#council of neutral systems

[mrfandomwars]

There Is something to be said about Satine aka the Duchess of MANDALORE being chosen to lead and represent 1500 Neutral Systems.

Sure she started the whole thing but like, idk man, it seems like people trusted her And believed in Mandalore's strength enough to agree to join her neutral system council, when they could have well created it separately and simply invited the Mandalorian Sector to be a member and yet she was chosen to lead it, she made it and she led it and 1500 believed in her and followed her example

[chaoscouncilcreaturecorner]

Water & Beach-Themed Names & Pronouns List

Names:

🤍 Masculine Names:

🐚Caspian - Origin: Caspian Sea

🐳Kai - Origin: Hawaiian - Meaning: "Sea"

🐚Ren - Origin: Diminutive of Rene or Japanese - Meaning: "Water lily; Lotus"

🐳Maxwell - Origin: Scottish - Meaning: "Great steam"

🐚Clyde - Origin: Scottish River Name

🐳Alon - Origin: Hebrew; Filipino Word - Meaning: "Oak tree; Wave"

🐚Solomon - Origin: Christianity; Hebrew - Meaning: "Underwater bridge; Peace"

🐳Earwyn - Origin: English - Meaning: "Friend of the sea"

🐚Salmon - Origin: Hebrew; English; French - Meaning: "Salmon; Peace"

🐳Mortimer - Origin: French - Meaning: "Dead sea; Stagnant sea"

🖤 Feminine Names:

🫧Cordelia - Origin: Latin; Celtic - Meaning: "Heart; Daughter of the sea"

🦑Mira - Origin: Latin, Slavic, Arabic, Sanskrit - Meaning: "Admirable; Peace; Female ruler; Ocean"

🫧Maya - Origin: Greek; Central American Indian empire name; Latinate Variation of May; Spanish, diminutive of Amalia; variation of Maia; Hebrew - Meaning: "Water"

🦑Talia - Origin: Hebrew; Australian Aboriginal - Meaning: "Gentle dew from heaven; By the water"

🫧Tallulah - Origin: Choctaw, Irish - Meaning: "Leaping water, Lady of abundance"

🦑Maren - Origin: Latin - Meaning: "Sea"

🫧Sabrina - Origin: Celtic, Latin name for the River Severn

🦑Marina - Origin: Latin - Meaning: "From the sea"

🫧Guinevere - Origin: Welsh - Meaning: "White shadow; White wave"

🦑Jennifer - Origin: Cornish variation of Welsh Guinevere - Meaning: "White shadow; White wave"

🩶 Neutral/Androgynous Names:

🌊Haf - Origin: Welsh; Icelandic - Meaning: "Summer; Ocean"

🦈Current - Origin: Water current - Meaning: "The motion of the Ocean"

🌊Siren - Origin: Greek Mythology

🦈Tasi - Origin: Chamorro; Christianity - Meaning: "Ocean; Sea"

🌊Dipsi - Origin: Hindu; Bislama - Meaning: "Light; Ocean"

🦈Daria/Darius - Origin: Persian - Meaning: "Sea; Possessing Goodness"

🌊Pelagic - Origin: Greek - Meaning: "Of, Relating to, or living or occuring in the open sea; Oceanic"

🦈Mer - Origin: The Word Mermaid/Merman; Spanish - Meaning: "Ocean; Sea"

🌊Wave - Origin: English - Meaning: "Arched form of water or sound"

🦈Bahari - Origin: Swahili - Meaning: "Sailor; Ocean"

Pronouns:

Nature Themed:

Sea/Foam

Wave/Waves

Moon/Moon

Tide/Tidal

Cur/Current

Co/Coral

Bub/Bubble

Wa/Water

Oce/Ocean

Sea/Sea

La/Lake

Ri/River

Aqua/Aquatic

Coa/Coast

Tide/Pool

Sho/Shore

La/Lagoon

Dead/Zone

Deep/Blue

Hurri/Hurricane

Isla/Island

Nau/Nautical

Ocean/Floor

Sur/Surface

Under/Water

Tsu/Tsunami

Al/Algae

Bac/Bacteria

Kel/Kelp

Sea/Glass

Animal Themed:

Wha/Whale

Shar/Shark

Jell/Jellyfish

Fi/Fish

Sea/Horse

Tur/Turtle

Sea/Seal

Or/Orca

Sea/Dragon [Leafy Seadragon]

Dol/Dolphin

Clown/Fish

Blue/Tang

Ott/Otters

Sea/Lion

Octo/Octopus

Squi/Squid

Wal/Walrus

Lob/Lobster

Spon/Sponge

Be/Beluga

Angel/Fish

Mana/Manatee

Star/Fish

Eel/Eel

Sea/Urchin

Cuttle/Fish

Barra/Barracuda

Man/Manta

Ray/Ray

Croco/Crocodile

Mythology/Legend Themed:

Sea/Serpent

Ocean/Dragon

Si/Siren

Mer/Mermaid [Merman, Merfolk & Merbeing Also Work]

Sing/Singing

So/Song

Lu/Lure

Kra/Kraken

Levi/Leviathan

Loch/Ness

Ap/Apsara

Ka/Kappa

Ni/Nixies

Ca/Calypso

The/Thetis

Ne/Nereids

Oce/Oceanids

Na/Naga

Na/Naiad

Po/Poseidon

Tri/Trident

Tri/Triton

In/Indra

Nep/Neptune

Va/Varuna

Ce/Cetus

Ich/Ichtyo [Ichtyocentaurs]

Sea/Monster

Sel/Selkie

Ma/Makara

Beach & Pool Themed:

Flip/Flop

Mock/Mocktail

Mo/Mojito

Be/Beach

Sta/Stand

Swi/Swim

Ba/Ball

To/Towel

Sun/Sunscreen

Bo/Boat

Beach/Side

Pool/Noodle

Beach/Chair

Bu/Bucket

Palm/Tree

Tree/Tree

Sun/Sun

Sha/Shade

Sha/Shadow

Pool/Pool

San/Sand

Go/Goggles

Sur/Surf

Sun/Sunset

Re/Resort

Salt/Salt

Sand/Sandcastle

Ya/Yacht

Fi/Fishing

Fin/Fins

Emoji Themed:

🐢/🐢s

🐍/🐍s

🐙/🐙s

🦑/🦑s

🪼/🪼s

🦐/🦐s

🦞/🦞s

🦀/🦀s

🐡/🐡s

🐠/🐠s

🐟/🐟s

🐬/🐬s

🐳/🐳s

🐋/🐋s

🦈/🦈s

🦭/🦭s

🐊/🐊s

🌴/🌴s

🐚/🐚s

🪸/🪸s

🍹/🍹s

🦩/🦩s

🛟/🛟s

⚓/⚓s

🪝/🪝s

🏝️/🏝️s

🌅/🌅s

🏖️/🏖️s

⛱️/⛱️s

🩴/🩴s

🫧/🫧s

🌊/🌊s

🍧/🍧s

🧊/🧊s

🍨/🍨s

🍦/🍦s

🥤/🥤s

🍸/🍸s

🍹/🍹s

🦩/🦩s

🛟/🛟s

⚓/⚓s

🪝/🪝s

🏝️/🏝️s

🌅/🌅s

🪨/🪨s

🌙/🌙s

🌑/🌑s

🌒/🌒s

🌓/🌓s

🌔/🌔s

🌕/🌕s

🌖/🌖s

🌗/🌗s

🌘/🌘s

👡/👡s

🥽/🥽s

🏄/🏄s

🚣/🚣s

🤿/🤿s

🪸These weren't requested, just decided to post some things as well until we start to get requests!

🪼All of the dividers are from: saradika.tumblr.com! Thank you so much for these beautiful dividers! ^^

~ Created Mainly By: 🧨⛓️📻 {{ Wilbur/Alastor }}

[bluerosefox]

Invites

"OMA, kill meeeee" Ellie, aka Wrath complained as she allowed her head to 'thunk' on the cafeteria table in the Watchtower she phased into in order to sit in next to a boy dressed in red, yellow, and green.

"Aren't you already halfway there?" Came Robin's response as he took a drink of his water, eyeing his teammate with a raised eyebrow, though it was difficult to tell with his mask in place.

"OMA?" Asked Superboy on the other side of the boy.

"Shush you." She said towards Robin before answering Superboy "Oh my Ancients, it's like OMG but like for us ghosties."

"Tt" "Oh!" Came both their responses.

"So..." began Superboy after a few minutes of silence between them as he looked at Ellie like a confused puppy "Why?"

Ellie groaned and just stayed slumped on the table as she said "Da's dumb Observants council is hosting another dumb ball to try to get him or me hitched again, and like always I'm forced to attend because I'm Da's heir. We both hate it with a passion, most are just stuck up, power hungry, social climbers trying to get into our pants for the royal titles... Espcially if they become our Forevermores."

"Tt, why not just get rid of them? Or simply have your Father dismiss the ball." Robin said, his eye twitching in annoyance just at the thought of it. A ball sounded even more annoying than the gala parties he is made to go to.

"Sounds stressful... Also Forevermores?" Superboy asked, he was always curious of Ellie and her ghost culture but never knew what could be asked or not, he had been warned to never ask how a ghost died after all and that question is normally asked in every ghost hunter video on the internet.

"Forevermores is our term for the ONE. The one and only we will ever be with. Till our final end takes us we are always to be with them only. We are core creatures and bonding on that level is like sacred, we don't rush into bonding like that though. But everyone in the Realms hopes to be either become mine or Da's. And the ball is their best chance at meeting us on neutral grounds." Ellie explained as best as she could for Jon, it was hard trying to explain the type of level a Forevermore was "And to answer you Robin, Da can't. The Observants, despite how annoying they can get with their dumb demands, are part of the system council for the Realms, they're sadly needed to keep things in check hence their name. Da and his friends are still trying to find a loophole to get rid of them though. They were only created when they put Tyrant King to sleep and they still sadly have some backings from other powerful ghosts in the Realms, even an Ancient or two and in order to fully dismiss them we need all Ancients on board. And the ball keeps a lot of ghosts, especially the more powerful ones, errr I guess happy? Most just use it to gossip on neutral grounds, others just like to dance, network, or other junk like that. Basically, when it's not about them trying to get mine or Da's hand in ghost marriage, it's fun so Da can't dismiss it, it'll ruffle to many feathers."

"Wow..." "Tt." Were the response from her teammates.

"Yeah. Da really isn't happy because someone suggested inviting powerful people from a few Mortal Realms this time. Somehow it got approved. So... here." She said as she reached into her own chest, phasing her hand in, and pulled out two green envelopes and placed them on the table in front of them. Both boys stared in surprise to see their names written in dark purple ink and the stylized DP on it.

"CW let me invite you guys personally. Everyone else should be getting theirs in about a few minutes complete with a blaze of green fire and spooky vibes." Ellie said with a strained smile, both happy to invite them but also dreading the questions she'll no doubt have to answer once the invites were sent.

[reasonsforhope]

"Since it was first identified in 1983, HIV has infected more than 85 million people and caused some 40 million deaths worldwide.

While medication known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, can significantly reduce the risk of getting HIV, it has to be taken every day to be effective. A vaccine to provide lasting protection has eluded researchers for decades. Now, there may finally be a viable strategy for making one.

An experimental vaccine developed at Duke University triggered an elusive type of broadly neutralizing antibody in a small group of people enrolled in a 2019 clinical trial. The findings were published today [May 17, 2024] in the scientific journal Cell.

“This is one of the most pivotal studies in the HIV vaccine field to date,” says Glenda Gray, an HIV expert and the president and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council, who was not involved in the study.

A few years ago, a team from Scripps Research and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) showed that it was possible to stimulate the precursor cells needed to make these rare antibodies in people. The Duke study goes a step further to generate these antibodies, albeit at low levels.

