The Diaries of Hopper

8. Over and over

Franz Hopper's hurried footsteps echoed through the yellow bridge as he made his way to the hidden entrance of the factory. He could feel a sense of urgency driving him forward, and his lab coat fluttered behind him. The once-familiar journey to the factory had taken on a new significance, and he was almost out of breath by the time he reached the elevator.

Everything changed since yesterday, or today. Hopper couldn't believe that X.A.N.A. was capable of doing such a major upgrade to the supercomputer, making it able to reset their entire reality!

With a quick input of the access code in the elevator, which he'd change from time to time and only leave a few hints, the concealed door of the elevator slid open with a hiss. His footsteps reverberating in the cold, metallic floor. His heart raced as he reached the interface, and his trembling fingers quickly worked on the keyboard.

The monitor sprung to life, displaying lines of intricate code and schematics. Franz's eyes scanned the screens, his fingers deftly navigating the keys as he initiated the return to the past program's informations. 

Apparently, the program has been gathering information since Hopper created it years ago, more or less prior to him meeting Suzanne. And while it clearly shows it's impossible to return this much in time, it seems we can go to a maximum of 72 hours, thanks to an update that X.A.N.A. did. Hopper's last order was for it to fix any broken code, and it seems this program suffered the most in a positive way.

Franz's eyes narrowed as he analyzed the code. It was a complex tapestry of alterations, showcasing X.A.N.A.'s ability to quickly fix any potential mistake he made. AI truly is marvelous. Yet, as soon as he opened X.A.N.A.'s program, there was something else that caught his attention. New lines of code had been introduced, unfamiliar and intriguing. They hinted at a shift in X.A.N.A.'s behavior.

Ever since it was created, X.A.N.A. had been nothing but a non-evolutionary behavioral program despite his attempts at making him make his own decisions and choices, but now, Franz couldn't shake the feeling that this could eventually create a change.

The thought of protecting Aelita while still working on the supercomputer emerged back and flooded his brain like his conflicting thoughts never even exist. Franz was filled with a sense of relief now. He had sacrificed so much in the name of his research and the fight against Project Carthage and was about to destroy it to keep Aelita safe. But now? Now, he had the ultimate weapon to ensure her safety.

With a determined resolve, Franz Hopper made his choice. He would work on this project and use this program to rewrite time and reset the day over and over again. He could finally be safe. The Men in Black would never find them because this day would just reset over and over again until he can finally send X.A.N.A. to destroy Exploratorio.

He could shield Aelita from harm, and together, they could live a life free from fear and uncertainty.

As he continued to study X.A.N.A.'s code, Franz couldn't help but wonder about the possibilities and challenges that lay ahead. Its new lines of code opened up new avenues of exploration. Maybe he could keep returning back in time a few more times and see what happens. If X.A.N.A. does evolve, even if slightly, then it's worth it to lose a few days, right? 

X.A.N.A.'s recent alteration and the creation of the return to the past program had left him with a lingering sense of unease. His creation was, at last, shifting, evolving, and Franz realized that he needed a way to keep track of every change, every step he had taken so far. A thought began to crystallize in his mind, like a beacon of clarity in the midst of chaos. He needed a record, a testament to his journey through the labyrinthine world of Lyoko and the creation of X.A.N.A. He needed a sort of diary.