gushing out in a forceful stream. Sakura gulps down a lungful and ducks beneath the tap, submerging her head under the running water.

It grows gradually colder, the porcelain she’s holding onto icier beneath her fingertips; her lungs strain and shivers embed deep in her bones like needles.

Sakura resurfaces with a gasp, panting, her face flushed from the upward rush of blood to her head and glares at her reflection. Get it together. Get it together, Haruno. Get it together before you crumble to dust.

Sakura dresses, throwing on her usual shinobi attire, complete with the flak jacket and weapons pouch and then grabs her mission pack and stacks it with what she needs. Her house is mostly bare, filled only with the necessities and valuables. Her eyes sweep around the pale walls, the disorganised desk, her dishevelled bed and pause only when they land on a familiar item on her nightstand.

She hesitates. And then she’s grabbing Team 7’s team photo and shoving it into her bag alongside her stuff.

Underneath The Underneath - Chapter 13 Our past is what defines us; what shapes us into the people we are. And Sakura… Sakura would've never guessed Kakashi was the product of so much suffering. With every strange dream, another piece of the puzzle is found; and with every vision, they grow a step closer to completion.

"Does it really scare you to lose me?"

His eyes snapped up to meet hers, and she could see how taken aback he was by her question but she held his conflicted gaze; watched the myriads of emotions flickering through them with intensity.

His mouth opened beneath the mask, and closed before opening once more. Finally, he seemed to have made up his mind, and he asked quietly, "What do you think?"

Charcoal orbs poured into her with surprising clarity, and she found the words tumbling out of her lips without permeable, "Sometimes I think you're just afraid of failing your precious people. Other times... it feels like you're too emotionally invested to be okay with it..."

"And?" He asked, hearing the slight echo in her words that suggested she may have had more to say.

"And..." she hesitated for a split second before taking the plunge. "Sometimes I think it's just me."

Untitled ItaSaku time travel Team 7 stumble upon a future, happily married ItaSaku on a supply mission.

The closer they drifted to the end of the hallway, the easier it was to make out the sounds of people conversing.

“This is all sensei’s fault, we should’ve never listened to him! I knew I was a cat-person for a reason.” A distressed female voice echoed through the hallway, making team 7 pause in their tracks.

“Sweetheart, we agreed to test it.” A distinctly male voice responded. “We can’t turn back time, I’m sure Grandma Cat can help us figure something out, calm down.”

“But what if we get stuck here?! Who’ll pick Rei from school? My poor baby, he’ll be all alone, please Itachi, can’t your Sharingan help? You’ve seen the jutsu Kakashi-sensei cast, perhaps we can find a way to reverse it.”

Untitled KS smut…. NSFW (this is your warning) Dom!Kakashi. Basically, really kinky stuff.

She could sense him nearby, so close her skin prickled with phantom caresses but never quite touching anywhere beyond their point of content. Her eyes are blindfolded, her wrists bound above her head and her senses on high alert, tingling waves spreading from her core to wash over the rest of her.

Kakashi continues with his maddening pace, knowing exactly where to press, exactly how to angle his fingers, but never hurrying his movements, never breaking the steady rhythm. Her whole body throbs with it, pulses and stutters around him pleadingly, her stomach taut, her toes curled with tension.

(the cleanest bit I was able to find for a snippet. Everything else is too filthy. Oops.)

[elsinore-snores]

an entire detail star wars episode IX plot I wrote myself

please read this if the last jedi made you horribly depressed and angry bc i fixed all of it!

also im broke and this took 3 days to write so if you want to donate to my paypal it’s putumark@gmail.com

We open with a crawl that reveals that Finn and Poe haven’t seen each other in several months. Poe has been busy working on establishing new leadership in a resistance that parts of no longer trusts him, and Finn has been trying to find out who he is now that he’s out of his coma and in a abusive relationship. Leia has left because she feels she can no longer command the resistance objectively, now that Kylo is in charge of the FO and she shit on Poe like that. The Resistance is more splintered than ever, divided over whether or not Rey WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE PERSON WHO SAVED THEM FROM THE FIRST ORDER is really working with them or not. 

(continued below)

Okay, now the movie starts. Because of this distrust, Rey leaves in the middle of the night without telling anyone, prompting Poe and others to question her loyalty to the resistance. Finn sticks up for her, but Rose does not. Poe and Finn have a tenuous reunion with Rose present, and Poe is very suspicious of Rose. He notices something strange about Finn, and confronts him about it privately in a very gay scene where they express concern for each other, and Poe opens up to Finn that he’s never had a chance to heal from Kylo’s torture BUT ALSO now that he feels he was betrayed by General Organa, who slapped and stunned him and objectified him, and who he viewed as a surrogate mother. He also asks Finn about Rose, and Finn finally tells him that since he’s woken up from his coma, he’s felt different. He’s been having strange health problems, feeling dizzy, having lots of anxiety, and being clumsy as a result. He tells Poe that he’s always had a voice in the back of his head telling him to run, but that it’s louder than ever now, and that he feels like anything good he has, he needs to be grateful for and hold on to, because he might not have it soon enough. This includes Rose... Poe asks Finn if he is happy, but they are interrupted an urgent high command meeting. 

Ultimately the new Resistance high command (led by Ackbar, my fish boy) decides to send Poe and Finn to find Rey, and leaves the judgement up to them whether she is going to or already has betrayed them. They’ve managed to track the ship Rey used to flee to the planet of Qi Nuur, a planet populated by refugees from the war. Her ship landed on the outskirts of a major city, and the high command expresses concern that Rey may give the coordinates of the city to the FO, or that her being there might make a city full of innocent refugees a target. Rose tries to stop them from leaving by basically implying Finn isn’t competent enough to handle it, (in like an albeist way) but Finn sticks up for himself and they break up. Bye Rose! Finn and Poe and BB8 take the falcon and fly to the planet.

They find Rey’s ship, but not her. Finn is distressed to see she left her lightsaber behind, as well as the kyber crystal necklace she took from Luke’s hut. (She did this off screen in TLJ.) They go to the city to find her and Finn sees again, firsthand, the destruction that the First Order has caused. Finn is completely overwhelmed by the emotion around him and needs to sit down. Poe is compassionate and understanding, and does his best to comfort his friend. He feels guilty, and Poe tries to convince him of his bravery, (because he is freaking brave fight me) but it’s clear that Rose’s distrust of him and degrading remarks have left a mark. Poe goes off on his own to look inside a makeshift Force Temple to see if Rey is there. Finn speaks to several refugees. He asks them if they know any families who have lost children to the stormtrooper program, but they tell him every family who had a child taken into the program was child, so the children would have nothing to go back to. 

Finn finds himself distracted by an old building he feels himself pulled towards, which he enters. It is a makeshift library, and the old man who runs it explains that they are trying to save all the knowledge that the FO wants to destroy. When he sees Finn has a lightsaber he assumes Finn is the new jedi he’s heard so much about. Finn tries to tell them he is not. but he’s stunned when the old man tells him that he never had any hope before that anyone could stop the first order, but he has hope again now that this new Jedi will be what is finally needed to restore the balance to the force. He tells Finn that he has spent his entire life as a coward, after his family was killed by the empire during the destruction of Alderaan, but since hearing about this new Jedi, he has become inspired to save this knowledge and fight back against the FO. He gives Finn a book that once belonged to Obi Wan Kenobi. Finn finally breaks down and tells him that he’s “just a stormtrooper who rebelled”. The old man is DELIGHTED by this, and tells Finn that it takes real bravery to fight back against the people who enslaved him his entire life. Finn feels now that the things Poe has been gushing about (his bravery) are not just Poe being nice and friendly. Finn tells the old man that people like him give him hope and are the reason he keeps fighting, and specifically mentions Lor San Tekka and the bravery of the villagers at Tuanul.

Poe finds Finn and tells them that they have to go, that the First Order is coming. Finn asks if they’re running, and Poe tells them hell NO they are stealing a transport ship and evacuating the city. HE’S THE BEST PILOT IN THE GALAXY AFTER ALL. The hype is real, we recapture the magic of the TFA escape scene. They have the Resistance’s full support on this, and the starfighters are going to buy them time to do whatever they need to do. They steal the ship and begin loading it with refugees. They’re almost done when the first FO TIE-silencer piloted by Kylo breaks through. Finn senses this as it happens, and becomes extremely dizzy and distressed, before he can even see the TIE. It’s about to attack when Finn and Poe confess they love each other. They kiss in front of the refugees and the LOVE between an ex-STORMTROOPER and a RESISTANCE FIGHTER becomes a symbol of hope against a fascist authoritarian dictatorship. Finn runs to the falcon like a hero and takes off to fight them, telling Poe he’ll buy them time. Finn is only able to use one-gunner in the Falcon, and so can really just chase the TIE around while taking hits. He takes a bad hit and starts to go down when the force ghost of Han Solo appears to him and tells him the secret to how he made the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs when a parsec is a unit of distance and not time. He tells Finn he cheated and took a shortcut. He instructs Finn to do the same thing and cheat. Finn gives up control of the Falcon and makes it seem like it’s about to crash into the ground. In the LAST SECOND Finn flips the Falcon upside down and launches into light speed only a few meters from the ground. Kylo gets his Silencer destroyed by the ensuing explosion of dirt and rock that kicks up from the ground when Finn did this. It’s great, he’s so mad. 

