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.
Oh, and I don't own canon characters, MFE does, yadda yadda yadda.
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"Legacy"
Part 9
Keevan tapped his icon once more, and when the swirling energy released him, had returned to his normal outfit. He grinned openly at the expressions on their faces, then straightened and looked at the door. The others turned as well, wondering what it was Keevan had heard when the door slid open and a young sprite with a dog beside him walked in. The youth was dressed in a Guardian's uniform and stopped dead when he saw Keevan.
Keevan sucked in a breath, his eyes wide as he met the astonished gaze of young Enzo Matrix. Frisket sniffed the air and stared at Keevan, trying to figure out who he was. Keevan carefully froze as Frisket stepped forward and circled him, sniffing. Frisket blinked, then jumped on Keevan, licking his face. Keevan laughed and tried to push him away, but wasn't having much luck.
"You're back! How's life at the Academy?" Enzo blinked, a bit jealous of Frisket's treatment of a stranger, then smiled at his sister.
"Fine, sis, it's going great! Prime Turbo decided to let me come back for the reunion, he'll be coming too in a little while, he just needed to prepare a bit." Enzo looked up at Bob and grinned. "Yeah, and I'm in the top 2% of my classes too... Turbo is quite happy about that. He's suggested I go for the advanced courses next term, and I think I'll do it."
Bob raised his eyebrows in surprise, he knew Enzo was doing good at the Academy, but he didn't know he was doing that good. "That's great! Way to go Enzo! And before you know it, you'll have graduated and be running one of the Net ports of the SuperComputer. And maybe, one day, become a system Guardian."
Dot looked at her little brother, he wasn't so little anymore. At 1.5 he had started his growth spurt and was pretty tall. He was still filling out, but he looked more like an acrobat or an athlete then a muscle-bound bruiser. 'Quite unlike his older self...'
Dot shook her head a bit and turned back to Keevan, who had finally convinced Frisket to let him up. Mouse chuckled as he wiped his face a bit, making a face and mock glaring at Frisket as he did so.
"Ick! Dog germs!" Keevan grinned, rubbing his chin and scratching Frisket's head as the big dog wagged his tail. "Oh go on, you, silly thing. Dad told me about you... and it seems you haven't changed at all." Frisket's head turned and he fixed his gaze on Keevan's face. "That's right... so don't try and pull any of your stunts, you." Keevan smiled down at Frisket, missing the puzzled look Enzo shot at him.
"Um.. excuse me.. who are you?"
Keevan looked at the young sprite, once again noting the resemblances and differences to his father. This Enzo Matrix was getting tall, but he wasn't anywhere near as muscular as even Keevan had been at his age. Bob and Dot watched as Keevan faced off with Enzo, both of them wondering how this would end up. Keevan smiled and put out his hand, saying "Hi... my name is Keevan Matrix. I'm.. you're... well..." he looked around the room with a half grin and chuckled. "You.. are the younger version of my father."
Enzo blinked, clearly astonished, but thinking things through. "Then Matrix... um, I mean, my older self... is he ok? Is he here? When did you arrive? How-"
The older sprite grinned and held up his hands, warding off more questions. "Easy... to answer your questions, yes he's fine, no he's not here now, and just a little while ago." Enzo laughed, having no problem sorting out which answers went with which questions. He turned to face Bob and Dot as Keevan stepped up beside him, and they stood side by side for a moment.
Dot was amazed at the resemblance, The eyes were the same, the shape of the jaw, the same grin, the way both of them held one eyebrow slightly higher then the other... if she didn't know they were related, she would have thought they were brothers.
Keevan shook his head and grinned at Dot. "So, Aunt, I have 30 nanos before the next Game arrives.... can I take a look around the system?"
Dot nodded. "Of course-", but before she could say anything more, Enzo broke in.
"I can show him around if you'd like, sis. It's been a while since I was home too. How about it, Keevan?" The older Matrix smiled and shrugged.
"Sure, it's ok with me. Aunt?" Both boys looked at Dot with the eyes of her brother, and she laughed.
"Oh, go ahead. We're still getting things ready, and I've got a million things to do. But... I'll be doing them at the Diner, not here. I'm off duty now, and after the mess today has been... Go on, have fun!" Both Keevan and Enzo threw out zipboards and zipped out the door, moving almost as one. Frisket ran after them, barking.
Dot turned to find Bob watching her with a lopsided smile and handed her Denner even as he snagged Aerin again. "Ready for attempt number two?" She chuckled and threw out a zipboard of her own, heading out the door, sensing Bob, Mouse and Ray following.
Far ahead of them they saw two sprites flying high over the city; evidently neither of the boys wanted to waste any time.
********
"So... considering your age, I'd say you live in the Games, not a system, right?" Enzo glanced over at Keevan as they flew over Baudway. Keevan nodded, and Enzo went on. "So how did you get here? What's it like in the Games? I mean, I've played them, but I've always wondered what it would be like to travel through them..."
