#Merchant!Sora

[foxgloveinspace]

*slaps a battered old cookie tin you'd think has sewing stuff in it*

And here's all my ships where one or both of them are dead!

[armoredisopod]

Arknights Thank You Celebration 2024 PVs

New Operators

Figurino, 5* Merchant Specialist

I have a lot to learn, and right now, i'd like to start by making a new suit.

Crownslayer, 6* Welfare Executor Specialist

"Crownslayer", that's the name we're familiar with, let's keep it.

Vulpisfoglia, 6* Pioneer Vanguard

I appreciate the acknowledgement. But you know this means in the future the people who are hunting me for bounty will come to Rhodes Island first. Will that be fine?

Lappland the Decadenza, 6* Limited Mech-Accord Caster

Is this your way of trying to get me to settle down, or do you also think this game needs more excitement...

I just can't guess you, no wonder i like your trust in me!

2 new operators to the voucher shop

Contrail, 4* 巡空者 (Air Patrol) Specialist

Philae, 5* 本源铁卫 (Primal Protector) Defender

Operator Outfits Update

Total of 6 new outfits, 2 new additions for the Cambrian brand, 1 new addition for the Epoque brand, 2 new additions for the Test Collection brand and 1 new addition for the 0011/Tempest brand

Cambrian

At the Warm Velvet Corner - Warmy

Travel Freely - Sussurro (Login Event)

Epoque

Il Segreto Della Notte - Texas the Omertosa (21 OP)

Test Collection

Allmind As One - Executor the Ex Foedere (24 OP)

The city lights up. I can sense everyone's presence, and everyone's absence. We are together——— as one "Laterano".

Diversity Oneness - Virtuosa (24 OP)

Please stay, Sankta. Please tell me, is the Laterano of now a place that is connected to the rest of the land?

0011/Tempest

Ignis Fatuus - Lessing

Lessing's outfit will be up for sale during Zwillingstürme im Herbst Retrospect

Announced outfit reruns

Young Branch - Muelsyse

Red Countess - Skadi the Corrupting Heart

Operator Modules Update

All the new operators (except the red cert shop ops) being part of branches with modules immediately get their modules

FUN-X module base effect increases the starting damage of Lappland the Decadenza's drones to 35% of her ATK

SOL-X module base effect gives Vulpisfoglia +8% ATK and DEF when blocking

EXE-X module base effect makes it so retreating Crownslayer refunds 80% of her current DP Cost

MER-X module base effect reduces the DP drained by Figurino's trait effect

Ritualist Supporter branch gets 1 module type

Lessing gets his second module

DRE-Y module base effect allows Lessing to survive a single fatal blow, healing back to full and gaining +30 ASPD at the cost of -60% Max HP, this effect only activates once per deployment

Angelina and Rosmontis get Integrated Strategies specialized modules

These modules' effects are unknown at the time of writing

Events and Stories

I Portatori Dei Velluti, a Siracusa side story event

Put on your masks and dresses, the show is about to begin in the streets.

Come on, don't be boring - you're probably the least "Carnival" of the bunch!

Stronghold Protocol, limited time autobattler gamemode, opens during the third week of I Portatori Dei Velluti

Zwillingstürme im Herbst Retrospect, scheduled after I Portatori Dei Velluti

Operator Archives update for Lessing, Jieyun, Schwarz, Sora, Totter and Vigil

Misc Stuff

New QoL changes

Added the ability to have preset base loadouts that you can easily swap between

Added the ability to instantly send every exhausted operator into dormitories with one button

Max Sanity cap increased by +45

Refilling sanity using Originite Prime will refill 135 sanity regardless of level/max cap

Added the ability to instantly move to required lower materials when crafting and a button to move back the higher tier material that required it

Mountain, Kafka and Pinecone added to recruitment

Bagpipe's [Queen, No.1] outfit will be available in the certs shop to players that don't have it

Livestream Stuff

Showcased Lappland the Decadenza, a hyper offensive 6* Mech-Accord Caster with potent self buffs and powerful debuffs

First talent makes her stronger the longer she stays on the field, getting the following buffs in order: increased drone damage cap, ability to inflict Silence, gains more drones

Second talent increases the initial SP of all [Siracusa] operators when she's in the squad

Skill 1 has a passive effect that immediately gives her an additional drone, when the skill activates she gains ATK, releases her drones to attack enemies and her drones will attack idling enemies anywhere on the field

Skill 2 expands her attack range, increases her ATK, gives her more drones and releases her drones to attack enemies randomly within range, her drones have a chance to inflict Panic

Skill 3 increases her ATK and gives her more drones, then releases special drones that actively seek out and hunt enemies, the special drones inflict Panic upon reaching a target and locks onto them; enemies near the drones will have decreased movement speed and take Arts damage every second

Showcased Vulpisfoglia, a 6* Pioneer Vanguard with a strong battlefield presence

First talent makes her attacks deal additional Arts damage for a few seconds after the first time hitting them

Second talent increases the natural DP regeneration by a small amount and lets her recover HP when she hasn't taken damage for a few seconds

Skill 1 is a power strike skill that makes her next attack deal Arts damage and generate some DP, this skill can store charges

Skill 2 lets her immediately deal Arts damage in an area in front of her, Slows the hit enemies and generates some DP. If the enemies were already under the effects of Slow they will be Stunned instead, this skill can store charges

Skill 3 immediately generates DP, expands her attack range, increases her ATK, gives a massive decaying ASPD boost, allows her to attack enemies equal to block count and each attack briefly Stuns the hit enemies. If she defeats any enemy during the skill she will gain Camouflage at the end of the skill that lasts until the next skill activation

Showcased Crownslayer, a 6* Executor Specialist with a unique disruptive kit

First talent sprays a smokescreen on the 8 surrounding tiles around her during skill duration, reducing the Physical and Arts Hit Rate of ground enemies in those tiles

Second talent lets her deal increased Physical damage to enemies that have not landed a hit on her

Skill 1 gives her increased ATK and some amount of Physical and Arts Dodge

Skill 2 stops her from attacking upon deployment, makes her less likely to be attacked and increases the amount of Physical and Arts Hit Rate the smokescreen decreases, when skill ends she will deal a certain % of ATK as Physical damage to all enemies within range

Skill 3 increases her first talent range, gives her Invisibility and sets her Block Count to 0, every few seconds she will appear to attack an enemy within the talent range dealing a certain % of ATK as Physical damage and Stunning them for a few seconds

Showcased the event mechanic, a fireworks machine that will apply effects on a number of tiles around it when activated

While the machine is active, operators on those tiles will take periodic damage and cannot be healed but will not have their HP go below 1, enemies on those tiles will take constant damage

Players can additionally customize which tiles will be affected by the fireworks machine and have it apply additional bonus effects in the event menu

Showcased Contrail, an experimental 4* of a neat new branch 巡空者 (Air Patrol), a Specialist branch that consists of operators that have 2 Block Count and utilizes the new status "Takeoff"

Takeoff: Does not block ground enemies and will not be attacked by ground enemies, can block aerial enemies

S1 makes her takeoff immediately upon deployment, expands her attack range, increases her ATK and gives her some Physical Dodge

S2 makes her takeoff when activated, expands her attack range, increases her ATK, lets her attack 2 targets at once and is able to attack an additional aerial enemy and her attacks inflict Slow to aerial enemies

Showed footage of the new base loadouts feature

Work rooms and Dormitories are now in separate tabs

You can set up to 3 loadouts for each individual room and press a button to immediately swap out exhausted operators, there is also a button to immediately do this in every room all at once

Showed the button that immediately sends all exhausted operators into the dorms

Teased even more base QoL features planned for the next Sui sibling event update

Expanded the Reception Room and added the ability to decorate it

Added activity rooms, operators assigned to this room can be manually controlled and move around the base

Announced the ability to register your birthday, players will receive gift furniture on their set birthday and operators have special birthday voicelines

Announced the ability to have a list of rotating assistant operators that change every day

Announced the ability to make loadouts for the main menu background/UI theme/assistant operators for quick switching

SSS will get a skip feature, uses the same PRTS Proxy Cards used for annihilation skip

The older SSS maps will become playable again

Stronghold Protocol, limited time autobattler gamemode

In the gamemode the player will have to prepare their squad and operators before each battle, the player can hire additional operators and have multiple copies of them deployed or combined into a higher tier of that operator

Players can hire reserve operators should they lack usable units and also hire up to 8 friend support operators

Teased the next event involving Thorns and the history of alchemy in Iberia

Announced some kind of mini game collection "Poly Vision Museum"

Announced the second expansion update for IS#5

A 5th ending exploring the story of an alternate universe Amiya

The ability to share seeds of runs you completed to other players, completing a seeded run will not unlock higher difficulty/new relics/etc

Max difficulty increased beyond 15

New starting squads

New collectibles and thoughts (IS5 gimmick items)

Teased Arknights anime season 3 [RISE FROM EMBER]

Announced U-Official mini series

Announced Ambience Synesthesia 2025: Best Song Award, the song lineup featured in the concert will be decided via community polling

INVESTIGATED TERRA lore video covering the history and development of Originium on Terra and the technology that sprouted from it narrated by Kal'tsit

[projectarcturus]

some of my arin and sora (sunset duo) headcanons!!!

