Hey gang!

Well, after some recent soul-searching, I've decided to return to the world of MOTU fanfiction. Kinda.

There are few projects that I've either 1) never finished; 2) never posted; 3) wrote post "Endings and Epilogues." I'm not sure if it's the recent attention He-Man's been receiving lately or just some inspiration from not working on it for so long, but I've just really been in the mood lately to write some He-Man. So, I'm back! Kinda.

You can expect at least three fanfics from me in the next couple of weeks. Bare in mind, I won't be writing any more big, huge epic stories. These will mainly be shortly smaller stories that will concentrate on the core cast. These stories do tie into my larger story, but aren't necessary to read to understand that (or vice versa).

Disclaimer: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe are the sole property of Mattel. No profit is gained from this story.

Author's Note: This is really just a nostalgic little snippet. It can be inserted into my overall MOTU saga, but it certainly does not have to be.

The Orb or First and Last

It was summer in the Fertile Plains and like every year, it was hot. The summer meant ice cream, cold drinks, and meals served outside or near open doors or windows. For Teela, it also meant that classes were over at the City of Wisdom and she could return home to Eternos. To her father and the king and queen and, yes, Adam. Her best friend. The distance between them had created a wedge in their friendship, but she was still happy to see him.

Adam himself was done with classes for the summer, although he still had an hour of royal tutoring in the afternoon. However, he was free for most of the day and evening beyond that.

Teela was fourteen and Adam was thirteen and while the one year age gap had never been and would never really be an issue again, the fine line between thirteen and fourteen had made itself apparent. Teela had sprouted up about an inch above Adam, her body awkward and lanky with thin arms and legs, a few zits here and there on her face. Adam was short, still a little chubby in the face and didn't seem to care about how he looked. He occasionally had to be reminded to wear deodorant and his voice cracked with every other sentence.

They went walking out from the Palace that bright, June morning, Cringer lagging behind them in a lazy and 'I'm scared of heat stroke!' sort of way. He was as afraid of the heat almost as much as he was afraid of the cold.

"I think this will be my last summer here at the Palace with tons of time to goof off," Teela sighed as they entered the marketplace.

"What do you mean?" asked Adam, turning to the milkshake vendor that was stood in the corner of the busy plaza. He ordered and after giving the man a few coins, had a glass of creamy cold vanilla milkshake in his hand.

"I mean, I'll be doing the internship next year," Teela replied, not happy with Adam for blowing her off mid-conversation for a stupid milkshake.

"Internship?" asked Adam, sipping hard on the straw.

"Yes. Remember? I'm going into the Royal Guard."

Adam laughed as he sucked on the straw. There were a few bubbles popping in the surface of the milkshake as a result. His lips left the straw and he laughed loudly. "HA! HA HA HA! You're going to be my bodyguard!"

"No, I don't think so," Teela chided. "I want to take it further, into the higher ranks."

"Aw man," Adam sighed. "It would be fun. I mean, then could we hang out together."

Teela felt a weird tingle of appreciation and adoration for Adam. She had really missed him, hadn't she?

"Yeah, I guess that would fun," she sighed.

"CHILDREN! CHILDREN! COME ONE, COME ALL! SEE MY MAGNIFICENT WONDERS!

Adam and Teela turned to a kiosk occupied by a thin man of an age they couldn't quite determine. He wore a coat of yellow and orange with a clean shaven face and raven-black hair. Having seen that he caught their attention, he waved them on over. Reluctantly the pair stepped over, Cringer keeping up with frightened gusto.

The man's kiosk was strewn trinkets from all over. A barrel full of staves sat on one side; the counter had bracelets, amulets, crystals, rings, and other miscellanea; the walls had larger items.

"Greetings, greetings," the man said, sizing Teela and Adam up oddly. "My name is Ramoz! I'm a traveler from distant lands!"

"Where from?" Adam asked, looking over the array of junk piled up on the counter.

"Haha, now that would be telling, wouldn't it?" he said with a wink. "I could be from outer space, I could be from the next kingdom over, couldn't I?"

