Chapter XV

The smoke came up in a great column from the Berbil village as if from a volcano. The party moved with speed as they approached their destination. What they came to however was not what they were hoping for. Instead of coming to the city itself they found themselves face to face with sheer rock walls.

Lion-o stepped forward and placed his hand against the solid surface a look of both absolute annoyance and confusion. They were so close yet so far. Just beyond the wall was the Berbil city of legend, which was probably being destroyed by Mumm-Rah at that very moment.

"It looks like the wall goes on for miles it could take days to find a break in it." Panthro's words cemented the feelings of frustration and anxiety that coursed through Lion-o. He sighed as his mind raced to find his next move.

"Going over it would be the only way," Panthera said, more to herself than anyone else. She was looking up and down the wall looking for a path to climb. At her words though Lion-o suddenly had an idea, one that Tygra must have shared as he voiced the answer to their perplexing situation.

"My mech can fly." Everyone looked taken aback and looked at the mech in wonder. The kits glanced at each other with looks of excitement. Lion-o, Tygra, and Cheetara however had seen the mech in action on that fateful day it had flown down into the heart of the cleric's holy city.

"Do you know how to get it to work?" Lion-o asked turning from the wall to face the open pilot chamber in the Plun-Darr. Tygra hesitated as he glanced around the holographic screens and then around the chamber itself looking for some kind of button or lever.

"Even if you can get it to fly the mech can only hold a few people. Flying into a city under attack by Mumm-Rah with so few would be suicide." Panthera pointed out, her practicality showing through her every word. Lion-o knew she had a point but he wasn't about to just walk away when this ancient city was being destroyed.

"You're right," Lion-o answered her, she looked marginally relieved at his words but he continued. "There isn't enough room for more than a few people. I won't ask you to come." Her face immediately registered shock followed by aggravation. "Panthro stay here with the main force, I'll be back." He said loudly addressing the large cat who nodded in acceptance. As he turned away from her back towards the mech her hand shot out and grasped his upper arm pulling him back towards her.

"You cannot go off into danger so rashly, like this," she hissed, quiet enough that the others around them couldn't hear. "You're the king." He felt something fall within him when she mentioned his title. Gently he pulled his arm out of her grip and turned to head towards the mech "Lion-o," her tone was insistent but he didn't answer her.

The kits were already at the mech poking all around trying to help Tygra find whatever activated flight, much to Tygra's annoyance.

"Stop! Don't touch that!" Tygra yanked WileyKat away from the weapons systems by his tail; a small yelp answered his action along with a glare, which Tygra returned.

"I don't think you should touch that," Cheetara whispered to WilyKit who was about to make the same mistake WilyKat had just made.

"Did you find it?" Lion-o asked as he climbed into the chamber making it even more crowded.

"No." Tygra answered back shortly. Clearly he was not pleased about the sudden lack of personal space within the Plun-Darr. Lion-o for his part moved behind the pilot seat where the kits and Cheetara were and looked around as well but the holographic screens didn't seem to have anything indicating flight and the cockpit looked clear of levers, buttons, or any other such devices.

"We could try to climb the wall," Cheetara suggested weakly. The prospect of climbing with only one of the mech's arms seemed both daunting and dangerous.

"I'm coming too." Lion-o's head snapped up from the screens when he heard her voice. Panthera, looking rather irritated began climbing into the mech. She looked a bit uneasy as she tried to climb in so Lion-o went to try to help her up. He moved around from the back of the seat just as she had stood upright on the chamber. That's when it happened. With so many in the cockpit she hadn't had much room to begin with. Coupled with it being her first time getting into the mech it was bound to happen. She slipped.

With a small shriek Panthera began to fall backwards off the mech. Lion-o darted forward his hand shooting out to grab hers as she fell. His arm went right through one of the holographic screens. He heard Tygra's livid response. Lion-o glanced momentarily away from Panthera, who he had successfully caught, to the screen his arm was still through. The screen kept flickering to different things back and forth as though in a rotation. Pulling Panthera up and into the chamber, she fell flush against his chest, the screen immediately stopped once Lion-o removed his arm.

Tygra, Cheetara and the kits stared at the screen in interest. Tentatively Tygra poked the screen lightly. On contact the screen changed to what seemed to be some sort of menu. However the options were all written in the archaic language, which The Book of Omens was also written.

