SithLore

Today was the day! Zorua flew out of bed, figuratively, not literally this time. Immediately the now 17 year old student didn't hit the fluffy carpeted floor of her quarters, as behind the handily modified bed-tee, thin and shimmery translucent wings, a top and bottom set, winked out and set to keeping her zooming about the room faster than her feet could carry her. On the ground, she simply couldn't move fast enough!! Floating over to the sink, the blooming woman hurriedly picked up her toothbrush and cleaned her teeth, swiped at her tongue, and made sure everything in her lower face hole was spectacular. Today was a day not a single bit of last-night should be left in there! Furrowing her face, she made a scrunch-mask in the mirror as she thought about it; no day is a day worthy of leaving nasty stuff in your mouth. Anyways, a grin showed the brilliant whites a flash in the mirror and boom, there was her wash towel and dry towel thrown on the hanger besides the shower. And in the shower she went! She was a blur, scrubbing, combing, soaping and rinsing everything before she rinsed and shook off what she could, then patted dry everything else. Steam didn't even consume the bathroom before the girl was more than halfway out of the bathroom, dressed, and pulling on bell slippers onto her size 7 feet. Her best tunic was used today, picked out a week in advanced, and she paired it with a matching robe bottom of the same rough brown that reminded her of the bark of a huge oak tree that sat just outside of the training buildings courtyard. She had worn the robe bottom so much, ironing and drying the fabric, removing all the lint balls and keeping it nice, she had worn the previously heavy fabric thin! When she ceased her flight, landing on the plush white area rug, the robe flowed around her as if a delicate banner of silk. She would need a new one soon enough, but for now she appreciated the light apparel; made it less hard for her to fly!

Right before she went to press the door's release button, she noticed a thick wring of platinum blond lock stuck wet to her bicep - SHE FORGOT TO DO HER HAIR! A gasp slipped from her lips and Zorua tossed a swift glance to the bedstand. Snatching up the green scrunchie, she plaited a bun in her waist length curtains faster than she had ever done before. The mass of almost ivory hair was rounded up, and accented with the braid, and finally held in place with that scrunchie. Turning to her good luck charm that she knew laid to rest under her pillow where it always had been since he had given it to her, she felt a reassuring swell of happiness in her chest before she hopped over to the door and finally freed herself. Her training staff was locked up in the hangar, she mentally noted, and that was the last thought before she faceplanted into someone's padded abdomen.

Blinking, she took a step back, and the 5'4 teen looked into the questioning face of her current mentor, who despite being blind, saw her much more clearly than anyone else could for these last 4 years. He had mentored her since she was dropped off here at this nice Enclave by the very Verpine she was so excited to go back to, today. And he had been very careful in her upbringing, taking the 13 year old and allowing her to mold herself with his guidance and tutorship. Yuri Jin stared down from his height of 6'4, a lean man who had the grisly appearance of a man who played with Tukata's as a past time, but truly he had a heart of just gold and clouds. His head tilted down, pretty satin band ends knotted behind his ear catching the light of the windows above as he committed to the motion, his face seemed stern. But Zorua could see a tiny itty bit of chuckle tickling the left side of his cinched lips. It danced lightly in his question, as he silently asked her what she was running out of her dorm for when the ceremony wasn't until a hour later. Taking a gentle step back, she held a pair of pale hands daintily to her stomach, indicating her intent. Zorua appreciated him quickly coming to understand her lack of desire to speak out loud in public. She very rarely shared her voice with anyone, as she knew the effect it typically had on individuals was rather unfair. She rather people like her for who she was, rather than be entranced by her Angel genetics. Yuri paused, feeling out whether she was being honest in her gesture or simply using excuses, but that didn't last too long. Zorua was never caught in a lie, as the Arkanian Offshoot never lied. A nod sealed his acceptance, and the Master indicated he would walk with her to the dinnerhalls. A grateful dip in her head, she shuffled silently on his side, trying to keep her pace with him without using her flight to aid her. It was a bit troublesome, but he felt her working so hard to keep stride, and slowed his walk to something reasonable. Zorua was remarkable appreciative of the gentle leader.

Eventually they had made it to the dinner hall, gotten themselves a plate of food, and chosen a nicely secluded spot in the corner by a sunny window. Zorua loved the sun. The light, it helped plants, and she loved plants. Watching things grow, and aiding the Masters and the landscapers in their botany and gardening was one of her favorite relaxing works. Finally sitting down, she immediately looked to see outside the window, and to notice if the daffodils that Knight Tori planted a month ago had sprung, yet.

