Friday, April 19, 2013

Inbetween: Death of the Five 8

It had been a good three standard days since my last connections to my origins had been destroyed. I had expected to be crying and starting to feel the anger that I thought was in the past. But none of that happened. I was in the shower for the fifth time that day. I felt dirty and yet no amount of water would wash me clean.

I had not only killed friends but had done so while they were asleep. My crimes included dragging a Jedi Master to help me. An image of Qui-Gon came into my mind and I imagined him waiting outside the shower. I didn't just see an image but remembered his mind. Focusing on the mirage of Qui-Gon I felt its nonexistence and finished washing myself.

I got out and began to dry myself. I thought I should check on Qui-Gon one last time. As this galaxy was big and he was a Jedi, I figured this would be my last chance. I didn't dress fancy but put on my normal outfit. After making sure that my cabin would be safe I walked over to his door. I could've teleported but wanted to be polite. Wanted to comfort him and not scare him away.

While I had lost my friends, he had killed enemies that were in no position to fight back. I believed we were equal in the pain we felt about the events aboard the Heart of the Darkness.

I knocked on Qui-Gon's door and he opened.

"I just wanted to check on you." I said. "Before we said our good-byes."

I sensed something strange and the Jedi Master appeared nervous but he let me in anyways.

"You had me kill people that were defenseless." He reprimanded and then sighed. "But I see why you had me help you. It was hard enough for you to kill your fellow Navigators. You couldn't do it on your own."

"You don't think you could kill a fellow Jedi." I said and put an arm around his shoulder. "Not even one that betrayed you personally."

Qui-Gon winced but nodded. He had told me all about Xanatos the previous day and I had listened. He had told me plainly that he wouldn't know what would happen if he had to kill his former Padawan.

"And I thank you for helping to keep my secret about a fragment of my past." I said and saw him smile back. For a brief moment he seemed to forget about the pains encountered on the Heart of the Darkness. I was a little proud that I could provide him even a brief glimpse at happiness.

"The true danger is no longer a threat." Qui-Gon said and he touched my hand that was on his on his arm. "I will say I battled the Sith in there and that once I left the ship it was no longer in the same location."

"And what will you say about me?"

"That you helped me track it down."

I then asked the question that was on my mind but that I was afraid to get out of my mouth. "When will you be leaving?"

Qui-Gon appeared nervous again and replied, "In around five hours."

"Then you'll be gone."

"I will answer any call you send me." He said. "You more than deserve that."

"I put you through more pain than being killed by a black hole, you shouldn't feel that you owe me anything."

"But I do." He said and I shook his hand.

As I let go of his hand and went to the door something happened. Something that had been waiting to happen since I had first laid eyes on him. An emotion he had an easier time feeling than me.

Qui-Gon grabbed my face in his hands and kissed me. Deeply and with passion. However, it was also laced with shame for betraying his Order. For a brief second I saw an image of a human woman in his mind that was quickly replaced by my own as I returned his kiss.

The kissing became more heated and both of our hands wandered. Before things could continue to the finish we both yearned for, we stopped.

"I'll remember your offer." I told the Jedi Master and the first real smile in awhile formed on my face. No more shame was on his face as he smiled back. The smile and these feelings gave me hope that one day I could feel like I had before.

I then exited his cabin.

-THE END-

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Inbetween tumblr

Allegiant (Final Divergent Trilogy Book Named)

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) Mini-Review

I give a brief review of the film.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

So You Want to Be a Wizard (Diane Duane)

Title: So You Want to Be a Wizard

Series: Young Wizards

Author: Diane Duane

Released: 1983

Rating: 5/5

Basic Plot: Nita Callahan is a thirteen-year-old girl who discovers a book titled So You Want to Be a Wizard while hiding from bullies in a library. She brings the book home with her and discovers that it is about the art of wizardry.
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The Importance of Words
As a writer I believe that how you say something is just as important as what you say. Word something the wrong way and you'll offend people you didn't mean to. Word it another way and what you really meant will be known to people. It doesn't matter how "sophisticated" your words are, it just matters that people understand them. In this book it's shown that language and belief is what hold the multi-verse together. I really like this aspect of the book. Spells in it are speaking to the Universe to tell it what you want and not just a formula.

Treatment of a Teen Audience
I originally read some of the Young Wizards series while a teenager myself. As a teen I was always happy when I found an author who didn't treat me as a child. Who didn't think of me as dumb. This book treats its audience with respect. The main characters (Nita and Kit) are teenagers but are still able to figure things out. They don't make stupid mistakes and deal with very real problems. I'm not talking about magic or jumping into another universe. I'm talking about deciding who to help and should you give a very evil person a chance at redemption.

Character Growth/Strength
A good story has the characters change from how they were in the beginning to how they are at the end. Nita and Kit are both afraid of the torment from bullies. The combined spell that they perform near the beginning of the book is to make people stay away from Kit and for Nita to find an item that was stolen from her by Joanne (the girl that bullies Nita). By the end of the book, after going through a Hell universe and fighting off the creator of death itself, both have changed. Kit has a presence that makes him appear very strong and Nita gets her pen back. Besides that, Nita faces her fear of Joanne and gives the bully a chance at being her friend. I'd say that is some good character growth there.

Final Thoughts
I found this lovely book at a Goodwill. Once I saw this some of my childhood came back to me. While I had never read this book in the series (even though it's the first one), it still connected me to other books in the series that I had read while younger. I am glad that I still enjoy Duane's writing even though I'm not a teenager anymore (reading Piers Anthony was a disappointment on the other hand). Even though this book was published in 1983 I think children will get something out of it today. Bullying, good and evil, and forgiveness are all topics covered in this book. Just be aware that it is a dark book.