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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Beyond - Legends Saga "Now That Castles Cannot Fall" | Kessel Run 2025 | Song!verse AU; Ensemble Cast

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Mira_Jade , Jan 17, 2025.

  1. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Title: "Now That Castles Cannot Fall"
    Author: Mira_Jade

    Time Frame: Everywhere! (post-RotS AU; my Song!verse)
    Genre: Everything! (with more fluff than not, let's be honest)
    Characters: Everyone! (with focus on the Skywalker family, and friends)

    Summary: Further moments, from another time and place . . .

    Notes: Hello, all! This is my response to this year's Kessel Run Challenge! All of the stories in this collection will be set in my Song!verse, which is an AU where Anakin Skywalker was not, and I quote, dumb and Sithy in falling to the Dark Side. It's not necessary to read anything prior in this 'verse to understand what's going on in this collection, but, if you're interested, you can find links to those stories beneath the spoiler tag below. :)

    • “An Old Song, Re-Sung” | The one that started it all! A complete RoTS AU short story where, and I quote: Anakin is not dumb and Sithy. From a certain point of view, at least. [face_mischief]

    • “Her Still, Small Voice” | The sequel to AOSRS. A Mara Jade origins story that is, unfortunately, on hiatus.

    • "Even Without a Voice" | My answer to the 2018 DDC. Ahsoka's companion story to Anakin's, picking up right from her leaving the Jedi Order through just after the subverted events of RoTS.

    • "In That There That Isn't Here" | This is something a little different for me. A Sintas Vel diary I started for the 2020 DDC. This is, as of now, another incomplete WIP, but one that I hope to start up again someday.

    • "All That's Unsung" | A complete short story, set 3 years post-RoTS. Featuring Anakin and Padmé trying to have a date night, and Rex and Ahsoka babysitting the toddler twins.

    • "So Few Things" | A WIP novel, set five years post-RoTS, focusing on Bly/Aayla Secura after the subverted events of Order 66.

    • "And Dances With the Lilliadils" | A very special vignette featuring Jesse and Chyntuck's OC Nazmat Koch, written for the 2023 Spring Bingo.

    • "Color Me Pink" | A complete, goofy short story written for the 2020 April Fools Challenge, featuring the preteen twins and Mara Jade building their lightsabers, set about 13 years post-RoTS. It mainly focuses on one of my OCs, Rhysa, and her relationship with Ezra Bridger. With bonus married and happy Aayla Secura/Bly on the side.

    • "Our Hearts Were Never Meant to Kneel" | A Darth Maul and Mara Jade decathlon, written for the 2023/2024 Summer Olympics.

    • "Your Heart Will Catch Its Breath Again" | A WIP short story set 16 years post-RotS, featuring Darth Maul, Mara Jade, and a mission to Abeexis.

    • "We Claim Our Own Landscape" | A WIP short story, set about 20 years post-RoTS, where Han meets the parents.

    • "Antigravity" | A collection of short stories written for the 2023 Kessel Run Challenge.

    • "A Brighter Sun, a Bigger Sky" | A collection of short stories written for the 2024 Kessel Run Challenge.

    Then, various odds and ends can be found in “The Rest is Silence”, "Our Love of Constellations", "Cut Into Little Stars", "The Courage of Stars", and "From Such Infinite Space".

    [face_love]


    Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, but for the words! My title for this collection is a lyric borrowed from Les Friction's Your Voice. [face_love]





    Index of Entries

    Week One
    : "And You in Bloom" | 13 years post-AOSRS | Mara Jade

    Week Two: "Notes on the Cultivation of the Iegoan Reeksa" | 15 years post-AOSRS | Zaed (Darth Maul) & Ezra Bridger

    Week Two (bonus): "Rise Unto the Call" | 20 years post-AOSRS | Ensemble Cast

    Week Three: "Every Colored Strand" | 20 years post-AOSRS | Ulka Tha (OC) & Padmé Amidala Skywalker

    Week Four: "The Death of Sentience" | 12 years post-AOSRS | Venthan Chassu & Jesse Gabrees

    Week Five: "The Song of Ilum" | 14 years post-AOSRS | Mara Jade & Yoda



    ~ MJ @};-
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2025 at 3:13 PM
  2. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Author's Notes: The challenge for Week One was to write a story between 100 and 1,000 words that ends with the sentence: “For the first time in her life, she felt powerful.” To do so, I am returning to Mara Jade in this 'verse (a huge thanks to @ViariSkywalker for both the plot bunny and the encouragement along the way [:D]), in a story that's something of a companion/precursor piece to Blooms in Adversity. [face_love]

    Enjoy! [:D]





    Week One: "And You in Bloom"
    (13 years post-AOSRS)

    “Do not worry; it will come to you, child.”

    The words were gentle – Master Kenobi’s entire sense in the Force was gentle, like a sunbeam on a spring day – yet Mara Jade held herself very, very still. No matter the better knowledge of her logical mind, there was an elemental part of her (base and wounded before) that expected that light to heat and burn.

    Yet it did not – it would not – for there was only one gardener here, and she alone held the spade.

    (So why, then, can you not reach out nor let in?)

    Mara nodded, all without voicing her doubts – for doubts were unnecessary when there was true obedience – and stared at the small globe awaiting her. It was such a simple thing, to reach out and exert her will, to command bend and move, climb and twirl and fall -

    She could not even bid rise, let alone anything more intricate – not like Luke and Leia, who could move their globes in dizzying patterns of colored light, all without lifting a finger. They’d been able to do so for years now.

    (You know that they cannot fully understand why your own hand is held back, and you are so very, very grateful that is so.)

    In comparison, everything came slowly to her. Mentally and physically, she kept up with her age class and even excelled, in many ways. There were few more clever or nimbler or faster or as resourceful with a saber in hand. She only lost to her fellow initiates when it came to consciously using the Force to aid her movements, rather than supplying her unconscious strength. Yet, in many ways, when it came to the most rudimentary lessons regarding the Force itself, she was no more advanced than a youngling.

    (For, to touch the Force was to welcome him – and to hear his voice again, you cannot bear.)

    “Try again,” Master Kenobi encouraged, and so she tried,

    and tried,

    and tried,

    . . . and watched with growing frustration as the globe held still, fixed in its place.

    (Sometimes you think that you can still hear him laughing, even so.)

    “We will try again tomorrow. The Force reveals itself to us, all in our own time,” Master Kenobi soothed – yet her frustration remained, burning her cheeks and clenching her fists.

    Sometimes, for each kind assurance added to the last, Mara only wanted to scream.

    (After all, you told yourself that you would never feel powerless again.)

    (And look at you now.)




    .

    .

    That season's juni flowers were in bloom, just beyond the Temple grounds.

    To seek them out, Mara made her way into the jungle, deviating from the main path for the secret one she better knew for herself. Following the last of the summer monsoons, the earth was sodden and black underfoot, and the air seeped with moisture to match. The waterways were full and rushing, eager to join the Ossua river just beyond, even as droplets continued to patter from leaf to leaf in the dense tropical foliage. The grotto, when she arrived, was densely carpeted with flowers, all crowned with rippling white petals and pale hearts of fuchsia and violet and gold. Careful not to disturb their sanctuary, she made her way to one of the more pronounced moss-covered boulders, and climbed up to sit.

    There, she relaxed her shoulders, and allowed herself to breathe.

    In.

    Out.

    In.

    And out.


    (For there were some things he could never take from you.)

