Gifted, part 1

Beast Wars Anonymous:

Beast Wars and all related belong to Hasbro. The story, its original contents and ideas, and any original characters belong to the author and cannot be used or reprinted without the author's permission.

Gifted, pt 1 (PG)
by BluePard (bluepard@buffnet.net)

SCENE: Inside Predacon Base. Thunder crackles over the Predacon ship, The Abyss. Inferno walks down a hall, suspiciously glancing left in right down the dark halls. He makes his way to the end of the hall and turns down another corridor. Panthera, in robot form and missing her slicing bow, emerges from a shadow.

PANTHERA: (muses) Dark ship. The perfect place for this dark cat. (she makes her way down the hall, stopping at a locked side room. She notices a screened ventilation shaft above, and smiles. Opening a compartment in her arm she retrieves a bundle of small miscellaneous tools; among them a hammer, chisel, adjustable screwdriver, cutting laser, saw, corkscrew, knife, file, pliers, needle, forceps, tweezers, scissors, and a pen. She pulls out the screwdriver and carefully unscrews three of the four screws that hold the screen in place, dropping the screws as far down the shaft as she can. She pries the automatic door open; it does not acknowledge her presence. Inside the two golden disks rotate in a circle of light. Ignoring them, she repeats the maneuver she did on the ventilation shaft outside the room, this time cutting a small hole in it first, not nearly large enough for her arm, but large enough, say, for a rat's. She pulls two dull black bags from a compartment in her leg, putting a golden disk in each, she secures them to her back, careful to shut the door on her way out.)

SCENE: Underground. Panthera walks along a rocky passage singing to herself.

PANTHERA: (sings) Take me to Proximis, home of Day and Night
Where my spark was formed and my siblings hearts are light.
Let me see the buildings, rising to the sky
Let me see the forests where sparks can never die.
Oh, my dear Proximis, never at unrest
No one ever fights us 'cause they know we're the best!
Day and Night will guide me from high up in the stars
Absence from Proximis is so far worse than bars.
Let me see the two moons, shining high and bright
Take me to Proximis, let my heart by light. (she finishes the
Trainee's Bane as she reaches a dead end.)

PANTHERA: Computer, defense down. (a cheerful, motherly voice answers)

COMPUTER: Scanning: Proxian energon signature found. First line defenses off. State pass phrase.

PANTHERA: Patroclus reaches the Isles Blessed while Odysseus goes on to finish the quest.

COMPUTER: Access granted. Welcome, Arcane. (rock moves away and back, it is a single large door, the very rock a part of it)

PANTHERA: Lights! (lights go up, revealing a room. There is a small computer in a corner, only about the size of Panthera, with dozens of cables coming out of it. A status pod lies in another corner, a huge energon crystal shines in another, only part of a larger fragment. There is a pulsating device attached to it. Collections of miscellaneous parts are strewn about. Panthera metamizes, retrieving the two disks off her back, she settles down in a chair for a better look at them both)

PANTHERA: Strange. Computer, am I seeing things or are these written in three different languages?

COMPUTER: These markings are of no language I am programmed with.

PANTHERA: But look, there's English, there's Vicinese, and there's Centurni.

COMPUTER: Markings do not match any of those languages.

PANTHERA: But, look, it's written sloppily... actually, this English e has been changed slightly so it resembles a Vicinese quar, or, if you look at it a different way, a Centurni yeo. It's kinda hard to make out... I wonder if Megatron noticed this. (she squints her eyes, absentmindedly picking up a large blue feather and pulling it under her chin, brushing it against her cheek.)

PANTHERA: Oh... man.... I'm not good at these puzzle things... what the heck is this supposed to mean? (she leans the first disk against her chair and examines the second, her tongue sticking out- which looks a lot less silly than when she does it in beast mode. She sighs and hides the two disks behind a pile of parts.)

PANTHERA: I suppose there's no response yet? (she leans her chair back)

COMPUTER: I would have said immediately if there were. Are you trying to fall over again?

