* --- BEWARE YOUR HEART.

zeus smirks , high and mighty and cutting, and asks--- what would you give ? and atlas--- arms trembling and shoulders shaking, thinks: what haven't i given already ?

[persesed]

SHOCADI’ATAR.

Shocadi appreciates that he knelt down. It would have made her neck sore to look up towards him when she was unable to stand. She was dizzy and sometimes she could see two of him in her hazy sight. “My brother,” she started. “He’s all I have. He’s… he’s my twin, he looks like me. Taller. Probably redder than me right now.” Her complexion was paled from the illness. “Everyone he cares for– me and his friends– are in here and he’s alone. Can you… please check on him? Just see if he’s okay?” 

what she requests would mean spending time elsewhere, searching for her brother, as opposed to a remedy to the illness that torments her. however, anakin holds the subject of family in high regard. he understands being alone and feeling helpless all the same. to deny her needs when she’s in such a state would go against his every moral. when she finishes speaking, he nods. “ of course. ” a twi’lek her color wouldn't be difficult to spot. he wants her to feel reassured, so he stays away from asking questions he can figure out himself.  “ what’s your name ? i’ll tell him you sent me. ” 

[persesed]

SNOKE.

“Fascinating, but it seems this virus has beaten you to it.” Snoke replied, almost bored with Anakin. No Vader, no interest. “Is there a reason you are here, besides the threatening?”

“ getting to see you in this state is reason enough. ” the man’s indifference to his presence doesn’t bother him much, as long as his warnings are taken into account. “ i know you’ve spoken with padmè. if you make it out of here alive, stay away from her. ”

[persesed]

REY.

the sudden surge of dark energy rey felt made her stop her actions and wince, but she could only tell it was anakin when she had turned around. usually their auras were both mixed with light and dark, but his was all anger right now. surely the news had spread to him as well. his voice was nowhere near his usual one, and it already made her wince softly as she took a small step back. she swallowed fearfully at his words and paused before shaking her head slightly. was it wise to argue with the man who had once been darth vader? more than likely not; but she couldn’t help it right then. “they won’t. i-i promise they won’t,” she whispered, coughing lightly as she attempted to straighten her shoulders with confidence. “i’m-i’m going to find the cure… w-with the force, with a-all the clues you have found so far… a-and i’m going to help everyone.”

“ that’s not how the force works, ” he replies harshly, looking towards her in disbelief. anakin doesn’t know how to begin, or where to go to from there. everything she says is irrational, even to him. how she became a jedi with such a lack of training and knowledge on the force’s abilities is beyond him, but that’s a subject for another time. ( a calmer one. ) “ rose is sick because of what you’ve done. your promises mean nothing to me. ” his words are venomous now, echoing the way he would speak to adversaries who had hurt those he loved. right now, the biggest threat to them isn’t the virus that had once been contained; it’s rey. “ i won’t make the same mistakes the others did, rey. i’ll do what i must to protect everyone from you. ” to protect his family, most importantly. it isn’t an empty threat at all. regardless of her previous status in his mind, or the fact that she’s in a relationship with his grandson, he will do what he has to to get her back in quarantine. ( even then, he believes it’s much too kind of a fate to give her. )

[persesed]

REY.

it had been months since she’d used her staff, but it seemed to be the most useful thing right now, in terms of a walking stick. the maker knew she would never be able to even step on her own without it. she also had on her ahch-to poncho, with the hood up, in attempt to keep herself hidden. but she was out of breath and sweating bullets now, and her stomach still stirred, as she approached the area where the team had been searching for the cure. even if her vision was blurred and she was wavering on her feet, she could still help. as she began sifting through things, rey let out a few hearty coughs, but did not bother to suppress them. it was late at night, and she doubted that anyone would be around here at this time. until she heard the door open, causing her to freeze in place then turn around like a fathier caught in headlights. she was surely in trouble now.

FOR THOSE SEARCHING…

when he heard rose’s voice over comlink, he had hoped she would be telling him of some sort of lead that would inch them closer towards a remedy. the last thing anakin had expected was to hear that rey, a girl he had once admired for her actions, had left the quarantine area and infected others. sleepless nights have become a common practice as of late, but this one was filled with a sense of anger that he once battled so hopelessly. ( anakin knows better now. he and notion exist for one another. ) anakin recalled rey having mentioned wanting to look for the cure herself, and as righteous of sentiment it was, it led him straight to her. now, he stands behind her, fists clinched in an attempt to suppress his emotions. he knows it’s her without needing to see her face; their energies have always been similar. “ rey. ” his voice is stern, tone similar to the one he would use when he held a different title–– one much less kinder than anakin. “ everyone on this planet could die because of you. ”

[letalestrange-deactivated201905]

“This is your last chance. Free us or die.”

