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:
1.) Finals, finals, finals. I've got 3 10 - 12 page papers due, and I'm not happy about it. Not one bit. But procrastination is a senior's best friend, so here you go. I'm going to try to be pumping out at least two more chapters this month. It's already been a year since I started this project, and I want to get it rolling into Season 2 ASAP!
2.) I found it. I found the fanfiction that inspired me to write! Did you know I had to wait 6 years? 6. I read it all, devoured every nuance of it, and it's actually helped me set my goals for the Sue Project again. Slowly, ever so slowly, am I laying down the puzzle pieces for the bigger picture. And let me tell you, 6 years was worth the wait.
3.)Starting next chapter, I know these changes will take effect: The Trials of Lion-O will be condensed into one chapter.
Native Son will be alluded to, but not have its own chapter. That was Tygra and Lion-O's journey (also where the heck were the other Cats when this was happening?) and I'm not going to insert Echo into it.
Survival of the Fittest (hello, filler/backstory episode) will also be alluded to, but not have it's own chapter. Don't get me wrong, I love the kittens! But there's no way for me to do this with Echo.
The Forever Bag will follow the same route. Alluded to, but it will not have it's own chapter.
Finally, What Lies Above will be compressed into one chapter.
Now, I feel an explanation is in order. Let me preface this by saying this is not to get me to the ending quicker. But since this story is written from Echo's POV, there is no way I can insert her into these episodes realistically. The events in them will still happen. You'll just have to wait to see how it's dealt with (even I don't quite know myself!) but I promise you, they will still play large parts in how the characters act. I just don't see the reason for Echo to sit around for an entire chapter (because apparently that's what the other Cats did when this was happening), wondering what they're doing. But don't worry. I will be treating this chapters with care.
This being said, some chapters might be a slight bit longer than normal, but please bare with me! And don't worry, the end of FOTE will make it all worth it, I promise.
So, kids, that makes it roughly 8 chapters until the end. Like I said, I'm going to try to crank those out - summer will be my best bet to do this, and I hope you can stay with me that long!
Warnings: Nothing, except for stylistic things FF loves to om nom. Mild cursing.
"Ec-HO," Kit whined, "We'll be fine!"
Rolling her eyes, the white-haired human religiously turned the weapon over in her hands, ensuring it had been properly cleaned and stowed. Kat took great insult that she was meticulously examining his flank, but Echo paused, running her hand over a wire, and found honest-to-god grains of dirt on the strings. She leveled a fierce glare his way, and the kittens instantly went quiet. Producing a scrap piece of cloth from a pouch on her belt, Echo began to wipe it away, shuddering with every piece of dried dirt that fell off of the weapon.
"You'll be fine when you learn to take care of your equipment." Echo groused.
Kat glared at her in turn, sulky. "I forgot. It was an accident."
Getting up, Echo stowed the rag and began winding up the flank, although she was slow and clumsy at it. Kat was very good at wielding his weapon - Echo was far from that skilled. The kitten watched her impatiently, and Echo, just to get her revenge, took a little longer than he'd have liked. She plopped it into his hand, but held firm when he tried to take it.
"Kat, trust me when I say that your weapons are your life. Without this, you're as good as dead. This is your best friend, and neglecting your best friend is the surest way to get yourself killed. I know this from experience, alright?"
Angrily, Kat ripped the flank out of her hold. "I don't need you babying me all the time!"
"I'll stop babying you when you shape up and act like a proper soldier."
Kit looked at her curiously, and Echo realized her blunder. She groaned mentally. Didn't mean to let that one slip.
"Soldiers?" The kitten stared up at her, "We're not soldiers."
"For lack of a better phrase," Echo said, trying to cover her tracks as best as possible, "That's exactly what you are. Soldiers, helping fighting for Lion-O's cause. Now get a move on - and don't look at me like that, Kat. Next time I find that flank dirty, I swear, I will rip that hoverboard apart."
Kat sneered at her, but Echo ignored it. Kit jumped onto her own hoverboard with an ecstatic cry, and zipped up into the air. Her brother lagged just a beat behind her, losing his surly attitude in favor of excitement. Finished lecturing, Echo dusted off her hands and turned to her own weapons harness, ensuring that it was secured and ready for action. Her swords, neatly cleaned and polished not just thirty minutes ago, gleamed in the sun when she drew them.
"Kat won't be happy if you keep treating him like a child." Cheetara warned.
"He'll get it easier when he stops acting like one. On the battlefield, Cheetara, there isn't time to crack jokes and act like that. Off the battlefield - that's a different story."
The cleric stared at her, as if weighing her words, and finally looked puzzled. "Without the kitten's. . . unique. . . ways of going about this, we wouldn't have had as much success."
"Maybe," Echo compromised, "But my point still stands."
Cheetara shrugged, and eyed the kittens. Kit and Kat were rapidly being swallowed up by the rocky maze canyon that bordered the Berbil's mushroom forest, and within moments, they were gone. The cheetah stood like that for just another moment, before turning and walking away.
She'd been like that the past two days, Echo had noticed. It was obvious she was feeling pretty conflicted over her decision, and sharing such close quarters with a very wounded Lion-O certainly wasn't helping matters any. Cheetara would often speak, look at Lion-O (as if waiting for him to snap at her), and then get quiet anyway. It really was unlike the strong, independent cleric Echo was used to, and she honestly prayed it was a temporary thing.
Tygra had been strangely quiet too, his snarky remarks and cynicism feeling half-hearted, at best. He and Cheetara were always within a certain distance of each other, as if unconsciously wanting to remain close to the other's side. But their relationship? Echo really had no clue what it was. Sure, when they were alone, and they thought nobody watched, Tygra and Cheetara snuggled up to each other, but other than that, Echo wasn't exactly sure if it would last. Maybe, in time, their chemistry would be a bit more solid, but it just seemed so. . . tentative.
Still, Tygra had "won" the race for Cheetara, and had lefta wounded Lion-O in his stead.
And speaking of Lion-O. . . well.
He'd seen better days.
The normally talkative lion had been keeping to himself the past two days, something that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but Echo knew a myriad of pain was writhing in him, and he hadn't had the chance to talk it out with anybody. When she got the time, Echo decided, she'd definitely have to try and broach the subject with him. She just wasn't sure how yet.
And as for herself?
Echo smiled wryly. Let's focus on the ambush for right now.
"Everybody ready?" Tygra asked, checking his gun and whip.
Echo sheathed her swords with a quiet snick. "Yep. Let's make this a good run again, yeah?"
"We're not stealing their supplies." Lion-O reprimanded, cutting her with a stern look.
The human chuckled. "I call it resourceful sourcing. Plus Sunny asked for some extra material for Panthro's arms. It's not like I'm robbing them blind. I'm just taking some tech."
Lion-O still didn't seem to like the sound of it, as evidenced by his disgruntled face. Echo shrugged it off and began casually walking to the small enclave she would secret herself in until it came time for the fight. Almost silently, the rest of the Cats took their position, and Echo grimaced as she stretched. Sheesh. It's been like walking on glass around the lot of them. I hope somebody just talks already, and we can get over this.
