#yes they got married the clone way and they both know it

[antianakin]

Zeb brings Rex to Lira San at some point to introduce him to the people there, both the Lasat who had already been there as well as the two Lasat survivors from Lasan. I have to assume that the culture on Lira San is significantly different from the culture that had developed on Lasan. Lira San is literally thought of as a LEGEND on Lasan from what we know which means it has been so long that these two cultures have probably developed in very different directions over time. So while there's probably stuff that Zeb IS familiar with on Lira San, there's going to be so much that he's being introduced to for the first time, as well.

Zeb is so excited to introduce Rex to his people, his culture, but he hasn't really ever spent any time on Lira San himself. He went down quickly to get the other two survivors settled there the first time they arrived and, for security reasons, doesn't go back until after the Empire is defeated. So he's not quite prepared for what it's actually like there. He tries showing Rex things he remembers of his culture, but everything is off or wrong somehow, and he ends up feeling like he doesn't know ANYTHING about these people or this culture and instead of being fun, it's just frustrating and devastating for Zeb, especially since Rex seems genuinely impressed by everything anyway, no matter how wrong it is. Eventually, he just snaps because he can't take it anymore and storms off.

Rex follows and Zeb tries to tell him to leave because he'll never get it and Zeb can't begin to understand. Rex says that Zeb's right, he'll never get it, because his people won't ever have something like this. Rex is never going to find some hidden enclave of the clones somewhere that have been safely and peacefully developing their culture on their own. It's just him and Gregor and Wolffe now, as far as Rex knows and it always will be. So Rex will never understand the pain that Zeb is currently going through by being confronted with a culture that feels like it SHOULD be familiar, but isn't quite. He'll never be confronted with an entire culture that manages to simultaneously bring him so much joy and relief as well as endless pain and devastation.

But this puts him in a unique position of being able to see the Lira San culture through the eyes of an outsider, without the pain it causes Zeb. He offers to show Zeb what HE sees when he looks at Lira San, to let Zeb explore this culture through Rex's eyes instead of his own. Zeb agrees, reluctantly, but it actually works. They go back through the market, the landmarks of this city they're staying in, the surrounding landscapes, the people, the language, the music. And instead of being frustrated at what he CAN'T see, he starts just enjoying being able to listen to what Rex CAN see. He can't always see it himself, he knows that it might take him a while to see it for himself and that sometimes he might NEVER see it, but for now, it's enough that Rex can see it and enjoy it and tell Zeb all about it.

They try a bunch of new foods together, they spar together and practice both the fighting styles they already know as well as try to learn local Lira San styles, they take a lot of trips out across the planet to see its different flora and fauna, they go see performances. Rex and Zeb just... spend a long time experiencing everything Lira San has to offer. And Zeb recognizes the irony in Rex having to sort-of introduce Lasat culture to him instead of the other way around, but he loves Rex so much for giving him this. He already knew how much Rex meant to him, he wouldn't have brought Rex to Lira San otherwise, but this is the moment he realizes he's going to spend the rest of his life with Rex.

In return, Zeb tries to ask Rex about the clones as much as he can. He asks Rex to talk about Wolffe and Gregor, but also about everyone he's lost. He asks about the 501st, and learns about Fives and Echo, about Hardcase and Dogma, about Tup and Jesse and Kix, about Appo and Denal and so many others. He asks about the other captains and commanders and hears about Cody and Fox and Ponds and Bly and Gree and Doom and Monnk. He asks how the clones chose their names and hears so many stories about the different ways clones got their names, some choosing them for themselves and some being given them by other clones, some naming themselves after something they loved and some naming themselves something that sounded cool at the time. He asks about hair and tattoos and learns about whether Rex ever wanted to dye his hair a different color and what everybody's tattoos meant and how the clones learned to tattoo each other when they left Kamino and started to see tattoos on other species.

And Zeb doesn't just ask for these stories so he alone can hear them, he sometimes asks when they're just walking around the marketplace and have picked up a gaggle of little Lasat kids who think they're cool and are perfectly happy to try to follow along with the stories Rex tells about his people. Rex always makes sure those stories are funny or heroic. He saves the sad ones for when he and Zeb are alone.

It turns out that the Lasat also had a tattooing culture of its own. The people of Lasan had had their own styles of course, but the practice itself had been brought there from Lira San, so Zeb asks Rex if he would want to teach the clones' style of tattooing to the tattoo artists on Lira San, so that the style at least could live on even if the clones themselves did not. Rex needs a few minutes to get himself together enough to try to teach anyone anything, but he is more than happy to work with the tattoo artists and pass along what he knows of his people's tattoo culture. Afterwards, Zeb asks if Rex wants to get tattooed with him, something they could share. A piece of both of their cultures, linking them together.

Rex says yes, because this is the moment HE decides he's going to spend the rest of his life with Zeb.

[aquaaquila]

The Owl House Family Tree

Behold, the family of the Owl House mixed with my headcanons that I made because I felt like it, and gosh is it crazy. Explanation under the cut lol

The Grimwalkers (and Hunter who's a grimwalker) were created by Philip, essentially being his children, but Philip created them using Caleb's DNA and modeled them in his image. So yeah, they pretty much are both parents of Grimwalkers as they're not perfect clones of Caleb and it's fucked up in plenty of ways

Since both Gwen and Dell are theorized to be descendants of Clawthorne with how Gwendolyn follows the mold of Clawthorne women with her looks, power, and name. Still, then there's Dell who has an uncanny resemblance to Philip and Caleb, along with being the best wood-carver in the wood-carving family, so it's not clear who's the Clawthorne and who was married to Clawthornes, I went a different route. I made Gwendolyn a very very distant descendant of Clawthorne's ancestor (16 generations and possibly even more), whereas Dell is the descendant of Caleb as a compromise.

Lilith and Hooty are in QPR.

I included Hooty's mom along with possible ancestors and used the tapeworm in Titan's eye as a point of reference.

The BATTs are adopted children of Raine and Eda's co-parent to them. She however adopted the Collector, King, and Luz individually, even though Raine also would co-parent them to an extent. Granted Eda was called "mama Eda" by Amber, whereas Luz, King, and the Collector never referred to Raine as their parent.

Raine and Eda are neither dating nor married, but a secret third thing. And the same applies to Darius and Alador

Camila and Perry Porter (Gus's dad) are in QPR as well.

Professor Hermonculus is Amity's grandparent because yes xD

Eberwolf and Darius are "like brothers" but they aren't officially brothers by either blood or adoption, or they're necessarily in QPR. They're just bros.

Darius had a failed relationship that resulted in Gavin (that abomination Glandus kid). That's rather a leftover theory with plenty of story-telling potential that came back from season 2A days when we knew nothing about Darius and were looking for some connections. The picture of the mom came from the old photo from Reaching Out.

Gavin is dating Cat (Amity's former friend, she set them up).

There was a funny theory that once I heard about Mason being dad of Willow's dad and I decided to go along with it because A) I find it funny, especially since the point of connection is how alike they look, and B) explains where Willow got her green eyes from.

Mason is a grandparent of Matt and Steve, as I figured he's too old to maybe be just their dad IMO, but he could still be. It's also an old and forgotten theory from times of TOH S2B when Steve got revealed to be Matt's step-brother (meaning they share one parent and have 2 different parents of their own) and there were storyboards of ASIAS that revealed there was a storyline with Mason and Tholomules, granted as I said, it was forgotten so I can't say it's really valid.

Steve and Katya are dating. @secretly-of-course here is your Stevatya mention.

Any other questions? The ones that aren't asking who is who, unless it is a really obscure character then let me know.

[darlingsfandom]

hii can i request young reader x older cillian where they are recently married , despite the controversy, and him and reader have been trying for a baby and one day shes pregnant and hes like so happy

FLUFF & SMUT!

TW: P in V, unprotected sex!

“Oh Mr. Murphy!” You teased as you climbed into bed with your new husband! Husband?! Yes, husband. You still couldn’t believe it that you’re actually married to Cillian. He was cozied up in the blankets with a book in hand and his reading glasses perched on his nose, a dream come true. Cillian peeked up at you and smiled as you stood there in just an oversized t-shirt that left nothing to the imagination.

“Baby, we’re married now , ya can call me Cillian.” He chuckled. You tilted your head and cloned into his lap making him put his book away on the bedside table.

“I’ve been thinking…”

“The last time ya said that ya ended up on ya knees at ta golden globes .” He poked your bottom lip which lead to his fingers in your mouth. He watched as you greedily sucked on them.

“Okay okay, wat ya tinkin?” He pulled his fingers out making you pout for a second.

“I want you to put a baby in me!” You smiled ear to ear as Cillians eyes went wide.

“Ya want me ta put a baby in ya?” His hand rested on your stomach. You nodded slowly while grinding your hips into his.

“Are ya sure? Ya know ya press is still hounding us.” He cupped your face and ran his thumbs over your cheeks slowly. He wanted to protect you. He knew how’d they’d be. It’s been in the news how you’re a gold digger and that you don’t love him and it’s all an act! But none of it was true! So when your wedding pictures came out, everyone ate them up!

“I’m sure Cillian! I want to make a beautiful family with you. I want this!” Your words melted his heart. How could you deny you anything?

“Ya know … makin da baby is ta fun part!” He smirked before attaching his lips to yours. Your lips moved in sync with his slowly at first like time was moving slowly while you sat on his lap. Your hands moved up into his hair when you opened your mouth allowing him to slip his tongue. It was sensual , romantic and passionate . Cillian laid you on your back , hiked up the bottom of your shirt and spread your thighs slowly. His lips kissed along the arm skin of your inner thighs gently while he laid on his stomach in front of you.

“Going to put a baby in ya one way or another sweetheart.” He mumbled against your soft skin. You laid there lifting your hips as Cillian got on his knees and aligned the head of his cock against your pussy. Your mouth fell into an “O” shape when he pushed the head in. “No matter how many time it takes, gonna make ya a mommy.”

“Cillian!” You cried in pleasure as his words struck your core. “Put a baby in me !” You pulled your knees up and back as he thrusted in and out of your wet pussy. He held onto your legs after throwing them over his shoulders so he could get as deep as possible.

“Gonna put a baby in ya Y/N! Gonna make ya ta prettiest mommy!” His thrusts picked up as he fucked you nice and deep. You laid there moaning out his name with some soft whimpers when he’d hit your sweet spot. Cillian was determined that he was going to fuck a baby in you . Both of you came at the same time , pulling him closer into you so his cum will stay into you. Cillian didn’t pull out, he waited holding your legs up high and hips angled just right.

After a few weeks of animalistic sex in different positions you hear hoping that there was a baby in you.

“Darlin?” Cillian yelled out as he came inside from being out at an interview . Nothing big just something for a local newspaper. You were on the bathroom waiting the test results. You were so busy pacing back and forth that you didn’t even notice Cillian leaning against the bathroom door.

“Baby?” His voice took you by surprise making you jump.

“Oh my god!” You grabbed your chest and giggled. “You scared me!”

“I see that! Are you okay?” He came up to you and wrapped his arms around you. You looked over at the counter and so did he . He seen the test and looked back at you.

“Do ya know?”

“Not yet, about another two minutes.” You held onto him tightly. Who knew two minutes would feel like a century ? You hummed softly as he held you.

Two minutes passed.

You walked over to the test and gasped making Cillian run to you.

“I can’t read these tings?” He held up the stick with furrowed eyebrows. He tilted it on its side before you grabbed it out of his hands.

“It says… you’re going to be a daddy!” You grinned ear to ear before his face of shock turned to excrement ! He spun you around and kissed your face all over! The press was going to go nuts over this if this gets out! Neither of you cared though because you both got what you wanted, a family!

[phoenixyfriend]

Star Wars Omegaverse Recs

Here's a couple solid omegaverse fics. This list is shorter than most of the ones I write but Meh.

Stars are for my favorites.

⭐ The Rain Fell Already by @loosingmoreletters: variation on Jedi Indentured AU containing omegaverse. Xanatos is omega Qui-Gon's bio kid but nothing changes, depressing but poignant

House Call by @elthadriel: two idiots knot while on medication that requires no knotting because it can get stuck for literal hours. Kix has to help and he is very annoyed about it

Status Quo by @captainkirkk: (G-rated) Anakin responds to Obi-Wan in a "you are my dad" way and the clones are surprised pikachu about it

⭐ Temporary Like Achilles by @intermundia: standard-ish fuck-or-die scenario where both sides are like "I can't take advantage of you/I just took advantage of you" because of course they are. (This author has a lot of solid Obikin, but they have me blocked (no I don't know why) so I can't tag them.)

