Original subtitles

Good work today.

Hi.

Hi.

You feel good.

Shit.

Oh, I completely forgot.

It's our anniversary. It's our anniversary.

Our first date a year ago today.

I'm sorry.

Stephen, you should have called. I should have called.

It's okay.

You're here now.

You have any more of that wine?

Can I get you anything else?

Oh, I almost forgot.

In my pocket.

Yeah, I really thought they'd go for your program.

I mean, I thought it was one of the most original ones I've seen.

But, believe it or not, one of our own VR researchers generated something

similar just a month ago.

That's okay.

I knew freelance programming would be tough anyway.

Besides, I'm working on something new now.

Good.

You'll sell one one day.

You know, you're looking very beautiful this evening.

Am I?

Yes, you are.

Good enough to eat.

What a charmer.

Hey, I'm serious. I mean it.

I may not be a poet, but I say what I mean, and I mean what I say.

I could look at you

forever.

Thank you.

You're leaving?

Yeah.

Can I get you anything?

Are you hungry?

Thirsty? No.

Why are you leaving?

You always stay over.

I got an early start tomorrow.

Tomorrow's Saturday.

My keys.

Stephen, what's going on?

I'm being transferred.

Transferred? Yeah.

Virtualsoft wants me at their headquarters at Silicon Valley.

I start Monday. It's a great opportunity.

Silicon Valley.

That's California.

I'm sorry.

I should have told you earlier, but honestly, it happened so quickly.

Well, when were you planning to tell me, God damn it?

You were just going to slip out of here, weren't you?

If I hadn't have woken up... No, no, no. I was going to say goodbye.

Goodbye?

What about us?

I thought you were going to ask me to marry you tonight.

Well, we'll still be together. It'll just be long distance.

I'm coming with you?

Well, let's wait till I get settled.

Well, why don't I just come out now? I mean, if you start work on Monday, I

could get your place squared away and I could set up my workstation. Just stop.

God, you're smothering. Listen to yourself. Don't you want to do anything?

Don't you want to have your own goals, your own life?

Sure. But I want to be with you, and I thought you wanted to be with me.

I did.

I... I do.

Well, I start my new job on Monday. You need to focus on yourself, your own

work.

You just don't want me.

I didn't say that.

You know I say what I mean and mean what I say.

No.

You're just fucking mean.

Get out.

Just get out of here.

I'll call you when I get settled.

No, you won't.

Just go.

I will miss that You're truly gifted Just go

Hmm.

I didn't write this.

This isn't my program.

No it isn't.

Who are you?

Please.

This is really amazing.

Where did you come from?

You're not in my program.

We're not in your program.

What are you talking about?

Don't you remember?

Remember what?

What is the last thing you remember before here?

I jacked into my solace program to relax.

And then?

And then I don't know. I was just here.

Think.

I remember smelling something.

Yes.

I coughed.

I felt very warm.

Yes.

Oh, my God.

I smelled smoke.

There was a fire.

Yes.

Tell me.

You didn't suffer.

It's okay.

You're going to have many questions.

Here.

Where exactly am I anyway?

Well, you're not exactly where you were.

And you're not exactly where you'll ultimately be.

Great.

So the afterlife is more confusing than the real one was.

Are you God?

Well, for the sake of your frame of understanding, the best answer would be

no. I am not the God.

But I suppose you could say I was a God.

So, the fire, my death,

was it an accident or did Stephen have... In that world, it was a simple

accident, yes.

But after you're here for a while, you'll realize that accidents and

destiny and fate and luck and providence are all pretty much the same thing.

You were there, and now you're here.

And I'm going to be somewhere else?

Eventually.

You'll be moving on.

Those stars?

Our souls, making their journeys.

When will I?

Well, you're special.

That's nice to know.

You, like all people, came to Earth to learn a lesson.

Unfortunately, you didn't have time to learn yours.

That happens to a lot of people, but not everybody gets a second chance.

A second chance?

A second chance to learn your lesson.

When you passed on, you were still inside your VR world, and your spirit

still is.

I'm trapped.

Don't you remember the command that you put in your program?

Four chances to solve the riddle?

Yeah, four chances to solve the riddle and move into another world. If I screw

up, I can start all over again.

Exactly. And four chances is how many times you have to learn your lesson.

Four chances.

I don't understand. What if I don't learn my lesson?

Then you move on into instant rebirth.

You get a new body, but the same life and the same problems to solve.

No evolution.

Oh, no.

Not the same life again. I don't think I can handle that.

But you're no longer of the material world.

You can appear in virtual reality programs, communicating with people

through their computers.