For once in Lion-o's life however he wasn't focused on the amazing new technology in front of him. Rather he was much more concerned with the coy petit feline he was still holding tightly against his chest.

"Thanks," her voice was just above a whisper as she looked up at him with her big golden eyes. Lion-o swallowed. Right then he forgot all about his question about her motives.

"Get a room," WileyKit's teasing words brought Lion-o back to the present. He released Panthera at once and glanced at Kit just in time to catch her dramatic eye roll. He turned back to Panthera only to find her looking intently at the holographic screens. The moment was over.

"What are these?" Panthera asked in reference to the multiple labeled options. She reached out with her hand to touch one of the options but was stopped by Tygra. WileyKit made his move as soon as Tygra was distracted and lunged at the screen excitedly.

His hand barley made contact with the screen before Tygra tried to pull his hand away, which led to somewhat of a struggle.

"Let go," WilyKat yelled indignantly. "I'm trying to help!" The screen flickered madly.

"You're going to break it!" Tygra growled back. As the screen zipped from one screen to another and option after option was pressed all around them the mech seemed to come to life. The chest cavity closed multiple lights turned on and off and they heard the metal panels on the exterior of the Plun-Darr flexing and shifting doing.

"Both of you stop it!" Cheetara tried to keep the anxiety out of her voice, she felt more and more uneasy as the metal being seemed to shudder around her. They didn't stop.

They didn't continue for much longer however as the mech suddenly rocked and the sounds of engines roared to life over the communications system. The force caused Tygra to fall back into the pilot chair and Kat to fall back into Kit who knocked into Cheetara who lost her balance and ended up pressed against Panthera at the back of the pilot chamber. Lion-o regained his balance first and along with Tygra directed their gaze to the camera screens. The slight constant swaying and deafening scream of engines could only mean one thing. They were flying.

The screens showed they were in the air. Only slightly, maybe a foot or so off the ground, but they were flying. Tygra switched off the output communications system at once silencing the explosive engines.
"I told you I was helping," WileyKat broke the silence, his haughty tone made Tygra grind his teeth but he said nothing back.

"Do you know how to fly it?" WileyKit asked clearly ecstatic about the prospect. Both she and WileyKat were looking over Tygra's shoulder trying to see everything he was doing. Cheetara could tell he was annoyed.

"Of course," Tygra grumbled as he glanced quickly at the screen in front of him. Tentatively he tried the controls that would normally move the giant mech forward on land. It seemed to work. After a few moments, and several failed attempts, Tygra figured out the controls for moving the Plun-Darr up instead of just forward.

The steep flat grey stone seemed to go on forever as they gained altitude. At last though the reached the top and the sight that greeted them left them all silent.

Below them they saw the Berbil city. From its layout and large equipment it was clear that the inhabitants specialized in craftsmanship and engineering. Large half finished and even some completed mechs were scattered throughout. Huge metal machines used for who-knew-what purposes, as well as numerous pipes weaving all throughout the city. There wasn't much foliage; everything was grey or brown, metal or dirt. Yet the city was burning.

Mumm-Rah had beaten them to the city. But he had left the husk of a city hours before based on the slowly dying flames.

What they saw beneath them were burning buildings and corpses littering the streets. None of them spoke a word as Tygra landed the mech inside the city. Lion-o was the first out of the Plun-Darr and took in the sight around him. Hollowed corpses of mice men looked at him with sunken unseeing eyes. The stench of death filled his nostrils making him cringe. It seemed everywhere he went he found pain and death.

He felt Panthera's had on his shoulder. Her face seemed composed but Lion-o could see the tenseness of her jaw and the pain, sadness, and most of all hatred in her eyes as she looked around the newly formed wasteland.

Tygra and Cheetara disembarked from the mech taking their place beside Lion-o. The kits were the last ones out.

"Kat…" WileyKit's voice was pained as she grasped WileyKat's upper arm and buried her face in his shoulder. A deep frown painted WileyKat's face and his grip on the Book of Omens tightened.

"You found us I see," at the voice the party whirled in the direction it had come from, readying for a fight. Lion-o had his sword half-drawn when he recognized the figure that was bounding towards them. It was Ro-Bear-Bill.

