#also one big coincidence because destiny and second chances

[zhivchik]

Royalty | Charn x Tinn | Laws of Attraction (AU) One forgot and one remembered too clearly.

Say I'm cold hearted But I'm just getting started

[thoughts-on-bangtan]

Let’s talk: Serendipity with a side of 4 O’Clock and other guest appearances

by Admin 1 and 2

We’ve been meaning to write a analysis/theory/discussion on Serendipity for the longest time, especially after I once mentioned in a previous post how I think the song can be interpreted in a way that works for both vmin and namjin. So, while I’ll add my thoughts in regard to the latter, the vmin portion is more based on conclusions and thoughts Admin 2 arrived at. I think their idea presents a perspective I haven’t really seen anywhere else before yet, so I think it’ll hopefully be interesting.

As with any song analysis/discussion/theories, this only represents some of our interpretations which don’t have to be right and no one is meant to take this as gospel. Art is subjective and while we all listen to the same song, read the same lyrics, our understanding and thoughts may/will vary, so you might not agree with any of what we say and you are not obliged to do so. This is just meant as a discussion, some pondering, and perhaps we can discover something along the way that we haven’t considered yet.

With that being said, let’s get into it.

Additional preface: this post will work off of the assumption that both vmin and namjin have romantic feelings for each other and/or are together. If this isn’t an angel you’re interested in reading about, this likely isn’t the post for you. Furthermore, if you’d prefer to put on your delulu hat for the duration of this post, please take a moment to put it on now. Enjoy!

All lyric translations are from doolset.

Serendipity is the opening song on Love Yourself: Her, the first album of the Love Yourself trilogy, and was released September 18th 2017. Of all the members, Namjoon is the only one credited as lyricist on it along with four other people (two outsiders, Slow Rabbit and Bang PD). Based on that we can say that Namjoon definitely had a big influence of the content of the lyrics and the story they tell so analyzing the song in the context of Namjoon makes sense. But at the same time the song is Jimin’s solo so I don’t think it is that farfetched to think that he kept Jimin in mind when writing the lyrics, and judging by how attached vmin, and especially Tae, seem to be to this song, thinking that there might be more to it than just the fact that it’s Jimin’s solo, again, seems like a sensible conclusion to arrive at. In 2020 Tae even used a moment where he recommended Serendipity (as part of the digital Map of the Soul ON:E Exhibition which, by the way, opened on Jimin’s birthday) in order to wish Jimin a happy birthday.

Serendipity /ˌsɛr(ə)nˈdɪpɪti/ as: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

Looking at the meaning of the title and the big focus on the concept of destiny displayed in the lyrics, I think it makes a lot of sense in the context of Bangtan. The members themselves have spoken about how it was meant to be them, these seven men, and just think about how many different factors had to work in their favor for them to end up not only as trainees for BigHit but also as members of BTS. If Seokjin hadn’t gotten on that specific bus and gotten off on that station the BigHit staff might’ve never seen him and approached him, if Tae hadn’t gone with his friend to the audition and hadn’t gotten talked into auditioning himself, he wouldn't even be an idol at all, and if Jimin’s dance teacher hadn’t encouraged him to audition he wouldn’t have come as trainee to Seoul either. And if one of the BigHit producers hadn’t seen Namjoon, hadn’t shown him to Bang PD, BTS wouldn’t have been created at all. As the lyrics themselves say:

이 모든 건 우연이 아냐 All this is not a coincidence

Timeline wise we think Serendipity is about two different moments in time depending if you look at vmin or namjin. For the latter I’d say it’s about the beginning of their relationship which, if namjinists are right in our thoughts and theories, would put this sometime 2013. Meanwhile for vmin, Admin 2 actually thinks it would be 2016, more specifically the time of the dumpling incident, so before FIRE was released. This also leads us to the main idea that Admin 2 arrived at and thought of, being that Serendipity and 4 O’Clock tell two sides to the same story, as in Tae in 4 O’Clock is the one waiting for the other person, who describes the moment in time and the feelings he had when that person came to meet him. Meanwhile Jimin is the one who came to meet him, who asks him to love him, who cried because of his feelings and who’s telling him about those feelings and thoughts (as displayed by the sentiments of Serendipity). Namjoon also wrote both, and he knew as many details of the incident as Tae was willing to share with him which, seeing how filled with emotion and deep the lyrics to 4 O’Clock are, I’m sure were rather extensive. How else would he has been able to write such beautiful lyrics?

Actually, to sidetrack for a moment, Admin 2 thinks that it’s not a coincidence that Namjoon isn’t just on 4 O’Clock was writer but also as artist, that in a way he also verbalizes his own pain/troubles through his verse even though, as far as we know, namjin never had anything that would be like the dumpling incident, but in this sense it’s more about what the incident represents rather that the literal event. As in, for vmin this was the big fight they had, a majorly significant moment that brought about a change in their dynamic and bond, and according to them it was their last big fight in general. Like a moment that was destined to happen in order to allow for them to later down the line grow into what they are today in connection to each other, but we think it was also a moment in which, while they might’ve realized and opened up to each other about their feelings, it was also when they had to realize that despite there being more to their feelings, it wasn’t the time for it.

As the lyrics in Serendipity say:

설레는 만큼 많이 두려워 As much as my heart flutters, I’m afraid

운명이 우릴 자꾸 질투해서 because the destiny keeps getting jealous of us

너만큼 나도 많이 무서워 As much scared as you are, I’m, too, scared

When you see me When you touch me

Destiny in this case represents their career and them being idols, being part of a group destined to become the phenomenon and the superstars they are today, meaning that this destiny stood in the way of their bond in a romantic sense. They had to prioritize this destiny over their feelings, over wanting to be with each other, because they were afraid of the repercussions that could otherwise bring upon them (as well as the other members). Besides, they could also look at namjin who, in a way, came before them. If theories are right and namjin were together sometimes starting in 2013, they had to eventually split romantically for the greater good of the band, so if their relationship had to take the back seat, so to speak, destiny having gotten in their way (gotten jealous of them), how could vmin know it wouldn’t be the same for them? Besides they already had so much going on with Jimin’s feelings of jealousy due to Tae’s Hwarang hyungs, Tae’s work on the drama keeping him away from the band and exhausting him even more, and the sad things still to come which they couldn’t know at that time just yet.

From Sweet Night we know that they had a first chance that Tae didn’t take, that he couldn’t have known that one day he would wake up and feel more for his best friend, as in Jimin, even though, deep down he realized that he’d long reached the shore already. So, in that park that night the conclusion they arrived at was that while they couldn’t move forward with their feelings (because perhaps Tae didn’t even know just yet the extent of his own), he realized that Jimin is an angel after he told him that he at least wants to be his source of strength which subsequently unleashed arrows of pent up emotions from his heart. So while it was a positive event in sense of it bringing clarity, to a certain degree, about their feelings for each other, it was also one of sadness because they knew they couldn’t follow those feelings. Remember how when performing 4 O’Clock Tae cried in the end? If it were a song just reminiscing about two friends making up at the park after a fight over them being stubborn about dumplings, would he really feel saddened enough to cry, to get to that level of emotionality?

Later in the song the lyrics say:

이젠 곁에 와줘 Now, please be by my side

우리가 되어줘 Please be us

I don’t wanna let go no

그냥 맡기면 되는 거야 We can just leave it to fate

말 안 해도 느껴지잖아 We can feel it even if we don’t talk

Here the important part would be the line about how they can leave things up to fate, which can be interpreted as even if things might not be what we want them to be right now or anytime soon, they will happen eventually because that’s how it’s meant to be. The lyrics generally make a lot of mention of how their love is destined, how their happiness together has been destined since the universe was first created. So it shows a sense of trust that regardless of what will happened, or might’ve happened in the past, they will find their way back together eventually (in a romantic sense). Like, again, in Sweet Night where Tae didn’t use his first chance but hopes he’ll get a second one and, judging by the hopeful tone of the song and everything that we know currently, it looks like he got it and it worked out in their favor. The same, I think, can also be said about namjin.

Looking at the lyrics of Serendipity, the idea of them being fated even though their meeting was serendipitous, Namjoon is basically telling us that here, too, he believes that his connection to Seokjin, if we are correct in the interpretation that Seokjin is the lover hinted at throughout different songs on the Love Yourself albums, was also meant to be and that it will remain as such even if they had to step away from each other romantically, that while they used to be scared back in the day to be together, to open up to each other about their feelings, it still was destiny and that it would work out in the end. Looking at how much they’ve influenced each other, how Namjoon even went as far as saying that Seokjin is his muse/inspiration in a way, would such conclusion really be all that farfetched?

The first line of the quoted verse also reminds me of the same sentiment that Jimin wrote about three years later for Friends in which he wrote:

언젠가 이 함성 멎을 때 stay hey Someday, when these cheers die down, stay hey

내 옆에 함께 있어줘 Stay with me by my side

영원히 계속 이곳에 stay hey Forever, keep staying here, hey

We know that forever/eternity is a big thing when it comes to Jimin and Tae which we’ve seen as early as 2014 with the picture of their intertwined hands that Tae posted on twt with the wish of them keeping going together for a long time and then with Jimin’s addition of saying forever. Later during Bon Voyage 4 he also said that again, how he wants to live with his lovely Taehyungie forever, and years before that how he wants them to be together until they’re grandpas.

So, in a way, it isn’t just destiny they trust that will be in their favor, but it’s also their active wish and “work” in that direction, that it’s not just something a higher force has foreseen for them but it’s also something they consciously want for themselves as well. All because of that serendipitous fact that they ended up as trainees and members of BTS.

넌 내 푸른 곰팡이 You’re my blue mold (penicillin)

날 구원해 준 that saved me

나의 천사 나의 세상 My angel, my world

Here is where we can draw two connection directly to Tae and Jimin, one because of something Jimin said about Tae years prior and the other due to the fact that as recently as the second half as 2020 (DICON Magazine) Tae said he had Jimin saved on his phone as Penicillin. We also know that after the song came out, Tae made a phone case for Jimin with the word penicillin on it which Jimin proudly used and showed off. 

Furthermore penicillin itself is something that can save you, and while we might not know from what, exactly, Jimin needed to be saved, he did say that Tae is more than just his close friend, he is also his savior.

As for Namjoon, there was certainly a time where he would’ve needed someone to save him, from himself and his dark, less than life positive, thoughts (as displayed by the lyrics in Always) but also the world around them back in 2015/16 where he was seen as the worst of the worst for things he’d said that had been purposefully misconstrued and misunderstood, as well as lyrics he’d written which, again, where taken to mean things much different from what he actually tried to say. While there is nothing I can use or base any assumptions on that Seokjin would be the one/was the one who saved him, contextually, I don’t think it would be farfetched that he did help him and was there for him during that time, much the way the other members surely were too. Based on what we know about Abyss and the background of that song, we know Namjoon helped Seokjin in some ways with it, so if Seokjin came to him and spoke to him about the hard time he was having in 2020, it isn’t that out there to think that Namjoon might’ve done the same back in 2015/16, and during other times between when they first met until Namjoon wrote these lyrics, right?

난 네 삼색 고양이 I’m your calico cat

널 만나러 온 that came to meet you

Love me now touch me now

Calico cats are very rare, and usually you’ll only find female calico cats, meaning that male ones are even more rare than that. Looking at Namjoon as a person, I’d say he is a very rare type of person as well, I mean, how many teenage underground rappers turned idol group leaders who might also be queer and is also a literal genius do you know off the top of your head? Furthermore calico cats are seen as lucky cats in many cultures and places so in this sense Namjoon/Jimin would represent something lucky/positive that came to their partner which, if we again look at things that were said over the years, Jimin did say that Tae is the happiest when he’s with Jimin.

As for Namjoon and Seokjin, this could be connected to the fact that Seokjin was thankful that Namjoon is on their team, their ally, instead of someone from another group, thus seeing it as luck that they are together (Rolling Paper FESTA 2020), like he is their good luck charm that played a major role in them getting to where they are, so to speak. And yes I’m aware that he said that three years after the song was released but it wasn’t the first or only time he ever voiced such sentiment. Seokjin has underlined how much he admires Namjoon’s abilities as leader and lyricist many, many times over the years.

“Our leader, RM. This guy is amazing. There are 2 more older guys than him, yet he is great as leader. I want to thank our leader personally.” -- Seokjin as a concert which, judging by their hairstyles (and the use of Namjoon’s old artist name) must’ve been some time around Dark & Wild perhaps?

As a side note, the mention of calico cats reminds me of a picture Seokjin posted for Namjoon’s birthday in 2019 (so two years after Serendipity had already come out) in which Namjoon is seen asleep while sitting and hugging a calico cat plushy. You’ll recognize both the plushy and the ARMY B*mb hat as part of the VCRs for 4th Muster in 2018. So I’m mentioning this as more of a cute thing rather than some kind of definitive sign of any sort really. By the way, that same cat plushy can also be seen when Tae lies sleeping and Jimin sits next to him singing the calico cat line and places the plushy on Tae.

But, what I think is, for me at least, the biggest hint toward Serendipity being, to a degree at least, about/inspired by vmin is the fact that early in 2017, February more specifically, Jimin and Tae both called each other their soulmates during one of their fansigns. And what are soulmates if not two people destined to meet and be with each other, two people quite literally meant for each other? And here Jimin is singing a song about how his love for this person and his happiness with them was fated, that destiny had this planned for them regardless how scared they may be and how destiny (outside factors) might be jealous of them (keep getting in their way).

Furthermore, isn’t it curious how this song, specifically, is written as gender neutral instead of with female pronouns like their songs in the past or even Outro: Her off the same album? Yes, Namjoon explained in their interview with Billoard that this decision was one he made because these rare moments and special things in life are something that transcend genders, cultures and barriers between people, and love is also something that doesn’t care about genders, in this case love and destiny don’t care about the fact that they are all the same gender because they are fated anyway, they are soulmates, each others fated person, and their happiness is meant to be in one way or another. Together.

[elonaackerman]

What does Ymir want ?

This is a question that many people are asking themselves since a few chapters, and it was also mentioned by Armin and Zeke in chapter 137.

The fact is that I actually have a theory about it which confirms that Eren is the father of Historia’s child.

Let’s start the analysis and theory building:

Firstly, we have this panel: Ymir looks at a couple, and Zeke says that the reason she stayed in the path is because she was still attached to this world. However, the kanji he uses in japanese means that she is attached to something she couldn’t have had in her life. So why is she waiting ? She is not attached to her past life but to a life she desires. So, in my opinion, Ymir was waiting for her savior, Eren Jäger, the one that would make her reborn again as a « person » and not as a slave, goddess or monster.

(By the way don’t you think the couple looks like a walmart version of Eren and Historia ?)

It’s perfectly logical: if Eren gives a second chance to the person that is the origin of the hate cycle, then he will totally break lt. It would also make a total sense for Historia and Eren to name their child Ymir, both for two different reasons, and for Eren to tell the baby: « you are free ».

I am sure that Eren is not dead, this is not even questionable for me. The most popular theory is that he is on paradise waiting to touch his royal blood baby who inherited the Beast Titan in order to reactivate the Rumbling. I disagree guys: Eren would definitely not use his child to comit an act of wrath, this action totally goes againts his ideas. To force such a destiny on a new born child is exactly what the Reiss/Fritz cycle was. A cycle that the ennemies of humanity, Eren and Historia, broke and won’t let happen again. So what is the man doing ?

I however think that Eren is indeed using War Hammer’s abilities, and that he purposely let his friends smash to pieces his titan body. But for what ?

That’s where the big part of my theory comes: to destroy the parasite and free Ymir from the path.

I noticed that the parasite has been bring quite often those last chapters by Isayama. It can’t be a coincidence. Remember Zeke’s words about life and the parasite being scared and refusing death: the parasite created titans by associating itself with Ymir. And now she is nor dead, nor alive, in a world that she can’t escape off. Plus, she let the alliance do their thing without interfering, it’s very strange.

It gave me the idea that the parasite, since it can’t survive alone, used Ymir for 2000 years as a sort of « anchor ��, or, if you prefer, as a string, a link to other Eldians. It is spreading through Ymir like a virus, and the path is her prison. It would also explain why titans of royal blood have fuller abilities since they descent from Ymir, which means the parasite has a greater affinity to them because of its first vessel. Ymir maybe is a non consistent being used as a tool by the parasite. Knowing that SNK was kinda inspired by a game, if I remember well, about aliens, it would not be shocking if Hajime Isayama gives a big role to this strange creature. Another thing is the path itself the sort of tree which is the center of it indeed looks like the parasite itself (btw just search for « path animation » on youtube, a man made a wonderful work hollywood-level, I was speechless)

If Eren is not in the founding titan, then the parasite is separated from his body, and it can be destroyed without killing him. That’s why he let his friends do their thing, maybe he is also waiting for them to come back to Paradise thinking they won to start the Rumbling again so that he won’t have to kill them. That’s also probably why the shifters helped, they may have been sort of summoned by Ymir herself. Since she is nor alive, nor dead, since she is out of time, it doesn’t matter for her if the parasite is dead or not in the current timeline, she still can give her power to Eren in order to finish the rumbling. I think that if I am right, the path will however start to destroy itself: the amount of time will be limited. Once it will have fall to pieces, she will go out of the path, putting an end to the Titan Curse, and will be reborned.

The panel of chapter 121 will be even more beautiful if Eren is the father. It’s not just Eren running after Ymir in order to stop his brother’s euthanization plan, it’s a future father saving his baby’s life by offering to a child the possibility to live. Eren fights for life. He IS life, he multiplies and conserves. That makes him the complete nemesis of Zeke.

I hope you liked it, even if people may call me mad or say it’s ridiculous I don’t think Isayama is less mad than me 👀

Don’t hesitate to share all your theories ! ❤️

[master-of-fluff]

Revising my bnha /ninjago crossover au that im now gonna name the 'Mistakes made Au'

i cant remember who it was but someone has the hc where basically the reason the FSM and his descendants have such bad luck is because the cloud kingdom is mad and a bit scared that FSM's family seem to be 'destiny defiers' at times, so they constantly make bad things happen to them.

So yeah im yoinking that for this au except with my own twist of sorts.

Ok so this takes place after s5 in which after discovering that the cloud kingdom guy tried to sell the ninja out, the rest of the cloud kingdom look into the guy to try and see whatelse he's messed with (or maybe they write in his scroll that he confessed to everything he did and that's just how trials work in the cloud kingdom ?)

Anyways they cant change whats been written so characters that were never supposed to be villains (Garmadon, Morro and Haurmi to be exact) instead of going to the afterlife (yes harumi actually died in this au) get asked if they'd like to have a second chance somewhere else since theyre first life was botched.

They all say yes.

They all come into this new workd differently idk why yet maybe the cloud kingdom did what they thought the recipients would like best, maybe different authors write each one idk.

But anyways Garmadon wakes up in an apartment with the basic knowlege of this world in his head and a note saying that everything was payed for the next few months but after that he's on his own.

He ends up working at McDonald's or something until he saves up enough to open his own self defense/martial arts dojo. One that doesn't allow quirk discrimination of any kind. He also gets several online degrees on psychology.

Harumi is reborn as Hatsume Mei's twin with her memories intact and she is quirkless but her family doesn't care and after seeing how the quirkless are treated she decides to become a hero that will open it own agency and school specifically for quirkless/'weak quirked' people.

And then morro wakes up as a like 5 or 6yo to this random family that abandons him for having a 'dangerous quirk' but gets adopted by inko and is now the older brother of Izuku midoriya.

Morro does think izuku can be a hero because he has the kindness that morro didn't and so he trains him (not as hard as Wu did him but morro definitely didn't go easy on Izuku)

Morro also doesnt stand how the bakugo's treat izuku or eachother so katsuki and his fam are a bit more chill.

