To Save the Future

Part Two

Tamar sat on her bed crying. In her future world, she told herself that she wouldn't do that--she wouldn't break down and let herself cry when she did meet with the past Thundercats. No matter what Lion-O is responsible for doing in the future, it didn’t give her the right to be hostile to him in the past. Her bracelet beeped. Tamar wiped the tears from her eyes and pressed the red button. A holographic image of Panthero appeared.

"Panthero, why are you checking in so soon? Is anything wrong?"

"No, it's just that I assume you'd be back in a day since you said all that you would do was get the Sword of Omens and come back," Panthero explained. "How is everything?"

"A rough start. They caught me trying to get the sword and Lion-O and I got into an argument," Tamar explained.

The panther frowned, "Oh, no."

"He deserved it, Panthero!"

"Tamar, you have to realize that the Lion-O in the past is different from the person he is now."

"I gave him a chance, but he is still an evil, arrogant fool!"

Panthero sighed and shook his head. He knew there was no chance getting through Tamar when she was like that, and yet, she is so...he shook his head refusing to acknowledge it. He changed the subject. "You've seen your mother, I presume."

Tamar's eyes moistened. "Yes," she whispered.

"And?"

"It's hard to see her so full of love and life, not knowing the future for her."

"You can still save her, Tamar, prevent the incident from happening."

"No, Panthero. I promised myself not to use the time portal for personal business. Besides, if I warn my mother then the other evil people will live and we cannot allow them to live."

Panthero thought for a moment recalling the incident. Though he was a child when it happened. He remembered it quite well. "You're right, but you need to get some things straight, Tamar. Your mother is not dead. She's in a coma."

"A thirteen year coma, Panthero. She's never going to wake up. Lion-O needs to give up like I have. Let her rest in peace instead of being hook up to machines forcing her to keep living. She’s suffered enough."

"You know why Lion-O won't give up," Panthero said and continued. "Tyla told me that your mother can get out of her coma if you and Cheetara use your telekinetic powers. You two can revive her."

Tamar shook her head and sighed. "You mean I have to bring Cheetara back with me? I don't know if I can do that."

“Why don’t you bring all the ThunderCats back? We may need all the help we can get.”

“No! They mustn’t know their futures.”

“Dante said there is a way for them to forget…”

“But I will have to revive my mother which means I will need to bring Cheetara with me.” Tamar finished Panthero’s words. “I know. Dante told me. How is he anyway?”

“He had a close call with Lion-O yesterday, but so far so good. He said to tell you that he misses you and hopes for your safe return."

"Tell him, I miss him too and I hope to be home soon. I know it's hard keeping Lion-O distracted. I better go, Panthero. I'll talk to you later," she pressed the red button ending communication.

Panthero resume working with some gadgets he had put off to build the portal. The door burst opened. The panther turned to see who his unwelcome visitor was. He gasped in fear.

"Where is she?" An angry voice asked.

*****

Lion-O sat alone in the council room. After Tamar stormed out, Lion-O requested that everyone leave the room. He was horrified at what Tamar said. He was the cause of the evil threatening Thundera in the future and he was the cause of her father dying. Now he knew why she was so angry with him and he couldn't blame her. She had every right to hate him.

"Lion-O?"

Lion-O looked up. It was Cheetara standing in the doorway.

"Is it all right if we talk about this?"

"Now I see why she hates me. It's my fault. I'm responsible for the evil plaguing Thundera in the future. I killed her father."

Cheetara left the door partly opened as she took the seat next to Lion-O. "She didn't say that exactly. Maybe there's a reason for it."

"There's no reason for someone to be murdered."

Cheetara took Lion-O’s hand and gently rubbed it. "There are reasons, Lion-O. It could've been self-defense."

"Not the way she was looking at me, it wasn't." Lion-O said.

"We don't know the whole story, only bits and pieces of it. There are so many questions that need to be answered. For example, why aren't there any Thundercats in the future? No, wait only you are around, but what happened to the rest of us? Are we dead?"

"I don't know, but Tamar does and she won't tell us."

"She seems to open up to Tygra and myself. It’s strange but I’ve felt a connection with Tamar ever since I saw her," Cheetara said nonchalantly.

"You and Tygra should get together and talk to her. That way you two can get the information we need out of her," Lion-O said.

