Prelude. Mara: The Weapon

Note: I know this conflicts with the comics. The comics with Damian and his original Teen Titians that he kidnapped. However, I believe this works better. That event still happened with the Titians, but you'll see how Mara lost her eye. I'm not providing an age for Mara in this chapter.

Third Person/ Mara

Ras Al Guhl was leading a child into the training arena.

"Mara, you are to practice with this child until one of the two of you have satisfied me. Is that understood?"

Mara nodded. I must please grandfather. He said I am destined to take the mantal of the demon's fist. I must show I am worthy. Mara's challenger was a girl who appeared to be about two or three years younger than Mara's age. In honesty, the two girls could have been mistaken for sisters. Both short for their age, same thin figure, tan skin covered in scars, emerald green eyes, and dark brown hair that could be mistaken for black. The two girls even had streaks on the left side of their hair, Mara's being blood red and her opponent's being pure white. Is she, my sister? Do I have a sister?

"Child," Ras' voice was clear and crisp, the girl stood at attention awaiting orders. "Maim" he pointed to Mara.

Both girls lifted their long, thin, curved swords. Katanas. They charged, meeting each other's blades full force. The challenger stomped on Mara's foot, Mara gritted her teeth, attempting to elbow the girl in the face. The move was anticipated, Mara's arm was caught and twisted. Grunting, Mara dropped her katana and went for a knife by her side. Mara managed to cut her opponent's arm, but the girl didn't even wince. Mara backed up, unsure if she could win. The girl had a constant blank expression.

Mara backed up into a weapon rack. She pulled a pair of Sai, a three-pronged fork with the middle prong longer than the other two, fixed to leather grips. The girl still swung her katana, Mara caught the blade between the prongs and pressed it back to the girl.

Mara decided a little conversion may save her skin. Talk to distract your enemy. That is a strategy that often works, if you could make your enemy frustrated, they would be thrown off their game. "So, you got a name? Or do you like being called 'Child'?" No response. Odd. Unless you call being at a momentary stand still a response. "Are you mute? I asked you a question. I am the heir to the Demon's Fist! And as a servant to the league, I expect you to answer me!" Still nothing verbal. Perhaps she is mute.

The girl suddenly dropped her sword and caught Mara's wrists with an iron clad grip. The nameless girl proceeded to kick Mara. Mara twisted her arms to get out of the vice-like grip. Mara managed to get to the side of the arena, picking up a pair of nunchaku in the process. She hated the weapon, but a weapon was better than no weapon. Mara turned and faced her challenger. The girl had picked up a new weapon as well, a kusarigama. A scythe blade attached to a foot long pole; the other end of the pole attached to a long chain.

Mara cursed. Kusarigama were great for reach; her nunchaku would not be able to protect her much. Well, if the girl knew how to use the weapon properly. Apparently, the girl did. Mara barley managed to stop the blow from the blade with the chain of the nunchaku. Holding her grip so the blade could not be retrieved, Mara glanced at her grandfather. He did not seem pleased.

In that moment, the girl threw a shuriken, a metal death star, at Mara's face. It caught her right eye. Mara screamed and buckled, landing on her knees, her right hand covering her injured eye. The girl was coming towards Mara, to finish the order.

"Child Stop."

The girl froze in place, standing at attention, looking at the wall. Grandfather made his way over to Mara; she hung her head in shame. She had failed him. She would be punished.

"Mara, look at me." She did, not daring to rise. His stoic face was glaring at her, though not necessarily in disappointment. "Rise." She did as ordered, dropping her hand from her face. Blood staining the floor. "I would have been surprised if you managed to seriously harm her. I am amazed that you managed to cut her at all. You should be glad you lasted as long as you did."

Mara bit her lip. Mara knew that this girl had been under orders, but she was still mad that she couldn't see out of her right eye. The girl had been ruthless.

"Do you know who this is Mara?"

"No."

"Would you like to know?" Grandfather only let her curiosity rein in knowledge on how to defeat enemies and weaponry, not human relationships. But he was allowing her to ask, surely it must be for a reason.

"Yes."

"Do you have a theory?"

Mara straitened, deciding to ask if her suspicions were true. "Is- Is she, my sister?"

Her grandfather chuckled at that statement. Mara had never heard her grandfather laugh good-naturedly, much less chuckle. "No. I can see why you would think so. She is blood related, however. This is your cousin, daughter of your aunt Talia."

Mara's functioning eye widened. No wonder the thought that this girl in front of Mara was her sister. Many in the league, even her own father, Dusan Al Ghul, commented on how similar she looked to her aunt Talia. Many outsides of the family thought that Mara was Talia's daughter. Or at least the daughter of her Aunt Nyssa.

"Does she know this?" Mara asked, gesturing at the girl.

"No. This is only one side of her. Her warrior, the perfect warrior. Would you like to see her other side?"

Mara hesitated. What if her other side was worse? No, she can't be. Take a chance, Mara. Her father's voice told her that last sentence, "Yes, Grandfather."

"Release."

Once the word was spoken, the girl coughed and doubled over. Her breath becoming rapid. She fell and began to back away from grandfather.

