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yakocchi · 5 years ago

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The Bewitching Full Moon // Count

smh they’re never gonna release points-based event cards ever again are they guess I gotta make my own 5-min headers

This event is another one of those “His POV” events. I guess the reception on those has been very positive (which, good, bc I like them too) so they’re pushing them out more and more. They’ve also been pushing the envelope on these ooh lala so sexi ma gah stories with these scandalous avatars. yea sexy ok w/e but are they fashionable? idk abt that one chief... and according to the twitter surveys the community has been comparatively lukewarm too. I mean if they’re gonna make event avatars harder to get why are they getting uglier man

also holy crap the resulting doc for this thing got really long i hope tumblr doesn’t destroy me copypasta

edit: here comes me “slept on it” day after edit, fixed formatting issues and grammar errors that stuck out. if it made it even worse imma cry-

Spoilers under the cut! Please credit if you take any of it, thenk u (･ω･*) image-heavy!

Under the full moon, which shimmered with an ominous violet light - a single stagecoach wheeled through the city. (I wonder how many times it has been where I’ve left the manse like this with her.) I sneak a glance to my side, and gaze at Kara’s dress-clad form. (Dress, shoes, gloves, necklace, hair ornaments...) (I give you every single object, article to wear - and with that you are dyed in my color.) (I experienced that joy even before, but...) Now that we have become lovers, that joy is becoming more and more difficult to come by. (Whenever I look at you, there is this emotion - one that is difficult to put into words - that surges within me.) (Frankly, I try my best to simply suppress it.) (...Well, there is particularly something that is too much to entirely subdue.) I recall that sweet sensation of the very moment where I get to strip off the dress I give her– While deep in my thoughts, a smile cracks my features.

count: the joy from dressing her up is becoming rarer me: ? o whys that count: bc the horny supersedes it me: sir

[Kara]: “Count?” (Oops- if she learned of the things like the carnal passions I bear, she would surely grow disillusioned with me.) [Count]: “It’s nothing. You are just so stunning that a smile eased onto my face.” [Kara]: “D-Don’t play around, please…” As if to hide her face, she lightly puts her hands on her cheeks. She takes small breaths, apparently to temper her heart, before looking up again.

[Kara]: “Um… Tonight’s banquet is opening quite late, isn’t it?” The typical banquet opens its curtains at approximately sunset, where the usual routine is to have dinner together before taking pleasure in dancing and chitchat. However, the time now is already past 10. (Will this be your first time going to this type of evening gathering?) [Count]: “There are nobles who grow tired of the same old pattern of the typical party.” [Count]: “So occasionally, evening parties with fascinating themes appear.” [Kara]: “Fascinating themes’?” [Count]: “Costume parties, calling on an acrobat…” [Count]: “Which reminds me of this one gathering where all the lights of the mansion were to be off. It was quite the fascinating party, yes.” [Count]: “Well, now I’m wondering what tonight’s party will be like.” [Kara]: “Hehe, I’m looking forward to it.” (Whenever you so innocently accept the circumstances at hand like this– because it’s you, I get worried. But...)

With a hand I quietly turn her waist towards me, and bring my lips to her ear. [Count]: “I don’t mind if you enjoy yourself, but I would like if you could firmly avoid being careless.” [Count]: “As in these kinds of parties, the dangers lie hidden.” [Kara]: “What do you mean by ‘dangers’…?” She quietly stares at me, visibly failing to catch the meaning behind my words. [Count]: “In a space separated from everyday life, reason easily crumbles away.” [Count]: “And when instinct conquers reason, the floor changes into a hunting ground for love.” I smoothly stroke her back and hug her waist. [Kara]: “Coun-…“ [Count]: “I do not have even the slightest intention to present my adorable lover to such wolves.”

[Count]: “Because you only belong to me, after all.” [Kara]: “—Nn,” I wrap my arm around her body that had slightly jumped, and as if to engrave my touch I press my lips against hers. [Count]: “…So that you will absolutely not separate from me. Understood?” [Kara]: “…Under, stood…” [Count]: “—Good girl.” I narrow my eyes in satisfaction at her answer, and intertwine our hands against my knee.

(Back before we became lovers, I feel that I still had my wits about me.) (So it was quite unexpected of me to become brimming with emotion like this from simply spending time after time together.) (But, tonight… it has become more difficult than usual to tie down…) I shift my gaze to the window, and the moon that floats in the sky above radiates this violet. (—It couldn’t be… Well.)

When we step inside the noble’s mansion, a different world stretched before us. The saloon was colored a brilliant red, and several tables had been arranged in a line where aristocrats entertained themselves with card games and roulette.

[Count]: “So you’re surprised by the casino.” [Kara]: “Wow… I’ve seen Arthur and the others play these sort of games, but this is the first time I’ve ever set foot in a place like this.” [Kara]: “So there can even be things like casinos in the parties of nobles, huh?” [Count]: “In the beginning, gambling was an activity popular within the elite. So it has been as much as a long time for me too.”

“get it cuz im old as fuuuu”

Her eyes swelled of fresh expectations as she looks around the saloon. (We came here to enjoy ourselves, so yes, I would like you to have fun. To be honest, I would rather not teach you how to play the more dubious games, but…) (If it’s just something like cards, there shouldn’t be a problem.) While I survey the surroundings, right in the direction of the bar counter a voice calls out to me.

[Baron]: “Ah, the Count. It has been a while.” [Baroness]: “After this we’re playing a bit of poker, but would you like to join us?” I turn my eyes to see a baron who I was acquainted with and his wife beckoning me over. [Count]: “Kara, would you like to try?” [Kara]: “I only know the very basic rules, but I’ll try.” [Count]: “I’ll teach you, then.”

[Count]: “…And with that, I have shown you more or less the fundamental rules– but is there anything else that you may be confused about?” [Kara]: “I think I’ll be okay from here…!” [Count]: “Then, let’s put it into practice.” [Kara]: “Please go easy on me.” [Baron]: “Well, young miss, when it comes to winning or losing there’s no such thing as leniency.” [Baroness]: “Oh, you! You shouldn’t scare such an adorable little lady like that.” During our pleasant chatter, the cards are dealt before the four of us and we each check our individual hands. (A King, another King, a Three, a Seven, and a Jack… With only these, I can form One Pair with my Kings. A rather mediocre hand.) (Or, I could discard the other three cards and aim for a Three of a Kind?) (Well then. And Kara…?) While maintaining a poker face, I slide a glance and— [Kara]: “…” Within the tension her cheeks were slightly flushed red, and her mouth was shaped into a faint smile. (It appears that good cards have come to her.) (…But I probably should have also taught her the techniques of forming a poker face.) Though subtly smiling bitterly, I pleasantly watched my beloved to whom I shall compete with in her first poker game – She was fixated on the five cards in her hand before suddenly lifting her eyes. The moment our eyes met…—