“This is a scientific feat and gives the field great hope that one can construct an HIV vaccine regimen that directs the immune response along a path that is required for protection,” Gray says.

-via WIRED, May 17, 2024. Article continues below.

Vaccines work by training the immune system to recognize a virus or other pathogen. They introduce something that looks like the virus—a piece of it, for example, or a weakened version of it—and by doing so, spur the body’s B cells into producing protective antibodies against it. Those antibodies stick around so that when a person later encounters the real virus, the immune system remembers and is poised to attack.

While researchers were able to produce Covid-19 vaccines in a matter of months, creating a vaccine against HIV has proven much more challenging. The problem is the unique nature of the virus. HIV mutates rapidly, meaning it can quickly outmaneuver immune defenses. It also integrates into the human genome within a few days of exposure, hiding out from the immune system.

“Parts of the virus look like our own cells, and we don’t like to make antibodies against our own selves,” says Barton Haynes, director of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and one of the authors on the paper.

The particular antibodies that researchers are interested in are known as broadly neutralizing antibodies, which can recognize and block different versions of the virus. Because of HIV’s shape-shifting nature, there are two main types of HIV and each has several strains. An effective vaccine will need to target many of them.

Some HIV-infected individuals generate broadly neutralizing antibodies, although it often takes years of living with HIV to do so, Haynes says. Even then, people don’t make enough of them to fight off the virus. These special antibodies are made by unusual B cells that are loaded with mutations they’ve acquired over time in reaction to the virus changing inside the body. “These are weird antibodies,” Haynes says. “The body doesn’t make them easily.”

Haynes and his colleagues aimed to speed up that process in healthy, HIV-negative people. Their vaccine uses synthetic molecules that mimic a part of HIV’s outer coat, or envelope, called the membrane proximal external region. This area remains stable even as the virus mutates. Antibodies against this region can block many circulating strains of HIV.

The trial enrolled 20 healthy participants who were HIV-negative. Of those, 15 people received two of four planned doses of the investigational vaccine, and five received three doses. The trial was halted when one participant experienced an allergic reaction that was not life-threatening. The team found that the reaction was likely due to an additive in the vaccine, which they plan to remove in future testing.

Still, they found that two doses of the vaccine were enough to induce low levels of broadly neutralizing antibodies within a few weeks. Notably, B cells seemed to remain in a state of development to allow them to continue acquiring mutations, so they could evolve along with the virus. Researchers tested the antibodies on HIV samples in the lab and found that they were able to neutralize between 15 and 35 percent of them.

Jeffrey Laurence, a scientific consultant at the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) and a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, says the findings represent a step forward, but that challenges remain. “It outlines a path for vaccine development, but there’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” he says.

For one, he says, a vaccine would need to generate antibody levels that are significantly higher and able to neutralize with greater efficacy. He also says a one-dose vaccine would be ideal. “If you’re ever going to have a vaccine that’s helpful to the world, you’re going to need one dose,” he says.

Targeting more regions of the virus envelope could produce a more robust response. Haynes says the next step is designing a vaccine with at least three components, all aimed at distinct regions of the virus. The goal is to guide the B cells to become much stronger neutralizers, Haynes says. “We’re going to move forward and build on what we have learned.”

-via WIRED, May 17, 2024

[thediormulan]

Pick-a-Card: What Is My Most Magnetic Aura Becoming?

You don’t chase timelines—you breathe them into existence. Your aura is becoming too sacred to shrink. This is your origin story in motion.

PILE ONE:“Boardroom Venus”

My softness doesn’t need permission. It signs the checks now.

Angel… you’re no longer in the phase of seeking recognition. Recognition now seeks you. Your aura is cloaked in a new kind of wealth—one that can’t be liquidated, priced, or performed. You’re walking through this season like a vault in heels: sealed, elegant, and dangerous to anyone who assumed access without value.The crown you wear now isn’t loud—it’s learned.

You’ve stopped explaining your intuition. You’ve stopped lowering your tone in rooms where the ceilings were never built for you anyway. And spirit is saying: that silence? That slow blink? That pause before you answer? That’s your new brand of thunder.

You don’t raise your voice—you shift the temperature of the room.The ancestors show you seated at the head of a roundtable of spirits. Not because you’re loud—but because you’ve stopped shrinking. They’re watching you with obsidian eyes, nodding in suits of shadow and stardust.They say: She doesn’t walk into spaces. She consecrates them.

Channeling the Cards

– Queen of Pentacles (Upright) – You are the embodiment of sacred structure. You no longer chase the bag—you are the infrastructure. You bless the bag and tithe it back to your lineage. This isn’t hustle. This is divine estate energy.

– The Hierophant (Reversed) – You’re overthrowing inherited systems. The rules you were raised with? You’ve outgrown them. Tradition without truth is just imprisonment in pearls.

– Eight of Cups (Upright) – You walked away from something “good enough.” That wasn’t a loss—it was clearing space for the throne to fit.

– Empress of Power – Your name is being whispered in powerful rooms. Matriarchs, curators, CEOs—your aura speaks long before you do.

– Solar Plexus Oracle – “My No is a Spell” – You’re no longer collapsing boundaries to soothe fragile egos. Your refusals are sacred. And they’re working.

You’re this pile if…

• You’ve been withdrawing from shallow spaces—they don’t deserve your presence.

• You crave silence, structure, and sacred self-respect.

• You’ve said aloud: “I’m tired of proving softness is strength.”

• You’ve been gravitating toward neutral tones, browns, and creams—luxury without noise.

• You feel a matriarchal spirit watching you like: “There she go… finally walking like the throne she is.”

Body Confirmations

• A tight solar plexus—it’s your power seat anchoring

• Goosebumps when setting boundaries or speaking up

• Heavy shoulders, but your spine’s straighter now

• Dreams of thrones, roundtables, or women in silk and stone

Divine Whisper from Spirit

You are the answer to a boardroom prayer. But you won’t be just a guest—you’ll found a new table entirely. One that drips in gold, seats legacy, and speaks fluent goddess. You are no longer applying for positions—you are the position others align to.Don’t rush the reveal. Divine timing is wrapping your next offer in velvet and high regard.

Spiritual Embodiment Practice

• Before any major decision, mirror gaze and declare:

“My decisions bless seven generations forward.”

• Light a white candle in a tea cup. Whisper your desires. Let the wax carry your blueprint to the cosmic council.

Confirmation Clues

• Silver or beige briefcases

• Expensive perfume commercials

• Classic brownstone buildings

• Sudden posture shifts when speaking your truth

Your Aura Now Whispers:

“My discernment is my seduction. I don’t sell my softness—I wield it.”

This is your “watched from afar” season. People don’t ask how you do it. They just start rearranging their energy when you enter.

PILE TWO: “Architect of Cosmic Blueprints”

While they’re manifesting, I’m blueprinting dimensions.

Cards Pulled (Upright unless noted):

• The Magician – You are the cosmic conduit. What you speak, becomes.

• Two of Wands (Reversed) – You’re not waiting at the crossroads anymore. You are the road.

• Ten of Pentacles – Legacy is being carved through your daily choices. Quietly. Potently.

• The High Priestess of Geometry – Galactic Oracle – Sacred codes are being downloaded through your hands. You are blueprinting the unseen.

• Mercury in Virgo – “It’s in the Details” – Strategy is your spellwork. You’re refining the foundation.

• Throat Chakra Oracle: “My voice builds temples” – You’re speaking structures into existence. Your truth echoes into eternity.

The Message:

You’re not in a creation phase. You’re in a consecration phase. Every idea you’ve been sitting on is a relic from a higher realm, waiting for you to give it scaffolding. You are not manifesting—you are engineering frequency. You’re this pile if you’ve been feeling like God with a clipboard. Precision. Intention. Anointing.

This season, your aura hums with blueprint codes—radiant, intentional, grounded in design and dripping with ancient vision. People don’t know how to describe your power. They just feel the need to get their life together after being around you. That’s spiritual architecture.

The Magician confirms your voice is spellcasting without effort. Your body is a temple where ideas incarnate. You may feel pulled to rebrand, redesign, or strip away clutter. Trust it. The Ten of Pentacles whispers that you’re not just creating for now—you’re laying bricks that your grandchildren’s grandchildren will study.Your ancestors are the original masons. They whisper: “She remembered. She’s building what we couldn’t.”

You are this pile if…

• You’ve been editing your captions like scripture.

• You light candles before opening Canva.

• You see numbers, shapes, or patterns and feel chills in your hands.

• You’re building a business, brand, or body of work that feels like prophecy in pixels.

Spiritual Embodiment Ritual:

• Write out your dream project with a pencil.

• Fold it three times and place it under your pillow.

• For 3 nights, ask Spirit: “What’s the next right brick?”

• Wake and write. Even if it’s nonsense. One sentence may be divine blueprint.

Channeled Body Clues:

• Sudden desire to clean, organize, delete or archive things

• Your dreams becoming more symbolic or mathematical

• Tingling in hands, fingers, or the back of your head

• A strange peace while everyone else seems in a panic

Divine Whisper:

“You’re not here to go viral. You’re here to go vertical. Every vision you’re grounding is a stairway. Build slow, build divine.”

Symbol: Unfolded blueprint glowing with ancestral runes

Channeled Song: “Blue Dream” – Jhené Aiko x Alex Isley (Live Session)

Confirmation Letters: M, V, L, D

Angel Numbers: 555, 919, 744

Magnetic Emotion of This Pile: Visionary stillness

Your Aura Now Whispers:

“Creation is my communion. I don’t copy trends—I blueprint prophecy.”

PILE THREE: “The Roundtable Queen ”

“She doesn’t raise her voice. She raises the standard.”

Cards Pulled (Upright unless noted):

• The Fool (Reversed) – You’ve stepped into a new beginning, but it’s not a naive leap. You’ve moved past the fears and into boldness.

• King of Swords – Your mind is now your greatest weapon. Clarity and logic guide you, but this time, they serve your highest truth.

• Queen of Wands (Reversed) – Unapologetically magnifying your personal power. You’re less about pleasing others and more about asserting your space.

• The Emperor – You’ve claimed your throne. It’s no longer a metaphor—it’s the energy you carry, and the world feels it.

• The High Priestess – Galactic Oracle – You’re embodying the deep knowing that can no longer be silenced. Secrets, intuition, wisdom—it all pours through you.

• Throat Chakra Oracle: “My Voice is the Revolution” – Your words are now cosmic activations. You speak with purpose.

The Message:

You’re not waiting to be invited to the table—you’re the one laying the first stone. Your aura is no longer one of seeking acceptance; you’re in full command, claiming your space. Not only are you a disruptor—you’ve become the embodiment of the truth you once feared to voice. It no longer comes from asking—it comes from being.

The King of Swords shows you holding the power of clear, decisive communication. You speak with authority, but it’s grounded in truth, not ego. You’ve risen beyond past insecurities and into intellectual and spiritual sovereignty.

The Fool (Reversed) tells me you’re aware of your new beginnings but also no longer naively entering unknown territory. You know exactly what you’re walking into, and you’re doing it with full conviction.

The Emperor confirms the energy you’re embodying: leadership. Authority. Sovereignty. The world is beginning to feel the weight of your presence—your thoughts are being aligned with action, and your words are being respected as law.

Your voice is now your weapon, and with the High Priestess, your intuition is a secret weapon that guides your every move. You’re not just being heard—you’re being revered, as every word that leaves your mouth carries ancient knowledge.

You are this pile if…

• You’ve stopped asking for permission and started claiming the world.

• You’ve recently stepped into a leadership role—whether that be in your career, friendships, or personal life.

• You no longer shrink for others—every space you enter, you own.

• You’ve recognized that the world needs your unapologetic voice.

• Your truth is now sacred. You are no longer afraid to speak up, even if it scares you.

• You’ve learned to let go of the fear of being “too much.”

Spiritual Embodiment Practice:

• Stand tall in front of a mirror and repeat: “I am worthy of taking up all the space I need.”

