Aelita nearly leaps out of the chair in surprise as this happens. After a few moments she carefully slips on the headset and starts typing at the keyboard. After a few moments she speaks up with a stutter in her voice, “F-father?” She waits nearly a full minute as the super computer sits idle.
Suddenly a video screen pops up on the monitor beginning with nothing but static. Soon the static starts to fade out slowly revealing the face of Franz Hopper over the common matrix style green background.
Franz speaks up in a somewhat weak tone, “Ae…Aelita? Is that…really you?”
Aelita starts to tear and nods a bit as she emits a quiet ‘mmhmm’.
Franz continues with a weak smile on his face, “It’s so good…to see your face again.”
Aelita wipes her eyes and inquires in a similar tone as a small child, “Daddy…Where are you?”
Franz answers, “I don’t know…Somewhere in Carthage…Things got so misplaced when XANA left.”
Aelita continues, starting to sound worried, “But…we couldn’t find you before. Where have you been?”
Franz shakes his head, “He had me completely imprisoned before.” He lets out a sigh, “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have created him. Such a terrible project and it failed miserably.”
Aelita hesitates before continuing, now changing the subject, “Dad…I…I want you to come back…Is there anything I can do to help?”
Franz shakes his head, “I’ve been working on it for the past couple of days. I’m nearly there…Get some rest. It looks like you need it.”
Aelita begins to pout, “But…but…”
Franz intervenes, “No buts young lady. Get your rest.”
At that point the super computer goes dark again, returning the room to it’s nearly pitch black state.
Aelita sighs again and starts off slowly for the elevator. As she steps inside, she stops and stares at the computer for a moment before finally pressing the destination button on the elevator.
The next view is just outside of the Ishiyama household amidst the pouring rain with the pink haired girl standing at the door looking to be soaking wet.
Aelita rings the doorbell again.
Yumi answers the door and looks shocked as she spots Aelita’s condition, “Aelita?! What happened to you?”
Aelita slowly enters the house, shivering violently, “I…g-guess I l-lost track of time.”
Yumi stops her, “Wait here. Let me go get you a towel.” She then quickly trots out of the room and returns after a minute with a large pink towel. She wraps it around Aelita and helps her dry off.
Aelita lets out a quiet sneeze and sniffs a bit, “Thank you.”
Yumi inquires, “Did you find what you were looking for at the factory?”
Aelita hesitates a bit before she nods, “Yeah…I did.”
Yumi then leads Aelita up into her room. In the next scene in her room, Aelita is already wearing a dry pair of pj’s and is sitting in the middle of the floor in what seems like a daze.
Yumi begins to rummage through some things in her closet. After a few moments she comes out in her undergarments. She starts to walk over towards her bed before she spots Aelita and stops in her tracks. She taps Aelita gently on the shoulder and says softly, “You ok?”
Aelita lets out a slight yelp and jumps at Yumi’s actions. She pauses for a few moments and merely nods.
Yumi walks over and sits on the side of her bed, “You’ve been so tense. You sure?”
Aelita turns to look at the girl weakly, “I’m fine…Really.”
Yumi slides back further on the bed and slouches a bit. She opens her mouth to say something, but closes it again and nods. She then proceeds to climb under the covers and shuts off the light, merely leaving a small nightlight visible in a corner of the room.
Aelita sits there in the same position in the middle of the floor.