#cross-lineage mentorship

[ketchuplaser]

Cross-lineage mentorship

"Amsil, we need expert eyes on this one."

"Master Yoda?"

"Well, maybe not so expert. We'll go talk to my old master, Reudal Winall.

"I'll place the holocall."

@jedijune

Pose is from @adorkastock

[alexversenaberrie]

In better Jedi Universe, Leia's and Luke's other master is/are:

Results of Leia's and Luke's survey.

[amarcia]

I've had this silly headcanon for a while that Anakin simply saw Padme give birth in his vision and got absolutely dramatic over it. "She will die!" "No Skywalker it always looks this way"

@jedijune 04 Cross-lineage mentorship

✨🌙 ART LOG -> @404ama

[jedijune]

Jedi June 2024

A creative fandom event dedicated to appreciating the Jedi, taking place during the entire month of June! Each week will feature two prompts, around which people can create fanwork (of any kind – fic, art, cosplay, edits, anything you can think of) or meta focusing on the Jedi and the Jedi Order. All eras and continuities are welcome; OCs, established characters, doesn’t matter – it just needs to be about appreciating the Jedi!

Rules:

If you are participating, please tag your work/meta with #jedi june and/or @ this blog so that I will see it and reblog it here. All work must be your own. Feel free to crosspost it off-site.

This is an appreciation event, focusing on what we love and enjoy about the Jedi – not what we don’t. This is not the place to air your grievances with the Code, take potshots at the Council, prop certain Jedi/certain eras of Jedi up at the expense of others, or disparage the Jedi Order or their philosophy (including the concept of non-attachment) and way of life in any way. You are free to do that on your own time if that’s your thing, but it has no place within this event.

AUs and crossovers are allowed, with caveats: again, the purpose of this event is to appreciate the Jedi as Jedi, so sticking your favorite Jedi characters in something like a modern AU or making them all Sith or Mandalorian is not really within the spirit of this event. However, AUs such as making a non-Jedi character a Jedi, having a character survive their canon death, giving a character a different teacher or padawan, or killing Palpatine off-screen in an unspecified yet embarrassing and painful manner, would all be perfectly fine. Use your best judgement to determine whether an AU fits the spirit of the event or not.

Ships are allowed as long as they’re not between a child and adult, and following the above rules.

Please tag any spoilers up to two weeks after the relevant content has aired.

Following the prompts is encouraged, but not required. Any sort of pro-Jedi content is encouraged all year month long, and if tagged (and following the rules), will be reblogged.

We also have an AO3 collection!

Prompts:

Week 1 (June 2 - 8):

Prompt 1: Fun/Joy

Prompt 2: Comfort

Week 2 (June 9 - 15):

Prompt 1: Advice/Inspiration

Prompt 2: Balance

Week 3 (June 16 - 22):

Prompt 1: Art/Music

Prompt 2: Peace

Week 4 (June 23 - 29):

Prompt 1: Non-attachment/Letting go

Prompt 2: Cross-lineage mentorship

Bonus (any time):

Prompt 1: Eyes Closed/Trust in the Force

Prompt 2: Animal Friendship

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! I hope you will have fun participating!

Static banner credit @independence1776​​

gif banner credit @trickytricky1​​

[lbibliophile-sw]

Branching Lineage

Also on AO3 @jedijune - week 4: cross-lineage mentorship

Ahsoka carries her lineage with her, in everything that she does.

She makes tea the way Anakin taught her,          as Master Obi-wan taught him,                   as Master Qui-gon taught him,                            as Master Tyvokka taught him.

She organises her notes the way Anakin taught her,          as Master Obi-wan taught him,                   as Master Uvain taught him.

She pilots fighters the way Anakin taught her,          as Knight Muln taught him.

She listens to the Force the way she was taught by          Knight Secura,          Master Sinube,          Master Koon,          Master Unduli,          Master Yoda…

Ahsoka may have left the Jedi; still she carries her lineage with her.

[jedi-order-apologist]

The Whispering Lighthouse

Those that dabble in the dark side of the Force leave traces behind, and the Jedi are called on to clean it up. Written for Fandom Empire Monopoly 2024 - Prompt: "The Whispering Lighthouse" and Jedi June - Prompt: "Cross-lineage mentorship"

Read on AO3

Aayla shivered. Normally, she preferred to forgo her cloak whenever she could, but she was grateful she had kept it for this excursion, even if the cold had little to do with the actual temperature of the air or the mists rising from the waves that crashed against the rocks.

She pulled her cloak tighter against herself as she hurried after Master Windu as he strode ahead of her towards the imposing structure.

It was a lighthouse, meant to warn off water vessels. Or it had been, a long time ago. No light had shone from it in centuries, and seacraft had relied far more on their onboard technology for longer than that. But recently, the inhabitants of this planet had been seeing that technology fail, and lost many a craft against its shores.

The people had had their suspicions as to why. When the lighthouse had first gone dark all those centuries ago, it had been the work of some dabbler in the dark side of the Force, who had commandeered the remote lighthouse to conduct his twisted experiments. Though the culprit had long since joined the Force, the effects of those things tended to...linger.

