Pendulum, Books 1,2,3 and upcoming books

[Chirpkit]

Pendulum is a series of comic book scripts I have written based on the TV series Code Lyoko. Its post-apocalyptic and according to reviewers "Fantastic! Well written characters compete with realistic problems in a world where adults can no longer hold jurisdiction. Can't wait for the next installment!"

Please enjoy and do remember the series is COPYRIGHT by me, so theft is prohibited.

[PG13]V.O.--Voice over
O.F. --Off Frame
P.O.V. --Point Of View
N.W. --New window

DARK PHOENIX RISEN

INTRODUCTION

OPEN ON BLACK. Nothing.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Prepare yourself.

FEATHER (V.O.)
What you are about to see is the very near future of the world, everywhere. But its not what you want to think it will be.

FEATHER (V.O.)
It became Hell only after X.A.N.A.'s fall. That's when PHOENIX came to be.

FEATHER (V.O.)
That's when our lives changed for the worst.

FADE OUT OF BLACK.

ANGLE: A DARK DIRTY STREET

The apocalypse seems to have fallen. This is France, a corner of it, anyway. The paved roads are dark, wet, disgusting. The stores and markets and restaurants lining it are in bad shape, too. There is broken windows, graffiti covered walls. One or two people are walking, hiding. Many of them in ratty clothes. A guy is being assaulted by a gang, and no one seems to be helping him. Also, it appears to be dusk, but with the hazy air, it is hard to tell.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This is France. My home. Or, what's left of it.

NEW IMAGE. ANGLE: ANOTHER STREET

Just as bad. Everything has a sort of greenish-gray haze of dust and pollution. Cars sit useless and unused on the streets. Again, a few people.

FEATHER (V.O.)
News is that its one of the better places on Earth. Of the places left on Earth where people survive still. Where plagues haven't left entire towns dead and rotting or wars have destroyed it all. That's the world as we now know it.

Since this is one of the better places left, this means Earth is in ashes.

NEW IMAGE: Another street

A skinny, mangy dog is sniffing at something to the side of the road. More buildings with graffiti, broken windows and collapsing roofs.

FEATHER (V.O.)
We'd killed X.A.N.A. That was true. But X.A.N.A. Hadn't been the real threat. Not compared to this. It was what rose from X.A.N.A.'s ashes that brought Hell to Earth.


FEATHER (V.O.)
It was called PHOENIX. We had tried to stop it. But PHOENIX had been too strong. That was when there was the war against it. Humanity against a Computer Virus turned real. Humanity lost. PHOENIX destroyed economies and mostly everything else. It had taken only six short months for this all to happen.

Then, ANGLE: FEATHER

herself. We're close to her as she crouches behind a building. She is quite pretty, even with the scars over her right eye from where it had been shot out. There's small scars from cuts on her face and arms, too. She has golden hair pulled back in a ponytail, and her eyes are golden, too, like a wolf's. She is carrying a burlap sack in hands that are bandaged up to her elbow.

FEATHER (V.O.)
People keep saying its over. That we're all doomed. And I can't blame them. I fear the human race is now an endangered species.

Then, she leaps into the air. FROM BELOW as she falls feet first towards the camera. We see that she is on top of an abandoned house. She is jumping through a hole in the roof.

FEATHER (V.O.)
My name is Feather Pandora Shade.

FEATHER (V.O.)
And I believe that the people who say its over are wrong. I believe that this is only the beginning.

Thunk! She lands on the dirty and dusty carpet in the living room of a formerly nice house.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This house is empty and abandoned. Most in France now are.

Feather walks a little suspiciously down a hallway of the house. She looks in a room and goes in.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I don't like this place. It smells of death. The Wolf in me wants to run.

The room is a bathroom. She kneels down and opens a cupboard.

ANGLE: INSIDE THE CUPBOARD

is a thick roll of white bandages, among other things in there. Feather grabs the roll and a few bottles of who-knows-what. CLOSE ON ONE OF THE BOTTLES AS SHE LOOKS AT IT—The bottle says bactine. Feather stashes them in her burlap sac.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I hate thinking that the people who lived here probably hadn't had time to get this stuff.

FEATHER (V.O.)
So I don't. I need this, and so do my friends.

She turns and exits the bathroom of the abandoned house. She goes back to the living room. She looks up at the hole she came through and crouches. Then, with a superhuman leap, jumps out of the house and back onto the roof.


FEATHER (V.O.)
After you've seen that jump, you may want to know that I am not human. Or, not completely. I'm a Shifter, a breed of superhuman X.A.N.A. Created to try to dominate the world. I turned against my creator, though, and joined my friends in the war against him.

FEATHER (V.O.)
That's how he fell. Its also how PHOENIX rose.

Feather leaps off the roof of the house and onto the ground.

FEATHER
Unh--

She grunts as she lands. CLOSE ON HER FACE as she winces.

FEATHER (V.O.)
But I'm not invincible. I can still die. Its just a lot harder to kill Shifters than it is to kill normal folk.

She straightens. Holding the burlap sack behind her back, she flattens herself against the wall of the house next door. Peering around it, she checks that its safe to go out. It is. She steps away from the wall and into the thick, weedy front lawn of the abandoned house she was just in. Then, A FLASH in her place, really fast. Next panel and she appears to be the same.

ANGLE: UP AT THE SKY

as Feather looks up with us. Greenish, thick clouds. Suddenly, she SPREADS MASSIVE WINGS (about a 19 foot wingspan) and FLAPS INTO THE AIR.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Shifter stands for shapeshifter. I can change into whatever I like, whatever I imagine. It doesn't even have to be a real thing. I can make myself look and sound like any person I want to. I can also read minds and occasionally see into the future. Those are my two main abilities, along with the shifting thing.

FROM BELOW as she flies. She is heading to a specific destination. Random images of her flying as she talks.


FEATHER (V.O.)
Some people may even go so far as to call my kind angels. Maybe we are.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Even while X.A.N.A. Was around, some of his Shifters had turned against him. I was the first. Maybe I inspired them. I don't know.

FEATHER (V.O.)
But after X.A.N.A., the ones who hadn't turned against him had nothing to do. They finally chose to do some good. Well, most of them. The ones that hadn't chosen to be good were killed by the ones who now fought for freedom.

FEATHER (V.O.)
There is not many of us left after PHOENIX. I fear that our numbers may be smaller than that of humanity's by at least half.

FINALLY she dives and comes in for a landing. She lands neatly and folds her wings behind her. Another flash and the wings aren't there anymore. Feather looks at something thats out of Frame.

ANGLE: KADIC ACADEMY

or what's left of it. It isn't in much better condition than most of the other buildings in town. Broken windows. Some of the bricks making up corners of the building have fallen away and left holes.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This is where me and my friends live. And most of the students at Kadic. Most of the day students were dead or missing, except for a few. The Boarding students here...well, they may never see their families again.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Before PHOENIX, it was a school. Kadic Academy. But now it is more of a shelter for the children who went there. The adults are helped a bit by some of my fellow Shifters, who I'd called in to help protect our home.

Feather walks into the building through one of the holes in the corner, which has a blanket over it in an attempt to keep the place warm. She walks into a hallway. The walls are faded and in some places, cracked. Bits of the ceiling tiles have fallen. The girl seems alone in the hallway as she walks down it. Then she comes to a door. There's a red cross on it, but some of it has been scratched away. There's also a word underneath it. “INFIRMARY”. Feather opens the door and steps in.

The infirmary is a massive room. Its about the size of a gym, maybe a bit smaller. There's a few beds towards the back, some of them are sealed off by curtains hanging from the ceiling. Many children, most of the school's remaining inhabitants, are curled up on the floor on blankets. Their clothes are ratty and dirty and they are all a little thin. A couple other Shifters are tending to crying ones. They are easily picked out because some of them have their wings out. Others are in the forms of animals, looking like normal animals.

FEATHER (V.O.)
All the animals in this building are other Shifters in animal forms. This helps keep the children calm, because they have a friendly, furry huggable thing to cuddle. The rest of them are out hunting and foraging for food.

Feather walks into the infirmary, still with her burlap sack. Then another Shifter, a girl with turquoise colored eyes, comes running up. Her name is OPAL.

OPAL
Feather! Did you find anything?

FEATHER
Anything that was canned was rotten, way past their expiration dates. Didn't smell right, either.

OPAL
Oh, no. What are we going to do when we run out?

FEATHER
I don't know. We'll think of something. Are Shock and Violet back yet?

OPAL
Yeah, Shock just got back. He took down a moose in the forest. Violet is still out.

FEATHER
A moose? That'll feed half of us. Was it big?

OPAL
It was huge.

FEATHER
Great. Let me know when Violet gets back, okay?

OPAL
Uh hunh.

Opal walks toward a crying sixth grader. Feather looks on. Is that sadness in her gaze?

FEATHER (V.O.)
I don't like to think this is how they're going to live for the rest of their lives. I wish this wasn't the reality.

Feather moves on toward the beds near the back. Kids in casts or bandages lay in each of them. Some of them are sick. Most of them are sleeping. Feather keeps going until she gets to a certain bed. It is also closed off. Its the last one down the line.

In the bed, we see ODD for the first time. He's asleep, shirtless. His hair looks ratty and dishelved. The first hint that something isn't right is that the former school nurse, YOLANDA, is looking at him with worry in her eyes. She doesn't notice Feather's arrival.

FEATHER
Knock knock...

YOLANDA
(looking up, relieved)
Thank the Lord you're back. Did you get anything?

FEATHER
(digging through the burlap sack)
Not much was really left. I found a few rather large rolls and bandages, some surgical tools from the hospital and a lot of bactine and sanitizers.

YOLANDA
Every little bit counts, Feather.


FEATHER
Yeah, I know.

Feather looks at Odd, still sleeping.

FEATHER
How is he?

YOLANDA
Not much better, I'm afraid. He's under some anesthesia Charlotte brought back, but that's really all I could have done till you got back.

FEATHER
*sigh* I just hope he'll get through this. I know he's tougher than he looks, but...he's only human.

CLOSE on Feather's face. She is very worried.

YOLANDA
Can you get his wounds wrapped up? I have to go check on another patient.

FEATHER
Yeah. I can.

Yolanda leaves. Feather pulls out one of the rolls of bandages and a bottle of bactine/sanitizer. She moves up to stand beside Odd's bed. She pulls down the covers a little. CLOSE on his chest—its a mess of torn skin. The blood has been cleaned away, but its four gaping clawmarks across poor Odd's chest. It looks to be a couple of days old, but it isn't infected or anything. Feather begins to wrap it up.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This is Odd. He isn't in great shape, as you can see. PHOENIX has monsters that roam the world, and one of them had gotten him. I hate to see him like this.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I hadn't been there when it had happened. I'm grateful for that, I guess. I hadn't been there to see the blood.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Blood doesn't bother me. Not under normal circumstances. But I love Odd with all my heart, and he loves me back. Its thanks to him that I'm here telling you this.

