Flashback to the Nelvaan tattoos
This May Hurt A Bit (A Lot)
"What are you doing?" A puzzled Anakin Skywalker asks Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is proudly holding Anakin's now exposed metal arm in the air for all of the Nelvaanians to see.
"No." Obi-Wan smirks. "It's what your doing!"
Shaman Orvos sticks his cane into the ground and gets up. He turns towards the cave and gestures for the Jedi to follow.
Obi-Wan and Anakin follow, unsure of what is about to happen next.
The sgaman grunts out a request and points his finger at the top half of Anakin's Jedi robes.
"He is asking you to take your shirt off." Obi-Wan translates noncahalntly.
"What!" Anakin protests "In this weather? It is freezing, at least below NEGATIVE one thousand degrees and they want me to be SHIRTLESS in this weather!"
"Just do it." Obi-Wan warns. Out of the corner of his eye can see the already shirtless sole male Nelvaanian baring his teeth and sharpening his knives. If they piss off the Nelvaanians, they will be attacked.
Anakin understands the warning and heaves a big sigh. The Jedi knight shrugs off his Jedi robe and tosses it to the ground, before proceeding to remove his shoulder pads and outer shirts. After working his way through the layers, the young man takes his shirt off, thus exposing his bare flesh to the brutal blizzard of snow.
Out of the corner, a pack of young Nelvaanian women, Anakin's age, examine the sight with glee, practically salivating at the sight of Anakin's bare chest, the beautiful collar bones, well defined pecs, really nice abs, broad shoulders and bulging biceps. The Nelvaanian women have seen plenty of topless men before but this time it is different because Anakin is not of their species and he is even more arousing to look at.
"Let me guess." Anakin's muscles tighten as he shivers in the cold. "I am getting the Nelvaanian markings on my body."
"Yep." Obi-Wan nods.
Orvos emerges with a bowl of fresh leeches, their sharp teeth protruding menacingly.
"Anakin's Adam's Apple gulps in anxiety as he realizes what is about to happen.
"He says this may hurt a bit." Obi-Wan translates. It will probably hurt a lot, he thinks silently.
Orvos tosses the leeches, who attach themselves to Anakin's chiseled back, chest and right eye.
Standing shirtless in a freezing blizzard and now having leeches crawl over his bare body, it takes Anakin all of his willpower not to scream in pain. He takes a deep breath and calls upon the Force for help.
Yum. A non Nelvaanian specimen. The female leeches realize as they sink their sharp teeth into Anakin's flesh. They bite, cut and taste through him.
The biting and cutting hurt like hell and Anakin cannot help but ask "Is this really necessary?" For starters! He is not even Nelvaanian! Why does he have to undergo their painful ritual?
"It is part of their ritual." Obi-Wan explains. "You must be respectful." Though Obi-Wan sympathizes with Anakins discomfort. But it is necessary. Anakin cannot speak Nelvaanian and so when he runs into the missing Nelvaanian warriors, he is gonna have to gain their trust somehow. The best way how is for Anakin to look like a Nelvaanian himself, shirtless and covered in Nelvaanian markings.
Orvos gives the instructions.
"You must follow the wind for it is the mother's cry. Travel her tears. They are frozen with fear. Enter the mother's mouth to awake her in the flame."
Anakin focuses on the directions to take his mind off of the leeches ripping through his body and the beating snowy wind ravaging his flesh. The leeches slash his body like knives and he can feel the blood dripping across his torso, back and biceps. Even getting the scar from Ventress couldn't have been this painful?
His tight abs tighten even further as one leech rips through his six pack but stops near his navel. The other leeches draw on the right side of his back and bicep, thus leaving his left arm and back completely unscathed, free of blue and blood. Two leeches focus on his pecs, one drawing square patterns on his left pec, the other passing through his right nipple. All of this is far more painful than having his arm cut off by Count Dooku.
But having the leeches taken off of his body is even more agonizing. Anakin winces as the Nelvaanian women rip the leeches off of his body. It feels like someone is gutting him with a lightsaber. Because of the pain, he doesn't even notice the giggling and blushing Nelvaanian women, who cop a few feels at his six pack, chest and, back and bicep, while they clean his wounds and wipe away some blood.
Orvos gives another command.
"Flex." Obi-Wan instructs.
Anakin flexes his guns, a sight that Padme loves to behold when are in bed, except this time, instead of Padme feeling up his body, the snow and wind are beating him up.
The Nelvaanian girls get wet.
Orvos nods approvingly.
"He says that you look like a true Nelvaanian warrior." Obi-Wan lays his hand on Anakin's broad shoulder.
"Thanks." Anakin replies half sarcastically, as he checks out the mirror. The only thing unfamiliar about his body are the blue Nelvaanian patterns and markings and the blood.
Looking good as always. Working out during every space trip really pays off. Everything looks better, because he has bulked up so much during the Clone Wars, even in the last five months. Padme is going to love it. Course, he can't see her until he finishes up this Nelvaanian quest.