#experiment 2224 au

[mudzdale]

well i really like the clip that @/xreno chose for their habit voiceclaim. david ogden stier's voice work is always so full and sincere, and so intrinsically inspiring; it made me want to do some expression practice to it... but of course that wound up going from a couple gestural warmups to a complete set, lol.

anyways. sigh. knockoff lilo and stitch au in development i guess.

[fanfic-obsessed]

Time Given and Taken

This one is another time travel fix-it, also somewhat AU even beyond the time travel.  Our time travelers are Obi Wan Kenobi and Commander Cody, both from after their own deaths.  Let’s even put it after the Empire falls. 

They have reunited and through Force Shenanigans are sent back to five years before the Clone wars start (dealers choice if they chose to go back or just found themselves back in time), they land specifically on Ord Mantel, their bodies have been reformed at peak age and physical fitness (Late 20’s), there is not chip in Cody’s head and his aging has been slowed to match Obi Wan’s force assisted aging (Look if the Force has to build their bodies anyway it might as well get the best results possible); but we’ll get back to them in a moment. 

Now The Force did have to make some preparations for them, as it could not have two versions of the same soul existing in this universe at the same time.  Thus, in this universe,during the Naboo crisis Padawan Obi Wan Kenobi died in place of his Master Qui Gon Jinn. Jinn was still struck by Maul and Obi Wan did still bisect the Sith, but then the Padawan used a nearly unknown healing technique to heal Qui Gon at the expense of his own life.  Padawan Obi Wan’s last words to his master were ‘You said the boy needed to be trained, now you can’. He was mourned by everyone who knew him. 

That same year Unit CC-2224 was decanted stillborn, which happened at about the same rate of stillborns/miscarriages in natborn births. The Kaminoans did the typical cursory exam to make sure there was not a larger issue, and found that there had been a small difference in the nutrients in CC-2224’s growth pod that resulted in the stillbirth. No one knew to mourn the being he would have been at all. 

Having Qui Gon Jinn as a master did not actually make things better, or easier, for Anakin; though it also could be argued that it did not make things significantly worse either. It was different though. Though Qui Gon had more experience than Obi Wan would have in the original timeline, there were other issues now at play.  And Anakin was growing up in the blinding light of the memory of Obi Wan Kenobi, the perfect Jedi padawan who killed a Sith then died to save someone.  He was also growing up in the shadow of Xanatos, the talented, powerful former padawan that Fell and died a decade ago.  This is offset, just a bit, by Feemor coming back, telling Qui Gon that he could kriff off with his repudiation and installed himself as Anakin’s Padawan brother (“like I should have with little Obi Wan”). It is made worse by Anakin overhearing the wrong parts of a few conversations that heavily implied Obi Wan died because he felt he had little left to live for (Because Obi Wan was being replaced by Anakin)

It is likely that, left alone, growing up with the ghost (in tha he haunted the narrative, not that he was actually there) of Obi Wan would have made Anakin resentful of his dead padawan brother.  However Palpatine, who he still had frequent private meetings with (look no one was suspicious of this happening the first time around, Qui Gon would likely not have felt it was suspicious either), never met any potential resentment that he could not turn to his advantage.  Instead of letting resentment grow for Obi Wan, Palpatine instead leaned into this saintly memory of a young man Anakin only spent a little time with (a lot of, ‘I’m sure young Obi Wan would not have treated you like that’), something similar to what he supposedly did with Qui Gon in canon.  Basically polishing the image of Obi Wan Kenobi in Anakin’s head until the dead Padawan could do no wrong. Palpatine could have eventually used the memory of Obi Wan to further separate Anakin from the Jedi (“The Jedi let Obi Wan Die/Got Obi Wan Killed because he was the last good Jedi” kind of rhetoric).  

Had the dead man stayed dead. 

With that established we step back to 5 years before the Clone wars were due to break out, Ord Mantel, where Cody and Obi Wan find themselves appearing, young bodies, old minds, and a small amount of the local currency (not enough to destabilize the economy, but enough to start gambling with). They quickly, and quietly, win enough money to buy a small cruiser (taking care to keep their individual ins small enough not to catch the attention of anyone), just big enough for the two of them. 

Then they make their way to Kamino.

They very deliberately decide not to go to the Jedi just yet. There are a number of reasons.  Some are trauma based (the last time Obi Wan was Coruscant he was walking through the ruins of the temple and finding the bodies of children; the last time Cody was on Coruscant he was deserting the empire after Desix). Some are for practicality(Coruscant is Palapatines domain already; They do not realize that their alternate selves are dead here and do not want to run into Knight Obi Wan).  But the main reason comes from the fact that Order 66 caused two genocides, Jedi and Clone. They both reasoned that, while focusing on preventing the Jedi genocide (Going to the Jedi, killing Palpatine) would not necessarily prevent the Clones from being abused, used, and trapped by the chips, Freeing the Clones would, by the very nature of what happened, prevent the Jedi from being killed. 

So they go to Kamino. Talk their way into Tipoca City and to speak with Jango Fett.  First they help Jango remove his head from his ass and realize exactly what he did (effectively selling his genetic children into slavery to destroy a culture for revenge he was clinging to in order to keep from facing his culpability in what happened-Not only were the Jedi lied to at Galidraan, Jango shot first; he escalated things and it backfired on him). It took a few days (and included bringing Jango and Boba down to one of the creche rooms holding the clones the same physical age as Boba, putting Boba in clone uniform and asking Jango to try and pick him from the crowd. Jango promptly had a panic attack when he was face to face with 200ish Boba’s and unable to look away from the reality of what he was doing).

SIDE NOTE: Has anyone else noticed the parallel between Jango Fett and Maul. Both were obsessed with getting revenge for situations where they suffered from being in the instigator and losing. Essentially they fucked around, found out, and decided to get revenge, and it cost them everything they had left.  

Once Cody and Obi Wan actually got through to Jango, they told him everything. Being from the future, what Project Knightfall actually did, Cody talking about what it was like under the control of the chips, of never realizing why he betrayed his Jedi general or was willing to hunt down Force users, of waking up after the chip was removed and realizing exactly what he had done, Of the brothers he had lost to suicide, due to the horror of what had happened. They talked about the Empire and what it did to Mandalore. 

The three of them decided what to do next.  

Jango, looking at himself realistically for the first time in a decade, realizes quickly that he should not take the mantle of Mand’alor again. He was too young the first time, but had been growing into the role. Had Galidraan not happened, he likely would have been a good leader, but it did and the years of slavery (with its exposure to Spice) plus the trauma from Galidraan made their mark. Jango would, however, throw his support behind Cody as Mand’alor (Cody made sure it was clear that Jango would also be throwing in his support behind Obi Wan as Cody’s Jedi husband, alternately Cody and Obi Wan would share the Mand’alor title. Jango was fine with that).  

It is also decided, after much debate, that they would also inform the Kaminoans of the fate of their species in the original timeline (destroyed as soon as they could be) and get their cooperation.  There had been consideration for simply taking Kamino, or Tipoca city, but it was decided that it was simply more work than it was worth.  It took two months (during which Obi Wan and Cody functioned as additional trainers for the Cadets) before they were ready to present the truth to Lama Su. Thankfully they had enough working knowledge of things they should not, and were able to get enough proof of what they had to say, that they were able to convince Lama Su that aligning with the Sith would doom the Kaminoans; an if there was one thing the Kaminoan valued more than profit, it was their own survival. 

The Clone project, overall, was at a point where communication between the project and the Sith was infrequent at best (so that attention was not drawn to a seemingly empty patch of space too early), so Tyranus did not have cause to notice that Kamino started ghosting him (It should be noted that they also kept cashing his checks, ostensibly so that he would not notice anything wrong). 

With the Kaminoans on their side now, Cody, Obi Wan, and Jango got to work.  There were a few trainers that did need to be killed outright (Priest and Reau, whom Cody got to kill during one of the cage fights they were arranging-which forever endeared him to the Clone cadets, especially the batch he would have belong to in another life, who were around 10 years old developmentally,  who found themselves drawn to Cody, the trainer that looked so much like Jango Fett that he could have been a clone himself), and a few that asked to be paid so they could leave (and were paid extras so that Obi Wan could remove the details of what as going on from their mind, for safety reasons), but most were willing to follow Cody and Obi Wan as soon as it was clear that Jango has sworn himself to them (non sexually and non romantically, Jango is very AroAce, and very Sex/Romance repulsed). 

