Offhand mishmash: Bucky awakens | "Look, Ma!"
Dec. 1st, 2025 10:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
umadoshiI wonder how much of an entry I can write on my phone before it gets too annoying. Still a bit amazed that the best-for-me swipe keyboard I've found is literally still in alpha. (I almost always strongly prefer to use tech/programs that are solidly out of beta, and yet.)
Bucky the Christmas tree has been revived from cold storage! I do still miss some elements of having a real tree, between the traditions and the evergreen scent, but it sure is nice not to have the time constraints of "how long will it look alive?" when deciding to put it up/take it down. And I'm also finding that I like the feeling of This Is Our Tree. Hello, Bucky, old chum. Good to see you again. You look well!
Anyhow, as of yesterday* he's in his place, built-in lights all aglow. No ornaments yet. Plenty of time for that.
*Ginny is not what you'd call a Christmas fan, so I told myself firmly that there was no call to put Bucky up on Saturday right before she and Kas would be coming over.
Today's main excitement was a dental appointment. Everything looks good, apparently. Now to hope once again that this won't be the time I get covid out of it despite the precautions we manage to take.
Bucky the Christmas tree has been revived from cold storage! I do still miss some elements of having a real tree, between the traditions and the evergreen scent, but it sure is nice not to have the time constraints of "how long will it look alive?" when deciding to put it up/take it down. And I'm also finding that I like the feeling of This Is Our Tree. Hello, Bucky, old chum. Good to see you again. You look well!
Anyhow, as of yesterday* he's in his place, built-in lights all aglow. No ornaments yet. Plenty of time for that.
*Ginny is not what you'd call a Christmas fan, so I told myself firmly that there was no call to put Bucky up on Saturday right before she and Kas would be coming over.
Today's main excitement was a dental appointment. Everything looks good, apparently. Now to hope once again that this won't be the time I get covid out of it despite the precautions we manage to take.
snow, early on
Dec. 1st, 2025 07:39 pmlow_deltaSaturday, after I had been snowing for a while, I went out with my camera. It was not windy at all, so the snow settled on everything. I shot what seemed like a whole roll of film. ;-) I was feeling unsettled, photography-wise, since I had nothing - no plans, nothing to share. This made me feel better immediately.
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Plex wants me to PAY them? um, no.
Dec. 1st, 2025 08:26 pmwhite_astermwahahahaha. So, for the longest time I just wanted to be able to, y'know, stream videos from my computer to my television. My television is not smart, so eventually I figured out I could use Plex on my Roku and that solved my issues.
Then Plex has recently decided it wants to charge everyone $20/year to use the Roku app. And I made a face and said, "surely the internet has a better solution, especially since they're probably annoyed that Plex is now wanting to charge them $20/year to do the exact thing that Plex has always been known to do for free."
And oh my god, I figured out an even simpler way to do what I needed to do, sans Plex. Roku Media Player app plus this and oh my god, it just works. I can fire up the Roku Media Player, browse through my files on my computer, and play whatever I want. I feel like I'm living in the future. Interface is not prettiest, but honestly it's no worse than Plex always seemed to be.
So, that's a nice win. And Plex has lost itself a (non-paying) customer, I guess.
Books read, late November
Dec. 1st, 2025 07:20 pmmrissaSam Bloch, Shade: The Promise of a Forgotten Natural Resource. Interesting natural and social history--and present assessment--of the uses and needs of shade in sunny climates. Very much the sort of environmental study we need more of. Yay for this weird little book.
Meihan Boey, The Formidable Miss Cassidy. Structurally slightly odd but extremely good. "Some weirdos make friends; hijinks ensue" is one of my favorite shapes of plot, all the more so when there's more than one culture and a bunch of magic stuff going on. More from this author please.
Joseph J. Ellis, Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence. This is a good introductory book if you haven't already read a lot of stuff about the lead-up to the American Revolution. It's not actually one of the ones I'd put very high on my list if you have, but not everyone has.
Martín Espada, Jailbreak of Sparrows. I feel like these were longer and less punchy than his previous poems, but that could be genuine or could be a result of my own mood, hard to guess without more intense study. "Not my favorite Espada collection" is still a pretty good thing to be.
Margaret Frazer, The Stone Worker's Tale. Kindle. This is another of the mystery short stories in the same continuity as her novel series, slight but entertaining as most of them are. Sometimes you can watch mystery authors try to figure out some twist that will entertain them to write, and I think this was one of those times.
Howard W. French, The Second Emancipation: Nkrumah, Pan-Africanism, and Global Blackness at High Tide. This is a good place to go deeper on recent Ghanan history but also a good place to start if you don't feel like you know very much about 20th century West Africa. A very interesting read.
Greg Grandin, America, América: A New History of the New World and Kissinger's Shadow: The Long Reach of America's Most Controversial Statesman. I got interested in the first of these when I saw it in a bookstore, and it did not disappoint: it's a history of the US and Latin America, rather than focusing on the US's relationship with Europe as most such histories do. It was good enough that I requested the second one based on enjoying his work, and I'm not sure that "enjoy" is the right word for a whole book about Kissinger, but then I'm not sure it should be. Grandin's view of Kissinger is relentless, and I don't think he should have relented. And at least it's not terribly long, it doesn't make you spend more time with Kissinger than necessary to study his sociopolitical effects.
Adam Hochschild, Rebel Cinderella: From Rags to Riches to Radical, the Epic Journey of Rose Pastor Stokes. Hochschild is generally good, and I like to see closer-focus histories. Rose Pastor Stokes definitely is interesting enough for a whole book. I do feel like he wanted to be doing some things with her marriage as emblematic of things that didn't quite get there, but it's still worth the time.
Marina Lostetter, The Teeth of Dawn. The last in its series, and I finished it from momentum rather than enthusiasm for where the series went. I really liked the earlier ones, it's just this two-timeline narrative felt labored at points. I generally enjoy her ideas and writing and will be glad to see what else she does next.
Premee Mohamed, The First Thousand Trees. Another third volume. This one was a bit more genre-standard than its two predecessors, but well-executed on that, fitting it into the established worldbuilding and characters.
Trung Le Nguyen, Angelica and the Bear Prince. A sweet YA love story in graphic novel form. Cute to look at as well as cute storyline, won't take long.
Yasuhiko Nishizawa, The Man Who Died Seven Times. This is a time loop novel that's also a murder mystery, and I really liked that the looping character was attempting to prevent the murder in the process of solving it: how can I make this better. The twist in the ending was not entirely satisfying to me, and there was enough problematic alcohol use that even I, who don't usually flag that, feel like it's worth noting for people who really dislike that as an element in fiction.
Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, eds., A Thousand Beginnings and Endings. Retellings of Asian mythologies by Asian diaspora authors, somewhat varied but generally quite satisfying. I read this for book club, and it gave us a lot of happy fodder for discussion rather than the more annoyed kind we sometimes have.
Hache Pueyo, Cabaret in Flames. Discussed elsewhere.