Keevan grinned. "Ok, well, how about I tell you what it's like as we go through the city, and when we see places you think are important, you can tell me about it." Enzo nodded, and Keevan began.
"Mom changed my icon as soon as I got it, transferred her Game Sprite protocols, that is, and I became a Game Sprite at the same time I became a system sprite, which is why I think I became something new... a Player. I first became aware that I was different when I started to predict the Games... I knew when they would arrive and where they would land. I knew.. but my parents didn't. I thought that they did, but I had no idea that they couldn't feel the same things I felt. I got up the courage to tell them when my sister, Lyra was born-"
"You've got a sister?"
"A sister? Frag, yes.. I've got three sisters and two brothers... I would have been two more sisters, but Kylla died before I was born and Megan was lost in a battle with 8 Class Three's... Anyway, after I told mom and dad, they started trying to find out what else I could do... It was pretty neat, actually. Ooooh.. what's that?"
"Oh! Are you hungry? That's the Diner... Dot's first independent business. 'Fastest food in Mainframe'... that's her motto! I think Cecil runs it now though, there's no way Dot has enough time to run it and the rest of the system too. Want an energy shake?" Keevan shrugged and nodded.
"One thing about being a Player, Enzo.. you learn not to pass up food when it's offered. Lead on!"
Enzo laughed and zipped down to the Diner with Keevan following.
********
"Cecil! Can we get two energy shakes to go?" Cecil spun around, waving his arms.
"Ach! The young Matrix boy.. and when did you get back?" Cecil walked over to the two sprites and looked Keevan up and down. He sniffed. "And who is this?"
"My name's Keevan. You're Cecil? The waiter? I've heard about you. But.. have you always had legs? I thought..." Keevan frowned, trying to remember what his dad had told him.
"Hmf.. No, I got them in the last upgrade... Ze Madame made sure they arrived safely. Would you like a table or will you wait at the bar? It won't be long." Cecil turned away without waiting for an answer and Keevan looked at Enzo, puzzled.
"Don't worry, he's always that way... there's a free booth in the corner, why don't we sit down for a bit?" Keevan shrugged and slid into the seat. They barely had time to sit down before Cecil was at the table, handing them their shakes. Kevan blinked, surprised, and looked up to see Enzo grinning.
"I told you it was fast..."
Cecil looked at them and sniffed. "So, how is it that you know about me? I'm sure I've never met you before, although you are somewhat familiar..." Cecil looked Keevan over carefully, and the sprite nodded.
"You've met my parents, Matrix and Andraia? That's who-"
"They are your parents?" Cecil took a step back, shocked. "I wasn't sure.. where did they go after they left? Are they- How did-" Cecil shook himself. "I understand why they left, but why didn't they come back after a while? Considering how Madame reacted to their leaving..."
"Wait a nano... you know why they left?" Keevan leaned forward, staring intently at Cecil. "Can you tell me? Please?"
"What do I look like, an archivist? I'm a manager.. not a storyteller!" Cecil grumbled, throwing up his hands and turning away. Keevan seemed ready to pounce on the annoying ex-waiter when suddenly he turned around. Glancing from Enzo to Keevan, Cecil threw his arms in the air and said "Ach.. why not. No one else will tell you. But I was here.. actually, it was in this very establishment where they had their disagreement. Not this booth, but that one, there." Cecil pointed at a table on the other side of the diner, and it's current occupants found themselves the focus of three pairs of eyes, all staring intently at them.
"That is where they sat that morning, and after an excellent meal, which of course," Cecil paused to sniff, remembering Matrix's casual indifference to the wonderfully prepared meal that morning, then continued. "Of course, was not properly appreciated, Matrix pulled out a small object, some sort of cube..."
********
After Cecil had told them the story of Matrix and Andraia's leaving, Enzo and a much-subdued Keevan continued on their short tour of Mainframe.
"So how much time do we have left?"
Keevan peered up at the sky and squinted. "Hmm.. make it... about 10 nanos. I'd better get into position. I have to make sure I'm under the Game and as near to the center of it as I can get." Enzo nodded and followed the older sprite as he zipped towards Kits Sector; apparently the Game would land there.
********
"How long now? Is there anything you need me to do?" Keevan grinned and looked down at Enzo. He was so intense, like his older self, but this version of Matrix was quite bouncy. Keevan found himself grinning at the enthusiasm in the youth's voice, but shook his head.
"Nope, there's nothing you need to do, except make sure no one touches me while I'm making contact... not that you'd want to get near at that point... "He laughed at the puzzlement on Enzo's face, "You'll see. Oh, here they come..." Enzo turned his head to see Bob, Mouse and Ray heading for them. "Just the sprite I wanted to talk to..." Enzo turned back, surprised at the venom in Keevan's voice.
"Keevan! Is the Game going to land here? Dot's at the Diner, getting power stats relayed from the Principle Office, and they're still not picking anything up." Bob got off his zipboard and stepped up to both Matrixes.