PANTHERA: I always catch myself. (she rocks back and forth to prove it)

COMPUTER: You have neglected your lessons for the last two hundred and seventy-two megacycles.

PANTHERA: So? I'll do it on the trip back to Proximis. Besides, every second I spend doing homework makes my death more likely. While I'm sitting here in inactivity my exostucture gets weaker and weaker. I could be training.

COMPUTER: Every second you spend playing around your mind wastes away. Weren't you the one who said you win because you're "so much smarter than these idgets"?

PANTHERA: Hey, I can't remember all I say. Like I'll ever need to know sixteen languages when I plan on spending the rest of my life in peace, in paradise.

COMPUTER: You just used them to read those disks. Besides, must make the most of your abilities for the good...

PANTHERA: Yeah, of Proximis. Yay. I love Proximis... no, am as obsessed with Proximis as anyone, but must you repeat that phrase so often? (she shakes her head) Poor Ostrava. Bet she didn't even remember why she got kicked offa Proximis. Bet she was half mad. Maybe more.

COMPUTER: Unlikely. She was banished after your departure.

PANTHERA: But we don't know what time we're at, what time she came from... wait a sec... (she picks up the second of the disks, shaking her head) That can't be what it means, she woulda known... I would've... unless I... oh, man, this whole fate and destiny thing's confusing. How many paradoxes will I have to get through to understand this junk? (she nearly tosses the disk across the room, but instead replaces it gently.) Ah, well, back to the dipstick's den...

COMPUTER: When will you return?

PANTHERA: A few days, I suppose. Why?

COMPUTER: Happy birthday.

PANTHERA: What?

COMPUTER: Tomorrow is the second anniversary of your birth.

PANTHERA: (worried) It can't be...

COMPUTER: Quite so. You spent a few weeks traveling in space, but you should not be so surprised.

PANTHERA: How long has someone one survived off of Proximis?

COMPUTER: Proxian?

PANTHERA: Of course, you idiot...

COMPUTER: Two point three six eight megacycles, Daystar Daisanasu, found in desperate...

PANTHERA: What's the least it took for someone to go nuts?

COMPUTER: Two point six megacycles, Fearlight Nighttreader, found in a...

PANTHERA: I don't want to know. I bet I can imagine.

COMPUTER: Length of resistance varies per individual.

PANTHERA: Man, such a shame I don't do the sarcasm thing. I need some bitter remarks right about now. (sighs) Oh, well, if the doorbell knells, don't answer it.

COMPUTER: There is no doorb...

PANTHERA: Forget it. (she drops the feather, picks her slicing bow up and reattaches it to her back. She goes into beast mode, leaving)

PANTHERA: Lights. (the lights turn off)

COMPUTER: Happy Birthday. (Panthera leaves with the door closing behind her)

PANTHERA: I doubt it. (she begins singing the Trainee's Bane before the defenses can arm, head bowed, her tongue sticking out.)

SCENE: Inside Maximal Base. Very early morning. Panthera drags herself in as though walking to the gallows.

RATTRAP: I don't want to sound like I care, but you got a problem, Pan Grease?

PANTHERA: Today's my birthday.

RATTRAP: Oh, and you didn't get that new scratching post you wanted?

PANTHERA: That too. (sighs and walks out dragging her paws)

CHEETOR: Is it just me or should Rattrap be kitty litter right about now?

OPTIMUS: It is odd. She didn't even take a swipe at him.

RATTRAP: And this is a bad thing?

RHINOX: Actually, she's been like that since she came back yesterday.

OPTIMUS: Maybe someone should talk to her...

CHEETOR: Like she'd tell us anything...

OPTIMUS: Yeah, well, I suppose she'll get over it. (he turns his attention to a consul)

RATTRAP: Well, you know how the saying goes... when the cat's away.. the rat will torment her to pieces! Hey, wait up, Pan-demonium!