Tucking herself away in her little rock hideaway, Echo brushed away some of the dust and wriggled herself about, making it slightly more comfortable. Time passed, and she took to drawing in the dirt, waiting for the kittens to arrive. For the past two days, the Cats had been springing ambushes on the lizard army, and after learning Mumm-Ra had lost the stone to Lion-O, it had been a wild success. There had been desertions everywhere, and lizards panicked at the mere sight of the ThunderCat king. It wouldn't be too much longer before at least of the army (Echo hoped optimistically) deserted, leaving Mumm-Ra nothing but a skeleton for a security detail.
It had also taken the Berbils roughly two days to cobble up a rough prototype for Panthro's arm, not to mention stop him from dying. Nobody had been sure what to make of the strange, blue/white aura that had surrounded the stumps where his arms had been. The Berbils, however, had somehow figured out how to get rid of it, and seemed to be making good progress on giving the general prosthetics.
In the meantime, it had actually been Tygra that had come up with the idea of ambushing the lizards, and Lion-O had eagerly agreed, if to do nothing else than to keep his hands busy, his mind off of his emotions.
Closing her eyes, Echo gave the rocks next to her a small sigh.
"Our fearless leader is suffering from a broken heart," She told the rock next to her, "It's been a fun two days, you know. Filled with tense silences and depressing, secretive eye-glances. How would you handle it?"
The rock remained quiet, and Echo, out of sheer boredom, drew a little frowny face on it.
"Thanks for sympathizing with me, rock."
The hum and drone of the hoverboards sounded in the distance, and Echo straightened. Just as planned, Kit and Kat (like they had, three other times) drew the lizards into a dead end. Unlike the other parties, though, Echo was surprised to discover that this scouting party was riding some kind of hovercraft of their own, and it was armed with some serious firepower.
It's just been foot patrols. Now they have hoverships too? Are they stepping up their game because of the desertions?
Kit and Kat gasped as they came to end of the trail, faces pulled into expressions of fear.
Echo shifted, pressing herself against the broad surface of the rock, anxious and excited at the same time. The lizards couldn't have been more than twenty feet away from her, and she had the element of surprise. One of the lizards, the leader, if she had to guess, stood up, sharp teeth bared as he grinned. The helmet he wore bore a symbol, and Echo peered at it - and then froze.
A black pyramid gleamed in the sun, two separate lines framing it vertically (probably proclaiming his rank in the army), but at her side, her arm twitched, and she rubbed at it fiercely, desperate to dispel the itch that was developing.
"Looks like you're trapped." The commander said, chuckling.
"Are we trapped?" Kit asked, mood morphing from fear to boredom. She tucked her hands behind her back, as if uncaring about her imminent death.
"Or are you?" Kat continued, voice cocky.
Even though she wasn't looking, Echo could hear the rasp of Omens being drawn. "ThunderCats, HO!"
"Fire!" The leader commanded, pointing, "Fire now!"
Obeying, the lizards scrambled for their guns, took aim, and began shooting. Echo surveyed the firefight, anxiety stealing through her. She just couldn't get used to this part. She knew she never would, too. Lion-O, in a practiced movement, brought this gauntlet round, as if wielding a shield, and then there was a shield, conjured by the spirit stone.
Green lasers bounced off the pink energy harmlessly, albeit they scored and scorched the rock around Lion-O. Echo breathed out a nervous sound of relief, although her nerves crackled, snapping like live wires. One of the stronger blasts hit the rock by Lion-O's feet, and with a sharp crack, it gave way from the hillside and tumbled down, crashing into their hovercraft.
Those lizards unlucky enough to be nearby ran for cover, three heading in Echo's direction. Time for the show to start! Removing herself from the rock, she calmly strode forward, swords drawn. The lizards didn't notice her, not at first, but when they did, guns swiveled in her direction. She smiled a little bitterly, and then sprang forward, blades flashing in the light. Her fight was short, and not nearly as intensive as she'd like it to be - how else was she supposed to stay on her toes? - but it was done.
Like at the elephant's village, one of their guns was slung around her chest, the strap biting into her shoulder. Cheetara, the golden flash she was, was on the canyon wall one second, and then down on the ground in the next, knocking a good five lizards off their feet and liberating them of their guns in the same heartbeat. Lion-O took care of the rest, effortlessly disarming and incapacitating those that refused to give up.
"Why are you wearing that?" The cleric asked. When Echo smiled, Cheetara shook her head. "No, I think I know. Resourceful sourcing."
Echo's smile turned into a full-fledged grin. A gunshot made the girls jump and whirl around, just in time to catch a lizard falling messily down the canyon side. A good thirty feet above them, Tygra stood, propping his gun up on his hip. Cheetara smiled up at him, mouthing out something, but Echo rolled her eyes.
C'mon guys, not right now. And look at me! It's only been two days, and I'm already losing my touch.
Tygra joined them, and together, the small group rounded the lizards up and sat them against the canyon wall. Echo noticed - just like the other times - that the lizards look on Lion-O with fear, hardly paying the rest of them any mind. Not that they shouldn't be afraid, but it just felt wrong. Thankfully, Lion-O's ultimate goal was not motivating people by fear.
Kit and Kat, bored with the proceedings, began to do aerial tricks with their hoverboards, and even though Echo frowned at them, they continued. Now is not the time to be playing games, either. I think I just proved my point.
"So," Cheetara said, breaking the silence first, "What are we gonna do with 'em?"
"We're gonna let them go." Lion-O replied calmly, not even bothering to look in her direction.
"Excuse me?" Tygra asked, disbelieving.
"They've fought under Mumm-Ra long enough to know that they don't wanna live under him. His mission is not just a threat to Cats. If we don't unite against him, we'll fall together before him." Lion-O continued, staring at Tygra, eyes hard and flinty, just daring for his brother to challenge him.
Echo glanced at her friend, vaguely recalling him telling her about his ancestor, Leo, and how he united the different species. Unite or fall, their motto had been.
"These lizards were armed," Cheetara added, a small protest in her voice, "They mean to kill you, Lion-O."
Lion-O looked at her, and Echo swore she saw him flinch, as though just looking at her pained him. On the ground, one of the lizards let out a very dark, bitter chuckle. Echo turned to him, noting him as the battalion commander. He leered up at Lion-O with obvious disdain on his face.
"Cats and lizards? United together?" If that is your plan for victory, then you are a fool!"
"Perhaps," Lion-O mused, "Still. The choice is yours. Return to the battlefield, or return to your families."
Despite the argument that had happened not but thirty seconds ago, Echo honestly wished they weren't letting the lizards go. She had no lost love for them, and she found it just a smidgeon unfair that the creatures responsible for razing her home, her family, and ripping everything from her were getting the opportunity to go back to their loved ones.
She'd never be able to see Sunda again, and that was hardly fair.
