Draconians Reborn
By: Xavier (jwhelan@utk.edu)
Cheetor walks lazily down the hallways of the Axalon, looking for something to do. Hmm, thinks the transmetal, what can I do for fun? Just then he hears a groan of content from a small side room. Cheetor slows his pace to a tiptoe, and pokes his head into the room. He sees Silverbolt sitting on the edge of a recharge bed, with Screech kneeling behind him, massaging his shoulders. Silverbolt groans again and rolls his shoulders in pleasure.
"Hold still!" chides Screech playfully.
Silverbolt complies as Cheetor ducks his head out of the room. Damn! thinks the youngster to himself, Why does he always get the girls? He continues down the long hallways, still looking for something to do. Then he hears muttering and the occasional curse from another side room. Cheetor slowly approaches this one as well. Inside is Rhinox, bent over a huge table covered with numerous experiments and scientific tools. Man, no fun here! thinks Cheetor as he continues on his way. After about a hundred meters, Cheetor reaches the main command room.
"Slag!" exclaims the exuberant youngster, "Another round with no success!"
"Eh, what's wrong with you kiddo?" asks Rattrap from his post at a scanner.
"Aw, nothin' RT." replies Cheetor while hanging his head.
"Yeah, right!" shoots back the rat, "An' my name's Primus." He gets up and walks over to the cat, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Really, what's up?"
Cheetor shrugs away his hand and begins walking towards the lift, "Like I said, nothin'. I just need a walk, s'all." Cheetor steps onto the lift and it slowly lowers him down out of the ship, leaving a confused Rattrap standing in the control room. Cheetor walks away from the ship and breaths in deeply, "Beast mode." His gears and servos groan and shift as his arms come over his head and combine to form his beast head, and his legs reverse their joints and his body solidifies. The newly formed transmetal cheetah begins running away from the base. I better stay on the ground, he thinks, I don't wanna attract any Preds.
Cheetor enters a forest near the Axalon and starts his walk. He strolls lazily down a wooded hillside and breaths in the heady pine scent. "Ah," he says quietly, "now this is fun."
"Really? I always thought that the woods were kind of boring."
Cheetor spins around quickly to face the voice. He almost collides with a jogging Starstorm. "Whoa!" exclaims the lynx as he skids to a halt.
"Storm! What're you doin' out here?"
"Uh, following you?" he asks hopefully.
Cheetor smiles, "Hey, s'okay." He turns around and begins to walk away, but stops and turns back around, "Hey, you wanna walk with me? I could use some company."
Starstorm looks surprised, "Oh, um, sure." He trots over to Cheetor and the new friends begin their walk.
"So, uh, what was it like to be a human..."
* * *
I wake as the bright sunlight of early morning filters in through the branches over the mouth of the cave I am sleeping in. I stand and stretch my limbs, ah! It is good to be alive. My thoughts are interrupted by a light rustling of brush at the mouth of my cave. I instantly slip into the shadows and quietly pull my sword out of its sheath.
*Scratch! Rustle, rustle...*
There! I strike at the source of the sound and am rewarded with a high pitched scream. Hm, just a squirrel. I wipe my blade off on the dead animal's fur and re-sheath it on my back. I walk outside of the cave and take in my surroundings. Hmmm, nothing of note. I shift into beast mode and buzz my insect wings experimentally, slowly rising off of the ground and waver a little in a light breeze. I land and fold the wings across my back, not strong enough yet, but almost. I walk into the forest and think back over yesterday's happenings.
I learned a juicy little tidbit while sitting in a ventilation duck in the Maximal's base. The newest Maximal is, or was, a human. And not just and human, but a revolutionary. Hopefully I can use this information to my advantage. I begin my rounds and walk for hours, sliding in and out of shadows, listening to everything, watching for nothing.
Eventually I come upon a small cave. I almost pass it, but something stops me. This cave... its... not right. There is something, strange about it. I slide closer and listen intently.
"Hehe, this should be fun! I'll radio Rampage your coordinates right away!"
It is the wolf's voice, and he is talking to someone.
"Why? Where is he?" a voice asks nervously. Form the quality of the sound, I can tell it is through a comlink. I slip into the cave, clinging to the shadows. Yes, I was right, it is the wolf, and he is at a com station. I move in...
* * *
Bazil looks on at the duo of Cheetor and Starstorm from the branches of a large maple. He snickers and raises his wrist to his face, "Bazil to base, come in."