    Eventually, she reached down to pick one of the blossoms for herself. She turned the flower in her hands, closing herself to anything beyond its silken texture and rich, sweet scent. It felt alive in her hands – the entire jungle ever did, and all the more so after the rains, when the whole of the natural world flushed with rejuvenation and new growth. She could feel its presence whisper across her senses like a tiny heartbeat – echoing the cosmic one that was far larger than them all.

    Sometimes, here, everything that was yet out of reach did not feel entirely impossible to grasp.

    (For he was not here – only you.)

    (You know that.)


    (You do.)

    Mara turned the flower in her hands, and reminded herself of that truth. She would continue to remember that truth.

    As such, she chose to reflect on the life that was now hers to live – the life that he could not touch. She focused on the choices that were her own – the people that were her own, just as she was theirs. She meditated on her own thoughts, her own dreams, her own hopes for her future – hers.

    (Never his again.)

    Then, why shouldn’t this be hers as well?

    So, she did not reach . . . but rather opened. The same as using a wounded limb after a break, she unfurled her mind, tentatively, slowly, by degrees. In the calm of the jungle, only the nature and the wild echoed back – answering with their reaching boughs and their deep roots and their singing hearts.

    She listened to that song until she became the song – alive and alight and affirming that she did not just dwell amongst the light, but she was of the light, and, for the first, that thought did not weigh her down with everything that once was and yet could be.

    No.

    Instead, she held to her peace, and kept it as her own.

    Mara opened her eyes, at last, to find the juni flower floating above her hands, rotating on a slow, easy axis – spinning in time with her breathing, in time with the jungle's breath – and, delighted, she laughed.

    With a conscious thought, she willed the bloom to lift higher and higher before arcing and sweeping and twirling. At every turn, it danced, answering her unspoken command.

    In that moment, with the quiet and the light, for the first time in her life, she felt powerful.



    ~ MJ @};-
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2025
    Kahara, amidalachick, GregMcP and 8 others like this.
  3. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Host: Finish the story, Anagrams & Scattegories. star 8 VIP - Game Winner VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    What a lovely description. The words were gentle – Master Kenobi’s entire sense in the Force was gentle, like a sunbeam on a spring day.
    How vastly different from that other voice.

    I loved reading the contrast between what comes naturally to Mara versus the others and what she struggles with.

    This is poignantly insightful:
    (Sometimes you think that you can still hear him laughing, even so.)

    Wow. That is something that would certainly curtail her efforts.
    :(

    Such a delicious sensory picture of the jungle. It feels serene and welcoming, somewhere Mara can be relaxed and not trying so hard.

    [face_thinking]

    MARA ROCKS, YES SHE DOES.
    She meditated on her own thoughts, her own dreams, her own hopes for her future – hers.
    (Never his again.)


    In the calm of the jungle, only the nature and the wild echoed back – answering with their reaching boughs and their deep roots and their singing hearts. She listened to that song until she became the song – alive and alight and affirming that she did not just dwell amongst the light, but she was of the
    light, and, for the first, that thought did not weigh her down with everything that once was and yet could be.
    No.
    Instead, she held to her peace, and kept it as her own.
    Mara opened her eyes, at last, to find the juni flower floating above her hands, rotating on a slow, easy axis – spinning in time with her breathing, in
    time with the jungle's breath – and, delighted, she laughed.
    With a conscious thought, she willed the bloom to lift higher and higher before arcing and sweeping and twirling. At every turn, it danced, answering her
    unspoken command.
    In that moment, with the quiet and the light, for the first time in her life, she felt powerful.


    Magnificent.

    A fantab start to the KR.

    =D=

    [:D]
     
  4. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Beautiful beginning with Kenobi teaching Mara
    Mara mastering the flower floating above her hands and she being powerful
     
  5. ConservativeJedi321

    ConservativeJedi321 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 2016
    The force is a beautiful thing, and your poetic description of Mara learning it is truly a wonder to behold.
     
  6. Gabri_Jade

    Gabri_Jade Fanfic Archive Editor Emeritus star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2002
    Aw yeah :cool:

    That's Obi-Wan, all right [face_love]

    And after her early experiences in this 'verse, who could blame her? =((

    =((

    This poor sweet girl =((

    That sort of association with any connection to the Force at such a young age would be such a traumatic thing, and it's so realistic that it would take her a long time to find a way to overcome it, despite all the support she has.

    My bebeh Mara :_|

    You're always so good at descriptive writing; even my aphantasiac brain knows exactly what this all feels and looks like, even if it can't conjure up any actual images [face_love]

    Yes, yes, I'm pulling like a third of the story here, but it just didn't feel right to break any of it up, it's so lyrically cohesive. Describing the Force is always challenging, but you do such a lovely job of it here, and tie it so well to Mara's mindset and hope and determination and trust that finally lets her make this connection; it all feels perfectly natural and right and I love it [face_love]
     
  7. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    SongVerse Mara! Love it! :D So glad to see the SongVerse back in action, and with such a beautiful first installment! We see Mara's entire trajectory from her "hand held back" by her past trauma at the hands (as the Hand) of him (we know who) to a gentle, luminous discovery of her own power on her own terms. But Obi-Wan's patient mentorship certainly has a "hand" in it too; as others have said, he is such an ideal mentor for her right now, precisely because he's such a foil to her personality-wise. Surely he understands what she's up against too, and that she needs to discover and develop her powers on her own time. And what's really cool is how you get into the mechanics of exactly how she does that—that distinction of opening rather than reaching, and not just listening to the song of the Force but becoming it: just spot on for the kind of breakthrough Mara needs, and the kind of serene, peaceful power she's been longing for for so long. [face_love] What a beautiful beginning; keep up the amazing work! =D=
     
  8. ViariSkywalker

    ViariSkywalker Kessel Run Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2002
    [​IMG]

    It turned out so good, Mira! [face_dancing] [face_love]

    Oh, poor Mara. :( Of course she's still having trouble moving on from those deep psychological wounds; even though she's safe here, a part of her still feels trapped and bound.

    (I love that Obi-Wan is working with Mara here - that relationship is such an untapped gold mine of potential in AUs, and I adore your pitch-perfect version of it. [face_love])

    What a great line [face_hypnotized]

    And yet =((

    I can just imagine how the Skywalker twins would flourish in their abilities in a world where they learned to touch the Force from infancy, and I can also imagine how frustrating their easy command of it would be for others, even their friends. But Mara's next thought, that she's glad they never had a reason to understand her own hesitance and struggles... that hurts, even as you show just how kind and empathetic Mara is. =(( [face_love]

    I love that this felt like an echo of canon almost, in that canon!Mara's Force abilities atrophied after Palpatine's death, and while she retained the skills afforded her by her assassin's training, she only really used the Force to supplement them, rather than relying on it wholesale. So what I'm getting at is that you've once again done a fantastic job at capturing the essence of a character while still making them completely believable in the world of your AU, which is an impressive accomplishment. [face_batting]

    GET OUT OF HERE, SHEEV

    [​IMG]


    Obi-Wan is right, but Mara's frustration is very relatable. Sometimes kind words and reassurances aren't quite enough to fix the thing that's wrong inside. :(

    This took me right back to reading Blooms in Adversity, which is still one of my absolute favorite stories in this 'verse, and I was so excited to see how things would unfold once Mara reached the grotto. [face_love]

    Ahhhh, gorgeous descriptions are gorgeous! I know I've said this all before, but your writing is so lush and vivid, and you excel at describing nature in all its beauty, whether its the flowers or the earth or the river, or any kind of natural setting really. You are an inspiration to us all in this department. [face_love] :*

    I love absolutely everything about Mara and the juni flowers, Mara and the quiet catharsis of nature, Mara experiencing the rejuvenation of the natural world as a means of connecting to the larger cosmic one. Beautiful prose and perfect continuation of the themes you've long established in this 'verse. It's fantastic.