Jonathan Slaght, Tigers Between Empires: The Improbable Return of Great Cats to the Forests of Russia and China. There's a lot about field work with Amur tigers in this. A lot. If you like that kind of nitty gritty about how the science gets done, good news, this is a book for you. I do like that sort of thing, so I was very pleased. My one complaint is that there is almost nothing about China and very little about the cross-cultural relationship work here. For having it in the subtitle, it's...really a Russian book. And that's okay! Just some clarity there.
Seamus Sullivan, Daedalus Is Dead. I thought this was going to be a completely different shape of thing, which is my fault and entirely on me. The cover and title made me think that Daedalus was going to be a metaphor. Nope! No metaphors here! Very literal retelling of Daedalus's experiences in life and afterlife! For some reason Sullivan decided that what he most wanted to do here was Daedalus as unreliable narrator in ways that have nothing at all to do with him as a technologist; there's stuff to be done with complicity in science/technology work, but very little of it was done here, most of Daedalus's flaws were...generic unpleasant dude flaws, I would say. It's written quite well, but I ultimately did not want to spend even a novella's worth of time with this character.
Ann Vandermeer and Jeff Vandermeer, eds., Sisters of the Revolution: A Feminist Speculative Fiction Anthology. Some very familiar, oft-reprinted stuff in here, plus some stuff I've never seen before. A very mixed bag, the full spectrum of my responses as well as the full spectrum of types of feminist SF.
Ellen Wayland-Smith, The Science of Last Things: Essays on Deep Time and the Boundaries of the Self. Wayland-Smith leans very heavily on similes in this essay collection, which often didn't work amazingly for me because the similes felt...fine? rather than genuinely illuminating. I feel like a cad saying that her best work was about her own mortality, but, well. Better than her worst work, I suppose? Still. This was fine enough but not a favorite.
Daily Check-in
Dec. 1st, 2025 05:59 pmstarwatcher posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fandom_checkinThis is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Monday, December 01, to midnight on Tuesday, December 02. (8pm Eastern Time).
Poll #33901 Daily Check-in
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 13
How are you doing?
I am OK.
10 (76.9%)
I am not OK, but don't need help right now.
3 (23.1%)
I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)
How many other humans live with you?
I am living single.
6 (46.2%)
One other person.
4 (30.8%)
More than one other person.
3 (23.1%)
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
Lake Lewisia #1337
Dec. 1st, 2025 04:56 pmscrubjayspeaksThe icicle crops are beginning to grow along rooflines around town, so please watch out for the blue markers designating cultivated areas and avoid breaking or contaminating them. Unlike icicles forming on tree branches and other wild locations, which should only be harvested by experienced foragers who can identify those safe to eat, cultivated icicles can be purchased and used for a number of winter treats. Later in the season, when they've ripened drip by drip, look out for flavor-coated icicle pops at Zelena Mishka.
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LL#1337
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LL#1337
Day 1777: "Perfectly normal."
Dec. 1st, 2025 03:40 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
wtfjht_feed
Today in one sentence: The White House said Navy Adm. Frank Bradley ordered a second strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat on Sept. 2 that killed survivors of an initial U.S. attack; Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said investigators believe Rahmanullah Lakanwal was radicalized after arriving in the U.S.; Trump called the shooting of two National Guard members an “act of terror,” saying the U.S. “must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden”; a federal appeals court ruled that Alina Habba has been serving unlawfully as the U.S. attorney in New Jersey; Trump said he was canceling all Biden executive orders that were signed using an autopen, claiming without evidence that aides operated the device without Biden’s approval; the White House said Trump’s October MRI was a “preventative” scan and reported “perfectly normal” cardiovascular and abdominal results with “no evidence of arterial narrowing” or other problems; and 36% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing as president – his lowest level of his second term.
1/ The White House said Navy Adm. Frank Bradley ordered a second strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat on Sept. 2 that killed survivors of an initial U.S. attack, and it defended the action as lawful under authority from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Bipartisan committees in the House and Senate opened investigations after reports that Hegseth had issued a verbal directive to kill everyone aboard, which he denied. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Bradley acted “within his authority and the law,” while not disputing that the first strike left survivors before the follow-on attack. Nevertheless, lawmakers, legal experts, and foreign allies warned that killing people unable to fight could be a war crime, and some said the Pentagon hasn’t provided the requested videos, orders, or legal opinions. The Sept. 2 operation was the first in a series of more than 20 U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that have killed over 80 people. (Politico / Associated Press / Axios / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Washington Post / The Guardian / CNN / New York Times)
2/ Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said investigators believe Rahmanullah Lakanwal was radicalized after arriving in the U.S., following the shooting near the White House that killed National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom and wounded Andrew Wolfe. She blamed Biden-era vetting for allowing the Afghan immigrant into the country in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome even though the Trump administration approved his asylum in April. Former U.S. officials said Lakanwal had been repeatedly vetted during his CIA-backed service in Afghanistan, during the 2021 evacuation, and again before his asylum grant. (ABC News / NPR / Washington Post / The Guardian / Reuters / NBC News / Bloomberg / Axios / CBS News / New York Times / Reuters)
- Trump called the shooting of two National Guard members an “act of terror,” saying the U.S. “must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.” Trump directed agencies to stop Afghan immigration processing and pause all asylum decisions and vowed to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries,” declaring that “only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation.” Trump also pledged to “terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions,” “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country,” “end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens,” “denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility,” and “deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.” (NBC News / Axios / ABC News / New York Times / Reuters / Bloomberg / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal)
3/ A federal appeals court ruled that Alina Habba has been serving unlawfully as the U.S. attorney in New Jersey, rejecting the Trump administration’s use of a series of personnel moves to keep her in the job without Senate confirmation. The three-judge panel for the Third Circuit said the tactics used by Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department “bypasses the constitutional process entirely” in violation of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. (Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Washington Post)
4/ ON FRIDAY: Trump said he was canceling all Biden executive orders that were signed using an autopen, claiming without evidence that aides operated the device without Biden’s approval. Trump said “any document signed” with the autopen was “terminated” and warned that Biden “will be brought up on charges of perjury” if he says he approved the process. Biden previously denied the claims and said he made all decisions during his presidency. Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have urged a Justice Department investigation, even though their report offered no concrete evidence that aides acted without Biden’s consent. (NBC News / The Guardian / Wall Street Journal)
5/ The White House said Trump’s October MRI was a “preventative” scan and reported “perfectly normal” cardiovascular and abdominal results with “no evidence of arterial narrowing” or other problems. The memo followed Trump’s comments to reporters that he had “no idea” what part of his body was scanned. The White House had previously described the visit only as a “follow-up evaluation” that included “advanced imaging,” without explaining the purpose of the MRI during a routine physical or why the imaging focused only on the heart and abdomen. (Bloomberg / CNBC / Axios / Reuters / Associated Press / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Politico)
poll/ 36% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing as president – his lowest level of his second term – while 60% disapprove. Republicans’ approval dropped seven points to 84%, while Independents’ approval fell eight points to 25% – their lowest rating in either of Trump’s terms. Democrats’ approval, meanwhile, stayed at 3%. (Gallup)
The 2026 midterms are in 337 days.
