A Robotic Heart

[Fluffets]

This is good, and you're slowly getting in every Jim Henson Hour character. It would be great to somehow work in The White Lion. I can probably estimate Kermit'll pop in last though....

 

[The Count]

*Bump? Any more story to post please?

Until then...
The trailer for A Robotic Heart... By RedPiggy and AnimatedC9000.
[title card] A fanfic trailer
[title card, scrolling credits, while initial bars of JHH theme song plays, the dramatic ones] This summer you can watch robots threaten humanity. We are
pressured to fear cyborgs. Or ... just for a change of pace .... You can read a story about a young man who must remind himself that he, too, is a person,
just like us.
[right-shatter transition (like the screen is breaking up from left to right)]
Kermit and Digit are in Muppet Central (staring at audience).
Kermit: ... relying very heavily on Digit, since this whole area is very close to his heart.
Digit (nods): Yes, when I die, I'm going to leave my body to science ... fiction.
[cut]
Kermit: Digit, roll the opening.
Digit pushes a button.
[right-shatter transition]
[title card] A Robotic Heart by AnimatedC9000. [upbeat bars of JHH theme play briefly]
[title card] A teenage boy named Michael is at the top of his class.
[Dramatic JHH bars repeat during Sky High montage. Will from Sky High is meant to be "Michael". The first shot is Michael reaching up to a handprint biometrics
device, which opens a hidden door in the wood paneled wall. The next shot is Michael seated in class staring at a smiling red-haired girl to his left.
The next shot is Michael, a close-up of him smiling. The next shot is at the lab, where two girls and a blond-haired boy faint as Michael looks on, bored.]
[title card] Until that fateful day, when there's an accident in school...
[Video montage: Sky High footage of the sidekick class shuddering from some explosion from the mad scientist lab. Next shot is a mirrored shot of Michael
being tossed across a room and out a very large glass window. Carrie footage of panicked students and faculty running around screaming as electric arcs
occur overhead. Carrie footage of the gym starting to catch fire from right to left along the far edge of the gym, with people still running around crazily.
Carrie footage of the gym exterior, with large flames visible in the windows, as the front doors slowly open.]
[title card] Michael is presumed dead. However, he gains new life as Digit.
[title card] Digit has trouble adjusting to his new condition.
Digit (in a hospital hallway, from the Bill Cosby ep, walking away from an EKG machine): Is there a doctor in the house?
Bill Cosby: Yes, I'm a doctor.
Digit (latches onto Cosby): Oh, thank goodness! Doc, will you take a look at this? *brings Cosby over to the EKG device, inserts a cord from his body
to the EKG, where a heavily pixelated video of Digit plays* See? Something is wrong with me.
Cosby (cringing): Yeah, it doesn't look good.
Digit (walks back over to Cosby): I know that! I need you to HELP me!
Cosby: Well, what do you want me to do?
Digit: Well, you'd have to hit me. Like you would a tv set.
Cosby: Nononono, I don't want to do that.
Digit (pleading): Oh, come on, Doc, please! I need it!
Cosby (reluctantly): Okay. *lightly taps Digit's right cheek repeatedly*
Digit: No, that isn't going to cut it! Let me HAVE it!
Sweetums enters the room and stands between them.
Cosby: I can't do that...
Digit: Doctor ...
Sweetums: Hey! Why don't ya fix him?
Digit: Yeah?
Cosby (to Sweetums): I CAN'T!
Sweetums looks at Digit and backhands him, sending him flying into the EKG and slowly sinks to the floor as Cosby and Sweetums look on in shock. Digit
then rises up and blinks, and the video on the EKG stops being pixelated. Digit goes back to Cosby and pokes him in the stomach.
Digit: And you call yourself a doctor. *to Sweetums* Thanks! I feel 100% better! [fade-out]
[title card] Digit learns to express himself through music.
[back in Muppet Central, Kermit and Flash can be seen watching a vid of upside-down legs holding a meeting on a monitor in the background]
Kermit: Digit, did you get the music video cued up?
Digit (appears from screen left): Yes, Kermit.
Kermit: Oh good. *turns to monitor* Hey, gather round everybody, it's time to rock and roll the tape!
[Solid Foam and some groupie girls and Bean shows up]
Clifford: Man, that is one HIP frog.
Beard: One hip? How does he walk?
[right-shattering transition]
[The ending of the vid is playing on a monitor in the background with Digit in beach gear getting hit with a beach ball.]
