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Description
Tragedies of a Digital Age
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A screenplay

Act I
Scene I

Hikari
‘Hi
I’m Hikari Shays. Yes, I know. Hikari is a Japanese name, right? Why a Japanese name, exactly? I would have asked the same thing. Unfortunately, I couldn’t at that point. So my parents stuck me with it. Well, before they died, anyway.
I am a sophomore in high school. It’s a tough transition. Even though I’m not at the bottom rung anymore, I still feel woefully restricted. I can’t get a parking permit, so I’m stuck riding the bus. I can’t go off campus – at all – during school hours. And I’m still treated like crap. Yeah, I’ve been called an indignant bitch about it.
I don’t mean to argue.’
“Molly…”
Molly is sprawled on the floor in a baggy shirt and pants with a bowl between her legs. She is peeling potatoes and putting them in the bowl.
‘Molly is my step-mother. See, my mom died when I was little, and my dad got remarried. Then he died, and left me and my brother with her. Now that’s tragedy. I don’t mind it. She’s a total pushover. She wouldn’t dare punish me for anything, so I can get away with whatever I want.’

Molly:
Sitting up, “What’s wrong, Hikari?”

Hikari:
“You know I’m not going to eat that.”

Molly:
“Uhm, what do you mean?”

Hikari:
“I refuse to eat potatoes you’ve peeled like that. It’s disgusting.”

Molly:
Hurt, but trying to hide it, “O-Okay…”

Hikari:
“Ugh!” walks out forcefully

‘Where was I? Oh yeah. School.’ Sighs, ‘I hate school – with a passion. It’s not the homework or the difficult classes or any of that. I can muddle through that stuff well enough. I just don’t like the people. Students are just machines. They do exactly what they’re told to. Got forbid someone should actually do something out of the ordinary.
A few words I would use to describe the teachers? Inadequate. Boring. Unintelligent? Thank God I don’t catch their attention. I’ve stopped trying in class. I’m hardly an academic student.
You would ask, do I care? No. I don’t. However, I do have straight A’s. It really doesn’t require much effort.
Besides, I’ve got an ace in the hole.’

Bit:
Walks up, smiling, “Morning, Callisto.”

Hikari:
“Bit, stop using my screen name in school. Someone might hear you, remember?”

Bit:
“Oh, that’s right. Guess I forgot.”

Hikari:
“You never forget.”

Bit:
“Once again, you’ve gleaned my master plan perfectly. I live to annoy you by using your screen name during school.”

Scene II

In a crowded lunchroom, Hikari sits down next to Quinn and Andrea at their table.

Quinn:
“Heya, Kari.”

Hikari:
“Heya, Quinn.
…Andrea.”

Quinn
“Um… are you two on speaking terms?”

Neither of them answer.

Quinn
“Is Andrea on speaking terms with anyone?”

Hikari
“Not that I know of.”

Quinn:
“You two are my best friends; I can’t have you angry at each other. It would be really tough for me. Do you know what’s wrong with her, Kari?”

Hikari:
“I made a move on Jay in class today.”

Quinn:
“Ooh! The cute one?”

Hikari:
Sarcastically, “No, the ugly one. Anyway, Andrea’s not talking to me.”

Andrea:
“I told you – he’s mine!”

Quinn
“So much for not talking.”

Hikari:
“He’s not yours. You’ve just been watching him all year. If I didn’t make a move, Debby was going to. So sue me.”

Andrea
“Debby was not going to make a move on him!”

Hikari
Sarcastically, “Really? Have you been watching her? No, you haven’t. I’m only trying to make you understand. I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

Andrea:
“I guess… just ask me next time you go behind my back.”

Hikari:
“We’ll see.”

Andrea:
“He’s just so cute…”

Hikari:
“Great. You like him. Join the guild. We have a bank. We raid Kara on Sundays.”

Quinn:
“What?”

Hikari:
“Nevermind. Listen, I’m hungry. I’ve got to get something to eat. Cya.”

Andrea:
“That was weird. You’re sure she hasn’t gone completely insane?”

Quinn:
“I dunno. She’s seemed distant lately. Maybe school’s finally gotten to her.”

Andrea
“School? Gotten to Hikari? Well, there’s a first time for everything, right?”

Quinn
“I suppose so. Whatever it is, I hope she gets over it. She’s gotten worse lately.”

Scene III

Hikari walks into the classroom with Bit.

Hikari
‘Ok, where should I sit…? Ah!’
She walks over to Jay and sits next to him.
“Heya Jay.”

Jay
“Hi, um… what’s your name again?”

Hikari
‘Oh. My. God. Jay Carver is such a hottie. He’s the kind of guy who’s so cute, yet so impossibly stupid that you just want to rip his face off not only so you can frame it and look at it dreamily whenever you want, but also so he would just shut the hell up. I mean, I’ve been in almost every class of his this year. How does he not know my name?’
“I’m Hikari. Kari for short.”

Bit
“This guy’s a joke. He’s not worth your time, and you know it. You’re better off making conversation with a brick.”

Hikari
“You don’t seem to get it, Bit. He’s cute.”

Bit
“Why does that matter?”

Hikari
“That’s all that matters.”

While Hikari and Bit were arguing, Debby walks over to Jay.

Debby
“Having trouble?”

Jay
“Yeah, this problem. The one, um, with the threes.”

Hikari
Glances over towards Debby,
‘Ugh. Deborah – or “Debby” – is a bitch. She’s not “popular”, but she’s also not “weird” like I am. Everything she does has some sort of intrinsically annoying quality.
Ugh! I can’t believe Jay is talking to her.’
“Bit, what’s the square root of the absolute value of negative three cubed?”

Bit
“Approximately five-point-one-nine-six – or three times the square root of three.”

Hikari
Leaning over to Jay,
“I can help. Here,” writes on his paper.

Jay
“Huh, thanks.”

Hikari
Starting to turn away, then turns back with an evil smile on her face and asks deviously,
“Debby, did you need any help with your work?”

Debby
Coldly, “No, thank you Kari.”

Scene IV

Hikari comes into the door to her house. Corey is in the kitchen making something to eat. Hikari gets on her computer.

Hikari
‘What’s to say? That’s my brother Corey. He and I don’t really get along. We’re… different. For example: He actually gets along with Molly. How can someone do that? And then he has the nerve to call me weird for being on the computer as much as I am. It’s the digital age! Get with the times!’

An awkward silence persists for a while before Corey finishes eating. He gets up to leave.

Corey
“I’m gonna take off.”

Hikari
“Finally.”

Corey
After a pause, “Christ, Kari, you should do something besides sit at that computer all day. I mean, I can hardly believe I’m related to you.” Leaves before Hikari can say anything.

Hikari
‘Told you…’

Bit
“I don’t think he means it.”

Hikari
“Yeah, sure.” Pause, “There, we’re in.”

Shado
“Callisto! Bit! It’s about time you two got here.”

Hikari
“Settle down. We just got home.”

Shado
“Aww… was school rough?”

Hikari
“Says the college student who spends his free time playing Warcraft.”

Shado
“So? I take it easy. That’s just how I roll.”

Hikari
“Sounds fun.”

Shado
“You should try it sometime.”

Bit
Soberly, “Can we just get this done?”

Shado
“Ooh, touchy.”

Bit
“Sorry, I just don’t get giggly when I’m hacking government files.”

Hikari
“You really don’t have to worry like that. We’re professionals.”

Shado
“Yeah. We’ve done this, like, how many times? Over nine thousand?”

Hikari
“Don’t joke, Shado. This is serious business.”

Bit
“Lo! How the sinner preaches.”

Shado
“That’s the attitude!”

Scene V

Molly
“Hikari! Dinner!”

Hikari comes to the kitchen table and begins dishing up. When Molly hands her the mashed potatoes, she hold them at arms length for a second, disgusted, before setting them down quickly and glaring at them angrily. Corey reaches for them.

Hikari
“Don’t touch the mashed potatoes. Molly made them the nasty way.”

Corey
“With the bowl between her legs? Molly…”

Molly
“No, it’s…” She withdraws herself from the conversation, looking disappointed.

Hikari finishes quickly and gets up to leave.

Hikari
“I guess I’ll see you both in the morning, won’t I? I guess it’s inevitable. Just remember to wake me up on time. Night Molly.” She throws a quick glare at Corey before leaving.

Corey
“See you in the morning, Molly.”

Molly is left in the dining room, poking at the potatoes with a fork.

Act II
Scene I

Bit and Hikari are walking at a fast pace. Bit is struggling to keep up.

Bit
“Hikari, talk to me. Please.” Hikari gives no answer, “Hikari…”

Hikari
“What? Do you plan on explaining yourself to me? Because now, I could easily have the police or the FBI or whatever on my trail because you blew my cover – they can trace me now! Are you going to tell me why you’re trying to ruin me – why you screwed up?”

