To the readers
I appreciate any comments on the story.
Notes
[] are used to indicate stage directions
All dialogue follows a "Speaker: dialogue" format
{} are used for author comments.
Special Episode: High Rollers
[Establishing shot of the 11th grade and 12th grade outside on the school field. Regular posts are set up forming paths down the field. All the students are lined up with Jim in front holding something.]
Jim: Now I know you students like to play with your food. So, this is something right up your alley.
William: Is it bowling?
Jim: No, but it does involve rolling. This is Ruzzola. Ancient paintings inside Tarquinian tombs depict Etruscans playing the game with aged cheese.
Aelita: Sounds baloney if you ask me.
Jim: As a matter of fact, it was Pecorino cheese. But they stopped that because… because uh-
Nickolas: Because they kept on eating it during the game.
Jim: Yes… wait. No. It's because of the smell. So that they didn't have to play with stinky cheese, they replaced it with a discus. Yes, that's the reason.
Odd: [whisper] They stopped because of gambling. A shame because that's where all the fun is.
Jim: It's played by rolling it to your partner, then the person who rolled runs ahead to receive it, and then back and forth along a path with obstacles, hills, and curves until you reach the goal. The team with fewest rolls or shortest time to complete the "treppi" wins. So break into groups of two to try it out.
[Odd and William are partnered up. Odd throws it. William catches. William makes a roll that misses by a wide margin. Odd dives to catch it bumping into another student.
William: You're pretty good at this.
Odd: Lawn parties my parents threw. Played it a lot whenever they happen.
[Throws it up and catches it behind back.]
Theo: If you're done. Could you get off my foot?
Odd: Oh, whoops. ["my bad" gesture] Hehe.
Theo: This is how you're supposed to do it.
["Way to the Factory" starts playing]
[He banks it off the football goal back to his partner. Gives a smirk to Odd.]
Odd: Not bad. But this is how you're supposed to do it. If you have any style that is. Bro go long.
[Odd does a long throw, it bounces up onto the stair ramp, and up to where William is.]
[Both Odd and Theo are aiming at the last goal post. The discs both skid across the ground. It looks like they hit it at the exact same time, then bounce into the air.]
Odd and Theo: I won! What do you mean you?
[Jim looks up as a shadow crosses his face.]
SLAM
Jim: OOF. Della Robbia! Gauthier! Watch where you are aiming those things. This is why this is banned in the first place.
Nickolas: I thought it was banned because of the smell.
[See Sam watching the class play. Odd notices her and walks up.]
Odd: Hey Sam. Are you missing class?
Sam: I wouldn't say I'm missing it. Couldn't help but hear. You said you play a lot.
Odd: Yeah
Sam: You free tonight?
Odd: Unless there's an invasion of sentient pancakes, my schedule is clear? Where do you want to go tonight?
William: Hey Sam.
Sam: Oh, William good you're here. You should come too.
William: So, is this the double date you were pitching?
Sam: No. Better. A high speed epic event with injury on the line. The best you've ever seen. [she motions to come in nearby. Boys lean in. She whispers] Underground Ruzzola.
Odd: You're kidding?
William: Underground. Ruzzola?
Sam: Don't mock it til you see it.
William: I do have a biology project due at the end of the week. But I can blow off my group and make it up later.
Sam: Great. Bring your boards, a wireless and a codename.
[character card-Odd]
[Tracking shot through the sewers, with graffiti decorating the tunnels. Odd and William are walking through it with their phones out for light.]
William: You sure this is the right way?
Odd: This is the place she texted.
["romantic theme" starts playing.]
William: Hey bro, I want to ask you something.
Odd: Yeah?
William: And you can't tell anyone.
Odd: Yeah.
William: And you will never hear me say this again.
Odd: … yeah?
William: You've got game.
[music cuts out]
Odd: But of course! So, what do you want to know?
William: How do I plan the perfect date?
Odd: Oooh. You don't.
William: Do you mean me specifically or-
Odd: Nonono, it's just… how do I put this? You romanticize romance.
William: …Isn't that the point?
Odd: Imagine an artist. One day, they see a drop dead gorgeous orange tree. Suddenly they want to paint orange trees. They buy all the brushes, the paints, the canvas, and then when they sit down they find out they don't actually like that style. If they had just sketched some half good drawings, they would have found that out.
William: So, pick up painting?
