7 BBY - Ahch-To, Temple Island
Mara POV...
Just a few minutes ago, Mom and Dad called me over, saying that they had to discuss something important with me for whatever reason. So right now we were gathered near the small courtyard by their hut, seated on some rocks.
"What's up? More training? Or we can finally go on another mission?" I asked hopefully.
"Well, kind of the first one," Dad replied.
I looked at him oddly. "What do you mean 'kinda?'" I ask in confusion.
"What he means is," Mom spoke up with a roll of her eyes. "Today you are going to take the next step in your Jedi training."
My eyes lit up curiously. "The next step?"
"Yup!" Dad said with a smile. "Today you are going to be-"
Whatever he was about to say was interrupted as one of the little Terrible Terror dragons appeared out of nowhere and landed on top of his head! He stopped talking and looked up with an irritated expression while Mom put a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggling. I outright laughed joyously at how funny it looked, especially considering how the Terror looked down at him with a few loud chirps.
"Why is it always me?" he muttered irritably, reaching up and plucking the dragon from his hand, quickly setting it on the rock next to him. The Terror squawked defiantly at him in response before quickly fluttering its wings and leaping over to me, curling up in my lap.
So much for the devilish beast Berk thinks them to be. I stroked the dragons scales fondly, and it looked so adorable.
"Maybe the dragons here can sense your, 'wonderfully dashing' personality little Jari!" Mom teased him.
"Little? Come on, I'm the biggest person here right now!" he protested.
"With a big childish mind," she retorted, and he flung his hands into the air with an exasperated scoff, crossing his arms in a pout and shaking his head.
"I think it's funny!" I said cheekily.
"Yeah you think everything I do is funny," he shot back before sighing. "Ok we're getting off track here. What I was going to say before I was rudely interrupted," he says, giving the dragon an accusing stare. The Terror chirps back defiantly.
"What I was going to say is that today, you are going to take one of your biggest tests today: the Gathering." Dad told me.
I furrowed my brow. "What's the Gathering?"
"Mara, today you are going to connect with your own kyber crystal. The time has come for you to build your own lightsaber." Mom says.
I widen my eyes in shock and happiness, gasping. Then a huge and wide smile spreads across my face and I get up, the Terror fluttering to the ground in surprise, and start cheering.
"YES! This is amazing! Yes!" I cheered, throwing my fist into the air and jumping around a little bit in excitement.
"Just so you know, it won't be easy, and you'll have to deal with some challenging situations to receive your crystal," Mom told me.
"I'm ready for it! And once I get passed whatever this test is, you'll give me my kyber crystal?" I ask eagerly.
"Oh we don't have your kyber crystal." Dad says bluntly.
I stopped celebrating and looked at him in confusion. "But, I thought you said I would be getting it today."
"You are, but we don't give it too you. You have to find it, and connect to it yourself," he told me.
"The Gathering was an event taken by Jedi younglings to travel to the Crystal Cave, and trust in the Force to guide them to their crystal." Mom explained. "Your kyber crystal isn't just a simple piece of rock. It connects to you on a spiritual level, and becomes an ally, and a vessel of the Force only for you."
"So... I have to find my own crystal? How will I do that?" I asked glumly.
"Only you can know which one is yours. No one, not even the wisest of Jedi can help you with this." Mom told me.
I nod my head, let down a little but understanding what they mean. "Ok, I have to find my own. Where in the universe am I gonna find my own crystal?"
This time, Dad answered. "Below the island are a series of tunnels and caves, with kyber scattered throughout. You'll face several challenges, and if you overcome them, the Force will present you your crystal."
"We had tunnels underneath the island the whole time?" I exclaimed in surprise. "Where's the entrance? I haven't seen anywhere to do that."
Mom and Dad both glanced at each other, and I had a feeling they were both talking with their 'Force bond' stuff. I wish I could do that, it made me jealous. Then I realized that there was one place of the island where I haven't been, that they wouldn't let me go near.
"Wait... it's in that one area of won't let me go to isn't it?" I ask.
Mom nods her head and they both stand up. "Follow us Mara, but be careful. This area of the island is dangerous."