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Star Wars AU
Dec. 1st, 2025 06:18 pmsenmutAO3 Link | To Find A New Hope (3216 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Original Female Character(s), Asajj Ventress, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Aayla Secura, CC-5052 | Bly, Original Male Character(s)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Episode: s02e21-22 Twilight of the Apprentice
Summary:
"Pel," Atin muttered, "if your first Force Vision gets me kidnapped by a Hutt, I'm naming Kifra my best friend." The Kel Dor was nowhere to hear that threat, as Atin tried to figure out how in kriff she was supposed to find one karking kid in the middle of the desert.
Her buir'e were probably going to wish she was old enough to one on one, no matter what. Yes, she had gone to her spirit-mother for training. It wasn't her fault Pel had dragged her, and possibly Kifra, into a long-distance Force Vision. As he, so recently settled in that gender, couldn't leave Dorin, she had to do the leg work. And she wasn't alone.
"Why in all the galaxy does it have to be here?" Asajj hissed.
"You know as much as I do, and I did say you didn't have to come with me," Atin answered as levelly as possible. "Now, how do we find this kid Pel saw?"
"I presume it has to do with the Force, so you will seek, and I will guard you," Asajj said with more patience. Atin did not smile, but she knew full and well that Asajj loved her and saw Atin as an heiress — now that Mother was missing.
Atin shoved that off, and looked around the outskirts of what passed as a city… and beckoned Asajj back up into the ship. They had enough supplies and fuel; Atin would park them away from this life-sucking void to have a better chance of catching any Force wisps.
Three things happened almost as one. Atin was prepping to set them down outside a moisture farm's boundaries, Arseven found something in the 'droid-net that made him wary, and Asajj hissed in a breath as her eyes went unerringly to the horizon, not the farm.
"No, not here, not yet," Asajj snapped. "That way, go," she demanded.
While this was technically Atin's mission to complete, she had no reason to deny her spirit-mother's instincts, and did low-atmo flight in the direction she'd been given.
And, once she was out of sight of the sun-strong Force signature at the farm, she felt the secondary, lighter one that Asajj must have latched onto. What even was this going to be, when Tatooine was not exactly on the galactic map for 'famous Force users'.
"Arseven, what is it you found?"
[R2-D2 entry, specific to geo-location. Details redacted, deduce R2-D2 located there once, at minimum.]
That… that was very unexpected. Arseven had extensive memories, and kept the pulse of the 'droid-net for Atin's family, with its labyrinthine levels of access. Granted, the one Arseven could access had been hastily walled off, protected by those droids that had maintained their memories and allegiance to the Republic, but anywhere that droid might have been was a possible location in Skywalker's or Amidala's past.
And there was someone with the Force there, almost blinding to Atin when she looked with that awareness.
"Pel, I am putting a stink bomb in your quarters," she muttered before telling Asajj what Arseven had said. The Dathomiri frowned, then gave a sharp nod.
"I must be right then, about what is ahead."
Asajj held back — this was her heiress's quest — but remained where she could see events unfold. Atin had, at her suggestion, dropped some of her shielding. Asajj didn't think this particular Jedi would harm the girl, yet she was ready to throw a Force Choke to protect the girl, if the man had gone insane.
Ahsoka had mentioned ones she had found, driven insane by the genocide of their people.
She wasn't prepared to see a man that looked twice the age he should coming out of the hovel to see who had parked a scout ship beside his bantha herd. It was one more point toward that karking anooba on the Emperor's leash really being Skywalker. If she had only managed to kill him at Yavin…
"Hello there," came the voice she easily recognized, and the Force felt cautious but not hostile around him. With that, she did emerge.
"Now, Kenobi, don't go flirting with the child," she purred, pleased when his eyes went large and he reached toward his belt. "Especially not when she is of your line."
"All I did was say 'hello', Ventress," Kenobi answered, forcing himself to a less battle-ready stance.
"This is General Kenobi? He looks older than any of my uncles," Atin said, adding more confusion to the mix, and making Asajj laugh.
"Redheads shouldn't live under dual suns; I'd be glad to offer you much better places to lay your head, my dear old nemesis."
"I'm very certain my answer to that is 'no'," Kenobi said, before taking his eyes back to Atin.
"Good," Atin said. "As I'm not sure I'd want you anywhere near my other clan."
Asajj wondered at that, curious what was setting her heiress firmly against this man of her past.
"I'm sorry, but perhaps introductions are in order," Kenobi said. "At least for my sake?"
"Atin Tano."
Asajj's earlier words, those clone-dark eyes, plus the name all were hammering at Kenobi, and she could see it, despite the man's attempt to sweep the emotions away.
"My fair skin cannot endure these suns; do invite us in, my dear Kenobi?" Asajj said, and he helplessly turned to lead them in, a gesture that left it up to them to follow.
Obi-Wan settled his former enemy — who was remarkably pleasant — and the hostile stranger that seemed to be his grand-padawan's kin with an eye to defusing whatever had brought them here.
"Kenobi," Asajj began, "this began with my student's Force Vision, but I noted your presence, and decided that perhaps you could enlighten us as to the blazing Force Beacon not so far from here?"
Atin seemed content with that question, but her eyes, so like Co — he cut that off — bored holes into him for his answer.
"He was brought here to escape the Purge," Kenobi said, a truth, but not all of it.
"Because of Vader?" Atin accused immediately, and he could not, quite, keep from flinching, leading to her using some choice words in at least three languages.
Asajj rested a hand on her shoulder, and the girl, no older than Ahsoka at Christophsis, Obi-Wan thought, settled.
"The point stands, Kenobi. If the not-so hidden one belongs to either the gundark or that senator woman, and a Vision has been had, he is likely no longer safe here."
Obi-Wan blinked; how could Asajj know not only that Vader was Anakin, but who the mother would be?!
"Oh please. Do you think Atin is my student by chance?" Asajj purred. "Ahsoka paid a visit to me after the confirmation, so that she could enlist my aid to better protect Atin until Atin was fully trained in her ways.
"And the funeral was obviously of a pregnant woman. Deception in that would be needed, hmm, if she had been suspected to be carrying a child?"
"How was it confirmed?" he asked, instead of answering anything.
"I was taken, when I was very small, and my parents had to rescue me," Atin said. "The fact he took me instead of outright killing me planted the idea." She glared at him. "She was out there fighting still. Had been fighting since she was only a little older than me now… and you're on this sun-scorched rock with a sitting target."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes at the accusation in her words. "I thought I needed to guard the last hope of the Jedi. Your mother was — always — in the midst of the men. I could not fathom that she had survived when so many died."
Asajj made an indelicate noise at that. "You never could see the full potential in her," she scoffed. "But, admittedly, she was aided by that captain of hers."
Atin flashed her sharper than human teeth in a smile at those words. "Fives was right," the girl told Obi-Wan, and he had to shuffle through his memories, so far back, before going pale with shock. "My uncles were used by making them flesh-droids in truth. My buir'e have stolen back the ones they could."
