Fall Of The Empire
Rating: T (for now.)
Disclaimer: I don't own this. If I did, the second season would have been out already, and I would be all over that like white on rice.
Author's Notes: Alrighty, completely redid this one, as I did the others. Nothing new to report, just some development on Lion-O's part.
Warnings: Nothing in this chapter!
"Rest here." Lion-O ordered, albeit his tone sounded far from pleased.
Ahead of her, the Wily twins shambled for a small piece of shade offered by the jutting rock formations around them. Echo shuffled after them, completely miserable in the sun's heat. She watched as the twins claimed a patch of shade and collapsed in it, gasping for breath. She sympathized with them, and had half a mind to mimic them.
Spread all around them was an endless sea of desert, filled to the brim with bone-dry heat that threatened to suck the life out of them all. Cheetara and Tygra moved around the small twin-sized roadblock, eager to finally rest themselves. Tygra leaned heavily against one of the stone formations, and Cheetara seated herself on a flat rock.
Poor Tygra, Echo thought, all that armor has got to make this even more miserable for him.
The shade provided by the stone towers was horrible, and only served to needle a few degrees off the heat, but Echo took what she got. It was a few more degrees she didn't have to suffer in.
She knelt down, resting on her hands as she caught her breath back. The only person who seemed entirely unaffected by the heat was their leader - Lion-O. No weariness, no exhaustion. Just a seething black fury that churned violently under the surface, just waiting for an excuse.
"He's not looking any better." Tygra muttered. Echo let out a small hum of agreement.
"No," She agreed, "But maybe soon. . ." She trailed off, knowing it was a useless hope.
Echo was glad that somebody was talking to her. During the course of their short journey, Lion-O had clammed up, refusing to speak to anyone about anything. For two weeks, the lion had been silent as the grave, only talking to bark orders. Luckily, however, Tygra and Cheetara - and hell, even the Wily twins - were there to fill the void.
Tygra was far from Echo's friend, but he was amiable enough, and that was all Echo needed. It just took him a violent coup and the destruction of his homeland to open up to me. Tygra took stubborn to an entirely new level.
The twins. . . Ah, the twins. When they'd been leaving Thundera, they had run into the two children, but to be honest, Echo had hardly been awake. Lion-O had greeted them with a cold cruelty (which shocked her, Lion-O was always the one to offer a friendly hand), but they had joined their party anyway. Echo didn't remember any of their union, but Cheetara had told her that the twins were thankful for, "the white-haired albino that saved their lives."
The twins and Echo had been quick to become friends, and Echo was glad for it, too. She'd instituted herself as caretaker for the kittens, and that helped keep her mind occupied.
Cheetara had become something of a friend to Echo as well, but their bonds had been built on mutual pain. The cleric was not as versed in healing magic as the others had been, and her quick-fire solution for Echo's arm had been to numb the pain, not to heal the bone. Two weeks after repeated healing, however, and Echo's arm was functional, but the cleric had warned her to take it easy for a while.
She and Cheetara also talked. . . a lot. They shared their pain about Jaga, Thundera, and the lost ranks of the clerisy. After the first few days, Echo had found the feeling of gritty ash (all that really remained of her emotions at that point) had slowly begun to fade. She'd overcome her grief, tiny step by tiny step - but she still had nightmares. I don't think those will ever go away, though.
"We're leaving in a few minutes." Lion-O said, tone cold, as he eyed the group.
Wily Kat groaned in front of her, and Kit almost collapsed into the sand, she was that tired. Wordlessly, Echo passed them her canteen, uttering a short warning to only take a few sips. They both jumped eagerly at the chance to drink water. Kat passed the canteen to Kit, and then moaned when his stomach growled loudly.
"I'm hungry!" He whined, "Do you have any food, Echo?
"Uhm. . ."
She patted her pockets, but they were empty. She gave Kat an apologetic look, and the kitten flopped dramatically onto the sand in response.
"It's okay," Echo soothed, "We'll get something to eat soon. . . Tygra, do you have anything?"
Tygra looked at her, eyes sluggishly moving away from the sand he'd been staring at. Echo waited as he stared at her, as though trying to figure out what she'd said, and she was just about to ask him if he was okay. . . but then he searched his pockets too, also coming up empty-handed.
"Sorry, kids," He mumbled, "Lion-O! We've lost the lizard's trail, and we're all exhausted." His voice certainly reflected it, too. And Tygra was never one to complain. He was a strong soldier, constantly placing others needs before his own. He'd given up his share of food to the kittens several times, when provisions had begun to run thin.
"And our supplies are gone." Cheetara interjected, shaking out dirt from her empty satchel.
"I don't care," Lion-O growled, "We keep moving forward."
Lion-O had been in a steep downward spiral ever since they'd left Thundera. With every day that passed, the more surly and angry Lion-O got. Every day they didn't find Mumm-Ra was another day of failure in Lion-O's book, and it only did a good job at stoking his rage.
But. . . even though Echo feared their destination, and the enemy that awaited them, she had to admit - there was a certain kind of. . . excitement coursing through her. The path outside of Thundera had led her to new, unexplored lands. So far, they had encountered deep canyons, a very peaceful forest, and hilly plains. Third Earth was a stunning place, and she drank it all in happily. After Thundera's fall, and the loss of all she loved and held dear, Echo had worried that she would never be able to feel happy again.
. . . And, secretly, she hoped their journey would allow her to rip apart her amnesia and discover every nuance of her past.
Lion-O, without waiting for anyone, started to walk again, striding out of the shade. His anger makes him immune to hunger, too, apparently, Echo thought, exasperated.
"Already?" Kit groaned, "But we just sat down!"
Echo looked at the kittens, concerned. She reached out and gave Kit's shoulder a light pat, and what she hoped was a comforting smile.
There had been fights about the kittens, and how Lion-O viewed them as a liability.