Why would I want to do that?

To learn your lesson.

But also to help someone in need.

To help someone?

Some people escape reality for different reasons.

They hide inside some computer program, unable to face the real world and their

problems.

What am I supposed to do?

I don't know.

You figure it out.

Figure it out?

How am I supposed to know who to contact?

Come.

Oh, my God.

This is exhilarating.

Listen. You will learn to isolate a voice, a soul.

Your senses will heighten and your sensitivity will grow.

You can pick anyone you wish.

Do what you can.

How?

Inside the computer world, you can create any environment you want just by

visualizing it.

If you have any troubles, imagine yourself back in limbo with me and you

shall return.

But...

Just give it a try.

Aw, come on.

Can't you guys do anything right?

What the hell?

I'm sorry I frightened you.

Who are you?

My name is Mara.

Mara.

I don't recall any photorealistic icons in the program summary.

Yeah, but I'm like a bonus, you know?

Wait a minute here. I mean, look at you. You're too complex.

I've never heard of any interactive artificial intelligence programs.

Hell, even if I had, I mean, this would cost a hell of a lot more than I paid.

I know.

Do you want me to go away?

No.

If you're part of the program, you might as well stay.

Do you mind if we go somewhere a little more familiar?

More familiar?

How did you do that?

I don't know, actually.

I mean, is this weird or what?

It's just too real.

Do you want to talk?

Talk? Nah.

Talk is what screws me up. I mean, I don't need it.

People don't realize that I just need to be alone to create.

So you lock yourself up when you work?

I lock myself up, period.

You don't see anybody.

Not a soul.

I don't need to.

For how long do you do this?

I don't know. This time, six months.

Six months inside these walls?

Yeah.

It's no wonder you can't paint anything.

If I had any friends, I'd tell them about this program.

No, I used to hide from the world, too.

immersed myself in my VR worlds when the real one got too hard.

You hide from the world?

You're a VR character.

What world do you hide from?

Well, I'm not even going to try to explain that one.

Sometimes, though, it's been my experience that people can put a spark

to your creativity. That's just a load of bull.

People don't know anything. Nobody cares.

I mean, people rush from here to there for what, huh? For some... obscure

material satisfaction.

No, I don't need that kind of world. I don't need that crap.

But you want people to need you.

You expect people to want your art.

What kind of freaking program is this?

What is this, 15 minutes with Dr. Freudiana?

Maybe.

You know, I like your art.

But there's definitely something missing.

What's missing?

I don't know.

I can't really put my finger on it.

Why don't you paint people?

People don't interest me.

What are you so afraid of?

Who said anything about being afraid?

Why don't you paint me?

I just told you, I don't do people.

Well, right now you're not doing anything.

Damn, this invention.

All right.

All right, why don't you go take a seat and I'll get my stuff.

How do you want me?

I thought you wanted a portrait.

Well, when you said on the couch.

What the hell?

Can you move your arm a little bit, you know, a little bit up?

No, no, no, no, the other way.

Here, let me show you.

Here, let's just put this here.

Okay, let me, no, no, let's move your arm this way. Oops.

I'm sorry, I didn't... I mean...

Hmm.

Three.

When you said you were going to paint me, I had no idea it was going to be

like this.

I'm sorry, I... It's... I haven't touched anyone in such a

long time.

And you haven't been touched either.

Neither have I.

Ugh.

Mm.

I didn't know VR characters could sleep like that.

Well,

I'm special.

Yeah, I'll say.

Wow.

That's very beautiful.

Well, now I know what was missing in your paintings.

What's that?

Passion.

You really helped me.

I owe you.

But now I gotta go.

Go where?

There's this barmaid that wants me to paint her.

And, uh...

I'm gonna do it.

I'm gonna do this in the real world.

What about me?

I thought we had something.

Come on, you're just a computer image. Don't go crazy on me. A damn good one,

but I got my life to live.

Please don't leave me.

Bye.

Are you okay?

He left me.

You didn't expect him to stay, did you?

I don't know. He said I helped him.

And you did.

He's already completed four pieces since you left him.

But I just left.

He hasn't had time.

Time?

There is no such thing as time here.

And yet, there's all the time of eternity.

You'll figure it out soon enough.

But I needed him, too.

You haven't learned your lesson, Mara.

What is it that I'm supposed to learn?

You have three more chances.

Wait!

Hi, Sandy.

Um, would you go out with me?

She's kind of stiff, isn't she? Whoa!

Who are you?

My name is Mara.

Mara? How'd you get in this program?

I jumped.

Killer program.

Very cool.

But you shouldn't be here.

Why not?