"I think you two can be in the same room without ripping each other throats out," Cheetara said as she got out of her seat and put her arms around Lion-O. "Right?"

Lion-O leaned back and placed his hands on Cheetara's arms. "Right. I'm going to be nicer to her and try to find a way to help her."

"I think you and Tamar need to spend some time together and you'll see Tamar's not that bad and she'll see that you're not that bad either," Cheetara said comfortingly.

"I'll try, but will she be willing to?"

"I think so," Cheetara smiled and leaned her head next to his.

Lion-O took Cheetara’s hands and walked her in front him. He brought her down on his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Cheetara wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against him.

“I’m sorry for angering you.” Lion-O apologizes. He kisses her hand. “Forgive me?”

Cheetara ran her fingers through his red mane. “You know I do. It’s hard for me to stay mad at you.” She kissed his cheek.

“Can’t I get something better than that?” Lion-O teased.

Cheetara turns Lion-O’s face to face hers. She kisses him deeply. Cheetara pulls apart and rest her head against his. She thinks about Tamar and her conversation with her and Tygra earlier that day. “We’ll always be together, won’t we Lion-O?”

“Of course, Cheetara. Why wouldn’t we be? I’m not going to leave you. I’m too crazy about you. Are you going to leave me?”

Cheetara laughs and looks at Lion-O. “Never. I love you too much.” Cheetara kisses him again.

Tamar saw the two happy together. Just watching them showed Tamar how much they truly love each other, but all that was going to change. Cheetara parts from Lion-O and looks at the doorway. Tamar was standing there.

Cheetara smiled. "Tamar, hi."

Tamar noticed the closeness between Lion-O and Cheetara. "I'll come back."

"No, it's all right, Tamar. Come in," Lion-O said in a calm voice.

"No, you two go ahead. You should--I mean I was looking for Tygra. Excuse me," she stepped out and closed the door.

"What did she mean by that?" Cheetara asked.

Lion-O shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, but it got me thinking again. She indicated earlier that I should know the enemy. Could it be the Mutants, Lunatacs or Mumm-Ra?"

"The Mutants and Lunatacs are on Way Outback and Mumm-Ra is forever trapped in the Book of Omens."

"That's now, Cheetara. Tamar looks like she's 18. By then, the Mutants and Lunatacs probably escaped Way Outback and Mumm-Ra could have gotten out of the Book of Omens," Lion-O pointed out.

"Hmm. You do have a point," Cheetara sighed standing up. "I wonder what it could be."

Tamar watched Lion-O and Cheetara from the council door that was slightly cracked opened. She clutched her locket and turned around. She begins to think about the future when she was a little girl…how her mother got hurt.

Tamar was five years old. She was alone in her room playing with her dolls when a loud rumble shook her room. Tamar looked out the window and saw two large ships shooting lasers and missiles at her home. The blast shook the lair like an earthquake. Tamar fell to the floor. She got up and ran out of her room.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Tamar yelled for her parents.

"Tamar!" her mother called.

"Mommy!"

Tamar's mother came running down the hall and picked her daughter up. Tamar looked up at her mother as she was picked up and held close by her.

“Thank Jaga you're safe," Cheetara said. "Come on, Tamar. You have to go to the secret passage," her mother said running with her daughter in her arms to safety.

"Where are Daddy and Dante?" Tamar asked.

"Your father is taking your brother to the secret passage--the same place I am taking you." Cheetara said and another blast shook the lair. The ceiling crashed before them. Cheetara tried to stop as fast as she could but she wasn't fast enough to avoid the ceiling from falling on them, so she covered Tamar with her body and got on the floor. Pieces of the ceiling fell on Cheetara but most of the debris fell by her foot. After the ceiling fell in, Cheetara looked at her daughter.

"Are you all right?"

"Mm-hmm," Tamar nodded.

"Good. We'll have to go the other way," Cheetara said getting up and ran in the opposite direction.

As they continued to run, they heard crashes and explosions around the lair.

"What's going on, Mommy?" Tamar asked frightened of all the noise.

"We're being attacked by terrible enemies of ours, darling."

"Who?"

"The Mutants and Lunatacs," Cheetara said and finally reach the passage door. She typed in the code and it opens. Cheetara and Tamar entered and walked down the steps. The door immediately shuts behind them. At the bottom of the steps was another door. Cheetara opened it and saw only Dante. He appeared to be twelve.