"How?"
Dad looks at me seriously. "It's an area of the dark side."
Several minutes later after crossing the island, we were standing before a small cliff, and below us was a dark hole covered in black seaweed vines. I shivered slightly, already feeling the chill of the dark side surrounding me. In fact the whole environment of this area seemed different compared to he rest of the island.
There was no green grass here, or lush, mossy plants. No Terrible Terror dragons or porgs were flying around, and the landscape was plain, wet rock. Even the ocean seemed slightly more violent, waves crashing against the rocks harshly compared to the usual, smooth grace everywhere else. I could see why Mom and Dad didn't want me over here.
"I have to go... in there?" I asked nervously.
Mom and Dad gave me a sympathetic look before replying. "You do, if you wish to retrieve your crystal. The dark side will tempt you and try to sway you away from the light, but as long as you stay true to the kind of person you are, you'll be fine," Dad says.
"Just remember to always trust in the Force Mara. Trust that you'll be able to find your crystal, and that you can resist the influence of the dark." Mom tells me reassuringly with a smile.
"I'm sure you can do this." Dad adds in agreement. "You know what, here's your cowl too. I know how much you like it," he says, tossing me my furry, tan colored cloak.
He's right with how much I like it. My usual get up consists of a black long sleeve shirt and leggings, as well as a pair of black leather boots. Also with black fingerless gloves.
Yeah, I have an obsession with the color black for my clothing, but it looks so cool! I can imagine myself as a secret Jedi-spy or something.
Over my clothing whenever I'm not in need of quick movement or in a warm area I like to wear my tan colored, fur cape. It goes down to the middle of my upper legs and can be pulled around me. I got it from some guy name Johaan on Berk when his trading ship arrived while we were also there. That's why it's furry instead of the cloaks that Mom and Dad wear.
Overall my outfit also goes really well with my red hair, so there's that as well.
Anyways, clasping my cloak to my shoulders, I smile at them gratefully before looking down at the dark hole. They both send me feelings of calm and reassurance through the Force, and I accept it before leaping down the cliff. The fall is only a few feet, not that bad of a drop, so I easily land on my feet and walk up to the hole. The black vines of seaweed crunch underneath my boots as so approach the hole, and the presence of the dark side steadily gets stronger. Looking inside, it looks to be a cavern of water, although off to the side I see a small ledge of rock.
Looking back at my parents, I allow myself to remember that they are still there, and will be there for me. Behind them, perched on a rock is a bird that I mistake for a Porg. Quickly I realize it isn't a Porg, looking different with green and cream colored feathers. Then I look into the cave and jump.
Falling into a dive, I hit the water streamlined and quickly kick my legs, pulling arms to guide me back to the surface, where the rock ledge is. Surfacing above the water, I pull myself up the rock and gasp for air, sitting at the edge for a moment. Now that I'm in the cave that dark side is now actively trying to surround me, instead of the casual presence it was above ground.
Concentrating, I use what Mom and Dad taught me in the Force to push back the dark side, centering myself firmly in the light. It retreats with a cold and viscous hiss, settling for now.
Satisfied that the dark side won't bother me at the moment, I get to my feet and look around the cave. The sunlight from above the surface streams through the hole, providing enough light to see the details of the place, although it's still plenty dark in here. A slight pull in the Force brings my focus towards a large opening nearby, and I head in that direction. Walking through, I notice the area seems to be made of some sort of reflective rock, maybe a form of ice?
It looks like a dark, cold mirror room in here.
Small amounts of mist float around the sides of the large cave, and I approach the far wall, peering at the reflection. At first there's nothing discernible, the wall not clear enough for a proper reflection. Suddenly though, it clears up to show me very clearly. I look at myself in surprise, raising and arm and touching the hand of my mirror self lightly. The Force feels... accepting, and also challenging at the same time. What could that mean?
Then something weird and scary happens. The dark side spikes in energy, and a person garbed completely in black appears next to my reflection, staring at me. His face is pale and scarred, yellow eyes gleaming, and a wicked grin stretches across his face.