There is a moment of quiet static as a rough voice replies, "Base here, what's up?"
"Cut the pleasantries Bane, I've got a juicy little tidbit for our friend Rampage here." replies the Draconian leader.
"Really?" asks the wolf eagerly, "Who is it?"
Bazil smiles again, "Cheetor and that new guy, Starstorm. They're going on a nature walk and forgot to bring backup!"
Bane's sadistic laugh comes back over the comlink as a hoarse whisper, "Hehe, this should be fun! I'll radio Rampage your coordinates right away!"
"Why? Where is he?" asks a slightly nervous Bazil. If that monster ever escaped from Bazil's blocking program, may the Matrix help them all.
"Oh, don't worry, he just went to shoot at some rocks or something." he replies dismissively.
"Good," sighs Bazil inaudibly, "send him my coordinates."
"Already done, daddy o'!" replies Bane in a singsong voice.
Bazil snarls at his son, "Don't call me that you idiot! What if someone's hacking our communications?"
"What do we care?" Bane yells back at his father, "They already... uh... never mind." Bane bites his tongue, If Bazil finds out that I was captured by the Preds, and that they know our little secret... He shudders at the thought of what his father would do to him.
"What?" whispers Bazil over the com, "I didn't catch the last part of that. They already know what?"
"Um, nothing. I was just babbling." replies the young wolf.
"Well babble on your own time! Bazil, out!" he almost yells as he shuts off his comlink. The fox shifts quietly into beast mode and slides out of the tree and after the two young Maximals.
"Mmmm, this should be fun!" he mutters to himself as he hears Rampage's tank-tracks off in the distance.
* * *
Bane grumbles as he cuts communications with his father. "Well babble on your own time!" he says mockingly as he settles down in his chair. As brilliant as his father is, his personality is grating at best.
"Humph! You should listen to your father."
Bane's eyes widen when he hears the voice. He looks into the scanner's screen and sees the reflection of Xavier, sword and all.
"Well, well , well." begins the wolf while relaxing his body, "I was wondering how long it would take for you to find us."
Xavier shifts and drops his sword a little, "Ha, with you yelling like an impaled Maximal, I'm surprised that the Preds haven't found you."
"Except for the fact that they're idiots." shoots back Bane good-naturedly.
Xavier chuckles a little at this and almost lowers his sword further, then stops. "Wait a second." he says to Bane.
"What?"
"I know what your doing. Your trying to get me to lower my guard, sorry it won't work. I know how you work, you lull your opponent then kill them."
"Well," begins the freelance wolf sarcastically, "There are just three problems with that little theory."
"Oh, yeah?" asks Xavier while gripping his sword more tightly, "And what's that?"
Bane turns slowly in his chair, a sick smile plastered on his face. "One," he begins holding up a finger, "I that's not what I was trying. Two," he holds up two fingers, "it did work."
"What?" says Xavier with a confused look on his face.
"And three," Bane tenses the muscles in his hand and his claws spring out, "you're already dead!" He springs at Xavier while slashing with his claws. Xavier backpedals out of the way and counter-attacks with a forehand sword strike. Bane ducks under the blow and slashes upward with his claws, which Xavier avoids with ease. Xavier then spins around and cleaves empty air with his sword as Bane jumps away. Bane flexes his other hand and a second set of claws spring out.
Well, this is getting interesting. thinks Xavier as he advances again.
* * *
Cheetor is thrown into a huge oak tree and slumps to the ground. "Man, this is not my day." he mutters to himself as he rises slowly to his feet. He puts his hands together and fires a blast of energy at the red behemoth. Cheetor pauses as his blast dissipates on the monster's armor. Jeeze, he thinks, ever since Bazil and his crew got that big guy, we can't stand up to them in a fight! He dives to the side as one of Bazil's black darts thuds into the oak. The area of the tree around the dart quickly turns black and rotten. Cheetor looks at the tree, And with Bazil now using some kind of biological poison, which the 'R chambers can't heal, he himself is hard enough to deal with!
Starstorm looks over to see Cheetor barely avoid another one of the little black darts. Once he sees that his friend is okay, he turns back to the problem at hand, Rampage. At the beginning of the fight, Starstorm had scanned the crab's mind. Along with his name and history, Starstorm discovered that the huge 'bot is immortal, or at least he thinks he is. Starstorm rises over the rock he is using for cover and places his hands together. He calls up the quintessence energy he has stored and forms it into a bolt of electricity. He hurls it at Rampage and almost knocks the 'bot off of his feet.