(Huh…?) Almost in slow motion, my fingers move… [Count]: “—kgh,”

My fingers pick out the two Kings from my hand and throw them into the muck without a moment's hesitation. (Why, am I acting like…) (For a moment, it was almost as if someone had taken over my body—) Akin to a marionette, my actions had disregarded my own will. In my centuries of living, it was the first time I had ever experienced anything like that. (Just what on Earth was…)

[Baroness]: “My, it’s rare for the Count to lose his poker face like that.” [Count]: “Perhaps it’s also all just an act?” [Baron]: “As you’d expect from the Count, you can’t underestimate him.” While playfully exchanging banter, my consciousness was once more preoccupied with some thorough reflection. What rose from my mind was the suspicious moon that had risen in the sky. (—The “purple moon”.) Much like tonight - once every several centuries, there is a night where moon gives off a violet light. (That moonlight sharpens the vampiric senses, and additionally…) (On the night of the shining purple moon, vampires cannot oppose their loved ones.) As for my loved ones, it is undeniably Kara. (In other words, tonight my body is – controlled by Kara.)

If this is the case, then it would explain the cryptic behavior from just a minute ago. (If I cannot go against her wishes…) (Right when I met her eyes, it is highly probable that she had wished to beat me.) I turn over the new cards that were dealt to me in exchange for my discarded ones. (An Eight, and a King.) (If I hadn’t thrown away those Kings, I would have formed a Three of a Kind...)

[Count]: “…It appears I’m out of luck.” I line up my random assortment of cards by suit and place them down on the table. [Baroness]: “Hehe, I have One Pair.” [Baron]: “I also have One Pair.” [Kara]: “I have a Three of a Kind.” She breaks into a cheerful smile and reveals her hand. [Count]: “It seems that Lady Luck is smiling upon you.” [Kara]: “Hehe… it seems like it.” From that carefree smile, a sweet feeling spreads within the depths of my heart. (The real thrill of poker is supposed to be the psychological warfare, but) (When you are so innocently delighted I seem to forget all about that.) (This is not entirely the way I would have wanted it, but I got to see something lovely.)

And so, as the game continued— …In the end, I was unable to outplay her. [Baron]: “It surprised me to see the Count so clumsy at poker.” [Baron]: “Are you up for another round?” [Count]: “Please forgive me, but I cannot afford to display such an unsightly side of myself in front of my beloved anymore.” [Baroness]: “Miss Kara, I had fun with you tonight.” [Kara]: “Me too. Thank you for inviting me to play.” We leave the table, and I call on a waiter dressed in black to halt for me. [Count]: “May I have two glasses of champagne?” Receiving the pair of flutes, I hold out one of them to Kara. [Count]: “For your victory.”

[Count]: “So, for the occasion, shall we have a toast somewhere?” [Kara]: “Yes, of course… Um, where are we going?” [Count]: “How about someplace like the balcony?” [Count]: “With your first poker victory, it is a special night.” [Count]: “I want to have a quiet toast between just the two of us.” [Kara]: “O-Okay…”

Between the two of them, the honey-colored champagne sways in the glasses as if to mark the beginning of a sweet night…

Clinking our glasses, the champagne bubbles rise to the surface. [Count]: “Congratulations. Even to the end, I just couldn’t beat you.”

or rather “Congratulations - For I couldn’t win (over you) even at the end.” but that sounds kind of shady hm

[Kara]: “Thank you, but I definitely just got lucky there.” [Kara]: “I guess there really is such a thing as beginner’s luck, huh.” [Count]: “You say that, but you still seem rather happy about it?” I set my glass down and stroke her grinning cheeks with my fingertips to poke fun at them. [Count]: “Are you really that pleased about besting me?” [Kara]: “This is the first time I’ve ever won against the Count with something, so naturally I’m happy about it…”

lol i know they mean by “winning” in the general sense but i like to think they’ve played several types of games together and he just never lets her win

(You are truly not wearing a poker face of any kind right now.) (Even when you do try to hide it, it’s clearly apparent when you are thinking about something else.) [Count]: “But that’s not all, is it?” (I know that you wanted to beat me because the light of the purple moon had affected my body to do so.) (You so deeply wanted, from the bottom of your heart, to win - so I want to know the real reason behind it.) [Count]: “Come, truthfully confess to me.” [Kara]: “I can’t let anything slip past you, it seems…”

She’s at a bit of a loss for words before slowly looking up at me to possibly gauge my expression. [Kara]: “The truth is… back from when you kissed me in the carriage, I had been thinking about it.” [Count]: “That you wanted to beat me in something?” [Kara]: “Yes. At the time, while I was trying my hardest to calm my heartbeat…” [Kara]: “You, however, maintained your composed, collected face, right?” [Kara]: “That moment today wasn’t the only time it’s been like that; ever since we’ve become lovers, it has happened so many times that it’s impossible to count…” She tightly bites her lip. [Kara]: “I just can’t compete with someone like you.” [Kara]: “But then I thought with something like poker, I could perhaps win with luck on my side.”

[Kara]: “Since I’ve always been the one being toyed with…” [Kara]: “Tonight, I thought… that I wanted to see the Count’s– see Abel’s, restless face…”

At that moment, I realized the consequences I had wrought from my prying – but it was already too late. The instant she shot through me with those eyes blurred with shyness, I could hear the sound of my reason shattering into pieces…

[Count]: “kgh—” (—I cannot fight it.) (Kara, I want to… No, I need – to take you.)

So I changed this entirely bc there’s no English equivalent. The original line can be literally translated as “Kara, I want to take you… no, take you.” What he does is change the pronoun he uses for “you” (kimi → omae) to signal the change in the level of intimacy. With most people (mansion residents, people in general) the Count uses “kimi”. Though with those who know him at a closer level, like Leonardo and Vlad, he uses “omae”. (Mostly) men are only really supposed to use “omae” with people they’re close to or it comes off as rude. This is significant with the Count and MC’s relationship because he begins to refer to her as “omae” when they’re alone together (and thus wants to make a point about how personal it is) once they reciprocate their feelings in Chapter… 24(?). The writers are more than aware of this, because all of the Count’s His POV stories in his route are titled 「君○○」 “kimi ____” but the His POV titles for the Endings use “omae”.

