Lupe's Backup Blog

my main @lonewolflupe finally got unshadowbanned (:

[lupealicious]

Hi loves, this is @lonewolflupe . I'm still trying to get my main unbanned (read context), but I'm creating a backup blog just to be sure.

EDIT 2 I GOT UNSHADOWBANNED, LUPE IS BACK IN THE HOUUUUUSE

I'm leaving this blog up just in case anything happens again, but you can reach me through my main again (: Thanks for all your support <3

EDIT 1 So I'm gonna use this blog for queuing reblogs from my main, so all my original posts (and some gifts/content that is precious to me) will be saved here. I've been going through my mass editor for hours, and I have finally reached January. I'm now at about 350 reblogs, RIP Lupe; I had no idea I posted this much since June, oops. I started with one reblog every hour but have upped it to 2 per hour. Hopefully this will not trigger another spam ban ahahahaha *cries in corner*

[sabaccsniper]

Yo Marni if you're keeping me awake with your NSFW art, I might as well write down my spicy thoughts haha, love you

“One of these nights, huh?” you smirk at him, a playful flicker in your eyes as you follow his every movement. You're sitting on the edge of his desks as he walks past, his fatigue noticeable from the bags below his eyes, his muscles tense from stress.

The low rumble coming from deep down his throat confirms your suspicions, although the frantic look in his eyes already told you enough. You like the sound though; it makes your body tremble.

When you regain yourself, you reach for the steaming mug of caf that's just standing there, untouched by him as he keeps pacing around his office. You're not even sure what he's trying to accomplish at this point.

“That's my caf,” he grunts in annoyance when he notices his mug at your lips as you take a sip; it would be a shame if it cooled down, right? “Oh I know, and it's delicious,” you tease him, slurping extra loud to draw his attention.

His eyes twitch briefly, and for a moment you think you have him where you wanted him. But he doesn't budge; not yet, anyway. “I need that,” he grumbles, and you notice how he clenches his jaws. Almost..

“You know what you need? To vent your frustrations on something. Or someone,” you shoot at him, biting your lower lip in anticipation as you await his reaction.

You don't have to wait very long. Almost immediately, you feel how his hand grabs your shoulder and pushes you backwards, pinning your back against his desk. He is in no way being gentle with you; you know he means it.

“Fuck, Fox,” you gasp when he starts pulling your pants down impatiently, an excited feeling warming your stomach. The unholy growl that leaves his throat as he unsheathes his canines at you leaves you a submissive mess, finding yourself at his mercy. And all too willingly.

Oh, he's going to fuck alright.

THE WAY I DROPPED MY DINNER READING THE FIRST SENTENCES- WAIT IS THIS HOW YOU GUYS FEEL WITH MY ART?? That’s so UNFAIR OMG

I DONT HAVE THE HIGH GROUND RIGHT NOW-

I

Am

WEAAKKK-

YOUR REVENGE, I WAS NOT PREPARED

[lonewolflupe]

YES THIS IS HOW IT FEELS

And revenge tastes sweet (and maybe a little caffeinated)

As you said, this is war. New episode just dropped, Star Wars: Revenge of the Thots. And I am awaiting your next attack, eheheh.

[sabaccsniper]

[NSFW WARNING]

MINORS SHOO

maker please forgive me for I have sinned

-I will continue to do it again

[it was just supposed to be a warm up sketch, I promise]

[lonewolflupe]

I am so unwell right now. I dropped everything I was doing and now all I have on my mind is Fox. This Fox. Oh Maker 👀 Marni you did it again how am I supposed to get some sleep??

[lonewolflupe]

Piña I-

[lonewolflupe]

Blizzard Blend (One-Shot)

This is my entry for week 4 of The Clone Wars Winter Spectacular 2024 / @clone-wars-winter-challenge! This one's rather short, because I had a very hectic week and couldn't find the time for something more extensive (but I think this little ficlet gets the point across).

Summary: Cody is trying to finish his mission report after some intense events Rating: Teen and up Tags: fluff, codywan (subtle) Words: 556 Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 Commander Cody Prompts: First Snow / Fluffy Blanket Read this one-shot here on AO3 week 3 < | ↓ | > week 5

22 BBY, Caliban

Straight after the Battle on Caliban

Caliban was merciless at night. The wind was so sharp and cold, it felt like it ripped straight through the flesh and froze the bones. An infinite curtain of snowflakes made it nearly impossible to keep a clear visual on the surroundings.

At least the thermal tents sheltered the troops from the worst as they awaited their delayed pick-up. They had camped in the shadow of the grey stone mountains after regrouping, the frigid tundra stretched out in front of them. It was barely visible through the persistent blizzard.

Obi-Wan came hurrying back inside the tent, his icy breath shivering as he zipped down the entrance behind him, shutting them off from the freezing outside world. He took off his jacket, recreating a miniature snowstorm as he shook it clear from any snow.

Hunched over a datapad behind an improvised desk, Cody didn't look up when his general entered. He was lost in thoughts, his mind preoccupied with composing his report, determined to finish it before their pick-up would arrive - if the blizzard ever allowed it. He rubbed his cold fingers, hoping to warm them to make his work easier.

“Was this your first snow, Cody?” the General informed, his lips sliding in a comfortable smile as his moustache and beard were dripping from the melting frost. “Outside the simulations, yes,” came Cody's somewhat distant reply. Obi-Wan smiled affectionately; he knew he wasn't going to get a proper conversation out of the Commander until the report was finished. But it didn't stop him from trying anyway.

“And what are your thoughts on it?” he continued, trying to get a look into that brilliant head of his. Cody shrugged casually, still not averting his gaze from the datapad in front of him. “It was soft. And cold,” he remarked curtly, adding a few more words to his report in the process.

“I can sense some similarities right now,” Obi-Wan shot amused, Cody’s only reply being a faint grunt as the General turned around to make them some fresh tea. The Jedi was looking forward to feeling the steam warm his face and the hot liquid flow through his body. He would have liked to use some local herbs for his blend, but it seemed like nothing usable could grow on this frigid moon.

When the water was finally hot, Obi-Wan prepared two mugs and filled them cautiously, as if it was some sort of ritual. “So how’s that report coming along?” he asked entertained, but this time, there was no reply at all. With the steaming mugs in his hands, he turned around to face the Commander.

Cody’s cheek laid resting on the improvised desk, the datapad beside him still showing the unfinished report. His breathing was slow and constant, whilst his closed eyelids twitched as he was processing all the recent events in his dreams. Obi-Wan’s lips slid into an affectionate smile.

Carefully, he put down the mugs on the desk, before grabbing his cloak from a corner of the tent. He draped it around the Commander’s shoulders tenderly, thinking he deserved a more fluffy blanket, but this was the best he could do under these circumstances. “Don't overwork it, dear,” he whispered, as he tucked in the Commander, before retreating to enjoy his tea in silence.

[lonewolflupe]

Me, every Wednesday since the finale

[lonewolflupe]

IT'S BEEN 6 MONTHS?!? It's been half a year since the finale and I'm STILL not over it my Wednesdays feel so empty

[sunshinesdaydream]

Hardcase Pumpkin

Inspired by the art @lonewolflupe answered my pumpkin train ask with! (Thank you so much again!)

Happy Halloween and Blessed Samhain to my fellow witches.

[lonewolflupe]

AAAAAAAAAAAAH THIS IS SO COOL!!! Also the white pumpkin with the blue lighting, this is pure perfection holy Hardcase!! I feel so honoured that you wanted to base your pumpkin on my drawing 😭🖤 And it turned out so good!! Thank you SO much for sharing, and blessed Samhain! 🎃

[returnofthepineapple]

Trick or treat!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FRIEND!!

Please accept this fluffy Fives x Fem!Reader ficlet as a treat!

The piercing howl of the wind was nearly as terror inducing as the precarious crunching of the wooden panels beneath your feet.

As fear twisted your stomach into knots you silently wondered how you’d been convinced to come on this little adventure. And then a single glance to your left reminded you: Fives. Kark you, ARC Trooper Fives, and those beautiful amber eyes that make you melt.

It had been Jesse’s idea to explore the old dilapidated building

“There’s a spooky house. And where there’s a spooky house, there’s ghosts,” he’d mused as he sold the idea to his brothers.

They’d been enthusiastic about the idea. There were no clankers on the planet you all were stationed on, so why not do some ghost hunting?

When Jesse had approached you with an invitation you were quick to decline. It was cold, it was creepy, and you wanted nothing to do with it.

Then that karkin jerk sent Fives to ask you.

Ass.

Jesse knew you couldn’t resist his brother and he used it to his advantage.

“Come on, princess. It’ll be fun,” Fives crooned sweetly as his arm gently nudged yours sending sparks shooting throughout your body.

You tried to protest but Fives could probably convince you to overthrow the senate with just a smile.

“Fine. Fine I’ll go.”

*****

And so you found yourself in an abandoned home that was practically crumbling around you with Fives at your side. A particularly powerful gust of wind blew through the crevices of the structure, the wailing moan sounding more like a monster from a holofilm that a force of nature. You sucked in a sharp breath and squeaked with a jump. Fives’ gloved hand immediately wrapped around yours. The action was comforting and affectionate. Butterflies erupted in your stomach and momentarily made you forget the fear currently making you nauseous.

Jesse and Hardcase walked ahead of the group. They were far too excited about the entire expedition and were having too much fun trying to scare everyone.

“If there’s nothing to be scared of,” you hissed to Fives as you inched closer to him, “then why does ‘Case have his DC-15A with the scope and torch attachments?!

Fives chuckled and dipped his head toward you. “You know ‘Case. He likes to be prepared. Doesn’t like to get caught without a weapon.”