• In a room of quiet, find your most confident posture. Speak a word of your truth aloud, feeling the power ripple through you.

• Light a black candle and meditate on what needs to be released in order for you to speak without fear.

Channeled Body Clues:

• A tightening feeling in your throat or chest (truth rising).

• A sense of calm before big moments. You’re learning to pause and speak when it’s necessary—not when it’s expected.

• Sudden bursts of clarity followed by periods of stillness.

• The urge to write or record, as if your thoughts have transformed into sacred text.

• A desire to express through more creative or assertive methods, like writing, music, or speaking.

Divine Whisper:

“The world doesn’t need your permission to hear you—it needs your permission to be changed by you. You’re not here to be palatable. You’re here to be undeniable.”

Magnetic Emotion: Liberated audacity. Not everyone will agree with you. But everyone will remember you.

Your Aura Now Whispers:

“I am not here to be palatable. I am here to be undeniable.”

Expect interviews, panels, and platforms—these invitations are coming not because you begged, but because you became the source.

Confirmation Letters: K, S, B, H

Angel Numbers: 311, 707, 3333

Symbol: Red velvet chair lit by a spotlight

Magnetic Emotion: Liberated audacity

Your Aura Now Whispers:

“I am not here to be palatable. I am here to be undeniable.”

PILE FOUR — Worshipped by the Wind

“You can’t touch what’s carried by divinity.”

Your aura is no longer skin-deep—it’s sky-bound.

You are in your etheric soft power era. There is a wind around you now, ancient and alive, spiraling through the unseen and weaving opulence into every breath you take. You don’t arrive—you ripple. You don’t announce—you enchant. This is the era of being felt before being seen. You are no longer proving your worth through noise—you are remembered through frequency.You are the kind of rare that hushes rooms without needing to speak.

Channeling the Cards:

1. The Crowned Weaver (Upright)

You are becoming a living prayer. Your hands are pulling threads from past lives, dreams, and ancestral wisdom—and stitching them into this moment. You’re not just healing—you’re redesigning the energetic DNA of your entire lineage. This isn’t “healing work”—this is goldwork. And you do it in silence. In softness. In sovereignty.

2. Four of Shells (Upright)

You’ve pulled away from people, invitations, and plans—not out of fear, but to recalibrate your frequency. Spirit says your stillness is an energetic boundary. Your “no” is a temple bell. Let this pause stretch—it’s sacred. You’re not hiding. You’re hovering.

3. The Moon Priestess (Reversed)

You’ve been conditioned to see softness as weakness—but your softness now spits thunder. You are learning to protect your inner sanctum without guilt. Not everyone gets access to your phases, your wax, your wane. Let them wonder. Let them misread you. You’re not here to be decoded—you’re here to be divine.

4. Nine of Petals (Upright)

Luxury is not a goal for you—it’s your baseline. You’re attracting rituals of richness, spaces of stillness, and beauty that asks for no applause. Expect your reality to reflect the softness you’ve sewn. Gold robes. Sweet oils. Invitations that feel like altars.

5. The Divine Feminine Seal (Upright)

There is a mark on your aura now—cosmic royalty. You’ve crossed a threshold of self-devotion that cannot be reversed. You do not compete. You magnetize. And the world is adjusting its rhythm to match your still, sovereign beat.

Whispers from Spirit:

You were never meant to perform power—you were meant to pulse with it. Your allure isn’t about allure—it’s about alignment. People are magnetized to you now not because you try—but because you don’t chase. Your glow is not commercial. It’s celestial.

Expect:

• Invitations to luxurious events that feel strangely fated

• Recognition in private rooms you didn’t know you were being watched from

• Opportunities to lead from stillness, not spectacle

Body Confirmations:

• A tingling in your lower spine: root chakra renewal

• Sleepiness after making empowered decisions

• Craving silence, silk, incense, and water

• Dreams of floating, flying, or ancient wind goddesses touching your hair

Magnetic Emotion:

Reverent detachment. That holy hush that follows someone who no longer explains her glow.

Your Aura Now Whispers:

“I am not a performance. I am a presence.”

“I no longer labor for light—I am light in leisure.”

“I am not resisting the wind. I am the wind.”

Confirmation Clues:

You’ll start to notice…

• Gold-threaded embroidery or fashion accents

• Wind chimes in random places

• Receiving gifts you didn’t ask for, but deeply needed

• The scent of rose, amber, or sandalwood arriving with no source

Final Transmission from the Divine:

You are now in your low-frequency high-value era. You are not loud. You are legendary. The wind doesn’t ask permission—it just moves. So do you. The invitations that are arriving? They are not random. They are responses to the frequency you’ve cultivated in private.

This pile is for the one who knows: divinity doesn’t need to be explained—it needs to be felt.

Comment if this pile hovered around your soul.

Reblog for blessings. Bookmark for remembrance.

Your softness is sacred, your silence is scripted in gold.

And baby? You’re already the wind.

If this reading moved through you like a hush of something sacred—don’t keep it to yourself. Reblog it as a ritual. Tag your softness-seeking soul sisters. Whisper it to the winds of your timeline. And when the stillness gets loud again, come back to this space and remember: You are not building an empire. You are the empire—healed, whole, and slow-blooming.

Channeled by Dior Harris.

Stay infinite. Stay divine.

À bientôt, mon ange.

[spectral-musette]

Instructions to the Mandalorian Protectors and Senate guards:

The delicate and intensive negotiations between the Republic’s emissary and the leader of the Council of Neutral Systems must take place in absolute privacy.

(Full version under the cut)

[now-you-sound-like-a-jedi]

Thinking about how Satine Kryze, founder of the Council of Neutral Systems, designated regent of 1500 star systems, would have been an invaluable asset to the Rebel Alliance.

And, pacifist or not, she absolutely would have joined it. Like, this woman was so angry over some children being poisoned that she burned a warehouse down and set up a whole plan to catch those responsible even if that meant putting herself in danger and arresting the head of her own cabinet. Can you imagine how she would react to Palpatine ordering the execution of the Jedi and demolishing galactic democracy? Satine would be up there with Bail Organa and Mon Mothma in the "powerful people who want Palpatine and his Empire to die" club.

I mean, she would be completely opposed to, say, Saw Gerrera's method of rebellion, but with her connections she'd have the whole intelligence-operation information-warfare thing down, and on that front at least she would definitely not be pulling any punches.

[hrizantemy]

Hi! Can we talk about how INSANE Nesta’s “choices” were in ACOSF. Either inprisonment or to the HUMAN LANDS??? At that point I truly wondered if Feyre really loves Nesta like she does because what kind of options is that.

It makes me feel as if Feyre couldn’t contextualize what Nesta was going through, despite going through it herself. I was discussing in your latest chapter about the fact that it is truly disturbing just how Feyre’s self centered truly dehumanizes everyone around her.

Your chapter ( beautifully written btw🥰) perfectly highlights the dangers that were potentially awaiting Nesta. Feyre and Rhysand with all the resources that are available to them, chose those options for the ‘High Lady’s’ sister. Please. Just say that you hate her and move on.

-Nadia

Hi! First of all, thank you so much for your kind words about the chapter — I’m really glad it resonated with you! Now, let’s absolutely unpack this, because you’ve touched on something that has bothered me since my first read of ACOSF — and when you view Nesta’s “choices” through a legal and rehabilitation lens, it becomes even more disturbing.

The Illusion of Choice: Legally and Ethically Corrupt

Let’s call this what it is: Feyre and Rhysand didn’t offer Nesta a choice — they issued a coerced ultimatum. From any modern legal standpoint, this is a gross abuse of power, both as family and as political rulers.

Nesta isn’t just Feyre’s sister — she’s a war veteran. She fought in the front lines during the war against Hybern. She’s someone who suffered unimaginable trauma, including sexual assault, war crimes, and the aftermath of being Made against her will. In any society with a functioning legal or ethical system, veterans are entitled to care, not punishment.

If a modern government told a returning soldier, “You can either be exiled to a hostile land where you’re hated and hunted, or be forcibly confined and monitored until you ‘behave,’” there would be international outrage. That’s a violation of human rights — or in this case, fae rights.

You cannot penalize someone for how they cope with PTSD, grief, or trauma simply because it’s “inconvenient” or doesn’t fit your image of recovery.

Exiling a War Veteran: A Legal and Moral Atrocity

Sending Nesta to the human lands wasn’t just cruel — it was negligent endangerment. Feyre and Rhys knew exactly what awaited her:

• Hostility toward Fae, especially a powerful female Fae.

• No social support, no protection, no resources.

• Essentially, a death sentence through abandonment.

If we frame this through legal terms, this would be akin to banishing a vulnerable citizen to a known dangerous environment without due process, trial, or any formal legal proceeding. There’s no council vote, no legal counsel for Nesta, no neutral party advocating for her rights. It’s pure authoritarian rule disguised as familial intervention.

And remember — this is the High Lady and High Lord using state power to punish a private citizen because they didn’t like how she was grieving.

Forced Confinement = Illegal Detention

The “rehabilitation” in the House of Wind wasn’t rehabilitation at all. There were no healers specialized in trauma, no consent-based therapy, no structured mental health program. It was:

• Isolation

• Surveillance by biased parties (Cassian & Azriel)

• Forced labor disguised as training

• Emotional manipulation framed as ‘tough love’

In legal terms? That’s unlawful detention and psychological coercion. Nesta was stripped of her autonomy under the guise of “help,” when in reality, it was about silencing her, controlling her, and making her palatable to the IC’s standards.

If this were real life, Feyre and Rhys would be facing massive lawsuits for abuse of power, unlawful imprisonment, and negligence.

The Hypocrisy of Feyre’s Trauma Response

You nailed it when you said Feyre couldn’t contextualize Nesta’s trauma — but I’d argue Feyre refused to. Feyre was allowed to process her trauma in a way that earned her praise. She became the “strong survivor,” the perfect High Lady who buried her pain to serve others.

Nesta didn’t conform to that narrative. She externalized her pain, didn’t hide it, and didn’t care to perform gratitude for surviving horrors she never asked for. That made her inconvenient.

It’s disturbing how Feyre, someone who knows what it feels like to be locked up (Spring Court), isolated, and stripped of agency, turns around and does the same to her sister. But this time, with state-sanctioned authority.

Just Say You Hate Her… Because You Do

You’re absolutely right. If Feyre and Rhysand had simply admitted:

“Nesta embarrasses us. She’s a liability to our image, and we’d rather control or discard her than actually help her,”

— it would’ve been more honest.

Because this isn’t love. Love doesn’t come with ultimatums. Love doesn’t exile you for grieving wrong. Love doesn’t imprison you until you become more “acceptable.”

Final Thoughts

From a legal, moral, and rehabilitative standpoint, Feyre and Rhysand’s treatment of Nesta is indefensible. It’s a terrifying example of how power — both political and familial — can be weaponized to erase those who don’t conform.

Nesta wasn’t given a chance to heal. She was given two forms of punishment, disguised as mercy.

Thank you so much for this ask! These are the conversations that need to be had when we critically engage with stories like ACOSF. I’m always here to dive deeper into these dynamics — and again, I truly appreciate your support and thoughtful insight!