However since homeschooling isnt legal in japan (yes that's actually true I just looked it up) and they can't exactly afford to switch schools or sue they have to suck it up, bakugo helps with bully's when he can and Morro and Inko do however document everything.

A few years before UA Izuku decides he wants to clean up diagoba beach.

So morro and izuku devise a plan to organize a big clean up for it

they meet Harumi and Mei there becuase Mei wanted dibs on any scraps despite the fact that their parents can buy them any parts she wants.

Then it turns out that harumi and izuku alreayd knew eachother from a quirkless forum/website that they were both on.

So they excange numbers and Izuku jumps on the chance to join harumi in becoming quirkless hero's together and making a free of discrimination hero school with Mei as their weapons/costume designer.

Morro dodoesn'tnow how but he ends up training harumi too, who recognizes his moves as spinjistu but keeps it to herself because unsurprisingly she's not sure how to ask him if he's from another world.

Izuku sees that a new dojo has opened up that takes quirkless students and suggests him and harumi train there.

Morro and harumi are skeptical but agree and morro amd inko go with them just in case.

The when they get inside the harumi and morro just freeze because 'oh crap is that my uncle/the guy I revived the evil part of and wanted to adopt me?'

Garmadon freezes aswell when he sees morro (he however doesn't know harumi)

But they all brush t off as a coincidence. I mean theres no way anyone else was goven a second chance or if they were theres no way they were all put in the same world right? Right?

So they all act like nothings going on until izuku does some ninjitzu moves that morro taught him and garmadon is like "oh my gosh that is my nephew"

later harumi uses her coding skills that she has thanks to being a hats u me and creates a private group chat thing for the 3 of them that only they can use.

Harumi and morro both explain what theuve done to lloyd and express some regret and garmadon is really pissed but decides to forgive them because 1. If they were here that meant it was partly the cloud kingdoms fault 2. They're both children and were also children in ninjago. And 3. their trying to change just like him so as the adult (or at least the only adult from ninjago that they know of) he should probably try and set a good example right?

Though just becuase he understands and forgives them doesnt mean hes not still upset that they hurt his son, but it is nice to be able to talk fully about ninjago and thier traumas and make jokes that no one else would get an eventually he warms up to them.

anyways they all agree thay izuku is gonna be an amazing hero and decided to team up to make sure that happens no matter what

and thats all i have for right now :)

[doorsclosingslowly]

Hell is just a beat away (4/9)

Despite early promise, young Maul has turned out to be a disappointment, willfully delaying his training with secret attempts to make himself friends from scrap metal. He must be properly motivated, and so Darth Sidious sends him to a slave market on an impossible mission. It backfires. Star Wars: Darth Maul (2017) comic AU | 4.9k | warning for slavery, sexual assault of a teenager (non-graphic), body horror (implanted bombs)

Closedown

“Jedi. Move.” Maul bites his lip before the please slips out, and he is grateful for the mask that hides that sign of his pathetic inexperience. Master wouldn’t have been tempted to say please. Master wouldn’t have been this nervous, either.

Master would have felt at home in this place. He would have charmed everyone.

Luckily, the padawan obediently speeds up a bit when he tugs the heavy chain running from her manacles to a loop in his belt. She even bumps into Maul at times, each kick and jostle a fleeting rush of connection. It makes him flinch. It makes him angry. After the first accidental touch, she mumbled an apology at least and stayed out of his space for a few seconds, but with each time he recoils from unfamiliar sensation the fear she’s broadcasting abates. She keeps jostling him. She looms. She’s more than a head taller than him, and the length of her legs means each of her strides—unfairly—cover more ground than Maul’s, unless Maul starts jogging, and then he’ll really look like he is in a hurry to get away from the slaver palace. Which he is, admittedly. He is very eager to complete this mission. That’s all. But he is also too clever to let anyone see.

He is almost tempted to inquire about her lightsaber, because finding and corrupting a Jedi lightsaber on top of his mission would surely impress his Master, but… As great as the opportunity is, the air here is too putrid.

It’s hot enough in the bursting-full domed giant room to make him sweat-sticky and lightheaded by now, under his vocoder-holding jaw-mask that lets in too little air and the heavy shirts and the sunglasses that threaten to slip off his nose and need to be pushed back too often, but he cannot take anything off. He would rather faint than be looked at. He needs the insulation. Being touched without layers and layers of fabric would be—and anyway, in here, in this palace, he cannot be seen for what he is. Every bob and ebb of the force against his mind screams it. He remembers the zabrak. He cannot be seen, even though he doesn’t quite understand why his species should matter beyond the deep-hidden loneliness of being unmirrored.

There is something crawling in the air, something foul, and it’s not the fact that he is in the company of a Jedi. She’s terrified, anyway, as she should be—though not yet because of him, sticking far too close-by—and that does not make him uneasy. It doesn’t. He’s meant to bask in his enemy’s fear. He’ll bask in it soon, he promises himself.

As soon as they’re out of here.

The bright light and loud peripheral awful conversations mingle with the gross aftertaste of last night’s stupid drinks. The air is thin. Maul’s head pounds.

The crowd has swollen in the short time he fetched the padawan. To get to the exit he must pass through a fleshy mass that covers every single tile on the expansive floor. And once he steps forward—all around him, hands waving tiny bites of food. Maul’s entrails squirm. Delicate glass flutes of ill-smelling fluid, too, held loosely against bellies covered in diamond-encrusted dresses and crisp suits. Everything is too close and much too tall for him to see any face, even if he wanted to. He doesn’t even crane his neck to try. He doesn’t need faces to know that he hates them. Carefully, he weaves through the thick crowd of giants, or normal-sized people anyway, because without stilts he is the strange one in here; the crowd of expensively-dressed adults who are standing around and chatting idly and looking at the other people. The many new people standing rigid and being touched. The people who are on sale. Just like the pretend-fighter zabrak. There is no honor here; no fair battle, no chance of freedom, no death and no glory, only handcuffs and guards bearing shock-prongs to keep one side from grabbing for victory or power or strength or even passion. From doing anything at all. The slavers are looking at the padawan, too, eyeing her hungrily but not approaching, and she shudders and bumps into Maul again.

He hurries. A tug in his belly tells him: he must get out now, or have his life irreparably changed. He must escape.

Maul’s eyes dart around, in search for the least peopled path to the exit, and then they get stuck.

The zabrak’s still here.

He hasn’t even moved, or just barely. Maul remembers his posture from before, even though he shouldn’t. Even though he thought so desperately that he immediately forgot. He remembers the cold swirling around him, refreshing and hard. He shouldn’t have cared enough to remember. He shouldn’t even have noticed him back then. It’s irrelevant to the mission, after all. Superfluous. It’s only a zabrak slave. (It’s only the one other person in the entire galaxy who is like Maul.) Maul remembers him, remembers filling up at the sight of his yellow-black swirled face and his dead eyes with judgment and joy, guilt-ridden and furtive and bright. It’s the exact same stance. Legs a shoulder-width apart, arms raised, face downturned as if he wasn’t there. As if he was a shut-off droid.

The same empty expression, even though a human woman is currently touching his biceps. The woman is new. She must be looking to buy him.

Maul approaches them slowly, only distantly aware that the padawan is dragging her feet in confusion. With every step, the feelings that draw him get stronger: there is still no expression on the big zabrak’s face, but he hates the woman. There’s no cold in the area anymore. No ice shales of controlled aversion. Instead, the force around him is a sea of boiling anger and disgust. (It’s not contempt—and why does Maul so desperately want it to be contempt—it’s not, but something eerily familiar and hidden deep deep inside: it’s the hatred that comes when you are small and cannot leave. It makes no sense. The zabrak isn’t small, just as Maul has grown so much that he moved on to better, stronger loathings, and he can almost pretend he doesn’t remember it.)

The force around him is a bottomless well of the dark side, and the other zabrak is strong in the force. Maul’s hearts pitter quickly. He’s not just a zabrak. He’s a darksider! He’s like me!

It’s incredible, beyond inexcusable, that Maul overlooked such a foundational trait when he looked at the zabrak before. A darksider, and Maul was preoccupied with judging his stance and his grooming!

There is confusion, but it doesn’t douse the excitement. It’s hard for Maul to keep up his nonchalantly slow speed. Thoughts cartwheel inside his brain: Why does the zabrak just stand there? Why pretend to be a fake fighter? He’s force-sensitive. He could kill them all. Cold, heat: they are his emotions leaking into the living force, reshaping it, perverting it, strong enough to be picked up from many meters away. He’s a darksider. He’s powerful. He could have killed them all hours ago. He controlled himself, though. Is he, too, on a mission? What kind of mission would be this humiliating? Why is he posing as a slave? Why doesn’t he fight? He should fight. Chains and electric shock wouldn’t be enough to keep Maul down. The zabrak is like Maul. He’s like Maul. He’s… Did he come to take the padawan? The one Master wants? Will I have to fight him? That’s... a thrilling idea. A tiny bit worrying, too. The zabrak is very tall. As incredible a fighter as Maul is, he might not be able to take him down. The zabrak is a darksider. His useless appearance is only pretense. He’ll… I won’t win quickly, Maul corrects himself. I am Darth Maul. I am the apprentice of Lord Sidious. I won’t be able to take him down quickly. I’ll win, eventually, but it’ll be an impressive fight.

Is he another Sith? No, there are only two, but… there was a whole Sith Empire once, Master said, when he took Maul to the ruins and the ghosts. Maybe the Jedi did not kill all of Maul’s people but one; maybe, another branch has survived. Or maybe—Maul’s read of acolytes. Of Masters taking more than one than one apprentice. He doesn’t really believe that Lord Sidious would betray him like that, and if he did… why did he not tell me about the other zabrak? Maul would have loved to meet another zabrak, even if he was competition. Maul has always been so alone.

Master would have told him. He would, at least, have wanted to witness Maul’s pain at being replaced, and his subsequent death. He would have wanted to laugh at Maul. It can’t be that.

Maybe… maybe the zabrak is untrained. Undiscovered. Unclaimed by a Master.

Maybe Maul was meant to find him.

This mission was too easy. Lord Sidious sent Maul to find a Jedi padawan for him, but He has hidden meanings in all He does. Maybe that was only a pretext. Or… is it possible that… that Lord Sidious Himself was led by the force, to send Maul here today, where he could discover this other zabrak who is strong in the dark side? Maul’s hearts claw against his ribcage, trying to fight their way out with excitement. He has felt the force pushing and flowing and tugging at him for years, but this is so much bigger.

This is destiny.

Maul was meant to find him.

It makes sense. It makes so much sense. Why else would there just happen to be another zabrak in this room, where Maul can see him? Another person just like Maul? A potential apprentice?

Now that he’s decided the zabrak is probably not a trained Sith, he can taste the truth of it in the other’s force presence. Anger, but unharnessed. Helpless. Impotent.

Ready to be stoked.

(Nonsense, another voice argues. Stop now. This is just a coincidence. Master will be so angry if you—and then Maul cuts it off. He already knows the conclusion he wants. It’s only a matter of thinking the right thoughts to get there. He refuses to get side-tracked.)

Maul was meant to find this zabrak. They were meant to meet.

Just one more look. I’ll get up close, but I just want one more look.This is just a dream. He can convince himself he just wants to look at the other zabrak, one more look before he is alone in the galaxy again, bargaining with his shivering sense of self-preservation, because deep in Maul’s galloping hearts he knows that this is the jump off a cliff-edge. He isn’t dreaming. He’s moving. Acting. He’s making the mistake he refused to know he would, the second he saw that face. He’s contravening orders, even if they’re orders his Master hasn’t spoken aloud. Why would He? He never expected this to happen. Master never expected Maul to want to talk to anyone here on Nar Shaddaa. He never expected anything but success. Anything but utter devotion. He especially never expected Maul to want to bring anyone from this slave market, apart from the padawan He sent off for. He doesn’t know Maul has thoughts like that. He doesn’t know the dreams. Master wants Maul to be alone. He has always forced Maul to be alone.

But the force sent Maul to this zabrak.

Just one look. That’s all it is. That’s safe, right?

He mustn’t draw anyone’s attention, though. Slowly, he walks closer. He drags his feet against the floor, even though they want to fly.

Just one more look—and then what?Now that he’s allowed himself to come again within mere meters of the zabrak who is the only other person in the entire galaxy who is like Maul and nothing immediately disastrous has happened, it feels insufficient. Just one look will never be enough. Maul is greedy, and out here disobedience hurts less than he expected. It’s even… exhilarating. He is in freefall, and the air is rushing against his skin. He is weightless. He is not alone anymore. He looks at the zabrak—what’s his name? will he be surprised? will he like me?—and for the first time, he can see a future that isn’t just longing. He doesn’t want it to stop.

I could take him with me. That’s what he’s here for. What the force wants. He would follow me then, Maul thinks giddily. It’s only a dream, he knows, but it’s warm and new and hope. Maul wraps himself deep inside. He’d stay and be grateful and I’d teach him everything I know. I wouldn’t even lock him up in the training complex, or if I did—I’d be there too. He wouldn’t be alone. I would give him everything I have, and he would help me. I would…

How much does a slave cost, anyway?

The zabrak is strong in the force. He’s like Maul, like someone who Lord Sidious himself chose to carry the legacy of the Sith. He must be incredibly expensive.

It doesn’t really matter, Maul decides. It’s like when he had to slice the computer in order to make everyone think he bought the padawan. He doesn’t have any credits. The stolen ones are spent, and Master never gave him any money.

That was because Lord Sidious wanted to test Maul, just as He wanted to test Maul by sending him to the wrong location. It’s why he told Maul the wrong date, too. So many tests, and Maul proved his worth. He failed none of them.

He didn’t fail yet.

Ice pools inside Maul’s veins. Is this zabrak another test? Will Master know? Will he be angry if—and then Maul bites his cheek until there is blood and the voice shuts up. Maul just wants to look at the zabrak. He wants to stay inside the dream for a little longer. That’s all it is. That’s safe. He will not get distracted. (He’ll be alone again soon.)

I could take him with me.

Maul doesn’t have any money. He could repeat the computer trick, though. Quickly sneak into the server room.

(Is this a test?)

He could just steal credits from the well-dressed buyers standing around.

(Is this—focus.)

Maul could just wait until the human woman buys the zabrak and leaves with him, or someone else does. He could follow them. He could challenge her. She doesn’t look like she has many blasters or an entourage of bodyguards, and even if she does… Maul is a Sith. He is powerful. He is fast. He is deadly. He—

A shudder. This is a test. It must be.

The zabrak is here in this room where Maul can see him. He is here in the place that Master sent Maul to, or didn’t, but that was just a test. Master must have known he would be here. Master must have wanted him to be here. There’s only one reason why he’d want that.

What Master is looking to ascertain here, Maul doesn’t know. Arrogance to weed out, maybe. Temptation. Obedience. The joy of dangling the one thing Maul’s always wanted in his face. But it must be a test. Master knows everything. Master has to have planned it.

Maul must leave. He must leave now. He really, really should, if he wants to survive. He should turn back. Master knows everything. Master would kill him for—

No don’t not this please not again don’t don’t—

Wet oil on Maul’s skin. Inside his mouth it wells and flows into his nose and he tries to sick it up until it dribbles down to the floor but—

Don’t please—

The air, sucked out of the room. No oxygen, not anymore, only a wave of revulsion and boneless terror to replace it, completely unexpected and so physical it almost makes Maul fall over. It makes him retch and gasp. Something stings his cheek. A slap, and he goes rigid. He isn’t allowed to hide from punishment. He waits, but the next hit doesn’t come.

Slowly, eventually, he rubs the burning spot. He tries to, anyway: his glove catches on the thick mask and bumps the sunglasses. His face is covered. He is far from Mustafar. He is safe.

He blinks furiously to make the black streaks in his eyes go away.

Then, he looks up. Back at the zabrak.

He sees: the human woman buyer is between them now, reaching up. She has moved on from the arms to touching the zabrak’s muscular bare shiny stomach. She’s lingering on it.

The zabrak is breathing heavily now, like Maul is; he’s retreated a single step backwards and is looking straight ahead and there is no air and then the slave seller is gripping a horn and forcing his head down and his back into a hunch and then the woman touches the face too and the mouth opens obediently and Maul’s skin crawls and everything feels too tight, a thousand times worse than it did when the man in the convenience store looked at him, even though it’s only secondhand.

Probably.

It must be only secondhand, he decides once he’s caught his bearing again. Once he’s turned oil slick and hyperventilation and panic back into anger, the way he was taught. Into power.

It feels like it’s everywhere, like it’s his, the terror and humiliation, but that must be because the zabrak is very strong in the force. Maul’s not the one being touched. He’s not even afraidof being touched. It’s the opposite. He lives on an empty base, and at night he often wishes he had a pet to cuddle close to, or someone to hold his hand. Useless dreams.

She does something to the zabrak then that Maul cannot see, and the force whimpers. Maul tastes bile.

“You will give me the zabrak,” he shouts, putting all his Will into it. He doesn’t think about what he’s doing. He doesn’t remember the order about staying hidden, about under no circumstances using the force. He doesn’t remember his Master’s laughter. He doesn’t remember punishment. This is not the time to think. Maul feels sick and like he wants to cry—can’t, Master will hurt me—and he needs everything to stop. Taking the zabrak away from here will stop it.

He feels the truth of it: the zabrak will be safewhen Maul’s taken him away. He will not be afraid anymore. That’s the only thing that matters.

“I will give you the zabrak,” the woman says, caught in the mind trick.

“I will give you the zabrak,” promises a gamorrean waiter.

“I will give you the zabrak,” chorus three muuns holding champagne flutes a few meters away, and Maul’s probably overdone it. He couldn’t help it: he is filled with fear and disgust and compassion, and the dark side eats it greedily. Right now, he could move mountains. He could smother all these minds, wrapped up and subdued by his Will, and he wants to. He hates them all. He wants to stop the connection, to stop touching them, wants their slimy thoughts and their pleasures gone. He can’t, though. He started this, and he needs to see it through. He needs to save the zabrak.

More people join in, a discordant canon of blank-voiced slavers, and those who don’t because they were too far away to be caught in the mind trick turn their heads curiously.

The zabrak himself doesn’t say anything, or even look at Maul. Being force-sensitive, he is not bespelled, and the only reaction is a slight up-flicker of his eyes. A different flavor of fear in the force, but just as strong. It hurts.

Why is he still afraid? Why doesn’t he like me? Maul was so happy to see another zabrak.

Then, Maul sucks in stale air through the mask and remembers: he’s in disguise. The zabrak cannot actually know that it’s Maul who has saved him. This is not a rejection. For a second, Maul wants to reassure him, but then he catches a glimpse of an advertisement poster that hangs behind them—twi’leks! wookiees! zabraks! freshly caught or gently used—and shivers deeply into the heavy layers of his cloaks.

“I will give you the zabrak,” says the human man who owns the zabrak, finally. Mercifully, he does not appraise his assets again. He rummages around in a suitcase for seconds that feel too long and pulls out a small datapad and two remotes. Proffering the switched-on pad, he says, face still distant, “This contains a list of his past owners, and a buyer’s contract, which I have presently called up. Please read carefully and then sign—”

“You see that I have signed,” Maul says. Then, in case it’ll help, he parrots phrases he’s heard other slave buyers use. “You know I have paid in full. Take my business card. Everything’s in order. Congratulations on a great first quarter at the stock exchange. How is your wife? Have you tried the salmon sliders? Pleasure doing business with you.”