Odd: Stop trying to make the perfect date. Do what you like. Do what they like. Movies, concerts, hiking, working out, going out to eat, [raises an eyebrow] staying home to "Netflix and chill".
William: Which one?
Odd: Which ever one you both want. Just have fun.
[The sewer gurgles beside them]
William: Like skating in the sewers.
Odd: Exactly, now you're catching on.
Odd: You have to make mistakes. Fall out of love, try out different things. You're trying to be Oscar-Claude Monet when you need to be Picasso.
William: Isn't he also a famous artist?
Odd: Not his early work.
William: So be Nico Regeste in his solo career before creating Sebsonics.
Odd: Now you're getting it Will. I. Am.
[Round a corner in the sewers to see dozens of people. Some students from Kadic including Theo and Sam.]
William: What is this place?
Sam: Underground Ruzzola league. Some kids started it, posted about it online. The intense moments, the wipeouts. All of it. Then people wanted to start betting and-
Odd: And it spiraled out of control.
Sam: The teams will do whatever it takes to win.
William: Wow. I'm really impressed.
Odd: Really?
William: Yeah the time and effort to set this up, all these people, just to prank me.
Odd: I didn't set this up!
William: [sarcastic] Oh of course not. You and she are in on this together.
Sam: No. Where do you think I've been getting all my income?
Odd: Your trick compilation videos.
Sam: Oh no sweetie. I mean it's fun, but it doesn't exactly pay the best.
William: Really? Seriously? I mean… It's just…Ruzzola.
Sam: People will bet on anything. You can bet on yourself over there to win big.
[Odd steps up to the betting stand, a fold up a table. A guy their age with a white mask with a mustache and gold hat.]
Odd: 50 euros on yours truly and his team the, [turns to Sam] what are we called?
Sam: Dousser Knights.
Odd: Dousser Knights to win it all.
?: Sure. Thing Odd.
Odd: [Odd blinks twice.] Hiroki?
[Hiroki, the guy in the mask covers Odd's mouth.]
Hiroki: Hey don't blow my cover.
William: Wait, you're here. That means the person filming is-.
[Sees a girl with a red hood filming everything on a high spec camera. But she's not looking over at the racers with their boards, she's looking over at Odd, William, and Hiroki.]
Odd: Oh so Millie's here too.
William: You're allowed to come here?
Hiroki: Of course not. My parents are relentless whenever Yumi sneaks out. Could you imagine if I got caught for this "diverse business venture".
Odd: So how are you here?
Hiroki: She makes all the mistakes; I learn from them.
Announcer: And lastly, is the Dousser Knights. Lead by Dousser Knight herself, Future Flash Ocelot and… C zero two divided by x squared? OH. CO2 Over Powered.
Hiroki: Take some inspiration from your chemistry project?
William: You mean Biology.
Hiroki: No, I mean chemistry. That's what Yumi said she was working on.
William: Uh oh.
Sam: Boys. Over here. So William what do you think?
William: Seems like a niche sport.
Odd: You mean a quiche sport.
[William takes mental damage while Sam giggles.]
William: [to Sam] … You have the patience of a saint. [To Odd] She's your girlfriend. If she's not annoyed by it, she must be completely into it. Since you're so talkative-
Odd: I can't help it. I'm an expert in the field of love.
William: -where are you going for your next date then?
Odd: Petals of desire: The ballet adaptation.
William: That doesn't sound like either of you would enjoy that.
Sam: Yeah, but the shrimp cakes at the concession counter are to die for. Want some Knightly wisdom?
William: Sure. [whispers] if you can call it wisdom.
Sam: You know a lot about people, but not a lot about women.
William: I know a lot about picking up girls. The right girl.
Sam: MnnHMM. Picking up I can see. How many Exes do you have?
William: I'm not in double digits unlike a certain harem king I know. [glances at Odd]
Odd: Ex-Harem king. There's only one for me now. And do you know how I know we're soulmates?
William: I'm sure a stopped clock can relate.
Odd: We had fun when we were around each other. Went to parties together, skated together. Getting together was just the next step.
William: A lot of work for a date. First to the factory, then all the way here. How exciting could watching people throw a disc be?
"Oh I guarantee it will be exciting."
[Theo's team pulls up.]
Theo: You ready to finally lose Della Robbia.
Odd: It's future flash Oceleot at the moment, but you can call me the success machine just like my friends do.