Something silence couldn't say came from the Master's mouth before he bit into his morning fruit. "Are you sure, Zorua?" His voice pulled her attention from the garden's scenic view, forcing her to answer. She nodded serenely, completely at ease about the subject. It would only be for a day, and she went to pull the mini calendar from her robe's pocket before he raised a tanned hand to dismiss her motion. "That's not needed; I know it is only for one day. But that day is your decision, and it is a hard decision for some to deal with after it is made. Be mindful of the pulls, Zorua." His voice was calm, but his heart beat twice a bit faster than it typically did before he settled it. The Angel hybrid merely nodded, then held her left hand's pinky out to the Master in a symbol everyone knew. She would pinky promise this to him. He put down his apple, and finally a little pinch of smile came free from his sternly pressed lips. Taking his adjacent hand, he wrapped a pinky gently around her own briefly, sealing the mock-but-still-serious deal.
Promise.
Voices began to pick up around them, and they finished their breakfast and left the hall as it began to fill.

That hour had passed before she stood among the Council's chosen for the overseeing of this event. Since being here, her, and about 6 other padawans sought to taste the outside of the Enclave, to go beyond their safety net, and explore without that immediate comfort of their Masters and Guardians. Whether it was to visit family, or retrieve personal supplies, they were to be trialed to see if they were steadfast enough to hold against the Dark Side's possible influences, if they were able to be trusted to be outside and not be a liability to the Coalition as a whole. The overseeing Masters of the padawan would vie for their students, and through their honesty, would be the primary decision for the Council's choice on each padawan.
If they chose to stay out, unless with specific permission of the Council, they couldn't return. If the Council saw you as a possible threat, or your faith was wavered, you would have to be rehabilitated, and that was if you were lucky. Not only would be tarnishing your own image, but your Master would be made to look a fool in a mistaken decision. She didn't want to ruin Yuri's name, but she was calm. She would only be gone for a day. One day. Or well, that was the plan.

2 Padawans had been eliminated from the 7, and she was number 4. The Echani in front of her had passed, being completely steeled against the piece of Dark Side kyber they had brought before her while the prior two had a slight turn of weakness wreck through their system. Poor number 2...she had vomited on herself in the presence of the foul gem. Now as the Togruta Master held the gem nearly to Zorua's heart, Zorua could understand why the previous 2 felt so sickly, It was a cold exterior that seeped from the gem, but the moment it sought to slip into her, whether through her core or her mind, it burned hotter than the sun. Closing her eyes, she ignored the sight, shutting her immediate hearing to the mean whispers that clicked out like bugs scampering across them, and kept her breathing light and even to minimize the smell of rancid and sweet meat that simply had to have perished inside or around or even on this crystal. Her mind quelled as she kept to herself, sweetly singing the Jedi mantra with whole conviction. She felt the barrier strengthen against the nasty tendrils, even going so far as to sting them as they attempted to touch her, searching for cracks in her resolve. There was none.
Then it was gone.

She felt the silence lull a bit longer than she had believed was necessary, but upon opening her eyes, the Arkanian Angel was shocked to see the council room was empty. The lights were off, there was no candles lit tonight, and no one was there. Shock rang through her as she spun in the now cold room, searching for her Master, for the other padawans, anyone. Not even the vomit stain was left on the floor where number 2 had stood - did they clean it up? How long had she stood there for? Looking for the exit to leave, a bare wall stood in it's place, not even courteously illuminated by the usual moonlight that typically greeted these chambers at night. There was no moon tonight.

A series of clicks, hungry clicks wetly clacked through a barely visible piece of the room. And then something walked really crinkly from behind the left central chair.
It clicked and clicked, ragged looking, sharp looking, and not-right. Zorua felt a catch in her throat, and she watched the silhouette edge closer to her in a series of jerky and immortal motions. The silhouette looked atleast a bit familiar. And then after a peer closer revealed exactly who it was.

"It couldv'e been you!" It clacked out nastily from wet mandibles, click click clack! They snapped hard enough to certainly break a finger free from her hand and crunch them up, surely. It loomed closer to her, hunched over and stared wild with crooked multi-faceted bug eyes that glittered unnatural in the inky room. "IT WILL BE YOU!"