You scowled at him. “That is my point, why does he need a weapon now?”

Fives rolled his eyes with an affectionate smirk. “Relax, princess. It’s fine. You’re safe with us.”

You huffed again. You wanted to leave. You wanted to be back in your bunk. You mulled over every possible scenario that wasn’t you in that creaky, smelly, dank old building. Unfortunately you were so caught up in your ruminations that you missed the loose floor panel.

As you stepped there was a whining moan of bowing wood followed by a sharp snap and then you were falling.

Before you hit the floor below you heard Fives’ panicked yell of your name followed by a stream of swears in Mando’a.

*****

You groaned as you lay on the damp floor. Your arm hurt like hell and all you could see was the dim light filtering through the hole you’d just fallen through. You took slow, measured breaths as you tried to fight through the pain to stand, falling back immediately when it was too overwhelming. You couldn’t stop the deluge of tears pouring from your eyes as you struggled through the ache of your injuries and the embarrassment of falling through the floor.

You should have stayed on base. This was stupid. You just wanted—

“Princess? Hey can you hear me?”

Fives. Your heart faltered as you answered him, “I-I’m here…”

“I’m coming down! Hold tight!”

You looked up to see Fives lowering himself down on the rappel line he’d secured somewhere in the room above you. The moment his boots hit the floor he was at your side. In the dim light you could see the concern etched into his features as his hands frantically grabbed for you.

“Are you okay? I’m here… Where does it hurt?” His strained voice cracked as he ran a shaking hand across your brow.

“M-my arm… and I can’t..” the sob you’d been holding in choked your words.

You felt his large warm hands gingerly slip beneath you. He lifted you, holding you close as you cried. He whispered sweet words in your ear as he pressed his forehead against your temple.

“I’m so sorry cyar’ika…” his voice cracked as his thumb rubbed gentle circles on your arm. “I was supposed to keep you safe.”

“From ghosts. Not broken floor panels.” You managed a pained laugh.

You felt his warm breath fan your ear as he huffed a quiet chuckle through his nose. A quiet moment passed before you felt him press his lips to the side of your head. Your heart nearly stopped. They were warm and soft and you suddenly weren’t as upset about being dragged along for this adventure.

Gathering your courage you turned to look at him. Damn those beautiful amber eyes.

You leaned in to press your lips to his. He smiled against your mouth before returning the kiss.

When you both finally came up for air, he scooped you into a bridal carry and rose to his feet.

“Let’s get you back to base and have Kix take a look at you, yeah?”

You nodded and leaned into him. His lips brushed your head again as he walked toward the door.

Maybe exploring haunted houses wasn’t so bad after all…

[lonewolflupe]

HELLO YES I'M AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH this is so adorable?? And I can't believe you wrote this for ME??? Aaaaaaaaaaaah thank you so much for gifting me Fives flufffffffffffffffff <333

And then a single glance to your left reminded you: Fives. Kark you, ARC Trooper Fives, and those beautiful amber eyes that make you melt.

Hahaha yes he be like that

It had been Jesse’s idea to explore the old dilapidated building. When Jesse had approached you with an invitation you were quick to decline. It was cold, it was creepy, and you wanted nothing to do with it. Then that karkin jerk sent Fives to ask you. Ass. Jesse knew you couldn’t resist his brother and he used it to his advantage.

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH this sounds so much like something Jesse would do?? And of course he sent Fives, who could say no to Fives?!?

“Come on, princess. It’ll be fun,” Fives crooned sweetly as his arm gently nudged yours sending sparks shooting throughout your body.

I FELT THAT

You tried to protest but Fives could probably convince you to overthrow the senate with just a smile.

I wish he'd do that before the end of the Clone Wars/the rise of the Galactic Empire

And so you found yourself in an abandoned home that was practically crumbling around you with Fives at your side.

Actually I would be totally fine with the complete galaxy crumbling around me as long as Fives was at my side

Fives’ gloved hand immediately wrapped around yours. The action was comforting and affectionate. Butterflies erupted in your stomach and momentarily made you forget the fear currently making you nauseous.

OH FORCE OH MAKER YES IT DID also glove kink, everything about that would make butterflies erupt from my stomach ahahaha

Before you hit the floor below you heard Fives’ panicked yell of your name followed by a stream of swears in Mando’a.

Idk but I thought that was super cute??

“Are you okay? I’m here… Where does it hurt?” His strained voice cracked as he ran a shaking hand across your brow.

Fives being super concerned and shaking and alwfjafjakfak I can't

You felt his large warm hands gingerly slip beneath you. He lifted you, holding you close as you cried. He whispered sweet words in your ear as he pressed his forehead against your temple.

I am an absolute and complete mess right now

You felt his warm breath fan your ear as he huffed a quiet chuckle through his nose. A quiet moment passed before you felt him press his lips to the side of your head. Your heart nearly stopped. They were warm and soft and you suddenly weren’t as upset about being dragged along for this adventure.

Yeah well, my heart nearly stopped as well. I mean, Fives being warm and soft in one sentence makes my brain goes brrrrrr, it's a guaranteed error 404 Lupe not found as I float into oblivion

You leaned in to press your lips to his. He smiled against your mouth before returning the kiss.

FIVES MAY SMILE AGAINST ANY OF MY LIPS

When you both finally came up for air, he scooped you into a bridal carry and rose to his feet. You nodded and leaned into him. His lips brushed your head again as he walked toward the door.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah (that was supposed to be caps lock but I already had caps lock on so now it's just normal letters again) Piña I loved this so much, and I can't believe you wrote this for me personally, omg oh Maker thank you so much 😭❤️ I loved everything about this, thankyouthankyouthankyou <333

[lonewolflupe]

Oh my lovelies, what a day it was, I haven't had this kind of fun during Halloween in years (it isn't really a big deal in my country)! I managed to get all your trick-or-treats out in time (it's still October 31st here, well it was when I started writing this post), and again, I want to thank all participants/ rebloggers/ commenters/ likers for your interactions; it gives me life <3 I'll definitely be back for more events! Thank yoOoOoOoOoOou! 👻

Inbox Trick-or-Treating masterlist under the cut:

Event updates

FIC: Trick Or Threat for @aknightreaderr SFW | crack | Fives + Jesse + Kix + Hardcase + Dogma + Tup + several guest appearances

FIC: Before I Fall for @tealmisthams SFW (but check tags) | angst / time loop | Fives

ART: Dia de los Muertos Hunter for @clonethirstingisreal

FIC: The Phantom Of Tipoca City for @kotemf SFW | ghost story | Cadet Fox + Cadet Cody + 99

FIC: Stir Of Echoes for @chaicilatte SFW | ghost story | Echo + Fives

ART: Vampire Hardcase for @sunshinesdaydream

FIC: Treat Me For Once for @returnofthepineapple NSFW | mild smut | Fives x reader

FIC: Nightmare On Clanker Street for @yoursrosie SFW (but check tags) | haunted story | Reader + Jesse + Kix

ART: Headless Guardsman Fox for @eclec-tech

FIC: Horror Holo Hysteria for @dystopicjumpsuit SFW (but check tags) | horror holovid | Hardcase x reader

As with my previous event, this was an absolute pleasure and I want to thank all participants again! Doing requests actually gives me so much inspiration and motivation! I've actually never written a Halloween story before, and now I've done 6 7 for one event (I hope they're all Halloween-worthy)!

I haven't planned anything next really, I'll dive into writing my Life Day Exchange 2024 fic for sure, but I'll probably be hosting a little request event around Christmas/Life Day again, so stay tuned.

Love you all, and thanks again for the fun <3

Oh and I almost forgot, THANKS FOR ALL THE SPOOPY BOOPING! I could have posted all the trick-or-treats sooner I guess, but I kept getting distracted by all the BOOping haha what a day

[lonewolflupe]

Trick or Treat! 🧛

The door stays shut. Just when you decide to move on to the next door, an ominous fog starts creeping up towards you. You're intrigued by it; it almost looks like the real thing. Wait, it is? How the- Your neck hairs stand on end when you notice movement in front of you. You blink a few times when a clone in full armour walks through the closed door, not sure if this is really happening or if your mind is playing tricks on you. But your eyes shoot wide open when you notice something is missing; and it’s none other than his head. A moment later, the licking flames between his armour start gathering where a head should be, and begin to form a face, being of a shade of red you've never seen fire painted before. You stand frozen to the ground, unable to move as he comes closer. Your mind is racing, unable to comprehend what is happening - and that you're blocking his way. Suddenly, you feel how a pair of hands grab your shoulders, before they urge you to step aside. But you can see the headless man's arms right at his side. “Move,” he demands in the most harrowing, bone-chilling voice, one that sounds like it isn’t something from this world. “W-what are you gonna do?” you squeak, your throat feeling tight, as if one of those invisible hands is squeezing it shut. “I'm about to kill,” he replies after a brief moment, his voice icy and metallic, echoing through the soul like a corridor ghoul locates its prey. Petrified, you watch him leave, and it takes a while before you regain yourself. Time to head home.

Don’t burn yourself on the (trick or) treat below the cut:

For @eclec-tech

Alright so I might be a little bit obsessed with your The Headless Guardsman story. And after drawing him for my 100 follower event, I wanted to give it another try after finishing the story! So here's another Headless Guardsman (FireFox, although I wouldn't use him as a browser), this time getting all his frustrations and anger and sadness and the misunderstandings out in a harrowing, smoky scream. (Note to Ever Love: give this man the comfort and love he deserves!)

I did use a reference for the expression, because I wanted the emotions to be visible, but the way I did the smoke/outer flames was an accident (which turned out pretty cool, I think!).

