Story 4
"Cupid Conspirisy"
Jo Ann, Wild Card, Matrix, AndrAIa, Ray, and Mouse were at Al's Wait 'n' Eat to discuss their latest project --namely, getting Bob and Dot married! Andri, the little game sprite that was the back-up of the now-adult AndrAIa, stood guard at the door. She would warn them if Bob or Dot was approaching.
"Well...we need to get her mind off her work and onto Bob..." AndrAIa sighed.
"Any ideas how?" Jo Ann asked.
AndrAIa shrugged.
"Thar must be some way..." Mouse mused.
"Dot tends to follow her head, not her hormones..."
"Well, what does she like? Anything that could be concedered romantic? Music? Flowers? Candy? That sort of thing?" Jo Ann asked. She was searching her mind frantically for something that would help.
"Dot's a hopeless romantic..."
"Then why is gettin' 'er to think "marriage" an' "Bob" in the same sentence so hard?" Wild Card asked. He wanted his brother to have the same happiness with Dot that Wild Card himself had with Jo Ann.
"She's scared of losing him again..." Mouse mused.
Jo Ann remembered what she had read about the "Web War". Bob had been sent off to the Web, betrayed by his arch-enemy, the virus Megabyte. Bob had recently returned before Jo Ann, herself, had arrived in Mainframe.
"There must be something we can do to ease her fear enough to get her thinking of marriage," Jo Ann said.
"Ah don't know, sugah...she's a stubborn one..."
"Anyone know any romatic music?" AndrAIa asked.
Matrix just shrugged. Andri ran over, "She coming!!"
"Stay frosty, everyone," Jo Ann warned.
Dot wandered in, looking tired and harrassed. It had been a long day.
"Hi guys!!" she smiled, "Java, please!" She asked the waiter and walked over to the table, "What's processing? I have a meeting with Al..."
"Right away, Dot," Al's waiter said in his slow way. "One Java, Al!"
"WHAT!"
"Anything new with you guys?" Dot asked.
"No, not really," Jo Ann said, trying to look innocent.
"We were just talking about...uh...User music. Right, Jo?" Wild Card added.
"Yeah...uh...User music...so...It was Denice Williams that sang, "Holding Out for a Hero", not Madonna."
Dot frowned slightly in thought; "I don't know that song. How does it go?"
"Uh...oh dear...now how does that song go?" Jo Ann thought out loud. "'Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the gods? Where's the street-wise Hercules to fight the rising odds? Isn't there a white knight upon a firey steed? Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need! I need a hero...' That's all I can remember right now."
"Sounds nice..." an almost wistful look crossed Dot's face.
Jo Ann exchanged looks with Wild Card, Matrix, and the others. This is the kind of song that made Dot think of Bob, maybe?
AndrAIa grinned excitedly; "What other sort of songs do you Users listen to?"
"All kinds," Jo Ann smiled. "Rock 'n' Roll, Country 'n' Western, Pop, Ethnic...just all kinds of music. The Users say that music is the Universal Language, because it speaks to all people, no matter what their ethnic background is."
"But love songs are popular?" AndrAIa asked pointedly.
"Oh, yes! Love songs are some of the most popular of User music!" Jo Ann agreed instantly.
Dot took a sip of her java that the waiter had just brought and half-smiled, "Love ballads are fun to dance to..."
"Yes, they are, aren't they," Jo Ann said. "My favorites are the ones from Disney films. Like, 'Some Day My Prince Will Come', from Snow White, or, 'Once Upon a Dream', from Sleeping Beauty, or. 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight', from the Lion King. Disney films seem to have the best love songs."
"Weren't some of those also games?" Mouse asked.
"The movies came first, Mouse," Jo Ann pointed out.
"If ya say so, sugah..."
"Sayyy...Dot," Jo Ann redirected the subject. "Have you ever thought of putting in a Karaoke Club?"
"No...but that could be fun..." she mused.
"'Karaoke'?" AndrAIa asked. "What's that?"
"Karaoke is a popular activity in Japan where you get to be the singer of popular songs, usually to a recording of the music," Jo Ann explained.
"Neat!" the game sprite grinned, "Sparky is a great singer..."
"He is?" Jo Ann looked at the green warrior in surprise. "I never knew that!" she grinned.
Matrix glared at AndrAIa, "She's exaggerating..." he lied.
"Matrix...a singer...I wouldn't mind hearing him sing..." Jo Ann smiled.
"I don't sing..." the renegade looked vaguely embarrassed.
"Oh, come on..." Jo Ann smiled encouragingly at him.
"I used to sing to AndrAIa when we were lost in the games..." he admitted.
"You have a beautiful voice," she gazed adoringly at him.
"What kind of songs did he sing?" Jo Ann asked. Now, she was really interested. This was a fawcet of Matrix that had never been discovered.
Matrix shot AndrAIa a warning look. She gently touched his hand. "Sweet, romantic songs...with happy endings..."
"Aww...that's nice," Jo Ann smiled. She looked lovingly at Wild Card.
"Thanks so much for ruining my touch guy image, 'DrAIa!" Matrix teased.
Dot sighed wistfully, "I have a meeting with Al...catch you guys when I'm done..."
"Okay..." Jo Ann said. "I wonder if Bob can sing..."
"He can..." Mouse smiled. "He and ah were on a date in the SC once...well; let's just say the Guardian has a gorgeous voice, honey..."
"Does that mean you can sing, too, love?" Jo Ann asked her husband.
"Never tried..." Wild Card demured.
"Will you some time? For me?" she asked.
Wild Card looked at her warmly, "Maybe. Eventually. When we're alone."
"Ummmm...I look forward to it," she smiled, nuzzling his neck.
AndrAIa snuggled into Matrix, "Sing for me?"
"Here?!"
"Why not?"
Jo Ann pretended not to hear them. She kept nuzzling and kissing Wild Card. But she was interested in hearing Matrix sing. It might help their plans by giving them more ideas.
"Please, Sparky?"
"Oh, alright..." Softly in a mellow, velvety voice the renegade began to sing "Endless Love". The game sprite joined in, singing the female part with her lyric, expressive voice.
Jo Ann listened. Matrix did have a beautiful singing voice! So did AndrAIa. Her mind wondered how Bob and Wild Card would sound.
Matrix had pitched his voice so he thought that only AndrAIa would hear. When they finshed their beautiful duet, all the patrons of Al's started to applaud.
