Story 5
"Omega ReBorn"
It was a new second. Jo Ann and Monitor were about to leave for System Omega. The Mainframers had come to wish them good luck, a safe journey, and a safe return for Jo Ann. Matrix, AndrAIa, little Enzo, Andri, Mouse, and Ray stood near the User Guardian and the healer.
Monitor smiled, but kept looking for someone. She had to say goodbye to him before -- there he was!!
"Turbo!" she called out.
"Howdy, Miss Montitor!" Turbo grinned as he came up to the others.
"I am pleased you came," she smiled.
"Ah wouldn't have left without sayin' 'good-bye'." He held a sea-green hand out to her.
Monitor clasped his greenish hand in her amber one.
"Should we ask her?" Mouse whispered to Ray.
Ray glanced at Mouse, "Do whatcha thikn best, luv..."
"Uh...Miss Monitor...?" Mouse spoke hesitantly.
"Just Monitor," she smiled. "Yes, Mouse isn't it?"
"Ray an' Ah were just wonderin'...you mentioned a 'Status' last night...we were wonderin'...who is he? If it's alright ta ask, that is..."
"It's alright...Status was...is my big brother; he and I were very close..." Monitor told her, still holding onto Turbo's hand.
"Oh...we thought that..." Mouse looked to Ray and blushed.
Ray smiled at her, nodding slightly to draw her attention to the fact that neither Turbo nor Monitor seemed interested in letting each other's hand go.
"Monitor; Turbo," Jo Ann smiled. "I hate to break this up, but the sooner we get to Omega, the sooner I can restore the system." In truth, Jo Ann did hate to break the two up. But her Guardian protocals had a job presented to them, and they would not stop nagging her until the job was done.
Monitor blushed slightly. "I am coming, Jo Ann...Thank-you Turbo... I hope we meet again..."
Jo Ann smiled as she said her good-byes to Matrix and the others.
Monitor briefly hugged the Mainframers who were there, and then shyly kissed Turbo's cheek.
"I hope I wil see you again..." she told him.
"Ah'm sure you will," Turbo smiled. Jo Ann gave little Enzo and Andri each a hug bye.
"Don't worry; I'll be back as soon as I fix Omega," she told the two children.
Monitor squared her shoulders; "I guess its time we left..."
"Yes, I..." Jo Ann began.
"Wait! Don't leave yet!" It was Wild Card.
"What is it, love?" Jo Ann asked.
"You forgot to say good-bye to me..."
"Oh, darling!" Jo Ann hugged her husband to her. "I'm sorry. You were asleep, and I didn't want to wake you."
"Just come back safely."
"I will." She kissed his lips. When they parted, Turbo held out a data crystal to Jo Ann.
Monitor watched wistfully as Jo Ann said goodbye to her husband. It would be nice to be loved that much.
"This crystal has all tha data ya need ta initiate the restart," Turbo said.
"Thanks...would it be, 'Uncle Turbo', now that Dot has married Bob?" Jo Ann smiled.
Turbo smiled warmly, "If ya want...Ah'd be honored..."
"Okay. Thanks, 'Uncle Turbo'," Jo Ann smiled and kissed his cheek.
Turbo hugged both women, "Good luck..."
Before she left, Jo Ann uploaded the data into Pixal, using the new skill Bob had taught her when Megabyte returned.
"Pixal --disc drive upload data." she said, holding the crystal over Pixal's screen.
"Goodbye Mainframe...goodbye Turbo..." Monitor whispered as Jo Ann formed the portal.
The two women stepped from bright and beautiful Mainframe to dank and sorrowfull Omega.
"Where's the PO?" Jo Ann asked.
Monitor frowned slightly. "It was more or less destroyed..."
"Well...where is what's left of it?"
"I wil take you there...but first come with me...we need to get capes; the web-creatures can only see colors; if you wear black capes they have problems seeing you.."
"Not necessary," Jo Ann smiled. "REBOOT!" Jo Ann tapped her icon. Her uniform changed from red and gold to black and silver. "This was the uniform I wore when I traveled at night while in the Tandium Desert, since black and other very dark colors absorb heat. Oddly, it is cold at night in a desert."
"You need to hide your face and hands too.." Monitor told her, putting her own cape on.
"Okay." Jo Ann tapped the icon again, adding black gauntets to her hands and a black-henna mask to her face.
"It is horrible; I know...but the web-creatures are vicious..."
"Some aren't. Remind me to tell you about how I met the Webriders, sometime."
"The Web-creatures took my eye...and almost my leg." Monitor told Jo Ann.
"I only said that 'some' aren't. I didn't say that 'all' weren't viciuous. As I said, it's in the story of how I met the Webriders. But I would have to explain about my totems, first. Now, let's get to the PO. My protocals are nagging me to get the restart over and done with. I can't go against my programing," Jo Ann smiled.
Monitor led Jo Ann to the center of the system and to a mostly-destroyed building.
"There it is..." she said sadly.
"Okay," Jo Ann said simply. Calling up the power of flight, borrowed from the spirit of dead Amazon, Jo Ann flew to the top of what was left of the Principle Office. She had to borrow the power to keep from using up her own energy supply. She would need all she could save for the restart. Jo Ann sat cross-legged on the debris.
Monitor called up "Do you need me to do anything?!"
"Just stay there. If you have any energy you can spare, please have it handy. I may need to recharge every now and then. Restoring an entire system will probibly take almost --if not all-- my energy. I'll stop if I feel that I'm too low, just long enough to recharge."
"Okay...I wil be here, Jo Ann..." Monitor called.
Closing her eyes, Jo Ann begain channeling her powers, tapping the core of the system. Carefully, the User Guardian repaired the damaged core. She began to glow with golden energy. The glow flowed downward, slowly recontructing the destroyed Principle Office. Monitor watched as the building took shape.
Tears of joy and awe rolled down Monitor's face.