Amber, thanks for dropping by for inbox Trick-or-Treating and giving me another opportunity to draw your amazing Headless Guardsman <3

Fox taglist: @peggy7447 @ghostymarni

The Headless Guardsman for @pinahallowsevecloneparty

[lonewolflupe]

trick-or-treat

i love them all

Warning: SFW, but slightly suggestive towards ending

The door opens with some effort before you see the face of a clone appearing. His hair is tied into a knot on top of his head and he has a tear tattooed under his right eye. He smiles sympathetically at you as he hands you some candy; he seems like a compassionate soul. “If you come across my brothers Jesse and Kix, will you ask them to get back?” he asks you kindly, and with a smile, you tell him you will. At the same time, a second clone appears at his side - looking more serious and less empathetic than his brother. “Ask them to hurry, Rex is getting restless,” he adds to the question, making it sound more like an order. His eyes lie dark yet determined below a big V-shaped tattoo. You swallow, and all you can do is nod in return. He rolls his eyes when a voice from inside the house cries out: “And I want to compare my candy haul with theirs!” The brother with the V-tattoo turns around and walks back inside whilst sighing a ‘sure you do, Hardcase’. The kind one shoots you an apologetic smile before he tells you to enjoy the remainder of your night, and to take care. Yeah, better stay out of trouble.

(Trick or) treat before the mayhem starts below the cut:

I had such a chaotic week so I just finished this minutes ago, and it turned out quite a bit longer than I had anticipated. I hope you don't mind tho! Happy Halloween <3

Nightmare On Clanker Street (One-Shot)

For @yoursrosie

Summary: Your evening of trick-or-treating does not go according to plan after you visit a fortune teller Rating: Teen and up (SFW but check tags) Tags: canon-typical violence, hurt/comfort, weird mix between Star Wars and Modern AU, slightly suggestive towards ending Words: 3.389 Characters: Reader (fem!reader but can be read as gen!reader), Jesse, Kix Read this one-shot here on AO3

The air was filled with a pleasant atmosphere. The temperature was mild for this time of the year, and a gentle breeze made the autumn leaves rustle in a calming rhythm. Gardens were decorated and porches were filled with pumpkins. Small groups roamed the streets, walking from door to door for trick-or-treating, their colourful costumes illuminated by the dimmed lighting of the lampposts at the sides of the road.

“Come on, it will be fun!” you laughed whilst waving to your friends to join you. You had noticed a little fortune teller booth at the far end of the street, and you were just a little too curious to learn about your future. Your friends were reluctant; they didn’t believe in that kind of nonsense, and would rather spend their credits on food. “You go ahead, we’ll go get some candy apples,” one of them smiled at you, before they skipped down towards the town’s square to find the hovertrucks selling food.

“Buzzkills,” you said under your breath as you watched them disappear within the crowd up ahead. With a sigh, you turned around to gaze upon the booth’s sign. It read ‘Fumetta Fortuna’ in elegant Aurebesh lettering. Well, this was it; the absence of your friends wasn't going to spoil your night. You pulled some credits from your purse and made for the entrance.

The booth hadn't looked very spacious, but when you made it inside, it felt even more cramped than you had initially thought it would be. You weren't even sure if it was made to fit humanoid species. It was rather dark, but you managed to sit down on an uncomfortable stool near the entrance. In front of you stood a small, round table, its weathered condition telling you it was old and had been through a lot.

A sudden movement of the curtain behind it startled you, grabbing your attention immediately. “Gooddé da lodia!” came a hoarse yet feminine greeting in Huttese. You returned a greeting in Basic, and when your eyes finally started to adapt to the darkness, you noticed Fumetta Fortuna was a female Toydarian. She was looking at you with one good and one glassy eye. A colourful headscarf adorned with flashy rings was hanging from her head, leaving enough space for the wings attached to her back.

“What can I do for you, love?” she asked you with her raw voice. You started fidgeting with the rim of your costume, your eyes darting about as you didn’t know where to focus them. You felt uncomfortable looking her in the eyes - or eye, really. “I, -er,” you started stammering, “would like to learn about my future. Or at least, what I can expect tonight.”

Fumetta slightly leaned forward to shoot you an unsettling glance in silence, and it sent a shiver down your spine. Maybe your friends had been right about this all along. “A glimpse in the near future, eh?” she finally remarked, before a deep chuckle came rolling from her throat. She turned to grab something from behind her and placed it on the table.

It was a polished sphere of lommite ore, and it looked magnificent. Your gaze was lost in it immediately, as you beheld it with a gasp. It was almost as if you could see the whole galaxy in it - even the Unknown Regions. You started to reach for the sphere, but Fumetta caught your hand before you could touch it. With a smooth movement, she placed it on the table with your palm up. “Now now, dear, don’t be hasty,” she cooed with her raspy voice, granting you a smile that raised her trunk-like snout. “Let me see..,” she continued, before losing herself in the lines of your hand, tracing them with a clawed finger.

She cryptically continued her examination with an occasional ‘oooh’, ‘yes yes’, and ‘I see’ before she finally released your hand. You withdrew it immediately, rubbing the places where you could still feel her clawed touch. Fumetta leaned forward again, this time focussing on the lommite sphere on the table. She made some smooth, waving movements with her three-fingered hands around it, before you noticed how her gaze became clouded.

And finally, with that foggy haze covering both her eyes, she looked straight at you, as if she was looking deep into your soul. With a deep, chilling voice, she addressed you: “The uprising of the mindless will pose a threat, but the cog keeps turning and you will be saved by lightning.”

You swallowed, leaning backwards as much as the stool below you allowed it, before Fumetta shook her head and the mist in her good eye disappeared. She smiled again, and held her hand up towards you expectantly. It took you a while longer to return to reality, but when you did, you handed her a generous amount of your credits. She was positively surprised, and when you thanked her and made your way outside, she granted you free advice for your charity: “Don’t forget to be as generous later tonight!”

---

Fumetta’s words echoed through your mind as you wandered the streets, but you had no idea what to make of them. Uprising of the mindless, turning cog, saved by lightning. What was that supposed to mean? Who were these ‘mindless’ supposed to be, how would you notice a turning cog, and since when did lightning save anything? It just didn’t make any sense. You probably should have spent those credits on candied apples, like your friends had done.

You grimaced out of confusion before you suddenly noticed how the streets were abandoned. There were no more groups trick-or-treating. The only movement you observed were rustling leaves, blown about by the gentle breeze. But there was something ominous about the scene; like it was the calmth before a storm.

A child’s scream made your eyes open wide and the hairs on your neck stand on end. You didn’t hesitate for a moment and started running towards the source of the scream. When you reached it, you found a boy frozen to the ground, his gaze focused on something you couldn’t see. “What is it, kid?” you asked him as soon as you skidded to a halt at his side.

The fear in his eyes wasn’t lost on you when he turned towards you and your gazes met. “D-d-droids,” he stammered, before he slowly started pointing a shaky finger towards the street up ahead. You stared down the road into the darkness, a flickering lamppost the only source of illumination. There was nothing to be seen there..

..or was there?

A rusty R2-unit came rolling into the flickering circle of light on the street, where it halted for a moment. He sure looked like he could use some maintenance, but there didn’t seem to be anything else out of the ordinary. The droid seemed at ease. What was it going to do anyway?

The lamppost’s lighting flickered off for a bit longer this time, and when it returned, you gasped when you noticed the R2-unit was suddenly wielding all its modifications at once. From this distance, you could recognise at least an arc welder, a circular saw, and a grasping claw. The thing stood whirring and shaking on its wheeled legs, before it came jolting towards you with a shocking speed.

The boy at your side started screaming again, and without another thought, you picked him up and started running into a different direction. Panting, you shot looks towards the houses around you, to see if you could find a safe spot to hide from the mechanical terror. You didn’t dare knock on doors, because you knew you wouldn’t be fast enough. The R2-unit was already gaining in on you.

You nearly stumbled whilst skidding to a halt when you noticed a COO-series cook droid turning the corner in front of you. He walked calmly, his arms at his sides; until he noticed you. He abruptly turned his head in your direction, the two sensor lights on his head instantly shining brighter, blinding you for a brief moment. When you regained yourself, you noticed how he had raised his six arms, at each end a kitchen knife, one even bigger and sharper than the previous one. He started spinning them around with nauseating speed, and your stomach turned.

The boy was still hanging from your shoulder, and when he turned his head to see what made you stop running from the R2-unit, he let out another scream, making your ear buzz. “It’s okay, it’s gonna be okay, we’re gonna be fine,” you tried soothing him, but you realised you spoke those words to yourself more than to him. He flung his arms around your neck and started whimpering, whilst you tried to find a way out of this metal mess.

Suddenly you noticed you were close to the town’s doctor. He was such a figurehead of the community; you felt like the two of you would be safe there. You regained yourself and continued your escape, the boy clasped tightly in your arms. The R2-unit behind you hadn’t calculated your sudden change of course, and slammed right into the COO-cook. The delay was more than welcome, but you knew the threat was far from over.

The uprising of the mindless will pose a threat..

The fortune teller’s words echoed through your mind, and suddenly you realised what the first part meant. But what came next? The lightning? No, there was something else first.. You reached the door to the doctor’s home before you could remember. You raised your fist to start knocking with all your power, but before you could land the first hit, the door flung open.

You were welcomed by a 2-1B-series medical droid. You tightened your grasp around the boy as you took a step back, watching how the med droid snapped his hydraulic claw and pointed his hypodermic injector towards you. “Next patient,” he said in his mechanically modulated voice. “Kriff,” you whispered, before taking a step backwards.

Another step backwards before you turned around, only to bump right into the COO-cook. You fell to the ground with a yelp, before watching how the droids closed in on you. You turned your body protectively over the boy, but you knew you couldn’t save him from the mindless threat. You couldn’t save either of you.