Still, she knew she'd have to let go of the grudge sooner or later. Jaga had always told her that bottling up those emotions would be poisonous. Even with that, she still felt glad to have a cold little ember of anger in her chest as she glanced at the lizards. They have to wait a full year before I even entertain the notion of forgiving them.
The lizards whispered amongst themselves as the Cats stood before them. Finally, they came to a consensus, and the leader stood, peering at Lion-O critically, unafraid. Though her swords were sheathed, Echo's fingers itched, readying to swung them and the gun, blasting him full of holes and fileting him to shreds.
"Let's go home." The commander said. He gestured for the lizards to stand, to follow him, and they did, eagerly jumping up to their feet. Quietly, the replies walked away, wandering back into the rocky maze.
Kit and Kat finally rejoined them, floating down from the sky and hovering just a ways in front of them, staring at the lizards smugly. Echo watched as Tygra shook his head in a mixture of exasperation and disbelief.
"You still haven't given up the idea that you can turn the lizards good just by cutting them a break, have you?" He asked.
"Tygra, you saw what happened after we won the Spirit Stone. There were mass desertions in the lizard army - this isn't their war. It never was. . . I don't think they even know what they're fighting for."
Tygra opened his mouth to reply, but Cheetara walked up to him and laid a hand on his arm. His mouth shut, and then he smiled, face turning soft and adoring.
". . . Yeah. All I know is what I'm fighting for."
They smiled, a little shyly, at each other, and Echo gagged. Who knew love could be so sappy?
"That reminds me, thanks for watching my back." Cheetara said, leaning up and giving Tygra a kiss.
"Well," He replied easily, "You're back's real easy to watch."
Ew! Ew ew ew! I did not need to hear that! Echo took a few discreet steps away from the lovebirds. She stared at them with mock disgust, wanting to stick her tongue out to show her displeasure. Cheetara? Yeah, she could handle the cleric acting all cute and kitten-like, but Tygra? It was just beyond comprehension for her.
Though some kind of ancient black magic, Cheetara had managed to chill Tygra out somewhat. Echo honestly wasn't used to somewhat nice Tygra, and now he was actually pleasant to be around. Sure, he could still be kind of snappy and crude, but happy and relaxed were two words not in his vocab. Normally, Tygra and sulky and brooding, and that was on a good day. Now? . . . It was downright scary to see him smile.
And today just marked the second day they'd been "official."
"I think I'm gonna hack up a hairball." Kat piped up. Echo blinked down at the kitten, and then laughed, squeezing his shoulder.
"You n' me both, kid."
Realizing they had an audience, Tygra coughed into his hand, embarrassed. "Sorry." He muttered.
All through the interaction, Echo hadn't looked at Lion-O. She didn't want to know what her friend looked like, see the anger in his eyes. But now that Tygra and Cheetara were looking at him, somewhat tentatively, afraid they'd overstepped their boundaries.
Echo did, too, and she could see his eyes were slitted, and he glared. His pain mixed with anger, and he glowered at the two of them for all he was worth. But then, miraculously, his expression softened, and the tension eased from his body. He smiled, but Echo noted it didn't reach his eyes.
"Don't be," Lion-O said genially, easily, "I'm happy for the both of you."
Tygra and Cheetara glanced at each other, surprised at his reaction, and Tygra glanced at his brother, somewhat humble and thankful.
"It means a lot to hear you say that, brother." Tygra said. Cheetara reached down, interlinking their hands, and together, they both beamed at Lion-O.
Echo shuddered. There was no way she was going to get used to this side of Tygra. She was used to the dictator that told her what to do and how to do it, not the guy who was suddenly in touch with his emotions. At her side, Kit and Kat made gagging noises, and stuck their hands in their mouths. Echo smiled at their antics.
Lion-O must have finally noticed them, for he bent over slightly, addressing them, and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. "How 'bout we get back to the Berbil village and check in on Panthro?" He asked.
"Yeah! If those furry little bears can make these hoverboards, I can't wait to see what they do with Panthro's new arms!" Kit said excitedly. Kat replied eagerly, but his words were lost on Echo as the twins rose in the air and rushed off, leaving them in the dust.
Mission accomplished, Echo walked over to the fallen hovercraft and began to root around in it.
"We're gonna head back to the village," Cheetara called after her, "Will you be okay coming back by yourself?"
Echo waved her hand airily. "I'll be fine-"
"I'll stay." Lion-O interrupted. "Just in case."
"I don't think I'll be too long," Echo said, voice sounding tinny as she dug around in the innards of the hovercraft, "Sunny said it would be easy to find."
Her Berbil had requested some kind of a chip off of a gun, and a gun, but since there was an entire hovercraft, Echo figured she might as well kill two birds with one stone. Plus, she was incredibly curious as to what the guts of the hovercraft looked like.
"It's just a precaution." Lion-O murmured. And then he offered nothing more.
A slightly awkward silence stretched between them, but instead of fretting over it, Echo took to wrenching off the panels of the hovercraft and searing for the "small chip. Square. Blue wires - four!" that Sunny had sent her to find. Surprisingly, after a few minutes of searching, she found not one, but five of them. Deciding one was enough, she ripped it out of the panel, and ignored the angry sparks that followed.
Sourcing successful, Echo parted the hovercraft. She would have asked Lion-O if he'd have liked to take a look inside of it - technology was his thing after all - but he'd just been standing there, staring at the ground, eyes faraway. Tucking the chip in her pouch, Echo nudged him on the shoulder, and together, she and Lion-O trekked back to the village. It didn't take long, and thankfully, it was an uneventful and quiet trip.
As they stepped foot into the Berbil village, however, Echo found a little black ball rolling up to her. She grinned, and spread her arms wide as the little ball launched itself from the ground and into her arms. The Berbil transformed, and a pair of bright golden eyes gleamed at her, bending into happy little spikes.
"Sunny glad Ro-E back. Sunny worry."
Holding the little Berbil in her arms, Echo chuckled. "Ro-E miss Sunny, too. No need for you to worry, I told you I can handle myself just fine."
Beside her, Lion-O walked stoically, eyes still glassy and faraway. He probably hadn't even noticed Sunny had joined them. Setting the Berbil down on the ground, (and Sunny insisted on holding her hand) Echo reached into a pocket and produced the chip.
"Sunny glad Ro-E find everything. Regulatory chip install firmware in neural synapse system so alpha-waves no longer disrupt-"
"Let's just pretend that makes sense," Echo interrupted, "And just go say hi to Panthro."
Making it over to the repair hut, currently housing one injured general, Sunny stepped up to the door and unlocked it for them. Almost mechanically, Lion-O stepped inside, and Echo followed after him.
"How's it. . . going. . ." Lion-O said, voice warbling. It died out completely as he struggled not to laugh.
Curious, Echo stepped out from behind him, and noticed Panthro. She bit her cheek in an impossible battle to keep a straight face. A small click came from her hip, and the weight of the gun dropped off, Sunny disappearing in the hut, chirping in the strange little language the Berbils had. Below them, Panthro laid on an operation chair, and he glared up at them moodily.
