#so saber would have a master worthy of her

[monstersqueen]

....why. why archer. why are you like that

[grilledcheese-savage]

Ahsoka Episode 7 Spoilers

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Some stuff I need to get off my chest before I forget

- Sabine using the blaster and the lightsaber at the same time is so reminiscent of season one Kanan and Ezra using his first lightsaber.

- Sabine telling Ezra that Shin hati would be like him if she had a sense of humor or really any personality at all 💀😭 the roast

- Ezra telling Sabine to keep the lightsaber makes me wonder if he’s afraid of it somehow. Like maybe he thinks it’s been too long and is afraid he won’t be as good with it (unlikely) but maybe he’s been away from the Jedi life for so long, he doesn’t feel he’s worthy anymore? Or maybe he wants to give up that life and he doesn’t want the pressure of being a Jedi anymore. That would make sense for his character I guess.

- Him using the force to fight instead of a lightsaber is a reference to Kanan 😭 the parallels

- I really wanted to see him relate to Sabine about losing a master, but I think he could assume that it wasn’t something he wanted to push. He knew she lost someone, he just doesn’t know the full extent of it yet. When he said “You thought she was dead??” I’m sure he was like “girl…. I was close to her first you could’ve told me 😒” haha jk

- I still need to see her and Ezra relate about the dead family thing

- I also have two theories on how he’ll react to how she got there. One, he’ll understand because he’s been there before (tons of episodes where he chooses family over the war but then realizes the consequences) or two he’ll argue with her about it and tell her he was not worth rescuing in comparison to the galaxy’s safety and she’ll be all like “MY FAM IS DEAD YOU ARE ALL I HAVE LEFT” trials of the dark saber style

- Ezra protecting his turtles makes so much sense for his character and I love this development.

- ALSO HE GAVE THEM SLINGSHOTS LIKE HIS OG ONE AGHHHH ADORABLE.

Anyways I have more but those are the main ones

[derekscorner]

Fated Rantings: Miyamoto Iori & Seiba

Where to even begin here...Iori is a rather interesting protagonist compared to the others I've watched so far. Sure, Shirou or Seig are decent but very honest and straight forward.

Iori isn't as simplistic in his world view. If anything he's deceiving himself and accidentally misleading others. However, he is not a villain either.

In a few routes Iori fights to maintain the peace of the era. Seemingly for his sister, Kaya's, sake. He never makes that overtly known but a few lines show this. At one point he ponders the wars end and dismisses his thoughts because he views Kaya as happy and adaptable.

But, every now and then, things will seem to pause. Characters will stop to take note of oddities in Iori's words vs his actions. Iori himself will state multiple times that he is not kind.

He's a ronin in the loosest sense as he only reached adulthood after the warring period was done. He serves no master and makes a living serving his community instead.

People see him as an upstanding young man, Yui Shouetsu even begins to fall in love with him because she sees her ideals reflected in Iori.

But this is a facade. One that Iori himself does not really make intentionally but one he doesn't elaborate on either. The only people that see through this facade immediately is the female Musashi and Chiemon.

Female Musashi is understandable. The Musashi of Iori's timeline was male but the female one lived a similar life. She raised her own Iori and she notices rather quickly.

Chiemon on the other hand sees through it quickly because he is similar. All of his rants in story are not wrong save for the difference. He may see them both as similar but in actuality Iori is scarier. Chiemon is a traumatized child, scared and burned but Iori is a demon waiting to let loose.

You won't see this Iori until you get the "Entreat the Darkness" route.

Of course, the question some of you will ask after reading that is "does that make Iori a villain?" to which I will once again say "no".

Iori, by his own admission, isn't kind. He does what he does because the age of war is over. Even if he did cut loose it would go nowhere in an era of peace.

He also helps others, even times when it's not wise too, because he seeks to understand them. Iori views nearly everyone he meets as possible opponents and thus tries to understand them in the hypothetical outcome he can kill them.

What he is seeking, the desire that made him a master in the ritual, was the desire for carnage. He's a sword demon and his life's goal is to surpass the swordsman ship he saw the night Musashi saved his life.

The reason he dismisses magecraft despite his talent, the reason he lives as a ronin, is his true desire to be the best swordsman possible.

However Iori is not without emotions. I would argue that the list of people he truly cares for is small while the rest fit into "allies for now" and "possible opponents later" categories.

The reason he seeks the peaceful end in other routes is due to his genuine care for his sister. He has a genuine bond with his master Musashi even if that bond is the shared desire for him to cut her down vs her desire to have a worthy opponent.

He even comes to be close with Saber. Whether I would call them friends or not is difficult however.

Yamato Takeru

As the story progresses it does this beautiful thing of showing traditional art moments of Iori and Sabers life. This is an example of masters and servants seeing the lives of the other through dreams.

It's shown in several Fate works. You'll likely be most familiar with Shirou seeing Artoria's life as King Arthur from Fate Stay Night.

It was only in retrospect of the 'Entreat the Darkness' ending that I saw how beautiful this was because it highlights Saber reflecting Iori's own habit onto him.

Iori helps to understand, to see weaknesses, and Saber uses that to stop him in the Dark Ending by using Iori's own move to kill him. You even see Saber taking it into practice early in the story in the segments where Saber will imitate Iori's sword training.

At first this is portrayed as Saber having fun. To some extent they probably are but that's just an aspect of what he is doing. You see, Saber realizes that Iori isn't quite right mid way. He realizes the dreams and desires he saw were Iori's.

He came to understand that Iori's actual desire vs his actions do not match. This pains him. Saber is a little gremlin at first and dismisses Iori for his weakness.

They grow closer as Iori indulges Saber in their love of food, sight seeing, and so on. By the middle point you'll get the idea that Saber's wish is for this kind of life or perhaps he just wanted a friend.

It is in that dark ending that you realize Saber was understanding Iori as Iori was trying to understand Saber. The dreams, the sword practice, they were deciphering each other.

This makes the dark ending painful to be sure. Iori is happy to have died this way, in a battle but Saber is sad to have to kill another person they cared for. Perhaps the only friend Saber has ever had.

Saber's true name is Yamato Takeru. A prince of ancient Japan, direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu, and a figure that died alone with only a trail of blood in his wake.

Now I'm sure I seem like I'm rambling aimlessly but I'm not. I want to drive home the sorrow of this dynamic. Even if you get the good endings the game will end on the note of "his blade remains unsatisfied" or so on. (hinting to Iori's nature)

Iori is the closest thing Saber has had to a friend and Iori himself seems to treat Saber as one. On some level I'm sure he's thinking of ways to battle Saber but I do not think Iori's bond with Saber was a lie.

But to call them real friends is something I am still left pondering. Through Saber I am left wondering how genuine any of Iori's relationships were aside for the ones with Musashi and his sister Kaya.

You will even see fans say that the other endings are the best ones for others but only the dark ending is the one Iori truly finds fulfilling. He's not a villain of the story save for that one route but is he one in general?

It left me wondering much of what Iori said. Was his peaceful life fully without value in his mind? Is Iori a better person in the other routes for denying his darker desires?

Why is Iori's best ending the saddest? Better yet, why is his best ending the worst one for everyone else?

Questions I doubt I'll have answered but also ones that I'm not sure need answering. I wouldn't think so much about his story or this game if I had them.

================================================

The original post got kind of long so I split it in two. Part 1 is here: https://derekscorner.tumblr.com/post/736119692207570944/fated-rantings

My other experiences with Fate can be found here: https://derekscorner.tumblr.com/tagged/fated-rantings

[tgrailwar]

Tumblr Holy Grail War, Another End: (Final Battle for the Grail) - FINALE

The battle was over. Exhausted, the Archer and Caster teams grouped together.

Dante: "We've won. Foreigner's magical energy is decreasing. I believe we've hit her Spirit Core, and Lady Medea's Rule Breaker will stop her from recovering."

Medea: "Perfect. Then our job as Servants is done, if the Sabers managed to destroy the Grail."

Arjuna: "I see… so it's truly over. You all were unconventional, but… well, you were worthy allies."

Nobunaga: "To think that we'd be fighting together during a Holy Grail War. What a strange occurrence…"

The four Servants stood together, before their bodies began to slowly fade, signaling that the Grail itself had been successfully destroyed.

Nobunaga: "So I'm going first... I suppose that makes sense. I've put quite the strain on my Spirit Origin. Our time together was short, but certainly eventful. Keep your chins high, Masters. You summoned the great Oda Nobunaga, after all, and while I will allow you to be disappointed at my leaving-- I don't want to see any downcast expressions. After all, us meeting and parting was inevitable!"

The warlord gave a broad grin, as her body turned to twinkling light.

Medea: "…She's certainly loud. But I suppose I share her same sentiment. You've done well. Perhaps not perfectly, but asking for perfection would make me a rather poor instructor, wouldn't it? Be proud of what you accomplished here, my cute Masters. Perhaps we'll meet again."

The magus gave a bittersweet smile as she disappeared into the ether.

Arjuna: "…I wish I had more to say. I simply hope that I served well as your Archer, and that perhaps… perhaps we may cross paths again. Be well, Masters. As strange of a journey as this was, I did enjoy every moment. Your kindness. Your determination. Your earnestness... do not lose those qualities."

The warrior nodded somberly, before vanishing with a peaceful smile.

Dante: "This was a worthy endeavor. I see you took my words to heart. I believe the word has changed over time, but to me, a comedy will always simply be a 'happy ending'. To make a story-- to make one's life-- a comedy doesn't mean that there aren't moments of strife or sadness, but that you simply end everything with a smile and with satisfaction. I believe this is the type of ending that you can smile at, my Masters. I wish you all the best on your journeys."

With that, they vanished without any trace except the memories they left behind with their Masters.

Two Servants remained at the scene of the battle. Foreigner, her Spirit Origin collapsing, was sending out violent pulses of burning hot mana, causing the ground around her to crumble. The process seemed automatic, a self-destruction-- worthless as her enemies had already faded to dust.

However, even Van Gogh, defeated and destroyed, didn't seem to be filled with madness or anger.

She simply wept, with a peaceful smile on her face.

Van Gogh: "...You did your best, Masters... you did your best to support a Servant like me... you could have summoned someone better, or stronger, or easier to handle... but you supported me. I'm happy. Maybe... maybe if we meet again... I'll be able to repay you for your kindness... or maybe just paint you a picture... ehehe... just a Gogh Joke..."

And with that, even she was gone.

The only Servant that was left was Avenger. Despite looking worse for wear from the battle, he had a wide smile on his face, looking satisfied.

