Okay... CodeCreator158 was probably joking when she was giving me suggestions for stand alone episode ideas, but I decided to do it anyways... I was also enjoying some Rocket Summer music recently (totally not on loop... I don't know why you would suggest such a thing... but uh, anyhow), and this was something that I thought sorta fit the idea and also time this was set to happen, but I'll let you read now. <><><> 2-14-24 [Underrated melody plays throughout the music in this episode] FOXLIE: [In a classroom that resembles my 6th grade math class] [Underrated by The Rocket Summer plays, but with long bits in between verses or lines here and there as need be for seen to move forward] Kids were already packing up. I was only half way through that math paper. I bit my lip trying to keep calm. I took advantage of the time before the bell. My next class was close by anyway, and I’d get to sit next to L. Bug… not so bad, if I do say so myself… unlike the homework… The other kids finished. L. Bug stood nearby, with all of her stuff ready to go. I jumped at the sound of the bell. Me: “Gosh,” I whispered, looking around nervously. I shoved the papers into my stuffed folder. “I’ve been working in the city…” I picked back up the folder, slowly sliding it into my bag as people rushed past me. “I’ve been working at night…” Another long night of homework awaited. 6G Math Teacher: “Make sure that homework gets done…” I glance up at her, biting my tongue. A million responses rushed through my mind, but I pushed them away. I couldn’t say any of them. Me: “I will…” I shook my head, zipping up my bag. “I’ve been working in the city…” I stood, picking up my heavy bag. “So dark, no light…” I hated to say it, but I couldn’t wait for the weekend to come… but L. Bug helped make school worth it. “And I know, I know everything will be alright…” I sighed. I left to go to my next class… the last of the day… not so bad… Me: I ran to catch up with L. Bug. “But I, I’m a little bit crazy right now.” I shook my head, looking forward. “And I feel so underrated. Have you ever felt so underrated?” I struggled with the door to get inside for a moment, but managed to begin to pull it open. Me: “And I’m just sick of all things underrated…” I thrusted the door to let the two of us pass through. “So, come on…” I didn’t think that teacher liked me. She joked with the rest of the class, but me? No… I guess I was more serious in class, but everything she said… “All I want, all I need is a chance. Underrated,” I sang quietly to myself. I sucked in another breath, trying to switch up the mood in my brain, but gosh… It was harder than it should have been. Me: “For so long…” I approached the door to the classroom, the teacher standing next to it. I waved subtly entering the classroom. “I don’t want to be more than me,” I sang to myself, sitting down my stuff, L. Bug next to me, “I’m just sick of things underrated…” I sat down, as the bell rang. I sighed. Me: “We’d appreciate it…” <><><> [Music gap here, but bell sound plays as we blur to the next scene… Foxlie and L. Bug are leaving the school to head home.] Me: “Gosh, I’m done with math…” I sighed. It was yet another long school day. “And of course I’ll be staying up ‘til midnight trying to finish the homework…” L. Bug: “I get the homework taking awhile,” she said shuddering at the thought of the math homework, “but ‘till midnight?” Me: “I learn quickly, don’t get me wrong; not that I necessarily do the work at the same pace.” I shook my head. L. Bug: “How do you survive that while staying in touch with the… well, stick figures?” She cocked her head, as I pushed the door open. Me: “Weekends, mainly…” L. Bug: “Fair.” We walked out into the crisp outside air. “Hopefully seventh grade will be better…” Me: “Gosh, please say so! Hopefully so, or else, I’m failing algebra.” I shook my head, still shivering from the cold. L. Bug: “Whelp,” she said, smiling, “good luck!” She spun around, walking off. Me: “Thanks,” I muttered, too quiet for her to actually hear. <><><> [She now sits at a desk with a computer on it, staring at a paper.] Me: “Gosh…” I rubbed my eyes. Frustration still begged for my attention, but I tried my best to quell it for the time being… Now was not the time. “I’m a little in motion. I’m a little out of line.” (Reed comes into view on the computer screen, watching Foxlie quietly.) I dropped my pencil onto the paper, leaning back in the chair. Me: “My ear’s on the phone with Jesus,” I sang more outwardly than I’d let myself at school. I went on, writing out one more bold line, “and my eyes are angry and blinded.” I stood up. I needed a break. “I know, I know the last will be first in that line,” I shook my head, “But I, I’m a little bit crazy right now, and I feel so underrated!” I shoved the chair back to where it was before. “Have you ever felt this underrated?” I stepped away from the desk, staring at the ceiling for a moment.