* arin is the only person who knows how to calm sora down from a panic attack

* when they have nightmares, they make hot chocolate and talk on the couch until they both fall asleep

* arin is the only person sora will ask for help

* even though arin can bake, neither of them can cook - in the crossroads they lived off of 2 minutes noodles and takeout

* arin listens to sora yap about her inventions for hours

* arin is OBSESSED with sora’s hair - he thinks it’s so cool that it’s naturally pink and she lets him brush and braid it

* do face masks together

* if anyone says anything bad about arin, sora is first to defend him, and vice versa

* find it hilarious when someone accuses them of being a couple

* platonic cuddling while watching and making fun of low budget movies

* whenever arin’s sad sora will just drape over him like a cat

* if arin misses his parents, sora will let him talk about them for as long as he needs to (but she’d never admit that she sometimes misses her parents too, despite everything)

* sora taught arin a bunch of words in imperian so that they can have secret chats

* t4t besties!!!

* sora makes arin style and cut her hair (he’s practically a professional hairdresser at this point)

* before joining mech races, they used to pay merchants in IOU’s (the sellers always fell for arin’s baby face)

* arin is constantly teasing sora about her age (she’s only like three months younger)

* arin made sora watch the spiderverse movies and she developed and intense obsession with gwen stacey (she cant watch the second movie without crying)

* sora cried the first time arin called her his best friend (she’s never had a real friend before him 😭)

* arin will randomly slip ‘i love you’s and ‘you’re my best friend’s into conversation, because he knows sora needs reassurance but refuses to ask for it

* if sora has a bad day, arin will make her favourite pie and they’ll eat it curled up in front of the tv

* their favourite ghibli movies are my neighbour totoro (arin) and kiki’s delivery service (sora)

* arin is constantly reminding sora to eat, esp if she’s working on a big project

* on especially bad nights, they end up tangled together in sora’s bed

* sora CANNOT sleep without the sound of arin’s snoring

* sora sleep kicks and arin bullies her for it

* they have a shared playlist that’s like 100 hours long

* they know each others habits, mannerisms and way of speaking by heart (happens when you’re each others only friends for 5 years)

* sora has really bad sensory issues which is why she never gets her own ninja gi to match the others (she also doesn’t like uniform bc of imperium) and why she always has her headphones on (they’re noise cancelling)

* they have one of those really long and complicated handshakes

[nikeikeis]

there's nothing new in this post, i just wanted to have a post that has all my talent-swaps together in a single post.

sharing these designs with everyone was a lot of fun, so it's definitely something i'd consider doing again! (either with the dra cast or hell, i could see myself doing another batch of sdra2 ones as well... maybe i'll do a set of both where i actually consider the way the swaps would change the plot and all. who knows!)

these designs are a couple of months old, since initially i didn't plan on posting them, so there's already a lot of things i'd have done differently if i had done them now. overall, though, i think i'm happy with them!

anyways, for convenience, i'm gonna put some close-ups here as well as a list of all the talents everyone was assigned. i mentioned this before, but i'll put it here too - all the talents were randomized!

and then the talents, from left to right -

yoruko - ultimate boxer

kokoro - ultimate journalist

kanade - ultimate psychologist

hibiki - ultimate lucky student

nikei - ultimate guitarist

sora - ultimate painter

iroha - ultimate hostess

yuri - ultimate billiards player

mikado - ultimate vocalist

setsuka - ultimate wizard

emma - ultimate broker

hajime - ultimate actor

teruya - ultimate spaceman

yuki - ???

shinji - ultimate merchant

syobai - ultimate firefighter

and that's all!

[ninjagirlstar5]

Akane, beyond the grave: *steals her ex-friend's ultimate talent*

Jokes aside, the wheel chose Sora to be the Ultimate Merchant, so that's fun! Designing her outfit was interesting since I know Akane would take her role as a merchant seriously, but since Sora is (supposedly) an amnesiac, she would not have the memories that would influence her personality and decision-making, let alone her tastes in fashion. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I approached this design not by thinking on what Akane would wear, but rather what Sora would cobble together upon waking up the first time and what peaked her interest as an Ultimate Merchant.

In Sora's OG design, she was just wearing a regular school uniform, and in Teruya's designs, they were either a school uniform he personally designed himself, so he was doing self-promotion by physically wearing his own product, or just a regular suit underneath a very iconic coat with a hat, scarf and goggles which were all mementos of people he held dear. Both are good designs in their own right, although Sora's was definitely the simplest and perhaps uninteresting between the two of them. And considering that a part of being a merchant is making an impression on your customers and fellow businesspeople, Ultimate Merchant Sora can't look too simple to the point that she just blends in with a crowd. So I decided to go with an outfit that's similar in it's simplicity like her uniform but leaning a bit more towards a business-like vibe. So now she has a button-up, a shorter skirt, replaced her ascot with a tie, gave her a jacket to help her stick out more, and made her socks shorter along with some transparent tights underneath. While Akane is pretty professional in her design (when not in Despair), Sora comes off as someone who's much more casual in personality, hence why her button-up has it's collar popped open a bit and is untucked, her tie is a bit loose, and her original mary janes were replaced with sneakers. I also gave her skirt and jacket her matching criss-cross plaid pattern as not only was it an iconic part of her OG design, but I think Sora would choose this pattern to stand out thanks to her instinct as the Ultimate Merchant. Her hair went through some minor changes as I wanted to reference my Akane redesign's bang hairstyle a bit by giving Sora a similar style, just with a straighter style as Akane's hair is a bit more...floofier, to say the least. I also moved Sora's ponytail over her shoulder cause I wanted it to be more visible and as I mentioned in my Kiyoka redesign, making a low ponytail visible in a front-facing sprite like this one can get lost behind the body. I think it looks kinda nice like this. I stuck to her black, white, and red color palette and thus, we are done with Sora.

Next up is Kokoro!

Considering Sora is supposed to be Akane (but not really) in original canon, Sora's "backstory" might as well be her past up to the DRA events, but one that she had completely forgotten due to her amnesia. Since I mentioned not going with the Neo World Program setting for the killing game back in my Swap Talent Yoruko post, I'm gonna approach this as if Sora really was Akane and not just an algorithm put together to protect Yuki and attached to Akane's brain (or however this game described it on how Sora can be familiar with the DRA events but not know them).

Honestly, the most that would change from this is that Akane was supposed to die at the end of the DRA events but when her body inherited Divine Luck, she ended up surviving instead. But due to her injuries and being underwater for so long, even the Divine Luck couldn't keep her memories intact, so when she woke up in a hospital, she literally didn't know who she was and could only think of "Sora" as a name. So, unable to remember who she really is and the horrible things she's done, Sora kinda just...goes off to do her own thing as she searches for answers on who she is. In the process, she realizes that she has a distinct talent in business, and she uses them to buy and sell products to try and help others during the Tragedy. Which she's able to do very well...with a bit of luck. (I always considered that Divine Luck isn't the most active when the user isn't consciously aware that they have it. It's how DRA!Yuki had Divine Luck the whole time but people still died/bad things still happened because he just wasn't aware that he has a literal deus ex machina that is Divine Luck, and the only times it became active in his subconscious was when he was involved in a game reliant on luck or willed for a scenario so badly that it just happened, like with what happened with Kinjo in Chapter 5. Same with Sora in canon and it's basically the same here.) So Sora starts making headway with her reputation, with some people even calling her the "Ultimate Merchant" although she laughs it off since she doesn't have any papers to prove she was ever an Ultimate (she was). Mikado finds out about this, curiously looks into it since "Hey, wasn't there an Ultimate Merchant in the Proto-Killing Game?", and, after a lot of digging, he figures out that Sora is most likely Akane who managed to survive her fate from DRA, most likely due to her own luck. But of course, he never figured out that she has THE Divine Luck, he just assumed that either her Fortune pulled through for her or Utsuro blessed her a second time to save her life before dying. Either way, he needed an extra player since his class only had fourteen students, and who would be better than the accomplice to the mastermind herself? And oooh, how convenient, she also has amnesia so she can't blab about how strangely similar these events are in her previous killing game (although to say everything goes according to Mikado's plan would be a lie). So he snatches her up and does some convenient memory science alterations with the help of Void, more on that in future posts, to make her believe that this is her first time waking up and is a part of their class in this strange killing game when really, none of them had met her until now.

And to make matters worse, it's through this killing game that Sora finally starts to find out who she is and what her past was. And OH boy, would that hit her like a fucking truck to find out that she was a Despair and even got most of her real classmates and friends killed for the sake of her Master Utsuro. Since she has no memories of when she was Akane Taira, the dissonance between her past self and her current self is VERY strong and she's riddled with a huge sense of guilt and shame. Even to the very end, she never fully remembers her past, but she does take responsibility for her past actions even if she'll never forgive herself as Akane Taira.