⭐ He Said Yes by @threebea: (G-rated) B!Quinlan and O!Obi-Wan get mated for Obi-Wan's safety, the nature of their relationship is unclear to basically everyone (romantic? qp? other? unclear)

venus flytrap by IntoThineHands: Sith!Obi, role reversal of trope standard (omega deliberately takes advantage of an alpha)

Bite of Caramel by @thewriterowl: A!Jango needs a date to the family reunion, asks O!Obi-Wan to accompany him

⭐ good things in threes by @galateagalvanized: Codywan accidental pregnancy after O!Obi-Wan's implant gets nullified by an overpowered EMP (along with Cody's brain chip)

all my roads lead back to you by @tennessoui: idiots to lovers comedy (modern au, Obi-Wan got pregnant in a one-night stand across the country with a bartender who kind of looked like Anakin, because he's in love with his roommate but can't come clean and so hooks up with guys who look like him, and Anakin is in love with Obi-Wan enough that he's decided to be the Dad Who Stepped Up to this kid because anything Obi-Wan makes is part of Obi-Wan and obviously deserving of adoration)

The Theory of Letting Go by @ifonlyweknewwhatiwasdoing: never a Jedi!Anakin, Padme dead of uterine rupture, Obi-Wan hormonally addled and insistent on taking care of the twins like they're his own

The Swan Serenade by @shatouto: heavily AU, Mando!Anakin and Jedi-but-more-like-real-world-monks!Obi. (Has the most adorable art in the end of chapter notes, btw)

For Safekeeping by @glimmerglanger: Sith O!Obi-Wan feels safe because of the army of clones, which is the first time he's felt safe enough to have a heat, ends up fucked by his army of betas

when the snow falls we will wrap ourselves in furs by @hornet394: the fic I reread that had me going "I want Rex with O!Anakin but being in character" because this is one of the few omegaverse Rexwalkers that hits that button for me (though it's technically Anakin/501st poly stuff)

⭐ Find a little stranger by @obimanletkenobi: Villain!Obidala, both alphas, find Anakin at an omega auction, decide to ask him to play surrogate for their child since they can't do it themselves (with the offer to drop him off on a random planet with a wiped memory and enough cash to start a new life as a free man if he doesn't want to get pregnant), followed by smut

Belonging by IronCannon: this is the OTHER solid omegaverse Rexwalker

⭐ Conceal Me by @himboskywalker: longfic that is VERY good imo and builds the tension incredibly. Anakin is an omega pretending to be an alpha (literally the only people alive that know he's omega are his mother and the midwife). Senator Obi-Wan is an alpha pretending to be a beta (for weird reasons relating to his parents being kind of insane). They get married for politics, suggested by Palpatine because he found out about Obi-Wan being an alpha but not about Anakin, and decided a forced alpha/alpha marriage was going to self-destruct and help destabilize the Republic further.

Both by @obimanletkenobi: Anakin is the omegaverse equivalent of intersex and this explores the ways he's fetishized and discriminated against by the culture around him.

Peachy the Series by @the-writing-mill: IDK what to say, if you want 15k of O!Obi-Wan getting absolutely railed by two alphas, this is the fic for you

⭐ Packed Together Like Test Tubes also by @the-writing-mill: Jangobi, forced on both sides. Neither of them wants to mate, but the Kaminoans are forcing the issue with synthetic pheromones. It takes several weeks to get to that point and they are both fighting it with every ounce of willpower they have.

⭐ [Only] Think of Me by @inferior-fairy: Empress Amidala and Emperor Kenobi need Anakin to not go off the rails again, but they need a reason for him to want to stay because they love him too much to force the issue (and make him hate them) with chains or the like. So they give him Babies.

⭐ unfortunately it seems I have written more by @gaily-daily: Look at me. LOOK at me. This is fucked up and ugly and horrible and awful and messy and triggering and so incredibly well written as a dawning horror situation. Dead Dove at its finest. It is incredibly good as a story, but it is also really bad, and you need to go in accepting that. Without details, it's messy/triggering in the GoT sense.

⭐ terribly inconvenient and incredibly terrific by @tennessoui: A classic "Anakin wants to do something he is in no way qualified for and then suffers the consequences for his idiocy" plot, very fun.

I can fill those places in your heart no else can by @pontah: modern au post-breakup revenge sex I guess???

Ba’jurir by @mockingjay34: Rex/Fives, explores the intersection of anti-clone bigotry and anti-omega sexism.

Out in the Corner of the Dark with You by kazmir: a 5+1 fic about Anakin giving Obi-Wan a bunch of soft things as courting gifts

instincts by amidnightlove: just some fun and funky 'cycles make people go a little feral' stuff

EDIT: I missed a bunch so there's a Part Two!

[mcflymemes]

THE PRINCESS DIARIES & THE PRINCESS DIARIES 2: ROYAL ENGAGEMENT PROMPTS *  assorted dialogue from both films (2001 & 2004)

the brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.

wait for me! wait for me!

anyone can see your desires. no one knows what's in your heart.

you are so lucky you don't know who your parents are.

i am invisible... and i am wet.

i'm just supposed to watch you.

am i too late to ask you to accept my hand in marriage?

you broke my glasses!

don't worry about me.

a princess never chases a chicken.

this really is more romantic in books.

oh, by the way! i'm getting married!

you're not very good at lying.

i thought you'd never ask.

oh! oh yes! i absolutely accept!

somebody sat on me again.

we just made the bed.

tell me a secret.

i have done a lot of flying in my day.

do we have any problems?

you'll never be bored.

i loathe you.

no matter how many times you press that, it will still go up and down the same way.

i just love to look at him.

you look so... clean.

can you please pretend you have a life for just one moment?

just in case i wasn't enough of a freak already, let's add a tiara.

this is between a waltz and a tango.

we don't slump like this.

tell me your greatest desires.

i thought you said you never slide.

if there are no more passengers, i think we should close the door.

this is getting us nowhere! talk to me!

are you sassing your grandma?

courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear.

i have never put on pantyhose before, but it sounds dangerous.

why me?

yeah, he's cute.

shut up!

look out the window.

as always, this is as good as it's gonna get.

don't forget your shoes.

i haven't danced with you since your birthday.

you're morphing into one of them!

probably all i ever do is think about myself.

i can't do this.

i have diplomatic immunity in 46 countries, including puerto rico.

i love your eyebrows.

you can't run from everything?

i simply cannot condone it.

love does things for reasons that reasons cannot understand.

hang up the phone!

the secret is... i still want to.

the fault was entirely my own.

i'd like to report an accident.

the three of us have to talk.

what am i, a duck?

my job is to protect the crown.

stop daydreaming!

oh! your foot! i'm so sorry, are you all right?

i hate it when they move in like that.

is there maybe something else about me and my life that just maybe i might want to know about?

this is so cool!

now what did you want to tell me?

just stop it, okay?

you will answer directly to me.

are you sure you don't want to exchange licenses and proof of insurances?

he's not a backstreet boys clone.

i don't like you.

i look like a moose.

well aren't you just... crafty.

i've got a wedding to go to.

wait wait! no, not you. i don't even know you.

can we park a block away from school?

you know what? i don't feel protected.

you will find the word "fear" is not in my vocabulary.

i won't be getting married today.

oh my god! you're here!

i beg your pardon!

oh, for the love of god!

why do you talk like that?

is your mom dating an undertaker?

you look so... young.

can i borrow a comb?

oh, yeah, that is exactly what you did.

i know it's short notice, but you were all dressed.

so where are you taking me?

who destroyed you?

just because i didn't get my fairytale ending doesn't mean you shouldn't.

not if you didn't want me to.

they're smitten!

well, that probably wasn't the best idea.

you look ridiculous. you should sue.

have you ever experienced that instant headache when you eat ice too quickly?

just because your hair sucks, get off mine!

do you wear contact lenses?

i would gladly take a bullet for you.

look over there.

is this the punishment for driving without a licensed driver in the front seat?

you broke my brush.

so what are we learning today?

did you happen to see who's here?

you talk to him much?

well, the camera's all ready to go.

let's go this way.

ever take those shades off?

are you ready?

enough bowing! back to your chores!

no more straggling for me.

you did very well. very charming.

the light is perfect!

i'm feeling shy, come on.

you chose me, and i accepted.

did you hear that?

do you have any change?

no, it's not attractive!

okay, i look like an asparagus.

where is she going?

if this were my party, we'd be kissing by now.

they put me on hold!

we never rush. we hasten.

you know what? i'm fine! i'm good!

a strange woman came in here and asked to hide in your closet so i let her.

should i shoo him?

[randombrambles]

Okay...going to wade into the Sabezra discussion. May the flying spaghetti monster in sky have mercy on my soul...

I guess you could call me a "causal viewer" because, despite being a life long Star Wars fan, I'd never watched an episode of Rebels before watching Ahsoka. I just never got around to it and I've only watched a handful of eps of The Clone Wars too. But anyway once I started Ahsoka I was like "this show will clearly make more sense if I watch Rebels" so I started. I'm almost done season 3 of Rebels as of writing this post. And really loving Rebels btw. Part of me of like "why didn't I watch this earlier?" but on the other hand I don't have to wait for the next episode and I know the major spoilers already so I'm not going to get the rug yanked out from under me.

So back to Ahsoka and Sabezra...the big questions. Did I see the romance "coding" (not sure I agree "coding" is the right word but whatever, that's semantics) in Ahsoka? Yes. Sabine's actions definitely come across as her being in love with Ezra to me. That said I can also see the platonic angle, especially after having watched some of Rebels, so I'm not going to tell anyone they are wrong for viewing Sabine and Ezra's relationship as platonic. These things are subjective and open to interpretation until anything definitively romantic or definitively not romantic happens on screen. And at this point nothing definitive has happened either way on screen. Nobody has been proven right and nobody has been proven wrong yet. Sabezra is basically schrodinger's cat right now.

Next how did I interpret the "like a sister" line in Ezra's holo. Um...full disclosure the first time I viewed that scene I didn't even register that he'd said she was "like a sister" to him. I'd never even seen Rebels at that point so I didn't know Ezra yet. So as a causal viewer my take away from that scene was Ezra meant a lot to Sabine and Sabine meant a lot to Ezra. And I'd be wiling to bet that that was the takeaway for most causal viewers.

So on rewatch do I think the "like a sister" line means that Ezra truly sees Sabine as a sister? No. On rewatch, paying close attention to the body language, and after having watched some Rebels, I think Ezra is both struggling to find the words to tell Sabine how important she is to him and telling her what he thinks she needs to hear in that moment. The problem is that in English we don't have a word to describe someone isn't technically family but who isn't a lover either but who's also way more than "just" a friend. Sister is the best word Ezra can come up with in that moment but you can tell from his awkward body language and his literal scoff as soon as he says it that its not the right word. And yeah I think Ezra thinks that Sabine sees him as a brother so he tells her what he thinks she wants to hear right before he heads of on what very well could have been a suicide mission.

Do I think Sabezra is going to be made canon on Tuesday's final episode of Ahsoka (of season 1 at least). No, but hold on nobody panic!!! I also don't think that means Sabezra is dead in the water either. And frankly I'm kind of mystified as to why Sabezra shippers seem to think that the next episode is make or break for Sabezra when its clearly not? If there isn't a love declaration or a kiss or both (which is what I'm assuming people would interpret can them being made canon) its not like either Sabine or Ezra are going to marry someone else on Tuesday either. And since much of Ahsoka has been set up, meaning not much is actually going to get resolved in the next ep (Thrawn hasn't even left Perida[?] yet! I fear we are ending on a cliff hanger), we'll be seeing Sabine and Ezra again. There's no rush for them to get together romantically (and I know that's hard to hear for people who've been shipping for years but its true).

And further to the "there's no rush" point I actually have to say I that I think its WAY too soon for anything definitively romantic to happen between Ezra and Sabine yet (and again I get how hard that is for those who've been shipping them for a long time). And I say that as both a "casual viewer" and someone who's also watched a good chunk of Rebels now. For the causal viewer who hasn't watched Rebels, which is probably a big chunk of the audience for Ahsoka, they barely know Sabine, have just met Ezra and have only seen them interacting for ONE episode and don't know any of their history. A kiss or a love declaration would seem out of the blue at this point I think. And as someone who's getting into Rebels I still think its too soon. While I agree that Sabine is very likely in love with Ezra I don't think she's admitted to herself yet (that's why Baylan used the word family when he was getting her to hand over the map thingy imho) no way is she ready to tell HIM. And as for Ezra...dude is clueless that Sabine might might have non platonic feelings for him so no way is he going to risk ruining their friendship by blurting out that he's in love with her. And not only that they've been separated for 10 YEARS ffs. They need to get to know each other again before anything romantic can happen, again imho. I want Sabezra to become canon but I want it done WELL. Sabezra is a friends to lovers ship, they are still firmly in the friends stage right now, it needs to be a sloooooow burn.

