#oc commander crowe

[masterjedilenawrites]

🌟 The fun thing about clone battalions having assigned numbers is that there's (usually) a calendar date to match them. I've decided to shower some attention on our favorite clone battalions this year by writing a little something-something for them on their corresponding dates 💜

Though this may not be popular, I'm starting off with my OC clone unit: the 116th Battalion. I've mentioned them a few times in The Sniper & the Medic and in anon conversations about OCs. I've been wanting to put more of them onto paper, so to speak, and January 16th gives me a fun excuse to do so!

OCs: 116th & Joan Vo | 1.4k words

Content: references to blood and death

The 116th

"Prepare to jump." Commander Crowe's voice echoed around the bridge and his men immediately fell into position, quietly and efficiently. Like a well-oiled machine. Crowe may have been known to sport hairy legs and flip-flops on his days off, but his authority was not to be messed with while on duty. There'd be time enough for everyone to have their personalities later, after the mission was over.

"Coordinates set for -401.72, -561.84, 004.32," confirmed the battalion pilot, R.J.

"Ready to jump into hyperspeed, on your command," nodded R.J.'s co-pilot, Diver.

Crowe let a brief, dramatic moment pass before saying, "Jump." It was his favorite thing to do, though he'd never admit it to a soul.

Stars stretched into dazzling streaks across the viewport as the Valiant cut through them. They'd have about an hour before reaching the rest of the battalion stationed outside of Batuu. The data they'd recovered from a grounded CIS craft on Malastare could then be transmitted back to Coruscant for further analysis.

But the data chip wasn't the only thing they'd be bringing back with them. Crowe couldn't help but glance over at the young woman who sat in one of the tactician chairs, clothes stained with the blood of its previous owner. The shiny, Brig, hadn't even been in the role two full rotations before getting blown to smithereens. Crowe blamed himself for not checking for booby traps on that CIS cruiser before sending the young hotshot in. And this woman blamed herself for not being able to stitch him back together in time.

"What do you make of her?"

A soft voice came up beside him, Jedi General Rhee. Crowe grunted in acknowledgement.

"She's alright," he responded, not wanting to commit to an opinion one way or the other. Not yet.

She was not the first stray they'd picked up. Far from it. No matter where they went, on a mission, in the thick of a battlefield, even on R&R, they always seemed to attract whatever sad, lost, and lonely being was around, from Tookas to orphans to escaped slaves. They'd shelter the poor things for a bit and then help them find a home elsewhere. Though Crowe was pretty sure there was still a porg being secretly kept on one of the other ships.

This woman, Joan Vo, was a little different. For one, she hadn't begged to come aboard. Hadn't tried to strike any deals or use the sad puppy in the rain tactic that others had done. No, she simply stated it. Demanded it, even. And for another, she seemed equally determined to stay. Become part of the crew. Crowe wasn't sure what the legalities were with such a thing. The Republic would get their fair share of civilian volunteers, but they were often in administrative or training roles, not as an active combat medic.

All that to say, Crowe didn't know what to make of her. And he wasn't about to get attached to something he didn't understand.

"She has heart," Rhee was saying. The Jedi's gentle voice just barely managed to recapture Crowe's attention from his confused thoughts. "The boys need some of that, after all the hell they've been through these past few cycles."

Crowe only grunted again. He supposed he was right. They'd been on very punishing back-to-back missions that had lost more brothers than expected. Though he wasn't sure what this lady would be able to do about it. There were things not even a doctor could heal.

She seemed to sense they were looking at her. She promptly rose from the chair and came over.

"Dr. Vo." Rhee extended his hand, not having been properly introduced yet.

"Please, call me Joan," she said, taking his hand. Her voice was low and raspy, as if she'd been shouting all day. Which, Crowe knew, she had not. She had remained calmed and assertive throughout all the horrors they'd faced on that cruiser.

"And you may call me Rhee," smiled the Jedi. The 116th was very loose with their names, rarely ever using titles unless they were around other units or Republic leaders. Even then, Rhee insisted on being called General Rhee as his last name was far too difficult to pronounce for most.

"I understand you wish to join the battalion," Rhee continued as they dropped hands. "We would be honored to have such a courageous spirit among our ranks."

"We already have a medical team." A new voice joined the little circle they'd created at the back of the bridge. Captain Civic, Crowe's righthand. The solider was opposite to Crowe in every way, which was saying something considering that Crowe himself had quite a dueling personality. Where Crowe had a laidback, "live-and-let-live" demeanor in his downtime, Civic was much more concerned with the status quo and all the "shoulds" and "should nots" that came with it. But on a battlefield, Crowe held his ground while Civic improvised. Crowe was competitive; Civic was civil.

The list could keep running on, but despite all the differences, the two brothers were tight-knit, leading their men in a united effort. There was only one other clone whom Crowe was so completely bonded with, but they were assigned different battalions. Civic was his true brother in arms.

Joan didn't seem put off by Civic and his disapproval suddenly showing up to the conversation. "But you didn't bring them with you today," she countered. She crossed her arms over her chest, not-so-subtly drawing attention to the fact there was still blood all over it.

"They were needed elsewhere," Civic responded cooly.

"And I'm not. I am an additional resource."

Civic already had his mouth open for another retort but Rhee wisely stepped in before things got out of hand.

"And we are very grateful for your generosity," he said with another kind smile. "Now, it will be some time before we join the rest of the fleet. Allow me to show you to refreshers so you can get cleaned up. Civic will make sure a room gets prepared for your stay as well."

The Jedi gave the Captain a knowing look as he ushered Joan to walk away with him.

Civic waited until the two got out of sight before letting out a frustrated huff.

"Don't know what you're so upset about," Crowe chuckled lowly. "She doesn't strike me as the type to steal your socks."

He was referring to a pretty Twi'lek girl they'd once rescued from a nasty old Baron. All the boys had been smitten with her, until they realized she'd been stealing odd things from them all.

Civic's mouth only deepened in its frown. "I'd rather deal with petty theft."

"Than what?"

"Exactly. We don't know what this chick's MO is. What civvy in their right mind would demand to work with the GAR on the frontlines? She's either crazy, or she's up to something."

Crowe agreed that it was odd, and that he didn't like not understanding what this woman was about. But so revealed another difference between him and Civic. To him, this was an intriguing mystery that needed to play itself out. He was content to simply keep an eye on her and nothing else.

Civic, on the other hand, was lining her up in his scope, ready to fire at the first sign of maliciousness. Crowe almost felt sorry for the girl, if he didn't believe she could handle it. Of the few things he knew about Joan so far, she wasn't phased by much.

"Well, like it or not, she's here to stay," he clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll just have to make do."

Crowe hid a smile as his words predictably got Civic all worked up.

"Make do? Make do?" The poor clone was practically hyperventilating at such a notion. "What if she's plotting to overtake control of the fleet, use our forces against the rest of the garrison? What if she kills us in our sleep? Or what if she's just crazy and still kills us in our sleep?"

Crowe just shook his head and left Civic standing on the bridge with more of his what-if scenarios. Only time would tell what Dr. Joan Vo was up to. In the meantime, Crowe needed a shower. He'd just realized that he, too, was still covered in the blood of their fallen brother.

Every Character Tag: @dangerousstrawberrypie, @justanothersadperson93, @arctrooper69, @sleepycreativewriter, @techie-bear, @theroguesully, @cw80831

I didn't think to include an OC category on my tag lists, so if you want to be added or removed from this type of content from me, let me know!

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🌟 2024 Clone Battalion Series Master List | 🌙 Master List of Master Lists

[starlightsuncrow]

Here's my teaser of my piece "Serenity of the Heart" I made for @gw2-zine! Look forward to the release, there's so much love everyone put in their pieces! <33

[dragon-subway]

howdy! hope your day has been gentle. i have a question if it's alright: do you also have writings for your OCs that go along with your art? im enamored by them and wanna see more :>

hello hello o/ my day's been pretty alright, thank you for asking.

As for your main question.... there's not much. Not really one to think about these things in words, more a mental-movie kind of guy however there's a few bits and peices in my phone's notes and this one of Gnash's pov is the only complete one

[image id contains what is written for people with screen readers]

I do legitimately want to do more, dogbite and my other star wars ocs have completely taken over my brain and it brings me great joy that you're interested at all, and completely flattered at enamored!!

[commanderhorncleaver]

What does gaius think of my thief, crow?

Gaius is perhaps a bit unsettled by him, but not especially bothered?

I imagine they come to know one another through Gaius trying to secure resources for the Pact, and somehow winding up in a contract that makes Crow the Pact's primary supplier--which isn't necessarily ideal. Not by any means, but I also don't easily see Gaius having any true disdain for him in spite of such a situation.

I can especially imagine Crow becoming fond of Gaius--a daring, dashing dragon slayer straight out of the human novels and plays!--and wanting to get to know him better. Provided these interactions go well, the aforementioned contract might find itself being slackened, in exchange for various favors and the like.

[plaguelin]

The most sacred of oaths.

[elenauaurs]

TWISTED WONDERLAND OC

bird boy

INFO

Name: Diaval Corvo

daiavaru koruvo (JP)

Grade/Class: Junior/Class D (No. 6)

Age: 167

Height: 173

Dominant hand: Left

Homeland: Briar Valley

Club: Board game

Best Subject: Flying/History of Magic

Hobbies: Read ancient writings

Pet Peeves: DOGS

Favorite food: Wagyu beef

Least favorite food: Rotten food

Likes: Malleus, food, big ruins

Dislike: Hunters, swim, thunder

Talent: Draw maps

PERSONALITY

Diaval is a reserved and introverted individual, but also very open-minded and a kind person by nature.

With subjects that arouse his curiosity or interest, he can prove to be a talkative person and easy to talk to.

Diaval also has a great ability to command people in diverse situations (as a strategist) and is also a good diplomat. Due to being great observer, he can easily create useful strategies for difficult situations. However, upon realizing that the situation is out of control, Diaval may act more desperate, nervous AND TOTALLY RESTLESS, especially in cases where he knows from the beginning that everything will go wrong, which makes him a bit of a chatterbox until the situation is resolved.