The next step is starting to remove the already embedded chips, which went quickly with the help of the Kaminoans, and partially demilitarizing the education of the cadets.  While they would be Mandalorians (as a warrior culture there is a certain level of military in their education) the cadets training would no longer be solely focused on being soldiers and nothing else.  The Kaminoans also keep cloning (Technically the original order was for 1 million clones for the Jedi, they may be taking Tyranus’s money and ghosting him, but they would fulfill their contract-It was decided by the Kaminoan Council that Obi Wan qualified as ‘Jedi’ for the purposes of the contract, so giving him the clones is really fulfilling their written contract)

Cody and Obi Wan, with the council from the remaining trainers and Jango, decided that they would spend the years between their arrival and one year before the Clone Wars was due to start on Kamino, still largely out of contact with the wider galaxy. In that time they develop their own culture (their own version of ‘how to be mandalorian’ built in part from the remaining True Mandalorians, the clone culture Cody brought from the previous timeline mixing with the ever evolving clone culture of the current timeline-which quickly became different from how Cody remembered it, Part of the Jedi traditions that Obi Wan brought with him from the previous timeline-some of which he may or may not remember correctly due to trauma and the length of time he spent repressing those memories). They also worked over talking points on how to unite their faction with the New Mandalorians, including going over what traditions/parts of their culture they would be willing to relinquish as a compromise and what parts they absolutely will not.  On Jango’s occasional trips out into the wider galaxy, to take jobs, he makes a point to get as close to Keldabe as he can to get a feel for the New Mandalorian as a faction (Obi Wan has inside knowledge, but it may be early or outdated is all kinda colored with ‘Satine died in my arms and it was my fault’). There was also a concerted effort to discreetly acquire enough ships for everyone. 

So we are one year before the Clone Wars were due to erupt. Palpatine is on Coruscant waiting for the perfect opportunity to enact his plan, believing that he had a handy clone army at the ready for the war he has been fanning. Tyranus, who has still not realized he has not spoken to Kamino in about 4 years, is quietly building his forces with the droid armies about 4 months from being completed. 

The Newer True Mandalorians (The name suggestion was from Rex’s-He still picked the same name and was adopted by Codywan along with Fox and Ponds, batch; the name is being workshopped) leave Kamino for Concord Dawn. They take with them a treaty between them and the Kaminoans that includes mutual protection, a live and let live clause, a few NDA’s about the Kamnoan’s gene manipulation process,  and a decent trade agreement where the Kaminoans provide genetic research and the clones provide free advertising for the success of the Kaminoans cloning process. 

Basically out of nowhere, as far as the galaxy is concerned, the True Mandalorians reemerge after being all but wiped out almost 20 years prior, and in far greater numbers than they had before. Numbers that sharply spike, as outcasts from the New Mandalorians and Death Watch, plus other remnants of the True Mandalorians flock to their banner. These are great enough numbers that when they reach out to discuss a treaty, and a possible merger for factions, with the New Mandalorians, the New Mandalorians actually take it seriously.   

This faction, the entire galaxy is surprised to learn, is being led by someone who looks an awful lot like Jango Fett, but is clearly not since Jango Fett is standing next to him (by this point Cody and Jango call ach brother, further confusing the issue) and a red haired man going by the name of Obi Wan Kenobi, who clearly is, or was, a Jedi. 

Tyranus and Sidious, realizing that Jango Fett showing up anywhere with a massive amount of being might be contrary to their plans, try to contact Kamino. Kamino doesn’t answer and their ‘we’re busy, don’t call us we’ll call you’ message included a virus that made it so they cannot find or contact Kamino again.

The heads of the New Mandalorian Government arrange to meet with the heads of the Newer True Mandalorians, including Cody and Obi Wan. Satine recognizes Obi Wan. It is at this point that they find out this timeline’s Obi Wan has been dead for almost a decade. They had known that this timeline’s Cody was never born, but had never thought to check on Obi Wan. 

The negotiations between the New Mandalorans and the Newer True Mandalorians lasts months, but eventually is hammered out between them, along with a new government structure. Cody and Obi Wan would jointly preside over a council made up equally of New Mandalorians and Newer True Mandalorian (and, should Death Watch want to actually come in from the cold, Death Watch representative, but the faction would have to swear to the agreed upon laws and to follow the joint Mand’alor’s- Satine insisted). While Obi Wan and Cody would have the final say in most cases, if at least 90% of the council agreed they were wrong there was a veto power that could be used. Membership on the council is decided by the faction in question, and if a new faction splits off and gets to a certain size (Generally enough people to populate a medium sized planet) that faction will also be able to put representatives on the council. 

Meanwhile in the Republic the reappearance of the True Mandalorians (it doesn’t matter that they have a new name as far the Republic is concerned) has derailed 90% of Palpatine's plans (he does not have time to grow another army, even if he could get in contact with Kamino again and he cannot start the war without an army).  The news that the Red Headed leader of the reemerged faction appeared to be Presumed Dead Obi Wan Kenobi, famed in song and story and all but sainted in Anakin Skywalker's head, derailed 90% of the rest. 

Padawan Anakin Skywalker, upon hearing that Obi Wan Kenobi might be alive, vanished from Coruscant. Just took off for Concord Dawn to potentially rescue his hero, or avenge him if it was someone else pretending to be him. Or something like that, Anakin was not thinking at all beyond that he needed to see Obi Wan, the man he knew for maybe a week when he was nine.  He also left prematurely, had he waited six more hours he and his master Qui Gon Jinn would have been assigned to investigate the identity of the presumed Obi Wan. 

Qui Gon did not know where Anakin was headed until he reached Concord Dawn (Anakin left a note that he was going radio silent to work on some course work he was behind in, so Qui Gon left him off the mission-This Qui Gon is just a little oblivious)  and was promptly led to a holding cell by some of the Mandos (I kind of want it to be Waxer and Boil, or one of the Alpha’s) who gestured at Anakin inside, glowering like a bristly wet cat, going ‘is this yours?’

I Imagine this ‘reunion’  is weird and awkward from every angle. Like this Obi Wan remembers holding Qui Gon as he died, raising Anakin, Anakin’s Fall, everything of the original timeline. But this Qui Gon held his Padawan as he died (which hold the residual guilt of surviving, plus the guilt of Obi Wan dying to save his life), has added the normal rosy shine to his memories of his padawan (gloss over the bad times to focus on the good times). This Anakin has few actual memories of Obi Wan, but a massive case of hero worship. possibly to the point of Obi Wan being akin to a deity to Anakin, so massively unhealthy(Which Qui Gon also realizes for the first time)  but in a way that is difficult to break. Palaptine inadvertently created the Cult of Obi Wan, with one cult member and brainwashed him so well that he fucked up his own plans.  Now that there is a living Obi Wan, it is everyone's problem. Cody is prickly with both of them, because he remembers the things Obi Wan, his husband, told him about his Padawanship AND remembers both Reckless General Skywalker and Darth Vader. 

I am not sure how much they actually tell the Jedi, but they definitely tell them that Obi Wan and Coy are from a different timeline, and no they can’t go back. Just so that they do not start thinking that Padawan Obi Wan somehow faked his death (they are just a little concerned how Anakin would react).

Eventually Cody gets to kill Palpatine, as a treat.

[ct-51-4305]

Could you do an au where Echo, Fives and Rex were Jedi, and Anakin, Ashoka, and Obi-Wan were clone troopers? I think it would be great to see. Have a happy new year!

So... here is my Clone Jedi AU but not exactly what you think. 👀

The Clone Knights:

During the Mandalorian Wars, Mandalorian scientist Demagol created batches of force-sensitive clones.

However, these clones were unstable. After the first few of them went insane and commited suicide, Demagol suspended the experiment and put the remaining clones into stasis chambers.

These clones were hidden for centuries until the Jedi found them while searching the abandoned laboratory.

The Jedi subsequently found a way to avoid the clone madness. They released the oldest clones, including MK-Α-17 and MK-Α-77, from stasis and trained them as Padawans.

After the first generation of Clone Jedi became Knights, they started training the second generation, including MK-2224 and MK-7567.

(*MK means “Mandalorian Knights”.)

Republic Troopers:

Republic troopers are the soldiers of the Galactic Republic; they cooperate with the Jedi Knights to deal with threats from the reconstituted Sith Empire.

