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masterjedilenawrites · 1 year

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Clones: Love Languages (Part 2!)

I've been incorporating a lot of other clones into my writing recently. Some from requests, some from my own curiosity. It can be a challenge to tap into a character that maybe only got a few brief moments of screen time, but I end up having so much fun with it, and I'd love to explore more of their personalities!

So, let's start with some good ol' fashioned love languages shall we? 😇

Keeli: Quality Time. Likes to schedule time with his loved ones, like date nights or weekend getaways. It helps him get rid of distractions and be more purposeful in giving them attention. Gets annoyed when his company texts someone else or otherwise gives attention to their holo-pad and not him.

Neyo: Acts of Service. Would rather do things himself so they get done right, and that urge becomes stronger when he's around his partner. Doesn't want them to lift a finger. Also likes to cover the cost of things, like a meal, a piece of jewelry, or even the utility bill. Says "it's on me" and never accepts reimbursement.

Blackout: Physical Touch. Is quiet and standoffish at first, and doesn't seem to be the touchy-feely type. He reserves all his touches for the few people he truly, deeply cares for, including his romantic partner. He thinks it's weird to get physically close to someone who is only an acquaintance or casual friend.

Gregor: Acts of Service. The first one to show up at a friend's house in a time of need, looking for things to do to help lighten the load. Continually checks in on everyone so they're taken care of. Romantically, he's the king of understated acts like pulling his partner's feet into his lap for a massage.

Howzer: Quality Time. Can create special moments of out seemingly nothing. Steals them away from a social gathering to admire the view, finds a way to make them laugh during a stressful time, takes a few extra minutes to hold them close and wish them a good morning. Sharing time even in small ways is enough for him.

Thorn: Acts of Service. Runs all the errands. He honestly would love nothing more than to get a text on his way home asking him to pick up some random item. He can always roll with the punches and find a creative solution to an unexpected problem, soothing his partner's worries with his swift attention.

Hound: Physical Touch. Always has a hand on his chosen person. On their lower back, across their shoulders, in their hair.... Finds it comforting if they do they same in return. He needs to explore the physical side of things with someone first, as much as they are comfortable with, before he can make more long-term commitments.

Mayday: Words of Affirmation. Recognizes and acknowledges effort. Even if it isn't perfect, or a big deal, he'll still say thank you or good job. He constantly texts his friends and loved ones throughout the day, just random little thoughts he has to share. He'll be incredibly grumpy if he doesn't have such an outlet.

Gree: Gift Giving. Really big on holidays, anniversaries, etc. He'll buy things year round that remind him of people, or that he thinks would generally make great gifts, and he'll keep them on standby for whatever occasion comes up. Also big on thank-you gifts as well, as they express more gratitude than what he can say with words.

Waxer: Physical Touch. Physical boundaries seemingly don't exist for him. He's always standing or sitting close to someone, clapping them on the back or socking them in the arm. And he's never shy in giving hugs. With a partner he somehow gets even closer, drawn to them like a clingy magnet.

Boil: Words of Affirmation. May be quiet at times, or even come across a bit grumpy, but he actually does love hearing people talk. The best active listener; makes his loved ones feel heard and usually remembers what they share so he can follow up on the topic later. Asks questions because he's genuinely curious what others think.

Wooley: Gift Giving. He's like a crow, finding shiny objects to take back to the nest. He can't go anywhere without bringing something back for other people. It's usually small gifts, little trinkets and tokens picked up along the path of life. Or it'll be additions to a collection he knows his loved one's been searching for.

Everything Tag: @damerondala, @dangerousstrawberrypie, @fallingforthem, @harleyevanstan, @imabeautifulbutterfly, @justanothersadperson93, @misogirl828, @itsagrimm, @error6gendernotfound, @theroguesully, @clonesimp, @techie-bear

+Clones Tag: @marvel-starwars-nerd, @pandora-the-halfling, @darkangel4121, @sobstea, @rintheemolion, @dionysuskid21, @jesseeka, @hanbetired, @thatmultifandomdumbass, @sarahtanmarvel, @call-me-a-fool, @lackofhonor, @theclonesdeservebetter, @hannahhearttcw, @salaminus, @arctrooper69, @katzs-current-obsession, @501st-rexster, @rebel-finn, @not-a-big-slay, @writing-positivelyexisting, @nekotaetae, @the-mom-friend-dot-com, @pickle-rick-y, @flowered-bicycles, @lucyysthings, @severalseashellsbytheseashore

(Join my tag list here)

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panther-os · 1 year

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"so which boys are back in town?" well.... almost all of them?

this was a very nice little set up for the finale. i was worried we were gonna get another plot heavy episode and the end would be super rushed, but that's not the case. they even name dropped the title of episode 15 which had me immediately like 👀

tarkin is a bastard as always. crosshair refusing to give up the batch - including omega - breaks my heart. i also love how they show how fucked up he is by the torture by the way he misses shots - two of them. his whole thing is that he never misses. i'm also getting the sense that emerie only has this job because it pays the bills (her line about her access card not getting crosshair outside makes me think she's not even free to leave) and that she might be an ally next week.

it was good to see riyo with an obviously established halfway home setup in the martez' garage for deserted or rescued clones, but there's still no cody :( and rex was only there in spirit. no phee this episode either which hurted my little tephee shipper heart.

i'm super glad we got to see new clones! i would already die for fireball and the fact that he's wearing 41st ranger armor (like gree and jek in rots) and he and howzer clearly know each other has me 👀 about howzer possibly being assigned there before ryloth.

"fireball" also is the name of a clone pilot captain in the 501st's gold squadron. he showed up in clone wars gambit and we know he had bright red hair with a black streak, liked to play turbodarts, and went by fib for short. so it could also be that he wasn't originally a pilot, was crosstrained, and then got transferred back to ground in the 41st later in the war and so we have a fifth captain to add to keeli, rex, howzer, and wilco's fanon squad.

(i would also die for nemec but i forgot his name and was consumed by fireball's wiki page and various writer-of-fanfic-shaped thoughts)

it was also great to see gregor wearing his gold again and fucking bizarre to see echo without a kama.

speaking of echo, his exchange with hunter was enlightening. echo's really intense about this, even moreso than before, and part of me wonders if that's because he's doing this because fives would, because he's come across so many apathetic brothers he tried to recruit and defaulted to the schpiel, or because both.

by far the best moment, though - even better than tech teaching omega to fly and the "tech turn" - was omega throwing herself into echo's arms and the way he just caught and held her. it's so obvious he misses her too. that's his kid your honor.

this is... actually my new favorite episode, just barely ahead of last week's.

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youeverjustmarryabountyhunter · 11 months

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Figured I might as well start actually posting about this Au I made-

The au in question is a Star Wars modern au that I plan to one day turn into an actual fic, but as of now it's just one poorly put together chapter and a lot of brainstorming!

It's sort of a slice of life/everyone lives/happy ending story. It's centered around Boba Fett and started as a joke about his name and how in a modern setting when people first meet him they say 'Like the tea?' And he gets irrationally annoyed by it. Hence the name "No, Not The Tea" (but shortened to "Not The Tea" because removing 1 word suddenly makes it less of a mouthful)

But let's meet the characters, yeah?

