Chapter 4 - Scene Four

MMI Bending The Rules"Isuggest you listen to the music while reading the montage. It really adds tothe humor - especially because I tell you where the music is in the montage.Oh, but it will probably take a couple times to imagine everything with theright timing." ~GD
 
BendingThe Rules
ByGalaxyDancer
 
 
SCENEFOUR
 
Montageto Puffy AmiYumi's "Love So Pure", continuing from the music loop andgoing up to the end of the first refrain. White letters on a black screen read"The Next Day . . ." We zoom in on the school building, then cut tothe inside. (Cue drums) Johnny is in class, working on something really hard.Me pops up over his shoulder and attempts to give him an origami swan. Johnnyuses his index finger to slowly push Me away from him by her forehead. (Cuefirst verse) Cut to Johnny walking home from school. It's cloudy. A drop ofwater falls on his head, causing him to look up. When he looks forward again,Me is standing in front of him, holding a closed umbrella. She opens it andholds it over her and Johnny's head. Johnny points to something, and Me looksoff in that direction. While she's occupied, he closes the umbrella on her headand then continues walking. (Cue second verse) Cut to the dark inside of thefridge. Johnny opens the door, looking behind him cautiously, but jumps back insurprise when he looks in the fridge. Me is sitting in it, and attempts to handhim a cup of yogurt. Johnny closes the door on her and puts a lock on thehandle. (Cue refrain, first half) Cut to Johnny sitting on Me's bed, writing inhis die-ary. Me, out of nowhere, leans over his shoulder to watch. Johnny leansforward, attempting to hide his writing from her. Me leans farther over him,accidentally losing her balance and causing both of them to fall to the floor.(Cue refrain, second half) Johnny's die-ary lands, open, on top of his head.Cut to everybody -but the parents, obviously- sitting around the television atnighttime, except Me. Nny has his back to the sofa. He takes a bite of hispopcorn, staring mindlessly at the screen. Suddenly, Me jumps from behind thesofa and grabs him, causing him to throw the bowl of popcorn into the air. Itlands on his head. The music starts to fade out as Me tosses a piece of popcorninto the air and catches it in her mouth, then giggles. Johnny doesn't lookamused. Fade to the bedroom, the music now gone. Johnny is laying on Myself'sbunk (the top one) with his arms behind his head, and Jeremie is typing away atVT's keyboard. Everybody else isn't there.
 
Johnny(stressed): Is there any way you can fix that World File thing faster? I'm nottrying to rush you, it's just . . . Me is really annoying. She follows meeverywhere.
 
Jeremie:I wouldn't be too upset with her. She may seem creepy, but she means well. It'sjust her way of showing you she likes you.
 
Johnnysits up and dangles his feet over the edge of the bunk.
 
Johnny:Yeah, no doubt about that . . . but still. When it comes to annoyances, I havethis old habit that surfaces when I'm pushed too far. I like Me, too, soI don't want to do anything I might regret.
 
Jeremie:Just give it time. But here's something to try: when she annoys you, just lether know. She usually tones it down a little if you're serious with her.
 
Johnny:Mm hmm . . . So, Jeremie, why are you here?
 
Jeremie:Excuse me?
 
Johnny:Well, it seems everybody has an interesting background story to tell. I'veheard from everybody but you, so I was just getting curious.
 
Jeremie:Oh. Alright. I guess I've just been here so long I don't think about it anymore, but . . .
 
Johnnyleans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, interested.
 
Jeremie:It's kind of hard to explain. A long story, of course.
 
Johnny:I've nothing better to do. But if it's a secret or something, I understand.
 
Jeremie:It used to be. I guess it still is, to the people from my Universe.
 
Johnny:That's okay. I don't-
 
Jeremie:No, I didn't mean I wouldn't tell you. I will.
 
Johnny: .. . Okay.
 
Jeremie:There's this virtual universe -in my own Universe, of course- called Lyoko. Itexists in a super computer in an old factory not too far from the boardingschool.
 
Johnny:You went to boarding school? Oh, sorry for interrupting . . .
 