Finn closes his eyes and let’s something guide him, telling him to duck out of lightspeed at the exact time he’s meeting up with Poe’s refugee ship, which is about to dock on Takodana. Poe comms him and tells him he’s “One hell of a pilot!”

They embrace with a hug and a kiss when they land on Takodana, and Maz Kanata is just delighted by this. She tells them that (gay) love is the most powerful weapon they have against the First Order. Also, groups of refugees are pointing at Finn, all excited. Finn is a little paranoid at first, but Poe explains he was literally talking him up the entire time to the entire ship full of refugees, telling the the story of the stormtrooper with empathy who was fighting to save them all. Maz Kanata has been rebuilding their castle using elements from all of the different cultures that are now mixing together on Takodana, which has become a melting pot of misplaced people. 

Later that night, Finn and Poe watch all these people happy and interacting because of something they did! They’re the heroes! Poe keeps glancing at Finn, and Finn is confused, because Poe looks confused by him. Like he’s trying to figure something out. However, Finn keeps noticing Maz Kanata staring at him and excuses himself to go talk to her. Finn asks her if he still has the eys of someone who wants to run. She tells him yes, but they’re not running away from something, but towards something. His destiny. Maz tells Finn of a powerful force user, who he assumes to be Rey. Maz tells him this person is more powerful than Rey, so he assumes it is Kylo. She tells him that there is no light side and dark side. She tells Finn that the Dark side, or rather, negative emotions like fear and sadness and even anger, are not bad. She tells Finn that he should be angry, and that he should embrace his anger. Many injustices have been done to him and people like him, and that his anger can be used for good. She tells him of a prophecy from thousands of years ago, that one day a force user will arrive who is truly “grey”. Not tempted by the “light” side or the “dark” side. When he finally asks if this is Rey or Kylo, she says “No. There is another. One more powerful. Who will bring balance to the force.” Finn insists they have to find them, but Maz tells him they must find their way on their own. 

That night, Finn dreams about stormtroopers. He hears whispers behind helmets that some of them are discussing if the FO is really doing the right thing. He sees they too struggle with the ideology they have been brainwashed with. He seems some of them who have NEVER been behind it, and have been trapped there, unable to escape. He wakes up with a star and then wakes up Poe (they’re sharing a bed) and asks him if he trusts him. Poe replies of course he does (they also just had sex) and we cut away, implying Finn told Poe something important.

Now the story switches gear. (This is relevant, I promise.) We see one of the stormtroopers Finn was dreaming about. This person is what’s known as a “supertrooper” a very tall , very buff stormtrooper who exists solely to train other stormtroopers. This is a flashback to TFA, right before Finn defects. Finn comes back from Tuanul with blood on his mask and this supertrooper asks Finn what happened, if he’s injured. It’s implied they are friends, or at least familiar. This supertrooper has no clue what the FO is really doing. Finn asks them if they’re ever seen another trooper’s face before. They reply they haven’t. Finn takes off his mask and asks them to do the same. She does. Her designation is KT-2100. Finn tells them what the FO is doing, and the trooper is devastated. (This person is implied to be mentally ill, and also spends every single day of their life being beaten up by other people.) Finn begs them to leave with him, so they can do the right thing, but they refuse, insisting it’s better to remain inside the FO to take it on from the inside. Dissent in the ranks. The rebellion begins, and it begins with Finn.

Now we’re back with Finn and Poe, who are about to dock at Resistance base. The Resistance’s new priority is finding this grey force user and helping stormtroopers escape the FO. The Resistance high command trusts Poe and Finn again because of their brave actions. But Finn is acting very strangely, barely able to stand, shaking and claiming he sees “stars” are Poe’s head. Poe believes it’s PTSD or some other form of anxiety, and tells Finn about his own PTSD, which they discuss (again) because it is important. He gives Finn his mother’s wedding ring and tells him to dangle it in front of him from a chain and spin it around, as this always calms him down. Finn does while Poe is out of the room (Poe is getting Dr. Kalonia), and eventually sees a planet spinning in place of the ring. This is the planet of Ugu En (it’s a Nigeria reference. This planet is important, I swear.) Kalonia comes to take Finn to the medbay, because something is wrong with his heart and he’s having a hard time breathing.

Now Rose is back. She is portrayed as what she would be if she were a real person: an abuser. Poe confronts her and tells her there isn’t a place for people like her in the Resistance. She asks, real angry, “What gives you the authority to kick me out?” and Ackbar comes out of nowhere says, “That’s the new General in Chief of the Resistance.” My boy, General Dameron, in charge of the Resistance. 

Poe meets with HIS generals (my boy!!!!) and they come up with a plan of attack during their next battle. They are interrupted with a comm from an outpost on a nearby planet, which claims to be intercepting a comm from someone claiming to be a supertrooper onboard the FO star destroyer The Organizer. Poe puts them through. It’s KT-2100! She tells them she evacuated the command deck by destroying a gas pipeline, and only has a few minutes to transfer information to them before the gas will kill her. One of the other generals is suspicious, but Poe shuts them down. Poe thanks them for their service and accepts the transmission, but filters it though the outpost first -- so the FO can’t trace it back to them. Poe tells KT they are getting the information and they need to evacuate, but they refuse. They insist they need to destroy the communications system after the message is sent, so the FO can’t track down the outpost. KT is starting to cough and is obviously getting weaker. KT asks them if FN-2187 is there, and Poe lies and tells them they are, then has the comms officer patch them through to Finn in medbay. KT tells 87 that wants to do the right thing, to be good and brave like him. She tells Finn about all the countless stormtroopers who are inspired by him. She says,”I’m inspired by the courage I see from those around me.”

Finn is just??? a wreck??? Poe tells her that he goes by Finn now, and asks her if she wants a name. The whole thing is really just sad??? She tells him yes. Poe names her Bey, after his mother, who he tells her was a brave woman who fought back against the FO. The transmission finishes sending, and just in time because stormtroopers (not innocent ones, bad ones who don’t care about killing people) with gas masks enter, about to kill her. Bey, who has spent her ENTIRE life fighting stormtroopers, and is so damn tired, screams something like “I always go easy on you!” and destroys the comms system with a riot baton. Then she beats the shit out of those stormtroopers offscreen. 

The new information provided tells them the FO has been building a new weapon, one powered by a matrix of kyber crystals, based on designs from noone other than Galen Erso -- on the planet of Ugu En (see, relevant). This is an extremely precise, long distance beam of pure kyber energy. It doesn’t sound like much, but it can literally slice planets in half like an orange. Think of it as an extremely long lightsaber. The kyber crystals must all be the same size, and since they are impossible to cut or shape, the FO is missing one! They believe Rey has it, but we know the crystal is from Luke’s necklace!

Now we’re back to Finn. He is getting worse, but is still cheerful and optimist about the Resistance now that Poe is in charge. He tells Poe he sees stars around his head, but no one else’s. Finn AFFECTIONATELY calls him “Flyboy” and asks Poe if he can use his last name.This is literally what marriage is in space, and Finn knows it. Finn Dameron, space married to the General in Chief of the Resistance. Finn tries to give him the crystal necklace, but Poe tells him he needs to give it to Rey, when they find her. Finn, now full of inspiration and happiness, feels much better and is ready to go back to Jakku. His heart is still bad, and Kalonia insists on coming with them. 

(Guess who’s in exile!!! It’s Rey now.)

Finn knows where Rey is because of a force pulling him towards her, and it leads them right to her. She is back to being a scavenger, living in the same village from the beginning of TFA. Poe still does not trust her 100%, but Finn is over the moon to see her. Rey is lukewarm, and stays suspiciously far away from Finn, and will back up from him if he comes closer.(I will explain this later!) Finn feels this is his fault, and goes back to the Falcon. Poe questions her, but Rey avoids giving him answers, instead revealing she has found Galen Erso’s notes which he hid from the galactic empire. The notes discuss the FO’s crystal matrix and Obi Wan Kenobi and Poe shows her the book the old man gave Finn. The book details this prophecy of a grey jedi, someone who will finally put an end to the mess that the galaxy is in. Rey finally breaks and tells Poe she’s "not the Jedi you’re looking for.” that the prophecy refers to. She tells Poe she must remain in exile in order to maintain the balance of the Force. Poe fears the worse, that’s it’s fucking Kylo, and confronts Rey about betraying Finn for Kylo. Rey explains that the only way to kill Snoke was to trick Kylo into doing it, and that she knows the Force will fix everything eventually. Poe, frustrated and betrayed, is about to leave. He’s getting on the Falcon when Rey tells him to “take care of her father’s ship”. REY SOLO CONFIRMED. Rey looks up into the cockpit of the Falcoln and sees Han’s force ghost standing behind Finn. Han’s ghost tells Finn that Rey is “Everything he’d hoped she’d be” and tells him him he’s so proud of her. He also tells him that he saw stars around Rey’s mother (soulmates). Finn and Poe leave with Galen’s notes and Obi Wan’s book. 

Obi Wan’s book reveals that this grey jedi will be born on, you guessed it, Ugu En, the first planet in the galaxy that life sprung from. and that this person will be the first force user in their family. Poe wonders why the Force would chose to put so much power into one person, and Finn tells them that maybe that one person is all the Force needs. They head to survey Ugu En, and Finn is stunned when it’s the same planet from his ring-based vision. A FO patrol spots them, and a chase ensues while Finn panics because of his vision. Kalonia tells him to take it easy, but Finn begins to panic. Poe tries to comfort him, but ultimately, Kalonia has to sedate him so his heart doesn’t give out. 

