#Shipping is fine and all but it is a running theme in the series than *everyone* who expresses romantic interest in someone -

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

The squad of all time has arrived on scene.

[littlefreya]

Summary: Whatever madness drove this woman to board a pirate’s ship of her own free will was beyond comprehension. Yet there she was, in velvet and silk, marching toward certain danger and the sinful desires of the monstrous Captain August ‘Blackbeard’ Walker.

Pairing: AU! Pirate August Walker x OFC (no mentions of body type or ethnicity)

Word count: 1.9k

Warnings: 18+. No smut, but sexual themes are mentioned, as well as dark themes - he is a pirate. Possible historical inaccuracy. This is not the real Blackbeard. Mentions of kidnapping.

A/N: Not beta’d. Many thanks to @agniavateira @luna-aestas and @wolvesandhoundshowltogether for the support, and thanks to @geralts-yenn because this story started as a 15-minute challenge, and I ended up writing a whole shot. There might be a part 2, and this might turn into a series. We will see after my anxiety runs its course :D

Thanks for reading, and please reblog and comment if you enjoyed :)

Neptune's Snare

The soggy wooden platform creaked beneath her feet as she climbed onto the main deck. Each step eliciting s husky wail - a sorrowful hymn to the lost maidens of the sea - those who would never return, those devoured by the sinful desires of monstrous captain August ‘Blackbeard’ Walker. 

Whatever madness drove women to go there willingly was beyond comprehension. No more than a tomb, the ship alone looked like a carnivorous maw; black iron spikes stood firmly at the bow, and the sheer size of it was enough to strike fear at the heart of even the bravest sailor.

Yet, there she was, draped in a black velvet cloak and an ivory corset dress, willingly marching toward grave danger. 

Dozens of ragged men welcomed her onboard, filthy scoundrels, all drenched in an exotic mixture of sweat and alcohol. Hungry, their eyes gnawed at her tender flesh, but none would dare touch her. If August’s crew knew one thing, it’s that some fates are much, much more worse than death. 

It didn’t stop them from taunting. Suckling their lips, they followed the girl on her march toward the captain’s cabin. Cheer and chortle in their voice as they imagined the obscenities their captain was about to perform on this naive girl. 

“Pity, he never let us look…” whined one of the pirates while the other bood.

“Aye, you mad to come ‘er tonight. The cap’n hasn’t had his fill in weeks, lass. He would sure pillage each of you’ holes tonight.”

“He gonna paint her full of his sea foam!”

The entire ship roared with their laughter. The girl, however, kept a blank face and, without spending any minute longer, opened the door to the captain's cabin.                                                                                                                                                

Bright, golden luminance blinded Lizette’s sight as she entered the cabin. The walls were plated by ornaments made of gold, reflecting the sparkle of the hundred candles that burnt at the decorated candelabras and crystal chandelier. Fine works of art hung from each wall, and on a vast lacquered table stood a plethora of delicacies that made Lizette’s belly gurgle. 

She stared at the table momentarily, almost fooled by the obvious seduction. In complete opposite to the murky exterior of the ship, the captain’s chamber was a room fit for kings, sputtering style, elegance and riches. Perhaps this was how he lured them. The poor naive girls truly believed he would give them a better life. But Blackbeard was no king, nor was he a gentleman. He was the deadliest man the world has ever known - a serpent, nightshade - all he could give a woman was death. 

“Take off your cowl.”  

A deep voice called from behind, dark and mysterious as the ocean. It struck like an icy shard through her spine, making her shoulders jerk and stiffen. It was odd to know someone by hundred of myths and stories spun around them and have men mimic their voice in an attempt to portray them but never know what they truly sounded like. 

As it turned out, August sounds like a man one doesn’t refuse. 

Obedient, Lizette pulled the cowl from her head - slow as she would unwrap a much-anticipated present. Her gaze kept to the floor still, continuing to play the coy virgin the Captain wanted her to be, though if she had to be honest - she was terrified of whatever hideous monster she would soon have to face. 

There must have been a reason why the women who came here never left. Lizette was willing to bet every dime in her pocket that August was the most gruesome, repulsive creature, and the only way for him to keep people from knowing was by murdering each woman he bedded!    

“Shy, aren’t we?” Blackbeard murmured with a dry chuckle and began to circle her, observing his bounty from side to side.

“I quite enjoy shy,” he chuckled once more, his voice almost a groan. 

She forced herself not to flinch too much. She could sense his glare upon her, stripping her garment by garment, weighing what he earned tonight and considering all the ways in which he would pillage her body. It made her feel like she was one of the delicacies that rested on his table rather than a person. 

After gyrating around her and inspecting each crease of her body, August finally returned to his starting spot behind her and, in a low, delighted groan, demanded, “Turn around.” 

Doing as he commanded, she turned to him, still keeping her glance plastered to the floor, her breathing now shallow as the air in the room grew magically stuffy. She could spot his blurry silhouette from the corner of her eye; a tall and fit man, rather broad. It seemed that he was doing a loose white cotton shirt and dark trousers, and from his waistband - a gleam of silver winked back. 

“Are you a mute?” 

Another chill shot through her as he spoke. Absentminded, she swallowed. “No…”  embarrassingly, her voice cracked; she took a deep breath and reprimanded, “No, sir. Just nervous.”

“Captain,” he corrected. 

Lizette nodded but did not repeat him. She couldn’t. Words died on her tongue as the Captain made a bold step toward her, drawing dangerously near. He paused for a shy second, fingers laced together, contemplating, before he reached a fist beneath her chin and, in a ceremonious tenderness, lifted her chin.  

The air drained from her completely. Her lips parted in a mixture of fear and astonishment. 

It couldn’t be.

Perhaps she had the wrong man?

Grey, ocean-eyes peered at her through a face that women and men would damn themselves for. No! Even angels would. His jaw was sharp and profound, statuesque like cut marble - dashed with dark stubble and a thick raven-black moustache. His lips, though chafed from the salty sea breeze, were plumped and shaped to be kissed, and while some of his curls were streaked with silver, he still had a healthy mane of hair on his head. 

‘He could have been a decent man,’ she thought, ‘and yet he chose this?!’

There was an obscure attractive melancholy to his looks - almost tragic. 

August took another moment to study her face, a frown slowly forming on his ridged brow. “You look familiar…”

“I work the docks,” she answered almost immediately.

His stare deepened, eyes dropping to her cleavage momentarily before returning to pierce back into the back of her skull, “Skin too soft. Too shy to be a prostitute.” 

His fingers wrapped around her chin, caging it between his thumb and his index in a tight grip, making it hurt. He tilted his head, daring her to come up with another lie.  

“The tavern,” Lizette answered, firm and steadfast. She did not flinch from his touch, even though every instinct begged her to.

“And you came to me. Why?”

“What girl wouldn’t give everything for a night with the notorious Captain Blackbeard? The living legend… the king of pirates.” She softened her eyes as much as possible and offered a shy pout to reconcile him. 

August chewed on the inside of his cheek; storm clouds gathered on his pale eyes as he contemplated. They both knew she was flattering him to gain his trust and save her pretty little neck. It wasn’t a situation he hadn’t encountered in the past. They both also knew that he was stronger, bigger and armed and could snap said pretty little neck in less than a split second. 

“Are you a virgin?” He proceeded. 

She nodded, her throat clenching. 

August lingered on her response and, after what felt like an eternity, offered a small grin and pinched her chin sweetly as if to praise her before moving a step closer. Lizette smiled back nervously. She could sense his rum-drenched breath on her face. The scent was so pungent it made her moan invulnerably. 

Or perhaps it was the anxiety that was eating into her heart. 

“Ever sucked a cock, pet?” 

His question was answered by a small click that echoed through the quarter and the press of hard, cold metal against the bare parts of his chest. 

Not stepping back, he slowly, almost theatrically, spread his arms into a gesture of defeat while peering at the girl. No rage nor fear painted his face, and as he spoke, there was neither surprise in his voice. 

“Heh. So you ARE a whore.”

Lizette held the pistol determined, not saying a word.

“What is it that I do, pet?” 

Offering a sly grin, the pirate pressed against the barrel; the oceans in his glare darkened. As Lizette stared back, she could have sworn the many shades of blue in his sights shifted and swayed like angry waves. Quickly brushing the thought away, she cocked the gun in a warning, her little thumb grazing the trigger.

But to August, it was clear that the girl had never killed anyone before, and the longer she stalled, the more shaky her hand became. Taunting, he moved further into the barrel, which forced her to take a step back. 

“Do not move closer!” She finally spoke. 

August brushed her warning away, moving forward instead. He had been so nimble in his movement, fluid, like a sea creature himself. Only now she realised that his hands were no longer in the air. 

“Was it your dear mother?” He suggested. “Father? Sister?” He paused and offered a vicious smirk, “Ah… I see, A lover. Well, to that, I surely deserve to die. Go ahead, pet, pull the trigger.” 

His slender, heavily ringed fingers reached to envelop the barrel, holding the pistol steady for the girl. Every breath he took pressed the metal harder against his sternum. Lizette could sense his heartbeat pulsating through the barrel, the thrum of his blood nearly mingling with her own. No longer steady, her digit quivered around the trigger and in her throat, she felt the strenuous hold of anger, guilt and hatred. 

“You have taken everything from me!” She simply answered. 

Soon her sight became blurry, and wetness gathered beneath her eyes.  

‘Do it, do it now.’ 

Another click sounded in the room. Louder than the cocking of a gun. 

Lizette’s eyes flared in shock, and before she could pull the trigger, August had carefully veered the gun from his chest and, in a tenderness that was accustomed to lovers, snatched it from her hand. His other hand laid still on her neck, fastening the iron collar he granted her.

“Good girl,” he teased and then leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to the forehead of the girl who was too struck by her own misfortune and stupidity to react. 

With the pistol safely placed in his waistband, the pirate stepped back, face alighted, eyes sparkling with starlight cascade, like a child who had just earned a new toy.  He clasped his hands together, ecstatic; thick silver rings chiming as they collided.

 “I haven’t taken everything from you, pet. but I am going to…”

With one last slanted grin, the pirate turned on his heels and marched toward the door, not bothering to bid farewell as he left and locked the door behind him.

Panicked, Lizette reached her hands to the iron collar, desperately trying to pry it off her neck despite knowing there was no logic in pulling at the heavy metal. 

“Please!” Tears trickled down her cheeks and chin, “no! No! No! Please!”

Through the open window, she could hear the captain's voice barking orders, commanding his men to lift anchor and set sail. 

****

Chapter Two

[sofasoap]

Lastochka AU - Seven Seas - 1

Pairing : Nikolai x F!Reader ( OC/Mini MacTavish)

Summary: Going against the odds of society's expectation and prejudice, you made a name for yourself as Lady Fortuna of the sea. but one day ....

AU to my Lastochka series

WARNING: Mature Theme. swearing. violence. inaccurate period/historical depiction. or languages. or facts. everything.

A/N : Well, I started another AU. Thanks to @gamergirlbonestaskforce141riot's mouth frothing render of Buccaneer!Nikolai. Please go check out her wonderful renders and story :D and oh... this was suppose to be part of the 141 challenge ooops I was tooooo late. sorry @glitterypirateduck! oops.

Main masterlist

Credit : @gamergirlbonestaskforce141riot

“Pirate! Starboard!!” 

“Captain! They are getting closer!!” 

You knew this wasn’t going to be an easy journey. You had a hunch about it the moment you boarded the ship.  And usually your hunch never fails you. 

“That’s a Schooner. They might look small, but they will catch up to us no matter what we do. We will never outran that ship.”  you heard the Captain mumbling, as he looked through his telescope, trying to identify the ship.  

Putting down the telescope he sighed. “The only chance of escaping is to face them.”

Treasurer might be a government commissioned ship, but being a merchant ship and designed to carry cargo and goods, it was never equipped with the heavy cannon or artillery like the naval battle ship. A chill runs down your spine. They have no choice but let the pirate board the ship and fight them in close combat. 

“Arm yourself! Ready for battle!” The Captain yelled at the crews,before he turned around and escorted you back to your resting quarter. “Lady MacTavish, you will be safer down there than up here. Go.” 

You wanted to argue with him but you know better than disobeying a Captain’s command. 

This is probably the first time you have met with real danger on the sea after years of sailing. 

You started sailing with the merchant ship from the day you became of age. 

You have begged and bribed your father for years to be a passenger to sail on one of the merchant ships that sails from Port Inbhir Nis to London, delivering the orders of whisky and woven goods from your parent’s distillery and farm to the clients down south.

“Please Da! I have never been to London before! Besides, Johnny will be there too, you have nothing to worry about.” you begged. 

Lord MacTavish sighed. Putting down the document he was reviewing, he leaned in, clasped his hand and frowned. He looks straight into your eyes, tries to reason with you. 

“You know how superstitious the crews are about taking women onboard a ship…” he started.

“I can pretend to be a man!” you countered. 

“Not that easy you know..” 

“I got an idea!” you clap your hand together, as another excuse comes up. “Social season is starting soon in London, So…”

“You can get there by land….”

“Will be too late. You know how long it takes! Plus my bottom will be so sore by the end of the journey…”  

“Language, Mini.” your father warned. “You've never been on a ship or boat before..” “River boat Da, I've been on a river boat once.” “Fine. once. But the open sea is a totally different business. The unforgiving waves, the danger…” 

“Da. After growing up with Johnny, do you think anything will faze me?”

“... True.” 

“Just remember to behave a bit more like a lady….”  not waiting for him to finish his words, you surge forward and give him a big hug. 

“Oh thank you Da! Thank you!” you pepper kisses on your father’s face, all excited. You knew your father wouldn’t say no to you. You have always been the jewel in their eyes, their precious little gem. You were brought on in a very unconventional way compared to the other noble ladies. Sure, you have learn how to read, write, etiquettes, languages and sewing like other girls, but you also run around like a wild goose with your older brother Johnny, learning how to fight, use swords and roll around in mud, climbing trees, all the un-lady like things you can think of? You’ve done it. 

“I hope I am making the right decision… Now just try to convince your Ma…”He mumbled as he patted your back. 

He manages to find a merchant ship that is willing to take you onboard, after paying a nice sum of money to the Captain and the crew to take a young lady and a few of the servants onboard with them.  

When you reached London at the end of the journey, the Captain was amazed how smooth sailing the trip was.

“I have been going up and down this stretch for the last fifteen years, I have never,ever had a more uneventful but smooth sailing journey than this!” 

Second, third, and fourth journey was the same. Rumours started to spread that contrary to the superstition, you were a lucky charm, a sure guarantee for a fast and safe journey.

Suddenly everyone is fighting to take you onboard. To your parents’ surprise. They would have thought you will be giving up on the “sailor’s game” by now but instead you have come home with your brother blabbering how much fun you had and all the invitations you have received from various Captains for more journeys in the future. 

They reluctantly let you continue on after they discovered people were willing to pay good money to have you onboard. You were also helping to manage your father’s business by dealing and expanding clientiles in London, also sometimes going across the channel, into the continents. 

You slowly made a name for yourself not just being Lady MacTavish, but Lady Fortuna, lady luck, the one who brings good fortune and safety for anyone who travels with you. 

Gossips spread within the social circles. Good gossip, bad gossip.

Good gossips of how other ladies are envious of you, how much freedom your parents gave you despite being a lady, being a woman. 

Bad gossips of how you must have slept around to gain so many favours and names amongst the merchants and sailors, how you were only just a northern barbarians 

But you ignore the rumours. You were just happy you have become an independent woman. Even with reassurance from Johnny he would look after you in the unfortunate event of both of your parents passing, you don’t want to be dependent on anyone. You don’t want to be a burden. What if Johnny’s future spouse hates you and kicks you out of the house? 

How many times have you witnessed yourself the stories of young ladies with not a penny under their name, ditched by their siblings after their parents passing, nearly ending up on the street. You were glad she was in the position of wealth and social status to reach out to help resettling those girls, helping them to find a respectable job to bring in some income.

You are proud of what you have managed to achieve. And you are thankful for your family’s support, no matter how reluctant they are at the beginning.

And for years, things have been peaceful… until today.

Well, if your father knows the dire situation that is happening right now, he probably regrets the decision he made way back to them to let you step onto ships. 

The sound of crews yelling and running around on the main deck was getting more frantic as the minute went by. 

Your poor young maid huddles in the corner of the room, shaking and sobbing. This was the young girl’s first time on a ship, after hearing your reputation, she eagerly volunteered to accompany you on the journey, never expecting to be in such a dire situation. 

“Aye, to hell. I cannot just sit here like a damsel in distress…” you came to the conclusion after pacing up and down in the small room while listening to the yelling and screaming up on the deck. 

You open your trunk and throw all the clothes onto the bed as you dig right to the bottom. 

“Ah here it is.” you dragged the Claymore out from the bottom of the trunk. You never thought this day would have come. Johnny had insisted you pack the sword for each of your travels (to your Ma’s aghast). 

“I just wish I never have to use this thing…” 

“Neither do I, my dear sister. But, if anything happens, I wouldn’t be there to protect you, but it comforts me that you will be well equipped, and show those enemies what a Scottish lass can do.” 

“Here, take this.” You shove the fork and knife that was left on the table from meal time into your crying maid’s hands. “Lock and block the door after I go out, and go hide under the bed or closet. Understand??”

“But my Lady…” 

“That’s an order. Follow it.” you gave her no room to argue and marched out the door.

You storm up the staircase, dragging the sword behind you. You pushed open the double door that leads towards the upper deck. 

You were greeted with the chaotic sight of yelling, screaming and the metal sound of swords clashing together. No one seems to have noticed you emerging from the door as they were all focused on fighting their enemies. You would be lying if you said you aren’t scared witless. But what else can you do? You are in the middle of the sea, nowhere to escape, instead of hiding in the cabin and crying about your imminent death. You are a MacTavish! Proud Scottish! You will fight until your last breath if you have to.

Qui audet adipiscitur, Audeamus. 

The family motto that has been drilled into your brain. Make your ancestors proud. As your grandfather repeats day in and day out when he was still alive.

Quickly scanning through the deck,you were relieved to see everyone is still alive, if not only slightly injured. Maybe your Lady Luck magic is still working, but for how long you wondered. It wouldn’t be long before a casualty appears if you don’t do something.    

Following the sound of the familiar voice, you spotted the Captain, towards the quarter deck, currently in a deep battle of what seems to be the Captain or the Commander of a pirate ship. 

Quickly mumbling a prayer under your breath, gathering your courage, you hauled the sword up onto your shoulder, silently thanking Johnny’s insistence of dragging you into training with the sword everyday until he ran off to London after purchasing himself an officer position.  

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks and automatically parted ways as they spotted you, a noble lady, with a broad sword that is nearly as tall as you, marching towards the front of the ship, full of purpose, like a highlander marching into her last battle. None of them dared to stop you. 

“Stop the fighting at this instance!” You bellowed out the order. Your Captain’s eyes widened as spotted you over the shoulder of the enemy, dodged out of the way just in time as the enemy tried to aim at his neck. 

The whole ship came into an eerie silence as the fighting came to a halt. Only the sound of crashing waves and seagulls screeching could be heard as everyone turned their attention to you.

You stab the claymore onto the deck floor in front of you, resting your hands on the end of the hilt. 

“My Lady… I told you…” you hold up a hand, silencing the Captain. Giving him a look. I’ll handle this.  

You just hope the plan you have formulated in your brain will work. Even if it comes at a cost. 

The tall man, who you assume is the Commander and Captain of the pirate ship, slowly turned around, while swinging his sword around at the same time, taking aim at your face.

Don’t back down Mini, Don’t back down. You keep reminding yourself as you shuffle your feet wider, standing firm. 

For a second you could see a flash of surprise from his body language. “A noble woman, a Scottish one too.well, that is something new.”  The man smirked, while scanning you up and down. But not in a leering way. You have been enough men to distinguish the difference between someone who is looking at you like a common whore and someone who is trying to suss you out. 

You took a quick glance at him yourself, trying to guess his origin. Eastern European? You deduced from his slight accent. Possibly well educated, for commanding fluent English. Tall, well built with strong arm muscle, slightly dark skinned as all the sailors have from long voyages under the sun, black sleek hair with a slightly rugged beard. 

Quite a handsome man, you have to admit. 

“Where are my manners?” he took off his traveller's hat, taking an exaggerated bow, all the while still keeping his eyes on you. “ Commander Nikolai, Captain of Chimera, Privateer, at your service.” 

“Privateer..” you mumbled. “sleekit basturts.” Trying to make himself sound more grand than a pirate is he? 

“What was that?” He smiled, but you know the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Nothing.” you rolled your eyes. 

You returned the greeting, announcing your name and clan name. “... of Clan MacTavish.” you said proudly. You could see a flash of confusion followed by recognition in his eyes. Has he heard of your family before? But where could he have heard it from? 

“I have a proposition for you.” you tilt your head, ignoring that question you have in your head, and putting your plan into motion. 

He cockily raised an eyebrow as he lowered his sword, suddenly taking interest in what deals you have to offer. 

“Take me instead. And whatever cargo you want. All I ask is for you to let my crew go, with enough food and water for them to sail to the nearest port.” 