The PO reformed; unlike the round PO in Mainframe, Omega's PO was more like a fortress; a place of safety from the ravages of the Web. It was like an ancient castle from Jo Ann's world; yet it was more enclosed; and heavily armed.
The castle reformed within the golden light. But something very strange happened. The castle that formed was less a fortress than a beautiful, fairy-tale castle. Jo Ann might have recognized it as being simular to Cinderella's Castle in Walt Disney World theame park, had she had her eyes open.
Monitor gasped softly. She had never seen anything so beautiful.
The golden wash continued, flowing over Monitor and eveyone and everything in the system.
Monitor felt herself getting dizzy and she blacked out.
The energy drain was beginng to show itself on Jo Ann now. She began to weaken.
"Monitor! I need some energy --fast!" Jo Ann called.
Dimly Monitor heard her and struggled to her feet. "I am -- here... Jo Ann..."
"Please, hurry and get me some energy. I am growing weaker."
"I will...be there..." she called and struggled to the top of the PO; "absorb some of my energy..."
"Okay...but just a little..." Jo Ann touched Monitor's hand, only absorbing the minimum amount of energy she could take from another without draining them to much. The light of the restoration continued to engulf Omega.
Monitor smiled; and then she brought her hand up to her face. The scars!! They were gone! She had two eyes!
Soon, the restoration was complete. But Jo Ann had not only restored Omega, she had upgraded it! Everything was bigger and more beautiful then ever before. And more colorful. Best of all, though, was a bigger and better defence against the Web!
"Monitor!" came a shout. A look of utter joy crossed Monitor's face.
"STATUS!!!!!" She yelled.
Wearily, Jo Ann flew down to the ground. As she touched the soil of the restored Omega, Jo Ann felt the borrowed power leave her. Tired out by the restart, Jo Ann fell to the ground, unconious.
Monitor caught the tired User Guardian; saving her from banging her head. She kept yelling out her brother's name until he found her.
Jo Ann tried to keep awake. "Did it work?" she asked.
"Yes," tears fell from both of Monitor's eyes, "it did..."
"Good. I'm going to take a little nap, now, and regain my energy..." Jo Ann closed her eyes and went to sleep.
Monitor gently placed her friend on the ground and sood up to hug her brother.
Jo Ann quietly continued to rest on the ground, dreaming of Mainframe, her husband, and her friends.
Monitor buried her head in her brother's chest; "I missed you so much!!"
Jo Ann continued to rest, exhausted from her efforts.
Monitor enjoyed the reunion with all her friends. Then she turned to Jo Ann. Using her powers as a healer, she replenished Jo Ann's energy and strength.
Jo Ann sat up and gazed at the newly restored system.
"So this is system Omega!" she grinned.
"Welcome..."
"Thank you. Is this what it looked like before? I had a fleeting image of a fortress, but it looks more like something out of a fairy-tale." She indicated the Principle Office atop which she had set mere microseconds before.
"No. It's so much more beautiful..."
Jo Ann smiled. "I must have upgraded it, then."
"This is better than I ever dreamed!"
"Wait 'til Turbo sees this! He won't know what to think!" Jo Ann grinned.
"Turbo..." a warm smile crossed Monitor's face. "When is he coming?!"
"Probibly as soon as I get back and tell him that System Omega has been restored and updated," Jo Ann smiled.
"Oh..." Monitor breathed. Status looked curios as to who this "Turbo" was.
"Prime Guardian and COMMAND.COM of the Super Computer," Jo Ann explained.
"Oh." Status had that same bitter look that Monitor had had at the mention of Guardians.
"It was his idea to use me to force an internal restart."
"Turbo is a good man, brother..." Monitor smiled.
"Very good," Jo Ann smiled. Uncle Turbo she thought to herself.
Status looked a little uncomfortable, but took his sister's word for it
"As soon as I regain enough strength, I'll return to Mainframe and report to Turbo. He'll probibly want to come as soon as possible."
"It will be good to see him again..."
"I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again, too. And to see that Omega is back online, better then ever."
Monitor hugged Jo Ann in thanks.
"I'm glad I could help. And if you ever need a User Guardian, call. I'll be here," Jo Ann said. Then, she created a portal back to Mainframe and stepped through.
"Wait!!" Monitor called, "let me come with you!"
"What?!?" Jo Ann cried, stepping back through. She looked at Monitor questioningly.
"Let me come!" Monitor called.
"If you'd like to, of course. But why?"
"I want to see Mainframe again..." she explained, kissed her brother and follwed.
"Alright." Jo Ann led Monitor back to Mainframe. Wild Card and the Mainframers were there to welcome Jo Ann back. They were surprised to see Monitor return as well.
Monitor smiled warmly and proudly showed off her lack of scars and two eyes.
"Then it worked?" Wild Card asked, looking to his bride with love and pride in his eyes.
"Jo Ann was amazing!" the healer explained.
"Not only did I repair the system, I upgraded it!" Jo Ann smiled.
Monitor saw Turbo approaching and ran to hug him.
Jo Ann smiled, watching the two from Wild Card's arms.
"Is that you, Monitor?" Turbo smiled.
"Who else?" she hugged him.
Turning to Wild Card, Jo Ann threw her arms around his neck, and, holding him to her, gave him a long and passionate kiss.
"I missed you too, love," Wild Card told her.
"Nuzzle me?" she asked. Wild Card laughed and nuzzled her neck, causing his stubble beard to tickle her. Jo Ann giggled at the touch. She had missed him so much, even though she was only gone for a few microseconds.
AndrAIa and Matrix arrived.
"Hi, guys!" Jo Ann greeted.
"You're back already!! Wow that was fast!" Matrix commented.
"Very!" Jo Ann laughed. She hugged both Matrix and AndrAIa to her.
"Hey, guys!" Monitor called.
"M...m...monitor?" AndrAIa gasped when she saw the healer.
"Yes, its me!" She smiled happily at the game-sprite.