'Avenger': "Good work, that's all I can say. And I'm saying that to all of you. No matter who's Master you were, you did a hell of a job. Feels like Foreigner's mana is speeding up the system collapse though. Shame. Would have wanted to spend some more time wandering around with you guys."

He looked around at the destruction, before chuckling to himself.

'Avenger': "Eh. It was more scenic before. We're not missin' out on much. ...Hm? Me? I'm not saying goodbye yet. I have to make sure that this all shuts down properly, after all. I'm sure Ruler's doing the same. I'll leave you alone for a bit. Goodbyes are always a bit tough, after all."

[vodika-vibes]

"General Rynn would have been cross if we got blood on her clothes."

Boss did it again 👏

Boss doesn't even question whether or not him and his brothers would be able to kill Anakin. So far as he's concerned, Anakin would be easy to remove.

"Was threatening Anakin really necessary, Knight Rynn?" Obi-Wan asks as he side eyes the short woman judgmentally. "I think you'll find, Master Kenobi, that I didn't utter a single threat against him." Rynn replies mildly, "In fact, he was the one who went for the lightsaber first." "After you goaded him." Rynn pins him in place with a vicious glare, "How long do you intend to shield him from his own actions, Master Kenobi? Does he need to raise his saber towards another Jedi in anger before you see that he's not well? Should we have done nothing and allowed him to march on the Temple?" Obi-Wan flushes, "He's hot-headed-" "He's more concerned about his wife than about the people he's legally responsible for." Rynn cuts in, her voice soft, and yet somehow sharp as a vibroblade, "The Clones talk, Master Kenobi, and Delta hears a lot more than you might think." "You think poorly of him because he used to be a slave-" "I think poorly of him because he's done nothing worthy of my high regard." Rynn replies, bored out of her mind, "How long, I wonder, before the men in your care realize that you'd put Anakin before them." "You go too far." Obi-Wan says coldly. "Do I? Or am I not going far enough?" Rynn frowns at him, "I've already saved the Republic from the rot that was poisoning it...if I have to do so with the Jedi as well, then so be it." She tilts her head and gazes at him steadily, "I wonder, will I have to excise you as well, Master Kenobi? I know what my men's opinion will be." "You're attached to them." "Perhaps. Perhaps not. I'm a Shadow, Master Kenobi, the rules are different for me. As you are well aware. Or are you no longer friendly with Master Vos?" Rynn pauses, "Have a nice day, Master. I have things to do."

[lune-de-miel-au-paradis]

Face to face -Maul's pow

Summary: When Maul woke up, he found himself in an interesting situation. The green eyed young woman comes and he has some questions. Is this all a part of his master’s newest plan? Or is it a new obstacle that he must overcome in order to prove himself worthy of his master? 

Pairing: Darth Maul x OC Nina Cerasus

Warnings: Mention of wounds, medication, anxiety, mutual pining, idiots in love, angst, violence. (Let me know if I left out something.) Minors DNI! Italics means inner thoughts.

AN: This fic means a lot to me and I worked on it a lot. If you have any advice or comments, please share them with me kindly. I'm posting for the first time in years and I don't want nasty comments to discourage me from posting again. If you don't like it, please go to another blog. I did my best to translate it, so pls forgive me, English is not my first language.

Please enjoy reading!

dividers by Saradika

previous chapter

Maul woke up alone. Fresh dewy night air hit his nose, mixed with the scent of sweet jasmine bushes, and some salty water mixed with mold. When he opened his eyes, he saw the endlessly empty sky, framed by the leaves of a few trees, and soft grassy ground beneath him tickled his toes.  As he slowly sat up, he felt the previous spasms slowly loosen in his muscles. He knew that all he needed was a little movement to relieve the feeling of numbness in his muscles as the acid fluid trapped between the muscle fibers was released. He grunted as he stood up, but he felt the familiar weight missing from his utillian belt. He looked around with feverish nervousness, but his fierce warrior hearts found peace.

He found the saber in the soft grass next to him.

The light of the three moons glittered on the cold metal as he picked it up.  Such beauty from such a lethal weapon. He still admired it every time he hold it in his hands.

He looked around, someone had definitely been here. He noticed a black material with a neat square shape. It was his upper robe. Someone took it off and put it under his head. His gloves and boots were also lying next to him. This annoyed the male zabrak. According to the signs, someone touched him while he was unconscious.

He put his boots back on and looked around, but he didn't see anyone, he only could sense only the nocturnal animals of the forest and the lake. Suddenly he heard a rhythmic noise. Soft, quiet steps that didn't seem sneaky, but rather quick. He sensed from the rhythm of voices that a humanoid was approaching. So he did what he had to do, he became one with the darkness and walked in the coal of the night shadows using it as a camouflage. Taking advantage of this, he found himself in the halls of the old abandoned villa as an observation. It was a young female. Maul watched the woman silently, like a surveying animal in a situation of danger. To Maul's surprise, the female walked confidently and fearlessly in the moonlight. She was wearing black light material pants and a matching black soft blouse, the moons shined on the silky material. Her movements were graceful and light, she almost glided. It was as if she was like a spirit being stuck here haunting the abandoned ruins. Maul couldn't see her face, but for some reason he wanted to.

He soon learned that the woman had no weapon, her clothes were ordinary, so she was neither a Jedi nor an assassin.

“Would this also be a test from my Master? What should my next step be?”

The woman stood with her back to him, her dark shiny hair braided down on her back, and she opened a bag, she put it on an old ornate but worn table.

She was humming some melody that sounded like something that would be graciously played on a piano. 

Then she stopped and began to listen. Presumably she felt that she was being watched. Maul saw her posture stiffen, as she looked around several times and headed straight for the lake, where Maul used to lie. So she came because of him. 

Maul continued to watch, feeling rage rising through his veins. Curiosity also mixed in his feelings, he knew that the woman had no chance of winning against him, so he was also a little amused. 

"What are you planning, lady? Is it really a test? Should I just kill you? Or did you come to deliver some message?”

The woman did not step out of the ruins, she stopped and looked out in the broken colored stained glass windows and silently noted that Maul's former place was empty. The only evidence of a body lying there was that the grass had fallen under the previous burden of his body. She started back to the table without saying a word, but Maul decided it was time to act and took advantage of the surprise to pounce on her.

He moved quickly, like an apex predator, he didn't have to exert much strength, in fact, it was more stressful to hold back his bloodlust.

He pinned the woman from the table to the nearest half-collapsed wall. The brick edge pressed directly on the female's spine, she tried to hold on to the two edges of the wall with both hands, thereby easing the unpleasant "spine support". From the outer side of the wall, the leaves of tall fern and leander bushes caressed their knees. The rays of light from the different positions of the moons shone directly on this point, so Maul could finally see the female's face in a very good lighting.

She tried to resist him, it was almost amusing to Maul, this feeble little struggle in the hope of freedom. Maul's left hand crossed her, pinning her against the wall with his forearm at the top of her chest by the soft column of her collarbone. With his gloved right hand, he grabbed her chin and turned it towards him, lifting it up.

When their eyes met, her eyes didn't widen with alarm or fear, but instead glinted coldly in the moonlight with some surprise and some annoyance. For a quarter of a second, Maul just watched the face, which he had only seen once and yet was mesmerized by it. The woman was doing the same, scanning his face, so he did it without shame. The freckles on her pale skin made her face look youthful, and Maul wanted to connect the light brown dots with his fingers to see what kind of constellation they formed on that pretty face of hers. Her eyes, however, were even more captivating, the iris shone like a cold jade stone, the edge was a few shades darker, as if it had been edged with pieces of lush green emerald. Now they were glinting at him a little defiantly, so Maul looked down at the mouth, which opened slightly to facilitate breathing, since his grip was strong. Tiny vibrations of fear-laced gasp trembled against his hold.

Between pink lips he saw interestingly placed teeth, between the first two front small pearl-colored bones there was a small but regular gap, when she talked it was definitely noticeable. A flaw that made her more unique and served her beauty well.

Those seductive lips began to move, and in a firm voice, as much as the restraint would allow, she spoke. 

"As much as I'm enjoying this staring contest, how about you get off me?" Let's say, now!"

Maul was surprised, he didn't feel fear in her voice, well maybe a little, but he definitely didn't see any signs of panic. He didn't feel an overly intense heartbeat under his arm either. Despite the request, he didn't let go, he just loosened his grip a little.

A tendril of anger worked its way to his nerves.

"Who are you? Who sent you?" he asked.

"So you can talk. For a moment I thought you were just communicating by grunting. No one sent me, I came myself, and I mean no harm to you." she didn't collapsed beneath his weight of heavy stare as others did,

“Is that so?” 

He leaned closer to her, he was almost chuckling. 

"How cute of her. She thought she would have a chance against him."

Nina could almost smell the scent of smoggy city air and salt on his clothes. 

He intended his movement as an intimidation, it seemed to work, the young woman uncomfortably tried to back towards the wall, this only made her clothes more dirty, but her gaze was cold and she defiantly resisted, she did not plan to show fear to him. Maul absentmindedly took her braid, his hand amusedly stroking it in his gloved hand, he bet it felt silk soft. He liked this little game, it's much more enjoyable with such a pretty creature. 

"Tell me, little starlight, why should I leave your life? Hhmm?"

He not failed to notice her reaction for the nickname he gave her. 

"First of all, because I helped."

"That's not good enough." Maul answered and leaned down to inhale the scent of her neck. Sweet cherries, almonds and a hint of mint hit his nose. Delicious! He noticed the goosebumps running on her skin, for his closeness, for his touch. He definitely felt smug, which annoyed her, he can see the glint of annoyance in her captivating irises.

"They're going to look for me.."

"Insignificant." Maul whispered this into her ear. "Little starlight.. Do you know how many stars disappear in a single second? 

“Twenty to sixty thousand." She answered surprisingly quickly.

"Very clever one. So answer me. Why should you live? What makes you special? Are you better than those stars? Or are you meant to fade away by my saber?"

He didn't wait for her to answer, the intense eye contact said it all.

“For me, you are rather negligible, small, average.”

It ignited a spark in her. Leaning forward and smiling mockingly, she spoke:

"Oh, really? If I'm so negligible to you, then what was that little scene between us at the club last week? You felt it too, didn't you? I bet you feel it now. This pull between us."

This seemed to have an effect on him, he moved away from her and stormed at least three paces away. He didn't answer, but let out a small growl at her. Now it was Nina's turn to be smug. She began to dust off the debris from her clothes.

"I see we're facing a situation we can easily help. How about a hearing instead of an interrogation? You have questions for me, and I have questions for you. How about exchanging a little information?”