Beard: Uh, actually it's almost all synthesizing.
Kermit (nods): Uh, well, the synthesizers were really well played.
Digit: That's all done on the computer. *walks off*
Kermit: Even the drums?
"Francine" the Drummer: Drum machine. *walks off*
Flash: Yeah.
Kermit: Th-the-the singing?
Clifford: Digital harmonizer. *Flash, Clifford, and Beard nod*
Kermit: Well, how do you guys know you're actually musicians?
Beard: Hey, who else would dress like this? *everyone laughs*
Kermit (nods and walks off as fade-out): You got a point there.
[title card] Despite medical advances, Digit pays for his new situation by glitching.
[Video montage with instrumental bridge from "The music keeps rolling along" song playing. Digit comes up to Kermit (who's wearing a yellow long-sleeved
shirt) and sneezes into a handkerchief, causing bright sparks to come out of his nose. Digit (wearing a satellite dish as a collar), with Kermit protesting
and Leon looking on in the background, plugs a main cable into his chest and starts smoking out of his ears. Music continues as audio returns. Kermit
is typing on an old Mac and Digit comes up and smacks into a large monitor with static on it.]
Digit: Oh, why?
Kermit: Because when you say yes you mean no!
Digit (still smacking into the monitor): Nonono -- I fixed my voice relay.
Kermit: And now your motor reflexes are shorting out?
Digit (resignedly): You know me too well.
[right-shatter transition]
[Digit is motionless standing in Muppet Central as Kermit and Lindbergh look at him.]
Waldo (appearing): Kermit? I think I can help. *changes into medical costume* Prepare for surgery!
Kermit: Waldo, what're you going to do?
Waldo: I'm going in! *shrinks and enters Digit's ear*
[cut]
Digit (with Waldo controlling him from the inside, trying to "jumpstart" him): Kerrrrrrrrrrrmit. Kerrrrrrrrmit. [gibberish]
Lindbergh: Waldo?
[right-shattering transition]
Kermit: Yeah, now what?
Lindbergh (grabs Digit): Well, I know I had a toolbelt when I went in. *shakes Digit and tools can be heard jostling around inside*
[cut]
Vicki (entering from screen right): Mr. Kermit? It's time for the closing number! *looks at Digit* Oh, who turned Digit off? *flips a switch on his
chest* Morning, Digit.
Digit: Morning, Vicki.
[right-shattering transition]
Digit (singing): Everybody's doing a brand new dance noooowww. Come on, baby, do the locomotion.
[right-shattering transition]
Kermit (shocked): Digit!
Digit: Kermit, why was I dreaming about a Phillips screwdriver?
Kermit: B-b-but, well, never mind that. We're almost out of time!
[right-shattering transition]
Kermit (among Solid Foam and the groupies and Bean): Here they are, Solid Foam! *crowd cheers*
[music video starts with Flash wailing on the sax]
All: The music just keeps on rolling along.
Hey, I got my friends and I've got my song.
I'm gonna be livin' for the rhythm, I can't go wrong,
As long as the music keeps rolling along!
Come on, pretty momma, and do your thing:
The spirit of the music and the joy it brings.
I'm gonna kick off my shoes,
You know we can't lose,
As long as the music keeps rolling along!
Flash: Mmmm ... I make my own decisions.
I go by my own rules.
I gotta live the life I want to -- I'm no fool.
Clifford: There you go.
Beard: [unintelligble ... like "sometime my iguana"]
Winds up on my path.
[Let?] me by the others and I just laugh ... HA!
Flash: 'Cause EEEEVVVVEEERRRRY dark night,
Brings me to ... another daaaaaayyyyy.
Flash and Beard: And eeeeeevvvvveeerrry time I hear those sweet sounds ... hey-ey-ey!
Clifford: Hey-ey-ey!
Flash and Beard: What can I say-ay-ay?
Clifford: Yeah!
All: The music just keeps on rolling along.
Hey, I got my friends and I've got my song.
I'm gonna be livin' for the rhythm, I can't go wrong,
As long as the music keeps rolling along!
It's the spirit of the music and the joy it brings...
As long as the music keeps rolling along.
Clifford (as beach background appears): C'mon, little darlin',
Ain't no TIME to stop.
Beard: Don't stop!
Clifford: Smile that smile and take us TO the top.
Beard: When you get that feeling,
there ain't no denyin' --
Flash: Mmmmm ... you'll find your spirit will start flyin', yay-ay!
[music bridge cut, chorus continues as credits roll]
[cut]
Gonzo, Lindbergh, Vicki, Bean, and Leon are in Muppet Central.
Lindbergh (whispers to Vicki): Digit's the one who puts stuff on!
Vicki: Well, where IS Digit?
*various characters call out for Digit*
Digit (out of control on roller skates): I'm coming! Whoa! Whoa! *approaches camera*
Vicki: Somebody do something!
*Digit crashes into camera. Screen goes blank. URLs for fic are shown. The end.*