"I… that is much to digest," Obi-Wan said, as the memory of the men becoming nothing more than uniform spots of malevolence returned to him. "You said… 'was'?" he asked in a gentle tone.
"She's not dead," from Asajj overlapped "She disappeared," out of Atin's mouth.
"After facing Vader on Malachor," Atin continued. "The other former Jedi involved refused to give me the coordinates, but Arseven got it out of their droid."
"We went, she and I, but could not find Ahsoka," Asajj finished. "I sought for her spirit in the Force, but it is not there." She then glanced over into a corner. "Unlike the one sharing your abode."
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow.
Atin snorted. "It's a little trick from Asajj's tradition. The dead can be useful sometimes."
"So they can be," Obi-Wan agreed, having learned more from Qui-Gon Jinn during his exile. "Back to my reason for being here, it has not changed. I … will have to find a way to cloak him."
"Kenobi, don't be an idiot. If the boy has been revealed to a more distantly connected Force user, do you really think the gundark won't feel it soon?"
"This planet is a shield of its own," Obi-Wan said weakly.
"No, no it's not, and you're endangering my cousin," Atin growled.
How had she decided on that tack? No, Ahsoka had claimed Anakin as 'brother', so in one way it made sense. In all others, given her own confession of abduction, and Vader likely being responsible for Ahsoka's loss, it did not.
Togruta, vod'e, and clan — they never used logic for naming kin ties.
"I have nowhere else to take him."
"Spirit-mother?" Atin asked, maybe implored, and Asajj set her jaw firmly.
"Kenobi, give me your hands," Asajj said, reaching out. "I may not like most of the main clan she lives with, but I will not allow Sithly manipulations to harm them for hers, and Ahsoka's, sake."
"I'm sorry, but weren't you a Sith's disciple?" Obi-Wan asked to cover just how uneasy he was.
"Bah. I am a Night Sister, and those days were long gone even before I helped my pet deliver her child."
Atin laughed, sharp and short. "Do you want me to call you 'harpy' since she's not here to do it?"
It was Asajj's affectionate yet sad smile at the girl that made Obi-Wan actually reach for the hands, to prove he was safe, even if he thought there was no way he would go wherever Atin lived.
Asajj had been certain Kenobi was free of the Sithly traps — there had been residue, but Kenobi had dealt with it. Then came the negotiation with the farmers, which had taken right up until Luke found out the Empire might kill his family when they came hunting.
Atin had set the long course, dropping Asajj back on Dathomir. Luke was so unshielded that he could feel the planet before they even grounded for her to leave.
Now, having made certain neither of them were present as she set her course, she had time in hyperspace to actually talk to the pair without Asajj needling the Jedi relic.
"No, you can't know where we're going," she answered Luke's first question, then looked at Kenobi. "You're not the only jetii to survive."
"Obviously your mother," he began, but she shook her head.
"I meant of your Order. She was not, remember?" When the man flushed she continued. "Buir made her promise to not leave us, those that were rescued, us kids, because someone had to teach the useful bits to me and my sibs."
"Her," Kenobi murmured, considering. "And you are warning me because there is a connection?"
"Yes. I've heard a few stories about Kenobi-and-Vos as I grew up."
That rattled the Jedi pretty hard. "Master Saa or Master Secura?" he asked once he had his equilibrium back, well-aware that Luke was listening — and feeling in the Force — to all the emotions.
"Mama Aayla," Atin said. "Bly was in physical contact with her when the order hit, and that gave him just enough to stun her instead of kill, though he hunted her after, knowing she wasn't dead. But his chip was malfunctioning, and she was able to snap the thing with the Force, to free him."
"Chip? Like the ones in the slaves?" Luke asked, giving Kenobi time to digest the revelation.
"Huttese chips just explode," Atin said bitterly. "Death would be preferable to ones that made you mindless flesh-droids who killed those they were supposed to protect."
Luke blanched, then nodded. "Yeah… rescued?"
"It started with my mother and her captain, figuring out how to neutralize the chips, how to work the men past their trauma. I'm told they weren't always able, very early on. Then giving them a choice to settle in Sanctuary, which is the name of where we are going," she said, knowing it wouldn't tell them where in the galaxy it was. Granted, if Pel came up, Kenobi would guess, but that would be after Aayla and Wolffe decided the threat level. "The other half of the choice was to join the Rebellion. Some did.
"But no one holds it against the ones that chose living free and safe."
"Your mother helped in the Rebellion I take it?" Kenobi asked.
"My mother helped build it, shape it, guide it." Atin sat tall in her chair. "She was learning every Force trick she could, freeing my uncles, and recruiting on both sides of the Separatist line to fight the Empire."
Kenobi met her eyes on that, and stroked his beard a moment. "She was one of the best and brightest," he said, "and the Order did so very wrong by her."
That … Atin hadn't expected that. She could accept it, could move past her lingering antipathy to this man.
Obi-Wan had watched Luke's openness actually win the girl over. He was rather glad Luke hadn't actually picked up on the girl being younger, given how driven Atin was, especially in teaching Luke the most basic Force shielding for polite company among other users.
He was awakened by them coming out of hyperspace, but per their agreement, made no attempt to leave the cabin he shared with Luke, a narrow space with two bunks and storage beneath them, looking over as his ward noticed the change and awakened.
"We're out of hyperspace. Atin will be landing us, no doubt, as she has not put us into a new jump," Obi-Wan said.
"Do we always notice it?"
"Long time spacers do. Those who grew up in space will. And Force users, as the fullness of the feeling of being surrounded is somewhat muted in hyperspace."
"Good to know."
A short time later, the ship was definitely landed, and Obi-Wan waited for the word to get out.
That came when the astromech, Arseven, came and opened their door to lead them out.
"I suppose she went ahead to warn the others," Obi-Wan said.
"It feels… light. Warm? Soothing," Luke said, measuring his awareness around him as Obi-Wan and Atin had been teaching.
"If it is a refuge for those wronged by the war, I suppose it would," Obi-Wan said, not willing to reach out like that, to feel the betrayal of the men, of their grief for the Jedi. He and Luke followed Arseven, and were led into a docking bay that only held one other ship at present, a beat up single-man Aether-Sprite.
Ahead of them was a clone with gold bars on his cheeks, and beside him, a blue Twi'lek that Obi-Wan had seen grow from foundling to Master. Atin was off to the side, kneeling down in a deep hug with a Twi'leki girl still in the dainty stage of true childhood.
"Master Kenobi," the woman said in a calm, measured tone.
"Can we dispense with titles, my old friend?" Obi-Wan asked, and then she was in motion, prompting him to meet her. The hug, he had to admit, felt very good to his worn and frayed spirit.
"Obi-Wan," she murmured.
"Aayla," he answered her, before stepping back a little and looking at the clone. "Bly." It was so complicated in his heart. Could Cody have resisted if the order had come while they were together?
"Obi-Wan," Bly replied. "Rex and Wolffe will probably slip for General, but you remember how they were."