"Then...it...worked?" Matrix asked.
Monitor pushed the hair out of her face to reveal her healty face and two sparkling eyes.
"Better then planned, Matrix," Jo Ann smiled. "I actually upgraded the system!"
"She was wonderful!" Monitor told them.
Jo Ann blushed, hiding her face in Wild Card's chest.
Monitor laughed softly.
"Wait until Bob and Dot find out about the upgrade," Wild Card smiled. "They'll be so amazed...and proud!"
"And so they should be!!"
"Let's go to the diner and access some energy," Jo Ann sugessted. "I could use some. I've never upgraded a system before!"
Monitor smiled and placed a hand on Jo Ann's shoulder, passing more of her helaing energy on.
Jo Ann smiled her thanks. She also wanted to get a drink at Dot's Diner because she hadn't been there for a very long time. She had been at Al's, planning Bob and Dot's engagement and wedding.
Monitor smiled at Turbo, "Can we talk?"
"Shore," Turbo smiled.
"Alone..." she clarified.
"Of course. While Dot is away, we can go ta tha PO. She won't mind," he smiled.
"I'll catch up with you guys later!" Monitor called after the group.
"Okay!" Jo Ann called back. She joined her friends at Dot's.
Monitor followed Turbo to the PO.
"What is it that I can do for ya, Monitor?' Turbo asked when they were alone.
"I wanted to ask about..." she let out a breath she was unaware she was holding, "About the possiblitiy of becoming a Guardian?"
"A Guardian?" Turbo was taken aback by the request.
"I want to protect my home as best I can..." she told him.
"Don't see why ya can't," Turbo smiled. "When do ya want ta start?"
"As soon as possible..."
"Do ya need ta get yer life in Omega in order? That would be advisable, since ya'll be away for several hours."
"My life in Omega ended a long time ago. but you're right -- I have some things to get in order..." she seemed to have something else on her mind.
"What is it? Ya seem ta need ta tell me somethin' else," Turbo said.
"Turbo...are you..." she took a deep breath, "are you seeing someone?"
"No, as a matter o' fact. Why?"
"Why do you think?" she looked up at him.
Turbo smiled. Was Monitor saything that she...liked...him?
Monitor looked down, shyly. "Well...take a rough guess..."
"Ah have felt an attaction ta ya, as well, Monitor," Turbo smiled warmly at her.
"You have?" suddenly she felt hopeful.
"Yeah, Ah have." Turbo seemed to want to kiss her, but was too much of a gentleman to make the first move.
Monitor looked up at him, "Promise you won't think I'm not a lady if I kiss you?" she asked.
"Ah promice," he grinned.
Monitor lifted her lips to his and tenatatively brushed his lips with her own.
Turbo carefully put his arms around her and held her gently to him.
Monitor deepened the kiss, feeling his arms encircle her.
Turbo was both strong and gentle. Monitor saw what others could see in him. One nano, he was a strong, powerful leader, the Prime Guardian. The next nano, Turbo was a kind, gentle man, as friendly a sprite as you could ever meet.
Monitor needed to feel safe, and in his arms, she did.
After a while, their lips parted. Turbo looked into her eyes.
Monitor smiled, gently carressing his face.
He pulled her close, resting her head on his broad shoulders.
Letting out a happy sigh, Monitor let her tension ebb away.
Turbo caressed her hair, holding her to him.
Please don't let this moment end... Monitor thought.
Turbo brushed a kiss on the top of her head.
Monitor sighed gently and held him close.
"We'll have ta go ta tha diner, soon. Them kids are probibly wonderin' where we are," he chuckled.
"I guess..." she sighed.
"Come," he said, leading her toward the door. "Let's go an' see it they're behavin' themselves."
Monitor took his hand and followed him out.
Back at Dot's Diner, Jo Ann and the others were discussing the restoration of System Omega.
Cecil had made the expected comment about them finally returning to the diner. "What ever 'appened to customer loyalty?"
"Should we tell him?" Jo Ann asked Matrix.
"Why not?" Matrix shrugged.
"Well, Cecil," Jo Ann smiled. "We were meeting at Al's because we were planning on how to get Bob and Dot together...as husband and wife!"
Cecil snorted, "Where is the madamoiselle, anyway?" he asked.
"She is with Bob in the Super Computer...on their Honeymoon!" Matrix grinned.
"Very amusing. Seriously?"
"It's the truth, Cecil!" AndrAIa smiled. "Bob and Dot are married, and, at the nano, in the Super Computer on their Honeymoon!"
"She was meant to come and do the accounts today!" Cecil didn't seem as pleased as everyone else.
"Well, the accounts are going to have to wait until they come back," Jo Ann smiled.
Monitor and Turbo came in at that moment.
"Hi, guys!" Jo Ann called. She waved to them as they entered.
The couple smiled and waved back.
"Hey, Jo Ann!" Turbo called.
"What's the good word!" Matrix called.
"Good word on what, Matrix?" Monitor echoed.
"I dunno. It was somethin' I heard in a movie once," the renagade answered.
"Okay!" Turbo pulled over two loose chairs, one for Monitor, one for himself.
"Anythin' excitin' happen 'tween ya two, sugah?" Mouse asked.
Monitor and Turbo exchanged a glance.
"I am going to become a Guardian, " Monitor told them.
Jo Ann grinned and mimiced clapping her hands. Her hands came together, but there was no sound.
"What, Jo Ann?" asked Monitor, curious.
"I was clapping; I just wasn't making the noise. Clapping your hands tends to make them sting after a while."
Monitor grinned, "Okay..."
Jo Ann looked at Turbo and Monitor. She suspected that their was more to the good news then just Monitor becoming a Guardian.
Monitor noticed her scrutiny. "Anything on your mind, Jo?"
"No, just...thinking..." Jo Ann smiled.
"Okay..." Monitor shifted her chair a little closer to Turbo.
