Sup.

This is a oneshot. I wrote it simply because I can. That and Siren sorta demanded I put this sucker down in words. I'll be using the following scale for time. It's not ine, borrowing it from another Reboot writer named Megan. Aside from the two changes I made. It goes as follows:

Nanosecond: one second

Microsecond: one minute

Millisecond: one hour

Second: one day (changed from cycle as originally used in other fics)

Cycle: one week (changed from week as originally used in other fics)

Minute: one month

Hour: one year

Ready? Let's do this.

*Start Prog*

No one could really explain it, so Bob did the best he could. According to him, they once again had that Random as all Dell virus Hexadecimal to thank for salvation.

Not long after Megabyte's declaration, the city went into full on panic mode. Regrouping as quickly as possible. Phong, several binomes and Welman's robotic body had been turned into drones already. Within the second, there was no doubt Enzo would be as well. Dot scrambled what was left of their defenses but there was not real back up plan. Bob, also at a loss, was about to attempt to contact the collective despite them recovering from Daemon's infection...

When young Enzo simply walked out of the Principle Office in a daze. Totally unharmed. And no memory of what happened after his infected father grabbed him. Inside the hub, they found Megabyte, poised to attack. His tentacle extended towards an unknown target, looking just as menacing as always. Rage etched on his face. Only petrified just as the Medusa Bug had done minutes ago. This time, he didn't seem able to override it. Apparently, Hex's toy had a delayed reaction mechanism of some sort.

The pair never did get along. Somehow she must have realized eventually, he'd try to get rid of her and lulled him into a false sense of security by making the initial infection a decoy. She was insane but brilliant. Even if he managed to delete her someday, he wouldn't get to gloat about it. Not for too long anyhow. What was left of him rested in a containment field under so much security in the Supercomputer you'd swear he was Daemon's second coming.

Now, time for answers. Guardian 452 aproached the elder Enzo Matrix where he sat, feet propped up on a table in a back room of the grand hall as he cleaned GUN.

"You know don't you." Matrix didn't even look up from his task. "For how long?"

"A few seconds after everything calmed down. You were avoiding everyone- they all figured you needed some time to defrag your head. Adjust to, well, normal life again. But I had a feeling something was off. Glitch confirmed it." The older sprite sighed.

"Huh, guess it's not broken anymore. So what do you plan to do about it?"

"Matrix-"

"Bob. What. Are. You. Going. To. Do?" His tone was sharp but not quite menacing. Or as menacing as Bob knew it could have been. To the Guardian's relief, GUN returned to his side instead of pointing at him. By all rights, if his theory pinged out, it should have deleted him instead. All this gave him was false hope and he knew it.

"I really have no idea. On one hand. it's like all my theories have been validated. But I can't shake the feeling this could be very bad. I have so many questions."

"They won't get answered unless you ask."

"Alright, how long have you been...?"

"Hard to say for sure with the passage of time being so varied. For us, it's been 8 hours. In Mainframe time, I'd say around 8 minutes give or take."

"And Enzo, your little brother?"

"Is like me. Or will be once he compiles a little more. Hex tried to make sure he wasn't but well she didn't have time to double check her work before she lept through the gate to save her favorite Guardian." He smirked. "Not that I couldn't undo it anyway."

Dred welled up in him. Being forced to lose one's innocence so fast had to leave some kind of scarring. It changed a sprite obviously, but this? It sent the Guardian's processor whirling. Something so beyond anything ever dreamt up in his cadet days. Part of him should feel vindicated. Still...even with proof right in front of him he felt it a hollow victory. Especially the nature of said proof.

""Daemon never stood a chance did she?"

"No." Came the flat reply.

"If that's true, why did you cut it so close? Why let her do all she did, have us panic for nothing?!" Something inside Bob broke. This wasn't happening. "The known net almost deleted itself!"

