Fun With the ThunderCats

When the Children of Millennia asked Lord Claudus for his permission to bring Lion-O with them to see the Pure Valley, they were a bit unsure if he would grant his permission. Jaga, however, insisted that Lion-O should go. One of the many lessons in learning about becoming a leader is when making friends and looking for potential allies in those friends, it's important to learn as much as you can about them, such as where they come from and how each other's customs can benefit one another. As such, Jaga figured that this field trip could help Lion-O learn more about the Children of Millennia. So Claudus agreed to allow the children to take his son to the Valley. Besides, the other ThunderCats would be coming too.

Snarf wanted to come along too. "Anywhere Lion-O goes, I go. Plus, I want to make sure you kids aren't pulling any tricks."

Seto arched his brow. "You still don't trust us, do you?"

Joseph figured he knew what the problem was. "Snarf, are you still mad about yesterday?"

"Maybe a little," he replied. Though he said he forgave Joseph, he was still a bit upset.

"If we take you with us to see the Pure Valley, will you start trusting me again?" the blonde asked. "I promise, you're gonna love it."

"Please, Snarf?" Jirachi pleaded. "We really want you to come with us."

"Don't worry, Snarf," Lion-O assured him. "Nothing bad will happen."

Snarf gave a juvenile, pouty expression. "I already said I would go, but I'm still going to stay close to you." Lion-O grinned and shook his head in amusement.

The ThunderCats followed the Children of Millennia out of the palace and through the streets until they came to an alley that was obscured in darkness. Atem took Lion-O's hand and guided him through and the others followed suit. Cheetara held Freya and Kisara's hands as the two cousins walked on. Wilykat and Wilykit laughed as Mana grabbed their hands and pulled them while eagerly following the others. The rest of the children and Magical Creatures led the way with Snarf, Tygra, and Panthro following along.

When the ThunderCats came out of the darkness, they were in awe of the magnificent sight before them. "The Pure Valley," gasped Lion-O. "It's really here."

"Oh," Cheetara sighed. "It's the most beautiful sight I've ever seen."

Kisara smiled. "We felt the same way when we first came here."

Snarf looked up at the children. "It looks like I owe all of you kids an apology. I thought you were making up stories about this place, but now that I see it with my own eyes, you obviously weren't."

"Oh, that's all right, Snarf," Joseph told him. "So does this mean we're on good terms now?"

Snarf gives him a pleasant smile. "It certainly does."

Joseph was glad that he and Snarf were friends now. The blonde picked up and they began hugging each other. "Come on, guys," Joseph said to the ThunderCats. "We've got so much to show you!" And they all run out into the open.

Wilykat and Wilykit climbed the trees and jumped from limb to limb as they were racing each other. This made Mana wish that she had the same cat-like qualities her friends did. Then she got an idea. She uses her magic wand and casts a spell on herself, making her appear cat-like. Now her hands and feet were like cat's paws and also had sharp claws, making it easy for her to climb the trees. Mana began racing with the two siblings as were jumping from one tree to another. Wilykat won the race and he and the girls climbed down. Then they all went to the nearby stream and began drinking the water.

Wilykit commented on Mana's appearance. "You look really cute like that, Mana."

Her brother agreed. "All that's missing are a pair of cat's ears and a cat's tail." And they all laughed.

Mana uses her magic to undo her transformations. "Maybe I could transform myself like that whenever I want to play with you guys," she figures, and they all laugh again. Mana holds out a peach. "I picked this from one of the trees. Do you guys want it?"

"Yeah," the siblings answer in unison. Mana uses her magic to split the peach in half and the siblings both take their share.

Wilykit bites into her half of the peach and smiles, finding it delicious. "It's yummy!"

Her brother agreed. "This has to be the sweetest peach I've ever tasted."

"All of the food that grows here in the Valley is delicious," said Mahad. Apparently, he had been following them. But he didn't use the same tactics Mana used. Instead, Kirlia had been using Teleport to transport Mahad as well as himself. "The ground is fertile, the air is clean, and the best part is the food that grows here always stays fresh."

Not too far away, Snarf heard Mahad. "It stays fresh," he repeated. He picked a fruit from another tree. It looked like a large, spikey red tomato.

Joseph recognized the fruit and gasped. "No, don't eat that!" he cried, snatching it from Snarf.

"What was that for?" Snarf asked.