Jo Ann turned toward Matrix and AndrAIa. She and Wild Card joined in with the applause.
"That was beautiful, guys!" Jo Ann smiled.
Matrix blushed, surprising them all.
"Told ya, Sparky -- you're incredible..." AndrAIa smiled.
"What about you, darlin'?" Wild Card asked his bride. This caught Jo Ann unprepared.
"Well...uh...I..." was all she could stammer out.
"Can you sing?" Wild Card grinned, taking her hand.
"Well...a little..." Now, it was Jo Ann's turn to blush.
Wild Card pressed his lips into the palm of Jo Ann's hand.
"Oh? Sing something for me..."
Jo Ann took a deep breath, then began to sing, "Sugar, Suger," by the Archies. Luckily, she could change the line, "You are my candy girl," to, "You are my candy boy," without any trouble. It was one of those songs that could be sung like that. She made sure to sing it directly to Wild Card.
Wild Card grinned broadly.
When she finished the song, Jo Ann kissed her man on the lips. When they parted, she looked down and smiled, blushing.
AndrAIa and Matrix led the applause.
"Way to go, Jo Ann!" Matrix cheered.
"Maybe we can form a band," Jo Ann joked. "The Mainframe Rockers?"
"We'd have to get Dot to join...she makes quite the torch singer...I remember she made Bob blush by singing to him once..." Matrix smiled.
"I was only joking, Matrix!" Jo Ann laughed. "When would we find the time to be a band? "
"In between saving tha system and match-makin', sugar..." Mouse laughed.
"Even we couldn't do that!" Jo Ann grinned.
"She's back..." Andri hissed, spotting Dot coming downstairs.
"Okay, Andri, thanks!" Jo Ann whispered. Out loud, as if it had been the topic of discussion all along, she said, "The Karaoke thing is a good idea. We sure have a lot of talent here. Maybe we could even get Bob to sing something!" Jo Ann made sure that Dot could hear her.
Dot giggled as she walked over, "If you get Bob to sing, I promise I will too..."
"This will be fun...but we'll need some equipment, first," Jo Ann said.
"I'll get some organised," Dot promised.
"Okay. And let's not forget to ask Bob to sing. I, for one, would love to hear that!" Jo Ann smiled.
"Me too..." Dot grinned.
"But where are we going to set it up? Is there room at the Diner for one?" AndrAIa asked.
"We should have a stage..." Jo Ann put in.
"Ummm...I am buying the old club in Kits from Al...maybe there..." Dot thought aloud.
"Hey! Great idea!" Jo Ann cried. "We could make it a Karaoke Club! But what would we call it?"
"I have no idea!! You guys think of something!! I have to run -- I have a meeting back at the PO!!" Dot called, hugging everyone and leaving.
"Bye Al!!"
"WHAT?!"
"Later, Dot!" Jo Ann called after her. "Step one: Complete. We have her thinking about music and singing. Step two: Get Bob interested in music and singing."
AndrAIa grinned -- "Simple ; Enzo-- do you have any JPGs from your birthday? that time Dot sang to you and Bob?
"How is that goin' to help get Bob intereted in singin'?" Wild Card asked.
"You never saw the red dress..." AndrAIa grinned. She remembered Enzo telling her about it when she was young.
Jo Ann used Pixal to show Wild Card the dress from the data she had gained from the data crystal about Megabyte that Dot had given her. Wild Card gave a low whistle.
"Yeah...that would get him interested in singin' alright. But why would it make him want to sing, too?"
"Perhaps we can mention that Dot has agreed ta sing again if he will?" Mouse suggested.
"Let's get her to agree to it, first, Mouse," Jo Ann said. "I don't like lying...especially to my friends."
"She just said she'd sing if you can get Bob to..." AndrAIa smiled.
"Yeah...she did...didn't she? But who's going to ask him? Should I?" Jo Ann asked. "I'll see him when we have 'Portal Practice', as we call it. My portals are still not under control."
"Do it!"
"Okay. Practice will be at Floating Point Park tomorrow. Maybe if I come singing something...any old song will do..." Jo Ann smiled as she thought out her plan.
"Alphanumeric..." Andri giggled.
"Well...maybe not that song," Jo Ann giggled. "I don't know it very well."
"Okay... "
"Sing a love song..." AndrAIa suggested, "something that'll make him think of Dot..."
"Good idea...but what song..."
"Ummm..." Matrix thought for a while.
"It's gotta be a song I know, of course, and one that I know well enough to sing..."
"Something about coming home... Matrix mused.
"...to the girl he loves..." AndrAIa added.
"I don't think I know of any songs like that," Jo Ann admitted.
"Ummm...a love song then...""
"That's a tough one: Most of the love songs I know are from Disney films..."
"Such as?"
"The ones I mentioned, of course, and others. The problem with many of them, though, is that they have a specific character in mind."
"What about 'A Whole New World'? Or...umm..."
"No...Hmmm...I think I know a non-Disney song I could sing. 'Let's Hear it for the Boy', from the Footloose soundtrack. It's about a woman singing the praises about her man. Hmm...on second thought, why don't we let Dot have that song to sing to Bob. And if we can get them to sing a duet, maybe they could sing, 'Almost Paradise', from the same soundtrack."
"You'd have to teach them." AndrAIa smiled, "but it could be worth i--"
"Warning; Incoming Guardian!!" Andri called.
"Thanks, Andri," Jo Ann said.
Andri giggled, "Hey, Bob!"
"Hi, Andri; guys. What's new?" Bob grinned.
"Not much, sugah..." Mouse smiled, "Why dontcha have a drink with us?"
"Sure," Bob grinned. "One quantam shake, please!" Bob said to Al's waiter.
"One quantam shake, Al!"
"WHAT?!?"
Bob shook his head, laughing slightly. "Have you guys seen Dot? She's so busy lately..."
"She was here, but she had ta leave, bro," Wild Card said.
"Why don't you ask him, now, JoJo?" Matrix asked.
"Now?!?"
"Yeah, now!"
"Ask me what?" Bob smiled.
"Well, we got Dot to thinking about putting in a Karaoke Club in the club that's she's buying from Al. That's where customers can sing to popular songs. And we got to singing for each other. And we were wondering, if Dot sang, would you?"
