The following story is a continuation of the Toon Master series of stories featuring our original characters and favorite cartoons. The idea and title for this story comes from a private joke between my brother and me. Enjoy and tell us what you think.
The author does not own any existing cartoon characters, products or locations used in this story. The author is not receiving any monetary gain from this story. No copyright infringement in intended. Any resemblance of original characters, products or locations to real life is purely coincidental.
EPISODE 5 – What's a Dynatherm?
"We can do it, but we have to do it together."
--- Braveheart Lion. "The Care Bears Movie". 1985
Welcome readers, to the Planet Arus: a crown jewel in this sector of the Toon World, a vast center of commerce, a pioneer of technological advancement, a planet unrivaled in pure scientific brilliance.
The planet of Arus was not as most people would remember it. Hardly any life, human or otherwise, was present anymore. Thick green forests spread across the planet's surface accompanied by a silence just as dense. No animals made their homes in those woods. The trees filled in clearings where proud cities of metal and stone once stood; new skin covering over old wounds. Wandering clouds of dust drifted across deserts searching in vain for a friendly face. The bright sunlight that shone down did little to dispel the shadow of hopelessness that hung over the land.
Or…at least it used to be. Arus has fallen on hard times ever since the evil King Zargon from the neighboring world of Planet Doom came long ago and destroyed everything. Most of the population was killed in the resulting war. The survivors were either taken away as slaves or forced into hiding in the caves, the forest, or the ruins of crumbling cities.
However, the pride of the people of Arus has not yet been destroyed and they have begun to rebuild their lives.
One of the only remaining structures left intact on the planet was the royal palace of Arus: a square steel building made of sharp edges. Unlike other palaces, it was built more for the defense than for the comfort of those that lived within it. If evil threatened, panels along each side of the castle would open to reveal laser cannons and missile launchers. The palace stood like a protective mother carefully guarding the remains of the villages around it.
Everywhere in the village, people were working. Men and young boys wearing dark brown tunics have been working everyday for many days rebuilding their homes. Crumbling stone buildings destroyed in the war with King Zargon were hauled away. The dirt roads were stirred up when horse-drawn wagons arrived hauling freshly cut stone to lay foundations for new construction projects. Women in plain white robes could be seen tilling soil for planting, serving food to the construction workers, cleaning the new buildings already built, tending to children too young to help and any one of dozens of other tasks. Deep down, the people still mourned for their fallen homes and their lost loved ones, but that hurt was pushed aside for the excitement of starting anew.
Yes, the people of Arus are rejoicing at their liberation. Their planet can once again be the utopia it once was.
A giant green and black foot crashed down on one of the buildings being rebuilt, scattering bricks and dust and sending all the people running for cover.
…if it weren't for the constant Robeast attackes.
The foot was attached to a monster as least one hundred feet high. Its skin was a mesh of black and green interlocking scales. Four thin, multi-jointed arms waved wildly in the air as if it was trying to swat a particularly irksome fly. The monster had no fingers or toes, just hard bone claws sharper than any knife. A pair of antennae twitched on top of an insect's head with two bulging yellow compound eyes.
This was just one of the many creatures called Robeasts that have attacked the peaceful planet of Arus. All the Robeasts come from Planet Doom and are created by Witch Haggar, usually out of innocent people she has captured from other planets.
The insect-like Robeast continued to wreak destruction in its wake as it made its way to the royal palace. Suddenly it stumbled to a halt and looked around as a low piercing roar that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once filled the air.
Fortunately for the people of Arus, they have a brave group of space explorers ready to defend them: the Voltron Force.
The Robeast was about to continue its advance toward the palace when it noticed five forms in the distance making their way towards it. They started out as just pinpricks of light, but soon they could be recognized as the five robotic Lions of the mighty Voltron. The Green Lion raced through the trees on a breeze that was the very breath of the forest. The Yellow Lion kicked up a cloud of sand as it ran making it look like the entire desert was following it. The Red Lion erupted out of a distant volcano sending sparks and ash skyward in a brief fireworks display. The Blue Lion leapt gracefully out of the moat surrounding the palace leaving not so much as a ripple in its wake. The Black Lion sat perched on the ramparts of the royal palace itself staring down at the invading monster, daring it to come closer.