Adam shrugged. Teela's eyes landed on a pale blue orb over Ramoz's left shoulder. "What's that?"

"Ah, now that is something rather special."

"What is it?" Adam asked now.

"An Orb from the Crystal Sea! Magical properties allow whoever holds it to witness something about themselves. It makes one dream, in a way."

"How much is it?" asked Adam, not really interested in it, but instead not sure what to say. He put his milkshake on the ground, having finished it.

"Not for sale, but if you had the money, you could surely use it."

"I have the money," Adam answered and dove his hand into his pocket.

"Adam, I don't know . . ." Cringer muttered weakly.

Adam produced some silver and gold coins. Ramoz smiled deviously, showing all of his yellow stained teeth. "Well now. Aren't you the little rich one? You didn't steal this, did you?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm the prince. This is my bodyguard," Adam giggled, jabbing a thumb towards Teela.

"I'm not - "

Ramoz put his gloved hands onto the orb and took it down from the shelf. "Well now, you have enough for two uses. How about your little bodyguard uses it first?" he asked, smiling with those yellow teeth displayed in the bright morning sunlight.

Adam handed over the coins and looked to Teela. Teela stared at the orb with uncertainty and then put her thin fingers upon it and lifted it up.

The orb glowed and there seemed to be a mist within it. Adam watched as Teela's eyes blinked slowly and her face went slack. The mist within moved and shifted.

"Teela?" Cringer asked, sniffing.

"What do you see?" Adam asked, now getting concerned. He glanced at Ramoz, who simply looked on with critical amusement.

"Birds . . ." she muttered and then her eyes closed.

She did in fact see birds. Hundreds of them flying from the ground. She saw a sword crashing into the ground, the blade of which was glowing with white-hot intensity. She saw a mighty throne pushed over by a large man. Teela witnessed then as snake circled the sword. There was a screech from an eagle and the clouds parted, revealing a sun that was so beautiful and bright.

Her eyes re-opened and she nearly dropped the orb.

"Whoa," she commented and mustered a smile. "Wild," Teela then laughed.

"What did you see?"

"Birds and a snake. And a chair. Maybe a sword?" She turned to Ramoz, who was smiling broadly now. "It's fading fast. You're right. It's like a dream."

"Birds and a snake, you say?" Ramoz asked.

"I guess, yeah. There was a chair and a sword, too."

"My turn!" Adam yelped and grabbed the orb.

The mist within the orb swirled violently. Adam's eyes went wide and then slammed shut. His entire body collapsed, though his hands were still locked onto the orb.

"Adam!" shouted Cringer.

"Was I -- ? Is this normal?"

Ramoz's face was drawn into a sharp point, concern for himself only, though Teela stupidly believed it was for Adam. "No. It's not."

"Adam!" yelled out Teela and reached for his arms. They were locked in position and wouldn't budge.

What did Adam see?

There was moonlight.

Adam saw muscles. Adam saw muscles growing huge beneath darkening skin. They flexed and grew and became gigantic.

Thunder and lightning appeared. Adam saw then a thing of myth and legend. He saw Castle Grayskull rise from darkness. He heard high-pitched cackle and could feel an ice cold breath upon his back. There was a blur of purple cloaks and he glanced upon a skull in its center. The skull vomited blood. The blood became a river and engulfed Adam.

The river turned and Adam saw a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes standing beneath crimson flags that waved in a hot wind, a dark and ugly tower of metal behind her. She was his age and he felt a connection with her that was unlike any he had with anyone else. The crimson flags flapped and became like bats. The bats zoomed around Adam, swirling and beating their wings.

There was another roar of thunder and a burst of lightning. The bats flapped away and Adam saw snakes. They were numerous and shot across the ground. They spread out across a beach and dove into the ocean. A girl was standing there, older and beautiful, but sad. She turned and smiled as snakes flowed around her feet, all going into the water.