“I see that you have signed,” the slaver replies. “I know you have paid in full. I take your business card. Everything is… in order?” He blinks. “Yes, it is. His name is Savage, by the way.” He pats the zabrak’s slack face and smirks, as if he just made a funny joke and wants Maul to join in, but Maul doesn’t understand. It’s a good name.

Savage. That’s not a name like the ones the people who owned the ships had. It’s better. It’s like the names Maul gives his droids. It’s like Maul’s name.

The force led Maul to this zabrak.

And Maul shall free him.

“Don’t lose these remotes,” the slaver adds. “This one contains a proximity sensor. The safe radius for your slave is one hundred meters. The datapad will let you change the settings as needed, though. To protect your investment, we have placed four explosive charges within your zabrak, set to go off at staggered distances. The first one will slow him down if he runs. It will not mar the looks. Merely very painful. The replacement charge only costs a few thousand credits, so if you want to test it… The next one will tear off a leg, although to prevent bleed-out we have placed blood-clotting agents inside. The slaves we sell are well-trained, so this is merely a—”

“Shut up,” Maul whimpers. Mumbles. Begs, and the faithful vocoder turns it into an order.

“I will shut up.”

Maul stuffs the datapad and the horrible remotes into his satchel, and then he tries to find something to say that will sound completely normal to the slavers who are watching them curiously, while also saying to the zabrak, don’t worry and I am totally prepared for this it wasn’t an accident and I didn’t know I wasn’t alone in the whole universe and, hoarse-voiced and small,please like me. That will say, join me, apprentice. That will impress the full glory of the promise of the Sith. He fails. What comes out is, “Hello. I am Darth Maul. We will leave now.”

The zabrak doesn’t move.

That’s… not good. Maybe he’s deaf. He is old, after all—he is so tall—and Maul’s read that old people lose their hearing and that sounds plausible even if his Master shows no sign of it at all. Maybe the zabrak does hate Maul. Maybe he’s paralyzed with fear. Maybe he’s just taking a chance on petty disobedience again, the way Maul learned long ago accomplishes nothing but pain. It’s not unreasonable to suspect that the zabrak doesn’t know that yet though. He doesn’t have a teacher like Lord Sidious, after all. He won’t be able to control or harness his panic.

In any case, the why doesn’t matter as much as the ways to work around it. The zabrak is safe now. He’ll get away from here. Maul will take him away, needs to drag him out, and they really need to get going now.

The people who weren’t mind-tricked are approaching curiously. They are building an impenetrable circle.

Maul walks up to the zabrak—to his new friend, his future apprentice, to his dream, not-dream, angry and shuddering and real. To Savage. He’s even more massive up close, Maul’s head at the same height as the elbows, and Maul reaches up to take his hand. It dwarfs Maul’s own so much he can only get a good strong grip on two fingers. He imagines, though he can’t really feel it through his gloves, that they are very warm and soft. The small startled jerk, though, he feels even through leather, and he rubs his thumb against the index finger in what he hopes is a gentle, reassuring way.

Savage is very tall and old, but it’s probably at least slightly understandable, maybe, that he is scared. He will learn better, once he knows of the path of the Sith. To be honest—and it hurts, to admit to his failure even in the confines of his own head—to be honest, Maul might be scared too, if he was made to stand around and be looked at and touched like a thing, with bombs put inside his body. Not allowed to fight. No honor or death or glory. Maul doesn’t have bombs in him and he is a Sith apprentice, is much more powerful than all these slavers, and still, he is very, very nervous.

I am Darth Maul, Maul reminds himself, and then he notices he’s forgotten again. Not his title yet. I will be Darth Maul. I’m not afraid. I am fear. Lord Sidious himself chose Maul to succeed Him, to aid in bringing down the entire Order of the Jedi, and this dressed-up gaggle of slavers is nothing. They don’t even have the force guiding them. Maul is so much better than them. He has been training, alone, for so many years.

He will be strong now. He will prove his worth as an apprentice. He will concentrate. He is Sith.

The slavers won’t touch him. He will get out alive.

He will get himself, and Savage, and the padawan too out of here alive.

Alive.

He repeats it with every shaking breath, with every tremble of his hand: alive, alive, alive. They’ll make it. He is strong. Master wouldn’t have sent Maul if He hadn’t known that—

Master. They won’t survive.Maul shudders. Alive? They’ll live for a few weeks, if they’re lucky. A day and twenty hours is realistic. That’s how long the journey to Mustafar takes. That’s all they have.

They’ll live, until Master sees.

This was a mistake. Maul was distracted by the emotions floating in the force, he let himself be distracted—he wanted it—and he made a terrible mistake. This was a test. One of Master’s tricks. The yellow zabrak was a test, and Maul chose wrong, and it’s too late to stop now.

Maul used the force—he risked discovery, he disobeyed—and it won’t matter now whether he brings the zabrak with him or not. He can’t do anything to hide his failure. Not even killing—no—not even killing the zabrak will hide Maul’s actions. Master knows everything. Sometimes it feels like he is in Maul’s head, which he can’t be, because Maul still has dreams and Maul still lives, but it doesn’t matter. Maul will tell Him. One way or the other, Maul will tell Him. Master might only punish Maul, because Maul’s succeeded in finding the padawan after all. Maybe. Hopefully.

But Savage… Savage is superfluous. Master already has an apprentice. He already owns Maul.

Master will be so angry.

Thinking won’t help, Maul knows that. He’s never found any way to think his way out of punishment. Master is too wise. Maul’s already disobeyed. He was stupid and rash and he failed. Once, twice… it doesn’t matter. The lightning will bite the same. He will be punished. Savage will die. (Maul will be alone again.) Or Maul will, Maul who disobeyed and brought his Master another force-sensitive zabrak, another possible apprentice, one who is old and tall and hates and is probably much better than Maul. There is no way out. There is no way but forward. No way but Mustafar.

“We need to go. Please,” Maul whispers.

Finally, Savage allows himself to be tugged towards the exit.

⁂

Eldra puts one foot before the other, but that’s all she is capable of still. Walking. Looking calm. Biting her lip to keep from crying. Following the short black-cloaked being who bought her, and the zabrak they bought too. Shivering self-disgust for the way she clung to them, before; the way she hoped it might be all-right. The walls fall away, and soon the slaver palace is out of sight. No consolation. Nothing is, anymore. Not since the title the slaver revealed, talking to the zabrak with incongruous tenderness. The title that confirmed what she knew the moment of the mind trick. Nothing since the slaver had touched the force.

There is nothing left in her but movement and terror.

“You will give me the zabrak,” Eldra’s slaver had ordered, throwing off all shielding, and in the force she had felt, faintly and distant but unmistakable: corruption. Sickness.

Sith.

[ifliamsmile]

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room l Ch2 -Unexpected Help

summary:

The night ended up in a way you’d never expect. 

Receiving help from a stranger was good? You were going to find out that destiny introduced you to the best kind of people you could ever know. But pending questions from your past you'd be knocking on your door sooner than you thought.

Was life giving you a new chance? Should you take his hand? Should you accept his help? Pending questions flooded your mind while Dick was looking at you.

“I’m here to help”

 “I’m Dick Grayson”

His words made you instantly trust him, but why? You had never heard his name, but the second it was out of his mouth, you knew you should give him a chance.

 He didn’t appear in front of you, minutes before you passed out in the cold street, for mere coincidence.

And little did you know you will listen to his name a lot.

Your body hurt too much and you were too weak to get up on your own,but you tried anyway.  Frustration ran through your body when you couldn’t stand up.Dick was quick to steady yourself and held you closer to his body.

“Let me help you, being stubborn won’t be any good to you now.” He said firmly, showing  he really wanted to help.

“Why should I trust you?” you asked.

“Because I’m your only choice.”  he said and you didn’t answer anything.

The boy picked you up, carrying you all the way to what you'd assumed it was his house.

“Please, keep your eyes open. We’re close.” he said looking at your beaten up face.

----

You woke up in a fright. Your eyes wide open, you looked around and spot someone slumped in a chair near  the bed you were in.it  was still night when you looked outside the window. Where were you?

“Hey, you’re up.” You heard the same voice from the alley, and now that your eyes hurt a little less, you could see his face clearly.

“Where am I?” you asked “You just brought me here unconscious?” 

“Well i just figured it would be better than leaving you to die on the street.” he said, this man always seemed to have an answer for everything.

You put your head down. He was right.

“You’re right. Thank you.”

You said, noticing how your suit was placed at the foot of the bed. your bruises seemed all cleaned up and stitched, you wore a big blue shirt that looked like a dress on you. 

The man in front of you had seen you naked, you got shy immediately, looking down, unable to look at him in the eyes.

"Did you do all of this? I mean, the stitches and this shirt...", you asked.

"You were bad, trust me. I took you here to my room because unfortunately the bedrooms were all occupied with the rest of us and they were all asleep already. I cleaned your wounds and put a clean shirt on you. I'm sorry for taking your clothes off but I swear I didn't have any kind of bad intention." He explained pretty calmly.

"I...I think we jumped a lot of steps then." You mocked, smiling at him and the man returned it "My name is Y/N" you introduced yourself, "and i'm sorry for taking your room"

"It's good to know your name. I actually thought I'd always have to call you the alley girl" you both laughed at that.

"Who are you, Dick Grayson? I mean, what did you do in there? Why were you my savior?” 

"I also have a lot of questions, for example: Why did you have a vigilante suit? Why did you try to stop the robbers by yourself?” Dick was trying to understand your point.

"Well, I guess we're going to be here all night." You said and he got up, walking closer to you and sitting at the end of the bed while you were resting your back on the headboard, covered with his blanket.

“We have all night” you muffled a smile at his sentence “So, are you some kind of adrenaline junkie?” he mocked you and you gave him a half smile before answering.

“I wish It was that simple, but it's not. You wouldn’t understand” it was still hard for you to talk about anything related to why you were out looking for criminals. 

“Try me, I saw more things in this life that you could imagine, it’s not easy to scare me.” he looked at you firmly, with his elbows resting on his thighs. 

“My grandmother, who raised me throughout my entire life was killed by a burglar and something told me it wasn’t for a coincidence.” You breathed deep, massaging your eyelids to keep talking, Dick didn’t take his eyes from you even for a second 

“So I trained, I searched for him, and I found him.  it took me to where I was today. I needed to take revenge, you know? She died alone, she was murdered.” A tear fell and you quickly cleaned it. Dick looked down, he understood. “the police said it was only a robbery but the way the man talked about her tonight...”  

“It was something more. So, it’s my time to introduce myself, isn’t it?”

You looked at him. Something in you captivated him, he wanted to show himself, having you close brought Dick a feeling he missed: trust.

“Yes. Please” you half smiled.

“I was adopted. My parents were murdered and I was alone and then my mentor came and I had someone. He raised me and I became who I am today.”

“And who are you?” Mystery.  Even though he tried to show his best to you, you could still feel the mystery around his story. “You didn’t judge me, I won’t judge you okay?” you said and he laughed. He had a beautiful smile although he didn’t seem to be the kind of person who does that very often.

“That’s enough for today, right? You need to sleep, your wounds are still pretty bad and you need to rest.” he got up.

“Oh, c’mon, I tell you the story of my life and you leave me here with a mystery to solve? unbelievable, Dick Grayson.” You told him trying to contain a smile.

“Stay tomorrow and I’ll tell you the rest of it.” he told you firmly, making his way to the door of his room.

“Dick?” you called him before getting into the warm sheets and he turned back to look at you.  “Did you call me a vigilante?” 

“You walked through the night trying to contain evil, didn’t you?” he said and left you a smile before closing the door. 

Whoever this man was, you owned your life to him.

--

It was morning, the sunlight woke you up and you moved in the bed, through the same comfortable sheets from last night, feeling a great smell of masculine scent penetrating your nostrils that probably came from Dick’s pillows.

You needed to leave, you couldn’t stay and cause Dick  trouble, or risk putting his life in danger, he was a good man and didn’t deserve it, so you made up the bed, taking off his blue shirt and folding it, placing it on the chair. You wash your face in Dick’s bathroom feeling totally like an intruder for using his things.

You put your suit on, and got ready to sneak out without being seen. You left his bedroom, lost because you didn’t know where to go, so you followed a corridor in  hopes that it would lead you to the door.

“Going somewhere?” you heard a voice behind you. It was a black haired guy, he had green eyes and was not as tall as Dick, he seemed to be younger.  “I’m Jason Todd”

“Hey. I’m Y/n Y/L/N” you smile at him and he reciprocated it.

“I know, the alley girl” he said and you laughed, no way you’d be known as this.

“Do you happen to know where Dick is? I’m just leaving and I wanted to say goodbye”

“yeah, follow me.” He said and took you to the training room where Dick was behind a punching bag, he noticed your presence and stopped immediately.

“Hey, thought you wouldn’t be up so early.” he said, shooting you a warm smile. Why did everything about him seem so dangerously hot?

“Yes, actually, Dick...I came to thank you, I was just about to leave, and..” you told him with your head down and he made a sign to Jason asking for privacy with you.

“They’re still out there. Don’t leave.”

“Dick, If I found them, they can find me, and you guys? you’ll be in danger, I don’t have good people in my life, I don’t wanna be the reason you’ll get hurt”

“You don’t need to worry about us. We know how to take care of ourselves”

“And who you all are? What’s this place?” 

“We’re people like you. This is a place where people like you and us can learn how to be a better version of ourselves.” He came closer to you, trying to make you understand.

“And you can do it without being afraid for your life.” he was facing you now

“I’m Nightwing. Jason is Robin and I need to introduce you to everyone else. We were sidekicks once, we fought side by side with the ones who sought justice and we became it. A group of man and woman trying to do their best to stop the bad guys.It doesn’t matter what you were before, but who you are now. “ He breathed deep and kept saying what he had to say 

“We’re training for whatever’s next. There’s never a shortage of people out there who wanna screw things up for the rest of us”

“So you are all vigilantes?”

“We’re Titans.”

When you first started this, you never thought there would be people out there doing the exact same thing  Like Dick, for the exact same reason you did. 

“Wow. Too much for a morning, huh?” You told him 

“ I know who you are, you were like me when I lost my parents and if it wasn’t for my mentor, I’d have become the worst version of me. You can improve everything you learned here. Stay for a day and see it.” 

“Dick...I can’t just leave my grandmother’s house like this,  it was the last thing she left me.”

“You can keep it. Just be a part of us.” 

Dick’s point of view

I may never be able to explain what about this girl caught my attention. I just felt like she needed to stay. I’d pray to be right about it.

 I keep thinking what would have happened to me if Bruce had never adopted me and saved me in the first place. I can train her, I can make her fight better.

“I’ll stay for a day but could I ask you something more? Could you take me to her house so I can pick up some fresh clothes?” she asked me slightly ashamed.

“Damn, you were hard, though you’d say no.” I said and she smiled at me. “Let’s go, that’s not a problem.” 

I picked up my jacket and we followed to the tower’s garage where my car was parked. 

End of Dick’s point of view

--

You guided Dick to your grandmother’s house and once you got there, all the memories hit you. The training days to catch the bastard, the days without her, the day she died, your happiest moments were  in this place, but also your saddest ones. 

Your were lost in your thoughts and Dick seemed to notice.

“Do you want me to go in there with you?”

“Sure. Let’s go” 

You guys left the car and walked to the door in silence, when you felt a thigh grip on your arm.

“Where the fuck were you? I called you, I came here, nothing. And now you're  here with a man? Who the fuck is it?” he spat in your face.

“Hey, man, calm the fuck down, let her go” Dick pushed the strange man by the chest “Talk to me if you wanna know who I am. And who the hell are you?”

“Her Boyfriend”

[echotovalley]

hello i am very much here for your klance + blue lion meta ☕

I cannot believe my browser crashed the first time I typed this up and nothing was saved. I tried my best to remember what I could - there are parts that I know are missing that can’t remember right and it’s so frustrating because I was really proud of them. nonetheless -

okay, everyone get comfortable because this is gonna get lengthy

I’ve always been interested in episode one, when everyone is standing in front of Keith’s conspiracy board and Keith is talking about hearing/feeling something calling him out into the desert, that’s it’s the Blue lion. He has no idea what it could be, but it’s all encompassing and he can’t ignore it.

Just this voice that’s maybe not even a voice in its completed form, the whisper of something that wants him to find it. He probably hopes against hope that it’s something about the Kerberos mission attempted to be covered up by the Garrison, something that will link him to finding Shiro.

He’s always gone with his instincts.

((there was a great transition between these bits that is forever lost to the sands of time and I weep))

Dial back 18 or 19 years (maybe even more), when Unnamed Kogane and Krolia find the Blue lion and even though they can’t interact with or enter her, they decide to protect her together. She’s the key to peace and protection for more worlds than could be counted and of course they’re going to do everything they can. The form a bond with her that way - words aren’t always needed.

You can tear Keith’s dad and Krolia showing Blue bby Keef from my cold, dead hands. But I think the Blue Lion knew what was up. Perhaps when she stood guard behind her shield and they made the pact to protect her. But definitely the second she saw this shock of dark hair peeking out from a big blanket, she knew. There’s the familiar curl of warmth she hasn’t felt in so long, a small spark in this new life. The flicker of the spirit of an old friend, Red.

The Galra are tearing apart galaxies and this tiny baby is the bridge between worlds and he doesn’t even know how special he is. How so loved he will be as a paladin. What Krolia and Keith’s dad know for sure is that they would in time teach Keith to look out for her too.

But things don’t always go as planned, do they? Thing have a way of coming apart at the seams and no matter how much restitching you do, it never comes back the same way it did before.

Krolia leaves - to protect the Blue lion and keep the Galra away from earth, away from the family she has made (something she possibly never thought of having because of her career withing the Blade). In an effort to not ruin the work they’ve put in to keep the Blue lion safe and to protect their son, Keith’s dad stops taking Keith to the cave. Maybe stops going all together. His son is his shadow and follows behind him even when he’s specifically told not to.

Besides, he trusts and believes in Krolia to keep the Blue lion and them safe.

So, Keith would have no memory of the Blue lion or her location.

Wouldn’t have the faintest idea that it’s a 10k+ year old sentient lion from outerspace that never forgot him and knew the someday they were meant to see each other again was fast approaching.

I have a separate headcanon that Krolia thinks about being selfish, she should have brought Keith’s dad and Keith with her and hidden them on a safe planet where Keith would grow up knowing he had a mother that loved him more than words. If Keith was always meant to be part of the war she fought so hard to keep away from him, then she could have taken that chance. Maybe his father would still be alive, but if he wasn’t meant to live in this timeline, then at least she could be there for Keith.

But if he was with her, then he never would have met his team the way he did.

Now Keith wasn’t the sole person to bring everyone together, the universe put a lot on this boy just from being born, but everyone had their part in bringing each other together featuring the seven degrees of separation between the Kerberos crew and the Garrison trio.

Pidge had her suspicions, broke into places for documents and created an entirely new identity to infiltrate the Garrison to get the answers and the proof and find her family.

It just so happens that she winds up on assignment with Lance.

Lance who is nosy and wants to figure out what’s going on in that funky, little dude’s head to have him breaking curfew and sneaking out into the desert in the middle of the night with enough tech and equipment on his back to trap a ghost.

And because Pidge isn’t the only Garrison cadet Lance is trying to figure out - their destiny is spelled out the second Lance recognizes Keith also breaking curfew and government laws to infiltrate the pop-up tent of lies.

Things start to fall into place

Lance only knew Pidge as Pidge, he had no idea that his new teammate was the direct family of Sam and Matt Holt undercover. He and Hunk didn’t have a reason to question the fate of the Kerberos crew and the official ruling of the Garrison. It didn’t occur to him to suspect that there was something bigger going on.

Now we’re going to get into the promised klance part.