The small toothpick of a mouse man stopped in front of Lion-o, a neutral expression graced his features and a dreamy look filled his eyes almost as though he were only half seeing the world. Lion-o sheathed his weapon and gave a half smile, when he noticed Ro-Bear-Bill was not alone.

A group of mice scurried out from behind the piles of broken buildings. They were all short and small; in fact Lion-o noticed they all looked exactly like Ro-Bear-Bill. The only real way he could tell them apart was by their clothing.

"Look at it," said one of the mice as the group of them congregated around the Plun-Darr. "They've broken it."

"Hey!" Tygra started as some of them scuttled into the cockpit. Cheetara grab his hand pulling him back. He hesitated looking from her to his mech. He sighed realizing they mice probably couldn't do much damage to it and they seemed to have experience with mechs as there were multiple in progress models all around the city.

"Took you a long time to get here." Ro-Bear-Bill stated. His large unblinking eyes stayed focused on Lion-o.

"Mumm-Rah-"

"Oh yes, he was here," the Berbil said so chirpily that Lion-o couldn't hide his surprise. The mouse mans mouth suddenly thinned and his eyes narrowed his gaze looking past his visitors and to the devastated land behind them. He looked as though he was about to say something about the horrors that had befallen him and his people. His words surprised them again. "Stole it he did!"

There was an uproar of angered agreement from the group of mice by the Plun-Darr.

"It took years to build, and it was barley finished!" Ro-Bear-Bill continued to fume.

"What did Mumm-Rah steal?" Lion-o asked looking for some kind of clarification from the mouse.

"The Everlasting of course!" As though it were obvious.

"Of course," Tygra answered back his words dripping in sarcasm, he crossed his arms. More and more this was turning into their first meeting with the toothpick of an animal. More questions and fewer, if any, answers.

"Beautiful craftsmanship" one of the Berbils cooed. "A perfect singularity of technology." Another purred.

"You're talking about a mech?" Cheetara interpreted.

"No!" Ro-Bear-Bill huffed. "Not 'a' mech. The Everlasting." He seemed to sigh the last part. "It wasn't even fully finished." His displeasure had returned.

"So he took it to replace the one Tygra stole?" WileyKit asked looking towards her teammates for an answer. They didn't have the chance to though.

"No," the mouse man replied instructionally. "He didn't really want the Everlasting or the Plun-Darr." His eyes widened conspiratorial and his voice lowered, the rest of the mice fell into silence their eyes wide in anticipation. "He wanted," he paused for effect. "The treasure." The group of mice burst into giddy exited speech amongst themselves.

"The treasure you spoke of before?" Cheetara recalled her eyebrows knitting together in thought. At least the mouse man was consistent. "You said we had the map to it..." her voice trailed off as she thought.

"Yes, yes!" Ro-Bear-Bill nodded emphatically. "The treasure is far superior to the Everlasting! It combines both magic and technology."

"So why didn't Mumm-Rah take that?" Grey eyes bore into Lion-o's blue ones, the strange intentness of the seeming staring contest bothered him. A smile broke out of the mouse man's face and immediately the group of mice behind him did as well.

"We told him we didn't have it." Laughter spread throughout the mice as though it were some kind of inside joke.

"So then you do have it?" Lion-o glanced at his friends, their look of bewilderment mirrored his own feelings.

"No we don't have it." The laughter had stopped.

"But then you know where it is?" Lion-o couldn't help but feel worried by the absent-minded and strange behavior of the Berbils.

"No one knows where it is," he said as though it were common knowledge. "It was sealed away by Leo I. Too dangerous and unneeded in times of peace."

"Leo I?" Ro-Bear-Bill just stared at Lion-o as though no question had been asked.

"I see you don't have it. You still have the map why haven't you gotten it yet?" The mouse man seemed partially curious the other part seemed off in the clouds.

"Haven't gotten what?" Panthera asked exasperated, her annoyance for the fuzz ball was increasing with every ambiguous and cryptic remark. She looked from the mouse man to Lion-o who was as confused as she was.

"Oh, pretty girlfriend" Ro-Bear-Bill suddenly chirped looking at Panthera. She blinked eyebrows raised. Lion-o tried to respond, a bit flustered, but the mouse turned and bounded off. This was turning out exactly like the last time they had met.