Bonus:

Rex & Cody - Armor Ver.

[merlyn-bane]

Chapters: 1/?

Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Clone Trooper Waxer, Clone Trooper Boil/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi/CT-7567 | Rex, Original Clone Trooper Medic Helix/Obi-Wan Kenobi, (Implied eventual)

Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody, Clone Trooper Waxer (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Boil (Star Wars), CT-7567 | Rex, Original Clone Trooper Medic Helix (Star Wars)

Additional Tags: Kidnapping, Kidnapped Obi-Wan Kenobi, Evil Sheev Palpatine, Creepy Sheev Palpatine, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Abuse, Dehumanization, Sith Torture, Traumatic birth, Premature Birth, Dualsex Stewjoni | Stewjoni Produce Both Ova and Sperm (Star Wars), Intersex Stewjoni (Star Wars), Sort Of, Extremely Speculative Stewjoni Anatomy, Pregnancy, Mpreg, parthenogenesis, Forced Pregnancy, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, (so do all of his partners), Hopeful Ending, no beta we die like stormtroopers

Series: Part 3 of Foelu

Summary:

Rex, meanwhile—Cody’s entirely too-smart little brother—frowns. “This is all classified for your safety, isn’t it? Because of the slave risk.”

Kenobi gives Rex a wry little smile, something passing between them, an understanding that Cody hopes to never experience for himself and hates desperately that the two closest people to him have. Skywalker is suddenly sitting up much straighter, too, eyes narrowed like a massiff on a scent. “Just so, Captain.”

---

Rex sees his general flinch out of the corner of his eye, nearly imperceptibly, and he's out of his seat before he even fully processes what he saw. Skywalker nearly trips over himself trying to vacate his own but by then Rex is already almost on him. "WHO DID YOU TELL?" he barks. Fingers that barely feel like his own fist around the fabric of Skywalker's tabards and yank until they're at eye-level with each other, and Rex knows his teeth must be showing. "WHO?"

---

A whumptober-themed AU of my fic Foelu, wherein Anakin shares classified information regarding Obi-Wan's biology with the Chancellor and Obi-Wan suffers the consequences.

MIND. THE. TAGS.

This is a @whumptober fill.

This is not my standard fare.

It is also an AU, and not canon to the main story.

[ao3feed-obikin]

Wolf & the Raven

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/47849608 by BlueAreTheStars Omegaverse - a/b/o dynamics. Soulmates AU. GFFA Universe. Part of the Knot In My Name event. Anakin Skywalker has escaped the nightmarish experiments of Pershing, and works his way under the protective umbrella of the Empire. He's safe there, amongst the core worlds, masquerading as a harmless beta TIE pilot... or at least, he's safe until the head alpha figures out exactly what he is. And once Obi-Wan finds out what's been done to Anakin, there will be hell to pay. Words: 5187, Chapters: 1/4, Language: English Fandoms: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars - All Media Types Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, CC-2224 | Cody, Penn Pershing Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker Additional Tags: Omega Verse, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alpha Obi-Wan Kenobi, Omega Anakin Skywalker, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Comfort/Angst, Smut, Shameless Smut, Masturbation, Sex Toys, Knotting, Dom/sub Undertones, Mildly Dubious Consent, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Trauma, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Protective Obi-Wan Kenobi, Bottom Anakin Skywalker, Top Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Dark Obi-Wan Kenobi, Soulmates, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Hugs, BAMF Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Author Regrets Nothing, The Author Regrets Everything, The author has no idea what they're doing, Anakin Skywalker Has Issues, Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Rough Sex, Rough Kissing, The Force Ships It (Star Wars), Other Additional Tags to Be Added read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/47849608

[ao3feed-techphee]

The Bad Batch Holiday

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/pXK4ZMm by 101bella101 There are 4 people who are suffering from the trials of love. Hunter is suffering from loved that was simply lost and taken away and spends his nights away from his kids, throwing himself for love that only lasts for one night. Crosshairs is suffering from a love that has faded away to nothingness. Tech is in the literal situation of what people say love is blind, blinded by his love he doesn’t see the unhappiness he is truly in. And last but not least Echo is in the cruelest kind of love, the one that almost kills its victims, the unrequited love. However, when two of these victims of love switch everything from houses, cars, and lives. Why will happen when they meet new people and experience something they’ve never felt before. Will it end in love or end in heartbreak? Or the bad batch The Holiday au no one asked for. Words: 4038, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Cartoon) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo, CT-9904 | Crosshair, CT-9901 | Hunter, CT-9902 | Tech, CT-9903 | Wrecker, Omega (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), CT-5385 | Tup, CT-6922 | Dogma, CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives, CT-7567 | Rex, CC-2224 | Cody, Clone Commander Mayday (Star Wars), Phee Genoa, CT-0000/1010 | Clone Sergeant Fox Relationships: CT-9904 | Crosshair/CT-9901 | Hunter, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo/CT-9902 | Tech, CT-6922 | Dogma/CT-5385 | Tup, CT-9904 | Crosshair & CT-9901 | Hunter & Omega (Star Wars: The Bad Batch) & CT-9903 | Wrecker, CT-9904 | Crosshair & CT-9902 | Tech, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & CT-9901 | Hunter, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo/CC-1010 | Fox, Phee Genoa/CT-9902 | Tech, CT-9904 | Crosshair/Clone Commander Mayday, CT-9901 | Hunter/Original Male Character(s) Additional Tags: Cheating, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Clone Trooper-centric (Star Wars), CT-9904 | Crosshair Needs a Hug, CT-9904 | Crosshair is Bad at Feelings, CT-9901 | Hunter is Omega's Parent (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Autistic CT-9902 | Tech, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo Needs a Hug, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives are Twins, CT-9904 | Crosshair is a Little Shit, Good Friend CT-5385 | Tup, Mentioned CT-6922 | Dogma, Fluff and Smut read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/pXK4ZMm

[nevertheless-moving]

Star Wars Time Travel Au #27

Suicidal misunderstanding AU: Obi-Wan only a year or two into his desert exile is thrown back in time to the height of the clone wars. Due to circumstances, he assumes this is a hallucination and after enjoying hanging out with his friends for a while, decides he really needs to wake up before he dies of dehydration. When intense meditation fails, he tries to break the illusion by kriffing killing himself. Panic from all parties ensues. 

-------

Ben-the-realitively-new-Hermit has made the informed decision to try out this whole spice thing, takes an absolutely massive spice dose, like 4 whole spices. Taps into the force and starts having a wild out of body experience, he can see the i n s i d e o f t i m e

General Kenobi is on Courasacasant for some extremely rare R&R, gets pulled to go drinking with Cody and some of the 212th. He blacks out for a minute and wakes up really confused. Like, he was drinking but this seems like he might’ve taken something extra, let’s get him back to the temple to sleep it off. 

On the hovercar ride back Obi-Wan is babbling, saying how happy he is to see everyone again, and how he doesn’t blame them for trying to kill him. And uh

“Truly Cody, I know you would never fire at me if you were you, I think Palpatine must have been controlling your minds somehow. I swear, I’ll- I’ll try and find you - I - I’m so sorry,” he said leaning into Cody’s space, starting out earnestly and becoming increasingly unsettlingly intense.

“Sir?” Cody responds nervously, but Obi-Wan was distracted by the view out the hovercar’s window.

“Are you taking me to the temple?” he asks hollowly. 

 Yes sir, I think you’ve had a few too many drinks, you’re- to be blunt, you’re not making any sense and its a bit alarming. I think it would be best if you slept things off in your personal quarters for a bit” the commander answers tensely.

Obi Wan is quiet for a minute, growing more subdued. 

“Will he be there? Will- will- Anakin be there?” he finally asks.

“I believe the 501st is still on leave. I can comm him if you wish?” slightly relieved at the prospect of passing whatevers going on with his General to someone with more general intel on the subject.

Obi-Wan grow quiet again. “Yes,” he whispers suddenly. “I want to see him, force help me, I still want to see him. I -I miss him,” and at that, to everyones horror, he begins tearing up.

Cody fumbles to activate his comm. “Commander Cody to General Skywalker. General Skywalker, I am requesting immediate response. I repeat, Commander CC-2224 to General Skywalker, I am requesting-”

“This had better be life-or-death Cody. I’m on leave. You’re on leave. Why are we contacting me and not Obi-Wan?” General Skywalker whines into the com.