"N-N-NO! N-N-NO! I-I DON'T W-W-WANT TO-TO HURT P-PE-PEOPLE!" Her face looked up, shining with tears. Instead of the green eyes Mara saw earlier, the girl's eyes were a deep sorrowful sapphire blue. "PL-PLEASE! NOT THE PIT!"

"You aren't going to the pit, Mara you are to take care of her. Take her to your room, your meal will be sent later. I will not require your presence for the rest of the night."

Mara was stunned, but she assured her grandfather that she understood. Why was grandfather letting this happen?

Once he left, Mara turned to the shuttering girl. She had found a corner and was trying to hide. Mara went and grabbed a med kit to fix the cut on the girl's arm. Mara took a long breath and made her way over to the girl. Knelling slowly, unsure how to approach.

"Hello. I'm Mara."

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, trembling, her face between her legs.

"It wasn't you. It was your… your other side. I don't blame you. It's just a cut."

"I hurt you. I didn't want to."

"Look don't blame yourself. I forgive you." Mara discovered that those words were true. She did not blame the trembling girl before her. She had no choice in her actions. How her grandfather managed to split the girl like this, Mara didn't know.

The girl looked up at Mara, confusion written across her face. "Forgive? What is forgive?"

Mara's blood turned cold. What has this girl been taught? Rather, how much did she know about anything? Mara swallowed and explained. "Forgive means I don't hold it against you. I don't blame you for your actions."

"You should. I hurt you. I couldn't stop it."

A dark thought wormed into Mara's head. "Were you aware of the… other sides actions?"

"Yes. I fought. Kicked, screamed. But I couldn't stop anything. I didn't want to hurt you." Choked sobs started to rack the girl's body.

Mara sat crossed-legged; her knees were becoming sore from kneeling. Mara knew her eye needed to be treated soon, but the girl seemed to be a more prominent problem. A twisted pity rose, pity for the girl being forced to do these things. Also, a small amount of anger that the girl couldn't control her other side. Don't blame her. Don't blame her. She fought to gain control, but she couldn't.

Perhaps she has split personality syndrome, and grandfather is using that to his advantage. Grandfather must have found a way to keep her other side in control while under orders, so the trembling girl with blue eyes couldn't willingly stop herself from the other side's actions. That seems probable, seeing how grandfather wants the prefect warrior. The anger died.

Hesitantly, Mara extended her hand to the girl's shoulder. The girl flinched at the touch but didn't pull away. "May I see your arm? I know I cut it earlier."

"Why?"

"I want to heal it."

"Heal?"

Mara closed her working eye. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. She counted the numbers in her head several times to calm herself. Breathing steadily, she explained. "Heal means to make better. Make cuts, burns, and pain go away."

"Why do you want to heal me? I hurt you. I should be hurt."

"No. You. Don't." Mara growled. Making sure she controlled her breathing again, she answered. "I want to help you. You are my… sister." The sister part was a lie, but she didn't feel like explaining the word 'cousin' to this girl. Sister would be much easier to understand, besides it could be easily believed considering their looks.

"Help? Sister?"

"Help means to aid someone. By giving… medical care, doing something simple when asked, and just being there for someone when needed." Mara tried to keep her words simple and well childish. Mara could only explain so much in one night. "'Sister' means a girl who takes care of either a brother or sister. Brother is the same thing, only for a boy. It goes both ways. You help each other. You are my sister."

The girl seemed to try to process that, frowning. "But I hurt you. Why help me? Why me sister?"

"Because those actions weren't you. You were forced. You were under orders. I forgive you because you aren't to blame and because you're my sister."

Biting her lip, the girl slowly extended her arm. Mara moved just as slowly as not to startle the girl. The cut was deep, at least an inch, and five inches long. Mara grimaced at her handiwork.

"I am going to put some liquid on your cut, it's going to sting. Then I'm going to wrap it up, ok?" The girl nodded.

Mara grabbed the med kit beside her, retrieving the rubbing alcohol, a bandage, and gauze. When she applied the liquid to the cut, the girl barely winced. As Mara continued, the little girl started to hum under her breath, staying as still as possible.

This time the girl's deep blue eyes filled with curiosity once Mara finished her work. "Can you do what you did to me on your eye?"

"Yes, but not right now. I need a mirror to see before I try it." Suddenly the girl let out a huge yawn. "Is someone tired" Mara teased.

"Yes."

Mara stood, holding out her hand to the girl. "Come on then."

The girl took her hand, shaky on her feet. Mara held on to her tighter. "Come on Sister, you need to rest." Both girls smiled at the words. As the pair trudged together a sudden thought hit the girl.

"Can you… say something that you won't break?"

Mara frowned, trying to understand what she meant. "Do you mean like a promise? Making a pact that won't be broken?" She nodded. "Yes"

"Can you pr-prom-promise me that you won't ever put me in the pit?" She struggled with the word 'promise', but her meaning was clear.

Mara fully understood why she wanted this. The pit was not natural, and it left horrible visions in one's head. "Yes, I promise you I will never put you in the pit. Can you promise me the same thing sister?"

"Yes. I prom-promise you I will never put you in the pit."

The two sisters smiled at each other.