#like i know the same questions all exist for his green saber and all

[kanansdume]

So what was the POINT of Ezra refusing to take a lightsaber last episode if he was just going to rebuild one this episode? He specifies that he doesn't NEED a lightsaber because the Force is his ally and then immediately in this episode decides to build one.

Did the Force stop being his ally in-between episodes for some reason?

[songofclarity]

Why aren’t there parallels between WRH and JGS? Didn’t the head of the Tingshan He clan compare JGS to the Wens?

Similarities =/= Parallels

Trying to become like something =/= make you parallel to something

The Sect =/= the Clan Leader

You also answered your own question in the ask, Anon! "Tingshan He clan compare JGS to the Wens" isn't JGS compared to WRH himself, right? The Wen Sect is the group and the establishment, the collective, the rules, the power, the tradition, the army at the leader's back.

The full quote from ch 118 extra, Villainous Friends:

[He Su to Jin Guangyao,] "Jin Guangshan wanted to establish the position of chief cultivator only to imitate the Qishan Wen in being the only ones at the top. Do you think the world is ignorant? You frame me like this only because I spoke the truth!"

Any so-called parallel between Jin Guangshan and the Wen Sect was only because Jin Guangshan (and Jin Guangyao) were trying to do it on purpose, which doesn't really count as a (narrative) parallel. Once the Wen Sect fell, Jin Guangshan was like, "Since the Wen Sect were kind of sort of the ones in charge before, someone else should totally be in charge now, and why shouldn't that be me!" Thus the idea to have a Chief Cultivator was born because someone should always be "king". Because the idea to some people wasn't that a group as powerful as the Wen Sect shouldn't exist but, rather, such a powerful group should exist but under new management.

(Remember that while the Wen Clan was destroyed, many of the Wen Sect people were allowed to make new beds in other Sects like the Jin Sect.)

As men, however, Wen Ruohan and Jin Guangshan aren't similar, much less parallel. Wei Wuxian and later Nie Mingjue confront Jin Guangshan and damn do they make that man SQUIRM! Jin Guangshan lacks authority, confidence, and power in his own right which is why he needs, why he wants, a shiny title to say he's the one in charge! He wants it in print and in big letters! So everyone knows and no one forgets! He is a man beholden to pomp and circumstance and appearances. Being just Sect Leader Jin obviously isn't enough when scum like Wei Wuxian can burst into his hall and try to intimidate him.

By comparison, Wen Ruohan was what he was and had the power he had because he had the megalith Wen Sect supporting him, yes, but also because he was confident and powerful all on his own. He didn't need the other sects to support him. He hardly needed the Wen Sect itself to support him to show his power. Nie Mingjue killed a hoard of Wen cultivators and yet Wen Ruohan, who had just lost his front line of defense, just laughed and shouted, 'Bring it!!' Jin Guangshan could never!

Wen Ruohan didn't need outsiders to tell him who or what he was. Nie Dad reportedly being a little shit about Wen Ruohan and sabers was dealt with in a single meeting without dragging it on or dragging anyone else into it. Wei Wuxian is a little shit to Jin Guangshan's face and we all saw how many people died over that one. The Sunshot Campaign flares up against the Wen Sect and suddenly it's 4 sects vs 1, but Wen Ruohan felt so safe and secure that his plan was to do absolutely nothing about it because the other sects would crumble and the way of the world, with the Wen Sect on top, would right itself again.

The Wen Sect dominance was simply the natural way of things to Wen Ruohan whereas Jin Guangshan (and Jin Guangyao) did all he could to undermine, manipulate, betray, and murder the people who refused to make the Chief Cultivator title a thing. Wen Ruohan was out there casually watering what looked to him a very pretty and lively garden with all its green leaves and blossoms and fruit, overlooking all the weeds and the poisonous plants that had taken root, whereas Jin Guangshan was in a lab trying to Frankenstein monster his way into power.

They're not the same. It's not a parallel.

[son-of-pendragon]

"Miracles and sorceries are two completely opposite fields. Sorceries are for the studious, to be found in years of study and learning under a master, and which only the brightest of minds can make use of at full potential. Miracles, on the other side, are for the faithful. They are tales, stories and epics. Your faith on seeing them as truth is what brings them to life as miracles. This, of course, places both fields at an impasse, mind against heart, if you will. One cannot excel at one without relinquishing the other, and trying to master both shall make you only mediocre at two fields. Well, that is if you are human, of course. A true saint can do anything, after all."

One of the first things Mordred had learned about the younger of his Masters — Lorian had earned his respect just as much as Lothric — was that the Saint enjoyed conversation, especially about things he was knowledgeable in. In the beginning, the Saber’s goal had been strictly the Grail that had Summoned him to this crumbling Kingdom at the end of the world, entirely without attachment to or care for anyone/anything else.

But simply ignoring Lothric had felt… uncomfortably unkind, and so the half-draconic teen had at least listened, even if he had no interest or could think of nothing to say. And the more he listened, the more he learned — both about the Kingdom of Lothric, and about both his Masters — and the more he learned… the more his priorities had begun to shift. Slowly, as the two Princes became more his friends than simply his Masters, Mordred had found himself thinking less and less about his desire for the Grail.

By this point, he barely even thought about the Grail at all; not when fighting any who would do Lothric and Lorian harm, not when brushing shoulders uneasily with the Black Hand, and certainly not when having conversations like these. Not even when the Saber was reminded of his first life. “…Sounds like the difference between my — my oldest brother, and That Woman,” the Knight replied at last, leaned casually beside Lothric; from this position, he could keep watch and avoid eye contact at the same time.

(Though he could summon his armor at any time, he preferred the deep red tunic the Saint had given him.) “I know That Woman trained under Merlin — the greatest mage my world ever knew — and she always thought she was better, smarter than everyone else… Her sort of magic involved a lot of theory and diagrams, from what I remember when she wasn’t using it on me.” Shaking away the memories of his trauma like a dog shaking off water (a slightly easier process, now, here, for some reason), Mordred continued.

He didn’t need to elaborate on ‘That Woman,’ as Lothric had seemed to implicitly understand how he felt about his so called ‘Mother’. “As for my brother, Gawain,” if his voice hitched a bit, he completely ignored it, “his sort of magic just seemed to… exist because he believed so hard. From the minute the sun rose until it set, he was invincible because he never once questioned that that was the way of the world…” Trailing off, the blue-green-eyed teen almost laughed.

“…Wish I had that sort of self confidence.”

@rake-rake

[im-totally-not-an-alien]

Final Fantasy 7 prompts #75 (FINAL LIST)

1. Iflana does not trust Cloud, not one bit. She can sense the calamity inside him and wants him to leave. Too bad both her husband and daughter seem enraptured by his very existence. Her husband rambling on about his mutated and 'safer' J-cells, as if that thing could ever be considered safe. Then it was her daughter, who seemed to take him in, as though he was no more than an injured bird needing treatment.

This thing would be the death of them. She just knew it.

2. "In my world its pretty rare for monsters to talk."

The large gray rabbit riding on his head paused to consider this, "Maybe they're just stupid?"

"Duh. They're basically wild animals. They're not really like you Loppy."

"Lopmon." The bunny creature corrected. Again.

Aka Cloud wakes up in the digital world as a twelve year old and has to find his friends...with the help of his partner digimon of course.

3. Genesis used to think mermaids were one of the most beautiful creatures in Ancient lore...until he saw a blond one swallow a fish whole. He wasn't so sure after that.

4. Au where Cloud and the remnants are escaped expiraments from a non-Shinra lab. They travel to Midgar and become mercenaries.

One of them winds up being captured, prompting the other three to rescue them, but they're otherwise preoccupied by normal human things they never got to experience. Loz loves donuts and other sweets, Yazoo adores taking long hot bathes, and Kadaj always seems to have headphones on, etc.

The holy trinity are shocked when the four don't recognize Sephiroth. Genesis also nearly has a heart attack when he catches them roasting a doomrat over an open flame. "You're not actually going to eat that, are you?"

5. Hojos alarm was triggered at three in the morning. Usually this wouldn't be an issue, creatures attempted to escape Shinras (and by extention his) clutches on a regular basis. They were usually recaptured or destroyed within the hour.

What was strange was the fact that this was Jenovas alarm. His goddess tended to not move much beyond bobbing up and down in her tank.

Upon checking the security feed, he witnessed something infuriating. A blond man was holding an armful of wildflowers and bossing around three silver haired teens as they dismantled her shrine and stole her away. Jenova herself seemed...interested? Approving? He wasn't sure, but it looked like she was cooing at them. Further analysis was required.

6. Time travel au, but the whole thing is from Hojos perspective and he suffers

7. Cloud and Reeve were having a discussion about Clouds Jenova abilities and why he never used them, which eventually lead Cloud to picking up a pebble and stating, "Its not like a can just force some of my life energy into a rock and make it a planet"

And then he did. Tfw

8. High fantasy, no materia au.

Magic is rarely seen in humans, rather a tool used by monsters. On the day Clouds mother is murdered his abilities awaken, creating a powerful snowstorm that ripped the town of Nebilhiem apart.

Ten years later and the storm rages on, having grown to cover nearly the entirety of the mountain, rendering communication with nearby kingdoms difficult and travel impossible.

The famed General Rhapsodous is sent to slay whatever great beast is causing this catastrophe. When he is faced with a young man living up there in complete isolation, he chooses to stay with the mysterious man until he can locate the monster.

What will become of Cloud once Genesis discovers the truth? After all, a witch is considered a form of monster.

9. "I should have just remained a puppet!"

Genesis mulled over the words as though they alone could unravel the mystery that is Strife.

Some part of the redhead felt a little bad about using the strange man's emotional outburst against him, but things were getting desperate...

10. Time traveler au where Genesis dresses in drag to save this "Tifa" girl from the Don. He then tries to get her to go to Shinra for questioning and is punched for his efforts

11. Cloud is thrown into a world where he never existed and Shinra still reigns supreme. Worse, he has no memory of who he is or how he got there (cause Jenova destroyed them). He only has his bike and his sword and begins traveling to find a purpose, all while avoiding Shinras detection.

He often stops at inns and rest stops and often sees the same group of people. The large man with a gun arm grew suspicious from seeing him everywhere they went.

___________________________

"Go away."

The knocking came again. "I know you're in there blondie." A gruff voice replied.

"I'm not gay."

The man on the other side of the door began sputtering. "Look," another voice began, "We just need to talk."

"Yeah. Sure. Talk." He said flatly. "In the middle of the night." He went over to the door anyway. Opening it revealed the man with a gun arm and another man with wild black hair.

"Zack?" The blond blurted, startled. What was one of Shinras Supreme doing out here?!

"You remember me!" The man beamed, "SOLDIER First Class Zack Fair, at your service! Now the real question!"

The man leaned down a bit to the mysterious blonds level, "Who are you?"

12. "Can you do it?" The softness of Denzels voice seemed to make the situation all the more horrifying. "Can you kill me?" Eerie mako green eyes stared up at where Cloud stood frozen.

Denzel pulled a knife from the block, "Or will your son kill you?"

Aka Seph plays mind games by possessing the kids from Advent Children and using them to torment Cloud and make him look like a lunatic

13. Cloud gets sent back in time/ alternate reality, ect. but gets turned into a white materia. He's careful not to roll around while people are looking, but that doesn't stop people from saying, "Hey, look! A materia! " and picking him up. He has no real power...other than apparently soothing anyone/anything he comes into contact with.

Strangely, he keeps getting slotted into bracers (among other things) regularly. Ya'll, he's so annoyed.

14. There were two of him. Two Sephiroths. The blond began regulating his breathing, desperately trying to ward off an ensuing panic attack. He wouldn't stand a chance if they decided to work together.

Luckily, one insulted the other and thus a catfight of epic proportions began, all while Cloud had a panic attack in some long forgotten closet.

15. Au where child Sephiroth overhears a scientist talking about her 'prayers being answered' and he asks her what that meant. After a brief explanation, he later prays to anyone who can hear him to get him out of the labs and/or away from Hojo.

It works.

Bonus: Cloud and Sephiroth were fighting again in the Midgar desert when Sephiroth slashed the air, creating a portal. He had intended to use it to appear behind his puppet and impale him again, but the blond rushed forward and slashed through the portal with his own sword, expecting the portal to disappear as he sailed through were it once was.

Unfortunately, it was still very much there. Just...different. Cloud wasn't given the chance to properly examine it before the feeling of being plunged into ice water overwhelmed him and he was spat out on the other side.

It was another desert, but not like the one he left. He could feel no life here. No plants, no animals, no...no lifestream. The only thing around is another version of him. One that was used and abandoned by the Sephiroth of this world.

The other blond stared at him in confusion, wielding twin sabers in a defensive position.

[toaarcan]

One ship exposes everything wrong with TRoS

Heaven help me, I’m back on my bullshit.

Alright, so, I enjoyed The Rise of Skywalker when I watched it. I actually watched it twice, once on my own when I rushed to see it as soon as possible in order to beat spoilers, and once with my family, in what was a semi-annual new year tradition for us during those four years that a Star Wars film released.

But that doesn’t mean it was good. I enjoyed Transformers: Dark of the Moon the first time I watched it, and that movie’s still a steaming pile of shit. I was admittedly fifteen when I saw DotM, but still. 

My point is that I’m fully capable of enjoying crappy films.

But there’s one thing, one thing about TRoS that exemplifies so many of the problems with TRoS as a whole, if not everything (And by that I mean with TRoS specifically, the woeful treatment of John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran is a Whole Trilogy Problem). And it’s a ship. Specifically this ship.

The Resistance Y-Wing. I hate this ship with the fiery passion of an exploding star, and to talk about why, we need to first go back to The Last Jedi and its conspicuous lack of Y-Wings.

One of the things that I disliked most about the Sequels before TRoS put all the other problems into stark light was the lack of new ships. Instead of new vehicles, we got shinier, sleeker versions of the ships from the original trilogy. And I disliked this because it’s the opposite of what the Prequels did.

Episodes I-III don’t feature more primitive versions of the X-Wing and TIE Fighter, but instead have similar vehicles that evoke the classics while still having an identity of their own.

The ARC-170 looks kinda like an X-Wing, but it’s bigger and has more weapons and crew, and you get why the well-funded Republic can afford things like this while the scrappy Rebels can’t.

The Eta-2 is a predecessor to the TIE Fighter, but it being employed exclusively by Jedi makes a lot of sense, of course a precognitive wizard with superhuman reflexes can do well in a light, unshielded ship, while in the hands of the Empire’s military they’re just expendable swarm fighters.

But then in the Sequels, rather than evolve the ships into new forms, they just made new incarnations of the X-Wing, TIE Fighter, A-Wing, TIE Interceptor, B-Wing, and of course the Y-Wing.

Well, except for one movie: The Last Jedi.

At the outset of the film, we’re introduced to this ship.

This is the MG-100 StarFortress, AKA “That ship all the Star Wars Youtubers hate”. It’s designed to be a much heavier and bulkier version of the B-Wing Starfighter, and is even made by the same people.

From questions about how the bombs “fall” toward the Dreadnought (The answer is magnets) to claims that they’re completely useless because most of the ones in the film died so easily, these things have been put through the wringer by the fandom, and honestly they don’t deserve it? What destroyed the StarFortresses in the film wasn’t their own weaknesses, but them being deployed in too tight a formation. It was a tactical fuckup, not a problem with the ship’s design.

And given that the whole point of the battle over D’Qar is that Poe makes a tactical fuckup to kickstart his development into the new leader of the Resistance as a whole, adding another layer makes sense to me.

But we live in a post-CinemaSins world of media consumption, where every plot-point that isn’t spelled out with a flowchart and an audio commentary by the writers is actually a plothole. 

We also live in an era where Star Wars fans pine for the days of the Legends canon where everything about new ships, species, and worlds was explained in background lore and books, and are angry that the new Canon is... doing exactly the same thing?

Seriously, how much exposition and lore dumping is actually present in any of the Star Wars films? Not a whole lot. And that applies to all three eras. 

So the StarFortress’ appearance in the film and the lack of Y-Wings led to a bevy of armchair writers demanding to know why the Resistance weren’t using Y-Wings and why they were using those “Resistance Bombers” that are just ‘terrible’.

Answer? Because the Y-Wings sucked shit.

Seriously, go back to the Original Trilogy and try to keep track of the Y-Wings, and see what they actually do, and you’ll find that what they do is “Explode, mostly.”

We’re first introduced to the Y-Wings in A New Hope, and they’re supposed to be the ones performing the Trench Run while the X-Wings cover them, and to their credit, they try.

And then they all get blown up by Vader and his wingmen before they can even take a shot at the exhaust port. Well, except that one that appears with the rebel ships flying away from the Death Star.

Where the fuck were you when the X-Wings were doing the attack run?

The Y-Wings got absolutely wrecked.

Ancillary media would go on to explain that the Y-Wings were beat-up old vehicles that were no longer fit for purpose, but the Rebels had to use them anyway because they had basically no money. They’d stripped down the ships and removed a bunch of their more costly features just to make them viable, and the results of that were pretty clear.

Of course, the Y-Wings were still present in the later films. They don’t do anything in The Empire Strikes Back, but they play a role in Return of the Jedi.

Naturally, that role is mostly “Get blown up while the other ships do the important stuff”.

Despite supposedly being a fighter-bomber that was designed to do significant damage to capital ships, does the Y-Wing play a role in the destruction of the Executor? Does it fuck. Destroying the Imperial flagship’s deflector shields and the subsequent suicidal ram attack on the bridge are tasks that are both performed by the goddamn A-Wings. Y’know, the light interceptors?

The Y-Wings get shown up at their own job by the ships that are there to protect them from TIE Fighters.

Ancillary media again explains why they’re still there. While the Rebels have a newer, better fighter-bomber in the B-Wing, the B-Wing is expensive as fuck and also really difficult to fly. 

A non-centreline cockpit that rotates will do that to a ship.

Still, the B-Wing was a better bomber than the Y-Wing ever was (And the StarFortress was better than them both at that role).

All this adds up to a simple fact: There were very good reasons why the Resistance weren’t using Y-Wings. And there were even reasonable reasons to choose the StarFortress compared to the B-Wing itself, given that the Resistance are still undermanned and under-funded, especially with the New Republic getting nuked midway through The Force Awakens. It being easier to fly and having more armaments would have made it a viable choice for the Resistance.

Buuuut oops, people didn’t like the StarFortress and we can’t make the Internet angry at us again! Better put the Y-Wings back in for Episode IX, and show them destroying a Xyston-class Destroyer, that’ll make them happy!

And sure, okay, giving the Resistance a fighter/bomber is probably a good idea. And they already have New X-Wings and New A-Wings, so where’s the harm in a New Y-Wing?

Alright, alright, sure. But why the fuck does it look like this?

If this is a new ship, why is it already stripped-down like the ones in the Original Trilogy? Why doesn’t it look like the actual brand-new Y-Wings we saw in The Clone Wars? 

Now that’s more like it. Still visibly a Y-Wing, but with more of an identity of its own. 