 

[AnimatedC9000]

To Count and the readers, more story IS on the way. I just can't figure how to end the chapter...

Oh, BTW, here's the YouTube trailer for those of you who want visuals.

 

[RedPiggy]

LOL, I thought I'd see an update ... and it was my own transcript.

 

[AnimatedC9000]

Chapter 13

“Yay, we got it!” Leon exclaimed as he started to high-five everyone in the car.

It was right after dinner the next day. We were all driving home after a successful meeting with Mr. Brillstein. The band now had a record deal and we were all going to celebrate back at Clifford and Beard’s place.

“Wait a second, Leon,” Francine realized after a while, “you’re not even a member of this band.”

“Well, not officially, girlie,” the lizard replied, “but as the band’s manager, it’s my responsibility to keep the band happy.”

“Now, wait a minute,” Clifford interrupted, “what makes you so qualified to be our manager, man?”

“Out of all of us here, I’m the one that can work with the dough the best,” the con reptile answered with a chuckle.

We all started to mumble among ourselves about the current manager issue. To tell the truth, Solid Foam didn’t actually have a manager until Leon took the title all of a sudden. Were all of us really ready to accept him as our manager?

"If Leon gets to be the manager," Lindbergh spoke up, "can I handle all the equipment?"

We all turned to look at the kiwi (except for our driver, who looked at him through the rear view mirror). Now Lindbergh wanted to be our equipment manager. What was next, the discovery of fans in the trunk of the car?

Wait a minute, I thought to myself, what if there ARE people in the back of the car? I turned my head around and peeked over the seat to see the trunk area of the car. I saw no one back there, so I correctly assumed that my assumption was false.

“Whatcha looking for, Digit?” I heard the kiwi whisper to me.

"It's nothing, Lindbergh," I answered him, turning back around to sit down in the seat. “Just thought I forgot something, but I didn’t.”

“As my first order of business as official manager,” Leon interrupted, assuming the position of manager once again, “I’d like ta discuss my part of the cash. I was thinking maybe fift--”

All those against Leon’s statement immediately spoke up, disagreeing with him all at once. I heard responses such as a mumbled “You ain’t the manager of nothing yet, man,” “Who died and made you manager?”, “Stop daydreamin’ and come down to reality, Leon,” and “Do I still get the job?”

