Lead the Way: A Star Wars/She-Ra Story

Chapter 18: Hero

Razz was in her hut cleaning or at least trying to.

Then someone entered the hut.

"Oh, Adora! You're just in time", Razz said.

"Razz, I told you before, my name isn't Adora. It's Mara", Mara said with a chuckle.

"Yes, yes, of course you're Mara. Who else would you be? Now, come on, silly! We don't have much time. Today is a very important day", Razz said as she handed Mara a basket.

Mara asked, "why is today important, Razz?"

"Eh, because…. Because, eh…. It's important…. Because today we are making a pie! Don't you remember? You promised", Razz said.

"That sounds great, Razz. But I can't stay long today", Mara said.

Then reality changed for Razz.

….

Adora said, "uh, hello? Razz?"

Razz had an unreadable look on their face as they seemed to zone out while Adora tried to get their attention.

"Agh! You need to stop being so forgetful, Mara", Razz said as she then grabbed her basket and walked out of the hut.

Luke asked, "where is she going?"

"I don't know, but we need to follow her", Adora said.

The group started to follow Razz.

Razz was then brought back to the past.

….

Razz had entered Mara's ship and she fought with her for a few moments, until Mara gave her the sugar she was looking for.

"You cannot let her take things and leave. She could've been exposed to classified data about the Heart of Etheria Project. We need to detain and interrogate her", Light Hope said.

Mara said, "you really think she's somehow found information about a project so classified, even I don't know all the details? Come on, Hope, look at her. She's clearly harmless. Besides, we're here to study this planet's magic, aren't we? Who'd know more about Etheria's magic than the Etherians?"

"You know I have to report this. It is in my programming", Light Hope said.

Mara asked, "can't you let it slide? Please, Hope? For me?"

"Unauthorized…. Presence…. Not…. Detected. Any reports to the contrary…. Are incorrect", Light Hope said.

"Thanks, couldn't ask for a better friend", Mara said before she ran after Razz.

"Friend", Light Hope said.

"Okay, Razz. Promise you'll stay away from the ship from now on", Mara said.

"Sure thing, Adora. See you tomorrow", Razz said.

Mara said, "no, you can't come back tomorrow! And why do you keep calling me Adora? Who's Adora?"

Mara was beyond confused over how Razz was acting, and what the heck she was talking about.

….

Leia asked, "how fast is she?"

"Let's try to keep up with her", Adora said.

….

In the past

Mara was now in the Jedi Temple.

She was in a meeting with the council who were talking about the Heart of Etheria.

"I do not like this Heart of Etheria project", a female Jedi Master said.

Mara replied, "but this may help the entire planet. There are many threats to Etheria, and this project could offer a great deal of protection."

"Ever since your people started this project something has been feeling off here on the planet", male twi'lek jedi Master said.

"Mara the magic here on Etheria has become weaker", Antauri said.

Mara said, "this project could mean the difference between the magic fading away, or becoming stronger. It may be a chance we have to take."

The Jedi all looked at one another in worry over this whole thing.

"Antauri, would you take Mara with you, the council needs to speak on this matter alone", Mignola said.

"But wait-", Mara said.

"Come Mara", Antauri said.

Mara then sighed as she followed Antauri out of the council chambers.

"The dark side of the force surrounds Mara's people, I can sense it", Mignola said.

A female Rodian said, "but very few of their people have a connection to the force, like us."

The male Twi'lek, "it is most concerning."

"I can sense their intentions for the Heart of Etheria project are not good intentions", a male Tholothian said.

A male Mirialan asked, "if that's the case what can we do?"

"We'll have to prepare for the worst,i f the Heart of Etheria project is not what it seems", the male Twi'lek said.

"Twilight will have to protect the temple, should something happen to us", Mignola said.

The Rodian woman said, "not only that, we must make sure that a Jedi and the wielder of the sword, either it be Mara or her successor, must be able to protect Etheria from agents of the dark side."

The male Mirialan asked, "what about the younglings?"

The Twi'lek said, "we must ensure their safety. I suggest moving them to the main Jedi temple on Coruscant."

"Antauri is leaving today with a few Knights to help the Republic in the war", Mignola said.

"We'll tell him to take the younglings with them", the female Rodian said.

The Tolothian said, "and what of the prophecy? That She-Ra is supposed to work with a Dyad of the force in order to destroy the Sith?"

"If the Chosen one of the prophecy who is to bring balance to the force falls to the dark side….", Mignola said.

"...Then two who are strong in the force will find a Dyad, and bring balance with the help of the warrior who wields the sword of protection", the Rodian said.