In fact, there had been a lot of fights lately. Just three days ago, Tygra and Lion-O had almost traded blows, and it would have gotten ugly if Cheetara hadn't stepped between them to stop it. Lion-O was completely focused on his revenge, and was oblivious to the needs of everyone else. Echo doubted he would stop, even if he killed them all in the process.
The only thing that mattered to him was Mumm-Ra's death. And she was wholeheartedly willing to help him that that cause. . .
But not like this. The kittens were just children. They weren't battle-hardened soldiers, or trained by the clerisy. They were small kittens, lost and without a home. Truth be told, I'm reaching the end of my limit, too.
"Lion-O," Echo called, getting to her feet, "We need to rest right now. Pushing ourselves here isn't smart."
The new king stopped and turned, eyes flinty and cold.
"No," He snapped, "We move out. Now. Mumm-Ra's trail is fading with every second we waste by sitting around. Get your gear and move it."
"No."
Lion-O stopped again, and turned, slowly. Despite the heat barraging them all, Echo felt a shiver crawl down her spine. That anger, the rage they'd all seen roiling in Lion-O, it was right there, at the surface, just waiting to erupt.
And she'd just given him the perfect outlet.
Lion-O approached her, entire body tensed.
"No? You would disobey me?" His blue eyes slitted, narrowing on her. Stick to your guns, girl.
"The kittens are exhausted, Lion-O. I'm exhausted! You're running us ragged. Your father wouldn't have wanted you to get revenge like this. None of us will even be able to help you if you keep pushing us-"
"What do you know?" Lion-O snapped, baring his fangs at her, "If Tygra or I had been on that funeral pyre, my father would have buried. That. Demon! I intend to do him the same justice. So don't pretend like you understand, because you don't!"
Something inside of Echo went snap.
"You're so self-absorbed in your pain that you can't see anyone else suffering! Don't you dare tell me I don't know how it feels. I know how it feels. I had to watch as S-Sunda was-"
"That cleric wasn't your father! It's not the same thing!"
"That cleric was all I had! And now he's gone. They're all. . . gone."
She'd been yelling, but her voice warbled, and grew quiet. The words ignited a pain in her chest, and for a brief moment, she got to relive that memory all over again. Lion-O was quiet, and Echo wrestled with herself before she continued.
"What. . . What about what Jaga said, Lion-O? He died telling you to go find the Book of Omens. Not to go chasing after Mumm-Ra."
"The Book can wait," He snarled, glaring down at her, "It has for centuries - and it will keep waiting until Mumm-Ra is gone!"
"Maybe the Book has answers, Lion-O. Answers that can help you defeat Mumm-Ra!" She snapped in return, glaring up at him.
Her friend had changed during the course of their journey.
Lion-O, in Thundera's prime, had been happy-go-lucky. He could be serious if the need called for it, and hew as protective and kind and generous to those who required it. He wasn't afraid to lend a helping hand, and everyone was a friend until proven otherwise. But this Lion-O, the king that stood before her - he was cruel. He cared nothing for the needs of his people or his friends. He was cold and heartless and angry at everything and everyone. He wasn't the friend Echo knew.
She wasn't afraid to stand up to him.
"Answers?" His eyes were just small pinpricks now, fury shining brightly in them, "I already know who destroyed my city - killed my king! What other answers do you need?! Did you forget that you vowed to stay with me, until the very end? Those were your words!"
"I vowed that to my friend. You aren't the Lion-O I know. You. Are. A. Tyrant!"
Silence fell abruptly, and Echo glared up at the lion above her, wishing she could take the hilt of his sword and ram it up against his skull and drive some sense into him. Words obviously weren't working. For a few long, incredibly slow moments, they only glared at each other. Finally, Lion-O leaned in, nose almost touching her own.
"We're going after Mumm-Ra, human. That is a command."
He did an about-face, cloak snapping in the wind, and started to stomp off. Echo stood there, partially stunned. Lion-O had never called her 'human' - not to be derogatory, anyway. She watched his back, and felt torn. Part of her wanted to recoil in shock at his rash coldness. The other part of her wanted to go sit in the sand and tell him to go to hell. The largest part of her wanted to scream in exasperation and follow behind him while peppering his back with insults.
"That's. . . That's the first time you've really fought." Tygra said, voice soft.
Echo had half a mind to turn to him and snap a response.
The urge was there, but directing her irritation at Tygra was wrong. He'd been nothing but helpful to her since they'd come out of the city - almost as though he wanted to make up for his brother's actions. There had been a few times (embarrassingly enough) that she'd had to be carried, and Tygra, wordlessly, had piggybacked her. Mumm-Ra's interrogation had wracked her body and left her weak, and for the first few days, she'd had to be cared for. Just remembering those bandages and purple, searing flashes made her muscles ache in phantom pains. . .
"I know," She said, giving a bone-deep sigh, "It's true, though. I might be really pissed off, but it's true."
Much as it pained her to admit it.
Everyone remained put, and Lion-O continued to walk away, determined to continue with or without them. A few moments later, Cheetara finally relented and began to pick up her belongings. Everyone mimicked her, although Echo was sure to grumble as she did so.
"What is that?" Kat asked, his tail flicking in curiosity.
Echo looked, finding Snarf circling the ground and running ahead, before circling again. Gasing out in the distance, Echo saw. . . a stone outcropping. With a man-made hole cut into it. Beyond it lied. . . shifting sands? Tygra and Cheetara got to their feet, and the twins jumped up and started running, Snarf leading the way. Lion-O, drawn by the commotion, slid to a stop beside them, one hand on the hilt of Omens.
He looked ready to snarl at them for not finding Mumm-Ra's forces, but he paused, looking at the swirling sands.
"The Sand Sea. Mumm-Ra's lair must just be on the other side."