“It’s about General Kenobi, sir”

“Is he injured?” General Skywalker responded sharply, suddenly laser focused.

“He’s- he’s crying sir.” And he was. The sound of General Skywalker’s voice had turned the trickle of tears into full blown sobs. He was clinging to Waxer, who looked like he was about to have a panic attack.

“He’s what”

“He’s crying, and he said he missed you. Please tell me you’re at the temple, sir” he all but begged.

“Is this supposed be a practical joke?” Skywalker responded annoyed. “Did Rex somehow put you up this?”

“This is not a joke. He blacked out in the bar, started rambling about forgiving us for trying to kill him, and now he’s crying” For additional proof he holds the comm out to General Kenobi, who just continued to sob incoherently.

“Is he drugged?” Skywalker responds. There’s the sound of rapid shuffling in the background, hopefully him moving to meet them at the temple gates.

“Unknown, sir. I only saw him consume alcohol, but not enough to fully account for his...altered state” 

“Are you recording him?” Skywalker’s voice is muffled by...the sound of traffic? Dank farrik, was he not at the temple?

“Am I what” the commander responds indignantly. 

“Kidding!” Anakin quickly shoots back. “Anyway I’m 5 minutes out from the temple, you?

He quickly conferred with Longshot, who was designated driver and, based on his white knuckles, focused with mission-level intensity on navigating traffic. 

“We’ll arrive at the secondary temple gate in 10. Any orders on how to... mitigate the situation?” A quick glance at Kenobi revealed that Waxer had proceeded to patting him on the back like an overwhelmed cadet. It was unclear whether it was helping or not.

“Oh, I have no idea,” Anakin answered, overly gleeful “I can’t even remember the last time he cried. And his alcohol tolerance is unfairly ridiculous so I have no idea if this is normal for him when he’s drunk.”

With that piece of unhelpful intel the vehicle lapsed into mostly silence, broken only by the sound of Kenobi’s hiccuping sobs. 

Anakin calls to confirm he’s waiting in the top entry bay at the secondary temple gates. He pauses for a moment, empty static coming over the comm. “Did he really say he missed me?” 

Cody closes his eyes for a moment. He was not designed to deal with this dammit. He just wanted to go drinking with his- his fellow officer and maybe see him relax a little. he knew the Jedi were stressed by the war but if this is what a Jedi dealing with feelings looked like then -then forcedammit this is what a Jedi relaxing looked like. They should be honored that the Generals trusted them enough to let their guard down. Clearly Obi-Wan needed his younger vod’s support more than he had realized, especially if they were, in a way, a squad of two for over a decade. 

“Yes sir. When he realized we were bringing him back to the temple he asked if you would be there. I offered to comm you, he confirmed audibly that he wanted to see you, and that he missed you. Thats- that’s when the crying began. We made contact immediately after.”

“Oh.” He left the channel open between them. Cody could distantly hear the sound of pacing on the other end

Obi-Wan was staring at the commlink in Cody’s bracer with an unreadable expression. He swallowed a few times, and, hand shaking visibly, reached out and pulled Cody’s wrist close “Anakin? Is that Anakin? My Anakin?” Obi-wan’s voice was shaking along with the rest of his body.

“Your Anakin huh?” came the response, in a reflexively teasing tone. “What happened the ‘dangers of possessiveness and attachment’ you’re always lecturing me on?

Obi-wan responded, to Waxer and Cody’s mixed emotions, by shifting bodily over to Cody, clinging onto his arm for dear life and bending over to press his  forehead to the comm unit, letting out a keening sob.

“Um, Master? Was that you?” Anakin squeaked out with characteristic helpfulness.

“I don’t want to see the temple burning” Obi-Wan rasped into Cody’s bracer, “I want to see you but I don’t want to see the bodies in the temple, not again, please Anakin I don’t want to look at them again. Anakin I just want to see you not- not- not-” and it was almost a relief when the chilling words broke down into dry sobs. Cody wanted to pat him on the back with his free arm, but considering how he was clinging to cody’s comm unit, it turned into an awkward full body hug that Obi-Wan absolutely melted into.

“Oh kriff, did you have a vision, Master? Is that what this is about? The temple’s fine, I’ll show you when you get here, there’s no bodies here, I promise”

“Obi-Wan just shook, curling up halfway into Cody’s lap”

Next (Part Two)

[alderaani]

alderaani’s masterlist

X Reader Pairing Masterlist

General Fic | All on AO3 :

message in a bottle | Kix wakes up in the future | Gen

kandosii sa kar’ta | 100 one-word prompts - GAR slice of life fics, clone-centric | Teen

second skin | Boba reflects on having his armour back | Gen

the shape of silence | After Nevarro, Grogu has a new experience and Din reflects on the journey ahead | Gen

the long road | As ‘53 succumbs to the Blue Shadow virus, he thinks about his brother | Gen

these broken things | Jesse keeps visiting Umbara in his dreams | Teen

ba’slanar | Cody graduates and has to face some inevitable goodbyes | Teen

fragments | CC-2224 doesn’t understand why killing Jedi hurts | Mature

in the ashes | Cody flees Ostagar with his brothers and finds a surprise in the woods | dragon age!au | Teen

weathering | Cody makes sure Ahsoka gets a break | Gen

these guiding lights | Rex’s waits for Ahsoka to come back (padawan lost!arc) | Gen

the wounds you see | Kix and Rex try to heal after Umbara | Teen

run baby, run | a star wars ghost story: for Hawk’s halloween event | Teen

Foxiyo:

conceal don’t feel | Riyo sees Fox’s face for the first time | Gen

dangerous games | Fox escorts Riyo to a safehouse, and they hide in plain sight | Gen

Codywan:

germinate | Obi-Wan introduces Cody to a new hobby | Gen

more than gold | Cody finds it hard to focus in the face of his massive crush | Gen

still i find you there | picking up the pieces after Rako Hardeen | Teen

Mandomera:

can’t disguise | Omera watches, and likes what she sees | Gen

[phanfictioncatalogue]

(TW) Gore (3) Masterlist

Links Last Checked: June 13th, 2023

part one, part two

An Angel To Chase The Devil At Night - camisadan

Summary: Based on the song Preacher by OneRepublic.

A Picture Lasts Longer (ao3) - satans_spaghetti

\Summary: Dan and Phil are rival hitmen and meet irl at one of their jobs but they’re undercover, so they begin forming a relationship as their aliases. (One part)

Avium (ao3) - PoisonedMind

Summary: “Morning to you too,” Dan mumbles. His voice is scratchy and Phil loves it. He doesn’t ever want to wake up and not hear that voice. Dan’s scream echoes in his mind.

“I had a nightmare,” he blurts out.

“About what?” Dan asks.

“You.”

Behind Hazel Eyes (ao3) - Yiffandquiff (princesslexi763)

Summary: Dan’s known Lucas since college and he’s never been so convinced that two people are meant to be together. He loves Lucas more than anything. But when news report of a serial killer striking around the town, Dan begins to notice signs in Lucas that leave him nervous. With the help of his newfound friend Phil, Dan pieces together the parts of Lucas that he somehow missed before anyone else loses their lives--and before Dan loses his own.

Dead! (ao3) - KitChaosFic

Summary: Dead! Warm Bodies AU. for Phandom Reverse Bang. Phil is a zombie living in the abandoned Luton airport, Dan is a human survivor. Bound together by the fear of what hides in the dark, they choose not to kill each other, and begin the long journey to Manchester and (hopefully) to new colonies. Enemies to (kind of) Lovers, dark comedy, little bit of fluff and hurt/comfort.

Don't Feed the Plant (ao3) - MissJanjie

Summary: Phil is a poor orphan working in his adoptive aunt's run-down flower shop in London. After buying a suspiciously strange plant with a carnivorous appetite, Phil's life changes overnight, even bringing him closer to crush and coworker, a troubled and near destitute Dan Howell. Soon enough, though, Phil realizes that fame and romance comes with the ultimate price.

empire ;; phan (wattpad) - dklaphan

Summary: or when dan is a heroin addicted prostitute getting away with murder and phil is an innocent bystander slowly becoming obsessed with his games.