You're too real.

I mean, I modified that program myself, and that's about as good as it gets with

current technology.

Maybe I'm not current technology.

Look, I do this for a living, all right? I'm a programmer, a master hacker, best

jammer on the grid. I would have read about you in the mags or heard about you

on the net.

No way.

This isn't possible yet.

Well, I'm here.

What's up with you and Sandy?

How'd you know her name? I heard you say it.

It's scary.

She's real?

You know her?

I went to high school with her.

I mean, I grew up with her.

I mean, we grew up in the same town.

So you're friends?

No.

We graduated last year.

Now we both go to Polytechnic. But I hardly ever see her on campus.

Have you ever talked to her?

No.

Never? In all these years?

No. Why not?

She just always seemed busy.

I don't know.

She's had the same boyfriend all through high school.

Are they still together?

No, they broke up months ago.

Well, maybe she's ready to meet someone new.

Look, I don't know if she'd like me. You know, I haven't much

done.

You're not experienced.

You know, some girls would think that's cute.

Cute? I don't want to be cute, all right? A cocker spaniel is cute.

What I mean is, to some girls, it doesn't matter so much if you have

experience or not. It's how honest you are and how sensitive.

But if we... This is a big if.

What if we... Okay, say that I date her, and after a while we're supposed

to...

You know, and I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

She's gonna think I'm a geek, and I'm gonna blow it.

No, I just, I can't do it.

What if we play a little game?

What kind of game?

We'll say you two have been dating for about a month or so.

You've gone to the movies, you come back to your house, go up to your room.

It is the night, if you know what I mean.

This is all just hypothetical, right?

Who's that?

It's her.

What's going on here?

Aren't you gonna let her in?

Don't worry, she can't see me.

Come in.

Holy megabytes. What?

I even smell her. What?

Of course you do.

What do you smell?

I... Her.

You smell her, she smells good.

You smell good.

I mean, um, nice perfume.

Of course it is. You gave it to me.

Oh. Kiss her back.

No, I can't.

Why? What's the matter? Just try to kiss her back. No, I'm going to screw it up.

What are you talking about?

Can't you shut this thing off?

Who are you talking to?

She's not going to go away.

Damn. What is the matter with you?

Excuse me.

In the closet.

Listen, Mara, this isn't working.

I'm gonna puke. No, you're not. Just do what I tell you and you'll be fine.

What are you doing in there?

I just have to fix a few things.

In the closet?

Yeah.

I'll be right out, okay?

This is not good.

Listen, if you can't do this now, how are you ever gonna be able to do it in

the real world?

Don't worry. I'll guide you.

Come sit down.

Go on.

I hope you don't have any more business in the closet.

You know, I really like you a lot.

Say you like her too.

You like her too.

I like you.

I mean, I like you too.

Now take her hand.

Kiss her gently.

Kiss her neck.

Touch her breast.

Just do it.

Now tell her you've never done this before what what trust me just do it

Sandy I've never done this before

Sometimes gonna be the first

There's no reason for her to hang around right now.

Oh, my God, what a trip.

That was real.

You did well.

Very well.

So are you gonna call her?

Yeah.

Yeah, I should call her.

What if she says no?

Well, you're never gonna know unless you call her and ask her out. I mean, if she

says no, just find someone else.

The dice has been in your hand long enough.

It's time to give it a roll.

Stephen, you asshole.

What? That program.

Where did you get it?

Oh, it's new. Hit the market last week.

Okay, it's ringing.

Hello?

Hello, is this Sandy?

Yeah, who's this?

Brett.

Brett? Yeah, Brett McGregor from Wilson High. Oh, my God, you're perfect.

What?

You were?

Yeah, you're at Polytech now, aren't you?

Yeah. Have you already had programming 200?

Sure, it was cake.

Oh, I'm a biochem major, and I'm having a little trouble.

Uh, I'm not much of a hacker, and I heard you were pretty hot.

Well, uh, maybe I could help you out.

You would?

That'd be great.

How about tomorrow night?

Yeah. Yeah, great. Tomorrow night.

Um... Computer lab, six o'clock.

Excellent. Um, maybe after we could go get a bite.

I'd like that.

Perfect.

Yeah, perfect.

Yes!

I'll be with you every step of the way.

What do you mean?

To guide you, like I just did.

Oh, uh, I think maybe I should do this one alone.

But I'm here to help you.

Yeah, that's nice, but I don't really need you anymore.

Look, thanks for everything, all right? I'll tell you all about the date later.

See you.

What's this, then?

Steven, that bastard stole my work.

I know, but what has that got to do with you now?