"Mmm, very good!" compliments Rampage in his sick way, "I sense very little fear within you. I shall have to change that."
Starstorm stares the monster in the eyes, "Yeah, well I've dealt with things more frightening than you."
"Yes, but were they immortal, as I am?" asks Rampage as he fires a volley of rockets at the unarmed Starstorm.
"No," replies Starstorm as he lets the missiles explode on the force-barrier around him, "but I'm sure I'll make do."
* * *
Bane blocks the overhand by crossing his sets of claws over his head. Xavier disentangles his sword and makes a quick feint at Bane's stomach which the wolf attempts to block with one set of claws, and spins his sword around and strikes again at the freelancer's head. Bane, seeing no other choice, attempts to catch the sword blade with his hand. The huge blade parts the metallic flesh of his hand as if it is paper.
Xavier stares in shock as he pulls the bloodied sword from Bane's demolished hand. The appendage is split down the middle, fingers twitching, with mech fluid pouring from it. Xavier recoils when he sees the look on Bane's face. It is not one of pain, but of pleasure.
"Hehe! Your gonna pay for that!" snarls the deranged wolf as he advances on the fuzor.
"What in Primus's name... The rumors were true!" exclaims a disgusted Xavier.
Bane stops, ignoring the gushing mech fluid of his wounded hand. "What rumors?"
Xavier backs slowly away, fear etched on his face, "The rumors that one of the Draconians, the younger one, was a recipient of the Starscream project."
"What?" asks Bane indignantly.
Xavier ignores him and continues talking, "Except it went horribly wrong, and the recipient's mind was warped beyond repair. It was rumored in the merc circles that he ignored pain, no, he enjoyed it! He relished the feeling of his own body being torn apart. But, he enjoyed ripping others apart more. It was also rumored that his father had offered him as a young boy to the scientists early on in the project's history, as a test!"
Bane reels back as if physically struck. He hits the back wall of the base and slumps down to the ground, cradling his mangled flesh and whimpering to himself. Xavier quickly runs out of the cave and into the forest. Bane caries on like this for a few more minuets, then a change comes over him. His body tenses and he stands up solidly, his remaining hand trembling with suppressed rage. Bane's yellow eyes glow particularly bright as his head snaps up and he whispers one word.
"Father..."
* * *
Bazil looks on with evident pleasure. Rampage is tearing the two Maximals apart, literally. The giant crab is in beast mode with a Maximal in each claw.
"Hahahahahahaha!" laughs Bazil in time to the two cats' screams as Rampage clamps down. Bazil sees the mage attempt to call up enough energy to get free. But the fox pulls out his gun and blasts the lynx in the head. Starstorm shudders and goes limp as stasis lock consumes his body.
"Aw, why'd you do that?" whines Rampage in a mocking voice, "Now the sweet serenade of his screams will no longer soothe my audio receptors!"
"Don't worry," replies Bazil laughing, "I'll get you a new one."
Bazil is about to call Bane on his comlink when he hears a branch snap behind him. He quickly spins around and brings his gun up, ready to blow whoever it is away.
"Oh, it's you." he says as Bane steps out of the woods, "Why are you here? Your supposed to be..." Bazil stops as he sees his son's demolished hand. "What happened to yo- " he is cut off as Bane runs the traitorous fox through with his remaining claws. Bazil slumps down as the claws detach from their owner's fingers, severing many vital systems. Bazil rises to one knee and tries to speak, only to have the warm, salty-sweet taste of mech fluid fill his mouth. He falters and almost falls, but steadies himself and looks into his sons optics. He sees only blind hatred and revulsion. With his last ounce of strength, Bazil swipes at Bane with a dart, only to have it kicked out of his hand by the wolf. He collapses to the soft dirt floor of the forest and his optics dim as a brief alert message scrolls over his failing vision, "Warning: Biological poison entered into system. Immediate cycles in CR chamber suggested."
Interesting, thinks the fox as he slides offline with a strange smile on his scared face, killed by my own poison.
* * *
Screech bares her fangs in frustration, This damn computer is beating me again! She stares vengefully at the holographic poker table. She is holding a two of spades, a three of diamonds, a two of hearts, a three of clubs, and a three of spades. "Ha, a full house!" she exclaims, slamming her hand down on the table, "Beat that you slagheap!"
