Faction Tebori in the Trees (Kor’ethyr Students)

[Kivah]

Reaper Kai
Ran Dom Kuun
Outfit

The Reaper was too small. Granted the little shuttle was always a tight spot to live out of, but it wasn’t so bad when she was alone, the worst part was the loneliness. Which was ironic because as soon as you had more than two people in the thing, it was too small. Even then, the two had to like each other. Kivah looked back into the living quarters that separated the cockpit from the troop/cargo bay of the Reaper Kai. Yeah, she was glad they were almost there. Naamino had been a treat, the boy had taken to her ship with enthusiasm and been a decent copilot once she’d gotten him familiar with the ship. She’d even felt comfortable enough to take a nap or two while he minded the jumps along the Hydian Way. Of course he’d been under the watchful eye of the integrated pilot droid, Gem, the entire time.

Micah was also alright, but as much as he tried, Kivah felt that the ship was just too small for the boy. He needed more room to express his energy when he wasn’t being studious. A problem she’d always solved with intense work-outs and sleep or alcohol when she didn’t have a friend along. The last person on their little field trip was more of a mystery, a dark and quiet girl that reminded her of Das for some reason. Adean hadn’t really volunteered much and Kivah gave her the little space she could. “Alright Kiddos!” She called out, turning her piloting chair around so she could holler back at those deeper in the shuttle. “We’re nearly there. Just remember, this is my home, I know a lot of people here and they know me. And my family.” She added a little quieter. “So! You’re guests first and Siths never. You start harassing people or waving a lightsaber around, I’ll kick you out myself. And It’s a long way down.”

Having suitably chastened her passengers, Kivah brought the angular shuttle out of hyperspace above her home planet before guiding the ship down through the wispy clouds of the atmosphere and over the greenery of the jungle zones. Occasionally a tree pressed up from the surrounding canopy in a mountainous form, but their destination could be seen through the forward viewports in gargantuan form. Ran Dom Kuun, home of the Denik-Cathar, dominated the horizon. The scale of the singular tree was such that even its lower branches ended some kilometers above the jungle canopy below.

Kivah brought the Reaper Kai in for a smooth landing onto one of the landing pads nestled among the thick branches of the lower levels and began powering down. The ship was known here and the ‘welcome home’ chatter with the spaceport control officer brought a warm smile to her face. Yeah, being back was a good feeling. The opening hatch let in the warm air and familiar smells of her jungle home and she breathed deep before stepping down to the solid wood below. “Right, there’s stairs and such for you that can’t climb too well. If you ever get lost, just head to the trunk and look for a shop or something. People will give you directions as soon as you find one that speaks Basic, no need to be shy, we’re all friendly here.”

As she talks, she lead them towards the center of the tree and the many stairs that acted as the super highway of the City Tree. Down here were most of the shops that catered to the few travelers and offworlders visiting the city and Kivah made sure to point out a few that could serve as landmarks leading back to the ship. All around them in the tree and hanging over the edge or in little stands were things for sale. Trinkits, souvenirs, charms, and food. Both tea houses and grilled meats dominated, their spiced aromatic temptations promising a freshness impossible on many other worlds with their packaged and preserved foods. Her tattoo guy, the reason they were here, held his parlor much higher up in the tree out on one of the branches visitors rarely wandered onto. And while she was leading the others up, she also expected them to dart off to check something over and stopped to wait for them or snag something for herself, even picking up a skewer of grilled fruits and spiced game animal to snack on as they walked.

Naamino Zuukamano Micah tol Powl Adean Castor

 

[Naamino Zuukamano]

Outfit
Belt of Strength, Field Com-Scan Link (pinned out of sight),
Saber (out of sight), and Traditional Iridonian Robes

​

The willingness Kivah showed to take Naamino "under her wing" so to speak was not lost on him. In fact he greeted that gesture with profound, if quiet, gratitude. His more solemn tendencies had finally started to melt away despite the somewhat mixed company and tight quarters. When he wasn't dutifully learning from Kivah, he was reading up on their destination, making more animated conversation with his companions than was typical for him, and secretively jotting things down in his datapad. Micah might have caught glimpses of the latter merely because Naami seemed to prefer taking his downtime very near wherever the kit did. Often choosing to lounge with his shoulder against the boy or share space while they quietly focused on their own things. He wasn't obtrusive about it, in fact he seemed to gravitate toward his friend without thought, but was also instantly receptive when it seemed the Rho needed his own time.