"How it look like it's goin'?" He snapped. he waved his arms at them in what would have been a threatening manner, but the hot pink, furry little bear paws spun around, looking nothing short of adorable. Pink! Who knew he'd look so good in pink?
Echo snorted. She was dying, trying to keep her breathing even. Don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh. . .
Lion-O seemed to be suffering from the same plight. His arms shook as he struggled not to chuckle. "Aw, they're not so bad," He said, "In fact, they're actually kind of. . . adorable."
Echo lost it. In a spectacular fashion, she collapsed on the ground, clutching her stomach and laughing. It didn't take her long to start crying, and then her laughs turned into breathy little wheezes as she hiccuped. She cracked open her eyes, looking at Panthro, and his expression made her laugh all over again.
"Are you trying to make me mad?" Panthro growled peevishly, hands still spinning around uselessly.
"Sorry." Lion-O said, nudging Echo with his foot, "But I have good news. We had another successful ambush, and if things keep going this way, they won't have an army to stop us from finding the next stone."
Using the railing, Echo heaved herself up into a standing position, wiping the tears from her eyes. Panthro dismissed her with a 'hmph' and laid back down, angrily looking at the Berbils, who were holding up the small chip and beeping.
"Just don't win the war before I have a chance to get a few more licks in." He grumbled, grudgingly settling back in place. His arms spun around again, and the general stared at them, his eye almost twitching. "Can somebody please get these things off me!" He yelled, hands spinning once more.
Echo lost it a second time.
"Rack time." A small, digital voice said at her hip. Scrubbing at her eyes, Echo peered down to see Sunny standing at her feet. "Ro-E has been active for 17 hours, help plan ambush and take part. Ro-E need rack time."
Nodding her head, Echo let the little Berbil lead her away as Lion-O joined Panthro on the base floor of the repair bay.
This time, it wasn't so bad.
Echo was more familiar with it now. The oddity of it didn't scare her as much as it used to.
Shadowy darkness covered everything, and parts of the landscape kept morphing to one thing and the next, as if eager to show her the past, the future, and the present all at once. Above her, blackness spread, but it was seared through with purple lightning, cutting through the darkness with an evil presence. She flinched away from the light, hesitant of it, but to her relief, it faded away into nothingness.
A soft, blue glow made her peek over her arm, and she gasped in shock. Mumm-Ra stood over a crystal, and as he peered into its depths, he cackled. The crystal grew brighter and brighter, until Echo let out a cry as the light made her eyes burn. She stumbled, blinded, and blinked away spots on her vision as she found herself in a shadowy crowd.
Bloodbloodblood, voice changed, bloodbloodblood!
It was hard to see with the afterimages on her vision, but she gazed around her. A misty white haze covered everything, and from what she gathered, she was in a very high place. Maybe a mountain, as the sky enveloped the world, and white, fluffy clouds made up the ground. She swore she saw trees, too, but Echo couldn't quite be sure. Around her, the hazy crowd shifted, restless energy passing through them. She stared at one, trying to figure out what she was looking at, but the shadows clinging to him refused to dissipate.
From the crowd, one shadow stood up, holding a staff, and pointed it at something hidden in front of the crowd. Echo began to weave and duck, trying to see what the man was pointing to. She felt like she had to know.
"We sentence you to death!" The figure cried.
Around her, the crowd shivered in fear. Death. Afraid. Won't die won't die!
A guttural roar rent the air, making the figures trembled, and Echo stilled. She pressed forward, ears ringing, and slowly, ever so slowly, she was drawing closer to the front of the crowd.
Is it high enough? A voice asked.
Don't know. I'm scared! Another replied.
"A meal!" The roar-voice demanded, "Feed me my last meal!"
The crowd parted, and Echo caught sight of some kind of white, flurry blob suspended upside-down by a rope. It was an execution. It had to be. The human frowned, peering around her. Nothing was making any sense. . . Or was it? What was it she was supposed to see? Echo heard a flap of wind, and a small feather landed at her feet - and suddenly, the voice demanding a meal roared, but it faded, growing quiet. Silence fell, and the crowd shifted, murmuring in relief, in anxiety.
Over the muttering, though, Echo could hear a sound. It was like. . . like a hum.
The roar-voice began to laugh.
"I told you," It said quietly, "I am owed my last meal!"
And then Echo was standing alone. So much happened, in so little time. . . She stood there, her breaths coming in raspy pants. Her hands trembled at her sides. A breeze brushed against her, and she felt a wetness clinging to her skin. Looking down at herself, she recoiled in horror - she was covered in blood, completely drenched in it. The shadows were everywhere, laying at her feet, thrown against the tree - the scene was complete death and carnage.
Echo collapsed to her knees, sucking in noisy gasps of air. An oversized hand grabbed her, lifted her up, and brought her to a gaping mouth, studded with bloody teeth. She screamed, writhing and kicking, trying to free herself-
"Echo?"
With a jolt, her eyes snapped open. Reality came back to her in lazy circles, and she blinked, finding Sunny's golden eyes staring at her, somehow conveying worry. Echo shrugged it off and sat up, and Lion-O sat down beside her.
Together, they just sat there. In her head, she could still feel the sensation of blood clinging to her skin, and she could remember seeing things that had made her sick to bear witness to. . .
"What happened?" Lion-O asked, "Sunny came and got me. He said he couldn't wake you up."
"A nightmare." Echo replied evenly. She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them, willing her shakes to stop. "A very bad nightmare."
Sunny curled up into her side, uttering a small beep as he wriggled into her lap. Echo slowly straightened herself back out again, and ran her fingers through his black fur, drawing comfort from him.
". . . Wanna talk about it?"
Echo shook her head and smiled. "No," She aid, "I'd rather not."
A gust of wind brushed against them, carrying the unique smell of candyfruit (probably being decimated by the twins). She'd elected to sleep outside, just catch a quick catnap out in the sun before the mission had begun. Lion-O was quiet, and when she glanced at him, Echo found him staring at the landscape. Giving his shoulder a nudge, she looked at him pointedly.
"Bad dreams are nasty to talk about. But I know you have something on your mind you wanna discuss."
The Cat looked sullen, his jaw clenching as he sat straight and appeared to be a second away from saying no. But then he deflated, just like that, and buried his head into his hands with a groan, scrubbing at his face.
"Every time I see her, they're sitting together, and my chest aches. I thought she was mine. I thought. . . I swore she liked me."
Echo stroked the fur on Sunny's back, and the Berbil's eyes closed to tiny, contended slits. The human was quiet as she gathered her thoughts, because she knew she was treading into incredibly delicate territory, and she'd have to say what she thought cautiously. Lion-O had been - was - in love with Cheetara, and she'd spurned him for his brother. It just compounded his "Tygra always wins everything" complex.
"I honestly think," Echo said slowly, "That the best way for you to go about this would be to sit down and talk to her."
"What?!" Lion-O spluttered, snapping his head to her.