FEATHER (V.O.)
He and I can't survive without each other. Which is why I get so freaked when I see his blood.

Feather finishes wrapping up the wound, then stashes what's left of the bandages back in the burlap sack. She goes back and kisses his forehead (he is still asleep), then walks out of there. She heads back out to the area with all the children. She looks at them all.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I'm not the kind of Shifter that Opal is. I don't care for the kids. I'm one of the Shifters who does a lot of everything else.

Next panel, we're zoomed farther from her.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I'm not the cuddly type.


CHAPTER ONE
LATER

Feather is sitting on the cracked and broken steps of what's left of the school. She is looking at a crystal on a string around her neck. ZOOM on the crystal. Its glowing faintly.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Violet hasn't come back yet. I worry about her.

FEATHER (V.O.)
She is a good fighter, but she has a weakness.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Her leg was broken a few years ago and healed badly, leaving her crippled. She insisted on fighting, though.

FEATHER (V.O.)
She's also one of the oldest generations of Shifter. I'm one of the latter. Generation X, to be exact. The most mysterious and by far one of the strongest. Violet is a Generation D, one of the last surviving ones. She isn't as...advanced as I am.

Feather looks up. Nothing seems to have happened. Until we see the group of five other Shifters, randomly shifting out of Bird Kid form and into human form. Feather stands and looks at them. Their leader, named BLADE, is slightly taller than Feather.

FEATHER
There you are. Find anyone?

BLADE
If you mean by corpses, we found several.

FEATHER
Anyone alive?

BLADE
Well...

FEATHER
Well...?


BLADE
We found another Shifter. One of the latter Generations.

FEATHER
Which kind?

BLADE
Generation Y.

FEATHER
...That's an unstable one. Where is she?

Another Shifter comes up. This is VIOLET. Tall, pretty, and a twisted leg.

VIOLET
Well, actually, she found us.

FEATHER
What?


BLADE
We had no choice but to kill her. She came at us with a gun.

FEATHER
*sigh* There's so many of the ones who don't know we can help them.

BLADE
We made it quick, if that's any consolation...

FEATHER
That's not what I'm worried about. Was anyone hurt?

VIOLET
Yeah. Zara took a bullet to the chest. Not a bad one, only grazed her heart. She'll be fine.

Feather peeks behind Violet and Blade. We see ZARA, a young-looking girl. She smiles and wiggles her fingers in a wave, even though she's bleeding badly from a hole in her chest. Feather rolls her eyes.

FEATHER
That girl scares me sometimes. Anything else?

BLADE
'Fraid not.

FEATHER
Well, get inside. Lillian can get Zara patched up in no time.

Blade and the five other Shifters, including Violet and Zara, walk off. Feather remains outside.

FEATHER (V.O.)
We're lucky to have found Lillian while we could have. He was badly wounded when we'd found him, but when he recovered, he showed that one of his abilities was to heal other Shifters. He was the only Generation B still alive.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I don't know what its like to be the only one of your Generation left. I'm an X, and the X is fairly common. Opal and another Shifter, Kendra, are X's, also.


FEATHER (V.O.)
X's all have different abilities defining them. No other Shifter can see the future like I can, and we're always learning of new powers we have. I still have about a dozen left to make themselves known to me.

Feather looks up at the sky. Nothing really new. Then, shadows. Like wings. But as they get closer, we see...they are still more Shifters, in Bird Kid mode. Feather screens here eyes, squints. Then she smiles. The new Shifters land. Three of them. The first is RIOT.

FEATHER
Hey, Riot. Find much?

RIOT
A few wild plants in the woods, a deer or two...

FEATHER
Well, it'll do.

Riot leaves with the other two Shifters following.


FEATHER (V.O.)
Riot wasn't always on our side. Actually, he's the one who managed to shoot my right eye out and not kill me. But I owe it to him. After he joined us, he put his skills to use.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Its always nice to have a guy who can create fire out of nothing. Keeps the kids warm on cold nights. He has also made us reliable weapons with that skill.

Feather walks into the building after them.

FEATHER (V.O.)
The end of the world as we know it can change the heart of even the coldest killer. Because I know that the day my world seemed to end, my heart changed, too.

A FEW HOURS LATER...

Feather is standing by Odd's bed. He's still out. She's just looking at him, worried. ANGLE: FROM ABOVE. Close up on her face. Are those tears in her eyes?

Then...SOUND FX: Knock knock. Feather looks up.

FEATHER
Hi, Ulrich.

Ulrich, a relatively tall boy with brown hair, smiles weakly and comes over to stand beside her.

ULRICH
How's he doin'?

FEATHER
Well, he's not in the best of shape. He's under anesthetics right now.

ULRICH
Can't Lillian do something?

FEATHER
Lillian can only heal other Shifters.

ULRICH
*sigh* He's gonna get through this, right? He's my best friend.

FEATHER
I know. But he's strong. Stronger than he looks. He better get through it.

ULRICH
I know. Odd isn't weak, that's for sure.

Odd actually stirs for once. Moans. He opens his eyes a bit.

ODD
Nghhh...What...where am I?

FEATHER
You're in the infirmary. You were hurt.

ODD
(drowsily)
Oh...So is that why my chest is killing me?
Hi, Ulrich.

ULRICH
Hi.

FEATHER
Yeah, that's why.

ODD
So I'm gonna be here for awhile?

FEATHER
Probably. But you're going to get better. I mean, you're awake, aren't you?

ODD
Awake and feeling like crap seem to have a connection.

FEATHER
Yeah. We had to keep you under anesthetics for a few days while it healed. Its getting better, though.


ODD
Well, at least some of us are.

LATER...

Feather is sitting at the top of one of the dead trees next to Kadic, looking out on the world. Her face is hard. Like stone.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This life is a hard one. Sometimes, you wonder what the point of it all is. Then you remember everything you have, even if its not much.

FEATHER (V.O.)
You remember how much everything is worth to you. After something like this...the value of everything increases tenfold.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Well, that's what I think. If what you have doesn't seem like enough, then look at what you have already and suddenly it makes you realize how lucky you really are.

Feather looks down and in the distance. She squints. We see what she's seeing. A gang of older guys have cornered a girl in an alley. Feather suddenly tenses.

FEATHER (V.O.)
And sometimes, things that aren't yours still have value. Value isn't what you make of it. Its what you know of it.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Days like these, every life, no matter how small, cannot afford to be wasted.

Feather flashes in light again. Then she spreads her wings and leaps off the branch she was sitting on. She DIVES FOR THE GANG of guys, kicking one of them in the side of the side of the head on the way down. Feather lands between the gang and the YOUNG GIRL pressing herself against a dumpster. The guys look confused for a second. Then they move in. Feather waits for them to get closer.

GANGSTER #1
(sinisterly)
Well, looks like our little friend has a guardian angel.

FEATHER
Just come closer. You'll see how angel-like I am.

GANGSTER #2
Come on, precious, we ain't gonna hurt you...

Gangster #2 pulls out a knife as he says that. Feather looks even more pissed off.

FEATHER
You guys got a lotta guts, you know that? Too bad you'll be coughing them up after I kick you.

Gangster #1 LEAPS FOR FEATHER, who dodges and delivers a kick to the guy's abdomen. He falls, screaming in pain. Gangster #2 and the other four gangsters look a bit scared, but they move in anyway. Feather waits.

FEATHER
What, are you scared?


GANGSTER #3
Shut up your face, chick! You're ours.

FEATHER
I don't think so!

Feather charges them, punches #3 in the face. She kicks Gangster #4, but he grabs her foot and twists, pulling her to the ground. Gangster #5 pounces on her while she's down and kicks her in the ribs. Feather retaliates by grabbing the foot of his that's on the ground and pulling it out from under him, making him fall. She leaps to her feet, just as Gangster #2 throws his NASTY SERATED BLADE AT HER AND IT BURIES ITSELF IN HER SHOULDER. Feather stumbles back.

FEATHER
AOW!

GANGSTER #2
'Aow'? That's IT? What are you, some kind of super kid or something?!

FEATHER
(now really pissed)
You have no freaking idea.

Feather PULLS THE KNIFE FROM HER OWN SHOULDER, which is followed by a gush of blood. She winces and groans. Then she throws the knife back at #2 with such precision that he's PINNED TO THE WALL BEHIND HIM by his shirt sleeve. She wheels around and punches #4 in the face, as he was trying to creep up behind her. A recovered #3 and #6 push her against the gritty wall of the building, teeth bared in human snarls. #3 has a strangle hold on her and #6 (is a pervert) and reaches for her butt. Feather lashes out with her leg, nails #3 in the face. She is let away from the wall while #3 falls unconscious. #6 punches her, dropping her to the ground. He straddles her, pinning her to the ground. Pulls out a knife, presses the blade against her throat.

GANGSTER #6
Hold still and be a good girl and maybe I'll let you live!

FEATHER
Don't you DARE do what you're thinking. I can still hurt you, moron!

GANGSTER #6
Oh, yeah? How? You're just a weak chick!

FEATHER
Like THIS!

Feather grabs the arm that is holding the blade with both hands, SNAPS THE BONE IN HIS ARM. #6 screams and falls away. Feather gets to her feet. She turns to the girl, who was watching with huge eyes.

FEATHER
You okay?

YOUNG GIRL
I—I don't know...you...you saved my...

And the girl BURSTS INTO TEARS. Feather kneels in front of the girl.

FEATHER
You got a name?

YOUNG GIRL
(nodding, sobbing hysterically)
I...I'm Cora.

FEATHER
Listen, Cora, I can help you. I know a place with plenty of food. You gotta come with me, okay?

Cora thinks a moment. Then she just gives Feather a big hug and sobs into the older girl's shoulder. Feather looks surprised at first, but then she lifts the girl up, still sobbing, and starts to head back toward the school.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This is what we do a lot of the time. There's a lot of kids left without parents, and they don't have anyone to protect them. Its a miracle she's lived this long.

Feather keeps walking towards the school. The girl is holding onto her tightly. She doesn't seem to mind.

Feather finally comes to the school. She enters, and little Cora looks around in wonder.


CORA
Where are we?

FEATHER
This is where we live.

CORA
There's other kids with wings?

FEATHER
Yep. And lots of kids without 'em, too. We'll take care of you, don't worry.

Feather carries the girl into the infirmary. Cora's eyes get bigger as she looks around the place. We recognize OPAL seeing them, then running towards them.

OPAL
Who's this?