Seriously, “Literally the same ship but without its armour pulled off” has more of a unique identity than the crowd-pleasing New Y-Wing.

And that, in and of itself, is the essence of The Rise of Skywalker.

It’s blind, empty fanservice, rushing to include as much nostalgia-pandering as possible to try and get the fanbase back on-side after The Last Jedi didn’t do what the fanboys wanted it to do.

This is a whole near- three hour movie whose only message is “Yes, Youtubers making TFA critiques longer than an entire season of TCW, we hear you, we’ll make it for you, please love us!”

And, almost entirely predictably, it was shite.

It was riddled with plotholes and none of the scenes had any time to breathe because the movie was too desperately trying to rush itself to the next crowd-pleasing scene in a desperate attempt to wank off as many disgruntled fanboys as it possibly could.

Luke with his green saber! Jedi Leia! Chewie gets a medal! Lando! Luke raises his X-Wing out of the water! The main villain is a testicle in a bathrobe again! Snork origin! Original-flavour Star Destroyers! Rose doesn’t exist! Rey had a super-special secret magical bloodline the whole time and Luke and Leia totally knew even though Luke has literally no idea who she is in Episode VIII! Luke actually was just afraid of the bad guys in Episode VII, none of that self-imposed exile for his own mistakes nonsense! Y-Wings.

I mean fuck. Disagree with Luke’s portrayal in TLJ all you like, I certainly have my issues with it, but I lay those at the feet of JJ for making Luke’s absence into one of his fucking Mystery Boxes, and then deciding that, even though last time Luke sensed Leia and Han might be in danger, he abandoned his Jedi training, hopped in an X-Wing, and flew halfway across the galaxy to try and save them, he wouldn’t do shit when the First Order pointed a star-powered System-Killer 9000 at Leia, and Han got himself killed trying to redeem Kyle Ron. Like how in fuck was Rian supposed to explain Luke’s inaction in VII?

But regardless of the problems with that Luke portrayal, at least Mark Hamill gave it his all. Hell, it might be his best performance in the Star Wars franchise!

 In TRoS, he shows up in a bad wig, waves a middle finger at TLJ, and ascends to his final form as a Lightsaber Delivery Boy, because apparently all you need to kill a Sith who literally clawed his way back from death is two lightsabers. Haunting Kyle Ron? Nope. Providing guidance as a ghost? Not really.

And y’know what the kicker is? It didn’t fucking work. Lucasfilm and Disney fucking gutted this trilogy, sliced out the integrity, surgically removed the soul of Episode IX in a desperate effort to make the Internet’s most unpleasable fanbase happy, and it didn’t work. They still hate it! Now they just concoct hour-long videos about how much they would’ve preferred to have the Trevorrow script (Which is admittedly much better, albeit still with it’s far share of giant flaws), which was probably thrown out because it wasn’t fanservicey enough!

The Rise of Skywalker is an awful film. It’s a loose collection of nostalgia-baiting moments, roughly stapled together around the skeleton of a plot that was never properly developed. It’s a Frankenstein’s Monster of a movie, but, and I say this with full offense, the Victor Frankenstein in this tragic story isn’t Lucasfilm or Disney or Kathleen Kennedy or Rian Johnson, or even JJ Abrams. It’s you, Star Wars Fandom. It is your monster. 

[kiwikipedia]

Hello again! Glad to see someone remember Cin Drallig exists! The poor Battlemaster could use some more content in the fandom :D Anyway what made you interesting in using him for your incorrect quotes and stuff and do you have any headcanons for him? Also will his Padawan Serra Keto from the old Revenge of the Sith video game be making any appearances in your work with Cin?

I LOVE CIN? HE’S JUST??? A CHARM??? ONE GRUFF, ANGY BOY FOR ME?? Cin easily makes my top 10 list of Jedi. Serra actually has shown up briefly in my Wolffepack Against Child Abuse Modern Star Wars AU in the second installment alongside Bene! 

ANYWAYS YOU ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE HEADCANONS:

• Cin never got along with Qui-Gon Jinn, despite having an OK relationship with Dooku. The two of them clashed over a lot of things, and Cin specifically warned Yoda about Qui-Gon when he was pushing for Obi-wan to be his padawan. The two’s fights escalated to blows during and after Melida/Daan.

• Cin practically raised Kit, and as such, Kit looks up to him like an older brother-slash-father. Kit often comes to him still if he needs advice. Cin called him a clown when he came searching for courting advice.

• He also helped out with Bant and Nahdar when he could, and was the one who finished up Nahdar’s padawanship when Kit was called to the front lines.

• Despite the stories the Padawans tell the Initiates , though, Cin’s only strict and gruff when the kids have sabers in hand. Afterwards, he’s always willing to listen to their problems. Though he’s a bit shit at giving them good advice. It’s the thought that counts.

• Cin isn’t a master at all Saber Forms  in the same sense as those who master one form— such as Mace with Vaapad or Kit with Shii-Cho— but he is insanely dangerous since he can easily slip in and out of saber forms mid combat. Repeatedly.

• Not to say that he’s not a master in every form, because he is. but those who specialize in one form only take it a step up.

• Kit Fisto, Plo Koon, Agen Kolar, and Shaak Ti are his usual duel-mates, the five of them absolutely going feral when they’re out of sight of younglings and padawans because it gets dangerous. Cin throws lightsabers. It always freaks Kit out, though he should be used to it.

• Speaking of which, Cin’s a fantastic marksman and has a crazy throwing arm. Someone once asked him what kind of Saber Style it was and he just flatly responded “the Keeping Master Fisto Out Of Trouble” style.

• But yeah, the duels between Cin and any of those four get intense. Most duels between him and any of the masters get intense, though. It’s a good way to test one’s skills.

• He’s literally so indifferent to the nickname “the Troll” that the Order has given him, it’s hilarious. Some Initiate tried to use it as an insult to him and he basically just went “Okay, and?”

• Cin always carries more than one lightsaber on his body at one time. His usual, green one, two yellow shoto, and a blue saber-staff.

• He’s one of the best to go to if you have questions about lightsabers, since he works with them so much. He’s the one who builds all of the training ones, after all.

• He casually refers to the Temple Guards as his “kids”, which is why he’s friends with Plo. 

• During the Clone Wars the two would just go “how are your kids” “doing fine, and yours?” “Also well” 

• He also loves Bene and Serra as his own daughters , along with Whie as a son, as well, despite the boy not being his Padawan

• very much the type of dry-wit humor person. Deadpan snarker. It’s hard to tell if he’s joking if you don’t know him.

• He states that he’ll never get used to the strength of non-humans, as he’s been quite literally thrown by Shaak Ti, Eeth Koth, and Agen Kolar both in duels and on the few missions outside the Temple he’s done.

• Cin suggested that the clones should be trained in saber-work and offered to do it himself. It was put on the back burner, though the few times he’s not in the Temple and down in the Barracks, he’s offered to train the troopers there. Some, like the Commanders and a few ARCs took him up on the offer. And then realized the reason why some Jedi grimaced when his name was mentioned.

• Fives will forever say that ARC training was easier than Saber training with Cin. Battlemaster was a name well earned. Cin then told them the reason he was so hard on them was because he was cut for time, the Clones didn’t have years between leave to learn Saber Forms, so tuck your damn elbows in and adjust your feet, Hardcase.

• Surprising no one, the 104th and 91th troops picked it up faster than the others. Because of course the two would teach their men saberskills on the field. So Cin stepped up the difficulty level. It was fun— for him at least. 

• On that note, Cin suggests that maybe Wolffe should learn Vaapad from Mace and Shii-Cho from Kit when the war’s over. No risk of falling to the dark but he’d have all the unpredictability and speed from both forms.

• He considers the Coruscant Guard to be like his “nephews” in arms, since their job is similar to that of the Temple Guard— and he knows that when both groups can, the two Guard groups get to gether down at 79s for drinks and fun.

• Debated giving Fox and the CG shotos for protection, but eventually decided against it. (Which is a shame.)

• He’s very easy to fluster under that hard exerior and when he’s not teaching or fighting, something that— and here’s where my own personal ships come in and I apologize if this isn’t your cup of tea— Shaak Ti and Saesee Tiin take full advantage of. Shaak teases him relentlessly when she can. Calls him cute and just? He’s CG paint red. “I’m what” “You hard me” “hhhhhhhhh” 

• Saesee just. Picks him up from time to time? Easiest way to fluster him, just pick him up and he shuts up. Cin.exe has stopped working.

• A personal headcanon of mine that disregards canon, from what I know, is that the reason Cin couldn’t beat Vader was because he could quite literally feel the deaths of everyone in the Temple, and outside of it. With so many of his students, friends, and family dying, he was off kilter and easier to kill.

[reylo-musings]

The Stoicism of Chanel Boots Luke

I want to speak to the idea of Luke’s characterization feeling “off” or “not like him” in his appearance when he comes to answer Grogu’s call. People have stated that the “Real Luke Skywalker” would have spoken words of comfort, would have gotten down on one knee to speak with Grogu, would have been warm and open, not cold and stoic. My genuine question is this, “Where does this type of understanding of Luke’s characterization come from?”

In Return of the Jedi, Luke shows up in his killer black outfit with Chanel boots serving Straight Looks, speaking with a new-found confidence that is both attractive yet still quite awkward. Luke tells a still-mostly-blind Han that he’s “taken care of everything” and that they have no worries of dying in the Sarlacc pit, and Han’s response is just “Oh. *Rolls eyes* Great.”. Sure, he’s been frozen in carbonite for a while (and can’t see the killer outfit change) but it’s clear that, to Han, Luke is no Savior, no God. He’s just this kid who Han has grown quite attached to who likes to play with laser swords and is into some weird stuff at the moment. Even to those with fully functional eyes, Luke’s fighting style on Jabba’s cruiser is quite green, and not just because of the glow of his saber. He’s awkward, gets shot in the hand, and lacks what some would probably consider to be “Jedi Knight Fighting Finesse”. But completely in his defense, he only first held a lightsaber 4 years prior, and really has only been training for a year at this point. 

Even when Luke is tied up in preparation to be a main course at an Ewok feast, he speaks with that same awkward confidence, one that he is honing into but still feels oddly out of touch at this point. You can see that he is beginning to view his purpose in this adventure with his friends quite differently. No longer is he just the kid kinda tagging along while Han is wielding a blaster and running full force into danger with Chewy. Luke is now the one that can use his connection to the Force to aid the adventure in a different way, to offer his own unique brand of help to his friends. 

After they’re inducted into the tribe and Luke retreats outside for a quiet moment, Leia inquires as to what’s bothering him and he again speaks in calm measured statements. There is little to no emotion as he tells how he has no memory of his mother - how he fears he is endangering the mission of his friends because of his connection to Vader. These are things that Poncho Luke would have been hysterical over, but Chanel Boots Luke is discovering that his role as Jedi Knight is more than just slicing things with a lightsaber and lifting rocks. It’s about his calm and rationalized approach to his struggles as well as the struggles of the galaxy. 

Luke’s first actual show of emotion in this film is when he is overwhelmed by anger, and at the Emperor’s taunting, summons his weapon in an attempt to strike him down. Vader stops the attack, but Luke’s true emotions have already been revealed. Later, the strongest display of this hatred comes from Vader’s taunts about turning Leia if Luke will not surrender to the Dark Side. This results in the most emotional display yet, culminating in the moment where Luke severs Vader’s mechanical hand and sends his saber falling out of sight. Upon rational realization of what he’s done and how he was hurt the same way before, he chooses to break the vicious cycle in that moment and break out of his emotional spiral. 

Luke’s return to his friends and the heroes of Rebellion after their victory is one of joyous celebration. Handshakes and hugs with Leia, Han, and Wedge eventually brings him to reflection on those Jedi who have passed - Obi Wan, Yoda, and now Anakin - and the realization of what that means for his personal future. 

When Return of the Jedi ends, it is clear to Luke that he feels responsible for restoring the Jedi Order and all that comes with it. This involves not only stepping up to fulfill the galaxy’s idea of what a “Jedi Knight” is, but also establishing and training those who will be the future generations of Jedi. It’s a hefty task, and one that seems quite juxtaposed to the sand rat in A New Hope that just wanted to go to Tosche Station to pick up power converters. But that’s how a literary “call to action” tends to work. 

What is ultimately odd for us as viewers and consumers of this story is that we have not yet seen who Luke is in the time between his confrontation with the Emperor and when Rey finds him in solitude 30 years later. THIRTY YEARS! It only took 22 years for Anakin to be born and later turn to the Dark Side. 30 years is plenty of time for someone’s personality to evolve into something completely new!

Sooooo, coming back around to people’s issues with Luke in The Mandalorian. The main point I’m trying to make is that in our most involved interactions with Luke prior to his appearance on Moff Gideon’s ship - his time during Return of the Jedi - he spends most of it quite devoid of outright warm emotion. He speaks with an undertone that reflects his role as a Jedi, but he hasn’t quite figured out how to blend that timbre seamlessly with his own voice yet. It leads to something that feels somewhat awkward and definitely different, but the reality is that this change is not a “bad” one. Many have stated that Chanel Boots Luke is the Luke that sparked many a feeling in people. This is the Luke that is beginning to understand what his destiny is. It’s the Luke that would choose death over betrayal of the Jedi Order. It’s the Luke that is evolving and changing into what he believes the galaxy needs him to be. 

There is now something around a 5 year gap between Return of the Jedi and when Luke arrives to find Grogu. We saw just how much Luke changed in the time between Cloud City and Jabba’s Palace, so it fully stands to reason that the change would be even more exaggerated over 5 more years of time. 

Also, what DO we know has transpired in these 5 years? We know that Ben was born. 

We are told that Ben’s strong connection to the Force was known even while he was still in the womb. For Luke, the bond that he shares with Leia and Han, one of newfound family and friendship forged through rebellion and victory, is now facing a new challenge stronger and more important than a looming galactic power struggle. Ben’s conception, coupled with the Palpatine/Snoke influence that Luke and Leia both feel, pushes Luke to understand the new struggle they are all facing. Full restoration of the Jedi Order is vital, not only to combat the always growing power of the Dark Side, but because he believes the power in Ben MUST be controlled and used in conjunction with the Light Side of the Force, lest the sins of the galaxy repeat themselves, and a new Vader is truly created. 

So in preparation for building this new Order, Luke fully embodies what he knows to be the role of a Jedi Knight and Master. We as consumers of the story know what this role looked like at the height of the Jedi Order. There was measured stoicism, following of orders above all emotion, and strong emphasis given to letting go of attachments. It stands to reason that this information was continually passed to Luke through his connections with past Jedi such as Yoda and Obi Wan, the same way he gained experiences while training on Dagobah. 

Suddenly, the Luke we saw tear through a battalion of Dark Troopers and calmly state that he is indeed a Jedi seems par for the course. He has been mentally and physically preparing to be what the galaxy needs him to be (and more importantly what Ben needs him to be) for the better part of 5 years. In his mind, and likely the mind of every Jedi he has consulted along the way, the best chance of restoring the Jedi Order to its former glory is through this mystical personification of an ancient religion. The mystery and awe surrounding the Jedi has not been lost from the galaxy in their absence, and it is up to Luke to embody that “god-like savior” that everyone expects him to be. And in that, he is successful - He is the one who saved the galaxy - He becomes a legend. 

From Grogu’s perspective, he likely sees this demeanor of Luke’s as quite familiar. It’s not like Mace Windu was kneeling down at the Jedi Temple giving all the younglings fist bumps and hugs all the time. This stoic and rational mindset is what Grogu probably saw constantly during his young training, and that has a comfort to it, as “cold” as it might seem to us. As Grogu signals to Luke that he is ready to be picked up so their journey can begin, the brief moment they share together feels significant. There now exists a solid tangible connection between the Jedi of the past and the new order Luke is attempting to build, and the amount of knowledge that can now be shared is vast. Luke likely sees in Grogu the ability to find even better ways to bring forth this new Jedi Order, ultimately in service of the entire galaxy. 

It’s difficult to know what happens in the timeline from here. Luke takes Grogu 5 years prior to Ben beginning his training, so we have to accept that some of the timeline doesn’t make total sense. In speaking to Rey during The Last Jedi, Luke states that he took Ben and a dozen other students and “began” a training temple. So either some form of training was already taking place with Grogu for 5 years prior to Ben’s training and it's just sloshed together in flashback context, or Grogu just tagged along for 5 years before official training began. I’m guessing it's somewhat closer to the previous of the two. 

To recap our timelines, we have added two small glimpses of Luke between Return of the Jedi and the sequel trilogy. 

1. The small glimpse with Grogu 5 years after ROTJ 2. The flashback of Ben’s turning 18 years after that

(There are pieces of info from novelizations, but I’m just sticking with visual media right now). 

There is still a LOT we do not know in the gaps, but I think we can make some solid inferences as to the type of demeanor and disposition Luke possessed, and the types of beliefs he held about how to be a Jedi Master. We see in the final and true iteration of “The Fateful Night” flashback that, at Ben’s turning, Luke once again became emotionally overwhelmed at the idea of those who he loved being harmed by the Dark Side of the Force, exactly as he had on the Death Star when Vader threatened to turn Leia. But as Luke states, it was pure instinct - pure emotion - and as soon as he realized what he’d done, looking down at the mechanical hand holding his saber (a deliberate visual flashback by Rian to the cycle-breaking moment in ROTJ) he was filled with shame. But unlike the last time, he does not walk away from this moment a legend, but instead as a failure. A failure to his nephew, and as Ben turns to become Kylo Ren, a failure to the galaxy. 

Ultimately, we know that Ben’s training was unsuccessful at keeping him from the Dark Side, not because Luke was a poor Jedi Master, but because a “Master” wasn’t what Ben truly needed. Instead what he needed was family. He needed love. 

I would like to take a quick detour to speak on those who are very much upset about Din removing his helmet in front of a literal room full of people, one of whom is a complete stranger to him. I fully understand why many are saying he would never do something so expressly against his religious beliefs. And you’re correct. The Din Djarin we have seen for so much of this series is the one who put his religious beliefs above all else, despite comfort, desire, convenience, all of it. But at the end of this chapter of his life, the removal of his helmet to share this moment with Grogu is not about abdication from his religion. Rather, it is about his realization that the connection between himself and this child is more important to him than the religious beliefs he had been following without fault for his entire life. Whether you believe this choice he made was “right” or not, the moment is meant to show that this bounty hunter who never had attachment to anything except those beliefs has now found something even more important to him. He has had a change of priorities and is accepting his attachment to Grogu and validating it. 

“Just for once, let me look on you with my own eyes” In this related moment, Vader pays the ultimate price to see Luke, he pays with his life, and willingly does so. Acceptance that what was so important before (being alive at the expense of being more machine than man) is no longer the most important thing to Anakin, and rather connection and love of those in our lives becomes the real goal and purpose. 

What foreshadowing it might be for Din to set aside his strict religious beliefs and understandings to show just how much he loves and cares for this child. What a lesson that may have struck Luke in his years of solitude that perhaps, if he had just been more like Din Djarin, putting aside old religion in favor of loving and caring for those who are in your life right now, Ben may have never turned. Luke may have never failed. 