There was another burst of thunder and lighting. Adam saw Teela. Now, younger, older and older still. He saw his parents and Orko and other people. Strange people. He saw Cringer, roaring with a fury that the tiger never even hinted at having.

Thunder and lighting exploded around Adam. He saw three suns in the sky amongst strange stars. He heard voices crying out. He saw a sword. He saw two swords. Three. Four. Babies. He heard babies. One, two three, four. He heard laughing. There was sunlight.

And a voice. Clear as all and anything.

His own.

"I have the power."

As Adam beheld this vision, Teela started screaming. It was at this moment that she spotted Man-At-Arms and Orko. They heard her screaming and rushed over.

"Oh Trolly-Molly!" Orko gasped.

There was a screech from an eagle that caught Teela's fathers eye. Its wings thundered overheard. Man-At-Arms turned to Ramoz. "What is this? Is this a trap?"

"No! It's a magic orb!" Ramoz tried.

"It is magic," Orko stated.

"I used it, father, but I didn't . . ."

"Orko, can you do anything with this?!" Man-At-Arms barked.

"I could, but his hands are stuck," Orko replied.

Teela turned to the staves that were in the barrel. She pulled one out at random. It was dark red and with a snake's head. The eagle screeched again and she was dimly reminded of the fading vision.

"Sorry Adam," she said and put the staff between his arms. She turned it and suddenly, his hands were free, with bruises on his arms. The orb rolled across the cobblestone ground. A small crowd that gathered gave it a wide berth.

Orko's hands went into action and the orb floated up into the air and sat there suspended by a spell.

"Adam? Are you okay?" asked Cringer, licking the boy's face.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. What a trip, though."

"What happened? What did you see?" asked Teela as her father looked at them both carefully.

"Just . . . a weird storm, I guess. I don't remember much else. Even the storm part is kinda cloudy." He laughed. "No pun intended."

She sighed. "Scared the crap outta me."

Man-At-Arms looked to Ramoz. "We're taking that orb. You might get it back, you might not. Until then, by order of King Randor of Eternos, you're to close your business and remain in the city. You will be reported to the Royal Guards and will not be allowed to leave until you are given permission."

Ramoz snarled, but nodded. "Of course," he grunted. "I meant no harm. Prince?"

"I believe you," Adam said, but didn't trust Ramoz one bit.

"All of you, back to the Palace."

A few hours later, Adam was perched on a log outside of the city. The sun was orange and hot and would only be around for a few more hours. He was trying hard to remember the vision, but it was all gone now.

"Hey," Teela greeted.

Adam jumped. "WHOA! Scared me."

"Sorry," she giggled. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. I suppose you got a similar lecture about trusting strangers and their magical items?"

"Yep." She smiled a little. "You certainly gave us a big scare there, Adam."

"I swear, I'll never touch a magical object as long as I live!" he stated, hands raised.

She laughed and pulled one of her knees up and hugged it. "And I'll never trust that Ramoz again. I bet we'll never see him again."

"Why?"

"Well, they took and destroyed his orb. He left the city in a huff."

Adam laughed. "Oh well."

She paused. "Remember anything?"

"Nope."

"Me neither. No big deal, though."

"Nope."

Adam looked over at her as she stared at the sun. In the orange light, she looked older. Mature. Beautiful. He felt a rumble in his stomach like butterflies.

"Hey . . ."

"What? Why are you staring at me?"

Adam kissed her on the cheek.

"What was that for?" she asked, stunned.

"I dunno."

Teela rolled her eyes. "Let's not do that again, huh?" she said, hoping he couldn't see the red-hot embarrassment in her cheeks.

Adam laughed. He could see the red-hot embarrassment in her cheeks. And he liked it. And he liked her.
Teela stood up and stretched. Adam joined her.

"Last summer, huh? Last summer of fun?"

She nodded. "Yeppers."

Adam smirked. "Let's go find another adventure, then."

With that, the two ran off towards the sun as it slowly sank beneath the horizon.

- thew40

March 11, 2008