[Kara]: “—gh, Abel…” When I strongly embrace her, from the corner of my eye I catch sight of the moon in its sheen of purple light. Paired with this boiling sensation in my blood, I once again realize the meaning of my existence. [Count]: “…As you desire, I shall become just a man for you.” [Kara]: “A, bel…? —Mn, nn…” I steal her lips, as if to take away all of her warmth. (Just simple touches are not enough.) I draw her head closer and entangle our tongues to steal those lips even deeper. (What’s this - it’s sweet… from the scent, the touch, and the taste…) However, my hunger was not sated even by this kiss. (More - I want to taste you, more…) I pull her waist towards me and capture her tongue that had attempted to escape in a fluster. Dominated by instinct, like a starved beast I devour her lips.

(…Seeking her in this way, in an unknown place where someone could come, what in God’s name is wrong with me?) The remains of my reason murmur from the edge of my mind. But, contrary to those feelings, there was a certain kind of a pleasure intoxicating my heart. (The sense of my reason being thrown aside… is this sweet, hm…?) My fingertips, in their longing for her, slowly ride up the hem of her dress.

sir this is a community balcony i’m gonna need you to take yourself out

[Kara]: “Ngh… A, bel…”

[Count]: “Whether to accept or refuse me, is up to you.”

PREMIUM ENDING

The “purple moon” sharpens the vampire’s senses, and additionally– a vampire’s body that basks in its moonlight shall be dominated by their loved ones. [Kara]: “Since I’m always the only one being toyed with…” [Kara]: “Tonight, I thought… that I wanted to see the Count’s– see Abel’s, restless face…” —A loved one’s wishes, for tonight, can be granted under this moon that emits this mysterious light. My fingertips, in their longing for her, slowly ride up the hem of her dress. [Kara]: “Ngh… A, bel…” [Count]: “Whether to accept or refuse me, is up to you.”

Releasing her lips from our deep kiss, I securely hug her from behind and place her hands against the balcony. [Kara]: “Abel, what are…?” The eyes that look over the shoulder quiver in confusion. (Right now, as instinct overwhelms me... I want to take you.) [Count]: “Show me that disheveled form of yours some more.” A hand glides upwards to approach her chest, and wraps around her breast through the silk of the fabric. [Kara]: “Nnn… Abel,” [Count]: “It’s all right. I shall hide you in a way that no else can see.” [Count]: “Even for myself, I do not intend to show that sweet expression of yours to other men.” [Kara]: “That’s not the…” Her eyes were widened, and moistened with shame. [Count]: “And just who was the one who said that they wanted to see my restless face?” [Kara]: “That’s...” The adorable figure of my beloved, trapped with lowered eyes, also makes a bewitching pleasure sharply simmer within me. (If I happened to look into a mirror right now… Without a doubt, I would see that the face I’m wearing is far from that of a gentleman.) [Count]: “I know that you also want to learn of these indecent pleasures, hm?” [Kara]: “I…—nn,” To cut off her words, I rub the peaks of her breasts against the silk with the pads of my fingers. [Kara]: “ah- Mn…” [Count]: “To the point where I can find that out immediately— harden them for me.” [Count]: “Not wanting to know this pleasure... you don’t seem that way at all, or am I mistaken?” (Because of the purple moon, I cannot go against her wishes tonight.) (If she truly didn’t want this, I wouldn’t be able to even lay a finger on her.) (Since I am able to touch her, this means—)

[Count]: “…You truly, want me to forcibly take you, don’t you?” Burying my face onto her nape I move my fingers to agitate her, her body trembling within me. Desperately biting her lip, she stifles her sweet voice. (Whatever it is that you are thinking, I will quite distinctly know what it is.) (Because the one controlling me, is you yourself…) I rub her with my fingers again, and she twists her back with a shudder. [Kara]: “Hah, ah…” [Count]: “It seems that you are feeling it more than usual.” [Count]: “To seek a thrill like this, what a bad girl you are.”

[Count]: “But, if you don’t keep that voice down, you will be heard, no?” [Kara]: “Ha, ah- But… I can’t… hold o-…” [Count]: “There’s no other choice, then.” The corners of my lips raise into an elegant smile before I lift her chin. [Count]: “I’ll stifle it for you.” [Kara]: “Mn, uhn…” Continuing to lovingly caress her breast in one hand I press my lips to hers, providing even more heat. A voice laced with temptation spills out from her wetted lips. [Kara]: “A…bel… if you do, any more than this, I…” [Count]: “Then if I do any more than this, what will happen?” [Kara]: “Don’t bully me…” Her lovely voice cries out between the light brushes of our lips, and my chest sweetly tightens from the sound. (This appetite will not be satisfied until I make her wholly mine.) [Count]: “Do you take me for a man who only teases and leaves you unfulfilled?”

[Count]: “I shall stain your entire body with pleasure.”

…In a certain room. I slip off my coats, vest, tie, and finally shirt to reveal my bare skin…While I fling them onto the sofa one by one, I lead Kara in the direction of the bed. (The part where I drive her to the corner like this… is exceptional tonight.)

[Kara]: “Ah…” Hitting the edge of the bed, she casts her eyes down as there is nowhere else to go. [Count]: “…Got you.” I capture her beloved body into my arm’s embrace, and slowly push her down onto the bed. [Count]: “In here, you can be as loud as you like.” [Kara]: “But… is it okay to use this room as you please…?” [Count]: “When we arrived tonight we had talked about the themes of evening parties, correct?” I move my hand from stroking her blooming cheeks to press a fingertip against her lips. [Count]: “For those who wish to indulge in something rather risqué for the night, they prepare rooms like this.” [Count]: “So I shall receive this room for use with my humble gratitude.” I unravel the ribbon on the back, and the silk dress almost seemed to glide off her shoulder as it fell down.

(I do like to beautifully dress you up – but stripping you down with my own two hands also sends my heart racing.) [Kara]: “gh…” I seize her hands that were about to cover her chest and pin them to the sheets. [Count]: “Without hiding anything, show yourself to me.” Her exposed skin became shamefully dyed with the hue of roses before my very eyes. This color, teeming with vitality, made my vampiric instincts ache painfully.

[Kara]: “n-no… It’s embarrassing…” [Count]: “Then, if I stop looking… I shall have a taste instead.” I meet her breasts and crawl the tip of my tongue along the peak. [Kara]: “Ah, aah… Abel… Mn,” She pushes against my chest in light resistance. But before long her resistance had ceased, and gradually changed to that of her disheveled sighs and sweet gasps. [Count]: “It seems that you’ve become quite honest with yourself.” [Kara]: “To be loved like this – I have no choice but to be honest, right…?” [Kara]: “As tonight will be the only time I’ll get to know of your ferocious emotions…”

My mind is suddenly drawn to her wording. (Does she know about the purple moon…?) But I cannot imagine that she would know about something like a rare phenomenon that occurs only once every several centuries. I stare at her as if to look into her heart, and our eyes meet.