So as I ramble on into the abyss, my thoughts are these: The stoic Luke Skywalker in Chanel Boots is not a strange “out-of-left-field” characterization. This is the Luke that the galaxy thought it needed, and exactly who Luke thought he needed to be for the galaxy. This progression falls directly in-line with his self-reflections in The Last Jedi, 30 years after his confrontation with Vader and Palpatine. To those who still struggle to accept Luke’s characterization in solitude on Ahch-To, I’ve got plenty more to say on that, but this has already gone on long enough. If anyone is interested in hearing it, I can certainly expound upon that as well. 

Bottom line: We don’t know what happens next. That’s both the curse and the thrill of a saga that’s being built in 6 different timelines simultaneously. Here’s to the joy of finding out together. 

[iwriteforthetincanman]

Mandoctober Day 16: Tatooine

ALT TITLE: Stardust, The Force and one big beautiful mess

A/N: at first I wanted to continue the sandcrawler scavenger reader I did (which I will do eventually with or without Mandoctober to guide me) but I went through some personal stuff so I more or less wanted to base this around family and where your roots are from rather than Tatooine itself, which in its essence is that one scene with Luke skywalker standing outside his home with the twin suns and later on down the line, his final resting place along with his twin sister Leia. 

Someone dear to me passed away almost ten years ago now. The anniversary is the day Season two comes out. Which is essentially why I’m so committed to this fandom now. But I also wanted to write something just to get the remaining grief out of my system. 

Mum, this one is for you.

Ni kar’tayli gar darasuum Buir.

Poe Dameron x reader, Nameless!Mother (or Mother Figure) x Din Djarin

(FOR CLARIFICATION DIN DJARIN IS THE READER’S FATHER IN THIS ONE)

also somehow I wrote 5K in two hours none stop...am I Alexander Hamilton? 

It had been so long since I had been home. It hurt to think of the place where I came from. Hatred had leaked into my very belief system, my culture...even my family. 

I felt like they hated me for leaving... but I was scared that they’d never miss me. That I had only been a ghost in their lives. There for 18 years and then poof! I was gone. 

My father, Din Djarin, the Mandalorian saved my mother from slavery when she was quite young. Around my age to be precise. He had no idea at the time because she had been living with an Ugnaught named Kuill. That’s why my middle name is Kuill. I owe that fateful Ugnaught my existence for freeing my own mother from slavery when she was barely even a woman. 

She had nowhere else to go...and instead of keeping her grounded and sheltered away from the rest of the world. He let her live. 

Growing up you hear stories of people dying all around you, neighbours, friends and yes, even pets. It hurts so much you can’t even comprehend it. You become numb and barren to the pains of the world.

It feels like you don’t care anymore.

It got to a point where I was making things up in my head out of anger. How I would’ve handled things differently, what I wanted to do with my life, where I wanted to go.

But my father had only one strict rule.

Once we set down roots...we can never leave.

I never questioned it after the first time he told me why. 

My mother...on the day I decided to leave, knew that something was wrong.

Lately I had been restless, agitated and easy to anger. 

At first she thought I had fallen pregnant. Something that had made us both laugh at the time. It was a hollow memory to me now. I had no idea if she was dead or alive. 

It hurt. The unknown. Death, life. It didn’t matter. 

What mattered was the fight to live. To help others thrive.

You were raised to be everything the First Order was against. 

So of course you wanted to join the resistance at the first chance you got.

---

“NO.”

“But-”

“No means no! Do you have any idea what your mother and I went through to bring you this life, so you could live in the peace that the universe scarcely gives? Do you have any idea how lucky you are?!”

“That’s exactly why I have to go! Don’t you understand that! I love living here. But some people aren’t as lucky. You know that more than anyone in this village buir. Mum knows it too.”

It went deadly quiet for a moment. 

“I did not bring you this life...risked everything with my culture, my creed, just so you could selfishly throw it away...I don’t want you to die like my parents did Ad’ika.”

I didn’t say it then but...that was another reason you needed to go. To make your ancestors and those Mandalorians who came before your father proud. 

It was the one time Din Djarin had let his guard down.

You crept away into the night, leaving only a kiss on your little (in size) brother’s brow and a note next to your mother’s tools.

It was the best way you could’ve said goodbye. 

“I am one with the force and the force is with me...This is the way.” 

---

Two whole weeks later I found yourself on a planet that was the polar opposite of what I was used to. So much technology that I didn’t know the names of, ships, speeders, weapons and people. 

It was strange how seeing so many people made you euphoric at the time. I was only a rookie, and I had never left home before. Of course I was nervous. 

There was so much to learn! Keeping up with the resistance is what scared you, what if they threw you out? You had trained under your mother’s mechanical know how just to get here but what if-

“Djarin! Y/N!”

“HERE!” You hadn’t realised how loud you had been until all the people turned to look at you funny. Whispers and giggles followed. Maker, this was embarrassing. 

“Good to know you’re here. I’m Poe Dameron by the way. Noticed you weren’t paying attention. You nervous?” Making eye contact with the most gorgeous man you had ever seen was the last thing you had expected. He was a hot shot pilot apparently. You heard a girl giggle behind your head as she winked at him. Oh, give me a break. 

“...A little.”

“Okay well don’t be. You recruited for a reason and according to where you’ve been registered you’re the best mechanic we’ve seen in a long while. Which is why you’ve been assigned to my X-Wing.” 

Jealousy dripped in ugly green buckets. You were quite fond of the colour, with it being the colour of your little brother’s skin. But...it hurt nonetheless. 

“Yes sir.” You whimpered pathetically.

You were doing this for them. Not for some pilot you had only just met. Well...him too. 

---

Crashing into General Leia Organa with heaps of your paperwork was not how you planned your first day ending.

“Kriffing Bantha fodder! Why don’t you watch where you’re-Oh my god you’re Princess Leia.” 

To say you had been absolutely obsessed with her when you were younger was an understatement. 

She reminded you of your mother in so many ways it hurt to look at her.

Which is why you were so confused when she touched your cheek only to find yourself crying at just the sight of her. 

---

“So...you left on bad terms with not only your father, but your family in general. Even if your mother never found out?”

“I’m worried that it’ll put a strain on my parents relationship with each other more than anything...I can’t contact them or write. It’s too risky.”

“Your father taught you well.” 

“Wait...you know who my father is?”

“Many people have heard of the Mandalorian that killed Moff Gideon with the dark saber. Some have speculated that it was a myth...now I can see that it wasn’t since you are living proof of what Mandalorians can create.”

“My mother was never a Mandalorian. She was a Mechanic through and through...she just happened to be thrown into motherhood twice along the way.” you joked bitterly.

Your parents had told you the tales of Moff Gideon. It was a fairytale that had been shrouded in mystery. Something you weren’t expecting to hear from the two people you admired the most. 

“I love my family. That’s all Mandalorians care about. Their clan and their people as a whole. I’ve neglected that part of myself for far too long. We had to hide to be safe. It made me angry. I told my dad I was going to leave the night before I did. He said no...I went anyway. It doesn’t matter what he thinks...not right now. I have to put what matters to me in this universe first.”

“Hmm...you sound a lot like a young jedi knight i used to know.” 

“Are you talking about Master Luke Skywalker?” You were getting excited now. 

“No...one of his students he took for a very brief period. You see the child was the same species as Master Yoda but he was already fifty years old. A relationship where a padawan is already older than their teacher? That...now that is strange.” Leia giggled to herself. 

Everytime you glanced at her all you could see were fragments of your own mother. You understood why everyone here adored her. Why she was in command whilst others who thought they deserved it, weren’t.

She was a mother through and through. Whether to her own child or not, you knew she didn’t realise this one fact alone. 

“You remind me of my buir. She has many similar features...not the same just, similar.” 

“I’m honoured you think of me that way Djarin. But I believe that there is an anxious pilot waiting for you in the hangar.” 

“Kriff! Thank you for the Caff General. It's a lot different to what I’m used to but it’s a welcome change.” Getting this out in one breath you bowed somewhat awkwardly before running out of the canteen. 

---

“Y’know you’re strange right?”

“Kriff!” Banging your head on the bottom of Poe’s X-Wing was not how you wanted this to pan out. 

“You’re annoying, did you know that?”

Watching his face was like observing a painting, depending on your interpretation and the angle the motions you saw were just-

“Mesh’la.”

“What...is that some weird curse word or somethin’?” 

“Uh! No, I mean, yes! I mean...maybe.” scratching the back of your neck, you attempted to soothe the bump that was forming there. That was going to be a little ray of sunshine to wake up to tomorrow morning. 

“Hey, let me take a look at that.” Turning around somewhat hesitantly. You let Poe take a look at your ‘wound’. 

“Yikes, looks like a lot of blood.” 

“What!” 

“I’m kidding. It was a joke to get you less stressed out...obviously it didn’t work.”

“Sorry...I’m just anxious, I guess.” 

“Wanna talk about it? My X-wing is in great shape right now by the way, my old mech checked her out before you shipped in. He was a great guy but...he was one of a handful we lost.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Hey it’s okay. Death is a part of life, unfortunately I learnt that at a tender young age.”

“What happened? ...if you don’t  mind me asking that is.” 

“...My mother, she was a pilot just like me. She fought for what she believed in and yet, she died anyway. It hurts but...I fight because of what my parents did.”

“No way! Me too! My parents took a back seat compared to what the resistance did back in the day but my Dad was a total badass and my mum...well, my mum was a slave.” 

The look of shock you saw on Poe’s face was something you mistook for awkwardness. 

“I’m sorry if I overstepped Captain Dameron.” 

“Nah, you did the complete opposite actually...we’re gonna spend a lot of time together for god knows how long so it’s good that we get the emotional baggage out of the way first.”

The smile he gave you made your knees turn to jelly. 

You didn’t know then how taken Poe already was with you, He thought you were cute, but he underestimated how much of a badass you really were. The knowledge of your parents though...he tucked that away for safe keeping right next to the ring that sat against his heart. 

Little did he know then how much emotional baggage you really had...

---

-3 YEARS LATER-

“DJARIN WE NEED YOU IN MEDICAL STAT!” 

“DON’T YELL AT ME LIKE I’M ONE OF YOUR NURSES MCLAGGEN! I CAN HANDLE IT!”

“I KNOW THAT, THAT’S WHY WE NEED YOU!”

Although you admired your crew mates sometimes you wanted to rip off their kriffin’ heads. 

Everyone was stressed lately. All three of the golden trio had vanished, out of sight, out of mind. And to make matters worse, Leia was just as worried as you were. 

“Commander Djarin!”

“Poe!” Running to your best friend in the whole freaking universe, you wrapped him in the biggest hug you could muster. You had been so worried about him. 

“I missed you! I was so worried...I didn’t know what to think…” Shame and guilt crept into your very being as Poe stood before you, he was carrying a very solemn aura. Something bad had just happened. You could feel it all around you now. People were sobbing in the courtyard. 

Everyone was upset...but that could only mean-

“No...No, don’t you dare tell me she’s gone.”

“Y/N I’m sorry.” Poe was a mess, just like you.

He held you in his arms as you screamed in agony until nightfall. 

---

“I’m never gonna be good enough for this. Not like she was.” 

Hearing Poe go through the worst thing he had ever faced once again broke your heart tenfold. More than yours was breaking already. 

“Poe Dameron, you listen to me and listen well okay?” 

Every part of his being was hyper focused on you as you said these next words, it’s like you were commanding them into his brain. 

“Leia loved you. She may have never said it out loud but she said it in the ways any mother would. She was the mother of the resistance sure but she had a real soft spot for you after everything with...Ben.”

Comparing Poe to Kylo Ren was a painful business but everything about grief was painful, it made you focus on the good and the bad. 

“Family is more than blood. That’s what my father’s creed taught me. I will never forget it as long as I live. When this is all over and he’s not going to put a knife through my chest just for leaving I’ll introduce you. Hell, I’d drag you back to my home planet right now if i could...you would love it.” 

“I’m sure I would...Mesh’la.”

“...What did you just call me?”

“I got that right didn’t I? It’s not an insult, it’s a compliment? I thought it meant beautiful I was just guessing off interpretation I didn’t read any mmph-”

You had cut him off by slamming your lips onto his. Sure, it was inappropriate to make out in front of both your mother figure’s corpse but...you knew by now that many times she had told you to tell him how you truly felt when it came to war?

It was now or never. 

She had that with Han Solo and in the blink of an eye he had left. 

But Poe? Poe had been your constant throughout all of this, he loved you in ways you could only imagine and you loved him. Even if the kiss ended up not meaning anything...you knew you would never regret it as long as you live. 

“Ni kar’tayli gar darasuum Poe Dameron.”

“WHA- what, um, ahem, does uh, that mean?” You had flustered him, you felt pride in your very soul for doing that. 

But Damn if his tousled hair didn’t like so fine? Maybe it was the fact you had just clawed your fingers through it like the world was ending...but in a way it kind of was. 

“I will keep you in my heart forever...that’s the Mandalorian way of saying I love you Poe Dameron.” 

“Oh...MANDO’A!” 

You leapt back at this, not the reaction you were hoping for. But it was so ardently Poe you couldn’t help the grin on your face. 

“What about it?”

“That’s your culture! Your language! That’s why you told me your father is such a bad-...ass”

“There a reason you’re just saying ‘ass’ to yourself, General?”

“Oh bantha fodder...I’m gonna have to ask for your father’s blessing to marry you by talking to a Mandalorian?” 

An audible gasp snapped him out of his stupor.

“You...you were gonna propose?”

“Of course.”

The painting had returned. The painting you kept in your heart and sang to every day. The one you comforted when he had nightmares, no matter how close to your body he was, you knew by that point your friendship was long gone. 

You had never put a label on it...but in a way, you had always been each other’s ‘one’.

And now...He was asking you to be his riduur?

“Leia convinced me. She said if I didn’t buckle up and saw what was right in front of me throughout this whole war. I would've killed myself over my love for you.” Confirming that he was in fact, in love with you, was a breath of fresh air. 

Even if the jungle you had been camped out in for months on end had changed your temperament you couldn’t help the tears welling up in not just your eyes but Poe’s as well. 

“Y/N Kuill Djarin. I love you so damn much it hurts to leave you every time I ran to that hangar. I knew everytime I left it could’ve been the last time and it scared me. Because who was I going to be if I never found my forever girl? My mom told me that much before she passed…” 

Shara Bey’s ring. The fact that he had carried the ring of his deceased mother around for years on end just to be close to her made your heart simultaneously sing and cry. 

Not only because the ring was now yours to keep. 

But so was the man who gave it to you. 

That night, before the final battle, your hearts beat as one.

---

You had won.

Everyone had celebrated, you both drank so much that when you woke up in bed together the next day, despite the crippling twin headaches, all the two of you could do was laugh. 

“I mean...if we think about logically it was only a matter of time before one of us pounced on the other?” You offered into the awkward harmony you had both fallen into. 

“Yeah but I just really wanna know...I didn’t hurt you right?” 

You had never told him, but Poe knew just by the way you had gotten up to get some water, despite the fact he was ready for round two almost instantly due to how the sheets bunched and fell from your figure, that you were a virgin. 

But just from the simple process of illumination of what little you had told him of your life before the Resistance or BP he liked to call it (before Poe), you preferred BB (before Beeps), he knew you had never been in a relationship. Not properly anyway. 

Not with him. 

In a way the thought of being your first filled him with joy...but every time he had imagined it he had expected to be a gentleman, rose petals, lilies, gods, any flowers he could’ve found in that blasted rainforest would’ve been perfect! 

What he didn’t understand was how the drink had addled his brain so drastically that he had just pounced like a feral animal on his precious girl. He wanted to take your innocence on your wedding night (Your engagement hadn’t yet been announced to the Resistance as you both wanted to wait for the onslaught of weddings to die down before the wedding of the century was even announced so in a way, your relationship as fiance’s technically still didn't exist). 

And yet...you realised something during the haze and the blur of everything Poe and you last night. 

You had made a new home here, a life for yourself...and it was good. 

You had done exactly what your parents did and more.

So of course you were emotional. I mean, you two hadn’t even used protection!

Although...you didn’t share this with Poe the thought of a little version of you and him growing within you? It set your heart on fire. So when you kissed him with the passion of a thousand thunderstorms, you didn’t hesitate to return the favour of last night...and then some. 

---

Shuffling into the cantina had never felt so awkward in all of your three years here. You were 21 years of age now. People hooked up all the time and it’s not like you broadcasted your virginity to anyone here.

That was until the green bundle of joy himself practically flew into your arms. 

“Ad’ika?!” Your exclamation panicked Poe, his hand immediately going to your waist as he inspected the creature wrapped around your neck. BB8 whirled in Ad’ika’s wake, circling the figure of 8’s around the both of you. 

“What, they did?” Ad’ika looked up at you like you had grown three heads. Sure, he looked like a kid. But he was now roughly 90 years old. He was a fully grown child now. You still blushed like a little girl apparently as he continuously giggled into your neck.

“Not important right now buddy. Where are our buirs?” You muttered tearfully. Today had turned into a whole other kind of day. 

“C’MON GUYS HURRY UP I’VE NEVER SEEN A REAL LIFE MANDALORIAN BEFORE!!” Seeing friends of yours running past only to be met with the vision of your buirs brought you the relief that no bacta patch (or in this one specific case casual sex???) could ever give. 

Your mother was vision as always and Poe confirmed it.

“Y/N...I knew the day I first met you that you were beautiful but the fact that your mother looks almost exactly like you right now scares me.” 

“Poe, whatever you do don’t say anything inappropriate around my Da, he won’t appreciate it, at all.” 

Even though you were smiling like crazy, Poe knew you were being deadly serious. You didn’t want anything to ruin today. 

Besides, there was only one reason your buirs were wearing their armor once more. Your father was wearing all of his Mandalorian armor, scuffed and slightly dusty with age (he had clearly left in a hurry) but your mother was wearing her long forgotten robes. Once she was planning on giving to you one day. You realised she looks a lot like Rey right now. 

The dark saber she carried at her side confirmed it. 

But her eyes meeting yours from across the room as she spotted her daughter reunited with your son, caused both you and Poe to tear up once more as she grabbed her Riduur’s hand. 

“Excuse us.” Polite as always, she waited for no one as she made her way to you and only you as she almost tripped over poor Beeps in the process. 

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

You both laughed a similar laugh that any one around would recognise. It was like Leia had come home but you all knew she was gone...she was never truly gone. She lived on through each and everything the resistance had touched. 

Including you...and Poe.

Din and your mother.

Ad’ika...and Luke Skywalker.

Your mother the day she killed Moff Gideon with a light saber that she did not know she had the untaught skills to possess.

It was like strings were tangling and wrapping and strangling…

Except it was beautiful.

“We missed you so much Ad’ika.”

Looking into the eyes of your buir, his scarred and worn face now riddled with crow’s feet from the happiness you had placed there. 

It was home. 

---

Drums beating. Heart pounding. Numerous friends and family to you and to Poe squabbling over what hairstyle you would wear. 