Despite being a kind person, he also acts sarcastic as hell in situations where he wants to irritate someone or when he is irritated, and can also reveal a somewhat sadistic side, mocking and enjoying the pain of someone he doesn't like.

Overall, Diaval takes on a more parental/caregiving attitude towards those he cares about(even with humans, with whom he has more difficulty befriending with), being a big worrier if something dangerous happens.

FACTS

Diaval is based on Diablo from sleeping Beauty and a bit of... Diaval... from maleficent

Diaval is a raven/crow fae

Diaval is Malleus' closest servant, which is why he is known as "Malleus' wings" in Briar Valley. He has known Malleus since he was a child

For some reason, Diaval has maps of the entire NRC

Diaval is a person very well informed about what happens at school, he loves... gossip... and investigating the latest topics

For this reason (mentioned in the previous topic), he has a love-hate relationship with Azul, especially because in book 3 he prevented a large number of diasomnia students from being caught in contracts.

He definitely doesn't like participating in swimming lessons. According to him, his wings are too heavy to swim properly.

Diaval definitely doesn't like going near the Savanaclaw dorm, but why? Simple, there are a good number of beastmen with canine characteristics (like Jack) in Savanaclaw, and well... He doesn't like dogs very much…

At some point in his life, Diaval helped babysit Silver. The first thing little Silver called Diaval was "pretty little bird"

APPEARANCE

Diaval has short, very dark blue (almost black) hair, with a long fringe on the left that covers his eyepatch. His eyes are pink, he has a mole below his eye and on his neck (and other non-visible places on his body), he wears black earrings in both ears.

His dorm uniform are a little modified. He has a neck stole made of feathers and wears a 'scarf' around his neck instead of a tie, his black coat hangs below his shoulders, he has a gold claw ring on his fingers and some part of the back of his outfit is open to his wings.

. . .

[wolfofwritingstreet]

You said crows are closed but I’m willing to change your mind.

Crow is the captain of the ship that takes the crows to the ice court. Giving kaz orders and such.

AN: I am sosososososo excited for season two of Shadow and Bone, so here's to opening up the Crows again. Strayed a little away from the prompt, but I had an OC in my head I was basing this off of. So, please enjoy <3

TIDEMAKER, NOT TIDEMAKER

GN!READER X PLATONIC!CROWS

"And then twist, and pull." You commanded, grinning when Inej formed the perfect Sailors knot. "Perfect, Nej."

"Thank you for teaching me." You helped hoist her up, as her side was still stiff from where the gunshot had been.

"You are an excellent student, who listens to commands." You gave a pointed look to Jesper, who slowly lowered the cannonball he was holding.

"It rolled towards me, fate." He surrendered, whistling as he walked back towards Nina who was leaning against the bannister of your ship talking with Wylan.

Lord forbid you were talked into using your baby for one of Kaz's heists, though a Crow stays with the flock - or whatever it was Jesper said to boost morale after a particularly bad heist.

You may not belong to the Dregs, or the Dime Lions, or any gang. But, the idiots currently roaming around your ship were your closest friends... and you were promised a cut if you put your tide making skills to good use.

"Inej, keep practicing. I need to find Brekker - I haven't seem him in far too long, and last time I caught him eyeing up valuable items on my ship." Inej smiled softly, bidding you farewell with a nod as she went back to undoing the knot.

You two had both once belonged to the Menagerie; and whilst Inej learned to stitch herself up and join the Dregs, you had learnt how to tie knots and fled to the seas to become the infamous Pirate, who was a fond deliverer to Fifth Harbour.

Though the sea wasn't as free as it seemed, your debt to those in higher up places meant you always had to come back to Ketterdam. To interfere with them, would be the end of your sails.

"Kaz I don't think that's a good idea." You shot back into reality, blinking against the harsh sea breeze as you spotted Kaz taking the wheel of the ship.

"Brekker, get your slippery hands off my baby."

"No wonder she doesn't flirt back, she's in love with her ship." Nina teased, but you marched past her and up the short flight of stairs to glare at Brekker.

"You were heading the wrong way." Kaz answers your glare, and before he can even utter another word you have whipped your hands in an arch. The vein in your head throbbing, as you brought the ship to a complete stop. "Could you stop that, we are on a tight schedule."

"This is my ship Brekker, I know how to steer it."

"The map says your wrong." He released the wheel, clunking his cane down heavily. "I was fixing the mistake."

"If Matthias wasn't sleeping, I'd ask him to use all that Fjerdon muscle to haul you overboard."

"You are overreacting."

"Step away from the wheel." Your voice grew harsher, as the ship rocked dangerously. "I don't touch your cane, you don't touch my ship."

Kaz stared. You stared.

Five minutes later you were happily steering the ship, as Kaz sat on a crate beside you with the map across his knees. Kaz Brekker was many things, but he knew one thing.

As Inej had her claws, you had your ship. You two would both go down fighting if that was threatened, and Kaz knew better than to push those buttons.

"Slightly East." He ordered, and you moved the wheel with one hand, using the other to guide the waters behind you so that your travels were shortened.

"Has anyone got a bucket!" You grimaced as Wylan ran out frantically waving his hands, "I think Jesper is going to be sick, and he's threatening to do it over my plans if I don't find a bucket.

You sighed with a grin, letting the ship slow as you nudged a bucket towards Wylan with water from the sea. He stared at it transfixed, before snatching the bucket up and scurrying away causing Nina to let out a loud laugh.

You were the Captain of the ship, taking the Crows to the Ice Court, and not a single one was listening to the orders you had given out earlier.

This heist could only go well...

--------------------------

LIKE, REBLOG, COMMENT, REQUEST.

[book-of-baba-fett]

Illicit Affairs - Chapter 22

Captain Rex x OC

Previous Chapter

Chapter Summary: In the final chapter, Talia reflects on how she's grown once receiving positive news from the war front that gives hope to the future.

Chapter Rating: M

Warnings: MAJOR angst, death, grief, alcohol,

A/N: Y'all it's finally here. More notes to come at the end, but thank you for your support in this wild ride. Firs though, a shoutout to @cyarbika for letting me use Kork in this fic, tbh defining how I view 79s, and for holding this plot in for what, a year now lol?? and the biggest love to @galacticgraffiti - you have been my guide for this entire fic, I wouldn't have made it here without your beta reads. ilysm 💜. also thanks for letting me borrow your OC, Eya!

Ao3 Link

Series Masterlist

21 BBY – Coruscant 

Talia had been in bars probably from too young an age; her early missions with her Master often brought them to the seedy corners of the galaxy in search of information. What she lacked was the experience of going out and enjoying a bar, and 79’s was a much different atmosphere than the bars she had been in before. When the doors opened, she was slammed by the bright lights, the loud music, and the thrum of relief and energetic comradery bouncing off every surface.

There were holoscreens illuminating half the walls, clones engaging in drinking games or other friendly bets, beautiful men and women dressed in revealing outfits in the hopes of finding a partner for a night. It was a lot for Talia to take in: the lights, the noise, the energy a near concussive assault on her senses. But once she settled in the booth with the men she had only known a short amount of time yet had already grown to care for so much, it all calmed down somewhat.

         Talia was surprised by how easily they welcomed her, but then again it had beenChurch’s insistence that had brought her out in the first place and Storm’s assurance that had swayed her. She didn’t want to be in the way, thinking that going out with the men she commanded would just burden their night off. But as she sat with them, and they tossed around jokes from the recent campaign, she saw it for what it was: a need to debrief and decompress after the stress. She felt honored that they included her, and even realized how much she needed something like this instead of going to the Temple or even hanging out with her civilian friends who just wouldn’t get it. Talia was still getting used to the title of General, still felt weirdly empty when her hands ran through her hair and she no longer felt her Padawan braid. So, it was nice to have a night where she didn’t have to think about any of it.

The downside to her inexperience in bars was she had no idea what to drink. She followed the boys lead and drank the awful free beer they were served, but decided she couldn’t stomach the stuff. When Storm noticed her displeasure he did her the favor of ordering her a gin and tonic, which he informed her was his usual drink. After she downed it and was already sporting a light buzz, she decided to treat her men to something a bit better than the standard beer, and ordered a round for all of them. She excused herself to a round of cheers, her cheeks warming in a flush from the alcohol. The bartender was more than happy to give her a recommendation for a better ale and recommended a cocktail for Talia to try.

        The feeling of being out of place inched back in as she patiently waited for her round of drinks, tapping her fingers on the counter and trying to blend into the crowd when she was bumped from the side.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry ma’am, the crowd pushed a lot more than-“ a clone’s voice sincerely apologized, only to cut off as Talia turned to see Captain Rex’s face darkening from a flush as he recognized the Jedi next to him. “Oh, General Riva! I’m so sorry I didn’t see you there. And I’m sorry again for knocking into you-“

Talia chuckled at his flustered words, but shook her head, “It’s ok, Captain. It’s crowded in here; I had to fight my way to the bar.”

Rex’s face relaxed at that, a small grin even toying at his lips, “Well, you could just use the Force to part the crowd, be more efficient.”

Talia snorted, then blushed from the embarrassing noise that had escaped her, but Rex didn’t seem to notice. “The men already seem intimidated by a Jedi being here, I don’t need to draw more attention to it.”

“That reminds me, I should probably make sure my boys are on best behavior tonight then,” Rex grumbled, tossing a look over his shoulder at a booth filled with clones in the 501st blue armor. Talia hadn’t worked with them enough to know all their names yet, but she recognized a few from a recent mission. They seemed to be having fun, or maybe having an argument by the way some of them were pointing and shouting at each other. Maybe a bit of both, Talia supposed.

“Don’t dampen their fun on my account,” Talia said, “We all need a break.”

Rex huffed out a laugh and nodded at that, “You can say that again. And you wouldn’t dampen their fun at all; in fact, I’m worried it would be the other way around.”

“What do you mean?” Talia asked confusedly.

“Oh, nothing,” Rex answered quickly, as if he had gotten too close to admitting something he didn’t want to say. “Just that...I think my men wouldn’t leave you alone, that you wouldn’t be able to enjoy your night without them bothering you.”

“Oh, they wouldn’t bother me!” Talia insisted. “I liked working with you all on Taanab; Fives and Echo had me cracking up.”