This was it..

You heard an electrical zap followed by a metallic echo, and when you looked up to the COO-cook, you noticed a big hole between his two sensor lights, the laser bolt that just hit it melting away its circuits. The lights flickered for a moment, before they finally failed and the droid collapsed. You shot upright, not fully comprehending what was happening, when you realised the med droid must be right behind you.

Quickly, you looked around, and noticed an entrenching tool used as a decoration in the doctor’s garden. You rolled towards it, jumped to your feet whilst grabbing the tool, and in one smooth motion, rammed it against the med droid’s neck. You couldn’t muster enough strength to smash his head right off, but you did damage the tube that connected his chest with his vocabulator. It came loose with a hissing sound, and perplexed, the droid started talking binary in threatening beeps and hums.

It seemed like you had maddened it more than you had damaged it. With renewed determination and incomprehensible speech, the med droid came staggering towards you. You readied yourself to deal another blow, but in the corner of your eye you noticed a man starting to circle you. When he had a clear visual, he emptied his blaster on the droid, and it didn’t take long before it hit the ground with a thud.

Panting, you ran forward to huddle the boy back into your arms, before you looked up to the man that had just saved you. “Thanks,” you shot at him, almost out of breath. He granted you a sharp nod in return, and when he did, you noticed the Republic cog tattooed on his handsome face - which you instantly recognised as a clone’s. But wait, the cog.. It was at that moment you noticed how he kept turning and circling to make sure the premises were clear. To keep you and the boy safe.

..but the cog keeps turning..

Well, that was an odd way to describe it, but Fumetta hadn’t been wrong there. You were wondering how - and where - the lightning would come in to save you. You swallowed when you lingered on the thought; you really didn’t want to end up in more situations where you needed saving, after your recent dire position. In a sudden state of panic, still trying to comfort the boy in your arms, you turned towards the clone.

“What.. What is happening?” you managed, your voice on the verge of breaking. The clone tore his gaze from his surroundings to shoot you a soft, comforting look before he elaborated. “Seems like all the household droids are going rogue. Must be something in the air,” he said as he looked around suspiciously, looking for something invisible. He didn’t find what he was looking for, so he returned his gaze to you. “Name’s Jesse, by the way,” he smiled at you, before offering his hand to help you back to your feet.

You took it willingly, returning the smile as he helped you up. You ended up quite close to his chest, and your cheeks shaded a different colour. “Thanks again,” you said softly, before clearing your throat and taking a little step back - but only a little. You felt safe with him, and you were ever grateful for his timing and skills.

All of a sudden, you remembered the first droid that had started chasing you. “The R2-unit!” you cried out, as your eyes widened in fear before you checked the perimeter. You shot into a cramped focus again, but your demeanour eased instantly when you found what you were looking for; the droid laid smoking and smouldering on its side, further down the street it had come from. It wasn’t going anywhere anymore. “Relax, my brother took care of it,” Jesse smiled at you, whilst gently placing his hand on your shoulder to comfort you.

“Speaking of my brother,” Jesse continued, turning around when a clone with a standard military haircut came jogging towards you, “this is Kix.” The brother named Kix nodded at you in greeting. “Ma’am. Are any of you hurt?” he asked in concern, as his eyes wandered both the boy’s and your body to see if you were injured. The adrenaline had kept you going so far, but now that it was wearing off, you managed to inspect yourself. “N-no, I don’t think so,” you said at last, ignoring the few bruises and damaged skin; it was nothing serious.

The boy shook his head in silence before Kix kneeled at his side. He grabbed a nervestick from the bag he was carrying and handed it to the kid. “Here, chew on this; you’ll feel better,” the clone elaborated, and the kid took it gladly. You smiled at the sight of him caring for the boy you had taken care of that evening. You turned around to orientate yourself, but you started feeling light-headed, resulting in your legs giving way underneath you.

“Woah ma’am, take it easy,” Jesse shot worriedly at you, grabbing your shoulders to keep you from collapsing. You flustered your eyelashes a few times, before returning to reality. “I-I’m sorry, tonight was just a bit much. I think I could use some sugar,” you replied with a faint smile. Jesse returned it with a big grin. “I think we can arrange that,” was his response, thinking about all the abandoned candy they could still collect. “Let’s get the both of you home and see what we’ll find on the way.”

---

Whilst being escorted home by Jesse and Kix, you noticed a lot more clones running about, taking care of any rogue droids left haunting the streets. There was so much chaos and mayhem around, but you felt safer knowing the clones were around. Knowing Jesse and Kix took care of you now.

The three of you were able to bring the boy back home safely, and the clones insisted they wanted to do the same for you. You were just too glad to be accompanied to your home after all the recent events, hoping you wouldn’t encounter any more droids on the way. But you felt you were in capable hands.

“I can’t thank you enough for saving me and the kid,” you smiled at them as they walked you home, slightly hanging unto Jesse to keep yourself balanced, and he happily aided you. “It’s alright, ma’am. Nothing we’re not used to,” he smiled at you, swinging an arm around your waist to support you. Kix shot the both of you a quick glance before he chuckled softly.

“There’s just one thing I can’t get my head around..,” you started, your thoughts wandering back to your visit to the fortune teller’s booth earlier during the night, when life seemed simpler and less worrisome. Both clones shot you a confused look, and you couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. “You’ll probably laugh at me if I explain, but the short version is that someone told me I would be saved by lightning tonight.”

The clones shared looks before Jesse started snickering. With his free hand, he pointed at his brother. “That would be Kix,” he said cryptically, and when you looked over to him, he brushed his hairs aside with his fingers. There you noticed the indistinct lines of lightning tattooed on his scalp. You huffed in amazement; Fumetta had been right about her whole prediction.

..and you will be saved by lightning.

You would never laugh at fortune tellers ever again. “Did that someone tell you about me saving you as well?” Jesse shot at you, with the most seductive smile on his face. You grinned back at him. “She sure did, big guy,” you chuckled at him, right before you reached your house. For once, you were happy you didn’t own any household droids, ironically grateful for all the times you had to clean and cook for yourself.

“This is my stop, boys,” you said a bit reluctantly, because the thought of being alone right after these events frightened you more than you wanted to admit. Jesse supported you to your door, where you struggled to open it due to your shaking hands. “Uhm, maybe Kix should take a closer look at any possible injuries after all - inside, that is,” he suggested smoothly. Your eyes glistened for a moment, and you turned towards him with a grateful smile.

But these were clones, they probably had better things to do than babysit you. “I-I don’t want to hold you up for any longer,” you stammered, before biting your lower lip to show your conflicted mind. Jesse chuckled with a shrug before easing your mind: “It wouldn’t be a problem. It was our evening off anyway, we don’t have places to be.” It brought back the smile on your face in an instant, and you finally managed to open your door.

Kix cleared his throat and you missed the look he shared with his brother. “But of course we don’t want to intrude on you, ma’am,” he added to the conversation, and he couldn’t have sounded more genuine. You turned towards them as soon as you made it inside your home. “I would really appreciate the company, actually,” you said softly, just when Fumetta’s last words echoed through your mind.

Don’t forget to be as generous later tonight..

You bit your lower lip again, but this time not from any conflicted thoughts. You were quite certain of this one, you just hoped you weren't intruding on them. “We could, er- continue the trick-or-treating inside,” you suggested, a busted blush painting your cheeks. The boys shared another look, before they turned to you with grins adorning their handsome faces. “We really couldn’t say ‘no’ to that, ma’am,” Jesse smirked at you, before they both made it to your threshold in all modesty.

Maybe this Halloween would be saved by a cog and lightning in various ways.

Haunted droids/droid uprising for @pinahallowsevecloneparty

[lonewolflupe]

Trick or Treat!!👻

My beloveds are Fives and Tech 🥰

Warning: this one's spicy / 18+ / NSFW / MDNI

The door whooshes open and a man looks at you with a serious expression on his face. “Astounding,” he utters, readjusting his goggles as his eyes wander the pineapple costume you’re wearing. You peek past him when you hear something explode in the kitchen behind him, but he doesn’t bat an eye; it seems like he is used to the occurring chaos in the house. “I am positive I have never tasted pineapple before,” he explains whilst grabbing some candy for you. When you let out a giggle as a result of his remark, he looks at you flustered. “What is it? Was there something wrong with that sentence?” he asks you in all seriousness, and you tell him ‘no’, a little lie to ease his mind. You thank him for the candy before you continue your route. What a deliciously innocent man.

Let’s (trick or) treat yourself to some more deliciousness below the cut:

Treat Me For Once (One-Shot)

For @returnofthepineapple

This might be getting a sequel ahaha.. Happy Halloween <3

Summary: Fives is scheming another trick, but all you desire is for him to treat you for once Rating: Mature (NSFW) Tags: established relationship, innocent bantering, sexual insinuations, sexual teasing, sexual talking Words: 742 Pairing: Fives x fem!reader Read this one-shot here on AO3

“Trick or treat?”

“What?” you asked flustered, shaken from your thoughts, diverting your attention from your datapad towards him. Fives had come out of nowhere, now leaning over the couch’s backrest and looking expectantly at you, awaiting your answer. “Trick or treat?” he repeated his question, the smirk on his face predicting his mischievous intent.

“I’m not going to answer that,” you sighed, looking back at your datapad in an attempt to leave it with that. “Why not?” he pouted at you, before he made his way behind you and started massaging your shoulders, trying to regain your attention. “Because,” you continued, granting him an unimpressed look over your shoulder, “you’ll trick me when I say ‘treat’ anyway.”

