#how jinn operates

[adorner061-blog]

Interview With A Muslim Jinn 👹 Sufi Meditation Center

[sollis-occasum]

you think i'm gone 'cause i left - anakin skywalker/darth vader x fem!jedi!reader (part 1 of 3)

summary: After failing to save you from a painful death, Darth Vader remembers his past with you and realizes why he can never completely leave Anakin Skywalker behind.

warnings: angst, no use of y/n, reconstructive surgery, blood, mentions of major character death (or not who knows), darth vader is his own warning

word count: 3.8k

a/n: First of all, I must say that English is not my native language. Also this is my first x reader format fanfiction. I'm pretty sure I made some mistakes but I hope you don't mind guys. I am always open to your suggestions ♡

part 2

Darth Vader, the master of the dark side of the Force, the legendary lord of the Sith, the tyrannical leader who terrorized the galaxy, remembered very well the moment when he swore to dedicate his worthless life to Lord Sidious, his lord and savior.

While his body, burned and torn apart by the lava, was trying to be fixed by the health droids, he was writhing in despair and moaning in a painful voice. The wave of pain spreading from his lungs to the rest of his body with each breath showed him a type of physical pain he had never experienced before, and even the cold metal hands touching his burned skin were insufficient to alleviate his pain.

"He should be unconscious by now," he heard a distant and very deep robotic voice, which he thought belonged to one of the medical droids. Yes, the pain he felt at that moment would be enough to kill another human being and maybe even drive them insane, and God knows that's what Anakin wanted with all his heart as he lay on the operating table screaming. But how could this be possible when he sees your lifeless body over and over again every time he closes his eyes?

In fact, he had calculated all the possibilities down to the smallest detail while making his plan. There was no war he wouldn't fight, no enemy he wouldn't face to create a future that included you. He was ready to turn his back on the entire galaxy just to see you smile one more time. Moreover, Palpatine had made a promise to him. He said that contrary to popular belief, it was possible to resist death and that he knew how to do it, and that he would help Anakin in trying to save you. All he had to do was accompany him to the dark side. Anakin had done everything he was told. He had given up on who he was, accepted the name his new master had given him, brutally executed separatist leaders, and led thousands of clone troopers in attacking the Jedi Temple he once called home. Even killing those little children who looked at him with admiration with the lightsaber they saw as a symbol of peace was not important to him. Of course, he wasn't proud of himself for betraying what he believed in in his past, but he also knew that what he did was a small price to pay to save you. So why didn't what he did work? Why couldn't he prevent the scene he had seen many times in his nightmares from happening?

He gripped the operating table tightly with his mechanical hand and mumbled your name in a voice only he could hear. He kept saying your name over and over again, as if he was drawing strength from you, as if you could come and save him if he said it enough times.

He closed his eyes tightly and tried to focus on something other than your pained facial expression and bloodied body. If he wanted to survive, if he wanted to rise up and take revenge for what was done to you, he had to find a way to endure the pain he suffered, and what was there in this life that gave him as much strength as you? He tried desperately to remember the moment you first met.

Nearly a month had passed since Qui Gon Jinn's death, and during this time his new master Obi Wan Kenobi had begun training him to become a Jedi. He was grateful for the opportunity given to him and did not want to be ungrateful. However, there were so many moments during his training that he despaired and wanted to return to Tatooine... First of all, Obi Wan Kenobi was not the person he imagined. Yes, it was an undeniable fact that he was a powerful Jedi. He was also smart, very smart. Anakin knew there was a lot of thing he could learn from him. However, it hadn't been long since he had ended his life as a padawan and Obi Wan had obviously not yet fully figured out how to be a good master for his young student. There was no distance or formality between them that there should be between a padawan and a master. They were more like two brothers who fought often. Obi Wan was pushing Anakin very hard to teach him basic things as soon as possible, and Anakin was always managing to drive Obi Wan crazy with his smarty-pants attitude.

He could also sense how the younglings at the temple felt about him as he began to learn how to use the force. Although none of them were directly mistreating him or making a rude remark, Anakin would sometimes catch their gaze. There was displeasure in those looks, obviously his presence disturbed them. A child who appears unexpectedly becomes a padawan without training in the temple and becomes the center of attention of the entire Jedi council... The other younglings must have felt unfair. But one day, he met a young girl who looked at him differently than others: You.

With your bright smile that could light up the whole galaxy and your compassionate gaze, you extended your hand to him and introduced yourself, telling him that he could always come to you if he needed anything. They said you were 9 years old like him, but it was so hard for him to believe it.

You were different from all the other children Anakin had met at the temple, with your confident demeanor and room-filling presence. Your surprisingly mature attitude and wisdom gave those who saw you the impression that you never made mistakes and that you always knew what was right, causing them to respect you.

Moreover, you were beautiful, very beautiful. Even your messy hair waving in the wind, your face dripping with sweat, and your loose-fitting uniform couldn't prevent Anakin from seeing this beauty. When his eyes met your beautiful, understanding eyes, he immediately looked away and wanted to run away. There was no doubt that you were the angel the pilots who came to Tatooine were talking about. However, he could not find the courage in his heart to admit this to himself or to tell you. He felt so small, so helpless in front of the being that he wanted to get away from it as soon as possible and think about what this warm feeling that filled his heart that he had never felt before was.

Yes, he wanted to run away from you when your eyes met. But ironically, this was the first time he didn't want to return to Tatooine to his mother.

For the 3 years after you met, you had no communication other than chance encounters at the temple and furtive glances at each other. Even a life form without eyes could easily understand that you wanted to be closer to each other, but you had neither the time nor the courage to do so. You were very busy with your studies. In the future, you wanted to be a female Jedi as respected as Shaak Ti, or even more so, and you were working very hard to achieve your goal. Anakin, on the other hand, began to go on missions given by the council with Obi Wan, and the difficulty of these missions was increasing. You were so close to Anakin, yet he felt like you were hundreds of light years away from him. You were unreachable to him.

Anakin heard that you were accepted as a padawan by Plo Koon when you turned 13. According to rumors in the temple, the Jedi knight from Dorin noticed your great potential and volunteered to train you. Maybe you weren't as good at using a lightsaber as the other padawans, you might not have been as strong or as durable, but you were smart, very smart. Your dangerously high intelligence level, combined with your composure, easily compensated for your other weaknesses, making you a promising Jedi knight candidate. Even the council had high hopes for you. That's why they didn't interfere with Plo Koon's training style and allowed him to take you out early on missions that could be considered at least partially dangerous.

It was thanks to one of these missions that you came together again. The Senate thought that a small newly established weapons factory on one of the republic's planets was making some irregularities and put pressure on the Jedi to resolve this situation. The council assigned you and Plo Koon to inspect this factory.

It didn't sound that difficult, actually. You would make a short journey to reach the planet in question, tour the factory, talk to the engineers, examine some documents and intimidate the managers.

What could go wrong with such a simple task? To be honest, you weren't known for being lucky, and as usual, trouble had found you.

Anakin and Obi-Wan didn't even need to contact Plo Koon to realize that the Senate was right about the factory producing weapons for Mandolorian terrorists. Less than a day after you arrived on the planet, you reached the council and reported that the factory was completely abandoned, saying that you were trapped and surrounded by thousands of droids and asked for help. The council also assigned Obi Wan and Anakin, who had returned from a mission to a nearby planet, to support Plo Koon and you. Anakin still remembered Mace Windu's explanation word by word when he explained the urgency of your situation to his master Obi-Wan. And how those words filled his little heart with fear.

"You must reach the weapons factory as soon as possible, Master Kenobi." Mace Windu said in a stern tone. "Or it might be too late to save them."

Even if these words had not been spoken, the more serious expression than ever on Mace Windu's face would have been more than enough for even the most primitive creature in the galaxy to understand the situation.

