#The Desert Called

[looseleafteeaves]

Facing the Krayt, part 2

Leia, in the time after poisoning Jabba, waited in silence. Her back burned with pain like knives, the perfectly parallel lines from the elctrowhip pulling and stretching as she breathed.

First dawn passed, sky alight with pinks like Nabooian lake lillies. No one came to pull her out. Second dawn approached, red like blood staining the sky. A pair of guards approached and grabbed her arms yanking her from the cellar she was locked in.

Jabba’s majordono greeted her.

“The Mighty Jabba has decided your punishment. You will be facing the Sandstorm. If you survive, you will return to misting, little girl.”

Leia’s eyes burned, and her ears rang with the rattle of bones, the roar of a Krayt Dragon. She said nothing.

Bib Fortuna appeared almost disappointed.

“Put her outside the gates. She will walk into the Dune Sea. After the sandstorm passes, we will track her chip and return her- or her body.”

Leia’s face becomes like a nabooian lake. Placid, calm.

Unfathomably deep. Filled with dangers. She walked between the guards, listening as the call of the burning sands grew louder, snippets of words beginning to become heard.

She was shoved out the back gate of the palace. Her sheer clothes providing nothing to stop the wind. Her enslaved sisters had placed what few things they had set aside outside the walls, hidden beneath a rock with a tzai plant. She covered herself in the long, midnight blue cloak. Her barefeet covered in sturdy shoes. She armed herself with protection from the Burning Suns.

Then she walked.

As both suns reached the peak of their arc, the sandstorm was seen. The whipping winds, the knife like sand, the wall of darkness.

Leia saw its approach. She pulled goggles over her eyes, a sheer scarf over her mouth and nose. She breathed as the front running dust blew past. One last breath, and the storm was upon her.

The world turned black. Her clothing ripped into by wind. The world turned red.

A voice calling from deeper in the storm.

“Come, my child. Face the storm. Face your brother. Find your soul.”

Leia reached inside herself. The fathomless deep lake. The eternal mountain storm. The endless desert. A wall cracks.

Shatters.

Her mind fills with light. Even in the midst of the sandstorm, ghosts walk beside her, their beautiful presences splitting sky from sand.

“Hello there, little ghost.”

Leia smiles. “Ben!”

Ben- Obi-Wan- smiles and starts to speak, but is yanked into the wind.

Another flash- a red bird- there and gone again.

“Oh, darling.”

Leia’s eyes fill with tears. “Daddy.”

Bail Organa smiles, and his ghostly form embraces her.

“Face your Trial, daughter mine. With courage, strength, and wisdom. Your soul is of three peoples. You honor them all.”

Leia reaches out with grasping hands, tears freely flowing.

His ghost vanishes. Leia presses onwards. A woman, face hosting crows feet and the beginning of laugh lines. Her mouth moves, but no sound escapes. Her blue shaw flaps in the sandstorm’s breeze as she vanishes.

A beautiful woman, chest filled with lights like lightning bugs, appears. “Leia… Daughter… Child of Many. What do you seek?”

Leia, crying as she smiles. “Freedom. Myself. Hope.”

Breha Organa’s face becomes more real. “The go daughter. Lukka The sandstorm has your answers.”

“Wait- Momma- don’t leave yet- I’m sorry I failed-“

Though her blue glowing figure was gone, her voice rang like the wind chimes on Alderaan. “Oh Beloved. You could never have failed. You upheld the best parts of Alderaan. You protected hope. You survived. Thats all Bail or I could ask.”

Leia knew she wouldn’t find them again in this storm.

Before her, an orange flight suit covered in jedi robes runs forwards. Luke’s curly hair bouncing as he laughs joyously. Leia chases him.

The Krayt chases the Sandstorm. The Sandstorm chases the Krayt.

He vanishes. The little red bird is hopping before her, the barest of outline. It’s beak opens.

“Why do you walk the sandstorm, Child of Me?”

“I face the storm for a call, for a punishment from Depur.”

The redbird changes, becoming a brunette with a scar and a metal tube at his waist.

“The walk, Daughter of the Desert Lakes Mountains. The Mother awaits.”

Leia walks. The Dune sea laid out before her. Far in the distance, a rock face with plants blooming out of it is visible.

Directly before her is a woman dressed in layers, a pouch with a starburst and a bronze braclet is waiting.

“Water, Seeker?”

Leia nods and drinks deeply. “What is your name, Grandmother?”

“Shmi, granddaughter. I have wondered where you were when your twin crossed the sands.”

Leia blinks. “Shmi, I think you are mistaken. I have no twin.”

Shmi smiles. “I could never be mistaken. Lukka is only given as a name when there is a Leia beside him.”

Leia is stunned. Shmi gives a small secret smile. “Walk onwards, Granddaughter. Face your mother and yourself. Walk onwards, Leia Organa Ekkreth.”

Shmi vanishes.