The computer's voice comes over the game's speakers as a pair of disembodied hands lays down a hand of cards, "Royal flush beats full house, player loses."
Screech snarls and shoots the screen with her rifle. She is smiling as Optimus runs into the room with an alarmed expression on his face.
"What's going on? Are the Predacons attacking?"
"No," replies Screech while slinging her rifle over her shoulder, "I just had a slight disagreement with the hologame."
Optimus sighs and massages his temple with his hands, "Screech, you have got to stop shooting everything that you have a 'slight disagreement' with. Understood?"
Screech looks at the gorilla, "Yeah but..."
"Understood?" he interjects more firmly.
"Yes, sir." she replies while hanging her head.
"Good. Now I want you to get some rest, you've been online for over four stellarcycles."
"Yes, sir." she replies again. Screech walks to the south end of the ship to her quarters, and sits heavily down on her bed. She reaches for a cyberbook and begins reading, but stops and just lays on the bed Her mind wanders to everything that has happened to her since her arrival at the Beast Wars.
Once she arrived and figured out what was going on, she had felt as if she was in heaven. Being reunited with her lost lover Freefall was a nice treat, as was discovering that her sniping skills were still in demand. But, ever since the arrival of Starstorm, things have taken a turn for the worst.
Not that I don't like him, she thinks to herself, quite the contrary actually. Ever since he showed up, I've been strangely attracted to him, and not just physically. I feel that I might actually care for him. Then her mind snaps back to Silverbolt. I care for Silverbolt too, and I thought that it was love. But it's not the way I've grown to feel about Starstorm. It's strange, I barely know him, yet I'm ready to pledge my heart to him. But I feel this strange pull, like we were meant for each other. Maybe, something like soul mates. I just hope he feels the same way about me. The thought of him not caring for her sends Screech into a fit of apprehension. Oh! Why am I trying to figure this out? My mother always said that love is never wrong. But is this... it sure feels like love! Oh well, I'll just have to see if he expresses any interest in me. All I can do is hope and wait.
Her monologue is interrupted by the static of her comlink, "Optimus to all available Maximal units!"
She activates the radio, "Screech here. What's up Monkey Man?"
Optimus replies immediately, "Screech, come to the command room at once! We have a serious situation here!"
"Really? What happened?" she asks while walking quickly toward the command room.
Optimus's voice grows grave, "It's Starstorm."
Screech's walk turns into a run.
* * *
Starstorm wakes up to a blinding light, and pain.
"Damn, my head hurts." mutters the lynx as he opens his eyes, "Did anyone get the number of that train?"
"No," replies a voice to his right, "but we do have his body."
"Huh?" grunts Starstorm as he slides out of the recharge bed he is laying in. Screech is sitting in a chair by the door, a tired smile playing across her face.
"Ah, it's good to see you back in the land of the living." she comments as she stands and yawns.
"What happened?" he asks while swaying slightly on his feet.
"Well, first of all, you were shot in the head. And, we've got good news and bad news." she says while stretching.
Starstorm is distracted by this for a moment but quickly recovers, "Uh, lets have the good news."
Screech smiles again, "Well, the good news is Bazil is dead."
"What?" stammers out a surprised Starstorm, "But, how?"
"Well," replies Screech, "That brings us to the bad news."
"Which is?"
"His partner killed him and joined the Predacons, along with that big red guy."
Starstorm whistles, "Bane and Rampage, with the Preds? Oh, boy! We're in for it now!"
"Oh, so his name is Rampage? Interesting." she replies while sitting back down in the chair.
Starstorm looks at the chair and shakes his head, "What are you doing here anyway?"
Screech shoots him a chiding look and smiles warmly, "Well, standing bedside watch of course."
"Oh, is it your turn? That's okay, I'm good now." replies the mage dumbly.
"No," she exclaims, "It is not 'my turn'! I'm doing this because I care, and I was afraid that you wouldn't recover!"
Starstorm still appears somewhat confused, "Your, being sarcastic, right?"
"No, I'm not being sarcastic!"
Starstorm begins laughing, "No, really. Why *are* you here? I mean, your like, Silverbolt's girl, aren't you?"
Screech, well, screeches in frustration and stomps out of the room.
