Hello, this is a story I've written with Elvin Archer. We've enjoyed the show both the 1985 verse as well as the 2011 reboot series. This one does take place in the 1985 ThunderCats verse as it was planned out and outlined before the premier of the 2011 reboot series. I hope you guys enjoy it and please review it.
Chapter One: The Beginning of the End?
The birds were singing their sweet morning song, while the ThunderCat sat underneath a tree that over looked the meadow where the unicorn heard was grazing. Yawning, he looked at the sky. There might be a storm later, he thought to himself. The humidity was a bit heavy for this time of year. A dark shadow passed over the ThunderCat then, a veering noise accompanying it. Sighing, the ThunderCat slowly stood and dusted the dirt from his clothing. He knew all too well what that ship meant. That had been the Royal Flag Ship, which meant the "Mighty" future Lord of the ThunderCats was arriving...and Jagger would have a few choice words for him if he was late in welcoming the brat.
"Asia why weren't you there to welcome our young lord?" the ThunderCat said in his best Jagger impression. Asia shrugged, smirking. "I was helping the unicorn keepers feed their heard." Asia laughed. He could just see Jagger's knowing glare. "If you have time to slack off on patrol, then I bet Snarf Jack would love your help in the kitchen!" Asia laughed again, this time hysterically. Man, could he crack himself up or what? Asia sighed, hopping onto his space board, and flew off towards Cats Lair.
"Where have you been boyo? Never mind, Their about to make their final pass. This time: Don't take your eyes off him, alright?"
"Yes, Jagger," Asia's golden eyes settled on the ship that was landing.
The Royal Flag ship slowly settled on the other side of the bridge. A door opened to reveal the Royal family, and a ramp slowly touched down to the soft grass. The first one down was the Lord Lee-o, to greet Jagger and then moved aside to let his Lady Katsu descend the ramp and move to greet the secondary lady of the Lair. Asia was rather board when Leon came down the ramp looking more like a proper teenager, but still lacking the movements of a field hand. He was wearing a stuffy silk crimson tunic and baggy brown trousers. The ThunderCat insignia was patched onto the upper right hand corner of his tunic. Asia shook his head. Of all the blatant... Well, he'll just have to reteach the skills in a quick review that he had in mind.
"Hey, Asia! How are you do-" Leon began as he was side swiped and landed down in the dirt of the bridge. The other ThunderCats who were near Asia paled visibly.
A low growl escaped Leon's throat, as his golden enraged eyes met Asia's. He was the future Lord of the ThunderCats. His superior officer! How dare he strike him! One of the ThunderCats who'd witnessed it all, immediately held out a hand to the young lord in order to help him up. Leon accepted this, taking her hand and standing, but never took his eyes from Asia.
Turning to see what the commotion was, Jagger could only guess what had transpired. "Savannah, what happened here?"
"Asia struck the young Lord," the ThunderCat who'd helped Leon up replied without hesitation.
"I was hoping that he would avoid it and let me fall. I had been teaching him how to street fight, and I thought that maybe he had remembered how to at least block a blow." Asia replied to the stares that he was getting ranging from accusatory to outright anger.
"Asia," this time it was the Lord of the ThunderCats himself who spoke, "leave the lessons until you are instructed to teach my son."
"Yes, sir," Asia replied polity and without any sort of backtalk, like he would have given to Jagger.
"Now, Jagger," Lord Lee-o said turning his attention to the Jaguar beside him. "We have some business to talk about. Gather everyone in the conference room in twenty minutes, except for Asia. He will be taking my son to the Berbil market."
Later on that day, Asia and Leon were together in one of the Berbil markets, looking at the different wears and foods.
"Have you ever been to a Berbil market?" Asia asked Leon as he watched the wide eyed Lord watch the dealings that were going on.
"I've read about them-the Berbils- in school," Leon replied after a moment. "I've never actually seen one before."
"Well, you are in for a treat then. They have some of the best candy fruits here than any where else." Asia proudly explained. "They are soo sweet that you can still taste them hours later. Ya just have to be careful to not eat too many, otherwise your stomach will hurt like hell."
Leon nodded, as they slowly walked through the market. He watched the Berbils barter and haggle. It reminded him of the one time he'd snuck out of the Cats Lair on New Thundera. Leon had only been about eight at the time, but (amazingly enough) he'd been able to sneak out of the heavily guarded Lair, and stumbled upon the night market of the capital city. Leon remembered there'd been lots of bartering and haggling going on in the noisy night market, just like there was going on at this Berbil market. He also remembered quite well how it was one of the wise elder ThunderCats, Tygra, who'd noticed Leon walking the night market alone. He also remembered the angry lecture his father had scolded him with, while Tygra sat patiently in the background.