Which was why the Jedi’s aid had been requested. No one else wanted to risk going near the place.

“Be cautious, padawan,” Master Windu said as Aayla caught up with him. “You may not share your Master’s gifts, but I recommend avoiding touching anything nonetheless.”

Aayla nodded. “I have the tools the archivists gave us.”

“Then let’s begin.”

Master Windu opened the door with a gesture. Both he and Aayla held their lightsabers aloft, spilling blue and violet light into the dark space as they advanced.

The place echoed. Even when they stood still, simply scanning the area for any sort of dark artifact, there were sounds, and things not quite like sounds that scratched and groaned and whispered in the Force. It bit at Aayla, trying to push her and Master Windu out, away from there. It very nearly rattled her, but she looked to Master Windu, who took steadying breaths, and copied his example.

She would not be controlled by fear.

Whenever they found anything that felt like trouble, with the tools the archivists had given them, they carefully handled the books and unknown instruments, and deposited them into the specialized storage containers.

When they were done, they would take these things back to the Temple, where the archivists would sort through them, and determine what could be purified, what could be sealed, and what needed to be destroyed.

It wasn’t as exciting as some field missions, and the cold whispers of past miseries seeping through the place made it downright unpleasant, but it was no less important work, and Aayla was, ultimately, pleased to fulfill her duties as a Jedi in this way.

[tarisilmarwen]

Jedi June: Cross-Lineage Mentorship

@jedijune

[margindoodles2407]

Jedi June Week Four: Cross-Lineage Mentorship

I've always loved the fact that Shaak Ti was the one who took Ahsoka on her Akul Hunt. And, well, I wanted to at least get ONE week of @jedijune done, so this felt like perfect timing. Enjoy!

[s-c-g-s-c-g]

Six Sentence Sunday: Jedi June Edition

Cross-lineage mentorship? Don't mind if I do! Behold! Mace Windu and Tan Yuster! For Week 4: Cross-lineage mentorship

The child nods, wise and understanding, before leaning forward to try and peak into the hallway. He doesn’t stop fidgeting for even a moment. “What are you here for…” Mace tips his head and catches a glance of braid on the youngling’s other side. “Padawan Yuster?” Tan beams, proud and excited to be recognized for his new rank. He’s young for it and Mace can vaguely remember him from a beginning meditation class he substituted for a few years back. “My master says he’s going to take extra classes for me!”

[singmanyfaces]

“Come Together”

Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano

Summary: Anakin shares a bit of his past, and Ahsoka shares a bit of her culture.  Set immediately after the events of Break Apart.

@jedijune Written as a very late offering for the Jedi June prompt Art/Music and a bit of Cross-Lineage Mentorship.  

Light Angst, Fluff, Alien Cultures

909 words, completed

[wreywrites]

Kyber-Hearted

Jedi June Week 4

Prompt: Non-attachment/letting go

A/N: When I saw the prompt list for this back in mid-May-ish, I thought no way would I pick "letting go" over "cross lineage mentorship," which is one of my favorite dynamics. Yet here we are. I may still bust something out for the other prompt, but I stand by this little story. Warnings: Off-screen and pre-events-of-story deaths. Not graphic, just mentioned, and the driving force of this work. Dealing with loss and grief. AO3

Le’Kal watched the two young Jedi, pressed shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the pyre. The war had taken much, and now this.

Le’Kal was nearly a hundred years old, and her old master was still alive and thriving and causing unimaginable mischief as a semi-retired teacher of younglings.

Ky was thirty-six, and her old master was one with the Force.

The master she had worked so hard to connect with. The master who had taught her so much, shaped her into the Jedi she had become, raised her from a sometimes overly passionate crecheling to a strong, capable, and self-possessed Jedi Master.

Now he was gone. The war had taken him, like it had taken so many others.

*****

Not many humans could make Ky look short, but the one standing next to her nearly managed it. His dark hair had grayed a great deal since he had known her, and she had grown a surprising number of inches since she had known him.

Le’Kal glanced across the room. Obi-Wan stared blankly through the floor near Master Yoda’s feet. Twenty-five, and his master was one with the Force.

Sith.

Said like a dirty word, whispered the way younglings sometimes said kriff for the first time when they weren’t sure what it meant but they knew it was serious.

*****

Jedi were not meant to be alone, but how often was it that they stood at a funeral pyre, surrounded and yet adrift like a raft on the surface of Dac?

Let go, they were told, as soon as they could form attachments.

There is no death, there is the Force, they were taught, as soon as they could understand the concepts.

Le’Kal understood this, and she knew the two Jedi across from her understood this as well. She had raised them, taught them, helped them on their way to making the Order and the galaxy a better place.

But as Ky finally broke and let out a silent sob before turning to bury her head in Obi-Wan’s shoulder and his eyes filled with an eleven-year-old grief as he wrapped his arms around her in quiet comfort, Le’Kal was reminded that knowledge and practice were two very different things.

It was hard for her to let go of the little ones in each creche clan when they moved to the apartments and became padawans. How impossibly hard was it for young knights to stand at the funeral pyre of the Jedi who had taught them, raised them, shared jokes and snacks and the occasional speeding ticket with them?

