Chapter 7 – Minds Do Snap

Waking early the next morning felt like an obligated routine than just getting up for herself. Ever since the crash, getting up in the morning had been a chore and she wasn't sure how much more she could take. She knew she was doing something she swore she'd never do, which was hide her grief in work. But it just seemed natural. When her mother died, she was forced to hide her grief. However, she had her brothers to help her. This time she had no one, unless she was to include the ThunderCats, but she barely knew them, but knew they were friends.

She got dressed quickly, and headed for breakfast. While eating breakfast, she engaged herself into a conversation with the Thunderkittens.

"So how did you two become part of the ThunderCats?" she asked.

Wilykat looked at his sister and shrugged. Wilykit shook her head at her brother and then looked at the human woman. "Before we left Thundera, our parents were part of the ThunderCats. We had just finished taking the trials to become ThunderCats when our planet exploded. We are the youngest…other than Lion-O to become ThunderCats."

"So being a ThunderCat is hereditary?"

"Not exactly," Panthro answered. "In some instances it is, like Lion-O and the Thunderkittens but myself and Cheetara, we became ThunderCats by other means."

Alana looked at Tygra. "What about you?"

"Born as a ThunderCat," he answered simply.

"How can one become a ThunderCat?" she asked.

Lion-O looked up at her. "Are you interested in becoming one?"

She leaned her head, wishing she didn't bring up the subject. "I'm not sure. I know Jaga said I could. I was just curious."

"To become a ThunderCat," Tygra answered. "One must pass five trials; trail of strength, trail of speed, trail of cunning, trail of the mind and finally trial of evil."

"Trail of evil? What is that one?"

"That is when one must face their greatest enemy," Lion-O answered. "And even if one is the Lord of the ThunderCats, he also must prove their worth by also going through the trails as well."

"I take it that you experienced it first hand?"

"I did. And let me tell you, it was hard going up against my friends. I had to defeat the ThunderCats in order to be the true Lord of the ThunderCats. Every ThunderCat must face these trials."

"You had to defeat everyone at this table to be the true Lord of the ThunderCats? That's kinda cruel. One shouldn't have to face their friends as if they were enemies!" Alana slammed her fist on the table. Before anyone was able to ask her what was wrong, she stood and walked out.

When she was gone, Wilykit was the first to break the awkward silence. "What did we say to set her off like that?"

Tygra shook his head. "Something more she's hiding. Someone should really talk to her. How are we to know which conversations are sensitive to her when she won't talk to us?"

"Well she did ask about the trails," Wilykat said. "We only told her the truth."

"Wilykat is right, Lion-O."

Everyone turned to see Jaga standing in the room.

"Jaga," Lion-O started. "What do you mean?"

"You can not go around and carefully talk to her. She needs to know what she's up against."

"Jaga, if she was to go through with the trails," Tygra asked. "Who would be her greatest enemy?"

"Only she can tell you that. You need to give her space but you cannot keep your heritage or anything else from her. Giving her your trust will help her to give you hers. She's keeping many things from you because she doesn't trust you. She needs to trust you before she can let her past be opened."

"Does this have anything to do with her being afraid of men?" Cheetara asked.

Jaga looked at her and nodded. "It does, yes."

"Is there anything you can give to help us out on that?" Lion-O asked. "Anything that could help us to get that trust."

"She has lived a hard life and it became worse in the last five years. That is all I can tell you without betraying her trust and her brothers."

Before anyone could ask him any more questions, he wrapped his cape around him and vanished like he had done many times before. The ThunderCats weren't sure what to do now.


Right after she left the dinning room, Alana went to her room. She was angry with her new friends enough she didn't want to see them. She wasn't even sure if they were her friends yet, only they were friendly and helpful. But what they said about the trials disturbed her.

For an hour, Alana wrapped up in a blanket and sat on the bed. Deciding being in her room wasn't the idea, she wrapped up in the warm clothing she was given by the Warrior Maidens and made her way towards the outdoors. When she reached the foyer, she noticed the clutter of ship parts. A slight gasp came out as she stared at the equipment. Whipping her head away in fright, she turned, running down the stairs and leaving Cats' Lair in a hurry.