Maul just started then suddenly said:

"I could beat the answers out of you if you'd prefer. "

"Charming offer. That might make me talk, and I will tell you things, and enough of it'll be the truth to make it difficult to weed out the lies. But you won't hurt me. And I'm not kidding, they're really going to be looking for me, which I don't think would be in your best interest."

“And what makes you believe in that? What is my interest?”

"Oh, please don’t try to offend me. I don't need to be a genius to figure out that you're either hiding or either trying to get low from something. Not many people come here to this old mention, nor has a ship that just turns invisible with a device."

Maul noticed that the woman's dress was actually pine green and not black; he also noticed that the white stones on the top edge of the high neckline sparkled, as did the belt of the pants. He also noticed the milky skin on her stomach exposed by the short top. She was such a pretty thing. It would be extremely easy to end her life now, nevertheless…

“So what do you think? Mysterious guy from the club?”

Maul held out a gloved hand to help her down to the level next to him. 

"That you are brave enough to act when you are about to die." 

She accepted his hand. If Maul was expecting the feeling of the warmth of the hand, he was to be disappointed, freezing cold fingertips smoothed over his glove.

She was shorter than him even in heels, but she didn't have to raise her head too high to look into his eyes. Finally, she walked back to the table and sat down in one of the gothic style chairs, beckoning Maul to the one across from her, like if she’s the host in this castle. When she noticed Maul is not gonna sit down and just stays in silence, she began.

Mood board made by me, pictures are from Pinterest.

next chapter

Taglist: @stardustbee @hellhound5925 @cloneloverrrrr @the-chains-are-the-easy-part @firstofficerwiggles

Let me know if you want to be added 💖

[akampana]

18. "we have just met and yet it feels like i have known you for a lifetime." - Nebuchadnezzar II x Artoria

Prompt: "we have just met, and yet it feels like I have known you for a lifetime. Pairings: Nebuchadnezzar II x Arturia Pendragon, slight GilArt Tags: Mild Angst

Confusion wasn’t what he wanted to see when he first opened his eyes. The feat of magic that his feet stood upon was named after his dynasty, after all, he expected a warm welcome. However, it was the only emotion that filled the silence as he materialized, awkwardly followed by a triumphant greeting from the young Master that called him here. He berated the humble magus, spouted proud statements urging her to prove to him she was worthy of his presence and then–  

“See, Saber? I told you using you as a catalyst would get us someone strong!”

The king turned his head, smirking at his new Master’s praise. What sort of swordsman could have aided his passage here? A worthy rival, perhaps? Ha! He doubted it. A soldier? Another ruler?

A breath, as he took in her small figure, the torturous gentle line of her cheek. Somehow, his eyes knew her every edge, her every corner, her every nook and every curve. Somehow, he recognized the constellations dotted across her porcelain skin, wherever it peeked out from that regal, foreign dress.  Somehow, his fingers remembered the softness of her hair, longed to run through those hay strands, and never had the chance.

Envy latched onto him like a predator, tearing its ugly teeth into his neck. The ghost of her scent flitted through his memories, while presently she stood just far enough out of his reach. It made no sense why she starved him of her touch now when his memory reveled in her. Why did she hesitate to run to him? Why deter from their reunion?

Emerald eyes more beautiful than anything he's ever seen locked onto his, bringing the king to his knees before their stormy sea. He sank into the sand, bowing his head as he’d never done before as the violent waves came upon him. He knew then, that it mattered no longer what accolades he’d earned, what crown sat on his head, what achievements he had below his belt. He was just a man; a man who wanted to hear her call his name and taste the sound of it on her lips. He wanted her. He needed her. He craved her like no one else before. 

But why?

"Gil—" 

His eyes snapped open as their lips touched. No, that wasn't…he wasn't…

Her rejection burned against his chest like wildfire. He didn’t even realize he’d crossed the room to meet her till he felt her armored fingers on his skin and the rush of air rapidly filling the space she created between them. Anger burned across his cheek, smearing his—not his— body with a small streak of red. Then there was a vaguely familiar blade at his chin, held up by one delicate hand as she swiped the other against what remained of his kiss.

"Give me one reason I should not send you back to the Throne, Gilgamesh!" swordswoman warned, rage—so familiar on her face—igniting her countenance such that even their Master's commands did not deter her.

As his heart continued to beat for her, crushing itself against its unwilling ribcage in its adamant longing, the Chaldean king finally understood. Against all laws and logic the avarice of this body seeped into his very soul.  Every part, every sliver of his resurrected shell thirsted for everything she was and will be. It was like Gilgamesh's ghost was breathing down his neck, clawing at his throat with jealousy.

"My name is Nebuchadnezzar II," he worded carefully, watching those damning green eyes search for answers within his amber ones. He wondered if she’d find them. After all, here he stood, lost as a navigator on a cloudy night. His body told him she was the true way. That all roads led to her. That she was the light at the end of the long tunnel, but he didn’t know why. 

“This form tells me I am a Caster, though without this masquerade, I would present myself as a Ruler. As King of Babylon, that class ought to have been more fitting, but I suppose I should not complain of the power a body from the Age of the Gods grants me,” he explained. 

She tensed like a string pulled taught. The lines between her brows moved as she sought in him a lie. He wondered how it would feel to know her eyes in a gentler light, without mistrust or apprehension or even anger. He wanted to see in her gaze the kind of potent longing like that of his wife for her homeland. He wished for a day he was no longer at the sharper end of her sword. 

Meanwhile, the shorter king’s fingers faltered on her grip, dissuaded by vexation. A body from the Age of the Gods? What could he have possibly meant by that? She’d never known Gilgamesh to joke, but the alternative was to believe this man told the truth, and there was no conceivable way the King of Heroes would ever permit this to happen to him, even in death. 

Impossible. It had to be. This “Nebuchadnezzar II” spoke like him, moved like him—she pursed her lips—acted like him, and yet…

Arturia looked deep into his eyes, discerning if this truly was not the supercilious king that she once decided the fate of the world with. Eyes like amber struck with sunlight stared back at her just as intensely, dilated black circles drawing her in with a strange gravity Gilgamesh’s snake-like, ruby gaze used to have. 

No matter how tempting her prejudice was, slowly, her sword sheathed itself, and she turned to her shell-shocked Master with a hesitant nod of approval. Then, she made for the door. The woman king could permit a lookalike if it meant another strong ally for Master’s cause, but that didn’t mean she had to stay here, or anywhere near him for that matter. Especially when that lookalike thought he could get away with handling her. She could apologize to Master for her conduct later, but she would not stand another minute in this room.  

“Arturia.”  

The Earth stopped turning. 

Nebuchadnezzar didn’t even realize he’d spoken ‘til the sound had left his mouth. He voiced it with such ease it was like his tongue had yearned for eons to call out her name. Now her eyes clashed with his again, and though it had only been seconds since their gazes last met, it felt like a long-awaited reunion. His heart beat faster, harder, in his chest. He couldn't breathe. He wanted her to stay. 

But she, with her eyes wide as dinner plates and a quivering lip that tasted like disbelief, ran.

Run, she did, for the most grueling months Nebuchadnezzar had ever lived. Ritsuka offered to help, but he was a proud king, the architect of Babylon's most prosperous city, a god to his own people. Requesting her assistance reduced him to common folk. 

Besides, he ought not to have such troubles as those of the heart. He put his hand over his chest, trying to soothe it in vain. How humbling to think an organ the size of a fist could cripple him so, especially when this body didn't even belong to him. 

Nebuchadnezzar was by no means weak. However, considering this demigod shell hijacked his own sense of being twice now—with Enkidu and now with Arturia—whispers of thought entertained the notion he wasn't entirely himself, not anymore. Perhaps he was someone else, someone with borrowed feelings so strong they persisted long after their owner entered his tomb.

Nonetheless, even if they were borrowed, they were undoubtedly real.  

Just when he was about to retire for the evening, he heard the familiar commotion that accompanied Master's return from a successful mission, and felt the overwhelming rush of feelings that was her.

Once again, their eyes locked in a dance of ice and fire. Once again, she turned immediately away, rushing down the hallway to avoid him. Once again, he contemplated giving chase, only this time, he gave in.

"Leave," she insisted, trying in vain to get him back out her door. "Your presence is unwanted here, King of Babylon."

Her words stung like a whip, but they were nothing compared to the hurt of being shunned for weeks on end. He’d had enough of that. 

"I did not believe you a cruel king when we met, Arturia, but if you must avoid me when I have done nothing to warrant your ire, then I have grossly misjudged."

She stopped suddenly, the wrists he held in his hands going slack before she tore them from his grip. Though she put some distance between them, he felt relief that she no longer fought to drive him out. 

"Don't," she hissed, her green eyes igniting as she glared up at him. "I never gave you my true name, Nebuchadnezzar. What on God's earth makes you assume you have the right to use it?" 

He didn't answer.

Arturia inhaled sharply, massaging her temples as she tried to manage her temper. Perhaps she was being cruel. Part of her knew she was being irrational but really, there couldn't be anyone in the world who understood how she was feeling because how was she to treat someone who lived in Gilgamesh's body? 

And the kiss? Where had that come from? They were strangers so far removed in time that weren't blessed to be enemies in a Grail War. It wasn't Nebuchadnezzar who harassed her with promises of marriage. It wasn't Nebuchadnezzar who waited ten years to do it again. It wasn't Nebuchadnezzar who smiled so gently after their battle, telling her he had fun as he faded to nothing. He was merely the inheritor. 

The older king gave in, his irate gaze faltering in the heat of hers. A long, hard breath danced across her eyelashes, as he once again dared to venture into her personal space. She took a step back. Another. And suddenly, she was between the wall and a familiar face with a different name.

"Why do you know my name? And…how?" she interrogated, searching his golden eyes. They were distracted, every so often fluttering down to her mouth. She couldn't even tell if he'd heard her, the bastard.

She slapped away his hand before it could cup her cheek, banishing the confusing memory of the King of Heroes' goodbye from her memory. She knew she couldn't possibly have harmed him, and yet Nebuchadnezzar stared at her, betrayed, with her knife through his chest.

"I don't know," Nebuchadnezzar lied. 

Every inch of his very existence screamed her name at him whenever they touched, loud like war and just as deafening. It was like his body demanded he speak it, her foreign moniker a mantra maddeningly echoing in his mind. But it wasn't Nebuchadnezzar's voice that spoke it, it was—

"Then I see no reason we should associate at all—" she started and stopped, her back hitting the wall as Nebuchadnezzar held her in place. Before she could retort he was cupping her face, forcing her to witness the grief she'd just inflicted.

