Like Putting on an old Suit

[Nora Thawne]

The shuttle from Tatooine had finally reached the homeworld of Exocron. The amount of passengers was not as much as orginally thought, but far more than expected. With her own seat to herself Nora had kept her head down and her hands gripped tightly on her bag when word had finally spread over the intercome of arrival.

She'd not been back to this planet in years, even this section of the galaxy in fact. All of it felt like taking an unwanted trip down memory lane. And to think only three years ago she'd done everything possible to get away from it all. Away from the ideals of the Moross Crusade and all those who followed it. Now things had changed. Now she was alone.

Once the shuttle had landed everyone was furried out, Nora herself being among those in coach and needing to be let out via a ramp in the back. Throwing her back over her shoulder and pulling the hood of her jacket over her head she began to heard her way out among the other passangers. A majority of them were pilrgrims and initiates coming to this planet for the first time. For Nora, however, stepping out and seeing everything was almost like walking into a past life.

She remembered so much about the city on Exocron, mainly how it was much bigger to her when she was younger. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she scanned the area, taking a moment to recolect on what she likey missed out on during her long time away.

After enough time thinking of how the way things would've been had she never left, a part of her hating herself for thinking in such a way, Nora finally built enough mental strength to tell her legs to start moving. And she knew just where to go: the Temple. She knew she would need to go through all the offical details of the Crusade's followers before being allowed to meet with anyone in charge but she'd hoped the name of Thawne, her birthname, would help get past all the minor details.

Her family had been a small but reputalble one in the Moross Crusade. Being loyal followers and fighters for the gods from the beginning. That was partly why she'd left in the first place, to get away from the so-called destined path her family wanted for her. But now she had been pulled back into it all like a moth to the flame.

Finally reaching the Temple doors Nora reluctanlty stepped in.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

"Greetings new pilgrims!" a thunderous voice sounded from the center of the entrance foyer, emitted from a tall, dark man wearing the white and gold robes of a Reviver, "Gather round, gather round. Can everyone hear me? Good. Welcome, my friends, to the Temple of the Gods, your hall of initiation into the Crusade. I am Priest Larue of Aesir Inari and I will be leading your induction today. If you would please form lines, the attending acolytes will take your names and belongings to transport them to your new living quarters..."

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

Standing among the others Nora looked up when the man had announced them as pilgrims and welcomed them to the Temple of the Gods. She only sighed, feelint like an old wound had opened up, as he went on to say how he was a priest. She'd figured as much, given his voice and robes and the way he'd presented himself.

When everyone stood in line she was one of the last to do so, feeling as if this was all one big waste of time as she just wanted to get on with it. She was at the very end of hers and watched as the acolytes began to take names while others gathered thier belongings. When they came to Nora herself, however, things didn't play the same way.

She held her bag close and said "Thanks, but I'll be keeping it if you don't mind. Sure the gods won't mind me keeping my stuff close to me."

With an annoyed huff the acolyte asked "Your name?"

Reluctanlty she gave a small "Nora Thawne..." the acolyte asking again given how low she was. With a deep sigh she gave a louder "Nora Thawne of House Thawne."

A collective look of suprise came from the acolyte, the name obviously meaning something to him and the other present who'd been collecting the belongings. Not sure what would come from it Nora only pulled her hood down over her head a little more while waiting to see the conequences of her actions.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

Larue oversaw the gathering with a bright, attentive gaze. He, too, had once taken these very same steps with his own family. Driven from Coruscant by his disappointment in the chaos allowed to reign by the then implanted Republic, he'd taken the personal invitation from Aesir Inari to join the Crusade with great haste.

Now his family was happy, healthy, and most importantly of all safe. There were no regrets to be had on his decision to leave his previous home.

"Priest Larue," an Acolyte approached and spoke to him briefly.

"Thawne? Ah, an older Morossian name. Send her over, quickly now."

The Acolyte returned to retrieve [member="Nora Thawne"].

"Hello, Nora," Larue began, his voice deep and low, a faint but warm smile on his face, "welcome home, my dear. It is wonderful to have you back with us once more."

 

[Nora Thawne]

During the whole moment of waiting Nora kept glancing up and seeing as the acolyte slipped himself awau for a moment. By the time she'd seen where he went, peeking up from her lowered head and the hood veering her vision somewhat, she'd seen he was speaking with the preist. She swallowed what was in her throat before the acolyte appoched her again.

"Follow me." he said, in a hastened voice.

As he walked she slowly followed, the other intitiaes all being lead away to their own quaters. Nora glanced back as she followed the acolyte in wondering what would happen to herself and them now that they were inducted into the Moross Crusade. She turned only to be met by the sight of Laure looking down at her.

Pikcing her head up so her eyes could be seen from her hood she said "I'm only here because it's what my family wants. My parents are gone and even in death they've managed to talk me back. So don't think this is me fully accepting the Crusade or anything like that."

