The wind whistled outside of Vultureman’s lab. He’d been forced to move, temporarily, to a new section as the Apes had decided to play a game of tag. One of the creatures had tackled another and thrown him against some volatile chemicals. At least his latest project had been left undamaged by the ensuing scuffle.

The device in question was his "Shrink-O-Matic." It still needed to have a few bugs ironed out, like how to revert the subject to its original size, but Peregrine would be pleased. With a shrinking device they could sneak into Cat’s Lair, revert to normal size while the Cats slept and shrink them. He’d already labeled some jars with their names for the occasion.

"Hoo, hoo. Vultureman? Are you in there?" came a voice outside. By the hooting it could only be one Mutant. Monkian. "Caw, of course I’m in here. Where else would I be?" Vultureman asked.

"See, I told you he’d be in here," Jackalman’s voice said, pushing open the door.

"We brought you a present, as an apology for what the Simians did, hoo, hoo," Monkian said.

"And I’m here to make sure he gives it to you," Jackalman said. Vultureman walked over. When he got in range Monkian tossed him a small fruitcake. The breaded substance slipped from Vultureman’s fingers and turned on his Shrink-O-Matic, reducing the three Mutants to the size of small household pests.

"Caw! Now look what you’ve done. And there’s no way to reverse the process that I know of. We’ll have to reach Alluro and get him to change us back," Vultureman said.

"You mean. We’re stuck like this? Oh the horror!" Jackalman said.

"This is all your fault. I told you that we shouldn’t give him fruitcake. I insisted on a tuna fish sandwich, but no, we had to give him fruitcake!" Monkian said, whacking Jackalman upside the head.

"That’s enough. We’ve got to get to Peregrine and Slythe. They’re the only ones who can help us now," Vultureman said.

The three Mutants walked through the open door and looked around. Everything looked much different from this perspective. "How do you propose that we find Peregrine or Slythe? They could be anywhere!" Jackalman said.

"They’ll be in the control room at some point. We just have to wait there for them," Vultureman said.

"Hoo, hoo, but that’s on the top floor, and we’re in the basement!" Monkian said.

"Nyah, ha, ha. Looks like Monkian outsmarted you on this one," Jackalman said.

"Let’s just make for the moving sidewalk and hope for the best," Vultureman said.

Peregrine paced the length of the control room. He’d used the intercom to try and reach Vultureman but a minute ago. The Avian hadn’t responded. This greatly disturbed him, for the Mutant was always in his lab. He probably ate and slept in that accursed lab. Granted, he was using a second lab today, caused by three Simians in particular who were enjoying some time in the detention block. "Slythe, go get him," he growled finally. The one time leader of the Mutants bowed and went to do Peregrine’s bidding.

Vultureman led the group down the hall, hitching a ride on the ankle of a hairy Jackal. The Mutant stopped to relieve himself and that was when the trio got off. "Now what?" Jackalman asked.

"We’re inches away from the moving sidewalk, now we take it up to the next floor," Vultureman said.

"Uh Vultureman, what has red eyes, is hairy and has six legs?" Monkian asked.

"This is no time for riddles Monkian, what?" Vultureman asked.

"I don’t know either, but it looks rather hungry!" Monkian said, producing his shield. The other two turned to see a large insect bearing down on them. "Where’d I leave that club?" Jackalman asked aloud. "Oh forget it. If you two make it, I’ll be at the top of the stairs!" he turned and ran for the walkway and soon was on his way up. Vultureman was the first to recover his wits. He pulled out the small welding torch he’d been carrying when the Mutants had burst in and aimed it at the insect. Monkian, behind him, fired a cannon ball that bounced harmlessly off the creature’s hard exoskeleton.

Vultureman looked at the bug, searching for a weak spot, and determined that the eyes must be sensitive. He waited for it to inch closer before lunging in with the welding torch and singeing its eyes. It let out a horrendous cry of pain and reared back on its hind legs. "Caw! Take that you overgrown insect!" Vultureman cried as it began to scuttle away.

"Hoo, hoo. Come on, we’d better catch up to Jackalman before he gets too far away," Monkian said.

Jackalman had safely reached the top of the moving sidewalk and looked around. "Hey, I’m near my bedroom," he thought, "I wonder what it looks like from this size," and he began walking toward the nearby door.

The Canine Mutant was startled to find that he wasn’t the only one in the room. Two of his fellow Canines had decided that his room would be the location for their latest attempt at cooking. Pie filling littered the floor and ceiling. "What are they doing? When I return to my normal size, they’re going to be punished severely for this!" Jackalman said aloud.

"What are you going to do? Threaten to show them how it’s done?" Vultureman asked, coming up behind him.

"Or maybe give them some of your fleas? Hoo, hoo," Monkian added.

"No, you fools. I’m going to assign them to cleaning up this mess and then to clean the rest of Castle Plundarr, top to bottom," Jackalman replied.

"Come on, caw, we’re wasting time," Vultureman said, going back out into the hallway.

Once again the three Mutants grabbed hold of another Mutant and let him carry them as close to the main control room as he was going. This time it was a Reptile. They continued this process for some time until they arrived at the large door. Crawling under it, the trio soon found themselves inside the nerve center of the Castle. Peregrine was standing in front of a cowering Simian.

"What do you mean you couldn’t find them either? Is everyone in this infernal place blind? How hard can it be to find a Vulture with a throat problem? I want you out of my sight immediately!" Peregrine shouted, giving the Ape a good kick in the posterior as he scrambled out of the room.

"Hoo, hoo. Maybe now isn’t the best time to talk to him," Monkian said.

