At long (late blush ) last I have begun my He-Man/L and C crossover! At the moment it is more He-Man than L and C but I promise all of you folcs that in Clark is definitely coming back and I have not forgotten to include him or tie up a few early hints of him I have already made.

Since some of you may not be familiar or lol remember MOTU, maybe check out he-man.org and of course if you have any questions ask away. I have posted, thanks to Michael for forwarding an email back to me so very quickly, a brief MOTU summary on the fan fic related board.

Thank you to Darth Michael and Desirer who have been wonderful in reading this story and offering support/suggestions along. I'm finally posting the beginning, guys! :p It may not be the "final" beginning but hey it's a start!

Enjoy,
Mona

Remembering the Night Falcon

The vast crimson sky engulfed the entire Royal Palace in a shroud of haze. Patchy clouds of various sizes radiated bright white-red light through the numerous peaks within the sky, as if doing their part to further the camouflage on this late- September morning.

King Randor had reached his limit-He could no longer try to rationalize or tolerate his only son's apathy. If Adam, at 18, was not mature
enough or willing to take on adult responsibilities by showing an interest
in Eternia's affairs, then his father no longer cared. He couldn't afford to. Randor loved his boy- but he had to face the fact that Eternia was in constant battle with Skeletor and his allies not to mention being the center point of technology and history of the planet. Today Randor, would make one of the hardest decisions of his life, despite his wife's disapproval, Adam would no longer be his first choice for successor. That coveted position might instead go to his most loyal and intelligent Guard, save Teela, a young man named Michael. If for some reason Michael chose not to accept this honor, Randor would not be hard pressed to find suitable candidates among Eternian Civilians or if worst came to worst, Bow the Etherian Archer, could contend. He would find his wife Marlena, tell her, and then go have a talk with Adam. If Adam was anywhere to be found that is. Randor sighed and felt some pain in his heart, but this is what he felt he had to do.

Meanwhile in another part of the Palace, Prince Adam was enjoying some much-needed peace. For months now, Skeletor had showed no sign of giving in or letting
up. His plots grew and with them did his range of attacks. In June there
was the day that Adam could laugh about now as he remembered, that Skeletor had succeeded in pulling Greyskull into a literal white hole. If Orko had not gone to
Greyskull early that morning to talk with the Sorceress… Adam shuddered at
the thought. That was too close for comfort! However, at least for a while afterwards the heroic warriors were granted a reprieve from Skeletor’s seemingly never ending barrage of attacks. There was an aura of peace at last among the kingdom, until a few weeks later that is- the day, the horrible day, King Randor was captured by Beast Man in plain view of a helpless Adam.

Frustration and hurt fill Adam's light blue eyes as his mind conjured up the image of the savage Red-Orange Beast lead his father to Snake Mountain.
Adam was so deep in his thoughts that he did not realize that his friend
and mentor Duncan had entered his room. "Adam, are you ok, Son, you look
pale?"

" I did not hear you come in, Duncan,” Adam replied with a forced smile. I
was trying to enjoy being able to finally relax, when my mind and heart
started to fill with images and bits of conversations of this summer's
war. Duncan, I….”

Duncan, sensing that Adam simply needs his silent yet supportive presence, quietly sits down, smiles and looks admirably at the young man before him. Adam in so many ways has been a son to him. And…this kills Duncan to admit, but in a way he is closer to Adam than he is to his adopted daughter, Teela. He doesn't have to keep Marlena's identity secret from Adam nor does he have to carefully choose
his words concerning Castle Greyskull itself. More than anything,
Duncan longs for the day, when Teela will know her mother and perhaps
forgive her adopted father. It is this reality that enables him to connect with Adam, however.

"I'm here Adam,” Duncan finally responds with a light smile. ”We both need respite."

"Yes, my friend, we do. Everyone is tired both in body and spirit.
Yet for me, my soul has grown weak. I don't know if I can be He-Man any
longer. In fact I fear that he has taken over me.” Adam finished in a whisper.

