So, time to see if Question and Answer style loops are enjoyable. If you feel they are not, tell me and they will never appear after this chapter
13.1
To, Anakin Skywalker
From, Discord
Question: So, if Brook is your favorite looping pirate, who is your least favorite?
Response: Without a doubt, that nefarious knave they keep around in limited attire named Nami. That menace stole a very important and very precious giant golden statue of mine. What kind of person steals another's giant gold, gem encrusted statue of their beloved wife from them!?
13.2 (Evilhumour)
"Say dad," Luke looked at his father as he was working on a ship, a loop where things were simple for their family. "Who would you have wanted Leia to go with anyways?"
His dad pulled his head out of the engine, covered in oil and grime, tapped his chin. "I don't know to be honest, but there was this one time where the Emperor of Mankind offered one of his Primarchs to bridge our Empires together. Odd loop." He leaned back into the ship he was working on.
"Really? Any of them good?"
"Well, Horus made me uneasy, I thought Leman was into unsavory things, Ferrus brought up a sore issue," both he and Luke looked at their hands and winced. "I don't think Fulgrim is interested into girls, Vulkan was too much of a geek, Rogal wasn't thrilled by the idea when marrying the the 'witch', Roboute is too vicious, Magnus couldn't pull his head out of the books."
"What about Sanguinius?"
"...are you kidding me?"
"Sorry dad," Luke said, looking at the speeder he was working on.
"Lion El'Jonson wasn't there to arrange anything, Perturabo seemed to have too much fun playing with his tanks, Mortarion…" He shuddered, and then swore as he hit his head against the inside of the engine he was working on.
"Lorgar had that preacher look, Jaghatai was the kind I don't want Leia around." Anakin grumbled. "Bad boys with hot rods, what do girls see in those types?"
Luke looked at his father, withholding a grin. "I wouldn't know dad."
"Konard thought he was Batman and wouldn't get out from under my desk to 'spy' on me. Argon reminded me of Charybdis. No thank you." Sighing, Anakin leaned against the side of the wall. "Corbus's beak-helmet was a deal breaker."
"What about Alpharius and Omegon?"
"They were passable until those two spirited Leia away with Han to screw with us." Anakin groaned, stretching out. "And before you ask, I don't know if they're looping or not. No one does." Staring off into space, Anakin glared at his son. "Don't you dare repeat this to anyone but I was glad Leia was with Han that loop; the Emperor's kids are really messed up."
"I won't dad, I promise."
With that, the two Skywalkers went back to working.
13.3 (Thanatos's Scribe and myself)
To, Han Solo and Anakin Skywalker
From, Calvin (And Hobbes)
Question: I've recently been thinking of upgrading my ship, the Red Saucer, but am having difficulties as to what and how I should modify it except that I want it to be both faster and better offensively. Considering that you're both experts at modifying spaceships, I have to ask: Do you guys have any recommendations?
Han Solo
Answer: Your the kid with the tiger, right? Anyway, I'd suggest something to remove snagged hairs first of all. I adore Chewie, but he does shed. I'd also recommend a new, or lightly used, hyperdrive, high quality laser cannons, a new (this is a must) engine, plenty of spaces for hiding goods of questionable origins from the authorities and a mini-fridge. In our universe, there are plenty of places to obtain these items, though I would suggest avoiding this at any point in time in which the Galactic Empire is around, if just for a lack of hassle. If your not in our world, I'd suggest looking up fellows like Samus Aran, Fox McCloud, Leeron (though I suggest you have your tiger (Hobbes right?) bring a whacking stick if you do so), Applebloom and Bruce Wayne for modifications. Don't try to add them yourself unless you have practical experience, a mistake in setting up your hyper drive could lead to the devastation of entire planets. Good luck kid!
13.4 (Kris Overstreet)
Anakin Awoke.
Vader Awoke.
They faced each other across the typical guardrail-less elevated walkway, with the reactors of the space station humming merrily away below their feet.
They sent out simultaneous Pings.
"YOU!" Anakin Skywalker shouted, breaking into a run and charging forwards.
"WAIT! STOP! PAX!" Vader deactivated his lightsaber and leaped over Anakin's mad charge, landing behind the Jedi near the end of the walkway. "Listen, why don't you?"
Anakin turned around, his own lightsaber at the ready. "You are going to DIE!" he snarled, advancing at a more cautious pace.
"Will you stop for a minute and THINK?" Vader shouted. "This is another damn Mikasa Glitch Loop, right? I'm Awake, you're Awake. Pull something out of your subspace pocket."
Anakin and Vader reached into nowhere and pulled out identical teddy bears, identical Starfleet uniform tunics, and identical Darth Potatohead toys (mint, in box).
"Right, so you're me, big deal," Anakin said, putting his copy of the oddball junk back into subspace. "I'm still going to kill you."
"Why?"
"You know the answer."
"Yes," Vader nodded, "because I really, really hate myself and want nothing more than to strike out at my evil and stupidity. But it never works, does it?"
"You die."
