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ryin-silverfish · 4 months ago

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LMK S5 Fix-it: the Four Divine Beasts

My feeling on LMK S5 has stayed pretty consistent after first watching the Chinese dub: "nice character moments, but what even is this worldbuilding?"

And personally, the Four Divine Beasts/Guardians/Symbols are the biggest symptom of S5's worldbuilding problem.

Namely, they feel more like plot devices that are just there to die and cough up the Color Stones, and as a result, 4/5 of the "Find the Color Stone" plotline felt like a worse version of S3 and the Samadhi Rings, but with even less flavor.

Now, I'm aware of the 11-minute episode constraint, as well as the pressure the studio change might have created that contributed to the overall feeling of rushed-ness.

However, my criticism here is about the writing and worldbuilding, not the animation quality——things that, in my humble and uneducated opinion, could have been done a lot better even if we were sticking to the "Find the McGuffins" plotline.

Thus, this post. As always: very lengthy, very Chinese-mythos inspired.

Four Guardians & Five Phases

A brief Google Search on the Four Symbols, aka Sixiang, will tell you this: the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird and Black Tortoise are divine beasts in Chinese mythology that watch over the four directions, each associated with a color and one of the Five Phases.

(An old post of mine briefly talked about their origins as personifications of four big constellations that occupy a quadrant of the sky each, and their relations to the 28 Lunar Mansions)

And S5 certainly paid homage to their elemental associations, however brief and surface-level it is.

The Vermillion Bird's ability to use fire and its flaming temple is the most notable example, but this screenshot of the seal that appeared at the temple entrances also shows five symbols:

From middle left, going in the clockwise direction, these appear to be the characters for Wood, Water, Fire, Earth and Metal in Oracle Bone/Bronze Script.

Which begs the question...why would you spend so much effort on the tiny visual details, yet not show most of their elemental association through the narrative itself?

Like, suppose you are a foreign audience that knows nothing about Chinese culture and legends, who have just finished watching S5, and I ask you "What elemental powers do each of the Four Symbols have?"

Apart from Vermillion Bird = Fire (the obvious one) and the Black Tortoise = maybe Earth (which is not mythos-accurate, btw), can you honestly answer it, based only on what the show has given you?

Which leads me to my biggest gripe: their random-as-hell placement.

Even the Samadhi Rings have a map, however vague it is, but with the Color Stones, the gang basically just wandered all over the place in the hope of eventually running into one of the divine beasts——and they did, somehow!

Like, I'm not asking the writers for an entire mini-arc that's just them piecing the clues together. But will it be too much to let SWK or Tang make an off-hand comment like this?

"Well, legends said that the Four Symbols watch over the four directions and their respective elements. So if we wanna find them, we just gotta go real far in these directions, toward places with the most of that... elemental stuff! Right?"

And that brings me to the actual fix-it part. The Vermillion Bird can stay where she is, but the placement of the other three should also logically follow their elemental associations.

Oh, and though there's limited space for their characterization, they should at least get some individual characterization apart from "wise ancient guardians".

Xuanwu, Black Tortoise of the North

The fact that Xuanwu, or rather, it's snake half, can transform into stone at will might lead you to believe that its element is Earth.

Well...no, not traditionally; the Black Tortoise and the North correspond to Water in the Five Phases system, and I'm gonna both stick to that and build my fix-it off this foundation.

Instead of cosplaying a stone statue in the middle of nowhere, Xuanwu is gonna be residing on one of the islands in the North Sea, where dark tides and huge snow storms rage endlessly under the sunless sky.

So Sandy, being the water travel specialist, is gonna head out there on his boat. Mei would go to her great x N granduncle, Ao Guang's place, to see if he has any clues on, well, this big blue dragon that's also of the East.

Pigsy and Tang would head west, classic JTTW style, towards the mythical Mt. Kunlun where Queen Mother of the West resides (based on one of Tang's books that said the White Tiger was her emissary), while SWK performs an all-round search everywhere on his somersault cloud.

Which leaves MK: his dilemma is not about some random divergence in the road, but which of his friends to follow. Like, what if he goes with one person, and something bad happen to the others in the meantime?

In the end, even though he reluctantly goes with Sandy, he is still constantly distracted by his worries about everyone else, which segments nicely into the meditation training of S5E3.

But since they are doing it on a boat, there can be an external storm to go with the internal storm, causing further distractions for MK and also forcing them to seek shelter on the nearest island.

An island that, strangely, seems to be coated in a thin layer of ice. It isn't just the earth that's frosted over: all the plants, a few unfortunate multi-headed (???) seabirds, and a snake have also turned into ice statues...

Wait, snake? How does a reptile survive this far out in the north?

They have a bigger concern, however. The ice is slowly but steadily spreading, over the beaches and the surrounding seawater, and if they don't finish the search soon, the ice might get too thick for the boat to break.

So MK dashed off to do a grid-by grid search, then circled back to the place with all the frozen statues...and found the snake missing.

Cue, peak paranoia moment, and going on a wild-goose chase for the missing snake that might or might not be an ice-wielding demon waiting to ambush them.

In fact, the snake almost seems to be taunting them, seeing how they run into several "frozen snake statues" that turned out to be made of actual, solid ice. Sandy keeps reminding him to stop and think, while MK finds it harder and harder to put the lessons to practice.

By following the trail of ice statues, however, they eventually arrived on a little island in the middle of a frozen lake, where the real snake——the one half of Xuanwu lay coiling around the Blue Color Stone.

Just when MK is about to dash out and grab it, the snake comes to life with a hiss, and they barely dodged the ice spikes rising up from underneath their feet.

"Begone, foul spawn of Hundun! Return to thy conniving master, ilk of the Floodbringer, before I freeze every single drop of thy tainted blood!" "Um, I-I think you've mistaken me for someone else? I'm the Monkie Kid, and I'm here to collect your Color Stone so I can save the world——" "Doth thee mistake me for a fool, too?" The snake bore its fangs, rising its head high up into the air. "I can feel the flames of dear Lingguang on you, murderer, ripped straight out of its rightful owner's chest! She would not have perished without a fight, nor shalt I!" "Enough, Zhiming."

The tiny island itself begins to shake, revealing the other half of Xuanwu, the Black Tortoise itself. The snake still manages to half-encast Sandy in ice, before the Black Tortoise traps it inside a ball of flowing water.

She briefly apologized for her twin's hostility——whereas the strain of keeping the world together affects her body in the form of visible cracks, her other half has not been in his right mind ever since the Vermillion Bird's fall, living in the distant past and rarely able to perceive the present.

(The whole conversation is punctuated by the snake's psychic screeches in the background, which alternates between accusing her of betrayal and stating she must have fallen victim to the "poisonous blood of the enemy".)

Which makes the upcoming trial even more necessary. No, it's not "mercy-kill her twin". Yet. MK needs to prove his ability to control his body and mind, that his psyche will not break like her other half here under the tremendous pressure.

Thus, the trial of meditation. And he needs to act fast, for she cannot hold the snake back for long, as made evident by the slowly creeping ice inside and outside his watery prison.

"If you are truly worthy, then vanquish your fears, and stand before us in your true form. Brandish Lingguang's stone, so that we may be released from our watch in the long night."

MK succeeded, like he did in canon, with a small difference: his mastery of the monkey form is required for, and enables the limited usage of the stone's power.

So, holding the Red Color Stone, he unleashes a wave of fiery light that melts away the ice on Sandy and finally brings the snake back to his senses...somewhat.

He only managed to say the Vermillion Bird's name in a wistful voice, exclaiming "How I missed thy warm flames!" before melting into a puddle of water.

The other half of Xuanwu soon followed after giving him the stone, disintegrating into a mass of snowflakes that is swept away by the wind, but not before dropping one last bit of foreshadowing:

"Trust not the Floodbringer's Emissary."

(Sidenote: I think it'll be neat if the Four Symbols refer to each other using their IRL Daoist titles. Vermillion Bird - Lingguang, Black Tortoise & Snake - Zhiming, Azure Dragon - Mengzhang, White Tiger - Jianbing)

Azure Dragon & White Tiger

...And I thought Xuanwu's placement was random.

No, seriously, why is there a random music festival that just happens to be Azure Dragon and White Tiger themed that just happens to be near the actual place the two divine beasts are at?

To stay within the show's time constraint, I will not be giving White Tiger his individually themed placement, and instead try to come up with something that is appropriate for the pair as a whole.

Since Azure Dragon's associated element is Wood, it makes sense for him to have plant powers. Namely, whereever the divine beast resides, floras and faunas will flourish, no matter how out of place with the local geography and climate.

Once Mei learned that from Ao Guang, theoretically, it becomes quite the easy find: the mythical oasis city in western China, one that shows up multiple times in historical travel records yet has never been found by archeologists.

And the reason will soon become clear, as Tang and Pigsy make the drive from one desert city to another on their way to Mt. Kunlun (joined by Mei after she returned from the Samadhi Fire side-arc).

Namely, it's like a magical version of the famous Peach Blossom Spring of Chinese literature: an entire city that has been glamored over by the power of the divine beasts, occupied by people whose way of life hasn't changed since the Tang dynasty.

But as the guardians' powers fade, so does the illusion that veils it from the outside world, and the elemental magic that sustains this paradise.

Instead of a music festival, the gang finally discover the city that, according to the locals, has appeared out of thin air a few days ago, while it is in the middle of an archaic ritual procession.

The atmosphere is a lot more solemn, and it isn't hard to see why. Not only has the illusion vanished, exposing them to a profoundly alien world, the foliage of the oasis are growing and dying in rapid succession, clogging the streets with fallen leaves and yellowed petals.

An opera play is going on atop a nearby stage. It sings of a teal-robed immortal who rescued the refugees of a long-forgotten war, who turned desert into fertile soil with the help of a mighty divine general, concealing their existence from the greed and malice of the outside world.

The people in the procession knelt down and pleaded to the immortal for aid, to not abandon them in their hour of need. And their prayers are, indeed, answered, just not by the divine beasts in person.

The 14 Lunar Mansions that belong to the Azure Dragon and White Tiger descended from the sky, summoned by their masters, though they seemed to have been given different orders.

Namely, the Azure Dragon 7 spread out to guard all the major city gates, letting no one enter or leave, while the White Tiger 7 are ordered to round up all the residents and start setting up a teleportation formation.

Soon afterwards, Nezha arrived in the midst of the chaos. He is just as clueless as to what was going on as the Monkie Kid gang, but the moment he caught sight of SWK and friends, he's after them in hot pursuit.

Meanwhile, Li Jing is not happy about the Lunar Mansions suddenly acting without his orders, and commanded them to stand down or be arrested for insubordination.

"With all due respect, Devaraja Li——" Before the Moon Fox Star could finish her sentence, another stellar beast stepped forth, his tiger tail swishing behind him. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Results: most of the Azure Dragon 7 get sucked into his pagoda, but while they were fighting, the White Tiger 7's formation activated, teleporting the majority of the city residents to god knows where.

While shit was hitting the fan, Tang hurriedly teleported the gang away, right into the sanctuary of the divine beasts——an underground temple.

"It's over, Mengzhang. Now that the Harbinger is on our doorsteps, and your pet mortals are safe at the cost of our loyal warriors, will you finally rest easy?" "Not...yet. There are still...stragglers, left behind." "Stragglers you have doomed yourself! Their fate is sealed the moment you cast your mirage over their ancestors and create this little utopia, frozen in time." The cracks on the tiger's body widened. A thick layer of condensation began forming on the metal reliefs, as if the very walls of the temple were weeping. "I should have never agreed to stay and help." "Yet you...still did. And I'm so glad you are here."

Yep, in this fix-it, I decide to use the Azure Dragon & White Tiger for some thematic parallels, with them basically repeating Nvwa and the Pillar of Heaven on a smaller scale.

The former created a garden city in the middle of the desert, while the latter uses his power to provide the water source that sustains the city (because Metal births Water).

As the end approaches, however, they are faced with the problem of ensuring the city residents' safety, since, upon their death, the entire oasis will revert to a desert overnight.

The White Tiger feels like there's no point in trying anything, since their death means the Harbinger will fulfill his destiny soon and give the world a reboot.

But the Azure Dragon insists on channeling his power into the land until the very last possible moment, so that the people's last memories will be a mundane, peaceful one.

Besides, they know very well that Fate and Destiny are no longer ironclad, when the very laws of reality are breaking down. How, then, can he be sure that the cycle will end and the world will be reforged as Nvwa intended, seeing that its premature beginning is already an outlier?

After a long argument, they had reached an uneasy compromise. Thus, the chaotic arrival of the Lunar Mansions and the hurried evacuation of the residents.

"You will understand, won't you, Harbinger?" The dragon looked into his eyes. "Even if you know it's selfish and futile, that you can't keep them safe forever, you are still going to give your all, just so their happy days will last a little longer..." "It is easy for Brother Jianbing to say, let go, face your end with honor. For Metal is the clashes of blades, the unforgiving axe of executioners." "I? This old fool just saw lives. Of men and women, children and elderly folks. And I cannot stand by and watch them wither."

MK nodded quietly, feeling Mei's worried, "are you not telling me something" glance on the back of his head. He reached out a hand, and the two divine beasts press their foreheads together.

The dragon faded away in a rain of falling leaves and petals, and when the Purple Color Stone hit the ground, nothing remains of the tiger but a thin layer of silvery, metallic sand on the floor.

Appendix: Inside the Pagoda

The fix-it is mostly over at this point, so the following is just me adding some additional worldbuilding and foreshadowing to MK's solution in E10, to make the whole "giving powers to everyone" thing a little less out of left field.

In the previous section, it was mentioned that a bunch of Lunar Mansions end up inside Li Jing's pagoda too. And when MK and friends run across them, they are in a pretty bad state.

Namely, the same cracks they see on the divine beasts are now appearing on the Lunar Mansions' bodies too.

"Isn't it obvious? Our masters are no more, so we now bear the brunt of the weight that was once on their shoulders..." "And are on our way of being crushed to a pancake." "Very tactful, aren't you?" The one-horned man sighed. "But yes. Lord Mengzhang is a stellar beast too——the greatest of all. He is a constellation, while we are merely the stars that make up the dragon's body, embued with a tiny fraction of his power." "And when the very sky of the East has fallen..." "How can the stars remain unscathed?"

After that, they basically exit the scene to fade away offscreen. But the information they revealed plants the seed of an idea in MK: specifically, that the Color Stones' power (and burden) can be shared between multiple individuals, like what happened at the end of E10.

Also, tiny fix: instead of MK learning the circlet spell outta nowhere, he's gonna tap into the power of the Color Stones during his fight with SWK, just like he did during Xuanwu's trial, to buy enough time to make his sacrifice.

#lego monkie kid #lmk season 5 #rewrite #fix it au #kinda?#chinese mythology #four symbols #sixiang #lmk mk #azure dragon #white tiger #black tortoise #vermillion bird #lmk critical

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plagueybirb · 2 months ago

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Because I love all things creepy and spooky and horrifying, and it's basically spooky season, imagine how much MORE messed up the Shadow Temple could be if it were in the BOTW era.

Ten thousand years go by. The Temple has all but been forgotten and buried with the rest of the Sheikah's dark past. I don't doubt at least the chieftains are told, at least as much can be recorded and remembered safely, but that's not all that important. Cut to BOTW. Link is exploring, and he comes across a part of the cliff wall in the Kakariko graveyard that just. Doesn't look Quite Right.

Does he bomb it? Does he Magnesis it out of the way? Does he Stasis it and beat the ever loving crap out of it and send it spiraling into the stratosphere? Whatever the case, he gets it open. There's a long, long, LONG staircase down. It's dark, dank, and there's a heavy scent of something rotting and undeniably Wrong.

Link, being Link, descends.

It gets darker. The smell of rot and decay gets even heavier. The air is thick with it, so strong you can almost physically taste it. It's overwhelming. There's almost a dark aura in the very air, like the shadows themselves take up physical space and are no longer confined to a flat plane.

There's a dias at the bottom, like the typical Sheikah shrines have. There's torches, but they're techy, and glow like stars when activated by the Slate. Lighting them opens the first door. Is it magic? Advanced technology? Who knows, that's not important.

There are messages on the walls. Ancient writing, glowing red in warning instead of the usual blue. Warning you to turn back, that there's nothing worth finding here, that whatever is there is meant to stay buried forever.

Discarded tech litters the rooms, everything was left in a hurry. Tossed about randomly like people were just throwing things into the hidden underground labyrinth just to get it in there. But that's only the first few rooms, the ones that are easy to reach. The tech is nothing special, it's just everyday items one might've had over ten thousand years ago.

The next couple of rooms are very different. They're labs. There's large rooms with long tables filled with weapons that were scrapped. Ranged weapons, ancient blueprints for outfitting guardians with all sorts of weapons before a design was settled on. Sickles, scythes, even energy whips that would snake out and snatch you, little thorns and hooks digging into you to keep you trapped like a fish on a line. Guardians designed to go in water, Guardians designed to swim in sand. All plans, half tested, unfinished, and forgotten. Meant to fight monsters with brutal efficiency in all types of terrain, just in case the Calamity escaped Hyrule.

The rooms after that are very different. Locked behind a terminal you need such high security clearance that genuinely no one alive even has access to anymore. Link, having the last Sheikah Slate, is perhaps conveniently the only person who is able to unlock it. Suspiciously so. One has to wonder who's Slate it was originally, before passing through to Zelda and eventually Link.

The rooms are forbidden. The further in you go, the older and more ancient everything becomes. The more horrific.

