#and of course losing mandalore with it

[castaccio]

Me last week, only having watched The Mandalorian, the OG Trilogy, the Sequel Trilogy, and Rogue 1: Dang I was hoping for that arc about Din being a capable leader to get resolved better....but I'm glad Bo is the leader in his stead! She messed up that one time with Moff Gideon—and I figured everyone would be a bit more mad about it—but now she gets to unite everyone under refreshed & competent leadership while Din gets to keep his kid and his episodic adventures. All's well that ends well!

Me now, knowing Bo's involvement in Death Watch:

[phoenixyfriend]

Mandalore's Royal Concubine AU

HI

INSANE THOUGHT

YOU KNOW THAT POPULAR AU WHERE MANDALORE IS ITS OWN EMPIRE AND WHENEVER IT TAKES OVER A PLACE IT BRAINWASHES THE CAPTURED REBELS INTO BEING LOYAL CITIZENS (yes I know it's called the Integration AU)

I want one of those where you keep hearing about The Emperor but it's Plagueis, and you hear about Maul and Tyrannus and so on.

And then like ten chapters in you run into Jaster (40-ish) and the mistress he got after taking over Naboo, a 25yo Sheev Palpatine.

Dolled up and ostensibly brainwashed and known to have the Force but not any known ties to the Sith, he's just DAINTY and likes Naboo fashion and the readers are constantly hunting for The Truth. Is he a Sith that was successfully brainwashed? Biding his time? Looking to break away from Mandalore with Naboo but not a Sith? Working against the protagonist because he IS loyal to Jaster? Etc

A lot of the stuff you see people do to Obi-Wan, tbh.

Concubine Palpatine...

Also, if we go a bit down the line and instead have it with 50s-Jaster and early-40s bedwarmer Palpatine, we can have the protagonist that's meeting him for the first time be early teens Obi-Wan.

Palpatine has been in Jaster's bed for like. Twenty years by that point lol.

WAIT NO. NOT JUST A CONCUBINE. THE MAN'S A WAR PRIZE TWKYMSKTZKGZ

Palpatine, being Force-Sensitive and politically important, had led a resistance against Mandalore In His Youth, but failed. May be a Sith plot to infiltrate that went sour when the brainwashing actually worked? May have been a Sith plot that failed because nobody expected Sidious to LOSE and now they've washed their hands of him. May have just been a generally shitty Force-Sensitive but unaffiliated with the Sith because Naboo was on the other side of the galaxy from the Sith Empire? I don't know and neither do the readers.

Suggested by @threebea:

Either way he wants to do terrible things to Plagueis, either for his own revenge or on behalf of his husband

Subplot people trying to say Obi-Wan is their love child and could potentially steal the throne because Sheev is also a redhead (it's not true) but dealing with both assassins and they're trying to pull power way from Mereel

Obi-Wan: .... I'm not how is this even a rumour!?

It's because like satine and he for whatever reason used Palpatine as a cover somehow when they were teens and it has 'evidence' that there's a connection

Sheev "didn't want his child treated like he was and gave him up/smuggled him away" (sad sob story)

Obi-Wan: now both Mandalorians and Sith want to kill me for potential throne stealing, and I mean I'm a Jedi, they already wanted to kill me. but this feels more personal somehow

Sheev: ......... (Does not even like Obi-Wan and owed Duke Kryze a favour or Kryze was his ally before his death or w/e)

(Sheev brainwashed or not will absolutely use this tho)

I think there's also potential in 22yo Jango trying to "adopt" Obi-Wan (against the kid's wishes, of course) and explaining away the Palpatine situation with "stay away from him, he's always plotting."

"I thought you said he was successfully integrated."

"He was! But... you know those stories about evil stepmothers? And conniving concubines? He's... both. So just stay away."

Obi-Wan so maybe he's not integrated and he's an ally (no no he is not)

I also think it would be funny if the integration DID work and DID make Palpatine loyal to Jaster, but 80% of his non-sex actions result in "please stop helping me" because the methods are always way outside what even integration-happy Mandalore is comfortable with.

Fully corrupt, but for Jaster

Palpatine is having some palace intrigue and poisoning officials

Jaster: wait no

He's full on Dowager Empress vibes but he's not even married to the guy, nor is the guy dead.

All the political intrigue and skill of the prequels but. As a royal concubine.

Should definitely have beef with Jango for whatever reason

Jango: my childhood was a nightmare because of that man ><

But Palpatine covered himself way too well for it to be proven.

That's why he's 'adotping' Obi-Wan! Needs a force sensitive that he controls (that Palpatine doesn't have access to).

God, he DEFINITELY wanted to send Jango to boarding school. I don't think Jango ACTUALLY got sent away, but Palpatine probably managed a few Summer Sleep-Away Camps.

Palpatine: so you can be perfect for your father

Palpatine: (and get out of my hair ... Maybe have an accident that would be swell)

I want him to have pet Mandalorian peacocks. Drive home the absurdity.

I've decided this AU also has a primary plot about a Mysterious Stranger that keeps showing up to help Obi-Wan (actually help, not Jango's "help") and it's implied to be a member of the lineage, like Qui-Gon or Xanatos or something. Obi-Wan begs to be his padawan, before even knowing exactly who it is. And then, it is revealed to be! A time-traveller! Anakin, but as an adult! He hasn't even been born yet!

And then! The second twist behind the twist! Is that Anakin is not from the future but from a future, specifically! Canonverse RotS!

Ahsoka may or may not have been pulled along. And/or Rex.

Fuck it, maybe even Padmé with the twins?

Generally, all their important future knowledge, must notably that Palpatine is Sidious! Is useless.

Everything is just Too Different.

And in the middle of all that shit, Obi-Wan is introduced to the boogeyman of Anakin's nightmares, a Mandalorian concubine.

[beskarfrog]

Okay, so we all agree that Luke having to marry Mand’alor Din for political reasons is a quality au. What if Luke accidentally gets politically engaged to some other planetary leader instead?

Let’s say that perhaps his connection to Leia automatically made him a candidate for diplomatic marriage, especially after Leia and Han get married. Maybe it was a major clause in the funding for his Jedi school, but Luke didn’t really think they’d ever actually marry him off. For the sake of the au, let’s also disregard bits of TBOBF and Mando S3. 

Luke’s been building his school on Ossus, Grogu is enjoying Jedi training, and there are a couple other students. And perhaps, Din actually becomes Mand’alor and retakes Mandalorian space. Maybe he visits the Jedi school pretty often to see his son and get away from politics.

Luke can really sympathize with having the weight of the universe and a glowing sword tossed at you with no warning. So maybe he and Din become friends after a while and maybe that friendship becomes something different. There start being blushes when someone gets pinned in a spar, falling asleep together on the couch after dinner, running around after the younglings constantly. Din visits as often as he can and has about made up his mind to just ask Luke if he would consider moving the Jedi school to Concordia so they’d at least be in the same star system most days, if not on the same planet.

That's when Luke gets an urgent holocall from Leia, informing him that he’s just been engaged to some bigwig princess as part of a treaty with a rich planet the New Republic has been courting. Luke is absolutely panicking to Din, going on about how the terms of the treaty basically forbid him from keeping his school. He’s looked at his funding agreement with the New Republic and he can’t get out of it without losing money unless he’s already married to someone.

And then Din thinks of the most beautiful solution to both of their problems. Everyone else thinks that they’re already a couple, as much as Din has denied it. Bo-Katan has been harassing him for months about spending so much time off-world to go see his little family. Mandalore could really use a trade agreement with the New Republic.

The next logical step is, of course, for Din to propose in the middle of Luke’s kitchen while his Jedi friend is struggling not to go into a dark spiral about losing his school funding. It's simple, really. They just have to get married right that moment, which would fix the school funding issue. Luke moves the school to the Mandalore system so Din can see him and the kids all the time without giving Bo-Katan a new gray streak. And Mandalore probably gets a trade agreement out of it. What’s not to like?

Luke is so stunned he accidentally pours the calming tea he was making directly onto the kitchen floor.

[vodika-vibes]

Congratulations on your 650 followers Vodika! I bring you a request. May I please have a fairy tale AU with Jango Fett. Jango is the king of Mandalore and he hires you as his son's caretaker. As you spend more time with Boba and Jango the two of you fall in love with one another and even though you are just a commoner and Jango can have any woman he wants all Jango wants is to marry you and make you his queen.

Once again congratulations Vodika! I look forward to reading all of your requests once they are finished ❤️

Cin Vhetin

Summary: After losing your well-paying career as an in-home nanny due to a lie, you’re forced to move in with your older sister just to make ends meet. You’re about to give up on ever finding another job when your sister brings you an opportunity that you can’t turn down.

Pairing: Jango Fett x F!Reader

Word Count: 2958

Prompt: Fairy Tale AU

Warnings: None

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: Alright, I've had this mostly written for days now, I just couldn't get the final section to come out right. But I'm finally happy with it! So I hope you like it!

“I’m home~”

You look up from where you’re putting the finishing touches on tonight's dinner as your sister waltzes into the kitchen, a broad grin on her face. “Welcome back,” You greet tiredly, “You’re in a good mood, Rayne.”

“Of course I am, I got to see my future husband-”

“You mean the one who doesn’t know you exist? That future husband?”

“Hush, stop raining on my parade.” She spins around the kitchen, as though she’s still a teenager and not a woman nearing forty. “Anyway, I saw my beloved. And we had a conversation.”

“Oh?”

“He asked me if I wanted two loaves of bread or if one would be enough for tonight.”

“Sis, that isn’t talking, that’s him doing his job.” You counter with a roll of your eyes, “But continue.”

“It’s a step up.” She huffs as she stops spinning and flings her arms around your shoulders in a tight hug, “But, much more importantly. I signed you up for an interview at the palace tomorrow.”

“You what?!” You spin and glare at her, “An interview for what?”

“Don’t freak out,” She says as she jabs her finger in your face, “I’m doing you a favor.”

“Rayne!”

She rolls her eyes, “As you know, King Jango now has an infant son, and he needs a skilled nanny for Prince Boba. And you, my darling baby sister, are a skilled nanny and governess.” 

“Yeah, aside from the fact that I was fired from my last job.”

“Okay, so you weren’t fired because of anything you did, first of all. Those people lied about you and ruined your reputation, and this is an excellent way to repair that.” Rayne says as she places her hands on her hips, “Also, I know you’re doing your best to get a job and everyone is denying you because of the rumors, but I really think that this is the way to go.”

“If I get denied because of this lie—”

“You won’t,” Rayne reassures. “Your skill speaks for itself. And the King is rumored to be a discerning man.” She places her hands on your shoulders, “Will you go?”

You sigh, “Yeah. Okay.”

She squeals and flings her arms around you, “Oh, you won’t regret this, I know it.” Rayne releases you and claps her hands in front of her face, “Now, your interview is at the end of the day tomorrow, do you have a proper outfit to wear? I know you prefer your tunics, leggings, and boots. But do you have any skirts?”

“You know I don’t.” You say with a sigh, “I have a nice tunic and leggings that I can wear tomorrow. It’ll be fine.” Rayne opens her mouth to say something, but you cut her off, “I know you’re worried, but my clothes will be fine.”

She sighs and folds her arms, “I know, I know. I just…you’ve been so unhappy since you lost your last job. I’ve been worried.”

You make a face, “Well, the rumors weren’t kind to me, Rayne.”

“No, they weren’t.” She takes your hands and squeezes them, “I’ll leave you to your cooking, alright? I need to tend to the garden and then get cleaned up. Call me when dinner is done?”

“I always do.”

Rayne smiles at you and turns to leave the room, and then she pauses and looks at you, “Vod’ika,” you start at the familiar word falling from her lips, “Our buir’e would be proud of the woman you’ve become. I know I am.”

Your face heats and you avert your gaze, “You think so?”

“I know so.” Rayne hurries over to you and presses a light kiss to your temple. “Now, I do have to tend to the garden. Are you good?”

You smile at her, “Yeah. I’m good.” You watch as she leaves the room and then turn your attention back to the meal you’re preparing. You are so lucky that your sister is such an amazing person.  You’re never going to be able to pay her back.

The next day, your sister walks you to the palace, where you join the veritable army of other women who have applied for the position. “Are you sure you don’t want me to wait?” Rayne asks as she tucks some hair out of your face, “I don’t mind.”

“I’m sure. You have better things to do than wait hours for me to finish my interview, Rayne. And I know you have some things you need to do.”