*****

Ky shared a quick hug with the man next to her, then at his nod hurried to Obi-Wan and hugged him as well. His forehead leaned heavy on her shoulder and her arms wrapped tight around his torso.

Obi-Wan might be stoic for everyone else, but for Ky he had always been different. He laughed more easily, bent the rules a little more smoothly, let down his guard with less shame.

They were good for each other, just as Le’Kal had hoped they would be, when Ky joined Wolf Clan all those years ago. She wished they didn’t have to be. She wished very much that he didn’t need her support, that she didn’t need to be his anchor, that Qui-Gon was still alive.

But he was not, and now, somehow, Obi-Wan would have to let go, to accept the maxim that there is no death, there is the Force. It was something not everyone could do. More than one Jedi in recent memory—and not just young ones—had left the Order after finding themselves unable to do so.

She had to admire them. It was the height of self-awareness and showed a great deal of maturity. She hoped every day that none of her once-crechelings would become one of them, but she was not in a position to help them work through the grief of losing a master—hers was still alive. In fact, barring some freak accident, her master would outlive her by several decades. Most Jedi were not that lucky.

Obi-Wan was perhaps the unluckiest of all.

*****

As the fire burned itself to ash, Le’Kal approached Ky and Obi-Wan. She was almost within earshot when Obi-Wan turned his head a little and whispered something to Ky. She let out a choked laugh and finally looked at him.

Though there were tears in Ky’s eyes, Le’Kal felt none of the overwhelming undertows of uncontrolled and uncontrollable grief, just a cool current of sad acceptance. It was a shocking change from Ky’s usual presence in the Force—what more than one Jedi had compared to a frolicking and perhaps over-energetic gualaar colt.

Ky noticed her then and detached herself from Obi-Wan to approach her old creche mom. Le’Kal stood on her tiptoes as Ky leaned down and the two embraced.

It was customary to say something about how the deceased was now one with the Force, and how the Force was all around everything, but Le’Kal always thought those words must sound hollow to the ones closest to the deceased, so she said nothing.

Ky, though, whispered, “He’s one with the Force now, which means he can always see the bad decisions I’m making, and I’m not sure if that makes me want to make more or less of them.”

Le’Kal squeezed her tighter. “Never stop sneaking pretzels into the Archives, and his memory will live on through that alone.”

Ky chuckled. “That’s what Obi-Wan said too. We must not have been very good at smuggling snacks if everyone knew about it.”

*****

Jedi were not meant to be alone. They were not to have attachments, but that was different. They were part of a community. They had each other’s backs, in everything from team board games to—these days—armed combat.

Death was a part of life. A part they were coming to know with increasing frequency, but there was balance in all things.

There was still light in the galaxy, and there always would be.

*****

“I’m one with the Force, and the Force is with me.”

Le’Kal whispered the words to herself over and over that night, meditating in her bedroom, torn between wanting to remember all the friends who were now one with the Force and trying to forget the pain that came with their deaths.

There would always be pain and loss, she would have to be a fool to believe any of them could become immune to such feelings. But there was also joy in the knowledge that death was not the end, but merely a new step, a journey into greater communion with the Force.

Le’Kal felt all this, as she knew Ky did, as she knew Obi-Wan had eleven years ago, and she simply kept breathing. There was nothing else to do. No power—no emotion—in the galaxy, no matter how strong, could bring back the dead. Memories could be honored, stories told, kyber crystals given to the Keeper of the Arch, but those lives were gone.

So they did what they could.

They remembered, and they let go.

[csphire]

Meet Tav (Gustav the VIII)

Legal Name: Gustav the VIII, Future Duke of the House of Sunshard

Nickname / Aliases: Tav / That Foolish Brat He's not fond of his first name Gustav as he shares it with his father, his grandfather, and so forth in his lineage. It takes him a while to open up to Astarion, and later the others, about his proper name, past, and not-so-happy "privileged" life. His mother gave him the nickname Tav, and it stuck. It's his father and grandfather who usually call him "That Foolish Brat." Background: Noble Age: 26 Pronouns: He / Him / They Race/Subrace: High Half-Elf Alignment: Chaotic Good Deities: It's complicated. Lathander, Mystra, Loviatar and Ilmater Class / Subclass: Bard / Wizard Instruments of Choice: Flute / Violin / Lute Weapons of Choice: Hand Crossbows, Daggers, Staves, Mace and Shield

Love Interest: Astarion Their relationship was a bit bumpy at first. Although both were snatched up in Yartar they had not officially met until crossing paths on the beach after the crash of the nautiloid. Before that, as Tav performed in a tavern he had watched Astarion prowl the crowd night after night and eventually ended up whispering sweet nothings in another young nobleman's ear. Tav found the colorfully dressed elf handsome but by now knew a charlatan on the hunt when he saw one. He followed the two out in concern that Astarion was going to rob the other man or do something worse but the two of them ended up abducted instead. The noble Tav would like to think was spared. Astarion on the other hand at first assumed Tav an easy mark for later. Pretty but far too gullible, and idealistic given all who the half-elf helped. Astarion also presumed by the young man's attire and easygoing manner that he had zero understanding of hardship or the dark underbelly of this world.