Fives gasped, highly exaggerating it to fake his shock at your insinuation. “I- I would never!” he proclaimed, withdrawing his hands from your shoulders to fold them in front of his chest. You turned your torso so you could face him, ready to prove him wrong.

“Yeah? Our first year together, when I said ‘treat’, you ‘treated’ me on a homemade dinner, which you filled to the brim with Guiji fire peppers. I can still feel my tongue burning,” you started your summarisation of his ‘treats’. He chuckled softly, the smug look returning to his face. “Let me taste your tongue or it didn't happ-”

“The NEXT year,” you interrupted him, making sure he couldn't finish his witty comeback, “I answered with ‘trick’ simply to amuse you, and because I had hopes you would actually ‘treat’ me that time.” Fives started opening his mouth, raising one index finger to protest, but you didn't give him the chance.

“But boy, was I wrong! It took me weeks to get the paint out of my hair, and you know what? You ruined my favourite outfit that day, and I'm still bitter over it.” He started chuckling, a sound you loved hearing, and it soothed you more than you wanted to admit at that very moment. “You don't need clothes for my favourite outfit,” he shared his amusement, but it only granted him a stern look from you.

He athletically jumped over the couch's backrest, sitting down at your side with his legs crossed. He took your hands in his and looked innocently at you with his big, brown eyes. “Then what would you like to do for Halloween?” he pleaded, doing his utmost best to convince you to come up with some sort of answer.

“If I'd say I wanted to do some cop roleplaying in the bedroom, you'd dress up as Fox and stand crying in the corner all night,” you sighed, not seriously thinking about what you wanted to do, because you were sure he was going to give it a Fives-spin anyway. “That's a good one,” he laughed, “I need to write that one down.” You shot him an unamused look, your lips pressed in a thin line before you sighed: “You're never serious, are you?”

“Mesh'la, please.. You know I can be serious. Especially when it involves you,” he said smoothly, and you couldn't stay mad at that handsome face as he shot you one if his trademarked seductive looks. Slowly, your lips slid into a smirk, instantly forgiving him for all his treats-turned-tricks.

“You know,” you started slowly, your voice a little higher pitched than usual, pausing to increase his anticipation, “we could just watch a holovid.” You bit your lower lip as you extended your leg towards him, gently stroking his length with the bridge of your foot. You noticed how his eyes glistened, telling you he'd come up with a far better idea.

“Or,” he started, crawling over towards you, picking up your datapad and placing it safely on top of the coffee table before he continued, “we could skip the holovid and start right at the part where we rip each other’s clothes off and have steaming hot sex, right here on the couch.”

You couldn't help but chuckle at his subtleness, but told him how much you approved of his idea by falling backwards on the couch and opening up your legs for him. He took your invitation willingly, crawling on top of you. His hardening length pressed hungrily between your thighs. He moved closer, landing his first sensual kiss right below your jaw, making your head tilt backwards.

“Trick or treat,” you whispered longingly, before Fives finally gave you the treat you had been waiting for.

[lonewolflupe]

🎃👻Trick or Treat👻🎃

(Hardcase is my beloved. But I adore all the Torrent boys. And I am STILL screaming over the movie art. It’s my tablet’s Lock Screen right now)

Warning: intro is slightly spicy (18+ just to be sure)

The door opens a crack, and white artificial fog emerges from its gaps. You take a step back, watching your feet as the fog licks your shoes, creeping up your legs. When you look back up at the door, it is suddenly wide open, and a shape appears from the mist. It takes the form of a man, wrapped in a dark cloak. Your sight wanders to the high, pointy collar before you notice the man behind it. Oh my- his intriguing blue facial tattoos and his handsome features leave you speechless. He opens his mouth to shoot some cheesy Halloween remark, but is lost for words when he beholds your beauty. When he finally regains himself, his lips slide into a smirk before he parts them, exposing fake vampire teeth. Playfully, he moves his tongue towards his canine, highlighting the sharp tooth. "Show me your veins, and I'll show you mine," he seductively shoots at you. It's cheesy anyway, but it might just be right up your alley. This will be a memorable night.

Did he (trick or) treat you to something more than candy? below the cut:

For @sunshinesdaydream

Alright he can bite me anytime

Vampire prompt for @pinahallowsevecloneparty

Also blessed Samhain to my fellow witches <3

[lonewolflupe]

treat

i love Fives, Echo and Rex so much so you can do one, a mixture or all three!

The door opens casually, and behind it stands a rather normal looking man. He isn't wearing a costume or anything that screams 'Halloween'. One hand in his pocket whilst he leans against the doorpost, he runs his other hand through his short, blonde hair. He looks tired; the fatigue shows from the bags below his eyes. Did you just wake him up? "I'm sorry, you were probably hoping for the other two, but they just jolted out to venture on some mission," he sighs, and you cannot help but notice a mixture of relief and dread in his voice. It's a weird combination. "Here, have some candy anyway," he says whilst yawning, before he grabs some candy from behind him and gives it to you. He wishes you a good night before shutting the door behind him. Well, candy is candy.

You might have been robbed of a mighty (trick or) treat-act below the cut:

Stir Of Echoes (One-Shot)

For @chaicilatte

Yoooo I'm sorry in advance for the feels, but I hope you'll like it anyway! Happy Halloween <3

Summary: Echo finds himself in trouble, but his twin is there to help him out Rating: Teen and up Tags: ghost story, (light) angst, hurt/comfort, whump Words: 1.359 Characters: Echo, Fives Read this one-shot here on AO3

A sharp, throbbing pain in his arm when Echo opened his eyes. Slightly wincing, he sat upright and looked around, taking in his surroundings to figure out where he was and what had happened. Due to his visor, he had a visual in the darkness, only to see he had found himself in a tunnel. When he looked up, he noticed a narrow, gaping hole above him, distant sunlight finding its way down towards him.

He started remembering; the ground had collapsed below his feet, and he was now located in a tunnel system. “Need a hand?” he heard one of his brothers shout from the surface. With his arm, he tried heaving himself back to his feet, but a sharp pain shot through it when he put pressure on it.

His arm was injured. And now that he couldn't use his hand, the irony from his brother's remark wasn't lost on him. “I'll activate my sensor beacon and find my way back up,” he finally replied with a sigh, before attempting to get up again. Which proved more difficult with his other arm, but he managed.

“I'll find my way back up..,” he repeated softly, more of an encouragement towards himself, whilst shifting his gaze between both directions, hoping something might give away which way would lead to the surface.

“Is there an Echo in here?” a voice at his side chuckled in amusement. It startled Echo; he hadn't been aware of any other brothers going down with him. His surprise multiplied when he laid eyes on the trooper.

“Fives?! Didn't realise you fell down with me,” he shot at his brother, a feeling of relief washing over him. As long as his twin was with him, he knew they would find their way out; like they would always find their way out of trouble. Fives was standing next to him, wiping away dirt from his armour. “Yeah, you always drag me down,” he snickered in response. Echo wanted to shoot him an unamused look, but since he was wearing his helmet anyway, he didn't bother subduing the gladness on his face; it was good to have his brother at his side.

“Alright, what way is up?” Echo sighed at last, looking around to see if anything could tell him what direction to go. “I was hoping you could tell me,” Fives shrugged at him casually, bumping his elbow into his brother's side. Echo granted him a quick, irritated look. “I wouldn't ask you if I'd known, would I?” he shot at him, before he noticed the smug smirk above Fives’ goatee. “Wouldn't be the first time, you stating the obvious,” Fives grinned, finding amusement in the direst of situations, like always. “I am not going to repeat myself,” Echo continued the bantering, only feeding Fives’ delight. “Wouldn’t be the first time either.”

“Shut up, Fives.”

Fives, who wasn't wearing his helmet, grinned at him and patted his back before moving past him, walking into one direction. Echo hesitated for a moment, before following his brother anyway. “What made you decide to go this way?” he asked him, almost suspiciously. Fives chuckled as he gestured to the tunnel in front of them. “I feel a breeze of fresh air coming that way,” he explained calmly, in a tone only Fives was able to use.

It made sense, although Echo himself didn't feel any breeze at all. Clumsily, because of his injured arm, he took his helmet off, but was struck by the darkness immediately. “Maker, how do you even see without your bucket?” Echo asked perplexedly, blinking his eyes rapidly in an attempt to get used to the lack of light. Fives huffed in amusement. “Eyes like a shriek-hawk and senses like a nexu,” he elaborated, granting his brother a smug look. “Sure you do, Fives, sure you do..,” Echo sighed under his breath, before he continued to follow Fives behind.

It didn't take long before they reached another split in the path. Echo sighed, rubbing his eyelids before turning towards Fives. “Alright genius, what way does your fresh air come from?” he asked sceptically, not holding back on his mistrust from this choice in the first place, since he still didn't feel the fresh air himself.

Fives looked around, searching, inspecting, but when he didn't come up with a logical answer or witty remark, Echo decided to just take matters into his own hand. They had to continue one path or the other. He pushed past his brother and made for the left shaft.

It didn't take long for Fives to follow him behind, but when he did, it was in a sudden rush. “Echo, look out!” he shouted in dread, and briefly, the harrowing feeling of being pulled into an explosion plagued Echo's mind. He felt how Fives’ hand firmly grabbed his shoulder and pulled him backwards, into safety.

When he put his helmet back on, the HUD was screaming a warning about a deep, deadly pit right in front of him. If he had taken another step, he would have fallen in - and might not have come out ever again.

He caught his breath before looking over at Fives. “Thanks, vod,” he whispered, placing his hand on Fives’ shoulder to show his gratitude. “But.. but how did you know?” he asked, noticing his brother was still helmetless. Fives’ shocked expression shifted back into an amused one. “Shriek-hawk and nexu, remember?” he grinned at Echo, before gesturing towards the other tunnel. How could he ever forget.

