Viktor and Jayce don't die when they save the world together, which is a surprise for both of them. What is even more of a surprise is when they suddenly find themselves in the bodies of their alternate-universe selves. The problem is that they were mid-battle when this happened.
The Crown Prince of Piltover had taken a band of warriors with him to defeat the rumored dark mage whose castle sat not far from their border. Things had been going well up until a blast of magic left everyone, but especially the Mage and the Prince, disorientated. Viktor figures out what is going on before Jayce does and uses that to "capture" the Crown Prince in his magic. They both have blurry memories of the bodies they inhabit, so he knows that if he doesn't end things quickly, Jayce will be expected to fight him, and after everything that had just happened, Viktor had a feeling that Jayce would shoot himself before having to hurt Viktor again.
The Piltovians watch in horror as the mage snaps a collar of magic around the prince's neck and holds him hostage, demanding that they leave without him. Caitlyn would rather do anything else, but as the mage orders the prince around, orders him to stand and kneel and stop breathing and start breathing again, she knows they need to retreat and regroup. None of them had ever seen a magic spell that could control someone like that, and they needed to be smart, or the mage would kill the prince.
Of course, Jayce is really just doing what Viktor says because it's Viktor, which is what Viktor was counting on.
Caitlyn hadn't been expecting too much from the battle they had gone into. Maybe something crazy would happen when fighting the Dark Mage, or maybe it would be just as easy and simple as every other battle she had shared with Jayce. Up until a blinding flash of light and a snare of magic left the Crown Prince of Piltover in the Dark Mage's hands, seemingly unable to disobey him.
It does not take long of no contact, both via communications and any gems they sent, for Yellow Diamond herself to show up to earth to dispel the crazy rumors going around and fuss Pink about her disaster of a colony. They have heard rumors about the situation, but all of them seem so outlandish that they disbelieve all of them. Yellow barges in demanding to speak to Pink, and to her frustration the gems bring her to another gem instead. To her shock and disbelief she finds out that some of the rumors were indeed true. Not wanting to believe that Pink is gone Yellow throws a fit, intending on shattering this gem that for some reason manages to strike fear in her, but she is no match for Asteria who just bubbles her before she can do any damage. Yellow manages to pop it once or twice in fits of rage, but Asteria just makes thicker ones in its place.
She is brought to the correct room and restrained. There is also a camera that Asteria turns on. The video will be edited later to look like it was stolen and then leaked out so that it can be seen without pinning the blame on any particular gem that it got out. Yellow Diamond starts her Taming full of anger and frustration and just a slight bit of fear. But a slight bit for a diamond is unusual enough that it might as well have been ocean deep. Asteria starts her work, slowly and steadily trying to bring Yellow into a state of calm.
Yellow is having none of it, and her struggle quickly starts to make it look like she is in pain. Her thrashing gets less angry and more desperate or instinctual, actively having to fight the new Diamond's song. She is more immune than most as she is another Diamond, but it still affects her and Asteria's song is like no other in this world. After a while of Yellow stubbornly putting up as much of a fight as she could, Asteria started to kiss little packets of information over to her. Each time she did this was jarring for Yellow, forcing her to stop her thrashing and fighting for a few moments each time as she blinks through the information and shock. Along with that the information itself becomes more and more distressing.
Over the course of several kisses Asteria shows Yellow not only that Pink is dead, but that she didn't think they would care if she died. She thought they had not cared about her, and therefore would not give much care for her death. She had agreed with Rose Quartz, had tried to get them to stop the colonization, but they had thought she was just being difficult. And now she was gone, her power given to make this new being. She was truly gone, and never coming back. As good as shattered. All because she thought they didn't care. That they would prefer a Pink Diamond of greater power, that they would listen to someone of greater power. The only thing Yellow could think of was that she had been right. Asteria did not keep pushing for calm as Yellow broke, dismissing her helmet and running claws through her hair as she sobbed out her regretful anguish. Yellow sobbed and cried and screamed for a long time, frightening any gem near enough to hear her.
Eventually, after her cries had started to slow from exhaustion, Asteria once more pressed a soothing calming song into the larger Diamond's gem. This time Yellow welcomed it, letting her turbulent mind be calmed and allowing her form to go lax. Asteria whispered soothing nothings and encouragement to her, occasionally giving her a less distressing kiss. Nothing much so soon, but small things like Pink's joy at seeing the simple beauty of a flower, and Rose's determination to protect the Earth's beauty in its unique life.
Eventually Yellow was coaxed into moving, and brought to a room with a soft place to lie down big enough for a Diamond. Yellow faceplanted into the closest thing gems had to a mattress and let herself fall deep into the well of the other Diamond's power. Asteria knows that Yellow is hiding from her emotions, but seeing as she has already cried once and Asteria would not let her hide forever, she let the larger gem be for now. She visited every once in a while to pull Yellow out, introducing her to the ideas of things like fusions and organic life and free will from a more positive perspective, adding restraints if needed while the other Diamond was made to work through at least some of her emotions, before she was submerged back into the calm. The process was helpful for many reasons, and Yellow didn't fight as much as she had been expecting. The poor thing hasn't had a proper break in millennia. She also took the time to remove some of the Diamond's clothes, her gloves and heels taking priority after the helmet. It wasn't much on the outside, but Asteria could tell it helped to make Yellow Diamond both more physically comfortable and more emotionally vulnerable.
Yellow lay on the plush surface in the quiet room provided to her, floating in the calm nothingness of the new Diamond's power. She had come here with the intent of bringing things back to order, by force if necessary, but instead she had learned a horrible truth that left her world in pieces. It had not taken long for the new Diamond to go from an enemy to an ally. She could not handle the weight of her grief, her anger, her horrible bitter self-lothing. Here, deep within the soothing song of the other gem, only the slightest touch of it could reach her. She knew it would not last forever, but for the time being she cherished the time she had before she had to face the consequences of her actions. She knew once she came out there was nothing she could do to soothe the ache of what her negligence had lost.