"Luke, come with us," Atin called. "We'll get your things later, but I want you to meet my little sister, and we'll show you where we live."
"Okay."
Once the trio were departed, Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Sister?"
Bly actually chuckled, while Aayla linked an arm around Obi-Wan's to be his guide. "Clan remains fluid, and need not have blood, though technically speaking, they are half-sisters," she said with a smile. "Kifra, our daughter. They have another sibling, who is fully by spirit, and also vod to all of the men, but you will not be meeting him just yet.
"Rex is off-world, helping the Rebels at present. And while we are not pleased at Atin's decision to take such risks while she was away training, we are pleased to welcome you, and your ward."
"How much did she tell you?"
"All of it. And we will do what we can to help Amidala's son protect himself, we promise."
"For now," Bly said quietly, "you are to follow our standard care routine for a survivor of the war."
"I have had — "
"No one with whom you could work it out, you only just learned what happened to us, and I know our ad is as diplomatic as a rancor," Bly said, cutting him off. "I love Atin dearly, but she has her mother's stubborn and bluntness down to a fine art."
"I think our Captain gets some of that blame," Aayla said with impish humor. "But he does tend to phrase it better."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. If Aayla could learn to smile, after all she had been through, he would try their way. Even the Force thought this was for the better, and that helped him relax into their care even further.
~So he is there, and another Jedi of Father's extended clan,~ Pel recapped from the long mental conference with Atin and Kifra.
~Yes, but we have not mentioned we are in the Dorin system or who you are. Might piece it together, but I wanted our parents to get a feel for the Jedi first.~
~Of course. I know all of you will help Luke build the basics. And then, when Mama Aayla says, I will come to help with the mental side of it.~
~Alright. I don't know where your vision will lead us, Pel, but… I think something shifted.~
~So the Sages believe,~ he assured her. ~Sleep well, my sisters.~
~You too,~ Kifra said, before shifting to be more comfortable in the bed with her big sister. "It has to get better, right?"
"We're going to try hard for that," Atin promised her, closing her eyes. She just wished her mother could be here to help them, as always.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Original Female Character(s), Asajj Ventress, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Aayla Secura, CC-5052 | Bly, Original Male Character(s)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Episode: s02e21-22 Twilight of the Apprentice
Summary:
When Pel has a vision, and shares it with Atin, she gets to do the legwork.
To Find A New Hope
"Pel," Atin muttered, "if your first Force Vision gets me kidnapped by a Hutt, I'm naming Kifra my best friend." The Kel Dor was nowhere to hear that threat, as Atin tried to figure out how in kriff she was supposed to find one karking kid in the middle of the desert.
Her buir'e were probably going to wish she was old enough to one on one, no matter what. Yes, she had gone to her spirit-mother for training. It wasn't her fault Pel had dragged her, and possibly Kifra, into a long-distance Force Vision. As he, so recently settled in that gender, couldn't leave Dorin, she had to do the leg work. And she wasn't alone.
"Why in all the galaxy does it have to be here?" Asajj hissed.
"You know as much as I do, and I did say you didn't have to come with me," Atin answered as levelly as possible. "Now, how do we find this kid Pel saw?"
"I presume it has to do with the Force, so you will seek, and I will guard you," Asajj said with more patience. Atin did not smile, but she knew full and well that Asajj loved her and saw Atin as an heiress — now that Mother was missing.
Atin shoved that off, and looked around the outskirts of what passed as a city… and beckoned Asajj back up into the ship. They had enough supplies and fuel; Atin would park them away from this life-sucking void to have a better chance of catching any Force wisps.
Three things happened almost as one. Atin was prepping to set them down outside a moisture farm's boundaries, Arseven found something in the 'droid-net that made him wary, and Asajj hissed in a breath as her eyes went unerringly to the horizon, not the farm.
"No, not here, not yet," Asajj snapped. "That way, go," she demanded.
While this was technically Atin's mission to complete, she had no reason to deny her spirit-mother's instincts, and did low-atmo flight in the direction she'd been given.
And, once she was out of sight of the sun-strong Force signature at the farm, she felt the secondary, lighter one that Asajj must have latched onto. What even was this going to be, when Tatooine was not exactly on the galactic map for 'famous Force users'.
"Arseven, what is it you found?"
[R2-D2 entry, specific to geo-location. Details redacted, deduce R2-D2 located there once, at minimum.]
That… that was very unexpected. Arseven had extensive memories, and kept the pulse of the 'droid-net for Atin's family, with its labyrinthine levels of access. Granted, the one Arseven could access had been hastily walled off, protected by those droids that had maintained their memories and allegiance to the Republic, but anywhere that droid might have been was a possible location in Skywalker's or Amidala's past.
And there was someone with the Force there, almost blinding to Atin when she looked with that awareness.
"Pel, I am putting a stink bomb in your quarters," she muttered before telling Asajj what Arseven had said. The Dathomiri frowned, then gave a sharp nod.
"I must be right then, about what is ahead."
Asajj held back — this was her heiress's quest — but remained where she could see events unfold. Atin had, at her suggestion, dropped some of her shielding. Asajj didn't think this particular Jedi would harm the girl, yet she was ready to throw a Force Choke to protect the girl, if the man had gone insane.
Ahsoka had mentioned ones she had found, driven insane by the genocide of their people.
She wasn't prepared to see a man that looked twice the age he should coming out of the hovel to see who had parked a scout ship beside his bantha herd. It was one more point toward that karking anooba on the Emperor's leash really being Skywalker. If she had only managed to kill him at Yavin…
"Hello there," came the voice she easily recognized, and the Force felt cautious but not hostile around him. With that, she did emerge.
"Now, Kenobi, don't go flirting with the child," she purred, pleased when his eyes went large and he reached toward his belt. "Especially not when she is of your line."
"All I did was say 'hello', Ventress," Kenobi answered, forcing himself to a less battle-ready stance.
"This is General Kenobi? He looks older than any of my uncles," Atin said, adding more confusion to the mix, and making Asajj laugh.
"Redheads shouldn't live under dual suns; I'd be glad to offer you much better places to lay your head, my dear old nemesis."
"I'm very certain my answer to that is 'no'," Kenobi said, before taking his eyes back to Atin.
"Good," Atin said. "As I'm not sure I'd want you anywhere near my other clan."
Asajj wondered at that, curious what was setting her heiress firmly against this man of her past.
"I'm sorry, but perhaps introductions are in order," Kenobi said. "At least for my sake?"
"Atin Tano."
Asajj's earlier words, those clone-dark eyes, plus the name all were hammering at Kenobi, and she could see it, despite the man's attempt to sweep the emotions away.
"My fair skin cannot endure these suns; do invite us in, my dear Kenobi?" Asajj said, and he helplessly turned to lead them in, a gesture that left it up to them to follow.
Obi-Wan settled his former enemy — who was remarkably pleasant — and the hostile stranger that seemed to be his grand-padawan's kin with an eye to defusing whatever had brought them here.