As the spaceship they were on made a sudden return to your planet by order of his master, Anakin was wondering why he was so worried about a girl he had only talked to a few times. While he could keep his cool even during missions where his own life was threatened, why did the idea of ​​you in pain make his heart beat faster and his head spin? He was trying to breathe to calm down, but even his breathing was so irregular that Obi Wan felt the need to turn to him and reassure him that everything was okay. How could Anakin explain to his master that he was afraid for you, not himself? Would he understand if he told him?

While the young padawan was in these thoughts, the ship entered the atmosphere with a sudden jolt and landed near the factory. As the deafening noise of explosions and droid weapons filled his ears, he got off the ship and started running without waiting for his master's command. He could hear Obi-Wan calling to him to stop, but he didn't have the time or patience to wait. This was not a scene they were unfamiliar with anyway. When all this nonsense was over, he would happily hear Obi Wan's scolding and humbly accept his punishment, but right now wasn't the right time to think about that. The only thing that mattered at that moment was saving you, and he was going to do it no matter what it took. Because it was his heart, not his brain, that told him to do this, and Anakin was not mature enough to resist his heart. With a swift move, he pulled out his lightsaber and sliced ​​the first droid he encountered in half.

When he heard the sound of your footsteps mixing with the sounds of the battle droids, he realized how close he was to them, but he didn't even slow down for fear of being late for you. He was destroying all the war machines in front of him, clearing the way and moving towards the direction where he sensed your presence.

When he and his master, who finally managed to catch up with him, arrived at the production facility where you were fighting the droids, he started looking around for you, without even bothering to check how Plo Koon was doing. Plo Koon was one of the most powerful Jedi, someone like him could survive without the help of a padawan, but not you. He could feel with all his being that you needed help, but no matter how much he looked around, he couldn't see you.

While Anakin was looking around the burning production facility to find you, he saw two silhouettes in the smoke. One of these silhouettes, the one leaning on the ground and cowering against a wall, belonged to a young girl. The other was the silhouette of an armed droid, as tall as a human but as skinny as a skeleton. Moreover, this droid's gun was pointed at you and was about to be fired. Anakin knew his feelings were not wrong. You were in a difficult situation and needed his help.

He was sure that he wanted to run towards you, save you by smashing that droid into thousands of pieces, and then kick its ugly metal head and throw it to the farthest corner of the galaxy. But he knew he didn't have time for that. So he did something even he didn't expect and threw his lightsaber towards you, hoping you could catch it in time. He knew that this move was madness. What kind of maniac would give up the only weapon he had among thousands of battle droids and leave himself defenseless? Especially if he doesn't know the other person well?

But Anakin had never regretted what he had done, not even for a moment. He saw you pull the thrown lightsaber with force and catch it, then slice the droid in half before he could fire to you. Yes, you were safe, but that safety was only for a brief moment. He had no time to relax, otherwise he knew you would be open to attacks from other droids. Without wasting any time, he followed the green lightsaber shining among the smoke and reached him. You were finally in front of him.

To be honest, your situation wasn't looking so bright. You were seriously injured and your body was covered in blood. Anakin had knelt down next to you and gently held your face between his fingers, afraid of hurting you even more. He could feel the warm drops of blood running down your face, flowing from his fingers to his wrists, but he didn't care about anything other than your safety at that moment. "Are you okay?" he asked, trying to hide how worried he was. Just by looking into your eyes, he could see how much the conflict you were experiencing had worn you out, but you put on a brave and determined expression and nodded, trying not to let the pain you were feeling reflected in your voice, "I'm fine." you muttered. "I'm fine, but I think my legs are stuck and I can't move them."

"Don't be afraid, I'll find a way to get you out of here."

He could see a shattering mass of metal pinning your legs. He took the lightsaber from your hand, carefully opened it, and held it up to the metal plate. "I'll try not to cut off your legs," he said, trying to smile to calm you down, and then added. "At least one of them."

You must have liked Anakin's little joke, too, because your lips turned slightly to the side despite your helpless situation. "Don't worry." you said, laughing. "They will break off on their own anyway, even if you don't cut them."

After receiving a sarcastic approval from you, he began to cut and separate the metal pieces with great patience. He made every move carefully and attentively, afraid of hurting you. When your legs were finally free, he took a deep breath and looked at your face again.

"It's not safe here. We have to get out of here."

"But my master is still fighting." Even though you tried to object, Anakin did not accept it. "He can take care of himself, and the support sent by the council is on the way."

His tone and expression were so determined that you gave up and surrendered to Anakin. You didn't have the strength to resist even if you wanted to. He wrapped his arms tightly around your body, stood up and started walking towards the factory exit. To be honest, you were a little heavier than you looked, and your blood was staining his clothes, but as long as you could rest your head on his chest and he could feel the warmth of your body, nothing else mattered.

Your next meeting was in the infirmary at the Jedi temple. 3 days had passed after your unfortunate duty at the factory and you had just regained your consciousness. During this time, Anakin began to help Jocasta Nu in the archives, upon his master's orders. It could not be said that he was very happy with his situation, but he still considered himself lucky that the punishment for his disobedience during duty was so small. Besides, even though organizing the archives was a tedious task, it kept his mind busy, and he definitely needed it.

Every moment he wasn't busy with something, he was thinking about you and what happened at the factory that day and trying to make sense of what he was feeling. That strange feeling that he thought he had forgotten years ago was back. Why did his heart beat faster and his face turn red every time he thought of you? Were these normal? His master had told him that a Jedi should not become attached to anything, but he should also be compassionate. Anakin could not understand this contrast. He was also afraid of being attached to you. But this was very illogical. Could one person become so attached to another person in such a short time? All these questions confused little Anakin more than ever. Finally, he realized that he could not bear these questions any longer and decided to visit you in the infirmary at the end of the 3rd day. Besides, he also had something that belonged to you, and he had to return it to you as soon as possible.

When he came to you, he saw that you were much more cheerful than he expected. You still looked very weak and you were obviously going to be in the infirmary for a while longer. Still, without letting this demoralize you, you were patiently waiting for your recovery, and in the meantime, you were trying to pass the time by reading the war history texts you took from the archive.

Still, you smiled so widely when you saw Anakin that he was convinced you were glad to see him, too. Trying to suppress the uncomfortable feeling he felt in his stomach, he put on a confident expression and quickly walked over and sat on your bed.

"You look better." he said with the light of hope appearing in his eyes.

You smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, Anakin." you said. "I feel better too."

After a brief hesitation, he pulled a lightsaber from under his cloak and handed it to you, "I think this is yours." he said. "I found it at the factory."

Just seeing the familiar blue color of the lightsaber brought peace to your soul. You happily took the saber from Anakin's hand and began to examine it. "God, thank you so much Anakin. I thought I had lost it."

"My master always tells me that the lightsaber is a Jedi's life and they must protect it at all costs."

Even though you lost your lightsaber for reasons beyond your control, what Anakin said made you a little embarrassed. "Of course, I'm not trying to justify my irresponsibility, but what happened that day was unexpected. I must have dropped it during that chaos."

"To be honest, I've lost my lightsaber too many times."

The confession of the padawan in front of you made you smile a little. Actually, what you should have done was to politely thank Anakin for saving your life, and when the time comes, pay him back at all costs. However, owing your life to him placed such a heavy burden on your shoulders that you felt crushed under this weight, no matter how humble the attitude of the boy in front of you. Before you even thought, the words were coming out of your mouth. "Master Kenobi says that our lightsaber is our life, right? So, according to the master's logic, you entrusted your life to me in the factory, and you also saved mine by finding my lightsaber."

Anakin looked at you in surprise, not knowing what to say at your words. Yes, your reasoning based on his master's words was correct, however, he did not expect you to approach the subject from this perspective. Fortunately, you continued talking without a long pause, and he was spared the trouble of finding an answer to give you.

"I am grateful to you for saving my life, Anakin, and I swear that one day I will repay you. Please give me your lightsaber until that day, and you can take mine."