Seven ThunderCats were seated around a oblong table with the ThunderCat insignia in the middle. Lord Lee-o sat at the head of the table, to his left sat his wife Lady Katsu, Tiberius, and Occy, and to his right was seated Jagger, Savannah and Kodera. They'd been discussing a rather important issue: The rebellious Mutants.
"The last reported trouble was a skirmish about two weeks ago," Occy reported, pushing spotted light brown hair from his chocolate brown eyes. "They set fire to the forest the Warrior maidens call home. We were able to stop the flames, before too much damage was done."
"I see," Lord Lee-o replied taking in the information. "Do we know what the Mutants were after?"
Tiberius shook his no. "We have no idea what those blasted Mutants were up to, but they haven't caused any trouble lately."
"Since then we've all been patrolling the area" Jagger added, "more frequently."
Lee-o nodded his approval. "Now onto a secondary matter." he paused a moment to make sure all eyes were on him. "We would like to leave my son here,"
"Asia to Leon, Come in Leon..." Asia imitated the control tower that sent ships in to space. "What were you thinking about?" He asked as Leon jerked his head around to look at him. "You were off in some other place."
"Nothing important," Leon replied shrugging.
"Then you won't mind sharing." Asia said as he inspected a piece of peppermint Candy Fruit.
"Just a countrymen market," Leon replied with another shrug. "Like I said, nothing important."
"I bet you never really get out of the Cats Lair much, back home?" Asia asked carefully selecting two pieces of the sweet fruit, and carefully placing them into his basket.
"I am the future Lord of the ThunderCats." Leon said like that should be the answer to everything, a superior look on his face.
"That look will get you into trouble one of these days." Asia replied, sweeping his golden hair out of his yellow eyes. "Then where will you be?" He paid the Berbil and headed to another stall that sold different kinds of drinks. "What do you want?" he asked Leon.
Leon followed Asia over to the stall, and looked at the various colored liquid, ranging from a variety of bright colors all the way to a strange looking black one, Leon had never seen before. "I'll take water."
"Alright. You sure that you don't want anything other than that? It's boring." Asia complained, pointing to one of the bottles that held the darker liquid. "I'll take a clear one and a cola." he told the vender.
"Why would you want anything else?" Leon asked as he turned his back to Asia.
Asia quickly added a second clear one to the order and paid the Berbil. He never could tell if they were smiling, but he got that vibe that the Berbil was. Joining the 'formerly' prince by their space boards, he handed Leon a clear drink. "Are you sure that you know how to handle one this time?"
Leon rolled his eyes. The last time he'd been here, on third earth, Leon had been six or seven and he'd broken his arm falling off a space board. "Yes, I have ridden these on New Thundera previous to my coming here."
"Really? Wanna show me how much you've learned?" Asia hopped on to his and sped off in the direction of the Unicorn Clearing.
Leon jumped on his Space board a smirk playing on his lips, and sped off in pursuit. Soon Leon was flying next to Asia, successfully avoiding any and all tree branches without fail.
"You have learned well, grasshopper... But can you do this?" Asia asked as he did a cork screw around an old tree.
"Obviously," Leon replied as he too did a cork screw around the tree perfectly. "See?"
"You did that rather well," Asia said as he slowed his board and anchored it on the same tree. "would you like some candy fruit?"
"No, I'm good." Leon said looking in the direction of the Cats Lair. "We should be getting back."
"We're fine. Besides, we're not that far from the Market. Just a couple of miles. Any one can come and get us." Asia motioned to the fairly large area of the market. "we'll leave in a few minutes."
"Alright," Leon hovered with his board next to the tree Asia was anchored to.
Asia ate his piece of Candy fruit, and watched both the young lord and the horizon. Seems that the storm that had been threatening all day was about to break. "Come on, I'll race you back!" Asia teased, speeding off in the direction of Cat's Lair. Leon sighed following Asia on his own space board. He was glad they were going back now. The sky was darkening, and thunder could be heard behind them. They arrived at Cats Lair just as the first drops of rain began to fall.
"That was close," Leon muttered mostly to himself, leaning his space board against beside the door.
"There you two are," came Jagger's voice from behind them.
"Yes?" Leon asked, "Were you looking for us?"
Jagger nodded. "Your father sent me to bring you and Asia to the conference room."
Leon nodded. "Lead the way."
"WHAT?!" exclaimed both Asia and Leon simultaneously, before they both glared at each other.
"But father-" Leon began but his father held up a hand to silence him.
"It has been decided, Leon." Lord Lee-o said with finality. "You will stay here on Third Earth for the remainder of your summer break, and you will study what your fellow ThunderCats have to teach you. Do I make myself clear?"
Leon was about to argue some more, but then he caught sight of his mother's gaze and immediately bit back whatever he as going to say. "Crystal," Leon crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the marble floor.