    I really appreciate how those dark whispers start to diminish in this place, and it's easier and easier for Mara to embrace the truth of who she is, without Palpatine's voice in her ear. It makes the connection she has with the grotto and the flowers in BiA even more special.

    Mara blooms like the juni flower! [face_love] And you tied it all back to the song in Song!verse! :D Look at all this thematic consistency, Mira! =D= [face_batting]

    And then Mara's conscious choice finally drives him out, and his voice falls silent; it doesn't even enter into her mind again. [face_party]

    WHAT A PERFECT ENDING [face_hypnotized] [face_love] This was an amazing start to your KR, and I am so excited to see what other stories you have to share! Brilliant work, my dear, as always! [face_love] :D [:D]
     
  9. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Here I am with some replies, and then I will be back with Week Two - hopefully some time tomorrow. :D


    Thank you! I was particularly proud of this description. [face_love]

    It really would. :( It's been interesting, with that in mind, forming this AU on the back of the original story. For everything that's vastly different, some things still echo true in their own way.

    Thank you! I love describing scenery of any sort, but there's something about being out in nature that just makes everything else seem so simple, and I was happy to try to express a little of that here. [face_love]

    Indeed, she does! [face_love]

    Thank you so much for the kind words! I love knowing what stood out to you in this story. [face_love] [:D]



    Thank you. :D



    It really is. [face_love] Thank you so much for the kind words. :)



    Thank you! It's so good to be back in action with the Song!Verse. :D

    I did love working in the "hand" imagery, it's true. :p And the idea of a gentle hand coaxing instead of a heavy one demanding was certainly juxtaposed between Obi-Wan and Palpatine, for sure - all in an effort to discover her own self, in her own time. [face_love]

    That, and I just love the potentials in Obi-Wan and Mara's dynamic. That's one of my favorite things about writing a happy AU like this one - exploring relationships and scenarios that just wouldn't be possible otherwise.

    Thank you! It was a concept that I could imagine so clearly, but getting it down into words was another matter entirely. I was so happy to have ultimately managed, though, and even happier that you think that I succeeded too. As always, I'm so glad and thankful for you readership and encouragement, and hope that you continue to enjoy these stories as they go! [face_love] [:D]



    I thought that you'd be pleased. [face_batting] :*

    It really is. [face_love]

    Right? I find Mara's connection to the Force fascinating to explore in any 'verse, and, even here, Palpatine's machinations leave their mark. :(

    :(

    She's still just so empathetic. =((

    Thank you! It's been incredibly interesting to explore Mara's experiences here versus those in canon - I imagine Palpatine had a far heavier hand as a Sith Lord in hiding, needing a different sort of tool - and all the ways the repercussions of those experiences are different and yet similar. [face_thinking]

    She's just so hard on herself - no matter that she is very much a survivor, even here.

    This will always be the biggest compliment. Thank you! [face_love] [:D]

    [face_laugh] Oh, I understand the need to quote in bulk oh so very well. [face_mischief] And I am honored! I am still so happy with how all these words came together, and love that you enjoyed them too! [face_love]

    Thank you so much for reading, as always! Your review absolutely made my day. [:D]



    [​IMG]

    That's just it! Trauma lingers and healing comes in waves - and this is a very, very big wave to crest. :(

    Thank you! I agree that there's so much potential with their relationship, and am oh so happy to explore even a bit of that here. [face_love]

    Thank you! [face_blush] The gardener metaphor is a gift that keeps on giving. [face_love]

    And yet. =((

    It has to be frustrating at times, you're right - even if it's also inspiring and she's happy for her friends, they're pushing barriers that she can't even scratch the surface of, and that's . . . well, we're all only human at the end of the day. Yet those are small emotions versus the big ones, an the big ones show how kind and empathetic Mara really is.

    Vi, I just love her so much in any 'verse. [face_love]

    *success*

    Yay! I feel so seen, because that was just what I was trying to do! :D One of the most fascinating things about writing AUs - which I know you know [face_mischief] - is exploring the way things echo the original 'verse, even with all of the changes otherwise. [face_thinking]

    [face_laugh] [face_mischief]

    [​IMG]

    Just so. :(

    As soon as you suggested the possibility of Mara and her relationship with the Force in this AU, BiA was the first thing that came to mind, and then the rest just wrote itself from there. :cool: [face_love]

    And this compliment makes me so happy, every time, because that's one of my favorite parts about writing: setting an immersive scene. This made my day again, thank you! [face_blush] [face_love]

    *takes a bow*

    Thank you so very much. :D

    I can't imagine a place further removed from Palpatine than this one, and love exploring the idea that the Living Force may be easier for Mara to reach at this time - which is an idea she later shares with Zaed, allowing him to experience a similar catharsis in his own right. [face_love]

    I WAS SO HAPPY WITH HOW THIS WORDING ALL CAME TOGETHER

    . . . which is something I think I may even thank the 1k word limit for. I had to think about every word carefully, and with that thought, I was able to really focus on making those words count and fit in with this 'verse as a whole. :cool:

    I loved Palpatine's voice in her mind finally falling silent, too - and, for that, I have to thank you for your input again! It made the final result even stronger, in my opinion. [face_love]

    Aw, thank you so much for your kind words! And for hosting the Kessel Run as a whole, to begin! I love how many unexpected directions this challenge pulls my muse, and I absolutely cannot wait to see how the rest of this year's journey goes from here! [face_love] [:D]
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2025
  10. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Author's Notes: To begin, I have to admit that I was a bit of a dummy this week. I was so focused on writing in third-person omniscient POV that I completely forgot to include the secondary part of the prompt. 8-} I was able to tweak my entry, and ended up with something that marginally met both requirements - but this is the Kessel Run, and I really don't want to subvert the challenge of the challenge if at all possible. So, I went back and wrote a new, official piece for Week Two . . . but that means that I still have my original story to share, too. That's right: it's already time for a Kessel Run pit stop. [face_mischief] [face_batting]

    Week Two's prompt is, of course:
    • Write a story between 400 and 800 words using third-person omniscient POV in which a character teaches another character something.
    To do so, I am continuing Zaed (Darth Maul) and Ezra Bridger's adventures with the sentient flora of the galaxy in a direct sequel to The Care and Feeding of the Umbaran Selenica. [face_love] My bonus Week Two will be in the post to follow, for indexing purposes. :)

    Enjoy! [:D]





    Week Two: "Notes on the Cultivation of the Iegoan Reeksa"
    (15 years post-AOSRS)
    On a planet drenched in life, in a Temple dedicated to its light, within the quarters belonging to the man once known as Maul, a reeksa vine was newly in bloom.

    It was, perhaps, not the only entity present experiencing pangs of growth, at that.

    “Focus, Bridger.” The Zabrak man – Zaed, as he now chose – slowly paced behind the padawan, who sat with his legs folded and his eyes closed. “The reeksa cannot speak any louder.”

    “Are you sure about that?” Ezra cracked one eye open, before dutifully closing it again. “I can’t hear anything more than a tickle in my ear.”

    The reeksa was used to the unrooted lacking ears, if in its own way – as it had no actual word for ears to begin with. It never mattered much to the vine whether it was heard or not, as deaf prey often made for dead prey – and they all understood quite clearly when its pods snapped and crushed and devoured. Yet it was accustomed to its caretaker – who supplied water and light and grub-worms, even if he denied feasts of padawan fingers – and, for its caretaker, its spiked cilia stridulated in a way that could only be described as delight.