SCENE: Mountain in a jungle. Tigatron is on the mountain side, exploring a cavern. He comes upon suspended ball, completely round with characters flashing on its surface. It rotates slowly. Tigatron focuses in on it, barely able to make the symbols out in this dark, but he shakes his head. He takes a few steps closer... and almost falls down into a pit, circular, leading down to a much larger cavern. A few stray stones plunk into some unseen lake at its bottom. Tigatron turns away, and is about to step out into the light when the way is blocked by a black shadow- Inferno. Tigatron looks back, but the tunnel goes nowhere, with no places to hide. He maximizes and leans against a wall, hoping Inferno will not notice him...

SCENE: Inside Maximal Base. Rhinox is shaking his head at a computer consul.

RHINOX: Odd, Tigatron's changed his patrol pattern. He's ten glicks farther north-west, looks like on a mountain.

OPTIMUS: Hmm, he must have found something. Better check it out. How far's Airazor?

RHINOX: A long ways. She's keeping an eye on the Predacon base. OPTIMUS: It's in the middle of the jungle... (hits com) Panthera, we need... (Panthera walks in, followed by Rattrap)

OPTIMUS: ...you in sector omega, coordinates eight point three. We think Tigatron found something.

PANTHERA: Big whoop.

OPTIMUS: Panthera, it could have something to do with those aliens.

PANTHERA: Like it matters... (she starts going down the lift platform) ...we're all gonna get vaped sometime anyways. Just some before others. (she lopes towards Tigatron's position)

RATTRAP: That panther is so annoying!! I made fun of her, questioned her grooming habits... even pulled her whiskers and she didn't do a thing! (sits down in a huff) Even when she's depressed she still manages to ruin my fun!

Gifted, pt 2 (PG)
by BluePard (bluepard@buffnet.net)

SCENE: Inside the Mountain. Tigatron leans against the rock wall, his quasar cannon ready. Inferno in robot mode looks suspiciously about from the entrance, and slowly makes his way in. Tigatron presses himself tightly into a slight nook in the nearly flawless wall, waiting for Inferno to pass him. As he does Tigatron aims his gun straight for the back of Inferno's head. He hesitates to shoot a second, his pacifist side halting him... Inferno turns quickly, knocking the gun away, swiping Tigatron with the back of his hand. Tigatron is thrown farther down the corridor, and sprints out of the way before Inferno shoots. They both precede farther and farther down into the earth, Tigatron's mind racing for ideas, Inferno laughing maniacally now, his weapon spinning in his hand. Tigatron, now unarmed, reaches the room of the suspended ball. He ducks just to the left of this entrance, hoping to catch Inferno off guard. Inferno hesitates at the entrance... a stalemate. For some time both hold their positions, refusing to move, when Inferno is shot from behind. He skids just to the edge of the abyss, quickly turning and firing as Panthera jumps out of the way. She shifts her sand shooter to her right hand long enough to pull her slicing bow off of her back, then switches each to the other hand, all while shooting. Inferno dodges her shots and she steps into the cavern. Inferno lunges for Tigatron, who jumps away but is caught by the ankle and held, helpless, over the abyss. As Inferno throws him Panthera shoots her slicing bow, but her aim is off, it just cuts off Inferno's right arm. Panthera starts to lunge for Tigatron's hand but hears a bell behind her and instinctively turns, her gun aimed. IDA stands there, but her fur black instead of red. Tigatron screams as he falls, Panthera turns back and lunges for his hand... misses. Tigatron falls out of sight, followed by the plunk of metal against water. Panthera lies on the edge a second in disbelief at how closely she missed his hand... and is knocked over the side from behind. Hanging by her knees she pulls her hands onto the edge, crying out as Inferno steps on them. He points his fire cannon at her nose, laughing.

INFERNO: You must die!! The Royalty commands it!!

PANTHERA: You know, I like psychopaths as much as anybody, but you really need a personality readjustment.

INFERNO: Your Proxian tricks do not work on me, fool!! I follow only the Royalty!

PANTHERA: Okay, but if you give up now I won't do it to you... (Inferno looks at the gun in his hand, then at the trapped panther)

INFERNO: Do what?