The lore of the lions is unquestionable and will not be rewritten or overridden. They’re sentient beings whose purpose is to bring peace and protection through means that surpass race and species and time. They won’t let just anyone into their world, into the pilot chairs of giants.

The connection between a lion and their paladin is definite and all-in.

Isn’t it interesting that the Blue lion called out to Keith?

Or that he felt her presence, whichever way you want to look at it.

I will take A:TLA’s ‘friendships can last more than one lifetime’ everywhere I go. Add to that, season one was very deliberate and concise in it’s storytelling, there weren’t coincidences. I’m not saying the Lions are psychic, but I think they know who would be destined to be their paladin. Maybe they didn’t have names or a solid time frame locked down, but there would be the sense of that person on the edge of their conscious - a blip of light down the path of their future.

Maybe she knew Lance wasn’t ready to answer if she tried to reach out to him. But she knew Red.

She trusted Red, as varied and nuanced as their connection could be, to bring her paladin to her.

Of course it would be in an unconventional manner and never so straight-forward.

Not to be that guy, but the reveal in later seasons that the bond between a lion and their paladin transcends space - literally and figuratively - didn’t surprise me. The importance of that connection and how it’s built up episode by episode just makes it obvious that they would have some kind of homing beacon that wasn’t bound by a particular radius. If Keith could sense a lion that wasn’t his then, that tether between the color coordinating paladins and lions would be immeasurably magnified.

When the team entered that cave and approached the Blue lion, she reacted instantaneously to Lance and invited him in with zero hesitation. That was her paladin. This big moment of ‘Oh, there you are.’

Whether any of the other lions would have called out to Keith, we don’t know. Since the team split up to find the other lions and those timeframes were wholly dedicated to the paladin and lion connection to sync up, we don’t know if the others would have felt the lions too. Once the team all has their lions and they begin the adventure of mindmelding, 100% they could feel the presence of the other lions as they felt each other.

Pidge had the data anomalies, hacking into encrypted files and studying radiowaves. And bringing it all together to hone the information Keith had collected.

Keith felt and heard the disturbance in the force, if you will.

The Blue lion and its paladin aren’t just the guardians of water, they’re the glue that holds the team together. Who else other than Lance could bring so many different people together? 

I wasn’t super into The Great Lion Switch, but all of this still applies to that. When Lance’s role changed, it didn’t mean the Blue lion stopped having a connection with him. It was a mutual acceptance that his place on the team evolved and who else but Red to trust with her paladin? She acknowledged how much he cared about Keith.

This leans heavily on the ‘friendships last more than one lifetime’ - despite times and species, race, and age, this team would have always found its way together and the relationship of trust and respect and care between the Red lion and Blue lion were always there and would always level itself out.

Even if their paladins don’t know it yet.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

**I don’t really talk about Shiro or Hunk but they are also very, very important and I love them dearly.

[sw-daydreamer]

Why The End of Rey and Kylo Ren's Story Is So Disappointing

Darkness rises, and light to meet it.

(Another article deconstructing the why of the unsatisfying ending with a REYLO focus / source below)

With the Star Wars sequel trilogy now concluded with The Rise of Skywalker, fans everywhere now know how Rey and Kylo Ren’s story comes to a close. Those who have long shipped "Reylo" and yearned to see "Bendemption" finally saw it happen, but the film doesn't quite do the work to earn those moments, and forcing these issues highlights how profound the thematic disconnect between TROS and its predecessors. What started out as a compelling dynamic between protagonist and antagonist in the The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi was unfortunately derailed in the last act, delivering an unsatisfying conclusion to Rey and Kylo Ren's relationship.

A Knight and a Scavenger

(...)

They spend all of The Force Awakens and most of The Last Jedi being enemies, and as presented on paper in all three films, there’s simply not enough build-up to sell the romance that the final film wants to go for. Not even The Rise of Skywalker fully commits to this concept, because the first half of the film is so focused on Rey’s struggle with her burgeoning Dark Side power, and her big team-up with Ben at the end is cut short because the movie also wants to get to the “all the Jedi live in you” finale, which Ben has nothing to do with. Perhaps moving towards a romance in Episode IX was always the plan, but the way it’s realized here, what’s supposed to be their heartfelt final moments together are lacking the emotional weight they needed.

A Shattered Alliance

(...)

The Force connection they share is exploited further in The Rise of Skywalker, but rather than being used to explore their dynamic, it’s used more for the sake of spectacle. Consider how small moments of physical exchange in TLJ (some drops of water materializing on Kylo’s hand) are replaced with lightsaber duels happening in multiple locations. Cool? Sure. But the deeper meaning of why this bond was even established feels subdued here, particularly when Rey and Kylo destroy Vader’s helmet, not in a conscious cooperative act, but accidentally mid-battle. The thematic coherence of this aspect of their relationship feels lost in the chaos of the film’s frantic plotting and roller coaster pacing.

A Broken Promise

But with two major plot turns, The Rise of Skywalker tries to get Rey and Kylo back on the path towards not just reconciliation, but romance.

The first is the reveal that Rey is Palpatine’s granddaughter, which once again sends Rey into an existential crisis about her parentage, but this time saddling her with the same issue Kylo had: a grandparent on the Dark Side. Now her bloodline does matter, and it's no coincidence that Kylo is the one who reveals this information to her. After all, he is a tragic example of how the weight of an important lineage can turn someone to the Dark Side -- and now Rey is being crushed by it. While the attempt to create another mirror between the two makes sense in theory, it comes at the cost of being completely divorced from Rey’s character journey in the last two films. The shape of her own destiny she forged across the trilogy, the idea that her origins don’t need to define her capabilities, is destroyed. Becoming the Light Side’s new hero despite “having no place in this story” was powerful. Revealing that she did have a place in it all along feels like a shortcut to ensure Rey has another connection to Kylo rather than a natural evolution.

The second is Kylo’s rushed redemption arc, which makes no sense in the context it appears in. After Rey and Kylo's duel on the Death Star wreckage, a defeated Kylo gets another chance to turn to the Light with some help from the memory of his father, and this time he takes it. However, nothing that has happened to Ben in the previous movies or this one indicates that this would turn him. His opinion of his father hasn’t changed in any way since he murdered him, and his mother reaching out to him through the Force sadly falls flat given that they haven’t shared any scenes across the whole trilogy. Rey says she wanted to “take Ben’s hand” after healing him, and while that is an effective call-back to TLJ that could possibly get him to reconsider his morality, it also feels like a small piece of what should’ve been a larger arc across the movie. Instead, everything related to Ben’s turn has been shoved into this one scene. It’s not enough to communicate why, after all the horrific things he’s done, now is the moment he is redeemed. Rather than getting us invested in an ending that felt thematically connected to the previous films or even coherent on its own terms, The Rise of Skywalker shuffles its pieces to get where it wants to go without justifying how it gets there. Ben joins Rey in her duel with Palpatine, running in with his father’s blaster, and all of his darkness is simply washed away. The idea of their connection being based on how they were representations of the Light and Dark Sides, how one came from nothing to become the last hope for the Light while the other was born from the Skywalker legacy and still turned to the Dark, is tossed aside. After such a strong first two acts, Rey and Kylo deserved a better conclusion, one that truly solidified the emotional bond these two characters were supposed to share. (...)

------------------------>

read the full article, link below, 

I don’t agree with everything the author says, but I  find it interesting that  Reylo, now that it has happened is deemed worthy of a greater effort at story telling, compared to where we stood a few years ago. Obviously it does not change anything to the final movie now.

SOURCE : ign.com/articles/2020/01/03/why-the-end-of-rey-and-kylo-rens-story-is-so-disappointing

[birbleafs]

[fic] It’s A Matter Of (In)Convenience

Series: Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan || The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Rating: T Genre: Humour, Breaking The Fourth Wall Character(s): Saiki Kusuo, Aiura Mikoto, Toritsuka Reita, Kaidou Shun, Kuboyasu Aren, Nendou Riki, Yumehara Chiyo, Teruhashi Kokomi Warnings: None, save for canon-typical shenanigans Summary: Saiki Kusuo’s plan for a quiet Sunday spent shopping for desserts in an ordinary konbini is thrown into disarray when he runs into several… inconveniences, much to his dismay. A/N: I've been re-reading/re-watching Saiki K. during this quarantine period and I haven't laughed this hard since I was into Gintama. This series has given me so much ridiculous joy, it’s great for helping keep anxiety and existential despair at bay lol. Fic can also be read on AO3

_______

Saiki Kusuo could not say he dislikes commuting by public train but he’s not particularly a fan of it either. After all, it’s exceedingly more troublesome and vexing for someone like him, encumbered with psychic abilities beyond human comprehension. He’s unable to switch off his telepathy at will, so it’s no small feat being stuck in a packed cabin and trying to filter out the cacophonous thoughts of fifty-odd passengers buzzing incessantly in his mind throughout the long ride to the next town. Distance isn’t an issue today, however. Not that it had ever been an issue, mind you—he could teleport to almost any location he so wished. But Kusuo had long since mastered inconspicuousness into an art form, and teleporting to his destination and appearing seemingly out of thin air in the middle of a packed convenience store was sure to draw unwanted attention to himself. No, it’s not worth the risk, even for such a coveted goal at the end of his journey. Besides, Kusuo is a man of principle, one who does not easily succumb to using his powers for self-interest. He will do this the ordinary, pedestrian way.

In any case, travelling out of Hidariwakibara-chō to neighbouring Tonari Machi on a random Sunday morning would also mean the chances of him running into certain... inconveniences are very nearly zero. Forty-five minutes and twelve stops later, Kusuo beams in quiet triumph as he walks past the automatic sliding doors and into the aforementioned convenience store, barely registering the musical jiggle over the speakers. He steps through the sparse crowd, pausing midway through the snack and desserts aisle when he finally catches sight of the neat row of orange boxes with silver trimmings on the top shelf. Kusuo allows himself a tiny grin as he reaches for a box, eyes bright with anticipation as he gazes upon its wondrous contents—three cups of chocolate brownie and cherry parfait, infused with coffee jelly and topped with dollops of luscious cream and cinnamon sprinkles. A simple but unmatched delicacy right here in this nondescript konbini, he thinks, savouring the glorious moment a little longer. Still, as fate would have it, he would be reminded in less than ten seconds that his life is but an unfortunate series of daily disasters, and his current reprieve short-lived. And it comes in the form of a young woman who had waltzed through the crowd and is now latching onto his arm with garishly pink manicured nails, her wavy blonde hair already casting a dark cloud over Kusuo’s face. Aiura Mikoto, resident soothsayer and trendsetter gal. Inconvenience No. 1. Ah. So it begins. “Wassup, Kusuo!” Aiura chirps a little too brightly. Already two or three mob characters in the konbini are throwing scandalized looks their way, but to Aiura they’re nothing but background scenery and lazily drawn silhouettes. “Who woulda thunk we’d meet here like this? It must totes be our destiny as soul mates, fer sure!” Isn’t it more because someone is totes a stalker? Kusuo deadpans telepathically her way, even as he makes no real attempt to avoid Aiura’s smothering embrace. Instead, he fixes her with a stare as blank as stone canvas. This is an invasion of privacy. Also, what’s with the meta observation in the previous paragraph? Stop messing with the readers like that. “Man, you sure are a ray of sunshine sometimes,” Aiura pouts, before she breaks into a giggle and relents. She unlatches herself from him, putting some distance between them. “Anyway, can’t your BFF like, just accidentally bump into you while shopping for the same box of snacks you no doubt travelled all the way out here for?” So you admit you really are a stalker then, Kusuo counters drily, only to frown again at the sudden creeping presence of another aura. He feels the weight of another arm draping carelessly over his shoulder, followed by the brusque yapping of an over-eager and desperate hot-blooded young male in his ears. “Yooo, Saiki-san! What a coincidence!” Toritsuka Reita, the spirit medium and an exemplary specimen of the most depraved life-form, the lecherous scum. Also known as Inconvenience No. 2. Saiki Kusuo, a man most unfortunate, lets out a weary sigh. “I see you’ve got that accusatory glare painted all over your face.” Toritsuka wags an annoying finger before Kusuo. “Now, now. Before you also accuse me of stalking, Mister Doom and Gloom, let me just say that I’m only here for one thing.” He flicks a furtive glance towards a discreet corner of the magazine section. The shelves are filled with magazines wrapped in plastic, large R-18 stickers plastered across the covers and over the spines much like indecent warning signs. Toritsuka dabs towards the third shelf, waving a mini poster at both Kusuo and Aiura, and this sentence then abruptly proceeds to describe the close-up of said poster—a particularly titillating centre spread featuring a curvaceous model’s skimpily clad... assets. “Surely there’s no better reason to be here now than for the special compilation of EROmag’s Greatest Upskirts And Panty-shots Of The Month!” Toritsuka exclaims, echoing the thoughts of all resident perverts. “Ugh, grody to the max,” Aiura says, lips curled in utter revulsion. For once, the stars are aligned and Kusuo finds himself wholeheartedly agreeing with her sentiment. Before he can get a retort in edgewise however, he’s unceremoniously tugged closer into Toritsuka’s one-armed embrace, who then proceeds to thump a hand over Kusuo’s chest in a grand show of obnoxious male posturing and solidarity. “You women will never understand,” Toritsuka counters with an ingratiating smirk. “But Saiki-san and I, we’re bosom buddies, connoisseurs of refined aesthetics. Together, we’ll finally gaze upon those heavenly lace panti—A-ACKK!!” He hacks up a lung just as Kusuo nonchalantly drives a sharp elbow right into his solar plexus, causing him to stagger backwards onto the floor. Bosom buddies? Kusuo echoes ominously, glaring daggers at the pathetic writhing form before him. Pretty sure that ridiculous thump you just pulled is both an outrage and insult of my modesty. Hey, can I call the police? I’m calling the police. Aiura nods at that, lips curved into a Cheshire grin and looking extremely pleased with herself as though she’s the one to suggest calling the cops. “Delusional sleazebags should just crawl back into the garbage bin where they belong. Like the skeevy trash panda that they are, right Kusuo?” “Who are you calling delusional, huh?!” Toritsuka snaps, jumping back to his feet. “I’ll have you know that Saiki-san and I have been nothing but the most loyal, the tightest of all bosom buddies—” Refer to me as your bosom buddy again and I’ll crush your windpipe, Kusuo interjects without missing a beat, and the EROmag poster in Toritsuka’s hand spontaneously combusts into flames. “Argh, not the panties!!” Toritsuka yelps, watching in despair as the poster shrivels up in the blaze, only to catch sight of the eerie, voidless depths of Kusuo’s inscrutable gaze. The spirit medium pales at the split-second reminder of his fleeting mortality, sweat dripping down his nape as he carefully backs away from the precarious jaws of death. “B-B-Bros! I-I meant that we’re the best kind of bro-some buddies, ahahaha! T-That is to say, brotherly and wholesome—R-right, Saiki-san? So don’t get all conceited just because you’ve got big knockers, Tits McGee!!” “Pfft, brotherly and wholesome? As if!” Aiura scoffs, unimpressed. “You’re about as wholesome as your d*ck aura and a college frat boy’s porno stash. Just admit you ain’t nothing but a tiresome anime trope!” “Look who’s talking, Miss Fanservice. This is a wholesome shounen series, so how about you take those bazongas back to Hooters where they belong!” “Haaah? You looking for a fight, you raunchy racoon?!” “Bring it on then!” Kusuo scowls at the petty squabbling, exasperated at how easily his quiet Sunday was already going awry, much like the metaphorical train wreck poised for a manic spiral off its rails. He decides to take his leave then from the two inconveniences bickering loudly, making his way towards the self-checkout station near the entrance. He pays for his items, stealthily packing them away with a subtle flick of his psychokinesis, and is only a few paces away from complete freedom at last when the generic musical jingle blares from the speakers overhead. “♪~Welcome to F☆mily Mart Konbini, We Guarantee 99.9% Shopping Satisfaction! It’s A Matter of Convenience~! ♪” Kusuo frowns at the jingle. Why is it only 99.9% satisfaction? And really, a matter of convenience? Not when he’d already run into two inconveniences in a row and all in a convenience store. Is God conspiring with the universe and pulling a sick prank on him right now? What a horrible sense of humour. The automatic doors at the entrance slide wide open then, and in saunter three terribly familiar faces—Kaidou Shun, Kuboyasu Aren, and Nendou Riki. Inconvenience No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 respectively. “What did I tell you, Aren? Not only did we manage to beat traffic, but this unexpected change in my Sunday routine would’ve thrown a wrench into Dark Reunion’s plans of attempted kidnapping. Too bad I, The Jet-Black Wing, am always several steps ahead. Heh.” “Uhmm, yeah I guess… Hey, Shun, look! There isn’t a queue for the limited edition Ginta-Man figurine raffle tickets here at all. Good thing you insisted we meet at the crack of dawn—Tch, Nendou, don’t dawdle around and block the entrance like that! What’re you looking at anyway?” “Oh? I thought I saw my pal just a few seconds ago...” “Huh, Saiki’s here too-?! Oh, you mean that. Don’t be daft, Nendou, that’s just a cardboard cut-out of that kiddie hero show, Cyborg Cider-man Mark II.” Seriously?? Kusuo curses irritably as he dives inconspicuously out of sight from the passing trio, right into the bath and shampoo aisle. It’s just been a series of inconveniences one after another this morning, the metaphorical train wreck already hurtling itself past the edge of no return. Good grief, what a pain. May as well have the rest of the cast show up next— Another cheesy musical jingle, another swoosh of the sliding doors, and— “Waahh, it’s really you, Kaidou-kun!” “Hello, what a nice surprise to run into everyone here.” “Oh, hey there, Yumehara and... Offu~! T-T-Teruhashi-san?!” Saiki Kusuo, ever the suffering protagonist, drags a hand over his face. See? God hates him. Two aisles over, he can still hear Aiura and Toritsuka’s voices drifting over: “Man, I’m sick of looking at your pervy mug. C’mon, Kusuo, let’s ditch this loser—Huh, where did you run off to, Kusuo?!” “Your petty squawking has given us all an earache and must’ve driven Saiki-san off as well!” Oi, oi, Kusuo flinches inwardly, seized by a helpless fear of watching his quiet Sunday careening off the cliff and further away from his grasp. Quit yelling out my name like that and throwing me to the wolves already! Too late. At the mention of Kusuo’s name, Nendou cranes his neck 270 degrees Exorcist-style like a hideously monstrous owl and rushes over to Toritsuka’s side. “Oh! Did you just say my pal is here?!” he exclaims happily, shaking Toritsuka by the shoulders like a dog shaking an unfortunate chew toy. “I knew I’d seen him when we walked in earlier!” Not to be outdone by Nendou, Teruhashi also leaps forward before Aiura with none of her previous composure, her unblemished, porcelain visage now dusted with a hint of rose, a conflicted mix of perplexity and (envious) shock pooling in her angelic eyes. “D-Did you say ‘Saiki’?! H-Hey, Aiura-san, you did say ‘Saiki’ and not actually ‘Kusuo’, right? M-My, I must have misheard things, right? R-Right?!” “What the heck is going on? Is Saiki really here?” Anxious, Kusuo grits his teeth at the growing clamour as his friends converge from all corners of the store towards the aisle where he’d been forced to hide. Guess there’s no avoiding it after all, he frets despairingly, and in less than a nanosecond, teleports unnoticed from the konbini to an empty street outside. Kusuo sighs, relieved to have finally escaped. Minor inconveniences aside, perhaps a quiet Sunday spent savouring chocolate brownie and cherry parfait in the comfort of his home isn’t beyond his reach yet. What? Didn’t he just use his powers for self-interest to teleport out of a sticky situation? Foolish readers, that was for self-preservation and completely acceptable, of course. He holds his shopping bag close, pleased that he’d managed to avoid a disaster, and begins to walk down the street—only to freeze mid-step when he feels a sudden splitting headache jolt through him… A flash of images appears: Aiura and Toritsuka crouching in fear together, Kuboyasu bracing his bleeding arm, Kaidou screaming shrilly as he shields Yumehara and Teruhashi from a masked man brandishing a gun, Nendou digging his nose with his pinky—That’s just disgusting, no one wants to see that, stop it!! The vision finally ends, and Kusuo lifts a hand to his face, massaging his temple to clear the precognitive fog from his mind. An armed robbery, huh. He lets out another resigned sigh. Good grief—What a pain, Saiki ‘I-don’t-(but I actually really do)-care-about-my-friends’ Kusuo mutters internally in annoyance, even as he yeets himself head-first into other people’s business and right back into the convenience store to stop a future robbery. Still he smiles, eyes soft with perhaps the slightest flicker of affection for this dysfunctional bunch of people in his disastrous life. Someone has to protect them and save the day, after all.

