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[Funny thing was, none of that mattered to her anymore. It was largely resolved by the time she came here. Their people had come together. But Din was from a time before that, and it was obvious. Which was part of why his words were so upsetting. That gap in time between them made a big difference, along with the time he's spent here.
But here she was, trying to make that point, admitting that she cared about him. And then he changes the subject. Like it didn't matter. It was off putting and didn't help her emotional situation. To the point that words tumbled out of her mouth that probably shouldn't.]
I miss you.
At least, the version of you that I have come to know.
[This was why she was calling him. She just wanted to hear his voice, to talk, to just feel like this was the same man from home. But this wasn't how she had planned for it to go. He wasn't the same man. But this wasn't right, it wasn't fair to him. It wasn't his fault after all.]
I'm sorry. This was a mistake. Go back to sleep.
[Before she embarasses herself further, Bo-Katan decides to hang up.]
But here she was, trying to make that point, admitting that she cared about him. And then he changes the subject. Like it didn't matter. It was off putting and didn't help her emotional situation. To the point that words tumbled out of her mouth that probably shouldn't.]
I miss you.
At least, the version of you that I have come to know.
[This was why she was calling him. She just wanted to hear his voice, to talk, to just feel like this was the same man from home. But this wasn't how she had planned for it to go. He wasn't the same man. But this wasn't right, it wasn't fair to him. It wasn't his fault after all.]
I'm sorry. This was a mistake. Go back to sleep.
[Before she embarasses herself further, Bo-Katan decides to hang up.]
Edited 2023-11-15 14:50 (UTC)
[Well, then. That was certainly a thing.]
[Mando waits awhile, then writes back. He texts this time, so Bo will get the message whether she wants to pick up or not.]
We're not from the same time, Bo. You remember things I don't. I'm sorry that I can't be who you want me to be, but I haven't had the experiences yet to become that person.
From my point of view, I'm flying into what is almost certainly a suicide mission with Boba Fett.
Clearly I survive, and get Grogu back, and then help you. I'm looking forward to all that, but it's like a story from a book right now. I know about it, but I haven't lived it. Whatever bond we have in the future, it's in MY future.
I like the bond we have now, though.
[Mando waits awhile, then writes back. He texts this time, so Bo will get the message whether she wants to pick up or not.]
We're not from the same time, Bo. You remember things I don't. I'm sorry that I can't be who you want me to be, but I haven't had the experiences yet to become that person.
From my point of view, I'm flying into what is almost certainly a suicide mission with Boba Fett.
Clearly I survive, and get Grogu back, and then help you. I'm looking forward to all that, but it's like a story from a book right now. I know about it, but I haven't lived it. Whatever bond we have in the future, it's in MY future.
I like the bond we have now, though.
[It takes awhile. It’s early morning by the time she replies, which suggests she didn’t sleep much. If at all.]
I know all of that, and I don’t blame you for it.
[It was one of those things that was out of their control. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt any less.]
Are you really looking forward to it? You seem happy here, you have a life, and I wouldn’t want that taken away from you.
[Even if that means she can’t be part of it in the way she wanted to be. It’s easy for him to like where they’re at, but not so much for her.]
I know all of that, and I don’t blame you for it.
[It was one of those things that was out of their control. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt any less.]
Are you really looking forward to it? You seem happy here, you have a life, and I wouldn’t want that taken away from you.
[Even if that means she can’t be part of it in the way she wanted to be. It’s easy for him to like where they’re at, but not so much for her.]
Edited 2023-11-17 16:36 (UTC)
I'm not opposed to joining the manda when it's time. But there are a lot of things I need to do first.
I'm told that however long we spend here, it's like no time at all passes at home. So whatever is coming, is coming, and can't be changed.
[But that doesn't really answer her question, does it? Mando takes a few minutes to think before he continues.]
I have a life I've built here, and I'm going to live it and enjoy it for as long as I can. But I have a life back home too, and things to get back to. When it's time, I'll enjoy that too.
We can have both here, Bo. We can live a life without war or conflict, and then someday go home and presumably beat on the Pyke Syndicate for some patch of sand on Tattooine.
[But that doesn't really answer her question, does it? Mando takes a few minutes to think before he continues.]
I have a life I've built here, and I'm going to live it and enjoy it for as long as I can. But I have a life back home too, and things to get back to. When it's time, I'll enjoy that too.
We can have both here, Bo. We can live a life without war or conflict, and then someday go home and presumably beat on the Pyke Syndicate for some patch of sand on Tattooine.
That's what they say.
[She doesn't disbelieve the people who have experienced it, but there's always this nagging doubt.]
I don't think I can have the kind of life you have here. I'm just passing the time until I can go back. Which might be years from now.
[She's not satisfied with how things are for her here. It might be peaceful, but its not what she wants.]
[She doesn't disbelieve the people who have experienced it, but there's always this nagging doubt.]
I don't think I can have the kind of life you have here. I'm just passing the time until I can go back. Which might be years from now.
[She's not satisfied with how things are for her here. It might be peaceful, but its not what she wants.]
Edited 2023-11-20 14:04 (UTC)
[Riz already has plans for his afterlife. He'll just join his dad in the heavenly Taskforce. He's already a consultant there, surely that means he can just join after death.
Unfortunately, however, not something he can talk about.]
Okay, what are the Manda? Are those, like, your gods?
Unfortunately, however, not something he can talk about.]
Okay, what are the Manda? Are those, like, your gods?
Something like that. It's the divine consciousness that all Mandalorians join after we die.
It was really difficult at first for me too, Bo.
