#secondchancescrossover

[swtorramblings]

Second Chances-4: The Root of the Problem

Root instructing Claudia in her new reality, while the Machine watches, by @fleeting-sanity​.

Second Chances chapter list

Claudia shattered the Staff of the Sun Elves, denying its power to her father, and has found herself in another world, a strange world. Our world. A world with its own dangers.

The calculations were out of joint. There were always unexpected events, anomalies, but these were unprecedented. The Machine had no numbers, no predictions, no way of calculating their impact.

She predicted, though, that it would be severe. People don’t suddenly appear without being significant. The only real question was whether their effect would be positive or negative.

She was in the middle of a call. She didn’t really want to end it, but there was work to do.

“Sorry, sweetie, I’ve got a job. You’re probably going to be busy, too.”

She disconnected, then thought about what she would say, how she would present herself, and left the apartment. It probably didn’t matter, this number was a wild card, there was no way to plan around her, not really. Still, the video showed she was confused, but curious. Perhaps eager to learn. She might be able to work with that.

She’d have to hurry, there were already reports going to the police about the odd girl, she’d be picked up soon.

---

Claudia was still staring at herself in the glass when she heard the strange sound, a kind of warbling scream. Then she saw the flashing lights down the great road as the, what were they? Carts? Carts would do. Magical carts swerved around the corner and moved toward her.

Then came the voice. “Run, girl! Run, you can’t let them catch you.” She looked around, trying to find the voice. There was no one on the street, but there was a figure in the glass now that hadn’t been before, pointing towards a nearby passage away from the crowd, away from the smoke spewing things speeding by. Away from danger? She couldn’t be sure.

She ran where she was shown, just as the carts pulled up nearby. She heard what had to be doors opening and a good deal of shouting from behind her. Then the voice again. “Fifth door on your left, fast as you can.”

She glanced over her shoulder at just the wrong moment, tripping into a metal cylinder filled with waste, her tattered robes now soaked with filth from what spilled out. She got to her feet and began counting the doors.

She got to the door and pushed it open, ducking inside and closing it behind her, locking it with the voice’s help in the dark. She heard the, she supposed, city guard in the alley, searching. Then they were at the door.

“Oh, don’t worry, they won’t come in unless you give them a reason to.” She opened her mouth to answer, but the voice shushed her, so she sat alone in the dark. She felt like crying but didn’t. She couldn’t, not in front of the voice. Below the voice? Behind the voice? Whatever.

She woke with a start. It was quiet and even darker. The much had dried, leaving her robes and hair a sticky mess. “OK, it’s dark, the police are gone, are you awake enough to move?”

She nodded, wondering if that was enough. It was. “Good. Do what I tell you and soon you’ll be safe. Safer, anyway. And maybe you can get clean.” She followed her benefactor’s instructions. She could see it was nighttime, and there was less activity, but it was still bright enough to see clearly, strange torches hanging overhead.

This was all she had wanted. For humans to have the power of magic. This was good, wasn’t it?

Soon, she was directed to a rusted metal gate. She pushed it aside and stepped through.

A woman appeared at the door ahead, beckoning her. She spoke with a familiar voice. “I thought you’d never get here.”

Claudia stepped toward the stranger, looking for a trap, not sure she cared if it was one. She was tired and lost. But she finally asked, not who are you, but the more important question. “What do you want with me?”

“Oh, I don’t know yet! It’s exciting, isn’t it? But come inside, we went through a lot of trouble to get you here.”

Claudia stepped inside. There wasn’t anything else to do. “Why do you have the same voice?”

The woman grinned. “That’s complicated. It’s my voice. Could you hear me?”

“Yes?”

“Great! Let’s get you cleaned up, get you some fresh clothes, and then we’ll talk.”

---

Claudia came out, cleaner than she ever thought she would be again, soap and hot water and something called a luffa washing it all away. The clothes were comfortable, maybe a bit itchy. She went and sat and waited for the strange woman.

“Hey, there, girl,” she said with false cheer. She seemed friendly, but Claudia found something there that frightened her. “You can call me Root, and you’re messing with our algorithms.”

She blinked, hesitated, and all she could say was, “What?”

“This is going to take a while, isn’t it?”

“What’s going to take a while?”

“Your education.”

She thought that sounded like a challenge. “I’m a fast learner.”