"Well," Mouse grinned. "Ray an' Ah have some wonderful news ta tell ya'll, ourselves."
"Oh?" Turbo smiled.
Mouse showed them the ring.
AndrAIa practically squealed, "Oh, congratulations!!"
"Thank ya," Mouse grinned.
"'Course, we're gonna wait until Bob an' Dot get back," Ray added. "We wouldn't want them to miss the wedding."
"Dot would kill you if you two got hitched while she wasn't here," Matrix grinned.
"Probibly," Mouse smiled.
"And she'd be right!" AndrAIa smiled.
Three couples down, two to go, Jo Ann thought. Or is it FOUR down and ONE to go? Turbo and Monitor seem closer to each other then before. And I don't mean the fact that they are sitting so close together, either!
Under the table, Monitor let her foot gently brush against Turbo's leg. She was aware of Jo Ann watching them, so kept a cryptic smile on her face.
Jo Ann wondered about that smile on Monitor's face. Just what had gone on in the Principle Office?
Turbo looked momentarily surprised, then realised it was Monitor's foot caressing his leg. And he started to respond in kind.
Jo Ann got up to streach her legs a bit.
Neither Monitor nor Turbo realised that, from her new vantage point, Jo Ann could see their little game of footsie.
Jo Ann was somewhat shocked at what she was seeing, but managed to keep her face from showing it. So THATS what's going on! she thought.
Monitor took a sip of her drink and let her eyes briefly make contact with Turbo's, teasingly but sweetly.
"JOOANNNN!!!" came a familuar voice from outside the diner.
"Incoming!" Matrix warned. In nanos, little Enzo was inside the diner, tackling Jo Ann.
"YOURBACK!WHENDOYOUTHINKBOBANDDOTWILLCOMEHOME?WHENWILLAGAMECUBEDROP?WILLYOUTAKEMEJETBALLING?ORCIRCUITRACING?"
"Enzo." Jo Ann said when she could get in a word, "Are you tackling me because Bob isn't here for you to tackle?" Her voice sounded annoyed, but her eyes sparkled and she smiled.
Monitor laughed at Enzo, "you should be called [little whirlwind]!" she said in Webrider, her native language.
"Huh?" little Enzo asked, puzzled.
"It means 'little whirlwind' in Webrider, Enzo," Jo Ann translated. "The Net Natives call him 'Fast Talk'. My cousin wanted to call him 'Pocahantas', because of it's meaning, but, even though the meaning fits him, the name doesn't."
Monitor smiled, "It suits you..."
"Except that 'Pocahantas', which means. 'little mischief', is a girl's name!" Jo Ann laughed. "I could never give a boy a girl's name!"
"True...and Andri is too sweet for it..." Monitor agreed, still stroking Turbo's leg with her foot.
Andri grinned at Monitor. The compliment pleased her.
Monitor smiled back at the little game-sprite.
Matrix, meanwhile, plucked little Enzo from on top of Jo Ann.
Little Enzo noticed what was going on under the table between Monitor and Turbo.
"What are you guys doing?" he asked.
"What are they doing, Enzo?' Andri asked.
"They're kind of rubbing each others legs, Andri," Enzo told them. Monitor blushed deeply.
"ENZO!" AndrAIa admonished the little sprite.
"What?" he asked in all innocense.
"That was impolite," Matrix added. He smiled to himself, though. If Bob and Dot had done the leg thing when he was a kid, and he noticed it, he would have asked the very same question.
"Why?" Enzo decided to persue the matter.
Neither AndrAIa, nor Matrix could supply the answer. Instead, the game sprite just said, "Because it is!"
Enzo frowned and decided to bug Turbo and Monitor.
"Why were you two doing that?"
Now it was their turn to be nonplussed. They did not know how to answer him, either.
"Ya got a good eye, thar, Enzo," Turbo finally said. "Ya'll make a top-notch Guardian some second. But a good Guardian knows when ta ask questions an' when not ta ask 'em. This is one o' tha times when not ta ask questions. Do ya understand?"
Monitor swallowed the urge to laugh aloud.
"I... guess so," Enzo told Turbo.
"Ah hope ya understood that, too, Monitor," Turbo looked back at the healer. "Seein' that yer gonna become a Guardian an' all."
"Definatly, Turbo," Monitor smiled, laughter in her eyes.
"ALPHANUMERIC!YOU'REGOINGTOBEAGUARDIAN?!?" little Enzo cried.
Monitor nodded and smiled, "Yes I am [little whirlwind].
"ALPHANUMIC!WHENCANIBECOMEAGUARDIAN,TURBO?"
"When yer older, Enzo..."
"When? How old do I have to be?"
"Enzo!" AndrAIa said in her "Dot" tone.
"What?"
"Don't pester Turbo!"
Jo Ann giggled. Little Enzo was just being your typical ten-year old little boy.
Matrix decided to tease Turbo and Monitor now, "So...the only thing that happened at the PO was you giving Monitor permission to become a Guardian, Turbo?"
"Yeah," Turbo looked at Matrix. The green warrior --the orginal Enzo Matrix-- seemed to be hinting at something.
"What else could have happened?" Monitor asked in her "innocent" tone.
"Oh, nothing, I guess." Matrix smiled. "You just seemed to be gone a long time, that's all."
"Ummm...we had a long discussion; Turbo wanted to make sure I was making the right choice..." Monitor told him
"Ahhh..." Matrix grinned. He did not seem fooled a bit by their evasion. He and AndrAIa had been together too long not to know when a man and a woman were in love.
"What do you mean by that?" Monitor had a bit of a verbal challenge in her voice.
"By what?" Matrix asked innocently.
"By that cute little 'Ahhh...'?"
"Did I do that?"
Turbo nodded, "Ya did.."
"Oh...I guess I did..." AndrAIa could not help but giggle. The sight of Matrix acting "innocent little boy" was too funny --and cute! She could almost see the little golden halo appear over his head!