"Kenobi," Asajj began, "this began with my student's Force Vision, but I noted your presence, and decided that perhaps you could enlighten us as to the blazing Force Beacon not so far from here?"
Atin seemed content with that question, but her eyes, so like Co — he cut that off — bored holes into him for his answer.
"He was brought here to escape the Purge," Kenobi said, a truth, but not all of it.
"Because of Vader?" Atin accused immediately, and he could not, quite, keep from flinching, leading to her using some choice words in at least three languages.
Asajj rested a hand on her shoulder, and the girl, no older than Ahsoka at Christophsis, Obi-Wan thought, settled.
"The point stands, Kenobi. If the not-so hidden one belongs to either the gundark or that senator woman, and a Vision has been had, he is likely no longer safe here."
Obi-Wan blinked; how could Asajj know not only that Vader was Anakin, but who the mother would be?!
"Oh please. Do you think Atin is my student by chance?" Asajj purred. "Ahsoka paid a visit to me after the confirmation, so that she could enlist my aid to better protect Atin until Atin was fully trained in her ways.
"And the funeral was obviously of a pregnant woman. Deception in that would be needed, hmm, if she had been suspected to be carrying a child?"
"How was it confirmed?" he asked, instead of answering anything.
"I was taken, when I was very small, and my parents had to rescue me," Atin said. "The fact he took me instead of outright killing me planted the idea." She glared at him. "She was out there fighting still. Had been fighting since she was only a little older than me now… and you're on this sun-scorched rock with a sitting target."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes at the accusation in her words. "I thought I needed to guard the last hope of the Jedi. Your mother was — always — in the midst of the men. I could not fathom that she had survived when so many died."
Asajj made an indelicate noise at that. "You never could see the full potential in her," she scoffed. "But, admittedly, she was aided by that captain of hers."
Atin flashed her sharper than human teeth in a smile at those words. "Fives was right," the girl told Obi-Wan, and he had to shuffle through his memories, so far back, before going pale with shock. "My uncles were used by making them flesh-droids in truth. My buir'e have stolen back the ones they could."
"I… that is much to digest," Obi-Wan said, as the memory of the men becoming nothing more than uniform spots of malevolence returned to him. "You said… 'was'?" he asked in a gentle tone.
"She's not dead," from Asajj overlapped "She disappeared," out of Atin's mouth.
"After facing Vader on Malachor," Atin continued. "The other former Jedi involved refused to give me the coordinates, but Arseven got it out of their droid."
"We went, she and I, but could not find Ahsoka," Asajj finished. "I sought for her spirit in the Force, but it is not there." She then glanced over into a corner. "Unlike the one sharing your abode."
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow.
Atin snorted. "It's a little trick from Asajj's tradition. The dead can be useful sometimes."
"So they can be," Obi-Wan agreed, having learned more from Qui-Gon Jinn during his exile. "Back to my reason for being here, it has not changed. I … will have to find a way to cloak him."
"Kenobi, don't be an idiot. If the boy has been revealed to a more distantly connected Force user, do you really think the gundark won't feel it soon?"
"This planet is a shield of its own," Obi-Wan said weakly.
"No, no it's not, and you're endangering my cousin," Atin growled.
How had she decided on that tack? No, Ahsoka had claimed Anakin as 'brother', so in one way it made sense. In all others, given her own confession of abduction, and Vader likely being responsible for Ahsoka's loss, it did not.
Togruta, vod'e, and clan — they never used logic for naming kin ties.
"I have nowhere else to take him."
"Spirit-mother?" Atin asked, maybe implored, and Asajj set her jaw firmly.
"Kenobi, give me your hands," Asajj said, reaching out. "I may not like most of the main clan she lives with, but I will not allow Sithly manipulations to harm them for hers, and Ahsoka's, sake."
"I'm sorry, but weren't you a Sith's disciple?" Obi-Wan asked to cover just how uneasy he was.
"Bah. I am a Night Sister, and those days were long gone even before I helped my pet deliver her child."
Atin laughed, sharp and short. "Do you want me to call you 'harpy' since she's not here to do it?"
It was Asajj's affectionate yet sad smile at the girl that made Obi-Wan actually reach for the hands, to prove he was safe, even if he thought there was no way he would go wherever Atin lived.
Asajj had been certain Kenobi was free of the Sithly traps — there had been residue, but Kenobi had dealt with it. Then came the negotiation with the farmers, which had taken right up until Luke found out the Empire might kill his family when they came hunting.
Atin had set the long course, dropping Asajj back on Dathomir. Luke was so unshielded that he could feel the planet before they even grounded for her to leave.
Now, having made certain neither of them were present as she set her course, she had time in hyperspace to actually talk to the pair without Asajj needling the Jedi relic.
"No, you can't know where we're going," she answered Luke's first question, then looked at Kenobi. "You're not the only jetii to survive."
"Obviously your mother," he began, but she shook her head.
"I meant of your Order. She was not, remember?" When the man flushed she continued. "Buir made her promise to not leave us, those that were rescued, us kids, because someone had to teach the useful bits to me and my sibs."
"Her," Kenobi murmured, considering. "And you are warning me because there is a connection?"
"Yes. I've heard a few stories about Kenobi-and-Vos as I grew up."
That rattled the Jedi pretty hard. "Master Saa or Master Secura?" he asked once he had his equilibrium back, well-aware that Luke was listening — and feeling in the Force — to all the emotions.
"Mama Aayla," Atin said. "Bly was in physical contact with her when the order hit, and that gave him just enough to stun her instead of kill, though he hunted her after, knowing she wasn't dead. But his chip was malfunctioning, and she was able to snap the thing with the Force, to free him."
"Chip? Like the ones in the slaves?" Luke asked, giving Kenobi time to digest the revelation.
"Huttese chips just explode," Atin said bitterly. "Death would be preferable to ones that made you mindless flesh-droids who killed those they were supposed to protect."
Luke blanched, then nodded. "Yeah… rescued?"
"It started with my mother and her captain, figuring out how to neutralize the chips, how to work the men past their trauma. I'm told they weren't always able, very early on. Then giving them a choice to settle in Sanctuary, which is the name of where we are going," she said, knowing it wouldn't tell them where in the galaxy it was. Granted, if Pel came up, Kenobi would guess, but that would be after Aayla and Wolffe decided the threat level. "The other half of the choice was to join the Rebellion. Some did.
"But no one holds it against the ones that chose living free and safe."
"Your mother helped in the Rebellion I take it?" Kenobi asked.
"My mother helped build it, shape it, guide it." Atin sat tall in her chair. "She was learning every Force trick she could, freeing my uncles, and recruiting on both sides of the Separatist line to fight the Empire."
Kenobi met her eyes on that, and stroked his beard a moment. "She was one of the best and brightest," he said, "and the Order did so very wrong by her."
That … Atin hadn't expected that. She could accept it, could move past her lingering antipathy to this man.
Obi-Wan had watched Luke's openness actually win the girl over. He was rather glad Luke hadn't actually picked up on the girl being younger, given how driven Atin was, especially in teaching Luke the most basic Force shielding for polite company among other users.
