XX

INTERIOR: MIDDLE SCHOOL

Two boys walk down a hallway.  One, the larger one, is eating a sandwich as they walk.

Box:  "She was obviously into Lion-o, he's the hero.  Plus he's lord of the Thundercats, he's going to need an heir."

Carter: "Yeah, but she's way older than him.  He's like our age, but the cyrochamber leaked and he's full grown.  I bet he's way into Wilykit."

Box:  "No way, his body is an adult, he's going to go for the lady.  Plus they work together a lot, it's bound to happen.  Wilykit only comes along once in a while or she and her brother have their own side missions.  There's no way she's into Lion-o."

Carter: "I hope she is, otherwise she's stuck with one of the other guys who are both way older.  As far as they know they're the last of the Thundercats.  Cheetara can't bear all the children of a new race of people cat creatures."

Box: "Oh yeah, that's true.  Oh man, Panthro's got those spikes.  She can't be excited about that."

Carter: "Yeah, but he's got a sweet ride.  Guy built the Thundertank.  Women like a guy who can use his hands."

Box: "No way, if she's not into Lion-o, which she is, then she's gotta be after Tigra.  That lady is into power and he's second in command.  Plus, he built the Cat's Lair, he can work with his hands."

Carter: "Designed it maybe...alright we gotta get changed for gym, but we are not done talking about this."

INTERIOR: GYM CLASS

The class is playing dodgeball.  Box and Carter are on one team but the other team seems to have the three biggest kids in the class.

Box: "Watch it, Melvin!"

A small boy named Melvin just ducks under a hard shot.  He retrieves the ball and hands it to Box.

Melvin: "Thanks."

His eyes go wide as another ball comes flying at him, but Box stands in the way and deflects it.  Box smirks and throws a ball hard at one of the bigger kids.  It hits its mark, bounces off, and another catches it.  Both of the big kids glance at the gym teacher who is checking his iPhone.  They both turn back to Box with mean grins.  Box glares back and attempts to dodge their shot, but catches him in the face and flies wide.  Melvin catches it.  

Coach: "Boxworth! You're out!"

Box: "But Melvin caught it!"

Coach: "This ain't commie dodge, we make our own catches in America! You're out!"

Box throws one last glare at the bullies before moving off.

Box: "Hey Carter, get them for me."

Carter: "You got it."

Carter dodges a throw, then another and the lead bully (Delaney) is wide open.  Carter winds back and throws but he's thin and weak and the bully catches it with a smirk.

Delaney: Ha! Eat it, Carter!"

Not satisfied, Delaney then tops it off by firing the dodgeball point blank at Carter's face.

Coach: "Hey!  Delaney!  Take a s-"

He's cut off by the end of the period bell.

Coach: "Carter, you ok?"

Carter rubs his face, but nods.  The bullies walk past with a high five to each other.  Carter glares at them as Box walks beside him.

INTERIOR: LOCKER ROOM

Carter slams his locker door shut.

Carter:"Its not fair!  Not only are the three biggest guys in the grade, who are all on the school team, on the same side, but they're cheating too!"

Box: "Easy Carter."

Carter: "No way, man.  And Coach doesn't even care!  You totally got Craig!  What was that?"

Box: "I don't know dude, its just a game.  At least we match."

Box smiles as he points to the dodgeball patterned red mark on his face.  Carter tries not to smile back, but can't help himself.

Melvin comes around the corner.

Melvin: "Hey fellas, thanks for trying to get those guys back.  They're real jerks, ain't they?"

Carter raises his eyebrows to agree.

Box: "They sure are, Melvin.  But you had them right?  Me and Carter where just holding them off until you could line up your master shot and take them all out.  If that bell hadn't rung, you woulda knocked them all out, right?"

Melvin smirks.

Melvin: "Yeah, I'll get 'em back next time."

Box: "I bet you will.  Hey Carter, I'll come to your house before we head to the scrapyard right?"

Carter nods and they head out.

INTERIOR: KITCHEN

Carter changes his clothes into a mechanic jumpsuit and goes over his schematic for the go kart/derby racer thing at the kitchen table.  

Carter: "Hmm, we're going to need to find a motivator, the red one blew out."  

His mother enters the kitchen.  

Mrs. Carter: "Hi honey, how was your day?"

Carter: "Nothing."

She shakes her head at him as his pours over his design.  

Mrs. Carter: "Alright, how are your classes going?"

Carter: "Good, I got an A on my science quiz, its over there on the counter."