"Umm...yeah; why not!!" Bob shrugged. "If it'll get Dot to take a night off..."
"Will you for us, now? I'd like to hear you sing something," Jo Ann asked.
"Now?!"
"Yeah!" Jo Ann smiled at her brother-in-law. "Please?"
"Umm..." Bob thought for a while and then began a beautiful rendition of "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing". His voice was rich and smooth.
Jo Ann listened eagerly. She wondered how his voice and Dot's would sound in a duet.
Bob took a quick bow as he finished the song
This time, Jo Ann led the applause.
"Thanks!!"
"That was wonderful, Bob!" AndrAIa smiled.
"Thank-you...d'ya think Dot'll like it?"
"She sure would! And if I teach you two the song, 'Almost Paradise', would you maybe sing a duet with her?"
"Dot and I sing a duet...I like that idea..."
"It's a beautiful song. But let me ask her if she would do the duet thing."
"Darlin'" Wild Card warned. "It's very late, and you have...uh...Portal Practice tomorrow. We need to be gettin' home ta bed."
"You're right, dearest. Please excuse us, guys." Jo Ann and Wild Card rose from their seats.
"Night, Jo Ann..." they all called.
"Night, guys!" She called after her as she and Wild Card left Al's.
Bob waited in Floating Point Park for Jo Ann to arrive.
Jo Ann flew to Floating Point Park, singing the song, "Zip-a-dee-doo-da Day" as her zipboard neared the place where Bob waited for her.
Looking up, Bob noticed the User Guardian approaching.
"Hey, Jo Ann!"
"Hi, Bob!" Jo Ann smiled. She then continued with the last part of the song, finishing it up in her own, uniquie style.
Bob clapped at Jo's song and then grinned. "Ready for practise?"
Jo Ann bowed at Bob's applause, then said, "Sure am."
"Great!" Bob smiled at her and began.
Bob had Jo Ann concentrate on making a portal. He had her to make it small, so she would not slip through. The silver sphere that formed was about one foot in height, and it showed the Super Computer inside of it.
"See...you're coming along well..." he smiled warmly.
Jo Ann grinned at her brother-in-law. Now, he began to show her how to flip through the portal codes to find whatever system or dimention she could ever want.
"Let's try a portal to...System Omega..."
"System Omega? Where's that?" Jo Ann asked, courious.
"It's the system right on the brink of the Web..." Bob explained. "Its kind of hard to make a portal that far; so consider this a test..."
"Okay." Jo Ann had only arrived in Mainframe a few minutes ago, and she had not been to many systems yet. The Super Computer, the alternate Mainframe where Naomi and Echo now lived, Neversystem --the children's system-- the Web, the Tandium Desert, and Videoland was all that she had ever been to.
"This may be a bit of a strain on your powers so go easy..."
"Okay..." Jo Ann concentrated carefully, gently willing the sphere to flip through the systems. "Tell me when we get to it, Bob."
Bob waited. Omega was the furthest system from anywhere.
Jo Ann flipped through several systems, catching a glimpse of Neversystem along the way. She momentaritly stopped at it before going on.
Bob smiled as Jo finally reached the dark grey system that was Omega.
"That's it...I was taken in there once..."
"It looks spooky..." Jo Ann said. "Like it's haunted, or something."
"No; its just a sad place..."
"What happened?"
"I was injured in the Web; and the Webriders took me to this place to see a healer..." Bob told her. "These people are contantly under the threat of invasion from the Web. No-one in the SC even knows about this place..."
"Can't you tell Turbo? Surely, he would help them," Jo Ann said.
"It's a high-risk system..." Bob's voice trailed off as a figure wearing a black cape walked past the portal.
"Who --or what-- was that?" Jo Ann exclaimed in surprise.
"That was the healer..." Bob whispered. "She saved my bitmap..."
"Oh," Jo Ann replied. She knew better then make comments about people who saved other people's lives. She did not want to offend her "brother".
Bob's eyes followed the figure. "Expand the portal," he told Jo.
"Okay. Tell me when to stop." Slowly, Jo Ann began to expand the portal, making it grow larger.
When it was big enough to walk through, Bob smiled.
"Stop; now come on -- we're going to Omega..."
"Okay." Jo Ann followed Bob through the portal.
[Wait up!!] Bob called in Web-rider to the departing figure.
[Who?] The cloak spun as the figure turned. [Interface?]
Jo Ann looked at the figure. She wondered who this healer was.
[Yeah, its me] Bob told her.
[Oh Interface...you came back...you really came back!] She threw her arms around Bob and held him close. Her hood slid down revealing a beautiful young woman, with only one eye -- a web scar bisecting the other one.
Jo Ann watched the scene. Something in the back of her mind hoped that Dot would not ever see this!
[Are we going leave; like you promised?] The healer asked.
[What's she talking about, Bob?] Jo Ann asked in Web Rider. She looked from one to the other in confusion.
[Oh...I did not see you...] the woman smiled at Jo Ann. [Is this Dot, Bob?]
Jo Ann giggled a little. [No, I'm not Dot. I am Jo Ann Montgomery, User Guardian One, and Bob's sister-in-law,] she smiled.
The woman frowned slightly and turned back to Bob, [Are you here to fulfill your promise, Interface?]
[I am...]
[What promice? ] Jo Ann asked. [Is Mainframe getting new citizens?]
[Interface promised to help me leave Omega...]
[Oh...okay. What's your name?] Jo Ann asked.
"My name," The young woman spoke in standard, "is Monitor..."
"As long as we are also using Web Rider names, mine amoung them is [Jem]," Jo Ann smiled. "I'm pleased to meet you, Monitor."
[Hello, Jem.] Monitor smiled warmly, but held onto Bob.
[Is anyone else coming?] Jo Ann asked.
[Is Status...?]
[He was deleted, Interface...They killed my brother...] A single tear rolled from Monitor's single eye.
Jo Ann hung her head in sorrow. She had not known this "Status" or Monitor, or any of their people, but she felt the loss as she would have felt the loss of one of her Mainframe friends.
Bob hugged Monitor, [I'm sorry...] he told her.
She held him close; getting strength from his arms.
[It was horrible...oh, Interface...]
Jo Ann gulped. So much sadness and pain, unlike the nearly care-free system of Mainframe, and the incrediable Super Computer.
[Monitor...I...]
[Shhh...please Interface -- just hold me.]