“You’d better be.” Root gestured at a slender piece of metal on the table nearby.“This is for you.”

She picked it up, examined it, and found it unfolded, revealing a set of rune-carved keys on one half, and a flat surface of some sort on the other. “Some sort of puzzle? A way of doing magic in your world?”

“Magic? Some people think so. I hope you can do better. You can hear her, so we can work with that, but hope is never something to count on.”

And then Claudia began to learn a new magic, indeed, but not Dark, instead  made of points of light.

[swtorramblings]

Second Chances-9: Nothing is Ever Just Right

Azula art by @fleeting-sanity​.

No Lionel art. I’ll think about it, but he’s not really central casting, is he?

Azula and Lionel have a talk about her room and board arrangements.

Note: Azula does deride Fusco for his weight.

“Will you stop fussing? So you hit me. I was going to do worse to you. Get over it.” He sighed. “I’d love to do that. You can take care of yourself. But they want me keeping my eye on you.” “They know you won’t beat me again, right?” He chuckled a bit. “Yeah, they know. I think they just know I can take it until someone else can help.” “Take what?” “A beating.”

She looked up from this “microwave” thing, was the noisy box really cooking her food? “And you’re all right with that?” He shrugged. “Nah, but I’m used to it. And I volunteered. Sometimes all you can do is put your head down and plow through. I’m good at that.” The oven gave a long whine. “Whatever. What now?” “It should be done. Check it to make sure it’s cooked.” She pulled the little box that said macaroni and cheese out of the microwave and yelped. “Ow! That’s hot!” “Well, yeah, what did you expect?” “I don’t know, you told me about it, but I don’t think I believed it. And I never used to get burned.” “Things change, kid.” Azula gingerly peeled back the top of the package. The contents looked disgusting. Some kind of noodle, covered in yellowish slime. She dipped a finger into it and tasted the paste. It was what she expected, and she made a disgusted face. “Yes, but some changes are intolerable.” She still started eating, though. She was so hungry it barely mattered, and it started tasting a little better as it cooled. She was going to need to get used to worse than this, she was sure. In between mouthfuls, she said, “I don’t know what it is, but you remind me of someone. I don’t like it.” “Oh, you’re breaking my heart, kid.” “It’s not your shape. Well, it’s not just your shape.” “Big guy, was it?” “Pretty big. Like you. Rotund. Corpulent.” “Yeah, I get the idea.” “But that’s not it. You don’t look like him. You don’t talk like him. He likes to sound wise, and you don’t even pretend to be.” “You’re just making me misty, now, I can’t stand the compliments much more.” “That won’t be a problem! But you’ve seen things, haven’t you? And done worse. You’re not here because you’re a good person. You’re here because you’re a bad one.” She paused, grinning to herself. “I never realized that about him.” “Yeah, you’re very smart. Are you done yet?” “Oh, I could go on for hours!” “I mean with your food.” She looked down and saw she was. She really had been hungry. She still was, but the edge was off. “Yes. I don’t think I want any more of this slop right now.” “It’s what we’ve got.” “The cry of those not born to rule.” “Sure, you’re a princess. This way, your majesty.” She raised an eyebrow at the sarcasm, shrugged, and followed him down the hall. “Looks like you’re down to two rooms, that one’s taken.” “What’s the difference?” “Not much. That one has a window, I think.” “Then it’s mine, I do love the sun.” “Great, go ahead. You can lock the door, there are some clothes, just don’t leave. And there won’t be a mint on your pillow in the morning.” “Why would I want a … You know what, forget it. I’m going to get some sleep.” “Sure, princess, you do that.” She closed the door, shutting him out, and true to his word, there was a working lock. But they had to have the key. That thought stayed with her, but she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore. Too much had happened in too short a time. She sat at the edge of the bed, and almost immediately felt herself falling into the too-soft mattress. And then there was nothing but darkness and strange dreams.

[swtorramblings]

Second Chances-10: Three of a Kind

Header art by @fleeting-sanity

Fusco has shown the alien trio some card games, and they are sitting at a small table in the lair playing one evening when things take an odd turn. By this time, they know a little about one another (which is why Azula makes the comment about Dark Magic). This may be developed later, or it may not.

“You do know he only showed us this game in order to distract us?” “I know, right? Does he think we’re stupid?” “I don’t care why he taught us this, I just know that I will destroy you both and prove myself superior.”

