BatuuPrincess

A place to collect my thoughts.

[batuuprincess]

BatuuPrincess’s May the 4th WIP Amnesty Extravaganza Masterlist

Well, that’s all she wrote... for now.

Holy crap, what a day. I hope you enjoyed reading all these even half as much as I enjoyed writing them. The last time I did this (also on May 4, but back for my one millionth word), my word count for the day was 24,291. This time? Final word count was 40,667. Since that’s a lot of words, I’ve compiled them all below for your reading pleasure.

I’m now going to go see my favorite show, ride my favorite ride, then cap it all off with a drink at good old Oga’s Cantina. ‘Til the spire!

(And in case you were wondering, my announcement post was an homage to the Hondo Ohnaka pre-show for Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run.)

‘tis the damn season - Chapter 27

Once Upon a Summer in Jakku - Chapter 9

The Curious Case of Luke Skywalker - Chapter 8

Invicta - Chapter 6

Play Ball - Chapter 4

Soulbound - Chapter 7

‘tis the damn season - Chapter 28

I’ll Come Back for You

The Space Between Stars - Chapter 1

[batuuprincess]

The Space Between Stars

Chapter 8 - Now on the Archive!

Rey’s ears were ringing. 

Sure, she’d heard the term “got your bell rung,” and she would even concede it had happened to her a time or two. Try fighting with Kylo Ren and then come talk to her. Yet never once had it been quite so… literal. 

This was not a gentle sort of ring, like what you got from an excellent concert or a day spent working in a running engine room. No this was an all consuming sort of ring, one that was amplified by the pulsing in her head. Or maybe the ring was doing the amplifying. Either way, there was a lot going on up there.

She opened her eyes, the dust and grime coating her eyelashes (and likely the rest of her) making the process slow and heavy. Blinking once, twice, she tried to bring the room into focus. It took a minute, seeing as there were currently three rooms trying to converge into one, but Rey was nothing if not patient. Especially when that pulsing headache that accompanied the ringing made moving… less than appetizing.

***

Forgotten where we left off? Click here to start from the beginning!

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

NOW COMPLETE!

Chapter 41 - Now on the Archive!

The story comes to a conclusion.

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 40 - Now on the Archive!

Rey’s knee bounced up and down, up and down as they taxied toward the gate on Corellian Flight 1043, nonstop service to Chandrila. It felt like an eternity as they crawled along, waiting, waiting, waiting for the jet bridge to come over, the cabin door to open. She was, of course, in first class and the very first passenger off the plane to boot. She wouldn’t have to wait one second more than absolutely necessary to get off the plane. Rey gathered her things in anticipation.

It had been years since she’d stepped foot in Chandrila. Two to be exact. One year skipped by her own foolish choice and the second by necessity. A global pandemic tended to do that. Take away your choices.

Rey took a deep breath, willing her heart to settle in her chest as she took those first few steps. It had been causing a riot for what felt like the entire five-hour flight, and now that she was here, back on solid ground, it showed no signs of stopping. 

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 39 - Now on the Archive!

Rey’s phone buzzed with what she now recognized as the FaceTime ringtone. Three weeks ago, she couldn’t have told you that there was a separate ringtone for FaceTime, let alone what that ringtone was. Despite the fact that everyone she loved lived across the country, she couldn’t remember a single instance in the Before Time that she’d even used FaceTime. But there was something about this lockdown ( we aren’t calling it shelter in place anymore, she reminded herself, that’s last month’s terminology ) that had necessitated even the shortest calls to be on video. Hence the newfound intimate knowledge of the difference between FaceTime and regular calls.

She answered it without looking, expecting to see her mother’s overly anxious and too close face. Again. Sometimes it felt like Leia called her three times a day. And most days the number was actually higher.

“Hey,” she said, offhandedly picking up their conversation where they’d left it not even an hour before. “I haven’t had a chance yet to look up those sourdough starters yet.”

A throat cleared through the speakers. A masculine throat. A throat she’d heard cleared hundreds, if not thousands of times over the years. A throat whose clearing she’d recognize anywhere.

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 38 - Now on the Archive!