"Have some empathy," Please. He hadn't said it, but she could hear it in his voice.

"You—" 

He cut her off with a breath, trying not to lose himself in her scent. 

"When I first laid eyes on you it was as if I had waited several eons to see you again. I had my ambitions, my accomplishments. If I wished for anything it was more power and now that seems so terribly foolish because you exist. I was never a stranger to life's great luxuries. I never wanted beyond my own ambitions, and yet one infinitesimal moment with you in the same room made me feel as if I had nothing."

He stroked her cheek with his thumb, bittersweet nostalgia flooding his senses. Arturia stiffened, then relaxed, recognition and confusion in her eyes. 

"I was…" he sighed, mirroring her vexation "jealous of the dress that touched your skin, the floor beneath your boots, the air that left your lips—imagine how I felt when the name you spoke was not mine."

Arturia bit her lip til it went pale, her eyebrows knitting as she stared into the unfamiliar gold shade of his eyes. Gilgamesh's were red. 

"How can you claim such things?" she asked, struggling to comprehend what she was hearing. Arturia had never been the most in touch with her feelings."You do not know me, Nebuchadnezzar."

"Don't I?"

Two words, and all her common sense jumped out the window. A hitch in her breath. She feared staring at his eyes too long. She feared he'd see her waver. She feared she'd believe him. Because if what he said was true…what did that mean for his body's original owner?

"We have just met," she reasoned weakly, her voice a mere whimper.

"We have just met," he repeated, in that familiar voice yet unfamiliar tone. "and yet it feels like I have known you for a lifetime.”

She pursed her lips, pulling away from his touch. "You haven't. He hadn't. You couldn't possibly—"

His lips landed on her fingers. It was such a slight and gentle touch, she wondered if she would've minded letting them find their original target. Slowly, she untangled herself from him, weaving herself out of his arms.

"We are strangers, you and I. You must understand," she said, detaching her hand from fingers that tried in vain to keep her. 

His heart wrenched in his chest, clawing for her retreating figure, but his head kept him in place. Deep down, he knew the heated longing he felt wasn't truly his. Even if it were, he doubted he had the right to act on it, not in this form. Alas, she'd doomed Nebuchadnezzar to live his second life jealous of every mongrel that dared seek her attention.

Like hell. 

Arturia spun back around, her hand gently wrapped in his. 

“I do not wish to be strangers, Arturia,” Nebuchadnezzar declared with conviction. She stared back at him, lips pursed and jade eyes unsure. The king released her slowly, dreading that she’d run once more, but she stayed where she was, her mind still warring with itself.

Arturia looked down at the fingers which only moments before were in his hold, then back at his eyes. They were gold, like honey struck by sunlight. Meanwhile, the neo-babylonian king drank up the sea in her gaze. The expression she wore was one neither he nor this body’s original owner had ever seen before. 

Nebuchadnezzar smiled softly to himself. They wouldn’t be strangers for long.

_____________________

I've always wanted to write these two. Ain't nothing I love more than confusing feelings ahahaha.

-akampana (im alive btw, law school just made me busy for a bit)

[ct-hardcase]

iskat/tualon + lucky number 13 for the spotify fic meme >:)

I am so sorry, but #13 was Ed Sheeran's "Shivers". Though it ended up being surprisingly good inspo????

As a note to anyone reading, the fic sidles into an M-ish rating toward the end, but it fades to black. Also, a content warning for blood being involved, but in a post-violence context.

_

Adrenaline and more than a little pride thrummed through Tualon’s veins. New as he and Iskat were to the Inquisitorius, Lord Vader thought them worthy of a high-value target, or a test, and he was right.

(Iskat knew this, of course, laughing at Tualon when he’d expressed his disbelief)

Tualon tilted his head, regarding the bloody corpse before him—he’d never known Master Averross personally, but he’d given a hard fight despite his age, making it all the more gratifying to see Iskat drive her saber into his heart. 

With a gesture and some effort in the Force, Tualon lifted Averross, making sure to keep him level, and walked toward the ship, where Iskat leaned, comm in hand.

“...is the Thirteenth Sister. I confirm that the target has been eliminated, Grand Inquisitor,” she said, with a downright predatory grin.

The Grand Inquisitor said something with a tone shifting between pride, surprise, and exasperation, but Tualon didn’t catch it as he walked into the vessel and into the cargo hold.

Blinking, he adjusted to the light inside the ship as he guided the corpse to the cryo chamber, preserving the body for who-knows-what purpose. The inner door to the chamber closed with a hiss, the outer door slamming with finality, and he walked to meet Iskat outside, closing his eyes briefly to reacclimate to the darkness.

“Was he surprised we made it?”

Iskat laughed, a cruel sound which should not have drawn him in, but made his stomach jolt all the same.

“He was wrong.” 

“You’ll elaborate in the mission report, then?” Tualon asked, leaning on the ship to Iskat’s right. He wondered if Iskat would take the bait. It wasn't a surety, but he liked his odds after this successful mission.

Iskat hummed thoughtfully.

“Well,” she said, looking at him up and down, “you write yours so well, the Grand Inquisitor surely prefers them.”

She pushed off the hull of the ship, and closer to him, her clear blue eyes a direct opposite of the orange his had become. His heart skipped a beat, and he pushed the feeling down, drawing on the present to feed his emotions instead.

This close, he could smell the fight on her, the sweat of exertion, and the blood, which the moonlight revealed to be her own from when Averross had caught her with a blow to the face. He knew he had her, and shivered in anticipation.

“You flatter, me, Iskat,” he said, reveling in her name, “but I may need more convincing.” 

She rolled her eyes, but grinned, and leaned in to take him in a kiss. 

Much like the rest of Iskat Akaris, her kisses were hard, fast, and ruthless. She grabbed her favorite place on his gorget and drew him in closer. Her blood was intoxicating on her lips, and he licked them, grazing gently with his teeth, though he knew she loved when he broke her skin just as much.

As she kissed him deeper, going from his mouth to his jaw to what she could claim of his unarmored throat, she drew closer. At some point, their bodies pressed flush against one another, and Tualon felt a heat building in his core and below. 

His hands wandered, under her cape, to the small of her back, and down the curve of her hips, when Iskat took notice.

She kissed to the shell of his ear, leaving a crimson trail in her wake.

“You karking tease,” she whispered, slotting her thigh between his legs and grinding down hard. Instinctively, Tualon held back from making noise, and then regretted it. Iskat pulled away, and took his hand pulling him toward the ship.

“Do you want to take this somewhere more comfortable?”

And how could he resist?

[ziltoidcoffee]

Drabble: Sith Terry and Jedi Padawan Daniel - Part 2

Read Part 1

A week after meeting Master Silver, Daniel and his master were sent to Sullust on a mission to defend the planet from an insurgency of pirates and to establish a provisional anti-piracy committee.

Most of the mission went smoothly and swiftly. They originally expected to spend several weeks hunting down the pirates, but Master Miyagi suggested they set a trap to lure them back. In only a few days, the criminals returned to steal the valuables and were caught by Daniel and his master. After transporting them to the Sullust prison, they spend the rest of the week assisting the planet leaders with setting up procedures and processes to handle future piracy.

While Sullust was a beautiful planet, Daniel was excited to return home. Thanks to the planet’s toxic atmosphere, he barely got to step outside during their stay, and there’s nothing he enjoyed more than being in nature these days. But en route to Coruscant, their starship was attacked by vengeful pirates in response to their mission on Sullust.

Though they were able to take down the pirates, Master Miyagi’s ship was damaged in the fight, and their landing was rough. Daniel’s master was injured in the crash and required several days of rest. As a Padwan, he couldn’t go on any missions until Master Miyagi recovered and was told to practice training in the meantime.

Daniel’s spent the last three days alone, unable to see his master while he recovered. Through their training bond, he knew his master was safe, but he was anxious to check on him. He was also eager to leave the temple, which he couldn’t do without Master Miyagi until he became a Jedi Knight.

Standing in the training grounds of the temple, he stares at the Great Tree in the center of the courtyard and wonders how long he should spend here today. The younglings will be by in a few hours, and though Daniel loves seeing them, he doesn’t want to disrupt their class. Ali, another Padawan, would be returning from a mission later tonight. Maybe he could convince her to come spar with him so he wouldn’t have to practice alone. He’s battling the remote currently and growing bored after a few rounds.

When another shot beams out of the device, he swings the blue lightsaber across his body to easily deflect the laser. For the next attack, Daniel decides to get creative and flips his body while striking the ray of light. He ends up with his back facing the device, which pauses with a beep, when he hears a voice behind him.

“You training for another tournament?”

He whirls around to come face-to-face with Master Silver and can’t restrain a smile. Since they came back from Sullust, with no mission to distract him, the mysterious Jedi has been on Daniel’s mind. But he knows Master Miyagi would disapprove, labeling his interest as an attachment. Though Daniel’s not sure what he’d call it either.

“Master Silver,” Daniel greets, disarming his saber. “So nice to see you again. But no—not training for another tournament. Just training for…the trials…I guess…If I ever get a chance”

Master Silver steps closer to him. “You gotta have more confidence,” he declares, placing a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “You’re the champion, remember?” Daniel chuckles and tries not to focus on the warmth coming off the Jedi. “I’m sure Master Miyagi will send you on a mission soon..”

He shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know. I’m already nineteen and won two of those tournaments so far,” Daniel answers bitterly. “I mean—I know I’m not supposed to have ‘attachments’ but I haven’t seen my ma’ since I was four. My master said I could see her after I became a knight, at least once.”

The hand on his shoulder squeezes gently before releasing. “I know how you feel, Danny,” Master Silver sighs, and Daniel doesn’t correct him on his name. Even though he shouldn’t give in to the feelings, his heart flutters at Master Silver speaking to him so casually. “My master didn’t deem me worthy until I was twenty.”

Daniel gasps. “What? You? How could that be?” he asks then sees the smirk on the Jedi’s lips. “Uh—it’s not like I know ya’ that well. Just—you seem really...worthy of Knighthood.”

“Well, so do you. I may not…know you that well either,” Master Silver begins, his tone almost teasing. “But I saw you fighting just now. You’re fit to be a Jedi Knight in my eyes.”

His face warms under the praise. “That’s not what Master Miyagi says. He claims I gotta’ a lot of training left to do,” Daniel mutters, trying not to sound so ungrateful for his master.