"So you want us to surrender our lives to each other?" Anakin asked with mixed emotions. Wouldn't this agreement create a commitment between you? Anakin could not comprehend the depth of this devotion.

You nodded decisively in response. "Yes. So we can remember this promise between us for the rest of our lives. These sabers we exchanged will be a symbol of our friendship and trust in each other, and one day I will repay my debt to you. Until then, I want to remember the promise I made to you every time I look at your saber."

Then you added timidly, "If you want too, of course."

Anakin thought for a few seconds, then without a word, he handed you his lightsaber and accepted this pact that would bind your hearts and bodies together forever. Thus, a very special bond was formed between you that will never be broken again. Who knew that this innocent bond established between two children would one day bring disaster to the galaxy...

[fanfic-obsessed]

Not quite a fall

Here is an idea that takes the horrifying absurdity of the Clone Wars and magnifies it.  Please keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times…unless you wish to become part of the ride itself. Then grab onto these characters and you too can try to wrangle them. 

I do want to make it clear from the start that the Jedi Council and Dooku are making the best of some fairly shitty options, at this point and in the future. The Jedi do not know/cannot prove Palpatine is Sidious and the reality is that without absolute proof they risk being wrong and if they are then the real Sith master will go to ground and they will be left with nothing.  In addition Palpatine has contingencies for every aspect of his plan (and likely did in canon as well, if he had a contingency clones for himself), including if clones were found early, the chips did not work as intended, and the Jedi found out too early. It may not be obvious, or seem counterintuitive for the Jedi to keep walking forward, even knowing of the trap, knowing that so many would likely die in this fabricated war. But this is not meant to be criticizing the Jedi for the shitty options they had. 

Now we start with Yan Dooku, prior to his Fall. This is also before the Naboo crisis , in fact this is in the beginning when Palpatine is still manipulating him. 

*-As a side note, have you ever tried to look into the timeline for the clones and try to fit it into the greater timeline. That shit is wild. Jango Fett is recruited for Operation Knightfall-Order 66 and the clone project- in 32 BBY. This is the same year of the Naboo crisis and, according to Wookiepeidia, it is also the year that Cody was born. Based on what we know of the Kaminoan numbering system for the clones, there were at least 2 batches before Cody’s-The Nulls and the Alphas. Jango Fett was recruited by Dooku after his Fall, and he is said to have fallen after Qui Gonn’s death. I get that Palpatine had already been building towards this but man for this timeline to work Dooku had a quicker Fall time than Anakin-who went from ‘stop him’ to ‘time to murder children’ in a distressingly short period of time-  All this adds up to 32 BBY being, like, 2020 COVID  levels of crazy. Because we had Qui Gon’s death, Dooku’s fall, the recruitment of Jango Fett-I understand there was a bounty hunt as an audition-, and all of this happened in enough time for at least 3 batches of clones- possibly more- to be born in 32BBY. How long is the gestation period for the clones? How is gestation and decanting set up so this timeline works. The Galactic Standard year is a 12 month/368 day model. Even if we presume that the double aging is also present in gestation, thus instead of 9 months it takes 4.5 months, that is still 13.5 months for 3 batches. Even with a staggered start cycles-batch 1 is the start point, batch 2 starts a week later, batch 3 starts a week after that and we can get everything down to a minimum 5 months, there still so much shit that has to happen in 7 months-*

In this Dooku, as a Jedi Master, does recognize that he is being manipulated and goes to the Jedi Council. He has just enough proof to prove that the Sith were back but does now know who (He knows that Palptine is involved but does not know if he is a Sith, a willing collaborator, or a patsy). The council decides that Dooku would go undercover as it were, to pretend that he is falling for Palpatine’s manipulation and to let it go to its natural conclusion, which they all presume will end with Dooku pretending to fall.  Outside of the Council, there are only three other Jedi that are told of this assignment. Shadows Tholme and Quinlan Vos (though a senior Padawan at the time) were his contacts. The only other person told was Senior Padawan Obi Wan Kenobi, at the insistence of Mace Windu (Now this was not through some belief in Obi Wan as a person, or his value to such a mission. It was purely so that he could keep Qui Gon Jinn from flipping his lid when and if Dooku needed to pretend to be a Sith. Jinn was not told because no one thought that he could keep from endangering everyone through some ‘Will of the Force’ reasoning or trying to be ‘helpful’).  Neither Obi Wan or the Shadows are told who else knows (though Vos and Thome do know the other is aware), and Obi Wan still has no contact with Dooku, so this knowledge does not change much at first. To be exceedingly clear, Obi Wan is only told that Master Yan Dooku is taking a long term mission where he might have to appear to Fall, in which case Obi Wan is going to need to keep Qui Gon from interfering; he is given no other information about to mission or what is being found.  As it turns out Qui Gon dies just before Dooku ‘falls’. 

The clones are still commissioned, but they are not chipped; save for a single clone whose name later becomes Chip, this is the clone that Dooku shows to Palpatine as proof the plan was going as it should. This Dooku is more involved with the Clones. Though the trainers do not know it (having entirely bought into project Knightfall), Dooku carefully teaches the clones th truth of their existence (that the war they are being commissioned for is BS, purely a trap for the Jedi and that they would have been designed to both love and be forced kill the Jedi). In essence he trains them to be spies in the guise of soldiers.  He has reported the existence of the clones to the council, but like Dooku they are stuck by what they can visibly do with the information. There is some limited secret contact between the leaders of the clones (The Alpha’s as the Nulls had been adopted by Kal Skirata) and the Jedi Council, in which the Jedi Council apologizes for what is being asked of the clones and plans are made to help those that need an escape wherever they are able (Dooku ‘claims’ as many clones that were due to be decommissioned for his own ‘experiments’ as he is able, most of the time that meant that clones who were to be decommissioned were sent to live on a small, unpopulated moon in Serrano’s system-the exceptions to this were clones born with fatal, untreatable congenital defects, for example being without enough of their major organs that there would be no way to grow more before the child died in agony-those few who were truly not viable were given a painless death. It becomes a practice amongst the clones that anyone who truly did not want to fight would drop their scores into Decommission range). 

To this end the Coruscant Guard were specifically chosen because they were the best at that kind of subterfuge, the clone equivalent of the Jedi Shadows and the ones who could keep themselves hidden/shielded against mind control 24/7. Fox is the only non Force sensitive, near human in the galaxy who is entirely impervious to Jedi mind tricks and Sith Mind control, the reason he was given the command that would have given him the most contact with Palpatine. They find out, much later, that some strange mutation makes him entirely impervious to any Force based power that will cause him harm.

When the time comes to enact the plans to start the war, Dooku still sends Jango Fett to lure Obi Wan to Geonosis.  But Obi Wan goes to Kamino knowing that he was going to find the Clones (having been briefed by the Council, who had been informed by Dooku). Anakin is not aware of the second layer to their mission to protect Padme, having never been brought into the loop regarding Dooku.  Obi Wan and Dooku have a pleasant conversation about both Qui Gon (and how he was likely watching from the Force), and there is a plan in place for Obi Wan to escape before the gladiatorial arena in a way that still would spark the war, but not cost lives.  That plan had to be abruptly scrapped when Anakin and Padem showed up on Geonosis to ‘rescue’ Obi Wan, after they sent a message to the council.  One of the major changes to Geonosis is how Anakin lost his hand; it was not chopped off by Dooku but lost in an explosion caused by the droids. 

Here is where we start to get into the horror and the humor. Because this war is fabricated, a thing of smoke and mirrors whose sole purpose is to collect power for a few individuals. More importantly this is a Bullshit created war for the purpose of trapping the Jedi. The upper command on both sides (Jedi High council, Dooku and later Ventress, Palpatine, Grievous) know that the entire war is bullshit, though Palpatine does not know that the JHC are aware. The troopers, from the youngest to the oldest clones, are all utterly aware that the war is bullshit. They grew knowing they would be fighting in a war that was utter bullshit.  The reason that the Droids could not be programmed for critical thinking was that it took them a maximum one battle to realize the war was bullshit, and they were not pleased about being cannon fodder. 