He took off after the kittens, and Echo fell into a jog beside Tygra, fatigue momentarily forgotten.
"The Sand Sea?" She asked. Lion-O had briefly mentioned it as they'd left Thundera, but Echo had held onto the vain hope that he'd give up chasing Mumm-Ra before they ever reached it.
"I've never seen it before," Tygra said, huffing next to her, "Read about it, though. . ."
The company entered the archway and emerged directly in front of the Sea. The churning sands acted just like water, constantly rushing up against the shore and withdrawing, only to hit it again. The twins cried out in delight and rushed into the surf, ignoring Cheetara's shout not to wander in. They played in the sandy waves, flinging grains at each other and squealing in glee at the strange wonder. Echo, despite the fight she'd just had, found herself. . . refreshed.
At least somebody could have some fun.
It was nice to see somebody playing and laughing and smiling. Before she knew what she was doing, Echo had taken a few steps forward, intent on joining them, but after a few feet, she stopped.
And she stared.
Echo was. . . she was afraid.
Staring at the golden waves brought back a rabid, gnawing fear she hadn't experienced since her arrival in Thundera. Just the thought of stepping foot int he waves made her hands start to shake at her sides. As she looked out to the Sand Sea, listening to the waves crashing down on the beach, the world faded away from her.
The sun and the heat disappeared in a moment, leaving her in a dark, shadowy place.
Scenery came to her, then. Actual, fine sand framed a beautiful beach. The waters were a crystal blue, and a pleasant warmth rose from the waves. Echo stared at it all, familiarity rising inside of her - and she jumped when she heard someone noisily dragging themselves from the surf. She saw. . . she saw herself.
She was dripping wet, bruised, and injured. Blood dripped from a nasty gash over her left eye, and white hair hung limply around her face. Even more shockingly, her blue eyes were bright, nearly glowing as power illuminated them. But she was different. There was something about that expression that told Echo she wasn't the one in control-
And then it was gone.
And she was back in front of the Sand Sea.
Another memory. . . I've been to the sea before. But what happened to me? What was I doing there?
"Hey!" Kit cried, "I found something! Look!"
Echo jumped again, scanning the surf frantically for the kittens, fearing that some monster had just wrapped its ugly paws around them, but they were jumping up and down and pointing at. . . was that. . .?
"Food!" Kat said, rushing out to the platter that sat on top of the waves.
Even from a distance, Echo thought it looked delicious. She could see there was plenty to go around, too. Just staring at the plate made Echo's stomach want to eat itself through her spine. Lion-O, Tygra, and Cheetara had already rushed into the sea and were digging into the goods. She looked on with longing, but just the thought of entering the churning sands made her hands shake.
Cheetara noticed.
"Echo? Come get some food." She called out, waving an apple in the air.
Echo looked at them all, and swallowed, feeling that irrational fear pulse in her. Her stomach growled noisily in protest, and a hunger pang made her stomach cramp. Before she could stop herself, she forced her feet to carry her to the knee-deep sand. I'm with the Cats. Nothing bad's going to happen.
"You alright?" Cheetara asked, tossing her the apple. Echo caught it and nodded her head.
"Thought I saw something." She said, taking a bite. She didn't like telling other people what happened when sudden memories decided to wash over her. Her moments of weakness embarrassed her. Before Cheetara could ask more, she took a bite of the apple, and was thoroughly distracted herself.
It was crispy and crunchy, and she moaned as she took another bite, not bothering to chew it. By Thundera, she had been starving, and she hadn't even realized how much.
"Wait," Tygra said, in the middle of digging into something meaty, "Where. . . did this come from?"
On that cue, Echo heard a strange ripping sound, and saw something zipping towards them, spitting up sand in its wake. A moment later, ropes wrapped around them all. Forcefully, she was shoved right up against Tygra's chest - and a moment later, they were airborne. The twins let out a scream of surprise, and Echo tried to grab onto them, but everybody's limbs were tangled up in her own, making it impossible. The rope jerked, and Echo saw a deck rushing up to meet them. This is gonna hurt!
They slammed onto the deck. Somehow, Tygra had wriggled his shoulder to take the brunt of the impact, but her forehead had whacked up against his breastplate. Ow. Ow! Oh my god, ow. What the hell do the lizards make their armor out of?!
A foot stepped in front of her nose, and she craned her neck back, looking up to see a. . . uh. . Fish. . . Man.
"Lookit, lads, quite the catch we got ourselves!"
An uproar of laughter rippled through the crowd.
"Quite the motley crew, it is." Another jibed, poking at them with the butt of a harpoon. From within their tightly-bound bundle, Echo could hear Lion-O snarl.
"Oi! What's wit' that racket, you maggots?" A voice called, silencing the din.
She heard more footsteps, a wet smack, and then a hissing wheeze. Another fishman stopped just before the base of their net, carrying himself with an air of authority. He turned his gaze over each one of them, examining them, and when he finished, his lips curled into an unhappy sneer.
"Another worthless haul!" He spat, "Eat what ya like, lads, n' turn the rest inta chum!"
The sharp rasping noise of two knives grating together filled the air above her.
"Whiskers!" Tygra hissed.
One of the fishmen stepped on one of the weights keeping the ropes tight around them. The netting moved, as though it had a mind of its own. All of the strands compressed to form several loops around them, and cinched tightly, preventing escape. Echo grunted as it grated against her ribs painfully, digging into her torso. Several of the fish picked them up and sat them upright, jeering all the while. Despite their situation, Echo stared at them, beside herself with curiosity. She'd seen cats and dogs in Thundera, but there were fish people. Fish! How many species did Third Earth have?
"I am Lord of the ThunderCats!" Lion-O called, yelling over their voices, "And I order you to release us!"
For a moment, the fishmen were quiet. But, a second later, they all burst out into laughter again. Lion-O growled, and next to her, Tygra wriggled, trying to free himself from their restraints.
