It was a quiet day, perhaps too quiet.  Tygris looked on at the sky from his quarters.  How long has it been since Gen-Ta conquered the ThunderCat home world of New Thundera, he thought.  Nine, ten months?  This whole thing had him thinking.  He was ready to help his people, but at what cost?  Tygris was never really a fighter, but he was always told that the world needed people like him.  He was thinking about all this when Cougari poked his head in from the door.  "Hey, Tygris."  he said.  "We got watch duty in a few minutes."

"I know."  he replied.  "Isn't that what we're always doing?  Looking out for the enemy and when he comes, we fight."

"Well, some of us hate it as much as you do,"  Cougari said.  "But how else are we going to free New Thundera?  It's not like we can ask Gen-Ta to let it go.  No, there are just some things you have to fight for, and this is one of them."

"Maybe you're right, Cougari."  Tygris said.  "I suppose we must do our best to do what's right."

"Yeah, come on."  Cougari said.  "We better get going, fast."

"I thought you learned your lesson about rushing."

"I did, but old habits die hard.  Besides, if I'm late, it's another month on defense for me."  The two ThunderCats headed towards the control room.

Meanwhile, in his pyramid, Gen-Ta began to worry.  The ThunderCats were challenging his authority of New Thundera by fighting him here on Third Earth.  On the bright side, he knew they couldn't leave Third Earth without his knowing about it.  It would make them vulnerable to an attack.  But Gen-Ta wasn't taking anymore chances with them, especially since he realized that the Sword of Omens could very well challenge his power given the chance.  "What a fool for me to underestimate that sword."  he said to himself.  "Its power is greater than I thought, but why does it challenge me now when it could've prevented me from taking over New Thundera a long time ago?  Perhaps the power is not in the sword itself, but in whoever wields it.  The Princess has been a thorn in my side for too long.  It is past time to remove that thorn!"  It was at that moment, Ursor entered.  "Ah, Ursor."  Gen-Ta greeted.  "I am glad you came when I summoned you."

"This had better be good, Gen-Ta."  Ursor replied.  "You said you had a plan to rid ourselves of the ThunderCats."

"Yes, I do."  he answered.  "I want you and your minions to launch a full-scale assault on their base."

"Cat's Lair?  We never go near the place.  I mean, their defenses are extreme."

"I see, you are afraid."

"Afraid!?!  No one calls me afraid!  I'll play your game, but the hybrid is mine!"

"Hybrid?  Ah, yes, Princess Lyna.  You never learn, do you, Ursor?  She has beaten you and your comrades enough times already!"

"But--"

"I'll handle the Princess."  Gen-Ta insisted.  "You and the other Cyber-Mutants just worry about your part."

"As you wish, Gen-Ta."  he replied as he left the pyramid.  Gen-Ta looked on with a wicked grin on his snakelike face.  "Now, Princess."  he thought.  "Your days are numbered."

In a clearing not far from Cat's Lair, the Cyber-Mutants began to watch. "This is insane."  Rakuna commented.  "It's one thing to attack the ThunderCats in the open, but this is their lair.  We'll be turned into scrap in nanoseconds."

"Quit your whining!"  Pterra snapped.  "Ursor has it all covered."  She looked at the Cyber-Mutant leader lovingly.

"Excuse me while I lose my brunch."  Rakuna mumbled to himself.

"Let's crush their puny lair now!!"  Mammoth cried.  "I want to slag those puny ThunderCats!"

"NO!"  Ursor replied.  "We wait for Gen-Ta's signal."  They looked on at the lair.

In the control room, Cougari saw a little beep go off the screen.  "Say, Tygris."  he said.  "I'm picking up something in Sector 12."

"Where?"  asked Tygris as he looked at the screen.  "I don't see anything."  He paused, then felt something in the air.  "Then again, I better go investigate just in case."  he said.  "I'll stay in contact."

"No problem."  Cougari said as Tygris left.  On the field, Tygris could feel something, something evil.  Suddenly, a burst of light hit the Lair as Tygris held up his arms in defense.  The Cyber-Mutants, a few miles away, noticed the light as well.  "There's the signal."  Ursor said.  "On my mark.  Now!!"  The Cyber-Mutants charged at the Lair.  Tygris saw them coming and raced inside to warn the others.  When he got inside, however, everyone was unconscious.  Everyone, even the Snarfs.  Tygris knew something was definitely wrong.  "Wake up."  he said to Cougari.  "The Cyber-Mutants are attacking.  Cougari!  Kara, Lyna, can anyone hear me!?!"  None of them changed.  "This couldn't have happened naturally." he said to himself.  "Something or someone must've made them like this." He looked deep into Lyna.  "I don't want to do this, but I have no choice."  Enormous energy flew in his body as Tygris noticed a strange purple aura around her body.  "What in the world--"  A blast was heard; Tygris broke off his concentration to notice the Cyber-Mutants attacking the lair.  "I have to do something."  He activated the lair defenses, hoping they could buy him some time to figure out what's wrong with the others.  He returned to concentrating on Lyna.  "It looks like everyone is under some kind of sleep spell."  he said to himself.  "Gen-Ta.  Oh, man, if he's involved, who knows what could happen."

