**She empties her teacup, then pours herself some more. Her vivid eyes slowly grow sad as she stares down at her reflection in the brown liquid**
FUTURE LIBBY: I remember like it was yesterday…I remember standing in my backyard lookin’ up at the sky, and wondering how somethin’ so awful could have ever happened. It was such a beautiful day…except there was nobody left to see it. It was like some kind of nightmare; Jimmy and those crazy nanobots o’ his had deleted everyone. Everyone was gone…except the four of us. You, me, Sheen, and Carl.
**She looks at Aurora, her eyes full of sorrow**
FUTURE LIBBY: I remember…the last day we were there together. I was wandering down our empty street, and there, at the end, I found you. You were standin’ at the edge of the city, lookin’ up at the buildings. Just standin’ there while the wind blew your hair everywhere. You didn’t say anything. Didn’t cry. Didn’t get angry. Just stood there, with no emotion at all. I can’t tell you how awful it was. My best friend was standin’ there all alone, and there was nothin’ I could do to help her. I remembered something Jimmy had said to you before the nanobots had destroyed everything. I remember…he pulled you close to him, and he told you that he was going to make you suffer. Suffer so much that you wished you had never been born. And now that was exactly what was happenin’. I thought my heart would break…
**Aurora tightens her grip around her teacup**
FUTURE LIBBY: On that final day, before the end, he walked up to you where you were standin’, among the ruins of what used to be our city. And he stared at you. Just stared. He didn’t say anything, and neither did you. I remember…his blue eyes were like holes in his skull. So emotionless, so empty. But somehow, the way he stared at you was more terrifyin’ than if he had reached out and hit you. I’ve never seen anythin’ like it. When he was done, Jimmy came after us. He took out a ray of some kind and told me that he’d delete us all if I didn’t get in his rocket…I’m so sorry Aurora. I never wanted to leave you there all alone!
AURORA: (softly) It wasn’t your fault.
FUTURE LIBBY: The last thing I saw was my house shrinkin’ into the distance…then the town…and finally it all slipped behind the clouds and I couldn’t see it anymore. Next thing I knew, Earth itself was slowly slippin’ away behind us, and then we were all alone out in space, like an island in a sea of stars…
**She gives a heavy sigh, then tucks a stray braid behind her ear. Jimmy leans forward, his eyebrows knitted together**
JIMMY: I know it’s no consolation, but I’d like to apologize for my future self’s actions. I’m so sorry that this had to happen to all of you.
FUTURE LIBBY: (smiling slightly) I’m happy to hear it. Our Jimmy isn’t like you anymore though…he’s got no remorse. It was so scary livin’ ‘round him. For the next couple of months after we left Earth, he spent all his time putting together a war ship. He made me an’ Sheen an’ Carl help him…it was like livin’ under a knife. I was always so afraid that if somethin’ went wrong, he would do somethin’ terrible to me. We were all scared to death. I don’t think I would have been able to take it if it weren’t for Sheen. He felt like my only friend…my only friend in a world where everythin’ could fall apart in a second.
**Libby fiddles with her napkin as her future self continues**
FUTURE LIBBY: I spent a lot of my time worryin’ about you, Cind…I mean, Aurora. When I wasn’t fittin’ bolts to weaponry or scrubbin’ metal floors, I thought about you. I thought for sure that you were all alone back on Earth, sufferin’ or even starving to death. I decided that I needed to go back and help you, no matter what. I told Sheen everythin’, and he agreed that he’d help me get away.
**She closes both eyes, then opens one with a smile as she looks over at Sheen**
FUTURE LIBBY: Y’know, for such a nerdy hyperactive guy, you really helped me a lot. If it weren’t for you, I don’t think I’d even be alive today. I know you’re not the same Sheen, but I never got the chance to thank him.
LIBBY: How exactly did he help you get away?