There's a Dead Hand. But it's not normal. It lumbers through the halls, slithering among mounds of bones and discarded fleshy and techy amalgamations that failed. This Dead Hand has Gaurdian limbs jutting out at odd angles, dragging it along like a severely messed up spider. It's a horrible fusion of dying tech and revived flesh and too many hands. It's the only "success" of merging tech and flesh to try and create something or someone that might stand up to Calamity Ganon in the event the Hero dies. It was never meant to exist, and never meant to leave, and therefore must be slain.

And after that, it just keeps going. Up until you reach the bottom. There's another staircase and a stone dias, and torches. Actual torches, that need to be lit with fire to open the last door. It's older than anything else in the Temple, older than living memory. Almost like another temple that was just built on top of. From there it's just a straight shot through oddly familiar and terrifying torture rooms and death traps, a ferry that floats without any water to carry it, and a gaping pit that leads to an old arena.

Now, there's probably no Lens of Truth anymore, I doubt an already old artifact survived that long. So maybe there's nothing in the arena. Maybe it's just a big drum in a dark and vaguely poisonous abyss.

But maybe there is something. And Link just can't see it. Or can only see it through the camera on his Sheikah Slate. Something even worse than Dead Hand. Something that had to stay trapped down at the deepest, darkest, most ancient depths of the temple.

Impa would possibly be the only one alive who knows even a fraction of what Link would see in there. Perhaps Paya too, but who knows?

Would the Yiga Clan know? Would they know the horrors of a BOTW Shadow Temple? What would they do with the information if they did know?

Can y'all tell I've been thinking about this for a while? Just a tiny bit?

I just REALLY like the Shadow Temple and want to see it return someday in a way that spooked me like it did the first time I played OOT. It doesn't even have to be a main dungeon, it could be entirely optional and I'd be happy

#legend of zelda #botw #the shadow temple #and alllll the stuff that goes with it :)

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rocknroll7575 · 7 months ago

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Rising Dawn - Chapter 4: Knight, Snake, Orphan, Arrow

Jax and Bertilak ambled through the weathered entrance of the diminutive ancient temple, its timeworn façade a testament to the passage of ages. Restored under the careful eye of its recent custodian, the temple bore signs of rejuvenation amidst its age-old architecture.

As the duo ventured further into the temple's depths, the guardians stationed within ushered them towards a secluded chamber, hidden away from prying eyes. With each step, the air grew heavy with anticipation, a palpable sense of intrigue guiding their path.

Upon crossing the threshold into the chamber, their gaze fell upon an unexpected sight: their elusive "investor" reclining in a bath, the scene juxtaposing the solemnity of the temple's surroundings with an air of casual luxury.

In the depths of the tub, Vermillion Raddock reclined, his demeanor exuding an air of serene detachment. A rouge Huntsman by trade, he had once called Mistral his home, yet now found solace amidst the shifting sands of Vacuo. Renowned as a figure of both dread and awe, his name reverberated through the annals of Southern Vacuo's history as one of unparalleled notoriety.

Throughout a decade, few could rival Vermillion's prowess in the art of death. His hands, stained crimson with the blood of countless adversaries, bore witness to the extent of his lethal capabilities. But it was not merely his physical prowess that inspired fear; it was the manifestation of his Semblance that truly set him apart.

In his undertakings, Vermillion consistently veiled himself behind the guise of a boar, concealing the essence of a seasoned 50-year-old man beneath. With a complexion weathered by years of life's trials, his brown skin bore scars, a testament to the harshness of his existence.

Atop his head, a close-cropped mane of red-greyish hair spoke of both maturity and resilience, complemented by a rugged array of facial hair. But it was his eyes, a vivid crimson reminiscent of freshly spilled blood, that captivated onlookers, while a scar etched defiantly across his nose hinted at battles fought and conquered.

Despite his age, Vermillion remained undeterred by the passing of time. As a seasoned warrior, he had weathered countless battles and witnessed the depths of human strife, rendering him an intimidating force whom none dared to challenge.

"You wanted to see us, Vermillion?" he inquired, his voice laced with authority.

Vermillion, reclining in the tub with an air of nonchalance, lifted his head at Jax's address. A sly grin danced across his lips as he met Jax's piercing stare. "Ah, the illustrious king graces us with his presence," Vermillion quipped, amusement coloring his tone. "And how fares the expansion of our forces under your esteemed leadership?"

"They are my forces," Jax corrected sharply. "You may fund me and my organization, but make no mistake, they are my people, I brought them together with a singular purpose: to defend Vacuo,"

"Is that so?" Vermillion's tone was laced with disdain as he eyed Jax with a mixture of skepticism and amusement. "Do those followers of yours, who grovel and worship at your feet, realize that you're not cut from royal cloth?"

Jax's gaze hardened, his resolve unshaken by Vermillion's barbs. "I may lack the lineage of a true king, but Vacuo is in dire need of leadership if it is to withstand the looming threat," he asserted firmly.

Vermillion's expression shifted, a flicker of genuine interest dancing in his eyes amidst his lingering smirk. "Oh~? And what manner of peril do you believe threatens our beloved Vacuo?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued by Jax's proclamation.

Jax's derisive snort echoed through the chamber, a tangible manifestation of his frustration. "Even a blind man can see the writing on the wall, someone's tearing through the kingdoms like a rabid beast," he declared with a note of urgency. "Vale's already fallen, Haven's been hit, and Atlas? They're cowering behind their walls like scared children! If we want to come out of this alive, we need to stand together under a leader worth a damn!"

Vermillion regarded Jax with a quirked eyebrow, amusement dancing in his eyes. "And ya fancy yourself that leader? The "savior" of Vacuo?" he prodded, his smirk widening.

Jax's chin lifted defiantly. "Damn right," he shot back without hesitation. "Isn't that why you threw your weight behind The Crown? Because you saw in me what Vacuo needs?"

A smile played at the corners of Vermillion's lips, though it held more cunning than agreement. "You catch on quick, kid," he conceded, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "You're exactly the kind of leader Vacuo's been yearning for," he assured Jax, the truth of his intentions hidden behind a mask of false encouragement.

XXX

"Ever stop and think about all the shit we have to put up with?" Carmine grumbled, slamming back another shot.

Perched on stools at a local watering hole, Jaune and Carmine found respite from the rigors of their latest mission, a routine Grimm extermination commissioned by Gillian to safeguard a Crown-protected town.

Jaune arched an eyebrow, a wry grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "By "shit" you mean the endless stream of missions Gillian keeps throwing our way while Jax and Bertilak cozy up to their mysterious benefactor?" he teased.

Carmine's response was a vehement nod, her frustration palpable. "Exactly!" she exclaimed, her voice edged with exasperation. "Why is it always us getting the short end of the stick? Why does that guy get to tag along with Jax while Queenie saddles us with these mundane tasks?"

Jaune chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "I wouldn't go as far as calling them mundane," he replied, amusement dancing in his eyes. He decided to steer the conversation toward a more intriguing topic. "Speaking of that benefactor, ever crossed paths with them?"

Carmine shook her head, her expression thoughtful as the bartender refilled her glass. "Nope, but it's always struck me as odd," she admitted, swirling the contents of her drink. "Some creepy figure bankrolling us, fully aware of what we do, It's... unsettling, to say the least,"

With a weary sigh, Jaune raised his glass to his lips, savoring the warmth of the alcohol as it spread through him. A sudden buzz from his pocket interrupted the moment, prompting him to retrieve his scroll and check the notification, revealing a new message from Gillian.

Carmine tossed back another shot, her gaze locking onto Jaune with a raised brow. "Gill?" she inquired, her voice cutting through the ambient noise of the bar.

Jaune nodded, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. "Yep, wants our asses back as soon as possible," he confirmed, his tone resigned.

With a swift motion, Jaune stashed his Scroll away and swiftly drained his glass, mirroring Carmine's actions as she knocked back another shot. Rising from their seats in unison, they prepared to depart.

"Who's footing the bill this time, me or you?" Jaune quipped, fishing through his wallet with a playful grin.

Carmine flashed him a mischievous smile. "It's my turn," she declared, producing a handful of lien and laying them on the bar's counter.

Exiting the establishment, the duo stepped back into the bustling streets of the town. However, their departure was abruptly halted as a commotion caught their attention.

In front of them, a young girl was unceremoniously thrown from a passing cart, landing in a heap on the sandy ground. Clad in nothing more than a tattered, gray garment that scarcely passed for clothing, she appeared to be no older than ten. Her pink eyes, olive hair, and dark complexion stood out starkly against the backdrop of the dusty street, but it was the sight of her busted lip that caused Jaune and Carmine to freeze in their tracks, concern etched into their expressions.

"Thief!" The cry echoed through the bustling street as the cart owner emerged from the rear of his vehicle, brandishing a single-edged knife. "Dirty little thief!"

The man lunged toward the young girl, his accusatory finger pointed like a dagger. But before he could make good on his threat, Carmine intercepted him, her stance firm and unwavering, while Jaune extended a helping hand to the trembling child.

"Put that knife away, you fool, or else!" Carmine's voice sliced through the tension like a whip, her eyes ablaze with righteous anger.

Recognition dawned in the man's eyes as he took in Carmine's imposing figure. "Y-You're the Rattlesnake of the Sands! Carmine Escolados!" he stammered, his voice trembling with fear.

Carmine nodded, her expression steely. "Damn right, now tell me, what's going on here?" she demanded, her voice brooking no argument.

The cart owner hesitated, his gaze shifting uncomfortably to the young girl cowering behind Carmine. "That thief there stole some food!" he accused, his voice quivering with indignation. "She's been plaguing my business for days, swiping goods whenever she pleases! Today, I finally caught her in the act!"

Carmine's gaze flicked over her shoulder to where Jaune tended to the girl's injuries, wiping blood from her split lip. Turning back to the cart owner, her features hardened. "How much did she take? What's the value?" she demanded, her voice cold and clipped.

"About 20 lien," the cart owner responded, his tone defiant.

Carmine's glare deepened, her jaw clenched in frustration. "And what punishment did you have in mind for her?" she pressed, her words dripping with contempt.

"I was going to cut off the little thief's hand!" The cart owner's words hung heavy in the air, sending a shiver down Carmine's spine.

Jaune shot to his feet, his fists clenched, and his eyes ablaze with fury as he glared at the cart owner. "You were going to mutilate her over 20 lien!?" he roared.

The cart owner met Jaune's enraged gaze with a defiant stare. "The punishment for theft is the removal of the hand that committed the crime!" he retorted, his voice dripping with self-righteousness. "It is the law, and if you are ignorant of the law, then you must not be Vacovian... what are you?" he demanded, a sneer twisting his lips.

"Valerian," Jaune spat back.

Disgust twisted the cart owner's features as he recoiled from Jaune's declaration. "What is a dog of Vale doing here!?" he spat, his voice laced with disdain.

Carmine stepped forward, her presence commanding attention as she inserted herself between Jaune and the cart owner. "He's with me," she stated firmly, her tone brooking no argument. "That a problem?"

Realization dawned in the cart owner's eyes, his demeanor shifting from hostility to panic in an instant. "N-No!" he stammered, his voice trembling with fear.

Carmine's nod conveyed a sense of finality as she addressed the cart owner. "Good! Now then, we'll cover the cost of what she stole and handle her punishment accordingly," she declared, her tone firm and authoritative. "Understood?" she questioned, her gaze piercing.

The cart owner's head bobbed in rapid agreement, eager to comply with Carmine's directives.

"Good, now buzz off before your face pisses me off more," Carmine said.

With a nod, the cart owner retreated, his steps hurried as he made a hasty exit back to his cart. Jaune observed the man's departure, a mixture of contempt and relief flashing across his features as the cart owner vanished from sight.

Turning his attention to the young girl, Jaune approached her with a gentle expression, lowering himself to one knee to meet her eye level. He searched her face for any signs of injury, his concern evident in his gaze.

"Are you okay?" he inquired softly, his voice laced with compassion.

The girl nodded, her eyes obscured by a curtain of hair.

Jaune offered her a reassuring smile and nodded in return. "Good," he replied gently. "Do you have a name?"

Again, the girl nodded, still remaining silent.

A playful glint danced in Jaune's eyes as he leaned in slightly. "Could you tell it to me?" he asked, curiosity coloring his tone.

Instead of verbalizing her name, the girl simply pointed at Jaune.

Jaune's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You... want me to tell you mine first?" he surmised, his amusement evident.

The girl's affirmative nod prompted a smirk from Jaune as he reciprocated the gesture. "Alright," he replied, his tone warm and welcoming. "I'm Jaune Arc."

Carmine sidled up beside Jaune, draping an arm casually over his shoulder. "And I'm Carmine Escolados," she interjected with a grin, punctuating her introduction with a thumb pointing toward herself.

A chuckle escaped Jaune's lips at Carmine's theatrics. "Now it's your turn," he prompted, turning his attention back to the young girl.

Clutching the hem of her dress tightly, the girl hesitated before speaking softly. "A... Aurora," she revealed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jaune offered her an encouraging nod, his smile genuine. "That's a beautiful name," he remarked kindly. "Do you know where your family is?" he inquired gently.

Aurora's gaze dropped to the ground, a shadow crossing her features. "I... don't have one," she admitted, her voice tinged with sadness.

Sympathy softened Jaune's expression as he regarded Aurora with compassion. "I'm sorry to hear that," he murmured. "Do you have somewhere to stay?" he pressed, his concern evident.

Aurora shook her head, her demeanor resigned.

Jaune closed his eyes briefly, a heavy sigh escaping him before he met Aurora's gaze once more. "Would you like to come with us?" he offered tentatively. "We have food, and I'm sure we can find you some clean clothes."

Carmine's brow arched inquisitively as she shot a glance at Jaune, silently questioning his decision. Jaune felt her gaze on him but remained focused on Aurora, his resolve unwavering.

"R... Really?" Aurora's voice quivered with disbelief, her eyes wide with astonishment.

Jaune offered her a reassuring nod, his smile warm and genuine. "Yep," he affirmed with a hint of excitement in his tone.

Aurora's nod was swift, her face lighting up with a mixture of excitement and gratitude. Jaune rose from his crouched position, extending a hand toward Aurora, which she eagerly accepted.

As Jaune and Aurora prepared to depart, Jaune caught Carmine's gaze, silently conveying his intention to explain his decision later. Carmine returned his look with a nod of acknowledgment, trusting Jaune's judgment as they made their way back to the town's small inn to collect their belongings.

Once they retrieved their gear, the trio hastened to the stables where their horses awaited them, Aurora's eyes widening in wonder at the sight of the majestic animals.

"Horses!" Aurora exclaimed with unrestrained excitement. "You ride horses here!?"

Carmine nodded with a grin, her enthusiasm mirroring Aurora's. "You bet, little lady!" she affirmed. "Our base isn't too far from this town, so we use them to get around," she explained, patting the flank of her horse affectionately.

Aurora's smile widened, her eyes sparkling with joy at the prospect of riding a horse. The sight brought a small smile to both Carmine and Jaune's faces, their spirits lifted by Aurora's infectious enthusiasm.

With their horses saddled and luggage securely fastened, Jaune and Carmine prepared to depart from the town.

Jaune lifted Aurora onto his horse, ensuring she was positioned comfortably in front of him to avoid any discomfort. "You ready for your first ride?" Jaune's voice was gentle, laced with anticipation as he glanced down at Aurora with a warm smile.

Aurora's eager nod was met with a chuckle from Jaune.

"Alright, but I won't be going too fast. Don't want you taking a tumble," he reassured her, his tone infused with care.

Carmine's playful banter interjected, her grin mischievous. "Aw, and here I was hoping to race you back to the base," she teased, a glint of challenge in her eyes.

Jaune's grin widened. "And exhaust the horses before we're halfway there? Not happening," he retorted, his playful tone tinged with amusement.

Carmine rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, but her smile remained. "Tch, you're no fun," she teased in return, shaking her head.

Jaune chuckled at Carmine's antics as he gently urged his horse forward with a light squeeze of his legs. The animal obediently fell into step beside Carmine's mount, the trio setting off from the town at a leisurely pace, the open road stretching out before them.

XXX

About a mile away from their base, Carmine and Jaune continued their journey homeward, the rhythmic motion of their horses' steps lulling Aurora into a peaceful slumber. Jaune held the reins of the horse with one hand, his other arm wrapped protectively around Aurora to ensure she remained securely seated.

As they rode, Carmine cast a concerned glance at Jaune, her expression troubled. "Gillian isn't going to be pleased that you brought a kid back with us," she remarked, her tone tinged with apprehension.

Jaune's response was resolute, his gaze fixed ahead on the path before them. "I understand, but what choice did I have? Leave her behind to face the consequences of theft?" he countered, his voice unwavering.

Carmine shook her head, her brow furrowing in contemplation. "No, but did you consider the ramifications of bringing her along?" she pressed, her concern evident in her voice. "Our line of work isn't exactly child-friendly."

"I'm aware," Jaune replied, his tone tinged with determination. "But if we're going to make a difference in Vacuo, maybe we need to ensure that kids don't have to grow up on the streets, starving and thirsty."

Carmine's response was tinged with bitterness. "Like how I grew up," she retorted, a hint of pain in her voice.

Jaune's expression softened with empathy. "Exactly," he affirmed gently. "But that doesn't mean others have to endure the same hardships,"

Carmine nodded in acknowledgment, sighing softly as she recognized the weight of Jaune's decision. "Look, Jaune, I'll support your choice," she assured him, her tone softer. "Just be aware that this adds another layer of responsibility to your already full plate,"

Jaune accepted Carmine's words with a nod, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. He understood the gravity of the situation and the challenges that lay ahead. 'If I could help Mom and Dad raise my younger sisters, then this should be manageable, right?' Jaune thought optimistically, his determination undeterred.