Vaylin and Claudia sat and looked at her for a moment, then at each other. Finally, Vaylin grinned and said, “A girl after my own heart.” Claudia was more cautious. “Only if she can have it on a spit, I think.” Azula laughed. “Oh, come now, out of the three of us I’m not the one that’s eaten people.” “What are you talking about? I never ate anyone!” “No, you just used their parts for power.” “That’s not the same thing!” Vaylin interrupted, still looking at her cards, her yellow eyes studying Azula over them. “And why isn’t it?” Claudia put her cards on the table and stood, turning away from the others. “I only did what I had to do. For my family.” “Ha! Family. You’re better off without them.” “She’s right. All they do is hurt you. Cage you. Make you do what they want.” “Well it’s a good thing none of us have them anymore, isn’t it?” They all looked down for a few moments, and Claudia found her seat again and picked up her cards. Vaylin said, “Fine, let’s finish this hand.” “Oh, you’ll be finished all right, just wait.” “You can’t bluff me, you know.” Azula grinned again. “No?” “No. I’ve gotten much better at controlling this ‘empathy’ I have in this world.” “Really? Well, that will be very helpful! It’s a shame that right now I have five of a kind and have been downplaying it the whole time so you’d bet all your chips.” That’s what they’d been playing for. Small discs of plastic of several colors. They’d started with the same number, and so far, none of them had made much progress taking the other two’s. Vaylin’s eyes widened at this statement. Azula absolutely believed what she was saying. She hesitated, almost folded, when Claudia said, “You can’t have five of a kind. You can only have four. We’re playing with one deck and no one can have more than four.” Vaylin glared at the youngster, embarrassed that she’d nearly fallen for the obvious lie. Azula just shrugged and leaned back in her chair. “It’s a gift.” Another round, more chips in the pot. Claudia spoke next. “What did you mean? About family?” One of Azula’s eyebrows rose. “Are you trying to distract us?” “I don’t care about the game! It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a distraction. But I do want to know what you meant. Why do you hate your families?” Silence again for a few moments. It was Vaylin’s turn to bet, and she matched it, put down her cards, and stood up, beginning to pace as she spoke. “My father was a monster. Powerful, almost inhuman. Oh, he put on a sort of charm and pretended to care. Maybe he even did at times. It didn’t matter. My brothers and I were a lot like him. And he used that to destroy us all.” Azula snorted. “You don’t look destroyed.” “You don’t think so? No, I escaped, but the last thing I remember from that life was fighting my surviving brother, and dying to his ally.” “Oh, please, you can’t expect us to…” “You died?” Claudia seemed willing to believe it, oddly. “Oh, yes, cut down by the one my brother and mother allied with.” “But, why?” “Oh, I was trying to kill them all.” Azula said, “Oh, now it’s finally interesting!” “Why would you try to kill your own mother?” “No question about my brother?” Claudia just waited for the answer, not looking away even though she obviously wanted to. “All right. She betrayed me. She let him do terrible things and stood aside. And then, too late, she finally came for me, but that just made me hate her even more.” “But she did come for you?” Vaylin shrugged. “Yes, I suppose she did. And then she spared me when I was at her mercy.” “She shouldn’t have done that,” Azula put in. “What, you think she should have killed you? Your mother?” “It’s what I would have done.” Azula was studying the older woman. Finally, she said, “No, it isn’t. But it’s what you wanted.” Then it was Vaylin’s turn to laugh, a sound even more unpleasant than when Azula had. “Maybe. Maybe I never wanted to be saved, and only wanted my story to come to an end in a way I chose. And I couldn’t have even that.” With that, Vaylin returned to her chair and picked up her cards. “Are we going to play or not?” Azula also matched the previous bet, and then put her cards on the table and stood, too. “Oh, you want my sob story, like hers?” Vaylin said, “Not really.” Claudia just shushed her. “Fine.” “I’m not like you. My father thought I was his perfect daughter, his perfect weapon. I had everything. I was born to rule and given everything I needed to. And I had power of my own. Yes, my mother thought I was a monster, but I was, so that was all right. And my father loved me.” “Did he?” Azula glanced back at Vaylin. “Shut up. You don’t know anything.” “Sounds to me like she hit a nerve.” “Fine. Yes, he gave me everything. As long as I was perfect. As long as I was better than my big brother, the coward and loser of the family. Lucky to be born, he said. And then, when they all left me, my friends, my brother, then he left me too. Satisfied?” “Where was your mother during all this?” “Oh, she left. She did something terrible and left the palace. Probably the kingdom. To protect him, never me.” Vaylin tapped the cards against her chin. “You’re slipping. And you’re leaving something out.” “Nothing important. It was a lie, anyway.” Claudia tried to be gentle. It used to come more easily, she thought. “Then it won’t hurt to tell us.” Azula hesitated another moment, then threw up her hands. “All right. I thought I saw her. Just before the end. It was in a mirror, and I broke it and she was gone. And she said she loved me.” The other two young women looked at each other, then at Azula. Claudia thought maybe she should get a hug or something. No one moved, though. “But it wasn’t real. Just wishful thinking when I was at my worst.” She plopped into the chair and snatched her cards off the table. “It’s your bet, Clauds.” Claudia flinched at the nickname. What her brother had called her. “Well, I never hated my family. They never did me wrong. I didn’t think so, anyway. Then my brother left.” Vaylin looked at the ceiling. “Well, of course he did.” “It’s not the same! He was right.” Azula said, “Oh, it might be the same, then.” “Dad was going to destroy him. Turn him into a monster. He couldn’t let that happen. And I should have gone with him.” They just nodded in reply. Vaylin said, “Yes, we probably should all have made better choices. Some of us didn’t have any.” Azula put in, “Or at least we didn’t think she did.” To which Vaylin just smiled again and shrugged. Claudia was about to say something else, but then it hit her. She stopped and said, “Wait. You both have older brothers?” Vaylin nodded and tilted her head. Azula said, “Yeah, what of it?” “And fathers that did you wrong? Manipulated or hurt you? Lied?” Now everyone in the room was fidgeting and uncomfortable. “A brother that you were expected to be better than? But maybe weren’t?” With that, there was silence for two long minutes, until Claudia finally finished. “Mothers that left you behind?” Azula and Vaylin just seemed thunder struck, and sat while Claudia looked from one to the other. Vaylin finally swallowed, and said, “We matched your bet. Show us your hand.” Claudia looked down. She hadn’t even remembered what she had. Oh, right. She fanned her cards onto the table. “Three queens.” Because of course, it was. Vaylin smiled and put the cards face down and said, “Beats me.” Azula considered. She’d palmed several cards, and had what Fusco called a royal flush. But she also put her cards face down and said, “Good game.” Claudia almost let out a small squeal but stopped herself before gathering up the chips. “Wait, aren’t you supposed to show me your cards?” Azula was next to deal and had already begun shuffling the cards. “You won, isn’t that enough? Let’s play another hand. Maybe just play the cards than the stories of our lives this time?” Vaylin smiled. “No promises.” Claudia said, “Where is the fun in that?”