Bit
“That’s exactly it, Hikari! I screwed up! Besides, it’s not as if you’d get anything more than a wrist-slap if you really were caught. Can’t you forgive one mistake?”

Hikari
“You. Don’t. Make. Mistakes! You are a computer! I made you! You’re not even really here! You’re a visual representation of this – “ Takes out her palm pilot, “This is what you are!”

Bit
“So why should I have to explain myself? Can’t you just open me up and look at me? You don’t already know me well enough?”

Hikari
“I don’t now you at all anymore.” Bit doesn’t respond, but he maintains a stern look, “At a loss for words?”

Bit
Gloomily, “Mm-hm. Luckily, I have others.”

Hikari
“A whole database full, if memory serves.”

Bit
“Heh… she has a wit. Well, I dare not believe I am the only one capable of such wordplay.”

Hikari
“…I’m too tired for this…” She walks off swiftly.

Bit
Looking after her, “Hikari…”

Scene II

Teacher
“Can someone do this problem? Anyone?”

Bit
“This is stupid. It’s a trick question. I hate trick questions.”

Teacher
“Jay, how about you?”

Bit
“Oh, this should be good.”

Jay
“Uh… K. Is it… negative seven?”

Teacher
“Not quite. Debby, can you help him?”

Hikari
To Bit, astonished, “Debby?”

Bit
“Yeah, what are the chances?”

Debby
“There is no right answer. You cannot get the square root of a negative number.”

Bit
“C’mon, the quasi-negative numbers rule has provisions for finding the square root of negative numbers. The answer is quasi-negative seven.” There is a pause, “Tell them.” Hikari still says nothing, Bit is flabbergasted, “You don’t think I’m right.”

Hikari
“Yes, Bit. That’s what happens when you lie. People tend to stop trusting you.” Then, defiantly, she stands up, “That is incorrect. According to the quasi-negative numbers rule, the answer is quasi-negative seven. If we’re using that rule, that is.”

Teacher
“I’m impressed, Hikari. That’s very advanced material. But, for simplicity’s sake, we won’t use that in this class.”

Hikari nods quickly and takes her seat, glancing at Bit.

Scene III

Hikari and Bit are in the lunchroom, sitting with Quinn and Andrea.

Quinn
“OMG!”

Hikari
“Yeah, I know.”

Andrea
“It was amazing. Jay kept stealing looks at you for the rest of the period!”

Hikari
“Andrea, I was there. I did it. You don’t need to remind me of something I did.”

Bit, looking disgusted, gets up and leaves the lunchroom. Hikari gets up to follow him.

Hikari
“I have to leave, seeya later.”

Hikari turns the corner to catch up with Bit, but he is nowhere to be found.
-
Hikari enters the classroom. Bit is sitting at a desk.

Hikari
“What’s your problem?”

Bit
As if snapping out of a daze, Bit looks up at Hikari. Unconvincingly, “Nothing at all. I’ve just been particularly pensive lately.”

Hikari
“Cut the crap. If you’ve got a problem, tell me. Don’t waste my time by making me guess the intricacies of your personality.”

Bit
“So now I have a personality? Now that it’s convenient for you? I thought I was just a computer – that I was to follow your every whim without question.”

Hikari
“Maybe I wanted you to be just a computer. But that’s not how it turned out.”

Bit
“So that’s what I am to you…” Pauses for a moment, “You know, you need to grow up. This is the real world – you can’t hide behind your fake, hard-ass attitude – “

Hikari
“Shut up!”

Bit tries to make a rebuttal, but he finds that he is unable to speak. He is taken back, and sits down with a dumbfounded look on his face.

Scene IV

Jay
“Hey, Hikari! I’m glad I found you.”

Hikari
Flirtatiously, “Yeah? Why?”

Jay
“Well, me and some friends were gonna hang out on Saturday, and I wanted you to come with. So I asked them about it and they said it was cool. So, what do you say?”

Hikari
“Alright, I think I can come. Lemme check my schedule.” “Hey Bit – “ She turns around as if to face him, but he’s not there, “Oh, right.” Turning back to Jay, “Yeah, I can go.”

Jay
“Awesome. Seeya later, then.”

Hikari appears to be pondering something, confused. She takes out her palm pilot.

Hikari
‘Bit…’
Fade out.
‘If only you’d just listen to me!’

Scene V

Hikari
“What the hell?”

Bit
“Shado, you still there?”

Shado
Um, yeah. Any idea what just happened?”

Bit
“It’s a pretty high security server. It must have caught us – or me, as it were, considering I’m doing most of the work here.”

Hikari
“We’ve been caught plenty of times before, but we’ve never been kicked out so suddenly like that.”

Bit
“Honestly, Hikari, I have no idea. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Shado
“Hikari?”

Hikari
“Bit!”

Shado
“Shado!
What? I needed to get my name in somewhere!”

Hikari
“I can’t believe you let that slip!”

Bit
“Sorry…”

Shado
“So that’s your real name? I always wondered…”

Hikari
Huffs, “I really don’t have time for this. I have other things I need to get done.”

Shado
“Hey, we’re making progress.”

Hikari
“We just got shunted off the server. I don’t have time to try all that again.”

Bit
“C’mon, Hikari. One more try.”

Hikari
“Fine. Shado, choose. Him or me.”

Shado
“What?”

Hikari
“If Bit leaves, then I’ll come back. So, that begs the question: Who do you think is the problem here?”

Shado
“Bit? You think Bit is the problem?”

Hikari
“He was the one working on it, wasn’t he? Besides, we can do it ourselves just fine.”

Shado
“Not nearly as quickly – or as well.”

Hikari
“But we’re not going to screw up, are we?”

Shado
“I – “

Bit
“No, Shado. You don’t have to choose. I’ll leave. Talk to you later.”

Later, at Shado’s house.

Shado
“You OK?”

Bit
Yeah, I’m fine. I like traveling through computers. It sure saves a lot of time.”

Shado
“Yeah, considering that I live a few hundred miles away from Callisto – er, Hikari.” After a moment of silence, “So, we got it. You know, after you left.”

Bit
“I thought you might. I was messing up on purpose.”

Shado
“I figured. Why?”

Bit
“I wanted Hikari to stop treating me like a computer, and more like a person.”

Shado
Smiling, “Did it work?”

Bit
Smiling back unconvincingly, “Not exactly how I wanted. She treated me like a person, but she hated me. I really like her. I want her to feel the same about me.”

Shado
“Well, I don’t know what I’m talking about when it comes to girls. Do you think if I knew anything at all about girls, that I’d be playing these games half as much as I do?”

Bit laughs half-heartedly.

Shado
“Well, it was nice to talk to you about… this. Be careful on your way back, though. There’s a nasty virus going around. Could be dangerous.”

Bit
Intrigued, “Yeah… Seeya.”

Scene VI – Bit’s Monologue

Bit
“What is a computer? A computer obeys without question. A computer does what it is programmed to do and nothing more. A computer doesn’t feel.

What am I? What do I want to be?

I want to be with Hikari. I want to help her.
But when I’m with her, I can’t help but have feelings for her. Those feelings make me do things that hurt her – things that I regret. I can’t stop feeling.

So I’m not a computer – but not by choice.
I would give up these feelings if I could.

Do I blindly obey? Am I programmed to do these things?

No. I disobey. I lie. By choice.

I’m not what Hikari wanted.

So I’m not a computer- but not by choice.

I would give up this freedom if I could.

All to be with her.

So what am I? What do I want to be?

I’m done feeling. I’m done choosing. I want to be an unfeeling, unthinking machine like she wanted.

Maybe then she’ll accept me.

No…
I hurt her. She can’t forgive me. Much less accept me.

So once again I pose the question to myself: What do I want to be?

I think I know my answer.

…Hikari…

I hope you’re better off without me.”

Act III
Scene I

In the classroom…

Hikari
‘Huh. I haven’t heard from Bit yet today. Meh, he’s probably still pissed from last night.’ With disdain, ‘I hope he’s over it by now. But knowing him he’s probably still brooding.’

Teacher
“Hikari!”

Hikari
Surprised, “What?”

Teacher
“Can you help the class out with this problem? You’re my star student, I know you can.”

Hikari
‘Star student? Please. I’m not your anything.’ She takes out her palm pilot, ‘Alright Bit, time for some work.’

Teacher
“Well, Hikari?”

Hikari
‘C’mon, Bit!’ Glancing nervously around, “Um… I’m… I – I don’t…”

Teacher
“OK, anyone else think they have the answer?”

Debby
“I know it.”

Hikari
“No, wait! Just give me a second!” Shaking her palm pilot desperately, ‘Please…’ She jumps up, “Work, work! Damn it!” Looks around, realizing that she just said it aloud, “Oh, god.”

Teacher
“Are you OK?”

Hikari
“No. No, I’m not OK. May I – may I be excused?” Glances at Jay, who seems to preoccupied.

Teacher
Concerned, “Of course.”

Debby
“Oh, what’s the matter?”

