[IC] Annabelle's Task

[Joslae]

Day 3

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The camera was once more activated and Natellia’s face became visible again. She looked a little more neat today. It seemed like she had gotten herself a shower and was able to do her hair properly. Above all else, she didn’t look like she could throw herself off the nearest cliff at any given opportunity. ‘’Surprisingly enough, once I told the overseers at the academy what I was doing, they allowed me to use the acolyte showers to clean myself up… and they advised me to stop sitting in the scorching heat, so…’’ she turned the camera around and showed the spot in the shade that she had found. It was at the bottom of a relatively steep rock face with a rock hanging overhead as a tarp. This provided her with enough cover to not end up looking like a pureblood once her tasks were completed ‘’...this is my working spot for the coming days or weeks or months. Who knows?’’

She sat down with her back against the rock and took out her canteen that she had refilled. She took a big gulp of water and had seemingly already gathered the rocks necessary for the exercise ‘’I have… been having these visions lately. Not just last night, but ever since I had that talk with apprentice Annabelle in the library. I… sometimes smell the woods of Alderaan being on fire, I can see my brother falling at my feet and I feel the ground shake as the walls of my elderly home crumble…’’ she sighed and covered her eyes with her hands ‘’...I can hear the anguished wails of my mother as I try to sleep’’. Natellia remained silent for moments after, but the camera did pick up a single tear rolling down her cheek. She started to prepare herself without saying much of anything. She placed the recording device in front of her and began balancing the rocks on her head again. As before, she would regulate her breathing before starting the actual exercise, but it was clear that she had considerable difficulty doing so. Something was irking her, yet she didn’t take much time to calm herself. She managed to steady the rocks on her head and focussed on the force to keep them there. For the first time, however, the weight of the rocks on her head was being a factor as much as the incessant calling of the word ‘jedi’ was.

‘’Peace is a lie, there is only passion… Through passion, I gain… I gain… I…’’ Natellia had started the recital, but found herself interrupted by the word being called out at a seemingly higher volume than normal. This was, of course, just in her head but it had an effect all the same. She shuddered and the rock formation on her head destabilized. They would fall from her head and land straight on her feet, causing her to jump up and scream out in frustration and pain. Her cheeks were now getting increasingly moist with her tears. As if wanting to blame the sky, she rose her fist up to it and began shouting ‘’IS A LITTLE PEACE SO MUCH TO ASK FOR? IS IT?! LEAVE. ME. ALONE!!’’. Her increased anguish had inadvertently caused a small wave of force energy to be cast out from her in all directions. As expected, this destabilized the rock face and it began crumbling quickly. She only just managed to get all her things before they were crushed by the cascading rocks. She jogged away, with the camera still pointing at her face.

Some thirty minutes later, she had finally found herself another spot. It was a small spot under an angled rock face which allowed her to remain in the shade. Most importantly, this rock face wasn’t likely to collapse, or so she hoped. She sat herself down and gathered another trio of rocks. As she gathered them, she would absentmindedly be listening to the recording of Annabelle’s voice saying ‘Jedi’ over and over again. It was a mental exercise, and she sorely needed it ‘’Well then… Natellia the emotional mess. I guess we’re at that point again... ‘’ said Natellia, stacking the rocks on her head. She assumed the same meditative position again and tried to concentrate, having considerable difficulty doing so. The continuous calling out of the word certainly did not do her any favors and by now she would sure have a sore spot on her head from the weight of the rocks.

‘’Jedi’’
‘’Jedi. Jedi. Jedi’’
‘’JediJediJediJediJediJediJediJediJediJediJediJediJedi’’

It was almost comical how odd the word started to sound to Natellia, yet every time she heard it it would still put a strain on her mental wellbeing. She pressed on.

‘’Peace is a lie, there is only passion… through passion, I gain strength… through strength, I gain power… through power, I gain victory… through victory, my chains are broken… the force shall free me…’’

As soon as she realized that she had done it again successfully, she would carefully move the rocks from her head with the force, setting them down beside her. She fell back against the rock face with an exhausted expression, though she managed to conjure up a grin ‘’...If… I smoked… I could sure use a cigarette right about now’’. She waved her hand from left to right and switched off the recording.