"Mom," Dante said running to his mother.

Cheetara put Tamar down and hugged Dante. "It's all right. Where's your father? He said he was going to meet us here."

"Dad was getting worried. So he went to look for you and Tamar."

"I'll find him with my communicator. In the mean time, Dante, I want you to protect your little sister," Cheetara instructed.

"I will."

"I want you to stay with me, Mommy," Tamar said.

"Mommy can't do that, sweetie. She has to fight to protect you and Thundera." Cheetara told her daughter softly. She reached behind her neck and pulls her silver locket off. She put it around Tamar's neck. "This locket will keep you safe and protected. Now give me a hug." Tamar hugged Cheetara. "I love you."

"I love you, too, mommy."

Cheetara broke away, looked at her children once more and left. Cheetara hadn’t been gone for more than five minutes before another loud noise rocked the lair. Tamar became scared again and Dante hugged her.

"It's okay, Tamar. I'll protect you."

"I need to be with mommy," Tamar cried. She opened the door and ran out. Dante ran after his little sister, but it was obvious that Tamar inherited her mother's speed.

"Mommy! Where are you?!" Another blast hit the lair. "I'm scared," Tamar cried. She screamed as a stranger picked her up off the ground.

"Well what do we have here--a miniature Thundercat brat," an evil voice said. Tamar didn't recognize the voice but it was Alluro's.

"Your parents are going to pay for imprisoning us, kid," another voice--Chilla said.

Cheetara came running from the opposite side of the hall. She gasped in horror at the sight before her. "NO! Put her down!" Cheetara begged.

"Never," Alluro said and Tamar screamed being shake by Alluro roughly.

Hidden, Dante watches. I better get Dad. He thought and ran away looking for his father.

"Please let her go. She has nothing to do with this," Cheetara begged.

"Any child that have ThunderCats as parents has plenty to do with it," Chilla said. She laughed wickedly. "We'll get our revenge on her."

"No, please don't! Take me!"

Chilla and Alluro looked at each other and smiled. They looked back at Cheetara. "Very well. You're a better victim than this brat." Alluro releases Tamar.

Tamar ran to her mother. Cheetara hugged her daughter and checked to see if she was all right. "Are you all right?"

"Yes."

"Come on, Cheetara. A deals a deal," Chilla said.

"Or we'll kill you both right now," Alluro said as he and Chilla pulled out their guns aiming at mother and daughter.

Cheetara looked at their evil eyes and knew they were serious. Cheetara hugged Tamar. "Mommy has to go."

"I want you to stay with me," Tamar said.

"Mommy can't do that. I have to go to save you. I love you," Cheetara stood up and left her daughter. She walked to Chilla and Alluro. She stood in front of the Lunatacs bravely.

"We're going to take GOOD care of you, Cheetara," Alluro said darkly.

"Let's do it in front of her daughter," Chilla said.

Alluro grabbed Cheetara and slammed her into the wall hard. "If you try to fight back, your daughter's dead." He pulls out a knife and brought it to the cheetah’s neck.

Alluro and Chilla begin beating up on Cheetara with their hands and weapons. Alluro place cuts all over her body with his knife and Chilla used her hands to beat down the cheetah. Even after Cheetara fell to the ground, beaten, Alluro and Chilla continued to thrash her. Bruises were forming all over her body. Blood spilled from her cuts and bruises. Alluro yanks Cheetara back up. Just then he heard footsteps approaching.

Dante and his father came running. "Tamar!" Her father called. He then saw his wife being held by Alluro. Chilla shot Alluro a wicked smile. Alluro nodded as the idea went into his head. Alluro smiled and went ahead with the idea that Chilla was also thinking. "Cheetara, NO!" her husband called out.

"No, Mommy!" Tamar screamed.

Dante gasped in horror.

Alluro and Chilla left laughing wickedly, leaving Cheetara unconscious on the floor. Her husband ran to her and cradled her in his arms. "Cheetara," he cried burying his head in her chest.

"Mommy, wake up," Tamar cried with tears falling from her face. Dante was by his mother’s side too, with tears forming.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," Tamar apologized, crying. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Tamar cried with tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, mother. I should've stayed with Dante but I didn't. I'm so sorry," she cried sliding to the floor. “It’s all my fault. All my fault.”