He was awakened by them coming out of hyperspace, but per their agreement, made no attempt to leave the cabin he shared with Luke, a narrow space with two bunks and storage beneath them, looking over as his ward noticed the change and awakened.
"We're out of hyperspace. Atin will be landing us, no doubt, as she has not put us into a new jump," Obi-Wan said.
"Do we always notice it?"
"Long time spacers do. Those who grew up in space will. And Force users, as the fullness of the feeling of being surrounded is somewhat muted in hyperspace."
"Good to know."
A short time later, the ship was definitely landed, and Obi-Wan waited for the word to get out.
That came when the astromech, Arseven, came and opened their door to lead them out.
"I suppose she went ahead to warn the others," Obi-Wan said.
"It feels… light. Warm? Soothing," Luke said, measuring his awareness around him as Obi-Wan and Atin had been teaching.
"If it is a refuge for those wronged by the war, I suppose it would," Obi-Wan said, not willing to reach out like that, to feel the betrayal of the men, of their grief for the Jedi. He and Luke followed Arseven, and were led into a docking bay that only held one other ship at present, a beat up single-man Aether-Sprite.
Ahead of them was a clone with gold bars on his cheeks, and beside him, a blue Twi'lek that Obi-Wan had seen grow from foundling to Master. Atin was off to the side, kneeling down in a deep hug with a Twi'leki girl still in the dainty stage of true childhood.
"Master Kenobi," the woman said in a calm, measured tone.
"Can we dispense with titles, my old friend?" Obi-Wan asked, and then she was in motion, prompting him to meet her. The hug, he had to admit, felt very good to his worn and frayed spirit.
"Obi-Wan," she murmured.
"Aayla," he answered her, before stepping back a little and looking at the clone. "Bly." It was so complicated in his heart. Could Cody have resisted if the order had come while they were together?
"Obi-Wan," Bly replied. "Rex and Wolffe will probably slip for General, but you remember how they were."
"Luke, come with us," Atin called. "We'll get your things later, but I want you to meet my little sister, and we'll show you where we live."
"Okay."
Once the trio were departed, Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Sister?"
Bly actually chuckled, while Aayla linked an arm around Obi-Wan's to be his guide. "Clan remains fluid, and need not have blood, though technically speaking, they are half-sisters," she said with a smile. "Kifra, our daughter. They have another sibling, who is fully by spirit, and also vod to all of the men, but you will not be meeting him just yet.
"Rex is off-world, helping the Rebels at present. And while we are not pleased at Atin's decision to take such risks while she was away training, we are pleased to welcome you, and your ward."
"How much did she tell you?"
"All of it. And we will do what we can to help Amidala's son protect himself, we promise."
"For now," Bly said quietly, "you are to follow our standard care routine for a survivor of the war."
"I have had — "
"No one with whom you could work it out, you only just learned what happened to us, and I know our ad is as diplomatic as a rancor," Bly said, cutting him off. "I love Atin dearly, but she has her mother's stubborn and bluntness down to a fine art."
"I think our Captain gets some of that blame," Aayla said with impish humor. "But he does tend to phrase it better."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. If Aayla could learn to smile, after all she had been through, he would try their way. Even the Force thought this was for the better, and that helped him relax into their care even further.
~So he is there, and another Jedi of Father's extended clan,~ Pel recapped from the long mental conference with Atin and Kifra.
~Yes, but we have not mentioned we are in the Dorin system or who you are. Might piece it together, but I wanted our parents to get a feel for the Jedi first.~
~Of course. I know all of you will help Luke build the basics. And then, when Mama Aayla says, I will come to help with the mental side of it.~
~Alright. I don't know where your vision will lead us, Pel, but… I think something shifted.~
~So the Sages believe,~ he assured her. ~Sleep well, my sisters.~
~You too,~ Kifra said, before shifting to be more comfortable in the bed with her big sister. "It has to get better, right?"
"We're going to try hard for that," Atin promised her, closing her eyes. She just wished her mother could be here to help them, as always.
Call for Prompts
Dec. 1st, 2025 05:24 pmysabetwordsmith posting in goals_on_dwdialecticdreamer is running a prompt call all month in December! Leave prompts, get ficlets. \o/ MOAR GOODEEZ for everyone! This may suit people with goals related to reading, creativity, crowdfunding, or boosting your mood.This whole month I hope to fill with prompted stories, to celebrate my lovely readers and surviving the first quarter of the twenty-first century. It’s been jam-packed with crises and chaos, hasn’t it? Time to take a story break… or thirty.
( Read more... )
Season's Greetings!
Dec. 1st, 2025 04:09 pmgimmighoulcoins posting in holiday_wishesHello all! I learned about this comm this year and it's such a sweet idea, I'm excited to take part! No worries if folks can't fill my wishes, of course, but thank you for looking at my list at all - and may everyone's holiday season be wonderful!
1. Dreamwidth Points - Dreamwidth's paid time features are so great, and I keep finding more and more icons I like, so points I could put towards paid time or additional icon slots would be very appreciated!
2. Fic Recommendations - For Hazbin Hotel or Pokemon Horizons. Both are new favorite media I got really into this past year, and finding fic for large fandoms like Pokemon and Hazbin Hotel can get a little overwhelming, so I'd love recommendations of your favorite fics! The main things I'd like to read for Hazbin are: Husk/Angel Dust fic, or fic with a focus on Abel, Sir Pentious, Lucifer, or Emily. For Horizons, I'd be interested in fic focused on Friede, the friendship(s) between Roy, Dot, and/or Liko, and the bond between Roy and his team, as well as general slice of life on the Brave Olivine before the timeskip. In either fandom, I'm not interested in crackfic, character/ship bashing, porn without plot for Hazbin/smut fic in general for Horizons, or fics containing character death. Also, if you're recommending a fic for Pokemon Horizons, please note that I'm watching the English dub, and want to avoid spoilers for anything after HZ089, "Where the Adventure Leads," thank you!
3. 100x100 Icons - I can always use more Pokemon icons, and especially would love icons of any of the new Mega Evolutions in Legends Z-A or the characters Naveen, Taunie, Lida, L, or Mable from the same game, or icons of Friede, Cap, Roy, Dot, Liko, or any of their Pokemon from Pokemon Horizons!
4. Digital Giftcards - to Barnes and Noble, Hot Topic, Amazon, or the Nintendo eShop; you can DM me for my email address!
5. YouTube Recommendations - I'm a big fan of YouTubers who create content focused on art and character design, such as GinjaNinjaOwO, Momopurin, Prickly Alpaca, and TheStarfishface. I'd love to add more to my subscription list!
Again, thank you for checking out my list, and whatever you're celebrating or observing this time of year - if anything - I wish you the very best time!
1. Dreamwidth Points - Dreamwidth's paid time features are so great, and I keep finding more and more icons I like, so points I could put towards paid time or additional icon slots would be very appreciated!