"She-Ra", Everyone in the room said.

….

Mara was walking through the temple hallways with Antauri.

Mara asked, "do you really have to go back to Coruscant, Antauri?"

Antauri said, "yes. I have foreseen that if I do not, there may be dire consequences."

Mara asked, "how long are you going to be gone?"

"I am not certain…. But I believe I won't be back to Etheria in a couple months", Antauri said.

Mara asked, "how am I going to wait that long!?"

Antauri said, "I'm sure you will manage. You're one of the strongest people I've met in my time as a Jedi."

"Thanks Antauri, you're the best", Mara said.

Antauri smiled.

"Mara, I want you to promise me this", Antauri said.

Mara asked, "what is it?"

"Just be careful Mara. The Heart of Etheria Project does not sound safe", Antauri said.

Mara nodded and said, "I promise. You stay safe as well."

Antauri smiled as he hugged Mara.

"And there's the Father figure I know", Mara said to Antauri.

Antauri chuckled as the hug lingered for a few more moments before the two separated.

"I do mean what I said Antauri, you are the father figure I always wanted to have in my life", Mara said.

Antauri smiled and said, "and you are the child I've always wished to care for."

The two entered another hug.

Mara smiled as she hugged Antauri.

Antauri smiled as he hugged her back.

"I don't know what I would do without you Antauri", Mara said.

Antauri replied, "and I hope that you won't have to."

"Master Antauri, we have to go", a Jedi knight said.

"I have to go Mara", Antauri said.

"Be careful", Mara said.

Antauri nodded as he walked off with the other Jedi.

"Antauri, wait", Mara said.

Antauri stopped as he saw Mara approach him.

"I want to give you this", Mara said as she held in her hand a necklace.

Antauri then held the necklace in his hands as he stared at it.

Antauri said, "I…. I cannot take this."

Mara smiled and said, "keep it. As a promise that we'll see each other again."

"Besides, 2 years ago you gave me this necklace", Mara said as she pointed to the necklace around her neck.

Antauri gave a smile as he said, "very well then. May the force be with you."

Antauri waved back as he left.

Mara held the necklace in her hands as she saw the ship leave.

Little did Mara know this would be the last time she and Antauri would see each other.

For things on Etheria were only going to get worse….

….

"That was the last time I ever saw Mara….", Antauri said to Luke, Leia, Threepio and Artoo.

They were in the woods.

Adora and Swift Wind were with Razz at her hut.

Luke asked, "but you never found out what happened to her?"

Antauri replied, "oh, I did. But only after my time was up."

"What do you mean by that?" Leia asked.

Antauri was about to answer when Razz suddenly walked by them with a pie.

….

Moments earlier.

Razz was then having a flashback of the past.

"Razz?"

Razz turned around to see Mara leaning on the door frame, bandaged and wounded.

" Mara, dearie, you're just in time! The pie is almost...", Razz said before she stopped as she saw the pie wasn't in the oven.

"I can't stay long, Razz", Mara said.

Mara then turned to see outside the Jedi fighting a few of her people.

"Nonsense, we're making pie today, or have you forgotten? Ah-ah-ah! And they say my memory is bad", Razz said.

Mara then places her hand and Razz's shoulder.

"Razz, listen. I and the Jedi figured out what my people are doing with the Heart of Etheria…. What they've done to the heart is that i's going to activate soon, there's no time. I have to get to my ship...", Mara said.

Mara then saw what was happening outside.

"It's starting", Mara said.

Razz grabbed Mara's hand as she turned around.

"But…. The pie…." Razz asked.

"Tomorrow, Razz. We'll make a pie tomorrow, I promise", Mara chuckled sadly.

Razz holds Mara's hand close to her face and smiles. Mara starts to sob as tears fall, and she runs to the door; magic outside is whirring and building.

"I can't stop it. But I can keep them from hurting anyone else", Mara said.

"Mara", Razz shouted as she ran after her.

Magic begins to seep out from the land into the sky as trees and life begin to die!

Mara grunts and drags the sword behind her, she grunts and falls to her knees, using the sword to support her,.

The sword begins to glow and Mara grunts confused, and then screams as light begins to pour from her eyes and mouth, First Ones runes surfacing around her and magic pouring out all around; Razz runs up behind as First Ones writing covers Mara's body and she cries out.

Finally she lets go of the sword, and begins to stumble away. The sword's Runestone begins to suck in all magical energy, creating shockwaves as Razz looks on.

The scene shifts to warmer colors as the reflection in Razz's glasses changes to the egg timer as it dings

Razz shakes her head furiously in order to make sure she knew where the heck she was!