Jo Ann looked around her, intent on allowing Bob and Monitor to moarn their loss in peace.
[Let's get you out of this place...] Bob smiled at the young healer. Monitor went onto her tip-toes and kissed Bob briefly on the lips, [Lets.]
Jo Ann's portal was still there. She led Bob and Monitor through it.
Monitor squinted, her eye unused to the bright light of Mainframe.
Jo Ann felt good to be home. She breathed in heavily the clean air and basked in the warmth of what served Mainframe as a sun. But the gray place that was Omega would haunt her for a very long time.
"This is your home?" Monitor spoke in standard; her voice low, almost husky -- but definatly unused to communicating in that language.
"Yes. I came here not too long ago to help a dying friend. In helping her, I became trapped in Mainframe. I have since accepted it as my home. I've even married a sprite! Bob's twin brother, Wild Card!" Jo Ann grinned.
"Is he as handsome as Interface?" Monitor asked, smiling warmly at Bob.
"Well, he looks like him when he did before Bob was sent to the Web, but he has gold hair and a stubble beard. But I think that he's very handsome."
"What did you look like before the web, Interface?" Monitor remembered the first time she had seem Bob -- badly burned and web-scarred; half-deleted.
Bob blushed. He turned to see Wild Card, Dot, Matrix, AndrAIa, Mouse, Ray, little Enzo, Andri, and Frisket approuching them.
"Take a look at that blue-skinned, golden-haired guy, and that'll give you a pretty good idea!" Bob answered.
[He is cute...]
Jo Ann smiled, love in her eyes.
AndrAIa and Matrix approached, "Hello, Ms...?"
Jo Ann kissed Wild Card, allowing Bob to make the introductions ...and explainations.
"Oh..." AndrAIa noticed the way Monitor was looking at Bob. She had a bad feeling about that...Could it cause trouble for the Cupid Conspirators?
Bob, Jo Ann told him mentally. You'd better explain Monitor. They may think that you are interested in her, instead of Dot.
"Monitor saved my life a long time ago..." Bob explained to the group.
"Oh...Okay...Thanks, Monitor!" Dot smiled.
Monitor smiled, "You are...Dot?" She asked.
"Yes," the green-skined woman smiled.
"When Bob was delirious, he would call out your name in the night.." Monitor told her.
Dot wrapped her arm around Bob's waist. She looked into his eyes, trying not to think of the terrible wounds he must have suffered in the Web.
Bob squeezed Dot, and a flicker of jealousy crossed Monitor's face.
Jo Ann noticed the tiny flash of jealousy in Monitor's eyes. She hoped that this would not mean trouble for the others and their wedding plans for Bob and Dot.
"I was not sure he would survive..." Monitor told them. "He was badly wounded; lesser sprites would have given up..."
"Not Bob!" little Enzo exclaimed excitedly. "He's a Guardian! He can survive anything! Nothing can stop him! Not even a super virus!"
Monitor smiled at the boy, "The, " She used the webrider term for 'web-creature'and looked to Bob to translate.
"Web Creature," he supplied.
"Web-creatures had drained his energy and the energy fluctuations had nearly deleted him. My brother brought him to me, to see if I could help him..."
"Where's your brother!" cried Enzo. "I wanna meet him..." Enzo trailed off when he senced something wrong. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked.
"Status was deleted by a web-creature..." Monitor told him, sorrow filling her single eye.
"Uh...oh..." Enzo gulped. "I...I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say anything to make you sad..."
"Do not worry, little sprite...I am more happy now to be out of Omega than I have ever been before... "
"Omega..." Enzo looked to Andri. What was that their teacher had said about Omega only a few seconds ago...?
"Omega?" Andri looked at little Enzo; that seemed a familer name
"Isn't Omega that system that..." Enzo whispered to Andri.
"Yes.." she whispered back. "I thought it was made up, though..."
"What did you think was made up, Andri?" Bob asked.
"Oh, nothing!!" Andri smiled her innocent little girl smile.
Somehow, Bob did not think that was what Andri was talking with little Enzo about, but let it go. He was wondering where Monitor was going to live, now that she was moving to Mainframe.
Dot squeezed Bob's hand. It hurt her to think of him in pain.
"Do you know where Monitor can stay, Dot? Maybe in the Principle Office? She's a great healer. I'm sure Phong could use her help in the sickbay," Bob said. He wanted his friend to have a place in Mainframe.
"Certainly, Bob." Dot grinned; a slight flicker of -- was it jealousy?-- crossing her face. She wasn't sure about this Monitor, wasn't sure at all!
Bob noticed the flicker on Dot, and immediantly kissed her, as if in reassurance.
Dot wrapped her arms around Bob possessively and deepened the embrace.
Jo Ann smiled. Maybe the Cupid Conspitors could salvage this yet! She hugged her own man closer to her.
Monitor sighed and scratched the place where her right eye once was. It bothered her every now and then.
"You, too, huh?" Matrix smiled. He pointed to his own right eye, now a golden orb. "Mine did too."
"What happened to you?" Monitor asked; finding herself surprisingly willing to share the story of what happened to her.
"I played a game I couldn't win when I was younger. I lost it to Zaytan. AndrAIa, Frisket, and I stayed with the game in Game Sprite Mode, game hopping until we found a system with ports to the Net. From there, we went to the Web, found Bob, and came home to Mainframe," Matrix said simply.
Monitor bit her lip, "I was nearly ripped apart by a web-creature... Interface saved me..." she smiled.
"We saved each other," Bob smiled. "Thanks to you, I'm back with my friends and the woman I love."
Monitor inhaled sharply. "Yes...I am pleased you're happy..."
"Thank you," Bob said.
"Yes...thank you," Dot added.
"You are...welcome" she sighed and muttered something in Web-rider too rapidly for either Jo Ann or Bob to catch.
Jo Ann looked at Bob and shrugged.
"I am...tired." Monitor sighed.
"I'll take you to the Principle Office. You can meet Phong in the morning," Dot said.
"Thank-you, Dot," Monitor's tone was flat.
Dot and Monitor left for the Principle Office.
"That will be all for this second's lesson, Jo Ann," Bob said.
"Thanks, bro," Jo Ann smiled, and kissed his cheek. She went off with the other Cupid Conpiritors to Al's to plot some more. Monitor's arrival in Mainframe could cause a Cupid Crisis!
