The room was dark, and nothing but the sound of running fans could be heard. There was a click, and suddenly a bright rectangle of bluish light revealed a small childlike figure in a chair facing a computer monitor. The monitor silhouetted another individual, as difficult to see as the operator of the machine. However, a pair of red eyes glared back through the glass at the person sitting before it.

"What do you want at this hour, kid?" He growled.

A young voice replied quietly.

"Shh, I just want to talk for a bit, and keep it down. Mom would be angry if she found out that you were my NetNavi now."

The shadow crossed its arms and looked aside. "Hmph, big deal. I don't care if I get taken away. You're not good enough to be my NetOp, so there's no real loss there. What's the worst they could do that they haven't done already? Except delete me, of course."

"Well whether I'm good enough for you or not was settled when uncle gave you to me as my present a week ago. And yes, they probably would delete you no questions asked. Be glad that you were handed over to me in the first place, because it's obvious no one else with any sense would take a violent and arrogant jerk like you."

"Look who's talking, and don't you ever speak to me about that traitor who gave me up."

The child in the chair wheeled closer and jabbed a finger at the monitor. "Oh, and what are you gonna do about it?"

"I'll fry your computer and every bit of data on the hard-drive. And for kicks I would delete all your accounts on every site you ever signed up for. How's that?"

"Don't you even think about- Wait a second" The kid paused and grinned. "You wouldn't dare do that since I have you restrained to either the computer or the PET unless I decide otherwise. And I know how you hate being confined to the PET."

"Urk! W-why you little..." the Navi hissed.

The person in the chair spun around and laughed. "Ha ha! You can't do anything~! Ha ha ha!"

A rapid tramping noise was heard outside, and the PC user froze. A soprano voice from outside called through the door.

"Emery! What are you doing still up? You aren't messing with your computer still are you?"

The child rapidly began clicking through menus on screen in haste, trying desperately to cover up what she had been doing. Locks of fair hair occasionally fell in front of dark, frightened eyes. "Shoot! That's mom! I told you to be quiet or else we'd get caught!"

"We?" The Navi sneered, "You're the one who decided to open your big mouth and start laughing like a hyena."

Emery pouted. "Just shut up and get in the PET before she comes in! I'm shutting the computer down."

The Navi bowed in mock obedience.

"As you wish, young master." The shadow disappeared just before the screen shut off and the door opened on the opposite side of the room, spilling a column of yellow light across the floor and wall.

"Emery, it's eleven o' clock at night. Tomorrow is the day you transfer to that new public school, so I don't want to hear you whining about getting up early."

"Yes, mom..."

A girl with blonde hair covered by a beanie glanced sideways at her mother, who was standing in the doorway. Back lit by the chandelier light in the hallway, her slim and curvaceous silhouette made Emery cringe. When her mother had to personally come up the stairs to check on her, Emery knew she would be in deep trouble, if she couldn't make a decent excuse any way.

"I could have sworn I heard you talking to someone in here, and I know it wasn't your Navi, so don't try to lie to me. You were on a chat page again, weren't you?"

Emery looked down at the floor with her dark blue eyes, trying to hide a sigh of relief. "Yeah, I was. I'm sorry, I know it's dangerous talking with strangers but.. It's just so fun sometimes.."

Her mother shook her head. "Don't let it happen again, or I'm locking your computer, do you understand? And I hope you're not planning to go to sleep in those clothes."

Emery nodded. "No mom, I'll go change. And you won't have to lock my computer, because I won't go on a chat site again. I promise."

"Good, then get to sleep, tomorrow is a very important day."

She closed the door, and Emery slumped.

"Whew, that was close."

Emery groped through the dark until she felt the touch of soft, fleecy fabric. She reached for the hanger and pulled her pajamas out of the closet. In a moment she was already changed and covering herself under the thick warm blankets of her king-sized bed. With a murmur of satisfaction, she rolled over to the nearby nightstand and opened a drawer in the side. She took out a PET, and when the screen flickered on, the dark outline of the red-eyed Navi appeared once more.

"Well, well, so you actually listened. Maybe that restraint code works after all, since you don't really have another choice. "

"Don't mock me, you little brat. Just because you're related to my former NetOp doesn't mean I won't hesitate to give you more trouble than you can ask for."

Emery sighed. "You're so grouchy all the time, jeez. I get up in the middle of the night to talk to you, and all you can do us snap at me. Don't you get it! I'm your owner, now. All I want is to get you to at least respect me and be a little grateful for once."

"If you really want me to be grateful, then take this code away, and I'll be more than grateful as soon as I'm far away from this prison you call home... Hey! What do you think you're doing! Don't turn off the-"

The screen went off, and Emery opened the drawer to drop the PET back in it's familiar place. She rolled over, facing away from the night stand and hugged her over-stuffed pillow. "I don't think he'll ever get over being my NetNavi at this rate... Maybe I should let him go..."

She buried her face into the pillow. "Mmmm...Maybe after tomorrow, I'll think about it..."

She yawned, and finally went to sleep, while her Navi raged silently within the confines of his PET.