FEATHER
This is Cora. I found her being attacked by a gang.

OPAL
Is she hurt? Are you hurt?

FEATHER
She isn't as far as I know. But take care of her, okay?

Feather looks at Cora, sets her down to stand in front of her. Feather kneels to be at her level.


FEATHER
Cora, this is Opal. She's one of my best friends. She can get you some food and something to drink.

CORA
Okay. You're hurt. Are you gonna cry?

FEATHER
Its not that bad.

Feather smiles.

FEATHER
You'll be safe here, I promise.

Cora nods. This girl is scared and will probably trust anyone at this point.

OPAL
(to Cora, picking her up)
Let's get you washed up, huh?

Feather watches them leave. Cora looks behind Opal at Feather one last time, smiling faintly. Feather smiles back.

She turns and walks down the hall. Feather winces a bit and puts pressure over her wound.

FEATHER (V.O)
That fight was a reminder to me just how non-invincible I am. I can take a lot more than any human, but its still painful. Shifters heal fast, so the pain usually doesn't last a day or so.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Lillian could probably heal me. But I don't want him to have to exhaust himself with it. He's done a lot of healing lately. I don't want him to do more than he needs to.

Feather walks down the hall with the beds, comes to a shelf. ANGLE: THE SHELF is full of medical stuff. Stolen rolls of bandages, sanitizers, ect. Feather takes a roll of bandages and pulls a knife out of a sheath on her belt. She cuts the fabric of her shirt away from her wound, then rests for a bit.


FEATHER (V.O.)
This is a pain in the ass.

Then she unravels a long strip of bandage and begins to wrap up her wound tightly. Blood seeps through the fabric even as she wraps it up.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I've had worse, though. Much worse. This is a mosquito bite compared to what I've had before.

Feather finishes and sits up. She cuts away the rest of the fabric hanging from her shirt where she cut it, leaving her with one strap of her tank top remaining.

She leaves the shelf and heads across to Odd's bed. For the first time, we see AELITA, JEREMIE and YUMI. Ulrich is there, too. Aelita has pink here, Jeremie is the nerd, and Yumi is a pretty Japanese girl. They are talking to Odd, who is mostly awake.


FEATHER
(coming over)
So how's my lovable guy doing?


ODD
Feeling like crap but not moaning about it too much.

YUMI
Read a dictionary, Odd. If you look up the definition of 'moaning too much', your picture will be right there.

AELITA
Oh, he isn't complaining that much.

JEREMIE
Well, I can't blame him. It must hurt.

ODD
You have no idea.


FEATHER
Hey, he's been shot, remember?

ODD
So have I.

FEATHER
...Okay. That's true. But I just got stabbed.

ODD
You okay?

FEATHER
No, but I'll live.

ULRICH
You have a gift for getting hurt.

FEATHER
Yeah, this does seem to happen a lot, doesn't it?


FEATHER (V.O.)
That was an understatement of massive proportions.

A FEW DAYS LATER...

Feather is sitting in a chair by Odd's bed. He's napping. We may or may not see a gross liquid spot on the bandages--infection.

FEATHER (V.O.)
(Looking at him)
As the days go by and Odd's wound refuses to heal, I begin to fear the worst. The flesh is turning a sickly green--infection is setting in. If it keeps getting worse, we have two options: watch him die a slow painful or turn him into a Shifter, which would involve biting him and have him undergo a week of agony as every molecule in his body is remade...

FEATHER (V.O.)
We've got to make a choice. But its his decision.

FEATHER (V.O.)
And I don't want to be the one to tell him what his options are.

A FEW HOURS LATER

Feather is leading a patrol of Shifters through some woods. They are in animal forms. Feather is a tigress. The others are big cats of sorts. her fellow Shifters are ROBER, TINA and SHOCK

FEATHER (V.O.)
I'll admit I need to get my mind off of Odd. So I agree to lead a patrol to search for PHOENIX beasties.

TINA
(spotting something)
Feather! Look!

ANGLE: A CHUNK OF MEAT HANGING FROM A TREE

We may or may not notice that the leaf bed under the meat is thicker.

SHOCK
Just how stupid do they think we are?

FEATHER (V.O.)
PHOENIX lays traps for us Shifters. That's one of them. Sometimes they work...sometimes they don't.

Suddenly Robert sees the meat. A wild look comes into his eye. He can't help it--he runs toward the meat!

FEATHER
Robert! Stop!

But he can't. He hits the thick patch of leaves and suddenly...SOUND FX: Sticks breaking!

TINA
NO!

Robert falls as the sticks over the pit break under his weight. He disappears from view. Feather, Tina and Shock run to the egde of the hole and look in.

ANGLE: The bottom of the hole

Wood spikes are at the bottom of the pit. Robert has been impaled on 4 of them. Its not a pretty sight. But its too late for him--he was killed instantly. Tina, who was his mate, looks horrified.

TINA
No! No, Robert, we'll come get you, we will--

FEATHER
Tina...we can't. You know it.

TINA
But he still has lives left! We aren't gonna leave him down here, are we?

FEATHER (V.O.)
This is the part about being a leader to anyone that I hate most. You feel responsible for every loss.

FEATHER
Even so, we can't get him out. Not without attracting more attention from PHOENIX.

TINA
(sobs)
We can't leave him! Please, we have to get him!

FEATHER
(softly, to Shock)
Let's get her out of here before PHOENIX's beasts find us.

Shock nods and gently pushes Tina away from the pit. Feather takes up the rear. They start, but Feather looks back.

FEATHER
(to dead Robert)
I'm sorry, old friend.

LATER...

Feather, Ulrich, Yumi, Jeremie, Aelita, Yolanda and Opal are standing around Odd's bed. His bandages have been unwrapped--the wound is oozing pus and infectious grossness. Its disgusting. Odd can't take his eyes off it. He looks defeated, like he thinks he's going to die. And for all he knows, he might. No one speaks.
Then...

ODD
...So this is it then? This little scratch is gonna kill me?

ULRICH
Well...

ODD
Well, what?

ULRICH
...Feather?

FEATHER
*sigh* Okay. There is one other option.

ODD
Really? What is it?


FEATHER (V.O.)
How do I say it? "I'm sorry Odd, but if you want to live you'll have to give up your humanity"?

FEATHER
Ummm...Well...

Odd
(bitterly)
Well, spit it out!

FEATHER
Well...One of us...Shifters....would bite you.

ODD
What would that do?

FEATHER
It would turn you into...what I am.

ODD
...Do it.

FEATHER
Wait, Odd, give it some thought, will you?

ODD
I have. I choose life.

FEATHER
No, I mean--you'd be giving up your humanity.

ODD
So?

FEATHER
Don't you see? You have something I've always wanted and you're just throwing it away!

ODD
Would you rather I die?

That strikes her hard. Feather backs away, then darts out of the building.

ODD
(looking after her)
...That's never happened before.

ULRICH
Did you have to be so...'arg' about it?

ODD
I wasn't 'arg' about it.

ULRICH
You were.

YUMI
Smooth one, Odd.

Everyone but Yolanda disbands.

YOLANDA
(after everyone is gone)
So who do you want to do it?

ODD
Do what?

YOLANDA
Bite you.

ODD
Oh.
(beat)
Anyone not Feather. I'm not about to make her do something like that to herself.

YOLANDA
Wise choice. So who do you want to do it?

ODD
No clue. Just...gimme some painkillers, wouldya?

END OF COMIC NO.1 [/PG13]

[Chirpkit]

[PG13]V.O. --Voice over
O.F. --Off Frame
P.O.V. --Point of View
N.W. --New Window


PENDULUM
BOOK TWO: AN ACT OF DISRESPECT

INTRODUCTION

OPEN ABOVE WOODS. The sky is a musty tan color and the trees fade into the distance faster from the pollution. Its a sort of valley with the trees in a sort of wide 'V' shape. One tree is taller than the rest, and there's a female shadow sitting in the higher branches.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I won't say I'm weak.

FEATHER (V.O.)
But I'll say I could be stronger.

Suddenly, ANGLE: FEATHER

is the shadow in the tree. She looks out on the world, troubled. She wears a brown trenchcoat and her gold hair is loose about her shoulders.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Its not that I'm sensitive or anything.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I've fought wars. I've lost wars. I've won some, too. Through each battle I was strengthened. I learned to shut myself out to death.

FEATHER (V.O.)
There's so much of that.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This is all PHOENIX's fault. If it weren't for PHOENIX, Odd might still be able to survive as a human. He could live the life he wanted to live, you know?

Feather turns her head, looks at the tiny bits of sunlight shining through the polluted clouds.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Well...maybe if it weren't for me losing the war that could have saved us all, PHOENIX wouldn't even exist right now. Maybe Odd wouldn't be dying a slow and painful death.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I could have fought harder. I know I could have. But I didn't and now there's no point fighting. Humanity and Shifterkind both suffered because I couldn't have tried just a little harder.

FEATHER (V.O.)
That's the past, though, and its been done.

She hears something, looks down. Spots something. She unfolds a pair of golden wings. Spreads them. Takes off from the tree. As she does this...

FEATHER (V.O.)
I've a new mission.

FEATHER (V.O)
Maybe I can't change the past.

FEATHER (V.O.)
But I can save the future, no matter how difficult it may be.

FEATHER (V.O.)
My name's Feather Pandora Shade.

FEATHER (V.O.)
And I believe that the world hasn't ended just yet.

Feather spirals downward, comes to a landing. Her combat boots (which are old) touch ground with a soft 'thunk'. She sniffs the air, nostrils twitching.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I'm a Shifter. I can take any form I imagine, including animals, humans, other Shifters and even something of my own creation.

FEATHER (V.O.)
That's only part of it. I've got heightened senses even in the form of a human and I can read minds. Occasionally I get these visions from the gods Ren and Lin, AKA the Powers that Be.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Once humans and Shifters were enemies. Only a few humans knew about Shifters and they hunted us for skins to place for half a million dollars on the Black Market.

FEATHER (V.O)
Word got out to the human public of our existence. 7 months after that PHOENIX came to be, and now the majority of the human race depends upon us for survival in a world where civilization's not but a memory.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Its a mixed blessing. Some call us angels. Could be we are. Others...others hold to the old ways. Prejudices are still held by some and its common to find a murdered body in what's left of the streets.

Suddenly Feather disappears in a flash of gold light! It fades and she's a she-wolf of golden coloring. She turns and trots along a hidden trail with intention.

ANGLE: From above

While she slinks about, eyes peeled and most sniffing.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Normally I don't go on patrols like this on my own.

FEATHER (V.O.)
But someone's gotta do it. Besides, the less Shifters on a patrol squad the better. Stealth.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I do this to get my mind off of what Odd told me.