The star of our show, Boba Fett, is 15 years old and the story starts with his first year of highschool. He's grumpy (your typically moody teen) and the youngest of his brothers unless you count Din (14) and he does because he's tired of being the baby. (It does have its perks, though) Din isn't actually his brother, but he and the rest of their little rag tag group might aswell be family. (Peli 17, Fennec 16, and Cobb 15)

Next up we have everyone's favorite dad, Jango Fett! (He's a very good father in this) Father of 3 boys(or so he thought) Kote "Cody" (23), Rex(19), and Boba, he has his hands full despite two of them being grown. He works as a bounty hunter (cause that's an actual profession) and his hobbies include annoying his family, and crushing on his kids history teacher. At the age of 18, he signed up to be a sperm donor unaware of just how much they would be using his DNA. Turns out? A lot. And the majority don't seem to have a good home life. He's sufficiently pissed, when he finds out.

Coming in as the eldest child of the Fett household we have Cody! (That was until 17 and Fox showed up at least) Any legal document you find will say "Kote" but people are stupid and difficult and can't pronounce it (it's exceedingly simple, really) so Cody was born. Cody is a caffeine addict (though what Fett isn't?) and will jump at any opportunity to bother his younger brothers. (He once got Obi-Wan to buy Boba a boba-tea..Obi-Wan thought it was sweet! Boba almost committed a murder. They do not speak of that incident)

The middle child that somehow became a father to twins before anybody else could even think of utter the words "grandchildren" would be Rex. It's not like it's his fault! He figured having his 8th period of his senior year would be fun. He didn't anticipate that helping his gym teacher out would involve talking a sophomore down from a panic attack. (Echo, 16 at the time. 17 when our story starts) It's absolutely not Rex's fault that he and his twin followed him around like little ducklings after that. (Fives called him dad as a joke, so Rex took it upon himself to tell Jango that he had grandkids and almost gave the man a heart attack.) It doesn't help the Echo and Fives look suspiciously like Boba- hey wait a minute! Yeah, you guessed it. Long lost kids^^

Alright speed round let's go,

Arla's kids are the Bad Batch boys(she adopted them, they have no relation to Jango. Hunter 21, Wrecker 20, Crosshair and Tech 19) Omega is 11 and her biological daughter. Her big brothers love her to death.

Ahsoka is 19 and Rex's bff.

Luke and Leia are also 11, and they're their parents (and Uncle Obi's, and auntie soka's) pride and joy. Anakin and Padme have basically adopted Han (15. Was in Boba's grade but got held back) as their own at this point.

Wolffe is Cody's age, and the oldest of his brothers (Sinker, Boost, and Comet). They were put into the system (Yes, they came from Jango's DNA) and Plo Koon adopted them. When Jango and Plo first met they exchanged numbers and gushed about their children. (There is much more to that story but that's for a later post)

Ima-gun Di is an ex war general and currently married to Keeli. These two have absolutely NO role in the story whatsoever, I just love them. Jango has only met them once and it was because Ima-gun mistook Jango for Keeli at a grocery store once.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is a tired, loving man who teaches history at a highschool and has a not so secret crush on one of his student's fathers. (He's actually taught all the Fett boy's, lord help him.)

Jaster Mereel just wants to know how his ad keeps ending up with kids. He was already confused where the first three came from but now there are 7??(Alpha-17. Oldest. Jango is more of a brother to him if anything. Fox, did not intend to be apart of this family in the slightest and that was fine up until he met Boba and they bonded. Now he's an Ori’vod?? Yeah that checks. Then of course Cody, Rex, Echo&Fives, and Boba.) Best grandfather ever.

Mando'a is a language, because I actually love it sm-

There is so much more lore to this au than I realized, and this isn't even all of it. I fully plan on posting more, and I have a lot of art that I've done for it if I would ever get around to finishing it/posting it. Feel free to ask questions, and I hope to post more!

(Fun fact, I accidentally deleted all of this the first time I type it. So this is the second time I've typed it- I'm not bitter.)

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ariadnes-red-thread · 2 years

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Ariadne’s Red Thread: Masterlist

Welcome to my little slice of Tumblr. Call me Aria :) Fan of many fandoms, but I write for Star Wars/TCW. I’m chronically lazy with being social on here, but asks and inbox are always open if you want to chat!

THIS BLOG IS DNI FOR ALL MINORS. All of my writings involve adult themes and are rated *explicit*. No clonec*st, anything involving minors, non-c*n, roleplay, or m*ster/p*dawan here, please. Unapologetically pro-choice, pro-science, anti-racist, and a safe space for LGBTQ+. Anything less will not be tolerated.

All individual warnings are posted on the stories. Please conscientiously consume. Masterlist under the cut.

Last Update: 2/09/2024

Taglist

Ao3

Series [Ongoing]: The Last Word [Fives x OFC]

After surviving a massacre on her home planet and rebuilding her life as a medic with the 104th, Mal’s world is thrown back into chaos when she transfers to the 501st and dives into a search for answers that she had abandoned a long time ago. Up against forces that she doesn’t understand and unwittingly a participant in a race against time, Mal turns to her new battalion for help. Fives just wants his brothers to heal after the horrors of Umbara, and he doesn’t trust this new medic is telling them everything.

Mal and Fives' struggle to save those they care about comes together in unexpected ways, and, despite their best efforts, they find themselves thrust together in a battle for the future of a galaxy far, far away.

Series/One Shots [On-going]: My 150 Follower Celebration

Some spicy requests from some very special moots to celebrate this lovely community of clone girlies (gn). Includes Rex x F!Reader, Jesse x GN!Reader, Fives x F!Reader, and Wolffe x F!Reader

One Shot: Promise Me [Jesse/F!Reader, Rex/F!Reader]

When Rex made that promise to Jesse, he didn’t think that he would ever have to keep it.

One Shot: Bad Habits [Fives/F!Reader]

You try to can try to break your bad habits all you want, but somehow you always end up here, with Fives.

One Shot: In His Sights [Crosshair/F!Reader]

As the Bad Batch’s medic, you’re used to seeing the details so you can pick up on changes in your boys. As the team’s sniper and an enhanced clone, Crosshair’s got the best vision of the batch. Somehow, neither of you can see what’s right in front of your faces.

One Shot: Heartbeat [Fives/F!Reader]

You wake up to find that you’re trapped in a cave with Fives. As oxygen dwindles and every breath you take is a countdown to death, you’re forced to confront your feelings for the ARC Trooper.

One Shot: Fields of Gold [Jesse/GN!Reader]

Jesse is home on leave, and he has a special surprise planned for you. Inspired by an absolutely beautiful piece of Jesse art by cobaltbeam

Drabble/One Shot: Shadows of Ryloth [Keeli/Unnamed Fem!OC]

As the end nears, Master Di reflects and confronts his Captain about secrets poorly kept [Trying to fix my writer’s block with a little one-shot/drabble AU if Master Di had a padawan and she and the prettiest clone fell in love. SFW and NO MASTER/PADAWAN. Just 700+ words of angst.]

AND COMING SOON… [More details on the way!]

Series: TBD [Jesse/OFC!Reader]

Series: TBD [Rex/Reader]

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eriexplosion · 7 months

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Clone Wars - Supply Lines

yes it took me like two months to continue my rewatch don't look at me.

I always forget that they literally named this Jedi a soundalike of "I'm gonna die." I don't know if Ima Gun Di got that name on purpose but still. On the nose much.

Also CHAM. There really is something special about being able to follow the Syndulla family through the years across so many different series. Meet Cham as a fairly young man here in The Clone Wars, meet Hera as a little girl in The Bad Batch, follow along with her through Rebels and Ahsoka. Obviously they're not the only lineage we follow this way but for some reason they do stick out to me and it's something I really like to see.