“Well, yes-”

“Don’t worry about me.” You reassure her, “I’ll be okay. I’ve done this before after all.”

Rayne sighs, “Alright. I’ll see you this evening then. I love you.”

“Love you too.” You watch as Rayne hurries into the crowd and you settle back to wait for your turn. You know it’ll be a long wait.

King of Mandalore, Jango Fett, leans back in his chair as the most recent interviewee is escorted from the room. He pinches the bridge of his nose as he tries to stem the growing migraine.

“Well, this is going splendidly,” Miles notes dryly, “Half of those women have never seen a child, and the other half would be bad fits for living in the palace.”

Jango grunts, and then drops his hand, “You heard the woman who claims that children need a firm hand?”

“Oh yes,” Miles’ smile isn’t nice, “I made a note of that.”

“How many more?”

“Just the one,” Miles replies.

“And what do we know about her?”

“She’s quite the talented nanny,” He replies, “Has been caring for children since she was a child, used to Nanny for the Kryze clan.”

Jango lifts his head, “Used to?”

“There were some allegations of inappropriate behavior. Rumors and hearsay, mostly. Though, there are quite a few notes here, from a lot of people, indicating that those rumors and allegations are nothing more than lies.”

“Shocking, someone from the Kryze family lying.”

“Hm, if only we could power your kingdom with sarcasm-” Miles counters, just as sarcastically.

“Yeah, yeah.” Jango glances at the peacefully slumbering Boba, and then looks at Miles, “Well, we might as well get this over with. Call her in.”

Miles nods, once, and leaves the room.

He’s gone for almost five minutes, though Jango knows that’s because Miles is doing his pre-screening. Something that he started after the second woman let slip that she was looking for a title and a crown.

Honestly, he’s never going to get used to these leeches. Being a member of the royal family is hardly worth all that.

He sits up when the door opens, and Miles steps into the room, looking very smug. Trailing behind him is a young woman. Her hair is neatly pulled out of her face, and her clothes are neat, but don’t hang overly loose.

And, unlike most everyone else, her gaze skips right over him to focus on Boba. 

That, by itself, moves her to the top of the list.

“The last applicant, your Majesty,” Miles says with a gesture towards the young woman, and then he bows and leaves the room.

“His name is Boba,” Jango says, “He’s only a couple of weeks old.”

The corners of her lips turn down thoughtfully, “Forgive me for saying so, but having such a young baby around so many people is not safe for him.” 

Jango leans back in his seat, and a small smirk plays on his lips. Negative reputation or not, his estimation of her is going higher and higher. “I haven’t been allowing anyone to hold him.”

“Well, that’s something I suppose.” She finally turns her gaze to him and offers a shallow, but respectful curtsy. “I apologize, then.”

“There’s no need for that.” Jango scans her thoughtfully. She is young, but she looks tired. And her clothes hang on her, as though she’s recently lost a lot of weight. Or the clothes used to belong to someone else. “You were looking out for my son.”

He picks up her resume and motions for her to take a seat, which she does.

“I have your resume here,” He says, “And, honestly, I have a hard time believing that you don’t already have a job. Nannying since you were a teenager. A qualified governess in your own right. You’ve nannied for some very big names over the years. The most recent being the Kryze clan.”

“That’s all accurate, yes.” She replies, though her lips tighten at the mention of her previous employers. 

Jango sets the resume down on the table, “Based on your qualifications, you’re more than qualified for the job.” he says lightly, “But, understand, Boba is my only son. So I have to ask about these rumors-”

She winces and her shoulders curl in on her, “What would you like to know?”

There’s something like resigned defeat in her voice, and Jango finds himself not liking it. “What happened?”

Absently she rolls the hem of her sleeve between her fingers, “I was hired as the Nanny and Governess for Korkir Kryze three months before he was born.” She explains quietly, “I prepared the nursery, made sure that the house had everything it needed, and when he was born, I was the first one to hold him. I don’t think the Duke or the Duchess ever held him.” 

“Go on.”

“I can’t remember a single instance of his parents ever being in the same room as Korkie for longer than it took for a photo op or a meal.” She continues, “When he started talking, he called me mom. The Duchess…” She trails off, “She wasn’t happy about it.” She finally says.

“They fired you.”

“And spread rumors that I was a Noble Hunter and that I tried to seduce the Duke.” She bristles slightly, “I would never. I have enough self-respect to not try and poach from another woman-”

Jango holds up a hand, “Peace.”

She quells, though she still looks very unhappy.

“What happened after you were fired?”

“I moved in with my sister, it’s where I’ve been living.”

Jango nods thoughtfully, “This position comes with a series of rooms in the palace,” He explains, you also get two days off a week, days that you can set. You will be responsible for Boba during the day when I’m working, but you’ll only need to take him in the early mornings, evenings, or at night if I’m indisposed for some reason.”

She blinks at him, “Wait, you mean-?”

He smiles, “The position is yours, we’ll work out the rest of the hard details a bit later.”

“Thank you!”

His smile widens, “Would you like to hold Boba?”

She immediately walks over to the infant and allows Jango to place him in her arms. He watches as she adjusts his weight with the ease of someone who’s been caring for children for a long time.

“Time for the grand tour,” Jango says, “Follow me please.”

You settle into your new routine with ease. King Jango is a fine father and an even better man. He never treats you as if you’re less than him, and he listens to you if you say that there’s something wrong with Boba, or if you note that something needs to be changed.

In the 6 months that you’ve worked for him, you come to realize that you’ve never been as comfortable working for a family as you do when working for the King.

And yes, there is something of a small crush there. But you would never dream of risking your job in the hopes of catching his eye.

At 6 months old, Boba can roll over in both directions, and he babbles, though he still isn’t quite at the talking stage. More importantly, he’s learned stranger anxiety. Luckily, you’re not a stranger and he reaches for you as often as he reaches for his father.

Right now, though, Boba’s asleep in his crib and you’re organizing his nursery.

It’s one of the few nights where Jango isn’t able to put Boba down for the night, though, knowing the King, he’ll pop in as soon as he’s done in his meeting.

And, true to your expectations, half an hour later the nursery door opens. 

The King offers you a tired smile, and then walks over to the crib to peer down at the baby, “How was he today?”

“A little grumpy.” You reply, “But he settled around noon time.”

“That’s good.” You watch as Jango smoothes a curl off of Boba’s forehead, “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to put him down for the night.”

“It happens,” You reply lightly, you slip a couple more diapers into the drawer, and then you glance at him, “It’s been happening a lot these last couple of weeks.” You note, almost absently.

It’s an offer for him to confide in you if he wants.

Jango sighs, “It has, yes.” He falls silent for a moment, “I know I only hired you to take care of Boba, but it’d be nice to have someone to talk to. Someone who’s not involved.”

You finish folding Boba’s clothes and put them in the dresser before you turn to look at him, “I’m always happy to listen, Jango.” You make sure the baby monitor is on, and then follow him out of Boba’s nursery and into Jango’s suites.

You sink onto one of the plush couches as he offers you a glass of juice, before he sits next to you, “The Council, and Miles, are pushing me to get married.” Jango says.

“I wasn’t aware that you had a partner,” You note thoughtfully as you take a sip of the juice and set the cup on the table.

“I don’t. That’s the problem.”

“You’re the King, if you want them to stop just tell them.”

“Sadly, it doesn’t work like that. They have lists of women who might be interested in marrying me, but—” He shakes his head.

“But you’re not interested.”

“I’m not blind, I’m well aware that I could have any noblewoman that I wanted. The problem is that I don’t want any of them.”

“May I ask why not?” You ask, curious.

“Boba.”

You exhale slowly, “Okay, that’s fair.”

“Plus, I have no interest in firing you. And the last thing I want is to put you in another situation like the Kryze situation.”

“That’s kind of you, Jango. But I really shouldn’t be a consideration in this.”

“Why not? You’re basically Boba’s mother at this point.”

You laugh softly, “That’s going to get me in trouble, I know it.”

Jango leans back for a moment, his dark eyes scanning you, “I lied.”

“About?”

“Not wanting any woman specifically.” Jango clarifies, “There’s one woman I’m interested in.”

“Okay, so you should talk to her.”

“I am.”

“Oh. Oh!” Your face heats and you press your hands against your cheeks, “Me. You mean me.”

Jango chuckles softly, though there’s nothing unkind there, “I do mean you.”

“But I’m just a nanny.”

“So? My parents were farmers, it was my adoptive dad who made me King.” Jango shifts on the couch so that his knees are almost touching you, “Boba loves you. And you’ve managed to keep me sane these last six months.”

“I don’t know anything about ruling a kingdom.”

“You don’t have to, that will remain my job.” Jango’s warm fingers brush against your cheek, “Tell me you’re not interested, and I’ll never mention it again.”

You stare at him, “I just…why me?”

“Because you’re you. Because the idea of you not being in my life makes me miserable.” Jango’s fingers slide across your lips.

“People will make assumptions—”

“Let them. So long as we both know the truth,” Jango leans in, his lips hovering just over yours, “You are the one I want. The only one I want.”

A soft sigh falls from your lips, “Jango—”

You’re not able to finish your thought, as his lips catch yours in a gentle, almost chaste, kiss. Your hands come up to lightly press against his cheeks, and then one of your hands slides to card through his curls.

Jango releases a low groan, the kiss deepening as he leans you back, so you’re lying on the couch and he’s supporting his weight on his elbows. He lightly nips your lower lip and then soothes the sore spot with his tongue.

You don’t mean to release the breathy whine at the feel of his teeth against you, but you do, and Jango practically collapses on you with a deep appreciative moan.

His lips move to your throat, and you gasp when he bites down on the sensitive skin located there, intent on leaving a mark.

You know that he would keep going and that you would let him when the baby monitor releases a little noise, and you both still at the sound of Boba waking up. 

He stares down at you, and you blink up at him, “I need to go get him,” You whisper. 

“Yeah.” Jango kisses you one more time, “We’ll have to continue this later. If you want?”

“Well,” You smile at him shyly, “I wouldn’t say no.”

He flashes an eager, and boyish, grin. “I can’t wait,” Jango murmurs as he climbs off of you and allows you to grab the baby monitor to hurry to the nursery.

And, when Jango joins you in the nursery half an hour later and wraps himself around you to watch you take care of Boba, you’re really not surprised. Just like you’re not surprised when his arms slide tightly around your waist and he holds you tightly.

You know that it’ll be a change, being in a relationship with the King. But you find yourself excited about the change, rather than anxious.

[lightasthesun]

Imagine surviving the war only to lose most of the people closest to you.

The Woman that once upon a time held your heart in her hands.

The Girl that you loved like a daughter and whose death would ultimately lead to you losing your only brother.

•

In this universe, the river of time flows differently. Each step, each choice, and each poignant moment in its stream drift slightly off course.

It starts like this:

When Ahsoka and Bo-Katan ask the Jedi Order for aid in freeing Mandalore from Darth Maul's grasp and finally putting an end to the former Sith's reign, Obi-Wan does not ignore their call for help. Satine's ghost still haunts his nightmares, and it's the look on her sister's face, along with the redheads snarling accusations and Ahsoka's distant demeanor, that cause his typically composed exterior to splinter.

Through the cracks in his shields, a presence slips in – wild and tumultuous, yet practically radiant in its brilliance.

Days, months, weeks and even years later Obi-Wan will wish he'd taken a little longer to cradle her presence close.

It ends like this:

Anakin with Windu on the Invisible Hand. A incapacitated Sith in custody and another, more vile, more cunning, more sinister, choosing the wrong moment to reveal himself. A twist of fate. A long lost friend showing signs of old loyalty. Lightning. Screams. Hurt and Betrayal. The Chosen One as he was meant to be without terrors of the night influencing his most damning decision. Red clashing with purple, with blue. Red, blue, purple, blue, red, purple— A head rolls. The cackling stops.

For a moment, Peace.

A bond, frail at the edges but oh so resilient, crafted amidst blaster fire and silly nicknames and bets made on the battlefield, breaks—

Anakin screams.

•

On Mandalore the last chess piece falls with a Padawans last sacrifice.

First, Maul taunts. Maul laughs. Maul feeds on rage, on grief and hurt and terror, terror, terror. He's stronger here. Less controlled too, but while his greed costs him his head, his strength costs Obi-Wan the centerpiece of his lineage.

Obi-Wan holds his daughter as she bleeds out in his arms. His shoulders shake but he does not cry. His eyes burn but he does not weep. His lips twitch but he does not sob. He holds Ahsoka much the same way he held Satine only months before.

