thisavrou | video.

[rey is sitting in the gardens, legs crossed, staring at something off-camera. a low whistle and a few beeps makes it clear that bb-9 is doing the recording. despite the intensity of her gaze, her breathing is slow and regular and her muscles are entirely relaxed.

for a couple seconds, the video is just fixed on her--then, then frame zooms out so more of the garden is visible. a few feet away from where she sits, her lightsaber is stuck into the ground. such a suitable place for such a dignified weapon. but to be fair, her staff is stuck next to it. with the zoom-out, it becomes clear that rey is staring at the lightsaber.

a few more seconds of nothing.

then, as if tugged by an invisible string, the lightsaber twitches towards her. it lifts into the air and floats a few inches--before tumbling to the ground. rey, whose face holds a slight sheen of sweat from her efforts, lets out an extremely frustrated groan and an even more frustrated expletive. bb-9 beeps sympathetically.]

Kark it! I just want it to karking fly towards me when I--

[and she makes a violent pulling gesture--and then her staff comes flying towards her head. she reacts just in time, letting herself fall backwards to avoid being impaled in the face. the staff skids into the ground behind her. bb-9 screeches in alarm, and the video starts to bump as the droid rolls towards her owner. the camera zooms in and focuses on rey's face, still caught in surprise. and then, she laughs. not a restrained laugh, but a real, arms-around-her-gut laugh. and then she winces because ouch, bruised ribs. but back to business.]

Well, that's half right! Progress is progress, right? [then, she addresses the droid.] You caught all that? I want to watch it later.

[a beep of affirmative relief, and then the video cuts.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I bet you weren't.

[If only because she's too careful to be careless.]

Careless had nothing to do with it.

Then what else could it have been?

Being outnumbered? Bad luck?

What do you think you could've done different?

Not get caught is the only answer I have.

[because he's right, it wasn't her fault. she couldn't have prevented it. not at her current ability level.]

You made it back.

[That's the important part here.]

I had to be rescued.

[but someone did come back for her. that's all she's wanted her whole life, even if she won't admit it.]

They could've been taken, too.

What if it was someone else who had to be rescued?

[It's a genuine question. Knowing her even a little he'd bet his last credit she'd have gone after.]

[dammit]

That's what I was doing when I got caught.

There're some people you can't stop from doing fool things like that.

[Running off to rescue people, risking their lives. Yeah, he's not shocked.]

I was never such a fool before I met you.

[WHAT NO you can't blame Han Solo, infamous scoundrel, for being that way.

And here he was thinking about Luke.]

Everyone from the ship made it back, far as I know, and some other people, too. I think we did all right.

[Focusing on the practical reality is a lot easier than dealing with accusations of being a good influence.]

[listen even though she's growing more ok with luke, she still wouldn't believe that he's some kind of heroic guy. some day she'll get there, but it might be a while.]

Yeah. This time.

[Believing in the Force is an effort. Believing Luke Skywalker is a hero is far easier.]

Yeah.

So keep it up.

[maybe for you]

Except without the getting captured part, right?

If you can help it, yeah.

video.

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