"Key word is almost. You gotta understand something. Chrons...they can't be stopped until their time runs out and the actvate. Deleting her would be simple but all that would do is let her infection persist in a dormant state until the next User uploaded a back up or worse a newer version. The Academy should really be teaching that." Matrix poured himself an I/O shot from the bar. "Getting back to Mainframe has always been a goal but now more was riding on it. I had the cure but not a fast enough way of spreading it. That's where Hex's FAQing random self came in."

"There you are lover. The party's about to start and you two are getting glitched early?" AndrAIa came waking up to the pair. She smiled then looked between them, taking in the mood. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Not really. You were saying Bob?"

"Do you really want to keep discussing this now?" He nodded to the new arrival.

"We don't keep secrets from each other."

Bob took a nano to process that. It made sense of course. It was the game sprite who let everyone know he needed some space. That Matix had his own way of adapting to things. It was either leave him alone for a few seconds or watch him beat the dell outta something. Or someone. Now he had more questions.

Best to just rip off the bandaid, only way to be sure. He drew a few breaths to steel himself. Leveling his one time pupil with an almost unwavering gaze, Bob spoke with his most authoritative voice.

"State your format and function."

"Heh, you really want me to say it?" Matrix raked a hand through his hair. "Even though you know."

"State your format and function."

"My format: Virus, Renegade class. My function: Eliminate any viral threat to my domain and incorporate useful parts of their code into my own in order to evolve." He actually looked ashamed as he pulled AndrAIa close, her expression imploring Bob to understand.

"You too?"

"Trojan is my format. My function is to go where Matrix can't and grant him access." She refused to meet his eyes.

And there it was. The little sprite he'd watch grow up with a deep hatred for viruses and all they stood for had become one himself. Somehow. One more powerful than an entity capable of infecting the whole collective. All he'd heard, studied, experienced for User's sake told him to sound the alarm to neutralize this new threat. Yet he couldn't.

"How could this happen?" The purple sprite happened to be microseconds from a full on crash. Did the games do this?!

"Bob, I'm still me."

"Like dell you are!" The outburst startled even himself. Trying to get it together he pressed on. "You manipulated all of us into luring Daemon here. Tricked Hexadecimal into deleting herself to stop her. Let Megabyte have a taste of victory before you pulled the grid out from under him and left everyone in the dark as to what happened. What's your plan now? Infect us all and take over the city? What are you waiting for?"

"Don't be basic." He chuffed, obviously hurt by the insinuation. "Nothing would ever make me let Megabreath off the hook for all the glitching stunts he pulled. As for Hex, Viruses don't trust each other on principle and she was unpredictable to the max. Add my function to that and she had to go to. At least this way she died a hero."

"Didn't hear you denying that last part." Bob's tone became frigid.

"I already have. Don't worry though. Dot can have the headache."

"What?!"

"Bob, calm down." AndriAIa sighed. "Was it really necessary to download it so harshly?"

"You know me. I don't 8 bit down anything."

"I swear. Bob, we're not like that. Matrix just wanted to come home and my place is with him, now more than ever. But we don't have megalomania or ill intent. The infection isn't something bad. It doesn't do anything but attack other infections that try to take hold."

"It's something introduced to an entire populace without their knowledge or consent. This is wrong and you know it. And as much as I'd like to believe that I know infection allow the infecting virus to control the subject at will."

"A secondary infection we haven't deployed could do that. Having the ability doesn't mean we'll do it. Weren't you the one who always said viruses had the potential to be reformed into something good? Well congrats, you're right. Just not the way you though." Matrix downed the I/O shot in one swig. "Come on, let's get this shindig started."

The pair walked off like the whole dialogue hadn't occured. Into the main hall filled with all their friends and family. The better part of a grateful city that didn't know the half of it there too, ready to toast to their whole group.

Leaving poor Bob to wrestle with the new input.

*End prog*

This is in the Plot Bunnie folder. The same one my most popular fics started out in. I will probably add more to it as time goes on but not regularly.

Let me know whatcha think. Reviews are like hugs. Siren soundwave out.