The gym's buzzing lights hummed constantly to Jessica's heightened hearing. Every flicker, every electronic pulse sent tiny shivers through her heightened senses as she made her way through the maze of half-assembled science fair booths. The familiar scent of floor wax and old rubber mats mingled with newer odors - hot solder, printing ink, and the nervous sweat of dozens of students preparing their projects. Since her transformation, these sensory assaults had become part of daily life, but something about the gymnasium's enclosed space made everything feel more intense.

  She spotted Salina's display first–it was hard to miss. Black fabric draped over the standard-issue card table like a funeral shroud, dotted with silver stars that caught the harsh gymnasium lighting. The stars weren't the cheap plastic kind from a craft store; knowing Salina, they were probably real silver, carefully chosen for their metaphysical properties. Salina herself cut a striking figure in her floor-length black dress and combat boots, carefully arranging mysterious symbols on her tri-fold cardboard display. Her dark hair was pulled back in an intricate braid interwoven with what looked suspiciously like protective amulets.

  "Hey," Jessica called out, approaching the booth. She could smell the mixture of herbs and incense Salina had obviously been working with - sage, lavender, and something earthier she couldn't quite identify. "How's setup going?"

  Salina looked up, her dark-lined eyes brightening. The silver pentacle at her throat caught the light as she turned. "Jessica! Perfect timing–I just finished arranging the elemental runes." She gestured proudly to her display, where metallic silver intricate symbols coated the black backgrounds. Each one seemed to pulse with its own subtle energy that made Jessica's enhanced senses tingle. "Each one represents a different fundamental force of nature."

  Jessica leaned in closer, studying the strange markings. They seemed to shimmer slightly under the fluorescent lights, though she couldn't tell if that was just her enhanced vision playing tricks on her. The symbols appeared to shift and dance at the edges of her perception, like trying to focus on something underwater. "They're beautiful," she admitted. "But how exactly is this... science?"

  "Elements are scientific," Salina said firmly, adjusting the crystal pendant at her throat. Jessica noticed it was a new one - deep purple amethyst wrapped in copper wire. "Fire, water, earth, air–they're the building blocks of everything around us. These runes are just another way of understanding and channeling that power." She lowered her voice to a whisper that only Jessica's wolf-enhanced hearing could catch. "You of all people should understand that some things exist beyond conventional scientific explanation."

  The old Jessica would have dismissed Salina's talk of magic and elements as fantasy, but that was before moonlight had reshaped her own reality. "Fair point," she conceded. "But the judges might need more convincing."

  "That's why I included the historical documentation and cross-cultural analysis," Salina said, pointing to a stack of meticulously annotated papers. Her neat handwriting covered the top page, with carefully drawn diagrams in the margins. "Did you know similar symbols appear in ancient civilizations across the globe? The geometric patterns in Norse runes echo elements found in Native American petroglyphs and Egyptian hieroglyphs. That's not coincidence–it's evidence of a universal symbolic language."

  Before Jessica could respond, a high-pitched voice cut through their conversation.

  "That is stupid," declared a small boy who'd wandered over to their booth. He couldn't have been over ten–probably someone's younger brother. His Spider-Man t-shirt smelled like chocolate chip cookies, and he had the superior air of someone who'd just discovered the word "actually." "Magic isn't real. This is supposed to be a science fair!"

  Salina's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Jessica felt the air pressure in the gym shift ever so slightly. "Oh really?" She reached for one rune on her display–the one Jessica recognized as representing air. The silvery symbol seemed to ripple as Salina's fingers drew near. The boy's eyes widened as a sudden breeze ruffled his hair, despite them being indoors with all the doors closed. The wind carried the scent of ozone and something wild, like storm clouds gathering.

  "What... what was that?" he stammered, his earlier bravado evaporating like morning dew.

  Salina smiled, all teeth. The expression reminded Jessica uncomfortably of her own reflection during a full moon. "Science," she said sweetly. "Would you like to see what else these 'fake' symbols can do?"

  The boy backed away quickly, nearly tripping over his own feet before turning and fleeing into the crowd. His fear-scent lingered in Jessica's nostrils, sharp and acrid.

  "Salina!" Jessica hissed, glancing around to see if anyone else had noticed the supernatural display. "You can't just go around scaring children!"