"Cupid Conspirisy"
Jo Ann, Wild Card, Matrix, AndrAIa, Ray, and Mouse were at Al's Wait 'n' Eat to discuss their latest project --namely, getting Bob and Dot married! Andri, the little game sprite that was the back-up of the now-adult AndrAIa, stood guard at the door. She would warn them if Bob or Dot was approaching.
"Well...we need to get her mind off her work and onto Bob..." AndrAIa sighed.
"Any ideas how?" Jo Ann asked.
AndrAIa shrugged.
"Thar must be some way..." Mouse mused.
"Dot tends to follow her head, not her hormones..."
"Well, what does she like? Anything that could be concedered romantic? Music? Flowers? Candy? That sort of thing?" Jo Ann asked. She was searching her mind frantically for something that would help.
"Dot's a hopeless romantic..."
"Then why is gettin' 'er to think "marriage" an' "Bob" in the same sentence so hard?" Wild Card asked. He wanted his brother to have the same happiness with Dot that Wild Card himself had with Jo Ann.
"She's scared of losing him again..." Mouse mused.
Jo Ann remembered what she had read about the "Web War". Bob had been sent off to the Web, betrayed by his arch-enemy, the virus Megabyte. Bob had recently returned before Jo Ann, herself, had arrived in Mainframe.
"There must be something we can do to ease her fear enough to get her thinking of marriage," Jo Ann said.
"Ah don't know, sugah...she's a stubborn one..."
"Anyone know any romatic music?" AndrAIa asked.
Matrix just shrugged. Andri ran over, "She coming!!"
"Stay frosty, everyone," Jo Ann warned.
Dot wandered in, looking tired and harrassed. It had been a long day.
"Hi guys!!" she smiled, "Java, please!" She asked the waiter and walked over to the table, "What's processing? I have a meeting with Al..."
"Right away, Dot," Al's waiter said in his slow way. "One Java, Al!"
"WHAT!"
"Anything new with you guys?" Dot asked.
"No, not really," Jo Ann said, trying to look innocent.
"We were just talking about...uh...User music. Right, Jo?" Wild Card added.
"Yeah...uh...User music...so...It was Denice Williams that sang, "Holding Out for a Hero", not Madonna."
Dot frowned slightly in thought; "I don't know that song. How does it go?"
"Uh...oh dear...now how does that song go?" Jo Ann thought out loud. "'Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the gods? Where's the street-wise Hercules to fight the rising odds? Isn't there a white knight upon a firey steed? Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need! I need a hero...' That's all I can remember right now."
"Sounds nice..." an almost wistful look crossed Dot's face.
Jo Ann exchanged looks with Wild Card, Matrix, and the others. This is the kind of song that made Dot think of Bob, maybe?
AndrAIa grinned excitedly; "What other sort of songs do you Users listen to?"
"All kinds," Jo Ann smiled. "Rock 'n' Roll, Country 'n' Western, Pop, Ethnic...just all kinds of music. The Users say that music is the Universal Language, because it speaks to all people, no matter what their ethnic background is."
"But love songs are popular?" AndrAIa asked pointedly.
"Oh, yes! Love songs are some of the most popular of User music!" Jo Ann agreed instantly.
Dot took a sip of her java that the waiter had just brought and half-smiled, "Love ballads are fun to dance to..."
"Yes, they are, aren't they," Jo Ann said. "My favorites are the ones from Disney films. Like, 'Some Day My Prince Will Come', from Snow White, or, 'Once Upon a Dream', from Sleeping Beauty, or. 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight', from the Lion King. Disney films seem to have the best love songs."
"Weren't some of those also games?" Mouse asked.
"The movies came first, Mouse," Jo Ann pointed out.
"If ya say so, sugah..."
"Sayyy...Dot," Jo Ann redirected the subject. "Have you ever thought of putting in a Karaoke Club?"
"No...but that could be fun..." she mused.
"'Karaoke'?" AndrAIa asked. "What's that?"
"Karaoke is a popular activity in Japan where you get to be the singer of popular songs, usually to a recording of the music," Jo Ann explained.
"Neat!" the game sprite grinned, "Sparky is a great singer..."
"He is?" Jo Ann looked at the green warrior in surprise. "I never knew that!" she grinned.
Matrix glared at AndrAIa, "She's exaggerating..." he lied.
"Matrix...a singer...I wouldn't mind hearing him sing..." Jo Ann smiled.
"I don't sing..." the renegade looked vaguely embarrassed.
"Oh, come on..." Jo Ann smiled encouragingly at him.
"I used to sing to AndrAIa when we were lost in the games..." he admitted.
"You have a beautiful voice," she gazed adoringly at him.
"What kind of songs did he sing?" Jo Ann asked. Now, she was really interested. This was a fawcet of Matrix that had never been discovered.
Matrix shot AndrAIa a warning look. She gently touched his hand. "Sweet, romantic songs...with happy endings..."
"Aww...that's nice," Jo Ann smiled. She looked lovingly at Wild Card.
"Thanks so much for ruining my touch guy image, 'DrAIa!" Matrix teased.
Dot sighed wistfully, "I have a meeting with Al...catch you guys when I'm done..."
"Okay..." Jo Ann said. "I wonder if Bob can sing..."
"He can..." Mouse smiled. "He and ah were on a date in the SC once...well; let's just say the Guardian has a gorgeous voice, honey..."
"Does that mean you can sing, too, love?" Jo Ann asked her husband.
"Never tried..." Wild Card demured.
"Will you some time? For me?" she asked.
Wild Card looked at her warmly, "Maybe. Eventually. When we're alone."
"Ummmm...I look forward to it," she smiled, nuzzling his neck.
AndrAIa snuggled into Matrix, "Sing for me?"
"Here?!"
"Why not?"
Jo Ann pretended not to hear them. She kept nuzzling and kissing Wild Card. But she was interested in hearing Matrix sing. It might help their plans by giving them more ideas.
"Please, Sparky?"
"Oh, alright..." Softly in a mellow, velvety voice the renegade began to sing "Endless Love". The game sprite joined in, singing the female part with her lyric, expressive voice.
Jo Ann listened. Matrix did have a beautiful singing voice! So did AndrAIa. Her mind wondered how Bob and Wild Card would sound.
Matrix had pitched his voice so he thought that only AndrAIa would hear. When they finshed their beautiful duet, all the patrons of Al's started to applaud.