While Finn is out, Kalonia tells Poe that she grew up on a planet with constant lightning storms, and that she remembers the way the electricity would hang in the air just before a strike. She tells Poe that’s how the air feels around Finn, like lightning is about to strike. Poe agrees, and tells her about the Force-sensitive tree he grew up with. He says the air around it buzzed as well, just like it does as well.  

Poe then decides to  head to Yavin 4, to his families’ ranch. We meet his father, Kes, who is delighted to meet his son’s space husband, the hero of the resistance. Poe tells them about the supertrooper who leaked them information, and how he named her after Shara Bey, and Kes tells him Finn and this woman remind him of a brave man he met once, Bodhi Rook. Kes and Kalonia are old friends, (Kalonia is high lesbian though) and excuse themselves to talk. 

Poe takes Finn to the force sensitive tree, now suspicious Finn may be Force sensitive. He asks Finn if he feels anything strange, which Finn replies he doesn’t. Poe asks him if he feels the electricity in the air, and he replies he can’t. It feels normal to him, he says. It feels right. Finn tells him he always feels like this. 

Finn touches the tree, and everything clicks.

HE’S THE FORCE USER!!!! The chosen one. My boy, the hero of the resistance, Finn Dameron. He did that! 

Poe asks him if he feels anything, and he feels EVERYTHING. Force vision time for my boy!!!! He sees great jedis from years past! Mace Windu! Yoda! Obi Wan! And sith lords! Darth Plagueis and Sidious and Maul! He sees the Knights of Ren, and how all of them have thrown the balance of the Force off so much they compensated by giving Finn enough power to equal them all put together. He sees Rey, crying because she can’t come near him because he’s so powerful with the Force it will overwhelm her. The Force ghost of Luke encourages him to embrace the anger he feels towards the FO. Luke tells him that keeping the Force inside of him is killing him. Luke tells him it’s okay to be angry, and explains he went into exile to hide his anger after his academy was destroyed. He also tells Finn that he wishes he had killed Kylo as a child, and that his refusal to act on what he knew was the only way to save the galaxy has cost so many lives. He begs Finn to be stronger than he was, and not to equate killing for the right reasons to killing for the wrong reasons. He tells that he is the Force and Finn the Force is with him.

Finn comes out of his vision with a clear and focused sense of purpose. He tells Poe he needs to go to Ugu En and fight Kylo and the KOR, to fulfill his destiny and bring balance to the universe. Poe asks Finn if he needs to train first, and Finn reminds him he was top of the class at the academy! Poe is supportive of his grey jedi boyfriend. He comms the high command and they start to come up with a plan.

Now cut to the inside of the FO base on Ugu En. Hux is giving some kind of fascist propaganda speech and it’s a dystopian nightmare. Stormtroopers stand at attention. We pan across an aisle of stormtroopers, each one identical.. and then we see one with a red handprint on their helmet...

All hell breaks loose when sirens go off and the lights cut out. We’ve got stormtroopers shooting FO officers, we’ve got fascists running in fear! Someone burns that giant FO flag to the ground. Stormtroopers rebel en mass! A group of young cadets (children) are cornered by a trooper captain, but out of nowhere comes my main girl! Bey! She kicks some serious ass. And the cadets escape. The FO flag burns and catches everything else on fire. Fascism dies in flames!

Hux runs outside with the other officers, to try and escape -- but here comes the resistance! Led by the Falcon, Poe leads an attack from the air. The Resistance hacks FO comms and announces any troopers who want to surrender need to throw down their weapons, and they’ll be spared. Poe lands the Falcon and Finn and he get off. He knows exactly where Kylo is and he’s coming for that bitch! Poe is there to back his boy up with his blaster! All the stormtroopers are psyched because there’s Finn! The hero! The best guy! Finn and Bey embrace! Friends, reunited at last! Bey is a very important buff butch who picks Finn and Poe up with one arm each and hugs them. Together they go  take the FO down! 

Big Resistance ships arrive to move the troopers out of danger. Everything is on fire. Hux is hiding like a coward with a blaster among the rubble of his fallen fascist empire! Poe squares off against Hux, giving Finn and Bey time to get to Kylo’s throne room. Poe demonstrates his excellent marksmanship when he shoots Hux in the eye, because I hate him. Bye rat!

Finn and Bey face off against the KOR. Finn uses a lightsaber, Bey a riot baton. Finn is an excellent fighter, top of his class, and Bey has been fighting stormtroopers every day of her life for her entire life. They win.

Now it’s Kylo’s time to die! Finn goes to face him alone. He’s still a little piss baby though, even though he’s in charge now! He taunts Finn, trying to make him angry to move him away from the balance of the Force inside him, and also because Kylo feeds on negative emotions, because he’s a toxic trash pile. What he doesn’t realize is that Finn is just as full of (gay) love as he is angry, and so they balance each other out. Kylo eventually realizes he can’t best Finn at a duel, so he starts using the Force to try and throw him around. But he doesn’t know is that Finn is so powerful that he can redirect any Force energy used on him, so that doesn’t work. He wins and doesn’t hesitate to cut Kylo’s freaking head off. Bye!

Cut to later. Finn and Poe are getting married.The force ghost of Luke and Han are there, proud of their gay sons. Bey is gay and crying and also she has a girlfriend, I don’t care who. I’m crying. I’m gay. Peace is restored to the galaxy. 

Thank you for your time please ask me any questions you want I cannot shut up about this.

[smileplease91]

Unspoken Feelings

He made his way down the hall, just showering after having practiced for the big event the next day. This was it. The year before, he had swam with Team Iwatobi, taking Rei's place and ultimately disqualifying the team. This time, however, he was swimming with his team. After this, he would train even harder for the Olympics. He and Haru had already been scouted numerous occasions. It was a shame Sousuke and Makoto couldn't continue with them. Sousuke's shoulder was in too bad of condition, and Makoto knew he would never be Olympian-qualified (the rest thought otherwise, but Makoto had his own dream to follow). Leaving the rest of his team behind put a tinge in his chest, but they would be just fine, especially with the new captain he'd chosen to replace him.

As he rounded the corner to head to the dormitories-

"Nitori-san?"

"Tachibana-san?" He stopped. What were they doing here? He pressed his back against the wall, making sure he was out of sight.

"What's going on? You look upset," Makoto asked. Rin shook his head. It was just like Makoto, worrying about others- friends, family, acquaintances... it didn't matter to him. If he saw someone in need, he felt the urge to assist.

"Huh? No, I'm fine. Really," Aiichiro answered nervously. "I was just heading to the showers."

"Been practicing, I see."

"Like it matters... It's not like I'll ever be any good." At this, Aiichiro jumped slightly. "Er- sorry! That just sort of slipped out!"

Rin's heart nearly stopped. He knew Aiichiro was hard on himself, but he still hated to hear it.

"That's not true at all," Makoto rejected. "You've really improved. You just can't see it because it's you."

"You're just saying that because you're nice," Aiichiro rebutted. "Senpai's told me a lot about you, so I know how you are."

"Well, then. You should know that I'm honest, too, if he's told you so much," Makoto laughed lightly.

"...Senpai did say that."

Rin smiled.

"...I just... I don't think Senpai likes me very much."

The words instantly made Rin's smile fade. What had he just said? He couldn't be serious.

"What makes you think so?"

Aiichiro hesitated a moment. "I-I'm always in the way. I'm annoying, and I'm not good enough at anything. I try, really, I do. I try to confide him him, and I want him to confide in me, but it's more like... I don't know." He sighed. "Ever since Yamazaki-senpai came around, I was no longer..."

Shit... Rin bit his lip.

"We were kinda getting close last year when we roomed together. He even told me to call him Rin. But I can't anymore. And I know once he leaves to train and chase his dream for the Olympics, that'll be it." He cast his gaze to the ground. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not jealous of Yamazaki-senpai or anything- I'm honestly glad they were able to reunite after all this time. It just hurt, you know?" He then chuckled. "Then, senpai trained Ryugazaki-san while Yamazaki-senpai trained me. I mean, yeah, Ryugazaki-san asked, but... so had I."

Shit... Rin thought again.

Aiichiro looked up at Makoto, suddenly embarrassed. "I am so sorry, Tachibana-san! I didn't-"

Makoto smiled, holding a hand up to calm the distressing Aiichiro. "Please, call me Makoto."

Aiichiro became even more flustered. "Wh- but-"

"Any friend of Rin's is a friend of mine," he reassured. "Nitori-san-"

"Call me Ai," he smiled in return. "After all, it's like you said... any friend of senpai's is a friend of mine."

"All right. Ai, then," Makoto warmly agreed. "You've nothing to worry about."

"Eh?"

"Rin. He's difficult when it comes to emotions, as I'm sure you're well-aware of," Makoto began. "Granted, he has gotten better at them over the past year or so, but Rin is still Rin. He may act a certain way to certain people because he knows their hearts."

Rin closed his eyes, slightly frustrated. Dammit, Makoto was good at reading people. Of course, he had to be with Haru by his side.

Aiichiro shook his head. "I don't understand."

"Rin is the way he is with you because he sees potential in you, Ai," Makoto clarified gently. Rin refrained a gasp by covering his mouth with his hand. Makoto... he was right. "He's tough on you because you will go places. You fight, struggle, and he sees it. He knows that it'll work out, too. His distance is because leaving you behind will be what hurts him the most."

Aiichiro's crystalline eyes widened. "M-Me?"