Rex shrugged. “Echo can control himself, Fives on the other hand…”

“Oh yeah, he’s a flirt,” Talia cut in. Rex looked at her wide eyed then laughed. “You think I didn’t catch any of that? I can’t imagine what he’d be like with the influence of alcohol.”

“Again, why I hope they don’t bother you.” Rex muttered, once again casting a glance back at the booth, only to see some of the brothers, including the one in question, watching them at the bar.

Rex sighed and murmured something under his breath then glanced back at Talia. He straightened himself up, facing the bar again, “What are you drinking? Can I get you a round?”

“I already ordered,” Talia explained, nodding her head in the direction of the bartender,  “and I wouldn’t let you get me a drink anyway. In fact, I’m getting you one.”

Rex shook his head, “I can’t let you do that.”

“I insist. You serve under Anakin; I know you must be in dire need of alcohol,” Talia said.

Rex laughed again, still shaking his head, “I’m fine with just the Kork.”

“Wow, you are a horrible liar,” Talia observed, smirking as the Captain attempted to deny it. She wasn’t even using the Force, but after experiencing the stuff herself she assumed you had to lack taste buds to enjoy it. “I don’t see how you guys can swallow the stuff.”

“The fact that it’s free helps,” Rex admitted, “But really General; I’m fine.”

“Nonsense,” Talia waved off as the bartender came back around with Talia’s drinks. She glanced at Rex, ready to take his order when Talia cut in, “Could you get another one of these ales for the Captain? And put it on my tab?”

The bartender was off before Rex could argue, “Thank you, but you don’t have to.”

“I know, but I want to,” Talia insisted. “It’s the least I can do.”

“Well, usually it’s the clone buying the girl a drink in here,” Rex offered, a slight smirk on his face. Talia’s face felt warm – a weird reaction, she thought.

“Guess you’ll just owe me a round the next time, Captain,” Talia replied. “I have to say it’s nice to see you on a night out, you seem a lot less... stressed.”

“In truth, this isn’t my usual thing. I was convinced to join,” Rex explained.

“Same here,” Talia added, “Sometimes, our men know what we need more than we ourselves do, I guess.”

“But we can’t admit that to them.” There was that smirk again. Talia tried to ignore the way it lit up his face, how it enhanced how handsome he was. It had to be the alcohol in her, making her warm and encouraging her eyes to linger on his face. 

“And for what it’s worth, it’s “You kind of have,” Talia said, earning a confused look from Rex. “Naboo? The Gala?”

“Oh well… I don’t think that’s fair to count because I didn’t know you were a Jedi.” Rex offered, his hand reaching to scratch the back of his neck. “And you weren’t exactly off duty.”

“Fair, fair,” Talia shrugged.  “But then I was much better dressed for a night out.”

“You look perfect,” Rex said it so simply but stopped himself suddenly, the skin on his neck and cheeks darkening slightly. Talia’s own cheeks burned once more, but she didn’t know what to say in return. Rex also seemed speechless at his own admission, and for a moment they lingered on it, silent but surrounded by the loud music and conversations echoing around them. Talia searched for a witty response, or even hoped some words of thanks would leave her tongue, but instead found herself horrendously lacking any reply. Not from embarrassment or discomfort, but almost because Rex’s words had caught her off guard. Talia felt she should say something to ease the blush creeping in on the Captain as he obviously seemed as surprised by the compliment he had paid her.  She supposed she could offer the same reply back, but felt lame and she didn’t even know why she was at a rare loss for words, but she didn’t get a chance to salvage her own lapse.

 “Captain!” They were interrupted as Fives pushed his way in beside Rex, wrapping his arm over Rex’s shoulder and admonishing his brother teasingly, “Stop flirting with Talia so we can get on with the game!”

Talia didn’t think it was possible, but Rex’s face darkened further as his jaw dropped. His eyes darted back to Talia as he sputtered out “I wasn’t-“

“Sure sure,” Fives waved off, his voice slurring a bit, “you’ll just deny it again. General, looking great as always, but I’m going to steal our captain for a bit.”

“Sorry for holding him up for so long,” Talia answered, her cheeks still aflame. She directed a small smile back at Rex, who looked torn between dying of embarrassment and like he had the temptation to kill his brother. “Have a fun night, hope to see more of you soon.”

“Thanks, you too, Talia,” Rex said as Fives dragged him off. Talia watched them go, her cheeks aching from the smile stuck on her face. It was weird, he had only ever referred to her as General. She liked the way her name sounded coming off his lips.

19 BBY – Coruscant

79’s hadn’t visibly changed much in the time since Talia had first walked through its doors, yet the way she knew it had evolved entirely. It wasn’t an unknown space; it was filled with memories. Its walls echoed with the joy of time spent away from war with friends who she would never forget, some who had grown to be like family… and Rex, who was so much more. Talia knew the workers, had collected bits and pieces of their lives through conversation and they felt as ingrained to the place as the clones who it was built for. As she walked in, Talia smiled in greeting at the large Nautolan bouncer, Eya.  Those who didn’t know them would see them as imposing from their size, the tattoos decorating their violet skin, the spikes protruding from their knuckles and the cybernetic eye that contrasted to the deep black of their organic one, but Talia recognized there was a strange, comforting softness underneath the façade. They were also friends with Storm, who Talia had come to 79’s with that night, and he stayed back to chat with Eya while Talia grabbed a booth, seeking a private space for the conversation she wanted to have. 

The 412th’s last campaign had been relatively easy work, but they had missed the battle on Coruscant, something that seemed to bother the men as they wanted the chance to defend the center of the Republic themselves, but sometimes other duties called first. They were granted leave as soon as the campaign had ended, and Talia felt relief when they approached the planet and she didn’t see much damage on the surface. Coruscant had been her home for as long as she could remember, the whole planet and the temple especially had always seemed so untouchable before the war. The bombing of the temple was a stark reminder of how war could always hit unexpectedly, and she was grateful the siege of the planet hadn’t lasted long.

As the Venator approached Coruscant, they received the news that was the cause for her and Storm’s meeting tonight. Master Kenobi had engaged Grievous in battle on the Utapau system. With Count Dooku dead, the Separatist leadership was fractured, and if Obi-Wan could defeat Grievous, they would crumble and the war would be over. It was strange to hope, considering how many times the General had evaded defeat before, but something felt different this time. He didn’t have Dooku to crawl back to for support, and Grievous didn’t garner the same level of following that the charismatic Sith had. Without Grievous and Dooku, there was no one to step in, no way the Separatists could still fight. 

In other news from the war front, Talia had received word from Rex. Ahsoka’s mission on Mandalore had been a success, and they had captured Maul. Talia had never been more afraid for Rex than she was when she heard what his mission was; Maul had haunted her dreams for too long. She had taken that as a warning that something would happen to Rex on Mandalore, fighting against the former Sith. It would have been too cruel for Talia to lose Rex to Maul, to someone who had caused so much pain and suffering for her already. Especially when they were finally at the cusp of victory, on the brink of what they were fighting for.

Things with Rex weren’t fully back to what they had been, but that was what they had agreed upon. They needed to focus, be on their best without the distraction that they brought to each other. But it was better than the weeks they had spent apart, trying to act as if the other didn’t exist. They still sent each other messages, updating with what was going on in their respective corners of the galaxy, chatting if they had a free moment but truth be told, those were rare to come by. It wasn’t much, and it left a craving for more, but it also gave a promise for what they could have when this was all over. Somehow, Talia knew they would come out of this stronger than they had been before, that Rex and she could build something new off the foundation they had. And it felt like the will of the Force was suddenly on their side, like something would finally move to end this war, to end all the pain that had been inflicted on the galaxy. But to Talia, it would be a new beginning.

Storm joined her, with two gin and tonics in hand, and slowly slid into the booth. They had come here together a few times one on one. Sometimes they said a lot, like in the early days of the war when they took time to learn more about each other in ways they couldn’t just by being in proximity commanding together. Other times, they sat in silence, too weighed down by exhaustion or grief to thread words together. Storm had even confided some of his personal life to Talia, some nice stories about a handsome Pantoran man he would see sometimes on shore leave. Talia had never been able to divulge the same level of information – until today.

“Everything alright, General?” Storm asked as he watched Talia staring thoughtfully across the table, her mind distracted as she tried to ignore the apprehensive twist of her gut.

“Everything’s fine,” Talia said in a half truth. “And how many times do I have to tell you, when I’m here you can call me Talia.”

“Just as many times as I’ll have to remind you: as long as you’re my general, that’s what I’ll call you,” he said as simply as always.

Talia’s gut twisted further, “That’s actually why I wanted to come here today.”

Storm nodded but didn’t probe. Storm wasn’t the type to pry or push people beyond what they were ready to talk about. But he could always tell when someone needed to talk or would be there if they asked. Talia took a sip of her drink and took a deep breath before addressing what she invited him here to say.

“I’m going to be leaving the Jedi Order,” Talia blurted out, a bit more bluntly than she would have liked, but it felt easier to expel the news rather than to linger on it. “This campaign was my last with the 412th, unless something goes wrong with Grievous on Utapau and we still have a war to fight, but I don’t see that happening; all the signs are saying this is about to end.”

Storm’s face was unreadable, but he nodded. “Does the Council know? Does Master Plo know?”

Talia’s gut twisted again at the mention of Plo’s name, in all her thoughts of how this would go, she still had a hard time picturing how her master’s master would react to her defecting from The Order. “I wanted you to know first, I felt like I owed you that after all we’ve been through together.”

Storm nodded once again, but this time, his demeanor shifted. He seemed less tense, like the meaning behind Talia’s words struck a chord with him in a sentimental way. There was also a flicker of mourning in him, or maybe it was just the echoes of Talia’s own feelings for him – how she would miss working with him. Storm settled back in the booth, his eyes meeting Talia’s again as the curve of a rare, teasing smile toyed on his lips.

“Does this have anything to do with a certain blond captain of the 501st?”

Talia’s jaw dropped as her cheeks burned – there was no way… ”How long have you known?”

“Had my suspicions for a while; I knew you had a crush on him,” Storm teased as Talia sat mortified. “And it was obvious he had a soft spot for you. Then I saw him sneak into your tent on Turia, and that confirmed it.”