    That, Zaed had no qualms in translating aloud: “That may be for the best, as its current opinion is but little impressed.”

    “Yeah, well, I don’t have anything nice to say about it, either.” Ezra glared right back, thinking very loud thoughts of shovels and pruning and compost.

    The vine gave an audible hiss, and defensively coiled to hide its budding pods from view, presenting its thorns, instead.

    Just as quickly, Ezra regretted the animosity of his thoughts. His shoulders slumped in defeat. “I can tell when it’s laughing, at least,” he sighed. “I know that it’s hungry.”

    It was protective, too, and little inclined, in that moment, to extend any sort of clemency, no matter how sincere his regret.

    “New growth is hard work,” Zaed inclined his head to agree. “Best be careful to keep your fingers out of reach whilst it blooms.”

    “Yeah, I won’t make that mistake again. But even that I can only feel. It’s not something that I can actually hear.”

    “Then listen harder.”

    “But how?” Ezra threw up his hands in frustration. “I’m doing all the things Master Caleb says to do: I’m existing in the moment; I am doing, not trying; and I am definitely reaching out with my feelings - ”

    “ - that may be where the problem lies.”

    For that, Ezra quieted, expectant, as Zaed continued to ponder in silence. As a student who’d learned more through the pains of failure than the patient guidance of a master, it took time for him to put into words what was now as reflexive to him as breathing. And he would always take what was needed.

    Reaching,” Zaed repeated. “Is that how you communicate with your beasts?”

    Ezra, too, considered before answering, “They usually seem to know first – it’s like I feel a tap from them, or they listen when I knock, in reverse.”

    Zaed hummed, not entirely unlike the reeska – which the apprentice thought and the vine approved. “Yet, those cognizant from the realm of plantae possess minds of under-sentience. Their thoughts are not like our own. They simply are. To reach them, you too must be the same.”

    “Okaaay,” Ezra said – still thinking the instructions somewhat muddled, but willing to try. So, he settled back into his meditative pose, and, instead of reaching, he merely opened his mind. He listened. The reeksa continued to vibrate and thrum, thinking, in its own plant way, about succor and sustenance and strong new growth.

    At last, Ezra could not only feel those thoughts, but hear.

    “Would you like a grub-worm?” he offered the vine, still finding it easier to speak aloud, as well as into the Force. “That has to be better than my fingers, right?”

    There was a long moment of pulsing doubt, before -

    Slowly, the vine uncoiled from itself. It stretched out its long core-stalk much the same as a snake, slinking closer until it could climb up his proffered arm – carefully avoiding his fingers all the while.

    “Okay, no grub-worms? Loci beetles it is.” The smile Ezra gave when he opened his eyes was blinding – little as Zaed would ever admit to being affected. “You do have loci beetles; right, Z? I really don’t want the reeksa to change its mind about me now.”

    “Consider that your next lesson: do not offer beasts baring teeth that with which you cannot provide in your turn.”

    “It’s good for me, then,” Ezra stroked a finger underneath one of the nascent pods – which the reeksa then proudly showed, “that I have a knack for making friends, teeth and all.”



    ~ MJ @};-
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2025
  11. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Author's Notes: This entry may assume some familiarity with this AU so far as the individual characters are concerned, but in general, for anyone diving in cold, just know that, in place of the events of the OT, I have the Palpatine Resurgence Wars. Which is, you may have guessed, the Republic fighting against Palpatine and the worlds supporting his renewed bid for power. This is a glimpse of one of those battles. [face_mischief]

    Lastly, to disclaim, my title is borrowed from 2Wei's The Call, featuring Louis Leibfried and Edda Hayes. [face_love]





    Bonus Week Two: "Rise Unto the Call"
    (20 years post-AOSRS)

    On the bridge of the GAR Star Destroyer Chimaera, over a planet that hung like a sphere of marbled gilt against the black of space, the high admiral considered the forces below.

    Statistically, they were evenly matched. Yet, such traditional equations oft turned moot when working with variables of such . . . exponential talents. With those combatants staged on both sides, however, and the Sith having decided upon this particular theater of war . . .

    Glowing red eyes turned towards a secondary holotable, where assorted images rotated on a slow axis. There, he considered:

    a japor pendant, etched with sand runes;

    ancient Malachori tapestries, dripping scarlet;

    the third eye of a Nabooian Elder colossi, ever open;

    a Mirialan mosaic, spun with diamond glass;

    and even a sun-burst crystal, split in two . . .

    “What do you see in those? I’ve never really understood.”

    “Oh, infinite possibilities, ever shifting and rearranging," the high admiral answered his captain before pausing, contemplative. "I may attempt further explanations as we progress – the battle allowing, of course.”

    "I . . . I'm not sure what tricks this old war horse can still learn, but I'd be honored to try, sir." The next image in the series – a black carved phoenix, pulsing with a belly of fire – appeared, catching his eye. “What about that one? What does it say?”

    In answer, Pellaeon took note of Thrawn’s slowly growing smile, his own anticipation lighting to match.



    .

    .

    On a crest of amber trap-rock, stretched underneath an aureate sky, a pair of Jedi Masters observed their team on the far ridge.

    The strike-force moved quickly, setting ordnance and retreating just as soon as they advanced. In rapid succession, they lit and then faded to communicate their success – rousing the interest of the great beast lurking in the dark, but never long enough to fix its attention.

    If Anakin Skywalker turned his macrobinoculars on one particular pair – heads of red-gold and blonde complementing the twilight – more often than the others, that was only for the man beside him to know.

    Obi-Wan placed a gauntleted hand on his former apprentice's shoulder, sending assurance and confidence and peace through their bond of old.

    “You have taught them well, my friend; trust those teachings to serve them now.”

    Wryly, Anakin managed a grin. "How has that worked for you, Master?"

    "Oh, well enough – most of the time, at least."

    Across the distance, Luke Skywalker looked up – unerringly catching his father’s eye in the scope – and saluted, signaling that their prong of the mission was complete.

    Deeply, Anakin let himself breathe.



    .

    .

    On a field of green-veined glacial till, a company of soldiers advanced.

    The sky was alight in this hemisphere, with the clouds mingling in brocatelle tones of rust and cream and gold. They used the high morning to their advantage – with the current disturbances in the gaseous atmosphere disrupting the base’s sensors, thus making it necessary for the Resurgenist gunners to rely almost entirely on manual focus, staring into the sun.

    If it came down to skills over tech, Ahsoka Tano would choose her men every time. Even after all these years, her fervor galvanized the troops under her command, and the mountain came alive as they marched.

    Upon the fortified parapet of the southern wall, a figure cloaked in black ignited a scarlet blade.

    In answer, dual beams of blue and gold blazed.

    “We may advance the forward assault, Lady Tano – that is, if you are equal to disposing of the riffraff?” Zaed drawled – a moment's concern flickering across his expression, no matter his words.

    “Oh, watch and learn, Z,” she confidently replied – defiant against her own shadow.

    “We’ve got your six, general,” more pointedly, her senior commander assured. She rewarded Rex with a sharply hooked smile, one that still ignited the warring instincts imprinted upon every cell of his being with conquer and defend and oppose.

    Her fangs bared, Ahsoka saluted Barriss as she had once been, and leapt to crash blades with Darth Inveterae as she was now.



    .

    .

