« Back
Generated:
Post last updated:
foundations of the world
so apparently 'makes her girlfriend and her girlfriend's crush kiss' is an anathema template attractor
Permalink Mark Unread

It's been about four years since Anathema Jedi met Ellaita Dameron, and they've all been excellent.

(Minus the slight heart-stopping terror that was The Ghost of Darth Vader, but, also, that was actually really hot, and The Ghost of Darth Vader was happening at Lord Fuckwad and not at Anathema, so, still excellent.)

Peace has mostly settled in from the initial ceasefires after Anakin scared Lord Dickhead shitless, minus a few diplomatic kerfuffles Anathema couldn't care less about - she and her girls got cloning facilities of their own and no one's shooting at them right now, which are the only important parts. Anathema and Ellaita have learned so much, and Anathema can sometimes even make Anakin look like she just had a stroke, which is really funny. (Trying to fork her girls by copying their memories into new, unawake clone bodies isn't that weird. Totally an excellent idea. And Anakin didn't even try to tell her no, just mumbled 'not my circus...' and wandered off, so, proof there's nothing wrong with it.)

There's only two things that could use improvement. One: she and Ellaita don't tend to have the galaxy's most private quarters. Two: there is a certain Very Hot someone they could be kissing and aren't.

Fortunately, these two problems have the same solution.

Which leads Anathema to draping herself over Ellaita one late evening, musing out loud - "You know, I bet Anakin could possess one of my girls. Have a body for a bit. Plenty of my girls would be super into that."

(The story of Anakin 'Vendar' disintegrating a mountain to intimidate Lord Jackass - and then putting it back together, presumably because he wasn't intimidated enough yet - has spread out from Sharp and Charge, with Anathema of course very graciously sharing the memory when asked. And, well. Anathema's girls have taste. If Anakin wants a body on any kind of consistent basis, she'll probably need to set up a time-share.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"-Uh." Ellaita says, succinctly demonstrating both her lightning-fast processing speed and her eloquent way with words.

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles.

Then, like she totally didn't think of this ahead of time: "Y'know, her Force signature's so similar to mine... Bet it'd be extra hot if me and her made out."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...That. Um."

"Mm."

"Yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Is that a 'yeah and I wanna watch' or a 'yeah and I wanna kiss her too'?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Is 'both' an option?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Thoughtful, serious hum.

"Absolutely."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss.

"My girlfriend has the best ideas."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course I do."

Kiss!

"So now we just need to talk to Anakin..." Kiss. "Let my girls compete to decide who's first to be possessed..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Going to make them have a tournament?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps, though they might decide Sharp and Charge get dibs, having been the first ones to crush on Anakin..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Suppose that'd be reasonable too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And two's a very easy number to do competitions with! Perhaps a fight, or a totally unbiased vote about who's hottest when making out with me..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Who's going to be the judge panel on that?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, I imagine you'd be the head judge, of course, and a few of my girls could flesh out the panel - chosen for their taste."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, see now we'll need to have a competition to decide the judges of the competition."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Nah, I'll just exercise my despotic powers and select my favorites of those I've made out with. So I know they have a proper inner knowledge of the relevant considerations."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

"Maybe I should make out with your appointees as well. Just to be sure we're all on the same page about our standards."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Give them a reward for their services, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Making sure everyone is appropriately compensated is very important."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll need to think about scheduling all this..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"No urgent hurry, is there?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"True." Kiss, and, teasingly: "I'm just impatient and also horny."

"Though probably Anakin will want time to think, anyways, so it taking time to set things up might not hurt..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmm, I think we can start things moving on the judges, at least..." Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

"No drawbacks to pushing ahead there." Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

So now seems like a good time to really hammer out their shared desires in terms of a makeout partner. Not that she doesn't have a good idea what Anathema likes by now, but it's important to have as firm a foundation as possible before embarking on such a momentous endeavor.

Permalink Mark Unread

Naturally.

And after quite a bit of extensive work on that - including roping in two of Anathema's girls for some experiments - Anathema leans against Ellaita, giggling softly, and asks: "So, do you want to come with me to seduce Anakin?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Got to show off all our best qualities, right?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seems likely to help," she agrees with a serious nod.

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss.

Fortunately they're getting private Force use lessons, still, and so don't have to do something awkward like formally declare a desire for a meeting or flagrantly abuse Anakin's posted office hours (she's a university professor now, too, and it's very adorable; several of Anathema's girls are taking her philosophy class). It's easy enough to just linger after one of their sans-Lily training sessions. It has the extra benefit of leaving Anathema relaxed and languid, smiling at Anakin with a little gleam in her eyes.

Permalink Mark Unread

(She almost never appears as a Force ghost, anymore; the semblance of life she wears out and about has become second habit.)

She lets Anathema make her doe eyes while she cleans up a bit, then - "Did you two want to do something after this?" she asks.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Catch a movie. Maybe some dinner but, ah, well..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A movie sounds lovely. But, well, I still can't convincingly pretend to eat." Her tone's a little bit teasing.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Right. We, mm, had an idea about that, actually..." She looks at Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin raises an eyebrow.

Permalink Mark Unread

"So, I'm pretty sure you should be able to possess one of my girls, who, by the way, would be very into that," Anathema says with a grin. "Do a little tourism of the corporeal world... Eat tasty food, touch soft things, kiss pretty women..." Is batting her eyelashes silly here? Eh, Anathema's hot enough to pull it off.

Permalink Mark Unread

She discards several responses off hand, before, without much of a delay or any external hint of emotions other than 'light amusement': "Volunteering yourself for the kissing, I presume?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course. Though I'd hardly be jealous of any other treats you sample." She winks at Ellaita.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita leans back, lacing her hands together behind her head and smirking.

Permalink Mark Unread

She blushes, ducking her head and smiling a bit.

"I'm not bothered by being incorporeal... But a bit of tourism might not hurt." Small pause, and then, teasingly, "Though you'll have to show me the ropes; I've never kissed anyone before, or - anything else like that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"-Wait, really?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Some people do manage not to have sex before twenty three - when I ended up in the suit," she says, wryly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Uh so, am I like misinformed about how natural-borns have their kids, or - "

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Ah."

"I don't remember getting pregnant - and arguably that could be amended to 'never had a consensual relationship.'" Small awkward shrug.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well. Between the pair of us, we can certainly make up for any lack of experience."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles again. "Your turn to be the teacher?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"You could say that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll try to be an attentive student, then. Only minimal brattiness."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'd be an education for your benefit, so I would hope so."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seducing me is, of course, purely altruistic of you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And Anathema, yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, I think Anathema's going more for hedonism, here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Guilty as charged!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Surely a little altruism, thinking of my pleasure?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, not sure that counts as altruism if we're dating. Generosity? Tendency to bestow extravagant gifts on my girlfriend?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Poke.

"Stop undermining my arguments, dear."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. "You're very altruistic, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Your support is appreciated."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles at them. "Do you have my tour of the body corporeal already planned out, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"In broad strokes. There are a few particulars left to sort out."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mostly exactly which body corporeal will get to go first."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're very popular among my girls."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ah." Blush! "I can see that being a minor logistical issue, yes." She smiles through her blush, though - "We can do movies in the meantime, at least, and you can let me know when candidates have been chosen - or if my vote's needed."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds good."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Did you have a movie in mind already?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That new one with Lei Talla?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I've heard good things about it," she says. "So it's a date."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I guess it is."

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins back.

Next is figuring out when a convenient showing is, of course - fortunately Anakin's schedule, while busy, mostly isn't fixed - then the movie... (Which Anakin quite enjoys.)

(And, of course, whatever Ellaita and Anathema are doing to sort out logistics for her 'tour.')

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita and Anathema can handle that between themselves.

And then to present the lucky winner to Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

That would be a very excited and slightly vibrating Sharp! (She fully understands Anakin might want to push her consciousness down entirely, of course, which, honestly, even hotter.)

(Sharp is possibly part of the coalescing 'very subby' bloc among the clones. Just possibly.)

She dresses in soft, comfortable clothes in a style similar enough to what Anakin usually manifests in to be hopefully comfortable. She cleans herself very thoroughly, makes sure all the possibly unpleasant bodily issues are sorted ahead of time - treats herself to a nice spa, gets out that lingering muscle ache she's had - doesn't leave herself full, though, in case Anakin wants to eat something -

(Sharp is only maybe overthinking this.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good afternoon," Anakin says, eyeing up Sharp quite intently. She's abandoned her seeming of life for this. "You're to be my - hm, not sure there's a good word for 'thing possessed'..."

Permalink Mark Unread

(Wiggle.)

"Spare body? Sacrifice? Vessel?" she suggests, a bit breathless.

Permalink Mark Unread

"One of those."

She steps into Sharp's space, close enough her breath would be ghosting over her skin if Anakin was corporeal. In a soft murmur, "Relax." And she lifts a hand to Sharp's cheek...

Permalink Mark Unread

She tries to relax, breath catching in her throat a bit -

Permalink Mark Unread

And Anakin's ghost disappears, and then she blinks Sharp's eyes and laughs, running her hands with amazement over her skin, pinching her arm. "It worked!"

(Her accent's different from Sharp's, and - her Force signature is very much Anakin's, still.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh that was very hot.

Permalink Mark Unread

Smirk.

"Decided to push Sharp pretty far down right now - she's not aware of world outside the body." Her lips twitch. "Though she's awake enough to be wiggly about that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll have to make sure to give her some special treats."

Permalink Mark Unread

"After this," Anathema murmurs, eyeing Anakin hungrily.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin promptly ruins her aura of sexy dom-ness by ducking her head and blushing.

"Later," she agrees. "For now... I do believe I was promised a guided tour?" She leans Sharp's body against her couch a bit - her apartment having been voted best for this, with Lily given a gentle nudge to go spend the afternoon and night with her boyfriend.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You were." Ellaita circles around behind her and begins massaging Anakin's shoulders.

Permalink Mark Unread

- Mm!

Anakin tenses at Ellaita's touch, initially, then relaxes, her eyes closing a bit as she leans into Ellaita's touch.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema steps up in front of her, taking her hand. "It's important to start with an orientation," she says, "For every new body. Get acquainted with every limb, every patch of skin..."

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans down to whisper in Anakin's ear. "The feeling of every breath of air."

Permalink Mark Unread

She slides her other hand to Anakin's waist - lightly, drifting to her back - at the same time.

Permalink Mark Unread

Shiver!

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita softly kisses the side of Anakin's neck.

Permalink Mark Unread

Bigger shiver!

She giggles a little. "This might get overwhelming fast," she murmurs, leaning more into Ellaita.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe a firmer touch would help..." Anathema steps until she's pressing against Anakin, pushing her back into her girlfriend, hand now gripping her waist more firmly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ah - maybe it would - "

Her shivers aren't going down, though.

Permalink Mark Unread

Nuzzle.

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans her head against Ellaita's shoulder. "Don't know I'll be very - useful - with responses, until I'm more... Used to this, again..."

(Emotions while in a body are so big. It's - actually really nice, apparently, when that emotion is attraction/ fondness/ excitement/ love. Anakin had... Forgotten.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll just take our time getting you reacquainted."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmmm... Sounds nice."

She can kiss Ellaita's cheek from this angle without straining - so she does so, because she has a body and Ellaita's touching her and she can, there's no reason not to, no great barrier between them -

Permalink Mark Unread

A kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think the real question now is which of us gets your first proper kiss," Anathema teases. "That's supposed to be very important, you know."

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle! "A very tough question indeed."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We could flip a coin for it. Spin her around until she's dizzy and see which one of us she falls at. Both go for it at the same time."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heeeee. "Last might be awkward..." And because she actually does kind of have a preference - "Arguably, Ellaita met me first, so should get first dibs..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ah, my relentless altruism reaps its just reward."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "It's only proper..." She shifts a bit in their embrace, and - kiss?

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmmmm!

She melts against Ellaita.

Permalink Mark Unread

Permalink Mark Unread

Permalink Mark Unread


"Not bad for your first kiss."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita is saying words which means Anakin's brain needs to process things that aren't kissing Ellaita. Tragic.

"Not bad at all."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Want to go again?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee.

More kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Wonderful!

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema presses a bit more into her. "Hey, don't I get a turn?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mm, I suppose. That is the altruistic thing for me to do."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe I can reward your altruism more, later..." Anakin teases, giving Ellaita another quick kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm sure you will. But Anathema deserves some attention too."

Permalink Mark Unread

Nuzzle. "She does." And she twists in their embrace again, grinning at Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

You know, Ellaita's been pretty gentle so far...

Anathema pushes a bit more into Anakin, grabbing a bunch of her hair at the base of her skull, and pulls her into a rather forceful kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmmm!!!

(Wiggle.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Oooh. Ellaita moves to get a better view.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin's knees are getting rather weak from all this, and she's clinging quite tightly to Anathema now.

Permalink Mark Unread

Perhaps Ellaita should nudge them into sitting down.

Permalink Mark Unread

Perhaps! Anakin can certainly be tugged onto the couch, though she sprawls into both women a bit, giggling.

Permalink Mark Unread

Leaving her vulnerable to further attack.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin starts laughing, uses a break in Anathema's insistent kissing to turn and kiss Ellaita again - leaving her neck open to Anathema's own attacks, but that seems just fine.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita starts mixing in little bites with the kisses.

Permalink Mark Unread

First one gets a little yelp, then a few soft sounds, wiggles, a tiny moan at a particularly hard nip...

Permalink Mark Unread

'Give her the teeth, she likes it,' Ellaita sends to Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

Chomp! Not quite hard enough to break skin - that's incredibly difficult with human teeth against a healthy young adult - but Sharp's going to have a bruised shoulder tomorrow, and Anathema's teeth leave indents.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ah! Mmm - " Anakin jerks a bit, before surprise and pain settle into a shivering moan.

Permalink Mark Unread

"How's that feel?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good," Anakin says, giggling.

Permalink Mark Unread

"This opens up our options significantly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"A much broader palette to paint with, if you will."

Permalink Mark Unread

Blush.

"Haven't done any of that recreationally before..." she teases.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Tonight's all about broadening your horizons." Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

...Tickle.

Permalink Mark Unread

!! Shriek!!!

(This body is, entirely unfairly to Anakin, ticklish in all the same places Anathema is.)

Permalink Mark Unread

A convenient fact which Ellaita will take full advantage of.

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh nooooooooooo. (Kisses, between shrieks of laughter.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema's mixing in pain with Ellaita's pleasure (scratches, bites, tight grips...) - and claiming plenty of her own kisses, of course. 

And, after a particularly nice wiggle, she pins Anakin down a bit, musing out loud in Ellaita's direction, "You know, we'd have so much more of a canvas to work with if all these clothes weren't in the way..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Then let's take them off."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema smirks and starts pulling Anakin's clothes off.

Permalink Mark Unread

She's mostly not being very helpful, what with insistently trying to kiss both of the other women. But she's laughing and not trying to stop them, so.

(They'll... Probably make it to the bedroom. Eventually. Sometime before the morning, at least. They really should - she went ahead and actually got a bed with supposedly nice sheets and a mattress, and it'd be a shame not to test it out...)

Permalink Mark Unread

Eventually, yes. They have all night, after all.

Permalink Mark Unread

Wonderful.

It's a very, very excellent night, though Anakin has a lot more energy than the other two - helpful, given how she's outnumbered. (She does, in fact, get overwhelmed quite a few times, clinging to Ellaita and Anathema, crying once, kissing them like nothing else matters in the galaxy... She starts crying again when Anathema brushes into her mind, before kissing her doppelganger with the same intensity she'd been kissed earlier.)

She curls up with them once they've all exhausted themselves, practically glowing with happiness and contentment. And - off to sleep, cozy and snug and so, so happy.

Anakin wakes up before either of the other two the next morning (the body had been very well rested), blinking out of the unfamiliar sensation of dreaming, then curling up with her (...girlfriends? They should maybe talk about this...) very-lovely-friends to watch them with a besotted smile.

She should maybe make them breakfast in bed, use this energy for something, but... She's happy just laying here for a while yet.

Permalink Mark Unread

Elsewhere - in a universe far, far away, you might say - a certain other Anathema is draping herself over her wife.

"Darling," she says, nuzzling Ellie's cheek, "I'm getting bored."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh no. How dreadful." Kiss. "Terrible." Kiss. "Horrible." Kiss. "My beautiful wife," kiss, "is getting bored. I shall alert the Prime Minister to declare a state of national emergency."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kisses! "Hm, don't think we're that far yet... I need a bit more boredom to start causing national-scale emergencies." Another kiss.

"But... If you want to avert said national emergency..." Teasing nuzzle. "You've been poking at traveling around the land of the dead stuff, right?"

Lily Potter thinks there's a good chance the realm of the dead is shared - maybe between multiple universes, though the dead woman can't say what's on the other side. The idea's caught Anathema's fancy more than once.

Permalink Mark Unread

"A bit, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We should go on an extra exotic vacation, then," she says, leaning some. "Actually really test it properly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Had your fill of this world, have you?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just for now, and we can come back later - but it is getting... I don't know. Stale."

They have to be careful about magic around muggles after all, and - the wizarding world is very, very small, on a global scale.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You have a restless spirit, wife." Kiss.

"Though I've been focusing more on getting Fay's collar ready. I'm still not sure if it's really even safe for people who aren't me to visit the land of the dead..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Awwww. Kiss!

"That's definitely a bigger priority than giving me more places to wander in," she teases. "Gotta spoil our kitten."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's very important. Think I'm almost done, though. Maybe you can help me test the way I've got it hooked in to the Animagus transformation?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Sure."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie calls the collar over to her hands. It's smooth silk embroidered with a design of her own devising. The clasp is in the shape of a tiger's head, and the whole is imbued with a variety of protective enchantments, a locating charm, and a couple fun tricks Ellie can activate remotely.

"So if I've done my arithmancy right," she says, "once it's on, it should stay visible even after the change. And," she taps the clasp, "this will change from a tiger to a dragon."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Huh. Why change to a dragon?" Pause, then, teasingly: "Unless you're planning to put that on yourself, and want to stay on theme..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's so people can tell to whom the cat belongs."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair," she acknowledges with a giggle.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm always fair."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heee. "So, you want me to put that on, slip to tiger form?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you don't mind."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not at all."

She takes it, gets Ellie's help with the clasp, giggles at the brush of her wife's hands on her neck - "Feels really soft," she judges. "Fay's gonna love it."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles. "Hope so." Nuzzle.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Then a step back for space...

Permalink Mark Unread

And tiger!

Permalink Mark Unread

Tiger! Ellie gives ear scritches as she checks the collar.

Permalink Mark Unread

Heeee! Rumble!

(Collar seems to be working exactly as intended!)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Everything looks good, dear. Including you, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heeee. Headbutt!

Permalink Mark Unread

And back to human!

"Good!"

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss. "Thank you for your assistance in this matter. There are a couple special functions too if you want to give them a test drive while you've still got it on?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure thing." Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's my girl."

Ellie starts running through the tricks. The collar can choke the wearer, blind or deafen them, take away their ability to speak, do the sense enhancement charm they're fond of, produce a whole-body staticky buzz sort of effect that Ellie can ramp up or down in intensity... (She's particularly interested in the interaction between those last two.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh these are fun tricks. Anathema approves whole heartedly (and by her giggles and shrieks, they seem to work perfectly).

Permalink Mark Unread

Most excellent. Most excellent indeed.

Permalink Mark Unread

She'll need some help... Collecting herself... After, of course. The tests got her a bit worked up.

Then, after: "Does it still need any other tweaks?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think it's basically done at this point. Unless you have any suggestions for more tricks."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm... Not at the moment. And stuff can be added on later, right?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Then I think it's good to go."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Excellent." Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Heeee. Kiss!

Anathema takes the collar off, and, "So how do you want to go about giving this to Fay?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I haven't quite decided! I already missed Yule and I don't want to wait all the way until my birthday."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle.

"Beltane's in like two weeks. Usually not something we'd do on a vacation - it's really a community festival - but the version a bit less watered down for students has some fertility rituals mixed in, some stuff for young lovers..." She winks. 

"Or we could entirely discard the trappings of the ages before us and invent our own occasion. Take Fay on a hike to those ruins she was eyeing, have a lovely little picnic, tie her to a tree... That'd allow us to do this sooner, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I knew I married you for a reason."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My unparalleled beauty, obviously."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That and your brilliant mind."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My excellent taste in women."

Permalink Mark Unread

"All your manifold superlative qualities." Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!!!

And planning Fay's collaring, next... Anathema's excited for this.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's going to be fun.

But as far as Fay's concerned, it's just a normal day out exploring.

Permalink Mark Unread

If she expects anything different, she doesn't let on.

She is very interested in these ruins - and the sites in general - of course, enthused about this or that little thing.

(And there's some quite lovely, secluded places for picnics, many with quite lovely sturdy trees...)

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie picks a spot in front of two trees that are relatively close together, and as they set up the blanket, maneuvers Fay so that she's sitting between them.

After they've had a chance to eat a bit, Ellie conjures ropes to wrap around Fay's wrists and back to tie to the corresponding tree so her arms are pulled out and back. She snuggles up to Fay beneath one of her outstretched arms.

"Hi." She grins coyly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hi," she says, grinning down at Ellie. "A surprise for me, Mistress?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema giggles and snuggles up on her other side, watching Ellie mostly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmm," she hums.

"I really like having you."

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft, loving smile. "I like being had by you."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie kisses the side of her neck.

"That's why... I made you this." She levitates the collar out of her bag and holds it up for Fay to see. "I want you to wear it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Her eyes go a bit wide, and she shifts.

"Oh. - Yes, please, Mistress - "

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Beg for it, Fay."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Please, please please, most wonderful, lovely Mistress, please be kind to your pet... I want your collar so much..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's what I like to hear." Quick kiss, then she slips the collar around Fay's neck.

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle! 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Beautiful."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you, Mistress. I love it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good." Ellie triggers the static.

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs, jerking a bit.

"Fancy."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie cuts the effect and reaches up to pet Fay's hair. "I spent some time on it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Lean. "I can tell."

"It's very impressive work."

Permalink Mark Unread

She picks at the collar of Fay's shirt with her free hand.

"But I think all these clothes are distracting me from properly appreciating my fine handiwork..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, given I'm a bit tied up right now, I don't know I can be much help with that..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Pat pat. "You just sit there and look pretty. I have my lovely wife to help me undress my pet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes ma'am."

Permalink Mark Unread

She kisses Fay, then sets to helping Ellie unwrap their kitten. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie runs through the collars functions to keep Fay entertained as they go, giving her a swat if she gets too quivery.

She adjusts the bindings, adding more ropes to suspend Fay spreadeagled off the ground, wearing only her new collar.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay only earns a few swats.

She's  breathless when Ellie adjusts her bindings, pupils dilated, muscles tense. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Then Ellie will be very thorough as she works Fay over. Has to properly show her pet how pretty her mistress thinks she is.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay's definitely having fun - writhing, moaning, smiling dreamily at her Ellie... She seems to get the message (though she'd contend that her Mistress is prettier).

Permalink Mark Unread

One of the better ways to while away an afternoon.

Permalink Mark Unread

It really is. 

She's rather exceptionally languid by the time her Mistress Ellie and Master Anathema are done with her. 

Permalink Mark Unread

That means snuggle time, clearly. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Very snuggles.

Permalink Mark Unread

Once they've been snuggling a little: "So... Do we want to start poking maybe-interdimensional travel next?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay raises an eyebrow. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"My wife is getting bored of Earth," Ellie says to Fay. "She wants to use the land of the dead as a conduit to other worlds."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Could be fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Assuming I can figure out how to make the experience not kill you, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I have faith in your abilities."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thanks."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you want help?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you have any ideas, I won't say no."

Permalink Mark Unread

Perhaps a few... (They'll be a little bit easier untied and with her wand and perhaps some notebooks, but, well, naked brainstorming is plenty fun.)

Permalink Mark Unread

They can work on it more when they go back for the night.

Permalink Mark Unread

They're not actually in any rush, as long as they can keep Anathema entertained...

(Still, Fay's help does make the last bit of work go much faster.)

Permalink Mark Unread

After some poking and pondering, Ellie comes up with a ritual that should let her safely bring visitors to the land of the dead, naming them as under her guidance and power and subject to her protection.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay's pretty sure it'll be stronger for her - given she swore herself to Ellie so thoroughly the Elder Wand transferred ownership - and even the earliest ritual tests do indeed allow Ellie to bring along Fay safely. It doesn't take much more tweaking to get it to accept Anathema - who's sworn as Ellie's wife, in a way the magic accepts - though completely unrelated people might need more work to be entirely sure of safety... Or at least firmer authority.

(Though, quite frankly, Ellie is well within usual wizarding margins of safety, and doing better even than many muggle standards.)

Once they've tested forays into the borders, then the nearer sides - easier to retreat from - Fay sends a letter to Bellatrix and Elodie (and Scarlet, who's staying with them), letting them know the three are going to try dimension hopping.

Then...

Farther afield?

(There are a tremendous number of paths in the land of the dead, almost all leading away from their current world. They curl into roads of stars in the darkness outside of the heavy mist craddling the dead, and souls flow like twinkling specks under their feet. Some roads are much, much broader than others. The road to their world - is pretty broad, actually, but still a ribbon's width compared to some. Thestrals roam along all of them, though most of the odd not-horses range out into the darkness, fading in and out of the mists.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie waves down a nearby thestral that doesn't seem in any particular hurry to ask if it knows the way to an interesting world. (No harm in asking the experienced guides.)

Permalink Mark Unread

It nods its head, off-white skull clattering. (It... Looks somewhat more alien than even normal Earth horses, odd ridges rising from its brow into something like horns, jagged spikes along its spine, when it's bothering to settle into a coherent form.) A whisper of - something humming, an odd drone - and it flares its starry wings, void trailing from the edges. It then turns and clambers toward an incredibly broad path, a bright and chaotic swirl of stars, a wide and roaring river of souls, its stair-steps like sparkling froth. The thestral seems excited, almost with a bounce in its step, and the path rings oddly - pleasantly - under its claws.

The journey's swift, despite the distances implied by the enormous vistas around them. Distance here is usually more of an artistic illusion than an actual fact, though.

And, soon enough, the thestral brings them to a place where the path splits into many, and there's a weakness in the mists, here, almost a gate - like the gap Ellie follows when returning to the border of her own world. The thestral prances and nudges the gate-area with its nose.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Here we are, apparently. You guys ready?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure."

She's been looking around with no small amount of awe. It's pretty, out here. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah!" Anathema bounces a bit.

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee.

"Thanks," she says to the thestral, then- Into the gap.

Permalink Mark Unread

Her wife and pet follow, of course.

Permalink Mark Unread

The person whose bedroom they manifest in is:

One - very naked,

Two - extremely unimpressed,

And three - exceptionally magic.

 

Anakin had just finished detangling herself from her maybe-girlfriends, slipping to sit on the edge of the bed - Anathema woke up a bit, but could be coaxed back into cuddling Ellaita. She'd turned to watch them, a soft look in her eyes - the blanket's a little bit warmer than warranted for the season, apparently, and Anathema kicks off her blankets as fiercely as Anakin ever did, and they're both so beautiful -

The three Force signatures who suddenly slip into the galaxy have her whipping around and snarling. She grabs them with the Force, freezing them in place almost reflexively, eyes narrow - their signatures are familiar - they have powerful artifacts - she tenses, ready to rise out of Sharp's body if she needs the better reflexes of her ghost self - snaps Sharp awake, so the girl will be oriented if dumped back in control -

"Who," she says, voice dangerous, not even a heartbeat after the three appear, "Are you?"

She'll let them talk, of course. Polite to let people answer questions she's asked.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita startles, grabbing at Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Visitors?" Her answer is half a question as oh shit she can't move and there are three naked women sinks in. "-We didn't mean to come here exactly? If that helps?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema snaps awake! ...She did not bring her weapons to bed and that was an oversight.

She sits up, staring suspiciously at the 'visitors.'

...She'll let the more awake and more terrifyingly powerful Anakin handle this, maybe, until she finishes blinking.

Permalink Mark Unread

"And where were you going instead?" Anakin asks.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not anywhere specific; just a different world than the one we came from. Do, uh, any of you have a special connection to death or death-related artifacts?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin raises an eyebrow...

Permalink Mark Unread

And steps out of Sharp's body.

"You could say that," she says, tilting her ghostly head, and looking right at Fay, eyes narrow. "So you're not from this - planet? Galaxy? Universe?"

Permalink Mark Unread

(That was jarring.)

(Sharp, back in control of her own body, backs out of the way, towards a bedside table she hopes Anakin had the common sense to stash a weapon in. If needed.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Wow she looks like a dead Fay who had a bit of a rough life.

"Probably universe is the best way to say it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Huh."

"How did you get here?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Through the paths in the land of the dead."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums, then glances at the room's other three occupants, and - "You're telling the truth, so," - she releases the 'visitors' she's captured.

"Let's step out and let them get dressed."

The door into the living room opens illustratively behind them.

(Anakin, being a projection of her own mind, is exactly as dressed as she wants to be. Which is 'fully,' right now.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah." She leaves the bedroom with her two girls.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay follows, of course, though her glances at Anakin are long and considering, still.

Permalink Mark Unread

She sends her maybe-girlfriends and Sharp a soft, apologetic look. "Sorry for the rude awakening," she says.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Don't think this one's really your fault, sweetheart. Go ahead and make sure we're not going to get murdered before we can get dressed."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "Of course."

And out into the living room, examining their visitors - her doppelganger, their familiar Force signatures, the unfamiliar whisper of how they wield... Possibly the Force - even more.

Permalink Mark Unread

The visitors examine her right back. She feels... weirdly different from other ghosts Ellie's seen.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Your Force signatures are familiar," she says after a few moments.

Permalink Mark Unread

"What does that mean?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"The Force is how I use my powers, and what I'm - made of, essentially. Every person - or at least every organic sapient - feels different in the Force, though some people can resemble each other. I've met - I think just three signatures that've repeated in all but surface details before."

"Your Force signatures match two of those three patterns. Two of you with the same pattern," she nods to Fay and Anathema, "And you from a second pattern," and she nods to Ellie.

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's kinda weird, I guess."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums.

"...What are your names?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm Ellie. This is my wife Anathema, and my girlfriend Fay."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hey." Anathema waves a bit.

"...You look really weirdly like Fay."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "I do."

"Did you name yourself, Anathema?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Yeah. What's that got to do with anything?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Similarities in Force signatures - so far, at least, from a tiny sample size - seem attached to underlying similarities in... Not so much mental process, as... Something like personality. Who someone is, beneath who they grow to be."

"You have the same Force signature as - the girl with the same face as the girl I was possessing. She named herself Anathema, too - Anathema Jedi, where Jedi are a tradition of Force users."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Huh."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That is a weird amount of coincidence."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is."

Her gaze drifts back to Fay. "My name's Anakin, though that was my birth name - I'm in the same Force signature pattern as you, Fay, and as both Anathema's, best I can tell from within myself."

"And the second girl with me - she's from the same pattern as you, Ellie. Her name's Ellaita."

"...I'm Ellaita and Anathema's teacher in using the Force."

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay just glances at Ellie, and, wryly: "I think this is what we get for asking a death-monster for directions to an interesting world."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I hope you're entertained," she says to Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm very entertained!" she says with a grin. "A second Fay, a very hot alternate universe me and her identical twin, a very hot alternate universe you..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, alternate universe, is that what's going on?" Ellaita enters the room to stand behind Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Explains some things," Anathema says, standing on Anakin's other side, leaning a bit against the couch.

Permalink Mark Unread

(Sharp is going to stand leaning against the door frame suspiciously. This is way above her pay grade, and also Anakin apparently does not keep blasters in her bedroom because she's weird.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's probably what's going on - they traveled from another universe, apparently, through... The land of the dead, was it? - I'm unclear how metaphorical that is."

"It doesn't exactly explain the shared face or Force signatures, though shared Force signatures is already something I knew about locally."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The land of the dead is approximately zero metaphorical. Except I guess it's maybe a little debatable how much of a 'land' it is, it's not really attached to sort of physical location."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Huh. So you can travel through it without dying first?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can. And I can bring people who count as extensions of me, more or less. Other people, not so much."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Are dead people like - well not alive, but... Around and conscious, there?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Around, yes, conscious- not really? It's sort of like sleeping, but without dreams."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Huh..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin's a bit distant, a bit tense. "...Can you talk to them at all?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I could."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ah."

"There's... Someone who died a long time ago, who was - very important to me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm sorry."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Thank you. She..."

"...She had the same Force signature as you, and - and I. Loved her very much."

"I'd like to see her again, or - at least get a message to her."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think I can help with that. Are you able to hold things?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Somewhat, as a ghost - I can use the Force to manipulate objects, and I can pretend to be holding them. I can hold things normally when possessing someone, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That might confuse things a bit, but we won't know until we try, so." She takes the Resurrection Stone out of an inside pocket and holds it out to Anakin. "Here, take this, try to pretend you're holding it in your hands. Think about the person you lost and turn the stone over three times."

Permalink Mark Unread

Talking to Elesse ever again hadn't been on her mind this morning. Hadn't even really been a concept five minutes ago. 

The -

If she was perfectly the person she wants to be, she could just. Have this conversation. Apologize. Be - normal about it. 

Wisdom is a process, and the first step is asking herself if she is that person yet. 

She's not. 

Pause, then, "It'd be - private, and... She died nearly seventy years ago, and - "

She closes her eyes, centers herself. Soothes over the spike of old pain and regret and fear, acknowledges it enough to identify it, and files it away for later meditation. 

"And I'll need a little bit of time to be ready."

"And... I don't know that she'd want to see me in person, rather than getting my apologies in a message, along with any offers to make things up that I can make. To undo what's gone before, as much as possible."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay." She tucks the stone away again.

Permalink Mark Unread

"So you just casually offer to reanimate the dead, like it isn't a big deal?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Reanimation and calling a shade are different things."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose the professional necromancers would know."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not professional, technically. It's, uh, complicated, but I don't do this for money."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Would you be able to return her to life?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmmaybe. Death doesn't like giving people up, really. But things might work a bit differently here, given," she waves vaguely at Anakin, "you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I - don't know of any other full ghosts. People do leave impressions behind sometimes, though..."

"If it wouldn't harm her to try - I'd like to have the option open to offer her. I'm willing to compensate you for - everything, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I've been working on something a lot like resurrection," the local Anathema says, thoughtfully. "And there doesn't seem to be anything like a personified Death objecting. But my method requires I have a store of someone's memories that I put in an empty body, and it should also work for making two copies of someone, so might be meaningfully different."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, that doesn't sound like quite the same thing."

Permalink Mark Unread

Slow nod, as she thinks. 

"...I do want to talk to her." Pause. Then, to Ellie: "And I don't want to - demand you stay longer than you would otherwise."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We're here until my Anathema gets bored again, pretty much."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And there's a lot going on here, so I bet that'll take a while - and I want to help you." Glance at her wife. "Dunno if us feeling similar in the Force really means anything, but... If - your person - was half as important to you as Ellie is to me, I want to help."

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft smile. "Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seems worth doing."

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay nods. "We don't need repayment - though we'll let you know if we need anything ourselves." Small smile. "Native guides wouldn't go amiss, I suspect."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you."

Then, glancing to Ellaita and Anathema - the local Anathema: "I do still need to think, and - I suspect I'd prefer to just resurrect her, rather than summon up her ghost, if it's at all possible. We have time, if you two have other questions, or - just to talk." A small smile of her own, and then to the wider room, "Especially since my daughter's going to be home soon unless told otherwise - probably around lunchtime, though it's about breakfast time, now - and it'd probably be polite not to throw too much of the world into upheaval on her."

(Speaking of... She sends a tendril of thought to Lily, updating her on what's happening, and letting her know Anakin will keep her updated.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"What's this world like?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum. "Large and complicated, and I'm not sure what you'd be comparing it to, but, overall..."

"A large fraction of the galaxy has been explored, and many of the planets within that are part of the galactic community. Travel between planets is fairly quick, and the occasional jump forward in hyperspace technology only improves matters. There are a very large number of species, though humans are the most common by far."

"Right now, there are two major polities in the galaxy, the Empire and the New Republic. They don't control all of the known galaxy, not by a long shot, but they're significantly bigger than anyone else - especially economically and militarily. The Empire and New Republic are in a period of cold war, fighting proxy wars through other, smaller polities. There's... A lot of concern about what will happen if they ever get into open war, and anything that presents too tempting or threatening a military advantage could trigger that. My existence as a ghost - and my past identity - is secret, because of that, since I was a powerful Force user in life, and I became... Somewhat enshrined in both states' founding myths after my death. I can adopt a seeming of life, at least, so I'm able to interact with broader society... But you might want to keep other universes - and your magic - secret at first, just in case either state decides this is worth escalating over."

"...The big concern if they go to war is that both the Empire and New Republic have weapons capable of destroying planets. Neither of them have fired one yet - though the Empire's predecessor used an early version of those weapons to destroy a planet that had been resisting its rule, and you don't build weapons you wouldn't use if you felt you needed to."

"We're currently in one of the smaller polities, traditionally allied with the New Republic, that recently made peace with its Imperial-allied enemy, and both states have been slowly extricating themselves from direct control."

Pause. "...There are a lot of less horrifically depressing and worrying parts of our universe, but - the war's the shadow over everyone, right now."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Wars tend to do that. Though this is... a lot bigger than what we had."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "I've been around through most of it - and often very tightly involved - so I can explain particulars, but... There is a lot."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Where we come from, we only live on one planet. We've sent satellites to other planets in the solar system, but people haven't ever been farther than the moon."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Welcome to the galaxy, then," she says with a little smile. "I'll make sure to include 'spaceships' in any tours."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Though if you want to do any actual flying," Ellaita puts in, "best leave that to me."

Permalink Mark Unread

Fond smile. "Ellaita's the best pilot you'll ever meet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Can I tell Lily you said that?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure," she says, with a small laugh.

Permalink Mark Unread

"My mother's name was Lily."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Huh."

"...Our Lily is part of the third pattern of Force signatures I've noticed, and my adopted daughter."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Weird coincidences for everyone, I guess."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very much so."

"Especially since the earlier member of Lily's pattern was - almost certainly my father."

"...Though I definitely do not in any world want him resurrected or want to talk to his ghost, and if I start saying I do I should be investigated for mind control. Just. To make that clear. Before anyone makes assumptions from 'family relationship.'"

Permalink Mark Unread

Serious nod.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I love Lily, and - she's grown into a fine young woman, and one fortunately very, very different from her predecessor. My - history with him doesn't reflect on her."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd be concerned if it did."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small nod. "It shouldn't."

