章節 8: Chapter 8: You didn’t think it was over yet, did you?

<Ethan's POV>

Phil and Luke were still staring at me, probably hoping I'd come up with some magical explanation for why my supposed-to-be-hilt-only lightsaber just turned my sofa into a piñata.

"What was that, Ethan? I thought this was supposed to be a hilt-only display." Phil's voice was a mix of concern and curiosity, but his eyes were practically sparkling, like he'd just discovered a secret Jedi relic.

"Uh..."

Before I could even think of an excuse, Claire burst through the door like the Kool-Aid Man. Or in her case, the Claire-Aid Gal.

<Ethan's Commentary>

*Ethan looks at the camera with a shrug.*

"I know puns aren't my strong suit, but cut me some slack."

<Commentary End>

I barely had time to blink before Claire spotted the sofa and her eyes went wide.

"What happened here? Were you playing with a military-grade laser weapon?" She zeroed in on Phil and Luke, who both stood way too close to the wreckage, but then she caught them side-eyeing me.

"Ethan?" Her eyes narrowed at me with that look that could send anyone scrambling for a good excuse. Even Phil and Luke flinched, and she wasn't even looking at them.

"I... don't really know what to tell you, Mrs. Dunphy. We were just messing around, and then—uh, my sofa burned." I tried to keep my voice respectful, hoping to avoid a shouting match, but I could already tell she wasn't going to buy that lame excuse.

She looked between Phil and Luke suspiciously, then locked her eyes back on me. I was mentally scrambling for something better to say when Luke, of course, blurted out, "We were playing with a real lightsaber!"

Phil and I both stiffened. My heart sank. 'Come on, Luke. Really?'

Claire blinked at us, her disbelief almost comical. "A real lightsaber?" She clearly didn't believe it. After all, she knew Phil and Luke were here to mess around with some replica—she just hadn't laid eyes on it yet.

But Phil... well, Phil was hiding it behind his back. And Claire, being Claire, had already figured that out. She marched over and grabbed the hilt from his hands before he could even protest.

The saber was off when she held it, which gave her enough time to inspect it closely. "So you're telling me that this thing sliced your sofa in half?" She raised an eyebrow. "I may not be a Star Wars expert like you two, but even I know lightsabers are supposed to have a glowing blade. And from what I've seen, that's usually just a plastic tube, right?"

She paused, pointing directly at the activation stud. "So when you press this button, it just lights up for show. Nothing more, right?"

Oh no.

She was going to press it.

My heart rate spiked. I opened my mouth to stop her, but nothing came out. I glanced at Phil, who looked like he was holding his breath, and Luke's eyes widened in sheer panic. This was about to get real bad.

Time seemed to slow down as Claire's finger hovered over the button.

The moment Claire pressed the button, the lightsaber ignited with a familiar whoosh. Everyone froze.

The blade hummed with power, casting a soft glow across the room. Claire just stared at it, then slowly shifted her gaze toward me, eyes wide with a mix of shock and—if I'm being honest—fear.

I could practically hear her thoughts: What have you done?

I knew she wanted an explanation, but what was I supposed to say? That it was just a dream I accidentally made real? Yeah, no. I could already picture the look on her face if I tried that.

My mind raced. 'Think, Ethan. You're in the Marvel universe. Tech is insane here. But it's still 2008—no Iron Man, no Hulk, no Avengers. Captain America's probably still snoozing in the Arctic right now.'

But… if I pretended to be some kind of genius inventor? Maybe that could work. Marvel's all about tech, right?

So I took a deep breath and started talking. "Uh, well, it's… um… a plasma emitter. I managed to miniaturize it to create something like a real lightsaber."

Claire blinked, still holding the active weapon like it was some dangerous artifact. "You made a what now?"

"A plasma emitter," I repeated, trying to sound as convincing as possible. "It's… you know, cutting-edge science stuff. I've been working on it in secret for a while. Didn't want anyone else to know about it in case it makes me a target. You know how these things go."

There was a long pause as Claire processed what I said. The skepticism was still there, but I could see the gears turning in her mind. She knew enough about the world to realize something like this could, hypothetically, make me a target.

Meanwhile, Phil and Luke were looking at me like I was the second coming of Obi-Wan. Their eyes were wide, faces lit up like kids on Christmas morning.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Luke practically shouted, his voice brimming with excitement. "You're telling me you actually made a real lightsaber? Like, in real life?"

'Why are you asking me that? You see it bright as day, right? Though, I didn't really make it through science, but that still counts.' I said in my mind.

Phil was nodding along, his eyes sparkling with the same fanatical enthusiasm. "Ethan, this is incredible! Can you… uh… maybe make us one too?"

