Animation Survivor: After the Council- Sora

[On the boat ride back. Manny is driving the boat, with Tom in a passenger seat. Stan is seated, but no one cares. Sora and Blossom are having a friendly conversation, but Sora is frequently distracted because of Izzy, leaning against the side of the boat, staring at the ocean. He occasionally turns back to Sora, while she isn’t looking.]

Sora: So I’m wondering if Bubbles voted for me or not.

Blossom: Well, no offense, but I sure hope so.

Sora: You do?

Blossom: Yeah. Nothing against you, but I hope that Bubbles stays in that alliance with Bart and Lisa. The last thing she needs to do is get them mad at her for leaving an alliance.

Sora: I don’t know. One thing’s for sure, everyone put Bubbles in kind of a tough situation. Not just me or Bart or Lisa, but even Tai. They’ve been getting along really well lately, and Tai could be the next target.

Blossom: Makes you wonder when Tracey’s going to jump in there.

Sora: That’s the last thing she needs!

[They laugh for a second, and Sora quickly looks back at Izzy. Izzy is staring right back, somewhat sad. He looks down.]
 

[Lounge. Sora is drinking some milk, and talking to Matt, who has soda.]
Matt: Look, I know that you weren’t serious about it.

Sora: I wasn’t. How could I say something like that? How could I believe something like that?

Matt: I think the first thing you need to do is figure out exactly how you do feel about him. Then you can explain it to him very frankly. He likes it that way.

Sora: Right. I just hope he can forgive me. I mean, I even voted him off!

Matt: Well, that’s no big deal. You voted me off, and I don’t care.

Sora: Did I? That was a while ago.

Matt: Yeah. Tai did too. You probably had a reason for it. I’ve been watching the old tapes, and I guess I was a little out of it. I sounded like I had something up my butt!

[Cue Serena, entering in her usual way.]

Serena: Hi Sora! Hi Matt!

Matt: (dry, but with a positive tone) And here’s the something.

Sora: Serena! It’s been so long, what have you been up to?

Serena: Nothing much. (to Matt) And especially not bugging people to the point of tears!

Matt: Plenty of time left… I’m not worried.

Sora: Hey… Serena, I know we have a lot to talk about, but I really need to find Izzy.

Serena: Oh, why do you need to find Izzy? Izzy’s a jerk.

Sora: Well… I…

(Matt is silently rooting for some tears.)

Serena: Don’t cry Sora! I’ll find him for you!

(Serena quickly leaves. Sora looks at Matt.)

Sora: Is something going on between you and Serena?

(Matt smiles.)

Matt: It’s a long story. We have a little wager going.

Sora: Oh. Well I just want to set everything straight. Not just with Izzy. If there’s anything you need me to do for you…

Matt: No, it’s no problem. I don’t care.

(Serena slides in again.)

Serena: He’s in his room! Quick, go talk to him!

(Serena slides out. Matt looks at Sora slyly.)

Matt: Actually, now that you mention it, there is one small favor.
 

[Izzy’s room. He’s has a computer hooked up, and is apparently listening to an mp3 of his own Japanese image song, "Version Up." He’s typing, content, when he hears a knock on his door. He goes to answer it. It’s Sora, looking somewhat sad. Izzy looks surprised.]
Izzy: Sora?

Sora: Hi. Can I come…

[Izzy quickly grabs her arm, pulls her in, and shuts the door.]

Izzy: (serious) Do you hate me?

Sora: What?

Izzy: Before you say anything, I have to hear it. Do you hate me?

Sora: Well, no!

(Izzy smiles.)

Izzy: Oh. Good. Now that that’s out of the way, what were you going to tell me?

Sora: Well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I know I said a lot of things, and it’s just bad that we’re in a situation where you could actually hear them. I’m still trying to figure out what I meant and what I didn’t, but the last thing I want to do is hurt you. One thing is for sure though- I don’t hate you.

Izzy: That’s what I wanted to hear. Thanks.

(Izzy sits on the bed, looking a bit sad.)

Izzy: You don’t know how I felt when you said that.

Sora: I’m sorry, I…

Izzy: I like you.

Sora: What?

Izzy: I like everybody on the team.

(While Izzy talks, Sora sits next to him on the bed.)

Izzy: I just found it hard to believe that somebody, especially you, could think of me that way. I couldn’t take it. It was the first time somebody I cared about said they’d hated me.

(Izzy starts to lose it again, but Sora’s to comfort him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Izzy turns it into a comforting hug. He’s not crying, but he appears to be ready to.)

Sora: It’s okay. I’m sorry.

Izzy: Thanks.

(He releases, apparently a bit calmer.)

Izzy: But I couldn’t believe that I lost it like that. That definitely shows you how much it matters to me. I don’t think I’ve acted this way since…

[He’s interrupted by small murmuring coming from the door.]

Sora: What the?

[Izzy approaches the door, followed by Sora. He opens it, to find Serena, Matt, Misty, Eric, Blossom, and Buttercup listening in.]

Izzy: What are you guys doing here?

Serena: Oh nothing, just some friendly eavesdropping!

Matt: I wanted to make sure everything was going okay with you too.

Sora: Well, that’s all well and good, but why’s everybody else here?

(As each character speaks, they leave.)

Misty: Always on the lookout for juicy stuff like this!

Blossom: Just, uh… making sure you didn’t need rescuing or anything!

Buttercup: Nothing better to do anyway.

Eric: Well… I needed closure on this plotline!!

(Only Serena and Matt remain with Izzy and Sora.)

Izzy: Well. Consider it closed.

(Sora nods, then walks off with Serena. Follow her.)
Sora: Man, it does feel good to get that out of the way.

Serena: Yeah. Of course, I never liked that geek to begin with, so I was on your side the whole time.

Sora: Thanks. But I still haven’t found out who voted me off. I just hope it wasn’t Bubbles, because…

Serena: Oh, it wasn’t. It was Tracey!

Sora: Tracey? Really?

Serena: Yep. I forgot what he said. Probably because they didn’t air it. But I’m surprised he did it. In all those personal interviews which he must’ve forgotten are shown to everyone else in the world, he said that he really did care for you a lot. I say you shouldn’t have broken up with him.

Sora: He really cared for me? Like seriously?

Serena: Yep. For somebody evil like that, he sure does have some strange feelings.

(Sora leans against the wall, sadly. Serena stops.)

Sora: (sad, although somewhat forced) He’s not evil. Tracey’s just competitive. I liked that. If he really cared for me, he should’ve just let me know. Also, I can’t believe he voted me off. Why would he do something like that…

(Sora now looks like she’s about ready to cry, but before too long, she suddenly pops back up, feeling perfectly fine.)

Sora: Oh well!

[Matt suddenly pops out of a door in the hall and collapses, quickly standing up again.]

Matt: Sora! You were supposed to start crying!

Sora: Sorry, Matt, I didn’t feel like tricking Serena like that. I hope you understand!

Matt: What happened to making up for voting me off?

Serena: Is somebody trying to cheat to win our bet? Besides, I voted you off, and I don’t expect to do you any favors.

Sora: Yeah, I don’t want to help either of you win something as serious as this bet. You two will just have to forget about who I voted for down there because I’m letting all of that slide now that I’m here.

(Sora smiles. Matt just looks a bit bitter.)

Matt: (bitter, but not really serious) I hate you Sora.