"BOTH of us die, after blowing up a planet or three, and then I wake up with BOTH our memories in Eiken, or in Teletubbies, or-" The Sith Lord shuddered in revulsion. "-on Kashyyyk celebrating Life Day." The Sith Lord pointed at the Jedi's lightsaber. "You looking forward to another Life Day celebration? Because I'm not."
Anakin's glare didn't waver. "I know all that," he said. "But if I don't hear some idea for a better way to spend a Loop than killing Darth Vader, then you're still going to die."
"Remember that gag armor we had made up?" Vader asked. "We were waiting for the right time to use it to prank the others, right? Well, what better time than when we can play both sides of the gag?"
Anakin considered this, and with the faintest hint of a smile he deactivated his lightsaber. "I still hate you with the fire of a thousand supernovas," he said.
"And I you," Vader replied. "But this gag is just too good to pass up, isn't it?"
"And now, princess, we will discuss the location of the hidden Rebel base... or else I shall tie you to the monorail track!"
Leia goggled. Darth Vader stood before her, except his normal helmet and mask had been replaced by something with... a top hat, a large beak of a nose, and a curled pencil-thin mustache? She managed, "Er... that's what you think, Vader! I'll never talk!"
"We shall see, my pretty! Nya ha ha ha!" With a wave of his gauntlet (which, Leia noted, was covered with a finely tailored white silk glove) Vader raised a swarm of ropes around her. In moments she was firmly bound to the monorail track.
"Unhand her, Vader, you fiend!"
Leia struggled to look up from her bonds. There stood General Anakin Skywalker, last of the Jedi, founder of the Rebellion, and all-around hero. (And in the back of her mind she shrieked: WHAT?)
"Aha, Skywalker," Vader intoned, reaching up a gloved hand to twirl his metal mustachio. "This time you will not foil my plans! Have at you, cursed do-gooder!"
"Have no fear, Princess Leia! I shall save you from this wretch's clutches!"
Lightsabers ignited, and Leia watched two enormous hams who should have known better doing their best Errol Flynn imitations. After several minutes of what the princess privately considered faffing about, Anakin got in close, twisted his wrist, and sliced off Vader's mechanical right hand, lightsaber still enclosed.
"AAARGH! Curses, foiled again!" Vader leaped down from the monorail track, shouting, "But mark my words, Skywalker, I shall yet have my revenge!" With a flicker of the Force he leaped up onto a hovering landspeeder, which zoomed off to parts unknown.
Off in the not-distant-enough, a monorail blew its warning horn. With Jedi swiftness and skill Anakin sliced away the ropes, picked up Leia, and jumped off the track moments before the train passed over the spot.
"All right, Father," Leia said dryly as Anakin landed on the ground below the tracks, "now that the clown show's over, care to explain yourself? Or should I say yourselves?"
"Yeesh, tough crowd," Anakin grumbled. "The act went over much better in the Jawa sandcrawler with Luke."
13.5 (Evilhumour and Myself)
To, Anakin Skywalker
From, the Emperor of Mandkind
Question: I understand that you had trouble with raising and interacting with your two children. Do you have any advice?
Answer: This was mostly because in baseline, I had no idea who they were for quite some time and attempted to kill, torture, actually torture and murder friends of theirs. Once we began looping, my relationship with my son greatly improved, so there I would suggest working on any established good faith in your original relationship and expand it. In the case of my daughter...try not to murder your child's spouse that often and eventually your relationship will work itself out. Though I might point out the issues in either parent-child relationship are heavily dependent on the child in question: what worked with one will not necessarily work with another.
13.6A (Wildrook)
Anakin had endured many things in the Loops.
He had endured Sith Lord Jar Jar, Sith Padme, and a Sith version of his Mother. He had also endured Chancellors that were more honest than Palpatine, even if one was an Imperialistic Space Nazi. Heck, he even dealt with the Warp and had a kinship with Usagi and the God-Emperor of Mankind.
But nothing could prepare him against THIS.
"Now, young Skywalker," the voice said, opening the horn and showing off a lightsaber. "Let us see how you fare against the almighty Darth Horn!"
He then brought out his own Lightsaber and unleashed the blue blade to the Narwhal's own red one.
'Something must be up with the tree,' Anakin thought. 'Then again, something unexpected always shows up...'
13.6B (Hvulpes)
Anakin had thought the Narwhal Sith Lord Darth Horn was weird. It got weirder with this loop...
"Young Skywalker, Obi Wan Celestia, now you face the fury of Darthmare Moon!" said the Sith Alicorn as her horn lit up into a red lightsabre to counter the green one of his alicorn master
13.7 (Gamerex and Kris Overstreet)
TO: Luke Skywalker
FROM: Naoki Kashima
Am I allowed back in C-3PO's bar yet? I'd like to get a drink, but the last time I tried, your dad screamed bloody murder and tried to cut me into a few billion pieces. Rampage millions of years ago or not, that's a dick move on someone who just wants to get wasted.
Dear Naoki,
Father is not all that fond of people who remind him of his baseline self. He's even less fond of people who make Pinkie Pie cry. I suggest on future visits to our world you restrict yourself to the cantinas of Mos Eisley or, if you're playing the tourist, the casinos of Cloud City.