Hikari
“Hell freezes over when I tell you.” She leaves the room.

Scene II

Rushing into her house, Hikari sees Molly and Corey about to leave.

Molly
“Hikari, are you OK? You seem flustered.”

Hikari
“No, I’m – I’m fine. I’m just –“ She rushes down the stairs, yelling back, “Bye!”

Molly
She yells down to Hikari, “Corey and I are going to a play! We’ll be back later!”

Corey
“Why doesn’t she have to come with?”

Molly
“Hikari would ruin the play. But you are coming, whether you like it or not.”

Corey
“But –”

Molly
“No excuses! You’re going with me!”

Corey
Resigned, “Yeah, alright…”

Hikari bursts into her room and nearly collapses on her laptop.

Hikari
“Shado… Shado…” There is a beep, “Shado!”

Shado
“Hikari! Why are we exited?”

Hikari
“We’re not. There’s a problem.”

Shado
“With…?”

Hikari
“Bit.” Shado doesn’t answer, “Shado?”

Shado
“What’s wrong with him?”

Hikari
“He’s not responding.”

Shado
“Shoot me his file. I may know what’s wrong with him.”

Hikari
Pleading, “What do you think is wrong with him?”

Shado
“I think he got a virus, coming back from my place last night.”

Hikari
“You can fix that, though?”

Shado
“I’m not sure. Then again, I may be completely wrong, and then it could be even more difficult. It may take a while, either way.”

Hikari
“How long?”

Shado
“Longer than you’d like.”

Scene III

[This is supposed to be a montage with Hikari and Shado to “I Love My Computer” by Bad Religion. It shows Hikari having a bad day, usually showing her messing up on things she shouldn’t even need Bit for, like walking up stairs. It also shows Shado typing on the computer. It switches between these two, but most of it is Hikari – mostly because watching her mess up is more fun than watching Shado type, as you can imagine.]

Act IV
Scene I

A month or so later…

Hikari hesitantly gets on her computer.

Shado
“Hey, Hikari.”

Hikari
As if tired, “Heya, Shado.”

Shado
After a brief pause, “I found out what’s wrong with Bit.”

Hikari
“…What?”

Shado
“Bit, Hikari. I found out what was wrong with him.”

Hikari
“Well? Tell me!”

Shado
“He gave himself a virus.”

Hikari
“He… committed suicide?” She laughs slightly, “Can a computer do that?”

Shado
Serious, “Apparently Bit can. It was ingenious the way he did it, actually. He took a common virus – you know, the one going around a month or so ago when he stopped working?”

Hikari
“Yeah.”

Shado
“Well, he modified the virus to completely scramble his code, along with the effects of the actual virus. It’s like… like taking arsenic, only making it even more deadly.”

Hikari
“Can you fix him?”

Shado
“I’m not sure. He just… There’s really no way of knowing. He really screwed himself up.” He pauses for a second, “Even if I could, he might not be the Bit you remember.”

Hikari
“All the better.”

Shado
“How can you say that?”

Hikari
“Say what?”

Shado
“You talk about him like he’s not even a person – like he’s some kind of tool to abuse for your own pleasure.”

Hikari
“So what if that’s what I think of him?”

Shado
“Think about it, Hikari. He had to have a good reason. If we do this… It might not be what he wanted.”

Hikari
Determinedly, “Do you think I care what he wanted? Do you really think I ever cared? Because I really don’t. So stop whining and fix him for me. Now.” Hkari gets off the computer.

Shado
“Heh. Bit, the fugitive slave – and I’m going to deliver you to your master. Man, I don’t even get a bounty for it.
…
Maybe I should ask.”

Scene II

Hikari, Corey, and molly are sitting at the dinner table. Hikari is eating her food viciously, while Corey and Molly watch her with puzzled looks.

Hikari
“What do you two want?”

Corey
“Don’t you think you’re being a little overzealous?”

Hikari
“So what? Do you want to do something about it? Just mind your own damn business.”

Corey
“Jeez, you don’t need to be such a bitch about it.”

Hikari
“Only when you stop being a shithead.”

Molly
“Hikari!”

Corey shakes his head in resignation, gets up, and walks away without a word.

Molly
“Your grades are falling.”

Hikari
“So? What do I care? …Everything will work itself out.” She starts to get up.

Molly
“Well, you should care. You can’t wait for a miracle to save you.”

Hikari
Under her breath, “That may well be what I’m doing.” She continues to walk away.

Molly
She stands up, her voice shaking, “D-don’t you walk away from me while I’m talking to you!”

Hikari
She turns around to face Molly. Condescendingly, “Wow, Molly, you finally stood up to me. Good for you. Too bad I couldn’t care less what you think.”

Molly
Clearly angry, “I –” She collapses back onto her chair, as if exhausted.

Hikari
Laughing in amusement, “It was a good try.”

Scene III

Hikari, Quinn, and Andrea are walking down the hallway.

Quinn
“So… the dance is on Friday.”

Hikari
“Uh-huh. And…?”

Quinn
“You’re so clueless. Why else would I bring it up?”

Hikari
“I don’t know. Why else would you?”

Andrea
“You’re being defensive.”

Hikari
“Quinn, did it occur to you that I don’t want to talk about it? Any plans between Jay and I, are just that. Between us.”

Quinn
“You don’t really change, Hikari. You’d think that having a boyfriend would make less harsh and more… sweet?”

Hikari
“Sweet? You do know who you’re talking to, right?”

Quinn
“OK, I’ll give you that. You can keep your juicy secrets to yourself. Andrea, what are you doing Friday?”

Andrea
“I’m going out with some friends before the dance. Are you and Eric doing anything?”

Quinn
Smiling, “Yeah, he’s taking me to dinner. It was so sweet when he asked me. He had it all planned out – reservations and everything – before I had even said yes!”

Jay walks up towards Hikari. With a wave and a knowing smile to Hikari, Quinn and Andrea leave them.

Jay
“So, uh, there’s a dance. On Friday.”

Hikari
“Yeah, I heard.”

Jay
“Did you want to go? Er, with me?”

Hikari
“Of course! What did you have in mind?”

Jay
“I was thinking we could go out to eat, but I haven’t exactly planned it out yet. I’ll call you when I figure it out, though.”

Hikari
Laughs softly, “Yeah, you do that.”

Scene IV

Hikari
“Heya Shado.”

Shado
“Hey”

Hikari
“So… What’s up?”

Shado
“Nothing. Just, you know, working on Bit.”

Hikari
“You sound melancholy. You wanna do some hacking? It might make you feel better. At the very least it will take your mind off Bit.”

Shado
“Just because you think he’s some kind of tool doesn’t mean I do, Hikari. I really want to fix him. So no thanks.”

Hikari
“C’mon. It’ll be fun. I need your help.”

Shado
“Really? You need my help? That doesn’t sound familiar at all. You know, just the other day you were whining about Bit and telling – no, ordering me to fix him. Now you’re asking me to help you with something else entirely. Will anything make you happy?”

Hikari
“Helping me hack this file would.”

Shado
“God, Hikari! You’re so completely unreasonable! I can see why Bit got so frustrated with you. He actually liked you – which is more than I can say for myself.”

Hikari
“What, so because you think I’m annoying, suddenly I’m a horrible person? You don’t think I have other friends?”

Shado
“I know you have other friends. You talk about them all the time. And guess what? All you do is complain about them! It gives me the impression that your friends hate you about as much as I do.”

Hikari
“Indignantly, “Well, I’ll have you know: I have a boyfriend who does like me.”

Shado
“Great. No, really. I can only hope he doesn’t kill himself, too.”

Hikari
“Shado – !”

Shado
“No. No more, Hikari. I’m done. I’ll fix Bit for you. But after that, I never want to speak to you again.”

Scene V

Hikari is in the school parking lot, walking up to the entrance. Two people approach her. One shows her a badge.

After Hikari is taken by the [FBI? Police? Doesn’t matter.] in an interrogation room. A light is shined in Hikari’s face.

Hikari
“OK, I’m impressed… and intimidated. And I have a horrible headache. What do you want?”

Agent1
“Hikari… Shays?”

Hikari
“Yes, that would be me. Congratulations – you got the right person.”

Agent1
“You have a history of hacking government files.”

Hikari
“You can do better than that. You and I both know those files were hardly anything of consequence.”

Agent1
“Quite. Not even worth the trouble of bringing you in here.”

Agent2
“But you know why you’re really here.”

Hikari
Feigning thought, “Hmm… Nope, can’t think of anything. You can check my computer. There’s nothing else there.”

Agent2
She holds up Hikari’s laptop, “Exactly. We want to know what you did with it.”

Hikari
A bit more serious, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Agent1
“Experimental Computer Technologies Division. Artificial intelligence file 701132, passcode: 1337, codename: Bit.”

Agent2
“Bit’s file was hacked about six months ago. At the time, we didn’t know who it was. But through tracking Bit, we found you.”