Today was the big day. Surprisingly you had announced it a week ago. 

After everything that had happened, when your father showed up, Poe asked right on the spot if he could marry you. Not caring that he had to prove himself in the trials of Mandalore. 

In his heart he had become one with your clan. He had become a son in your father’s eyes, another foundling that had just found his way here. 

“I know men aren’t technically allowed to be in the chamber, but I just had to meet my future daughter-in-law before the big day.” Your breath catching in your throat, your eyes met those of a man you recognised.

Although you had never met it’s like you had a scrapbook in your mind or all the stories, all the little details of what Poe’s Dad looked like. 

He was more handsome than you originally thought, but that was a given seeing as it was the exact same as when you met Poe himself. 

“Nervous?”

“Surprisingly...not at all.”

“Poe...wanted me to give you this.”

A glance of the ring gave you a flicker of a moment of self-doubt. He would never have his own Dad break things off...would he? 

“Don’t worry. It’s a family thing you know, for father’s to give away their daughter’s. I asked your mother but I had no idea that she was from the tribe of many mothers.” Giggling to yourself at that line, you realised where you had got your spirit from. 

Leia was here with her own family today, you could feel it in your bones.

“It’s sweet of you to ask at all when we have never even properly met.” 

“Ah, you’re wrong there, in a way we have. Poe told me so much about you I began to cry before the wedding even started. Good thing he told me at the bachelor party.” 

Raising an incredulous brow at him, you wondered a silent question. 

“It was just me and him for most of the night before drinks with his friends. Don’t worry, Poe’s not that kind of man.” Smiling to yourself, you knew he was right. You also knew this meant Poe had a terrible influence of friends. You loved them all. Of course Poe asked Finn to be his best man and you asked Rey to be your maid of honour.

They wanted everything to be perfect. 

Although a week made everyone go a bit stir crazy. Someone even came up with the rule that as long as we were all staying on this damn jungle planet. We might as well have a week in between each one to plan. 

You can’t remember how many bridezillas had attacked you over Poe Dameron in your dreams. 

In reality everyone was happy for you, in their minds, if they thought about it you were the perfect match for Poe in each and every way. 

Wait ‘til they found out how short the actual ceremony was. 

“Anyway, Shara, god's rest her soul, would’ve given you this if she were here, but I’m here to tell the tale so I’m giving it to you to wear on the chain she gave him when he was little.”

Feeling tears well up in sympathy for the father and son duo, you couldn’t help but ask.

“I’m getting married so I need to know. How did you ever learn to cope with the pain of losing someone that close to you?”

“Simple...I didn’t. Poe was angry for years. Not just at the world but at the system. It’s why he felt he had no choice but to become a spice runner. The system wouldn’t let him win and he was exhausted from the guilt and the grief. I couldn’t bring myself to reprimand him.” 

Remembering something your mother said to you long ago...you knew you had to tell your future father in law something that had been on the backburner for the last few days of preparation. 

“There’s one small detail in all of this that you should know Kes.”

“What’s that…”

“...I’m pregnant.”

“Goodness! How? Wait no, I know how what I meant was when?”

“About a month ago now?” It was before my parents' surprise visit and Poe dropped the bomb on everyone that he intended to marry me. 

“Let me guess, he asked for your Dad’s blessing?”

“Well...yeah.”

“Think of them as an early wedding present.”

“Thanks. Although at least this means I can get out of consummating the marriage.” Laughing nervously, Kes was about to say something else when the door creaked open once more. 

“...Wow.” 

“Hi Dad.” 

“Um..sorry but I’m guessing your Poe’s father Kes?” 

“Yeah, Heard a lot 'bout you and your daughter over the years.” 

Smiling to yourself, you let them chat as your Mother crept from behind your father’s ceremonial cape (It had a red inner lining and fur lining the top, don’t ask) She looked just as radiant as you did. 

“My daughter.” 

“Hi Mum.” 

“Did none of your friends fix up your hair?”

“We couldn’t decide on a style…”

Sadly you knew your time to prepare was drawing to a close, you needed to be as ready as you were when repairing the X-Wings.

“How about...I do your hair like my mother did for me?” 

Tearing up at the mention of your grandmother, god's rest her soul, you wished she were here to see this. 

“Please.” ---

Poe was nervous. No doubt. Finn was panicking and Rey wasn’t helping with all the screaming and waving around the chairs and tables she was doing by abusing the force just to get things done quickly. 

Today...was a mess.

But it was the best kind of mess. 

Jokingly, Finn had put a bow tie made for large Loth Cat’s around Beep’s neck. Poe had agreed that he had never looked so dapper. What they didn’t expect was your Dad’s distaste for droids and his dry humor. 

Poe knew why though, so he didn’t get angry or throw a fit like the first time you met BB8 and was scared to shit. 

It was strange that you had never met a proper droid before that day. 

And wow, now he was marrying you. Time flew, so quickly. 

To break the ice Poe had asked Din the story behind Ad’ika. In a quick attempt to get to his daughter before the ceremony took place, people filing in as he talked and avidly listening, he told the story of how he had come across the beauty that was/is your mother, how he met Ad’ika, how he had saved his life. Why Poe had discovered the secret tattoo of a mudhorn on your back. One that you had received from your Auntie Cara Dune you added fondly. 

Who he would be meeting for the first time today. 

The jungle had never looked so beautiful. You had both decided that the wedding would take place around dusk on the last night of summer, when it was not too humid and yet hot enough that the ceremonial wear had to be adapted to the heat. 

Din had graciously warned Poe about Mandolorian traditional wedding dresses and how your mother had worked night and day to make your dress perfect. Poe quickly learned that your mother was a jack of all trades. 

This was his family now. Forever and always. 

A crescendo began as the miscellaneous Mandalorians dotted around the room beat the traditional drums to a high and demanding tune, light glinting off their multi-coloured helms dancing in the setting sunlight. With the Fur pressing against Poe’s throat he had jokingly said he looked like a king. 

When Din answered back saying since he was a clan leader he technically was choked on his own spit. 

Her fiance, the love of his life, had been a princess in disguise this whole freaking time. 

It stuck in the back of his mind as the music grew too demanding, but as gasps filled the room he couldn’t help looking up. 

Your mother was walking you down the aisle, your dresses looking not so similar yet similar enough that anyone and everyone knew you were one and the same, yet different. 

But you, Gods above, you. 

You looked like a princess. 

Beskar cladded your upper arms, two feathers decorated your hair, matching braids flowing down your neck as your squeezed your mother’s arm in excitement upon spotting your future Riduur. 

You had both made it out alive. And happy. 

Not everyone had been so lucky, but you were doing this for them. To keep their memory alive. 

And as Poe attempted to make love to you that night and you jokingly told him that traditionally you can’t touch the bride for another week if she has already fallen pregnant.

Let’s just say he got a matching bruise on his head from the first time you met.

Yeah, it was a mess.

But you were both finally home.

[rhaenyratargeryn]

Who wants to read the first part of a Mando x Reader fic I’ll probably never finish???? If it had a title it would be “For a Few Credits More” 

---

For you, the fall of the Empire had come too late. It was still an event worthy of celebration and you had done so, joyfully and wholeheartedly along with your fellow farmers and miners in Mos Eisley.

And when the voices had died down and the drinks stopped flowing, you had found a space to quietly and somberly remember the man who had died so you would be here today and not in the ground alongside him.

To say you’d always been “different” felt somehow shallow and silly. To say you’d been cursed was perhaps more true to point. You knew little of your life before the age of five, only that you were born to the lights and bustle of Coruscant and when your parents had died during the Resistance conflict with the Empire, you were shipped off to an orphanage who in turn packed up and moved to the Outer Rim planet of Lah’mu. The Empire paid incentives for settlers to take on the harsh landscape of the planet, the orphanage using its charges as little more than hired hands.

You hadn’t minded the dark rainy skies, finding they were easier on your light sensitive eyes, a genetic gift from your Miraluka father, who had been born with none. But that was not the only gift he had granted you with.

You dreamt of a man. Older, wiser than most and with a gracefulness to his moments and his thoughts you’d had never seen before. Through the dreams he had found you and explained to you the existence of a force. An energy that lived through all things, that lived in him, lived in you. Lived in the planet and the plants atop it as well as the rocks beneath.

Caston Rik was his name and he bought you from the orphanage, braided three strands of hair at the base of your neck where it could be pushed back and hidden easily... and called you “Padawan”. The word brought forth memories of a shining temple, of gold and silver and an age of balance and peace. It also brought a feeling of taboo, of dread, for even if you had never heard of the Force, you knew the word “Jedi” all too well tied to the word “Inquisitor”.

And that was how it all came to end. Fifteen years old and orphaned again by the red plunge of a saber through Caston’s heart.

You took everything he taught you, everything you had learned and buried it down beneath the sands of Tatoonie, your newest home.

Farming was pretty much the same no matter where you were in the verse, even if it was for metal parts instead of plants or moisture. Junk trading was an easy enough job. You’d learn how to spot a good compressor, a functioning booster or so-so thrust coil. And it felt good to take something back from the Empire, to build something new and beneficial for the people rather than a Destroyer or a blaster.

You’d spent years enough now on Tatoonie that you appeared every bit as native as the rest, skin warmed by the sun. Not much happened at Mos Eisley and you had begun to like it that way.

And that of course is always when things would go spectacularly to hell.

---

It all started with a ship. Not a fine piece of machinery, but a ship all the same. Held together with metal and sheer force of will. You spent only a passing moment eyeing the haul and the several imperfections that dotted it's surface. Evidence of shoot outs. Of tight squeezes. Of in general, either some pretty fine piloting or some of the worst. Depended on how you judged success.

Peli was hunkered down near the landing gear, flanked by a few droids as sparks flew around her. At your approach she paused, flicking up her welding helmet to reveal a soot streaked face you’d come to know and admire.

“Still kickin’ huh?” she said with a smile, turning to look at the scrappily constructed bag you dragged behind you.

“Those my parts?”

“Those your parts.” you said, smiling with pride.

“Let’s take a look! You, take this--” she handed the welder to one of the droids, “Don’t weld yourself to the haul. Guy hates droids, remember? Alright. Let’s see what you got.”

You followed Peli to a work table, picking up the bag and setting it with some care onto the surface before the older woman untied it and pulled out the product within.

“Not bad, not bad. You sand spray off the rust?”

“Always do. Corrosion wasn’t too severe to start with that deep inside the Destroyer.”

“How far’d you crawl in that thing?”

“A ways.”

In truth, it hadn’t been difficult at all when one could simply reach out, find the device they were looking for and then move aside debris and fallen haul walls with your mind. But that wasn’t a trick you were prepared to share.

“Surprised it ain’t been picked clean alrea-- sweet damn!” Peli exclaimed, pulling out a smooth metal barrel about the size of a small keg. 

“Is this…?!”

“Alderaanian white. Probably the last container in the whole galaxy.”

“This was in there?!”

“Yep. Commander’s quarters under about three tons of scrap metal. Figured you knew someone who could help me move it and we’d settle on a percentage.”

“Hell, it ain’t a part, but it’ll buy some! You got it. Let me talk with some folks and we’ll get a buyer.”

You nodded, “90 percent finder fee.”

“70.” Peli countered without so much as looking up from the container.

“85.”

“80 and I throw in a speeder.”

“Done.” you said with a sharp nod, taking the hand Peli offered you with a smile. You could probably have easily bought a speeder with the funds, but Peli’s quality was without question in these parts. The wine would make a tidy profit hopefully, enough to maybe book passage closer to the mid-rim. 

Your senses sharpened, honing into a presence that you’d failed to notice approaching. That was odd. No one snuck up on you, no one. And yet when you turned, there was… no one there.

There was a tugging at your boot, drawing your eyes down to a tiny green creature with bat-wing sized ears.

The creature cooed happily, lifting up its hands and jumping a bit as a child did when it wanted to be picked up.

“Um…” you turned to Peli for guidance but found the woman busy working through the other bits and parts of your bag. Looking around and seeing no parent, you gently bent down and picked the small creature up.

“De wanna wanga. Hi chuba du naga?” you said, but to your surprise, the child did not respond, simply tilting his head and squeaking.

“You don’t speak Huttese, little guy?”

“Ah! No. He’s just a baby. Doesn’t speak a word yet.” Peli said, noting your visiter. She looked around with a frown.

“Must have gotten away from his dad. Where did that hunk of beskar get to?”

You gave Peli a confused frown of your own, gently bouncing the child in your arms to his delight as he squealed and shrieked happily. Before you could advance forward to ask Peli more about the baby who had wandered into her shop, a voice, modulated and terse called out.

“Put him down.”

Now Peli’s words made sense. Beskar. Lots and lots of Beskar. It was impossible not to hide the awe in your eyes as your mouth threatened to drop open at the sheer weight of credits this man wore on his body.

The Mandalorian strided forward, hand on his hip. The child in your arms resisted your attempts to put him down on the floor below, fussing and holding tight to your sun bleached clothes.

“Put him down.”

“I’m trying.”

Peli spoke up thankfully, “Relax, Mando. She’s good people. Brought the parts to fix your ship right up.”

If the Mandalorian had relaxed, it was by so small a fraction it was lost to your eyes. His hand came away from his blaster though and that was all that mattered. The child settled once again, content to remain where he was.

“You shouldn’t go up to strangers.” the Mandalorian’s voice was low and chiding, directed at the child, who blinked up at him with a smile. Seemingly unimpressed (it was hard to tell beneath the helmet) the Mandalorian held out his hands expectantly. The child made a faint noise but did not go to him.

You heard the click of the Mandalorian’s tongue against the roof of his mouth as he reached out further still and you tried to pass the child into his waiting hands. The child screeched in fury.

“Fine!” he said with a huff and brushed passed you without a second glance, “But don’t wander off again.”

The child giggled and turned its large dark eyes up to you. Something… something inside your heart softened at his face, feeling something familiar and nostalgic somehow despite never having seen a creature like him before.

With his small hands, he reached up towards your face and you felt obligated to lean down, to let him press his tiny palms to your cheeks. He cooed happily and closed his eyes… and the Force moved within you for the first time in more than half a decade.

[xmalereader]

The Mandalorian X Male Reader

1/3

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|| Masterlist ||

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Summary: Reader used to train with Darth Vader before the falling, noticing that the dark wasn’t for him he decides to bury away his past and keep himself hidden but somehow he allows himself to share his story with a specific mandalorian.

Warnings: Language, ex-sith, baby yoda, training, angst, fear, lightsaber, mentions of sex, some dark shit.

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Living on a small planet was better than he thought, it was nice and clam and not many people would recorginze him. I mean he was actually hidden from life for a few years before the falling, he enjoyed his time working for the empire but each time he watched them destroy planets and kill innocent people he just couldn’t take it anymore. He was a trained to be like them but he always hesitated and could never hurt anyone or anything, he was weak and he preferred to remain that way then be dark.

The planet he was staying was covered in green and rivers were hidden away into the forest where it would take days to find, luckily for y/n he was living in a small lodge that was located to the nearest river where he could get easy access to water and smell the fresh air. His life was great and he enjoyed it, he’s been living here for almost five years now and was still recovering from everything. He had kept his light saber hidden away in the deepest darkest part of the forest where he would never get it back. Even if it called out for him he would finds ways to block out the little voice and continue on with his life.

Y/n worked in a bar that was located a few miles from where he lived but he didnt mind the walking distance, as long as he had a place to work and earn credits he was fine with it. It kept him distracted from everything else and remained focus on his costumers that came from different places of the galaxy, holding up a smile as he greeted the travelers and offering them food and drinks. The place was only full during busy hours which was around the afternoon, mornings were less crowded and only a few people would come and go.

But about a year ago Y/n had stumbled upon a mandalorian, he’s heard stories about their culture and religion and how they never remove there helmets. He remembers Darth Vader actually killing some of the mandalorians right in front of him so seeing this man brought him fear, its been five years. He wasnt here for you, was he? Turns out that he had no idea who you were, he thought of you as a Normal civilian who worked hard to get what they earned.

The mandalorian didnt just come once but twice and the third and then a four and so on, he continued to visit the cantin. At first y/n was curious about him, watching him closely each time he visited. It took him awhile before he got the courage to talk to the mandalorian that sat on the bar table one day, he noticed how the other wasn’t much of a talker. Soon it became a routine for the two, Mando would order his usual and speak to Y/n, the two quickly bonded and became close friends.

Well, more like friends with benefits.

He remembers spending nights with the mandalorian, lying in his own bed as the two kissed like their was no tomorrow. The nights were passionate and steamy of course, he remained blindfolded. He wanted to keep his promise to his mandalorian from seeing the others face, he knew how important it was for him and he didn’t want to ruin this between the two.

Then he disappeared.

Mando stopped appearing during dinners and Y/n was left on his own, again.

—

“No. No, no, no!”

Standing in his front door was none other than the mandalorian that disappeared on him for almost two years, but this time he wasn’t alone. He was carrying a child in his arms.

“Y/n—“

“NO!” He shouts again and stomps over to the mandalorian, jamming his finger against the baskar on his chest. “You disappear for two years Din, two years and now you come back?! And with a child? Who did you fuck this time a freakin—“ he reached over to uncover the child’s face and his eyes widen. His breath was caught in his throat as he stared at the child, he could feel the force on this child.

“Where did he come from?” He immediately asks, his anger quickly fading away. His body was replaced with fear instead. “He was placed as an asset for the guild, I turned him in once I found him but I went back to get him. During my time with the child we sort of became a clan of two now.” Y/n noticed the child staring at him, he could feel the force.

“Get inside.” He hesitated a little before turning his back and heading back inside his home, his eyes were still widen in fear. The child wasnt just force senstive but he was also the same species as the legendary Jedi master; Yoda.

Din follows the other inside, once they are in he sets down the child on one of the chairs. The child coos softly as he made grabby hands towards Din, his ears lowering down as he whimpers. The mandalorian was confused by the child’s reaction, sighing in defeat he picks up the child again but he feels the child cling onto him harder.

Y/n notices this and bites his lip, “He can sense me...He’s scared.” He whispered out and looks down, rubbing his temples. “I thought Luke was the last Jedi but it turns out that this child is too.” He laughs out dryly and nervously.

“I heard someone talk about Jedi’s and how they have the ability to move objects with their minds.”

Y/n glanced at Din. “you dont know much about force senstive do you?”

Din shakes his head.

“Of course, everything was destroyed. The history the people, the findings, everything. Which explains why no one knows where Luke is right now.” He mumbled out and turns to Din. “You May want to sit down and the keep the kid close because from the looks of it he doesn’t seem to like my presences.” He eyes the child and watched as it curled against Dins chest, it’s ears still pinned down in fright.

Y/n can only sigh and lean back in his own seat as he rubs his eyes. “Din you and I met about four years ago, correct?”

“That is Correct.”

The Mandalorian glanced down at the child and gently touched its ears to put him at ease. “What does this have to do with anything?” He questions this time.