And finally do I think Sabezra will become canon? Honestly...I don't know. I'd like it to, it would be really nice to have a non problematic ship, especially after the sequel trilogy robbed us of FinnRey and tried to force freaking r*ylo. But I think Filoni and the other powers that be over at DLF (he is NOT the sole person calling the shots here, keep that in mind everyone) are probably testing the waters right now and waiting to see what the audience reactions are like before they make any decisions. I'd be wiling to bet that by the end of Tuesday's episode the door will be left wide open for pretty much anything to happening shipping wise. So we'll just have to wait and see. Time will tell, it always does.

[five-oh-thirst]

Stupid Drunk

Prompt Day 27 (alt): "Thanks for putting up with me."

Pairing: Jesse/Kix

Tags & Warnings: drunkeness, fluff, idiots in love

Note: Just my favorite dorks.

Read on AO3

It had been months since the 501st had any sort of leave, and once they got the chance, almost the entire battalion packed into 79s for a night of drinks, food, and comaraderie. It was early morning now, and most of the clones had either passed out or left for the barracks. Kix was coming back from the refresher when he saw an already very drunk Jesse ordering another drink at the bar.

Kix approached and grabbed the full glass out of Jesse's hand. "C'mon, big guy, you don't need anymore of that."

"Hey!" Jesse exclaimed. His head wobbled as he turned to look at who stole his drink. "I'm not... supposed to talk... to you."

Kix titled his head in confusion. "Why not?"

"'Cause," Jesse slurred. "My husband... gets jealous."

Kix snorted. "He does, does he?"

Jesse nodded with exaggerated movements. "He doesn't like it when... when I talk to... other boys."

"I see," Kix said. "Well, he told me to come get you and take you home, so it's okay." Kix grabbed Jesse's forearm to help him off his barstool, but Jesse yanked it back.

"No!" he shouted. "Don't touch me! I'm a married man."

Kix sighed. It was cute the first time, but now it was annoying. He grabbed both sides of Jesse's face and looked into his glazed eyes. "Jess, riduur, it's me, Kix. I'm your husband."

Jesse stared intently into Kix's eyes, and for a moment, Kix thought he could actually see the wheels turning in his head. "Kixie?" he finally said, eyes widening. "I promise... he didn't... I didn't let him... touch me."

Kix released Jesse's face and chuckled. "Good job."

"I'd never... cheat on you," Jesse said. He haphazardly threw his arms around Kix's neck, almost falling off his barstool, but Kix caught him. "Except with myself."

Kix grunted at the sudden dead weight. "What?"

Jesse pressed his lips to Kix's ear and whispered. "Sometimes I get off with my hand."

"Oh," Kix said, now understanding what he meant. "You know you get pretty stupid when you're drunk."

Jesse laughed way too loudly in Kix's ear. "Yeah."

Kix pulled Jesse the rest of the way off the barstool, with his arms still slung around his neck. He stumbled when Jesse's full weight pulled on him, but it didn't take him long to recover. This wasn't the first time he had to walk Jesse out of 79s, and it wasn't going to be the last. Although the clumsy walk back to the barracks was never a fun time.

Once back at the barracks, Kix plopped Jesse down on his bunk and started pulling his armor pieces off. Jesse kept falling over, and Kix had to sit him upright again so he could get all the armor off. Some people might've thought it was ridiculous, but Kix knew it was a labor of love. When he was done, he let Jesse fall over so his head hit the pillow, then lifted his legs onto the bunk.

"Hey, Kixie," Jesse mumbled.

"Yes?" Kix said while removing his own armor.

"Thanks for putting up with me," he said. "I love you."

Kix smiled and crawled into the bunk with Jesse. He preferred being the little spoon, but after a night like that one, he didn't want to be in the way if Jesse vomited during the night, so he snuggled in behind him and kissed the back of his neck. "I love you, too."

Cozytober Masterlist

[jedi-valjean]

I think George's intended reading of Padmé in AOTC is not that she's creeped out by Anakin (except maybe when he says stuff like "you're exactly the way I remember you in my dreams" because there's no right way to react to that) but that she's got a crush on him from the beginning of the film. She wasn't prepared for him to be hot and she's a little flustered over it when they first meet. She's always liked Anakin as a friend, but now she likes him as that hot friend you secretly fantasize about without the intention of acting on it.

He couldn't be with her anyway because he's a Jedi, so it's not as if she's being presented with a difficult decision, Anakin or her career. He's not an option in the first place. That's why Anakin's advances make her uncomfortable— the choice isn't hypothetical if he's interested. Being with him is supposed to remain a private fantasy; her career is at stake if it bleeds into reality, not to mention his own position. She might even be afraid that she's encouraged this— after all, she does want him to like her, as you do when you have a secret crush. Even if you never intend to confess your feelings to them, you don't want to embarrass yourself and make them think awkwardly of you. (That's why she covered the cameras— what if she made a weird face in her sleep or her hair got messed up or something? Every time they interacted she'd wonder if he was thinking about how weird and unattractive she looks when she's asleep.)

Basically, Attack of the Clones isn't about an obsessively lovestruck boy winning over a woman who isn't initially interested, it's about two people who are crushing on each other like schoolchildren for the whole movie— Anakin's crush having been nurtured for ten years, Padmé's having come on suddenly when she laid eyes on Anakin all grown up. They're both trying to look good in front of each other, but their chemistry is best when they're genuine. Anakin can come off as very mature when he's not trying to prove it, and Padmé even acknowledges it. (Then he promptly ruins it by sulking about his teachers— Anakin hooking Padmé and awkwardly killing the moment is a running gag throughout the film, like when he said she was just as beautiful as he remembered in her dreams and they both cringed and tried to pretend he didn't say that.)

I think Anidala being mutual from the beginning (of their adult relationship) is better than "Padmé was mind-tricked," as it gives both characters more agency. Yes, Anidala is extremely codependent, but from both ends. Yes, Anakin is worryingly possessive, but he tries to conduct himself appropriately in social situations and is sheepish and apologetic when he crosses a line. Yes, Anakin slaughtered men, women, and children, but he's torn up with guilt over it and that tugs at Padmé's heartstrings. He demonstrates real maturity throughout the film— moments of it, anyway. This is what convinces Padmé to marry him. This is what convinces Obi-Wan and Yoda that they don't need to interfere in his relationship with Padmé, because he's shown he can be trusted to put his duty above his feelings. We know, of course, that Anakin is still just as much of a hot mess as his teachers fear he is— more, in fact. Occasional, even frequent moments of maturity do not indicate that he's actually emotionally stable or selfless or responsible, only that he has the capacity to be in certain situations.

[ginkuki]

The way my mind INSTANTLY played Fantasy when I read the title 😌👌 Now I have to listen to the whole album again

I love the duality of this is loving and this is despicable xD Could I ask about these two?

HOO darky you really asked for it this time, SO!!!! these two wips are based on the same prompt but with different outcomes. as you would expect, 'this is loving' is tender and sweet and 'this is despicable' is the gaalees going through torment simply because i asked myself what if. prepare yourself for a long response...

'this is despicable' spawned first in conversation with @bayheart - what if lee got hit with a sleeper agent jutsu that led to him destroying suna once he returned home from a mission (in this universe, the gaalees are married and lee is living in suna), and the only option was for gaara to have to fight him? well. this. gaara realises just how much lee holds himself back normally, and that he can't bring himself to hurt him properly.

'this is loving' spawned when we got too upset at our own concept and we decided to make an alternate universe where this Did Not happen to lee, and instead he returned to find gaara had not coped with them being apart for so long. gaara is going Through it. cue body worship smut times.

they both start with the exact same scene but take on some divergence once lee gets home.

without further ado.... snippets under the cut....

i will say now - both need tws. the first for violence, the second for weight discussions

'this is despicable'

He rolls out of the way of Lee’s fist, but it still strikes the ground hard enough for the resounding shockwave to tear at his eardrums. New deafness greets his left ear when he suna-shunshins back to gain more objectivity. Space for thought.

Nothing comes to him in the split second he has before Lee catches up.

This isn’t something Gaara can mastermind his way out of - Lee’s attack style is unlike anything he’s ever faced in earnest, not since the last and only time they fought, again, in earnest. Quickness usually lends itself to lightness, and Lee might be light on his feet, yes, but he’s powerful too. Every blow is a tsunami, drowning Gaara, depriving his brain of oxygen, and the longer he withstands this, the more he worries he won’t be able to outlast Lee.

His stamina means nothing if Lee pounds him into a pulp first.

“Lee, please, you aren’t yourself! Listen to me!” He shouts, forearm barely blocking another punch so solid his bones protest. “Lee!”

Face torturously, vilely blank, Lee’s teeth tear at the bandages over his hands, and Gaara knows where this is headed. Still, the kick to his chin takes him off guard. His head snaps back, his teeth clacking together hard enough to rattle, and blood fills his mouth as gravity forgets it should have an effect on him.

With every punch, his thoughts grow muzzier. It becomes easier to accept his inevitable fate. Lee’s going to kill him, and Gaara hasn’t even had the strength to hit him back once.

But.

Maybe he doesn’t need to.

A palmful of armour detaches, spraying out with pinpoint precision to wind up in Lee’s eyes. It’s only a split second of distraction, but it’s long enough for Gaara to form the hand signs needed to substitute himself with a sand clone before bandages begin to wind around his torso. While Lee’s trying to snap a false Gaara’s neck, Gaara stands back with his trembling arms raised.

The Reverse Lotus doesn’t leave much room for peripherals, but even so, the flash of lighting would surely raise the alarm.

As he watches a mirror-image of himself and his lover crash headfirst into the ground, a sand dome snaps down to cover them. Then, praying he’s fast enough, Gaara places both palms on the outside and pulses lightning into it. Glass spiderwebs across the surface, molten silica heating and shifting to create a glass dome that’s enough to trap even the likes of Lee inside.

Lee slowly comes into focus inside, staring unfeelingly at the crumbling remains of Gaara’s clone.

The sand clone reforms, wrapping around Lee’s legs. Even to Gaara’s own eye, it’s pathetic. His own mouth moves, his own face dragged down with pain, his own eyes welling with tears, and Lee does nothing except meet Gaara’s real eye on the outside.

Gaara reads his own lips.

‘My love, please, stop.’

‘Listen to me, you have to snap out of this.’

‘Come back to me, please. I can’t stand to hurt you.’

It’s what he’d say if he were in there himself, but even that isn’t enough when Lee’s fist shoots out to crush sand-Gaara’s head mid-plea. Lee’s still watching the real Gaara. Only the real Gaara, with nothing at all behind his eyes. No memories of their love, no recognition. Nothing.

The oxygen inside will run out soon. Gaara only hopes he knows the right moment to let Lee breathe again.

'this is loving'

The Kazekage’s living quarters are found not too far from the office. Around the softly angled sandstone walls, it’s completely still but Lee knows ANBU are lingering. Even if he did know where to cast his gaze, he wouldn’t see them. They recognise him, though, even dirtied and exhausted from travel, and let him pass without so much as a flicker.

And Gaara, lovely Gaara, is waiting patiently outside the front door. He sits amongst small jungle of cacti, all potted in fine earthenware and laid around a wooden bench Lee brought from Konoha, where it’s impossible to breathe without stumbling across a master woodworker.

Lovely Gaara, though it is not Gaara in entirety, not as Lee left him.

The shadows at his temples, beneath his cheeks, under his eyes, seem deeper. The pallor to his skin is wrong, his hair looking thin. Lustreless. Lee’s spent years undoing the work of Gaara’s tireless youth, but they’ve crept back. A weed has grown while he’s been absent, unplucked convolvulus roots spreading to the surface.

Without even having removed Gaara’s coat, Lee knows he’ll be finding more ribs than he left.

He tries for a smile. Maybe it falls flat, he thinks, when Gaara ducks his head. The flesh underneath his chin doesn’t crease like it did a month ago.

This isn’t the time to be worried. It’s been so long since he’s seen Gaara’s smile in more than memory. His pack thunks to the ground, puffing dry sand into a cloud he leaves behind in his quick stride to his husband. “Long time no see, stranger!” Gaara folds into his arms with a happy chuckle, happier still when Lee presses a wet kiss to his cheek. “I have missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you more, I think.” Gaara sounds so very small as he nudges his nose into Lee’s collar, arms winding around his ribs and back up to the nape of his neck. His thumb strokes gently over Lee’s hairline, the grown out strands of his undercut now at tickling length. “You at least had distractions.”

“Yet still, they were never enough to keep me from thinking of you. You were my last thought before sleep and my first thought upon waking.”