She knew he'd been expected her to sympathize with him, to curse his brother and rue the day he'd been born. Not to go and present one of the simplest solutions he was desperately avoiding.
Echo continued to pet Sunny, enjoying the last of the sun's warm rays on her skin. "In the end, Lion-O, I'm not Cheetara. We might be friends, but we've never talked about this. I know it's hard to do, but I think it's best. It might seem awkward, and painful, at first, but it's the only way you'll get to resolve this."
Next to her, the lion grumbled, moodily staring at the grass. "I don't want to talk to her. . ."
"Sure you do," Echo chirped, "In fact, to give you two some space, I think I am going to sleep until tonight."
He paused, brow furrowing. "But the mission starts in an hour."
Flopping onto her back, Echo stretched leisurely and tucked her hands under her head, like she had all the time in the world. "Yeah, I know. But the way I see it, you and Cheetara need to get some time. Alone. And, let's face it, last mission, I was hardly needed. Let the twins hold their own in a firefight."
They could certainly serve getting knocked down a peg or two.
Lion-O sighed, and got to his feet. "I really don't want to talk to her. . ." He said again, his voice a bit childish.
Echo cracked open an eye and peered up at him. "You don't have a choice. You two are fighting side-by-side, and the sooner you get this cleared up, the better."
She was right and he knew it. Lion-O shook his head and began walking away, striding back into the village, where the rest of the Cats were getting their gear together. Relaxing again, Echo knew Lion-O would tell them about her choice to stay behind, and honestly, she knew it would be alright. Truthfully, she hadn't been required for the past few ambushes, and had just been there as backup.
A backup that had hardly been needed, as all lizards trembled in fear at just seeing Lion-O.
Lion-O and Cheetara needed to have their little talk, and for once in her life, Echo really didn't feel like eavesdropping in on it. Closing her eyes, Sunny curled up next to her head, blocking out what little light there was from the sun. She didn't care that she was sleeping so much outside - before they'd had the tank, they'd camped everywhere, anyway. Being outside didn't bug her. Plus, Third Earth had mild weather, so it wasn't particularly cold unless it was raining.
Stretching, Echo lulled herself back into a pleasant sleep, the surprisingly warm, metallic body of Sunny pressing against her forehead.
She fell, very, very slowly, into a dark pit.
Lights flashed by her, flickering against her closed eyelids, prodding her to wake up. Echo jerked, surprised and disoriented. Where the hell am I? I was in the Berbil village. . . oh no.
She groaned as she realized she was in a dream. Again. For some reason, her mind was just giving her hell lately, and she honestly had no idea why. She continued falling, spiraling further into the blackness, until her feet touched the ground, and she set down gently.
Echo took a few precious moments to gather her bearings and try to figure out where she was. A shiver crawled down her spine as she recalled her last nightmare, and she prayed that this one wasn't nearly as bad. She hoped it was just a dream. A regular, normal dream.
Ahead, she could hear a voice talking, but the tunnel was distorting it so badly she couldn't understand a word it was saying. More lights flickered in the distance, inviting her forward. Don't you want to see? They seemed to whisper to her, what's going on is kind of important, after all.
Sighing, Echo began walking, and she tried to settle her nerves. This dream wouldn't be as bad - she'd make sure of it. Somehow. She walked, slowly, cautiously, scanning her surroundings. It was a strange tunnel, made even stranger by the facts that images and people kept flickering in and out of existence, like ghosts.
The voice grew louder, and giggled. Echo frowned.
Splash.
She looked down at her boot, and shook the water free from it. Warmth splattered onto her hands.
It wasn't water.
Oh my god. That's blood.
She recoiled, trying to backpedal, but an invisible force stopped her. The lights flickered impatiently again. You have to keep going forward, they said, you need to see this!
She tried to speak, to find her words, but she was mute. She swallowed against a tightness in her throat, and with no other option, continued walking. She pressed her hands against her chest defensively as she started stepping over dead bodies, the corpses of mutilated dogs. Her hands shook all over again, and her boots kept hitting the cavern floor with a wet splish splish. Blood was everywhere. A door loomed in the darkness, open, nothing but blackness waiting beyond it.
Inside, the giggling was louder, and it quickly escalated into a shriek. Echo trembled, eyes wide, her hands quivering as her feet continued without her permission. She screamed as she something leaped out and grabbed her, talons flashing in the torchlight-
Echo's eyes snapped open, and for a minute, she just laid there, heart racing.
A soft touch came at her forehead, and she jerked away, fearful of talons. Sunny's golden eyes looked back at her, the tiny Berbil unafraid as he reached out a second time and slowly patted the side of her head, smoothing hair away from her face.
"Sunny logging distress. Why Ro-E have many bad dreams?"
She smiled, brokenly, and reached out to touch his fur, needing a little reassurance.
"A lot of reasons," She croaked, ". . . A lot of bad reasons."
Sunny continued running his mechanical fingers through her hair, and eventually, she relaxed. The nightmare's terror began to ebb away, and she breathed in deeply, sucking in the night air. She'd been out for a lot longer than she'd anticipated.
"Sending medical inquiry for Ro-E's records. Don't worry, Ro-E. Sunny here."
"Echo. . . Did you have another nightmare?"
Twisting around, Echo looked at Lion-O, offering him a strained smile. "Maybe." She answered.
She sat up, and invited Sunny to sit in her lap, which the Berbil happily agreed to. He sat down and blinked owlishly up at Lion-O, golden eyes casting small amounts of light onto the area around them. Lion-O sat down beside them, not saying anything. Moonlight provided enough light to see by, and Echo was glad to notice that the second moon hadn't risen - she'd only been asleep for about three or four hours. It wasn't as late as she thought.
They were silent for a minute, Echo running her fingers through Sunny's fur, and she enjoyed the quiet. A quick glance at Lion-O revealed that he was lost in thought - he'd probably forgotten that the human and the Berbil were sitting next to him.
"how did the twins do?" She asked, finally breaking the tranquility first.
"Fine. Kat's a little more cocky than I'd like."
Echo smiled. "We'll run into something he won't be able to face so easily soon."
Oh. . . That came out a bit more foreboding than I'd have liked.
"I uh. . . talked with Cheetara." Lion-O offered, eyes growing pained.
"And?" Echo prompted.
For a moment, it didn't seem like Lion-O would open up to her. But then he heaved a bone-rattling, weary sight, and idly picked at the grass. "They're together. I don't want them to be - and it hurts. I wish things were different. I don't know when I'll be okay with it. If I'll ever be okay with it."
Echo reached out and touched his arm, giving it a small pat. "Time will make it all better. It has a funny way of doing that."
"I don't want to talk about it anymore," Lion-O said, flicking a piece of grass. Instead, he looked at her. "Echo. . . What happened in the Astral Plains? Is that why you've been having nightmares lately?"
It was her turn in the spotlight, and she didn't like it. The question actually startled her so badly, she just sat there, looking at him, frozen. Lion-O examined her, taking in her reaction, searching her expression. Echo recovered, shook her head, and gently resumed running her fingers through Sunny's fur.