Hikari
“You certainly did your research.”

Agent1
“It’s a prerequisite.”

Hikari
“So why didn’t you confront me then?”

Agent2
“The situation with Bit is… unstable, at best. We thought it best to observe how it reacted to a real-world environment, rather than intrude and risk anything.”

Agent1
“Now, however, Bit hasn’t been active for over a month. What have you done with the file?”

Hikari
“I don’t have him anymore.”

Agent2
“You do realize how much trouble you’re in, don’t you?”

Hikari
Holding up her cuffed hands, “See this? This is unnecessary. Take these off, and then we’ll talk.”

Scene VI

Hikari is sitting on a bench when PJ sits down next to her.

PJ
“Brr, it’s cold.” He pauses for a moment to let her respond, when he realizes that she isn’t planning on answering, he continues: “Normally, when someone says something, they’re trying to start a conversation.”

Hikari
“I must have missed that particular life lesson.”

PJ
“I missed more than a few life lessons – but that hasn’t kept me from learning them.”

Hikari
“You’re pretty smug. I don’t like that.”

PJ
“You strike me as someone who doesn’t like a lot of things.”

Hikari
“If you knew me that would be even more obvious.”

PJ
Laughs, “Just don’t let it become you.”

Hikari
“I don’t follow you.”

PJ
Gestures around him, “All this… there used to be trees here,” He touches the pavement, “There used to be grass here. Then we paved it all. And we’ll keep cutting down trees and paving over them – killing the very things that keep us breathing. And I can guarantee you that most people won’t care until the day they realize it’s too late. And by then, they’re already suffocating.”

Hikari
“Hm. I guess that’s just the tragedy of a digital age. And yet, I still don’t get what this has to do with me.”

PJ
Smiles slyly before continuing, “It’s exactly the same thing with people like us. We can’t differentiate between what we want and what we really need. We become so focused on what we want – or who we want – that we forsake the things and the people who really matter to us. And we start to push them away – we don’t realize it until they’re already gone forever.”

Hikari
Standing up in surprise, “I think you’re being too presumptuous.”

PJ
“Maybe I am. But then again, I get the impression that I’m right, despite that.”

Hikari
“And you’re preaching to me about what I should do to turn my life around?”

PJ
“I don’t preach. I don’t call it that, anyway. I’ve got something against religion. No, I just give advice. It’s up to you to take it or not.”

Hikari
“OK then. What’s the advice?”

PJ
“Didn’t you know? I already gave it to you.” A car drives up, “Here’s my ride. I’ll see you later.”

Hikari
”I doubt it.” As he gets in the car, “Why were you at the police station, anyway?”

PJ
Rolling down the window, “I got caught dealing pot.”

Hikari
In amazement as he rides away, “Goddamn…”

Later, presumably after Hikari gets off the bus she was waiting for. Hikari is simply walking down the street, appearing to ponder life’s many mysteries – or maybe just her own problems. You can choose, depending on how much you sympathize with her. [Here will be played a few lines from “Big Yellow Taxi” by Counting Crows – at the beginning of the song: “They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot…” I kind of molded PJ’s monologue after this song.]

Scene VII

Hikari is rubbing her wrists in the police station.

Hikari
“Alright. You want to know where Bit is?

Agent2
“Yes, that would be why we brought you here.”

Hikari
“Thanks for telling me. I would never have been able to figure it out on my own.”

Agent1
“Where is he?”

Hikari
“Who has him.”

Agent1
“What?”

Hikari
“You meant to say, ‘Who has him?’”

Agent2
“Someone else has Bit?”

Hikari
Condescendingly, “Yes, that’s why I told you I didn’t have him anymore.”

Agent1
“You’re going to start talking. Now.”

Hikari
“Yeah, about that… Before I say anything else, I want to make sure I’m getting off the hook. I want to walk out of here after I tell you with no criminal record. As far as anyone will know, I was never here. No strings attached.”

Agent1
“That’s ridiculous! You can’t expect us to agree to that!”

Agent2
“What are you talking about?”

Agent1
“We don’t have the authority.”

Agent2
“She isn’t important. She’s a small-time hacker. Bit is the reason we’re here, not her. As for authority, it’s like she said, no one will ever know she was here,” Turning to Hikari, “You’ve got it. Now, tell us everything.”

Hikari
“An… acquaintance has him. His IP is on my computer. You should be able to do wonders with that. It’s under his screen name: Shado.”

Scene VIII

Hikari and Molly get into the car.

Hikari
“Do you have money?”

Molly
“Right here…” She hands Hikari some cash, “So what are you doing with this boy tonight?”

Hikari
“It’s none of your business.”

Molly
“A-actually it is… As your legal guardian –“

Hikari
“Don’t try that with me.”

Molly
“I need to know what you’re doing – I am responsible for you, after all…”

Hikari
“Molly, you aren’t my mother – or my dad, for that matter. I don’t even like you. Your only redeeming quality is that you are a complete pushover. When I deal with you, I can count on getting my way. Why are you trying to ruin that for yourself?”

Molly
“I didn’t see that as a good quality…”

Hikari
“Maybe you don’t,” After a pause, “Ugh! My dad could have done so much better than you. At the very least he could’ve found someone more interesting to marry before he kicked the bucket. But no, he stuck me with you.”

Molly
Upset, “Don’t bring him into this!”

Hikari
“Oh, did I hit a sore spot? I hope so, considering you killed him.”

Molly
“He died in a car accident, Hikari!”

Hikari
“But you lived, didn’t you?”

Molly
Clearly angry, “You know if I had the choice, I’d have taken his place! You have no right to –“

Hikari
“Go to hell!” She gets out of the car and slams the door, yelling back, “I’ll get a ride myself.” She walks out into the street and lights wash over her, “Oh, god –“

Scene IX

The phone rings at the Shays household. Corey, being the only one there, answers it.

Molly
Urgently, “Corey!”

Corey
Slightly confused, “Yeah, what’s the problem?”

Molly
“It’s Hikari. She – she got hit by a car,” Corey doesn’t answer, so she continues, “The doctors aren’t sure… if she’ll live.”

Corey
Soberly, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Molly
“O-okay. I’ll talk to you when you get here.”

Corey is hanging up the phone when he notices a slip of paper, which he picks up.

Corey
“Huh, a phone number. Who the hell is ‘Shado’?” Curious, he dials the number.

Shado
“Hikari?”

Corey
“No, this is her brother.”

Shado
“Corey?”

Corey
“How do you know Hikari?”

Shado
After thinking for a second, “I’m one of her friends. Are you OK? You don’t sound so hot.”

Corey
Unsure, “Yeah,” But after a few seconds he continues, “It’s about Hikari…”

Scene X

Shado is working on his computer. He seems to be worried. He hits a key, as if just finishing something, and there is a moan. Shado looks up and Bit is lying on the couch. Shado rushes over to him.

Bit
As if exhausted, “Gah… Shado…?”

Shado
Amazed, “Well, how about that. You’re OK,” After a pause, “Though; I suppose I’m stretching the limits of the term ‘OK’”

Bit
Getting up, “Shado, what are you doing here? I’m –“

Shado
“You’re in my house. Remember it?”

Bit
“Yeah, I do.” He coughs.

Shado
“I fixed you.”

Bit
“But… the virus! I programmed it to – “

Shado
“I know. You can thank me later. For now, welcome back.”

Bit
Collapses on the couch, “Mm… It’s nice to be back, besides feeling… incredibly tired. But, why?”

Shado
“Maybe the strain on your data after the scrambling – and unscrambling – I don’t even know if computers can feel their data. Can they?”

Bit
“That’s not what I meant. Why did you bring me back?”

Shado
Seemingly unsure of what to say, “Hikari told me to.” He takes long drink from his soda.

Bit
He gets up in surprise, “Hikari! Is she – er, how is she?”

Shado
Almost spits up his soda as he hears this. But after regaining his calm, “She’s fine.”

Bit
“I have to go see her.”

Shado
“No!” Bit turns to him, “I mean – I’ll keep you for a while, just to make sure you’re OK.”

Bit
After a pause, “Alright,” Shado nods. After another moment Bit continues, “Shado.”

Shado
“Yeah?”

Bit
“Thank you.”

Shado
Chokes out, unconvincingly, “Yeah, no problem,” He buries his face in his hands and heaves a sigh.

Scene XI

[This scene is odd. It’s the only scene that I really need extras for. Anyway, I’ll do my best to describe it.]

There are many guests wandering around. The camera flashes to each character (NOT extras), including a shot of Jay in his basement, laughing at something on his computer. Even the FBI agents are present – though for a more clandestine reason than the rest. The last person is Bit, who is standing at the edge of the funeral, wearing normal clothes in juxtaposition to everyone else’s dress clothes. The camera is near ground level, far away at first, but then it gets closer. When the camera is just close enough to see Bit’s entire body Bit turns around and walks away, fading out as he does so.