“No, not you too.”

Something flickers inside his mind, once, twice. It grows ever dimmer and Ahsoka's grip on his shoulder, ever weaker. A feeble voice inside his mind, It's okay. It doesn't hurt. I'll be okay, Master.

But this time no reassurance, no hand to his cheek, no last confession, nothing, will temper the anger slowly rising in tandem with his grief. He needs a medic. He needs a medic, now. Where's —

Cody!

Obi-Wan doesn't like the expression on the face of his slowly approaching Commander. The furrow of his brow, the emotion in his eyes. He doesn't like that Cody has taken off his helmet and reaches out to hold Obi-Wan by his shoulder as if he knows Obi-Wan needs the physical support, as if Ahsoka is going to —

“Master—”

Obi-Wan turns his eyes back on his Grandpadawan. Hers are barely open, her lips smeared with blood. Obi-Wans eyes catch on the red trailing down her chin and the length of her throat.

Ahsoka catches his eyes and smiles. She tugs on their bond the way she had always done before a battle, up until her last assignment on Caito Neimodia.

She tugs once, twice, three times. His heart squeezes painfully in his chest. He tugs back three times.

He does cry then. For the life she will never have. For the peace she will never experience. For the war she fought and whose final victory she will never reap. For the girl he learned to love as his own.

And even in her last moment, even in pain, even after Hurt and Miscommunication, and Betrayal born out of insecurity and misjudgment, she still worries for others first. For him.

You're safe. You're all sa—

He shushes her. Tired amusement tingles across their bond.

Then,

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale.

You are forgiven, Obi-Wan.

Exhale. The light winks out and as their bond shatters his last remaining one pulls tight with white hot agony.

Cody is all that keeps Obi-Wan upright right then and there.

•

The war is over. They won. So many dead. His lineage torn asunder.

Ahsoka is dead. Anakin won't speak to him. Qui-Gon is dead. Dooku is imprisoned.

Here the river of time finds a stream parallel to the one we know.

Obi-Wan and Yoda at the end of things.

[ladyzirkonia]

The absolute naturalness of their relationship

I'm not the only one who had definite thoughts on Karga's words, am I? Alcohol for a special occasion? Wait for a smaller gathering? What could he mean by that? 👀

I like the idea that everyone already knows what's going on between the two of them, whether it's Din's group, the group of the former mercanaries, or Karga. I like that they are just together without much explanation or romantic hints.

We can agree that Grogu is the one Din cares the most about. And where can we find the child? It's now taken for granted that he is physically close to Bo as he is to Din. Or he is between the two. All the interactions already seem like family, like they grew together naturally.

Where she goes, Din goes and where Din goes Grogu goes, it's just that simple. I think that's the most affection Din Djarin ever showed to anyone and perhaps, in his head, that's what it means to be in a serious relationship with someone.

Remember the Mandalorian vow. It's just simple and pragmatic without big words or sentiments:

We are one when together, we are one when parted.

And they are, currently they're mostly together since Bo-Katan followed Din to Mandalore. But that will now be put to the test now that Din has been captured.

We will share all.

Neither Din nor Bo-Katan are very open personalities, they both have had very traumatic experiences, including losing their families. But they've started to open up to each other and to others just by spending time together. They share their time together and they begin to share parts of themselves that have been long kept closed inside them.

We will raise warriors.

They already showed in the episode The foundling that Din started to train Grogu and of course Bo was at her side. But she didn't just stand by, she actively supported and reassured Grogu. Nothing an aunt or family friend would do. She takes an active part in Grogu's upbringing and is therefore not called mummy by everyone for nothing.

Mandalorian vow.

Thank you for this wonderful GIFs and make sure to show some love to: @cal-kestis @bo-katankryzc and @itberice

[supersaiyanjedi14]

SABEZRA WEEK: Day 7 (Nov 3): Someone Else’s POV

*My AU: The boy who was lost and the girl who was broken through the eyes of a fallen knight.

When Kanan looked at them, he could see the people he had guided.  These two he had led throughout their eventful and perilous lives and careers, helping to mold them into the people they were today.  Ezra most especially stood out; Even by the standards of the bond of a Master and Padawan, legendary for its unique strength, theirs has been especially powerful and important for the both of them.  Despite having no personal frame of reference for it beyond the Masters of the Temple who had raised him, Kanan would never deny the assessments of the people who commented on it; Ezra was very much the son he never had.  But Sabine was just as special.  Behind the colorful armor, the bombastic explosions, and the battlefields she scourged, Kanan could still see the guarded girl who came into his life.  He had been a rock to steady herself, a coach to motivate her, and at times a much-needed companion to let her know she was not on her own.  In some ways, Kanan figured that Sabine had been something of a test run for when he eventually came upon Ezra.  He could practically hear Master Billaba muse about the mysterious ways of the Force’s will in this case.

As their mentor, Kanan had watched both of them grow up.  So it was only fitting that he could also see how they grew to each other.  At first, he would have to admit, he had been amused by the schoolboy crush Ezra had shown, coupled by Sabine’s aloof annoyance as she put him down.  As the years passed, he saw their relationship change into something far more profound.  Teammates on a job, companions on the battlefield, the closest of friends in their down time, all building to a unique, beautiful progression to mutual respect, unbreakable trust, and finally affection and love.  While there had been an annoying few individuals expecting him, as a Jedi, to object to his Padawan’s relationship, often in the same breath questioning what he had with Hera, Kanan had been quick to correct them.  Ezra and Sabine saw each other as partners and companions to live with and respect, not objects to be jealously possessed.  They were people first and foremost, especially to each other, as it was those people they had forged their bond with.  Ezra and Sabine knew love, not attachment.  And that more than anything solidified how Kanan could see how they had both grown over the years, and was a source of more smiles to his face than he could count.

With this on his mind, Kanan looked across the hanger to see the two of them embrace each other tightly.  A week of absence could nonetheless prompt some enthusiastic reunions.  With the fighting in Mandalorian space intensifying, it had seemed exceptionally unlikely that Shysa could spare any of their beskar clad allies to support them at the moment.  It had therefore come as an extremely welcome surprise to see a small flotilla of Gauntlet fighters arrive to aid the New Republic’s invasion fleet building at Borleias.  The technicolor war champion who had convinced Mandalore the Reclaimer to lend the squadron had evidently been very persuasive, especially considering her other family would be right in the thick of it.  The tension and anticipation for the upcoming siege of Coruscant had everyone on their toes, with an air that had not been this thick since they were gearing up for Endor.  Who knew what would happen.  Who knew who would make it out of this one.

Kanan had seen Ezra, Sabine, and their relationship grow over the course of twelve long years, and the love he shared with Hera told him exactly what they were feeling.  They trusted each other to do everything that needed to be done in the coming battle, and were prepared for any sacrifices that might entail.  Ezra and Sabine had both known for years that there was a chance of losing each other, that was simply the reality of war.  But that did not mean it was easy to accept, especially if there had been things that went unsaid between them.  Kanan thought back to just before Jakku.  Nobody had been expecting the fighting there to be as intense as it turned out to be, and Ezra had spent nearly half a week in a bacta tank for his trouble.  Sabine had to be pushed, prodded and shoved to leave the medical bay and get some rest herself.

Snapped back to reality, Kanan saw the pair share a brief kiss before removing themselves from the throng of people around them.  He smiled as his eyes tracked the pair of them making their way to a region of the ship where they could get some much-envied privacy.  He had watched them grow into each other, he had seen them grow together.  He knew these two inside and out, and trusted them to do right by each other.  However they approached this, Kanan knew they would do it maturely and, more importantly, together.

[illuminatedquill]

Sabine Wren & Ahsoka Tano (Quick Analysis)

Fear is The Path

Alright, let's get into it.

For this post we're going to take a look into the Master/Apprentice relationship between Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren. Specifically, I'm going to be looking into why Ahsoka felt it necessary to walk away from Sabine's training as a Jedi.

In Ahsoka, we're pointed to a major historical event known as the Great Purge of Mandalore being the catalyst; the Empire carpet bombing the planet surface, killing millions of Mandalorians, scattering the remaining survivors to the stars and, for Sabine, causing the loss of her entire family: Alrich Wren (father), Countess Ursa Wren (mother), and Tristan Wren (brother).

Ahsoka, for reasons only known to herself, abandoned Sabine's Jedi training shortly after this event. We're given some insight via Huyang in Ahsoka 1x08, however:

Huyang: Ahsoka became afraid that Sabine was training to be a Jedi for the wrong reasons after what happened on Mandalore. Ezra: Which was? Huyang: At the end of the war, the Empire purged the entire surface of the planet, killing hundreds of thousands. Ezra: Her family? Huyang: Were all lost, sadly. At the time, Ahsoka felt that if Sabine unlocked her potential, she would become dangerous.

However, it's clear that Huyang doesn't have the full picture of the fallout between Ahsoka and Sabine. Sabine herself only has her own warped view of why Ahsoka left, as evidenced by Baylan's manipulation in Ahsoka 1x04:

Baylan: I know you feel that Ezra Bridger is the only family you have left. Your family died on Mandalore . . . because your Master didn't trust you.

Piecing together the, admittedly, few clues we have paints the picture that Ahsoka prevented Sabine from helping her family during the Purge - which led to their deaths.

It's understandable that Sabine would have been outraged; both at the loss of her family, her people, her way of life and also at her Master who, for whatever reason, did not want Sabine present on Mandalore to save her family.

Until Dave Filoni reveals the exact details of what happened during that event, we're left with speculation. My personal take is simply this: Ahsoka did not want Sabine to die alongside her family. It's what makes the most amount of sense to me.

Ahsoka cares about Sabine, like any Master would do for their student.

So - Sabine loses everything and begins to take steps towards a turn to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger; anger leads to hate; hate leads to suffering, as Master Yoda says. Ahsoka, sensing this dark rage bloom in her student, decides to stop the training out of fear that Sabine becomes another Vader.

Except. That doesn't make any sense to me.

Because Ahsoka Tano is who she is.

Ahsoka survived her own Purge. The fall of the Jedi Order, her home, and the institution that she pledged most of her life to, the only family she had ever known.

Ahsoka knows this pain. She is, arguably, the best suited to steer Sabine away from a potential turn to the Dark Side after her student loses everything in the same way that she did.

Actress Rosario Dawson - and backed up by the hat man himself - has stated that Ahsoka has had plenty of opportunities to turn to the Dark Side. She's fought through two Galactic Civil Wars, seen everyone she loved die, and has been betrayed by the people she fought so hard to protect.

And, yet, Ahsoka Tano never turned. She stayed on her path, long and winding as it may be, and continued to serve the Light in the best way she knew how.

At some point, she takes on Sabine as a Padawan, seeing echoes of Anakin in her. Yes, there's the anger and the recklessness there that makes Ahsoka uneasy, but that's always been a part of Sabine's character. It's nothing new. She decided to take Sabine Wren as her apprentice, anyway, and it worked fine until the Purge.

So, what happened? What changed? What was the growing darkness in her Padawan that convinced Ahsoka Tano that the best course of action was to abandon the Jedi training - abandon Sabine entirely - at a time when she needed counseling the most?

Attachment. Sabine's attachment to Ezra.

Dave Filoni and the actress for Sabine Wren, the fantastic Natasha Liu Bordizzo, have both pointed out that there are echoes of Anakin in Sabine. In separate interviews, both spoke about the anger and recklessness in Sabine - but, more interesting, they did not acknowledge the major factor in Anakin's downfall.

Anakin's attachment to his loved ones. His inability to let go.

It's bizarre that they didn't talk about this and I suspect that it's on purpose. Because that is arguably the biggest reason why Anakin fell to the Dark Side. The anger and the recklessness were all symptoms of this larger issue for Anakin Skywalker.

And Ahsoka Tano sensed the same in Sabine Wren.

Let's look at evidence from another Filoni series, The Mandalorian. From episode 2x05, The Jedi, when Ahsoka is re-introduced into the Star Wars universe.

There's a pivotal moment when she meets Grogu and Force communes with him to get a sense of his history.

She senses "great fear and anger" in him at the beginning; it makes her wary, of course, but it doesn't seem to perturb her.

However, when Din asks if she can teach him, Ahsoka flatly rejects the idea for this reason:

What she says is vitally important:

Ahsoka: His attachment to you makes him vulnerable to his fears. His anger. Din: All the more reason to train him. Ahsoka: No. I've seen what such feelings can do to a fully trained Jedi Knight. To the best of us.