[grumpy-tooka]

Headcanon about Anakin and the other Jedi

They’ve all heard of him, firstly as the kid too old that Qui-Gon insisted to form, then as the chosen one and after as the padawan of the famous Sith slayer Obi-Wan Kenobi

But later they’ve heard of him for… other reasons, he disobeyed orders and Obi-Wan spent all his time complaining about how hard it was to teach him

(Im sure one day, another knight or padawan who knew Anakin a little bit started complaining about him in front of Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan got mad because of it, he’s the only one who can say Ani is a piece of shit, big brother privilege thank you very much)

And all of this is true, he was annoying as a teenager and never followed orders and never shut his mouth (Obi-Wan never showed a great exemple for the last part tho)

But when they actually meet him in the war, when he’s a knighted Jedi, they discover one by one that yes he’s got a problem with orders but mostly because he always wants to save more men than what the orders are saying, yes he never shuts up, but he’s actually funny (he learnt from Obi-Wan, that much is sure) and even if he’s not a traditional Jedi, most of them end up liking him

Mace Windu on Malastare appreciates Anakin’s ideas to neutralize the Zillo beast without killing it or provoking a diplomatic incident

Luminara Unduli approves most of his strategies on Geonosis to distract the droid army from their padawan

Adi Gallia is impressed by his skills and his humor when they try to catch Grievous in the Saleucami system

Yoda even asks for his help to escape the Jedi council (let’s disobey order with my great great grandpadawan hehehe)

[ficretus]

COUNCIL OF CIN-DERES

*Inside of Cinder's head, some time in the future*

Cinder: I called for this meeting because I require an advice regarding something.

Kuudere Cinder: Meeting after all this time.

Tsundere Cinder: Pfff, as if I care. Didn't you replace us with that girl, what was her name?

Himedere Cinder: Emma I believe. Although I have a trouble remembering commoner's names, not that I care.

Cinder: It's Emerald you stuck up brat. Why do I have a Schnee inside of my head? Either way, Emerald won't give me an advice, so I called for you. Happy?

Dandere Cinder: Y-yes.

Himedere Cinder: So you called for us because Emily was busy? How insulting.

Tsundere Cinder: Well she sucked at her job anyway. Never cared about her.

Nyandere Cinder: I do nyat believe you.

Tsundere Cinder: Oh shut up.

Kuudere Cinder: I can see your reasoning. Emerald would just nod her head at everything and call it brilliant.

Kamidere Cinder: Flaw of lesser beings. Admiration is emotion furthest from understanding. Now regarding the plan to take every single power in the universe, I've made a simplified graph that even some of you could understand.

Nyandere Cinder: Nyat cool.

Cinder: We are no longer doing that.

Kamidere Cinder: What do you mean we are no longer doing that?

Kuudere Cinder: She changed her mind, she is now pining over a boy.

Kamidere Cinder: How does that factor in our plans?

Tsundere Cinder: It doesn't, she fell in love with that Arc loser.

Himedere Cinder: Could be worse, at least his family is famous.

Kamidere Cinder: *ascends to the sky* In that case I'm leaving this meeting. Farewell Cinder council... you were interesting for a while.

Kuudere Cinder: Well, that's Kamidere gone and Deredere didn't show up.

Cinder: Either way, I have a question regarding Jaune Arc. He helped me overcome my traumas and for whatever reason, forgave me for everything I've done.

Tsundere Cinder: What a dumbass.

Cinder: But now I'm confused about what are we. Are we acquaintances, friends, or perhaps something more. I'm afraid to ask him that so I want your advice.

Yandere Cinder: Have you tried stabbing people around him?

Dandere Cinder: T-that's bad.

Kuudere Cinder: Last time I checked he hated us for doing that.

Yandere Cinder: On the contrary. We got everything we ever wanted by doing that. Freedom, Maiden power and now *licks her lips* Darling Jaune.

Nyandere Cinder: She is kind of right. It got us out of Glass Unyacorn.

Himedere Cinder: Ask one of your servants to do it, don't dirty your hands. Mark or Emerson should be able to do it.

Cinder: I veto that. We are not stabbing anyone. Question is should I ask him out or not?

Dandere Cinder: Ask him.

Nyandere Cinder: Ask Nyarc out.

Yandere Cinder: Asking? When did that ever work?

Himedere Cinder: Don't ask him. Arc boy should ask you. In fact, he should beg.

Tsundere Cinder: Don't bother, he is beneath us.

Kuudere Cinder: I'm neutral.

Cinder: It seems majority is against. Well in that case...

Nyandere Cinder: Wait, I wanyant Kuudere and Tsundere to vote againya.

Tsundere Cinder: I don't remember asking your opinion you stupid cat.

Kuudere Cinder: Sigh... fine. *raises her hand in favor*

Tsundere Cinder: Grrrrr, fine. *raises her hand in favor*

Cinder: Oh, it seems majority is in favor now.

Kuudere Cinder: *giggles*

Tsundere Cinder: *blushing* What's so funny you frigid bitch?

Himedere Cinder: Ah, it appears democracy proves itself to be inferior system yet again. Do what you want commoners.

Cinder: Now that's decided, I'm returning to my body.

Kuudere Cinder: Returning? Who did you leave in charge?

Cinder: Oh no...

*in real world*

Jaune: I'm telling you Ren, Cinder has been acting weird this afternoon.

Ren: What do you mean?

Deredere Cinder: Uwu! I vuw you Jaune!

[yonglix8i8]

Enemy Kim Seungmin x fem!reader

Enemies to lovers

Warnings: no warnings

Summary: Two student council rivals gradually develop a deeper connection, realizing their rivalry was a mask for mutual affection.

wc: 1,384

•┈┈┈••✦ ♡ ✦••┈┈┈•

The fluorescent lights of the university library hummed, a stark contrast to the simmering tension that crackled between you and Kim Seungmin. You were hunched over a precarious stack of textbooks, your brow furrowed in concentration as you highlighted passages for your upcoming political science exam. He, naturally, had chosen the table directly across from yours, his presence an unwelcome distraction in your already stressful week.

Your rivalry with Seungmin had begun the moment you both declared your candidacy for student council president. It wasn't a malicious animosity, not initially. It was the fierce, unwavering conviction that your vision for the university was superior to his, and vice versa. Debates had turned heated, polite disagreements had morphed into pointed barbs, and a competitive spirit had solidified into a genuine, albeit grudging, dislike.

He cleared his throat, the sound deliberately loud. You refused to meet his gaze, pretending to be engrossed in a particularly dense chapter on electoral systems.

"Having trouble understanding the intricacies of power dynamics?" he drawled, a smirk evident in his voice even without you looking at him.

You finally lifted your head, your eyes narrowing. "Unlike some, Seungmin, I actually read the material instead of just relying on charm and empty promises."

A flash of annoyance crossed his usually composed features. "Empty promises? My platform is built on tangible improvements for the student body, not idealistic fantasies."

"Idealistic?" you scoffed, pushing a stray strand of hair from your face. "Wanting to make this campus more inclusive and sustainable isn't idealistic, it's necessary. Something you wouldn't understand with your focus solely on… what was it again? More vending machines?"

He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Improving student amenities is hardly a trivial matter. And at least my proposals are realistic and achievable."

This was your typical interaction. A constant push and pull, a battle of wits and ideologies played out in hushed library corners and crowded lecture halls. Yet, beneath the sharp edges of your words, there was an undeniable awareness of each other. You noticed the way his brow furrowed in concentration when he was truly engaged in his studies, the subtle curve of his lips when he landed a particularly clever point in a debate, the way his fingers tapped a restless rhythm against his notebook when he was deep in thought. He, you suspected, had his own observations about you – your unwavering passion, your quick intellect, the way your eyes lit up when you spoke about things you cared about.

One particularly grueling evening, the library was nearly empty. You were both wrestling with a particularly challenging essay prompt on political polarization. Frustration was mounting, and you let out a sigh that was louder than intended.

Seungmin looked up, his expression surprisingly neutral. "Stuck?"

You hesitated, your pride warring with your exhaustion. "Just… this concept is a bit convoluted."

He nodded slowly. "I get it. It's a tricky one." To your surprise, he pushed his own notes across the table. "Maybe looking at my outline will help. It's just a different way of structuring the argument."

You stared at the neatly organized points, a flicker of something unfamiliar stirring within you. "Why… why are you helping me?"

A shrug. "We're both going to be graded on this. No point in both of us failing because of one difficult concept."

You cautiously took his notes, your fingers brushing his briefly. A strange warmth spread through you. As you scanned his outline, you had to admit, his approach was insightful. He had a knack for breaking down complex ideas into digestible parts.

"This… this actually makes a lot of sense," you admitted, feeling a grudging respect bloom within you.

He offered a small, almost shy smile. "Glad it helps."

For the next hour, an unspoken truce settled between you. You discussed the essay, bouncing ideas off each other, challenging each other's assumptions in a way that felt productive rather than antagonistic. You discovered a shared passion for dissecting intricate arguments, a mutual drive for intellectual rigor that had been overshadowed by your political rivalry.

As the library lights began to dim, signaling closing time, you gathered your belongings. You handed back his notes. "Thank you, Seungmin. Really."

"Yeah," he replied, his gaze lingering on yours for a moment longer than necessary. "Maybe… maybe we could do this again sometime? Just… for study purposes, of course."

A small smile played on your lips. "Of course."

The study sessions became a regular occurrence. You found yourselves seeking each other out in the library, the initial awkwardness dissolving into comfortable camaraderie. You still debated, your political views often clashing, but now there was a layer of understanding, a willingness to see the other's perspective. You learned about his pragmatic approach to problem-solving, his quiet dedication to the causes he believed in. He, in turn, seemed to appreciate your passionate idealism, your unwavering commitment to your principles.

One rainy afternoon, you were both huddled under the shelter of a bus stop after a particularly long study session. The conversation had drifted from political theory to more personal topics – your anxieties about the future, his dreams of making a tangible difference in the world.

"You know," he said, his voice soft against the drumming rain, "for someone who constantly argues against my every point, you're actually… surprisingly easy to talk to."

A warmth spread through your chest. "The feeling's mutual, Seungmin. Despite your… unwavering belief in the superiority of vending machines."

He chuckled, a genuine, unguarded sound that sent a shiver down your spine. "Hey, a well-placed snack can solve a lot of problems."

You laughed, the sound blending with the rain. An unexpected silence fell between you, a silence that felt different from the tense ones you used to share. It was charged, expectant. You glanced at him, and he was already looking at you, his eyes holding a depth you hadn't noticed before.

The animosity that had once defined your interactions had slowly, almost imperceptibly, transformed into something else. The competitive fire hadn't completely extinguished, but it had been banked, replaced by a flickering ember of mutual respect, admiration, and now, something undeniably more.

He reached out, his hand gently brushing against yours. A jolt of electricity shot through you. You didn't pull away.

"You know," he said, his voice barely a whisper, "maybe our initial… disagreements… were just a way of masking… something else."

Your heart pounded in your chest. You met his gaze, your own emotions reflected in his dark eyes. The rain continued to fall, washing away the last vestiges of your animosity, leaving behind a raw, undeniable connection.

"Maybe," you breathed, your fingers intertwining with his. The enemy across the table was no longer an adversary. He was something far more complicated, far more intriguing. And as you stood there, hand in hand, under the shelter of the bus stop, you knew this was just the beginning of a completely different kind of feeling. Not hate, but more so love.

•┈┈┈••✦ ♡ ✦••┈┈┈•

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˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Tags:

[dinoformer]

Can you perhaps do Optimus x Cybertronian reader where reader is already stayed on earth far longer than Optimus? They're not an autobot nor a decepticon, they don't side with anyone. They just want to enjoy earth in peace without thinking about war. Heck, they maybe don't give a shit about who's good and who's bad, they just don't care about anything besides themselves.

And maybe they met Optimus before he became Optimus prime, when he's still Orion pax. And they have a little reunion as an old friend.

How have you been?

GN, Jazz dies, angst maybe.

-

They met Optimus during his time as Orion Pax working in the Iacon hall of records, they were assigned to keep him in check along with Jazz. Sometimes they indulged him by having debates regarding equal freedom for all cybertronians and the current state of the gladiators of Kaon.

With time they found a friend in each other and Orion Pax trusted that they were going to aid with his plan of meeting the gladiator Megatronus.

“Orion, I don’t think we should to Kaon just to meet this Megatronus” they warned him “all we really know about him is that he is the top gladiators over there and not to mention that Kaon is not the safest place to visit.”

“We need him if we want to help the people from Cybertron.”