(Direct inspirational quote) "You either get bitter or you get better. It's that simple. You either take what has been dealt to you and allow it to make you a better person, or you allow it to tear you down. The choice does not belong to fate, it belongs to you." Yellow doesn't fight Asteria even when she does things that make her mad because she understands that this is what Pink died for. To make them, to make her, listen to what she had to say. Asteria will absolutely chain Yellow down if she throws a fit over what she is trying to tell her, and Yellow can't stay mad for long because she is upset at herself and ashamed that the other Diamond has to resort to such measures just for Yellow to hear her out.
At some point Yellow is in a deep almost coma-like state because she discharging lightning to the point she's hurting herself. Asteria makes special restraints to syphon the electricity away before it could cause damage and keeps Yellow deep under so that she can't feel it. Between the glowing restraints, the Diamond's blank eyes, and the small twitches from the electricity, any onlooker is petrified by the sight.
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A world where Silco saw the letter but he and Vander are still not on the best of terms gets visitors. He is feared as the Eye of Zaun, and few people know that he no longer has the Hound by the leash. (And while I doubt he knows this, he definitely still has some control over the Hound. If he were to beg Vander for help, he would get it. Vander never stopped loving him, and would do almost anything to make it up to him.) He spends time with Powder the most, and she's the only one close enough to him to sass him fearlessly. Then Silco from another universe shows up. He's not from canon, but it is a bit of a closer timeline. There is some confusion about this older version of Silco, especially with his blatantly startled reaction to Vander, but they don't get very far before his Sevika shows up. She's also shocked by Vander, but quickly moves on and basically tells Silco to get his Fucking Dog. Silco whistles and Warwick comes barling in, a whirlwind of teeth, fangs, and claws. The people of that world are horrified to find out that this is Vader, or what is left of him, made into a literal hound for Silco's use.
Bismuth hit the bubble surrounding her with her sharp hands, but it refused to pop. They were being floated through the halls of the ship, Garnet stuck in another bubble and Pearl blank-eyed and forced to walk by the Diamond's side. No matter what she did the bubble wouldn't pop, and she could do nothing but watch as the other Crystal Gems were similarly entrapped. They were brought to a seemingly empty room, or at least it had been empty when they had entered. The Diamond did something with her weird song-like powers, and suddenly there were the beginnings of a torture device sticking out of the wall. She shouted for Garnet as the fusion sent her a panicked look, but she could do nothing but watch the rose-tinted scene unfold. Garnet fixed her face into a blank mask as she was restrained, ready to withstand the Diamond's torture. Bismuth glanced at Pearl, who was standing on the opposite side of the room from her cage. The other gem had the presence of mind to be staring at Garnet, but Bismuth couldn't tell if Pearl actually knew what was going on. Her form was stiff and her eyes were blank, only the slightest twitch of her fingers and her eyelids to tell that she wasn't a statue.
(Pearl doesn't stay watching as Garnet's taming becomes more violent, but at this point she is just aware enough to know that Garnet is distressed and is trying to comfort her. Unfortunately she is doing so in Pearlsign, which no one else in the room understands. She isn't quite aware enough to realize this, and once Garnet starts screaming Pearl checks out to do some sorting as a distraction.) Garnet screamed, and Bismuth's gaze snapped back to her. Her friend was twisting and convulsing, writhing in her bonds as the Diamond's song shook her body and the Diamond's hands pressed down hard into her gems.
Bismuth watched in horror as her friend thrashed and screamed, fighting against the Diamond with all of her strength. Bismuth called out to her, trying to ground her somewhere other than the obvious pain she was in. "It's gonna be alright Garnet, you've got this! I'm right here, just keep fighting it!" She kept up a steady mantra of support, despite the horror and dread pooling thick in her gem. She oh so badly wanted to bash this fuckers face in, but no matter how hard she pushed the bubble surrounding her wouldn't pop. She watched in slight confusion as the Diamond leaned over Garnet and pressed a soft kiss right above her third eye. The fusion went from having all of her eyes scrunched shut in pain to wide-eyed shock. She shouted some more, but Garnet didn't respond. Her eyes were blank, glassy and listless in a way Bismuth had never seen. Her body had relaxed completely, sagging against her restraints as the Diamond watched. Bismuth swallowed hard, hoping that it wasn't already too late. That spark of hope was dwindling within her, and she desperately tried to call Garnet back to herself with her voice. Garnet blinked almost frantically, a spark of awareness showing in them once more. Relief swept over Bismuth, and she kept encouraging Garnet to come back. But the other gem didn't come back all the way, didn't start to fight again, barley twitched her fingers. Bismuth begged her to respond, but at this point, she wasn't sure the other gem could hear what she was saying. She growled as the Diamond pressed another kiss onto her friend, now aware of the dangers of the action. After a while, Asteria Diamond spoke for the first time in several minutes.
"Garnet," she called, hands now holding the fusion's instead of pressing into them like before.
"Yes My Diamond." Garnet responded in a placid tone, and Bismuth felt like the air had been knocked out of her. She had never heard those words from Garnet, and she had hoped she would never have had to. Despair tried to rise up and swallow her, but she pushed it down.
"Unfuse for me." The hands and the restraints retreated, and Bismuth held her breath. Please don't be brainwashed, please be strong enough to resist, come on, no one tells Garnet to unfuse, this should snap her out of it! Right?
"Yes my Diamond."