Hidden in one corner, examining the equipment himself. He couldn't figure out what he was going to do with it all. He knew some of it was going to be used but what could he use. His thoughts were soon interrupted when he saw Alana enter the room. He backed further away, not wanting to scare the woman. He watched as she quickly turned away and ran out into the cold air, leaving the door open.

Knowing she was doing something no one would approve and wanting to be sure she was safe, he brought out his whip, wrapping it around himself. If one were to walk into the room, they would see nothing but the door closing, keeping the heat in and the cold out.


Alana kept running, not sure where she was going, but she quickly found herself, heading towards the ship. She looked back to see if anyone was follow. When she was satisfied, she stopped to catch her breath. She was running too fast and needed to catch a breather.

After she had her breathing under control, she continued at a slower pace to the crash sight. It took her a little while but when she arrived, she walked over to the burial sight, gave a small prayer and then proceeded to one of the lower holes. Getting inside, she pulled out a flashlight from her jacket before going any further. She carefully made her way through the darkened corridors until finding one particular room, untouched by damage.

Once safely inside, she placed the flashlight down on a desk and then opened one of the drawers. It took a few moments for her to sift around until she found what she was looking for. With a small smile, she pulled out a mirror. It took her a few seconds to shine the flashlight against it, aiming the mirror towards the ceiling, lighting the entire room with just the flashlight. All through the room, light bounced from one mirror to another. One could see a mirror in the ceiling and one on each of the four walls.

With the room, lit, she took a look around. She still could hear the last happy moments of her brothers' lives. They were all in that very room having some laughs and playing card games.

*Flashback*

Alana and her six brothers, Josh, Tom, Terry, Steve, David and Carl, were sitting around a rectangular table playing cards. Her youngest brother was making everyone laugh at his jokes and wisecracks. Alana wasn't sure how much longer she could continue laughing. She knew she was going to hurt in the morning. Carl had her laughing so hard, she was crying.

"You got to be kidding me," she continued to laugh at a more calmer level.

"No, it's true," her youngest brother, Carl said through his chuckles. "Seeing Josh limp around on the ice was just too irresistible."

Josh looked at Carl. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Before Josh could raise a fist, Carl produced a picture to prove his point.

Alana took one look at the picture and fell out of her chair laughing.

*End Flashback*

Alana looked at the table and there near the chair she sat in, still toppled over from when she fell, was a turned over picture. She walked over to the picture and turned it over. She gasped in shock, as it was the picture that Carl showed her.

She dropped the picture quickly as if it were poison. She dropped to her knees and began to sob, heavily. She was sobbing so much her shoulders shook violently. Her lack of breathing from her sobs caused her to start hyperventilating.

Suddenly she was pulled from her kneeling position and pushed against something. It took her several moments for her blurry eyes to focus long enough to see an arm with tiger stripes. She tried to look at his face but something held her head down, cuddled close to his chest. She started to feel fingers in her hair. But then all sensations left her as she continued to sob uncontrollably.

When her tears quieted down to whimpers, she allowed the rhythm of his heart to calm her. Feeling had begun to return to as she felt his arms were wrapped strongly around her holding her to him like she was about to disappear or something. She knew who was holding her but now the question was how did he know she was there?

"How did you find me?" she whispered harshly. She wasn't sure if her voice would go any higher after her sobbing.

"I followed you when you left Cats' Lair," he answered quietly.

"You followed me? I didn't see you."

"I was invisible. My bolo whip, when wrapped around me, allows me to be invisible. Comes in handy when spying on the enemy. What was the photo you held?"

"It…" she wasn't sure if she could say it without sobbing again. But she knew she had to. "It's…a picture of when…my youngest brother, Carl, took a picture of…Josh when he was ice skating. Just after he showed me the picture…we were attacked."

She clenched her eyes shut, trying to block out the memory of that very moment. She remembered just as she started to calm her laughing down, not realizing that it would be the last time she would ever see her brothers smile, the ship rocked, knocking everyone down. The sound for red alert also blared off.

Knowing he needed to change the subject, he quickly took a look around the room, marvelling at the light. "Lighting this room is very impressive."

Alana pushed her head away and looked at the flashlight. "It's an old Third Earthen trick. The Egyptians created it, a race of humans Mumm-ra was once from before he was cursed. All one needs is some sort of light and mirrors. Angle the mirrors just right and the light will bounce off each mirror, illuminating the room."

