They all glanced around while AJ and Sparkle were left to melt the snow. The snow, however, was too much for them to melt. Phoenix noticed this and frowned.

"There's too much snow, kids," she said. "Let me try if sun can melt the snow,"

"Go for it, Mom!"

Phoenix headed forward and twirled her tires together, causing a beam of sunlight to appear before she fired over at the snow. Like a miracle, parts of the snow melted in an instant.

"It's working!" Pickle cheered.

"Keep going, Mom!" Blaze exclaimed.

Phoenix kept on going, melting more snow and ice until most of it was clear for them to drive/walk on.

"Yay!"

The group cheered. They headed forward, ready to keep going. The tiger cubs played in the leftover snow as they did.

"They sure are cute..." Blaze sighed. "But I wonder when you and I will get to use our powers, Dad."

"Sooner or later, Blaze, just be patient," Flame gave him a smile.

"Okay, Dad," Blaze returned the smile.

"Whee!" Polina waved her paws around. "I want an ice slide!"

Her paws glowed purple, and an ice slide appeared in front of her.

"Good job, Polina!" Blaze said with a smile.

"And I want a snowman!" Pasha cried.

With a flick of her paws, a snowman was formed in front of her.

"Ooh! You try, Feliks!"

"Okay!" Feliks giggled and flicked his paws. "I want… hmm… a large snowball!"

Suddenly, a giant snowball towered over the group.

"Uh... maybe it's a little too big..."

"We'll get it, Feliks!" Sparkle smiled before she and AJ melted the snowball down.

"Aww... don't you guys ever wish you were a tiger or another animal? Even for a day?" Pickle cooed.

"That would be awesome!" Blaze laughed.

"We better get going before father releases anymore… who knows what," Crusher spoke up.

"Good idea," Phoenix said before Varya and the cubs led them on.

But, Pickle and Blaze stayed more toward the back to talk to Crusher.

"Hey, you doing okay?" Blaze asked his rival.

"N-Not really..." Crusher shook his head.

"Hey... if you ever need someone to lean against... I'm here. Do you... wanna talk?"

"I…" Crusher sighed. "Maybe…"

"Maybe... it would put us more in what happened if you... tell what happened to your mom."

Crusher sighed and closed his eyes.

He never wanted to share these experiences with anyone...

But he had to.

"It happened… It happened a couple of years ago…" he began. "My Mom and I had been playing when Father called us to the throne room. Aunt Tabla and Aunt Randora were there too when we got there. Father grabbed me and forced me on the throne to watch. Aunt Tabla and Aunt Randora… they… they surrounded Mom and… and they…"

Crusher felt his voice trail off as he began to tremble. Tears rolled down his cheeks, which he tried to wipe as his breathing hitched.

"You don't have to say anything more..." said Pickle, holding him tight.

"Don't worry," Blaze said, holding his tire sincerely. "We're gonna get your mom the justice she deserves."

"Th-Thanks, guys..." Crusher gave a small smile

"Come on, let's catch up."

Crusher nodded before the three headed off to catch up with the rest of the group.

Meanwhile, Acheron was trembling rage, his eyes glaring at the crystal ball in front of him as he gritted his teeth.

"ARGH!!!!"

"Brother, would you calm down?!" Tabla hissed.

"CALM DOWN??" Acheron snarled. "THAT BRAT OF A SON OF MINE IS COMING HERE TO OVERTHROW ME!! HOW CAN I CALM DOWN??"

"Good point, good point!" Tabla sighed. "So... what do we do?"

"We need to create something to blow them off the surface of our kingdom!" Randora suggested.

"Grand idea!" Acheron smirked and raised his scepter. "I will cast a whirlwind so powerful that it will take them all OUT!"

He blasted the crystal ball with his scepter, causing strong wind to appear where the group should be.

"Uh... guys?! I think we should RUUUUUUUUN!!!"

The group screamed as they zoomed off. The wind got stronger and stronger until a whirlwind appeared and zoomed after them.

"W-What do we do, Mom?" Pasha screamed as the whirlwind got closer. "I'm so scared!"

"Maybe you can transform the whirlwind into something else?" Blaze suggested.

"We can try!"

Varya allowed her paws to glow purple before she clapped it hard towards the whirlwind. In an instant, the whirlwind disappeared, but in it's place was a tsunami.

"It's no use!"

"Mom... are we gonna die...?" Feliks asked, tearing up.

Varya held her son close, unsure of what to say. Crusher watched them, the feeling of nostalgia hitting him hard before he snarled and drove towards the tsunami.

"I'M TIRED OF ALL THIS!!"

His eyes glowed white while his tires glowed lightning blue. He shot towards the tsunami, eyes glowing brighter and brighter until the tsunami evaporated into smoke.

"Whoa..."

The group gasped as they watched the smoke head up. Crusher sighed and lowered himself back on the ground.

"A-Are you okay?" Polina asked.

"I... I'm fine," Crusher nodded. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah," AJ said. "I just felt SOOO helpless! Your father is tough!"

"Told you so," Crusher hissed.

"So... what do we do...?"

"We head to the palace and stop this freak!" Blaze declared. "I just wish I knew HOW to stop him."

"I wish too," Crusher sighed. "but even I don't know what his weakness could be,"

"Wait... his scepter! If we destroy his scepter, his powers will be gone!"

"Hmm... that could work," Crusher gave a nod.

"The only problem now is getting that scepter," AJ pointed out.

"What if we all combine our powers?" Phoenix suggested.

"Ooh, that's a great idea!" Pickle agreed.

"Now, we just need to get to the castle and put together our plan," said Blaze.

"Well, since you've got animal powers, maybe you can turn US into animals!" Sparkle cried.

"Good idea, Sparkle!" Blaze beamed and held out his tire, which glowed orange. "What animal do you think should we turn into?"

""Tigers are very well respected by the villagers in our kingdom," Varya suggested. "What about tigers?"

"I think that's a good idea!" Phoenix agreed. "It would help us blend in with you and your cubs too, Varya,"

"Blaze, maybe you could try it on yourself first, just to make sure it'll work," said AJ.

"Alright..."

Blaze flicked his tires around, allowing his magic to surround him and made him glow. Once the glow ceased, in his place stood an orange tiger with red stripes.

"Did it work?"

"It did! It DID work!" Sparkle jumped for joy.

Blaze opened his eyes and looked down at himself, gasping at the fact he now had paws instead of tires.

"Wow... okay, now for the rest of you!"

Flame tried it himself first and turned into an orange tiger with yellow stripes then he waved his tires with Blaze and focused their magic on the group. In an instant, the group themselves turned into tigers, with Phoenix being an orange tiger with white stripes, Sparkle an orange tiger with pink stripes, AJ an orange tiger with brown stripes, Pickle an orange tiger with dark green stripes and Crusher being a white tiger with icy blue stripes.

"Whoaaa..."

The group glanced down at one another in amazement.

"We look awesome! No one will know it's us!" AJ exclaimed.

"Definitely!" Blaze agreed. "Varya, lead the way!"