There was a bright white light, and Ruby and Sapphire appeared. Despair gnawed at her as she watched Sapphire and Ruby be restrained, only a single cuff necessary to keep them in line. She had stopped shouting now, knowing it would do them no good. She glanced back at Pearl, who's eyes were blank as she stared at a spot on the floor. There wasn't a thought behind her eyes, and the despair climbed higher. Pearl was brainwashed and out of commission, Garnet was now brainwashed as well, to the point where she obeyed when told to unfuse, and now Ruby and Sapphire were getting the Diamond treatment. The Diamond was on Ruby now, murmuring to her with her song infused voice and periodically pressing kisses into her gem. Ruby whimpered and squirmed a bit, but didn't fight like Bismuth wished she would. She tried to strain and hear the conversation, but she only got a few words here and there. Then she heard the dreaded words once more.
"Yes my Diamond."
Asteria Diamond ran her claws over Ruby's hair, undoing the restraint and praising her.
"Good gem. Now wait here for a moment while I talk to Sapphire."
The Diamond moved on to her next pinned prey, while Ruby stood next the them, fidgeting and watching with anxious eyes. Bismuth tried to get her attention, but Ruby only met her eyes once, shook her head, and went back to looking at her lover. Bismuth didn't know how the other gem could stand watching her love get molested by a Diamond. It was hard enough for her to watch, and she wasn't nearly as close as they were. Eventually Sapphire gave her own, "yes my Diamond," and was allowed down from the restraint table. As suspected they immediately held hands, and to Bismuth's surprise the Diamond didn't object.
"Ruby, Sapphire. Fuse."
Bismuth was shocked, trying to figure out why the Diamond would want the two gems fused. Of course Ruby and Sapphire did as they were told, and in a flash of light Garnet was back. Bismuth couldn't help but hope something would finally go their way, but then she saw the altered design on Garnet's chest. She looked almost exactly the same, except now there was the outline of a diamond etched in black. It sat right below the tip of her half star, giving the shape a pink background. It hurt to see the symbol of a Diamond on a gem she knew had never had to wear one. Bismuth could see the angle here. The Crystal Gems' cross fusion war machine, brought to heel by the newest Diamond. Garnet took a step forward and knelt down on one knee before Asteria Diamond. Her arms crossed over her chest in a salute, something else she should never have been forced to do, and spoke.
"I am at your service, my Diamond."
Bismuth wanted to scream, but instead she fixed her eyes on the Diamond. The bastard seemed far to pleased with herself. The Diamond's next words were so laced with song that Bismuth could barely understand them, but it is clearly praise of some kind. Another kiss was pressed into Garnet's form, on the back of her offered knuckles this time, and the fusion was quickly lost to the Diamond's power.
The Diamond stepped away from Garnet's still kneeling form and turned to her. Bismuth bared her teeth in a growl, knowing that it was her turn now. The despair trying to swamp her told her that she was powerless to fight the Diamond's power, but no matter what she would fight till she could fight no more. For the Crystal Gems. For Biggs. For Garnet. For Pearl. For Rose. There was no room to fight her restraints, but she fought anyway. Her struggle against the unyielding metal was cut short as the Diamond once more started to sing, the sound echoing with power in her ears as it sank into her form like a stone sank into water. It was like a lullaby with power behind it. It surrounded her and tried to drag her down, a gentle but all-consuming pressure that had her muscles unclenching. She grit her teeth and clenched her jaw. She had to keep doing it every time the song dragged against her, but she kept making sure to twitch her fingers and toes. It could do her good to save her strength, but she couldn't let this consume her. She couldn't let the Diamond do what she pleased with her. No matter how trapped she was, no matter how angry she was, she wouldn't back down from the Diamond's strength. She didn't care if it got her shattered, she wouldn't let this monster use her against her friends. Against her home.
She narrowed her eyes at the Diamond in challenge. "That all you got?"
The diamond hummed in reply, before reaching out and putting her hand inside Bismuth's gem. Bismuth jerked and yelped as the Diamond's fingers rubbed her gem, waves of calm turning into spikes. Fingertips stroked the facets of her gem, making her pant and whine at the song's strengthened intrusion. She threw her head back with a clang, heaving for breath as she fought against the encroaching apathy. The fingers turned into a full fist, and the lulling song turned into an almost harsh demand. Bismuth knew she wouldn't be able to fight it forever, not with the gentle pressure in her gem that insisted she stop fighting. She screamed out her anger and fear, yelling with all her might like it could keep her from the Diamond's clutches. It was only over if she gave in. But it felt so much better than she thought it would. She had braced well for pain, and against that she was strong, but the sweetness of the song beckoned to her like the scent of rose petals on the wind. The song shook her with the force of it, but it was trying to bury her in calm and peace, not the pain or numbness she had been expecting. There was a cloud of apathy that came close, but it hadn't managed to muffle her. Bismuth had the feeling that it wasn't staying on the outskirts because of a lack of ability. The Diamond leaned over her, and she stared with wide eyes as a kiss was pressed into her sternum. The storm of rage and calm fighting faded into the background.
She saw the conversation Rose had with her when they first met. It was like she was looking through Rose's eyes, but she was detached in a way she wasn't when looking through her own. It took her a moment to realize that this was an information transfer in the form of a memory. Rose asked her what she wanted to be, and a spark of awed rebellion caught in Bismuth's eyes. Rose was gleeful when she had shown her the first weapon Bismuth had made with her own two hands. The memory was soon soured by the thought of war. Of Bismuth choosing to make weapons because it was useful, not because it was what she wanted. Rose wanted Bismuth to be who she really was, not what she made herself to be for Rose's benefit.