FUTURE LIBBY: Well, back when we were first buildin’ the ship, Jimmy taught us how to use the teleportation machine in the main control room so we could teleport bombs aboard enemy ships. I figured it could be used to teleport people too. The machine consisted of a glass pod and a control panel…you could enter an address into the panel, and it would send the object inside the pod to those coordinates. It was kinda like emailin’...only with people and objects instead of words. Anyway, I figured that Sheen could teleport me back to Retroville if we could somehow sneak into the control room and fire up the machine. We planned for days, then waited until Jimmy was in his lab to sneak inside. While I got myself strapped into the pod, Sheen tried to figure out how to get the dang thing to send me back home. Sheen was really somethin’ that day…he risked his neck to help me.
**Future Libby covers her face in her hands, her breathing suddenly strained**
FUTURE LIBBY: But before we could finish, everythin’ went wrong. Jimmy walked in to find Sheen at the control panel, just as he was gonna send me. His eyes were like stone when he turned to Sheen. He looked him square in the eye and said, “if you push that button, I’ll make sure you live to regret every day of your long, painful, nightmare of a life. You send her, and I’ll make you suffer so much that the whole galaxy will be forced to cover its ears to shut out the sound of your anguished screams.” I was absolutely petrified. I ain’t ever seen anything half as scary as Jimmy when he looked at Sheen and said that. Sheen was shakin’ like a leaf, looking’ back and forth between me an’ Jimmy. Finally, he seemed to get real calm. He smiled at me and said “Goodbye Libby. Live for me, OK?” Then he pushed the button, and that was the last I ever saw of him.
**Everyone is quiet for a moment as Future Libby wipes her eyes **
LIBBY: Wow. Sheen really did that for you? He…traded his life for yours?
FUTURE LIBBY: Oh…no. I don’t think Jimmy killed him. He’s not a murderer so much as he is a sadist…he likes people to go on livin’ so they can continue to suffer. I’m just worried Jimmy marooned him on a desert planet somewhere or somethin’…it hurts me to think about it. I’ll never be able to forgive myself for puttin’ his life in danger, but…but it wasn’t like I had much choice. I had to save YOU, Aurora.
AURORA: And to think…I wasn’t even on Earth anymore.
FUTURE LIBBY: Ironic, isn’t it? Fate can be so cruel.
AURORA: Fate? Please! Life is merciless. That’s all.
**There is a moment of silence over this remark**
CARL: But Miss Older Libby, I’m still confused…how did you get here?
CINDY: Ya…if Sheen teleported you to Retroville, how did you end up in Shangri Llama?
FUTURE LIBBY: By accident, actually. Sheen…being, well, Sheen…sent me to the wrong place. He entered the wrong coordinates, and so I got sent halfway ‘round the world.
CINDY: (muttering) How typical…
FUTURE LIBBY: Instead of appearin’ in Retroville, the next thing I knew I was smack dab in the middle of the Asian highlands. Ironically, his mistake saved me. Two days later, the monks found me wanderin’ in the fields outside the monastery. They took me in…I owe a lot to them, you know. At first I lived in a little room in the back of the women’s temple, but that changed soon enough. A couple of weeks after I got there, the monks started actin’ all weird and watching me constantly, like they were waitin’ for something to happen. It was really freakin’ me out, so I asked ‘em to give me the low down on what was goin’ on.
AURORA: What did they tell you?
FUTURE LIBBY: Chen-Yu…the fat bald monk who likes bowing all the time…told me that my actions over the past couple of weeks proved that I was part of the chosen one’s prophecy. Accordin’ to this prophecy, the woman destined to be the chosen one’s bride would be found alone in the fields and come to live with the monks. I told them it was just a coincidence, but they seemed real stuck on it. So they gave me all sorts of nice stuff, like this house…and told me to await the return of the chosen one so he and I could get married and usher in a new era of peace. I didn’t wanna tell them that Sheen probably wouldn’t be comin’ back, because I was afraid they’d kick me out if they knew. Plus, they gave me such nice jewelry…
JIMMY: (raising an eyebrow) I see…
FUTURE LIBBY: So, to make a long story short, I’ve been stuck here for ten years hung up and doted on like some kind of idol, with nothin’ to do but try on wedding dresses and listen to the monks tell me about my future. Not exactly what I had planned for my life.
AURORA: (leaning forward) Then come with us. Come away on my ship…you can get out of here! Make a real life for yourself!