Duncan responds by getting up and strolling toward the window. Halfway there, however, he stops and faces Adam. In the young man's face he now sees some of the incredibly deep pain of his heroine, Teelana, known to the Eternian world at large as the Sorceress of Castle Greyskull. Duncan also feels some of his own tears as well. It seems all 3 of them have had to sacrifice so much, so
young, for the noblest of causes that is for sure, but he shakes his head,
not at these expenses. It's not necessary for Duncan to verbalize because
the feeling in the mid-sized room says it all. For a while both Adam and
Duncan simply sit and at times release some long since pent up tears. They
are beginning to heal.

***
Within the gray-green marble walls of Greyskull, the Sorceress, who through her magical powers and own innate connection to Adam, has just bore witness to her “Son’s” heartbreak occurring at the Palace. Her own heart, albeit immortal, feels as if it has cracked. 20 years ago out of desperation, she gave her only child to her trusted friend Duncan, so that her daughter would be raised in safety. This decision while one she never looked back on in terms of its logical rightness, was one which both she, in silence and Teela, not knowing, had paid the price for many times over. Overcome with sorrow, the Sorceress now allowed herself the luxury of not so silently screaming tears of the past 20 years.

Simultaneously in the Castle’s Hall of Mirrors that showcases a ‘Living Wall’ of frozen imprints of both Eternia’s greatest heroes and foes, a new, or perhaps, until now, not fully visible portrait began to form: An image of a dark haired young man from Smallville, Kansas, whom the Sorceress first heard of as simply a legend from Queen Marlena’s Earth tales so many years ago and later actually contacted through their joint gifts of telepathy.

***

Superman had to force himself to touch down lightly on his balcony in fear that if he exerted any amount of strength the result would not only be the end of his apartment and quite possibly the building at large but for all intents and purposes the end of him as well-at least the “super end,” Clark muttered as he entered his apartment and flung himself as hard as he dared onto his bed. Two minutes later his bedside alarm began to ring and this time, Clark could not help but hurl the buzzing contraption straight out toward Pluto! He might be the Man of Steel a. k. a Superman but at the moment, he was simply a man, a man who the universe seemed intent on trying to break.

Clark had spent the night averting one disaster after another. From Metropolis to China to California and Switzerland, the world refused to give him any peace. Not only that, but, the criminal element seemed even more intent on landing him in his grave than ever before. A few hours ago, for example, Superman had answered the frantic call of what sounded like an elderly man in distress just outside of Metropolis. “That guy was in distress all right, “ Clark said to himself, pacing the air above his bed, “distress as to how long to keep up the pretense of feeling like he was having a heart attack to a heartbeat later, rewarding his super rescuer with a thank you gift-a gift of a small green colored rock from Krypton that is! Clark had to hand it to the guy, he was sure crafty and cunning enough to simply tease the superhero with the Kryptonite for a few moments before encasing back in its lead lined box. Mr. Allen, as the man claimed his name was, did not want to hurt Superman, he just wanted to remind him of his own mortality and lack of complete control over the future.

Not that Clark needed any reminding! Lately he wondered whether Luthor or another villain of equal stature was pedaling the green rocks in droves like a carnival worker barking cotton candy. “Get your Kryptonite, fresh kryptonite right here! Two chunks for the bargain price of one!” Clark clapped his hands over his ears in an attempt to drown out the cackles of the imaginary “seller” his mind was conjuring up. If the cursed green rock didn’t kill him itself, perhaps just knowing its existence was multiplying would. On the other hand, kryptonite had to take a backseat to Lois Lane. Superman had taken Clark away from yet another one of their “friends” nights together last week. The following day at work, Mad Dog Lane, exuded an aura to Clark not of expected raucous anger but of silent indifference and steely daring of him to even bother opening his mouth. Superman needed a super vacation!