"And, honestly, the two Anathema's seem by far the most similar of us..." Her gaze drifts a bit. "Though we haven't exactly all compared life stories."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I guess there's time we could do that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'll take a while, I suspect - but I wouldn't mind, necessarily." Small, warm glance at her maybe-girlfriends. "Though we also haven't had breakfast yet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Breakfast is important. Don't let us delay you unduly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Want my body back for the meal?" Sharp asks from her (awkward) position by the door. "You didn't get to eat anything last night..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We did get rather distracted, didn't we?" she says, grinning first at Sharp and then more flirtatiously at her maybe-girlfriends.

Permalink Mark Unread

"But it's not like you went completely hungry..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A bit of a different sort of eating."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you say so."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll have breakfast and compare, how about."

And, turning to their visitors: "You're all welcome to join us, by the way, though... I think there's only five chairs we could reasonably scrounge up for the table, which might complicate logistics a little."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll make it work," Ellie says, patting Fay's hand.

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles at her Mistress. "I don't need a chair," she agrees, rather than anything perhaps more proper like 'oh I can turn objects into other objects and then back.' "Maybe a thin cushion, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you don't mind loaning us something like that? We could grab a pillow off the bed."

Permalink Mark Unread

The look she's sending them is a bit puzzled.

"I have things for meditation, actually," she says, "Which includes a specific knee pillow. It's in there, in the blue cabinet by the window." She gestures to the door next to the one to her bedroom (also the room for most of Lily's more physical exercises, when they're not going to a gym or firing range or the like).

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay. Thanks."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll go get that then?" she says, glancing at her wife and girlfriend. "And we can gather up any other chairs, too, if you guys want the help."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'd be a bit of a help, yes." She turns to Sharp - "Actually, could you help them? And I'll help Ellaita and our Anathema on breakfast; I'm fine waiting on body share until we're actually ready to eat."

Permalink Mark Unread

Sharp nods. "Sure thing."

Permalink Mark Unread

So the group splits up.

Permalink Mark Unread

Into the kitchen, of course - she does intend to actually make breakfast - but, to Ellaita and her Anathema: "So, uh, we sort of got interrupted from our normal day, but - I had some morning after questions..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seeking to clarify the nature of our relationship?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes. I'm - not sure how... You view this, I suppose."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well. I had a lot of fun, and I'd like to do it again. And... spending time with you outside of that is- nice."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Same! I'm not a serious person, fundamentally, so wouldn't say 'I'm serious about this' - but I wouldn't mind calling you my girlfriend, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

Shy smile. "I had an excellent time, and I like spending time with you two, also."

"Whatever we want to call it doesn't matter quite as much as 'I want to be around you,' but - I wouldn't mind 'girlfriends,' either. If... You're both okay with it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Girlfriends it is."

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy smile. "Good."

"And - if we end up trading life stories with our visitors... There's a lot I won't be comfortable telling them I don't think, but - I'd be willing to tell you two. And some of the more - private - things are... Something I could possibly use an outside perspective on."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can find some time to talk later, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay."

"Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

Smile. "That's what girlfriends do."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Gotta look out for you."

Permalink Mark Unread

She blushes, grinning. "Two very excellent girlfriends."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita bumps Anathema's hip and winks at Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs.

"I can send Lily out to give our visitors a tour, later, and keep Sharp's body for myself here," she teases. "Have a talk, finish what we started earlier..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe we should ask if they can set you up with a body of your own, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

A look of surprise passes over her face.

And then, a bit slowly: "I'm... Not sure I want to be embodied again - at least not full time, and it might be difficult, to get me a body I can just - stop having when I want to."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just thought it might be a little more convenient, that's all. And not that Anathema's face isn't very pretty, but it would nice to be able to kiss yours, too. Worst they can do is say no, even if you add as many qualifiers as you want."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alright. I'll ask over breakfast." Speaking of - they'll be done soon enough, and their visitors appear to have gotten distracted... Anakin turns her mind to them briefly, poking Sharp in the Force and getting back a vague sense of 'whoops.'

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie, her wife, and her girlfriend appear for breakfast! The solution they have come up with to the lack of seating is 'Fay kneels between Ellie and her wife and gets hand fed'.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin settles into Sharp's body for the meal - which means the truly, incredibly impressive amount of blush she has at that is even more visible than it'd normally be.

(She's also now thoroughly distracted from 'ask about embodiment' by blushing.)

(She has no idea if she wants to ask about the kneeling, Fay looks like she's having fun and Anakin's brain is Doing Things.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay is no help at all with this. She just smirks at her alt like she knows exactly what's going through her mind.

Though, naturally, her main focus is on her Mistress. And, because Fay is a well trained and polite pet - "Thank you, Mistress," she murmurs at Ellie after the first bite, leaning her head against her Mistress's thigh a bit. (She doesn't even smirk at Anakin over that. Though she's possibly thinking smirk-like thoughts.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Such a mannerly pet. Extra hairpets!

Permalink Mark Unread

Nuzzle!

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin fights down her blush enough to say: "So you're - uh."

There is probably an actual word for - that type of relationship - but Anakin does not know it and had to recruit someone else for like. All. Of 'explaining safe sex' to Lily.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fay likes being my pet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very much so." She grins up at her Mistress.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ah."

Anakin's skin appears to have run out of parts that can further blush.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Have you not previously considered the idea of such an arrangement?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not on an, uh, long-term basis."

Permalink Mark Unread

......Okay there is no non-awkward non-tragic way to answer that truthfully.

"...I have a - long time ago. When I was... Probably about your age, actually." She nods to Ellie a bit. "It's... Not anything I've discussed with my girlfriends yet." Awkward shift.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Looks like you might want to. Just saying."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There's a lot to discuss in general," she says, with a small smile at her girlfriends.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seems that way."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin.

"Oh - speaking of necessary discussions and certain pleasures - we wanted to know if you could give me my own body?" she asks Ellie. "I don't actually want to be permanently embodied, though, so I'd want something I could just leave or dissolve when I wanted, without needing to make a mess first."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Prrrobably? Should be easier than bringing your friend back, at least."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'd be good if it could be - practice for her, too," Anakin says, softly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Could be, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you," Anakin says, sincerely, and takes a few bites. "Do we want to trade stories, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Could do. Who starts?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oldest to youngest within a world makes sense - tell the background in order. Though between worlds - well, we could do oldest to youngest there, too." Small smile. "And unless you secretly age very slowly, I bet I have all of you beat for age. I'm ninety two."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, that's about double my Fay."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Figured."

"So - I was born in the waning years of the Galactic Republic, which was the biggest galactic power for about a thousand years. I was born into slavery in Hutt space, on a planet called Tatooine - outside of the Republic's influence. I - escaped, eventually, when I was about nine, and I became an apprentice Jedi. Elesse was my teacher, then, and she raised me from that point. When I was nineteen, a war broke out - the Clone Wars, the first major galactic war since the Republic's rise to dominance. I turned out to have an ability called battle meditation, which was indispensable to the war effort. It allowed me to telepathically link thousands of people at a time, spread across light years, to coordinate battle maneuvers."

"I took my Knighthood trials after the war broke out, graduating from my apprenticeship under Elesse, and became a general in the army. It was... Tough. I'm not made for war. I stayed, though, out of love for Elesse, and eventually to protect my soldiers."

"The war was being orchestrated by a Sith Lord, though - who were an order of users of the dark side of the Force. He was exceptionally powerful, and had evaded the Jedi's investigation... And he was, secretly, the elected Chancellor of the Republic, Palpatine. He accelerated a consolidation of power that had been ongoing for a bit, and he used the war to ratchet that into high gear, using crisis after crisis as an excuse."

"He turned his attention to me, and he decided he wanted my talents turned to his ends. This - wasn't something he could easily get out of me. I'm unsure to what extent everything that happened next was magical influence on my mind, or preexisting mental illness, but... I began losing time and memories, and I started having - emotional instability, odd beliefs, some things that might have been hallucinations or false visions."

"A bit three and a half years into the war, I realized I was pregnant. I didn't remember getting pregnant."

"Things - escalated quickly, after that. I didn't have anyone to turn to - Elesse and I had been speaking increasingly less since my knighting - and I wasn't doing well mentally. Palpatine timed the Jedi High Council learning that he was the Sith Lord basically perfectly, and they tried to arrest him, and he killed them, and he used that as an excuse to have the Jedi purged, declaring them traitors who had attempted a coup."

"The war ended in the Republic's favor, nominally - and Palpatine convinced the Senate to dissolve the Republic, naming him Emperor."

"I - tried to untangle myself. I gave birth, sent my children into hiding, and ripped the knowledge they'd survived from my mind. I went and found Elesse, then, but - we argued, and one of us - I don't remember which - drew a weapon, and - she died in the fight."

Pause. Deep breath.

"I killed her, and then I tried to kill myself, but Palpatine stopped me. He reforged me into his right hand, Darth Vader, a role I filled for the next twenty three years, until my son Luke convinced me to turn on Palpatine. I killed him, and died of my wounds from that fight."

"His Empire collapsed, after, and the rebellion against him organized into the New Republic. My daughter, Leia, was a major figure in that, and she's currently their leader - though she somewhat hates me, so that's unlikely to be of much use to us."

"The imperial remnants had a period of intense chaos, eventually emerging into the modern Empire about two and a half decades ago."

"I wandered as a ghost. And - fourteen years ago, I found Lily as a toddler. She'd been abandoned and was nearly dead. I raised her away from - all this, until she found Ellaita stranded in the desert four years ago, which ultimately brought us back onto the galactic stage."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita puts a gentle arm around Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans into Ellaita, snuggling.

Permalink Mark Unread

Wow what the FUCK is possibly worse than all that such that Anakin's comfortable saying these things but has Further Private Things to tell just her girlfriends.

That is probably not a productive line of thought.

Anathema moves her chair so she can join the cuddle line on the other side.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin smiles a little, though not very happily. "I think next is - mostly Ellaita and Anathema's story. I wasn't present for most."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not... quite as exciting, fortunately. After the collapse of the old Empire, a lot of the regional governors scrambled to reorganize into their own petty kingdoms, to keep their holdings away from the New Republic. I was part of a resistance movement against one such, as a fighter pilot. The Reps sent us some aid secretly, including Anakin's granddaughter Jaina. But she was only there because Anakin's grandson, Jacen, was on the other side. She figured out that he was looking for Anakin, and sent me to find her first. I tracked the rumors to a planet called Jakku. That was where the Imperial wannabes caught up. They captured me, and I was taken to be interrogated by Jacen. That's when I met Anathema."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema takes over, then. 

"Jacen's wanna-be Empire were calling themselves the First Order. A lot of the imperial satellites have been experimenting with cloning soldiers - that got used during Anakin's Clone War but there'd been issues with it. The First Order used multiple clone lines, and I'm part of one - so's Sharp. We'd decided to defect, and when Ellaita got captured we figured that was a good ticket to someone to defect to. So I rescued her."

"We talked some, but we got shot down over Jakku. I couldn't find Ellaita after the crash, so I took my girls and the information Ellaita'd had to her resistance group."

Glance at Ellaita and Anakin. "Turned out Lily had found and rescued Ellaita. Them and Anakin left Jakku, started making their way back to the resistance, but the First Order caught up. Jacen captured Anakin using some weird artifact. We'd known he was moving on something, so I led a strike force and rescued Lily and Ellaita from him. Ellaita and I started dating a bit later, while we were following leads on rescuing Anakin."

"Which we did, getting her out of the ghost trap thing - and then she proceeded to terrify the shit out of Jacen by disintegrating the mountain his base was in, destroying all his mens' arms and armor, and then recreating the mountain with the rock they'd cleared when digging under it back in, like the First Order had never been there. She dumped him and whatever of his men didn't want to defect with enough supplies to last until someone came looking for them, didn't harm a hair on anyone's head. Or even any of the plants or animals that had been living on the mountain, far as we could tell."

"Jacen was very, very intimidated, and we started working on peace treaties really soon after. That was four years ago. We've kept Anakin's past a secret successfully, so far, but there's a lot of tension still."

Shrug. "And a couple days ago me and Ellaita decided to seduce Anakin, figured out how to get her to possess someone. Last night was our first time together as girlfriends."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So, there you have it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A lot's gone on, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah." She glances at her wife. "Though our world's had a lot of crap, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Nothing galaxy-shaking, but people can still be awful to other people."

Permalink Mark Unread

Serious nod.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay hums. "We had a war, too," she says, "That broke out a bit after I turned twenty - I was a teacher's assistant at our country's main school of magic, Hogwarts, at the time. A man calling himself Voldemort started a terror campaign. It lasted about a decade, during which I made a name for myself opposing him, before Voldemort received a prophecy that a certain child would be his downfall."

"That child was Ellie. Voldemort started targeting her, and her family went into hiding, until Voldemort caught up to them. Ellie's mother, Lily, set a trap for him, sacrificing her life to destroy his body and dramatically delay his ability to take physical form again - something he'd already had."

"Voldemort's forces crumpled after that. I'd become a full professor over the course of the war, a position I continued with. Things - were more or less peaceful for a while, after."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Voldemort's first defeat was when me and Ellie were one," Anathema picks up. "My mom was his right hand, Bellatrix, and Voldemort was my father. My mom was arrested after Voldemort got beat, and I went to live with her husband's sister - her husband was a different person from Voldemort. My aunt was a huge asshole and I hated her and eventually I managed to run away, in time to go to Hogwarts at eleven. I was pretending to be a muggleborn - someone with parents who aren't magic - though I wasn't super good at that."

"School was... Weird, I guess? I met Ellie on the train. I liked learning, hated some of our teachers, loved others - Professor Fay was the best." She smiles down at her and Ellie's pet. "It turned out Voldemort was possessing our history professor, and he possessed me and tried to kill Ellie - that failed, which was when we learned Ellie's mom had put a magic protection on her."

"...Honestly most years had weird stuff happen. In second year, one of our... Not quite friends... Was possessed by one of Voldemort's horcruxes - an item he'd put a shard of his soul into to anchor himself to the mortal world. She set a basilisk, a giant deadly snake, on the school, though I managed to take control of the snake by declaring myself the true heir of the person who'd made her - Slytherin, who was Voldemort's ancestor. We destroyed the horcrux and rescued our friend. And then in third year, Ellie's godfather Sirius escaped prison - he'd been wrongfully imprisoned because people thought he had sold out Ellie's family to Voldemort - and then my mom escaped prison. We faked Sirius's death and got him settled in - he could take the shape of a dog, so he kinda just went to live at Fay's house as a dog. My mom - was harder, she was kinda skittish, and really - had been hit hard by the prison's guards, Dementors, who steal happy memories and eat souls. The Dementors were chasing her, and during a meeting with her to try to talk her into coming with us or something, a bunch of Dementors attacked, and she led them off so me and Ellie could escape. We thought she'd - worse than died."

"She hadn't, but we didn't find that out for another year - in fourth year, there was a big tournament between schools, with students competing in different tasks. Someone slipped Ellie in even though she wasn't at the minimum age requirement, and forced her into the tournament with a magically binding contract. That someone was Voldemort."

"Fourth year was when me and Ellie started dating - there was a big dance in the middle of the year, and I'd been thinking of asking Ellie, then another school's champion asked her to it, and I got jealous and so... In classic teenager fashion, decided to make Ellie jealous back, and asked out the third school's champion, Elodie."

" - I would like to note that that worked and it got me Elodie as a friend, even if it was unnecessarily dramatic in the meantime."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It was unnecessarily dramatic for about fifteen minutes. The champions only had to do the opening dance together. So Krum and I did the first dance and then went to go sit and I expected Anathema to come over and sit with me, but she didn't, she kept dancing with Elodie. Who is, by the way, unfairly pretty for magical heritage reasons. I got a little bit angry and realized that I was getting angry because I wanted to be dancing with Anathema like that. So I went over and Elodie was very mature about the whole thing and graciously handed Anathema off. So we danced and then we went out to the garden and kissed."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's adorable."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. "We are. And I'm pretty sure Fay spent the entire drama somewhere between amused and vaguely exasperated - though she has no room to judge about melodrama. I had to lock her and Ellie in a closet to get them to kiss."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A literal closet. It was a bit embarrassing."

Permalink Mark Unread

"They forced my hand. The pining was painful to watch."

Permalink Mark Unread

"But that was later, obviously. Going back to the tournament, at the end of it, Voldemort had enchanted the prize cup to teleport me away to a secret location where he could do a ritual that would nullify my mom's protection. And then kill me. It only mostly worked before I managed to get away. Bellatrix was there too, helping him. Voldemort had gotten to her while she was on the run and put her under some kind of magic mind control."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. It - really sucked. Ellie did successfully get the Resurrection Stone from that - Voldemort had been using it in the ritual, and she stole it while escaping."

"We managed to rescue mom near the end of next year - fifth year was... Mostly just bullshit. The Ministry didn't want to acknowledge Voldemort was back, and they forced the school to accept a government appointed history teacher who could recite the official lines."

"Me and Ellie did get married, though, and we started helping build up some of the anti-Voldemort stuff that year and next. Sixth year... Sucked again. Voldemort was really escalating. We figured out he had a bunch of horcruxes and started destroying those, and..."

"At the end of the year Fay learned from the school's headmaster that Voldemort had accidentally made Ellie into a horcrux, and the headmaster thought she'd need to die to kill Voldemort." Deep frown.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay turns to lean reassuringly against Anathema. "I killed him," she says, voice flat.

"That - did several things. It complicated the fight against Voldemort, of course, but - there's a set of three artifacts in our world called the Deathly Hallows. We'd used the Resurrection Stone to talk briefly to Lily, and she was convinced Ellie needed mastery of all three - she couldn't tell us everything, but it later became obvious she meant in order to safely destroy the horcrux in Ellie."

"Ellie had two. The Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility which she inherited from her father."

"The headmaster had the third, the Elder Wand. It transfers ownership only on the total and sincere defeat of its current wielder. After killing the headmaster, I was its new master, and - Ellie wasn't willing to hurt me to gain the wand."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Voldemort took over the Ministry. The resistance movement gathered in the school, which had old, strong wards. Voldemort laid siege."

"We got, um, a little desperate."

"Fay knew I needed the wand, but we couldn't figure out how to get it to me. She swore herself to me in a magically binding way. Then was going to-"

"I stopped her. Took the wand and the stone and the cloak and went to face Voldemort. He killed me. But not all the way. I was sent to the border of the land of the dead and talked with my mom. She... explained a bit about things, how him killing me had killed the horcrux and I could choose to stay or go back. I went back. Turned into a dragon and bit Voldemort in half."

Permalink Mark Unread

Time to lean comfortingly against Ellie. "It... Sucked."

"But we started rebuilding. And after that, Anathema got us to confess to each other. I - didn't want to be theirs while I was their professor, so they quit school, I quit my job, and... We've been exploring, since."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin frowns. And, softly - "Can I hug you two?" 

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

She mostly ends up hugging Fay, but - hug for Ellie, too, and Ellie's Anathema when the girl inevitably wants one too. 

"Thank you," she says, returning to her seat and her girlfriends a bit awkwardly.

"Seems - unpleasant drama is a bit of a consistent thing across universes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Unfortunately."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Things are better now, though?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mostly, yeah." She pets Fay's hair.

Permalink Mark Unread

She snuggles her Mistress. "Being Ellie's and Anathema's makes up for a lot of prior bullshit."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yep."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema strokes Fay's hair, too.

"I'm glad we decided to go wandering, though. You guys - and this world - are really cool."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, thanks."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin. "And very attractive, can't forget that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, that seems like it should be taken as a given, looking at all of us here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And given our invariably good taste."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe sometime we could see if you're as good at kissing as I am," Anathema Jedi says. "Got to make sure the reputation of the Anathema name is preserved, after all."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "That'd be up to my wife."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Only if I get to watch."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My girlfriend is quite practiced at putting on a show."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And Fay and Anakin could have their own competition - or teaching session - once we get Anakin a satisfactory body."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin blushes and giggles. "That might need to wait on talking some things over with my girlfriends."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin smiles. "After breakfast - do you mind going ahead and trying to give me a body?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure. We'll need some, uh, raw material to work with, probably."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My girls have a mostly experimental cloning facility on planet," Anathema says. "Grows empty bodies only, though they look like me by default. We've got some already grown, actually..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That should work pretty well. We can transfigure one to look more like your default form."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thanks," Anakin says. "We can head there after breakfast, then meet up with Lily, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Works on our end."

Permalink Mark Unread

To finish eating, then! Anathema chatters a bit about the area around them while they eat, then - getting ready to go out (and updating Lily about where they're going) is quick enough. Sharp needs her body back, so - probably they should have Fay and Anakin claim to be identical twins or something? In case anyone questions the doubled faces... And it's not like anyone knows much about the scarce backstory 'Professor Vendar' has built for herself.

 

Permalink Mark Unread

That works for Fay.

Permalink Mark Unread

And for Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

So - on to the cloning facility, which is in pretty easy travel distance (Anakin and Lily's apartment complex and some other pockets in the neighborhood is by this point mostly inhabited by clones, and they've made a point of clustering assorted buildings or businesses owned by the collective nearby). There are indeed adult bodies ready, none of them apparently properly 'alive' in a sense relevant to the Master of Death regardless of cellular activity. 

Only one of the bodies is probably suitable, though, the others are being used to test medications or medical implants right now and/ or have been messed with by Anathema before when attempting memory transfers...

Permalink Mark Unread

At least they don't have to choose.

It'll be easiest to transfigure the body first, Ellie thinks.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay quite agrees; she'll do the honors - a familiarity with her own body from learning the Animagus will help, here.

And so, after secluding themselves a bit... Fay begins transfiguring the body, carefully, checking Anakin's appearance several times, conferring with her about this or that trait in low tones, any scars she wants copied... She takes special care with the irises for the eyes, and assorted other tiny but noticeable details. "And I can tweak some things afterwards," she says, "Like hearing and visual acuity..."

And then - quite quickly, actually, given the level of detail she's using - the body is ready.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie spends the time preparing the spell she's going to cast. When the body's ready, she gets the Elder Wand out.

"So this will be temporary, but in the sense that I'll be able to break the connection. Or the body dies, I guess. Until then, you'll be attached to it."

Permalink Mark Unread

She pauses. "If I can't break the connection myself without stopping the body's heart - or if I can't stop being embodied while remaining connected - then we should just treat this as a test run to prove connections are possible at all, and, once I've confirmed the connection works, you'll need to break the connection."

" - To be clear, the alternative to that is I stop the body's heart, not that I remain embodied, and if you're not certain you can break the connection while leaving me the sort of ghost I am, we shouldn't try this."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Breaking the connection would be the easy part. Doing that in an... at-will reversible fashion is more difficult. I have a couple ideas for that, but I want to get those to at least the proof-of-concept stage before testing with you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you can set it up so I can break the connection myself, I'd probably be willing to be embodied even when you weren't in the room to break the connection if needed? Though that might get awkward with the body..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, the leaving-a-random-body-lying-around is what I want to fix. In a way that doesn't mean you need a new one each time you want to switch."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Even with a maximally convenient set up, I think most days I wouldn't want to be embodied more than - two hours or so? And ideally not all at a stretch. Which might also be inconvenient for the body's durability - it'll probably need to be on life support when not being inhabited, if nothing else."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Depending how it gets stored, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Realistically with a set up like that, I'd just keep possessing our Anathema's clones - the only downside to me is inconvenience of finding someone to possess, and it has what I suspect will be a benefit of not feeling like it's my body, though my girlfriends will likely sometimes want me to look like myself..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll need more than, like, an hour to figure it out, but I'll keep that in mind."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "I don't think it's worth stressing about much - depends on how much my girlfriends prioritize it, honestly? Only reason I can see wanting to be embodied is when they feel like having me embodied, and if they don't care about my face at the time, doesn't seem worth more than... Maybe a day or two of effort to get to zero inconvenience version of embodiment?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh no, it's far too late for that. You've dangled this problem in front of me and now I have to solve it."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "Not sure if I should apologize for that or say 'you're welcome for the interesting puzzle.'"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Definitely the latter."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, you're welcome, then," she says, a bit dryly. "What would you need from me to help with this?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"For the spell, pretty much just stand there. And then if you can make some sort of signal when you've connected, I can cut you out again."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Alright."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Here we go, then."

Ellie makes a complicated gesture while muttering an incantation, pointing first at Anakin, then at the body.

And Anakin gets sucked in.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's... A bit unpleasant on the first wash, and she'd be panicked if she hadn't braced herself - she's still not happy -

Deep breath, close her eyes, check quickly that she feels attached correctly, it feels like her actual body in the Force which is doubly unpleasant -

"Worked," she says, a bit tightly. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie makes a slashing motion, and the bond severs.

Permalink Mark Unread

And she's back to normal. A few moments to orient and center herself, then: "I didn't feel any problems."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Think we can call this a preliminary success, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Your magic's very impressive."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I haven't even turned into a dragon yet, just wait."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay, I wanna see that," Anathema Jedi says with a grin.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll need a pretty big space."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Possibly somewhere away from any cameras. Though this planet isn't fully settled; there's some very nice wilderness."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Wilderness is good."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can find a time you feel like heading out of the city, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Whenever's good for you guys, pretty much."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm a professor, so we'd have to schedule around my classes and office hours... Still, I have plenty of free time most days - maybe in... Five days, that afternoon, for a proper trip out rather than just something quick." Then, to her girlfriends - "If I'm remembering right that that works with your schedules?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Should be fine, I think."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Same for me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alright."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Then it's a date."

Permalink Mark Unread

Laugh. "I suppose it is."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll need somewhere to stay until then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum. "My bedroom's usually open, but... That could get crowded..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, hold on," Anathema Jedi says, before her gaze goes distant. Then: "There's four of my girls in an apartment down the hall from Anakin who're off planet for a bit, they don't mind letting friends of mine use the place."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Suppose that works."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Gives us time to look for something else if you guys end up hanging around a while, at least."

Permalink Mark Unread

Nod.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin smiles. "It's getting close to when we were going to meet up with Lily," she notes, then. "She can give you three a bit more of a tour of the area, if you'd like."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That'd be good. We've only scratched the surface so far."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alright. I'll let her know we're ready." And then back to the apartment to meet up? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Back to the apartment.

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily - a teenager, though a pretty short one, probably right near Ellie and Anathema Potter-Canta's ages - heads up not long after.

"Hey!" she calls. "Heard we had visitors!"

(Her face is definitely familiar, her voice slightly less so - she has a different accent - but... Yeah. Spooky level of coincidence.)

Permalink Mark Unread

That is incredibly bizarre.

Permalink Mark Unread

She squints at Ellie's group. "Weird," she announces, eyeing Fay especially. Then she shrugs. "So, mom said you guys wanted a tour of the neighborhood?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Uh, yeah, that'd be good. Um. How- much did she tell you?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alternate universe, lots of cool magic that isn't the Force, death-related powers - you can attach mom to a body and think you can give her one that's good and convenient for her, and you're going to work on resurrecting Grandmaster Elesse. You guys are part of the same Force signature patterns as mom and Ellaita - and there's a lot more coincidences and similarities across universe than we'd noticed in-universe, at least with mom's pattern. You've got a mom named Lily and this is another weird coincidence. You and Fay and your world's Anathema are dating and are doing, like, some kind of subby thing - though mom wasn't specific what and wasn't actually specific about that, I just guessed, but she knows basically nothing about sex stuff, so, not surprised there."

"Also Fay used to be a professor, you guys develop new spells sometimes, and I am going to totally pick your brains about alternate universe powers, just to warn you. If your thing isn't actually the Force, but you have recognizable non-Force-related physics, that has so many weird implications about how universes are put together... Also if you can get me to your universe I bet I could run really cool comparative physics experiments, but it sounded like transporting people other than yourselves might be an issue."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That pretty much sums it up, yep."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Cool."

"I can explain stuff like our currency and the HoloNet, too, since you guys are basically from a pre-contact planet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That'd be helpful. Not sure how long we're staying yet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay."

She says hello to Anakin and her girlfriends, then - out into the city?

Permalink Mark Unread

It's a brave new world.

Permalink Mark Unread

And that leaves Anakin and her girlfriends with their apartment to themselves. She settles on the couch, smiling a bit tiredly. "Privacy at last," she says, wryly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Certainly on the more-exciting side, as mornings after go."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs a little. "We'll have some quiet ones, too, with any luck."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mm, I hope so."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Morning cuddles are a major perk of bodies."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Makes up for mornings being necessary at all."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee. "I'm very likely to end up spending the nights disembodied, honestly. Skip sleep entirely."

Permalink Mark Unread

She sticks her tongue out at Anakin. "Cheater."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Guilty as charged. Though you would too, if you could."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Obviously."

Permalink Mark Unread

Fond grin. "A sign of your great wisdom."

Permalink Mark Unread

Smirk.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema giggles and kisses Ellaita. 

"Ellaita gets to have all the wisdom for both of us," she teases.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin. 

"Oh, we were going to talk about certain other excellent things, weren't we? Like if seeing Fay kneeling made you all jealous..."

Permalink Mark Unread

She snorts. "That might've been on the agenda, yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That is both an excellent and intriguing topic."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs, with only a light blush. "It's - sadly a bit tangled up in my head, for me, with - some of the unpleasant things from my past."

"Though just hearing any ideas you might have I think - wouldn't be, if my tragic backstory would ruin the mood right now." Her smile's gentle.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita hums.

"You kneeling during a meal is nice... But I think I'd have you feed us rather than the other way around. Put that precision of yours to good use."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Cook our meals, do all the cleaning, wait on us hand and foot... Maybe like - what was that holo drama, with the pretty girls in skimpy dresses with those huge paper fans..."

Permalink Mark Unread

She ducks her head a bit. "That'd be - nice."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll definitely have to get you the uniform."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well... Only while I'm embodied, really."

And, smiling somewhat shyly - the clothes she's projecting herself as wearing shift to said skimpy dress.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita makes a very interested noise and wraps both arms around Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

"A bit 'look but don't touch' for now,'" she says with a little laugh, "And I wouldn't want to distract too much from any productive talks, of course..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmm, define 'too much'."

Permalink Mark Unread

Blush!

"Well... There is an awful lot of city to show our guests... And there's really nothing stopping me from serving the two of you while you brainstorm what to do with me..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh that is a wonderful look on her girlfriend. Anakin is possibly smitten. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema snuggles Ellaita, smirking. "Do you need instructions?" 

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd like to think I can anticipate my girlfriends' needs," she says, still a little shy. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, bonus service, there."

Permalink Mark Unread

Blush!!!

And, first... She bows to her girlfriends, and in the kitchen, two pitchers floats out of the fridge, glasses descend from the cabinets - some of the drink crystallizes into ice as it pours, until it's perfectly chilled. A plate of fruit assembles, pieces neatly cut in mid air...

And then Anakin smirks and floats some spare linens out of the closet, only to very showily disintegrate and then reform them into quite luxurious giant cloth fans. One per girlfriend, of course. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita laughs.

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle!

"I believe we were having a discussion," she says, smiling, as she moves the refreshments before her girlfriends.

Permalink Mark Unread

"So we were." Ellaita snags one of the glasses out of the air and takes a sip.

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin. "What you two want to do with me, my opinion on being yours and different ways I could be yours..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum.

"Fay seemed more like a pet than a servant. I'm not sure that would best play to your strengths..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I do think servant fits me a bit better," she murmurs, ducking her head a little. "I like being useful."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll run with that, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Adoring grin.

"Some of the - more depressing things about my past do... Involve themselves with this pretty heavily," she says, a little slowly. "I'd - like to talk about those, here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'd rather know than not, if you're comfortable sharing. It would be- bad, if we stepped on something accidentally."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "I feel the same in the other direction," she says, softly. "I want to know if I'm ever making you uncomfortable, or - anything."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Communication is important."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is."

"So... I mentioned earlier that I was born into slavery." Quiet, thoughtful pause. "I was made intentionally," she says, "By a dark sider, at the time an apprentice Sith working behind his master's back. He paid a Hutt, Gardulla, for use of one of her slaves, and then - to raise me, selling me to him as a guaranteed buyer, though Gardulla believed there would be no retaliation if I ended up more valuable to someone else. And... Force sensitive slaves are very, very valuable."

Pause. Deep breath. 

"She made use of me. Whatever she could think of, to exploit my powers, to raise my profile - so my market value would increase. I was remarkably talented at hiding myself, so she had me kill or sabotage her rivals. I had quick reflexes and a useful amount of precognition - she mostly put me to pod racing with that. She didn't trust me as her guard. She knew I loathed her."

"She - figured out enough of the dark side to encourage me in it, to train me. Hatred, fear, pain, anger, are - the classic dark emotions, and the easiest to instill."

"Keeping me from killing her overlapped with that. She - encouraged me to make friends. To develop attachments, and then she used them as hostages against me. If I defied her - she wouldn't lay a hand on me. She'd just hurt the people I loved."

She closes her eyes, centers herself. 

This is, actually, much easier without a body, without physiological reactions clouding her mind. 

(It's something she grapples with a lot, why the next part hurts more, why her childhood under Gardulla feels like a plain, simple fact. About as much emotional valence as a clinical report. And the next part feels... Not raw, not like an open wound, but like an ancient break that healed a bit incorrectly.)

"When I was nine," she says, evenly, voice tight, "We were doing business in another Hutt's holdings. Gardulla liked it when I screwed with the others, as long as I didn't get caught in a way that would damage her negotiating position, so - I tended to free everyone else's slaves when I got the chance. I sometimes let her convince me it was a kindness she was giving me."

"That other Hutt had captured a Jedi. I freed her. She offered to take me with her, and I refused. I told her about Gardulla's hostages. So, she left, taking the other slaves I'd gotten free to safety."

"She came back for me."

"She freed everyone I cared about, and then me, and - she offered me a place with the Jedi, as her padawan. To - learn a different path than the one I'd been forced down."

"I accepted."

She opens her eyes, not meeting either girlfriend's gaze. "She was Elesse," Anakin says, very quietly. "I already liked her a lot, and felt - very grateful. Like I owed her, somewhat, and she'd - impressed me. I wanted to help her, and be like her, and make her happy - "

"It... Wouldn't have been hard, to slot her into my head as a - Gardulla I actually liked. She - did her best not to let that settle."

"But... The Jedi very, very strongly disapproved of attachment. They believed it would lead you into the dark, inevitably, because it would always lead to pain. I - couldn't argue with that, and I was tired of being hurt, of having my loved ones used against me."

"I never saw - anyone Gardulla had taken hostage ever again. Not my mother, or my friends, or - anyone who'd helped guide me. Elesse let me see proof they'd been settled somewhere nice, at least, with a good refugee program."

"I was a weird child, traumatized, told attachments would harm me - Elesse and I kept on the move a lot, too, rather than spending all our time in the Jedi Temple, because I knew enough about my father to alarm their Council, so we - followed leads on him."

"I ended up with no friends other than Elesse. No one I trusted, or even knew how to talk to. Very few people I felt anything even vaguely positive for."

"This... Would have been extremely harmful on its own."

Very quietly: "I developed romantic and sexual feelings for Elesse, as I hit puberty. I... Was submissive, and it's actually very reassuring that Fay is too - a large chunk of my thoughts about loving her that way were - I wanted to be her slave. I couldn't reconcile that in my mind, with anything about my life or identity."

"And... On top of that, there were - a thousand small things she did, sometimes, that hurt me... And deep traumas, violent urges - things I needed to unroot, but that I couldn't without extreme vulnerability to someone I trusted, to get their help - detangling the mess in my head."

"And I had no one to talk to but her, and some things were - too terrifying to bring up to the one person who cared about me anymore. Anything that I feared would turn her away. Anything that - would insult her, or give her ways to harm me. I never believed, consciously, that she ever would try to harm me - but I acted like it was an ever present threat. Anything - very personal, especially my feelings about her."

"We... Could have untangled that, maybe, but - the Clone Wars started, and I turned out to be indispensible to the war effort, and Elesse encouraged me to take my Knight Trials, meaning I was no longer her padawan... And then she accepted a place on the Jedi Council."

Pain flicks across her face. "I barely saw her after that. Some, at first, but she was always busy when I was free. Distracted, even when she could be present. It got worse over time, and - by her death, I think I'd seen her once in passing over the year before, though there might've been - other incidents during my blackouts. I don't know."

"I - knew something was wrong with the blackouts. With Palpatine, too."

"And I had no one to turn to, or to talk about it. I liked many of my soldiers, but - I didn't trust them."

"When - I learned Palpatine was my father, and the Sith Lord, I forced myself to go to the Jedi Council with that information. They decided to arrest him and died in the attempt - I was just glad Elesse had been off planet."

Long pause. 

"And then - the fight I spoke about earlier. After her death... Palpatine wore me down. Convinced me even that much attachment was utterly useless. Harmful. I was - more complicit than I'd like, in being reshaped into Vader. That was - another long harm. At the end, Luke convinced me to be attached again, so I killed Palpatine to protect him."

"...It's technically true that my injuries from that contributed to my death, but I could have survived. I refused medical care, and turned off the life support that had been built into the suit, so I could die. I - fully endorse having done that."

"Those final years with the Jedi and then my years as Vader are - a very large part of why I dislike being embodied more than briefly. I don't like dealing with - the body's response to emotion."

"I've healed, since, by and large. Being dead was - very good for me. Time's dulled things. Not having a body makes my emotions much easier to handle. I grew closer to Luke, made friends with odd desert hermits... Found Lily."

Small smile. "And I found you two."

Permalink Mark Unread


"I want to hug you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Body share. Now."

Pause. "Unless you don't want to. But - I want to hug you, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hesitates... Then makes sure everything she'd been floating is set down, and flows into Anathema. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema gives way very easily, but stays present. A protective, loving glow in Anakin's mind, and a filter between Anakin and anything about the body hooked into emotional response. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin settles into Anathema's body, and -

Oh.

This is... Really nice. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Many hugs.

Permalink Mark Unread

All the hugs!

She - connects just enough to the body's emotions to feel the rush of contentment and relief from skin contact, for enough tears to feel that - sort of emotional cleansing (Anathema is very sure this will help; Anakin doesn't remember having ever cried before, but - it is weirdly relaxing), without immersing herself in the emotional storm.

Permalink Mark Unread

There, there. Pat pat.

Permalink Mark Unread

Snuggles. 

"I love you two," Anakin says, voice quiet. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Gentle kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

"So much, you're both so wonderful..." A wave of love washes over her from Anathema, making Anakin wiggle.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're a pretty good girl yourself. I'm glad we met."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin's still crying because bodies are dumb but the warm glow is nice. 

"Thank you," she whispers, burying her face in Ellaita's shoulder. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Pet pet.

"We're girlfriends now. I have to support you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're good at it."

Nuzzle. "Very good for me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good."

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy hum. The tears are mostly drying. "I really like being yours." Soft kiss.