Each of these metallic cats was much smaller than the Robeast, but still far larger than any normal lion and each one was piloted by a young space explorer. Keith, the leader of the Voltron Force, surveyed the battlefield from his seat in the Black Lion. Although Keith was only in his early twenties, he had proven himself to be a skilled strategist. He quickly and calmly analyzed his team's options against this latest threat to Arus.
"We'd better stay out of the way of those arms. I bet they're stronger than they look," he said into his intercom. "Pidge, Lance; go for the legs. See if you can knock him down."
The Green Lion was piloted by Pidge, the youngest, but smartest of the team with a specialty in science. Only twelve years of age, he's as capable as any Voltron Force member and often speaks from his heart. Lance is the pilot of the Red Lion; a smooth-talking, joke cracking, ladies man. His reckless nature tends to get him in trouble.
At their commander's order, the Green and Red Lions dove down straight at the monsters legs, skimming low along the ground and firing missiles from the metallic claws of their Lions. The missiles hit the ground by the Robeast's feet, causing it to dance around to avoid the explosions, but it managed to keep its balance. Since the monster was distracted, Pidge and Lance zeroed in on the same leg and hit it head on. Both Lions bounced off uselessly and landed in the rubble of ruined buildings.
"It's like hitting a mountain," said Pidge.
"I don't think we made a single dent in it," observed Lance.
Keith acknowledged his friend's failed attempts grilmly, but the battle was far from over. "Hunk, Allura; let's attack the head. Maybe we can blind it."
The Black Lion roared and leapt off the castle ramparts to join the Yellow and Blue Lions. The Yellow Lion was occupied by Hunk, the muscle of the group. He is the largest, but his bulk is mostly muscle. Still, it would be unwise to stand between him and a meal. He's no dummy and has a soft spot in his heart for children. Allura is the crown princess of Arus, daughter of the late King Alfor. Although she is heir to the throne, she defers to Keith's leadership as a Voltron Force member and highly respects all of her teammates. She pilots the Blue Lion as fiercely as any warrior.
The three remaining Lions were running in a tight "V" formation with Keith out in front. The robeast looked to the approaching felines with its unblinking compound eyes. When the Voltron Force was no more than one hundred feet away, the robeast's eyes started glowing and a barrage of machine gun-like laser blasts shot out. Black Lion caught the full blow, stumbling to the ground in a smoking heap, but Yellow and Blue Lions managed to dodge out of the way.
"Keith, are you all right?" cried Allura. "Come in, Keith."
"Speak to me pal; say something," begged Hunk.
Keith's voice came over the intercom, shaken, but strong. "I'm fine. Keep up the attack."
Their original attack had been disrupted, so Hunk and Allura were now attacking the creature from opposite sides. The robeast tried to use its Eye Blasts again, but once it aimed for one Lion the other would come in to strike its head. Things only got worse for the evil beast when Red and Green Lions rejoined the battle. Lance and Pidge weaved in and out of the robeast's flailing arms and swiped at the insect's chest with sharp steel claws. It didn't do much damage, but it did distract the robeast from firing at the Yellow and Blue Lions. More attacks to the head equaled a very dizzy robeast.
After a few minutes of rest, Black Lion managed to launch itself into the air and get back in the game. "How goes the battle, team?" asked Keith.
"Not so good. I don't think we're doing much damage, chief," replied Pidge.
"Then it's time to bring in the big guy," said Keith. "Get ready to form Voltron! Activate interlock. Dynatherms connected. Infracells up. Mega-Thrusters are go!"
Keith, Pidge, Lance, Allura, and Hunk all cried in unison. "Let's go Voltron Force!"
The five Lioins of Voltron rose up high into the air with Black Lion leading the way and two Lions on either side. Lightning crackled around each Lion, reflected in the metal surface making it look like the Lions had become the lightning itself. Almost automatically, each Lion began to transform themselves. Tails disappeared and legs were folded up in preparation for the robotic defender. Each Lion was only a head and body now.
"Form feet and legs!"
The Blue and Yellow Lions bent themselves into "L" shapes and attached themselves to the lower part of the Black Lion.
"Form arms and body!"