That's where Ahsoka draws the line in the sand; it's not the anger that scares her - it's Grogu's attachment to Din.

And, mind you, the timeline of this episode occurs after Ahsoka and Sabine had their split. So, even though she's clearly referencing Anakin here, I don't doubt that Sabine is also on her mind.

Think about it. Sabine has just lost everything - except for Ezra. The anger is something Ahsoka can deal with, but Sabine's attachment to Ezra is not; she knows it's the primary reason for Anakin's downfall and she was powerless to stop it.

That's what drives Ahsoka away. That is what scares her. She couldn't be there for Anakin, was blind to what was happening; and now, it's happening with Sabine.

The only path Ahsoka can see forward is to leave Sabine; prevent her Padawan from reaching full potential. It's an awful course to take and it leaves Sabine stranded, feeling alone, at a time when she needed mentorship and guidance the most.

But it's all Ahsoka can think of. She cares about Sabine and is too blinded by her own fears to believe in her own ability to stop Sabine from falling into the same darkness that took Anakin.

Sabine only has Ezra now with Ahsoka gone. He's the only one she can save now, the only one she can do anything for. The loss of her family has caused her attachment, her feelings for Ezra, to sharpen into something deadly: possessiveness. The exact feeling that Jedi warned against.

Why didn't Ahsoka stop this from happening earlier?

Because this is Sabine and Ezra; we know Sabine and Ezra were close, as did Ahsoka. It's probable that Sabine's feelings were gradually heading in this direction and the Purge just gave it a decisive push to the inevitable conclusion.

Ahsoka, also, presumably knew how Sabine felt the entire time and didn't want to have an honest talk with her Padawan about it.

Because it's Sabine and Ahsoka herself was still operating under the influence of Anakin's legacy as Vader; she was scared to bring it out into the open, because she didn't know what to do if her fears were confirmed about Sabine's feelings.

I mean, it's obvious that this isn't the first time they've probably talked about this, as evidenced by this scene in Ahsoka 1x04:

Ahsoka knows. She comes the closest in this scene, out of everyone else in Sabine's life, to directly confront Sabine about her true feelings for her old friend.

She knows that there's more going on underneath the surface of Sabine regarding her feelings towards Ezra. It's not a conversation she wants to have in this moment (just look at the body language), but there's no other choice - not with the stakes this high.

There is no way that this is the first time Ahsoka has broached the subject about Ezra with her Padawan and, knowing Sabine, she probably walked away from every attempt a little more worried.

But Ahsoka refused to really have that open conversation with Sabine, settling only for these half-hearted comments and, in doing so, set up her student for failure. Sabine was unprepared; had no way of being vigilant towards her worst enemy - herself.

Ahsoka's actions, caused by fear of herself and Anakin's legacy, left Sabine vulnerable to her feelings.

They had been growing all this time and now, with no one to temper them, were allowed to become something more - something dangerous.

The Purge happened. Sabine's family died. Her people died. Mandalore was lost.

After that, Sabine had nothing left to lose. Her attachment to Ezra, her love for him - it made her vulnerable to her fear. Just as Ahsoka feared it would.

Sabine couldn't lose Ezra. Her love for him - her fear of losing him, like her family - dictated that no sacrifice was too great; no cost, too high.

And Baylan used it as the perfect weapon against her. "Do it. For Ezra."

We know the rest.

Sabine gambled. The galaxy lost.

Fear won.

[abstractppsychopomp]

┃➤ARC trooper Jesse and why he matters so much to me

Jesse is one of those characters we know so little about, that we can make up about them anything we want. Like with almost every clone.

Like many other clones in The Clone Wars, Jesse is seen only in a few battles and arcs, that tell us just what we need to know about him to feel bad when he inevitably dies, since clones are doomed in this franchise one way or another.

And what really treated us with a bunch of interesting characters and development arcs was, of course, the Umbara arc, where Jesse is one of the clones who rebels against Krell's unsuccessful strategies and his disregard of their lives, who gets almost executed by his own brothers because of it and survives to see Krell's death.

There are many little things that make us love him, first of all his acts of disobedience.

At first, as audience we can't really justify Krell's decisions with 'It's war, and sacrifices are to be made" like some of the characters who are soldiers do, so we can't help but wish that they would not follow his orders, and Jesse is one of the first ones to do so, with Fives and Hardcase- who we know for a fact Jesse has known for a long time, since Hardcase was there back when they met the clone deserter on Saleucami. Hardcase dies, but they respect his sacrifice.

The clones' loyalty is not to the Republic, or at least not as much as how they wrote it. They serve the Republic and they fight this war because without them the war would be lost, since they're the only thing fighting the Separatists. And, of course, because they were made to do so. They were created for this, and this is what they know. Their life is long enough that they will fight as long as the Republic (as the Sith) needs, and then they will die, maybe thirty-five years after their birth, and it will be like they never existed.

This was the plan behind their creation, and this happens in the Star Wars canon timeline.

What they know, other than war, are each other, and Hardcase's last words are "Live to fight another day". Funny that it isn't "Fight to live another day", but it's merely because they don't live, they fight. They weren't made to know anything other than fighting, not even living. They don't have to survive a battle so that they can live and be in peace, but because after one fight there's always another.

But by fighting they still survive, and they can save another clone.

With his sacrifice Hardcase saves his brothers, and even Jesse, and they "let him die" because they would do just the same.

"I'm only doing it because I don't like him", this is how Jesse tries to justify his insubordination. Humor is his way of deflecting and coping. Hardcase replies to this with "I'm only doing this for fun", which is just incompatible with what he does at the end and proves that the reason why he did it is was to save his brothers- just like Jesse, who cracked a joke like him but almost died all the same.

So he loves his brothers, and he wants to win the battles he fights, forced or not, and he has a sense of humor- which is great, since we all love some good humor.

He loses it, facing his brothers ready to execute him, but we know he has it, Fives said it.

He's loyal, just like Hardcase, just like every other clone. To whom?

The first answer could be the Republic.

Jesse has a Republic crest tattooed on his head, and also has it painted on his helmet, so of course he isn't neutral regarding the Republic.

But, and here I am with what could be called headcanons, but they're necessary because this show didn't care about clones as much as it should have (don't talk money, if you want to talk money a show about clones could make Star Wars great again).

Jesse is not loyal to the Republic.

What truly made me fall in love with him was the Siege of Mandalore, because we know that he's part of a group of soldiers way younger than him.

He is the personification of the "only one left" trope.

Because we know that, of the 501st clones we got to know and love, he, with Kix and Rex, is the only one left.

Fives, Hardcase, Tup, Dogma, they're all dead, and Echo is with the Bad Batch.

Jesse is a first generation. He's probably been around since Geonosis, as long as Rex, and by this point he still paints his helmet the same way.

How probable is it that, for all that time- and remember clones age twice as fast as humans, so three years are not only three years for him, he was loyal to the Republic, never changing his paint, always loyal, always dedicated?

The clones' loyalty is to their brothers.

Jesse may have been once loyal to the Republic, when he was forced into fighting a war after a life spent hearing that war was what he was made for, but after living out of Kamino for three years?

You know Plato's allegory of the Cave? This is the same.

If you want to believe that the clones were at any point loyal to the Republic, it's almost impossible for them to have still cared for it after having a chance to see, know and understand how the Republic doesn't deserve their loyalty. Not the Republic who bought them and thinks of them as non-sentients, and uses them to fight a senseless war.

To mark himself with the crest, forever, is to be loyal to the point of not only sacrificing himself, but sacrifice others, like what a good General like Krell was supposed to do, which Jesse does, but not of his own volition.

Now to his death.

Jesse dies, trying to kill Ahsoka. Obeying a order he couldn't disobey, controlled by a chip he didn't know the existence of, taking out with him so many of his brothers.

When he sacrifices himself to kill the enemy of the Republic, he does it because he's been forced to. He wouldn't have done it, without the chip.

Jesse is loyal to a fault.

We see it with Ahsoka, and with Anakin, and with Rex.

Do you really think that, had the order come without the chip influencing him, he would have tried to kill Ahsoka with Rex on the line? Rex, who he'd fought with for three years, who he protected so harshly with the Bad Batch, who's his brother?

He is loyal to a fault, just not to the Republic.

Maybe he got that tattoo and later realized how wrong he'd been to do it as he realizes that they're all glorified slaves, and as he goes on fighting for someone who owns him he paints his helmet always the same way almost as a joke, since we know he has humor. They own him, after all, so why not mark himself with their symbol forever? ┃

[kalevalakryze]

Yhe'na Det Och'sa

Chapter 1: Viida Ke Aht

Characters: Shin Hati, Ahsoka Tano, Huyang, Background Characters Tags: Alternate Universe: Canon Divergence, Protective Ahsoka Tano, Wet Cat Shin Hati, Professor Huyang, The Force, Lightsabers Notes: Welcome to the beginning! The Shin Tano AU has been rent free in my mind for so long, and we've been putting giant amounts of work into this project. This universe will span about three acts, with act one set for the early years of Shin's training under Ahsoka Tano, all the way to the end of the empire and the first time she meets Sabine Wren. (9BBY-0BBY timelines were changed to get rid of some ick ) Act Two will focus on the relationship between wolfwren and the time before Mandalore's destruction. ( 0BBY-5ABY ) And Act Three will be focused on the Ahsoka series. ( 9-10 ABY ) Other acts will be planned as we see what direction the series will be taking. This AU would be nowhere without Gabi, please make sure you give her all the credit she deserves because without her, we would not have any of the stunning art we have already that's helped inspire this AU! @somewillwin Also big thanks to everyone in the pathfinders discord ( @mandalorianfleshenjoyer , @cmbdragon98 esp for idea bouncing and double checking asdkvn!!!!) Word Count: 4,331 AO3 Link: Here!

Bail had reached out with a request for aid, noting a tentative ally in the inner city of Ibaar. Ahsoka hadn’t known all the allies a senator could make, but if Padmé’s arsenal of folks who owed her was anything to go by, then Bail must have a whole library full of names of people who owed him. 

The streets ran rampant with poverty and starvation, just like any other world the Empire had locked its early talons into.  Vendors of various kinds set up in any available surface, patrolled heavily by Imperial units every thirty minutes with shift rotations every five hours.

It was during this fifth hour that Fulcrum stepped into the streets, hood drawn close over her head, route back to the landing pad memorized, with a dock worker nicely paid off to pass her forged documentation through the Imperial database. ‘Ahsoka Tano’ may have died with her men, but ‘Ashla Tsu’ was just a contract mechanic no one would look twice at. 

As she swept through the stalls lining the streets, hood drawn far over her eyes, allowing the Force to guide her between moving bodies, she felt something. A tingle- small, something barely noticeable, had it come before the Dark Times. Piercing blue eyes raised as her feet slowed; She hadn’t felt a pull so… innocent since The Clone Wars, since she was asked to help guide the children in their créche. 

There was a child, sensitive to the force, and foolishly, with no thought of the dangers, reaching out against her presence. Fulcrum was filled with dread at the thought; of the notion that another child could be taken for its sensitivity, and turned into the boy she had killed on Raada. 

She scanned the surroundings of the street quickly, allowing the force to guide her feet as she moved with a renewed vigor; she would have to be late meeting with the contact, and couldn't take a risk in losing another… 

Clearing her head, Ahsoka caught sight of a lanky figure draped in dirty green fabric, ducking into an alley that backtracked her entire route, too close to the Imperial offices for comfort. “Come on, kid,” The Togruta hissed to herself, turning her head and stepping behind the thick canvases used to block sunlight from the nearest stall. 

Ahsoka wasn’t as small as she used to be, her montrals set her in the taller end, almost reaching the two meter mark. Clearing the tight spaces the child had was difficult, and she found herself having to backtrack more just to keep on course. 

“Stop that kid!” A human vendor shouted, trying to fight his way around the booth as small hands darted from tattered fabric to swipe something from his table. 

Ahsoka pursued quickly, now able to move faster as the streets parted for the ‘hero’ that would help the vendor. It didn’t take long for her to catch up now, as folks ducked out of her way; even the emerging Imperial patrol left her to her devices, not worried about petty theft or some kid getting ‘what was coming to them’. 

“Stop!” Ahsoka poured suggestion into the force from a limitless reserve, brushing out against the panicked presence she felt thrumming all around her. The worn soles of the child's shoes skidded in the dust as she ground to a halt. The panic that met her in silvery blue eyes was enough to make her stop. Clutched in bony, shaking hands, Ahsoka found the crumbling contents, snagged from the vendor's trash pile; food that couldn’t have been safe for even the most resilient species, if the growth on the side was anything to go by, it certainly wasn’t fit for a human.