"Omega ReBorn"
It was a new second. Jo Ann and Monitor were about to leave for System Omega. The Mainframers had come to wish them good luck, a safe journey, and a safe return for Jo Ann. Matrix, AndrAIa, little Enzo, Andri, Mouse, and Ray stood near the User Guardian and the healer.
Monitor smiled, but kept looking for someone. She had to say goodbye to him before -- there he was!!
"Turbo!" she called out.
"Howdy, Miss Montitor!" Turbo grinned as he came up to the others.
"I am pleased you came," she smiled.
"Ah wouldn't have left without sayin' 'good-bye'." He held a sea-green hand out to her.
Monitor clasped his greenish hand in her amber one.
"Should we ask her?" Mouse whispered to Ray.
Ray glanced at Mouse, "Do whatcha thikn best, luv..."
"Uh...Miss Monitor...?" Mouse spoke hesitantly.
"Just Monitor," she smiled. "Yes, Mouse isn't it?"
"Ray an' Ah were just wonderin'...you mentioned a 'Status' last night...we were wonderin'...who is he? If it's alright ta ask, that is..."
"It's alright...Status was...is my big brother; he and I were very close..." Monitor told her, still holding onto Turbo's hand.
"Oh...we thought that..." Mouse looked to Ray and blushed.
Ray smiled at her, nodding slightly to draw her attention to the fact that neither Turbo nor Monitor seemed interested in letting each other's hand go.
"Monitor; Turbo," Jo Ann smiled. "I hate to break this up, but the sooner we get to Omega, the sooner I can restore the system." In truth, Jo Ann did hate to break the two up. But her Guardian protocals had a job presented to them, and they would not stop nagging her until the job was done.
Monitor blushed slightly. "I am coming, Jo Ann...Thank-you Turbo... I hope we meet again..."
Jo Ann smiled as she said her good-byes to Matrix and the others.
Monitor briefly hugged the Mainframers who were there, and then shyly kissed Turbo's cheek.
"I hope I wil see you again..." she told him.
"Ah'm sure you will," Turbo smiled. Jo Ann gave little Enzo and Andri each a hug bye.
"Don't worry; I'll be back as soon as I fix Omega," she told the two children.
Monitor squared her shoulders; "I guess its time we left..."
"Yes, I..." Jo Ann began.
"Wait! Don't leave yet!" It was Wild Card.
"What is it, love?" Jo Ann asked.
"You forgot to say good-bye to me..."
"Oh, darling!" Jo Ann hugged her husband to her. "I'm sorry. You were asleep, and I didn't want to wake you."
"Just come back safely."
"I will." She kissed his lips. When they parted, Turbo held out a data crystal to Jo Ann.
Monitor watched wistfully as Jo Ann said goodbye to her husband. It would be nice to be loved that much.
"This crystal has all tha data ya need ta initiate the restart," Turbo said.
"Thanks...would it be, 'Uncle Turbo', now that Dot has married Bob?" Jo Ann smiled.
Turbo smiled warmly, "If ya want...Ah'd be honored..."
"Okay. Thanks, 'Uncle Turbo'," Jo Ann smiled and kissed his cheek.
Turbo hugged both women, "Good luck..."
Before she left, Jo Ann uploaded the data into Pixal, using the new skill Bob had taught her when Megabyte returned.
"Pixal --disc drive upload data." she said, holding the crystal over Pixal's screen.
"Goodbye Mainframe...goodbye Turbo..." Monitor whispered as Jo Ann formed the portal.
The two women stepped from bright and beautiful Mainframe to dank and sorrowfull Omega.
"Where's the PO?" Jo Ann asked.
Monitor frowned slightly. "It was more or less destroyed..."
"Well...where is what's left of it?"
"I wil take you there...but first come with me...we need to get capes; the web-creatures can only see colors; if you wear black capes they have problems seeing you.."
"Not necessary," Jo Ann smiled. "REBOOT!" Jo Ann tapped her icon. Her uniform changed from red and gold to black and silver. "This was the uniform I wore when I traveled at night while in the Tandium Desert, since black and other very dark colors absorb heat. Oddly, it is cold at night in a desert."
"You need to hide your face and hands too.." Monitor told her, putting her own cape on.
"Okay." Jo Ann tapped the icon again, adding black gauntets to her hands and a black-henna mask to her face.
"It is horrible; I know...but the web-creatures are vicious..."
"Some aren't. Remind me to tell you about how I met the Webriders, sometime."
"The Web-creatures took my eye...and almost my leg." Monitor told Jo Ann.
"I only said that 'some' aren't. I didn't say that 'all' weren't viciuous. As I said, it's in the story of how I met the Webriders. But I would have to explain about my totems, first. Now, let's get to the PO. My protocals are nagging me to get the restart over and done with. I can't go against my programing," Jo Ann smiled.
Monitor led Jo Ann to the center of the system and to a mostly-destroyed building.
"There it is..." she said sadly.
"Okay," Jo Ann said simply. Calling up the power of flight, borrowed from the spirit of dead Amazon, Jo Ann flew to the top of what was left of the Principle Office. She had to borrow the power to keep from using up her own energy supply. She would need all she could save for the restart. Jo Ann sat cross-legged on the debris.
Monitor called up "Do you need me to do anything?!"
"Just stay there. If you have any energy you can spare, please have it handy. I may need to recharge every now and then. Restoring an entire system will probibly take almost --if not all-- my energy. I'll stop if I feel that I'm too low, just long enough to recharge."
"Okay...I wil be here, Jo Ann..." Monitor called.
Closing her eyes, Jo Ann begain channeling her powers, tapping the core of the system. Carefully, the User Guardian repaired the damaged core. She began to glow with golden energy. The glow flowed downward, slowly recontructing the destroyed Principle Office. Monitor watched as the building took shape.
Tears of joy and awe rolled down Monitor's face.