***
“Marlena, there you are, My Dear,” King Randor said, as he joined his wife on their private balcony.

Queen Marlena spent the going through her own inner-journey. It is obvious to her that her husband has reached his breaking point with Adam and will not be able reign in his temper much longer before it explodes all over their son-A son whose very being appeared at the edge of breaking. Why, she did not fully know, she just suspected it had to do with He-Man or rather the very likely fact that the hero’s true identity could be found in Adam. Marlena smiled to herself as she recalled the day she had made her Eternia debut in her old spaceship “The Rainbow Warrior,” to aid that days fight against Skeletor. She could envision the purplish skull like demon cackling before an enchained Randor and Adam along with a good deal of the heroic warrior that at long last he had triumphed and would rule Eternia. No one had noticed that she was missing and that had given her the perfect opportunity to don her old spacesuit and take flight in her craft above the battle scene. Certainly, she quietly laughed, everyone, save perhaps Randor, was not only shocked by the sudden appearance of the ship and the agility and ease at which it disabled the robot rays shooting at it but more so by the pilot’s choice in casting a blast of energy at the chains around Adam’s hands before vanishing as quickly as she had come.

“Peaceful out here isn’t it?” Marlena replied by way of a greeting, as she continued to stare absently onto the kingdom before her and relive the day her mother’s heart and intuition had at last shown her the truth about her son. A truth she had long suspected but never fully believed. And less than a year later, a truth, that her negligence to discuss with Adam and even Randor made her guilty of contributing to not only her husband’s current fury but more disheartening her beloved son’s current depression.

“It is a lovely day, “ Randor agreed breaking Marlena’s train of thought, “And dare I say it is welcome to have a moment of quiet.”

A slight glimmer of hope welled in the Queen’s heart at her husband’s words. It was not every day that he injected a degree of normal chatter into a conversation. Was he finally loosening up? Perhaps at last he was ready to talk calmly about Adam instead of command? Words did not have to be spoken for her to know Adam’s future was why her husband had sought her ought this afternoon. Or was this, a rare moment of shared solitude between them simply the calm before the eruption? Or was it, the Queen, screamed silently, in truth, the prelude to the downfall of Prince Adam and the subsequent end of his mother, Queen Marlena?

Only a few precious moments later, Randor broke the spell by turning to his wife of 21 years and saying, “As much as I’d like to keep relaxing the rest of this afternoon away, there’s something I need to tell you and decisions to be made afterward. I fear my time for idleness is over. Will you join me in our sitting room so that we can more formally talk?” Randor finished before starting to open the sliding door to their bed -chamber.

“I’d rather we just pull up a couple chairs out here,” Marlena replied before adding, “But for what I sense is to come, maybe we should head inside as not to pollute the peace out here.”

Randor barely heard his wife’s refrain as his mind was already consumed by his latest and what he believed to be most vital duty. With that he escorted his seemingly lost in space wife inside to talk-or rather to listen and accept his royal announcement.

“Marlena, you can’t be serious,” Randor all but thundered minutes into their conversation. “How much longer can we pretend that Adam will one day grow up? When was the last time he showed a genuine interest in Eternia? When he practically begged to be my honor guard a couple months ago? What happened at the first sight of Beastman? Oh, not that I can blame him…there was nothing he could do…”

“And when was the last time you and Adam really talked with one another? Or for that matter, spent an afternoon together talking or taking a short trip? When was the last time that we, the Royal Family enjoyed time together like the two of us briefly just shared outside?” Marlena, passionately replied her eyes blazing.

“Lazily wasting away time is our Son’s specialty not mine,” Randor retorted with a brashness that momentarily stunned his Queen. “I’m only thinking of Adam,” he continued, noticing the daggers being shot at him out of his wife’s eyes. He’s nearly 19 now. Surely even you must agree that it is not appropriate for him to spend the rest of his life making excuses for fishing or taking a beauty nap instead of doing his share. I know you don’t agree, but, why can’t he be more like He-Man?” There’s a young man…”

“What about He-Man?” Marlena thundered gaining momentum, “I admire his courage tremendously and know that if it were not for him Skeletor would be sitting in our places here right now. But He-Man is not our son. Like it or not, Adam is. And this conversation needs to be about him. I am afraid of we don’t do something and fast, Adam might be lost to us forever. Surely, even you must be aware of the fact that he does not seem happy nor healthy lately.”