Facility: Our Forbidden Love (ao3) - surfeitquill

Summary: Dan Howell and Phil Lester are lovers. Well, were lovers to be more exact. Dan died in a car accident and Phil killed himself from all the grief. They thought they would meet in heaven but it turns out that they were actually in the latest game “Earth Simulation” created by their long forgotten home plant. Now, they’re lost and just trying find one another.

Fate Of The Gifted - fearsomemango73

Summary: Dil is training for MI6. He is sent back in time to complete his training. His final Mission: get Dan and Phil to meet before Dan commits Suicide. If he fails, he ceases to exist.

Forgive Me (ao3) - FollowYourDreams

Summary: The year is 2224. Dan Howell is the prince of Pacis, living in the lavish Community, dreading his 21st birthday. Phil Lester is a servant at the Community, and has been for 6 years ever since he was taken from his home. On a fateful day, Dan and Phil lock eyes for the first time, and everything changes, but neither of them know if it’s for better or worse.

(held him captive in my kiss) (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Dan's a sadistic siren with fingers tinted blue and Phil's a silent coward who fears bravery.

Holiday Horror (ao3) - phanmily (woodlandunicorn)

Summary: After scheduling a special holiday at a haunted Victorian house, Dan and Phil are about experience something they would never expect. How bad could exploring a restricted room possibly be? What about reading from a weird, old book that’s written in another language? I’m sure everything will be fine.

In Bloom For You (ao3) - parentaladvisorybullshitcontent

Summary: In which Phil's an ex vampire hunter who's entirely too preoccupied by Dan's dimple and his eyes and his laugh to notice the fact that he might actually be in love with a vampire (Sequel to Hanging Out With Corpses)

La Muerte Súbita: Guilt Edition (ao3) - Kimyona_Sensei

Summary: It's back.

The grand opening of a new gaming attraction brings four Youtuber's together, and tears them apart. Faced with horrors beyond their expectations, can they put aside their differences, overcome their anxieties, and come closer together in order to survive?

Phil Lester, The Spy who Shagged me. (ao3) - CactiPhan

Summary: Phil Lester, AKA 009, is an international spy working with MI6 When an unbearably cute boy compromises one of his missions, but they end up becoming secret partners in crime to save the world- till one of them gets hurt...

Please Don't Take My Sunshine Away (ao3) - justhavesex

Summary: After playing Slender: The Eight Pages for Spooky Week, Dan goes to bed as per usual but instead of waking up in his own bed, he wakes up in the middle of a forest.

[vivacia-18]

May the 4th be with you recs!

Because fanfic is the reason I’m finally getting into Star Wars after all these years XDD

I’m gonna include the fic summaries and my takes, so plopping these under a cut for length. If you haven’t already read these, please go give them some love. And if you have, go give them some more! XD

I’m a fix-it, (at least mostly) everybody lives and (hopefully) nobody dies kinda gal, so while I certainly like something that hits in the feels, I don’t care for angst with no payoff at the end. Many of these are ongoing, but I’m confident enough in the overall feel of them to rec with that in mind. I also like long fics, so most of my recs will reflect that. 

Hunting Towards Heartstill by blackkat

Pairing: Mace Windu/ CC-2224 Cody

Status: Complete, 45 chapters

Summary: Plo has an idea. Mace agrees, and everything snowballs right into hell from there.

(Or: Mace and Cody get married in order to give the clones citizen status. Before they can focus on that, though, they're going to have to deal with ancient Sith artifacts, evil prophets, plots to overthrow the Supreme Chancellor, lost planets, monsters warped by Sith alchemy, inconvenient feelings, and Darth Sidious turning his eye on a potential new apprentice. Just...not in that order.)

Notes: Kat’s going to have her whole section recc’d in a minute, but this one is near and dear to my heart, so it get’s a special spot. This is the one that got me into the Star Wars fandom at all. And by “into the fandom” I mean I have never seen/read a single piece of Star Wars media outside of gifsets and funky graphic t-shirts in my entire life. And now here we are XDD

In short, as with anything kat writes, the characterization is top-notch, the wit even more so, and the feels will leave you broken to pieces only to bring you back together better than when you started at the end of it all. Enjoy <3

All of blackkat’s Star Wars fics, by she who never expected to be a part of this fandom so everyone thank sol for being a bastard and cher for having terrible, amazing, tempting, too-good prompts XD

Notes: As promised, I did indeed just link all of blackkats Star Wars fics XD Most are one shots, with several longer ongoing, and one very special one complete. Pairings and settings will vary, but I can promise you one thing: you can absolutely trust kat with your heart, no matter how angsty it seems (tho take those cliffie warnings seriously!). Enjoy, and may the Force be with you! <3

The Hero With a Thousand Faces by beamirang 

Pairing: Jango/Obi-Wan 

Status: Part 1 is a one-shot prologue, part 2 ongoing

Summary: “We’re going to kidnap a Jedi?” Boba sounds far more excited by the prospect than most twelve-year-olds probably should. And, because he’s Jango’s boy, because he’s too kriffing smart for his own good, he catches on way too quickly. “Wait. Are we kidnapping your Jedi?”

Notes: Fantastic characterization and writing - very witty (as one would expect with Obi and Fett XD) but also excellent on the heavier emotional aspects as well. 

The Desert Storm by Blue_Sunshine

Pairing: None

Status: 17 parts complete, part 18 ongoing

Summary: In Tatooine legend, the sandstorm is Lukka, the Fury, both cleansing and damning. Lukka, the slaves believed, was Justice, was he who remade the world, and remade the soul.The storm screams at him, and Obi-Wan Kenobi screams back.

Notes: It’s a time travel fic! It’s one of my favourite tropes when done correctly, and this one certainly does :) Love the characters, they have so much depth and growth over the series. And while this far it is 100% a “everybody lives nobody dies” kinda story, there is no sacrifice in plot or narrative tension. Wonderful proof that there can be other narrative stakes in a story than just character death. 

Under One Flag by NeurotropicAgentX

Pairing: Padme Amidala/Obi-Wan Kenobi/Darth Maul

Status: Two single chapter parts. Marked as incomplete with no further updates since 2017, but the chapters stand alone, no cliffhangers. 

Summary: The story of how Padmé Amidala becomes the reluctant Empress of the galaxy and acquires a pair of Force-sensitive bodyguards. Deals with the light and dark side conflict, the politics of an Empire, and Dathomirian Culture.

Notes: A fun little read! The dynamics between the three were interesting, and who doesn’t love the idea of Empress Padme? :D

By A Barista by Tomatosoupful

Pairing: Obi-Wan/Anakin

Status: Complete, 7 chapters

Summary: Obi-Wan/Anakin, Modern Coffee Shop AU unapologetically set in Australia. Some Star Wars story lines and character arcs adapted into modern coffee versions.Anakin doesn't really know why Qui-Gon hired him despite having no experience in coffee making or table service, and he knows this bothers the barista, Obi-Wan, but hey, at least he gets to look at the handsome guy while he complains.

Notes: Another fun little read! I love social disaster Ani in modern settings, ngl XD 

The Snowball Effect by Ghost_Owl

Pairing: Obi-Wan/Anakin

Status: Complete, 2 chapters

Summary: Anakin had not meant to nail the cute guy from his building in the face with a snowball.Obi Wan had absolutely meant to hit him back.

Notes: Another cute read! Once again Ani is a disaster, and Obi-Wan only less so by direct comparison XD I particularly remember this story for the author coining the phrase I now recognize as my favourite paring trope - two halves of a whole idiot XDD

Reprise by Elfpen

Pairing: None

Status: 7 parts, current part ongoing

Summary: Ben Kenobi dies aboard the Death Star in the year 0 BBY. He wakes up shortly thereafter in the Jedi temple in the year 41 BBY. Haunted by memories and regret, Ben must forge a new path for himself in the Jedi Order of his youth while navigating the murky waters of time travel. Crafting a better future from bitter experience is hard, but learning to heal is even harder. Major AU.

Notes: This one I found on the heels of Desert Storm, and while they are initially cut from the same cloth, you’ll find they immediately develop their own unique flavours. If you like time-travel fix-its (which I do ;D) then this is a great read, and has some lovely art to go with it! 

Life and What Comes After by Ibelin

Pairing: None

Status: First part one-shot complete, second part ongoing

Summary: Obi-Wan dies on Jabiim. Anakin blames himself, doesn't know how to go on and yet - he does. Maybe the Force rewards that kind of thing, or maybe he just gets lucky, but when a mission lands Anakin on a vaguely familiar planet, he gets a second chance to do what he knows he should have done in the first place: save his master.(And maybe a chance to save the galaxy, too.)

