Beyond - Legends "A Brush with Morning" (AU; L/M, OCs, humor/mild action)

Note: Part of a larger AU, a companion piece to Grey and Red: http://boards.theforce.net/threads/grey-and-red-au-l-m-reflection-etc.50021532/

Warning: Silliness ahead. No Ewoks were harmed in the writing of this 'fic.

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40 ABY: Skywalker Villa,
Ossus Praxeum, Outer Rim:
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Mara closed her eyes, refusing - for the umpteenth time - to vent her fury in a non-productive manner.

Jedi Masters do not throw tantrums when their favorite hairbrush - the one they explicitly WARNED their family never to touch upon pain of Force-punishment - vanishes, she thought, turning over her 'fresher.

Again. This was the third time in a half-hour that she'd searched the room, and not found her hairbrush.

A gentle touch - mercifully for the toucher, not quelling or condescending - brushed Mara's mind, and she raised an eyebrow as Luke stood at the doorway. His concern was obvious, although the corners of his mouth twitched as he asked, "Are you sure it's not just in the glove compartment?"

"Along with your father's handwear? No, Farmboy, I didn't leave it in the speeder," Mara snarked, glancing in the mirror and wondering if it was worth using one of her lesser brushes.

Kriffit. Maybe the sight of an untamed snarl will scare the offender or offenders into surrendering ...

She let Luke knead her shoulders, grateful for the release of tension but holding up a finger at the promise in his eyes. "Fun, yes, but the timing's just not right. I have a sparring class, remember?" Mara pointed out, slipping away as she glanced left and right - maybe one of the kids had it?

My children aren't stupid. Occasionally aggravating, yeah, but not stupid, she reminded herself.

Nevertheless, Mara knocked on Ben's door - grateful he didn't have any moronic "Keep Out" signs on it, since that sort of nonsense was practically a red flag. (She respected her kids' privacy to some degree, but wasn't afraid of a good room search if she smelled a ranat.)

The door slid open, and Ben quickly turned down a particularly obnoxious crescendo by some neo-Rebel synth-metal group as he sat up at his desk. His room was somewhere between navigable and junkyard, what with his droids and his tech work.

Ben wasn't actually a Jedi trainee, but had instead come to Force exploration through a fascination with mechanical items. The elder Skywalkers were quite all right with that, given that Ben was both responsible with his gifts and had a remarkable talent with droids and starship maintenance. He saved the Order a fortune on labor costs when it came to keeping up the droid pool.

"Sorry, Mom - thought I had it turned down," the teen said, blushing, but Mara smiled - the calm smile, not the "OH FORCE SPARE ME MRS. SKYWALKER IS ON THE RAMPAGE" smile.

"It's not the music, sweetheart. I'm looking for my hairbrush - the pearl-handled one?" Mara asked.

Ben felt sympathetic through the Force, but his expression was one of mild doubt. "Unless one of the mice got glitched, I don't have it - Skippi? Yippi? Pippi? On deck, you guys," the boy ordered.

Three mouse droids rolled out from various corners of the room, each chirping a bit in usual mouse droid pre-panic. (Mara would've found Ben's choice of "pets" a bit more troubling - mouse droids were gratingly like their flesh-and-blood relatives - except that droids didn't cause a mess or overeat.)

"Spit out everything you've picked up this morning," Ben ordered.

The mice chirped again, and Mara raised an eyebrow as they dumped various bits of dust, bolts, debris, and what looked suspiciously like a holochip. Ben telekinetically summoned the latter and said, "Huh. Programming board for a Z-95 Headhunter. You think someone at the hangar lost this?"

"Could be. Maybe you can check with the astromech pool. I've got to run - catch you at lunch?" Mara asked, kissing Ben's forehead. He nodded, smiling, and waved as Mara left.

That leaves two more ... Mara thought, knocking at the door to her daughter's room. Of any of the Skywalker children, Analynn was the most likely to have the brush.

She mostly was known as "Lynn," or "Katunda Night Terror" to the speeder bike racers at the Ossan village up the way.