“And mine of you. I’d forgotten what it’s like to go to bed alone.” Gaara’s grin is a damp smear across Lee’s throat. “Not to mention, I’d forgotten what it’s like to be so pent up. I’ve been masturbating like a hormone-addled teen since you left - it hasn’t been enough.”

“Gaara!” Lee buries his face into the side of Gaara’s hair, ears burning. “Your ANBU are still within earshot!”

“I know. The poor things have been witness to it all, I imagine.”

“Let’s get you inside, you relentlessly obscene creature.” It’s still natural to scoop Gaara up and over his shoulder, no matter how intensely Gaara may protest at the indignity. After doubling back for his rucksack, he carries his husband over the threshold for what feels like the thousandth time. For all Gaara may splutter and bang his fists against Lee’s back, he does nothing else to wriggle free.

“I’m a Kage and have been since I was a teenager.” Gaara grouses, face still tucked into the small of Lee’s back. By Lee’s chest, his feet kick petulantly. Though he knows he shouldn’t, Lee can’t quite help but notice he’s grown lighter. “I’ve led countless shinobi in war, I assisted in the defeat of Uchiha Madara, I was host to-”

“You have an erection.”

[obsidiancreates]

Catching Up (With No Murders This Time!)

(I just wanted Shawn and Abigail to like, see each other again and get a little closure since they broke up under such horrible circumstances.)

"Hey, sweetheart. I just wrapped up a case and I just so happen to be next to that awesome bakery you love, do you want- sweet! Uh, no, no Gus with me, your croissant will make it to you with no bites taken out of it. ... No, I'll buy my own so I'm not tempted either. Yeah, well, Selene called and told him Charlie is running a fever so he sped off before I even finished the wrap-up. Oh, gotta go, someone is about to try and get the last Nutella-filled one."

Shawn hangs up and rushes up to the counter as the person who's eyes were lingering on the Nutella-filled croissant is about to order. "You know, I am amazed you guys still make these, because I heard that hazelnuts and chocolate combined can give you hair loss."

The woman freezes, and Shawn almost does a little celebratory shimmy- until she turns around.

Shawn's mouth parts in shock. "Abigail?"

"Shawn?" Abigail blinks. "Are you really..." She leans in and whispers, "Why are you in San Fransisco?"

"I- I uh, moved here. A few years ago with- uh, well with my wife." He holds up his hand. Please don't let this be awkward, please don't let this be-

Abigail holds up her hand, showing off her own wedding ring. "We match."

A tension Shawn hadn't realized he was holding bleeds out of him. "Look at that!" He grins at her. "Who knew us crazy kids would ever find that, huh?"

"Who knew. ... Oh, you um, wanted the Nutella."

"Yeah, if- it's Jules's favorite so I just-"

"Jules? The detective you worked with? ... Actually, that makes sense."

"... Is that a... bad, 'that makes sense'?"

"No, just... it makes sense. Here, uh, I'll have the regular chocolate instead. My husband is allergic to hazelnuts anyway, I'd have to brush my teeth before kissing him, it's... a whole thing."

They order, and sit together while waiting for the coffees.

"So, um... how long have you been married?" Abigail asks before taking a bite of her pastry.

"Let me see, uh... six years, now? ... Holy crap, I've been married for six years. ... What uh, what about you?"

"Four. We met through the program I do, for teaching abroad."

"Ha, that's cool. I'm a detective, I married a detective, you're a teacher, you married a teacher... fits, it-it fits good."

"Yup."

"... Sorry about uh... all the stuff I put you through, back then. Taking you to crime scenes and client's houses was a little-"

"Stupid?"

"I was going to say offbeat, but... stupid works too." They both give a small laugh. Shawn awkwardly picks at his own pastry, Jules's sitting in his lap. There's a beat of silence that's just agonizing.

"How's Gus?" Abigail looks up at Shawn again. "I mean, I just assume you're both still doing the psychic detective thing."

"Oh, Gus is great. He uh, he got married too, about four years ago now, just before the whole uh... pandemic, thing. She's basically a clone of him, but a woman, and they've got a kid."

"Let me guess. You're the godfather."

"Which still freaks me out, by the way. He's a great kid though. Smart and awesome, just like his dad, and it looks like he got The Super Sniffer too. Gus says it's too early to tell, but-" Shawn puts a finger by his temple. The movement feels weird. He hasn't really leaned into the whole "psychic" thing for a few years now, and when he does he usually use the finger-to-eyebrow device anymore. When was the last time he did? ... Dear god, it's been ten years. Ten years since he moved out of Santa Barbara.

"Time really flies," he finds himself saying."

"Tell me about it." Abigail shakes her head. "My husband and I adopted, about two years ago now, and she's just... shooting right up. When she started walking I couldn't believe it."

"Gus couldn't either. I think he showed me the video about a billion times."

"Crying?"

"Absolutely weeping, yes."

"Nice to know some people never really change."

"Mmmm, I wouldn't say that. He's done some pretty badass stuff since you last met him."

"You do know that seems... a little far-fetched."

"More far-fetched than the time we had to prove a polar bear was framed for murder?"

"... I'm not sure if I believe you about that."

"If we had time, I could condense each little weekly adventure into about a forty-three minute story each."

"That's not very condensed."

"... You're right, it's not." Shawn nods, and looks up as the bell on the door jingles- he hears Abigail laugh a little about it and mumble that yeah, people don't really change.

The man at the door spots Abigail and grins. Shawn hones in on a wedding ring, a tie with Abigail's favorite flowers as the design, and hair that just may rival Shawn's own.

"Hey, honey." The man sweeps right over to Abigail and leans down to kiss her in her chair. "Finally sorted out the issue with our plane, we should be on our way day after tomorrow."

"Oh, thank god," Abigail groans, holding her husband's hand as he pulls over another chair to sit next to her. "I'm so tired of hotel food."

"You and me both," her husband chuckles. He looks at Shawn. "Who's this?"

"Oh, um, this is Shawn Spencer."

"Ooooh, you're the guy who took her to a crime scene as a date one time."

"Guilty," Shawn says with a laugh.

"Nice to meet you, I've heard a lot about you. Good things!"

"And some not-so-good things, I'm guessing?"

"No, no. ... Not about you as a person, anyway. Plenty of bad things about your job."

"Yeah, I figured. ... Oh, there's our coffees." Shawn takes his paper tray with 4 coffees (Gus and Selene will need them) and stands up. "Well, this was totally unexpected, but I'm glad it happened. It was nice seeing you again, Abigail."

"Nice seeing you too, Shawn." She smiles at him. "I'm glad you're doing well."

"Me too. Doing well is pretty great. Oh, and, glad for you, I guess."

Abigail laughs again. "Bye, Shawn.

"Bye, Abigail."

He walks out of the bakery, the sound of Abigail chatting with her husband following him until the door closes. She sounds happy. Happy and relaxed in a way that even on their best days, she never was with him. And he's glad.

He's just genuinely happy for her. That's a really, really nice feeling. No jealousy, no feeling of missed chances, no wondering of 'what-ifs'. Just... actual, authentic happiness that she's doing well.

He tucks Jules's croissant into his pocket and pulls out his phone.

"... Hey, babe! Yeah, got the last Nutella for you, and a coffee. ... Yup, that perp was our case. Really? Described being caught by 'some kind of ninjas or something?' Well, babe, as much as I'd love to tell you I've secretly been a martial arts master our whole marriage, you can put in your report that he's absolutely lying because he's very embarrassed. Truth is Gus accidentally knocked over some marble statue onto him while he was chasing me through the art exhibit. ... Can I fill out the statement later tonight? I got coffee for Gus and Selene too. Awesome! I will hang around to tell you who I just ran into, though. Of course I'm neglecting paperwork in favor of personal matters, if I ever don't then your husband has been replaced by a pod person. Okay, love you, I'll be there as soon as I find a ride..."

[jedi-enthusiast]

My [ongoing] CodyWan Fic Masterlist

Hello! Sorry that this post is a little late, as I said in another post, I've been busy and it kinda got sidetracked--but it's here now!

This rec list isn't gonna be as long as the other one, since I haven't really had time to get into new fics (life stuff + the work of writing my own fic), but there a still a good chunk of them + a couple are series.

They're gonna be separated into "Ongoing" and "Abandoned" so that way you know what you're getting into and I'll put more info in the description--and yes, I'm recommending a couple abandoned works because I think they're still good and maybe with enough support the authors will decide to continue. Either way, they're good fics.

Ongoing

shoulder the sky by @shootingstarpilot

Have I already recced this series? Yes. Am I still reccing it again? Also yes.

I seriously cannot rave enough about how awesome and well done this fic is, and no amount of me harping on it will ever do it thejustice it deserves. This fic has made me laugh, cry, get really pissed at the characters, and it has me waiting (im)patiently for every update--like, every single day I check Ao3 and it's just to check if this fic has updated.

It handles Jedi and Clone culture beautifully and adds in so much interesting world building, it perfectly balances out the fluff with the angst, it handles grief and PTSD very well, and so many other things! The author is also honestly just very sweet and even takes time out of his day to reply to as many comments as possible (which is insane, because there are always like 70+ comments on every chapter).

The Emperor and His Mandalorian by wanderingjedihistorian (RangerJedi67)

Technically I think this would be considered finished, but the author has added a new work to the series every couple months since I found it, so I'm adding it here just in case.

It's a Sith!Obi-Wan AU where Obi-Wan kicks Palpatine's ass and becomes Emperor and marries Cody, son of Manda'lor Jango Fett, as an agreement when Mandalore surrenders to him. I honestly really like how this fic handles Obi-Wan as a Sith and how that affects his actions and relationships with others, as well as Cody being a sort of "balance" for Obi-Wan's dark tendencies.

I'm not even a big fan of Sith!Obi-Wan fics, but this series is the one that got me to start reading some of them--so it definitely comes recommended!

no one left to sing to by slotmachines_fearofgod

This fic is a really interesting take on what would happen in TCW if Cody took more of an active role in the story. I love the author's take on Cody's character and how both his duty to his brothers and all the Kamino bullshit effects how Cody handles Obi-Wan and his feelings towards him.

Also the ending of the most recent update had me screaming and crying at my computer.

The art of living anyway by Itstwointhemorningwhyamiawake

A "Rex is Force-sensitive" fic that follows Cody and Obi-Wan's relationship as well. This fic is pretty new, so I don't really know where it's going, but the first two chapters have been amazing so far!

Abandoned

the sun is just a star by clementines_and_colorful_things

It's hard to give this fic a description that does it justice, but it's honestly really really good. It's basically a slow burn that follows Obi-Wan and Cody through TCW and, according to the tags, would eventually lead to Order 66 happening differently than in RotS.

More Than Blood by generalekenobi

Where Order 66 happens a bit differently and Cody and Obi-Wan end up on the run with baby Luke and Leia, having to masquerade as a Mandalorian couple to do so (uh-huh, yep, totally fake--them have feelings for each other? never).

I really love how this fic gives Cody agency and lets him go "no, we're not doing that, try again" and actually effect the story's outcome. It makes the story a lot more interesting and adds to the dynamic between Cody and Obi-Wan--both relationship-wise and in their newfound mission in taking care of the twins.

I Can Barely Recall (but it's all coming back to me now) by Shortcuts_make_long_delays

Ok, so I don't know if this fic is abandoned or just taking a while to update, so I just put it here--just be aware of that.

This is a Modern!AU where Cody and Obi-Wan used to date, but broke up due to something that keeps being hinted at but not overtly stated (and fuck, I just wanna know what happened! It's killing me!), and now Cody meets his ex "Ben" again when he turns out to be Obi-Wan, Anakin's older brother.

This fic is really interesting and well written and, like I said before, I really just want to know wtf the accident is--the suspense is killing me! Ahhhhhh!

Honorable Mention

An honorable mention for Not This Crude Matter by thebitterbeast

This fic was gonna be apart of the "ongoing" section, but the final part was posted like right after I posted my finished CodyWan rec list.

This series isn't just centered around Cody and Obi-Wan, but I still think it handles their relationship--and other relationships--beautifully. It centers mainly around Jedi culture and it's honestly one of my favorite takes on it. I can't recommend this series enough!

[transitranger327]

Chapter 3: Settling In.

Sabine and Shin start to figure out married life. Later, Sabine properly meets the Dins.

Notes: The adult Omega prologue to this chapter will make sense after next chapter. Also it takes place shortly after the Battle of Yavin. Props to whoever gets the in-joke about the N-1. Mando’a glossary can be found in the end notes.