Notes: *Don’t worry, Obi-Wan does not in fact die!*

Ngl, what attracted me to this fic in the first place was the tag “Unrealistically Well-Adjusted Anakin Skywalker” X’D For all they say that though, his growth as a person is actually written very believably - he’s still Ani, but you see the work he put in. And damn do I love me some real communication between Obi and Ani, and damn do we ever get that here. Obi kinda backtracks that a bit with his own self-esteem issues in part two, but I have no doubt the boys will get through it! 

Definitely recommend, it’s got some really wonderful family feels <3

Witness Me by SLWalker

Pairing: Obi-Wan/Maul

Status: 7 parts, final story part(s) ongoing (part 5 is the main series that’s ongoing, part 6 scattered one-shots, part 7 art for the series)

Summary: Instead of escaping to Lotho Minor, Maul's captured by the Order. Obviously, that changes everything.

Notes: I’m currently reading this one! The first several parts focus on building the relationship between Obi and Maul. Then in part 5 we start to focus more on Maul growing as his own person, though he is absolutely still Obi-Wans other half. Get ready for some clone feels, because I guarantee you will fall hard and fast for the Blackbirds once you meet them <3 <3 <3 I also appreciate that while there is definite censure for the Jedi council as a whole for certain decisions, and Anakin is his canon disaster self, there is no character bashing or throwing under buses, and conversely no hero worship either. Thus far everyone is treated fairly - I really enjoy that we tend to see not only several outside views of characters and situations, but also a lot of introspection as well. 

If you’re in it for the people, this story is very much for you <3

[mudzdale]

"lil' habby," or "aibit" as he is often called, is a (CLASSIC SCI-FI VARIETY) AI built by habit many years ago. he is very versatile, and capable of jumping between any and all types of technological devices as a form of locomotion, environmental interaction, and technological control. however, he is most frequently seen smugly projecting off of one of habit's jacket panels, like some horrible parody of a pirate & his parrot.

kamal didn't sign up for any of this. (he did, actually, when habit announced one morning that he was quitting space dentistry forever in favor of pursuing a free & wild life as a traveling bounty hunter, and leaving the practice to kamal. this put kamal in the extremely difficult position of either a) realizing all his hopes and dreams by taking the money habit left him to finish his schooling and then inherit an entire dental clinic of his very own, thereby securing both his future and job satisfaction, or b) leave his entire life behind to impulsively blurt out "i'll come with you" in response to the announcement. but he really didn't sign up for any of this.)

[zeroviraluniverse-blog]

The best iPad 2018: how to choose the right Apple tablet for you

Visit Now - http://zeroviral.com/the-best-ipad-2018-how-to-choose-the-right-apple-tablet-for-you/

The best iPad 2018: how to choose the right Apple tablet for you

The best iPad to buy in 2018 is a tricky answer for us because there are quite a few Apple tablets on sale today.

The iPad Pro is certainly the most powerful, and that comes in two sizes, the massive iPad Pro 12.9-inch version and the flagship 10.5-inch edition. But neither are the best for average consumers looking to save money.

The slightly confusingly named New iPad (2017) is a better value and the best iPad for most people because it covers all of the basics you need from an iOS 11 tablet. 

Meanwhile, the iPad Air 2 remains popular, even if Apple isn’t selling it directly on its store anymore, and the aging iPad mini 4 (launched way back in 2015) is probably on its way out eventually.

Whatever the case there’s an iPad for you, and to make it easier to sift through them and find the right one we’ve highlighted all the choices, in a clear, concise way, so boot up your old tablet one last time, read through our rundown and get ready to upgrade.

And if you prefer to watch than read, we’ve also put four of the best options head to head in a video showdown.

For everyone else, you’ll find a rundown of all the readily available iPads below, including the brand new iPad (2017) and second generation iPad Pro duo.

These come complete with full spec lists, their good and bad points and a look at what makes them tick, so you can make an informed purchase decision.

Looking for an Android tablet instead? Check out our best tablet ranking.

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1. New iPad (2017)

The new iPad is shockingly cheap

Weight: 469g | Dimensions: 240 x 169.5 x 7.5mm | OS: iOS 11 | Screen size: 9.7-inch | Resolution: 1536 x 2048 pixels | CPU: A9 | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 32/128GB | microSD slot: No | Battery: Up to 10 hours | Rear camera: 8MP | Front camera: 1.2MP

Affordable

Great screen

Thicker than the Air

Only an A9 chipset

The best Apple iPad for most people isn’t actually the most powerful – it’s just the greatest value. The new iPad (2017) replaced the iPad Air 2 in Apple’s lineup, slotting in below the Pro range.

As such it lacks their Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil support and misses out on some of their power, but its A9 chipset is still very speedy and the 9.7-inch 1536 x 2048 screen is sharp, bright and high-quality.

It also has the same luxurious metal unibody as the rest of Apple’s iPad range, though notably it’s ever-so-slightly thicker than the iPad Air 2 or iPad Pro 9.7 at 7.5mm.

With the Touch ID fingerprint sensor included, iOS 11 under the hood and up to 10 hours of battery life when web browsing or watching videos, the new iPad (2017) is a great media player and a strong tablet choice if you’re not planning to use it heavily for productivity.

It starts at just $329, £339, or AU$469, too, which is cheap, especially if you get it for a lower price on Black Friday. No, it’s not a cheap tablet like the Amazon Fire HD 10 (you could buy three of those for this price), but Apple has the best tablet software experience, bar none.

Read the full iPad (2017) review

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2. iPad Pro 10.5 (2017)

The entry-level Pro gets a screen boost

Weight: 469g | Dimensions: 250.6 x 174.1 x 6.1 mm | OS: iOS 10 | Screen size: 10.5-inch | Resolution: 1668 x 2224 pixels | CPU: A10X Fusion | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB/256GB/512GB | microSD slot: No | Battery: 8,134mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 7MP

Great speakers

512GB version

Screen adds a lot of expense

iOS still isn’t a good laptop replacement

It’s a tough decision over whether the new iPad Pro is the best iPad, or the more recent (and more basic) iPad – but the new Pro is in second solely on its higher price.

If you can see past that, or you really need a tablet that can truly keep up with any app you want to throw at it while using a dedicated Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, this should be the device you look at.

The new ProMotion screen adds an impressive layer of fluidity to daily use – if not strictly necessary – and the smaller bezels means you’re getting far more display in a footprint not much bigger than 2016’s 9.7.

It’s an iPad for the professionals – but also one that media munchers will adore using.

Read the full review: iPad Pro 10.5

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3. iPad Pro 12.9 (2017)

The best really big iPad you can buy

Weight: 677g | Dimensions: 305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9 mm | OS: iOS 11 | Screen size: 12.9-inch | Resolution: 2048 x 2732 pixels | CPU: A10X Fusion | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB/256GB/512GB | microSD slot: No | Battery: 10,875mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 7MP

Great, large tablet screen

Tremendous power

Too expensive as a laptop replacement for some

We really like the iPad Pro for its size and it’s the closest thing we have to a 2-in-1 touchscreen MacBook. It just happens to run iOS 11 instead of macOS. 

It’s the best productivity and entertainment tablet around thanks to its large 12.9-inch screen, four speakers and iOS 11 dock and multitasking interface.

It’s biggest weakness? The iPad Pro 12.9-inch price, and the size isn’t a good fit for everyone. But If you can afford it and want the largest-sized iPad available, you’re going to love this – it’s a laptop-replacement for a lot people out there.

Read the hands on review: iPad Pro 12.9 (2017)

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4. iPad Pro 9.7 (2016)

The latest iPad Pro is one of the best tablets on the planet

Weight: 437g | Dimensions: 240 x 169.5 x 6.1mm | OS: iOS 11 | Screen size: 9.7-inch | Resolution: 1536 x 2048 pixels | CPU: A9X | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 32/128/256GB | microSD slot: No | Battery: Up to 10 hours | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 5MP

Great speakers

Up to 256GB of storage

Expensive starting price

Lower power than larger version

For the average user the iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) is one of the best all-round options. The 9.7-inch screen strikes a great balance between being big enough to get far more out of than a phone screen and small enough to still be fairly portable.