    Enshrouded within an ancient Temple of old, deep in the mantle of the world, the Sith Lord closed his eyes to absorb the bounty that wept down, saturating the Dark. It was a bouquet to his senses, with -

    - the strength of the father (and all his living weaknesses)

    - the devotion (uncertainty) of the son (walking in the footsteps of giants)

    - the determination (fear) of the severed hand (now clenched)

    - the tenacity of the former apprentice (and all his sins, weighing like sink-stones)

    - the valiance (ferocity) of the fulcrum (and her all too breakable toy soldiers)

    - the resolve (arrogance in undoing) of the vaulted dejarik-master in the (before the) stars above

    . . . all feeding the blackened roots that succored the soiled tar of his soul.

    Sated, Darth Sidious rose, ready to teach a lesson on the true nature of power – in all its many forms.
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2025
  12. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    "Notes on the Cultivation of the Iegoan Reeksa": Love it! [face_laugh] So much fun not only to see Maul/Zaed's horticultural hobby back in action (though it's really much more than a hobby for him and he probably wouldn't appreciate my using that word to describe it), but also to see him teaching Ezra to apply his beastwarden skills to plants; that is truly priceless. :) And what a plant! This one is a real piece of work with a decided mean streak (perhaps that's why Zaed groks it :p ). I love how we get to see its viewpoint too, thanks to the overall omniscient viewpoint; you really do make it feel and sound very much like a plant (and a mean one, yes), and the little details you throw in—both in its thoughts and in the conversation between Ezra and Zaed—about the differences between beastwardening and plantwardening are just flat-out cool: "They simply are. To reach them, you too must be the same" really says so much. And need I say that both "unrooted" characters' voices are 100% spot-on? :cool: It was always more than a little uncomfortable watching Ezra and Maul interact in the show, but in your stories with them, it just feels right, and they make perfect foils.

    "Rise unto the Call": A wonderful introduction to the Palpatine Resurgence Wars from so many varied viewpoints! Once again, it is fantastic to see Thrawn putting his art-analysis skills to use for the good guys (and of course I smiled to recognize so many of the specimens before him) and an Obi-Wan and Anakin who never stopped being brothers and friends. And Darth Inveterae, aka Barriss, is back! I remember so well that stupendous wrap-up to your last Kessel Run and can totally believe she will be a formidable adversary to Ahsoka and Zaed, just as Zaed will be an indispensible ally to "Lady Tano" in this battle. Old Palps—he is definitely still his old self in many ways in this universe too, and a foe it will take all the GAR's strength to neutralize. It's interesting that he too seems to be having these occasional glimpses of what we know as the "main" SW universe, just as Anakin did, and that he's using them to build up his own twisted morale and resolve. All so evocatively and lyrically depicted and described, as is the SongVerse way! You're off to a superb start with this Run, and I can't wait for more! =D=
     
  13. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Host: Finish the story, Anagrams & Scattegories. star 8 VIP - Game Winner VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Marvelous reading about Thrawn and Pellaeon working together and Anakin and Obi-Wan teasing. Wonderful that Luke and Mara are on the same strike team. :)

    Ahsoka in a duel with Barriss as she was known before -- intense!
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2025
  14. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Love the one about Zaed and Ezra with the teachings of how to approach that vine and pods and making a new friend.
    And an AU where Obi-Wan and Anakin stay together to help the republic with their fight against the Dark forces. Love to see Thrawn, Ahsoka, Zaed
     
  15. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    I guess it says something about how well I've come to know your writing habits that I wasn't surprised at all to see that there was a bonus story in this thread before I could even make the time to leave a first review :p So, without further ado:

    And You in Bloom – Oof, so much to unpack here! To summarise my thoughts, what I love about the way you wrote Mara in this story (and, indeed, the reason why I love so much the Song!verse as an AU) is how you managed to keep all the traits that make her so quintessentially Mara even in this continuity where her life is so different. She's fast, nimble and resourceful, just as she was in the original 'verse; yet she connects the use of the Force with thoughts of Sheevy Sheev, and it operates as a mental block for her – again, just as it was in the original 'verse. Yet by being in this continuity where she is safe, she can see for herself the contrast between Obi-Wan, who is teaching, and Sidious, who was commanding and controlling, and she knows that there is an obstacle within her that she needs to overcome on her own. I also love how Mara has her own, secret, private place on the Temple grounds, where she regroups and reminds herself that she's her own person now; and that gives a whole new dimension to Blooms in Adversity – she actually chooses to share her private place with Maul, because she believes that he, too, could come into his own in the place where she first experienced her own power.

    Notes on the Cultivation of the Iegoan Reeksa – I don't think I'll ever tire of Zaed as the gardener, especially when he teaches Ezra, of all people. The omniscient POV was fantastic here to let us see not only how this unusual pair operate together, but also how the plant itself feels and emotes towards them – which Zaed first, and then Ezra get to "hear" and understand. I loved the way you described the formation of the bond between the beast and the warden, and then contrasted that with interacting with a plant of limited sentience. But most of all, I love the banter between Zaed and Ezra, and how one keeps his stern, almost threatening manner, while the other is the cocky kid who's already figured out that this grumpy Zabrak is no danger to him.

    Rise Unto the Call – And we get a glimpse at those famous Resurgence Wars! I have to say that I can totally think of the Sidious POV as an omniscient POV in the first place. It was fantastic going through all these little scenes to realise at the end that we were there seeing them with him, as he manipulates (or thinks that he is manipulating) all these pawns in the right places on the board. They think that they're already playing the game, but from his perspective the game hasn't even begun. Also, as Finds said, there are so many hints that his perspective on things is partially defined by an understanding of what happened in the prime!verse – which makes me wonder if that wouldn't happen to be his true power in this continuity!

    Fantastic start to your KR; I'll be over here waiting for more!
     
  16. ViariSkywalker

    ViariSkywalker Kessel Run Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2002
    Aw yeah :cool: [face_dancing]

    Just as I never would have thought that Mara's bond with Maul in this 'verse would be the hook that really drew me in, I never expected I would be so invested in Zaed and Ezra's Adventures in Horticulture, but here we are. [face_laugh] [face_love]

    Perfect opening line is perfect [face_love] (This gave me Hobbit vibes, as well? Or maybe some other vibes that are escaping me at the moment, but either way, it's great! :p)

    Ooh, I love how you described the way a semi-sentient plant might experience the world, and its dry, almost gallows humor is a perfect match for Zaed. [face_mischief]

    Your voices for Zaed and Ezra are spot-on, and I love how the reeksa vine complements them... while still leaning very much toward Zaed's end of the grumpy-sunshine spectrum. What a perfect "pet" for him. :p

    You do a great job showing multiple facets of Ezra's personality; sure, he complains at first, but he's still trying, and that's one of the things I really appreciate about his character.

    These two, I swear. :p It's so fascinating seeing Zaed as the instructor, though - and with his slight inversions of the Jedi lessons we know from the OT. Truly, the work you've done with him in this AU is remarkable, all while staying completely in-character. [face_love]

    Look at this (former) murder boy go! I love this little bit of explanation and instruction.

    lolll of course :p

    Atta boy, Ezra! :D ("Z" [face_laugh])

    (Zaed's definitely not affected or pleased at all, nope, no sir [face_whistling])

    [face_love]!!


    And now for your pit stop!
    This part had a very Force-prophecy sort of vibe, which I love, and I'm intrigued to see where this goes and how each image ends up being relevant to the conflict ahead. I have a few guesses, but I'll keep those to myself for now... [face_thinking]

    Very evocative and veeeery interesting [face_thinking]

    I love this scene intro, I feel like I'm there :D

    Ahhh, it's Anakin and Obi-Wan! I love seeing them all middle-aged and out in the thick of things. [face_love] And Luke and Mara!!!

    Their friendship is the best and you write it so well and I love everything about it here [face_love]


    Eeeeeeeee!