That said. Where is Keeli. I need to see that boy NOW.

"You are a more experienced diplomat than the representative from Naboo that is already there" god fucking bless. I love that Bail's immediate response to this is UM? SENATOR AMIDALA IS FANTASTIC? And then we get Obi-Wan's hilarious delivery of 'Representative bINKS accompanied the shipment."

Trading off between Jar Jar shenanigans and what I recall to be one of the more upsetting death scenes in the series is certainly a choice. One I don't disapprove of because shenanigans are a relief from seeing my beloved boy Keeli die but still a choice.

Love that Bail's method of diplomacy though is basically just. Politely houldering his way through the Toydarians that say he can't go inside. Actually he CAN go in there and he will, it won't take a minute.

I also quite like the Toydarian king, this episode honestly has a lot of one off and minor recurring characters I like. Keeli still the most though (and he's FINALLY SHOWN UP) so it's great that he's Totally Fine™ and definitely not going to die horribly at the end of the episode.

Like why give us someone THIS pretty with THAT nice of a helmet and then take him away from us?

Also he wins for coolest hair.

Master Di's 'turn the whole ship into a bomb' plan is fantastically batshit BTW. Of course it works for what he wants but I love when the first step of the plan is 'okay we need to turn our one source of transport into a GIANT BOMB.'

He also gets a banger follow up line to Gobi with "We counted on Republic assistance, and it didn't come. War turns promises into hopes. I wish it wasn't so. Tell him."

I just actually like Ima Gun Di a lot, which is to put it lightly Unfortunate.

Jar Jar's conceptual work of art that includes stealing all of the dishes and throwing food on the floor in preparation is. Regrettably extremely funny to me. Saving the mission with improv is a plot point that I will NEVER grow tired of.

And then back to the agonies. Master Di's reaction to seeing Keeli fall and then him getting back up while they briefly fight back to back with the music, and him living just long enough to know that their sacrifice mattered this is an absolutely brutally done scene and yes I might be tearing up what of it ;__;

#the clone wars chrono rewatch #want to get back into this though it might still be slow going since I'm setting up a move #but I REQUIRE my clone injections

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jamesrodayrodriguezpresents · 1 year

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James Roday Rodriguez ("A Million Little Things," "Psych") & The Legacy Theatre will present the world premiere of Masters of Puppets, written by Laurence Davis*, directed by Gabe McKinley. It will begin its limited run at The Legacy Theatre on Thursday, May 25, and run through June 11, 2023.

Master of Puppets is a fictionalized, no holds barred look at the dirty underbelly of professional wrestling written by insider Laurence Davis*. The riveting drama takes you from the corner office to the top turnbuckle and will star Dana Ashbrook (Showtime's Twin Peaks), Amanda Detmer (Fox's Empire), Kurt Fuller (CBS's Evil), Michael Hogan (Fox's The Resident), Michael Bobenhausen ("Imposters") and Joshua W. Heggie (Big River).

The creative team includes Jamie Burnett (scenic and lighting design), Gali Noy (costume design), Adam Jackson (sound design), Erica Pajonas (props design), Emmett Cassidy (fight choreographer), and T. Rick Jones (production stage manager).

"I have been a pro wrestling fan my whole life. From its humble beginnings in traveling carnivals to the billion-dollar industry that fills arenas across the world, one thing has always been intrinsic to its machinations: storytelling. Masters of Puppets peels back the canvas and gives us a peek at the shoots behind the works, and it's absolutely electric. Ging Ging." - Producer, James Roday Rodriguez

"How exciting to begin the season as the host of the World Premiere of this thrilling new work, Masters of Puppets, with such seasoned, recognizable visiting artists in this precious seaside town in Stony Creek. Orson Welles presented his bold, new theatrical work at this very venue in the 1930s, and I am moved to produce programming in a similar vein nearly a hundred years later, championing new works that challenge and thrill audiences. This one is particularly fulfilling as I am collaborating with artists I have known for 25 years." - The Legacy Theatre's Artistic Director, Keely Baisden Knudsen

"There's always been questions as to what's real and what's fake in the world of wrestling, and those questions continue to this day. This piece explores the topic in a really thought-provoking way. It's a gritty, no-holds-barred approach to the subject matter. We are happy to present its World Premiere." - The Legacy Theatre's Managing Director, Jeff Provost

The world premiere of Masters of Puppets debuts at The Legacy Theatre (128 Thimble Islands Road, Branford, CT 06405) on Thursday, May 25, at 7 p.m. Performances run through June 11, with shows on Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now; season subscribers to all four productions receive a 25 percent discount.

Content Warning: For mature audiences. Contains violence, harsh language, and drug use. There is no puppetry in the production.

For more information, visit www.LegacyTheatreCT.org

Click Here to Buy Tickets

#legacy theatre #Masters Of Puppets #james roday rodriguez #dana ashbrook #kurt fuller #amanda detmer #gabe mckinley #michael hogan #gali noy #Keely Baisden Knudsen #of course james brought gali along #this may not be an RDS production but it is basically an RDS production

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bearterritory · 2 years

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Bears Put Away Washington, 2-1

Cal Wins Third In A Row

BERKELEY - The Cal women's soccer team polished off an impressive week, defeating Washington 2-1 at Edwards Stadium to make it a clean sweep of the Washington schools and extend its win streak to three in a row. The Golden Bears had previously beaten Washington State 2-1 earlier in the week. Hannah Cooper scored her first career goal and Keely Roy added her eighth of the season for the Bears (8-3-3, 3-2 Pac-12), who also got a strong game from goalie Angelina Anderson. Cal fell behind 1-0 in the 25th minute but got the equalizer just under four minutes before halftime. Sophomore Ari Manrique one-timed a spectacular ball up field to a streaking Alexis Wright, who returned the ball to a sprinting Manrique to trail the play. Manrique then set up Cooper, who spun a shot just inside the right corner of the goal.

Cal almost took the lead just over a minute into the second half when Ayo Oke connected with Lema in stride racing toward the Washington goal. Unfortunately Lema's shot was tipped away to keep the score tied at 1-1. But the Golden Bears finally did take the lead in the 58th minute when Kailee Gifford set up Karlie Lema with a long pass toward the Washington goal. Lema beat her defender and touched a soft pass back to a trailing Roy, who converted for the game-winner. Roy is now fifth in the Pac-12 in goals scored. Anderson made a couple of high-quality saves, including a diving stop in the 51st minute against a high-percentage shot from Washington's McKenzie Weinert to keep the score tied at 1-1. Anderson also got a huge assist from defender Sydney Collins in the 74th minute when she came racing out to try to break up a scoring chance, and the ball squirted through to Weinert. Collins ended up heading away Weinert's shot in front of the goal to help preserve the Bears' 2-1 advantage.

With the sweep, Cal climbed three spots to sole possession of 4th place in the Pac-12 standings, with Washington (8-3-2, 2-3 Pac-12) falling to 6th in the conference.

#Cal Sports #Bear Territory #UC Berkeley #womens soccer

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squidsponge · 1 year

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Sims 4 CC Update: Clone Tattoos and other essential details

Hey, I get it, you want your clones to look like clones.

You might need a ridiculous, yet iconic goatee to complement the least subtle tattoo ever.

Or perhaps you have a HC that Echo has a handprint tattoo on his chest.