"We... Should possibly talk about Elesse and... Everything around and after bringing her back, though that can be later... Still, there's a lot there I need help just - thinking through."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Whenever you're ready."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think I am now?" Wry smile. "We're already in cuddling mode."

Permalink Mark Unread

"True. If Anathema's okay?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Wash of love and emotional cuddles to both Anakin and Ellaita (more strongly to Anakin), and a telepathic, "Yes! Also this is actually really cozy."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin giggles. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

"I do still love Elesse, for one," she says. "Though it's been long enough there'd be - a lot of adjustment. And probably some very painful conversations. But... I don't actually know what relationship want, independent of any of her desires there."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...You're a lot older than she is, at this point. Than she will be. Was. Whatever the tense is."

Permalink Mark Unread

Lean. "Yeah. I was - twenty three, so she was... About thirty nine when she died. It's been sixty nine years, so she's fifty three years younger than me..."

Then, mischievously: "Though I would like to point out that she'd be fourteen years older than you, and, given accelerated growth for clones..." She pokes Anathema for a birth date, "Twenty five years older than Anathema."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, but you've always been older than us. That's different."

Permalink Mark Unread

Snicker. "It would be an adjustment, though, that's true. I... Probably wouldn't actually like it if she tries to be my teacher again. There's things I need to learn, but... Not from an instructor."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You didn't actually get to interact much as peers. So you should prepare to put those boundaries down, if you need to."

Permalink Mark Unread

Serious nod. "I will, and I'll keep an eye on any backsliding on my part."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good." Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! For a good little bit.

"I don't know if - even with 'peers', if I'd want to date her? Not right away regardless, and I'll be fine with just friends, but... As a someday, and I think it'll be - helpful, to know if any romantic feelings are current..."

Small sigh. "Though, honestly, that's probably not something I can fully evaluate - ex nihilo. It's been seventy years. There's - a lot I don't remember, if nothing else."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mm. I feel... weird, about you dating someone I'm not."

Permalink Mark Unread

There's a small wash of agreement from Anathema - not quite all the way to 'mutual dating,' but she definitely wants to be friends with any metamours.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin nuzzles Ellaita. "Okay. We'll see how we all feel, I suppose, and mostly try to aim for friendship otherwise?" Pause, and then small shrug, "Assuming she still wants anything to do with me, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If she gives you any grief, we'll beat her up. That's the other thing girlfriends are for."

Permalink Mark Unread

Very firm and very strong agreement from Anathema, there.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin surprises herself by giggling. "Please remember that I'm a pacifist, darlings," she says, kissing Ellaita. "And she does have every right to leave."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Doesn't have to make you sad about it, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

Gentle kiss. "A little bit of sadness is okay - any parting would be sad. But I'd be angry if someone... Unnecessarily hurt either of you, too." Small smirk. "Though I wouldn't beat them up about it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We all cope in different ways."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs and kisses her girlfriend. "How about we try to avoid that becoming relevant instead."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That sounds like something I should have said. Very wise."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I do have a sixty seven year advantage on you, darling. I'm bound to find a pearl of wisdom you haven't here or there."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose I'll allow it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heee. Kiss! "Exceptionally magnanimous of you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just another way I am among the best."

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle. "The list is getting quite long."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I hope your memory is up to the task, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, should I list some to test that?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Go on."

Permalink Mark Unread

Well... Starting with beautiful, working through to smart and wise, down the list to funny, past protective, understanding... Very good teacher... Good taste in women, sensible... An excellent pilot, daring, quick on the uptake... Devoted, trustworthy... Determined, doesn't let obstacles stand in her path... Good with Lily, which is a very important trait...

It is, indeed, a very long list.

Permalink Mark Unread

And Ellaita enjoys every minute of the recitation.

Permalink Mark Unread

She rewards herself for finishing by kissing her girlfriend. "Love you - something to add, you're exceptionally pretty when you're being smug."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll have to be smug as often as possible, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll see what I can do to help."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle kiss!!!

It takes Anakin a little while to remember they were having a discussion about things other than Ellaita's many excellent qualities (Anathema's background and telepathic flirting is definitely helping keep her focused on their girlfriend). Then - "I guess main other planning thing with Elesse is... Sort of just - what to say when Ellie manages to resurrect her, what to do..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"She's... probably going to be wanting to resolve that argument you had? And, like, what happened to you afterward..."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums, quietly snuggling Ellaita for a bit. 

"...I don't remember what we argued about, actually. And - I don't think the memories are just suppressed, at least not in a way where I could ever get them back."

"There's a really large variety of things that could've caused amnesia there, though - I'm missing a lot of memories from around then, and I wasn't exactly in a state of mind that lends itself to forming new memories..." She scrunches up her nose. "Another really annoying thing about physical bodies. My memory as a ghost is perfect, no matter what's going on."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe she'll know more, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe."

Snuggle. "I think I also want to resurrect her somewhere - nice, or peaceful. Somewhere good to meditate, if she needs to."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Might be helpful for her. Somewhere she can be left alone, if she wants."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. And - somewhere she won't have to depend on us for stuff. Could leave her with a small ship..." Hum. "There's some decent places on this planet... There's Takodana, and Maz was an old friend of hers... There's some miscellaneous old ruins Luke's found, some of which are still pretty strong with the light side, even if they're not exactly close to any grocery stores. Though anywhere farther away will be more inconvenient for everyone who can't teleport."

Permalink Mark Unread

"She could take that as a plus."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums, nodding slowly. "I think... If Maz is up for it, near her might be best? Of options that have occurred to me so far. Maz would also be someone who has context on history and knows me, but isn't really associated with us. A friendly neutral party."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small kiss. "I think that's - about it. Other than who to bring along, I guess, and helping Ellie with whatever experiments she needs to do - we should see if she'll need an empty body for Elesse - and also actually contacting Maz." She smiles a little. "Lily will pout if she can't at least come say hi to Maz, though... While she's better at disguising her Force signature nowadays, it'd probably be a little bit alarming if Elesse picks up on it unprepared."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Especially if Elesse was around right through the end."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah." Unhappy sigh. "I'll tell her to stay here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"She'll meet Elesse eventually. And can visit Maz whenever."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah." Nuzzle. "It'll be a good exercise in patience for her, if nothing else," she says wryly.

Permalink Mark Unread

Poke. "Always the professor."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. "Everything's a learning opportunity if you squint enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita laughs.

Permalink Mark Unread

That is a lovely laugh she should definitely kiss her girlfriend about.

"Thank you," she says, then, "Both of you - this's been helpful."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Helping my girlfriend is always a pleasure."

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmm, definitely another kiss. "Some of this also got me thinking... I might want to eventually find a therapist or something? Just - someone I can talk things out with, who definitely won't get tangled up in my emotions." Nuzzle. "Talking to you guys is great, though... I dunno, it might be nice to - have you guys for talks I want to get hugs and more personal advice about, and a therapist to be someone uninvolved."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you want to, then you should."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I do, yeah." Small smile. "Only problem is finding someone I get along with and who effectively has security clearance."

Permalink Mark Unread

There's a friendly hum across their minds from Anathema. "Some of the clones are trained as therapists," she sends them, along with a warm glow in Anakin's chest like being hugged. "The one I know best, Myriad Psych, she's really warm and understanding. She also does telepathic stuff - though I have to facilitate those, normally, so while you wouldn't need me present some stuff might leak later from her to me... Other option is Singularity Psych. He's one of the us's who decided to be a boy, so he doesn't even look too much like me. Really reserved and nonjudgemental, kinda just calm? Also doesn't have an opinion on you already, I don't think..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You guys have the best names," Anakin directs back (such that Ellaita can also hear). "I'll make an initial appointment with both, I guess. See if I like either."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema somehow manages to project the sensation of friendly wiggles.

Permalink Mark Unread

Hug. "Sounds like a plan."

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft kiss. "Hm, we were doing something before we got distracted by all this, weren't we?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"We've switched topics at least twice, I think."

Permalink Mark Unread

"At least... Though I do think the first topic was something about, hm, perhaps food or something..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And how you were going to serve it to us, yes. I recall now."

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle. "Does seem polite to give Anathema her body back, first."

Permalink Mark Unread

"She ought to get to enjoy it too."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin laughs, kisses her girlfriend...

Permalink Mark Unread

And slips out of Anathema's body. "Of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmm, double girlfriend kisses.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema barely misses a hitch in continuing to kiss Ellaita, though she is definitely a lot more aggressive as a kisser than Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin grins and kneels - and makes sure she's still in the same skimpy outfit as before.

"What do you desire from me, right now?" Pause, then, ducking her head a bit and blushing: "And how should I address you two?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum.

"What do you think, dear?" she asks Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans into Ellaita, thinking. "Well... Clearly for tasks, we need to finish our snack from earlier... For terms..." She kisses Ellaita. "Well, 'Mistress' does seem to fit you well - if you and Anakin both like that." A soft look at Anakin. "But I do really like being her darlings, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, that's nice. Maybe 'Mistress' if she needs to distinguish between us two?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps." To Anakin, then: "What do you think, lovely?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Small wiggle. "My darlings, certainly." Soft smile. "I'll - have to experiment a bit with 'Mistress,' but... I trust you. I think it'll be okay for me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Experimentation is good."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is," she says, and then, shyly, "Mistress."

Permalink Mark Unread

Eeee!

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh that is a wonderful expression on her girlfriend. Well worth any uncertainty. 

"I love you," she says.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mm, she likes hearing that.

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle! "Love you so much, my darlings. Please, let me serve you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Since you ask so nicely."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you, Mistress."

And she sets to feeding and fanning her darlings - making sure the drinks are chilled again first. (It's so, so nice. Anakin is very obviously enjoying herself, more so the more praise she earns.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita will be liberal with the praise then, so long as it is deserved.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin will do her very best to deserve it. 

Once her darlings are full, she finds other things to do for them to busy herself with, alternating between that and simply kneeling at their feet, talking some about - just inconsequential things, pretty much. Her classes and the other professors, a book she's writing, books she's reading... She's apparently quite content to spend the day like this, until their visitors run out of excuses not to come back to the apartment (or until it's nearly dinner, at which point it does seem polite to invite them back...).

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily's discharged enough of her filial duty for one day.

Permalink Mark Unread

She's done a very excellent job.

Anakin cleans up, shifts her appearance back to more normal clothes, and lets her daughter know they're decent and that the group is invited for dinner. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Cool. We've been having fun, at least."

And back to the apartment! Where Lily greets Ellaita and Anathema Jedi and then promptly announces, "The two Anathemas need nicknames, by the way. 'Anathema Potter-Canta' is a ridiculously long name. And I'm vetoing local Anathema calling herself just 'Jedi.'"

Permalink Mark Unread

She snickers. "You need to not read people's minds, dear."

Permalink Mark Unread

She sticks her tongue out. "I wasn't. You're just predictable."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You could be Anat and Hema."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie's Anathema starts laughing. "I like it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's the only fair division."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Only question is which of us gets which."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You could flip for it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, seems the fairest."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita fishes a two-credit chit out of her pocket.

Permalink Mark Unread

Flip! With no cheating (Anakin can referee).

And, the rule of the two-credit chit is... Anathema Potter-Canta is Anat, and Anathema Jedi is Hema.

Permalink Mark Unread

"The rule of chance has spoken it seems, dear wife Anat."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. "It seems so. Still, I'm happy with it." She kisses her wife. "Hopefully we won't find a third world with another Anathema, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We might have to come up with an actual idea, in that case."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The horror."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Absolutely."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Having to exercise creativity is the absolute worst, after all."

Permalink Mark Unread

'Anat' giggles. "I save it for important stuff. Like naming wands."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss. "Very good."

Permalink Mark Unread

"What are your wand names?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ellie's got two - Invention and Discovery. Mine's Intrepid. Also, Discovery and Intrepid are brother wands - means their core is from the same source, which is pretty rare, and super rare for phoenix feather cores like ours."

She smiles teasingly at Fay. "Fay's wand's also the brother of Discovery and Intrepid, but if she's named it she hasn't told us."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Cute."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If I had to name it, guess I'd go with Curiosity," Fay says, clearly amused. "To stay on theme."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, now you're stuck with that!" She giggles and kisses Fay on the cheek.

Permalink Mark Unread

She ducks her head and laughs. "There's worse wand names, I suppose."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think I agree with Ellaita. You guys are very cute."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My pretty face helps."

Permalink Mark Unread

She snorts.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie pinches Fay's cheek.

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans toward Ellie a bit, smiling. "And, of course, my girlfriends' gorgeous faces."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We both have very good taste, true."

Permalink Mark Unread

And then, from where she retreated to the kitchen, Lily calls: "Are you guys gonna flirt the entire dinner?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That is a distinct possibility!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I might want to go eat with my boyfriend then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can tone it down. A little, at least."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You could invite him and we can all be smugly romantically successful together."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums. "That'd give me something to do when avoiding the worst of your flirting, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Someone to do," she snickers.

Permalink Mark Unread

A pillow goes flying at Ellaita's head. (Lily's snickering herself, though.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita is good enough with the Force to stop the pillow, even if she can't send it back.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll let him know he gets to have a surprise family dinner."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Bet he'll love that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, there's interesting stuff going on, at least... Though we're going to need a lot more chairs."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can turn objects into other objects, especially temporarily. If you don't mind some things getting transformed."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't mind."

"And in the longer term it might be about time to find a bigger place. Maybe one with an actual dining room."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That'd be nice. Maybe even something with lab space." And she heads off to call her boyfriend (and to warn him about some of the weirdness).

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll have to see what I can do."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Might be looking at a whole house."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, certainly. The real question is if I need to start with a mansion." Small smirk. "Though it'd have to be pretty remote on my salary, and I'm not the one who has to worry about commuting."

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema' snorts. "Bet converting some of the extra warehouse space my girls have taken over would be cheaper and work better. Especially since I bet you can dig the basements deeper without messing with the very poorly planned infrastructure out here... Or even worrying about the water table."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That'd be a bit hard to explain on a building permit."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Clearly an excuse for cool secret basements the inspector doesn't have to know about."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Secret passages are very cool."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll give you that," she says, laughing a bit.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Our magic can help, too, though I'd have to make sure runes and such work normally here. Especially on odder things like security, notice-me-not spells, space expansion..."

Permalink Mark Unread

That successfully distracts Lily from her call. "We're definitely getting secret expanded space basements!" she says, loudly, then to get boyfriend - "So, yeah, weird magic I'll definitely need to get into the lab this weekend, we'll have a place set for you..." (Her call seems to be wrapping up.)

Permalink Mark Unread

The wizards should start on getting the chairs ready, then.

Permalink Mark Unread

Yeah. It's decently quick work, at least, even including expanding the table and then helping get dinner cooked...

Permalink Mark Unread

And Lily's boyfriend shows up.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin beats Lily to the door (it helps that she can cheat).

"Good to see you again," she says. "And - thanks for having Lily over last night."

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily darts past her mom, giving her boyfriend a quick hug and then taking his hand.

"That's because he likes me and wouldn't make me suffer through the very thick earplugs I'd need with you being 'romantically successful,'" she teases.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Always a pleasure, Professor Vendar."

Permalink Mark Unread

Smile. "Come on, let's introduce you to our visitors."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would be great."

Permalink Mark Unread

Into the somewhat jerry-rigged dining room, then - "Their magic lets them more easily change things' shapes than I can, so they helpfully did some redecorating so we can fit everyone around the table." Then she waves to their three visitors. "This is Tayab," she says, "Lily's boyfriend. He's taken one of my classes, too," small teasing smile at him, "Though I haven't convinced him yet to continue on that track."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I was getting a little out of my depth by the end of the semester. Hello, everyone."

Permalink Mark Unread

Doesn't look like her dad...

"Hey. I'm Ellie."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm her wife, Anathema - though I'm going by 'Anat' now when we need to distinguish between me and the local Anathema."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm Fay, Ellie and Anat's girlfriend."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Nice to meet you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Nice to meet you, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There's chairs open if you want to sit down - we haven't exactly picked out seating arrangements yet, actually."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll sit with Lily, if that's still possible."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is, of course." She squeezes his hand.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Great." To sit?

Permalink Mark Unread

To sit!

Permalink Mark Unread

(Or to kneel between her wife and girlfriend, in Fay's case.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"So, Tayab," Anat says, once they're settled, "You're at the same university as Lily?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's correct. A year ahead, technically, though she's caught up quickly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Correction, a year ahead for this degree. I've been taking college classes longer - though, admittedly, part-time and not as part of a set program until this year."

Permalink Mark Unread

"She's very smart, as I'm sure you've noticed."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. "Yeah. We might need to tap Anakin for slightly more dumbed down explanations of some of the Force stuff - especially with how it might interact with our magic..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My archive droid, Tyrant, should have a lot of that type of stuff, too, especially any records..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's a lot worse than you at explaining things, Lily, and most people don't like being told they're a dumb organic when they can't follow technical jargon."

"But asking Tyrant is overall a good idea. I can ask it for any relevant records and summarize them."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Love a good summary."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll try to provide, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Tyrant can be kind of tough, but you've got this, Professor."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "Thank you for the vote of confidence."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you can do Intro Ethics for more than a semester before passing it all off to the TAs, you can do anything."

Permalink Mark Unread

She snorts. "I actually like teaching Intro Ethics. It's fun, and differently so from arguing with someone who's very thoroughly thought out their ethical code and come to somewhat bizarre conclusions."

Permalink Mark Unread

"What's the most bizarre conclusion you've had to argue against?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Man, that's a tough pick..." She hums, then: "So there's some that are surface level bizarre, but ultimately trace to the student mistakenly projecting out what would be morally normal in their own culture or species. Human students can be more prone to this, since humans are a large majority of the population, but it also crops up in general in anyone who hasn't really been exposed to other cultures yet."

"The most actually bizarre was also, relatedly, the one time I had to restrain myself from telling a student to come back after they've taken a history class. She'd taken large fragments of some common dark side philosophies, with an emphasis on unchecked accumulation of personal power and rights of the powerful to control the weak, then stapled them onto an anarchist tendency and a moral end of general prosperity and stability. She firmly believed people would always do the right thing if given a chance. She then apparently never noticed any contradiction - you could make a coherent argument for two of those fairly easily, but she didn't successfully make the case for all three. There was also a lot of often contradictory elaboration on specific positions..."

"I think a lot of her argument originated in a cognitive dissonance. She believed that only good people deserve to be treated well, and that bad people deserve to be hurt, but couldn't stomach the idea of causing people to be hurt - so, all people are good, and then on top of that she had low tolerance for considering if she's done or believed something wrong. This very much carried through to all her positions."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds... frustrating."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A bit."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good practice for dealing with frustration, though, I bet."

Permalink Mark Unread

She snorts. "And having a bratty teenager is very good practice being patient."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You only call me a brat when I'm right."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Brat." A gust of wind ruffles Lily's hair.

Permalink Mark Unread

Tayab chuckles.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay snorts.

Permalink Mark Unread

Heh.

"So - I don't really want to do like, twenty questions interrogating you, so, uh - anything you want to know from us, I guess, we can answer..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Or we can plan out stuff like taking you guys to the movies. Or showing off magic... Or the super cool secret base we're going to build."

Permalink Mark Unread

"This space expansion... Could we fit a hangar?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm... Depends. On how big you need, some of the characteristics of the space and geography, what external stresses it'll be under, and how stable and thorough I can make the anchors - and how long you want it to last. Very dramatic expansion is, in general, possible but also tricky to stabilize."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And local air traffic regulations."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That, too. And how to get things in and out of the hangar."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Tch. So much for 'a wizard did it'. Just wave a wand and all problems vanish."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And newer, more exciting ones take their place."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Like ashwinder infestations. And basilisks in the plumbing."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Definitely an improvement over the old, boring problems."

Permalink Mark Unread

"More interesting, anyway."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Exactly!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Are these problems you have encountered?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not the ashwinders, but the basilisk in the pipes was our second year at school."

Permalink Mark Unread

"What's a basilisk?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Big horned snake. Terribly venomous, has a gaze that kills, or petrifies in reflection."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Kinda yikes, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fay let us keep her, so we named her Gormlaith."

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema' pauses, then, to Ellaita: "I want a pet basilisk, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You'll have to feed it, and walk it every day."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm... The deadly gaze might complicate taking it to a park."

Permalink Mark Unread

Snicker. "They're also usually not too fond of people who can't talk to snakes. Think humans are annoying."

Permalink Mark Unread

"They also, uh, don't stop growing."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Crush my dreams, why don't you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Squish squish."

Permalink Mark Unread

She sticks her tongue out at Ellie and Anat.

Permalink Mark Unread

"No private hangars, no giant snakes... What are you guys even good for?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm... Well, Lily might have to leave the room for the full list..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I see what you meant about the flirting," he says to Lily.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's been very horrible. I'm scarred for life."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do I need to kiss it better?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think you just might."

Permalink Mark Unread

Temple kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles and kisses his cheek.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Aw, that's cute."

Permalink Mark Unread

"What, flirting like normal people?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's quaint."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So the modern fad is for max sluttiness?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you know what you enjoy..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Also, trust me, this is not max sluttiness. More reasonable proportions of sluttiness. A golden mean."

Permalink Mark Unread

She sticks her tongue out at them.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita sticks her tongue out back... then licks Hema's cheek.

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs and pulls her girlfriend in for a kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kisses.

Permalink Mark Unread

(Anakin's watching them all with a soft look on her face, as she finishes getting dinner to the table.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily glances at her mom (and conveniently away from Ellaita and Hema) and then at Ellie. "Oh, hey, so can I help at all with the science stuff for the undeath things?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure, yeah. If you've got time, there's some experiments we should do."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I've got plenty of time - don't have any papers or exams for a little bit, and I'm mostly ahead on homework and all. I'll have to duck out for my actual classes, but those aren't the whole day."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We don't want to encourage any juvenile delinquency..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Chance I'm older than you is about fifty-fifty, you know." Shrug. "But, yeah, I'm not going to skip class. Might take notes with me and work on any theory during boring parts, but you won't exactly be increasing my tendency to do that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Being married is aging me before my time. My wife is insatiable."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We're going to need to figure out how to use Ellie's death superpowers to stop aging here, shortly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I feel very bad for you natborns. Imagine aging past peak physical and mental performance. Very inefficient. Whoever designed you should be fired."

Permalink Mark Unread

"File a complaint with ancestors gone by."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think it'll be faster to just fix your species, honestly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Probably!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll send over any insights me and my girls manage, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My generous girlfriend."

Permalink Mark Unread

Quick kiss. "Kind and sharing."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not at all greedy or jealous."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well... I'm greedy for certain pleasures..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you aren't hoarding, I think it ends up closer to 'hedonistic desire.'"

Permalink Mark Unread

"True. More of a lust for life." She winks at her and her girlfriends' alts.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Lust for lust."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Desiring and then getting nice things is very excellent and should be maximized."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, that's definitely hedonism."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair. I'm not greedy at all, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Glad we got that cleared up."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss. "We'll have to look for more opportunities to share, I think. Have a productive exchange."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You know, I'm going to pretend you're talking about sharing magic systems."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Bold of you to assume that we can't share multiple things at once. My Fay has come up with several delightful magical tricks we'd be happy to demonstrate."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin makes an interested noise.

Permalink Mark Unread

And Lily makes a face, though it's not doing a lot to hide how amused she is. "You're all horrible people."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Why, thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We try very hard."

Permalink Mark Unread

She rolls her eyes. 

Then, to Tayab: "I'm staying over with you again tonight."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll make sure our new house has a suite with a kitchenette for both us and you. And some very good sound proofing."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds good to me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Does that mean I'd be the one staying at your place?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'd open the option, at least." She kisses him on the cheek.

Permalink Mark Unread

Permalink Mark Unread

As annoying as her mom's girlfriends can get, Lily does like them and this is nice

She does, however, still go back with Tayab to his house that night. A lot of nights, even once they get their interdimensional guests in their own borrowed apartment. (The excuse to hang out with Tayab more super doesn't hurt.)

She does focus really intently on helping Ellie with reembodying her mom, coaxing Tyrant into producing more narrowly focused archives, first pass sorting things for her mom to summarize, poking the Deathly Hallows... They can do other stuff like have fun messing with space warping later.

Permalink Mark Unread

(And Hema quietly checks if Ellie thinks she'll need a body ready when they get to Elesse, too.)

Permalink Mark Unread

That would certainly help. As Elesse is more 'properly' dead than Anakin, they could do a flesh/blood/bone ritual to construct one at the time of her resurrection but sourcing the sacrifices can be tricky.

The day they're scheduled to go out and see Ellie be a dragon, she has Anakin's solution ready as well.

Permalink Mark Unread

They can stop by the cloning facility first, then (where a mildly annoyed but mostly excited scientist corners Fay to ask to be able to watch and document next time they mess with a body's physical structures like that, please).

Permalink Mark Unread

They can set up a time to do some demonstrations, if that would be better.

Permalink Mark Unread

It would! And given enough warning, she can talk to Lily about getting any other measuring equipment the girl will want in here - or set up other experiments...

Permalink Mark Unread

In a couple days, then?

Permalink Mark Unread

Sure, works for her.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie makes a note of it.

Does Anakin want to do her incorporation here or in the field?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Either works..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think a better question is where Ellaita and I would rather have you when you first get your new body."

Permalink Mark Unread

Blush!

"Do keep in mind my daughter's presence - and that I'm going to want to hug her," she says, voice a bit dry.

Permalink Mark Unread

Thoughtful hum. "Maybe here, then. Improved ability to drag you into another room."

Permalink Mark Unread

"As long as you can restrain yourselves to a reasonable time. I would like to go flying today."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll make sure they behave."

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right. So the way your body will work now is kind of like this." She flourishes one hand, and the Resurrection Stone appears in her open palm. Another flourish, and it vanishes. "Essentially, while it's not out in what we'd call real space, it's sent to a sort of timeless pocket dimension. No need to worry about aging or feeding when you're not wearing it, because there won't be time for anything to happen to it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very nice. Will it still need to sleep, once I've had it out long enough?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, that's one problem magic hasn't quite solved. I don't think you'll necessarily need to be occupying it while it does that, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Then it'd be okay left out on its own for a night?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"It could die if it's in a dangerous or inhospitable spot, but yeah, should be."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alright. Thanks."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So the attachment process will feel basically the same as last time. From talking with Lily, I think putting the body away and taking it out again will be a similar sort of mental action to using your Force powers."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "I'll play with it a bit."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ready?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "I'm ready."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie flourishes out the Elder Wand and casts the complicated spell again.

Shwoop!

Permalink Mark Unread

Shwoop!

It's an odd trip, still - Anakin takes a deep breath, calms her heart before it can start beating faster, and says, "Attachment's gone well."

(Mentally poking - is it obvious how to tuck the body into the pocket dimension?)

Permalink Mark Unread

She feels like if she just sort of does the thing in the certain way...

Permalink Mark Unread

And the body slips away. "Works perfectly," she says, very cheered by the easy return to normal. 

Permalink Mark Unread

And back to embodied. "Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're welcome."

Permalink Mark Unread

Mom hugs? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Mom hugs! And a bright grin at her girlfriends.

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy smiles back.

Permalink Mark Unread

Group hugs?

Permalink Mark Unread

Fine. Group hugs.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin laughs. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Hugs!

"So, about that room..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily rolls her eyes and detangles from the hug. "I'll be comparing notes with Ellie."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin ruffles her hair. 

Permalink Mark Unread

And 'Hema starts dragging both her girlfriends toward a side door. "Be back in fifteen minutes!"

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle.

Permalink Mark Unread

And since their Anakin wants to be responsible, they only have fifteen minutes to give their sweetheart a crash course introduction to her body... Anathema worries they might not have time to get to more than the introductory parts...

Permalink Mark Unread

Consider it an appetizer for a later meal.

Permalink Mark Unread

A cliffhanger to get her coming back for the later conclusion. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin's too busy laughing and wiggling to really preemptively object to any plans to leave her hanging.

Permalink Mark Unread

That works out well, then.

Permalink Mark Unread

Well enough. Even if she gets a bit extra wiggly when the time runs out. Still: quick kiss for her girlfriends, deep breath, straighten her clothes... And back out? 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Have fun, did we? No obvious defects to report?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sensation seems intact."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Responses are good."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Great."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Soooo... Magic demonstration now? Dragons?" (Small bounce.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Soon as we get to the place."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Right." Ellaita's planning to fly them out? 

Permalink Mark Unread

That's the plan. She will even eschew doing fancy tricks in favor of zoom.

Permalink Mark Unread

Perhaps fancy tricks should be part of showing off their own galaxy's advantages.

(Anakin's shifted back to ghost for the flight, so long as no one's seeking to cuddle her.)

Permalink Mark Unread

(Ellaita wants to see the dragon too.)

Permalink Mark Unread

But this much zoom is pretty impressive even all on its own.

Permalink Mark Unread

Very much so; Anakin more meant that Ellaita should take them on a joy ride later on. Have fun with it.

Permalink Mark Unread

She can do that.

Permalink Mark Unread

Show off exactly how good their reflexes can get.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We might need to get you into a pod-racer for that, mom," Lily says, teasingly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I should have tried harder to upsell that extended warranty on your body."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If I was able to avoid crashing as a nine year old, I think I can avoid crashing now."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure you're not out of practice?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe we should have a race and find out."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, are you challenging me?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps. Though a challenge suggests a prize..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose it would."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll have to think of something appropriate."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum. "I wonder what..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm... There's some very tempting prizes that'd involve other people... Some between just us..." Soft smile. "Though it'd feel a bit silly putting up as a prize anything you can have from me just by asking."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose I'll think on it. And when I win, I'll let you know."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Well, fortunately I do already know what I want." 

Permalink Mark Unread

"That confident, are we?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Quite." Smirk.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh-ho. We'll see, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Smug hum.

Permalink Mark Unread

And soon enough, they arrive at the spot. Ellaita sets the transport down at the edge of a clearing.

Permalink Mark Unread

They can all head out, then. 

"This is a very lovely planet," Fay says, glancing around. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. 's different." Stretch. "Is it just Ellie getting to show off today, or are we all letting loose?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can build up to me. Make it a bit of a show."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The grand finale." Kiss! "One of the acts then should definitely be a spar."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Something in the genre of my demonstration fights with Professor Flitwick might be fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Teams or free for all?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, you two might need to team up..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I could make you take a handicap."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh? Like what?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie has the collar give Fay a sharp shock.

Permalink Mark Unread

She yelps!

Permalink Mark Unread

"Like that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmm... Might be a bit cheating..." She shivers a bit, though. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Think of it more as rolling in a demonstration of a different aspect of magic."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A true in depth explanation of that branch might have to wait for Lily to not be present, though..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just a little taste, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Taste of what?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums.

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily looks at them, looks at the collar, considers the kneeling and the earlier yelp, and says, deadpan, "I regret having ever gotten on the HoloNet, now."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I did explain safe search to you, you know."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm a teenager; of course I didn't listen to any of that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, I see. What a clever idea."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps we can give an instructional demonstration later." She winks at Anakin. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Who blushes.

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema smirks. "We'll put it on the calendar."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's a date."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can stick to more family-friendly demonstrations today. Avoid scarring the child for life."

Permalink Mark Unread

A rock flings itself at Anat's head. 

Permalink Mark Unread

She turns it into bubbles. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Looks like we should start before an unmoderated brawl breaks out."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anat makes an innocent face. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right, so me and Anathema against Fay. We'll do- how about three stages, first year, fourth year, anything goes?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Works for me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right." She draws Invention from nowhere and creates a low stage and some seating with a few precise flicks.

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema applauds a little, and then they can all go sit. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie swaps to Discovery, and draws up next to Anathema opposite Fay.

Permalink Mark Unread

She'll do the count to begin, then. 

Permalink Mark Unread

And off they go. The first set is fairly straightforward with the basic spells the use. For the second, Ellie pulls out just her raptor form, no wings, since she had learned that by fourth year.

Permalink Mark Unread

That frees Anathema up for tiger! (Fay too, but, well. This is fun.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Bit of a romp, really.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ooh, that's fancy.

Permalink Mark Unread

Closer to silly... Fancy is the all out spar.

(Fiendfyre, by the way, feels rather strange to Force sense. Concentrated desire to burn.)

Permalink Mark Unread

But that is of no consequence to the massive dragon that wrecks the stage and breathes a silvery fire of its own to counteract the Fiendfyre.

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs.

She's been accumulating new tricks over time, of course - black fire that shields her from the silver flames, runes, twisting space, a better point to point quasi-Apparition...

It's a very chaotic fight, over all. 

Permalink Mark Unread

But fun! And Ellie doesn't even cheat and distract Fay that much.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anat wins the third bout for the Potter-Cantas when she tackles Fay after a particularly intense exchange, pinning and kissing her. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie turns Fay's sensitivity up via the collar.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmmmmmph!!! (Wiggle)

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle.

"Any questions?" she asks, turning to face the audience.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin has some! About the spells (especially the intent-based ones like fiendfyre), the transformation - is it free form, or are there fixed shapes...

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie can explain a bit about both topics, without going too far into the weeds, because really each deserves an entire lecture at the least...

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin quite appreciates the intial overview, though. Gives them more to investigate later.

Permalink Mark Unread

(Fay is, meanwhile, still being rather thoroughly kissed and struggling very hard to keep to reactions appropriate for a mixed audience.)

Permalink Mark Unread

It's still a bit distracting from the magic lecture.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fiiiiine. Anat can let her up.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita makes a small disappointed noise.

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "We'll shelve that for the private class."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee.

"All right."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I appreciate the shelving."

"So, was that the extent of the draconic showing off?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you'd like to admire my magnificence more, I can oblige. Maybe take some people flying."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I super want to go flying."

Permalink Mark Unread

"As well you should."

Ellie moves to get some space-

Permalink Mark Unread

-and transforms.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very impressive."

(She barely stops herself from saying 'pretty.')

Permalink Mark Unread

She ducks her head in acknowledgement.

"Tell her she can come closer if she wants to," Ellie says to Anat in Parseltongue.

Permalink Mark Unread

She does, then: "Ellie won't bite."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Appreciated." And up to the dragon, where she rests her hand on Ellie's leg.

Permalink Mark Unread

Her scales are hard but perceptibly warm to the touch. She rumbles in a friendly manner.

Permalink Mark Unread

"This is cool," she tells her. "Should I climb on your back for the ride?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Nod.

Permalink Mark Unread

So up she goes!

Permalink Mark Unread

Up up and away!

Permalink Mark Unread

Heeeeee!!!!!!!

Lily has a blast, laughing, not really clinging as much as 'common sense' perhaps suggests she should.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's not like Ellie's going to do any snap-rolls, so.

Permalink Mark Unread

She doesn't seem to really consider that a risk. 

She doesn't get tired by the time Ellie's done showing off, instead focused on craning her head around, staring at the mountains. 

Permalink Mark Unread

They are nice mountains.

Ellie slowly circles back down to the ground.

Permalink Mark Unread

She jumps off once Ellie's settled. "Thanks. That was fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

Poof.

"You're welcome. I like flying."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can see why! That's definitely one of the things I wanna learn to do with your magic."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Broomsticks are a lot easier than growing wings."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, but at that point I might as well get in a pod-racer. I want to transform."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Depending on what your Animagus form is, that might be easier or harder."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The Animagus form itself is more doable, though," Fay says, heading over. "But Ellie did have an easier time modifying her initial form to be able to fly than me or Anat - and Anat's still working on wings."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Even a form that can't fly would be super cool."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We think my base Animagus form was what dragons looked like before they could use magic."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Huh! How do creatures get the ability to use magic? Does it usually change what they look like?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"The best answer we've got is 'it just happens sometimes'. Magic tends to run in families for humans, but it also crops up randomly in previously-nonmagical bloodlines. And yeah, magical creatures are usually distinct in appearance from any non-magical relatives they may have."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Force sensitivity works like that, too. We're not sure yet how people get to be Force sensitive - someone might have ever known but records get destroyed a lot... We know cloning Force sensitives is a bad idea, though, and that two nearly genetically identical people aren't always both Force sensitive or not."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Though my girls and I are currently in the process of figuring out if taking eggs from a Force sensitive, fertilizing them in a lab, then implanting them in someone else goes hilariously wrong or not, which'll give us some answers."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Possibly of the 'don't try this at home' variety."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. "It'll be fine! Probably."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm sure you'll figure out what you're doing. Eventually."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course we will. And then we'll have a legion of clones who can use the Force."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Terrifying." Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kisses! "I think you mean 'wonderful.'"

Permalink Mark Unread

"It can be both."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very true. A legion of wonderfully terrifying Force sensitive clones, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds just about perfect."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A lovely dream." Kiss! "And if the initial trials work out, we could even establish a second line with your genetics... Add some diversity to the pool, some extra pretty faces..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would be interesting..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It would be."

Permalink Mark Unread

A kiss for the wonderful girlfriend.

Permalink Mark Unread

Doubly perfect.

"Hm, where were we..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Origins of magic, I think."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course. Can't get distracted from that - though, relatedly, if any of you are ever in the mood to donate some eggs to science..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You will surely be the first we call upon."

Permalink Mark Unread

She snickers.

Permalink Mark Unread

"So what other tricks can we show you?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin would like demonstrations of a few things she's heard mentioned, like the space expansion, runes, and transfiguration in full generality... (Which will probably be best to get familiar with before using it to mess around with converting a warehouse into a home.)

Permalink Mark Unread

That should fill up the rest of the day easily enough.

Permalink Mark Unread

And leave some for later, even, though Anakin's of course still going to be busy with her work enough to spread it out. (And she doesn't want to neglect spending time with either her daughter or girlfriends - and, speaking of the later, she, Ellaita, and 'Hema had some unfinished business from her re-embodiment, didn't they...)

Permalink Mark Unread

Sounds like a good place to pick up tonight.

Permalink Mark Unread

Definitely is.

(Anakin is going to be the busiest she's been in decades, isn't she.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Only if Anathema has her way.

Which she will.

Permalink Mark Unread

She always does.

Permalink Mark Unread

Not something Anakin objects to at all. Her darlings should get everything they want.

Permalink Mark Unread

What a delightful attitude.

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle!

(She... Thinks she wants to be theirs even more, but she's not sure - what that would entail, or how far she'd want to go...)

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Could ask Fay. She might have useful perspective."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods, kissing her girlfriend lightly. "I will tomorrow."

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right."

Permalink Mark Unread

In the meantime... There's plenty of fun they can get up to with just their current ideas. 

And they can then head to their guests' temporary apartment for a late breakfast, where Anakin brings up... Somewhat awkwardly... Her curiosity about - what 'more' could mean, for her and her girlfriends. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay smirks a little at her. "There's quite a lot I could list," she teases, "Though I bet for just ideas your civilization will have far more on odd corners of the HoloNet than I've ever dreamt of."