The PO reformed; unlike the round PO in Mainframe, Omega's PO was more like a fortress; a place of safety from the ravages of the Web. It was like an ancient castle from Jo Ann's world; yet it was more enclosed; and heavily armed.
The castle reformed within the golden light. But something very strange happened. The castle that formed was less a fortress than a beautiful, fairy-tale castle. Jo Ann might have recognized it as being simular to Cinderella's Castle in Walt Disney World theame park, had she had her eyes open.
Monitor gasped softly. She had never seen anything so beautiful.
The golden wash continued, flowing over Monitor and eveyone and everything in the system.
Monitor felt herself getting dizzy and she blacked out.
The energy drain was beginng to show itself on Jo Ann now. She began to weaken.
"Monitor! I need some energy --fast!" Jo Ann called.
Dimly Monitor heard her and struggled to her feet. "I am -- here... Jo Ann..."
"Please, hurry and get me some energy. I am growing weaker."
"I will...be there..." she called and struggled to the top of the PO; "absorb some of my energy..."
"Okay...but just a little..." Jo Ann touched Monitor's hand, only absorbing the minimum amount of energy she could take from another without draining them to much. The light of the restoration continued to engulf Omega.
Monitor smiled; and then she brought her hand up to her face. The scars!! They were gone! She had two eyes!
Soon, the restoration was complete. But Jo Ann had not only restored Omega, she had upgraded it! Everything was bigger and more beautiful then ever before. And more colorful. Best of all, though, was a bigger and better defence against the Web!
"Monitor!" came a shout. A look of utter joy crossed Monitor's face.
"STATUS!!!!!" She yelled.
Wearily, Jo Ann flew down to the ground. As she touched the soil of the restored Omega, Jo Ann felt the borrowed power leave her. Tired out by the restart, Jo Ann fell to the ground, unconious.
Monitor caught the tired User Guardian; saving her from banging her head. She kept yelling out her brother's name until he found her.
Jo Ann tried to keep awake. "Did it work?" she asked.
"Yes," tears fell from both of Monitor's eyes, "it did..."
"Good. I'm going to take a little nap, now, and regain my energy..." Jo Ann closed her eyes and went to sleep.
Monitor gently placed her friend on the ground and sood up to hug her brother.
Jo Ann quietly continued to rest on the ground, dreaming of Mainframe, her husband, and her friends.
Monitor buried her head in her brother's chest; "I missed you so much!!"
Jo Ann continued to rest, exhausted from her efforts.
Monitor enjoyed the reunion with all her friends. Then she turned to Jo Ann. Using her powers as a healer, she replenished Jo Ann's energy and strength.
Jo Ann sat up and gazed at the newly restored system.
"So this is system Omega!" she grinned.
"Welcome..."
"Thank you. Is this what it looked like before? I had a fleeting image of a fortress, but it looks more like something out of a fairy-tale." She indicated the Principle Office atop which she had set mere microseconds before.
"No. It's so much more beautiful..."
Jo Ann smiled. "I must have upgraded it, then."
"This is better than I ever dreamed!"
"Wait 'til Turbo sees this! He won't know what to think!" Jo Ann grinned.
"Turbo..." a warm smile crossed Monitor's face. "When is he coming?!"
"Probibly as soon as I get back and tell him that System Omega has been restored and updated," Jo Ann smiled.
"Oh..." Monitor breathed. Status looked curios as to who this "Turbo" was.
"Prime Guardian and COMMAND.COM of the Super Computer," Jo Ann explained.
"Oh." Status had that same bitter look that Monitor had had at the mention of Guardians.
"It was his idea to use me to force an internal restart."
"Turbo is a good man, brother..." Monitor smiled.
"Very good," Jo Ann smiled. Uncle Turbo she thought to herself.
Status looked a little uncomfortable, but took his sister's word for it
"As soon as I regain enough strength, I'll return to Mainframe and report to Turbo. He'll probibly want to come as soon as possible."
"It will be good to see him again..."
"I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again, too. And to see that Omega is back online, better then ever."
Monitor hugged Jo Ann in thanks.
"I'm glad I could help. And if you ever need a User Guardian, call. I'll be here," Jo Ann said. Then, she created a portal back to Mainframe and stepped through.
"Wait!!" Monitor called, "let me come with you!"
"What?!?" Jo Ann cried, stepping back through. She looked at Monitor questioningly.
"Let me come!" Monitor called.
"If you'd like to, of course. But why?"
"I want to see Mainframe again..." she explained, kissed her brother and follwed.
"Alright." Jo Ann led Monitor back to Mainframe. Wild Card and the Mainframers were there to welcome Jo Ann back. They were surprised to see Monitor return as well.
Monitor smiled warmly and proudly showed off her lack of scars and two eyes.
"Then it worked?" Wild Card asked, looking to his bride with love and pride in his eyes.
"Jo Ann was amazing!" the healer explained.
"Not only did I repair the system, I upgraded it!" Jo Ann smiled.
Monitor saw Turbo approaching and ran to hug him.
Jo Ann smiled, watching the two from Wild Card's arms.
"Is that you, Monitor?" Turbo smiled.
"Who else?" she hugged him.
Turning to Wild Card, Jo Ann threw her arms around his neck, and, holding him to her, gave him a long and passionate kiss.
"I missed you too, love," Wild Card told her.
"Nuzzle me?" she asked. Wild Card laughed and nuzzled her neck, causing his stubble beard to tickle her. Jo Ann giggled at the touch. She had missed him so much, even though she was only gone for a few microseconds.
AndrAIa and Matrix arrived.
"Hi, guys!" Jo Ann greeted.
"You're back already!! Wow that was fast!" Matrix commented.
"Very!" Jo Ann laughed. She hugged both Matrix and AndrAIa to her.
"Hey, guys!" Monitor called.
"M...m...monitor?" AndrAIa gasped when she saw the healer.
"Yes, its me!" She smiled happily at the game-sprite.