Jeremie:It's okay. Yeah, I did. Do, I mean. Well, I guess . . . I don't know. I wouldif I was still there. But . . . anyway. Lyoko is really like a computer game.You have life points, levels, enemies to face . . . but it's not like a normalcomputer game. The "villain", if you will, is XANA. And he attacks-and starts the "game"- by attacking real people in my Universe. Whenhe does, he activates a tower in Lyoko.
 
Johnny(interested): Go back. He attacks people? Like a monster?
 
Jeremie:Not exactly. XANA can't physically touch people, because he's only a program.But he can access anything that has a traceable signal, or is connected toanything electric. And whatever he affects, he leaves his symbol on if he can.One time, he used hypnotic music to paralyze anybody who listened to it.
 
Johnny:Remind me not to listen to that song.
 
Jeremie:Heh. It's okay now. We fixed it.
 
Johnny:Ah.
 
Jeremie:Okay, here's how we fight back. My friends and I go to the factory, I sit atthe super computer to monitor Lyoko and stay in contact with them, and theystep into the scanners to be virtualized - that is, I send them to Lyoko.
 
Johnny:You put them in the game?
 
Jeremie:Exactly. Once they're there, they have to find Aelita.
 
Johnny:Aelita . . . I think Me said something about Aelita. Isn't she your girlfriend?
 
Jeremie:Well . . . um, not exactly . . . she lives in Lyoko.
 
Johnny:Oooh.
 
Jeremie:Remember what I told you about XANA activating a tower? To stop him, Aelita hasto deactivate it. And when she does, time rewinds itself so nobody rememberswhat happened except my friends and me. And Aelita, of course.
 
Johnny:Wait. If all Aelita has to do is deactivate a tower in Lyoko, why do you sendyour friends there? Sorry, this is just confusing.
 
Jeremie:Aelita has to first get to the tower, which XANA tries to stop bysending his monsters after her.
 
Johnny:In Lyoko, right?
 
Jeremie:Right. But she can't fight them alone, so my friends go there to help.
 
Johnny(excited): I get it! They help her fight monsters, and then she deactivates thetower and wins the game!
 
Jeremie:Exactly! You caught on a lot faster than I thought you would.
 
Johnny:I've heard a lot of interesting stories, but that one's probably the best. So .. . why are you here?
 
Jeremie:Well . . . that's a different story. It happened before Tessa was split intothree people, actually. They had brought Spot here, and Kevin couldn't figureout how to send him back, so they brought me to help. I've been here eversense, trying to fix the broken World Files. But I'm not working alonewith Kevin. I figured out a way to contact Aelita directly, because this is a transdimensional computer. Along with helping me fix the World Files, Aelita also keeps the other VT Babies' families informed about their current situations. She's been the biggest help in all this.
 
Johnny:Interesting. She knows a lot about computers?
 
Jeremie:Of course. She originated as a computer program, but I don't like to thinkabout her that way. She's a real person, too, with feelings andemotions. We even figured out a way to materialize her!
 
Johnny:To what?
 
Jeremie:Oh, I forgot to tell you. When one of my friends runs out of life points, theyare materialized: sent back to my Universe through the scanners. But if Aelitaloses her life points . . .
 
Johnny:She disappears or something?

Jeremie stops typing and swivels the chair around to face Johnny.
 
Jeremie:I don't want to find out. That's why I wanted her to be materialized so much:it's too dangerous for her to stay on Lyoko forever. If XANA keeps attacking,it's only a matter of time before we don't make it there in time . . . so Iwant to materialize her as soon as possible.
 
Johnny: Ithought you already did. And if XANA's a computer thing, why don't youjust turn him off or something?
 
Jeremie:If I do, it will erase Lyoko and all its programming, including XANA andAelita. And when we first materialized Aelita, XANA implanted a computer virusin her. If we shut down Lyoko, we shut her down, too. Even when she's standingthere with us.
 
Johnny(kinda sad): Oh. And you haven't figured out how to remove the virus?
 
Jeremie(also kinda sad): . . . Not yet. . . . Do you want to meet her?
 
Johnny:What? Aelita?
 