“What I’m about to tell you is something that I’ve never told anyone and—“ He could feel Din staring at him through his helmet, he was slowly feeling guilty about everything. Din and him have known each other for two years and he was the first person that Din has ever actually opened up too and the first person to know his real name and now he felt bad that he couldn’t tell Din about this dark secret.

Y/n knows that it’ll hurt Din once he finds out the truth but it was the only way, he inhales softly and began to explain. “About seven years ago I used to work alongside the empire, I was actually made second in command, I wasn’t a general or a trooper I was a lord.” He looks down. “I was powerful and did everything their leader did and it was awful, really awful to the point that I couldn’t stand to watch anymore. I—Din I watched innocent people die I watched as he destroyed planets with millions of lives!” He buried his face in his hands.

“Once the empire fell I immediately escaped, the world had no idea who I was or that I even existed but I’m like the child. I can move objects with my mind, read peoples thoughts if I wanted too and can sense another force sensitive.”

He noticed Din suddenly hold the child closer to him, he knows that he was slowly losing his trust and their was no way for him to get it back.

“I spent 7 years keeping that dark side away from myself but part of it is still there.” He mumbled out, looking away. “I’ve hurt people Din, I was forced to watch as the Imps killed many.”

Din hears the child’s whimpers, he adjusts the child in his hold and looks up to face y/n, he may not know much about the empire but he did know one thing. They were very bad people that have hurt so many and had killed innocent, he had to battle his way through a small army just to make sure that the child was protected and yet here he was, standing in the home of an ex-lord. A man that he knew and opened up too, now he doesn’t know if he should be here.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He simply asks.

“Because I was afraid, I wanted to keep forget about the past. It hurt so much Din, god it hurt so much that I just had to keep it all away.” Y/n shakes his head rapidly as he held back tears from all the trauma and pain he had to go through those seven years.

Din remains quiet. He gently lowers down the child, allowing him to wonder off for a bit. “Y/n that was seven years ago, it’s all in the past now so you shouldn’t have to be afraid.”

“No, NO!! You don’t understand!” Rage filled his voice as he suddenly jolts up from his seat, causing the Mandalorian to pull out his blaster by instinct. Y/n was panting in anger for no reason, it was slowly coming back to him and he had to keep Din and the child away. “Just go! Go before I hurt you and the child!” He hugs himself and glared at Din but the Mandalorian didn’t move. “We can work this out.”

“No we can’t!”

“Dammit y/n, let me help!!” Din shouts this time which causes y/n to flinch. He’s never heard Din raise his voice like that before he was usually a quiet man but who the hell knows anymore, y/n was a killer. An enemy to everyone.

He glanced down at the blaster and steps forward. “Kill me.” He whispered out.

Dins own eyes widen in disbelief. “No I’m not gonna do that.” He lowers down the blaster but before he could put it away he feels y/n grab his wrist and pull it back up, placing the blaster against his head. “Do it Din!!” He shouted back.

Din tries to escape from his grip, shaking his head. “No!” He says again. Y/n bites his lip, he knows that Din won’t pull the trigger so he needed to find a way for him to do it without forcing him.

“Din.” He mutters out. “Do you want to know how many people I slaughter and butchered? Hm?” He suddenly says. “I’ve killed your people Din, hundreds of them! I watched as each Mandalorian was struck down, being forced down on their knees as each and everyone one of them is killed in front of the others!!” He steps forward, closing Din in against the wall. The mandalorians grip grew harder as he listens to the other. “For all We know I could’ve been the one that killed your parents when you were just a boy, leaving you all alone.”

Din growls as he shoved y/n down to the ground, his hand caught y/n’s wrists and keeps them pinned above his head. His blaster against y/n’s temple. “Please...” he hears y/n sob out as tears trail down his face. Din was frozen in shock, not knowing what to do anymore. He couldn’t kill him, he was the only one he had now and he couldn’t lose him like this.

“No.” Din says once more as he lets go of his wrists.

Y/n looks away from the Mandalorian as he continued to sob in anger and in sadness.

“This isn’t the y/n that I met two years ago for all I know he’s probably already dead.” This causes y/n to stiffen and chuckle darkly to himself. “You mandalorians are all idiots.” He suddenly said as he slowly sits up to face Din. His eyes were a darker color now, not showing any sign of the y/n that Din once knew. “Like you said Din, the y/n that you once knew it gone. Burried away from you, you kept getting in the way. He wouldn’t allow me to ride but now here I am.”

Din steps back. “Theirs always a way to solve this, you’ve helped me many times. Now it’s my turn to help you.”

And with that Din hits him he’s enough to knock him out. He bends down and cuffs him up. Gently picking him up bridal style he turns towards the child. “Come on, we’ve saved many people before now it’s time to save y/n.” The child squeaks and follows Din out of the small house and towards the razor crest where Din will be able to keep a close eye on y/n.

He sets y/n down on one of his beds and sighs. “Y/n mentioned a Jedi that went by the name Luke, maybe we should search for him. He could help y/n.” He picks up the child and closed the doors as he enters the cockpit and began to punch in the coordinates for their next destination.

[stellarbattle]

EXTINGUISHED ---- i. 

pairing: cal kestis x jedi-ish! reader

summary: cal kestis was once the two suns you could see from your home planet combined– a part of your everyday and everything. but suns don’t live forever. 

word count: 2.9k+ 

a/n: EDITED! fact checked, italicized, and totally not necessary for you to re-read because the premise is still the same.

Your breath is stolen from your chest when you see the Shyyyo bird leaning toward you. As little as you know about Kashyyk and its lore, you understand why the Shyyyo is a creature of legend -- its sheer size and glint of intelligence in its eyes as it looks upon you with recognition leaves you in awe of its wonder. 

“Hello again,” you say softly. 

Bee woooo, BD-1 trills, greeting the bird as well as they hang from your shoulder.

Cal’s arm brushes against your shoulder as he passes you to meet the Shyyyo bird. Its attention shifts from you to him, making a clicking noise in the back of its throat as if to say hello as well. 

You step forward to stand next to Cal and BD-1 hops from your shoulder to his. 

It’s as if you’ve entered another world, one free of Inquisitors and the tension waiting for you back on the Mantis. Nothing is expected of you nor Cal, two would-have-been’s after Order 66 who were suddenly thrust into the limelight. Told to shoulder the weight of a better future for the Jedi. For the galaxy. The Force ebbs and flows between you, warm and comforting and terrifyingly beautiful as you gaze upon the Shyyyo and it gazes back. You, Cal, and the Shyyyo simply exist. 

And then the sound of blasters. 

Green whizzes past you, filling your vision for seconds at a time, jerking you from the serenity of moments prior. The Origin Tree shakes with each impact, and the Shyyyo bird lets out a cry that wrenches your heart and it falls from your view. 

“No!” Cal cries after it.

An Imperial fighter ship appears, the culprit. It fires again, and Cal is quick to grab your wrist and pull you along with him to avoid the blasts. 

There’s a tug on the Force as another presence, heavy and arrogant, makes itself known. Another Force-user. You feel the change in the pit of your stomach and your senses are on high alert, whipping around quickly to see the Ninth Sister jumping down from behind a cloud of smoke caused by the blasts.

“Cal,” you tug on his hand, your voice more alarmed than you would have liked. He turns around to see the Ninth Sister land in front of the two of you. 

You and Cal immediately ignite your lightsabers. The Ninth Sister, tall, bulky, and looking, quite frankly, bored, engages her alarmingly red saber within seconds that the two of you do. You eye her with wariness, mindful of your footing, gearing up for a fight. Equal weight on each foot, padawan, you can hear your Master say. Balance. The Force will guide you. 

With the memory of your Master, your grip on the handle of your saber tightens. Your resolve strengthens. You fight for the same peace your Master and their Master before they fought for. The strength of a sense of purpose, a sense of guidance, fills you. 

“Found you again,” her voice booms. A satisfied grin grows on her face, her eyes narrowed at the two of you through the visor her helmet guarding her eyes, washing them in a red hue. 

“You’re done hurting this world,” Cal says, stepping forward protectively, partially covering you from the Ninth Sister’s gaze. You watch her over his shoulder. 

“I don’t know what’s got Second Sister thinking you’re so important,” the Ninth Sister ignores him. Her eyes catch the way Cal stands, eyeing his hand gripping yours. “She likes her souvenirs but… I’m not in it for the memories and honestly…” 

She points her saber to Cal now, red and buzzing and threatening. 

“You’re not worth my time.” 

You step out from behind Cal, needing no protection. You adjust your grip on your saber, assuming an attack position, one you remember well from your late Master’s teachings. “So let’s get this over with then, yeah?” You shout, a snarl on your lips. 

The Ninth Sister’s attention snaps towards you and you hear Cal inhale sharply as she does so. 

“Aha!” She laughs heartily, the sound rising from her chest. “The obstacle,” she says, the end of her saber now trained on you, “in Second Sister’s way to him.” She jerks her head toward Cal. 

You hold back the urge to spit and roll your eyes, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of knowing how much she was ticking you off.  

“I’m not one to avoid things in my way, though,” she snarls. “So let’s make this quick.” 

You and Cal are the first to move, running in opposite directions and rounding about Ninth Sister until you’re behind her and he’s in front. You charge at the same time, days of battling together coming into fruition. You complement each other, striking as the other parries her attack. 

The Ninth Sister lets out a cry of frustration, apparently aggravated by the tactic. She’s intimidating, tall and large -- and she uses it to her advantage. She charges at you from the other side of the platform with the intent of using her brute strength and weight to knock you off balance before she strikes. You can already feel bruises starting to form on your shoulder and arm from where she hit you the few times you had failed to dodge her. However, larger than the two of you combined as she is, you’re both more agile and move much more quickly. The second she brings her saber down to go in for a strike, you roll out of the saber’s path. It takes her a second to resume standing posture and in that time, you and Cal sidestep around her to strike while her back is turned. 

You land two blows to her back and hear her black uniform searing upon the impact of your saber when she stands and chooses to focus her attacks on Cal. 

Cal grunts as she leaps toward him, pushing him across the platform to the other side. Their sabers clash and you see as he struggles to hold his ground against her. BD-1 beeps worriedly from their perch on his shoulder. Immediately, you run to aid him. 

Agile as you are, fighting the Ninth Sister is starting to take a toll on you, your energy depleting. You’re not sure what your end goal is here as you remain on defense, unsure of how you want this fight to end. You can’t see the end of the fight in your mind. You don’t want to kill her. Not when she might have been a Jedi before all this. 

The Ninth Sister must sense your hesitation -- a weak spot in the front that you and Cal have built together -- because she glances at you, a smirk on her face. 

In a burst of energy, she uses the Force to gain distance from Cal just as he manages to land a blow to her visor, cracking it. He’s sent flying backward. The same side of the Force that you had felt when the Ninth Sister first appeared seeps from her and you can feel it rush toward you. It wraps itself around your waist and tugs you toward her. 

She lifts you from the ground by your neck, her hand completely wrapped it. You kick and struggle against her, attempting to slice off her hand with your lightsaber. But then her grip suddenly tightens around your neck, and you can’t breathe. In the sudden change, your saber disengages and slips from your grip, durasteel clattering against the ground when it falls. You claw at her hand to no effect. She just looks at you and grins. 

Your mind races but barely manages to string together any thoughts, focused on one thing -- to find a way to breathe again. No solutions come to mind as you continue to claw at her hand. Everything is… hazy. A choked noise escapes your mouth. 

From the corner of your eye, you see Cal scramble to his feet, his eyes wide. 

You’ve seen Cal angry before. You’ve seen the strength of that emotion seep from him on Zeffo during your run-in with the Second Sister and when he questioned Cere about her past and Trilla. He’s stubborn; gives three worded responses when he’s mad. You witnessed Greez receive the bitterness when he had tried to pacify Cal’s relationship with Cere. 

He looks at you, eyebrows furrowing and lips pursed. He looks at the Ninth Sister and engages the other end of his saber, brandishing the dual-sided weapon. The Ninth Sister chuckles and does the same.

In the days you’ve known him since the night Cere and Greez rescued him from Bracca, fighting and traveling by his side, despite his moments, Cal always maintained a certain level of calm or at least managed to appear as such on the surface. But it’s different this time. The rage rolls off of him in waves that he doesn’t bother to hold back and the Force bends to his will under the influence of his anger. Even in your half-conscious state, through your connection to the Force, you can feel the change. 

The Ninth Sister’s hold on your neck loosens and you’re able to breathe once again. She must feel it too-- Cal’s power. She doesn’t put you down just yet. Your eyes sting. You refuse to cry, willpower holding everything together despite your body aching to fall apart. To sit on the potolli-weave fabric of the sofa on the Mantis. Ignore Greez’s complaining. 

“Ah,” Ninth Sister says, her tone one of amusement. “Using your anger to control the Force?” 

She laughs, and Cal says nothing, his eyes dark and glaring. “That’s very familiar.” 

What? 

“You know I was a Jedi,” she twirls her saber nonchalantly. 

Cal readjusts his grip on the handle of his lightsaber. “Let go!” 

“It’d be fun to bring you in,” the Ninth Sister ignores him. “Watch you crack like the rest of us!” 

The way she yells those words, bloodthirsty and bitter, makes your body go cold. Before you can react, she quickly tightens her grip around your neck once again. The pressure forces a breath you had been in the middle of taking out of your mouth in a terrible cough and you can’t hold back the tear that escapes one of your eyes. Your hands fly to her hand once again, fruitlessly trying to pry her fingers from your neck.

“I said let go!” Cal yells. His nose flares and he frowns, looking between you and the Ninth Sister anxiously. With more urgency, he makes to charge at her, his saber buzzing with anticipation. 

The Ninth Sister looks at you, then back at him, that smile she’s been wearing since she got here even more sinister than before. “Ah-ah…” She clicks her tongue.  “I don’t think you want to do that.” 

She points her saber at Cal, the tip barely touching his chest and stopping him in his tracks. There’s too much at stake for him to recklessly charge at her. You. You’re at stake. He could lose you. He swallows. Hates the idea. 

“I could crush your precious…” She pauses. “What even is this Jedi to you? A friend?” The Ninth Sister taunts, nodding her head toward you. 

Cal glances at you quickly. She has the upper hand. You both know it, the realization passing through the two of you. You can feel his fear, though you also recognize the way he’s trying to force it down. 

“Whatever this thing you’ve got going on here, I have it in my hands.” 

“Wh-” His voice cracks. Cal breathes in deeply, trying to calm himself. The pain is slow and so, so excruciating. You pound your fist against the Ninth Sister’s hand desperately, not really knowing what it will accomplish. All you want is to breathe. How long does it take for someone to faint from lack of oxygen? 

He tries again. “What do you want me to do?” 

“Drop your lightsaber, Jedi.” 

Seeing you fight so desperately against the Ninth Sister’s power is all it takes for any hesitance Cal has of complying to disappear. The familiar glow of his lightsaber is extinguished. 

You have just enough consciousness through the searing pain to understand what’s going on, what Ninth Sister is playing at. You shake your head. “Cal,” you croak. “Don’t!” 

Too much is at stake for him to give up. The lives of those Force-sensitive younglings. Restoring the Jedi Order. 

He grimaces at the sound of your voice and drops his lightsaber. The sound of it clattering against the ground is louder to you than it actually is. The way he gives up then, defeated and without hope, feels like a star within you is imploding, an inward spill of emotions you never thought you’d feel from Cal, at least nowadays. He had made so much progress, become so invested in this duty the two of you have and yet...

“Oh, Second Sister will like this,” Ninth Sister booms into the tension that surrounds you. 

An agonizing moment goes by. 

For better or for worse, Ninth Sister is fair. 

She roughly throws you into Cal and his right foot steps back to maintain his balance. His arms fly around you, frantic. 

Air rushes to your aching lungs and burns your throat on its way down. You cough into Cal’s shoulder, gathering his clothes in your fists. He holds you to him tightly, exhaling in relief. 

It hurts to speak and you’re reluctant to be any sort of distance away from him, but you pull away slightly and do anyway. 

“Cal, why...?” You search his eyes, searching for the answer. 

He looks back at you, eyes filled with relief and… and something you don’t recognize. Something strong and tender and warm. Hidden beneath is a deep anxiety, rumbling quietly but with steadying growth in persistence. 

You swallow. It burns, and tears threaten to spill again at the sensation, but you continue. The Ninth Sister wasn’t going to continue being patient and quiet. 

“You’re okay,” he says quietly, eyes roaming over your face. His words sound disbelieving and relieved in a way you can’t comprehend. This was at the cost of… of everything. All for you? 

He doesn’t answer your question.

“Cal,” you say more urgently, desperate for him to say anything else. To give you a plan. Something, anything. “I- We-” 

But you don’t know what to say. 

Ninth Sister grows impatient. “A deal’s a deal, Jedi.” 

You grow cold with fear for Cal and what lies ahead. You… would you ever even see him again? Your gut twists painfully at the idea. What does everything else even look like without Cal by your side? 

“BD-1,” Cal says. The droid is quiet, but an understanding seems to pass between the two of them. BD-1 hops to your shoulder. 

Your eyes widen. You already knew what would happen, already felt the fear, but this seems to solidify it. Makes the situation real. Dread is heavy, you notice now. It sinks into the pit of your stomach and seems to drag your hopes along with it. You shake your head and Cal just gives a small smile. Memorizes your face like it’s the last time he’ll ever see it. 

“It’s okay,” he says. You wonder how he appears so calm, so okay with signing the papers to his disappearance. His death. Sending them off without a second thought. He’s trying to convince you of this.

“No, Cal, you can’t--” 

And then he pulls you back into him, effectively silencing you. 

“Find me, okay?” He whispers. 

You nod, lips trembling. “I will. I promise.” 

Ninth Sister roughly pulls you away from him and throws you a few feet away. BD-1 makes an alarmed noise and you feel them pushing into you so that they don’t fall away.

Cal balls his fists and glares at the Ninth Sister. “That wasn’t necessary.” 

“Couldn’t wait,” she explains, zero sympathy as she looks at you while talking to Cal. She wields guilt like a knife. “Just wait ‘til the isolation.” She points it at your chest with a piercing gaze through her broken, red visor. 

“Torture.” Drives it into your heart. 

“Mutilation!” Twists it. 

“And your friends…” she sneers at you. Cal furrows his brows, frown deepening. 

“I won’t let you hurt them,” he cries, stepping in front of her and blocking you from her view.

“Oh, for now, no. But later?” She looks him right in the eye and puts her lightsaber away. “You’ll find your sacrifice is worth nothing when they die.” 

“Cal!” You struggle to stand up, calling your lightsaber to you with whatever strength you have left. You can’t let him leave. You can’t let the Ninth Sister walk away victorious. You know how this fight should end now, and you’ll be damned if it goes any other way. If you lose Cal Kestis.

Adrenaline is a funny thing. Works as a numbing agent and makes pain feel like it’s not actually there. When it’s gone is when the real concern should begin. You ache like you never have before. Cal’s name is the last thing you’ll say for a while, vocal cords damaged and having been extended beyond their ability while injured.

You fall back down and BD-1’s worried beeps are loud in your ear. 