PANTHERA: This!! (she kicks him between the legs, knocking him over the edge and nearly herself with him. He catches onto her head, though, loosing her hands' grip so she now hangs by her knees)

PANTHERA: Lggo a my ead, yur chokig me, you igget! (Obviously, he doesn't let go. She starts to tickle him, causing him to laugh hysterically. As he loosens his grasp an inch Panthera grabs what's left of one arm and bites it. He yells, grabbing for the arm... and letting go.)

INFERNO: AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU SHALL BUUUUUR..... (plunk... Panthera sighs, gazing down into the dark a minute before grabbing onto the edge and carefully maneuvering her hinie onto the firm ground. She shakes a second, then pulls herself together and goes into beast mode.)

IDA: You all right? (Panthera notices IDA, still there)

PANTHERA: You... you killed him!

IDA: Who?

PANTHERA: Tigger! Mr. Pacifist over there!

IDA: I did nothing of the sort. I merely observed...

PANTHERA: If you hadn't distracted me I would've caught him..

IDA: Oh, and your psychic now, is that it?

PANTHERA: You... evil...

IDA: Me...? Evil....?

PANTHERA: What is wrong with you? What gives you the right to hang around so smug and murder and then act like you had nothing to do with it?

IDA: If anyone's a murderer here, it is you. You did not catch him, and you have directly murdered many more. I thought that you would get the drift.... this is a land of learning, not a land of death. I don't care how tasty Predacon may be, no one here may kill and not feel the repercussions.

PANTHERA: You... killed him just to teach me a lesson?

IDA: Oh, you are self-centered. If would have happened anyways, I just sped things up a bit. There are other reasons... I just showed up to make a point.

PANTHERA: And distract me.

IDA: That as well. But, I suppose I ought to go now, you have much explaining to do. Poor Greenpaws... I'd hate to see his face when you tell him the news... (she leaps into the hole, nearly hitting the hanging, revolving globe. She waves at the surprised Panthera on the way down. Panthera waits, but there is no plunk. She shakes her head and leaves the cavern.... wait... she turns and views the globe, her eyes red. It reads, in Vicinese.. "Here a tiger is slaughtered,"... in Centurni, "A fire watered,"... in English, "And a panther martyred.")

PANTHERA: IDA? (silence) Come on, you could at least tell me what "martyred" means! (Still the silence, except for a few burbles from far down on the "lake". Panthera gazes down a long moment, finally turning and returning to the Axalon.)

SCENE: Inside Maximal Base. Panthera enters among worried looks.

OPTIMUS: What happened? We lost Tigatron's signal..

PANTHERA: That's one way to put it. He's gone towards the Light... or wherever Maximals go...

CHEETOR: You... mean...? No, ...how?

PANTHERA: Inferno. Dropped him down some bottomless pit... I almost caught him, but I missed. At least I sent Inferno down with him.

OPTIMUS: Is there any chance he could have surviv...

PANTHERA: I don't know. I didn't see him go, but it was a long way down to some underground lake. If the water didn't finish him I don't doubt that Inferno will.

CHEETOR: You just let him die?

PANTHERA: I tried to save him. I couldn't. I would have, but IDA...

CHEETOR: You said Inferno killed him.

PANTHERA: Inferno dropped him; IDA prevented me from saving him. Then she gloated about it... (she growls very slightly)

CHEETOR: Fine, growl, as though you care. When he was here you played with his conscience for fun and now you're acting like you were his best friend or something... well, you weren't his best friend; I was. I cared and still do and I wouldn't be surprised if you pushed him off that cliff yourself and.. an... (he can't say another word without breaking into tears. He jumps away, off to his room. Optimus shakes his head, off to his own quarters. The rest are silent. One by one they leave, shaking their bowed heads, leaving Panthera alone, wondering what the heck is with everybody)

SCENE: Inside Maximal Base, high noon. Panthera is looking anxiously at a suddenly alighted scanner. Rattrap is playing solitaire.

PANTHERA: The Predacons are headed straight for us! Six angry blips in battle mode! (No one even looks up)

CHEETOR: So?