Luke Skywaker.
13.8
"You want Ultron to loop?!"
Anakin's incredulous voice rang out across the Avenger's tower, where the loops Avengers had gathered.
The spectacular anchor, the strongest there was, the prince of asgard, the star spangled man, the genius billionaire playboy and the one who had dared to say such a crazy thing: the blond scientist whom Anakin normally got along with.
A kindred spirit if you will, in things to overcome on a mental level.
Anakin's Borderline, and his Schizophrenia.
However, this was just too much.
Hank, a man who had gone by far more names in his life than Anakin ever had (Ant-Man, Giant-Man, Yellowjacket, Goliath, Wasp, and probably a few others that Anakin could not really remember), gave him a long, hard look. "I created Ultron, from my brain patterns. No matter what Ultron does, he will always be connected to me. He's my Brando, if you will".
"So what, you want to just get it over with? Whose next then, Norman Osborn?" Anakin sarcastically inclined as the anchor face palmed. "Tirek? Aizen? Voldemort?"
"Please don't jinx it".
Hank sighed "Not as it is normally, obviously. No, what I want is a looping version of Ultron Mark 12. An Ultron who came to see himself as human, and became a force for good. That is the Ultron whom I wish to strive towards a looper, and therefore block all other Ultrons from ever looping. Like how the Lex Luthor who loops is supposedly a good version, thus forever stopping an evil Lex Luthor from looping, I wish to create a good Ultron to stop the evil."
"As risky as it is, it is not unprecedented. In this universe alone, many have been redeemed from the path of evil, and became great forces for good" Steve Rodgers spoke up to their guest Avenger, in defense of their resident scientist "Clint, Natasha, Ares, Simon, Anna Marie, Bucky...and they are just baseline examples. Even you were saved from the path of evil, and you're a hero now, no matter what some may say".
While smiling from the Cap's honesty, Anakin still felt some unease "So, what you're saying is I should be trying to get Palpatine..."
At this thought, the Cap's gaze darkened "No. Some, no matter how much we may try, cannot be saved. The Red Skull, Thanos, Apocalypse, Joker, Darkseid, Reverse-Flash...they are beyond redemption. Palpatine is the same way. Ultron can be remade into something respectable. Palpatine cannot."
13.9 (Gamerex and Kris)
TO: Luke Skywalker
FROM: Leman Russ
I've been trying to design a chainsword with lightsabers in place of the chainsaw teeth, but I can't quite get the power source to work well with the design. I'd ask Father to help, but he hasn't been Awake for several dozen Loops now. Do you have any advice?
Dear Leman,
My son has little interest in more, shall we say, extravagant lightsaber design. However, I have crafted my own light-chainsaw, and for that application I found it was simpler to rotate the plasma containment field rather than have a lot of little lightsaber chain teeth. (Besides, with the chain-saber the true terror isn't in the actual blade, but in the sound of the engine. It makes one's opponents stop and think whether or not they wanted to, which allows the wielder to make them stop, full stop.)
I hope this helps. Give my regards to your mother.
13.10
"You know, I've been wondering something?"
At the question of the visiting alien girl, Nico Robin smiled "Ask me anything you like."
Ahsoka eyed the getup that the second Straw Hat female wore after the Straw Hat's two year hiatus "You're a grown woman, right?"
Robin nodded. Ashoka noticed a certain set of motions.
"Which means you no longer go through puberty."
Robin once again nodded, with similar motions.
"Then why did your breasts get bigger?"
Robin actually looked ponderous at that question, before giving off a smile that was somewhat unnerving "It's simple, I got stronger. Breasts get larger the stronger you are".
Oddly enough, Ahsoka thought to herself, with how odd the Straw Hat's world (and several other worlds like it) were, that could possibly be a decent answer.
13.11 (Gamerex and Kris)
TO: Anakin Skywalker
FROM: Varric Tethras
Found this in a Hub Loop. Little comic called "Darths and Droids," Ever had a Variant like that? If so, care to share? Maybe as an interview? I'm working on a piece about weird Variants for this rag, and figured that since you guys are old Loopers, you'd have quite a few stories to tell about that kind of stuff.
Dear Varric,
I don't remember any particular Variant like this, but I do recall one Hub Loop where Luke, Leia, Han, Artoo and Chewbacca were neighborhood teens who had a weekly D&D game at our house. I made the mistake of telling Lina Inverse about their Slayers campaign. That's how I first learned that my battle armor and respirator mask are not fully proof against a point-blank Dragon Slave.
If you find any similar Hub works of other worlds, I strongly suggest you reveal their existence only with the greatest of caution. Quite frankly, there's some messed up (bleep) in here.
13.12
"Who's gonna fight for friends and freedom? Korra!
She's the biggest baddest bending-est gal we know!
Who protects the icy tundra? Kor..."
The massive fireball that was blasted at the music speaker silenced the rather catchy tune, causing the golden droid who was running the temporary bar in Republic City to sound disappointed.
"Must you destroy my property. If you dislike my musical selection, you could just say so".
The avatar merely glared at the golden droid in response "Where did you even get that tune in the first place!?"