"It's still got some fights, lads!" Their leader grinned, "Well, Lord of the ThunderCats! I am Koinelius Tunar - and I order you filleted!"
The rasping knives sounded again, and Echo glared at a very fat chef as he stalked forward, staring down at them gleefully. His hungry gaze landed on the kittens.
"I'll starts with the little ones." He said, eyes and smile widening. The kittens cowered against them, trying to shrink into the middle of the ThunderCat entanglement. Echo found a snarl of her own leaving her.
"You stay away from them!" She snapped caustically.
He leered down at her, continuing his advance.
Echo had plenty of anger to go around, and that anger helped fuel her telekinesis. Not to mention she'd been practicing with Cheetara every day of their journey. She reached out with her mind and shoved the chef's chest, sending him sprawling. He looked nothing short of comical as his arms pinwheeled, and he fell backward. He hit the deck with a loud crash, and Echo let out a surprised gasp as the entire ship rocked.
Tygra stared at her incredulously.
"How did you do that?" He asked.
"But I didn't-"
Something under the ship groaned, like timber creaking, and from over the side of the ship, a thick, green tentacle crept up. It wrapped around a crewman and dragged him off the side, his screams cut short as he was swallowed up by the sand.
"The Ramlak!" Tunar cried out, "Get to yer posts! My quarry returns!"
The fishmen scrambled, leaving the group as they began to gather weapons. Echo watched as Tunar forcibly shoved two of his lackeys aside in an attempt to reach the harpoon guns first, his eyes wide with madness. My God, he's crazy. He's a madman. Her point was only proven as he laughed when more green tentacles appeared, rising from the sand.
Echo's mouth dropped open as they hovered in the air. One of them descended, gaining speed, and smacked against the deck of the ship with an noisy crash.
"Echo! Cut the ropes!" Lion-O ordered, snapping Echo from her stupor.
"I can't! I just shove and grab things. If you want me to break your ribs, though-"
"You're useless!" He cried out, exasperated.
You're such a good motivator, Lion-O, she thought acidly. One of the fishmen collapsed, his gun sliding from his hands. A tentacle wrapped around his legs and dragged him off the ship a second later. Echo steeled herself against the senseless death, and used her mind to latch onto his fallen weapon and tug it closer. Cheetara caught it with her foot, and, flexing into what had to be an uncomfortable position, began to saw at the ropes. Within moments, the bindings snapped and fell away, and they were free. Breathing a sigh of relief, Echo jumped to her feet, reaching for her swords. . .
But green tentacles fell upon them a moment later.
Quicker than she could react, it wrapped around her waist, squeezing with bruising force.
"What is this?!" Echo cried out, "This is bull-"
"ThunderCats," Lion-O called, "Ho!"
Omens extended, and Lion-O sliced through the tentacle holding him. Echo stared at it, momentarily forgetting the Ramlak holding her hostage, hoisting her further up into the air. Omens wasn't exuding power or strength. It was just acting like a chunk of metal. She couldn't feel anything coming from the sword. It knows. Omens knows, somehow. It's aware he's not fighting for his people. But how does it-?
"Echo!"
The tentacle holding her jerked, and she was falling through the air. Echo didn't even have time to scream before two arms caught her, and she stared up into the grinning visage of Tygra.
"That's the second time I've saved your hide today!"
"Oh, shut up! The first time didn't even count!" She protested, sliding out of his hold.
She really needed to stop getting distracted. Tygra was never going to let her live it down unless she got her head in the game.
Tygra's eyes jerked to something behind her, and Echo moved with it, throwing her arm out in front of her.
Another tentacle had been speeding towards them, but stopped, crashing against Echo's mind as she projected a small shield. A nifty trick she'd learned - her body was just an extension of her mind. She had better control when she pantomimed the actions. Another deep, guttural groan filled the air, and the Ramlak strained against her. Echo buckled at the sheer strength that pushed back against her, and staggered backward as pain throbbed in her head.
Tygra fired off a shot, and then another. Part of the tentacle fell off, and the rest of the appendage whipped around - and clear goop came sailing right at her.
It splashed across her chest and face, dripping down her body in viscous streams.
"Oh. That's disgusting. Gross!"
The severed tentacle retreated back into the sand, however, and left Echo sloshed with goop. She started scrubbing it off, wiping off the clear gunk. Finished, she looked around, taking stock of what was left on the ship. Many of the fishmen were clearing off debris and cleaning, recovering from the attack. Echo turned and found Tunar standing off the side, also taking in the damage.
His eyes met her own, and Echo shivered as she saw the hungry gleam in his eyes. He grinned at her, the madness creeping into his face, and Echo glared. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with this insane fish. Echo thought the most vile thoughts she could at him, and turned back to the deck.
Both of the Wily twins were perched on the railing of the ship, blowing raspberries at the retreating creature. We have to get the kittens weapons soon, Echo thought absently, they really need a way to defend themselves.
Echo heard heavy footsteps, and looked back to the fishmen assembled to see Lion-O advancing on Tunar, a harsh gleam in his eye.
"Now, where were we? Before that little interruption." He stalked forward, Omens clutched tightly in his hand, face dark and stormy. He had plenty of aggression to work out still, it seemed.
"We were discussin' how you'd be cooked," Tunar replied easily, "But had I known you were such fine warriors, I'da gladly served ya my own first mate!"
Beaming, he grabbed Lion-O's arm and gave it a few rough, friendly pats. Lion-O stiffened, his eyes roving over Tunar, searching for deception, but Tunar only grinned again.
"Listen up!" He announced, "These fine fellows are our new shipmates! Treat 'em like you would yer own scaly brothers. . . n' give the little ones some food."
Kit and Kat, excited by the prospect of things to eat, jumped up in the air and shouted, "Food!"