And although Apple has ditched the Air moniker, at 240 x 169.5 x 6.1mm and 437g the iPad Pro 9.7 is every bit as thin and light as the iPad Air 2.

But it lives up to the Pro name, with plenty of power afforded by its A9X chipset and 2GB of RAM, four speakers for serious media potential, a beautiful True Tone screen, which adapts the color and intensity to your environment, and of course the ability to use the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil with it, if you want to use the slate to actually get things done.

The iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) also comes with up to 256GB of storage if you’re prepared to pay, so you needn’t feel limited by the lack of a microSD card slot, and it’s likely to remain a powerful and versatile tablet for years to come, so while it’s expensive you might not feel the need to upgrade for a long time.

Read the full iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) review

5. iPad Mini 4

The latest 7-inch iPad is a big step up from the previous version

Weight: 299g | Dimensions: 203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1mm | OS: iOS 10 | Screen size: 7.9-inch | Resolution: 1536 x 2048 pixels | CPU: A8 | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 16/32/64/128GB | microSD slot: No | Battery: 5124mAh | Rear camera: 8MP | Front camera: 1.2MP

Great screen

Sleek design

Dated chipset

No 3D Touch

Big screens aren’t for everyone, and that’s where the 7.9-inch iPad Mini 4 comes in. The screen size means it’s far more portable than Apple’s larger tablets, especially as it’s light at 299g. It’s not quite small enough that you can use it one handed, but you can comfortably hold it for a lot longer than most of Apple’s slates, or throw it in a bag and forget about it.

It’s also big enough to enjoyably browse the net or watch videos on when you’re away from home and bigger screens, but it’s obviously not quite as strong an experience for most visual media as Apple’s larger 9.7, 10.5 and 12.9-inch slates.

The small size and lack of Smart Connector also makes it worse for productivity than the iPad Pro range, but this isn’t designed as a laptop replacement.

It’s still fairly powerful thanks to 2GB of RAM and the aging but still impressive Apple A8 chip, while the screen is sharp, rich and easy to see even in bright sunlight.

The iPad Mini 4 is also a fraction of the price of Apple’s Pro range, and with 128GB of storage you needn’t be terribly limited in that area – though it’s no match for the 256GB you can get in the iPad Pro.

Read the full iPad Mini 4 review

6. iPad Pro 12.9 (2016)

It’s big, it’s powerful and it’s absolutely stunning

Weight: 713g | Dimensions: 305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9mm | OS: iOS 10 | Screen size: 12.9-inch | Resolution: 2048 x 2732 pixels | CPU: A9X | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 32/128/256GB | microSD slot: No | Battery: 10,307mAh | Rear camera: 8MP | Front camera: 1.2MP

Hugely powerful

Big screen

Powerfully huge

Battery life could be longer

The iPad Pro 12.9 (2016), or simply the iPad Pro as it’s sometimes known, is in many ways a bigger and better version of the iPad Pro 9.7 (2016).

It matches that slate’s four powerful speakers, accessory options and storage capacity, but at 12.9 inches the screen is significantly larger, while its 2048 x 2732 resolution ensures it retains the same 264ppi pixel density. It’s also more powerful than its smaller sibling, combining the same Apple A9X chipset with a massive 4GB of RAM.

That power is undeniably a good thing, but the screen size will be more divisive, as while all that space is great if you plan to use it as a real laptop replacement, for running apps in split screen, or for watching a lot of movies, it leaves it a little unwieldy in other ways, especially as it makes the slate a hefty 713g. If you want the ultimate in portability this isn’t it.

But if you can afford the high price and want the very biggest and most powerful tablet Apple has to offer there can be no other choice than the iPad Pro 12.9.

Read the full iPad Pro 12.9 (2016) review

7. iPad Air 2

Still a brilliant tablet and now far cheaper than ever before

Weight: 437g | Dimensions: 240 x 169.5 x 6.1mm | OS: iOS 10 | Screen size: 9.7-inch | Resolution: 1536 x 2048 pixels | CPU: A8X | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 16/32/64/128GB | microSD slot: No | Battery: Up to 10 hours | Rear camera: 8MP | Front camera: 1.2MP

Powerful

Lovely screen

Volume silencer gone

16GB is too little storage

The iPad Air 2 is the predecessor to the iPad Pro 9.7 and the difference in name gives a hint of what it’s lacking – namely compatibility with the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil, along with the four powerful speakers found on the Pro range.

It’s not as strong for productivity then, but in many other ways the iPad Air 2 can almost match up to the iPad Pro 9.7 and all for a much lower price.

For one thing it has the same premium metal body, along with the same weight and dimensions, leaving it a slim and light 6.1mm thick and 437g.

It also has the same size and resolution 9.7-inch 1536 x 2048 screen, though behind the scenes more vivid colors and the True Tone tech (for dynamically adjusted white balance) in the iPad Pro 9.7 make the display altogether more impressive.

But when the screen is already so good on the iPad Air 2 you might not miss those things, especially if you’ve not seen them in action.

The slate sports plenty of power too, matching the iPad Pro 9.7 for 2GB of RAM and finding a middle ground between that and the iPad mini 4 with its A8X chipset. In short, if you don’t need the productivity potential of the iPad Pro and can live with slightly dated but still solid specs, the iPad Air 2 is a strong choice.

Read the full iPad Air 2 review

[mudzdale]

to the alien laboratory that created it and the intergalactic government that confiscated it, this lifeform is known as "Experiment 2224." it is an artificial being designed to fulfill one primary function: spread flowers and plant growth in excess wherever it goes, no matter the type, no matter the cost. it burrows through earth as easily as a dolphin swims through water, and is capable of "charging" plant seeds and propagules with its own energy to guarantee swift and excessive growth. its temperament is docile, but it will heedlessly tear up walkways and intrude upon ecosystems in its efforts to flood the environment with as much overgrowth as it can manage.

when Experiment 2224 is unexpectedly sent to an alien planet known as "Earth," its plant-spreading purpose is quickly eroded and replaced with a new objective: bring happiness to the residents of the sad, lonely town it has landed in. to the broken community that found it, this lifeform is known as "Flower Critter."

a few design notes under the cut (:

for some reason, this animal was very difficult to design. i really really wanted to avoid just making a Wacky Experiment(tm) in the style of the freakin lilo and stitch tv series, while simultaneously attempting to capture......a lot of elements that make stitch's design actually appealing. many drafts later, i finally got this thing. it of course retains stitch's ability to retract the limbs & antennae, it has his super strength, speed, etc... instead of being fluffy, though, its fur is very soft and short, reminiscent of extremely short-pile minky or similar fabrics.

that all said, depending on one's taste, i think a Flower Critter design could go all kinds of directions - heck, if anyone wanted to make their own to suit their own FK design or personality, i think that would be super cool (: they could be a beautiful herd...

i also don't have a "lilo" in this au, it's all just "stitch"... but an alternate take could have both. FK finds an alien flower beast and has to befriend it, dodging the efforts of the bounty hunters that pursue them relentlessly... i did not do this because my intent was to sort of just combine FK and the Tooth Lily into one narrative entity. i had it in mind that FK and FC would be too much in alignment, in terms of goals/personality, for the narrative conflict to work like it does between lilo and stitch... but it would actually probably could be very workable depending on one's FK interpretation, and if you want something a little different from the story that i had in mind.

my true dream had been to give it little beady eyes...

[mudzdale]

original version (too short - imo!!)

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Servant!Phan Masterlist

Links Last Checked: September 11th, 2022

A Whole New World (wattpad) - CarlyanaC

Summary: Dan is a depressed prince who is being pressured to find himself a wife. Phil is an orphaned servant in the castle who finds joy in the smallest things in life. When the two are thrown together they learn to become friends and help each other through the troubles they face. It’s not long before Phil realised he may have feelings for the prince, but does he feel the same way? And even if he does, will such a relationship even be allowed?

Broken Silence - walruslovechild

Summary - Upper class teenager Dan Howell goes to live with a distant uncle, things change when he meets servant Phil.

Broken Silence - phandomesque

Summary: Phil is Dan’s second chance at life, but little does Phil know, Dan is his second chance as well.

Forgive Me (ao3) - FollowYourDreams

Summary: The year is 2224. Dan Howell is the prince of Pacis, living in the lavish Community, dreading his 21st birthday. Phil Lester is a servant at the Community, and has been for 6 years ever since he was taken from his home. On a fateful day, Dan and Phil lock eyes for the first time, and everything changes, but neither of them know if it’s for better or worse.

