DEAD STAR

[Page 1] [VISUAL] The observatory is dimly lit. Rain lies unconscious on a medical platform, chest faintly rising and falling. His armor is cracked and charred, his face bruised but peaceful. KAI (off-panel): That wasn't just a transformation. That was a collapse.

[Page 2] [VISUAL] Kai stands at the console, watching a looped replay of Rain's battle in silence. His face is tense. Dawn leans against the wall nearby, arms crossed, still visibly shaken. DAWN: He doesn't remember? KAI: Not a word. And if he stays that way… don't tell him.

[Page 3] [VISUAL] Luna perches atop a filing cabinet, licking her paw casually. LUNA: You sure that's a good idea? Guy throws a cosmic tantrum and doesn't even get a debrief? KAI: If we tell him now, we risk triggering it again. He wasn't in control. Hell, I don't even know what was.

[Page 4] [VISUAL] Rain stirs slightly on the platform. His eyes flutter open, unfocused. He groans, lifting a hand to his temple. RAIN: Ugh… what hit me? Did I sneeze and cause an earthquake again?

[Page 5] [VISUAL] Dawn quickly moves to his side, a forced smile on her face. DAWN: Something like that. You good? RAIN: I think so… Last thing I remember, I was yelling at the sky. Like, full meltdown. Then… nothing.

[Page 6] [VISUAL] Rain rubs his temples. Luna hops down beside the bed. LUNA: You screamed at the stars like they owed you rent. Real classy. RAIN: (groaning) Great. A galactic toddler tantrum. I hate that for me.

[Page 7] [VISUAL] Rika peeks in from the hallway, hesitant. She clutches a small plush animal, her eyes wide. She walks up slowly to Rain's bedside. RIKA: …Rain?

[Page 8] [VISUAL] Rain blinks, softening at the sight of her. He smiles weakly. RAIN: Hey, starshine. You okay?

[Page 9] [VISUAL] Rika nods shyly, but her eyes stay locked on Rain's chest, where a faint pulse of starlight still glows. [VISUAL] She gently reaches out and touches his hand.

[Page 10] [VISUAL] The moment her fingers make contact, her eyes widen in shock. A sudden burst of images floods her mind—fire, claws, a baby dragon screaming in pain. The beast curls into itself, howling across galaxies.

[Page 11] [VISUAL] Rika gasps and stumbles back, dropping her plushie. Her lips tremble. RIKA (whispers): …Zur'ahk.

[Page 12] [VISUAL] Kai's head snaps toward her. KAI: What did you say? RIKA: Zur'ahk. It means… baby dragon. In my language. From… where I came from.

[Page 13] [VISUAL] Dawn kneels beside her, trying to calm her down. DAWN: What did you see? RIKA: Something… sleeping. But it was sad. So sad. And so angry. Like it lost everyone it ever loved.

[Page 14] [VISUAL] Rain blinks slowly. He clearly didn't hear any of this. He's already falling back asleep. RAIN (mumbling): Stars are assholes…

[Page 15] [VISUAL] Kai stands tall again, closing the console. His voice is low and serious. KAI: None of this leaves this room. Until we understand what's inside him… we say nothing.

[Page 16] [VISUAL] The next morning. Dawn yawns as she walks into the lab. Coffee in hand, she pauses. DAWN: Rika? You up already?

[Page 17] [VISUAL] Silence. Rika's bed is empty. Her plush lies on the floor. Dawn's brow furrows. DAWN: Rika…?

[Page 18] [VISUAL] Alarms begin to blare faintly as Vee flickers online in the background. Rain walks in, stretching. RAIN: What's with the noise?

[Page 19] [VISUAL] Dawn is now frantically checking rooms on the monitor. DAWN: She's not here. She's gone.

[Page 20] [VISUAL] Vee's voice crackles from a half-fried speaker. VEE: Shocking. If someone had bothered fixing what actually matters, I could've scanned the place. Maybe even triggered a proper alarm.

[Page 21] [VISUAL] Dawn slams a fist on the console. DAWN: If you weren't such a stuck-up bucket of bolts, maybe I'd have prioritized you!

[Page 22] [VISUAL] Rain glares at both of them. RAIN: SHUT. THE FUCK. UP.

[Page 23] [VISUAL] He storms to the console and calls Kai, face rigid with fury. RAIN: You have Rika? Please tell me she's there.

[Page 24] [VISUAL] Kai appears on-screen, shaking his head solemnly. KAI: No. She's not with me.

[Page 25] [VISUAL] Rain's jaw clenches. His aura flickers briefly, dangerously. RAIN: Then someone took her. And if they hurt her—

[Page 26] [VISUAL] Kai nods grimly. KAI: I may have something. Come through. Now.

[Page 27] [VISUAL] Rain steps into a rift, emerging in Kai's chamber. Star maps and cosmic energy pulse around them. KAI: There's something you should know. About Rika.

[Page 28] [VISUAL] Kai activates a starmap showing an unfamiliar constellation. KAI: She's not just some lost kid. She's a convergence. Her DNA, her energy... it doesn't belong to this plane. She's from a place I've only seen once in ancient archives.

[Page 29] [VISUAL] A diagram of Rika's aura shows dormant glyphs and strange runes. KAI: Locked inside her is a power no one on this planet understands. If word gets out—she'll be hunted. For what's inside her. For what she is.

[Page 30 – FINAL PANEL] [VISUAL] Rain's eyes darken with purpose. RAIN: Then I'll burn galaxies if I have to. But I'm getting her back.

[Page 31] [VISUAL] Back at the observatory. Dawn slouches in the lab chair, staring blankly at the console. Vee flickers to life, less snarky this time. VEE: …I didn't mean to let it happen. Not really. DAWN (softly): I know. I just… I should've seen it coming.

[Page 32] [VISUAL] Luna leaps onto the console, curling up beside Vee's display. LUNA: Less blaming, more planning. We've got a kid to find. A storm's coming. And it smells like fire.

[Page 33] [VISUAL] Rain re-emerges through a rift, stepping into the observatory. His energy is calmer now, but his face remains tight with focus. RAIN: Pack up. Gear up. We move now.

[Page 34] [VISUAL] Dawn grabs her gauntlets. Vee boots into tactical mode, running simulations. Luna stretches and hops onto Rain's shoulder. LUNA: You finally going full dragon dad on us?

[Page 35] [VISUAL] Rain doesn't smile. He looks toward the stars. RAIN: I don't care what's out there. I'm bringing her home.

[Page 36] [VISUAL] The final panel is a shot of deep space. A dark ship hovers in orbit of a shadowed moon. Within it, a young girl sits quietly in a containment chamber—staring at a blinking light. It pulses in rhythm with a dragon's heartbeat.

[Page 37] [VISUAL] The containment chamber is surrounded by ancient runes and alien tech. A figure stands in the shadows. UNKNOWN FIGURE: Begin the extraction. She holds the key.

[Page 38] [VISUAL] Close-up of Rika's eyes. No longer afraid—just glowing faintly with the same energy Rain had.

[Page 39] [VISUAL] Back on the observatory rooftop. Rain tightens the straps on his reforged armor. NARRATION (RAIN): They took something precious. Now I'll show them what real wrath looks like.

[Page 40] [VISUAL] Final splash: Rain, Dawn, Luna, and a portable projection of Vee stepping into a new rift. Rain leads the charge, his katana glowing faintly with starfire.