Jeremie(happy): Yeah! She always likes meeting new transdimensional beings! Plus, shecan inform anybody back home about where you are. I'm sure your family'sconcerned.
 
Johnny:Actually, I . . . I don't really have a family. I guess you could count Squeeand Devi, but I already told Squee I was leaving, and Devi hates me.
 
Jeremie:Oh . . . I'm sorry. I didn't know. But, hey, you want to meet Aelita now? I'msure she . . . wait, you already told someone you were leaving? How did you-
 
Johnny:Before I came here, I was about to go on a trip. Me caught me at the perfecttime, I suppose. I was . . . . . (Changing the topic) So what about meetingAelita? She sounds really nice.
 
Jeremie:Oh, right. Of course. (Jeremie turns back to the computer screen.) VT? Youthere?
 
VT makesa few beeping noises, acknowledging she's awake.
 
VT: Yeah,I'm here. Sorry. I don't like listening in on private conversations when I'mnot invited, so I put myself into sleep mode. What can I do ya for, Jeremie?
 
Jeremie:Johnny would like to meet Aelita. Can you put her on screen for us?
 
VT: Noproblem. I'll tap into the Link File frequency system right now.
 
We get agood view of the computer screen, which has numbers running down it likesomething from The Matrix. As it does, we see the reflection of Johnny slidingoff the top bunk and walking up next to Jeremie. The screen then switches tothe classic Lyoko view screen on Jeremie's laptop. Jeremie goes to work typingin codes and such, just like he used to do on Code: Lyoko. Johnny waitspatiently. Finally, Aelita pops up on screen.
 
Aelita(on screen): Jeremie! It's been a while since you've contacted me.
 
Jeremie:I know. I've been busy with the World File problem. And there's a newtransdimensional with us: Johnny. He really wants to meet you.
 
Jeremieturns to the side slightly, letting Aelita and Johnny face each other. Johnnylooks awestruck.
 
Aelita:Nice to meet you, Johnny. Where are you from?
 
Johnny: I. . . I, uh . . .
 
Jeremie:He's from a comic book, so I heard. Is that right, Johnny?
 
Johnny(not listening): Uh . . . yeah. I don't know. Wow . . .
 
Aelita:You seem confused, Johnny. Are you all right?
 
Johnny: Idon't know . . .? Wow. You're talking to me, and you're in a virtual world.That's amazing. That's . . . wow.
 
Jeremie:He just found out about Lyoko, so he's kind of in shock. I guess.
 
Johnny(really out of it): Shocking. Yeah. Wow. Your name's Aelita, right? Aelita fromLyoko. Wow.
 
Aelita:Yes, that's right.
 
Johnny(holding out the word longer than necessary): Wooow . . .
 
Jeremie(getting jealous): Or maybe he's been exposed to something for too long.Something radioactive.
 
Jeremiecrosses his arms.
 
Johnny:Radio songs sound pretty . . . like in Universe One, Natasha Bedingfield's"These Words" . . .
 
Aelita:I've never heard that one. Maybe VT will play it for me.
 
VT: Sure. . . you okay with that, Jeremie?
 
Johnny:Wow . . .
 
Jeremie(glaring at Johnny): I guess so.
 
Cut tonighttime, still in the bedroom. Everybody is asleep except for Johnny, who islaying in the middle of the floor with a flashlight and his die-ary. He writesintently, but with a slight smile on his face that fades towards the end. Wehear his thoughts as he writes.
 
Johnny'sthoughts (echo-ish voice): Dear Die-ary. I know that it's my responsibility tokeep myself under better control, now. While I still have feeling, I owe mydevotion to Devi. But I think that my time away from her has caused her imagein my mind to fade, slightly. I'm forgetting why I loved her to begin with. Andbecause of this, my foolish brain has mistaken another to satisfy mylonging for her: Aelita. She is both beautiful and smart, like Devi. But she isn'tDevi, and I have to remember that. If I get lost in my emotions, I'll never beable to find my way back.
 
Johnny(out loud): Devi . . .
 
Tearsform in Johnny's eyes. Fade to black after one drops onto the open page in hisdie-ary.

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