---

“Echo?” one of his brothers’ voices came from the surface, echoing through the tunnel ahead. Fives chuckled, the irony not lost on him. “I love that name,” he whispered whilst shaking his head affectionately, and Echo thought he could feel his brother’s hand brush over his back.

Echo grumbled something under his breath, not interrupting his course to the source of the voice. “Almost there,” he stated the obvious when the light finally reached inside the tunnel, but there came no witty remark. Echo didn't linger on it, continuing his course, looking forward to breathing fresh air again.

“Echo, you've made it,” came the practical voice of one of his brothers, as soon as he peeked upwards from the tunnel below. “You sound surprised,” Echo grunted in response, when another brother grabbed him by his uninjured arm and heaved him from the hole in the ground with ease. “I was merely stating a fact. Besides, these tunnels are uncharted, so we do not know what dangers may lurk below,” the first brother elaborated.

Back on his feet, glad he had reached the surface again, Echo huffed before turning around to face the hole. “Well, good thing Fives was there with me. Let's get him out,” he smiled, gesturing towards the empty tunnel below him.

He noticed how four pairs of eyes were watching him, confusion and concern on their faces, as if he was raving. The brother that had helped him from the hole started scratching his neck. “Boy, you sure hit your head down there,” he remarked, before the first brother shot forward to reach Echo. “Wrecker might be correct. I need to scan you for any concussions.”

A heavy, disheartening feeling washed over Echo when it dawned on him. He was now part of Clone Force 99. They had saved him from his incarceration on Skako Minor. And Fives.. Fives wasn't here anymore.

He took his helmet off and sat down, Tech’s interactions as he started inspecting his injuries lost on him. He suddenly felt numb and empty, and his brothers’ bickering that followed went straight past him. He only looked up when Hunter appeared at his side, placing his hand on Echo's shoulder - where Fives’ had been earlier - and shooting him a comforting smile. He returned it with a faint one, before replaying the recent events in his head.

He wasn’t raving. Fives had been there. He had guided him into the right direction, saved him from a misstep, and eventually had gotten him back to the surface. Fives would always be there. Always be a part of him.

Domino pieces existed in two halves, after all.

Echo taglist: @welcometo79s @covert1ntrovert

Ghost story for @pinahallowsevecloneparty

Also blessed Samhain to my fellow witches <3

[lonewolflupe]

Trick or Treat! I love all clones but mainly Fox and Cody and I love Halloween. Thank you so much for organizing this, it's an awesome idea.

The door creaks open, slowly swinging inside to reveal a dark, empty room. A shiver runs down your spine when you hear a child's laughter. Which should be a joyous thing to hear, but this one sounds.. off. It makes your hair stand on end. You suddenly feel a cold breeze coming from inside the house, and very briefly, you think you're seeing something float past you.. Or someone? When you turn around to leave, you find yourself face to face with two children, their faces identical. Are they.. twins? One of them looks around warily, whilst the other looks you dead in the eye. "You shouldn't be here," the latter says in a low yet calm voice, which makes for an unsettling combination. He hands you a candy from his bucket, before he gestures to the street with a sharp nod. Hint taken.

Did you just get (tricked or) treated? below the cut:

The Phantom Of Tipoca City (One-Shot)

For @kotemf

This was the very first fic I wrote for my inbo trick-or-treating - and my first try on anything Halloween-themed at all. I hope it's worthy haha! Happy Halloween <3

Summary: Cody needs some comfort - and some truths - after hearing a scary tale Rating: Teen and up Tags: ghost story, hurt/comfort, vode bonding, clone cadets Words: 2.330 Characters: Cadet Fox, Cadet Cody, 99; mentions of: Cadet Wolffe Read this one-shot here on AO3

Have you heard the story of cadet 1313? He died here, in Topica City. Some say he choked on his food in the cafeteria, others say he died in the training room.. But I tell you, he was murdered. And he still roams the corridors, seeking revenge!

“Fox! Fox? Are you awake?!?”

He wasn't at first, but the vigorous shaking of his shoulder certainly did the trick. He opened his eyes, one eyelid at a time, as they were sticky from the sleep crust. When he had a clear visual, he noticed Cody at the side of his bunk.

“Cody, what is it? What's wrong?” he asked concerned, instantly bolting upright and shooting into focus. He checked their surroundings, scanning the area for threats, but couldn't detect any. He could only see their sleeping brothers in the bunks around them, and Cody wide awake at his side.

Cody hadn't answered the question, but stood shuffling on his feet, his gaze averted and a somewhat embarrassed expression on his face. Fox frowned his eyebrows, looking straight at Cody with an almost stern look. He at least deserved an answer for being disrupted from his sleep.

“I-I can't sleep,” his brother stammered at last, resulting in a deep sigh from Fox. They all knew how fond he was of his sleep, and waking him for non-threatening reasons was not being appreciated. But it was Cody; he could never get mad at Cody.

Fox tossed his blanket aside and positioned himself on the edge of his bunk, his legs dangling down. “Was it because of Wolffe’s story?” he uttered, raising an eyebrow in an unimpressed look.

Wolffe couldn't help himself; he loved scary stories, and he loved it even more to share them with his brothers. He did seem unaware of the fact not all of them were as thrilled about the stories as he was.

Cody swallowed before he slowly started nodding. He didn't like admitting it, and he was even more reluctant to confess it to Wolffe himself. But he could tell Fox anything. Always.

Fox shot him a reassuring smile, before he started rubbing his tired eyes. He let out a deep sigh before turning towards his brother again, the corner of his mouth slightly twitching upwards. “You want me to go investigate?”

---

The brightly lit cafeteria was abandoned at this hour, but they were cautious nonetheless. The Kaminoans weren't too keen on cadets roaming the corridors at night, and in turn, the boys weren't too eager to find out what would happen if they got caught.

Fox looked around, his eyes half shut from fatigue, his lips pressed in a thin line. “Alright, what did Wolffe say about the cafeteria?” he asked Cody, before turning around to face him. “He said h-he choked on his food after he had tampered with the caf machine,” Cody whispered, afraid any being - alive or dead - might hear him.

“Tampered with the caf machine?” Fox raised another eyebrow, resulting in an ignorant shrug from Cody. Obviously, Fox didn't believe in ghost stories, but if he could prove to Cody it was just that, his brother might be able to sleep again.

“Alright, let's check it out,” Fox sighed to his brother at last, before grabbing him by the wrist and leading him towards the food counter. Of course there was no food available at this hour, but the caf machine stood towering in front of them as they silently laid eyes on the majestic apparatus.

Fox took a cautious step forward, his gaze locked on the machine. “Let's see if this ghost turns up,” he mumbled as he placed a mug under the machine and pressed a button. Cody looked around nervously, preparing for the ghost to appear any moment now.

But no ghost appeared as the machine was whirring and working its magic. What did appear was a dark, creamy liquid, its steamy vapours inviting Fox to inhale its welcoming scent. He had never been this close to a mug of caf before, and had no idea it would be so appealing.

“A-any ghosts yet?” Cody stammered behind him, shaking Fox from his almost hypnotic focus. No ghosts, as Fox expected. He quickly glanced around anyway, just to amuse his brother, before shaking his head. But he wasn't done yet.

“Keep me covered,” Fox shot at his brother in a clear, low voice, almost making it sound like an order. Cody complied without question, granting him an affirming nod before moving to the side of the counter, finding a tactical spot where he could keep an eye out for any unexpected visitors.

Without his brother's prying eyes on him, Fox felt the liberty to indulge himself in the situation. Careful but with extensive determination, he grabbed the full mug with two hands, took a moment to stare into the still whirling goods, before putting the mug to his lips.

He closed his eyes as he took his first sip, taking in this new experience. Not only did the liquid warm his body, it fueled it. As soon as it made its way down his body, he felt a rush, a certain sensation, something he had never experienced before.

More. He wanted more. He needed more. He took another sip, and another, his lips glued to the mug as he drank its contents, as this liquified comfort made his tiredness seep away, feeling like a warm hug on a cold morning. Why didn't they include this to the cadets’ diet? They surely would be more productive, making them more focussed and energetic during their training.

“Fox!”

Cody's over-the-top whisper shook him from his thoughts, and when he finally took the mug from his mouth, he noticed it was empty. He glanced over his shoulder to see Cody hurrying his way. “Alphas incoming!” came Cody's warning, and when Fox looked past his brother, he noticed them too.

Fox grimaced at the sight of the two Alpha ARCs as they came casually striding towards the cafeteria. They probably wouldn't be too happy about encountering two cadets at this time of night, let alone finding said cadets helping themselves to the caf machine. It would be in his and Cody's best interest to get away silently and unnoticed.

Without a sound, he put the mug back with the others, as if it hadn't been touched, before nudging Cody to get his attention. “Let's get out of here,” he whispered to his brother, firmly grabbing his shoulder to urge him backwards, behind the counter - out of sight.

They quickly yet quietly made for a nearby table, crouching behind it to keep hidden from the approaching Alphas, as they came walking into the cafeteria. And as they neared the counter with the caf machine, Fox and Cody efficiently made their way around them, sliding and rolling from behind table to table.

When they finally reached the room’s entrance, they jolted outside, leaving the Alphas - and the caf machine - behind. “That was a close call,” Cody panted as he caught his breath. Fox chuckled softly. “That was a fun exercise,” he remarked, amusement written on his face. Cody shook his head, before focussing on the task ahead. “Where to next?”

---

The training room was dark and deserted, giving off an ominous atmosphere. But Fox walked inside with a determined strut, whilst Cody followed behind reluctantly.