  "He started it," Salina said, unrepentant. She began adjusting the crystals around her display with careful precision. Each one had to be placed just so, creating what she called a "harmonious energy field." "Besides, a healthy respect for the unknown never hurt anyone." She picked up a piece of clear quartz and held it up to the light, checking for imperfections. "Now shoo–go help your boy genius with his ghost detector. Just try not to set it off yourself."

  Jessica rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Good luck with the judges. Try not to turn any of them into frogs."

  "No promises!" Salina called after her as Jessica made her way across the gymnasium to where Kevin was struggling with his own setup.

  *****

  Jessica helped Kevin set up his science fair booth. Her enhanced hearing picked up every buzz and flicker, a constant reminder of her... condition. The lights themselves seemed to pulse in time with her heightened awareness, an electronic heartbeat she couldn't ignore. She pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on steadying the rickety card table as Kevin arranged his equipment.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  "Are you sure this thing actually works?" Jessica asked, eyeing the contraption skeptically. It looked like something cobbled together from RadioShack clearance bins and her grandmother's kitchen–all blinking lights and exposed wiring wrapped around what might have been a modified microwave. Various antennae protruded at odd angles, and a small screen displayed constantly changing numerical readings that made no sense to her.

  Kevin adjusted his glasses, his dark fingers dancing across the control panel with practiced confidence. He tucked a small screwdriver behind his ear, and solder burned spotted his NASA t-shirt. "Of course it works. The electromagnetic field detector is calibrated to pick up supernatural energy signatures within a fifty-foot radius." He paused, glancing at her with a knowing look. "Want to test it?"

  Jessica's stomach lurched. The last thing she needed was some kind of technological confirmation of her supernatural status in front of the entire school. "Hard pass. The last thing I need is to set off some kind of werewolf alarm in front of the whole school."

  "Relax," Kevin said, his voice dropping to a whisper. His dark eyes were serious behind his glasses. "I programmed it to ignore your specific frequency. You know I've got your back."

  A warm flutter of gratitude bloomed in Jessica's chest, but before she could respond, a commotion erupted near the gymnasium entrance. The crowd of students parted like the Red Sea as Henry Ballzack strutted in, pushing what looked like a mannequin draped in a sheet. The sheet was pristine white, probably silk from the way it draped, because Henry did nothing halfway.

  "Oh great," Kevin muttered, tightening a connection with more force than necessary. "Here comes the king of trying too hard."

  Jessica elbowed him, but couldn't suppress a smirk. Henry's reputation for dramatic reveals was legendary–and not in a good way. Last year's robot dog had chased Mr. Peterson up a tree and refused to let him down for three hours. The incident had made the local news and earned Henry both detention and a robotics scholarship.

  Henry cleared his throat loudly, commanding attention. He was wearing what appeared to be a lab coat over designer jeans, his greasy black hair carefully styled to look casually messy. "Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves for the future of cheerleading!" He yanked off the sheet with a flourish, his movement practiced and theatrical.

  Jessica's jaw dropped.

  Standing before them was a robot, but not like any she'd seen before. This one was sleek and humanoid, with flowing blonde hair that looked disturbingly real and glowing blue LED eyes that seemed to track movement. It–she?–wore a pristine Mighty Wolf cheerleader uniform that matched Jessica's own, right down to the silver wolf embroidered on the chest. The craftsmanship was incredible; she had to admit. Every detail was perfect, from the pleats in the skirt to the way the fabric moved with the robot's subtle adjustments.

  That must be what her squad was afraid of, but why does it look like her? The resemblance was unsettling - the same height, similar build, even the hair color was a match. Jessica felt a chill run down her spine that had nothing to do with her supernatural senses.

  “Why the hell does that thing looked like me?” Jessica whispered.

  Kevin only replied with a shrug.

  "I present to you," Henry announced, his voice dripping with self-satisfaction, "Trampolina!"

  The robot's head turned with mechanical precision, scanning the crowd. Its movements were unnervingly fluid, almost natural, but to Jessica's enhanced senses, something felt off. There was a disconnect between the smooth exterior and the complex machinery within, like a beautiful mask hiding something alien. The faint whir of servos and the sharp scent of metal and electronics set her wolf instincts on edge.

  "Really, Mr. Ballsack?" Kevin asked, loud enough for nearby students to hear. His hands had stilled on his project, and Jessica could smell his anxiety mixing with anger. "A cheerleader robot? That's your groundbreaking contribution to science?"