IMAGE: ODD

asleep in a hospital-like place. The Infirmary of Kadic Academy. He's shirtless—bandages are thickly wrapped around his chest. Green ooze and blood spot the bandages. He's hurt bad.

BACK TO FEATHER

FEATHER (V.O.)
I love him. I'd die for him. But he's in trouble.

FEATHER (V.O.)
One of PHOENIX's beasties got him across the chest. The wound got infected and now he's dying. There's only one way to save him, and that's to bite him.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I don't know if its the right thing to do. He agreed so quickly, he was so eager to become a Shifter. In his weakened state, I'm not even sure if he'd survive the Change.

FEATHER (V.O)
If I lost him, I'd die of grief. My love for him is too great.

Feather pauses, hears something. She doesn't move. Sniffs the air. Her ears flatten.


FEATHER (V.O.)
Irritatingly enough, grief isn't the only thing can kill me.

She tenses up as a MASSIVE ROBOTIC BEAST lunges out of the brush ahead of her. Feather springs out of the way and it lands where she was only a millisecond before. The thing has the skull of a fossilized saber-toothed cat and massive claws. Its mostly just a skeleton. Its eyes emit green flames. Feather, the wolf, is only about two thirds its size but she does not back down.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This is a Saber-Jack. They're PHOENIX creations. Part alchemy and part robot. I like to call them kitties.

The Saber-Jack makes a slice at her face with its claws—she dodges just in time.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I do not like them.

A flash of gold and Feather's a human again. She unholsters a gun at her hip and takes aim. Fires, but the bullet ricochets off the thing's metal body and strikes the nearest tree. The Saber-Jack just gets madder and races toward her.

FEATHER
Daaaaaaaaamn...

And she turns and runs back toward the tree. A flash and she has wings again! She lifts off, but the Saber-Jack leaps up after her. Its metal paw catches the back of her leg and its claws sink deep into her calf. It twists its spine and in midair sends her FLYING INTO A TREE.

FEATHER
(upon hitting the tree)
UNH--

The Saber-Jack rushes her as she lays at the base of the treetrunk, dazed. Suddenly she jerks out of her daze and bolts to the right. The beast's claws get caught in the bark where her head was just a moment ago. Feather crouches, keeping her weight off her injured leg. The Saber-Jack tears its paw away from the wood with a loud 'CRACK!' just as two more Saber-Jacks leap into their small clearing. Feather now faces #1, #2, and #3 all at once.

FEATHER
Uh-oh.

Yeah, its your basic “OH CRAP” situation.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I hate to admit it, but this isn't a situation in which I hold the upper hand. I'm outnumbered by metal things with no weaknesses unless you've got some sort of slicing weapon...

Feather reaches behind her, pulls a hatchet out from her belt.

FEATHER (V.O.)
...which I have.

Feather throws the hatchet—and misses. Horribly.

ANGLE: THE HATCHET

as it lands in a nearby pond. The Saber-Jacks stare at it a moment, then back at her as if expecting some sort of explanation to why that sucked so badly.

FEATHER
(“Please?”)
Um...Best two out of three?

She grins nervously. Saber-Jack #1 growls and leads the other two towards Feather.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Look, that was my bad arm, okay, kitty?

FEATHER
This is not enjoying the merits of being planned.

It really isn't. Feather staggers to her feet and runs/limps away from them as fast as she can with an injured leg. The 'Jacks follow her at a run.

FEATHER (V.O.)
In all my years of training, I've learned many things.

FEATHER (V.O.)
One of them is to take advantage of what the gods gave you.

Feather's P.O.V.--there's a tree with a branch about 10 feet off the ground and a steep boulder about two feet behind it.

FEATHER
Praise Lin!

FEATHER (V.O.)
Come on, come on...I got one shot at this and I gotta make it work or I'm dead.

The Saber-Jacks 20 feet behind her have no idea of her plans. Feather passes under the branch and makes a sideways leap onto the rock. She leaps back for the branch, grabs it and swings on it just as the lead Saber-Jack (#1) runs underneath her. The bough she swings on is thick but it breaks as the momentum carries her forward. She lands square on the back of the last Saber-Jack in the group and jams the branch forward and back into is mouth and holds on to each end.

FEATHER
Shouldn't have pissed me off, huh kitty?

The Saber-Jack realizes what's happening and rears onto its hind legs, swinging its head about. She's thrown off, but the stick is held in its mouth by its massive teeth and Feather keeps a firm grasp. It twists around and Feather swings her body in the air, flying back over it and pulling the thing onto its back. Its head is TWISTED OFF and detaches from the body which falls lifelessly into the dirt. The skull clings to the branch, however. Saber-Jacks #1 and #2 come back around. #2 leaps for Feather's head, she swings the bough and uses the dead skull as a bludgeon to SMASH ITS HEAD. Momentum drags its body into that of its companion (#1). Both beasties go flying and hit a tree so hard they shatter apart. Feather watches it with a grim pleasure on her face.

FEATHER
You messed with the wrong vixen, kitty.

She drops the branch with the skull on it and falls to her knees. She spreads both wings. One doesn't open all the way and hangs uselessly about halfway. Feather examines it, winces.

FEATHER (V.O.)
So now what?

FEATHER (V.O.)
My wing's broke and my leg ain't gonna get me very far.

She glares at the remains of the Sabers.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I hate robots.

Feather limps toward the rock by the tree and sits on it.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Mm. When the others realize I ain't back yet they'll send someone out.

She sits. Chews on her nails a bit, looks at a tree, watches an ant crawl next to her.


ANGLE: FROM ABOVE

as she just sits on the rock with nothing to do.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Kinda wish they'd hurry up.

LATER

Its darker out. Feather's moved so she's sitting on the rock leaning with her back against the tree. Looks pretty relaxed and very bored. Somewhat grumpy, too.

FEATHER (V.O.)
When they get here, they're fired.

FEATHER (V.O.)
When they take me home, they're fired.

FEATHER (V.O.)
When I'm better, they're fired.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Wait. I don't even pay them. How can I fire them if I don't pay them?

FEATHER (V.O.)
Damn it.

Her expression gets dirtier and dirtier throughout. Its funny.

Bushes rustle and the ferns part to reveal a Shifter vixen with dark skin. She looks freakishly like Odd's old girlfriend Samantha but with a scar crossing the bridge of her nose. Her name is PATIENCE. Beside her is a Shifter tiercel called HAWK, and I have NO IDEA what he should look like. I guess he'll just be Nathan Fillion that looks 17 or something. I dunno. Two other Shifters, a male and a female by names of SHAMUS and KIERCE. Kierce should have black hair with white tips. Shamus is Irish, by the way.

SHAMUS
Guess what you did, lass?

FEATHER
You're fired.

KIERCE
You can't fire someone you don't pay.
(pause)
Wait, why?

FEATHER
I have tons of new bug bites to scratch. You ought to be faster.

PATIENCE
Think of 'em as entertainment!

FEATHER
(sarcasm)
Oh, I have so much fun scratching myself.

The four Shifters approach their leader. Feather regards them with irritation.

HAWK
You're hurt.

FEATHER
(still sarcastic)
No, I'm playing Hide-and-Seek and I thought I'd hide in plain sight. I'm bad at this game.

KIERCE
(re: The Saber-Jack bits)
You fought a Saber?

FEATHER
Somehow, yes. Three, in fact.

Patience hugs Feather. She obviously adores their leader. In the hug, however, Feather's injured wing is caught.

FEATHER
Ow!

PATIENCE
(backing off)
Sorry.

FEATHER
(to all of them)
Hey, you know, you can just leave me here to get bugbit more or you could help me get back home.
(impatient smile)
Whichever you feel better about.

HAWK
What? And risk damaging your dignity?

FEATHER
I mean it. There's skeeters here and I don't wanna get left.

Hawk just smiles and helps Feather up. Lets her lean on him for support.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I wonder if there's an alternative way to fire them...

They start walking home.


PATIENCE
You really fought three 'jacks off?

FEATHER
Yeah. Not before they could get a chunk out of me, though.

ANGLE: FEATHER'S INJURED LEG

Four puncture wounds where claws pierced skin and muscle. Its bleeding badly but the edges of each wound are glowing a faint gold. Its healing.

SHAMUS
(re: the wound)
Not a bad chunk, either.

FEATHER
You looking at my ass again?

SHAMUS
Not yer arse. Yer leg.

FEATHER
(not believing it)
Sure. How's Odd doing?

KIERCE
He's starting to go downhill. The infection's getting worse.
(pause)
Its killing him, Feather. Why can't you accept his decision to be turned?

FEATHER
Because its...wrong.

KIERCE
He's dying. That's worse.

Feather glares at Kierce.

FEATHER
My fondness of you is decreasing.


KIERCE
You're letting your human mate die because of morals?

FEATHER
I'm not letting him die!

KIERCE
You might as well! He's got only a few days left at the best--

FEATHER
(quietly)
Shut up.

KIERCE
He's running out of time, Feather! You need to--

Feather lets out a scream of anger. With her free hand she pulls an 18 inch dagger from its sheath on her hip. Points it at Kierce's throat. The black haired vixen freezes.

FEATHER
Don't tell me what to do. Ever.

Feather stares Kierce down. The other vixen lowers her gaze. Doesn't take Feather's challenge.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I hate to think she's right.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I hate to think I'm wrong, too.

ANGLE: FROM BEHIND

as they get moving again.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Thing is, I'm so scared of losing the one I love I hide from the problem.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Sometimes I hate myself.

Feather's good wing lowers a bit dejectedly as they walk. None of them notices as they head on home.

END OF INTRODUCTION


CHAPTER ONE

A FEW DAYS LATER

ANGLE: FEATHER

sitting alone in the remains of the Principal's office at Kadic. Her boots rest on the desk. Her amber eyes glow in the dark.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Its not healthy.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I talk of the future. I lie when I say I'm not still caught up in my past.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I am deserving of 1,000 deaths at the hands of savages for what I've done. For the blood on my hands.

FEATHER (V.O.)
It hurts like a fresh wound, despite it being a decade ago. I feel the pain of my victims now. I am racked with guilt.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I've fallen ill with a depraved heart.

FEATHER (V.O.)
They know of my past. But they don't know I'm dying because of it.

Feather looks up.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I'm not alone.

FEATHER
You know, I'm not the only one in the world that can help you.

ANGLE: THE DOORWAY

a girl of about 14 stands there. She has brown hair.

FEATHER (V.O.)
That's Jessica Meyers. She was a student at Kadic before the apocalypse.

JESSICA
I know. I wanted to see you.

Feather moves her feet off the desk and gets to her feet.

FEATHER
Ah. So what can I do?

JESSICA
You're different.

FEATHER
Yeah, and?