"Screech, wait!" exclaims Starstorm as he runs after her. He reaches the hallway and sees her stomping down the hall. He catches up to her and attempts to talk. "Hey, wait up! What did I do?" She ignores him and continues walking. Starstorm follows here until her quarters and then stops.
"Hey, come on! What'd I do?" he asks pleadingly.
She simply walks into her quarters and slams the door. (well, as well as you can slam an automatic sliding door) Starstorm is about to knock on her door when he hears a strange sound. He puts his 'ear' to the door and hears very soft strangled sobs. The mage, alarmed by this, uncovers a small computer on his wrist and plugs it into the door's keypad. He overrides the locking code and the door reluctantly slides open. The sight that greets Starstorm's optics is almost more than he can bare. Screech is collapsed on her bed and has her head buried in her arms, sobs wracking her body. Starstorm rushes over to her and sits beside her, cradling her in his arms.
He hugs her close and whispers slowly in her ear. "I'm sorry. What ever I did, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Please forgive me, I'm sorry."
After a few minuets, Screech gets her emotions under control. She takes her head off of his shoulder and looks him in the face. She opens her mouth to speak, but can't.
Starstorm holds her face lightly in his hands and just looks at it for a long time. She is so beautiful, and she reminds me of my girlfriend back home. So much that, it feels as if I really care for her. Could she...?
Screech sees these thoughts cross his optics, and slides her hands up to the side of his head. "Starstorm..." she whispers.
"Yes?" he asks.
"I... I..." Screech hides her face in shame. Why can't I just tell him? Why?
Starstorm gently raises her face to his and instantly recognizes the look in her eyes.
"I know." he whispers as he kisses her. She wraps her arms around his back and they lay down on the bed as Screech turns the light off.
* * *
The dark halls of the Darkseid seem to welcome Bane, to encourage the darkness in his spark to spread. Earlier that day, after he had killed his traitorous father, Bane had lead Rampage to the Predacon base. Rampage had whined a little about leaving the two Maximals behind alive, but Bane quickly silenced him with a quick shot from Bazil's captured gun. Not having the ability to fight back, seeing as how Bazil's blocking program was still functioning, Rampage reluctantly followed his new master to the Darkseid. Upon arrival, and a quick summation of the means of his father's death, Bane was quickly accepted into the Predacon ranks.
After healing in the CR tank, Bane etched himself a spot in the hierarchy right away when Quickstrike had tried to push him around. The other Predacons were soon pushing Quickstrike's remains to the CR tank. Bane had also noticed Black Arachnia giving him suggestive looks from across the room, which is what he is going to find out about now.
Bane reaches Black Arachnia's door and knocks lightly. No one answers. He knocks more insistently. Still no answer. Quietly cursing, Bane walks slowly down the hall away from Black Arachnia's door. After a few seconds, quick footsteps can be heard coming from the direction of the main hall. Bane sprints down the hall towards the spider's door. Once within fifteen feet, he launches himself into the air and uses his forward momentum to hit the door with a massive dropkick. The metal door folds like a sheet of tissue paper as the huge 'bot slams into its steel surface. Bane follows the door into the room and slowly gets to his feet, eyes searching the room. An alarmed Black Arachnia runs into the room from her lab, which is adjacent to her room. When she sees Bane standing amidst the wreckage of her door, she smiles suggestively.
"Well, you could have knocked." she says while placing her pincers on her hips.
"I did." Bane replies simply.
"Oh. Well, why are you here? I could have you beaten for braking into my quarters you know." she replies smugly.
Bane surges forward and grabs her waist, drawing her close. "Oh, now you wouldn't do that, would you?"
Black Arachnia smiles and runs a claw lightly down the side of Bane's face, "Hm, you're so hansom when you get rough."
Bane's only reply is to forcefully kiss her. At first Black Arachnia resists, but then she begins to return the embrace.
Bane brakes away from the kiss and gasps for air, "Wow, feisty tonight, aren't we?"
The spider looks him in the eyes seductively and motions over to the bed, and Bane is not one to argue.
* * *
Cheetor wakes fitfully from his post at the scanners. Man, he thinks to himself, I can see why Rattrap hates night watch so much! Cheetor is about to doze off again when he hears a ear-piercing scream and a loud crash. He jumps up and rushes in the direction of the disturbance.
He arrives to a disturbing scene. Silverbolt is standing over a barely conscious Starstorm with one of his spears in his hand, preparing to thrust it home. Cheetor starts when he sees another one of the spears protruding from the mage's back.