[cityandking]

48 and 55 for bran, dai, and kol!

thanks!! // specific but helpful character building questions

48. Who would they say ‘yes’ to if invited to do something they abhorred / strongly didn’t want to do?

BRAN — sabine. probably eniko but I can’t really think what he’d invite her to that she’d hate all that much. from varania, maybe middy?? and probably grudgingly haskon, because she knows if he's inviting her along it's important

DAI — dai saying yes to things he strongly doesn’t want to do is just a normal day in voidhopping. scratch and zaref get a full pass on any requests. izzy gets a full pass but he’s going to say no even while doing what she’s asked. ozy…….. would depend on the Thing but unfortunately dai’s invested belief and trust in him and would probably go along with something far longer than he would with anyone else

KOL — kol actually has proficiency and expertise in saying yes to things she doesn’t want to do and/or abhors, especially if the request is coming from someone she views as an authority figure. most recently: sora. she’d listen to elodie too, and probably max (if only because he has more awareness of the general devil situation; she wouldn’t trust him on any divine stuff). (cleo is…….. complicated)

55. What’s something they’re expected to enjoy based on their hobbies / profession that they actually dislike / hate?

BRAN — she’s honestly not that big into the whole murder pillage etc. pirate lifestyle. her piracy crimes are more of the smuggling/transporting illegal cargo sort. maybe extorting the odd merchant. she’s really not out to sink any ships (except maybe for those flying the empress’ colors)

DAI — much as he likes visiting a church/temple, he doesn’t actually like going to church all that much. he doesn’t enjoy sitting through sermons; he finds them kind of interminable and doesn’t always agree with the clergy about scripture (especially after all the voidhopping stuff)

KOL — look just because she thinks the empire is right(TM) doesn’t mean she likes it. she doesn’t get any joy from oppressing mages or invading other nations or whatever the empire is up to today. she definitely isn’t a fan of torturing people for being born a certain way (or having family born a certain way). she just understands that some things are dangerous and up until about two weeks ago she was certain the empire was the best arbiter of oversight and justice. now… well, now everything just sucks

[frogsthemusical]

I'm leaning towards yellow gems bc his hair and I wanna do the same for his siblings. Maybe a defective gem as well....the two I think fit best are the golden South sea pearl and the golden beryl! Rant down below!

South sea pearl-

They are the most valuable pearls and the most desired, they are completely natural with no treatments *cough* germa *cough*, they aslo are know to be sunshine like reflecting their beauty and warmth on to others!

Golden beryl-

It's also know as helidor, a Greek translation of "gift from the sun", it's the least popular of the beryl (again another germa reference), it's a sister gem to aquamarine (I think that aquamarine works for Sora)

Yellow sapphire-

Known to be the bearers of wisdom, good fortune and prosperity, a valuable gemstone people like, said to sparkle like the sun and spread happiness to it wearer, can increase creative energy (cooking), the hardest martial that ranks second to diamonds (setting himself on fire??)

Yellow quartz-

Also known as Citrine a old French word for lemon, natural Citrine is rare (germa), known as the "merchant stone" or the "money stone" ( I think this gives more nami vibes), associated with cheerfulness and lightheartedness, encouraged laughter and happiness Overall

Zircon-

Zircon deprives from the Persian word "zargun" meaning golden hued (his hair), inspires and motivates while also giving guidance when needed therefore help people achieving their goals( finding the all blue), know to bring prosperity

[craneofsteel]

setting: the gulltown harbor festival, sora, along with some other members of her household naturally sail to attend the event ; starter for @norbiegrafton

the scent of salt and roasting fish clung to the cool evening air as lanterns flickered to life along the harbor, their golden glow reflecting off the restless waves. the festival was in full swing, sailors bellowed sea shanties over tankards of ale, children darted between stalls, and merchants called out their wares with eager voices. sora weaved through the crown with quiet grace, her attire an ode to her heritage. her robes, deep blue and embroidered with silver thread, draped over a fitted bodice and flowing skirts, cinched at the waist with an obi-style sash. her sleeves were tailored just so, allowing ease of movement, and beneath the silken layers, sturdy boots carried her forward without hesitation.

her household was dispersed among the festivities, but she remained aware of their movements, her gaze keen beneath the delicate mask of composure she wore. sora spotted the ruling lord of gulltown, then, just finishing a conversation as she neared. “lord grafton,” sora said, regarding the other with a dip of her head as the lanternlight caught the silver threads of her sleeves. “your hospitality is as generous as the sea itself. gulltown has outdone itself tonight.”

her gaze swept briefly over the festivities before settling on him once more. “gratitude is never a small thing, and i wished to extend mine personally,” she continued, her voice even, poised. “i passed a merchant’s table earlier, an artisan from the east, pentos, if his speech was any indication.” her lips quirked slightly. “he had some manner of device, a sphere of wood and iron that, when turned, marked the passage of time with near-perfect precision. i had never seen the like before.” she glanced toward the lantern-lit stalls still teeming with trade. “your festival draws many talents, my lord. it is a fine thing to see such craft gathered in one place.”

her gaze returned to him, steady. “i would hope this is only the beginning of a prosperous season for both our houses,” she said. “the world shifts as easily as the sea, but those who learn to navigate its tides rather than be swept away will always find their way to a safe harbor.”

[silverzorra]

Chapter 1: – Mischievous Friendship

“O-oi, Sora! What are you up to now?!”

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the quiet, well-kept gardens of the merchant house, and a young girl with bright eyes and a mischievous smile darted through the narrow alleyways. Her kimono—elegant and neatly arranged—fluttered behind her like a vibrant butterfly, but it was clear that her attention was entirely elsewhere.

Ding! Ding!

The bells on her sandals rang merrily as she turned the corner, her hair bouncing with each step. A human girl, no older than fifteen, with a family of wealthy merchants, and a life of privilege in Edo. But there was something about her—something about her curiosity—that could never be tamed.

Her name? Akiko.

And of course, where there’s curiosity, there’s mischief.

“Where is he?! I know he’s around here somewhere…” Akiko muttered, frowning slightly as she stopped and looked around. She lifted her sleeve, wiping the sweat off her brow.

Riiiip!

“W-What was that?!” Akiko whirled around, eyes widening with surprise. Her fingers brushed nervously against her sleeve.

“Whaaaat? Who says you’re allowed to just sneak up on someone like that?” a cheeky voice chimed, followed by the unmistakable sound of a splash—sploosh, splishhh, splashhhh-[The rest of the chapter is already on ko-fi! Or you can read the just free stuff... if you like cliffhangers.]

[Author Note: The rest is right in my Ko-fi!]

[goldenthreadstories]

✿ = buying them flowers. - Zelda <3

@bishonenprince sent in a thread for zelda!

Zelda had been starting to relax more in her place within the Kingdom, she still had lots of learning to do - not just about her people but how the kingdom worked not just for the Hylians but for the Zora, Gorons, Rito and Gerudo too. She needed to know all she could so that they could all work together to make Hyrule as peaceful as they could.

This particular afternoon, she had been out with Sora for the last several days, taking the time to get to know the people of her kingdom, taking time to help with some of the rebuilding and odd jobs that they could along the way.

So when she saw Sora talking with a merchant travelling the roads, looking like he might be buying a gift for Link, after everything she was happy for the two of them. Actually in this moment she was reading over the notes she had been writing; however she had caught the sight of Sora out the corner of her eye.

So when he comes back she speaks up.

"Oh Sora that would be a lovely gift for Li--" She paused when he actually held them out to her, that bright smile that brought light and warmth. "Th-There for me? Oh Sora, they are beautiful."

It was a very meaningful gift and one she appreciated greatly. Actually so much so, a mark of bravery perhaps or just a mark of their friendship and her appreciation; she would lightly kiss his cheek.

[stargazer-liz]

Serendipity (Poe Dameron x Original Female Character) Chapter I: Stranded on Jakku

Chapter I: Stranded on Jakku

Masterlist

The planet Jakku, Inner Rim, 34 ABY

"One quarter portion?! You can't be serious."

Sora's face was consorted in anger, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. Brown eyes glaring him into the ground, she stared at Unkar Plutt, the unspoken ruler of the Niima Outpost. She had only known the merchant for two years and each time she saw him, the young woman had a hard time trying to stop herself from punching him in his face. 

If it wasn't for Rey, her personified voice of reason, she probably would have done so already.

"Does it look like I am joking to you, sweetheart?"

All but snarling at the Crolute, Sora felt her blood boil in her veins. "Listen here you dipshi-"

Once more, the scavenger quickly came to her aid, not wanting for them to get on Unkar's bad side. They needed food and every portion was valuable, no matter the size. "What she meant to say was thank you. We'll take it." 

Rey took the small package of dried meat and stuffed it into her bag. Her other hand quickly grabbed Sora's arm to pull her away from Unkar's hut. She knew her friend would try to negotiate (or well, what her definition of negotiating was) and they couldn't take the risk. 

Sora huffed but followed Rey wordlessly, sending Unkar one last angry glare before she turned around and left the junk boss behind her. She could feel his smug smile which instantly made her want to slap it off his ugly face. 

As if she could read her thoughts, Rey put her arm around Sora's shoulder. "Come on Sora, I'm starving." It was both a friendly gesture and a way to stop the young woman from doing something that would come back to bite them in the ass later. 

Sighing softly, Sora let her shoulders relax. She knew her scavenger friend was right and she was thankful for her intervention. Unfortunately, their survival on Jakku was tied closely to Unkar. They relied on him to avoid starving to death, like everyone else in this damned desert. Moreover, without a way off this planet it was better to not make any enemies here. She had enough of those scattered around the galaxies already, even though she supposed word about her "death" would have gotten around by now.  Still , there was no need to risk anything, at least for the time being. 

Pushing Unkar into the back of her mind, Sora's mood lifted instantly. Somehow, Rey's presence alone had a way of calming her down and lifting her spirits.

With a smile on her face, she bumped her hips into Rey's, causing the latter to stumble slightly. "First to get back home has to wash the dishes."

Rey didn't even have time to comprehend the sentence before Sora ran off laughing, the sand swirling around her feet. The hood of her dark brown jacket flew off her head, leaving her unprotected from the relentless sun which glared down at her pale skin.