In fact there were only two groups who were actually affected by the war that were not aware that the entire thing was contrived bullshit. 

Every office not part of the high command (non clone officers, Jedi Generals, the entire command structure between fielded droids and CIS Generals on Grievous's level-I have no idea how the command structure of the CIS army works and barely any more about the GAR structure but work with me here), which I tend to think of as the middle management is the first group. 

The other is the innocents being attacked by CIS forces.  To them the war is very real.

Until they know for sure who the Sith Master is Dooku, the Jedi High Command(now including a fully read-in Obi Wan), or the Clones cannot let on that they know the war is ultimately bullshit. And there are too many innocents at stake to completely blow off or fake fighting. Yes when Dooku, and Ventress after she is brought into the fold, are in command they tend to try and take worlds with resources but little to no populations and they disengage as soon as they possibly can,  but there are too many who buy into ‘The War’ or the power that they are getting to fake battles and in battles someone is bound to die. 

Imagine being one of the Jedi Councilors and high generals, knowing (instead of just suspecting) that every battle they go into is unnecessary bullshit to trap the Jedi. Knowing that their troopers know that they are being sent into battle for unnecessary bullshit, but everyone having to pretend that they buy into the bullshit, that they have to pretend ignorance of things so gallingly obvious.

-In this world the Jedi council has created a secret process for allowing the defection of troopers that do not want to fight. Pong Krell (who never got to the point of Falling, as he never got used to thinking the clones were non sentient) and a handful of other Jedi spread throughout the system's armies, maintained a deliberately high ‘casualty’ rate to go with their high success rate. Clones that wanted to defect were transferred to these specific battalions where they were ‘killed in action’ and transported to a way point that relays them to the planet the decommissioned clones went to. None of these Jedi know that Dooku is actually on their side, or that the whole war is bullshit, but they are able to hang onto their sanity a bit better for this process. -

Picture Dooku, and later Ventress, staring across the battlefield as horrified at the lives being taken as the Jedi. Still having to pretend to buy in, saying all the right things (Ventress does still take Wolffe’s eye, but it is Wolffe’s idea to help sell that Ventress is not ‘too soft’ on the clones she is fighting). Imagine having to calculate the exact point they can withdraw, when they have to press their victory for appearances. Knowing that they (as Ventress was completing her Jedi training under Dooku, who does not want her to be lost to the darkside) have to reconcile killing for the sake of appearances.  Having to bury their own horror when they work with other CIS high command, who very much know that the entire war is bullshit but don’t care, or are actively enjoying, the lives lost. 

It changes some details, both major and minor, on who dies when, but in the grand scheme of things this knowledge does not change the overall trajectory of the war (though Dooku is not killed). It is still three years in that Palpatine tells Anakin (who, at no point, is brought into the loop about Dooku, the defection of clones, or any of it-mostly because no one not in a very strict ‘need to know’ was told and partly because the Jedi Council allowed the clones themselves to decide who would know about the defection battalions; they could not quite convince themselves that he would not share that information where he should not) that he is the Sith Master. Anakin runs to tell Windu. 

But in this, instead of gathering the council to fight Sidious, Windu’s first action is to comm Fox. All he says to the head of the CG is, ‘Palpatine has just confirmed that he is the Sith Master’. 

Fox responds with, ‘I will comm you when it is done’.

Anakin is standing there, breathing heavily from running all the way from the Senate, very unsure what was going on but certain the announcement that Palpatine was a Sith should be taken with some more urgency than Windu was showing. 

Ponds enters and when he is told who the Sith is he sighs, deeply. “I was so sure it was that odious aide of Palpatine’s” (Whom Pond refers to only by the name of Bastard, if at all).

Just as Anakin is starting to become antsy (very much in the mindset of ‘shouldn’t we do something about the professed Sith in the same building as my secret wife?) Fox comms back. His hair is sticking straight away from his head (he found out that Palpatine’s Lighting did not hurt him the old fashioned way) and reports that Palpatine is very dead (each Guard wanted to make sure…and shooting is a good way to make sure), the Senate is in lockdown, to tell Skywalker that his wife is on a medical transport for the Temple’s Healing Halls (using those exact words),and that Fox will be filing a formal complaint against the Naboo education system for poor sex ed.  

After the call is done, the next call Windu puts in is to Dooku. Windu tells Dooku that it is time to come home.  Anakin watches horrified fascination as Dooku visibly sags with relief, saying that he and Ventress just need to tie up some loose ends here and to have a therapist ready. 

[book--brackets]

The Chronicles of Faerie by O. R. Melling (1993-2003)

American Gwen and her Irish cousin, Findabhair, have long planned a summer of backpacking around Ireland, visiting sites out of the old legends of fairy folk. Little do they know that it is the summer of the Hunter's Moon, a dangerous time for mortals who meddle with the kingdom of Faerie. One night, camping out on old ruins, Finn is kidnapped by the Faerie king, who wants her for a bride and possible sacrifice. It is up to Gwen, the more indecisive of the two, to rescue her cousin.

The Farsala Trilogy by Hilari Bell (2003-2006)

Stories are told of a hero who will come to Farsala's aid when the need is greatest. But for thousands of years the prosperous land of Farsala has felt no such need, as it has enjoyed the peace that comes from being both feared and respected.

Now a new enemy approaches Farsala's borders, one that neither fears nor respects its name and legend. But the rulers of Farsala still believe that they can beat any opponent.

Three young people are less sure of Farsala's invincibility. Jiaan, Soraya, and Kavi see Time's Wheel turning, with Farsala headed toward the Flames of Destruction. What they cannot see is how inextricably their lives are linked to Farsala's fate -- until it's too late.

Everworld by K. A. Applegate (1999-2001)

David’s life was pretty normal. School. Friends. Girlfriend. Actually, Senna was probably the oddest aspect of his life. She was beautiful. Smart. But there was something very different about her. Something strange.

And on the day it began, everything happened so quickly. One moment, Senna was with him. The next, she was swallowed up by the earth, her screams echoing from far, far away. David couldn’t just let her go. Neither could the others. His friends—and hers. So, they followed. And found themselves in a world they could have never imagined. 

Now they have to find Senna and get home without losing their lives. Or their minds. Or both…

The Wizard Knight by Gene Wolfe (2004)

A young man in his teens is transported from our world to a magical realm that contains seven levels of reality. Very quickly transformed by magic into a grown man of heroic proportions, he takes the name Able and sets out on a quest to find the sword that has been promised to him, a sword he will get from a dragon, the one very special blade that will help him fulfill his life ambition to become a knight and a true hero.

Inside, however, Able remains a boy, and he must grow in every sense to survive the dangers and delights that lie ahead in encounters with giants, elves, wizards, and dragons.

Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice by Dave Wolverton and Jude Watson (1999-2002)

Twelve-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi desperately wants to be a Jedi Knight. After years at the Jedi Temple, he knows the power of the lightsaber and the Force. But he cannot control his own anger and fear. Because of this, the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn will not take him on as a Padawan apprentice.

Now Obi-Wan is about to have his first encounter with true evil. He must face off against unexpected enemies--and face up to his own dark wishes.

Only then can his education as a Jedi truly begin.

Skylark by Meagan Spooner (2012-2014)

For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley waited for the day when her Resource would be harvested and she would finally be an adult. After the harvest she expected a small role in the regular, orderly operation of the City within the Wall. She expected to do her part to maintain the refuge for the last survivors of the Wars. She expected to be a tiny cog in the larger clockwork of the city.     Lark did not expect to become the City's power supply.     For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley believed in a lie. Now she must escape the only world she's ever known...or face a fate more unimaginable than death.