Echo watched as the fat chef led them below deck, grumbling and looking quite grumpy. Echo, overprotective bear she was, wanted to follow them, but opted out at the last moment. They were resourceful and cunning, and Echo knew they were more than capable of taking care of themselves. They'd demonstrated their capacity to her more than once during the two weeks they'd been together.
Tunar led Lion-O over to the mast, talking loudly as he did so.
"Aye, boyo! A fine warrior y'are. Now, tell me yer sea-farin' stories. . ."
Tunar glanced at her as they walked past and began to climb up to the crow's nest. Echo watched them go, whirlpools of frustration and concern churning in her.
Tunar was bad news. The way he'd fought, that look of insanity in his eye. . . and not to mention the fact that he didn't seem to care about his own damn crew.
"Welcome to the crew," A fish said, shoving a broom in her hands, "Time to get ta cleanin'."
"You're serious." She said, voice deadpan. She was tired and sore and covered in Ramlak gunk, and now she had to clean?
The fishman nodded, taking his own broom and getting to sweeping the deck.
"Jaga made you clean the cleric hall every day, didn't he? Think of it like that." Cheetara said, taking the cleanup detail in stride.
"Yeah, well. . ." Echo grumbled, rolling her eyes, "That was different."
"And Tygra. . . Tygra?" Cheetara asked, scanning the deck.
Both girls searched for the tiger, and eventually found him leaning over the railing and vomiting, face awfully green. And, quite honestly, Echo didn't know why his misery made her smile, but it did. She might have been terrified of the sea around them, but at least she wasn't the one getting sea sick.
"So, your captain, Tunar," Echo asked as she ran the broom lazily over the deck, "Why do you follow him?"
She remained firmly in the middle of the ship, fiercely determined not to wander anywhere near the sides. Just the thought of falling in terrified her. She and Cheetara had worked something out of a wordless compromise. Echo would sweep debris to the cheetah, who would dispose of it over the side of the ship. It worked beautifully.
The first mate looked at her, as if trying to discern what her words meant.
"What'ya mean? He's th' Captain."
"He hasn't said anything for the fallen." Cheetara spoke up, "And he seems. . ." She trailed off, not wanting to insult the crew, or the captain's honor. . . yet.
Echo was glad somebody else was curious about whose ship they were riding on.
"He seems a little obsessed," Echo hedged, pausing in her cleaning, "And it seems like he doesn't care at all about your welfare." Strangely enough, that sounds like somebody I know right now. . . she thought, casting a glance up at the two figures sitting in the crow's nest.
"Aye," The first mate agreed sadly, "He's no' tha' kind o' Captain. . . But we've lost our home. What else is there to go back to?"
That. . . that was actually a very good question. And honestly, Echo didn't have an answer for it. She was silent as she took up sweeping again, scrubbing idly at her face as she did so. Ramlak gunk. Ick.
During their journey, she thought that Lion-O would stop chasing after Mumm-Ra. That he would listen to Jaga's last words and go after the Book of Omens. But her friend was so blinded by his hate, and his rage, he'd kept them all locked to his dark course. Echo had followed along behind him, unwilling to leave her friend alone. She'd had Cheetara to help her through her grief. Lion-O had been secluded. Hell, even Tygra had eventually moved past his grief.
Echo had felt, in those past two weeks, as if she'd been burned.. Like the entirety of her insides had been entirely replaced by ashes. Cheetara had come to her aid, however, and Echo had sensed a kindred spirit in the cleric. The pair had spent many nights on their journey telling stories of the ones that had lost their lives, and of their time spent with Jaga. Cheetara and Echo had both told the Wily twins about their time in Thundera, when the twins had expressed interest. And, with every day that had passed, her grief had lessened. It wasn't gone - not exactly - but with each new day, that raw, scraping grit inside of her eased a little more.
Echo realized the more time she spent remembering the happy memories, the good times she'd shared with Sunda and everyone else, the less she wanted to sit down and grieve for them all.
"I lost my home, too," She said quietly, "We all did."
"I can tell this is goin' to be a long talk. Let's sit down, then?"
Echo was surprised. But there the first mate was, laying down his broom. He produced food from some magical pouch on his body, and sat down, inviting the girls with him. Tygra, just looking at the snacks, visibly paled and ran back over to the railing again. Echo had half a mind to go rub his back, but she was starving - and Tygra probably hated himself for displaying weakness now. Her showing sympathy would likely serve to only make him more agitated. She seated herself on the deck and accepted the piece of jerky he passed her way.
"You're strangely amiable." Cheetara noted, taking the jerky offered to her.
"Captain did say y'all part of the crew now. And I can tell this isn't goin' to go away unless we talk about it."
Echo smiled. Smart fish.
"So, why do you follow Tunar?" Cheetara asked.
Echo bit into her jerky and chewed, looking at the first mate expectantly.
"Tunar used to be a good Captain, lass. When the Ramlak came, he even lost his leg savin' one of the little'ns. But with every passin' day, he lost a li'l more o' his mind to that beast. We've been lookin' for it for years, now."
"That's terrible." The cleric murmured.
"Sounds like our fearless leader. My friend is hellbent on revenge." Echo said, staring down at the deck, "And I'm worried about him."
The first mate sighed.
"It's best he don't take our Captain's route, lass," The fishman said, "We all remember when our Captain was a good man. I wish he was the fish I remember."
I don't want Lion-O to end up like that. I want him to be the friend I had. I want him to know how stupid he's been and how much I worry about him. And I want. . .
"Captain! Th' Ramlak!"
Echo's head snapped up, and her hands instinctively went for the hilt of her swords, waiting for the tentacles to appear. Precious seconds eased by as she looked at the boiling seas they floated above, and eventually, she found the beast. On the horizon, she could see the Ramlak, diving through the surf and heading straight into a violent, dark storm brewing in the distance. As they neared it, Echo could feel the winds picking up, and sand began to pelt against her skin with enough force to sting.