(Her nickname wasn't because of crazy antics from the speeder bike sidelines - she was a gifted pilot. Not wanting to be hypocritical of her own past, Mara carefully approved.)

The door slid open, and Mara wryly activated her shoto, spinning aside a rapid green-bladed lunge.

"Awww, Mooommm. I'll never surprise you," the not-quite-11-year-old reddish-blond haired Lynn sighed, shutting off her training 'saber. The "attack" hadn't been serious - it was something of a game between mother and daughter, the latter always trying to get the drop on the former.

"Give it time, Lynn. I won't be my stellar self forever," Mara quipped, shutting off her own weapon.

Lynn looked and felt almost stricken for a moment - she was usually tough, but discussions of mortality troubled the tomboyish girl, often driving her to greater acts of wildness.

Mara ruffled her hair and added, "But that won't come for a long time, darling. I'm looking for my hairbrush, have you seen it?"

"The good one? I didn't take it, I promise. I learned my lesson after what happened with your favorite vibroblade," Lynn promised, holding up her hand. "Scarfer!"

A quiet yurf came from underneath the bed, and Mara hid a smile when Lynn's nusito crawled out, a half-devoured dust bunny dangling from his muzzle. The dog was loyal to a fault, and utterly loved Lynn, but he wasn't terribly bright even by nusito standards. "Wurf?" Scarfer asked, cocking his head.

His mistress put her hands on her hips and stared at him, asking, "Mom's good hairbrush?"

The nusito gave Lynn a look of either canine innocence or canine stupidity - Mara admitted her bias, she was more a spukamas or felinx person - and panted merrily, while Lynn rolled her eyes. "He hasn't seen it either, Mom, sorry. You need a bantha bone, though, Scarf's on it," the girl sighed.

"Thanks, though. Don't be late for class," Mara reminded Lynn. The girl nodded, and Mara slipped back into the hall, ready to stop one last place before widening her search.

Coric, the Skywalkers' youngest at all of 8 years, stood at his doorway, wide green eyes and cropped sandy-blond hair accentuating his Jedi student outfit. "Mom? You feel upset," the boy asked, letting Mara step inside his uncannily well-kept room.

"Not upset, sweetie, just missing my pearl-handled hairbrush. You remember, the one from Mon Cal?" Mara asked, gently but not sappily. That was neither like her, nor would Coric appreciate it (he was sensitive about being the youngest Skywalker, and worked hard to be a "good Jedi") - but he was her baby, after all.

Coric nodded, thinking hard, then looked around his room and in his dresser drawers. "Not here, but maybe ...?" he offered, closing his eyes.

Mara appreciated the effort, but the way things were going, she doubted even her talented offspring could use the Force to find the brush.

Plus, to be honest, Cor's talents were more lightsaber-based at this stage of his training. (If he did have farsight this soon, it might've unsettled Mara.)

After a moment, Coric opened his eyes and shook his head, sighing. "Sorry. I don't have it - I can't find it, either. I know I gotta look-look, not just use the Force, but I didn't take it," the boy explained.

Mara believed him - despite her preference, his hair was too short to need a brush - and she ruffled his scalp as she said, "Well, thanks. Watch for those training remotes, OK?"

"I will, thanks. Love you!" Cor said, beaming toothily as he ran off to class. Mara nodded, taking a deep breath as she entered the living room and looked around - it was unlike her to leave a brush lying around.

Think, Jade. You had it with you the other night for the opera at New Knossa ... great. Maybe I did leave it in the speeder, she thought, crossing her arms as she tried to retrace her tracks.

"Bweep? Doo-weep artweet-breep?" a familiar tweedle asked, and Mara nodded at Artoo as the astromech turned his dome from where he'd been working on one of the cooling units.

"You don't know anything about my pearl-handled hairbrush, do you?" Mara asked. She liked Artoo, given his usually-sensible behavior, but she doubted even the smart droid would know of the brush.

Artoo shook his dome, warbling something sad, and Mara left him to his work. She knew she probably looked a fright - her hair was clean, but tended to frizz without a good brushing - but she didn't care.

I WANT my karkin' hairbrush, she decided, stomping out of the villa and looking around the speeder.