    Another great scene intro - green-veined glacial till is a description that stuck out to me right away. You always have such great descriptions, Mira. [face_love]

    aaaaahhhhhh as soon as I saw "gold" I was practically bouncing in my seat because...

    ZAED! And it's Zaed fighting alongside Ahsoka! omg I can't even with the delicious symmetry of this, how them standing together like this is such a bright mirror of who they were to each other in canon, as enemies. (I think it even weirdly feels like a coda to what happened in canon, when Maul tried to get Ahsoka to join him in thwarting Palpatine's grand plan? Only this time we can legitimately root for both of them.) Also I will never not love Zaed calling her "Lady Tano" and I actually lol'ed at her use of "Z". [face_laugh] :p

    (defiant against her own shadow, though... what a tragedy with Barriss =(()

    Ha, great details here, both for the Rex/Ahsoka of it and the clone soldier of it.

    :( [face_worried]

    *shivers*

    Okay so like, I know everything is going to be fine and Palpatine is going to be defeated because this is a happy AU, but this whole last section was so ominous and creepy, and I kind of love it? (Fine, I really love it :p [face_mischief]) I mean, this man is the ultimate puppetmaster, and yeah his overconfidence is his weakness, but when he's firing on all cylinders, he's a hard villain to top. I definitely wouldn't argue with seeing more of this battle and the Resurgence Wars as a whole. [face_thinking] [face_batting]

    Fantastic work, once again! I heartily enjoyed both of your Week 2 fics and am eagerly awaiting more! [face_love] [:D]
     
  17. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Author's Note: YOU GUYS, I DID A VERY MIRA THING. You see, I had an awesome idea for my Week Three, to write a follow-up story to Color Me Pink, depicting the wedding of Ezra Bridger and my OC Rhysa Za-Elss. Only, I went well and beyond 1,200 words - so much so that I finally decided to keep that idea as an extra bonus vignette for my Run, which I do plan to finish somewhere down the line.

    . . . I decided that yesterday.

    After a mad whirl of writing on Sunday and an entire Monday of DRL, here I am, just under the wire. (So please forgive any and all butchering of the English language, as this underwent minimal editing. I also have to apologize for not first doing replies; I will be back to respond to all of your lovely comments asap! 8-}) This story is still set at Ezra and Rhysa's wedding, featuring another OC of mine, Ulka Tha, Padmé's longtime wardrobe designer.

    So now, without further ado . . . :p





    Week Three: “Every Colored Strand”
    (20 years post-AOSRS)

    Ulka Tha had long made an art of observation.

    At first, what was merely natural – for Chandra-Fan away from Chad, by their very nature, existed on the periphery of most sentient species – soon became preferred. She may not have caught the attention of most, yet she watched them closely in return – and was fascinated for what she noticed. There were just so many shapes and sizes and colors and cultures and values by which the myriad peoples of the galaxy appreciated beauty, and she soon found herself applying her studies to her art.

    The first time Padmé Amidala Skywalker – Senator Amidala, as she was then – saw her work, for the way her blood-heat flashed in appreciation and her scent brightened, Ulka knew that she’d found more than a life-long client.

    She’d found a muse.

    In the years that followed, she had the freedom to experiment with an infinite number of textiles, ranging from Tyrian shimmer-silk to Fèath whisper-weave and intricately embossed star-shell and Serein pile-on-pile. Whatever she could possibly want for – beads and gemstones and ribbons and tassels to precious metals and tooled leathers and ravi-sculpt for headpieces and ornaments of every kind – she had supplied to her workshop. Beyond her original instinct for her employer’s tastes, her keen sense of smell and dual vision allowed her to make subtle adjustments that Lady Amidala did not even consciously realize that she wanted for herself. Whenever she matched upon that particular scent, and that pleased glow of blood-heat, Ulka found her vision rewarded, time and time again.

    Also in time, her stewardship of Lady Amidala’s wardrobe made her privy to secrets known by few others in the galaxy.

    (Such as tiny wax ever-flowers and beaded Iegoan pearl-opals, hand-stitched into yards of delicate Theedi lace, veiled and whispering to trail off beyond a secret bride.

    And later, increasingly altered waistlines, with deceivingly voluminous folds and careful silhouettes achieved with billowing changeant and stiff Chandrilan velvets and densely patterned brocades, all covered by generous cloaks.)

    Serving as a keeper of such knowledge couldn't help but grow a relationship with Lady Amidala that went far deeper than designer and recipient. Ulka, by slow degrees, found herself a trusted confidant – a friend.

    Now, it had been her continued pleasure to garb the entire Skywalker family, openly in the light of day. It was her hands that had embroidered the newborn twins' Gowns of Presentation; the complementary ensemble worn by both bride and groom during their second ceremony; little Leia’s first diplomatic robes for the Youth Legislature and then the Senate itself; the formal gowns of state that bedecked Supreme Chancellor Amidala through her dual terms; and countless more.

    That night, Ulka was able to step back and enjoy the fruits of her labors. Mistress Rhysa had been a lovely bride to design for, and her wedding gown expressed the joy of her spirit and the generosity of her heart as much as it complemented her striking Zeltron coloring. Ulka had been touched to receive an invitation to attend, and now enjoyed the subsequent celebration for its own sake as much as she took pride in seeing her latest wares worn so beautifully by so many.

    It had been a push, creating pieces for this particular event – such as would have barely taxed her in years bygone. Lately, she found the boundless energy of her youth slowly fading; her stitches had turned ponderous and slow, and there were times when she would sit in her workshop, merely drinking her tea in contemplation, content to exist in the moment rather than pushing onwards for more and more and more. She was growing old for one of her kind. Soon, she would pass her work to Tripti and Eekla – who even now took on more and more responsibilities in her studio – and accept the retirement that was perhaps somewhat overdue. Maybe then, she’d dedicate herself to teaching. She could design and leave the physical creation to others, all at her leisure – for she doubted that she’d ever be able to give up her art entirely.

    But, first.

    While observing the mingling wedding guests, she did not miss Master Luke and Mistress Jade as they stepped away from the dance floor and passed by her table. They spoke too quietly to be heard, even for her ears, yet Ulka did not need words for what her senses so clearly told her aloud. In a crowd like this, she couldn't entirely trust her nose, and yet -

    Ulka blinked, and tilted her head.

    Could it be . . .

    Yes, it could – for blood-heat never lied, and the pulsating warmth that she now witnessed, waxing and waning like a heart of fire, with the one eternally in concert with the other . . . it was the same as she saw, day in and day out, with Lady Amidala and her husband.

    Ulka felt her own blood-heat glow – as few in the crowd had the senses to recognize – and it was then, as if summoned by her thoughts, that Padmé chose to join her. Satisfaction sparkled from the Human woman's base rainwater scent, along with the rich earthiness of maternal love and the faint salt of happy tears, muted and distant. Ulka looked over, and while Padmé’s entire countenance was one of unaffected serenity, her blood-heat blazed like a sun.

    She did not need to confirm her suspicions, nor did Padmé ask if she knew. “What do you think for this one?” instead, Padmé mused aloud. “That is, if you find yourself inspired, my friend.”

    Ulka appreciated that her ability would never be called into question; it would be to her to decide her own time, all in time.

    For that time was not now – not yet. It couldn’t be as her mind swam in shades of vert and night and dawn, with glittering impressions of gem-gleam and rippling cascades in soft, ethereal silhouettes. Her vision was already taking shape, so much so that she would start sketching that very night. She would be ready for the couple, even before they sought her aid.