"For recommendations... It'd be a bit more personalized to really get the internal experience, don't you think?" She grins up at her own darlings. "And if my Mistress and Master approve - well, one thing I've always loved is reading a sub's mind while they're being put through their paces."

Permalink Mark Unread

Wow that is a very deep blush! (Anakin's glad she's currently disembodied; trying to have conversations or consider whether she wants to consent to something while bodily aroused has turned out to be very, very difficult...)

"If our darlings approve," she agrees.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think we could definitely help with that." Ellie winks at Ellaita and Hema. "Sounds like a worthy endeavor."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Exceptionally so. The only question is if the two of you," she turns to address Ellaita and 'Hema, "Want us to all be in the same room. See what your pet's moaning and wriggling about."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If that won't throw you off..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't think it will."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Then I think we'd like that." Glance at her girlfriend to confirm.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We would."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin nods, too. "If I'm embodied for this, I think seeing what's happening would also help me not get overwhelmed."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good."

Permalink Mark Unread

Fond grin. "I have classes this afternoon, but I'm free until then," she says, a bit teasingly. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds like we shouldn't waste any time."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not at all," Anakin says, rematerializing and then taking a deep breath to fight back some of how her heart wants to race.

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema kisses her. "Get our stage set, first, dear," she purrs. "Your clothes out of the way, perhaps arrange some seating..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes ma'am."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie, her wife, and her pet should start their own preparations.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin strips and gets a couch set up watching their bed and the clear space in front of it. (Her heart rate's definitely picked up, her pupils dilating a bit - even after all the orientation her girlfriends have been giving her to a body, this is a thoroughly, delightfully weird feeling.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay ends up kneeling, shivering a bit, and - Anakin should get this anticipation, too.

Permalink Mark Unread

(Wiggle.)

She sits where her darlings direct, before sliding into Fay's mind. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Curled up between Ellaita and Hema, naturally.

Permalink Mark Unread

Where she belongs. (Snuggles.)

Permalink Mark Unread

For Fay... Anat thinks they should start slow. Escalate a little. Give Anakin a chance to really adjust and see what Fay's thinking, before they send Fay too deep into sub space to be really coherent. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie agrees. They can take their time, explain some spells to their other guests...

Permalink Mark Unread

And Anakin was very curious about transfiguration, so they can work in some demonstrations, even! 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin is sadly not in much of a position to ask further questions. She is, at least, appreciating some part of the lesson, from how she's gasping and writhing against her girlfriends. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Definitely some fun techniques on display.

Permalink Mark Unread

Very educational. (She pets Anakin with a steady, even stroke.)

Permalink Mark Unread

And Ellie slowly ramps up the intensity.

Permalink Mark Unread

It sometimes gets a bit hard to tell if a particular scream is coming from Anakin or Fay!

Permalink Mark Unread

Anat, fortunately, thought to cast sound proofing charms first. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Their neighbors counter-factually appreciate it. 

Fay does, despite the slow ramp, eventually get to the point of enjoying herself where her thoughts have stopped bothering being consistent. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin isn't far behind. 

Permalink Mark Unread

That sure is nice, even just brushing against Anakin's mind.

Permalink Mark Unread

Possibly they should start ramping down now that both pets have checked out... Though Fay at least can drift in that mindset for quite some time. 

Permalink Mark Unread

As long as Anakin doesn't seem to be getting overwhelmed.

Permalink Mark Unread

(Not yet, though she's gotten very clingy already, and too much more intensity might push her over the edge.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Maybe best to start calming down, then.

Permalink Mark Unread

They can do that.

Permalink Mark Unread

A slow ramp down, too, to avoid any harsh drops.

Permalink Mark Unread

Aggressive cuddles do seem to be helping smooth things out. 

Permalink Mark Unread

And Fay can, once her coherency returns (faster than Anakin's), use Occlumency to modulate what Anakin's getting a bit. Make it a more gentle drift back. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin's mind settles into 'blissed out and snuggly' as they ramp down, alertness lagging a good bit. Enough, though, to smile at her darlings, nuzzle her Mistress... Not enough to make her vocal chords work, but she can broadcast a sleepy murmur of 'love you' just fine. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Love you too, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

Gentle pets. "So much. You're wonderful, dear heart." She kisses Anakin's forehead. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy contented wiggle. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee. Snuggles!

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin disengages from Fay's mind soon enough, getting more openly cuddly and kissy as her mind reboots.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anat winks at them. "We'll let you three have some alone time." And out of the bedroom with her, her wife, and their pet (nothing's stopping them from doting on Fay in the living room, after all).

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin giggles. Then, once the others are gone - "Thank you, darlings," she murmurs, voice a bit hoarse. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seems like you had fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I did." Lean. "A lot."

"I'd - like to do stuff like that, too." Blush and then giggle. "All of it. I seem to be more masochistic than I thought..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "Wonderful girl."

"It'll be a very good chance to practice Force healing," she teases. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "I'll draw up lesson plans, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll be eager students, Professor."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The hands on practicals will surely help." And a kiss for her Mistress, too.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmmm good. "Love you, Mistress."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema kisses Ellaita, too. "Two very good girls."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Make that three."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heeeeeee. That deserves more kisses!

"Three pretty, wonderful girls, all with excellent taste..."

(Maybe eventually they should stop stealing their guests' bedroom, but, well, eventually isn't now.)

Permalink Mark Unread

(Though Anakin's going to need to leave for her university around lunchtime; even if she can teleport for the commute, she needs to finish prepping...)

Permalink Mark Unread

Quite rude of the world to keep making other demands on their time.

Oh well.

Permalink Mark Unread

Maybe Lily can collaborate with their alts to combine modern physics understanding with their magic and warp time, too.

Permalink Mark Unread

If anyone can, it'll be Lily.

Permalink Mark Unread

They'll just get out of her way. Provide support from the sidelines. Keep evacuation routes open.

Permalink Mark Unread

Snicker.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

And: "...We should really go eat. This body is getting hungry."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, I suppose."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'll be nice, cooking for you, feeding you... And maybe I can ask Fay for a pillow to kneel on while I eat," she teases.

Permalink Mark Unread

"What are we waiting for, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Nothing at all, I suppose." And up! And a moment's hesitation, then: "Do you want me to get dressed, Mistress?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Thoughtful hum.

"We don't have a proper uniform for you yet... So I suppose you'll just have to go without clothes until we get one. As long as it's just us."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes ma'am."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Though maybe Fay could make a little apron for you, just for this. Since you're cooking."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, that'd be cute."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "I'll ask." Out into the living room, then? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Out! One arm wrapped around her Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

Very excellent. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay is a bit tied up right now. 

Permalink Mark Unread

But Anat can provide a cute little apron for Anakin, no problem. Any aesthetic preferences? (She's very clearly directing this to Ellaita and 'Hema.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Pink, and lacy around the edges.

Permalink Mark Unread

Skimpy, but also should actually have a top half. 

Permalink Mark Unread

A wave of her wand and voilá! A pink apron, thick ribbon straps to secure it at Anakin's neck and waist - long enough that a twitch of Anat's wand can make some very cute bows. The front falls only to her upper thigh. And there are plenty of lacy frills.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin fidgets a little shyly as the apron is being secured, then curtsies. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Any requests for lunch, my ladies?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"You know what we like, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes, Mistress."

A very yummy, relaxed lunch can be made, then, with plenty of time to unwind before Anakin has to leave for work. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Perfect.

Permalink Mark Unread

She gets dressed then fades her body back out (instead taking on a seeming of life) when the time comes, giving her darlings light goodbye kisses before disappearing from the apartment to her office. 

There's a busy few days coming up, but - she can still make time for everyone. (Helping Ellie's research and second to that teaching her darlings Force healing - with the attendant 'practicals' - do take priority among her various projects, though.)

Permalink Mark Unread

In a few more days, Ellie thinks her research is done as far as preparations to revive Elesse go.

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema's got a body ready by then. Healthy, new, ready for someone to be bound to it.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay works with Anakin to get the body appropriately transfigured. Her magic's useful for memory retrieval and repair, so with a pensieve she's spent the last little bit working on, they can get some good precision on Elesse's appearance. And her magic can also keep the body alive and comfortable during transport to Takodana and then wherever they've selected - or wherever Maz directs them - for the resurrection itself.

Permalink Mark Unread

Simplifies logistics.

Anakin is - tense. Not entirely happy. Not entirely unhappy. Snuggly with her girlfriends. She gets the initial appointment with her new therapist, talks to her daughter a lot... Centers herself as best she can.

Spends most of the day leading up to the resurrection meditating, arranges the schedule so the resurrection will fall early on the second day of the three day school weekend. Lets her darlings know that she thinks it might be good to have a buffer in the room with her, but - maybe only one person. Could be Ellie, if Ellaita or 'Hema feel like they'll have trouble staying - objective, here, even if the conversation gets painful. Could be Maz, even. Might be best to be someone like that...

(She thinks after this she'll talk to Fay about seeing what her magic can do for Anakin's tattered memories. But - not now.)

Permalink Mark Unread

...Yeah Anathema absolutely cannot be objective here, she's not really mad at Elesse going in or anything, but she's primed to be, and doesn't think she'll react helpfully to any attempts at more arguing.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin flicks to embodied long enough to hug and kiss her girlfriend. "I understand, darling. It's okay." Small nuzzle, before glancing at Ellaita.

Permalink Mark Unread

She chews her lip. "...Not sure I'd be any better. Might be best to just have Ellie or Maz."

Permalink Mark Unread

Light kiss. "Okay. Thank you both for - being self aware, here." Snuggle. "And I do understand and appreciate protectiveness, just - "

Small smile. "Not always fit for every circumstance." Another kiss, then: "I'll talk to Ellie and Maz." Ghost status means popping over to visit in person is very easy, and she's already given Maz a heads up at least. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hey. Last minute concerns?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"A little with - sort of just that I think it might help to have a neutral party in the room while Elesse and I are talking, preferably someone with context who won't... React very poorly if there's hard emotions between me and Elesse, effectively. I think Maz might be best for 'purely neutral party Elesse knows already,' but - I think you'd be fairly good at that, too, if you wanted."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll need to be in there up to the end. Easy enough just to stay."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay. Thanks."

"I think we're otherwise good, then, so... Guess it's time to do this." Small smile. "Get you a ride through hyperspace, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Looking forward to it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Then on to the last of the preparations for that. Getting the ship prepped is basically trivial, Fay really simplifies body transport, Maz knows they're coming and the path to where they're resurrecting Elesse doesn't have major obstacles...

(Anakin is trying not to be the panicky sort of nervous. No body helps. Maybe she should actually just stay a ghost the entire conversation, that seems likely to be helpful in general.)

Anakin - mostly just stays out of Ellie's way, during the actual ritual, though she keeps part of her mind on the Force in case something seems to be going wrong.

Permalink Mark Unread

Nothing really goes wrong-

Permalink Mark Unread

And Elesse blinks awake, looking just how she did all those years ago.

Permalink Mark Unread

Feeling just like she did. Not - much different emotionally, than the horrible instant of her death.

Anakin's keeping calm and centered, though. Hopefully sufficiently. She does successfully ride through the wash of old sorrow and new relief. (She hasn't adopted a seeming of life. That's... Usually pretty obviously a trick to anyone really trained. She doesn't want to - be lying, here.)

"Elesse?" she asks, voice as gentle as she can make it.

Permalink Mark Unread

"-Anakin?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's me," she confirms. "It's - been a long time." There's a little humor stirring within her at that.

(She's older, significantly so. Older than Elesse ever got, at least - maybe mid-forties, maybe early fifties, unlikely to be late thirties... She looks whole, feels calm and steady, only traces of anxiety and grief swirling at the edges. None of the storm of anger and fear she'd been last Elesse saw her.)

(She's also translucent - glowing a soft blue, not really feeling exactly like the living usually do. Like something large and diffuse expressing itself in a limited space, neither really dark or light.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Clearly." She glances at Ellie. "Who's this?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"My name's Ellie Potter-Canta. I brought you back to life. You're welcome."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It turns out bringing back the dead wasn't trivial for me."

"I'm sorry about everything that happened, and that we fought and - that I didn't have good enough control of myself to. Pull my blow, or - avoid the fight entirely."

"And I'm sorry that it's taken so long to even begin to set things right."

Permalink Mark Unread

"How long has it been?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sixty nine years."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sixty-"

"Are you dead?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah."

"I died forty six years ago, though I've only really consistently been able to appear to most people for... About a decade."

"I'm not actually sure why I'm a ghost, though, especially as more than a lingering impression. I didn't set any - continuity of existence - up on purpose."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Anakin..." Elesse's confusion is audible. "What happened?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"...A lot."

"I'm - unsure if you want the full sixty nine years of history, or - the backstory before our fight."

"...And I don't remember what we fought about, or - a lot. I have. Really large memory gaps around then, and some of my partially intact memories don't - really make sense. So it might be hard to fully explain some things."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Memory gaps. That... does make sense, with your behavior. You- weren't yourself."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I - yeah. I don't know how much was... Preexisting tendency towards mental illness, or the war hitting me hard, or my coping strategies being - poorly suited for the circumstances."

"And how much was - normal manipulation and abuse I was - experiencing, and how much was - direct manipulation through the Force."

"I suspect it was a combination of all of them, though much less direct mental influence than - the me that did not want to be at fault would have liked to think."

Permalink Mark Unread

Deep breath.

"I think I need some time to think about this."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods.

"I figured. I'm not - doing this right, but - we're on Takodana. Maz is still alive and doing great for herself, and she's willing to help. Explain things, make sure you have - anything you need."

"I'll be leaving the planet, soon, unless you ask me to stay; Maz knows how to contact me, if - there's further questions you need me to answer."

"There's a hyperspace capable ship that's yours. You're under no obligation to ever talk to me again, or to have - any particular relationship with anyone, really. You don't owe me anything. It'll be up to you if you reach out, directly or through intermediaries."

Pause. She'd be taking a deep breath if she had a body, but instead she's centering herself. Drawing her presence in. (There's pain. A lot. But peace within that pain, and a slow, burning determination to right wrongs.)

"I care about you, still. I want you to be - in a situation you want to be in." Pause, shorter, softer, then: "I can leave entirely now, or stay nearby a little bit longer if you think you'll have other questions soon."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd like to talk to Maz. After that-"

"I'll let you know."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay."

"We'll let her know; I'll stick around until I hear otherwise."

Slightly awkward pause, then she glances at Ellie. "You can probably just explore or hang out at the cantina if you want, now," she says, "Things seem stable here." And a glance at Elesse, then - out?

Permalink Mark Unread

Out.

"That didn't go so bad," Ellie comments.

Permalink Mark Unread

"No."

"There's some things I would have liked to handle better, but, realistically there'd always be something like that."

She heads through the forest toward the cantina, looking for Maz.

Permalink Mark Unread

Maz is not too hard to find!

Permalink Mark Unread

She takes on her seeming of life again once they get close to the cantina, and - "Hey Maz," she says. "It's gone well, but - she wants to talk to you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"As expected." Smile. "Don't you worry, dearie. We'll sort things out."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thanks."

"I can see why Lily likes you so much," she teases. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, I'm very likeable. Everyone can see that much."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's stunningly obvious." She laugh a little, shaking her head, then: "I'll stay nearby in case you need me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Drinks on the house," she says, winking.

And off she goes.

Permalink Mark Unread

She... Loiters, really. Listens to conversations. Wanders outside, some, since standing in a cantina when you can't eat or drink is awkward, and she doesn't want to slide back into embodiment right now.

She thinks. Tries to clear her mind of concerns - easy, actually, when immersed among people, and differently easy out in Takodana's forests.

She waits.

Permalink Mark Unread

Eventually Maz comes back.

"So, kiddo. Do you want the good news or the bad news?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Both, though probably bad news first."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Bad news is she wants a while to think while you're not in the neighborhood. Not on-planet, ideally. Could be a day, could be a week, could be a month."

"Good news is that when she's done thinking, she wants to see you again."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles. "Not bad news at all. Taking time to think is good for you."

"Thank you, Maz."

"When she's ready - it'll probably be a work day for me. If you leave a message, I can pop back once I'm free, or... I wouldn't object if she wanted to come to my usual planet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're welcome, dearie. I'll call when she's ready."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods.

"I'll find Ellie and head out, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You take care now, y'hear."

Permalink Mark Unread

Time to go?

Permalink Mark Unread

Time to go. 

Anakin is going to snuggle her girlfriends so much, but - she's less stressed now than she had been. It's out of her hands, and... Elesse hadn't seemed angry. 

Still, cuddles. (And finalizing plans for their new house, as a thing they need to do and a distraction from the worries she does have... In among her somewhat busy job...)

Permalink Mark Unread

(Less-stressed girlfriend is nice.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Being less stressed is nice. (Ellaita and Anathema should practice their Force healing, speaking of stress reduction. They did pretty well last time, and they can head out into the wilderness for some peace and quiet, a convenient distance from anyone if they want to make Anakin scream properly...)

Permalink Mark Unread

Since she asked nicely...

Permalink Mark Unread

Very nicely. 

(She's definitely got enough to keep her busy.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Good.

Permalink Mark Unread

And they can start on the house too, since Ellie's finished up her project.

Permalink Mark Unread

Excellent. 

There's a lot of ideas they need to reconcile at least a little - including some for things outside of the magically expanded space, though Anakin thinks the warehouse that 'Hema found them is big enough for all those and then leftover space to grow into eventually... A rooftop garden for Lily, a small lab (also for Lily), meditation and training rooms, some basic public guest space, somewhere office-like if she needs to talk to students after hours, for the minimum above ground...

And in the expanded space... At least three suites - not fully self efficient, Anakin wants to make sure she sees her daughter ever, but they shouldn't have to put clothes on to eat breakfast... Common spaces, probably guest bedrooms and the like...

Anakin will leave keeping track of 'what houses with living inhabitants need to function' up to the others, though, as well as any less practical architecture. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anat' is here for all their impractical architecture needs, as well as thinking of fun and weird and niche stuff, and interior design... If they decide to stick around she'll probably see if Anakin's university offers interior design and architecture classes, actually, that sounds great. 

Anyways.

Practical rooms, yeah, but also fun and interesting rooms. Neat things to have, as long as they're going nuts here. Also a dungeon, can't forget the dungeon. Very important part of any cool house. 

Oh yeah and they should set up the expansion anchoring runes so they can add more rooms later without messing stuff up, probably. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay can largely handle the runes, including any for security - her project for the last while has been testing and improving defensive runes against various Force tricks (and against local weapons), so she should be able to hedge out a lot of potential threats. 

Permalink Mark Unread

This is gonna be fun. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Making things with magic always is.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, I've noticed," she says with a giggle. "I've been very curious about your transfiguration abilities..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We could finish up the dungeons early. Use them as a... Demonstration space. The interior decoration will be much simpler, after all. Some cages, a few different types of furniture, perhaps some mood lighting..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"What about ominous carved reliefs on the walls?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh that is an excellent idea."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I've got a few sketches that might be appropriate."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "That'll speed it up - there was that spell in Art class a bit back, the one for transferring a sketch into a carving, remember? Doing it in stone was a huge pain, but we can have something softer for the carved bits. Wood pillars and a mantel, maybe, if insets or fake stone end up looking weird. And we can combine it with the scaling spell if we want the sketches bigger..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We're better at spells now than we used to be. I think I could make it work with stone."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not to stifle your artistic creativity with the composition, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "That's rather impossible, dear. My artistic creativity overcomes all challenges."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mhm, mhm."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle.

It shouldn't be a priority over everything else, but, well. Would be fun to finish early enough for some breaks, once the space is initially livable. 

Permalink Mark Unread

In the absence of compelling reasons to not...

Permalink Mark Unread

Of course, of course.

Permalink Mark Unread

Well, 'Hema is paying for the warehouse itself, and she thinks they absolutely should finish the dungeon early on. Anakin can keep her apartment a bit longer, anyways, and the commute isn't bad.

(Also, if it affects things, it turns out even really cheap old warehouses are enormous but mostly not thoroughly windowed, so they might actually be able to fit nearly everything except 'multiple floors of ridiculous vaulted ceilings with lots of natural light' in normal space...)

Permalink Mark Unread

Ridiculous vaulted ceilings with real-feeling sunlight are easily doable.

Permalink Mark Unread

Magic is absolutely cheating. Even more than the Force for people who aren't her Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're just motivating me to get even more terrifyingly ridiculous, you know," Anakin teases.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, am I?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin. "Certainly something more challenging than disintegrating and reassembling things."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hmm, whatever could that lead to..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Quite a few places, I bet. I could push at the telepathy... At my ability to just decide to be somewhere else now... Perhaps I could decide to be in two locations, even. That sounds rather fun. Or to bring others with me... And I'm really more of a theorist in artifact creation, right now. I could get some practical experience. Push the boundaries of past science."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...I wonder if we could trick the Force into thinking me and you are in the same location even when we're not," 'Hema muses. "Space is an illusion and size is in your mind and all that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, cliches like that are very much simplifications of a complex topic, but..."

"We should absolutely try that."

Permalink Mark Unread

A kiss for her brilliant girlfriend.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!!!

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin laughs and slides back to embodied for long enough to kiss her brilliant girlfriend, too.

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee.

Permalink Mark Unread

Many kisses!

'Hema giggles, and - "We're going to need the dungeon first at this rate..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, if Lily's willing to wait to move in, I think we can do that nice and quickly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seems worth investigation."

Permalink Mark Unread

She conjures up a long roll of parchment with a flourish, sets a ballpoint pen to sketching on it. "So, I think a rectangle for the base dungeon, sort of a calmer area here by the stairs, lots of nice soft cushions, a roomy padded cage, with a nice big tub in this corner... Arches with - hmm, heavy curtains halfway along the area, the more intense area past that - quite tall fireplaces with grand mantels on either end, heavy carved columns here, here, here, and here, of course with some nice rings and hooks anchored into them... Lights at these points..." Hum.

"And I think a parallel rectangle across from the stairs, storage and a more utilitarian shower, a general bathroom, all over by the intense area, then a nice and cozy master bedroom by the calm area - I'm not shy about bed sharing, but it's up to you guys if we should have two bedrooms instead? Of course, people could just sleep in the calm area..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Maybe two, since we're not constrained by space. Just in case we ever want it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair," she says, laughing. "It'll make cuddling less awkwardly complicated." So, two bedrooms sketched on the page, little quick notes about decoration - "Should I run color swatches by you all or just assume 'Hema has the bulk of the artistic taste?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I trust her judgement."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin leans against her Mistress. "You two seem like you'll have more fun collaborating than putting this to committee, too. I'll leave you to it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Awesome." Smirk. "Give us... Two days should be enough, really."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I have high hopes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll be waiting eagerly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll try not to keep you in too much suspense."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You can suspend her to your heart's content after we've gotten the appropriate hooks emplaced."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin blushes rather deeply, burying her face in her Mistress's shoulder.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita laughs.

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. 

"You're all very mean to me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Only because you enjoy it so, dear."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss. "I do! And I have a wonderful Mistress, who makes sure I'm very well taken care of."

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy hum.

Permalink Mark Unread

Shiver. "Love you," she murmurs, more quietly. "At this point I think we should leave the Anathema's to their plotting, how about."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Works for me."

Permalink Mark Unread

She gives a distracted 'Hema a goodbye kiss, then - a quick moment of focus to ensure Lily isn't at the apartment (it really will be nice, having their own space), before heading back for some quality time. 

(Anakin takes a quick moment to telepathically get 'Hema's attention and suggest something like a small bathhouse on one of the floors as she's waiting on her Mistress. Somewhere she can pamper her darlings properly.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay and Ellie should stay available in case more magical assistance is needed...

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay doesn't mind helping, and she can get started on the rough work now, since shapes of rooms seem already basically decided.

Permalink Mark Unread

Great.

A bit later, 'Hema looks up in the middle of a discussion about which exact shade set of bloody reds looks best under a variety of lighting schemes to say, "Oh, hey, got distracted, but I'd wanted to invite you guys to a podrace. Especially one ahead of my girlfriends showing off. But there's a track down the river that's pretty cool."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think we'd like to see one of these much-fabled podraces."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Awesome. There's at least a small one every evening, if you guys wanna head over after we get bored here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure."

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins and turns to Anat' to get to the finishing touches of their planning and preliminary design work.

After, then - down to the edge of the city near the river? (This is an unofficial race but only kind of sometimes illegal so the area isn't even too incredibly sketchy, by big city standards. Also by now the clones are broadly known as 'well trained combatants who never carry anything worth stealing and also one is a fucking Jedi' so they're unlikely to get bothered. 'Hema leads them with the cheerful certainty of one of the six most dangerous people in the city.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Not that the wizards can't take care of themselves. But hey. Watching 'Hema strut is nice.

Permalink Mark Unread

She's very pretty when she's being arrogant, she agrees. 

(Some of the people at the race - including a few clones - do recognize 'Hema, and she cheerfully introduces her friends around, claiming Fay is Anakin's sister to the one person who asks.)

('Hema explains the ways people bet on the races, too, as they're walking to seats, but she advises against it. People get worked up and you'll almost never win enough to be worth it.)

(She's able to find them a really good view, right before another race is set to start.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh good. Ellie's looking forward to seeing how these... odd... contraptions actually run.

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle.

(Noisily, though the spectators are far enough away to not get blasted.)

(They mostly work exactly like how Ellie would expect broomstick racing to work if anyone going slower than several hundred miles an hour was considered a casual who should get out of the way. And also the broomsticks explode if not designed well enough for the stresses put on them.)

('Hema's running commentary suggests that racing here - especially this particular race, this time of day really is more casual - includes a lot less attempted murder than many other planets' races, since there's no major competitions held on planet and basically no local races have rewards except bragging rights and the betting pool is kind of tiny.)

Permalink Mark Unread

That's, uh, certainly a way for a sport to be.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's fun. 

Permalink Mark Unread

As long as no one tries to make Ellie do it.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can keep your role to appreciative spectator."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm pretty good at that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very. Every star needs a lovely woman in the crowd watching their success, after all..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"One or two..." she smirks. "Maybe even three."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums. "It'll be four during Ellaita and Anakin's race... They're very lucky women."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes indeed."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small wiggle. "It'll be fun. Especially whatever they come up with for prizes, I bet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You think?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That looks like the face of someone who knows something," she teases. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maa~aaybe."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laces her fingers under her chin. "Something interesting, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Compelling, one might say."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh? Do tell."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't want to spoil the surprise, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

" - You know and you haven't told your wife? For shame." She drapes herself over Ellie. "You do know I love spoilers, darling."

Permalink Mark Unread

Light kiss.

"And you know I love to tease you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So mean."

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema makes puppy dog eyes. "Pretty please spoil us?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I only spoil the very best girls."

Permalink Mark Unread

"But we are the very best."

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema nods. "Wonderful and lovely and deserve all the nice things."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So you say... But words are easy."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fay knows we're wonderful, she can confirm." She turns to her girlfriend. "Don't you, pet?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Serious hum. "I'd never say my Master could ever be a bad girl, of course, but - I do believe Mistress is the final arbiter, here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Aw, don't you wanna know, too?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She looks so very innocent.

"Oh, I trust Mistress's judgement."

Permalink Mark Unread

She narrows her eyes like she isn't sure whether or not to be outraged.

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema just giggles and drapes herself over Ellie. "Well, I for one think it should be very easy to prove I'm a good girl."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee.

"Maybe not out here in the stands, though..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"They'd need to pay extra for that show," she says, nodding seriously.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps we ought to return to relative privacy, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anat' hums, not looking entirely convinced.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We could give the dungeon an early test run. Show off amid all our artistic success."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Ooo."

"Definitely very important to establishing exactly how good we are." She grabs Ellie's hand.

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle.

And off they go.

Permalink Mark Unread

Off they go indeed.

Anat' beats her alt to pulling her wife into a kiss once they're past the threshold and into the cozy area of the dungeon.

Permalink Mark Unread

Which means 'Hema beats her to kneeling and saying, "What is your wish, most excellent and pretty Ellie?"

Permalink Mark Unread

(Fay goes to lean against the doorway, looking amused.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmkisssss.

"I have many wishes," she says. "But what I want most right now if for both of you to be wearing fewer clothes. And then you can demonstrate for me the virtue of cooperation, which is very important for all good girls."

Permalink Mark Unread

Well, Anat' can certainly help her alt strip...

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema is very much good at cooperation, too! She can even establish enough of a telepathic link with Anat' to simplify coordination. 

Then perhaps Ellie would like both good girls at her feet, worshipping her? 

Permalink Mark Unread

That is an excellent start.

They can progress then to testing whether their good qualities remain under duress... (Fay can help with this part.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Quite gladly. 

Permalink Mark Unread

They are going to be so good

Permalink Mark Unread

The only question is if they can be good enough...

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie thinks they've proven themselves.

After, while they're cuddling, she says "The prize is a makeout session the winner gets to watch. Either between Ellaita and me if Anakin wins, or between Fay and Anakin if Ellaita wins."

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema makes an appreciative noise. "Can we watch, too?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Our darlings are nice. They'll definitely let us watch."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, we can watch too."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "Wonderful. Though now I'm going to be in suspense for a different reason..."

Still, she's happy and warm and cuddly, and her curiosity's been answered, so, Anat' isn't actually feeling very suspenseful...

(Ellie should definitely continue rewarding her good girl with hair pets, though.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Absolutely she will continue to do that.

Permalink Mark Unread

The converted warehouse is just about finished by the time Maz sends a message to Anakin telling her Elesse is planning on leaving in a day or so and would like to arrange time to meet with her.

Permalink Mark Unread

(...She is having emotions! She should go meditate about those.)

Anakin's willing to meet up, yes. The more intense part of her work week is starting tomorrow and they just got off a break, so she'll probably be at the university a lot - there's a gap for lunch between her morning classes and her office hours, most days, that they could meet in, or Anakin doesn't actually need to sleep and can meet Elesse after the evening classes?

She sends over her schedule, including locations of where she is most times.

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse would like to meet in the evening in a few days.

Permalink Mark Unread

That's alright. (Anakin confirms what her schedule is and where she'll be.)

Permalink Mark Unread

And Elesse shows up.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin's still finishing up talking to students - two had wanted to ask her questions about an essay coming up next week, one had needed to ask for an extension - and then needed some reassuring words and an offer to sit down over lunch tomorrow - there'd been the usual friendly chatter -

(Elesse has been getting a lot of questioning looks from the students as they pass, but most people are in a bit of a rush so there hasn't been much more than some distracted greetings.)

The schedule she gave Elesse actually took this into account, but - it's still a good few minutes before she's done and walking the last student out with a small smile.

The student - who'd tripped and dropped her bag as Anakin had been originally turning to leave - is chattering a bit flusteredly - "Thank you so much, Professor Vendar, I don't know why I've been so clumsy lately - "

"It's fine, Tarye," Anakin says, "Though if it's getting bad you might want to talk to the school nurse."

The girl shrugs, glancing away, then sees Elesse - and Anakin turns, faltering a teensy bit, though still smiling, and says - "Ah, Elesse. Sorry the time I gave you ended up early."

(The girl looks awkward and mutters something about meeting her ride as she slips off.)

(Anakin - feels awkward, too.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's quite all right," she says, and smiles just a bit. "Professor."

Permalink Mark Unread

A bit of tension drains out of her.

"Thanks." A pause, and then: "My office is open, or - there's some gardens on grounds nearby. For - talking. And we can get food on the way, if you haven't eaten yet..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That sounds nice."

Permalink Mark Unread

Her answering smile is almost shy.

There's mostly things in the genre of 'cafe' right nearby, which is good for getting something quick and portable to take to a little maze of walled gardens behind the row of class buildings (Anakin, of course, doesn't get anything). She leads Elesse to a quieter square, one she's very sure there's no one able to hear into, and sits on a bench, looking - awkward, again.

"You said you'd - want to talk," she starts, hesitantly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes. It's- been some time since we've done that, even before. And for that I must apologize. I failed you, Anakin."

Permalink Mark Unread

She looks down. "A - lot of people failed, in a lot of ways. I did, too, and - "

"I don't blame you, anymore, but... Yeah. There was a lot that I needed back then and - didn't have a way I knew how to get."

"Thank you. For - talking to me again. And for apologizing."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is the least I can do."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm sorry about the way things ended."

"And that - I wasn't better at asking for help."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If there is anything you think would be helpful for you to say to my face, I am willing to listen."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums.

"There's an extent to which it's - very long past, to me? I've had decades to come to peace with things. There's... An extent to which - some of the things around you - no longer have the same closure they did?"

"If only because - my feelings about a thing are - different, when it's at all possible for - amends to be made, or for people to be hurt by - anything ongoing."

"But..."

She closes her eyes.

"I - "

"I don't know a lot of - your reasoning, or your - view on things. I didn't learn it before you died, or if I did I forgot, and... The information - vanished, by the time I was capable of looking. And there's parts of what has happened that I've definitely forgotten, which I made peace with as - specifically a 'I cannot know for sure what happened,' but - some of them you would know."

"So it's less - things to say, and more questions."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I will answer as I am able."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods.

"...I think the easiest for - factual parts - is... I don't remember what we argued about before you died, at all, or - even many of the events leading up. I know I left Coruscant, and - there's blurs of talking to you, then - just the fight. Nothing either of us said, or how the fight started."

"That - bothers me, sometimes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mm. Both of us, I think, were under a great deal of stress, and not well prepared to bridge the gap that had grown between us. You were... snappish and dissociated by turns, and I was impatient, wishing for answers about what occurred as I received further word about the deaths of other Jedi across the galaxy. Then the Chancellor's broadcast caught up to us. He said that Mace Windu and the other members of the Council who were on Coruscant had attacked him."

"I asked if that were true. You said yes, that he was the Sith Lord. I asked why you hadn't joined the attack. You said that I wasn't there, I couldn't understand. But you were, I countered, and had never shied from facing evil before. We were both- agitated, by that point, defensive and unwilling to trust that the other was safe to be around. Then Palpatine got to the part where he declared himself Emperor and one of us flinched the wrong way."

"I don't recall who drew their saber first, I truly don't."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Oh."

"That would have upset me, yes."

"Questions like that are also things I know how to answer, now, at least."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I am glad that you were able to grow in that way."

Permalink Mark Unread

She shrugs. "It feels less like growing, and more like... Gaining control."

"I knew the answer to those questions, back then -  at least I believe I did. There's..."

"I made a lot of mistakes. Some small, some major, many catastrophic. I should have acted differently."

"The thing is, I knew I should have acted differently, and I wanted to, leading up to and during every one of those decisions."

"And if I could have, I would have."

"I couldn't answer those questions, then, or I would have. I didn't have - the skills, the ability, the information, the support I needed. And there was no giving me those things - if those who wanted anything good for me could have given me it, they would have."

"If I've grown, it's in my power over my life, and my ability to shape my habits, my mind, and my world such that I can do the things I want, that I know already I should do."

"Many of my mistakes, especially as Vader, have been from wanting the wrong things, but - I often didn't want to want those things, either, if that makes sense, though I was much more thoroughly at fault for what happened as Vader, rather than - simply culpable."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Can I hug you, Anakin?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Yeah."

She slides into 'embodied.'

Permalink Mark Unread

Hug.

Permalink Mark Unread

Hug! 

Her body had been tucked away while it was still feeling some very pleasant things, and her emotions as a ghost don't have much staying power, so - 

Anakin's actually radiating contentment, not so much sadness, as she leans her cheek against Elesse's shoulder, sighing.

(She is not going to be the one to let go.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Yeah. This is nice.

Permalink Mark Unread

Very good snuggle.

"I - felt I had more questions, though I don't actually know for sure I do... They're questions I would've had when younger, though - "

Sudden wash of awkwardness.

"There are things that - uniquely hurt me, and - I do think I want you to know about them, and about all the good things that've happened in - well, my time as a ghost, but I'm not sure how much Maz told you? About - everything, really."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just the overview. I'd like to hear it from you."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods, turning her cheek into Elesse's shoulder more.

Remembering this stuff while embodied is - very hard, emotionally, but cuddling is nice enough Anakin's reluctant to stop and retreat back into her ghost self.

" - The first was. Very early."

"When I agreed to become your padawan, I - was very traumatized, and I didn't fully understand what it would mean, or myself enough to - know how I'd react to anything. This... Isn't an issue by itself, but - "

"A lot of parts of being a Jedi were good for me. You were good for me, and I loved - and still love - you. But - you, and the Jedi in general, encouraged me to break all ties to my past loved ones, and I don't - actually remember how strong that encouragement was, whether it was enforced, or - to what extent I was just sick of having people who could be kept as hostages against me and so diving head long to a place where I - shouldn't have gone. I wasn't able to make new connections among the Jedi - kids my age rejected me, either no adults noticed or thought it'd be an issue or knew how to fix that. We stayed on the move a lot too, and - none of the other adults tried to establish a - bond with me that could compete with yours. You - were the only person I could trust, the only one I knew how to have any real conversations with, the only person I genuinely felt cared about whether I existed as - me, uniquely, and not as a general random sapient."

"I - didn't have anyone to talk to, then, if - you weren't around, or if something involved you in a way I needed - outside help to process before I could take it to you. Or if something involved - so much vulnerability that the thought of giving you more of an ability to hurt me if you ever decided to was - very, very terrifying."

"This fucked me up. In - I can talk and think evenly about nearly everything else, now, but - this feels like a wound that didn't heal correctly. And still hurts."

(She's shaking, a little.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, Anakin." Elesse strokes her hair gently.

Permalink Mark Unread

Snuggle. Her eyes are trying to cry, some.

"It sucked. I know you didn't mean to, but - that doesn't erase it."

"And I don't - know entirely why it - kept happening. If you - ever saw it as it was happening."

Permalink Mark Unread

Sigh.

"You fell into a certain blindspot, I think. One neither I or the Jedi were prepared for or equipped to help you with. That you lived outside the Order's structures as a child, that I was anomalously self-sufficent myself... I failed you, and worse, I did not recognize, or perhaps even wish to recognize, that I had."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods and starts crying a little. 

"I'm not - stuck in that place at all anymore, but - thank you."

Quiet pause.

Then: "I have a padawan, now. Lily. There were - irregular things about raising her, such that it would have been very easy and tempting to take a path that left her isolated, and... I do think it helped with her at least, that I knew where that - particular failure mode lies."

Then, a small, self-deprecating snort. "Instead I found new and exciting ways to screw up. Children are hard."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small laugh. "Very true."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles. "Lily's excellent, despite it all, even when she's being difficult or when I'm screwing up, and - just to warn you - I take every chance I get to brag about her."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I never would have picked up on that."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. "Lily wants to meet you sometime, by the way - she pouted when I didn't take her along to resurrect you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd like to meet her as well."