  –End–

[red-applesith]

The Skywalker saga is coming to an end and I spent virtually four years hiding in the shadows to avoid the discourse (™). Well, to that I say no more! Rey isn’t a Skywalker! Finn is important even if he’s not a Jedi and Ben Solo is going to redeem himself! 

And to rest my case below is a long thread about the Skywalker Lightsaber, the place of each character in the sequel trilogy and their narrative function. Buckle up!

First, let me postulate that--in-universe--the Skywalker lightsaber, throughout the trilogies, is the mythical sword of power, the Excalibur of a galaxy far far away. Some characters are meant to care for it for a short period of time while others are meant to wield it.

On a meta-level, we can advance that the Lightsaber stands for the Skywalker saga itself. This is why salty fans complain that toys packaging read “Rey's lightsaber” instead of “the lightsaber that once belonged to Anakin then lost by Luke.”

It bothers them that A GIRL  inherited/took the lead of Star Wars. 

Without further ado, let’s jump into the meta and explore the symbolic function of the Skywalker Lightsaber in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. 

In TFA, Maz Kanata is our Lady of the Lake, and perhaps it’s not a coincidence she lives by a body of water in a quasi-medieval setting. Like Obi Wan before her, she’s the custodian of the Lightsaber and her function is to bestow the magic laser sword to the protagonist.

The how or why she’s gotten the sword isn’t important in the grand scheme of things. The important thing is she’s here to kickstart the adventure.

But where Luke was simply handed the sword by birthright in the OT, Rey actually receives “a calling” as well as a Force vision of things past and things to come. Through Maz’s words, the audience understands that Rey is our protagonist. 

Unlike Luke, Rey freaks out and runs away thus refusing the call to adventure, one of many steps on her Campbellian monomyth journey. Paradoxically, running away is how Rey is definitely sucked into the story since it’s in the forest that she meets Kylo Ren.

Ultimately--in-universe--her latent Force powers awaken thanks to this fateful encounter, and Kylo becomes--from a narrative standpoint--the reason why Rey joins the fight/the story. There is no hero without a villain but we’ll come back to that later.

Meanwhile, Maz is pulling the same kind of trick with Finn. I don’t know if you remember but before TFA Finn was marketed as the one wielding the lightsaber and people were lead to believe he would be Force sensitive.

In the following sequences though, Maz isn’t bestowing the lightsaber to Finn, she’s giving him the task to deliver it to Rey. This is how Maz lays out to the audience that Finn is our Deuteragonist. This is also how she prevents him from running away.

In the OT, it’s Han who was the deuteragonist, and the next few scenes where Finn is given the opportunity to wield the Legacy lightsaber, inform us on his own heroic journey.

Although he demonstrates great bravery during his fight against “Nine”, Finn is bested and almost immediately relieved of the sword. It’s only after the Resistance saves the day that he picks it up, alongside a weapon he’s more comfortable with, a blaster. 

We are to understand that Finn’s destiny isn’t to become a Jedi or follow Rey on her path to becoming one, instead, he’s destined to become “a big deal in the Resistance”. 

After that, we don’t actually see the Lightsaber before the end of the movie. But before we dive into the symbolism of the epic fight on Starkiller base, we need to discuss the role of our third main character: Kylo Ren.

Kylo Ren, formerly known as Ben Solo is the only son of Han and Leia, nephew of Luke and grand-kid to Anakin thus making him the heir to the Star Wars legacy. He’s also obsessed with Darth Vader, which makes him the most meta character of the trilogy.

His function in the ST is...complicated. On one hand, he’s the antagonist, the character who opposes and causes trouble for the protagonist but if we analyze his relationship to the Legacy Lightsaber, we quickly   that the lines are blurred.

Because the movies are told from Rey’s POV, in TFA all we are given to see are his actions, but not his motivations--although J.J. gives the audience plenty of hints, but I digress--The first time Kylo lays his eyes on the Legacy Lightsaber, his reaction is visceral.

Some called it entitlement, and in a way it is. But at the same time, it is not--the Lightsaber/Star Wars does indeed belong to his family. In this scene, it is the first time that Ben Solo actually embraces his Skywalker heritage!

It’s important because the first time we saw him, he sliced Lor San Tekka for implying he’s a Skywalker, then we witnessed him murdering his father in a desperate bid for embracing the dark side for good (which he failed). 

Moreover, the Skywalker lightsaber isn’t a relic of Darth Vader, it is Anakin’s sword, a sword of light he lost when he committed to the Dark Side of the Force. In this context, it shouldn’t be something Kylo Ren is seeking. Yet...

Anyway, Finn--who for dramatic effect kept the lightsaber instead of giving it to Rey when they met in the corridor--readies himself to face Kylo Ren, whom we know he’s terrified of, in spite of his previous failure with that weapon.

By allowing Finn to wield the lightsaber a second time, the writers allow us to witness another step in his character progression. But once again, Finn is not destined to win this fight, and the lightsaber lands into the snow.

This is another exciting Excalibur moment--Like the fabled blade in the stone, the Legacy saber starts vibrating until it chooses its champion, flying past Kylo into the hand of Rey. 

Follows a beautifully choreographed fight in the snow, chock-full of raw emotion and symbolism that culminates when Rey slashes Kylo’s face and--for a split second--considers ending his life. But the force and the directors have other plans.

The movie ends on a sort of bittersweet note for me as we see Rey embarking on her journey to Ahch-To. On one hand, she receives the blessing of Leia, the “other Skywalker twin” who places her faith in her.

Yet, on the other hand, we also see her afraid as she reaches Luke and presents the Lightsaber to him as if she was a mere messenger and not the hero of the story.

Thankfully, our Lord and savior Rian Johnson (I’m not being sarcastic- turn around right now if you hate him and TLJ) picks up the story right there to assuage that fear.

Allow me to digress before I dive into TLJ. Imagine J.J. Abrams, wearing Jedi Robes handing over the Skywalker Lightsaber to Rian. “Here. Star Wars is yours now. Go play with it.” (or see alternative image below)

The first thing that Rian does is to take his toolbox and take the lightsaber apart: What is it made of? What part goes where? Do I need all the parts for it to work? How can I make my own lightsaber?

TLJ is a very meta Star Wars movie, even more so than TFA. It’s also a character-driven story,

and presumably, that’s why so many people didn’t “get it”. They either expected the characters to stay static or they wanted a completely different story.

However, as we’ve seen, Rey was destined to become a Jedi, Finn was destined to be a part of the Resistance, and Kylo was destined to not be a mustache-twirling villain.

In the second installment of a series, you need to shake things up, push the characters further down their path. And that’s exactly what Rian does. Rey hands the Skywalker lightsaber to Luke, who simply throws it away.

The Last Jedi is a movie about self-realization, that gesture leads Rey to question her place in the narrative. Until now she convinced herself that her mission was to bring Luke back to the Resistance so he can defeat Kylo Ren and magically fix the galaxy. 

She picks up the lightsaber and tries to convince Luke to come back or to train her because she’s afraid and doesn’t know what to do. She can’t go back to Jakku and has nowhere to go on top of being magically linked to a guy who killed his dad.

The next scene with the Lightsaber occurs after the second Force Bond. Between Luke’s stubbornness and her conflicted feelings towards Ren, she decides to work out her frustration. First, with her staff, then--as her confidence in her abilities grows-- with the Lightsaber. 

It’s a way to show that Rey is slowly starting to understand that she needs to take her destiny into her own hands, and the response won’t come from outside of her. That realization though isn’t made to happen further down the line.

Before that, there are two more times where Rey is trying to hand out the Legacy Lightsaber to a Skywalker before taking it for herself and embracing her destiny.

1 - Right after her fight with Luke. Now that she understands that Ben Solo’s turn to the dark side stems from a big misunderstanding she gives one last chance to Luke to be the savior of the galaxy everyone expects him to be. But Luke has his own demons to fight before being ready (we’ll come back to it)

2. When she ships herself to Ben. Symbolically she’s reiterating that he’s the Skywalker of the trilogy and that his place isn’t by the villain’s side. She wants him to be good (and to climb him like a tree)--But Ben also has his demons to slay before being ready.

The next thing, they’re standing in front of Snoke. Immediately, the raisin-faced villain takes the Skywalker lightsaber away from Rey and tries to manipulate the narrative, in an effort to render both Rey (and Kylo) powerless. 

First, he coldly explains that he laid out a trap to both Rey and his apprentice, and that he’s going to discard Rey because she doesn't have a drop of Skywalker blood in her veins and thus isn’t relevant to the story. 

Whether he lies about the Force bond doesn’t matter because--in the end--Snoke’s obsession with the Skywalkers is his downfall. 

It’s no coincidence Kylo kills Snoke with his grandfather’s weapon, a light side weapon. In that moment it’s not about power, it’s about saving someone he cares for, like Vader saved Luke. 

And the weapon he so desperately wanted to keep for himself in the last movie? He floats it right back to her, proving once and for all he wants her to live and be a part of the story.

Ensues the battle with the praetorian guards where our protagonist and our antagonist fight back to back for dear life. For the second time Ben Solo saves himself thanks to the Skywalker lightsaber that Rey throws back at him.

But then…as he looks down on Snoke’s corpse, Ben/Ren pockets silently the lightsaber.

The thing is, we’re at a crossroads in the story. This is the second episode of a trilogy and both Rey and Kylo have made tremendous progress in their self-realization journey. But they’re not there yet.

In this moment we understand that Kylo has bigger demons to fight before being ready, whilst Rey needs to fully embrace her role in the story. 

Her heart breaks as she listens to Ren’s plea to join his side “because nobody else believes she’s worth it because she’s not a Skywalker”. He wants her to be bad (and marry him)--she wants to save everybody.

She reaches out and calls the Skywalker lightsaber to her but this time, the weapon “hesitates” and Rey and Kylo end up locked into a game of Force tug of war.

Eventually the Lightsaber breaks. In this moment are we to believe that Rey isn’t worthy? Or that Ren/Ben is maybe not so unworthy, and there’s still hope for him?

Fast forward to Crait, where Luke appears to face the First Order alone armed with a laser sword. Many wondered why he’s using the blue Skywalker lightsaber instead of his own green lightsaber.

Well, one answer of many is that not knowing what went down on the Supremacy, Luke appears to the FO--and the audience--as if he’d listened to Rey’s plea on Ahch-To and took the lightsaber she was presenting him.

On a meta level the battle against his nephew is Luke’s climactic moment, and we’re here to witness his last and most daring heroic moment in the saga, where he accepts to embody the galaxy’s “last hope” once more.

Not unlike Obi Wan’s before him, Luke’s sacrifice ensures that Rey becomes “the new hope”.

Some found Luke’s death cheap and tacky, but I found it very moving and thematically relevant to the concept of birth, death and rebirth evoked on Ahch-To. By becoming one with the Force like his mentor before him Luke became more powerful than before. 

With that in mind, is it a coincidence that the title of the next movie is The Rise of Skywalker? I think not. Now we need to discuss the last shot where the Skywalker Lightsaber appears. Rey holding the two shattered pieces in her hands while Leia delivers words of hope.

That’s some powerful imagery here because Rian spent a whole movie shaking up Star Wars and he knows it. That’s why he shows the shattered lightsaber. It is “broken” but not beyond repair. You just need to reassemble it. 

At the same time, it is no longer the “Skywalker lightsaber”, it’s about to become something new, something else, something I’m very much looking forward to discovering in December.

[irinapaleolog]

With the Star Wars sequel trilogy now concluded with The Rise of Skywalker, fans everywhere now know how Rey and Kylo Ren’s story comes to a close. Those who have long shipped "Reylo" and yearned to see "Bendemption" finally saw it happen, but the film doesn't quite do the work to earn those moments, and forcing these issues highlights how profound the thematic disconnect between TROS and its predecessors. What started out as a compelling dynamic between protagonist and antagonist in the The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi was unfortunately derailed in the last act, delivering an unsatisfying conclusion to Rey and Kylo Ren's relationship.

A Knight and a Scavenger

Even before we learn exactly how they will be connected, The Force Awakens portrays Rey and Kylo as diametrically opposed. Both are introduced wearing masks, yet Rey’s lasts for barely a minute while Kylo doesn’t take his off until two thirds through. Rey is a scavenger on a backwater planet, scraping by on her own skills to survive, while Kylo is a major leader in an autocratic military organization about to achieve dominance in the galaxy, a position he secured via his connection to his grandfather, Darth Vader. Setting aside how we now know the story ends, as initially presented in TFA, Rey is from nowhere and Kylo is our heir apparent to the Skywalker name.

We understand by the midpoint of the movie that Kylo has a familial connection to all three of the Original Trilogy heroes, and yet he has inherited none of their heroism. Rey, meanwhile, has everything to gain from selling BB-8 and doesn’t, and within seconds of learning his importance to the Resistance is ready to put herself on the line for it. Rey looks to Han Solo as a potential father figure; Kylo cuts him down because he’s his actual father. Their opposing views are even literalized by the massive canyon that tears them apart after their duel in the snow. But there is something that does connect their characters in this film beyond their strength in the Force: their fascination with mythic iconography. Rey, a starry-eyed collector of Star Wars memorabilia (she lives in an AT-AT!), and Kylo, a vindictive child who prays to the burnt husk of Vader’s helmet. Both of them are children of the OT’s legacy, but one pulled to the Light, the other drawn to the Dark.

They spend all of The Force Awakens and most of The Last Jedi being enemies, and as presented on paper in all three films, there’s simply not enough build-up to sell the romance that the final film wants to go for. Not even The Rise of Skywalker fully commits to this concept, because the first half of the film is so focused on Rey’s struggle with her burgeoning Dark Side power, and her big team-up with Ben at the end is cut short because the movie also wants to get to the “all the Jedi live in you” finale, which Ben has nothing to do with. Perhaps moving towards a romance in Episode IX was always the plan, but the way it’s realized here, what’s supposed to be their heartfelt final moments together are lacking the emotional weight they needed.

A Shattered Alliance

Before we ever hear the term “Force Dyad” from Palpatine, The Last Jedi effectively communicates that Rey and Kylo are intrinsically linked just as much as they are fundamentally opposed. The connection Snoke forges between their minds through the Force gives us some of the film’s best scenes, and it’s understandable why they are drawn to each other after Rey’s journey into the Dark Side cave. After learning what might have been the worst possible answer to the driving question of her own existence, Rey lays her cards on the table. “I’ve never felt so alone.” Her emotional vulnerability is conducive to her reaching out to Kylo, a man who feels just as dejected by his origin story as she does by hers, and to mistakenly believing that she can turn him to the Light just as much as he hopes to seduce her to the Dark.

This tension (of multiple varieties) explodes in the throne room, with a lightsaber battle against the Praetorian Guards that glistens with passion and rage. The Light and the Dark, for a dazzling moment, unified in purpose. Yet when the battle ends, both of them believed they’ve won the other to their side. Rey begs for Kylo to tell the First Order to stop firing at the Resistance shuttles, and Kylo asks her to take his hand and help him rule the galaxy. Neither of them have changed. They are still opposing forces, and they once again pull apart, literally tearing the Skywalker saber in two during their struggle. Rey accepts her place as the last Jedi, while Kylo doubles down on his darkness by assuming the mantle of Supreme Leader. At the end of the film, even though they briefly united, they end with Rey closing the door on him. If anything, The Last Jedi reinforces their disparate nature rather than subverting it.

The Force connection they share is exploited further in The Rise of Skywalker, but rather than being used to explore their dynamic, it’s used more for the sake of spectacle. Consider how small moments of physical exchange in TLJ (some drops of water materializing on Kylo’s hand) are replaced with lightsaber duels happening in multiple locations. Cool? Sure. But the deeper meaning of why this bond was even established feels subdued here, particularly when Rey and Kylo destroy Vader’s helmet, not in a conscious cooperative act, but accidentally mid-battle. The thematic coherence of this aspect of their relationship feels lost in the chaos of the film’s frantic plotting and roller coaster pacing. A Broken Promise But with two major plot turns, The Rise of Skywalker tries to get Rey and Kylo back on the path towards not just reconciliation, but romance.

The first is the reveal that Rey is Palpatine’s granddaughter, which once again sends Rey into an existential crisis about her parentage, but this time saddling her with the same issue Kylo had: a grandparent on the Dark Side. Now her bloodline does matter, and it's no coincidence that Kylo is the one who reveals this information to her. After all, he is a tragic example of how the weight of an important lineage can turn someone to the Dark Side -- and now Rey is being crushed by it. While the attempt to create another mirror between the two makes sense in theory, it comes at the cost of being completely divorced from Rey’s character journey in the last two films. The shape of her own destiny she forged across the trilogy, the idea that her origins don’t need to define her capabilities, is destroyed. Becoming the Light Side’s new hero despite “having no place in this story” was powerful. Revealing that she did have a place in it all along feels like a shortcut to ensure Rey has another connection to Kylo rather than a natural evolution.

The second is Kylo’s rushed redemption arc, which makes no sense in the context it appears in. After Rey and Kylo's duel on the Death Star wreckage, a defeated Kylo gets another chance to turn to the Light with some help from the memory of his father, and this time he takes it. However, nothing that has happened to Ben in the previous movies or this one indicates that this would turn him. His opinion of his father hasn’t changed in any way since he murdered him, and his mother reaching out to him through the Force sadly falls flat given that they haven’t shared any scenes across the whole trilogy. Rey says she wanted to “take Ben’s hand” after healing him, and while that is an effective call-back to TLJ that could possibly get him to reconsider his morality, it also feels like a small piece of what should’ve been a larger arc across the movie. Instead, everything related to Ben’s turn has been shoved into this one scene. It’s not enough to communicate why, after all the horrific things he’s done, now is the moment he is redeemed.

Rather than getting us invested in an ending that felt thematically connected to the previous films or even coherent on its own terms, The Rise of Skywalker shuffles its pieces to get where it wants to go without justifying how it gets there. Ben joins Rey in her duel with Palpatine, running in with his father’s blaster, and all of his darkness is simply washed away. The idea of their connection being based on how they were representations of the Light and Dark Sides, how one came from nothing to become the last hope for the Light while the other was born from the Skywalker legacy and still turned to the Dark, is tossed aside. After such a strong first two acts, Rey and Kylo deserved a better conclusion, one that truly solidified the emotional bond these two characters were supposed to share.

Midway through TROS, Rey says “People keep telling me they know me. I’m afraid no one does.”

Maybe she was right.

[nadziejastar]

Holidays in 358/2 Days

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days takes place over a full year. It kinda reminded me of Persona, so I decided to look and see what dates the days took place on.