“My lady!!!” Your Captain and any crews that were close enough to you gasped, shocked by the idea and protesting. You turned your head to look at him for a few seconds, giving a stern look. Please trust me on this. You pleaded with your eyes.

“Keeping a woman onboard? Bah! That will certainly bring bad luck! I mean look at what happened.. “ one of the pirates with .. what seems to be a sack or cloth over his head, waved his hand and laughed. Your crew booed and jeered at the idiot who clearly hadn't heard of your reputation and the luck you have brought for them. 

You ignored his jeering and took a step closer to the Pirate’s Captain, “Give me one month, and I can prove to you, I can bring you more money and luck you wish for. If not, feel free to go ahead and ask my parents for a ransom.” you tilt your head up confidently. Or try to act confidently. You were actually panicking and formulating alternative plans if he doesn’t accept the offer. Maybe you should have just swung your sword and chopped his head off just now when you had the chance. 

But some weird part of your heart told you not to do it. That intuition you always trust. 

This man might have some use to you later on. You decided. 

“So, what do you think?” you pushed him again. 

Nikolai stared at you with a serious expression on his face, calculating all the odds. 

“Alright.”

“You.. you agree?” you replied, with surprise in your voice. 

“Why are you so surprised?” he laughed at your shocking expression.  

You made an unlady-like face, “Because you are my enemy? The one who attacked us? A pirate?”

“You never have to be scared of me, Lady MacTavish, I might be a Privateer…”

“Pirate.” You reiterate it again. “You just ransack a merchant ship that is technically owned by The crown, so you are not a privateer.”

“Fine, Pirate. I might be a pirate, but I do have a set of  morals and standards I follow.”

“Is that so? Maybe you should be weary of me instead, Captain.” you smirked. “You never know if I might just poke your eyes out during your sleep.”

“You are not brave enough to do that.” he taunted. 

“Watch me.” you smiled, taking a step forward and jabbing his chest with your finger, deliberately digging your nail into his flesh. “What MacTavish promises, MacTavish will do.” 

Xxxxx

Johnny MacTavish waited at the port with excitement. He hasn’t seen his sister for a few months, and was quite eager to see her again. 

But what shocked him and his friends and fellow soldiers when they saw the Treasurer finally docked at the port days behind schedule, with no cargo to unload, only with a very dejected and injured crew walking off the ship.

Without you. 

Johnny rushed towards the Captain of Treasurer, who looked at him with an apologetic expression as he pushed a letter and ring into Johnny’s hand. 

“Please give this to Johnny, along with the letter.” You pushed the gold ring with the family signet along with a hastily written letter into the Captain’s hand. “You and the crew should be alright until you reach the port. The luck should follow with my ring. Not a worry there.”

“My lady…”

“Go. I will be alright. I’ll make sure of that. Oh, please make sure my poor maid is well compensated. I wouldn’t be surprised if the poor girl decided to run away from the job the moment she arrived at the port.” 

Johnny gripped onto the letter with a shaky hand. Pirates!! Pirates have taken his precious sister!!! 

“What is going on here? Where is your sister Johnny?” A gruff voice behind Johnny made him 

“Captain Price..”Johnny took a deep breath and turned towards his own Captain,with the rest of his crewmates following behind him. Johnny took a deep breath in, as calm as he could and slowly explain the situation to him, along with Captain of Treasurer. 

“... Did you say Nikolai?” Captain Price frowned when he heard the name mentioned.

“Of Chimera. Who claims he was a privateer for the Crown.” Captain of the Treasurer added.

“ … Shit.” Captain Price lowered his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “That muppet…” he mumbled. 

Johnny’s eyes flashed with surprise, but before he could ask the question, Kyle Garrick, the young soldier who became fast friends with Johnny since the day he joined, perked up, “Captain.. You know this Privateer.. Or the Pirate that kidnapped Mini?” he asked.

“Worked with him a few times actually. Under the command of the Crown. He is an extremely capable sailor and soldier. People often underestimate how destructive he could be. I am surprised Mini managed to strike a deal with him to let the crew leave with just losing the cargo. ” Price commented.

“Also with her.” Johnny growled. Glaring at the Treasurer’s Captain as he speaks.

“Not his fault Johnny. She made a valiant effort to try to reduce the casualty and losses to minimum. You should have seen her on the deck. Swinging the Claymore around like a true Scottish woman.” one of the crew walked past, trying to defend their Captain. 

Johnny let out a faint smile as he heard the crew describe how you challenged the pirate, the bravery, that's the stubborn Mini he knows.

Johnny shook his head. No, this is not the time to admire his sister’s bravery. Her life and also her… her virtue is in danger here! He looked pleadingly to his Captain, hoping he would come up with a plan or help him to rescue his sister, with or without Crown’s permission. 

“I want to say you should be worrying for your sister but..apart from that muppet shouldn’t have attacked a Crown owned ship.. It’s Nikolai that might be in more danger here.”

“.. HUH.” Everyone looked at Captain Price with confusion. 

“ I am actually more worried for Nikolai…he might have met his match.” Price mumbled cryptically. 

“... I .. I don’t understand, Captain?” Johnny asked, perplexed by his Captain’s words.

“Trust me on this one, Mini should return without harm.” Price patted Johnny’s shoulder. “But we still need to go chase after them.. Stupid idiots need to be reined in before this gets into further trouble with the whole British Isle.”

Oh Mini, what mess have you got yourself into? Johnny wondered. All he knows Ma and Da and their ancestors will be half proud of what you have done but also twist his neck off if he doesn’t get you back to safety fast enough. 

prompt used for 141 challenge:

Alternate Universe/AU

Enemies to Lovers

Dare/Bet

You never have to be scared of me

Tag list:

@homicidal-slvt @nrdmssgs @siilvan @roosterr @preciouslittlecreature @gamergirlbones @whydoilikewhump @alypink @ashwasherelol @okayyadriana @liyanahelena @miyabilicious @caramlizedtomatoes @celshideout @merkitty49 @abbeyrjm-blog @shyravenns @okamimarta @gazs-blue-hat

[hugmekenobi]

The Bad Batch (3)

Chapter Three: Replacements

GIF by @kamino-coruscant

Hunter x femaleJedi!reader

Series Summary: You joined the Batch 8 months ago and everything was going well. But then, Order 66 happened and the galaxy around you changed. Now, not only do you need to be careful given your new 'social status', but you also need to navigate your feelings towards a certain Sergeant.

Chapter Summary: You and Hunter finally talk things over but amidst all that, the ship crashes and you need to find your way off a desolate moon.

<Previous Chapter

Genre: Friends (idiots) to Lovers

Chapter Warnings: Use of (Y/N) (but I've limited it as much as I could), swearing, the Force works how I say it does, mild innuendo, brief injury mention, light angst, Hunter defence (a theme that will run throughout now).

Word Count (Ch 3): 7.6K

Rating: 18+

Author's notes: Okay so things are finally being talked out lol but despite the honesty mention, both of them continue to lie about their feelings but I allow that because they're both doing it and they're dumb haha. Also I'm sorry for not including Crosshair's section of the episode. It was a tough decision not to but I think with what my focus for this chapter was, it had to be done. Also a big thank you for the support this story as received to far! It means a lot!

You sat down on the bunk you had once shared with Hunter; you weren’t really sure if that would still stand anymore, you didn’t really expect it to and finished tying off the bandage around your arm. You also quickly applied a light touch of bacta on your cheek and your eyes followed Hunter as he walked over to where Omega was sitting restlessly on the floor, examining a datapad as she leaned against Gonky who was also on his side.

Hunter walked up to Omega with the ration box. “Well, that doesn’t look comfortable, for either of you.”

“We’re fine.” Omega said lightly.

“Here. Chow time.” Hunter said, handing Omega a ration bar as she stood up.

“Ah! Finally!”

Hunter looked up to see Wrecker jumping down the stairs that led to the gun turret. He handed his eager brother a bar only to see him consume it at record pace.

“Hit me again.” Wrecker demanded keenly.

“Well, that’s all for now.” Hunter said, closing the box. “Rations are low.”

Wrecker groaned.

Omega looked down at her portion then back to Wrecker. “You can have mine.” She offered.

Before he reached out to grab it, Hunter pushed Wrecker back a few steps. “Hey, Omega doesn’t even have a place to sleep. You wanna take her food too?”

Wrecker glanced past Hunter. Now he felt bad. “Oh. Uh… no, no thanks. You keep it.”

“Okay.” Omega said casually before sitting back down against the droid.

Wrecker let out another groan. “I guess I’m not used to having a kid around here.”

“Well, none of us are, but she’s not complaining.” Hunter pointed out.

--

You let out a soft sigh as you witnessed the scene just past you before turning away to start packing up the medical kit. You made sure to put everything back where it was, or you knew you’d never hear the end of it from Tech. You’d made the mistake once of just chucking things in in any old order which had not gone down well with the clone, and you’d spent the next 20 minutes getting lectured on the importance of the organisation of the medical supplies.

“The bandages go in the top right compartment.”

You looked up quickly to see Hunter standing opposite you. “Oh, um thanks.” You replied, knowing you were not successful in hiding your surprised tone.

“You didn’t get your portion.” Hunter said, holding the box out to you.

“Thank you.” You replied, taking the ration bar out and nibbling the top of it before putting your attention back on the med kit. You figured that’s all he’d come up to you for and you didn’t want to make him stay any longer than he wanted to.

He knew you well enough to tell that your demeanour right now was for his own benefit and was based off his own action towards you. Come on Hunter, time to settle this, he thought to himself. “That, uh, happen leaving the lot?” Hunter asked, hoping he didn’t sound as awkward as he felt.

You looked back at him. “Yeah, but it barely touched me, and I heal fairly quickly. You know, Jedi and all that.” You cursed yourself internally for bringing up the one topic that held a high degree of sensitivity right now.

“Hmm that’s pretty handy.” Hunter said, giving you a small smile.

You let out a quiet laugh. “Yeah, it is.” After a few moments of silence, you spoke again. “Well, I uh, better put this back in its proper place or who knows what Tech’ll do to me.” You kidded half-heartedly before you sealed the med kit box and stood up, putting your top layer back on as you did so.

“Hey.” Hunter said softly, grabbing your free hand as you moved to pass him.

You glanced down at his hand then looked back at him. “Everything okay?”

“Can we talk?”

You wanted cry out with relief as he said those words but restrained yourself to a simple nod of your head.

Hunter led you towards the cockpit. “Tech, can you give us the space?”

“I’m working on this scanner.” Tech protested.

“You can work on it back there.” Echo said, standing up and dragging Tech out of his seat, giving you a small smile as he did so.

“Hey, Tech, put this back for me, would you please?” You asked, holding the med kit out to him.

Tech nodded and reached out to grab it. “Is everything-”

“Yes, everything is back in place.” You said, exasperated, but shooting him a smile, nonetheless.

“Okay, I only say that because last time-”

“Out!” Echo said, directing Tech away from you and back down the body of the ship.

--

Hunter let go of your hand- he hadn’t even realised he’d kept a hold of it- and went to sit in the pilot’s chair.

You squeezed your hand into a tight fist before relaxing it again as you did your best to ignore the usual feeling of emptiness that filled your hand whenever he let it go. You sat down in the co-pilot’s seat, turning it to face him. “This isn’t about Tech getting the ship impounded right cause-”

“No, it’s not.”

“Okay, good.” That was not the issue you were too worried about fixing. You waited patiently for him to talk first.

“I just… I need you to explain again. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did but-”

“No, you were perfectly entitled to do that. I know I messed up.” You said quietly.

Hunter took a breath before speaking again. “So, why did you hide this?”

You heaved a sigh and ran a hand through your hair. “In the beginning, I was being nothing but selfish. I wish I had a real reason, but I don’t. I’d spent years supressing that part of myself after I left. I didn’t get involved with anything that might threaten that until you all showed up. I lost myself for a while and forgot what I’d been taught. I don’t know what was different about you guys, but something told me I had to help you. I thought it would be a one-time thing but then you offered me a place here and I found myself saying yes and it’s like I said, as time went on, I grew to care for yo- all of you, you know you guys were the closest thing to friends I’d had for a while.” You caught yourself quickly.

Hunter pushed away the upset he felt as he heard that word.

“And I thought by telling you what I really was, things would change, or you’d send me back but, as with any secret, the longer it went the more uncomfortable I felt and the harder it got to keep, and I knew it wasn’t fair to keep lying. Especially to you.” You added quietly, looking down at your hands in your lap. “If you can, and I understand if you can’t, believe it when I say that I really did plan to tell you after Kaller but with Order 66 and Crosshair and Tarkin, I couldn’t. I don’t want to ask this of you but please trust me on this. All the odd behaviour, the deflections and the whole not telling you was purely because I wanted to protect you but I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have lied at all. I’m just- I’m just really sorry.” You finished and looked back at him.

“It just felt like you didn’t trust me or the rest of us. We don’t hide things from each other, not when they’re that important.”

“I know.” You said sorrowfully. “I regret it and I’ll keep regretting it for the rest of my life.”

“Do you regret it because you got caught out?”

“No!” You replied, horrified that that was something he was thinking but then again you could see how it may look that way. “I regret it because I hurt you and the others. I hurt my team and I hurt my friends. Hell, I hurt my family. I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

Hunter sighed. He knew you felt awful about this and that you wouldn’t do something like this again. He didn’t like this anymore than you did and if the others could forgive you, then he could too. “You’ve not lied about anything else?”

You shook your head. “No. If you have any other questions, I’d be happy to answer them too. I’m done hiding from my past.”

“Then we’re good.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Hunter replied.

You couldn’t stop yourself; you lunged forward and hugged him. “Thank you.” You whispered.

Hunter was glad your head was over his shoulder because that meant you wouldn’t be able to see the combination of happiness and shock on his face at your actions. He returned your embrace, breaking it very reluctantly after a few moments. “I do have some questions though.”

You removed yourself from him, you couldn’t believe you’d just done that, and went back to your seat. “Go ahead.”

“Is it because you were a Jedi that you’ve always refused to use a blaster?” He wanted to give you a more light-hearted question since the one he really wanted to ask might be a bit much to launch into straight away.

You snorted. “Yeah. They’re just not very elegant. I did try them out for a while but at the end of the day, I prefer the feeling of a sword in my hand. Anything else?”

Alright, moment of truth. “Yeah, but this one you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

“No, I meant what I said. I’ll answer whatever you want to ask.”

“Okay.” Hunter waited a moment before speaking again, he knew this would be a hard question for you to answer. “Why did you leave?”

You huffed out a sigh. Oh boy. “That’s a longer story.”

--

Meanwhile, further down the ship, Echo, Wrecker and Omega watched the interaction with relief.

“Do we think that’s them told each other now?” Wrecker asked.

“No, we’re not that lucky.” Echo replied. “I reckon they’ve just fixed the whole Jedi issue.”

“Told each other what?” Omega asked, looking away from the two of you to focus on Echo.

“They share a mutual attraction that neither party want to acknowledge or divulge to the other.” Tech answered, his attention never leaving his scanner.

“Huh?” Omega asked.

“Basically, they both have feelings of the romantic type for one another and despite our best efforts, they still deny it to us, and they won’t tell each other.” Echo explained.

“No matter how hard we try to get them to admit it.” Wrecker grumbled.

“Oohh.” Omega replied, turning back to look at you both. “We should do something.”

“Believe me kid, we’ve thought of everything. It’s gotta come from them at this point.” Echo said with a sigh. He just hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

--

“So yeah, that’s why I left. I couldn’t forget the way they’d treated her which led to a crisis of faith, so I left my lightsaber in my room and left the temple in the dead of night. I had thought about seeking her out, but she had her new path to follow and now I had mine, so I took the first shuttle off world. That began my life of planet hopping. I didn’t really fit in there to begin with to be honest. Too emotional with a tendency to talk back and sway from standard rules if you can believe it.” You said, shooting him a playful smile.

“Oh, I can.” Hunter agreed with a quiet chuckle. “That also explains why you disliked Tarkin so much.”

“Yeah.” You agreed with a laugh of your own. “I was really surprised that he didn’t recognise me.” You looked out into the blue hyperspace swirls.

“Well, I’m very grateful he didn’t.” Hunter said quietly.

You turned to face Hunter with a smile. “Me too.”

Hunter cleared his throat. “So… uh on Kaller. There was something else I wanted to mention. You and the padawan looked like-”

“We were having a conversation?” You completed for him.

“Yeah.”

“Well, that’s cause I kinda was.”

“But I didn’t hear anything?”

“It’s hard to explain but I basically reached into his Force Signature which allowed me to communicate with him without talking out loud and he was able to do the same to me. With Jedi, it’s pretty simple since everyone’s signature is pretty strong but emotional connection can make it even easier. It can be done with normal civilians too, like with Gerrera, though obviously it’s one-sided and it’s harder, emotional connection really helps out there.”

Hunter paused before he spoke again. “So, you and Saw Gerrera… emotionally connected at some point in your past?” He asked, hoping you couldn’t pick up on the hint of jealously he was feeling at that prospect.

“What? Gosh no!” You replied quickly, you would not let yourself analyse the slight change in his tone and what that could possibly mean. You wouldn’t ruin this rather important conversation with all that nonsense. “That was basically just luck. I wasn’t even sure it would work, let alone work that quickly. I helped him out when I was still with the Order, but no emotional connecting was done. Under normal circumstances, it would’ve taken me a lot longer to do that.” You hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “Can I show you how emotional connection actually helps?” You asked, moving to sit on your knees in front of him.

“What do you mean?” Hunter asked, refusing to let his mind wander to what else your current position meant to him.

You took his hands in yours. “Just quiet your mind as much as you can for me, please?” You also made sure to take that advice for yourself, the suggestions of your present position were not lost on you but thinking about that would be very counter-productive right now.

After a brief moment to steady your thoughts, you closed your eyes and reached out.

What met you didn’t really surprise you. Hunter’s Force Signature was a lot like him, a little rough along the edges but warm at the same time.

When you sensed that you had achieved a successful connection, you opened your eyes and looked at him as you spoke to him without uttering a single word. Hi there, Sergeant. You giggled as his eyes widened. I know, it’s a bit weird, especially since you can’t do the same thing back so this’ll be the only time, I’ll do it but yeah, apart from Gererra being the exception, if I wanted to do this with anyone else, it would take a long time.

“What about the others?” Hunter asked, his gaze focused intensely on you.

I could probably do it, but I know it’s a faster process with you.

“How?”

You did not want to properly get into that, you still didn’t think your feelings were reciprocated so you did the next best thing. You instead played back the first conversation you had with him back on Devaron. You’re the one I connected to first, it’s just natural it would be this way. You provided as an explanation rather than admit anything else.

Hunter couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by it all, it wasn’t a bad feeling necessarily, but it only served to strengthen the feelings he had for you. All this proved was that you really were incredible, and he couldn’t imagine a time when you weren’t a part of his life but then he remembered what you said. You were his friend, nothing more, no matter how much he wished for that.

You felt his distress and assumed his enhanced senses weren’t too fond of what you were doing so you withdrew. “Sorry. I should’ve thought about your particular gift before doing that.” You said aloud.

“No, it’s not that.” Hunter said. “You can do that whenever; it doesn’t bother me.”

“What is it then?” You said softly, looking at him.

“It’s just… nothing, forget about it.” Hunter said, looking away from you. He couldn’t do this now, not like this.

“Hunter.” You murmured, placing a hand on his cheek so he had to face you. You lightly traced the outline of his tattoo with your fingertips.

Hunter closed his eyes and his breath shuddered slightly at the feeling of your hand on his face. To anyone else, this action would register as nothing more than a feather-light touch but to him it felt like so much more. He opened his eyes again to look at you. “You’re just pretty amazing.” Hunter breathed out, finding himself leaning down towards you.

You met his gaze, and you felt yourself moving up to meet him halfway.

Just as your lips were about to meet, the lights flickered and cut out, providing the most annoying but probably necessary interruption the two of you needed. You coughed and shuffled back on your knees awkwardly. You put that particular moment down to the whole speaking into his head thing. Anyone wouldn’t really think straight after that.

Hunter stifled his frustrated sigh and stood up out of the pilot’s seat, noticing the way everyone in the back of the ship had quickly turned their heads away and were now staring at random parts of the ship. Well, I should’ve known that would be the case, he thought to himself before addressing Echo. “Echo, the lights cut out again. I thought you fixed it.” He offered his hand to you to get you up and was pleased to see that despite what just happened you still took it.

“Yeah, add it to the list.” Echo replied grumpily, moving back to the cockpit with Tech, munching on his ration bar.

You and Hunter both moved out the way of Echo and Tech so they could sit back down.

“The ship got hit hard when we fled Saleucami. Several systems have been glitching ever since.” Echo explained. “Repairs would go faster if I had some help.” He said pointedly, shooting Tech a look.

“As soon as I finish building this scanner.” Tech said, soldering some parts of the device. “Testing the functionality of out inhibitor chips takes precedence.”

“But I thought you said they were defective?” You asked.

“A theory this test will be able to prove.” Tech said confidently.

“Huh, okay.” You said simply with a shrug of your shoulders, and you turned around to follow Hunter back down the ship.

“Besides, the ship-wide diagnostic report indicated no critical systems were compromised.” Tech informed.

Just as he said that the ship jolted violently and came crashing out of hyperspace.