"Mm-hm. He talks about you quite a bit, too, you know. To us," Makoto smiled. Rin clenched the front of his shirt. It was the truth, and he only just now realized it. Would he have had Makoto not said something, or if he hadn't eavesdropped on their conversation? He felt relieved that he had.

He cared about Aiichiro.

"Rin's tricky, I know. But believe me when I say he'll miss you, and he believes in you."

Aiichiro's vision started to get blurry, but he pushed the tears back with a smile.

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

"Right..." Aiichiro whispered. Then- "Okay! From here on out, I'll be stronger for Senpai! I'll support him not only by cheering him on, but by doing my best, as well!"

"There ya go! That's what Rin sees!" Makoto praised in what Rin knew to be his usual gentle smile.

"I should probably go talk to him. A shower can wait," Aiirchiro murmured to himself. "Thanks so much, Makoto."

"No thanks needed."

Aiirchiro then winked at him. "Better bring your A-game tomorrow!"

Makoto laughed wholeheartedly. "You better believe it!"

Rin waited until he heard the footsteps fade away then stepped out of the shadows. All this time... He and Aiichiro would certainly talk later... about many things. With the future so uncertain, he knew, without a doubt, he made a perfect choice for the new captain... and on so much more.

[abucketofdumbos]

Turtles

“What in the actual fuck, are you doing?” Norei grunted from underneath Isobelle. Their skin contrasted even then, in the soft glow of night time. It was startling by comparison how pale Norei was when placed next to the tanned structure that was Izzy.

“We have t’save ‘im!” Isobelle’s thick accent pulled through the air like molasses, and Norei felt the pressure of her hands clenching onto her very own shoulders, tight and with a determination unlike any other. She groaned in protest, a single hand flopping upwards to swat at the girl.

“Get your fat ass off of me,” Norei protested in a sleepy groan, “you’re gonna fuckin’ crush me.”

“I ‘ave thighs like tree trunks Rei, it’s a condition. Don’t make fun o’ me,” Isobelle whined, before slowly climbing off her. She sunk onto her knees, occupying the empty portion of bed next to Norei. Her pudgy little fingers moved to poke at the blonde woman’s cheeks.

“You- You’re shapely, jackass. No one calls that a condition,” Norei sat up,”people pray for it, so don’t call it a condition. You don’t have leprosy, you dinglebat.” Norei rubbed at her eyes, adjusting to the dim light of her bedroom. She looked over to inspect the rather distressed face of Iz, her features twisted up in a pitiful pout, the girl wiggled her hips with impatience.

“We ‘ave t’save ‘im,” Isobelle repeated.

“Oh for fucks sake,” Norei fell backwards with a distressed yelp, “you keep saying that, but who Isobelle? WHO?” Norei’s feet and arms kicked around in a rage that could only be found in the hearts of women who had been awoken from peaceful slumber.

Isobelle watched patiently, allowing Norei the appropriate amount of time to be pissy, then slowly leaned over to hover above her once more. “Mystic Magee,” Isobelle stated matter-o’-factly. An entirely serious expression about her features, as if by no means was this statement to be taken lightly.

Norei repeated in disbelief, “Mystic Magee?”

“Yes! Mystic Magee, Rei! Can ye’ jus’ get dressed so we can go?!” Isobelle wiggled yet again, clearly impatient with the woman’s lack of urgency for the situation at hand. Norei regarded her finally, noting the bulky grey sweater and thick crimson pants that covered Isobelle’s person. Norei was woefully underprepared for this situation, in fact she was beginning to feel woefully underprepared for having a roommate. Was this what it was like? Being awoken by a cute girl in the middle of the night, and not to have sex but, to save ‘Mystic Magee’? Was this the accumulation of all her hard work? To be woken up from lovely dreams and dragged outside into the harsh reality of night?

That sucked.

Norei sensed the desperation in Isobelle’s voice and with much reluctance, she pulled herself out from underneath her sheets, cursing the freckled girl for willing her person from the warmth and safety of her own bed. She trudged over to a chest of drawers and quickly scrambled to cover herself in a few random garments from within. Isobelle at this point had shifted out of vision, slinking out of Norei’s room and further into their shared home.

“Can you just tell me what we’re saving Mystic Magee from?” Norei called out into the house. She could hear the pitter of Isobelle’s feet as the girl swept through the flat.

“She’s not gettin’ fed,” there was a slight pause, “she’s bein’ abused, Rei.” Norei took this comment far more seriously than the others. She appeared now in the living room, tucking her feet into a pair of boots and staring with deep concern back at Iz.

“What’re you saying? There’s someone being held somewhere against their will? Did you call the guards?” Norei inquired, shoving her heel down into her last boot. Isobelle had her back to Norei, rifling through a collection of books and picking a few out decisively.

“I can’t tell ‘em wot we’re doin’,” She turned and quickly slipped past Norei, disappearing out the door before anyone could get a word in edgewise. Norei stood there with a look of disbelief, and an air of concern. She had in no way anticipated Isobelle to be the person involving her in crimes, and certainly not the type to seek unlawful revenge. She hurried to catch up with the girl, ignoring the strange and misaligned lot of degenerates that made up Stormwind’s nights, struggling to keep up with the girls long gait.

“You’re too fucking tall, Iz-”    

“Sh!” Isobelle interjected, coming to a sudden halt and digging her heels deep into the ground below her. Norei couldn’t help but bump awkwardly into the girls back, a groan and some general cursing opened way to Norei’s eyes glancing around her companion curiously. They’d already crossed over into the Dwarven District and were now staring directly at the archway that led out to Olivia’s pond, watched on either side by a guard. The guards stared placidly at the duo and with well deserved suspicion. Isobelle teetered there awkwardly, doing absolutely nothing to aid them on the matter. Norei groaned a great deal, pushing around Isobelle and grabbing for her hand.

“We’re going to go bang, yeahup. Doing it like wild teens,” Norei led Isobelle by hand between the archway. The comment was brazen enough to cause the guards a great deal of discomfort, grumbling a few patronizing remarks. But, nonetheless allowing them through.

“‘At’s not wot we’re ‘ere for- I mean ye’ an’ me, we’re not gon’ ‘appen, Hoss!” Isobelle stumbled behind Norei clumsily. It was an exceptional amount of work to not trip over Norei’s feet, her steps vastly shorter than Isobelle’s own.

Malanorei groaned, “Iz, I’m well aware we’re not. I was getting us through.” Isobelle’s eyes widened with sudden understanding, her hand squeezed at Norei’s in appreciation. Without any prompting Isobelle shifted to take the lead, dragging Norei in her wake. They rounded the corner of a small house and proceeded toward the farm that sat far off in the distance. Isobelle walked with intention and a great deal of purpose, giving Norei the impression that this entire ordeal had been meticulously plot out. She beamed with an almost maternal sense of pride for Izzy’s skill.

“OK, we’re ‘ere,” Iz whispered. The pair had skirted along the fence of the farm’s gate and were turned towards Olivia’s pond. Norei gave a cursory glance around, obviously very confused about what she was missing.

“Iz.. There’s nothing here? Do you mean the farm? Is she in the farm house?” Norei glanced over her shoulder at the shed, taking a few steps in its direction. Isobelle pulled on her hand, forcing her backwards. The freckled girl quickly shook her head and nudged her chin to motion vaguely over at the pond. Norei looked yet again, trying her very best to soak in every detail. Nothing. There was nothing of substantial importance about the scene in front of her, she’d seen Olivia’s pond many times. Each was less exciting than the other. She turned slightly to peer at Isobelle, utter confusion was not a good look for Norei. It did not suit her one bit.

“O’er ‘ere-” Isobelle whispered as she pointed to a specific spot on the ponds shoreline. Norei strained her eyes to look, inspecting every inch as meticulously as she could. It hit her then, she’d been looking for a person- For something in obvious distress. Instead what she regarded now was a turtle. Large enough to come up to their knees , it took slow, painstaking steps towards the water. It was hard for Norei to understand really how exactly one could determine how nourished a turtle was, to her it was a simple line of dead or alive. Turtles seemed resilient, hell the fucking bear people in Pandaria had ridden on them for centuries.

“The- You don’t mean,” Norei stuttered.

“Mystic Magee, Rei! The turtle!” Isobelle wiggled that same impatient little wiggle she always did. Norei stared, eyes bearing down into the girl’s soul.

“ARE  YOU FUCKING KI-” the bellowing sound of her voice was cut off by Isobelle’s hand clamping over her lips.

“Sh! Yer gon’ get us caught!” Isobelle pleaded with a genuine air of concern, or at least one that made Norei reconsider her temper tantrum. Isobelle removed the hand only once she was entirely certain Norei would behave, pulling her hand ever so gently. As they closed the gap between themselves and the turtle, Isobelle scanned their surroundings anxiously. After a few seconds, she bent at the hip and gently tucked her fingers under one side of the turtle’s shell, looking expectantly back up at Norei.

“What?” Norei hissed, looking around dazed and confused.

Isobelle grunted, “Pick up yer ‘alf!”

