The last thing Leo remembered was the blinding glare of the pickup truck's headlights. He was crossing the street while mentally rewriting the Modern Family fanfic he'd been planning for months, calculating exactly which episode he would insert his original character into. The irony wasn't lost on him as he died: he was going to die thinking about a TV family he'd never met.
But instead of eternal darkness, Leo found himself floating in an infinite white space, facing an entity that seemed like a mix between a hologram and a bored god.
«Leo Martínez, 17 years old, cause of death: narrative distraction,» the entity read from an ethereal tablet. «You have accumulated points for being an obsessive-compulsive fanatic of the series Modern Family.»
"Points?" Leo managed to articulate, though he wasn't sure he had a mouth.
985,743 points, to be exact. You have watched each episode 47 times, memorized dialogues, analyzed family dynamics, and written 234 unpublished fanfics.
Leo felt something akin to pride. "Does that count for anything?"
"You have a choice," the entity continued, ignoring the question. "Go to the afterlife... or reincarnate into the Modern Family universe with a points system."
Leo's heart (or whatever was beating in that space) accelerated. "Like in those Chinese novels I read?"
Exactly. Your obsession will become your currency. The system will allow you to earn points by integrating into the plot in ways that increase entertainment value: comedy, drama, memorable moments. With these points, you can acquire knowledge and skills.
"Skills? Like what?"
From 'Ability to understand Phil's jokes' to 'Immunity to Claire's stares' or even 'Ability to dance like Cameron.' Basic, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Leo didn't think twice. "I choose to reincarnate! But... can I choose when and where?"
The entity smiled (or something like it). "Your points allow for customization. 500,000 points: you reincarnate as a student the same age as Haley Dunphy, in her same grade. 300,000 more: you retain your memories and knowledge of the series. 100,000: you organically integrate into the plot during the pilot."
"Do it!" Leo shouted, watching as his points dropped to 85,743.
You'll have 85,743 points left for your first purchase after reincarnation. Good luck, Leo, or rather, Liam!
"Liam?"
But he was already falling, spinning through a tunnel of light that strangely smelled like the cookies Claire always burned.
New Life – 1 Year Before the Pilot
Liam Parker opened his eyes in the body of a fifteen-year-old, in a room he didn't recognize, but which his new memories indicated was his. The first months were a bewildering dance between his memories as Leo (37 years old, web designer, obsessive fan) and those of Liam (teenager, normal only child living with his mother in Los Angeles).
The strangest thing was the system. Floating at the edge of his vision, a discreet menu showed:
Plot Points: 85,743
Available Missions: 0
Next Plot Event: 724 days
He spent the first year learning to live as Liam. His mother, Susan, was a real estate agent who worked too much, compensating with gifts. Liam/Leo found a strange balance: an adult's wisdom in a teenager's body, but with all the hormones and drama included.
At school, he saw Haley Dunphy from a distance. The real Haley, not the actress, and it was strange to see a TV character as a real person. He noted that the casting had been incredibly accurate: Sarah Hyland and this Haley shared the same energy, the same way of laughing, the same gestures.
Liam purposely stayed in the shadows. He didn't want to interfere too soon. The system would only activate during plot events, and until then, he was just another student.
But the universe (or the writers) had other plans.