Then, after learning the nature of all of Tav's physical scars and background, he was left baffled. He couldn't understand why anyone would flee from such a life of seemingly rich comforts and safety to barely eke out a living by performing music alone. But eventually, he came to realize just how trapped Tav felt in his old life. How the younger man had no room to breathe and be himself. It paled to his own suffering but the yearning for freedom was still something they both held in common and bonded over. Best Friends: Gale and Wyll Tav is friends with all of his companions. However, when it comes to Gale there is a mentorship aspect to their friendship as well due to they are both wizards. With Wyll they relate to one another deeply by being a part of nobility and an inability to obey or please their fathers.

Personality: Among his peers, he was always a touch aloof but polite at first. He's learned from court life to always be on guard and to listen more than talk. All to learn enough to unleash either the sharpest of retorts to anyone who dared to insult him first or the sweetest complement to charm. He maybe haughty at times, but only to cover up the fact he's actually quite shy when it comes to dealing with people, especially one-on-one. At his first ball, he soon found standing and chatting in a large group easier as it mostly involved observation. "So many like to hear themselves talk. I say let them," he decided with a smile. If any focus fell upon him, Tav learned quickly to pivot it to another when the need arose. It was only when he started to perform before a crowd, the more raucous and lower class the better, he found the courage to drop his mask at long last, cut loose, and rediscover his true playful self. "Why under that thin layer of ice you're as warm as a sunbeam and such a sweetheart," Astarion would tease but lightly. Bio: Tav was born to a rich family who can trace their lineage back farther than the founding of Baldur's Gate. Like most of the city's nobles, as the heir to his family line, he was highly educated and sheltered well beyond his childhood. He was also expected to find someone suitable and marry to continue the Sunshard line. Once puberty hit, however, Tav could no longer stand his family's guided cage or their carefully laid plans for his life.

At first woefully naive about the world beyond his family's garden wall and court life, he rebelled, ran away, and ended up with a few scars after a near-fatal fight. But from them, he also learned more about himself and life in general. Each time he wiggled free, he managed to stay out of his father's and grandfather's clutches a little longer. At first, it was a handful of days but by his late twenties, he managed to dodge them and survive all on his own for over a year.

In fact, on his recent nineteenth attempt, he had made it all the way to Yartar. There he hoped to finally be beyond his family's reach. He had been an established bard for a few months with no sign of any of his father and grandfather's hirelings or mutual acquaintances. He was at last happy and fully prepared to be disowned. A threat his father had made when they last spoke. But then one terrible night he along with Astarion and countless others were abducted by mindflayers.

Trapped in one of their pods his only small comfort was knowing his mother might continue to think he's only fled from the nest again. That he was out enjoying the world and doing what he loves. Unlike his father, she never begrudged him for taking off and only demanded he send word home to assure her of his safety now and then. Given all that's happened he's not sure where to begin and just how much he should leave out, least upset her.

[alexversenaberrie]

In better Jedi universe...

[panharmonium]

Not sure if it works that way, but: Ruth Baulding fandom for ask meme?? (Oh, your star-crossed trinity - you, padmerri, dyingsighs. If not for you, I would never find the treasure that is Ruth Baulding, and your content for this corner of SW - and SW in general - always brightens my day! Thank you and your sister and your friend so much!!!)

Oh my gosh, this ask made me smile so much!  The Lineage Squad days live close to my heart always - that was the first time I ever became an active participant in fandom as opposed to a lurker, and the friends I made there changed my life.  I’m glad it could bring you so much enjoyment, too! <333

My favorite parent-child relationship: Since Lineage is so focused on the Jedi, most of the dynamics don’t quite fit neatly into this category - I don’t feel like apprenticeships can be described just as parent-child dynamics; there’s a lot more going on there.  I’ll say that I really love Troon Palo as kind of the den mother for Dragon Clan - love to see him wrangling all those little bundles of chaos. X)

My favorite sibling relationship: Okay, there aren’t a lot of genuine “siblings” in the Lineage-verse, but I love the Phindians (Guerra and Paxxi and all the rest of their family).  I love when Jedi Apprentice side characters show up like that and play larger roles. <333

My favorite family relationship (other): TAHLLLLLLLL.  One of the best things about Lineage for me is how much of a role Tahl plays and how she is very much a part of Obi-Wan’s “family” unit.

My favorite friendship between two people: Love Qui-Gon and Tahl’s friendship.  And Obi-Wan and Tahl’s friendship.  And also Obi-Wan and Bant - I loved her even back in the JA days, and I love her in Lineage, too.

My favorite friendship between a group:  I love when we get to see Obi-Wan hanging out with his own friend group.  I don’t remember which volume it’s in - maybe the beginning of five?  six? - but there’s a part where the kids are on a training exercise all together and it was really fun.  