"Is this Tony's quarters?"

"Yes. This room is the only room equipped to have light when systems fail. I never slept in here, just hung out with my brothers."

Not wanting to talk any longer, Alana went to lay her head back on Tygra's chest but he quickly pushed her to arms length.

He looked softly at her as he spoke. "You shouldn't have gone out alone. Someone would have been worried about you."

"I needed to see this room one last time."

"Why? Because this is where to spent your last happy moment? Someday you will move on from here and you will smile again and laugh like you once did."

"Let me guess, you speak from experience."

"Yes, I do but I also speak as a friend. You must never give up hope for happiness. Back before you came out here, you were the one who asked us about the Anointment Trials and you find them cruel. There are things about the human culture we find cruel but just because we don't like them doesn't mean we criticize someone else's beliefs or customs."

"I know," she bent her head. A small amount of her voice began to return. She never realized but being with Tygra, she did feel safe. As safe as she did when she was with her brothers. "And I'm sorry. I just wasn't thinking."

"It's all right."

Alana looked at Tygra with a frown. "How can you say that? How can you kneel beside me, talk to me nicely when I've insulted your customs? I basically insulted your leader and previous leaders."

"ThunderCats are more understanding than most give us credit for. But I have a question for you. And this is only an observation. But how can you work when you only buried your friends just a week ago. How would your brothers feel if they were to see you working yourself to exhaustion?"

Alana slightly gasped at the statement and turned her head. She never really thought about that. If her brothers were still alive what would they say if they saw her working herself to death? Her shoulders went slack as she went through her mind what Josh would say to her.

"Josh would give me the third degree. Saying it's not healthy. He would lightly slap me on the hand and forcefully make me take a rest, even if it meant locking me in my room. I would listen to him knowing I hate being locked up."

"Perhaps you should listen to what he would have said. You got to stop working so much."

"Perhaps," she whispered as Tygra allowed her to lean against him once again. "But I don't know what to do? How can I get through an ordeal like this?"

"I'm not exactly sure how to answer that question but I do know letting us help you would be a big start. But not talking to us in what's wrong will not help you deal with your problem."

Alana looked up at Tygra. "How dangerous are your enemies?"

Tygra thought for a moment. "Sometimes they can be more dangerous than your fiancé."

Alana gasped. "I'm a hindrance to you. If I weren't around, you would be able to keep an eye for enemy activity."

"Alana, if we weren't helping you, it would be someone else. You are not hindering us. We came to you."

"But I originally was heading here for your help."

Tygra sighed as the same conversation kept coming up. "Please, let us help you. If you were to leave, we would worry about you and that would leave us more vulnerable than we already are."

"Are you sure?" she asked in a hopeful jester.

"Yes." He took a look around the room for a moment. "You said there's a computer here."

"Just above the bed. If it's still functional, it can tell us what exactly the reports were just before the ship crashed. It can also tell us what which systems would still be repairable. I already know most the ships systems are beyond repair but some may still function after some repair."

"Why don't we head back to Cats' Lair before the others worry. You were pretty angry when you left the dinning room."

"I had to blow off some steam."

"I'm sure you did."

Slowly helping her to her feet, the two made their way back through the ship into the open crisp air of the winter season. He made sure to help her down out of the ship. The second the two were on the ground, Tygra pulled out his bolo whip again, pressing a button.


Lion-O was searching everywhere around Cats' Lair looking for Alana. But he couldn't seem to find her; even Tygra seemed to be missing as well. He was starting to worry. He was sure if Alana had taken off from the lair, Tygra probably would have followed. But if he didn't and she was in trouble there was no way for him to know if she needed help. He only would know if Tygra was in danger. He walked into the command center and saw Panthro working on installing something into the main computer.

"Have you seen Tygra?"

Panthro moved away from the computer to look at his leader. "Nope, not since this morning when Alana rushed out of the dinning room."

"I'm getting worried. Both Tygra and Alana are missing. If Alana gets into any trouble, I can't help her."

"I'm sure Tygra is with her."

"Tygra to Cats' Lair."

Lion-O looked up at the monitor, hearing Tygra calling over the communicator. He walked over to the computer and pressed a button.