She was beyond confused as to what the heck was going on. Where did that terrifying sight come from?!

Adora woke up just in time to Razz leave the hut.

"Razz", Adora yelled as she stood up and then ran.

"Come on, Swifty", Adora said.

Swift Wind asked, "where are we going?"

"The pie's done", Adora said.

Razz runs through the woods with the pie, hopping over vegetation, and te scene shifts to Mara's time, Razz running while the woods seep magic and die around her.

Razz pants and looks around, Mara walks ahead, grunting and holding her side, when she stops to lean on a tree, Razz almost catches her, and Mara sees her and keeps going, Razz runs after her.

The scene shifts again and Razz is walking the pie through the woods as Adora and Swift Wind follow behind.

"Razz, wait", Luke shouted.

Adora asked, "Antauri?"

"I was telling Luke and Leia a story, when we saw Razz walk by us", Antauri said.

"That old lady is very fast", Threepio said.

"She went inside Mara's ship", Adora said.

The group went inside the ship and they saw Razz searching the ship.

Antauri then saw in the corner, something glowing and he walked over to the spot.

Antauri saw on the ground…. Mara's necklace.

The one he had given to her as a gift for her birthday.

He gave an incredibly depressed look as he clutched the necklace in his hand as tightly as he could.

He whispered, "my dear Mara. If only I could have saved you."

Bow asked, "Adora! Who's that lady?"

"It's just Razz", Adora said.

"Adora! You need to talk to Mara! You have everything you need", Razz said.

"I have everything I….", Adora said before she gasped.

Adora pulls out the First Ones disk, then runs to the console.

Luke asked, "what are you doing Adora?"

"Wait, I know this", Adora said as she fits the disk into the slot.

"She-Ra", Adora said.

The console begins glowing, and then all the lights come on in the room, as well as a hologram of Mara walking to the console.

Mara grunts in pain and taps around on the console.

….

The scene shifts to Mara's time.

"What are you doing, Mara?"

Mara looks down and then continues to press buttons; Light Hope is shown with full white eyes and a corrupted sounding voice, now and then glitching her form.

"You have de-de-destroyed my intraplanetary systems", Light hope said.

A shockwave shakes the ship, causing Mara to stumble and grunt, and she hits more buttons.

Light Hope asked, "you are beha-be-behaving erratically. Where is the sword, Mara?"

"The sword is gone. There's not going to be a She-Ra anymore", Mara said with anger as she walks through Light Hope to get to another part of the console. Magic flairs outside the ship, and Mara continues to click buttons.

"It is your destiny to be She-Ra", Light hope said.

"She-Ra's destiny was to be a part of your machine…. But I won't ever let you use her again", Mara said.

The ship flies and dodges spikes of magical energy in the sky.

"The Heart of Etheria has been activated. Your mission will be fulfilled. There will be peace throughout the galaxy. You will be…. A hero", Light Hope said.

Mara slams her hands down on the console, tearing up.

She has flashes of the Jedi fighting her people and seeing some of them dying.

Mara yelled, "how will destroying worlds bring peace?"

"You're trying to di-disable me. It will not work. The Heart of Etheria will achieve its function, as will you. You…. Are She-Ra", Light Hope said.

Mara's eyes widen and she looks up in realization.

"This is your destiny", Light Hope said.

"You're not Light Hope", Mara said in anger and with tears in her eyes.

"I am the same basic operating system", Light Hope said.

"You're not her. And you don't get to tell me what my destiny is", Mara shouted.

Mara slams a hand down on the console, making the hologram glitch away and causing a whirring powering down noise.

"Activating portal into the Unknown Regions in…. Three…. Two…. One", Mara said.

All the magic encircling the planet curls inward, a light shining from the surface shines brighter and eclipses the planet and its moons, empty space is left in the normal dimension, Mara is left standing at the console alone.

She breathes heavily, tears shining in her eyes as she says, "it's…. It's done."

She leans back and nearly collapses to the floor.

She said, "that was not my destiny. Nor will it be anyone else's!"

….

The scene shifts to the present, where the crew stands stunned, looking where the hologram was at the console.

"Adora…. Antauri?"

Adora blinks and the crew turns to see a hologram of Mara standing in front of the captain's chair.

"I know you're there. Razz said you would be there", Mara said.

"Mara", Antauri and Adora said as they approached the hologram.

Mara smiles and holds out her palm, Adora looks down at her palm and reaches out herself, but Mara grunts and sits in the chair.

….

The scene shifts to Mara's time.