[persesed]

REY.

rey paused then nodded shakily, and possibly a bit too fast in her nervousness. she noticed just then that her foot was tapping rapidly as well, in anxiousness for what he was going to reply with. surely it wouldn’t be good. “y-you and padmé were together during the war,” she protested rather loudly, sitting up on her knees then resting back on her heels. ben had told her the stories; in many ways, she and ben were just like anakin and padmé, but half a century later. she nodded, smiling slightly at his words. she knew rose was tough; but it still terrified her to know she was so vulnerable searching for the cure. she bit her lip at his words and glanced aside, unable to look into his eyes as she knew he would be disappointed if he could read her mind. ‘rash’ was exactly the definition of what she was planning, and she knew he would be frustrated if he found out. so she lied. “i won’t…”

anakin senses her anxiousness, but, as always, he’s quick to disappoint. “ you are not padmé and i. when we got married, we were both on the same side of the war, fighting for the same cause. are you ? tell me, has ben left the order ? ” he asks, and there’s a sense of hope that linger beneath his words of stone. maybe ben has chosen rey over his cause, and maybe she was right about him all along. anakin cares for his grandson; how could he not ? to hear that he has left the first order would seal anakin’s trust in him. he awaits her answer anxiously, but the realistic side of him already knows what she’ll respond, because he knows of the conflict that continues to rise within ben. 

[persesed]

SNOKE.

It surprised Snoke to see Anakin, but disappointed him as well. The man left Darth Vader behind, a pity. “And you should be Darth Vader, but people are made to be disappointed. Best not to dwell on it.”

“ darth vader or not, don’t believe that i’d hesitate to kill you. ” truthfully, the matter of politics that play into the reasoning behind snoke’s continued survival matter very little to him. but it’s more of an empty threat, at the moment. truthfully, he just wants to know why the others have kept him alive for so long.

[uhmeliamay-deactivated20150305]

If you’re looking for someone who fucks everything up, I’m your guy

[persesed]

@ofsnokes !

great pleasure is derived from the sight of snoke in such ailment, so much so that it almost brightens a bleak day. still, it’s not enough. anakin has heard enough about what snoke has done to his family to harbor a special, wicked sense of hate for him, which he couldn’t hide, even if he attempted to do so. ( he isn’t. )  his right hand balls into a fist, expression hardened. “ you should be dead. ”

[persesed]

REY.

friends? rey froze, looking tentatively up into his eyes as she was sure the shock was apparent on her features. he didn’t know…? hadn’t she told him about wanting to save him? not exactly; she had only briefly warned him not to mention luke around ben. but he had no idea of their relationship. let alone their engagement. she swallowed thickly and paused before shakily exhaling then murmuring, “…ben and i are getting married…” as soon as she said the words, she doubted them; would either of them end up even making it out of here alive? it was unlikely, but still, she held up her hand, letting him see the moonstone ring on it. at the mention of rose, her breath caught in her throat, shaking her head slightly. “m-make sure she stays safe. she’s one of my best friends,” she admitted uneasily, knowing anakin would do whatever he could to protect her. she nodded at his instruction, though she glanced down at her trembling hands. “i… i-i don’t know how to not panic… i’m-i’m not used to being so trapped…”

“ married ? ” conflict rises, evident in every inch of his face as he takes time to process her words. his love destroyed everything he once knew, but it also saved him. his perception of it is quite skewed, so anakin isn’t sure what to say. but then he looks around them, first order and resistance emblems carefully lining the crowds. while anakin can’t exactly coach her on right from wrong ( since he can barely tell the difference himself ) , he can at least point out the most important reason that keeps him from approving fully. “ rey, we’re in the middle of a war. ” of course, that hadn’t stopped him and padmè, but that didn’t end very well, did it ? “ of course, but rose handles herself well on her own, ” he nods, certain of his words. still, he’ll protect her until his dying breath, if he has to. as opposed to rey, being so trapped is all anakin has ever known. “ i know, but i trust in you. you can’t do anything rash, not now. ”

[persesed]

ROSE TICO.

“I really thought it was going to be something,” Rose murmured, finding a spot next to Anakin. She was disappointed that it hadn’t been much of a help. And Rose knew that they just needed to keep moving forward and keep trying. But it still was discouraging. @persesed

since the discovery of a failed cure, this is the first time that anakin has stopped moving for more than a few minutes. he’s searched everywhere incessantly, through and thin in a way that has began to drive him mad. rose’s presence is calming, but he’s still growing more and more impatient as every second drones on. “ it doesn’t make sense, rose. none of it does. but we’ll find the cure, i promise. ” tha last part is almost muttered through gritted teeth, set on doing everything it takes to reach his objective. 

[persesed]

SHOCADI’ATAR.

Shocadi was getting worse. The normally tall and elegant Twi’lek was leaned against the glass, too tired to even sit up straight. Part of the exhaustion came from being unable to sleep without her brother nearby. Her body shuddered as a wheezing cough came from her. It didn’t help that she barely knew anyone in here– and no one that she could trust. Her eyes caught the movement of someone walking past. “Hey,” she called out, though not very loudly. “Um. Please, wait a moment.” @persesed​

when he hears a voice beside him, he casts his gaze towards the twi’lek. she vaguely resembles a friend he had had on tatooine, and his interest is piqued. anakin’s eyes are as stoic as ever, eyebrows permanently furrowed in disappointment in himself after the events that have recently occurred, but he still decides to answer her call. “ yes ? ” he asks, leaning closer towards the glass so she can address him without feeling lowly.