Their other companion was regarded by Naami with a respectful waryness. Originally Naami had invited Gavin Vel on this exciting adventure but his friend's duties required him elsewhere. In the course of that conversation, while they chatted in the common room, he'd caught the eye of his classmate Adean Castor and invited her to join on a whim. He still wasn't entirely certain what possessed him to do it. Excitement for the upcoming journey? A weird sense of confusion that after a concerted effort on his part to get to know his classmates more he knew almost nothing about her? Regardless, Naami's enthusiasm outweighed any sense of uncertainty he had about his mysterious peer. So he'd made polite conversation during their journey and played the careful game of sharing a bit about himself while seeking to learn all he could about her.

​

Finally they'd arrived! The zabrak nodded sternly at Kivah's warning, had taken care to make sure any Kor'ethyr insignia were out of sight and he'd even given himself a silent pep talk during landing. Naami's frame practically buzzed with pent up energy as they stepped out into fresh air and his blue eyes were wide with wonder. It was a rare expression on him and one that served to make him look more his age, a reminder that he was after all still just a kid. Naami followed Kivah and nudged Micah tol Powl with a look that said "can you believe this chit?"

An almost dopey bemusement came over him at the sight of so many colorful, food, folk, and fauna. Despite the awe and excitement, there was tension too. His fists were often clenched and he walked with a long, almost stalking stride, as if expecting to be caught unawares by something and therefore in need to guard against it preemptively. When he found his voice again he asked the group in general.

"Anyone else hungry?" He turned excitedly to Micah first, small smile animating his face, then considered the others even while he looked ready to leap toward the nearest stand.

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Kivah | Naamino Zuukamano | Micah tol Powl

Of all the things to agree to, tattoos hadn't been high on Adean's list of expectations.

'Stressed' didn't quite cover the state she'd been in when she received the invitation. Buried under the coursework of now two academies, each with comparable levels of expectations and severity, and the strain of now juggling at least two names in two way too close environments, there wasn't enough caf in the galaxy to make her feel at all ready to tackle such an endeavor. The dual bed she hadn't meant to make, she now had to lie in.

It occured to her briefly that she could just returned to Jutrand and seclude herself in those studies. Or commit to Korriban and pray that her exit from Jutrand went as seemingly unnoticed as her entrance. But the knowledge of Darth Carnifex having clocked and called her deception of Brassius ensured that at least the latter was not an option. The former, however, was still up for debate.

What she hadn't anticipated was being approached that day in the common room. Her lack of presence that waxed and waned between boon and bane was almost comical when it wanted to be. Taken aback by the attention suddenly cast on her, she'd accepted the invitation and had been regretting it since.

The journey itself was simple enough, just as her company seemed well meaning. Well, as well meaning as one could expect from one studying up be a Sith. Adean couldn't help but cast suspicion on every question, answering many with just enough information to get by and nothing more. She was still figuring out who 'Tavis Ordel' was, after all.

She nodded along with their host's instructions, each of which easy to follow. Adean also couldn't help but wonder how easy it'd be to just be left behind on such a world and leave her studies behind her.

The Epicanthix was pulled from that thought by the other acolyte's question. "Food before ink is good for you, I believe," she offered. That's at least what she'd gathered from some holonet searches.

 

[Micah tol Powl]

Naamino Zuukamano Kivah Adean Castor​

The trip here had been miserable.

Too crowded. Too cramped. And there had been no places to climb.

Normally, his coping mechanism would have been to escape into a good book... or three... or eight... but he kept catching himself creeping on Naami's space. Seriously, that shuttle was way too small and everytime the cat looked up, it seemed like Naami was just getting closer.

He could picture himself curled up on the Zabrak. But that was precisely the problem. What would Naami think? What would Naami say?