This place, and its peace... it takes time to get used to. We both grew up with war constantly at our backs. It makes it hard to get used to peace. I know I kept waiting for a war to break out for months when I first arrived.
And then one day... I wasn't. I woke up, and I made plans for the day, and none of them involved being ready for the war I was sure would break out at any minute. I just had my day, and there was no war. There was no war the next day either.
This place, and its peace... it takes time to get used to. We both grew up with war constantly at our backs. It makes it hard to get used to peace. I know I kept waiting for a war to break out for months when I first arrived.
And then one day... I wasn't. I woke up, and I made plans for the day, and none of them involved being ready for the war I was sure would break out at any minute. I just had my day, and there was no war. There was no war the next day either.
You have changed. Even from when we first met.
[Time and circumstances will do that of course. But occasionally it was a little jarring.]
I am used to war, that’s true, and throwing these pokemon into battle is the only thing that feels relatively normal.
It’s not that I don’t want peace, but this world is so contrary to everything it means to be Mandalorian. Though what I miss most is being among our people. Here it’s just me and you.
[Her whole identity was serving her people, and without that, she feels adrift.]
[Time and circumstances will do that of course. But occasionally it was a little jarring.]
I am used to war, that’s true, and throwing these pokemon into battle is the only thing that feels relatively normal.
It’s not that I don’t want peace, but this world is so contrary to everything it means to be Mandalorian. Though what I miss most is being among our people. Here it’s just me and you.
[Her whole identity was serving her people, and without that, she feels adrift.]
Edited 2023-11-24 03:39 (UTC)
[Mando chuckles.]
Yes, that's about it. All our souls join together and become a collective Mandalorian consciousness. We're reunited with our ancestors if we have them, and we can wait for anyone else we know to join us after their deaths.
Yes, that's about it. All our souls join together and become a collective Mandalorian consciousness. We're reunited with our ancestors if we have them, and we can wait for anyone else we know to join us after their deaths.
I think I've changed for the better. Certainly since I met Grogu, I've become a better person. The kids here have made me better too.
It is, but there are different kinds of battles, aren't there? Maybe you're fighting a new one and just haven't figured out who your opponent is yet.
It is, but there are different kinds of battles, aren't there? Maybe you're fighting a new one and just haven't figured out who your opponent is yet.
Maybe.
[She doesn’t know what to say other than that. This conversation having made her weary and discouraged.]
[She doesn’t know what to say other than that. This conversation having made her weary and discouraged.]
The what now?
[Mando is going to need more detail on that, please.]
[Mando is going to need more detail on that, please.]
Maglubiyet's eternal hell army.
[repeated patiently as if that was a super normal thing to say.]
It's an old Goblin belief. Maglubiyet is the Goblin god of war and his followers believe that after death, every goblin soul goes to join his eternal army in hell. He overthrew and killed a lot of the other Goblin gods, so most of the remaining ones are about this level of pleasant.
[repeated patiently as if that was a super normal thing to say.]
It's an old Goblin belief. Maglubiyet is the Goblin god of war and his followers believe that after death, every goblin soul goes to join his eternal army in hell. He overthrew and killed a lot of the other Goblin gods, so most of the remaining ones are about this level of pleasant.
[After finally waking up sometime during the night, and telling Boober... not everything, but a lot, Riz had had no interest in going back to bed, as Boober had done. After a week of sleep, his body was brimming with energy, even if his head was almost filled to bursting with all these fresh experiences that he still, honestly, hadn't even started to process. It had made sleep illusive and in the end Riz had settled for just existing for a while, as his brain slowly turned over each and everything he experienced while in the forest and during the final battle.
Which is how Mando is going to find him once he wakes up -- Riz sitting at the kitchen table in his pyjamas, with a cooled mug of coffee in front of him, and one hand shoved under his cheek. His eyes are a little unfocused as he just stares at the window, not even really seeing what was going on outside. His brain was on everything that had happened in the forest -- on Baron and the unicorn, on the terrifying experience of taking a rest while all his friends needed him so badly.
God, he was lame. One of his worst fears couldn't seriously be taking a nap, right?]
Which is how Mando is going to find him once he wakes up -- Riz sitting at the kitchen table in his pyjamas, with a cooled mug of coffee in front of him, and one hand shoved under his cheek. His eyes are a little unfocused as he just stares at the window, not even really seeing what was going on outside. His brain was on everything that had happened in the forest -- on Baron and the unicorn, on the terrifying experience of taking a rest while all his friends needed him so badly.
God, he was lame. One of his worst fears couldn't seriously be taking a nap, right?]
[Mando thinks that over for a moment, then shrugs.]
It could be worse, I suppose.
It could be worse, I suppose.
[Mando wakes up early, as he usually does, and shuffles to the kitchen. He's actually in rare form this morning: still helmeted, as always, but not wearing his breastplate or most of the rest of his upper armour. He still has his pauldrons on, for some unknown Mandalorian reason, but otherwise, this is about the least amount of armour he's been seen wearing in months.]
Riz. You're awake.
[Excuse him, Riz, Mando is just going to be moving across the kitchen way faster than an old guy should be able to move and scooping you off the chair, into a bone-crushing hug.]
Riz. You're awake.
[Excuse him, Riz, Mando is just going to be moving across the kitchen way faster than an old guy should be able to move and scooping you off the chair, into a bone-crushing hug.]
[Riz grunts as he's swept up out of his reverie and has the life squeezed out of him. Mando is way too used hugging folks who wear heavy armor, cause Riz is certain he can hear all his bones complaining.]
Woah, hey, too much, too much! Some of us as squishy, remember?
Woah, hey, too much, too much! Some of us as squishy, remember?
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