JESSICA
You're keeping a secret.

FEATHER
How can you tell?

JESSICA
I've been watching you. You're not eating.

FEATHER
I'm fine.

JESSICA
You're sick.

FEATHER (V.O.)
...That was unexpected. How could she know?

JESSICA
Something's wrong, Feather. I can see it in your eyes.

FEATHER
You're mistaken. I'm perfectly healthy.

JESSICA
Don't lie to me. You're losing weight. Is it Odd?

FEATHER
Its nothing and if it was something it wouldn't be your business.

JESSICA
Just tell me what's going on.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This human is being particularly pushy.

FEATHER
I'm fine. Seriously.

Jessica folds her arms and gives her the “Cut the bullcrap” look.

FEATHER
I don't know how you figured it out. It scares me a little that you did.

JESSICA
Tell me what's going on. I won't blab.


FEATHER (V.O.)
I can see in her thoughts she isn't kidding. I figure I have no choice. I can trust her, I think.

FEATHER
I'm dying.

JESSICA
What?

FEATHER
I'm very sick, human, and I'm dying.

JESSICA
Oh...jeez...I'm sorry...

FEATHER
Yeah, me too.

JESSICA
Is there anything I can...

FEATHER
I wish there was, cub. I wish there was.

There's a sad moment. Feather looks sad, but raises her head.

FEATHER
I don't know how long I have left, so I'm gonna do my best to wrap up my leadership here.

JESSICA
What will we do without you?

FEATHER
You'll do what you did with me. You'll survive.

JESSICA
But you can't die! We still need you!

FEATHER (V.O.)
They're all so desperate. I know they may not survive without me. But that's not something I can help.

FEATHER
I know, Jess. I know. Believe me, I would give anything to stay around and fight for you guys. You're like a family to me.

JESSICA
But...you need to get better. You can do that, right?

FEATHER
I'm sorry. This isn't something that can be helped.

Feather walks out of the office, sullen. Jessica chases after her.

JESSICA
You'll protect us till the end, though, won't you?

FEATHER
Till my very last breath.

Jessica smiles a little. They walk down a hallway, then a flight of stairs. Neither speaks.


FEATHER (V.O.)
She's concerned for me. I guess its warranted. I mean, she's a human. What could she know of death?

Feather doesn't notice Jess watching her.

The two walk down the stairs and suddenly OPAL comes rushing toward them.

OPAL
Feather, you gotta come see this!

FEATHER
What? What is it?

OPAL
You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This could be bad.

OFF FEATHER'S SURPRISED LOOK--

ANGLE: A BED in the Infirmary

where a girl lies unconscious. There's an inverted crucifix among other symbols carved into her face and body. Blood dribbles from the cuts. Feather and Opal stare down at the girl, wide-eyed.

FEATHER
You weren't kidding.

OPAL
She passed out just outside.

FEATHER
(re:the symbols)
I know what these markings are...

OPAL
What? What are they?

Feather puts a hand on the injured girl's forehead, examines the symbols.

FEATHER
I...can't put my finger on it. I've seen them somewhere...

The girl blinks awake.

GIRL
Nyugh...
(re: Feather)
Nova...? Nova...you okay?

FEATHER
What? Who's Nova?
(to Opal)
You know how Nova is?

OPAL
No...

GIRL
I'm so glad you got away...Didn't wanna leave you back...back there...

FEATHER
Um...this is an unusual turn of events.
(to the girl)
Who are you?

GIRL
I'm...your sister...I'm Saffron...don't you...recognize...?

The girl passes out.

FEATHER
Get Yolanda. This girl needs treatment now.

OPAL
'Kay. And Feather...?

FEATHER
Yeah?

OPAL
Odd's getting worse. He needs the bite by tomorrow or he's a goner.

Feather takes that in with a registering look before walking away.

LATER

Feather is sitting on a rock in Kadic's debris-filled courtyard. She's staring at a piece of paper in her hand. On it are drawn copies of the symbols on Saffron's body.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I know I've seen these someplace. Just don't remember where.

ANGLE: THE INVERTED CRUCIFIX

on the paper.

FEATHER (V.O.)
The cross is old. Its been used by Satanists for centuries. Its got something to do with these other symbols, too.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Its a stretch, but there's someone who might know what this means.

ANGLE: A NERDY BOY READING A TATTERED BOOK

in the Infirmary. Feather's shadow falls over him. He looks up.

FEATHER (V.O.)
This is Jeremie Belpois. He was part of Team Lyoko with Odd, Yumi Ishiyama, Ulrich Stern, Aelita Schaeffer and I before PHOENIX.

FEATHER (V.O.)
We called him Einstein back then for a reason.

Feather kneels by Jeremie.

JEREMIE
Hiya. You seem rather cryptic.

FEATHER
(handing him notebook)
Ever seen these before?

Jeremie examines the symbols. Flips a page. Pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

JEREMIE
The inverted crucifix is Satanic and I think this one's the logo for the Blue Oyster Cult...

FEATHER
Seriously.

JEREMIE
This one's an ankh, the Egyptian symbol of life.

FEATHER
So its a mix of beliefs then?

JEREMIE
From what I can tell...Someone was trying to preform something on someone.

FEATHER
Oh, that's not at all comforting...

JEREMIE
Where'd you find these, anyway?

FEATHER
Newcomer.

JEREMIE
Explain?

FEATHER
Later. Thanks, Jere.

Feather gets up. Jeremie reburies himself in his book.

ANGLE: SAFFRON

from above. She's out. Opal and Yolanda are tending to her. Feather taps Opal on the shoulder.

FEATHER
C'mere.

Opal follows Feather out.

FEATHER
The inverted crucifix is ancient Satanism and this one's an Egyptian ankh.

OPAL
Okay. Any clues on the other ones?

FEATHER
None so far. Whoever did this to that poor cub didn't have good intentions, that's for damn sure.

OPAL
Think it could be a cult?

FEATHER
Could be. I'm gonna search the library, see what I can dig up.

OPAL
Alright.

FEATHER
How's Saffron?

OPAL
Delirious. Keeps asking for this 'Nova' person. I think what we have is a post-trauma case.

FEATHER
Good. Well, not, good good, but...you get what I mean. Keep me posted.

LATER....

Feather sits at a dusty table, books open around her. Old books.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Its weird.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Its as though these symbols never existed. Only a few I could find, and they were part of an old sacrificial ceremony in Europe during the age of Transylvania...

FEATHER (V.O.)
Whatever this cult was, it was a nasty one. Pentagrams and unholy symbols were cut into this girl's skin...

FEATHER (V.O.)
I know what that's like.

ANGLE: FROM THE BACK AT A WOUNDED, SICKLY FEATHER

chained to the rafters of a dungeon, dangling by her wrists. She's topless and her head hangs limply on her chest. Whip lashes trail down her back, oozing blood. Suddenly RIOT comes in, smiling evilly. She drowsily wakes, sees him. Tears fall down her face and we see a strip of skin is missing from one side of her face. Her eye on that side is merely a slit. Its the same on her shoulder. Riot sidles up to her, grins cruelly. Unbuttons her pants and ever so softly...kisses her limp, weak lips. She's too weak to fight him as--

ANGLE: PRESENT DAY FEATHER

jerking out of the memory.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Riot became an ally after PHOENIX...but I'll never trust him, nor will I forgive him, for what he has done to me.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Rape is unforgivable. Among other things he's done. But grudges cannot be held anymore. Now its survival that matters.

Feather closes the book in front of her. She gets up, about to leave. Sees Riot standing before her.

FEATHER
BWAAAH--!

RIOT
Sorry to scare you, but we need to talk.

Feather takes a step back.

FEATHER
What about?

RIOT
You're in heat. I can smell it. Our species is endangered, Feather. You know we must think of the future.

FEATHER
Riot, no. I can't afford a litter right now. The humans need me.

RIOT
You don't have to care for the cubs. We could have Opal do it.

FEATHER
Riot, no. That's an order. Odd is my mate, not you.

RIOT
What if he doesn't survive the change?

Riot walks forward, gazes into her eyes.

FEATHER
He will.

Riot touches her face with his hand.

RIOT
Will he?

He gently pulls her in...before Feather realizes what happens they're kissing. Her eyes widen as she pulls away.

FEATHER
(enunciating)
He will survive.

RIOT
How do you know? Feather, I love you. I want you more than the stars themselves. Why can't we be together just for one night?

FEATHER
Because you've hurt me too much. I can never love you.

Riot pushes her against the table. Smiles.


RIOT
How do you know that till you give it a try?

He begins sliding his fingers into her pants...and she grabs his wrist. She twists his arm behind him. He cries out in pain.

FEATHER
I know because I cannot love someone who has abused the sacred act of mating.

She lets him go and stalks out of the library. We watch her lunge for a nearby tree and vault to its middle branches.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Riot scares me. I have no idea why I trust him to stay here. He's tried to rape me before PHOENIX and he's tried to seduce me after it, too. I guess I keep him here because he's one of our best fighters.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Odd hates it, though. Riot once held me captive for 6 months during the days of X.A.N.A. He tortured me, raped me, starved me and electrocuted me there in the hopes of getting information out of me.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I came back less than sane and Odd's hated Riot ever since. I can't blame him, though.

Feather sits up there a moment before leaping down and heading for the building with the Infirmary. She enters through a blanket covering a hole gouged out of the corner of the building. Walks down a hall. She enters the Infirmary and tracks Opal down. When she finds her...

FEATHER
Opal. These are old occult symbols at least ten thousand years old.

OPAL
Which means...

FEATHER
...someone's sacrificing to Rak.


FEATHER (V.O.)
Rak. The Shifter word for X.A.N.A. Rak is the god of the underworld. He's said to have created the Shifters.

FEATHER (V.O.)
He was trapped in the supercomputer as an Artificial intelligence and I'd be willing to bet he's come back as PHOENIX.

OPAL
What do we do?

FEATHER
Wait till Saffron's better. Then we'll talk to her.

Opal nods, exits. Feather leaves the Infirmary just as JESSICA catches up with her. Feather is in less than a good mood.

JESSICA
Where 'ya goin'?

FEATHER
Places.

JESSICA
Well, yeah, but what kinda places?

FEATHER
(stops, unamused look)
Saturn.

JESSICA
(“OMFGNOWAY”)
WHOAH.

Feather starts walking again, leaves the infirmary. Jessica follows.

JESSICA
So whatcha gonna do?

Feather doesn't say a word till they get outside. She heads to the stairs and sits on the railing with perfect balance. Looks up.

FEATHER
I'm sittin'.

JESSICA
Okay...Can I sit?

FEATHER
(shrugs)
Free post-apocalypse.

Jessica flops down on the dusty stairs. Looks like she's expecting something awesome. A few moments.