“Marlena, do you dare question my knowledge of my own Son?” Randor angrily spit out in defense. “Of course I’ve noticed Adam appears more lethargic and lackadaisical than usual. But, I also know he has failed thus far in his responsibility as Prince to establish his place as Eternia’s future King. Instead of being a man and taking charge of his birthright, and lucky hand, he has wasted the past 2 almost 3 years now. Having fun is his only concern! I have never once seen him step up and take some responsibility around here. He knows we are all under the constant threat of Skeletor, as well as, lesser-known evil beings. I just won’t have it. Eternia cannot accept it. I have not been after him to become a fighter like He-Man or a warrior like Teela, just to take his role around here more seriously and by the grace of Eternia, finally show us, he intends to be King…”

“And the two of us,” Marlena began, her voice rising, “And especially me are even guiltier of treating our son as if he does not even matter. I have made feeble attempts to talk to him and offer support but ended up quickly brushing away his lack of desire to talk with my own need to serve out some duty as Queen. I believe it is safe to say, King Randor, that the same can be said of you. We have both been so caught up in our “duty” to Eternia that we have abandoned our responsibility to our son. So I think if we want to be ashamed of anyone it ought to be of ourselves! Having said that, Will you join me in seeking out Adam to offer him our loving support and willing ears to listen without judging?

“I have wasted enough time trying not to judge that boy, Marlena. He either has answers and a huge change of attitude or…” Randor broke off by the steely glare in his wife’s eyes.

“Or what? You’ll disown him? If that’s the case, you can “disown” us both. Your frenzy over having decided that now is the time to announce your successorseems to have overtaken you-your fury toward Adam and lack of willingness to not only talk to him in a calm matter but lately with me, your own wife as well, as left me questioning if I even wanted that title any longer. I love you Randor. I have since the moment you rescued me nearly 22 years ago. I know you are a good man with a better heart who the people of Eternia revere as King due to those traits and so many others, least of all loyalty to conscious and doing what is right. I just wish you could find a way to do that now with Adam.” Marlena finished before disappearing in the cloud of red smoke that was flaming from Randor’s ears.

***

Adam had escaped from the Palace about 20 minutes into his parent’s conversation headed to Greyskull. Midway to the Castle, he even took the precaution of transforming into He-Man almost as a dare to anyone or anything that might attempt to stop him. It was high time he made good on his long standing promise to Duncan, his trusted friend, mentor, and father figure in so many ways, to better take care of himself. It was more than time, nearly 3 years to be exact for the young Prince to begin to do the above by seeking an answer to his rarely voiced question of why he never truly thought about what being He-Man meant.

When the Sorceress had told him of his destiny at 16, his intial reaction was one of shock followed by hesitation. While he was honored at being selected as Eternia’s Champion, he didn’t feel ready to instantly become so and asked the Sorceress if he might wait. A few ensuing discussions later gave rise to the birth of He-Man and, as He-Man bitterly called upon the Castle to open it’s drawbridge to him, the slow death of Adam.

Inside the Hall of Mirrors, the Sorceress and He-Man gaze upon an image of Adam 3 years ago. The most striking thing about the younger man in the hologram before them is the lack of quiet sadness in his eyes and raging turmoil in his being. The blue depths of the young Prince’s eyes were carefree yet even then shone with an integrity and honor that was scarily tangible. Without a doubt the younger Adam reflected in the picture knew.

The moment freezes temporarily as He-Man and the Sorceress simply stare. The aura in Castle’s air grows thicker with emptiness yet at the same time there is a fullness.

“What happens now, Sorceress?” Adam asked, having transformed back into himself. “Being He-Man has been the greatest honor of my life. I have been given the strength and other physical powers to infinity yet…I failed. I failed you and most of all I have failed myself.”

In response the Sorceress reaches out to Adam and draws him into an embrace. She wants him to know, to feel, that to her, the person who gave him the Sword of Power, he has always been Adam. She also must ask Adam..to forgive her. She may be immortal but to lose a son and not know when she might be able to have her daughter, would be her living end. It’s easy for her to forget that she is only 38 in mortal years. It is at times like these, however, that she feels older than Zodac himself. When was the last time she, thought of herself, or was able to leave Greyskull’s walls to do something fun. She may not like to show it..but within her own blue eyes, lies a similar yet oh so magnified haunting desire to Adam’s. It is time He-Man became Adam and perhaps more so, finally time she became Teelana.


[Just adding part no into header of post - LabRat]