He stole.

He doesn't deserve... It is of no concern to you.

What he has done, what he will do, is not of your concern.

I'm gonna get him.

Wait!

Here.

Oh,

no.

Oh, shit.

I'm telling you, your reality ID is terrific.

Oh, thank you, Mr. Clark. Under the circumstances, don't you think you

should call me Stephen?

Don't listen to him.

He's just using you.

You're getting screwed in more ways than one.

He couldn't see me. Why couldn't he see me? You left before you gave me a chance

to explain.

Okay, explain now. You cannot make contact with or be seen by anybody that

you want to hurt.

Negative feelings don't go very far.

So I'm never going to get to him?

No.

At least not directly.

Not directly.

That's not fair.

I assure you, it all comes around.

Don't worry.

Sure.

Well, I've helped another lost soul.

Brett got his date.

I know. You did very well.

But he didn't want me to hang around either. All he wanted was Sandy. I know.

I still haven't learned my lesson yet, have I? How did you know?

Just a hunch.

What am I doing that's so wrong?

I've always given everything that I have.

I'm always trying to please everyone the best I can.

Maybe you should think about that.

What?

Think about what?

Two more chances.

What the hell do you know? I know insults won't help.

Let's see what I did wrong.

Hello?

I thought there was only that stupid computer voice in this program.

I'm a last minute addition.

You look kind of real.

So do you.

You're funny.

I aim to please.

You do?

I think I like this program.

I'm Mara. Amy.

Good. You feel like a real person.

Too bad you can't feel me.

But I do.

So, why not a real teacher?

I've tried, believe me.

But the best ones are men, and they're all creeps.

They'd rather fuck you than train you.

And men aren't my, you know, interest.

You see?

My ex was a real good teacher, though.

She was great.

But we broke up.

And, uh... Ever since then, I just can't find a teacher I can stand.

My dancing's getting worse, so I figured this computer program might help, but no

luck there.

Well, this pesky little voice you've been working with might be good for

discipline, but I come from a different school.

Really? What school is that?

The school where hard work, constructive criticism, and positive reinforcement

are important, but secondary to teaching the artist to sense and feel the music

and the dance.

I think I'd like to go there.

Why don't you show me your routine?

If you wouldn't mind.

Yeah, alright.

Wonderful.

Really? Yes, really.

It's just that switch combination.

It's like you're stiff going into it. It's like you're afraid you can't

complete it.

Exactly.

I think it's all in your mind.

The fear is holding you back.

You know, that's true.

You're the biggest audience I've ever had.

What? Stage fright.

I've begged out of every recital I was ever supposed to do.

I see.

Well, you certainly have the talent.

Stage fright is only a state of mind.

I think maybe I can help you with that.

Such bright love?

Yeah, I think so.

Thank you.

Are you okay?

Yeah, it's just a little kink.

I get them after working out now and then.

Would you, um, mind just giving me a little rub?

Sure.

Um, there's some oil under the table you can use.

Mmm.

Mmm.

That's nice.

Don't be afraid.

I'm sorry.

Have you never tried it with a woman before?

you're so beautiful

Oh.

Don't tell me.

I did good, but I haven't learned my lesson yet.

What you did with Amy, did you want it?

She wanted it.

I know.

But you, did you want it?

I'm supposed to please people.

To help them, right? That's what you said.

Helping and pleasing are not one and the same.

What am I supposed to do?

You consider yourself to be a caring, giving person, don't you?

Yeah, I know I am.

But I haven't been given any.

So what do you want?

Not much.

A husband who cares for me.

Who's there.

But you never thought about yourself.

About your own life.

Right. But you did.

The whole time you expected your partner to provide you with happiness and

security and money.

I made my own computer program.

A hobby, which you gave away to your boyfriend, Steven.

Was I not supposed to love?

Of course you were.

But on equal terms.

Somebody else cannot provide you with strength. It has to come from within

yourself.

Oops, I've already said too much.

You have one last chance.

Do you know who that guy is? You mean Bob Kilpatrick?

It's Bobby.

You know him from high school, don't you? Oh my God, I had the biggest crush

on him all through high school.

And then he moved away.

You never talked to him?

No, I didn't have the guts.

I always regretted it, though, and I've never forgot him.

And he never knew how you felt?

I can't imagine. All the girls were after him. I mean, he probably never

even saw me.

So what do you want to do?

Well, I've got more guts now, that's for sure.

Nothing to lose.

I'm gonna enjoy myself.

Good luck.

Hi.

I didn't know there were waiters in the program.

There aren't. I'm here just for you.

Now that's what I call a good waitress.