Leia does as bid. Sitting before the cave in bloom is a women Leia has only seen in dreams. Long brown hair, so like her own. Deep blue dress. White, star-like flowers dotting her hair and dress.

“Hello, Padmè Amidala.”

“Hello, my daughter.”

And the area fills with light. A thousand snippets of a moment. A thousand chances to see what could have been. A moment with who was.

She sees Luke being taken away, sees Bail hold her for the very first time. Sees her mother breath her last. Sees her father and her mother breathe together, love each other.

Sees Vader.

Padmè kisses her forehead and says “Face yourself, my beautiful daughter. You must remember.”

Leia grasps her hand one last time as she fades. The cave, with blooming flowers and jagged teeth. A shuddering breath like a death rattle blows past.

Leia steps forward.

———

Leia never shared what she learned in that cave. It is a small, secret vision she keeps from all but one.

But she learned. For Leia the Krayt Dragon, Elder Sister, was waiting there. And Leia knew her soul. For no chain has been made that can bind her to not escape, and none ever will.

Leia returns after 7 days in the desert. She walks through the gates of Jabba’s palace, and they did not need to track her. She was in perfect health.

Lukka Luke came the next day. Leia strangled Jabba with the chains he thought would bind her, would break her.

She freed herself and her sisters. Her sisters embraced her as she left to face the Depur of the Empire.

Lukka looks at Leia, and they both know the other like a forgotten friend come back into your life.

The Krayt chases the Sandstorm. The Sandstorm faces the Krayt.

Leia, after freeing the Empire, brings Lukka back to Tatooine. The Burning Twins help their people take back their planet.

[sleepiestwizard]

grian mumbo and skizz basing RIGHT under scar “i love tnt minecarts” goodtimes, who very famously goes red fast and hates them AND is also building a “rollercoaster of death” right above them. is gonna go very well im sure

[fantastic-nonsense]

insane how Red Robin is "the loner Tim Drake book" when he had friends and family just popping out of the woodwork like daisies asking him to come home and enjoy hugs like he used to 😭

[wszczebrzyszynie]

a gift for a friend (she made me rewatch 3rd life)

[starry-bi-sky]

Unpleasant Revelations - DPxDC Ficlet Idea for the Stillborn Au

"Have you met my youngest, Damian, Mr. Masters?"

Its only from twenty years of long, hard experience and practice that Vlad doesn't increase the room temperature from 'borderline uncomfortably cool' to 'unbearably hot' the moment Bruce Wayne pulls his youngest and "only" biological son out in front of him.

He puts only in quotations because twelve year old Damian Wayne looks scarily, uncannily like one Daniel Brown. Jack and Maddie's foster son, second victim of their foolishness, and only other halfa in existence. Second only to him.

It's nauseating how similar they look. From the scowl and terrible glare on the young boy's face, to his brown skin -- which was only a few shades lighter than Daniel's, the shape of his nose, and even the strange winged edge of his eyebrow. Something that Vlad has long since come to find endearing on the child he considered a son of his own. The only difference was that Damian had dark, sharp green eyes.

Daniel's eyes were blue. The same glacier shade as his father's, who stood behind Damian with a proud, oafish smile on his visage.

It was infuriating how similar they look. Vlad might not have rapidly swung the room temperature from one extreme to the other, but he can't stop himself from letting the fury burning within his core from slipping out and raising the temperature up a few degrees.

Because it really only meant one thing.

Damian Wayne and Daniel Brown were related.

Damian Wayne and Daniel Brown were brothers.

Standing in front of him, it was clear as day. He can already picture a phantom image of Daniel standing beside Damian, the same scowl written on his face, the same glare carved into his eyes. The only difference being the dark, exhausted circles beneath them that seemed to be permanently painted onto his skin. The only thing missing being the permanent loneliness and vigilance permeating his being like a scar.

This, if revealed, would be enough to ruin Bruce Wayne's reputation. Or, at the very least, darken it quite a bit. The great philanthropist Bruce Wayne with another secret blood child? One related to his youngest? One that had been put into foster care? Seemingly thrown away?

It would be a firestorm.

One that Vlad is not keen on starting.

It would ruin Bruce Wayne's reputation, yes. But it would hurt Daniel in the process -- the harassment he would face alone might just be enough to break that fragile child completely. That was just not something he could allow. Or, even worse, bring him into his biological father's care and custody -- something Vlad was even less willing to allow.

It's not out of kindness to Wayne that Vlad will keep mum about this.

His grip on his champagne flute tightens, just a bit. He's still aware enough of the world around him to not let it shatter in his hands. His plastered, pleasant smile tightens around the corners, and he forces his focus to slide from Damian to Wayne.

"The resemblance is uncanny, Mister Wayne." He says, slanting his smile to the side slyly. Although he's not talking about the resemblance between Wayne and his son. Rage simmers beneath his skin, burning coal and embers in the core of his chest, nestled between his lungs, as he meets the man's eyes.