"Cats Lair here."

"Sorry for not calling sooner," Tygra reported. "Alana was in a real rush in wanting to show me something at the crash site. We are there right now and are about to head
back."

"When did you two leave?" Lion-O asked.

"Alana wanted some time to herself. When she felt better, she came looking for me, knowing we wouldn't want her to travel away alone. We've been gone since an hour after breakfast."

Lion-O sighed in relief. "Thank Jaga. Thanks for checking in. Did you want someone to come and get you with the Thundertank?"

"If you wouldn't mind. It would be faster."

Panthro stood up. "Tygra, I'm on my way."

"We'll be waiting, Panthro."

"Cats' Lair out." Lion-O announced before shutting off the communications.

Panthro looked at his leader. "See, nothing to worry about. But I understand you would be worried. She's vulnerable right now and the Mutants would love to find something new to annoy."

"And seeing Alana grieving, would greatly satisfy their twisted minds," Lion-O said in disgust.

"One day we'll be rid of those blasted Mutants for good." Panthro turned and walked out, heading towards to the Thundertank.

"I hope Alana comes around soon," Lion-O said to himself.

"She is now starting to see why the ThunderCats are worried for her safety," Jaga said from behind.

"It would be nice if she did," Lion-O answered without looking at his mentor. "Jaga, what can a leader do when one of the ThunderCat customs has been criticized?"

"Does this have anything to do with what happened this morning?"

Lion-O looked at his mentor. "What Alana said this morning kind of hurt and I'm not sure what to do."

"You must realize she has lived a controlled life. Here's a question for you. How did you feel when you learned you had to go up against your friends to become the true Lord of the ThunderCats?"

"I hated it. I thought it was ludicrous."

"Now take your comment about how you felt before you realized how important it was and put Alana into the picture."

Lion-O's eyes widened at the realization. Alana felt the same way as he did. "I never realized that. But I still feel kind of hurt when she said the anointment trials were cruel."

"And you think your friends didn't feel the same way when you said it to them."

Lion-O sighed, knowing the former Lord of the ThunderCats was right. "Thanks, Jaga. That helps a lot."

Jaga chuckled. "I'll always be here for you Lion-O." He swung his arms around himself and disappeared.


Alana and Tygra sat just outside the ship waiting for Panthro to arrive. They knew it wouldn't take too long for him to show up.

Alana looked over to where her friends were buried and then looked at Tygra. "Why did you lie to Lion-O about why we're out here? I mean I came here by myself and you followed."

"It would upset Lion-O if he knew you left without telling anyone. We'll let this be our little secret. I won't let Lion-O know I lied to him under one condition."

Alana rolled her eyes. "What's that?"

"Never leave again without telling someone first. It probably would be better if someone was with you if you left Cats' Lair."

Alana bent her head down as she could hear the Thundertank in the distance. "I suppose I could do that. I wouldn't want him to know I was in the ship grieving."

Tygra gently squeezed her hand just as the Thundertank came into view. When the Thundertank stopped, Tygra and Alana stood and walked to the tank.

"So what did you discover?" Panthro asked as Tygra helped Alana into the tank.

"Alana wanted to show me a neat trick in how to illuminate a room with a small amount of light and mirrors. Also the computer console she mentioned before, she wanted to show me where it was so we can take a look at it. It can tell us what the reports were just before crash and if any of the computer systems are still able to function after some repair work."

"That would be great."

When Alana was secured in the back, she noticed she was not sitting alone. Snarf was also sitting in the back, lying on the floor. She watched as Tygra jumped into the front with Panthro before the shutters on the back closed in over top of her. Just as they closed a hatchway opened up revealing the front of the tank.

She looked at the little Snarf. "You know you didn't have to come."

"I wanted to keep you company. Snarf."

"Thanks." Alana leaned her head back, listening to the tank's movements and Panthro talking to Tygra about his ideas of what to do with the new level that was going to be made. As much as she still grieved for her friends, she knew she would be safe with the ThunderCats and they would do anything to help her through her tough time.

She also knew she had to get her life back on track for her brothers sake if not her own. They were watching her from above and she knew if she wanted to know how they were doing, all she had to do was ask for Jaga, another ThunderCat who was also dead.