“That’s too bad,” Master Silver says, then steps back and reaches down to retrieve the lightsaber from his belt. He spins the weapon in his hand once before igniting the yellow shining end. “But there’s only so much you can learn from one teacher. Why don’t I show you something new?”

He wants to say yes, his heart pounding at the idea of seeing Master Silver fight. But he shakes his head and stammers, “I don’t know if my master would approve.” “He doesn’t think you’re ready for the trials either,” Master Silver points out.

The Jedi’s words are convincing. Daniel ignites his lightsaber and firmly grips the hilt. “Teach me, Master Silver,” Daniel tells him. “I’m ready to learn.”

Master Silver’s smile sharpens. “Okay, come at me like you would an enemy,” he orders, waving him over with his free hand.

Daniel doesn’t hesitate. He runs forward with a cry and slashes at the Jedi with his weapon. But Master Silver simply stretches out his hand, and before Daniel knows what’s happening, he’s thrown to the ground several feet away, his lightsaber falling from his hand. Stunned by the Jedi’s use of the force, he doesn’t even get up right away, watching Master Silver stride over.

“Are you all right, Padawan?” he asks with a frown, holding out his hand.

“Uh-” He stammers. His heart skips at the title, and that’s why Daniel doesn’t take his hand, getting up by himself. “I’m fine. I’m just—were you using the force?” When he asks this question, his voice is in a whisper, knowing they’re out in the open.

“Of course,” Master Silver answers, and his eyes follow Daniel fetching his lightsaber from the floor.

He brings his weapon over to the Jedi and whispers, “Aren’t we…not allowed to use the force in combat?”

The Jedi chuckles. “That’s what they say. ‘Use the force as a last resort.’ But my master used the force in battle all the time,” he explains. “Haven’t you seen Master Miyagi do the same?”

His memories of their last mission come back to him, and Daniel nods. “Yeah. But only when he had to, you know?”

Master Silver frowns and turns off his saber, placing the weapon back in the holster. “I understand your concern,” he begins.”But as a Jedi, the force is our most powerful weapon, and you should always be ready to fight. Why limit yourself in battle?”

That’s what Daniel thought when Master Miyagi told him. “Yeah, I get it. But Master Miyagi is my master. I gotta listen to him if I wanna become a Jedi Knight,” he says and bows to Master Silver. “But thanks for trying to help.”

There’s a pause where Master Silver says nothing. Then he smiles and steps closer, sending heat back to Daniel’s cheeks. “It’s my pleasure, Danny,” he purrs, grabbing his shoulder again. “And if you’re ever missing a master again, I’ll be more than happy to fill that position.”

Daniel’s heart thunders in his chest, and he refuses to speak, watching Master Silver leave the training rounds.

The Jedi Code forbids attachments. They are not allowed to marry, have kids, or loved ones. All their relationships must remain platonic, and even then, the friendship can only be so strong. But Daniel knows his feelings for Master Silver are growing, and he doesn’t want to push them away. It’s not simple lust like he was taught as a youngling, a feeling he can act on and forget. Daniel wants to be with Master Silver in any way he can.

But instead of chasing after Master Silver, he forces himself in the opposite direction, heading for the meditation garden.

[musicalhistorical]

More twisted wonderland thoughts….

Because I have zero self control when it comes to my impulses.

@cloudcountry ik I talk about fate a lot to you. Uh. Here’s a post now yay

So! One of my all time favorite games is Fate Grand Order, a game where you play as a master and you summon heroic spirits (infamous/famous individuals from stories and history) to save humanity. There’s a few classes that a servant can classify as, and because I am chaos, I’ve decided to figure out what classes the seven figures of the school would be summoned as. To add a little more challenge? Only one will be put as a caster. Which means I gotta be creative

The classes:

Saber- in the fate lore? This is commonly noted as the most powerful class. They have a sword (though sometimes guns), and they’re really good at dealing damage.

Archer- people who use projectiles as weapons, “archer” is a loose term- dolphins, rocks, swords, axes, and other items are used as weapons. I wish I was kidding about the dolphins

Lancer- pointy sticks!! Pointy sticks!!!

Caster- magic users, though story writers are also considered casters (Shakespeare, Hans Christian Anderson), mostly for healing/buffing the team and debuffing the enemy

Rider- I’m not sure how one qualifies for this either. I guess a mode of transport?

Assassin- sneaky sneaky, honestly very on the tin

Berserker- the glass cannons of the game. Incredibly powerful and destructive but they can also be easily defeated if you’re not careful

Bonus:

Alter Ego

Moon Cancer

Avenger

Foreigner

Ruler

(I am not too sure how someone qualifies for these classes other than avenger bc that’s someone who was wronged and is full of hate towards something or someone. The most powerful ones hate humanity (Lobo, the wolf who lost his mate and pups to humans), while less powerful ones hate one specific individual (Saeri who hates Mozart)

Now for sorting!!!

Queen of Hearts-

Berserker!! Genuinely one of the easiest choices. She’d be an incredibly heavy hitter if you can manage to keep her from getting defeated long enough.

King of Beasts-

archer. Remember how I said they could use pretty much any projectile as a weapon? Yeah for him it’d be hyenas he’d sick on the opponent.

The Sea Witch-

Rider, cause, yk, the waves? The current? Besides. Riders can be pretty powerful (Ozymandias) and yeah. With the eels, I’m pretty solid with my choice here.



The Sorceror of the Sands-

(I didn’t label them in order so I actually got to him last, and I’m still not sure I think it’s suitable for him, anyway) Saber is the last one at this point, so he gets it. A lot of sabers are accomplished leaders in some capacity (King Arthur, the knights Lancelot and Gawain, generals, rebel leaders, etc), so I feel like it’s not a bad spot for them. Besides, Jason (leader of the Argonauts) is a saber and his attacks are just him telling his crew to attack, so if he can get away with being a saber so can this dude

The Fairest Queen-

assassin, and you can fight me on this. Potions? Poisons? Yeah that’s assassin kind of shit. It also enables her to be further from the master than most other servants

The King of the Underworld-

Lancer I’m giving him the pokey stick. Also lancers in the fate universe tend to have really, really rotten luck, so…

The Thorn Fairy-

Caster. She is the ONLY one I feel is truly worthy of it. She’d be a grand caster as well, on par with Solomon who is easily the most powerful caster in-game- though you can’t summon him- yeah she’s the one I’m giving the title of caster to.

[ms-kio]

Three Million Lives To Re-Claim

Darkside Entity Ahsoka X Clone Wars/The Past! 2119 Words

Ahsoka grinned as she slid the Altar blade into Son’s chest, his eyes wide in disbelief. He was no longer worthy. He couldn’t control his ambitions. He no longer strove for balance. He no longer breathed. Knowledge- not unwelcome- poured into her head by the eon. She could sense every force-user, from the two behind her to the ‘Sith Lord’ on Coruscant.

Regarding the Nabooian chancellor, Ahsoka was disappointed. True, the Banites had an interesting method- isolating and strengthening their line every generation- but it was getting dull. Stagnant. And Sideous, unlike his predecessors, only thought of the grand scheme of his own life. Not the galaxy itself. 

Ahsoka scoffed at the foolishness of the Jedi, blinded by the light they drowned themselves in. The Darkside Entity could count on one hand how many Jedi knew what they were doing. That one in the corner, Fay, didn’t count. She was practically Daughter’s child at this point.

Contrary to the current Jedi’s beliefs, the light side of the force was also a drug of sorts. While the darkside ran the risk of going mad, consumed by your fears and burning from the inside out, the light deceived you with it’s peacefulness. It was like a sedative, slowly putting you to sleep and closing your eyes for you, until you only saw what was bathed in light.

Ahsoka had once fallen victim to that blindness, mistaking the quiet in her mind for peace. Now, becoming the darkness, she knew better. 

The Son fell from her blade, Ahsoka letting the weapon retract and clipping the hilt to her waist. She turned to her Master, now the only one who could ‘tame’ her, being the ‘Chosen One’. As an act of compassion, Ahsoka took off her padawan's braid, dropping it into Skywalker's stunned hands. “This will be our final goodbye, Master.” She said, before turning to Father, walking over and raising her blase to pierce his neck. Daughter stopped Kenobi and Skywalker from intervening, holding her hand out. “Daughter will watch over this time,” she stated, “I am going to fix what Son so badly neglected.” Black blood spilled over The darkside entity’s fingers and time warped around her.

Ahsoka pulled the fabric of space and time, guiding herself to Kamino, the storm instantly greeting her with harsh winds and rain. Undeterred, Ahsoka approached the doors, immediately being greeted by a Kaminoan.

“Greetings, Master Jedi. We have been waiting.” The Kaminoan greeted, falling into step beside Ahsoka.

The Togruta simply nodded, the water shedding off her completely as she stepped through the door. “I’m here to check and monitor the progress of the Clone Army.” She declared, her hands folded behind her back. Both her sabers dangled on her right hip, the blade of the altar on her left.

The Kaminoan nodded. “Of course. This way, I’ll give you access to their files. Our most promising samples will be ready for inspection within the hour. Please ask Xi Lao if you have any questions.” Ahsoka was essentially ‘passed off’ to another Kaminoan as the other dismissed themself.

Ahsoka gave the new Kaminoan a nod before sitting down at a desk, examining all of the files of those under ARC training. Ahsoka recognized Cody’s serial number, as well as Rex’s, who was slated to begin ARC training the next year.

Apparently, time flies while reading clone reports. She’d gotten through a decent handful before she was disturbed. “Master Jedi, the cadets are ready for you.” Ahsoka stood, turning to face the Kaminoan she recognized as Lama Su.

“We’ll see.” She replied. According to her search, Cody was among the group of cadets she would be inspecting. She wasn’t surprised. Cody was a scarily competent clone, well deserving of his rank and status as marshall commander.

They headed to the staging ground of the training deck, where Ahsoka spotted a platoon of fifteen clones: three squads, five elements. Alpha -17 was also there, standing at parade rest off to the side. Once Ahsoka came approximately six paces close, he rendered a salute. The Togruta reciprocated, before facing the cadets. Ahsoka squared off in front of them at attention. “Platoon. Open ranks, march!” The clones immediately recognized the command, obeying it with perfect synchronization. “Ready, front!” Well executed. “Cover.” Ahsoka approached, letting her eyes narrow. Starting with the first squad leader, she examined every clone, deactivating their inhibitor chips as she inspected each one. Alpha had taken a place directly behind her as she walked the inspection, as was protocol.

About halfway through the inspection, Ahsoka paused. The clone before her had shields of durasteel, coated in sharp teeth. However untested they were, they were strong. A young jedi knight would have trouble breaking them. Something was different about him in there, undoubtedly. Why else would a clone need to protect himself so?