[William is shaking his head mouthing "no. no we do not" behind Odd while he's saying this.]
[Someone speaks in everyone's earbuds]
Announcer: Everyone. Time to get this show rolling.
[Everyone lines up.]
Announcer: You already know the rules…because there aren't any. Kidding. First team to finish the Treppi is the winner. You have to keep rolling the Ruzzola between team members. The same member cannot throw twice in a row. Otherwise you can say goodbye to the prize pot and any bets on your team placed. So, I hope no one bet on the newbs.
Ready. Set. ROLL!
"Protect the Core" starts playing
[Everyone pushes off with their skateboards. Sam rolls the discus out, and Odd's the first one to catch and throw it up to William. Then back to Sam as she skates ahead. Other teams have similar patterns as they navigate the thin walkways of the sewers. Up ahead the path branches.]
[The announcer's voice rings over everyone's earbuds.]
Announcer: Uh oh, "Bowling for megaton" ruzz went into the drink. They are going to have to fish it out. That's gonna cost them.
Sam: This way. It's the fastest. We'll need to jump the gap to get ahead of everyone. No one wants to risk falling in. The trick is to-
[Odd and William jump the gap no problem. Sam is surprised, but grins and yeets the discus over the gap before jumping.]
Sam: Will, go long.
William: I would prefer you called me-
[Out of nowhere, a skater comes in and kicks the ruzzola just as William was about to catch it. It's goes sailing into the sewer water. The offending player turns back to the main tunnel.]
Sam: Oh, it's the Sulphuric Pricks. [looks at the dirty water] Oh, I really hate this, but-
Odd: So, let me.
[Odd jumps in the water.]
[beat]
William: Is that really their name?
Sam: It's what I call them. I think it's Acidic high rollers or something like that.
[Odd surfaces and throws the disc back up to William.]
Odd: The show must roll on right?
Sam: Odd you're gonna reek now.
Odd: It's not so bad.
William: His tolerance level is high from something else no one wants to smell.
Odd: You leave Kiwi out of this. [skates ahead]
William: [to Sam] I wasn't talking about his dog.
Sam: I know. I got him something new for his feet.
William: What do you recommend for the sewers.
Sam: A shower. Come on William, we need to rush.
[As they skate off, the camera focuses on the wall covered with graffiti behind them.]
[-Character card William-]
Announcer: Currently Dousser Knights has the lead but can Concrete Jungle Surfers pass them.
[Focus on Theo and his team trying to pass Odd and William. Theo and one of his team members moves in behind Odd, flanking on either side. Odd turns down the side passage in a parallel path to avoid the team attempting to knock him into the sewer as he goes after the ruzzola. Odd can hear something moving behind him.]
Odd: You're not getting past-
[There's something in shadow chasing behind him that cracks the ground with every step. Sam looks over as she jumps a gap at an intersection to see Odd with something right behind him.
"Emergency" Starts playing
Right as the creature jumped toward him, it's revealed. It's a cheetah. Odd scoops up the disc and yeets it-]
Odd: To you Sam!
[-Down the intersection over to where Sam is. He takes an immediate right turn into a straight side path away from the main competition. Virtual energy covers him as he becomes pixelated and takes on his Lyoko avatar appearance.]
[William get's a call. Looks at the caller on his watch. It's Jeremy. Also sees notifications for several missed messages. They scroll by one at a time.]
"PICK."
"UP."
"NOW!"
[phone rings again and he picks up]
Jeremy: [phone] XANA's attacking. I don't know what the attack is. Tell Odd and get away as soon as you can.
William: I'm sort of busy at the moment.
Jeremy: Tell your chemistry group some excuse.
William: I'm not at the school. [catches the disc from Sam and lobs it so she can get ahead and catch it]
Yumi: [phone] I know.
William: [awkward] Hi Yumi. Yeah I was going to work with my group tonight, but I'll make up my part tomorrow.
Yumi: [phone] It's DUE tomorrow.
William: Why isn't it due at the end of the week.
Yumi: Because this is when Hertz assigned it.
William: It would make a lot more sense if it was at the END of the week.
character card-Jeremy
Odd: Now would be a terrible time to stop working again. Future Flash!
[Flames cover his left eye and flares behind him with his high speeds.]
Odd: Where? Not that. Come on there has to be one somewhere.
[The cheetah takes a bite out of the back of his board.]
Odd: Lazer flash!