Wolffe's words lingered in the back of Fox’s head, as he tried remembering the next part of the story. The cadet supposedly died whilst attempting a training session at night, alone, without supervision.

So that was his plan; start an unattended training session. “I'm gonna start a simulation,” he elaborated to Cody, but his brother wouldn't have it. He grabbed Fox’s arm to stop him, forcing him to turn around and face him. “No Fox, let's just.. Let's just wait and see what happens for a moment. Don’t rush into things,” Cody uttered, his eyebrows wrinkled in a serious frown.

Fox was ready to brush his brother off, but changed his mind. He appreciated how Cody suddenly took the lead, showing some assertiveness. Instead, he nodded in affirmation, and waited for him to show initiative again by taking the next step.

Which didn't take him long to come up with. “Alright, let's sit down with our backs against each other. We'll have a good visual. If the ghost appears, one of us should notice him before he's in reach,” Cody thought out loud, making a content smile appear on Fox's face. It took a pressuring situation, but Cody sure had the makings of becoming a fine leader.

“After you,” Fox said smoothly, gesturing towards the floor and following after his brother once he sat down. And there they sat in silence, each covering a half of the training room, ready for whatever would happen next.

Neither of them was actually ready for what happened next. A shrill, harrowing sound echoed through the hall, making Cody jump to his feet in an instant. Fox got up quickly, standing back to back with his brother as they slowly circled the room. But nothing came after the sound. No ghost appeared.

Fox rubbed his eyes, and when he retracted his hands, Cody noticed a sudden haze of determination on his brother's face. His gaze was fixated in the direction of the sound's source, but before he could stomp off towards it, Cody was quick enough to grab his arm.

“Fox, no!” he tried whispering, but fear made it sound squeaky. Fox put his hand on top of Cody’s, squeezed it reassuringly, before freeing himself from his brother's grip. “You wanted me to investigate, so I'm going to,” Fox said to his brother, not a shred of doubt or fear in his voice. Cody started objecting, but Fox interrupted him quickly. “Wait here,” he shot at his brother, before continuing his investigation.

It took him a few climbs and slides to finally reach the source of the earlier sound. And when he finally made it, he didn't find a ghost; he found a man, picking up some tools that had fallen to the floor. “Sir, who are you and what are you doing here?” Fox addressed him whilst folding his arms, standing his ground as the man turned around.

The man looked odd. He was hunchbacked and had a crooked face, slightly limping as he stepped towards Fox. “I am 99. I-I perform maintenance duties around here,” he elaborated, his voice soft and filled with kindness. Fox briefly narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man in front of him, quickly taking in his features. He did look odd, but Fox would recognise a fellow clone anywhere. “But you're a clone, like me,” Fox uttered, a hint of surprise in his tone.

A smile appeared on 99’s face. “I-I am,” he quickly confirmed Fox’s suspicion. “Then why do you need to sneak about during the night to do your job?” Fox continued his interrogation, raising an eyebrow in the process. “S-someone has to. But if they find y-you here at this hour, I think I'll have the next night off,” 99 chuckled affectionately, sounding too sympathetic to make it appear like a threat.

Fox was silent for a moment, contemplating on the clone’s words. He wasn't particularly looking forward to such a punishment, as he liked to spend his nights sleeping, but he wasn't ready to quit his investigation just yet.

He narrowed his eyes again as he looked back up at 99. "Are you going to tell anyone?” he asked in a soft voice, almost whispering. 99 put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “No need in doing that,” he replied, before releasing Fox’s shoulder and turning around again, ready to continue his nightly duties.

But Fox wasn't ready yet. “Sir,” he started slowly, before asking boldly: “Would you mind helping me out then?” There was a tone to Fox’s voice that made the elder clone unable to deny him. He huffed in amusement before replying. “W-what can I help you with?”

Fox quickly briefed the maintenance clone on the situation, summarising Wolffe’s ghost story and how it had affected his other brother. When he was done, 99 chuckled and shook his head in amusement. “I-I believe the Alphas made that story up, to stop cadets like yourself from wandering the corridors at night,” he smiled at Fox, before adding: “Better get back to your barracks, before they find y-you.”

---

“There is no ghost,” Fox shot blandly at Cody as soon as he had made his way back to his brother. Cody stopped fidgeting with his uniform, a confused look on his face. “How do you know that?” Without stopping, Fox grabbed Cody’s wrist to make him follow behind, as he made for the exit of the training room. “Because I was told so.” Cody freed himself from Fox’s grasp, but kept following him anyway. “By whom?” he cried out, getting more confused by Fox’s lack of clarification.

And Fox just couldn’t help it; he had never believed in the ghost, but couldn’t get Cody to trust his word. “The ghost,” he replied as casually as possible, trying to push away the smirk that appeared on his face. Cody's eyes opened wide, but he soon noticed Fox’s failed attempt at hiding his amusement. “Fo-ooox,’ he uttered, both irritated and affectionate, as he slammed his fist into his brother’s shoulder in a playful gesture. Fox chuckled before he turned towards his brother, his face suddenly serious. “Do you need a report on this investigation?” The most genuine smile painted Cody’s beaming face before he answered: “I do. But it can wait until the morning. I think I can finally sleep now.”

---

As Cody was finally asleep, contently snoring in his bunk, Fox was laying wide awake. He was completely sleep deprived, and all he could think about was that dark, creamy liquid from earlier that night.. Maybe he needed another nightly visit to the cafeteria after all.

[lonewolflupe]

Trick-or-treat, my friend!

This is Carol (@clonethirstingisreal) and I hope you have a great Halloween!!

The door opens slowly, making your heartbeat rise from anticipation. Behind the door is the most handsome, breathtaking man you've ever seen. His sharp jawline and strong brow are painted - or tattooed? - with the features of a Dia de los Muertos skull, but only on the left half of his face. He wears a gallant hat, adorned with a single white blossom from a weeping maya tree. "Happy Halloween, mesh'la," he smiles at you as he hands you a treat, your fingers brushing briefly as you take it from him. Your heart races that night, and not from any Halloween scare. This night will be unforgettable.

(Trick or) treat yourself to him below the cut:

For @clonethirstingisreal

Happy Halloween, Carol! <3 I got inspired for this piece by the awesome sugar skulls by @chedaar21, and I thought it fitted Hunter so well!

[lonewolflupe]

Trick-or-treat! Do I need to do anything else?

Favorite clone? Fives, always 💙

The door opens, and you are welcomed by an eerie, purple glow, whilst mist starts creeping up towards your feet. A rather tired looking man steps forward, and before he addresses you, he rubs his temples. You notice a ‘5’ tattooed on his right one. “Must be the sixth time I see you here tonight,” he mumbles, making you raise an eyebrow to show your confusion. What is he talking about? You're fairly sure you haven't been to this door before. When you start hearing crashing sounds coming closer from inside the house, you take a few cautious steps back. “Kriff, not again,” he sighs, before one tentacle wraps itself around his waist. When he gets pulled back into the house, another tentacle emerges, only to slam the door right shut. Welp, that's a door you won't visit again.

Relive your (trick or) treat again and again and again below the cut:

Before I Fall (One-Shot)

For @tealmisthams

I struggled a bit with this one (I hope it didn't get too repetitive) and I hope it isn't too dark, but well, I guess some Halloween stories are a tad dark ;) Happy Halloween! <3

Summary: The Umbaran Campaign is taking its toll, but apparently, it's not Fives’ time to die - not yet anyway Rating: Mature (SFW but check tags) Tags: canon-typical violence, angst, time loop, (reliving) death, Umbara arc Words: 2.462 Characters: Fives, Hardcase, Rex, Jesse, Dogma; mentions of Odd Ball, Pong Krell, Anakin Skywalker Read this one-shot here on AO3

The hostile terrain was uneven and the fog made it impossible to see the surface. Groups of strange ferns covered it, their curled heads illuminated by the blaster fire. As they advanced, the clone troopers were focussed on the hidden enemy in front of them, the natives honouring their nickname by staying almost completely concealed in the shadows. And Umbara was covered in a shroud of shadows.

Panicked cries caught Fives’ attention. It wasn’t like the shouting he was used to on the battlefield, so in a whim of the moment, he decided to look around to see what caused it. And when he did, he noticed how a tentacle had wrapped itself around a brother, waving him around like a Jedi wielding a lightsaber. Even more tentacles emerged from the fog, grasping around greedily, reaching for more troopers to get a hold on.

Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, he felt how one such tentacle slithered around his waist before tightening its grasp. Fives tried loosening it, but before he could do anything, he was being lifted from the ground, being toyed with like some meat puppet. The agonising scream coming from one of his brothers getting eaten told him this creature was ready for a meal - and their plastoid armour wasn’t going to decrease its appetite.

He quickly grabbed a thermal detonator from the container on his back, ready to activate it, but a sharp, sudden movement from the tentacle made it fall from his hand. He reached for it, but he was too late; he watched how it disappeared in the fog below before he closed his eyes. In a moment of tranquillity, the images of a Rishi eel flashed before his eyes, before the vixus swallowed him whole.

All went black, the darkness on Umbara proving him fatal.

---

But somehow, the light returned.

The hostile terrain was uneven and the fog made it impossible to see it. Groups of strange ferns covered it, their curled heads illuminated by the blaster fire. As they advanced, the clone troopers were focussed on the hidden enemy in front of them, concealed in the shadows. And Umbara was covered in a shroud of shadows.

When he heard the panicked cries, when he turned around and noticed the cluster of tentacles, when one of them slithered around his waist and tightened its grasp, he was plagued by an eerie feeling. A feeling like he had been in an oddly familiar situation before. And there was something he had to do differently this time.