"No. These dreams are like the ones I told you about. They don't make any sense. I was in the mountains, and then I was in a tunnel, and both times, something tried to kill me. . . A lot of people died."
"Okay," Lion-O said hesitantly, buying it (and it was the truth, anyway), "But what happened in the Astral Plains? You just. . . disappeared."
For two days, Echo had been dreading this moment. The time when one of the Cats approached her and asked her where she'd gone, what had happened. And that night of the debacle in the Astral Plains, Echo had made a full recovery. She was done moping, crying, and screaming about what happened to her. She didn't like acting that way, and with the new secret she was hiding, well. . . it would certainly be a tip-off that something had occurred.
She'd buried those memories deep, deep, deep down, where nobody would ever find them. Even herself. The only evidence that remained of that night was the tattoo on her arm, declaring her (past) self's allegiance. But she'd taken care of that, too. As they'd headed into the Berbil village, Echo had sough out Sunny, and had shown the little Berbil her arm. He'd seemed confused at first, staring at the sigil, but then had brightened.
"Why hide, Ro-E? Black Pyramid prestigious. Sunny know."
After a vehement explanation saying she wanted it off her skin (and a heated argument about him hiding this information about the Black Pyramid from her - with the Berbil crying that his memory chips were corrupted as she shook him so hard he nearly broke), and the Berbil replying he was no tattoo-remover, he'd proposed another solution. Sunny offered her something along the lines of makeup, although this pigment, once mixed and applied, would stain her skin. So it was alright if she got it wet, or if she accidentally flashed her arms (not like she ever did). It lasted a good week or so, and the pigment was easy to come by, surprisingly.
So it made it all the more easier to hide her filthy little secret.
"Echo?" Lion-O prompted.
Echo looked at Sunny.
"Let me start at the beginning, okay?" He nodded, and she continued. "When I got sucked into the Plains, I found a shadow. But it was more like a ghost. It laid its hands on my leg and healed me, somehow. I haven't seen it since, though."
Thank everything holy. Echo was fairly certain if she saw the shadow, she'd lashed out and try to kill it with her swords. . . if it could be killed.
"That explains your leg. . ." Lion-O murmured, "But what happened? You seemed. . . shocked."
"You know how everyone told me I'd find a lot of bad things if I looked for them?"
"Yeah?"
"I did. I found nothing but misery and blood. I was right. I did fight in a war. And I lived through a memory of grabbing a gun and fighting for my life. For the lives of my fellow soldiers. Only one of us made it out alive, though. . . and you can guess who that was."
In her chest, her heart ached. If only Lion-O knew the truth. But the truth was something nobody would accept - not even Lion-O. Hell, Echo didn't even accept it herself. The only thing that reminded her it was real was the brand that she carried with her. She didn't like lying to Lion-O, but what had really happened. . . she'd never admit it. Not to anybody in this life, or the next.
Lion-O pulled back, horrified.
"I didn't mean to. . . I'm sorry. I didn't know-"
Echo shook her head.
"It's alright. Sitting around and moping isn't going to change anything. But I made a decision that night, Lion-O. I am no longer going to pursue my past. At all. I'm going to help you find the stones and take down Mumm-Ra. If that war was my past, then I'm not going to go searching for more of it."
Setting Sunny on the ground, Echo stood up and brushed the grass off of her tunic. She turned to her friend and offered him a hand, which he took. As she tried to pull away, Lion-O squeezed it, smiling at her.
"I'm here for you. If you ever want to talk. Don't feel like you're alone."
Before, she might have selfishly rejoiced that Lion-O was no longer pursuing Cheetara, that he was standing so close to her. . . but after the Astral Plains, and his heartbreak, she knew it wasn't the right time. She had to think about it before she did anything, and right now, Lion-O wasn't even looking her way anyway, so. She grinned up at the lion, patting his hand.
"Don't worry about me, I've got it under wraps."
Lion-O released her and snickered.
"I'm glad one of us does. But hey, I came here to tell you we're running another ambush. You in?'
Echo stretched. "Yeah, I think I'm done sleeping for a bit. How's Panthro?"
Some might have considered Echo uncaring that she hadn't checked up on Panthro, but the one time she'd stuck her head in to see how he was doing, a wrench had come flying at her face, followed closely by a "get out!" Panthro had made it abundantly clear that he didn't want their company, or to be babied, and if she had to guess, her and Lion-O's giggling over his Berbil arms had probably left a sour taste in his mouth. So she hadn't popped in to say hello to him in a while, wary of another wrench aimed at her temple.
Lion-O cast a quick glance over to the medical hut, still teeming with Berbils.
"The Berbils are still working on his arms, so he can't come. But let's get a move on, everybody's waiting."
Echo nodded, and together, they rejoined the Cats. The night was thickening, but the second moon rose, making it brighter. There was hardly any darkness on Third Earth - it seemed to love light in all forms. Sunny disappeared, joining the other Berbils in repairing Panthro, and together, the group began to walk out, towards the rock maze. It was oddly quiet as the Cats ventured out, Kit and Kat racing ahead on their hoverboards, the rest of them walking.
Lion-O's mood dampened immediately, and the obvious tension between Tygra, Lion-O, and Cheetara returned. Echo kept to herself as she walked, peeking at the three of them. For once, since their getting together, Cheetara was standing slightly away from Tygra, and he kept glancing at her, as if wondering why. Lion-O chose to ignore the both of them, as if hoping that would solve the problem. Trudging through the awkward silence, Echo was glad when their stone outcropping of choice came into view.
She wasn't sure how much longer she could stand the tension.
Wordlessly, Lion-O pulled out a scope and pressed it to his eye. He was quiet for a second, and Echo leaned against a rock, arms crossed, looking down at the canyon. She could see another transport, but she wasn't entirely sure what their game plan was. Cheetara whispered to Tygra, who frowned sharply, and Echo shook her head.
They really need to get their act together.
Lion-O pulled the scope away from his eye and regarded his team, confused.
"The lizards down there are the same ones we convinced to desert earlier."
Echo frowned herself, bemused. "Really? That's odd."
"Must have been captured by their own army." Tygra said, offering a shrug, "Tough break."
Finally, Echo thought, smiling, there's the cynical Tygra I know.
Lion-O, nonplussed, glared. "You don't wanna help them?"
"Whether they're deserters or prisoners, they're not our problem anymore, Lion-O."
The lion tensed, body clenching up. "You don't understand, Tygra. If we don't stand by them, they'll stand by Mumm-Ra!"
Cheetara shifted uncomfortably. "Tygra's right. It's too dangerous to save lizards who could turn on us tomorrow. That transport probably has increased firepower. It wouldn't be wise."
For a moment, Lion-O was quiet. But then he snarled, fangs gleaming. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised you side with him." He said, unable to resist a parting shot.
If Echo had the capacity for it, she would have sighed. Apparently, Lion-O's "talk" with Cheetara hadn't smoothed anything over. If anything, the lion was so hurt and full of resentment, he was ready to lash out. And now seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to do it. Echo shot Cheetara a look, mouthing, "wrong way to word that." The cheetah wasn't even looking in her direction. She was completely focused on Lion-O.