The golden droid proceeded to do a finger pressing that was rather Hinata-like "well, Bolin owes me a lot of money for those french lessons...".
Across town, Bolin felt a shiver of fear he hadn't felt since that loop where Lin was a overprotective aunt.
13.13
"So, let me get this straight. You want us to fund 3 million more clone troopers?"
"Yes. Is that a problem Senator Skywalker? As I recall you are usually quite responsive to the needs of our armed forces"
Let the universe agree that Anakin taking Padme's job as Senator (if for Tatooine, not Naboo) was disturbing on many levels.
However, that did make him uniquely qualified to point out some flaws in political logic.
Staring down the old Kaminoan senator, Anakin shook his head "For assault vehicles and ships yes, but this is just a waste of money. Frankly, if we'll still fighting this war by the time those clones can be deployed, in 10 years or so, I frankly do not want to see the state of the galaxy by then. We should be putting that money into things that can aide the war now, not in it's worst case scenario."
The murmurings of senators suggested this was the first time they realized that 3 million more clone troopers would not actually help them out that much.
Obviously they failed to read the memos about how long it took to make Clones. The Kaminoans didn't keep them in stock like R2 units after all.
13.14
Luke just stared in shock at his father's current appearance in their meeting spot on Bespin/ spot to duel to the death in when said father was not awake or just bored.
He had gotten used to his father appearing in a metal armor long ago, and probably found it more normal than him being flesh and blood.
However, that armor painted yellow with flowers on it was a new one.
"Why father, why?" he questioned as his father actually looked nervous.
"Um...you see my son, I was merely cashing in some of my vacation hours."
"The Galactic Empire has vacation hours?" the image of Tarkin in a speedo and a bad tan would not leave Luke's mind for some reason.
"I had 23 years saved up" his father explained "Sometimes, I just need to take a break to relax when memories of bad loops come to mind. You know; Sith Jar Jar, Caboose, the Death Note War, Forks Washington..."
"Wait, what was that third one?!" Luke questioned.
"Forks Washington" his father backpedaled "You know, creepy vampire stalkers, sociopath fangirls, babies being the abusers in relationships with their mates..."
"No no, the one before that".
"Caboose" His father obviously was hiding something he didn't want to talk about "Now son...do we really need to be talking about this? I kind of want to go back on vacation soon, so can we make this duel to the death quick?"
13.15 (Tanglekat)
For some reason, this Loop had some of the strangest Variants Luke had seen - and that was counting the Elevator Loops. And for the life of him, Luke simply couldn't figure out what the reasoning behind this particular Variant was. "I think I liked the 'May the Horse be with you' Loop better. Single-Letter substitutions make sense. This makes no sense at all."
Of course, all this was muttered under his breath as he maneuvered his way around the support tower in Cloud City. (The opportunity to run the baseline with this Variant was too tempting to pass up.)
"Luke, I don't want to have to kill you." His Unawake father pleaded. "If only you knew the power of the Dark Side!" Luke had to hold back a snigger. "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your Father, did he?"
"He told me that you creamed him. Considering what I've heard about Sith induction rituals, it seemed to be a pretty accurate statement to me." Luke replied. 'I will not laugh, I will not laugh, I will not - wait. How can my arm be cut off? It isn't even that sharp.'
While the wayward Anchor pondered this mystery, Anakin Woke up for the first time in that Loop. He then proceeded to look at the weapon in his hand and groan. "I see we're still doing this one, then. The modus operandi is a bit different, but the same in practice."
Luke nodded. "Indeed. It's a little hard to take this loop seriously when the Force has been replaced by pie."
Anakin poked the pie in his hand and tasted it. "Hmm... Meringue. I hope this one carries over; summoning pies at will would be a useful - if mundane -ability.
The other anchor snickered. "So, Father. How did the Emperor convince you to turn dark anyways?
"He said - and I quote" here Anakin made air quotes "'Come over to the Dark Side. We have double-fudge cookies." He looked back at the meringue pie in his hand. "you know, I think I'll sue. After all, I didn't get what I was promised."
"I'd like to see that." Of course, Luke had every intention of selling the information to Artoo as blackmail as soon as he could.
"But seriously, pies? Why pies?"
13.16
The explosion that rang out from his office was moments after the Senator from Tattoine burst out of his window and fell to the bottomless city below.
He didn't seem that concerned though, as if he had a habit of jumping out of things and towards speeders.
Speaking of which...
THUMP
One brand new one got a pair of footprints embedded into its frame the shape of Senator Skywalker's.
...
"You know, I swear being a Senator is more dangerous than being a Jedi sometimes" Anakin admitted to the very, very uneasy Obi-Wan, who had been put in 'find out who tried to murder the senator' duty.
"No it isn't Anakin. Jedi are constantly being shot at on the battlefield"
"Yeah, but at least we know who wants to kill us on the battlefield. Droids, Stormtroopers, Vong...I never know whose trying to kill me during these loops. I swear, how Padme manages to be so trusting bewilders me..."
"Unlike Padme, you have a bad habit of letting lobbyists pay for your meals and then not voting their way. They tend to not like that" Obi-Wan pointed out.
