Two

Franzan checked up on his projects. As he expected, the 'most attractive female' expired a few days later, after hanging in limbo. But, to his surprise, the 'most intelligent male' appeared to be pulling through. He needed to be connected to the machines for a while, but in a week, he was able to survive on his own. He was now functional on his own, though he got sick easily and was very small, even for an eight-year-old. Aelita was a full success. She could perfectly function on her own and had already developed her personality.

She was bright and inquisitive, smart and innocent, but also feisty and independent. She was also deeply loving.

The 'most intelligent male' was also developing. He was very smart, obviously, and he was caring and nice, though had a cynical side.

Franzan kept them hooked to his computers, so that they wouldn't age. He still needed to fix some kinks in his supercomputer before they could move to the world he had prepared.

He watched his children, who were reading on the ground. The Hermitage's basement was no place to keep children.

"Look MIM!" Aelita showed the 'most intelligent male', or MIM (pronounced: Meem), as she called him, a page in her book.

The tiny genius examined her book. He shook his head. "I don't know who writes this stuff! That's obviously wrong, in so many ways! Really, the things that get published these day!"

Aelita laughed. "I know MIM, it's ridiculous. To think that anyone would be misled by this misinformation."

MIM tossed it into a pile that the two had labeled 'incorrect'.

Franzan smiled. He loved to see his precious one so happy. And soon he would take her to a place where they would never be in danger again.

.

"What is this place, Daddy?" Aelita stood in front of the scanner in the old factory.

"You'll see, honey," he responded, smiling. "Step inside the scanner, MIM," he ordered.

Franzan headed up to the lab, where he began the virtualization. "Transfer: MIM. Scanner: MIM. Virtualization!"

In a quiet, virtual forest, a disturbance appeared in the air. Soon, MIM landed on the ground. He wore a silky blue outfit, with green designs. The outfit gave him a distinct, mage-like appearance, helped by the blue and black robes he wore.

"Daddy?" The eight-year-old piped up. "Where am I? What happened?"

"Daddy!" Aelita shrieked, from below. "MIM's gone!"

Franzan could hear MIM's panicked voice. But, he would have to wait. If there were any ill effects of being virtualized, Franzan didn't want them to hurt his precious Aelita. Better to wait and see what happened to MIM first.

"Don't worry, Aelita sweetie, MIM's fine," he called down to Aelita. "MIM," he instructed, "run ahead, down the path in front of you. When you get to the end of the path, you'll reach a large, cylinder. Walk into it. Don't fall off the paths."

In the virtual forest, MIM nodded. He began running, his cloak flying out behind him. He wondered where he was, what he was doing there.

He ran to the cylinder. He looked up at it in awe. Then, obeying his father's orders, he walked into it.

In the factory, Franzan ran a scan on MIM. No ill effects popped up. A grin moved across his face. "Aelita, dearest, step into the scanner now. Don't worry, nothing's wrong. Go into the scanner."

Nervously, she stepped into the scanner.

"Transfer: Aelita. Scanner: Aelita. Virtualization.

In the middle of the virtual forest, a new disturbance appeared.

Then, on the ground, landed Aelita. She wore a pink and white assemble, a green earring in one pointed ear.

Franzan gave her the directions to the tower.

Aelita walked through the tower, entering.

"MIM!" She shrieked, happily. MIM rushed to her and gave her a hug.

"You look really pretty, Aelita," he said shyly.

She beamed. "You look pretty cute yourself!"

The two discussed their apparel, and where the heck they were.

Then Franzan walked in. He wore a black and red outfit, with symbols on the shoulders and knees. The symbols marked him as the master of the virtual world.

"Well," he said, giving Aelita a hug. "Welcome to your new home!" Aelita and MIM's eyes got big.

"You mean we're living here, Daddy?" MIM asked, blue eyes huge.

He nodded. "What do you think, princess?"

"Oh, daddy! I love it!" She threw her arms around him in a hug. The children had only ever known the cold cellar of the Hermitage, and this new, bright world, with its trees and sunlight were so different.

"In these towers," Franzan told them, "you can access the outside world." Franzan showed them how to access outside sources from the interfaces in the towers. They could access everything that had ever been on an electrical appliance. They could find enough entertainment and information to last them forever. They could create things of their own. And as the outside world advanced, so would the information they had. They could also spend forever exploring the new world. Franzan was creating new sectors. He was thinking an ice sector. And maybe a mountain one. Maybe he could do a field, or a dessert. He would also update the sectors, add new plants and animals. He had already created a pet for Aelita.

"Honey, why don't you come outside. There's someone I want you to meet!"

Aelita ran outside, MIM trailing in her wake.

Franzan typed a program onto the interface.

In front of the two children appeared a small, curious creature.

It had six short legs and a big brownish tan head. Its one eye blinked at Aelita. It had a virtual symbol on its forehead.

"Oh daddy!" Both children ran up and began playing with it.

It leaped in a puppy-like fashion, created small, yip-like sounds. It ran around them and jumped on their laps to be petted.

"Oh daddy!" Aelita said again, jumping up as her father exited the tower, beaming.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it!"

"What's its name?" MIM asked.

Franzan frowned. "Well now, I hadn't thought of that. What do you think its name should be, Aelita?"

The pink haired elf examined the little creature for a moment.

"Kra-no, Kaky-no no, aha! Kankralet!"

"Kankralet!" MIM said, happily. "Perfect!"

Franzan watched the children run off with Kankralet.

"Let's go exploring!" MIM suggested.

"Don't fall into the digital sea!" Franzan called after them. "And be back in twelve hours! I'm programming an alarm to go off when you reach the half-way point!"

.

Later they were going over what they had found, slides of hollowed trees that went on for miles, trees to climb, pools of water.

"And you know what?" Franzan said, when they had quieted off.

"What?" They chorused.

"I'm already busy making more. More creatures, more sectors, more everything."

"It's perfect, daddy."

"Yeah, perfect," MIM echoed.

"What do you think we should call our new home, honey?"

Aelita frowned, thinking. Then, she smiled.

"Lyoko."