So this time, he steadied his grasp around his thermal detonator, being able to activate it and toss it at the three-pronged claw that was supposedly the creature’s tongue. The vixus caught it, accepting it like it was an offering, and swallowed it - right before it detonated. An explosion erupted from the creature’s mouth, and when it was eliminated, Fives noticed the tentacle around him loosen before he fell to the ground.

A trooper helped him back to his feet, bumping him against his arm in deference. “Nice work, Fives,” he shot at him, whilst Fives shook his head in an attempt to return to reality. “Hardcase, right?” he addressed the trooper, before the latter replied: “Yeah. That’s what they call me.”

The Umbaran ambush that followed was a close call, but they were quick to respond. Rex’s requested air strike came right on time, and not too early; they had just moved off the ridge when Odd Ball and his bombers laid it in ruins. “Heh! That’ll teach ‘em,” Hardcase remarked as they watched the ridge burn.

It wasn’t long before a LAAT gunship arrived, carrying the infamous General Krell. The foreboding feeling in Fives’ guts told him nothing good would come from this, and it was warranted when Krell came to call General Skywalker away - and the conversation that followed, which showed their temporary new General didn’t hold clones in high esteem.

Which showed when Krell changed Skywalker’s plans, and made them engage in a full-frontal attack. The main route to the city was exposed, granting them little cover from any possible incoming fire. Of course Fives had expressed his dissatisfaction about the change of plans towards Rex, towards anyone within earshot even, but Rex’s loyalty to command was unyielding.

Fives’ fears became reality when they ran into the enemy traps. The harrowing cries of his brothers being torn apart by the exploding mines made his heart ache, and just when he felt one of the contraptions activate below his own feet, he could see that shuttle on Lola Sayu as a fiery blaze engulfed it.

Like he was engulfed now, and everything went black.

---

But again, there was light.

The terrain was uneven and the fog made it impossible to see it. Strange ferns covered it, their heads illuminated. As they advanced, the clone troopers were focussed on the enemy in front of them, concealed in the shadows. And Umbara was covered in- 

Shadows. This all felt too familiar. Fives advanced like before, his mind troubled by predictive thoughts, knowing where to thread carefully and where to step it up a notch. His aim when he threw his thermal detonator at the vixus’ tongue was getting more confident, and again, he was able to eliminate it. He scratched his neck in confusion when Hardcase helped him back to his feet. Why did it feel like this had already happened?

Again, they were ambushed by the Umbarans, and after Rex’s requested air strike laid waste to the ridge, General Krell arrived to take over command. Fives was being more careful now, and when they ran into enemy traps on the main route, he was quick enough to find them a safer path by using his mine sweeper to detect the explosives. He wasn’t going to get himself blown up again.

The next threat wasn’t far off. Fives was standing right behind Rex when General Krell ordered them to advance through the narrow gorge instead of engaging in a closer recon first, like the captain suggested. Krell ordered them forwards anyway, and like the good soldiers they were, they followed the order. But Rex’s loyalty to Krell’s questionable tactics was starting to drive a wedge between Fives and the captain.

When Fives started going against Rex’s argument in front of the troops, the captain finally called him to his side for a one-to-one conversation. “It would help if you’d ease their minds,” Rex pleaded to him as soon as they were out of earshot. Fives knew the captain understood his reasoning, but the importance of Rex’s tone told him he wasn’t going to yield anyway. “Oh, you mean coax them into following another one of Krell’s suicide missions? We lost a lot of men last time,” came his less subtle response.

Rex stepped closer, and whilst pointing a cautionary finger towards Fives, made his point. “Krell may do things differently, but he is effective in getting them done. He’s a recognised war hero.” But Fives had more to say to that. “He may have had some victories, but have you seen his casualty numbers? More troopers have been killed under his command than anyone else,” he spat in Rex’s face, not ready to change his opinion on the General. Rex had to understand their position somehow?

With a deep sigh, the captain moved away slightly. “That’s the price of war, Fives. We’re soldiers. We have a duty to follow orders, and, if we must, lay down our lives for victory.” Rex turned around, ready to rejoin the troops, but Fives grabbed his arm to regain his attention. “Do you believe that? Or is that what you were engineered to think?” Rex looked at him from over his shoulder. “I honour my code. That’s what I believe,” he said calmly, before shrugging Fives’ hand from his arm and walking off.

So they progressed without any further discussion, to Fives’ frustration. He felt like bait for droids out there, except they weren’t fighting clankers this time. He watched in horror how their brothers were evaporated by the Umbaran weaponry, and it made him question Rex’s adamant loyalty towards Krell - and not for the last time.

It took too many losses before Rex finally came around. “I’ve got an idea,” he determinedly proclaimed, before elaborating his plan. Fives started getting hopeful again; they had to take matters in their own hands, instead of functioning as the cannon fodder like Krell intended. “I have a mission for you,” Rex finally shot at Fives from over his shoulder.

His mission with Hardcase proved less problematic; he took confidence in finding his own way through the terrain, infiltrating the airbase, making his own decisions instead of blindly following orders. Orders he didn’t stand by. His confidence kept growing when they were able to confiscate the Umbaran starfighters. Not only were they able to save their battalion from a tight spot down the gorge, Fives was able to round up Jesse and Hardcase for another rebellious mission - one that yet again went against Krell’s direct orders.

“Hardcase! No!” Fives tried urging Hardcase back into his fighter, but the trooper had his mind set on his own plan. “You’ve disobeyed enough orders today, sir. Follow this one, get out of here!” Hardcase shouted at him, before advancing. Fives could only watch in dread as his brother disappeared out of sight, before focussing his attention back on the advancing droids. “If I know Hardcase, we better leave,” Jesse warned Fives, but his mind was clouded. Clouded by the losses of brothers he kept on experiencing.

He hesitated a moment too long. It wasn’t that he did not believe Jesse; it was just he wasn’t ready to lose another vod. And in his hesitation, when Hardcase made his move, in a moment of peace of mind he watched how the explosion crept up to him, and it reminded him of that outpost back on the Rishi Moon. When the relentless sea of flames finally reached him, the brightness blinded him before the end.

Dissent led to disintegration which led to a black void surrounding him.

---

But also light. Again..

The terrain was uneven and foggy. Strange ferns covered it. As they advanced, the clone troopers were focussed on the enemy in front of them. Umbara was covered in shadows.

Fives sighed as he restarted - or continued - the Campaign. His aim was more confident than ever when he threw the thermal detonator. He was more careful than ever when sweeping those mines. He was quick enough to follow behind Jesse this time. He made it out, returning to the airbase with Jesse - but without Hardcase. His heart was heavy, and when Krell ordered their confinement, he was fuming. Hardcase had sacrificed himself in order to save a lot of troopers on the surface, and this was how they were rewarded?

“Will the prisoners request to be blindfolded?”

Fives and Jesse didn’t respond, but their bitter expressions told Dogma enough. “I’ll take that as a no,” he concluded, before turning around towards the firing squad. “I hope you can live with yourself, Dogma,” Fives spat at him, speaking his name with contempt, before facing their demise - at the hand of their brothers.

“Never thought we'd go out this way,” Jesse muttered at his side, slightly hanging his head. Fives looked in front of him, not averting his gaze from the firing squad as his brows were wrinkled in a harsh frown. Dogma ordered the squad to aim. Something gnawed at Fives’ mind, like he was supposed to say something, like there was a way to prevent this. But his mind lingered for too long, and before he knew it, Dogma gave the decisive order.

“Fire!”

And like before, everything went black.

---

Light. Kriff, not again..

Terrain. Fog. Ferns. Enemy. Shadows.

Yes, yes, he had been there. He groaned as he advanced anyway, reliving the moments where he had previously died again and again.

Keep your grip and time your throw. Watch your step and use that sweeper. Mourn your loss but do not linger. Mind your attitude but do speak your mind.

He couldn’t keep doing this. There had to be a way to finish this, to snap out of it. And he did this time.

“Wait!” he shouted, looking in the barrels of the DC-15 blaster rifles their brothers were aiming at them. “This is wrong. And we all know it. The general is making a mistake, and he needs to be called on it. No clone should have to go out this way! We are loyal soldiers. We follow orders, but we are not a bunch of unthinking droids! We are men. We must be trusted to make the right decisions, especially when the orders we are given are wrong.”

Dogma didn’t hesitate for a moment, ordering another “Fire!” yet again. But this time, the only darkness came from Fives squeezing his eyelids tightly shut. When he opened his eyes, this Umbaran nightmare wasn’t starting all over again; he was still looking at the firing squad in front of them. Jesse was still breathing at his side. “What.. what happened?” Dogma shot out in confusion, before their brothers tossed their rifles to the ground in protest.

Rex finally stepped forward, looking Dogma directly in the eye as he addressed him. “They’re doing the right thing, Dogma, because if this is how soldiers are rewarded for heroic actions, then one day, every man in this battalion may face a similar fate.” He turned to the troopers behind them before ordering: “Take off their binders.”

The remainder of the Campaign went by in a haze. There were several perilous moments where Fives thought he had to experience everything again, but he found his renewed faith in Rex made him more confident to get through these horrors. He didn’t want to relive any of this again. The losses of his brothers were devastating enough, but being so conscious about his own deaths was definitely taking a toll on his mind. Dying once was supposed to be enough.

And with the execution of Krell, the darkness of Umbara laid behind them. And someday, this war was going to end. There would be a time without nightmares.

…

The shot to his chest burned through his armour, a scorching pain emerging in his body. He collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. Rex kneeled at his side, a frantic look in his eyes as he put a comforting hand on Fives’ shoulder. “The mission.. the nightmares.. they’re.. finally.. over,” he managed with his last strength, before he took his last breath.

It went dark again; it had been a while.

But this time, the light didn’t return.

This time, he found his peace.