Raising her hands to defend the chitinous grip that reached for her, she fearfully yelped, tears springing from her cerulean eyes. But those cold hard hands got her, and she peeked up to a pair of snapping, dripping wet clacker face claws ramming forward to chomp down her skull. Desperation threw through her small hands forward, and shoved-

the Togrutan Guardian backwards and away from her. Light filtered through harshly as she opened her wet eyes to the sight around her, Council staring at her, the Padawans staring at her, all the Masters staring at her. She was in the test- she had gotten held by the Dark Side. It had gotten her, gotten in her, and used her happiest day against her. Her most favorite soul had been twisted into a figment of imagination, into a monster, and the Dark Side had tried to hurt her with it. Her Buggie. She had shoved a Guardian in fear, and now everyone stared at her. Even Yuri.

Her breath quickened, and she began to hyperventilate, gaze going blurry with hot tears now raging down her porcelain face. She turned to Yuri as though he had answers, deep sea gems searching feverently for answers. But he gave her none, despite sympathy creasing his stern features. Or was it disappointment??
Zorua broke from formation and ran from the chamber. Robe skirt flowed tumultuous beneath her as she stumbled swift from the room, until eventually she leapt up, and wings took her through the halls, and away from widely staring eyes.

**Wild Space**
**Void Caverns, H-18**
**Some Time Prior**

Buggie and his companion, Gary Storm, the mustachioed former Antarian Ranger, carefully stepped through the dark caverns, each hoisting a glowrod to see. Buggie had a bit of extra equipment on, and he encouraged his partner to stay within a few meters of him, lest he allow the caverns' unique environment to affect him. The Force nexus, deep within the heart of the caverns, had been tainted and the dark side of the Force surged outward, its dark tendrils seeking to corrupt the wills of any who ventured within. Indeed, Buggie and Storm had already seen the effects the dark side had on the corpses lining the tunnels. Fortunately for Buggie and Storm, the ysalamir that they had strapped within the nutrient container on Buggie's back was protecting them from the worst of it.

Finally, the Force nexus came into sight of Buggie and Storm, and ahead a half-orb protruded from the cavern floor. Seated upon this half-orb stone was a Force relic of unknown origin or design, but it certainly was right where it should be, as the world's ancient traditions had told. Looking to one another, they nodded and continued forward into the wide cavern where the relic was resting. As they carefully stepped forward, Buggie motioned for Storm to fall back a few paces. Buggie double checked to make sure that the ysalamir was secured to his back and once satisfied, reached over the half-orb to grasp the relic...

Immediately, a deep red, translucent cylinder of Force energy flashed and surrounded the half-orb stone. Buggie was swept off of his feet and was launched away, crashing down a few meters onto the uneven stone of the cavern. Buggie was fortunate to twist his body just enough to protect the ysalamir, and he lay stunned on the moist cavern stones as his mind raced to make sense of what had just happened.

His senses were restored by the sound of Storm laughing at him, "The judge from Coruscant would have awarded a six and a half out of ten for that landing."

Groaning Buggie sat up. The continued verbal jabs from Storm began to irritate him.

"It could've been you!" Buggie cried, "If you were the one carting around this huge tank, you'd probably have been knocked out cold on the ground here and I'd be stuck wiping up your drool! Laugh it up all you want, but just be glad you hadn't taken my place."

"You're right, sorry," Storm agreed, offering a hand to help Buggie up. Storm made sure that the ysalamir's nutrient tank was situated correctly on Buggie's back and helped dust off the pirate Jedi. With one final chuckle, Storm prodded, "I just thought a trained Jedi Master would land on his feet and not his backside."

"Next time," Buggie countered furiously, "it will be you!"

The fae youth flittered to the gardens, tears indiscriminate on whether they crashed down her left, or right cheek. Her face was flushed hot as she made her way out of the Temple, down the courtyard, and past the gardens. The breeze attempted to sooth her hot face, but snotty nose and clumsy rubbings from a scratchy material ensured she would never find that breeze comforting. Everything in her burned right now, but the Arkanian aAngel felt cold, within. She was growing ever more hurt at the situation, even going so far as to feel betrayed by such a scandalous test. They were young! How could they even remotely stand up to something as violent as a Dark Side crystal?! Did it not take years for them to master ability against such a hearkening object?!