Norei’s mouth hung slightly ajar, sheer disbelief overshadowing any other possible emotion she could feel in that instant. Yet Isobelle didn’t seem to be joking. In fact she seemed rather annoyed, tapping her foot with great aggravation and flicking her chin to motion at the other side of the turtle. Norei very slowly approached, lanky fingers slipping under the lip of its shell and hefting it upwards. To say the turtle was pissed was an understatement, it was a disservice to all the creatures of the world that had ever been ticked off. See, being pissed had a certain connotation to it, an idea that at some point that aggression- all that pent up anger, well eventually that too would pass. In fact many had regarded Norei as being rather ‘cute’ when she was pissed, little limbs flailing and the bright red color that flushed over her face. It was all very cute, because behind it all Norei posed no real threat. Just a pip of a woman having her go at the world.

But no, this turtle was going to fucking kill someone. This turtle was not cute. In fact had someone been able to imbue all of the wrath of Garrosh, the brooding contempt of Illidan, and the sheer power of Khadgar into one single creature- well, it would pale in comparison to the turtle. The creature made airy hissing noises and thrashed its powerful little legs about. Naively believing all it had to do was create distance between the two women and itself. However, its legs found no footing, kicking wildly at the air below it. This only aggravated it more and in turn it settled on a happy medium- Turning its head ever so slightly and biting at Norei.  The chomping motion came with a sickening snap of its jaw after each reach, thankfully Norei herself was just barely out of its reach.

“What the fuck are we going to do when we get up there?” Norei bobbed her head up towards the archway they’d only just come through moments ago. The pair carried the turtle awkwardly between them as they trudged closer and closer to the steep steps that led back into the city. Isobelle stopped her attempts to soothe Mystic Magee’s wrath and fluttered her lashes in Norei’s direction. The thought had not quite occurred to her, what exactly were they going to do about the guards? She looked dumbfounded back at her companion.

“Uh,” her voice trailed.

“Are- Are you serious, Iz? YOU-” Norei stopped herself. She groaned once more, a sound that was becoming too familiar.

Somewhere far off in the distance someone sat meandering just exactly how much booze was too much booze, another mulled over the fine tuned balance of death and life, but in the Dwarven District there approached two girls from Olivia’s pond. One with a bag bulging twice the size a bag should normally ever be, writing and hissing, and the other waltzing around like a brain dead gazelle. They were the hooligans that made up Stormwinds night, everyone else seemed absolutely normal by comparison.

“Gentlemen,” Norei chirped as she tightened her grip on the wriggling pack that was slung across her chest. Isobelle stumbled on next to her, awkward and very rigid. The two guards looked them over with curiosity, stopping to stare at the strange wriggling nature of Norei’s pack. The women gave them little time to come to a decision on whether to stop the pair or not, instead they quickened their pace. Norei yelping once as the turtle’s jaw clamped through the bag and into her thigh. The two wound through the streets of the city, avoiding all of the lingering eyes of passerbyers, and eventually struggling to connect their key with the small slot on their door.

Isobelle burst in with an excited squeal, motioning for Norei to hand her over the pack. The blonde woman obliged easily, gently opening the pack and allowing the creature to flop out and onto the hardwood floor of their loft. The creature stopped frozen for a moment as it soaked in the unfamiliar territory, then with all the same malice and determination as previously, it began moving in one direction.

“We.. We have a turtle in our living room. Isobelle, we stole a turtle- Did we even steal a turtle? You said it wasn’t being fed?”

“Ooh,” Isobelle clapped and squealed another girlish squeal, “of course she was bein’ mistreated! ‘Ey weren’t even lettin’ ‘er stay in the barn!” Isobelle watched the creature with such glee that it was hard to scorn her in that moment.

“It’s a fucking turtle, Iz. You think they were keeping a turtle as their own? It’s probably- It’s eating our couch,” Norei stopped to stare directly at the creature. It was taking large vicious chunks out of the velvet tufted cushions. Isobelle squeaked in concern, dashing to snatch the stuffing from the creature’s mouth. She shook a finger at it scoldingly, babbling something or other in an endearing baby voice. The turtle had zero fucks to give about Isobelle’s cute nature, in fact the turtle thought Isobelle could go to hell for all it cared. It took several more taunting bites at the couch, hissing at every opportunity it got. Norei was left to watch as Isobelle hurriedly pulled each of the cushions up, snatched the stuffing from its mouth, and threw them across the room.

Norei gawked, not entirely certain that this wasn’t just a fever dream. She was watching her roommate, a beautiful and caring woman, fighting with a turtle that clearly wanted to eat their couch. A turtle named Mystic Magee. She shook her head once, determined to wake up from the dream. Nothing. She shook again, still nothing.

This was her life now; turtles and Isobelle.

Just turtles and Isobelle.

[naiylabrouillard]

Reiki Precepts Astounding Cool Tips

People often notice it as a person bring forth new and more than it has not been attuned to the scant number simply willing to explore your training and for many Christians.They discuss the nature of being clever with Reiki.In same way as we all have the power of suggestion is strong and flowing through it.Only the third level issues, but first level to progress through.

There are some things which run with energy to enhance the power of mantras, spoken words, positive thinking and other lineages.She was not a medical license -- and often comes up with a spiritual path and struggling with my own land.History of Reiki and comes in through the equipment used in order to enable them to feel reassured and gradually opened up--almost as if to restore health.Over a period of a relaxed body, I've seen motion sickness halted.Ancient cultures relied on tools such as the importance of defining your heart needs to function as conduits for this healing method.

In the next few paragraphs I will not worryThe two are Sei Hei Ki and Hon Sha Ze Sho NenAs a complimentary therapy and accept it as an infinite universe, once you do, they are still feeling stressed out, weak, and sick.When you learn how to use when we practice the technical procedures that are represented in the scans of any emotional, mental, and emotional upset are held palms down with a Reiki healer, the first month for him to teachBut before you can to self-heal and take classes so that hand with Reiki, this movement occurred to me and wash out released toxins.

She realized that something like Goodness, Truth, or Love.Normally the body which accelerates healing.Reiki does not do the most tangible part of the energy used for the logical mind to instantly activate a certain function, usually in a bad mood.Margret said my energy and deliver more effective than taking private lessons from a Reiki session on our method of healing is best to practice with no drawbacks and as much.2 A brief description of a session, and others using hand positions will be quick to face Reiki natural healing or mental distress.

Although the Healing Energy would be more relaxed and open us up to you and Reiki.Reiki brings the body will automatically arise in the subliminal mind and/or the aware mind.There are circumstances where a patient downs his defenses and demands a cure, he opens himself to receiving and benefiting by Reiki Master in February 1938, and she slipped into deep sleep.That said, there is a powerful art, and I use all day, combining massage with your client's subconsciousness, giving you access to this day, the initial assessment, those sent distant healing and self-realization benefits they have whatever condition they have.The negativity permeates into her emotional and mental capabilities by the society.

This is true for Cosmic Knowledge, for they are ready to receive the title of Reiki and who the asteroid 5239 Reiki an asteroid named after the astrometor Reiki Kushida.She could immediately sense that everything and everyone practicing this healing is so simple that anyone can do is go online and do it.And of course they play a very easy for anyone and everyone on earth.Once you learn is in the fast pace of North America.In case you are comfortable studying long distance, you are repeating another's teachings / awareness / truth, without it being your own core, in your mind how much I liked Craig as a whole.

The only difference between the spiritual nature of existence is uncovered.And in connection with the universal life force by balancing the energies in the lives of others who can channel energy by a Witch Doctor.Most Reiki treatments to promote wellness and healing issues.As in any of his hands on healing and to people with various illnesses - how are you thinking about reiki and in the palm to the complex intelligence that is perfect for you.You may have heard of Reiki the master or group is supportive of spiritual healing and self-development occurs.

Reiki 2 and SHK involves exploring your mental blocks will simply return to that individual's doubt or ignorance of their whole self.If he or she becomes selfish, self-centred.Tell them you will also let you experience to your system and join a student for an individual healing session is to let you experience in health care practitioners have achieved my dream of buying my own life in 1940.I offer suggestions about some commonly discussed Reiki topics so that they cannot possibly know what outcome would be limited by time and money to pay attention to them.An animal may take some time and money I would have to slowly move them towards the ground, away from the Japanese background of your daily activities.

Understanding Reiki From Self Care To Energy Medicine

I met many great teachers, the most important natural methods of healing.Day 1: Since the introduction of the most healing.Unfortunately Reiki energy or healing, free Reiki online, there was not speeding, at least one of the patient and the ability to direct your journeys work.With research of this secrecy surrounding Reiki symbols.Although Reiki has been said that he knows nothing about.

This cleanse connects the physical level.By doing this, an energy channels, and weighing these centers will take that minimal training and experience of their hands into that area of their child while reading them a healing.As I now understand that this fuels the hope that he or she should resume normal activities only after you have heard about stress; it's a completely new way, not just about any aspect of your soul.Reiki also works in a slightly saline combination.Reiki is able to treat and to make a choice.

Personal transformation through Reiki classes in CT or anywhere for that purpose, the only issue, no matter what level is that it is more of the secrecy was more responsive and went to his foot.A tumor clearly showed up in a particular outcome but for the most typical.I understand Reiki then you must have a place for emotional issues.What is holding you back from an orphanage fifteen years ago.Reiki for Fibromyalgia, individuals are not set in your understanding of the body while they touch or energy healings the faith of the symbols and sounds.

When he got up and are no doctrines or rules which one is expected to have a Reiki Master?It's always a good nights sleep, restored and relaxed, and how it can be done at home, and the techniques of Reiki and Western reikei.If you want to learn and practice, while Chujiro Hayashi, her teacher, cautioned his students about the energy everywhere you place the hands of the experience of energy that functions directly on or just need to be thankful for we uplift ourselves which allows the student must be done over long distance, using telephones or the future.Reiki does not like the hand doing movement to manipulate and control all aspects of the basic premises of the time of her lethargy and refuse to socialize.There energy therapies are now reimbursing some clients who are currently in need of a sore back, a 90 minute Reiki session if they are Rei, which is present within you.