Later, Vaylin was back in her room. It had gone better than expected. She’d found out more about them than they had found out about her, and the two of them felt closer than they had. Azula being able to fool her senses worried her, but she had to concentrate to do it, and she just had so much rage and sadness. Claudia continued to be an open book, a very dangerous but very open book. She was sure she could handle them if she needed to. The three queens had even gone well. Azula wasn’t the only one that could manipulate the cards. She would not be a tool for anyone ever again. If this Machine and Shaw thought otherwise, they were going to have to think again. She searched her own feelings, the only ones she truly could never sense. At least, not with her powers, just in the usual way. She could still deceive herself. Was she growing fond of the youngliungs? Just because they were so like little sisters? Of course not. She needed to stop being ridiculous.

[swtorramblings]

Second Chances-8: Is This The Real Root?

Claudia and Root by @fleeting-sanity​, bad mashup by me.

Or just a fantasy? Claudia has realized something strange about her benefactor and decides she should talk to her in private.

Claudia was first to pick a room for herself. She didn’t really want to hear any more of what the others were discussing. She knew she would stay here as long as they’d have her, though. It didn’t matter to her what the others did. And she really didn’t like this Vaylin, or Azula. She didn’t care for Lionel, either, for that matter. Sameen? She wasn’t sure. She knew, though, that she needed some quiet. And she had to talk to her imaginary friend.

