The All-Mother’s bunker, in front of all the Nora

Finally, it all came to this. Aloy stood in front of the doorway, now far more aware of just what it was she was seeing.

She’d been here before, before she’d left Nora lands. The data had been corrupted, the scan unable to recognise her; now she had the means to restore that data however.

She could finally go inside. According to the story she’d been told, this was where she’d been found as a child. She didn’t know what she expected to find on the other side, but she knew there would be answers.

Aloy took a step closer.

Due to an attack on the Sacred Lands, all her people had drawn into the mountain, seeking shelter within the All-Mother. The High Matriarchs yes, and the others, the people she’d known; some she’d helped, some that hated her.

With a fierce thrill, she felt the door shine. The light scanned her, up and down her body.

For so long they’d called her an outcast, shunned her, blamed her; hated her. It was hard not to feel a kind of victory at having them look at her as they were, having them see their Goddess recognise her over any of them.

“Error. Alpha registry corrupted.”

She could fix that. Tapping into her Focus, she transmitted the restored registry, feeling it as the door reacted.

“Correction. Alpha registry restored.” The red lights shone over her. “Match inconclusive. Please provide more to scan.”

Aloy’s blood ran cold. No, please no, this couldn’t be happening again.

The last ruin she’d been in had been fine; the scanning mechanism apparently hadn’t become so decayed that it needed to scan even more of her features. She’d hoped the first one had been a freak.

But no. Aloy closed her eyes, trying to steady herself.

It didn’t mean it was as bad as the first. She focused on that, and lowered her weapons, removed the outer layer of her armour. Hopefully it looked ritualistic.

If she hid her face, the Nora couldn’t see how scared she was. Don’t happen again, please don’t…

The light scanned her, forearms and shins now visible, along with her facial features. She looked pleadingly at the pitiless light. The door stayed red.

“Match inconclusive. Please provide more to scan.”

To think moments before she’d felt victorious.

She wanted the Nora to see her triumphant, wanted to spit in the face of all the sneers she’d been met with as she’d grown up.

And more than anything, she wanted to go inside. She wanted the answers promised to her on the other side of that door.

Shaking, she took a step back. The light dimmed for a moment.

Someone was at her side. Aloy turned, to see High Matriarch Teersa. One of the essential leaders of the Nora, she’d always been more sympathetic to Aloy, believing her to be more blessing than demon.

“Aloy?” Teersa said. “What does the Goddess mean?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Lansra said. “She has never been anything to do with the Goddess.”

Unlike Teersa, Lansra had always been scornful of Aloy. She was one of the people Aloy had longed to silence with this.

“It’s not that,” Aloy said. She scowled, before turning back to Teersa. Her features became less confident. “I’ve seen this before. Its… vision is clouded, it needs to see more of me to recognise me.”

She did her best to put it into terms the Nora would understand. She’d learned much since last standing here.

“More?” Teersa said. She looked to Aloy’s discarded armour. “Ah! She wishes you to go to her now as you were when you were born.”

Lansra scoffed; Aloy flushed. That was one way of putting it.

“Do you require any help in removing your garments?” Teersa said.

“Wh-what?” Aloy said. “I… can you ask everyone to look away?”

“I could not deny the people the sight of the Goddess’s light,” Teersa said. “Be not ashamed Aloy, this is a great honour. Go forth!”

No help. Aloy faltered. Damn, there really wasn’t any alternative was there?

Slowly, she neared the door again. Quickly she pulled her top over her head, laying it on top of the rest of her armour, making sure she stayed facing the door.

At best the Nora would just see her bare, toned back. Still too much, but at least that was it.

She still flushed to have her tits out though, even if they were facing away from the crowd.

Please be enough, please be enough…

“Match inconclusive. Please provide more to scan.”

Aloy hated the whimper that escaped her lips then. This was meant to be something to celebrate, not…

Quickly she stepped out of her last garment, and stood there fully nude in front of her people, desperately waiting for the scan to start again.

It seemed to take an age. She fidgeted, able to feel the countless eyes on her ass, all those who’d made her life a living hell getting a clear view of her exposed body.

The light ran up and down, over her boobs, her cunt, her bush, taking far longer than it had before.

Please be over soon…

“Partial match found,” the computer said. “Please turn around to complete scan.”

What?! Even that hadn’t been enough. By the sound of it, it had been more, but not it needed to see the rest of her to see if the match was enough. Aloy whimpered, but had to obey. She’d come too far not to.

She turned to display her ass to the eyes of the door, and turned to face the candlelit cave. The myriad Nora gathered there, all eyes on her and on their Goddess, on her exposed tits, on the flame-red hair between her legs.

Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Aloy tried to keep her dignity, to stare at them like this was a plan and not the most humiliating thing the Nora had ever subjected her to.

“Genetic identity confirmed. Entry authorised. Greetings Dr Sobeck.”

Finally. Aloy turned, hurrying towards the door. She turned to pick up her clothes-

To find them gone. She glanced back, faltering for a moment in full view of the Nora, only to see Teersa holding them.

“Go to her!” Teera said, encouraging.

Right, Teersa had the idea that this was some ritual, not just a scan. Damn it, Teersa wouldn’t let her take her clothes in would she?

Not wanting to stay outside and argue the point, Aloy hurried, pace quickly becoming a run. A few tears streaked down her cheeks as she crossed the threshold, and she slumped in relief as the door closed behind her.

The thought of when she’d have to go out again filled her with dread.