[Kara]: “More… Please, lose yourself to me, more…” (If she does know about the purple moon, and thus is purposefully provoking me, then…) [Count]: “What a naughty girl. Do you want to ruin my composure that badly?” [Kara]: “Yes…” The Count’s body is completely, sweetly steeped in her words, and as if it were alcohol his reason gradually dissolved. (Right now, even the words that I always shower her with will not come out.) For his heart was dominated only by the instinct of a vampire, and only by the instinct to love her as a man. [Count]: “I want to cast away my morality and reason, and just love you.”

FIN

this guy…………is a lot. i thought maybe everyone would be like this for the event but no, leo only gets weird bc essentially his mc was dumb enough to try to pick up broken shards of glass with her bare hands (im not trying to shame her… but i am) and then it’s not really isaac’s fault when he already has the worst bloodthirst out of all of them so sir step into the paddy wagon, the horni police will question u shortly

anyway tl;dr the sweet ending has the mc reveal to him early that she knew what the purple moon does to vampires in terms of the heightened vampire senses and crud but not the obedience to loved ones so he tells her blah blah romanceu talk but he still wants to bone and so they go home to do it instead.

Make sure to purchase the Epilogue when you have the chance! It’s good stuff ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

So, thanks for reading! (`･ω･´) Sorry if it’s hard to parse through. there’s a reason why editing is a job people get paid for orz

#idk wat the engl tags are idk #like do they call him comte #how french do we get #ikemen vampire #ikevam #comte de saint germain

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catradoracore · 7 years ago

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5555

@finnwolfhard

Yeah... this is sort of long....

I’m not putting all this into your ask box lmao, and I couldn’t submit it because of images either, so!! Sorry about this. Aaaa!

..and I curse way too much. My apologies for that.

Originally, I was going to try and keep spoilers out of this. But. That’s obviously not what happened so:

Spoilers for anyone on my blog reading this who plans to read “5555.”

Thoughts on 5555. Featuring Shitty images and reactions from me and a pal. Written as I go. Oh god.

Intro:

Let’s get started.

* “I dare you.”/ some other clever comment or challenge between soulmates in a story (romantic or other) as an opening scene is so fucking powerful. It’s such a good introduction to stories, and I rarely see it, but it never fails to hype me the HELL UP!

* I have never met a person on this earth that doesn’t like blue raspberry. Sorry, Eddie, guess we can’t be friends. :/

* haha :) is :)) Sonia :) going to make :)) a return :) please :) no. Guess I’ll find out. Fingers crossed she’s dead or something, even though you’d never do that.

* Emotional update: I am smiling VERY hard right now.

* “My love” is Reddie culture, it’s a fact, it’s in the textbooks! Just had to get that out there. Thanks for listening.

* New rap album coming out next month, go and buy that shit.

* “soul mates”

AH! THERE IT IS! Phew! Thank goodness, I was gonna explode for a second there.

* Richie, honey, I love you, but you’re kind of a dumbass.

* Ahhh! I take it back I love you, trash man! :(

* Me, Myself, and I?”? Like...likethefuckihn, like the fuckin’ show Jack D Grazer is in????

* For real, I can hear and see and imagine this line so well.

* Eddie with Richie’s jacket that’s like eight times too big for him is a life source.

* Room 555. Hooo boy I am not ready for this fic I ain’t even lying.

* AdSDFFfFG THE FUCKING HOTEL SHOWERS HURT, DUDE! They’re so uncomfortable aaaaaa turn it down a notch, maybe???!!

* hhhhhhjjjjhhhh scarsss,,,FUCK lets hope this turn out wellllll! D:

* Hungry and Tired!! the Power Couple!! Of!! The!!! Century!!!

* Chat Update:

* cUTE!!!

* that one vine: “cAM, THERE’S A COCKROACH RIGHT THEREEE!!!! CAAAMMM!!!!” “you need cheeze-its! (jesus lmao)”

* Chat Update:

* Eddie “not that we’re DATING or anything hahaha” Kaspbrak.

* Chat Update: oh no

* AAAAA A A AAAAAA AA AAA!!!

* Oh my god, the whole “It was my birthday” conversation in the truck is ripping my soul to shreds right now!! Aaaaaahhhhh!!! :( My boys better be okay!!

* I love this so much. Happy Richie!! I’d die for him!!! ❤️

* This was funny and cute! :) but then it turned into this:

And now Wellp.

You okay babey?? :(

* AAAAAAAAA!! THE WHOLE “STRANGER/“I’M ALONE” THING AT THE MALL! THAT’S HIS FEAR AAAAAHSDHHFHGGHHGHG RICHIEEEE I LOVE YOU BABEY!! EDDIE DOES TOO!!

* ICONIC DUO!!!

* HMM. Isthisforeshadowingisthisforeshadowingisthisforeshadowingisthis

* Well, call me a fucking idiot, but this whole thing going on with Richie is very interesting....hmmm.... I’ll bet it’s all gonna hit me at the end and I’m gonna say “OH HOLY SHIT WHAT THE FUCK” or something like that :) haha watch me.

* YOU’RE HOT, THEN YOU’RE COLD! YOU’RE YES, THEN YOU’RE NO! YOU’RE IN, THEN YOU’RE OUT! YOU’RE UP THEN Y

* Lmao “cheap boys”!!! Love ‘em!!

* All these people be talking to Richie...bruhhhh what kinda conspiracy shit is THIS! what is going ON! AAAAAA!!

* yoooooooooooooooo... What the fuck is goin’ ooooonnn???

* WELL NOW I KNOW WHAT THE FUCK WAS GOING ON. AAAAAAAHHHH! NO OFFENSE, BUT WHAT THE HELL, IM SCREAMING.

* I KNEW 5555 HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH ANGELS, I JUST HAD NO IDEA HOW IT CONNECTED OH DEAR GOD.

* I have so much to say. Uhdhdhdhshshccckk this was so clever and incredible and beautifully written. Also now I’m crying! Hooray! I’d write a lot of stuff on this ending, but I would never stop. So, I’ll let this final chat update do the talking: :)

* Final Chat Update:

+ Bonus:

*Conclusion on “5555” by Stell/@finnwolfhard:

* Anyways Stell is amazing and talented and I love your work so fucking much. Excited for literally anything you’ll write and post in the future. Take care!!! ❤️❤️❤️ xo

Also. Haha. I wrote all this in notes. And...tumblr doesn’t really do copying and pasting with images. So. I had to send them all to myself, try and submit the post, which didn’t work after a good fifteen minutes. So then I had to paste everything into an actual post to tag the person again. And then put all the images back in and re-format everything. I’m sure there’s an easier way, but I’m inexperienced. This one fucking post. Between writing it, and right now: as I’m trying this paragraph, took four hours. What the fuck. So if there’s any mistake, I’m so sorry! It’s late and my hands are cramping.