"Hey!" Lion-o yelled after the mouse and after a moment ran after him, quickly followed by Panthera. The others thought about following but didn't.

WileyKit let go of WileyKat and went over to the group of Berbils. The group of them were all identical, even the small children Berbils. It was unnerving.

"Um," WilyKit said a little loudly. All the Berbils turned and faced her their eyes wide and intent. "Hi." she finished lamely.

"Hello," one of the mice said, many of the others mimicked the greeting. WileyKat edged over to where WileyKit was.

"Cute little kitty," one of the Berbils squeaked.

"Oh, the map!" an identical voice sounded. The mice surrounded the kits pawing at their tails and fiddling with WileyKit's amulet. Both the kits were quite tense. The mice finished their assessment and soon took their place huddled together in front of the kits. The kits exchanged a look. They were both thinking the same thing. These Berbils were weird.

"So," WileyKat started breaking the silence and causing the mice's eyes to shift from WileyKit to him. He gulped. "Why do you guys all look the same?"

"Why wouldn't we all look the same?" It was hard to tell which Berbil had spoken. They all stared wide-eyed at WileyKat. He looked at WileyKit who he could tell felt the same way about the Berbils as she did.

"They're crazy."

OooooooO

"Ro-Bear-Bill!" Lion-o shouted after the still scurrying mouse, "I need to ask you a question!" The Berbil was surprisingly quick. He caught up to him though when he saw the mouse dash inside one of the few still standing buildings.

"Hey," Lion-o began, catching his breath as he entered the building. He saw Ro-Bear-Bill sitting at the table a photograph in his hands. "Why'd you run off?"

"Isn't she beautiful?" The mouse asked handing Lion-o the photo, his eyes far away in memory. Looking down at the photo he saw two mice, one was Ro-Bear-Bill. "She was one of a kind." The Berbil continued; Lion-o said nothing. As with all the mice in the city the one in the photo was a perfect replica of the daydreaming mouse man.

"Look," Lion-o tried again. "We have the Book of Omens, but we need you to translate it for us." He paused but the mouse said nothing. "Hey," Lion-o placed a hand on the Berbil's shoulder only to realize that he had fallen asleep.

"Hey!" Lion-o jostled the mouse but all he was rewarded with was a long loud snore. Gritting his teeth he took a deep breath and left the house. Stomping back in the direction he had just come from. He'd just have to ask another Berbil to translate it. He hadn't gotten very far when he ran into Panthera.

"Where's the mouse?" She asked her eyes scouting the area.

"Asleep." His tone was flat yet the irritation beneath the surface shone through clearly to Panthera. She said nothing her expression was answer enough. Her tail twitched in annoyance. She fell into step beside him their stride slow and comfortable. Glancing over at her he felt his chest ache. Lion-o stopped. So did she.

"Can I ask you a question?" He asked seriously.

"Of course," her answer just as serious. She waited her golden eyes watching his expectantly. His gaze burned into her searching for an answer. She felt her heart speed up, anticipating something.

"Your feelings for me," his jaw set. Her breath caught. "Are they for me or my crown?" Her heart stopped. Face flushed and fists clenched she answered.

"Excuse me?" Panthera's question was soft, close to a whisper, but the fury behind it was great. Lion-o took a step back.

"I just need to know. Puma-!"

"Puma?" She wasn't whispering anymore. "I have been nothing but straight forward with you! And that is the kind of person you think I am?" Her eyes held daggers, and her tail was as straight as an arrow, hackles raised.

"That's not what I meant!" Lion-o said back earnestly.

"No," She held up a hand to silence him. She took a deep breath and lowered her voice when she next spoke. "I understand," he gave her a disbelieving look "I do, it's a fair question. I just can't believe you would even have to ask me. I thought you knew me a little better than that. But since you asked, I can honestly say I have feelings for you, whether you were lizard or toad." She turned back the way they had come heading towards Ro-Bear-Bill's house. Lion-o hesitated and then ran after her.

"Panthera," she stopped but instead of turning to face him she sauntered over to a large piece or rubble and unsheathed her gunblade. He stopped at his current distance and watched as she began polishing it. She was silent, but her thoughts were likely a different matter.