That was when she sensed it - a keen, alert mind, not threatening but wary - and heard footsteps.

"OK ... whoever you are ... I just have some questions," Mara said, keeping her voice even. She walked slowly around the speeder, ready to either talk or pounce - maybe both.

And that was when she saw a brown-furred Ewok standing there - holding her hairbrush.

"Yub?" the Ewok asked, blinking.

"OK. You're not Kettch, and we haven't had any other Ewok Padawans ... you're not even Force-sensitive. Where did you come from?" Mara asked, almost amused.

(Almost. The absurdity of an Ewok stealing her best hairbrush wasn't lost on her.)

The Ewok looked ... if not guilty, then from side to side, and replied, "Nub-ngootch-yub."

Mara took a deep breath, wishing she'd taken Threepio's offer to teach her Ewokese (the little fuzzballs were far more common in the wider galaxy these days, helping with reforestation efforts on worlds hit by the Yuuzhan Vong), then raised her eyebrows as the Ewok ran. "HEY!" she yelled.

"YUB!" the Ewok yelped, bolting for the nearby forest. Mara pursued, relying on her natural speed.

(She was not going to use the Force to help her catch anyone running on such stubby little legs.)

Nevertheless, the early-morning commuters around the Jedi Praxeum were witness to a unique sight:

Master Jade-Skywalker, her hair a blazing tangle behind her, pursuing a fleet-footed Ewok.

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Ewok slippers. Ewok purses. Ewok handbags ... a Jedi craves not these things ...

Mara finally caught up with the Ewok in the forest proper, her temper fading as she saw what awaited her - a badly-damaged escape pod, turned into a modest hut with branches and hides.

"OK ... I promise not to hurt you, if you just explain why you'd taken my ..." Mara trailed off.

She dropped to one knee, watching the Ewok peek at her from the hut door, then step out as a tan-furred Ewok joined the brown one. The tan Ewok held a Wokling in - her? Mara guessed - arms, and sat on a log as the brown Ewok started to brush her, the Wokling squeaking gently.

Wow, Mara considered, smiling gently as she watched the scene. She raised her hands as the male Ewok glanced at her, and he finally nodded while the female waved.

Mara sat on another of the logs, warming herself by the fire - the deep forest retained moisture and fog longer into the day than the plains where the Praxeum was - and thanked the male Ewok when he handed her the brush. "Y'know, if you need help, or relocation, we could do that," she offered.

The male Ewok tilted his head, but the female said, softly, "Yub. Thanks, but we comfortable. Nub. Refugees - relocated from Hutt Space. It OK if we stay?"

"Sure. Just next time ... I could get you a brush if you want?" Mara said.

The Ewoks laughed at that, and the female handed the Wokling to the male. "Yub. Thanks. You need brush?" the tan Ewok asked, holding out a paw.

Mara nodded - she thought she'd explained - but handed the brush to the Ewok anyhow. She blinked as the female Ewok finished cleaning the brush, then started to brush Mara's hair. "Thanks," she said.

And Durron says I can't handle diplomacy ... she thought, amused and grateful at the peaceful break.

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Oh my, that was HILARIOUS and wonderfully detailed; I loved all the little nuances you put into your version of the Skywalker family. And I'm reading Ewoks in a fic without Wes Janson?? (I kid, I kid. *waits for deserving judge-y side eye from Ewok Poet* ) Nice job, Onderon, nice job indeed.

 

This was extremely cute; liked the non-infodumpy intro to the various Skywalker-Jade offspring of this AU (of course they have at least one speed demon who races. ) And Mara's reactions all the way through were entertaining, especially when she finally located the culprit. And I liked the ending -- a really sweet moment of generosity being extended both ways with the Ewok family.

 

ThreadSketch - Thanks for the feedback.

Like many writers, I like the idea of L/M having more than one kid - it not only takes some pressure off of Ben, but it also allows for more diversity than the "Son of Skywalker" expectation of having to be a Jedi. (Not that I think L/M would be that demanding, but I could see some grumblings from the rest of the Order.)