Nine Years before the Ignition

A small shuttle flew low over the tallgrass prairies of Lothal. As it neared the Ghost, it turned around and rapidly slowed for a landing. Hera smiled, remembering back to her childhood when a group of rogue clones saved her family. The landing ramp lowered, and a signature Kaminoan accent shouted “Rex! I got your message!” A tall woman with blonde hair and a red headband dashed across the gap between the two ships and embraced an old man. Her brother returned the hug, “It’s good to see you Omega.” He then began to introduce the two women, “Omega, this is the head of our starfighter corps, H—” Omega cut him off, “Hera Syndulla, long time no see!” As Hera embraced her old acquaintance, Rex asked, “You two…know each other?” Hera always kept her past secret, “Oh, I didn’t tell you? Omega and her older brothers helped my family out years ago, back when we were both young girls.” Omega laughed, “Hera, I hate to break it to you, but all my brothers are younger than me.” “Right, right, clone aging. So Rex tells me you’re a pilot?” “Mostly shuttles these days, but I can fly anything.” She gestured to the craft she arrived in, “Oh-Too here is a Sigma-class. Modified, of course.” She looked exceptionally proud of it. Hera was just glad to find a pilot with Koensayr experience, “Good, we just received an anonymous donation of Y-wings. You up for flying with Gold Squadron?”

One Year after the Ignition

Sabine slowly emerged from sleep as her bedroom lights gently brightened. “Good morning love,” cooed her girlfriend—no, wife. Shin had always been more of a morning person than her. A slurred “morning baby” was all she could muster while attempting to sit up. But she was too tired from the previous night, and gave up halfway, electing instead to rest her head on Shin’s bare stomach. She could feel her beloved wolf tucking her yellow hair behind her ear and leaning in for a kiss. “So you managed to survive last night?” Shin asked, barely above a whisper. A quick nod. “Would you like more?” Sabine thought for a moment then answered, “In a bit, I wanna snuggle a bit more first.” And so the two Mandalorian Jedi lingered a bit longer in the space between wakefulness and sleep.

—

Sabine sat on the bed, currently without sheets. They had been thoroughly soaked, and Shin had helpfully stashed them in a corner while Sabine was using the refresher. She should probably message Bo-Katan and ask where the laundry facilities were. She opened up her datapad and saw a calendar populated with a variety of meetings. She scowled, then opened an inbox full of answered messaged. She shouted towards the refresher

“Shin?” “Yes darling?” “Why is there a full calendar on my datapad?” “That’s the Clan Wren calendar, Bo-Katan gave me the key to it during the party. She gave you one too.” “Why is it full tho?” “I filled it out this morning while you were asleep.” “Without telling me? You know I can handle all this myself, right?”

Shin could hear the hurt in Sabine’s voice. She turned off the water and emerged from the refresher. After grabbing a towel, she walked up to a Sabine on the brink of tears. “I just wanted to make your job easier, love. You don’t have to carry all this responsibility.”

After hearing her wife’s words, Sabine started to break down. She grabbed Shin’s still-wet body and managed to eke out, “I’m just tired of not being in control of my own life.” Even tho she loved being married to Shin, living together on Mandalore, the fact that she was forced onto this path still hurt. Shin’s arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. “I’m sorry, Sabine,” she said, ignoring the tears and snot running down her shoulder, “I won’t do any more Clan Wren business without talking to you first.” Sabine’s cries slowed. Never before had someone apologized so quickly for taking away her agency. “Thank you, I think that would be good. I’m sorry for overreacting and getting my snot all over you.” 

“No darling, I’ve seen you overreact and this isn’t it. A little snot is nothing compared to the explosives you usually use. Some more time in the refresher is better than a bacta tank.” Shin broke the hug and grabbed the box of tissues Shysa Mereel had given them as part of his housewarming gift. Wiping away some of Sabine’s tears, she said, “I’ll be right back. I love you, Sabine.” After a few kisses on Sabine’s forehead and cheeks, she returned to the refresher.

—

Bo-Katan was still wearing her helmet. She tended to not wear her helmet most days, a habit from an earlier era, when simply wearing armor was the political statement. But today, she was hungover, and the helmet could both dim and quiet the world around her. And thankfully, nobody expected her to be the “proper” ruler her sister was, so her odd posture (well, more odd than usual) wasn’t unexpected. As the third meeting of the day wrapped up, she left the throne room to join her beloved armorer in their apartment.

As the door slid open, Bo-Katan was greeted by a hug. “Stars, these arms are wonderful,” she thought. “Cyar, are you burdened?” Her beloved Armorer had always known the right questions to ask. “Arms, you know I always am.” Together they took a seat on the couch, Bo-Katan resting her head on the Armorer’s chest, beskar on beskar. They breathed for a bit. Bo-Katan was the first to break the comfortable silence. “Do you think we were right to push the Wrens into marriage?” The Armorer thought for a moment. “Why do you worry? They obviously love each other.” “Yes but…it feels like we arranged their marriage. And I never liked when my father tried arranging relationships.” Bo-Katan thought back to the various men and women that had been “selected” for her, most of them boring, high-ranking clan members. “Bo, that was a necessary decision as Manda’lor. If they found it too harsh, there are other neutral systems to seek sanctuary in.” 

“Do you think we should be married?” Bo-Katan’s silence-breaking question was not unexpected given their previous conversation. “I have considered it. But we have no rush. Perhaps, in time, we will.” The Armorer could feel her lover’s smile from inside her helmet. “I think I’d like that.”

—

Sabine watched the Naboo fighter touch down next to the Wolf. As the canopy opened, she called out to its pilot. 

“Din Djarin, right? Sweet ride.”  “Yes, thanks. It’s what I first explored Mandalore with.” “Really? Not much of a bounty hunting ship.” “Oh, I’ve been out of the bounty hunting business for a while. I do security on Nevarro these days.” “Nevarro? That’s on the other end of the Galaxy. The Hydian way is fast, but how did you extend the N-1’s range?” “I guess my mechanic on Tatooine extended the range when we rebuilt it.”

By this point Sabine had begun a thorough inspection. While starfighters weren’t exactly her hobby, she could appreciate a vintage craft when she saw one.

“‘Rebuilding’ is definitely the right word. Replacing the vapor manifold with a turbonic venturi power assimilator must give the sunlight engines a huge kick.” “Yeah, on my test flight I was accosted by some X-wings, and when I flipped the Kineso-switch, I think they thought I jumped to lightspeed.” “Spooky. Good job removing the tail. Heard they were a nightmare to store with them. But what the kriff did you do to the paint job?” “I like the bare metal look.” “Yeah but the raw durasteel completely clashes with the hand-polished chrome! These pathetic stripes aren’t doing you any favors either.” “Right, like you could do better?”

Djarin realized how stupid that question was about one second after he asked it. Sabine’s armor was clearly a testament to her skill as an artist, being able to make it look completely normal and completely outlandish at the same time. “Come on, At least let me paint your clan signet.” He thought for a moment, the responded, “let me think about it.” Sabine’s look was somewhere in between complacency and resignation. She gestured at the bubble in the droid socket, “I assume that’s for the little guy?” “Yes. Want to properly meet him? I think his lessons are almost done.” 

—

“Hi there little buddy.” Sabine was trying to understand how this small person was 51 years old. He looked like what Ezra and Ahsoka had described Master Yoda as. But like, as a child. And then she felt his presence in the Force. “I see, Din Grogu. I’m Sabine Wren. I’ve been waiting to actually meet you for a while.” Grogu turned his head, slightly confused. “Well not a while a while, but ever since I first heard of you.”

“So you can understand him?” Djarin still could not hear his son. “It’s…complicated. He has thoughts and feelings, but processes the world in a way that is somewhat different to us. Ori’aale, Kih’miite.” Sabine certainly talked in ways that sounded like a Jedi, but somehow her Mando’a was better than his. “When he’s ready to speak, he will. But until then, just keep teaching him, he wants to learn.” Djarin thought for a moment. “Are you interested in teaching him? Every Jedi I’ve met has a strong opinion about that.” 

Sabine sensed more hesitation from Djarin. “That’s not the only reason you ask.” Her matter-of-fact tone seemed to catch him off-guard. “Well, ever since he chose to leave his Jedi training to be with me, I’ve been feeling a little guilty. I’ve always comforted myself by saying ‘you can’t walk both ways.’ But then…” “But then you met me.” Sabine felt the hidden maelstrom of emotions inside him, a father trying to do right by his son. “I don’t know if I can take him on as an apprentice. Certainly not as a traditional Jedi would, I started my training as an Adult. But I think you two aren’t interested in what a traditional Jedi would do.” She knelt down next to Grogu. “So, what do you think? How about some Jedi lessons with Ba’jur Wren?” She hoped her emphasis on lessons rather than training would soothe Grogu’s misgivings about his past Jedi experiences. His smile was worth a thousand words.

—

As Sabine returned from her visit with the Dins, Jacen opened the door to Clan Wren’s new home. “Ezra! Aunt Sabine is back!” She took in the aromas of the apartment. “What’s that wonderful smell?” Ezra smiled from the kitchen, “I’m making Leftover Chop, Lothal-style.” Sabine made her way over to her wife, wrapping her arms around Shin’s chest from behind, and exchanging some small kisses. A lightsaber sat partially disassembled on the table. “Shin was showing me how her lightsaber works,” Jacen explained with enthusiasm. “Ezra said I can make one too, once I connect to the Force enough.” Ezra brought over a skillet filled with the remnants of the wedding afterparty, fried with some steamed grain. “Yeah, it’s definitely because I philosophically believe you should have experience with the Force first, and not because my saber skills are extremely rusty.” Sabine sat down in between her brother and her lover. “Well Jacen, did Ezra tell you that I learned how to use a lightsaber before I became a Jedi?” “What? No. That’s so cool!” “It’s because I’m Mandalorian.” Sabine was grinning as she filled her plate. “Mmmm yeah that’s why,” Shin added to the conversation with some light ribbing, “It’s not because it took a long time for you to connect to the Force.” Ezra came to her sister’s defence, “No actually, that is why. Kanan and I had to teach her how to use the Darksaber so she could lead Mandalore.” Shin raised an eyebrow, “Is this the story you promised telling me about shortly being Manda’lor?” Sabine rolled her eyes, “Fine, I’ll tell you now. It all started when Ezra…” 

—

Notes: Yes I named the ship after Tech (Nine-Nine-Oh-Too). Since it’s not a recognizable ship class in the last scene, I’m declaring it to be the Legends Koensayr Sigma-class shuttle, the same company as the Y-Wing

Mando’a Glossary:

Cyar: love, pronounced “shar” (or the first syllable of “Charlene”)

Manda’lor: the ruler of Mandalore

Ori’aale: lit. “big thoughts”

Kih’miite: lit. “small words”

Ba’jur: teacher

[chaoticpostcollectionstuff]

Ba'al retires on Earth like Lucifer fic idea

Sam and Jack are going to get married and Vala organides Sam's Bachelorette party. They go to Vegas.

They're at a casino enjoying themselves when Vala spots someone familiar at a Blackjack table.

it's Ba'al

but it can't be, can it?

They start discussing possible explanations and the casino employee overhears it.

"Nonono", they say "That man over there is our esteemed gust Mr. Simon!" He tells them that he owns a nightclub and several other businesses like hotels and bars in LA.

Sam and Vala exchange a Look™ and then call SGC.

They get a background check done and it turns out that yes, this man is a businessman and filthy rich, but he appeared just a few years ago out of thin air.

SGC checks in with the Tok'ra and they still have the Ba'al host body who's got the symbiote extracted in Continuum with them.

it's Ba'al. A real, full Goa'Uld Ba'al. Either the original or another clone, but that doesn't really matter at the moment, what matter is that there's a real Ba'al in the casino with them.

Sam and Vala slowly turn and look - stare - at Ba'al, who's totally winning Blackjack and looks at the Blackjack casino guy in an inappropriate way.

They continue to stare and suddenly Ba'al looks directly at them and winks.

They quickly turn around and go "oh shit", because he's probably going to flee now and then they have to deal with a rogue Goa'Uld on the loose in Vegas all during Sam's bachelorette party.

Their short panic is interrupted by a polite waiter who offers them expensive looking cocktails. "We didn't order those" "They are a gift from Mr. Simon over there"

Mr. Simon is no longer over there.

They get up to search for Ba'al, Vala takes both cocktails because "It'd be a shame to waste them!“ (she's right, they look delicious).

They check the other rooms and hallways and look! They actually find him rather quickly.

He is busy being inappropriate with the casino guy.

This is embarrassing. For them, not Ba'al, he gives not a single fuck that smug bastard.

Casino guy thankfully leaves and Ba'al's all "And how may I help you dear ladies?“, grinning like the cat who just ate the canary and being a general slime bag.

Vala goes full confrontation, he knows how he can help them - by coming with them to the SGC, he's hereby under arrest.

Ba'al raises one smug eyebrow and answers that he is an upstanding citizen simply enjoying the pleasures that Vegas has to offer and has done nothing wrong in his entire life

They argue over Ba'al's identity even though they all know that he's lying.