JESSICA
...Your silence is revealing.

FEATHER
(eye roll)
Is it now?

JESSICA
Uh-huh. You remind me of that thinking statue with the naked guy on the rock.

FEATHER
'The Thinker'?

JESSICA
Yeah.
(beat)
So Whaddaya thinkin' bout?

FEATHER
...You're a fan of talking, aren't you?

JESSICA
Only on Saturdays.

FEATHER
Today is Wednesday.

JESSICA
I know.

Feather facepalms. She obviously wants to be left alone.

JESSICA
Whassa matter?

FEATHER
(flatly)
Headache. Oh, and there's the whole dying thing.

SUDDENLY--

ULRICH (O.F.)
What 'dying' thing?

FEATHER (V.O.)
Was there a bulletin I missed on it being 'Bother Feather Day'?

FEATHER
Nothing. I'm just dying for some Gatorade.

ULRICH
Feather, no. You know how you get when you're drunk. Remember that time you ordered Opal to start a ferret orgy?

FEATHER
No...

ULRICH
You woke up naked in a ceiling shortly after. How could you forget?

FEATHER
Intention?

JESSICA
Whoah. You can get drunk on GATORADE?

FEATHER
(facepalms again)
Oh dear gods.

ULRICH
Yeah. She can't have any energy drinks or it hits her system like a glass of pure alcohol.

JESSICA
Wow.

FEATHER
Ulrich can tell you this and more if you go elsewhere with him.

JESSICA
But I don't wanna leave...

FEATHER
Would you rather sit here and have a lecture on the stupidity of humans as a species?

Jessica chases after Ulrich.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I might have offended her but at the moment I could care less.

ANGLE: THE SKY

Musty, cloudy, polluted, greenish. Pretty much what it looks like after an apocalypse, which it is. FOUR SHADOWS OF WINGED SHIFTERS are in the distance.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Time to see what the scouts brought back...

FOUR SHIFTERS LAND IN FRONT OF HER. We recognize TINA and SHOCK from Book One and SHAMUS from the Prologue. The fourth is a dark hair-ed female called BROOKER.

FEATHER
Bring stuff back?

BROOKER
We found supplies, and a good source of them, too.

FEATHER
Really. Where?

SHAMUS
About 150 miles out there's an abandoned hospital hasn't been bothered by much. Lots of good stuff in there.

FEATHER
Shiny. What sorta things didja get?

Brooker takes off her backpack, unzips it. Starts reaching in to pull something out--

FEATHER
Hey, I ain't Lillian. Show him and Yolanda.

BROOKER
(putting on the backpack again)
Copy that.

They move off.

FEATHER
(as they go)
Shock, can I ask you something?

SHOCK
(breaks away from the patrol)
Sure.

Its just him and Feather. She pulls out the slip of paper with the symbols on it. Hands it to him.

FEATHER
Ever seen these before?

Shock examines them, then suddenly his eyes widen.

SHOCK
Where'd you find these?

FEATHER
Human cub. A vixen. Had these cut into her skin.

SHOCK
I severely hope not...

FEATHER
...why?

SHOCK
...The Tribes are rising.

FEATHER (V.O.)
...Idon't like how this sounds.

END OF CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO

LATER

ANGLE: FEATHER

leading a gang of Shifters (SHOCK, TINA, VIOLET, BLADE) down an abandoned street. We notice JEREMIE, the human nerd, is among them, riding on Tina (who is a horse).

FEATHER (V.O.)
Shock thinks we may be able to find out more about some of these symbols at the human place where knowledge is stored—a library.

FEATHER (V.O.)
We brought Jeremie because he's good at looking stuff up in books and retaining what he's learned.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Its dangerous to have him out but we'll protect him from the world at all costs. Besides, he knows where the library is.

JEREMIE
Hang a left at this intersection.

They walk down a different street and we see the library for the first time. A big building with the words “French National Library” in big letters on the front. The 'F' and the 't' are both missing, but the structure is in good shape.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Given the rate of illiteracy in the world, its no surprise the majority of the libraries are still intact. Sadly, the smart humans stopped caring about libraries after the end of the world.

They walk up to the front of the library. Feather signals for them to wait outside for her as she inches toward the glass door. She pulls her gun from its holster and slinks inside, ready to shoot anything that moves. Looks around. Its clear. She opens the door.

FEATHER
We're good for this area. I don't smell humans or Shifters.

The others enter the library.

ANGLE: INSIDE THE LIBRARY

at the bits of fallen debris from the ceiling. The catwalk above for the second level is in lousy shape. The shelves are dusty but full of books. Feather leads them down an aisle and Jeremie hops off of Tina the horse. Begins examining titles of books. Shock, Blade and Violet do the same, but Violet moves more slowly what with her crippled leg.

VIOLET
Its amazing what they've left here...

SHOCK
(pulling out a book)
Ooh, hey! A Steven King!

BLADE
Do you even know who that is?

JEREMIE
Gimme. Odd's gonna want it when he gets better. He likes horror.

Feather flinches at the name of her lover.

FEATHER
Look alive, people.

SHOCK
Yeah, because books could fly out and bruise us at any moment.

Feather shoots him a “You're on eggshells” look. He doesn't care.

FEATHER
You know, I once read in ancient texts that leaders are supposed to be respected and, you know, listened to.

VIOLET
Yeah, but that was before science.

Tina shifts back to human form and starts exploring the rest of the library. Feather nods at Blade, he nods back and follows her.

FEATHER (V.O.)
They'll do the scouting. See what they can find.

VIOLET
Wait, aren't we looking for old books on Satanism and the like?

FEATHER
Yeah...

VIOLET
So why are we over here looking at Stephen Spielberg or whatever his name is?

FEATHER
...Good point. Let's move on, folks.

JEREMIE
Isn't there a section for religion-based books?

FEATHER
Might be. I don't know, we'll get there when we get there.

They move on, head toward the “History” section. Jeremie looks around, curious.

JEREMIE
Maybe the computers are still up?

FEATHER
I doubt it.

They start looking through books. Feather stands guard.

SHOCK
(reading titles)
“Are You a Witch?”...”Octagons: The Hidden Meaning”...”Our Lord Thy Hecate”...

VIOLET
...Hecate's a vixen. Not a tiercel...she can't be a lord, can she?

SHOCK
Maybe she got a sex change operation human vixens get after their breasts are too small.


FEATHER
Those are breast augmentations, Shock. Sex change operations are for homosexuals and women with chest hair.

SHOCK
Oh. I see.

They keep looking.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Odd's the one who taught me that. I don't even know if he's still alive. I left at a bad time. I love him, but I can't bear to lose him...

FEATHER (V.O.)
I miss him so much.

Shock pulls out a thick, leather-bound book.

SHOCK
“Ancient Symbols and Their Meanings: A Guide”. Yup. I think this is the one.

FEATHER
Shiny. Pack it up and keep looking. Lets not have to make a second trip.

Jeremie pulls a thinner book out.

JEREMIE
...”Space and Jesus: Could Our Savior Survive in Space?”...the crap...?

SHOCK
Hey. Cool. Jesus. That's a kind of rodent, isn't it?

FEATHER
Actually he's kind of a big thing among human belief.

JEREMIE
Well, unless you're a Buddhist, at which point I think you're a class 'A' freak.


FEATHER
You hate Buddhists?

JEREMIE
Their statues scare me. I mean, they pray to a fat guy.

FEATHER
I'm gonna say your parents never taught you about tolerance.

SHOCK
What's a Buddhist?

FEATHER
Some religion. I don't really know.

JEREMIE
I always feel like I'm being watched when there's a Buddhist around...

Feather facepalms. She's embarrassed.


LATER

Shock's backpack is filled with thick books. Tina's a horse again and Jeremie is on her back with a tight hold on her mane. Feather, Blade, and Violet are present. They're all standing outside the library.

FEATHER
C'mon. Its getting dark.

Feather leads them toward home. They walk in silence for a while.

JEREMIE
Think Odd's still around?

Feather flinches visibly.

FEATHER
We can hope.

SHOCK
If he's turned, it'll be good for the Clan. We could use some new Shifter blood.

FEATHER
sigh Shifter blood. Too much of that has been spilled lately...

FEATHER (V.O.)
With the loss of Tina's mate, Robert, there's been hope of finding someone to replace him.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Hope like that has been in short supply as of recent times.

SOUND FX: BANG!

SHOCK
(in pain)
AUGH!

Shock goes down, clutching his shoulder. They all turn, surprised.

ANGLE: FEATHER'S P.O.V.

At the group of 20-25 human gang members. Their leader lowers his gun—he shot Shock. They're all armed.

GANG LEADER
Always wondered what shapeshifter tastes like...

FEATHER
(to Tina, Violet and Blade)
Get Shock and Jeremie to Kadic. Now.

GANG LEADER
(to his followers)
Waste 'em!

The gang members start firing just as Blade lifts Shock onto Tina's back behind Jeremie. Tina charges down the street and avoids bullets. Blade follows but TRIPS—he's an easy target for the gang. Feather sees this.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I don't fight a fight I can't win, and this is one I know I can't win.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I could turn and run. Save myself. Leave Blade. Sure, we got other Shifters to replace him.

FEATHER (V.O.)
But I won't. I'm a leader, and a leader protects her own.

Feather dives in front of the fallen Blade, about to take bullets.

FEATHER (V.O.)
Even if that means making sacrifices.

The bullets pepper Feather's body, filling her chest, abdomen and lower neck with holes. Blade watches, horrified. The gang stops firing when Feather hits the ground, surprised that she'd do something like that for an expendable Shifter. It only lasts a moment, though. Blade stares at his leader, horror written all over his face.

FEATHER
(gasping)
What're you...waitin' for...?

Blade jerks out of his horror and darts down the street after Tina. Feather watches him go, blood pouring from her wounds.

FEATHER (V.O.)
He's safe, at least. The annoying thing is that I have to pay the price. Why is it that when something bad happens to me, it always happens worse than it would any other person or Shifter?

The gang comes up to Feather. Surrounds her. The leader bends down, looks into her face. Blood trickles from her mouth.

GANG LEADER
You just volunteered to be dinner.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I'm okay with being shot. I'm okay with dying because of being shot. I'm okay with losing an arm. What I'm NOT okay with is being eaten by these incompetent bastards.


FEATHER
(still gasping for breath)
I don't...like that...

GANG LEADER
Well that's too—GAK!

Feather's arm flies up and catches him around the throat. Snaps his neck with ease. His body falls limp. Dead.

The rest of the gang look at their dead leader. One of the gang members grins evilly at Feather. She glares up at them with a look of annoyance as if her many bullet wounds were merely a bug bite.