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tarisilmarwen · 8 years ago

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Cracks In The Mirror: Escape

( Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three. On FFnet here.

Drawing closer towards the final showdown. I am excited.)

---

Kanan felt Ezra long before they'd exited the shuttle. His presence in the Force was blurry and muted, worryingly faint and radiating out a dull, fuzzy sense of pain.

The sounds of the firefight were already loud and raucous by the time they reached the ramp. Kanan hoped fervently that Ezra was out of the line of fire. He could hear Chopper squealing, smell the sharp tang of melting durasteel. A tinny electric whine buzzed in his ear and Rex yelled at Chopper to block the door. The troopers must have been trying to cut through it.

They beelined for the sound of the heaviest fighting. Kallus grunted—sounded like he was winded. Kanan increased speed trying to close the distance faster. How big was this hanger, surely they were at the scene now?

A sudden flare of fear spiked out from Ezra, followed by a cry of distress. The helpless sound ignited a fury inside Kanan and his blaster was raised even before his feet came to a stop.

He focused intensely through the Force, even as he desperately prayed his aim was true.

"You are going right back to Interrogation," a woman's voice threatened.

Kanan fired.

There was a gasp, and a thud.

Shaking, Kanan divested himself of his helmet. From behind them, he could hear the grind of Chopper's wheels as he rolled up.

"WUB-WUB!" he beeped in greeting.

"Thanks for opening up the shield gate for us, Chopper," Rex said.

Chopper buzzed proudly. His last act before unplugging from the security console and disabling communications had been to reprogram a subroutine in the hanger control system, so it would lower the docking shield automatically upon the sensed approach of a ship, bypassing the need for clearance codes. The Chimera's system hadn't taken too fondly to that, and was already booting Chopper from access while he unplugged.

Kanan was busy kneeling down next to the quivering presence that was Ezra. Kallus's gloved hands had hold of the boy's head and shoulders, holding him off the floor, and the agent wordlessly passed him to Kanan.

The Jedi took him awkwardly. Ezra felt heavy in his mercenary armor, and his head thumped limply into Kanan's shoulder.

"Ezra," Kanan called gently. He touched a hand to his padawan's face, biting his lip at the scabs and dried blood he could feel under his fingers.

"K'nan...?" Ezra's voice sounded groggy and drunken, with a paper-thin rasp in his throat. His breathing was labored, unsteady.

Kanan sensed uncertainty from him, like he wasn't sure Kanan was real. "I'm here, Ezra," he assured the boy. "It's all right now. I've got you."

"...hurts..." Ezra whined. He sounded so much like a small, broken child that Kanan forgot where he was a moment and cradled him tightly.

"I know." A solid-sounding crash at the door brought him back to the present. "Just hold on. We're getting you home."

He slipped a hand under Ezra's knees, hoisting him up as he stood.

"Gently," Kallus cautioned from his right. "He's recently had abdominal surgery."

"Surgery?" Rex repeated incredulously.

"He told me they put something inside him. I'm not sure what," the agent explained quickly.

"Let's not stay to find out." Kanan gripped Ezra a little harder, grinding his teeth as he led the way back to the shuttle. Rex barked at the droids to follow.

Just as they dashed up the ramp a cacophonous THUD! came from behind, as the troopers working at the door finally managed to cut a huge piece away. The crates AP and Chopper had pushed in front of the opening still blocked their way, but a few of them fired at their backs through the hole.

Blaster bolts pinged off the shuttle. The ramp retracted behind them and Rex pushed ahead and led the way to the cockpit, Kanan slowing to avoid knocking Ezra against the walls and doorways of the shuttle.

It lurched under them as Chopper plugged in, uploading hyperspace calculations in a flash and quickstarting the engines.

Kanan couldn't help but give a sigh of relief as the sublights fired up, launching them out of the hanger and into open space.

The jerk and acceleration of lightspeed moments later had never felt better.

***

The bridge of the Chimera was a flutter of nervous anxiety and disarray when Thrawn stepped through the doors, hands clasped behind him and jaw terse, eyes narrowed in irritation.

"Comm Tech, report," he called calmly, directing his attention first to the station on his left.

"Ship's internal communications are 80 percent restored, sir," the man answered.

"Tell the technical crew to run a full systematic check of all operations; I want all Rebel spyware purged from the system," ordered Thrawn.

"Right away sir."

"Sir!" another crewmember called, finger locked on the call button on his console. "Detention Level reports two more bodies outside cell B-56!"

The hint of a frown pursed his thin lips. Kallus had certainly left quite a mess in the wake of his escape, something he found oddly... annoying.

"Grand Admiral," a Stormtrooper from behind addressed him. "Colonol Yularen is on his way up."

Even as he was speaking, Thrawn heard the colonol's voice from the hallway behind the door, loudly protesting.

"Stop your fretting, Lieutenant!" he snapped at Lyste as the door hissed to admit them. "I'm quite all right!" he insisted, batting away the lieutenant's arm with one hand while the other cradled his temple, massaging at a pounding headache.

Thrawn turned from the Stormtrooper to his officer. "Are you well, Colonol Yularen?" he asked, stepping towards him.

"He attacked me!" Yularen blurted out angrily. "My own student!"

"I believe I cautioned against going in to see him until my assessment was completed and the report from the survey team on Lothal came in," Thrawn said, nonplussed. "Please endeavor to exercise more caution next time, Colonol Yularen," he continued, feigning a vague concern.

Yularen's eyes narrowed a bit at the subtle 'I told you so', but he offered no excuse and made no comment.

"Communications restored!" announced the Comm Tech.

"Deep space sensors back online," another technician reported. He looked up from his station and made eye contact. "The signal's coming in strong, sir."

"Very good," replied Thrawn, turning away from the disheveled colonol. "Pull all camera footage and begin system check," he ordered again.

A technician at a station to the far left raised a hand, "Sir, I've got a report from squad G-19 down on the surface, they say there was a coordinated rebel incursion at the shipyards."

Thrawn stirred at that, angling in that direction to address him. "Was the survey team hindered?"

"No sir, they proceeded to the tower as ordered."

"Keep me appraised."

"Grand Admiral!" another man shouted above the chaos. "I have confirmation, Ezra Bridger is missing from Interrogation!"

"Those fiends!" growled Lyste. "They've escaped!"

Thrawn stepped across the walkway to glare out the window at the glittering stars.

"They won't get far," he said, eyes narrow.

***

In contrast to the ruckus inside the Chimera, its outward appearance was peaceful. The Imperial Star Destroyers floated silently in formation outside the blue-brown planet, engines off, drifting serenely with the flow of gravity.

From around the far side of Lothal, a single lumbering ship moved out of position.