Jo Ann turned toward Matrix and AndrAIa. She and Wild Card joined in with the applause.
"That was beautiful, guys!" Jo Ann smiled.
Matrix blushed, surprising them all.
"Told ya, Sparky -- you're incredible..." AndrAIa smiled.
"What about you, darlin'?" Wild Card asked his bride. This caught Jo Ann unprepared.
"Well...uh...I..." was all she could stammer out.
"Can you sing?" Wild Card grinned, taking her hand.
"Well...a little..." Now, it was Jo Ann's turn to blush.
Wild Card pressed his lips into the palm of Jo Ann's hand.
"Oh? Sing something for me..."
Jo Ann took a deep breath, then began to sing, "Sugar, Suger," by the Archies. Luckily, she could change the line, "You are my candy girl," to, "You are my candy boy," without any trouble. It was one of those songs that could be sung like that. She made sure to sing it directly to Wild Card.
Wild Card grinned broadly.
When she finished the song, Jo Ann kissed her man on the lips. When they parted, she looked down and smiled, blushing.
AndrAIa and Matrix led the applause.
"Way to go, Jo Ann!" Matrix cheered.
"Maybe we can form a band," Jo Ann joked. "The Mainframe Rockers?"
"We'd have to get Dot to join...she makes quite the torch singer...I remember she made Bob blush by singing to him once..." Matrix smiled.
"I was only joking, Matrix!" Jo Ann laughed. "When would we find the time to be a band? "
"In between saving tha system and match-makin', sugar..." Mouse laughed.
"Even we couldn't do that!" Jo Ann grinned.
"She's back..." Andri hissed, spotting Dot coming downstairs.
"Okay, Andri, thanks!" Jo Ann whispered. Out loud, as if it had been the topic of discussion all along, she said, "The Karaoke thing is a good idea. We sure have a lot of talent here. Maybe we could even get Bob to sing something!" Jo Ann made sure that Dot could hear her.
Dot giggled as she walked over, "If you get Bob to sing, I promise I will too..."
"This will be fun...but we'll need some equipment, first," Jo Ann said.
"I'll get some organised," Dot promised.
"Okay. And let's not forget to ask Bob to sing. I, for one, would love to hear that!" Jo Ann smiled.
"Me too..." Dot grinned.
"But where are we going to set it up? Is there room at the Diner for one?" AndrAIa asked.
"We should have a stage..." Jo Ann put in.
"Ummm...I am buying the old club in Kits from Al...maybe there..." Dot thought aloud.
"Hey! Great idea!" Jo Ann cried. "We could make it a Karaoke Club! But what would we call it?"
"I have no idea!! You guys think of something!! I have to run -- I have a meeting back at the PO!!" Dot called, hugging everyone and leaving.
"Bye Al!!"
"WHAT?!"
"Later, Dot!" Jo Ann called after her. "Step one: Complete. We have her thinking about music and singing. Step two: Get Bob interested in music and singing."
AndrAIa grinned -- "Simple ; Enzo-- do you have any JPGs from your birthday? that time Dot sang to you and Bob?
"How is that goin' to help get Bob intereted in singin'?" Wild Card asked.
"You never saw the red dress..." AndrAIa grinned. She remembered Enzo telling her about it when she was young.
Jo Ann used Pixal to show Wild Card the dress from the data she had gained from the data crystal about Megabyte that Dot had given her. Wild Card gave a low whistle.
"Yeah...that would get him interested in singin' alright. But why would it make him want to sing, too?"
"Perhaps we can mention that Dot has agreed ta sing again if he will?" Mouse suggested.
"Let's get her to agree to it, first, Mouse," Jo Ann said. "I don't like lying...especially to my friends."
"She just said she'd sing if you can get Bob to..." AndrAIa smiled.
"Yeah...she did...didn't she? But who's going to ask him? Should I?" Jo Ann asked. "I'll see him when we have 'Portal Practice', as we call it. My portals are still not under control."
"Do it!"
"Okay. Practice will be at Floating Point Park tomorrow. Maybe if I come singing something...any old song will do..." Jo Ann smiled as she thought out her plan.
"Alphanumeric..." Andri giggled.
"Well...maybe not that song," Jo Ann giggled. "I don't know it very well."
"Okay... "
"Sing a love song..." AndrAIa suggested, "something that'll make him think of Dot..."
"Good idea...but what song..."
"Ummm..." Matrix thought for a while.
"It's gotta be a song I know, of course, and one that I know well enough to sing..."
"Something about coming home... Matrix mused.
"...to the girl he loves..." AndrAIa added.
"I don't think I know of any songs like that," Jo Ann admitted.
"Ummm...a love song then...""
"That's a tough one: Most of the love songs I know are from Disney films..."
"Such as?"
"The ones I mentioned, of course, and others. The problem with many of them, though, is that they have a specific character in mind."
"What about 'A Whole New World'? Or...umm..."
"No...Hmmm...I think I know a non-Disney song I could sing. 'Let's Hear it for the Boy', from the Footloose soundtrack. It's about a woman singing the praises about her man. Hmm...on second thought, why don't we let Dot have that song to sing to Bob. And if we can get them to sing a duet, maybe they could sing, 'Almost Paradise', from the same soundtrack."
"You'd have to teach them." AndrAIa smiled, "but it could be worth i--"
"Warning; Incoming Guardian!!" Andri called.
"Thanks, Andri," Jo Ann said.
Andri giggled, "Hey, Bob!"
"Hi, Andri; guys. What's new?" Bob grinned.
"Not much, sugah..." Mouse smiled, "Why dontcha have a drink with us?"
"Sure," Bob grinned. "One quantam shake, please!" Bob said to Al's waiter.
"One quantam shake, Al!"
"WHAT?!?"
Bob shook his head, laughing slightly. "Have you guys seen Dot? She's so busy lately..."
"She was here, but she had ta leave, bro," Wild Card said.
"Why don't you ask him, now, JoJo?" Matrix asked.
"Now?!?"
"Yeah, now!"
"Ask me what?" Bob smiled.
"Well, we got Dot to thinking about putting in a Karaoke Club in the club that's she's buying from Al. That's where customers can sing to popular songs. And we got to singing for each other. And we were wondering, if Dot sang, would you?"