Maybe you need hair that can only rival Keeli's when it comes to forcing your brothers to help shave your head every four days.

Or an intricate wraparound head tattoo that took a lot of scowling and staring at screenshots from Umbara to get right back before I used blender for this sort of thing.

Maybe a certain medic needs to encounter the waking nightmare that is these two becoming bffs in spite of Hevy having a short fuse and Hardcase letting off an airhorn next to his ear.

Canon spared Kix of this fate, but at what cost?

Did Cody's scar change over the years? Yes it did, so there are two swatches for you to choose from.

Does Rex have an incredibly subtle scar on his chin? Yes.

Should I have remembered that he probably has a large scar on his chest instead of making his barely noticeable chin scar? Has this post used an inappropriate number of question marks?

...probably.

Whichever your needs, despair no longer and grab them here - DOWNLOAD

Also big thanks and shout out to @ck-sims for Jesse's tattoo. Working on it had me figuratively rage weeping like Obi-wan on the banks of Mustafar. I included my lighter recolor of it in the tattoo set.

Enjoy! You can follow the squid's cc tag for updates :)

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elendiliel · 2 years

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Free at Last

This story briefly references two brilliant other writers’ OCs; Nuts and Carrion live with @itsstrangelypermanent (and Keeli’s pretty much moved in with them) and are introduced in medical logs, while Purrgil and Yara live with @imrowanartist and are introduced in Deference for Darkness (AO3-wise, at least). I am most grateful to both of them for letting me include their characters, and highly recommend both fics. This one was also influenced by @gaeasun‘s Oh Captain My Captain, which is also highly recommended.

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“So much for stealth,” Captain Rex sighed as he drew his blasters and prepared to follow Clone Force 99, alias the Bad Batch, out into the open. Around him, the other sane or sane-ish members of the “infiltration” team followed suit. Gem-hued lightsabre blades flared into life, Anakin Skywalker’s sapphire, Fives’ lapis lazuli, Helli (Hel) Abbasa’s turquoise; Sergeant Torrent readied his DC-15S, and Spark his rather more subtle DC-17. None of them had planned on using their weapons; the original plan had been to slip into the Techno Union facility on Skako Minor and slip out again with Fives’ twin Echo, believed to be held captive by the TU, in tow, so quietly that nobody would know they had been there until later. But no plan survives contact with reality – or the Bad Batch.

The mission hadn’t exactly gone smoothly thus far. From the keeradak ambush almost as soon as they arrived, through the tense standoff with the chief of a nearby Poletec village (not made easier by the language barrier between the two sides; Tech’s translation software had been invaluable, though Helli for one did not like working through an interpreter, however skilled), to the bickering between the Batch (notably Crosshair) and the “regs” (a term Helli found nonsensical; “regular clones” was a contradiction in terms to her) that had nearly ended badly for Rex and Fives, they had already overcome more problems than usual. And now Wrecker, the Batch’s brawler and demo man, had just tackled a squad of clankers head-on, supported by his teammates. The TU must already be on the alert; there was no point in hanging back.

A corner of Hel’s mind noted with an abstract kind of surprise how easy she found it to focus on the mission and on protecting all the men around her, instead of concentrating on Torrent, her fiancé. This was their first operation since she had finally admitted to herself, and him, that she was in love with him (as well as her first since a stab wound had nearly killed her; she could feel the scar tissue in her chest resisting every twist and bend, and compensated accordingly). She had half-expected her judgement to be clouded, her priorities askew, but so far, so good.

Besides, she trusted Spark to protect him, and vice versa. The partnership between the gentle, soft-spoken sergeant-medic and the sassy, sarcastic techie might not be as obvious or as strong as the bond between the Domino Twins, but it was far from negligible. Such partnerships between medics and other clones were common across the GAR; Hel thought briefly of mischievous Nuts and straightforward Keeli in the Wolfpack, outspoken Purrgil and quiet Yara in Halo Corps, sharp-tongued Carrion and genial Stone in the Coruscant Guard, and other pairs she knew.

The Jedi had long had a similar system, she was well aware; her best friend Nahdar had been a talented healer, and the two of them had planned to become partners after her knighting. He hadn’t lived that long, but in a sense he was still with her; his lightsabre was in her shield hand, the blue blade interweaving with the blue-green ones of her own sabre to form a near-impenetrable barrier, keeping blaster bolts away from Hunter and Tech while Fives shielded his other squadmates and Anakin did the same for Rex and Crosshair. (There was no point in trying to protect Wrecker; he was too close to the droids, and besides, his armour was proof against the few lasers that actually went near him.)

In a matter of minutes, the entire droid squad had been incapacitated, and no obvious alarms had been raised. It was still a good idea to move on as soon as possible, though, they all knew. At first, Tech led the way, following the signal that had originally led them to Skako Minor, the one they assumed came from Echo, but it cut out a few corridors into the search. Hunter and Crosshair were quick to suspect a trap, but Tech pointed out something that should have been obvious from the start; it would make sense for the signal to be traceable only when Echo was sending information – unwillingly, knowing him. Tech couldn’t track him until he did so again.

“I can,” Fives said. “This way.” He started to head down the corridor, then turned back when he realised only his own unit was even beginning to follow him.

“You’re sure?,” Crosshair all but sneered. Hunter looked quietly sceptical, and Tech seemed to be trying to figure out the logic behind Fives’ statement. Wrecker was waiting to see how the situation played out, and Rex was confused but almost certain that Fives knew what he was doing. Only Anakin and the rest of Lightning Squadron really knew what he meant.

“He’s my twin. Of course I’m sure.” Out of habit, Fives didn’t mention that he could sense Echo through the Force. The Bad Batch might have realised that he was Force-sensitive already, given his skill with his own lightsabre, but if so none of them had mentioned it. Maybe they hadn’t worked with enough Jedi to know much about the Force.

Helli broke the silence, and the deadlock, that followed Fives’ statement. “I’m going with Fives. The rest of you can split up if you want; we came here for intel, after all, not just Echo, and it might make us less conspicuous. But my priorities are Tambor’s algorithm and my vod’ika, and Fives and I can find them both from here.” That made some kind of sense to everyone. With Fives navigating, Lightning Squadron made their way through a dizzying array of identical corridors, tailed by Rex and, eventually, Tech, who had picked up Echo’s signal again. The rest of the team scattered, under Hunter’s direction or that of Anakin’s nose for trouble. It didn’t take long for Fives’ twin-sense to lead him to a sealed room, set back from the main corridor, with a viewscreen next to the locked door. The screen flickered into life as Tech and Spark examined the lock, displaying Wat Tambor, foreman of the Techno Union and known Separatist ally. Echo’s captor.

“You clones are so predictable,” Tambor remarked dismissively. “Your algorithm predicted nearly every move you made to infiltrate Purkoll.” So it was a trap, at least in part.

“There is no algorithm,” Rex shot back. “We know you’re holding a prisoner of war here.”

“Prisoner?” Tambor tried his limited best to look innocent. “I don’t know what you mean, Captain.”

Fives was almost out of patience with Tambor’s obvious lies. His blasters were already in his hands, his grip nearly strong enough to leave a mark. “We are leaving here with my twin.”

“Your twin is dead.” Tambor’s words were a punch to Hel’s stomach even as she felt the lack of truth in them. “His mind is ours.”