Not bad.

Good.

I put my soul into it.

I'm Mara.

Bob Kilpatrick. I know.

Nice.

Technology is amazing these days.

You look like you could use some company.

Well, I gotta warn you.

Sort of a bore.

What makes you think so?

Oh, that's just the way I am.

That's not what I remember.

Say what?

Nothing. So why don't you tell me about her?

Who? The one you're moping over.

Oh, boy.

Well, you really are a waitress.

Efficient, nosy.

You know, you remind me of someone, too.

I do?

Yeah, but that's impossible.

You're just some computer guy's vision of his dream girl.

Thank you.

Oh, don't tell me.

You can blush, too, right?

I can do a lot of things.

I'm sure you can.

So you're a dumpy?

Don't you know the word subtle?

Tell me about her.

Well... I thought everything was fine.

I was happy.

Hit me like a ton of bricks when she left.

Couldn't believe it.

I know the feeling.

I did everything she wanted me to. I did everything.

I compromised.

I sacrificed.

But I still screwed up.

What did she tell you?

Oh, you know, the usual.

You're smothering me.

I need my space.

What?

Nothing.

What did you do to make her react that way?

God, I don't know.

She made me feel so great.

Without her, I'm nothing. I feel like a piece of gum on someone's shoe.

You just need to get on with your life.

What life?

The bar and... Oh yeah, the bar.

It's just a dream.

She and I were gonna open it up together.

Matter of fact, it was gonna look something like this.

She and I.

working side by side in our little espresso bar.

To hell with that dream.

Why don't you just open it by yourself?

What, alone?

Nah, I don't think so.

I couldn't handle that.

The whole idea was that we'd be working together all the time.

I was gonna quit my job.

I never wanted to leave her.

She made me happy.

You know, love is great.

But when you start needing someone like that, when you start feeding off of

their strength, it makes you weak.

It becomes destructive.

Love has to be on equal terms.

Makes a lot of sense.

Are you a therapist?

No.

Well, I'm supposed to be cheering you up.

Come on.

I'm not really much of a dancer.

No one's watching.

You've been hurt so much, haven't you?

You too?

Yeah.

I'm sorry.

Shh.

Don't apologize.

Don't ever apologize for that.

I won't have any expectations.

Me neither.

Oh.

Would you like to... This is so weird.

You know, I almost asked a VR character out on a date.

Well, at least I have you on my computer.

It's not like you can run away or anything.

I'll be right back.

What?

Why? Why did you let me?

You both needed to be together.

Why? For him.

He needed exactly what you gave him.

And maybe he learned when you learned.

Learned what?

Your lesson.

My lesson.

It was that simple.

He's made the same mistakes you have.

What you told him, you told yourself.

And you learned your lesson.

So I'm moving on?

But how am I supposed to say goodbye to him now?

I'm sorry.

But you have to.

But what if he's my soulmate?

No.

He's with the living. You're not.

You have other things to see and new people to meet.

And so does he.

Hey.

I hate to tell you this now.

But I'm leaving. I'm not coming back.

I kind of figured that.

You did?

Yeah.

Because you're too real for a VR character.

And you're too good to be true.

Are you an angel?

Maybe.

And you're moving on.

Yes. It's time.

Far away?

Very far.

My usual luck.

Remember what we said.

Be strong.

Live life and good things will happen.

Open the espresso bar for yourself.

Make it your life.

Are you going now or do you have ten minutes?

Why not make it twenty?

Yeah.

Okay.

Be well.

I know you'll be fine.

Hey, cool.

Queen Myra's back.

It's nice to see you. How's Sandy?

She's good.

Thanks. How good are you?

Well, you know, I... No, I mean how good of a hacker.

Very good.

How about a favor?

Name it.

Paul, Paul, don't panic. You're only getting this phone call because your

last month's figures look excellent.

Well, that's right. We've got a great product, no doubt about that. But I want

to tell you, you and your wife on my yacht this weekend.

How do the projections look for next month?

To all who surf the net, boycott all products of Virtual Soft Enterprises.

They steal.

The magnificent Dreamworlds, written by a most gifted jammer, Maura Ferrer, was

stolen by Stephen Clark, ES Enterprises. Look for her on the waves, my brothers.

She can do wonders.

Aloha.

Mr. Clark, there is something appearing on our mainframe system-wide.

Would you step into my office, please?

Now... Hey, Steve!

Suck on this.

Steven.

Thanks for all the good times.

Goodbye.

Congratulations. You found our little loophole. I told you you couldn't affect

him directly.

But indirectly, well done.

So it's time for me to go?

Yes, it's time.