Cheetor runs up and attempts to restrain Silverbolt, but is backhanded in the face for his troubles. Cheetor reels back a few meters and hits a solid object. He spins around to see Rhinox, Optimus, Rattrap, and Dinobot standing in the hallway, watching.
When Rhinox sees the situation he takes the initiative and runs over to Silverbolt and tackles him to the ground, wrapping him up in those big arms. The two crash to the ground and Rhinox wraps Silverbolt up in a bear-hug, and in the flurry Silverbolt loses his grip on the spear and drops it.
Cheetor hears hurried footsteps from behind him as Screech runs up in alarm.
"What in the Matr-" she begins, then she sees Starstorm's body. "Oh my... Starstorm!" She runs up to the fallen mage and quickly inspects his barely conscious form. After a few nanoclicks, she stands and speaks out in a loud, commanding voice. "Quickly! If we don't get him to a CR chamber soon, he'll go offline. Dinobot, Optimus, you two take care of him. And you," she says turning to the restrained Silverbolt, "have got some SERIOUS explaining to do!"
* * *
Screech paces back and forth in the command room. She stops and looks at the forlorn figure in a chair in front of her.
"Why? Why did you try and kill Starstorm?" she suddenly asks.
Silverbolt replies without looking up, "Because, you prefer him over me."
Screech is slightly taken aback by this, "How did you...?"
Silverbolt raises his face, and Screech is surprised to see tears running down his cheeks. "I listen, I watch, I see things the others do not. You were overly upset when Starstorm was brought in after the fight with Bazil."
Screech walks up to him and crouches down, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, it's okay. I'm really sorry I hurt you that way. I now realize that it was just a little fling, at least on my part."
Silverbolt nods his head and rises resolutely to his feet with a stoic expression on his face, "I understand."
At that moment the CR chamber beeps and the door opens with a loud hiss. A slightly groggy Starstorm stumbles out and steadies himself on the holotable, "Man, I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that!" He looks up and sees Silverbolt standing near the doorway. He immediately reacts and draws a ball of quintessence energy into his hands and begins shaping it.
"No!" screams Screech as she jumps in-between the two males, "No fighting!"
Starstorm visibly suppresses his rage and stalks off to the lift in a rage, but instead of waiting for it to come up, he simply blows a huge hole in the floor and lowers himself down through it.
"Wow," exclaims Screech quietly, "He is *really* pissed!" She turns to Silverbolt, "Um, I suggest that you stay away from him for the time being. He might not appreciate your presence."
"Understood." replies the fuzor coldly. He spins smartly on his heel and marches out of the room.
"Whew!" sighs Screech as she sits down in one of the command chairs, "I'm glad that all over!" She sits and ponders her next move for a few minuets before head in back to her room. She walks down the hallway that Silverbolt had taken earlier, and stops. She stares at the wall where there is a huge hole, with impressions of a fist all around it. Screech examines it more closely, and pulls a large sliverish-brown feather out of the jagged metal.
"Ho, boy!" she exclaims while holding up Silverbolt's feather, "I was wrong, this is far from over!"
* * *
The cave's silence dampens spirits, even the dead's. The dormant computer in the former Draconian base suddenly hums to life. Its speakers warm up and begin, "Draconian unit Bazil's spark registered as offline. Beginning Phoenix Program."
The screen lights up and a complex diagram appears, mapping out an advanced superstructure. A fiberoptic cable running to the back of the cave lights up and illuminates the rear of the cave. A stasis pod is propped up against the wall with numerous wires and pieces of equipment running in and out of it. Another screen near the pod lights up and a new set of speakers begin verbalizing, "Experimental spark regeneration program successful. Beginning reanimation of second half of unit Bazil's spark."
A massive electrical charge is sent through the pod. The protoform inside convulses with the charge and a vibrant new spark emerges in the center of its chest. The pod's noise and light emissions pick up and a few minuets later the pod's door creaks open with a hiss of steam. A jet-black hand with a dark blue dart launcher on the wrist pushes the door the rest of the way open. The form steps out of the pod and a single light green eye winks into existence and the being looks itself over.
"Hmm, so it *did* work, interesting." The form shifts its body around and assumes a for-legged stance. An onyx transmetal fox with one eye stalks out of the steam with a twisted grin on its canine face, "Hehe! I'd say, it's time we began, ROUND TWO!"