Me: “And are you sick of it?!” I kicked the floor, closing my eyes. “Underrated. So, come on.” I reopened my eyes, letting my arm fall to my sides. “All I want, all I need is a chance…” I slid the chair back out. “Underrated.” I sat down and picked up the pencil. “I’ve held on! I don’t want to be more than me…” I shook my head, trying to force myself to focus. Me: I glanced up, almost guiltily. “I’m just sick of things…” I set back down the pencil, just staring at the paper. “See the tire in my eyes?” I rubbed one with my hand. “They sting from working.” I shook my head once again looking up to see Reed there, silently watching. Reed and I: His eyes began to fill with tears. “Will I ever be deserving?” Our eyes met for a moment. I managed a smile. Me: “Oh, help my eyes to see and not feel so underrated…” REED: [Watching Foxlie from the screen.] She looked up at the ceiling. Foxlie: “I don’t want to be one of those that stares at all the questions,” she sang clearly, “all the while, the open doors they close.” Emotions surged. It wasn’t just about the homework. That was clear. I knew that even while we were with the other figures, when L. Bug was around, she stayed near to her more than anyone else… I didn’t think the other particularly saw that, but she seemed to do so frequently. “I just want to get out there.” She shook her head. Foxlie & I: “So with a humble heart, teach me some lessons.” She closed her eyes, now holding the pencil. She sighed. I shifted, now in a sitting position. My tail settled around me, watching with wide-eyes. “Show me to do my part in the place you have me standing…” Foxlie: She opened her eyes, staring at the paper once again. She took a breath. “As I meet with humility, could it be injustices or pride that’s killing me?” She calmed. [Background lyrics; barely heard, but Foxlie mouths the lyrics quietly. Reed whispers his lines to himself] I've been here all day, and just one denarius. If I must boast, let it be that of my weaknesses. Humility, you have my attention. She finally seemed to finish. She sighed with relief. Foxlie: She smiled subtly. “You know, you’re better off to be underrated… So, come on!” I settled in, pressing my head against the screen’s barrier. Foxlie: “All I want, all I need is a chance!” She looked down at me. “Underrated.” Foxlie & I: “So hold on.” Foxlie: “I don’t want to be more than me, I’m just sick of things underrated… So come on!” She doodled on the edges of her paper, allowing herself to unwind. “All I want, all I need is a chance - underrated!” She began to scribble something at the bottom of it. FOXLIE: [Show view of the paper at the bottom where she writes the lyrics, starting with the “underrated!”] Reed & I: His voice, though quiet, was sweet and wholly clear. “I’ll hold on,” we sang together, as I wrote the note at the bottom… Me: I ended, more quietly. “All I want, all I need is a chance.” I sighed. [Song ends] Me: “I’m done…” I laid my head down. “Or…” I stretched, almost immediately picking it back up. I reached down to the exposed cable, appearing next to Reed. He jerked back, falling backwards from his previously steady sitting position. Op… I think I startled him. I stifled a tired snicker. “Hey, buddy. I’m done… for like, ever… Or not… More homework tomorrow… BLECK.” I shook my head. Reed: “I’m sorry…” He drew close to me. Me: “You are? It’s homework, we’ve faced a giant, evil dragon… well, you’re the one who dealt with him, but we dealt with his dark dragon army, so…” I laughed before fixing my expression to be more serious. “But still.” I shook my head. “Not fun.” He looked up at me with wide eyes. His presence was precious. I stroked his head gently. Me: “Anyhow, I’ll let you get some rest…” Azalea: Her head peeked out from the door. “Hello, Foxlie… I thought I’d let him go out on his own to see you… That was not a problem was it?” She raised a scaly eyebrow. Me: “Nah. He’s fine. I was out here.” Azalea: “I thought so… but…” Me: “I know. I was about to.” I nodded, giving Reed a final squeeze. He shifted forms, sitting on the floor, and nodded briefly before making his way over to Azalea. [To Be Continued…] <><><> That was a LONG intro, but anyhow, the characters were not featured in this episode, but many in the animation story line belong to Alan Becker, as well as the story line all of the scripts were based on. Episode idea goes to CodeCreator, along with her character L. Bug. :) I know this is short and less seemingly AvA/AvM related, but I just wanted to use this idea. There's more to come to fill in from this to ep. 13, which has already been posted, but nothing else yet. It'll come out eventually. I just have to figure out where to start with an episode that has a game called Spore involved, also suggested by CodeCreator. The rest of the chaos is in the studio. (Cover art is done!) Also, I totally recommend finding Underrated by The Rocket Summer on YouTube if you can. I really like his music.