"Well they need to stop offering a former slave from a desert planet free food. You'd think they'd understand I just use them for free 5-star meals by now".
"Lobbyists don't loop Anakin"
"I wasn't implying that".
13.17 (Detective Ethan Redfield)
Rahm Kota was fairly sure what to expect from Vader's arrival. His troops held no chance, he knew that, but they were required to funnel the Dark Lord to his position. Mentally, he had already prepared himself for their sacrifice and dreaded feeling their deaths through the Force. He offered them the chance to back down without shame and return to their families, live out their lives in some small measure of peace on an outer rim world. They earned that much for working with Khota as long as they have, but not one backed down. Even when told that none of them would survive the mission, they raised their blasters in one and shouted in unison, "For the Republic!" It was inspiring how they carried out their assault in holodrama perfect fashion. Then a unique vessel appeared on the bridge's holo display, Imperial in design and designation.
As Vader's ship approached, he expected to sense the Dark Lord in all his power. However, he felt nothing, as if the force didn't exist within that confined space surrounding that one ship. It was a disquieting feeling, as the ship docked, then departed in short order after presumably depositing the Dark Lord.
And then...nothing happened. There was still infighting between the stormtroopers and Kota's men, but Vader wasn't slaughtering his way through his men. It was about an hour later when a panel dropped from the ventilation shaft overhead and a young man in his late teens dropped from the ceiling. He had a neatly trimmed full beard, white shirt and a single shoulder pad on his left arm. He held a backpack attached to his back. His men were quick as they opened fire on the boy's position, only for him to roll behind some cover and open fire with the blue hue of stun rounds from his Imperial Repeater Blaster.
Kota found himself dodging stun rounds of his own, though none seemed aimed right at him. Soon, all his soldiers were on the ground, unconscious or unable to move. The man rose from his cover and returned his blaster to his holster. Kota tried to get a sense of this boy only to feel nothing from him. The teen drew held up his hands in what appeared to be a placating gesture, "Master Kota?"
As the boy approached, Kota felt the force leave him. Though feeling like he had just gone blind, the General still held himself strong, "A boy? Months of striking at Imperial targets, and Vader sends a boy to fight me?"
Kyle kept his hands up, "General, I have no intention of fighting you. Vader thinks he controls me, but I awoke to the truth a short time ago."
Kota held his lightsaber up in a defensive stance, ready to shift to his offensive style. He noticed the boy had a lightsaber, but hadn't drawn it. The General circled around and away from the force user towards some of his fallen men, "What have you done to the area around us? I feel like I've been cut off from the Force."
The boy pointed to his backpack, "Ysalamari from Myrkyr. It was a devil to get a couple offworld, but well worth it when wanting to ambush a Jedi or Sith-"
Kota scooped up one of his fallen men's blaster rifles and fired several shots. Half were aimed at the boy's backpack and the Ysalamiri inside and the other for the boy himself. However, he was quicker on the draw, as the unknown force user drew his saber, ignited it and swept every shot from the sky. None were redirected back at Kota. Eventually, the blaster ran dry. The boy shouted as Kota reached for another blaster, "Stop! Killing each other will not help the Alliance!"
Kota dropped the blaster and pointed his saber at the boy. "Alliance? What are you talking about, Boy?"
The boy sighed. "Would you stop calling me that. It's Kyle, Kyle Katarn. And the Alliance...actually it hasn't formed yet I imagine."
The general looked confused, causing Kyle to sigh and pull a datapad from behind his back. "Look, I didn't come to kill you, even though that's what Vader ordered. I need you to deliver this to Senator Mon Mothma. Further, I need your lightsaber as proof that I killed you. You take my Ysalamari, and it'll be like you died here. There's a transport several decks below for you to escape."
Kyle acted first, deactivating his lightsaber and placing the backpack and datapad on the ground before he backed away slowly. Kota approached equally slowly, unzipped the backpack and noted the creature within. "Alright. Let's say I believe you. What's on the pad?"
"Plans for an Imperial battle station, capable of destroying an entire planet. I'm sure that'll be a nice target to hit. Plus, the Senate hasn't been informed of the base's construction. Now, I'm sure that's worth one lightsaber, don't you?"
Kota thought for a second, then deactivated his saber and threw it to the double agent, "I don't know what you're playing at Kyle, but either way, I'll see to it those plans end up doing some good."
By this time, the first few troopers had started recovering from the stun rounds. Kota looked to them and said, "Let's go."
Kyle watched as the transport departed the station. "Well, time to make it look real."
With that, he drew his saber and sliced a hole out of the bridge and leaped through the opening. Jan Ors, who had replaced Juno Eclipse for this loop, was quick on the uptake, flying the Rogue Shadow up to the hole and picking Kyle up a moment later. As soon as Kyle was inside, the Jedi pressed a detonator he had prepared in advance, which activated a nuclear device he planted in his journey through the vents. The entire station went up like the sun, and then the backdrop of space and stars elongated as they jumped into hyperspace.
If his hub memories of the game were correct, he'd be nuking a lot of locations in the near future to fake the Jedi targets' deaths.