“I believe in you,” you hear Cal say distantly. Did he actually say that? The pain is too blinding to tell. You can’t even think. 

You black out before you see him leave, a prisoner.

Your world is dark. 

The light has been extinguished. 

[kitwilsonsass]

okay but really

let’s talk in short, orderless bursts

i liked it MUCH MORE than last jedi

and still *significantly less* than force awakens

like listen yeah girl power and all but fucking show me one more fucking LOOK AT THIS FEMALE MECHANIC DOING IMPORTANT THINGS BEFORE WE SHOW ANY MEN moment and i’m going to punt these films into the same space the ‘girl power wow all the girls’ moment in endgame did. like yes. i get it. girl power. i’m happy it’s here but you’re doing it so much i feel like you’re trying to compensate.

like for example.

for rose.

and former storm trooper girl.

you know, two female characters arguably cool and capable as shit who were both reduced to HAVING FINN’S EXACT PLOT. THAT WAS THEIR CHARACTERS. HAVING FINN’S PLOT. BEING MILDLY ROMANTIC POTENTIAL LOVE INTERESTS FOR FINN. THAT’S IT. and where was rose this movie? being a random mechanic with as much importance as random dom monoghan with nothing she did in the last film so much as hinted towards. i get it. people didn’t like rose. i didn’t like *the way rose was used* and this just made it feel all the more pointless and a waste of a really good potential character.

THAT SAID AT LEAST FINN HAD SHIT TO DO THIS TIME. FFS IF I HAD TO SIT THROUGH HIM JUST LIVING HIS FORCE AWAKENS PLOT AGAIN BUT SURROUNDED BY BAD SPECIAL EFFECTS I WOULD’VE PROBABLY LEFT THE THEATER. that said he still could’ve done so much more.

and he never said anything to rey. so. that’s a thing with no resolution.

i absolutely ship him with poe after this one though. like lowkey. i still want everyone to just be a big happy platonic ot4 but fuck forbid anything not have love interests.

uhhh the skipping scene in the falcon? yeah i saw guardians of the galaxy 2 too, jj.

VERY HAPPY POE TOOK AFTER LEIA. AS HE SHOULD HAVE.

NICE TO SEE HAN FOR A MOMENT. SAD ABOUT LEIA.

I *FORGOT* ABOUT LANDO BEING IN THE TRAILER AND ACTUALLY SCREECHED IN THE THEATER WHICH IS VERY OUT OF CHARACTER FOR ME.

i live for the rey/kylo split conversation scenes because i just think that’s a really cool use of scenery and props. and the lightsaber moment was highkey dope. but i feel like something was missing. maybe just like one more scene of him contemplating things between han and showing up to help? idk.

anyway i don’t understand the huge ship/anti-ship war with them and don’t care. it’s fucking ships. who cares. it was fine.

palpatine... you know... not gonna ask questions. just because his creepy marionette life support was.... well... creepy.

I LOVED THE LITTLE FUCKIN DROID MECHANIC DUDE? 10/10 CHARACTER RIGHT THERE.

i also loved squeaky wheel droid.

there was so much stupid petty in fighting and i don’t know why because most of it wasn’t endearing in fighting and then two seconds later everyone was fine so like honestly what’s the point.

also why does the force make you max evans now like okay, healing powers, sure. not a bad thing but just... okay.

i didn’t hate the palpatine’s grandchild twist. it certainly wasn’t expected. i’m glad her parents were nobodies.

wasn’t leia’s saber green???? one of them was green. then they were both blue. idk.

rey’s red one i hate the design of but i appreciate the resemblance to a staff.

I LOVE THE GOLD ONE.

uhhh.... really got no c3po/r2d2 resolution.

editing/pacing was weird in the beginning. not bad just... weird.

action oriented characters are stupid. i don’t care if you CAN navigate over crazy water tides, it doesn’t mean you SHOULD.

like 90% of the saber battles felt random and pointless.

also seriously poe’s ex was a power ranger.

overall despite enjoying it i do feel like it was abundantly obvious they were scrambling to retcon half the last movie and retcon everything for leia and just.... both these last movies exist in an alternate timeline from where force awakens was going. and this one a different from the last one. and just.... it was poorly planned.

but john boyega is beautiful and finn has force sense so. good movie.

[sky-scribbles]

Whether they realise it or not, all Force-users are photokineticists.

It doesn’t occur to most Sith, when they funnel their rage through the Force and surround themselves in seething masses of shadow, that they’re changing the wavelengths of light around them. And the Jedi, Lana thinks, probably take it for granted that when they kneel down or fold their hands to meditate, golden light will rise from them in a fine mist. The spark of lightning between an Inquisitor’s fingers, the glow of energy from a healer’s hand, even the yellow radiance of a Sith’s eyes – it’s light, all of it.  

Lana’s never met anyone, Sith or Jedi, who specialised in light-manipulation. It’s not as flashy (ironically) as shooting electricity from your fingertips or slicing someone in two with a saber-blow. Most Sith tend to favour such tried and tested tactics, and – excepting a few assassins who can render themselves invisible – Lana’s never found anyone who’s favoured light over lightning.

Until, that is, she meets Neyna.

Arkous assigns them to Lana’s command one morning. Tall, scarlet eyes striking against their pale blue skin, freckles dusted across their face, a doublesaber hanging at their belt and an ill-tempered kell drake padding at their heels. They’re a replacement, presumably, for yet another one of Lana’s colleagues who’s fallen to SIS sniper blasts or Jedi lightsabers. Or Sith lightsabers. Despite Marr’s steady push towards reform, treachery is a long-established tradition within the order, and all of this adds up to give Lana’s co-workers what she diplomatically calls a high staff turnover rate.

‘You’ve spent time in Chiss Intelligence,’ Lana remarks, running her eyes over the newcomer’s identity profile, and they nod.

‘Five years. I was trained in stealth, infiltration, information-gathering, combat – the usual.’

Lana turns her next question over in her mind, wondering how to phrase it delicately. ‘Was it your own decision to leave, or – ?’

This meets with a snort and a wry smile. ‘Force-sensitive Chiss don’t tend to leave the Ascendancy voluntarily.’

There’s a moment in which Lana thinks they might elaborate, but they only shrug, so Lana nods and flicks off the datapad. ‘Well, welcome to the sphere of military offence, Arn’eyn’arethua.’

‘Just Neyna.’ A smile – a real one, this time, not tinged with sarcasm – flickers at the corner of their mouth. ‘I’m aware that it’s something of a mouthful. And that humans tend to struggle with the pronunciation.’

‘Neyna,’ Lana repeats, and is rewarded by seeing their smile widen. She wouldn’t be Sith – wouldn’t even be alive – if she couldn’t adjust to new concepts quickly, and the pupil-less red gaze is no longer alarming. It’s rather striking, actually.

So Neyna begins their work under Lana’s command, gathering intelligence, slicing databases, hunting down their enemies. And within six months, they have saved Lana’s life.

It’s a simple thing, really. They’re in the field together on Nar Shaddaa, and they’re glimpsed by their target’s bodyguards, an elite Morgukai force, at a moment when they really can’t afford to be. It’s not the Morgukai that pose the threat – Lana could kill them single-handedly if she had to, and with Neyna to help? It wouldn’t even be a challenge. No, the danger is what Arkous will do to them if they botch the operation by letting themselves be seen.

So when Neyna grabs Lana’s hand, pulls her into a side alley and shoves her into an alcove behind a public holoterminal, Lana follows their lead. Neyna’s a former Chiss operative; they know, surely, how to hide in plain sight.

As it turns out, Neyna knows how to do better than that. As they squeeze themselves into the nook after Lana, their face creases in concentration – and Lana is treated to the bizarre phenomenon of watching the colour trickle away from her own body. The green of her robes dulls to the same grey-brown of the alley wall behind her. Her skin melts out of sight. Next to her, Neyna is vanishing too, the colour dissipating from their form until all that’s left is the faintest outline.

They’re controlling the light around us with the Force. Changing its wavelengths so that we’re almost invisible.

The Morgukai steps into the alleyway, blade drawn, looks around, and sees nothing. Lana’s fingers itch for her lightsaber – if he investigates, he might hear their breathing, feel the warmth of their bodies against the cold of the metal walls. But the moment passes. He spits onto the street and stalks away.

Neyna lets out a breath, and as they do so, both their bodies flood back into view. Lana looks at them, and sees that they’re grinning.

Once everything’s over, the mission completed without further incident and the two of them safe on a shuttle bound for Dromund Kaas, Lana turns to them with a smile. ‘I knew you’re a photokineticist. I had no idea just how impressive your talents are.’

Their grin grows, if possible, even more smug. ‘Thank you. It’s… rather fun, finding out what I can do with it. Dazzle people with light, make them get lost in shadow. Confuse Indigo here –’ they nod towards their kell drake – ‘by doing this.’

Neyna holds out their palm, and a small red dot of light materialises on the floor of their shuttle. Indigo lunges for it, only for Neyna to send the dot spinning across to the other end of the room. The drake charges after it, claws skidding on the floor, and Lana laughs before she can stop herself.

After a few minutes of watching Indigo cavort across the shuttle, Neyna snuffs out the light and sinks into a seat. ‘I have to admit, I’m… still not used to people reacting to it with approval. Chiss really aren’t enthused by the whole Force thing.’

It’s the first time, not counting the day Lana met them, that Neyna’s ever mentioned their time on Csilla. ‘If you don’t mind my asking, how did they discover your abilities?’

Neyna pulls Indigo into their lap and sits in silence for a moment, rubbing the drake between his spines. ‘I found out when I was six. I broke something – a bowl of my mother’s, I think – and I thought she’d be angry with me. Before I knew it, I was sucking all the light out of the room. Mother should have reported me, but she hid me instead, did everything she could to help me keep it secret. I grew up knowing that if I ever showed it – showed me – I would be banished or killed.’

They lift one hand, curls their fingers inwards. White light snaps into being over their palm, outlining their face in shining contours.

‘This –’ Neyna dips their head towards their handful of light – ‘was why I joined Chiss Intelligence. I hoped no one would notice how fast I was, or how well I could hide. Those things are only expected of spies, aren’t they? But then a mission went wrong, and one of my friends was wounded. I thought he was dead, and I – I lost control.’ They clench their fist, and the light blinks out. ‘One of my fellow agents needed medical treatment to restore her eyesight. And the others… the way they looked at me when they realised what I was –’

A long silence. Neyna’s hands run mechanically over Indigo’s spines.

‘My family are influential,’ they say at last. ‘That was enough to ensure that I was exiled, not executed. Not that I’m allowed to claim them as family anymore – I recall my father saying something about purging me from all records of our history, acting as if I had never existed, et cetera, et cetera. Mother was the only one to visit me while I was imprisoned. She offered to come with me. I told her not to leave her life behind for my sake.’

Lana’s jaw clenches, and she takes a seat at Neyna’s side. She doesn’t know them well enough to put a hand on their shoulder, to comfort them. But she’d like to.

She still remembers the moment the Force first broke from her, how her parents’ faces flashed through shock to wonder and pride. Neyna’s talents should have been met with the same, not with disgust and exile. They had their mother’s support, yes – but Lana doesn’t need to ask to know that Neyna hasn’t seen their mother since the day they were exiled.

‘So you came here,’ she says. ‘To where the Force is embraced, not seen as a corruption.’

Neyna gives her a smile that doesn’t reach their eyes. ‘They called me that, you know. Walking corruption. They said that once I was exiled, I’d go mad within a year, consume myself.’

‘You don’t believe that, surely?’

‘I don’t know. Did I ever tell you how I ended up under Arkous’s command?’

Lana shakes her head. ‘I assumed you were brought in to replace someone who’d been killed in action.’

‘Well, you’re half right. I was replacing my master. I trained under Harkun on Korriban –’

‘You too? I suppose he insulted you at every turn and sent you on a series of increasingly impossible trials, all of which you survived?’

Neyna laughs, and Lana thinks maybe some of the heaviness lifts from their shoulders. ‘Got it in one. I heard something about Lord Zash having her eye on me, but she chose another – they’re on the Dark Council now. I, meanwhile, was apprenticed to one Lord Byral, and he worked for Arkous. And I want to make it quite clear that I had no interest in seizing his position. I know what’s just what’s done in the Sith, but… I came here to learn how to control my abilities. I just wanted to survive. Climbing the hierarchy would only draw attention to me, it was the last thing I wanted, and all the same, he –’

They stop, and Lana suppresses a sigh. ‘He tried to kill you. As masters do, when they start to fear their apprentices’ power.’

‘He tried to kill me in my sleep. I can’t say I wasn’t expecting it, but – well, I’m pretty good, but even I’m going to have trouble when a fully-fledged Sith Lord sets upon me while I’m in my pyjamas. Fortunately, I sleep with a kell drake curled up on the end of my bed, and he really doesn’t like being disturbed.’

They scratch Indigo on the end of his snout, and he lets out a drowsy noise of contentment.

‘Lord Byral was a coward, then,’ Lana says. ‘And I’m glad we have you instead of him.’

Neyna’s eyes close. ‘He had a brilliant mind. I learned so much from him. But when he attacked me, when he flew out of nowhere with his eyes gleaming and his lightsaber aimed at my neck he – he was gone, Lord Beniko. I couldn’t see anything of the man who chose me and trained me. He was just rage and hunger and madness and – I could feel myself wanting to become that too, so I’d be strong enough to kill him.’

‘And you think…’ Lana hesitates, uncertain if it’s her place to say it, then ploughs on. ‘You think that means the Chiss were right about you. That you’ll drown in the Force and be consumed.’

Neyna says nothing, but their silence is all the answer Lana needs.

‘It’s not true.’ The words come out a little more forcefully than Lana intended. ‘Yes, there are some Sith who lose themselves. But you will not be one of them. You have a will stronger than many Sith I’ve met with twice your years of training. You concealed your abilities for over a decade. You survived your people’s treatment of you, you survived Korriban, you survived your master’s attempt to kill you. Today, your desire to keep us alive was strong enough to alter the shape of light itself.’

She has to stop to take in a breath. ‘You couldn’t have done any of that if you didn’t have both the anger needed to drive you and the will to rule it, rather than be ruled by it. And as long as you work under my command, I swear that you will not be treated as you were on Csilla. Here, your power, your strength, your passion – they will be respected, Arn’eyn’arethua.’

She’s probably bungled the pronunciation completely. But trying is worth it, to see the look that Neyna gives her. It’s hard to read, but Lana would place it somewhere between delight, gratitude, and awe.

‘I believe you,’ they say. ‘I’ve watched you in the field. The way you channel your rage. I don’t know if it showed, but when Arkous assigned me to you, I was… afraid. Afraid that I couldn’t have the Force and still be me. You, I’m glad to say, proved me wrong.’

There’s a faint purplish flush under their freckles. Lana’s never seen a Chiss blush before, and it’s honestly rather endearing.

The shuttle flies on, and they sit in comfortable silence, apart from Indigo’s yaps as Neyna sends him chasing after a coloured dot again. The only thing of note that happens for the rest of their journey is that, once or twice, Lana catches Neyna glancing her direction. There’s a pause, and then they look away again, a smile playing about their lips.

Lana’s not entirely sure why. She likes to consider herself an observant woman, but she has the strangest feeling that she’s missed something.

[amandaoftherosemire]

Sing For Me - Chapter Thirty-five

Fandom: Marvel Avengers AU

Pairing: Bucky Barnes X OFC (Sasha)

Characters: Bucky Barnes, OFC Sasha, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff, OFC Zoe, OFC Kat, OFC Maddie, Princess Shuri

Author: @amandaoftherosemire​

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 3,568

Format: Series (Complete)

Warning: Language, angst,

Summary: Kat and Maddie arrive in Wakanda. Zoe checks on Sasha while everyone is busy.

A/N: Not consistent with Marvel canon. I know this chapter ends rather abruptly. The next chapter is finished but for some proofreading and minor editing and will be up in a couple of days. That said, I don’t want anyone to let that stop them from threatening me when they’re done reading this chapter. I kind of live for trouble. 😁

Banner by: @hellzzzbelle

Sing For Me Masterlist

Chapter Thirty-four here

Chapter Thirty-five

Sasha let out a silent shriek of pain when her shield finally fell. The poor thing was in tatters, barely glowing and riddled with cracks when it shattered. The illusion her subconscious had created to interpret what was happening to her was torn to shreds in the blast of unchecked power. The storm chuckled as it swept over her, catching her up and hurling her like a doomed leaf onto winds that burned.

She didn’t know how long she stayed like that, silently screaming as what felt like searing air buffeted her body from every direction. She didn't know up from down and didn't care, the pain both burning and electric as every nerve caught fire in the storm that tossed her about like a playful kitten with a first kill. Like that kitten, the maelstrom also had claws and teeth, but the claws were talons and the teeth sabers.

The tempest that snapped and tore at her as she tumbled violently through it was a sickly, mottled mix of gray, purple, and green, not that she could see much more than that, her vision obscured by the same rough winds that had scoured away her shield. Even once she felt flayed to the bone by the sandpaper rasp everywhere the raging current touched her, the air seemed to pierce, grip, and shake, a terrier with its prey.

Convinced she was in hell for her many sins, she hung suspended in the grasp of a pain so immense she could think of nothing else but the certainty that she was being punished. She absolutely believed she was suffering retribution for the pain and harm she’d inflicted not in self-defense, but revenge. After all, if she was still alive, why hadn’t her mind shut down in the face of this kind of anguish?

Once she’d realized her mind was clear enough to ask the question, she also realized the pain had lessened by a small degree. At the same moment, she noticed a rush of bright yellow wind, the air itself seeming to glow. More like shimmering yellow light given substance, it swept away the worst of the rasping miasma.

The new wind was almost playful as it swept through, swirling around Sasha briskly and efficiently, but with an impish grace. Though the yellow clouds still made her abused body ache like a rotten tooth, anything was preferable to the sick, electric pain of the bruised billows of the storm. Not to mention, the air seemed to hum with such a cheerful sort of compassion, she couldn't help but find comfort there.

Sasha wept brokenly when the golden air dissolved and the sickly gray winds returned. The relief had been so huge, the warmth of the new presence so soothing, that the return of the pain was enough to break her. If she’d been asked to beg in that moment, she would have.

True relief came in the form of an almost arctic gale that completely swept away the burning gray vapor. This wind was the bright electric blue of a bolt of lightning and glowing with the same silver light. Her tired eyes almost ached as the soft blue light overtook the gloom. The air was cool and crisp and felt like heaven after the burning winds that had flayed her open. The flood of glowing air seemed to cradle her as it swirled, holding her gently suspended where nothing could touch her.

Along with the soothing chill and the blue light came a song familiar in its form but surprising in its intensity. The song seemed to resonate in harmony with the warm devotion that seemed to spill into her with each brush of the air against her raw and aching skin. She'd heard this before, but a muted version of it.

The melody was carried by something rich and warm, but still organic, like an oboe, where the sound was smooth and beautiful, but one could still hear the breath that gave the instrument life. The feel of that breath and its resonant tones poured over Sasha’s abraded skin like a balm, soothing the searing ache.