"Hey, that's not fair," Rey scolded her friend, yet she couldn't help but laugh at Sora's quick change of mood and her playful antics. The scavenger wasted no time and broke into a run. She knew both of them would regret the race later, when their bodies would be drenched in sweat, the sand clinging to their skin and clothes. 

Yet, carefree moments like these were rare and very much needed. Jakku was a lawless, ruthless place. Despite of the blazing sun illuminating the planet, darkness, hunger and thirst kept it on a tight reign. It was not a place anyone would willingly call home. 

But they had each other. And that was more than enough for them.

*******

Night was slowly approaching as Sora and Rey sat in the shadows of the remnants of a spaceship. It had become a habit for them to spend their dinner time there, with Sora telling Rey stories of her life as a smuggler and of all the planets she had visited.

Rey herself had never left Jakku and was always fascinated by the smugglers tales and adventures. It made it easier for Sora to forget about the slight stab to her heart whenever she thought about her past. She missed her old life, her freedom. She often found herself thinking about Elijah, her former co-pilot, partner in crime and trusted friend. The last time she had seen him, he had been hurt and she had been on the brink of death. In fact, she would have died if it wasn't for the mysterious stranger who had healed her wounds as best as they could and had somehow brought her to Jakku.

It was Rey who had found her broken but healing body laying in an escape pod in the middle of the desert. She had nursed Sora back to full health, had given her a new home and stuck to her ever since.

She knew Elijah was somewhere out there, alive and probably mourning her. Revan had likely reunited with Nyra and her best friend had gotten the credits to repair the Phoenix, their ship. Maybe he was continuing their smuggle business on his own. Maybe he had settled down and gotten a normal job. 

She would never know.

Despite the fact that she was very much alive, her old life was gone and she had no hope of ever returning to it.

Swallowing the last crumbs of her bread, Sora absently played with a strand of long black hair that had escaped her braid. 

"Ready to go?" Rey's voice broke the silence. 

Letting go of the lone strand of hair, Sora locked eyes with her friend. Rey was brushing off sand from her clothes, getting ready to head back to their small hut to call it a night. 

Though, like almost every other night, Sora shook her head and shared a soft smile with the scavenger. "I think I'll stay here a little longer. Don't wait for me."

"Okay." Rey whispered, not questioning her. She knew Sora needed solitude every once in a while. It brought some peace to her mind. "Be careful out here." There was a gentle warning in her eyes. Danger lurked everywhere on Jakku, especially at night. She didn't want anything to happen to her friend. 

"Of course." Sora rolled her eyes jokingly. Warmth spread through her body at the knowledge that she still had someone who deeply cared about her. "You know no one would stand a chance against me." 

Which was only partly true and they both knew it. Although Rey had never actually seen Sora fight, her former job as a smuggler ensured that she had developed certain skills. But without a blaster, she was only half as good as she used to be. 

But Sora wasn't afraid. Jakku was basically harmless compared to some of the planets she had visited before. 

"Good night, Rey." 

"Good night, Sora." Sending her one last smile, Rey broke into a jog and left the young woman behind.

Sora watched her go until she disappeared behind a dune. The sun had already set and the temperature significantly dropped. Shivering, she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back. The metal from one of the ships parts was still warm underneath her body.

Above her, stars littered the night sky of Jakku. In her head, she named the constellations and thought back to the times she had visited some of them with the Phoenix. 

Sora sighed sadly. Her desire to have her ship back weighed her down heavily. She would love to take Rey for a flight to show her a world beyond the sandy surface of Jakku. To look for Elijah together.

One day she would. 

It was a promise she had made months ago. She would steal one of Unkar's precious spaceships and leave this planet behind. 

As soon as Rey was ready to let go of the thought of her parents ever coming back. Then, they would leave. She didn't want to leave her behind, not after everything the scavenger had done for her.

One day.

A sudden beeping noise alerted Sora's attention. Hastily, she sprang to her feet, eyes moving in every direction. It was hard to see anything in the dark. Thankfully, the natural light of the stars cast a subtle glow across the sand.

Nothing. Maybe she was just tired and imaging things.

Just as she was about to sit back down, another beep echoed in the desert. Only this time, it seemed to be much closer than before. 

Instantly, her heartbeat found a slow, steady rhythm again. 

Sora was fluent in Binary and would recognize it anywhere.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked around the remnants of the spaceship, carefully navigating past rubbles of metal to avoid scaring the little droid with any sudden loud noises. 

"I won't hurt you. You can come out now." Her voice was soft, trying to coax the astromech out of its hiding spot. She was both curious and cautious. It was unlikely that the droid was alone, its master probably not being too far behind. 

Sure enough, a tiny dome head peeked out from behind an old crate right in front of Sora. It kept a single curious eye on her as it slowly rolled towards her. Instead of using legs to move around, the bulk of its body was made up of a ball. Orange and silver elements decorated its mostly white surface.

With its tiny antenna slightly bend at the top of his head, Sora couldn't help but to coo softly. "Awe, what a cute little droid you are." Kneeling down in front of the astromech droid, she slowly raised her hand to fix its antenna. "There you go." 

She received happy chirps in return as the droid spun around her a couple of times. Letting out a laugh, the smuggler decided she already adored the little guy. "What are you doing out here alone?"

Sora had a hard time trying to follow his fast blabbering. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she listened intently. "You were on a mission with your master but unfortunately lost him. Now you have to finish the mission alone."

A wave of sadness swept across her body. Apparently, the First Order had interrupted their very important mission. His master had given the droid vital information before he had sacrificed himself. It sounded vaguely familiar.

"I'm sorry buddy. This must have been terrible," She tried to console it, gently patting its head. The droid leant into her touch, thanking her with a few quiet beeps. "I wish I could have helped your master. What's your name?"

Beebee-Ate.

"Hello Beebee-Ate, I'm Sora." A giggle escaped her when the droid happily rolled around her in circles once again. She couldn't help it, it was simply too adorable. Before she knew it, she had already made up her mind. "You know what, maybe I couldn't help you then, but I can now. I suppose someone is waiting for the data you have. Where is your home?"

At her question, Beebee-Ate only hesitated for a second, letting his eye wander all over her as if in deep thoughts. Then, without further ado, he deemed her trustworthy. "So you're part of the Resistance, huh? And you need to get to the Ileenium System. I've never actually met someone from the Resistance, you know? At least not that I know."

Sora knew she was about to get involved in something very dangerous. The Resistance was fighting a never ending war against the First Order, the same people that had nearly cost her her life. The same General who would no doubt recognize her should he ever see her again. She had stolen from them and hurt Hux in the process. This could end very badly for her, once again.

Still, excitement tingled inside her belly, reminding her of her old job. Only this time, it would all be for a good cause. 

Her brown eyes shone under the lights of a thousand stars as she smiled at Beebee-Ate in mischief. "What do you think about stealing a ship?"

*****

When Sora awoke, it was already past noon. Still half asleep, she yawned and rubbed her eyes. In search for her friend, she looked around the small hut she had grown used to call home. The bed next to her was empty, just like the tiny table next to the door. It wasn't unusual for her to sleep longer than Rey, seeing as she often stayed up well past midnight. The scavenger didn't have it in her heart to wake her up and disturb her dreams. Instead, she would often use the time to scout out possible places to scavenge. After all, they had a job to do if they wanted to fill their bellies. 

"Beebee-Ate? Are you here?" She received no answer, leading her to believe Rey must have taken their new friend with her.

When Sora had closed the door behind her and the little droid just a couple of hours earlier that day, a very surprised Rey had been waiting for them. With the help of Beebee-Ate, it hadn't taken her long to explain her plan to the scavenger. 

In the evening, when there were less people out in the Niima Outpost, they would steal one of Unkar's ship and fly Beebee-Ate to his home where his General was waiting for the map to Luke Skywalker. 

The new information Beebee-Ate had shared with Sora without any second thoughts still shocked her. Obviously, she had heard that name before. The last living Jedi who was supposed to be nothing but a myth. However, now she understood why this map was so important, not only to the Rebellion but the First Order as well. 

If anything, that made her even more determined to help the droid. 

Rey had been hesitant to agree at first, but she too was curious and awestruck by the news of Luke Skywalker being somewhere out there, alive and well. 

In the end, she had agreed under one condition: They would fly back to Jakku right after they succeeded in fulfilling Beebee-Ate's mission. 

Sora had felt her excitement lessen as soon as the words had left Rey's mouth. She didn't want to return to Jakku. She also didn't have it in her heart to tell Rey that Unkar would never allow them to walk on his ground after stealing from him. 

Especially not if they stole the Millennium Falcon. 

Sora wasn't dumb. She knew one of the spaceships the junk boss harbored was Han Solo's beloved spacecraft. As a fellow smuggler, she had obviously seen it before; had even met its rightful owners. She didn't know how it had come into Unkar's possession but she would happily steal it from him. 

After putting on her tight but comfortable dark beige trousers, a black top and her jacket, Sora stuffed some of their leftover bread in her mouth. Her eyes found a note on the table which she picked up eagerly. 

Big boss has an urgent job for me. Decided to take the little droid with me. Didn't want to wake you up. We'll be back by the evening. Prepare for take-off.

"Stay safe, Rey." She mumbled to herself, throwing the note into the bin. Quickly putting her hair up into a bun so they wouldn't stick to the sweat on her neck, Sora grabbed her small bag and tied it around her waist. She needed to fill their water supplies for the long journey ahead of them. 

Water was a rare resource on Jakku. With it being a desert planet, it never rained and most inhabitants had to grab their water from various wells. Most of the time, they were further out in the dunes, like small oases. 