***

Hera paced in tight circles to one side of the holodisplay hub. Her lekku slapped her back in an agitated rhythm. Off to the side, Zeb waited, tapping his fingers together, elbows on his knees as he sat on a crate.

The communication terminal beeped to indicate a call and everyone looked up, every head turned in that direction as Hera lunged for the button, several pilots and crew rushing to gather around.

"Kanan?" Hera asked, almost shrilly, as soon as the line was open.

"We've got him," Kanan told her. "Both of them."

Tension deflated out of Hera and her shoulders loosened with an exhale. Thank the stars, she thought. "How is he?" she breathed, as she felt Zeb coming to stand by her shoulder.

"Not great, but recovering. But there's a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Hera asked warily, picking up the noises in the background. It sounded like Kallus and Rex were having an argument.

"Heading two point eight and then—"

"I know what I'm doing," the old clone trooper snapped. "This isn't my first clown show."

"That device could go off any moment and you want to risk the base by taking Ezra straight to it?!"

"If it's remote-detonation it won't matter where we take him."

"Farther away would be better!" the agent insisted.

"The Imps put some kind of object in him," Kanan spoke over the two. "Kallus thinks it's an explosive."

Zeb straightened to attention. "I'll get Sabine on the other line," he volunteered, moving off towards the terminal mounted on the wall of the nearby coral overhang.

"Can you have Dr. Leslynn standing by?" Kanan asked. "Ezra's in rough shape. Pretty sure they tortured him."

"I'll let her know," Hera promised, clenching her jaw tersely. When she got her hands on Thrawn... "Chopper and AP?"

"No worse for wear. Chopper's eager to get his old paint back, as usual." Kanan paused a moment, then added cheekily. "How are you doing?"

Hera smiled faintly. "Ask me again when you're all back home."

"What do you mean something happened on the mission to retrieve Fulcrum?!" Sabine's voice burst out from behind them, suddenly loud. Her wavering holo image leaned to one side as if to peer past Zeb. "What happened? Where's Ezra?"

"Calm down," Zeb said, holding up his hands to placate her. "He's safe now. But they put something in him. Kallus thinks it's a bomb; he doesn't want to bring it here," he explained. An' I don't blame 'im, Zeb thought, remembering the nasty business with the warhead-carrying Imperial probe droid. "Think ya can take a look at it, tell us how t' diffuse it?"

"Well, depends." Sabine's expression was still tight with concern, but her shoulders relaxed a bit. "You got the schematics for me?"

Zeb turned towards where Hera was waiting.

"Uh, schematics?"

There was a rustle of noise on the open channel, and voices conferred in a low murmur.

Kanan's voice returned. "Chopper has a scan," he said. "We're patching it through."

The holodisplay flickered to life as the data came through. Zeb flicked a switch on his console station to transfer the image to his terminal, and then to Sabine.

Sabine leaned forward, peering intently at the wireframe holo, squinting hard. "That's... not an explosive," she said. She took a closer look, a dawning realization spreading across her face. "That's an S-35 ChandrilTech tracking device!" she cried, eyes widening and reeling back in alarm.

"KARABAST!" Zeb cursed.

"Zeb?" Hera called in worry.

"They tagged him!" the Lasat yelled, furious.

Cold horror hit the pit of all of their stomachs.

***

The three men were frozen stiff in the cockpit a moment.

Kallus was the first to recover, stirring from his place standing behind the pilot's chair.

"Drop out of hyperpace," he told Rex. "Drop out now!"

Rex started. "Right!" he blurted, hands leaping to the controls, pulling the level.

The blue tunnel of hyperspace dissolved into long white streaks and then the pinpoints of stars as the ship lurched out of lightspeed.

As it jerked to a slow hover, they all collectively held their breath, petrified with dread.

***

"Sir?" The Imperial officer addressed the Grand Admiral on the walkway above him. "Konstantine reports the shuttle has dropped out of hyperspace."

Thrawn glanced away from the window. "Tell him: Pursue at a distance, but do not engage," he said. "And have the navigation data imported to my office and charted to Imperial starmaps." He turned from the bridge, striding calmly across the walkway towards the door.

So. They'd found his little surprise. Earlier than expected, but no matter. The navigation data beamed out to them from the tracking device would still prove invaluable.

And now he'd trapped the Rebels in a conundrum. They couldn't return, and they couldn't move forward. Anywhere they went, the tracking device would betray them. Even without capturing them directly, he had them esentially prisoner. Thrawn was just a little bit excited to see Hera Syndulla's next move. Would she risk the base? Risk herself? She would hardly abandon the boy, or her Jedi lover, so her next tactical decision was bound to be reckless, made out of emotion.

He allowed himself a private smile of satisfation.

Let's see what their next move is.

***

The tension was thick inside the shuttle.

There was nothing on their scopes yet, but they couldn't shake the eerie feeling that they were being watched.

Kanan had his eyes closed and senses up, seeking out signs of pursuit, eddies in the Force.

"Well this a real gravity sink," Rex deadpanned. "Now what do we do?"

Chopper piped up with a suggestion.

"Weren't you paying any attention? The Empire's tracking us, taking a few extra hyperspace detours won't help," Rex said, shooting the droid a withering look.

Chopper beeped what sounded like a sheepish, Oh.

"Could buy us some time," Kanan considered, coming back to normal. "Give us space to think up a plan that won't compromise the base."

"If it isn't already compromised," said Kallus, spitting the words out gruffly.

"What do you mean?" asked Rex, turning in the pilot's chair.

Kallus smeared a hand down his face in frustration. "I didn't get a chance to tell Ezra before they uncovered him," he sighed. "Thrawn has a map. He's narrowed the possible locations of the base to eleven planets."

"Would have been great to know that before we jumped into hyperspace," Rex snarked.

"I'm sorry, I assumed we were going to be careful and not go directly there!" Kallus exclaimed, voice pitching higher with stress.

Kanan shook his head. "We can't exactly walk into any old med center." He looked toward the comlink speaker. "You getting this, Hera?"

"I'm getting it," she replied. "Hang on a moment, lemme get ahold of Ryder."

She went silent on the other end for a moment.

Kallus glanced over to the backseat they had propped Ezra into. He seemed to be resting easily for the moment, slightly slumped and breathing steadily, eyes closed. The sedatives were probably catching up with him. Kallus shuddered to think what would have happened if Ezra hadn't fought them for as long as he did. Then they wouldn't have known about the tracking device at all, carried it with them blindly straight to the Rebel base.

Not that the situation was much improved.

"Isn't there anyone? Anyone friendly to the Rebellion we could go to?" he asked, voice strained.

"None close by," Rex answered. "Unless you wanna drop in on the black market on Garel."

"Ugh, no thanks," Hera dismissed, piping up over the channel again. "They'd sooner take Ezra's kidneys out than remove that tracker for us." The line clicked. "How do the skies look, Ryder?"