"This is a Tamato Berry," the blonde explained. "It's dangerously hot and spicy." He once had the unpleasant experience of eating from a Tamato Berry and his mouth felt like it was on fire.

"Berries like that are favored by most fire attribute monsters back home in our world," said Seto. He offers Snarf a large, round, blue berry. "Try this Oran Berry instead. It's sweet and tangy."

Snarf obliges and eats the Oran Berry, slowly chewing it to get the flavor. He swallows it and says, "Hey, that does taste good."

"While some berries are for monsters, humans can eat them too to add flavor and texture to their own delicacies," said Joseph. "I've tried my hand at it and it's proven helpful to me whenever I would cook for my folks and even at the palace."

Tygra was impressed. "Sounds to me like you have culinary skills, Joseph."

"He's actually good at it," Seto told him. "I've tried some of the food Joseph's helped make at the palace and I was surprised by how good it tasted."

The blonde was flattered. "Come to Egypt sometime, Tygra, and I'll make you something to eat."

Tygra chuckled at that. "Maybe I will," he said. There was no guarantee that he would be going to Egypt right now, but the idea of actually going there did sound pleasant. He hoped someday he would get to see where the Children of Millennia came from.

Mystery and Cheetara were in another part of the Valley, having their own race as they were exploring. Mystery was flying in the air with Jirachi on her shoulders while Cheetara was running as she was following her. Of course, the cheetah woman was surprised to see a human girl flying with wings. But she was also liking these wonders and surprises.

After racing each other for a while, they all stopped and began sitting together in the middle of a meadow. "You certainly live up to your name, Mystery," Cheetara told her.

"Do you really think so?" she asked out of genuine curiosity.

She really did. "When I first saw you, I knew right away that you were different from the others. I could sense something mysterious about you, as though you had some sort of special power." Cheetara had a sixth sense of clairvoyance. She would sometimes have visions and they would affect her intuition about things and people. "Also, Lion-O told me about how you got your name," continued Cheetara. "Kisara and Freya also told me you are special."

This piqued Mystery's curiosity. "What did they tell you?"

"That you don't let the fact that you're different prevent you from being a part of society and wanting to help others," the cheetah woman answered. "They also told me that they think you're stronger, braver, and more beautiful than they are."

Mystery turned away. "Oh, I wouldn't go that far. They really shouldn't think that anyway. Kisara and Freya are beautiful in their own way. They're also stronger and braver than they realize."

"That's what I told them," said Cheetara. "And I know they're just as special as you and the others. I could also sense some sort of hidden power coming from them as I did with you."

Mystery knew to respect her boundaries and would not talk about her friends' personal matters without their consent. Kisara and Freya's power was their business to talk about. But she was open to talking about herself. "You're not wrong, Cheetara," she admitted. "I am different from the others. While we are all Children of Millenna, I myself am actually the heiress of the Great Goddess. What you sensed coming from me was the Millennium Star. It lives inside my heart."

Cheetara was amazed to hear that.

"Flying with wings is just one of the many powers it offers me," continued Mystery. "I can do other things like breathe underwater, lift heavy objects without any effort, touch fire without getting burned, withstand hot and cold temperatures, see through bright lights, and also cast magic. I also have the power to look inside people's hearts and see their truths. That helps me to see someone for who they are on the inside."

"That's incredible," gasped Cheetara.

"That's what Lion-O said when we told him," said Jirachi. "I always knew Mystery was special before we found out she was the heiress of Millennia. To me, she was always wonderful just the way she was and she still is."

While Mystery appreciated Jirachi's kind words, she had to be honest. "But there is still so much about the Millennium Star that I am still learning about, like what other additional power it grants. And sometimes, I can hear the voice of the Great Goddess guiding me."

Cheetara nodded in understanding. "What about you, Jirachi? Do you have any special powers?" she asks, petting him. She was surprised with how firm his body was. It was firm like steel and smooth like marble.

"Jirachi has incredible psychic powers," Mystery answered. "He can move people and objects without touching them and he can use Teleport to transport himself or anyone else anywhere." Jirachi also had the incredible power to grant wishes, but Mystery didn't want to mention that detail. She knew that a power like that is one that's sought only to be taken advantage of and she would hate to imagine Jirachi's power being abused for fulfilling someone's selfish desires. Jirachi knew as much and wouldn't mention his power either. They both trusted Cheetara and knew she was good, but it was still best not to mention it.