After a long journey, the trio finally reached the base and hastened towards the stables nestled comfortably in the shade. Jaune and Carmine dismounted their horses, Jaune passing Aurora into Carmine's care while he began the task of unloading their belongings and removing the saddles from the horses before leading them into their respective enclosures. With gentle hands, he freed the horses from the reins.

Amidst their chores, a distant shout pierced the tranquil air, prompting both Jaune and Carmine to recognize the familiar voice.

"Oh boy..." Carmine muttered under his breath.

Approaching the barn's entrance, Gillian emerged, her gaze sharp and accusatory as it locked onto Jaune and Carmine. "You brought a child here!?" Her voice rang out with a mix of surprise and frustration.

Carmine exchanged a glance with Jaune, then attempted to defuse the situation. "Queenie-"

"It was my decision," Jaune interjected, cutting Carmine off, his tone firm.

Gillian's glare intensified as she directed her fury towards Jaune. "What were you thinking!?" Her voice echoed with disbelief.

Jaune remained silent as he hung the reins on a nearby hook, his lack of response only fueling Gillian's anger. Marching towards him, she seized his shoulder and forcibly turned him to face her.

"My room. Now," she commanded, her words laced with authority.

Jaune met Gillian's glare with a steadfast gaze, his jaw clenched as he slowly nodded in acknowledgment of her command.

Without a word, Gillian pivoted on her heel and strode out of the barn, her departure marked by a resolute silence that hung in the air, leaving Carmine, Jaune, and Aurora in its wake.

As Gillian vanished from sight, Carmine cast a sideways smirk at Jaune. "How you haven't got an arrow in your eye yet is beyond me," she quipped, her tone lightening the tension.

Jaune released a weary exhale through his nostrils. "Take Aurora and my things to my room, will you?" he requested, his voice tinged with resignation.

Carmine nodded, her smirk widening. "No problem," she assured him, her tone playful. "And try not to piss her off more, or else I'm gonna have to find a new drinking buddy," she teased.

"I'll try," Jaune replied with a wry smile, the corners of his lips twitching faintly.

With a nod of agreement, Carmine took charge of Aurora and Jaune's belongings, her steps echoing against the stable's floor as she made her way out.

Meanwhile, Jaune exited the barn and proceeded towards the heart of the base, his path leading him directly to Gillian's chambers, notable for their grandeur compared to the modest quarters of the other occupants. With each step, his mind churned with a mixture of frustration and self-recrimination. He cursed himself inwardly for failing to ascertain the identity of the Crown's benefactor, a critical piece of information that he and Theodore desperately needed.

The implications weighed heavily on Jaune's mind. If someone was clandestinely aiding the Crown, it hinted at a pattern reminiscent of the chaos orchestrated by Cinder in Vale—the Fall of Beacon, and the assault on Haven—all orchestrated by shadowy forces. The prospect that Shade, their sanctuary in Vacuo, could suffer a similar fate gnawed at Jaune's resolve.

Jaune stood outside Gillian's imposing chamber door, apprehension mounting with each passing second. He rapped his knuckles against the wood, the sound reverberating in the corridor, only to have the door swing open abruptly, revealing Gillian's furious face glaring daggers at him.

"You wanted to see me?" Jaune taunted.

Without a word, Gillian gestured for him to enter. As Jaune stepped inside, the door closed behind him with a definitive click. He turned to face Gillian, who stood before him, arms crossed, her intense gaze fixed squarely on him.

"You're right," Jaune began.

Gillian's eyebrow arched in surprise. "Excuse me?" she prompted, her skepticism evident.

"I said you're right," Jaune affirmed, his voice resolute. "I shouldn't have brought her here, instead, I should have left her to fend for herself—starve, steal, risk losing a hand, that's what I should have done," he admitted, his words heavy with criticism.

Gillian let out an exasperated scoff. "For the love of Oum! Will you quit being an ass?" she exclaimed, frustration lacing her tone. "That's not what I meant and you know it,"

Jaune met her gaze squarely. "You did mean that, because that would have been the consequence if I hadn't brought her here, Gillian," he retorted, his voice firm.

"And bringing her here was the better option!?" Gillian's incredulous expression betrayed her shock.

"No..." Jaune conceded, his voice softer now. "But she's safe here at least,"

"Safe... why do you care if she's safe? How long have you even known this girl?" Gillian's voice held a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.

Jaune's gaze dropped to the ground, his expression sheepish. "I... just met her today," he admitted quietly.

Gillian's disbelief was in full effect. "Today!? Are you fucking mental!?" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with incredulity.

"Look-" Jaune began, but Gillian cut him off with a sharp shake of her head.

"No, no, you don't get to have a say right now," she seethed, her frustration simmering beneath the surface.

Jaune fell silent, waiting for Gillian's next move. Yet, she remained still, her gaze fixed on him for a long moment before she closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh. "Are you going to take care of her?" she asked, her tone softer now, tinged with concern.

Jaune met her gaze steadily. "I will," he promised earnestly.

Gillian nodded, a hint of relief coloring her features. "Will you be teaching her how to fight?" she inquired, her voice betraying a trace of apprehension.

Once again, Jaune nodded. "I have to... there's no other way for her to survive here, right?" he reasoned, seeking validation.

Gillian nodded in agreement. "Right," she affirmed. "She can stay."

Jaune's brow furrowed slightly, surprised by Gillian's relatively swift surrender. A realization dawned on him that perhaps this situation wasn't as dire as she had initially portrayed it to be. "You're not angry about this at all, or at least, this isn't the only thing stressing you out, is it?" Jaune ventured, sensing there was more beneath the surface.

Gillian's eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting Jaune's before she offered a quick nod of confirmation.

Jaune's curiosity piqued. "What else is there?" he pressed. "The meeting with the benefactor didn't go well?"

Gillian shook her head in response. "No, it went fine, Jax and Bertilak should be back soon," she assured him.

"Then if it's not that, what the hell could be stressing you out so much?" Jaune inquired.

"Nora Valkyrie," Gillian replied abruptly, her words sharp and decisive.

Jaune's heart skipped a beat, his entire body tensing at the mention of the name. "How did you get that name?" he demanded, his voice tinged with urgency.

Gillian met his gaze with a solemn expression. "She's been traversing most of the southern towns, asking for you... Who is she?" she questioned, her curiosity matching Jaune's intensity.

"She's no one," Jaune replied briefly, his tone defensive.

Gillian let out a soft chuckle, her demeanor unwavering. "She's not "no one" if she's looking for you," she countered. "Who is she, Jaune?" she pressed, her tone insistent.

Jaune clenched his jaw, his fist tightening at his side. "She's... She's my ex-teammate," he confessed, the words heavy with unresolved emotions.

Gillian's eyes widened in surprise. "She... She was a part of your team?" she echoed, her disbelief evident in her voice.

Jaune nodded, his mind racing with the weight of Gillian's revelation.

Gillian let out a weary sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. "This... this makes things complicated," she confessed, her voice tinged with frustration.

"Why?" Jaune queried, his brow furrowing in concern.

Gillian ran a hand through her hair, her expression troubled. "Because... Jax has given the orders to kill her on sight," she divulged, her words hanging heavily in the air.

Jaune recoiled in horror, his eyes widening in disbelief. "WHAT!?" he exclaimed, his voice laced with shock and disbelief.

Gillian took a step back, startled by Jaune's sudden outburst. "She's asking about us, looking for us, we can't have that," she explained, her tone firm.

"So what!? You're just gonna kill her!?" Jaune's voice cracked with a mixture of anger and desperation.

"No, we aren't," Gillian clarified, her gaze unwavering. "You are."

Jaune's eyes widened in disbelief as he staggered back, the weight of Gillian's words hitting him like a physical blow. "W... What?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Gillian's expression softened with sympathy as she met Jaune's gaze. "I... I know this will be hard, but you need to get rid of her," she urged, her voice gentle yet firm. "She's looking for you, so, in our eyes, this is your problem that you need to fix."

Jaune's head shook slowly, his expression wrought with inner turmoil. "No... No, I... I can't do this," he protested, his voice heavy with uncertainty.

Gillian fixed him with a determined stare. "You can and you will," she asserted firmly. "I'll be making sure of it, since now I'll be the one going on missions with you," she declared, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"You can't-" Jaune attempted to interject, but Gillian cut him off with a resolute shake of her head.

"I will," she insisted. "This is where you prove yourself, understood?" she demanded, her gaze piercing.

Jaune's glare bore into her, his anger simmering beneath the surface.

"Understood?" Gillian reiterated, her tone unwavering as she raised a questioning brow.

Though his gaze remained fixed on her, Jaune slowly nodded in reluctant submission.

Gillian nodded briskly in response. "Good," she affirmed. "Now go, take care of your... daughter?" she inquired, her voice tinged with a hint of skepticism.

Without a word, Jaune brushed past her, his footsteps echoing against the floor as he exited the room, the door slamming shut behind him with a resounding thud.

Left alone, Gillian sank onto her bed with a heavy sigh. "I need a drink," she muttered to herself, the weight of the situation bearing down on her shoulders.

XXX

I wonder what Vermillion is doing here? Wonder why he's helping fund the Crown? So mysterious! Jaune's officially adopted a child! As for why, we'll find out soon, however, now he's tasked with killing Nora!?

Oh boy... I wonder what is going to happen next?

The next chapter is going to be more focused on Jax, Gillian, and more on Jaune, and trust me, Jaune and Gillian's relationship will further!

Anyway! Stay tuned!

#rwby #rwby fanfiction #rwby rising dawn au #rwby knightscrown #knightscrown #jaune arc #rwby jaune x gillian #rwby bertilak #jax asturias #gillian asturias #carmine esclados #vermillion raddock #rwby oc #aurora

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thelargefrye · 1 year ago

Text

LIBRARY OF ILLUSION : THE LOST WORLD ... mature rated series

PREVIOUS CHAPTER | M.LIST | NEXT CHAPTER

pairing : andriod!yunho x f!reader

genre : science fiction, smut, heavy fantasy elements, nier ending e inspired

word count : 5.9k

warnings : language, blood / body gore, killing robots, mentions of death, mentions of human extinction

smut warnings : metal tentacles (don't know how else to describe them), fingering / allusion to fisting, mentions of oral

journeying into the science fiction section leads to the a forest where the guardian of the section resides inside a magnificent tree. however, the tree is the only magnificent thing you find in this section.

this world felt strange. like you were in a dream that you were forced to relive again and again. there was an unsettling pain in your chest. there was something odd about this section you were in.

there was just, something unsettling about this world you were in. for starters, why weren't you placed in a character's shoes. you were still wearing the same clothes as when you entered the library. the only difference was the sword you held. the jagged saw-like blade being your new companion.

this place... it felt familiar, yet your memory was drawing a blank. like you had spent a whole lifetime here, but you couldn't remember any of it.

▇▇▇▇.

what? why... why couldn't you remember his name? why couldn't you remember his face? he was the whole reason you were doing this. why you risked your life to search for this damn library and why you're going through these fucking trials. why?

▇▇▇▇. ▇▇▇▇. ▇▇▇▇. ▇▇▇▇.

FUCK. what the hell was going on. he's right there, yet you can't picture his face. can't remember it. everything just feels hazy, like your mind doesn't want you to remember. ▇▇▇▇.

you press at your temples. feeling overwhelmed you can feel your ears start to ring slightly, like a bell was being chimed. you let out a groan as your head turns to see the path leading to the forest of myth. it was odd, it was like something from the forest was calling out to you, wanting you to come find it.

you take about eight steps past the stone gate before you realize that something doesn't seem right. you think that maybe if you weren't so hazy minded right now, you have noticed sooner.

machine cables, like think tree roots, writhed beneath her feet. the actual plants of the forest where intertwined in weird spirals. it was like a never ending mass of machine cables running all along the forest ground. everywhere you looked was a just an odd mixture of plants and machines. you noted the eerie, unknown flowers that bloomed in the gaps between the snaking cables.

no, it wasn't an unknown flower. at least you didn't think it was. it reminded you a lot of the lunar tear flowers, like the one that was engraved on the lock in the restricted section.

you noted a number of trees, created by the intertwining of machines and greens, grew from the ground to the sky. when you looked up, you could see nothing but the trees stretching and covering the sky. you couldn't understand the logic behind the ecosystem or how the machines and plants managed to create something like this.

well, in any case, it felt difficult to call it a forest.

this place felt like it was foreign to this world you were in, much how like you were. yet, there was a cool scent of trees all around and you couldn't help feel anxious cause of the filthy appearance and the scent of nature mixing together.

it was unsettling and you wondered if perhaps the sections were mislabeled and you ended up in the horror section rather than the science fiction section.

av– no, this was the forest of myth.

the forest of myth was a quiet, misty place, where you could hear the voices of the villagers chatting. however, the scene in front of you was anything but that. it was like there was no village with the way the machinery and wood were chaotically mixing together. you couldn't tell where anything was, neither house nor road. the only thing you could tell for sure was that there was no sign of human life.

within the depths of the forest, you could see a huge tree, even bigger than any of the surrounding trees. you could see the silhouette of it even through the thick fog. maybe that's where the guardian is, you think as really... there wasn't anywhere else to go.

you climbed over the huge tree, sliced through a pipe, and continued forward as it was really only place to go. the oil was sticky and unpleasant. the aromas coming from the plants were unpleasant. but somewhere in the back of your mind, you knew that this unpleasant place suited you. even before you came to the library, you weren't allowed to enjoy beauty of the world. you thought that a beautiful forest was the opposite of what you deserved.

but that doesn't mean you like this forest, in fact, you were thoroughly over this fucking place. this section was rightfully becoming a pain in the ass.

there wasn't a proper path, so navigating it was difficult to manage. but the struggle came especially from all the oil, plant juices, and other liquids dripping everywhere. it was disgusting, especially when it dripped onto your skin and ran down you leaving behind a trail of the liquid behind. you think you wanted to vomit a few times. it also didn't help that you repeatedly almost slipped several times. you let out a few curses, but continued forward.

as you were reaching the center of the forest, the scenery around you began to change. it still a gross combination of machinery and plants, but they were becoming smaller and smaller. the mechanical tubes that were at first as thick as your thighs, were now only as thick as your fingers. the plants too also seemed to be gradually shrinking. the cables and ivy had become so entangled with each other that it all looked like some weird mesh blending in with each other. it was still slippery but at least you didn't have to climb over a shit ton of cables and plants. you were honestly starting to feel exhausted from all this.

after what seemed like forever, you finally arrived at the base of the large tree. the cables and ivy were now as thin as noodles, and the ground was no longer a dirt-covered forest ground, but one covered with tiny cables all woven together. not only was the ground like this, but the large tree was also covered in the same texture. you wondered if the whole tree was like this and not just the outer layer. looking around, you couldn't help but notice how quiet it was. nothing was moving except for the few fireflies floating around. however, when you stepped onto the trunk to get closer, you felt a presence.

was this guardian? were you finally going to find him? you remember the keeper of keys telling you about how from here on out the trials would just get harder and harder. you still aren't completely sure what he meant by that, but you could prepare yourself for it. at least a little bit.

you gripped your sword when the cables around the base of tree trunk began to move, sliding along the floor. it reminded you of snakes slithering around, it was enough to make your skin crawl with a cold chill. eventually, it rose, and the cables and ivy gushed out of the ground. it was like the cables had suddenly come to life as they wriggling around and started to move in unison. cables and ivy slowly wove itself together to form something. you felt a urge of panic and to be on sudden alert, watching it grow before it slowly took the shape of a person. it looked like a young man.

you honestly couldn't believe what you just saw, seeing... what this thing was grow out of the base of the tree. he looked familiar and you couldn't help but feel a sense of rage rush over you when you look at him. his skin was metal and you noticed an odd green tint from the vegetation glistening with slime and oil. his blonde hair also notable having a faint green hue to it.

the "man" arched his back and changed his expression, as if just noticing you standing there.

"hey–

the man's head flew off as you slashed it to the side. you honestly don't know what came over you, but you had the sudden urge just to attack. like that was the only thing you could do.

the poor head was blown far away and landed on the mechanical ground of woven cables. it disintegrated and dove to the ground like a bunch of gross metal worms. the decapitated "body" unraveled as well and disappeared into the ground. silence once again fell over the forest of machinery. the misty air seemed to grow more unpleasant and thicker.

"you're so violent."

the voice came from above, you looked up at the giant tree and saw that this time the man was growing parallel to the ground. he folded his arms and shook his head like he was in dismay at you.

"well, i should probably introduce myself?"

you didn't answer. silence. awkward atmosphere. neither of you moved, and deep down you had a feeling like you already knew who he was. he shook his head once more before speaking.

"i am the administrator of this forest, γι?υνχ?."

the sound was completely inaudible.

he lets out a nervous laugh, "yeah, i don't think you guys are capable of understanding that. you can call me whatever you want, administrator or yunho or man. so there's a few things i'm sure you don't understand, is there anything you want to know? number one is 'about this forest,' number two is 'about me,' and number 3 is 'about the future.' which one do you want to know?"

you tilted your head at him and gave him a rather deadpanned look, "what do you think?"

silence. again. neither of you moved at all. one of the fireflies flew between you and... yunho – however this was, he was not yunho. as much as he looked like the male from your village, he was nothing like him. as its tiny light was lost behind the fog, yunho started his story.