"Captain Syndulla," came the former governor in acknowledgement. "One of the ships vanished from orbit just a little while ago."

"Probably tailing us," Kanan mused darkly.

"We hit the shipyards pretty hard, like you wanted, caused lots of sparks, but they don't seem to be paying us much attention." Ryder muttered his next words, almost grumbling. "Too busy prowling around the old communications tower outside Capital City."

A jolt of ice shot through Kallus and his head whipped around. "What did he say?" he asked frantically.

"The tower. They've got Stormtroopers and technicians crawling all over it," Ryder repeated.

His lungs felt tight and Kallus almost staggered, gripping the back of the copilot's seat until his nails dented the leather.

"Scuttle the base," he ordered.

The other two men glanced askance at him.

"What?" Rex said.

"Scuttle the base, scuttle everything," Kallus insisted, eyes wide, reaching to grab handfuls of Kanan's collar. "I make Fulcrum transmissions from that tower. There's broadcasting equipment in there—they're trying to turn it on," he explained in a breathless rush. "If they trace the signal, Thrawn will have enough information to know exactly where you are." His heart threatened to pound right out of his chest. "You have to escape, now!"

Kanan felt the man's fear through the Force, angled his own head. "Hera?" he called.

"...I'll give the evacuation order," she decided. "Kanan, there's a small uncharted asteroid and debris field just two clicks off your starboard bow. I'll bring Dr. Leslynn and meet you there."

"Hera, what's going on?!" came Sabine. Even faint and in the background, her voice was shrill and full of panic. "What's happening?!"

"No time to talk, Sabine. Just focus on your own mission."

"But—"

"I'll contact you later with the details," Hera cut her off. "Kanan, get going!" she ordered.

She disconnected.

Kanan blew out a long breath, then straightened.

"Well, you heard her."

Rex's hands became a flurry of motion. "Chopper, scan ahead for that debris field. And let us know if the scopes pick up that missing cruiser."

"WUB!" Chopper acknowledged.

Kallus let go of Kanan's collar and staggered back, dropping weak-kneed into the other backseat. He put his face in his hands miserably, cursing himself a thousand times over. Why hadn't he considered that the Grand Admiral would immediately look into his whereabouts and activities once it was discovered he was Fulcrum? Of course he would have made the connection between Kallus's Fulcrum transmissions and the defunct communications tower Ezra had called home. Like a blasted nerfhead he had practically painted a target on it! Why hadn't he used somewhere less familiar and sentimental?!

All his caution, all his efforts, undone by such an obvious oversight.

A cold shudder ran through his body.

He'd led Thrawn right to them.

***

A smile of satisfaction was on the Grand Admiral's thin blue lips. His eyes tracked the orange line of the shuttle's course greedily. The path of the shuttle had been extrapolated from the pulses sent out by the tracking beacon, and as per his orders was overlaid on his map of possible systems.

They had veered off course sharply just a moment ago, Konstantine had reported. That way lay only deserted systems and asteroid fields; likely they were attempting to hide.

Delightfully, however, there were only three planets in the path of their original route. Two of which were marked as possible locations for the Rebel base.

And once the trace on Agent Kallus's Fulcrum channel was completed, which—his subordinates had assured him—would only be a matter of moments, it would be down to one.

"This has turned out better than I expected," he remarked lightly to his company. "Ezra Bridger gave up his secrets after all."

Seated across from him, Yularen looked at the wall uncomfortably, and Governor Pryce rubbed the sore spot in her shoulder where the stun bolt had caused her muscles to seize up.

"You might have forewarned me you were going to let Bridger go," she complained.

"The tracking device was a precaution," Thrawn corrected, folding his hands behind him. "An attempt by the Rebels to rescue Bridger was inevitable, and they could not be allowed to take him without dooming themselves in return. I merely took preemptive initiative to account for such an eventuality," he dismissed. His gaze narrowed in on Yularen. "Although... I did not anticipate the ease with which Agent Kallus was permitted to escape."

Yularen rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. "He caught me off guard. And I... may have been softer on him than I should have been," he admitted reluctantly.

"Yes, I suspect Agent Kallus was rather... persuasive in that regard," Thrawn commented cooly. "He used your sentiments against you, played on your history together to portray himself as little threat." No hint of actual accusation colored his tone, but Yularen still felt distinctly put on the spot.

He hastened to defend himself with a snarky, "He told me some very interesting things about how you were handling Bridger."

Thrawn raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"He said you used the Brisney-Favvin on him," Yularen accused the Chiss hotly.

The red eyes did not blink, and Thrawn's face didn't even flinch. "I use whatever tools I am given, Colonol Yularen," he replied impassively.

"Surely you can't be serious."

"I will not deny it."

"There are rules, Thrawn!" Yularen burst out, suddenly angry and glaring. "The Senate has clear guidelines and procedures for where, when, and how that interrogation method is to be used! You can't just dole it out whenever you please!" He punctuated his words with a solid fist thump on the desk. "You could have killed him!"

"So what?" Pryce gave a dismissive shrug and a huff. "What great loss would that be? He's a rebel."

"He's a child!" Yularen growled, rounding on her.

"A very dangerous child, I remind you, with a long list of crimes against the Empire," Thrawn said tersely, his jaw stiff. "Don't let his relative youth fool you, Yularen, or make you forget that."

Yularen simmered down at the scolding, but his surly look remained.

A little brighter now, Thrawn added, "Enhanced methods of interrogation has proven to be quite effective in the past. Given the nature of the boy's importance within the heirarchy of Phoenix Squadron, I feel no need to justify employing harsher procedures on him."

The Colonol wondered if Thrawn noticed the irony in that he had, in fact, just attempted to justify himself. "And was it effective?" he asked casually. "What secrets did Bridger reveal?"

There was a flash of hideous rage behind Thrawn's eyes for a moment, and every muscle in him stiffened and bristled. For a split second Yularen wondered fearfully if Thrawn was going to throw himself across the desk to throttle him.

The moment passed, the Grand Admiral regaining his composure. "Do remember your place, Colonol Yularen. This is my ship, and I will not have you undermining my authority while you are onboard," Thrawn warned him.

"Understood, sir," Yularen replied, dropping his eyes.

A light beeped on the console, interrupting their debate. Thrawn looked down at the incoming message, and his smile returned.

"The survey team has the coordinates." He adjusted the hem of his sleeve, speaking up to the Stormtrooper guards in the room. "Prepare the fleet for departure," he said, beginning to make his way towards the door.

"Grand Admiral," Pryce called, standing up with an anxious look as Thrawn passed her. "What about Agent Kallus and Ezra Bridger?"