[A flash and a burst of arrows hits the cheetah dead center of its head.]
Odd: Bullseye!
[Trio of bursts appears on Odd's forehead. His form flickers as a force slams into his head sending him flying off his board over the sewers.
Odd reaches out. His board, also covered in flickering energy, transforms into his overboard and blasts off to catch him before he hits the water. He glides over the water channel, swivels back, and slams into the cheetah with the flat of his board. Something SLAMS into his chest and his form flickers again.
Groans, checks his remaining time on his watch, then stays away as the monster claws at him again. He activates Future Flash again.]
Odd: Yes. This is it.
[He spots a thick pipe attached to the wall ahead. Grinds his board in slow mo across the pipe.]
Odd: Sorry kitty. You need a bath.
[Cheeta almost catches up as he shoots the bolts off the connecting pipes. A torrent bursts out in a thin sheet cutting the cheetah in two and slamming the halves against the far wall.
Odd takes a look.
The cheetah turns into a piece of concrete with abstract spray paint graffiti art that looks like a cheetah. A specter emerges out of the rubble.]
Odd: Lazer arrow.
[Hits the specter once before it swats a light bulb out of the ceiling and escapes through the exposed wires.
Deactivates his form, and he and his board turn back to normal.]
["30% remaining" reads on his watch.]
[He rejoins the main action. Sam passes back to Odd.]
Sam: There you are.
Odd: Sorry, I got lost and circled around the same spot. I swear one of the drawings on the walls came to life and started chasing me. [William nods knowingly]
Sam: Okay. Stay close. Don't get lost again.
William: [joking] Not that we needed your help to win. [from across the sewer on opposite side]
Odd: [joking] Oh of course you didn't. You have the flame of victory with you. [winks at Sam. She flips her hair out of her face so she can maintain eye contact with him while they ride.]
William: [rides parallel to Odd] What do we do about the attack?
Odd: The others are already on it right? Avoid the specter, save people, something something something win the race.
William: What about the tower?
Odd: [shrugs] Why worry what we can't help? The others got it in the bag.
[All the riders exit from various tunnels onto the promenade. There's a star design on the paths marking the way forward. William is on the left. Sam and Odd are on the right.]
Sam: Odd take it.
[She hurls it back to him while she takes a ramp back up to the street level where the path continues.
"Xana Attacks" starts playing
He stops and jerks forward, but can't even fall. The star design on the tiles bent up like the mouth of a carnivore. The edges grew fine points that bite into him and his board.]
Odd: I am not the one who gets eaten. That's not how this works.
[Looks around and sees William riding on the other side of the river. Passes the disc over to him. It arcs high above the water.]
Odd: Bro!
There's movement in the water. It's the specter. Smoke and energy forms fingers and arm. Has rocks clutched in them. It catapults them up in the path of the disc. The rocks seem to shimmer then squirm and change their shape and color into something with wings. Birds, pigeons, smash into the disc and causes it drop into the rushing water of the river.
William: [looking around rapidly for other people] Carbon fiber.
[Shifts into his energized form. Lyoko form with black and orange lines. He casts a line as one of the gauntlets on his arms spits out a thin black cable that whirls over river and attaches to the shore with orange ichor. The disc lands, wobbles and neatly rolls across the cable onto William's side.]
Odd: Yes hole in one.
[William goes for the disc, but…
The specter bursts out of the street lamp next to him and merges with the railing. It wriggles and transforms into a constrictor snake that loops around William.]
Odd: No! Don't attack. The specter's animals bite back magically.
William: Super- [realizes]
[The disc had rolled up the river bank and is about to fly into the street behind William. The constrictor is about to bite him. He has his sword ready to strike it. Instead, he slams the sword into the concrete, jumps and posts on it narrowly kicking the disc and changing its trajectory back onto the path beside the road.]
William: Super smoke
[Bursts apart into a cloud of smoke as the constrictor's fangs pierce him. The cloud chases after the disc and William reforms.]
Sam: [above] Odd, what's going on? Are you going to pass?
Odd: [Trying to free his legs] NO! Go on ahead. I just got stuck.
Sam: [above] Do you need help?
Odd: I already passed to William. Meet him up ahead.
Sam: [unsure] Okay.
[She backs away from the slope and doesn't accurately get a look at what's going on by the river.]