From the pyramid, Gen-Ta looked into the pool of mystical water.  He saw the Cyber-Mutants battling the defenses, but he became shocked when he saw Tygris.  "What?!"  he shouted.  "How did that ThunderCat miss my sleep spell?  Hmm, I better handle this one personally."  He stood straight and raised his staff high.  "By the powers of the Ancient Spirits of Evil!"  he chanted.  "I rise from this mortal shell as Gen-Ta, the All-Eternal!"  He then headed towards the Cyber-Mutants, who were still battling the exterior defenses.  "Gen-Ta!"  Ursor shouted. "There's something wrong!  The ThunderCats aren't attacking."

"I know."  he replied.  "I placed a spell over them, causing them to drift into a deep sleep."

"Will the spell last?"

"If you ask if it will wear off after some time, the answer is no."

"So the ThunderCats are all asleep?"  Mammoth asked.

"All but one."  Gen-Ta answered.

"Is it the hybrid?"  Ursor asked.

"No, someone else."  he responded.  "I'm certain you and the Cyber-Mutants can handle one ThunderCat."

"That's providing we get through the lair defenses."  Rakuna commented.

"Not a problem."  Gen-Ta summoned an energy sphere and shot it at the lair.  It rumbled as Tygris tried hard to wake the others.  "By Jaga!" he cried.  "They've broken through."  He saw the Cyber-Mutants race into the lair.  " Activating interior defenses."  The Cyber-Mutants were welcomed with lasers shooting from every wall, but they were crumbled moments later.  Tygris noticed this as he dragged Kit and Kat into the control room.  "It's up to me."  he thought.  "Please let me be up to it."  He walked out of the control room, praying he could do this.  He soon saw Mammoth.  "Hmm,"  he thought.  "Perhaps I could lure him away." He went closer to Mammoth, being careful not to be seen.  "Mammoth!"  he cried in a deep voice.  "Get out of that lair immediately!  Gen-Ta wishes to speak with you."

"Ursor, is that you?"  Mammoth called.

"Who else could it be?!"  Tygris went on.  "Now, get going!"

"Okay!"  he yelled as he raced out of the lair, wondering how he could hear the leader from where he was.  Tygris crawled out of his hiding spot.  "Whew! "  he sighed.  "A good thing I was able to outsmart him."

"A Brute Man can outsmart Mammoth without even trying."  Rakuna said. Tygris turned around and saw he was spotted.  "But I'm not that easy, ThunderCat."

"Easy come, easy go."  Tygris said as Rakuna attacked.  Tygris did his best to dodge the knives, and Rakuna was trying just as hard to hit him with one.  "What's wrong, ThunderCat?"  he mocked.  "Scared to fight back?"

"How'd you guess?"  Tygris asked himself.  He continued to dodge the knives until he noticed Pterra coming from behind him.  Quickly thinking, he went right in front of her.  Rakuna tossed one of his knives, which missed Tygris and hit Pterra's lasers.  She screeched her supersonic screech in pain which caused a chink of the ceiling to fall on top of Rakuna.  Pterra later fell unconscious from the electric shock triggered from the wound.  "Ah,"  Tygris said as he looked at the two Cyber-Mutants.  "Perfect.  Achieving defenses without resorting to violence, barely."  He then noticed a light went right pass him.  He turned to notice Ursor, in a bigger rage than usual, coming right at him.  Tygris dodged Ursor's attack.  "So, you were the one who missed Gen-Ta's spell."  he said.

"I knew it."  Tygris thought.  He looked at Ursor, who was way more ready than fight.  "Now, I believe we can come up with a negotiation without resorting to violence."  he said to Ursor.

"Negotiations are for politicians."  Ursor snapped.  "Politicians who have forgotten what your kind has put us through.  By the moons of Plunn-Dar, I will not rest until all thunderians are extinct, starting with your hybrid princess!"

"Oh, boy, this'll be tough."  Tygris thought.  "I have to come up with something."  He looked at Ursor.  "You know,"  he said.  "If you destroy our leader the way she is, then that'll only prove you can beat her, when she can't defend herself.  Wouldn't it suit your pride more if you creamed her at one-on-one combat, like she did to you?"