“Rey, it’s your mother.”

It was the third call this week. Rey felt well within her rights to roll her eyes. She dropped to the floor of the private dance studio she’d rented to start practicing choreography. “Yeah mom, caller ID told me that. What’s up?”

Across the country, Leia sighed. “Can’t a mother just call to check in with her superstar daughter? Must there be a reason?”

“Anyone else, no. But when it comes to you, absolutely.” 

Or click here to start from the beginning!

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 37 - Now on the Archive!

Voicemail Transcription - Wednesday, December 25, 2019 8:32PM

Or click here to start from the beginning!

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 36 - Now on the Archive!

It was the longest flight of her goddamn life. 

Honestly, she had no idea how she even made the damn thing. It shouldn’t have been possible, not when it felt like she stood just outside the security checkpoint for hours, simply staring at the spot he’d disappeared. Just turned around and walked away. Left her like she was nothing.

Vaguely, she remembered someone asking if she was okay. Pointing her in the direction of the TSA precheck area when they saw her ticket and when her flight was due to leave. Thank god she could do this in her sleep, motions automatic as she dropped her stuff on the conveyor belt and did her little pose for the scanner. 

She was in no hurry at all, but somehow she managed to make it to the gate in time, the gate agent’s eyes going wide for a second when she recognized her.

Thank god the woman tamped down whatever reaction she had, all business when she said, “Ms. Skywalker, I didn’t realize you were on this flight.”

Rey simply shoved her ticket at the woman. “That’s because I’m Ms. Solo.”

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 35 - Now on the Archive!

Goodbyes were always the hardest, especially after a few days spent wholly in Poe’s bed. And she’d spent every available minute on Plutt’s countdown exactly there. Soaking up every available moment. Because that’s what Plutt’s ultimatum had felt like: a countdown to the end of her life as she knew it in Chandrila.

Because after a quick - and very strained - call with Ami confirming that she was well and truly fucked thanks to that conversation, they’d made a game plan. She’d go back to L.A. Jump through Plutt’s hoops. Be the good little minion he was looking for. Do the photo ops, hit the clubs, book the tour dates. All the while working with the lawyers behind the scenes to exploit one of the teeny tiny little loopholes the team had found. Of course, Ami was now worried that Plutt would find a way to close even those thanks to Rey showing their hand. But there was hope, however small it was. 

She just had to get back to L.A.

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 34 - Now on the Archive!

“You couldn’t have been fucking Harry Styles?” Plutt’s voice was always an unwelcome sound, but the skeezy, low rumble of it sent the bad kind of shivers down her spine that day. 

Rey pushed that feeling down. “Well, hello to you too, Unkar.”

“Well, hello to you too, Unkar,” he mimicked in a falsetto that sounded nothing like her voice. He cleared his throat. “Someone must have told you about honey versus vinegar.”

Rey looked around her childhood bedroom, grinding her teeth. There was nothing she wanted less in this world than to catch the fly that was Unkar Plutt. But this was the man who held all the strings when it came to her career. For now. So honey it was. “Let’s focus on the reason you’re calling. I take it you’ve seen the coverage?”

“Seen the coverage! The only people who haven’t seen the coverage are the dead and that one tribe they found a few years back that had never seen the outside world.”

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[virtie333]

For the fic rec ask game (can we do X-files or Han/Leia?):

😂 A fic that made you laugh out loud

💯 A fic that makes you think #writergoals

I'm gonna be honest with you, other than short stories that are shared by those I'm following here on Tumblr, I don't read X-File fanfiction anymore, and my Han and Leia reading comes in spurts (I'm looking forward to Han and Leia Week this year, even if I won't be contributing). But I do remember a Han and Leia story from last year's Week that made me laugh... and got me all hot and bothered: @otterandterrier's Night at the Grand Regent Hotel.

As for #writergoals, I know of two fics that I 'envy.' One is in essence a Damerey, but not. @batuuprincess fleshed out Colin Trevorrow's unused script for the final sequel trilogy movie, and the patience and attention to detail it took still amazes me. Duel of the Fates is an amazing read!