The overtones sounded quick and playful like a penny whistle, while the undertones had the stately and steadfast character of a French horn. The light tones were soft and gentle and felt like fingers tangling in her hair. The darker golden tones were a firm arm around her waist, holding and supporting her. Underneath the woodwinds and brass was a steady beat and what sounded like a wickedly dirty guitar that reminded her of caught breaths and hot skin.

She’d always known his song would be perfect.

When the wind left, taking the song with it, she wanted to shriek in protest. Instead, she gritted her teeth against the pain of the returning storm and waited. She knew the wind, the song, and trusted he would be back soon.

Sasha wasn’t wrong. She had no real sense of time so had no idea how long she’d existed in this limbo, but she knew he was there most of the time and when he left, he always returned, and quickly. The longer she spent cradled in his song, the more clearly she could think, though she was still more dreaming than awake.

Protected from the storm, she could hear the other songs, see the other lights that blew through. A pretty azure breeze that sparkled with golden lights most often accompanied the blue-silver wind, flitting around like it would get closer if it was allowed. The song that came with it was full of bright flutes and melancholy strings.

She heard the bright yellow humming wind behind the blue gale much of the time, but it often came close enough that Sasha could feel the deliberate effort to comfort and soothe. Her heart swelled in gratitude every time.

Often, a green wind kept company with the blue-silver gale, the two seeming stronger for the presence of the other. This rush of color was the deep green of a pine that sprouted the year Charlemagne was crowned and carried the same gravity. Playful dark sparkles winked among the green, and though the song was sad, it still held humor. Sasha felt even more soothed, better protected when the green wind helped keep watch.

Other breezes, other colors came and went, but none came close enough to touch her. Even those that did could barely make an impact when the blue-silver gale swirled around her. When he was singing for her, she could barely hear anyone else. Only he truly banished the burning bruised maelstrom, though the others could be heard over the shrieking winds. And once he came, she was never alone in the storm again. Though he left from time to time, one of the others would share their song until he returned.

Which is why Sasha was utterly shocked to find herself alone amongst the searing scream once more. She curled in on herself as the burning air enclosed her once again, determined to hold on until he came back. He always came back. If she couldn't pull herself out of this, she could at least endure until his return.

She was so focused on her task, she didn't immediately notice the skittering aquamarine breeze with the twinkling golden lights sneaking around the edges of her mind. When she did, the still somewhat aware part of her consciousness was almost amused, if completely unsurprised. Hoping, but not believing for a second, that someone had managed to impress upon the little wind the importance of not using her power with Sasha, she tried to still within her mind the part of her that shrieked and writhed in agony.

When the pretty blue and gold breeze spun around Sasha, she was expecting the strength of the connection, but she wasn’t expecting to hear Zoe’s voice speaking her name so clearly in the song that came with it. The shock shattered the delicate barrier Sasha had hurriedly thrown up to protect her little sister, allowing Zoe to hear the pain with utter clarity.

Zoe's song trilled with fear and distress in response to the agony she found in Sasha's mind. The sound of it had Sasha recoiling in an instinctive need to protect.

 As she shuddered and flinched, Sasha felt something inside tear and rend even as she fell away from everything.  Zoe's scream of horror was the last thing she heard as she plummeted into the dark.

As soon as every adult that would stop her was occupied on the lower floor of Princess Shuri’s lab, Zoe casually wandered over to Sasha’s bed. When no one questioned her, everyone who would in a meeting with her other sister, Zoe sat in the chair Bucky had reluctantly left. In the odd connection between him and Sasha, he knew more about her power than most. As much as he hated to leave her, his contribution could be vital.

Which meant Zoe finally had a chance to check on Sasha for herself. The first time she’d done so had been the last as she hadn’t been allowed to try again. Between calling Bucky a bitch and her continued mutiny on the subject, she’d ended up in an extended staring contest with the bitch in question. Her heart had quailed under a glare that carried the faintest touch of the Winter Soldier, because he knew she could see the reluctant amusement that colored his thoughts and so would not be cowed by anything less. He didn’t know she could also see his joy in her utter lack of fear of him and so defiantly held his gaze a long moment more.

When she had finally dropped her eyes Bucky had demanded a detailed description of her experience in Sasha’s mind. He quickly noticed in her recitation that she had not been in control the last time and had strictly forbidden her from trying to communicate with Sasha again. Discovering that she had been hiding a vicious headache caused by the intensity of the experience had only made him more determined.

Zoe, however, had stubbornly refused to promise she wouldn't try again, which is why she had not been left alone with Sasha since. Only Kat's arrival and the information she brought had distracted Bucky and the others enough to give Zoe an opportunity.

Zoe took a moment to study Sasha, slipping into her other sight, her mind testing the edges of the gray smoke that swirled and clung. When Bucky was near, it seemed the storm that raged around Sasha couldn't come close enough to touch, but as soon as he left, the clouds always tightened their coils. Like a snake closing around its prey, so too it seemed the smoke was intent on squeezing the life out of Sasha.

Gently, cautiously, Zoe took Sasha's hand in hers, nudging the smoke back to reach unencumbered for her sister's mind. Softly she called, her mental voice lilting almost playfully in response to the soft humming she heard as soon as her palm made contact with skin. Sasha…

To her astonishment, the quiet humming shattered under the minor force her mental voice placed upon it. Behind it were screams of torment the likes of which she'd never heard, not even during the worst of their time imprisoned by Morozov. Tears pricked at her eyes and a tiny sound of distress escaped her mouth as she encountered Sasha's anguish. Without thought, Zoe reached out to try to ease the pain she could hear.

She could feel Sasha's mind jitter and quake, shying away from the contact. To Zoe's astonishment and terror, she could feel her sister's consciousness convulse and detach, falling away to a place she could no longer reach.

Her mind nearly blank in horror, Zoe opened her mouth and screamed.

Maddie was not a fan of the way the man was glaring at Kat. She opted to keep her mouth shut, however, merely glaring back as fiercely as she could. She wasn't stupid or blind; she knew the Winter Soldier when she looked him in his arctic cold blue eyes. She couldn’t help but find him terrifying. He looked like he could murder them all and then make a sandwich.

She didn't consider it bravery, but survival. She'd always refused to be cowed by someone just because they were bigger than her. At five feet tall and barely a hundred pounds soaking wet, most everyone was bigger than her. Despite every horrific thing she'd ever heard about the man with whom she was so unexpectedly face to face, she stood her ground though her heart raced in terror.

She’d been deliberately circumspect since they’d landed in Wakanda. Stories of the wonders found there had begun to leak out once they’d softened their isolation policies, but it was like nothing she’d ever imagined. Wakanda was a gem, rich with both natural and technological beauty and polished to a perfect gleam. It was a dream come true to be one of the few outsiders allowed to see it, despite the circumstances.

Though Maddie had seen the glory of the palace through the front window of the quinjet, they had gone directly to what looked like a fortress cut into a mountain. Once they’d landed she was awe-struck anew by the technological paradise Wakanda had hidden away.

Inside Maddie had been off-handedly introduced to Her Highness Princess Shuri as everyone from the quinjet joined her at a table holding a hologram of a spine. Maddie was pretty sure she’d never get over casually greeting royalty. Nor would she get over casually greeting Captain America, but Natasha had tossed out a quick “Steve, Maddie; Maddie, Steve,” before they’d launched into their interrogation.

As soon as they’d landed, everyone seemed utterly focused on extracting whatever information Kat may have. To Maddie’s dismay, not one of them seemed even a little concerned in the damage they might do in the process. She may be able to understand that their priority was this Sasha person. Too bad for them that Maddie had different priorities.

That didn’t stop her from jumping a little when the Winter Soldier slammed his metal hand on the wall beside him as he pushed off it to start stalking towards Kat.

“You know.” Bucky’s face was dark with fury and condemnation. “You know how to help but you’re holding back.”

Kat had dug in her heels; Maddie could always tell. The set of her jaw, the rosy flush that stained that milkmaid skin were hallmarks of the stubborn mindset Kat had acquired under Maddie’s careful tutelage. Katya had had no preferences, no opinions, no thoughts of her own. Part of becoming Kat had been to find those things for herself. She would never simply do what she was told ever again. “I said I need to talk to Zoe.”

Bucky sneered even as the fury darkened further, his metal hand clenching and unclenching and sending Maddie’s heart into a frightened gallop. “And I said not a chance in hell until you tell us what you’re hiding.”

To Maddie's relief, Steve stepped forward and placed a gently restraining hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “Bucky.” His voice was soft with warning but rich with understanding as he spoke. To her astonishment, the sound seemed to break through the fury. In the next second, those cold eyes flicked to Maddie before dropping to the floor, his hair falling forward to hide his face. Despite that, Maddie could see the expression on his face, though she didn't understand it. She would swear he looked ashamed of himself.

Her gaze snapped back to Steve when he spoke again, this time to Kat. "Will you tell us why you insist on talking to Zoe?"

Kat didn't speak, drawing Maddie's eyes. She almost laughed aloud at the mutinous look on her girlfriend's face. Kat was pissed and holding onto her temper with both hands. She rarely bothered to contain any of her emotions anymore. Maddie wouldn't stand for it, knowing how carefully she had had to hide herself away for entirely too long. She needed a way to remind these people that Kat was more vulnerable than they could imagine, no matter what she'd done to them.

Squeezing Kat's hand gently, she spoke softly. "It's a fair question, Kitkat."

Kat's horrified gaze turned to find Maddie's warmly amused affection. "Goddamnit, Mads." The curse was under her breath but had Shuri grinning cheerfully. But for Clint, who seemed to be trying to hold back a smile but failing completely, the other faces in the room remained carefully blank.

Kat only barely noticed, though the attention of those in the room was like a buzz along her skin. She was wide open, reading their perceptions of her though she had no intention of altering them. Maddie's use of the pet name had done exactly what the woman had intended. Feeling their sense of her as a threat, an enemy ease into one more neutral, she felt her own tension ease. Maddie's smug expression told Kat clearly that she'd done it on purpose. Her face softened into wryly amused resignation as she reached up to brush her thumb across the tip of Maddie's nose.

Turning back to the others, Kat spoke less aggressively, though her determination was no less solid. "The information you want is dangerous. I, and both of my sisters, were imprisoned by a madman because of how our family curse interacts with vibranium. I can't talk to Sasha about whether or not to trust any of you with this." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "I will talk to Zoe."

To Maddie's shock, everyone in the room looked to the cold-eyed assassin as though it was his decision to make. When she looked at Kat, she realized that her girlfriend expected him to be responsible for a little girl, too. She was starting to think that there was a lot more to the Winter Soldier story than she'd ever heard.

Bucky had only begun to consider allowing Kat to see Zoe- he had wanted to wait until Sasha was awake before that decision got made, but he figured Kat had a point- when he realized with a kind of dawning horror that his little shadow was not lurking around listening to the debate in question as she'd have already made her entrance by this point. "Where is Zoe?

Almost before the words left his mouth, alarms started blaring from every direction. At the same moment, Bucky heard Zoe shriek his name in a voice he hoped to never hear again if he lived another hundred years.

Shuri had felt the vibration of the kimoyo beads around her wrist before the alarms started, so she hit the ramp up first, Bucky right behind her.

Sasha tumbled head over heels through oblivion as her life actually flashed before her eyes. She'd always thought it bullshit, but here she was facing her own end once again, and her mind was bombarded by a goddamn high-and-low-light reel of her life. This hadn't happened the last time she almost died. Apparently, the "This Was Your Life" event only triggered if you died surprised.

This all ran through her mind as she saw the look of pride on her dad's face when she held up her first undamaged fossil. Papa's misty-eyed delight as she danced at Regionals. Kneeling between their bodies, an arm stretched toward each but unable to touch either. In the morgue, kissing each forehead and trying to say goodbye through the sobs, Caleb's arms the only thing keeping her on her feet.

The split-second decision to slash her arms open with an X-acto knife. Waking to Caleb's stony face, followed by his tears. Then came the hard times, the crawling out of the hole, the pride in being able to. Then the knowing that she could, because she had.

Champagne to celebrate the job offer that came from Tony Stark himself, her hacking F.R.I.D.A.Y. for her master’s thesis gaining his personal attention. Being promoted to work for him directly, rather than simply in the labs. Being assigned to the Avengers. Finding a kind of surrogate father or older brother in him. Discovering an amazing friend in Steve. Her first real BFF in Natasha Romanoff, of all people. Bucky.

Bucky smiling at her for the first time. That first real conversation. Their first dance. Their first kiss. The first time. The first morning. The first fight. The first make-up. The thousands of firsts that are the bricks that build a relationship, that lay the foundation for a life together.

How many times had she woken to his face, his expression a bemused wonder, like he couldn't quite believe she was real? How many mornings had she smelled the coffee he brought before she'd even opened her eyes? He knew she was unhappy without that first hit of caffeine, and so he took steps to correct it. Bucky always acted as a shield for those he loved.

Even against something so silly as caffeine withdrawal.

Zoe. When her little sister’s face flashed across her mind’s eye, Sasha fought even more fiercely the gravity endlessly sucking her into oblivion, determined to get back to those she loved.

Too little, too late, Sasha thought as her mind, under immense strain and unable to sustain even this twilight consciousness any longer, gave up and switched off. 

Chapter Thirty-six here

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[whillsofstars]

Chapter 14

REY-----------------------------------------------------

It seemed like barely any time had passed since Rey took her first steps on the craggy island where she had first begun her journey as a Jedi. Back then, there were so many questions, so many details of her life left unknown, and while she had come farther than she imagined at the time, there was still so much left unanswered.

The thundering crash of the ocean’s waves upon the enduring rock of the island - Luke’s island - brought her mind back to the present. She had come for a reason, and that reason was to find Kylo Ren. Still, she wasn’t entirely sure what would happen when she found him.

Taking one quick look back at the Falcon and making sure she had closed the landing pad (preventing another infestation of porgs), she began her ascent up the ancient steps cut into the rugged terrain.

The imposing rock of the island was carpeted with the same, lush greenery she remembered from her last visit. Could it have really been over a year since she last stepped foot on Ahch-To? Time was funny that way. A year had passed before her and she hardly felt as if much had changed since she first made contact with the legendary Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. And yet, so much was different. She was different.

Her mind moved to the memory of Luke’s first lesson about the living Force. Out of instinct, she placed her hand firmly into the plush greens covering the island and closed her eyes, giving into the interconnected world of the Force. Warm and cold. Life. Death. Peace and violence. The balance. She could still feel it all at once. Everything existed together, even the light and the dark.

But there was a difference in the dualities of the island that didn’t exist before. Now, she could feel him - Kylo - and with him, a tumultuous energy, almost like a battle waging itself across time and space between both of the life forces that resided within his soul. I’ve seen raw strength like this only once before, a voice whispered in her memory.

A slow breath escaped her lips. She needed to recenter herself. Kylo’s wild Force signature threatened to overcome her calm, meditative state.

When peace settled back into her mind, she pushed her energy outwards trying to pinpoint his exact location.

Almost instantly, surprise overtook her emotions and her eyes snapped open to meet the gaze of those standing just before her. A gasp escaped her lips as she struggled to maintain her footing, preventing herself from falling backwards.

The source of the shock stood just mere inches away from where she stopped to meditate. While still struggling to regain her balance, Rey’s eyes rose to meet the gaze of the one before her, Alcida-Auka, the matron of Ahch-To’s caretakers.

“Alcida!” Rey gasped. “Where did you come from?”

Alcida-Auka continued to stare searchingly, as if trying to stitch together the meaning behind Rey’s return. Rey didn’t know much about Alcida-Auka, other than how highly intelligent she was...and that she was one of the caretakers who was almost crushed by the boulder Rey split in two with her saber...and that she was one of the first to respond to the damage Rey had caused to her hut. Come to think of it, Rey was almost certain that Alcida-Auka must have been thankful to see Rey leave. Admittedly, Rey always felt bad about that.

Alcida-Auka continued to stare at her, arms crossed. Her gray lips pursed into a fine line.

When it seemed that neither of them would be the first to break the silence, Rey let out a long sigh. She had some apologies to make. “Alcida, I ask for your forgiveness and the forgiveness of the other caretakers,” she began, casting her eyes down before continuing. “I left a lot of damage the last time I stayed with you.”

She paused at the memory of her first visit, so eager was she to begin training with Luke Skywalker. Being back on the island and knowing that he wouldn’t be here reopened the wound that she had believed had been healed. A lump began rising in her throat, threatening to bring tears to her eyes.

Seeing Rey’s distress, Alcida-Auka shed her icy demeanor and gently placed a weathered hand on her shoulder, offering what little comfort she could. “No one’s ever really gone, child,” she said in her gentle, motherly tone.

Rey’s head snapped up so that she had a better look at Alcida-Auka. “You speak Basic?” she asked in complete surprise. Being from a planet as remote as Ahch-To without modern technology, Rey had assumed that Basic had missed the Lanai. In fact, not a single one of the caretakers had spoken to her the last time she was here.

“We’ve had visitors like yourself come and go since the beginning of the Lanai,” she clarified. “At some point, one of them shared this language with us so that we could better assist future visitors.”

Now she understood. The caretakers had been giving her the cold shoulder as punishment for the damage she caused.

“There’s been more visitors to Ahch-To?” Rey had assumed that no one had known about this little planet.

“Jedi Skywalker was not the first, no,” Alcida-Auka confirmed. “The temple has called to a handful of others since its birth. All of them took this knowledge to their deaths.”

“Were they all Jedi?”

“No. Some were children of the Dark. Others did not possess the gift,” she said casually.

Rey paused a moment to consider this.

Sensing her opening, Alcida-Auka posed a question of her own. “Why have you returned to us?” she demanded. “You left in such a hurry the last time, the Lanai believed that to be the last we would ever see of you.”

“Oh.” Yes it was true. She did leave in quite the rush. After discovering the truth about Ben Solo and Luke’s betrayal, Rey rushed straight to Kylo Ren naively believing what her vision had shown her when they touched hands.

It would appear as though not much had changed, for she found herself yet again chasing after Kylo Ren.

“Alcida, I’m actually here because I’m looking for someone,” she began. “Is there a man visiting Ahch-To now? He’s quite large - tall, that is - taller than me. His skin is pale. Dark hair. Deep brown eyes.”

Alcida-Auka said nothing as if considering whether or not to help Rey in her search.

“Please Alcida, it’s very important that I find him,” she practically begged.

“He’s here,” she said curtly. “But let me make this clear young one. Bloodshed is forbidden on the home of the temple,” she warned waving one small, gray finger in Rey’s direction.

“Alcida, I’m not -”

“Is that understood?” Alcida-Auka said cutting her off.

“Yes, of course,” she said, surprised at her sternness.

“Good,” she said with a nod before turning around and making her way back up the side of the island. “I’ll take you to him, but first I will show you where you shall stay,” she called not bothering to address Rey, who was now trailing behind her.

“Why is it that the children of the light and dark never get along?” she mused more to herself than to Rey.