Lion-O and Tunar were back on the deck in a heartbeat, and as her friend ran by her, Echo caught a glimpse of his face. There was a gleam, much like Tunar's, of unholy anticipation shining there, reflecting his madness. Tunar's expression was tight, eager, and insane.
Lion-O and Tunar ran to the bow of the ship, arguing with the first mate. Echo couldn't make out their words, but from the look of it, the first mate seemed to try and talk sense into them. The thunderstorm was picking up in intensity with every second that passed by, and she had a feeling the ship wouldn't survive if it plunged headfirst into the raging winds.
"What are we gonna do?" She heard Tygra yell.
The tiger had turned to Cheetara, who shook her head, "I don't know!"
Her attention was grabbed as Lion-O sprinted by her and jumped up to the wheel, shoving the fish manning it out of the way.
"We're going after the Ramlak!" He yelled, "Into the storm we go!"
Tunar laughed. "That's the spirit, boyo! Take command!"
The captain stepped up beside her, and Echo whirled on him, fury flashing through her.
"What are you thinking? Are you going to try and kill us all to take revenge on a beast?"
"Aye, lass! Th' Ramlak is th' only thing that matters to me!"
Echo latched onto the lip of his jacket and pulled him close, forcing him to bend as he glared up at him.
"You disgust me."
Tunar bodily shook off her hands and glared right back.
"Tha' may be, lass, but I get things done."
Echo stared at him for another few moments, utterly repulsed. I've got to stop Lion-O from turning into this. She ran across the deck, away from Tunar, and sprinted up the steps leading to the wheel, taking them two at a time. She had to reason with Lion-O. She had to make him see the light. She didn't want her friend to wind up infected with Tunar's madness. Tygra and Cheetara had already beat her to it, and Lion-O's brother was already yelling to be heard over the winds.
"This is madness, Lion-O! If we go into that storm, we'll die! What are you doing?!"
"I'm not letting anything stand in my way!" He declared, "Not a storm, not a beast, and especially not you."
"That storm will tear the ship apart, Lion-O!" Cheetara shouted.
Lion-O's lips set into a grim line.
"Lion-O!" Echo cried out, interjecting, "Don't you care if we die? Because we will! If you take us in there, we. Will. Die! Don't do this, Lion-O!"
Echo reached for his head, intent on prying him off the wheel, but Lion-O slapped her away, fangs flashing as he growled at her.
"Boyo! The Ramlak!" Tunar called out, seating himself in the hot seat of a large gun situated on the prow of the ship.
Lion-O didn't even look at any of them as he jumped up, dashing across the deck. Tygra seized the opportunity and threw himself on the wheel, groaning as he tried to turn it.
"It's no use. It's locked up!"
"Forget it. We're too far in - we've got bigger trouble!" Cheetara drew her staff, and Echo turned, looking at what she was focusing on. Huge rocks floated on the winds, just waiting for a chance to crash into the ship and tear it to shreds. Cheetara extended her staff, and Tygra drew his weapon. Echo reached for her own sword, swallowing against a thickness in her throat.
She didn't know how they were going to get out of this one.
"We have to stick together!" Tygra said, spreading his feet to give him better balance. He still looked a little queasy, but like the soldier he was, he was shoving his body's needs aside. Echo nodded, about to draw her swords, but paused as she realized that two small, pint-sized little kittens were missing.
"The twins! I have to go get them!"
Tygra hesitated, as if he wanted to tell her no, but Cheetara whacked at a rock careening to the deck. It exploded into a hundred smaller pieces, making a raucous clatter.
"We'll be right here! Tygra!"
Tygra gave her a glance, but nodded, and turned to the rocks. He fired his gun with precision, taking out the farthest ones, while Cheetara dealt with the immediate danger. Echo turned and headed back onto the main deck, and her ears rang as Tunar began to fire the gargantuan cannon. The human paused, just long enough, to see her friend standing right on the tip of the ship, Omens flashing as he hacked at rocks.
Gritting her teeth, Echo rushed below deck. If her friend wanted to go chase a monster, he could go chase a monster. She had kittens to look after. The sounds of the battle dimmed, but the Ramlak let out a deep groan, making the entire ship vibrate. She continued to sprint down the hallway, fearing the worst for the twins. She should have never let them out of her sight. From then on, she was going to be stuck to them like glue - she shook her head, smiling wryly. Oh my god, Sunda. I know how you felt about me now.
Echo heard a quiet thump.
At the end of the hallway, there was another small staircase leading down. The scent of cooked food and spices filled the air, and she felt a heavy weight lift off her shoulders when she heard the twins laughing. At the end of the staircase, she peeked through the doorway and found the fat chef rolling on the ground, webbed fingers clawing at his throat, his face red as a cherry.
"Kit!" She called, "Kat! Time to go."
"Thanks for the food, mister!" Kit called over her shoulder, running to Echo and waving a hand at the chef.
They were safe.
What a-
The entirety of the ship trembled and quivered, and Kit toppled into her. Around them, the ship began to creak.
"Woah!"
"What was that?" Kat asked, tail agitating the air behind him.
Echo helped to right Kit, and her eyes narrowed as the wood around them began to splinter and crack. The Ramlak had probably grabbed the ship, or the storm was tearing it apart.
She stepped aside and pointed at the staircase.
"Go! Topside, now!" She ordered.
Kit and Kat raced up the stairs, and Echo followed, nearly falling as the ship buckled. Sand started to trickle in from the walls.
"Go go go!" Echo urged, shoving Kit and Kat as the kittens stalled in the hallway, staring at the sand in wonder. When she forcibly spurred them back into running, they raced for the door, and as they reached it, Echo found the ship actually cracked.