My favorite mentorship: I mean, since it’s Lineage, I think it would be tough to answer anything but Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. :)  I also really like Ben To - he’s not exactly a mentor, but he certainly does give Obi-Wan enough lectures to count. X)

My favorite rivalry: I mentioned this before in my other Star Wars post, but I really love Obi-Wan and Quinlan Vos’s relationship in RB’s work.  It’s not exactly a rivalry, but they also don’t quite get along immediately, so I think it fits :)

My favorite hatred/antipathy: I think Dooku in the Lineage-verse is fascinating.  The vague tension between him and Qui-Gon and also the interest Dooku takes in Obi-Wan are things I just import to my canon understanding of him.  I also really liked how Xanatos and Obi-Wan interacted in Lineage 3...I’m sort of a sucker for when the protagonist starts to feel some compassion for a villain without meaning to (or wanting to, frankly).

My favorite potential relationship between characters who never talk in canon: Well, one of my favorite things about Lineage is that it gives me all the relationships between characters who I wanted to see more of in canon.  Probably my favorite element in that vein is how Lineage makes it clear that Obi-Wan has in fact had a lot of contact with Dooku prior to the prequels - it never made sense to me in AotC how Dooku says that he and Obi-Wan have never met before.  I always kind of ignored that “canon” detail because it seemed silly to me, even before I read Lineage, and I prefer Lineage’s take on things.  

[lbibliophile-sw]

Jedi June 2024 masterpost

@jedijune is always a fun event, a chance to focus on the Jedi and their community without being so distracted by the clones (as much as I love them. I completed four fills this time, all drabbles, although did end up doubling up on one prompt.

Fills

Professional Youngling (AO3) | week 1: comfort | drabble | Grogu After almost two decades of practice, Grogu is an expert youngling. It’s a big job for a small being!

The Memory Stone (AO3) | week 1: comfort | drabble | Jedi The tradition of the Memory Stone started in the creche, but quickly spread further. The rules are simple.

Multi-tasking Meditation (AO3) | week 2: balance | drabble | Obi-wan & Cody A Jedi practices many exercises which increase in complexity over the course of their training. Obi-wan has mastered this one, and so lost the benefit of the lesson it teaches.

Branching Lineage (AO3) | week 4: cross-lineage mentorship | drabble | Ahsoka Ahsoka may no longer call herself a Jedi, but her Jedi family will always be with her.

[fantasyfandommaiden]

Adrien’s Mentorship AU: Adrien’s Familiar

Not every magic user needs a familiar in order to be great, however Carmine points out that it would help move along Adrien’s magical training.... and if he happens to get a magically sidekick like some magical girls do in the anime’s he loves that just a bonus.

[[MORE]]

Carmine had preformed the lineage ritual before Adrien arrived for his next lesson a week later. Adrien had been disappointed in not being able to see the ritual being performed but Carmine had insisted to him that it was actually fairly mundane without much fanfare.

“So I do have magic in my family?” Adrien asked as they sat at the table, drinking tea. Carmine had insisted that drinking tea helped with the magical process (Adrien figured it was more to do with her tea addiction, but he wasn’t about to argue with his teacher).

Carmine nodded, smiling gently at him “Yes. The ritual showed me that SOMEWHERE in your family blood line there is magic, however it has been dormant for a few generations.”

Adrien blinked in confusion “... how does that happen?” He asked “Can you just... lose your magic?”

“Well... yes and no.” Carmine said, leaning back in her chair. “SOMETIMES, if you are deemed a danger to the magical or mortal community, you can have your magic taken, and if you have no magic in your blood, it can take a few generations for it to reappear in your family. Besides for that there is no way to lose your magic.”

“... so... is there a ministry of magic than?” Adrien asked, grinning widely “Like in Harry Potter?”

Carmine let out a soft hum as she thought to over “We don’t have a ministry so much as we have a council, and each country has one. Placing one person in charge of an entire magical community isn’t always the right idea unless you have someone like Merlin in charge, bless his soul.” Carmine stated, sipping her tea. “The politics are somewhat confusing but basically it’s usually a group of fifteen or so magic users who are appointed or voted into the council. As a collective they make major decisions about the magical community, and rulings about anyone that posses a threat to both the magical and non magical community.”

Adrien was furiously writing this all down as Carmine spoke, not stopping until he got all the information down. “So, could you be on the council?”

Carmine gave a loud laugh, Gladiolus seeming to do the same from his spot at the table “Oh by the gods no, for one I am too young to be apart of the council, you need to be at least 40. Two, I am much happier helping people directly than through politics. My uncle however, Yarrow Rosewood, is a member of the council here in France. We could meet him and he could tell you more about the politics if your interested, politics was never my forte.”

Adrien looked at her, blinking. His experience with older males in a place of authority were... great but if he was related Carmine he must be good! That and... it would be nice to have a male role model. Mlle Carmine was great! But there were some things he wanted to talk about with... a man.

“So does he decide if someone needs to have their magic taken away? What sort of ruling would need to be done for that?”

Carmine leaned back in her chair, looking at Adrien sombrely “... anyone who causes the community a great loss of life or a danger to that life. A pair of pyromancers back in 1871 were both quarreling over the affections of a young woman, their duel got out of hand and caused the Great Chicago Fire.”