Westmark by Lloyd Alexander (1981-1984)

When Theo agrees to print a traveling showman's pamphlet, he only thinks of the money it will bring in. Instead, it sets off a chain reaction that results in the smashing of the press and the murder of his master. Caught on the wrong side of the law, Theo must flee the city. Soon, he has teamed up with the traveling showman Count Las Bombas (who is actually a con artist) and his servant. The trio is soon joined by Mickle, a clever, strong-willed girl with a mysterious past. Performing feats that astound and amaze, the motley crew falls into a trap set by Chief Minister Cabbarus, who is determined to wrest power from the grief-stricken king. Now they must not only save themselves-they must save the kingdom...

The Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell (2003-2011)

One terrible day, Makenna, a young hedgewitch, witnesses her mother's murder at the hands of their own neighbors. Stricken with grief and rage, Makenna flees the village that has been her home. In the wilds of the forest, she forms an unexpected alliance. Leading an army of clever goblins, Makenna skillfully attacks the humans, now their shared enemy.

What she doesn't realize is that the ruling Hierarchy is determined to rid the land of all magical creatures, and they believe Makenna is their ultimate threat - so they have sent a young knight named Tobin into the Goblin Wood to entrap her.

In this captivating fantasy adventure, the difference between Bright and Dark magic is as deceptive as our memories, hopes, and fears -- and the light of loyalty and friendship has a magic all of its own.

A young hedgewitch, an idealistic knight, and an army of clever goblins fight against the ruling hierarchy that is trying to rid the land of all magical creatures.

Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones (1993)

When Controller Borasus receives a strange letter from Earth he is both curious and alarmed. Someone has activated an ancient machine and is using it for most trivial purposes. Surely no one would dare to tamper with Reigner seals in this way? Yet the effects of such interference resonate throughout the universe, so he decides to go to Hexwood Farm to investigate…

On Hexwood Estate, Ann watches the mysterious comings and goings with interest. She knows something deadly is going on – or is Hexwood simply altering her too?

Guides for Dating Vampires by D. N. Bryn (2022-present)

Vincent Barnes has suffered four years as a vampire, and they’ve been the most miserable years of his pathetic life. Too poor for black market blood, he feeds from sleeping humans to survive. He tries to never intrude on the same prey twice, but after a single delicious taste of a long-lost childhood neighbor, he can’t help returning for seconds.

Wesley Garcia has been waking up with fang marks. Lucky for him, he needs a vampire—to use as bait. He’s certain Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical killed his mother, but to gain access to their covert research labs, he has to bring them a bloodsucker for their experiments. 

Step one, a dramatic offer: Stay, and you can bite me. 

Vincent leaps at the chance to gobble Wesley up.

Wes’s plan is perfect. He’ll befriend the vampire, then trick him into coming to the lab. No fighting, no fuss. But Vincent is more than Wesley has bargained for: sweet and shy, with intoxicating fangs that awaken new desires in Wes. As the two bond, Vincent believes he might have finally found someone worth putting his trust in... and Wes fears neither of them will survive the betrayal he has planned.

[laurabwrites]

WIP I'm Accepting I Will Never Write

My brain has been generating too many Star Wars ideas for me ever reasonably get around to writing all of them, so I'm going to start dumping them on here (maybe AO3 as well, not sure yet) once I've accepted it's an idea I won't get to. So, to start off:

Anakin got Arrested at the Start of the War

In this one, Anakin's massacre on Tatooine was revealed shortly into the war (Qui-Gon Jinn's ghost, A'Shared Hett or Padmé having a conscience, doesn't matter it's not the point of the idea and I don't think it affects the plot). Anakin goes to Jedi jail in the Temple and the war proceeds apace.

At the end of the war, when Palpatine sets off Order 66, the Temple Guard who in another timeline became the Grand Inquisitor lets Anakin out. They would be killing all the Jedi, but somehow the Jedi have been alerted and the Temole seems strangely light on clone troopers they could be using as backup. The Grand Inquisitor knows this, Anakin doesn't. He's been in Jedi jail and has no idea what normal operations in the Temple have looked like for the past three year. They manage to get to the atrium of the Temple with the objective of getting out and rounding up some clone troopers to come back with. Except there's this Tortuga fighting both of them. She's not getting in any hits in on them but this scrappy, can't be more than 16, 17-year-old is holding both of them off while simultaneously organizing the Padawans and Initiates to grab younglings and run.

Then the 212th enters, Cody and Rex frog marching Obi-Wan in.

Which gives Anakin the opportunity to villain monologue about the Jedi Order not understanding emotion, they threw him away, Palpatine recognizes his true power, Obi-Wan will see the destruction of everything he holds dear, blah blah blah. Basically entitled white boy I did no wrong (ignore the dead children), you'll regret being so mean to me (enforcing the consequences of my own actions), ranting regurgitating Palpatine's bullshit about Jedi.

Meanwhile, the Grand Inquisitor is noting that a lot of kids are safely getting the fuck outta Dodge and the 212th is getting some good lines of fire. Why are they letting Anakin monologue instead of enacting Order 66?

Finally as Anakin is winding down, Obi-Wan speaks up: yes but, you see, you made one critical mistake.

Anakin, sneering: oh what's that

Obi-Wan: you hurt your Padawan-sister

Obi-Wan Force pushes Ahsoka and every remaining kid out of range while the entire 212th opens fire on Anakin and Grand Inquisitor.

Inquisitor is dead on the ground (sorry buddy, you were just a plot device to get Anakin out of his cell and show off how badass Ahsoka is with Soreasu mixed into her Jar'dai (I think I spelled those right...)). Anakin is on his Force bullshit, not quite dead, as Obi-Wan, Cody, and Rex come over to check.

Anakin: you won't finish me off, you're a Jedi, you're too weak.

Rex putting three rounds in his chest and three in his head: I'm no Jedi, slaver.

Backstory to get to this scene that slammed into me like a ton of bricks months and months ago:

212th never split the 501st off since Anakin wasn't there to get Knighted. Therefore Fives went to Obi-Wan when he found the chip. Obi-Wan got Shaak Ti to distract the Kaminoans, so Quinlan (or another Shadow, but I like using Quinlan for the known connection to Obi-Wan) could dig in Kaminoans' files and find documentation as well as an emergency counter signal. Obi-Wan dechipped his battalion anyway, not wanting to rely on the counter signal being permanent. They then jammed Coruscant's communications when Cody got the Order from Palpatine. 212th then uses the counter signal on the Corries, as they go to the Temple to grab whatever Masters were on planet. The clones and a fourth of the Council go kill Palpatine as he's declaring the Empire on the floor of the Senate.

[seven-oomen]

So, bit of an idea. My problem right now is too many ideas for these characters, but not enough time to write it all.

But the idea is that it's a Jangobi/Kenfetti soulmate au. Where soulmates are chosen by acts of true honor. (By the force/the manda/a higher power)

In this version of the story Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were at the battle of Galidraan at 44BBY (Obi-Wan is 16 at the time, a little aged up, Jango Fett is 22.) leading to an event where the Jedi don't kill Fett and his Mandalorians. Thanks to Obi-Wan's negotiation skills, they manage to get down to the truth and calm the situation. (And in particular Myles and Jango, which earns Obi-Wan massive amounts of respect by said Mandalorians.)

This event kick-starts a soulmate link between Obi-Wan and Jango, though soulmate links don't fully activate until someone is 18.

Now imagine two years later, Obi-Wan starts having dreams where he meets someone with a familiar voice. You can't see your soulmate's face in your dreams until you are fully aware of who it is. Once that clicks, the person in question is able to see their soulmates face. It has to click for both people.

Once they know who their soulmate is, a telepathic link forms if both parties are willing (even if subconsciously) to pursue the bond.

That's important, because you can refuse a soulmate bond. It's very rare in Mandalorian culture to do so. (Because of their beliefs). But it is more common in Jedi culture. (Though not required, it is very much a choice someone can make.) As long as their duties as Jedi take precedent.

Now, a 19-year-old padawan Obi-Wan and his master Qui-Gon Jinn are sent to Mandalore in 41BBY.