If The Crown Fits - crystaiskiess

Summary: The Royalty AU nobody asked for in which Prince Daniel falls head over heels for his best friend and servant boy, Phil.

Imagine Living Like a King Someday - pianodan

Summary: Phil is a boarding school student, and he has pretty much everything. His dad owns the school, he’s pretty popular, has the best room, gets all the best treatment – he’s the King. Dan is a cleaner/phil’s personal maid there, and he isn’t as lucky. Some students are assholes to Dan, including Phil at first.

Over Board - helloanonymouswriter

Summary: Phil is a merman who gets captured. He falls for the ship's servant boy. (Inspired by Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides)

Regal (ao3) - insert_something_clever_here

Summary: (basically an AU in which Dan is a prince and Phil is his servant.)

Royal Love (wattpad) - PhanOnIce

Summary: Taking place in Medieval Times, Prince Daniel falls in love with his servant Philip and is determined to make their relationship work.

Scones And Cookies - jilliancares

Summary: Phil, a resident in a manor, keeps requesting for scones to be brought up to his room, which Dan brings. (This is set in the mortal instruments universe [and the infernal devices time] and Dan’s a servant and Phil’s a shadowhunter.)

The King's Court (ao3) - Unpluggedsocialfilter

Summary: Prince Daniel is born as the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and a half cousin to Queen Elizabeth of England. His birth is celebrated far and wide, a baby to unite the rival Kingdoms of England and Scotland under a peaceful sceptre. But when his mother is charged with regicide and is forced to abdicate, panic and self-interest run rampant. Lords rush to Edinburgh to take charge in Dan's infant name as James VI of Scotland, to change the course of nations, and to reign supreme.

Step into 1580s Europe with Dan when he begins his reign over this religiously terrorised land. Experience the true stories of scandals that plagued 16th century Scotland as the King struggles to manage the pressures of public life. Which alliances should keep him safe, what advice should he take? Perhaps the biggest question of all: who is the rightful ruler of these fair isles? The Catholic Mary Stuart, the Protestant Elizabeth Tudor, and the secretly gay King Dan are all possibilities in this historical drama. Religious intolerance, political power struggles, scandalous gay romances, et al.

The Mansion - trysomecats

Summary: Dan is oddly satisfied with his position as a servant for Phil Lester, until he finds out that Phil had originally bought him for things aside from housework.

The Prince’s Protector (wattpad) - ocean1c

Summary: In which Dan, the prince, falls for his guard, Phil, and they live happily ever after.

Trust Me, I'm Broken Too (ao3) - natigail

Summary: The Lesters – the royal family of his homeland – was nothing like Dan thought they would be. Well, the King was just as horrible as he had heard but the King’s brother’s son, who was third in line for the throne, was nothing like Dan thought he’d be. Dan had been adrift for three years going from one “place of employment” to another, only his life was seen as worthless and he was more property than an employee. He had never imagined he’s end up as the property of Prince Philip.

The Prince had no intention of ever taking on a personal servant, which was a fancy name to disguise the fact a law essentially enslaved people. Phil often had to do things he didn’t want to or risk being removed from the succession to the crown. If that happened, who knew who his tyrant of an uncle would pick as a successor? When pressured into the choosing, he’d wanted to go for the most innocent, young girl, but hard brown eyes caught his attention instead.

Unnatural Selection (ao3) - PetalsandPhan

Summary: Prince Phillip has never had a friend in his life. Controlled by his father, Phil is forced into going on a difficult journey to find the hidden princess. But when Phil is accompanied by the servant Dan, will their friendship blossom into something more, something forbidden and unheard of?

Wishing For The Stars (ao3) - thatsthephan

Summary: A Prince!Phil Servant!Dan AU that was a lot of fun to write and has a lot of fluff in it:)

[mudzdale]

Experiment 2224 was created a little over 30 decades ago by a laboratory specializing in the production of biologically engineered "living weapons," which were typically produced either for private use or upon commission. Due to the newness and secretive nature of the technologies at the time, intergalactic laws and regulation relating to the creation of artificial, biological lifeforms were extremely sparse. This allowed the lab company to essentially fly under the radar, and get away with an unbelievable amount of inadvisable safety and scientific violations for several years, while the powers that be struggled to put together and execute appropriate legislation. Incidents of note included occasions such as a top scientist bringing his 10-year-old nephew along to work with him, to help conceptualize and design an experimental lifeform as a personal project.

Once intergalactic regulations began taking effect not long after, the laboratory's very existence came under threat. Materials, research, and labor became increasingly choked by new laws implemented across more and more star systems. As the laboratory's funding finally dwindled and the company entered its death throes, they suddenly activated a handful of their never-before used experiments that had been kept in inactive storage - a last-ditch publicity stunt in order to gain civilian attention, and to possibly force the government's hand in trying to deal with the fallout. The gambit ultimately failed and the affected experiments were immediately placed in cryosleep, whereupon they were returned to storage as the laboratory was finally shut down for good.

This would have been the end of the story for these experiments, left unaware and undead in a laboratory cold-storage basement, whose lights were only on as a security measure by the governmental forces that took over the laboratory. However, approximately 2 decades after the shutdown, a novelty animal collectors' group expressed interest in obtaining the stored activated experiments for display in a zoo. The experiments would have an opportunity to live pleasant, enriched lives among similarly unique and strange creatures from across the galaxy - an appealing development to civilians following the story, and an opportunity for the government to reassign an unwanted responsibility. After negotiations were complete and rights to the experiments were signed over accordingly, the cryosleeping experiments were transitioned from frozen storage to a simpler, safer inactive state, and loaded aboard a transport to their new home.

In typical sci-fi fashion, however, this transport soon came under attack by ~*space pirates*~, wahaa! In the confusion, multiple experiments were lost in the attack, some even scattering toward the direction of distant planets...

Distraught by the loss of their stock, the animal collectors' group now seeks their retrieval by means of bounty hunters & mercenaries. Experiment 2224's retrieval is assigned to a former doctor and his assistant, who are currently under the employ of one of the most extensive, well-known, and well-kept merc groups on this side of the system. They learn that this experiment is currently projected to crash upon a large continent of a backwater blue planet... more specifically, it will land in a tiny little town in a dusty little state known as "Wyoming."

to the alien laboratory that created it and the intergalactic government that confiscated it, this lifeform is known as "Experiment 2224." it is an artificial being designed to fulfill one primary function: spread flowers and plant growth in excess wherever it goes, no matter the type, no matter the cost. it burrows through earth as easily as a dolphin swims through water, and is capable of "charging" plant seeds and propagules with its own energy to guarantee swift and excessive growth. its temperament is docile, but it will heedlessly tear up walkways and intrude upon ecosystems in its efforts to flood the environment with as much overgrowth as it can manage.

when Experiment 2224 is unexpectedly sent to an alien planet known as "Earth," its plant-spreading purpose is quickly eroded and replaced with a new objective: bring happiness to the residents of the sad, lonely town it has landed in. to the broken community that found it, this lifeform is known as "Flower Critter."

a few design notes under the cut (:

for some reason, this animal was very difficult to design. i really really wanted to avoid just making a Wacky Experiment(tm) in the style of the freakin lilo and stitch tv series, while simultaneously attempting to capture......a lot of elements that make stitch's design actually appealing. many drafts later, i finally got this thing. it of course retains stitch's ability to retract the limbs & antennae, it has his super strength, speed, etc... instead of being fluffy, though, its fur is very soft and short, reminiscent of extremely short-pile minky or similar fabrics.

that all said, depending on one's taste, i think a Flower Critter design could go all kinds of directions - heck, if anyone wanted to make their own to suit their own FK design or personality, i think that would be super cool (: they could be a beautiful herd...

i also don't have a "lilo" in this au, it's all just "stitch"... but an alternate take could have both. FK finds an alien flower beast and has to befriend it, dodging the efforts of the bounty hunters that pursue them relentlessly... i did not do this because my intent was to sort of just combine FK and the Tooth Lily into one narrative entity. i had it in mind that FK and FC would be too much in alignment, in terms of goals/personality, for the narrative conflict to work like it does between lilo and stitch... but it would actually probably could be very workable depending on one's FK interpretation, and if you want something a little different from the story that i had in mind.

my true dream had been to give it little beady eyes...