Orion was set of meeting his future ally. Megatronus became an important member of their group- a brother- Orion and him were usually planning on how to change the system while they just accompanied them during the long solar cycles.

It was until Megatronus started changing, he become more hostile towards them and Orion, he was set of taking over the government no matter what and after the incident at the High Council he left them. Like they meant nothing to him.

They continued to support Orion but with each casualty they distanced themself from his cause, they did want this war or choosing sides.

So, when Orion became Optimus Prime, he put all his focus on trying to reason with Megatron and his decepticons even if it ended in a fight.

That is why they was never really a member of the Autobots, they considered themself more of a neutral bot even when Optimus keep trying to convince them to join his team.

It was not until another fight between the two groups broke out, one of the worst battles they had to endure. They had watched their comrades fall one by one, many of their closest friends dying on the battlefield, but for them time stopped when they were to witness Jazz taking his last glance at them before being offlined by a decepticon. It broke them, Jazz dying broke them, and they did not know what to do.

They could not save him, and it was all in their head now, they started having corrupted thoughts and blamed Optimus for this. Jazz and every autobot was fight under his leadership so why did he let them down.

They wanted to end it all and leaving Cybertron was their only option, they need to get away.

“This is it Optimus, I can’t keep fighting anymore” they said while preparing their spaceship for their departure. “I don’t want to be part of this war.”

“You can’t give up now, what about our goal” he tried to reason.

“Your dream, Prime, not mine” they said looking at him. “You have to change people first before changing the system and right now everyone is so ready to kill each other.”

“Where will you go?”

“I don’t know but I will be fine so don’t look for me” they reassured him. “Until we meet again, Optimus Prime” they extended their servo.

They landed on planet earth without any plan of how to survive among organics, but they managed.

They got their vehicle form from and abandoned Pontiac solstice they found and starter their travels around earth. They visited many places and dedicated their time to discover organic life form that they never thought existed, their personal favorite being the mountain lions which is why they found themselves driving around the desert of Jasper-Nevada.

They have been following a mountain lion for a few hours because they wanted to pet it, and they almost did it if it was not for a big cybertronian starlight them both.

“It seems like you need to work on being aware of your surroundings, my old friend.”

“That’s what living in peace does to a bot, Optimus” they turned around annoyed. “You scared my new pet.”

“So, this is the planet you decided escape to.”

“Well, not what I had in mind, but I love it here, I found the peace I needed after everything” they did not want to remember their last time at Cybertron, it was still a sore spot for them.

“I glad you are ok” he said as the ground bridge opened behind him.

“It seems I am needed somewhere else, but you are always welcome at our base” he finished by patting their shoulder before going into the portal.

Maybe is they will visit the Autobots, maybe what they needs is to have a proper reunion with Optimus just like during the old simple days of laughing around Iacon hall of records.

-----

Please let me know if there are any grammatical errors, English is not my first language.

Send character suggestions.

[seat-safety-switch]

Recently, I was watching my cousin Neutral's dog, when he ate a whole pile of iron supplements. The dog, not the cousin. This would not ordinarily be a problem, except that I live next to a junkyard that still have a 1950s-style cartoon electromagnet in operation.

As you might expect, Rover (not his real name) was stuck up there for a really long time, until I was able to negotiate with the crane operator for his safe release. What price was on Rover's head? Paying their inflated rates for an alternator. I mean, fifty bucks for an 80-amp? This is robbery, I bitched, while trying to get the charge reduced to "some overpriced dashboard trim." Under duress, I paid it, and the dog was fine.

Of course, the true junkyard connoisseur can always make a silk purse out of a dog's ransom. When I selected my alternator, I got smart: I looked at all the terrible, holed-out hoopties and picked the one with an electrical fire in the interior. That can only mean one thing: poorly-installed giant subwoofers. And those babies need juice. Suddenly, I was walking out of there with an "80 amp" alternator that could produce four times that amount of jam, thanks to a heinously sketchy rewind courtesy of our town's least reputable stereo store.

You wouldn't expect such a prize to leave the junkyard uncontested. The crane operator immediately realized the scam I was pulling as I tried to pass off a chrome-plated, water-cooled thing of beauty (with a bunch of random chisel marks as I tried to force it off the tensioner) and started to blather about changing the deal. No dice: even dog-kidnapping junkyards have a moral code, I explained to him, and surely he wouldn't want me to bring it forth to The Council.

Anyway, I turned it into a go-kart motor and gave it to the neighbourhood kids. Alternators are kind of a fad, anyway: all you need to run a car's electrical system is to occasionally rotate a large ferrous object through some magnets. Rover is really good at "roll over," and as long as he doesn't hear that as "play dead," he should be able to at least keep the lights on, which will save me a lot of money in batteries too.

[split-spectrum]

Water and Rock

Chapter 16

Pairings: Obi Wan/FemReader

Warnings/Tags: angst

Description: There are only so many excuses a master and padawan can make to kiss under "extenuating circumstances" before circumstances stop arising and start being created. You are an expert at your craft - a Jedi knight in service as a spy for the Republic. When your former master Obi Wan joins you on a mission, it's clear things aren't the same as they once were. The trials you face together may break your bond, or turn it into something else entirely.

☆☆☆

Obi Wan wakes ten minutes before his alarm. As always.

He resets the chrono for tomorrow, silently eases from his bed, and prepares for morning meditations. Coruscant's sun won't rise for another hour. He prefers to meditate in the dark whenever possible, leaving the least opportunity for distraction. When he passes the mirror in the main living space of his quarters, only the shadows look back.

Settling himself into a seated position in the middle of his floor, Obi Wan's hands find their places at the tops of his knees without any guidance from him. His body fades into the background, making space for his mind.

He normally doesn't tend to use mantras, but today Obi Wan's mind is fixed on words from long ago.

"You must allow the Force to guide you, my apprentice. Never presume to know the path that lies ahead." 

He turns them over and over in his head. He listens to them, inspects them, considers them, until the quiet hour has ended.

He's still picturing the day Qui Gon said them as he steps into the refresher, steam filling the air.

"To be a Jedi is trust in the Force, above all else."

"Yes, Master."

"Sometimes, the Force may lead us to unexpected places. But it will never lead us astray."

"I understand."

He'd received a kind smile. "Do you, Obi Wan?"

A tilt of Obi Wan's head. "Master?"

As Obi Wan finishes dressing and clips his lightsaber to his side, he wonders what Qui Gon would think of him now.

"One day, you may find yourself in a position to follow the wisdom of the Jedi order, or the will of the Force. And you must never confuse the two."

Obi Wan had done his best to maintain a neutral expression, despite yet another lesson in defying the council. "Are they not one and the same?"

He'd tried to hide his frustration when Qui Gon had given a sly smile. "Many believe so. But you are much wiser than that, my young apprentice."

Obi Wan grimaces, thinking back on his own arrogance. He'd always hated when his master had talked like that. It had seemed to him that he'd been speaking from a lack of respect. Maybe even a lack of discipline. But in truth, Qui Gon had been preparing him to understand not only that the council wasn't infallible, but that the Force didn't require him to be a perfect Jedi in order to be good.

He runs a hand through the running water of his sink, then flicks it through his hair, combing it back into place. If only he could ask his master whether the council was following the right path now.

As he looks into the mirror, though, he knows given the chance, he would only have one question to ask. And it wouldn't be about the council. It would be about you.

Since your return to Coruscant, you've been all he can think about. He'd known he would inevitably gravitate back to you.

No - not just since your return.

The truth had been buried inside him since Ilum. Even as he'd left you standing there in the snow, he'd felt it. He'd known it wouldn't be the last time. The burning ache he'd felt that day had been branded into his bones. It's a part of him, now.

But had it burned brighter than the revolutions of a thousand subjugated star systems throughout the galaxy? Did it ache deeper than the pain wracking through the Force from those who suffered and died at the hands of the Separatists?

He known the answer then. And he'd known the answer as he'd held you in his arms, breaking his own heart along with his sacred vows in this very temple.

And as he smooths the collar of his robe, sunlight beginning to spill through the edge of his window, Obi Wan knows the answer still. He knows it clearly. He knows it will not change.

--

"You may open your eyes."

The man you know as the brother calls you back from the abyss, and you return to him, emerging from deep meditation. The Force is thick, syrupy-sweet around you, and it softens his voice in your ears.

"You have made a strong connection with the Force. For the final step, you must remain open. Do not close yourself off; do not be afraid of what you feel."

Your answer stays at the tip of your tongue. You want to answer that Jedi do not fear. But you know better.

It's been a long night, drifting in and out of consciousness; of reality. You're exhausted in every sense of the word. He's pushed you to what you'd thought to be your limit, and surpassed it many times. And now, as the sun begins to crest over the temple, you sit at the feet of your guide, feeling like a padawan again, and letting his words penetrate you deeply, ready for whatever comes next.

Slowly, he reaches out and touches the pad of his finger to your forehead, between your eyebrows.

Instantly, you have the feeling of going over a steep drop, your stomach rising and your breath leaving you. Your chest flutters, then begins to heave, feeling full to the point of bursting. Your eyes fall closed again as you concentrate on keeping your connection to the Force open while the channel of energy seeps out of your chest and starts to fill the rest of your body.

You feel like a vessel that had never known it was empty. There are spaces inside you that you'd never known existed, and now they're awakening, burning, thrumming with life. It's at once liberating and terrifying. It's almost too much to bear.

You look back up at the man standing over you, watching with curious eyes. You want to beg him to ease your pain - to take some of this power from you before it overwhelms. But you know that's not how this works. Slowly, you start to come to grips with yourself, feeling the energy coursing through you in waves, and you manage to break the surface, controlling it more than it controls you.

"That's it. Good," he coos. "Tell me, how do you feel?"

"I..." You swallow. "I feel..." Struggling between keeping your focus and trying to find the right words, you catch your breath for a moment before you finally answer.

"Whole."

He grins broadly. "Yes. Now you see."

You nod, not really able to hear him clearly. But he's right. You do see. For the first time, you finally feel what has been promised to you all your life: You are at one with the Force.

"Our work here is complete. Now you may rest, and prepare yourself for the task ahead."

Coming back to yourself, you shake your head, looking at the ground. "No, I- I can't. I have work to do."

"Your work will soon come to an end, when you discover the identity of the Sith lord."

All at once, your mind is focused, sharpened to a single point. "A Sith lord?"

He nods once, tucking his arms behind his back. "He is the true danger to your master, and indeed to the Jedi themselves. And he will reveal himself soon enough."

Reeling, you still can't take it in. "How... how can I know that what you're saying is true?"

He raises one eyebrow, as if he'd expected the question, and suddenly before your waking eyes, a vision appears.

Obi Wan, bent backward, hand at his throat as a shimmering, hazy being presses a lightsaber down, down, down.

Obi Wan, choking on the fumes of molten lava, sweat pouring down his face as he fights off blow after blow, desperately trying to stay on his feet despite the raw power of his opponent.

Obi Wan, anguished, screaming into the darkness...

You pinch your brow, turning away as you watch tears fill his eyes. When you look back, the image is gone.

Somehow, you know that it isn't fabricated. Just like Utapau, you just know it's real. You felt it. And just like Utapau, it cannot be allowed to happen.

"Who is he?" you ask, all of your previously rampant, unrestrained power squeezed down, pressed inside yourself as you hold your breath for his reply.

His easy expression hardens, glowing red stare going cold and empty.

"That is not yet clear to me, my child. You must wait. We must both... have patience."

--

"Master Kenobi."

Ki-Adi-Mundi greets Obi Wan amicably as he takes his seat for the council meeting. Obi Wan bows his head slightly and begins to greet him back, but the conversation ends before it starts. Yoda's opening remarks are already beginning as the other masters quickly take their seats.

Meetings over the last few days have been short and urgent, but the immediacy suits Obi Wan just fine today. He has no desire to exchange pleasantries; his thoughts have been distracted by Anakin from the moment he'd seen him this morning.