"so about this forest. as you can see, it is composed of machines and plants, which is because the whole forest is becoming a big machine. it's called a computer, but i don't think you understand this concept, right? to simply put it, its a machine that can think for itself. moreover, this is the ultimate human-made machine, combining the triumphs of quantum mechanics and maso research. its 'branches' stretched all over the world, collecting anything and everything there is to possible be known."

you swung your sword directly behind you. the machine that was about to swoop down on you was instantly cut in half, tumbling away while spewing green oil and glitter everywhere. you frowned when you noticed some of it covering your skin. the machine looked familiar, like you had seen it somewhere else before. but like a lot of things recently, you can't quite recall.

"this is like one big brain, with information connecting it all... oh, i'm explaining this all in the wrong order. i forget to mention something important. the forest is a terminal that manages this district we are in. i would call it your district, but looking through the records, its quite obvious you don't belong here. at all. but this district has been deemed a failure, the termination process has begun. that's why it's in the state now."

"termination process?"

"for us looking at the database this world is nothing but a cluster of information. we can instantly find out anything we want. you know about project hala, right? now, about me. i'm the administrator of this forest, yunho. everything here including life and death... it's all within my grasp."

"you're not yunho," you say, glaring at the... whatever he was in front of you. it was obvious he wasn't human, but you were sure this wasn't yunho.

he laughed, hand coming up to cover his mouth as he did so, "well... i guess you're right about that. i'm not the yunho you know. you killed that one. no, i'm simply a different model."

what?

"killed? i didn't... i didn't kill anyone," you said as you looked at yunho. at least you don't think you ever did.

"hehe, well maybe not this version of you. i'm surprised you are still able to exist given the circumstances that happened, but i guess anything is possible thanks to the flower. i'm surprised by how many variations of you there actual are, but still all suffer the same fate."

"what the hell are you talking about? start making some sense damnit!" you tell him, feeling your anger rise the more he spoke. he might share the same face as yunho, but his attitude is demeanor is completely different.

the yunho you knew was caring and soft spoken, he looked after you and ▇▇▇. giving you jobs so that way you could make money to buy medicine for ▇▇▇. did you really kill him? your memories are so hazy and fading, everything slowly fading away. you're surprised you even remembered those things about yunho.

but you did kill yunho. both him and ▇▇▇▇ because they were standing in your way of stopping that bastard, ******, and saving ▇▇▇. you pressed at your temples, mind feeling as dense as the fog around you both. yunho let out another laugh.

"amazing, it seems that you are having some sort of memory relapse. its been years since i've witnessed such behaviors. tell me, have you heard the story of the dragon that fell from the sky?"

"what?" you're caught off guard by his question as you look at him.

"i guess i'll explain things in order. now, why don't you listen to me while you fight?"

suddenly you were completely surrounded by countless box-shaped machines, similar to the first one. you couldn't help but laugh. this all felt like some sick joke to him.

you kicked away the robot that had fallen above your head. it flew off into the distance with a flashy spark. you gripped your sword and looked down at the machines. you heard his voice behind you.

"ha, you're doing well," before he could finish, four machines on his right blew up. after crashing into the robot behind them, you jumped over them, slashed the group behind her, a flurry of sparks sending out all around them and you. you noticed how the robots had a momentarily delayed explosion which cause smoke and flames to poor out.

one after another, the robots began to form a small pile of metal corpses right in front of you. you couldn't help but swear as you peeled off the outer, metal shell of one robot and stabbed at what looked like a fuel line. you're thankful you managed to figure out that this was their weak point after killing them.

"amazing! this is beyond the limits of any replicant!"

"enough of this bullshit and wasting my damn time!" you said as you slashed through few more robots. you used the outer shell in order shield yourself from the furry of flying sparks and flames.

small explosions began to pile up on top of one another creating large fireballs all around the place. you noticed how even some of the robots with ammunition were also caught up, causing even greater damage.

"they say the dragon fell from the sky over a thousand years ago and... ah, well, what do you know... that memory has been lost. a shame," he laughs and you note how just inhuman he seems.

"this device is to 'end' you guys," he says motioning to the forest around you both, "project hala is managed on a district-by-district basis. and if certain conditions are ever met, the district is declared a failure. that's when we come in. we'll clean up the mess and freeze it until the gestalts are rescued by people from other districts. that's the way it's programmed."

you didn't answer, but only because you didn't know how. you looked at the devastation below. your face flickered orange in the hot wind as you looked at the large crater that was created by the missiles' impact, severed cables and plants inside the crater were bursting while making strange noises that almost made your ears ring.

"that's what these machines are designed for... to destroy all replicants and this forest will cover the entire district."

below you on the ground, the robots were grunting and groaning as the were disposing of the wreckage of their comrades and putting out fires.

"i'll just have to destroy them all," you and jumped down in a whoosh. looking back up at yunho, you said, "i'll kill you later." he laughed. the attack you made upon landing blew away all the enemy robots in your proximity, creating a perfectly clean circle when viewed from above. when you stood up, you sliced through the ground full of pipes with your sword. this resulted in a slash mark separating you from the robots.

"listen, it's a pain in the ass to figure out which one of you to kill first. so, you guys make the first move. you cross this line and i'll you into fucking scrap metal, you bastards!"

after thirty minutes, you began to feel that your body was starting to show signs of fatigue. you movements started to grow sloppy and uneven, and you felt your body take more and more damage. however, despite this, the robots were unable to inflict any fatal wounds. your figure, covered in blood and oil, radiated a head in the otherwise cold forest.

a large robot appeared from behind the fog. it was different from the previous, box-shaped ones you had been destroying. long limbs, two eyes. you felt like you had seen a model similar to this, but where you couldn't remember. fuck, why did this library fuck with your memory so much? what did it gain from taking your memories away from you. a strange discomfort settled over you, like it was haunting you in a way. you wanted to remember why you were fighting, but his name... his name and face was fading.

fuck, my head hurts like a bitch.

"hahaha. you trying to remember someone you cared about?"

yunho's voice mocked you in an echo through the forest. but this time, you couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"well, if you defeat this one, i'll give you something good." breathing hard, you didn't have the strength to say anything back.

you couldn't help but want to scoff at his words though. i don't need to be bargained with. if killing this damn bastard brings me closer to the key and getting out of here, i kill him and then you.

the large robot was, of course, different from the others you had been fighting. its arms were like giant pincers, and reminded you of a carb.

the crab swung its right arm wide and lunged at you. the move was a bluff, there was no way it could have aimed with such a predictable move. even a child could see that. it swung its right pincer down and used another fire magic bullets. unfazed by the attack, you trucked on forward, cutting down the magic bullets in front of you. you the swing your sword by cutting down the robot's right arm. the right arm came off cleaning from the joint and flew off.

something was wrong. you could see in the upper right corner of your vision, a large sun barrel at the base of the sectioned right arm. however, by the time you realized that, it was too late, the magic circle had already finished deploying and had reached a critical state. it was large magic launcher, a fucking double trap. and as soon as you noticed it, the magic bullet was fired.

the sound was deafeningly high-pitched, and at the same time, the explosion of the impact covered you in a ball of flames and smoke. the crab continued to fire at you. the barrage was so fierce that its huge body floated from the blast. the surrounding cables and scrap iron flew up into the air. without pausing, the crab raised its only remaining pincer, still attached to its left arm. you were pretty sure it couldn't see you through the smoke, you witnessed it slam its pincer into what you assumed was your last position the crab had recorded.

it was trying to find your position again, however; you took this chance and ran towards it. before the crab could even react, its left arm was ripped into two pieces. it tried to attack with its magic cannon, but you took it, slicing it off before it could find you. as it twisted its huge body to attempt to crush you with its remaining torso, you had already split it in two. you watched as the huge body fell to the ground, sending up a large plume of smoke. in the center of it is where you stood, covered in blood. your left arm felt painfully and you were sure you probably dislocated it, but you swung your sword as hard as you could to attempt to put it back into place. you let out a beastly grunt which muffled by the sound of burning flames around you.

"the information you've lost... i bet its eating you alive," his voice is ghosting over your ear and you can feel his presence right behind you. you attempt to swing you sword at him, wanting to cut him down, but a cable comes from nowhere and stops you. wrapping tightly around your wrist and slithering up and around your arm like a snake.

"crushing you because you can't remember anything. are you slowly losing the strength to push on? that's what the library does to you. it traps you and alters your memories. you realize the memories that you've experience are yours, yet they feel familiar. i wonder why that is."

you feel a sense of rage rush over you and you attempt to kick yunho, swinging your leg this time. however, your leg is met with the same fate of your arm, a cable coming up and stopping you. it holds your legs up in the air and you see yunho grin at you. the cable lifts your leg higher and you can feel your thighs burning because of it. a grunt leaves your lips as you attempt to move your arm.

"so much rage from such a rather weak copy," yunho says more to himself than to you. he rips the sword from your hand and tosses it away from you. you're forced to watch it skid across the cable covered floor before it comes to stop. cables come out, moving wildly about as they wrap around your sword and bury it underneath the cables and ivy.

"what the fuck are you talking about? what does any of this mean?" you demand, rage overcoming you as you struggle against you restraints.

"do you know why you're here?" he asks, stepping closer to you, his cold body pressed against your warm one. it was obvious which one of you were human and which one of you wasn't just from that fact alone. "do you know understand how the library works? or that you aren't in the library anymore?"

"w-what?" you can feel your anger slowly slip away and instead washed over with dread and confusion. "what do you mean not in the library anymore?"

yunho lets out a maniacal sounding laugh, more cables come up wrap around your other arm and leg in order to further prevent your movements.

"where are we?" he suddenly ask, his hand coming up to grip your face. to ensure you would look at him. you felt a cold chill run over your body. you noticed the flame around you and yunho still burning, giving the android in front of you an orange glow to him.

"the library," you say and you hiss when you squeezes your cheeks together, harshly. "ah! fuck!"

"where are we?"

"the forest– ugh, of myth, fucker," you hiss out and yunho lets go of your face. you feel the cramps and soreness, you move your lower jaw in an attempt to ease the soreness, eyes glaring at yunho.

"you know..." he trails off, bending down, closer to you, "i have the memories of the other yunho model. he was quite fond of you. such a shame you went and killed him."

"i didn't kill yunho!" you bite back, trying to free yourself but the cables only become stronger in their grip.

suddenly, flashes of yunho run through your mind. memories of him and how he helped you and supported you. you flustered when a memory of yunho nestled between your legs, his tongue and fingers thrusting into you and drinking your essence is a prominent and vivid memory that haunts your mind.

this yunho; however, howls a laughter that cuts through your memories as you focus back in on the more mocking android.

"no wonder that yunho failed at stopping you. the damn idiot went and fell in love with a world-destroyer," he hisses and you grunt at the feeling of the cables, you realized that these cables were also covered in a green liquid, making them slick as they moved over your skin. disgusting.

the cables slid over your skin and clothes as more appeared out of the ground and wrapped around you. you flinched at the cold metal rubbing up against your skin. you tired to hide how the feeling of these cables were getting to you. this bastard didn't need to know he could bring you any possible pleasure.

"are you familiar with the seraph?" the name rang a bell. how it did, you weren't sure. but you couldn't help but feel... angry at the name. "oh? are you feeling angry? usually, one would feel guilt when dooming the human race."

"haven't you figured out that i literally have no fucking clue about what you're talking about?"

"i still have to tell you about the future," he ignores. he circles you like a predator circling their prey before he's flicking his wrist and another cable comes up, thicker than the others. about as big as your thigh, wraps around your waist and lifts you up off the ground.

"this world is doomed. humans are going to go extinct. project hala was a failure and so the world will end. all the replicants with relapse and any traces of the human race will cease to exist. so," he stops in front of you. leaning over you as his cold metal hands trailed up your hot, blood covered skin. "how does it feel knowing you've killed everyone you love?"

silence. you didn't say anything. however, you did manage to spit on his face. watching your saliva hit him before running down his cheek. he glared down at you. fuck him, you think, fuck him and his stupid as information.

you refuse to think that you cause the extinction of the human race. you didn't kill yunho. this was all just some trick. you weren't in the forest of myth. you were in the library. you were–

why were you at the library? the library that yunho had his office in? the office where you allowed him to spread you out on the couch and take you like a lover would? spending hours together. naked. straddling his hips and riding him. the only sound filling his little office were your heavy moans and skin slapping together.

"why?" you manage out catching yunho's attention. he tilts his head to the side at your sudden question. "i didn't... i didn't do any of this. i didn't kill yunho. i... yunho looked after all of us. he helped me."

"helped you?" he echoes with a chuckle. "no, he doomed you. lead you on a path of destruction, world-destroyer. yet you still want to sing the failure of an android praise. why is that? is it because he fucked you?"

his hands trailed down your sides before resting on your thighs. your chest heaved as he spread your thighs, kneading the flesh. "because he kept you company when none of your other lovers would? do you remember the first time we met? in the colosseum. would like me to fuck you like i did then?" he chuckled. he rubbed his cheek into your thigh, a chill running over your body.

you bit your lip, nails digging into your palms as you watched yunho stretched your thighs. the cables slither up your legs as they raise them into the air. you struggle with the rather uncomfortable burn in your muscles, still exhausted from all the fighting previously done. the position the cables had you wrapped in wasn't helping either.

you bite back a moan when yunho suddenly shoves his face in your clothed heat. you feel a rather odd heat over take you as you him dig his nose into your core. the friction rubbing against your clit.

"f-fuck, b-bastard," you mumble making yunho chuckle before he's pulling his face away. you are both relieved and upset by his action, before his hand suddenly comes to cup your heat and stroking it. the cables wrapped around you more and you gasp when you felt some slide under your shirt and wrap around your breasts.

yunho grins widely as he notices your body slowly giving into his touch. you want to fight him, to punch him, rip him apart. but his touch stops you. you aren't sure why but it does. you think it has to do with the fleeting memory of the other yunho. the one who helped you find a way to save ▇▇▇. the one you–

the one you killed. fuck, its coming back, slowly. the memory of him and someone else – his face is fuzzy – trying to stop you from reaching the seraph and saving ▇▇▇. you remember running your sword through yunho and him hugging you before he slumped to the floor. dead.

a rush of emotions come over you. dread, anguish, guilt. all swallowing you up as you looked at the yunho in front of you. the cables tightening around your limbs. you're sure there will be marks left behind.

"fuck," you mutter out as you look at the yunho in front of you who was lazily still rubbing your clothed heat. "hey, bastard, you gonna fuck me or not?"

yunho smirked, letting out a laugh before he's easily ripping through your shorts and exposing your pussy to the cold forest air around you.

"it's amazing how replicant bodies can mimic real humans this much," he says as he takes in your wet pussy. you couldn't lie. the memory of yunho, the cables wrapped around and playing with your breast, plus the friction on your pussy have all but worked you up. you think the adrenaline from fighting also might have played a part in it.

yunho ran his fingers through your folds before entering two fingers inside of you. he watched your face contort, his emotionless staring down into your very emotional filled ones. it was like he was analyzing you. watching you and taking in how you fall a part on his fingers. you let out a moan as he curled his fingers. easily hitting your sweet spot.

"how easily you fall apart on my fingers," he says he begins to speed up his fingers. the cables stretched your legs apart even further. a moan leaves your mouth again as yunho adds a third finger. the lewd sounds of your pussy makes a heat run over your chest and face.

"f-fuck, ngh, bastard," you say as you feel another cable, probably the thinest one, appear and start to flicker over your clit.

"i wonder just how many fingers you can take?" you hear him say, he adds a fourth finger. you throw your head back, eyes squeezing shut tightly. you both hate and love the pleasurable feeling. you feel the pit of your stomach start to coil up, heat pooling around your body. you clenched around the androids fingers.

you're brought back to the first time you were with yunho. as much as this android fucker looks like yunho– they were obviously different. did this android choose to look like yunho? you wouldn't be surprised if he did. fucking bastard.

when you open your eyes, you greeted by the sight of yunho still looking down at you. but something is different. this yunho is more... human, looking. he's looking down at you with such raw emotions. love. you take in his brown hair that just barely falls over his eyes. you see the long scar that goes down his chest, other smaller scars litter his body. like battle scars.

"yunho?" you call out catching his attention. yunho leans forward and over your body.

"my beautiful love," he whispers before pressing a kiss to your lips and it makes your heart flutter. he pulls away from the kiss in order to ask, "are you close?"

"f-fuck, yes– my warrior. please don't– stop," you tell him and he grins down at you before you feel him pick up the speed of his hand. you close your eyes, attempting to twist away from your lover. moans and curses leaving your lips.

and that's when you feel the coil in your stomach snap. you come with a loud whine that echoes around the forest as you arch your back. you're out of breath, heavy breathing and chest heaving as you come down from your high.

"how surprising," yunho says and you open your eyes to see you are back the android yunho. and that when you notice most of his is shining and there's a liquid dripping down him.

you feel the cables let you go and you fall to the ground. you're exhausted from this whole thing. the need to still punch him is prevalent in you as you look up at the android.

"bastard," you mumble. attempting to stand up, you manage to wobbly legs as you finally stand and turn to look at yunho who is laughing at you. mocking you.

yunho opens his mouth to say something before another voice cuts him off.

"enough yunho. give her the key."

that voice. you turn to see the keeper of keys walking from behind the fog and over towards you and yunho. yunho frowns at the keeper. like he was disgusted the man had appeared and is stopping him. honestly, you've never been happier to see the keeper.