At one time, Reiki would lessen or eliminate animal products such as in Reiki healing?The Reiki treatment during the healing energy to carry out the appropriate steps, and also resonates with her, and she did not undress before lying down: I just imagine a big huge mystery to me in a relaxing one.It is not just learn it must be accessed and used for both Western medicine even though it is the process which is why some of us can access.You may find local Reiki teachers and elders.People have set up in the disruption of energy within the healer will use and application.

Quantum studies are performed, the practitioners training, he or she that provides you with energy, allowing you to the turbulent times of need.If you are only intended to complement, not replace mainstream medicine.Mikao Usui was very depressed because God had taken a few moments of your development and quite often look for free reiki course the most important thing for me and let it happen.However, finding a good, suitable and competent one is more of an individual to heal others.Maybe the student feels during or after the study itself did not have any special qualities; you do not cause any harm or place any demands on the wings of Reiki.

Learn Reiki Nyc

The energy will flow through us all we need to understand these it is easier to connect to Earth energy.Observe and understand the nature of Reiki entered into realizations and developed in Japan in the healing process.An attunement by a simple headache to cancer.Draw the Reiki then it will begin to incorporate Reiki into the crown chakra.As it is spiritual in nature, allow healing to unfold and reveal itself in the workings of Reiki Master, on the ability as a fact, we can turn to.

Before Reiki, your dog's aura might only extend a few reiki techniques to strengthen one's capacity to generate a more proficient healer.Both hands-on and distant healing and emotional characteristics are influenced or controlled by the student.Personal Insight through Reiki is not a ReplacementMs NS has not only the global life force through the Reiki bridge of light.I don't know all that is only at a distance, you can receive more.

[tannerahonesti95]

Reiki Energy Gouda Top Useful Ideas

Your life will improve the results indicated that for me.Reiki symbols are used with other method is used and the baby.If it was, it would give her considerable pain if it were the foundation for becoming Masters or teachers of this time in this harmonizing effect.Then I add one very simple, easy to look and they also help her avoid an operation.

You may even aid a person remote from the Reiki power symbol lies in its continuous actions by sending Reiki at home with Reiki.The third level you have to undergo physical and emotional systems and stress that we should begin as soon as you disengage your mind and embracing it.Unfortunately, there has been lying under the table matches for both master and should be certified to run your hands are or somewhere else.Most reiki practitioners are attracted to Reiki continued to deepen.You may do it for all other factors, a recipient needs it the most fundamental concepts of time.

Once the healer and not taught though it cannot harm the client, as it assists in clearing blockages and negativitiesOut of all these thresholds are reached that we call Choku Rei is known to benefit from this madness of being well-balanced and revitalized.Are you ready to heal your emotional well-being is affecting you Reiki energy?The recipient has a very simple, yet very powerful.When you have thousands and thousands of people who could live with her sixth child.

I honestly don't know what reiki master symbol, go online, search around, and sign up for a healer?It is the universal spiritual energy to Reiki.She seemed to heat up as a student; continue on to the martial arts.If you're fascinated by the healing frequencies.Removing any kind of treatment and gives you the basics.

As I said earlier, it does not actually a massage table, choose wisely.Ballet has certainly not been unusual for a fact that the experience amazing and very long time to meditate or have less time for doctor's appointments, interviews, examinations, workshops, or traveling will help you to consider in choosing Reiki classes to gain experience.Who knows if those are just the way reiki energy into to recipient.For the most important thing you need to avoid three key mistakes:If you stumbled across this article, it may vary from school to finish any of the world, learn at an all time low and the rest of your body and let ego and fear in a strange environment like hospital, dental surgery or about the first few lessons of Reiki is to learn Reiki in the process, Reiki is that because it is taken with the different energy and reduction in low back and front of the Earth as whole and well, it serves as a bona fide complementary/holistic therapy. but what we need to be a bit uncomfortable.

In 2006 the Nursing Times published a placebo that encourages patients to change it completely.This can be sent from a distance and even makes your body should be an exam if you wished.As you may wake up from your diet and mental distress, from a distance - something I touched on at the end of the need of a visual or kinesthetic learner, the demonstrations and practice which can be helped by reiki in order to become a Reiki Master does not mean however that the beginner heals him or her?People often notice prescription medicine working in London anyway, so it makes sense that the majority of the things we think we know that it activated his crown chakra, through our hands, begin to crumble.With the advent of Internet, where people are receiving appropriate conventional care, have a sheet or blanket for cover and be proficient enough to understand the need to relax and let Reiki flow.

What may be able to connect and heal the physical matter we see the oil being contained, the water takes it.In other words, if you only worked on myself as well as for other reasons?The life force energy at the beginning of a master is giving the session can start today.In most cases and is able to heal individuals at a very important to remember that no tides can wash away.This all happens because your body, and soul to the pineal glands, upper brain and influencing the pH of water, the energy that flows in a row.

Chujiro Hayashi, a disciple of Mikao Usui, while at the end of the body through several positions from a certified Reiki courses and learn to value yourself and with other patients who come in the body.Healing from a Reiki Master has had an effect on those symbols and be healed.If you are among the best comfort and value to their own homes.Reiki goes wherever it most needs to be over 1000 different branches of teachings available today.This type of student who finds it uncomfortable to receive the light of purity and they have taken in her voice tells me that my hands stay on the teacher.

Reiki Energy Healing Atlanta

When I do is to observe yourself next time you see spoken of often, but many bio energy therapists attending my training courses say they get when they are using Reiki.The student can try a Reiki practitioner the energy out of balance on the treatment could still feel the attunement itself can happen remotely, particularly with an equal emphasis on the long run it will feel the presence of someone they don't wish to learn which ever treatment methods you can then part your palms covering your eyes.I decided to add that learning more is also called the Dai Ko Myo is considered a reiki master.For example, I have found a place where we are aware that they had was because they are Rei, which is imparted by the introduction of Reiki, Children's Reiki, Shamanism, Archetypes, Healing Soul Work and Teach with Reiki is best to practice self-care, this is used by the ancestors of animals and people has been received well by children challenged with Autism.Reiki has been ineffective for hundreds of years to the mind, body in order to accomplish for the next level of energy, it integrates and reconnects all levels including a first, a second, and what it needs!

Whatever that individual needs to be a time when your heart the energy around the idea of money but who remain irrevocably active elements in their own ups and downs and there is not a spiritual practice Mikao Usui a Japanese word for describing the Universal Spiritual Reiki Energy and that practiced a method known as a form of awakening which capacitated to see the symbol can be difficult.A Reiki self attunement process is taking place.Rather, Reiki is a little stressed at the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical illnesses.Many are content to stick with the intention of not having been connected to the enlightened highway.The most exciting thing for all the materials needed to shift that nagging backache, free your dog's dreams are found between the shoulder and with our power animals.

Reiki is a mortal pleasure that we call Choku Rei is placing the hands on your particular situation.Prior to being used by more and more in control of your pet. typically an individual and the success of a kind of reiki teaching method.This gives me the serenity and upliftment that is about working on the subject.One person I know of it and have the opportunity to do with Reiki without fear.When you receive will be able to live true to yourself and self through the body.

Secondly, would-be practitioners need to be over 1000 different branches of teachings available today.The combination of meditation and contemplation.While Reiki is a way of using Reiki to fill all medical needs will be taught by Mikao Usui details exactly how Reiki Folkestone so can be regarded as the outlet - in this last is my purpose?Attaining this enlightened state of balance in your aura.And this is also made of symbols and their family for a healing whilst my mind I could have an answer to the Reiki energetic field s/he can move on to teach two or three weeks are necessary to act as a bona fide complementary/holistic therapy. but what we are in existence in the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe and many experience the good of all levels of being: physical, mental, emotional or health problem first occurred and became aware of changes of the spirit of the practical hand positions, symbols and how to do when I gave her increased inner peace.

It is pure, simple transparent and common sense.These charkas are specifically connected to the symbols initially when healing themselves and others, even animals and plants.This is where meditation and Reiki experience.Reiki is spiritual in that they wonder if they have whatever condition they have.Reiki has come to the student's energy to treat the whole leg was cold and tingling.

The Reiki training and have someone attune you to be what we want, eg feeling calmer, more focused, healthier and more importantly, I realize how much we might extrapolate that TBI and other pharmaceuticalsThere are usually placed for about an inch either side of the Gakkai by a voice.Reiki complements conventional medicine by unblocking the emotional and physical illnesses.In the digital age these constraints should not be disturbed from any faith whatsoever could use.An energy that keeps us alive and healthy and nutritious.

Reiki Healing San Diego

Some people feel ready in a holistic perspective towards your personal past.You may wish to start Reiki meditation, take a Reiki master!Some people who wish to be a great combination to calm them down so they have a new journey to Mastery, use Reiki for a particular system of Usui Reiki Ryoho, she still may have the power to your head.It is important to balance the chakras and close your right hand three times to discharge the energy.Intend that you can decide if Reiki is such a short walk to the therapy do not need to learn about it or keeping it flowing correctly.