This version of Ben isn't the first time I've written him as a tech specialist; the first, however, was truncated with much of the other, older 'fic.

And if you like Ewok-'fic ... hmm. There's a truncated piece I've been meaning to revive and restore, that makes this one look calm ...

Kahara - Thanks, too. I wanted to avoid something too rote in introducing the kids; I've already got ideas for more 'fics with them (perhaps Lynn wins a pink slip to a freighter in a bike race ...

 

Hey, Zahn himself was the first one who insinuated it when he included the word "children," plural, in Mara's brief vision of her future with Luke at the end of, well, VotF. Too bad the NJO ignored that.

EDIT: Actually, wait, I think firstsies went to Mother Rell in CoPL, when she rambled about Luke having kids in the future. So that would make it two references!

 

Brilliant and hilarious! I remember mentions of the kids before - nice to see them fleshed out a bit. *sigh* Multiple Skycrawlers...

 

This was great! Loved Mara's quest to find her hairbrush and it's sweet conclusion.

And Ben as a synth-metal fan with a gang of pet mouse droids is just darling.

 

SQUEE and LOL Love having 3 Skycrawlers. A lighthearted wonderful L/M fic!

 

I adored all of the intros to the Skycrawlers. I thought the mouse droids were cute. And I really liked that game Lynn and Mara played. I liked the fact that Coric's hair was too short for a brush.

This had me rolling out of my chair.

Loved the time with the Ewok family and the last comment about Kyp was cute and fitting addition to the whole story. If you write more in this AU with the kids, please tag me in. Thanks.

 

I LOVE THIS!!!!!!

Oh my gosh...I want more Lynn. I love that she's trying to get the drop on her mom, but that she gets freaked out by thought of her dying. So so so darn cute!!! I want MORE!!!!!! Please write more in this vein of the universe!!!

 

(Heeey, next time somebody mentions me, tag me - I feel guilty taking more than a year to actually see this thread.)

I loved how this plays with Mara's temper, yet makes it believable - male children listen to some typical nerdy genres of music (sorry, men into less violent subgenres of metal, pretend I never said this ), female children trying to be like her, heck, be her; and all she wants is a random item she needs, so she could get on with her day. Ugh! Jedi or not, every single person would be annoyed by that!

The look of "either canine innocence or canine stupidity"...now, where have I seen it before? Oh yes, an usual suspect is sitting right next to me.

And then, a totally unexpected ending. It reminds me of that Road of Avonlea episode with that beggar girl who looks just like Sara Stanley, as she steals Sara's brush just before she escapes in the end. Sure, this little family has completely different reasons for hiding and I'm glad they won't be deported now that Mara discovered them. Not to mention that they were absolutely adorable and that I totally want to see more of them, because Ewoks.

Thanks for this sweet story. <3

 

Everyone - Thanks for all the kind replies. This was kind of a one-off when I wrote it, but it could eventually fit into the continuity I'm working on now ...

Findswoman: I'm glad this wasn't OOC for Mara; she's not all "razor-tongued Emperor's Hand is coming with her armory" in every situation. Often, she seems to be either shebs-kicker or housewife, and I think some writers forget that those are only two parts of her personality. I can see her befriending Ewoks.

Irish_Jedi_Jade: I'm glad you enjoyed it. Analynn is a fun character - definitely an homage to her grandfather's childhood pastime, without the more annoying aspects (I'm sorry, but "wizard" is just ... ). I've some long-term ideas on her character arc, but it may be some time before I get there.

(The last time I wrote an SW epic, it just sort of meandered. "Go big or go home" does require a framework, or it collapses under its own weight. )

Ewok Poet: Thanks for the reply, and no worries. I was pleasantly surprised it made it all the way back to the front page.

I'm glad you liked it - Ewoks are fun, and I have plenty of plans for them. (Maybe not this particular family, but who knows? Never say never. )

I remember being guilty of some less-than-brilliant musical choices in my teenage years p), and I remember my sister imitating my mother in various ways (granted, none of them involved lightsabers ).

And while some dogs may be none-too-bright, they're loyal, and that can make all the difference.

- Thanks again,
Onderon1