"You know that's not what this is about!" She said, a hard edge to her voice.
Whooo. He managed to get under her skin. A very rare thing to happen for the usually unflappable cleric, but matters of the heart seemed like they had that effect on everybody.
"You're right," Lion-O said, dismissing her, "It's about their army being on the verge of collapse and not letting up the pressure."
He straightened, and pointed to the kittens, who had been watching the spectacle in absolute silence. "You two should go back to the Berbil village. They're right about this being dangerous."
Kit and Kat groaned, shoulders slumped, and began to morosely make their way back, even their hoverboards whining in displeasure. Before they left, Echo reached out and caught Kat's hand, much to the kitten's surprise. She smiled. "I heard you two did a good job. Don't worry. You're getting better and better. You'll be ready soon. I promise."
Kat beamed at her, tail perking up happily, and she released his hand.
"Lion-O, wait! We have to stick together!"
Startled, Echo whirled around, wondering what had caused the concern in Cheetara's voice. She glanced down the cliff, where a blob of fiery red hair was disappearing down the cliffside. "You two can stick together. I'll do this alone!"
And without missing a beat, he rushed to meet the lizard transport. Echo cursed, glaring at his back. Somebody nudged her, and she blinked, seeing Tygra at her side.
"Go with him." He ordered. "We'll take the high ground."
"Copy that!" She said, and ran after him, delicately making her way over the rocks.
She didn't possess the same agility as the Cats, so it made her lag considerably, but it just gave her more time to curse Lion-O's name. Really? After their talk, this was the best way he thought possible to go solve the problem? Grumbling under her breath, Echo finally made it the bottom (with skinned palms and arms to show for it), and caught sight of the lion jumping in front of the caravan and drawing Omens.
"if it isn't the Lord of the ThunderCats himself." Slithe said gleefully, staring down at him.
Great. Just what we need. One of Mumm-Ra's generals. Echo kicked it into high fear, hightailing over to her idiotic friend.
"I always knew you weren't so bright, Slithe," Lion-O growled, low and deadly, "But you seem to have forgotten who you're fighting against."
"I haven't forgotten, so don't worry, you stupid feline. These cowards aren't fighting you. They're worse than Cats! I've reserved your blood for my axe."
Hopping down the last incline, Echo arrived, wordlessly ignoring Slithe and stalking over to Lion-O.
"Oh," Slithe chuckled, "It's you. The pet. Are you terrified that you can't handle me alone, Lord of th-yarg!"
Twitching two fingers down, Echo activated a seal around the lip of the tank to flick up, crushing Slithe's fingers. The lizard howled in pain before his released it, allowing him to rub his hands and hiss in her general direction. Echo came to stand beside Lion-O, and she drew her swords, glaring at her friend.
"What are you doing? I wanted to do this alone!" he hissed, hands tightening on Omens.
Echo shook her head, readjusting her own stance. "You're a moron." She snapped.
He growled. "What did you just-"
"You're the stupidest cat to ever walk the planet if you think I'm going to let you run off on your own and get hurt. Suck it up and deal with it. It's what friends are for."
Lion-O looked somewhat surprised, but then he smiled, albeit a little wryly. Before them, Slithe seethed, glaring at them both. The chained lizards shifted, hissing in fear and restlessness.
"Luckily, we have new ways of dealing with you and your ilk, Lord of the ThunderCats. Mumm-Ra's new generals, Kaynar and Addicus, have gladly taken up the mantle.
A sound came from both her left and right, and Echo tensed. She pressed closer to Lion-O, tightening her guard, and faced some kind of dog. . . thing. It looked far more feral than a normal dog, and as it landed, it giggled. She almost froze as she remembered a darkened cavern, the blood, the bodies, and that same giggle, floating from the darkness. . . .
"New generals, Slithe? Wow. That means Mumm-Ra finally figured out you can't handle the job. I'm surprised it took him this long."
Echo couldn't see Slithe, but she could practically hear him bristling. "They're only here to help make an example of these deserters!" He snapped.
"It'll be an example of what happens when an axe meets a neck!" Kaynar giggled, twirling his spear in the moonlight. Echo shifted her weight nervously, her own swords gleaming. She didn't like Kaynar. She'd known him all of ten seconds, but if her dream was true. . . well. He wasn't nice to those he just met.
"The lizard army will understand that there will be consequences for betraying Mumm-Ra." Another voice growled from somewhere behind Echo.
Addicus, if she had to guess. Her heart stuttered all over again, and she had to resist a trembling in her limbs. If she dreamed about him. . . She and Lion-O were going to be bloodstains on the rocks. . . if they were lucky.
"I won't let that happen." Lion-O snapped.
"Quite noble, considering you're the reason they're in this position." Slithe barked.
"These odds?" Addicus mused, sounding closer, "This is hardly fair."
Kaynar pressed closer, and Echo wanted to run away. She blanched, and could literally feel the blood draining from her face. Her throat dried, and her stomach knotted.
Sharp, petrified tree leaves hit the ground by Kaynar's feet, sinking into the rock. The generals jerked, weapons raised, and Echo followed them, wondering who had just saved her back. Cheetara stood on top of a cliff, Tygra right next to her, moonlight highlighting them. Breathing out a shaky breath, Echo forced her nerves to steel themselves. There was a battle to fight, and she'd have to buckle down and fight it.
"Do we even the odds?" Cheetara shouted, strong voice carrying a clear threat.
"Did you really think we'd let you do this alone?" Tygra asked, almost bored.
And just like that, the fight was one. Kaynar rushed to meet Tygra, who responded by cracking his whip at the jackal-thing. Cheetara zipped down, sprinting to meet Addicus, gracefully avoiding a few blows from his mace. Lion-O met Slithe's axe, and Echo, knowing it was what Lion-O wanted, ran over to the captive lizards.
"Don't hurt me!" One begged as she lifted her sword.
She brought it down on the chains that held them, watching a few of them crack. She continued, hacking away, poising each strike just right, so as not to chip her steel. The lizard closest to her stared at her in shock.
"W-Why?" He asked, dumbfounded.
"You. Know. Why!" Echo said, striking against the chains. one of the main links broke, freeing the lizards.
Cheetara's cry of pain pierced the air, and Echo whirled around, watching as Addicus advanced on her. "Free the rest of yourselves!" Echo ordered, sprinting to the cleric. The poor cheetah had been thrown against the rocks so hard, she was knocked out, and laid on the ground, defenseless.
Echo skidded to a stop right in front of the primate, halting his advance.
"And what are you?" He drawled, not appearing at all impressed.
Echo didn't answer. She leaped, swords flashing. Addicus deftly avoided all of her strikes, and almost lazily brought the mace round to strike her. Echo's heart pounded in her chest as she felt the sheer power of the swing passing overhead as she ducked it. That would break every bone in my body if it hit. Springing up, she slashed, but Addicus seized her legs with. . . with his foot? Echo looked down, looked up at the monkey, and then gasped as she was thrown.