The alarm started ringing and the red lights began to flash.

You lost your balance, and you suddenly felt the tight press of a body against yours.

In the slight commotion, it would seem that you had fallen into the wall, your back pressed against it while Hunter had ended up with his body pushed up against yours, his hands on either side of your head, his eyes looking directly into yours.

You blinked a few times to fully process what just happened and bring yourself back to the present moment of the ship hurtling towards a moon.

Hunter rather awkwardly pushed himself off the wall and away from you, trying and failing to forget the feeling of your body against his in that manner. He’d only ever felt it like that when the two of you had been asleep together but in the more recent times, those occasions had grown rarer, and they seemed a lot more innocent than whatever just happened there, even if it was purely accidental.

He quickly walked into the cockpit, and he heard you close behind him. “Getting thrown out of hyperspace. I’d say that’s pretty critical, Tech.”

“It’s not affecting life support.” Tech replied calmly, fiddling with some controls. “We’re fine.”

“Are you kidding me?” Hunter replied, exasperated.

“I don’t think life support will matter too much if we crash and burn.” You added, adjusting your footing slightly as another rumble ran through the ship.

“The power capacitor’s blown. We need to land immediately.” Echo said.

Omega was still back in the main body of the ship with Wrecker, trying to maintain her balance.

“Get ready for your first crash landing.” Wrecker said, lifting one of the over-the-shoulder restraints.

“Crash?” Omega said anxiously.

“Omega, strap in.” Hunter said, darting back down towards the young girl. “You too.” He directed, looking back towards you.

“Are you?” You asked, crossing your arms, and looking at him questioningly.

“No but that’s not the point. You-”

“No, I’m fine thanks. I’ll sit right here.” You sat in one the normal passenger seats, bracing your back against it to keep steady.

Hunter sighed and sat in the chair across from yours.

Omega quickly sat in on of the seats with the over- the- shoulder restraints and Wrecker lowered one down for her before going into one himself although the restraint proved to be a bit small for his larger frame.

“I can’t see anything.” Echo groaned, straining his eyes to try and see through the fog that filled the moon’s atmosphere.

“Hold on!” Hunter called back towards Omega and Wrecker.

Omega grunted with the impact on her shoulders as the ship continued to be unsteady. She lifted her feet when Gonky slid down the hallway.

Wrecker wasn’t having the best time of it either. A particularly strong heave of the ship had the side of his head being smacked off the one of the metal hand bars of the restraints.

The alarm blaring grew louder and more insistent, but you saw the fog had cleared which allowed Tech to level out the ship as best he could before it crashed to the ground. You held on to the sides of your seat to stop yourself from falling out of it as your body lurched with the impact.

Once the ship had come to a complete stop, you stood up and helped the Gonk droid to his feet. You looked over at Hunter when he stood up. “You good?”

Hunter nodded before addressing the back of the ship. “Everybody alright?”

You glanced down to where Omega and Wrecker were. She seemed a little bit dazed but otherwise okay. Wrecker was the one who looked the most affected out of all of you. He was taking breaths in short, sharp pants. You only hoped you had the parts needed to fix the ship and get off this place.

--

“The storm’s getting worse. It’s knocking out our comms.” You said irritably as you stared at the controls.

“I suspect one of our capacitors sustained damage during our firefight with the regs. We won’t be able to take off without replacing it. Inventory analysis indicates we have one spare onboard.” Tech explained to the group, looking up from his datapad.

“Is it in here?” Omega asked, grunting as she dragged a box out and placed it on the ground.

A hush descended in the ship as you turned your seat to see what Omega was talking about and why everyone had gone so quiet. Oh, that was why, you thought gloomily.

“What?” Omega asked, wondering why everyone was suddenly staring at her.

“That’s Crosshair’s weapon kit.” Hunter said, the guilt and painful reminder of all that went down on Kamino coming back to haunt him.

Wrecker groaned. “Fine. I’ll say it. I kinda miss him.”

“He shot you, remember?” Echo reminded him.

“Ha! I sure do. That hurt!” Wrecker said with a laugh.

“It’s worth noting that the possibility that Crosshair’s actions were influenced by the inhibitor chip.” Tech said to Hunter.

“It can do that?” You asked, getting out of your seat, directing your question towards Omega.

“That’s what it was designed to do.” Omega confirmed.

“So, it wasn’t Crosshair’s fault?” Wrecker asked.

“Well-” Tech began.

“Look, debating this won’t fix the ship.” Hunter interrupted. He almost didn’t want to know the answer. The slightest chance that Crosshair had done what he did willingly was the only thing keeping his inner turmoil at bay and now there was a chance he wasn’t in complete control of himself? And they’d left him behind? That was something he wouldn’t be able to get past easily. “Right now, we need to find that capacitor and get off this rock.” He said before walking away.

You followed him to the cockpit. “It’s not your fault you know.”

“I’d love to hear how it isn’t.” He replied dejectedly, hanging his head as he held on to the back of the pilot’s chair.

You sighed deeply. “You made a judgement call. Even if he wasn’t of sound mind, we were still under fire.”

“Exactly, there’s now a chance he didn’t really know what he was doing, and I left him behind. I can’t-”

“Even if he wasn’t himself, we were taking fire, Hunter. And it wasn’t just from Crosshair. We would’ve died if we didn’t get out when we did. If Crosshair isn’t in control of his own mind, then we’ll get him back. I know you; when the moment is right, you won’t leave him behind.” You said, laying a hand on his shoulder, turning him to face you but he still refused to look at you. “Hey, look at me.” You put your hand on his cheek, angling his face towards you. “You’re a good sergeant. Those guys back there would follow you through anything, as would I.”

Hunter gave a half-hearted smile. He only hoped your image was him proved to be accurate because despite your words, that element of doubt still resided within him. “Thanks. Go help Echo and Tech with the repairs, would you?”

“Yeah, no problem.” You complied. You caressed your thumb across his cheekbone. “I mean it you, know. Until you want rid of me, I’m not going anywhere.” You said, removing your hand and you walked away from him, grabbing an oxygen mask as you went to join Tech and Echo outside.

May that day never come. Hunter thought as he watched you go, the feeling of your hand remaining on his cheek.

--

Tech lifted the panel and took out the damaged capacitor.

“Careful. Those capacitors hold a massive charge.” Echo warned as he stood on Tech’s right, holding his flashlight up to help Tech see what he was doing.

You joined on Tech’s left-hand side, shining your light too.

“I am well aware.” Tech responded, placing the new one in. “I just need to secure it.”

You turned your head slightly as you heard the sound of faint snarling and you felt goosebumps on your skin. “What was that?”

“I’m a little busy as the moment.” Tech replied.

You walked a few paces away from the others, shining your light ahead of you.

“Get back here.” Echo called after you.

You waved your hand behind you. “Shush. Keep your light with Tech.” You hissed back.

As you walked, you shone your torch to your left as you heard some rustling, but you couldn’t see anything. You kept walking forward, taking slow, quiet steps, fanning your flashlight right and left but you were coming up empty.

Pausing, you closed your eyes and reach out into the Force, trying to feel for any unusual or threatening signatures but you couldn’t sense anything. You let out a frustrated sigh and turned your light towards the ship and then something caught your eye. “Echo, Tech, look at this.” You called back to them.

Tech just finished securing the capacitor and he joined Echo to make their way towards you.

You shone your light back on the fresh, long, and jagged claw marks that now decorated the ship.

“Ah. Well, those weren’t there when we landed.” Tech observed.

No wonder you hadn’t sensed anything strongly. You’d never quite managed the whole force connecting to animals thing, it had been one of the things you’d still been practicing before you’d left but after you had gone, you’d ceased all training of that manner. You berated yourself for that now. You were so preoccupied with your own thoughts; you hadn’t noticed that Tech and Echo had made their way back to the ship entrance.

“You coming back in?” Echo asked, looking back at you.

“Give me a minute.”

Echo looked at Tech, who simply shrugged, and they both made their way back onto the ship.

You took a deep breath. “Come on, you can do this.” You whispered you yourself as you closed your eyes, and reached out again, really focusing in on the nature around you.

--

“The capacitor’s in place, but other systems are now failing.” Tech said, taking off his mask as he walked towards Hunter.

Echo removed his own mask before speaking to Hunter. “Something’s causing damage to the exterior hull.”

“You wanna narrow that down?” Hunter asked. “And where’s (Y/N)?”

“The capacitor is gone!” You shouted, quickly removing your own mask as you ran on board. You hadn’t seen it happen, but you had gotten a read on a signature that had gone very close to the panel where the capacitor was.

“I just placed it myself. It can’t be-” Tech stopped as the entire ship just powered down.

Each of your heads followed the faint sound of banging that moved across the top of the ship. “I told you.” You whispered. “Something’s taken it.”

Omega looked out the ship window to suddenly see an animal with luminous green charges flowing through its body, dart across it. “Look!”

“What is it?” You asked as you all ran towards the cockpit.

“Some kind of creature, about this big.” Omega said quickly, holding her arms wide apart. “With a long tail. It ran off with the part.”

Echo stepped forward and reactivated the control to get a view of the ship. “They’re right. The capacitor’s gone. And that was our last one.”

“Did you see this creature take it?” Wrecker asked, turning to look at you.

“No but I had a feeling.” You replied.

“A feeling?” Wrecker repeated, staring at you.

“A Jedi feeling, Wrecker. I didn’t know what though. I didn’t get very far with connecting to animals and it really doesn’t help when I have no idea what I should be connecting to.”

“The creature is most likely an Ordo Moon Dragon.” Tech informed. “A species that feeds off raw energy. It was probably drawn to the capacitor’s electric charge.”

“Well, that would’ve been good to know beforehand, Tech.” You said with a sigh before you noticed that Wrecker had walked away from you all, groaning slightly as he held the side of his head. You guessed it was an injury from the rather rough landing.

“You two get those other systems online.” Hunter ordered Tech and Echo. “Wrecker, stay here. We will go after the dragon and get our part back.” Hunter said nodding to you.

“I’m fine. I-” Wrecker protested before breaking off with a moan.

“You’re staying.” Hunter reiterated.

“I’ll go with you both.” Omega said eagerly, jumping off her seat.

“No, that thing could be dangerous.” Hunter said, double checking his vibroblade before putting it back in its cover.

“I’m a part of this squad now too, right?” Omega asked.

Hunter glanced up at you.

You finished putting your weapons on and nodded at him. We can watch her. It’ll be fine. Plus, she’s right and she’ll need to learn how to handle herself at some point. I know I’d rather it be at a time where we can comfortably watch her.

Hunter turned back to face the young girl. “Alright, kid. Just stay close.”

Omega put her oxygen mask on and dashed for the door.

You hummed out a laugh as you watched her enthusiastically run to the door then you saw how the others were looking at each other- their faces filled with a combination of scepticism and bewilderment. You smirked at Hunter and nudged his shoulder. “Come on, it’ll be fun. Of all the missions we’ve had, this one is one of the easier ones.” You both put on your masks and followed her out.

--

The three of you moved speedily along the moon’s rocky terrain. The wind howled softly, and you felt the breeze through your hair. You were taking up the rear, with Omega in the middle and Hunter in front.

Hunter paused and knelt down to the ground.

You and Omega came on either side of him and watched as he ran his fingers through some of the dirt and studied it as it trickled through his fingers.

“What are you doing?” Omega asked in a hushed tone.

“Tracking.” Hunter replied, standing upright.

“Can’t you track the creature? You know, with your Jedi powers?” Omega asked, angling her head past Hunter’s legs to look at you.

“I could if I knew how to properly. Fact is, I don’t and even if I did, it would probably take a lot longer than this. A strong bond is required to connect with an animal, and I have no ground to even begin to establish one with this thing.” You answered, standing up and brushing some of the dust off your trouser legs.

You left out the fact that you quite enjoyed watching Hunter track, it sent a warm tingle down your spine every time, the only exception to that had been Kaller due to the rather serious extenuating circumstances.

“Let’s keep going.” Hunter said.

The three of you moved on, your movements more cautious now as you reached a section with more rocks, providing more cover for anything that might want to jump out at you.

“Could I learn to track like you?” Omega whispered.

“Well, it’s an enhanced skill.” Hunter replied. “Wrecker and Tech, we each have one.”

“And Crosshair.” Omega added.

You looked over her head to gauge Hunter’s reaction but the most he gave was a quick glance back at the young girl. You couldn’t get a read, the only way you could would be to dip into his signature but this task was more important right now.

“You shouldn’t be angry at him. He can’t help it.” Omega continued.

Hunter stopped and sighed. “I’m angry at myself. We don’t leave our own behind.”

Your heart went out to him. You knew that no matter how this situation turned out, that regret would always stick with him.

“Then we’ll find a way to get him back…somehow.” Omega said, coming up on Hunter’s right.

“That’s what I said.” You stated, coming to squeeze his left hand reassuringly. “See, it’s not just me that knows it.”

Hunter nodded at you before moving ahead once more.

You lightly nudged Omega in front of you again and fell in line behind her.

--

The three of you slowly began an uphill climb and crouched behind a rock. A few metres in front of you with its lights blinking, lay the power capacitor.

“See it?” Hunter asked, shining his torch light on it.

“Yeah.” You replied quietly.

“Wait here.” Hunter ordered, sensing that Omega had stood up. “Both of you.”

“You gotta be kidding me.” You objected.

Hunter just tilted his head towards Omega. He needed you to stay for her.

You got the message and let out a frustrated sigh. “Just be careful.”

Hunter gave you a nod and moved out from behind the rock to head towards the capacitor.

You moved closer to Omega and you both watched him closely as he went. You closed your eyes and reached out into the Force around you, looking to see if that familiar signature you’d felt by the panel on the ship was anywhere near you both or Hunter.

Then you felt it, it was right by the rock that was behind the capacitor. You snapped your eyes open and went to warn Hunter, but you were a second too late. The creature had jumped out and attacked him.

You and Omega dashed out and ran towards it, but it had grabbed the part and ran off.

“It’s getting away!” Omega shouted.

That wasn’t your concern right now. You turned away from the direction the creature had headed off in to see Hunter gasping, clutching at his throat.

Panic swept through you. “Hunter, your mask!” You grabbed him as he collapsed to the ground.

You scanned the area around you quickly to find his mask. You spotted it and called on the Force to send it to you. As soon as it landed in your hand, you reattached it. “Hunter, wake up! Wake up!” You said desperately but to no avail.

You checked for a pulse and hung your head in relief when you found one, but he would be out for a while and medical help would not go amiss plus you still needed to get the capacitor back. You spoke into your comm. “Echo, Wrecker, Tech, come in! We need help!” You got no response back.

You heard a snarl and looked up to see the dragon disappear with the capacitor down into a tunnel. You were torn, you couldn’t leave Hunter and Omega couldn’t be left on her own, but you needed that back.

“I’ll go.” Omega said bravely.

“No, Omega. Not by yourself. You could get hurt.” You said, taking your eyes off Hunter to look at her.

“We can’t leave Hunter alone here either. You can stay with him. I’ll be careful. If I’m going to be on this squad, I need to learn how to handle myself.” Omega replied.

You went to disagree with her but hesitated. You couldn’t bring yourself to leave him and if Omega felt like she could, then maybe it could work. “You sure about this?”

Omega nodded firmly.

You sighed. “Okay, take his blaster, torch, and his comm. If at any point, you’re unsure of what to do or there’s a sign of trouble, you tell me. Understand?” You said seriously.

“I understand.” Omega answered, picking up Hunter’s flashlight, blaster, and comm. “Okay, Omega. You can do this.” She said to herself, taking a calming breath.

“Be careful and any trouble, you use that comm and don’t use that blaster unless you absolutely have to.” You told her. She was young, she didn’t need her first instinct to be to kill. “You better go.”

Omega nodded and set off towards the tunnel.

You watched her enter it and then readjusted yourself, so you were supporting Hunter’s body, his head positioned in your lap. Come on Hunter, wake up, you thought nervously.

--

You gently straightened your back, keeping Hunter’s head cradled in your hands as you did so. Right after you did this, you saw his eyes flicker open. “Hunter?”

Hunter groaned and then his eyes focused on you, your head positioned just above his. His appeared to be in your lap. He sat up and held his head then let out a few panicked breaths as he remembered what happened. He tapped his mask, just to confirm that it was really there.

You moved around and kneeled in front of his. “Easy. It’s okay. I reattached it after it fell. You’ve been unconscious though.” You explained. “You scared the shit out of me. Next time you tell me to wait, I’m just going to ignore you because clearly that doesn’t work out well for you.” You said, adding a touch of humour to your tone.

“I’m okay.” Hunter reassured you, laying a hand on your shoulder.

“Just… don’t do scare me like that again. I don’t know what I’d do if-” You stopped yourself from continuing.

Before Hunter could ask about what you were going to say, he suddenly remembered about Omega, she wasn’t here. “Where’s Omega?” He asked urgently.

“Umm… she’s gone after the part.” You replied awkwardly.

“What?” Hunter said, standing up abruptly and which led him to notice his blaster, comm and torch were all now missing. “You let her go on her own?”

“Not enthusiastically but it was either I leave you unconscious and her with you, not knowing if there was anything else out here that could hurt you guys, or I stay with you and let her go after it. It wasn’t like I was left with the best choices. I told her to contact me if she was in trouble.” You explained, standing up too.

“Did you even try to contact the others for help?”

You glared at him. “Yes Hunter, believe it or not I’m not a complete idiot, my first thought was not to send her after an Ordo Moon Dragon by herself. The others didn’t reply.” You replied coolly.

Hunter sighed. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t fair. It’s just…she’s a kid. She could get herself hurt.”

“She’s not helpless, Hunter and she volunteered. She’s not much younger than what I was when I was being sent on missions. Plus, you and your brothers were put in training when you were young.” You said defensively.

“But she’s not exactly trained either or blessed with your particular skill set.”

You opened your mouth to protest but stopped when you realised that you’d lost sight of that. You may have understood the emotional assignment of taking in a child better than the others, but you’d let your own experience cloud your judgement here. You’d looked at Omega and seen a determined young girl, wanting to do all she could to help which is what you’d been like at her age and that was all you saw. You forgot that she’d been on Kamino her whole life and hadn’t been trained in any way. “You’re right. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have let her go. I just didn’t want to leave you and I forgot her experience has been completely different from mine and yours.”

“It’s okay. We can go find her now.” Hunter said.

“She’s in there.” You pointed up to the tunnel she’d gone into.

“Lead the way.” Hunter directed and followed you as you both ran up to the tunnel entrance.

--

“Omega!” You both yelled down the tunnel.

“I’m coming!” Omega called back.

You exhaled deeply in relief as you saw her crawl her way to the top.

Hunter picked her up out of the tunnel and set her gently down on her feet. “Are you okay?” He asked, scanning her body for injuries.

“Omega, I’m sorry, I never should’ve let you go on your own.” You said, bending down in front of her to give her a quick hug.

“It’s alright. I’m fine. I completed the mission.” Omega said to you over your shoulder. She pulled away and handed Hunter back his blaster at Hunter. “Don’t worry, didn’t have to use it.” She added, looking back at you.

You nodded back at her before you got to your feet to stand next to Hunter.

“I got the part.” Omega said, holding the capacitor up to Hunter.  

Hunter took it from her.

“Good work Omega.” You said. “Now we can finally get off this rock.”

--

Hunter walked into the cockpit. “Tech, get us outta here.”

“Gladly.” Tech replied, powering up the engines. “Systems are up and running.” He said as the ship left the moon’s atmosphere.

“Yeah, took you long enough.” Wrecker grumbled, coming into the cockpit.

“And where have you been?” Echo asked, turning in his seat.

Wrecker ignored him and kneeled in front of the passenger seat where Omega was sitting. “Hey, kid. Come with me.” He said, holding his hand out to her. “Cover your eyes.” He instructed with a light chuckle.

Omega did as he said and took his hand despite it being about twice the size of hers.

“I’m not missing this.” You said happily, following Wrecker out of the cockpit and back to the gun tower. You were very curious as to what Wrecker had planned.

Hunter also left the cockpit to see what Wrecker had been doing.

“Okay. Open ‘em.” Wrecker said, stepping away from Omega. “Check it out!” He said with a chuckle, showing Omega the now new and improved gun turret.

Omega walked up the ladder, pulled back the curtain and smiled at what greeted her. Wrecker had transformed the space with new, warm glowing lights and had padded it out for extra comfort. He’d also included his Lula. She couldn’t believe it.

“It’s your own room.” Wrecker explained. “Well, what do you think? I thought this place could feel more like a home.”

“It’s perfect!” Omega said joyfully. “Thank you, Wrecker!”

You chuckled as Wrecker took the praise rather bashfully.

“Oh, uh, it was nothing.” Wrecker replied.

“I never had my own room before.” Omega said, sitting down and holding Lula to her chest.

“Well, you’re a part of this squad now too.” Hunter said, stepping past you.

You noticed that Tech and Echo had now come to see what was going on too.

Omega looked at him then back around her room. She was really starting to feel that now.

The rest of you left her to it and walked back to the cockpit. “That was really sweet of you, Wrecker. And she’s right. That’s a pretty perfect set up.” You said smiling at him. “Hey, how come I never got anything like that?” You asked, nudging Hunter playfully.