GANGSTER #1
Hey...you're that bitch that kicked me...

FEATHER
Oh...you remember that...?

GANGSTER #1
We're gonna have fun with you...

FEATHER (V.O.)
...At least I won't get ate.

FEATHER
Will you now...?

GANGSTER #1
(to the rest of the gang)
Tie her up. She's a Shifter. She deserves it.

They force her to stand as they tie her to a lamp post. She's weak from blood loss and she lets out a yelp when one of them punch her in a bullet hole. It hurts.

Gangster #1 pulls out his gun. Aims it at her gut. Fires. Feather grunts with the impact but gives no other hints that it hurts. He fires again, this time at her chest. The bullet breaks her collarbone—she lets out a short wail, then starts coughing. Bloody saliva dribbles from her lips.


GANGSTER #1
C'mon. I wanna hear you scream.

FEATHER
(moaning)
Tough luck, pal...

#1 shoots her again, this time aiming for her breast. She groans as blood begins to pool at her feet.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I don't want to die like this. Not at the hands of humans. But I get the feeling this guy's got something against me personally and that he won't stop hurting me till I scream.

Gangster #1 borrows a knife from one of his buds and starts slicing at her chest and stomach. Blood poools faster and Feather starts to lose consciousness.


GANGSTER #1
Tired? I know what'll wake you up...
(to his followers)
Bring me some alcohol...

One of his guys gives him a bottle of beer. #1 opens it and starts pouring it on Feather's wounds. The alcohol in it burns life fire and at last she lets out a scream.

FEATHER (V.O.)
At first the pain is like acid. Then I realize...if I die on 'em, they can't hurt me anymore. I don't have to take this bullcrap.

FEATHER (V.O.)
But just as soon as I start letting go...

GANGSTER #1
(Re: her scream)
There. Was that so hard? We're done here.

He picks up the knife and SLASHES HER ACROSS THE THROAT. Her eyes widen as she chokes on her own blood. Her jugular is cut and suddenly her whole shirt is scarlet with her lifeblood.

FEATHER (V.O.)
If Odd is truly dead...

FEATHER (V.O.)
...well, I'll be meeting him soon.

Her head hangs limp. GANGSTER #2 checks her pulse.

GANGSTER #2
Yep. She's dead.

OFF FEATHER'S LIFELESS BODY--

ANGLE: THE REST OF THE SHIFTER GROUP

They're running at full speed back to Kadic. As soon as they enter the infirmary, Tina lets Jeremie and Shock off her back. She turns human and leads Shock to OPAL.


TINA
Take care of him. We need a full patrol of Shifters ready for a firefight. Now.

OPAL
What? What happened--?

BLADE
Shifter haters. A gang of about 25.

OPAL
Okay, but why the patrol--

TINA
They've got Feather.

Opal's jaw drops.

OPAL
Find who you can. If you're lucky, you won't need 'em.

Blade nods, starts going around. Suddenly YOLANDA (the former school nurse) comes running up to Opal.

YOLANDA
Opal, where's Feather?

OPAL
We don't know. Why?

YOLANDA
Odd needs the bite. Now. He's gonna die if we don't.

MOMENTS LATER...

ANGLE: THE BARRACKS

or what's left of the cafeteria. 12 Shifters are stocking up on ammunition for AK47s and the like. Some are putting on body armor. TINA and BLADE are leading them. We may or may not notice Blade packing a white sheet in his backpack.

Tina stands at the door of the cafeteria.

TINA
Come on! Move it move it move it! Out the door, out the door!

As they leave the cafeteria, the Shifters take the forms of assorted predators and they race off of Kadic campus. Tina and Blade lead them as wolves.

TINA
Hurry, she could be dying--

They round the corner to the stretch of street where they left Feather. Tina finds where their leader had lain. They follow the blood trail to where they tied her up. Shifters break off and begin checking for scents. Blade finds the huge pool of Feather's blood at the base of the lamp post the gang had tied her to. The gang leader's body is gone. So is Feather's.

TINA
Where could she be...?

Tina spots a smear of blood leading toward a 20 foot hole in the ground where a building once stood. She follows it to the edge of the hole and looks down.

ANGLE: IN THE HOLE

Feather's body lies at the bottom. Tina stares in horror when she realizes their leader didn't even have time to shut her eyes...

TINA
We were too late...

BLADE
What?

ANGLE: FROM INSIDE THE HOLE AT TINA

Blade and the other Shifters come up beside her. They see their leader and not one of them speaks.

BLADE
She should come back...I mean, she's got lives left...


TINA
But every life counts these days...we could have saved her...

BLADE
No, we couldn't have, Tina. She'll understand.
(to the Shifters)
Come on. We gotta get her out of there and assess the damage...

LATER...

ANGLE: THE INFIRMARY

the kids and Shifters do their jobs...and suddenly they look up.

NEW FRAME: All we see is legs and a a sheet with something heavy in it. ZOOM IN as the Shifters put the sheet down...the corners fall away to reveal FEATHER lying in it. She's very clearly dead. The kids stare in disbelief. Could their leader have possibly lost a fight?

Opal comes up and stares, shocked. Tina's gaze doesn't leave the floorboards as she stalks past Opal toward the recovery ward where all the beds are.

TINA
(as she passes Opal)
I'll get a bed ready.

MOMENTS LATER

We watch as they lift Feather's body onto one of the beds. Opal starts examining the bullet wounds. There's a lot of them.

OPAL
The injuries are extensive...

TINA
And...?

OPAL
There's too many bullets in her. We gotta get them out or she won't come back, and even then...

BLADE
What do you think killed her? Aside from...you know, the bullets...

OPAL
(pulling the skin apart on Feather's slashed throat)
This is really deep. They cut her jugular...not an easy way to die. She died choking on her own blood.

Tina looks unnerved by this.

OPAL
They wanted her to suffer before they killed her...that's why she's got beer on her, they knew the alcohol would...
(re: Feather's dead, staring eyes, unnerved)
...Didja have to leave her eyes open?

TINA
...Sorry. We just...didn't want to touch her.

BLADE
Is she gonna come back if you do get the bullets out?

OPAL
Its all up to the Gods.

TINA
Is Odd...dead?

OPAL
Under heavy anesthesia. I had to bite him, we had no other choice. Feather's gonna be mad at me...

TINA
You did the right thing, Opal.

Opal opens a drawer full of surgical equipment.

OPAL
I hope so. Now scat so I can make our leader revivable.

The others leave and Opal begins to work...

SEVEN DAYS LATER

Blackness.

ODD
IS she gonna be okay?

OPAL
Give her time, Odd. She'll wake up when her body is ready.

ODD
But Opal...

OPAL
Just because you're bigger than me now doesn't give you the rights to whine.

ODD
Awww.

ANGLE: FEATHER'S P.O.V.

As she opens her eyes. Odd is there, smiling at her. Healthy.

ODD
Welcome back, babe.

He hugs her tight, tears rolling down his cheeks. CLOSE to see his eye color has gone from blue to a RICH, LUMINOUS PURPLE. And that may not be the only way he's changed.

END OF COMIC NO.2[/PG13]

[Chirpkit]

[PG13]V.O. --Voice over
O.F. --Off Frame
P.O.V. --Point of View
N.W. --New Window


PENDULUM
BOOK THREE:

INTRODUCTION

OPEN ON FEATHER, pretty much the poster child for 'surprised. Picking up where the last book left off, she's wrapped in the embrace of Odd, who is now a Shifter.

ANGLE: ODD'S FACE

where tears roll down his cheeks as he holds her tight.

ODD
Oh, Feather, I thought I'd never see you again...

FEATHER (V.O.)
I don't know what to feel at first...I mean, its all kind of hitting me at once.

FEATHER (V.O.)
The one who is huggin' me is my mate, Odd. Except that it isn't him. He's not human anymore, and I don't know if that'll have changed him.

FEATHER (V.O.)
He may not be the same Odd I fell in love with so long ago. He could be different. He's got more hormones in his system. He could be more impulsive or...

FEATHER (V.O.)
And then I smell his scent and I know...or at least, I think I know that he hasn't changed. For one moment in my life everything is perfect.

Feather hugs back and buries her face into his neck. Could those be tears in her eyes?


FEATHER
I thought I was going to lose you...

ODD
You nearly did.

There's a moment in which they just hold each other.

FEATHER (V.O.)
And then it dawns on me once more that Shifters and humans are now endangered. PHOENIX is still around.

FEATHER (V.O.)
But I'm still happy.


They break apart and look into each other's eyes, smiling. Suddenly Feather notices something...

FEATHER
Your eyes...

ODD
They're purple. I know.

FEATHER
They aren't blue...

ODD
Yeah, I believe I just said they were purple.
(beat)
...You don't like them?

FEATHER
No, I...I'm just not...used to them. Its...they're beautiful.

Odd smiles at her. Doesn't seem to notice the horrific scar running down the right side of her face that's left one mangled eye unable to open all the way. He loves her for who she is.

ODD
Nowhere near as beautiful as yours.


FEATHER
Your voice is deeper...

ODD
Only Shifters seem to notice that...

FEATHER
Well its not that much deeper. The others wouldn't notice, what with their human ears...
(beat)
Oh my gods. Is that...facial hair?

ODD
(feeling his chin)
I have stubble?

FEATHER
Yeah. Just a teeny bit, though. I kinda like it.

ODD
Notice anything else...?

FEATHER
(looks him over hard)
Not...really...

ODD
Might have something to do with width...

FEATHER
Um...

Odd stands up, arms apart. And then Feather realizes...

FEATHER
You ain't scrawny anymore!

ODD
And...

FEATHER
...You're taller...when did that happen?


ODD
When Opal bit me I grew nearly two feet.

FEATHER
I doubt it...

ODD
Here, get up and I'll prove it to you.

The curtain flies open and Opal is standing there looking more than a little nervous.

OPAL
Not if I can help it.

She walks forward and takes the sheets covering Feather's body.

OPAL
(to Odd)
Don't look.

Odd looks away and Opal WHIPS THE SHEETS DOWN. Feather looks at her body with shock. We don't see what she sees.

FEATHER
I'M NAKED?!

ODD
(about to look)
She's nekked?

OPAL
(to Odd)
Don't look.
(to Feather)
You had bullets everywhere. I had to remove them all, so...

Feather glares at Opal.

FEATHER (V.O.)
While her reasoning is forgivable, the fact that I'm naked is not.

FEATHER
Here's what's gonna happen, okay? You're gonna make sure I can stand, I'm gonna get to my feet, cover myself, and you're gonna go and get me some nice shiny clothes.

OPAL
Gotcha.

Opal starts examining fresh scars all over Feather's body. Clever artist will make sure we don't see nakedity. Yes, I said nakedity. Throughout Opal's examination...