So the kit spent the entire trip on pins and needles, trying hard to stay in his own personal bubble and not cat-spread on top of people. Which, was a lot harder than you'd expect.

But, they'd finally arrived. Honestly? It reminded him of Tenoo. Lots of trees. Big trees. A city in the tree.

Alright, Tenoo didn't get that crazy with the trees, but there were definitely places where the buildings had been either built around the trees or had trees growing in them.

At the lioness' warning about waving a lightsaber around, the boy tried to casually tuck the one that was hanging from his belt further back or out of sight.

Why did they carry these around anyway? The cats here probably thought they were Jedi. Which would be funny, so long as Naami didn't get the same idea.

"Huh, this is actually my first time on the homeworld," the boy noted, as his amber eyes peered around. It felt good to finally be out of that shuttle, but he was trying to resist the urge to go scrambling up the branches to finally stretch his limbs and scale up a ledge somewhere to sharpen his claws.

It didn't take long for them to find food. Kivah leading but Naami close behind. The Epicanthix seemed amenable as well, and Micah was not going to object, so it seemed like food was their first objective.

 

[Kivah]

Hearing Micah, she almost stumbled, whirling around to stare at the boy in incredulity. It almost didn't seem possible. Kivah frowned in thought before deciding to let it go for the moment. She could figure out this mystery later. The others all seemed to take her warning to heart, so she led them further up the trunk and into the main branches.

Climbing to her was second nature, and she relished sinking her claws into the home wood as she pulled herself higher while making sure not to stray too far from the pathways for those that couldn't climb. Everyone seemed to want to stop and eat, something that every Sith seemed to enjoy. Seriously, it was always a feast. She liked eating as much as the next gal, fuel for the muscles, but some of those Sith had to be working overtime to keep the weight off.

Pulling herself up onto the next walkway, Kivah waited for the others before leading them to a little dine-in. The open views showed off the spread jungle canopy below and distant birds flitting about on the hunt for their own food. Slipping into her native Cathar, Kivah chattered with the owner a bit about her guests and ordered two platters of ceviche and juanes for the table. She also helped the others with their drink orders and explained the menu if they wanted anything else.

Lounging in the booth with one leg up on the seat and her back turned into the corner of the wall and backrest, she pulled out a small leather case and began rolling herbs. Ghost Train was a new strain out of the Corporate Sector Authority and imparted a really mellow energy. Coming home usually took her awhile to lose the tension of the streets, and now Sith. A little herbal medicine seemed like a good idea to speed the process along and get to where she wasn't watching everyone's hands. Filling her lungs with smoke, she blew it back out the window they were seated next to as she considered the little tube between her fingers.

She wondered about Das and the other Zeros back on Etti IV. If they were still alive or had settled down. Her tail flicked as her mind wandered old streets and duracrete alleys strewn with cast off trash. Eventually her wandering mind came back around to Micah and his never coming here before. Ran Dom Kuun she could understand, he wasn't Denik, but Cathar itself? Smoke curling in her lungs, she broached the subject in her usual delicate way. "So Micah, how come you've never been home?"

Micah tol Powl Naamino Zuukamano Adean Castor

 

[Naamino Zuukamano]

​

Wonder and awe hardly faded from his demeanor as they walked, Naami practically breaking into a jog from time to time as he excitedly made to keep up with their guide’s climbing while also marveling at the stairs and pathways carved (grown?) into the great tree. He was respectful of personal space and made sure he didn't look too long at people so as not to be considered rude, but he openly stared with excited interest at the wares and their general environment.

Upon reaching their destination, Naami ordered two entrees but insisted he only wanted water. The ravenous boy eagerly sat himself very near a window, clearly enamored with the canopy and all its goings on. He paused at digging in to nod toward Adean Castor .

"Pass the hot sauce, Tav?" He murmured, before curious eyes were suddenly drawn to what Kivah was up to.

He was powerfully interested in whatever she was smoking, but she wasn't offering and of course he wouldn't ask. Besides, he needed to go into this tattoo session with a clear head. But his intrigue remained and he studied her in stolen glances when he wasn't looking out the window or stacking bites of food for himself. The young woman’s question for Micah made him pause though between bites to cast a glance at the kit. He suddenly realized he really hadn't asked his friend much at all about his home life. Not that he'd offered much of his own either.

