Please note that this story was written ages ago – just as season three had finished, actually. I guess you can consider this an AU, since it deviates wildly from what actually happens in season 4 and after. In case these first seven chapters seem a little rushed, it's because I wrote them one a day for a week, in between school, work, and general housekeeping stuff while my mom was out of town.
Oh, and I don't own canon characters, MFE does, yadda yadda yadda.
********
"Legacy"
Part 7
"His name?"
"Keevan Matrix."
"Welcome to Aragon, Keevan Matrix..."
Matrix and Andraia looked at each other and smiled. This time it would be different. It had been 4 months Game-time since they had left Mainframe, and they had never looked back. Matrix held his newborn son and felt pure joy; so much joy the only thing keeping him from shouting it aloud was that it would scare Keevan.
The two of them had stayed in the Games until just recently, and they had only come out when Andraia had admitted that she believed it would be safer for the baby to be born in a system. They had stopped here, and settled temporarily in an apartment, Matrix playing the system's Games as Andraia stayed behind. Neither of them were happy at being away from each other, however, Andraia had to admit that carrying a newborn child would be dangerous enough, she didn't really want to try having the child in a Game. The two of them were determined to return to the Games as soon as Keevan could handle the code change to Game Sprite.
Andraia grinned at Matrix's look even as she added the new codes to Keevan's icon; she had been worried once, a long time ago, about what kind of a father Matrix would make. Matrix as he had been wouldn't have made a good father, but having a child had changed him in ways she hadn't imagined. The tenderness and gentleness he'd shown only to her in their intimate moments had bloomed and grown, and she no longer had any doubts as to his parenting ability.
Andraia finished her task and let the system's present Keevan with his icon. She slipped her arm around Matrix's waist, and watched their son become a registered sprite.
They walked out of the Principle Office a short while later, into the bright light of day. The system was busy, but Matrix and Andraia were able to catch a transport to the business sector of the city. Andraia had insisted she pick up the carrysac she'd ordered made for Keevan. It was of a special cloth, tough but lined with a soft layer, and it had a hood that could be pulled up over the baby's head. The material was breathable too, and it was possible to seal Keevan up inside it entirely in case of an attack. She paid for it and thanked the binome, then slipped it on over her shoulders. Matrix bounced Keevan in his arms, ruffling the baby's green hair.
"Are you sure he'll fit in that?"
"Enzo, I had it measured so that it will fit him now and as he gets older. I'll probably be carrying him around in this for a while, so the sooner I get used to it, the better. Put him in, will you?" She turned and Matrix slipped Keevan into the carrysac, leaving the top open so he could see out.
Matrix frowned a bit as Andraia shifted Keevan's weight. She tightened the straps so it was snug, then twirled in place. Keevan's eyes widened and he shrieked with laughter, but he never moved.
"I should get one of those too..." he muttered.
Andraia smiled and pulled another one out of the shopping bag. "I had this one sized so you can wear it. After all, I can carry one kid, but you'll have to carry the next one."
Matrix lifted his eyebrows and grinned. "Oh, planning for more so soon?"
Andraia laughed, then pulled his head down and kissed him. "If you think I'm going to stop at one, you're sadly mistaken..."
"Warning: Incoming Game." All three of them looked up at the darkening sky as the Game Cube started entering the system.
"Well... I guess we're going to get our chance to test Keevan's new icon." Matrix's voice shook a bit; he hadn't forgotten Dot's accusation. Andraia squeezed his hand and smiled.
"It'll be ok, lover. This time, everything will be ok."
The Game Cube landed with a crash, sealing them inside.
********
"Her name?"
"Lyra Matrix."
"Welcome to Dethorn, Lyra Matrix..." The two sprites smiled; Matrix held the baby and Andraia the hand of a young green-haired boy.
"Say hello to your sister, Keevan." Matrix knelt down on one knee so Keevan could see his new sister. The boy reached out a hand and smiled as Lyra grabbed his finger in a strong grip. She opened her dark blue eyes and looked up at him, not making a sound. Keevan just stared at her, then grinned.
"Lyra?"
The little girl waved her fists, tugging Keevan's finger back and forth. Stung, he pulled it out as she started to cry. Matrix and Andraia shook their heads, grinning at their children. They looked back down though as Lyra's crying stopped suddenly. Keevan had put his hand over her mouth, and she blinked her big blue eyes at him, puzzled. He took his hand away even as Andraia pulled him back from his sister.
"What did you do that for?" Matrix wasn't sure if he should be angry or not, he as just as puzzled as Lyra was.
"She's gotta be quiet..." Keevan mumbled.
"But why, honey?" Andraia knelt down too, looking at Keevan's serious face.
"'Cause you always tell me to be quiet when a Game comes, so she's gotta be quiet too." Keevan said it as if they should have known this, and they were teasing him.