[character card-Yumi]
[The race moves from near the river to downtown. The racers cut across a main road with barely any traffic at night to a residential district with steep roads. A junction box at the roadside crackles and the specter lunges out of it at Theo. William seeing this, jumps at Theo.]
Theo: HEY!
[Slams into the specter and it disperses into mist that disappears into the night.]
Sam: What are you doing?
William: Just faking to juke them out.
Sam: Didn't look like it to me.
[Odd activates energized form.]
Odd: Future Flash! [Understanding] Ah. Lazer arrow!
[Fires around the star plant. The concretes crumbles around where it's attached to the ground.]
Odd: Hope you can swim. Lazer arrow.
[Blows out the side of a fire hydrant and allows the water to blast him and the star plant into the river. He lets the current carry them down stream.]
Odd: [gurgle] Not yet.
[Activates Future Flash again and looks around. He's maneuvering them toward something.
BANG
There's a bicycle half buried in the muck at the bottom of the Seine. Odd gets a hand on the bicycle. He takes the loose chain and wraps it around one of the star plant's teeth and starts cranking the bicycle pedals with his hands. Little by little the jaw of the creature is cranked open.
He escapes just as the plant's jaws snap shut as the chain breaks. He bursts up and gets a hand on the promenade. Disables energize mode.]
["10% Remaining"]
[Immediately starts breathing heavily as he goes back to normal]
[Sam throws the disc back to William. Theo gets in the way and knocks it into someone's front yard.]
William: Hey
Theo: You wanted to play that way. [rides away]
[Grass suddenly grows up around the disc snarling it in its path.
Sam is on the other side of the fence of the yard the disc stopped in.]
Sam: I'll get-
William: I've got it!
["Xana Attacks" Starts playing
Specter emerges from sprinklers on the yard. Purple energy floats the disc into the air as the specter uses electrokinesis.]
William: Down there! [points]
[Sam looks down the hill where the other racers already are just as the specter launches the disc up in an arc so it perfectly lands on the roof of the condo they're in the yard of.]
William: Go long. I'll throw it to you downhill.
Sam: Uh, I guess that'll make up time.
[Stops and turns back just as she was about to cross the fence and see the specter.
William: [whispers] That's just petty XANA.
[Crackle of sparks from the specter's direction that almost seem like a cackle.]
William: Super smoke.
[He disappears through a vent on the side of the house. Emerges from a vent on the roof and materializes with a thump.
William scoops up and throws the disc down. It skitters across the road and Sam chases it to the other side.]
Sam: [to herself] Wow good arm.
[She almost has the disc, but it hits the curb and bounces back toward her. It bumps over a manhole cover. The grate pops up and an alligator with a long toothy maw springs up, grabs the disc in its mouth, and disappears, the manhole rattling back in place.]
Sam: …Was that a…?
[From the shot on Sam, focus on a house in the background where the specter is charging lighting with Sam in its sights. She's just frozen in place bewildered at what she just saw.
William, sees it looking at her, hurls his sword. Then he calls the sword back toward him arcing it, so it pierces the specter on its return path. The specter is pulled in and its blast goes wild hitting the sky.]
Sam: Lighting? Where's the storm?
[William reels the specter in, gets a hand on his sword and slashes the specter, destabilizing it's form.]
William: So, it's just your pets that share the pain. Good to know. I've never tried doing this with one of you before. Super smoke.
[Turns into smoke, the specter, still touching him, transforming with him. Then they plunge down off the roof, threading the needle through a sewer grate. William releases the ability and they both reappear in the sewers.]
William: Specter splitter!
[Zweihander lights up and with a swing, releases a slash of light across the sewer tunnel, continuously knocking the specter back as it travels until-
BOOOM
Hits the wall in the distance where the sewer tunnels split. The energy of the specter is dispersing in the air.
William deactivates energized mode and his normal clothes and board return. Checks watch.
"20% Remaining"
Zooms off on skateboard.
William rides around the corner to the next sewer grate he can find on the downhill slope. Finds the disc laying on the sewer walkway.]
William: SAMANTHA! Dousser Knight!
Sam: William? How did you get down there?
William: Not important. Here. [throws the ruzzola through the grate to her]. Dribble with Odd. I'll meet you guys at the storm drain.
[Down the tunnel, the specter finishes pulling itself together and sucks itself into a light on the wall then down the wires.]
character card-Aelita
[Odd is using Future Flash as he rides his overboard through downtown over roof tops. The tops of the city's Iron Towers dot the city skyline.