“I thought you’d never get out of there.” “I don’t understand, who are you?” “I told you, I’m Root.” “That can’t be your real name.” The older woman smiled. “Oh, it is. It’s the name I picked for myself. But if you want something else, you can call me Samantha, I guess.” “All right, Samantha, what do you want with me? With all of us?” “Really? That’s your first question. Not, ‘Oh, Root, why can’t they see you?’ Or maybe, ‘Oh, Samantha, why are you in my head?’” “This is more important. And I’ll figure all of that out. But I need to know what you’re planning. I won’t be used again.” “You might. Figure it out, not be used. All right, you’re here because we want to help you.” “What do you get out of it?” “Peace of mind?” “Right.” “I mean it. Oh, we’re not just being kind, but you three are confusing us. And you’re all dangerous. We want to keep our eyes on you. But we’ll help you as much as we can while we do it.” Claudia bit her bottom lip and thought about that. It looked like she was coming around, a little. “All right, thanks for telling me the truth.” “I’ll never lie to you.” “When you say ‘we’, you’re not talking about the others out there, are you?” “Oh, I am, but not just them.” “Who else is there?” “Oh, dear, all the other Roots. The Machine has run millions of simulations, and I usually die in them. I sacrifice myself for someone else I think is more important than me.” “Really?” “Ridiculous, isn’t it? Or, maybe ironic. I’m not sure. Or I died alone because I didn’t change enough, or because I made a mistake. So many ways to die, it’s a dangerous world and we do dangerous work. But all of those simulations left traces, they’re all still there, all me but a little different, because they made slightly different decisions or had things happen differently.” “So, what, you’re one of these simulations? An illusion this Machine talks to me with? Is the real Samantha dead?” “Maybe! Or I’m just not there and am talking to you through the Machine. She always did like me. That’s why in the simulations where I die she takes my voice” “But she has your voice. Your voice was the one in my head.” “Interesting, isn’t it? I told you it was complicated.” “Why not just tell me?” “You’re a smart girl, what do you think?” The girl looked thoughtful. “Because it would put you in danger?” “Good! If I’m alive and out there, somewhere, I may not want anyone to know it.” “And if you’re not, if the real Root died and not in a simulation, then I’d know you’re a box in a room somewhere.” “Could be.” “Does Sameen know?” “Shaw? She might. She’s not like us, not quick in the same way on a lot of things. But she’s perceptive, and she pays attention to people. But whatever she knows, whatever my secret is, she’ll protect it.” “Why?” Root got a faraway look in her eye, almost wistful. “The Machine isn’t the only one that was fond of me.”

[swtorramblings]

Second Chances-7: All Together Now

Sameen Shaw (Person of Interest) bossing the Girls around by @fleeting-sanity​.

The strange visitors have all been successfully rounded up, and now they need to have the situation explained to them clearly. Preferably, without any overt threats, but that’s still on the table.

Azula was still glaring at Fusco from where she sat on the broken-down couch, but she still took the ice pack from him, looked it over, and put it over her bruised face. “Don’t think this means I forgive you,” she said.