Talia shook her head in disbelief, “But you never said anything-“

“What would I say? It’s not my business what you do in your personal life,” Storm said simply. “I figured if you wanted to tell me, you would. Which is what you’re doing now. So I assume I’m right then, you’re leaving the Order for him?”

“Yes, well, partially,” Talia admitted. “The truth is, the path of the Jedi isn’t one I see myself walking anymore. At least, not in the confines of the Order. I want more, I need more from my life. And Rex gives me that.”

 “What will you do? Without the Order?” Storm asked.

“I don’t know,” Talia answered, and for once those three words weren’t laced with fear or anxiety. They felt oddly freeing. “There’s so much out there. I could go to school, I could volunteer with shelters like the one we found on Turia. I could visit planets without having to fight a war on them. Hells, I could get a job here at 79’s if I felt like it. I could also just do nothing for a while. I’m not sure what I’ll wind up doing, but I feel like that’s a good thing.”

That seemed to be all Storm needed to hear, because he softly smiled at her in that reassuring way. “Then I’m happy for you, even if I’ll miss working with you, General.”

“I just said I’m leaving – you can say my name!” Talia laughed. Storm only shook his head.

“Technically you haven’t told the Council, so you haven’t relieved yourself of duty. Therefore, you’re still my General.” Storm took a sip of his drink, his eyes flashing as he teased.

“You have to be so literal?” Talia rolled her eyes but still giggled.

“Rex knows if he ever hurts you, he’s a dead man, right?” Storm said seriously, though a crack of a smirk lingered on his lips as he continued, “Though I guess I should give you a similar threat since he is my brother.”

“I can bet a few members of the 501st will beat you to it, maybe even Commander Cody,” Talia shrugged, earning a chuckle from Storm.

The doors to 79’s slid open, and a group of shock troopers marched in, heavily armed. Talia frowned; she didn’t recognize the patterns on their armor as being any of the Corrie Guard members she knew. She glanced a curious glance at Storm, and saw her look of inquisitiveness mirrored in his face. 

She began to ask him what he thought was going on, when a sharp pain pierced her head.

It was an ache that seemed to shake her entire body, drenching her in a cold sweat. Images flashed in her mind of barrages of blaster fire, flashes of clone armor, piercing blue lightning, a Jedi fighter falling from the sky, and a menacing laughter mixed with cries of pain. She couldn’t focus on any of it, feeling too much and nothing all at once. She was vaguely aware of Storm attempting to check on her, his voice muffled by the others that echoed in her head crying out. A comm was going off, its shrill beep adding to the pain in her head. Every hair on her body stood on end, she was overwhelmed by the cold that had seeped into her, chilling her straight to the bone. She couldn’t make out anything, her visions were too blurred, but through all the chaos she could tell something was horribly wrong.She had to push through it, numb the visions and try and warn Storm that something had happened, even though she couldn’t make sense of it. Catching her breath, she looked up to Storm to explain what she had felt.

All she saw was his blaster pointed at her.

It was a beautiful night on Naboo, with the stars shining brightly over the navy sky. The full moon cast a glow over the gorge their spaceship was hidden in, its light reflecting over the river as it flowed through. Rex could see the outline of the palace in the distance, illuminated by lights in its windows and balconies, a symbol of the culture and beauty of the planet. It didn’t seem right that a place of such beauty was the setting for such mourning.

Everything seemed to be in a haze still. Rex couldn’t easily place how much time had passed in Galactic Standard time since the Order. Nothing felt real as he tried to process all that had happened, all that had changed. He never would have thought it possible that the Republic would fall, yet it happened in a matter of minutes with work completed by his own men. He still had blood and dirt caked on his armor from burying his brothers on the moon. He still winced when he moved from the shots that had hit him in his escape, his head still ached in the spot his chip had been removed. The chip that had been a part of him since he was created, the one Fives had discovered, exposed and tried to warn them about but instead was shot over. He had tried to look into it more after Fives died, but he could accomplish little without arousing suspicion. He knew Kix had his own questions too, then Kix disappeared. Rex should have questioned that more too, but he was too numb, too in denial over losing another brother. The idea of it all being connected was too much. Now he cursed himself for his own idiocy, seeing what should have been obvious. If Rex had pushed harder, if he had fought alongside Fives or continued the search after his death, would that have been enough to prevent this madness?

After their escape, finding out news while evading any attention had proved difficult. They knew the fighter they had would be flagged at any Imperial  controlled port, but they needed fuel and to confirm how widespread the Order was. Ahsoka had held on to some small semblance of hope that it wasn’t as bad as she feared, but Rex knew better than to hope. He knew what it was like, to lose control of his mind and identity at a simple phrase. He saw how it instantly changed the brothers he was with and he knew there was no chance any clone could fight it.  Once they had finally landed on some asteroid fueling station, the news was so much worse than they had feared.

Rex had never seen Ahsoka so broken as she was when they saw the news about Senator Amidala’s death. Ahsoka had been muted when they were burying the dead from the Venator, devoid of emotion in a stoicness that fit what Rex knew of the Jedi and how they dealt with grief. But when the report about Padmé played, it seemed to break the thread that had been holding Ahsoka together. She burst into tears, a wracking sob  shaking her entire body, and Rex knew it was more than just from her closeness with the Senator, for he knew that if Padmé didn’t survive, that meant Anakin was gone too.

The final blow was the news broadcast they caught of the Jedi Temple, with smoke billowing from its great towers as the reports broke about the Jedi’s treason. Ahsoka had to watch her old home burn, and Rex watched in muted terror, keeping himself together so it wouldn’t be worse for the kid, but the only thing on his mind was Talia and praying to things he didn’t believe in that she had somehow made it out. 

When Ahsoka asked if they could go to Naboo so she could see Padme’s funeral procession, he couldn’t find it in his heart to tell her no, even if every bit of reason in him was screaming that it could only be a bad choice. He cursed himself even more for letting her go alone, but as a clone he couldn’t blend in. So instead, he kept watch, left alone with his own thoughts as he tried to avoid glancing back up at the palace too often, because it reminded him of a night a lifetime ago, and the woman he met there.

Half the reason Rex was in such a haze was because his thoughts were filled with Talia. When he had been under control of the chip, he had not been Rex anymore - he was CT-7567. But there had been a small portion of his sense that tried to force its way through, a dull nagging in his head. He couldn’t make it out, it was like a rustle in the wind on the back of his mind.  Through the haze of trying to accomplish his mission, to follow the order to execute the Jedi, images of Talia kept entering his mind. The second he woke up after Ahsoka had removed his chip, and he realized the implications of what had happened, those images were brought to the forefront as he feared for Talia. But he couldn’t dwell on it then, he had to focus on surviving. But she was in the back of his mind the whole time, that fear plaguing him whether she was fighting in the same way he was that very moment. Or had it been quick, had she not even noticed before anything happened?

No, he couldn’t think like that. Rex shoved those thoughts deep inside him, because if he dwelt on them too long then the air was too thick and he wouldn’t think of anything else. He would think of the images of the Temple burning, of the Emperor’s speech about how all Jedi would be hunted down, and he would think about how all the messages Rex had tried to send her had gone unanswered.

Ahsoka’s figure appeared out of the darkness, slowly walking back towards Rex and the ship. She didn’t say anything, and he wouldn’t probe her and  ask about it. They had agreed it would be safer for the both of them if they separated soon, rather than risk attention by traveling together. Rex didn’t like thinking about the kid on her own in the Galaxy, but he already had plans in the works that he knew she didn’t want to be a part of and he didn’t blame her. She had fought enough. He had agreed to take her to Naboo, just to make sure she was OK on an Imperial controlled planet. He would drop her off after, but before he did, they had one more stop.

Waves crashing filled Rex’s ears, the thick smell of salt water lingering in his nose. It was hotter, more humid than when they had been here, something that would have been unbearable when they were stranded. In all honesty, at first it was hard to tell if this was the same island; Rex had charted the planet after they had been rescued, but its surface was littered with many similar atolls and sandbars that disappeared as they were covered by the tide. But as the fighter approached, Rex could see the shuttle still crashed on the shore, only in a further state of disrepair than what they had left.

Its durasteel floor creaked under Rex’s footsteps, the hull was weakened by rust and damaged from their original crash, plus the repeated bashing of waves. Barnacles and other traces of ocean life had left their mark in the shuttle, with a coat of sand and grime lingering over what was once a well-engineered shuttle in the Separatist army. Rex approached the cockpit, stopping as he examined the scorch marks still visible from when he had to cut the door open. The cockpit was in equal ruin to the rest of the shuttle, its controls long lifeless and stripped for the communicator they had made to call for help. He glanced at the wall where he and Talia had first kissed, where he had first lost control and plummeted headfirst into their reckless, beautiful, tragic love affair.

Rex exited the shuttle, trudging through the ankle-deep water back to shore. Ahsoka stood in the distance, giving Rex his moment. For what, he didn’t even know. He had avoided her gaze when they first arrived, and just like he didn’t probe her after the funeral, she asked no questions now. Rex supposed she had a feeling there was more to this visit than pure sentimentality, and he guessed a part of her had always known that his and Talia’s relationship went beyond a soldier and a general. 

The beach held no signs of the camp they had set up, it had been washed away by weather and the sea, no memory of what had been. As Rex stood alone, he wondered if he was the only person left in the galaxy who this insignificant spot held any memory for.

As his vision fogged, he wondered why he had bothered to come here, as if he was expecting Talia to be waiting along the shoreline, ready to meet him like they had promised the last time they were together. But that was a promise for a different outcome, a different galaxy. He had hoped being here he could somehow feel her presence, and know she was out there, but he felt more blind than he ever had in his life. And the words ran through his thoughts, words he didn’t want to think but were becoming more and more real by the minute.

Was she gone? Was Talia dead?

He didn’t know whether to scream or cry. He kicked the sand at his feet, a fruitless attempt to get out the rage and frustration festering in him. He fell to his knees, eyes locked on the horizon as he watched the sea, swallowing thickly as he failed to hold in the tears that cascaded down his cheeks. He had done well, holding it all in through everything, but coming to the one place he associated so heavily with Talia, where the memory of her took over his mind, broke him. Half of him wanted to take on Palpatine himself, to seek revenge for Talia, his brothers and all the Jedi. But then another part of him wanted it all to be over, for his fighting to be done. He had done enough of it, and what good had come of it?