“Are you unhappy with your current arrangement?” Hunter lightly teased back whilst also hoping the answer would be no.

You pretended to ponder before answering. “Hmm I guess I can manage.” You replied light-heartedly, giving him a warm smile.

Wrecker, Tech, and Echo just looked at one other, the look saying the same thing- when will they just wake up and admit what they feel for one another? If it’s so clear to us, why is it not to them?

Next Chapter>

[infinitejedilove]

2024 Jinnobi Challenge

Hello everyone! It’s March which means it’s time for me to be really early about mentioning the Jinnobi Challenge happening in August! This is the 8th annual Jinnobi Challenge and it feels very strange to write this and know this all started back in 2017 when I was lamenting the lack of Qui/Obi challenges. Well now there are several that happen every year and they are always worth checking out!  (previous master lists of the Jinnobi Challenge submissions : 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023).

So here’s all the info and FAQ for those who are thinking of participating in this Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon challenge (I will repost this info periodically as it gets closer to August).

When is it?: The challenge will run from August 1 – August 31. Any Jinnobi work you submit must be complete and it must be submitted sometime during August 1 – August 31. You have from now until August to work on submissions. PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR SUBMISSION BEFORE THE CHALLENGE STARTS. Due to time differences in various countries, I do allow people to post on September 1st. 

Who can enter: The challenge is open to writers, artists and everyone in between. Art, poetry, photo manips, videos, gifsets, fanfiction, it’s all welcome. There’s no theme except it has to be Obi-Wan Kenobi/Qui-Gon Jinn. It can be set during the prequels, the originals, the Kenobi show, or an AU. It’s up to you. You can submit multiple entries too if you’d like. For fic writers there’s no limit on the length of your fic(s).

How to enter: When August 1st, comes around you’re welcome to post your complete work on whatever social network or fanfiction site you are comfortable using. Please tag your work (if the site allows you to tag) with the tag Jinnobi Challenge 2024 or The Jinnobi Challenge 2024 whether it’s a fic, art, or a post.  Message me with a link to your work (or links, if you submit more than one work), once you’ve published it so I know to put it on the master list!

I can also be reached on A03, but I tend to check tumblr much more regularly so if you want a fast response, I recommend contacting me via that.

Rules:

1. No underage relationships. (underage = below 18 years of age)

2. No Abuse or Noncon between the main pairing (Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon)

3. If you post anything triggering, please tag it with the appropriate warnings

4. Your fic must have a rating on it (the challenge is open to all ratings)

5. If you’re posting a long WIP, the first chapter must be posted on or after August 1, and the last chapter has to be posted before August 31, so I don’t recommend it unless you know you can get it done in that time.

FAQ:

What if I don’t have anything ready, but I do have a Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan work I happened to post in August?: As long as the quiobi work was complete and was posted between the 1st – 31st of August 2024, you can tag it ‘Jinnobi Challenge 2024’ and enter it in the challenge.

What if it’s not slash?: This challenge celebrates the Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan ship. Pre-slash is fine, just please no ‘Qui-Gon as a parental figure to Obi-Wan’ fics as that is not what this challenge is about.

What if it’s a fic in a series?: if it’s a standalone complete story in a series than yes, it qualifies.

What if I already entered it in a different quiobi fic challenge?: The fic must be a new fic posted in August 2024 (no reposting old works unless it’s an extreme rewrite to basically be nothing like the original) and it must be complete. It’s ok with me if it is tagged in another challenge as long as it meets the guidelines for this challenge but you’ll want to check if it’s ok with the other challenge you posted it in.

What if it’s Obi/Qui/others? Or there’s Obi/other, Qui/other, but still Qui/Obi?: The main pairing should still be Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon, even if it’s poly, or if there are other partners or past/present relationships.

Does it have to follow a prompt?: No. As long as it’s Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan and complete it can be about anything. If you want a prompt to work with here are a few you can choose to use for inspiration:

People assuming the characters are a married couple/accidental marriage

2. Someone gets sick

3. Sharing a home/quarters for the first time.

4. Quiobi in a different genre than sci-fi (i.e. fantasy, western, supernatural, historical romance, etc)

5. First kiss

Can be as angsty, fluffy, or as AU as you want as long as it follows the rules of the challenge.

Is there a prize this year?: Yes! I want to continue having a prize each year. And this year is a repeat of the 2021 Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan poster! (yes I do actually have more than one copy of this 90’s poster magazine) The link about that prize information is right here, as nothing has really changed since 2021, except that I now hold the challenge in August, not October, so ignore the dates in the original post. 

By the first or second week of September, I’ll put up a master post with links to all the amazing stuff everyone has created!!!

[queen-of-the-boos]

You are Cordially Invited...

to the second ever-

(The envelope opens with a shrill shriek)

THAT'S RIGHT I'M DOING THIS AGAIN!!!

I'm throwing a little Luigi's Mansion themed ball for everyone who selfships and self inserts! (You don't have to selfship in the Mario universe to participate)

ᴵᵗ'ˢ ᵇᵉᵉⁿ ᵠᵘᶦᵗᵉ ᵃ ʷʰᶦˡᵉ ˢᶦⁿᶜᵉ ᴵ'ᵛᵉ ᵈᵒⁿᵉ ᵒⁿᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉˢᵉ ˢᵒʳᵗˢ ᵒᶠ ᵖᵒˢᵗˢ ˢᵒ ᵖˡᵉᵃˢᵉ ᶠᵒʳᵍᶦᵛᵉ ᵐᵉ ᶦᶠ ᶦᵗ'ˢ ᶜᵒⁿᶠᵘˢᶦⁿᵍ. ᴵ'ᵐ ᵃ ᵇᶦᵗ ʳᵘˢᵗʸ

Details about the event under the cut!

Now then, I'm sure you have a few questions. Hopefully I can answer them all here! Such as...

- What the heck are Banshee Blossoms?

Glad you asked, my fine friend! They're a fictional flower I made up based on these pretty little blooms on the roof of the mansion!

(Don't mind the fire. Luigi is totally fine.)

Here's my silly little doodled rendition for reference!

Banshee Blossoms are symbols of love, romantic and platonic, even familial! There's a tradition in the Boo Kingdom where you give one to someone you care about. They're said to bless whomever is gifted one with good luck and a happy relationship for the rest of their lives into their afterlife! Theyre pale white flowers that glow like moonlight with purple foliage.

They only bloom in the month of March, so now is the best time to come and view them!

- What's this event all about?

Another excellent question!

This event is tailor made for those of you who selfship or self insert as well as anyone who has Luigi's Mansion ocs! You're all welcome to attend! I'll be hosting it along with my darling husband King Boo 💕

It's just a small, relaxed event for everyone to have fun with whether you're an artist or not.

The general thing you can do is go around to your friends' ask boxes and leave them Banshee Blossoms should you feel so inclined. But we also have... Prompts!

- Prompts?

That's right! Prompts. You're a great listener!

The event runs from March 15th - March 17th, and throughout those days, you, dear listener, will have two prompts to choose from with which you may create things with! Think of them as themed projects? You can choose one or do both if you're feeling it!

The regular prompts will be:

15th - Arrival / Meeting

(Your arrival at the ball, or you meeting someone at the ball!)

16th - Grudges / Spinoffs

(Getting out any grudges before the party begins, or thinking of your self insert/ship/oc in the context of a Mario series spinoff like Mario Kart or Mario Golf ect.)

17th - Party / Comfort

(How you would be enjoying the party, or perhaps reviving comfort from somebody or something.)

Along with our regular prompts, we will also have musical ones for those of you who are music autistics with melodies in your heart like me.

Those will include:

15th - Treacherous Mansion /Paranormal Chaos

16th - Phantom Dancing / Luigi's Mansion DS

17th - Luigi's Mansion Credits / LM3 Music box

These work just like the regular creative prompts! You're just going off a song rather than an idea. You can do one, two, or all three of these options if you wish! No rules against that!

I'll be posting a daily post with all three daily prompts for that day around midnight (12 am CST) each day!

These prompts are for anything creative! Mood boards, writing, art, playlists, you name it! Even just posts saying what you and your fave are doing to participate are welcome!

- When is the event?

Just like I said above, the event will run the weekend of March 15th - March 17th.

- Where is it being held?

Well, it'll be hosted here on this blog! I'll be sure to look for posts and reblog them all here so everyone can see! Be sure to tag your posts for the ball with #Banshee Blossom Ball 2024 so I can see them! That's the tag I'll be looking for! Youre also free to tag me so I can see them too!

But...if you meant what location the event is being held... Its-

The Treacherous Mansion from Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon! It's a large mansion in Evershade Valley full of many interesting rooms that house treasures from a famous adventurer from days long past.

(Thanks for helping me show it off, Luigi! But get that AWFUL thing off your back-)

Phew! Hopefully that clears things up. I'll try to condense the info here for those of you who need a tl;dr

TL;DR

I'm hosting an event for self inserts and shippers as well as Luigi's Mansion oc havers! It's a ball themed after Banshee Blossoms, symbols of all types of love and new beginnings!

The creative prompts for the event including musical prompts (notated with a 🎵) are:

🌙 15th - Arrival / Meeting

🎵 Treacherous Mansion/Paranormal Chaos

🌙 16th - Grudges / Spinoffs

🎵 Phantom Dancing/Luigi's Mansion DS

🌙 17th - Party / Comfort

🎵 Luigi's Mansion credits/LM3 music box

The event runs from March 15th - 17th.

I'll make a post each day at 12am CST with a short blurb about the day's prompts to help inspire! (You're free to start on the prompts early though!)

Remember to tag your ball related posts with #Banshee Blossom Ball 2024 so I can see them!

I hope everyone has fun! Feel free to send me an ask over on this blog here if you have any questions or concerns!

This event is not for proshippers. Please kindly do not participate.

[footprintsinthesxnd]

The Good Die Young

Masterlist

Warnings: mentions of graphic themes, war, injury, weapons, sexual images, language, 18+, swearing, major character death. Pairings: Jake Seresin × f!reader. Disclaimer: This is a series reflecting on the true events of the US Marines in WW2. All of the characters are fictional and not based off are original characters (except for Jake Seresin) and they are not representations of the real, brave men who fought in WW2. I have tried to make all the events in this series as accurate as possible but please bare in mind this is fanfiction and i have added/ changed certain things to fit with this.

Pavuvu May 1944

“You’re okay George. You’re gonna be just fine,” Jake promised, pulling the blanket over George’s shivering body. Sweat trickled down his forehead, his teeth chattering like a train on its tracks.

“You okay, Georgie?” Edward asked as he lay across his cot, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth as the medic cleaned another sore on his back.

“Never better,” George whispered hoarsely, staring out from beneath the mountain of blankets, that despite the humid weather we’re doing nothing to bring him any warmth.

“You boys really need to go to the hospital. I’m going to try and pull a few strings, and get you to the hospital at Banika. I’m going to pull some paper and get you boys of this godforsaken place. You game?” The medic asked, looking at the two men in question.

“Hell yeah,” George and Edward replied and Jake smiled at the thought, at least two of his three remaining friends would be safe away from this hell hole.

“Sounds like a great plan. Thanks, Doc.” Jake followed the medic out of the tent. “How long do you think they’ll be gone for?”

“As long as they need to be. They need to rest, as do we all.”

“Well, there’s not a lot of chance of that around here, hey Doc?” Jake laughed and the medic nodded. After all, a good, deep sleep is a valuable commodity that was hard to come by in this place; both of them were well aware that the next battle wouldn’t be far off.

“What are you going to do without us around?” George chuckled, giving Jake his hand to shake. Jake took it instantly, shaking it as if it might be the last time he would see him. He hoped it wouldn’t be, he desperately wanted his friends to return but he also wanted them as far away from the war as possible, where they would be safe.

“Well, I’ll have Frank to keep me out of trouble. Don’t worry about me, okay? You just concentrate on getting better.” Jake felt a pang of sadness as he watched his two friends leave, with Edward pushing George in his wheelchair up the ramp of the troop ship. Jake never really felt alone, even when he was home sick and now he felt as though he was losing his family all over again.

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

Pavuvu June 1944

Dear Jake,

I’m not sure when this letter will reach you but your son was born 18th May at quarter to midnight. He is a little bundle of joy and he has your eyes. I can’t wait for you to meet him, Jake. I’ve enclosed a picture so you can keep him close to your heart. I have called him Jacob. It is only fitting that he has his fathers name.

News of the war is worse than ever. There was a large attack on Europe named D-Day on 6th June. I fear the war is far from won and fighting in North Africa continues still too. I am pleased to be away from work for a while. The never ending stream of bad news is almost too much to bear. At least for now I can pretend everything is okay, that everyone is safe. I wish you were here to enjoy this peace with me.

Thinking of you always

Your Y/n

Jake smiled fondly, running his dirt-engrained fingers over the picture of his son. His son. He couldn’t quite believe that he was a father, that someone like him could make something so perfect and untainted by the world. How could something do pure come from this horrendous year? Jake knew he had to keep fighting not only for Y/n now but for little Jacob too.

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

“Well look at this. Fresh meat.” Frank pointed towards the group of fresh, baby-faced Marines as they walked up the beach in full pack.

“Jesus, are they ever old enough to drink? They’re just kids for Christ's Sake,” Jake groaned, throwing his book onto his cot. Each time recruits were sent to the front they seemed to get younger, just boys who within a few days would be homesick and crying out for their mothers as they bled out on some battlefield no one had ever heard of, in a place no one had ever visited.

“Is this How Company?” One of the baby Marines asked. He looked petrified and as Jake studied his face he noticed that the boy had probably never shaved.

“Who wants to know?” Frank asked, leaning against the supporting pole of the hut , puffing smoke from his cigarette over the recruit.

“I’m Private Daniel Chase. I’m joining How Company as a Machine Gunner. I meant to be with Sergeant Seresin.”

Jake looked at him dead in the eye. He’d never once considered that he would be sent a replacement for George. He knew that George was still pretty rough in the hospital in Banika but he didn’t think it was enough for them to send a replacement.

“I’m Sergeant Seresin. Put your kit down on that bunk there and then I’ll give you the tour.”

The young Marine did as he was told, clumsily knocking Jake’s belongings off the table, cursing, apologising and then nearly taking Jake out with his Garand.

“Okay kid, put all that shit down. Let’s go.” Frank watched in amusement as the young Marine stumbled after Jake, trying to keep up with his long strides.

Daniel Chase wasn’t a bad kid. He grew up in Louisiana with his parents and two sisters. He was funny and likeable, and Jake quickly warmed to him, taking him under his wing like a younger brother.

That evening the COs had set up a theatre and played ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ which mildly settled the normally rowdy Marines, except for the odd passing comment about the actress.

“Is it like this here most nights?” Chase asked, looking up at Jake inquisitively. The poor kid knew nothing of the world, Jake had realised as he gave him a tour of the camp. He didn’t smoke, didn’t drink, always said his prayers before bed and until joining the Marines had never done his own washing before.

“Sometimes. This is just to welcome the new guys, make you think that it’s all sunshine and rainbows until shit really hits the fan.” Jake knew he was only speaking the truth but regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth, the fear on the young boy's face reminded him too much of George when they had first seen battle.

“It’ll be alright, kid. There ain’t nothing to worry about, just stick with me and you’ll be fine.”

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

Peleliu September 1944

The doors for the landing craft to exit the troop ship falling open was the beginning of it all. The bright light poured through the ship's hull as each craft flew out the doors and into the open water.

“HERE WE GO!” Jake shouted to Chase who nodded at him nervously. The poor boy had already been sick twice on Jake’s boots while they were waiting.

Aircraft flew overhead, sending bombs down onto the beach that sounded like freight trains whistling above Jake’s head. A few stray bullets hit the edge of the landing craft causing all the men to duck down. No one wanted to get hit before even reaching the beach. The large 50-caliber guns on the landcraft opened fire, trying to clear a path for the Marines to land.

The noise was deafening and between the gunfire and explosions Jake could hear Daniel let out a small whimper. “I'm scared, Jake,” Chase cried and Jake just looked at him, giving him a small reassuring smile. Well what else was he supposed to do? It wasn’t a good idea to lie to the kid but at the same time telling someone they’re probably going to die wasn’t on the cards either.

“You’re gonna be just fine, Kid. Just stay with me and keep moving.” That was the last time Jake spoke to Chase, but neither of them knew that.

As the landing craft hit the beach the smell of smoke was thick in the air, the doors swung down and groups of Marines began charging up the beach. Sand, tree bark, and bullets flew through the air. The ground was littered with bodies as Jake stumbled forward, cursing and falling into a nearby crater, taking cover from the firing above his head. He’d lost sight of Chase and Frank soon after leaving the landing craft. The scent of engine oil was thick in the air as Jake’s chest heaved from the effort. He turned to see a young Marine fall into the crater beside him, blood trickling down his face, eyes wide and frozen. Jake thought he saw the life leaving the poor boy's eyes, all the memories, the love, and future plans all gone in the blink of an eye and all that was left was a shell of who he had been.

Jake bit back a strangled scream as he pushed himself from the hole, crawling along to the next one and into the tree line where he got to his feet. Raising his Garand, he crouched low, hurrying through the trees. Earth flew up around him, the explosions ringing in his ears as he desperately tried to get his bearings, the high-pitch whistling doing nothing for his sense of direction. The last thing he needed was to be running back towards the beach. The smoke created a thick fog through the air, making it difficult to breathe and causing Jake to splutter, coughing loudly. Through all the shrapnel and gunfire flying around Jake didn’t hear the whistling above his head, the sound of the aircraft flying over, not until the explosion went off right beside him. The blast sent him through the air, his body falling helplessly to the ground.

The ringing noise in his mind was the only thing he recognised as his eyes cracked open, looking upon the grey clouds above him. They seemed to dance across the sky, the smokey smudges against the clear blue were a stark contrast but seemed to bring comfort to him. Jake realised that he rarely saw the sky without clouds of smoke anymore. It was sad really, he had always enjoyed the sunsets in Texas, and he’d often watched them with his mother as a young boy.

“JAKE! JAKE! OH FUCK! Hang on buddy. Just hang on for me.”

“Frank…” Jake whispered, reaching a bloody hand out to his friend who took it immediately.

“It’s okay Jake, I’m here. You’re gonna be alright.”

“Frank…w-where’s Y/n?” Jake asked, trying to sit up but Frank pushed him back down immediately.

“She’s not here right now but I promise as soon as we get you fixed up I'll find her okay? I'll find her you just have to hang on.” Frank’s voice was desperate as he applied pressure to Jake’s wounds.

“I NEED A MEDIC GOD DAMMIT!” Frank screamed but Jake just smiled up at him, shuffling to sit up slightly. Confusion crossed Jake’s face as he tried to move his legs again.

“Frank, I-I…can't f-feel my legs?” Jake looked up at him worried, trying again and again to move his legs but nothing happened. Nothing moved. Frank looked down at him sadly, tears glistening in the edges of his eyes.

“You're gonna be just fine, Jake. We’re gonna get your legs all sorted,” he promised, resisting the urge to look over at Jake’s bloodied legs that lay a few feet from them. “I promise, Jake.”

“Okay, Frank. I…trust y-you.”

Jake didn’t notice the way Frank's chest heaved as he screamed for a medic, he didn’t notice the desperate look on his friend's face and he didn’t notice the large pool of blood that trickled out onto the ground around him. Jake just smiled, his blue eyes looking back up at the sky as more aircraft flew over them. He could see Y/n face now, smiling down at him as she cradled little Jacob close. He reached his right hand out towards her, trying to grip hold of hers.

“Come to me, Jake,” she whispered to him. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Jake? No, no Buddy. You’ve got to stay with me, Jake. Stay with me.” Frank watched in horror as Jake’s eyes slid shut. The blood pumping through his fingers mercilessly as he tried his best to keep pressure on the wounds. A medic rushed in beside Frank, applying bandages to both of Jake’s legs. Frank continued to shout at the medic as he sat back, shaking his head defeatedly at Frank. He didn’t believe him. The medic continued to talk but Frank didn’t hear a word. He couldn’t be the only one left. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Frank felt two strong arms pulling him to stand. The Lieutenants fought him, shouting harshly in his ears to keep moving and shoving a Garand into his bloody hands. The blood congealed around the gun, sticking it to Frank as if Jake himself was urging him to use it. His hands shook violently and despite the Lieutenant's protest he couldn’t help but spare a glance over his shoulder to his friend.

“Goodbye Jake.”

Taglist: @wkndwlff @a-reader-and-a-writer @averyhotchner @mayhem24-7forever @callsignmaverick5 @ssprayberrythings @smoothdogsgirl @xoxabs88xox @luckyladycreator2 @abaker74 @elenavampire21 @classyunknownlover @okiegirl24 @flashyourgreeneyesatme @airedale17 @shadowolf993 @topguncultleader @callmemana @t-nd-rfoot @desert-fern @cherrycola27 @green-socks @jstarr86 @starkleila @alexxavicry @soulmates8 @depressed-friend-blog @mayhemmanaged @shanimallina87 @bcon24 @books-are-escapes @dakotakazansky @memeorydotcom

[mycomicbox]

Random Thoughts on Live A Live

🕑 General:

I'd like to make it known that I'm jumping into this game almost completely blind. All of my prior knowledge of Live A Live comes from this video.