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Kivah | Naamino Zuukamano | Micah tol Powl

Adean's eyes widened a fraction as their host took to climbing. Surely, that wouldn't be expected of the rest of them? Long legs did well to keep up from the ground, stopping every now and then to ensure Naamino didn't fall too far behind in his awe. The scenery was a marvel to be sure, though it also sparked some level of caution in the Epicanthix. She was by and large more comfortable in city scapes, where it was easy to slip into anonymity.

Perfectly content with the poultry and grain ordered for the table (allergies would see her deftly avoiding any seafood and praying for no cross contamination), she ordered a sugary drink to go with her food.

"Oh yeah, here," she slid the jar across the table, just a hair delayed in responding to the false name. Tavis Ordel had a slightly longer adjustment period than Brassius has. Though perhaps that had something to say towards how dire the circumstances were when she'd taken the name of Zambrano (or the impact that name had had back home).

"What's everyone thinking of getting?" She wandered aloud in between bites, casting a glance at each acolyte in turn.

 

[Micah tol Powl]

"Oh, they have porg nuggets!"

The culinary choice was clear.

"What sauce to get though..."

"So Micah, how come you've never been home?"

"Meow?" the boy mewed, glancing at the question.

Did he have an answer?

Should he have an answer?

Why didn't he have an answer?

"I don't know. It just never came up," he remarked finally, giving a shrug as he added, "My tribe settled on Dedoon. It's the largest moon of Tenoo. Until I got sent to the Academy, Tenoo was the only other place I'd traveled to."

Was that unusual? Should he be better traveled? He read about lots of worlds, obviously...

"Have... have you all been to many different worlds?" he asked, peering around the group shyly. Had he just exposed a vulnerability? A flaw in his upbringing?

Adean Castor Kivah Naamino Zuukamano​

 

[Kivah]

When did? Oh, she saw them on the menu. Cathar really was opening up to the galactic trade. She hadn't ever noticed porg or imported food in the City Tree before. At least meats. Sometimes rather unique things made it but usually they were technology and luxuries.

Kivah grimaced and scratched the hair behind one of her ears before she remembered that was the hand holding her smoke and took another breath. "Didn't know anyone lived on Dedoon." Or even that it had existed before now. It left her wondering if those behind the Hope had known of it or not. That mega project had touched the lives of seemingly every Cathar on the planet. She remembered learning about it in school, and later after graduating, school children running charity drives, raffles, and endless rounds of recruitment, both for builders and crew.

Takes another pull before pinching out the cherry, holds the smoke in her lungs before blowing it out the window so the skunk doesn't stink up the place worse than she already has. "I've been around. Coruscant first, and then all over the Corporate Sector. Some other places. Did a little work for the Order before joining the academy, so I've been a few places with all the fighting going on." Really not the best of times. Some of those conflicts had turned cities into hellscapes of shelling, orbital bombardment, and poison gas. Blackwing still poked its ugly head into her dreams from time to time.

She let Tavis guide the conversation onto the tattoos, curious herself if everyone was still sure of their choices. "I'll be seeing Enkas to work on a partial sleeve for myself. Hopefully a nice blend of traditional Cathar with some old Order stuff we've been working on together. Should fit nicely around the circuitry I've already got there." She turned her left arm over so the table could see the silvery lines of the techno tattoo embedded there before reaching out to take spoon ceviche onto a plate for herself as the platters of food arrived.

Micah tol Powl | Naamino Zuukamano | Adean Castor

 

[Naamino Zuukamano]

Tags: Micah tol Powl Kivah Adean Castor

​

Naami continued to wolf down food, not in an unseemly manner per se, but in a way that only rapidly growing youth could manage without an immediate impending stomach ache. His progress slowed a little as conversation opened up more. Considering the answers of his companions and rather sullenly pushing away a wave of anger at thought of his own home world. He schooled himself, not wanting to sour the mood and certainly not intending to discourage others from sharing.