Before things can get too heated, however, Sam gets a call from the wedding venue.

It burned down. (Was it arson? An elaborate plan of Ba'al's to ruin the wedding? Who knows.)

Vala, who organised it and really wants her friend's wedding to be perfect is more upset and distraught than the actual bride.

"Where are we going to find a new venue in just one day?"

Well. Ba'al owns several suitable venues, he offers. Even though their insistance on him being a murderer AND an alien is irritating to say the least, he would not want to see anyone's happiest day in their life ruined!

It's a terrible idea. They call SGC. It is decided that yes, this is the best solution, because they get a wedding venue and they can keep an eye on Ba'al.

Ba'al is thrilled and grins like the Cheshire cat.

Sam empties the cocktails by herself.

Vala swears that she'll personally strangle Ba'al if he dares ruin the wedding.

No one knows how to explain this to Jack.

[indigomarina]

Beetlejuice(s) x OC(s): Married Bliss

(A/N: Got inspired by @impactrueno and made a multiverse of my OC.) (Musical!Marina and Movie!Marina are chatting) Musical!Marina: (sighs dreamily) Isn't love grand? Even when it's complicated and your man is a bit of a....fixer-upper. Movie!Marina: (snorts) Tell me about it. My Beetlejuice is the definition of 'it's complicated.' We almost got hitched, but only because he forced me into it to save my Adam and Barbara from getting exorcised. Then 30 years later, we also did AGAIN cause I had to save my niece Astrid from this creepy ghost kid... Musical!Marina: (gasps) No way! Mine actually went through with the wedding, but then Lydia stabbed him and sent him back to the Netherworld. (pauses, confused) Come to think of it, I'm not sure if we're still married or not… Movie!Marina: (laughs) Whoa, and I thought my love life was wild! At least I didn't have to deal with in-laws from hell. Literally. Musical!Marina: (giggles) Oh, don't even get me started on Juno! That woman makes Mommy Dearest look like Mother Teresa. Movie!Marina: (smirks) Sounds like we both sure know how to pick 'em, huh? Musical!Marina: (smiles fondly) But you know, even with all the craziness, I wouldn't trade my Beetlejuice for the world. There's just something about him…(wraps herself in a hug) Movie!Marina: (nods in understanding) I know what you mean. As infuriating as he can be, there's never a dull moment with him around. Life's an adventure. Musical!Marina: (grins) Exactly! (notices Toon!Marina) Oh, hey Marina! We were just dishing about our Beetlejuices. How are things with yours? Toon!Marina: (smiles serenely) Oh, wonderful as always! Beetlejuice is such a dear. A little mischievous at times, but his heart's in the right place. Movie!Marina: (raises an eyebrow) Wow, sounds like you got lucky in the Beetlejuice department. No crazy almost-weddings or surprise stabbings? Toon!Marina: (laughs lightly) Oh goodness, no! Nothing like that. Musical!Marina: (curious) So what's the craziest thing your Beetlejuice has done? Toon!Marina: (thinks aloud) Hmm, well, there was the time he flooded the Neitherworld with chocolate pudding. Or when he accidentally cloned himself and we had a dozen Beetlejuices running amok. Oh! And our wedding day, he insisted on arriving on a flying pygmy elephant. It was quite the spectacle! Movie!Marina & Musical!Marina: (jaws drop) WEDDING DAY?! Toon!Marina: (nonchalantly holds up her left hand, revealing a wedding ring) Why yes, didn't I mention? Beetlejuice and I are married. Happily so, I might add. Musical!Marina: (sputters) B-but how? When? WHAT? Movie!Marina: (eyes wide) You actually WANTED to marry him? On purpose? Toon!Marina: (smiles dreamily) Of course! I know he can be a handful, but underneath all that bravado is the most loving, loyal soul I've ever known. He makes me laugh, supports my dreams, and would do anything for our little found family...(whispers to them) and real family if I have my way. Marrying him was the best decision I ever made. Musical!Marina: (clutches her own ring, mumbles) And here I thought MY Beetlejuice letting me keep the ring was romantic… Movie!Marina: (shakes her head in disbelief) Well I'll be damned. Er, more damned. Who would've thought any version of Beetlejuice could be husband material? Toon!Marina: (winks) What can I say? I guess I just bring out the best in him. (sighs happily) My Beetlejuice…my big, beautiful husband. Musical!Marina & Movie!Marina: (simultaneously) I need a drink.

[magician-kitty]

The End is Here

"Wow, today has been a...helluva day. Okay, let's take a recap of the things i've learned...."

1) Monkey King is married to Liu Ér Mihou aka The Six-Eared Macaque. Who I have to admit is a pretty cool dude, not because he's hot, but he's married to Monkey King! We both had much in common, we both loved the theater, likes to sing, and other stuff, but that's for later.

2) Apparently the reason why Macaque was absent was because that bitch Jade-Face Princess had stolen an artifact of his, A Shadow Lantern, and he had to track her down to get it back.

3) The two of them have a child, well...children together. The little girl I met last episode is their daughter, adopted daughter. And lastly....The two most cutest monkey twins I've ever seen!!

Their like major cuteness!

The Twins, Rumble and Savage are twin clone Monkeys that were supposedly created by Macaque himself.

The little male monkey, Savage, was dark furred with grey skinned, short shaggy hair, had red face markings, yellow eyes, wearing a red qipao vest and black pants.

His twin sister, Rumble, had the same markings, color scheme as Savage, but with longer hair tied with a Fire lily hair clip, wears prince-nez glasses, a short sleeve hanfu dress with yellow clippings and black pants.

Aw man, I definitely can't wait to tell Tang and Mei all about this..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MK was driving back to the city after having stayed at Flower Fruit Mountain for the past week. After the whole mess with The Jade-Face Princess, Monkey King and Macaque wanted to make sure her wounds were completely healed.

"Are you sure you're well enough, bud?" Monkey King asked in concern, looking over MK for any injuries.

"I'm okay now, Monkey King. I'm all better now." She reassured him, he sighed in worry. Macaque came over to him and rubbed his back. "Ease up, Peaches. I checked her over myself, the kid is in tip-top shape."

Bai He, Rumble and Savage ran past the two monkeys gave MK a big hug. "See you later, Monkey Princess!" MK smiled and hugged them back, "You too!" She ruffled their hair making them laugh. "Bye guys! I'll see you next week!" MK waved goodbye before leaving.

"Man, after all the crap that's happened. I just can't wait to get back home to the sweet smell of Noodles and Tranquility."

MK hummed a beat to a song on her phone, as she made her way back home from Flower Fruit Mountain. MK had sent a clone to the city at the beginning of the week to help out the gang in case something happened. For some reason she hadn't gotten any calls so she hoped everything was all right.

She returns to the noodle shop, not noticing the cracked sign above him as she hops out of the cart. "Guys! Guess who's back from training with Monkey ki-"

Her eyes widened, now noticing the army of bull clones in front of her. They were groaning, eyes glowing a light blue. one of the bull clones jumped down, roaring, as the others jumped forward. MK gasped, holding an order of noodles as she backed away, screaming.

But before the bull clones could even attack her, they are knocked back, as Pigsy's truck appears out of nowhere. MK gasps as her friends step out of the truck.

Tang noticed MK and immediately bolting over and tackling her into a hug, crying out in relief "My baby girl, Thank Buddha you're alright!!" Tang cried out in relief.

"Guys! What's going on? whoa-ho-ho! You look so awesome!" She compliments on their wardrobe, almost a Mad Max kinda vibe.

"Yeah, so uh, some stuff happened while you were away, got really kind of intense." Mei informed, rubbing her head.

"Bu-but I left you with one of my clones!"

"Oh, yes...she's been super helpful.." Tang said in a deadpanned voice. The clone in question, who stood beside Tang blinks in confusion when noticing the stares she was given.

"I don't know what to tell ya, guy." With that, the clone exploded, leaving behind a pile of hair.

"What's going on? What's with all the clones acting so strangely?" MK asked confused and shocked at what was happening.

"After you left-" but Mei was interrupted by Tang "Ahem, If you'll allow me" Tang said with a smirk, Mei groans "Go ahead, Mr. Tang" Mei said rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Well, after you left, the Bull Clones attacked, but they were more powerful than before, we believe it's all tied back, to the Demon Bull King himself....he's conquered everything" Tang said finishing explaining "We tried calling you, but they brought down the power lines." Pigsy said.

MK's eyes were filled with worry, slowly replaced with anger as she gritted her teeth and clutched her fists tight making her knuckles white.

"Where is he? Where's DBK?" MK growls out.

"We're not sure. But there's pretty scary noises coming from the mountain." Sandy said with a frown and pointed to a far off point in the city, an area which had been abandoned for a long time.

MK frowned, then had a look of determination.

"Everyone, Get in." the teen said, everyone turns to her in confusion, MK only grins with determination, punching her fist into her hand.

"We're gonna stop him and bring back our city" MK said with a determined smirk, everyone smiled at her filled with their own determination as they piled into the truck, heading for the mountain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the Flaming Foundry, Demon Bull King cackles, watching his bull clones wreak havoc on the city. "Look at them cower and run! With this power, even the great sage could not stop me!" Demon Bull King said with a sinister smile, Princess Iron Fan only frowns, her eyes laid on the glowing blue canister attached to her husband's back.

"Yes father we have finally taken our rightful place as the rulers of this city!" Red Son said looking at the screen, but suddenly the alarms sounded, as an image appeared on the hologram. Upon further inspection, they noticed it was a truck with MK and her friends inside.

'Noodle Girl.' Red Son thought happily to see her again. Whispers echo within Demon Bull King's mind, the image of MK distorting, replaced with the image of Monkey King. "Monkey King!? Come to take me? bind me? I will not let that simian triumph again!" He shouted in anger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On their way to the mountain, the gang passed the construction site, screeching to a stop, before them stood the remains of a destroyed road, bent into a walkway, leading up towards bull shaped rubble.

"Alright, what's the plan?" Sandy asked turning towards the teen, everyone following the water spirits gaze.

"There's obviously going to be lots of clones waiting for us inside, so we have to go in as fast as possible without one of us getting captured or harm" MK said looking at the damage.

"Sounds great. Let's go!" Sandy shouted, grinning. "Yeah!" Mei cheered.

MK looked at them with a worried expression, "What? No, I didn't mean you guys too."

Tang chuckled. "You thought that you were going without us?" He questioned, making MK sheepishly nod.

Pigsy chuckled. "We get it. You're the Monkie Kid, eh? It's your job to go fight the bad guys." He told her.

Sandy put a hand on her shoulder smiling. "But we're your team, little lady. It's our job to get you there." The Water Demon reminded her, earning a smile from MK.

Pigsy steps on the gas pedal, charging at the base right as Mei used her sword to blast a hole through the front entrance, allowing the truck to drive straight through, landing on a built in road, hidden in the ditch that surrounded the base.

The sound of another engine roars behind them. Pigsy peered at the side view mirror to see bull clones driving up behind them. "We've got company!" He shouts looking back at the front, the bull clones swerve, hitting the truck and causing everyone to bounce out of their seats, Tang falling on Pigsy. But after a few quick maneuvers from the pig demon, he managed to loose the opposing truck.

MK looked around through the window and spotted something. "look there! DBK's throne room!" She calls out looking out the window.

"it's gotta be somewhere down...there!" The teen said, Tang screams in fear as the bull clones come closer, colliding their vehicles together, Sandy was quick to grab Mei, and MK and hopped out of the truck, the two teens clinging onto his back MK screamed while Mei laughed in excitement.

Sandy jumped into the air, punching the vehicle, smashing it into pieces Mei and Mk jumped off Sandy's back and ran towards the hole.

"Come on, MK! Let's go!" Mei called out and jumped into the hole with MK behind her not knowing how deep it was until they were falling.

Mei and MK latching onto each other as they screamed, Mei quickly took out her sword, stabbing it into the wall, stopping the two from falling just as MK latched onto Mei's waist. "Now what?" Mei asked looking at their predicament.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"They are coming for you," cold, ghostly whisper continues to echo in DBK's head. "The Power" The cold voice said.

Red Son smiled seeing this as a chance to prove himself, "Father, let me go up there and destroy those-"

But was cut off by Demon Bull King, who laughed, "You? Why would I trust you?!" Demon Bull King turned to his son. "You have brought me nothing but failure! Time and time again, nothing but disappointment!" Demon Bull King shouted. His harsh words strike deeply within Red Son, making his fists tighten and his lips quiver, fighting back his tears threatening to fall down his face.

Princess Iron Fan watched, anger rising before shock overtook her face. Her husband would never call their son a failure, this was not her husband at all.

"Traitor, He's a traitor! Kill him!" The voice screamed in his head.