The longer she stood there, the more she could feel the anxiety from the surrounding clones rise. Ahsoka supposed she could understand. Being noticed without an obvious accomplishment usually meant decommissioning. “Cadet, what is your designation?” She asked.

“CC-1010, sir!” Ah, Fox! Of course. When Ahsoka had been running from the guard and her master, and imprisoned, she had been too terrified to recognize Fox’s unique shields. And Ahsoka’ll be damned, that’s force sensitivity! That would do it for a clone.

Once she reached the last cadet, she returned to her spot in front of the platoon. “Platoon. On the command to fall out, fall out and head to the training deck. Fall out!” The cadets obeyed, and Ahsoka approached Alpha-17 and the Kaminoan. “They have strong minds, you’ve trained them well.” She said, folding her hands behind her back again as the trio headed towards the training deck. “Very well.”

“Thank you, sir.” There was a pause in Alpha-17’s speech. “Permission to speak freely, sir?” Ahsoka could sense some well-hidden nervousness.

She glanced at him. “Permission granted.” She said, glancing at him through the corner of her eye.

The man cleared his throat. “If you don’t mind me asking, you seem a little young to be a general. Is- Are you- I suppose I’m a little confused.”

“Alpha-17.” The Lama Su began to scold, but Ahsoka held up her hand.

“No, it’s quite alright. I can see why he’s curious.” The Togruta turned her attention back to the clone. “As of now, I’m the Jedi who’s best educated on formal military training and conduct.” The former Jedi explained. “I will act as the liaison between the army and the Jedi temple, and teach the cadets the best ways to protect and work with their generals for when they’re sent out. To simplify, I am the last phase of training for the commanders.”

“If I may ask: What will you be teaching the CC units specifically?” Or, what will you be doing to Fox.

“I’ll be running the entire base through a simulation. After I assess CC-1010’s swordsmanship skills myself, I’ll give him a set of instructions. Those on the deck now will be suddenly put in the position to lead in an unorganized, unpredicted situation with brothers who are unprepared.” Ahsoka explained. “Their target will be me, and their objective is to capture. It’ll be a good way to determine the state of the currently battle-ready clones.” Ahsoka turned her eyes to the Kaminoan. “You may want to warn your colleagues, Lama Su. I’m sure the clones will be clean with their work, but it’s best to be cautious.”

~ ~ ~

CC-2224 was nervous. He had noticed how the General had immediately picked Fox out, her topaz eyes seeming to pierce into his very soul. His brothers had noticed this too. It was hard not to, for them. Spotting these things was a matter of survival for the clones, and no one wanted any brother to get decommissioned. “Hey, Fox. we got your six, brother.” Cody assured as they approached the deck. “You’ll be fine.” They were empty words. No vod could deny the word of their superior, especially if they were a general. Nonetheless, Cody said them.

They spent five nerve-wracking minutes waiting for the general on the training deck before she finally appeared, the cadets hearing the last few words of the conversation between Alpha and the general. “Do you have any cadets in mind?”

“Yes, CT-7567.” Cody paled. That was Rex. The poor kid was already under scrutiny due to his ‘defect’. “He’ll do well.” The general's attention then turned to Cody and his present brothers. “You lot were picked to represent yourselves and your brothers as the best, correct?” She asked, though the question was rhetorical. “I have a keen eye for potential.” The general said, looking at each of them individually.

“From now on, you will refer to me as General Tano or Sir.” She paused, Alpha standing behind her right shoulder. “CC-1010, front and center.” Fox perked up at his serial number, briskly walking up to square off in front of the general.

“CC-1010, reporting as ordered, sir.” The general returned his salute, both of them dropping it promptly. General Tano, although much shorter than the clones, seemed to tower over Fox for a moment. Her yellow eyes gleamed at him as she offered the cadet a hilt, which Cody recognized, was a lightsaber hilt. And if Cody could see the slight shake in Fox’s hands, He clenched his teeth. Then the general definitely could.

“The best soldiers can adapt to any situation.” The general said after Fox took the weapon, igniting her own blade. Fox followed suit, the two deep-orange sabers giving an orange hue to the surrounding area. Alpha had wisely backed off as the general charged Fox, the cadet quickly blocking the blow.

“C’mon, Fox. You can do this.” Cody heard a neighboring brother mutter. He could understand the sentiment. Each and every clone watching could recognize this as a test, one with unknown consequences should he succeed or fail in impressing the Jedi. Fox had also been one of the only cadets that had any training in swordsmanship, along with the other current cadets who were pre-assigned to the Coruscant Guard. 

Fox was stuck defending, not being able to get on the offensive for even a single second. The fight dragged on until the general leaped back, deactivating her saber. Fox had escaped any devastating damage, only suffering a few burns across his ribs and arms. The first hit had terrified Cody, thinking his brother's arm was about to get cut off.

The general then beckoned Fox away from the other clones, towards her, which terrified Cody all over again.

~ ~ ~

Fox was going to die. This is it. He’d been noticed, he’d been scrutinized, and now he’s being singled out. Despite holding a lightsaber, weapons the CC units had studied, he felt completely powerless against the piercing topaz eyes of the general in front of him. The cadet was all too happy to hand the blade back to the general when she held out her hand, and felt his heart drop when she beckoned him away from his brothers.

By the vode, Fox had been described as brutal, cunning, and confident. He was feeling none of those now. “What’s your name, cadet?” She asked. Now, Fox was just confused.

“What?”

General Tano just gave a grin, eyes soft. “Your name.” She clarified. “The kamiise are far enough away not to hear, I apologize for scaring you.”

Leap of faith, then. “Fox.” He took a deep breath. “My name is Fox.” Goddamnit, Fox was going to get decommissioned for this.

“That’s a good name. Now, here’s what I want you to do: go to your brothers, and tell them all to spread through the base and gather teams of combat-trained vode. Your job is to apprehend me by any means possible, not neutralize. I’ll be testing the leadership skills of everyone in this room, and the followership of the gathered teams.” Fox had all of ten seconds to process that set of instructions, before the general continued. “You and your teams have until tomorrow’s midmeal to capture me. Whichever team does, gets to have specialized training sessions for the next week.”

There was a pause. “Now go!”

Fox turned on his heel and sprinted to his brothers, hardly leaving any room for them to speak as he launched in an explanation. “The general wants us to capture her, training simulation. All of us are supposed to gather teams of any combat ready clones, we have until tomorrow, midmeal. Reward is specialized training for the winning team, anything goes.”

The group launched into action, some heading to the mess, others to the barracks and training grounds.

Thorn(C), Stone(C), Thire(C), Hound(SGT), Rys, Jek

[votestaynight2]

5th Day - omen (Scene 4)

"――――――――" No, this is an important matter. I can't let other people handle it when it was my idea in the first place. It's not in good faith if I don't ask her myself.

…Oh. I hear the doorbell. "Excuse me." I hear Sakura's voice from the entrance. I guess I should strike while the iron's hot and go ask her right now.

"Oh, hello, Senpai. Are you about to cook dinner?" "Yeah. I'm going to cook by myself today, so you can relax. But please look after Fuji-Nee. She lost confidence in herself because Saber beat her mercilessly. Try to finish her off and play something like Othello with her."

"Oh, that's terrible, Senpai. Today was a hard day for Fujimura-Sensei." "…Oh yeah, she did mention something about that. Then play shogi with her."

"Shogi, huh? Okay, Fujimura-Sensei is the master at that. She beats me even when she gives me a handicap."

Sakura's in a good mood. Her bruise appears to be healing, and her earlier gloominess seems to have disappeared. Yeah, this is a good time to ask.

"So, Sakura. I know it's a bit sudden, but could you stay over at my place starting tonight?" "Huh――――? Stay over at your place…?" "I'm telling you not to go back to the Matou household for a while. Let's see… I want you to stay over for like a week. Oh, I already got Fuji-Nee's approval."

"……" Sakura's face stiffens. She stares at me, as if peering into my mind.

"―――I know I'm being unreasonable. But I'll have you stay over no matter what. I don't care what you think of me, but please stay at my place for a while."

"――――――――" Sakura doesn't answer. She stares at me silently…

"――――Why is that?" …And then asks me that question.

"……" I can't tell her why. I can't tell her that Shinji's a Master, and anything else would just be a lie. Everyone has their secrets. I'm a guy, so I have many secrets I can't tell Fuji-Nee or Sakura.

…There are things you just can't say, not even to the people most important to you. But that's also why I can't lie. Sakura's an important family member to me, so I can't lie to her.

"……" The air feels like it's freezing over. The silence seems to last forever, and Sakura hangs her head awkwardly. I put my stupid brain to work, trying to come up with something to say.

"Do I really have to tell you, Sakura?" She doesn't respond. Instead, she just looks at me with a concerned expression. "…Is it because you're worried about me?" And she clearly states this.

"―――Yeah, I'm worried about you. It'll help me out if you stay here." …Her long hair sways. Sakura nods in response… …She answers not with her words, but with a brilliant smile.

After eating dinner, one only needs to take a bath and go to sleep. This is common knowledge, barely worthy of mention. So there's no problem. Something so mundane couldn't possibly cause a problem.

But…

"…Um, Fujimura-Sensei. I need to discuss something with you…" "What is it? Go ahead and ask me." "Um… Well……"

"Oh, right. You need something to change into. Hmm, I guess there are school uniforms at my place. I can give you some of my clothes if you don't mind. Oh, or would you rather go to your place to get some clothes?" "…No, I would rather not go home, since I wouldn't be able to come back here. Um, about Nii-san…"

"Oh, that's all right. I just called your place and got your grandfather's permission. He said he doesn't mind having you over at my place since I'm a teacher." "R-Really!? Then I can really stay over here!?" "Yup. So, about your change of clothes… you don't mind using my pajamas, right? Oh, do you want to use the same underwear too?"

"Oh… No, um… I think your bra would be too tight on me…" "Hm. Yeah, you have big boobs. ……………Give me some of that." "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa! What are you doing, Sensei!?" "Ahahahahaha, I'm just joking. …But this is troubling. I don't have a bra your size. Are you the kind that keeps your bra on when you sleep?"