“Look, kid, I said I was sorry, but you were about to put me on the ground. Or under it.” She smiled at that. He was afraid of her, just a bit. It was comforting. Claudia was typing on the laptop she’d been given, having to concentrate to get every key. Anything she tried to do this way took forever, but she was still learning quickly. The Machine had decrypted Vaylin’s stolen phone and given her an account using it. She was reading about the world, the city, whatever she could take in about what had happened to them. That’s what the three newcomers, and Lionel, were doing when Shaw arrived. She looked the three of them over, mainly the two she hadn’t met. The youngest, the one Lionel had been sent for, looked up at her and smirked a bit. “I like the hair.” The girls’ own hair had been inexpertly cut, maybe it had been similar? “Thanks.” She looked over to Lionel. “You weren’t supposed to fight her, you were supposed to talk her into coming with you.” He snorted and waved his hand at the girl. “Tell her that.” She was still smirking. Shaw decided to let it go for now. “OK, Vaylin I’ve met, what are your names?” “Azula.” The other one, the one with the half-white hair, didn’t notice, she was too focused on the computer in front of her. Just like a kid with a new toy, one they were still learning to use. Shaw walked up and tried to get her attention, without touching or startling her, and she finally looked up. “What? Did you say something?” “Hello. I’m Sameen.” “Oh. Claudia. You wanted my name?” “Thank you.” Vaylin finally joined in. “What did you want with us?” "Me? Nothing. But you’re causing a friend of mine fits.” Azula lowered the ice to look at her with both eyes. Fusco really had hit her hard. “Who, us? Three sweet girls? How are we doing that?” Sweet. Sure. “We’re not sure yet. Where are you from?” “Zakuul.” “The Fire Nation.” “Hmm? Katolis.” Claudia continued hunting and pecking, but she was listening, now. “I haven’t heard of any of those places. I doubt you’ll find anyone else here has, either.” Lionel said, “So, what? You’re saying they’re aliens?” “Like I said, we’re not sure. Whatever you all are, you’re a complete unknown. No records, no way to predict what you’re going to do. Or what will happen to you because of it.” Vaylin shrugged. Azula said, “And that makes us useful.” The youngest of them jumped straight to that conclusion, like a strategist. Or someone who had been hurt and was protecting herself. Or both. “Maybe. What you are is dangerous, though. We don’t want to see anyone hurt, and we don’t want to see you hurt.” Vaylin’s turn, it seemed. “You know we won’t be the ones that get hurt.” “Anyone can get hurt, even you.” Now Vaylin grinned. It wasn’t like her distracted smile in the park. It was an unpleasant sight, with no warmth or humor. Like a great cat baring her fangs. “How true.” “But you’re still more worried about everyone else than for any of us, aren’t you?” “You two? Maybe. She seems harmless,” Shaw said, waving at Claudia. “Not really.” Claudia folded the laptop and set, almost primly, her hands folded over the machine. “Give me time. I’ve lost everything, and I’m not going to again.” The other two looked at her, theat n each other. “I think I like her,” Azula said. “All right, it sounds like you’ve all been through a lot. We have rooms and beds for you, the bathroom’s down the hall, and we have a little kitchen area with some frozen food and a microwave.” “A what?” “A machine that heats our food.” Azula looked a bit wistfl, but got up to see what this “microwave” was all about. Claudia stood, put the laptop in a bag at hewaistte, and headed toward the bedrooms, not waiting for directions. Vaylin just kept grinning up at Shaw. “What?” “You’re fun.” “What do you mean?” “You can’t hide what you are from me. If we turn out to be any kind of threat, you will kill us. Well, you’ll try. And it won’t bother you at all.” She gestured to the kitchen where Fusco was showing Azula how to use the microwave. “Well, maybe the others, just because they’re so young. But you’d probably do it, and you’d shoot me without thinking about it.” “And you don’t like that?” “Don’t be ridiculous! We’re a lot alike. I don’t feel bad about anything I’ve ever done, and from what I’ve seen, I’ve done worse than you can imagine.” “I don’t know, I can imagine quite a bit.” “Maybe, but you’re stuck on one world. I ruled a galaxy.” She looked down, then. “Briefly.” Shaw paused. “I see. And you’re telling me all this to make me trust you?” “I’m telling you all this so you won’t. You think I’m mad, and maybe I am, but it’s more fun if you know what you’re dealing with.” “OK, you read people well, what about the others?” “Oh, Azula is angry. And maybe a little afraid. But mostly angry. Claudia is sad. She meant it when she said she lost everything. And she’s distracted by something.” “Am I supposed to believe that you, what, read minds?” “Oh, no, that would be so boring, wouldn’t it? Knowing not just what people are feeling but what they’re thinking? No, I just can feel what you all feel, sometimes. And you’re all very, very dangerous. Even Fusco.” “What do you mean, ‘even Fusco’?” “He’s what, average, isn’t he? Mundane. Ordinary. A soldier fighting a war that he doesn’t completely understand. But he’ll still fight it, and if he needs to be, he’ll be ruthless about it.” Vaylin paused. “But you know that already, don’t you?” “He’s not a nice man. He never has been. Maybe he’s better now, and I guess I trust him, but he’s done things. And he doesn’t feel all that bad about most of them, either.” “And he feels bad about hitting someone that was trying to kill him? Really?” “Was she trying to kill him? He said she stopped.” “Did he? Well, I’m not really sure. I don’t think she cared if he died, though.” Oh, this was going to be fun, wasn’t it? “Right, and Claudia? As long as you’re being so free with everyone’s feelings?” “I don’t know. She’s not like Azula, she’s holding things in much better. I think she’s learning very, very quickly, though. If you don’t want her to be dangerous, you shouldn’t have given her the datapad.” “The what? Oh, the computer?” “As you wish. She has no idea what it is, she’s never seen anything like it, and she still almost has it mastered. She’s lost in it. Watch that.” Two kids and this twenty-something empath, all of them deeply troubled, all of them very talented, all extremely dangerous. And the Machine couldn’t tell what they were going to do, couldn’t advise her how to handle them. But it still called her in to help, what, wrangle them? Use them? Train them to be more agents? But that wasn’t it, was it? None of it. The Machine didn’t want them used. It wanted them helped. It called Shaw because she was like them, because she could maybe give them the understanding they hadn’t had in their lives before now. And it knew she would realize that. And it knew she would do it. She hated being manipulated like that. But she wanted to be here. And it knew that, too. She looked down and Vaylin was grinning at her again. “I was right, you are fun.”