The child’s chest was heaving, muscles in their arms twitching as they tried to think of a way out. “Here!” Their voice was high and raspy, cracking like the dried skin on their lips as she thrusted her hands out towards Ahsoka, giving her a smell of the unpleasant odor from the mystery meal. “Please let me go,” Their eyes were watering as their weight shifted; Ahsoka did have her cornered, but folks were starting to close in; 

“Don’t eat that, it’s trash,” Ahsoka shook her head with a frown, lekku twitching as she heard feet approaching them. “Let… Let me take you to get something real, alright? Please?” She hadn’t reached out in the force like this since she lost her Master, promising her intentions and holding out the hope that the child would understand, that she wouldn’t hurt her, but they needed to move. 

The kid still didn’t budge, which, as much as she hated the reality, was smart; she was a stranger, after all. “Can I tell you a big secret?” Ahsoka knelt slowly to the ground, to be closer to the lanky child’s height. Uncertain eyes watched her the entire time, dirty fingers  still sinking into the repulsive mystery meat as if Ahsoka was trying to trick them away from what looked to be their first meal in days. 

Ahsoka could feel trepidation as it rolled down pale skin, wiry muscles tensing to run as the stranger reached into her cloak.  The lightsaber was pulled from the hidden pocket of her cloak, still knobby with scrap pieces sticking out, she needed to remember to cut them down… one day, if she had time. “Do you know what this is?” She kept her voice low as she cradled the weapon close between them, squaring her shoulders on the off chance she misjudged the sounds of troopers and citizens behind them.

The child’s head shook quickly, diminishing some of Ahsoka’s hope for making this quick. “You’re like me, and well; people like us; we carry these around to protect people who can’t do it themselves, there aren’t as many of us as there used to be, which is why I want to help you. Search your feelings, you can feel the world around you, right?”

“Mhmm…” Dirty, choppy brown hair fell into an angular face as she peered at the saber in her hands. 

“How many are coming?”

“Four troopers and seven people, they’re mad…” 

Ahsoka smiled as she shifted her weight against the ground. “Very good,” The child’s weight shifted, eyes widening at the minimal praise; The Togruta tried not to think about how much of herself could be reflected in those eyes. “If you put that down, take this, and follow me, I’ll get you a warm meal… I can help you. I want to help you.” 

The child’s eyes jumped distrustfully between the shouldn’t-be-called-food in her hands and the silver metal in Ahsoka’s palm. The food dropped to the ground in a way that made Ahsoka gag, but hey.. At least the kid had the decency to wipe her fingers off on her shirt before snatching the saber from her hand. “Hide it well.” She urged as the child tucked the saber close to her chest. “And don’t touch that button, I’ll show you why, later, I promise,” 

“Follow my lead, alright? Trust in the force,” 

Confusion laced her eyes before Ahsoka’s hand was wrapping around a thin wrist and pulling her close, careful not to move too fast or to jar the child and knock the shoto loose from wherever the child hid it. “What did I tell you about taking things that aren’t yours?” She scolded gently, allowing the girl to tuck into her side.

The young Force Sensitive played along nicely, forcing her features into something akin to shame and embarrassment. “Not to.” They grumbled, barely loud enough for the approaching shopkeepers to hear as they formed a tight semicircle around the two. 

Ahsoka turned towards their audience, facial markings furrowed in mock disappointment as she searched for the shopkeeper. “Now, what do you say?” She guided, gently squeezing her emaciated shoulder until their head rose from staring at a hole in her boots. There was a moment of terse silence as silvery eyes turned to glare at the shopkeeper they’d ‘stolen’ from. “Shin,” She called, words forming on her lips without any thought.

The now-appointed Shin’s eyes jumped up to stare at her with wide eyes and parted lips. Ahsoka cleared her throat and nodded towards the human. “Apologize.”

“I’m sorry,” Their voice was hoarse, raspy and grating now that she was speaking louder than a whisper. The poor thing was definitely going to need water, sooner than later, if the way their skin clung to bone was any indication.

“We’re sorry,” Ahsoka added, allowing Shin to tuck herself into her poncho as shame burned at their cheeks, hands tucking back into their cloak to hold onto the saber they’d been handed. 

“She’s lucky it was just trash, this time.” The vendor growled, sneering at the child and crossing his arms over his chest. “Woulda had you strung up before the sun went down, again.” 

Shin pressed closer into her side, Ahsoka could feel the way they shook against her, fear, and the growing knowledge of Kyber inside the saber no doubt reaching out to her dangerously. “I can promise it won’t happen ever again, sir. Please, if you’ll forgive us this last time?”

Murky green eyes danced between the two women, and the plastoid armored stormtroopers all around them; their fingers hadn’t gone to their blasters yet, but Ahsoka had felt the squad leader unhook a set of binders from his belt. “Hrrng. Fine. But if she comes back and does it again, I’ll make sure whatever the courts decide next sticks.” 

Ahsoka’s montrals twitched with the sharp inhale and the quiet sound that they tried to hide. Wrapping the corner of her poncho around the small child, Ahsoka nodded curtly. “Thank you for your mercy.” She did her best to appeal to whatever sense of masculinity he wanted, just trying to get Shin away from them as fast as possible. The crowd parted for the woman and her embarrassed child, not a soul stepped forward to inquire about her intentions, though several did remark about the odor from the lump of meat that now sat in the dirt. 

Once they were clear of the crowd, Ahsoka allowed her hand to drop from their shoulder; their conflicting feelings were tangible in the force, but there was no time, not when their stomach rumbled, and the chrono on her wrist was ticking dangerously close to ‘too late to reasonably reach out’. 

The Cantina she’d swept Shin into was small, one she’d scoped out the entire morning thus far; one way in, with several ways out through access tunnels running beneath the foundation, butler doors built into walls and floors that made for easy restocking for the staff, and an easy escape into the basement and beyond for a Rebel. Her contact would be inside, no doubt enjoying a meal or a drink of their own. She just needed to order and pay, and get Shin set up somewhere she would be able to keep an eye on them.

“Hey,” She whispered as the child crowded into her again at the intensity of the crowd, leading the girl over to a smaller booth. It certainly was no place for a child, but she was running out of options, and way out of her element here. “Get whatever you want,” The child’s mouth parted; Ahsoka knew what was going to come out of her mouth before her vocal chords even rumbled. “Not alcohol,” She settled into the seat across from Shin, allowing her eyes to sift through the muggy atmosphere around them to find her contact.

There were voices close by, but tuned to the back of her mind as a member of the considerably small waitstaff approached. Shin stumbled over the words as she ordered, but thankfully, they’d found at least one person on this blasted planet with the manners to not be mean to a child. “I’ll take the same,” With no idea of what Shin ordered, but too entrenched in her work to tear away to look over anything.

There, back booth, a too-clean glass held in dainty fingers, golden rings circling each digit, with his sleeves pulled sloppily over his hands to cover the expensive jewelry. A newbie, which in many cases, was dangerous. She’d have to play this one carefully. 

“Who are you?” Shin asked at last, hands wrapped around blue tinted glass of water, sipping slowly at it as she looked at her strange savior, trying to read what they could see, and to decipher whatever the Force was showing them, if the hesitantly probing presence was anything to go by. 

“Right now, my name is Ashla,” Ahsoka leaned back in her seat, finally getting a good look at the child when she wasn’t in fight or flight mode. “I never got your name,” She smiled sheepishly and leaned forward, offering her unwavering attention. 

“I didn’t..” The child shrunk under her gaze, dirty fingertips picking at the lip of her glass as she tried to form words. “I didn’t have one, until…” Her cheeks darkened and Ahsoka understood. 

“Well. D’you like Shin?”

Their head nodded quickly, grateful for the interference, and the name. Ahsoka reached across the table, settling her elbow against the smooth stone as she extended her hand. “Well then,  it’s nice to meet you, Shin,” 

Her hand was small and cold in Ahsoka’s, the Togruta had to resist the urge to wrap her fingers around theirs to warm it up, not wanting to cross any boundaries that had gone unspoken thus far. 

Ahsoka kept her hand still at the prod of fingertips against the hardened skin on her palms, silvery eyes studied the lines in her hand in fascination as they compared their hand to her much larger one. 

Shin’s study was broken moments later with hot plates being set on the table. Blue noodles piled onto both plates with a suspiciously chunky sauce all over. “It’s cu..” Their brows furrowed as they stumbled on the words. “Cru…” Huffing, Shin leaned back in her seat, determined to get the word right before trying again. A jagged fingernail traced the letters into the stone table, mouthing out the syllables as they went. “Crupa,” 

“Very good,” Ahsoka’s lips twitched at the instant relief on Shin’s face, nodding her head once in acknowledgement, before the girl was awkwardly grabbing the fork and digging in. It certainly wasn’t the worst meal Ahsoka’s ever had, GAR ration bars really were not fit for a carnivore’s consumption, and while she’d long gotten used to the discomfort of food not fit for her species, the poultry managed to offer some true nutritional value. 

“Sometimes, they let me come in and clean up after they close, and Drell gives me some leftovers,” The child spoke through a mouthful of noodles, forcing themselves to slow at the rise of Ahsoka’s facial markings. 

Any other conversation faded into silence under the necessity of food. Ahsoka kept her montrals perked and at the ready, listening in to the senator’s quiet grumblings to gauge his annoyance. When he seemed to be getting ready to leave, Ahsoka rose. “Shin,” She called quietly, as the child fought to gather the last noodle onto her utensil. “You know how I told you people like us help people? I have someone I need to step away and talk to for a moment.”

Silver eyes widened in a way that made Ahsoka’s heart hurt, she could feel the way the child prepared to be cast away again. “Can I count on you to make it to my ship yourself?”

Shin nodded their head quickly as they slid from their seat, hands tucking into the worn brown fabric around their shoulders, reaching for the Shoto to offer back to its rightful owner. “You’ll give it back to me at the ship, yeah?” Ahsoka’s lips pulled into a warm smile as a hesitant hand rested on their shoulder once more. “Remember, don’t take anything that isn’t yours, without permission; And if the droid says anything, tell him you’re waiting on me, and show him the thing I gave you,” 

Ahsoka could feel the sense of responsibility as it ebbed into the small child, gently pushing on their shoulder, towards the door; she’d have to hope that her instructions were clear. She watched the bob of choppy brown hair as the child dodged other patrons, heading for the door under Ahsoka’s watchful gaze. 

At last, she turned her attention to the senator in the booth, brushing her fingers down the wrinkles of her cloak with a soft sigh. “This is where the fun begins…”

Small feet padded up the ramp of the shuttle, nervously twisting the fabric of her cloak up in her fingers. Dock workers stared at her in confusion the whole way up, used to seeing kids like her trying to sneak off world in hopeful cargo ships; It had to work for the others she’d grown up with, they never came back to Ibaar after securing passage for themselves. 

Not only did she have no recollection of being somewhere so clean, it was giant, like it had been built specifically for beings as big or bigger than Ashla. Or… Shin glanced down at her shoes as she came to a stop at the top of the ramp - mauve she was just small. 

There was a rustling in a closed off room to the side, Shin watched the durasteel door carefully, tucking her hands back into her cover to wrap around the metal cylinder she’d been trusted with; Ashla told her someone would be here, a droid? She didn’t know any binary, but she’d promised the droid would understand if she showed it the item. 

There was something special about it, and the way it thrummed where she gripped it in both hands, as if there was something reaching out to her, like Ashla had. Something… that understood? There were intricacies she didn’t know how to explain, couldn’t even begin to imagine the complexity of the kyber inside, or the journey it had been on to heal from the abuse it had suffered at the hands of someone… Dark. 

“Who’s there?” A robotic voice called out, freezing every spindly muscle in the child’s frame as heavy metal feet thudded against the cold floor. The door slid open with a hiss; dull silver eyes met glowing yellow, both being's heads cocking to the side. “You’re not supposed to be in here,” 

Fear ignited in her veins like a fire, thin fingers curled around the cold metal in her hands, thrusting it in front of herself as a beam of white sprung forth the moment her finger ghosted over the button. The droid moved as if startled, springing back as Shin gripped the hilt with both hands, arms already shaking with the exertion on underdeveloped muscle to keep the blade from dropping; she didn’t know what this thing was, but she could smell the ozone burning around the bright light, and feel the heat where it scorched the air around her. 