Permalink Mark Unread

Lean. "So - I don't know if Maz told you about the stuff with people having the same Force signature and all?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"In broad strokes. That girl, Ellie, did feel familiar somehow..."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "We don't really know what's going on there... There's some similarities, but - not perfect copies across, whether in personal story or just thought patterns."

"I'd met three people with repeated signatures just - normally. Lily's actually one of them. Ellie is - more odd, she traveled here from a parallel dimension with two others. By now we have Ellaita and Ellie as your alts - what we've started calling whatever this is - and Fay and two women named Anathema of mine. Fay and one of the Anathemas traveled with Ellie, and Fay looks like me, and their Anathema looks like I did when young - but not how Fay looked when young."

"Ellie claims there's also a woman named Lily in her world who looks like my Lily and appears very similar, mentally."

"...Lily's local alt was Palpatine. I - don't want you to be surprised by any similar feelings off her."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...I see."

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans against Elesse, quietly, and shrugs.

"She's a good kid."

Anakin sighs, turning her face a bit more into Elesse's shoulder.

Permalink Mark Unread

Pet pet.

"I think she was good for you."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles. "She has been. Exceptionally so. I'd been getting my shit together before I found her, but - "

"She needed me functional and able to handle even fairly massive triggers, especially since she was a toddler when I found her - there was no one else who could take her, so..."

"I made myself get better." She laughs a little. "Though I suspect a lot of parenting was easier as a ghost. I didn't need sleep, if nothing else."

"She's been good since, too. She's smart. Clear headed most of the time, and incredibly good at arguing with me when my brain is being dumb. And she understands things very differently - I've realized something more than once in the course of explaining things to her. Also... She's protective of me, and she's pushed me to make friends quite a few times."

"There's also nothing quite like realizing you're losing an argument with a five year old to help test your general emotional maturity."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Or even a nine year old," Elesse murmurs. "I don't think I'll ever forget the day you walked into that cell and demanded I get up and help."

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins.

"And you did."

"And then you came back for me."

"That pretty much single handedly convinced me that actually good people exist, you know."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I regret it not one bit."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. 

"I don't, either."

"I loved being your padawan. It was good for me, even with the problems."

She hums then, suddenly thoughtful. "That... Might be why it's felt like a more lingering wound. I knew how to cope with a universe that contained no real kindness. No good people. Just an unrelenting sea of misery before me where my best hope was to hurt it back."

"I didn't know how to cope with... Normal life's problems, and then - we were denied the chance to heal." 

Something's relaxed in her. Her smile seems less fragile. "But we have that chance now."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We do."

Permalink Mark Unread

Snuggle. 

"It's nice."

She loves Elesse so much, and apparently a lot of her normal impulse control rests on not having a hormonal system, because: "I had the worst crush on you, basically as soon as I hit puberty, and - it's very easy to remember why."

...Blush!

She should maybe not have blurted that out.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh." Elesse is somewhat surprised by this.

"I suppose that explains some things, in retrospect."

Permalink Mark Unread

Blush!!!

"I was very silly a lot, wasn't I?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"You had your moments."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "I've now graduated to merely 'socially awkward,' at least."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Always improving."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heh.

"I was very much a disaster about that as a teen... Had a lot of room to improve." Small smile, and, mostly self-deprecatingly but also awkwardly: "I didn't - know how to handle being attracted to you. Especially since I didn't really understand my desires at the time..." She turns her face into Elesse's shoulder more, hiding her blush. "Turns out I'm fairly submissive, but it'd somehow never occurred to me to look anything like that up, so - I just kept having... Almost intrusive thoughts about - wanting to be your slave, and then being unable to figure out why."

"...That was also sometimes why I'd randomly act out or get defiant. Didn't know how to just enjoy being - obedient."

Her blush apparently doesn't want to be hidden and is creeping to the back of her neck. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse is blushing a little too, not that Anakin can see it.

"You've since found someone to help you with that, I take it?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah."

"I'm dating Ellaita and the local Anathema, actually - Anathema had come up with the idea of finding a friend of hers who'd let me possess her - that was before Ellie and the others jumped over, so I didn't have any way of having my own body yet."

"Fay's been - a lot of help mentally, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Congratulations."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd like to meet them as well."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd like that."

"You're all important to me. You should - know each other."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I hope to."

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy lean.

"Thank you. For being just... Good."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is within my primary skillset."

Permalink Mark Unread

"One of very many excellent traits."

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft laugh.

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle.

"There's a lot of other things that've happened in my life. It really has been a long time... Though it might not be a bad idea to spread all the stories out. None of the rest is likely to become immediately relevant soon - although, actually, given the way two of my grandchildren act I possibly shouldn't jinx it."

"...And given the way my biological daughter sometimes acts I possibly shouldn't jinx it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Certainly not."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heh.

"Well, I'll very sincerely apologize if one of them starts another war before I finish giving context," she says, wryly. "But, for now... Do you have somewhere to stay already?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Other than the ship? No."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you're alright staying with me - I have guest rooms. Or - I have the lease on my and Lily's old apartment, still, if you'd rather have your own place?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Staying with you would work nicely. Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

Bright grin. "Wonderful. It'll make meeting everyone easier, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Indeed."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll let them know you're coming back with me, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right."

Permalink Mark Unread

Detangling a bit, then, and Anakin taps all of Lily, 'Hema, and Ellaita that the talk has gone well, and Elesse's coming back with her. (There's a pleased glow in her mind.)

(...Anakin doesn't exactly want to let go of Elesse, but they do need to actually walk some. Anakin can still only teleport herself.)

"It's not too far, luckily, though... I don't actually have a metro card..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"An oft-overlooked benefit on incorporeality, one assumes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The benefits people think of are always the strangest and least beneficial ones, like going through solid objects - which is actually very disorienting anyways."

Permalink Mark Unread

Brief laugh. "Is it?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fairly!"

"The best parts - well, the teleporting is nice. But the best is pretty much 'not having a biology' - I don't need to eat or sleep, don't get sore from staying in one position, and then my emotions when I'm disembodied are significantly easier to handle and don't do that annoying thing biology-mediated emotions do where they won't go away without mental work or conflicting emotions - and my memory is perfect, now, though I haven't really tested my current memory while embodied yet. I can also access the Force much better and with more fine control while disembodied, even beyond the practice it's given me."

"There's definitely a lot of hedonistic parts about having a body, but..." Shrug. "I never regretted killing myself, and I wouldn't have accepted a body of my own if Ellie couldn't make it something I can stop having easily."

Permalink Mark Unread

"As long as you're happy, Anakin."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I am," she says, smiling.

"More so, now."

Permalink Mark Unread

Smile.

"Shall we go, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods, detangling entirely from Elesse and then fading back to disembodied (though she keeps her appearance of life).

And - through the city, along walking paths she's fairly sure should be the best route to the small warehouse 'Hema bought for them. It's in a previously run down and basically borderline condemned district the clones took over and started cheerfully renovating, and the inhabitants are a mixture of 'clones of Anathema's line' (the majority), 'everyone who'd been squatting there already, given nicer places to stay if they wanted,'  'clones from other lines used by the First Order, who left,' and assorted people who've moved in.

Anakin talks a bit about her history in the city - and the recent history of this area, and of Anathema Jedi and her clone line, and more in depth overviews of the people living with them or who visit often (like Lily's boyfriend) - as they walk. The people in the district definitely recognize her, Anathema's clone-line greeting her with the most friendly cheer (and Elesse with no small curiosity).

The converted warehouse is five stories, sandwiched between two other buildings. It's fairly wide, with far more windows than it'd started with (courtesy of Anakin; the stained glass is courtesy of the Anathemas' design tastes). Most of the other buildings right around it have been turned into a mixture of apartments, markets, stores, and assorted public spaces.

"Most of it we haven't done anything with, yet," Anakin says, "So there's some flexibility for future renovations... Though, honestly, the Anathemas have been getting a bit ridiculous with what's already there." She laughs. "Anat's moved from joking about going to university for architecture and interior design to actually looking up the programs, and neither of them sees any reason not to have whatever extra rooms strike their fancy."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If they've got the time, and the magic, I suppose, why not?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"They are the ones doing the cleaning, true."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps make a point to remind them of that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Next time they add something," she agrees. "Not counting any extra rooms you request, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That seems very fair."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin.

"Let's head on in, then," she says. "It's probably unlocked..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Here we go.

Permalink Mark Unread

The front area is pretty big - three story vaulted ceiling, couches in a little friendly group, a bigger dining room table than they usually use, three sets of doors - "Kitchen's through there, main access to the rest of the house through the middle, my home office through there," Anakin says with some gestures, looking around, then mentally tapping her girlfriends and daughter that they've arrived. "The others should be around here somewhere..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Impressively constructed."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita and the others appear.

Permalink Mark Unread

'Hema's fast enough to hear Elesse's comment. She bounces in, says, "Thanks! We had fun," and then steps up to Anakin with a grin. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin slides back to embodied. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Good! A kiss for her wonderful, increasingly well trained girlfriend. Then, "So, you're Elesse?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily's hovering in the doorway, visibly uncertain.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I am. Hello. You would be... Anathema? And Ellaita. Which makes you Lily. Hello." She smiles.

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "Hello."

Permalink Mark Unread

She bows slightly. "Thank you all for taking care of my Padawan. I know she can be a handful."

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily giggles and bows back. "Thank you for teaching her. She talks about you a lot."

"And I've only had to really rescue her once, at least."

 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema just snickers. "Bit more than a handful, really."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose that would be her accumulated experience showing."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heee.

She steps into the room, standing nearer.

" - Oh. I have one of your old lightsabers. Maz gave it to me a couple years ago... I don't know if you - want it back or anything?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think it would be better for you to keep it. I will construct a new one, if I find I have the need."

Permalink Mark Unread

Bright grin! "Thanks! It's a really good saber, and - I like it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good that you found it then, rather than it continuing to languish."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Lily takes rather exceptionally good care of it," Anakin says, a bit teasingly. "And she's getting to be a very good swordswoman of late."

Permalink Mark Unread

She ducks her head and blushes.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You'll have to show me sometime. Perhaps we could spar."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd like that. We've got a sparring room, too, and bunches of unused space that's fun for fighting in."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe tomorrow, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Works for me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Excellent."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema beams at them. 

"Sounds fun!"

"Most of our common areas are down here if you wanna hang out? We've got, like, a kitchen, library, places to play games or cuddle, a meditation room... Or, we could leave you to get settled in if you're tired."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I would appreciate the chance to rest for a while."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin steps over closer to Elesse. "Okay," she says. "There's guest bedrooms on this floor, and one on the second floor - which is the floor all of us except Lily are on."

Permalink Mark Unread

"This floor will serve, I think."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay." She gives Anathema a little squeeze and kiss, then pulls Ellaita in for a quick kiss, then slides back into disembodied and leads Elesse into the rest of the house. 

"I'll be awake tonight, probably, if you need anything," she says, softly, then shows Elesse the two downstairs rooms (one closer to the front, one at the back, clustered in with their less public common spaces). 

Permalink Mark Unread

"I will alert you if I do."

She picks the room further to the back.

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods.

And Anakin heads back to the front.

Permalink Mark Unread

"So that's the famous Elesse, huh?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She embodies so she can pull Ellaita into a hug and kiss. "I'm sorry if that was awkward for you, Mistress," she says, softly. "And at the relatively little warning that she was moving in." Nuzzle.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll make it work."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "We're very good like that."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. Another kiss, and then: "There's probably stuff to talk about, for what Elesse - deciding to stay - means to us as a household and our relationships..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds like a conversation we should go sit down for."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Here's not the coziest... There's that small lounge by the library, though." Then, teasingly: "Unless the Anathemas decided we need a swimming pool there instead."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Excuse you. The swimming pool is going on the roof."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, my bad." She kisses her darling, then: off to snuggle?

(Anakin also pauses to make it clear that Lily is invited to the chat. It's her household, too.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Off to the lounge.

Permalink Mark Unread

She curls up between Anathema and Ellaita on one couch, leaving Lily to the beanbag cushion she likes. 

"I'd been nervous about how it'd go," she acknowledges, "But... I think some of that was my memory issues and general trouble with self confidence..." Small smile. "Or overcorrecting for wanting to be desperately clingy."

Permalink Mark Unread

"She seemed pretty... normal?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fairly."

"She had a lot of time to think before our conversation, so - I'm not surprised she wasn't upset." And then she pokes Ellaita's ribs. Teasingly: "I have been telling you regular meditation helps emotional stability and self-knowledge, haven't I?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Suppose now I don't have to just take your word for it."

Permalink Mark Unread

She kisses her Mistress's cheek. "You could also trust my great wisdom."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Where's the fun in that?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Learning from an expert?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Better to make your own mistakes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"See, I like to learn from other's mistakes, so I have a head start on inventing new mistakes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're well known as an overachiever."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I've never seen a standard I didn't want to exceed, it's true."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss.

"Well. I think I'm all right with her staying, for now."

Permalink Mark Unread

Also kiss! "Me too. So long as she's making you happy."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles, giving both her girlfriends kisses. "Thank you, darlings." And then her gaze jumps to Lily.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I want her here, yeah," Lily says, grinning. "See how many of my bedtime stories were wild exaggerations."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Me? Wildly exaggerate? Never."

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily sticks her tongue out.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Are you wildly exaggerating your tendency to never wildly exaggerate?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Only perhaps."

Permalink Mark Unread

Gigglepoke.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "I don't exaggerate the amazing qualities of people I like, though. I'm being fully honest, for instance, when I say you're incredibly brilliant and gorgeous."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose that's acceptable."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heeee. (Nuzzle.)

"She apologized, you know," she murmurs. "The first thing she really said once we were in private."

"And - talking to her helped. A lot."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good. Guess we don't have to beat her up, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Think she might've started on that herself." Soft kiss. "We're going to be okay, darling."

Permalink Mark Unread

"As long as you are."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I will be." Kiss! "I've got you, after all."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're a dork," Anathema informs her, kissing the back of her neck.

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs, turning to kiss her other girlfriend. "And you, and Lily, and all my friends - "

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "An appropriately grateful dork," she acknowledges.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita laughs.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! Trying to kiss two girlfriends at once is very challenging. 

"I love you guys."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Love you too, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kisses! "Very much, cutie."

Permalink Mark Unread

Snuggle. 

"Logistics can wait," she murmurs, "My brain is trying to be anxious, but... That's silly of it." She nuzzles Anathema, leans against Ellaita. "We'll have a nice meal together tomorrow, maybe, but - possibly I also shouldn't try to over plan everyone meeting properly." She snorts at herself. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"I haven't bitten a new acquaintance since I was four, it'll be fine."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very reassuring."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just make sure you get informed consent before biting."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I did say new acquaintance. Anyone who wants me to bite them needs to impress me first. Takes more than one date."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...I'd like to preemptively veto you flirting with Elesse. Just to be clear."

Permalink Mark Unread

She snickers. "I'm not stealing your crush, mom, or adding to the weird quasi-incest in this family. I've already been very valiantly not flirting with Ellie."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I hope this doesn't stretch you too far, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think I can manage. I'll just dote on my boyfriend more."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Bet he appreciates that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very much. Being around competent women I can't flirt with has been excellent for our relationship."

Permalink Mark Unread

Laugh.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin sighs, smiling. "Competent women are very much our weakness."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think we're more of a strength, personally."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, strengths don't usually bring people to their knees..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You just need to broaden your perspective a little."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps I do..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Pat pat.

Permalink Mark Unread

Snuggle kiss. "Well, given how excellently everything is going... Maybe we should go upstairs. Get my perspective a bit broader..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think we can arrange that." Quick glance at Lily.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll go entertain myself. Maybe in the library."

Permalink Mark Unread

"See you tomorrow, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll be down for breakfast." And she gets up to head to the library. 

Permalink Mark Unread

And Ellaita, Anathema, and their Anakin can be off as well.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita has quite a few excellent points about competent women who drive you to your knees being a source of strength, Anakin decides.

Her body is very thoroughly tired by the end, so she spends a bit of time after sleepily snuggling her girlfriends before leaving her body to doze while she wanders back downstairs to figure out if she left her grading where she was supposed to. 

(She'll be back to her body before either girlfriend wake up, hopefully, but Anakin would rather not spend the night asleep.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse appears as the night is just beginning to shade into morning.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hey," she says with a small smile. (She's brought her grading out to the common area, though her body is still upstairs.) "Sleep okay?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mm. Not so much, of late."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm sorry," she says. "Anything I can help with?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"It will just take time, I suspect. This problem has been building since- before."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods.

"I'm also here to talk, if you want? Or just - provide company."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you."

"I feel that- somewhere along the way, I lost control of my direction, and this is the price exacted."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If it's a price, it's one that shouldn't be charged. You deserve sleep, and everything - good."

Permalink Mark Unread

Tired smile.

"I appreciate that."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile back.

"Good." 

Permalink Mark Unread

"What are you working on?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Grading essays," she says. "Right now I'm on the pile for one of my more advanced classes, so they're getting quite long."

Permalink Mark Unread

"What is the topic?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Analysis of processes of restorative and transitional justice after slavery is abolished in an area. Students picked case studies to focus on within that - older ones, to get an idea of long term impact of various policies, though they're allowed to reference more recent cases in comparison, especially when discussing applications of their analysis."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Any particularly insightful takes on the problems?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Several, actually," she says. "Anyone who survived my intro to ethics class is, if nothing else, very motivated."

"Would you like to help me read through these?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I would."

Permalink Mark Unread

She separates out several to another pad, as well as pulling up a copy of the rubric and her grading standards (rather detailed; she'd rather not make students guess what she wants). "Thanks," she says, handing it over. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is my pleasure," she says, taking the pad. "Doing something constructive will be a welcome change."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, if you want to do this regularly, I could use a TA for the advanced classes," she teases. "I have no idea how the professors who need to sleep keep up with all this."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Let's see how I feel after this stack. Though I suppose I will need to work for a living somehow, with the Order gone."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose you wouldn't want to be my kept woman."

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse gives Anakin a very skeptical look over the datapad.

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles.

"University work is very fulfilling."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmhmm."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm hoping to found some sort of organized group of Force users again," she says then, a bit distantly. "Most other attempts have failed, and it'll be a long, hard road, but - the Order was good for the galaxy, even with the failings it had."

"Or... At least make it so people have a safe path to training, again."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That sounds like something I could help with."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd like that."

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy hum, as she continues reading through essays.

Permalink Mark Unread

This is nice. 

(Anakin's students are indeed pretty clever; not experts yet, and some of their conclusions aren't well supported, some of their analyses not well explained; but they know the material, and they mostly know how to follow a rubric. Some have managed rather insightful points.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse follows the rubric to mark up the pages. The logic behind it is... familiar in shape, though Anakin has obviously had time to add her own spin to it.

She finds this comforting.


She finishes up around the time Anakin would be heading back to her drowsing body.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I need to head upstairs," she says, marking the last page. "I had to leave my body out so it could sleep, and my girlfriends are probably going to wake up soon... We'll come down for breakfast, though, once they're mobile."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Is there anything I can start cooking for that?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you want." She stands to show Elesse the kitchen - "I'll be back down soon, but if you can get some of this started..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"See you in a bit. I'll try not to burn your kitchen down."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Appreciated."

She heads upstairs to slip back into her body. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Sleepy snuggles.

Permalink Mark Unread

Sleepy kisses! She pets Ellaita and Anathema until they're a bit more alert, mentally directing coffee to brew over in the kitchenette. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Mrph.

"...Morning already?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes. Sun has been up for a bit." Snuggle kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmph. "Rude of it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Bluhhh.

"Guess we should get up too, then..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Nuzzle. "Well, your coffee is on the counter... And breakfast is cooking downstairs... Should I add rewarding kisses for when you make it to the kitchen?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That might help with motivation."

Permalink Mark Unread

Quick kiss on the cheek. "Elesse's helping cook, so I'll have plenty of time to set up something nice for you, Mistress..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmm... She kisses the back of Anakin's neck. "Maybe let her do all the work, sweetheart, while you kneel at our feet. Let yourself be pampered for once."

Permalink Mark Unread

Blush!

Permalink Mark Unread

Sounds like a good reason to get up.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin giggles and tucks her body away to make getting out of bed less logistically complicated. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Off to breakfast.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good morning, everyone."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Morning," she mumbles, squinting and downing more coffee. (Is more coffee brewing? Looks like more is brewing. Excellent.)  "Probably we should eat at the actual dining table..." Yawn.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good morning, Elesse." Anakin gives Anathema a kiss for making it down to the kitchen, then turns to kiss Ellaita. "Do you need any help finishing up?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema snorts and pokes Anakin in the side. "Didn't I just tell you to let yourself be pampered for once?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, did you? I'm a very terrible listener."

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse chuckles.

"Good to see some things haven't changed. I have things in hand though, thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You can come sit on my lap, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins, cheeks reddening only a little. "Might make eating awkward."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Think of it as another chance to impress me with your dexterity."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course, Mistress." Small kiss, then an almost shy, "Thank you for cooking," to Elesse, then - out to the dining room? 

Permalink Mark Unread

To the dining room, to await breakfast.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin does successfully balance on Ellaita's lap!

Permalink Mark Unread

Even with Anathema sitting next to them and teasing her with kisses - it is a very impressive feat of dexterity.

Permalink Mark Unread

Her Anakin is very talented.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Much as I hate to disrupt the delicate balance you've achieved," Elesse enters, bearing more plates by hand than Anakin would've, "the food is ready."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles, twisting a bit so she's in a better position to actually eat. "Thank you, Elesse."

(...She can have weird feelings around competitiveness about serving her girlfriends later. Probably. Now is definitely an annoying time for them.)

...She glances up and back at Ellaita. "Do you want me to feed you, Mistress?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Go on, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Lean. She sets to alternating feeding her Mistress and herself.

"The food's good," she tells Elesse, smiling softly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's been some time since I've cooked. I'm glad to hear my skills have not overly suffered."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Then you definitely should get to practice more." She nudges Anakin with her knee. "Though we might have to find Anakin some other task to do for us..."

Permalink Mark Unread

She sticks her tongue out at her girlfriend.

Permalink Mark Unread

"There are many tasks involved in keeping a household running smoothly. Lots for us to put you to."

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse snickers. "So much for 'kept woman', hmm?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Domestic work is hardly 'kept,'" she says, feigning arrogance. "I'm no trophy wife."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Trophy maid," Ellaita says, nibbling at Anakin's neck.

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle!!! (Small one. Wiggling very energetically is contraindicated when balancing in someone's lap at the breakfast table. Sadly.)

"Your reward for being excellent?" she teases.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Justly provided, justly claimed."

Permalink Mark Unread

Nuzzle kiss. "Can't dispute that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course not."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Love you," she murmurs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Love you too, sweetheart." Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin sighs, practically glowing with happiness, and leans into her Mistress.

Permalink Mark Unread

They're kind of cute together.

Permalink Mark Unread

She sees Elesse looking and blushes a bit.

"So... Any plans for today?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Only the spar with Lily. I'm not sure when she'll be free for that."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums. "She doesn't have class today - which might be why she hasn't come downstairs already - and if she had plans with friends during the daylight hours she would've said. She might have homework, though. Usually she prefers doing that in the evening, and then sparring in the morning, especially before she eats."

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse nods. "So that, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "I'd like to watch, if you two don't mind."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would be acceptable to me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're welcome."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm not teaching today, though I'll need to spend some of my afternoon on office hours. Around that, I'm free to spend time together..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I've got some work to do with my girls, but don't super have set times for that, and can plan around everyone else..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My schedule's flexible. Sounds like we need to check with Lily, see what her plan is."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can go ahead and poke her, though she should be down on her own soon..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There's no rush, I think."

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans into her Mistress, snuggling. "True. I'm quite cozy right now."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

"Shall I go ahead and clean up, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "I can help."

Permalink Mark Unread

Bap. "Nope. You're supposed to be sitting back and letting other people do the work, remember?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Pout.

Permalink Mark Unread

A face that adorable is just asking to be kissed. So she does.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!!!

"Please let me serve you, Mistress," she murmurs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Is that want you want? Truly, deeply?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Shiver! "Yes ma'am. I very much want to serve you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Beg for it, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

She arches her back a bit, resting her head more fully on her Mistress's shoulder. "Please ma'am, let me serve you, my most lovely Mistress, please, I like being yours so much. Want to serve you, however you'd like."

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right. You have my permission."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "Thank you, ma'am." She slides off Ellaita's lap and turns to help with clean up.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's much appreciated.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin does feel a bit awkward as they step into the kitchen to both clean, as her brain loudly informs her Elesse saw and heard her begging.

(This is nice, though, working beside her old teacher, in the same way this morning was, which is colliding very annoyingly with 'Elesse watched her begging.')

The doors tend to swing shut if not propped open, so there's some division right now between the dining room and kitchen, sound heavily muffled to and from, and - "Sorry I didn't - check, first, if you were alright with me flirting that intensely in front of you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I didn't mind too much. It was- hm. Interesting."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small blush. "Ah. I'm glad."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I wouldn't particularly care to take your spot but it was fun to watch."

Permalink Mark Unread

Shy smile. "Oh."

"Fun?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That is the most appropriate word, I think."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I liked that you were watching. It was - fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hint of a blush.

"Well. Good."

Permalink Mark Unread

Stronger blush!

"Being around you is... Comfortable."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I appreciate that."

Permalink Mark Unread

There are only so many dishes, of course, and Anakin finds herself lingering over the last one. 

"I liked hanging out this morning, too - maybe we can get lunch out after you and Lily's spar? I can start showing you the area."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That sounds- fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It does."

Permalink Mark Unread

And just then: the sound of an elevator arriving! Extremely muffled, of course, being two rooms over, but Anakin has good hearing.

Permalink Mark Unread

"And that would be Lily," she says. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Will she want a plate? I kept one warm..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can ask, but she sometimes wants to spar before eating - and then she'll get extremely hungry when she's done." Fond smile.

Permalink Mark Unread

"She might be on her own if she wants more than this."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, hopefully that and some fruit will tide her over until lunch." She nods toward the dining room, where she can hear Lily wishing Ellaita and Anathema a good morning. "Shall we?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"After you."

Permalink Mark Unread

She heads into the dining room, then. "Good morning," she says. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Morning! Hi Elesse."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good morning, Lily. There is still breakfast, though I am told you often like to fight before having food."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. I don't like exercising on a full stomach. I'll eat after, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Would you like to spar now, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah! If you're up for it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I am. Do you mind an audience? The others expressed interest in watching."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't mind."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very well, then. If you will show the way...?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure."

The sparring area's along the back wall, vaulted the full five stories of the warehouse - there's a a larger room for ranged stuff or very wide ranging melee and a separate, smaller pure melee room, though someone feeling very jumpy could get between them, since the partitioning rooms only go up two stories. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"As the host, I think you may set the terms."

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins and hums, before laying out some - very sensible - terms for their fight. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

Elesse selects a practice blade from the rack and slides into a ready stance.

Permalink Mark Unread

She slides into a more serious demeanor, picking a similar blade. 

And - they can begin.

Lily fights a lot like Anakin used to, in some ways, but they're mostly the ways Anakin fought a lot like Elesse. Lily is less direct, though, far less impatient, apparently not at all inclined to start playing around during a fight. She's quiet, intense, no sound escaping her lips even when their blades clash. Her Force presence is muted, showing nothing of her intent - her body language doesn't betray her plans, either, giving her an upper hand at feints and the like. She's - possibly reaching for the dark side here, possibly reaching for the light there, but it's hard to tell with everything about her cloaked, and she isn't using any obvious and externally directed Force powers. 

She's a damn good fighter for her age, even if it's clear that she hasn't had much opportunity to spar with other lightsaber wielders.

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse is definitely the more skilled, and time spent dead has not dulled her abilities.

She finds Lily's rhythm after the first few exchanges and sinks into the flow of the fight. Feints are swatted aside before they can finish, strikes are parried with perfect timing, and weaknesses exploited before they're realized. If the duel is a dance, Elesse is leading.

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily steps up her efforts, learning, adjusting to Elesse's style - but she's still behind by a good bit. She's calmer, more focused, and - 

Apparently annoyed enough to snap out a burst of lightning during a split second opening she forces (tightly controlled; it won't hit the bystanders, or even badly harm Elesse if Elesse fails to avoid or mitigate it). There's a flicker of her emotions slamming out with it, mostly a deep anger in its wash that tries to curl into Elesse's mind.

Permalink Mark Unread

The lightning and the anger both wash over Elesse-

-and warp around her to swirl straight back at Lily, strength undiminished.

Permalink Mark Unread

The anger vanishes into her, and the lightning crackles around, not noticeably injuring her - a whisper slips into the back of Elesse's mind, distractedness - the tiles under her feet shift, loosening -

Lily darts to the side and then in, switching styles slightly. 

(To one she's possibly less thoroughly practiced in; her weaknesses here are slightly more apparent than normal.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse adjusts her repsonses to match, remaining calmly centered in the fight.

She begins adding bursts of force to augment her strikes, pushing them harder than expected or giving them unexpected spin.

Permalink Mark Unread

She's able to get Lily on her back foot very briefly before the girl adjusts and recenters herself; still, Lily's tiring a little, and while she keeps picking at Elesse's edges, innovating and adjusting, she's unable to get ahead. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse increases the pace until she's able to twist the blade out of Lily's grip and trip her down.

Permalink Mark Unread

She goes down, catching herself -

And starts laughing. 

"Good fight!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"To you as well." Elesse offers her a hand up. "You have some interesting tricks."

Permalink Mark Unread

She accepts the hand up. "Thanks. It's mostly from mom and records from an archive droid I got ahold of a few years ago... I'm getting to where I can experiment effectively, too, so I'm hoping to get even more interesting tricks soon."

"You're a super good fighter."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you. I do try."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you mind teaching me some?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can, though my particular style is technically an outgrowth of my own self-knowledge."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "I've been working on self-knowledge - could you help me with the process of developing my own style?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heee. "Thanks. Mom's a good teacher, but I think she's out of practice at any fighting that isn't disintegrating a mountain to intimidate someone."

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse laughs. "She always did have a flair for the dramatic."

Permalink Mark Unread

"In my defense, I put it back together after."

Permalink Mark Unread

"No harm done then, I'm sure."

Permalink Mark Unread

"None at all. Well... Unless you count harm to the First Order's budget or Jacen's ego. I left their weapons and base disassembled and took some dark side artifacts off their hands."

Permalink Mark Unread

"All for their own good."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Helped them quite a bit in the end."

Permalink Mark Unread

"True."

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans over to kiss her Mistress.

"That was a very good fight," she says to both Elesse and Lily. "I'm impressed."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Exceptionally." Anathema is eyeing Elesse with a fascinated smirk. "You know, Anakin never told us exactly how good you are with a saber, in amid all the bragging about her old Master. Doesn't have her priorities straight at all."

Permalink Mark Unread

"In her defense," Elesse says, "It's not just sabers."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not at all. A very impressive package."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seriously."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Why, thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm unsure which of fighting you or getting Anakin to fight you I want more."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Let me know when you've made up your mind, hmm?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, both is hardly going to be the wrong answer."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose not."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And it does seem fair for Anakin to get first dibs on anything involving you. All things considered."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think this body is mostly still in shape from when it was created, but I haven't exactly been using it to spar."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You have been getting soft. Good news for using you as furniture. A bit of a disadvantage in athletic pursuits, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps an exercise routine is in order."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think so. Get her back in shape."

Permalink Mark Unread

Dramatic sigh. "I rarely need it... And I am keeping up with some fitness."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There's more to fitness than your flexibility, sweetheart. Though your flexibility is getting quite impressive itself."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs, blushing a bit. 

"An actual exercise routine does sound like a good idea, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I would be happy to assist, if you need it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not sure I need it, but... I'd like it. Being around people when in my body is nice, anyways."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So what's that bring my career options to? Kept woman, teaching assistant, Force-user group organizer, and now training coach?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, a competent woman like you should be able to handle all four, I'd think."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And still have time to sleep?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums, thoughtfully. "'Kept woman' seems like it could double up with sleep... Though really I should figure out if my ability to step out of my body while it's sleeping is usable by other people."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seems like it might be a bit dangerous? What if we can't get back in?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That'd be the biggest concern."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If we've got Ellie there, don't think it'd be too bad. She could just remake the connection."

"I'd be up for testing it - naively, it seems pretty similar to some of the stuff I've been experimenting with in stretching my battle meditation, and Anakin usually can dump how she does Force tricks into my mind pretty straightforwardly."

"Honestly I think biggest concern would be not maintaining our minds as a ghost? In which case we annoy Ellie about doing a more full retrieval; again doesn't seem a big deal, and she might be able to think of ways to drop the risk down..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I would like to meet the wizards properly at some point, speaking of."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Yeah. They're cool - they decided to go on a trip a few days ago, have been exploring the planet some, but they were gonna be back sometime tomorrow or the day after, last I heard."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Convenient."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fairly, yeah. They're in and out a lot, lately - everything here's new to them, I guess, and Anat' and Fay have been asking me about traveling off planet some..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Can't expect them to stay in one place with a whole galaxy out there."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Definitely not. It's a fun place. Anakin's just a weird amount of homebody sometimes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think it's called 'having a job.'"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ick, responsibility."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I find it rather anchoring."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You do like staying tied up."

Permalink Mark Unread

Snort.

"Don't the two of you have icky responsibilities tomorrow, too?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Deep, tragic sigh.

Permalink Mark Unread

She snickers. Then, to Elesse, not at all quietly: "I think Ellaita and Anathema might try to steal the 'kept woman' job."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe they'd be better at it than I would."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hey!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"So you want a job and responsibilities, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She sticks her tongue out at Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You might be a better trophy wife than me, really. Young, pretty, charming..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Careful now, or I'll go looking for someone to treat me better."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, as long as I get to kiss them too..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll consider it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd let you kiss any pretty girls I found."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's because you're a more generous person than I am."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's not really sharing if you let your toys play with each other, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's one way to look at it..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Especially with a sufficiently pretty toy," she says, grinning. "Though it does seem a bit unfair to let me roam around making out with random pretty girls, while poor Anakin - and any other theoretical toy - has to pine..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is purely theoretical for now on my part. Maybe the event will change things!"

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

And, telepathically, 'What if Anakin wants to kiss Elesse?'

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss.

'Don't think I'm quite cruel enough to deny her that. Assuming Elesse agrees.'

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle kiss! Make out sessions are the perfect cover for telepathic plotting.

'I think she will, once she notices she can.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Maybe we ought to prod them along a little...'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Just a little. They'll be alone all day tomorrow, though... If they don't start making out on their own, we can push after. Though Anat's trick of locking idiots in closets might not be repeatable, here.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'We do have a dungeon now. No need to use a makeshift closet.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'They'd just have a philosophy discussion or something else boring. We need to get them primed first.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'There's plenty of space in the dungeon to, hm, put on a show.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Only question is getting Elesse in there - maybe we can convince her to follow along if Anakin and Fay start going past kissing after your race... If you win, of course.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Obviously I'm going to win. You can't doubt your own girlfriend like that.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'I'm dating Anakin too, though! I have to be impartial.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Oh, boo.'

Permalink Mark Unread

Snicker.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay, what are you two plotting?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Can't we just be enjoying each other's company?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She raises an eyebrow. "Well, you both like plotting, so, I'd assume they go together nicely."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My Anakin is so suspicious. Or is it just jealousy? I have a kiss for you too, if you come over here..."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles and steps up. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Time for a thorough kissing.

Permalink Mark Unread

She melts into Ellaita's arms.

Permalink Mark Unread

Very good!!

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse is... maybe just going to join Lily in leaving these three to their devices.

Permalink Mark Unread

She pulls back before Elesse can get too far (Lily has already long since ducked out for breakfast).

"Sorry," she says with a little laugh, leaning into her Mistress. "We were going to get lunch out, weren't we?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you're- busy, we can reschedule."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I want to spend time with you, too..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't want to intrude..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're not - on me at least, and... I've had you back less than a full day, so..." Awkward shrug. "...I feel like being - clingy, right now."

"But I don't mind if you're around while I'm kissing my girlfriends - though I wouldn't want to completely ignore you or make you uncomfortable..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Maybe we can move somewhere we can all sit down?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin nods. "There's the couches out in the common room."

Permalink Mark Unread

"-Very well."

Permalink Mark Unread

And out.

Permalink Mark Unread

There's currently enough room on each couch for three people if they're friendly, four if they're very friendly - Anakin hesitates before sitting down, unsure who to sit with or beside. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita tugs Anakin down to sit on her lap.

Permalink Mark Unread

And Elesse-

-takes the spot next to them.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema sits on Ellaita's other side, arm around both her girlfriends. 

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles, relaxing into Ellaita and brushing her hand against Elesse's arm. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Smile.

Permalink Mark Unread

"So..." Wow this is awkward. "I - are you uncomfortable if we start making out while you're in the room?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suspect I will survive the experience."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I want you to be comfortable, too."

"Restraining ourselves some in public isn't - a problem, really?"

"...But - I don't feel like you're intruding, if you want to - stick around, even when we get a bit distracted with each other."

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right. I'll stay as long as I'm comfortable, and leave if I'm not."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay." Her hand presses a bit more against Elesse's arm. "I'll try to not get constantly distracted."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I have faith in your ability to concentrate."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's a challenge sometimes, but I can manage."

Permalink Mark Unread

Sounds like a challenge to distract her to Ellaita.

Permalink Mark Unread

To Anathema as well. She can kiss Anakin's shoulder, help with some hands wandering over her side and belly, if Ellaita wants to take her neck...

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs, wiggling a bit. 

And, because she just said she won't get distracted - "Any preferences on lunch today?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe something new, if there is anything like that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There's some new fusion styles getting popular, and there's a restaurant for that down by the park I like."

(She squirms a little as Anathema pulls up her shirt a little for access to the side of her stomach. Anakin is maybe a bit ticklish, though Anathema's been getting good at keeping her touch firm enough it doesn't get unpleasant.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds interesting. Let's do that."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "It does. We can hang out at the park after, or just explore... Or whatever else we feel like."

(Anathema's hand makes it up to the base of her ribs, though Anakin's shirt falls down a little so not too much skin is exposed. Anakin is trying not to squirm too much, now, though her skin is shivering some.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Make it up as we go, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. No need to overschedule ourselves."

(Wiggle shiver, as her girlfriends nibble at her.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Or overexert ourselves."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, I won't get tired unless I'm actively in my body, so, that's really your problem."

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse sneaks a hand around Ellaita and Anathema to poke Anakin in the forehead.

Permalink Mark Unread

Her breath catches a little, and then she giggles. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll tire you out in revenge." She nudges some fabric down and squeezes just above Anakin's hip. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh no."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Taste the terror of mortal form."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Suffer my girlfriends' sinister plans."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do I need to rescue you again, Anakin?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, not yet." Squirm! "But that might change."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema smirks.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, keep me apprised."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "I will. Or Anathema will call you for a ransom."