He grabs some wooden splints someone is using to make a lattice fence from someone's yard.
Grabs some duct table from someone's balcony where repairs are in progress.
Zooms down into an alley and touches down with his regular skateboard, the Lyoko form disappearing.
"4% Remaining"]
Odd: Throw it!
[Odd rounds a corner to catch the disc Sam just threw. She slows her speed from the downhill ride she just took so she can make the turn.]
Sam: How did you know I was there?
Odd: Like a thief in the night, I always know the right opportunity to steal what I want.
Sam: [rolls her eyes] I gave the disc to you.
Odd: [mischievous] Oh, that's not what I stole. Here. [blows kiss]
Sam: [mimes catching something] I'll give you something back for this. After the race. And a shower.
[Sniffs, looks at his wet hair.]
Sam: Were you in the river?
Odd: Had to get a guy off me. He had me by the leg. Follow me.
[Stops by a staircase to underground.]
Sam: What's down here?
Odd: Our victory. Also, mister tall, brooding, and handsome. Come on, I've got this all figured out.
[William's just about at the end of the tunnel. There's light ahead. He rushes toward it. Then the specter drips down from the ceiling in front of him. William pulls up and screeches to a halt. The specter is ready with electricity coursing around its hand.
Looks over to the other side of the sewer tunnel where a giant snapping tortoise covered with moss appears out of the algae on the wall.
William super smokes to the other side. Raises sword and it glows as he readies a blade beam against the specter while charging at the tortoise. Specter raises a wall of electricity behind it to prevent William from passing. William looks worried.]
Odd: [echoing] Hey William. Both me and SAM are coming down. It's just you down here, right?
[Williams looks to see Odd step out from a staircase right in front of the specter. The ruzzola is bouncing down the stairs after him, Sam having just thrown it.]
William: Smoke screen
[Blasts a dome of smoke over the entire area, blinding everyone else.]
Sam: What's going on down there? Why did it turn dark?
[Odd turns his energized mode back on.]
Odd: Future Flash.
[Odd sees from the specter's POV, seeing his own body and the ruzzola in front of him in AR vision. Odd kicks the discus at the specter. It hits, destabilizing it, it's lightning discharging everywhere.
He aims at the specter.]
Odd: Lazer arrows
[William throws his sword with the carbon fiber attached. Flies past the turtle, calls it back just before it hits the electricity wall. The orange hilt flies toward the specter, the fiber wrapping around the tortoise's shell, tightening and launching it into the water.
The arrows hit the specter just as it was about to launch a lightning pulse at everyone around it, reducing it to its dark mist form.
Just before the sword impales it, William points up. The sword with the main essence of the specter skewered on it drives itself into the ceiling.
William and Odd forms fizzle three times and then drop before the smokescreen drops.]
Sam: What was that? You guys know more than you're letting on. Weird stuff has been happening all night.
Odd: [grinning sheepishly] It just have been wild animals. They must have been released into the sewer by the other team.
Sam: That's sounds…
Odd: [quiet singsong] She's not buying it.
Sam: Exactly like what Theo would do.
William: Guys the ruzzola stopped.
Sam: Big deal just throw-
[Everyone looks down.
It's cracked. A wedge had been blasted out of the disc.]
William: Sorry Sam, we'll win next time.
Sam: What? No, we can still win this.
Odd: Sam's right. We are going to win this. She invited us in this epic event and we won't let her down.
William: Not with a disc that can't roll.
Odd: Oh! If only someone had something to repair it.
[Holds out sticks and tape he had picked up before. Sam gets to fixing it.]
William: Is that a-
Sam: Triangle brace. Should support it when we throw it. Okay hold this while I tape it in place.
[As Odd and William are bent down to help her, the Specter descends with electricity cracking. Odd and William look panicked behind them. William striking a stance, Odd throwing his arms over Sam.]
[Elsewhere.
"Tower Music" briefly plays]
Aelita: Tower deactivated.
[Specter fizzles, then poofs out of existence.]
Sam: Hm? [looks behind] Is there a broken light somewhere?
Odd: Must be, the animals might have chewed on something. We should get out of here.
[character card-Sam]
[The river runs underneath a bridge where the two promenade on either side lead to the same grate platform where the water rushes underneath. People are filming on the bridge above.]
Announcer: Concrete Jungle surfers are near the end. No one else in sight.