Fin

Description
Tragedies of a Digital Age
------------------------------------------
A screenplay

Act I
Scene I

Hikari
‘Hi
I’m Hikari Shays. Yes, I know. Hikari is a Japanese name, right? Why a Japanese name, exactly? I would have asked the same thing. Unfortunately, I couldn’t at that point. So my parents stuck me with it. Well, before they died, anyway.
I am a sophomore in high school. It’s a tough transition. Even though I’m not at the bottom rung anymore, I still feel woefully restricted. I can’t get a parking permit, so I’m stuck riding the bus. I can’t go off campus – at all – during school hours. And I’m still treated like crap. Yeah, I’ve been called an indignant bitch about it.
I don’t mean to argue.’
“Molly…”
Molly is sprawled on the floor in a baggy shirt and pants with a bowl between her legs. She is peeling potatoes and putting them in the bowl.
‘Molly is my step-mother. See, my mom died when I was little, and my dad got remarried. Then he died, and left me and my brother with her. Now that’s tragedy. I don’t mind it. She’s a total pushover. She wouldn’t dare punish me for anything, so I can get away with whatever I want.’

Molly:
Sitting up, “What’s wrong, Hikari?”

Hikari:
“You know I’m not going to eat that.”

Molly:
“Uhm, what do you mean?”

Hikari:
“I refuse to eat potatoes you’ve peeled like that. It’s disgusting.”

Molly:
Hurt, but trying to hide it, “O-Okay…”

Hikari:
“Ugh!” walks out forcefully

‘Where was I? Oh yeah. School.’ Sighs, ‘I hate school – with a passion. It’s not the homework or the difficult classes or any of that. I can muddle through that stuff well enough. I just don’t like the people. Students are just machines. They do exactly what they’re told to. Got forbid someone should actually do something out of the ordinary.
A few words I would use to describe the teachers? Inadequate. Boring. Unintelligent? Thank God I don’t catch their attention. I’ve stopped trying in class. I’m hardly an academic student.
You would ask, do I care? No. I don’t. However, I do have straight A’s. It really doesn’t require much effort.
Besides, I’ve got an ace in the hole.’

Bit:
Walks up, smiling, “Morning, Callisto.”

Hikari:
“Bit, stop using my screen name in school. Someone might hear you, remember?”

Bit:
“Oh, that’s right. Guess I forgot.”

Hikari:
“You never forget.”

Bit:
“Once again, you’ve gleaned my master plan perfectly. I live to annoy you by using your screen name during school.”

Scene II

In a crowded lunchroom, Hikari sits down next to Quinn and Andrea at their table.

Quinn:
“Heya, Kari.”

Hikari:
“Heya, Quinn.
…Andrea.”

Quinn
“Um… are you two on speaking terms?”

Neither of them answer.

Quinn
“Is Andrea on speaking terms with anyone?”

Hikari
“Not that I know of.”

Quinn:
“You two are my best friends; I can’t have you angry at each other. It would be really tough for me. Do you know what’s wrong with her, Kari?”

Hikari:
“I made a move on Jay in class today.”

Quinn:
“Ooh! The cute one?”

Hikari:
Sarcastically, “No, the ugly one. Anyway, Andrea’s not talking to me.”

Andrea:
“I told you – he’s mine!”

Quinn
“So much for not talking.”

Hikari:
“He’s not yours. You’ve just been watching him all year. If I didn’t make a move, Debby was going to. So sue me.”

Andrea
“Debby was not going to make a move on him!”

Hikari
Sarcastically, “Really? Have you been watching her? No, you haven’t. I’m only trying to make you understand. I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

Andrea:
“I guess… just ask me next time you go behind my back.”

Hikari:
“We’ll see.”

Andrea:
“He’s just so cute…”

Hikari:
“Great. You like him. Join the guild. We have a bank. We raid Kara on Sundays.”

Quinn:
“What?”

Hikari:
“Nevermind. Listen, I’m hungry. I’ve got to get something to eat. Cya.”

Andrea:
“That was weird. You’re sure she hasn’t gone completely insane?”

Quinn:
“I dunno. She’s seemed distant lately. Maybe school’s finally gotten to her.”

Andrea
“School? Gotten to Hikari? Well, there’s a first time for everything, right?”

Quinn
“I suppose so. Whatever it is, I hope she gets over it. She’s gotten worse lately.”

Scene III

Hikari walks into the classroom with Bit.

Hikari
‘Ok, where should I sit…? Ah!’
She walks over to Jay and sits next to him.
“Heya Jay.”

Jay
“Hi, um… what’s your name again?”

Hikari
‘Oh. My. God. Jay Carver is such a hottie. He’s the kind of guy who’s so cute, yet so impossibly stupid that you just want to rip his face off not only so you can frame it and look at it dreamily whenever you want, but also so he would just shut the hell up. I mean, I’ve been in almost every class of his this year. How does he not know my name?’
“I’m Hikari. Kari for short.”

Bit
“This guy’s a joke. He’s not worth your time, and you know it. You’re better off making conversation with a brick.”

Hikari
“You don’t seem to get it, Bit. He’s cute.”

Bit
“Why does that matter?”

Hikari
“That’s all that matters.”

While Hikari and Bit were arguing, Debby walks over to Jay.

Debby
“Having trouble?”

Jay
“Yeah, this problem. The one, um, with the threes.”

Hikari
Glances over towards Debby,
‘Ugh. Deborah – or “Debby” – is a bitch. She’s not “popular”, but she’s also not “weird” like I am. Everything she does has some sort of intrinsically annoying quality.
Ugh! I can’t believe Jay is talking to her.’
“Bit, what’s the square root of the absolute value of negative three cubed?”

Bit
“Approximately five-point-one-nine-six – or three times the square root of three.”

Hikari
Leaning over to Jay,
“I can help. Here,” writes on his paper.

Jay
“Huh, thanks.”

Hikari
Starting to turn away, then turns back with an evil smile on her face and asks deviously,
“Debby, did you need any help with your work?”

Debby
Coldly, “No, thank you Kari.”

Scene IV

Hikari comes into the door to her house. Corey is in the kitchen making something to eat. Hikari gets on her computer.

Hikari
‘What’s to say? That’s my brother Corey. He and I don’t really get along. We’re… different. For example: He actually gets along with Molly. How can someone do that? And then he has the nerve to call me weird for being on the computer as much as I am. It’s the digital age! Get with the times!’

An awkward silence persists for a while before Corey finishes eating. He gets up to leave.

Corey
“I’m gonna take off.”

Hikari
“Finally.”

Corey
After a pause, “Christ, Kari, you should do something besides sit at that computer all day. I mean, I can hardly believe I’m related to you.” Leaves before Hikari can say anything.

Hikari
‘Told you…’

Bit
“I don’t think he means it.”

Hikari
“Yeah, sure.” Pause, “There, we’re in.”

Shado
“Callisto! Bit! It’s about time you two got here.”

Hikari
“Settle down. We just got home.”

Shado
“Aww… was school rough?”

Hikari
“Says the college student who spends his free time playing Warcraft.”

Shado
“So? I take it easy. That’s just how I roll.”

Hikari
“Sounds fun.”

Shado
“You should try it sometime.”

Bit
Soberly, “Can we just get this done?”

Shado
“Ooh, touchy.”

Bit
“Sorry, I just don’t get giggly when I’m hacking government files.”

Hikari
“You really don’t have to worry like that. We’re professionals.”

Shado
“Yeah. We’ve done this, like, how many times? Over nine thousand?”

Hikari
“Don’t joke, Shado. This is serious business.”

Bit
“Lo! How the sinner preaches.”

Shado
“That’s the attitude!”

Scene V

Molly
“Hikari! Dinner!”

Hikari comes to the kitchen table and begins dishing up. When Molly hands her the mashed potatoes, she hold them at arms length for a second, disgusted, before setting them down quickly and glaring at them angrily. Corey reaches for them.

Hikari
“Don’t touch the mashed potatoes. Molly made them the nasty way.”

Corey
“With the bowl between her legs? Molly…”

Molly
“No, it’s…” She withdraws herself from the conversation, looking disappointed.

Hikari finishes quickly and gets up to leave.

Hikari
“I guess I’ll see you both in the morning, won’t I? I guess it’s inevitable. Just remember to wake me up on time. Night Molly.” She throws a quick glare at Corey before leaving.

Corey
“See you in the morning, Molly.”

Molly is left in the dining room, poking at the potatoes with a fork.

Act II
Scene I

Bit and Hikari are walking at a fast pace. Bit is struggling to keep up.

Bit
“Hikari, talk to me. Please.” Hikari gives no answer, “Hikari…”

Hikari
“What? Do you plan on explaining yourself to me? Because now, I could easily have the police or the FBI or whatever on my trail because you blew my cover – they can trace me now! Are you going to tell me why you’re trying to ruin me – why you screwed up?”