"Mara..." he says, and I back up quickly in fear with a gasp, whipping around to where he was behind me.
Only there was never anybody behind me, and the dark side side recedes again. I turn my head to look back at my reflection, but the cloaked figure was gone... something about him seemed familiar, from a hologram Dad showed me a some point... I'm not sure.
Besides that, there was nothing else of interest to me in this cave, so I look around, spotting another entrance. I flicked of joy sparks inside me with a notice specks of flickering blue light from inside, reminding me of how Mom described the walls to flicker with different lights when lined with kyber.
Heading over to the cave happily, I'm about to enter the tunnels for my crystal when I gasp in sudden surprise and fear.
"Mara!"
The voice was sharp and demanding, full of anger. It didn't sound pleasant at all, more like a groveling, broken sound that just felt evil. I quickly look around the cave for anyone that might be in here with me. The idea is absolutely terrifying.
With a sigh, I try to calm my nerves, concluding that the dark side here must be messing with me like Mom and Dad said, trying to scare me. I turn back towards the entrance of the tunnel... and there stands the old man garbed in black robes.
I give a startled cry of terror and scramble back, falling on the ground. The figure begins to cackle in delight before eying me with a piercing glare, eyes glowing a chilling yellow.
"Oh Mara... you were meant to be mine..." he says coldly.
"W-what?!" I exclaim, getting back to my feet and backing away slowly. "No I'm not! Who... what are you?" I demand, attempting to be brave and strong in the face of this guy.
"The one who should have always been your master..." he growls out.
I warily examine his looks. The black robes, yellow eyes; a sign of the Sith, the pale and scarred face... this is the Emperor! The one who ordered my parents killed and me taken! I narrow my eyes angrily at him.
"You're Sidious!" I accuse furiously, pointing a finger at him.
He grins in delight, clasping his hands together in front of him. "Good.. good! I'm glad you recognize me young Mara."
"You killed my parents!"
"Oh your parents, you misjudge me little Jedi. It was the Inquisitor who killed your parents, not me," he says.
"Yeah, because you ordered her too!" I say, fuming. "You wanted to kidnap me and turn me into your slave of an apprentice!"
Sidious shakes his head, making sound of disappointment. "Oh, what has Shan been teaching you? I never ordered the Sister to kill you parents, merely to bring you before me."
He strides forwards slowly, the dark side leaking off of him in waves. I back up in response, suddenly afraid again.
"You have great potential young one. You have the power to be a great ally, to fight for what is right in the galaxy!" he declares. "I wish to bring order to a galaxy full of chaos! The Jedi are corrupt animals, and Shan has turned you into something you were never meant to be!"
Now he's very close to me, and I trip on a small rock in my haste to back away, falling to the ground, where he now towers over me.
"But you can still reverse these wrongs Mara. You can still fulfill your destiny by my side. Join me..." he says, a hand raised in my direction, as if beckoning.
He's so full of himself, thinking I'd join him just like that? Never! He killed the Jedi Order, killed my parents! He's oppressing the galaxy without mercy! He's evil and he needs to die for killing my parents!
With an angry cry, I kick my feet out and hit him away. He stumbles back and I leap to my feet, swinging a fist. To my surprise however, he easily moves out of the way, quicker than I would have thought possible for an old man, and stretches an arm out. Blue lightning streams forth from his hands to hit me, and I scream in pain. It burns, hurting more than anything I had ever felt in my life. When he stops, it felt like hours of torture, when in reality it was only two seconds.
He shakes his head in disappointment. "Foolish child. Weak. Worthless."
I attempt to get to my feet, and thrust my arms out at him furiously. The need to kill him to avenge my parents and save the galaxy overtakes my rational thought. However my Force attack does nothing to him besides make his cloak flutter, and it felt like slamming into a metal wall when it stopped against him.
"You could do so much better," he jeers. "Only your furious anger can destroy me girl!"
With a scowl, I stand on my feet and use the Force to raise a nearby boulder, and throw it at him. It lands directly on top of him, sliding back several feet before being thrown to the side, revealing Sidious brushing off his robes casually, and he cackles in amusement.