13.18
The sight of Anakin hunkered a clumsy Jar Jar away (and yes, someone decided to use that as a measurement one loop) from the Council chambers dressed like he was giving the Americans advice for creating their first Nuclear Bomb was always alarming to Obi-Wan.
It probably should be called that by most anyone: considering Anakin's general tendencies.
"Anakin..."
The hunkered down Jedi Knight popped up: anti-radiation and great, big, flashy mushroom goggles glinting at the sight of his master.
"Um, kind of busy here Obi-Wan" he said as if he had been walked in on while building a model or real Gundam.
"Please tell me you didn't sneak a primitive nuclear weapon into the Jedi Council Chamber..." Obi-Wan nearly said again, but realized that he couldn't recall Anakin having ever done that.
Cakes addressed to Yoda filled with Twi'Lek strippers, yes. Bound and gagged Sith Lords, yes. Girl Scout Cookies, yes (He was bribing Kit Fitso for some reason that loop).
But bombs, including Nuclear ones...not so much.
"I couldn't even if I wanted to, I gave my last one to a Ganon I am pretty sure was awake" Obi-Wan felt an angry letter from one of the other two Tri-Force loopers in his near future when he heard that last one, regardless of the status of said Dark Lord "No, I am simply curious...about how the mind of Luna Lovegood affects the Force around her, and thus I paid a unawake Luna to talk to the council. I'm curious to see how they'll react to her".
So, in other words Anakin got bored while Padme was off doing something senatorial and politically sensitive, so Anakin couldn't be anywhere near it lest he make the Clone War worse.
And yes, that was possible.
"Dare I ask why you are acting like a nuclear explosion is about to go off..."
BOOM!
As the sound of a muffled explosion rang out from within the Council Chambers, followed by a blinding flash of light, Anakin shrugged.
"Apparently in this loop, confusion is explosive, yet oddly un-damaging to the one inducing the confusion. Why do you think Jar Jar isn't around this loop, he was deported and locked up. So, wonder who blew up?"
"I'd love to see Anakin, but I do believe I have temporarily gone blind from the explosion"
13.19
Sentient species rarely had predators.
With sentience comes intelligence. With intelligence weapons were forged. Plans were developed. Safeguards created.
Nothing liked to be eaten. Just as animals developed poison, camouflage, defensive armor, or great speed to avoid foes, sentient lifeforms developed ways to be safe from their predators.
This normally led to their decimation and quite often extinction. For it was not until the sentient species reached a certain point in their development that they came to appreciate the wild beauty of what had once been a threat to them, or realize that killing off the threat to them led to a whole mess of problems for the planet.
However, this world had predators of sentient species...ones that defied the rules of nature.
These massive creatures were poring into the city, strange and tumbling mockeries of human form that were just, off, in the force. They felt like something between man and monster, a twisted mass of nightmares and wild instinct.
The panic and fear that they brought forth to those who dwelled in this city was toxic and dark. Had a Sith Lord dwelled here, he could have gained much power from it.
However, she was the only Jedi here, the only one who could stop them.
She stood on top a roof overlooking the massive hole, currently dressed in the brown fatigues of this loop's soldiers. Her body shifted slightly, her past obtained Skrull abilities morphing her skin from the white she had looped into here to it's natural green, her black diamond tattoos reforming on her body.
The loop had kindly provided her with a pair of blades in each hand, rather nicely considered her usual blade, Undbitr, would stand out in this loop.
As was her curse, she would stand alone in this fight. Loopers were always separated from her by great distance, as was the her bug. However, that did not mean she was not protect the innocent of this and every loop she came to.
The Jedi had lost their way in her world, but she never would. Not like the baseline Bariss Offee. Not now, not ever.
Meanwhile in the Quinta District of Wall Maria, the anchor trio of this loop was keeping watch of the nearby wall, expecting the Titans to appear soon.
...
With a concentrated blast of the Force, the Titan was blown away from the trapped civilian.
As the startled woman ran as fast as she could, Bariss burst over its head aided by not only the Force, but the training of Red Foot Zeb. Coming down its back, she slashed with the blades and landed on the ground behind it, just as the monster slumped over and dissolved away.
Having reached the breach in the wall after saving a number of innocents, Bariss glared at the sight of hundreds of Titans approaching.
Reaching into her subspace pocket with The Force, a ring flew out and slid onto her hand as she pointed it right at the advancing titans.
"Wind!" she shouted as the Ring summoned forth a gale that blew them back. While it would not destroy them, it did give her the necessary space.
Smashing her foot against the ground with immense force, a rock column shot up from the earth and formed a patch on the wall. It was not as thick as the original wall, but it would hold them off.
THUMP THUMP
Bariss did not need The Force to tell her a Titan was behind her. Nor did she have to put much thought into it as she used the Force to knock the Titan to the ground, exposing its neck for an easy swipe.
She did not have time to rest however: for there were still Titans to be...
KRA-KOOM!
Lightning struck.
...
The Wall had been initially breached by a Titan of Colossal Size.