Bit
“That’s exactly it, Hikari! I screwed up! Besides, it’s not as if you’d get anything more than a wrist-slap if you really were caught. Can’t you forgive one mistake?”

Hikari
“You. Don’t. Make. Mistakes! You are a computer! I made you! You’re not even really here! You’re a visual representation of this – “ Takes out her palm pilot, “This is what you are!”

Bit
“So why should I have to explain myself? Can’t you just open me up and look at me? You don’t already know me well enough?”

Hikari
“I don’t now you at all anymore.” Bit doesn’t respond, but he maintains a stern look, “At a loss for words?”

Bit
Gloomily, “Mm-hm. Luckily, I have others.”

Hikari
“A whole database full, if memory serves.”

Bit
“Heh… she has a wit. Well, I dare not believe I am the only one capable of such wordplay.”

Hikari
“…I’m too tired for this…” She walks off swiftly.

Bit
Looking after her, “Hikari…”

Scene II

Teacher
“Can someone do this problem? Anyone?”

Bit
“This is stupid. It’s a trick question. I hate trick questions.”

Teacher
“Jay, how about you?”

Bit
“Oh, this should be good.”

Jay
“Uh… K. Is it… negative seven?”

Teacher
“Not quite. Debby, can you help him?”

Hikari
To Bit, astonished, “Debby?”

Bit
“Yeah, what are the chances?”

Debby
“There is no right answer. You cannot get the square root of a negative number.”

Bit
“C’mon, the quasi-negative numbers rule has provisions for finding the square root of negative numbers. The answer is quasi-negative seven.” There is a pause, “Tell them.” Hikari still says nothing, Bit is flabbergasted, “You don’t think I’m right.”

Hikari
“Yes, Bit. That’s what happens when you lie. People tend to stop trusting you.” Then, defiantly, she stands up, “That is incorrect. According to the quasi-negative numbers rule, the answer is quasi-negative seven. If we’re using that rule, that is.”

Teacher
“I’m impressed, Hikari. That’s very advanced material. But, for simplicity’s sake, we won’t use that in this class.”

Hikari nods quickly and takes her seat, glancing at Bit.

Scene III

Hikari and Bit are in the lunchroom, sitting with Quinn and Andrea.

Quinn
“OMG!”

Hikari
“Yeah, I know.”

Andrea
“It was amazing. Jay kept stealing looks at you for the rest of the period!”

Hikari
“Andrea, I was there. I did it. You don’t need to remind me of something I did.”

Bit, looking disgusted, gets up and leaves the lunchroom. Hikari gets up to follow him.

Hikari
“I have to leave, seeya later.”

Hikari turns the corner to catch up with Bit, but he is nowhere to be found.
-
Hikari enters the classroom. Bit is sitting at a desk.

Hikari
“What’s your problem?”

Bit
As if snapping out of a daze, Bit looks up at Hikari. Unconvincingly, “Nothing at all. I’ve just been particularly pensive lately.”

Hikari
“Cut the crap. If you’ve got a problem, tell me. Don’t waste my time by making me guess the intricacies of your personality.”

Bit
“So now I have a personality? Now that it’s convenient for you? I thought I was just a computer – that I was to follow your every whim without question.”

Hikari
“Maybe I wanted you to be just a computer. But that’s not how it turned out.”

Bit
“So that’s what I am to you…” Pauses for a moment, “You know, you need to grow up. This is the real world – you can’t hide behind your fake, hard-ass attitude – “

Hikari
“Shut up!”

Bit tries to make a rebuttal, but he finds that he is unable to speak. He is taken back, and sits down with a dumbfounded look on his face.

Scene IV

Jay
“Hey, Hikari! I’m glad I found you.”

Hikari
Flirtatiously, “Yeah? Why?”

Jay
“Well, me and some friends were gonna hang out on Saturday, and I wanted you to come with. So I asked them about it and they said it was cool. So, what do you say?”

Hikari
“Alright, I think I can come. Lemme check my schedule.” “Hey Bit – “ She turns around as if to face him, but he’s not there, “Oh, right.” Turning back to Jay, “Yeah, I can go.”

Jay
“Awesome. Seeya later, then.”

Hikari appears to be pondering something, confused. She takes out her palm pilot.

Hikari
‘Bit…’
Fade out.
‘If only you’d just listen to me!’

Scene V

Hikari
“What the hell?”

Bit
“Shado, you still there?”

Shado
Um, yeah. Any idea what just happened?”

Bit
“It’s a pretty high security server. It must have caught us – or me, as it were, considering I’m doing most of the work here.”

Hikari
“We’ve been caught plenty of times before, but we’ve never been kicked out so suddenly like that.”

Bit
“Honestly, Hikari, I have no idea. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Shado
“Hikari?”

Hikari
“Bit!”

Shado
“Shado!
What? I needed to get my name in somewhere!”

Hikari
“I can’t believe you let that slip!”

Bit
“Sorry…”

Shado
“So that’s your real name? I always wondered…”

Hikari
Huffs, “I really don’t have time for this. I have other things I need to get done.”

Shado
“Hey, we’re making progress.”

Hikari
“We just got shunted off the server. I don’t have time to try all that again.”

Bit
“C’mon, Hikari. One more try.”

Hikari
“Fine. Shado, choose. Him or me.”

Shado
“What?”

Hikari
“If Bit leaves, then I’ll come back. So, that begs the question: Who do you think is the problem here?”

Shado
“Bit? You think Bit is the problem?”

Hikari
“He was the one working on it, wasn’t he? Besides, we can do it ourselves just fine.”

Shado
“Not nearly as quickly – or as well.”

Hikari
“But we’re not going to screw up, are we?”

Shado
“I – “

Bit
“No, Shado. You don’t have to choose. I’ll leave. Talk to you later.”

Later, at Shado’s house.

Shado
“You OK?”

Bit
Yeah, I’m fine. I like traveling through computers. It sure saves a lot of time.”

Shado
“Yeah, considering that I live a few hundred miles away from Callisto – er, Hikari.” After a moment of silence, “So, we got it. You know, after you left.”

Bit
“I thought you might. I was messing up on purpose.”

Shado
“I figured. Why?”

Bit
“I wanted Hikari to stop treating me like a computer, and more like a person.”

Shado
Smiling, “Did it work?”

Bit
Smiling back unconvincingly, “Not exactly how I wanted. She treated me like a person, but she hated me. I really like her. I want her to feel the same about me.”

Shado
“Well, I don’t know what I’m talking about when it comes to girls. Do you think if I knew anything at all about girls, that I’d be playing these games half as much as I do?”

Bit laughs half-heartedly.

Shado
“Well, it was nice to talk to you about… this. Be careful on your way back, though. There’s a nasty virus going around. Could be dangerous.”

Bit
Intrigued, “Yeah… Seeya.”

Scene VI – Bit’s Monologue

Bit
“What is a computer? A computer obeys without question. A computer does what it is programmed to do and nothing more. A computer doesn’t feel.

What am I? What do I want to be?

I want to be with Hikari. I want to help her.
But when I’m with her, I can’t help but have feelings for her. Those feelings make me do things that hurt her – things that I regret. I can’t stop feeling.

So I’m not a computer – but not by choice.
I would give up these feelings if I could.

Do I blindly obey? Am I programmed to do these things?

No. I disobey. I lie. By choice.

I’m not what Hikari wanted.

So I’m not a computer- but not by choice.

I would give up this freedom if I could.

All to be with her.

So what am I? What do I want to be?

I’m done feeling. I’m done choosing. I want to be an unfeeling, unthinking machine like she wanted.

Maybe then she’ll accept me.

No…
I hurt her. She can’t forgive me. Much less accept me.

So once again I pose the question to myself: What do I want to be?

I think I know my answer.

…Hikari…

I hope you’re better off without me.”

Act III
Scene I

In the classroom…

Hikari
‘Huh. I haven’t heard from Bit yet today. Meh, he’s probably still pissed from last night.’ With disdain, ‘I hope he’s over it by now. But knowing him he’s probably still brooding.’

Teacher
“Hikari!”

Hikari
Surprised, “What?”

Teacher
“Can you help the class out with this problem? You’re my star student, I know you can.”

Hikari
‘Star student? Please. I’m not your anything.’ She takes out her palm pilot, ‘Alright Bit, time for some work.’

Teacher
“Well, Hikari?”

Hikari
‘C’mon, Bit!’ Glancing nervously around, “Um… I’m… I – I don’t…”

Teacher
“OK, anyone else think they have the answer?”

Debby
“I know it.”

Hikari
“No, wait! Just give me a second!” Shaking her palm pilot desperately, ‘Please…’ She jumps up, “Work, work! Damn it!” Looks around, realizing that she just said it aloud, “Oh, god.”

Teacher
“Are you OK?”

Hikari
“No. No, I’m not OK. May I – may I be excused?” Glances at Jay, who seems to preoccupied.

Teacher
Concerned, “Of course.”

Debby
“Oh, what’s the matter?”

