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[personal profile] ajremix
Bwah. I've got a bit of a backlog of things to type/post because of life/computer problems. So I'm going to toss this thing up and then figure out what the hell I'm doing today. Hopefully one or possibly two other things I've been meaning to get to will go up tonight.

Amusingly enough I wasn't a big fan of the original Thundercats (made even more amusing by the fact i loved silverhawks...) but this new cartoon is hitting a number of my happy buttons, most of them centering on Tygra and his relationship with Lion-O. Unfortunately there has been a disappointing lack of focus on him and Cheetara so far, but there's still episodes left in the season so here's hoping.

Also if anyone knows a good Thundercats fic comm, let me know?

Title: Moving Out of the Light
Fandom: Thundercats 2011
Rating: G
Word Count: 767
Characters: Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara
Summary: Set during The Duelist and the Drifter. Tygra needs to come into his own.



Tygra was out of his depths. Way out. Completely out. So out he lost the metaphor. But Panthro had (literally) thrown the ThunderTank's manual (which he didn't bother to read himself) in Tygra's face and said, "Try making yourself useful for a change."

Eyes narrowed and a frown pulled on Tygra's lips. "What do you mean 'for a change'?"

"I mean you've been dragging your feet. Not pulling your weight. Being a load."

Indignation made the fur across Tygra's shoulders bristle, "I've done plenty-"

"Like let your brother needlessly risk your lives? Multiple times?" Thick arms crossed over an equally thick chest. "Not an accomplishment to be proud of."

A growl nested in the back of the prince's throat and he gripped the manual as if he was going to either throw it back or rip it in half. "If you want someone to fix your tank, get Lion-O. He's the tech freak."

The eyebrow over Panthro's damaged eye rose, unamused. "Lion-O is doing his fair share of the work- using the Sword of Omens' Sight, deciphering the Book, being able to fend off Mumm-Ra, learning what it means to be a proper leader... But if you're content to let your little brother be the responsible one simply because you don't want to apply yourself..."

That growl was full-blown now and Tygra knew he was being played by his competitive nature and that undercurrent of resentment towards Lion-O, but he couldn't help himself. Which was why he read the manual, muddling through all the schematics and unfamiliar words. It was why he was elbow deep in the ThunderTank, trying to fix the near-disastrous modding attempt earlier.

A grease-slick wrench slipped out of Tygra's palm and his knuckled knocked around engine bits. He hissed, pulling out his hand to suck on his sore pinky.

"Well, isn't this a surprise?"

Cheetara stood there, hands on her canted hips and an amused smile on her lips. Tygra cursed to himself- letting her see him like this was the last thing he wanted.

So he played it cool with a suave smile and bedroom eyes, "I've got all sorts of talents you haven't seen yet."

She chuckled and Tygra considered that a good sign. "I'll bet. Considering how adamant you were that technology didn't exist, aptitude for it would've been my last guess."

"All it takes is a little reading and a little patience, it isn't that hard," he lied smoothly. "Besides, I can admit when I'm wrong."

Something went cold in Cheetara's red eyes. "Can you? I haven't heard that yet."

"Heard what?"

"You say you were wrong. Or sorry."

Tygra opened his mouth but was too off-balanced to speak.

"Even before all this," she continued, voice hard and eyes harder, "when you didn't know who I was and I watched over you and your brother from the shadows, I never once heard you say you were wrong or sorry."

"I..." he floundered defensively and that defensiveness automatically turned to hostility. "It's not like I knew the truth back then so I couldn't say I was wrong, now could I? Where do you get off judging me?"

"You're right. How dare I correct you. Even if you aren't first in line, you're still a prince so that means anything you do goes. Even if it was doing anything you could to make yourself look better than Lion-O, including tearing him down to his face."

Guilt stabbed at Tygra's chest and shame burned across his face, making him snarl, "You don't understand anything!"

"Of course. After all, it's not like you've ever hurt his sense of self-worth or said you'd be a better king or humiliated him in public."

Tygra's fangs clicked together and his hands trembled into fists. But he couldn't deny any of it.

Then, surprisingly, Cheetara's expression softened. She reached out, fingertips light against the soft fur on the inside of his wrist. "You have your own merits. You don't need to force Lion-O into a shadow for others to see them."

Tygra didn't say that no one ever bothered to notice him before he became the perfect prince or that he didn't know what his own merits were anymore. He pulled his hand back, knuckle brushing against her palm, and said, "I've got work to do if we want to find those stones before Mumm-Ra does."

He could feel her eyes on him as he tried to focus back on the tangle of mechanical parts. "Don't keep holding on to this, Tygra," her voice was on the edge of hearing, "it could destroy the both of you."

Date: 2011-09-23 06:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sakon76.livejournal.com
I love this! It feels so right, like Tygra is getting the multiple slaps up the head he so very much needs in canon. Sadly, I don't think the show's actual writers are going to deliver something like this for us. ;_; Pity, as Tygra deserves a character-building episode.

My only discordant thought is that Cheetara seems here much more confrontational and vocal than she's been thus far in the series. Though as you point out, there's been a disappointing lack of focus on her as well.

So far as I know there isn't a Thundercats fic comm. Perhaps we should grab the good writers we know and make one?

Date: 2011-09-23 06:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] idiosyn.livejournal.com
I think Cheetara has the potential to be confrontational and vocal if the situation presents itself- she's been somewhat cutting in her defense of Lion-O a couple times but lack of focus and screen time makes it hard to really say.

Personally, though, I like to think that Cheetara's been guarding the two for a fair amount of years and Tygra's treatment of Lion-O has been something that's been simmering in her for a while :P

I actually don't know who else is writing for the series, but I would be happy to join a comm and be as active as possible. I have no idea how to encourage participation on a fic comm, but if you decide to make one, I'll follow your lead^^

Date: 2011-10-30 09:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tainry.livejournal.com
Seconding what Sakon said!

"You have your own merits. You don't need to force Lion-O into a shadow for others to see them."
Interesting. Makes me wonder what Tygra's early childhood was like, especially after Lion-O was born. Lookee now adopted son is no longer needed and everything is about the Heir.

Date: 2011-10-30 10:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] idiosyn.livejournal.com
I've heard lots of possible theories regarding Tygra's origin/treatment but I'm partial to the idea that after Lion-O was born Tygra basically had to 'earn' his position as royalty. Which kind of makes their rivalry all the more tragic^^

Date: 2011-10-31 04:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yoraedigress.livejournal.com
I think this is the best and most realistic portrayal of Tygra I've seen to date. You gave an explanation to how he came to be working on the tank, and Panthro is a complete boss without any explanation.
As it should be.
I love that Tygra isn't let off the hook for treating his brother that way (teasing is understandable, but there's really a place and time) yet at the same time Cheetara cuts to the heart of it, that Tygra needs to work out his issues.

Date: 2011-10-31 06:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] idiosyn.livejournal.com
Serendipitously it probably explains why Panthro doesn't want anyone else touching the tank seeing the results of Tygra's tinkering...

Anyway, thank you for that. Staying in character (or as close to) is generally a big thing for me so I'm always a little nervous when first playing with new characters, especially since there's been so little non-Lion-O-character-centric episodes so far.

Date: 2011-11-06 06:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yoraedigress.livejournal.com
lol Thus far, only the berbils have that privilege. You are more than welcome! :)

Date: 2011-11-14 02:50 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
Since the writers of the show seemingly cant figure out how to write the characters, why cant they let you take a stab at it? (Only in dreams,and fanfic (:)
Thanks I really feel like I got a taste of what Ive been missing from the show! Cant wait to see more !

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