Wow, it has been an age or five thousand. I'm putting this story up here basically as I go. If you read it, go ahead and read it, but please be aware that it's in progress mode. 'Kay thanks.
Darkness without light is as abyss. Light without darkness is blinding.
The entrance arch held the words of the Unity of the Force, marble stone, a rather humble effect in comparison to the rest of the enormous building. On each end of the entire building, a portion of the stone was stained differently than the other, darker or lighter, marking where the padawans and acolytes would reside, respectively. The rest was a grey, smooth stone, elaborate and of tremendous size, extending into the forest it was situated in.
Those words were carved over the entrance of the Force Academy, and Necia Strast looked up at them, her head held proudly. She had come this far, and was, as far as she knew, one of the strongest in the force at her stage, at the very least. Strast was everything a human stereotype of the Sith faction would be: pale, with black hair, slim, and as proud, haughty and intimidating as nobility itself. Her green eyes held the passionate determination of all the Force users who chose to channel the darker side, taking in the grand appearance of her new abode, before entering the building.
Inane conversation went over her head, she was too busy observing everything she could about the Academy, from the simple bricks to the elegantly draped curtains that adorned the entrance hall, decorated with the mixed sigil of the Unity.
I could certainly become passionate for this place.
Passion. The key to a Sith's power, besides their innate strength within the Force. Strast was strong enough already to be able to sense the entirety of the building's inhabitants, to some extent, the presences in her mind visualised as little moving smudges, like flames.
As she was admiring a smaller, red curtain, a bell tolled, signaling the time to move on for the welcoming ceremony. Time to go.
Glancing down at herself, brushing imaginary dust from her jacket, she moved on, adjusting the bracelet that held her identification as a user of the Force. Still a blank silver pendant held in the clasp, it marked Necia Strast as one yet to officially choose her side, a fact soon to change. Strast kept walking, occasionally gaining unsure glances from a couple of other students, maintaining her proud appearance, walking ahead of the stragglers, through a long corridor, to a space among the other standing students in the main hall.
The hall itself was larger than the entrance one, and a more accurate representation of the grandeur demonstrated by the exterior. She heard a few gasps of amazement at the sight, looking at it herself, the floor tiled, every one in nine tiles stamped with the sign of Unity between the Force, the ceiling high, to make room for two large statues, one dark granite, one light porcelain, portraying the two ambiguous powers of the Force, the Jedi Knight, and the Sith Lord, an enormous flag hanging between them, with the largest and most intricate of the Unity signs in the whole Academy. The twelve Masters were beside their statues, the Jedi consisting of three human, two Togruta, and a Twi'lek, the Sith two human, three Zabraki, and a Zeltron woman on the end. The two people situated in the centre of this assemblage seemed stronger in the Force than the others, at least to Strast. The Jedi, a female human, raised her hand in a controlled fashion, indicating for the room to be silent, the excited chattering soon dying down.
Children, some of these people. I bet they drop out. Strast thought to herself, with noted disdain.
"Future Padawans and Acolytes" The woman smiled pleasantly, her blonde hair elaborately arranged into two plaits that sat on her shoulders neatly. "I am honoured to welcome you here today, to see how many of you will join myself among the Jedi, and my friends, among the Sith. Yes, we are all friends here, and it will remain that way. The Force is strongest together, and we have no desire within any of us, even the most passionate, to start another war, or cause any unnecessary losses for anyone." A smile graces her lips, just a hint of it being teasing, at her comment, doubtlessly aimed at her darker counterparts. "In the kindest way possible, if anyone is found to be prejudicial in a manner, or taking any action against the unity, we will treat it with the utmost severity"
The Jedi's blue eyes turned to steely calm, in a warning manner, casting glances over the eager younger people before her, their expressions respectfully sobering. "I am Master Hadya, the elected leader of the Jedi here. My friends here," She gestures to the Jedi on her right. "are Master Sestuna, Master Hudwaya" The two females indicated both nod to the audience, the former a human, with pale blonde hair, and eyes, friendly, in slight contrast to the Twi'lek female next to her, who looked at them all with utter composure.