Her attitude had been a little more soured over the years. It wasn't help by that fact that she'd been brought back thanks to the deaths of her family, including her parents, and that the letter they'd sent her had only helped to smooth over some of the wounds still lingering on her mind. And given where she'd been during the three years in hiding it wasn't anymore help for her.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

Larue looked on with mild concern writ into his expression, giving a nod to the young woman, "Yes, lost in the battle against the Horde. I remember. We lost many against the Vong scourge, but it is because of their selfless and valiant efforts that we were able to dismantle their empire. Your family dines in the The Great Hall now, their names are honored."

He paused for a moment to contemplate something, gaze cast over the numbers of people slowly filtering out of the hall, "Would you like to visit their gravestones?"

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

Even as the preist spoke of them Nora still had an angst feeling towards the mention of her parent's deatn against the Vong horde. She remembered the stories told to her about the Vong and how they used to be creatures from her own nightmares, only to be beings she grew to hate. The fact that her parents fell to them made her wince with contempt for the scourge race.

However he mood changed when Larue offered to take her to her parent's gravestones. She perked up with an almost hurt look in her eyes. She'd almsot forgotten that she wasn't there to see them off into the afterlife. Nora hadn't been there to say goodbye.

After a breif moment of silenceand contemplation she almost begged "Please..."

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

Ever compassionate, the Priest nodded quietly, "Then follow me."

He lead her through the Temple and into a lift that took them down, down, down into the crypts. Crypt perhaps was not the most eloquent word for their destination, but it did the job. The Thawne family was one that fell under high honor and high regards for their lasting servitude and unflinching loyalty to the Crusade. It was here, with the rest of their Crusade brethren that their final resting places could be found. The catacombs consisted of a great, wide, expansive underground chamber lined by massive pillars for as far as the eye could see. Stone crypts and tombs sat in long rows, decorated with medals of prestige and gifts from descendants of the deceased.

They walked for some time through the rows before finally coming to a carved tomb baring twin slabs at its base, the name of Thawne carved across the top.

"I will leave you to your thoughts," Larue said before stepping off down along the rows to say a silent prayer for a friend, or perhaps family of his own.

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

During the entire trip down to the crypts Nora was both anxious and regretful. She felt so bad for having been gone when all of this had happened, even worse in knowing that it took the deaths of her parents to bring her back into Moross territory. She felt so bad and yet a part of her wanted to blame them for not doing what she'd done and left as soon as they could. That just made her feel worse.

Upon arriving at the markers Nora began to breath a little hearder, a choking sensation building in her throat. After Laure left her alone she nodded to him before walking in front of the slabs. There they were. Together forever in the great afterlife they'd always preached to Nora. Falling to her knees and pulling her hood off her head Nora looked over both sites and tried her best to hold back tears.

Her pure white hair seemed to add to the dreary tone set as Nora held her head in her hands, thinking about all the good times and bad times she'd spent with her mother and father. So many of both that it felt like a tsumai of emotions hitting her. The one scene that played contantly was the night she ran away, not leaving any word to her parents of her future or destination.

All of these emotions began to cumulate as the small rocks around Nora in the ground began to rise. She didn't notice, her eyes still closed as tears were breaking from them, but they held in the air around her. Even some of the markers nearby wavered from her sudden emotional burst. The Force was reacting.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

"Namasté, Nora," a soft, ethereal female voice sounds from no direction in particular, "I am very sorry for your loss."

Looking around her, Nora would find no one nearby other than Larue, several rows down.

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

The sudden voice had broken Nora from her mourning, which had also caused all the stones to drop suddenly. She'd looked around, drying her eyes as she did. At first the sound of stones falling she thought came from whoever had spoken. She stood, still looking, but didn't see anyone. She knew it wasn't Larue, his voice far too deep to be anything close to a woman's. Then who?

Trying to shrugg this off as just her nerves getting to her Nora walked back to Larue, not bothering to cover her white hair at this point. It was something of a unique thing for her as only her grandmother had pure white hair as she did throughout her life. Some thought it was a side effect from the Force being in thier blood, while others thought it was just a genetic defect of some kind. Either way it had made Nora stand out for so long that there were points where she used to hide it. Not anymore.

When she returned to Lareu Nora said "I'm ready. But what about my home? My actual home? Will I be able to go back?"

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

"This I cannot say," Larue replied, "it's been some time since their passing and many things have come to pass and change. I will look into it for you. In the meantime, why don't you attend the mass at the Hall of the Reviver," the man gave a warm smile and reached to squeeze the girl's shoulder gently, "Aesir Inari's presence is most comforting in such troubled times."

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

His comforting words had helped with Nora's greviences a little. Looking up to meet Larue's eyes at the mention of Aesir Inari she only nodded before finally joining him on the lift. On the ride back up, however, Nora began to contemplate the name of Inari. She'd knew it was the name of one of the apparent gods the Moross Crusade worshiped and fought for but Nora herself had never actually seen her. In fact she wondered how many actually saw or even spoke with these gods that they followed.

That did make her question again, who that female voice was that spoke with her.

Upon reaching the surface Nora gave a gratified bow to Larue before walking off twoards the Hall of the Revier, another old place she remembered when she was younger. When she eventually approched it she needed a minute to let the new outlook or it all sink in for her. Nora still felt like a child visiting a place that wasn't as big as it seemed to her eyes. Last time she was here she was in less than enthusiastic of a mood to continue praising the gods whom she began to distrust her faith in.