Now, a Titan of large, but not colossal size, covered in thick Armor was charging in to smash through the wall that separated district, from the interior.
The Garrison troops were no match for it, it was the immediate threat to the innocents around her.
And so, apparting in front of it's intended path, sparking electricity formed around Bariss's fist.
"Lightning Dragon Iron Fist!" Bariss shouted as she struck the Titan square in the face with the the blunt force of a Lightning Dragon.
The Titan was sent tumbling backwards, shattering a few homes but now momentum-less. It forced itself back up, somewhat more intelligently than the other Titans.
In fact, as Bariss floated before it via levitation, she felt a different sort of feeling around it compared to the other Titans. It felt less warped, and intelligent. It lacked the hunger that seemed to pervade the creatures, and most surprisingly of all...
"Guilt" Bariss whispered as the Titan looked at her in confusion, in the way many humans would when they first saw a levitating green skinned humanoid. "You feel guilt..."
Her eyes narrowed "You feel guilt!? You planned to unleash a horde of flesh eating monsters on innocent people, and you feel guilty!? Your actions are that of either a droid, a sociopath, or a soldier in a war without morals, and you feel guilty!?"
The Titan, out of fear of her continued verbal assault, moved to swat her like a fly. Bariss just blocked it with superior strength.
A loop as a Daxamite would let you do that.
"I don't know what you are: a soldier who knows what he is doing is wrong but cannot or will not stop, a victim just as much as the people you hurt, or someone so mentally broken you wake up to see carnage in your wake. However, you will not be hurting anyone this loop, never again"
Steam billowed from the Armored Titan, as if trying to create a scalding shield for itself against her.
However, she would not be striking him with something tangible.
"Armored Titan" she spoke in the Ancient Language of Alegesia, a language of magic "let your empathy and guilt rule over your objective!"
As the beast roared in pain as it felt something alien infect it, Bariss was so intent on the magic at work she didn't notice the guy in the black top hat aiming a pair of pistols at her.
BANG
13.20
"They say that some loops, are haunted by ghosts"
At that comment Connie and Sasha's heads turned rapidly towards Marco, who had joined the two in the looply venture to the Jaeger Basement.
Or, as it was called this loop, C-3PO's bar and diner, which in of itself greatly resembled that of a Dex's Diner in the droid's loop of origin.
The often dead cadet looked anywhere but the duo as the golden droid approached their table, a quartet of drinks held masterfully on his tray.
Yes, quartet, for there was a visiting looper from outer space sitting at their table: a reddish skinned alien female with white and grey headtails.
"Ah, here you go Mistress Ahsoka, Master Marco, Mistress Sasha, and Master Connie, four intergalactic milkshakes. I learned only from the best 9-year old masters of the art during one of my fused loops. Have any of you ever visited Danville?"
At the negative shakes from the native loop trio, the droid jaunted off once more, leaving the trio to alternate between sipping, and staring down the alien female.
"Ghosts? That is ridiculous. Loops don't have ghosts!" Connie insisted "That defies all logic!"
"So does Pinkie Pie, yet no one says she's a myth" Ahsoka pointed out "To be honest, I've never seen one of them, but I know quite a few who have. Loopers who appear only briefly, then vanish as if they were never there."
While Connie still didn't seem to believe, and Marco felt uneasy about the topic, Sasha seemed more genuinely interested "So, where do we have to loop to see these 'ghosts?'"
Ahsoka took a long sip of her shake before continuing "So far, I have heard of three worlds where they can be found, but don't get you're hopes up. They appear very rarely, or so randomly that you'd have to be very lucky to see them. You'd have more luck in one of the more hubesc earths fishing out that giant serpent they have in Scotland".
Connie looked like he was going to be researching rod and lure varieties in the near future.
"Anyway, the first ghost is in my world. She's a blue haired girl, whose been spotted on trains and near musical locations. Skyguy first saw her while riding a train after a party..."
"Wait, did you just say that Fruit-Hoarding Sith was using Public Transportation!?" Connie sounded aghast at the thought of a looper willingly using that horrible thing.
"Skyguy can't just use Public Transportation, he takes the Automated Rail-lines" Ahsoka said in a comedic take on her master and surrogate brother/parent's fondness for the dramatic. "The second appears in the world of Kirby: a giant clown worm like creatures that tries to bite off people's heads".
"A clown worm?" Marco questioned.
"Giant clown worm" Ahsoka emphasized "The third is from Shepherd's world. She's a blond with..." Ahsoka seemed to be looking for the right word here "Characteristics your loop generally lacks".
The trio didn't get it.
"A blond of immense talent?"
Still nothing.
"Huge tracts of land?"
"Like Wall Maria?" Connie suggested as Ahsoka felt a headache come on that was not due to her drink.
"Oh, you mean the one with the large mammary glands, right Mistress Ahsoka?"
The quartet at the table all blushed as the droid wandered over, a collection plate in hand for their finished beverages, leaving the conversation as unliving as a ghost.
However, there was another to keep the conversation alive.
"Ghosts you say? Well, I happen to know of a fourth ghost!"