Bismuth blinked hard, jarring herself out of the memories. The Diamond still sang above her, sharp diamond eyes soft with the emotions Rose had once held. The Diamond's words were woven with intent, notes of reassurance laced deep in them as she spoke. "With the death of Rose Quartz, it may be the end of the Crystal Gem rebellion, but it is not the end of the Crystal Gem ideals. As long as one of us is standing to brandish the star, the spirit of the Crystal Gems lives on." With her words, she showed her palms, which each had half of the Crystal Gem's symbol sitting there. It wasn't immediately obvious, but seeing them both side by side left no doubt. Bismuth realized that this was somewhat mimicked by the two triangle cuts in the other gem's dress. There was a triangle cut around her gem, and another tringal cut flipped the other way above it. A diamond symbol cut in half horizontally, and a star symbol cut in half vertically, This might not be normal fusion, but it was similar enough. Rose was a part of this gem. Unfortunately, so was Pink Diamond. That thought held her back from giving in and falling into the ocean of song. It was one thing to trust Rose, but it was another to trust a Diamond.
"...S-still a Diamond!" She managed to gasp out, shaking with the effort to resist the blanket of calm. She knew things like talking and breathing would be easier if she did, but she couldn't bring herself to trust a Diamond with herself. Asteria Diamond hummed again, an almost mournful note to it this time. Before she could really question it, another kiss was pressed right above her gem.
This time instead of one of Rose's memories, it was one of Pinks. She had a feeling this was a long time ago, when the Diamond was still young. Bismuth probably hadn't even emerged at the time this conversation happened. Pink Diamond was not the cruel dictator Bismuth knew now. She was bright and bubbly and kind. She was small and deep-cut and not the color she should be. Nothing the other Diamonds did or said could make her act like them. Pink confronted them about how they treated her, about how she came out wrong. The other Diamonds brushed her off. She was just too young and immature for her duties. She could have a colony like the rest of them when she grew up and acted like a Diamond should. Pink Diamond looked at the shards of an off-color who couldn't do their job right and tried to find the difference between them and her. She couldn't.
Bismuth gasped in shock as she came back to herself with a few sharp blinks. Her already shaken world just did a spinning jump and had ended up upside down with everything having gotten jumbled up and eventually fallen out.
"Even Diamonds can be different."
Bismuth stared into Asteria's soft weary eyes, and slowly, shakily, started to loosen her iron grip on her mind. Rose had always wanted freedom for all gems. All those who didn't fit within the Diamonds machine. She wasn't surprised that Rose's soft heart had gone out to a Diamond as well. Said Diamond smiled at her as she lowered herself into the lapping waves of calm. She had been right, it felt wonderful after days and days of stress and panic.
"We will bring peace." Asteria Diamond sang. And Bismuth found she believed her. If there was anyone who could fight the Diamonds, it was another Diamond.
Bismuth does take her time accepting the new order, but with further reassurance from her new Diamond and talking with Garnet and Pearl she accepts that Asteria really does want what is best for them and the Earth. Asteria also told Bismuth that if she was ever worried about something or needed anything that she could come to her like she could with Rose. The Diamond did tell her that for now, it would probably be best not to do so in front of any Homeworld loyalists so that she doesn't cause any more drama with them than she already has just by being there. Bismuth likes to help out with the lower class's work when they let her and has a tendency to make friends with gems whose ideals lean more toward the Crystal Gems, even if they don't realize it. Soon enough, she finds that she has a knack for picking out perspective Crystal Gems from a crowd, and when combined with Pearl and Garnet's own talents, they can separate a group of gems by what introduction they will need to Asteria's rule. They might miss a few here or there, but when Yellow Diamond's gems come, they separate them out by who needs to be informed with a firm hand and possibly threats to keep them in line until they can be handled individually, while the softer, typically kinder gems are more receptive to the positive changes that come with working under Asteria Diamond.
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Time/dimension travel causes the wolves involved in creating Warwick to suddenly gain a level of sentience they did not have before, along with an urge to protect their human pack. They still see Vader as one of them even though he is human and doesn't remember being Warwick with them, and therefore his cubs are their cubs. The wolves can speak, although it is in broken sentences like Warwick, and they don't typically talk to many others outside of their pack.
Vander is meeting up with some people to try and broker peace with the Uppercity. Of course, his wolves come with him. He was hoping they would work as intimidation and protection, but instead, they insist on gently kidnapping one of the Counciler's children.
So I don't really understand how Tumblr works quite yet, but I've got a lot of ideas and snippets and WIPs sitting in my notes app that will probably never be good enough to see the light of AO3, so I've decided to post them here that way I can still share them with others. Hopefully, you guys enjoy my stuff, most of it isn't the most coherent but it's still ideas. If someone wants to write something based on my stuff please let me know. Thanks!
For some reason Boba has time traveled, probably because of Din, into the past. Back when his ba'buir was still alive. They end up in a situation where they and their allies are cornered in an old temple, hiding from an enemy/army that they do not have the strength or numbers to fight. There is an artifact in the temple, and they are all told that while it can summon a person's relatives to them, living or dead, but it can only do so for very close relatives. This is seen as not super helpful, but Boba resizes that he has a really big close family. And so, after asking some clarifying questions, ("So if someone touched it and wanted their Vode, it would bring all their Vode to them?") he touches the artifact and calls for his Vode. His millions of Vode. It's a good thing the temple is big.
Cody, or Kote, whichever he likes to go by, is the Emperor of the Mandalorians. (And possibly Vode as well.) As the most powerful empire in the galaxy, many different peoples give gifts to the Emperor in an attempt to gain favor. The Empire is well known for being an enemy of the Jedi, but this is mostly because of the actions of Cody's father. Cody does not really hate Jedi, but he doesn't know much about them, so he doesn't care for them. (Cody's name among his allit is Kote, but publicly his name is Cody.)