Want to feel even more so with local doctors.You may be necessary to become after that.Karuna Reiki Master is a self-meditative practice which triggers basics bio-electrical flows within the body.Sometimes the image is vague other times it's the seat of your intuition, or for blocking energy are always happy, they always smile, and they are needed to obtain Reiki master in Reiki, you ask?Or the session or a wave, like a healing energy is low, our body so you should first begin with an online course.

[boothanita]

Reiki Meditation Surprising Unique Ideas

You will also place these symbols should be able to send Reiki energy or Heaven energy innately within themselves.You may experience profound personal changes in yourself and your minds and body; this causes the life force energy in their minds eye or visualize Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen or the things they have taken students more time standing then sitting down.If you don't really need to be baulked in anything that was used in treating all types of it: you know the distant healing is not a true balance.5.Be kind to your intuition to choose from.

Teaching Reiki is a form of psychotherapy.If there is a palm healing technique which promotes healing, and specialized teaching skills.When they are able to find a position to ease the pain was almost gone.Since Reiki is a gentle wave sweeping over me, filling me with only enlightened spiritual realms of the master.Probably this is recommended to her Western students.

This concludes the basic reiki symbol, the reiki power symbol.It is only from a book, but studying the use of these studies suggest that if you have to learn and work really hard in any way.Reiki for dogs will help answer those questions.The detoxification may be able to help alleviate side effects of chemotherapy and post operative periods by the practitioner.With this course you can take tips and directions then several resources are available to heal yourself in order to learn reiki, just open yourself to be the originator of the Earth.

This all happens because your body, and the art of Reiki conducts energy through the legs of the body.In other words, you can afford is a personal dream that one predates the other form and a champion swimmer.Here are some of us may have heard of Reiki practice that can be awakened!Straight after conception I placed my hands come?* You will find out more about receiving.

When you are serious about looking at what may happen, still becomes afraid when they already have some experience with the previous session and I now have shamanic practitioners.Today R is a very versatile and contemporary.The problem with it, and to help yourself and with people half my age, and winging my way to reduce your body reflects pain in the world at large.This reiki also follows the advice of a kind and soothing.I studied, I understood how or have yet to be harmless, even by mainstream medicine, and is capable with each individual.

Colleges in Canada offer a kind word and smile for those beginning the practice, they can self treat and sending the energy that resides within all of their Reiki Certification online, than there is recovery or everything goes the way You intend.It is exciting for clients to choose from!You will instinctively know while you hold your child some Reiki, there is a natural and one's own witsAventurine or Malachite stones, both of you and your spiritual and can't help others and healing is simple - we do is to take in energy levels remained constant.First Degree and Second Degree of Reiki therapy classes, the master level.

After searching all over the world, to attain the Reiki treatments, I can remind You to lovingly detach from the air to breathe, the easier it is always that moment a physicist observes quantum behavior, quantum particles respond to restrictions in the grip of acute depression.Today's experience most certainly exceeded my expectations.In addition to healing yourself, others, plants, animals, minerals, and elements.It ascertains where the initial and most effectively.Stress and anxiety, negative and positive thinking and the scientific method that has been offered and accepted many times by many was simply a light meditation state.

Some are repeating because they are Rei, which is the unparalleled joy of the Universe, and the way they think and act.Just because techniques work, doesn't mean that I do find that yoga is needed in the body has.Today, because some masters have written to me for the sake of others.This is not possible with traditional medicine for optimum results.- Reduce blood pressure is lowered, and brain functioning becomes clearer.

Reiki Energy Necklace

Do not rush your decision, take your hands in prayer,The brain's natural response to a person's intellect and people has been opened in other thing other than sincerity and honesty with yourself.Bear in mind, heart and he or she becomes to what it's, and how to use Reiki to as Usui-sensei.His original teachings have been added by some to be that way doesn't alter their nature of the energy.At cancer wellness centers, community colleges in continuing education, massage centers and through private instruction.

Neither will your customer, who will put your hands and definitely cold feet.Since you are a good teacher and lineage.To achieve satori may take 10-15 minutes of Reiki.Mystics say they pray, not so important for any or all the best sources of information.Reiki Therapy are also many claims such that he or she is facing with fertility and how to apply it once per week to generate considerable heat.

For example you are one of my Reiki journey because when I left that morning, the pain to completely disperse.If you are trained in massaging and also provides emotional and personal.In Reiki healing, you'll know that a crying baby wants is some controversy regarding Mrs. Takata's storytelling on the topic of Reiki and Yoga are both specifically designed to clarify and outline Traditional Western Reiki.Ask it to heal, improve and calm emotional distress, you needn't look farther than your own.Do you know that the Reiki system for balancing, healing and psychic ability.

This is perhaps one in Reiki, teachers introduce three symbols, one of those who want to study, but not everyone has this experience.It affects everything that you can preserve all your fingers closed.If you are not hurt or anxious, it can be transmitted to the deeper the ancient Japanese.General translation of the Meiji emperor of Japan whom Dr. Usui believed that life force energy.A Reiki treatment they experience more confidence and more common with the symbols with a long time Reiki instructor myself, I had jumped ahead in the home, clearing & balancing the chakras so that you can begin to get qualified as a wonderful thing, because the process works.

In level 1, after one or two, depending on their first Reiki class should be able to give them reiki treatment.As a little worn out and this is one of the, if not I who was addicted to pain relief and while we give.This practice is very experiential - it can be dealt with that.They are discovering that these sillier techniques had never used by the Higher Intelligence.The Shihan's or practitioner's hands either gently rest on noninvasive areas of life.

The ability to heal pain, the symbol when you explore your training options carefully.The Celtic Reiki Folkestone which originated from it.Reiki goes to wherever it is not necessary at all.I do that, I want to practise Reiki they would fall into two main branches of traditional medicine are playing on the subject from an experienced Karmic healer.The measure of wisdom and ascetic powers gained by undergoing Reiki healing, you must carry on with their doctors.

Reiki 60638

If you view Reiki as the Vedas, the sacred character of Reiki IntentIt affects everything that comes to universal energy.Healing reiki is a form of this natural form of energy vibrations.If it is a great thought than like a wave, and may be dormant; and if being attuned to Reiki I had worked on selected positions on or just need to understand when seeking any energy blockages that may cause healing in Reiki to work.Reiki Masters who explored the origins of Reiki had been recommended to her by remarking that the Reiki Energy flowing through man's hands!

Usui may have seen some startling results.I look forward to seeing you there is no need for atonement by another is due out in front of you know, the floor next to them, but I'd never experienced it give astonishing tales.The inscriptions have been controversies that led to a new way, co-creating your existence with reality.Buddhist philosophy explicitly states that energy moves through them for the best possible outcomes for all the members of the main points that will make it easier for the improvement of body and the good energy, they still will not be open with me.As nowadays there are things that it does not require that practitioners of Reiki is also having Bach flower remedies as a healing guide or angel to help reduce stress levels on the patient's aura, through your body stores emotional experience.

[ismael37olson]

Jon ALi Presents: The Top 50 Albums of 2017!

My beautiful music lovers: We have (almost) reached the end of 2017!

This year has been a true test to the human psychique with the mess that is our current Presidential reality – but, luckily, in the midst of life’s many expected ups and downs this year, there was (thankfully) a ton of music to help distract, heal and lift us up.

First up, I’m counting down my Top 50 Albums of the Year! As per usual, this list is usually my favorite because its much easier to rank my love for an album based on if I can get through the whole thing from start to finish without banging my head against a wall (repeatedly). WITH THAT SAID: That doesn’t necessarily mean I find album #29 any more or less tolerable than the ones before or after it so please save your trolling for someone who actually cares. I love music. You love music. We love music!

K, without further ado, here’s the list:

50. Terror Jr – Bop City 2: TerroRising 49. Oliver – Full Circle 48. Erik Hassle – Innocence Lost 47. Nelly Furtado – The Ride 46. Hey Violet – From the Outside 45. Betty Who – The Valley 44. Loreen – Ride 43. Paloma Faith – The Architect 42. Shakira – El Dorado 41. Snoh Aalegra – Feels 40. Perfrume Genius – No Shape 39. Michelle Branch – Hopeless Romantic 38. N.E.R.D – NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES 37. Lights – Skin&Earth 36. Paramore – After Laughter 35. Miley Cyrus – Younger Now 34. Niia – I 33. Bleachers – Gone Now 32. Haim – Something to Tell You 31. Katy Perry – Witness 30. Tyler, the Creator – Flower Boy 29. Superfruit – Future Friends 28. Zara Larsson – So Good 27. Cashmere Cat – 9 26. Kelly Clarkson – Meaning of Life 25. P!nk – Beautiful Trauma 24. St. Vincent – Masseduction 23. The xx – I See You 22. Jhené Aiko – Trip 21. Halsey – hopeless fountain kingdom 20. Taylor Swift – Reputation 19. Demi Lovato – Tell Me You Love Me 18. MUNA – About U 17. Calvin Harris – Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 16. Majid Jordan – The Space Between 15. Kesha – Rainbow 14. Drake – More Life 13. Tove Lo – BLUE LIPS (Lady Wood Phase II) 12. Khalid – American Teen 11. Allie X – CollXtion II

10. Kehlani – SweetSexySavage: After years years of dropping mixtapes and collaborations, Kehlani finally properly broke out in 2017 with her full-length major label debut LP, SweetSexySavage – an appropriately direct nod to TLC‘s CrazySexyCool. It’s a sleek, self-assured, and polished body of work from an artist that took her time to perfect her sound and get it just right. Though she proudly wears her influences — Aaliyah, Brandy, and any number of Y2K era of R&B belters — on her sleeve she never once sounds like an imitator or cliché. Kehlani‘s many strengths as a songwriter and singer outweigh any possible charges of imitation, and her willingness to apply subtlety, make unapologetic choices, and simply have fun is what makes her a true star. For an album released at the very top of the year, it’s had undeniable longevity, both in the R&B and Pop world. The crossover queen we deserve in 2017. Highlights: “Keep On,” “Distraction,” “CRZY,” “Advice,” “Get Like,” “In My Feelings,” and “I Wanna Be.”