Matrix looked at Andraia, and opened his mouth to speak when-
"Warning: Incoming Game. Warning: Incoming Game." The system voice sounded throughout the Principle Office, shocking everyone inside it into action. For the young couple, however, it meant something different.
"Keevan... how did you know the Game was coming?"
"Felt it." Keevan looked up at his father and bit his lip, the way he always did when he'd done something he wasn't supposed to.
"You felt it? How? What-"
"Matrix! We don't have time right now, not if we want to get into this game. We'll talk about this later. But Keevan, darling," Andraia hugged him, then stood. "Don't worry, you haven't done anything wrong. In fact, you've done something very right..."
Keevan looked up at his parents, wanting to make sure his dad wasn't angry. He watched as Lyra was slipped into his mom's carrysac, then let himself be lifted into the one on his dad's back. As they zipped out of the building towards the descending Cube, he poked his dad's shoulder.
"Hmm? What is it son?" Matrix glanced back over his shoulder so he could see Keevan's worried eyes.
"Are.. are you mad at me?" Purple eyes glistened with tears, just waiting to fall.
"Mad - no! Why in the Net would I be mad? You've just made me very happy, kiddo... very happy indeed..." Keevan's face brightened as Matrix smiled, and continued. "And if there's anything else you know that I don't, you can tell me too. This way, you get to be the teacher."
Keevan wrinkled his nose and Matrix laughed. One of the things Keevan hated was the daily exercises in speed and agility, and he'd do anything to get out of them. The thought of getting to teach his dad something made Keevan smile; he thought that sensing Games was all Keevan could do? Wouldn't he be surprised...
They entered the Game's sector, and Keevan felt the now familiar tingle of Game energy tingle through him, as the Cube lowered. Lyra was looking around, eyes wide at the sights and sounds, and Keevan laughed, clapping his hands. Lyra's eyes darted to him, and she laughed too. Matrix glanced at Andraia, their children's laughter spreading to them, and they ReBooted into their Game characters.
Lyra squealed as she felt the Game change her codes for the first time, and Keevan smiled as he changed a bit more as well. Yup, Dad was gonna be so surprised...
It had been 6 months Game-time since they had left Mainframe.
********
"Their names?"
"Dixon Matrix, the boy, and Kylla Matrix, the girl." Bob and Dot held their children, smiling at each other as Phong fixed the icons to the children's jumpsuits. "Welcome to Mainframe, children. May you live long and happy lives here in the Net."
Dot's smile flickered as she remembered another ceremony much like the one Phong had just completed, a ceremony for a little girl she had never known. Then Kylla gurgled, waving her tiny fists in the air, and Dot's smile bloomed again. Time to let things be...
It had been a month system time since Matrix and Andraia had left Mainframe.
********
The Game cube rose, startling sprites and binomes. Had they lost so quickly? There'd hardly been enough time to get half the people out of the surrounding sectors! People started to panic, then it gradually stopped. The system voice had announced "Game Over", but not "User Wins". What had happened? The binome in charge of the evacuation, a One named Drago, turned and stared in shock at a group of people who stood where no one had stood before.
Four strange Sprites stood in the street where the Cube had been. Two adults and two young children, and two even younger children on the backs of the adults, sitting in some sort of backpack. The male Sprite was tall and green skinned with short black hair, and a golden eye. He carried a gun on his hip, and a baby on his back. He grinned, as if daring anyone to say a word about the cute image he made.
The female Sprite was lean, peach-colored with long blue-green hair, and she was also carrying a child. She had what appeared to be fins on her arms and legs, and she walked sinuously, as if her very bones were flexible.
The children seemed to be a mix of the elder sprites, having green skin and long blue-green hair, and Drago noticed that they did indeed have fins as well. The oldest was a boy, the younger a girl, and he guessed their ages to be about 7 and 5 months, respectively.
The male sprite stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"Hello there, my name is Matrix..."
It had been a 11 months, Game-time, since Matrix and Andraia had left Mainframe.
********
Dot smiled and thanked Phong as he entered the office to take over for the evening. Dot turned as Bob entered the office, giving her a kiss before picking up one of the children from their playpen. Bob twirled Kylla around in the air as Dot reached down and got Dixon. The couple walked out of the Principal Office holding their children, headed for home. It had been 2 months, system time, since Matrix and Andraia had left Mainframe.
"Warning: Incoming Game."
Bob looked up at the sky as the cube descended and handed Kylla to Dot. She took the children and headed back towards the Principle Office to make sure she stayed clear of the game. Bob stood underneath the cube as it descended, watching Dot until the Cube sealed him off from her.
********
"ReBoot!"
Bob looked around. He was in a dark creepy dungeon, and he was surrounded by Game Sprites. He had ReBooted into a Minotaur, a bull-like creature armed with a bow. None of the sprites made any move to leave the room even though the door was right in front of them, and Bob had an uneasy feeling. With all of them bunched up, it would be no problem for the User to destroy them all at once. Bob crept to the door and opened it; he looked back at the room - none of the Game Sprites had made any sort of move. He heard a number of explosions down the hallway and he made his way towards them, bow strung and ready to fire. He peeked around the corner... and saw it.