Rex wiped his face, and breathed in and out, placing his palm on the ground and clenching his fist around the sand. He had come all this way, for what? To be with the ghosts of his past, of Fives, Jesse and Talia, all whose deaths could have been prevented had he been a stronger man?

He reached into his belt, dug in the pocket of his pouch and pulled out the thin silver chain with the coin-like pendant, his thumb gliding over the raised bumps and lines etched into it. In his hand was the last thing left of her, the only tangible proof that she had been real. Rex considered burying it in the sand, the only memorial that she would get. But he couldn’t find the strength to let it go.

 Should he wait? Spend the rest of his days on this beach, motionless as the galaxy spun on, just for the chance that she might arrive one day? Rex almost chuckled as he imagined how frustrated Talia would be at him if he did that, that she would roll her eyes and make a comment about his stubbornness. Then she would flash him that teasing smile, with that steely glint in her eye and say, “You can’t give up on me that easily, can you?”

The sound of the waves was rushing over him, a faint line of pink tinting the sky as the sun began to set. They had been so close to having it all, so close to finally starting a new life without the war and a hope for what they could really be without all the obstacles around them. Instead it was the end of everything. But as much as his muscles ached and urged him to rest and to grieve, that wasn’t in his nature. As Talia always liked to remind him, he was too stubborn for that. 

Rex collected himself and pushed up from the ground, clasping the chain around his neck; now it wouldn’t matter if anyone saw him wearing it. Sitting in his grief wouldn’t bring back the brothers he had lost, but he could do something for those still out there. And Talia…the harshness of reality had already settled in his mind, but he had to still fight for her, had to believe she was out there. She had survived more hells than anyone should, but he knew she had more fight in her. If anyone could have made it out, it was her. That’s what Rex told himself as he approached the fighter.  Rex still had some fight in him, and he would fight till the last breath to take back what the Empire had stolen from him.

--

Author's note - so how much do you hate me lol.

I know what you're probably thinking - 'wtf iris where's the rest of it' 'how dare you'' 'WHAT ABOUT THE MAUL SUBPLOT??" and to which I say - all will be answered in time. But I really wanted to thank you - because anyone reading this note is someone I basically owe my life to. When I was a kid, I used to write little flipbook pages and had a mini dream of being an author one day. That dream got kicked out of me quickly just through my own insecurities because I would try and write in middle school and hated every word. Then during covid, I was binge watching the clone wars and rebels and reading fic and thought "hey, what the hell why don't I give this a shot" and the ideas of Talia and Rex were the first I had, even before I was publishing any other fics. I posted other ones as a test, just to see if anyone would even bother to read and I was always so lucky from the beginning to have such fantastic support. Some of you have been here from the beginning, some have joined along the way, and you've all been so patient and understanding as I've dealt with blocks. It's cliche but I could not have finished it without having y'all around. I've cried reading some of your comments, and have been so touched when some of you have messaged talking about how much you've connected with Talia. She's so personal to me, I really have a part of my soul in her and I was terrfiied that people would hate her but the responses to her have been so positive and I can't express how much that means to me. I also got so much more love for Storm than I was expecting (but I guess I shouldn't be surprised because who doesn't love a good clone captain) but I also am so sorry to y'all. I won't leave y'all hanging long, in fact things have been in the works for awhile (in fact I was more hyperfixated on those things and that's why finishing this felt so long).

Taglist: @djarrex @justanothersadperson93 @paige6768 @saltywintersoldat @clonecyare @dinner-djarin @whore4rex @swlover2187 @collectoroffics @pinkiemme @twistedstitcher27 @frietiemeloen @a-c-lee @ashotofspotchka @galacticgraffiti @itsagrimm @rexandechosandwich @immortalhdx @queen--kenobi @stankferrik @aquaamethyst96 @mavendeb @alwayssnivellus @rain-on-kamino @staryskyforever @amyroswell @lucyysthings @manqoz @ilikemymendarkandfictional @punkpirate82 @paperplanes221 @saturnsokas @starstofillmydream @wild-karrde @purgetrooperfox @sleepingsun501 @burningfieldof-clover @seriowan @samspenandsword @sunshinesdaydream @ariadnes-red-thread @babygirlrex0504 @arctrooper69 @cw80831 @dhawerdaverd

[happynowyo]

Reflection, part 3

Fandom: Six of crows

Warnings: Kaz Brekker and everything that goes with him

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x Shadow Summoner!OC

Summary: The long-awaited meeting finally happens and Jess is left with choice between what's good and what's right for her

Word count: 2,5k

Tag list: @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy, @valkyrie05x, @parabatai-winchester, @footydais, @valeridarkness

Part 1, Part 2, Part 4

Inej, as the stranger introduced herself, turned out to be part of the Crows, who operated under Kaz Brekker's command. Jess didn't know him, but she'd heard his name dozens of times in the couple of hours she'd spent near the town square.

The guy was a legend among the criminals of Ketterdam, and for some reason she was not surprised that Nina was among his gang. Her passionate nature and love of adventure were bound to lead the Heartrender to something like that.

Jess made good use of her time before they reached the Crow Club, so she managed to get Inej to talk a little and find out details about their activities. The short story about the Crows being involved in the recent events in the Fold and helping Alina made her feel a little more sympathy for them, and judging by the respect shadowed on Inej's face, it was mutual when Jess shared a reciprocal story about helping Alina adapt during her first months in the Little Palace. Her heart was warmed by the pleasant thought that Alina had quietly and peacefully left after the big fight and, as Jess hoped, remained safe.

The memory of her father sent a wave of shivers down her skin, tightly concealed by a black suit that looked more like a man's, but Jess forced herself to clear her mind. In the darkened room with dozens of candles, where there was a cacophony of chatter, laughter, shuffling cards and clinking glasses, her whole body tensed, and her grey eyes scanned the space for nearby exits and guards with a practiced reflex. Inej's smile came out almost modest, but the pride in her eyes was too expressive. Whatever was going on in the Crow Club, that place meant a lot to her and all the other Crows.

Jess straightened in vain to regain the feeling of unshakeable confidence that had left her the moment Baghra had caught her in the bedroom with the story of the Black Heretic and told her to pack her things in a hurry. Everything that had been so dear, so ordered and familiar, had turned to dust, become another shadow, and the new reality still seemed too hostile and unsafe. Jess guessed that the illustrious Kaz Brekker would be a tough, brutal, cold-blooded and damned smart guy as everyone talked about him that way.

What would she offer him in return? What should she even ask him for? Nina was a part of his team, and Jess was definitely not in a position to run anywhere else on her own. She needed some company and support, but the Crows weren't an innocent group of interest. Being an old friend of Nina Zenik wasn't enough to stay with them, and that realization pierced through her, but all despair was instantly displaced when a familiar voice reached her ears.

— Apple pie!

God, Jess had once hated that nickname and had even fought Nina over it a couple of times, but now it sounded like a compliment from heaven. So familiar, in fact, that it brought tears to her eyes for a second.

It wasn't hard to spot Nina at the bar — the bright red hat on her head caught everyone's attention. Jess shortened the distance between them in two great steps, and Nina's warm embrace enveloped her like a fluffy blanket, bringing her joy and relief. Glancing over her friend's shoulder, Jess glimpsed those who were keeping her company — the tall well-built Fjerdan, whose surprise was most noticeable at the moment, and the same couple she'd spotted on the street. A dark skinned guy in a large-checkered jacket standing next to a slightly younger man with exceptionally lively facial expressions and dark hair sticking out amusingly in different directions.

— Am I still dreaming or is it really you? If I am, I hope the next moment a million kruge will fall on me and I'll never have to look at the horribly tasteless suits of these drunks again, — Nina's chirping voice reflected genuine hope, but Jess knew her too well to lose sight of the unease that lurked between the lines. — I'm so glad you finally ran away out of there! How long have you been staying…?

— Ran away? You look too good for someone who has been a prisoner or a hostage. You should have seen how beat up I was when we crossed… — Jesper had the audacity to interrupt the conversation, but quickly cut himself short when Wylan elbowed him lightly in the side with an evident hint. The crowded Crow Club definitely was not the best place to talk about the Fold.

Jess looked around confusedly, trying to find even a single free meter of space, and Inej understood her without a word, gently pulling her to the side and nodding to the left side door. Behind it there was a storeroom with boxes of liquor that stood in almost endless rows, and that's where Jess finally was able to be alone with Nina, having the relief of a semblance of silence.

She could see her friend more closely now, noticing that the years that had passed had added her some beauty and brought certain maturity. Nina was no longer that funny reckless teenager who'd helped her steal Tidemakers' notes or with whom they'd sneaked into the kitchen after lights out when their teachers prohibited them to be at the dinner as a punishment. Jess couldn't wait to talk to her friend about everything that had happened to them in the past few years, but first she had a much more pressing issue to deal with.

— Had Brekker really seen Alina? — she didn't doubt the truth of that statement, but she needed to hear it again to really believe it. Had Kaz seen her father? Had he watched the greedy gleam in the dark eyes of the one with whom she shared blood and power? Jess's gaze ran inquisitively over Nina's face as her palms gripped her shoulders tightly.

— Yes. I swear I was sure he was kidding me, but it was the truth. He snuck into the Little Palace with Inej and Jesper, actually you could have seen them there, during the ceremony.

Jess nodded automatically, hardly giving these words any meaning. When Aleksander stood beside Alina in front of the king and the mass of guests, she was too busy following the tracker Mal and helping Baghra get Alina out of the palace in the safest way possible. Though now she could fully recognize the irony of the situation. She could have escaped even then and ended up in Ketterdam the same way.

— Do you feel something? That connection you had with your father, can you use it again? Everyone says he died in the Fold, but you know that the Darkling is the oldest and the strongest among us. Is that why Baghra sent you here? What happened to her?

Nina was gabbling, caught in apparent excitement, and it made Jess smile fleetly. It was just like the old times.