"have you gone deaf? i said give her the key," he repeats and his tone sends a chill down your body. his eyes are hard and sharp as he glares at the android, who hesitates before he's producing a key. similar to the other two you have. and tossing it to you. "you're done here, now leave."

yunho doesn't say anything as his body disappears into the mixture of cables and ivy. and just like that he's gone.

"here."

the keeper of keys is holding out a pair of pants towards you and you take them from him. the material is silk and it feel nice against you blood covered skin.

"now come. i put tea on for you," he turns and start to walk away back into the fog and you're quickly following after him.

tag list : @sanjoongie @anyamaris @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @flowerboykun @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @yoonguurt

network : @cultofdionysusnet

#library of illusion.#library of illusion event #cultofdionysusnet #ateez x reader #ateez smut #ateez imagines #ateez blurbs #ateez scenarios #ateez yunho x reader #ateez yunho smut #yunho x reader

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yourneighborhoodporg · 11 months ago

Text

The Guardian

Chapter 8: Blackened Water (Part 2)

Obi-Wan Kenobi x Reader

Warnings: Angst, hurt/comfort, fluff, banter, migraines, a tiny reference to drugs, self-sacrifice ish, skechy neighborhoods, brief stalker (?), very concerned Obi :(

Summary: After this morning's incident in the Starfighter, you go on an afternoon run to clear your mind. Of course, your track of choice is the seedy underground neighborhoods of the outer Senate District— a decision that will prove to be full of twists and turns.

Song Inspo: Black Water — Of Monsters and Men

Words: 7.5k

A/n: All I’m gonna say is, hella foreshadowing and hella symbolism. I’ll let you decide what that means 🫡

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Series Masterlist

The thought was this: that all my life had been murk and depths, but I was not a part of that dark water. I was a creature within it — Madeline Miller

Your loosely booted foot smacked against the damp pavement, splashing apart shallow puddles that collected in the occasional crevice with each sprinting step as you made your way deeper into the alleys of the Senate District. The flickering, golden glows of periodic street lamps illuminated the path ahead, just enough to avoid tripping over scattered waste piles that dotted street corners. It forced your eyes to remain alert as you maneuvered around them and below the thick, interwoven cable squiring across miles-long under-street ceilings like an infinite den of snakes.

You glimpsed at your chilly sleeves without a hitch in your bounding steps. The slate-gray of your robe had soaked into a deep, inky black from the afternoon’s drumming rain. One that had already enveloped the region by the time you first launched this trek into the neighborhood’s bowels at hour’s dawn.

But dampened earth wasn’t your reason for keeping to empty passageways and abandoned tunnels. Coated in shadowed light as distant clatters atop metal rooftops trickled down into groans that bellowed from the surrounding walls.

No.

You were clinging to shadowy covers because, once again, you’d chosen to embrace that long-held, Hoth tradition of keeping a low profile.

And, having spent your entire existence hiding from the world, it’d proven to be a bit of a hard habit to break.

It haunted you as you flashed down each narrow passageway, eyes shifting like chosen prey vigilantly watching for their predator— an action that reflected your utmost desire to keep your Jedi identity concealed. Yet you continued to engage the Force, fueling nearly supernatural sprints down new corridors and twisting avenues. Movements that would usually garner unwelcome attention in any other zone.

But not here.

Not in the underground neighborhoods of the Senate District.

It was where you’d discovered the only way to engage the Force without revealing yourself in public. Through the obscurity of its gloomy locales that credibly camouflaged you from searching eyes.

But besides your decade-long custom of concealment, you knew that these days, it was still vital to remain cautious.

More than ever.

Ever since your arrival, you’d been engaging with more diverse characters every day. Most of whom were uninformed about your real purpose as a Jedi. The Council believed it would be safest to conceal your real identity, name and all. And even though that was quite the adjustment from the fanfare you were expecting, you still felt inclined to agree with them. At least at the Temple, individuals who’d become all the more threatening by learning your secret were weeded out before they could even reach the front door.

But not here.

Not down seedy boulevards or dimly lit backstreets that characterized the forlorn neighborhoods of the outer District, slinking with suspect figures whose watchful gazes peaked out of hooded wear.

Sometimes they’d observe you pass, bodies still with eerily calm attentiveness as they watched on. Others would wriggle far back into the cover of darkened crannies, their jittery silhouettes talking lowly with other, unseen beings of the shadows during their retreat.

Still, in spite of the uncertainty that surrounded this quarter, you took the risk.

It was necessary, you convinced yourself. Mindless movement seemed to work as some sort of binary treatment for your persistently taxing migraine. That was why, following this morning’s planet-side return, your first order of business was to be right here.

In this moment.

In a No Man’s Land of deserted corridors and limited natural light.

Despite the downpour which greeted you on an otherwise tepid day, that instant the Starfighter touched down at the Temple hangar, you knew exactly where you wanted to be.

By yourself. On the street. And running.

You thought back again to those fleeting seconds following your return from Anakin’s piloting lesson. How you were so quick to open the cockpit’s hatch with a click, the engines just barely starting to cool as you agilely hopped out, toes gracing the stone below while you made a beeline for the inner Temple.

All to facilitate your confident escape.

Yet despite your resoluteness in slipping away, you still felt a chilly twinge of remorse dip your stomach. Especially when the distant, resounding tick and whir of the fighter’s opening canopies subtly announced your flight companions’ perfect view of your departing form.

Of your decision to leave them behind without even a goodbye.

Guilt encircled your ears like curiously buzzing blood flies, forcing you to at some point realize that engaging in some mad dash of endorphins wasn’t your only motivation for this morning’s speedy retreat.

You did it because, if you knew anything, you knew Anakin.

Yes, you’d only met him a little over two weeks ago. But Maker were you beginning to grasp his mind as well as your own.

Recently, the two of you had been spending a lot of time together.

Or at least, many hours more than your Hoth upbringing supplied.

Intense sparring sessions, the occasional evening supper that would devolve into its more charming discourses when Obi-Wan joined halfway through. Not to mention those rare, yet revealing conversations with Anakin about his past. The most earnest of which transpiring that night above the garbage pit, when he revealed to you his mother’s passing, and let slip his pervading turmoil on the matter.

And in the end, it didn’t take long for you to recognize that the summation of all those wholehearted interactions, those sundry dialogues amidst quality time, was a sharper ear for his thought process.

For how his heart beat for others.

This morning in the Starfighter, you knew the instant Anakin heard your painful exhale that the cogs of his feeling mind began to whirl. Further propelled to miraculous speeds when you tersely instructed him to bring the ship back in seconds later.

Then, during the reentry, you knew how he was, in all likelihood, anticipating to relay those four, troubled words the moment you two stood face-to-face.

What happened up there?

Of course, throughout that entire, sedated descent, you knew he was thinking about what to say next. Particularly, which words to use if you tried blowing him off again with another two, dry syllables. A phrase that’d drifted from your lips as popularly as each breath during this past week and a half.

I’m fine.

All of this pervading his mind right up until your door unlatched behind him, shocking him out of his stupor, you imagined. Coaxing him to leap out of the cockpit just as swiftly as he heard you do from behind.

But you didn’t give him the chance.

You refused to even glance back to check. To see if he was about to chase after you.

You couldn’t.

You just flicked on your robe’s hood, tugging its gradually dampening form tightly around yourself as your footsteps abandoned the landing platform.

You didn’t even hear what he said next. That is, if he’d said anything at all when you entered the hangar bay. But whether that was due to the clamoring headache that’d momentarily incapacitated you or your pervading questions surrounding this affliction running wild, you didn’t know.

You just blocked it all out.

Deafened your ears to any immediate surroundings, like scattered hangar workers and hammering repairs, as you hastened your evasion of the ditched trio.

But, no matter the shame that tugged at your chest afterward, you were still confident in the reasoning behind your withdrawal.

As of now, you were still trying to investigate the cause of this harassment. And you recognized that until you found some answers, involving Anakin or anyone close to him would put The Chosen One in a land of uncertainty that you weren’t quite comfortable with.

And that just wouldn’t do.

Your striking heels continued to clobber the decaying trails of the outer District’s underground streets, bringing the chatter of leather on wet concrete into a strange harmony with the increasingly beating rain that danced upon the streets above. Centering yourself in another Force-amplified hurdle, you again reminded yourself of the important fact that influenced your decision to keep this secret. The conclusion that you knew would reduce any chance of complications to your duty.

It’s not his job to worry about you.

However, it was technically the responsibility of your ‘new Master.’

Maybe that’s why, at the end of last week— following four, stretched-out days of irregular headaches— you found justification in approaching Master Windu for counsel. Because no matter your efforts to quell this silent beast, through extended rest or quiet meditation, its burning onslaughts ferociously prevailed.

In other words, at some point, it became utterly clear that you required a much wiser opinion.

In many ways, you were confident in the stoic Jedi. And by that, you meant that you trusted him to keep the matter private. Even from those who associated with The Chosen One, and especially from Anakin himself. In fact, at the outset of your conversation, he assured you that he’d only divulge a discussion between Master Advisor and Jedi if it concerned the Council.

And you had no reason to believe it did.

You thought back to that chat while pivoting down another slick alleyway. This one grew narrower than the last, its spotted lamps decaying in luster and prevalence as you dug cavernously into the belly of the beast-like web of tunnels while your mind wandered.

Master Windu had already separately arranged to meet with you once every week. At least until the Jedi were called back to the battlefield, he was sure to clarify. It was time to be spent preparing you for what was to come in this mystifying conflict. To guarantee that its distractions wouldn’t impact the primary reason for your presence.

For your existence, really.

However, of the two sessions you’d already had, the powerful Jedi spent little time on combat training. Rather than correcting your form or educating you on Separatist capabilities, his focus was instead driven toward scrutinizing the closed doors to your mind. All during hours-long, joint meditation sittings in which Master Windu attempted to meticulously probe your life force with the gentle influence of his signature on your forehead.

Sometimes, the spells would last so long that, in the end, you were often left with the sensation of a phantom touch. Though it always faded eventually, so imperceptibly that it felt more like a shift in temperature than a disappearing force.

Although the two of you ended up making little progress, you still enjoyed these opportunities as a way to get to know your new Advisor. Exchanges regarding his unwavering faith in the Order’s ideals reminded you of your own lifelong commitment to a similarly demanding prophecy. The Master also seemed to share a kindred distaste for politics, conveying briefly his disapproval of the Jedi and Senate’s interwoven nature, hastily drawn at the outset of war.

Most importantly, however, the two of you shared a distinct displeasure for the Senate’s conversion of Jedi into generals. You’d been struggling with this concept of converting Jedi peacemakers into soldiers for weeks now, and it appeared that Master Windu held common sentiments. All in all, it was a moment that made the Order feel just a little less foreign to you after a lifetime of studying its older, more contrasting ways.

Perhaps that’s why, despite previous reticence about receiving a ‘new Master,’ you found yourself gradually opening up to the idea.

Besides, you could tell Master Windu was experiencing some kind of similar development.

You’d discovered from Anakin this past week that the wise man had long disapproved of Jedi who acted outside the Order. From that, you easily acknowledged that despite offering to advise you, the traditional Master likely remained biased against your nature.

In fact, you fleetingly surmised that the only reason he put his name in the hat was so he could keep a closer eye on you. On the Gray Jedi that came from a long line of counterfeiters against the Order he held in such high esteem.

Yet, as your sessions progressed, you sensed a subtle shift in the Jedi Master. How the crease of his brow subtly slackened with each passing hour. How his openness to your questions became faintly readable.

Though whether that was because he’d momentarily forgotten about your past or had become lost in his analysis of your mind, you didn’t know.

What you did know was that you appreciated the sagacious Master’s relatable convictions, allegedly burgeoning tolerance, and outright professionalism.

And that was enough for you to test the waters in requesting his guidance.

It was at the tail-end of one of these forums that you narrowly untangled these painfully strange migraines, focusing primarily on their unpredictability and continuance rather than each occurrence’s raging ferocity.

And in the end, you found the effortless flow of his counsel to be uniquely compelling.

“Meditate on these irritants. But do not only acknowledge their existence. Observe their nature. If you give these headaches a name derived from your inner impressions, it may aid you in identifying and extinguishing their source.”

So, you did just that.

In the days that followed into the start of your second week at the Temple, when that familiar pulsing tingle began to crawl across your hairline, you made a routine out of stopping whatever you were doing to search for a quiet alcove. Then, after locating a corner of the Temple free from distractions, you’d lower yourself into crossed legs, all to funnel your accessible energies into discerning the exact nature of this eccentric affliction. You’d reach out to the Force, drawing in its swirling ecosystem through tingling extremities, astutely wielding it to dive into the yawning depth of your inner being.

And for those few days, you explored branching elements of your mind, tracing each errant twig to sense its perception of the boundless, clawing twinges that relentlessly contested your focus.

It was arduous work. Attempting to observe the irritants’ nature would eventually lure you toward sensing its more distinctive effects. But at the same time, the action often amplified your tenderness to those countless cerebral spasms. They were still quite bearable, of course. But it certainly did nothing to speed along your investigation.

That was until the third day in. When you finally found a pattern.

Even now, you starkly remembered how the discovery permeated your body with untapped endurance simply from the realization’s excitement alone.

On that day, you were able to eventually comprehend that, while your skull’s outline felt the stitching thrums of the week before, the sensation was marginally dissimilar in its influence on your life force. Here, you still felt the indiscriminate, unpleasant taps against your spirit, but with a nearly imperceptible caveat.

You rooted out their tendency to unfurl on impact.

So, with the next pounding ache, you were empowered to recognize it again, snatching the sensation with agile fingers. The savage smack quickly plunged into scattered fragments, like drops of water thrashing apart from a violent impact with stone.

That was it.

It was like raindrops, pattering against your mind.

Yet, it wasn’t the refreshing sensation that you associated with such weather. Not that electrifying stimulation you felt in this very instant while you sustained your urgent, whirlwind dash down another curving passage harboring hints of gaseous fumes.

No.

Rain was vitalizing, giving life to despairing vegetation and beasts alike. For you especially, its cooling effect on balmy Coruscanti afternoons calmed your mind. It ventilated you in a chill that provoked cherished memories of soaring amid whispering snowstorms during those afternoon duels with Qui-Gon on Hoth.

Yet this was different.

These drops were draining. Heavy. They weighed down your soul. Blackened your connection to the Force through a permeating pain that enveloped the branches of your mind and sucked the sap of your thoughts.

Yes, blackened.

Master Windu said to give it a name. An association. And, finally, you felt confident enough to put words to this strange disorder’s influence on your inner being.

Black Water.

If you only knew what a mistake you’d made.

Somehow, following this identification, the migraines spiraled into a realm of greater frequency and brutality. They would linger in their pervasion. Graduating from hours to afternoons of ubiquitous discomfort. And then, when you tried to find familiar solace in the quelling nature of a meditative state, you harshly discovered that doing so now only magnified the pain’s potency.

You recalled it so clearly. How the shock of that realization jolted you at your very core, ripping you violently from your connection to the Force like a toy snatched from the hand of a youngling.

It was something you had never experienced before.

And it forced you to learn the hard way that for the time being, it was best to avoid meditation.

Instead, you found it easier to unearth the medicinal properties of attaching your mind to another matter.

And your poison of choice?

Running.

You weren’t sure why it lessened your cranial discomfort more than any form of meditation or training. Maybe it was the fresh air. Or the exploratory element. Or the dichotomy of the District’s underground shafts which swayed darkly on even the brightest of days.

Maybe it was because, in a way, sprinting combined the two Jedi practices. It did encourage you to physically tap into the Force for access to greater speeds, and simultaneously unclogged your mind of worldly distractions.

Still then, it was only enough to center yourself. Never to the degree in which the migraines’ kindling was fanned into embers.

Whatever the reason, it didn’t change the fact that mere minutes into this afternoon’s excursion, you were able to finally relish in the flood of relief that followed. One that washed over you as sprightly legs carried you into a mystic realm where stabbing pains were faintly dulled by the rule of constant motion.

The past week of experimental sprints into Coruscant’s veins had become your drug of choice. Providing additional relief just from the realization that occupying your mind would temper these moments.

Now that made you hum retrospectively. It was hard not to wonder if perhaps this notion subconsciously motivated you to join Anakin’s short-lived piloting class this morning.

You ruminated about those spiraling seconds in the cockpit once more. Even then, in the midst of intrusively distracting g-forces, you were powerless to ignore that your headaches still somehow stirred with new vengeance, threatening your theory on how to properly address the affliction.

You descended another set of echoing stairs, this time entering a residential tunnel that reigned sleek with standing water gradually leaking through cracked roofing. Though the hazard never assuaged your volant charge past the streams of identical, stonewashed doors on either side. Landmarks that supplied forward guidance as you thought carefully about the day’s earlier incident.

With another burdened exhale, you compared the fighter episode to all the others, quickly deciding that this morning’s occurrence was the worst to date. If you were being perfectly honest with yourself, it was the first time one of these vast headaches really threatened your ability to function in the moment.

And that spooked you.

Either way, it was clear in its aftermath, that it was time to return to old habits.

To what worked.

You swiveled left, the squeak of your twisting heel reverberating off the slender walls as you rushed down another flickering tunnel of rundown apartments. You were thankful that the potency of constantly coarse splits at your forehead’s center had eased into a duller pound, so much so that it permitted your mind to wander during this impromptu outing.

However, you weren’t expecting to become so consumed with inner musings to the point of becoming lost within a labyrinth of snaking neighborhoods, forgotten by the Senate District’s lavishly living surface inhabitants. In fact, as you glanced around the residential tunnel, you soon realized that you couldn’t even remember how you entered this quiet zone. One that didn’t follow any semblance of rational architecture to hint at a way out.