"Uh… um, yes." "Yeah, people with big boobs tend to do that. But isn't it uncomfortable?" "…I-It is, but what you do is………"

"I see, I see! It sure is good to be young! Then I'll get the guys at my place to buy some for you by tomorrow morning. So don't worry, just go ahead and take your bath." "……"

"――――――――!" S-So why are you two having this conversation right in front of me!? I'm a guy! If you two talk about that, I won't even be able to look at Sakura without thinking…

"Ohhh? Why the red face, Shirou? Are you curious about what Sakura-chan had to say?" "――――! H-Heh, what are you talking about? It's a secret between you two. I didn't hear it, and I'm not curious!"

"Oh, really? Then I'll give you an interesting piece of info. Sakura-chan is an 85. She's an E-cup. Isn't it amazing? It's 13 centimeters bigger than last year. I bet you noticed it too. How sexy her body is and how much you want to touch her."

"Y-You――――!" "F-Fujimura-Sensei――――! I told you in secret so that he wouldn't hear it!! Why are you telling him like that!?"

"Huh? Huh? Kyaaaaa!?"

"You――――idiot, Fuji-Nee…" I finish my thought in a whisper. Fuji-Nee falls to Sakura's counterattack. Sakura's face is red, and she is trying to cover Fuji-Nee's mouth.

…Sakura… I understand wanting to prevent Fuji-Nee from talking, but if you keep this up, you'll kill her…

"Haa, haa, haa―――wow, I didn't know you were that strong, Sakura-chan. I'm surprised that you came to stop my breath right away." "Geez! Please contemplate your actions, Fujimura-Sensei!" Sakura gets away from Fuji-Nee. ――――Naturally… Our eyes meet.

"Oh." "――――Ehh, um, the towel's in the dressing room." "O-Okay…! Um excuse me for a while, Senpai…!"

Sakura hurries out to the hallway. "Oh――――" But if she runs like that…

"Ow… I hit my nose……" …I wanted to warn her that she'd fall… …But she exceeds my expectations and runs straight into the wall.

"Are you all right, Sakura!?" Was she that eager to get away? "Yeah, I'm all right. I'm fine, so I'm going to go take a bath." Sakura disappears into the hallway.

"――――Phew." With Sakura gone, I relax. …As tense as things were getting, I would've had to flee the room in embarrassment if she hadn't left first.

"――――Hah." "…What? Go ahead and say it if you want to say something, you failure of a teacher."

"Noooothing. I'm just thinking how hard it must be for Sakura-chan. I bet Sakura-chan was even more embarrassed in front of you."

"I-I'm not blushing! Hey, Sakura is like a family member to me. She's cooked for me and we've eaten together for a long time! I-I'd be a failure as her Senpai if I were embarrassed!"

"Oh, so you don't want to be a failure?" "Of course not. Sakura is Shinji's sister. If I'm having a friend's sister over, I have to take care of her."

"What…? Oh, I see now. I just thought you were dense, but that's part of it too, huh?" Fuji-Nee sighs. This is troubling.

"Sakura-chan has a lot of trouble ahead of her." "Hey, where are you going?" "I'm going to the dressing room. I have to go get Sakura-chan some change of clothes. You can go to the outbuilding and prepare a room for her. Get her some new sheets, okay?" Fuji-Nee leaves after giving me an order.

"…Heh. Stay here, Saber. I'm going to go prepare the guest room." I leave after seeing Saber nod.

I make the bed and check the furniture. I decided to have Sakura use a guest room that isn't normally used. This room is more suited to her, and the door can be locked. …Sakura's a girl, so that should be better for her.

"…Well, it's not like Fuji-Nee made me choose this room." I make the bed. This bed has never been used. The moment I think that Sakura will sleep in this bed tonight…

'――――I bet you noticed it too.'

"――――!" …Indecent thoughts fill my head.

"D-Don't be stupid! I―――" …I already know that, without being told. I've seen Sakura hit puberty, getting more beautiful by the day. It was a good thing, but I also persuaded myself not to notice it. I've always told myself that she's Shinji's sister and that she only comes to cook for me because she feels guilty about what Shinji did.

"…It's been a year and a half, hasn't it? It's nothing Sakura should care about." The accident that caused me to quit the archery club… I injured my shoulder, he complained about the burn, and I took the opportunity to leave the club. …And Sakura proposed to help me out until my injury healed.

She was like a child back then. She waited for me in front of my house one day, but it took two hours of awkward silence before she worked up the courage to say she wanted to help me.

"―――That shy Sakura is the rising star of the archery club now. Man, how a person can change."

Sakura is cheerful now. I first met her four years ago when I went to Shinji's house after getting to know him.

She was quiet and had a habit of hiding her face with her hair. …Well, she still is, but she was really lifeless back then. She always looked depressed and would just absent-mindedly stand there. Considering that, it's wonderful to see how Sakura is doing now. It relieves me to see Sakura, the girl who only used to look downcast, smile.

'I bet you noticed it too. How sexy her body is, how much you want to touch her.'

"――――――――" …I don't really know. She was always just my underclassman. But recently, that changed. …I don't know if it happened recently or if I only started to notice it just now. ―――Or… Was she so close to me that I didn't have to notice?

"…Damn. It's been peaceful until now. So why…" Why is my mind going crazy from just having Sakura stay over? I'm being inconsiderate of her. I'll finish cleaning and show her to her room――――

"Huh? Where's Sakura, Saber?" "I do not know. She is not here yet, so I would assume she is still in the bath." "…? But it's been an hour already."

…Well, perhaps she takes long baths. After all, she has more places to wash――――

"―――! Stop, stop, stop…! Don't imagine indecent things!" I shake my head and sit down at the table. I pour myself some tea and drink it.

"――――Phew." I shake off the image in my head and relax. …Then. "Shirou. Does Sakura have bad eyesight?" Saber asks me a strange question.

"…? No, Sakura has good eyesight. I think she has 1.5 vision." "I see. She often runs into walls, so I was worried that she might have bad vision."

"Oh, I see. Thanks for worrying, but Sakura's fine. She's clumsy now because she's tired. She's usually more reliable than me."

"I hope so. …But even in that case, it is a problem if she is tired enough to mistake the wall for a door. This is only my personal opinion, but I believe it was not caused by fatigue."

"――――――――" That's a very natural conclusion. Even if you're tired, you still shouldn't be running into walls.

"……" Where is Sakura anyway? Even if she's taking a bath, an hour is too long. I――――

[fateviled]

𝚅𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚁 ... @commandsfear (continued.)

Vader cared nothing for what she could achieve against him. No one could beat him, bar his own master. Training Trilla was going to help destroy that last bit of infallibility within him. In theory, at least.

She did not mask her feelings from him-- or he simply already knew what she thought. Vader knew he was a villain, knew that the Dark Side corrupted like a PLAGUE within his chest. It had taken Dooku, Ventress, Quinlan... And now him. Even know, he could only feel regret mixed with horror at what he had done to Padme-- at what it had resulted in. 

Perhaps that was why he now searched. For his children. For Rex. For a love that no longer belonged to him. Within his chest, a heart he long thought dead ached with fervor. Never in his life had he expected one of the people whom Anakin Skywalker loved to be alive. 

It should have been a gift. Yet, it didn’t feel like it. 

He blocks her with ease, moving his arm up to send her back without the Force, but with the simple power of motion. She knows that she can’t beat him and she knows that he knows as well. This is hardly about showmanship nor skill-- it is about attrition. About how long Trilla can last. 

Does she know he’s testing that? To see how long she can go before she gives up? Gives in? She had already given in to the Dark Side, would she give into FAILURE as well? If so, she was hardly a worthy apprentice. Giving up meant that the Emperor would... what? Win? He supposed that was the best thing to call it. 

                    though  it  had  come  with  pain  and  suffering,    part  of  her  believes  that  turning  towards  the  dark  side  had  been  one  of  the  easiest  things  in  life.      being  taken  on  as  a  padawan  had  been  harder,    a  young  girl  stumbling  through  desperate  attempts  to  prove  herself  with  clumsy  attempts  to  make  cere  proud    ——  that  had  been  a  difficult  feat.          her  mentor  had  been  understanding  of  her  failings,    in  ways  she  suspected  others  would  not  have,    and  yet  trilla  can  still  remember  the  weariness  in  the  woman’s  eyes  at  finding  her  tucked  away  in  a  corner  of  her  room  with  a  book  in  hand  rather  than  a  weapon.

                    and  truly,    it  had  been  a  blessing  that  the  seeker  had  taken  no  role  in  the  clone  wars,    for  both  of  them  had  known  trilla  would  never  come  close  to  becoming  a  legend.    especially  not  like  the  broken  one  that  stood  before  her  now,    who  had  made  a  mediocre  padawan  into  a  killing  weapon.    as  if  breaking  someone  so  entirely  was  nothing.    as  easy  as  blood  ran  red  in  the  wake  of  the  empire’s  creation.

                    yes,    that  part  had  been  easy.    it  was  nothing  compared  to  the  cool  desperation  that  seemed  to  grow  in  her  chest  with  every  deflected  blow,    wanting…    force,    she  wasn’t  sure  what  she  wanted  from  this.    feet  apart  in  a  wide  stance,    the  momentum  of  his  shove  throwing  her  for  a  second  longer  than  she  prefers.    none  of  the  anxious  overthinking  of  her  youth,    hesitance  burned  away  from  her  as  she  spins  before  slashing  as  quickly  as  she  can.    the  other  side  of  her  saber  flashes  in  her  vision  as  it  ignites  in  mid-air,    pointed  towards  him;    hoping  he’s  broken  her  enough  to  make  something  dangerous.

                    she  would  not  yield.    (NOT  AGAIN.)    not  when  every  sharp  breath  in  her  lungs  burned  with  an  anger  she  was  tired  of  carrying.

[phoenixyfriend]

Ezra and Fulcrum’s Wacky Adventure

Ezra's attempt to save Ahsoka on Malachor by fucking around with space-time goes wonky, and the two of them end up in the first year of TCW... with Vader in pursuit.

"You're Ahsoka... from the future?"

"Sure am, Skyguy."

"And that's your padawan."

"A friend's padawan. His master died recently, and I'm keeping an eye on him until we figure something out."

"Right, right... and, uh, mister tall, Dark, and horrifying?"

"Oh, that's future you."

"..."

"Yeah, Palpatine's a Sith Lord and he's been grooming you for a decade. Shit’s fucked. Anyway, get ready to jump, Vader’s gaining on us."

I just have this mental image of hyper-competent "I am no Jedi" Fulcrum leading 20yo Anakin and angstiest ever Ezra on a merry ride called "avoid Vader before he kills us all."

Intermittently she tries to talk Vader down with "Padme's still alive!" and that sort of not-quite-reassurance, and Anakin is getting very concerned about... many things.