Before she could smack painfully into the ground, Echo cast a shield around herself. She bounced against it, and the momentum propelled herself to flip over. Miraculously, she somehow kept both swords in her hands, and she slid on her feet a little before she sprinted again. Cheetara was still unconscious, and there was not way she was going to let that. . . that monster lay his filthy hands on her.
Addicus almost seemed surprised as she slid in front of him again, and using his shock, she kicked (quite ineffectively) at his side.
Their fight resumed, with Echo throwing everything she had into it. Addicus growled, becoming irritated. He was fast, and incredibly strong, but his bulk slowed him down. Echo was faster, but weaker, physically. His muscle, thick and compacted, almost made it impossible to hurt him. Finding an opening in his guard, Echo lashed out with her swords, but only clipped a few white hairs. It did nothing to faze Addicus, who darted through an opening in her offensive, and threw her a second time.
He was smarter about it, and didn't allow her enough time to recuperate. Echo hit the rock, the wind rushing out of her. Her hands opened, and she heard her swords clatter way. She coughed, wheezing and gasping. A golden flash bolted up, staff twirling in the night, and relief poured through her. Cheetara's up, thank god.
She and Addicus went head-to-head a second time, and weakly, the human crawled over to her discarded swords. She managed it, and painfully got back on her feet, black dots swirling in her vision.
"Surrender, or we'll kill him!" Kaynar chuckled.
Echo nearly jumped out of her skin, jaw dropping. Tygra had been captured. Captured. And as if to add insult to injury, his own whip was wrapped around him, serving as a rope. Kaynar held his spear against his neck, threatening to make good on his promise.
"Never!" Lion-O shouted defiantly, "There's still three of us!"
Tock tock.
Cheetara's staff hit the ground, and Echo nearly sagged onto her knees. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. First, Tygra had been captured, and now Cheetara was giving up?
Apparently, Lion-o couldn't believe it, either. "Cheetara, what are you doing?" He cried, eyes flicking between her and Slithe. "We have to stick together!"
"I have to stick with him." The cleric replied, breaking eye contact to look at Tygra. Her boyfriend gave her a tight smile.
Taking advantage of his distraction, Slithe hit Lion-O over the back of his head with his axe.
"Lion-O!" Echo cried. She took two steps before Slithe pressed his axe against the lion's neck.
"Ah-ah, pet," Slithe sneered, "Move, and I kill him."
It only took seconds to drop her swords, but it felt like an eternity. Echo stood there, feeling powerless and helpless. They were outmatched. Kaynar and Addicus were insane - both in strength and mind.
"I swear I'll make you pay for this." Echo snarled, rage pulsing through her.
Slithe laughed. "Unlikely, pet. But, I do enjoy the sport I've seen. For that, I offer you a small mercy. Kill them in whatever manner amuses you!" He ordered to his fellow generals.
Echo's mind was working overdrive, trying to cobble together a plan to take out all three of them with her mind, throw rocks at them, break bones in their bodies - she didn't know. But she had to come up with something, or else somebody was going to die, and damn it, it was going to be her fault! Harsh, bright lights snapped on, illuminating them all, and made Echo shield her eyes.
Like a deer in the headlights, everyone froze and stared.
There came a high-pitched whine in the air, and balls of flame hit the ground, exploding, and caused a plume of fiery smoke to rise in the air. Echo scooped up her swords and sprinted, sliding to a halt beside a groggy Lion-O. Cheetara and Tygra joined her a second later, protectively leaning closer to their leader, to better shield him from the fiery projectiles.
Cheetara worked to free Tygra of his whip, and Echo leaned down, sheathing her swords, and tossing Lion-O's arm around her neck.
"You have to get up, Lion-O! You can't stop, c'mon!"
She could hear the throaty roar of the Thundertank, and man, was it ever a welcome sound. Heaving Lion-O up to his feet, she watched as it entered the canyon, and her jaw dropped a second time that day. The tank had practically doubled in size - and it looked more like a mobile fortress than a tank.
Panthro jumped on top as it braked, skidding to a halt. His new, mechanical arms lifted over his head with a pneumatic hiss, and Echo stood there like an idiot as they extended, using fore and pure technological muscle to punch both Addicus and Kaynar.
"We'll get plenty more chances to tangle with these beasts - now get it!"
He didn't have to tell her twice. The back opened, and she helped spur Lion-O to a run, pushing and shoving the coming-around lion inside. Once everyone was in, the tank sped off, the back closing, a cloud of dust and grime settling over them. Lion-O, conscious and lucid, shook away Echo's hold and trekked further into the tank. Echo turned to follow him - and froze.
She almost burst into tears. The hangar of the tank was now gargantuan. They could all sleep comfortably inside of it, with plenty of space to spare. And. . . No way! Were those. . .
They put in plush seats. Echo reached out to touch one with reverence, staring at the lines of padded cushion that were waiting eagerly for her to plop down and sit on. She could practically feel the lumbar support from her fingertips.
"Echo!" A voice chirped.
She glanced up, seeing that she was alone, and the twins were waiting for her at the top of a staircase - a metallic one, but still, a staircase - and gestured for her to join them. Although she was more than depressed to leave the seats (it looked like they folded out of the walls to form beds, too!), she joined the kittens, knowing the Cats were probably waiting just beyond them. She hopped up the staircase, ignoring the mild aches in her body, and joined the rest of the group on the bridge.
Okay. I'm thoroughly impressed, she was completely blown away with what she was staring at.
Eight Berbils were piloting the tank, and the glass was covered with several HUDS displaying information on gas, speed, weapons systems, internal network relays - a pang of pain spiked through her forehead as the unknown terms tumbled through her mind, and she raised a hand to massage her temples.
"Isn't it incredible?" Kit asked excitedly at her side.
"And it's a hundred times more comfortable!" Kat said, jumping up and down on a seat.
Echo invited herself to sit down, sighing in bliss as she sank into the comfortable padding. To top it all off, she couldn't even hear the drone of the engine anymore.
"You can say that again." Echo murmured.
"Hey, kid," Panthro said, clapping Lion-O on the shoulder, "Don't look so down. You just lost a battle - not the war."
"But these new generals. . . their army will be stronger than ever." Lion-O said glumly.
He sank into a seat too, scrubbing at his face.
Echo blinked in surprise as Cheetara came over to him and offered him a scrap piece of cloth to clean off his face with. Lion-O looked up at her, and down to her hand, confused.
"It'll be alright," She said, "We'll still here. I'm still here. We'll fight by your side. Together."
Lion-O smiled, an honest-to-god smile, and took the cloth from her. It was a peace offering of sorts, just a small little sign to show that she really did want to work this over with him. . . And Lion-O seemed to see it for what it was.
"Thanks." He mumbled, scrubbing at his fur.
It's not much, Echo thought as she settled back into the seat,but it's a start. Time will have to take care of the rest.