["Way to the Factory" cuts in
Sam, William, and Odd jump out from a storm drain in the side of the slope and hit the pavement at full speed.
Odd and William ride alongside Sam and launch her ahead with the disc.
Split second from finish line, Theo and Sam are neck and neck as they both pick up the Ruzzola for the last time.
They both speed across.]
Announcer: Who won? It's too close to call.
Millie: No, it isn't.
[Shows camera with frame by frame. Sam crossed a hair in front with the edge of her board forward because she did a wheelie at the last second.]
Announcer: And the Dousser Knights win it all.
[Odd is striding over to Hiroki.]
Odd: Pay up.
Sam: Make it double.
Hiroki: Duh, that's how math works.
[Makes some Cashmo payments on his phone to Sam and Odd's accounts.
Odd and Sam are grinning at each other. Sam plants a kiss on his cheek. Odd does it back.]
Sam: Hey Odd. I know you're lying.
["emergency" plays for a moment]
Sam: Whenever you're ready to tell me whatever you're hiding it's fine. I can wait. Nothing is going to change between us klutz.
[Spikes Odd's hair back into his spike for him. William looks enviously at the look Odd and Sam share.]
William: [to Odd] You've got something special there bro. Don't lose her.
Odd: Don't plan to.
William: You never plan anything.
Odd: That's not true. I plan all the time. 10 seconds ahead at a time.
William: That's not a lot.
Odd: It's all I've ever needed.
[Cut to vending machines the next day. Odd picks up a cup of coffee yawning.
"Kadic Mornings" starts playing.]
Odd: And then, [yawns. Takes a sip] I dove into the river, found a bike and used it to get the monster off me. Then I took the disc, threw it across the river, and William made the catch to pass it to Sam for the winning play.
William: It's the most epic event you'll ever see.
Ulrich: You're kidding?
Yumi: This has to be a prank.
Aelita: Underground? Ruzzola?
Sissi: Sounds ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. How exciting could throwing a disc back and forth be?
[Odd and William look at each other, and laugh.]
Jeremy: What? What's so funny?
[Cut to Yumi and William at the library. William is helping Yumi with her Chemistry project.]
Yumi: Didn't think this would be the thing you enjoy.
William: Well, I figure I should branch out. It would be a good work ethic to finish work early. That way we can have fun later.
Yumi: Both of us?
William: Sure, you can have fun too.
Yumi: Homework just needs to be done. I can have fun.
William: Oh yeah, like what?
Yumi: A good book on a rainy day.
Yumi: [pauses. Smiles, realizes what William did.] It needs to be a good one.
William: I know a few I could lend you. And I wouldn't mind keeping your company while you read it. But only if we finish this.
["Beautiful World" Motif plays over the scene]
[Cut to downtown. Show the junction boxes, electrical lines, light bulbs and wires running in the sewers beneath the city all periodically sparking with purple energy. All the places the specter passed through.]
Special Episode End
Afterword
Dousser {made up slang that exists in the CL verse}: It implies the person it's used to describe has a chill or relaxed attitude or confident in the way they act.
Pixelate: A new program Jeremy invented in ep 19 of this season (season 2 of evolution). It temporarily gives virtual energy from a tower to a virtual warrior's physical body.
It's similar to Transposition. This version is based on possession, not remote-controlled specters.
A process which takes a person's actual body and pixelates it. Also, the person is overlaid with a specter that's programmed to grant them their virtual avatar powers. Basically, they are in real life with virtual powers.
Because it using their real body, they must emerge from scanners.
The upside is that it only temporarily uses tower energy and infuses that into the person's electromagnetic flux (see, I can use the technobabble as fact because they said it in the show). Also, this means XANA or anyone else can't hijack their tower. The tower doesn't have to remain active. It just needs to be active for the materialization of the person into the scanner.
While the powers depend on the avatar, the basic enhancements are a pixelated body that can survive and reverts any damage as long as there is energy left, super strength, & super agility. There is also electrokinesis, intangibility, and matter manipulation for those who know how to use them. (All basic specter powers) But as they take damage, they lose energy. Once they're out of energy, their body goes back to normal and they lose their powers.
However, since their body is pixelated, they have the same weaknesses as specters and possessed. This means any electricity will stun them and cause increased damage.
The energy naturally drains from the person's flux over time. Not having the pixelated form active reduces the rate.