2. Fic Recommendations - For Hazbin Hotel or Pokemon Horizons. Both are new favorite media I got really into this past year, and finding fic for large fandoms like Pokemon and Hazbin Hotel can get a little overwhelming, so I'd love recommendations of your favorite fics! The main things I'd like to read for Hazbin are: Husk/Angel Dust fic, or fic with a focus on Abel, Sir Pentious, Lucifer, or Emily. For Horizons, I'd be interested in fic focused on Friede, the friendship(s) between Roy, Dot, and/or Liko, and the bond between Roy and his team, as well as general slice of life on the Brave Olivine before the timeskip. In either fandom, I'm not interested in crackfic, character/ship bashing, porn without plot for Hazbin/smut fic in general for Horizons, or fics containing character death. Also, if you're recommending a fic for Pokemon Horizons, please note that I'm watching the English dub, and want to avoid spoilers for anything after HZ089, "Where the Adventure Leads," thank you!
3. 100x100 Icons - I can always use more Pokemon icons, and especially would love icons of any of the new Mega Evolutions in Legends Z-A or the characters Naveen, Taunie, Lida, L, or Mable from the same game, or icons of Friede, Cap, Roy, Dot, Liko, or any of their Pokemon from Pokemon Horizons!
4. Digital Giftcards - to Barnes and Noble, Hot Topic, Amazon, or the Nintendo eShop; you can DM me for my email address!
5. YouTube Recommendations - I'm a big fan of YouTubers who create content focused on art and character design, such as GinjaNinjaOwO, Momopurin, Prickly Alpaca, and TheStarfishface. I'd love to add more to my subscription list!
Again, thank you for checking out my list, and whatever you're celebrating or observing this time of year - if anything - I wish you the very best time!
Soricel's wishlist
Dec. 1st, 2025 08:25 pmsoricel posting in holiday_wishesHi everyone! This is my first time doing this, and I'm a little shy about it, but here goes! I would love it if you...
1.) Rec'd me some stuff! Right now I'm mostly on the hunt for webcomics, anime, C-dramas, or audio dramas of the modern-day slice-of-life variety, ideally with little to no romance and at least a couple queer characters in the cast. Also happy to check out some fics that fit this bill, even if the original fandom doesn't.
2.) Ranted at me about stuff you love! It's always fun for me to hear about things people are into, and often people's enthusiasm rubs off on me and I check out things I might not otherwise. I'd love to hear about what/who you love and why.
3.) Commented on a fic or podfic of mine, especially this pe-canon Raven Cycle thing starring the 300 Fox Way crew. It's probably my favorite fic I've written, and sadly it remains uncommented upon. :(
4.) Are a nonbinary person in your 30s/40s/older and would like to be DW friends or even better email penpals and share experiences/tips/etc.
5.) Told me about something you did/tried to do this year that made you a little happier and that I might wanna try too.
I think that's it! I love that this is a thing! Thank you! <3
1.) Rec'd me some stuff! Right now I'm mostly on the hunt for webcomics, anime, C-dramas, or audio dramas of the modern-day slice-of-life variety, ideally with little to no romance and at least a couple queer characters in the cast. Also happy to check out some fics that fit this bill, even if the original fandom doesn't.
2.) Ranted at me about stuff you love! It's always fun for me to hear about things people are into, and often people's enthusiasm rubs off on me and I check out things I might not otherwise. I'd love to hear about what/who you love and why.
3.) Commented on a fic or podfic of mine, especially this pe-canon Raven Cycle thing starring the 300 Fox Way crew. It's probably my favorite fic I've written, and sadly it remains uncommented upon. :(
4.) Are a nonbinary person in your 30s/40s/older and would like to be DW friends or even better email penpals and share experiences/tips/etc.
5.) Told me about something you did/tried to do this year that made you a little happier and that I might wanna try too.
I think that's it! I love that this is a thing! Thank you! <3
Rec-cember Day 2: Merlin
Dec. 1st, 2025 10:45 pmfalenaMerlin
This BBC show for children is a prime example of one of those fandoms where, for me, fanon clearly surpassed and trascended canon. I don't think I ever finished watching the show back when it was airing, but man, the Merlin/Arthur fic I have saved I have gone back to hundreds of times in the intervening years, especially as podfic. I don't know why precisely the idea of a relationship between a stuckup but brave prince and its bumbling but loyal manservant was right up my alley but it just was.
The Student Prince by fayjay. This is a modern day AU where Arthur is the heir to the British throne and he meets Merlin at university in Saint Andrews, in circa 2010. This is basically the one of the best YA romances I've ever read, better than most traditionally published stuff and it can totally be read with little to no knowledge of the tv show. I re-listen to the podfic version (read by the author herself, who is actually better than most pro audiobook readers) at least once a year.
fayjay has podficced many of my favourite canon era stories, like In Time of Trial by shinetheway; The Beltane Cycle by
astolat/ Naomi Novik (here is the podfic); The Crown of the Summer Court by
astolat/ Naomi Novik (here is the podfic).
The Pitt
I've fallen down the rabbit hole of Mel/Frank shipping and I regret nothing, the quality of the writing for this pairing is stellar. I have 80+ bookmarks for it on the Ao3.
However, I do have a soft spot for another pairing, and that is Robby/Abbot. The two ER cowboys, chief attending of the day and night shift respectively. Old man yaoi at its finest. My interest in the pairing is completely alethia's fault. I've been a fan of her work since Generation Kill and she is just such a talented author I literally cannot choose which one of the 30+ Robby/Abbot fic she's written so far is my favourite. I love them all. Go on, pick one at random and read it, you will be blown away.
alethia gets these two characters in a way the writers of The Pitt can only dream of.
If you're a podfic nut like me, you could start by listening to Safe Haven by andrasteemraldpetal .
Round 181: Amnesty
Dec. 1st, 2025 10:15 amrunpunkrun posting in fancake
As always, our theme for December is amnesty. This month you can post recs for any past round—from any year—as long as the work hasn't already been recommended for that theme. Refresh your memory with a spreadsheet of previous rounds or search the comm for past recs.
Be sure to tag your recs with theme: amnesty in addition to the relevant theme(s).
If you're just joining us, be sure to check out our policy on content notes. Content notes aren't required, but they're nice to include in your recs, especially if a fanwork has untagged content that readers may wish to know about in advance.
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Cabaret in Flames, by Hache Pueyo
Dec. 1st, 2025 11:27 ammrissaReview copy provided by the publisher.
Like Pueyo's debut, this is an extremely well-done example of something that is very, very much not my thing. This is another monsterfucking book! I am using that term as a genre term of art rather than a pejorative: there are guls, they eat human flesh, the main character ends up romantically/personally entangled with one despite or perhaps because of her complicated history.
There's vivid writing here--which if you are not interested in stories of human flesh being eaten is not necessarily going to appeal to you--and there are cultural touchstones I wish we saw more of in things published in the US. It's great to see a really Brazilian speculative novella--and the politics of contemporary Brazil give this speculative story weight and deep roots. It's done so well. It's just so beautifully written. But also, and crucially for me, it is body horror basically start to finish, so: approach with care, depending on your tastes.