Once a week, it was her job to fill up the tanks of their home. It would take her about two hours to reach the well using the old speeder they had and two hours back. Sora knew she had to hurry now if she wanted to be back home by the evening.

The scorching sun greeted her warmly as soon as the smuggler stepped outside. No matter how long she had been staying on this planet, she would never get used to the unbearable heat. Pulling the hood of her jacket over her head, she made a beeline towards the old, rusty speeder in their backyard. 

They only used it whenever absolutely necessary, out of pure fear it would otherwise fall apart too soon. Rey had build it from scratch herself and it had taken many months to find all the necessary parts.

It took a few times until the engine roared to life and Sora was zooming through the desert, leaving a trail of sand whirling behind her. The wind caressed her face gently, causing her hood to fly off her head once again. This was no comparison to the feeling of sitting in a cockpit, yet it was the closest she would get.

At least until tonight.

Sora couldn't wait to be up in the air again. To see the stars up close. To feel one with the galaxies again. 

And most importantly, she couldn't wait to see the look on Unkar's face when she would steal his spaceship from right unter his fat nose. The thought alone made her smile.

She was nearly at her destination when she saw it. 

There, on a dune in front of her, was what looked to be a deployed parachute. 

At first, Sora thought her eyes were betraying her. But the closer she got, the more details she could make out. It's wasn't just a parachute. There was an ejection seat attached to it and the smuggler had no doubt someone was still strapped into it. Clearly, there had to have been a crash but a ship wreckage was nowhere in sight.

She couldn't just drive by and act like she hadn't seen it. There was a chance whoever had been unfortunate enough to strand on Jakku was still alive, just like her.

With a newly found determination and a healthy dose of curiosity, Sora approached the scene in front of her. When she was close enough, she turned off the speeder's engine and quickly jumped into the sand. 

She didn't waste any time and crossed the remaining distance as fast as possible. 

It was a man. 

Clearly unconscious and still strapped into the ejected seat of his ship, dried blood coated his right temple and cheek. He must have hit his head on the way down. Filled with both curiosity and concern for the stranger, Sora crouched down beside him to take a good look at him. He seemed to be a few years older than her, probably in his early to mid thirties. Black curls stuck to the sweat and blood on his forehead. Specks of grime and sand were smudged to the visible stubble on his undoubtedly handsome face. His beige shirt and dark brown trousers were coated in sand but there were no other visible injuries. 

Gently, she raised two fingers against the soft skin of his neck. A steady thrum beat against her fingers, causing Sora to exhale in relief. He was alive.

Before she had time to process what was happening, a strong hand wrapped around her fingers, keeping them locked in a tight hold. Although it wasn't painful, she flinched in surprise, her body recoiling from the sudden sensation. 

"What do you think you're doing?" His voice was raspy, likely from having been unconscious for a while. A pair of brown eyes stared at her, watching her expectantly. He looked tired and confused but Sora could detect that he was on high alert.

She knew exactly how he was feeling at the moment as flashes from her own crash-landing resurfaced in her mind. "Hey, I'm not trying to hurt you, okay," she tried calming him down, raising her free hand in surrender. "I was just checking to see whether you were alive."

His brows knitted in confusion. "Well, am I?" The grip on her hand loosened as he let his eyes wander over her, as if he was just now truly seeing her. 

Sora suppressed a chuckle. "I'm 99% sure that you are."

"Good." His gaze still fixed on her, he nodded. "That's good."

"You might have a concussion though," she said, freeing her fingers from his warm touch. Sora pointed at his temple, "You must have hit your head during the crash."

Her words seemed to snap him out of his daze as he blinked a couple of times. "Crash?" Then his eyes widened in realisation. "Crash! Finn? Where is he?"

Sora was barely able to jump to her feet and take a step back before the stranger had freed himself from the restraints of his seatbelt and was on his feet again. Like a reflex, her hand went to her belt, the absence of a blaster hitting her once again. 

His legs wobbled a bit as he turned around, frantically searching his surrounding. "Finn! Finn!"

Obviously, he was looking for someone, probably his companion. Sora felt bad that she had to be the bearer of bad news. "Look, I hate to tell you this but you were alone when I found you. No ship, no other human being. Whoever you are looking for is not here." As the stranger turned back towards her with slumped shoulders, she quickly added "I'm sorry."

There was a flash of sadness in his eyes but it was quickly replaced with acceptance. Clearly, this hadn't been his first loss. "Great. This is just great." Sighing, he ran a calloused hand over his face wincing when it came in contact with the small cut on his temple. Then, he composed himself. "You don't happen to have a ship I could borrow?"

"Do you really think I would be here if I had one?" Wanting to prove her point, Sora pointed at the never ending dunes of sands around them with a sad smile. Everything was beige, apart from the glowing sun and the blue sky. "In case you haven't noticed it yet, we are on Jakku."

The stranger winced once again. "Yeah, thanks for the reminder. I really needed that one."

"You're very welcome," the smuggler responded dryly, having recognised the sarcasm in his voice.

A small smile formed on his lips. Once again, his eyes roamed over her face and Sora wasn't sure what to make of it. Although it didn't make her feel uncomfortable, it did make the atmosphere between them a bit awkward. Something which the stranger seemed to notice as well. 

Cautiously stepping closer to her, he stuck out a hand for her to shake. She found herself  accepting it faster than she liked. "I'm Poe. Poe Dameron." His hand was warm in hers. Whilst many callouses littered the skin, it was incredibly soft. Sora almost didn't want to let go.

It didn't help that he was very attractive. 

But she didn't know this man and this was definitely not the time nor the place for such thoughts. 

"Sora Park." Letting go of his hand immediately after their introduction, Sora took an almost unnoticeable step back. A habit caused be her old job.

Poe didn't seem offended by her act of caution. If anything, the smile on his face only grew. "Sora, huh? What is a woman doing out here in the desert all alone?"

The smuggler raised her brows and huffed jokingly. "I guess I could ask you the same."

"You could but I asked first." Poe was grinning now. 

To Sora, it almost seemed as if any worries about his former companion or his space ship had been forgotten already. However, she knew better than that. His eyes and body language portrayed a healthy dose of determination. There was no doubt in her that he was already planning how to leave this planet and do whatever he had to do to get them back. It was like she was looking in the mirror and seeing herself from two years ago.

"Touché." Sora rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance. "Unfortunately, I happen to live in this desert. You are just lucky that you landed next to my closest source of water which I was just about to collect."

Peeking at the speeder behind her, Poe whistled lowly. "I guess we were both lucky then because that thing looks like it should not be driving anymore at all."

"Well, now you are hurting me," she joked, pressing a hand against her chest. "This speeder may look like a pile of junk to you but it is my pile of junk. Only I get to talk bad about it."

Raising his hands in mock surrender, Poe let out a small laugh. "You have my deepest apologies, princess."

Sora decided to ignore the nickname and wrote it off as meaningless flirting. "Apologies accepted."

She wanted to help this man. No, she needed to help him in any way she could. She remembered that what had just happened to him here had happened to her not long ago as well. Rey had helped her too even though she had been nothing but a stranded stranger back then. Sora felt obliged to do the same. "Listen, my friend and I plan on temporarily leaving Jakku tonight. If you want to, we can drop you off somewhere on our route."

At her words, Poe perked up, straightening his posture. "Leaving? I thought you didn't have a ship?"

Sora smiled innocently. "Technically no, but we will burrow one."

Poe raised his eyebrows, grinning widely at her. "Borrowing, huh?"

"Well, do you want to leave this planet or not?" Shrugging her shoulders, the smuggler only motioned towards her speeder. She turned around and made her way back to the vehicle, not bothering to wait for him. She was sure he would follow her immediately anyways.

"You don't have to ask me again," Poe mumbled barely audible. "Hey, have you seen a brown leather jacket laying around?" He questioned from next to her, easily keeping up with her pace.

His arm brushed against hers and Sora resisted the urge to put some distance between them. After all, they would cling to each other on the speeder anyways. "No, I haven't. It's probably with what's left of your space ship. If there is anything left, that is. Wherever that may be." 

"Wow, you really know how to brighten someone's mood, don't you?"

"It's what Jakku teaches you." 

Poe only nodded, the smile never leaving his face. "Yeah, I don't like it here either."

They stopped in front of Rey's speeder. Sora could see Poe judging the vehicle, his eyes inspecting every part of it. "Are you sure this is safe to drive, princess? This looks like it's going to fall apart any minute." He couldn't help asking with both humor and a hint of doubt in his voice. 

Sora tilted her head to the side, looking at him with an obviously annoyed smile. "Safe? Probably not but I am still alive and not injured, so you will be just fine, your majesty."

Poe whistled lowly, leaning against the speeder with crossed arms. "Your majesty, huh?" Letting his gaze wander from her toes to her head, Poe grinned smugly. "I like the sound of that. So, does that make me your prince or something?"

Sora could feel her cheeks growing hot under his stare. Annoyance rose within her, threatening to rise to the surface. She had only just met this man and he was already getting under her skin. "You know, I can still leave you out here to fend for yourself. For your sake, I'd advise you to keep your mouth shut until we're on board of that ship."

Zipping his mouth shut with his finger, Peo only nodded, his seemingly omnipresent grin shining brightly. 

Sora rolled her eyes, yet she couldn't prevent letting a small chuckle escape her mouth. She couldn't deny that she liked talking to him. Conversing with him was surprisingly easy. "Good. Now, I'm just gonna fill this small tank with some water and then we will be on our way. Wait here and don't move, okay?" 