The quartet's heads turned rapidly to the entrance, while the golden droid saw who entered the room, and scampered away to hide in the back hoping he'd go away before he blew something up.
The short figure who approached the table radiated arrogance like a king, power like a god, and attitude like no other.
"Allow me to tell you the tale of the fourth ghost, the one who haunts my loop" Vegeta, Prince of Saiyans spoke "And I have the memory immersion powers necessary so I won't have to answer any of your pointless and annoying questions afterwards!"
The quartet did not get a chance to ask what the guy meant before they suddenly began to see the memories of Vegeta.
...
"HIDEOUS!"
"IT BURNS!"
"I THOUGHT THE COLOSSAL WAS UGLY!"
"I am glad I can't grow body hair" Ahsoka seemed the least disturbed of the four in question. Perhaps she had seen this horror before.
"I appear to have shared the wrong memory. I don't know why no one ever appreciates my mustache. Very well, here is the memory in question"
...
One Porn-stache of horror aside, found the five loopers in a grand hall. It's feasting table laden with the best food imaginable, it's walls decorated with grand images of battle and slaughter. The roof was glass, revealing the stars above.
It could only be a Saiyan Palace, if all the muscular men and woman with tails and spiky hair the likes of which could not exist in most humans were of any indication.
The biggest and scariest looking of them all noted the great spread before them.
"Saiyan Warriors!" he shouted as they all tensed, ready for combat "Let, the Feast of Violence, Begin!"
What followed was the most competitive and violent eating contest that any of the non-Saiyans had ever seen.
As the food flew, along with punches, headbutts, energy blasts and kicks, a now hungry Sasha turned to Vegeta "So, where is the ghost? Or are you just being a sadist by making me watch all that delicious food be eaten?!"
"Be patient earthling" Vegeta waved her off, just as a Saiyan was blasted through her see through form by in memory Vegeta, who had what appeared to be a Potato-Leg in his mouth.
Memory-Geta looked ready to devour the Potato-Leg, but the odd yet delicious looking delicacy got speared and yanked away before he could get it fully in his mouth.
The furious looking Vegeta let off a burst of energy that halted the feast, as all eyes turned to the retreating spear and the girl who was now chomping down on it defiantly.
The girl had red hair, and was dressed in red clothing the 104th cadets would probably correlate to the Wall Cult more than anything else so far seen in their loop, or the Jedi Order in Ahsoka's, but not quite. She wasn't cute like Krista/Historia, nor rough looking like Ymir, she came off as something in between the two.
The spear in her hands looked like it could disassemble itself, a weapon design the trio did not see any use for in Titan killing. Ahsoka on the other hand thought it resembled Reiji's Shikai.
A red reflective surface, sort of like a gem, glittered on her chest.
"You dare steal food from a Saiyan Prince, you trash!" Vegeta snarled as energy began to form in his hands. Taking his lead, the other Saiyans began to do so as well "You will suffer for robbing a Saiyan! DIE!"
Energy blasts shot right at the girl, but not five seconds later she vanished. Not teleported out, not turned invisible, just disappeared.
One moment there, the next like she was never there at all.
The energy blasts continued on and struck the side of the palace.
...
As the memory faded, the milkshake drinking quartet looked a little uneasy, while Vegeta seemed a bit bothered by his past looping self's behavior.
"There, my loop too has a ghost. The question is, where is she from? But never mind that now...Bartender! Bring me a Milkshake, one made of the Fourth Flavor!"
….
13.1 Remember that giant golden statue from a while back? Well, the Cat Burgler did
13.2 Warhammer 40,000, I think.
13.3 My father never let me read Calvin and Hobbes….he is a strange man
13.4 Kris does not have necessarily similar views as I do. Probably due to not having Aspergers.
13.5 To quote Evil here : On any good faith in my original relationship? Oh crap.
13.6 Narwhals Narwhals! Something something….
13.7 Pinkie Pie is well liked….apparently
13.8 What? I think a looping Ultron would be interesting.
13.9 I suppose that now Leman's poor mother is going to have something to cry about, a big scary lighsaber chainsaw
13.10 I'll let you think about that question for a bit
13.11 Ouch, to the dragon slave, and our own world.
13.12 Bolin is in serious danger now, and 3PO learns to get fire proof music players
13.13 Behold, a Senator Skywalker Loop! And with it, logic bomb!
13.14 The Death Note War, coming soon to the Attack on Titan loops, and by extension here! In 20 odd loops. Thankfully the AoT loops move fast…..
13.15 May the Pie be with you
13.16 More Senator Skywalker looping actions.
13.17 Funny thing here….Kyle Katarn was not planned. I sort of implied he was looping, and my favorite Pidgey remembered it. A good pidgey, DER is.
13.18 Wonder which one exploded? Probably not Yoda…
13.19 What Could Have Been: This was originally going to get the Armored Titan looping for the AOT loops with his human personality and Titanshifter personality mode locked to his human and titan forms. The guy in charge requested it not be. Anyway, Bariss needed a loop and I had wanted her to fight the Armored Titan for a while now.
13.20 And with that, Kyoko Sakura is now a part of the ongoing storyline on the way to the World Tour.