"Traitor..?" DBK growled, eyes shining blue. "Yes, perhaps."

Red Son sputters, eyes filled with worry and slight fear. "What? N-no, father! I would never-"

"You thought you could deceive me?!" Demon bull king shouts, enraged and back hands the fire demon making Red Son hit the wall making the fire demon groan in pain. "Stand against me?!" Demon Bull King shouted raising his fist, Red Son couldn't help but flinch covering his face with his arms as Demon Bull King raised his fist until Princess Iron Fan ran in front of him to block it with her fan.

"Come to your senses! This power has clearly poisoned your mind!" She yelled at him. She then paused when she heard something whispers 'traitor'.

"Another traitor in my midst!" Demon Bull King yelled, snarling at the two. "I do not want to hurt you," Princess Iron Fan said and Demon Bull King laughed, "As if you could." He then lunged at her and the two started fighting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, about getting down..." Mei laughed nervously. "Monkey King wouldn't have happened to...I don't know taught you his cloud trick by any chance?"

"Uh, that's still a work in progress," MK chuckled nervously, thinking back to the few times she tried summoning the Somersault Cloud, only to end up sneezing mini clouds.

"What are we gonna do?!" MK hissed, shaking to make things worse, someone's phone went off. The two stopped moving and froze, The ringing bounced off the walls, awakening the bull clones.

"Mei! Your phone, shut it off!" MK yelled at the dragon girl was quick to pull out her phone, but it fell from her grasp as she let go of the sword, trying to catch it. "Mei!" MK cried.

The teen screamed, letting go of Mei's waist and started swimming in the air towards the sword. MK quickly grabs it while grabbing Mei's ankle before she could fall They groaned and grunted MK sighed as Mei stopped the ringing.

“Seriously, at a time like this?” MK hissed.

Clones scuttled across the rock wall, their metal creaking and clanking, as they got closer to the two. "Yeah! Now's a great time to download the latest version of Monkey Mech-" Mei let out a gasp in realization.

"MK, you remember that cool mech you made, when we first fought DBK?" Mei said looking up at MK "Uh, yeah? But I don--" MK cut herself off with a gasp, as she realized where her bestie was going with this, and took out her staff in her spare hand.

"Give me hand Mei?" MK said. Mei nodded with a smirk, swinging both herself and the MK before launching them up into the air, allowing MK to slam the staff into the rock face, the earth crumbled upon impact, as golden light spewed out, the staff magically forming a Monkey Mech out of the loose earth, with the hero two inside.

Upon seeing the gigantic mech, the corrupted clones launched themselves at it, ready to tear the enemy bot apart, though a quick swing of the mech's staff, destroyed them, and giving MK enough time to make a plan.

"Alright, new plan, you hold off the zombie bull clones, I'll get down there and finish this" MK said looking down at the hole "Think you can handle this on your own?" MK asked with a smirk "I've always dreamed of piloting a blood thirsty mech!" Mei squeals with excitement but with a hint of bloodlust. The dragon girl begins pressing random buttons.

"On no, maybe putting Mei in charge of the mech isn't such a good idea—AAAAAAHH!!!' MK's thoughts were cut short when Mei pulled a leaver and the teen began falling straight down a hole as she was thrown out the mech, the teen screamed in fear and quickly whistled for her somersault cloud , the cloud flies down the hole and under MK slowing down the fall a little bit while Mei fought the hoard of zombie bull clones.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Princess Iron Fan grunts, landing on her feet and sliding back a good distance from her previous attack Red Son, however, was not so lucky, he tumbles backwards with a grunt, straining and hissing as he grips his hurt arm, Iron Fan wipes the blood from her lips, Demon Bull King laughs, stomping towards the two but stops, hearing shrieking All three look up to see MK on a cloud falling down towards them landing with a thud as she rolls on the ground, her cloud dissolving away from the impact.

"Noodle Girl?" Red Son yelled, surprised.

"The Little Thief," Demon Bull King's voice sneered another more sinister one, overlapping his.

The teen then put Red Son down before stretching her back, which gave a sickening crack, making Red Son winch at the sound as MK fell back, "Gimme' a minute..."

Demon Bull King then started growling in pain before looking at MK as she got back to his feet and did a couple of stretches that he'd learned from Wukong, Demon Bull King's vision split her into two turned into Sun Wukong.

As MK finished her stretches she turned to the possessed DBK, "Alright, I'm ready to fight now. Let's go!"

"Sun Wukong! Come to lock me away again?!" The Demon Bull's voice roared, making all of them turn to him in confusion. "I'll crush you where you stand!!"

MK blinked, then looked around to see if there was someone else there. "Uhm, I think you have the idea sir," MK said, leaning down to grab her staff. Whatever was going on with Demon Bull King and causing the whispers and delusions in his head.

Just then the earth shook, making MK look up just in time to see Demon Bull King charging at her. She yelped as she had to dodge several attacks from the raging bull, she finally got to put some distance between the two of them as Princess Iron Fan flung two blades of wind at the Demon, causing him to be trapped for a second.

When MK landed next to Princess Iron Fan she turned to her and asked, "So how do we free him?"

"Canisters on his back contain the ancient power that we needed the key to unlock. Its power has driven him mad," The Wind Demoness explained, motioning with her fan, to the blue tubes on Demon Bull King's back, who was currently breaking free from the rubble that'd trapped him.

"Okay then," MK said, uneasy before twirling the staff around, tensing up when Demon Bull King roared again, his roar shaking the cavern they were in. "Time for round two."

"No," Red Son told her, standing in front of her protectively. "This time, we fight with you."

The Fire Demon was determined to not let anything happen to his future girlfriend, flames surrounding his hands as he and his mother stood in front of MK.

"You'll only have one shot. Make it count." Princess Iron Fan tells her as she shoots forwards, letting out a cyclone of wind, which encompasses the snarling Demon Bull King, "You will all meet your fate together!!"

Both Demons were pushed back. Princess Iron Fan's fan had been chucked away somewhere in the room. The earth started to shake as Demon Bull King walked up to finish off his own family.

Demon Bull King lifts a claw to hit them, only to get hit in the head by a rock, everyone looking over at where MK stood smirking, another rock in his hand, "Yeah! I've got more rocks where that one came from!"

The Demon Bull King slams MK into the cave wall, his fist tightening around her body, snarling. "You have been an utter disappointment! I had hoped you would have learnt more of the Great Sage's little tricks!"

"I don't know what to tell you, man," MK shrugged, seemingly uncaring about her current dangerous situation, only panicking when Demon Bull King went to squash her with a thumb. "No wait!"

In a puff of golden smoke and hair, the now-revealed clone disappeared, angering the now-surprised Demon Bull King, "What?! A copy?!"

"Ha! turns out I actually did learn some of his tricks," MK called from above, making the large Demon look up in surprise as clones spawned. MK used several of them to spring herself further and faster, readying to hit him with the staff.

"Here...comes...Monkie Kid!" MK slammed down on Demon Bull King with her army of clones, managing to get a solid hit on the canisters and knocking them loose, causing them to crash and break on the stone flooring, releasing whatever was inside.

The ground shook, causing MK to yelp as she looked around. The Demon Bull King got up with a groan, looking around confused.

"What? W-What...happened?" He questioned, as Princess Iron Fan stopped her son from coming near him, just in case. Bull King looked at his wife and son, seeing their defensive looks, and frowned, concerned.

Princess Iron Fan went over to him, gently cupping his snout and placing her forehead against it. "You came back to me." That was all she said, resting against her husband as she wrapped the family in wind.

Red Son looked at MK, who looked back at him. "Thank you, and take care.." The Fire Demon told her, before disappearing with his family.

The mech stood at the edge of the battlefield, the group sitting on its shoulders, eating a bowl of noodles. "Well, ya did it, kid." Pigsy said as he ate his noodles.

"You beat DBK! again!" Sandy exclaimed.

"Thanks guys, but... I'm not sure I did." MK sighed, looking down at her noodles. "Whatever was powering him up, it made him...different, uncontrollable."

But we won, right?" Mei grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm sure it's fine. You were done with this, hmm?" Tang asked, taking a piece of food from Pigsy.

"Hey! get your mitts off my bowl, Tang!" Pigsy yelled at Tang, making the group laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MK headed back to Flower Fruit Mountain to tell all about what happened today. "Monkey King! Macaque?" She called out to the simian husbands, looking around for them. "You'll never guess what...Happened?" She trailed off, She found them in front of their house, but...Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Macaque held Monkey King in a comforting hug, while he was crying his eyes out. Rumble and Savage were by his side, also trying to comfort him.

"Monkey King? Macaque? W-What happened?" MK asked, with a worried look on her face. Macaque glanced over towards the girl, not saying anything.

"What wrong!? Did something happened!?" She asked again.

Macaque sighed, went over to MK, putting a hand on her shoulder. "MK...It's..It's Bai-He."

"Bai-He?" She looked around to see the little apprentice wasn't anywhere in sight. "What happened, where is she?" She yelled, really concerned.

"She's...She's gone, MK..." Was all he said.

MK gasped, covered her hand over her mouth. "W-What?"

"And Just when things got better, it got worse. Really...Really...Worse."

To be Continued.

[writer66]

Chapter 2: S7 "A Distant Echo"

Hunter (The Bad Batch) x Femalejedi!reader

Series Summary: You've always liked clones... At least the ones that you fought with your old Master Obi Wan Kenobi, and your older brother Anakin Skywalker, after your training you became a Jedi Knight General. However, you weren't given a platoon but a small squad... Clone Force 99.

Chapter Summary: After a successful mission with The Bad Batch and Rex finding out that Echo is alive, The Batchers, Rex, Aria, and Anakin head to Skako Minor to retrieve Echo.

<Last Chapter

Masterlist

Genre: Strangers to Friends (sort of) to Lovers

Warnings: cannon typical violence, talk of death, mild injuries, the Force, slight cannon deviation (mostly in later chapters)

Word Count: 3k

Author Notes: As stated in the Masterlist these stories will get spicy so 18+ unless you are old enough to handle the content. I will not be using Y/N, the OC is Aria Skywalker, Anakin's younger sister.

Once back on base, Aria went to her Cambers to meditate on the shocking news Rex had told her. He had been alive, is alive, she couldn't believe her friend ARC Trooper Echo.

She thought she'd never her old friend ever again, the things that worried her know was how Rex was feeling and if Echo really is there on Skako Minor, what condition is he in.

Aria left her cambers and headed toward Anakin, Rex, and Hunter.

"Word is the general staff isn't completely behind this mission." Hunter says, "I admit the idea of Echo being alive is a long shot." Rex adds, "I'm sure the Council will approve the mission. Just remember, the primary goal is to learn how the separatists are predicting our strategy, whether it's Echo behind it or not." Anakin reassures. "Well, if you want my opinion, sounds like a trap, but me and the boys will tag along anyway, if only to say "I told you so."" "Just make sure you're ready if we get the go ahead from General Kenobi." Aria says. "If you're certain he'll approve the mission, why wait? Let's get going." Rex says looking at Aria then Anakin. "First, we have that thing to do." Anakin says to Rex suspiciously. "Uh, what thing?" Rex questions, "you know." "We don't have time for that, sir." "Yes we do" Anakin says quieter and more stern. "Well, I'll just let you two sort this out. I'll be waiting on the ship with the rest of the team." Hunter says, walking away. Aria smiles, as she walks closer to her big brother, "tell Padmé I say "hi and hope to see her soon!"" Aria says, teasingly, she has always known about Anakin and Padmé. She was there when they got married in secret, breaking the most important rule of bring a Jedi. Anakin just glares at her, "Hurry up, I'm late as it is." He says to Rex.

"Hey Bandana, wait up!" Aria says, turning away from Rex and Anakin. Hunter turns around confused, "Bandana?" He asks toward the nickname. "Yeah, I like to give all clones funny nicknames" "oh really, like?" "Well, Rex is Blondie, Hardcase is stupidity, Jesse is Boo-Bear" Hunter looks at her funny, "that one is a long story..." she laughs, "anyway, Bandana is a good one that's all you gotta know." He laughs, "okay, I believe you." Aria starts to laugh, Hunter had noticed her beauty since he first stepped off his ship. Knowing that she was a Jedi and he, a clone, he had to set his mind straight. Now meeting her, seeing that she is kind, funny, intelligent, caring, and like 3 billion other things, he wants to know her, and have her around.

As the Jedi and clone approach the rest of the Batchers, the rest of the batch can clearly see that there is something there between the Sergeant and the General. "25 credits, he falls for her" Crosshair spits out, "What?! No way!" Wrecker says, "No way, what?" Aria asks, "well, Cross says-" "Nothing" Tech and Crosshair say. Both Hunter and Aria look at each other with the same expression. "Okay then... You guys ready for another mission" Hunter says to his squad.