Permalink Mark Unread

Her hand wanders a bit lower on Anakin's hip. "One of those."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think we could get considerably meaner before our Anakin would need rescuing," Ellaita says between nibbles.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course, that much cruelty isn't out of the realm of possibility." Bite.

Permalink Mark Unread

Shiver!!! And a small, involuntary noise.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ehehehe.

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Goodness."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A good view?" And then harder bite - more at the base of Anakin's neck, fingers digging hard into Anakin's hip.

Permalink Mark Unread

" - ah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"-Yes, I think it is."

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy hum around her mouthful of Anakin's neck. (She works her jaw a bit, grinding her teeth around, chewing a bit, and drags her nails across Anakin's hip bone.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Small whine.

Permalink Mark Unread

Smirk.

She then lets go of Anakin's neck to address Ellaita: "What do you think, dear? Hands or Force?"

(Her other hand abandons where it's been bracing her to curl around the back of Anakin's neck, squeezing threateningly.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hands, for now. Keep things more... visceral, for our guest."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very fair."

"I think you're at a better angle to do the honors properly, though." She bites Anakin's neck again, hard enough to bruise and leave a serious, stinging indent, right over where someone's hands would naturally go.

Permalink Mark Unread

Nnnnnnnn! 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita positions her hands and squeezes.

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse sucks in a sharp breath.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin manages a quick breath before Ellaita cuts off her air.

(She's very quickly getting experienced at being strangled. Can hold her breath rather long, meter out the slow escape of air from her lungs - easier than breathing in - to time with proper moans, a small whine hovering deeper in her chest...)

She's positioned so Elesse has a very, very good view of her face. The way her lips part ever so slightly, the flush of blood to her cheeks, her wide eyes,  expression ambiguous between fear and excitement or pain and pleasure... (And so Anakin can see Elesse's reactions, and she promptly loses the fight not to settle into full writhing - )

Permalink Mark Unread

-Elesse is experiencing a lot of feeling by watching this!

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema snuggles up, idly stroking or scratching, biting or kissing her Anakin, encouraging her to make those yummy, yummy noises. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Of course, if Anakin intends to stay embodied the entire time, eventually Ellaita is going to need to stop squeezing, or Elesse's going to need to rescue her. 

(Her eyes are tearing up, gaze going distant, body trying to gasp for air on its own, hands gripping tightly to Ellaita's arms...)

Permalink Mark Unread


Elesse abruptly pries Ellaita's fingers apart with the Force and pulls Anakin away.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Aw."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Sorry."

Permalink Mark Unread

She collapses into Elesse, shivering. 

Words. They're a thing that exists.

Her throat is very sore, she knows talking will hurt especially before she's had anything to drink, and her brain is very fuzzy anyways, and so, with the part of her not wrapped up in biology, she reaches out through the Force - 'It's okay.' Wave of contentment/ pleasure/ cozy haze reflecting what's in her biological brain, love and happiness from the larger part of her not currently shivering. 

She does not want to think through aftercare on her own, though, she should definitely just be pampered now. Braining is effort, but floating is very nice. (This, too, is exposed to her girlfriends and Elesse.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Cuddles are the next part," she informs Elesse. "Unless you want to get her something to drink."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I seem to already have her, so..." She shifts slightly to hug Anakin better.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema drapes herself over Anakin's exposed back, her cheek against her girlfriend's shoulder, letting her awareness of the Force drift over Anakin's body in case there's anything that should be healed immediately. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Snuggle!

(Double snuggles are even nicer than single snuggles.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita goes to get some drinks.

Permalink Mark Unread

Yeah. This is nice.

Permalink Mark Unread

She can be roused and detangled enough to drink some soda, humming a bit, curling into Elesse.

'I'm sorry if we alarmed you,' she murmurs into just Elesse's mind. 'Those two are... Very much young adults, though I hardly thought this through either...'

Permalink Mark Unread

'I didn't realize how far you were prepared to go.'

Permalink Mark Unread

Nuzzle. 'I wasn't expecting them to do that then, but - I don't mind that you were watching, and we get more extreme all the time.'

'It's not dangerous, how we do it - we've been making sure their ability to heal me keeps up with how far we're going, and I'm maintaining a bit of my mind separated from what's happening to my body, so I can tuck my body away even while unconscious.'

Squeeze. 'We should've checked in more detail with you, rather than those two just deciding to see how far they could escalate...'

Permalink Mark Unread

'I would appreciate some warning, next time.'

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. 

'Alright. Sorry about this time.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'We all survived.' Elesse strokes Anakin's hair.

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy hum. 'Want more than just surviving for us, though.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Working up to it.' 

Permalink Mark Unread

Squeeze. 'A life we can be fully content with seems always a work in progress.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'So it is.'

Permalink Mark Unread

Lean and sigh. 'Luckily we have time for me to recover before we get lunch. Especially if I tuck my body away or someone heals me... Sadly, it's a bit warm out for high collared shirts.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'I can heal you, if you'd like.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'I'd like that.'

'I can heal myself, but... I like being healed by others.'

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse brings her hands up and starts gently healing the damage to Anakin's throat.

Permalink Mark Unread

...Oh that's nice

Anakin likes things touching her neck in general, and this is - very, very excellent, in a different way from Anathema's usual 'snuggle hug and wave of healing.'

Her eyes flutter closed a bit, breath going soft and even, pressing only a little into Elesse's hands. 

Permalink Mark Unread

She takes her time about it. Only to be sure that Anakin is fully repaired, of course.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmmmm. Anakin isn't quite blissed out by the time Elesse is satisfied, though she's fairly close. 

Permalink Mark Unread

'Looks like they're halfway there already,' Ellaita sends to Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

'I am going to be very impressed with their obliviousness if they end up needing our help.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Right?'

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans over - she's detangled a bit from where Anakin and Elesse are falling to notice their mutual adoration, leaving her free to kiss Ellaita. 

'We'll check on them the day after tomorrow.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Sounds good.'

 

 

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

They have time to cuddle before it gets to be really lunch time, especially since Lily appears to have outright left the house already. Anathema's fine with using all of it. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Not as though Elesse has a schedule. Though they do need to make enough time to eat before Anakin's office hours.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin has a good sense of time, at least, and nudges them to get moving after a bit.

Permalink Mark Unread

Then off they go.

Permalink Mark Unread

The park is a short walk away, along the broader road at the front of their house. It isn't huge, and seems fairly popular - but it's a spot of green with more shade trees than what are already planted along the roads, some late blooming flowers bursting up in patches. There's a small playground on one end, which is apparently meant for both adults and kids, going by the number of clones from Anathema's line playing on the jungle gym (and going by the construction and scale).

The restaurant Anakin had picked out is along one of the shadier, quieter parts, with a large outdoor patio. The wait staff are friendly (and recognize Anakin), and the menu includes references to some things Elesse recognizes, some of the generic foods most places around here serve, and a lot of dishes that do indeed seem like someone combined several other dishes from cuisines that aren't usually paired (and one dish Elesse has never even heard of).

Permalink Mark Unread

Time to be experimental! One thing she does not miss about life before her death was the pervasive military rations.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin likes nearly everything they serve, if Elesse wants to each get different meals and then split, to try more of a variety.

Permalink Mark Unread

An excellent idea.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema adds her order to the pool, so they can get a nice selection. She'll even get whatever spice level Elesse likes, rather than 'the hottest they can make it.'

(The food is all really good, though, if sometimes unusual enough most people's tastes buds get kind of confused about it.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Boring people, maybe.

This was an excellent idea.

Permalink Mark Unread

Luckily this area contains very few boring people! It's becoming quite the hot spot for various cuisines. 

Anakin's glad Elesse likes the food, though. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita and Anathema have to split off after lunch is over. Elesse and Anakin are admonished to continue enjoying themselves.

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. 

Well, Elesse is welcome to hang out on campus with her if that sounds like 'continuing enjoying themselves' - her office hours also don't take up the entire afternoon usually. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Call it job shadowing.

Permalink Mark Unread

Heee.

Works perfectly. She might ask Elesse to step out some, but most students shouldn't mind her being present. And if Elesse's interested in actually being a TA, they can talk to the university's admin sometime... At least for 'what would be involved in a job.'

Permalink Mark Unread

She's interested enough for at least the first steps of the process.

Permalink Mark Unread

Information gathering won't hurt, anyways. 

They have enough time to swing by the admin office for a description of job duties and miscellaneous introductory material and paperwork - including what they'd need from Elesse, how to actually apply for the job, and the like. 

Permalink Mark Unread

...Hm. She will need to figure out how to interface with the modern bureaucracy. It seems she doesn't officially exist.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can handle some of that How easily or quickly depends on whether you're willing to let a spy for the Republic know you exist - she sometimes does me favors and only kind of works towards the Republic's self proclaimed interests; she's supposedly so far keeping who I used to be and my true nature secret from her boss. In the other direction, I could call in a 'favor' with Jacen, but that's... Rockier, though the risks would be different."

"The slower way would be establishing you through the refugee system, since they take people without identity papers, but there's a risk you'd be denied or bound up in bureaucracy. And also it takes forever, though there's I think some ways to skip some of the red tape and get through faster..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll think on it. Not something we need to settle this instant."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "Alright. The immigration processes should also be accessible on the HoloNet; there's government sites for it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That much hasn't changed, at least. I'll look into it while you're busy."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay." She smiles, embodying just long enough to lean a bit against Elesse. "A lot of today is going to be answering emails and helping students with miscellaneous problems... I need to follow up with some students too... Your help this morning reduced my grading pile quite a lot, though I do still have some, and some lesson plans to finalize."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So responsible you've grown up to be. Let me know if there's anything specific I can help with."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There's a few things..." To her office, then, where she can send Elesse some of her work - a bit of simpler grading for the introductory class, some review of lesson plans, some things she's needed to research, a short list of some rarer texts (mostly primary sources she's seen referenced elsewhere) that she wants to track down and figure out how to get ahold of... "It doesn't all need to be done today, of course, and the grading and lesson plans are really the only priority."

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse will start with the grading, then, and see how things develop over the course of the afternoon.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fairly well; this particular stack goes a lot faster, especially since Anakin has staggered due dates for papers in different classes - though a few introductory students have turned in their next essay early, and there's a short weekly 'journal' assignment. She can get to some lesson plans by the end, but not through everything. 

Several students do come to Anakin's office during the time block (and it sounds like she's emailing with more, and she asks Elesse to step out for a few calls). Elesse isn't asked to step out for the in person students, and most of them have very quickly answered questions. Some, though, do need to linger longer, and - Anakin's good with them. They come in tense and worried; they leave at least somewhat reassured and determined, if not relaxed. They're struggling with this or that part of the class; Anakin explains it so they can get it, or helps them figure out how to get a tutor. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse stays quiet, but-

Her Padawan really has grown. It's good to see.

Permalink Mark Unread

They do technically have time for dinner out, after, but Anakin's in the mood to cook, if Elesse is alright with an evening in. 

Permalink Mark Unread

That sounds lovely.

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin. 

She sends a message to Ellaita and Anathema to see if they have existing dinner plans. 

Permalink Mark Unread

They'll be having a night out. Maybe catch up with some of the girls.

Permalink Mark Unread

Okay. Have fun. 

(A message to Lily gets a similar response - except her thing is study group.)

"Seems it'll be just us," she says as they reach the house. "Any requests?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Show me your specialty."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alright. It'll be a little bit, then - the most impressive foods are hardly quick."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can wait."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay." She smiles at Elesse, softly, and steps into the kitchen. 

(Cooking really is something she enjoys, even when she isn't planning to eat - which is most meals, since her body isn't usually experiencing the time in between. It's - something nice to do for those she loves, even before the start of her relationship with Ellaita and Anathema, and even more so now with the added dimension of - submission. Obedience. Service.)

(She's trying, somewhat, not to treat this as she would cooking for her girlfriends, but... It's still very, very pleasant, and her mind settles into a gentle, contented hum.)

She lets herself be embodied while she cooks, so her body will be more ready to eat, and the lingering curl of pleasure from this morning, of snuggles, of company is adding another dimension to this. A nicer one than she usually experiences when spending long stretches embodied...

She finishes cooking after not too long, bringing the plates out to Elesse - the den has a folding table which is better for just small groups like now - and setting them before her. The meal indeed looks like it must have been rather involved to cook, especially to this skill level. (Anakin cheated with the Force; the chef she charmed this set of recipes out of usually has multiple helpers.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"It looks delicious, Anakin. Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

She ducks her head, blushing, and sits beside Elesse. "Thank you."

Small smile, before starting to eat. 

There's not too much of easy to think of, pleasant topics that they haven't already gotten to yet today, and Anakin doesn't want to get into anything - messy. So, after casting around mentally some, she starts talking about just - her neighbors, her coworkers, her most reoccurring students. Friends she's made, some of Lily's friends... She wants to introduce Elesse around, though they'll want to figure out something of a cover story, first, and - Elesse can have time to settle in, first.

Permalink Mark Unread

Which she thinks she will be able to do. And it's nice that Anakin wants to include her in her life.

Permalink Mark Unread

Of course she does. As much as Elesse wants to be included. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Permalink Mark Unread

She looks away a bit, blushing and smiling. 

"Does the food taste as good as it looks?" she asks, a bit teasingly, to cover her bought of awkward embarrassment. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Better, in fact. My compliments to the chef."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you," she says, playing with her food a bit, blush spreading briefly. "I really like cooking for the people I care about..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It shows."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin. "Sorry I was a bit weird about you cooking breakfast, by the way..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"What was that about?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She bites her lip a bit, then, "Cooking for my girlfriends is one of the... Consistent things I do to take care of them, just, submissively... This relationship - any romantic relationship - is really new to me, and... A lot's been changing, recently. For the good, but - I hadn't realized how strongly I felt about being part of that routine, and that I can feel anything close to jealousy, was all... I don't mind you cooking, and it was nice, but," Shrug. "I surprised myself."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I see. Well. I can certainly refrain, in the future."

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans against Elesse. "Maybe just... Discuss more? And if I say I want to help cook, don't - contradict that. And I'll talk to my girlfriends, too, about not - insisting around stuff like that. I think I should also try to have more time each day just focused on my girlfriends... Tomorrow doesn't work there as much, since they're both going to be off planet, but I can certainly spend some of the morning with them, before they drag themselves downstairs..."

"And now that I know this about myself, it'll be easier to speak up when I need to." She rests her head on Elesse's shoulder. "But I wasn't upset or hurt or anything. Just felt off." 

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right. I can- try to be more aware around things like this, as well."

Permalink Mark Unread

Cuddle. "Thank you."

"I'm alright being directly asked if you're ever unsure about something like how okay I am or how I feel about an idea or what's going on, either out loud or mentally."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good to know."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles and sighs, settling more into snuggling Elesse's side. 

"...We should finish dinner before it gets cold."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mustn't let your hard work go to waste."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'd be rather tragic."

Fortunately, Anakin is practiced at eating while snuggling someone. 

Permalink Mark Unread

A skill Elesse is picking up quickly enough, too.

Permalink Mark Unread

Excellent. 

Anathema and Ellaita will probably be back soon - Anakin thinks she wants to spend the late evening with them, if Elesse is okay entertaining herself? 

Permalink Mark Unread

She is.

Permalink Mark Unread

Good. 

They can snuggle until then, though. 

Permalink Mark Unread

This is nice.

Permalink Mark Unread

It is. 

Permalink Mark Unread

They have a good hour before the front door opens, followed shortly by Anathema heading back to the den. 

"Aw, did you two have a good date?" she asks, teasingly. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't know if that is precisely the way I would characterize it, but we did have a good time, yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin straightens from her side, glancing away a little. "Seems a better question to ask you and Ellaita."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We had a wonderful time, as always."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good times all around."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "Excellent."

She gets up to give both her girlfriends little, quick kisses. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Are you coming to bed, sweetheart?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes, ma'am." She glances at Elesse. "I'll see you in the morning?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll be here."

Permalink Mark Unread

Fond smile. "Good night."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good night."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Night!"

And she grabs Anakin's hand to pull her toward the elevators.

Not that she's planning on going to sleep just yet. 

Permalink Mark Unread


Meanwhile, Elesse is going to do some thinking about why she doesn't want to think about that.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin lavishes her girlfriends with attention for quite a while.

But - her body isn't sleepy yet, so she leaves them to snuggle each other, Anakin's body tucked away, and spends the night in the downstairs living room again (writing something, this time, mixed with pulling reference texts out of the library or off the HoloNet. She has several neat stacks of datapads around her by dawn).

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse has gone to her room before Anakin comes back down, but she's up with the dawn again.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good morning," she says, looking up from her pad.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good morning. Hard at work again?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not so much my job this time - I'm working on a book."

Permalink Mark Unread

"What about?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Force use, at an - introductory level, pretty much. A good bit of philosophy, some history..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Interesting. A foundational text?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes. Many texts didn't survive to the present day, and - I'm helping with the efforts to recover what we can, but it's... Simpler for teaching to just start a new one, especially since I don't really share a philosophy with the Jedi or Sith."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough, I suppose."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "I'm fairly far into it, though I'd like to track down some more sources - still, I think I can get a first draft and work on that, incorporate any other materials later..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd be happy to look it over, if you'd like."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thanks."

"I think it's to the point where a second reader would help, actually... Though it does still contain a good bit of notes to insert a section later..." Small shrug. "Here, let me..." She loads it into a datapad and passes it over. "I have today off from work, too - we can spend the day just resting, or exploring the city, or - anything you want."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Let's see where things take us."

She settles in to start reading.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's in some ways reminiscent of the wild ideas Anakin would have for 'an ideal philosophy' as a new padawan. Flexible. Based around an idea of questioning. 'Wisdom is not a possession; it is a process' is both an explicit note - possibly to be actually included in the final - and an overarching theme. 

But - the idea has matured. Anakin has learned to question herself, if nothing else, and to understand the concept of people reaching conclusions she never would, and not being inherently wrong in this. 

She weaves discussion of philosophy, theory, skill instruction, and history together by thematic or causal groups, though currently each type is highlighted with notes about how she might reorganize it, such as if she splits it into discrete units by category - history with history, philosophy with philosophy - and there's a large set of central notes with thoughts on that sort of thing. Benefits and drawbacks of each way of presenting information. 

There's parts of history in a depth Elesse's never encountered, stretching back far into the past - Anakin has a wealth of information kept by the Sith, relayed with notes about any given fact's supporting evidence and any source's reliability. She has archeological findings the Jedi hadn't stumbled on - also with notes about reliability of evidence and interpretation. 

(The discussion of what evidence they have for history is fairly deftly woven into the general questioning philosophy. She treats theories of how the Force works the same - we do not know this. We have guessed this. We have created this model from what we have observed, and it has predicted new observations better than chance, but we cannot say it is true. We do not have the tools to know that truth; perhaps we someday will, and it is worth pursuing, but Anakin expresses the opinion - with discussion of evidence drawn from an array of fields - that a unified theory can never be found, but that rather we will find ourselves with many overlapping models which describe only some of the universe.)

(She fundamentally treats the Force as a thing of physics. Harder to do math to than gravity, but if it is a thing with mysteries, that is because our instruments aren't very good. Every Force tradition has had its own view. Most of these were at least sometimes - frequently often - decent predictive models. None of them have been broadly predictive enough, in Anakin's experience, to justify a central place in every description. She outlines quite a few in neutral tones, with a heavier focus on Sith and Jedi beliefs. They are, for the most part, not 'vague mysticism,' she makes a point of saying. They're models of reality that can demonstrably be used for millenia without massive contradictions with observed reality.)

She discusses, too, the history of Force use and organizations. She discusses the light and dark side - 'It is not,' she writes, 'That the light side is good, and the dark side is evil. Both have their own strengths and their own failure modes...' This seems to be one of the sections that needs expansion, pending discussions with various historians. (She does think the Sith usually win at 'most fucked up,' though; you have to get into extremely niche cults to get more fucked up than any system some group identifying as Sith have ever used.)

(Anakin does get up to go dote on her girlfriends after about an hour - she lets Elesse know they won't be down right away, maybe not for another hour or two.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse becomes engrossed in the writing. Anakin has developed her ideas since the last time they had spoken on the subject and Elesse finds that she agrees with many or even most of Anakin's thoughts. She makes notes of some more esoteric bits of Jedi philosophy Anakin hasn't included, some that support her thinking and others that argue against her points.

Permalink Mark Unread

Some of the discussion of Banite Sith training methods - even clinically relayed - does have an echo of... Grief. Rawness. A note attached of 'need to edit to sound less traumatized and also less doxing myself ffs.' And, in a slightly shaky handwriting - 'I want current users to read this. Lots of the cults are shitty. I should offer resources or something. Maybe a separate work? Full discussion is a lot.' (She's rather frank about how those methods engender feelings of hate, gratitude, fear, attachment, rage, desire to please, desire to flee...)

That's the only section with notable emotional bleed in it, though - most keeps to a more playful or serious tone. She does have a lot of notes of extra sources she needs - the texts she'd asked Elesse for help tracking down are mostly in these.

And then about two hours after Anakin went upstairs - when Elesse is about halfway through the draft and notes - she comes back down, trailed by her girlfriends. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good morning," she says, still reading.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good morning."

"I hope you haven't found too many glaring errors so far," she teases. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"None you haven't already noted yourself."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Catching my mistakes seems much easier than not making them, so far."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That is how learning works."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin.

"Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I have not, no."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll cook something for you three, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good girl."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle kiss. "Make yourself comfortable, Mistress."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita goes to flop with her girlfriend.

Permalink Mark Unread

She snuggles in pretty close on the couch catty corner from Elesse, maneuvering the snuggle a teensy bit so the only real gap is between Elesse and Ellaita. 

"Morning, Elesse," she says, cheerfully.

Permalink Mark Unread

(Anakin heads into the kitchen to start breakfast.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good morning, Anathema." She keeps reading.

Permalink Mark Unread

Breakfast seems quicker than dinner, at least today - Anakin's bringing drinks and food out about fifteen minutes later, floating tray tables over since the coffee table isn't the best place to put food. 

She glances at her girlfriends, at the way they're glued to each other... And kneels in the gap between Ellaita and Elesse as the food settles in place. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh, feeling special this morning, aren't we? Ellaita grins and pets the top of Anakin's head.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmm.

She leans into Ellaita's hand with a happy little sigh. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hungry, sweetheart?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"No, ma'am."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just going to sit and watch, then? Fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I like watching you enjoy things, Mistress."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Especially when they're things you've made or caused."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The best part."

Permalink Mark Unread

Time to eat, then.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema reaches past Ellaita to pat their girl a few times, but - she's usually a slow eater, and they do have a timetable they got a bit distracted from this morning, so she's trying to remember that eating exists...

"Gonna be off planet today," she reminds Elesse. "We gotta leave shortly - hopefully we'll be back by midday tomorrow? Maybe a bit earlier."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I will attempt to ensure the house is still standing upon your return."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Keep any wild parties to just you and Anakin, okay?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you're looking to avoid property damage, I think Anakin should rather be in the excluded set."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Excuse you, I haven't blown something up without putting it back together in over two decades."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Wait, so Anakin wasn't always the paragon of pretending to be responsible?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ask her to tell you about Duros sometime when you don't have an interplanetary flight waiting for you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I might have to ask you instead. She'll just try to make it sound lesson-y."

Permalink Mark Unread

Pout.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think even Anakin might have a hard time turning Duros into a moral lesson."

Permalink Mark Unread

Stronger pout. "You're going to ruin my cool image."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe you shouldn't have brought me back with all my memories, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're more than worth looking uncool."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Aww."

Permalink Mark Unread

She blushes.

"Don't you two have a flight?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I guess we do. Ready, Anathema?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure. Got my bag by the door earlier, so... Think we're ready." She scritches Anakin's head near her ear and bends down to kiss her on the forehead. "See you tomorrow, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans into Anathema's touch, eyes drifting closed a bit. "See you tomorrow, darlings."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You two have fun!"

And they're off.

Permalink Mark Unread

She tucks her physical body away and gets up to clean up from breakfast. "Lily crashed at a friend's place last night and has class this morning, so it'll actually be just us for a little bit," she tells Elesse.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Time for a wild party?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, I think I remember how to have one of those."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That we are the only two guests permitted won't detract?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, depends on the party."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I see. What might some salient features be?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm... Well, only two guests makes having everyone like the music and food much easier. And it likely simplifies clean up - even if you get the same amount of wild as a larger party, one of us will probably know what we did where. And I suspect any mess is somewhat less likely to involve used drug containers and crumbs and spilled drinks, or at least fewer of those."

"There might be other benefits, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A lack of potential witnesses to any embarrassments?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Depends on how easily embarrassed you are."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Wellllll," she draws the word out, "that, in turn, depends on the activities we get up to."

Permalink Mark Unread

Deep blush. "Oh? Like what?"

Permalink Mark Unread


"Anakin," Elesse says. "May I kiss you?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes," she says immediately, sliding back into embodied, her breath catching in her throat. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Gentle kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!!! She might be melting a little. Definitely stepping closer to Elesse.

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh, this is nice.

Permalink Mark Unread

How does Elesse feel about Anakin's hands on her face, sliding into her hair? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Positively!

And perhaps Elesse can reciprocate by placing her own hands further down on Anakin's body?

Permalink Mark Unread

That gets her a very happy sigh. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Perhaps they should move to one of the couches?

Permalink Mark Unread

One of the wider ones, perhaps. 

That does necessitate a break in the kissing, though, and - "I should talk to my girlfriends..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Should we stop?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Lean. "...I'd really rather not stop. I can contact them mentally, though, especially if... I know what I'm even checking for okayness with - I wouldn't be happy if they acted like this is somewhere they can give or deny permission, but - there's some things we might need to negotiate boundaries around... They're generally okay with hook ups, but - we've only briefly discussed longer term relationships..."

Shrug. "And knowing what you want in the long term is also going to affect my boundaries..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm still... feeling that out a little."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "I - think if it's casual, or short term, I'm okay with kissing and snuggling, but not... Anything past that? At least when it's just us, I'm still fine with you watching me with my girlfriends for... Basically anything."

"And if you don't know, I'd rather act like it's casual or short term until you have a better idea."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That sounds reasonable. We can stay in those boundaries, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "Thank you." Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! This is good.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin very agrees. Certainly a way to pass some time - and, now that the action is available, to intersperse with cuddles and general hanging out. Once they get tired of being glued to each other's faces, at least.

Permalink Mark Unread

Which doesn't happen immediately, but- eventually. Before Lily gets home.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin cuddles into Elesse's side once they move from actively kissing - a bit sleepy by now, but she's enjoying the contact too much to get up. She could read something...

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily gets home a bit after lunch - stops, and grins at them. "Any interesting news?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would depend on what you consider to be 'news'."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, have you two finally stopped pining?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think we have, yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We've advanced all the way to discussing our feelings like grown adults."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ooo, fancy." She giggles. "I'll eat lunch up on my level then. Let you two have some fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you like."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I would like to see my daughter ever, you know," Anakin teases.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can survive on my own while you spend two days making moon eyes at a pretty girl, mom."

"But I'll come down a bit before dinner - I wanted your help with something anyways... And I'd wanted to drag Tayab over for lunch again tomorrow, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "See you, then," and turns to head upstairs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"She's very accommodating."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin. "Yeah. Though she's possibly paying me back for being accommodating about her boyfriend... She's commented a few times that a lot of her friends' parents are strict about that sort of stuff."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That works out nicely, then."

Time for another kiss, Elesse feels.

Permalink Mark Unread

It might, even, always be time for more kisses. 

"Speaking of lunch, any requests?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Surprise me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alright." She barely bites back a 'ma'am.' (Definitely in the pile of things to talk about if Elesse wants to be serious...)

To cook, then, sliding to disembodied since she's getting tired and would rather not run her awake hours down more - smaller lunch portion for her, too, since she technically ate dinner recently-ish...

She comes out thirty minutes later with plates - she hasn't quite gone all out, but 'she's trying to impress Elesse' wouldn't be a bad guess. She embodies again as she sets the meal in front of Elesse, sliding in to her side to snuggle.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you, Anakin." She begins eating.

Permalink Mark Unread

Even though Anakin's eating a bit slowly, her portion - more a late night snack - means she's done earlier. She curls more into Elesse after her plate's empty, humming contentedly, eyes drifting closed a bit.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Is it nap time already?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Sleepy murmur.

Permalink Mark Unread

Sounds like a yes.

"Let's get back to the couch, then." Elesse gently lifts Anakin and moves them back over.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mrrr.

She clings to Elesse, nuzzling her a bit.

Permalink Mark Unread

Aww, cute.

Elesse pets Anakin's hair and settles in.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin drifts deeper into sleep, mrrring only a little whenever Elesse shifts, very determinedly snuggling.

Permalink Mark Unread

And that is, of course, the scene that greets the wizards when they come to visit.

It's very cute.

Permalink Mark Unread

Adorable!!!

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay hangs back a bit, smiling. 

"Should we be quiet?" she asks, softly. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you would."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin mumbles something, stirring. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Cute.

She smiles at her girlfriends, nodding towards the elevators.

Permalink Mark Unread

Tiptoe past, very quietly!

Permalink Mark Unread

Snuggle mrrrr.

But their visitors make it upstairs without Anakin fully waking up, though her eyelids do slide up a bit. 

Permalink Mark Unread

She must be tired.

Permalink Mark Unread

"'lesse?" she murmurs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Right here, Anakin," she says softly.

Permalink Mark Unread

Snuggle. "Love you."

She seems to be drifting back off.

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse pushes warm feelings of contentment at her.

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy cuddles.  

She doesn't drift all the way back to sleep, though, and starts waking up properly about an hour later, blinking heavily and yawning.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

Permalink Mark Unread

Mrrrrrrr.

"...I slept?" she mumbles. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very cozily, for a few hours."

Permalink Mark Unread

Mumble. "Don't usually..."

"Should put body in bed..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you want help with that?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Yawn. "Gotta get it to bed... Can float it once I'm out..."

Permalink Mark Unread

She picks Anakin up as she stands, walking towards the elevators.

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles, curling into Elesse and giving directions where needed - her suite is on the second floor, to the right (their interdimensional guests are on the same floor, just to the left).

The bedroom is pretty huge, with a king bed and grand fireplace, the entire suite's decorations mostly taken over by Anathema's crowded and eclectic style - though Anakin's been having fun contributing, and she's started poking Luke to send her some more interesting things he's found in his travels, and not just the collection of proof her miscellaneous descendants exist (which are rather proudly displayed in the suite's living room, alongside some of Lily's early artworks she's too embarrassed to let her mom stick in public).

(She's still working on getting things from her great-grandchildren through Leia. Baby Anakin was the most accommodating, once Jacen told him his grandmother is still around. Jaina appears unwilling to admit she has a life. Jacen tried to bribe her with baby pictures. (Which admittedly worked.))

(Anakin appears to have a lot of descendants - there's pictures of something like twenty five different small children, including Lily.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse deposits her in the bed.

"You have quite a bit of extended family," she comments.

Permalink Mark Unread

She snuggles under the covers - then slips out of her body, ghost self awake and alert as her body falls back asleep. 

"Luke and Leia ended up with three kids each," she comments, heading back to the suite living room. "Luke's are much younger, so fifteen of the great-grandkids are Leia's fault - the oldest, Jacen's daughter Allana, is two years older than Lily. I've been trying to steal her for my theoretical Force group, she's much more sensible than her father."

"Though Luke's eldest Talon and their husband Kalij adopted a son two years ago - I've actually gotten to meet him a few times, he's this one here, Neset - " she points to a picture of a very cute togruta child trying to eat a large toy, "And they're very politely arguing about whether to find a surrogate or adopt again for their second."

"...I should probably not start rambling about every single one of them, we'd be here all week..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You'll have to parcel them out slowly. Keep my interest."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "I can start with the ones you're more likely to meet, then. Perhaps one a day."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Seems like a fair compromise."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin.

"It's very unfair my body got sleepy," she says, teasingly. "I'd like to kiss you more."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You'll have to learn to manage your time better. Or ask the wizards to make you a spare, they arrived while you were out."

Permalink Mark Unread

"An excellent idea," she agrees, "And might be a fun challenge for Ellie, so I can swap between them easily..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Shall we go suggest it? I believe they went to one of the upper floors..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, if they're on the fourth floor, they're probably in the dungeon..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Best not to disturb them there, perhaps."

Permalink Mark Unread

"At least right now."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I have some comments on your manuscript if you'd like to see them, in the meantime."

Permalink Mark Unread

Bright grin. "Thank you - I'd like that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I left the notes downstairs." Back down?

Permalink Mark Unread

Back down! 

(...She really needs a back up body. It's unfair how kissable Elesse is.)

Anakin settles in to read Elesse's notes. 

Permalink Mark Unread

The style of rhetoric will be familiar to her, though the arguments have changed somewhat since they last time they really had an opportunity for a discussion of this nature.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's nice, and it's extra nice having Elesse here to discuss all this with. 

A very pleasant way to pass the time until their guests come down or it gets close to dinner, whichever comes first. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Guests coming down happens first.

"Is naptime over?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I woke up enough to leave my body upstairs. The lapse in my ability to kiss Elesse whenever I want has been tragic indeed."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh no, that is terrible."

Permalink Mark Unread

"At least moderately so," she agrees.

Permalink Mark Unread

Heh. "Anyway. I'm Ellie, we kinda met before. This is my wife Anathema and my girlfriend Fay."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hey!" she says, flopping on a different couch. "Not getting to kiss cute girls is definitely the worst."

"Oh, also, I'm Anat' when we need to distinguish from the other Anathema - dunno if they've mentioned yet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It has not yet come up. That is a rather... efficient distribution of the name."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Yup. Worked out well."

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay sits by Anathema, kissing her cheek. Then, to Anakin: "I'm sorry if we woke you up when we came in."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's alright. I'm not too fond of sleeping for very long stretches, anyways."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's sometimes nice, but fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

Heh.

Then, to Ellie: "Speaking of, would it at all work to give me a second body I could swap off with?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She looks about to say something before she stops herself and considers.

"...Maybe. Depending on- things, and stuff. Resonance and bindings and things. So maybe but I need to do some arithmancy."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very much arithmancy - maybe we can poke Lily about getting a computer set up to help with the math... Might also be easier if the bodies are distinct somehow, but, yeah, super need to poke that..." And then, teasingly: "Especially if you have any interest in a body that looks, hm, late teens?"

She is possibly mostly looking at Elesse at that last.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Like you, in other words?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, I am the prettiest. And all this youthful energy can be quite convenient."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm sure. But it is ultimately Anakin's decision."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles adoringly at Elesse. "I'm not attached to any particular appearance... I'm fine with you and my girlfriends deciding on things like that, especially for a second body."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We should consult with them as well, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Their current plans have them home tomorrow..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe you guys can also finally schedule you and Ellaita's race - I've been feeling teased."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You do need to get around to that eventually. Can't keep us waiting forever."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh? You don't like the suspense?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"You need to show the payoff eventually, or people will lose interest."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And now that my lovely wife has told me what the prizes are, it's very much an impatient sort of suspense."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "I'll talk to Ellaita. I think we're both mostly free tomorrow and the day after... Though she might be tired tomorrow."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose that's acceptable."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you're that desperate to make out with my girlfriend, you're more than welcome to anytime, you know."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's not as fun, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, I think it'd be very fun - but I'll admit racing does add an edge."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The sting of defeat adds extra spice."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, a good point... And though Ellaita pulls off 'smug' exceptionally well, 'pouting' could be a nice change."

Permalink Mark Unread

Nod nod.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Doesn't mean other times couldn't be fun, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The first time should be special."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmm. I'll tell Ellaita we're doing the race sooner rather than later, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds like a plan."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I look forward to it."

She smiles over at Elesse, then. "You're welcome to come watch, too - our visitors' home world doesn't have pod racing, so Ellaita and I decided we need to demonstrate it for them. Properly, not the amateur races they have here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I would like to see this," she agrees.

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "If I win, I'm asking Ellaita to make out with Ellie - technically I don't know what she wants if she wins, but I can guess pretty easily."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I imagine I can as well, given that information."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles a bit. "Something else you'd like to see?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll keep that a secret, for now."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well... Since I'm going to win this race, you'll have to find another thing to challenge me on, I suppose. If there is something you'd like to see, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Be wary of overconfidence, Padawan."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I am! It's important to get it out of my system."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mhm."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps you'll have to readjust my expectations, then. Beat my overconfidence back down."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps I will..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Might have to wait until my body is rested, though. Depending on what you think of."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I do need some time to think, in any case."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You guys doing anything until then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not other than spending time together... We do need to talk to my girlfriends once they're back, though, at least some..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I bet."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin, and then a fonder smile at Elesse.

"What are you three planning the next two days?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, apparently now we have an interesting problem to work on. And we have to organize our photos and stuff. And Lily said she was going to have some more experiments thought up."

Permalink Mark Unread

"She's been making lists."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, good."

Permalink Mark Unread

"She's already been working on getting a droid able to play with the arithmancy stuff you gave her earlier - she thinks it's not accurate yet, though, she'd been commenting on wanting more examples and general theory to work with..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll be generating a lot of that, for sure."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Wonderful."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So I guess we're pretty much set on things to do."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alright."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anat' grins and settles in to get caught up - and catch Anakin up - on some of the local gossip, then heads upstairs to corner Lily for magic discussion

Anakin has to come fetch them for dinner, but, hey, they can keep up conversation over food. And pull Anakin in! Wonderful.

The visitors are still hanging around the next day - though they're up on Lily's floor a lot, rather than downstairs, apparently running experiments - when Ellaita and 'Hema are set to get home.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin had fetched her body as soon as it was rested, to use for more snuggles and kisses with Elesse after dinner - still, she tucks it away when Elesse goes to sleep, only bringing it out to kiss Elesse again in the morning. She joins Elesse for morning exercises with good cheer and some amusement at her body's slide out of shape, and she spends the morning glowing in contentment.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita and Anathema get home more or less when expected.

"We're back!"

Permalink Mark Unread

She comes to the front to greet them with hugs and kisses. "Welcome home, darlings."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "Glad to be home."

Permalink Mark Unread

"As always. Did you have fun while we were gone?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Just a little bit." She is Not Looking at Elesse. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh?" Poke. "Do tell."

Permalink Mark Unread

Smirk. "Elesse," she says, "Is a very good kisser."

Permalink Mark Unread

Eeee! "You two did it!"

Permalink Mark Unread

Tackle hug! "Congrats!"

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "You're not - upset I didn't talk to you about it?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"We could tell you were thinking about it. And- I want you to have nice things for yourself."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. And you're, like, the least slutty person in this relationship, you deserve some unannounced kissing - or more, if more happened."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kisses!!! For both her wonderful, lovely girlfriends. "Just kissing so far, we haven't really - decided how serious we are..." She looks at Elesse with a little blush.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Something we should talk about together, I think."