The true Mandalorians hold Keldabe while the New Mandalorians and the Deathwatch are at war over the rest of the planet.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon try to broker peace and install the New Mandalorians as the official government of Mandalore. However, things go haywire, and Obi-Wan has to take Satine and go on the run.

One day, he runs into a rather familiar face with an even more familiar voice. Jango Fett, the current Mand'alor of Keldabe, who's gathering more support among the different clans of Mandalore.

So in order to hide Satine from Deathwatch, Obi-Wan convinces Jango to take them both back to Keldabe.

And then you have this little fun and games section where Obi-Wan learns so much more about the true mandalorians and how they operate. And Satine learns much more about their heritage.

And there's this bit of a friendship of Obitine forming where they really care for each other on the deepest platonic level, but they have no real romantic interest in each other.

But of course Jango misreads that, even though he and Obi-Wan have been growing so much closer in their bonds, and he's come to see that the Jedi aren't all that bad either.

And there's this bit of shenanigans and misunderstandings that lead to an honest conversation about how they feel. And Obi-Wan comes to realize that Jango may be the person he'll leave the order for if it comes down to it.

But then Qui-Gon finds them in Keldabe. The Duke has been killed by Deathwatch. And there's more pressure than ever to just deal with the problem before it becomes bigger.

Jango, realizing that the fate of the planet, and potentially the greater galaxy, now rests on his shoulders, gathers the true mandalorians for one last showdown against Clan Vizsla. (And also avenge Jaster while he's at it.)

It's a tough fight, but Jango wins the darksaber from clan vizsla and is elected Mand'alore of the planet by the clans.

Obi-Wan, now faced with a choice to become a mandalorian or remain a Jedi, makes the choice to stay on Mandalore and honor his soulmate bond. A choice he doesn't make lightly, and that deeply saddens him inside.

Jango picks up on this and, although conflicted in his feelings, also recognizes that being a Jedi is the one true thing that makes Obi-Wan happiest. So he gives Obi-Wan the choice to leave and return to the Jedi temple. Obi-Wan refuses again, stating his place is here.

Jango isn't so sure after seeing just how miserable Obi-Wan is without a purpose. So he does something rather radical, he contacts Qui-Gon Jin and the Jedi order, except they don't send him Qui-Gon Jinn, they send him Dooku instead.

And Dooku decides, hey you know what, this place has the right idea about an actual functional government that fucking works. They need some help, sure, but I can work with that. So Dooku contacts Yoda to establish an independent Jedi temple on Mandalore (with permission from the Mand'alore, of course) that will be run by Obi-Wan Kenobi if the boy can pass his trials. He'll oversee it all, but is very much content by just being a helper of the people and being the wine uncle with crazy ideas.

The establishment of the independent Jedi Temple on Mandalore is what the force/the manda consider Jango's act of honor for Obi-Wan and their soulmate bond solidifies into a fully matured bond, resulting in a marriage of not only Jango and Obi-Wan, but also of Jedi and Mandalorian culture. Where the planet's ecosystem is restored, its people thrive, and somewhere down the line Jango & Obi-Wan have (or adopt, for the non mpreg fans) a couple of kids (Boba, Cal, Omega).

And that's how Obi-Wan Kenobi lives his best life on Mandalore. Idk. I never said the idea was perfect, just intriguing.

[dreamerwithapen1]

Graveyard of Stars (tpm ~ rots)

Slave to the Zaltos.

Despite the implication of her name, Evira Skywalker has spent her entire life chained to the ground. As a slave to the infamous Zalto twins, Evira spends her days working tirelessly in their tavern, from washing dishes and serving food to cleaning up the inevitable spilt blood and vomit. And thanks to her small stature and ability to sneak almost anywhere unnoticed, she was also privy to some of their less desirable operations, a fact that her mother absolutely detested. But as their slave, she had no choice but to obey their every whim. Being sold to another owner, possibly off world, was not an option- not when Anakin and her mother were still on Tatooine. She’d made a promise to herself the day that Anakin was born to always protect him and be by his side. And nothing could ever make her break that promise, not their owners, not their circumstances and poor lot in life- not even the Jedi.

Slave to the Jedi.

When Qui-Gon Jinn disrupts their life on the desert planet, claiming Anakin to be the ‘Chosen One’ and offering to free them both and whisk them away to the Jedi in order to train, Evira looks past the pretty words to see the ugly truth. He wasn’t there to free them. They would merely be exchanging one Master for another; their leashes being passed from Watto and the Zaltos to the Jedi Order. Everything in her rebelled against the idea. At least with the Zaltos, she knew what to expect. She knew how to bend their rules and keep them happy. On Tatooine, she knew how to keep her brother safe. But when Anakin leaps at the chance to start a new life, Evira doesn’t even think twice before going with him.

No part of her wants to be a Jedi, the supposed ‘keepers of the peace’. She chafes under their strict rules, their expectations, and their ever present eyes and ears watching and waiting for her to mess up. Everything about her seems to earn their disapproval- from her age to her strong attachment to Anakin, from her defiant nature to her refusal to call anyone ‘Master’. It was no secret that the Council wanted to be rid of her- and she them- but her saving grace came in the form of a young Twi’lek woman.

When Ziva Nol offered to take her on as her padawan, Evira expected her to be no different than anyone else, but Ziva surprised her. Having lost her two younger sisters to the slave trade, Ziva understood her in a way that no one else did. She gave Evira the freedom that she so desperately needed while guiding her in the ways of the Force, not as her Master, but her mentor. Under her tutelage, Evira began to see a life for herself among the Jedi, a place where she might finally belong and call home.

But just as all good things in Evira’s life, it doesn’t last.

While the Jedi transition from peace keepers to soldiers in the midst of a bloody war, Evira finds herself struggling between what she wants and what she is forced to be. And as Light and Dark clash inside both Evira and Anakin, the galaxy sits at a tipping point, the scale of good and evil balancing on the shoulders of the two young siblings from Tatooine.

Forever Tag: @darknightfrombeyond @arrthurpendragon @darkwolf76 @foxesandmagic @bravelittleflower @stareyedplanet @thophil2941btw

(If you would like to be added to my taglist, send me an ask or message!)

[malcontent7]

Do the Jedi know more than they’re letting on?

I’d like to talk about a theory I’ve been working on, regarding Jedi secrets.

I’m sure you all remember Qui-Gon Jinn getting attacked by a clearly lightsaber trained assassin, identified to the audience by that point as Darth Maul.

And presenting his (correct) theory to the Jedi High Council, upon returning to the temple on Coruscant.

At first they dismiss it, because the Sith, as noted by Ki-Adi-Mundi, AKA Jedi Master Potato-Head, the Sith were supposedly wiped out during a war a thousand years earlier. Sadly, they are forced to conclude that Jinn’s theory was correct, after his death.

Now here’s where things get sus. During the funeral, Yoda notes that there are always two Sith. Now at the time, this likely just meant that at their height, the Sith operated in master and apprentice pairs, same as the Jedi. But then, as the Sith were fleshed out in expanded materials, we learn that Yoda was referring to the Rule of Two.

Darth Bane, the last surviving Sith, established the Rule of Two moving forward, in order to prevent the in-fighting that hampered the Sith’s efforts against the Jedi, as well as take advantage of it, with a focus on quality over quantity.

The Rule of Two states that there shall only ever be two Sith at a time. A master and a single apprentice, who will only become a master themselves when they’re able to kill their predecessor, and then take on an apprentice of their own.

Admittedly, a few Sith Masters (most notably Palpatine/Darth Sidious) have bent this rule by training Sith Assassins, Acolytes, and Inquisitors to serve as manpower and as candidates for the next apprentice, but the Rule of Two has served as doctrine for the Sith for the last millennium.

Now the problem here is that Bane was a survivor of the aforementioned war, and therefore established the Rule of Two after the point where the Jedi believe that the Sith were driven to extinction.

So, how the hell do they know about it?!