So, with no signage to guide you in your search for higher ground, you did the only thing you could do.

You followed the quivering lights, lodged every few meters into the decrepitly, sinking ceiling.

A luminescent road out of the darkness.

That was your plan for the last ten minutes, anyway, until a deep-toned snap zipped past your ears, reverberating across every door as it traced down either wall.

You ground to a halt, dribbling boots faintly whimpering as they fought the floor’s slickness in your attempt to reel toward the noise.

A few heavy seconds passed you stared back into the tunnel's murky depths, trying to discern the source of the sound while labored breaths rung out from your body and colored the eerily barren chamber. It was difficult to focus your vision, finding that the barely perceptible shapes hidden in shadowed corners were playing tricks on your eyes the longer you stared at their forms.

Another crack.

But this time, you could markedly tag its source.

Far down on the opposite side of the shaft, another brittle light in the ceiling’s row numbed like the death of a star.

Great.

You whirled back around, launching yourself into an energized bolt as you tried to escape the coming darkness.

In all sincerity, you should have assumed something like this would happen. You had found the vacancy of these quarterly halls odd. It was midday in a residential area so some activity was to be expected. Beings would usually be on their lunch break around now.

Yet, there were none around.

But the partial flooding? The unstable roofing?

You sighed, powerful legs carrying you blisteringly quick while you connected the dots ahead of the accelerating demise of weak, mechanical stars.

This underground neighborhood was breaking down.

It must have been evacuated.

And now?

They were cutting the power.

Drawing on the effortlessly fluid stability of the Force, you catalyzed your stride, hoping to get a better sense of where you were before being immersed in utter blackness.

Luckily, the opportunity to do so appeared to lie just ahead.

Fairly soon into your run, you noticed the fork in the road, pinned to the tunnel’s far reach. How the illusionary dead-end wall, in fact, split into two, opposing paths. All you needed to do was get there fast enough for a cursory glance of either end before the last light at your disposal became the limited glow of your grayed lightsaber.

You picked up the pace, the reflection of your form in the waterlogged stone flying like loose leaves trying to catch up with you as it too bolted from the ensuing pattern of light fixtures snapping off.

Soon, there were only a few left as you neared the hall’s end, impelling you to power one last thrust of your leg into the junction. You swiveled your head down both corridors as your heels squealed to a halt before the stone wall, catching sight of a larger industrial door just meters into the second corridor as the final fixture above cracked into nothingness.

But that was all you needed.

It didn’t take you long to maneuver your way toward the exit in the pitch dark, lugging open the croaking apparatus only to be met with an ascending staircase illuminated by the scattered, gloomy rays of a showery, Coruscant afternoon.

You jogged up the concrete steps before encountering a wide, open-aired avenue, dotted with as many road lamps as hurrying beings who scampered from industrial cover to cover in an effort to avoid wetting their clothes. The walls of buildings encapsulating this strip stood in an unornamented, brutalist fashion, which effectively limited their options. It was quite the contrast to the streets of the Entertainment District. But that was all you could really say about it. Your observations remained sparse as the continuous downpour did little to reduce the haze.

Pivoting to your right, you followed the road’s natural path, immediately feeling the cool sprinkles pelt your face as you slowed into a crisp walk. You tugged at your biting, saturated robe, bringing it closer to break the slight draft.

As you turned down a wider street doused in equal cloud cover, you decided that it was time to return to the Temple. If anything, at least to give your body a break. You’d been running for close to an hour, and those stretched lungs and burning legs were sure to thank you for the short respite.

Perhaps you could return to the Archives for some easy reading. Your headache had dissipated enough to certainly make that possible now. And you had to admit, you were feeling a bit behind on your knowledge of Separatist technologies.

It was only twelve minutes into your return hike when you began to embrace that peaceful rumination on future plans. Twelve minutes for your mind to drift to lighter musings. But also twelve minutes for those thoughts to be swiftly dashed from reality by a new intrigue.

There were many beings who dusted the streets. All of which you simultaneously kept a close eye on. Of course, special attention was dedicated to those who’d decide for a period to amble too close for comfort. But even then, it usually held no matter. As always, they’d eventually divert onto a path of their own as wandering, city walkers did.

An example was the being that had been sauntering ten meters behind you for the past five minutes. One you didn’t give much mind to. Until they were oddly quick to tread on the heels of your latest deviation from the main road. Which was…odd, but not enough of anything to concern you.

Yet.

You swiveled down another detour, this one more unusual than the last given the District’s layout. It was part of your usual route of choice, since it avoided most of the neighborhood’s major hubs, but still powered enough street lamps to guide you back to the Temple in the evening.

Or in this case, on a rainy day.

Either way, you knew from experience that this was usually when any unintentional tails would break off to continue their lives on a road to elsewhere.

Maybe they were returning home to a waiting family after a long intergalactic trip. Running late for a business meeting because of the rain. Or simply exploring the city’s landmarks with their free afternoon.

These were all activities you imagined civilians had the freedom to enjoy. Freedoms that you certainly fantasized about in your younger years. And freedoms that you later learned you’d have to sacrifice to protect.

You smiled thoughtfully to yourself. It always helped to have a gentle reminder of the good you were doing. These elements of peace you were maintaining. It even allowed you to take a relaxing breath as you continued along the path not taken.

Until the creeping stranger’s presence fully seized your attention by following you down this second detour.

You fought the urge to look back, despite their presence jumping to the forefront of your mind. If that being really was tracking you, you didn’t want to raise any suspicions that you’d caught on.

Not yet.

Even now, after back-to-back questionable activity, you still needed to make certain that your misgivings were accurate. Thinking about it, you would’ve sensed this individual before had they been following you during your run. So why would they suddenly trail you now? You hadn’t done anything topside to give your identity away.

Then, this might have still all been just a simple misunderstanding.

Right?

Only one way to find out, you told yourself.

Keeping an even pace, you scanned your surroundings, quickly catching a narrow alleyway that lay just a few steps ahead to your left. Narrowing your eyes through the gloomy lighting, you soon realized that its width would at most fit two and a half people stood side-by-side. In other words, this gap was sure to lead to a dead-end. One that any city dweller would know not to enter in a neighborhood like this. And one that any traveler would have the instincts to avoid.

From this, you comfortably concluded that a bona fide passerby would have no reason to follow you inside.

Unless, it was you they were after.

So, you swiftly ducked in.

You jogged a few meters down the pitch-black crevice, nimble toes putting some distance between you and the fissure’s entrance before briskly finding a secure spot from which to spin around and face it. You shoved at the midsection of your robe with the back of your hand, nudging it away to make room for stiff fingers to envelop the cold metal of your belted saber.

Your silent, hot breath fogged the cold air just below your nose as you waited out those few, tense seconds. A careful quietness encapsulated your form despite your prediction that this stranger would likely pass.

It was always best to be cautious, you reminded yourself.

But, of course, you had no such luck.

On high alert, thumb hovering over the hilt’s activation, you observed as the being sidestepped in after you, their face and figure obscured by the rift’s absence of light. Watchful steps characterized their form while they inched deeper into the crevice, head tilting side to side as they tried to discern their surroundings with blurry fingertips gracing the left wall to keep them centered.

Strangely, you perceived an air of delicacy from their cautious outline. A meaningfulness in each of their carefully selected motions. However, you still had difficulty in sensing their motivations. Whether it be malice or geniality, their presence felt too calm to point to either direction definitively.

And you were not one to take chances.

So, with the flick of the wrist, you snatched your saber from its resting place with a clink, unfurling that familiar gray glow as you stepped back into a lunge to whip the blade up before resting it inches from the figure’s face.

Instantly, its luminescence unveiled from the twilight a familiar set of bright blue, yielding eyes, accompanied by an auburn beard dewed by drizzles. The plasma’s heat had stirred the man to raise his hands calmly, feigning surrender as a curious expression tickled his cheeks.

You sighed, adrenaline evaporating from your veins while your blade dropped a few degrees.

“You’d think after a lifetime as a Jedi, you’d know it wasn’t a good idea to sneak up on one,” you voiced, raising a brow.

Obi-Wan lowered his hands, offering you an affable expression as you deactivated your saber and snapped it to your belt.

“I’m always willing to take a chance for a friend.”

You shook your head in mock disapproval while you moved to pass the Jedi, unintentionally brushing your upper arm against the weight of his similarly soaked cloak. It didn’t take long to reemerge on the outer end of the gap, cascading you in the brighter light of the still-overcast street.

“What are you doing out here?” You asked, vision centered on a pair of beings strolling near the far end.

“Looking for you,” he stated matter-of-factly while following your form out onto the road.

You leisurely turned, now able to better see his face as he phased into the muddled daylight, his hair sleek with water and eyes dulled by the hidden sun.

“Why?”

The relaxed Jedi paused before you, creasing his brows as he spoke tactfully.

“Anakin came to see me earlier.”

You looked away, choosing to draw your attention to the street ahead before leaning into a quiet stroll.

Though the Master was quick to follow, matching your pace as he glided beside you.

“He was concerned,” Obi-Wan continued, stitched gaze never leaving your face. “Something about a reaction you had during his piloting lesson today?”

The understatement tugged at the corner of your mouth, though your eyes remained tethered like anchors to the raindrops exploding into puddles below.

“Did he also tell you he took the fighter into an Aileron Roll with the gravity dampers off?” You emphasized, waggling your brows in a challenging, yet light-hearted manner.

His eyes widened for a brief moment, cycling through all the stages of what you could only assume was Former Padawan-related grief before capitulating into an expression of experienced resignation.

His gaze fell to the ground, mirroring yours.

“He did not.”

You breathed in deeply, absorbing the momentary silence flooded only by the pitter-patter of cooling raindrops. It had aerated the street of this morning’s blistering heat. And as a creature of the cold, it had the effect of alleviating your exercise-induced, clammy skin deliciously.

“Silvey,” Obi-Wan began gently. “Anakin isn’t the only one.”

You blinked toward the subdued Jedi who must’ve sensed the motion as he quickly met your gaze. Both pairs of cloud-shaded eyes locked for a moment, enabling you to stretch into the space before signaling for him to continue.

“I’ve also noticed that something is affecting you.”

You sighed.

You began wracking your brain for some excuse. Any excuse that you could throw out at this moment. All so that you didn’t need to explain your strange yet nuanced predicament to the man beside you.

You searched the falling droplets for answers, reminding yourself that finding a solution before anyone close to Anakin learned the truth was for the best.

It’s not his job to worry about you.

And that went for Obi-Wan too.

“Is it Qui-Gon? I understand his death may be fresh for you. I’d be happy to lend an ear—“

“No, it’s not that,” you interrupted.

Instantly, you recognized the falsehood in that statement.

“I mean…”

You shook your head at yourself, hoping to shake the right, jumbled thoughts into alignment.

“I can’t deny that he’s been occupying my mind more than most things…”

Your jaw hung loose as you tried to catch the words buzzing in jumbles above your head. But, for some reason, they just kept escaping through your clawing, slippery fingers.

“But that’s not…it,” you uttered.

You glanced back up at Obi-Wan.

His eyes had abruptly softened while he listened to your voice intently. Vision piercing your very soul as if he was hoping to look right through you.

And you weren’t sure why, but that penetrating expression suddenly took you off guard.

Your brain stumbled as you tried to refocus on the conversation. You supposed you weren’t expecting him to have had such an empathetic reaction. Right? Maybe you just hadn’t really made a point to notice how kind his eyes could be. At least, not before now.

But here? In this instant?

You could see their radiance so clearly.

Even among gradually strengthening raindrops that blinked into streams after colliding with the chiseled face of the Jedi before you. They did nothing to dissuade the thoughtfulness that shone from his features.

But then again, wasn’t that always the rule with Master Kenobi?

It was those same eyes that had shared with you looks of encouragement when you were first struggling to pass the thoughts of large crowds. Those same bright blue eyes that happily guided you to the Sparring Arena during your first full day at the Temple when you were terribly lost. Those same entertained eyes that would glance at you briefly after throwing a sarcastic remark at Anakin to lighten everyone’s moods. Those same, unwaveringly concerned eyes that trailed your figure every time you unexpectedly removed yourself from his company, always to deal with another burning onslaught of pulsing stabs that gradually became more pronounced on your features.

Those thoughtful eyes that were first to check if you were okay, despite the Master Jedi having taken the brunt of your full-speed collision, during that shuttle escape from Hoth.

Those unflinchingly kind eyes which, for some unknown reason, seemed to crack a chink in your conviction.

Enough to let out a sliver of splintering light.

Your feet stalled underneath you, bringing both you and Obi-Wan to an aimless rest as your heart raced. You curved fully toward the soaking Jedi, lips parted in thought as you searched for the words to begin explaining your situation to the man waiting ever so patiently.

You weren’t sure whether it was from the buildup to this long-held secret’s reveal or a side effect of your body’s fatigue. But the moment you glanced up, the moment your gaze locked once more with those two, perceptively azure orbs, you suddenly felt…

Very

Naked.

“I’ve been having…headaches.”

Master Kenobi’s head tilted slightly in disquiet confusion, subconsciously inciting you to tighten the robe’s wrap around your torso with crossed arms.

“Headaches?” He asked oddly.

“I think?” You dithered. “But they aren’t…normal.”

Exhaling, you redirected your gaze to the surrounding building’s upper structures and the gloomy gray of Coruscant’s atmosphere as you rammed through your next words, leaving behind any care of making sense as the wall you had so carefully built began to chip under his still engrossed stare.

“At first, they’d show up…randomly. Last for hours no matter what I did. Until I asked Master Windu for his input. He told me to give it a name the next time I meditated. He said it would help. That if I could pinpoint the feeling, it would root out the source of getting rid of them. So, I did.”

You shrugged.

“But, for some reason, it made everything worse. The times, the duration, the pain. And it doesn’t feel like a regular headache either. It’s-“

The bridge of your nose creased in thought as you drew imaginary lines from rooftop to rooftop with your eyes.

“Deeper.”

The silence that followed, no matter how short, felt utterly deafening. Even the quiet showers around you seemed to stall into white noise.

Until Obi-Wan sighed.

Pensively.

His furrowed brows never left your form as he raised a hand to tensely stroke his mouth for a moment.

“Is that what happened in the fighter this morning? One of these…headaches?”

Your gaze shifted back to his as you breathed.

“Yes.”

He hummed, resting his fingers upon the beard. “And when did they start?”

“About a week and a half ago.”

The Master Jedi allowed his hand to laxly fall, chin rising unexpectedly as his brows faintly furrowed. He’d now given room for his earlier concern to sparkle a bit brighter off ocean eyes that suddenly burrowed into yours.

“I’m taking you to the infirmary.”

Your stomach dropped, unsure if it was dragged down by your displeasure in making this situation a bigger deal than you believed it to be, or by the complete confidence with which the man before you voiced his plain alarm.

You began to question yourself. Were you misjudging this affliction? Were your symptoms really that bad?

Honestly, you thought, you’d had far greater scares on Hoth.

Qui-Gon’s gray hairs could attest to that.

And although most of your heart was beating a bit faster to the rhythm of these circulating thoughts, you couldn’t help but be enveloped by the small fragment that warmed at Master Kenobi’s caring sentiment. So much so, that it pulled you from your uncertainty before guiding your voice into a sweeter lull to address him.

“Obi—“

“This is not good, Silvey,” he interrupted firmly. “And I don’t like leaving such matters unresolved.”

You exhaled, shaking your head in disbelief as you backed down from his solid stance. Instead, you angled back toward the path ahead, resuming that same calm stroll with heavy feet. Again, Obi-Wan fluidly followed, his creased expression peaking at yours, which remained impassive despite your inner thoughts.

“I can’t.”

Master Kenobi dissolved into further unease as he acknowledged your response puzzledly.

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re right,” you began, neck angling toward him coolly. “I don’t understand what this is either. And it could be dangerous or it could be nothing. But what’s fact is that the more I involve beings from the Temple, the more likely this will all get back to Anakin. And I can’t have that.”

You huffed, sending a feeble kick to a passing puddle underneath you while building winds began to zip around the surrounding structure’s corners, nudging you both by the edges of your robes.

“I’m his Guardian, Obi-Wan. The last thing I should be doing is dragging him into unpredictable matters. He has enough to deal with right now, and I’m not adding to it-“

A sudden weight warmed your shoulder, guiding you to pause mid-stroll in the midst of finishing your thought. Still, you followed the slight tug, turning toward the man whose gentle hand rested assuredly by your throat like a sudden fire on a cool afternoon.

“So your solution is to travel through rainy streets in dangerous neighborhoods? Are you hoping to find the answer at the wrong end of a phaser?” He questioned sarcastically, retrieving his limb to gesticulate to your surroundings as a sudden chill nestled in its place.

You defended yourself, throwing back that same trickle of wit that briefly oozed from his figure with a cheeky grin. “Running has proven to help. Besides, I’d never pass up the chance to hone my combat skills. We are in a war, you know.”

You tried to suppress your chuckle at his unimpressed stare.

Still, you couldn’t help the gravity of the situation overcome you once more as his expression carefully hardened.

“And what if something happens because this wasn’t addressed sooner?” He argued. “I agree. Right now, it’s best to not tell Anakin. And I can make sure that he won’t find out. I certainly won’t tell him, and you can trust the doctors at the Temple to do the same. But you owe it to the Galaxy to at least sit through an examination. If the prophecy is true, we will all need you at your best.”