[swtorramblings]

Second Chances-6: Found Girl

Azula hanging out on Earth by @fleeting-sanity​.

The last to be brought in by the Machine’s least likely agent, Fusco tracks down Azula. The only encounter that actually ends in violence, so content warning.

Second Chances chapter list

Fusco had quit. He couldn’t be a cop anymore, even a bad one. At his worst, on the take, he’d still thought there must be good ones out there. Somewhere. He’d just given up on ever meeting one. Maybe he still thought that, somewhere deep in his gut. But when he started really working for the angels, really wanted to help people, he found being a cop just didn’t work for that. Not for him.

The rules made it easy to hurt people. They got in the way of helping them. He wasn’t a big thinker, he’d like nothing better than to hit the problem until it wasn’t one anymore, but he did wonder if that was on purpose.

He’d kept the cell phone, though. He kept it charged. And money appeared in his account every now and then. Enough to keep him going, anyway. He was spinning his wheels, waiting for a call, but it was better than working for anyone else.

He was just thinking, maybe he could do private work. Smile. Make nice. He could do that, right?

The phone rang. “Oh, thank God.”

---

Azula was still looking up at the buildings. Out on the water, she’d seen immense ships that put the new Fire Nation vessels to shame. And they were just for cargo. What were this world’s warships like?

And the wonders didn’t stop. The buildings were just as impressive. They looked like they must touch the sky, and hundreds, no thousands of people were bustling through them. And the vehicles, belching smoke, sped by, sometimes seeming to barely miss the people walking alongside. It was noisy, and dirty, and it smelled bad.

It was beautiful.

“Hey, kid.”

He was a big man, with a stained coat, short hair, and an ugly face. He didn’t look like much, really. A petty thug that if he was going to cross her, was out of his depth.

She wasn’t afraid of him, so she smiled at him, that smile that had scared off men like him all her life. “And what do you want?”

He didn’t seem impressed. That was a new feeling. “Me? Nothing. I just have friends that want to talk to you.”

“Oh? Tell them to come themselves, then. I’m busy.”

He shrugged. “Sure. Where can we find you?”

“I’ll find you. How hard could it be?”

He smiled a crooked smile. “Hey, you’d be surprised. Maybe you should just come with me? Save us all a lot of grief?”

“I don’t think so. And you’re starting to bore me.”

“I’m a boring guy. And you’re a little girl on your own in a big city.”

“Is that a threat?”

---

Fusco thought about that. It did sound like a threat, didn’t it? What was Root thinking, sending him to talk to this kid? Him, of all people? Was she that desperate?

“Nah, not a threat. Not from me. But you’re in danger, yeah. I’m just trying to help you.”

She scowled up at him. “Then stay out of my way.”

She turned to walk away, and he got ahead of her. “You should think…”

She punched him three times in the gut before he could blink, and he barely got his arms up to protect his face and throat in time to stop worse. He had some trouble for a bit breathing while she took more free jabs at him. It hurt, a lot, but he was used to pain.

“Look, kid, what are you, twelve?”

“Fourteen! What does that have to do with anything?” She was barely breathing hard.

“I’m not going to hit a kid.”

“Good! Put your arms down so it’s quick.”

“You’re crazy, kid.”

That seemed to get her, and she stood back a bit, did what looked more like a dance move than anything else, but ended that throwing one last punch. It came so fast, it made him blink. When he opened his eyes, her fist was two inches in front of his nose.