To return to the council meeting, you’ll note that Jedi Master Potato-Head is the only one who outright dismisses the possibility. Mace Windu is skeptical, not of their survival, but of them returning (or becoming active again) without the Jedi noticing, while Yoda initially stays silent, before countering that the dark side might be easier to miss than Windu believes.

My theory, this isn’t the first time the Jedi have encountered the Sith in the last thousand years. Even if we assume that the Rule of Two cycle was carried out two to three times a century, that’s still between twenty and thirty Sith masters, and who knows how many failed apprentices like Maul. What are the odds that none of them had a run in with the Jedi, in all that time, that didn’t leave a Jedi survivor? What are the odds that no masters tried to corrupt a Jedi into becoming their apprentice and failed, alerting the Jedi?

Windu and Yoda are the Master of the Order and Grandmaster, respectively, which are basically the two highest positions it’s possible to reach in the Order. If anyone’s going to have access to the secrets that the Jedi Order has chosen to suppress, even from the other council members, it’s them, especially given Yoda’s long lifespan, he likely had a few firsthand experiences.

There’s been a greater examination of the Jedi’s failings and poor decisions in recent years, so their making an active effort to suppress knowledge of Sith survivors could be a prime example of a long standing example.

[willowcrowned]

Hey, do you remember the illegal carp farming AU?

So, after you asked for ideas for may the 4th (yeah i know you got one already) i was thinking of how to make the carp farming Au into canon-verse AU

Primordial rule of the Canon Carp Cartel AU: Everything about Qui Gon Jinn has to be explained via the carp theory.

WHy didn't he take obi wan at first/said he didn't take new padawans? He knew they would find out about the carp operation and couldn't risk it

Why did he take anakin? The prophecy. but the reason no jedi cares about it is bc it is a carp prophecy and not a jedi one. the prophecy is right bc darth vader incidentally kills all carp farmers in the known universe, bringing balance to the carp force

Xanatos? Didn't actually fall. He faked it bc his jedi work was taking too much time and he wanted to spend more time on the farm

the reason that one person offers obi one death sticks? death sticks are slang for fried fish sticks and obi wan has the smell of someone involved in the underground carping business

as always—barring the times you live up to your url—you’re a genius

[bestworstcase]

https://www.tumblr.com/bestworstcase/740325676221120512/i-feel-like-we-disagree-about-specific-details

I frankly figured part of that resistance is driven by a number of people only wanting the most surface level interpretation of media. For all of the ways people have become more "critical" of media, they don't really like it when a story expects you to dig any deeper than what they're explicitly being told to them.

i don't think that's entirely the case tbqh—it's a contributing factor in fanon interpretations of salem because jinn's narration is widely presumed to be objective and reliable—but with regard to the huntsmen academies and the way ozpin's circle operates, rwby DOES explicitly portray these things as part of the problem. ozpin says twice that he's made more mistakes than anyone else on the planet, the second time clarifying that he isn't exaggerating. "it's all my fault."

the fandom widely interprets this as self-hatred and shifts all the blame to salem—but the fallout of 'the lost fable' is centered around ozpin's deceit and betrayal of everyone's trust! after learning the truth qrow says ozpin's circle is the reason for the mess the world is in, and ruby doesn't deny that, just asks him to stop wallowing and help fix it! ozma begins an explicit, unambiguous atonement arc in V8, in tandem with atlas—his crowning achievement—self-destructing because ironwood sacrifices his humanity on the altar of stopping salem! V9 is all about how the pressure of being a huntress, being the chosen one, breaks people! three out of four academies have collapsed, two of them literally!

the narrative has been really quite clear about this. the resistance i'm talking about in the op isn't the resistance to interpreting salem as anything but pure evil, it's the resistance to imagining any ending that does not simply replicate a system that is catastrophically failing right before our eyes and also would not have any reason to exist after salem's hypothetical defeat anyway. in a story that has turned the narrative status quo upside-down like three or four times already and kicks off with "hope you're ready for a revolution."

it's not refusing to think deeply about the story or engage with subtext, it's outright ignoring the actual text.

[bridgyrose]

The gods literally curse Salem to never see her beloved one just because she did what every person would do if they know there is a way to bring someone they loved back to life.

Whatever they were right or not about Ozpin what they did to her is what cause all of the war in remnant

Everyone can have their opinion but i don't see the gods as good guys especially when v9 final show us that they know nothing about balance.

Maybe they don't need to be killed but they defiantly need to learn their lesson and mistakes.

(Also what theme killing the gods is going against?)

Here's the thing, I'm not at all saying the gods were right or wrong in what they were doing, but they were definitely not prepared to deal with a human that doesnt know how to deal with loss. But what you're missing is that the opinion I keep seeing around is that the gods have to die, the gods are the real villains, the gods are evil dickheads, and everything we've learned about the gods just doesnt support any of that. Yes, the gods have a lesson they need to learn, but the thing is, killing them or treating them as an entity that has to go isnt going to solve anything.

And placing the full blame of Salem's actions on them isnt exactly a fair sentiment either. They were absolutely wrong to curse Salem the way they did, but what vol 9 showed us is that's all they really knew how to deal with the situation. They're from the Ever After. Death isnt really a thing there, at least, not in the way we know it. In the Ever After, everyone is functionally immortal. Barring any accidents or running into the Jabberwalker, as long as you are content with your purpose, you'll never die of old age. And Salem's curse is basically just their way of using the Ever After's rules to try to help her change and learn. But it backfires because Remnant doest operate on those same rules.

So, yes, they absolutely have lessons they need to learn with balance and compassion, and that's one of the themes of RWBY. That no matter the mistakes that are made, everyone deserves a chance to learn otherwise and to correct those mistakes. And killing the gods would go against those themes.

The other thing about the gods, we really dont know anything about them besides stories. What we learned about the gods from Jinn was all from Ozma's perspective, from someone who fears the gods and has a reverence to them in fear. And the blacksmith talks about them as if they're children because they left the Ever After relatively young. They're inexperienced beings that dont quite understand how their creations feel. That doesnt make them evil or bad guys, it just means they need to learn and grow. Why would a story about allowing people to learn and grow kill off two beings that need those lessons, and quite frankly, probably wont really play much more of a role in the story until the end?

[ahlulbaytnetworks]

🍃🕊🍃 The Ant Prays For Rain 🍃🕊🍃

🐜

🐜 Once there was a big famine in Palestine. It was during the time of the Prophet, Prophet Sulaiman (as) (King Solomon). He came out with his people and proceeded to an open place in the desert to pray for the rains to come. Suddenly, he saw an ant standing on its two legs, raising its hands up towards the sky and saying,

“Oh Allah! We are but very small among all Thy creatures. We cannot survive without Thy grace. Please bestow upon us Thy sustenance and do not punish us because of the sins of human beings. Please send down the rains so that trees can grow, farms become green and grains become available and we have our food to eat.”

🐜 Prophet Sulaiman (as) knew the language of all animals. He told his people,

“Let us go home. The prayer of this ant is enough.”

🐜 It then rained heavily and all the land became green and productive.

🐜 The ant is an intelligent creature. During warm days it collects and stores grain inside the holes. It knows that during wet and cold months, it would not be able to go out to search for food. For fear that grain may start growing because of wetness, it splits it into two or more pieces. At times, during moonlit nights, it brings the split grains out of the stores for drying and preservation against decay.

🐜 The holes under the ground are made very carefully and covered with shelter to prevent the rain water from getting inside the holes. The ant, unlike the other animals, can lift a burden twice its own weight. It is not a selfish creature. When an ant finds some store of food grains, it runs up to its group and takes its fellow ants to that place. It shows everyone of them its own find of the store. They always behave in this manner. They work and live in co-operation with each other.

🐜 This shows how the ant works for the group and how each of them fulfils the needs and livelihood of its fellow-beings. How shameful it is for a man, who has no regard for another man; who has no concern for his fellow human beings who could be starving because of want of food.

🐜 Once, while Prophet Sulaiman (as) was travelling together with hosts of men, jinn and birds, they reached a valley of ants.