    “Oh, I have an idea or two already.”

    Padmé betrayed herself with a grin, just as she couldn’t bring herself to look away from her son and the young woman she'd long considered her own in heart. Ulka too found her gaze returning to that brilliant fire-dance of heart and heat and gleaming love.

    Yes, so long as she could bring that to life within her design . . .

    It would be some of her greatest work yet.



    ~ MJ @};-
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2025
  18. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    The details, the passion, the love, Ulka knows how to make art for the ladies.
    A prefect story to describe the view of an artist at designing fashion and making them
     
  19. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Host: Finish the story, Anagrams & Scattegories. star 8 VIP - Game Winner VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Gorgeous detailing of Ulka's talent and long friendship with Padme through a secret kept and then when all could be open and her friendship and crafting talents continues for the entire family. Your descriptions of Ulka's way of perceiving emotions is absolutely breathtaking.

    I like Ulka's plan to retire but continue designing and teaching.

    This to describe Luke and Mara:
    "fire-dance of heart and heat and gleaming love".

    ^:)^

    Do I believe you rushed on this? No, feels absolutely streamlined to me LOL =D= [:D]
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2025
  20. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Ooh, love this OC! A Chadra-Fan dress designer who has known and worked with Padmé for years and shared some extremely important secrets along the way—“only her dressmaker knows for sure”—I am so there for anything you may write with Ulka. And I love her intuition about What’s Up between Mara and Luke—and know that this artist won’t take the “minimal is maximal” approach or skimp in any way with them, just as was also true in her work for the previous generation. And of course I love the way you describe her preter-Human senses; very convincing, and very useful indeed for understanding things about those larger bipeds that they don’t always understand themselves! ;) Beautiful on so many levels, from the burgeoning love of Luke and Mara to the longstanding friendship of Ulka and the family! =D=
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2025
  21. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Here I am, with replies for both Week Two and Week Three! :D


    [face_laugh] I still can't believe that this is a thing myself, but I am not going to question my muse, because I'm loving every word of this particular plot thread and can't wait to explore it even further. [face_love]

    Oh, it definitely is! I believe that Obi-Wan even said as much in The Care and Feeding of the Umbaran Selenica - or maybe I was just thinking it - because that is a fact. [face_tee_hee]

    Thank you! The omniscient viewpoint really made this entire story possible, and it ended up being so much fun for me to work with - the same with the particulars of plantwardening. :D

    That's one of the reasons why I love exploring their relationship in this AU, too! I personally found their interactions in the show fascinating - albeit twisted and uncomfortable, of course. :p Really, though, that's one part of Maul's canon character that I always found intriguing. Maul, for all of his anger and hate and inability to understand a healthy sentient relationship if it smacked him in the face, always seemed to be seeking those bonds, nonetheless, in the only way he knew how. Savage, Ahsoka, Ezra - with all three, he very quickly decided that he wanted to be allies, rather than enemies, even if he could only comprehend that urge in either a martial aspect or in the mold of master/apprentice, as that's literally the only dynamic he's ever known his whole entire through. Even as far back as when TCW and Rebels originally aired, I'd wondered what Maul would be like under different circumstances - for he was very much the rabid dog, so to speak, that Palpatine made him into - and now, here I am.

    Thank you! Zahn's Thrawn (not so much Disney's) was almost instantly a favorite villain for me back when I first read TTT. Then, my wee Mira self was still considering fine art as a possible career, so his skills for art-analysis fascinated me, and I loved the Sherlock/Watson dynamic Zahn depicted between Thrawn and Pellaeon. Here, if this AU ever gets that far, it's been all sorts of interesting to imagine how he'd contribute to the wars against Palpatine and later the Yuuzhan Vong. Because his arrogance and his ruthless edge and his the ends fits the means mentality will still very much be present in this 'verse - that's a core aspect of his personality that this AU wouldn't alter - but tempered, and perhaps tempered just enough. In canon, Thrawn had an endgame in mind for a much larger board than he was playing with just the New Republic alone, but here, with that board and the stakes at risk known to all, and him being one of many fighting that fight (plus, with a happy family life courtesy of @Chyntuck's generously sharing Ayesha for this 'verse) . . . well, that just may make the difference. [face_thinking]

    Barriss is definitely going to be a force to be reconned with in this AU, that's for sure! And I loved having Ahsoka and Zaed team up in an inversion of how they parted ways in TCW, to say nothing of ironically fulfilling Maul's proposal for Ahsoka to join him in defeating Palpatine together. :cool: Ahsoka will always be Lady Tano to Zaed, just as much as Obi-Wan will always be Kenobi. In that tone of voice and all. :p

    For Palpatine, there just may be some bit of that occurring ([face_whistling]), but in a large way, it's his talent for manipulation that's really serving him well here. He is a genius when it comes to working on a massive scale, playing the worst and best parts of people for and against each other, all to serve his own ends - and those shrewd insights are very much at work here as the spider pulls threads from the center of his web, so to speak. [face_mischief]

    But that's a story for later. :p

    Yay! I'm glad you approve! Ulka has only been mentioned in passing in this 'verse - as far back as the original An Old Song Re-Sung, but this is the first time I was able to really feature her, let alone explore her POV. I would definitely do so again in the future provided the right inspiration!

    (In my head, I kinda wondered what Ulka and your Lua would be like interacting - and maybe Chyn's Eliskandro, too - and loved the idea. I bet that would be a mean game of galactic tiles, at the very least. [face_batting] [face_whistling])

    lol! Oh, it's going to be fabulous - just as Luke and Mara deserve in any 'verse, and made all the more special as this is very much an act of love done by Ulka for her extended family of the heart. [face_love]

    Thank you! You know that I love exploring non-human physiology, and when I read on the Wook that Chandra-Fan could switch to infrared vision, and that there sense of smell was this incredibly strong, the rest wrote itself! Especially to practical applications as a designer working with a client!

    The Wook also mentioned that Chandra-Fan are very high energy, only needing two hours or so of sleep a day, and are super productive as such until they start slowing down with age - which, again, fit in perfectly with how Ulka has been able to keep up with Padmé's vast wardrobe for so many years, to say nothing of designing for family and friends. [face_love] Yet I ran out of words before I could properly explain that too. Perhaps I will in another vig. [face_thinking]

    Once again, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to read, and for all of your kind words! They make my day each and every time. [face_love] [:D]



    Thank you! I loved imagining all of these characters working together in this time and place. :cool:

    And thank you again! It was a joy writing Ulka, and I am so happy that you enjoyed her character as well. [face_love]

    Yay! I was so, so proud of that line - and I'm now just as thrilled to know that it struck you too! [face_love]

    lol! Aw, you're a gem for saying so - and for all of your kind words! That really does mean a lot to me, as I'm still not completely happy with this piece. But then, we always are our own worst critics as artists, aren't we? :p

    [face_love] [:D]



    &
    Thank you so much! I'm so happy that you're continuing to enjoy these stories. :D



    [face_rofl] Yep. That definitely tracks. :p ;) [:D]

    Thank you! One of the things I've loved best about writing this AU - or about any AU, really - is seeing where things change or remain the same. A few of Mara's external circumstances have continued in a similar manner and have left a similar impact as they did in canon, and yet its that determination and the resourcefulness of her character that's going to remain the most important constant across any 'verse, and I adored showing that here. [face_love]

    I also love the idea that Obi-Wan might be one of the Order's best teachers for children who are older than they started Temple training in the PT era, especially those who have their own trauma as such to overcome. Really, he has the patience and the empathy to be a great teacher anyway, especially with age and experience teaching, but here, after his experiences with Anakin, Obi-Wan is just what Mara needs as a mentor in the moment - in clear contrast with Sidious in every way.