Cheetara’s ears heard the sounds of crying outside the council doors. "That sounds like Tamar crying," Cheetara said getting off Lion-O’s lap. She ran out the room. The cheetah saw Tamar crying on the floor. "Tamar, what's wrong?" Cheetara asked bending down to her height.

Tamar cried on Cheetara. "Oh, I'm so sorry, mother. I should've stayed with Dante but I didn't. I'm sorry I got you hurt, mother. Please forgive me."

Cheetara looked startled. She didn't know if Tamar was in another daydream or that she was actually calling her mother. "Well, I-uh I'm sure you didn't mean to," Cheetara said soothingly.

"But you told me to stay with him. I should've listened to you," Tamar cried.

Cheetara looked shocked at the realization. Tamar was actually talking to her. "I'm your mother?" Cheetara asked. She had to hear Tamar say it again.

Tamar pulled back from Cheetara. She covered her mouth and backed away from Cheetara. She got up and ran away in a yellow blur. It was no sense hiding it now. Cheetara knew.

"Tamar, wait!" Cheetara called out. "Well, one thing's obvious. She's inherited my speed. I've got to talk to her," she said getting up.

"I'll talk to her," Lion-O offered.

“But, Lion-O, she’s my daughter. I need to talk to her.”

Lion-O laid his hand on her shoulders. “I know. I know you do, but she doesn’t want to talk to you yet. Let me try.” A smile crosses his face. “We won't kill each other. I promise.” He gives her a quick kiss to assure her.

Cheetara smiled believing him. “Okay. Go.”

*****

Tamar walked around panicked. "They know now. Cheetara knows I'm her daughter. I've got to get out of here. I'll go back to the future and I'll return back here later. Yeah, that's it. That's what I'll do."

Lion-O knocked on Tamar's door. "Tamar?"

"Go away," she said, as she was about to open the portal to return to her future world.

Lion-O opens the door. Tamar groans and took her hand off the green button.

"What do you want?" She asked angrily with her hands on her hip.

"I want to talk to you about what happened."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"I beg to differ on that, Tamar. You just said that Cheetara is your mother in the future."

Tamar folded her arms and shrugged. "I didn't say that. Cheetara just assumed that. What's makes you think I'm related to her?"

"The way you ran out in yellow blur is one reason," Lion-O pointed out.

“There are plenty of cheetahs that can run in a yellow blur.” Tamar said.

“Yes, but you just admit you have cheetah blood in you.” He places a finger on her chin and looks at her closely. "I'm just now noticing that your eyes are shaped like hers. In fact, your face is shaped like hers. You look just like her, except your eye color is different. It's a mixture of hers and--"

Tamar pulled back and turned away.

"Yes, well, Dante has her eyes."

"See? You admit that she's your mother. So she has a son, too. I assume he looks like your father."

"Very much so, except that Dante is different from Dad."

"Really? How so?" Lion-O asked.

Tamar looks at Lion-O and then away again. "That's not important," she folded her arms. "She hates me, doesn't she?"

"Cheetara? No, of course she doesn't."

"Sure she does. I'm responsible for her getting hurt. It happened when I was so young but it's still my fault. After it happened only flashes of it appeared in my mind, but now as an adult, I am remembering the whole incident. I must have blocked it out of my mind. Everything's my fault--my mother, my father," she begins crying again.

Lion-O put an arm around Tamar’s shoulder. He walked her to her bed and they sat down.

"Cheetara knows you didn't mean it. Cheetara loves you. She doesn't hate you. She felt a connection with you the moment she saw you and now that she knows you're her daughter, I can imagine a more happier woman."

Tamar looks at Lion-O surprised. "Really?"

"I'm sure of it."

Tamar hugged Lion-O. "Thank you, Lion-O. You're not bad at all," she looked back at him. "I'm ready to say as much as I can. I now see that I can't do this alone. I need the Thundercats help."

"We'll do everything we can to help you," Lion-O assured her.

"You really do care for her, don't you?"

"You mean Cheetara?" Lion-O asked.

"Who else would I be talking about? I saw you two in the Council Room."

"Of course I care for her. I love her, but I know now something down the line would end our relationship. You're living proof. Her father's dead and I'm responsible for it unfortunately. I wish I could change--no wait. I can now that I know the truth."

"No, Lion-O. It's for the best. Believe me." she sighed. "I guess I better talk to Cheetara. I know she wants to talk to me."