PANTHERA: So, we have to fight or we'll all be scrapped!

RATTRAP: Who cares... (he moves a seven onto an eight)

AIRAZOR: Let them come.. (she shivers, still not looking up)

OPTIMUS: (shaking his head) What's the point...

PANTHERA: The point is keeping our hides whole, hello? Are you going to fight or not? (Rhinox half-heartedly taps a few controls...)

RHINOX: It doesn't matter. (Panthera shakes her head with disbelief. She bounds away, leaving the base as it is blow to stardust behind her. Megatron's laugh echoes off the mountains. He uses the energon of his conquered planet to send a beacon into the sky, which is soon filled with the Predacon fleet. They land, their afterburners turning the trees to charcoal, until only one remains. Panthera clings tenaciously to the top of it, but it is felled to the tune of Megatron's laughter. It falls over a cliff, Panthera letting go and spinning through space. She is caught by a flung spider's web, and tangles and bobs ridiculously at the end, being slammed into the cliff wall repeatedly)

PANTHERA: OW! Ow, ow, ow.. ow... ow.. (almost bored) ..ow... ow... ow already... Hey! (The web shakes as Tarantulus descends the cord) Don't you dare-oooff... come near me! (she's still getting slammed into the wall) Stay outta my face or I'll eat yours!! (she unsheathes her claws menacingly. Tarantulus stops and thinks a second while Panthera is still getting slammed into the wall as hard as ever. He shrugs and pulls a pair of scissors out of nowhere, starting to cut the cord)

PANTHERA: No, don't you dare, don't you... Aaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Panthera falls to the bottom with a little Wile E. Coyote puff of smoke. Panthera pulls herself out of a panther-shaped hole in the ground, shaking her head) Hey, I'm supposed to wake up before I hit the bottom! (An oversized Megatron picks her up in his head/hand, easily crushing her.)

PANTHERA: (strangled) Don't you ever get tired of trying to kill me?

MEGATRON: Do you get tired of annoying Rattrap?

PANTHERA: (rolls eyes) Ask a stupid question....

MEGATRON: Say hello to the scrapheap, Proxian fool.

PANTHERA: Been there; done that. (Megatron thinks a second)

MEGATRON: Well, then, enjoy the Inferno! (he throws her into another time zone. She lands in a land of fire. She is engulfed by flame and starts to melt away immediately)

PANTHERA: This really stinks. (shrugs) Oh, well. (she melts and her remains are reshaped... what used to be her drops into the hands of Megatron, playing Vanna White)

MEGATRON: Allow me to introduce... the new Panthera Toaster Oven! (Crowd oohhs and ahhs. Panthera wakes up shaking her head.)

PANTHERA: I gotta quit those before-catnap snacks. (she stretches, flexing her claws a bit with a smile. Her smile dissipates as she walks down the halls past each Maximal's quarters. They are all awake, since it's about noon, but she can barely tell. Each had their head bowed, sometimes shaking it a bit, some clutching their heads in their hands, some trying unsuccessfully to busy themselves and forget. Panthera shakes her head in confusion, her tongue sticking out)

PANTHERA: (to herself) Man, look at everyone.... you'd think someone'd died. (she rolls her eyes at her idiocy and softly whacks her head against a wall. As she passes Cheetor's room she looks opposite it, though she hasn't the foggiest idea why. Inside Cheetor's eyes are fixed in a glare, the evil eye as best he can give it. He suppresses a growl. She had been the only one to see Tigatron go. He had no reason to believe her... except for the paltry one about her never having lied yet. In fact, Panthera could feel a dozen evil eyes on her, until she had to turn around. There was no one there. She grumbles at her paranoia, continuing on her way to breakfast, a red shadow in her wake.)

SCENE: Inside Maximal Base, control room, not much later in the day. Panthera is sitting with her feet up on some consul, fingering the chain around her waist and the cloth threaded through one of the many links. She removes it from the chain a second and sniffs it, as though the scent of Vicinis must be on it. Optimus walks in, but she ignores him.