“Liar!” A bolt from Fives’ blaster destroyed the viewscreen, but couldn’t stop Tambor giving an attack command to the droids who had assembled on the other side of the antechamber. At least Hunter and Wrecker had joined them during their argument with Tambor, and Anakin and Crosshair were hard on the droids’ heels. The first wave was dispatched with relative ease, but another, larger detachment followed them. Most of the Republic team took up defensive positions either side of the antechamber entrance, while Tech, Rex and Fives sliced their way into the sealed room. Fives’ lightsabre would have made short work of the door, but he knew better than to destroy a potential defence, even frantic with worry about his last surviving batcher.

Hel lost track of everything but the battle around her, the need to protect without killing, until Rex put his head round the door again. “We need a medic in here!”

Torrent glanced at his general and fiancée, asking for her permission; she nodded briefly (it was just a formality), and covered his retreat to the inner chamber alongside Spark. Anakin, in turn, picking up on her concern for Echo, signalled that she should follow suit; she did so, thanking her old friend with a smile.

Which vanished completely when she saw Echo. He was clearly alive and conscious, but had been in cryostasis for a long time – probably almost since his capture. His skin had been bleached even whiter than hers, every rib was visible in his bare chest, three limbs at least had been replaced by prosthetics and he was still connected to the pod that had been his prison via ports in his head, chest and back. Tech seemed to be working on disconnecting him, while Rex held his one remaining organic hand and Fives cradled his twin against his chest, giving Torrent barely enough space to check him over.

“Eyay’ika.” The nickname Echo had always pretended, rather unconvincingly, to hate came out as a whisper as Hel knelt in front of her friend. “What in blue blistering blazes have they done to you?”

“Hel.” Echo didn’t seem to be quite with it, but he recognised her all right. “Missed you.”

“Missed you too.” Hel managed a smile, a sunbeam through a rainstorm, then looked to Torrent for his diagnosis. “He’s stable, for now, but I’ve never seen worse cases of malnutrition and hypothermia. The hut’uune kept him barely alive. I’ve given him as many stimulants and emergency rations as I dare, but the best way to deal with the hypothermia is body heat. Preferably that of someone not wearing armour.” Hel understood him immediately. She was the only one of the party not encased in hard, insulating plastoid or leather. Another man might have hesitated to suggest that his woman act as a space-heater for someone else, but Torrent wasn’t one to give way to jealousy. And he trusted her (and knew better than to try to control her). Another woman might have been insulted by his lack of reaction; Hel only found it a little flattering, and a confirmation that she had chosen a good man.

She quickly stripped off her tabard, outer tunic and tool-belt, so that only her inner tunic and obi would be between her and Echo, as she focused on her own metabolism, shifting the balance of exergonic and endergonic reactions to bring her core temperature up to the high end of the normal human range (a little way below fever-point for her species), a technique developed for just such a situation. When she judged herself ready, she held out her arms and Fives reluctantly settled Echo into them. His metal implants leached heat from her body painfully fast, but she ignored the discomfort. Her vod’ika needed her.

Echo shifted himself in her embrace, trying to keep at least one layer of fabric between his prosthetics and her. His organic hand rested for a moment on her vambrace, Torrent’s version of an engagement ring, and his eyes sought out the sgian dubh Torrent now carried, which had been hers. “Just how much have I missed?”

“A fair bit.” Hel found a laugh from somewhere. “We’ll fill you in once we’re out of here, I promise.”

“That might take a while.” Anakin backed into the room, sabre still blazing. “We’ve still got incoming, and Tech thinks there are three organics headed our way as well. Probably Tambor and his friends.”

“Tambor?” Fives jumped to his feet, looking ready to fight his way through all the droids to get to the man who had imprisoned and harmed his twin. Rex was quick to follow suit, catching his old friend by the wrist and pulling him in for a brotherly keldabe. “I know how you feel, vod, but I can’t lose you. Not after…” His gaze flicked to Fives’ chest, where he had been near-fatally shot, then to Echo, regained past all reasonable hope. “He will pay, I promise, but not here, not now. It’s too dangerous.”

“Oh, he’ll pay, all right.” Hel disengaged one hand from Echo long enough to indicate her left eye, where a camera-lens sat, all but invisible. “Everything I’ve seen or heard since we left Coruscant has been streamed back there, and recorded. By now, Aayla and Senator Amidala should have enough evidence to open an investigation into the Techno Union and Tambor in particular, and to freeze all their assets. There will be a reckoning – through the courts. Even if the charge has to be damaging Republic property, he’ll pay.” Hel detested the legal loophole that made clones property, but couldn’t change it – yet.

“Good idea,” Anakin remarked as the rest of the team poured into the room and started resealing the door. There must have still been plenty of clankers out there.

“Aayla’s. She’s had a bone to pick with Tambor since Maridun.” Anakin and Rex both flinched. They had also been part of the group that defended a peaceful village on that planet from one of the Techno Union’s most brutal operations.

Just then, Tech and Spark finally finished decrypting Echo’s cerebral interface, allowing him to be safely decoupled from the machinery that had imprisoned him. Fives removed the last few cables with alacrity; with each severed connection, Echo’s grip on Hel’s shoulders loosened, and when the final one was gone his body went completely slack in her arms. But he was still breathing, and his pulse was strengthening by the minute. And his so-familiar grin eased her still-worried mind. They weren’t safe yet, but in one crucial way her vod’ika was free at last.

---

Mando’a glossary (context-adjusted):

Vod(’ika): (dear) brother.

Hut’uune: cowards (a very serious insult in Mando’a).

“Eyay’ika” is an affectionate diminutive of eyayah, “echo”, half-inched from this post by @gaeasun.

#star wars #The Clone Wars #jedi oc #rex #captain rex #fives #clone trooper fives #arc trooper fives #clone trooper oc #clone trooper spark #hunter #wrecker #tech #crosshair #echo #arc trooper echo #fanfic #healing au

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singeratlarge · 2 months

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Lili-Babs, Samuel Barber, Carl Betz, the late, great guitarist Chris Bovard, Trevor Burton (The Move), John Cale, Robert Calvert (Hawkwind), Ornette Coleman, Jane Antonia Cornish, Jim Cregan, Jerry Eubanks (Marshall Tucker), Jimmie Fadden, Linda Fiorentino, Martin Fry (ABC), Will Geer, Mickey Gilley, Zakir Hussain, Raul Julia, Kato Kaelin, Laura Lee, Mahler’s 3rd Symphony (1897), Mark Mancina, Jeffrey Osborne, Lloyd Price, Bobby Sands, Thomas Schippers, Bodhi Setchko, Keely Smith, Taeyeon, Chris Thompson (Mannfred Mann’s Earth Band), Diego Torres, Robin Trower, U2’s 1987 JOSHUA TREE album, Gary Walker (Standells, Walker Brothers), Paul Winter, and one of the greatest frontman in rock’n’roll: Mark Lindsay, best known as the singer for Paul Revere & The Raiders. In their major label era of the 1960s and early 70s, PR&TR were one of the tightest and most visible acts in the business. They were the first real rock band signed to Columbia Records, and their garage band energy and declarative stage look pushed back on the British Invasion bands of 1964.