"Yeah, maybe you should do the talking. It sounds like he wants to see you," Jackalman added hastily.

"Caw! You two are such cowards. Very well, I’ll talk to him, but how?" Vultureman wondered, pacing the length of a floor tile.

Peregrine looked at the screens depicting images from around Castle Plundarr. Where was that Bird? Plans needed to be drawn up and inventions were needed for the massive strike at Cat’s Lair. He should have set up a camera in Vultureman’s lab, that would have been the prudent thing to do. Then he could have kept tabs on his most important assistant.

Vultureman placed on taloned hand into the thick wood of the table and pulled himself up several inches. Then his other hand reached higher and he began to make the long arduous climb to the top of the table. From there he could hopefully crawl onto Peregrine’s hand and get his attention.

Jackalman and Monkian watched as Vultureman slowly ascended to the top of the table. "Hoo, hoo. I’ll bet you one day’s rations that he falls," Monkian said.

"He’d better not, or else you know who’s going up next. Our best climber," Jackalman said.

"Why can’t you do it?" Monkian asked.

"What? Me? Canines aren’t known for their climbing. If you want someone to sniff around, I’m your Jackal, but climbing? That’s best left for the Apes," Jackalman replied.

Peregrine felt something run across his hand. Didn’t the Mutants know anything about keeping the place clean? There were always insects running about. An hour ago he’d even crushed some insect that seemed to be blind. No wonder the Thundercats kept winning. If the Mutants couldn’t even control little bugs. He began to swat at the creature on his hand when he realized that it was moving quickly up his arm, determined. How very odd. Then he sighed. "That insect has more drive than most of the people around here," he muttered.

"I object, caw!" Vultureman’s voice said.

"Finally, Vultureman. Wait, where are you?" Peregrine asked, looking around.

"I’m on your shoulder. We got shrunk by my shrinking machine!" came the reply. Peregrine was not amused. He plucked the Mutant off his shoulder and placed him on the table, picking up Jackalman and Monkian to join him.

"What a fine mess you’ve gotten yourselves into. I suppose there’s no way of reversing this, is there?" Peregrine asked.

"Alluro! You’ll have to ask Alluro!" Vultureman shouted when Peregrine’s head was closer.

"Oh, this is just great. Now I’ll have to contact the Lunataks. Sigh, very well. You! Put me through to Skytomb!" Peregrine ordered a Reptile.

Tug Mug lay propped on two chairs, drinking a soda. Sure he was on monitor duty, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t relax a little, did it? The communications array went off. "Hello?" he asked, picking up the head set.

"Put me through to Alluro," Peregrine’s voice demanded.

"One moment please," Tug Mug said, before bouncing down the halls to fetch the hypnotist. With all the new arrivals things had become a little hectic. Alluro’s room had been taken over by Prince Tycho, as it was the next biggest bedroom. Therefore Alluro had been placed in a room just down the hall from where Chilla’s was. This made the hypnotist a little happier, but not much. He was busy throwing darts at a picture of Knave when Tug Mug entered.

"Yes Tug Mug?" Alluro asked, catching Knave between the eyes.

"There is a call for you from Castle Plundarr," Tug Mug replied. Alluro threw one more dart, catching Knave in the throat, before going with the rotund Lunatak.

"Alluro here, how may I help you?" Alluro asked.

"Vultureman seems to have shrunk himself and he believes you’re the only one who might be able to help," Peregrine replied. Tug Mug and Alluro chuckled softly but composed themselves quickly.

"I’ll be down as soon as I can. I’ll need full access to whatever it was that he shrank himself with, as well as the rest of his lab," Alluro said.

"I don’t think Vultureman’s in any position to complain," Peregrine replied.

"Good. Tug Mug, fire up the Ice-Hypno Flyer. We’re going on a little trip," Alluro said, turning off the headset.

The poorly named ship flew swiftly across the Third Earth terrain, covering the distance in less time, thanks to some modifications that had been made to the craft. When they arrived at Castle Plundarr, Alluro went to examine the machine, leaving Tug Mug to his own devices. He decided to spend his time tormenting the three shrunken Mutants. He placed a jar over them and put a lid on. "Hee, hee, hee. Now, should I shake the jar or not?" he asked aloud.

"Give me that. We’ve been asked to help them," Alluro said, taking away the jar.

"Oh, Alluro. You never let me have any fun," Tug Mug grumbled.

"No I don’t, and with good reason," Alluro replied, "there. That should do it. Which one of you wants to go first?"

Vultureman looked at his two companions. Clearly neither of them would willingly volunteer to be the guinea pig for this experiment, so he’d have to choose one. He pulled out his welding torch and quickly singed Jackalman’s rear, causing him to cry out. Alluro’s massive hand picked up the Canine and placed him on the floor. The Shrink-O-Matic began to hum and whir before letting loose a beam of golden energy. With a ‘pop’ Jackalman was restored to his original size. Monkian and Vultureman soon joined him.

"You know. This invention of yours could be quite useful against the Thundercats. Come on Tug Mug, let’s take it with us," Alluro said.

"You can’t do that. It’s mine!" Vultureman cawed. Alluro’s psyche club was out in an instant.

"You want to give it to us. It is ours. You will tell Peregrine that it no longer works," Alluro said.

"Uh, why don’t you take it. It doesn’t work anymore. Come on guys, let’s go tell that to Peregrine," Vultureman said.

Alluro and Tug Mug turned the Ice-Hypno Flyer on and pointed it in the direction of Cat’s Lair. "We’ll surprise everyone by bringing them the Thundercats in miniature size!" Alluro said, laughing maniacally.

"Yeah, just picture the surprise on their faces!" Tug Mug agreed.

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