I resisted the urge to groan. The last thing I wanted was to hand them was a real-real lightsaber. "Um, probably not a good idea. You know, for safety reasons." I gestured toward the ruined sofa as if that was explanation enough. "But hey, I can get you guys some duel-grade plastic ones that light up in different colors. You can swing those around all day, and they won't slice your furniture in half."

Luke's face fell for a second, but Phil still looked hopeful. "But… what if we were extra careful?" Phil asked, voice full of childlike hope.

"Yeah, that's still going to be a 'no,'" I said, trying to keep things light. "Trust me, you don't want to accidentally turn your house into Swiss cheese."

Phil and Luke were still buzzing with excitement, bombarding me with questions.

"Can it really deflect blaster bolts? Does it melt metal like in the movies? How did you even—" Luke started.

I held up a hand, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Whoa, guys. One question at a time." I carefully took the lightsaber from Claire, who handed it over like she was holding an unexploded bomb. "But, let's just put this away for now, yeah?" I placed the hilt back into its display case, locking it securely this time. I glanced at Claire, who gave me a look that clearly meant, We'll talk about this later. Great, just what I needed—another interrogation, but this time without the fanboy enthusiasm.

Phil and Luke were still buzzing as I locked the case. "Don't worry, guys," I said. "I'll have your lightsabers ready by next week. They might not be like mine, but they'll be safer for you to duel with. Think of them as, you know, battle-ready replicas."

Luke and Phil exchanged looks of disappointment, but I could tell they understood. "At least we'll still get to duel," Luke muttered, trying to sound upbeat.

Phil grinned and patted me on the back. "Thanks, Ethan. You're the real Jedi Master around here."

I laughed. "Yeah, well, someone's got to keep you two from slicing the house in half."

After promising them their lightsabers, I waved them off as they left. Phil was still muttering something about making lightsaber sounds when he practiced. The second they were out the door, I felt a wave of relief. But that didn't last long.

A few minutes later, Claire reappeared, this time with a deep frown etched on her face. I braced myself.

"Ethan, I thought we agreed that you'd talk to me if you're going through something." Her voice was calm but firm. "Making something like that lightsaber is a big deal, you know?"

I let out a small sigh. "I know, Mrs. Dunphy. Honestly, I didn't think it would actually work, so I didn't say anything. It was just a project I was tinkering with. I wasn't expecting to have a breakthrough yesterday, which is why Luke saw me put it on display. I just wanted it to be a trophy or something to look at. No one else was supposed to know it actually worked... but then, well, things happened."

Claire's expression softened a bit. "Do you regret showing it to them?"

I paused. She probably thought I was worried about Phil and Luke's reactions or them spilling the secret. But honestly? I didn't regret it. Phil and Luke were family now. Sure, they were a handful, but they were my handful.

"Nah," I said, smiling at her. "They're basically my second family. It's fine."

Claire's frown lifted slightly, replaced by a gentle smile. "Good. I'm glad you feel that way."

I couldn't resist throwing in a joke. "Just, you know, make sure no one else finds out about this. I'd rather not end up in some government lab, making them laser weapons."

Claire chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Ethan. I'll make sure Phil and Luke keep quiet. The last thing I need is for this to turn into some secret Pentagon project."

I smirked. "Yeah, I think we've all had enough excitement for today."

After all the excitement from earlier, I settled into a quieter evening. Dinner was simple, and I took care of some chores around the house, all while smirking to myself. I couldn't help but replay the look on Phil and Luke's faces over and over again in my mind. Yeah, today had definitely been a good day.

Later, when it was time to sleep, I made sure to take the Dreamstone. Originally, my plan was to craft Phil and Luke's lightsabers in The Dreaming, but then I remembered—I can make one in real life, probably, why not just do it now? Closing my eyes, I focused on the image of their lightsabers in my head. I visualized Luke Skywalker's and Darth Vader's hilts—the perfect father-and-son set.

A flash of white light appeared before me, and in front of me lay two durable plastic replicas. I smiled. Fitting, right?

Of course, I didn't forget about myself. I conjured a pair of lightsabers for me—ones that could combine into a saberstaff, like Darth Maul's. But as the second lightsaber materialized, my head throbbed. A sharp pang of exhaustion shot through me. Yeah, that was my body's way of saying, Enough for tonight. With a sigh, I tucked the Dreamstone away and got ready for bed.

*timeskip to next day*

The sound of my alarm pulled me from sleep, far too soon for my liking. 'Morning comes too fast', I thought with a groan. Just as I was about to get up, my phone buzzed.

"Hey, Ethan, would you like to come over for breakfast?" Claire's voice asked on the other end.

I agreed right away. "But don't tell Phil and Luke that I'm coming," I added with a grin. "I've got a surprise for them."

Claire chuckled. "Okay, but are they safe?" she asked, probably thinking about what had happened with the last lightsaber incident.