Ursor stared at him for a moment.  "Ha!"  he said.  "A true mutant knows when to take advantage of the opportunity at hand.  But, since you're so defendant of the little brat, you'll be the first one to go!"  He then shot a laser beam at Tygris, who dodged it with ease.  "Oh,  this is just great."  he said to himself as he continued to dodge the deadly beam.  "I don't know how you avoided ending up like the others," Ursor said.  "But you'll wish you DIDN'T!"        Tygris began to draw out his crossbow along with a metal arrow with electric charges.  "I'm going to hate myself in the morning."  he said to himself as he loaded the arrow in.  He fired at Ursor.  The arrow missed him, but the charges sent out an electric shock which tracked Ursor and stunned him.  Tygris sighed with relief.  "Whoo, I don't know how much more I can take this."  he said.

Outside the lair, Gen-Ta watched as the battle progressed very badly. Mammoth later came to him.  "Uh, you wanted to see me, Gen-Ta?"  he asked.  The demon priest looked at him, then realized that Mammoth was tricked into coming out here.  "Oh, maybe I should've invested more into brains and less into muscle."  he thought, recalling the day he gave the Cyber-Mutants their enhancements.  "You idiot!"  he screamed to Mammoth. "What are you doing here?!!"

"Uh, Ursor said you wanted to see me."

"Oh, perhaps I can use this to my advantage yet."  he said to himself. He then turned to Mammoth.  "Yes, now I remember."  he said.  "I need you to do something.  Go back into the lair, and tell that ThunderCat on the loose I wish to speak to him."

"You want to speak to him?  Why not crush him?"

"It's a trick, Mammoth.  I want him lured to me so I can crush him."

"Oh, you're smart, just like Ursor."  he said as he left.  Gen-Ta looked on wickedly.

In the lair, Tygris was looking over Lyna in hopes of finding a way to reverse the spell when he saw the Sword of Omens glow bright.  "Perhaps there's a connection between the sword and Lyna."  he thought.  "Only one way to find out."  He slowly summoned more energy to help him.  He then touched the sword.  A bright flash blinded him, causing him to lose concentration.  "What happened?"  he thought as he heard a sound.  "Uh, oh."  He dragged Lyna into the control room and shut the door.  He followed the sound and saw Mammoth striking the lair from the outside. "ThunderCat!"  he called.  "Come out and see Gen-Ta or I'll crush your puny lair."

"Oh, great."  he said.  He leaped out of one of the windows and made his way down to Mammoth.  Gen-Ta soon appeared.  "Good, Mammoth, you've lured him here."  he complimented.

"Now what do we do with him?"  Mammoth asked.

"I will destroy this annoying feline while you go into Cat's Lair and retrieve your comrades."

"Okay."  he said as he went into the lair.   Gen-Ta then focused his attention to Tygris, who stood at him boldly.  He had to laugh.  "And just what do you think you're doing?"  he asked.

"I know you placed the others like that."  he replied.

"Yes, but you will be very unfortunate."  Gen-Ta quickly launched an energy sphere at Tygris, who blocked the energy sphere where he stood. Gen-Ta noticed he was un phased and smiled.  "Ah, just as I suspected." he hissed.  "Your body hold a tremendous amount of energy controlled telepathically.  It would explain why you missed my spell."

"So?"

"I have only experienced this once before, on New Thundera.  Among the ThunderCats was one as you are, but much more experienced.  Though she was one of the last to fall before me, it is unfortunate for her that she wasn't so powerful, unlike you."

"Me?"

"I can sense your power, Tygris.  It is stronger than any I've ever seen.  Such power can be useful.  I have a proposition for you, young one."

"Which is..."

"I will consider giving you and your comrades your planet back and I will remove the spell on them.  All I want is your power."

"I don't know...."

"Come now, I know of all of you, you especially.  I know you want a peaceful resolution to all of this.  Well, I'm giving you the
opportunity.  You won't have a better chance than this.  Your power for New Thundera and the ThunderCats."

"You said you'd consider...."

"Did I?  Give me your power and it is guaranteed.  Which do you choose?"

Tygris was about to accept Gen-Ta's offer when he remembered something. "How do I know you're not lying?"  he asked.

"You have my word."  Gen-Ta replied.  "Now, choose."

"No,"  Tygris said.  "No.  There is no way you'd ever let New Thundera go, not when your Ancient Spirits don't want it so."

"They are a bit upset at your predecessors for defying them, but they can be willing to forgive and forget."

"I don't believe you."

"Do you now?  Well, this is a problem then.  I'll just have to take your power instead."  Gen-Ta moved closer and closer to Tygris, his face shining with an evil grin.  "I have no choice but to fight you."  Tygris replied as the two engaged in combat.  Tygris did all he could to block the incoming energy spheres.  Gen-Ta started to twirl his staff to form a tornado which headed Tygris's way.  Tygris launched his own energy spheres to neutralize the tornado.  "You fight well, ThunderCat."  Gen-Ta commented.  "But I'm afraid it is time to end this little game."  He began to twirl his staff again; Tygris loaded his crossbow and shot a telekinetically energized arrow at the staff, causing it to flash and leap out of Gen-Ta's hands.  "One way or another,"  Tygris said.  "New Thundera will be free."