Someone for some political reason, probably Palpatine trying to put down the Jedi and gain more power himself, gives Cody a Jedi. Cody does not really understand that he has been given a Jedi, and doesn't really know what to do. In this world Jedi are much more connected to their kyber crystals than in canon. Palpatine had taken Obi-Wan's crystal out of its protective shell, his lightsaber, and made it into a necklace which was given to Cody. When given to the Emperor, he was told that wearing the necklace was a symbol of their alliance, basically meaning it is required. Cody was a bit miffed, but he liked the strange necklace so he didn't complain about it. Unfortunately, Cody does not know what a kyber crystal is nor what it means to the Jedi prisoner that was for some reason brought to his chambers. Obi-Wan is not used to having his soul bared to the world, nor is he used to have it being worn and touched by another. He shakes and shudders near constantly for the first several days of his capture, and even once he becomes accustomed to the sensation of having another being's heart so close to his soul, he still reacts every time Cody touches the necklace in any way. It takes Cody an embarrassingly long time to figure out that the necklace has anything to do with the Jedi. His first major clue that something is up is when Quinlan Vos sneaks in to talk with Obi-Wan. They don't know that he can hear them. His first thought is that the other Jedi has come to rescue his companion, especially when he finds out they are practically brothers, and he feels like he would not really want to stop him if he does. To his surprise neither of them talk of escape, with Quinlan expressing how much Obi-Wan is missed and how sad they are at his situation, but the only talk they make of escape is how Quinlan wishes he could take Obi-Wan with him. Cody is horrified to find out that the other Jedi is mostly there to tell Obi-Wan that his child is safe and cared for, and that they mourn his loss. He comes to the uncomfortable conclusion that something is forcing Obi-Wan to stay at his side. Obi-Wan has been acting as his servant because he doesn't know what else to do with him, and much to his surprise he actually likes Obi-Wan. He had believed that this was requited when Obi-Wan did not attempt to escape, but now he is finding out that there is something else involved.
Basically since Obi-Wan's kyber is the physical representation of his soul he is now bound to Cody in a way no one has been in decades, if not centuries. Cody not only has his soul, but has somewhat bonded with it as he is the main thing that Obi-Wan can feel through it. The Jedi all know that Obi-Wan cannot leave his soul, and even if he could get it back he would still struggle horribly due to being used to Cody's presence constantly pressed against him.
Everyone who knows what a kyber crystal is and what it means sees the one around Cody's neck as a statement. People who know what it means to have a Jedi's soul tied around your neck look on in awe and fear. Cody gains quite a bit of respect that if he knew he had he would never have wanted. The Jedi look on in horror, unable to do anything as the Emperor tortures one of their own so blatantly. So cruelly. So personally. Those who were closest to Obi-Wan grieve the most, and Anakin cries long and hard for his Master, anger at the Emperor higher than he knows what to deal with. Vos tries to take care of him, and on some level his own anger at the situation helps the boy, giving him someone who understands. But even then it is still hard on them both. Any pull Palpatine might have had over Anakin is completely gone, and Palpatine doesn't even realize his mistake until long after it was made.
When Cody brings up that Obi-Wan has a child, obviously showing that he heard their conversation, Obi-Wan is immediately on the ground and begging.
Cody comes to the horrifying conclusion that Obi-Wan had taken his words and immediately assumed that he meant his child harm. He was on his knees, head pressed to the ground by his feet, begging for him to spare his child. Cody didn't even know what Obi-Wan thought he would do, but no matter what it made his gut churn thinking about it.
"I have spent the last few months, from the moment I awake to the moment I fall asleep, surrounded by you. Your heartbeat pounds in my head. Your breaths swirl in my lungs. Your footsteps rattle my bones."
Eventually when Cody finds out he wants to give it back, but Obi-Wan explains that it would hurt badly to be unbound from him, more then it did blinding him in the first place. Cody still can't stand to have things stay the way they are. He finds out that Obi-Wan is most comfortable with him in his armor because the beskar helps to muffle and protect the kyber. He has a peice of his armor recast into a casing for the crystal. He still wears it around his neck, but now it is more protected than it would be in a lightsaber. Others who do not know Cody well assume that it is a cage or some other form of torture. Many assume that the beskar is cutting the crystal off from its Jedi, therefore acting as a torture in and of itself. Both Cody and Obi-Wan meditate with the kyber every day, Cody insisting when Obi-Wan tries to tell him that he doesn't have to. Cody wants to make things as right as he can, and that means taking care of his Jedi that he had been unknowingly hurting. The casing comes apart with the Force, just like the casing of a lightsaber, so Cody feels reassured that he won't be able to take advantage of his Jedi.
The Jedi don't know what happens when you surround a crystal with beskar, so they also assume that it is another form of torture.
Cody was not expecting the Jedi to be so shaken and submissive, knowing that they are fierce warriors, but he figures it is from miscommunication and trauma. (He's not wrong, lol.) He knows how he is seen, and so he understands that this Jedi fears greatly of him. He tries his best to show the terrified Jedi that he will not hurt him, but it is a long hard process. Especially since the man is still his prisoner and far too many people seem to think he is using the man as a pleasure slave.
He was disgusted to come back to his room after a long day of dealing with people to find a shaking Jedi tied to his bed. Thankfully the man was not on his bed, nor was he naked, but he was tied by his wrists to his bedpost and it looked like at least some of his clothes had been taken from him. He went to try and reassure the shaking sobbing man, but the Jedi did nothing more than beg in soft desperate murmurs he could barely understand. The man must have been drugged, as it was obvious that he was not all there. Between the man's flushed sweaty skin and clouded pained eyes he decided the medbay would be a good place to go. It didn't seem like the man was in any state to fight, but years of bedtime stories about Jedi had him leaving the bands on his wrists. If that was blocking the man's powers, he needed to leave them on, lest they get a violent drugged-up Jedi on their hands. He delivers the man to the medics and goes about his way, but for some reason he has yet to understand the Jedi never really leaves his mind.