Adrien’s pencil stopped as he looked at Carmine in shock “Wait... wasn’t that when-“

“300 people lost their lives, leaving 100,000 residents homeless and almost three and a half square miles of the city damaged? Yes, yes it was, and all over a woman.” Carmine said with a roll of her eyes “Said woman was the one who brought forth both of them to the council for judgement, they had been attempting to court her for months and she. Was. Done with their bullshit.” Carmine stated her eyes cold “She almost lost her best friend in that fire, and as punishment for their recklessness and the reason for the fight to begin with, they were stripped of their magic and their descendants for the next twenty generations.”

Adrien looked at Carmine, his mouth feeling dry. He hadn’t realized how... dangerous this was going to be. Cataclysm was dangerous but he had never caused that much damage to be done. “Are... are they still without magic?”

Carmine blinked at the question, closing her eyes and murmuring softly, Adrien only hearing her because of his enhanced hearing, she was counting.

“... yes, but only for another four generations, after which the magic will slowly return.”

“... what happened to the woman?”

Carmine looked at him with a raised brow, Adrien blushing slightly “... I... I mean, she turned them both in and her friend almost died... I can’t imagine that would have been easily, especially turning in two gentlemen who were courting her.”

“She married her best friend, and the two ladies were very happy together.” She stated sipping her tea “Well, married by magic standards, but back to why we are here.”

“Right!” Adrien said smiling widely “My magic! It’s not dormant, so we can start my training right?”

Carmine frowned “Well, it’s not dormant but it’s very weak, most likely you family might have only regain its magic with your mother, because I refuse to believe Gabriel has any magic in him.” Carmine said, leaning back in her chair, her fingers drumming against the table “Since you have such a small pool of magic that will make it difficult to train you...”

“Is there a way to increase so it’s not as difficult?” Adrien asked, Carmine looked at him with a raised brow “Not that I don’t want to put in the work! I mean, if it’s hard I’m willing to work twice as hard to prove myself-“

“Adrien, you don’t need to worry, I’m not going to drop you as my student just because you want to know if there is a simpler or easier way.” Carmine stated “Knowledge is power, and in this case there IS a way to increase your magic at a more accelerated pace... so instead of years it will only take a handful of a handful of months, maybe weeks depending on what you get.”

Adrien blinked, looking at Carmine confused. “What I ‘get’... what are you going to do?”

Carmine looked at Adrien, a small smile on her face “... Adrien, we are going to summon a familiar for you.”

~~~~~~~~~

Adrien had helped Carmine push her furniture in the living room to the walls and sat on the couch as she drew on the floor with chalk, Gladiolus holding the pages of her grimoire down and gesturing towards certain passages on the pages.

“So... will my familiar be like Gladiolus? A ferret?”

“Gladiolus chooses to be a ferret for the sake of convience more than appearance.” Carmine told him, her concentration on the circle she was drawing “Fey like Gladiolus typically dont have appearances in the material plane, the only ones I know of are Kwami’s.”

“Because messing with fey can lead to a lot of headaches.” Plagg stated, glaring at the circle “Your sure this is safe? I don’t want to go through the headache of getting use to a new chosen.”

Carmine looked up at Plagg with a deadpanned expression “Plagg, this isn’t my first rodeo, nor my first summoning circle! I’ve done this at least 20 times for my family, and I’ve over seen twice as many after that. I’ve got this.” Carmine stated before returning back to the circle, muttering something about ‘stupid kwami cats’.

Plagg glared at Carmine “Hey, this is my kitten, you got that, if anything happens to him, I will show you WHY I hold the mantle of destruction incarnate!”

Carmine stopped, looking up at Plagg “... the worst that will happen is he will become extrmly tired afterwards, that’s it. Besides, he’ll have fail safe, Gladiolus.”

The ferret ran off towards the bedroom, coming back with a beaded bracelet, rushing at Adrien and dropping in his lap “If you ever feel your endanger, pull it apart and it will bring you back.”

“Back?” Adrien looked at her, wide eyed “Where am I going?”

“Physically, nowhere, it’s your spirit that will be traveling to the spirit realm to find a fey that is willing to be your familiar.” Carmine stated, standing up and brushing the chalk off her hands “All done.”

“So... like Avatar?”

Carmine sighed, looking at Adrien with a small smile “... yes, like Avatar. Now sit yourself in the middle of this circle, and I’ll explain what is going to happen.”

~~~~~~

In short Carmine explained it like this.

- she was going to help his spirit travel to the spirit realm, there he was encounter perhaps three or fourth spirits who would be interested in being his familiar.

- Don’t give any of the fey your name, they will use it against you to make you do things. (As some sort of mind control or something, he was still confused but agreed to not say his name out loud)

- He is to decide who would be the best familiar for him, his spirit will know which is best.

- Once he finds a familiar, he is to rip the bracelet apart brining him and his familiar back.

Carmine had told him there was a chance that there was no spirit that would be suited for him, and Carmine herself had taken three attempts before she met Gladiolus, so not to feel distraught if he couldn’t find one, and most importantly to not ‘settle’ with one.

“This is a bond that will last for the rest of your life, it is not something to be rushed.”