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft smile. "It is."

Permalink Mark Unread

"How about our suite's living room upstairs? We'd be a lot less likely to get interrupted than in the den down here, especially with everyone back in town."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds like a plan."

Up?

Permalink Mark Unread

Up! The larger couch in the living room is big enough for all four of them, fortunately, and Anakin sits snuggled between Elesse and Ellaita.

Permalink Mark Unread

"So..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So. I quite like Anakin, and I would like to explore... having a relationship with her that is more than just occasional kissing."

Permalink Mark Unread

Bright smile. "I'd like that, too." She glances at Ellaita and Anathema, almost shyly. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just Anakin?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"For now, let us say."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Best to add new girlfriends slowly," Anathema says, smirking. "Gives you more time to fawn at each person."

Permalink Mark Unread

She leans past Ellaita to kiss Anathema. "I also don't want to neglect you two, you know."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "You're lovely and sweet, and you just got Elesse back and extra just now unlocked kissing. She's going to be really shiny for a bit, and that's pretty much normal." Another kiss. "We'll make sure you don't get too distracted with all the fawning, though. Remind you how pretty and shiny we can be."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! And then one for Ellaita as long as she's leaning over here. "I am spoiled with pretty, competent women."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's true, you are."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So the two of you are all right with sharing?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll work out a schedule, if we have to."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Scheduling dates does sound rather nice - it'll also help hedge against me getting so busy I lose track of the days..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Then that's what we'll do, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!!! "Thank you, Mistress."

Small wiggle. "Oh - I don't know how much Elesse is interested in exploring kink stuff, too..." she says with a glance over. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"At least somewhat, I think."

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh that is definitely something to wiggle about. "I'm pretty straightforwardly up for anything on the masochism, but..." She pauses, thinking.

"The submission might be - more complicated? I have some weird personal mine fields there, sometimes, and - it's..." She glances at Ellaita. "More something that feels - naturally exclusive? But..." Shrug. "My feelings are very complicated, and - depend a lot on all of your opinions..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't think I'm- comfortable with Anakin submitting to someone I'm not otherwise in a relationship with."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think that's fair."

Permalink Mark Unread

She snuggles both women. "That's I think close to my current feeling, too? Or... Submission's a way I'm centrally Ellaita's, and submission to other people should be as approved by her, with whatever criteria she has for that."

"Though I would still like to do the... Quasi-submissive things? Like cooking for Elesse - but since I do a lot of those for Lily, too, it might be better to just call those 'how I show affection' when they're not layered with - other stuff."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That sounds workable." Snugs.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

To Elesse: "Do you want me to call you my girlfriend, too?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would be nice."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "Three darling girlfriends, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"And one spoiled brat."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh? If I'm spoiled, then whose fault is that?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"A mystery for the ages."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think we can declare some suspects, here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I said it's a mystery. Shush."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course, Mistress."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good girl."

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle!!

"Oh, while on things we need to talk about - I asked Ellie if she could make me a second body to use when this one was asleep, and Anat' says it might be easiest if the body is meaningfully different - she suggested 'teenager' but I'm not sure if that was serious or weird flirting..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Probably a bit of both, knowing Anat'."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Probably." Kiss. "No rush on deciding - they need to do a lot of math, it sounds like - but if it does work out, that would be an opportunity for a second appearance for me..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A bit of a change-up might be fun, from time to time..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm not attached to an appearance, so it's really up to you three - and whatever you'd find fun or interesting."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Something a bit different would be nice. I already have one girlfriend that's a clone."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmm, how different?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Recognizable, at least."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, could go teenager, could go male version, could go 'with cat ears'..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Personally," Elesse murmurs, "I think it would be nice to see you in more the form I remember."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's fair. But cat ears sound cute as well. Maybe a tail, if we're dreaming."

Permalink Mark Unread

She kisses Elesse, softly. "I think younger form, and ask our guests if temporary transformation magic could be applied every now and then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss. "All right."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I love you all."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We love you too, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

Squirm!!! "Mmm, if Elesse's up for watching - or participating," Shiver, "Want to do more than just kissing right now, Mistress."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think I could do with a demonstration."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well then. Watch and learn."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hm, the bedroom is closest, and they have that nice cozy armchair Elesse could watch from... Or the dungeon is very well designed for more extreme play.

Permalink Mark Unread

Bedroom. For now.

Permalink Mark Unread

Easier to transport a wiggling Anakin to, if nothing else. And they have plenty ability to get creative here, either in the bedroom or bathroom. 

She is only mostly helpful in undressing (if not ordered to strip). Kissing girlfriends is very important. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmm, if it's a demonstration Elesse wants... They shouldn't get too bloody on their nice sheets, but there's a lot even avoiding that. They've already shown off strangulation, of course - not full pleasure yet, or bondage, or how lovely Anakin looks all bruised...

Permalink Mark Unread

!!!

Permalink Mark Unread

Ooh.

This does seem like a set of concepts Elesse can get behind.

Permalink Mark Unread

She gets a look at Elesse's face and gets extra wiggly.

Permalink Mark Unread

Clearly they haven't tied her up enough yet. Perhaps blindfold her if she's going to get distracted? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Very mean girlfriend. 

It takes them a good little while to reduce Anakin to a happy puddle in need of hair pats.

Permalink Mark Unread

Maybe Elesse can contribute to the hair pats?

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin would love that.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anathema can take over the provision of sodas and such if Elesse wants to be on snuggle duty. 

Permalink Mark Unread

She would.

Permalink Mark Unread

Cuddles. Good. Best. She is too tired to be coherent about kissing so instead she will rub her cheek on her girlfriends. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin shivers whenever one of her girlfriends' hands pass over a bruise, humming.

She is very, very cozy, and apparently content to cuddle for as long as her girlfriends are. 

Permalink Mark Unread

At least until dinnertime.

Permalink Mark Unread

Which she'll make with pleasure - and they've got quite the crowd now that everyone is back, so starting sooner probably won't hurt...

Oh, also, Ellaita - Anakin got very distracted, but Ellie's getting impatient for their race. Does tomorrow work? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Tomorrow works. Hope Anakin isn't too badly out of practice. It'd be embarrassing if she crashed on the first lap.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita might be better served worrying about herself, there. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita's reflexes are perfectly fine, thank you very much.

Permalink Mark Unread

They'll see tomorrow, then. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Guess they will.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! 

Then, a quick check to make sure she doesn't have any bruises visible past her clothing before they go downstairs... Any dinner preferences? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita's in the mood for pizza.

Permalink Mark Unread

Scales well, at least. (She has a bruise on her face that she seems to have not noticed - as well as several hickeys, of course.) 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you want a touch of healing?" Elesse asks.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just on anything visible, right now..." she says. "I like having bruises linger a bit, when it's not inconvenient." She turns to face Elesse, smiling.

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse gently runs her hands over Anakin's face and neck, healing the bruises and bitemarks.

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy hum and shiver.

Permalink Mark Unread

"All better." Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!!! "You take very good care of me," she murmurs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Someone has to."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Because I won't?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Based on what I've seen so far..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Softer kiss. "Perhaps I just like being cared for."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, you're hardly discouraging me..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I find I don't care to."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "Good."

Permalink Mark Unread

Downstairs for dinner?

Permalink Mark Unread

Downstairs for dinner. Anakin does slide back to disembodied while she's cooking (and solicits pizza preferences from everyone else). 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ooh, pizza. Just about everything's good on pizza, though Ellie slightly disprefers sweet things like fruit.

Permalink Mark Unread

The Anathemas can have all the fruit pizzas to themselves, then. (Anat' is very curious what fruit pizza abominations a galactic civilization can invent.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Someday her wife's curiosity will get the better of her. Ellie hopes she is there to see it, so she can laugh.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anat's pretty sure curiosity is a necessary precursor to knowledge.

Permalink Mark Unread

As long as she's willing to bear the cost.

Permalink Mark Unread

They've always known knowledge comes at a price.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie will make sure to record her brave sacrifice.

Permalink Mark Unread

Or provide the satisfaction that brings back the curious cat.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fair enough. (Kiss.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sadly, I don't think we have the ingredients for anything too experimental..." Anakin says. "But I'll see what I can do, and I'll make a note for the next grocery trip."

Permalink Mark Unread

Fair enough.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Pizza Fridays," Ellie says.

Permalink Mark Unread

"An interesting idea. And there's enough in this galaxy I could introduce Anat' to something new every week for quite a while."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'd love that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You just want to keep us from wandering off to another universe," she teases. "By dangling infinite new pizza in front of my face."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Or at least make sure you come back every Friday."

Permalink Mark Unread

"One way to do it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'd be a pity if such delightful company vanished entirely, after all."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thanks."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smiles and finishes setting the table before returning to the kitchen to finish up the pizzas. (There's enough for their rather large party - eight people, even without Lily's boyfriend over - and everyone to have leftovers for tomorrow.)

Permalink Mark Unread

It can be a snack for after the race.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fair; racing's good on an empty stomach - and Anakin should actually make sure her body's done digesting by then...

Permalink Mark Unread

Can't let that trip her up.

Permalink Mark Unread

Of course not - though perhaps Ellaita would appreciate the handicap?

Permalink Mark Unread

She sticks her tongue out at Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You could cut the tension with a knife," Ellie whispers to Anat', not too quietly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd call it unresolved sexual tension, but, well, I don't think that's their problem," she whispers back, also not too quietly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Continually resolving sexual tension." Ellie nods sagely.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps their anticipation over the race's prizes is adding a specific flavor of sexual tension, though..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Napkins go flying at both their foreheads. "Keep the teasing PG, girls. There's a child present." She nods at Lily with a smirk.

Permalink Mark Unread

Eye roll. "Love you too, mom."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Pretty sure that means we're spot on."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Tayab is too chill to get the right sort of revenge on you guys, sadly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alas!"

Ellie kisses her wife.

Permalink Mark Unread

Smug kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

And a teasing kiss for Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. "I do think food is ready, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Excellent."

Permalink Mark Unread

She floats it out and sits properly between Ellaita and Elesse.

Permalink Mark Unread

Pizza time.

Permalink Mark Unread

Yum!

Giant group dinners like this are their own sort of fun, really. Pizza helps. ('Hema is stealing a lot of slices from other people's pizzas.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Though she will find Elesse's plate better guarded than average.

Permalink Mark Unread

Very rude. 'Hema's metamours should be more generous with their pizza.

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse has not had pizza in almost three-quarters of a century. Maybe she'll feel more like sharing next week.

Permalink Mark Unread

Pout. "We can trade! Then you get more kinds of pizza."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Or I could keep what I have and simply take additional new slices."

Permalink Mark Unread

Double pout. "I'm sharing my girlfriend."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Who is a very good cook, and made more than enough pizza for everyone to have their own."

"So unless there is some reason you want mine in particular..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't have any of that flavor already on my plate, and you definitely have very good taste. I suspect anything you enjoy will be quite nice to experience."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There is more on the tray just there," she nods in that direction and takes a (slightly smug) bite.

Permalink Mark Unread

Awww pout.

Permalink Mark Unread

She snickers. And, to Elesse: "'Hema is very bad at flirting."

Permalink Mark Unread

She huffs a laugh. "So I see."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's rather adorable, isn't it?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Pouting.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you want the rest of this piece, dear?" Elesse offers a half-eaten slice.

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum.

"Sure." She's across the table from Elesse, and leans over. Pizza?

Permalink Mark Unread

Floating pizza!

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle.

She noms it very delightedly, making appreciative noises.

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse, in return, swipes one of 'Hema's slices.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do I have good taste, too?" she asks.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mm." She chews. "From my somewhat limited experience so far, I would have to say yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, good. Because yours is as excellent as expected."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Why, thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins.

Permalink Mark Unread

And Anat' whispers to her wife - still having those volume control problems - "I'm glad I was never that bad at flirting."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, she's had more time to practice being bad at it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Excuse you," she says, mock offended. "I'm fourteen. Not ancient like you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ah, but she has been happily married since age fifteen."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Pretty sure that's just allowed you two to borrow each other's nonexistent flirting skills."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Marriage is a team effort." Ellie nods solemnly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds like a pretty nice advantage."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's the best."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's tragic I'm not the marrying type."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not too tragic."

Permalink Mark Unread

"As long as my wonderful girlfriend isn't the marrying type, either."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I could never give you up."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "Not quite marriage, though..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll make do."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Some way or another. I think poor Anakin though might be a bit more house-wife inclined..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There's options."

Permalink Mark Unread

She kisses Ellaita's cheek. "Please inform me before giving my hand away in marriage, darlings."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You'll be the first to know. Second, at worst."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!!!

Permalink Mark Unread

"Remember to keep it PG, kids!"

Permalink Mark Unread

She sticks her tongue out at Ellie. "Kissing is perfectly PG."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm just saying."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We," she says loftily, "Have absolutely never escalated past the bounds of propriety."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you feel that's a true statement, Lily?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe if she means the bounds of propriety in a brothel."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ouch."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, given my girlfriend was just implying Elesse should give her pizza in return for sharing me..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Guess that makes this a house of ill repute."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A better sort of ill reputation than my norm."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A more fun sort."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Precisely."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!!! "Though we're very exclusive, as houses of ill repute go."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very exclusive, very select clientele."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not even the greatest wealth can buy your way in."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You just have to know the right people."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Be attractive enough to get through the door."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good thing we made the cut."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Would've hated to be left out," Fay agrees.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You've all made a rather excellent addition."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Indeed."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin smiles softly. "Though it might get a bit chaotic if we add too many more..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'd need to set up an actual schedule for the dungeon."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Or expand it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We were talking about having a bath house somewhere in here... Could use the other half of the dungeon floor, it's currently just empty space."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If it proves necessary."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I dunno, I think a bath house provides other opportunities than a normal dungeon. Very service-centered. Definitely an important gift for Anakin."

Permalink Mark Unread

"True, true."

Permalink Mark Unread

Shy giggle. "It'd be enjoyable in quite a few ways."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It would."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Possibly we should make 'occupied' or 'unoccupied' signs for it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Possibly specifying how interruptible we are..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"My answer is always going to be 'don't.' Just to be clear."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We need to get you more than the one boyfriend, then. Can't leave you the only monogamous one here."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Not sure I want help with that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Anat' is very good at helping!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Everyone I've ever set up with someone has thanked me eventually, after all."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A flawless customer satisfaction record."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The best madam."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Unparalleled." Ellie kisses her cheek.

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh no, her wife is going to be giving her a proper kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

If her wife insists.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmm, she does.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmmm.


"Consider that a demonstration of the practical benefits."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll take it under advisement."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You'd be wise to." Ellie pets her Fay a bit.

Permalink Mark Unread

She nuzzles into Ellie's hand. "I can certainly give Anat's services another glowing review," she murmurs, eyes drifting closed a bit.

Permalink Mark Unread

"See? One hundred percent satisfaction."

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft smile. "Maybe I wouldn't object too stringently, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Feel free to provide me a list of traits you'd like in a - sub? I'm assuming a second sub - or I can just go off my amazing intuition."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hm, I think your intuition has failed you already. Tayab is quite enough for me there."

Permalink Mark Unread

Serious hum. "Other half of your galactic conquest power couple, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"'Conquest' implies we wouldn't be gladly welcomed."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita laughs at that.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin ruffles Lily's hair. "Finish school, then take over the galaxy, young lady."

Permalink Mark Unread

Pout.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Take the chance to continue refining your skillset," Elesse advises.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Get all the information you'll need to make wise decisions."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'll save time in the long run. Or something."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Learn from others' mistakes and do everything right the first time."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The best way."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Why I'll be so gladly welcomed, really."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Can't say the galaxy couldn't use a bit of getting things right."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah," she says. "Though, honestly, trying for a single ruler seems to have been a lot of the recent screwing up."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe a representative democracy with a prime minister or something?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums. "The High Republic kind of had that? There was the Senate, and senators were elected by member planets or regions, and the senators elected the Chancellor. And the New Republic has a pretty similar system."

"But the High Republic turned into Palpatine's Empire, and the New Republic is... Probably more centralized than the High Republic got while still pretending to be a democracy, and their leader, the First Senator, doesn't have term limits, but they rule a lot less territory - and a lot of people were really pissed when the Core planets that'd been taking part in the rebellion against the Empire decided to try to reform the Republic with themselves in charge of everyone else."

Permalink Mark Unread

"An entire galaxy is a harder problem than a large-sized island on a single planet..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Coordination problems times a billion."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yyyep."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mostly I'm hoping to actually fix stuff through science, not so much politics..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"When it comes to implementing whatever solutions you invent, some amount of politics will be inevitable."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Yeah, I know. And funding research and stuff."

Permalink Mark Unread

"But if you are intending to do things correctly, then I dare say you would be permitted to ask for assistance in areas outside your core competency."

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins. "I'd like that, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Clever girl."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Wise, more like."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin smiles at all of them, turning the conversation to how their days have been going. 

The race between her and Ellaita is set for early the next morning. Anakin's made sure her body is as ready as she can get it, and she's run extra checks over her podracer.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita's mods are just about finished up as well. Certainly by the actual time of the race.

Permalink Mark Unread

"About ready, darling?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She thwacks a panel into place. It only sparks a little.

"Oh, I'm ready."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good. I'll see you in the air."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, from behind."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A good view... After I've lapped you, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Tch."

Permalink Mark Unread

What path are they thinking? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Maybe the one by the cliffs out east, for proper podracing excitement.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ooo, yeah. 

Permalink Mark Unread

They should head out and get set up, then.

Permalink Mark Unread

Alright. (Quick kiss.)

Who wants to give the signal to start? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie will take care of that.

Permalink Mark Unread

Okay. 

Anakin is ready shortly after they all get to the starting area. 

Permalink Mark Unread

As is Ellaita.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie makes sure the seating and observation spells for the non-participants are all set up, then counts Ellaita and Anakin down with color-changing sparkles and a loud bang to start.

Permalink Mark Unread

She settles into a deep focus as she's flying, mind wrapped in the Force, anchored in her body -

It's been a very, very long time, but there's a laughing swirl to the Force like there used to be, an eddy she can never forget the feel of, and it says let's go faster. 

Anakin's racer springs forward, zipping through the narrow, jagged canyons at speeds the racers their vistors were watching earlier were afraid to reach on wide open straight-aways. She adjusts for turns she hasn't seen yet, racer skimming so close to the cliff walls that the wind of her passing kicks up roiling clouds of rock and dust. The river drops underground - Anakin follows it rather than the longer, safer above ground path marking where the river used to flow before the ground under it collapsed - and pours through deep caverns; there's a place it empties out away from the path, and it'd cost Anakin time to follow all the way - her racer flits through cracks in the limestone not much bigger than it, soaring back to the surface and swinging into the track proper. 

(It's a very long track, and that is far from the only ridiculous stunt Anakin pulls.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita stays on the surface, though she's tweaked her engines to give her enough acceleration on the relatively open path that she's still neck and neck with Anakin when she pops back up. (Her starfighter is faster yet than this, and she thinks nothing of threading an ImpStar's superstructure in it.)

As they rocket around the next turn, she slaps the afterburners on and pushes up onto the canyon wall just in time to avoid a rogue boulder that would have been sitting directly in her course.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin had swerved up even before the turn, and now that gives her some lead to pull ahead - she's definitely doing better with curves than straightaways - she twists back down to duck under an outcropping, and then the path spills into a maze of pillars and jagged cliff fragments slashing into the sky, and Anakin pulls rather ahead - but there's flats past that, then a long loop back towards the mountains -

Permalink Mark Unread

And Ellaita is getting faster and faster as they go. It's going to be tight but she's pretty sure she timed her fuel to run out just at the finish line so she's carrying the minimum possible weight at all points.

Permalink Mark Unread

She gets ahead of Anakin on the flats - the path back to the start curls up into the mountain, through a deep switchback canyon, and Ellaita is ahead of Anakin when she hits it - 

Anakin slams her racer as fast as it'll go then yanks it up, shifting - podracers hate going vertical but she hits the angle exactly right to deflect off the cliff walls every time the racer tries to collapse back - and bounce up out of the canyon, skipping the entire switchback, racer dropping in beside Ellaita's -

Human senses, at least, can't tell which of them crosses the finish line first. 

Permalink Mark Unread

That... was a truly impressive bit of racing.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin brings the pod to a safe stop and jumps out. 

"Would magic help figure out who won?" she calls to Ellie, laughing. "Didn't think we'd be that close."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie is poking at the remnants of the finish line with her shorter wand.

"...I think that was actually just a tie, straight up."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Does that mean we both win?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think so," Anakin says. Then, a bit teasingly: "You're too damn good a pilot for that to count as a mutual loss."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hee.

Permalink Mark Unread

"So both forfeits are in play?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I, for one, won't complain!" 'Hema calls over. 

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "Think so."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you want to collect now, or wait until we go back?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well... With Lily's delicate eyes in the crowd, perhaps we should get back home first."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

Smirk.

She accepts congratulations from her daughter, teases Lily a bit - then, back to the house. Where do they want to collect their forfeits? (And who wants to be present?)

Permalink Mark Unread

Dungeon seems like a good place for it. Ellaita will be there, and Fay and Ellie, obviously.

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse would like to be as well.

Permalink Mark Unread

"There is no way you're leaving me out of this."

Permalink Mark Unread

"At least not the audience." To the dungeon! 

Permalink Mark Unread

To the dungeon.

"And now it's time for our principals to reveal their selected terms."

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins at Ellaita. "Well, my prize - I want you to make out, properly, with Ellie Potter-Canta, darling."

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh-ho.

"And I want you to make out with Fay, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. "Should we take turns, then? So we can both fully appreciate our prizes."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's a fine idea."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course, then the real question is who first..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well," Fay drawls, "If both of our Mistresses approve... I could run our session quite far. So you might want to go second, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin laughs, blushing.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm up first, then." Ellie stalks over to Ellaita, smirking. "Ready?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Only if you are."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellie pushes herself into Ellaita and starts kissing her.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmmm she's not half bad at this.

Ellaita bets she can make Ellie squirm if she pinches her right.

Permalink Mark Unread

Not as much as Anakin or one of the Anathemas, but there is non-zero wiggling going on.

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh this is excellent, enough Anakin tucks her body away to have her ghost self's perfect memory of this scene for later. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Anat' is straight up recording. 

Permalink Mark Unread

...Elesse can see the appeal.

Permalink Mark Unread

Eventually, Ellaita breaks off.

"Satisfied?" she asks Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

Playful hum. "Well, normally I'd say that's quite the excellent prize... But if you're going to get to watch Fay do a bit more than kiss me, I think it'd only be fair for me to get a little bit extra, too." Her gaze flicks very briefly to Elesse.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Greedy." She laughs. "I'm not a mindreader, you'll have to say it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum. "Well, it depends on how far Fay meant... But as I am a mindreader, I wouldn't be surprised at all if she had torture on the brain. And - if you want that, of course, rather than just a simple make out session - I think it'd be rather fair for, hm... You to also make out with Elesse."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Elesse?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well... As a favor, I suppose."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very kind of you." She slides Ellie out of the way and goes to sit on Elesse's lap.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hello there."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hi."

Kiss?

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh that is a very wonderful sight. Much more so than watching Ellaita and Ellie kiss, which was already quite excellent. 

Permalink Mark Unread

It is... not entirely unpleasant.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita's getting kinda into it. Elesse has a comfy lap.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin embodies enough to start wiggling. (...The problem with this prize is now she wants to be between them.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh dear.

Wink.

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft noise.

Permalink Mark Unread

Little shimmy.

Permalink Mark Unread

"A very excellent prize," she murmurs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is pretty good."

Permalink Mark Unread

Shiver.

And then she heads over to her kissing girlfriends. "Mind if I join?" she asks, softly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mmm maybe after your turn, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small whine. But: "Alright, darling."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's your cue," Ellie says to Fay.

Permalink Mark Unread

She smirks and steps up to Anakin, taking her shoulder to pull her into an intense kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmph!

She melts into her alt a bit, kissing back.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita turns to watch.

"...Want me to move?" she quietly asks Elesse.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not especially."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmm tasty alt.

Fay kisses Anakin about as long as Ellie and Ellaita had made out, then pulls out her wand and twirls it, stripping off Anakin's clothes.

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles a bit, but doesn't let it interrupt the make out session. (Instead: bonus handsy-ness?)

Permalink Mark Unread

Only a little bit.

Another twirl of her wand, then, conjuring ribbons to wrap around Anakin's wrists and ankles and neck, winding up around her limbs, locking her in place as Fay steps back. "I think I remember promising something about a more private magic demonstration a bit ago," she says, teasingly. Then, to Ellie: "Do I remember correctly, Mistress?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"You do, pet."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small whine.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay grins, twirls her wand, and floats Anakin into the air. "Oh, good..."

And: spell demonstration! She'll even explain what she's doing, leaving any given spell running for as long as it takes to properly convey its nature to her audience. (Of course, the spell giving Anakin cat ears and a tail works nearly instantaneously, so Fay instead uses that as a break in amidst all the torture spells, petting Anakin to demonstrate the intact sensation.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin is quite wrung out by the time Fay decides she's done, even with the healing spells Fay's been casting as she goes. Fay leaves her injured at the end - nothing bad, no broken bones or bleeding wounds, but her voice is still hoarse, her body bruised and scraped.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fay gives her another head pat, ramping down the sensory spells, and floats her over to Ellaita and Elesse.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ah, poor baby. Ellaita and Elesse shift a little to properly cradle Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin whines, nuzzling her girlfriends.

Permalink Mark Unread

There, there. Anakin's safe now. Soft pets and gentle kisses only.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmm. Good girlfriends. Soft nuzzle kiss?

Permalink Mark Unread

Accepted.

Permalink Mark Unread

Good.

Anakin sighs and settles in for cuddles, effectively until her girlfriends get tired of being pillows.

Permalink Mark Unread

Not soon, unless anyone has any better ideas for things to do.

Permalink Mark Unread

Well, their visitors seem to be rather involved in giving Fay a taste of her own medicine, so. A different idea, even if maybe not a better one.

Permalink Mark Unread

Not one they really need to get up for, though.

Permalink Mark Unread

Perhaps just watch while snuggling.

Permalink Mark Unread

Seems like a fine idea.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmm Anakin is very warm and sore and cuddly, but she's pretty sure she can twist around enough to join the spectators. While still snuggling, of course.

Permalink Mark Unread

Snuggles are very important.

Permalink Mark Unread

The most essential part. That and kisses.

Permalink Mark Unread

True, true.

Permalink Mark Unread

Of course, eventually their guests will get to cuddle phase, too. Quite a bit later - Fay's endurance is getting to be pretty good - but all curling up on soft couches sounds very nice.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin smiles over at the other group, then murmurs to her darlings - "Clean me up, perhaps? Then maybe something to drink..."

(It's not a full bathhouse - she's going to need to poke the Anathemas on that, it does sound like an excellent idea - but there is a very large tub over near the cozy part's fireplace.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita can do the washing while Elesse heals.

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft kiss.

A rather nice division, to Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss, too. "I'll get drinks for everyone, how about?" 'Hema murmurs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would be appreciated dear, thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small wiggle. "Alright." Cheek kiss?

Permalink Mark Unread

Accepted!

Permalink Mark Unread

Heee!!!

Drinks for everyone in the dungeon, then! 'Hema is guessing a bit for Fay, but, well, she knows what both she and Anakin like after they've been screaming themselves hoarse. Not that hard a jump.

Permalink Mark Unread

Much appreciated.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmm yes. Very helpful. Good alt.

Permalink Mark Unread

She kisses Fay's forehead before returning to her own pile of girlfriends (and metamour).

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh good. More snuggles.

Permalink Mark Unread

Meanwhile, upstairs, Lily is very much not paying attention to her Force sense of her mom - or the rest of the household - and is instead focusing on calculations for the latest sets of experiments she ran on interactions between the Force and magic, aimed at teasing apart more of the Force's side of things. (Very difficult. It does not like being peered at under a microscope. Annoying of it.)

She's gotten into a bit of a zone, fortunately.

Permalink Mark Unread

When her archive droid, Tyrant, starts flicking the indicator light that it believes it's found something.

Permalink Mark Unread

She finishes a line, then sets her stylus down. "Got something for me, Tyrant?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps. Some of the sensors your predecessor had installed on a certain facility are sending off alerts. The facility was not of his construction, but was one he reclaimed from someone he believed to have been a Darth during the last days of the Sith Empire."

"I believe it may be of especial interest to you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Huh." She solicits the facility, and - okay, yeah, not one of the ones she's gotten around to telling her mom about. (...Probably she should bring her mom in on more of the 'poking ancient Sith artifacts,' but, also, Lily enjoys having pet projects and Palpatine left behind a lot of crap which generally likes Lily way more than it likes her mom.) "Does the situation appear dangerous?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Tyrant pauses for a long moment, then: "It does not appear currently dangerous, but might become so if mishandled."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good enough for me."

She messages Tayab - 'Hey, you up for a field trip?'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Turned in my last final about three and a half hours ago, so yeah. Guess I am. Where are we going this time?'

Permalink Mark Unread

'Ancient Sith facility! Booby traps probably either like me or were already disabled or are super sneaky. Contents weren't dangerous last anyone checked, but might become so. Some alarms are going off. It'll be fun.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'...I'll pack the blast vests.'

Permalink Mark Unread

'This is why you're the best.'

Meet up at the spaceport, then?

Permalink Mark Unread

Seems the obvious place. Tayab is waiting with a couple bags of supplies.

"Dig up any more information about where we're going?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She hadn't exactly wanted to take the elevators past her mom and friends, so she'd jumped out of her window. Hadn't even gotten any second looks; their neighbors know Jedi live in that building. She gets Tyrant secure and starts pre-flight checks on their ship.

"Barely notable system. Mid-Rim, off main trade routes, not a lot of resources, overall really boring - so, perfect if you want something most people won't look twice at. There's an old stone temple kind of buried a bit on the second planet. Sidious noted a really strong dark side presence, way more than anything he's found that wasn't already a famous dark side location, but the description of the temple doesn't sound like whoever built it was going for the ultimate edgy Sith aesthetic. Storage rooms were stocked when he found it, and he didn't mess with things much - he didn't really record this, but Tyrant remembers how he was acting, and I'm pretty sure he was nervous about poking it. The central room has two life support tanks, which sound kinda like the ones that the Collective maintain empty bodies in. Each has a human or near-human, both apparently female. Sidious was pretty sure at least one of them was a powerful Sith from the Old Republic era, but he didn't record - or let Tyrant at records of - much more."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Old Republic? Not High Republic? Wow."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. Pretty old, though not nearly as ancient as the stuff Luke's been poking lately. Also more threatening, possibly? The Banite Sith had a lot of power individually, but there was a lot of discontinuity of instruction and information, so techniques were constantly getting lost, and being super powerful in the dark side isn't actually all that helpful for setting traps - it gets kinda like trying to hold a blaster canon with an insane kick back in your hands, and use that to engrave a chip."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ancient cloned Sith that not even ol' Empy wanted to mess with," Tayab mutters with the look of a man who is thinking he should have packed more blasters. "This should be fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

She giggles. "We still have those extra blasters in the holds," Lily teases. "And they might not be clones - if they are, that could be a problem, since Force sensitive clones tend to be batshit insane... But could be something closer to suspended animation - not precisely that, you wouldn't need the life support pod then, but I bet you can suppress a lot of the aging process safely, especially for someone unconscious, even without direct gene editing..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, so they're just going to wake up expecting to bring back a Sith Empire just like they knew before their nap. That makes me feel much better."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll explain the different modern political context, don't worry." Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

A kiss will actually make him feel much better.

Permalink Mark Unread

Wonderful! Then he should get a second one, just to make sure he's fully healed.

She pulls up the coordinates. "Want to take care of flying us over?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure. Going to do some more scheming about our approach here?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's almost like you've met me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Once or twice, maybe."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We've been at least briefly acquainted." Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

"As evidenced by these many kisses," he laughs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe I'm just a slut who'd kiss any sufficiently competent boy minutes after meeting him."

Permalink Mark Unread

"'Sufficiently' feels like it's doing a lot of work in that sentence."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair. My standards are very high."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm honored, then. -But I should take us up before we miss our window."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll stop distracting you."

She steps back and goes to plot. 

Permalink Mark Unread

And Tayab gets them headed out to the coordinates Tyrant alerted Lily to.

Permalink Mark Unread

She does do some extra plotting - but there's not much. The temple isn't very complicated, going by Palpatine's maps. She's centered and rested, she didn't forget her lightsaber... Not much to do but wait to get there. 

Permalink Mark Unread

The planet is, from orbit, exactly as bland and boring as someone who didn't know about the hidden temple would think it was.


It's only once they get right up to it that Lily feels the oppressive weight of a powerful dark side presence.

Permalink Mark Unread

Oppressive might not be the word Lily would use... But she can see why Palpatine left the notes he did. Why he feared this. 

Lily is much less one for fear than her bargain bin alt.

She does turn to Tayab and say: "I should go in front."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds good. I've got your back." This place feels a little spooky, even to him. "Let me know if there's something nonobvious I should shoot, yeah?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Will do."

Onward, then, toward the center. A bit cautiously, paying attention for any threats, of course. 

Permalink Mark Unread

With Palpatine's map, they're able to make pretty good progress through. He had the native hazards marked or disarmed, and all the ones he added are inwards-facing.

"This place is weird. You're seeing this too, right? I mean, these carvings... they don't match up with anything we have attested records of."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Cool, isn't it?" she asks. "There's some similarities to one of the temples Luke found last year, but... You're right. No matches."

Maybe if whatever's in the center doesn't kill them horribly, Lily can get some questions answered - either directly or through archaeology.

"Wonder if the two at the center built or found this place..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Or if they're asleep in here on purpose, or as prisoners."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, we'll see what's up first... Might poke waking them up if these alarms weren't that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Somehow I knew it was gonna come to that eventually..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Awww, I thought you wanted an adventure."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, it's just... something about this place feels weird somehow."

Permalink Mark Unread

She steps close enough to take his hand and squeeze it. "Yeah. I'm feeling it, too."

"I don't think it's threatening us right now, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hope not."

"Think we're almost to the center, anyway."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Watch my back for a bit longer, then." Quick kiss, and: forward. 

Permalink Mark Unread

There are two tanks in the center of the room, filled with greenish fluid and one female figure in each.

Permalink Mark Unread

And from this close, Lily recognizes the Force signature of the occupant.

Permalink Mark Unread

Both occupants, in fact.

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Huh. Weird thing might've been 'more alts.'" Squint. Do they look (or feel) like they're waking up? 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ooo-kay." There's a diagnostic terminal off to the side Tayab begins investigating. "When you say more alts. Whose are we talking about?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"No me's, luckily. There's an Ellaita," she points, "And a you." She points to the other. "So, congrats on alting."

She investigates the various sensors and panels, too, glancing at the terminal Tayab is at (and reaching out in the Force, trying to figure out how aware both women are).

Permalink Mark Unread

There are stirrings in the Force indicating vague awareness, and the readouts seem to indicate they will be waking up at some point. Probably Lily could accelerate the process, if she wanted to.

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum. "They're going to wake up soonish, I think. Want to wake them up sooner?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"What's a field trip without unearthing an ancient evil version of yourself and your girlfriend's mom's girlfriend?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's the spirit!"

"The safe thing would probably be getting mom here first... But, eh, she can teleport if there's an emergency, and I don't think we definitely need her, and she is probably still making out with people..."

Shrug. 

So! To figure out how to wake up the latest set of alts.

Permalink Mark Unread

There are some control panels that look vaguely reminiscent of the Collective's, enough that Lily can figure out which combination of buttons are likely to drain the tanks and wake the sleepers.

Permalink Mark Unread

Double check this that isn't an obviously terrible idea somehow and that she doesn't have a sense of dread or danger (nope and nope), and that nothing is interfering with her bond to her mom (nope, except the 'definitely having sex' at the other end).

Then: button pressing time!

Permalink Mark Unread

Fluid drains and tank walls retract-

Permalink Mark Unread

-and the two occupants step out.

"Well, well. The faithful have come to greet our awakening."

Permalink Mark Unread

Huh. Sith Ellaita looks a lot like Elesse, if Elesse had a goth phase. And girl Tayab doesn't look much like him at all (except around her expression), which probably isn't any weirder than Lily's bargain bin alt being male, but feels like it should be. 

She shrugs, examining them a bit more in the Force. "Closer to 'the curious.'"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I see. I cannot deny that you would have cause to be so. Are you here for some purpose beyond simple curiosity?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Complex curiosity," she says, almost teasingly. "I inherited a bunch of records and the like, and the man who set up the sensors on this temple was scared of you, and I'd like to find out why. Also, you've got a pretty similar Force signature to some other people I know, and they've all been pretty interesting. You're from over a thousand years ago, and the Banite Sith kept having breaks in continuity of information, so I bet you know some pretty cool stuff, and I bet I can offer some good trades for at least some of it - especially as a friendly welcome to the modern galaxy. And all else being equal, if you're batshit insane it's good to find that out sooner rather than later; batshit insane darksiders can get really annoying if unaccounted for."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough. I am Darth Occlus. This is my apprentice, Lord Sicaria. What name shall we address you by?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm Lily Vendar. This is my boyfriend, Tayab Sellech."

Permalink Mark Unread

Sicaria is studying Tayab intently.

"You are not trained."

Permalink Mark Unread

"In the Force? No, I'm not."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Strange," she concludes.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're telling me," he mutters.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Master Anakin would be willing to train you," she says, voice cheerful, to Tayab. "And, yeah, the similar Force signatures is a thing we haven't figured out the cause of yet. Often produces weird results." Shrug. Then, to Occlus: "I'm fine telling you about basic modern galactic stuff as just a good will gesture, that's not the sort of information I was thinking of for explicit trades - it's kind of too basically hooked into everything else, like what even can be traded, to be worth bargaining in detail over."

"Though, basic question in return: what time period did you guys go into suspension during?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Towards the close of what was called the Second Galactic War. It was..." She twists her hand and the Force flexes around her as a selection of runes light up on the wall. "Something like three and a half thousand years ago. Give or take a century."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum. "A very long time. That war pretty much ended with everyone just running out of resources - the Empire faster than the Republic, though not by a ton."

"Neither the Empire nor Republic you knew are still around, though people've recycled the names and some of the propaganda - there's currently a New Republic and an Empire, who're the dominant galactic powers by virtue of being the most powerful military of their respective alliances. They're mostly at war via proxies, and they share basically only 'they can govern things' with most of the states they're invoking as predecessors. People also kept calling themselves 'Jedi' or 'Sith,' but didn't really keep meaning the exact same things - the most recent Sith Order was the Banite Sith, which ended a few decades ago, when Darth Vader declared them dissolved. The last Jedi at the time - somewhat closer to declared an intent to not fully recreate the Jedi Order, which had mostly fallen two decades earlier."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Interesting..."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "It has been, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"More or less the galactic situation I was waiting for, so I won't begrudge your awakening."