Keevan tightened his mouth and narrowed his eyes, then muttered, "It'll be here.. in 8 nanos." His tone was hostile, and a surprise to everyone there.
"Um, Keevan? What's wrong?" Bob was at a loss, what had happened to his nephew? Mouse, Ray and Enzo all stared at the exotic sprite who was currently staring up at the sky.
"You actually thought he'd done it, didn't you?" Keevan's voice was quiet, yet his tone was hateful.
"Keevan?" Enzo reached out to touch his arm, then thought better of it when Keevan's spines slid out..
"How could you... you of all people.. actually believe that he would put his own daughter in danger? You accused him of killing her! HOW COULD YOU???" Keevan shouted, turning to Bob, eyes blazing, spines unsheathed. He pointed one finger directly at his uncle, his hand shaking with barely repressed violence. "You had to have known what it would do to him! And yet you still accused him of it!" He turned away again, and stared up at the sky, awaiting the Game.
Bob looked at Enzo, who shrugged. "We were at the Diner and Cecil told us what happened that day when they left. He got really quiet after that..."
Bob sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair, then opened a VidWindow to Dot. "Bob? No sign of-"
"Dot? Keevan here has... a problem." Bob sighed, pain in his eyes as he turned to his nephew.
"A problem? A problem??? I suppose you could call it that.. considering you drove my parents away from here with your oh-so casual accusations. As far as I'm concerned right now, I'm leaving with this Game and not coming back... my father had a good reason for not wanting to find this place again, and I don't blame him."
Dot looked at Keevan through the VidWindow and pleaded with him. "Keevan, it wasn't like that! You didn't know what he was like when he was younger! He was.. he had so much hate inside him, and he had no control over himself. He was capable of anything... he might not have realized how much danger they were in until it was too late.."
Keevan whipped around, his face impassive, all his earlier anger seemingly vanished. When he spoke, his voice was icy. "You do realize, of course, that you were operating with absolutely no real information at all? You still have no idea of how Kylla died..." He sighed and shook his head. "A 'disagreement' they said... but what a disagreement... Kylla died at the age of three months, after visiting many systems, when she was killed by a rampaging virus. There was a group of children, about 30 strong, huddled in a blind alley, caught there while trying to escape the virus. It had them trapped, and father was on the opposite side of the thing. Mother was the only one near enough to get near the children as it turned to attack them. She ducked one hit, but was caught by the second as she blasted a hold in a wall to let the children escape. The second blast caught her in the side and back... and Kylla was in her backpack." Keevan looked up at the sky, eyes glistening. "That was how she died... they had to make a choice between Kylla's life and the lives of over thirty innocents... Guess who won?"
Keevan shook his head and wiped away a tear. "That was how she died.. and you never even asked. You just assumed they had taken her into a Game and gotten her killed through reck-"
"Keevan! please... we know. We're sorry, we found out we were wrong when they left... all we've wanted is a chance to see them again, and tell them we're sorry. Please.. give us that chance. Call them here.. call Matrix and Andraia home." The sprites looked at Keevan in silence as the young man stared up at the sky and braced himself.
Dot said quietly, "We're registering an energy buildup.. a Game is arriving directly over you, right about.. now."
"WARNING: INCOMING GAME... WARNING: INCOMING GAME..." The system voice boomed as the sky darkened and a hole appeared above them.
"Keevan.. please, let us at least say we're sorry..." Bob reached out and touched his nephew's arm. Keevan turned and looked into his eyes, shining purple burning into warm brown... and nodded.
"It is not my choice to forgive you, for the hurt was not done to me. The apology needs to be made and accepted to heal the wounds between family members.. and family is important. Very well, I will call them. Please stand back."
Keevan's face softened as Bob stepped back. "I can read your sincerity, uncle, and I forgive you, but it is my father's forgiveness you need, not mine."
The sky opened up and purple Game energy crackled as the Cube took form above them, and Keevan braced himself again, holding his hands in front of him palms facing each other, but keeping them a foot apart. Closing his eyes in concentration, Game energy swirled around him in a column, encasing him in a translucent shield of purple fire. As the Game started down towards them Keevan waited, energy levels building, the power singing around his body in a rising whine. Between his hands a core of Game energy formed, brighter then Bob had ever seen. Keecvan's eyes burned with the energy and it made his hair crackle, and his fins glowed as excess energy was shed.
Bob, Enzo, Mouse and Ray backed off, not sure of what was happening, and when the Game was about halfway into the system, Keevan raised his arms and forced his hands together. The resulting explosion was soundless, but was enough to knock Keevan to his knees as a huge burst of energy rocketed up into the bottom of the Game Cube.
The power surged into the Cube, and up through the hole in the sky to vanish in the darkness. Keevan turned to Bob and grinned."Message sent," he said, and stood just in time for the Game to land on them.
slep