“You are going to hurt yourself!” He scolded, vocal chips screeching as he attempted to step around the blade, growing frustrated as the child turned to keep him in front of her. “Or me!” 

Huyang was at a loss in terms of what to do about the situation. A local kid stumbles onto his ship with one of Ahsoka’s lightsaber, and then threatens him with it! A Jedi would never-

“Tighten your stance,” He instructed sharply, there was no use in letting the kid lob off an arm while they waited for Ahsoka to return, hopefully soon. “Don’t lock your knees, but you can’t just hold it like some kind of a toy. The lightsaber is the lifeline of a Jedi, for thousands of generations before you.”

Shin followed his instruction, finding the saber easier to keep up when she wasn’t too lose in some areas and unmoving in others. Their brows furrowed as they watched the strange droid. “Who are you?” They rasped, nostrils flaring as the droid stepped closer. 

“Lightsaber architect and designer of the Jedi order. I contain a record of every lightsaber ever made, and the Jedi who fashioned them.” He explained quickly. 

“Ashla made this herself?”

“Ash-” Huyang paused; if he could get a headache, he knew he would have one by now. “Yes, she did. Where is Lady Tano at now?” 

“What’s a Jedi?” Shin butted in, nose scrunching in telltale avoidance; they had no idea where Ashla went, and that was worrying, what if she was secretly Empire or a pirate, or;

The droid sombered, his demeanor changing in a split second. “There was a time, not so long ago, when all knew of the Jedi. They were keepers of the peace for the citizens of the republic,” 

Shin’s arms lowered, the white of the blade disengaging back into the clunky hilt as she listened. “What’s a republic?” 

The servos in his neck whirred and clicked as his head snapped up to stare at her in disbelief. “Take a seat, youngling, we have much to discuss,” 

Ahsoka stepped back onto the shuttle with a sigh, shedding her cloak the moment the ramp was closed. Huyang was sitting at the table, holo novels projecting above them as he read aloud. 

Shin was sitting on their knees, elbows braced on the table as she stared up at slow-moving projections, stories of the Jedi that Ahsoka had even learned once, so many years ago. 

“The Unifying Force is a vast cosmic power. You may not sense it yet, but with patience and insight, you will. The Force is the stars and galaxies, the rippling surface of space and time. It is the whisper in the night that tells you your destiny… Make no mistake, young Shin; The Force does have a Will, and it is the will of the force that you are here today,” He explained to the attentive child, looking almost warmly at the youngling as they soaked up his stories. 

The Togruta settled her shoulder against a wall, watching the way silver-blue eyes danced across the different lines of the hologram committing the lines of the ancient Jedi crest to memory. Ahsoka allowed her mind to push out then, reaching into the howling of the force that was Shin’s unique presence, something playful and teasing, met with a familiarity that had the child spinning in their seat and poking their head up and over the top. “Ahsoka!”

The woman’s facial marking rose in Huyang’s direction as she pushed off the wall and stepped closer. “Try as you might, Lady Tano, you cannot hide from who you are, especially if you intend to take this youngling on as your Padawan,” He explained himself as he rose from his seat to greet her. 

“Huyang,” 

Seeming to sense her indecisiveness, the droid cut her off. “Apprentice, then. I often forget that you do not identify as a Jedi, despite your numerous accomplishments,”

Rolling her eyes at him, Ahsoka spotted her shoto on the table, using the force to call it back into her hand and watching as Shin’s eyes went wide at such a display. “Thank you for keeping this safe for me, Shin,” Their head nodded quickly as they rose from their bench.

“Did you get what you came for?” The youngling asked as her old boots hit the ground, following Ahsoka as she led the way to the cockpit, with Huyang following behind.

Patting the pouch hidden under her cloak, the older woman nodded. “And then some,” 

Settling down into the pilots seat with Huyang perching in his own seat beside her, Shin stayed awkwardly between them. “That’s right,,, you’re too small right now,” She thought out loud, bringing her first to her chin in a way reminiscent of her Grand Master Obi-Wan as she thought of the best way to get through orbital turbulence without jostling the small and brittle human around too much. 

It took some work, and much less than standard modifications that would have made Echo have an aneurysm, Shin was soon buckled just behind Huyang, bundled in seatbelts, with their feet dangling off the floor comedically. 

“Have you ever been to space before, Young Shin?” Huyang questioned as the pair went through their checklist. 

“Nuh-uh,” 

“I do suggest holding on, I am aware of who trained Lady Tano to fly, it is quite wild.”

“You’re being dramatic again, Huyang,” Ahsoka shook her head as she powered up the engines and engaged the thrusters. “Next stop, Alderaan,” 

As their ship sprung into the sky, Shin stared out of the viewport, watching the world and the life they’d known begin to slowly slink away into nothingness before focusing on the fast approach of space. Their small form strained against the safety belts where they leaned forward against them, taking in the moons and the stars in absolute awe, blind to the woman at the controls, purposely going slow to give the youngling the time they needed to observe as she prepped the hyperdrive. 

Blues and purples mirrored in their eyes as they started their breach of hyperspace, as big as saucers with their mouth agape. There was no doubt in Ahsoka’s mind that they were unable to feel the force, in this moment, she could feel them as they reached out to grasp at the unifying cosmic power around them and felt the way it permeated all things, from the galaxies they passed in a flash of light, to the droid in front of them, and even to the smallest strip of durasteel that flaked from the tail of the ship into the void the further they traveled. 

If there was one reason to be proud of what they were doing, for Huyang and Ahsoka to see the effect even their smallest actions could have, both would bet money that nothing less than the absolute fall of the empire would ever come to top this.

TIMELINE 10 ABY: 9 ABY: Ahsoka Series/Mandalore S3 8 ABY: 7 ABY: 6 ABY: 5 ABY: Mandalore is destroyed, Sabine Wren leaves Ahsoka and Shin Tano 4 ABY: 3 ABY: 2 ABY: 1 ABY: 0 ABY: Battle of Yavin, Ahsoka Tano returns to take Sabine Wren under her wing 1 BBY: Rebels S4 End, Ezra Bridger goes to Peridea 2 BBY: Rebels S3 3 BBY: 4 BBY: Rebels S2, Ahsoka Tano 'dies' (returns to this timeline/Malachor upon 1 BBY revival by Ezra Bridger) 5 BBY: Rebels S1 (Fulcrum works with Ghost crew + reveals only Ahsoka Tano, Shin Hati continues to work intel + on the ground BTS with Ahsoka Tano) 6 BBY: 7 BBY: 8 BBY: 9 BBY: Ahsoka Novel End | Ahsoka Tano finds and takes in 7 year old Shin Hati 10 BBY: Ahsoka Novel Start 11 BBY: 12 BBY: 13 BBY: 14 BBY: 15 BBY: 16 BBY: Shin Hati/Tano is Born 17 BBY: 18 BBY: 19 BBY: Order 66 | Ezra Bridger is Born 20 BBY: 21 BBY: Sabine Wren is born 22 BBY: Clone Wars Starts 36 BBY: Ahsoka Tano Born 41 BBY: Anakin Skywalker Born 57 BBY: Obi-Wan Kenobi Born Togruti Translations Yhe'na Det Och'sa - Survive The Stars Viida Ke Aht - Time To Rest

[thesoundofrainbirdwings]

POV you are a Rando Mando from the covert

You spend your days chilling in the covert and supervising foundlings. It's not as if you have anything better to do.

Din walks in fairly often but ONLY to talk to the armourer because he is ridiculously antisocial. You, on the other hand, chat with your fellow Mandos every day. He avoids everyone like he's going to catch Bothan Nether Rot just from making eye contact from you all.

One day he invites a girl to the covert and somehow she ends up being a Mandalorian princess with a fancy ship and fancy paint job. Din also brings an overwrought ship. Maker knows where he got it.

Naturally Din makes a beeline for the armourer because of course he does. The princess meets everyone and is surprisingly social for someone who Din brought over. You have no idea how Din brought a princess to meet the fam though. However, you assume they're together and will get married or something.

You notice next they, for some reason, do everything together. When the covert goes to rescue Ragnar, they go together. But it's a group situation so you think, "whatever". And don't even mention the weird "foundlings" that showed up too. They are easily the ugliest things you have seen in your life. You promise yourself you won't go near them.

But then that rando Blue shows up. For some reason Din knows who he is and goes to talk to him in private. And for some reason Bo-Katan goes to join him. You stay back with the rest of the covert where you feel safe.

You go to the gathering around the fire. She listens very closely to what he has to say. Then he goes and sits SUSPICIOUSLY close to her. This is where you decide they are actually married.

The next day you are going to Nevarro. It seems they just assumed they would go together. You admit they work well as a team and her ship is actually nice. You also realise the starfighter Din owns isn't a mid-life crisis purchase either.

She shows up with her helmet off and realise she is better looking than you expected. It doesn't hurt that she is quite friendly and more cheerful than dingy Din. You can see why Din likes her.

They then go off on some harebrained errand the armourer sent them on. They take the baby and it looks suspiciously like a family trip instead of a mission.

A few days later, a fleet shows up. You start to wonder what Din did for this to happen. They keep sticking to each other though. This seems to be the one constant, even with all the ridiculous things happening around you lately.

The princess announces a mission to retake Mandalore and wants volunteers. You mull it over in your head and do decide on it but before you say yes, Din volunteers himself. You assume this is a formality on his end.

They travel in the same fancy ship though you expected it to happen. You also expected them to disembark together, which also happens. Why are you even surprised anymore?

You end up on this weird ship looking thing. You start to get along with some of the Nite Owls and chat with them. They're not as bad as you initially thought and you think you can make friends with them. You notice Din and his princess talking quietly. You assume they're having an intimate conversation and mind your own business.

The very next day, Din gets captured and you see the princess is shocked and sad. You assume this is what losing a spouse looks like.

[antianakin]

AU where Ahsoka sides with Maul on Mandalore because she thinks that if she works with him then she can get his information and help against the Sith Master but plans to double cross him to make sure Anakin lives. They leave Mandalore immediately on a stolen ship, so they make it back to Coruscant just in time for Anakin to still be there after attacking the Temple, but before Obi-Wan and Yoda arrive. While Maul goes off after Palpatine, Ahsoka goes after Anakin to try to save him, thinking he's been tricked or that it's some sort of Dark Side magic controlling him perhaps, but it's not.

Maybe Anakin is just leaving the Temple, so it's still belching smoke into the air and of course it's still overrun by the 501st who aim blasters at Ahsoka the moment she shows up to try to get in, but Anakin stops them, orders them not to shoot.

Anakin offers her the same choice that he will offer Padme later, the same choice he offers Obi-Wan on Mustafar in canon: join him or die.

Ahsoka chooses to join him. Because if she joins him, she might be able to do something to save him, to change his mind. She refuses to abandon him, to walk away, to fight him.

Anakin's just gotten his orders to go to Mustafar, but he asks Ahsoka to go look in on Padme, maybe even take her somewhere safe, take her to Naboo.

When Obi-Wan and Yoda split up, Obi-Wan finds an empty apartment and Yoda finds MAUL, still waiting for an opportunity to attack Sidious, unusually patient. They come to an extremely uneasy truce as they decide to tag team Palpatine. Obi-Wan has to go through security recordings again at Padme's apartment and sees Ahsoka show up, hears her say she's working with Anakin, and that Anakin wants Ahsoka to take her to Naboo, to Varykino. He hears Padme agree and sees them both leave. He knows it could be a trap, but it's the only lead he has.

Obi-Wan arrives on Naboo and while Ahsoka is initially delighted to see him and discover that he survived, she quickly realizes he knows about what Anakin's done and becomes protective. She knows that Obi-Wan is a Jedi, a member of the High Council, and that Anakin being a Sith will strain his loyalties, but that Obi-Wan will ultimately do what he must, even if Anakin refuses to back down. Ahsoka tries to get him to leave without knowing where Anakin is, and Obi-Wan refuses, which forces Ahsoka to pull out her lightsabers to try to force him to leave. She loses.

Obi-Wan takes the opportunity to try to get to Padme and convince her to tell him where Anakin is, but Padme refuses. Even if she DID know where Anakin was, she wouldn't tell Obi-Wan because she doesn't trust him not to try to kill Anakin and she doesn't believe that Anakin would ever do the things Obi-Wan is accusing him of doing. So Obi-Wan has to pretend to accept defeat and leave, but he knows that eventually Anakin will come back to check in on Padme, he just has to wait.