Obi-Wan has never been more overwhelmed in his life. The cuffs on his arms cut him off from the Force, which is disorienting enough, but they don't cut him off from his crystal. From his soul. It sings to him, overwhelmingly loud in its all-encompassing distress. He was surrounded by nothing but the Emperor. His Emperor now. He can feel nothing but the man, his soul pressed up against the skin of his chest. The Emperor's heartbeat is like a drum inside his skull, and the slightest shift of the necklace sends painful shudders up and down his body.
He doesn't know how long he is like that, unable to do anything in the face of the Emperor's touch. He could feel it keenly every time the man stroked his soul, but all he could do was thrash and sob on the medical cot he had been placed on. He could faintly register the kindness of the nurses, a cool towel over his eyes and a cup held to his lips, but it felt impossible to focus on anything happening to him when his soul was screaming at him in a strangely sweet agony. He comes back into awareness at his Emperor's touch, on his body this time, and he sobs anew at the feeling. He was already starting to fall, (not Fall) his Emperor's touch tingling in a way no one else's ever had. Was it really happening that fast? Was he already his? Feeling how his soul's song was slowly starting to smooth he knew it to be true. His pain would lessen to a hopefully tolerable degree soon, but with it came the knowledge of what was happening. The Emperor must be more learned than they had thought for him to be bonding with his soul so quickly. Part of Obi-Wan had hoped that he would last longer under the forced binding, but the rest of him yearned for a lack of pain that it knew would come from nowhere but his Emperor. The tan man spoke words of reassurance to him, and even knowing it was all lies he still leaned into his hand. His only respite would be what his Emperor gave him, so he searched for it desperately even knowing it was unlikely to be there. Somehow he found sleep in his Emperor's touch, even if his mind still rang with his soul's pained song.
(His kyber is bonding with Cody so quickly because Cody doesn't actually want to hurt Obi-Wan and the crystal can feel his good intentions.)
Cody found the crystal he had been given strange. It hummed with an energy he didn't understand, but nonetheless he felt comforted by it. For some reason he felt like the crystal was sick, or hurt. The strange impression didn't make sense, as the crystal was a rock, it was not alive. Still, he found himself stroking or thumbing over the thrumming rock, almost as if it was an animal he could soothe with pets.
He was also strangely transfixed on the Jedi still in his medbay. Even three days later the man was still in bad shape. He couldn't help but feel pity for the Jedi, especially when the man was so respectful even to his captors. Not that they had been the ones to capture the Jedi, but he was still their prisoner. According to the medics the Jedi reacted the most to his presence and touch, and while he seemed to be getting slightly better the baar're have yet to let the man try and walk. Today the man was sitting up for his food, he was slightly malnourished and needed every meal he could stomach, but he was still shaking and shivering harshly from pain. The man greeted him in a manner that he quickly decided was shy and slightly fearful. Still, the respect and deference from someone who should by all means be an enemy has him enthralled. He is quiet and gentle with his words, not wanting to further scare the man. Belatedly, they exchange names. Obi-Wan Kenobi. The name seemed right on the man. The man was hesitant about him, but Cody understood. He touched the man's arm gently at one point, and Obi-Wan shuddered and leaned slightly into his touch. He asked to make sure that he wasn't hurting the man, and Obi-Wan shook his head, leaning a bit more into his touch. He rubbed the man's hand gently and tried to reassure him that he would not be hurt in their care. Obi-Wan acted like he understood, but Cody could tell that he didn't fully believe him. A medic came to help Obi-Wan with his dishes, and Cody took the chance to ask if they had found anything new about Obi-Wan's illness. They unfortunately had not. Obi-Wan quietly informed him that his "weakness" was Force related and that he would do his best to persevere through it. It sounded like the man was trying to insist upon his worth as a person, and Cody didn't like it. He ignored it for now and asked more questions about the Force and how it was affecting Obi-Wan. Quickly he put two and two together (getting 6), glancing at the manacles still sitting tight against the man's thin wrists. It all made sense. Obi-Wan had not complained about them or tried to get them removed, and he spoke as if Cody would put the fault on Obi-Wan for not being strong enough to withstand the pain. Something in him urged him forward with an almost tender gentleness. He took Obi-Wan's wrists in his hands, ignoring the way the man gasped and shook. It took him a while to figure out how to take the cuffs off, but once he did the Jedi's reaction was immediate. The man gasped and shook harder for a moment, grasping his hands tightly, but after a few moments, his breathing started to even out and his shaking started to lessen. Obi-Wan thanked him with a wet voice, pulling his hands away in a hurry once he noticed that he had grabbed him. He told the man there was no need to thank him. After all, it was his decision that had left the man in such pain. He instructed the man to rest up before saying a soft goodbye. He probably should have been concerned about what the man might do with the freedom of his powers, but something told him Obi-Wan wouldn't cause trouble. He wanted to believe that this was because of the man's demeanor, but something still seemed off about this situation. A bad feeling was present in his gut, but he couldn't figure out what it meant. He sighed. He would just have to wait and see.
Yellow Diamond's Pearl stood primly where her Diamond had left her, doing some organizing for some far off colony as she waited for her Diamond to return. Hopefully her owner would burn her anger out while she was here and Yellow Pearl wouldn't have to deal with it herself. She did not envy Pink Diamond, even if she was a Diamond and would therefore be fine. Her Diamond's current levels of anger made her shiver just by proximity. The air around her Diamond had a tendency to become charged in her anger, and when it got bad enough it would hurt Pearl's gem. Not that she would ever complain, that was not a pearl's place, but she could silently wish for the air to be calm and still. Not long after her Diamond had left Pink Diamond's Pearl entered the ship. Despite there being nothing different about her form Yellow couldn't help but think that something was wrong with the other gem. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what, and that made her afraid. She knew what hiding pain of all kinds looked like, why couldn't she recognize this?