The sound was so loud it actually made her ears pop and ring, and as they got to the doorway, Echo found that the Ramlak had, indeed, wrapped itself around the middle of the ship and crushed it clean down the center.
"Uh-oh." Kat said.
Right as the floor underneath him gave way.
Echo latched onto the back of his shirt and hooked her other hand around the door frame, keeping him from falling in. Kit grabbed her waist, helping act as a counterweight. Kat looked positively terrified, dangling out over the sound, and more than anything Echo wished she could comfort him. Her arm shook and began to burn, but she tried to pull Kat up anyway. The ship kept lurching and jerking underneath her, threatening to splinter into a million pieces. Echo tried to hoist Kat up, pull him to their shrinking safety of the door frame, but she just wasn't strong enough-
Another groan, and the Ramlak wrapped a tentacle around Kat's waist.
"Kit! Kit!"
The smallest tug from the beast viciously ripped Kat free of her hold.
"Kat! Echo - help!"
The Ramlak started pulling him down to the swirling sands beneath them, threatening to swallow him whole. The kitten's eyes grew wide with fear as it began to drag him under. She latched onto Kit to keep her from going after her brother, and her head jerked around, searching something, anything that might help her. . . and her eyes landed on the mast of the ship, broken and bobbing on top of the surf.
"Kat! Kat! KAT-"
"Kit. Do you trust me?" She asked, words calm. The panicking kitten on her side looked up at her, tears crawling down her cheeks. Echo was surprised with herself - she was filled with fear and panic of her own, but there she was, asking the words calm as calm could be.
The Wily twin nodded her head.
"Then don't squirm."
Kit gasped as Echo picked her up with her mind, and, flinging her arm, sent the little kitten flying. Echo had to concentrate, harder than she ever had before, to keep too much of the force from gathering in one place and breaking Kit's body. After what seemed like an eternity, the kitten landed on the mast, albeit a little roughly, and Echo looked down at the hostage kitten below her.
I won't let you take him from me too, Fate.
Shoving her rabid fear aside, Echo released the door frame and jumped, drawing a sword.
The Ramlak, as if sensing was about to save Kat, began to draw its tentacle down faster.
Her sword slashed through the air, severing the tentacle a moment before Kat was about to be pulled under the sand. Before the kitten could hit the sea, she shoved him with her mind, too, sending him flying to the mast. Echo just barely managed to her mind to slow down her own descent, and instantly groaned as pain washed over her.
Two light, airy kittens were one thing. A decidedly heavier human was another matter entirely. Her body hovered in the air, and her nose stung. Blood began to gush from it, and her head throbbed. I can't keep myself up!
She just barely managed to sheathe her sword before she plunged headfirst into the sand.
The storm was lessening, but with every movement the Ramlak made, waves formed. She fought against the tide, trying to keep her head above the surface, and something like a hysterical laugh slipped out of her. Of course she would go out like this. Choking on her own fear as she drowned - not in battle or by Lion-O's side. God, this was all the lion's fault. She was going to die because of his stupidity. . . but for some reason, Echo couldn't bring herself to blame him. Even as her terror washed through her, strong and powerful, she thrashed, fighting against the hold of the sand.
She opened her mouth to call out for help, but sand filled her mouth and nose. She spluttered, spitting out the grains. Strong fatigue flooded her, and before Echo knew it, she started to sink under the waves.
I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!
Right as the sky was about to be covered, a hand latched onto her own.
"I've got you!"
Lion-O grunted as heaved her up, pulling her free of the sand. Echo clutched at him, breathing harsh, heart stuttering in her chest. She was surely hyperventilating, and her entire body was shivering. She almost felt like laughing. She'd been saved more times than she could count that day, all because she'd been paralyzed by her irrational fear of the ocean. Lion-O moved, as if to extricate himself, and Echo unconsciously gripped at his armor tighter, knuckles white.
The winds were dying down all around them, and the storm, as quickly as it had emerged, was dissipating.
"Echo? You okay?"
Another laugh bubbled up from her, hysterical and bitter.
"N-No. N-Not o-okay."
Her knees were shaking so hard they were knocking against each other. Lion-O moved, gently helping her to sit down on the mast.
"It's okay," He said comfortingly, "I've got you know. It's alright, just sit down. . ."
She sank down onto the mask, and Lion-O gently pried himself away from her arms. She wrapped them around herself, instead, shaking so badly she almost fell off the thick piece of wood. She could still feel the sands closing around her, pulling her down and into the depths-
"Echo!"
Kit and Kat appeared out of thin air. Echo scanned the mast blearily, spotting Tygra and Cheetara and an assortment of fishmen scattered on the mast and its sails. She looked at Kat, not wanting to focus on the churning sand beneath them all.
"Are you okay? You're bleeding." He touched her lip, where blood was still trickling down.
"Why are you shaking?" Kit continued, "Echo, why won't you answer?"
"S-Scared. . ." She mumbled.
In a move that surprised her, Kit wrapped her arms around her. Echo gladly accepted the comfort. She was incapable of holding herself together. She'd let somebody else keep her from falling to pieces.
"Hang tight!" Lion-O shouted. A harpoon fired, and then he was pulling a rope. They drew closer to where half of the ship was still sitting, bobbing up and down in the surf. Lion-O tugged them close enough, and when the mast bumped up against the side of it, Echo finally resigned herself to having to let Kit go. The small part of the ship was safer. They'd be up higher, out of reach from the sand.
"G-Go." She stuttered. In any other instance, she would have been embarrassed at her speech. She hadn't stuttered this badly since she'd first entered Thundera. The kittens looked reluctant to leave her, but they did, scrambling onto the safety of the wreckage. As the rest of the mast's occupants began to disembark, Echo remained seated, legs refusing to work.