Yoda and Maul together are able to overpower Palpatine and kill him, although Maul dies in the process, as well. With Anakin waiting for orders that will never come on Mustafar, this leaves something of an opening for Bail Organa and the loyalists to step in and try to quickly undo some of what Palpatine just did. They undo the Empire, they quickly try to reach out to some of the Separatist worlds (the "leadership" Anakin kills on Mustafar appears to be predominantly the Corporate Alliance, not the actual Separatist Senators) to broker peace. They reach out to Kamino to figure out how to deactivate the control chips in the clones. They expose the lies Palpatine told about the Jedi, expose the truth of what Palpatine was and what the Jedi tried to protect them from, declare the Jedi to be fallen heroes, persecuted by Palpatine, not traitors of the Republic.

By the time Anakin figures out Palpatine's dead, the newly born Empire has begun to crumble, and his first priority is Padme anyway, so he goes straight to Naboo, where Obi-Wan is waiting for him. But while Obi-Wan could take Anakin alone, he can't take on Anakin and Ahsoka together. Ahsoka keeps Anakin from killing Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan is badly injured and left behind on Naboo as Anakin, Ahsoka, and Padme all go on the run. To add insult to injury, Anakin takes Obi-Wan's lightsaber with him.

Anakin and Ahsoka both have effectively sworn themselves to the Sith, but neither of them spent much time as Sith before Palpatine's death, so they're fairly ineffective Sith. Anakin had thought to take Palpatine's Empire as his own, kill Palpatine after Padme was saved and then rule the galaxy, but the Empire is already gone and Palpatine is dead. Anakin did not inherit Palpatine's ability to scheme and plan, just his anger and passion and selfish greed. He has a pregnant wife who might die in childbirth, so he gets them all somewhere to hide and leaves Padme with Ahsoka while he goes out scouring the galaxy for a way to save her from what he believes to be her impending doom. He fails, but Padme doesn't die. It changes very little.

Anakin and Ahsoka are welcome nowhere in the galaxy after what Anakin did, and Ahsoka refuses to leave Anakin a second time. They all have to start living on the run, living in the shadows, finding places where they can disappear among the populace. People are looking for Anakin, looking for Padme and Ahsoka, and Anakin isn't interesting in being merciful usually. When Ahsoka tries to step between Anakin and their pursuers the way she did with Obi-Wan, it rarely goes well anymore. And they still have to find ways to get supplies, clothes for the twins, food, fuel, and transportation without leaving traces that can be followed. Anakin isn't afraid to use mind tricks to force people to give things up for them, citing that obviously they need it more. When Ahsoka tries to speak out against killing the pursuers, against violating the minds of random citizens just trying to make a living, Anakin threatens to leave her behind because if she truly loved him then she'd do whatever it took to protect him and his family, tells her that when it was Ahsoka on the run he was the only one who believed in her innocence. So she kills, she helps with the mind tricks, she steals and lies.

It's so far from the perfect life Padme had dreamed for herself on Naboo. And her discontent fuels Anakin's anger, his fear of losing her in a way he hadn't truly considered. He starts lashing out more and more, at Ahsoka, at Padme, and even one or twice at the twins. And finally, Padme can no longer take it and snaps when he aims his ire at the twins and tries to kill him. Anakin doesn't let her, and this time, Obi-Wan isn't there to tell Anakin to let go.

Devastated at this final betrayal, Ahsoka leaps in to stab Anakin through the heart, and Anakin can absolutely sense her coming, he could stop her if he wanted to easily. But Anakin, broken at the realization that he just killed Padme, would rather die than have to live with that consequence. And Anakin decides to let Ahsoka's killing blow land. Padme and Anakin die within the same heartbeat. And so Anakin fulfills the prophecy, he destroys the last Sith with his apathy and selfishness, and brings balance to the Force with his death.

Now left completely alone and emotionally shattered, Ahsoka takes the twins to the only people she knows that might be able to help them. She takes them to find the survivors of the Jedi Order, living now in a different Temple as they try to recover alongside a healing galaxy. Even if they won't trust her, help her, accept her, she knows they would never abandon Luke and Leia.

The Jedi happily accept Luke and Leia into their Order, but after a few days, Ahsoka knows she can't stay there under their protection. She knows that she hurt people, she knows she left a path of pain behind her as much as Anakin did. And she knows she has to make amends for that as best she can, and that path starts with turning herself in to the Republic to face the consequences of her choices. The Republic has done some healing of its own and with the Jedi Council speaking up for her to a Senate and Chancellor more willing to listen, Ahsoka is asked to make amends by joining a reconstruction crew that's helping patch up the galaxy in the wake of the Clone War for a few years and meet with a healer to help her through the trauma once a week (she's allowed to use a Jedi mind healer given her Force Sensitivity and history in the Order and particular relationship to Anakin).

Slowly, Ahsoka starts to heal. She spends her time being constructive and peaceful, rather than destructive and fearful. She builds new connections to support her as she moves forward down a new path. And at the end of it, Ahsoka decides that she still wants to walk the path of a Jedi. She always has, even if she got lost along the way. So she heads back to the Temple, once again ready to be a Learner.

[sithfox]

August of Whump - Day 24

Prompts: humiliation / gilded cage / jewelry

Fox lounges on the steps before the throne, his golden jewelry and clothing a striking contrast to the blood-red carpet spilling down and across the receiving hall. He's all dressed up today, some important visitors coming that his Sith wants to show him off to. His clothes are buttery soft and revealing, his jewelry heavy and filled with trackers and electronodes and who knows what else.

Things could be worse. He's technically a hostage, kept to ensure the Mandalorian Empire abides by their treaties with the Sith. His first few weeks had been miserable, kept in a reinforced cell with nothing to do but bodyweight exercises—Fox was not going to lose his skills during this indefinite vacation from his duties as a Prince of Mandalore. He'd caught the eye of a Sith noble who'd offered him a deal: be his pretty little arm candy and military advisor and in exchange be allowed to move freely around the palace and grounds. The Kiffar had barely finished speaking before Fox had agreed, absolutely losing his grip on reality after only a few weeks of isolation.

He could feel the weight of the man's attention whenever they were in the same room, sometimes even when they weren't. He doesn't know much about the Force, just that it's a powerful enough weapon to keep the Sith in control of a significant chunk of the galaxy—that it can twist the mind. But his Sith hasn't made any moves, just leered at him in his draping silks and dragged his fingertips along Fox's exposed skin as he asked his opinion on skirmishes with the Republic.

His Sith stalks into the room, leonine in his movements in a way that leaves Fox's mouth dry. He's very aware of the power dynamics here—he's not stupid. But the Sith is attractive, Fox has eyes, and he's had a distressing number of dreams about the man that he wakes from hard and wanting.

He stops at the foot of the stairs, dragging his eyes over Fox before he graces him with what passes for a smile here: a baring of teeth with a hint of amusement in the eyes. "Foxy, you look delectable. You ready to greet our guests?"

Fox nods, expression controlled. "Of course I am. You asked me to be." The Sith likes it when he plays along, acts like he's notjust here because he's a painfully effective tool for keeping his father in line.

His Sith settles on his throne, grinning. The doors swing wide and Fox almost chokes on his own tongue. Their honored guests are his father and his two oldest brothers, Cody and Wolffe, all dressed in gleaming armor, expressions horrified when they land on Fox in his golden chains. He swallows down his protest—please, not in front of my brothers—he knows better than to speak up; the Sith will just draw the meeting out to prolong his humiliation.

Long fingers pet across his hair, mocking—and comforting.

On ao3

[aroacedindjarin]

I know so many people have said this already and in much more coherent ways than I can but the way luke was depicted in tbobf (and im not just talking about the uncanny valley cgi… why did they not just recast him orz) makes me so frustrated even now. Especially now. Maybe i’m just a delusional dinluker but i really really believe that luke skywalker needed to be in the mandalorian season3.

I cannot believe luke skywalker would make grogu choose between his dad and becoming a jedi. It is just so explicitly ooc for him. I’m reading the destiny path comic right now and there are so many pages that show luke struggling with the worry that he can’t be a Jedi because he can’t let go of his attachments to his friends. and i know this is a core theme of luke as a character, it’s not new, but the comic is just so explicit about it and goes into depth in a way that it doesn’t have time to explore on screen

It explores luke’s worry about disappointing yoda when he left dagobah to go help leia and han in cloud city, and how he feels about ben and yoda refusing to talk to him anymore or help him through the force because he didn’t make his jedi training a priority above everything and everyone else, like a Selfless Jedi should. and grogu goes through the literal exact same thing. and luke reacts in the exact same way yoda and ben did to him?

In the comic, the radio silence from his teachers eats at him so badly and adds to the struggle he’s going through after finding out Vader is his father and losing his hand. He feels abandoned and afraid and, even though these feelings lead him to realise he can make his own way as a jedi, I just don’t think he’d inflict the same thing on grogu. Even if i were to look at it from a perspective of luke being forced to make his own way without his teachers made him a stronger jedi - so maybe he’s doing the same for grogu?

After all, I know grogu is such a young child so I also understand the series tries to come at it from the angle of respecting a child’s wants and needs, not forcing him to commit to training if he doesn’t want to. But I just don’t understand why luke couldn’t join grogu every now and then. Teach him some jedi stuff on the weekends. They make it seem like luke has nothing better to do anyways, he’s got droids building his school for him and seems to spend his days entirely with grogu anyway. If he went back to tatooine with grogu at the end of tbobf, i just think there would have been so much to explore between luke and literally any of the characters. din and boba specifically of course but if that led to luke in mando s3 there could’ve been so much potential.

Perhaps they just needed a reason for a big emotional scene for grogu to choose his path and his destiny. Perhaps they couldn’t put luke skywalker in the show too much for fear of throwing off the sequels. There’s the argument that luke already had his screen time and, trust me, I also hate the re-usual of existing characters to the point where they’re wringed out of any substance and have been so fleshed-out and developed it’s almost grotesque to force them to stay in the show any longer. but star wars doesnt have a problem with that for so many other characters anyway.

I just wanted to see grogu growing up to be both a Mandalorian and a Jedi. It would’ve been so perfect with the Mand’alor Din storyline too. Grogu, the son of the Ruler of Mandalore and the student of the strongest Jedi in the galaxy, the start of a new generation and so much foundation to explore between Mandalorians and Jedi!!!!!!!

[covermeindinsbeskar]

Pairing: Din Djarin x F!Reader

Word count: 2.2k

Warnings: no real warnings, very brief mention of sex, fluff, slow burn, established relationship, romantic fluff, domestic fluff

A/n: I wanted to write something where reader admires Din’s scars, but it turned into whatever this is lol enjoy my ramblings!

Not edited

Your lungs feel twisted, each breath strenuous and painful, any feeling in your legs is completely gone and your feet are on fire. You've been sprinting around the razor crest for what feels like hours. This scorching, barren planet you've been trapped on isn't doing you any favours, The ship has become suffocatingly smoggy. you push your body forward rounding the sharp corner and proceed down the ship's hallway. Your feet gradually weaken, and your body slowly starts to shut down. You feel your shoulders drop and your upper body collapses in half, your hands grasping at your knees to support yourself. You try to level your breathing; you should not be feeling this winded. You shakily pull yourself up and lean against the wall finding the tiniest bit of relief from the cold metal.

The Crest betrayed you on a long journey back to Nevarro, having to pull an emergency landing on the planet Bespin. As you both desperately tried to guide the ship as it plummeted towards the planet. He faced you. Voice steady, body poised and confident. “We’ll be safe here; you’ll be safe here.” your eyes are drowning in worry; all you could do was nod. The mandalorian gave you a single nod back as a silent promise. The thought of landing somewhere unknown and without any sort of plan terrified you. Your whole existence has been spent in concealment, and each action has been calculated. At least now, you had a companion. A lover, a family.

after a shaky landing, Din assured you once again that this planet was safe and undisturbed by any galactic affairs. You trust him. Of course, you do, he never gave you a reason not to. You were and still remain a sought-after bounty. He found you almost immediately after you came out of hiding. Finally, once you thought you could slip away to another planet, His intimidating armoured form emerged through the shadows, blaster raised to your chest, you swung your leg around kicking it out of his hand. You attempted to sprint in the opposite direction in hopes of losing him through some alleys. Your plan failed as he quickly took notice to your fleeing attempt and released his fibercord wrapping it around your torso making your arms became permanently fixed to your sides, your limp body dragged off and thrown onto his ship ready to sell you for a few worthless credits.