Beautiful presentation, though that's pretty characteristic of the 2D-HD look. More retro games should be remade in this style.

This soundtrack slaps, as to be expected from Yoko Shimomura.

One complaint: why is the file menu so laggy when the rest of the game runs fine?

I'm choosing to play the chapters in chronological order, beginning with Prehistory and ending with Distant Future. I'm also playing with the English dub.

🍖 Prehistory:

Fred Flintstone called. He wants his car back.

I can't say that I've ever played a JRPG with zero dialogue.

I like the item and ability descriptions. Why many word when few work?

...My party members can fart and throw shit at enemies. 7-year-old me would've been rolling on the floor laughing.

Pink gorilla harem to the rescue.

GO GO GADGET CROTCH LIZARD

🐼 Imperial China:

Interesting how you play as a kung fu master teaching his techniques to his disciples, rather than the reverse, like in other stories. Fitting that Shifu is at the max level from the start.

This chapter's narrative really feels like an old tale from ancient China, what with a kung fu master single-handedly defeating dozens of men and tigers, entrusting his techniques to his student, and passing away.

I wonder if any student could have been Shifu's surviving disciple in this chapter. For me, it was Hong, but Yun or Lei probably could have been the new master. (UPDATE: I looked this up after the fact, and I was right.)

🍡 Twilight of Edo Japan:

I like Oboromaru's design. He looks fun to cosplay.

Really cool how there are no-kill and no-mercy routes. I tried (and failed) aiming for the no-mercy route, but I'll have to check out this chapter again some time.

Okay, so the Edo period is a little more recent than I initially thought, considering that a few characters have firearms.

Can't trust a single mf in this whole chapter smh

🤠 The Wild West:

I've heard that a few terms in this chapter were changed between the Super Famicom release and this remake. Like, the ointments and jerky used to be alcohol and cigars in the original.

That "your mom" joke got me good.

The part with the townsfolk trapping the town was really cool. Feels very fitting for the setting, and I like how it has a tangible gameplay effect.

I've seen that Sundown and Mad Dog are a semi-popular pairing, and I can definitely see why.

🏋‍♂️ Present Day:

I love Masaru's gimmick of learning techniques from other fighters. He's like a physical variant of Final Fantasy's Blue Mage job.

The saxophone in this chapter's battle theme slaps so hard.

🏙 Near Future:

First time in this game that a character directly addressed me, the player.

Psychic powers are one of the coolest tropes in fiction. The MOTHER series got me hooked on it years ago.

In terms of battle capabilities, poor Akira is probably the weakest of the protagonists, or at least he felt weaker to me.

This chapter feels like I'm playing through a mecha anime. I dig it.

🔧 Distant Future:

Not to get political or anything, but I would die for Cube. I want a plush of them.

something something Among Us joke

When OD-10 commandeers the ship, it even takes over the loading screen tips...

This chapter may have my favorite narrative.

-

⭐️ [A new chapter has been unlocked.]

-

⚔️ Middle Ages:

His fight for heroism was in vain.

Betrayed by an ally, framed as a murderer, denounced by his country and his lady...

With nothing to lose, he gives his heart to the Dark.

Odio.

-

⭐️ [A new chapter has been unlocked.]

-

The Dominion of Hate - Oersted:

From what I've read, choosing Oersted here will lead into a unique (and short) take on the final chapter, adding yet another incentive for replayability. In games with multiple endings, I like to view the bad endings first.

Through pure misanthropy, I'm retconning the outcomes of previous battles to ensure hatred's victory. That is so cool... and so depressing.

There are actually two outcomes to this chapter. The first is by beating all 7 battles, where Odio simply celebrates his success. The other is far more crazy, only achieved by being knocked to critical HP during any of the fights. Odio just... fucking blows up the world in order to recreate it.

The Dominion of Hate - Hero's Route:

I chose to begin this chapter as Oboromaru, mainly because I like the variety of elements in his skillset.

Not gonna lie, this was when the game lost a bit of steam for me. Due to the lack of fast travel or a detailed map, the last few dungeons were a bit of a chore to get through. It's why I put off this chapter for a while.

Even though this is a modern remake, some mechanics in this chapter still carry that air of '90s JRPG crypticness (which could be a positive or negative depending on the gamer). Like, I stumbled into Akira's dungeon on complete accident! And how was I supposed to know about the hidden boss you encounter by fleeing 100 times?

That final boss phase was pretty bittersweet, what with Oersted opening his heart again, freeing himself from Odio. And to think it was a brand new addition, exclusive to this remake.

💭 Final Thoughts:

If I had to describe Live A Live in one word, it'd be... unique! I can't really say I've played any other RPG like it, with each chapter being a mini-adventure with its own unique gimmick. At the same time, it's not just a bunch of demos, as it still manages to come together into a well-written narrative about choosing trust over misanthropy, despite it all. It's almost unbelievable that a game like this released in 1994!

I'm not exactly dying for a sequel, but I can't help but wonder what a "Live A Live II" would look like. Not a direct story continuation, of course, but I'm thinking something like the Final Fantasy or Shin Megami Tensei series (where each game is standalone, yet also shares common elements). I might draw my ideas some time.

Overall, a fun and interesting hidden gem, and I'm glad that it got a well-deserved remake.

[deepspacedukat]

From Never To Always

Welcome to the second installment of the Dark!Tales Halloween Series in collaboration with @bigblissandlove1!

This nearly 10k word oneshot is centered around a dark version of my Vulcan OC, Kollos. It's set in the Mirror Universe (but this isn't necessarily how I see the actual Mirror!Kollos behaving - it's complicated), so the usual warnings for mirror universe bigotry and violence apply. The Mirror Universe is a warning in itself, so do be aware and keep that in mind as the story progresses. This version of Kollos has had it rough. He's angry, he has killed, and he will do so again, but he's sexy, so it's fine...because fiction. 🤷‍♀️ Anyway, enjoy!

Cross-posted to AO3 here. Find the rest of the Halloween Dark!Tales Halloween Series on AO3 here.

~*~

Dark!Kollos (OC) x Reader

[A/N: This is smut adjacent and includes mature themes, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Implied interspecies sex, implied Human/Vulcan sex, sexual fantasizing, brief masturbation, hungry gazes, canon-typical violence, enemies to lovers, pining, mutual pining (even if Kollos doesn't realize it in any universe), angst, threats, Kollos denying his own feelings, mild bigotry, the mirror universe and all its horrors, agony booth is mentioned but not used, Kollos is a vengeful freedom fighter in this AU so take that how you will, mentions of blood, injuries, decapitation, all smut/implied smut is consensual.

~*~

Staring at the viewscreen of their stolen Terran warship, Kollos polished the blade end of his lirpa. The arced metal had several scratches and marks down its length, but it had served him faithfully for many decades. He had longed to go down to the surface of this remote planet for today's attack, but he owed his second in command a turn on a landing team.

Besides, there would be nobody left to fight. Their orbital bombardment would've left little more than ashes and ruins in their wake. Muroc enjoyed looting more than he did hand-to-hand combat, anyway, so the choice to send him was a logical one. They'd expended a small number of their stolen ship's torpedoes in today's impressive display of efficient annihilation. No doubt, this would send yet another message to the Terran Empire that Vulcans could and would have their freedom. It was simply a matter of time...and blood.

"Osu, we have captured a survivor," a voice called over the comms. He recognized it immediately as Muroc's. The younger man sounded as confused as he felt.

"...Repeat your previous statement."

"A Terran woman survived the attack," Muroc reiterated, and Kollos set down his lirpa and cloth.

"That isn't possible. We confirmed that there were no life signs after the bombardment. You should be locating only usable supplies–"

"I am aware of that, but even now she is struggling to escape from my grip - a futile effort, obviously."

Kollos thought silently for a moment before reaching a decision.

"Have one of your guards bring her to the ship. I wish to interrogate her," he ordered, and when the channel closed, a small smirk stretched his lips. Perhaps he would be able to satiate his bloodlust today after all.

He knew the impulse was a savage one, but then, how better to defeat savage beings than by beating them at their own game? Vulcans had attempted a logical, passive approach to resistance. It had failed. Thus, Kollos had met up with others of his species who shared his desire to topple the oppressive Terran Empire and formed a small rebel army.

Logic alone could not prevail in their struggle for freedom. They needed to use force. Violence was all Terrans understood, and who better to outdo them than the people whose past had made a desert run green with their own blood? If the Humans believed they were savages before, they had seen nothing yet. Kollos had vowed to make them see the error of their ways, to continue until the Terrans were kneeling beaten and bloody at their feet, pleading for the mercy that they themselves had not bothered to show to any species but their own.

Kollos stood and ran a hand through his scruffy graying hair, picking up his weapon. With a deep breath, he rolled his scarred, muscled shoulders and looked to the Vulcan at the Operations station.

"I shall await the arrival of our latest prisoner. You have the Bridge."

--

Most Terrans protested their capture, tossing out threats and swearing vengeance, but this one was strangely silent. Curiosity was painted plainly across her face from the moment Kollos laid eyes on her. Sitting on the bench in the brig, she tilted her head like an inquisitive sehlat when he entered the space.

Muroc paused beside his makeshift commander and spoke in a low voice.

"I realize you wanted me to send someone else, but given the circumstances, I believed it would be prudent for me to bring her here myself. After her initial struggle, she seemed to recognize me and ceased her resistance," he stated sounding slightly disconcerted. "She seemed confused about many things: her location, my appearance...she even seemed not to understand the hostilities between her people and ours."

"How did she survive the bombardment?" Muroc merely shook his head and looked at her as if she was some scientific experiment gone wrong.

"I do not know."

The two Vulcans were silent for a moment, observing the woman they'd discovered. She wasn't dressed like the rest of the Terrans they'd encountered, nor did she seem arrogant and prejudiced. However, Kollos knew from experience that appearances could be deceiving.

"She recognized your voice, as well, osu," Muroc murmured, and Kollos looked sharply over at him. "When you responded to me over the comms, she waited until the channel was closed and said that she wished to speak with you. She knew you by name. By that point, she was behaving quite obediently."

Looking back at the Human, Kollos found her smiling softly at him. Anger stirred deep within him, and he took a slow, even breath.

"Leave us. I wish to speak with her alone." He waited until Muroc and the guards had all exited before opening the door to her cell. "If you attempt to resist or escape, I will kill you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, osu." She spoke quietly, but her words still struck him as hard as a punch to the jaw. He blinked and tamped down his emotions.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked lingering in the doorway. His broad shoulders effectively blocked the way as he crossed his arms, so he wasn't concerned about her being able to slip past him. She didn't even seem bothered about being kept in the brig.

"Yes, osu. You're Minister Kollos of the Vulcan High Command." With a stunned blink, his arms dropped to his sides once more. "You're the first person I met when I reached the Vulcan Embassy...the first Vulcan who honored me with his friendship."

'Friendship'? Kollos would sooner eat his own liver than befriend a Terran. A subconscious sneer curled his upper lip, and he saw her smile droop.

"You...? You don't remember me, do you? Sub-commander Muroc didn't either." She sounded genuinely disappointed, but Kollos couldn't bring himself to care. This little wretch had the audacity, not only to survive, but to come aboard his ship, claim to know him personally, and speak the language of his own people - one that had been made illegal by her Empire.

He knew several Vulcans who had been punished for breathing a single word of their own language around a Terran, himself included. The hours he'd spent locked in an agony booth were certainly enough to cut away any remaining neutrality he'd held for Humans. Hatred had filled that void and now bubbled hot and lethal in his veins.

If his composure was any more fractured, he'd have removed the burden of her head from her shoulders the moment a syllable of Vuhlkansu touched her unworthy, arrogant tongue.

"We are not acquainted, nor would I wish to befriend a single member of your monstrous species." His voice had dropped into a quiet, dangerous register, but she didn't seem frightened. Damn her, why wasn't she intimidated? "You are incorrect on other points, as well. There is no Vulcan High Command - the Terran Empire would never allow their slaves to hold such authority. Muroc is not a Sub-commander - again, your people would never allow us in such high positions. There is no Vulcan embassy, but there are prisons...work camps...slaves. Do you wish to retract your statement?"

She looked up at him with her lips parted in surprise.

"But...but that can't be. Starfleet's mission was to seek out new life...to make friends while we explore the galaxy. The ship we're aboard is the Enterprise, isn't it?"

Kollos shook his head.

"This ship was an Imperial Starfleet ship, but it is now under new ownership and has been renamed. You are currently aboard the Retribution, a ship owned by the Vulcan Resistance Movement," he said straightening up and looking at her with as much defiance as he could muster. "I am the commanding officer."

She looked utterly flabbergasted.

"Osu–"

"You will not speak our language! You have no right, Terran!" He roared, and she flinched. "You will be silent and cause no trouble, or I will use you to test just how much pain one member of your species can endure. We have not had the opportunity to test one of the Terran Empire's Agony Booths on one of their creators yet. If you behave yourself, there will be no reason for you to become the first. Am I understood?"

She nodded her head quietly, but he couldn't deny the pain and sadness in her expression. As he strode from the cell, he tamped down the shard of guilt he felt over losing his temper at her. She'd caused no trouble yet, but who knows? She might be trying to infiltrate his organization and topple them from the inside. Kollos could not risk the future of his people on the chance that this Human was different from the rest of her people.

The sting of the life they'd stolen from him still gripped his heart and twisted his insides with agony every time he dwelled for too long upon what could have been. If the Empire didn't exist, would he have been fortunate enough to have a mate? A permanent home? Perhaps even a child? The stories of how life used to be before the Terrans took over always sounded so idyllic. If he'd lived during that time, would he have a pet sehlat? Could he have immersed himself in more academic pursuits, like science?

Pausing as the lift door closed behind him, Kollos forced himself to take a deep breath. As always, those scenarios that had been snatched away before they had a chance to come into being gnawed incessantly at his brain. He needed to focus on the mission, instead. That was how he was going to survive this war for Vulcan's freedom.

He would gladly spill the blood of every living Terran if it meant future generations of Vulcans would not have to suffer as he had.

It was too bad, though, that he would not be contributing to the gene pool for that future generation. He would've liked to have a family. A mate, a child or two...yes, and a sehlat to protect them all.

When the lift door opened again, Kollos had forced his control back into place, shoved away his pain, and come back to himself. He couldn't afford to waste time with wishful thinking. He had a mission to complete.

--

This was clearly not the Kollos with whom I'd become so familiar. From the moment he raged at me in the brig of his ship, it was obvious that this was an entirely different man. His hair was slightly longer and grayer, and it looked unkempt compared to the Minister's usual appearance. However shaggy it looked, though, it did at least appear soft and clean.

As for the man himself, this Kollos was tough and scarred - obviously battleworn and teeming with bitterness. His physical strength wasn't what startled me, though. His barely-tethered anger did that well enough on its own.

The Kollos I had spoken to barely hours before had been in complete control of his emotions. This one, however...he'd seemed to be on the cusp of losing control and becoming savage like the ancient Vulcans about whom I'd been told so much. He'd been through a lot, this remade Kollos, and from what I could gather, his bitterness was justified.

There were several questions prodding at me insistently, though, the chief of which was whether I'd be able to get home to the universe I knew, because, clearly, this was somewhere entirely different. The second most prominent inquiry was what the hell had happened?

While viewing a scientific experiment as a member of a cultural exchange program on a planet at the edge of Vulcan space, there had been an explosion, a flash of pinkish light, and I'd been knocked to the ground by some unseen force. My vision swam so severely that I'd no choice but to close my eyes.

When I opened them again, my skin tingled, and everything was burning. I'd looked around, squinting through the flames, but there was nobody else in sight. Maybe they'd all gotten out, already? Stumbling toward the exit while trying to stay low, I managed to make it out of the crumbling ruin of a building, but where I expected to see a small, well-maintained city there was only rubble and flame.

Shocked at what I'd found, a small scream worked its way out of my throat. Had a single failed experiment caused all of this? Surely not! This appeared to be planet-wide devastation. The scale of the experiment wouldn't have been capable of destroying much more than a building or two if it went wrong. Besides, the Vulcan scientists conducting it had been so careful. They'd made sure that every precaution was in place.

So how the hell was this region of the planet basically destroyed?

And how was I still alive?

A familiar hum sounded from a few feet away, and several Vulcans in odd outfits materialized. Relief had rushed through me like a great wave, and before I could think better of my actions, before I even noticed that they were all armed and slightly ragged looking, my feet propelled me toward them.

"Oh, thank goodness! Help! Please, I don't know if there's anyone trapped in the–" Four phaser rifles were aimed at me in a fraction of a second. I froze in place, confused more than ever. "W-What are you–?"

"Silence!" One of them ordered, and I broke off my attempts to speak. The same man stepped forward. "Are there others? Did anyone else survive the bombardment?"

What?

"I don't know what you're talking about. I-I was in the lab, and there was an explosion, and when I got up I was here," I stammered, but he seemed not to believe me. "Nothing looks the same. Where am I? Aren't you here to help the injured?"

One of the others scoffed.

"You must have sustained cranial trauma. Why would a Vulcan help Terran scum like you?"

Startled, I could do no more than blink.

"I-I don't understand...? Our people are allies–"

"Allies?" The man closest to me - the familiar one - scowled down at me. "Is that how your species assuages your guilt? By calling your slaves your allies?"

I gaped up at him, but before I could protest, he grabbed my upper arm. I struggled, and when he called his ship, I heard a voice that was so out of place that it barely registered at first. That's when I recognized my captor.

Muroc hadn't believed me when I said I knew him, but I had gotten to see Kollos in the end. Before he raged at me, I thought I saw...well, a glimpse of the man I'd known. Maybe that was just wishful thinking, though.

The lights dimmed a couple of hours after he left. With a sigh, I resigned myself to my current imprisonment and resolved to prove to Kollos that I wasn't going to try to oppress him the way he claimed Humanity had already done to his people. The first step, though, needed to be finding out more about this place. What had my people truly done? Were he and the others justified in their hatred? Somehow, I already knew I wouldn't like the answer.

--

Over the course of the next few days, all I saw was the inside of my cell. Each afternoon - or at least, I assumed it was during the afternoon - a different Vulcan brought me a ration pack and a small glass of water to wash it down. Apparently, these officers weren't able to get their hands on a more stable food supply. That didn't bode well.

Occasionally, just before lights out, Kollos came by and asked me a series of seemingly innocuous questions.

"Are you from Earth or a Terran planetary annex?"

"Have you encountered many of my kind?"

"Do you have a family?"

"How has the quality of your sleep been since you took up residence in this cell?"

Finally, though, when he tired of those, his queries became a bit more pointed. Repeatedly he asked me how I survived the blast, but he simply didn't believe that I was just as puzzled as he was. One night, after something like two weeks in captivity, I'd become irritated enough to snap at him.

"Again, I ask you: how did you survive the assault?" He'd already asked the question three times, and after two weeks of awful sleep on the cramped little bench that passed as a bed in my cell, my back ached, I was tired, and I'd just plain had enough. "Your non-compliance will cease. You will tell me how you–"

"I don't know, alright?! Just mind-meld with me if you want the answer that badly! You won't even have to force me. I'll submit to one right now, if it'll stop you asking the same damned questions over and over like a broken fucking record," I ground out, and he raised his eyebrows.

"You...would willingly submit yourself to such a procedure?" The disbelief in his voice was understandable if he'd been telling the truth about Humans being so awful.

"Yes, but only if you're the one performing it."

Taken aback by my willingness, he opened the cell door and gestured for me to stand.

"We will go to the briefing room, and your meld will be witnessed by my most trusted officers," he said. "Out of respect for your good behavior since your capture, I will warn you in advance. If I sense any intentional resistance during the meld, I will cease being gentle and tear the information I require from your synapses. I would prefer to avoid such an action, as it can lead to permanent brain damage, but if you purposefully resist me, I will not hesitate to do so. Do you understand?"

"Yes, os–I mean, sir. Yes, sir," I murmured, hoping he wouldn't be offended that my old habit had nearly made me slip up again. I'd been conversing with Vulcans for so long that small usages of their language, like titles, were simply automatic. It was so hard to turn it off, but I was trying my best for Kollos's sake. After all, even if this wasn't the Kollos I'd come to know so well, I owed it to my memories of our friendship and my feelings for him to at least try to be kind.

We were nearly to the conference room when I realized that I hadn't been cuffed or restrained in any way. Obviously, Kollos either trusted me not to run off, or - more likely - he knew he could catch me with relatively little effort if I did try to escape. Not that there was anywhere I could go. The layout of this universe's Earth starships was different enough to make it seem like an unsolvable maze.

Taking a seat in one of a pair of chairs, I tried very hard to block out the dozen or so sets of eyes watching us. I needed to be relaxed for this meld so that Kollos wouldn't have any need to be rougher than necessary. Even a meld with the most gentle of telepaths could be severely disorienting.

"Have you participated in a mind-meld before?" He asked loudly enough for the others to hear.

"Yes, but not recently."

"Have you any mental training regarding telepathy, mind-melds, or mental defense?" He inquired as he took his own seat directly in front of me.

"No, I don't."

"Very well. I will treat you as all untrained minds are treated. As you will know from your previous melds, anxiety can throw up resistance, whether intentional or not," he said raising his hands but not touching me just yet. "Obey my instructions during the meld, and I will have no need to harm you. Now, take a deep breath."