🐜 When the chief of these ants witnessed the pomp and the glory with which Prophet Sulaiman (as) and his companions were approaching toward it. He warned all the ants to get into their holes lest they got trampled and crushed unknowingly by the approaching men and Jinn. Prophet Sulaiman (as) smiled at this warning sounded by the ants' chief, and ordered his companions to wait till the ants went inside their holes.

None of us should hurt any ant while passing over their land”,

he said.

🐜 It is said that Prophet Sulaiman (as) addressed the chief of the ants and said:

“How could my people hurt you or your fellow ants when they are floating through air! Don't you know that I am a messenger of God and would never act unfairly?”

The chief of the ants replied:

“O Messenger of God! My cautioning the ants was not for any hurt that they would suffer but to prevent them getting astray and forgetting the glory of God after seeing your pomp and show.”

🐜 There is a deep meaning in this event. It shows that even the most humble and smallest of creatures has been endowed with the necessary wisdom to live safely and avoid being hurt as far as possible. It also shows, how even a small ant does have the natural understanding of the true position of Allah. It imparts a lesson that one should not forget the true might and glory of Allah when one experiences a great power and dignity of any creature in this world.

🐜 Thus an Ant is one of the most wonderful small creatures in this world. Sura “Naml” (the Ant) in the Holy Quran is a chapter named after this creature. Over 1300 years ago, Imam Ali (a) was giving a sermon in Kufa, in which he was describing the beauties of creation in various forms of life. He was referring to small creatures and asking man to study how God made them so small yet so sturdy and strong. He described the ant in these words:

“Look at an ant. How tiny is its body and how delicate are its features! It is such a small creature that it often escapes the eye, and few people care to attach any importance to it among the living beings found on this earth. Look at it and study its ways of life; how it crawls, how it attacks its food; how it lifts a grain so many times heavier than its body, carries it to its hole; how it stores grains; and how in summer it gathers and stocks food for winter and rainy days."

🍃🕊🍃 Islamic Stories 🍃🕊🍃

🐜

.

[aspiringwarriorlibrarian]

In hindsight, setting up Salem as the narrator and revealing it as such in story was a rather good way of setting up the characters being less than reliable sources of information.

After all, if Salem was the narrator of so many details and information and that's made clear that it really came from her in-universe, then you start to question if it applies to Ozpin and Qrows' narration as well. And if it does, given how it reveals how shady Ozpin really is as time went on, you begin to question:

If his information in-universe is this unreliable and filled with his own biases and misinterpretation, then does that mean everything else he narrates is full of unreliable information as well?

Yup. Ozpin is so ancient and so wounded there's any number of things he's misremembered or misinterpreted. Qrow has been operating under a few false assumptions. Salem is...Salem, who will flat out never accept any truth that interferes with her desire for genocide. This is a series about stories half told, and the results of those misinterpretation. Because at the end of the day, no one knows everything. Not even Jinn. Not even the gods.

[mxanigel]

Cut to the Feeling

an Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) fanfic

Chapter 4: The Meaning of a Friend

Summary: As the 57th expedition draws ever closer, Shion wrestles with her added responsibilities and the fallout of how she got them.

----

Rating: T

Relationships: Levi Ackerman/Original Female Character(s), Levi Ackerman & Hange Zoë, Hange Zoë & Original Female Character(s)

Characters: Levi Ackerman, Special Operations Squad | Squad Levi, Hange Zoë, Petra Ral, Oluo Bozado, Eld Jinn, Eren Yeager, Erwin Smith

Additional Tags: They/Them Pronouns for Hange Zoë, Canon Compliant, Levi Ackerman Needs a Hug, Levi Ackerman Is Obsessed With Cleaning, Banter, Queer Character, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Spoilers, Swearing, Eventual Romance, Friendship, Acquaintances to Friends to Lovers, Hange Zoë Being Hange Zoë, Angst, Love and Loss

Snippet under the cut:

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The busy schedule and engineering challenges keep her mind occupied. Except in the quiet moments, like trying to fall asleep or awaiting the next barrel test. Then her thoughts wander back to Commander Erwin’s questioning, to what could have transpired behind closed doors to lead to that outcome. Objectively, she understands why they did what they did; her raw reactions testified to her inability to be a Titan spy as much as the facts of her record. However, her heart aches with renewed memories of Rena’s death.

She trusted them. Yet they’re soldiers. She should’ve kept them at arm’s length. No matter how fond she is of Hange, they’re her superior officer. As is Captain Levi. She’s grown complacent by finding a place she belongs.

Rena would chide her for that attitude. Which only worsens how she feels.

[ao3feed-obikin]

and when you look at me the weight of how i feel is heavy on me

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/42700356 by brahe “Jus’ like a sun,” Anakin murmurs, and Obi-Wan has to strain to hear it, almost misses it. He stills. “Beautiful shining sun,” Anakin continues, and presses his face further into the pool of robes. His voice is slow and sleepy, and Obi-Wan realizes he can tell Anakin is about to drop off into sleep. He blinks, lifting his head to stare down at him in something between awe and shock. That seems to be the standard operating procedure when it comes to Anakin, he thinks, a little wry, a little wondrous. “‘ll marry you, someday, shining sun,” Anakin mumbles, his signature flaring brighter than it’s ever been for just a single, blinding moment before it fades when he falls asleep, leaving Obi-Wan feeling—feeling like that ocean has rushed back over him without notice, a gentle stream suddenly swept up into a raging river, only to just a quickly recede back out into a deceptive stillness.   Or, 5 times Anakin asks Obi-Wan to marry him, and one time Obi-Wan asks Words: 2383, Chapters: 1/7, Language: English Series: Part 3 of we grow, we grow (steady as the morning) Fandoms: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Qui-Gon Jinn, CT-7567 | Rex, Ahsoka Tano, mentioned Padmé Amidala - Character Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Depa Billaba & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Mace Windu Additional Tags: Canon Divergence - Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, First Meetings, That's Not How The Force Works (Star Wars), except it IS bc i said so, Force Bond (Star Wars), the disaster shatterpoint lineage, Sleepy Cuddles, Fluff, Injury, Crash Landing, not quite graphic depiction of injury but not super vague either, Medical Inaccuracies, LMAO, Banter, Early Clone Wars (Star Wars), Pining, Mutual Pining, Developing Relationship, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Illnesses, Sickfic, But only for a chapter, Even more pining, anakin skywalker is a good cook, food as a love language, Domestic, Undercover Missions, Undercover as Married, anakin is panickin, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Even More Banter, Getting Together, First Kiss, First Time, Morning Sex, Anakin Skywalker Has a Praise Kink, anakin skywalker's marriage kink, Tender Sex, Emotional Sex, Dirty Talk, Grinding, Blow Jobs, Top Obi-Wan Kenobi, Bottom Anakin Skywalker, Post-Rako Hardeen Arc (Star Wars: Clone Wars), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Canon Divergence - The Clone Wars: Rako Hardeen Arc, Parental Mace Windu, Arguing, Fights, Time Skips, Marriage Proposal, Clothed Sex, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, 5+1 Things, Tenderness, Domestic Fluff, Qui-Gon Jinn is a Good Jedi Master, sun and ocean metaphors read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/42700356

[lilithfairen]

Reading into "did Ozpin know [a certain V9 spoiler] all along" discussions, and thinking about what we've seen so far in the series, has raised an interesting thought to me.

Back in V6, Ruby's question to Jinn was "What is Ozpin hiding from us?" And in V8, we learned that Ambrosius operates on specific and exact wording.

The question of course being, does Jinn operate on those principles?

It's very likely, because the history of himself and Salem—the nature of her immortality and his struggle against her—was the one thing Ozpin was most afraid of others finding out, because of how others had strayed from his side when they found out the truth.

So are there far more secrets from Ozpin's past that will come to light soon...just not the secrets that Ozpin was hiding from Ruby and the others right then and there?