As for a short story that is just plain beautiful and poetic, I adore Cloudless Girl by @leiakenobi. I was never a fan of character/reader stories, but this one is perfection. You don't even have to be a fan of Triple Frontier to enjoy it!

Send me a number/emoji and I'll recommend a fic!

[batuuprincess]

Such a lovely compliment and a great fic. Not gonna lie, this is probably where I peaked as a fandom writer. Either way, you should really take this opportunity to read Duel of the Fates, especially if you haven’t had a chance to yet. 

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 33 - Now on the Archive!

“I cannot believe your mom is insisting on cooking Thanksgiving dinner for all of us,” declared Poe, grabbing a cart from the stack in the corral. 

Rey snorted. “Have you ever met Leia Organa Solo? She’s been talking about this from the second she got out of isolation. There is literally no man or woman who could stop her. At this point, I’m just glad she’s letting us shop for her.”

Which was why they were in the grocery store on Thanksgiving morning. With pretty much the entire town of Chandrila. 

Yet, there was no other place she’d rather be. If it meant that her mom was out of the woods, then she’d brave the grocery store on every holiday from here on out.

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[batuuprincess]

The Space Between Stars

Chapter 7 - Now on the Archive!

There was something about a dress.

Rey stood at the entrance to the ballroom. Psyching herself up. Taking a deep breath. Holding it for three before exhaling slowly. When she decided she was about as calm as she was going to get with this week hanging over her head, she took a step inside.

A hushed whisper rose up as Rey made her way into the ballroom for tonight's kick-off gala. Eyes everywhere turned and conversations cut off mid word. Mouths hung open and she was pretty sure someone just crashed into a server. On the one hand, it was flattering. On the other, it made her fucking skin crawl.

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[tfa-archived]

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 32 - Now on the Archive!

Rey woke to the sound of rain beating on the roof. 

She turned over to her side, reaching across the bed for Poe. But her fingers came up empty, the sheets cold. He must have been gone a while then.

Sitting up, she found the sheers blowing, that clean sent that only rain brought coming through the windows. It was dark, whether from the time or the storm was anybody’s guess, and the temperature had taken a dive. 

Rey shivered as she slipped the robe she kept here over her skin, the soft, swishy material falling almost to her feet. Even without lights on, she knew her way around this house better than her own. Like it was imprinted on her brain. 

But the lights were off everywhere, and the kitchen and living room both empty. So Rey made her way toward the front door and the only other usual suspect.

She found him on the front porch, staring out at the rain. 

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[batuuprincess]

'tis the damn season

Chapter 32 - Now on the Archive!

Rey woke to the sound of rain beating on the roof. 

She turned over to her side, reaching across the bed for Poe. But her fingers came up empty, the sheets cold. He must have been gone a while then.

Sitting up, she found the sheers blowing, that clean sent that only rain brought coming through the windows. It was dark, whether from the time or the storm was anybody’s guess, and the temperature had taken a dive. 

Rey shivered as she slipped the robe she kept here over her skin, the soft, swishy material falling almost to her feet. Even without lights on, she knew her way around this house better than her own. Like it was imprinted on her brain. 

But the lights were off everywhere, and the kitchen and living room both empty. So Rey made her way toward the front door and the only other usual suspect.

She found him on the front porch, staring out at the rain. 

Or click here to start from the beginning.

[batuuprincess]

The Space Between Stars

Chapter 6 - Now on the Archive!

Rey breathed a sigh of relief when the proximity alarms rang out. That had been the longest 10 hours of her life, and she’d spent 15 or so years on a flat, beige planet, living alone.

It wasn’t even a contest.

The nonexistent crew space on the quadjumper certainly didn’t help, putting them firmly in each other’s pockets for the entire trip. The damn thing didn’t even have the decency to require repairs or maintenance during the flight. Another point to her beloved Falcon.

Oh, how the tables had turned. She’d come to Yavin 4 hopeful and ready to make amends, with Poe as the main obstacle. And now she couldn’t even look at the man, the same question rolling over and over in her brain. 

What the hells had he done that would make her hate him? 

Or click here to start from the beginning.