"Over my undead body!"  he replied as he summoned his powers.  The Cyber-Mutants then came out to see the fight.  "Now's my chance."  Ursor said as he began to climb Cat's Lair.  "While that blasted cobra is keeping that ThunderCat busy, I'll claim the glory of destroying their lord, or in this case, their lady."  He got closer and closer to the window, almost tasting his victory over the ThunderCats while the others watched the fight.  He soon came up to the window, and when he peered inside, the control room was empty.  "What?!"  he roared.  "I could've sworn she'd be here."

"Well, you're wrong."  said a voice from atop the cat's head.  Ursor looked up to see Lyna.  She leaped at him, causing them both to fall. Pterra soon noticed and flew to catch Ursor while Lyna managed to flip down to the ground.  Tygris grinned at the concept.  "Well, you're up." he said.

"I don't know what you did, but it certainly worked."  she replied.

"NO!"  Gen-Ta shouted.  "This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"Well, it did, so live with it."  She turned to Tygris.  "We could use some company, don't you agree?"

"I most certainly do."  he answered.  She raised up her sword.  "Thunder!  Thunder!"  she chanted.  "Thunder!  ThunderCats, HO!!"  The emblem of the ThunderCats glowed brightly and lifted Gen-Ta's spell off the other ThunderCats.  They saw the emblem and raced out of the lair to do battle.

"No!!"  Gen-Ta shouted.  "This will not be!"  The Cyber-Mutants and Gen-Ta launched their attacks all at once.  Tygris managed to block them all with a shield.  They all looked at him shocked.  "We better get out of here!"  Rakuna suggested.

"I'm not leaving until I destroy them!"  Ursor shouted as he charged at the ThunderCats.  Lyna managed to stop him.  "Are you sure you want to face all of us, Ursor?"  she asked.

"You haven't seen the last of me, ThunderCats!!"  Gen-Ta hissed as he teleported himself and the Cyber-Mutants away.

"And you haven't seen the last of us."  Lyna replied.

That evening, after they repaired the lair, Tygris told them about what had happened when they went unconscious.  "It's weird."  he said.  "When I tried to look into the sword, there was a light.  I guess my powers boosted the sword and caused Lyna to break away from the spell."

"I still can't believe that you, of all people, was fighting Gen-Ta AND the Cyber-Mutants on your own."  Cougari replied.  "Whatever happened topeaceful negotiations and nonviolent resolutions?"

"It's like you said, Cougari."  Tygris answered.  "There are just some things you have to fight for.  I realize that."

"So, what was that thing you just did?"

"A form of telekinesis, powers of the mind.  It served as a barrier against Gen-Ta's spell."

"Well, that's some form of magic there."  Cougari stated.  "You think you could tack me all those tricks?"

"Cougari, telekinesis is usually hereditary.  You have to be born with the gift."  Kara said.  "Besides, even if you were, it would take a lot of practice, which takes time, which you don't tolerate."

"Hey!"  Cougari cried.

"It's true."  Tygris said.  "It does take a lot of practice to develop and control these powers."

"You must've had a very good teacher back home."  Cougari complimented.

"Good teacher?"  Kara boasted.  "He was taught by none other than Cheetara herself!"

"THE Cheetara?!"  Cougari exclaimed.  "She was the fastest ThunderCat ever!"

"She was also a powerful psychic."  Lyna replied.

"Whoa."  Cougari said.

"Look, I know I have to fight for New Thundera, but I made a promise that if I have to fight, that to withhold using my powers unless truly necessary."  Tygris explained.

"That's good enough for me, Tygris."  Lyna said.  "Jaga knows we'll need all our strengths to free our world."

Meanwhile, Gen-Ta paced around in his pyramid.  "Great plan, oh mighty Gen-Ta!"  Ursor said sarcastically.  "We lost!!!"

"Silence!!"  Gen-Ta shouted.  "This was only the beginning.  Return to your castle before I lose my temper!"

"Sounds like he's already lost it."  Pterra said as they bragn to leave. "And I'm not talking about his temper."

"I heard that!"  he bellowed.  He then sat down at the cauldron.  "Oh, things just can't get any worse than this."  he said.  The statues then began to shake.  "Gen-Ta!"  they shouted.  "You have failed us."

"This is just a minor setback, oh Ancient ones."  Gen-Ta said. "We--er--you still have control over New Thundera.  Those blasted ThunderCats can't keep this up forever."

"You had better be right!"  Gen-Ta looked into the cauldron at the ThunderCats.  He sneered at them wickedly, then splashed the water and looked up at the statues.  "So help me,"  Gen-Ta hissed silently.  "I will not repeat your mistakes, Mumm-Ra!  That is a promise!!"