Since his appointment to the council and subsequent dispute over his failure to attain the rank of master, Anakin's mood has seemed darker than ever. He's quiet, his expression is blank, and his eyes are hollow. Obi Wan fights the urge to bring the back of his hand to his lips and drag it along his mustache. He couldn't be more obvious about his concern for Anakin, and he doesn't need his nervous tic to set him off.

As the discussion goes on, Obi Wan feels a strange unease settle over him. Master Windu mentions that a speaker is needed to represent the Jedi for a special session of the senate. A request has been made to share the Jedi perspective on the Outer Rim sieges. Obi Wan tenses, though he doesn't know why.

"This is a voluntary duty. If you have any interest, please speak with Senator Bail Organa."

It's a simple task that could be delegated to any experienced Jedi Knight. But since the battlefront has expanded swiftly in recent months, it's unlikely any experienced knight can be spared, and likely that no one - master, knight or even padawan - will volunteer to step away from the fight for a series of speeches.

Yet, it's an opportunity to stay on Coruscant for at least the next few days, to stay close to Anakin and Palpatine, and possibly, to abide the only thing you've ever asked of him: To stay away from Utapau.

"I will go." Obi Wan finds himself speaking the words, as a surprised silence holds the council chambers suddenly still. "I will speak with Senator Organa this afternoon."

The holo-image of Master Yoda raises a brow and lets out a humph. "Feeling well, are you, young Obi Wan?"

Suppressing his unease, he lofts his chin and answers steadily, "There are several senators who have been hesitant in providing aid where it is needed, and I would like the chance to speak with them."

Anakin's eyes had been following each speaker looking somewhat detached, up until now. Obi Wan can feel the younger man's gaze sharpen, suddenly boring into him from across the room. He shifts a glance out the transparisteel window, then looks back at Yoda, avoiding Anakin altogether.

"Very well," Yoda acknowledges, bobbing his head just once, slowly. "To the senate, Master Kenobi will report. Concludes local assignments, this does. Now, young Skywalker, news to share, have you?"

Flicking his attention back to the rest of the room and finally away from Obi Wan, Anakin straightens up a bit. "Yes, Master. Chancellor Palpatine has informed me of a possible location for General Grievous."

Now it was Obi Wan's turn to look surprised. Why Palpatine would have such knowledge before the council was beyond his understanding.

Master Plo seems to share the same thought. "Our reports on Grievous's whereabouts have been vague and inconclusive. How has the chancellor come into this new information?"

"The port administrator of Pau City sent out a call for aid after his entire administration was taken hostage."

Master Mundi's bushy brows flare upward. "Palpatine thinks General Grievous is on Utapau?"

The sound of the word forms a fist that grabs Obi Wan's insides and twists.

"A partial message was intercepted in a diplomatic packet from the chairman of Utapau," Anakin explains.

A logical reason for Palpatine to have first access to the information. But Obi Wan can hardly focus on the reasoning for anything right now.

Grievous.

He'll be weak. Especially with the demise of Count Dooku. Obi Wan feels a sudden wellspring of hope despite the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He would never have committed to staying on Coruscant if he had known.

"Act on this we must," Yoda's glowing visage asserts. "The capture of General Grievous will end this war. Quickly and decisively, we should proceed."

"The chancellor has requested..." Anakin's eyes dip away briefly before he seems to brace himself. "...that I lead the campaign."

"The council will make up its own mind who is to go. Not the chancellor," Master Windu is quick to respond.

"A master is needed," Yoda affirms, "with more experience."

"I concur," Ki-Adi-Mundi adds. He almost glances in Obi Wan's direction but seems to remember himself, turning toward Mace instead. "Master Windu should go."

Mace nods solemnly, and Obi Wan nearly opens his mouth to respond. But to say what? To do what?

Is this the will of the Force? Or his own desires fighting it?

No - the question is more simple than that: Does he trust you?

The moment passes.

"I agree," comes the slightly tinny, electronic sound of Yoda's voice.

"Aye."

"Aye."

The response is unanimous.

"Very well," says Master Windu. "Council adjourned."

Obi Wan can feel the shroud of fate enclosing the room as Mace stands to leave, likely to prepare for his departure. But nothing is sealed, yet.

"Master Windu," Obi Wan calls after him, the older man turning back to meet him in the long hallway outside the council chambers. "Please; a moment."

Mace regards him with a look of urgency, and Obi Wan can't blame him. This is the final break in the war they may all have been waiting for. There isn't a moment to spare. He'll have to convince him that this is worth the time.

"I believe you may be headed into grave danger," he says, lowering his voice as they step off to the side. When Mace lifts his eyebrows, as if to say 'what gave it away?' Obi Wan presses his lips into a firm line, resetting his approach. "More danger than can usually be expected from Grievous."

Mace drops his sardonic expression. "What makes you say that?"

"My former padawan. She's been having visions of Utapau."

When Mace responds by saying your name questioningly, Obi Wan tries to ignore the way his heartbeat quickens at the sound of it, and simply nods. "Yes. She was not able to share many details with me, but the Force seemed to be warning quite strongly. I think you should speak with her before you go."

Releasing a deep sigh from his chest, Mace seems to consider it. But they have known each other well, for many years. He knows Mace can feel his insistence, and the trust he's built with the man throughout their long friendship prevails.

"If you believe it will make a difference, I will see the Commander after I ready my troops."

Breathing a little easier, Obi Wan gives a respectful, grateful nod. "Thank you, Master."

Mace returns his nod, clasping his hands at his waist and adding as he turns to leave. "Though I can imagine she might be busy." He slides a look to the chambers just as Anakin exits alone, his dark form stalking off in the opposite direction.

"I assume your old padawan is hard at work keeping surveillance on mine."

"Right," Obi Wan concedes, eyes following Anakin as well. "For this, I am sure she will find the time."

--

Your commlink chimes. A light flashes against the wall where it sits, out of reach.

You trade a look between your teacher and your commlink, and he gives a vaguely permissive tilt of his chin. You stand, pressing the button to answer.

"Did you know?" comes the immediate question, Obi Wan's voice strained. "Did you know who was... there, when you asked me not to go?"

His emphasis tells you what he's talking about, and reminds you that no recorded line is currently safe. So you keep your answer short and to the point, after a second's hesitation. "No."

As you turn back to face the man in your quarters, you see nothing. He's dissipated beyond your eyes and your senses. You're alone again.

"You're certain?"

"No," you answer more firmly, glad you can be honest with him, about this much, at least. There's a pause on the other end. "Obi Wan-"

"Is there anything at all that you aren't telling me about your visions?" he talks over you. "Were there any details you left out?"

Gripping the commlink, you find yourself leaning your body toward his voice. Despite the urgency of his question, hearing him helps you ground yourself. Refocusing, you concentrate on his questions. You desperately want to ask him who it is that's caused this sudden renewal of interest, but you know he can't give you a name at the moment.

"Why are you asking me this now?"

"Please, answer me."

You exhale, your pulse suddenly quickening. "Are you planning to go there?"

You can sense his frustration with you. He pauses again before giving in. "Not me. Master Windu. He plans to leave... very soon." A beat, as he presumably holds back further details. "But before he goes, I asked him to speak with you. Anything you can share might make a difference."

"I... see," you reply, carefully keeping the relief out of your voice.

"So, if there is anything you can remember, no matter how insignificant it might have seemed, you must tell him. Do you understand?"

"Yes." A sickly sweet feeling of alleviation, almost elation, flutters through your chest. "Yes, of course."

Someone is about to die on Utapau. And with your help, it won't be Obi Wan.

"I promise."

--

Before you had even ended your conversation with Obi Wan, there had been a knock at your door.

Your discussion with Master Windu had been short. You'd told him what you'd needed to.

And now, all that's left is to try and forget about it.

You try to forget the way he'd smiled at you, brown eyes soft and holding more hope than you'd seen in a long time.

You try not to think about the lightness in his step as he'd left your quarters, possibly for the last time.

Mace Windu's face as he'd thanked you for your guidance is only a distraction, now, and you need to put it out of your mind.

Besides, it's not hard to shift your guilt. You're in the midst of betraying another friend's trust at the moment, as you press a button to activate the sound on a live feed of a dingy little storage unit on one of the lower levels.

You'd snuck down there shortly after leaving the temple the previous day, knowing immediately that Anakin's speeder would provide one of the best locations for unfiltered information.

It had made you sick, punching in the code that you wish you hadn't memorized to a rusted-out keypad and invading what he'd probably believed to be his last private sanctuary. You shift in your seat, testing the sound quality of the feed as you remind yourself that this is all in an effort to prove Anakin's innocence. He'll understand when you tell him. Someday.

You refresh the connection to a few other feeds strategically placed in Anakin's ship and personal quarters. Normally, for a target with a possibility of multiple conspirators, you would use cams, too. A visual feed could be critical in identifying suspects.

But Anakin isn't just any target. He isn't one of the scheming Separatist traitors you're used to tracking, and putting cams in his personal quarters is a violation you aren't willing to commit. Not yet. Not unless absolutely necessary.

You check your commlink for the fifth time in as many minutes. It's not quite showtime yet. Anakin had spent the remainder of his morning in one of the tactical planning rooms with Rex, monitored at all times, and had met his master directly afterward, to see him off. Mace will be notifying you once they go their separate ways. For now, cycling your feeds is the only thing to do.

That, and wonder when - or if - your visitor from last night will return.

A new knock at your door almost makes you jump, pulling your thoughts to the present. You silence your equipment, dimming the screens to black and pulling a compartment built into the desk closed. Cautiously, you answer the door, making sure to keep it cracked only enough to see you, and not enough to seem like an invitation to come inside.

"I thought we might have some time to talk."

Obi Wan stands on the other side.

Your hand releases its grip on the door, letting it open. When the door closes, you turn to face him. You should have been expecting this. After all, he'd told you that you'd talk as soon as time allowed. You just hadn't wholly believed it.

"You kept your promise."

You don't know why your voice holds a slight note of bitterness. Perhaps you're still struggling to control your emotions, trying to get used to your new relationship with the Force. Perhaps it's just lack of sleep. But he gives you a curious look, then smiles faintly. "I always do. Even the ones I've promised not to make."

You bring your eyes up to his. "That's true."

"But I would still like to know why."

You glance down, taking a few steps away to unlock the compartment again and take your equipment back out. You should have known better. That's why he's here; he wants information.

"What do you mean?" you ask, sitting down.

He crosses room to look into your eyes. "Master Windu stopped by to speak with you, did he not?"

You nod along with the question, not willing to bridge the gap and give him more detail than he asks for.

"Then I imagine he told you the significance of Utapau. That General Grievous is rumored to be there?"

Your chest tightens. "Yes, he told me. I shared with him everything that I could. Which wasn't much, unfortunately."

"Is there anything you can tell me that you already haven't?"

You take in a breath, pretending to mull it over despite already knowing the answer you'll give. Then you shake your head. "Not really. The only thing I can say is that the same feeling doesn't seem to apply with anyone but you."

"The same feeling? What feeling?"

"Of... failure," you lie, steeling your nerves as he stares down at you. It wasn't failure you'd felt. It was death.

"And with Mace, this sense of failure is not there?"

"No," you lie, to protect him.

"You're certain there's nothing more you can tell me?"

"I'm sorry," you lie, putting out of your mind the dozens of details you could easily share. Location, weapon, angle of attack...

"No. There's nothing. I wish there was more."

His shoulders drop as he regards you a moment longer before sinking down onto the edge of your bed. He drags a hand down his face. You don't remember ever seeing him look so tired.

"I'm sorry," you say, catching yourself sounding more sincere this time.

His eyes soften, the dull ache behind them subdued while he looks at you. "No, don't be. You've done nothing wrong."

He seems to think for a moment, gazing through you.