Adrien simply nodded, sitting on the floor cross legged, eyes closed. He didn’t know how long he sat there, but it must have been a REALLY long time, because he was getting bored, and honestly nothing had changed.

He sighed as he opened his eyes “Mlle Carmine, I don’t think it’s-“ he stopped short, looking around. He was no longer in Carmine’s living room anymore, but instead in a large grassy field.

He felt the wind gently blowing against his his skin as he slowly stood up, looking around. The grass was a deep green colour and the sky the deepest blue he had ever seen, but he didn’t see a town or building anywhere as far as his eyes could see.

“Hello?” He called out, his voice seeming to echo out into the grasslands. Adrien looked around, no seeing any spirits... was he suppose to walk around? Carmine hadn’t really given him any instructions beyond him arriving and meeting possible spirits.

As if sensing his unease, the scenery changed as if everything around him had been a mirage, and now he stood in the middle of a forest, standing on top of a large tree stump. Her heard the soft chattering of birds, and soft wind blowing through the leaves.

Although it was a nice change, it didn’t help out Adrien too much with finding a spirit. He knew he had to be patient, and it might not happen this time, but he REALLY wanted to impress Mlle Carmine... or at the very least prove to her that it was the right decision to take him on as her student...

Adrien blinked when he heard a different sound.... it sounded like soft, gibberish chatter that got louder, and louder, and the wind seemed to pick up as the trees groaned and seemed to sway. Adrien felt his body tense up as he gripped the beaded bracelet in his hand, looking around as suddenly a horde of lights and sounds and wind tore through the tree line into the small clearing were where Adrien stood.

The lights and sounds circled him in a never ending tornado, it shocked him so much that he dropped the bracelet somewhere, but Adrien was to preoccupied to notice. It was too LOUD, there was too much sound and colours and he felt like his brain was going to BURST with all the chatter that the dozens, maybe even four or five dozen dancing lights circled him, chanting different thing. He fell to his knees, his hands covering his ears and his eyes closed tightly. He wanted it to stop, but Carmine had told him to be respectful, and his mind couldn’t take this torture as the spirits continued to talk and chant.

‘So much magic!’

‘Ancient magic!’

‘The ring! It’s the ring!’

‘Pick me! I’ll be your familiar!’

‘No me! I will make you stronger! I must be near that ring!’

It was too loud, Adrien didn’t known how much more he could take much more, he would give anything to make them all stop, even if it was as simple as accepting one of the as his familiar, but none of them felt right. He didn’t feel a pull to any of them, or a strong connection, not like what he expected, but he needed all the noise and lights to stop! He opened his mouth, about to accept the first spirit he saw when he heard one voice speak, not too loudly or in a bossy tone, but a voice that commanded authority.

“Will you all shut the fuck up!” It snapped, and all the lights and sounded stopped. Adrien felt his body trembling, not daring to look up as he kept his ears covered in case the spirits tried to begin chanting again.

“Now get the hell out of here, can’t you see your scaring the kid to death!”

“But... the ring-“

“Did I fucking stutter?” The voice responded “Your not becoming a familiar to some damned ring but to the boy himself! Now, if I have to say it again, you will all cease to exsist, am I understood?”

“Ah-“

“Am. I. Under. Stood?”

And suddenly there was silence, but Adrien still did not dare to remove his hands from his ears or open his eyes. His body trembling as he remained on his knees.

After a few moments of complete silence he dared to open his eyes and saw a light, this one not as blinding and not so much a ball as a shape. It looked humanoid, possibly masculine if the outline had anything to say, but it still appeared to be light, albeit much dimmer than the other spirits, and they sat cross legged in front of him, seeming to be waiting.

“First time in the spirit realm?” The spirit asked him in a quiet voice, to which Adrien nodded. “Pfft, that explains it. Whoever sent you here is either not very smart and hasn’t dealt with a lot of ancient magical items before.” It stated, pointing at Adrien’s ring. “THAT is why they swarmed you. Powerful and old item like that was bound to draw that many excitable spirits. Most of them don’t mean you any harm but they don’t understand boundaries.”

Adrien simply nodded again, still not moving besides his trembling body. The spirit looked at him thoughtfully “... You do know you could have told them to fuck off right? Maybe not in those words, but you could have told them ‘No thanks, your not for me.’ Or ‘no thanks, I’m not ready for this’.”

“I was...” Adrien licked his lips, which felt dry before speaking again “I was told to be respectful.”

“There’s being respectful and there’s being a doormat.” The spirit told him, looking around the clearing “Honestly, if I hadn’t come along you would have probably just picked the first spirit you saw to be your familiar, no questions asked and live with some subpar or down right awful spirit, and trust me you don’t want any of those LEECHES for a familiar.” He stated, before looking back at Adrien.

“... do you want to go back to your world?” The spirit asked, holding out Adrien’s bracelet “There’s no shame in not getting a familiar on the first try... at least that’s why I assume you are here for.” The spirit said to him.

Adrien took the bracelet gently, looking at the spirit “... but... I don’t want to let my mentor down...”