You helped him with a few bounties along the way before your eventual hand off to, maker knows, what prison or person that wanted you, only to discover you both work well together. Really well. You got to know each other on those missions. He learned about your petty crimes to stay alive that grew into bigger crime’s eventually racking up into a hefty bounty. In return, you learned about the way of the Mandalore and you admired him for it. To grow up in a close community, strong in body, mind and heart. The more you two talked the more you opened up about your past, telling him about your family- now long gone. One evening while sharing meal with you, he gave you, his name. Din Djarin. Your practiced it a few times in front of him with a smile. It made him feel uneasy, not in a bad way. His name naturally falling from your lips was something he never thought he could get addicted to. He wanted to hear you whisper it, to scream it, to repeat it like a prayer for him and only him. That’s when he decided not to hand you over and introduced you to his son, Grogu. Tucked away in his makeshift bed, hidden away from you for weeks. How could something so cute be hidden away from others?

Meeting Grogu was like love at first sight. You both became attached at the hip, literally, as he was always tucked at your side everywhere you went. You became a crew member with the Mandalorian and his small green child a little over a year now. “I could really use a crew member like you...” taking your hands in his “we would like you to stay.” You agreed immediately, with a big smile on your face. A bed to sleep in (his bed), food in your stomach (always prepared and shared together), and credits in your pocket (he used his credits to buy you gifts. Mostly weapons but, every once in a while, he’d come back with cute little gifts from a planet that made him think of you) it was a great deal. Better than any other ‘jobs’ you seem to get yourself into. Not to mention staying beside Din’s side. You still weren’t sure if that was his way of you asking you to be his and only his, but you devoted yourself to him long before he asked you to stay.

You would end up caring for Grogu most of the time, not that you minded. He was a bundle of joy! You were told about his powers and observed them growing stronger by the day. It was something you only ever heard stories about. Tales of Jedi’s your dad would tell you about before bed as a child and that’s exactly what you thought they were, tales. Stories that gave children hope for peace and balance in such a chaotic galaxy. Seeing it in person was incredible! So much power in a tiny body, you wanted to protect him at all costs. It’s the reason why you’re out breath and body giving up on you now. The kid has been running around the ship due to Din being preoccupied with the repairs, he’s bored and has decided to play a game of chase for the last hour.

For the sake of trying to recover what little breath that remains in your lungs, you push yourself off the wall. Your focus is drawn to the open door of the crest by the sounds of laughter echoing off the walls. The blur of large ears is all you see as you head towards the door, your mouth curved into a smile. “gotch’ you now!” You take one last sprint out the door and dive to the ground, encasing a small green ball of giggles. “Do you think this is funny?” You can’t contain your laugh as Grogu babbles incoherently trying to wiggle his way out of your arms. “Batuu” is the only thing you can make out as he looks at you with big, beautiful eyes. You’re going to take that as a yes, he does find this game very funny.

You let him go, your heart brimming with joy as he laughs his way back towards the crest, expecting you'll chase him again. You pull yourself up off the ground, brush yourself off, and take a moment to marvel at the scenery. Your senses are immersed by the aroma of flowers and grass, warmth from mild winds on your skin, and lush-looking, deep green forests which extend for miles. If it weren't for the power tools that silence every sound on this planet, you'd think you could hear nature itself.

You hum to yourself as you walk around the ship, the noise getting louder as you look for Din. His form comes into view making you stop dead in your tracks. The view of Din kneeling while he works on repairing the siding on the ship, his helmet still on, bare torso, He’s glistening. His muscles tensing with every little movement, you can’t help but marvel at his chiseled back. He looks like he’s made from stone. a living sculpture. Until now, you’ve never seen him without his armour- or shirt for that matter. You’ve felt him though, cloaked in complete darkness. You’ve felt his toned muscle, every scar, every vein under your fingertips. Always painting a mental image that your fingers have memorized. Heat washes over your cheeks, whipping your body around hoping he hasn’t felt your eyes boring into his back. It almost felt like you were betraying his trust. You’ve never seen any part of him, besides his hands. When alone, he’d take his gloves off and rub his thumbs across your cheeks, cradle your jaw, feather his fingertips down you neck, swipe his knuckles down your shoulders, then slide his fingers up and down your arms, to end their journey softly intertwining his fingers with yours.

A few months into working with each other, one mission went wrong. Horribly wrong. Allies turned on your clan getting you shot in the process. You truly didn’t think you’d make it back it back to crest. You silently wept in Din’s arms. You never feared death, you were always alone. but now you didn’t want to go like this. Not in the arms of a man who didn’t know you loved him. He carried you back to crest “it’s okay, you’re okay, we’re gonna get you all fixed up” he was panicking. you could sense it even in and out of consciousness. If only you could see the tears that stained his face. He knew you wouldn’t make it; all he wanted to do was bring you home. He wanted the last thing you see was him and Grogu at your side. You don’t remember much of anything that night. You remember your two favourite people hovering over you, soothing you best they can. You smiled at them and thanked them. Thanked them for always being there, for saving you in more ways than one, for giving you a sense of family and giving you a home. With your last breath you muttered your truth “I love you… Din Djarin…”

A few days later, your eyes flickered open, and you were greeted by Din. He extended his hand to take yours as you grin at him. You panicked and shot up, asking "Where's Grogu?" as you scan the room in search of him. “He’s sleeping mesh’la…” he whispers. That was the first time he’s ever called you that. He gently pushed you back down. “He… he saved you. I don’t know how… he’s still sleeping, he’s been out for days. I- I thought I lost you…” he chokes out. You squeezed his hand “hey I’m ok now… I’m here.” your eyes searched his visor; you desperately wanted to reach out for him and feel his lips on yours in that moment. Even though you know it’s something you’ll never get to feel. You can at least hug him, right? You sat up in bed and wrapped your arms around his waist, and squeezed him tight, fearing he might push you away. But he pulls you in closer his hand stroking the back of your head. “I love you too, mesh’la.” he whispers. You smiled, tears filling your eyes. You look up at him “I wish I could kiss you…” you confessed. “Hold on…” he whispered back, pulling you away from him. He walked over to the door shutting it tightly and turning out the lights. You were both enveloped by darkness barely able to see each other's silhouettes. You heard the hiss of his helmet coming off, sucking in your breath waiting for him. “Mesh’la?” He called out. You reached your hand out finding his and pulled him closer “I’m right here,” you giggled. His hands found your face pulling you closer, you can feel his breath against your lips, you inched yourself closer not able to wait any longer. He leaned in, his lips finding yours, soft as silk against yours. you sighed at the feeling. Your heart burst as he deepened each kiss. Each one getting sloppier and hungrier, “I need more mesh’la… let me feel you. Please…” he whispered against your lips. You nod as he lightly nipped at your bottom lip, you were desperate for the same thing.

That was the first time you both felt each other, Unable to keep your hands off each other ever since. You smile at the memory coming back to reality. He must’ve known one of you would find him like this… right? You slowly turn back around drinking him in again. He’s still distracted with the crest as your eyes trail down his back. His muscles prominently displayed as well as littered with scars. You’ve felt the bumps under your hands and asked about them while cloaked in the dark. He told you about each battle that left their permanent mark on his skin. Seeing it under the sun, you can finally see how sloppily they were tended to. Each mark proving his strength and survival. They look beautiful to you. Din still being unaware of your presence You slowly approach him, dropping to your knees behind him. your hands finding his shoulders and rubbing them gently. All noise stops, the sounds of nature over taking your sense just like you thought they would. “Mesh’la?” Din calls out. You hum to him, pressing soft kisses on his shoulders that trail down his back. You take the time to kiss each scar admiring every single one display to you. He chuckles softly, “what are doing?”

“no one has ever kissed them better before, so I’m doing it now.”

[wannab-urs]

The Spreadsheet Digest - Vol 13

Howdy folks!!

This week I'm gonna throw in some series I've been reading that have probably been recc'd by me before. I did read a few things this week, but I'm like way behind on these series I've been reading, so I spent more time catching up on those. I also read The Ritual which was... an experience. Oh and if you tagged me in a fic and I didn't get to it I am so sorry!! I'll get there I promise.

And as always you can find the spreadsheet here and the Fic Rec Masterlist here.

Anyway! Recs below the slut Javi

What I Want - a Joel one shot by @proxima-writes

SUB JOEL!!!! Sometimes you need a strong, prideful, world weary man to whimper for you.

Trial and Error - a Joel/Tommy series by @thetriumphantpanda

Am I into breeding kink? No. Am I into making Tommy Miller watch Joel Miller rail me? Yes. I also love how into it everyone is. Someone in the comments said "What if Joel got a secret vasectomy" and like I know that is not true of this version of Joel, but like I also want it to keep not working.

I can see you (Javier's Version)- a Javi P one shot by @proxima-writes

I love a good file room fuck with Javi, so obviously this was just my style. I also love the way Javi gets all frustrated with the teasing. Him crumpling up that note UGHAGH. And then the way you ended it? I won't spoil it, but it made me giggle. I cannot believe you don't write Javi regularly. You nailed it.

Sacreligious - Din one shot by @beskarandblasters

Who doesn't love a little sacrilege in the morning? Fucking in the Mines of Mandalore sounds like a dream... as long as the mythosaur doesn't get you lmao

In Bloom - a Frankie series by @northernbluess

This. Fic. Is. So. Fucking. CUTE! I loved chapter one of course, but chapter two??? My heart UGH. Their date is so precious. And the smut... I have a daddy kink and refuse to be shamed for it THIS WAS SO HOT

a hungry dog on a very short leash - a Joel one shot by @iamasaddie

My Dark Joel Queen never fails to deliver <3 This was so fucking hot. The getting caught cheating thing... the semi-public sex as punishment/blackmail thing. YUMMY YUMMY!! Dead Dove and all that, read the warnings, (are the warnings supposed to turn you on? oops).

some rotten man - a Joel one shot by @iamasaddie

Zero Plot. Just a rough as fuck blowjob. Exactly what I needed... It's so good y'all.

What happens on Coruscant, Stays on Coruscant - a Din/Poe/Cassian one shot by @beskarandblasters

Look we all know the timeline here is a little fucked, but let's pretend they're all around the same age because... Din Djarin, Poe Dameron, and Cassian Andor walk into a brothel and spend the night with you... GOD DAMN that's hot

------- SERIES <333 -------

These are series I keep tabs on in a separate spreadsheet and check once a week to see if they've been updated. Most of these have been recommended before, but they deserve all the attention.

I know some people don't like to start reading WIPs before they're finished, and that is valid, but these are worth it. Oh and some are complete and I just haven't finished them yet. It's my personal spreadsheet so it's a little messy lol.

One Thing I'm Missing / Joel / @joelscruff

Seams / Joel/ @fuckyeahdindjarin

Palomino / Jack / @fuckyeahdindjarin

I Think of You / Din / @prolix-yuy

No Drug Like Me / Dieter / @jazzelsaur (AO3)

Friendly Fire / Joel / @the-ginger-hedge-witch

Psychomanteum / Dieter / @whatsnewalycat

You Make Loving Fun / Frankie / @redahlia-writes

Apothecary / Joel / @atinylittlepain

Losing My Religion / Din / @oonajaeadira

Surrender / Joel / @ezrasbirdie

Short Days, Long Nights / Joel / @frannyzooey

Left in Lincoln / Joel / @toxicanonymity

Dressed For Revenge / Joel / @jksprincess10

Cowboy Like Me / Javi P / @cutesyscreenname

Sweet Creature / Dieter / @wildemaven

Leave Off Your Wandering / Joel / @oonajaeadira

Stitches / Din / @djarinsbeskar

Feelings on Fire / Joel / @joelscruff

Hot and Heavy / Joel / @tieronecrush

Pretend Alleyways / Dieter/Marcus / @radiowallet

Run to You / Marcus P / @foli-vora

Learning to Live / Javi P / @wheresarizona

Raider / Joel / @toxicanonymity

Beskar Doll / Din / @justagalwhowrites

Lavender / Joel / @justagalwhowrites

Hungry Hearts / Joel / @atinylittlepain

June / Joel / @atinylittlepain

Your Summer Dream / Joel / @swiftispunk

Muddy Waters / Joel/Ez / @bonezone44

Adversity / Ez/Frankie / @the-ginger-hedge-witch

Sensational / Joel / @sinsofsummers

Night Walks / Joel / @toxicanonymity

Stepdad!Joel / Joel / @toxicanonymity

Yes I check all of these for updates every single Thursday, though I don't always read every single thing that updated. If you ever think no one cares about your WIP... I do!!!

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Happy Reading!