Lion-o was about to say something more, to try to rectify this awful situation when Ro-Bear-Bill suddenly appeared bounding up to him, a large group of surviving Berbils in tow.

"Lovely day isn't it. Did you have a nice sleep?" The mouse man's question made Lion-o pause. He just stared at the Berbil unsure of how to reply.

"Oh look, look!" The group of Berbils that had accompanied Ro-Bear-Bill crowded around Panthera who went rigid as they pawed at her tail and circled around her cheerfully, she wouldn't have minded as much if they had stopped at that. But when she turned to snap at one of the mice who had yanked on her tail her gunblade was wrenched out of her grip.

"Hey!" Panthera jumped up as several of the Berbils from the group made off with her custom-made weapon. The other mice in the group yanked on her tail and clothes trying to prevent her from followed her beloved gunblade. "Let go!" she snapped.

"What's-!" Lion-o and Ro-Bear-Bill had turned to see what was going on.

"They took my gunblade!" Panthera snarled. Lion-o went and helped pull the Berbils off of her before following after her as she ran after the thieving mice. What they reached though was a locked and barricaded door into some kind of workshop.

"Open up!" Panthera yelled banging her fist against the strong iron door. The sound was loud and resonating.

"Ro-Bear-Bill," Lion-o turned to the mouse man who had come as well. "Can you get them to give Panthera's gunblade back?"

"They'll fix it," was the mouse man's reply. A bored look and half drooped sleepy eyes accompanied his words. Panthera growled and mumbled something about how it was already perfect. From within the workshop they heard the sounds of drilling clanking and soldering. They heard the scrapping of metal as the door was opened and the Berbils swarmed out of the workshop, Panthera's gunblade in hand. She wrenched it from their grip the moment she could.

Just holding it in her hands she could tell something was different. It felt lighter and the blade held a red tinge. She flipped it to its side looking over the changes they had made to the gun portion of her weapon.

"What did you do?" Panthera snarled glaring at the group of Berbils who looked at her expectantly.

"We fixed it!" One squeaked. "Stronger blade!" Another chirped. "Automatic gun!" Was thrown in as well as numerous happy sounds of agreement among the group.

"Yeah, well don't touch it again," she growled turning back to inspecting her gunblade. Lion-o looked over at the bored looking Ro-Bear-Bill and attempted to ask for his help once again. But as per usual he didn't get a word out.

"I thought you would have it, since you flew in," the Berbil shook his head in wonder. "Why didn't you use my gift to get in?"

"Your…" Lion-o paused then sifted through his pack and found what the mouse man had meant. In his hands he held the orb, which Ro-Bear-Bill had given him the first time they had met. Lion-o was speeches. He had completely forgotten about it.

"It's good you have it," the mouse man continued. "Mumm-Rah destroyed all of ours so we couldn't leave the city." Lion-o looked up, bored grey eyes greeted him as before. "You had something you needed help with yes?" It took Lion-o a moment to realize what he was talking about.

"Yes," Lion-o placed the orb back in his pack. "We have The Book of Omens. We need you to translate it."

"The Book of Omens!" Ro-Bear-Bill's sudden outburst caused both Panthera and Lion-o to jump. "Why didn't you say so in the first place? How important!"

With that the mouse man and the group of Berbils bounded off back towards where the Plun-Darr and the book was.

OooooooO

Ro-Bear-Bill took several moments to run his hands over the sacred tome. His grey eyes filled with excitement.

"You can read it right?" Tygra asked, a little skeptical from all that he had seen from the Berbils so far.

"It is the language of old, forgotten by all but us." One of the mice piped in answering the question for Ro-Bear-Bill. "We never stopped using the old writings."

Finally the mouse man opened the book and flipped through the first couple of pages clearly reading and examining the diagrams with interest.

"The Book of Omens is supposed to have all the answers right?" WileyKat asked his partner who nodded.

"It lays out the beginning for us all," the Berbil smiled running a finger down one of the pages following some drawing or another.

"Does it say anything about Mumm-Rah?" Panthera asked impatiently.

"Well of course it does," the mouse man replied irritated as though she had asked the silliest question in the world. "He created us after all."

AooooooooooN

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