I took off my helmet, and our eyes met. A torrent of Kitty’s memories flooded my mind. I could sense she had traversed vast distances of time and space since embarking upon her own Thunderbird journey.

“So, did you find an Earth that has finally figured it all out?” I yelled from the crowd. Having just seen a glimpse of her experiences, I knew how to lead the questioning. I also knew it would take the pressure off her. She didn’t like being the center of attention.

“Yeah, I found one Earth that was quite literally a utopia,” she said.

“Why’d you come back, then??” the tavern ringleader quipped, to a few chuckles.

“It was tough to pull away, sure,” she answered. “What can I say, I missed you guys.”

In that moment, I realized how much I had missed her too. It’s a funny thing when you possess the ability to reach nearly any possibility, as a Thunderbird. Early on, in my training, I had always thought this existentially lucrative skill would fuel my desire to experience only the most exotic and interesting of occasions. I’d be able to sip from the sweetest of wine bottles, taste the richest marrow, see the most brilliant sights and smell aromas of such delight that they’d whisk me to the very upper echelons of euphoric places.

And, they did.

But now, standing here in the quaint, cozy tavern, finally reconnecting with Kitty after a long time away, all I could think about was being here and now, with her and the Crew. It wasn’t so much the place that drew me, but the people, and especially Kitty. I possessed the power to be anywhere at anytime, and I was perfectly content being here with Kitty. Perhaps the right person was the only place a good Thunderbird needed.

Kitty and my eyes met again, amidst more questioning from the crowd. I could sense she felt the same way too.

“What does the Order have you doing as your assignment now?” I asked.

“They said I possess a natural gift for finding and freeing lost souls,” she said with a humble grin. “That’s really why I came back to you schlubs.” Her right eyebrow raised just slightly.

Her little jab to the crowd evoked laughter from the tavern goers and her former Crew. I laughed too. Maybe she did like attention now, I thought. Through her Thunderbird travels, she had grown into a beautiful and wise woman. I couldn’t wait to hear more of what she had seen. Hopefully, she could stay a bit longer this Wednesday night.

“Bill,” she said. “Can we talk in private?” The storytelling session continued amongst the crowd and Crew in the back room, while Kitty and I slipped into a nearby booth. The Crew had plenty more tales to tell their crowd of how we were freed from Danny V. and the UU’s clutches, and how we were able to channel Kitty tonight. And I got to visit with my long lost friend.

“So, they have you on lost soul duty, huh?” I said, as we slipped into the more private booth.

“Yes, it’s what I elected for my Dew phase,” she said.

“I was more of a voyager at that stage, seeking vast distances. I really think you may have found your calling, though. You always seemed to have a knack for relating with people.”

“Thank you,” she said. “Yes, it’s been fulfilling. So, catch me up on what I’ve missed! I hear we’re free from the UU now? I gotta hear about the Crew’s exploits since then. Did Jacob get to visit forest world yet?”

We talked into the night, as old friends do. I won’t get into the details of what was discussed. That’s for me and Kitty, and not for this log.

It’s a Thunderbird’s inclination to move on, once his mission is complete. And I had completed mine with the Cheshire, first freeing them from their black hole fiasco, and then ultimately freeing them from the serfdom imposed by the UU. In doing so, I achieved full Thunderbird status, and sent Kitty well on her way of accomplishing the same. I was meant to move on now, but seeing Kitty, having all those memories flood back into my heart and mind upon seeing her evoked a feeling that I had never experienced, on even my most profound adventures.

I knew she would eventually have to leave to continue her Thunderbird training. And I thought that I’d have to leave soon too, as Thunderbirds do. But, even days later, I couldn’t shake that intimate sense of familiarity. I hoped Kitty and I could occasionally convene amidst the movierain, from time to time, and hopefully before long. And I thought about being with my Crew in that cozy tavern. It was no divine altar like I had experienced with the Twelve. Nor was it some awe-inspiring Earth utopia. But it really was a quaint, little nice tavern. And the people were the best of company. The movierain was and is always there, for me to Drop into. It would be waiting for me, whenever I needed.

All of these thoughts flooded my mind, as I continued to talk with Kitty in that booth. The laughter of the tavern’s storytelling crowd roared in the background. I was a Thunderbird who held the multiverse at my beckon call, but with Kitty and my Crew at the tavern was the only locale I wanted to be tonight.

We had created the perfect place.

“Wait, where’s Keith?” Kitty said.

“We forgot about Keith!” I said.

I donned my helmet to check on Keith back on the Cheshire. In my viewfinder, I saw Keith flipping through the Twelve’s Earth book, muttering to himself.

“I really hope those shites found her,” he said.

I pulled my helmet off again to report back to Kitty. “He’s fine,” I said. “Care to take a trip down memory lane, on the Cheshire?”

“Yeah, eventually,” she said, smiling. “But I’m having fun right here with you. Let’s hang out for a bit.”

Did I mention Kitty was my rock?

***