The Raiders kicked out hit after hit in multiple genres including bubblegum, country rock, hard rock, psychedelia, and soul/r’n’b, all with dazzling excellence. They cut the first definitive version of “Louie Louie” before leaving their Oregon base for Los Angeles, joining Terry Melcher (Byrds producer) to launch a prolific and innovative run of great records that still play today: “Just Like Me”, “Kicks” and (recently in the film ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD) “Good Thing,” “Hungry,” “Mr. Sun Mr. Moon,” etc. Between 1965 and 1970, as Dick Clark expanded his jukebox TV empires, he hired PR&TR to host three TV shows. Before The Monkees even twanged “Last Train to Clarksville,” PR&TR had already set the bar for TV bands, gluing pre-adolescent me to the tube with rock’n’roll comedy and ear candy—and there was eye candy for 1000s of girls screaming for teen idol Mark Lindsay. He set the bar as a powerhouse vocalist, able to croon soft sensual pop ballads then flip to paint-peeling bluesy growls.

The Raiders crested in 1971 with the #1 hit “Indian Reservation,” which was a repackaging of a Mark Lindsay solo recording (backed by the Wrecking Crew). As a solo act, Mark was already charting with “Silver Bird” and the hippy girl anthem “Arizona.” He branched into other music business roles, composing jingles and songs for films and TV shows. Legendary author Stephen King expressed his fan-dom with Mark’s 2001 cover of “Treat Her Right,” backed by Los Straitjackets.

Meanwhile, Mark’s career intersected with The Carpenters, The Chesterfield Kings, Eric Johnson, Carla Olson, Gerry Rafferty, Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, and The Monkees, whose orbit led me to cross paths with Mark a couple of times, and he always treated me like a gentleman. I first saw him in concert in 1993, and it was a rock solid show loaded with the hits and deep cuts. Lately he’s been active doing radio shows and webcasts, the latest being “The American Revolution” on Sirius XM.

If I had to pick one Mark Lindsay track, it’s "Too Much Talk.” It blew my mind when I was a kid—my 45 of it cracked but I kept pressing it with my fingers till the vinyl tissued. The fidelity on this clip is a tad distorted, but the visuals speak volumes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG30aN53GkY Meanwhile, HB and thank you Mark for continuing to inspire and entertain with your skills and talents.

#marklindsay #paulrevereandtheraiders #vox #davyjones #monkees #garagerock #countryrock #terrymelcher #birthday #psychedelic #bubblegum #silverbird #arizona #tvrock #keithallison #johnnyjblair #mickydolenz

#johnny j blair #music #pop rock #monkees #Mark Lindsay #Paul Revere & The Raiders #vox #Davy Jones #garage rock #country rock #birthday

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abcnewspr · 7 months

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A CASE OF LOVE OR COERCION? NEW ‘20/20’ EXPLORES DRAMATIC JAILBREAK INVOLVING AN INMATE AND A CORRECTIONS OFFICER

Program Features Exclusive Interviews With Escaped Inmate’s Former Cellmate, Missing Corrections Officer’s Friends and Colleagues, and Investigators Who Tracked the Two Missing People Down

‘20/20’ Airs on Friday, October 6 (9:01–11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC, Next Day on Hulu

When Vicky White disappeared with maximum-security inmate Casey White on her last morning as a corrections officer, local authorities feared that a violent felon had taken her hostage. When investigators dug deeper, they began to question Vicky’s role in Casey’s escape, which led to an 11-day, multistate search involving multiple law enforcement agencies. In a new “20/20,” co-anchor Deborah Roberts unpacks the case and the evidence that revealed the two missing persons knew each other better than anyone imagined.

The two-hour program features exclusive interviews with Georgineo Lopez, Casey’s former cellmate, who provides a first-hand account of Vicky and Casey’s relationship; Vicky’s friends and co-workers, including Tonya Lester, Candy Allen and Judge Carole Medley, who speak to Vicky’s character and devotion to her job; retired U.S. Marshal, Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force Bryan Bishop and former Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding, members of the team that captured Casey and put him back in prison; Matt Burbank, a Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office investigator and a friend of Vicky’s; Marshal Martin Keely, Commander Chad Hunt and Deputy Commander Ross Manley, who headed up the search for Casey and Vicky; Casey’s attorney, Mark McDaniel; and Major Jason Ashworth, the first police officer to interrogate Casey after authorities apprehended him. The episode also features exclusive police body camera and dashcam videos of the search’s climactic end and never-before-seen letters Casey wrote just before his capture, ultimately revealing the nature of his relationship with Vicky. “20/20” airs Friday, Oct. 6 (9:01-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC, next day on Hulu.

ABC News’ “20/20” is an award-winning primetime program anchored by David Muir and Deborah Roberts. A proven leader as a long-form newsmagazine for over 45 years, “20/20” features unforgettable, character-driven true-crime mysteries, exclusive newsmaker interviews, hard-hitting investigative reports and in-depth coverage of high-profile stories. Janice Johnston is the executive producer. The two-hour “20/20” events air Fridays from 9:01-11:00 p.m. EDT on ABC and are available to stream on ABC News digital platforms and Hulu.

ABC News Media Relations

Sarah Jautz

[email protected]

Bridgette Maney

[email protected]

-- ABC --

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spotslong · 2 years

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Rocky mountain bounty hunters fake

You don’t need to know what’s in my head. I’ll gladly welcome you back when you become a legit adult. Millionaire Jonah White runs Billy Bob's World, selling fake teeth. If you’re not eighteen, consider yourself bounced and walk away from my books. Stargate SG-1 Syndicated fantasy show set in Colorado Springs. Shotgun Slade Syndicated western set in Denver. Secrets of Aspen VH1 reality show set in Aspen. Warning: Oh, I’m sorry, that’s a fake ID. Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters Animal Planet reality show set Montana and Colorado. Because in the end, there’s nothing more precious than the gift of life. With drug dealers lurking, bullets flying, and threats coming from every angle, Asa must do everything he can to protect the ones he loves. He never dreams the troubles lurking in the hallways of the local high school would shake his family to its core. The cave we enter'd, and his bounty fhar'd A rural banquet by himfelf prepar'd. But when school bullies turn into something much worse, Asa starts to dig around. and knew the rocky feat, Some foutary hunter's wild retreat. America, including high Rocky Mountain lakes, spruce. /rebates/2fshow2fmud-lovin-rednecks&. Reaper (Montana Bounty Hunters 1) - Delilah Devlin.epub. Little does he know, a chance meeting with a petite, strawberry-blonde stranded on the side of the road, would intertwine their lives in a way he’d never want to untangle. Students create fake animal scat and learn to identify an animal by its droppings. Rocky Mountain Desire (Six Pack Ranch 3) - Vivian Arend.epub. Working close to home after years away, he finally has the time to focus on his kids. Controlled, methodical, and focused-Asa Hollingsworth takes charge of everything in life. Saddled with a century-old, dilapidated farmhouse she can’t afford, a bevy of goats, two dogs, and a geriatric donkey, the last thing she has time for is a man-even if that man is a knight whose shining armor comes in the form of worn-in jeans and work boots. Taking on the role of both mom and dad to her two young kids, she’s managing life the best she can. Reviewed in the United States on ApVerified Purchase Wish I didn't pay for it. One person found this helpful Helpful Report abuse Shad Holland Kind of cheesy to me. They should have at least done some research to see how real modern day bounty hunters work. No one would say Keelie Lockhart isn’t determined. These guys are very unprofessional and the whole show seems very fake. From USA Today Bestselling Author Brynne Asher A single-parent romantic suspense.

#Rocky mountain bounty hunters fake

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megankeely · 2 years

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youtube

Introducing... Companion!