A even larger bull-like creature armed with a cleaver hacked repeatedly at a bow-wielding woman. The woman had apparently made the mistake of getting in too close to use her bow effectively. Bob winced as blood flew with every strike of the cleaver, until finally she collapsed.
"Game Over."
Bob blinked. There was a sprite standing in front of him where the bull-creature had been. The Sprite spun as if he had sensed someone behind him, and Bob felt his jaw drop. The light sparkled on the fins that jutted from the stranger's arms and legs. He faced Bob with a grin, his purple eyes shining in his green-skinned face, his long blue-green hair tied back in a pony tail.
"I am Guardian 452 of System Mainframe.. state your name and function," Bob managed to stammer out. 'Could this be...?' Bob could see Dot in the distance, heading his way.
"This is Mainframe? And you'd be... Bob?" The sprite's voice was melodic, and something about the way the sprite looked at him made Bob relax. Bob nodded, confirming the sprite's questions. "My name is Keevan. My format?" Keevan shrugged. "I'm a Game Player, I travel to systems through the games, making sure lives aren't lost just because they don't have a system Guardian."
Dot had arrived by that time, and as she pulled up her zipboard behind Bob, she got her first good look at Keevan. "Oh my..."
Keevan looked at her and a smile blossomed on his face. "Don't tell me.. you're my Aunt Dot, right?"
Bob and Dot stared in shock as Keevan looked around him, smiling. "Mainframe... It looks just like dad said it did..."
"DAD?" Bob and Dot stared at each other as Keevan flashed them another grin.
"You mean... your father... is Matrix?" Dot couldn't believe it; she had a nephew, and he was almost as old as she was!
Keevan laughed. "You sound so hesitant! Yes, my father's name is Matrix, Enzo Matrix. My mother's name is Andraia, and while he was a system sprite, she was a Game sprite from the beginning. They lived here in Mainframe until they were trapped in a Game they couldn't win, causing them to change format to Game mode and travel through the Games trying to find their way back here." He smiled crookedly. "Is that enough proof?" Dot came forward to stand beside Bob, and Keevan got his first look at the children.
"Oh... they're precious! Yours?" He looked up, his purple eyes dancing with delight as he reached one hand out to brush Kylla's silver-green hair. She opened her brown eyes and stared at him, and he laughed as her tiny brows furrowed. "May I...?" He glanced up at Dot, then at Bob, and his grin spread as Dot nodded. Keevan reached out and carefully took the baby into his arms, cuddling her. Bob and Dot shared a smile; Keevan appeared smitten! "She's adorable... what's her name?"
"Kylla Matrix... and this is Dixon Matrix." Dot shifted Dixon so he could see Keevan too, and Dixon pouted as he noticed that Kylla was getting more attention than he was. Keevan laughed and ran one finger down Dixon's nose, making the baby go cross-eyed for a moment. Dot glanced at Bob over Keevan's head and nodded towards the Principle Office. Bob got out his zipboard.
"Why not come to the Principle Office... we'd like to pick your brain about Matrix and what he's been up to... or would you like to rest or have something to eat first?" Keevan glanced up from Kylla.
"I'm fine... and I'd love to talk about my dad... one thing is for certain, there's a lot to tell!" Keevan reached behind him and pulled a loose fold of his iridescent shirt out from his side. He then apparently tucked Kylla inside this fold, and Dot's eyes widened as he let go of the baby. Dot relaxed as she saw Kylla's head pop up over Keevan's shoulder - the youth saw her worried look and smiled.
"It a carry-sac... we all wear them, and they're made for carrying babies. Don't worry, she'll be fine." He flipped out a zipboard as Bob and Dot glanced at each other. Keevan rose into the air as he continued, "This sac is armored too, believe me, I've trusted my own children to this little pouch, I'm sure she'll love it as much as they do." Bob almost fell off his board.
"YOUR children?" Bob almost choked, and his eyes widened as he stared at the younger man. Keevan laughed at Bob's expression.
"Yes, I have children; two in fact." He shrugged, "I decided to start early... believe me, if you could see Sentra, you'd understand." He smiled and blinked lazily, "The eldest is named Rodin, a boy, and Rahne, the younger girl."
The group headed towards the Principle Office, and true to Keevan's word, Kylla shrieked with laughter as she flew through the air on Keevan's back. Keevan winced at the volume, but shook his head and grinned.
"So you've got two children already..." Dot mused as they flew towards the hub of the system.
"Well, two that lived." Keevan's voice held sorrow, and a quick glance at his face told Bob that there had indeed been more children once. Dot shared a worried look with Bob, then fell silent for the rest of the journey to the Principle Office.