"Good. Use your aggressive feelings girl. Let the hate flow through you! Give in to the dark side, and fulfill your destiny to bring order to the galaxy!"
I pant heavily before scowling again, thrusting my arms out for another Force push, which does nothing once again. However this time he is pushed back several feet despite blocking it.
"Hmm," he says casually with a thoughtful frown. "Your parents would be expecting more from their daughter."
"SHUT UP!" I scream, charging at him in the hopes of punching him, beating him down for everything he's done.
He quickly moves out of the side fast then I could react, and raises an arm. The Force swirls around me and blasts me harshly against the mirror wall, even having enough Force to crack it. I groan in pain from the hit, my back feeling like it's on fire.
"Potential. Perhaps I was wrong about you. You are weak, unworthy!" Sidious snarls. "Just a broken girl foolishly trying to avenge her parents. All by herself."
Tears run down my face from the pain I'm in, and I struggle to push myself up, getting a glance of the mirror wall, where my reflection stares back. I notice my face in close detail, the emotions flickering across it, as well as the Emperor slowly walking forwards several feet away. Then I notice a smoky image of Ahsoka and Jarik, my new parents. I also see my old parents standing next to them, slightly smoky as well. They fade away peacefully, leaving Ahsoka and Jarik behind, who turn to look at me. That same green and cream white colored bird is perched on Ahsoka's shoulder.
I smile at the sight, glad I could have new parents so caring, so wonderful, and funny, and skilled. The anger flushes away slowly, replaced by happiness and love st the new life I have with them. Away from Sidious.
I look back at him, and he stops, frowning heavily. I think about what to say, and decide on something simple.
"I don't care about your stupid offer. And my new family is better than your kriffing Empire," I said with a grin.
He growls furiously, and rushes forwards, raising his hands. With an angry cry, lightning streams from his fingers, and a yell of rage echoes from him. I don't flinch.
oooOOooo
I gasp in surprise, blinking my eyes and pulling my hand away, backing up. Glancing around, I realize I was in the position from before Sidious ever showed up. My hand was on the mirror wall when I first touched it, and there was no evidence of any fight between me and the Emperor. I furrowed my brow in confusion. Was that some sort of... vision?
"What...?" I say quietly, looking at the wall again. It's just me there, staring back in confusion, although I think I see that same bird behind my reflection before it vanishes again.
The Force then sings lightly in my ears, drawing my attention over to that tunnel filled with kyber crystals. The usual flickering blue lights that signify the kyber continues to sparkle, but there's an extra light in here now. I walk towards it again confidently, and the singing in my ears gets louder. It isn't annoying loud though, more of a gentle lullaby.
One of the crystals is different, getting my attention immediately as I enter the tunnel. I head towards it, receiving a feeling of confirmation from the Force. The crystal is set on the wall, singing to me. Instead of the regular blue glow, this crystal is more violet colored, mixed in with the blue. I stare at it in wonder, raising a hand to touch it...
Five days later: 3rd person POV...
"I'm sure this is gonna be interesting," Jarik said.
"What makes you say that?" Ahsoka asked.
"Why wouldn't I say that?" he said in return. "Our little Mara is getting her own lightsaber!"
"Ok, I'll give you that," she says in agreement. The door to Mara's hut then opens and she steps outside, hands clasped behind her back, hidden underneath the fur cape as she smiled eagerly. Obviously she was holding something behind her.
"So?" Jarik asks with a raised eyebrow.
In response, Mara pulls out her hands and holds up a lightsaber hilt in front of her. It's a straight, single bladed design, with a simple hand grip in the middle. The extra design resembled a mix between Jarik's main blade and Ahsoka's main blade. She presses the activation button, and the blade springs forth with a satisfying hiss.
The color of the lightsaber blade is a warm violet, humming gently in the air. Jarik and Ahsoka look at the blade in fascination and awe, having only ever seen a purple blade in the hands of Master Windu. Darth Revan being an exception for Jarik, but those were visions, and the purple was cold and harsh.
"Ok. Definitely interesting." Ahsoka said.