"Umm...yeah; why not!!" Bob shrugged. "If it'll get Dot to take a night off..."
"Will you for us, now? I'd like to hear you sing something," Jo Ann asked.
"Now?!"
"Yeah!" Jo Ann smiled at her brother-in-law. "Please?"
"Umm..." Bob thought for a while and then began a beautiful rendition of "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing". His voice was rich and smooth.
Jo Ann listened eagerly. She wondered how his voice and Dot's would sound in a duet.
Bob took a quick bow as he finished the song
This time, Jo Ann led the applause.
"Thanks!!"
"That was wonderful, Bob!" AndrAIa smiled.
"Thank-you...d'ya think Dot'll like it?"
"She sure would! And if I teach you two the song, 'Almost Paradise', would you maybe sing a duet with her?"
"Dot and I sing a duet...I like that idea..."
"It's a beautiful song. But let me ask her if she would do the duet thing."
"Darlin'" Wild Card warned. "It's very late, and you have...uh...Portal Practice tomorrow. We need to be gettin' home ta bed."
"You're right, dearest. Please excuse us, guys." Jo Ann and Wild Card rose from their seats.
"Night, Jo Ann..." they all called.
"Night, guys!" She called after her as she and Wild Card left Al's.
Bob waited in Floating Point Park for Jo Ann to arrive.
Jo Ann flew to Floating Point Park, singing the song, "Zip-a-dee-doo-da Day" as her zipboard neared the place where Bob waited for her.
Looking up, Bob noticed the User Guardian approaching.
"Hey, Jo Ann!"
"Hi, Bob!" Jo Ann smiled. She then continued with the last part of the song, finishing it up in her own, uniquie style.
Bob clapped at Jo's song and then grinned. "Ready for practise?"
Jo Ann bowed at Bob's applause, then said, "Sure am."
"Great!" Bob smiled at her and began.
Bob had Jo Ann concentrate on making a portal. He had her to make it small, so she would not slip through. The silver sphere that formed was about one foot in height, and it showed the Super Computer inside of it.
"See...you're coming along well..." he smiled warmly.
Jo Ann grinned at her brother-in-law. Now, he began to show her how to flip through the portal codes to find whatever system or dimention she could ever want.
"Let's try a portal to...System Omega..."
"System Omega? Where's that?" Jo Ann asked, courious.
"It's the system right on the brink of the Web..." Bob explained. "Its kind of hard to make a portal that far; so consider this a test..."
"Okay." Jo Ann had only arrived in Mainframe a few minutes ago, and she had not been to many systems yet. The Super Computer, the alternate Mainframe where Naomi and Echo now lived, Neversystem --the children's system-- the Web, the Tandium Desert, and Videoland was all that she had ever been to.
"This may be a bit of a strain on your powers so go easy..."
"Okay..." Jo Ann concentrated carefully, gently willing the sphere to flip through the systems. "Tell me when we get to it, Bob."
Bob waited. Omega was the furthest system from anywhere.
Jo Ann flipped through several systems, catching a glimpse of Neversystem along the way. She momentaritly stopped at it before going on.
Bob smiled as Jo finally reached the dark grey system that was Omega.
"That's it...I was taken in there once..."
"It looks spooky..." Jo Ann said. "Like it's haunted, or something."
"No; its just a sad place..."
"What happened?"
"I was injured in the Web; and the Webriders took me to this place to see a healer..." Bob told her. "These people are contantly under the threat of invasion from the Web. No-one in the SC even knows about this place..."
"Can't you tell Turbo? Surely, he would help them," Jo Ann said.
"It's a high-risk system..." Bob's voice trailed off as a figure wearing a black cape walked past the portal.
"Who --or what-- was that?" Jo Ann exclaimed in surprise.
"That was the healer..." Bob whispered. "She saved my bitmap..."
"Oh," Jo Ann replied. She knew better then make comments about people who saved other people's lives. She did not want to offend her "brother".
Bob's eyes followed the figure. "Expand the portal," he told Jo.
"Okay. Tell me when to stop." Slowly, Jo Ann began to expand the portal, making it grow larger.
When it was big enough to walk through, Bob smiled.
"Stop; now come on -- we're going to Omega..."
"Okay." Jo Ann followed Bob through the portal.
[Wait up!!] Bob called in Web-rider to the departing figure.
[Who?] The cloak spun as the figure turned. [Interface?]
Jo Ann looked at the figure. She wondered who this healer was.
[Yeah, its me] Bob told her.
[Oh Interface...you came back...you really came back!] She threw her arms around Bob and held him close. Her hood slid down revealing a beautiful young woman, with only one eye -- a web scar bisecting the other one.
Jo Ann watched the scene. Something in the back of her mind hoped that Dot would not ever see this!
[Are we going leave; like you promised?] The healer asked.
[What's she talking about, Bob?] Jo Ann asked in Web Rider. She looked from one to the other in confusion.
[Oh...I did not see you...] the woman smiled at Jo Ann. [Is this Dot, Bob?]
Jo Ann giggled a little. [No, I'm not Dot. I am Jo Ann Montgomery, User Guardian One, and Bob's sister-in-law,] she smiled.
The woman frowned slightly and turned back to Bob, [Are you here to fulfill your promise, Interface?]
[I am...]
[What promice? ] Jo Ann asked. [Is Mainframe getting new citizens?]
[Interface promised to help me leave Omega...]
[Oh...okay. What's your name?] Jo Ann asked.
"My name," The young woman spoke in standard, "is Monitor..."
"As long as we are also using Web Rider names, mine amoung them is [Jem]," Jo Ann smiled. "I'm pleased to meet you, Monitor."
[Hello, Jem.] Monitor smiled warmly, but held onto Bob.
[Is anyone else coming?] Jo Ann asked.
[Is Status...?]
[He was deleted, Interface...They killed my brother...] A single tear rolled from Monitor's single eye.
Jo Ann hung her head in sorrow. She had not known this "Status" or Monitor, or any of their people, but she felt the loss as she would have felt the loss of one of her Mainframe friends.
Bob hugged Monitor, [I'm sorry...] he told her.
She held him close; getting strength from his arms.
[It was horrible...oh, Interface...]
Jo Ann gulped. So much sadness and pain, unlike the nearly care-free system of Mainframe, and the incrediable Super Computer.
[Monitor...I...]
[Shhh...please Interface -- just hold me.]