[padawanlost]

…he was always sad.

[persesed]

ROSE TICO.

“Wait,” Rose insisted. “I think we need to get a medic or scientist here instead. If we pluck it, what if we accidentally kill it? We need to get someone who knows how to remove it without killing it.” Rose didn’t know if Anakin knew how to handle it, but she has never seen this plant before and she can’t tell where the root of it is. Rose pressed at her commlink, speaking into it. “This is Rose Tico and Anakin Skywalker in the greenhouse. We need a medic, scientist, or a botanist immediately, we’ve found something and need further guidance on how to proceed.” With the affirmative that someone was on the way, Rose glanced back to Anakin with a hopeful smile. “They should be here soon, depending on who they send…” 

anakin nods, letting her do with the situation as she suggested. she’s right, after all. rose is more level-headed than he is, which is why they’ve worked great together thus far. what he lacks,  she makes up for.  ( and in his mind, the list is substantial. )  while she speaks into the commlink, anakin is more alert of their surroundings now. should this be a cure for a virus, or at least a lead towards it, then the perpetrator could easily return to find the clue they had accidentally ( he assumes ) left behind. “ good eye, ” he replies once she’s finished sending their notice, turning towards her with the faintest of smiles.

[persesed]

ROSE TICO.

“I’m sorry. That’s hard,” Rose said softly. Leia was someone who was very dear to Rose’s heart. She didn’t know that she was sick as well. If it weren’t for Leia… Rose doesn’t know where she would be now. Or if she would even be alive. “No,” Rose said, turning to look around more. However… something caught her eye in the corner and she walked over to it. There! Amongst all the decaying and dying plants in this greenhouse… a single healthy flower. A healthy and iridescent blue flower. Rose may not be a botanist, but that seemed odd how this flower appeared to be the only one taken care of in this entire greenhouse. “Anakin?” Rose called out, turning around. “Can you come look at this? I think I found something…” She stepped aside, so he could see the lone blue flower. 

anakin makes his way towards her, eyeing the area she stands in. already, from a distance, it’s clear that there’s something different about the flower. it stands out effortlessly, well-nursed and vigorous, as opposed to the overgrown flora that surrounded it. his eyebrows furrow in concentration as he touches it lightly, allowing his hand to run over it. “ i think you did find something, ” he mutters, almost inaudibly. “ there has to be a reason this one’s so well taken care of and the others aren’t. ” should he get his hopes up ? probably not, but anakin’s only instinct is to seek the truth immediately. he’s a man of impulse, first and foremost.  “ we should take it to a medic, ” he says, voice urgent. their time is dwindling, and seeming to get closer to the cure only makes him more impatient. 

[persesed]

ROSE TICO.

“Yeah,” Rose said. “Four of my friends are sick.” Niamh, Finn, Rey, and Poe. That was almost her entire group of friends right there. Which was a horrifying thought. And then she didn’t even know who else she knew that was sick. There were so many… But she knew she had to keep focused. Which meant not to dwell on the very real possibilities of losing them. “I don’t want to fail them.” Which is why she wouldn’t. Rose didn’t have any other choice. “Are yours?” 

“ you won’t, ” he replies without hesitation, giving her a reassuring nod. had the rest of his family gotten ill, there’s a high likeliness he wouldn’t be functioning as well as he is now. ( which still isn’t that great. he hasn’t spoken to many people, aside from a select few he felt could help him in his search. ) anakin reaches another row of vegetation and once again, everything there is unavailing. he turns away from her as he takes a dying frond into his hand, letting it crumble. “ my daughter is. ” a pause. “ have you found anything useful ? ”

[persesed]

IRIS KIMURA.

“you probably know more than you think you do, with the firsthand experience and all,” iris says, though she isn’t sure if she is trying to reassure the man in front of her or herself. she sighs. “i wish we had a real biologist or doctor here with us searching to lead us. all the medics are back at the palace, and we’re flying blind.” iris had never been a religious person, but for a moment, she stops, relaxes her body, leans against the nearest cabinet, and prays. she asks the force to bring back someone who can help them.

“ the only cure i know of doesn’t grow on naboo, ” he explains, before realizing that this could only elicit a further sense of helplessness. anakin only wants to prove that he isn’t a scholar on the topic, but he senses that she’s in need of comfort rather than facts. “ but if this virus was stopped twice, it can be stopped a third time. ” anakin stops himself from continuing as he watches her lean against the cabinet, only looking at her briefly before returning to unkempt area at the very edge of the room. after a while, he clears his throat and speaks up again. “ do you need me to help you look over those ? ” he asks, motioning towards the files she had picked up herself.