    *happy squee*

    Me tooo! As soon as I connected this scene with Blooms in Adversity, the rest fell into place, and I'm so pleased with how one vignette feeds and draws from the other now. [face_love]

    [face_laugh] You and me both! Writing this AU has drawn me down quite a few unexpected paths, and this is one of them that I'm so happy to explore further! :D

    Thank you! I was really trying my best to pick a scene that wasn't just told using omniscient POV, but rather necessitated the use of omniscient POV as a narrative element. This was my answer, and including those bits and pieces from the reeksa's viewpoint was one of my favorite parts! Which, in turned, helped structure the way Zaed formed his lesson with Ezra.

    [face_love]! Ezra totally has Zaed's number, for sure! [face_tee_hee] This is a another relationship that I loved inverting from canon while still echoing their prime universe selves in a believable way. Or so that's my intention, of course. :p

    That was my first thought as soon as I saw the prompt for Week Two! Sidious is the spider at the center of the web; he is a master manipulator, and to know who and what to manipulate, he first has to understand how. His insights are uncannily precise, so much so that they seem almost omniscient in nature, it's true. [face_thinking]

    *takes a bow*

    In the end, I really enjoyed the challenge of structuring this piece, and I'm so happy that you found it effective! Then, as for just how much Palpatine knows, and to what ends - well, that just may be another story yet to come. [face_mischief] [face_whistling]

    Thank you so much for your kind words! As always, I appreciate each and every one of your comments! [:D]



    It's so good to be back to being incorrigible, I must say. [face_tee_hee] [face_mischief] As always, it goes without saying that I can't wait for any and all pit stops on your own run. ;) :*

    This pleases me so much to hear each and every time! Because, really, I had no idea that I was going to enjoy writing these two plot arcs so much either, but now, here we are. [face_batting]

    This was indeed an homage to The Hobbit. [face_love] When you challenged us with third-person omniscient, the first thing that came to mind were the classical epics . . . and then Tolkien. So it felt only fitting to honor both as I could, between this vignette and the next. :cool:

    That just may be one of my favorite paragraphs in this Run to date! I had a blast exploring the reeksa's perceptions of the world - and just why those perceptions make it such a fitting companion for Zaed, in more ways than one. [face_mischief]

    You know that when Obi-Wan gave Zaed the reeksa - once it outgrew the Temple gardens, which is another story all its own - he basically dropped the miffed vine right on his doorstep and said, "here, you're made for each other," in his own Negotiator way, no arguments allowed. [face_whistling]

    *success!*

    It's always encouraging to hear that I'm getting their voices right, thank you! And the complementary third of their current trio, too. :p

    And this is so good to hear, too! I have to be honest: there were times when Ezra pushed my last nerve in Rebels. But he does have a huge heart, and he's so determined to do good - which is honestly amazing, given what he lived through. Here, in this 'verse, with his own tragic upbringing erased, he has an even greater freedom to just be silly and curious and empathetic, and it's been a joy to write him as such. [face_love]

    [face_blush] You honor me, yet again. This was the part of this story that took some thought for me to compose - trying to imagine how Zaed would teach, given how he was "taught" by Sidious. In the end, trying to be Sidious' opposite, and finding the words to express the values he's since come to accept as his own, made for the right combination. Which really does say so much about Zaed's overall growth in this AU, it's true! [face_love]

    I am so stupid proud of him too! [face_love]

    Just a reeksa being a reeksa. :p

    I continue to be so proud! [face_love] (And we all know that Ezra would . . . so I made it so. [face_batting])

    Oh, perish the thought . . . [face_mischief]

    [face_love]!!

    So far, I only have a few vague ideas myself, so I too look forward to finding out where this goes. :p But thank you! I'm really proud with how the wording for this passage came out - especially for how it mirrors Palpatine's insights in the final section. Imagining Thrawn and Palpatine on opposite sides of the chess board, so to speak, is fascinating in and of itself. I'll certainly have a lot to work with if I ever get to properly telling this story. [face_thinking]

    Indeed. [face_mischief] [face_whistling]

    Yay! You know that I do love describing me some scenery - and it was quite a feat of brevity, at least for me, to set as immersive a scene as possible in only twenty words or so. ;)

    Me too, me too, me toooo! I just love all of these characters so stinkin' much, and it's always such a happy thing to be able to write all of these instances and interactions. [face_love]

    *fist pump!*

    Why, thank you! :D

    [face_love]!!!

    *takes a bow*

    And all under fifteen words somehow! [face_laugh]

    I was giddy to write this part, and all too for -

    I've known for ages that I wanted to invert Maul and Ahsoka's S7 TCW interactions, and it was such a joy to do so here, even in a small way! Here they are: taking a stand against Palpating, together - and as more than the reluctant/grudging alliance that Maul proposed in TCW. They're truly friends and comrades-in-arms, and they're ready to kick some Sith butt. [face_mischief]

    Maul calling Ahsoka Lady Tano was a detail from TCW that I adored, and I love carrying it on here - especially when you know that Obi-Wan is still Kenobi(TM), if only just for old time's sake. [face_batting]

    Plus, I have to imagine that as soon as Ahsoka heard Ezra call Zaed "Z" that she'd do the same. Once, it would have been her assigning the silly nicknames, and I will always write my Ahsoka in defiance of her intensely reserved, lonely stoicism in canon. On that mark, I have spoken. :p

    Right? =(( And that tragedy isn't nearly through . . . :(

    Thank you. [face_mischief] I mean, I think that it's sometimes easy to forget in TCW - and especially in Rebels, don't even get me started - that the clones were literally designed for war and trained from birth to wage it, and immensely dangerous as such. Rex is always going to be ready for a fight, especially alongside Ahsoka - and then lookie there but I fall quite naturally into shipping without even trying. :p [face_batting]

    =(( [face_whistling]

    Yaaas, I love it when I can be the one of us to pull off ominous and creepy, because that was 100% the goal! [face_devil] Palpatine is no small threat as a villain - especially when he's reaching for power, not just sitting idly at the top - and it's going to take an ensemble to beat him. If/when I get around to writing these stories, they're going to hopefully be epic. :cool:

    As always, I can't thank you enough for all of your support and kind words - and for hosting this challenge in the first place! It has become a highlight of my year. [face_love] [:D]



    Alrighty then, folks! I have Week Four written, but it still needs a bit of polishing. It's my goal to have that posted tomorrow, and I'll see you all back here again! [face_love] [:D]
     
  22. amidalachick

    amidalachick Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 2003
    Before I fall even farther behind, I just wanted to say that I've been reading along and absolutely loving all of these glimpses into the Song!verse. [face_love] Each one of these stories is amazing, as always, and I've enjoyed them all, but I especially liked Week 2 with Ezra and Zaed and the vine ([face_love]!) and Week 3. Oh, how I loved every single word of Week 3. [face_love] I can't wait for the rest of your Run! =D=
     
  23. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    You realise that, now that you've said this, someone (or multiple someones) has to make it happen, right? Or was that your plan all along? [face_devil]
     
  24. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    I agree, and I think this is definitely something that could at some point be arranged. :D ;)
     
  25. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    This comment absolutely made my day! Thank you so very much for your kind words! As always, it's an absolute pleasure to have you along for these stories, and I hope that you continue to enjoy this collection as it goes. [face_love] [:D]


    &
    [face_rofl] :*

    You are both the best, as this may have very well been my plan all along! [face_batting] I would love to collaborate at some point in the future, for sure. :D [:D]