I did so, and his fingertips met my face: two on my chin, one on either side of my nose, and one on each temple.

The effect was familiar and instantaneous as he began to chant in that low, smooth voice of his.

"My mind to your mind...your thoughts to my thoughts..." His voice faded as our minds merged, and suddenly I found the pair of us standing in front of each other. It was as disconcerting as my previous meld with his counterpart, but I did my best to remain calm. "Recall the day in which my men found you."

All at once, our surroundings changed, and I was in the lab again. The group of Vulcan scientists conducting their experiments were only a few feet away, and I walked slowly toward them.

Kollos blocked my path with a stern expression on his face.

"I said, the day we captured you–"

"This is that day," I said emphatically, and, with the absolute certainty that he'd be able to tell that I was answering truthfully, I stepped around him and moved over to stand beside the machine. Just as it had happened that day, within moments, there was an explosion, and I watched as the pink light engulfed me again.

Disoriented yet again, I felt a small bit of panic creeping into me as acrid smoke filled my lungs once more. Struggling for breath despite the fact that this was just a memory, I knew Kollos would follow, so I did the same thing I did that day, taking the same turns I had until I was outside the smoldering building.

The sight of the devastated landscape was still shocking. All the destruction and the flames licking up amongst the rubble still made me feel a pang of sympathy for whoever might have been trapped.

A large hand met my shoulder in the midst of the meld, and I turned to find Kollos looking at me suspiciously.

"There were no Vulcan life signs on the planet's surface before our attack."

"Neither was there a Terran Empire that morning before the machine exploded," I countered, and before he could ask, I called forth the memories of my own time studying under Vulcan teachers and living alongside them as I walked through life. Image after image, memory after memory floated in. I showed him every instance I could think of regarding Starfleet's mission and Human interactions with other species including Vulcans. Ambassador Soval and Admiral Forrest chatting, Captain Archer and T'Pol walking together, on and on, example after example, until–

"What is this?" His hoarse voice called, and I knew immediately why he suspected that I was somehow manipulating him. The Kollos I knew, the Minister of the High Command, my friend, and the man I'd grown rather...attached to over the years, was standing mere feet from his rougher counterpart.

This was the last time I'd seen him. This was the day I'd left Vulcan. The suns beat down upon us both, but we were in our own little world, as usual, and took no notice of it. Kollos had taken that day quite seriously and had donned a set of his ceremonial robes, the deep green fabric with embroidered flowers and vines twining up the sleeves hugged his torso with an elegance that left me breathless. I could never tell him that, though. It would be highly inappropriate, and I didn't want to risk ruining our friendship with my feelings.

Watching from this odd, outsider's perspective, I saw Kollos take a slow step toward me as we reached the transport station. It was quite deserted that day, mainly because at that time of day the majority of the population would have been busy with their occupations or their education. Given how empty the station was, we didn't bother to keep our voices down - an oddity for my friend, but I'd been glad of it.

"Ashal-veh, there is something which we should discuss when you return from your scientific exchange," he said with the same inflection he'd used that day. Soft and somewhat tender in retrospect, my Kollos's voice wrapped around me like a warm blanket, affording me a small measure of comfort that I hadn't experienced in weeks. I'd turned the memory over and over in my mind as I sat uselessly in the brig, wondering what he could've possibly wanted to discuss...and trying to determine the meaning of that damned word. He'd said it before - it seemed to be some sort of a title - but he'd never told me what it meant, and he never used it with anyone else.

I thought I'd have all the time in the world to ask him what it meant.

"As soon as I get back to Vulcan, we'll go to that tea shop you enjoy so much and talk about anything you want for as long as you like," the version of me from my memory responded, and I noticed something I hadn't, in the moment. The Former Minister was blushing. A rare occurrence, indeed!

"That is kind of you, but a private conversation would be more advantageous, in this instance," he murmured, and I watched as the other me cupped his cheeks and smiled up at him. How had I managed to be so bold when I was so sad about leaving him?

"Of course, osu. If that's what you like, then when I get back, you and Koss can come over to my place, we can crack open a bottle of that port you favor, and the three of us can talk all night."

"I...believe this is a topic I should discuss with you alone, first. Depending upon the outcome, my son can be informed later..."

Confused, but wanting to make him happy, I agreed.

"Sure, if that's what you'd like to do. I'd never say 'no' to spending time alone with you, osu. I promise you and I can have a private evening with just the two of us when I'm home again." He nodded his head in approval, and I watched as I kissed his cheek and drew him into a tight hug.

"Six weeks is quite a sizable duration of time for us to be parted, ashal-veh. Are you certain you will be alright?"

A light laugh had poured from my throat as I savored the feeling of his arms wrapped around me, holding me close. I'd never had the courage to hug him before, let alone to dare hope that he'd return the gesture.

"I'll be perfectly fine, you worrywart. If anything, it sounds as if you'll be the one pining over the absence of a friend. I'll miss you too, of course, but it's only a few weeks. You watch, time will fly by and we'll be together again before you know it."

He sighed just as he had that day, brushing the tips of two of his fingers down one of my cheeks, sending a bolt of warmth across my skin. He'd never done that before. Not knowing if it was a gesture with some sort of meaning behind it, I'd taken a chance and copied his movements.

"Be safe." His husky murmur coupled with his light grip on my waist flustered me more than I'd thought possible, and when I watched myself board the transport shuttle, the image of the Minister froze.

I became acutely aware of the other Kollos by my side. As I'd watched the memory of our last interaction together, all at once, the realization that I may never get the chance to ask him what he meant slammed into me, and I felt the corners of my eyes burning with tears. I hadn't meant for my captor to see this reaction or feel how such a private memory was affecting me, but if it proved to him that I was telling the truth and showed him how I knew him, then it was worth it.

"You show me this freely?" He asked, and because of the meld, I heard him as if he was both in front of and beside me. Mild disorientation prodded at me, but I managed a quiet 'yes' in spite of it. "The light you saw in the laboratory...what do you believe it was?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't know. I have several theories, but each is as unlikely as the next," I muttered, trying desperately to ignore how much I could hear the evidence of my tears in my voice. "It could've been some sort of odd radiation surge, or...or a portal through spacetime, for all I know. I'm not a physicist. My area of study is in biochemistry. I will say, though, this is not the universe I left behind. Our people are at peace where I come from."

Gradually, safely, he withdrew from my mind, ending the meld in the same way his counterpart had in a wholly different universe.

"You have not lied to me. You did not try to stop me from viewing the information I required. I do not know how, but you have told me the truth." Kollos sounded as surprised as he looked. "What am I supposed to do with you?"

When he cocked his head curiously, I realized he was truly seeking an answer from me, not just asking a rhetorical question.

"I may not know everything that was done to your people, but I want to help if I can. Who knows if I'll ever be able to get home? In the meantime, I may as well do what I can to right the wrongs committed by my species," I reasoned, and Kollos raised a single eyebrow.

"You expect us to trust a Terran?"

"I don't expect you to after all that you've been through, but I do hope to prove to you that you can, should the need arise."

Kollos glanced at his officers, and nodded his head once.

"You will be given the chance to prove yourself, but be forewarned: if you so much as attempt to betray us, you will regret being conceived."

Oh. Lovely. Death threats seemed to be as common as greetings in this universe. No doubt I'd get used to them as time wore on. They didn't startle me anymore, at least.

"I promise I won't give you any reason to doubt me, sir."

--

As Kollos escorted her to a guarded set of quarters, he couldn't help but feel guilt and self-hatred rising slowly in his chest.

Illogical feelings, of course. Kollos himself had done nothing to warrant such intensity in his own frustrations.

And yet...

'Ashal-veh' the image of himself had called her. Kollos hated that it hadn't been a manipulated memory. Somehow, a well-groomed, happier version of himself had dared to call a Terran woman a Vulcan term of endearment.

After all that those monsters had done! After all that his people had suffered at their hands! How could a Vulcan ever love a Human?! He'd even initiated a partial ozh'esta with her!

The name he'd heard during the meld, Koss, stuck in his head. It was one that he'd considered to be a serious contender if he'd had a son. According to her, this other version of himself did have a son.

All his years of regrets and wishful thinking grated within him at the realization that one of his alternate selves had a family. Clearly in that universe his mate was no longer in the picture, but he'd fallen in love a second time...with a Human.

How could this have happened? He felt betrayed by himself, by his own feelings. He knew already that if he didn't keep his heart turned firmly against her, there was a very good chance that he would end up exactly the way that 'Minister' Kollos had: in love with his worst enemy...worshiping the ground upon which she walked...craving her touch in the dark, solitude of his quarters when he should instead be sleeping...

The strain of walking beside her was quite suddenly too much to bear.

His emotions punched a hole in his tenuous, carefully-regulated control. The rage that he normally held so tightly on its leash curled his lips into a feral snarl. Slamming the Human girl against a bulkhead in the corridor, Kollos gripped her shoulder and her throat with equal ferocity.

"The man you knew is no longer here. Nothing in this galaxy will ever make me care for a Terran!" To her credit, she didn't cry out or struggle. She tilted her head back to lean against the wall, and her eyes...oh, her eyes! She didn't look frightened or defiant. She seemed curious, as if he was a sehlat who'd responded to a command in an unexpected way. "Your people have murdered and enslaved my people, oppressing them and outlawing nearly everything to do with our culture. Until the day your people kneel before Vulcans in obedient supplication, all I am capable of feeling for you is disgust and contempt."

He had to convince her, but most importantly, he had to reinforce that notion in his own mind. He hated her. He had killed many of her kind and would continue to do so in the future, so...

Why wasn't she frightened of him?

Even worse, why was a small part of him proud that she wasn't?

Without further ado, Kollos opened the door to her quarters and practically shoved her inside.

"You are not to leave without authorization. If you require anything, your guards will attend to it," he said shoving his emotions back into place. "If you keep to your word and assist us, you will be rewarded. If not, you will die. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," she murmured straightening her posture. He didn't even acknowledge her answer. He just turned on his heel and beat a hasty retreat to his quarters.

As he did every night, Kollos removed his shirt and attempted to meditate, but this time all he got for his efforts was a single word echoing through his mind on repeat: 'ashal-veh.'

Eventually, he fetched his lirpa from its place on the wall, and, with an almighty roar, he brought the blunt end down on the table in front of him, smashing it to splinters in one blow.

For a moment, all he could hear was the rush of blood in his ears and his heavy breathing, then his door chime sounded. With resignation, he called for whoever it was to enter. He knew there was no chance of hiding the evidence of his temper, so his guest would simply have to cope with the state of his quarters.

"Osu?" His eyes snapped up at the sound of Muroc's hesitant voice. He never sounded like that. Kollos must've startled him when he lost his temper. "Are you well?"

"...I do not know," he murmured setting his lirpa back on its wall mounted hooks.

"Did something in the Terran's mind...trouble you?" When Kollos remained silent, Muroc tried again. "You know that anything you tell me will remain confidential, do you not?"

He supposed that it was only fair that he tell his second in command about the revelation that was compromising his emotional control so severely.

"Sit, my friend. I have much to communicate to you."

They spoke for many hours that night. Confessing everything to Muroc was somewhat therapeutic. Having someone share in his confusion and voice the same questions confirmed to him that he wasn't hallucinating or otherwise losing his mind. Never had relief felt so sweet.

Over the next thirty-seven days - not that he'd been keeping count - the girl had kept to her word. She was as involved in their resistance movement as they allowed her to be. At first, they only gave her small tasks that could be supervised: assisting with ship maintenance, tending to superficial injuries, and preparing the food they'd secured in their various raids.

To Kollos's surprise, she had done everything she was asked, never uttering a single complaint. She always gave a small acknowledgement - 'yes, sir' or 'I'm on it' or something similar - and got straight to work. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that she truly enjoyed being able to help them fight back against her own people.

The first few weeks, he wasn't really convinced that she'd keep her word, but when she bled for them two months in, Kollos was forced to admit that she was serious. During a mild skirmish against a small Terran transport, Kollos decided to test her loyalty, so he assigned her to the boarding party. They were responsible for taking out any guards in the cargo hold and tagging the crates with transport signal enhancers.

Everything went according to plan. Kollos managed to disable the ship's engines and sensors, and when the boarding party transported over, there were only a few guards to deal with. Within mere moments, they'd stolen the supplies due to be delivered to a nearby Terran starbase, and made it back aboard the Retribution.

When Muroc and the Terran reported to the Bridge to give their account of events for the record, he saw a large, red stain blooming across the upper arm of her shirt. Kollos brought her to the medical bay and tended to her personally. She had fought her own people and bled in the service of the Vulcan Resistance. That was more than any Terran had ever done on behalf of his people. She deserved respect after that.

As she sat on the medical bed while he sterilized her wound, he found himself speaking before he could think better of it.

"You are not...In my experience, Terrans do not behave the way that you have. You act as though you truly wish us to be free," he murmured, not daring to meet her gaze with his own. He focused on the task before him, wondering why he was feeling almost positive about her.

"That's because I do, osu." He should've raged at her as he did before. He should've carried out his threats for her casual use of his people's language, but...he didn't. The thought of retaliating against her made it harder for him to breathe. Instead, he looked into her eyes.

Oh. Was this what his counterpart had seen? Bravery, intelligence, and beauty, all wrapped up in one fragile Human woman? Well, given her actions today, perhaps 'fragile' was an inaccurate descriptor. He caressed the bandage that he'd wrapped around her arm without conscious thought.

The insatiable urge to know exactly how much she knew about his culture rose as fast and furiously within him as lava in a fissure vent. How much had the other version of himself taught her? Would she misunderstand him as she had the other Kollos when he all but confessed to desiring her as a mate?

His jaw clenched at the thought. No, he would leave no room for misinterpretation in their courtship–

Courtship?! What was he thinking? She...she was Human!

But that argument felt weaker every time he used it to tamp down his growing emotions. She was Human, but she'd proved herself to be strong, determined, and fair-minded. Could he really continue to hold against her that which she could not control?

"Have you been shown the Vulcan method of meditation?" She looked a bit surprised at his question, but she nodded her head and uttered a quiet 'yes, osu' that send his heart racing in his side. "Very well. Tonight, I will bring the necessary items, and we will meditate together in your quarters. I would like to assess your technique."

Later that evening when he kept his word, he entered her quarters only to find her kneeling in the center of her living space. His brow furrowed as he tried to determine what she was doing.

"You said that until Humanity knelt before Vulcans, until we humbled ourselves, all you could feel for me was disgust and contempt. I can't make you like me, Kollos, but I don't want you to feel disgusted by me, either," she murmured as he made his way toward her. "I may only be one Human, but one is a start...right? Is this enough to earn some personal neutrality in your eyes?"

Kollos dropped to his knees before her, setting his meditation accoutrements aside. Where could he even begin when he hadn't even begun to puzzle out his own feelings?

"Even before this, you have proved yourself more worthy of respect than any other Terran." The surprised smile she gave him more than made up for the difficulty of that admission. That acknowledgement alone startled him into turning away to set up the candles. "Come. Meditate with me."

--

The next time Kollos was involved in a hand-to-hand fight against the Empire's forces, she was by his side. He'd never been in battle at her side before, so he hoped that she'd view this as the sign of trust that he intended it to be.

It began easily enough. Combat with Empire ships was fairly common for them, but this one had a big prize: this shipment of supplies was due to be delivered to the Emperor. The goods aboard were of the highest quality, and the Resistance wanted them. Badly.

Disabling the engines had been easy enough, but how Muroc had managed to disable their communication array before they could get a message off, Kollos had no idea. He wasn't complaining, though. That just made their job simpler.

Grabbing his lirpa, Kollos felt his lips tug into an almost-smile that easily betrayed how much he was looking forward to this. It had been far too long since he'd last spilled the blood of his enemies. Knocking a few heads together always felt rather therapeutic. For him, this was long overdue.

They'd made excellent progress through the guards, at first, removing them from the equation as easily as swatting flies.

Halfway through, however, reinforcements were summoned from other decks, and soon Kollos and his fighters were surrounded. When he was pushing back two Terrans at once, a man managed to get past him with a knife in hand.

He turned barely a fraction of a second later, but that was enough time for the man to grab Kollos's Terran. He dared to lay a hand on her – on his mate!

Kollos saw red. Thinking of nothing but her, he began tearing through the enemies before him. He didn't stop until he was within grabbing distance of the Human man. His target let out a startled yelp when he was tugged backward by Kollos's grip on his uniform collar. A primal yell tore from the Vulcan's throat as he threw the Terran officer to the ground and brought the blade end of his lirpa down on his neck.

The dagger that had been pressing into her skin now lay on the ground by the dead man's feet, a small drop of red Human blood coloring the tip. Her blood.

Still breathing heavily, Kollos turned his gaze to her, fully aware that he most likely looked utterly savage and murderous, covered in the evidence of his body count from this fight. The scratch at the hollow of her throat slowly wept a few drops of blood, staining her clothing as he moved closer to her. Reaching out with all the care he could muster in his current state, Kollos brushed his fingertips down the length of her clavicle.

There was much that he needed to communicate to her: his regret over behaving so foolishly toward her; his fear at the sight of someone getting that close to her with a weapon; the affection he felt for her that he was no longer able to ignore; his relief that she was not seriously injured. The significance of his need to protect her was at the forefront of his mind, but all he could seem to manage at that particular second was looking into her eyes.

He was certain that his own hunger for her was showing quite plainly, but he couldn't tell whether the reciprocal desire he saw in her irises was really there, or if he was simply projecting his own emotions onto her features in his mind's eye.

Her hands came up and covered his where it rested, and Kollos felt his control falter. He could take her here. It would be a simple matter for him to shred her clothing and stake his claim to her in front of everyone else. Her screams would be for him...because of him...

"Kollos?" Her barely audible call of his name snapped him from his primal, spiraling thoughts. The sounds of fighting had died out around them. "Are you alright?"

He swallowed heavily, tearing his eyes away from hers with great difficulty.

"I am unharmed," he croaked, but, emotionally, he wasn't sure that he was. How could he be after witnessing danger sidle up to the woman he loved, brandishing a dagger?

He couldn't remove her from his thoughts that night no matter how hard he tried. It had been wrong of him to immediately react as though they were already bonded, but...it had been instinctive. He could not force himself to feel guilt over his actions. The memory of the hungry look she gave him still burned so vividly in his mind's eye, stoking the flames of his desire. All of his confused emotions swirled around inside him, but they all essentially acknowledged the same central point: Kollos loved and needed this Human woman more than he'd ever needed anyone before.

It was shameful for him to give in to his emotions so easily, but that night Kollos couldn't help himself. He was forced to satisfy himself with his hand. With every stroke he imagine the caress of warm, slick walls gripping his length in place of his callused fingers. Would she sound as gentle as she looked, or was she just as savage inside as he was?

No! No, he mustn't allow himself to think such things about her. She may have looked as though she was prepared to offer herself to him during that fight, but she deserved more than that. She deserved his respect.

When the explosion happened a few days later, that was how he justified his actions. This was repayment for the respect she'd earned, nothing more.

That was a lie, of course. It was more. He knew from the moment he threw himself into action that this could never just be simple respect.

Kollos didn't think in the moment. He didn't analyze the situation. He simply acted. The minor skirmish in which they'd become involved was on the verge of being won, but the Retribution had taken damage. Small fires and shorting circuits illuminated the bridge from all corners. A familiar, high-pitched whine began, and Kollos leapt at her, wrapping her in his arms and shielding her with his own body just as the console she'd been working at exploded. Heat and pressure met the expanse of his back, and something hit him hard enough to knock them both to the ground.

As the pair managed to scramble away from the flames, he noted with relief that she was not hurt. She looked up at him in surprise - did she truly believe he would have allowed her to be hurt on his watch? - but when her eyes trailed lower, she went pale.

"We need a medic! Now!" She shouted over her shoulder, and when he looked down, there was a long, sharp piece of metal protruding from just below his collarbone. An emerald puddle of his blood was already forming on the deck plate beneath them.

Ah. He'd been impaled. No matter. His injury was irrelevant. She was alarmed but safe. That was his only concern.

Why was the Bridge spinning?

There was a dull thunk as his back struck the ground at an angle, but her hands cushioned his head's impact. He couldn't bring himself to regret his actions, especially looking up into her eyes at such close proximity. Her fingertips were so soft where they met his skin. He wished she would touch him for the rest of his existence. Why had he ever fought his attraction to her?

As his consciousness faded, he managed a single word, even though he was barely aware that he was speaking aloud.

"Ashal-v...veh," he breathed just before the world went black.

--

The trip to the medical bay was a blur. Muroc had reached Kollos's side on the bridge just in time to hear him utter that word. Nobody said a word as their leader was laid on a medical bed to receive their doctor's ministrations, but Muroc did give me a respectful nod while we waited.

Both versions of Kollos had called me the same term: 'ashal-veh.' Not long ago, Kollos pinned me against a wall and swore that he'd only ever be able to hate me, and now he'd saved my life twice. The look he gave me the first time nearly made me spontaneously combust where I stood.

Seeing him stalk toward me, glaring and covered in blood was almost more than I'd been able to handle. I'd thought - a small part of me had hoped - that he was going to claim me right there against the Terran ship's bulkhead. Instead, his touch had been feather-light, and I'd been more sexually frustrated when I returned to my quarters that night than ever before.