  Henry's smug smile faltered slightly, a crack in his confident facade. "Trampolina represents the pinnacle of robotics and artificial intelligence. She can execute complex gymnastics routines with perfect precision, never tires, and never makes mistakes." He shot a pointed look at the cheerleading squad huddled near the bleachers, his meaning clear. "Unlike some people."

  Jessica's hands clenched into fists, her strength threatening to surface. She forced them to relax, remembering how easily she'd crushed a doorknob last week. Control was still a daily struggle, especially when her emotions ran high. "At least we have personality," she shot back, trying to keep her voice steady. "Your Barbie bot looks about as lively as a department store mannequin."

  "Oh, really?" Henry's grin turned predatory, reminding Jessica uncomfortably of rival wolves she'd encountered. "Trampolina, why don't you show them what you can do?"

  The robot's eyes flickered, and suddenly it burst into motion. “Commencing showtime!”

  It–she–launched into a series of backflips across the gym floor, each one perfect, each landing precise. There was no hesitation, no warmup, just pure mechanical efficiency. The crowd gasped as Trampolina transitioned seamlessly into a standing full twist, then a layout. The movements were beautiful but wrong somehow, like watching a video played at slightly the wrong speed.

  "Holy crap," someone whispered, and the sentiment rippled through the growing audience.

  Jessica felt her stomach twist. The robot's movements were incredible–and completely inhuman. No warm-up needed, no hesitation, no fear. Just flawless execution. She could smell the mixture of awe and unease from her fellow cheerleaders, their whispered conversations carrying easily to her enhanced hearing.

  "Impressed yet?" Henry called out, practically preening. His lab coat swished as he gestured dramatically at his creation, every inch the mad scientist presenting his masterpiece.

  Kevin stepped forward, his voice tight with barely contained frustration. "It's just programmed sequences. Any decent robot can follow pre-set routines. There's nothing revolutionary about–"

  "Trampolina," Henry interrupted, speaking over Kevin with practiced dismissal, "improvise a new routine incorporating elements from the last three regional championship performances."

  “Improvising now!” The robot's eyes pulsed, and then it launched into a completely new sequence. Jessica recognized moves from different routines, combined in ways she'd never seen before. The crowd broke into spontaneous applause as Trampolina stuck another perfect landing; the sound echoing off the gymnasium walls.

  "That's actual artificial intelligence," Henry said, his voice dripping condescension. "She can analyze, adapt, and create in real-time. Face it, Lebowski–your little ghost detector is a science fair cliché compared to this."

  Kevin's face darkened, and Jessica could smell his anger intensifying. "At least my invention serves a purpose beyond stroking your ego. What's next, replacing the whole squad with robots?"

  A flash of movement caught Jessica's eye. Tiffany Barns had slipped away from the other cheerleaders and was edging along the back wall of the gym, her phone clutched in her hand like a lifeline. Something about her body language set off alarm bells in Jessica's enhanced senses. The girl's heart was racing, and she reeked of nervous sweat and... guilt?

  "Actually," Henry was saying, his voice carrying across the gym with practiced projection, "I've already received interest from several schools about mass production. Imagine cheer squads that never get tired, never miss practice, never drama–"

  "Never feel anything?" Jessica cut in, unable to contain herself. "Never experience the actual joy of performing? Never form real friendships or getting laid?”

  "Spare me the emotional appeal," Henry scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. "This is about advancement, about pushing boundaries. Trampolina represents the future, whether you like it or not."

  The robot turned its head toward them, those blue LED eyes seeming to stare right through Jessica. A strange vibration tickled her heightened senses, something discordant in the whir of machinery. It was like hearing an instrument slowly going out of tune, a wrongness that grew with each passing second.

  "Kevin," she whispered, touching his arm in warning. "Something feels wrong."

  But before she could explain, Trampolina's head jerked sharply to one side. The movement was sudden, unnatural–nothing like the fluid grace of moments before. Its eyes flickered, blue to red and back again, like a warning light coming to life.

  "And now," Henry announced, oblivious to the malfunction, "for Trampolina's grand finale!"

  The robot's head snapped back to center position with a mechanical crack that made Jessica wince. Those LED eyes blazed red, holding none of their previous artificial intelligence. Instead, they burned with something that looked terrifyingly like rage.

  And then all hell broke loose.