OPTIMUS: Must be pretty hard on you. (she doesn't look up)

PANTHERA: What?

OPTIMUS: I don't know, but you're mourning something. And I don't think it's Tigatron.

PANTHERA: So? (she replaces the cloth) Why should you care? Well, forget that, you're always going to care, but why should I care that you care? (Cheetor enters)

CHEETOR: You should care. We all hate you, at least Optimus is trying not to.

PANTHERA: Oh, please, Greenpaws, you don't know what hate is. Even Megatron doesn't hate me, he's too smart to hate me.

CHEETOR: I can hate you if I want to...

PANTHERA: No, you can't. You're too nice. I haven't done anything to you, and it takes a lot to make a nice person hate.

CHEETOR: Well, forget hate then. What about caring or companionship? You owe Tigatron more than anyone...

PANTHERA: I owe him? I saved Rattrap life but I don't expect anything from him. That's one of your silly Maximal practices. We Proxians are smarter than tha...

CHEETOR: Oh, shut up. Don't you care about anyone here? Just tell me one thing, honestly, Panthera, since you keep telling me how honest you are. If we all died tomorrow, would you care? Would you cry?

PANTHERA: That's two things. (Cheetor grits his teeth a bit, but keeps it in check)

CHEETOR: Would you or would you not mourn us if we all got slagged tomorrow?

PANTHERA: (without hesitation) No. (Cheetor grinds his teeth even more and turns on a dime, abandoning Panthera where she is. Optimus just shakes his head, leaving himself. Panthera gazes at her lap a second, then begins to finger the cloth again)

SCENE: Plains, scattered with rocks. Cheetor is running recklessly, alone. He reaches the spot he recognizes and stops, turning in circles but finding nothing.

CHEETOR: (shouts) IDA! You love to teach so much, well, I'm asking for a lesson!

IDA: Correction, (IDA appears directly behind Cheetor in her trademark way) I do not love to teach. This is a place of learning, and even I am a student here.

CHEETOR: Fine. But you can still answer a question.

IDA: I probably can. Whether I will depends, as most things do.

CHEETOR: I want to know who killed Tigatron.

IDA: I believe you have already asked that question.

CHEETOR: But Panthera never gives straight answers, she twists everything.

IDA: Still, I will not answer what may be found by another means, especially what can found by your own ingenuity. Think, then ask, and you may get your answer. (She waits, apparently expecting a new question now. Cheetor's mind races...)

CHEETOR: Does Panthera lie?

IDA: (smiles) Now there is a question to answer many questions.

CHEETOR: Well?

IDA: No.

CHEETOR: (to himself) So... she doesn't care...

IDA: I do not believe that was the question you asked. (Cheetor looks up, but finds no one. And is not surprised.)

SCENE: Inside Maximal Base. Cheetor enters, Optimus and Rhinox give him worried looks.

OPTIMUS: What were you doing? You could have gotten yourself killed!

CHEETOR: I guess... but I don't think so.

RATTRAP: Well, there goes another one, off to Loopy Land, as though there weren't enough nuts around here already.

CHEETOR: I went to ask IDA a question. I don't think she'd let me get scrapped like that. She wants us to learn. (he shakes his head) Though that doesn't explain Tigatron... (he walks out before he has to hear any "we know how you feel" speeches. He heads for where Panthera is sweeping out her quarters. Not a hard job for her, because of the lack of any personal trinkets.)

CHEETOR: Panthera, do you care about us?

PANTHERA: Depends. (she sweeps a cloud of dust straight into his face)

CHEETOR: On what?

PANTHERA: Whether you want the truth, or whether you want to be able to sleep at night.

CHEETOR: I thought you didn't lie. (Panthera walks to a closet and replaces the old-fashioned broom, then changes into beast mode)

PANTHERA: Ahh, but you haven't read the exceptions list. (she bounds away before he can ask what the exceptions are, her face deprived of its usual evil grin)

SCENE: Panthera's Underground Lair. Panthera walks in, turning on the lights.