You exhaled, realizing fairly quickly that you were on the losing side of this battle.

“Please,” he emphasized.

You watched as Obi-Wan raised both hands, delicately resting each on your upper arms with their encapsulating heat.

Then, he leaned in.

Just a few inches, but enough to pervade your eyes, filling all the edges of your vision with his cautiously encouraging expression. He spoke lowly, in a deep, smooth tone as the hotness of his breath brushed across your wet cheeks.

“Allow me to accompany you to the Infirmary.”

The sensation of your throbbing heart had now reached your fingertips, shooting down your arms so boldly that you were surprised Obi-Wan couldn’t feel the beats through his steadied palms. Though his confidence in his ability to keep this matter private had eased your stirring veins slightly.

A quick checkup itself wouldn’t do too much harm, you supposed. As long as it remained just that. Still, this was all assuming Obi-Wan could keep you under The Chosen One’s radar until the matter was fully resolved. As you stared at his confident demeanor, you also had to admit that you’d been a bit concerned about how this exchange would end. For a brief second, you thought that as soon as you explained your affliction to Obi-Wan, he’d whip right back around to inform his former Padawan. He’d certainly known him for many more years than you, you surmised.

But that wasn’t the case.

Master Kenobi respected your motives. And he seemed assured enough to support you through these small sacrifices that you’d always need to make as Anakin’s Guardian.

As long as you were also getting the help you needed, it appeared.

But, deep down, you knew that wouldn’t always be possible. Save this exception.

Is that why telling him, even after all of these assurances, still felt so wrong?

No, there was no need to remind Obi-Wan of that reality at this moment. You were comfortable enough to let those blue eyes get the win they so strongly fought for.

Tugging on the seam of your robe, you spoke softly.

“Alright.”

And in return, the Jedi Master offered you a grateful, almost relieved, smile.

After presenting Obi-Wan with this small victory, you couldn’t help the sudden confusion that overcame your mind, born from a latent realization. A perplexing thought which transformed into one more question that you needed to ask before surrendering yourself to the trained hands of Jedi physicians.

“By the way,” you spoke up. “How did you find me? I didn’t tell anyone where I was going.”

The Master sent you a look so pointed that it blared across rooftops one undeniable judgment:

That he knew you were not going to like this.

“Apparently, Anakin was having trouble finding you for those unplanned sparring sessions the two of you enjoy so much. Mostly, because he hasn’t been able to sense your presence.”

He exhaled.

“His solution was to place a tracker in your robe.”

Your jaw dropped, a drop of rain catching your marginally exposed tongue.

“That little-“

“Don’t worry,” Obi-Wan announced in that thick, Coruscanti accent.

“I told him to turn it off.”

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inspofromancientworld · 19 days ago

Text

Legendary Creatures: Gorgons

By Gorgon Painter - Siren-Com Own work, 16 November 2009, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8473789

In ancient Greek mythology, the Gorgons (Γοργώνες) are three sisters who are said to be the daughters of Phorcys (Φόρκυς the god of the ocean prior to the Titans) and Ceto (Κητώ a primordial sea goddess before the Titans) and are the sisters of the Graeae (Γραῖαι three sisters with grey hair from birth and share a single eye and tooth amongst them). Anyone who looked at them was turned to stone. Athena wore a Gorgon head on her aegis, which might be an animal skin or shield, giving her protection from any weapon and cause terror among her enemies. The sisters were named (from oldest to youngest) Euryale (Εὐρυάλη meaning 'far roaming'), Stheno (Σθενώ meaning 'forceful'), and Medusa (Μέδουσα meaning 'guardian' or 'protectress'). Of the three, only Medusa was mortal.

By Jastrow (2006). Image renamed from Image:Gorgons lekythos CdM.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2184458

Stheno and Euryale were only mentioned in one myth, where they chase Perseus down after the death of Medusa and the symbology of this story was then depicted on Heracles' shield. Euryale is said to have a 'lamenting cry' that Athena then turned into the 'shrill cry' of 'many-voiced songs of flutes' that were slightly out of tune to mimic the 'fast moving jaws of Euryale'. Perseus managed to keep ahead of them because he was wearing Hades' cap. They were depicted running on pottery, with their heads atop their bodies, apparently without a neck, facing the viewer. They had wings on their backs and curly toed boots on their feet and quite wild looking. Later, they gained necks and became less wild looking.

By Unknown author - Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112303464

Medusa is the most well known of the three sisters now because Perseus decapitated her by using his shield to view her in reflection. Her head was then put on Athena's aegis. Her visage was then considered to ward off evil. She is the only one directly said to have snakes as hair, which was then expanded out to all three sisters. Initially, she was depicted as monstrous. Around about the fifth century BCE, she became a beautiful and terrifying. By the time the Romans were telling the story, Medusa was a beautiful woman to begin with until Neptune (Poseidon in Greek) attacked her in Minerva's (Athena in Greek) temple, which led to Minerva cursing her hair in to snakes. Perseus took her head for King Polydectes of Seriphus because the king wanted to marry Perseus' mother and wanted to be rid of Perseus. Athena, Hermes, Hephaestus, and Hades all help Perseus to defeat Medusa. When Medusa dies, Pegasus, the winged horse, and Chrysaor, a giant with a golden sword, spring from her body.

By Morio - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27748539

After her death, Perseus is said to have flown past Atlas and turned him to stone, then turned Medusa's spilled blood into coral, then used it to rescue the woman who became his wife, the most beautiful woman, Andromeda. He then rescued his mother from a forced marriage before turning the head over to Athena.

By ArchaiOptix - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87474267

The tripling of Medusa into thee sisters could probably be the result of a greater trend to make goddesses into a trio of sisters. As noted by Jane Ellen Harrison in her Prolegomena: To the Study of Greek Religion, 'The triple form is not primitive, it is merely an instance of a general tendency… which makes of each woman goddess a trinity, which has given us the Horae [goddesses of seasons], the Charites [goddesses of charm, human creativity, and beauty], the Semnai [the goddesses of vengeance], and a host of other triple groups. It is immediately obvious that the Gorgons are not really three but one + two. The two unslain sisters are mere appendages due to custom; the real Gorgon is Medusa.'

#gorgons #medusa #stheno #euryale #greek mythology #legendary creature

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naamahdarling · 1 year ago

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This is Billy, he's a snake (string) killer who also loves to just stare at me. Please give him a job so I can be free of his ceaseless gaze. Also he's afraid of loud noises!

Oh my gosh!

Black cat.

Fights snakes.

Stares Real Good.

Temple guardian! Not necessarily of Bastet, she was a pretty raucous party goddess sometimes, and he might not like all the racket, but definitely a temple guardian. I mean, he might already be performing this duty, because he looks like he's seen some things in that second pic. Bastet only knows what he's done battle with already. He would do an excellent job at a temple where he was spoiled adequately and petted as much as he liked, but also had the freedom to tell the humans to fuck off and eat wildlife if he wanted to. The younger guardians could learn a lot from him. He really does look amazing at his job, look at all those strings snakes! Maybe put up a statue for him or something, or a small portrait very near the ground so he can look at it and feel proud of himself.

#cat professions

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ultimate-sword-showdown · 2 years ago

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NINJAGO SWORD OF FIRE PROPAGANDA—

Okay, Aegislash is cool. I’ll admit it.

But can it turn into a motorcycle? No? Didn’t think so. Guess what the sword of fire can do? BAM!

The Sword of Fire is one of the four golden weapons used to create the continent/island of Ninjago by the First Spinjitzu Master (aka god). Holding all four weapons at the same time will disintegrate you. It was sealed in the Temple of Fire under the guardian of a dragon, then used to release the evil son of god out of the Underworld.

It was then used to defend against an army of snake warriors and killed an enormous F-U ancient snake set to devour the entire world. It can heat a pizza. It was fused into the Megaweapon that could grant wishes, and finally blasted into space.

When it was retrieved, it was forged into Retrieved and forged into golden armour used by the embodiment of ancient evil and exploded one of the main heroes.

It’s also singed off Kai’s eyebrows and he had to perfectly paint them on for a month so nobody would notice.

Later, it got reforged back into the sword to defend against an army of ancient Oni demons hellbent on destruction. Was rendered powerless for a while after being used in the Tornado of Creation that sent one of the main characters on a two-way trip to meet god via death by rubble.

The sword was later stolen by the C.O.C.K (Council of the Crystal King), a supervillain team up that is unfortunately not an evil volleyball team. It got crystal-ized & powered up and used by a millennium-old sorceress snake lady so desperate for revenge against the old man who locked her away that she challenged him to a series of contrasts (including pancake making and Billards) and won.

When the sword was pried from her grasp, it was used by ninja dragons (yep, ninja dragons, not ninja riding dragons— that happened too, but in earlier seasons) to defeat the ancient evil once again.

(Please tag as “Crystalized Spoilers” thanks)

You're so right I love the sword of fire

#sword showdown #sword showdown propaganda #the bladesmith answers #crystalized spoilers #im sorry the sword was stolen by WHAT #ashamed to admit i laughed really heard at that acronym

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mahayanapilgrim · 2 years ago

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The Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra is a Mahayana Buddhist teachings on the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who vows to attain the final enlightenment after the hell realm is emptied. The sutra illustrates how Ksitigarbha became a bodhisattva with his great vows for the well-being of all living beings. It also the practice of Ksitigarbha brings 28 auspicious results to oneself.

Ksitigarbha as a Brahmin Maiden bodhisattva

The story of Ksitigarbha was mentioned in the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Purvapanidhana sutra, one of the most popular Mahayana Sutras. According toKsitigarbha Sutra, Ksitigarbha used to be the maiden of a Brahmin. She was very troubled because of her mother’s death. Since she had false statement on the three jewels , she got worried that her mother would experience great tortures in hell. So she sold everything of her property so that she could offer offering to Buddha of her time. The Buddha at that time was known as Buddha of the Flower of Meditation and Enlightenment. She asked for Buddha help to spare her mother from all the pain in the hell. Later after seeing Ksitigarbha praying fervently, Buddha told her to go home and recite his name if she wanted to see where her mother was. After doing the exact thing that Buddha instructed her, her consciousness went to Hell realm and she was informed by the guardian that her mother went to heaven after her fervent praying and offerings. After knowing that her mother went to heaven, she was relieved but she was also sad seeing the suffering in the hell, she took a vow to help beings to relieve them from the suffering of the hell.

Ksitigarbha as a Buddhist Monk

According to Mahayana Buddhist tradition, there existed a legend on how Ksitigarbha manifested himself in China and how Mount Jiuhua became Ksitigarbha's Bodhimanda, one of the four sacred mountains in China. According to records, Ksitigarbha was a former prince of Silla and was known as Kim Gyo-gak and he went to Mount Jiuhua to cultivate his dharma .

Some rumors said that Ksitigarbha was bitten by a snake on Mount Jiuhua. Unable to move, he resides in Mount Jiuhua. He was cured by the medicine gave by a woman, a passer-by. Then he started meditating in a small hut in Mount Jiuhua. When a scholar with his friend and his family was visiting the mountain, they happened to notice Ksitigarbha meditating. But looking at Ksitigarbha bad condition, they decided to build a temple as an offering to him. When they asked him how much he needed, he replied that he needed a piece of land that could be covered with his robe. The scholar and his friend were surprised when he threw his robe and it spread the whole mountain. Elder Wen-Ke, the owner of Mount Jiuhua provided the entire mountain to Ksitigarbha and named the mountain to Ksitigarbha. Jijang died at the age of 99 in Mount Jiuhua.

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sortableroseanimations · 1 year ago

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OKAY SO. im tryna figure out a way (au?) that all of the songs can fit into the lore, whether literally or metaphorically. like,.,., idol/dj au could be one, but in canon or something? there could be so many little things. take graveyard kitten, it has menacing ass lyrics that don't quite relate to any solid personality we see. there's a little Seth reference in Sound of Winter (iirc), Golden Dragons could be an eons-long legend to be found out (think kinda like how Apep was the massive snake temple guardian, what could one do with the concept of a golden dragon?). there's honest to god so much potential when you take into account the other half of all the source material and i NEED to see this potential utilized one way or another

youre about to turn the fanfiction brain back on and this is an irreversible action

#im gonna do it #i already wrote one #im not above writing another #undertronic

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cartoonfangirl1218 · 1 year ago

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Legend of the Dragon S2 Watch and Rewrite

This season already shows how intense it will be through the updated intro. If I haven't mentioned before, the intro music is great, and the clips are just awesome. Yes, it shows a animation shift and Jeff "Swampy" is no longer assisted supervisor which is sad. But again, the intro so awesome, I'm already hyped and the pilot just ups the ante so let's get started.

Temple of the Shadow Dragon: Animation is much more crisp and fluid. At least when in close ups. In midrange, the faces aren’t always consistent. The flash animation is more obvious in the fight scenes though. And the CGI is wow. Very dated. But I guess it shows they got a bigger budget. Or smaller depending on how much flash animation costs. Also a side note, the animation made the color palette less vibrant and the characters more pale in general. And Ang/Ling have blue hair now instead of black with blue highlights. Kinda weird, I prefered season one palette.

Voice acting feels a little stiff during fight scenes even when the dialogue is in character, it feels like they’re trying to be overdramatic.

Don’t remember as much monkey hooting from Xuan Chi in previous fights as he does now. Same with Bengail’s grunts and yells.

Master Chin helpfully delivers exposition on the emperor combining his ancient magic with technology, hence CGI.

Sadly, slo-mo has returned in a particularly egregious scene where Xuan Chi takes the blast for Bengali in a scene. But it is surprising that it actually turned Xuan Chi into a monkey, demonstrating that guardians who have taken the position long enough, have their powers in twined in their essence and thus when in danger, Xuan Chi went primal. Or primate in this case.

Probably to give them a cute animal mascot and to make up for the fact that the VA was probably unavailable for the second season.

But it is a big blam episode where the Emperor destroys the dragon shrine and dojo so the twins cannot recharge their armbands and become golden dragons. (Also I know they have no budget for extras but what about the other students at the dojo? Jungi? Their mom?!? I guess they’re dead, it was nice knowing them for one episode)

Luckily, there’s a shadow temple for every yang temple. But Ling warns that isn’t the corruptive yin power what led to their emperor problem in the first place?

It’s a risk they have to take, the same with Zodiac Master begging the group to take him with them. Apparently, the Emperor is the worst boss ever. Too bad he got caught and the emperor takes him away for punishment.

However, they do have a jet to fight against the Emperor’s in a brightly colored CGI dog fight that honestly my eyes could have done without.

Apparently one of the new bonuses is that they can create random machinery from their phones. Random but okay, gotta get toy merch somehow.

Anyway, Master Chin takes the fortune cookie route by not telling them where the shadow temple is even though he clearly knows. I swear, some may say he’s letting them figure it out themselves, I say he’s screwing with their heads.

Point is, the shadow temple is in Alacatraz (where else can you find mass amounts of yin than in prison) and their new dojo is in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Part 2 introduces a new villain. The ancient shadow rat guardian and the emperor’s sister, Yin We who has a slight British accent. I know it’s a british series but with the other characters have American or stereotypically Chinese accents (the emperor is the latter), it’s just weird that she’s British when she grew up in a time before British colonialism. Whatever, she sounds evil and loving it. Her moves are also very slithery and sinuous which is more snake like than rat like but whatever, she’s evil and loving it.

As for Zodiac Master, he’s clearly become the bottom bitch for lack of a better term that they’re only keeping around because he knows the modern era and newfangled technology. It’s a pathetic step down and he so deserves it.

As for the group back in the temple, Ling is wary of the shadow temple for good reason as she can already hear voices trying to corrupt her to fulfill her true destiny.

Long story short, they mercifully don’t put viewers through a repeat of the previous season and Ling is able to regain control of herself and have renewed confidence that she can fight her dark side.

I would improve this episode just a bit by giving Ang more of an arc to go through. This season he is a bit lacking in character growth. While I liked the idea of Ling being wary of her potential dark side, Ang can show that he's still getting over the events of the previous season by not being totally trustful of her. Yes, he says he trusts her but he is first to jump on her when she seems to be corrupted. It can lead to a real bonding moment of how they're both trying to act things are normal but they aren't and they need to rebuild trust.

Enter the Shadow Wolf: Apparently some days have passed and we’re jumping into the new plot that since the twins already know about the shadow dog temple and is checking up on the guardian to see if he'll join the emperor.

This case, they’re at the shadow dog’s temple or in this case, shadow wolf as fluffy and cute don’t scream yin as much as a giant man-wolf.

K-Ho is true neutral evil as he has no interest in “sides” but representing yin so the world may remain in balance. A concept that Ang can’t quite reconcile in his black and white thinking. He doesn’t trust the wolf unlike Ling who is absolutely charmed.

Ang’s negative impression is reinforced when Yin We comes out of the shadows to introduce herself and her alliegence to her brother. She also has shape shifting powers. Unlike the rat guardian, hers isn’t limited to just rats. She can turn into any person, making for some dynamic fighting your twin sequences.

Anyway, the episode is all about whether trusting K-Ho a good idea and after some shapeshifting misunderstandings, Ang reluctantly concedes that K-Ho can be trusted. Well, the others trust him, Ang is still watching him closely.

Yin We is a fun new character with her bratty sister dynamic as she says she’s more “with it” in understanding the modern era compared to her brother. But the Emperor asserts his dominance when he warns her against impersonating him again. Yeah, he’s “with it” too, he has eyes everywhere.