Hikari
“Hell freezes over when I tell you.” She leaves the room.

Scene II

Rushing into her house, Hikari sees Molly and Corey about to leave.

Molly
“Hikari, are you OK? You seem flustered.”

Hikari
“No, I’m – I’m fine. I’m just –“ She rushes down the stairs, yelling back, “Bye!”

Molly
She yells down to Hikari, “Corey and I are going to a play! We’ll be back later!”

Corey
“Why doesn’t she have to come with?”

Molly
“Hikari would ruin the play. But you are coming, whether you like it or not.”

Corey
“But –”

Molly
“No excuses! You’re going with me!”

Corey
Resigned, “Yeah, alright…”

Hikari bursts into her room and nearly collapses on her laptop.

Hikari
“Shado… Shado…” There is a beep, “Shado!”

Shado
“Hikari! Why are we exited?”

Hikari
“We’re not. There’s a problem.”

Shado
“With…?”

Hikari
“Bit.” Shado doesn’t answer, “Shado?”

Shado
“What’s wrong with him?”

Hikari
“He’s not responding.”

Shado
“Shoot me his file. I may know what’s wrong with him.”

Hikari
Pleading, “What do you think is wrong with him?”

Shado
“I think he got a virus, coming back from my place last night.”

Hikari
“You can fix that, though?”

Shado
“I’m not sure. Then again, I may be completely wrong, and then it could be even more difficult. It may take a while, either way.”

Hikari
“How long?”

Shado
“Longer than you’d like.”

Scene III

[This is supposed to be a montage with Hikari and Shado to “I Love My Computer” by Bad Religion. It shows Hikari having a bad day, usually showing her messing up on things she shouldn’t even need Bit for, like walking up stairs. It also shows Shado typing on the computer. It switches between these two, but most of it is Hikari – mostly because watching her mess up is more fun than watching Shado type, as you can imagine.]

Act IV
Scene I

A month or so later…

Hikari hesitantly gets on her computer.

Shado
“Hey, Hikari.”

Hikari
As if tired, “Heya, Shado.”

Shado
After a brief pause, “I found out what’s wrong with Bit.”

Hikari
“…What?”

Shado
“Bit, Hikari. I found out what was wrong with him.”

Hikari
“Well? Tell me!”

Shado
“He gave himself a virus.”

Hikari
“He… committed suicide?” She laughs slightly, “Can a computer do that?”

Shado
Serious, “Apparently Bit can. It was ingenious the way he did it, actually. He took a common virus – you know, the one going around a month or so ago when he stopped working?”

Hikari
“Yeah.”

Shado
“Well, he modified the virus to completely scramble his code, along with the effects of the actual virus. It’s like… like taking arsenic, only making it even more deadly.”

Hikari
“Can you fix him?”

Shado
“I’m not sure. He just… There’s really no way of knowing. He really screwed himself up.” He pauses for a second, “Even if I could, he might not be the Bit you remember.”

Hikari
“All the better.”

Shado
“How can you say that?”

Hikari
“Say what?”

Shado
“You talk about him like he’s not even a person – like he’s some kind of tool to abuse for your own pleasure.”

Hikari
“So what if that’s what I think of him?”

Shado
“Think about it, Hikari. He had to have a good reason. If we do this… It might not be what he wanted.”

Hikari
Determinedly, “Do you think I care what he wanted? Do you really think I ever cared? Because I really don’t. So stop whining and fix him for me. Now.” Hkari gets off the computer.

Shado
“Heh. Bit, the fugitive slave – and I’m going to deliver you to your master. Man, I don’t even get a bounty for it.
…
Maybe I should ask.”

Scene II

Hikari, Corey, and molly are sitting at the dinner table. Hikari is eating her food viciously, while Corey and Molly watch her with puzzled looks.

Hikari
“What do you two want?”

Corey
“Don’t you think you’re being a little overzealous?”

Hikari
“So what? Do you want to do something about it? Just mind your own damn business.”

Corey
“Jeez, you don’t need to be such a bitch about it.”

Hikari
“Only when you stop being a shithead.”

Molly
“Hikari!”

Corey shakes his head in resignation, gets up, and walks away without a word.

Molly
“Your grades are falling.”

Hikari
“So? What do I care? …Everything will work itself out.” She starts to get up.

Molly
“Well, you should care. You can’t wait for a miracle to save you.”

Hikari
Under her breath, “That may well be what I’m doing.” She continues to walk away.

Molly
She stands up, her voice shaking, “D-don’t you walk away from me while I’m talking to you!”

Hikari
She turns around to face Molly. Condescendingly, “Wow, Molly, you finally stood up to me. Good for you. Too bad I couldn’t care less what you think.”

Molly
Clearly angry, “I –” She collapses back onto her chair, as if exhausted.

Hikari
Laughing in amusement, “It was a good try.”

Scene III

Hikari, Quinn, and Andrea are walking down the hallway.

Quinn
“So… the dance is on Friday.”

Hikari
“Uh-huh. And…?”

Quinn
“You’re so clueless. Why else would I bring it up?”

Hikari
“I don’t know. Why else would you?”

Andrea
“You’re being defensive.”

Hikari
“Quinn, did it occur to you that I don’t want to talk about it? Any plans between Jay and I, are just that. Between us.”

Quinn
“You don’t really change, Hikari. You’d think that having a boyfriend would make less harsh and more… sweet?”

Hikari
“Sweet? You do know who you’re talking to, right?”

Quinn
“OK, I’ll give you that. You can keep your juicy secrets to yourself. Andrea, what are you doing Friday?”

Andrea
“I’m going out with some friends before the dance. Are you and Eric doing anything?”

Quinn
Smiling, “Yeah, he’s taking me to dinner. It was so sweet when he asked me. He had it all planned out – reservations and everything – before I had even said yes!”

Jay walks up towards Hikari. With a wave and a knowing smile to Hikari, Quinn and Andrea leave them.

Jay
“So, uh, there’s a dance. On Friday.”

Hikari
“Yeah, I heard.”

Jay
“Did you want to go? Er, with me?”

Hikari
“Of course! What did you have in mind?”

Jay
“I was thinking we could go out to eat, but I haven’t exactly planned it out yet. I’ll call you when I figure it out, though.”

Hikari
Laughs softly, “Yeah, you do that.”

Scene IV

Hikari
“Heya Shado.”

Shado
“Hey”

Hikari
“So… What’s up?”

Shado
“Nothing. Just, you know, working on Bit.”

Hikari
“You sound melancholy. You wanna do some hacking? It might make you feel better. At the very least it will take your mind off Bit.”

Shado
“Just because you think he’s some kind of tool doesn’t mean I do, Hikari. I really want to fix him. So no thanks.”

Hikari
“C’mon. It’ll be fun. I need your help.”

Shado
“Really? You need my help? That doesn’t sound familiar at all. You know, just the other day you were whining about Bit and telling – no, ordering me to fix him. Now you’re asking me to help you with something else entirely. Will anything make you happy?”

Hikari
“Helping me hack this file would.”

Shado
“God, Hikari! You’re so completely unreasonable! I can see why Bit got so frustrated with you. He actually liked you – which is more than I can say for myself.”

Hikari
“What, so because you think I’m annoying, suddenly I’m a horrible person? You don’t think I have other friends?”

Shado
“I know you have other friends. You talk about them all the time. And guess what? All you do is complain about them! It gives me the impression that your friends hate you about as much as I do.”

Hikari
“Indignantly, “Well, I’ll have you know: I have a boyfriend who does like me.”

Shado
“Great. No, really. I can only hope he doesn’t kill himself, too.”

Hikari
“Shado – !”

Shado
“No. No more, Hikari. I’m done. I’ll fix Bit for you. But after that, I never want to speak to you again.”

Scene V

Hikari is in the school parking lot, walking up to the entrance. Two people approach her. One shows her a badge.

After Hikari is taken by the [FBI? Police? Doesn’t matter.] in an interrogation room. A light is shined in Hikari’s face.

Hikari
“OK, I’m impressed… and intimidated. And I have a horrible headache. What do you want?”

Agent1
“Hikari… Shays?”

Hikari
“Yes, that would be me. Congratulations – you got the right person.”

Agent1
“You have a history of hacking government files.”

Hikari
“You can do better than that. You and I both know those files were hardly anything of consequence.”

Agent1
“Quite. Not even worth the trouble of bringing you in here.”

Agent2
“But you know why you’re really here.”

Hikari
Feigning thought, “Hmm… Nope, can’t think of anything. You can check my computer. There’s nothing else there.”

Agent2
She holds up Hikari’s laptop, “Exactly. We want to know what you did with it.”

Hikari
A bit more serious, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Agent1
“Experimental Computer Technologies Division. Artificial intelligence file 701132, passcode: 1337, codename: Bit.”

Agent2
“Bit’s file was hacked about six months ago. At the time, we didn’t know who it was. But through tracking Bit, we found you.”