Day 255 (The Longest Day) - The Summer Solstice

Day 255 is called “The Longest Day,” which would make it the summer solstice. The solstices are important days in pagan religion. The summer solstice celebrates the vivacity and passion of the sun and of the energy it ignites. Midsummer (Litha) is all about celebrating action. On this date–usually June 21–the sun reaches its zenith in the sky. It is the longest day of the year, and the point at which the sun seems to just hang there without moving. In fact, the word “solstice” is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to “sun stands still.”

The summer solstice is often associated with change, nature and new beginnings. There is a focus on the Element of Fire in honor of the Sun God. The power of the sun at Midsummer is at its most potent, and the earth is fertile with the bounty of growing life. In some traditions, Litha is a time at which there is a battle between light and dark. In addition, Litha is a time to find a balance between fire and water. This time of year was also sacred to Vesta, goddess of the hearth. This might be why Saïx has two weapons (Moonrise and Moonset) shaped like the astrological symbol for the goddess Vesta.

Day 71 (Reunion) - New Year’s

Day 71 is called “Reunion” and is the day Axel returned from Castle Oblivion. In the manga, the mini chapter 5.5 is called  “It’s New Year’s! Organization XIII’s (Unauthorized) Winter Break”. The very next chapter is the one where Axel comes back from Castle Oblivion. This chapter was first released in Japan on June 22, 2010. So, it was not written to coincide with New Year’s in real life. 

It strongly suggests that the story was written with the various dates in mind. In pagan religion, January 1 is the final day of Yule. It is a time to say goodbye to the old, and welcome the new. And of course, this is a big day because of how much Axel started to change after returning from Castle Oblivion. 

Day 117 (Secrets) - Valentine’s Day

Sweetheart

1. a person with whom someone is having a romantic relationship.

2. a particularly lovable or pleasing person or thing.

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love and a reminder to show appreciation to loved ones. In Japan, it is only the women who give presents to men. This is done because women are considered to be too shy to express their love. Whether romantic or platonic, all relationships are shown gratitude and recognition. Chocolate is given to lovers or friends as ‘a debt of gratitude’, or the pursuit of the other person’s happiness. I think there was a good reason Day 117 was chosen as Valentine's Day.

“You made it so we could go on a mission together this morning, didn’t you?” said Xion, and Axel looked away. When I’m smiled at with such a happy look… I feel uncomfortable.

“Maybe Xion wouldn’t have been able to make her Keyblade come back, if it weren’t for you, Axel,” Roxas added.

“Thank you, Axel,” they said, in unison. This is why… this feeling is so hazy. Scratching his head unconsciously, Axel looked away from the two of them.

“Then how about a sea salt ice cream?” Axel asked, his back still turned.

“Huh?” Roxas asked.

This was Axel compromising, grudgingly. Don’t think I can take any more of those thank-yous.

“Then we call it even,” replied Axel. Roxas and Xion looked at each other.

“I’ll go buy it!” Xion dashed away.

After getting her Keyblade back, Xion was extremely grateful to Axel, which made him sad. He didn’t want to be thanked, he he just wanted a sea-salt ice cream. In the manga, Xion revealed her motivation, which was was the thought of her, Roxas, and Axel living together forever. Axel joked that it sounded like a marriage proposal. The chapter was called “Sweet Heart”. I think Isa’s motivation was the same as Xion’s. 

“Xion, fight fight fight~” Axel clapped, as she turned around.

“What are you doing?”

“What am I doing… I’m praising you, you know.”

“You’re weird,” said Xion, laughing.

Just then, Axel suddenly felt like Xion’s face had blurred, and he rubbed his eyes.

“Is something wrong, Axel?”

“Nah…” For a second, the Xion I saw there had the face of… Naminé.

On Day 117, Axel and Xion had a mission together for the first time and Xion was very motivated, fighting even better than Roxas. After the mission, Xion told Axel that the sunset and the sound of the waves felt familiar. She left shells for Roxas when she was worried about him, which he did for her later, too. The shell was the symbol of the special bond between Roxas and Xion.

The ocean… seashells. Only one thing comes to mind. They must be Sora’s memories. I know as much as I could find out about the memories that Naminé scattered in Castle Oblivion. At Sora’s home—Destiny Islands—a blue ocean spreads out to the horizon. And, the charm Sora carried to remember the promise he made to Kairi was made out of seashells, wasn’t it…?

At the same time, there were memories of the Princess—Kairi. It’s only natural that Kairi is very strong in those memories, if Xion and Naminé are connected. Because Naminé is Kairi’s Nobody. No, it’s possible to think that that Xion is the one directly connected to Kairi. Who’s Nobody is Xion? Now that I think about it, it wasn’t an illusion when I saw Xion and Naminé during our mission. It feels like there must be a reason.

“You have memories, don’t you, Axel?”

“Generally, yeah. They’re not much use for anything, anyway,” Axel replied, looking at Xion. Her expression seemed lost somehow.

Xion then asked Axel about his memories and he seemed depressed. Xion’s shell was like the WINNER ice cream stick, which Isa probably gave him as a gift. 

Xigbar, standing and watching their exchange with his arms folded, opened his mouth. “You’ve been working really well lately haven’t you, Poppet.”

“…Thank you,” Xion replied in a small voice.

“Thank you? Why do you have to say thanks?

“Well, you were praising me, weren’t you? Was I wrong?”

“Haha… Yeah, I guess you could see it like that.” He pressed his hand to his mouth and snickered.

“Did I say something funny?”

“No, no. You’re fine.”

Xion looked up at Xigbar, anxiously. Beside them, Saïx didn’t show any notable reaction. He just watched.

When Axel returned from Castle Oblivion, he was disappointed that Saïx didn’t have any words of appreciation for him. 

Apparently Isa expressed his gratitude to Lea and this is why Axel was so uncomfortable when Roxas and Xion thanked him so much on Day 96. It made him sad because it reminded him of the past.

Every time he tried to wake up, all Axel could think was how badly he wanted to go back to sleep—although he was getting enough rest. He just wished he could have a day to himself and do nothing but relax and sleep. It was probably some remnant of his human memories.

The next day was the vacation and Axel was depressed. In the manga, he was even looking at his ice cream stick while thinking about his dark secrets. 

“Thank you… Axel,” said Xion, still lying on the bed. Axel scratched his head, seeming a little self-conscious.

“Are you okay now?”

Xion nodded, seeing Roxas’ worried state. “Just a little dizzy. I’m sorry for worrying you,” she replied.

“Don’t scare us like that, yeah?” Axel said, sounding tired.

“Okay,” Xion replied.

“Just take it easy for today,” Axel continued.

“Got it,” Xion said, obeying mildly.

“…The two of you, thank you.” A smile was on her lips. Axel and Roxas exchanged glances. Surely—in this condition, she may take a while yet to recover, but it will be okay.

I think Isa wanted to show his gratitude to Lea by giving him a chance to rest. I don’t think it was a coincidence that on the day off, when Axel got a whole day to himself to relax and sleep, he said how much Saïx had changed. 

If the three of us didn’t eat ice cream here like this, then by today I definitely would have been turned into a Dusk, and disappeared from this world, wouldn’t I? It was thanks to Roxas that I became able to use the Keyblade again, and also because Axel talked to Saïx for me. And when I fainted not so long ago, the two of them saved me.

Xion took a small breath, and said, “You and Axel are always saving me, aren’t you?”

“I haven’t done a thing. Axel’s the one who’s said all those things to Saïx for us,” Roxas said.

Xion went to say, that’s not true, but she held her tongue. If I say it, I know he’s just going to deny it. Instead, Xion said, “…I’m so glad you two are in the Organization for me.”

Like Kairi, I think Isa wanted to be helpful to Lea, but he just wound up getting in the way. The WINNER stick wasn’t a “useful” gift, but it was given with a lot of love and affection, like the thalassa shell charm. So, it meant a lot to Axel.

Why did the Organization make me and Xion fight? When I think about it, my mind fills with so many doubts and worries, but it was Axel that stopped it, and I don’t know what I’d do without him. When I think about that, I think I can forgive him.

Axel has his own thoughts. Xion said it, too; if Axel didn’t do what he did, she wouldn’t have been able to come back to the Organization. I thought there were other ways to bring her back, but maybe at the time there really weren’t.

“Oh hey, did you guys know that some of these ice creams are winners?” said Axel, letting his foot swing.

“Winner?” Xion asked.

“Apparently, winner can be written on the finished ice cream stick. I’ve never seen one, though.”

Axel mentioned the WINNER stick on the last day they all spent watching the sunset together. Roxas wanted to give the ice cream stick to Axel that day because he was grateful to Axel for saving them. I think the WINNER stick represented Isa’s gratitude to Lea for everything he did.

Day 152 (The Wrong Buttons) - Ostara

Ostara is a festival that celebrates the season’s change from dark winter to brightening spring. Similar to those observed at Easter, symbols for Ostara include eggs, rabbits, flowers and seeds. The spring equinox is a time for fertility and sowing seeds, and so nature’s fertility goes a little crazy.

In medieval societies in Europe, the March hare was viewed as a major fertility symbol. This is a species of rabbit that is nocturnal most of the year, but in March when mating season begins, there are bunnies everywhere all day long. The female of the species is superfecund and can conceive a second litter while still pregnant with a first. As if that wasn’t enough, the males tend to get frustrated when rebuffed by their mates, and bounce around erratically when discouraged.

Day 194 (Like It Should Be) - Beltane

May 1st is Beltane. Derived from a Celtic word that means “bright fire,” Beltane is the time when the dark half of the year transitions fully into the light. Beltane was the festival of the Flower Goddess Flora and the flowering of Springtime. The weather is warm again, signs of life have completely returned to the Earth, and it’s time to party. It celebrates the height of Spring and the flowering of life.

At twilight, on Beltane Eve, fairy folk and magic abound, the veil between realms is thinnest now because the seasons are changing, the energies of nature are rising and with them the mysteries of new life approaching. Music, dancing, revelry and time out in nature are all part of regular Beltane celebrations. The same is true at Samhain on October 31, but instead of spirits of the deceased coming to visit we have magickal beings from the land of fae – faeries, elves, gnomes, leprechauns, etc. October 31 actually happens on Day 10, where Zexion explains what Kingdom Hearts is to Roxas.

[perspective-series]

Switched Perspective (18)

By: @arc852 and @hiddendreamer67

Warnings: Mentions of Past Trauma, Mention of death/almost killing someone, and Guilt

(Check the reblog for the links to the previous chapters and the prequel!)

This is a sequel to A Third Perspective! Read that first or you will be confused!

 Virgil made his way to Roman’s apartment, heading into his room. Since no one else was in the home, he decided to leave the bedroom door open as he sat on the desk and let Roman off.

 Virgil was nervous. He knows he did a lot of wrong things. Went a little far with both Roman and Logan. And while Roman said he forgave him…

 “Soooo….” Virgil started but trailed off. How did they start this?

 “Soooo…” Roman bit his bottom lip, looking around at everything in the room.

 This was awkward. That much was clear. What were they supposed to do, just have an open discussion about their feelings until a blossoming friendship emerged?

 “...are we friends?” Roman asked, unsure as he decided to jump straight to the point. The faster he could get this over with, the better.

 Virgil blinked, having not expected the question. “Are we? I mean, I don’t know…” Virgil ran a hand through his hair. “Do you even want to be friends with me? After everything I did?” Because at this point, Virgil himself wouldn’t want to be his own friend.

 “Umm…” Roman went back to biting his lip, putting his hands behind his back as he rocked back and forth on his heels. “I mean, I’m supposed to, aren’t I? That’s the whole point of this thing.”

 Virgil groaned, putting his head in his hands. “We’re never getting back to normal.” He said and then, much quieter. “And it’s all my fault.”

 “Aw, come now Virgil.” Roman sighed. “This isn’t all your fault. At least part of the blame has to go to Logan and I for treating you so poorly from the beginning.”

 “...I guess you could say the only one who didn’t do anything wrong is Patton, huh?” Virgil said, lifting his head a little and sending Roman a small smile.

 “Heh, yeah.” Roman agreed. After all, though Patton had been a little negligent in handling Roman, he was still the sweetest lil’ puffball they had. “Guess that cinnamon roll just had to put up with the rest of us.”

 “Yeah.” Virgil chuckled, but soon found himself frowning again. “Why did this even happen to us? Patton and I would have been gone by now and everything would have gone back to the way it was.”

 “I think it might have been...destiny.” Roman gazed off into the distance, looking dramatic.

 “Destiny.” Virgil deadpanned. “Yeah, right. I’m more likely to believe Thomas’ theory of it being two witches than something like destiny.” Virgil said, rolling his eyes.

 “I’m serious!” Roman insisted. “I’ve always been one to believe in the supernatural, and you’ve gotta admit there must be some sort of mystical magic at play here. How else could this possibly have happened? Clearly, we were just destined to become friends, and yet we screwed it up so terribly the first time that the universe is giving us another chance.”

 “Look, I can’t explain how we switched. I’ll admit there must have been some sort of magic in play here. But I just...don’t believe in destiny. Never have. I-I can’t.” Virgil sighed, rubbing a hand across his face. “It’s just, kind of depressing to think you were destined to be smaller than the rest of the world. Destined to have to survive and fear the beings you have to use to survive.” Virgil shook his head. “Thinking everything was just a coincidence helps my self-esteem a lot better.”

 “...oh, ah, right.” Roman turned a slight shade of pink in embarrassment, having not thought of it that way. It was easier to believe in fairy tales when you could picture yourself as the hero.

 “Do you...regret being a borrower, then?” Roman asked, realizing it would be quite easy for Virgil to just keep everything switched around. “Would you rather stay this size?”

 “...I’ll admit, some part of me always thought being a human would be so much easier. But…” Virgil bit his lip. “I’m good at being a borrower. Being human...well, clearly, I’m far from the best. Do I wish I didn’t have to fear humans? Or being caught? Yeah. But I was born a borrower and I honestly don’t feel like changing that.” Virgil shrugged. He did envy humans in the past, of course, but this whole experience especially taught him he is no good as a human.

 Roman was glad to hear it. It would have been a pain if Virgil decided to go against the general consensus that changing back was indeed the goal.

 “I think you’re an excellent borrower.” Roman praised.

 “Roman, I was caught twice.” Virgil deadpanned.

 “Well yeah, but that meant I got to see you!” Roman said enthusiastically.

 “That’s like, the exact opposite of what a borrower is supposed to do,” Virgil said, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

 “Okay fine, maybe you’re not a great ‘traditional’ borrower,” Roman emphasized his point with air quotes and a small eye roll. “But that doesn’t mean you’re not an excellent borrower. Maybe it just means you’re a borrower destined to befriend humans. Oh! See, what I did there? Destiny.” Roman did a fist pump of victory. “Brought it full circle.”

 Virgil rolled his eyes fondly and couldn’t hold back a small chuckle at Roman being Roman. “Maybe.” Virgil conceited, for the time, being anyway.

 “Let’s say destiny is real. Does that mean you were destined to be a giant thorn in my side?” Virgil asked, smirking.

 “Ah!” Roman gasped, putting his hand to his chest as he pretended to be hurt. “How you wound me, Virgil! If anything you’re the tiny brooding needle pricking my finger.”

 Virgil found himself laughing out loud at that. “Hey, if I don’t, no one else will.” He said with a shrug, still smiling.

 His smile, though, quickly went away as he thought for a moment. He was actually kind of having...fun, right now. With Roman. Virgil actually laughed for the first time in what seemed like forever.

 Virgil found himself realizing that...he did want to be friends with Roman. Which, honestly surprised him. Whoever thought he’d want to be friends with a human?

 But, even though he wanted to be friends with Roman...did Roman want to be friends with him? His answer earlier told him no, not really. He was just doing this so they could get back to normal. And Virgil understood that. He was terrible after all. He abused his position as the human and left physical and mental scars in his wake. Why would Roman want to be friends with him?

 “...I’m sorry. I know I said it before and I know it doesn’t really mean anything, but I am so, so sorry.” Virgil said, looking down and fidgeting with his sleeves. He only just now realized he was still in Roman’s pajamas.

 “Virgil, I already forgave you.” Roman reminded him, frowning at Virgil’s change of demeanor. He had noticed Virgil actually opening up and having a good time, but now he was back to being his usual debbie downer self.

 “Why? I almost killed you, why would you forgive that?!” Virgil’s eyes widened as if just realizing something for the first time. “I almost killed you.” He repeated, this time in a whisper more for himself. “I almost killed Logan.” Virgil stood up suddenly, backing away from the desk and Roman.

 “I-I shouldn't even be near you, I-!” Virgil held his head in his hands, trying to stop the tears he could feel coming.

 “Virgil!” Roman ran closer to the edge of the desk as if trying to bridge the gap between them, despite knowing he was effectively trapped on the desk itself. The fall was certainly much farther than the tumble he had taken off the coffee table.

 “Virgil, stop it,” Roman spoke loudly, making sure he’d be heard. “You’re being ridiculous. How could I not forgive you? Look at you! You’re a mess! Am I really supposed to stand here and be all grouchy about the past when you’re clearly broken up over it? It’s not like it’s going to happen again.” Virgil wouldn’t even get the chance, once they switched back.

 Virgil lifted his head, staring at Roman with wide tear filled eyes. “B-But it technically did happen again. After I did that to you, I went ahead and did it to Logan!” Virgil shook his head. And if he was being technical, Roman had already given him his second chance. And he had failed.

 “That’s why I can’t understand how you can just forgive me. I mean, I sure don’t!” He would never forgive himself for how he hurt the both of them.

 Roman huffed. He was beginning to see why the universe had made Virgil a borrower, as he was certainly far too stressed as a human.

 “Okay, so you screwed up once or twice.” Roman crossed his arms. “Big deal. Who hasn’t? The important thing to remember is that you didn’t kill us.” Roman also thought it beneficial there were no other humans-turned-borrower around for Virgil to terrorize, but he didn’t vocalize that opinion.

 “Virgil, clearly you’re not meant to be a human, so stop beating yourself up for being a bad one.” Roman took a few steps forward, standing almost at the edge now. “You need to move past this and remember you’re just a borrower trying his best.”

 Virgil nodded along to what Roman was saying, slowly putting his hands down. “R-Right. You’re-You’re right.” Maybe if he said it enough he would believe it.

 “...Even though I still don’t know how, thank you for forgiving me.” Virgil said, looking away. “I would understand if you really didn’t though.”

 “Virgiiiiiil…” Roman leaned his head back and let out a loud groan. “I get that you’ve got this whole angsty persona going here, but this whole self-deprecating thing is seriously bumming me out.” Roman pointed firmly to the desk chair in front of him. “Now get your butt over here and be my friend!”

 Virgil couldn’t help but snort at all that but tried his best cover it up with a cough. Sighing, he went over and sat back down. “Sorry, but I can’t really help the whole self-deprecation thing. I’ve always had it, just ask Patton.” Virgil shrugged, but he was wearing a small smile.

 “Let’s tone it back to just the usual depressive humor, m’kay?” Roman smirked. He understood that Virgil was just like this, but Roman also didn’t want his friend to keep beating himself up.

 Roman paused. Did he really just mentally address Virgil as his friend?

 “I mean...I was having fun joking back there with you.” Roman admitted, rubbing his arm slightly as he looked directly up at Virgil. Now that Virgil had sat back down, they were so close. Roman looked down to ease the pressure on his neck. “I’ve always had fun with you if I’m honest. This whole teasing thing. It’s...nice.”

 Virgil was silent for a moment. “I was too, having fun, I mean. It’s nice, cause like, Patton may be my best friend but I can’t tease him like this. He’s not that type of person. But it’s fun to tease someone you know won’t take it wrong and who will tease you right back.” Virgil admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. He found himself looking straight down at Roman, realizing how close they actually were.