ODD
Can I look yet?

OPAL
No.

ODD
Can I look yet?

OPAL
No.

ODD
Can I look yet?

OPAL
NO.

ODD
Can I--

OPAL
I swear to the gods, Odd, if you ask if you can see your mate's nudity one more time you're getting a scalpel in your forehead with the words “Perverted Dolt” written on the handle.

ODD
Yes ma'am.

He's silent the rest of the examination.

OPAL
(upon finishing)
Yup, the gods did their job of healing you up. Lemme go find you some clothes, okay?

FEATHER
I can stand?

OPAL
You can stand. And Odd...

ODD
(still not looking)
What?

OPAL
If I come back and you two are making out, there won't be a scalpel in JUST your forehead.

ODD
Got it.

Feather covers her upper details and sits up on the edge of the bed, legs crossed to hide the details of her lower portions. She faces away from Odd. Looks downright annoyed with her lack of coverings. Odd stands with his back to her, even though he couldn't see anything if he were facing her. Its kind of awkward.

ODD
So...you mad at Opal for turning me?

FEATHER
...Idon't know. I'm just glad I don't have to worry about you anymore.
ODD
(failing to make words sound good”)
That's good because...worrying is...bad.
(beat)
I'd be looking at you but I'd like to continue being male...

FEATHER
I don't really care if you look. Its not like you don't daydream about me nude enough already.

ODD
You saw those thoughts?

FEATHER
I see all your thoughts, hun.

ODD
Well...I'm not sure I want to look. I respect you too much and I might try to...

FEATHER
The urge is stronger. Believe me, I know. But the sooner you learn control the better.

ODD
Okay...

Slowly he turns and looks.

ANGLE: ODD'S P.O.V.

All we see is Feather's back. Her lifestones, each about one centimeter in size, travel up her spine in pairs, branch out at her shoulders, then regroup at the back of her neck where there's a darker colored ridge of cartilage connected to the vertebrae of her neck. A few of the stones are missing, representing lost lives. Odd gazes at them, a bit taken back. He walks toward her and sits on the opposite edge of the bed. Can't take his eyes off the stones. He's suddenly not interested the rest of her.

FEATHER
They're something, aren't they?

ODD
What?

FEATHER
The stones. The one way to eliminate a Shifter for good. One wrong move in a fight and someone could take all your lives...

ODD
That's...kind of terrifying.

FEATHER
It is. Its such a slender thread.

Odd extends a hand tentatively.

ODD
Do you mind if I...?

FEATHER
No, go ahead. I trust you.

He pauses. A bit hesitant. CLOSE on his hand as he softly traces down one of the rows of lifestones with his index finger—she shivers at his touch. Each one glows a little as his hand nears them.

ODD
They glow?

FEATHER
Yeah. Its kind of a seventh sense, if you count telepathy as a sense. Its the ability to sense life all around. To feel the energy of things.


ODD
That's incredible...I have them too...
(re: the golden color of her stones)
They're the same color as your eyes.

FEATHER
Yeah. They always are. Yours would be purple.

ODD
Dressed in that for years...never figured it would soon become a part of me, I guess.

FEATHER
Irony just likes you personally.

Odd grins and moves her hair over her shoulder. Looks at her Ridge (the cartilage at the back of her neck).

ODD
I got one of these too?


FEATHER
Yeah. If it gets damaged...well, a Shifter could lose its abilities.

Odd just stares at the back of her neck. Notices there's a hole where one of her lifestones is missing. ZOOM IN on the missing lifestone—its a tunnel, almost. He traces around the edge with his index finger and Feather jumps back.

FEATHER
Ow!

ODD
Sorry!

FEATHER
Don't touch the spaces where I lost them. The tiny amounts of electricity that power your body are enough to send me into convulsions!

ODD
(horrified)
Oh, god, I'm so sorry--

Feather relaxes. Sits back on the bed. Still covering herself, but she turns a little to look at him. Sees the concern brewing in his eyes.

FEATHER
You didn't know. Its okay.

ODD
I swear if I'd hurt you I'd--

FEATHER
I know, okay? You can stop freaking out.

Their eyes meet and they look at each other, transfixed. Its like they see each other in a whole new light. As if under a spell, their faces move closer and closer...they close their eyes as their lips just barely graze each other...

Opal walks back in holding a stack of Feather clothes.


OPAL
(re: the two of them)
GUYS.

The two break apart, embarrassed. Odd hunches over on his side of the bed in something not dissimilar from shame.

OPAL
You guys can mate later. Feather, these are for you.

Opal hands Feather the clothes.

FEATHER
We weren't gonna...

ODD
Sorry.

FEATHER
We really—wait. What?
(to Odd)
“Sorry?”

ODD
I didn't mean to. I wanted to...you know...

FEATHER
Its not unheard of. For human-borns that were more impulsive during their human years, control over hormones is more difficult.

ODD
But...

OPAL
Its okay, dude. Tiercels lose control sometimes. It happens.

FEATHER
'Sides. It'll happen sooner or later...

Odd just gets up.

ODD
I'll be outside in case any women need stripping.

FEATHER
Odd, baby--

He exits, sullen. Feather glances at Opal.

OPAL
Get dressed and go talk to him.

FEATHER (V.O.)
I don't need to be told twice.

LATER

ANGLE: ON THE STAIRS

where Odd sits, brooding. CLOSE on his eyes. Guilt?

FEATHER
(coming up behind him)
You know Shock had trouble adjusting.

Odd just keeps brooding.

FEATHER
Poor guy didn't even have a mate. It was harder for him to stay committed.

ODD
To what?

FEATHER
To us. Most tiercels have mating on their minds at first. You'll get over it.

ODD
Its...animalistic.

FEATHER
Well, we ARE animals...

ODD
But we still have humanity. Its just the instincts are...harder. I mean, I was so eager to do things with you I wouldn't have done normally...

Feather listens. Interested.

ODD
...it made me feel all sickish inside. You know?

FEATHER
I was out for what, a week? That means the Change had finished within the past half a day. You've only been a full Shifter for a few hours.

ODD
I know, but...how will I learn to control it?

FEATHER
You'll be taught. You'll have a mentor, a trainer.

ODD
You'll be my trainer, right?

FEATHER
Actually, no. I don't know if that would be wise. We're both really impulsive and that can lead to things happening.

ODD
Then who?

FEATHER
Depends. You're gonna need to pull your weight around here. You could help Opal as a caretaker for the humans or you could hunt and scout with the fighters.

ODD
...Any other jobs?

FEATHER
Well...

ODD
What?

FEATHER
If we were to revert to a more Clanlike hierarchy...I wouldn't be the only leader. There'd be us as the alpha pair. We'd do a little bit of everything.

ODD
I like that.

FEATHER
I kinda do too. But first you're gonna have to learn about what it is to be a Shifter. I can train you in hunting, but not fighting.

ODD
What? Why not?

FEATHER
I love you too much. I'd be soft on you, and that wouldn't help you learn.

ODD
Oh...

FEATHER
But...just between you and me...I really do want to mate with you.


ODD
That's the weirdest thing I've ever heard you say.

FEATHER
Well its true. And that's about as honest as I've ever been with a tiercel about my feelings for him.

ODD
What about with Riot?

FEATHER
Well, he doesn't count. I hate him.

ODD
I know. After what he did to you...

FEATHER
Yeah.

Feather stands up, offers him her hand. He takes it and she helps him up. He smiles at her.

ODD
I dreamed about you.

FEATHER
When?

ODD
All the time. Especially when they knocked me out during the Change...I had to be kept under anesthetics to relieve the pain.

Feather smiles.

FEATHER
I love you.

ODD
I love you back.

They smile at each other. Feather grabs him by the collar of his shirt and pulls him toward her. He looks a bit surprised when she plants one on his lips, then kisses right back. He's taller than her by about 5-6 inches.

FEATHER (V.O.)
As we stand there kissing his scent wreaths around me. He's got that musky odor of a male Shifter now. His human smell is almost gone.

FEATHER (V.O.)
He still has his unique scent, though. Its kind of like what dasies smell like with undertones of ashtray, even though he doesn't smoke.

FEATHER (V.O.)
His is the scent I could pick out from a million others. As he gets more and more used to being a Shifter, he'll learn my scent and he'll take it to heart.

They break apart. Feather pulls him back inside to the Infirmary by his wrist.

FEATHER
C'mon. I gotta find your mentors.

She leads him toward Shock, who is gathering together a patrol of Shifters.

FEATHER
Shock. You know Odd.

SHOCK
Yeah.

Odd offers his hand to Shock to shake. Shock does.

SHOCK
You two are mates, right?

FEATHER
We haven't mated yet, but yeah. We plan to be.

ODD
What? We don't plan...we never talked about...

FEATHER
Later, dear. Anyways, point is, you need to find Opal and Blade.


SHOCK
Okay...but why?

FEATHER
Every student needs a teacher.

SHOCK
You asked for two.

FEATHER
Four, actually.

SHOCK
You're gonna lead together.

FEATHER
That's the plan.

Shock looks Odd up and down.

SHOCK
What would I be teaching.

FEATHER
Self control. You and Blade will combine lessons to teach him about our codes of conduct.

SHOCK
(still looking Odd over)
'Kay.
(beat)
Take off your shirt.

ODD
What? I don't swing that way...

FEATHER
Do as he says.

Odd takes off his T-shirt...and he's HOT. Buff is the best word I can come up with. Becoming a Shifter increased his muscle mass incredibly. He's got a freaking six pack. Feather silently drools off to the side...but then she sees the four clawmark-shaped scars tearing across his chest and she knows that wound would have killed him. On his lower arm there's a lighter scar where Opal bit him. Other than that he's pretty clean. And very, very suddenly, Shock punches him in the gut. Hard. Odd's eyes go wide and he stumbles back.

FEATHER (V.O.)
As much as I want to intervene, I can't. Shock is testing him for endurance and pain toleration.

Odd doubles over, groaning.

ODD
What was that for?

SHOCK
Your muscles are hard. That's good. Keeps your guts from getting mashed up.

ODD
Now you sound gay...


SHOCK
I'm bi, actually. But anyway. It hurts, doesn't it?

ODD
I think my spleen is being constricted by my intestines...

SHOCK
(turning to Feather)
He's good. You'll take him--

FEATHER
(smiling)
I intend to.

SHOCK
(smiles back)
You'll take him for hunting, correct?

FEATHER
Yup. Go find the others. Odd, rest up. Tomorrow you start your training.

ODD
(“Mommy?”)
What?

END OF INTRODUCTION[/PG13]

[Chirpkit]

Coming Soon!

[Chirpkit]

Coming soon, sorry for the wait!