She couldn't even see where she was flying anymore, and rather than crashing into something and hurting herself further, she simply ceased, and landed with grace, despite her mental lack of at the moment. Collapsing in on herself, she curled within the dense robes, and tried to find some comfort in the aged wear. They were extra robes that Buggie had given her, and she had to tighten them with a robe belt for them to fit her decently. But the slender Verpine wasn't much wider than her-

Just thinking about him in the robes she wore...how disappointed would he be? That she couldn't withstand something so vile as a itty bitty crystal...Would he be mad at her? Would he turn, and not want to see her face, after this? The hybrid bit her lip, desperate to suck in the hard breathe that screamed to come vocally pained from her chest. She would scare people, everyone around her would look at her like some dying animal, and drive themselves to help her. Her voice would be to blame for that...As there was nothing in the world now, that would bring her back to her Buggie. She was going to be doomed to stay here in the Temple, and never leave until her next graduation. She would have to go back through lessons all over again with the same mentor who she would KNOW was not going to want to teach her. Zorua would have to look in Yuri's face every day, and know they were back in this situation now, because she had failed them both.

As if merely thinking him up summoned him personally, the Miralukan silently eased up to his pupil, saying not a single word. He lowered his massive height and sat beside her, not too close, but only close enough to let her know she was not alone. He kept quiet, radiating a calming aura naturally from a well mastered ability he had perfected over the several years in the Coalition. Zorua sniffled and snorted, trying to turn away and muffle them in her robes so that she might not seem like some obtuse child. She was 17! She should have been better at concealing her emotions like this! She should have been so absorbed within the mantra that nothing would have broken her focus. But this was not the case. She was not-

"Do not say it." His directive was a solid stone against the cold river of her rampant dismay. "You are strong. Everyone has their weaknesses, and you must merely build on them. This is not the end of you, Zorua." Yuri never talked more than a few words at a time, and she was now absorbed in hearing his consoling, instead of drowning in her woe. The hybrid found it a bit easier to steady her breathing in his presence, no doubt to his abilities. Or maybe she just trusted him that immensely. But how could he trust her, now? Wasn't he going to be the most disbelieving person of her entire acquaintance? "No." He gave nothing more than that, just offering her silence, and time to breathe and get herself together. Her shame and hurt would come again, but for now, she had exhausted herself, getting in such a rile. Her inhales and exhales got further and further in length. Sooner or later, the Angel had fallen asleep, balled up in her robes, soundly.

"What were you thinking?" Master Buggie asked, the look of disgust on his face evident, even to a Human observer, "Is this really what we've become?"

It took a lot to upset Master Buggie, but Master Seni Bonden had accomplished it in record time. For some time now, Buggie and Storm had been delivering any Force artifacts that they came across in their travels to Master Bonden for safekeeping and-- in the case of the truly harmful creations they recovered-- disposal within his temple. To Buggie and Storm, this was preferable to allowing these items to be left alone to potentially be recovered by darkside Force users or treasure seekers who would, in turn, sell them to private collectors. In the latter case, unspeakable damage could be done by the corruption some of these artifacts were capable of spreading. The advantage of this agreement was that the Jedi Coalition, certainly by way of the Galactic Alliance's generosity, compensated Buggie and Storm for the effort, and it kept Master Buggie on good terms with the Jedi Coalition that he had found himself on an indefinite sabbatical from.

To find out, though, that Master Bonden had the audacity to use those artifacts under the guise of testing apprentices had nearly driven Buggie into a state of madness. It was all Storm could do to talk down the Jedi Guardians from apprehending the insectoid Jedi Master after he had thrown open the doors of the temple headmaster's offices.

"Master Kilsar will hear about this," Buggie promised, "This isn't the Jedi way, Bonden, and you and the Jedi Knights in this temple should know better. You should all be arrested! You've exposed these apprentices to the dark side before they were ready. Who can say how this will affect their training? From what I've heard, an apprentice vomited on themselves, they were so shaken by that artifact you exposed them to."

Buggie gestured to the relic that Storm held tucked under his arm, its effects neutralized by the ysalamir and nutrient container strapped to the former Antarian Ranger's back.

"I was prepared to hand this over to you, but now I'm not sure how you'll choose to terrorize the Padawan learners next," Buggie explained, "I have every right to destroy this in front of you, now that you've shown what you're capable of."

Letting out a disgusted sigh, Buggie gestured to his companion, signaling to Storm that it was time to leave.