Now the Red and Green Lions attached themselves to the upper part of the Black Lion. The five metal cats were now one creature with a human-like body and a Lion head. Then, the jaws of the Black Lion opened wide and an expressionless human face appeared.
"And I'll form the head!"
Voltron was now complete, ready to do battle with anything that dared to threaten the safety of Planet Arus. The Lion's heads that were Voltron's hands and feet roared with the power that coursed through their silicon veins.
The insect robeast gazed dispassionately at the defender of Arus. It charged straight for Voltron; each footstep was an earthquake to the innocent villagers witnessing the battle. The robeast tried to smash Voltron with its top pair of arms, but the Red and Green Lion arms of the mighty robot caught the attack in midair. The bug slashed at Voltron with its bottom arms, but the claws were not sharp enough to slice through Voltron's armor.
"This bug's just a little too close for comfort," said Lance. Voltron tossed the robeast with a judo throw. The creature landed with a tremendous thud.
"Form Blazing Sword!"
Voltron's hands came together, then slowly pulled apart revealing a glowing strand of white hot metal being pulled like taffy. The glowing ceased and Voltron held in his right hand his most powerful weapon, the Blazing Sword: a silver longsword with a blue hilt. Voltron rushed at the robeast, which had risen unsteadily to its feet, the Blazing Sword aimed straight at its chest. The robeast seemed to regain its senses. It brought its arms up to its chest, presumably to protect itself. It was no use though; its arms were much too thin. The Blazing Sword slipped right between the robeast's arms and skewered the evil creature like shish kebab.
"All right," cried Hunk.
"We did it," said Allura.
"Good job team," congratulated Keith.
"Scratch yet another of Hagger's robotic pests," said Lance dismissively, but the celebration was a little premature. Even though the robeast had been run through, it was still very much alive. Its yellow eyes glowed menacingly along with all four of its claws. A think laser beam shot out from the robeast's arms and hit Voltron full on. The five pilots were thrashed and bashed against their seats as Voltron was forced backwards and finally collapsed on the ground like a stringless puppet.
Keith lay on the floor; his body bruised in so many places and blood from numerous cuts streamed down his forehead. He could hardly move, but he forced himself up to check on the fate of the Voltron Force. "Come in. Come in. Is everyone alright? Hello, is anyone still there?"
"Yeah, I'm still here," said Pidge.
"I'm all right, don't worry," assured Allura.
"I've had better days," complained Lance.
"A little banged up, but otherwise just fine," said Hunk.
The replies were faint, but Keith breathed a sigh of relief when he heard all his friends check in. His relief was short lived though, when he looked out his cockpit window.
"Oh, no."
The robeast was still on its feet stumbling clumsily toward the smoking husk that was now Voltron. Its face was expressionless, but from the way its limbs jerked as it walked, Keith guessed that it was in great pain. Not surprising, really, but the poor creature could not stop; it could only obey its programming. Keith couldn't be bothered with a lot of sympathy for the robeast at the moment.
"We gotta get back up," said Keith. He dragged himself into the pilot's seat. "Princess, Hunk, can you stand us back up?"
The response was negative from both the Blue and Yellow Lions. The controls refused to respond. Voltron's arms weren't having any better luck. Keith tried his own controls, but they weren't working either. It was then that Keith noticed a flashing warning light on his console. He read the words "CHECK DYNATHERM", but before he could figure out what that meant, a monstrous view filled his window.
The robeast stood over Voltron, swaying greatly. Up close, Keith could see a think black fluid pouring from the gaping hole made by the Blazing Sword. The creature brought all four arms into its chest again in preparation to fire its laser beam. In his weakened state, Voltron would surely be destroyed, but there was nothing the Voltron Force could do. The robeast's claws glowed ominously and Keith shut his eyes in preparation of the blast, but it never came. Keith opened his eyes again to see the robeast with its arms limp at its sides and its head cocked as if trying to catch a faint noise. In truth, the insect was listening to the witch Hagger's mental commands. The robeast immediately turned away from Voltron, entered its coffin-shaped spacecraft and rocketed off of planet Arus.
Keith could hardly believe their good fortune, but knew that this fight was not over. He had a brief glimpse of soldiers and rescue vehicles streaming out of the palace heading for Voltron before his strength gave out and he sagged unconscious in his seat.