Jo Ann looked around her, intent on allowing Bob and Monitor to moarn their loss in peace.
[Let's get you out of this place...] Bob smiled at the young healer. Monitor went onto her tip-toes and kissed Bob briefly on the lips, [Lets.]
Jo Ann's portal was still there. She led Bob and Monitor through it.
Monitor squinted, her eye unused to the bright light of Mainframe.
Jo Ann felt good to be home. She breathed in heavily the clean air and basked in the warmth of what served Mainframe as a sun. But the gray place that was Omega would haunt her for a very long time.
"This is your home?" Monitor spoke in standard; her voice low, almost husky -- but definatly unused to communicating in that language.
"Yes. I came here not too long ago to help a dying friend. In helping her, I became trapped in Mainframe. I have since accepted it as my home. I've even married a sprite! Bob's twin brother, Wild Card!" Jo Ann grinned.
"Is he as handsome as Interface?" Monitor asked, smiling warmly at Bob.
"Well, he looks like him when he did before Bob was sent to the Web, but he has gold hair and a stubble beard. But I think that he's very handsome."
"What did you look like before the web, Interface?" Monitor remembered the first time she had seem Bob -- badly burned and web-scarred; half-deleted.
Bob blushed. He turned to see Wild Card, Dot, Matrix, AndrAIa, Mouse, Ray, little Enzo, Andri, and Frisket approuching them.
"Take a look at that blue-skinned, golden-haired guy, and that'll give you a pretty good idea!" Bob answered.
[He is cute...]
Jo Ann smiled, love in her eyes.
AndrAIa and Matrix approached, "Hello, Ms...?"
Jo Ann kissed Wild Card, allowing Bob to make the introductions ...and explainations.
"Oh..." AndrAIa noticed the way Monitor was looking at Bob. She had a bad feeling about that...Could it cause trouble for the Cupid Conspirators?
Bob, Jo Ann told him mentally. You'd better explain Monitor. They may think that you are interested in her, instead of Dot.
"Monitor saved my life a long time ago..." Bob explained to the group.
"Oh...Okay...Thanks, Monitor!" Dot smiled.
Monitor smiled, "You are...Dot?" She asked.
"Yes," the green-skined woman smiled.
"When Bob was delirious, he would call out your name in the night.." Monitor told her.
Dot wrapped her arm around Bob's waist. She looked into his eyes, trying not to think of the terrible wounds he must have suffered in the Web.
Bob squeezed Dot, and a flicker of jealousy crossed Monitor's face.
Jo Ann noticed the tiny flash of jealousy in Monitor's eyes. She hoped that this would not mean trouble for the others and their wedding plans for Bob and Dot.
"I was not sure he would survive..." Monitor told them. "He was badly wounded; lesser sprites would have given up..."
"Not Bob!" little Enzo exclaimed excitedly. "He's a Guardian! He can survive anything! Nothing can stop him! Not even a super virus!"
Monitor smiled at the boy, "The, " She used the webrider term for 'web-creature'and looked to Bob to translate.
"Web Creature," he supplied.
"Web-creatures had drained his energy and the energy fluctuations had nearly deleted him. My brother brought him to me, to see if I could help him..."
"Where's your brother!" cried Enzo. "I wanna meet him..." Enzo trailed off when he senced something wrong. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked.
"Status was deleted by a web-creature..." Monitor told him, sorrow filling her single eye.
"Uh...oh..." Enzo gulped. "I...I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say anything to make you sad..."
"Do not worry, little sprite...I am more happy now to be out of Omega than I have ever been before... "
"Omega..." Enzo looked to Andri. What was that their teacher had said about Omega only a few seconds ago...?
"Omega?" Andri looked at little Enzo; that seemed a familer name
"Isn't Omega that system that..." Enzo whispered to Andri.
"Yes.." she whispered back. "I thought it was made up, though..."
"What did you think was made up, Andri?" Bob asked.
"Oh, nothing!!" Andri smiled her innocent little girl smile.
Somehow, Bob did not think that was what Andri was talking with little Enzo about, but let it go. He was wondering where Monitor was going to live, now that she was moving to Mainframe.
Dot squeezed Bob's hand. It hurt her to think of him in pain.
"Do you know where Monitor can stay, Dot? Maybe in the Principle Office? She's a great healer. I'm sure Phong could use her help in the sickbay," Bob said. He wanted his friend to have a place in Mainframe.
"Certainly, Bob." Dot grinned; a slight flicker of -- was it jealousy?-- crossing her face. She wasn't sure about this Monitor, wasn't sure at all!
Bob noticed the flicker on Dot, and immediantly kissed her, as if in reassurance.
Dot wrapped her arms around Bob possessively and deepened the embrace.
Jo Ann smiled. Maybe the Cupid Conspitors could salvage this yet! She hugged her own man closer to her.
Monitor sighed and scratched the place where her right eye once was. It bothered her every now and then.
"You, too, huh?" Matrix smiled. He pointed to his own right eye, now a golden orb. "Mine did too."
"What happened to you?" Monitor asked; finding herself surprisingly willing to share the story of what happened to her.
"I played a game I couldn't win when I was younger. I lost it to Zaytan. AndrAIa, Frisket, and I stayed with the game in Game Sprite Mode, game hopping until we found a system with ports to the Net. From there, we went to the Web, found Bob, and came home to Mainframe," Matrix said simply.
Monitor bit her lip, "I was nearly ripped apart by a web-creature... Interface saved me..." she smiled.
"We saved each other," Bob smiled. "Thanks to you, I'm back with my friends and the woman I love."
Monitor inhaled sharply. "Yes...I am pleased you're happy..."
"Thank you," Bob said.
"Yes...thank you," Dot added.
"You are...welcome" she sighed and muttered something in Web-rider too rapidly for either Jo Ann or Bob to catch.
Jo Ann looked at Bob and shrugged.
"I am...tired." Monitor sighed.
"I'll take you to the Principle Office. You can meet Phong in the morning," Dot said.
"Thank-you, Dot," Monitor's tone was flat.
Dot and Monitor left for the Principle Office.
"That will be all for this second's lesson, Jo Ann," Bob said.
"Thanks, bro," Jo Ann smiled, and kissed his cheek. She went off with the other Cupid Conpiritors to Al's to plot some more. Monitor's arrival in Mainframe could cause a Cupid Crisis!