— Baghra stayed at the Little Palace, but I don't know for how long. We heard the news and she decided we had to play ahead. If my father is alive, he will come for me. For both of us, — the thought of having to kill again for someone else's revenge and pride disgusted her, but the fear of Aleksander's anger was much stronger. — I need to hide for a while. Is Kaz Brekker really as powerful as people bubble on the streets, or should I not expect to sleep peacefully at night under his patronage?

— Kaz is a stubborn cruel weirdo, but he knows his business and he is the smartest man I know. I'm sure he can think of a way to keep you hidden while you're here. He helped me to get Matthias out of jail, even though he doesn't stop poking me about it every time he gets a chance, — Nina rolled her eyes with a chuckle and touched Jess' wrists carefully, making sure not to touch the bare skin near the edge of her jacket. A matter of habit still, no different even after these years. — You could have been a great addition to our team, you know? Any heist would be hundred times easier if we had your shadows at our disposal. But I know it would put you on the trail quickly if anyone outside the Crow Club knew about your abilities.

— Well, I'm still good with knives and hand-to-hand combat. It never hurts to have extra hands, does it? Where can I find Brekker?

— He's locked himself in his office. Opposite door on the right. Maybe I should talk to him first? He always seems indifferent, like he's doing you a favor by listening at all, but you can count on him if you can get him interested.

— You've already done so much for me, Nina. I'm glad you're okay, honestly, I was worried you might have gotten into trouble. Grishas were looking for you after you ran away, my father made sure of that. But now I have to learn to take care of myself, without him or Baghra. I'll find you later, okay? And, Saints, don't call me Apple pie in front of the others, it's outrageous!

Jess laughed briefly and placed a light kiss on Nina's cheek before she slipped out of the storeroom first. The cheerful mood was immediately replaced by the background anxiety, and every step to Kaz Brekker's office seemed long and exhausting, testing her to the limit. The rumors she had heard were enough to know that the Bastard of the Barrel was capable of any cruelty for the right price, and he could easily pass her off for a big sum as the Darkling's daughter or as Grisha with a special talent. He could not be trusted, but Jess had so much fear inside that carrying it alone was utterly unbearable at that moment.

— Jesper, I asked you to be at the door, should I say it in Kaelish or Ravkan so you'll get it sooner?

A harsh bark came from a guy with dark neatly tucked back hair. The sharp cheekbones and dark circles under his eyes from the lack of sleep were the first things Jess managed to notice, stoically holding back the barbed comments. Kaz was literally buried under a mountain of sheets and didn't even deign to look up at the guest, absolutely certain that an orderly tone would suffice.

— Ravkan works fine for me, but I'm surprised the famous Bastard of the Barrel has time to study languages in the midst of constant scheming and eliminating rivals, — her voice remained very formal, scrubbed of any emotions, but there was some amusement dancing in her grey eyes for a second. That only intensified when Kaz Brekker finally looked up, unable to instantly hide his surprise.

— Reception hours are long over. I don't recall seeing you before. How did you get in here?

— Inej brought me. I'm a longtime friend of Nina and I wanted to talk to you about a deal. I need some protection and anonymity, Nina said you were the best candidate in Ketterdam. That you know how to stick to your part of the bargain.

The stranger's businesslike tone didn't fool Kaz. She was clearly desperate or she wouldn't have come directly to him. It was the first time he'd heard of Nina having friends from Ravka, but his first instinct reminded him that she only knew someone in Ravka because of the Little Palace. What were the chances that Grisha came to him so freely? Other people's secret past interested Kaz very little, but he was curious about what he could get in return for his services.

— What about your part? There are many ways to save someone's life and many corresponding risks, — in another life Kaz might have been a great honest merchant who would never miss out on a good deal. But in that life his brain had already begun diligently calculating his options. He thought of the ship's departure schedule and went over the names of loyal Dregs he could have let go as an escort for a while. But his guest's reply threw him off balance, sending a questioning wrench into his eyebrows.

— I want to stay here. At the Crow Club or wherever you all live. You're one of the most dangerous men in Ketterdam, but more importantly, you're astonishingly clever. The closer I am to you, the more chances I have of safe few months. Besides, I missed Nina a lot, we used to be a good team.

That was pure insanity — that's what they both thought at the same time. She assumed Kaz was so powerful and yet did she naively believe that he would let some stranger be in his way every day?

— What will happen next? In a few months? Will you go back to Ravka or go somewhere else to find another fool? I sense a catch before I even know the details.

— People don't seek protection for nothing, Kaz Brekker. You may have forgotten the feeling, but some of us still fear for our lives when someone threatens us. After a while the situation will become clearer and I can either go back to Ravka or escape to Novyi Zem or Shu Han to steer the danger away and keep you out of trouble because of me, — Jess replied more sharply than she had planned and sighed deeply, dabbing her gaze into the left dark corner where shadows appeared for a moment threatening to grow bigger.

It wasn't safe to stay in Ketterdam. If her father remained alive, he would come here, and neither Kaz Brekker nor all the Saints would save her. But she still had the illusion of freedom, the illusion of choice, and she clung to it as best as she could. Her palm dipped into the deep pocket of her jacket, and the next moment Jess carefully set down an exquisite necklace of weighty emeralds braided on a gold chain on the table in front of Kaz. The yearning squeezed her heart at the memory of how Aleksander had given it to her two years ago.

— It is an old relic from a previous royal dynasty. From the Little Palace, if you care for details. You can sell it for about three hundred thousand kruge if you find some good trader. Would that be a decent payment for you? — Jess was tormented by the feeling that she was selling herself at that moment. As well as her attachment to her father, her hope and her fond memories. There was a grim determination on her face, and she knew she wasn't going to leave that place without Brekker's consent. Unfortunately, he understood that, too.

— You said you and Nina were a team. What can you do? You don't look like a Heartrender.

— Name at least three other Heartrenders, besides Nina, that you know.

— You are too straightforward. Inferni? — Kaz leaned back in his chair more relaxed and twirled the necklace thoughtfully in his gloved palm. He wished he had been able to bring the trophy back from the Little Palace, so now he was pleased to see such a piece. Especially with such a high value, that he got for nothing in essence.

— Keep guessing, Kaz Brekker, but know that I prefer not to use my powers. They will lead me into troubles. But I can fight and use knives. I can help you with your dirty business so I don't have to sit here with boredom though your team looks pretty packed as it is. How'd you get that big guy, by the way? He looks like a Fjerdan and he's a long way from home then.

— Nina brought him in and I was quite satisfied with his service. Perhaps it will be the same with you.

Kaz's lips curved slightly in an approving smile, and he stood up, showing that they had come to some conclusion after all.

— I'll think about what you can do for the team. There's a spare room on the third floor at the end of the hallway in the Slat, near Inej's. Welcome to Ketterdam, …?

— Oh, it's Jess, sorry, — she caught her breath and finally introduced herself with a playful curtsey. It was hard for her to stop the rush of joy, as now she was given a chance to have some real peace and a possible occupation beyond her endless paranoia. — You won't regret it, I promise.

Part 4

[jollybone]

I made a MK11/ old timeline version of my Lin Kuei OC Crow :)

He's second-in-command of the Lin Kuei and Sub-Zero's loyal advisor.

[twstfanblog]

*~RSA Is Weird~*

A/N The starter for my first little series! I'm going to make one for each dorm and their respective 'Weird RSA kid' The first one will be Neige, and I will try to get that one up tomorrow.

Warnings: She/They Yuu OC, Swearing

Pairings: Platonic Crowley & Yuu

Enjoy~!

~I Own Nothing~

Hope you guys enjoy~!)

Starter, Part 1 (Pomefiore), Part 2 (HeartsLabyul), Part 3 (Diasomnia)

The headmaster’s office felt both the same and very different. Surprisingly the wreckage of the castle barely reached the area. Crowley’s office was basically untouched from the disaster of the end-of-the-year ceremony. The bare bones remained the same, but now the walls were filled with photos upon photos, some Yuu had taken herself, and the classic photos of the Great Seven. Some looked to be far older, one had a student who looked suspiciously like Crewel covered in mud and glaring at the camera. Another had who Yuu assumed to be Trien napping in what she thinks is the rose maze in Heartslabyul, a kitten Lucius curled in his lap contently. They wanted to ask where Crowley even got the photos, wondering if he had used the Ghost camera before dumping it on them. The rug once plain was full of woven patterns and shapes. If she looked long enough she’d find a new object in the mess of colors and lines.

Crowley’s desk had survived, not so much as a nick on the polished wood, surprisingly filled with paperwork for once. But they were most pleased with the newest additions of multiple matching end tables and various lengths of seating for the office. Yuu sat in one plush armchair, newly tailored school uniform along with an official Ramshackle armband around her bicep. She sat sideways in the chair, legs crossed and dangling off the side as she twirled a tuff of her wolf-cut hair, looking at the fae organizing the papers in his hands.

"Tell me again why the fuck we're doing this?" 

Crowley sighs, looking at Yuu with a pitiful pout. The crow fae bent across his desk slightly to make sure she could see his face, "My hatchling, so rude to me. This event is to show the people of Sage Isle that their donations have gone to good use! Not only has our campus been restored, it's been improved!"

"..." Yuu stands, walking to an open window in a calm manner. They take their time, pulling back the curtains of the room and looking out to the campus before turning back to Crowley, "Where!?"

"Child." Yellow eyes lock onto her, the silent command of ‘Enough’ heavy in the air.

Rolling her eyes, Yuu moves back to her seat, grabbing her cup of tea from the end table and raising her brows in a mocking tone, "Dad."

The severe presence Crowley had instantly evaporated, the fae smiling slightly and letting out a soft coo before clearing his throat. Crowley's bouts of seriousness used to make her uneasy, but with how many times she's been graced to peak behind the headmaster's elaborate play of personality, she was able to tell when he was bluffing or actually serious. Bluffing could be sassed still and was easily broken with paternal acknowledgment. Luckily Crowley hasn't felt the need to be truly sincere since the campus was destroyed.

Yuu sipped at her tea, thinking back to before the summer break. The whole mess of Grim's overblot and just how badly the campus was affected before they beat him, how badly everyone was injured in the fight. Not to mention-

Crowley's gold-tipped fingers snap her out of her thoughts. His masked face looking at her in mild annoyance, "Hatchling, did you hear a word I said?"