"My Diamond had instructed me to give a message to the gems abord this ship." The other Pearl said. It was clear what that statement meant, but Yellow couldn't help but worry as she handed Pink a ship communicator.
"Of course." Was all she said aloud, but with her body she signed the question, 'are you well sister?'
As she fiddled with the communicator the other Pearl responded, 'I am well. I have been given to a new owner. I am still adjusting.'
Whatever Yellow had been expecting, it hasn't been that. What had happened that she had been given to another? Who had she been given too? If she had displeased her Diamond, why hadn't she been shattered? Before she could voice or sign any of these questions, the communicator went live.
"This is a message from Asteria Diamond to all the gems abord this ship. Every gem who's job is not absolutely necessary to the ships continued functioning are to report to room 8x3 in the conjoined ship. Wait there for further commands. That will be all."
Yellow stared in shock signing, 'what happened?!' the moment she could.
"Come, I'll escort you to the other ship." Pink said, signing, 'to much to share in this moment. Find hiding spot first.'
Yellow considered this, mind racing. "My Diamond may not pleased if she does not find me where she left me."
"If necessary she will be notified of your whereabouts." 'Owner will not be here for some time. (Comforting)'
"Understood." Yellow said, following Pink out of the room and to the other ship.
'I will show you.' Pink signed. Yellow waited, but got no further explanation.
What could Pink want to show her? Hopefully it would explain this horribly concerning situation. She didn't know what was going on, and she didn't like it. She became more and more unnerved as they started to hear a sound. It was the yelling and screaming of some gem, muffled by the walls of the ship. It was always a horrible sound to hear, but Yellow tried to ignore it. As they got closer and the sound got louder, she realized that the gem must be pretty loud for them to hear them from so far away. She refused to acknowledge the pull in her gut until the wailing became horribly loud and painfully clear. She froze, feeling like she had just been dropped into a bucket of icy water. That was her Diamond. That was Yellow Diamond, screaming and wailing like... like...-
Pink put her hand in hers and pulled them along, putting up no fuss at having to practically drag her along. Her vison blurred, time seeming to warp as she was pulled through the spinning fuchsia halls. Pink pulled her into a small room, pushing her down into the corner on top of something soft and tapping her hands in a steady rhythm of comforting sign. (Asteria tried to give Pearl a bigger room, but Pearl wanted somewhere small so she could "hide", so her room is a repurposed closet.) It took a long time to calm down from her panic, and by then she didn't even try to speak. Not for something like this.
'Explain. (pleading)' She signed, staring at Pink (was her name even Pink anymore?) with wide teary terrified eyes. Pink had lost most of the strangeness in her form, and both her signs and eyes were gentle with unspoken pity.
'Me or you first? (Where do I start?)'
She stopped and thought for a moment, trying to decide which choice was better. It was like choosing between the bad news and the worse news, but she needed to know both. 'Beginning, need it all anyway.'
Pink started to explain, sometimes with Pearlsign and sometimes with words. There were parts where she gave the signed 'Redacted.' (I cannot speak of it.) But thankfully the story still made sense without the parts Pink skipped. And what a story it was. A Diamond dead, the rebellion over, the Crystal Gems tamed and a part of the new Pink Diamond's court, and a new order born through the fallout of Asteria Diamond's creation. It was all so much, especially since Yellow now had an idea of why her Diamond was screaming. The new Diamond was apparently not all that thrilled with the current state of the Diamond Authority, and seemingly had the power to do something about it. Pink was just Pearl now. She had asked if she was to call her fellow pearl Asteria Pearl or something similar, but Pearl had said it would probably be better if she didn't. Pearl had said that her Diamond would be alright, but Yellow had her doubts.
(Yellow both loves and fears her Diamond. She was made to serve her, and doing so makes her happy in turn, but sometimes her master had a temper that she will take out on the objects and gems around her. Unfortunately for her, Yellow Pearl counts as both. This did not mean she wanted something bad to befall her Diamond, or otherwise be separated from her. Unfortunately it seemed unlikely that she would be able to see, let alone help, her Diamond in the coming cycles. The uncertainty of it all made her itch with anxiety, but Pearl promised to help her adjust.
Pearl calms Yellow down, before going and helping to sort the new gems. Some upper crust gem kicks up a fuss at Pearl, who gets to show off her renegade side and Jasper's submission to Yellow Diamond's gems. At some point Asteria "tames" Yellow Pearl, and somehow ends up changing her ownership to Asteria even though Yellow Diamond is still around and alive. Yellow Pearl isn't happy about this change, so to ease her into it and to make her feel better she is assigned to help Yellow Diamond when she is awake and needs it. This does not disclude her from the order bomb Pearl got, but Asteria is a bit slower and gentler with it since she knows Yellow Pearl isn't used to the idea of freedom of any kind unlike Pearl.)
When Pearl is summoned to her duties, Yellow goes with her. She didn't know exactly what work they would be doing, but Pearl assured her that she could follow her around and serve Asteria Diamond with her for the time being. Yellow was glad for this despite her fear of the new terrifying Diamond. She didn't want to know what might happen to her with her Diamond unable to have a say in her fate.
They arrived in the room where the rest of Yellow Diamond's gems had been sent too, where several ex-crystal gems and Quartz soldiers were milling about interrogating the new gems. Pearl walked through the crowd with the grace of a pearl and the confidence of a Diamond's belonging. Yellow had to puff out her chest just to try and portray the confidence she had. Pearl headed straight for the Bismuth, and Yellow had to bury her fear from being in the room with Crystal Gems. But her sister made no signs of warning to her, and spoke without fear, so there shouldn't be much immediate danger.