 “I...never really had a best friend,” Roman confessed. “That’s why I was always so against you and Patton leaving. I...good lord, this makes me sound desperate, but,” Roman shrugged, “I didn’t want to be alone.”

 Virgil frowned. “But you’re...you. You’re outgoing and friendly, maybe a little overwhelming sometimes, but overall you seem like the perfect friend.” Virgil paused, realizing what he was saying. A blush settled on his cheeks. “I-I mean to other humans, not to me, of course.” He said, crossing his arms.

 “I know!” Roman agreed, throwing his arms up dramatically. He began to pace back and forth, clearly passionate about this issue. “But everybody always has their best friend, and everybody else’s friends are their best friend and they probably all assume someone amazing as me already has a best friend or they’re too intimidated by my shimmering personality to ask or-”

 Roman paused, stopping his pacing to fully process what Virgil had said. He put his hands on his hips, glaring at Virgil. “Now wait just a moment, what do you mean not to you?”

 Virgil stared at Roman, before smirking. “I mean, no offense or anything, but I can’t have a friend whose ego is bigger than me.”

 “That’s not fair.” Roman crossed his arms. “Now you’re just being ego-ist. Narcissists deserve borrower friends, too. Or at least this narcissist does.”

 “Oh really? Well don’t expect me to do anything but bring you down a few pegs, none of us can afford your ego growing any bigger.” Virgil chuckled, sitting back with his arms crossed in a relaxed position.

 “Once I’m back to my true self, I’ll have height and ego to spare.” Roman leaned forward, sticking his nose out and looking smug. “You want to cut me down to size? I’d like to see you try then.”

 Virgil laughed. “Oh, you have no idea what I can do. When we’re back to normal, you better sleep with one eye open, because I will find a way.” Virgil leaned in close. “And that is a promise.”

 “Bring it, storm cloud.” Roman didn’t even flinch as Virgil got closer, a fact Roman was quite proud of given his experiences as a borrower. Instead, Roman meaningfully stuck his pinkie out in Virgil’s direction.

 Virgil, confused, leaned back a little. “What are you doing?”

 “It’s a pinkie promise.” It took Roman a moment to remember Virgil wouldn’t know what that was. “We wrap our pinkie fingers around each other to make the promise unbreakable.”

 “Uh, okay?” Kind of weird, but he’d seen humans do weirder. “But uh,” he looked from his pinkie to Roman’s. “Not sure how that’s supposed to work with us.”

 “Hmm.” Roman hadn’t really thought of that. He trusted Virgil...but also Virgil had proven himself of being incapable of controlling his human strength, and Roman didn’t particularly want to break his pinkie. Roman winced at the thought.

 “Ah, how about we just touch them together?” Roman amended his idea.

 “I guess that works?” Virgil shrugged and lowered his hand, pinkie out, to Roman.

 “Aaand...there!” Roman tapped his finger to Virgil’s, looking satisfied. “It’s a pinkie promise. That means no take-backsies. It’s the rules.”

 Virgil hummed, taking his pinkie back and staring at it. “Humans are weird.”

 “Oh, absolutely.” Roman nodded in solidarity. “But you like me anyways.”

 “Unfortunately,” Virgil replied, smiling. “You ready to get going?” It wasn’t hard to see that the two had completed the goal they had come here to do.

 “Ready when you are...friendo?” Roman was still not used to friend-themed nicknames.

 “...I’d stick with your usual nicknames.” Virgil smiled, before offering his hand to Roman.

 “You got it, dark knight.” Roman clambered onto Virgil’s hand.

[hippie-spirits-bard]

Theory on light/dark dynamic in the new movie

First: SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. Okay, this gonna be a long one so bear with me. DISCLAIMER: I have seen the movies and the series and read some of the legends. If my logic and some of my information is flawed, I am sorry, I am a fan but not that hardcore and humans do mistakes. Feel free to correct me and share your theories but do not come at me.

Let’s talk about the mortis gods. For those who don’t know the mortis gods are beings of force, the Father is the force, the Daughter is the light side of the force and the Son is the dark side of the force. The Father keeps the force balanced. Well, long story short Ashoka, Obi and Anakin came to the mortis gods’ planet, Daughter and Son fought, all of the mortis gods end up dead. The Father tells Anakin that he must bring balance to the force.

Anakin was the chosen one but my theory is that he was a representative of the Father. He was supposed to walk the middle path and keep both jedi and sith in balance with each other. But he was nicked by the Jedi and shoved into a light side role, maybe if Qui-Gon have guided him he would have been more neutral. There is more evidence that supports Anakin’s neutrality,like the fact that he spent half of life with the light and half with the dark side, just look at his age. I think the Jedi might have been too powerful and that caused an imbalance in the force. If you look at light/dark dynamics in eastern religion (which star wars is inspired from) and in eastern media(Kingdom Hearts for example), you’ll see that light and dark need each other to exist, a bright light casts a long shadow, there is light in darkness and darkness in light, they need each other to be kept in check, I could go on but you get the idea. It makes sense why the jedi fell, they grew too powerful and nicked the chosen one and tried to eliminate the sith permanently. Of course they would also see the whole ‘bring balance to the force’ as light winning and taking it all, we know that the Daughter and the Son wanted to be on top of each other. But the dark side used this imbalance and tipped the scales in their favor, switching from a light controlled galaxy to a dark controlled galaxy.

I think Luke is  the Daughter’s chosen one as the force needed to be brought back to the light. If you look at it it makes sense. The sith knew about Anakin and not Luke, why? Because Anakin was connected to the both side, Luke only to the light. Yoda was contacted by Qui-Gon and light side creatures to teach him how to become a force ghost and tell them that there is another chosen one. Crazily enough, I think Luke’s destiny wasn’t supposed to be with the light. Anakin was supposed to be the Father, Leia the Daughter and Luke the Son. I mean, in legends Leia is not once corrupted by the dark side compared to her brother, probably because her strong connection to the light side. But, I think the Force changed plans cause Anakin fucked up, and they switched Luke to the light side since his destiny with the dark side might have turned him into a very powerful sith and that is not what the force wanted while Anakin was still running around with Palpatine. Leia was never presented by the force as a chosen one probably because they didn’t want her to be used as a tool of the light side. I mean having 2 powerful light side jedi might have caused imbalance again. But her connection to the light side still made her powerful. I mean she was a prodigy, a general, a jedi, an incredible diplomat and so on.

Okay, now finally let’s talk about the last movie. I think the force decided to rectify their mistakes and instead of choosing a person to balance both sides they picked one for each side and let them balance each other.  I think they picked them in the second movie. As Luke was closing to death they chose Rey to carry the light mantel and they chose Ben Solo to be the dark side chosen one. This is why they were so connected. They were supposed to balance each other out, one light one darkness, trapped in an eternal dance. If you look at the Daughter and the Son, while they were trying to best each other they loved each other dearly, not in a romantic way obviously. Since Rey and Ben weren’t related their love was able to be romantic. I think Ben didn’t necessarily switched to the light, I think he just knew his destiny and what he had to do. Also, if he truly switched than Rey would have eventually switched to dark to keep the balance. I think the reason they were both called to the other side was that if one made a switch the other can be pulled by the force into the other side as well, keeping balance. This is why the vision of Rey joining the dark side kept coming because Ben was in the risk of coming back to the light. You could also blame the call on bloodlines and that the roles were supposed to be reversed.

I think Ben’s death was okay, it was sad but made sense. Yes, you can booo me for this. Firstly, he wanted to follow in Darth Vader’s footsteps, well he nailed it, honestly. Secondly, you all dream of Rey and Kylo happy on a planet as the galaxy is balanced again, well that will most definitely not happen if Ben was alive. The resistance will arrest and persecute everyone affiliated with the First Order and send bounty hunters after those they can’t capture. Do you think Ben will be forgiven? After all his crimes and with his body count? Of course not! Either he and Rey will be on the run forever or she will have to bring him back and see him persecuted. I am also very happy that my ship is cannon.

Coming back to my light/dark theory and how they are the light and the side of things always in balance. I think there is a chance that Ben realized that if he turns to the light side, Rey would have been pulled to the dark side. So he either never turned to the light side and just decided to help Rey and his parents cause he wanted to, I mean being a sith doesn’t mean you can’t love or care, or he turned light side and killed himself so Rey won’t have to switch. Ben being secretly alive on the light side or dead on the dark might pose a tad of a problem. If he is dead then Rey is not balanced, which is bad, if he is secretly alive but on the light side, Rey will have to switch.

Now Palpatine. I am pretty sure that Palpatine’s son is his clone, you know the way Boba Fett was Jango Fett’s son. I think Palpatine might be asexual so yeah, don’t see how a child might happen. I think he might be an aberration of the Force, or just became one the same way Abeloth is. He was a dark side user but he wanted to go beyond that. At this point I don’t think he cares which side he uses as long as he is powerful. There is so much evidence that Palpatine stopped being a sith long ago and he is just using the sith and the dark side because they are all his puppets, the light side hates him, and  hate, revenge and fear are easier to use to control people than love. Not that he didn’t try to use love to control people, in Rebels when he tries to corrupt Ezra he is not mean, he is not playing into Ezra’s fears, no, he loving, having the appearance of a grandpa ready to help Ezra. He knows the value of love but he is in too deep into darkness to efficiently use the light side for his gain. His own ideals also probably align with the dark side better and this is why he uses it. Compared to other sith he isn’t broken, or turned evil or something like that, no he is evil. He knew from young he wanted power and knowledge and did everything to gain it. If the light offered him the a better opportunity than the dark he would have gone with the light. He has better control on his emotions than most jedi, he is calm, composed and knows when to let go. He never fell to the dark side, he just used it for its power. Palpatine was a big collector of jedi and sith knowledge, he dived deep into their magic and ancient forgotten secrets. Further, have you notice how not once in the new movies anyone referred  to him as Darth Sidious? Coincidence? I think not! He is not a sith lord anymore, he is just Palpatine. He was playing both Rey and Kylo. He has another 30 back up bodies probably waiting for him, I doubt he is dead. If he is something similar to Abeloth than the only way to defeat him is to lock him away. Another evidence is the Son wanting to destroy everything before it goes to shit. We know the Son and the Daughter could see in the future, what if he saw a person similar to his mother that would continuously seed chaos war and fear in the galaxy. Of course he would think the galaxy should be bombed before another Abeloth appears. So yeah, I think Palpatine is the new Abeloth, after all Abeloth was always defeated by the Son and the Daughter together, so it makes sense their chosen ones now fight the new Abeloth.

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed my rant.

TLDR: Palpatine is Abeloth, Anakin is the Father, Rey is the Daughter, Kylo Ren is the Son and Leia and Luke were supposed to be the Son and the Daughter.

[yunaffie]

Shu Takumi interview

Several years ago, Official Nintendo Magazine UK (now no longer existent) had an interview with Shu Takumi and it was even on their website. Now their website is no longer around, but I did manage to find the interview on the Wayback Machine and I figured I’d repost it to make it easier to find, as well as give people who haven’t seen it yet the opportunity to do so.

    On the day that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies is released, Takumi talks to us about his best-loved series

Shu Takumi's most famous creation, Phoenix Wright, is famed for his 'turnabouts'. These whiplash-inducing twists of logic see him step into the unknown in order to seek his client's innocence; he's essentially a chancer, blagging his way to victory. Talk to Takumi, however, and you sense that he leaves nothing to fate. His stories are intricately plotted, his jokes laser-targeted and his heroes full-bodied personalities.

In a medium in which storytelling starts and ends with 'man hates thing, man shoots thing', Takumi is a rare exception to the rule. With his latest yarn, Professor Layton Vs. Ace Attorney, on the horizon, Associate Editor Matthew Castle was lucky enough to cross-examine one of gaming's definitive voices.

Matthew Castle: Before we start, just for any readers who might not know who you are, could you tell us about your role at Capcom?

Shu Takumi: I'm a director, which means that I propose ideas for new titles, design the games, write the scenarios and direct the projects. In addition, I mutter complaints and, when the intense pressure of an impossible schedule finally gets to me, escape into a fantasy world of my own creation [laughs].

MC: Before developing Ace Attorney you worked on Dino Crisis. How does one go from dinosaur survival horror to virtual courtrooms?

ST: Dino Crisis was the brainchild of my then boss, Resident Evil creator, Shinji Mikami. Working on his projects taught me not only how to make games, but also how to think about them. After Dino Crisis 2 wrapped, Mr Mikami gave me six months in which to create any kind of game I wanted.

I was still pretty wet behind the ears, but as I'd originally joined Capcom with a desire to create mystery and adventure games, this was a huge chance for me to make my mark as a creator. In the end it took a team of seven 10 months to produce the first GBA Ace Attorney title. Having the freedom to create exactly the kind of game I wanted was amazing and it was a real pleasure to work on that project.

MC: Can you remember when the idea of Ace Attorney first came to you? How did your bosses respond to the idea of a lawyer-based adventure game when you first described it to them?

ST: It was in 2000 when Mr Mikami said I could make my own game and my original idea was a fairly typical adventure with a detective as the main character. Most mystery adventures have the player choose from a number of different dialogue options for their character in order to progress the story, but I wanted a new gameplay style that enabled players to deduce for themselves what was happening, rather than just selecting canned responses. I developed this into the concept of facing off against the suspect in a crime and exposing the contradictions in their statements.

I was sure my new idea would be a fun and original take on the genre, so I started to revise the main character, since a detective would be too traditional for such an original concept. I asked myself, "What kind of professional would face off against a suspect and expose their contradictory statements?" The answer, of course, was a lawyer and so the Ace Attorney concept was born.

Incidentally, I wrote the game design document at home during my summer holiday straight after Dino Crisis 2 finished. One day, I got a call from Mr Mikami. Despite having supposedly given me free rein to design whatever I wanted, he warned me off doing a game about courtroom trials!

MC: Ace Attorney paints the police and legal profession in a silly light. Have you ever had feedback from lawyers or policemen about your portrayal of them?

ST: A few years ago I had the opportunity to speak with some police detectives and they told me that their real-life investigations are nowhere near as absurd as those that were depicted in Ace Attorney. I thought to myself, "Well, I had sort-of guessed that already..."

I've never had feedback from any lawyers, but I imagine it would be the same. They'd tell me they don't scream out "Objection!" as vigorously as our characters and I'd think to myself, "Well, I had sort-of guessed that already..."

MC: Every Ace Attorney game is full of great characters, so when you wrote each sequel how did you decide which people to bring back?

ST: The first time a previously featured character returned in a later case was Larry Butz. Phoenix defended him on a murder charge in the very first case of the first game and he showed up later in the same game as a supporting character in the fourth case.

He wasn't originally planned to be a recurring character, however. The schedule for designing and drawing a new character for that case was so tight that there was a serious risk we wouldn't make it in time, so we decided to reuse an existing character simply to save time on asset creation. Thus, Larry made his encore appearance, which ended up being a well-received element of the first game's storyline, so from the second game onwards, we started bringing old characters back intentionally.

How we choose who to bring back is simple: it's usually either characters who are popular with fans, or those I am fond of [laughs].

MC: For all the madness, there's something traditional about the mysteries at the heart of Ace Attorney. Did you draw on any classic crime writers for inspiration?

ST: You could say that there is a mixture of the spilled blood of victims, the guilty tears of killers and the sweat of hard-working detectives flowing through my veins... To put it less graphically, from the time I came across the Sherlock Holmes series as a child, all the way through to my university days, I've been obsessed with reading classic murder mysteries. It's safe to say that Ace Attorney would not exist were it not for Perry Mason.

When writing the cases for the games I've found inspiration in the works of GK Chesterton, Ellery Queen and Anthony Berkeley, to name but a few. And I can't leave out that modern classic of the genre, Columbo.

MC: How hard is it to devise a juicy twist and to hide it from view? In storytelling you often want to obscure the details, but videogame design often requires clarity. Did you find it hard to rectify those two things?

ST: They say that it's harder to create a puzzle than to solve one and that's certainly proved to be the case in my experience. For the first game, with my lack of experience I found it less like a challenging task than a hobby with which I became obsessed.

You need to control the information presented in the game so that there is a single right answer for the player to deduce, but also weave in plenty of initial inconsistencies for them to uncover and our trademark 'turnabout' twists to confound their expectations. This is where reading all those mystery novels in my youth has really paid off.

MC: Having worked on four Ace Attorney games, how did it feel to step away and work on Ghost Trick? Were you nervous to leave that safety bubble?

ST: I first started working on the Ghost Trick concept in 2004, after the completion of the original GBA version of Ace Attorney 3. The third game was supposed to be the last one, but plans changed and I ended up working on the first DS Ace Attorney, which, as you know, was the first Ace Attorney title to be localised and released in the west. My next project after that was Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, so by the time I got around to finishing Ghost Trick it was 2010, six years after I first thought up the concept.

I certainly felt a lot of pressure when making Ghost Trick, as it was a brand new IP and I had just left the Ace Attorney series, but I was grateful for the chance to take on a new challenge.

MC: Ghost Trick featured some incredibly gruesome murder concepts - death by giant roast chicken is my favourite. From where did you draw inspiration for such a huge variety of deaths? Did any not make the cut?

ST: I feel that the most violent way of murdering someone is by directly shooting, stabbing or strangling them, so for Ghost Trick I wanted to have more indirect ways of killing someone, with a darkly comical, more symbolic feeling to them.

Combining this approach with the fact that the Nintendo DS screens are not the largest, or most high-resolution displays out there, it became important to make sure that whatever death we were presenting to the player was visually easy to comprehend. So being crushed to death by some giant object was a perfect fit for our requirements, whether it was under a big rock or a huge roast chicken.

As far as cut ideas, there was going to be a stage where the victim had been crushed by a huge safe that fell from the ceiling, but time restrictions meant the whole stage was cut. I do love having giant objects fall on people, don't I? That's probably the influence of Tom and Jerry on the young Shu Takumi showing through.

MC: More importantly, how did your team react as you presented these death ideas to them. Was anyone worried for your sanity?

ST: Yes, and not only that, but I also made it my goal to cause the team to worry for my sanity whenever I presented an idea, because if they were, it meant it was a good one. I would hear a little voice in my head saying, "You win!" at times like that. The more "You win!" moments one can have in life, the better.

MC: There were nods in Ghost Trick to Ace Attorney - Missile the dog, for example; a character who looked like Wright - do you see the two games as existing in the same universe?

ST: Those are really just coincidences: the guy who looks like Phoenix actually only has the same colour suit on and the dog is not the same breed as Missile, which, coincidentally, is the name of my pet Pomeranian.

Ghost Trick takes place in what is obviously a much more fantastical world than Ace Attorney. You may have noticed that the level backgrounds in Ghost Trick never have any kind of writing in them. This was an intentional design choice to prevent the game's setting from being identifiable as taking place in any particular country or era from the real world.

MC: Could you imagine an Ace Attorney/Ghost Trick crossover? Any deaths that we couldn't prevent by way of possession could then go to trial in a courtroom...

ST: ...or Phoenix Wright could be killed and Sissel could prosecute his killer in court! Whatever form it might take, a crossover between these games is something I would love to see happen.

MC: When you return to Ace Attorney after a period of absence - whether it was to write Apollo Justice or Professor Layton Vs. Ace Attorney - how easy do you find it to slip back into that world and that writing voice?

ST: Writing for Professor Layton Vs. Ace Attorney was the first time in several years that I wrote in the voice of Phoenix and Maya, but those characters are so dear to me that I carry them around everywhere in my heart, so it was very easy to pick it up again. It was like a reunion with old friends and was a very pleasurable and nostalgic experience for me.