Not giving him time to respond, she grabbed their small water tank and was already jogging across the dune ahead of them to do her job.

It didn't take her long to collect the water from the well. Just a few minutes later, she found herself in front of her speeder again. Having patiently waited for her, Poe greeted her with his bright smile, showing her his white teeth. "I could have helped you, you know?"

Strapping the now filled water tank back onto the speeder, Sora shook her head and locked eyes with him again. "It was a one person job anyways." Swinging her leg over one side of the speeder, Sora made herself as comfortable as possible on the seat. Then, she patted the space behind her, looking at Poe expectantly. "Hop on, we need to hurry. We have to be back by evening."

The handsome pilot didn't waste any time. Suddenly, his warm chest pressed against her back as two strong arms wrapped around her waist. Her breath hitched at the sudden feeling of his hands on the thin material covering her stomach, his warm breath hitting her neck with each exhale. Goosebumps traveled all over her body. 

It wasn't everyday that Sora was in proximity of such a beautiful man. Therefore, she allowed herself to enjoy the feeling for one second before reminding herself that he was still just a stranger and merely another mission to complete. "Hold on tight."

"Oh, I definitely will, princess," Poe said, unintentionally (or was it?)  leaning into her even more as the speeder surged forward.

The drive back to Rey's and Sora's hut was uneventful. Poe and her had spent it in silence, enjoying the peace and quiet of Jakku's desert. Just before sunset, Sora stopped the speeder in front of Rey's home and killed the engine. "We're here. You can let go now." Turning her head to lock eyes with him, the smuggler pointed at his arms which were still wrapped around her body. 

Almost teasingly, Poe slowly let go of her, letting his arms fall to his sides before he stood up and stretched his body. "You know, this was a much more comfortable ride than I anticipated. This speeder isn't so bad." Yawning, he covered his mouth with one hand. "I almost fell asleep against your back."

"I'm glad that at least one of us had fun." 

Sora jumped from the vehicle, dusting off sand from her clothes, feeling Poe's eyes on her the whole time. "Follow me. Rey and BeeBee-Ate should be waiting for us inside." 

At the mention of the droids name, Poe's eyes widened as he quickly stepped closer to her. "BeeBee-Ate," putting his hands on her shoulders, Poe's hard gaze locked with hers. "Did you just say BeeBee-Ate is here?"

Oh. Suddenly, it clicked in Sora's brain. It was indeed a weird coincidence that both a droid who had lost his master and a pilot without a ship had stranded on the same planet within a timespan of just a couple of hours. "Wait, are you his master, the Resistance member? The one who had been captured by the First Order?"

Poe's entire face lit up like the sun. He laughed in triumph. "Yes, I knew he would make it!" 

Sora didn't have time to prepare herself for the attack. Two strong arms pulled her into his hard chest. One hand was buried in her hair, another one pressed against her lower back to keep her as close as possible. She could hear his excited heartbeat pounding against her ear. Her whole body shook as he chuckled wholeheartedly. "Oh, I could kiss you right now, princess. But I do want to live, so..."

Gently pushing her back, the hug ended before Sora even had the chance to process what had just happened. "What in the Maker's name...," she mumbled but Poe had already stormed past her straight into her home. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

Quickly following him, the young woman entered Rey's hut to see Poe searching the place. "BeeBee-Ate! Where are you?" But the cute droid was nowhere to be found.

"They should have been back by now," Sora voiced, eyebrows raised in question. Sunset was close and it was extremely unusual for Rey to stay outside this late. Especially now that they had a plan to execute in mere hours. 

Poe whirled around, desperation in his voice. "What? Who?"

"My friend Rey took your droid with her on a job," she explained deep in thoughts. "Rey never takes this long though. I have a bad feeling about this."

Poe exhaled harshly, running a hand though the mess of black curls on his head. "We need to look for them. I need to bring BeeBee-ate back to the Resistance as soon as possible. The First Order can't find him first."

Sora nodded, pushing her worry for Rey into the back of her mind. She knew her friend could take care of both herself and the little droid. However, the smuggler had first-hand experiences with the ruthlessness of the First Order. Rey and BeeBee-Ate alone wouldn't stand a chance against hordes of stormtroopers and possibly Kylo Ren himself. 

Then, anger rose to the surfaces, directed at only one person. "I know exactly where to start looking," she scowled, clenching her jaw.

******

"Open the damn door, Unkar."

Arms crossed over her chest, Sora stood in front of Unkar Plutt's home. Poe kept close to her, his arm brushing hers once again. It was dark and quiet outside, the majority of Jakku's population had retreated for the night already. Only a couple of Unkar's loyal lapdogs were guarding the perimeter, watching them closely.

"Who is that guy again?" Poe whispered in her ear, his warm breath hitting her cheek. 

"Big, ugly fella who thinks he owns the planet," Sora responded just as quietly, sighing softly. "Unfortunately for all of us, he kind of actually does. If anyone knows where Rey and your droid are, it's him."

Poe didn't have time to respond. Loud and angry footsteps echoed from inside the house. The door in front of them opened and a very angry Unkar Plutt stared down at Sora. "Well, well, well. Are you here to pay me back the thousands of credits your friend owns me? You're very brave to even show your face to me again." 

Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see his guards stepping closer, hands on the blasters strapped to their belts. Poe must have noticed as well, for he too minimised the distance between them. His chest basically pressed against her back, his body being on high alert. She had a feeling he would have her back in whatever was about to happen. "I don't know what you're talking about," she answered honestly. 

Unkar laughed bitterly. " Oh, I'm sure you don't. Let me help you then. Your friend stole my ship."

Shock traveled through Sora's body. "What!?" 

"Yes. She took off with an astromech and another man in my ship." Realisation flashed in Unkar's eyes. "Oh you really had no idea. Well, sweetheart. She left you, now deal with it."

Rey had left. Without her.

Sora almost couldn't believe it. It didn't sound like something her friend would do at all. She was sure there was more to the story than Unkar had let on. The scavenger probably had no other choice but to leave. Whatever had actually happened, Sora trusted Rey. She trusted her judgement.

Poe wrapped his fingers around her arm, squeezing it gently in reassurance. He must have sensed her inner turmoil. 

Taking slow, threatening steps closer to the duo, Unkar send them a glare full of hatred. "You're either going to pay me back the credits for the ship or I am going to kill you and your new friend."

Quickly using the hand that was still grasping her arm, Poe pulled Sora back, shielding her body with his. "Whoa buddy, I'm sure there is another way to solve this predicament. Why don't we discuss this with a nice drink, huh? Just the three of us. No guards, no weapons."

But the young woman knew Unkar was not the type to sit down and have a chat. No, his threats were never empty. Luckily for them, Sora had a knack for getting out of situations like these. She had lost count of how many times she had to come up with stupid but ultimately successful plans (well, at least most of the time) on the spot. 

Subtly moving her eyes to scan their surroundings, it took her mere seconds to notice that Unkar's four lapdogs, who were now uncomfortably standing close, were concentrating on Poe, obviously (and stupidly) completely overlooking her. They were underestimating her because she was a woman which caused her to let out a barely noticeable scoff. 

A visible object in Unkar's backyard caught her attention next. The Millennium Falcon was nowhere to be seen, meaning Ray had stolen it. However, relief flooded her at the sight of another spaceship. An old Gauntlet Starfighter. Admittedly, it looked to be in very bad shape, even from far away. If Rey's speeder was a pile of junk, this ship was a whole junkyard. Hell, she wasn't even sure it was still functioning. However, it was a chance they would need to take and make do with. 

Slowly, Sora let her fingers brush against Poe's before she took his hand in hers, giving it a quick squeeze. She prayed to the Maker he understood the meaning behind her gesture. 

The squeeze she received back let her known that he was at least aware of her having formed any kind of plan. And that he was ready to go along with it.

"Who do you think I am," Unkar hissed, eyes fully focused now on the pilot as well. "Do you think I am a fool or-"

Sora didn't waste anymore time. Letting go of Poe's hand, she used the element of surprise to kick the guard closest to her where it hurts the most. With a grunt, he fell down to his knees, holding his groin. It gave her enough time to grab the blaster from his belt and shoot him in his chest. 

Quickly whirling around, blaster raised in front of her, she saw Poe had already taken out the second guard. Just as she had anticipated, both the third and fourth guard were now pointing the blasters at the pilot, completely ignoring her. It made her slightly frustrated but she didn't have to time to dwell on it. 

Sora knew (or desperately hoped) that Poe could take care of the guards on his own. Therefore, she opted to focus on Unkar, pointing the blaster straight at his face. It hadn't gone unnoticed by her that the junk boss himself was not carrying his own weapon. A stupid mistake. 

"I have waited two years for this moment," the smuggler said, the corners of her mouth curving into a mischievous smile. 

Keeping the blaster in her left hand, still pointing at Unkar, she drew her right arm back as far as it could go. Putting the strength of her whole body into it, she threw her fist forward. It collided against his jaw with a sickening crunch, causing his head to jerk to the side. He stumbled backwards into his house, his legs hitting some part of furniture. As a result, he fell onto bis back, his head hitting a table. The junk boss was out cold immediately. 

Sora cradled her right arm against her chest. Her knuckles were pulsing in pain but thankfully, nothing seemed to be broken. "This went much better than I could have wished for," she mumbled, staring at Unkar's unconscious body, a grin forming on her lips. "So much better actually."