She'd almost died. If Lion-O had been a second later, if he hadn't seen her going under. . .
"Come on, Echo," Her friend said softly, "It's okay now."
"C-Can't s-stand." She mumbled.
A moment later, his arms slid around her and lifted her up effortlessly. Echo wasn't ashamed to admit she clung to him, looking up to the mane of spiky red hair and those pretty blue eyes. For the first time since their travels had started, he didn't look plagued by hate or rage. He looked concerned and relieved and happy. Never losing his balance, he stepped onto the ship.
A piece of broken timber jutted out of the side of the ship, and Lion-O set her down gently onto it, treating her as though she were made out of spun glass. Had Echo not been on the verge of a psychological breakdown, she would have gone beet red and been chock full of embarrassment. As it was, she just sat there, feeling decidedly numb.
"T-Thanks." She mumbled.
Blood was drying on her lips, and with sand plastered everywhere on her body, she guessed she probably looked quite the sight.
"That was quite a storm you steered us into, Lion-O." Cheetara spoke up, sitting quite comfortable on another piece of cracked timber.
Tygra grunted, crossing his arms over his chest.
Beside her, Lion-O straightened, and cast his gaze to the ground, ashamed.
"It's my fault. I lost sight of what's important. I was so consumed by my hatred of Mumm-Ra that I forgot that it's my people I was supposed to be fighting for - my friends, too. I nearly got all of you killed. . . and for that, I'm sor-"
Echo stared as the sand erupted behind Lion-O, and a deep moan rumbled the air around them. The Ramlak. Its' shadow fell over them, and Echo looked up stupidly, finding more tentacles descending, about to wrap around them all, but they fell on Lion-O first, eagerly snapping him up.
"Lion-O!"
Kat and Kit ran in front of her as the beast straightened up again. Echo stared up at it fearfully, imagining the worst for her friend.
She'd just gotten him back. The real Lion-O. And now he'd been eaten?
"Give him back you slimy sack of tentacles!" Kit yelled, waving her fist at the creature.
As if responding, the Ramlak groaned and leaned over again, tentacles spilling out - but a moment later, Omens slid free from the beast's side. Lion-O emerged from the gash, slicing through the Ramlak's hide on his way down. Echo was torn between wanting to grin in happiness - but instead, a sigh of bliss escaped her as water poured over her, chasing away the heat.
The Ramlak had been full of water. Who knew?
Lion-O landed on the deck neatly, as though he'd hadn't just been eaten by a giant seat creature. Water cascaded down, and the fishmen cheered as it flooded the parched sands. Echo watched as is washed around them, rushing towards her - and she bodily recoiled from it.
She scrambled over the ship and clambered up to the highest point of it, clinging to a piece of wood for dear life.
The waters began to calm, and she could see her reflection. She was bloodied, wide-eyed and terrified, white hair plastered to her face. Below her, Tygra laughed.
"Aren't cats supposed to be the only ones afraid of water?"
Her cheeks burned.
"S-Shut u-up, T-Tygra!"
Tygra laughed so hard he bent over, and Echo recovered enough to glare down at him. She clung to that piece of wood for all she was worth, amending never to forsake land again.
It was dark.
All around her, it pressed against her skin, thick and viscous. Echo opened her eyes sluggishly, trying to peer into the gloom, but it was too dark to see anything. It wasn't calm, and nor was it peaceful. A sense of urgency filled her, an impending omen for what was to come. A moment later, two red eyes snapped open. Echo flinched back from the sight f them, but they hovered near her, quirking and looking at her, almost curiously. Then they were swirling around in the dark, faster and faster, streaking through the blackness.
She felt something pulling her down, sucking her into a dark void that made every part of her cry out in pain and fear.
Something heavy and clear slid into place over her.
Echo thrashed, crying out as years of agony and terror swept through her. A beautiful, pale blue light struck against the glass, spearing through her. It urged her to speak, to tell her where secret things lay hidden. To guide the way.
"Come now, don't be afraid," A voice rasped, "Show me the way. Reveal to me the secrets to this world."
No!
Echo fought, beating her hands against the glass and the light. She wasn't going to let it end like this. Not after all this time.
He was so close!
Her power flooded through her in response, strong and potent. The glass cracked and fell away, and water cascaded around her, chasing away the darkness. Those red eyes hovered, attached to blackened-out bodies that rushed towards her, ready to fight. Echo lashed out against them, struggling to wade through the water. She twisted and turned until she found the surface, and there, she could see the rippling reflection of the moon. Air was waiting for her there. She stroked for it, knowing it was just a few more feet away. . .
She gasped and spluttered as she broke the surface, and with thrashing strokes, she forced her body onto the beach. Her harsh breaths peppered the air around her. White hair fell in tangled strands around her face.
She looked up right as a pair of red eyes lashed out and hit her, sending his sprawling. More leaned over her, reaching down-
"Echo!"
Her eyes snapped open, and she looked around frantically, searching for red-eyed demons with black bodies - but her gaze landed on Kit. She was leaning over her, looking worried.
"You were having a bad dream."
Yes. Yes I was.
She smiled, though Echo felt it was more like a wince, and glanced around nervously, finding the rest of their company still asleep, Cheetara being the only exception. The cleric had gotten last watch. Echo was relieved - she didn't want anybody to see her like this.
"Don't t-tell." She murmured.
Kit nodded, and to her surprise, fluffed out her bedroll next to her. When she got settled in, she reached out and grabbed Echo's hand.
"Don't worry, I won't. I have bad dreams I don't tell Kat about, sometimes. . . Thank you. For saving my brother."
Ki squeezed, and Echo smiled, feeling some of her rabid panic floating away. She rolled over, facing the young kitten, and her eyes reluctantly began to close again as weariness dragged at her.
I remember why I can't go in the water now, she thought as sleep claimed her again, the demons are waiting there.