"Master Glaisne, Master Leopaul, and Master Reizo"
The first male, Glaisne, looked approachable, sporting simple robes, and ash-blonde hair, smiling, muttering to the Togruta, Leopaul, next to him, who was younger, seeming fresher off the boat than the rest. Master Reizo, was more groomed, Strast observed, his hair a darker shade of brown, meeting the her gaze for a moment, before moving on, to look at the others present.
Master Hadya stepped back to allow the dark-skinned, human, Sith Lord next to her step forward, introducing himself, in a slightly tense tone. "I am Master Ushma. My colleagues are Master Tomam, Master Gers," The two other male Sith, both flush-skinned Zabraki, bow their heads slowly, their gaze intense. "Master Celisha, Master Neilina and Master Rangati."
Celisha and Neilina both smirk, upon being introduced, Rangati moving her brilliant pink-purple hair out of her face to get a better look at them all.
Necia Strast smiled to herself, starting to become a little impatient. Let me be marked as one of you. One of the passionate, the victorious.
"Step forward, entrants. The marking will begin" Master Ushma was speaking again, his voice a little more eager. Strast moved through the milling people, closer to the Sith Lords, waiting for her name to be called, taking a proper look around her soon-to-be-classmates. Those who had chosen the dark side, seemed, like their new Masters, dominantly human, and Zabraki, a female of the latter species waiting in line having the most red complexion in the room, and possibly, that Strast had seen in a while. Other species were Zeltron, not many present.
A name caught her attention, and Strast moved her gaze to the other side of the room, watching a short blonde woman, with strong features, get her mark. The Jedi were human and Twi'lek, mostly, with a couple Trandoshan and Zeltron, the latter less so in the Jedi, while a few Togruta, Strast observed, stood eagerly in line.
"Necia Strast, of the Coruscant Underworld"
Strast stepped forward, to face the taller Zabraki Sith Lord, bowing respectfully, speaking softly, masking her emotion. "Master Tomam"
"Lift your arm, acolyte"
Proudly, she lifts her arm before him, the Master laying a hand over her bracelet, not quite touching it, the energy of the Force just detectable as the metal shimmered, and he pulled away. Now, instead of there being bare silver, there was now an imprint, a stamp of the Sith sigil, the inner outline shaded a slight red. Strast bowed again, and stepped back, admiring it, closing her eyes for a bare moment.
From this day on, I am on the journey to become who I truly am.
A few moments passed, the other students gaining their marks, before Master Hadya's voice rang out through the hall once again. "The ceremony is over. Please make your way to your allocated dormitories"
Strast followed her classmates out, glancing at the backs of the Jedi for a moment, before looking forward, and walking, deciding to observe the others in her group, her attention being caught by the Zabraki once again. She seems insecure. More than the others.
The woman was occasionally glancing around, walking with an almost forced confidence, her eyes partly hidden by her dark hair. She glanced up at Strast, smiling slightly, not giving too much away, Strast nodding to her. The Zabraki spoke first, introducing herself.
"Vastrase Noktula"
"Necia Strast" Necia bowed, respectfully, the Vatrase bowing in return, the two beginning to converse.
"You're from the underworld of Coruscant?"
Necia nodded. "I'm used to darker places. It's not as filthy as it's made out to be. At least, not in the section I came from. I take it you're from the Mid Rim"
"The Outer Rim" Vatrase glanced at Necia, almost nervously, before continuing. "I travelled a lot to other planets, with my father, until he realised I was Force-sensitive. My family were proud. I was pleased to move...residence"
Necia nodded again, in understanding. "The Underworld of Coruscant is boring. Although I have a preference for caves, and darker places, thanks to it"
Vatrase smiled, a flicker of relief in her eyes. She needs to learn to mask her emotions better. Her appearance would have been incredibly intimidating, if it wasn't for her obvious timidness. Noktula's horns were smaller than the other Zabraki in the Academy, but they were sharper, her facial tattoos heightening her cheekbones, all in all a entrancing effect.
Strast kept walking with her, the silence in the border between awkward and curious, the two new entrants observing their surroundings, the walls a dark grey, flags of red hanging on them, the entrance to their dorms in sight, Necia taking a look in from the doorway. Everyone seems to just choose.
Necia Strast took a breath, then stepped in, choosing a bed near the corner, watching everyone around her, chattering and excitedly looking around.
Oh, the eager bright faces.
I have to endure this until I am no longer an acolyte in title.
Oh. Dear God.