"Konstantine will bring in that catch." The Stormtroppers moved to flank him as he stepped into the antechamber. "Don't fret, Governor Pryce," he told her, velvet voice soothing. "They won't escape."

***

Pounding feet rushed across the dusty sand of Atollon as metal latches clamped, bolts were unscrewed, and crates were hefted onto hoverlifts and rolled quickly aboard anything that could carry them. A low, blaring alarm sounded across the base.

"General alert, evacuate the base... General alert, evacuate the base..." the prerecorded order played over the speakers, repeating often, echoing across the hollow.

Hera heaved a carton of rations onto a hoverlift. "That's the last of it," she said, stepping back, touching her hand briefly to the pilot's back. "Go!"

He nodded and took off running. Two others rushed up to grab the handlebar of the lift and whisk it away. Hera looked past the running bodies to spot the purple form of a Lasat.

"Zeb?" she shouted at him.

He yanked the fuel clamp off an empty cylinder and sent it rolling away with a kick. "The Ghost is fueled and ready for take-off!" he told her.

Hera jabbed a thumb towards the ramp. "Get the engines running, I'll get Dr. Leslynn!"

She sprinted off, lekku flying behind her as she dashed under the overhang and took a sharp left turn into the nearest carved out cave entrance. She squeezed her way past a group of A-wing pilots going the other way and emerged into a larger chamber, almost ninety percent deconstructed and divested of Rebel equipment.

Her eyes searched, darting from corridor to corridor before she found the right one and darted down it.

Two doors down Hera swung around into the base's makeshift medical bay, where a silver-blonde-haired woman and her two aides were frantically packing up medical devices.

"Leslynn!" Hera called her. "What's the bare minimum you need to perform abdominal surgery and remove a foreign object?" she yelled.

"Uh..." Green eyes darted anxiously about the room. "I can get a basic kit together..."

"Box it up and come with me," Hera said, moving to grab the tools off a tray and throw them in an open crate. "You're coming on the Ghost."

Leslynn didn't question the order, just went around the room grabbing miscellaneous things and tossing them in a durasteel briefcase.

As soon as she'd flipped the latches, Hera grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the door.

The two women ran through the cavern corridors. Hera's comlink buzzed when they reached the antechamber.

"Phoenix Leader—" It was Wedge. "—all starfighters are in the air. Where are you?"

"Don't wait for us!" Hera yelled into the comlink. "Just get going!"

Thrawn could be on them at any minute. Even if the full strength of their planned Lothal liberation fleet was not gathered, Hera knew the location of Phoenix Squadron's main base of operations was too tempting a target, and Thrawn would be hastening to cut off their escape. Especially now that the Rebels were alerted and aware of how close he was to finding them.

Even the Grand Admiral could only watch and wait patiently for so long. Much as Hera wished he'd continue to sit back and observe them, biding his time in order to lay the perfect trap for all of them, she knew he couldn't allow them to simply move to a new base, start the process all over again. Now, it was time for him to act.

So they just had to be quicker than him.

The dull orange sunlight hit her face, making her squint, as she and Dr. Leslynn made it outside into open air.

Hera glanced at the holodisplay as they ran past it, counting the number of Rebel ships still in orbit. She frowned, bringing the comlink to her lips.

"Commander Sato, tell those Hammerheads to quit stalling, and get that carrier into hyperpsace!"

"Not until the last transport is away, Captain Syndulla," Sato replied stubbornly.

"There's no time!"

"Commander! We have incoming ships!" someone in the background of the call shouted.

Sato quickly reevaluated. "Heading point five seven, P1. Fighter Squad A, follow them!" he ordered.

Hera's head whipped back over her shoulder one last time, relieved to see a few blips disappear from the display.

Zeb was waiting on the ramp to user them in.

They made it inside the Ghost just as the first Star Destroyer dropped out of hyperspace.

---

Chapter notes!

1. The Chimera is a bit like a housewife, she'll be nice and accommodating if you're respectful of her space but the minute you start rifling through her things and messing them up she's like: "HEY!" and kicks you out.

2. The callback to Kanan's Arc Words "I've got you." was very deliberate because I'm a masochist and I love pain.

3. I know you were wanting and waiting for Sabine to be involved in things, guest reviewer "Bob", so here she is, and we'll see more of her. But I can't say any more because spoilers. ;)

4. ChandrilTech is another Legends corporation, primarily known for handheld sensors. Figured small tracking beacons weren't out of the realm of their capabilities. (Whenever possible I like to ground the story in familiar Star Wars facts and trivia, no matter how obscure. Just in case there are readers out there who are bigger Star Wars nerds than me.)

5. Kallus continues to be Eternally Stressed, which was pretty much my favorite part of "Through Imperial Eyes". (Well, that and Ezra in his spiffy officer's uniform.)

6. Thrawn has three Berserk Buttons: denigrating or insulting art, xenophobic bigotry, and—I strongly suspect—people throwing his plans out of whack or somehow behaving contrary to what he expected. I make the argument for the last one based on his barely-contained irritation at Konstantine defying orders and wrecking the Interdictor in "Zero Hour". So because I wanted Thrawn to lose his cool at least once in this fic, Yularen hits on this third button by reminding Thrawn that Ezra didn't break under torture like he was fully expecting. Serves ya right, ya blue bastard.

The action continues in the next chapter!

#star wars #star wars rebels #ezra bridger #agent kallus #spoilers #grand admiral thrawn #prompt fics #fanfiction #space dad and his precious pumpkin child

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alanajacksontx · 6 years ago

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They must be popular and searched for frequently enough to be worth your time.

Once you’re sure the long tail keywords you’ve selected are the right ones, follow SEO best practices to include the targeted terms in your content, and help maximize the likelihood for each page to rank in search engine results for the respective terms.

SEO best practices include using the long tail keyword across the following page locations:

The post title and meta title

The page’s SEO meta description

The first paragraph of the content

Naturally throughout the content (Aim for a keyword density of around two percent)

In at least one subheading

Near the end of the content

As an image alt tag for one image on the page

It’s also a best practice to use three or four LSI keywords related to the long tail keyword within your content and to create links on other pages within your site that point to each new content page.

With generic search terms ever-more-competitive and less apt for driving targeted traffic, it’s wise to pursue a diversified strategy that also utilizes long tail keywords, offering focused content to reach an audience that knows more about what it wants and is ready to be converted into customers.

Kim Kosaka is the Director of Marketing at Alexa.com.

The post Eight shortcuts to find long tail keywords (and how to use them) appeared first on Search Engine Watch.

from IM Tips And Tricks https://searchenginewatch.com/2019/03/04/8-shortcuts-to-find-long-tail-keywords-and-how-to-use-them/ from Rising Phoenix SEO https://risingphxseo.tumblr.com/post/183219503620

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