Together, they climbed the steep steps carved into the side of the island. All around them porgs were fluttering about, minding their own business. While she didn’t want another family to take up residence in the Falcon, Rey had to admit there birds were a little cute in their own way. There was something about their round, sad faces that seemed to soften her heart.

They were about half way between the Falcon’s landing pad and the ancient huts when tiny droplets made contact with her cheek announcing the fast approaching downpour.

Rey quickly withdrew a poncho from her satchel and draped it over her head and shoulders. It was just in time, for the second she threw it on, the rain grew harder. Alcida-Auka had nothing to shield herself against the pelting rain, though it didn’t seem as though she minded. Not too long ago, Rey would have been elated to let the water fall upon her skin, forming small rivers across her body if the rain was heavy enough. Water was such a precious commodity on Jakku, but here, there was an abundance of it. Its coolness against her skin refreshed her mind, body, and spirit. To think she spent years in the desert without experiencing the true healing effects of water. But now, she was all too quick to shield herself from the small, glass-like droplets that she once welcomed with joy.

Well, maybe a few things have changed, she mused.

Soon enough, they reached the cluster of stone huts nested on the side of second highest peak on the island, which provided a spectacular view of the ocean below them.

Alcida-Auka led Rey to the hut settled slightly higher than the rest. Rey secretly cursed Alcida’s choice. It was Luke’s hut. The metal door still hung ascue after Chewbacca had ripped it off entirely. Inside, the small space appeared seemingly undisturbed with what little possessions he kept arranged neatly in crevices around the perimeter. Old blankets were settled, neatly folded on a stone slab that barely passed for a bed. Next to it, an old wooden chest rested on the floor.

Rey paused a moment, considering the chest. A pull like two magnets was drawing her closer and closer to the chest. She had felt this same pull once before on Takodana.

“Be careful what you find,” she warned as Rey bent down, pulling back the lid with a creak in protest.

With the exceptions of one bundled mass of fabric she was surprised to find it empty. Rey retrieved the bundle, which was heavier than she expected and slowly began to unwrap the layers of cloth. When she finally removed the last piece, the silver hilt of a lightsaber lay resting in her hands.

Rey turned it over, admiring the craftsmanship of the hilt. This blade, despite its apparent age, was in near-perfect condition, as if the time that overtook Luke’s features had completely passed over the saber entirely. It was beautiful, a true work of art that concealed the purpose of the blade.

And now it calls to you, a voice from a distant memory insisted.

Rey had an urge to ignite Skywalker’s blade and take in the full beauty of this elegant weapon, but decided against it, remembering that Alcida-Auka was still with her. The last thing Rey needed was to accidentally cause more damage to the property the Lanai were charged to maintain, so she wrapped it back up and returned it to the chest.

Rey turned to Alcida-Auka and asked, “The man who came here earlier, was he not interested in the lightsaber?”

Alcida-Auka almost chuckled at her question. Rey’s brows furrowed in puzzlement.

The eldest caretaker looked up at her then. “When I was about to offer him this hut, he stopped dead in his tracks,” she recalled. “And then he told me that he ‘would never share the same space as Skywalker.’”

At the memory Alcida-Auka released a small laugh before continuing, “His face, pale as it already was, turned even whiter as if he encountered a spirit. I gave him one of the huts at the farthest end of the colony.”

“Oh,” was all Rey managed to say. It dawned on her then that Kylo was still scarred by his uncle’s attempted murder. How sad, she thought.

“He made his way to the Jedi temple earlier this morning. There is where you will find him.”

“Thank you Alcida,” she said quietly.

Alcida-Auka gave a silent nod and shuffled toward the door, but paused before opening it and turned to address Rey. “Remember what I said,” she warned, waving a finger in her direction. “Bloodshed is forbidden here.”

“I haven’t forgotten.”

Alcida-Auka gave her a hard look, weighing the truth of her words. When Rey remained silent, Alcida-Auka seemed to accept her promise, and with a final, curt nod, exited Luke’s hut, leaving Rey alone.

Now that she was removed from the scrutinizing eyes of Alcida-Auka, Rey returned to the chest and hurriedly retrieved the saber. She didn’t want to admit it then, but she was secretly thrilled to find another saber, and in such good condition. She turned the weapon gingerly over in her hands. There was something about this saber, much like the one she carried, that called to her deep down in her spirit. Why this family’s swords drew her in so much, she didn’t know.

She glanced behind her at the door, as if she could feel Alcida-Auka’s glare penetrate the thin metal. But for now, she was truly alone. She had to know what this blade looked like alive.

Rey cast her worries aside. The saber ignited with a dull hiss, casting a green glow on the objects around the hut. The hum of it seemed to mingle with the energy of the Force within her - within all things. Like the first time she practiced with her saber, when she held it ignited in her hand, it was as if nothing else mattered. There was just her, the blade, and the embrace of the Force around them. Rey felt alive, as the adrenaline rushed through her veins.

“Wow,” was all she managed to say before flipping the switch and returned it to the chest, making a mental note to come back for it later. She had her own ideas in mind for a new construction, one that would better fit her fighting style. Rey wondered if Kylo would help her with it like he had when she was repairing the one they split in two. She couldn’t be certain of his motives. Which begged the question: could he really be persuaded to come back to the light?

There’s someone who still could, the same voice as before echoed in her memory.

Maybe she’s right. Rey had sensed something different about him when the bond opened again. This time, there may be a chance.

-------------

Time seemed to move slowly as Rey continued the trek up the unforgiving terrain of Ahch-To. A few of the ancient steps crumbled beneath her feet, the mix of salt, wind, and time had worn them down to their now fragile state. The higher she climbed, the faster the wind raced around her, sending chills to her bones. After adjusting to the more temperate climate of the Kashyyyk forests, Rey had almost forgotten about Ahch-To’s harsh conditions.

How did Luke live - no, survive - here for so long? she questioned before another more timely thought passed through her mind. How long would it take to convince Kylo to come with her to the Resistance?

In truth, she had barely an idea of what she was going to say, let alone what she would do when she finally saw him in person. Nerves slowly began building in her stomach, but she tried her best to ignore them. Worrying never helped her on Jakku, and it wouldn’t help her now.

By the time she finally reached the entrance to the Jedi temple, Ahch-To’s binary suns were making their way towards the horizon, flooding the craggy island and the ocean below with a warm, golden light.

She stepped through the entry and made her way towards the tiled mosaic, where a faint tickle of water collected in the stone basin below it. Rey moved to gaze at the figure crafted in the basin meant to show the duality of the Force. If only for a few seconds, she was content to soak in the tranquility it seemed to project.

Liquid gold washed over the water’s surface which served to illuminate the figure resting at the bottom of the pool, thanks to a slit in the temple’s side facing the horizon over with Ahch-To’s suns would set. Upon taking a closer look, Rey noticed a dark outline casting a shadow marking the water black.

She glanced up, and her breath hitched upon finding the source of the shadow. It belonged to Kylo Ren.

But he wasn’t facing her. Instead, he was gazing out at the horizon, his cape billowing gracefully around him as the wind from the sea rushed into the temple.

He must have heard her gasp because he whirled around to face her, though he remained silent. Rey could feel his Force signature tense slightly as if he was shaping it around himself to serve as armour.

Both of them remained rooted to the spot in which they stood, neither entirely sure of the other’s intentions. Finally, Rey mustered the nerve to break the tension in the growing chasm of unknowns that lay between them, and made her way to stand at his side. With every step closer, his eyes, now a deep chocolate brown in the golden light, continued to trail her until they were face to face, just a mere foot apart.

Hazel eyes met brown, each filled with more questions than answers, as the two continued to contemplate each other. His eyes quickly darted from hers to the temple’s entrance and back again. The turning emotion behind his eyes created an intensity that would have intimidated anyone else in the galaxy, but not Rey. Despite this man’s meticulous efforts to block people out, she saw pain, worry, anger, distrust, and confusion reflected in them.

Without having to ask, Rey answered the question nested in Kylo’s thoughts. “There’s only me,” she said quietly, meeting his gaze with as much softness as she could give.

A gust of wind blew against them as Kylo silently considered the truth of her words. He seemed to relax just a little before his lips parted slightly, allowing a long, deep breath to fill his lungs.

“We’ll see,” he said, just before Kylo closed his eyes, slowly exhaling. As he did so, Rey felt a wave of energy pulse through the Force, touching everything on the island, searching for life.

Kylo appeared so peaceful and Rey couldn’t help but think of how unconventionally handsome he looked. His dark hair, like his eyes, now shown as deep brown in the sunset. His skin, which was usually so pale, actually looked healthy with a little bit of color. Rey’s heart tightened when she examined his scar - a permanent reminder of their opposition. Then there were those full lips of his. The way they parted ever so slightly as he took a breath. They looked so soft.

Rey felt heat rise in her cheeks at the thought, quickly casting it away as Kylo’s eyes opened ending his search.

Confirming the truth of Rey’s words, he visibly relaxed, letting his shoulders set naturally while releasing a sigh. It was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Not only that, but his Force signature, which had been so tightly wound eased until it was no more of a hum of energy filling the space around them. If she could feel this, there was no doubt left in her mind about the power that the man before her possessed. But she wasn’t afraid of it.

At that moment, a new question seemed to flash across those chocolate eyes of his. She didn’t know how - the bond maybe - but Rey instinctively knew what he was thinking before he came out and addressed her. “What does this mean? Why are you here?” he said, voice soft and even.

She swallowed, not entirely sure that she had an answer. When she looked down in thought, she was surprised to find that Kylo’s hands were without his gloves, bare to the world. It almost seemed to be an invitation or a reminder of the last time she was on Ahch-To, when they had first realized the extent of their strange bond. Would those same hands be any different now?

Giving in to her curiosity, she slowly reach a quaking hand out to take his and welcomed the unexpected warmth of them. She smiled at the size difference, his being so massive compared to her smaller, slender ones.

Kylo tensed immediately at her actions, clearly not expecting this. A small chuckle escaped her lips at seeing his unease and she turned to watch the binary suns descend towards the ocean’s horizon. Darkness was beginning to overtake the light.

“You’re not alone,” she assured him after several moments of silence, finally answering his questions.

Though he said nothing, Rey knew the importance of those words between them. He gave her hand a small squeeze and took a step closer. Both of them were content enough to linger in this moment, two lonely people sharing in the comfort of each other’s presence with the knowledge that neither faced isolation for the time being. For in this moment, they had the support of one another, where time and the war and their troubles meant nothing and felt galaxies away.

Light and dark remained in silently entwined in one another until the last sliver of gold faded into the black of the night, and the brilliance of a million stars danced above them.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13

[pokemoneverlastingorchard]

New list of Pokemon

I’m just going to make another post and delete the old one. This one will be more in depth with what Pokemon are planned to be in the game. Will be adding to this as it grows.

I revamped every cut Pokemon from Spaceworld ‘97 to use in this game. I had to sort of guess what kind of stats they would have based on their looks. (Unless they’re an evolution or pre-evolution. Those are pretty easy for me to guess.) Most of the Pokemon from the Demo will retain their original name, unless I change my mind. Some though I just wanted to use different names for them for... Some reason.

Some of these will probably have minor changes to them in the future. (Specifically the outlines of some of them... Okay maybe almost all of them.)

I don’t know if I’m going to bother revamping any of the cut Pokemon from Red and Green. Mostly since I would have to trace over the art from the book first, and some of them are cut off. They’re also in black and white so it would be hard to tell what’s supposed to be what.

I also recorded myself making the sprites! (Just in case I lost them just like I lost a lot of the faces.)

Starters

Well, technically Tauros will be your starter. (And your bike.) But you get to pick from one of these three anyway,

Kurusu, Akua and Akueria, the water starter line.

Honoguma, Borubeea and Dainabea, the fire starter line

Happa, Hanamogura, and Tilian Meganium, the grass starter line. The difference between these and the regular Chikorita line (besides the elephant in the room) is that Meganium is going to have a Dragon typing as it’s second type! I may even just let all three of them be part dragon. Doubtful, but if I feel like Grass/Dragon Meganium isn’t enough to make it as appealing as the other two starters, I just might. For now though I did add “poison” to Hanamogura.

I didn’t make them any bigger because for some reason they just appear so much bigger than the other two lines in the post. It was kind of an eyesore.

Cut Evolutions

These were cut from Pokemon Gold for some reason. I’m bringing them back.

Buddmitto. (Maybe just “Budmitt” in the final.) A second evolution for Weepinbell if a Poison Stone is used. This Pokemon favors Special Attack over Attack and can learn more Special Grass moves than Physical.

Madamu, the evolution for Farfetch’d. It doesn’t really make sense for this Pokemon to have been cut. Farfetch’d was important to the story at one point of the second gen games. This would’ve been a perfect introduction to “old Pokemon having new evolutions” but nooo~!

Quiddlefish... Okay so my husband took one look at it when I was working on revamping it and said “It’s a Quiddlefish!” so... Yeah. I removed the lightning bolt that was on it’s head because there was literally no reason for it to be there.

Removed Baby Pokemon

So far these all evolve just by leveling up, since in the demo Leveling by Happiness wasn’t a thing.

Koonya, baby Meowth

Mikon, baby Vulpix

Monja, baby Tangela

Pudi, baby Growlithe. I decided to call his species “gud boi.”

Para, baby Paras. This design actually raises some questions.

Peticorn. (Petite unicorn... Despite not being a unicorn.) Baby Ponyta.

Dododo, baby Doduo... Yeah, I know. 3-2-3 doesn’t make any sense. I kind of want to give it a Pokedex entry that has two of the babies consuming one somehow, and then that one coming back for revenge in Dodrio. I... I don’t fucking know.

Betobebe, baby Grimer. Look at it! It’s so cute!

I may have baby Goldeen in the game too. I revamped the sprite and even made interesting boy/girl variants, but err... There doesn’t seem to be a way to have that separation yet.

Completely Cut Pokemon

Rinrin and Bellune, dark type cats

Bomushika, fire/water type seal

Manboo, Ikari and Grotesu, water into water/steel... I don’t understand either.

Norowara and Kyonpan, ghost types. What’s interesting about Norowara is that it apparently evolves at level 1 in the demo, which is literally impossible, so I’m making it evolve at level 2. At the start it will only know Confuse Ray and Curse, and only have 1 HP with Wonder Guard. Once evolved it will have a normal HP stat. It could be good for a “bomb,” meaning that it could sacrifice itself by using Curse on a particularly hard to beat Pokemon, but that does mean that it won’t gain any EXP.

Kotora and Raitora, thunder cats

And Gorotora. I found out recently that a third evolution was planned for gen 1 before it was dropped even sooner than Kotora and Raitora. I wouldn’t have bothered except I was commissioned to do a saber tooth Pokemon anyway, so I figured that I might as well. This one will probably be evolved using a Thunder Stone.

Urufuman and Warwolf, ice type... The concept of these two confuses the hell out of me, but those claws look like the claws of Weavile so I’m just going to say that these are a Sneasel and a Weavile who couldn’t develop feet claws so they murdered an innocent Pokemon to make them look intimidating. That Pokemon doesn’t exist but maybe I’ll make it exist someday I dunno. (Or maybe I’ll make the Pokemon they killed look like existing Pokemon, like Arcanine.)

...How did the suit evolve with them? Why would an Ice Pokemon need a coat?

Cloyster... Again. Water/Psychic type. Evolves from Shellder with a Slowpoke’s tail. (As gruesome of a mental image that is.) I may change the name of this one because it will be mostly different from the original Cloyster... Just not into “Turbann.” (I’ll come up with something else, maybe.)

Noxeon, poison type. (May change the name later.) This one wasn’t technically cut. Umbreon was originally going to be a Poison type but they switched it to Dark to show off the new type. I decided that if I was going to make this, I would use Umbreon as a base. (It’s a different Umbreon sprite than the one in the game.) I may make the ears blend in like the tail later. I don’t know how Eevee would evolve into this yet.

This one isn’t actually going to be in this build, which is why it’s all blurred out. But it is a Pokemon that was cut! I would give a hint to it’s role in my game, but that would probably be giving it away.

Pokemon made up my me, my husband or other

Eeveeon, evolved from leveling up to... 32? I dunno. This is the conversation exactly:

Husband: “Eevee needs a normal type evolution that’s just a fluffier version of it!”

Me: “So... A brown Flareon?”

Huband: “Yes!”

Vespitos (Vespa/custos, or the Latin word for “guard”)

I wanted to make a male evolution for Combee and this is what I came up with on the spot. It’s weaker than Vespiquen (With around 380 total base stats) but can still hold it’s own. You can evolve Combee into it at level 18 instead of 21 and it focuses more on attack than on defense.

Deloris, grass/ghost type. When I saw it, my immediate thoughts were “I need to make this NOW!” I don’t know if I’ll “make” a Fizzbitch move. (I would just be replacing the name of one move to “Fizzbitch.” Probably one of the legendary exclusive moves from a legendary Pokemon that’s not going to be in the game. Hell, I’ll probably turn Deloris into a Legendary!)

I have no idea if I want other 4Chan Pokemon in the game. Possibly not, considering that this one has an official canon mystery behind it that we still don’t have the answer to, but the others have been solved... Maybe Tentaquil.

Alternative Luvdisc colors! So some context: I made some very boring hearts (and “friendship circles) to show how much a person likes you. I decided to change it to Luvdiscs, but then I got an idea for a festival where you can catch these alternative Luvdisc (and OG) and if you catch all of them, you can get something cute for your house!

Also the “Friendship circles” are now Pokeballs.

(Other) Tilian Pokemon

Somebody who goes by Obermarschall on Reddit commissioned me to make a bunch of Pokemon, including some Delta/Alolan Pokemon. I can’t really see a use for some of them but I can see a use for most of them... And use them I shall!

Fairy Stantler, based on Disney’s version of Bambi. Obermarschall is going to be using a version that’s more orange in color so this version may only appear in my game!

Ice/Grass Eggxecute and Eggxegutor. They’re pine cones. I love these ideas. Though again the Eggxegutor that Obermarschall’s going to have different legs. I just prefer this one over the one they’re going to be using.

Ice Numel and Camerupt. The Numel is so fucking CUTE!

Dark/Normal Snubbel and Granbull.

Water Shuckle. Look at him. Look at him and BOW DOWN!

He’s so cute! I love him!

Maybe

Animon, depending on what Meltan or whatever it’s called turns out to be like in battle. I would have to make this a pretty special Pokemon to make people bother to evolve Ditto, which will be pretty hard to do if it’s only going to be able to transform.

Meltitan (yes I am calling it that) kinda destroyed any connection to Animon it may have had. Dammit.

They’re ground Growlithe and Arcanine based on dingos. I love them, but I realized that I would have to make Pudi part ground type too, and I don’t want to do that. Not in this game at least. Maybe I can make them part of... I dunno. Some other region, and you can trade for these two plus ground Pudi.

Ground type Ponyta and Rapidash... Only they’re zebras. They’re “maybes” for the same reason.

In the game Obermarschall’s making, they’ll be fighting/ground... I don’t know how to make it obvious that they’re part fighting so I just opted for using those poses.