Smol Ahsoka is very "future me scares me." Like yeah Fulcrum is a badass but Fulcrum is also incredibly blase about like. Really horrifying things.

Fulcrum's had a long time to come to terms with "Vader is probably Anakin" and a week or two to come to terms with "Vader is DEFINITELY Anakin and also trying to kill me and this child (teenager) I'm currently in charge of." She's coping by making very morbid jokes and being scarily calm about things, and just overall Very Unperturbed about, like, an explosion going off two feet away from her.

She keeps dropping bombs like "Yeah, all the clones have mind-control chips in their heads with orders to kill us or themselves and I remember like a solid half of you trying to kill me in particular, it was a very formative experience for how I dealt with the rise of the Empire" with the most unassuming, bland smiles.

Everyone's horrified except Fulcrum herself and Ezra, who grew up in the Empire and has never known anything else, but ALSO he's consistently freaking out and having negative reactions to shinies and even some of the older clones because even painted phase one armor is setting off 'These are stormtroopers' PTSD.

So there's:

- that general "Vader fucks around and everyone, including Sidious and Tyranus, is trying to figure out the identity of this absolute motherfucker wrecking everyone's shit with no restraint or apparent care in target allegiance"

- "a friend from The Future shows up to tell you about the horrible, horrible fate everyone is going to suffer, now you have to fix it"

- "Future Me tried to kill The Little Sister?????"

Do you think your teenager is traumatized now, Anakin? Think again! In eighteen years, it's going to be so much worse, and it's going to be in large part your fault!

Fulcrum, smiling: Humor makes the trauma bearable.

Anakin: [concerned noises]

@atagotiak: I have this mental image of Anakin and Fulcrum making the very inadvisable decision to spar

Fulcrum thinks she’s able to handle it. She’s not.

She has the skills! But. Uh. Panic attacks are fun, especially when they take the form of "my brain flipped a switch and I could no longer process that this was a spar and not a fight to the death."

Ezra suggests that maybe she'd be better off sparring with General Kenobi instead of Skywalker. Ezra can spar with Mini-Soka and Anakin, he's fine with that. He knows Vader is Anakin but it's just a Fact, like "there are this many stars in the Chommel sector." It's certainly true but he has no emotional connection to this information.

Tia: It’s not great for Fulcrum mentally and also tbh it seems like there might be a risk of her injuring Anakin. Probably not too seriously just because the sabers aren’t gonna be full power but still, seems like something to avoid

Does she flinch around non-Rex 501st clones? Probably!

Fulcrum: Here's a list of clones we're likely to encounter that I'm not going to panic around.

Anakin: ...there’s only three names on this list.

Fulcrum: Yeah.

Tia: Trying to figure out what her opinion of Bail Organa must be. Which is complicated by how I haven’t seen Rebels.

I mean yeah there’s some degree of trust and respect and stuff there. But in the novel at least I didn’t really get any friendship vibe from them. To be fair I’m pretty sure they barely knew each other at the point.

“He’s trustworthy but a much sneakier motherfucker than anyone gives him credit for.”

"We aren't friends but I would lay down my life for him without hesitation"

"He's very soft compared to Jedi or clones but he's almost stupidly brave and apparently tried to help when he saw the Temple go up in flames, it's wild."

"But you're not friends?"

"Nah, future Bail was kind of my boss and I saw him once every two years if that. He has my ultimate respect, though. Ten outta ten, would become a black ops agent for again."

Tia: “Also his office is very fun to break into”

The looks that last one gets her.

Obi-Wan was nodding along because Yeah, he Gets It, Bail is incredibly impressive for a politician, he's a good man with a good heart and nerves of steel! Obi-Wan also finds him worthy of total loyalty! This is all--his office is What.

Fulcrum: Hey, you wanna know something terrible?

Anakin: No.

Fulcrum: Too bad, telling you anyway.

Fulcrum gets a lot of mileage out of being the future version of one of Anakin's current Five Most Important People (Obi-Wan, Padme, Ahsoka, Palpatine, Rex) since the twins haven't been born yet and Shmi's already dead.

Also, Tia pointed out that Caleb is like eleven at this point, and that’s very awkward for Ezra.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Why was Gilgamesh so obsessd with Saber? What did he see in her that he legit waited for her 10 years to come back?

I'm pretty sure that he would have dropped her in the moment she agrees to marry him so.....was the chase this exciting to him?

The Muffin, Fate, and You

Anon asks about the Nasuverse, which is a sprawling multiple anime, video game, visual novel universe usually with the title "Fate" where you can summon historical/mythological figures to do battle for you over the Holy Grail which may also be the source of ultimate evil if corrupted.

I'm one of those heathens that only respects Fate/Zero, which is the prequel series to the original timelines of Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Ultimate Blade Works, etc.

I've tried other franchises in the multiverse aside from Fate/Zero, I couldn't do it. I'm sorry guys, to me, they are complete trash and unworthy of contemplation.

And guess which one you're asking about, anon?

Alright, Alright, I'll Try

Arthuria Pendragon is one of those strange, rare, people who fully embodies an ideal (in this case chivalry and the divinely anointed king). However, because of this, she is a failed king in that while she inspired her people she ultimately failed to keep them, was betrayed by those around her, and had little to no understanding of what it means to lead a nation.

Alexander the Great points this out to her and pities her for it, he believes she'd make a far better vassal under his command than a king in her own right.

Gilgamesh, however, is fascinated.

Arthuria is such a tragic figure to him, a classic tragedy given form, and one who never quite breaks even when the results of her efforts are shown before her.

This is the shit Gilgamesh lives for.

He wants to see just how far Arthuria can be pushed before she crumbles. And, if she never does, if she retains this hopeful naivite and someone worthy of being presented Excalibur in the face of everything that's happened, then she is something truly extraordinary.

Gilgamesh lives in a world that bores him in which the people he tends to meet, for this or that reason, are all the same. There are a few who stand out of the crowd: Kirei Kotomine in the depths of depravity and pure evil the man is capable of and Arthuria Pendragon on the opposite end of someone who despite everything refuses to be anything less than infuriatingly noble.

He knows, as of the end of Fate/Zero, that he will see her again when the next Grail War comes about. What's ten years for one of the most interesting people he's met? Who, the last time he saw her, was utterly betrayed by her master, faced her underling who she learned she'd driven utterly mad, etc.

I think his marriage proposals were actually quite genuine in that Arthuria was just that interesting to him.

[darklinaforever]

Evidence that Snoke is an abuser in an abuser / abused relationship, especially with Kylo Ben, and is also a metaphor for a sexual predator / pedophile :

Snoke is a manipulator who constantly pits Kylo & Hux against each other. When one is rewarded, the other is humiliated, whether verbally or physically. (Use force on Hux in front of the officers to humiliate him / Throw lightning on Kylo)

Snoke uses Kylo Ben as an object, an object that he will get rid of when he wants. Han says in Star Wars 7 : "Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants, he'll crush you." Also, Snoke says in Star Wars 8 : "I stirred up Ren's inner conflict. I knew he wasn't strong enough to hide it from you. And that you weren't wise enough not to take the bait." Here, Snoke openly admits that he used Kylo's weakness as bait for Rey.

Sometimes Snoke compliments Kylo Ren, sometimes he belittles him. Thus, nothing Kylo does seems to fit in Snoke's eyes. Examples : "The mighty Kylo Ren. When I found you, I saw what every master dreams of seeing. Raw, untamed power. And beyond that, something really special. The potential of your lineage. A new Vader." He continues with ; "Now I'm afraid... I was wrong." He will add a few lines later, "You are only a child in a mask." In the final showdown, when Kylo brings Rey to Snoke, the latter will say, "Well done, my worthy and faithful apprentice. My faith in you is restored." And then say to Rey, "Did you see anything ? A flaw in my apprentice? Is that why you came ? Young fool. […] I stirred up Ren's inner conflict. I knew he wasn't strong enough to hide it from you. And that you weren't wise enough not to take the bait." Here, he clearly mocks and belittles Kylo Ben for having feelings that stir up conflict within him, only to later say : "My worthy apprentice, son of darkness, heir apparent to Lord Vader."

Signs of regular physical abuse are suggested. Especially through the scene where Snoke sends Kylo flying with a discharge of lightning, and we see him recover and get up very quickly almost without any moan of pain. Compared to Luke in the confrontation scene of "Return of the Jedi", who suffers the same thing from Palpatine, and where he can be seen struggling to get up and screaming in pain, it makes sense to infer that Kylo had to undergo this treatment several times to cash it as well. There's also the scene in the throne room with Rey, when Snoke flies the lightsaber, we can see Kylo, ​​eyes downcast, uselessly dodging the saber with two head movements in reflex mode, as if had already been beaten in this way. The impression is reinforced when we see Rey taking a blow to the head via the saber.

Snoke began manipulating Kylo Ben as a child. Indeed, in the 7th film, we learn that Kylo went to train with his uncle Luke. In the 8th film, Luke explains that he created a Jedi temple, where he brought in addition to Kylo a dozen students. Knowing that the only examples of Jedi training within temples that we have of the whole saga takes place during the prequel, where we see that the disciples are trained from childhood; there is therefore no reason why Kylo, ​​being born with the force, was not also taken care of during his childhood by his uncle who himself happened to be the last official Jedi. Knowing that in addition, Leïa sent her son in training for fear that he would have "too much Vader in him" probably due to his power (raw, as Snoke says) in the force, and that she reveals then that "It came from Snoke. He dragged our son to the dark side.", we can also deduce that Snoke began his manipulation on Kylo before he began his training at the Jedi temple with Luke. So suggesting that this manipulation has been going on for years and started at some undefined point in his childhood. A mental manipulation, (because there is no suggestion that Snoke and Kylo met in the flesh during his training) Snoke using force to infiltrate Kylo Ren's mind,"I see his thoughts. I see his slightest intentions." he will say to Rey in Star Wars 8.

It's also important to note that although Kylo Ben's character is clearly an adult in the films, he is never characterized or referred to as such. He is clearly played as a teenager (confirmed by the actor) by his hypersensitivity, impulsiveness and temper tantrums. As referred to as a child by the other characters who repeatedly use the terms "boy", "young Solo", "kid", "child in a mask", etc.

We are therefore on a character who has not yet passed spiritually into adulthood.

Snoke is dressed as Hugh Hefner. An old man, famous for the sexual exploitation of women and numerous sexual allegations made against him.

The throne room is called "Snoke's boudoir." The main image that we retain of a boudoir today is that of a gallant, even erotic space. A sexual space then.

And again, here I am only talking about films.

It's even worse in novelizations and comics !