"Stay here. I'll get her." Lion-O said

Cheetara was pacing nervously outside Tamar's door. She saw Lion-O come out. "Lion-O, did you talk to Tamar? Is she all right? How--"

Lion-O placed a finger on her lips. "She's fine and she wants to talk to you."

“She does? Thank you, Lion-O.” Cheetara was about to open the door, but she turned back and kissed Lion-O deeply. She slowly pulls away from his lips and looks at him intently.

“What was that for?” Lion-O asked.

“Her father is dead which means you’re not her father. I want you to know that no matter what happens to us, I’ll always love you.”

Lion-O kissed her forehead. “I’ll always love you too.”

Cheetara looks at him cordially and walks in Tamar’s room.

Cheetara found Tamar sitting on her bed. As soon as the door open, Tamar’s face turns in that direction.

"May I sit down?" Cheetara asked.

"Sure." Tamar said quietly.

Cheetara sat down beside her daughter. She stared at her features. She took notice of her black hair. Cheetara figured she got that from her father, whoever that maybe. Her eyes were shaped like her mother’s but her eye color was different. It was a mixture of Cheetara and the father’s. Cheetara notices that Tamar looks just like her except she didn't have her tear lines.

"Such a beautiful woman. So strong and smart. My daughter," Cheetara smiled proudly and hugged her.

"You're not mad at me?"

"I could never be mad at you. You're my daughter. I love you. Whatever happened or will happen was meant to happen."

"There is a way to save you in the future, but it's going to take both of us."

"I'll help in any way that I can, not only to save myself but to save Thundera in the future," Cheetara told her.

The women continued to talk for hours. Cheetara asked as many questions as she could about Tamar. Tamar was able to ask her mother questions, too. Questions she had always wanted to know. They were forming a close mother/daughter bond in those hours.

"I have another question for you, Tamar. How fast are you?"

"Besides Dante, I'm about the fastest person on New Thundera. Why?"

"How would you feel to a mother/daughter race? I'd like to see how my daughter pairs up to her mother."

Tamar smiled. "I would love that, Cheetara."

"Call me Mom," Cheetara said.

*****

All the Thundercats were outside to see the race of Cheetara and Tamar. Cheetara was stretching her muscles in her legs and arms, warming her body up. Her daughter was about to take off her cape to do some stretch exercises too, when her bracelet beeped. Cheetara looked at Tamar worried.

"I have to check this," Tamar said and turned on her communicator. A holographic image of Panthero appeared. He looks beaten up badly from his swollen left eye with blood running from it to his busted lips. Tamar gasped in horror. "Panthero!"

Panthro looked at Tamar. "Is that my son?"

Tamar ignored Panthro as she continued to talk to the panther in the hologram. "What happened to you?"

"L-Lion-O came. He...became suspicious of your whereabouts. I...tried to stop him...but I couldn't."

Panthro looks at Lion-O angry. "You arrogant punk! I'll teach you to beat up on my son!" Panthro growled and attacked Lion-O.

"Hey, it's not me. It's my future self!" Lion-O shouted back. The Lord of the ThunderCats didn’t have a choice but to punched Panthro, to knock some sense in him.

"He's coming, Tamar and he's mad," Panthero warned Tamar.

"Thank you for telling me, Panthero. Take care of yourself," she ended communication. "Oh, no. He's coming. He's coming to get me," Tamar said worriedly.

Cheetara went to Tamar’s side. "Tamar, why is Lion-O after you?"

Tamar was about to answer when a blast of blue light appeared a few feet behind her. The blue light was shaped like a door and the Lion-O from the future steps out. He looked nothing like himself in the past. Only around his eyes could one tell he's in his fifties. His body figure was that of the present Lion-O. Instead of his blue tunic, he wore a full black suit like Tamar with a black cape and black boots. His hair color was a faded red instead of the deep red color of his younger years. He wore a beard that went around his mouth keeping the rest of his face clean.

Tamar turned around to face him. "Lion-O."

"That's not the proper way to greet me and you know it. And take off that wig. You're not fooling anyone," Lion-O's voice was older, darker, and evil.

"I seemed to have fooled your younger self, but all right," she pulled off her wig revealing her natural hair color: a deep red color with curls. Black spots were also in the soft red hair. She fixed it as best she could and looks at the future Lion-O. "Hello, father."

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