To complicate things even further, beyond simple lust, I'd begun to feel soft for this hardened, bitter, angry mess of a Vulcan freedom-fighter. His emotional control was tenuous at the best of times, he held grudges against those who had wronged him or his people, and he seemed to enjoy killing a little too much, but despite all of that - hell, maybe because of all of that - I loved him. I'd watched him murder a man who'd gotten too close to me with a knife, yet I still felt irresistibly drawn to him.

What the hell did that say about my own morality?

After all, under that rough exterior, Kollos wasn't completely evil. He had protected me, respected me, and even though he wanted to kill me multiple times in the beginning of our acquaintance, he'd given me a chance to prove myself. Hell, I'd even seen him full of bloodlust and rage, deep in the heart of battle, savage and the polar opposite of how a Vulcan was supposed to behave, but I couldn't help the way my heart fluttered when he'd regarded me with blatant lust afterward.

Those nights where we meditated together - yes, there had been many more than just the one - were soothing and tense in equal measures. On the one hand, I could almost forget that I wasn't with the Kollos I'd known before. Those nights, he was tranquil and serene. On the other, every time I closed my eyes to meditate with him, I felt as though I was being watched...as if he didn't actually close his eyes. I had wondered more than once if he'd simply taken the opportunity that those nights had afforded to observe me in close quarters.

That thought seemed mildly creepy, at first, but after a while, I almost relished the feeling of being so interesting to him that he couldn't help but shirk his nightly meditation to watch me instead. It was somehow simultaneously odd and flattering. For all his blustering, I knew deep down that he would never harm me. The universe didn't have many constants, but he was one of them.

And I knew that no matter his threats, he would never carry them out. Whether from confusion or desire, I was simply more intriguing to him when I was in one piece and able to behave as illogically as my species was so famous for amongst his people.

Upon reflection, his presence here in this terrifying version of the galaxy seemed like a sort of cosmic apology from the universe for ripping me so unceremoniously away from my home.

My home...I hadn't thought of it for a couple of weeks. The other Kollos must surely have given me up for dead, assuming that time passed the same way in both universes. I hadn't meant to break my promise to him.

A deep, shuddering sort of regret flooded through me, tasting distinctly sour and disgusting as I took a seat beside my Vulcan freedom fighter. Muroc and the doctor had spoken quietly for a few moments and left me alone with him. They'd done all they could. The rest was up to Kollos and his own strength. There was nothing I could do but wait, so that was what I did. Grasping one of his hands with both of my own, I stared at the bandages wrapped securely around his torso. The slight green stain that had seeped through at the location of his wound made my breath hitch in my throat.

I'd lost my chance to tell Former Minister Kollos of the Vulcan High Command how I felt about him, but that didn't mean I was going to lose my chance to tell Kollos of the Vulcan Resistance Movement just how much I adored him. Even if he hated me for it, I wouldn't make the same mistake twice. That would kill me.

So I resolved to wait by his bedside until he awoke. Maybe then we could come to some sort of mutual understanding.

And maybe - just maybe - I could finally figure out what that damned word meant.

Long, silent hours passed with nothing more than the sound of the medical machinery around me and the occasional visits from the doctor. Time ended up blurring together, and before I knew it, I had leaned my head down beside Kollos's arm on his medical bed and dropped off into a light slumber.

--

When his conscious mind finally surfaced, Kollos became aware of two things. The first was that the doctor had kindly dimmed the lights. The second was that his left hand was warmer than his right, and that warmth was accompanied by the sound of slow, steady breathing. Someone had fallen asleep keeping watch over him.

Cracking his eyelids open despite their leaden weight, Kollos saw the angelic visage of the Terran woman he'd fallen so hard for. Both her hands were grasping at his left. Her face was smooshed into the fabric of the blanket that was covering him from the waist down.

If he concentrated very hard with his slowly-recuperating strength, he found that he could catch glimpses of her dreams. For a time, they seemed to be a mix of nonsensical chaos mixed with flashes of anxiety over his condition.

Of all the people for his instincts to select as the ideal partner, he was truthfully glad that it was she who had been selected.

Kollos had no idea how long he'd been dipping in and out of her dreams when she finally stirred. A bleary yawn escaped her, and she blinked at him, seemingly taking a moment to recognize that he was awake just as she was.

"Lesek, t'sai." His raspy whisper settled over her like a blanket. He could see the moment she recalled the meaning of those words, because her eyes widened almost comically as she sat up.

"You're welcome, but I haven't done anything. Hell, I should be thanking you - actually, I am thanking you - for risking your life to save mine," she responded. Her own voice was equally rough with sleep as she spoke, but he found it alluring. "Kollos? I...don't know how to tell you this, but I never had the chance to say it to the other you. I mean it just as much with you as I did with him, and I don't think you'll be happy to hear it, but..."

She took a deep, steadying breath, leaning back to give him some space as she poured her heart out.

"I know we didn't start out on the best of terms, but I've developed...feelings for you." Despite his injury, Kollos sat up and grasped her jaw lightly in one large hand. "I-I know you must be upset, b-but I promise I can keep them to myself if you–"

"You must tell me to stop," he croaked, and she looked up at him quizzically.

"What are you talking about?"

"This is your last chance. Refuse me now while I am still able to turn away. Otherwise..." He swallowed around the lump in his throat that had risen at the thought of her rejection. "Otherwise, I will take you right here and claim you until your voice is gone. You will be mine, and I will be yours."

To his surprise, she smiled affectionately up at him.

"Kollos, I've been yours since the day I was brought aboard your ship."

"Do you fully understand what you are getting yourself into?" He asked as his eyes skimmed her face for any sign of second thoughts. "I have killed many of your people. In my resistance to the Terran Empire, I will likely kill many more. I...very nearly killed you on more than one occasion."

"I know exactly who you are, osu. You're not the Minister of the High Command who I became friends with in my universe. You're Kollos, defender of Vulcan rights. You are Kollos the Brave, Kollos the Valiant...and I love you," she murmured, sliding her hands slowly up his chest to rest carefully atop his bandages. "But I warn you: if you take me, I expect you to keep me."

His pride roared within him as his forehead touched hers.

"Oh, ashal-veh, there was no question about that."

"Are you ever going to tell me what that word means?" She asked as a huff of laughter escaped her. It was abruptly transformed into a gasp as he lifted her onto his lap and buried his face in the crook of her neck to inhale her scent.

"If you behave like a good girl for me, I may tell you when we are catching our breath."

Her answering whimper and the sensation of her fingers burying themselves in his hair was all the confirmation he needed to continue. The other version of himself had no idea what he was missing out on.

~*~*~

Vulcan Words:

Osu = sir

ashal-veh = darling

lesek = thank you

t'sai = my lady

~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes @emilie786 @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[neversetyoufree]

Shipping is fun and all but why do the whole fandom makes it like VNC was about rotting for Vanitas to be with either Jeanne or Noe and sexuality ? It's not what the story is about, it's about Noe and Vanitas's story together and how Noé will end up killing Vanitas. Is it because it's also treating of their relationship that the fandom focuses so much on romance which is a very sub themed (after all in shounen romance is always a subplot, more or less underdevelopped)

I mean, when it comes to Vnc, I'm not so sure that the romance is underdeveloped, anon. I 100% get not caring about romantic shipping, and that's fair, but sex and romance are big parts of this story. I don't think it's unreasonable to be invested in them when they're very present in the manga itself.

You're right that shonen series in general tend to be very light on romance. However, a majority of shonen also don't have their characters very regularly engaging in a metaphor for sex.

It's pretty undeniable that the blood drinking in VnC is meant as a sexual metaphor. Sometimes this is played for horror (like Astolpho's backstory), and sometimes this is played for horny (like the VaniJeanne scenes), but it's almost always there. It doesn't mean that every instance of blood drinking is meant to symbolize literal sex, but both in-universe and in terms of symbolism, drinking someone's blood in VnC is an erotic act. And there's a lot of blood drinking.

With that said, given that these characters are constantly running around drinking and/or craving each other's blood, of course people are going to talk about romance a lot. "Which character wants which other character's blood?" is a huge driving factor for the character dynamics in this story. And there's a lot of straight-up discussion of romance as well!

You cannot talk about or analyze Noé and Dominique's relationship without talking about her massive crush on him. You cannot analyze Vanitas and Jeanne's relationship without talking about their mutual attraction and all the blood drinking scenes. You cannot fully analyze Noé and Vanitas's relationship without talking about how much Noé wants Vanitas's blood.

It may not be the norm for shonen, but Vnc is, objectively speaking, a series that puts a fair amount of emphasis on romance. It's not the main plot, but neither is it a clumsily handled background element like in Naruto or something. This is a series driven by the relationships between its characters first and foremost, and several of those relationships are canonically romantic and/or horny.

(Also, as a bonus fun fact, there's an interview with Mochizuki where she directly talks about how she wanted Vnc to focus more on both action and romance than her previous works).

And as for the Vanoé angle specifically, you're right. Vnc is the story of Noé and Vanitas's relationship. It's the story of how they meet, what they do together, and how/why Noé will eventually kill Vanitas with his own hands. And the thing about that relationship is that it is frankly fucking FULL of queer subtext. Like half the writing on this blog, for example, is about Noé and Vanitas's relationship, and not all of it is gay. Sometimes I talk about the death and tragedy angle, sometimes I speculate about the concrete plot details of what's to come, and sometimes I talk about how absurdly queer-coded Noé's whole "your blood smells amazing" routine is. It's not the only thing going on between them, not by a long shot, but it's there! And I think it's quite reasonable to discuss it.

So like, everyone engages in fandom differently, anon. It's fine to not give a damn about the romantic angle. I personally am almost incapable of caring about ships that aren't heavily implied in their canon sources, which makes me a bit of the odd one out in some fandom spaces.

However, speaking for myself again, this is a meta blog. More often than not, when I talk about romance on here, it's through the angle of examining what's there in canon. I find the relationships between the characters to be the most compelling part of Vnc, so that's what I write about. Sometimes that means writing about how Noé's constantly trying and failing to save his loved ones generally, sometimes that means writing about the history between Vanitas and Misha, and sometimes that means writing about how fucking in love with Vanitas I think Noé is.

I can't speak for others, but I personally don't think I'm reading anything into this series that isn't there. It's fine if it's not an angle you care about personally! I fully support you in blacklisting ship tags if the discussion of romance gets on your nerves. I cannot fucking stand "ship wars," so like. I get it. But "shonen usually doesn't care about romance" does not mean "all the people talking about romance in Vnc are doing it for no good reason."

[spacedlexi]

you said that you "need 2 characters to deeply care for each other and positively impact each other for me to want to ship them" so which of the twdg canon ships do you actually think work/make sense? and by canon ships i mean like actual established relationships, implied relationships or perhaps a character that was crushing on someone else before death.

me immediately blanking on every relationship in twdg upon reading this ask

the only one i stand behind with conviction is clemvi. idk if you need me to explain why i feel like ive done it a million times by now 👀 but yeah theyre the only relationship i "Ship" in regards to the quote where i see them as a match for each other and think romance makes sense for both parties

as for some "in defense of"s

i'll defend javi and kate. my only Real problem with them is how they handle david in it like girl can you at least take off the wedding ring before we kiss 😭 my brother still thinks youre his wife (plus they did push it Really hard.. but like.. narratively i understand why they did. family is a running theme of the series and javi and davids relationship is like the main conflict). but like. kate and javis relationship Makes Sense. she had a shit husband (who wanted to go back to the army anyway). her and javi already had the beginnings of Something before the outbreak even happened. she was left with javi to take care of 2 children that werent even biologically hers (i enjoy the complex family dynamics in twdg as a whole). and together theyve been surviving for years as a family unit. i think javi having feelings isnt up for debate, its more just will he act on those feelings or will he respect his brother? and like.. fuck david am i right? kate was Not happy in that relationship and deserves better, and javi cares about her. but also the pressure from their dad to get along after hes gone. it all works for me even if it couldve been executed better

and i .... sigh .... Understand gabe and clem. BUT!!! i think they have different feelings towards each other and its an important distinction. gabe definitely has a huge crush on her, shes cool as hell, but i think her feelings in return are fueled by hormones and the fact that she hasnt been around anyone her own age since DUCK (sarah was 15 at the time). like. does she think hes cute? yeah. but he can also be kind of a huge jerk sometimes and acts recklessly. i think its those moments that snap clem out of it lol. seeing this response in S4 felt vindicating im taking it as sad loner clem having a hormone induced crush. like girl yes or no?? this is the most direct option??

personally i dont like them together because i Hate tropes where the more mature girl half has to teach the immature boy half to grow up and be capable and thats somehow romantic. ESPECIALLY in clems case where she is literally already raising someone like her hands are full ok. her assuaging his ego makes me 🤢 girl you dont have to take that second gun just because he was gonna cry about it if you didnt. its just not romantic to me. also i think its soooo funny that clem uses the same tactic on gabe that she does on aj in S4 with the "i need you to watch my back" to stop him from complaining about being left behind at the gate LOL. also i just think he loves his dad too much who clem hates more than anyone on earth so like.. theres that

uuhhh who else... alvin and rebecca are fine. like i have nothing to say about them but i believe their relationship and think they wouldve been good parents to aj. hmmm.... i guess thats it for the ones i have defenses for?? the others just like.. exist. like im neutral

[scooby-review]

Scooby Doo Where are You? S1 E13-E17

13. Which Witch is Which?

This batch of five episodes is the greatest consistent run in the season! I love pretty much all of these! 

This episode has maybe one of the most basic premises: the gang find a witch and a zombie in the swamp on their way home. Simple! Yet, this simple narrative works! 

I love both the villains here, although, they’re really nothing too special! I think the witch is somewhat unique here, we haven’t seen this kind of character before, and she is your quintessential evil witch, with sickly green skin evocative of the Wicked Witch of the West, her robes a gorgeous purple, blending two of my favourite colours and making a design that is simply pleasing to me! She is the first female monster too! Although, the criminal underneath is a man, so… Still, she makes a mark from her voice and laugh, which is far less common in this series than silent stalking villains! Also, she’s voiced by Scooby voice actor Don Messick, which is just impressive to me! 

The other villain is the zombie, again, the villain thrives because of how simple this design is, and how he juxtaposes the witch. Yet, he’s made distinctive through his goblin-like design, with his pointy ears and almond shaped face, the crimson eyes standing out brightly against the rest of his swampy green design. I also personally like him because I used to have, and probably still do somewhere, the Lego figure of him, he came in the Mystery Machine set! I believe that the only other set to feature Where are You? (season one at least) characters is the Mystery Mansion, containing the Black Night,  Phantom and Dracula. I love this set so much but God is it expensive - I got all the cheapest ones, but I’d love the Haunted Lighthouse or Mansion now! 

Regardless, this is the weakest of the following five episodes, I find it mostly coasts on how great and fun these villains are and how great their dynamic is! The Witch is smart, she can talk and laugh, while the Zombie struggles to understand Shaggy’s joke, he can only groan and trundle along. They make a perfect fit as a result, they are an evil mastermind and a stupid henchman. 

They tie all of the ideas in together nicely, such as the setting of the swamp, the villains and themes of voodoo. All this works nicely together, but the episode feels like it’s coasting from beat to beat. There’s not really an interesting mystery to follow nor good enough gags! 

Also, the mouse joke is swapped out for a squirrel joke, which is far less interesting to me personally! 

This episode manages to be completely fine because of the strong villains! It’s an enjoyable watch for sure, but the pacing leaves something to be desired. 

14. Go Away Ghost Ship

I think growing up, this was my favourite episode. There’s so much going on, it’s funny and creepy, it has the best of what the show has to offer! It’s kind of weird how a select few episodes are so good, while many others are serviceable and fine, but meandering and unfocused. This is a tight episode, it’s constantly doing something funny, and I love it. 

Go Away Ghost Ship follows the gang learning about a ghost pirate hijacking cargo ships, and so, they leave to the ocean to investigate it. 

I’ve watched this one a lot growing up, it was on the Creepiest Capers DVD I would watch loads! The three season one episodes in that compilation have all ended up in my top six episodes of the season, which could be a nostalgic bias, but I truly believe that these are some of the best episodes the series has to offer! I would highly recommend the compilation to all! 

My notes for this episode were about double the length of most other episodes, it’s just so good. 

Firstly, I really love the malt shop and beach as a wrap-around location, they use both a few times at the start or end of an episode, or sometimes both, and it really makes this world feel more alive to me! Plus the characters, I love watching them dance and chat together, it makes them feel like actual friends rather than characters. Here it’s not different! The mystery also takes a minute to set up, a cold open reveals the villain, but the gang don’t meet him until around a quarter of the way in, which isn’t much sure, but they set up the characters nicely! I love the gang pretending to be room service, this does give them a more meddling image, pushing through anything to solve mysteries even if they shouldn’t be posing as people they aren’t, or entering rooms they’re forbidden from. It’s such a great and fun way to characterise them, but it’s seldom done. 

When they do arrive at the ship, it’s so much fun, they almost treat it like a haunted house in the way they bring it to life through a series of rooms, all building into gags, but the writing here feels way stronger, each gag has consequences, one action affects what happens next, the episode has stakes more so than any other. 

I’ll use an example to explain what I mean! We see the gang quickly separated when the ghost ship sails right through their tiny boat, Scooby and Shaggy entering through the side of the boat while the others head to the top. Shaggy and Scooby are chased by a floating sword, leading to their capture with Redbeard, however rather than make them walk the plank, he forces them to cook for him, where they fill the stew with horrible ingredients (chains, cobwebs, soap and ashes). However, when he goes to eat it, he instead forces them to eat the stew, the soap in the ingredients makes them blow bubbles which they use to escape, however during their escape they encounter the pirate henchman, so, Shaggy uses his imitation ability to lure them away. 

Every single joke here lands. I love the sequence of them cooking, the imitation where Shaggy, for some reason, must wear a pirate hat to do it, the skeleton head just talking, his delivery really funny to me, the shark that’s actually just a fin, Scooby cutting the fog and eating it (which always looked so tasty to me as a child) and the gay blade of course. Everything here is so great, I love this episode God! There’s so many more great moments too! Such as Shaggy’s dual where he fights with a sausage and also him coming up with a really out there password which just so happens to be the correct code.

But what’s a Where are You? episode without a villain? I like Redbeard, he’s a great pirate character, but I wouldn’t consider him a favourite villain! He’s good, but the show has better, which just goes to show how strong this episode is, not entirely dependent on its villain! 

However, he is still good! His red design makes him feel like a typical pirate, but I think they made a great decision in making him ginger, it makes him so much more memorable and unique in contrast to any old pirate design! He doesn’t convey the ghost theming in the same way most other characters with ghost slapped at the end of their name don’t, however this isn’t too big a deal for the villains! He’s great, I don’t want to underplay him, his personality is very distinct, he feels cruel and unpredictable, asking for one thing then changing his mind, it makes him a scary character to live in the world with. 

Wow, what a great episode! Although not my overall favourite of the season, it’s real close, it’s so very good. I think this is one I would be most likely to recommend to others to watch to get an idea what the best of the series looks like!

15. Spooky Space Kook

I love this episode so much. It’s not my favourite, not by a long shot, but it’s so comforting. It’s not as fun as episodes like Go Away Ghost Ship, but it is so vivid in its style, it’s creepy and everything about it is cool. It’s not always the most consistent or interesting episode, but it’s a marvel to watch. 

Spooky Space Kook follows the gang searching an airfield haunted by an alien. 

I think this episode is only so good because of the villain, I personally find aliens terrifying, they make me get depressingly existential and bubble with anxiety! The Space Kook is actually never named! The name simply comes from the episode's title, with the characters in the episode calling him things like “Ghost Man” and “Mr. Trouble”. No wonder those names didn’t take off!

The design is maybe perfect, he’s a skeletal astronaut, the glowing carmine surrounding his face contrasts perfectly with his navy suit and skull, which is always great to look at, the close ups rule. Yet, most interesting about his design is the way his suit grows luminous, it makes him stand out so much. We have never seen this effect before, therefore it really fuels this feeling of being otherworldly, he’s so different to the other villains in this aspect. Of course, he’s a hulking villain without any dialogue, but he makes this vivid mark on you when he appears, he’s not a funny character, he’s not from this world. 

Of course, there’s also his cackling laugh. It’s perfect. There’s not much more that can be said about it, but wow it’s so good. From the moment he appears, you know him. Then you hear him, and he’s so never going to leave. I love this design, and characterisation for such a thinly layered character. Designs do the heavy lifting in this show, but the laugh really adds so much. 

The episode doesn’t quite match the quality of this perfect villain, but there is a lot that I love about it! Mostly, the setting, which is an abandoned airfield. It’s ripe for the space connections, it’s eerie in a less overt way than many of the show's other gothic settings. It’s more than a feeling of isolation that it evokes, instead drawing forth the clashing feelings of being alone here, but the universe being vast with creatures we never can or will understand. 

This episode aired a mere six months after the first human stepped onto the moon. It feels echoed in this feeling of the villain, of life being so expansive, space travel shook the world more than I need bother discussing. However that feeling is echoed throughout this episode, this fear of what happens next. As a species, we have evolved so far, so what follows? Who follows? 