"Was born on Iridonia, grew up in a colony on Wistril- only really traveled to Korriban and now, here."

He cast his eyes away from making contact with anyone directly, hoping that perhaps his curt tone might be taken as a desire to dive back into his meal. But he continued nevertheless.

"I'll be getting a start on my cultural tattoos, most Zabrak my age have already gotten some but I was waiting to prove myself some."

He started back in on his quickly dwindling first plate of food, trusting that the others would consider that enough information for now.

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Naamino Zuukamano | Kivah | Micah tol Powl

Her brow furrowed a fraction at the Zabrak's tone. There was a story there, one he didn't seem keen on sharing.

Adean pursed her lips as she considered what information would be safe to share. "I've traveled a bit," Tavis offered with a shrug. "Panatha, Korriban, here... Nothing too special." The list went longer than that in her many bouts of borrowed names. She made a point to especially avoid mentioning Jutrand, lest it become apparent how much she didn't belong on Korriban. "There's no shame in having not traveled off world before the academy. Just think of how many never leave their homeworld. Besides, if all goes well, we're all about to become very well-traveled." Who knew where the academy would send them, let alone life in the Sith Order post-academy.

"I've been playing around with a couple ideas. Something abstract, I think. Or maybe some words." The idea of getting her name - her real name - somewhere had crossed her mind, never quite leaving the moment the thought wormed its way into her head. It seemed fitting in the event that she never stopped this roulette of identity theft as something to remember the real her by. But with that thought came its own risks. With it also came a question - did the real name even matter anymore?

 

[Micah tol Powl]

Well, that was a relief.

Kivah having been around the galaxy just made sense, honestly. But he'd been worried up until Naamino Zuukamano and Adean Castor spoke and seemed to each mirror an experience like his own.

"Wait, Coruscant? Really?" the cat remarked. He wasn't sure if it was surprise or amazement or respect.

Coruscant had been the Sith capital for years. Decades. But, it had fallen into the hands of the Jedi's sanctimonious puppets for what felt like an eternity, though it seemed that the Alliance may be faltering. Having moved its capital for Fondor.

From there, the discussion seemed to be among the three regarding what tattoos that they were getting. And while it seemed as though the kit was the lone member not getting any ink done... he was okay with being different in this instance.

 

[Kivah]

Kivah shrugged. "Didn't really care for it. Only went because it was easy to find ships going that way, and it seemed like the place to go when I first set out." Eating a little more, she chewed thoughtfully before continuing. "Had quite the bit of culture shock coming straight from here. No trees, duracreete floors walls and even sky if you can't afford the upper levels. Which I couldn't. Chica's right though," Two fingers pointed at Adean, "Soon enough we're going to be going so many places you'll have to keep a log book just to keep it all straight."

The others looked done eating, or well enough into second helpings they might as well have been, so she stood to languidly stretch out her muscles before going to pay. "Come on guys," she called once ready to go. "Still a ways to climb. You can finish figuring out the details of what you want on the way." Hers would take a few hours at least, and while they had time for a few sittings, Kivah was eager to get started.

Micah tol Powl | Naamino Zuukamano | Adean Castor

 

[Naamino Zuukamano]

Tags: Micah tol Powl Kivah Adean Castor

​

"Sounds brutal 'nd 'm not even a big nature guy," Naami remarked through a bite of food in regards to the description of Coruscant offered by Kivah.

Seeing signs that they were readying to be on the move, Naami nabbed a to-go leaf wrap to bundle up his last bites so he could snack while walking. Somewhat sheepishly the boy bobbed his head in an awkward little acknowledgment of thanks at Kivah paying for the meal. He'd made sure to have enough credits on hand for his tattoo of course but funds, ever tight for the boy, hadn't exactly been accounted for in regards to double helpings at meals. The zabrak kept up with their guide for the most part, carefully to watch where he was going when the path narrowed and continued to look with muted awe at their surroundings. Though he did assure them all at the mention of figuring out final tattoo details.

"I've been preparing for this a long time, so I know what I'm getting. Most zabrak start this process when their horns come in but-" his words cut off abruptly but he managed to continue, "Well, I waited. Anyway, mine'll take the longest of all of ours so I can go last."