PANTHERA: (dejectedly) Panthera metamize. (she transforms, walking to the disks and re-examining them)

COMPUTER: I thought you would not be back today.

PANTHERA: I thought of something. Computer, I've been thinking, and I want to know if I could be right.

COMPUTER: Acknowledged.

PANTHERA: Let's say I somehow got off this rock, went home to Proximis and became a biotechnical engineer like I was trained. Now, Ostrava must have been either a biotechnical engineer or a programming technician. That's the only way she could have learned about that pain scream before anyone else, assuming that's what she got kicked off of Proximis for. And when she tried to use the scream for the bad of Proximis I would've been there. Or will be there. Anyways, my ears are reconfigured, I would've been able to jump her and shut her up long enough for everyone else to reconfigure their ears...

COMPUTER: Confusing.

PANTHERA: But she came here, and she knew who I was, and she didn't try to kill me off like she should have! The only thing I can think of is that only her time on Proximis was wiped off of her memory. That means she'd have to have been on Vicinis when I got voted in... either born on the same date as me or a year later... she wouldn't have known I was the one who got her kicked off of Proximis... or that she'd been on it at all.

COMPUTER: Brilliant, Sherlock. But highly improbable.

PANTHERA: Still, it matches one disk... (she sighs) ...but not the other. Not even the other translations... (she trades the disk for the large blue feather, drawing it under her chin again) ...poor Ostrava... didn't even know what she did wrong...

COMPUTER: That person you are pitying is a Proxian traitor.

PANTHERA: How could anyone not pity her? She separated herself from the only thing she loved, and I'll bet she hated herself to the second she died. (the Computer hums in retrospect while Panthera stares at her reflection in its screen. Her blue-highlighted black form wears her beast form on her back, the top panther fangs just above her brow, her panther jaw just beneath her robot one)

PANTHERA: You know, I look like I killed my panther self and am wearing my hide as a trophy. (she smiles for the first time of the day) Either that or I'm being eaten by my panther self, legs first, about to disappear down my gullet. (she makes a mock look of horror and giggles at the image of herself being swallowed)

COMPUTER: (mockingly) Yes, and the black is so slimming, too. Your lessons?

PANTHERA: They can wait. I have a rendezvous with a vulpine friend... make that fiend... of mine.

SCENE: A hill in the Jungle. Panthera is sitting on one of the rocky outcroppings, watching the sun set.

PANTHERA: IDA!

IDA: (from behind Panthera, naturally) No need to shout.

PANTHERA: What do you do, follow me around?

IDA: Is that what you wanted to ask me?

PANTHERA: No... I wanted to ask you why you killed... sped up... Tigatron's death, he's destroyed less and learned more on this planet than anyone. But I doubt you'd answer.

IDA: That question has already arisen, the answer given.

PANTHERA: Right. Nevermind that I don't understand the answer, that obviously doesn't matter.

IDA: Right. Now you are catching on. (Panthera suppresses a growl)

PANTHERA: Well, then, I don't know what to ask you. I have questions but I'm not about to trust you.

IDA: You should be trustful, Arcane. (Panthera starts)

PANTHERA: How do you know my name?

IDA: The answer lies in my own name. You do not know what IDA stands for, do you, young one?

PANTHERA: No.

IDA: I Don't Answer. There is the answer to many questions you may pose. (Panthera looks like she's trying to burn a hole in IDA's fur with her mind. IDA rises and turns, stopping to look over her shoulder)

IDA: By the way, being a Maximal for a time may have slowed down the effects of AHS. You may still live to see your third birthday. (she seems to smile, though her mask of a face won't allow her to) Happy birthday... (she walks away, straight into nothing, vanishing. Panthera looks dumbfounded at the spot where IDA vanished)

PANTHERA: Hey, you want to give me a real birthday present, tell me how to do that trick! (She is framed against the last rays of light. For the nocturnal panther the day has only begun. She reflects on this fact with a sigh and a shiver)

PANTHERA: Oh, well. Tomorrow's another day... that brings me ever closer to my doom. (she chuckles) Back to normal.