Permalink Mark Unread

She tilts her head. "You seemed to be waking up on your own," she says, idly, then: "Why were you waiting for this?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Because a galaxy not driven by warring Sith and Jedi is a quieter, safer galaxy."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Ennhhhh depends on how you define quiet and safe - and probably also war, Sith, and Jedi."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think that means superweapons have proliferated rather than faded, my lord."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alas. Still, it was worth the effort to see."

Permalink Mark Unread

Snort. "Yeah, basically."

"The Republic and Empire are not in a direct war because they both have a shitton of planet killers, so instead they are staring at each other very tensely and waiting for someone to twitch wrong to shift the galaxy from 'actively on fire' to 'what galaxy.' Also we are only mostly kind of sure that probably no one else has planet killers, because some idiot simplified the resource requirements enough you don't need to be a massive galactic power to build one, and both governments are very prone to leaks. Probably you need to at least have an interstellar government to build the planet killers, so they probably will not end up in the hands of random terrorists, but, also, that is a lot of probably."

"There are plans to have not that. The hopefully longer term one is 'peace and disarmament negotiations' - which are... Going not all that terribly, stuff's deescalating even if slowly. - There is also maybe one set of plans you could help with if you know about any lost-to-us Force techniques to affect more than one distant location at once - other than battle meditation, it's a decent back up but unideal here. But, generally, the easy to build version of this particular planet killer is fragile against powerful Force users, and the current problem is whether we have the ability to break them all before either side can freak out about their superweapons being disabled. Or the ability to break them all in an emergency if some end up actually about to fire."

"Of course, we also don't currently have the ability to detect every single planet killer in the galaxy, but they are historically not that easy to move around unnoticed, and we can detect 'future massive loss of life' far enough ahead to respond to at least one incident."

Permalink Mark Unread

She clicks her tongue in annoyance.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I believe the bet was ten credits, my lord."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Brat," she says fondly.

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins at them. "...You guys are definitely alts."

Permalink Mark Unread

"How many others are there?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Three others of your sort of person. Two others of me, though we technically haven't confirmed one of those. There's just Tayab and Lord Sicaria, of their sort. There's also four of my teacher."

"My alt set are Lilies, but none of the other alt sets have picked a name. We also don't know of any other alt groups right now, but I wouldn't be surprised by more."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Would it be possible to meet them?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"They'd pout if I didn't introduce you; we're all based in the same location right now, though my alts are... Dead or basically dead and staying that way."

Permalink Mark Unread

"How convenient."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We've all liked each other so far, which's, yeah, convenient. We'd make annoying enemies."

Permalink Mark Unread

Smirk. "I'm sure."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Your sort especially," she - teases? She's probably teasing. Maybe flirting. "My impression of 'very smart and competent' has never been challenged."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Naturally."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin. "We can fly you over, maybe answer other questions on the way, if you'd prefer to meet people sooner rather than later."

...She should also probably warn her mom about new alts before showing up with them. And warn her mom off new alts.

Permalink Mark Unread

"That is acceptable. Lord Sicaria, gather our effects."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes, my lord." She wraps the Force around her-

-and seems to vanish.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Now, as long as my organization has not been too disturbed, she should meet us on the way."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Don't think my predecessor messed with even what he found too much; he didn't seem to know what to do with a lot of it."

(...She pokes the Force. Lily isn't as insanely talented at clear sight as she is at Force powers relevant to lying, but she would in general like to track where Lord Sicaria is, even if doing anything more specific might be hostile-ish. The similarities to Tayab might help...)

"Our ship's this way." She nods back towards the entrance, turning to lead.

Permalink Mark Unread

(There are quiet Tayab-shaped ripples flitting in and around the various storage rooms. It doesn't feel like there's any hostile intent involved.)

Permalink Mark Unread

She won't stop paying attention, but yeah Lily's not getting a sense of hostility at all. 

"Are you going to need anything like water or medicine soon?" she asks a bit absently, as a quiet, deep partition of her mind reaches for her bond with her mom. (She's good enough at concealing when they're talking to fool everyone she's met so far - though she hasn't actually checked this with Elesse, who can pick up on a lot of Lily's other subtle uses of the Force, and she won't assume Occlus can't detect that part of her, either.)

Permalink Mark Unread

"Our physical needs were taken care of by the stasis chambers."

Permalink Mark Unread

Nod. "They're a cool piece of tech."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Based on a Rakatan design, initially."

Permalink Mark Unread

Very interested noise. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps that is a piece of information you would be interested in trading for."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Almost certainly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That might be arranged."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin. "What sorts of information would you want in return?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"It depends on what might be available."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A pretty long list. So far... Everything that survived to the end of the Banite Sith, which is rather biased towards recency - Darth Sidious focused fairly heavily on artifacts and on manipulating minds, emotions, and events through the Force, while Darth Plagueis had a lot on bioscience that I've mostly recovered... Darth Tenebrous did a lot of really good work on quantifying the Force and its actions mathematically - he was super obsessed with using that math in combination with supercomputers to get ever more perfected visions of the future, which basically never went anywhere so none of the others in his line really did anything with his work except leave his notes in a box. Which was a travesty but meant I got them sans any messing with, so, balances out, and his plan to predict the future precisely was egomaniacal, required better computers than he had to get anywhere close, and glazed over a lot of fundamental parts about how Force visions work - but his actual base models were pretty accurate on a close scale, especially given his limited personal scope..."

She pauses. "...That is tied into my special interest, I got distracted there... Anyways I also have access to the Jedi archives that survived the Order's fall - which isn't everything they had, but is a lot - and lots of notes on cross-universal magic - some of our alts aren't from this universe, they world hopped, and they are very nerdy and very willing to stand in front of sensors while I poke them - but I'm not actually the expert on that so it's probably not really accurate to offer it as a trade... Also archeological finds scattered over assorted ancient history, some of which we're pretty sure were never disturbed - including one nearly intact temple that predates the Rakatan Empire. We haven't translated the inscriptions, though. There's also a good bit contemporary to the Rakata, though mostly not directly from them."

"...Also definitely some other stuff. Darth Sidious was a hoarder, I suborned all his access protocols about four years ago, and I have not actually finished cataloging it all..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It seems we will be able to work something out. Why do you call these recent Sith 'Baneite'?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"The founder of that order was Darth Bane - about a thousand years ago. He was the only known survivor of the Brotherhood of Darkness, which had been an alliance of disparate Sith warlords and the remnants of the Sith Empire founded by Darth Ruin about a thousand years before that."

"The Banite Sith were mostly a single teaching lineage, with one surviving apprentice each generation - branches did sometimes happen, but usually didn't last very long, and subordinate dark sider groups were a lot weaker and not given the title of 'Sith,' even if they were lightly trained by whatever current Sith were about."

Permalink Mark Unread

"An interesting philosophy. I suppose a reaction to the failure of the previous system, which is understandable. And it evidently was reasonably successful."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, Ruin's Empire had collapsed from a mix of picking fights with the Jedi and picking fights with each other, and the Brotherhood turned on each other at the end. But - the Banites weren't any better about not turning on each other, and their infighting was then solely within a teaching lineage, which really, really fucked up continuity of information."

"There's an argument, too, that the Banites ended with the death of Plagueis's Master - Sidious recorded that Plagueis had been disdainful of a lot of the Banite philosophy, though... Neither exactly successfully pivoted away from establishing intense hierarchies with apprentices who extremely want them dead, even if they gestured some at cooperating with each other. Still, it was Plagueis and Sidious who did almost all of the 'destroying the Jedi,' when the past Banites had failed to make much progress at all."

"My teacher used to be Darth Vader, Sidious's apprentice. She left that name - and the Sith philosophies and methods - behind when she killed Sidious. I'm probably biased? But, like, I think she's succeeded at way more of worth than anyone from that line - and the stuff we've found from the last few Banites just... Drips with wasted potential."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I look forward to meeting her."

Permalink Mark Unread

Sicaria reappears, a bundle under her arm. She hands a lightsaber hilt to Occlus.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you, apprentice. Did you find everything."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It was all there."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Excellent."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Let's get going, then." Onward to the ship - "You okay flying us back, Tayab?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"You got it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

And off to do that.

Permalink Mark Unread

Settling in with the new alts, then, and: "It is a bit of a flight - I can summarize the different alts we have around on the way, if you want."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would be helpful."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hum.

"So - there's two universes involved. We'd found alt sets native to this universe, but hadn't really known what was going on with that. A few months ago, three people crossed over from another universe, using their native magic - one of them was a you, and two were alts of my teacher, Anakin. The you from that universe is Ellie Potter-Canta, and the versions of Master Anakin are Anathema Potter-Canta and Fay Reynolds. Ellie and Anat' are both about my age, and Fay's in her early fifties. They're all dating, and the two Potter-Cantas are married. We know about a probable alt of me from that world - Lily Potter, Ellie's mom - but haven't confirmed. She's... Technically dead but using a quirk of their magic system to keep influencing the world of the living. That group recently won a major war and then turned to experimenting with one of Ellie's powers - Ellie has a lot of control over stuff related to death and dying. She can resurrect people, embody ghosts, and travel into an afterlife and then jump from there to other living worlds - she also says she self-resurrected at one point during her war, though I didn't see her do that, and she can apparently permanently destroy some types of usually indestructible monsters from her world. Anat' and Fay have less unique things, but are overall powerful and knowledgeable with their magic system. Anat's fairly - lighthearted, I don't think she takes a lot of stuff seriously - while Fay's been mostly quiet so far. Pretty curious, though, and she's been super helpful with figuring out how the Force and their magic interact."

"Native to our universe, there's Anakin Vendar and Anathema Jedi of my teacher's alt set, me and Sidious of mine, Ellaita Dameron and Elesse Vendar of yours, and then Tayab, who we hadn't known was part of an alt set until now. Master Anakin and I met 'Hema and Ellaita around the same time. 'Hema's part of a group of clones created to fight for the First Order, one of the Empire's allies. She is not actually a member of any Jedi Order; her group - the Collective - all named themselves, and they ended up with 'Jedi' as the profession-name for their Force sensitives. Most of them aren't actually Force sensitive, but 'Hema got lucky, managed to throw a pretty large talent for battle meditation, and defected with all the clones of her line from the First Order. Ellaita wasn't actually trained in the Force when we met... She'd been part of a group fighting the First Order, had gotten captured on a mission, and 'Hema set her free during her defection, intending to flip to her side. Their ship crashed during the fight, though, and while 'Hema got out, Ellaita got knocked unconscious - I found her and brought her back to Master Anakin to be healed. We managed to meet back up with Ellaita's group, and Master Anakin successfully intimidated the leader of the First Order - who's her grandson, Master Anakin's biological family is very dramatic - into cutting it out with the dumb war. That was about four years ago."

"Elesse is an actual Jedi - so, Master Anakin was originally a Hutt slave, who freed Elesse after Elesse was captured by the Hutts. Elesse came back for her, and Master Anakin joined the Jedi after that as Elesse's padawan. Sidious was at the time pretending to be not a Sith, and he got himself elected as Chancellor of the Republic around then. He orchestrated a war to get power concentrated in his hands and to help him with destroying the Jedi Order. He also orchestrated a fight between Master Anakin and Elesse during the fall of the Republic, which Master Anakin won - Elesse died, which is incidentally how we know Ellie can resurrect people. Master Anakin kind of spiraled into the dark side after that, and Sidious took her as his apprentice, Vader."

"Master Anakin had had two kids shortly before the Republic's fall. She faked their deaths and hid them, since she knew Sidious would go looking for them. Both kids ended up fighting the Empire, and one of them, Luke, got training as a Jedi and then successfully talked Master Anakin into turning on Sidious. She killed him, refused any medical treatment - died of that, then sort of just failed to stay meaningfully dead. We actually have no idea how, but she ended up as a powerful Force ghost unlike any of the normal ones we've encountered or found records of - she kept growing and learning and generally being a person after her death, and when Ellie offered to embody her, she refused until a way could be found for her to be only embodied when she feels like it, since she finds having a biology sometimes annoying and limiting. - She then found me when I was a little kid and decided to teach me, about fourteen years ago, and she's been teaching Ellaita and 'Hema whenever they'll sit still for it."

"Recently - Elesse's been resurrected, we've been settling into working as a large alt group... Also both Master Anakin's and your alt group keep all hooking up; Master Anakin is dating all of Ellaita, 'Hema, and Elesse, and the two polycules keep having crossover - I think mostly at the Anathemas, but like, there definitely were all seven of them in one room last I checked; and I'd actually decided to go on the field trip where I found you two just to get out of the house. Hopefully they're done by now..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That sounds like quite a group of characters."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is! Makes family dinners very chaotic."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Still, better than a war."

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Yeah."

"Pretty sure some member or another of Master Anakin's biological family has been significantly responsible for, like, most of the major wars of the last century, it's somewhat ridiculous; there probably actually would be a war if certain family members got put in the same room for too long..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds like something to be avoided, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yep."

"Fortunately no one in the actual house wants each other dead."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I imagine that would make dinners even more complicated."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Might be a break in the incessant flirting, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"But at what cost?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Probably mostly just inconveniencing the person with resurrection? Although, also, the Anathemas especially might keep flirting even while trying to kill each other, so might not even fix the problem..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh dear," Occlus laughs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"They are very a way - I do like them, but, also, they keep stealing all the competent women, and I do not want to be in a hookup chart with my mom or my alt's daughter."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Understandable concerns."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "Maybe I should introduce you to the happily married ones first," she teases. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"As our guide, we are of course at your whim in this matter."

Permalink Mark Unread

"They have quite a lot going for them! Definitely some of the most interesting powers, seeing how they're the interdimensional set."

Permalink Mark Unread

"They might have information to trade as well, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"They've been quite free with it so far, honestly."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe I would like them better, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, Ellie is very attractive..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Attempting to live vicariously now? But we have only just met."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well... Really, the incest is on her side, so if the pot's sweetened just a little bit... I could overlook it. Even act as the broker in the middle, perhaps."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Are you attempting to convince me, or yourself?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you need convincing?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I generally prefer to examine a proposition from all angles before making a final decision."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Very important to consider all your options."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just so."

Permalink Mark Unread

Every alt of Ellaita she's met has just gotten better and better. "Well... Perhaps I can answer questions about some of the angles to consider."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If I think of any."

Permalink Mark Unread

She grins back. 

They do get to the planet not long after - Ellaita's gotten her hands on this ship, and it's pretty fast now. Lily pokes her mom that they've arrived, with an added 'and put some clothes on,' then - into the city, toward the warehouse? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Tayab hangs back a little to talk with Sicaria.

"So, I don't know if you've noticed, but Lily is trying to flirt with your, uh, Occlus."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I had. But thank you for the confirmation."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. Just thought you- ought to know?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"And how do you feel about this?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Uh. It's kind of a... scary thought? The two of them together."

Permalink Mark Unread

"But exciting too, right?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"...Guess so, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I, for one, am interested to see if anything comes of it. Should I indicate that you would not be averse to inclusion as well?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Whoa okay there's a thought wow yep that is definitely a thought.

"Nn," he says, voice slightly strangled. "-I mean, uh, yes...?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "They will leave us behind. Come on."

Permalink Mark Unread

Yep okay catch up with his girlfriend, that's a good idea.

Permalink Mark Unread

She turns to Tayab as they catch up, see his expression, and smirks. "So, this entire neighborhood is mostly the Collective, 'Hema's clone line - which is very convenient, they all like 'Hema and they're pretty good neighbors. House has five floors - we can add more with the interdimensional magic, it can do space warping, but we tragically haven't actually run out of usable space inside yet. First floor is common areas and some guest space - Elesse claimed one of the rooms down there. Second floor is suites for my mom's group and the interdimensional group. Third floor we didn't have any ideas for other than just space for everything else to vault into. Fourth floor is a dungeon and some unused space, and fifth floor is my suite and then a lot of unused space, and then there's gardens on the roof... We can set aside some space for you guys if you want to stick around."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A dungeon on the fourth floor, how novel."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I mentioned all the hooking up, right?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose it would be more convenient than a basement."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yup. This way we don't have to move any pipes, or worry about the water table."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Efficient," she says approvingly.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Though a space expanded magic basement between the first floor and the stuff below it would have been really cool."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Surely it is not too late to add something along those lines?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Certainly not, and there would be an advantage to a second dungeon... Though I might instead ask for a space expanded one on my floor, just for me and those I invite in."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Something private and access-restricted. Very sensible."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Customized to my tastes, no chance it's in use by another group... Fewer chances of getting interrupted..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There is little worse than an unexpected interruption in the midst of a... delicate task."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Absolutely. It can be quite disruptive to any in progress tasks, too. You might have to start all over."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Always a shame."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Especially for anyone who'd rather the task be finished in a timely manner."

Permalink Mark Unread

Occlus laughs.

"Disappointment can be character-building, or so it is said."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Being left hanging can be good for developing problem solving skills, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

Occlus hums happily.

"It might also be an opportunity for a lesson to be learned."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The lesson is likely more effective when planned by the teacher, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mistress tells me that everything is a lesson, if one can find the proper perspective."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course, but some lessons are a bit more efficient than others."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Serendipitous chances must be taken when they occur."

Permalink Mark Unread

"No reason not to set the stage when you can."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Indeed."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile.

And then: the house! In all its glory. Lily unlocks the door, letting everyone in, and calls out, "I'm home!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Welcome back," calls Ellaita.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hey Ellaita! Look who I found!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Who did you-"

"Oh that is an evil Elesse."

Permalink Mark Unread

Permalink Mark Unread

"Did you get the words 'attractive' and 'evil' mixed up - "

Permalink Mark Unread

"Is that how it is? Pardon me, I'm sure."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin manifests nearby, conveniently in 'ruffle Lily's hair' reach, before sliding back into present-but-disembodied. "Given I had to warn you off Elesse, I'm not sure that's the best distinguishing feature."

Permalink Mark Unread

She smoothes her hair back down, making an annoyed-but-amused face at Anakin. "You didn't have to warn me very hard."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps introductions are in order? I am Darth Occlus. This is my apprentice, Lord Sicaria."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough. I'm Anakin Vendar, Lily's teacher and adoptive mother. It's nice to meet you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm Ellaita Dameron. 'Hema and the wizards are- somewhere in the house."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The two Anathemas got distracted putting in a bath house," she says, amused. "I can tell people to come say hi at some point, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Please do. Lily has told me so much about you all."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh?" she says, as she mentally taps 'Hema, Fay, and Elesse with an update (and a warning for Elesse confirming Lily's earlier warning of 'an apparently-friendly Sith alt with your face').

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just the important parts."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mostly the way she was chased out of the house."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps the wizards can figure out how to soundproof things against Force sensing, too, if Lily's having trouble ignoring us."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I believe her thoughts are currently bending more along the lines of 'revenge'."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, if she wants to escalate..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would be a choice she might make."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll keep my eye out for any other vengeances she might think up."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good luck." Occlus smirks.

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs.

Then: "Will you be sticking around?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"For a time, at least."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alright."

"We still have two guest bedrooms open, or we could set up the unused space on the fifth floor to be livable fairly quickly." And, with a small smirk: "Though giving Lily a bigger bed would be faster."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I do not think we are quite to that stage."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, if Lily hasn't staked any claims..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily rolls her eyes.

"I will figure out how to hit a Force ghost one of these days, you know."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Which is why I'm very helpfully motivating you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Better act faa~ast," Ellaita singsongs.

Permalink Mark Unread

Pillows flying at Ellaita's head! "You're not the incorporeal one."

Permalink Mark Unread

Oof.

"A fact I'm very grateful for whenever I kiss my girlfriends."

Permalink Mark Unread

She's a very nice pet and saves her Mistress from all but one pillow. "Selective incorporeality is rather convenient, there."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Best of both worlds."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I do have some research on Force ghosts that may be of interest in your endeavor," Occlus says to Lily.

Permalink Mark Unread

She makes an interested noise. "Definitely want that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It can be arranged."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thanks."

Permalink Mark Unread

"But I believe rooms were mentioned?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes," Anakin says. "One down here, one on the second floor, of already prepared guest rooms. If they don't work, the fifth floor's open space can have rooms added fairly quickly, or the existing bedrooms can be modified, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I do not yet know if we will be staying for a longer term. Perhaps just a guest room for now, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alright. I'll point them out, and you can claim whichever or both as you feel like it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you."

Permalink Mark Unread

Rooms! The downstairs one is actually pretty close to the front of the house. No natural windows, but it has magical lights, and it's across the hall from the house's main library. The second floor one is a bit bigger, across from Anakin and her girlfriends' suite. It does have a pretty big set of windows - with translucent glass, opening into the vaulted sparring area, so natural light filters through to the other side. The second floor is usually quieter than the ground floor, Anakin notes, though in general they have pretty good soundproofing - still, guests like Anakin's coworkers and Lily's school friends don't come to that floor, which only has a single, fairly underused common area. The first floor is easier to come and go from without really cutting through much else of the house, though. 

Neither has a private bathroom - though on the second floor, it'd be a few minutes' work to shift some doors and walls to get the hallway and hall bathroom into the guest room for a small suite...

Both have fairly neutral decorations right now, mostly greens downstairs and blues upstairs. 

Permalink Mark Unread

The second floor seems closer to suiting her needs.

Permalink Mark Unread

Alright. Does she want anything adjusted about it? 

Permalink Mark Unread

An ensuite would be good, if it is not too much work.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It isn't - and there should be enough raw material I don't need the wizards..." She turns her attention to it, hums - and dissolves the existing walls around the bedroom (as well as the door to her suite, moving it farther up towards the center of the house, rather than across from the guest bedroom - though she keeps a visual screen in front of her own suite, just shuffling things over), recreating walls and door so the old hallway and bathroom door are in the bedroom, then shifting the paint colors to match throughout as long as she's at it.

This actually leaves her with extra material, which she then weaves into the wall between the suites for extra sound proofing - and then a small kitchenette with appropriate wiring as long as she's at it, pipes for the sink hooked into those for her own suite's kitchen.

"Hm, does that work?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think it will, yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

(Sicaria is slightly worse than Occlus at hiding her shock.)

Permalink Mark Unread

She doesn't look too amused about this, at least. 

"Good."

Permalink Mark Unread

And from Lily, who'd followed them up - "Oh, yeah, forgot to mention the extent to which Master Anakin's officially the galaxy's most terrifying pacifist."

Permalink Mark Unread

Some wind ruffles Lily's hair. "Brat."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fortunate for the galaxy, it seems, that it is she and not another."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Or that it's me now, at least; I was - honestly still widely considered the most terrifying person in the galaxy back when I was very much not a pacifist, but I wasn't nearly this powerful yet."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It seems to have worked out."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fairly well; though - if Lily didn't mention - we are keeping it currently a secret from the Republic and Empire that I'm able to do this, and that I used to be Vader. Just so no one gets nervous."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I see."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Should I leave you to get settled in, then?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Please."

Permalink Mark Unread

She nods. "Alright. I'll be around, if needed, but otherwise - I'll see you later."

And she vanishes, mentally checking on Elesse - mostly to see if she's currently meditating - before reappearing near her.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hello dear. How do you find our guest?"

Permalink Mark Unread

She embodies to sit by Elesse, leaning into her.

"Strange," she says, first. "More than your other alts have been. She feels... Mirrored, almost? Though she has been pleasant, on a brief acquaintance."

"Also, Lily is very insistently flirting with her... Occlus doesn't seem to be reacting in a way I'd disprove of, at least."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's good. And good for Lily."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small smile. "Lily's been feeling left out, I think. It's good for her to establish her own circles..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Even if that circle still happens to live here."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So not flying too far from the nest - though I wouldn't begrudge her it if she wanted to move out."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Or perhaps just ask the wizards to add another acre or two to her floor."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "And perhaps a way to teleport between apartments, if she wants to stay on another planet for a bit."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would be useful for more people than just Lily."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It would. Sadly, the last time I asked, the answer was 'not at that distance' - they have near-instant travel to places they've been before, but the range is not even quite on a continent scale, and it sounds like fixed networks, especially usable by non-wizards, are complicated to set up and maintain."

Permalink Mark Unread

"A pity. Still, the girls are intelligent. They may be inspired to a novel solution."

Permalink Mark Unread

Smile. "Especially with Lily... They haven't quite gotten to directly combining magic and the Force yet, but it's really only a matter of time, at this point."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Indeed."

Permalink Mark Unread

That is a very kissable expression, so - kiss!

(Anakin is still tickled pink that she can just kiss Elesse whenever she wants.)

"Our kids are never boring, at least."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Our kids?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Blush!!! She did not mean to say that.

"Well... Lily is taking to you very quickly..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I suppose you did already give her my name."

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft, shy laugh.

"She was the one who put that as our legal name, first," she says. "But - "

"You were always part of how I was raising her."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Anakin..." Kiss.

"I am honored."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Her chest feels full. Loving Elesse almost hurts, right now, it's such a big part of her mind, but - the best sort of hurt.

"I want to introduce you to the rest," she murmurs, "Luke, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren - Leia, if she's ever willing... I want to weave you into my family, as much as you'll let me."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I would love that."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Good," she says, because she feels like she doesn't know how to say anything else right now, doesn't know enough words to express the glow deep in her.

(And then she thinks of seeing Elesse interact with her great-grandchildren - of watching Elesse with Neset, who's only barely not a toddler, of introducing whatever grandchild Luke acquires next to Elesse alongside Anakin - the feeling in her when she pictures Elesse holding a very small child isn't really attraction, but it takes her breath away all the same.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Hug. "And I suppose this is as good a time as any to bring this up... I've been looking into what is required for the local government to acknowledge me as a living person. The most straightforward and quickest route I have found would be to, ah, marry an existing citizen."

Permalink Mark Unread

It takes her a moment -

"So you would want to marry me?"

Wow does she have feelings about that. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of the people I know at present, you would be my first choice. And you always would have been."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "I love you."

"I - don't want to get married just for practical reasons? I'd want to be your wife in every way, not just on paperwork."

Permalink Mark Unread

"That would be something we would have to talk about with Ellaita and Anathema Jedi, but I am not at all opposed."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It does involve them pretty heavily."

Her chest feels like it's going to burst, now, and she leans more into Elesse, kissing her. "Do you want to go find them now?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Let's."

Permalink Mark Unread

Wiggle!

Girlfriends, girlfriends, where are her girlfriends, Anakin needs to talk to them...

Permalink Mark Unread

Girlfriends: are findable without too much trouble.

"Someone's excited."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "Only a bit," she says, practically vibrating.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh? Do share," Ellaita commands.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes, Mistress." Wiggle! 

"I - can I marry Elesse, Mistress?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Marry Elesse?" She glances over to the other woman.

Permalink Mark Unread

"For the paperwork," Elesse says. "And for real."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hmm," Ellaita says pensively.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'd be different than my relationship with you," she says. "Not more important, just - another kind. My Mistress on one side, my wife on the other..." Small shiver.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You could have an actual literal honeymoon together, and stop feeling weird about spending your honeymoon period obsessed with shiny new relationship."

Permalink Mark Unread

Small laugh. "I haven't been that obsessed..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Soft grin. "Not too bad, no." But, glance at Ellaita - "But I don't think it's really up to me to say how this would change the relationship? There's a pretty big extent to which we're metamours with benefits, moreso than what people normally mean by 'girlfriends.'"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Some of the benefits are romantic, and I'd date you even without Ellaita here, darling."

Permalink Mark Unread

Grin! "Yeah, but, not a 'committed romantic relationship'."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair."

She turns to Ellaita, then - "I don't want to change things between us? I love you, and I love Elesse, just... Differently?"

Then, a small smirk, "I don't think I could say that the most attracted I've ever been to you was while picturing you holding a baby, for instance."

Permalink Mark Unread

Snicker.

"Somehow I think not."

Permalink Mark Unread

More seriously, "...I suppose it's not unheard of for a lady's servant to be married. I will allow it."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you, Mistress." Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmmm yummy Mistress, who is going to let Anakin marry her (future) wife. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Mmm good girl.

Permalink Mark Unread

Giggle. 

And then she turns to her fiancee (!!!), and says, "When do you want to get married, darling?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think sooner would be better."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah," she says. "We'd need to delay a proper honeymoon until the end of the semester... But that's only a few weeks out, and - I don't need a ceremony or anything complicated. So, I'm up for it - as soon as we can get to a courthouse, really." Pause. "Though I do need to tell Lily first."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Will this make me her grandmother or her stepmother, I wonder?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Let's go with 'stepmother;' this family really does not need more incest."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair enough."

Permalink Mark Unread

...Probably inappropriate as a joke, but, eh - "Well, one case isn't really that much... Could balance it out some."

Permalink Mark Unread

She doesn't take offense, so. 

"I highly recommend getting Luke drunk and asking him about his history with Leia and Han sometime," she says, dryly. "Also, Jaina's eldest has been actively trying to seduce Jacen's eldest the last few months - and then Jaina's kids are biologically her wife's brother's, and I don't think they used IVF... Luke's youngest flirted with me the last time we met..."

Permalink Mark Unread

Snort. "Point taken."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're just too damn attractive, sweetheart."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's a curse that's been cast over all my descendants, apparently. We're irresistible."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alas."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Especially for those lovely people who must be claimed by just one of us."

Permalink Mark Unread

"At least one of my girlfriends had the decency to clone herself."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Tragically, given how cloning Force sensitives usually goes, I'm not sure more of me to go around would be the best solution."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I guess we'll never know."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Could we even clone you? Your body was just modified from an empty clone body, so - do we know if the wizard magic changes genetics?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"If it does not, then mine would also be the same, no?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yup. There is some variation between clones, especially when we're getting experimental, but you guys' base bodies were from the same stem line."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps a question we may wish to ask or investigate."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, as long as neither of you gets arrested or tries to have a baby with the other, it shouldn't be urgent."

"But, yeah, definitely of scientific interest."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Surprised Lily hasn't thought of it already. When are you going to tell her, speaking of?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, depends on if she's currently having a private moment with anyone - as soon as she's free, basically."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe we should install an intercom."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I am telepathic, you know."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Some residents are unfortunately not quite so practiced."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You really need to catch up with the rest of us, honey," she teases Ellaita. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"But there's so much else to do."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't know, I feel like this is a pretty important thing to do - especially when it makes slipping into Anakin's mind so much easier."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps I'll start trying harder."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe we can give you some added motivation... Have a bit of fun out of your line of sight now and then."

Permalink Mark Unread

Playful smack.

"And cut me out of the proceedings? Rude."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Training exercises are never pleasant. Thought you'd know that, as a resistance pilot."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're more of a brat than Anakin ever was." She kisses Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!!! "Dunno, you'd have to compare notes with Elesse on the 'was' part."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The one in front of you is always the worst," Elesse says.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Aw, that makes winning brattiness competitions so hard, though."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Were you not just scolding Ellaita for her lack of dedication?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, I didn't say I won't try. But reducing the target difficulty is a good first thing to attempt."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Stop encouraging her."

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse laughs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Aw, but encouragement is good for me!" Anathema says, before kissing Ellaita's cheek. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll show you encouragement," she says, pinching Anathema.

Permalink Mark Unread

Squirm! "Oh? You want me to be bratty, too? You just had to ask, lovely - "

Permalink Mark Unread

Ellaita cuts her off with a kiss, then hooks her leg around to trip them both tumbling down.

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs, rolling so she's under Ellaita, kissing her quite fiercely.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Perhaps we should leave them to it?" Elesse suggests to Anakin.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can go give Lily the happy news," she agrees, "Then have a celebration of our own."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sounds like a plan." Off?

Permalink Mark Unread

Off! Is Lily still tied up with either Tayab or the new alts?

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily is with Tayab, but it doesn't seem like she has him tied up.

Permalink Mark Unread

Fortunate for the moment, then. 

She is polite and doesn't teleport into the room (she wants to walk with Elesse, anyways), instead knocking lightly on the door frame. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Lily looks up and over. "Hey mom, Master Elesse - what's up?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"We have a bit of an announcement," she says. "I asked your mother to marry me, and she said yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs, startled - "Finally!" And - hug for both women? 

Permalink Mark Unread

Hug!

Permalink Mark Unread

Hug! "You've been expecting this, hm?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Of course."

"And you guys better file the paperwork for Elesse to adopt me, too."

Permalink Mark Unread

"If you'd like that, of course."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I absolutely would."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Then we will be sure to do so."

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin grins at them both. 

Permalink Mark Unread

And Lily giggles, squeezing them. "I'm going to have to figure out something to call you... Master Anakin's already got 'mom,' but 'mother' feels too formal..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Just 'Elesse' will work until you do."

Permalink Mark Unread

She hums. "I mean, if I'm talking to you directly, it's not very confusing who I mean... I can just use both your names when I need to specify."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Fair."

Permalink Mark Unread

"So two moms it is." Happy squeeze!

Permalink Mark Unread

"Congratulations," Tayab says.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you," she says, smiling at him.

Permalink Mark Unread

"When might we expect the happy occasion?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well... We're feeling a bit impatient, so depends on when the courthouse is open to issue marriage licenses, I suppose."

Permalink Mark Unread

"With a proper party to follow later, I hope?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, if everyone else insists, I suppose we can have a more public party after..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Parties are fun. And a wedding's a good excuse for one."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Definitely. And it'll be an excellent chance to introduce Elesse to my more friendly colleagues."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You won't even have to confuse your students by changing your surname mid-semester," Lily teases, "Though you might have to claim Elesse took your name if you don't want anyone assuming either incest or a very convoluted marriage history."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can't let that sort of scandal tarnish your good name here, dear."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It'd be a tragedy. I might have to move and change my name again, and, well, I quite like this one."

Permalink Mark Unread

"As do I."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss. "So, avoiding even the implication of scandal it is!"

"...Which raises the question of how are we going to tell people we met..."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You created me out of whole cloth, drawing forth my very being from the luminiferous ether."

Permalink Mark Unread

She laughs. "That might just raise more questions."

Teasingly: "Maybe you approached me as a known expert in some field of Force theory, and we fell madly in love over esoteric journals and got married within the week."

Permalink Mark Unread

"We'll have to decide on a field for me to be an expert in."

Permalink Mark Unread

"There's quite a few options."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It sounds workable." Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss!

"Setting a party date might take some time," she tells Tayab and Lily, "But we'll work on it." Then, to Elesse: "In the mean time... Let's see where the nearest court house is."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You really think I didn't already check, Anakin? Get the speeder, you're driving."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss. "Always prepared."

Then to Lily, already heading toward the door: "If anyone comes looking for us, we're getting hitched."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll tell them to come back tomorrow. Give you two time to get the 'just married' out of your system."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you for your consideration, Lily."

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're welcome."

"Congrats again, and - have fun."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you," Anakin says, softly. 

Before tugging her fiancee toward the elevator. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Off they go. (To get married!)

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin will even exercise some self control and not get them arrested for speeding or reckless driving on their way. It's a very impressive feat. A clear sign of her advancing wisdom. 

They're still at the court house a good bit faster than any sane analysis of traffic would suggest they should have been. Anakin grabbed her relevant identity documents on the way out, Elesse has evidence she entered the planet legally, they have a credit chip for the court fees...

Getting just the certificate isn't too agonizingly slow, though they need to go before a magistrate briefly to affirm this is a genuine relationship and they don't fall afoul of any laws that would make a marriage between them illegal (Anakin probably didn't even need to say anything on 'prove in a relationship'). It'll take a bit longer to get the marriage certificate transformed into citizenship for Elesse, and there's further paperwork for any legal rights they want to transfer to each other - inheritance, adopting Lily, medical next of kin, any benefits from careers... 

Permalink Mark Unread

All very necessary formalisms, of course. Part of living in a society.

But Elesse is very much looking forward to getting this all finished with.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin is, too.

Perhaps they should just head to the house and then straight to Elesse's room once they're done? 

Permalink Mark Unread

That is an excellent idea.

Permalink Mark Unread

You know, they haven't exactly gone past snuggles and voyeurism before their marriage... 

Permalink Mark Unread

This is a fine opportunity to expand their horizons together, then.

Permalink Mark Unread

Traditional, in a lot of places...

(Very insistent kiss.)

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh, well, if tradition is the argument... who is she to say no?

Permalink Mark Unread

They should do at least one thing traditionally about this. To make up for getting married within two hours of proposing. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Fair enough.

Kiss.

Permalink Mark Unread

The nice thing about Anakin's fine control of the Force is she doesn't have to stop kissing her wife (!!! married kisses: better than normal kisses) to get undressed. 

Permalink Mark Unread

That is a very nice thing. Perhaps she would care to aid her new wife as well?

Permalink Mark Unread

She would be delighted to. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Excellent.

Permalink Mark Unread

And it opens up quite a few new fun things to do with her wife. 

Permalink Mark Unread

They should take their time and be thorough in their exploration of this new dimension.

Permalink Mark Unread

Of course, of course - and they have all night, now...

Permalink Mark Unread

Indeed they do.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin...

Thinks she's going to spend the entire night in her body, actually. She doesn't want to miss out on cuddles with her wife. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse appreciates this!

Permalink Mark Unread

Good.

Anakin falls asleep before her. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Elesse stays up to smile adoringly at her new wife for a while longer.


She sleeps the whole night through, not waking until much later in the morning than usual.

Permalink Mark Unread

Anakin's watching her when she wakes, something soft, almost stunned and wondering, in her gaze. 

"Hey," she whispers. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Blink blink.

"...Good morning."

Permalink Mark Unread

Gentle kiss. "Good morning, wife."

Permalink Mark Unread

What a pleasant thing to awaken to.

"Wife. Lovely to see you."

Permalink Mark Unread

"The problem," she murmurs, kissing Elesse again, "With getting married a few weeks from semester end," kiss, "Is I can't sweep you off on a honeymoon right now."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss. "How thoughtless of the school. If only you had a reliable," kiss "competent," kiss "charming," kiss "adjunct professor to pawn your students off on."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss! "If you're," kiss, "my adjunct," kiss, "I can hardly sweep you away," kiss, "now can I?" Kiss!

Permalink Mark Unread

"But think how much faster the time will go!"

Permalink Mark Unread

"And now that you have your citizenship," kiss, "Hm, it would be a very large help during exam season, and this could be a good length for a trial period..." Kiss! "I'll talk to the dean, then."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I love you."

Permalink Mark Unread

Happy noise. 

"I love you."

"I'm so, so glad you asked me to marry you." Soft kiss. "So glad for everything."

Permalink Mark Unread

Kiss.

"It's all worked out."

Permalink Mark Unread

"It has."

Kiss. "And we'll make sure it keeps doing so."