Notes: Here we are, the final two events of this decathlon. We're starting out with AU Archery (a story of at least 100 words set in an alternate universe). The Enter!verse is already an AU, but I've actually spun quite a few AUs of my AU in my head by now. Some are happier and some are darker than the original EtF timeline, and today we're visiting the overall happiest one of the bunch.

This is a 'verse where Anakin Skywalker wasn't an idiot and didn't turn to the dark side, and therefore things went a lot better for the galaxy. (If you've read my L/M fic Those Three Words, then you've already gotten a tiny glimpse into this world, albeit much earlier in the timeline.) Now, that's not to say that everything is wonderful all the time – this is Star Wars, after all, and there are still plenty of battles to be fought in this world. However, by the time this ficlet starts, things have been pretty good for a solid decade or more, and the future is bright.

The Chaos Twins are only sixteen years old in this story – the same age they were when they became Sith Lords in The Lands of the Dead. The title comes once again from Matthew Stover's The New Jedi Order: Traitor.

And then I kinda hate to bring things down after our foray into a happier universe, but the final event takes us right back to the main EtF timeline with the Single Sentence Shot Put (a story told in a single sentence about your characters). The title for that one comes from the song "Dark Matter" by Les Friction.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading about my Super Evil Chaos Twins of Evil. For those who are less familiar with them, I hope this decathlon has provided a good intro! And for those of you who've been with me for a while, I hope you enjoyed diving even further into these characters' stories.

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IX. "The Bright Fields of Day" | 49 ABY | AU Archery

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In the Jedi Temple on Ossus, Dorian Starskip sits in his room, reading through the latest entry in the Galaxy at War series. They've all been decently good, but this one is on such a whole new level, he's hardly been able to put it down.

A clap of thunder rattles the window, startling him. He looks up, his reading momentarily forgotten as he stares at the rivulets of rainwater trailing down the transparisteel. Lightning splinters silently across the darkened sky, followed seconds later by a low, steady rumble. He tells himself he's going to go back to reading, but he likes watching the storm, too. The rainy season must be starting early this year.

He's so enthralled, he doesn't notice his twin brother until he's already entered the room. Veeran bends down and leans over the back of the chair, resting his chin on Dorian's shoulder. "What are you reading now?"

Dorian glances at his brother out of the corner of his eye. "The newest Galaxy at War."

"Well yeah, I figured that." Veeran stands and circles in front of him, casting a brief, irritated look at the storm outside. "You know Master Tionne hates that depressing stuff. You should stick to reading about the heroic deeds of Jedi past." He adopts a dramatic pose at those last few words and then rolls his eyes.

Dorian looks up at his twin and shrugs. "These are basically the same."

"Yeah right." Veeran plops down into the chair next to him. "That's like saying Ossus and Coruscant are basically the same just because they both have Jedi Temples on them."

Dorian returns his attention to the datapad in his hands. He kind of hates it when his twin makes a valid point.

"Why do you want to read that Vong War stuff anyway?" Veeran continues. "We're literally training to become Jedi Knights. That's not exciting enough for you?"

Dorian shrugs, looking up from his screen. "I don't know. It's different."

"Different how?"

He sets the datapad in his lap and meets Veeran's pale blue stare. "You actually want to know?"

"I'm asking, aren't I?"

He's never really tried to articulate it before now. He's never had to. Not many of the other apprentices his age still read as much as he does, and the ones who do wouldn't ever touch this particular series. And he's definitely never tried to talk to Veeran about it before now.

"I guess," he starts, searching for an explanation that won't make him sound too weird. "I guess I like the struggle. Even if we become Knights—"

"When we become Knights."

"Right," he says, throwing his brother a pointed look. "Anyway, we're never going to face anything like this. Not even close. I'll never know what it's like to be pushed to my limits, to see what I'm really capable of."

Veeran leans over and quirks one eyebrow at him. "You wanna be pushed to your limits, come spar with me; I'll show you your limits."

"Wow, that's such a tempting offer, thanks, Veeran."

"Okay, I'm sorry, continue."

Dorian looks down at his lap, at the datapad resting there. "Never mind. It's stupid."

"Hey." The playful mockery is gone. "I get it. You want to be the hero." Veeran reaches over and plucks the datapad from Dorian's lap. "Like all those stories about knights and monsters and stuff you used to read when we were kids."

He's not about to admit that he still reads those stories, sometimes.

Another long, steady rumble of thunder, reverberating deep in his bones as it rolls through, shaking the whole room.

"I'm never going to be someone like that," he says quietly, watching raindrops pelt the window, backlit by blue-white flashes of light. "But reading these stories… I like how it feels, imagining I could face anything."

Veeran's eyes go wide as he scans the datapad. "Damn," he says with a slowly spreading grin. "You didn't say you were reading about Ganner Rhysode." He hands the device over. "I take it all back, that story is awesome."

Dorian shakes his head, fighting a smile, trying not to get too excited at the prospect of a shared interest with his twin. "Finally, something we agree on," he says evenly.

Veeran stands abruptly and spins around to face him. "Come spar with me. You've been reading all day."

Dorian sighs as he glances down at the device in his hands. "I was just getting to a really good part…"

Veeran rolls his eyes, though the gesture lacks any real frustration. "Okay, fine."

"Next time," Dorian says as his brother starts to walk toward the door.

"Uh-huh." Veeran leans over and plants an exaggerated kiss on top of his head. "Later, weirdo."

Dorian smirks down at his screen as his twin heads out the door. "Later."

He returns to the story he was reading, picking up right where he left off. Outside, lightning illuminates the dark and thunder crashes in response as the storm continues on.

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X. "You're a Bolt of Lightning in the Sky Now" | Single Sentence Shot Put

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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there were two brothers who dreamed of being Jedi Knights, of winning against impossible odds and helping people in need, of being good and noble and daring heroes… and then those two brothers learned that life is not a fairy tale, and they fell to darkness and became monsters – and everyone knows what happens to monsters in the end.

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Fin