Companion is my first self-recorded solo record. Without the option to lean on other musicians in the studio, it turned out to be a welcome chance to listen to my quirkier inner instincts and elaborate from a deep well within. I like to describe this record as a cozy mug of tea, meant to be digested with eyes half-closed while dozing off for a blanketed afternoon nap. I hope Companion helps bring sleep to the restless and offers a moment of calm to those who need it most.

During times of stress or unrest, I’ve turned to a handful of resources that have helped me calm my mind and fall asleep at night. YouTube is full of weird but calming ASMR videos, my podcast feed includes several quiet, mumbly bedtime story podcasts, Netflix has an interactive meditation movie called ‘Unwind the Mind,’ and Audible & Libby are both full of great books that help direct the rambling late night train of thought.

While creating Companion, I found myself drawing inspiration from all of these sleep resources without even realizing it. I was seeking self-soothing through my own music every step of the way, from writing to recording to listening back during the mixing and mastering process.

I hope you enjoy the new record, and that you literally use the lyric video above as a resource to help you relax, nap, meditate, sleep, slow dance, or whatever it is you need. There are few things more calming than the ocean, its grandiose scale and its unending waves lapping at the waters edge. So when I was looking for visual material to complement the album, I knew exactly where to go.

Thank you for being here.

► Get the album here: Bandcamp: https://megankeely.bandcamp.com/album/companion Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6IdiXIHDjZNVDS1s2wbMby?si=lAvCJhA5QCyGnJujCELMWw TIDAL: https://store.tidal.com/us/album/248847007 Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/az/album/companion/1645589422

► Follow Megan Keely: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/megankeely1?sub_confirmation=1 Instagram: http://instagram.com/meganmkeely TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meganmkeely Facebook: http://facebook.com/ilikemegankeelysmusic Tumblr: http://megankeely.tumblr.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/megankeely Website: http://www.megankeely.com

► Merch: https://megankeely.bandcamp.com/merch

#MeganKeely #Companion #alternative #indiefolk #singersongwriter #indie #folk #americana #indiepop #acousticrock #bedtimesongs #sleepmusic #sleep #naptimemusic #ASMRfolk #accidentalASMR

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tghwriting · 2 years

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7. No Regrets

The water gently splashing up onto her feet was cold, but Keely didn't mind. She sat there with her legs dangling over the dock side, her shoes sitting behind her. It was where she came to think, ti was the quietest place in town most nights. This night was no different. As she sat there she looked around at the lake, at the few cabins that lined the opposite side, the trees that seemed overgrown covering the other few that she could no longer see but knew were there. Including the old Prynn cabin, half burnt down, preserved like a grave, a reminder of that night so long ago.

The moon was the only light tonight, bright and full, shining down and reflecting choppily off the restless water of the lake. She stared at it, watching as the reflection changed with every tiny movement. It was relaxing just sitting there, peaceful.

Any other day she would have hoped for the crunch of leaves behind her, the gently rocking of the dock as she was greeted by Jason, with his long hair and deep laugh. But she wanted anything but that now, she wanted to be totally and utterly alone.

Her phone lit up next to her. Her twin brother Kyle's name appeared on the screen. She stared at it for a moment as it silently rang, before flipping the phone over and ignoring the call. She didn't want to talk, she didn't want to be bothered. She had to think, she couldn't do that with anyone else around.

She laud back on the dock, looking up at the star-filled sky. This was it, this was what it felt like to be at peace, even if that feeling didn't last long. It was replaced by the same dread that she had felt before. The same dread that had led her out here in the first place.

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there, she lost herself in the movement of the stars, of the clouds. The sound of the water running over the rocky shoreline filled her ears, the only sound in the night.

The leaves behind her crunched, making her jumps up from her laying position. She turned around, pulling her feet back onto the dock and tucking her knees to her chest. Standing at the back of the dock wasn't Kyle, it wasn't Jason. It was Nick, her best friend and her brothers boyfriend. He stood there, head cocked to the side, his usually unkempt hair pulled back into a small bun.

“Thought I'd find you out here.” He smiled, stepping onto the dock and slowly walking over to her. He was in her baseball letter jacket, a black t-shirt, and gray school sweat pants. Just looking at him made Keely realize how cold it was out tonight and she shivered. He kicked off his sneakers when he got close to her before sitting down next to her and letting his sock covered feet dangle over the side of the dock to get wet from the sloshing water. “Kyle's worried about you.” He said after a long beat of silence. He didn't look at her, he kept his eyes focused on the other side of the lake, as if looking at her would cause her to run away from yet another conversation.

“He shouldn't be.” She shrugged, dropping her legs back over the edge of the dock and sliding closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. She had thought the she wanted to be alone but she just didn't want Kyle or Jason to fine her. Nick was different. He wasn't going to make her feel worse.

“You know he told me what Uncle Sasha gave you.” He paused and finally looked over at her. “The letter.” She didn't meet his eyes, she fidgeted with her fingers and shivered again. He slid back for a moment to pull off his jacket and wrap it around her shoulders. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, holding her tight. “Do you wanna tell me what it said?”

“It was from my dad.” She said, her voice low. She tucked her head deeper into his chest and closed her eyes. “He left me something...something of my mom's.” Her voice shook as she spoke.

“That's good isn't it?” He asked, tilting his head down to rest atop hers, gently kissing her hair as he did. “Something of hers.”

“It's a house.” She blurted out the words before she could think about them. She sat upright and turned to look at him, pulling her legs back onto the dock and crossing them in front of her. She faced him and wrapped the jacket tighter around herself. “A house in LA.” She didn't meet his eyes as she spoke. He narrowed his at her. “He left this one to Kyle.” She finally said.

“What are you going to do?” He didn't take his eyes off her as he studied her face, trying to read any sort of emotion on it.

“I don't know what to do.” Her head hung there. She picked at the skin around her thumb nails, scratching the already raw skin. “What do you think I should do?”

“I think no matter what decision you make someone is going to be miserable, but you need to decide which one will make you happy.” He didn't want her to go but he knew that she was thinking about it and he knew that it was exactly what she needed, no matter who didn't want to hear that. “You shouldn't think about Kyle...or Jason...you have to think about yourself and only yourself. You know that right?” He reached out and grabbed her hands, stopping her from making them bleed.

“How can I not think about them? After everything that's happened....it's hard to no think how my decisions will affect them.” She was shaking, but he knew it wasn't from the cold anymore.

“Look, Kyle has me. I'll be here to make sure he doesn't try to off himself again...and Jason...Jason will understand. If he loves you like I know he does, he will understand.”

“No, he won't.” She finally looked up at him. “He's lost everyone....I don't know if he...” Her voice trailed off as she took in a few deep breaths to stop herself from crying again.

“He will probably be miserable for a while, but nothing he won't be able to work through. He won't be alone.” He smiled at her. “You need to do what's best for you.”

“I don't know what's best for me.” She sounded so defeated. That normal confidence, bordering on arrogance, that he had once known had melted away all at once and he looked at her. He really looked at her. He finally saw it, he saw that part of her that Kyle always saw, that he knew was there but had never seen for himself. He saw her mother in her.

He took in a long breath and nodded curtly. “Then take the summer to figure it out. Go, be in a new place, meet new people, get away from here. If you're scared of how he'll react then just go. Go tonight. Leave and see where this takes you.” He crossed his arms over his chest, shivering now in the chilly night air.

“What is it doesn't go well? What if it's the wrong choice?”