"Where are you going?" Bonden asked, the only words he had bothered to blurt since Buggie had burst through his double doors like a tempest.

Buggie glared back over his shoulder as he made no indication that he would stop for the Guardians posted at the door, "I've got an apprentice here that I trusted to you. I was hoping that this might be a happy reunion, but if Master Yuri tells it accurately, now I need to be concerned for her wellbeing."

With that, Buggie and Storm departed, Force relic in tow.

Time had passed since the training debacle, pleating through the days with some melancholic wave as Jedi and their pupils returned to their studies or began a treacherous step forward in their trainings. Buggie would have even been able to reunite with his most beloved Padawan, should he have arrived that very night that such tragic toll had been taken on the youths. However, Buggie was too late, as Yuri had secreted her aboard a transport vessel for additional supplies, and sent her into the galaxy for her to find the Verpine he knew her heart was set on. From every waking moment, that little Arkanian Angel had tried her hardest to excel in her studies, from the moment he had been placed as her Knight Mentor, she had done nothing but dream of the day she could reunite with her Verpine friend. Everything she had done was for Buggie, and from the days she had first arrived and been placed under Yuri's tutelage, to the clyle she had finally trusted herself to reveal that last living relic that the hidden Verpine had trusted her to keep safe, he had no doubts she would not stop until she had found him.

Yuri, his innate connection to the Force, had been given a gift. A coupling of the Force and his heritage as a Miralukan, the blind man was shown a passage of time he had no rights to see within the Force. He was taken to a time, so very briefly, where he had witnessed Zorua, in her wicked level of anguish and desperation, cause herself to destroy everything that was in her path to her former Master. In many cases, that was the faces around him. As brilliant of a girl as she was, she was something remarkably lethal, and fueled with passion she could not control. She had been felled to the very influence that had touched her, and her emotions had not recovered since. She flew amuck, a gorgeous nightmare to all but the Master she could not find. The vision faded as her wails beyond the universe shrilly cried out for Master Buggie, and the last of the horrible sound pulled him with a jolt from his own bed, and walking with definite purpose to her chamber. Silently he entered, and the small bundle still slept. And just as hidden, he picked her up, brought her to the pre-loaded shuttle with her belongings she had packed months before that fateful night, and ensured all of it was with her. His heart hung heavy, and he swallowed a lump in his throat so thick, he was worried it's hit to his gut would rouse her. His ceremonial blindfold became damp with tears blind eyes shed while he silently pulled up boxes and placed them around the small fae, ensuring only the gentlest of motions, and once it was confirmed she still slept and was masterfully hidden within the cargo that was bound for days and days of travel, many stops between, into far reaches of galaxy, he left her within the shuttle, and made his way back to the grounds. Nothing was different about him, his heart calm, his mind hidden from those around him as it always had been, and his face steeled into it's regular set within stone. No one could question him as he mindfully and invisibly made his way back within the chambers, and shut himself away until it was time to begin his supposed next lessons with Zorua. Only until that morning, would he rise and go to retrieve her, only to raise the alarm that she was not in her chambers, nor at her lesson. That running late was unusual for such a determined and respectable girl. He could see how it all played out behind his closed lids, the entire people leaving their own operations to search for the sweet blond youth, and for her to be found nowhere.

Since then, several parties had gone out to look for Zorua, none able to catch her aura on the planet itself, now too old and weak of a signature to keep up with. The transport vessel had been long gone, and the other members had finally caught on, thinking the young girl had run away, disobeying the rules set in place for the padawans residing there. Several times they had thought they found something leading to her, but all times the girl had eluded them. In a moment of silence, they allowed Yuri to have a break from teaching, as they knew it must have been a bit stressful for him. Soon his time to mourn her absence was up. And soon a young 15 year old togruta was placed under his watchful mentorship, to begin the cycle all over again.
However, the tables had turned on everyone's heads. That very same Verpine was here with immediate fury to befall every soul involved in the latest way of graduation. Bonden had nothing accurately to say, nothing to defend himself in this outburst of the Verpine before him, and most certainly said nothing back. They were silent, allowing the alien to express his hurt in it's vocal form. The disappointment and anger coupled, and everyone within that room was silent. Even Yuri. But unlike everyone else who turned to mentally converse amongst the other, both Bonden and Yuri watched the pair stomp through the Council room to the exit with completely different thoughts hidden from prying minds.