Silenty she made her way in, seeing whoever else was present in the temple. After that she found a spot, silent and out of the way, to be with her thoughts as the mass progressed.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

The Hall of the Reviver was warm with pale sunshine and quiet, praying bodies. Rows of ornate wooden pews lined the length of the hall while banners of Moross baring the colors of Inari in white and gold flew from the arched ceiling rafters. Stained glass windows drew from floor to vaulted arcs, spilling a riot of colors across the pilgrims within.

A sense of deep calm filled the temple here, noticeable upon breaching the chamber entrance. The sensation was powerful and radiated from the alter at the front. However, instead of an empty dais covered with offerings from the people like what Nora might have remembered from her youth, there sat Inari herself, in the flesh.

Composed in lotus the Aesir peacefully meditated, robes of white and gold glimmering faintly in the sunlight. An embroidered cape of while silk covered her shoulders, cowl pulled over her head, ornate silver half-mask partially hiding her face. There was a metaphysical warmth to her presence, all-encompassing to those near her, that soothed and comforted the mind, body, and soul. Still as a statue, the only movement was that of Worshippers slowly taking their turn to approach the alter. Some dropped to kneel to pray, others lay down offerings, some took up a silver goblet to fill it from the spring of water surrounding the base to take a drink.

Before long, a Priest paused at the row where [member="Nora Thawne"] sat, "You may approach the alter now if you wish."

 

[Nora Thawne]

Upon realizing it wasn't a statue Nora was a little shocked to see the woman whom everyone was praying to. She'd been so still one could easily have mistaken her as such, yet the obvious flowing robes and the fact that everyone was worshiping towards her had become a grand indicator how wrong Nora was. This did make her question if she truly was a god as they belived, or just some glorified profit of sorts.

Given that she was back in the further corner of one pew, only three others in the rwo with her, Nora was a little suprised to hear the priest offer to let her go next. She'd thought she would've been out of sight enough not to be noticed, given her reluctant nature to actually become involved with any worshiping for now. She'd mainly come to refelct on her thoughts.

But being she didn't want to seem rude or the like she silently nodded before making her way out of the pew and down towards the alter where Inari sat. She felt like she was walking up to meet a wild animal that may bite her head off at any moment. Nora kept her eyes down, glancing them up now and then to see what the other worshipers were doing. During her time waiting she tried to figure what to do.

By the time Nora had arrived the most she figured to do was kneel down and pray, or at least seem as such. Whatever it would do to get her out of such an awkward and compromising situation. The whole time she tried avoid looking into Inari's eyes for fear she might see into her thoughts.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

Nora would have no trouble avoiding the Aesir's gaze, as the Aesir had her eyes closed in meditation. However, this did not negate the fact that it did seem as though the Reviver was, indeed, watching and aware.

Loss is a difficult thing to endure, Nora Thawne, there again was that gentle voice echoing faintly around her, though if Nora were to look up she would note that no other seemed to hear it, but you can take comfort in knowing you are not the only one to endure. Welcome to my hall, dear Nora.

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

The suprise of hearing the voice again made Nora shoot her head up and look around, only to find herself drawn to looking to Inari in the end. She'd recongized that voice and began to put two-and-two together. It was Inari who'd spoken to her before, obviously through some telepactic means. Given no one else was reacting to hear the voice meant that it was directed for Nora specifically.

Thinking that was the best way to talk Nora kept looking up to Inari as she asked with her thoughts You are Inari, yes? You can see into my thoughts? Even when I was down in the cemeraty. How?

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

Yes, I am...

A simple enough reply, spoken slowly and clearly.

...all things of this realm are within my scope. These are the powers granted me to fulfill my duties as the Reviver. And you, Nora, are also blessed with the ability to do such things. It is how I have come to find you in particular out of all the others that arrive on this day.

The Reviver did finally open her eyes: a shock of crystalline blue behind her silver mask as she gazed down calmly at [member="Nora Thawne"].

 

[Nora Thawne]

The sight of the eyes had suprised Nora. They were dazzling and almost hypnotic. Nora found herself drawn to them as she looked Inari eye-to-eye, those her blue ones paling in comparisson. She'd leaned back a little once Inari was looking to her, more out of shock that she had opened them because she was interested in her.

You....you mean the fact I can use the force? I guess that means you can too.... But why am I so important? I'm sure others around here can do it too.

She'd realized how that had sounded to a potential god-like being, but Nora wanted her answers. There had to be some deeper reason for Inari's sudden interest in her.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

Indeed, there are many that can. Great care is taken to bring to light their capabilities and to help them learn and grow.

Peering down at [member="Nora Thawne"] the Aesir considered the girl in silence, allowing long moments of peace to pass between them and for Nora to reflect on her reply. Perhaps Nora's circumstance were what made her special, or perhaps it was her potential. Either way, she could get no direct answer there, but instead a new query.

Do you wish to learn, Nora?