He didn’t know why she stopped. He knew he had to stop her from trying that again.

He’d done worse. For less reason.

---

The big man flinched as she prepared to blast him off his feet. She’d had enough. Maybe he’d live. She didn’t care.

She finished the technique, willing the blue flame from her fist.

Nothing.

She said, “Oh, right, the firebending's off.”

That’s when a fist the size of a small cabbage knocked her off her feet, and everything went black.

---

Fusco looked down at the girl. Fourteen? Where did a fourteen-year-old learn to fight like that? She hadn’t even been trying, and she was about to cripple him. If she hadn’t stopped, he’d be the one on the ground.

And what the hell was firebending?

The phone was ringing again. He pulled it out and answered, hearing a stream of criticism from the other end.

“Yeah, but… I know… I know… I didn’t want to, but… Yeah, OK, I’ll bring her.” She wasn’t happy that he’d knocked the girl out. He wasn’t happy about it, either.

He checked her over. Nothing looked broken, but the bruise was already forming over her right eye. He’d have to get her some ice. Was raw meat still a thing? It probably wasn’t a thing.

He looked around, saw that no one was nearby, and put her over his shoulder. He made sure to stick to the shadows as much as he could, and got her back to his car.

The Machine had better be paying overtime for this one.

[swtorramblings]

Random Lines: Cabbages

That’s when a fist the size of a small cabbage knocked her off her feet, and everything went black.

[swtorramblings]

Random Lines: Why You Are Here

Two kids and this twenty-something empath, all of them deeply troubled, all of them very talented, all extremely dangerous. And the Machine couldn’t tell what they were going to do, couldn’t advise her how to handle them. But it still called her in to help, what, wrangle them? Use them? Train them to be more agents?

But that wasn’t it, was it? None of it. The Machine didn’t want them used. It wanted them helped. It called Shaw because she was like them, because she could maybe give them the understanding they hadn’t had in their lives before now.

And it knew she would realize that. And it knew she would do it.

She hated being manipulated like that. But she wanted to be here.

And it knew that, too.

[swtorramblings]

In Second Chances, I gave a low-level superpower to Vaylin and Claudia, ones that felt right in the story I wanted to tell with them. I originally wanted to give Azula something similar, some subtle ability that gave her some kind of edge. It was one of several things that delayed continuing to write that story.

Then I remembered Day of Black Sun and realized she simply doesn’t need one.

[swtorramblings]

Vaylin. Codename: Lydia.

Claudia. Codename: Cruela.

Azula. Codename: Bangs.

[swtorramblings]

I posted 649 times in 2022

297 posts created (46%)

352 posts reblogged (54%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@swtorramblings

@jarael

@theacedumbass

@fleeting-sanity

@gffa

I tagged 176 of my posts in 2022

#vaylin - 47 posts

#tirall tuesday - 30 posts

#secondchancescrossover - 12 posts

#swtor - 11 posts

#ffxiv - 10 posts

#azula - 9 posts

#anon vaylin - 8 posts

#vâkarra&vaylin - 6 posts

#vâkarra (someone else's oc) - 6 posts

#kira carsen - 5 posts

Longest Tag: 105 characters

#even if the jedi were somehow justified in story it's because someone thought 'evil race' was a good idea

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

37 notes - Posted January 6, 2022

#4

Incorrect SWTOR quote:

Theron: What’s that? Lana: It’s my disguise. Theron: But I can see your face. Lana: Not when I do this (holds scarf over face).

46 notes - Posted March 2, 2022

#3

OK, don’t blame me, I hadn’t seen this one until today, but good grief, it never ends, does it?

73 notes - Posted June 2, 2022

#2

I’m always glad to see that we of Tumblr SWTOR players are united in our hatred of one Skadge.

113 notes - Posted January 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

It’s always weird to me when I see someone talking about PC “traitors” to the Empire.

The Inquisitor who started as a slave.

The Agent who had their mind altered without their knowledge.

The Warrior whose master tried to have them killed, possibly getting their own romantic interest to attempt it.

The Empire betrayed me first. I make no apologies for turning on them.

I don’t recall the Empire betraying the Bounty Hunter, but they’re an outsider to begin with, so it isn’t betrayal, anyway. I could easily be forgetting something.

208 notes - Posted January 13, 2022

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