“Would you rather stay here and live in the shadow of everything that's happened? Or do you want to take a chance of being free of all of this.” He turned to fully face her, crossing his legs in front of himself, touching his knees to hers. “So many bad things have happened in this town, so many people died because of mistakes our parents made. Don't get yourself stuck here. You have a chance to really get out, to get away from it all.”

“I could just go back to Scotland with Sasha...” She looked away.

“You could...but is that what you want? Or do you want to have your own life.” He took her hands in his. “Sasha is great but you have to remember, that like your father, he sees too much of your mother in you and that isn't good. Don't you want to be somewhere where you can just be you, without those memories hanging over your head?”

She thought for a long moment. “I...I'm so tired.” she finally said, leaning forward and resting her head on his hands as they continued to grasp hers. “I can't be here anymore. I can't live around all of these memories. Of my mom. Of my dad. Of Melody. I can't do it anymore.”

“Then what's holding you back?” He narrowed his eyes at her, finally dropping her hands. She looked up at him. “Jason.” He understood.

“Leaving him last time was hard enough...”

“You're stronger than you give yourself credit.” He chuckled. “You've been through hell in this town, if you want to stay, then stay, but you're not going to be happy and you know it.” He slid back and started to stand up.

“I can take him with me.” She said, a glint of hope in her voice. But then it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “No, he wants to finish out at MHU. He won't want to come.”

“You could ask.”

She shook her head. “No, you're right.” She stood up and took his hand, sliding her sneakers back on her bare feet and bending back down to pick up her phone. “Tonight. Now.” She started down the dock, leaving him standing behind her for just a moment before he followed her in tow.

They walked back through the forest that led to her backyard. They walked silently, over broken branches and overgrown roots, until they were standing next to her family's barn. They both stopped and looked up at the house, lights were on in at least one room on all three stories. Everyone was awake, she knew that. She glanced to the house directly behind hers and she saw Jason, walking by his open bedroom window. She forced herself to look away and walk to her own house. Nick followed her and she silently opened the back door and slid into the kitchen.

The muffled voices of Sasha and her step-mother, Carol, could be heard from the living room. As she walked past the living room archway she could see them both sitting with their backs to her in front of the fireplace. She looked at them for a long moment, contemplating her decision. She looked over at Nick before nodding and slowly walking up the stairs.

“I can 'ear you!” Sasha's voice echoed through the hallway. Keely stopped halfway up the stairs and turned, walking back down. Sasha was standing at the archway now, arms folded across his chest, his bright red hair tucked behind his ears. “We were worried about you.” He looked at her through narrow green eyes. Then his gaze moved up the stairs to Nick, still standing halfway up. He nodded at him. “Glad you found her.”

“Dock, as usual, she really isn't that hard to fine.” He chuckled.

“Are you doing a'right, Wee Bit?” He asked, turning back to her, pushing off the wall and walking over to her still standing on the staircase.

“I'm fine.” She nodded. “I love you.”

He seemed taken aback for a moment by the sudden affection. “I love you too” He glanced back at Carol who shook her head. “Get some sleep.” He walked back over to Carol by the fireplace, glancing over his shoulder at Keely, the look of concern clear on his face.

Keely ran up the staircase this time, passing Nick as she did so.

“Keel!” Kyle's voice came from his bedroom at the top of the stairs as she ran past and into her own bedroom, slamming the door as she did. Kyle stepped out of his room and into the hall just as Nick stepped off the top step. “Nick?” He seemed almost shocked to see him standing there.

Keely sat on her bed for a minute, looking around her room, before she pulled a bag out of her closet and started to pack. She couldn't leave while everyone was awake, but she could get ready. Nick gently knocked on her door. “It's just me.” He whispered as he slowly opened her door and walked inside, closing it as he did. She already had her bag half filled as he sat on the edge of her bed. “I'm gonna miss you, you know that.”

“I know.” She stopped packing for a moment to look out of her window. Jason was still awake, still walking around his bedroom. She debating on calling him, on saying something to him, but she couldn't. She didn't know what she would say.

“I'm gonna go to bed, will I see you in the morning?” Nick stood up from her bed and walked over to her. She looked from her bag to him and shook her head. “Then be safe and please call when you get there.” He pulled her into a tight hug. After everything, after all they had been through together, this felt like an ending, a real ending. She held him tight, doing her best to memorize his scent, his grasp. He pulled away and smiled. “You should say something to Kyle. Don't leave without saying something.” She nodded, walking around him to leave her room, picking something up off of her desk that he couldn't see as she did.

Kyle was sitting on his bed when she walked in. He jumped as she closed his door behind her. She walked over and sat down next to him. “You know, I never gave you your graduation gift.” She handed him a small box.

He looked at her for a long moment before smiling and gently opening the wrapping. It was a small key-chain, a small rectangular picture of the two of them when they were about five, with their mom and dad Christmas morning. Kyle looked at it for a long while, smiling.

“I didn't get you anything.” He finally said, shaking his head. “I should have...this is so nice.” He couldn't stop looking at it.

“I'm glad you like it.” She touched his hand and gave it a small squeeze. “I love you.” She finally said before standing up and walking towards the door. “And I won't tell Carol and Sasha that you and Nick are sleeping together.” She chuckled.

“You just have to ruin the moment don't you?” He laughed as Nick appeared in the now open doorway. “Thanks, Keel. I love you too.”

“Good night.” She didn't look back at him. She met Nick's eyes as he walked past her though, nodding her goodbye to him. She didn't need to say it, he knew.

Everyone was asleep with the lights off by three in the morning. Keely had sat up waiting, watching as Jason's bedroom light turned off and her phone lit up with a 'good night' text. She sent him a 'good night' reply with a heart. He responded in turn with a single red heart. Carol was the next asleep, she could tell because the hallway light turned on and off as Carol made her way up to the third floor to her bedroom. Sasha was next, the guest room door across the hall from Keely opened and closed not long after the lights turned out. Kyle and Nick were last. She could hear them faintly talking through the wall of their bedrooms until just before three. Then it was just her.

She picked up her bag, hiking it up on her shoulder and started towards her bedroom door. She didn't need to take everything, she'd be back eventually. She made sure to grab her phone charger as she walked out of the room, sliding it into the pocket of her jeans and her envelope of graduation cash she had gotten earlier that day. She slowly closed her bedroom door, making sure to make as little noise as possible, and walked down the stairs.

She went into the kitchen before she left, grabbing a few bottles of water and some snacks from the fridge and cabinet for the drive. She pat her jean pockets, making sure her wallet was in there as she headed towards the front door and grabbed her keys from the hook on the wall. She turned around and looked at the house one last time, at the closed door to her father's office to her left, after letting out a long sigh she opened the door and stepped outside.

Her car was in the driveway, ready for her to go. She tossed her bag into the back seat as she sat down and locked the doors. She sat there for a bit, thinking, debating on if this was a good idea. On the passenger seat was the letter and the house key. She looked at it for longer than she she thought she should, going back and forth in her head about if this was a good idea or not. Then finally she started the car and drove off into the night. She didn't look back as she drove out of her neighborhood, down Main Street, past her father's law office, then finally past the “Thank You For Visiting Miller's Hallow” sign. It was when she was just out of town when she realized what she had done. She had left. She didn't know where she was going for the night, she didn't know how long it would take her to get there, but she was going. Just like that, every dark thing in that town was finally behind her, and for a moment, just a moment, she was happy.

#Shortstory #short story #365shortstorychallenge #writing #ya #youngadult #yashortstory

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