Aria is now standing beside Wrecker, the two had a couple fun banter moments on the last mission, so Aria thought that out of the others he'd be a fun one to talk to. "So, Wrecker, is it true that you're blind in one eye?" "Hey, how did you know that?" "Jedi intuition." Aria lied, Tech told her. "Cool! Yeah, it went blind after a failed attempt of blowing something up" "really?" "Yeah" "well what are the odds, Echo, the clone we're going to save potentially also blew up." "Sick."

Wrecker and Aria became fast friends, she even gave him the nickname "Big-Fella" and he even gave her one too, "Bite-Size", they both laughed as Wrecker was 6'6" and Aria only being 5'2".

Aria starts to connect with Tech as Obi Wan comes up and says, "Aria, where is Anakin?" Obi Wan says as he comes up to the Batch, "sorry, master, I haven't seen him since the last time I saw him." "When was that?" "The last time I saw him? Was definitely the time I saw him last." Aria says, smiling, "Aria..." "He went that way" she says, pointing him toward the barracks, as Obi Wan is walking away Wrecker and Aria look at each other and burst out laughing, and then he says, "that was awesome!" "I know right" "that is not what I would have called it-" Tech says "in fact you made his job much harder-" "hey googles, I'm just joking around" "goggles?" "That's my nickname for you." "What-" "She gives clones nicknames" "yeah! I'm Big-Fella!" Wrecker says excitedly. "Oh, but we already have names" "I guess, but I like to consider clones real people too, so I make funny names to connect with them" "wow" "what?" "It's just that, from the data I have collected, most other Jedi hate us." "Well not me goggles" Aria said, punching his arm. "Okay, well what's Hunter's, I'm guessing he has one?" Crosshair finally speaks up, with a toothpick in his mouth. Aria smiles "Bandana." Wrecker loses it, even though the name itself wasn't funny, the conversation they were having before about their Sergeant and the General made it worse. "Hey, that isn't even that worst one, I've given." "What about Cross?" Hunter asks, "I don't know, I haven't connected with him yet." Aria looks toward Crosshair, and he just death glares her.

Anakin and Rex came back with the go ahead from Obi Wan, now on the Havoc Marauder with the squad. Wrecker is lifting their Gonk Droid, Gonky, Tech is piloting, Hunter looking at control panels, and the rest of them are standing together in the middle of the ship. Anakin is looking at Crosshairs sniper, "so, how many missions has your team been on, Sergeant?" "Honestly, sir, I've lost count. All the action sort of blurs together." Hunter says, "I know you work with Cody sometimes, but who do you guys report to?" Rex asks. "Hmm... good question. Can't say I've got an answer." "Yeah!" Wrecker jumps in. There is a little turbulence as they got out of hyper space. Tech yells, "we are approaching Skako Minor. It looks to be a difficult landing." They all get into seats on the ship as fast as possible, Crosshair, Rex and Anakin go to the middle seats while Wrecker goes up front with Tech, leaving both Hunter and Aria the two at the back.

They safely land and Anakin asks, "Rex, what do we know about this place?" "On this part of Skako, there's a race of locals, the Poletecs. All we know is they're very primitive. " ""Primitive" is being kind. My intel says the Poletecs worship flying reptiles." Techs just as one jumps on the window of the ship and screeches. "What the hell was that?" Aria says, "Wrecker's twin" Crosshair says calmly, they both look at each other and laugh. "No Crosshair, it's one of those reptiles." "I want that thing off my ship." Hunter commands, "hold on! Hold on! Don't just run out there." Rex says, as they proceed to do just that. Both Anakin and Aria ignite their lightsabers, Anakin’s one blue and Aria’s 2 blue ones. "Hey! Get off of there!" Wrecker yells. "Hey, calm down. We need to talk to them." Anakin says, taking control of the situation, "why?" Hunter questions, "to let they know we come in peace and wish them no harm, so we avoid unnecessary battles." 2 more reptiles come down on them, and the one on the ship jumps off and grabs Anakin, dropping his lightsaber. Rex grabs it and starts shooting, "I have a thermal reading. Point-two-five east, elevation 175." Tech says. "Relax. I'll handle this." Crosshair says adjusting his sniper and using Tech's shoulder as a ramp. It is a grappling hock that latches on the reptile, "what are you doing?" Rex asks. "Going for a ride." Hunter responds in his raspy, sexy voice, as he attaches the end of the grappling hock to his waist and lifts off the ground. Aria was shocked for a moment, she stood in awe, but she was brought out of her trance by Rex and the others yelling to get back on the ship to follow their sergeant.

We all get on and strap in, Hunter's voice comes through the comm channel "Tech, I'm with the General, hone in on my signal." Tech does as he says, and they touch down slightly behind the clearing where Anakin was. They all ran out towards Hunter. Aria leans down next to Hunter to get a better view, "that creature still has a hold of the General." Hunter says to the group, noticing Aria, she looks at him them at Rex. "Rex, any ideas?" Aria asks, "we're going in, but remember what the General said. "No casualties, disarm only."" "We're on it, Captain. Wreck, Crosshair, rockslide!" Hunter responds, Wrecker moves a big rock down to the clearing and slides down after it while Crosshair starts to shoot the Poletecs' weapons out of their hands, then he shoots the winged creature in its leg with a tranquilizer, forcing it to let go of Anakin. The rest of them move in, the Poletecs start to speak in their tongue. "Tech, translate what he said." Tech starts to do translate, "he says he does not want our war on his planet. That is why he took our leader." "We didn't bring the war here. It was Wat Tambor and the Separatists." Anakin says calmly, Tech, then translates. "Tell him we apologize for what's happened." Aria says compassionately. "But tell him the enemy is holding one of our men prisoner in Purkull. As soon as we rescue him, we'll leave his planet, for good." Rex jumps in. Tech translates again, then the Polectec leader starts to speak. "The chief says he will provide us with scouts and lead us to Tombor's city. From there we're on our own." "Any help is better than no help." Anakin states. "Tell the chief thank you for their help" Aria says, offering a smile. Tech does so, and the scouts start to lead the way.

The scouts show the way and head back to their village. "I hope nobody's scared of heights." Anakin says, Hunter and Crosshair both turn and look at Wrecker. "Well, I'm not scared of nothing. I just... When I'm up real high, I got a problem with gravity." "Speaking of problems" Tech interjects, "I am no longer picking up Echo's signal." "I... I don't understand. You said it was coming from this city." Rex said confused. "I can only speculate, but it is possible there's a latency issue with the frequency caused by all these atmospheric disturbances." “Or…. maybe they sent the signal to lure us into a trap. And maybe your friend’s actually dead. Well, I can’t be the only one thinking that.” Hunter says, looking at Aria, she just shrugs. She’s known Echo for a long time and would love if he was alive, but she also had to be realistic. “Look, every mission could be a trap. This one is no different. I’m telling you, that signal is being sent by Echo himself! He’s alive!” “I think you’re letting your personal feelings get in the way because you left him for dead at the Citadel.” Crosshair says, “I had no choice. You hear me?” “Oh, I don’t blame you. I would’ve left him for dead, too. Besides, he’s just another reg.” Crosshair says making Rex angry, Rex retaliates by starting to fight Crosshair, and honestly Aria really wanted to join in because Crosshair was out of line. “Hey!” Wrecker yells, “why don’t you pick on someone not your size?” He says, lifting Rex off the ground, then throwing him a little farther away. Rex walks straight up to Wrecker and says, “you’ll be a whole lot smaller when I’m through with you.” “Hey! Guys enough!” Aria yelled as Anakin goes to break the tension between the two. “Aria, Sergeant, take your men and scout the area for a tower entrance. I want to talk to my Captain alone.

Hunter and Aria take the boys and start to do what Anakin said. “I could’ve taken him” Wrecker pouts. “Yeah, the Captain was way outta line.” Hunter says, Aria is in front still scouting, not listening to their argument, “I’m just saying that is all probably a trap.” “Oh my force! Can you guys just stop!” Aria yells, the Batch looks at her unexpectedly, “imagine it was one of you” she pauses and faces them. “Imagine, you had to leave one of your brothers behind, and now that there is a slight chance that, that brother is alive wouldn’t you guys care enough to try!” Hunter looks sheepish, “I’m just saying, yes Rex needs to understand that this might all be for nothing, but you guys need to understand he just wants his family back.” “Aria is 100% correct” Tech states. “Sorry, general, truth is for my brothers I’d do anything.” Hunter responds. “Good now let's get back to work.” Aria says. 

We find an entrance, and Rex and Anakin come running. "We're in business, General. Tech regained Echo's signal. It's coming from this tower. How's it going, Tech? " Hunter says. Tech is using his Keypad to hack into the tower. He is able to get the door open, "sorry it took so long." "Hey, Crosshair, check it out." Hunter says, ordering his brother. Crosshair goes in and says, "yeah, it's a lift." "Well, we already knew that." Tech states. Aria laughs, "wait, wait, wait. A lift? How far up are we going?" wrecker questions. "Don't worry Wrecker. I'll hold your hand" Hunter teased. "Hey! Cut it Sarge. Just give me some droids to crush." 

Setting up the lift, both Anakin and Aria reminded the squad that this is a stealth mission. “No blasting, No blowing things up. Nobody knows we're here.” Anakin finished, The door opened, revealing droids, Wrecker charges out followed by the rest of clone force 99. They start to destroy the droids. “So much for stealth” Aria says. 

 After Wrecker finished crushing many droids, he said, “Yeah! Hah! Ha-ha! Uh… sorry. I just got excited.” “It’s alright, Big-Fella.” Aria said. “I’ve still got a lock on Echo’s signal.” Tech said. “All right, men-” “what does that mean?” Aria said teasingly beside Hunter, “well… uh- you know” “do I?” “Alright you two, sort this out later.” Anakin said, giving his little sister a knowing look, her smile quickly faded. “Let’s hunt dome droids.” Hunter finished, “now you’re talking! Yeah!” 

They all walked into the main facility, Hunter and Rex destroying the first few droids. “Where exactly is Echo’s signal coming from?” Anakin asked, Tech responded “strange. I just lost the signal.” “What? How can that be? There’s no “atmospheric disturbances” up here.” Rex said, “Well, I have a new theory. I’m surprised I didn’t consider it earlier. The signal is only traceable during data transmissions. So until Echo dispenses more intel, I cannot pick up the signal.” “Okay, we’re splitting up.  Search every door. If someone finds Echo, contact the others. We go in together just in case there’s trouble.” Anakin said, looking straight at his sister, who just smiled and shrugged. Anakin, Wrecker, and Crosshair set off in one direction while Tech, Rex, Aria and Hunter set off in the other direction. Tech then says he regained the signal, we all followed them to a much bigger door, Hunter conformed that Echo’s signal was coming from there. “Tech, open this door.” Rex says as a message played on the screen by the door. “You clones are so predictable.” “Wat Tambor” Aria said, “Your algorithm predicted nearly every move you made to infiltrate Purkoll.” “There is no algorithm. We know you’re holding a prisoner of war here.” Rex yelled “prisoner? I don’t know what you mean, Captain.” “I am leaving here with my friend.” Rex said threateningly. “Your friend is dead. His mind is ours.” “Liar!” While Rex was having that conversation, it was a distraction as more droids showed up, “execute them.” Wat Tambor said. Hunter grabbed his knife and threw it toward the droids, Aria ignited her lightsabers, as Anakin, Wrecker, and Crosshair came running in. They all finished off the droid quickly, but more started to arrive. “Tech, Open that door for Rex and Aria!” “Yes, sir!” “I hope you find what you’re looking for, Captain.” Hunter says, Rex gives him a nod, then heads over to Tech and Aria as the door opens. 

Once in the room, Aria said “I don’t like the look of this” “neither do I” Rex agreed. Tech got right to it, starting to open the chamber above the controls. “I am definitely picking up a life-form in there. It seems to be a stasis chamber. I think I can get it open.” Tech gets the chamber open and a pale, frosty, Echo fell forward attached to a bunch of machinery. “Echo. Tech! We gotta get him out of here. Figure out how to unplug him from this mess.” Rex set Echo on the ground and Aria instantly saw that most of him was no longer man but machine, “what have they done to you?” Rex whispered, still in shock. “We-- We have to get to the shuttle to escape the Citadel. No! I’ll go first.” Echo mumbled “Echo!” “No, no, no” “Echo, It’s Rex. I’m here.” “Rex? You came back for me.” “Yes. Yes, I did.” “He’s not the only one” Aria said kneeling beside them, “Commander?” “Well General now” Aria said offering a smile. “What happened? Where am I?” “It’s okay, Echo.” “You’re safe now, just sit tight, trooper. You’re going home.”

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