As for me, I tried to keep myself out of the managerial argument. I could tell already that this was going to be a long car ride home without my addition to the conversation.

Amongst the bickering, we did eventually arrive at Clifford and Beard’s place in one piece. The conversation was far from over, however. Francine was strongly disagreeing with everything that Leon had to say, Beard was trying to talk some sense into all of us, Flash was wary about it all, Clifford didn’t trust the lizard with anything that involved money, Lindbergh was still wondering if he could be the equipment manager, and I was on the edge of my seat, biting my lip in order to keep quiet.

I couldn’t have taken much more of the bickering for much longer. Their arguing was driving me close to insanity at the time, and I didn’t want to make it any worse. Still, the constant disagreements were tearing me apart. Eventually, I took no more of it.

“Will you all be quiet! ?” a voice yelled from my throat.

Everyone in the vehicle had ceased their arguing and were staring at me. I stared right back at them, hardly believing that I was the one who silenced an argument. “… uh… Oh will you look at that!” I exclaimed semi-nervously with forced enthusiasm. “We made it to Beard and Clifford’s apartment! All right!”

After a moment of awkward silence, we all filed out of the car and into the apartment. I let out a quick sigh of relief. Finally, I thought, we could all enjoy a movie night together in peace without any arguing.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

Not only did the argument about managers started back up again, but other disagreements were sparked by what movie everyone wanted to watch and who would prepare the popcorn and the drinks. Because I could pick up TV signals, almost everybody was asking me what movies were showing at the time. (I tried to point out that there was a very recent issue of TV Guide in the room, but hardly anyone paid attention.)