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Naamino Zuukamano | Kivah | Micah tol Powl

Adean nodded in acknowledgment of Kivah 's attempt to corral the small group, sliding from the table and standing aside so their guide could lead the way. Her drink was left half finished, the Epicanthix having made a conscious effort not to take a drink after each moment she spoke. It was a nervous tick she was trying to break herself from. Before they fully departed, she left some credits on the table for whoever came to clear it.

The constant fearing for her life aside, there were benefits to her Jutrand alias, Brassius Zambrano. The subsequent sponsorship from the Butcher King had left her with an inkling of security she'd otherwise never experienced. That wasn't to say she was loaded, but rather as most of her needs were provided for while she was at the academies, she had some spending money.

The continuous climb, made longer by being confined to stairs rather than scaling the trees themselves, left a slight burn in her calves. It was what she got for avoiding the more physical exercises whenever she could, preferring to slip off to the side and observe her fellow acolytes. Nevertheless, she kept pace with the group. "Hopefully they'll have multiple artists," she said in response to the Zabrack. "Mine might take a bit longer, too, especially since it's not a set design."

 

[Micah tol Powl]

The description of Coruscant sounded...

...well, terrifying to be honest. Duracrete everywhere? Not able to see the sky? He'd stick with Tenoo or Korriban. Was Jutrand the same, then? Just a sprawling labyrinth of duracrete?

The arrival at the tattoo parlor supplied a distraction from the discussion. "I still don't think I get the fascination with pigmentation injected into the dermis," the cat remarked, looking around the tattoo parlor.

Naami was honoring his culture. But the others? What was the purpose? What was achieved by this?

 

[Kivah]

Kivah dropped back down to the others for the last bit of the journey to the teardrop shaped structure woven to hang from one branch so that it was accessible by a plank and rope bridge suspended from a branch pathway out to the balcony ringing the building as it gently swayed like a hung ornament. "Already talked to Enkas, he's there with both his apprentices." She tried to assure Adean.

Inside, they were greeted by a gray-maned Denik who spoke Cathar to them as two others moved in and out of side rooms, preparing for them no doubt. Kivah returned the bow at the end of his greeting before turning to the others. "This is Enkas, he gave me my markings when I entered adulthood, as he did my Father and Mother before me. His needle has inscribed legends and marked the marriages and births of Chieftains." The man bowed again at the end of Kivah's introduction and led them back into a central room with sitting pillows surrounding a central brazier filled with glowing coals.

Incense drifted through the room, not enough to choke, but noticeable as shallow drinking cups were passed around by one of the apprentices. Raising one, Kivah intoned, "Loyalty, propriety, valor, righteousness. Contemplate your soul and cleanse your mind before hardening your resolve, and then drink the oath that is yours." Raising her cup, she downed her portion of the clear and flavorless wine distilled from a fermented grain and sap mix. The drink had been part of rituals and traditions reaching back further than the Mandalorian wars. Now Kivah was sharing an abbreviated ceremony with her compatriots, both out of respect to her people's traditions surrounding their culture of tattooing, and to bring them into the moment.

Lowering herself to one of the cushions, she lay back with her arm out to Enkas as he started laying out his tools and mixing the inks he'd use for her. "When you're ready, the apprentices are willing to adhere to your visions." She stopped as the master began to mark out the dimensions and center point of her own before realizing. "Oh yes, and we have time, no rush." The apprentices, who to her understanding had close to two decades of experience each and were older than her, had a pretty good handle on Basic. They'd listen to the others and offer them a spot in one of the surrounding rooms if they weren't comfortable staying around the brazier.

After a few minutes of quiet conversation in Cathar while the Master prepared his tools and her arm, Enkas took up his long bamboo needle and, with one hand near to guide and the other on the haft, began the long process of manually embedding the fresh ink under her skin, one rapid prod at a time.