"That was...impressive, princess."

Poe's voice brought her back to the present. Turning towards where he was now standing next to her, the rest of the guards already felt with, she found him staring at her in wonder. Mouth slightly agape, his eyes wandered from her, to where she cradled her fist, to where the junk boss laid on the ground and back. "No wait. That was hot. I definitely never want to get on your bad side." Smiling widely, he raised his hand to praisingly squeeze her shoulder once. 

Sora rolled her eyes, ignoring the warmth she felt spreading across her cheeks. "Thanks. That asshole had it coming a long time ago. If I had known it was this easy to knock him out I would have done so months ago."

"Oh, I can see that." Letting his hand fall back to his side, he strapped his blaster on his belt. "Since you obviously have a plan which has worked more than fine for us so far: What do we do next?"

Putting her own blaster away, Sora motioned for the pilot to follow her. "We get the hell away from this planet before more of his lapdogs arrive or big boss wakes up again."

Jogging past Unkar's home alongside her, the pilot nodded. "Right, but how do we-"

The words got stuck in his throat when they came to a stop in front of the old Starfighter. "You're kidding me right?" Stemming his hands against his hips, Poe groaned. "This looks even worse than that speeder of yours. Which is saying a lot, by the way."

He was right. The ship looked like it had crashed multiple times and was never repaired. Some parts were obviously missing, others barely hanging on. It didn't look safe at all. Sighing, Sora shrugged her shoulders. "I know. But we don't really have a choice," she admitted, her feet carrying her towards the already lowered ramp. 

"Right," Poe mumbled, reluctantly following her. 

The inside of the Starfighter was bigger than it looked from the outside. The hull of the spaceship contained a tiny refresher next to a small sleeping cabin with a bunk bed. There was a small table in the main area in front of the cockpit. The latter only consisted of two seats, one for the pilot and one for the co-pilot. Lots of sand littered the whole space but it still felt quite clean and was in much better shape than the outside. 

"This is actually not bad," Poe said, using his hands to swipe some sand from the consoles in the cockpit. "Let's hope this thing works." Sitting in the pilot seat, Poe fastened his seatbelts, excitement obvious in each movement. "You might want to sit down for this, princess. I doubt it will be smooth flight." 

Oh no, this would not do. Who did he think he was?

Sora furrowed her eyebrows, arms crossing over her chest. Confused, she stood right next to Poe, staring down at him with blazing brown eyes. "Who told you that you would be the one flying the ship?"

Fingers hovering over various buttons on the console, Poe stilled, tilting his head upwards to lock eyes with her. He chuckled softly. "You're looking at the best pilot in the Resistance. I think that definitely gives me the right to fly us out of here."

Sora scoffed. "And without me, you would still be stranded in the desert," she pointed out, unwilling to miss the opportunity to finally sit in the pilot's seat again. "Besides, I have years of experience in that seat as well. I'm probably even better than you."

"You have?" Clearly, Poe was surprised by the revelation, the argument forgotten for the moment. "What are you doing on Jakku then?"

"Long story. And totally not the point right now."

Poe raised his brow, staring at her wordlessly for a minute. Then, he sighed, expression softening. "Look, I don't doubt you're a good pilot. But do you know the exact location of the Resistance's base?" 

Sora's arms went slack, falling limply against her side. Damn it. He had a point. "Well, no. Beebee-Ate just told me it was in the Ileenium System."

Once again, Poe watched her in surprise. "He told you that? He must really like you then." The pilot almost seemed offended, as if the thought alone made zero sense to him. 

"Your droid is easily likable. Wish I could say the same about you."

"Dito," Poe retorted halfheartedly.

The two equally stubborn individuals were locked in a stare down, each unwilling to give up. Sora was leaning against the cockpit's console, her head and upper body tilted towards where Poe was sitting directly in front of her. There was barely any distance between them, both of their breaths hitting each others face, yet neither dared to move away. 

Coming to her senses, the smuggler felt her resolve fading. This was not the time for childish disputes. They had an important mission which could not wait. Plus, although she hated to admit it, Poe was right. It was the better choice to let him be the pilot. 

Straightening her shoulders, Sora exhaled loudly. "Okay, you've won." Rolling her eyes as Poe smiled smugly at her, the young woman moved to take a seat in the co-pilots chair, strapping herself in tightly. "What are you waiting for? Get us away from this damn planet, pilot."

Poe had the audacity to wink at her. "Your wish is my command, princess." Ignoring her annoyed groan, he quickly began to work, fingers pushing the various buttons with expertise. By some miracle, the engine roared to life, causing Poe to cheer. "Oh yes, baby," looking over his shoulder at Sora, he smiled happily. "Next stop: D'Qar." 

The Starfighter rose above the ground slowly, rattling from side to side unsteadily. Sora held on tight to the arms of her seat and watched as the desert grew smaller and smaller underneath them, until all that she could see were the stars around them. The sight took her breath away instantly. It had been too long since she had last experienced it. 

As they entered hyperspace, a deep longing within her rose to the surface; A longing for her past life, from before she had stranded on Jakku. Up in the stars, she felt free again. Free to go wherever she wanted to. Free to do whatever she wanted to. 

Maybe once this mission was done, she could be herself again.

*****

Hope you liked the first chapter! There are quite some similarities between Poe's and Sora's story. I don't know about you, but I think this will make bonding a little easier:)

[googledetective]

rawr talent swapping DRA/SDRA2 between their own casts

DRA x DRA

Yuki Maeda - Ultimate Merchant

Akane Taira - Ultimate Lucky Student

Teruya Otori - Ultimate Police Officer

Rei Mekaru - Ultimate Maid

Tsurugi Kinjo - Ultimate Lawyer

Kiyoka Maki - Ultimate Cheerleader

Mitsuhiro Higa - Ultimate Pilot

Kizuna Tomori - Ultimate Soccer Player

Ayame Hatano - Ultimate Priest

Kanata Inori - Ultimate Sprinter

Kakeru Yamaguchi - Ultimate Inventor

Kinji Uehara - Ultimate Exorcist

Haruhiko Kobashikawa - Ultimate Clown

Satsuki Iranami - Ultimate Sniper

Yamato Kisaragi - Ultimate Surgeon

Mikako Kurokawa - Ultimate Professor

SDRA2 x SDRA2

Sora - Ultimate Magician

Yuki Maeda - Ultimate Billiards Player

Yoruko Kabuya - Ultimate Boxer

Syobai Hashimoto - Ultimate Firefighter

Iroha Nijiue - Ultimate Vocalist

Mikado Sannoji - Ultimate Host

Yuri Kagarin - Ultimate Actor

Hajime Makunouchi - Ultimate Psychologist

Kokoro Mitsume - Ultimate Painter

Emma Magorobi - Ultimate Journalist

Setsuka Chiebukuro - Ultimate Broker

Hibiki Otonokoji - Ultimate Lucky Student

Kanade Otonokoji - Ultimate ???

Shinji Kasai - Ultimate Spaceman

Nikei Yomiuri - Ultimate Guitarist

DRA memes going up later today

[review-anon]

Time for another blast from the past, this is like the despair Chiaki question is something I asked before I knew of this blog. If have played or heard of fire emblem. What Classes would you give the SDRA 2 cast?

P.S I don't remember if that was the question I originally asked.

//I have indeed played Fire Emblem! I played Three Houses and really need to finish Engage but I have heard of all the other titles as well.

//So as for classes hmmm....

//Sora: Probably Tactician since its a player character class for Robin and Sora is a MC with a dark connection with the main villains.

//Yuki: Villager as he is a common normie with just a good luck growth.

//Syobai: Assassin since not only do the Thief classes specialise in money and stealing but Assassin suits Syobai due to his professional Hitman status.

//Yoruko: Dancer as a lot of the dancers in the franchise often do Hostess jobs like Yoruko did, plus its not the first time a Dancer has been important *cough* *cough* Fates *cough* *cough*

//Iroha: Dark Mage as they can cast illusions and typically villians of this class are portrayed as cowards who run at the drop of a hat, a bit like Iroha.

//Yuri: Manakete because given the glow up Yuri has with his growth spurt I think its funny if he's actually a dragon. Plus in Western media they typically go after women and we know Yuri is very deciatated towards women.

//Hajime: Brawler as do I need to explain this one? It kinda writes itself.

//Koroko: Mage as these people tend to be wise and intelligent much like Koroko. Also have a habit of experimentation, like Koroko.

//Emma: Warlock it would be funny if she has a similar class as Koroko plus actors in FE often tend to use music.

//Setsuka: Archer as billards often need to be shot much like a billards is also Devil Eye could be those skills which guranatee hits.

//Hibiki: Bard its a very obvious one since she can sing and motivate people.

//Kanade: Cavalier as you get a LOT of bloodthirsty psychotic Cavaliers in Fire Emblem and some of them are very similar to Kanade.

//Shinji: Monk as while not a religious person, Shinji is a very physical person and likes to use his fists which fits the class.

//Nikei: Wyvern Rider, a lot of people in this class have massive inferiority superiority complexes which fits Nikei to a t plus as a journalist he often has wings. Its also considered the more "evil" flying class which helps as well.

//Teruya: Merchant as that is an actual class in Fire Emblem so I don't need to think hard here.

//Mikado: Sorceror its the only class that fits him personally and almost no Sorcerors aren't complete rat bastards which again, fits Mikado.

//So there you go. That's all the classes that the SDRA2 cast could be.