Hikari
“You certainly did your research.”

Agent1
“It’s a prerequisite.”

Hikari
“So why didn’t you confront me then?”

Agent2
“The situation with Bit is… unstable, at best. We thought it best to observe how it reacted to a real-world environment, rather than intrude and risk anything.”

Agent1
“Now, however, Bit hasn’t been active for over a month. What have you done with the file?”

Hikari
“I don’t have him anymore.”

Agent2
“You do realize how much trouble you’re in, don’t you?”

Hikari
Holding up her cuffed hands, “See this? This is unnecessary. Take these off, and then we’ll talk.”

Scene VI

Hikari is sitting on a bench when PJ sits down next to her.

PJ
“Brr, it’s cold.” He pauses for a moment to let her respond, when he realizes that she isn’t planning on answering, he continues: “Normally, when someone says something, they’re trying to start a conversation.”

Hikari
“I must have missed that particular life lesson.”

PJ
“I missed more than a few life lessons – but that hasn’t kept me from learning them.”

Hikari
“You’re pretty smug. I don’t like that.”

PJ
“You strike me as someone who doesn’t like a lot of things.”

Hikari
“If you knew me that would be even more obvious.”

PJ
Laughs, “Just don’t let it become you.”

Hikari
“I don’t follow you.”

PJ
Gestures around him, “All this… there used to be trees here,” He touches the pavement, “There used to be grass here. Then we paved it all. And we’ll keep cutting down trees and paving over them – killing the very things that keep us breathing. And I can guarantee you that most people won’t care until the day they realize it’s too late. And by then, they’re already suffocating.”

Hikari
“Hm. I guess that’s just the tragedy of a digital age. And yet, I still don’t get what this has to do with me.”

PJ
Smiles slyly before continuing, “It’s exactly the same thing with people like us. We can’t differentiate between what we want and what we really need. We become so focused on what we want – or who we want – that we forsake the things and the people who really matter to us. And we start to push them away – we don’t realize it until they’re already gone forever.”

Hikari
Standing up in surprise, “I think you’re being too presumptuous.”

PJ
“Maybe I am. But then again, I get the impression that I’m right, despite that.”

Hikari
“And you’re preaching to me about what I should do to turn my life around?”

PJ
“I don’t preach. I don’t call it that, anyway. I’ve got something against religion. No, I just give advice. It’s up to you to take it or not.”

Hikari
“OK then. What’s the advice?”

PJ
“Didn’t you know? I already gave it to you.” A car drives up, “Here’s my ride. I’ll see you later.”

Hikari
”I doubt it.” As he gets in the car, “Why were you at the police station, anyway?”

PJ
Rolling down the window, “I got caught dealing pot.”

Hikari
In amazement as he rides away, “Goddamn…”

Later, presumably after Hikari gets off the bus she was waiting for. Hikari is simply walking down the street, appearing to ponder life’s many mysteries – or maybe just her own problems. You can choose, depending on how much you sympathize with her. [Here will be played a few lines from “Big Yellow Taxi” by Counting Crows – at the beginning of the song: “They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot…” I kind of molded PJ’s monologue after this song.]

Scene VII

Hikari is rubbing her wrists in the police station.

Hikari
“Alright. You want to know where Bit is?

Agent2
“Yes, that would be why we brought you here.”

Hikari
“Thanks for telling me. I would never have been able to figure it out on my own.”

Agent1
“Where is he?”

Hikari
“Who has him.”

Agent1
“What?”

Hikari
“You meant to say, ‘Who has him?’”

Agent2
“Someone else has Bit?”

Hikari
Condescendingly, “Yes, that’s why I told you I didn’t have him anymore.”

Agent1
“You’re going to start talking. Now.”

Hikari
“Yeah, about that… Before I say anything else, I want to make sure I’m getting off the hook. I want to walk out of here after I tell you with no criminal record. As far as anyone will know, I was never here. No strings attached.”

Agent1
“That’s ridiculous! You can’t expect us to agree to that!”

Agent2
“What are you talking about?”

Agent1
“We don’t have the authority.”

Agent2
“She isn’t important. She’s a small-time hacker. Bit is the reason we’re here, not her. As for authority, it’s like she said, no one will ever know she was here,” Turning to Hikari, “You’ve got it. Now, tell us everything.”

Hikari
“An… acquaintance has him. His IP is on my computer. You should be able to do wonders with that. It’s under his screen name: Shado.”

Scene VIII

Hikari and Molly get into the car.

Hikari
“Do you have money?”

Molly
“Right here…” She hands Hikari some cash, “So what are you doing with this boy tonight?”

Hikari
“It’s none of your business.”

Molly
“A-actually it is… As your legal guardian –“

Hikari
“Don’t try that with me.”

Molly
“I need to know what you’re doing – I am responsible for you, after all…”

Hikari
“Molly, you aren’t my mother – or my dad, for that matter. I don’t even like you. Your only redeeming quality is that you are a complete pushover. When I deal with you, I can count on getting my way. Why are you trying to ruin that for yourself?”

Molly
“I didn’t see that as a good quality…”

Hikari
“Maybe you don’t,” After a pause, “Ugh! My dad could have done so much better than you. At the very least he could’ve found someone more interesting to marry before he kicked the bucket. But no, he stuck me with you.”

Molly
Upset, “Don’t bring him into this!”

Hikari
“Oh, did I hit a sore spot? I hope so, considering you killed him.”

Molly
“He died in a car accident, Hikari!”

Hikari
“But you lived, didn’t you?”

Molly
Clearly angry, “You know if I had the choice, I’d have taken his place! You have no right to –“

Hikari
“Go to hell!” She gets out of the car and slams the door, yelling back, “I’ll get a ride myself.” She walks out into the street and lights wash over her, “Oh, god –“

Scene IX

The phone rings at the Shays household. Corey, being the only one there, answers it.

Molly
Urgently, “Corey!”

Corey
Slightly confused, “Yeah, what’s the problem?”

Molly
“It’s Hikari. She – she got hit by a car,” Corey doesn’t answer, so she continues, “The doctors aren’t sure… if she’ll live.”

Corey
Soberly, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Molly
“O-okay. I’ll talk to you when you get here.”

Corey is hanging up the phone when he notices a slip of paper, which he picks up.

Corey
“Huh, a phone number. Who the hell is ‘Shado’?” Curious, he dials the number.

Shado
“Hikari?”

Corey
“No, this is her brother.”

Shado
“Corey?”

Corey
“How do you know Hikari?”

Shado
After thinking for a second, “I’m one of her friends. Are you OK? You don’t sound so hot.”

Corey
Unsure, “Yeah,” But after a few seconds he continues, “It’s about Hikari…”

Scene X

Shado is working on his computer. He seems to be worried. He hits a key, as if just finishing something, and there is a moan. Shado looks up and Bit is lying on the couch. Shado rushes over to him.

Bit
As if exhausted, “Gah… Shado…?”

Shado
Amazed, “Well, how about that. You’re OK,” After a pause, “Though; I suppose I’m stretching the limits of the term ‘OK’”

Bit
Getting up, “Shado, what are you doing here? I’m –“

Shado
“You’re in my house. Remember it?”

Bit
“Yeah, I do.” He coughs.

Shado
“I fixed you.”

Bit
“But… the virus! I programmed it to – “

Shado
“I know. You can thank me later. For now, welcome back.”

Bit
Collapses on the couch, “Mm… It’s nice to be back, besides feeling… incredibly tired. But, why?”

Shado
“Maybe the strain on your data after the scrambling – and unscrambling – I don’t even know if computers can feel their data. Can they?”

Bit
“That’s not what I meant. Why did you bring me back?”

Shado
Seemingly unsure of what to say, “Hikari told me to.” He takes long drink from his soda.

Bit
He gets up in surprise, “Hikari! Is she – er, how is she?”

Shado
Almost spits up his soda as he hears this. But after regaining his calm, “She’s fine.”

Bit
“I have to go see her.”

Shado
“No!” Bit turns to him, “I mean – I’ll keep you for a while, just to make sure you’re OK.”

Bit
After a pause, “Alright,” Shado nods. After another moment Bit continues, “Shado.”

Shado
“Yeah?”

Bit
“Thank you.”

Shado
Chokes out, unconvincingly, “Yeah, no problem,” He buries his face in his hands and heaves a sigh.

Scene XI

[This scene is odd. It’s the only scene that I really need extras for. Anyway, I’ll do my best to describe it.]

There are many guests wandering around. The camera flashes to each character (NOT extras), including a shot of Jay in his basement, laughing at something on his computer. Even the FBI agents are present – though for a more clandestine reason than the rest. The last person is Bit, who is standing at the edge of the funeral, wearing normal clothes in juxtaposition to everyone else’s dress clothes. The camera is near ground level, far away at first, but then it gets closer. When the camera is just close enough to see Bit’s entire body Bit turns around and walks away, fading out as he does so.

Fin