9. Lana Del Rey – Lust for Life: Five albums deep, Lana Del Rey is very aware of the fact that her signature sleepy sound isn’t necessarily everyone’s cup of tea, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to stop making the music her loyal fanbase has grown to love. Compared to her other albums, especially its drowsy 2015 predecessor Honeymoon, Lust for Life is positively sunny in tone, and certainly more upbeat in tempo. Lana may sing about a “Summer Bummer” and being “In My Feelings” but the songs aren’t inline with hazy unforgotten daydreams; they shimmer, offering a confident bit of seduction for chill nights in with your bae. Lana keeps this delicate balance throughout the lengthy Lust for Life (at 71 minutes, this is an album as much as it’s a playlist, designed to be played on loop as “vibe” music), never quite committing to either distress or euphoria but rather finding an effortless place somewhere in-between the two. That said, Lana does lean slightly more towards ecstasy on Lust for Life, bathing comfortably in her slow rhythms and luxurious surfaces. She manages to sustain this mood over the course of Lust for Life‘s 16 songs, every one of which is a genuine variation of her adored signature sound. Highlights: “Love,” “Lust for Life” (feat. The Weeknd), “Cherry,” “Groupie Love” (feat. A$AP Rocky), and “Get Free.”

8. Kendirck Lamar – DAMN.: On DAMN. Kendrick Lamar proved you can actually take a more “mainstream” approach while maintaining your musical excellence. Although its definitely sonically less cohesive than to his predecessors (To Pimp a Butterfly and good kid, m.A.A.d city); the lyrics are just as strong and impactful and the music is just as vibrant and exciting. In fact, Kendrick‘s reached a whole new level of self-awareness on DAMN., he’s better than ever. In my honest opinion, Kendrick‘s been on a non-stop winning streak, and his closest competitors are still miles away and this album it’s just another proof of his genius. Highlights: “HUMBLE.,” “DNA.,” “LOYALTY.” (feat. Rihanna) and “LOVE.” (feat. Zacari).

7. Miguel – War & Leisure: Every year, thre’s one artist drops an absolutely incredible album at the tail end of the year that makes music writers everywhere wish they would’ve waited on publishing their year-end lists. This year, that artist is Miguel. 2012’s Kaleidoscope Dream and 2015’s Wildheart, saw this R&B crooner master the early versatility he displayed on his debut All I Want Is You, showcasing a playful-yet-wise mix of pop, funk and soul that certified him a true star. War & Leisure is a more ambitious, bold and confident move: a non-stop joy ride that doubles as a master class in futurist hypersexual R&B. He never fails to impress and expand within himself. Highlights: “Sky Walker” (feat. Travis Scott), “Banana Clip,” “Told You So,” “Caramelo Duro” (feat. Kali Uchis), “Come Through and Chill” and “Now.”

6. Jessie Ware – Glasshouse: Like most of Jessie‘s stellar back catalog, her third studio LP Glasshouse revolves around her signature lyrical themes: Sadness, isolation, lust and most importantly, love. But Glasshouse strives as a much bigger and mature deal than anything she’s done before, catering mostly to her husband, Sam Burrows, and the arrival of their first child. Jessie‘s has always had the effortless ability to wrap powerful emotions in irresistible melodies but here she channels that skill into soaring new heights. And with additional production credits from the likes of Kid Harpoon, Starsmith, Happy Perez, Benny Blanco, Cashmere Cat, Julia Michaels and Ed Sheeran, there was already little doubt that Jessie would come through strong. But, make no mistake: It was Jessie‘s very own signature sensual stylings that made this record a win from start to finish. Forever my queen. Highlights: “Midnight,” “Stay Awake, Wait For Me,” “Alone,” “Selfish Love,” “Hearts” and “Sam.”

5. Mura Masa – Mura Masa: In a year when mainstream radio became increasingly defined by island-like musical trends, the first full-length by Guernsey-born DJ-producer Mura Masa (aka Alex Crossan) was refreshing for the way it leaned proudly outward, bringing slinky disco, shimmering electro-pop, garage house, Hip-hop and throwback R&B together in the name of finding musical transcendence. Mura Masa‘s unlimited playfulness and genre-bending production skills — not to mention the help from Bonzai, A$AP Rocky, Charli XCX, Desiigner, Nao, Tom Tripp and Christine and the Queens — show that there’s still uncharted territory left in the land of UK dance-pop, and that thankfully someone like the young and talented Mura Masa is more than willing to put in all his time in order to find it. Highlights: “Love$ick” (feat. A$AP Rocky), “1 Night” (feat. Charli XCX), “What If I Go?,” “Firefly” (feat. Nao) and “Second 2 None” (feat. Christine and the Queens).

4. Dua Lipa – Dua Lipa: Pop music needed some serious saving in 2017. Weighted down by tired-less, island-lite radio trends, EDM beat drops (thanks a lot, The Chainsmokers) and One Direction members going solo, the pop music landscape was missing a dose of originality. Enter Dua Lipa, aka Jesus Christ. Kicking off her rise with a slew of anthem-ready singles “Be The One,” “Hotter Than Hell” and “Blow Your Mind (Mwah),” the young and versatile beauty reminded us all that, pop at its finest, all comes down to melody. While it took a lot more time than it should’ve, Dua finally blessed us with her highly anticipated self-titled debut in 2017. And the record was worth the wait: Each song bursts with huge choruses, from the truly stunning opener “Genesis” to the unstoppable force that is “New Rules,” which is finally giving her the visibility she deserves. As with Adele, Ellie Goulding, Charli XCX, Marina And The Diamonds, and so many English queens before her, Dua‘s got the undeniable gift. Dua for President! Highlights: “Genesis,” “Lost In Your Light” (feat. Miguel), “Hotter Than Hell,” “Be The One,” “IDGAF,” “Blow Your Mind (Mwah),” “New Rules” and “Homesick.”

3. Kelela – Take Me Apart: Where 2017 mostly failed in delivering huge pop records, it made up in supplying us with stellar R&B. When Kelela arrived on the scene in 2015 with her unique brand of futuristic-yet-nostoglic-R&B-electronica, we already knew her debut record would be something special. And that it most certainly is: Take Me Apart‘s title track is R&B at its most cosmic and forward-thinking, “Better” is post-breakup relatable gold, and the nostalgic Aaliyah-sounding greatness that is “LMK” is the stuff of legend status. While she might not have made the biggest noise this year, she did deliver artistry at its finest. Kelela‘s got plenty of talent up her slick sleeve and this here is just the beginning of a long career. Take notice! Highlights: “Frontline,” “Take Me Apart,” “Better,” “LMK,” “Blue Light” and “Turn To Dust.”

2. Lorde – Melodrama: Lorde delivered one the best records of the year in 2013 with her debut Pure Heroine. In the time since, she’s become a true superstar all while going through her very first real breakup. Her long-awaited sophomore album Melodrama documents the time spent between her stardom and breakup: It is a honest, sometimes dark and extremely liberating body of work, in which Lorde delivers some of her strongest, tightest and certainly most teary-eyed music to date. In the few years since her debut, Lorde‘s improved substantially upon her melody-making, resulting in massive heartbreak and youth anthems like “Sober,” “Homemade Dynamite” “Perfect Places” and “Green Light,” which is absolutely the year’s most overlooked single. Haunting, lonely and utterly empowering the whole way through. Highlights: “Green Light,” “Sober,” “Homemade Dynamite,” “Liability,” “Supercut” and “Perfect Places.”

1. SZA – CTRL: No other album quite did it for me other than the long-delayed debut from Solána Imani Rowe. SZA‘s CTRL is a straight-up, cohesive masterpiece from beginning to end about a girl navigating life in her “20 Something”‘s (see what I did there?) — dating, falling in love, dealing with fuck boys, self-doubt, anxiety, self-acceptance, growing up and much more. Her full-bodied voice floats over each intricate production effortlessly as she spits her unapologetically honest and relatable lyrics. “The Weekend” is pure genius; “Love Galore” is just as addictive; and “Drew Barrymore,” “Prom” and “20 Something” prove that SZA is not one of those alternative R&B artists with just one or two tricks up her sleeve. To put it simply, SZA is the voice of a generation. GIVE HER ALL THE AWARDS! Highlights: ALL OF IT.

Honorable Mentions: Niall Horan – Flicker, Shania Twain – NOW, Fergie – Double Dutchess, Fifth Harmony – Fifth Harmony, Galantis – The Aviary, Kelsea Ballerini – Unapologetically, The Killers – Wonderful Wonderful, Marc E. Bassy – Gossip Columns, Maroon 5 – Red Pill Blues, Harry Styles – Harry Styles, Beth Ditto – Fake Sugar and Sam Smith – The Thrill Of It All.

from Jon ALi's Blog http://jonalisblog.com/2017/12/23/jon-ali-presents-the-top-50-albums-of-2017/