When he doesn't speak again, you turn back to the screens in front of you and re-activate them. To fill the silence, you mumble, "Everything is in place, now. For Anakin, I mean. Audio recorders practically everywhere he goes."

Obi Wan blinks, as if coming back to the present. "'Practically'? You didn't place one on his person?"

You shake your head. "Too risky. In his robes, it could be left behind. His clothing changes. And in his lightsaber, I'm sure he would find it. I don't know how, but I just feel he would... know."

Obi Wan nods. "Yes, you're right. So where did you place them?"

"His ship and his personal quarters, of course. The chancellor's office. And..." You trail off suddenly, realizing you'd almost let it slip.

He tilts his head, reading you carefully. Then his eyes seem to sparkle when it occurs to him what you're holding back. "And his speeder?"

For an instant, you're speechless. Then you remember who you're dealing with, and wonder why you ever doubted that he would know. You give in, a smirk surprising you by easing its way out. "He said he never told you."

Obi Wan lifts his eyebrows. "Some time ago, I heard engines in the background of one of his calls. I thought he might have returned to the underground racing circuit again, and I followed him down to the storage levels. When I saw that he was only working on a speeder and not some... customized monstrosity, I decided to leave well enough alone."

Your smirk turns into a smile, thinking back to Anakin's younger days of sneaking off to the races, much to Obi Wan's dismay. You'd both agreed never to tell Anakin's master, so long as he never went there again. You had your suspicions that he'd never been caught there again, but he'd probably never really stopped until the war started monopolizing his free time.

"Well, you're right," you admit. "I have a tracker there, too. So now, it's just waiting. He's with Mace at the moment, but it shouldn't be much longer."

Obi Wan nods, watching your smile fade. He leans forward. "You are right to do this, you know."

Again, the tightness in your chest returns. You stare at him, not quite sure how to respond.

"The situation is..." He glances away. "Complicated."

You read his real meaning: The council is wrong.

"But," he continues, "you are the right person for this job. If someone must be responsible for finding the truth, as well as protecting Anakin, I am very glad it's you."

With the last of his words, he leans over and places his hand on your knee. In spite of the heaviness of the moment, you feel like you're glowing. But you can't bring yourself to reach out and touch his hand back. As much as you want to, it doesn't feel like something you deserve.

Obi Wan clears his throat, gently pulling back to stand up. You're both quiet - not because you don't want to speak, but because there is too much to say.

After a moment, he starts to gaze around the room, taking in your simple decor, and it occurs to you that this is the first time he's set foot in your quarters in years. The same thought seems to be playing over his features as he slides his palm along the top of the dresser near your bed.

"Do you remember moving that in here?" you ask.

He doesn't exactly smile, but his gaze lightens. "Remember? How could I forget?"

The dresser is far too large and takes up more space in the room than is practical. It had held all your toys as a youngling, and when you became a padawan it contained all your most precious belongings - clothing, books, and even a few pieces of jewelry. Your dresser had been one of the only constant items to follow you into adulthood.

When you'd moved out of your padawan's quarters to join the rest of the knights, you'd found your new quarters much smaller. Seeing how much it meant to you, your master had spent an afternoon disassembling the dresser and piecing it together in your new room. He'd helped you shuffle it into the corner where it sits now, resulting in no small number of bumps and bruises along the way. You might have used the Force to slide it into place, but the risk of damage to the dresser outweighed the benefit of protecting your shins.

"I walked with a limp for a week, as I recall."

With a tilt of your head, you smile. "Only because you wouldn't listen to my instructions."

"I shouldn't have allowed it in the first place. Jedi Knights are meant to use standard-issue furnishings."

You step beside him, crossing your arms and looking down at the dresser as well. "I'm grateful you did. It made me feel at home, when everything else had changed so suddenly."

"Perhaps feeling at home wasn't what you needed," he says, still staring down. "Perhaps it would have been better to teach you a lesson in attachment."

He looks so serious that you're suddenly overcome with the idea of cupping his face in your palm and kissing him. Instead, you just tell him quietly, "You were never such a cruel master as to teach me lessons I wasn't ready to learn."

He turns to look at you, but says nothing.

"You knew how to teach me, and met me where I was. I always appreciated that. And I think it was why you succeeded where others had failed me."

Your words don't seem to cheer him up. In fact, they seem to have the opposite effect. His eyes are so full of sorrow he looks ready to collapse where he stands.

"Obi Wan," you ask, worry starting to set in. "What is it?"

He seems to consider a long time before answering. Then, it's as if you can see a decision being made.

"If Master Windu succeeds," he begins slowly, "If Grievous is captured, the war could end in a matter of days."

It's a possibility that up until now, you've hardly let yourself conceptualize. But his words make it seem closer to the truth than ever before.

"There will still be much work to do, of course. But the transition to peace could be handled largely by the clones, once an agreement is reached. And the Jedi would no longer be an integral part of the military."

You nod, following his logic but unsure as to where he might be going.

"Yesterday, I came to realize something: I had been thinking of myself as two beings: One who walked the path of the Jedi, and one who..."

He trails off, staring intently at you, gaze steeped in emotion. You try to read him, but you can't. There is no opposite you can imagine to finish his sentence.

"One who longed to know another path."

Your breath stops. This can't be real.

"I had thought I could leave that part of me on Ilum, until... what happened between us yesterday showed me how wrong I was."

You swallow, shame fighting to burn as hot through your blood as the euphoria of hearing his confession.

"Yet, in a war, it made no difference. The right thing to do would be to-" He falters. Then he clears his throat and the words come out slowly and evenly. "To leave the Order. But I could not. Not when so many suffered."

"I..." Your voice cracks as you try to piece together what he's really saying. "I don't know what you're trying to tell me. You're leaving the Order?"

"The longer I stay, the more irresponsible it becomes to keep these secrets. If the fighting ends, I will tell the council I am no longer fit to serve."

There's a high-toned echo reverberating in your ears, as if you're crawling out from the rubble of a bomb being dropped.

"And- and go where? And do what?"

"I don't know," he admits. "I don't know what comes next. But there is a place on Saleucami - a small farm. I've always thought it was rather well-priced. I would not be disturbed, and could try to reconnect with the Force in peace."

You're quiet for a long beat. You don't want to ask the question, for a myriad of reasons. But you have to.

"Would I ever see you again?"

He smiles, very faintly. "If I am to find out what sort of Jedi I am, I must no longer turn away from these feelings. You would be most welcome to see me whenever you like."

Your heart seizes, pierced with a sudden joy so deep, so impossible, that it's painful.

He would welcome you. You could forge a new path, together, and away from everything that had ever kept you apart.

He's holding you gently in his gaze, waiting for you to respond, and you can only whisper, "And... when I come to see you..."

You close the distance between your bodies, trading shimmering glances between his beautiful, sorrow-filled eyes, his warm breath drawing you in.

"...yes?" he asks softly, encouraging you. It's half a question, half an invitation.

You brush your lips over his, feeling him open up and lean to the side. His mouth pushes back, his hand sliding up your cheek to rest behind your ear, his thumb at your cheekbone.

In the kiss, you can feel everything. The past and the future. The years spent at his side. The longing, heartbreak, and uncertainty. Disagreements, distance, and every other obstacle that had been placed between you. The thought of a life together. Warm sunrises spent in his arms. Time that's no longer stolen, but yours for the keeping.

When the kiss ends, you're left staring at him, breathless with unbridled happiness.

"If I were to-" you begin, about to spill everything - to tell him that without the war as an obligation, you would have left the order long ago. You want to tell him that if he invites you to visit, you'll never leave his side again.

But low voices begin to fill the room, and reality crashes down on you, forcing you to remember that everything is, right now, still hypothetical.

There is no certainty the war will end tomorrow. The only thing that is certain is that the war is still very real, today.

As Anakin's muffled voice comes through the recorder, you close your eyes, pulling back from Obi Wan's touch and exhaling through your nose. You still have your parts to play. For now, there's nothing more to talk about.

Obi Wan gives you the space to step away, blinking down at the floor and back up again, mask firmly in place once more as you pull up the screen to see which feed is active.

Glancing down at your commlink, you see that Mace had sent you a message several minutes ago. You hadn't even heard it. Anakin left the temple a long time ago.

You check the active feed. It's his speeder, and there is a softer, lighter voice joining his.

"Ani, it's perfect. But, you realize we already have mine? We have all the transportation we'll ever need, and in Naboo we'll have my parents-"

"On Naboo you'll have everything," Anakin interrupts. You turn your head for Obi Wan's reaction. He doesn't give one.

You've both gone stiff, frozen in place. It's one thing to suspect, but another to confirm with your own ears: Anakin is with Padmé. And within the simple exchange, it's already blatantly clear this is not a professional consultation.

It's surprising, certainly, but not a complete shock to either of you. Anakin's feelings toward the senator have been clear to both of you for a long time, and Obi Wan has told you Padmé hasn't seemed to rebuff his interest since their capture on Geonosis. But a bit of flirtation is one thing; a clandestine meeting is another.

"You've made it clear how much you'll have," Anakin goes on, "but this - this is from me. It's something I wanted to do for you. For us."

There's a short silence, and the sound of shuffling. Your breath goes shallow; tight. They're probably kissing.

"You do enough for me. I don't need things," she tells him. "I just want you."

There it is: undeniable. You chew the inside of your lip, tense and uncomfortable.

Anakin's response is soft, yet insistent. "Let me take you for a ride."

You can hear the smile in Padmé's voice. "Do you think it's safe? You know..."

The lilt at the end of her question is odd. So is her question, really. You've never known her to show fear of anything.

"Of course," Anakin answers, and you hear the closing of doors signaling that they're getting in. "Don't worry, I'll go slow." Another strange thing for him to say. Perhaps this is him flirting. "We can't go very far anyway. I have a meeting with the chancellor soon."

"I can't be long either," Padmé says over the whir of the engines. "I'm still in the middle of drawing up that document. I promised to have it finished by the end of the day."

Anakin makes an annoyed sound. "And I suppose that means you're having another 'working dinner' this evening?"

"Ani-"

"You promised me that you would take it easy. You should be resting."

"I feel fine, Anakin. You shouldn't worry so much."

Is she sick?

"It's my place to worry," he insists. "And it's your place to do as I ask."

She's quiet for a moment. You want to throw a glance at Obi Wan, but you don't want to compound your concern along with his, yet.

Padmé replies quietly, with a forced lightness in her tone that's almost apologetic. "You don't need to be so protective of me, Ani. I can rest when we leave for Naboo, and the baby and I will have all the help we need back home. I promise."

It hits you like a punch in the stomach. Obi Wan is absolutely silent, his jaw rigid. A permanent false picture of control is plastered over his features. You can't even begin to imagine what he's feeling beneath it.

"Obi Wan, it's-"

"Don't," he bites, the low word hanging between you. "I don't wish to discuss it."

He knows you too well. You can feel the anger and sadness rolling off of him within the Force, knowing he's contained as much of it as he can. He knows you would have tried to help him understand Anakin's position, comparing it to your own mistakes. But this is different. Decision after decision had to be made to place Anakin here. This is not impulse. It's a choice. A dangerous, foolish, and deliberate choice to which he's repeatedly committed himself.

You listen to the rest of their conversation, and soon Anakin drops Padmé back off at her apartment. There's a length of time where Anakin is on his own again, dropping off the speeder and returning to his ship, presumably heading for his meeting with Palpatine. During the interim, one of your screens lights up with a message from the council - Master Windu has located Grievous. The fighting on Utapau has begun. You squirm in your seat.

When Anakin enters the chancellor's chambers, Obi Wan's blue stare is fixated on the screen as you both listen. You can feel how tense he is. He's waiting for the very instant the meeting ends.

"Chancellor," Anakin greets. "We've just received a report from General Windu. He has engaged General Grievous."

"I only hope Master Windu is up to the challenge," Palpatine answers readily, the timbre of his voice as withholding as ever.