At this point she has spotted the red mark that's still lingering on Carter's face.

Mrs. Carter: "James, what happened?"

Carter: "Its nothing, just a game."  

She looks worried.

Mrs. Carter: "Honey, you can't let people push you around."

Carter "I didn't!"  

She pats his head.

Mrs. Carter: "Alright dear, I didn't say you did.  And remember you father has the night shift again.  Try not to wake him up."

Box: "HEY CARTER, YOU READY TO GO?!"

Mrs. Carter smacks him with a newspaper and hisses.

Mrs. Carter: "Mr. Carter is trying to sleep young man!" 

Box (whispering): "Oops!  Sorry, Mrs. C!  Is Carter ready?"

Mrs. Carter shakes her head with a smile, "Yeah, he's right here. James, your friend is waiting outside."

Carter: "Alright Mom, I'll be back before dark."

Mrs. Carter: "Be careful!  Don't cut yourselves or something stupid."

Box and Carter: "We won't!"

As Carter is closing the door Mrs. Carter stops him.

Mrs. Carter: "And James,"  

Carter: "Yeah ma?"  

She looks at him as only a mother can. 

Mrs. Carter: "do good things out there." (or "make good choices")

Carter rolls his eyes a little.

Carter: "Will do, Mom."


EXTERIOR: SCRAPYARD

Carter pointing at junk: "Oh, what about that blue one?  I've worked with that kind before."

Box: "Whatever dude, I don't know what this stuff does anyways.  As long as it makes the buggy go, I'm happy."

Box begins to yank at the blue part.  

Carter: "If the part is still ok, it'll make it go."

Box gives one last big tug and yanks the part free.  This makes a pile of scrap tumble down as well, making a big noise.  Dogs bark a ways off.

Box: "Yikes, we better get outta here."

Carter: "Yeah, let's...whoa."

Carter pauses and stares at a device that was revealed by the shifting junk.

Carter: "What is that?"

Box: "I don't know, man. Probably junk, its a scrapyard.  Come on, we're gonna get yelled at."

Carter: "Yeah yeah, just let me grab it, it would make for a sweet looking steering wheel.  Ah, it's stuck."

Carter pulls on the handle of the device.  Box looks back at the sound of the approaching dogs.

Box: "Come on, lets go!"

Carter: "Help me pull this free and we can run for it!"

Box nods and grabs a hold of the device.  Together they pull it free.

Box: "Nice! Let's...hey, I can't let go!"

Carter: "Hey! I can't either, what is this thing?"

The device starts to whir and parts move into position.  The boys forget the risk of trespassing instantly as lasers start to stream out of the device to the ground, forming a pattern.  Held aloft now by a stream of energy the device seems to hold the boys' grip and neither can break away.  Then, a final apparatus pops out and fires a ray at each of them.  Their eyes go wide as their form shifts to that of pink energy.  A gigantic burst of energy is projected into the sky and the boys are whisked away in an instant!  They stream through the atmosphere, past the satellites and moon in the sky to a ring floating in space.  The stream is deflected from there in a different direction, blasting out into space.  Stars begin to stream together as their speed becomes fantastic!  They deflect again and then through another ring, which blasts them deeper and faster into the cosmos.  A trail of energy streaks across the sky and rockets toward a green  ringed planet.  The energy beam collides with the planet, pushing aside the cloud cover and impacting with the ground with a blinding flash!

A shape appears out of the thick mist of a strange jungle.  The shape is a machine that is very similar to the device the boys found.  It's covered in vines, except and the top, which glows now with that same mysterious pink energy.  The machine features a ring that forms a perimeter around it and is held off of the stones that form the foundation.  The machine beeps and its parts release steam and shift, the ring's top layer rotating and then floating up and out of the way.  Revealed inside are the bodies of two women curled inward.  The lights inside the machine flick on and snap.  Both women lurch and gasp for air.  The slender one rolls quickly over the lip of the ring and onto the ground cat-like.  The other rises slowly, finding a firm grasp on the machinery and pulling herself up and out of the ring.  Both look out into the jungle and begin wandering around the machines circumference. As they come around the machine, they spot each other.  Not expecting their to be anyone the slender one back-flips away in surprise and the other cries out.  Now facing each other directly they stare, reflexively ready for a fight at the strangers they see before themselves.  They both glance down.  
CRASH! Their eyes snap up to the trees around them. The jungle nearby opens to reveal a triceratops barreling at them!  What is this strange place? Who are these women?  And will this new world crush them before they have a chance to find the answers?  Find out next time!