"Don't worry. These are plastic blades," I reassured her. "Metal hilts for balance, but totally safe."

Before heading over, I grabbed all four lightsabers—two for them and two for me—and slipped into their backyard to hide mine behind some boxes. With that sorted, I walked into the kitchen. "Morning!" I called out.

Alex was already lounging near the kitchen, looking like she had no plans for the day. She glanced up and greeted me with a casual wave before going back to whatever she was doing. Haley strolled in a moment later, still glued to her phone. We just exchanged nods.

When Claire spotted me, she quietly signaled for Phil and Luke to come in. They walked into the kitchen looking confused, like they were wondering what Claire had called them for. But when they saw me, their faces lit up.

Luke was the first to notice. "Dad! Look—it's our lightsabers!"

Alex, who hadn't noticed them earlier, glanced at the table. She raised an eyebrow, surprised, but then shrugged and continued getting her breakfast.

Phil's grin stretched from ear to ear as he stared at the hilts. He looked so excited that I wouldn't have been surprised if he forgot I was even in the room. Eventually, I had to ask, "So, do you like them?"

Phil and Luke both nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! We have to test these out after breakfast!" Luke exclaimed.

In the background, Claire stood smiling, watching her two favorite guys nerd out over their new toys. It was a heartwarming sight, to say the least. We all sat down for breakfast together, with Phil and Luke barely able to contain their excitement.

*after breakfast*

As soon as breakfast was over, Phil, Luke, Claire, and I headed out to the backyard. Alex disappeared into her room to study, and Haley... well, she went wherever Haley usually goes.

Phil and Luke immediately began recreating scenes from Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi with their new lightsabers, while Claire and I watched from the sidelines. They were so into it, swinging the blades around like they were on a movie set.

I took my chance and quietly sneaked over to the boxes where I had hidden my own lightsabers. With a grin, I pulled them out and waited for the perfect moment.

As Phil and Luke finished reenacting the iconic scene where Luke faces off against Vader, I stepped forward and spoke in a low, ominous voice. "You didn't think it was over yet, did you?"

Both of them froze, and slowly turned to face me. Right on cue, the clouds overhead began to darken. I smirked to myself. 'Wow, even the sky's helping me sell this bit.'

With a dramatic flick of my wrists, I ignited my saberstaff just like Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. The red blades hummed to life, casting an eerie glow as I twirled the staff in front of me.

Phil and Luke's jaws dropped as they stared at me in shock. "No way!" Luke whispered in awe.

I grinned, feeling a surge of adrenaline. "Looks like you two aren't the only lightsaber wielders in this galaxy."

The father-son duo exchanged a determined look, their eyes locking in a silent agreement. Oh, they were going to try and defeat me. 'Cute', I thought, but it was way too soon for them to even get close.

In true dramatic fashion, I sprinted toward them with my saberstaff at the ready. Phil and Luke swung their sabers wildly, both aiming at me. I realized there was no way I could block both, so instead, I jumped into the air, flipping over them with ease. As I landed behind them, their mouths hung wide open.

"What?" I teased, spinning my saberstaff effortlessly in my hands. "I'm sure you can do that too, Phil."

Phil shook his head, laughing, "Yeah, but only on a trampoline."

Before they had a chance to catch their breath, I lunged forward. With a quick, playful swipe, I tapped Phil's side with my saberstaff. He staggered back, pretending to be wounded. "Noooo!" he groaned dramatically. Luke, not wanting to be next, swung his lightsaber wildly, but I was too fast. I spun around him, tapping him lightly with my other blade.

"You guys lost," I said with a grin, deactivating my saberstaff. "Looks like you'll need more training if you want to beat me."

Claire, who had been watching the whole time, burst into laughter. "Woo! Go Ethan!" she cheered, clearly amused by the spectacle.

Phil, still holding his "injured" side, looked over at her with a mock-serious expression. "Whose husband are you, exactly?"

Luke, still recovering from his 'defeat,' echoed his dad's sentiment, "Yeah, Mom! Whose side are you on?!"

Claire just grinned and shrugged. "I'm on the side of whoever is winning!"

Phil and Luke exchanged a look of exaggerated betrayal, but then all three of them broke into laughter. I couldn't help but chuckle along with them. Moments like this made me feel like I truly belonged here—like this was more than just a temporary stop in my crazy, unpredictable life.

As the laughter died down, I twirled my saberstaff one last time before deactivating it. "Alright, I think that's enough Jedi training for one morning."

Phil clapped me on the back, still smiling. "You're full of surprises, Ethan. I don't think I'll ever figure you out."

"You and me both," I replied with a grin, though my mind wandered a bit. There were still so many mysteries about my powers I hadn't uncovered yet, but that could wait. Right now, I was just enjoying this little slice of normalcy—or as normal as things could get around here.