Cheetara continued petting Jirachi, which he enjoyed. "Have you been friends with each other for a long time?"

"Jirachi has been my partner and best friend ever since I was little," said Mystery. "I've loved him ever since we met and I can't bear to imagine my life without him."

"And like I said, Mystery is special to me and I love her," Jirachi said.

Cheetara smiled. "You two certainly make a good pair," she commented. Mystery and Jirachi both smiled.

Meanwhile, at one of the lakes nearby, Panthro was talking with Freya and Kisara. "So, Panthro, do you like having Joseph as a student?" the younger cousin asked.

He certainly did. "He's a good kid and has even been nice enough to help me out. He also makes me laugh."

Freya giggled. "I know. He can be funny most of the time. But he is good." She removes her shoes and dips her feet in the water.

Panthro playfully smirked at her. "So, Freya, do you like him?"

Freya looked at him, unsure of how to answer. "Well, um," she stammered. "I wouldn't really say 'like'. But I do have feelings for him," she admitted. It was true. Whenever Joseph was near her, she felt happy. Whenever he was hurt or in trouble, she was scared for him.

She began telling the story of how they met. "One night, Kisara and I were in the desert and we got separated. Some older boys began to surround me and hurt me because they thought I was a monster. Then Joseph appeared and rescued me by taking me to his home so he could help my injuries. I admit, I was baffled. I wondered, why wasn't he afraid of me like the others? Why was he being kind to me?"

"Freya doesn't warm up to strangers so easily because she's always been a victim of deception," Kisara explained. "People have often come to her saying they want to be friends with her when really, they want to hurt her for pleasure." Kisara had the same problem too. They were both victims of cruelty because of their appearances and didn't trust anyone. But that all changed when they met their friends who rescued them.

"At first, I thought Joseph was just like the others," continued Freya. "That he was just taking advantage of me so I could lower my guard. But something inside was telling me he was being sincere, that he really did care about my well-being. I felt as though I could trust him."

Kisara's story was similar. Seto and Mystery were the ones who found and rescued her on the same night. And the next morning, she was able to reunite with Freya and the two cousins were welcomed among everyone as fellow Children of Millennia. "Since we were welcomed among all of our friends, we began to trust them more. And before Freya and I knew it, we started having feelings for Seto and Joseph."

Panthro was touched by their stories. It was like something from the romance stories he read back in Thundera, the ones where the girls fall in love with the men who rescue them from danger. "Well, Freya, I think Joseph has feelings for you too. I notice it whenever he talks about you."

This piqued the younger cousin's curiosity. "What did he tell you?"

"He says you're special to him," Panthro answered. "He has faith that you're strong, but he worries about you whenever you're on your own. And he knows what you've been through and he wants to be someone you can trust."

Freya was touched that Joseph would say those things about her. Of course, she already knew that he had feelings for her and she already confessed her love for him. "I'm happy to hear that," she says, lifting her feet out of the water.

"And don't worry," Panthro tells her. "You can trust me too. I won't tell Joseph how you feel about him.

"Good, because there's nothing to tell," said Freya. "He and I already confessed our love for each other before we came to your world."

"And Seto and I confessed to each other as well," said Kisara. "But that doesn't mean we can't be friends with you, Panthro. But would it be all right if we came to you or any of the other ThunderCats if we had anything we needed to talk about?"

"Of course it would," the panther answered, putting his hands on their shoulders.

Atem, Riolu, and Lion-O were sitting together on top of a cliff. "Thanks for bringing me and the other ThunderCats here, Atem," Lion-O said gratefully. "It means a lot to me."

"We're friends, Lion-O," the Egyptian prince replied. "You're all welcome to come here whenever you want to." Then he shared his thoughts about bringing the Thunderian prince to Egypt with him. "Lion-O, my friends and I have been talking about it and we were wondering if you would like to come with us."

The Thunderian prince was surprised. "You mean, to Egypt?"

"Of course," Atem insisted. "You showed us your world. We could show you ours."

"You would love it in Egypt," Riolu insisted.

Lion-O was excited about the idea. He did say he wanted to see where his friends came from and now they were offering him the chance. "You know, Atem, I would like that a lot."

"Then it's settled," the Egyptian prince declared. "First we'll take you and the other ThunderCats back to Thundera. Then we'll consult with your father and if he gives his approval, we'll take you with us to see the Egyptian kingdom."

Lion-O agreed and he and Atem shook hands.