Tying into this, the villain strangely uses many ways people theorised the moon landing was fake as means to fake his disguise. These include, men on wires, no sound of an engine and camera projections feigning space travel. Specifically, we see a scene evolving a key, which is one of my favourites, however many have drawn parallels to the goofy nature of it and the “impossible” shots taken within the lunar lander. Also, the spaceman here is the villain, sure, he’s an alien, but his design is clear in being an astronaut, the name given on the character’s model sheet being Ghostly Spaceman, with no mentions of aliens. Likely, this is all a coincidence, or these theories helped influence how the writers made the character fake being a monster, however, with so few astronauts at the time, it’s a unique way of marking this important moment in history, painting them as the villain. 

Unrelated, but I hate how the show insinuates that Shaggy is good at mechanics. They imply that Shaggy and Scooby, you know, the dog, would be far more capable of getting Fred down from a hook and wire than Daphne and Velma. I buy the idea that Velma wouldn’t know mechanics, sure, but it’s literally just a switch that needs to be pulled, she’s more than intelligent enough to see that! It’s just a way of getting all the characters back in a single location, but quickly, they split them again afterwards! 

However, I do love the sequence of Scooby and Shaggy atop the watchtower as the Space Kook attempts to break in. I wouldn’t describe it as tense, it’s Scooby-Doo, but it’s well written, and I like it a lot! I also love the aforementioned key sequence! 

This one is so great because of its villain, but the episode he’s inside is still enjoyable, and one I personally like a lot! Just a great time :) 

16. A Night of Fright is no Delight

This is maybe the Scooby-Doo episode. 

A Night of Fright is no Delight is an iconic episode for a reason. Not only is it the highest rated episode on IMDB, alongside being critically acclaimed, for a Scooby-Doo episode, but it also features some of the shows most iconic villains, has one of the most enjoyable mysteries in the first season and the episode used in the Supernatural crossover, which I hope to watch at some point for this blog! Also, Be Cool Scooby Doo reimagines this episode, alongside a handful of other season one Where are You? episodes. 

The episode follows the gang heading to a haunted mansion after Scooby is listed in the will of a millionaire after saving him! However, soon we see the gang stalked by a pair of giggling green ghosts. Loosely, it’s an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Then There Were None. 

Already, this premise is silly and out there, but I love it. The gang go to the house and are told that to get the fortune, they must stay overnight at the haunted mansion. 

Following this, we get to see three fifths of the gang in pyjamas. I love all their pyjamas, and as you’ll see in the following episode, I love all costume changes for the characters. Shaggy’s are my favourite, his sleepy cap and gown is so perfect for his character, as are Scooby and Freds, the formers a dressing gown style set with slippers, while Fred wears a more relaxed blue shirt. I love this so much, and the way Fred always talks to Shaggy whenever they’re set to share a room. 

Would you believe this episode is not the only time in the series we will see a member of the mystery gang go to a house for inheritance money, only to learn the house is “haunted”, where they must solve a mystery while staying there to earn their money from the housekeeper attempting to steal it. Also the money is from a man called Beauregard, who is a confederate. Because, as far as I’m aware, it happens at least once more in the Boo Brothers movie.

The villains here are so popular for a reason! The Giggling Green Ghosts are great, they appear like “sheet” ghosts, but not in the same way as The Phantom does. No, these characters look like they’re wearing robes, which of course, they are. However, these robes are a beautiful shade of green which only look better against their red faces. Not to mention how great the addition of the single shackle and chain is on their arms. I remember as a child I had these glow in the dark rubber handcuffs which I think were based on this episode? I loved them loads, but I’m not too sure why. 

Plus, they have a second form, The Phantom Shadow, which is simply just when they are projecting themselves as shadows, but the transparency is definitely creepier for them, their edges feel more jagged and their appearance less human, like real ghosts. God it’s great! 

We get to meet five others who are set to inherit the money, all of them becoming suspects, before we swiftly find them all locked away in coffins. Sure, this makes the mystery a whole lot smaller, reducing the options to two characters, however, it’s such a creepy image that it really doesn’t matter. 

I love how the gang are split up in this one two, much like in Go Away Ghost Ship where both parties are in peril constantly which makes it feel like there’s a better reason for them to be split up, especially when one half has a lot more character than the other. Here I also love how they get split up, I enjoy how Velma bounces between the pair she’s stuck with, here she’s with Scooby and Shaggy, which I love, they get into way sillier antics and it allows for a more focused character like Velma to constantly bring them down to earth. 

I love this one, it slowly drips the villains in, from the Phantom shadow to the green ghosts to two green ghosts. It’s great, constantly upping the stakes. Great stuff!

I really get why this one is loved so much, it’s such a great episode for a plethora of reasons” It’s so very great. 

Also, the house is totally haunted. Like, not by the phoney ghosts, by actual ghosts, we see paranormal activity at the end of the episode, which is just brushed off, but still, it’s there! 

17. That’s Snow Ghost

The finale! 

When I saw this episode among the five, I was least excited for it. The villain was just the least interesting to me, everything about it felt kind of boring and bland to me, but honestly, I love this one so much! 

I find snow like sand, although I prefer it a lot. For me, I will either love something set in the snow, or hate it, it depends how the snow is wielded. I love this!

To start with, what is unironically my favourite part of this episode: the outfit change. The winter outfits are just so much fun, I love episodes where an outfit that characters always wear are swapped out for new ones for the new setting or scenario. I think my least favourite outfit is Fred’s; his new coat is nice, but his entire outfit is now blue on blue on blue. However, it does fit the character well!

Velma’s is my third favourite, it’s pretty much just her usual outfit, but I love the scarf and the way it’s all tied together with the bobble hat! 

I also love Shaggys! His coat runs the risk of falling into the same pattern as Velma and Fred’s outfits, however, the dark green stripe adds so much! And I adore the brown from his trousers used as fur on the coat, as well as the colour of his earmuffs - God, it’s great!

And finally, the best, is Daphne. Her coat is so cute, her colour scheme is already my favourite but it works so nicely using the softer purples for the fur here! Plus, her hat is so fun, I love this lots!

Beyond the new designs, I also enjoy how weird the side characters are here, like it’s because they’re the villains, but they are unapologetically strange! It’s so fun to watch, because usually the villain’s identity is obvious anyway! This way we at least get to see some more unique types of people. Although, this only works because it’s not an everyday thing, it’s just so strange seeing such weird characters here because of how grounded everyone usually is! 

Beyond them, I love how they use this setting, showing the group sledding across hills in a fun little visual gag, exploring frozen caves and using snowmobiles. Ultimately, it’s just a fun time watching them go around this wildly different location!

This brings me to the villain! He’s fine. He’s definitely more interesting than a lot of the groaning, hulking villains, the snow ghosts design obviously evocative of a yeti, the design based on one we see in a flashback, I think. This gives the design a bulky look with white fur and striking yellow eyes, the long horn like eyebrows his most unique feature. However, he is enjoyable to watch! Why? Because he is so violent. It’s absurd. 

This is the first villain we see attempt murder. 

Sure, other villain’s have attempted to harm the gang before, but here we see the ghost tie Velma to a log on a conveyor belt, heading head first into a buzzsaw. That’s just the start of it though, because after he also captures shaggy he also… covers him in snow. Huh! Regardless, seeing the villain willing to murder the gang is funny! A villain attempting to harm the gang is used sparingly as is, but attempting murder to cover up a smuggling operation is so over the top and great. 

Not to mention this episode ends in a perfect way! With a rodent themed gag :,) 

What a finale to the season, even if being a finale to a season of an episodic show is pretty unimportant, but I’m glad I was proved wrong about this one! This is some of the most I’ve laughed at an episode because of how extreme some of it is, or just strange some of the decisions are! A very good way to end a very good season!

Episode Ranking:

Go Away Ghost Ship

That’s Snow Ghost

A Night of Fright is no Delight

Spooky Space Kook

Which Witch is Which? 

Villain Ranking: 

Space kook

Giggling Green Ghosts/ The Phantom Shadow

Witch 

Ghost of Redbeard

Zombie 

Snow Ghost

Next Review: SDWaY S1 Villain Ranking

Previous Review: SDWaY S1 E9-12

[gwyns]

Genuine question. When did Azriel question his religion? I’ve seen E/riel’s say that he questioned his religion in the bonus chapter for Elain and I’m not sure when he did. Unless when he asked Rhys “what if the Cauldron was wrong”, but other than that I can’t think of when he did.

Recently an E/riel said “my favorite thing about azriel is that his response to elain having a mate that isn't him was basically, "well then this whole continents religion is wrong" which is the most melodramatic thing he could have possibly said. And then he like immediately finds out he was correct and there's no way he's ever going to shut up about it. when he inevitably starts describing her using religious imagery i will simply perish.”

I’ve always seen religious imagery being used for Gwynriel and not E/riel. I’ve thought this for a while now, but I’m scared to say anything (or if one day I want to make edits of them with religious imagery) because I don’t want E/riel’s to accuse me of “copying their aesthetic” (never mind that they copy Feysand’s). But it does make sense, at least to me, to have religious symbolism/imagery for Gwynriel. Gwyn is literally a priestess. Gwyn and Azriel. The saint and the sinner. If E/riel’s use religious as a headcanon then that’s obviously fine. We all have our own headcanons, but if I ever use religious themes for Gwynriel, then I really hope that I don’t get run off of Tumblr because of it.

Also, E/riel’s keep saying that the Cauldron is corrupted and the mating bond is fake (when they were so dead set on their ship being about rejecting the bond), but we already know that the Cauldron is corrupted. This was brought up in ACOMAF and ACOWAR. Shouldn’t E/riel’s also be bringing up Feysand’s and Nessian’s mating bond, too then? And I think the one who decides the mating bond is The Mother or some higher being (SJM herself).

that's because he didn't question his religion, he questioned his self worth. that chapter showed me at least, that az is more religious than i previously thought. he feels like the mother, the cauldron, whoever decides mates, finds him so unworthy that he doesn't deserve a predestined soulmate like his brothers. he feels left out and alone. no where was he questioning anything for elain, he was questioning why elain wasn't "given" to him. i'd even bet he's had similar thoughts about mor before because ultimately it's not about elain or mor or any other woman, it's about himself

he... never ever said anything close to that. like that description of his conversation with rhys is so misconstrued, i'm honestly impressed. they have imaginations, i'll give them that!

gwynriel has had the religious aesthetics since february of 2021 and we've never had to resort to "stealing" from that side but they sure do like to turn around and steal from every other ship in the series! what's that saying, rules for thee but not for me? something along those lines. e/riels stay being the biggest hypocrites i've ever seen

anon, i know this fandom can be scary (especially lately) but i promise you if you decide to share anything like that, the love will outweigh any hate you might receive. and if anyone is giving you a hard time just message me privately and i'll be mean right back to them for you, ok? i would love to see all the lovely things you create and i know every other gwynriel would too!!! 💖

yup! the cauldron being corrupted was like the main plot of feyre's trilogy lol this isn't anything new. but as you and others have pointed out, if the cauldron has made faulty bonds, it wouldn't just apply to elucien. you'd have to call into question every other known bond in the series. but of course e/riels don't think logically, nevermind the fact that mate bonds are decided at birth, at the earliest, and not just something that's made up in the moment like they seem to think

rhys had visions of feyre and believed she was his mate as a human. cassian suspected the same of nesta when she was human. elain and lucien didn't become mates the second she turned, their bond has been written into the tapestries of fate since before either of them were even alive. you'd think they'd learn a thing or two about how the series treats soulmates, or even just the soulmate trope in general, before they try to deconstruct it in their lame attempts at making a "compelling" romance

[master-missysversion]

Ascension of the cybermen time!!

I'm dedicated to getting series 12 finished tonight, I want to start flux so bad

My liveblogs under the cut

The story of brendan is so much cuter than the actual timeless child story man. Maybe there's an alternate universe where the timeless child was found by someone as loving as that Irish couple

I looove scenes where companions find out the doctor knows about horrifying events in humanity's future. I wonder what the fam would think of the toclafane

Mmhm even though the doctor doesn't like weapons, she's still used to having plenty on hand when it comes to the cybermen. Even that abandoned theme park had a doomsday bomb on hand

I looove the cyberdrones, theyre so funky. Best thing since the cybermats 😄

Wooahh stunts.

God I love the doctor in this. I think she's so scarred from Bill, she desperately wants them to just leave and go far away from the cybermen. In that last mission with Bill, she thought everything would be fine, then she thought she could save Bill, then thought she could fix her. She knows better now. But I think she need to believe in herself more, because we all know what happens when the doctor assumes she'll lose...

Oohh it's Ashad

This is such a serious scene but the doctor runs so silly I love her

"I used to do this a lot and people got mad" story of your life i think 😆

Now what do you have ginger humbugs for girl 🤭

Sorry Ashad I can say with certainty that you will not be bringing about the end of humanity fhdjkddls

"Have to bill you for therapy at this rate" 😭😭

The brendan story as an allegory for the timeless child is so fascinating to me purely because there's parts of it that just....aren't quite right. Like the loving parents and the cliff fall being more malicious instead of accidental. Iirc the story was created by Tecteun so some of the changes make sense (the loving parents- tecteun sees herself as a saviour) but why the other changes? Just to make it make more sense? To seem more unremarkable?

A fully functional abandoned ship.....if its sounds too good to be true, it probably is

Graham is lowkey so doctory. "Are you gonna keep going on about that" "every hour, on the hour", "level 139, always been my favourite level." Over explaining his weird little phrases. And that reaction to being flirted with lol. It's all very doctor.

I feel bad that this Ko Sharmus guy ends up dying for nothing basically

Aw Yaz is very Doctory too. She has the doctors optimism.

I love that the brendan story is like. Everything is perfectly normal. Until you look a little too closely. Or watch a little too long. But even if someone had watched the whole thing, if theyre not familiar with earth customs, they might just assume everyone who retires from the garda gets their memory wiped. But even so, if they're paying attention then theyll probably find it a bit odd that brendan had aged but his loving father and supportive superior officer (who are now both torturing him and wiping his memory) haven't aged at all somehow. It's such a good allegory for the story of tecteun and the other higher ups exploiting the timeless child for endless life (thus lack of ageing) then betraying them after initially posing as someone to be trusted

GALLIFREY

Kicking my legs and clapping rn LOOK WHOS HERE

OH. I forgot it just ends right after he appears aahhh dbjsksmd what a cliffhanger

[1watermelontea]

pinned post: will be prone to edits!

hi, you can call me melon—they/he/it (all fine)

i’m a hermitshipper & i write fanfics. i exclusively ship the characters, not the people. you can find my ao3 attached below:

more-in depth descriptions of my currently published fics under the break:

Chasing the Horizon Line

co-authored with @nine-of-diamonds! a seablings fic with a dash of scarian. gem moves to aurecove, a seaside town, to be the new lighthouse keeper. turns out she may have bitten off more than she can chew with this place—between spreading rumours and missing persons, gem and grian become unlikely friends. merfolk and land dwellers are not meant to interact, evidently. hurt/comfort with themes of feeling lost and wanting to find where you belong. gem & grian -centric povs (swaps multiple times each chapter)

Crosscurrents

co-authored with @nine-of-diamonds! oneshot side story and mostly prequel to chasing the horizon line that explores 4 times that aurecove citizens met mers, and 1 time that a mer met a land person. has main characters you don’t normally see—like joe and stress—and duos you scarcely see, too. humour, through and through, and we thoroughly bullied bdubs throughout the entire run of it. five different povs in total.

There Must Be A Catch

co-authored with @nine-of-diamonds! oneshot attached to the cthl series following skizz’s pov. throughly crack. i cannot describe it in words.

Walking the Line

co-authored with @nine-of-diamonds! the second mainline instalment of the cthl series. solidaritek with a notable dash of flower husbands. three years after moving to lunere, jimmy and tango are doing dandy, until jimmy’s past comes back to bite him. when jimmy goes dark, tango is left scrambling to figure out what’s happening. it only gets more complicated from there. angst & humour with some timeline jumps. jimmy & tango -centric povs (swaps multiple times each chapter)

A Week in the Life of “Detective” Scar

co-authored with @nine-of-diamonds! a scarian oneshot wherein grian is pearl’s assigned watcher, and scar is very interested in knowing what’s going on with these new faces! however, the fact that scar can see grian at all is incredibly weird, and now scar’s losing sleep trying to figure out why only he can see this cute guy. lots of convex in this one, too. deeply unserious but very fun. scar-centric pov with some sprinklings of jellie’s pov.

Reverie, Revelry

solidaritek. assassin au. tango’s employer would benefit greatly from the sole heir to the solidarity family fortune being removed from the equation, so this assassination is high profile, to say the least. the only issue for tango is that, well, he fell in love with him. now to figure out how to deal with that, on a time limit. fluff with a decent lot of implied sexual content. tango-centric pov. shorter fic compared to my others.

Here’s To The World Where You Do

scarian. a fantasy au wherein scar, grian, scott, and jimmy are caught as members of a resistance against the current monarch, ren. however, with assistance from some undercover rebels (or by other means), they manage to escape. action! betrayal! false identities! there is a lot of violence in this one. angst with a happy ending and lots of lighthearted moments between the horrors. scar & grian -centric povs (swaps each chapter)

MORE IN THE WORKS 🎊🎉

[infinitejedilove]

The Jinnobi Challenge - 2023

Hello everyone! As per usual I’m letting you know super early about the Jinnobi Challenge coming up in August so that everyone has plenty of time to get started on work(s). This will be the 7th annual Jinnobi Challenge (previous master lists of submissions : 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).

So here’s all the info and FAQ for those who are thinking of participating in this Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon challenge (I will repost this info periodically as it gets closer to the challenge). I have added a new rule to the challenge so be sure to check that out below.

When is it?: The challenge will run from August 1 – August 31. Any Jinnobi work you submit must be complete and it must be submitted sometime during August 1 – August 31. You have from now until August to work on submissions. PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR SUBMISSION BEFORE THE CHALLENGE STARTS. Due to time differences in various countries, I do allow people to post on September 1st.  

Who can enter: The challenge is open to writers, artists and everyone in between. Art, poetry, photo manips, videos, gifsets, fanfiction, it’s all welcome. There’s no theme except it has to be Obi-Wan Kenobi/Qui-Gon Jinn. It can be set during the prequels, the originals, the kenobi show, or an AU. It’s up to you. You can submit multiple entries too if you’d like. For fic writers there’s no limit on the length of your fic(s).

How to enter: When August 1st, comes around you’re welcome to post your complete work on whatever social network or fanfiction site you are comfortable using. Please tag your work (if you can tag) with the tag Jinnobi Challenge 2023 or The Jinnobi Challenge 2023 whether it’s a fic, art, or a post.  Message me with a link to your work (or links, if you submit more than one work), once you’ve published it so I know to put it on the master list!

I can also be reached on A03, but I tend to check tumblr much more regularly so if you want a fast response, I recommend contacting me via that.

Rules:

1. No underage relationships. (underage = below 18 years of age)

2. No Abuse or Noncon between the main pairing (Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon)

3. If you post anything triggering, please tag it with the appropriate warnings

4. Your fic must have a rating on it (the challenge is open to all ratings)

5. If you’re posting a long WIP, the first chapter must be posted on or after August 1, and the last chapter has to be posted before August 31, so I don’t recommend it unless you know you can get it done in that time.

FAQ:

What if I don’t have anything ready, but I do have a Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan work I happened to post in August?: As long as the quiobi fic (or art, etc) is complete and was posted between the 1st  and 31st of August 2023, you can tag it Jinnobi Challenge 2023 and enter it in the challenge.

What if it’s not slash?: This challenge celebrates the Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan ship. Pre-slash is fine, just please no ‘Qui-Gon as a parent figure to Obi-Wan’ fics as that is not what this challenge is about.

What if it’s a fic in a series?: if it’s a standalone complete story in a series than yes, it qualifies.

What if I already entered it in a different quiobi fic challenge?: The fic must be a new fic posted in August 2023 (no reposting old works unless it’s an extreme rewrite to basically be nothing like the original) and it must be complete. It’s ok with me if it is tagged in another challenge as long as it meets the guidelines for this challenge but you’ll want to check if it’s ok with the other challenge you posted it in.

What if it’s Obi/Qui/others? Or there’s Obi/other, Qui/other, but still Qui/Obi?: The main pairing should still be Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon, even if it’s poly, or if there are other partners or past/present relationships.

Does it have to follow a prompt?: No. As long as it’s Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan and complete it can be about anything. If you want a prompt to work with here are a few you can choose to use for inspiration:

1.       Lost outside in bad weather

2.       One character secretly makes a gift for the other character.

3.       A friendly but ongoing disagreement about jedi philosophy/lightsaber technique/force skill.

4.       An undercover mission that doesn’t go as planned.

5.       A kiss at an unexpected time.

Can be as angsty, fluffy, or as AU as you want as long as it follows the rules of the challenge.

Is there a prize this year?: Yes! I want to continue having a prize each year. Each person who enters in the challenge will be automatically entered once into a drawing and I will randomly draw a name once the challenge is over. (I’ll have a more detailed post about the prize in a few weeks)

By the first or second week of September, I’ll put up a master post with links to all the amazing stuff everyone has created!!!