"...No." Turning away to sip her tea, unbothered by Crowley groaning and standing from his desk.

"As I was saying. This is a way to show the people of Sage Isle their donations have gone to a good cause -blah blah blah-” Crowley was suddenly right beside her, bright yellow orbs glowing in an almost manic glee to match his fanged smile, “-But! I’m also using this open house week as a way to rub it in Ambrose’s face that Night Raven is still standing!” He stands up straight, mumbling under his breath about the other headmaster and pacing in a tight circle in front of her.

Yuu was well aware of what was ruffling his feathers. Night Raven had to put a hold on new admissions for their next school year since the campus was destroyed and under reconstruction. Not to mention the pocket dimensions and classroom expansions he had to weave. Seeing how the current students of Night Raven had made the choice to simply repeat a year, dorms were bound to be cramped when the new students appeared. But Crowley having to actually do his job for once wasn’t the cause of his mood. It was Ambrose the 63rd himself. Seeing how the other headmaster “dared” to offer a place at Royal Sword Academy to Night Raven students if the campus wasn’t completed in time for the new school year.

Now, Crowley needed to swing his newly built dick around as a show of dominance to the friendly old man. But it was none of her business what helped him sleep at night.

She checks herself back into her crow guardian’s rambles, muttering into her cup of lukewarm tea, “What fucking family is naming their children Ambrose sixty-three times?” “EXACTLY! It’s so stupid…”

“So why are you making this my problem then?”

Crowley stops his pacing to lean into her face, a smile on his lips, “Well, every good event needs a planner, dear. Since I am your humble father-”

“Don’t call yourself that-”

“-Your most humble, caring, gracious father, I will be handling the final stages of planning. I just need you to do rounds during the week and make sure no one is dying on campus.” He uses a single clawed finger to poke her nose, his smile growing seeing her fight off her own grin at the tease, “I paid good money for that new pavement. Can’t have it all be stained with blood before the school year starts…”

“Wasn’t your money but go off, dad.”

---------------------------------------

And that's the start! Pomefiore is first and the chapter is almost done. Here's hoping I can get it done and posted soon.

Thanks for reading!

[masterjedilenawrites]

Thank you for the tag @dragonrider9905! 🤗

Rules: Make a new post and post the latest line of your WIP. Then tag as many people as there are words (or as many as you feel like).

I haven't done a WIP Wednesday in a while so I'll play along with this. Here's what I've got brewing these days...

#1

Somehow he'd scrounge up enough credits to get you a nice room on a safe planet.

Cal fluff anyone? 👀

#2

"Ready to jump into hyperspeed, on your command," nodded R.J.'s co-pilot,

... aaand I don't have a name for R.J.'s copilot yet lol 🤦‍♀️ But this is for my OC clone unit, the 116th battalion (and no matter how many times I type that word I always spell it wrong 😩) Anyone got name ideas for me??

#3

The bottle went back into the cabinet and she turned around before the door fully swung shut so she could avoid that damned mirror again.

Speaking of OCs, I've got 122 total words written for a sequel to The Sniper & the Medic that I've been wanting to write since forever! Yay! (But also, poor Joan, as you'll one day see whenever I finish and post it)

#4

The success of your unit will determine the course of your future. Any defeat, any grounded ship or lost body, will have accompanying repercussions. You may find yourself feeling more like a prisoner of war than you do currently. Do I make myself clear?

Multiple lines, sorry, but too good to not post the whole section. For the next part of Broken Wings, where Thrawn acts like a bully to mask his crush 💙

Not tagging anyone because I've been lazy all day today and it's a miracle I even got this post put together 😅 But I'd love to see lines from anyone's WIPs so feel free to tag me back in your own posts!

[starlightsuncrow]

momo, can you come collect your beastie

[simping-overload]

【𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐘𝐓𝐄𝐒】

FALLING LEAFS. 𑁍 I'm back! Sorry for being inactive yall also requests are open! This is a multi chapter project, each character will have a chapter of their own! They will be linked !! I also posted this one my ao3

FLOWER POT. 𑁍 amir(oc?), other characters but the main cast is not mentioned

GROWING VINES. 𑁍 SAGAU(Self Aware Genshin AU), God! reader, gn reader, they/them used

FALTERING SOIL. 𑁍 cult behaviors

ヾthis is a multi fandom blog that is designed for mlm/nbmlm identifying readers! so if you're female or fem alligened(she/her, she/they) please do not follow or interact with my mlm related post!! you will be blocked if you do not heed this warning ゛

| DAIN |

You adored your acolytes, seeing them scurry around like worker bees; making sure everything was perfect and cleaned even if you hadn't asked, it was quite adorable. Even more so when they get flustered from even the smallest praises.

So you figured after long months of their hard work and great development of all the nations, you'd take it upon yourself to host the largest feast that Tyvet will ever see. It took months to prepare, and even though you tried to keep it secret, someone told and the news spread across the nations like wildfire. Even worse it was the main headline for the Steambird Newspaper for not just weeks but months leading up to the celebration.

You look down at the scurrying servants placing the food onto the tables in the ballroom and court yard. You were glad that both areas were stupidly large enough to hold an excess amount of people. It should be able to hold up around a wholes nations worth of a people with how large it is. You're greatful of the architects of this palace.

Every citizen of nations, far in wide is coming to this party. The Tartista calmed the blizzards and even the Riden Shogun to the storm over the seas.

The preparations were almost done, just a few more tables to set and chairs to place. Soon the restless crowd outside the palae will be allowed to eat and drink to their hearts desire.

The sound of heels clacking broken you out of your thoughts. You turn your head to the source, it was Amir, your head male servants hosting stunning amber eyes and slicked back brown hair, he was quite the handsome servant one of your favorites to be around.

He bows his head, "Your Grace, the preparations are complete, shall we open the doors?"

You nod your head, grinning to say you are proud of your staff is an understatment. "Yes. You did an amazing job Amir. Also the suit looks good on you; I'm glad I chose the right one." Your eyes, graze over his body the suit amplified every curve of his body just like you intended, you love showing off how beautiful your servants are.

Amir blushes a deep read, his eyes avoiding yours, "T-Thank you, your Grace." He stammered out. You chuckle, turning away from him looking down at the other servants, who wait your command. "Open the doors! And please watch where you walk I don't need you getting trampled."

Soon after the large doors are pushed open and poors in the largest crowed of people you've ever seen. It wasn't long before the room was filled, and there still was a line of people out the door and in the court yard.

You wait as everyone gets settled before making your decent down the stairs and to the podium, with Amir trailing behind you. Entering the ballroom everyone notices you immediately, your extremely lavish clothing making you stick out like a sore thumb, one could save it was even more lavish than the nobles from Fontaine.

Everyone makes way for you, automatically getting on their knees in a bow. It used to be embarrassing when they did this but after all these long months you are far more used to it. They don't even rise when your reach the podium, waiting for your signal too. You sigh looking down at the speech in front of you. Public speaking was never your specialty.

You clear your throat, "Please Rise. I gather you all here today in thanks of all of your hard work and deviation. Also as a thank you for welcoming back into Tyvet with open arms. Granted the change was.. difficult to adjust too, I am grateful towards you all for making it far easier to digest. This party is in honor of you all, a thanks from me to you. So take this time to relax from your daily lives, so drink and eat until your heart contents!" You finish off with a smile, your acolytes stare in awe for a few seconds before somone jumps in excitement, "Whoo! Let's enjoy this party to the fullest everyone!"

Everyone follows in suit cheering and scattering off their own little groups. You let out a sigh a relief that the majority of the party eyes are finally off of you. Eyes looking over the crowds, you...

[my-favourite-zhent]

get to know your tav!

I was kindly tagged by @voloslobotomyservice, tysm <3 <3

Here is Isolde(she/her), a human rogue, she's a little different than her incarnation in New Tricks who is a more fully fledged OC

what is your tav’s…

favorite weapon?

daggers all the way~

style of combat?

very cloak and dagger, she likes to creep around for that sneak attack damage, will use a bow if necessary

deepest desire?

to get to know a certain zhent a little better

guilty pleasure?

reading dirty novels, she puts fake textbook covers on them so no one suspects

best-kept secret?

the topic of an archaeological research project she's been working on~

greatest strength?

clever tactician, likes to set up the battlefield to her strengths

fatal flaw?

entirely too empathetic and trusting, gets taken advantage of more than once

favourite scent?

vanilla

favourite spell/cantrip?

misty step (she has a cloak that can cast it)

pet peeve?

mispronunciation of loan words

bad habit?

tends to mouth off without thinking when she's mad

hidden talent?

she can fluently read in a few dead languages

leisure activity?

reading about ancient civilizations, especially Netheril

favourite drink?

plum prosecco but she loves anything sweet (do not let her go to the mermaid!)

comfort food?

grilled persimmon and burrata

favourite person(s)?

Shadowheart: They both have hedonistic tendencies and sharp tongues so get along famously

Gale: Another person to nerd out with over history

favoured display of affection?

physical affection, cuddling among other things

fondest childhood memory?

befriending a wild crow with an injured wing

anything else you’d like to share?

Isolde fics:

(NSFW/MDNI)

Worthwhile Reward (a Tav Isolde)

New Tricks (Rugan centric fic with fully OC Isolde)

No pressure tags @fistfuloftarenths @thisaccountisagainstmywill @littleplasticrat @oldanimefan @captainsigge @commander-krios

[artzzyb00-27]

Forged in Honor{Leon x OC}

What if Mulan met Merlin? What if she fell in love after losing someone special in battle? What if Camelot made peace with an old enemy who took pride in aligning themselves with dragons and magic? Lance lives because, fuck canon.

After the defeat of Morgana and the disappearance of Mordred, Arthur and Gwen branched out to other kingdoms. Once Merlin was appointed Court Sorceror, he began arranging peace meetings with magical kingdoms previously at odds with Camelot. A kingdom called Bugai, East of Camelot and Essitir's borders.

Sending out a message via crow, Merlin was able to contact the ruler and bring him to Camelot. Bringing only a small elite task force. Merlin kept having to remind them that in their culture their names were said in Surname, first name order, so they had to be respectful.