"Then...it...worked?" Matrix asked.
Monitor pushed the hair out of her face to reveal her healty face and two sparkling eyes.
"Better then planned, Matrix," Jo Ann smiled. "I actually upgraded the system!"
"She was wonderful!" Monitor told them.
Jo Ann blushed, hiding her face in Wild Card's chest.
Monitor laughed softly.
"Wait until Bob and Dot find out about the upgrade," Wild Card smiled. "They'll be so amazed...and proud!"
"And so they should be!!"
"Let's go to the diner and access some energy," Jo Ann sugessted. "I could use some. I've never upgraded a system before!"
Monitor smiled and placed a hand on Jo Ann's shoulder, passing more of her helaing energy on.
Jo Ann smiled her thanks. She also wanted to get a drink at Dot's Diner because she hadn't been there for a very long time. She had been at Al's, planning Bob and Dot's engagement and wedding.
Monitor smiled at Turbo, "Can we talk?"
"Shore," Turbo smiled.
"Alone..." she clarified.
"Of course. While Dot is away, we can go ta tha PO. She won't mind," he smiled.
"I'll catch up with you guys later!" Monitor called after the group.
"Okay!" Jo Ann called back. She joined her friends at Dot's.
Monitor followed Turbo to the PO.
"What is it that I can do for ya, Monitor?' Turbo asked when they were alone.
"I wanted to ask about..." she let out a breath she was unaware she was holding, "About the possiblitiy of becoming a Guardian?"
"A Guardian?" Turbo was taken aback by the request.
"I want to protect my home as best I can..." she told him.
"Don't see why ya can't," Turbo smiled. "When do ya want ta start?"
"As soon as possible..."
"Do ya need ta get yer life in Omega in order? That would be advisable, since ya'll be away for several hours."
"My life in Omega ended a long time ago. but you're right -- I have some things to get in order..." she seemed to have something else on her mind.
"What is it? Ya seem ta need ta tell me somethin' else," Turbo said.
"Turbo...are you..." she took a deep breath, "are you seeing someone?"
"No, as a matter o' fact. Why?"
"Why do you think?" she looked up at him.
Turbo smiled. Was Monitor saything that she...liked...him?
Monitor looked down, shyly. "Well...take a rough guess..."
"Ah have felt an attaction ta ya, as well, Monitor," Turbo smiled warmly at her.
"You have?" suddenly she felt hopeful.
"Yeah, Ah have." Turbo seemed to want to kiss her, but was too much of a gentleman to make the first move.
Monitor looked up at him, "Promise you won't think I'm not a lady if I kiss you?" she asked.
"Ah promice," he grinned.
Monitor lifted her lips to his and tenatatively brushed his lips with her own.
Turbo carefully put his arms around her and held her gently to him.
Monitor deepened the kiss, feeling his arms encircle her.
Turbo was both strong and gentle. Monitor saw what others could see in him. One nano, he was a strong, powerful leader, the Prime Guardian. The next nano, Turbo was a kind, gentle man, as friendly a sprite as you could ever meet.
Monitor needed to feel safe, and in his arms, she did.
After a while, their lips parted. Turbo looked into her eyes.
Monitor smiled, gently carressing his face.
He pulled her close, resting her head on his broad shoulders.
Letting out a happy sigh, Monitor let her tension ebb away.
Turbo caressed her hair, holding her to him.
Please don't let this moment end... Monitor thought.
Turbo brushed a kiss on the top of her head.
Monitor sighed gently and held him close.
"We'll have ta go ta tha diner, soon. Them kids are probibly wonderin' where we are," he chuckled.
"I guess..." she sighed.
"Come," he said, leading her toward the door. "Let's go an' see it they're behavin' themselves."
Monitor took his hand and followed him out.
Back at Dot's Diner, Jo Ann and the others were discussing the restoration of System Omega.
Cecil had made the expected comment about them finally returning to the diner. "What ever 'appened to customer loyalty?"
"Should we tell him?" Jo Ann asked Matrix.
"Why not?" Matrix shrugged.
"Well, Cecil," Jo Ann smiled. "We were meeting at Al's because we were planning on how to get Bob and Dot together...as husband and wife!"
Cecil snorted, "Where is the madamoiselle, anyway?" he asked.
"She is with Bob in the Super Computer...on their Honeymoon!" Matrix grinned.
"Very amusing. Seriously?"
"It's the truth, Cecil!" AndrAIa smiled. "Bob and Dot are married, and, at the nano, in the Super Computer on their Honeymoon!"
"She was meant to come and do the accounts today!" Cecil didn't seem as pleased as everyone else.
"Well, the accounts are going to have to wait until they come back," Jo Ann smiled.
Monitor and Turbo came in at that moment.
"Hi, guys!" Jo Ann called. She waved to them as they entered.
The couple smiled and waved back.
"Hey, Jo Ann!" Turbo called.
"What's the good word!" Matrix called.
"Good word on what, Matrix?" Monitor echoed.
"I dunno. It was somethin' I heard in a movie once," the renagade answered.
"Okay!" Turbo pulled over two loose chairs, one for Monitor, one for himself.
"Anythin' excitin' happen 'tween ya two, sugah?" Mouse asked.
Monitor and Turbo exchanged a glance.
"I am going to become a Guardian, " Monitor told them.
Jo Ann grinned and mimiced clapping her hands. Her hands came together, but there was no sound.
"What, Jo Ann?" asked Monitor, curious.
"I was clapping; I just wasn't making the noise. Clapping your hands tends to make them sting after a while."
Monitor grinned, "Okay..."
Jo Ann looked at Turbo and Monitor. She suspected that their was more to the good news then just Monitor becoming a Guardian.
Monitor noticed her scrutiny. "Anything on your mind, Jo?"
"No, just...thinking..." Jo Ann smiled.
"Okay..." Monitor shifted her chair a little closer to Turbo.