"I should be there with him," responds Anakin, quietly. It's an inappropriate comment for him to make, but he knows that. He said it not with the tone of a general speaking to high office, but as someone confiding in a friend.

"It's upsetting to me, to see that the council doesn't fully appreciate your talents. Don't you wonder why they won't make you a Jedi master?"

Your pulse quickens. It's long been suspected that the chancellor encourages Anakin's disagreements with the council. You hold your breath for Anakin to correct him.

"I wish I knew. More and more, I get the feeling that I'm being excluded from the council."

Your heart sinks, and you can see the sting on Obi Wan's face, though he tries to remain impassive, listening intently. Anakin goes on, adding fuel to the kindling Palpatine has given him. "I know that there are things about the Force that they're not telling me."

"They don't trust you, Anakin. They see your future. They know that your power will be too strong to control."

You're deadly silent, briefly checking that the recording is being stored as you turn up the volume.

"You must break through the fog of lies the Jedi have created around you. Let me help you to know the subtleties of the Force."

Eyes wide, you turn to Obi Wan.

"How do you know the ways of the Force?" Anakin retorts, sounding as stunned as you feel.

"My mentor taught me everything about the Force. Even the nature of the dark side."

A sick chill runs through your bones, and suddenly your stomach is halfway up your throat.

"You know the dark side?"

"Anakin, if one is to understand a great mystery, one must study all its aspects. Not just the dogmatic, narrow view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader you must embrace... a larger view of the Force," Palpatine explains, ever the benevolent leader; ever the kindhearted guide. "Be careful of the Jedi, Anakin. Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the Force, and you will be able to save your wife from certain death."

"What did you say?"

"Use my knowledge. I beg you."

The sound of a lightsaber exploding to life.

"You're the Sith lord."

Obi Wan is running for the door, closing the distance in two bounding strides.

"Wait!" you call after him.

"I've heard enough. Send a message to the rest of the council and tell them where to find me."

"I'm coming with you."

"No," is his reply, as he throws the door open. "Do as I say. Anakin and I will handle this. He's too powerful for you."

"I can help," you insist, almost begging. This is what you trained for. He doesn't understand how powerful you've become. He doesn't know that it was all for this; leading to this moment.

"You can help by making sure that recording goes on file in the records department immediately, and by remaining safe inside the temple."

There's a pause as Palpatine's low voice interrupts, freezing you both where you stand.

"Are you going to kill me?" he asks.

Anakin's blade hums. "I would certainly like to."

You and Obi Wan stare at one another, all your concentration fixed on the tiniest of decibels coming through the recorder.

"I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus. Makes you stronger."

The galaxy stands on a knife's edge.

The blade extinguishes.

"I'm going to turn you over to the council."

Obi Wan's robe snaps in the rushing air.

"Stay here," he calls over his shoulder, sprinting directly into the maw of fate.

You don't bother to close the door after him. Already transferring the recording to the archives, you're dashing out a few moments later.

--

A/N: The final chapter and epilogue will be posted tomorrow! Sorry for any confusion - this turned out much longer than expected!

Tag List: @cosmicsierra @projectdreamwalker @guacam011y @thriving-n-jiving @reverieisaway @cursedfaechild @honeymoon7770 @hedvighedvig @cool-ontherun-world @ladytano420 @eddythewitch @immajustvibehere @thegreatwicked @marrily @millercontracting @littleredwolf @b0xerdancer-writes

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[mirrorofliterature]

the jedi order is effectively an executive branch of the republic, and that's problematic

the problem: the jedi order presents itself as a neutal, independent peacekeeping force

the issue: in reality, by the prequel trilogy, they were acting like an executive branch of the government

my thesis: this is problematic

and this time I brought receipts. from the prequel trilogy. because I'm tired of people refuting my claim by... further proving my claim because they don't understand what an executive branch of government is (I fear for the american civic education system, truly).

this sentence from mace windu at the start of AOTC encapsulates the problem - the jedi order has uncritically adopted the view that helping, protecting and supporting the republic is equivalent to keeping peace: 'you must realise that there aren't enough Jedi to protect the Republic. We are keepers of the peace, not soldiers.'

a few weeks later: shit why are we soldiers??? jedi rolled a critical fail there, I'm afraid (it's called foreshadowing, a little known literary technique). being a government's military = you are definitely part of the executive branch (thanks US congress [a source]).

why is that problematic? I'll explain this through illustrative example: the republic maintains diplomatic ties with the hutts, who own slaves. the jedi unquestionably support that because that's the republic's position! fuck the slaves. peace for whom, exactly? the rich and powerful? yeah, I don't fuck with that.

first of all, what is an executive branch of government?

according to the state library of NSW: 'The executive is the branch of government that puts government laws and programs into effect. It is made up of the public service and government ministers.'

in this context, when I call the jedi an effective executive branch, I mean that they act like the republic's public servants by exclusively enforcing republic policy in the galaxy... not acting like independent peacekeepers, and later on are even more explicitly so as members of their military.

or, if you only trust american sources: 'The Cabinet and independent federal agencies are responsible for the day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal laws. These departments and agencies have missions and responsibilities as widely divergent as those of the Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Social Security Administration and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Including members of the armed forces, the Executive Branch employs more than 4 million Americans.'

how do the jedi present themselves?

from the opening credits of AOTC: 'This separatist movement has made it difficult for the limited number of Jedi knights to maintain peace and order in the galaxy.' Mace Windu also calls them 'peacekeepers, not soldiers'.

Peackeepers = maintainers of peace and order in the galaxy.

What peacekeepers are not = enforcers of a particular government, like the republic's, will.

why are they effectively an executive branch of the republic?

this meta draws pretty heavily on AOTC.

firstly, I say 'effectively' because they're not OFFICIALLY an executive branch, but they act like one

so. start of AOTC. four members of the jedi council are meeting with palpatine, discussing the role the jedi will play in the separatist conflict, clearly on behalf of the republic. yoda says: 'do their duty [for the republic, it is implied] the jedi will'.

they accept the republic's position as unquestionably righteous, they don't consider the legitimacy of the separatists' concerns, and fall into the 'us' vs 'them' trap

should a peacekeeping force explicitly pick one side over the other? no, they should be neutral (I know a thing or two about neutral humanitarian organisations; I'm using the red cross as my baseline).

getting back to AOTC, palpatine, the head of the republic, the chancellor, the person in charge of the executive, 'suggests' that padme be put under the jedi's protection, and bail questions whether that is a 'wise use of manpower', implying that it is regular practice for palpatine, the chancellor, and other members of the senate, to direct jedi action*

later in the movie, obi-wan has ANOTHER meeting with palpatine, some senators, and members of the council, again demonstrating how intertwined the republic and the jedi are

*that's not very independent girlboss of them now is it?

and here, we have anakin telling queen jamilla, that 'the jedi have not been allowed to investigate [into whether or not the trade federation actually followed through and reduced their armies, as ordered to do so in a court after the naboo invasion]. it would be too dangerous for the economy, we were told'. this does not suggest independence - it suggests that jedi have a leash around their neck from the senate, curtailed in what they can do to what the senate thinks is okay (even if queen jamilla probably would have appreciated it).

later on, palpatine: 'we must rely on the jedi. Master Yoda, how many are available to go to Geonosis?' hm the head of the republic ordering the jedi to do something. almost like... the head of the executive branch ordering other executive members lower down to do something! mace later says: 'we have the authority to do something' [and so we shall go to geonosis].

it's almost like. they've become agents of the republic and enforce their laws and policies on their behalf. and require republic approval before doing anything. like an executive branch of government does.

why is this problematic?

you cannot be an independent peacekeeping force if you exclusively act on behalf of the whims of a particular government, here the republic. the jedi only act under the senate's authority, which means that they will make the same priorities that the senate does, which tend to prioritise core worlds and fuck over slaves in the unconquered outer rim territories because the hutts are good trading partners, for them..

the jedi should have never have become servants of the republic. allies, sure.

uncritically carrying out their will? nah, fuck that. the senate is not the people.

[haru-dipthong]

THE JURI EPISODE (My utena fansub ep 7)

This is my favourite episode of the whole show. My phone background has been the shot of the falling sword ever since I first saw it. I love everything about it, so I really wanted to be sure I did it justice in the translation!

ただもし彼女が本当に世界を革命する力があるというなら私がこの手で奪ってやるさ。

But if Utena truly possesses the Power to Revolutionise the World, I’ll steal it from them.

BIG MOMENT! This is the first time one of the student council uses they/them for Utena. You may notice that the Japanese is 彼女, often translated as “she”. So why am I translating it as “they”?

In the fountain scene, Juri draws a parallel between Utena and Shiori. She begins to frame all of Utena’s behaviour through a lens of heterosexual lust/love, which makes her completely flip out as it makes her feel more alone than ever because (I believe) she saw a kindred spirit in Utena’s gender non-conformity, and sees that cameraderie dry up because of the phantasm of heterosexuality.

After the duel, Juri has rediscovered hope in herself and in the world. I believe part of this is because she realises she was wrong about Utena. Their duel is essentially over whether Utena is deserving of the ring, which, to Juri, is a question of whether Utena is really driven by heterosexual love. Through her loss she is forced to admit that she was wrong, that Utena is not motivated by heterosexual love for the prince, and there was and still is a cameraderie there. Using “they” is an admission that she was wrong, and an indication that she understands Utena a little more. It’s in direct contrast to the fountain scene when she calls Utena “a little girl”.

That���s my interpretation anyway. Anya’s interpretation is that Juri is distancing herself from Utena in this scene; that Juri has realised that “miracles are real, just not for me”. In this interpretation, “they” also makes sense — by gendering Utena as nonbinary, Juri reaffirms her position as the only girl in the duel system. She is attempting to process the idea that Utena is special by distancing them from womanhood (and therefore she, a woman, is doomed to live without miracles).

“Sure sure, there’s lots of narrative justification for it,” I hear you say, “but it’s simply not in the original japanese script!”

Well, actually, there’s justification for this too. 1. Utena’s use of 僕 (boku) is untranslatable — we lose that gendered meaning in translation. It needs to be added back in somewhere, and this is the place. It’s not a perfect compensation (boku is self-identifying while “they” is an external identification) but based on the narrative elements I’ve mentioned above, I think it’s acceptable. 2. Japanese rarely uses third person pronouns, and doesn’t have a gender neutral one. I think Juri uses it here because she doesn’t want to say Utena’s name (still a bit sore from the loss?) so I don’t see the gendering here as being important to keep in the translation.

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奇跡の力で勝てると自惚れてるがいい。

If you beat me with the power of miracles, you're entitled to your conceit. (from ohtori.nu)

If by some miracle you beat me, you can keep your shallow dreams. (my translation)

Like I said above, for Juri, this duel is about whether or not Utena is driven by heterosexual love. 自惚れる is usually translated as “to be conceited” but here, Juri is saying that she’ll allow Utena to keep pining for her lost prince with the alternative being that she will shatter Utena’s dreams. With that in mind I thought it better to phrase it in a way that extends and makes clear Juri’s resentment of Utena.

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奇跡を信じて。思いは届くと。

This was the hardest line in the whole episode. I went through several iterations:

Believe in a miracle, and your feelings will be returned.

If you believe in a miracle, he’ll love you back.

Just believe in miracles, and your love will be returned.

Miracles can happen. Your true love will love you back.

The phrase 思いは届く literally means “your thoughts will reach their destination”. In practice it means something like “your feelings will be understood and reciprocated”, and it was hard to find an English phrase that had a similar meaning while still sounding good as a repeatable quote. Anya’s keen eye for natural and polished dialogue really helped here, as they were able to pick the best sounding combination of first- and second-halves of the line. We ended up with

Believe in miracles, and your love will be returned.

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@dontbe-lasanya outdid themself again with this edit. It wouldn't be nearly as good without their help!

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