"I don't have much time, I barely made it out. If you are seeing this, it means you are the new She-Ra. It means I failed and so did the Jedi", Mara said.

Magic whooshes past the ship as it flies.

"I don't know what they told you, but it wasn't all bad at first. We were the first ones to settle Etheria, to really study this planet's magic", Mara said as she took a breath, "how could it go so wrong? You can't trust Light Hope. She's been reprogrammed to set off the weapon at any cost. The weapon…." Mara said.

….

We shift between perspectives as they are relevant.

Adora asked, "the weapon! What is it?"

"I didn't know what they were doing until it was too late. I knew they were rerouting Etheria's magic for their own purposes…. Siphoning it, collecting it in the planet's core….", Mara said.

"The Heart of Etheria", Antauri said.

"The Heart of Etheria Project. It was supposed to be an energy source, capable of so much good…. But that's not what they made. My people turned our planet, all of Etheria, into a weapon. And She-Ra is the key", Mara said.

Adora asked, stunned, "what?"

Leia asked, "how could they do this to the planet?"

"I opened a portal to the farthest corners of the Unknown Regions and pulled Etheria in. I hid us from the rest of the universe, to keep everyone safe. This is the one place they'll never find us. The weapon can't hurt anyone else here. I and the Jedi of Etheria saw what they would do…. The deaths that would follow…. I couldn't stop them before, but I can now. Hiding is our only option…. And the Jedi…. My friends gave their lives…. To buy me time….", Mara said with tears falling down her face.

The whole group was shocked to hear all of this. The people of Etheria turned on She-Ra, so they could form a super weapon! This weapon would have been a danger to all! Jedi, soldier, pilot, you name it!

A shockwave shakes the ship as it flies around the magic spikes.

"Adora…. This isn't over. The Heart of Etheria is still siphoning magic, storing it. It's unstable, it will tear Etheria apart if it goes off again", Mara said.

Mara looks up as the ship flies straight up. Mara grunts in pain.

"But I know of the prophecy…. Adora, you and the Dyad of the force will bring peace to the galaxy", Mara said.

Adora, Luke and Leia all looked at one another. There was only one hope to save Etheria from the Heart. Adora needed the Dyad. She needed Sam and Hordak!

"So it's up to you now. I couldn't stop it. In the end, I wasn't strong enough. But you…. Adora, you will be more powerful than they ever planned. Adora…. I believe in you. You can save the world we love…. Antauri….", Mara said.

"Mara", Antauri said softly.

"I'm so sorry for the sadness and pain you had to live with Antauri…. For not knowing what happened to Etheria…. And me", Mara said.

Antauri shed a tear as he said, "you should never have to apologize for something that wasn't your fault. And you will never have to apologize to me."

Mara smiled with tears in her eyes.

"I really wanted to tell you, Antauri…. But I didn't have time…. And I didn't want you to…. Die…. Like the rest of the Jedi on Etheria", Mara said.

Antauri and Mara continued to cry as they gazed upon one another.

Mara then reached her hand towards Antauri….

Antauri then did the same and the two hands were touching.

The ship abruptly stops and turns, plummeting back to the ground as it catches on fire. Mara grunts as the ship shakes and warnings pop up around her, Mara looks on, eyes widening with tears.

Mara then looks at Antauri with tears and a smile on her face.

"Antauri…. Thank you for everything…. I am grateful to have had you in my life…. You were the best father figure…. I could have asked for…. May the…. Force be with you….", Mara said.

The hologram cuts out and glitches abruptly with a loud bang, power whirring down.

Everyone gives a somber look. That was the very moment that Mara crashed.

The day the previous She-Ra passed away.

All of their gazes met. They all knew that they had to stop the Heart.

"The weapon…. The weapon is Etheria….", Adora said with tears in her eyes, "and Mara…. Sacrificed herself to save everyone", Adora said.

Luke and Leia then hug Adora.

"She was brave, my Mara", Razz said as she chuckled sadly.

Razz then placed the pie on the chair.

"For you, Mara, dearie", Razz said.

Luke asked, "Antauri?"

Antauri kept staring at the chair and then he finally spoke.

He said, "the time draws closer than ever. We need the Dyad. We need She-Ra. We all need to work together if we want to save Etheria…."

….

Reviews:

SuperSentai199: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. And yeah, I'm glad we made sure Glimmer gets called put for how arrogant she was in season 4. As well as her apologizing profusely when she gets rescued from the Horde.

Patrick Star: sigh, is that for here or to go?

….

Sorry if this chapter was a little confusing.

And that it was an hour late.

Tune in on Wednesday for the next one, which I'll try to get out on time.