The spirit seemed to almost give off the impression that he rolled his eyes “Listen, you won’t let your ‘mentor’ by not getting a familiar on the first try. Did he get it on the first try?”

Adrien blinked, shaking his head “... no, the third apparently.”

“There you have, so your old coot of a mentor won’t be on your ass for it, I sought he will be mad.” The spirit said standing “but if your that determined to get a familiar I’ll help you out... but first...” the spirit helped Adrien stand up, than walked behind him, grabbing his shoulders and forcing them back slightly before he walked in front of him, grabbing his face and making Adrien look straight in front of him.

“Good, now hold that pose and tell me to leave.”

Adrien blinked, relaxing slightly with confusion only for the spirit to snap his fingers again and Adrien (of his own will) go back to the more confidant position the spirit had place him in “Go on, pretend I’m one of the annoying spirits from before and tell me to leave you alone.”

“Um...” Adrien looked at the spirit somewhat confused “... please leave me alone?” He said in a somewhat lame tone.

The spirit looked at him in a bored manner “... are you asking me or telling me? Try again.”

“Leave me alone please.”

“No.”

“I said, leave me alone please.”

“Yeah, still no.”

“Leave me alone!” Adrien shouted at him angrily, getting somewhat annoyed with this.

“I’m stubborn, not deaf. Show me some resolve, make me want to leave.” The spirit said to Adrien.

Adrien glared at the spirit, taking a deep breath as he thought of all the people he wished he could say this to. The fan girls, the pushy photographers, the models that were a little TOO hands on, Lila with her touching and invading of his personal space.

He let the breath out slowly as he glared at the spirit “... leave me alone, now please.” He said in a deadly serious tone. The spirit clasped his hands on Adrien’s shoulders, bending down slightly to look Adrien in the eye.

“.... now that is how you do it. Alright kid!” He stood up straighter and began to walk towards a random direction “Let’s go find your familiar spirit.”

Adrien looked at the spirit curiously, remembering back to the conversation he had with Carmine before entering the spirit realm...

“Will it be like love at first sight or something like that when I meet my familiar?” Adrien asked excitedly, almost bouncing in his seat as he watched Carmine start the chalk circle.

“Some people say it’s like that, that it’s an instant connection, like a part you didn’t know is missing is found.” Carmine replied back evenly “Others say it feels like you’ve been shot with lightning, the sensation causing tingles to go down your whole body, others say it’s like meeting a new best friend, everyone’s experience is different when it comes to finding your familiar.”

“What was it like with you and Gladiolus?”

Carmine stopped momentarily, a small warm smile spreading across her face “... like meeting an old friend.”

Adrien looked at the spirit in front of him as he continued to speak about the different kind fo spirits he could potentially have as his familiar.

He didn’t feel like a part of him was found, or like lightning had struck him, or like meeting a new friend. Heck, he didn’t even feel like he was meeting an old one, but something about this felt... right, like being around that one person who gave you a boost of confidence even when you were at your lowest. It felt... good, and maybe that was what Adrien needed.

“Um, Mr. Spirit, actually....”

~~~~~

Adrien groaned as he felt his spirit return to his body, feeling exhausted both mentally and physically. He saw Carmine sitting cross legged in front of the circle, like she had been when he entered the spirit realm and she sat up straighter.

“Adrien, thank goodness, you were in there so long, I was beginning to... worry.” Carmine’s eyes were looking down at Adrien’s lap, a look of shock on her face. Adrien looked down as well in concern only for the expression to change from concern, to confusion, to joy.

Sitting in his lap was a hamster, it looked like it was a grey dwarf hamster, however it’s eyes instead of being a dark brown were a deep shade of blue. Adrien starred at it and the hamster starred up at him. “... hi?” Adrien said slowly, only for him to ‘hear’ a response in the back of his head.

‘Hey Kid, you look like shit, you should really rest-‘ the hamster stopped short as he examined his surroundings only to freeze at the sight of Carmine who was still starring at him.

“Adrien, you summoned a familiar!” Carmine said, her face breaking out into a large grin as the hamster climbed up Adrien’s shirt to sit on his shoulder, which had been a good thing because Carmine all but FLEW at Adrien to hug him tightly “Good job! This is amazing! Hardly anyone summons their familiar on the first try!”

‘Psssst, kid!’

Adrien, who had been to distracted by the hug, glanced at his familiar who was looking at Carmine with great interest.

‘Who’s this lovely woman?’

“This is Mlle Carmine, my mentor!” Adrien said to him, as Carmine sat up straight and looked at the hamster “What’s his name?” She asked.

‘You did NOT tell me your mentor was such a fine example of femininity and grace!’ The hamster exclaimed, and Adrien felt himself becoming more confused as he noticed how the hamsters eyes were starring directly at Carmine’s bust and waistline and... lingering there.

‘Oh, I look forward to getting to know you, AND her quite well~’ the voice all but sang.

Adrien felt his face blush deep red... of god... his familiar was a pervert!

“Adrien.” Carmine said, looking at him confused. She couldn’t hear the voice since the hamster wasn’t her familiar “Have you two decided on what his name will be?”

Oh, Adrien had the perfect name for him.

“Zeus.”