When the task force and regent arrived, they arrived in style. The warriors were mounted atop giant lizards that were taller than horses, and the Oxen in front pulled the carriage carrying the royals. They wore armor made from black metal with red touches on the rims. The metal wasn't smooth either, it was ridges that formed patterns into them. The carriage looked small but it had an enchantment that made it bigger on the inside.

"Your majesty, I hope your travel went well. I know it's a long journey from here to Bugai." Arthur greeted bowing his head in respect. The man in front of Arthur was older and walked with grace. However, he didn't wear formal robes, he wore similar armor to his warriors, and underneath appeared to be what seemed peasant clothes to them. Though they looked nicer than the commoners in Camelot wore.

"It was indeed. I rarely leave the palace walls, so I ensured to be accompanied by the best. My warriors have seen combat in many forms. They train rigorously, sometimes I think I'm too hard on them." A warrior came up to the Emporer and spoke.

"Your majesty if you ever lighten our training, I will skin myself." The Emperor chuckled and gestured for the person next to him to introduce themselves. As the person did, they faced Gwen first and bowed. Then to Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights standing on the left of their royal couple.

"No need for bowing here, after all, we plan to be friends. You can take off your helmet if you like." The warriors behind the pair obeyed and walked off to where the servants of the Citadel asked them to but the one here in front looked hesitant. The Emperor nodded his head encouraging them, which finally pushed them to do so.

When they removed their helmet, or, her helmet, the eyes of the knights, Merlin, Gwen, and Arthur widened. Her hair was in a braid with golden pinches onto it and her ears were adorned with small earrings.

The warrior noticed and she and her noble laughed. Her smile showed the perfect teeth she had.

"I understand the confusion, my voice isn't exactly feminine. It goes against most things in our culture."

"One of the things my royal council refuses to change. Thus I offered her this position. My second in command. Though young and beautiful, Fa Mingzhu is one of the most talented fighters of our people."

"He likes to flatter people. Like right now, he only sees the good."

"Some might say that's a strength," Merlin spoke bringing the attention to him. "Emperor Zhao, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet the legendary Emrys. Though Mingzhu tells me your name is something else." Merlin nodded and blushed slightly. The way the Emporer spoke felt like a warm hug from an old friend.

"Merlin. I apologize on behalf of our own Court Sorceress. We needed someone to stay behind and look after the kingdom, being the Emperor's niece makes her knowledgeable to run it like how his majesty wants to." Nodding his head Merlin held out his hand in the attempt of handshake.

Something she returned with a soft smile. It was now that Merlin realized how short she was.

"Please let me introduce you to our most notable Knights of the Round Table. Sir Leon, Sir Percival, Sir Elyan, Sir Lancelot, and Sir Gwaine." The men greeted and bowed their heads slightly but a certain knight caught her attention.

"Sir Leon, was it?" The man froze, not knowing what to do. He had been staring at her since the moment she dismounted her lizard. More so when she took off her helmet and when the Emperor explained a portion of her tale. Blinking nervously, Leon answered her question.

"Y-yes, my lady." The Knights next to him either looked away, bit their cheeks, or smiled smugly looking at the scene in front of them.

"After Merlin reached out I learned everything I could about Camelot, including its protectors. It impressed me how you've stood by King Arthur. You're very honorable, a trait well respected where I come from." Though she complimented him, he couldn't help but get lost in her eyes. Unlike him, hers were a dark shade of black that with the rays of the sun made them look like small galaxies waiting to be defined.

Her hair looked matted in some parts but it didn't matter. He wondered how she ever was able to make something that looked complicated, appear so simple on herself.

"Well, thank you. I'm ashamed to say I don't know anything about Bugai but I would love to learn." This very clearly made her happy, shown by the small dimples at the side of her lips when she smiled brighter.

"Mingzhu! I need you here, Merlin wants to discuss something. You can challenge them to a fight later." Flustered at her majesties chastizing she gave one last look at Leon through her lashes and ran off to catch up with her Emperor. A snort of amusement broke Leon's gaze from her.

Snapping his head to the far end of the lineup, Gwaine was looking down attempting to hold in a laugh. Poorly might I add. Leon gave him a strange look and continued to follow the others with the knights behind him.

"She seems intriguing," Elyan said making Leon hum in response. She seemed like her own writer of the story. Decisive, intelligent, delicate, firm, efficient. Remembering the sheath at her side, Leon wondered how well her dueling skills were. He was also interested in how they varied in regions, seeing as the Bugainians had a different style of life.

"Very beautiful for a woman in her position," Gwaine inquired to no one in particular. The vivid image of her face and the small scar on her face came to Leon's mind. The baby hairs dangled on her front from being shaken out of place from removing her helmet. Her stature was quite amusing to him, she was a small woman but had the presence of someone like Percival.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" Liars, all of them. Especially Gwaine.

"Never mind, meet in the courtyard for training around noon."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

After meeting with councilmen with the three present rulers, which was just a waste of time if you asked Mingzhu, she took to sitting at a window still looking out onto the citadel, The village was drastically different. She missed the lanterns that would hang in every archway outside and the dragon statues that paid respect to their protectors. They couldn't bring them close into the city as a safety precaution so Mingzhu had to part with her companion.

"Are you alright?" A familiar voice behind her asked. Turning her head she saw Leon with a concerned smile. Ming gave a small side smile in return and shifted her body to face him. He then fully leaned on his left against the wall to attempt a casual conversation.

"Missing home I guess. It's not often we leave our land. Let alone this far." Leon blinked for a minute then smiled fondly.

"I've only read a bit about the architecture, is it true you have multiple statues of dragons?"

"Yes! They are wonderful," Ming sighed at the memory leaning against the wall now standing in front of Leon. Who was listening to her passionate description of the art but found himself staring at her eye expression. They found a sort of spark when speaking of the carvings imprinted on some of the statues to represent the creature's spirit.

"I admire your passion for the subject." Ming turned her head to glance for a moment, smiled, and then looked down the hall in front of her.

"Enough about my life, I want to learn about Camelot! What's your favorite food to have here?" Leon looked up with contemplation.

"I'll admit, nothing comes to my mind other than chocolate cake." Ming laughed a bit and Leon chuckled. It felt easy to speak with honesty to her. A wave of comfort that not even Arthur could provide.

Perhaps them both being in similar positions offered that likeness and available bridge to bond.

"I've had chocolate cake before, but I'm curious to see if it's any different from the one here. I should get some for my fellow soldiers to try."

"Perhaps the cook can make some for tonight? The King wanted to greet you all with a feast to celebrate your arrival. With both common and noblemen."

"That's very generous of him. Tell him I said thank you." Leon nodded, but then an idea occurred to him when her shadow moved into a specific location. Shite, it was noon. He'll possibly never hear the end of this.

"Uhm, perhaps you can thank him yourself. I have training with the other knights soon and the King as well. I'm sure after the meetings he'll want to relieve stress." Ming sighed and rolled her eyes with sass.

"Believe me, I need it too. Well then, lead the way." Leon wanted to offer his arm to her but thought she wouldn't take it. He also wanted to respect her status and simply led her along to the training grounds. Where the Knights of the Round Table were, along with Arthur, Merlin, and Zhao. He'll never hear the end of this.

"Leon! You're late for training! How odd," Never. Leon sucked in a breath of apology as Ming walked over to her ruler and spoke with him about joining in on training. Walking over to them, he glanced behind him and caught Ming staring at him. She smiled and looked down quickly, averting her gaze back to Emperor Zhao.

"Ahem," Turning back to his companions, he recognized the looks they were giving him. The same ones he gave Lancelot a fortnight ago at the tavern when a maiden approached him.

Oh dear.

He shook his head and walked into his place, awaiting orders from Arthur. Stepping in front of them, Arthur spoke as Ming walked over and stood next to Leon. He smiled at her and paid attention again.

"I realized that Bugai has an art of fighting that has not been seen or used here in Albion. So Emperor Zhao and Mingzhu will demonstrate. They will challenge us, two verse two. All for fun, nothing serious. After all, this is a learning experience," As Arthur explained, the men ordered themselves in two lines in front of the two warriors.

Mingzhu had undone her braid and turned it into a ponytail. For whatever reason, Leon didn't know, but somehow it made a chill go down his spine.

"Ready!" Zhao said as they both got into position. Lancelot and Gwaine went first. They had put their swords down to make it even but it didn't matter. With swift blocks and kicks at their legs to lose balance the two knights fell to the ground. Gwaine taking the hardest beating.

Pair by pair, the knights were beaten. Percival had been defeated by Ming fairly long due to struggle against his strength. That quickly turned into his weakness as she used it against him. Being more agile allowed her to roll to the side and throw his balance off with a swish at his calves.

Then it was Leon and Arthur against Zhao and Ming. The two leaders began right away while Leon attacked Ming at the side. While he wanted to hold back, he wanted to see how she fought when under certain attack.

Attempting a hit at her side, she blocked it and gripped his forearm. Quickly placing her opposite leg next to his, she used the momentum to flip him onto the grass. Landing with a thud, Leon felt a foot on his chest causing him to look up.

"Not much of a fight Leon." We'll see.

Grabbing her leg he pushed it off and kicked the other one causing her to fall. However, she regained footing on her hands and was able to throw herself up and do a flip landing on her feet. The knights and Merlin wowed and shouted in excitement.

They couldn't dream of doing techniques like that with their heavy armor. Looking to his right, Arthur had just been defeated so it meant Leon was the last one standing. This time Ming ran forward first and when Leon went to block, she faked out and flipped him over by grabbing his forearm again.

For a small woman, she had a lot of muscle on her. His fellowship laughed a loud and congratulated Ming. Leon began to sit up when he saw a hand in front of him.

"Almost."

"Almost, next time I'll be victorious." He laughed after accepting her offer and stood up.

"Maybe tomorrow, after I look forward to trying that chocolate cake with you." Smiling looking her up and down Leon heard someone call her name and watched her run off. Walking up to Arthur he found the King smiling.

"It's a good thing I allied with Bugai."

"Indeed, their combative strength will aid us in battle."

"And allow people for courtship opportunities." Leon choked on his water, spitting it out in the process.