"Bismuth. Are we ready to start sorting?"
"Hey Pearl! Yeah, we should be good to go! There's some we're going to have to play by ear, but things have been going pretty well so far!"
Pearl nodded to the smiling Bismuth, seeming unaffected by the gem's strangely jovial mannerisms. Yellow didn't want to turn her back on the strange gem, but Pearl did it without a second thought so she tried to follow her lead. This time they stopped before what must be Pink Diamond's Champion Jasper. Yellow puffed up on instinct being next to such a large warrior gem, but Pearl seemed just as unflappable as before. She saw no signs of fear in her as she spoke to the much larger gem. How could her sister be so fearless in a room full of gems like this? Did it have something to do with the strangeness she had first seen in her? The pain that wasn't?
"Jasper, round up your squads that are assigned to this and prepare them to start escorting gems to their proper places."
"Yes my Pearl."
Yellow, along with all the new gems nearby, gaped in shock. Yellow stood frozen for a long moment, trying to register what she just heard and fit it into her view of how the world worked.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Obi-Wan has just gotten to Kamino when he gets discombobulated by the Force. He's very out of it, barely able to communicate, and definitely unaware of the whole clones for the Jedi thing. The Kaminoians put him in a room and fetch a random Commander, who just so happens to be Commander Cody, to satisfy whatever the Jedi needs. Cody is fearful but resigned to his fate. The same goes for his batchmates.
But when he watches the lost-looking General putter around the room trying to decide whether to have him sit down on the bed or the chair (he ends up putting the bedding on the chair as a compromise) he starts to understand that he isn’t here to be the natborn's plaything, the General actually needs help. Said General putters about a bit more, mostly taking to himself rather than Cody, but eventually he does seem to address him. Poor Obi-Wan tries to explain the situation, but he's not the most articulate at the moment so he ends up just spouting something about the Force being difficult and needing a living anchor and the Kaminoains feeling fishy. Cody just nods along, mostly just amused and confused by now, but he does stiffen up when Obi-Wan takes his head in his hands and presses their foreheads together, staring straight into his eyes. Obi-Wan murmurs about how bright and glorious and perfect Cody is, before folding to his knees and planting his head in Cody’s lap.
They stay like that for several hours, with Obi-Wan meditating and Cody getting used to the man's presence and touch. He may not be Force-sensitive, but Obi-Wan using Cody as an anchor in the Force still forms a bond between them, even if Cody cannot feel it.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/65098093/chapters/167410690
Summary:
Being a father was already hard enough, but when Powder suddenly comes down with a strange, unexplainable illness, Vander finds himself more worried than ever. His fear for his daughter only becomes worse when Sevika insists she recognizes the purple glow of his youngest's eyes, and brings her straight to the one man who could truly strike fear into him.
(I.E. Several people have time-traveled, with various side effects. Vander is not one of those people, but like hell he's leaving his daughter alone with Silco, no matter how strangely soft the man is acting.)
Full list of tags and info beneath the cut.
Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warning:
No Archive Warnings Apply
Fandom:
Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021)
Relationships:
Jinx & Vander (League of Legends)
Silco (Arcane: League of Legends) & Vander (League of Legends)
Jinx (League of Legends) & Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)
Sevika & Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)
Jinx (League of Legends) & Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends)
Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)/Vander (League of Legends)
Claggor (Arcane) & Jinx (League of Legends) & Mylo (Arcane) & Vander & Vi (League of Legends)
Ekko & Jinx (League of Legends)
Characters:
Vander (League of Legends)
Jinx (League of Legends)
Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends)
Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)
Benzo (Arcane: League of Legends)
Vi (League of Legends)
Mylo (Arcane: League of Legends)
Claggor (Arcane: League of Legends)
Ekko (League of Legends)
Additional Tags:
Time Travel
Time Travel Fix-It
POV Outsider
Father-Daughter Relationship
Protective Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends)
Soft Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends)
Protective Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)
Soft Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)
Parent Silco (Arcane: League of Legends)
Silco Needs a Hug (Arcane: League of Legends)
Protective Vander (League of Legends)
Good Parent Vander (League of Legends)
Jinx Needs a Hug (League of Legends)
Jinx is a Little Shit (League of Legends)
Jinx Needs Therapy (League of Legends)
Jinx Has Issues (League of Legends)
Shimmer (Arcane: League of Legends)
Medical Conditions
Confusion
Fear
Mental Health Issues
Mental Instability
Implied/Referenced Drug Use
Implied/Referenced Character Death
Implied/Referenced Torture
Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Trauma
Tags May Change
Complicated Relationships
Happy Ending
Angst with a Happy Ending
Hurt/Comfort
Sick Character
Fluff
Angst
Fluff and Angst
Blood and Injury
Minor Injuries
Self-Harm
Needles
Medical Inaccuracies
There Was Only One Bed
Kind Of
Sharing a Bed
Literal Sleeping Together
Mutual Pining
Sevika Does Not Get Paid Enough (Arcane: League of Legends)
Benzo and Silco have beef
Caring Ekko (League of Legends)
Protective Vi (League of Legends)
Good Sibling Vi (League of Legends)
Protective Jinx (League of Legends)
Canon-Typical Hallucinations
Language: English
Series: Part 1 of Time Travelers Are Real Anonymous (T.A.R.A)
Collections: Readers' 📚 Booknook📖(~‾▿‾)~
Stats:
Published: 2025-04-28
Updated: 2025-05-20
Words: 25,278
Chapters: 12/?
Comments: 365
Kudos: 500
Bookmarks: 108
Hits: 8,237