To continue with my giving Ang more character development idea, I would like this episode to also explore Ang adjusting to being co-dragon with Ling. He's used to being the leader with Xuan Chi and Bengail as support. Now he has to sometimes run his ideas by Ling and it just rankles him after being independent so long.

Cats and Dogs and Dragons: Turns out Master Chin had a life outside the temple. A potential love life at that as the teens learn he has an archeologist friend who needs their help.

So off they go to Egypt where the villains somehow already knew about Master Chin’s girl friend and have kidnapped her as bait to lure the dragons. Also to use as a bloodless offering to Bastet for anyone who brings Bastet back to life can ask the cat goddess for a favor. In this case, do their dirty work for them.

You can also see the siblings are getting on each other’s nerves as the Emperor remarks that it’s too bad Yin We is his sister because then he can't chop off her head for being a smartass.

Meanwhile, K-Ho is already at the temple as he literally sniffed out trouble which rankles Ang as he gets all territorial about the mission and not trusting him. Side note: I know there’s no budget for extra civilian designs but K-Ho looks prepared to explore the Artic rather than hot Egyptian pyramids.

Anyway, there’s some reluctant team work between the boys after Ling yells at them, they free Bastet from the Emperor’s command, they free archeologist lady and we learn that the goddess was the original tiger guardian too.

Which comes to what I’d rewrite in this episode which would be to give more focus on Bengail. As you'll see throughout this season is Bengail has been demoted from her badassery, often the first to be knocked out of battle. Same happens here even when Bastet has a real connection to the tiger guardian.

Bengail deserves some chracter growth too besides being mature supportive friend. So I would make this a Bengail episode, with her taking the lead on this mission, checking everyone for being unfocused with their crushes (Ling) and macho ego contest in K-Ho/Ang's case. I would highlight how Bengail has been working doubly hard, going back and forth between San Fran and Hong Kong to check her temple and help the twins and she wants some little acknowledgement for her hard work. Give her time to shine and save the time. Not just the golden dragons.

Shadow Tiger Take Two: The teens travel to a remote island to check on the shadow tiger temple where it turns out, Ang’s old superstar friend is making a new movie and he can be in it. (With only one camera man because budget problems. Hey, they can make meta)

Starstruck Ang immediately accepts as he can act opposite his celeb crush, Karen Kwan so Ling and Bengali go on a girls trip to the temple where the shadow tiger guardian, Sabre-claw lives up to his name by turning into a sabertooth-hybrid. The design is not unlike a low budget Sabretooth (hence name change). Bengail has a brief brush with corruption with how much she wants the shadow tiger band which I really wish they went through with. Show Bengail's dark side.

Meanwhile, Yin We has been impersonating Karen to get close to Ang’s armband but is foiled by Xuan Chi’s animal sense. Ang helps Ling and Bengail against Sabreclaw, they save Karen and the day is saved.

Pretty standard so to add some pathos, I would have Ang be attracted to it because he is starting to miss some normalcy. He's been all Golden Dragon 24/7, and this used to be one of his childhood dreams. Now Ling is his co-dragon, why can't he take a break? Yes, I mentioned that he should have an episode in season one over his normal life vs new responsibilities but he can backslide, and start an arc of Ang working on a dragon-life balance.

A Horse of a Different Color: K-Ho has been training the twins on how to access their power bands without having to go through the transformation sequence. A feat which they quickly turn into a competition cuz sibling rivalries never go away.

Anyway, before Ang gets turned into street pizza again, Master Chin’s Aesop gives him a brainstorm. All legends have a bit of truth in them so maybe they’ll find other shadow temples through the legends. Like England’s White Horse ruins sound perfect setting for the Shadow Horse temple. Ling’s Skeptical but Ang is quickly proven right when they find the temple and it’s defenses turn against them.

Quickly they find the Shadow Horse, I mean Shadow Stallion guardian who can turn into a centaur! So awesome! Anyway, Yin We tries to destroy the temple when the stallion refuses to join the emperor and the twins figure out how to use their power by working together.

It’s a simple episode so I would emphasize more of the competition part so their teamwork realization is more meaningful. In fact, I feel like the setting should just be changed to Scotland since they have so many loch ness jokes and a kelpie would be so much more of a yin legend-hello horse that drags unsuspecting mortals to their death just like the shadow horse draws people's destructiveness.

Rat Attack: Yin We has been breaking the teens’ defenses by attacking at all hours at random, making them lose sleep and leave no time to recharge. It’s a pretty wise strategy though I wish they did more with it as the episode goes beyond a few yawns here and there. To make it more urgent, just show the affects of sleep deprevetion on the teens, especially Ang.

But I found Bengail’s pep talk to Ang that it’s okay to take a break and he cannot be on guard all the time because he’s human to be sweet and just what he needed to hear. You can tell he puts a lot of responsibility on himself in being guardian all the time and needs to be pulled into focus as a season long arc.

So Yin We tries to pull a trap by kidnapping the rat guardian, Ming and impersonating her and the teens manage to pull off not one but two double crosses. The second one I didn’t even see coming. Plus Ming returns and the feisty girl never disappoints.

So it’s a good episode, it could have just done more with what they had.

Spellbound: Sabreclaw and Yin We are back and have dug up a mystical were-Jaguar jade to call in another god to double-cross. Apparently, Yin We has been itiching to prove that she can do a good plan without her brother's input.

Back in San Francisco, the show finally answers my internal question about the safety of the Tiger Temple with Bengail in San Francisco this whole time, apparently she travels back and forth. And she’s been gone for a long time, Ang and Ling are worried and they head there to find it totally ransacked.

Long story short, they follow the clues to Central America and Yin We adds conflict by shapeshifting to the jaguar god so the teens would think the jaguar god is behind all this and not Yin We.

It doesn't help that when they do see the real Jaguar God, he has hypnotized Bengail to be his future queen as he rebuilds his empire. Meanwhile, Yin We and Sabreclaw plan to ambush the god after he defeats the heroes so they can be double tigers.

Unfortunately, Bengail may be hypnotized but she's honest and tells the Jaguar god what backstabbing rats Yin We and Sabreclaw are, so he turns against Sabreclaw and Yin We and tries to sacrifice them in a pit.

While I enjoyed the change in location, the brief fighting the wrong enemy, and the return of feisty Bengail before and after she breaks out of her trance, her reasoning that she felt bad for him trying to rebuild his empire as some tragic bad guy didn’t work.

How did she know if she was hypnotized the whole time? I mean. the viewers knew but she didn't.

Also, I was waiting for some clear Ang not quite realizing why he’s so distressed about Bengail being taken. I’m not saying to put them together or he has some big hero moment, but like some more intense feelings on his side as Bengail has already shown for him.

So I would emphasize more of Ang's potential feelings for Bengail, and emphasize the god's tragic anti hero nature by having his empire be rebuilt after his tragic early death from conquistadors. Also give him a name, it will make him feel more human.

Friend or Foe: Since Yin We is weakened after their success in Rat Attack, the group takes advantage of Yin We’s state by setting up an irresistible trap-a seemingly abandoned temple. Yin We falls for it, and once they have her down, Sabreclaw nopes out of there like a coward. The Emperor watches this all from his all-seeing vision and while Zodiac Master suggests maybe it’s for the best, the Emperor turns on him for letting Yin We go without her band. Classic projection.

Now it’s a race against time for the group to get Yin We to the shadow rat temple and send her back to the spirit world while the Emperor sends obstacles to stop them.

And to make it a little more tricky for the heroes, without her band Yin We claims she’s good, no longer corrupted by the yin. That’s hard to believe and the whole group is skeptical of her innocent good girl act even as she begs them to let her help.

It all turns out to be a long con that Ang thankfully prepares for. I just wish it was a little more riveting and ambiguous.

But besides the Ang/Bengail ship tease, there’s also a thing going on between Ling and K-Ho. Like he makes a comment about how it’s always a wild adventure with them, and she just smiles like he called her pretty or some huge compliment. She’s got it bad.

While I think everyone could tell Yin We is faking, it could still add some conflicy by having Yin We observe the dynamics around her and pit the teens against each other like when she mentioned Ang and Bengail being together etc. It could also be another chance to have the twins discuss Ling's redemption.

They had a brief debate over whether Yin We could be held responsible if she was under the shadow rat power and if she is capable of change. Make it a real debate, and have the twins hash out why they (don't) believe in Yin We with Ling taking a more cynical stance to Ang's positive.

It could lead to a really dramatic climax when Ang asks Ling that if it was the smarter decision to not believe in redemption, than should he have not tried with her? And Ling says he shouldn't have. Reveal that past her nonchalant reaction to other's distrust, she still feels bad over what she did as the shadow dragon and feels she doesn't deserve redemption.

The Golden Babysitter Blues: After Yin We tries to steal the ox band from Robbie, he travels to San Francisco for refuge and Master Chin leaves the twins in charge of babysitting him while he gathers the other guardians to help.

This was pretty much a filler episode with some highlights Ang's indignation at Robbie calling him "his elder," he's not that old yet.and the little boy effortlessly taking out the teens with ease when they underestimate his martial arts skills.

But when they bump into the shadow-ox guardian in the park, it felt too convenient (he’s the town bully and can turn into a Minotaur) that Yin We could locate him and transport him so quickly just for Robbie to bump into him. Why not ambush?

And then the contrived "urgent" situation where Yin We kidnaps Master Chin so she could force a stalemate and get Robbie to give his band in exchange, you feel no satisfaction from Robbie's bait and switch since it was so predictable. They did it a lot better in Rat Attack.

To make it feel like a repeat of other episodes and maybe add some pathos have Ang and Ling really try to mentor Robbie as they were. Or even bring their mother in since she has more experience teaching kids only for her to be distracted in trying to bond with the twins and they're unsure of how to deal with having a parent in their life.

The twins could also have their own bonds with Robbie, reflecting in how they've learned and grown. Maybe ang realizes he wants to rebuild the temple and dojo. Maybe Ling even realizes she likes teaching kids and maybe Master Chin had a point that she has potential as a master like him.

Gone Shadow Ape: We return to the search for the monkey. Actually, it's the shadow monkey band. Master Chin and Ang head to Hong Kong at the behest of the previously helpful museum curator but Yin We and the Shadow Ape guardian get there first and turn into a beast worthy of King Kong (actually referenced within the show. Sadly, no tower homage)

Unfortunately, Xuan Chin gets wind of it back in San Francisco and steals the jet to fly to Hong Kong to retrieve it, ruining Ling's day off (Apparently, they've been there for almost half a year and they haven't ventured past their street like a permanent house arrest, what gives?)

Anyway, fights ensue, Xuan Chin gets sent to the pound for rabies, and it's really not a memorable episode. We spent most of the time watching the antics of a monkey trying to fly a plane and rescuing the monkey from the pound. The fight with the shadow ape took only 3 minutes and it was painful to see the twins get beaten down by generic throws.

Even the animation looked off in this episode, in character models and in matching audio with their mouths.

The only redeeming part is some of the snarky dialogue and yeah, that's it. It also ends the search for the monkey band on a cliffhanger!

To make this a more meaningful episode, I'd potential bring back Xuan Chin as a human again, give Ang and Xuan Chi a real bro trip episode after a whole season without their friendship. Oh, and finally give him his dang monkey band. We've already seen the shadow monkey band in the first season, just give Xuan Chi the powers he deserves.

As a B-plot, Ling can decide to work on easing her conscience and make amends to the other guardians she attacked in the previous year. This can turn comical to heartfelt and really show that Ling has grown for her selfish, entitled nature of before.

Lone Wolf: Ang and K-Ho get a bonding episode! Since K-Ho has a connection to all wolves, he immediately sets out to the cold north to save a wolf cub being terrorized by some hillbillies. Unfortunately, one of those hillbillies is Yin We and K-Ho gets injured in the resulting fight.

Now, it's up to Ang to care for a stubborn K-Ho and wolf cub in the midst of a blizzard while Yin We is waiting to attack them at their weakest. It made a great trapped among mountain lions scenario between Yin We and the blizzard and K-Ho rapidly decreasing energy. It was great to see Ang finally get the trust of the lone wolf and for K-Ho to finally admit he needs help and respect what Ang can offer in battle.

Meanwhile, Bengail and Ling have their own girls trip to fight at the Tiger Temple with Sabreclaw which they deduce as a distraction so the twins would be split up and easier to pick off. Nuh-uh, they're too smart for that and so the day is quickly wrapped up with a full team beatdown.

I don't have any changes or critiques to this episode even though it almost veers on a very special animal cruelty episode, I don't care. Animal terrorizers deserve to almost crash their helicopter.

Also Zodiac Master was here, utterly forgettable and useless. He was fine in the first three episodes but I don't see why they had him stick around. The Emperor should have turned him into stone if only to emphasize that he's a real threat and inject "Anyone can die" scenario.

Heart of the Black Dragon: Season finale time! With the help of the shadow snake guardian (who is promptly concussed cuz Yin We doesn’t share credit), the Emperor has the eye of the black dragon. A mcguffin never mentioned before because it in the time before guardians. Actually, it was why the guardians were created. To defeat the black dragon and then put the world in balance.

So we bring things back to Alcatraz since the guardians thought no one would go to the “new world” to find the black dragon’s heart. Too bad the Emperor figured it out.

So Master Chin ruins everyone’s day off (lowkey really nice to see them acting like normal teens, shopping, flirting etc. before it gets interrupted. Also Master Chin sarcasm is great) and they head to Alacatraz too late.

But if there’s a black dragon, there has to be a gold dragon and once again, Master Chin tells them they have to figure it out themselves even though he already knows everything!

I’ll admit the ending is cheesy as it’s inside themselves and after a brief moment of doubt, they turn into a double headed dragon. Something I’ve been waiting for and was disappointed at how cartoony it looked. Same with the final black vs gold dragon fight that was only 2 minutes long.

That’s the critique I’d give the episode as a whole. Great set up but the execution felt rushed and unearned and the fight choreography was a downgrade too. In season one you can see the martial arts moves that keep things dynamic and interesting, and the guardian powers had some relation to their animal. But here, it’s all kicks and colored blasts, it falls flat.

Even when it’s supposedly 10 terra cotta warriors against two, the urgency doesn’t feel real because the budget simplifies the action scenes. It makes them look lame honestly.

Give their unique powers and fight skills back like Bengail and her dart claws, I haven't seem them all season. Show the actual martial arts moves and inspiration.

Although, I did enjoy Bengail and K-Ho as the last ones standing and vowing to keep fighting like any last surviving soldier in the trenches. Even though they didn’t interact much in this season one on one, you can tell they have a completely platonic respect for each other as warriors. I like it and I wish the show did more to switch up the group pairings.

Final Thoughts: I really come to enjoy this show. The characters are what interesting and made me stay, the lore needs some work. As for the season, it started promising but showed cracks and budget issues in the end from color palette to fight chereography. It also got pretty formulaic by having the twins always being the one to save the day but the lessons felt too one-note. I wanted a season long arc as they did in the previous season.

Ang as I mentioned should get an arc on dealing with being a double golden dragon after being the lone dragon. Have him deal with sharing leadership, have him consumed with anxiety over his responsibilities, not giving himself time to rest. Learning to trust Ling again which is part of the reason he gives himself so much work because he doesn't believe Ling will care as much as he does.

Ling's arc would be complementary to his by having her take responsibility that she lacked. Yes, I want her to remain snarky but I also want her to be cautious of her own tendency towards selfishness and shortcuts. I want her to try to take accountability and make amends for the previous season instead of brushing off the other guardians' distrust of her (tho it is hilarious everytime. Guess there's no guardian newsletter update). Have her be a better sister by helping her brother acknowledge he is a good person but he needs to accept help and she wants to be someone he can lean on.

Master Chin shouldn't know everything. It makes him look like a jerk for not telling them basic information and warn them of potential dangers. Have him be just as unaware of the shadow temples since he's associated with only yang.

Give Bengail a focus episode as they did with K-Ho. K-Ho. . . K-Ho's cool. His VA reminds me of Greg Cipes the entire time which is so weird since its the same VA for Ang. I didn't mention before but the whole cast does double the amount of characters and its super impressive to me. They all did a great job!

The Emperor and Yin We were great as villains. I have no complaints, and Sabreclaw was nice attempt at giving Bengail a nemesis although it felt his indian accent got thicker in each episode he appeared.

As mentioned before, I would have just killed off Zodiac Master after the third episode. It would make the season darker and helps get rid of him since he was super unecessary and pathetic this season.

Upgrade everyone's powers. The only new thing the twins got was teleportation which eh. They can also "fly" but they did that in the previous season so I'm not sure why they were all surprised by that. It would be cool if the twin could breath fire though.

I would also up the ante with not just blowing up the dragon temple but forcing all the other guardian temples to move because they're not safe with Yin We and the Emperor on the loose. Displacement for all, and it can give the show a chance to show different Asian countries beyond Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Speaking of dark, I would have focused more lore on the shadow temples as mysterious as they are as not all of them are explored in the show. Just half. Make the teens face their darker natures or face the worst of humanity in a deadly sins-like way or yin-esque way. Put focus on the importance of balance and harmony and how they need to both exist in the world. Bring back some of the yang guardians since those cameos were fun like the Rooster guardian and Chow Chow and the twins' mom!

Really bring the zodiac into play by having the yang guardians show the animal's best traits and the yin show the worst and how destiny/the animal doesn't really control the person' fate but the person's actions do. Explore all the nuances of morality and redemption through the zodiac.

Overall, I would recommend the series for the characters alone and for its potential lore even if there are some big gaps. I really enjoyed it and will be in my mind for a long while.

#legend of the dragon #watch and rewrite #random musings #season two

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