[princess-of-the-corner]

Fic Snip from Kingdom Hearts - Destiny Vault:

--

    The old man scoffed and adjusted his glasses.  “To think I crossed the Misty Stream to attend a trade partner’s royal’s ascension only to be trapped in a mystic curse,” he grumbled.

    Sora blinked, picking up on the mention of the space sector they had just passed through.  “Wait, what was that?”

    “Sora!” a familiar voice blurted from several feet away.  He turned to locate the source of the voice when a brunette in a purple dress ran up and wrapped him in a bear hug.

    Kairi and Mickey gasped as they recognized the girl.  Sora pulled her off to get a look at her face, and he was just as shocked as them.  “Rapunzel?”

    The princess of Corona laughed.  “It’s good to see you,” she said.

    Sora chuckled nervously.  “Uh, same.  But what are you doing here?” he asked.  “This isn’t anywhere near Corona.”

    “Well, the same thing that the rest of us are doing here,” the old man said.  “This kingdom has guests from many different kingdoms and nations spreading far and wide.  I am the duke representing Weselton, Arendelle’s closest trading partner.”

    Sora crossed his arms as he processed what he was being told, his confusion visible on his face.  “You… crossed the sea between worlds?”

    The Duke of Weselton nodded.  “As we have done several times in our many years of international relations,” he added, as if it should have been obvious.

    “M-Many years?” Sora parroted in bewilderment.  “But I thought the worlds were supposed to be separate, and people weren’t supposed to know that there were other worlds beyond their own.  ‘World Order’, Donald keeps telling me.”

    “That would be true for the common gentry,” a man dressed in a Colonial British naval uniform interjected.  “But governments and blue-blooded houses have known of the greater World for centuries, and have engaged in international relations with many of the other lands since we have been able.”

    Sora and his companions were taken aback.  People have been traveling between worlds long before them?  If so, then what was the point of the secrecy that Donald always used to give him grief over?

    Goofy leaned down to whisper into Mickey’s ear.  “Did you know about this, your Majesty?” he asked.

    Mickey shrugged.  “My experience with external relations was mostly related to my responsibilities as a Keyblade Master,” he replied.  “Though I guess that explains how Minnie and Scrooge understood it well enough.”

    “Kingdoms and nations that make business in commerce cannot well trade or profit much if their reach is a world border that stops two meters from the edge of their dominion,” the British merchant added.  “Were that so, the East India Trading Company would not exist.”

    “East India Trading Company?  I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before,” Kairi mused.

    “Oh, there you are, Rapunzel.  I was wondering where you’d run off to.”  The party turned to the new speaker and recognized him as Eugene Fitzherbert, accompanied by one of the Kingdom of Corona’s royal guards.  He was dressed in more formal attire, donning a black suit with a purple vest marked with the sun-shaped sigil of Corona.  Sora smiled, putting his confusion to one side as he was simply happy to see his friend.  “Oh, hello there, Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Goofy.  Fancy seeing you here.”

    “Hey, Eugene,” Sora greeted.

    “Hang on.  The worlds had barriers separating them until a few years ago.  How have you been able to sail the Lanes Between before that?” Kairi asked.

    The trading company merchant smirked.  “We have our means,” he said cryptically.  “Although I’ll admit, we did enjoy the lack of barriers in the last few years, even while our business locations were being lost.”

    “But how do you reinforce your ships against the darkness of the Lanes Between?” Mickey asked.  “Especially for the crew members out in the open.”

    “Really?  I didn’t feel a thing,” Eugene remarked.  “Then again, I don’t really understand what you’re talking about.”

    “A-hyuck.  I guess you could say the same thing about Captain Hook’s pirate ship,” Goofy said, recalling how the vessel sailed around the Gummi Ship to ambush and capture them.  The trading company merchant frowned at the mention of pirates.

    Rapunzel shivered and did an erratic jig.  “Brrr…  My feet are freezing!” she complained.

    “Say, maybe we should find you some shoes,” Eugene suggested.

    “And a cloak, too,” Hans added.

    “It’s that blasted queen’s curse,” the Duke spat.  “That monster and her wretched sorcery.”

    Eugene was incensed at the Duke’s remarks against magic, as Rapunzel used to have powers and Sora and company had their magic, and they would by extension fall under his “wretched monsters” categorization.  He stepped up close to the Duke and glared down at him.  “Do you have something against magic, pal?”

    The Duke gulped in reaction to his threatening tone, then quickly composed himself and cleared his throat.  “As a matter of fact, I do,” he replied sternly.  His bodyguards gently nudged Eugene to take a step back.

    Eugene shrugged.  “I’ll admit, I’m not sure what answer I was expecting.”  The Corona guard rolled his eyes.

--

Yeah, I threw off the whole established understanding of the worlds here. (Though, honestly, at times it feels like this makes more sense.) And Eugene is really fun to write.

GOD THOUGH LIKE

I know there's probably a reason for it in-universe but they really should let the characters interact between worlds

[depressedhatakekakashi]

Just saw your post about forgetting Gai's disability. I thought it was included in 2-3 life times.

1.) After he accidentally shoots it off with lightning when splitting Madara in half during their fight. It was his finishing move in his second life. (Though I guess he gets a leg back when he's turned into a dragon.)

2.) Losing it in a fire in the Merchant lifetime by saving people from a burning building.

3.) The king having it be chopped off in Rogue Gai's lifetime so he does not escape before his execution date. (though I think we only talked about that in DM's. Sorry)

There's even a possible forth time that the killing blow to knight Gai could have been getting his leg cut off. However losing it and everyone he loved dead on the battle ground, triggers the dragon before the army can proceed to Tonika. Thus making him kill them all with the dragon powers, before joining them himself.

Did you wanted to include it in every life time? Did you want God Gai to be missing a leg and have it replaced with a spiritual/ pretty prosthetic?

I keep so many au things in my mind, i’m bound to forget some 😭😭😭

But yes, God Gai would be missing a leg/have a prosthetic. It’s a very important part of his journey through the lifetimes, and maybe the leg has been damaged so much over so many lifetimes that when he’s reborn a god it’s impossible to heal it

Even Hashirama can’t heal it, and he can heal everything

But gai doesn’t mind because he has everything he needs. Kakashi, Sora, an eternity of adventure

He has so much to look forward to and he can’t wait to start. Plus tenten could make him the coolest of prosthetics

One fit for a literal god XD

[asssueeue8e]

My (au) story, in addition to the original characters, is also present from danganronpa, another from the first and second parts and Project: Eden's Garden. And it turns out only 102 characters. More precisely, the students.

But the main action takes place near the student council.

The Student Council organizes events and contests.

President of the Council: Cody Burns.

Vic President of the Council : Kiyotaka Ishimaru.

Treasurer : Byakuga Togama

Secretary: Kirumi Tojo.

Student Council Members :

77 - b

Chiaki Nanami. Class Leader (Unsurpassed Gamer)

Cody Burns (The Consummate Spy and Virologist)

Ibuka Mioda (Unsurpassed musician)

Sonya Nevermaid (The Unsurpassed Princess)

Gundam Tanaka (Unsurpassed Animal Breeder)

78 - a

Makota Naegi Class Leader (Unsurpassed Happy)

Keka Kirigiri (The Consummate Detective)

Sakura Ogami (Unsurpassed Martial Artist)

Kiyotaka Ishimaru (Unsurpassed Duty Officer)

Mukura Ikusaba (The Consummate Soldier)

Byakuga Togami (The Unsurpassed Heir)

78-d

Kaeda Akatsumi. The Head Of The Class.

(The Consummate Pianist)

Shuichi Saihara (The Consummate Detective)

Kirumi Toje (The Consummate Maid)

Gonta Gokuhara (Unsurpassed Entomologist)

Maki Harukawa (Unsurpassed Contract Killer)

Exchange students.

(Project: Eden's Garden)

Kara Koskinen . The head of The Class (An Unsurpassed teacher's Assistant. )

Damon Maitsu (The Consummate Debater)

Eva Tsunaki (The Consummate Liar)

Grace Maddison (The Consummate Golfer)

Wolfgang Akire (The Consummate Lawyer)

Toshiko Kayura (The Consummate Matchmaker)

78 - b

Utsura Maeda (The Unsurpassed Lucky One, The Unsurpassed Big Brother)

Akana Tyner (The Consummate Maid)

Tsurugi Kinjo (Unsurpassed Police Officer)

Rei Mekaru (Unsurpassed Professor)

Teruya Otori (Unsurpassed Merchant)

79- a

Sora Tyner Class Leader (Unsurpassed Emptiness,

The Consummate Younger Sister )

Iroha Nijue (Unsurpassed Artist)

Shobai Hasmioto (Unsurpassed Broker)

Yuki Maedo (The Unsurpassed Lucky One, The Unsurpassed Younger Brother)

Yoruka Kabuya (Unsurpassed Officer)

Hibiko Otonokoz (Unsurpassed Vocalist)

Changes

I changed the talent of some characters.

Junka is now just an unsurpassed Fashionista. Without analytical skills and desperation.

Also now Ruruka, Seiko, Sonsiki are studying

at 79. And Natsumi studied at 78-b as an Unsurpassed Manipulator. Miratai is now studying at 78-D. This was done so that there would be seventeen students in each class.

Age

77 - b. 22 years old.

78 a, d,b . 20 years.

79 a. 18 years old.

My au is divided into two universes.

Despair is where all the student becomes fragments of despair. And the Bots and the Pry Team are trying to stop them.

And the second student of the academy comes to the island from the tragedy .