Micah tol Powl | Naamino Zuukamano | Adean Castor

 

[Naamino Zuukamano]

Tags: Micah tol Powl Kivah
Adean Castor

​

It was with great respect and awe that Naamino took his place in the ritual at hand. Though not outwardly religious, the teen was in fact very superstitious and was still on the sometimes arduous journey of developing his spirituality. So to be brought here to this place and included by Kivah in something that clearly held great significance to her was something he deeply appreciated. Naami bowed his horned head to Enkas and his students, embodying the awe and gratitude he felt at beginning the sacred practice of marking his skin with the help of these great artists.

He partook in the ceremonial drink, then sought out the apprentice he felt most drawn to. Given that it was his first time being tattooed, the boy sought out a bit more reassurance- disguised as him clarifying in hushed tones some of the notes he'd sent ahead. But eventually he settled down near but not too near the brazier, preferring a sense of companionship rather than seeking out privacy.

He remained keenly aware of where Micah was. Whether it was his nerves, the emotional build up from finally feeling as if he'd earned his first markings, or a mix of the two, Naami silently found solace in the fact that the kit was nearby. The genius little cathar seemed to be somewhat perplexed by the whole situation, but had always been deeply respectful of Naami's deep cultural pride. For his part, the kit settled in to study and probably came up with more genius innovations between school work.

Resilience to pain was not only an inherent trait of the zabrak species, but a point of pride for many. Naami was no different from his kin in that matter and as the apprentice began their work, the teen focused on his breathing. At first it was the expected but unfamiliar prickling sensation, painful yes but nothing he couldn't handle with calm outward indifference. Some places hurt worse and others less, like the base of his horns which were definitely one of the more sensitive areas he was getting worked on.

Though he'd heard countless stories of what it was like to receive one's first markings, nothing compared to actually experiencing it himself. He realized that some of those tales had been overblown or exaggerated while others may have been understated. Over the course of the many hours he sat for the tattooist, his body and mind underwent many reactions to the relentless tap of needle and ink. As time wore on, Naami found his pulses quickening, felt his whole body seem to tingle while parts of him felt numb. His palms sweat and he consciously had to stop himself from flexing his muscles or flinching away from some of the line work as the hours ticked by.

Every time he thought he might not be able to bear it anymore, something happened to buy him a moment of reprieve. The artist paused to take a stretch break, or encouraged Naami to drink water. The best distractions though were when Micah's inquisitive amber eyes peered at him or he made conversation, and in those moments Naami felt that he could be invincible against the pain for any length of time.

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Naamino Zuukamano | Kivah | Micah tol Powl

Religion was something Adean had long given up on. Or, perhaps more accurately, something she never held significance in. She wasn't much of a practitioner as a child, her parents were a holidays-only sort of folk when they were around and her aunt and uncle were even less so. Arrival at the Sith academies had been a plunge into Sith doctrine, surrounded by both true believers and clout chasers and having to find a balance to hide herself in. What she did understand, however, was respect. "We are honored you and your apprentices would have us," she spoke slowly, uncertain how much basic they understood or if speaking during this introduction was even appropriate.

Her eyes stung a fraction as they entered the central room. After a moment of adjustment, she was hesitant to accept the drinking vessel, even more so to partake despite Kivah's description. It was too late to back out, though. Not without insult, something she'd very much like to avoid. Taking a moment to steel herself, watching her companions partake in the ceremonial drink, she downed the beverage in one gulp.

The unclaimed apprentice was pleasant enough, catching on to the Epicanthix's nerves perhaps more so than Adean was willing to recognize herself. After going over the design and what ideas the apprentice brought to the metaphorical table, she was confident enough to go forward with the tattoo.

As tempting as a private room was, coming here as a group was as much a social ploy as it was for moral support. What would the other acolytes think if she was the only one top opt for privacy? Probably nothing but she could never be too careful. And so, she settled into the central cushions, tying the sleeve of her robe to the side.

The sensation of being tattooed was hardly pleasant. She hardly had the pain tolerance the Zabrak were known for. With each tap of the needle, she became more and more aware of the heat generated by the wound, further propagated by the fur of her tattoo artist brushing up against her as they worked. She found herself keeping the water they'd given her on her chest for heat control more than to drink. Force of will kept her in place, teeth gritting and arm spasming whenever they worked around the elbow or the bony portion of her wrist.