I collapsed onto the couch in exhaustion. This was going to be a long night.

~~~

Eventually, we all decided on Casablanca. Unfortunately, none of us knew if it was showing that night or not, so I was hooked up to the TV to display what I remembered from the movie for the rest of them.

So far, the movie was trying to stay true to the actual story, but several differences arose. The setting was somewhere in Oz, some of the characters from The Wizard of Oz replaced the roles of the Casablanca characters (this included Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in the place of Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund), Howdy Doody made a surprise appearance (much to my embarrassment), and the character Sam sang “Viva Las Vegas” instead of “As Time Goes By”. It wasn’t the most accurate telling of the film, but it at least kept everyone argument-free amidst the chuckling and various moments of confusion.

Finally, the film reached its famous ending scene, the part where Rick tells Ilsa to get on the plane with Victor. I knew this scene by heart, and I always loved to recite Humphrey Bogart’s speech when I was still a teenager.

While the film was still playing, I started to daydream that I was playing the lead role in that final scene. Dorothy Gale, who I had a major crush on while growing up, was still Ilsa, and she looked very lovely in that role.

“Louis,” I said to the Renault in my daydream, “have your man go with Mr. Laszlo and take care of his luggage.”

The Renault, who was played by Lindbergh in my subconscious, bowed at me. “Certainly Rick, anything you say,” he replied before turning to the orderly. “Find Mr. Laszlo's luggage and put it on the plane," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," the orderly, played by Leon, said. "This way please," he said to Laszlo (who was played by the Scarecrow for some odd reason) before escorting him in the direction of the plane.

I took the letters of transit out of my pocket and handed them to Lindbergh, who turned and walked towards the hanger. "If you don't mind, you fill in the names," I requested. "That will make it even more official."

"You think of everything, don't you?" Lindbergh asked me, still walking.

"And the names are Mr. and Mrs. Victor Laszlo," I stated quietly.

My friend stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. Both he and Dorothy, who was holding Toto in a basket, looked at me with astonishment.

"But why my name, Richard?" the Kansas girl asked me.

"Because you're getting on that plane," I told her.

"I don't understand," she stated, confused. "What about you?"

"I'm staying here with him 'til the plane gets safely away," I answered.

My intentions suddenly dawned on the female. “No, Richard, no,” Dorothy said in disbelief. “What has happened to you? Last night we said--”

“Last night we said a great many things,” I interrupted her. “You said I was to do the thinking for both of us. Well, I’ve done a lot of it since then and it all adds up to one thing. You’re getting on that plane with Victor where you belong.”

“But Richard,” she protested, “no, I, I--”

“You’ve got to listen to me,” I told the girl from Kansas, trying to get her to see the logical side of things. “Do you have any idea what you’d have to look forward to if you stayed here? Nine chances out of ten we’d both wind up in a concentration camp. Isn’t that true, Louis?” I questioned Lindbergh.

“I’m afraid Major Strasser would insist,” he replied after countersigning the papers.

“You’re saying this only to make me go,” Dorothy argued.

“I’m saying it because it’s true,” I said to her. “Inside of us we both know you belong with Victor. You’re part of his work, the thing that keeps him going. If that plane leaves the ground and you’re not with him, you’ll regret it.”

A “no” escaped from her lips.

“Maybe not today,” I continued, “maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life.”

“But what about us?” the beautiful woman asked me, trying to hold back the tears.

“We’ll always have Paris,” I told her. “We didn’t have, we lost it, until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night.”

“And I said I would never leave you,” Dorothy told me, a smile forming on her face.

“And you never will,” I reassured her. “But I’ve got a job to do, too. Where I’m going you can’t follow. What I’ve got to do you can’t be any part of. Ilsa, I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand.”

Dorothy’s eyes were letting the tears roll down her cheeks as I was speaking. I decided to calm her down. “Now, now…” I placed my hand under her chin, lifting her eyes up to meet mine. “Here’s looking at you, kid,” I said to her.

And then I kissed her. It wasn’t scripted or called for (and it didn’t even happen in the actual movie), but I kissed her briefly on those tender lips of hers. The beautiful female from Kansas smiled sweetly at me, and I gave my sincerest smile to her in return. My heart was soaring throughout my body. I was enjoying the wonderful sensation of being with someone that I loved, and I wished that it never had to end.

Unfortunately, the moment ended as soon as my body was hit by a pillow. The television screen changed to a Western moment starring Mary Poppins as soon as I hit the floor.

“Are you all right, Digit?” Lindbergh asked with concern as he helped me up and dusted me off.

“What hit me…?” I replied dazedly.

“Heheheh… whoops,” I heard Leon apologize. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Um, call me crazy,” Francine interjected, “but I don’t think that’s how the movie went, even if this was my first time seeing it.”

“Sorry guys,” I apologized, “there were some… technical difficulties throughout the showing. I’m pretty sure that they didn’t mean to happen.”

“Like when you kissed Judy Garland,” Clifford stated.

I immediately froze after that statement. They saw that, my daydream, on the TV? I thought. I glanced away from all of them in embarrassment, feeling my cheeks redden… if they even could redden anymore…

“Don’t worry about it, Digit,” Lindbergh reassured me with a pat on the back, “you did your best to give us the movie.”

A weak smile came onto my face as I grabbed the lead from the television hook-up device and placed it back into my ear. “Thank you,” I told him quietly.

“It’s no problem,” the kiwi bird whispered back. “Besides, I know how you feel. I always had a crush on Betty Rubble as a kid.”

 

[The Count]

*Luffleglomptackles Caitlyn. Thankees for der new chappy. Is cute and tenderand melty and everything good. Please, post more soonish.

 

[RedPiggy]

that was hilarious

 

[Fluffets]

That latest bit was good, as usual. The comedy in this was dynamite! (no nobody said dynamite) I don't know how you think it up but it's brilliant, if this was made I'd say it would either be a feature-length tv special or a theatrical movie, It would be brilliant either way!

 

[RedPiggy]

Yeah, if they ever try to return to JHH characters, I would LOVE for this story to be the gist of a special or movie.

 

[ReneeLouvier]

Oh man, I just read this entire story and I am HOOKED. Please more, Caitlyn! A very well thought out and well written story!