Wayne swaggles his head proudly, his ditzy smile widening as he squeezes his son's shoulder affectionately. Bastard, Vlad wants to spit.

He breathes in through his nose, and exhales out through his mouth. The champagne in his hand cools, and stops its unusual bubbling.

The Damian boy scoffs under his breath, his mouth still coiled upward into a scowl. With the revelation of his blood relation to Daniel evident, Vlad's not sure if he should find it endearing or not.

He is not Daniel, so he decides that it's just simply irritating. He decides to ignore it.

"And you said he was your only biological son?" He asks, voice lilting and head tilting. He knows its a suspicious question at worst, insulting at best. But considering Wayne's past proclivities, he can hardly call it an unexpected question.

Damian puffs in great offense, face twisting angrily. It reminds him of Daniel when Vlad insisted that he was wrong about something or other, and for a moment his heart swells, fond.

But this is not his child, and so the feeling quickly crashes and burns, simmering back into rage. This was not Daniel -- this was his replacement. A replacement that Wayne was free to keep.

Wayne chuckles, idiotically, as if he'd said some funny joke. Vlad's other hand, the one gripping his cane -- something he's required ever since he was dispatched from the hospital all those lonely years ago -- tightens instead. He grinds his teeth -- him and Jack Fenton would get along like a house on fire, he hates it.

"I can understand why you'd ask that, Mister Masters," Wayne says, squeezing Damian's shoulder again, "but yes, Damian is my only biological son. Although that doesn't mean I don't love my other children any less."

Bastard.

For all his posturing and flouncing about caring for his city and his children, Vlad never would have thought the Prince of Gotham capable of abandoning one of them.

But, well.

They all have their dark secrets.

And what one man throws away, another man picks up. If Bruce Wayne didn't want the treasure child that was Daniel Brown, then Vlad Masters was more than happy to take him instead.

"I see."

[nhyhu]

@hot-scarian-summer-2024 - Day 5- Cowboys AU

horses suck to draw

[go-learn-esperanto]

Occasionally I stop and just think to myself “I still can't believe Grian and Scar got paired together again by the universe on Double Life. Isn't it insane??? There were a 13 total amount of people Grian could have been paired with and it was Scar."

[pieflavoredartz]

(CLICK FOR THAT SWEEEET QUAILTY WOO HOO)

oooh cowboys yee harrr ⭐️

(og under cut ^^)

hii there ur lookin at the og! no catus tho sorry 😔😔

[grandapplewit]

Harem AU where Shen Yuan transmigrates into one of Bingge’s wives shortly after he returns from the other world. After a brief (and frantic) realization that’s she’s a woman (and always has been, but we’re not getting into that right now), she delves deep into this harem drama she’s been thrust into. It’s not until she comes face to face with Luo Bingge that she realizes just WHICH harem drama she’s living, and immediately sets about making his life as good as she can manage. Oh, harem infighting is causing strain on his containers? Simply nudge Liu Mingyan and Sha Hualing into working together to manage the harem. The Northern Desert is hinging on disaster because of clerical neglect? One of her harem sisters has a brother who’s in need of a job, no stress. Luo Binghe’s kids are unruly and there’s no clear successor? She has a college degree and a little sister, teaching a dozen or so demonic children is a breeze! All in the name of giving Luo Binghe the time to find a new wife, of course, one who will disperse with the need for this sprawling harem, and once that happens she’s free to travel and document monsters to her hearts content.

[pandebunuelo]

Scar Pearl asked him to make it quick, painless. It was for the best if he she died right now. But Grian Scar refused. He wanted a fair game and a fair fight. He didn’t want to kill him her just like that. And so they fought.

But it was all meaningless. Scar Pearl missed all his her shots while Grian Scar landed all of them. They ran around, but it was a ruse for their own sakes. Scar Pearl got cornered, but it had never been Grian’s Scar’s call. Scar Pearl had decided already who was the winner, and it wasn’t going to be him her.

When Scar Pearl fell, it felt like déjà vu.

[teethburied]

Desert Hearts (1985) dir. Donna Deitch

[old-desert]

Inktobertale 2024 Day 6: Hyperspeed

How convenient that I just so happened to have a biker gang au lying around, huh.

[joja-co-official]

Each time your graveyard shift is over, remember: at least you're not working from a literal grave! Unlike the skeleton department. Shout out to you guys

[skimmeh]

YIPPEEEE get sillied

[yellow-yarrow]

[natjennie]

I love the captain as much as any of you, that much should be clear. but I have to say it. sometimes you guys make him too nice. in your fics and your art and whatnot. he's sensitive yes but when he gets overwhelmed he gets mean. he is commanding and snippy and rude. yeah maybe he'd apologize or ask for a hug or admit he was wrong or whatever but it would be a JOURNEY to get there. he's got like 8 different walls up at any given time and when you threaten one he gets cunty. please don't deny him his right to be a bitch.