"Well," Mouse grinned. "Ray an' Ah have some wonderful news ta tell ya'll, ourselves."
"Oh?" Turbo smiled.
Mouse showed them the ring.
AndrAIa practically squealed, "Oh, congratulations!!"
"Thank ya," Mouse grinned.
"'Course, we're gonna wait until Bob an' Dot get back," Ray added. "We wouldn't want them to miss the wedding."
"Dot would kill you if you two got hitched while she wasn't here," Matrix grinned.
"Probibly," Mouse smiled.
"And she'd be right!" AndrAIa smiled.
Three couples down, two to go, Jo Ann thought. Or is it FOUR down and ONE to go? Turbo and Monitor seem closer to each other then before. And I don't mean the fact that they are sitting so close together, either!
Under the table, Monitor let her foot gently brush against Turbo's leg. She was aware of Jo Ann watching them, so kept a cryptic smile on her face.
Jo Ann wondered about that smile on Monitor's face. Just what had gone on in the Principle Office?
Turbo looked momentarily surprised, then realised it was Monitor's foot caressing his leg. And he started to respond in kind.
Jo Ann got up to streach her legs a bit.
Neither Monitor nor Turbo realised that, from her new vantage point, Jo Ann could see their little game of footsie.
Jo Ann was somewhat shocked at what she was seeing, but managed to keep her face from showing it. So THATS what's going on! she thought.
Monitor took a sip of her drink and let her eyes briefly make contact with Turbo's, teasingly but sweetly.
"JOOANNNN!!!" came a familuar voice from outside the diner.
"Incoming!" Matrix warned. In nanos, little Enzo was inside the diner, tackling Jo Ann.
"YOURBACK!WHENDOYOUTHINKBOBANDDOTWILLCOMEHOME?WHENWILLAGAMECUBEDROP?WILLYOUTAKEMEJETBALLING?ORCIRCUITRACING?"
"Enzo." Jo Ann said when she could get in a word, "Are you tackling me because Bob isn't here for you to tackle?" Her voice sounded annoyed, but her eyes sparkled and she smiled.
Monitor laughed at Enzo, "you should be called [little whirlwind]!" she said in Webrider, her native language.
"Huh?" little Enzo asked, puzzled.
"It means 'little whirlwind' in Webrider, Enzo," Jo Ann translated. "The Net Natives call him 'Fast Talk'. My cousin wanted to call him 'Pocahantas', because of it's meaning, but, even though the meaning fits him, the name doesn't."
Monitor smiled, "It suits you..."
"Except that 'Pocahantas', which means. 'little mischief', is a girl's name!" Jo Ann laughed. "I could never give a boy a girl's name!"
"True...and Andri is too sweet for it..." Monitor agreed, still stroking Turbo's leg with her foot.
Andri grinned at Monitor. The compliment pleased her.
Monitor smiled back at the little game-sprite.
Matrix, meanwhile, plucked little Enzo from on top of Jo Ann.
Little Enzo noticed what was going on under the table between Monitor and Turbo.
"What are you guys doing?" he asked.
"What are they doing, Enzo?' Andri asked.
"They're kind of rubbing each others legs, Andri," Enzo told them. Monitor blushed deeply.
"ENZO!" AndrAIa admonished the little sprite.
"What?" he asked in all innocense.
"That was impolite," Matrix added. He smiled to himself, though. If Bob and Dot had done the leg thing when he was a kid, and he noticed it, he would have asked the very same question.
"Why?" Enzo decided to persue the matter.
Neither AndrAIa, nor Matrix could supply the answer. Instead, the game sprite just said, "Because it is!"
Enzo frowned and decided to bug Turbo and Monitor.
"Why were you two doing that?"
Now it was their turn to be nonplussed. They did not know how to answer him, either.
"Ya got a good eye, thar, Enzo," Turbo finally said. "Ya'll make a top-notch Guardian some second. But a good Guardian knows when ta ask questions an' when not ta ask 'em. This is one o' tha times when not ta ask questions. Do ya understand?"
Monitor swallowed the urge to laugh aloud.
"I... guess so," Enzo told Turbo.
"Ah hope ya understood that, too, Monitor," Turbo looked back at the healer. "Seein' that yer gonna become a Guardian an' all."
"Definatly, Turbo," Monitor smiled, laughter in her eyes.
"ALPHANUMERIC!YOU'REGOINGTOBEAGUARDIAN?!?" little Enzo cried.
Monitor nodded and smiled, "Yes I am [little whirlwind].
"ALPHANUMIC!WHENCANIBECOMEAGUARDIAN,TURBO?"
"When yer older, Enzo..."
"When? How old do I have to be?"
"Enzo!" AndrAIa said in her "Dot" tone.
"What?"
"Don't pester Turbo!"
Jo Ann giggled. Little Enzo was just being your typical ten-year old little boy.
Matrix decided to tease Turbo and Monitor now, "So...the only thing that happened at the PO was you giving Monitor permission to become a Guardian, Turbo?"
"Yeah," Turbo looked at Matrix. The green warrior --the orginal Enzo Matrix-- seemed to be hinting at something.
"What else could have happened?" Monitor asked in her "innocent" tone.
"Oh, nothing, I guess." Matrix smiled. "You just seemed to be gone a long time, that's all."
"Ummm...we had a long discussion; Turbo wanted to make sure I was making the right choice..." Monitor told him
"Ahhh..." Matrix grinned. He did not seem fooled a bit by their evasion. He and AndrAIa had been together too long not to know when a man and a woman were in love.
"What do you mean by that?" Monitor had a bit of a verbal challenge in her voice.
"By what?" Matrix asked innocently.
"By that cute little 'Ahhh...'?"
"Did I do that?"
Turbo nodded, "Ya did.."
"Oh...I guess I did..." AndrAIa could not help but giggle. The sight of Matrix acting "innocent little boy" was too funny --and cute! She could almost see the little golden halo appear over his head!