FUTURE LIBBY: Well, it’s not like it’s all bad. Actually, I really like livin’ here. It’s just…I don’t want to sit around in pretty clothes anymore. I wanna take action…to actually do somethin’ to shape my future and to help the people I care about.
AURORA: (slamming her teacup down) Then it’s settled! When we leave tonight, you’re coming with us!
FUTURE LIBBY: All right, I’ll go with you, Aurora, but not tonight. Tomorrow mornin’, OK? I want to catch up with you first…and I’ll need some time to explain things to the monks. They’ll be pretty worried when I go.
AURORA: Ahh, who cares? They’re just a bunch of…
FUTURE LIBBY: Please, Aurora? Let me do this.
**Aurora blinks, then nods. All is silent for a moment except the clink of bowls against chopsticks. Future Libby sets down her cup, then breaks into a smile and pushes away from the table**
FUTURE LIBBY: All right! Well, I dunno ‘bout you, but I bet now would be a great time to take a walk in the gardens! It’s almost sunset. Come on, girl!
**She grabs Aurora by the hand and practically drags her out the door. Cindy sets down her bowl**
CINDY: Well, I suppose we might as well go too.
LIBBY: I’m down with that! I wanna see all the cool stuff my older self designed!
JIMMY: Plus, I suppose we should keep a close tab on those two. Aurora seems a bit dazed by all of this.
CINDY: Since when are you concerned about her?
JIMMY: I’m not!
**Carl bends over, his stomach gurgling**
CARL: Guys…I think I need to use the bathroom.
SHEEN: Aha! I knew that yellow mushy stuff you ate would be back to seek revenge!
CINDY: (wrinkling her nose) You know Carl, you don’t have to announce every time you experience a bodily function. Jeez.
**A woman monk dashes in from nowhere, panting heavily**
SUN-HI: Young redheaded one, was the food not to your liking? I am infinitely sorry to have offended the Chosen One’s friend! Come, I will make you some tea and escort you to the bathhouse to remedy this egregious act!
CINDY: Wow, they don’t waste any time getting to the point.
CARL: Um…OK, a bath would be nice. But my mom usually sings to me when I have a bath…will you sing me a song?
SUN-HI: (bowing) If it is your wish! I would do anything for a friend of our beloved Chosen One!
**Carl claps his hands in a ridiculous display of immaturity, then follows the monk into an adjoining room. April throws her head back and bursts out laughing, fangs glinting like sharpened knives**
APRIL: You humans are ridiculous! You are more entertaining than a Gorlockan munkull in heat! HAHAHAHAHA!
**She continues to laugh as she rises from the table and stomps through the doorway. Sheen jumps up and thrusts his index finger into the air**
SHEEN: Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go check out the view!
LIBBY: Ya, I bet the sunset is really nice right now!
SHEEN: Actually, I was talking about Future Libby…
LIBBY: Ugh, SHEEN! Will you cut it out already?
SHEEN: What? It’s not like I’m flirting with someone else…it’s still YOU. Only with a bigger butt…
JIMMY: (rolling his eyes) Hey, not that this conversation isn’t both stimulating and enriching, but aren’t we forgetting the main point?
SHEEN: Which is…
CINDY: To go for a walk, moron!
SHEEN: Oh yeah.
**Cindy rolls her eyes as they rise from the table and exit the building. Goddard jumps out from a cluster of bushes, knocking chrysanthemum petals into the air**
JIMMY: (stooping to pet him) There you are, boy. I was wondering where you went.
**Sheen snatches a petal from midair and grins at Libby**
SHEEN: Hey, check it out! It’s just like that song…you know, “It’s raining flowers”?
LIBBY: Uh, Sheen, the song is “It’s raining men”.
SHEEN: (waggling his eyebrows) I can make it rain men if you want me to…
CINDY: Jeez, does this guy come with an off switch?
LIBBY: ‘fraid not.
**Jimmy points at two figures rapidly disappearing into the distance**
JIMMY: Hey, there they are! We
should try to catch up. It’s getting dark. Goddard, stay here boy.