MC: When you came to write the scenario for Professor Layton Vs. Ace Attorney, how hard was it to make those two universes gel? Layton's world traditionally dispels the paranormal, while Wright tends to embrace it.

ST: I worked together with Level 5 to develop the world in which the crossover takes place. It took quite a lot of time for both sides to find a setting into which we were happy to place our biggest characters. The starting point for me was when I wondered to myself if one could still use logic to solve a case in a world in which crimes could be committed using magic. I really liked this idea, so it was hard, but fun, work to design the court sections of the game around it.

MC: Putting all diplomacy aside, who would win in a battle of the wits between Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright?

ST: If you ask me, I don't think Phoenix would be able to hold a candle to Layton in a real battle of wits. However, we all know that the hand of fate somehow always manages to bring a 'turnabout' in Nick's fortunes, no matter how sticky the situation, which means, well, sorry, Professor, but you're out of luck!

MC: With Ace Attorney 5 and Ace Attorney Investigations how does it feel to see your characters in the hands of other Capcom employees? We imagine it must be like a parent sending their child to school for the first day.

ST:

That's an apt comparison. I do have mixed feelings about it sometimes. For instance, I was really surprised to see that after we focused on the new character of Apollo in the fourth game, the Dual Destinies team decided to bring Phoenix back. Ultimately, though, having creators other than myself take the helm of the series is a valid choice, as it brings new directions and new story possibilities.

The team on the new game have looked at what the essence of Ace Attorney is, and as long as they can give the fans another great game to enjoy, I'll be happy. After all, the fact that the series is still going over a decade after I made the first game is something I couldn't possibly have imagined in the first place.

MC: Have you seen the Ace Attorney film? If so, what did you think of it? Was it funny to see characters you sketched out all those years ago in the flesh?

ST: I saw it, and I even got to make a little cameo when the film company invited some Capcom staff to visit the set. You can see me briefly in the spectators' gallery in the final court scene.

It was really something to see the story I wrote for the first game brought to life on the big screen by real-life actors.

And those costumes! They were such perfect recreations. The director, Takashi Miike, is an expert at making existing works from other media into entertaining live action films and he did a great job with Ace Attorney. I highly recommend that everyone reading this check it out, if they can.

MC: This interview is part of our 100th edition and we're looking back over some of our magazine highlights. Looking back over your own career, what is your personal highlight to date?

ST: As a creator, the greatest compliment to me is when someone tells me that they played one of my games and enjoyed it. In the course of the press tour for Ghost Trick in 2010, many players from around the world expressed their love of Ace Attorney to me and it's moments like those that make me glad I became a game creator. Also, I'm deeply honoured to have been asked to take part in this special issue and having myself, my team and our work considered a highlight of your magazine's history. I'd like to thank you on behalf of everyone at Capcom. This opportunity is in itself a highlight for us.

MC: Many of our readers are keen to know, what's next for Shu Takumi?

ST: Game projects are a complex balance of so many factors: what I want to make, what players might make of my concept, what Capcom as a company wants from the game, and also broader trends in the gaming industry. My next project is in the preparation stages and I still don't know myself what form it might take by the time it's finished.

Whatever happens, though, I'll be pouring my heart and soul into it and working towards that eternal goal of hearing positive reactions from the players at the end of all the hard work.

[xxscarletxrosexx]

Chapter 4: Ma Douce Mère

Fanfic | Deviantart

A/N: Happy belated birthday to me~ I hope you enjoy my version of the (half) big reveal!~

I actually planned to post this last weekend before my birthday, but my plans had piled up. I had a birthday celebration to prep for, then the party the next day. The day after that, I had to say goodbye to a family member. And the day after that, I was asked to work on my remote job for the whole day. Then midterms began on the day of my birthday...I'm v busy, but I'm glad my me-time was spent writing this chapter two weeks ago, but with some time in between I was able to clean up the chapter with the addition of the newest episode Kwami Buster incorporated into this chapter.

DeviantArt: XxScarletxRosexX Tumblr: XxScarletxRosexX Instagram: XxScarlyliciousxX Fanfiction: XxScarletxRosexX

Summary:

It is far from coincidences that these miraculous jewels ended in Marinette’s and Adrien’s possession. Their kwamis claim that they have been specifically chosen as the sole protectors against evil. But when an akuma returns a forgotten past, it unravels an unforeseen destiny of their Miraculous predecessors’ lives. Their decisions, from this moment forward, could possibly alter the true meaning of their existences and their destinies.

In Chat's safe arms, time moved at an incredibly slow pace, almost as if they had accomplished freezing time completely. Despite Marinette's mourning and sniffling state echoing through the night, Paris was very peaceful. Chat Noir moved the hand patting her back, to smooth through her glossy ultramarine hair. He leaned towards the crown of hair and gently pressed his lips against them.

Marinette felt his sweet gesture and smiled to herself. Her eyes fluttered to a close as she melted against his chest and began to calm down. She kept her arms wrapped around Chat Noir's waist until she was finally able to recollect her composure. She felt painfully embarrassed to have revealed this ugly and vulnerable side of herself to Chat Noir, but she was also grateful that it was Chat who was able to help comfort and relieve her from this burden. She lifted her head off his chest and with a gentle voice, she said, "Thank you, Chat. I really appreciate it."

Chat's usual playful demeanor was replaced with an unusually soft expression. His eyes, the color of emeralds, were slightly squinted, the slight lift of his mask suggested his eyebrows were raised, and his lip was gently tugged to the side. It was so bizarre to see this sentimental side of him. It was almost captivating. Marinette felt her cheeks blossom with warmth when Chat interrupted her thoughts. "It's no problem, Marinette." Chat had sat Marinette down on her foldable beach chair while he sat crouched by her feet.

"I'm sorry," the dark-haired woman apologized, "I didn't mean to cry in front of you."

"Don't worry about it," Chat comforted, "I'm just glad to see you feeling better after that."

Marinette smiled sheepishly before continuing, "We were talking about Ladybug before I rudely interrupted…"

Chat swatted his hand in front of his face to signal that he hadn't taken any offense, "It's fine-" Suddenly his body grew tense when his ears heard something from the distance. Before Marinette could continue the conversation, Chat scooped her in his arms and jumped from her balcony and into a nearby building. Seconds later, a familiar sound of a metallic string wrapped around the beach chair where Marinette had once sat on. Within seconds, the beach chair was sliced into minced pieces.

"Chat Noir, surrender your Miraculous and I'll let you and Marinette free," a familiar mezzo-soprano voice commanded. A metallic string encircled the chimney that Chat Noir and Marinette were standing on. Moments later, a dark figure launched from the ground and landed in front of them.

Marinette's expression drained of color as she recognized the dark silhouette standing before them. The moon glowed behind her back, but city lights on the other side of the bridge dimly lit a tall, slim body in a red spandex one-suit and black polka-dots, pale face with icy, faded blue eyes, and hair colored like the ocean on a starless evening separated into two long pigtails that swayed against her thighs.

"Hello, sweetie."

"Mom?!" the navy-haired teenager gasped.

"Mom?" Chat Noir echoed, glancing from Marinette's horrified expression to the figure.

"That's Ladybug, to you!" she hurled her yo-yo forward, encircling Marinette and Chat Noir like a lasso.

Chat Noir prepped his escape by crouching to a squat. Without taking his eyes off from the new Ladybug Miraculous holder, he instructed Marinette, "Hold tight, it looks like we're in for a game of cat and mouse."

Marinette wrapped her arms around the dark feline's neck when she had heard the familiar whizzing sound of her yoyo being yanked towards the center. But before the metallic wires could catch them, Chat Noir and Marinette were launched in the air and traveled from roof house to roof house.

"This is a catastrophe!" Marinette sighed as she nestled her forehead against Chat Noir's neck.

"Furreal," Chat responded. "Who knew your mom completely transformed when she used the Ladybug Miraculous."

"It doesn't make any sense," Marinette sighed frustratingly, "why would Hawkmoth suddenly give it to her?"

"You think she's still influenced by him?" Chat wondered.

The navy-haired teenager, lifted her head to search over his shoulder for any signs of her mother's pursuit. To her vexation, her mother was no-where in sight-a familiar pattern that Lucky Chance had. "We need to go down-now, Chat Noir!"

"Are we safe?" He asked while jumping off a rail, landed on the cobblestone street, and had set her feet to the ground.

Marinette responded by shaking her head. Lucky Chance had won previously because Chat Noir and Ladybug had ran away from her.

Ladybug had decided that the Seine would provide enough space between them, and would give them time to catch their breath. However, Lucky Chance was already on the bridge of the Seine, waiting for them. Before Ladybug had the opportunity to stop him, Chat Noir had used his Cataclysm and dove straight towards her. Lucky Chance was one step ahead, using her die as a smoke bomb and engulfing her and Chat Noir. Ladybug had used her yo-yo as a propeller to clear the smoke, in hopes to buy her partner time to recollect himself and find their opponent. But instead, Lucky Chance had stood victorious with her hand around Chat Noir's neck. He was unconscious with several trails of blood seeping from his forehead and his right hand that once held his cataclysm powers were gone. Chat Noir was hit by his own Cataclysm once before and had ended up winded of air due to Miraculer's, Sabrina's akumatized alter ego, attack. But it was never this violent or bloody, and to see Chat Noir that badly wounded had scared her as Ladybug and traumatized her as Marinette.

Lucky Chance-or her mother, Sabine Dupain-Cheng-was uncharacteristically skilled. It was most likely the influence of the akuma that enhanced her tactical skills. But even so, the level of her tactical strategy, as Lucky Chance, had far exceeded that of an advanced learner or killer. It seemed as if the akuma had sharpened and enhanced the skill to a true and experienced tactician's level, just like what happened to Kagami and Armand D'Argencourt's fencing skills when they were akumatized to Riposte and Darkblade, respectively. However… her mother was never the tactical type… or was she?

"She'll be here any minute," Marinette announced, then taking their situation into their consideration, she turned to face him completely, "Chat Noir, do you trust me?"

Taken aback by her soft expression and determined eyes, Chat Noir found himself having difficulty to look away. "Of course, Marinette."

"Chat Noir, I need your miraculous," Marinette requested while raising an open palm to him.

Chat Noir placed his right paw on her pale palm and gently lowered her hand. "Marinette, she's after me, not you."

"That's precisely the point," Marinette insisted, "It's better I have it rather than you. That way she'll lose complete sight of you. There's no way my mom would hurt me."

"I don't know, Marinette," Chat Noir began, perplexed, "this is too risky. You're putting yourself in danger by involving yourself in this fight, especially with Ladybug's miraculous being worn by your mom. It's better if I stay and face her." He pats her head gently while looking into her cerulean eyes, "Please, let me protect you."

Chat Noir was about to lift his hand off her head when Marinette's hand grasped his hand and gently guided it down and in front of her. She looked at him, softly, sadly, pleadingly. She had let him protect her before, and she had almost lost him. It was her turn this time, "Please."

Marinette's pained expression had left a deep impression in Adrien, and he had felt no choice but to cave in to her wish. Marinette had never let him down before, never was the type of person to betray the people who were closest to her, and something inside him insisted to trust her risky request. He gently extended his left hand, gesturing her to lead the way.

Marinette had hurriedly dragged both of them to a narrow alley, where she instructed the feline hero to hide in the shadows and de-transform. While he adjusted himself in the darkness, Marinette turned her back against him.

"Claws off."

Marinette brought her left hand behind her back with her palm open. When she had felt the ring placed in her palm, she told him quietly, "What matters is your identity is safe, Chat. She must never know who you truly are."

"Marinette…" Adrien's hand raised towards her but slowly dropped it along with his the idea of enveloping her in his arms. "All you really need to do is turn around and you'll know who the real me is."

Marinette shook her head, her palm closed tightly on his ring, "It's better if I don't… I don't think Ladybug would appreciate it if you revealed your identity to me… I…," she shook her head at the thought, "I don't know what I would do if anything happens to you… again…" the last word faded into a soft whisper. With her free hand, she reached out to him. Just this once, she wanted to touch him. She wanted to feel the same warm hands that protected her and comforted her… just for affirmation. She wanted to know that he was alive and that he would be okay.

Adrien reached for her hand. It was all he could do. This girl, who was his first important friend at Francoise Dupont High School, slowly became more and more important to him. He trusted Marinette with so many things, especially with his miraculous in her hands.

Floating beside them, stood an uncharacteristically silent Plagg. He wasn't particularly tired since Adrien hadn't used his Cataclysm, but he wasn't in a good mood either. He knew Marinette must've been suffering for a number of days now. Losing Tikki had surprised him too-then again, it wasn't surprising. His human was to blame for his stupidity, especially with the unlucky nature that came along with holding the Cat miraculous. But Marinette will succeed. She wasn't picked as the current Ladybug, for nothing. And she proved it during Juleka's second akumatization when she had donned on the Cat miraculous and became Lady Noir. She always had it in her, it was just being clouded by Tikki's absence along with the miraculous earrings.

"Take care of her, Plagg," Adrien instructed softly. After exchanging a quick hug with Plagg resting against his cheek, he took several steps backward into the darkness to camouflage himself. He fell to a crouching position, with one leg resting to the ground. He trusted Marinette, but he never planned to abandon her.

After his quick hug against Adrien's cheek, Plagg floated above Marinette. He took Marinette's identity into consideration, on behalf of Tikki. He decided not to expose himself to her… not just yet. That would probably put Marinette in an uncomfortable position if she were to express familiarity with him while Adrien, who he knew was hiding in the shadows, was watching the both of them. Like his miraculous owner, he camouflaged himself in the shadows to prevent receiving attention.

Within the next several seconds Sabine Dupain-Cheng, as a young adult Ladybug, landed in front of her daughter. "Marinette, either tell me where Chat Noir is or hand over his miraculous."

"I don't understand," Marinette began, "why are you after Chat Noir and his miraculous? Are you still influenced by Hawkmoth's akuma? Why are you using the Ladybug miraculous?"

"Marinette," she raised her hand to her daughter, "I know there is a 30% probability you'd let Chat Noir escape with his miraculous, and 55% probability that you will ask him to give it to you. In both cases, it would lead me to a dead-end to looking for him and buy you both time."

"What are you talking about?" Marinette feigned accusation, "Why would you think Chat Noir would give me his miraculous?"

"Because you're my daughter," Ladybug answered confidently, "who do you think did you inherit your clever ideas from? Your father?"

Marinette stood before her, speechless and flabbergasted.

"If my memories weren't erased, I would still be Ladybug right now. But I see Master Fu had entrusted you with the Ladybug miraculous when I was decommissioned, mentally at least."

Marinette is Ladybug?! The blond model's eyes fell on Marinette's back. He couldn't believe his ears. Adrien cupped his hand over his mouth to prevent himself from gasping aloud. Feeling surprised was an understatement in this situation-perhaps overwhelmed. His mind wouldn't stop piecing Marinette and his Ladybug together. His educated guess during Ms. Mendeliev's scientific discovery was right on the mark.

"Me? Ladybug?" the teenage girl stammered, "No! What are you talking about mom?"

"Oh, Marinette…" Ladybug had her hands positioned at her waist while she looked down and shook her head, "you're very clumsy, often disheartened, unconfident around people and when making big decisions, and often act before you think. But…" she looked at her daughter, "you've always had a pure heart with good intentions. No matter what, you came back to see the just of things. That's why Master Fu chose you to be the next Ladybug. As much as I am proud to see you as my successor, sweetie, I am also heartbroken to see you walk the same path as I had."

Marinette stared into her mother's dark eyes, unsure how to respond to her praise.

"You recall that Nadia mentioned there was an absence of a Miraculous holder in the last twenty years, right Marinette?"

The navy-haired teenager's forehead formed creases as she recalled Nadia's announcement on the news when Alex's dad had found the rock that contained Feast. She swallowed, audibly.

In the distance within the shadows, Adrien was mirroring her reactions.

"A little over twenty years ago, Master Fu gave me the miraculous ladybug. I was your age. But those memories were erased because of a certain person's wish. No one remembers I was Ladybug, not even myself. That's why I need the miraculous to undo the wish." She extended her hand to her daughter, "I need the cat's miraculous, Marinette."

Marinette's brain was on hyperdrive. She couldn't think straight, nor was she sure if she could trust her mother with the miraculous, considering the destruction that was left behind in her wake. Instead, she decided to buy more time. Marinette insisted, "I don't have-"

"Don't be silly, sweetie," Ladybug retorted, "my memories as an akuma weren't erased. I know exactly who stood in front of me when I took off her earrings, Marinette. You went as far as to jump into the Seine to save Chat Noir from drowning."

"Mom," the navy-haired teenager's body shook, her hands clamped into a fist, and her eyes swam with tears threatening to crawl down, "how could you do something so cruel?"

"It's not cruel, sweetie. I had to make my act convincing," Ladybug explained, "I was being watched after all."

"But if you were going to use the miraculous ladybug afterwards and defeat Hawkmoth, then what was the point of putting on a show?"

"Defeat Hawkmoth? No, sweetie. Hawkmoth and I have a common goal."

Marinette staggered and stepped backward, "Common goal?"

Ladybug stepped forward, "I need the cat miraculous, Marinette."

While the exchanges took place, Plagg grew concerned for his miraculous owner. He flew down to Adrien and landed on his shoulder to offer him support. But with Adrien's growing agitation, Plagg tried to comfort him by nudging his head against his owner's cheek. When the black kwami felt the muscles in the model's cheeks become rigid, the cat kwami flew towards Adrien's mouth, hoping to keep Adrien silenced. "No, Adrien," the cat kwami whispered while putting his two tiny paws on the model's lips, but Adrien shook him off.

"Sorry, Plagg," Adrien apologized while gently pushing him away. Unable to listen to the conversation between Marinette and her mother any longer, Adrien hollered from the darkness, "Don't listen to her, Marinette! It's a trap!"

"Chat Noir?" Marinette gasped, looking over her shoulder, "What are you still doing here?! Get out!"

"I guess we found where the 15% probability would be," Ladybug commented before throwing her yo-yo the direction of the dark alley.

Marinette didn't think as she moved. She ran in front of the alley and shielded herself with her arms. Upon impact, an explosion of light emitted from the yo-yo, and despite her best efforts to protect herself, Marinette was blinded by a bright, white light while her ears screamed with a deafening high pitch roar. With her vision gradually improving, she saw her mother and a trail of afterimages quickly approaching her. The ringing in her ears grew dull and was quickly overlapped by reverbs of voices and hurried footsteps.

"Marinette!" Plagg cried out. Unable to restrain himself, he darted from Adrien's side and towards the dazed navy-haired teenager.

"Plagg!" Adrien hollered, unable to prevent his kwami from exposing himself to the danger before them.

"Marinette!"

Marinette thought she had heard her name being called at the end of a tunnel. Then, she recognized a dark outline of a small, black kwami float in front of her face.

The sudden presence of Plagg had caught Ladybug off guard and momentarily stopped her in her tracks.

"Marinette!" Transform already!" he quickly instructed.

"No!" Ladybug exclaimed while extending her arm towards her daughter.

"Right!" Marinette had closed her eyes to help herself readjust her equilibrium, and quickly slipped the ring on. Punching her hand forward, she cried, "Plagg, claws out!"

Adrien watched, dumbstruck, as Marinette's body was encapsulated by a green and black light. With a small twirl with her right hand punched to the air, she followed through with the same hand to wave across her face, where she donned on a black mask with a long braided ultramarine hair following in its wake. With her other free hand, she swiped through her hair where two black cat ears with green lining emerged. Switching to her right, her clothes were enveloped by a black and green one-suit. He recognized his partner in a heartbeat, despite it being a one-time event where Plagg and Tikki had switched miraculous owners. He couldn't forget. He would never forget.