Frisket wandered around the data dump, nose pressed against the ground. He had caught wind of a scent that was particularly interesting; it was similar to the fumes of burnt tires, but had a hint of strawberry energy shake. He salivated in excitement. Even if the object wasn't edible, the canine planned on taking a bite regardless; just to see what it tasted like.
Frisket wasn't spooked at all by the sounds of loud machinery, or the movement of nulls slithering by. He spent a lot of time at the dump and was used to it all. The smell got stronger and he barked. Suddenly an old rusted pipe flew through the air, landing in front of him. He looked at it curiously, giving it a cautious sniff. Once he recognized the scent on it he smiled and picked it up. Frisket had spent all morning searching for the owner of the burnt tire smell, but immediately forgot all about his mission.
The dog ran across the lot over to where Matrix stood. He was stationed in front of a panel with a multitude of levers and buttons. They controlled the conveyor belt that was currently running, sorting the trash. Matrix had a look of boredom plastered on his face. He didn't even look at what buttons he pressed; he had been doing the job for so long that it was second nature. He didn't even have to think about what he was doing. That was part of the reason why he actually didn't mind working at the dump. He wasn't exactly a people person, and working for old man Pearson meant that his only company was usually Frisket.
His companion nudged his leg gently, dropping the pipe. Matrix rolled up the sleeves of his jumpsuit before taking it in his hands. It was covered in a generous coating of dog slobber, not that Matrix cared. He didn't mind getting dirty.
After winding up he launched the pipe, sending it flying to the other end of the dump. Frisket ran off after it zealously.
"I'm not paying you to play around!" Old man Pearson scolded.
He had been watching Matrix from his window and didn't see much work being done, so he came out to reprimand him. The conveyor belt was moving at the slowest speed, and he knew for a fact that Matrix could work faster.
"Sorry."
Matrix wiped Frisket's drool off of his hand and went back over to the controls. It was nearing the end of his shift and the sun was about to rise. He didn't mind working the midnight shift every now and then. It was peaceful without the sound of any traffic outside.
"Sorry ain't good enough!" Pearson grumbled.
Matrix turned the speed up and watched as one by one trash heaps moved through the sorter. Wires were carried to the upper level, processing chips went down to the lower level. Anything that could be used as a conductor stayed on the main floor. Waste was sent down a trash chute to be relocated to the compactor. Matrix watched idly, looking for any issues.
Matrix's eyes were only half open by this point. He yawned as his eyelids started to fall; the drowsiness that came with working the night shift started to catch up with him. He was practically asleep standing up. Working at the dump wasn't the most glamorous job, his dad reminded him of that daily. He seldom approved of anything Matrix did. But Matrix wasn't good with sprites and had a bad temper. Whenever he flew off the handle and yelled at old man Pearson, Pearson just yelled back louder. Any other employer would fire him, no matter who his dad was. Matrix and Pearson had a simple relationship and understood each other well, despite never getting touchy feely about it.
A vidwindow popped up and he jumped, startled. Matrix slammed his hand on the emergency stop as a reflex. The button clicked and an alarm buzzed aggressively in response. The noise slowly brought him back into the waking world. Once he got his bearings Matrix shut off the alarm and flicked a switch, restarting the machine. It was at that point he brought his attention to the vidwindow. It was AndrAIa.
Pearson looked over at him, arms crossed. He walked over, about to yell again, but saw who was on the other end of the call. He scowled but stayed silent, not wanting to embarrass him in front of a cute girl.
"Is this a bad time?" AndrAIa asked. It was ridiculously early, but she couldn't sleep. Judging from the things around her it looked like she was home, in her kitchen. She sat at a small table, with a coffee in front of her. Her hair was a mess and there were bags under her eyes. Matrix could tell she was tired, but he imagined he didn't look any better. He was just glad to see her.
"No, I'm just at work." He spoke up over the hum of the machine.
"Do you think we could… talk?"
"Yeah, I'm finishing up soon. We can talk when I'm done."
"Meet me at the beach?"
"Sure thing."
The vidwindow vanished, leaving Matrix alone with a hopeful grin on his face. Out of nowhere an old shoe hit him in the back of the head, bouncing off and landing with a soft thud. Matrix turned and looked at Pearson.
"I'm not paying you to make goo goo eyes, boy. You are still on the clock!"
# #
Welman Matrix was in his office staring out the window. He could see the principal office from where he sat. He spun around in his chair and sighed. The room was large and well furnished. On the opposite wall a whiteboard hung where he'd solve equations to pass the time. Expensive statues of binomes in precarious poses sat in each corner of the room, and every inch of wall space was filled with paintings. He was a logical thinker and always had a natural inclination towards the sciences. The one thing he didn't truly understand was art. Abstract paintings actually stumped and confused him, which is why he liked them so much. It wasn't often that he came across something he couldn't explain.
Cycles ago he had done demonstrations in the twin city that revolutionized net travel. In those days before the war he had gotten billions in grants and funding. Mainframe had been put on the map because of his inventions. Lately though, he didn't do much inventing. Mostly he'd come to work, walk around the labs making small talk with the scientists, and then sit in his office until it was time to go home. He hired a very capable team, and was only needed when there was a problem. Welman was getting older, and had recently started to consider retiring. The only thing stopping him was the fear of boredom, but he was already bored coming in to work anyway. Both of his children were grown up and his wife was gone. What would he even do with his time if he retired?
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
A binome with brown curly hair entered. She wore a grey suit and held a clipboard in her hands.
"Sorry to disturb you Dr. Matrix." She smiled.
"Did you need my help with something?" He frantically opened his drawers and grabbed a handful of pens, and a stack of paper. Welman searched for a calculator, even though he could do most equations in his head. "Are you stuck in a loop? Or perhaps some inconsistencies with advanced net travel codes that need ironing out?"
"Dr. Matrix-"
"I actually think we can increase portal speed by ten nanoseconds if we-"
"Welman!"
He paused, both of his arms full of supplies. She cleared her throat and continued.
"I came here to introduce you to a new employee."
"Ah, I see. Of course." He chuckled awkwardly, disappointed.
A tall sprite stepped forward and smiled. She had blond hair, slicked back in a short cut. It was quite striking against the metallic finish of her skin. Her silver form was eye-catching and demanded a room's attention. Welman dropped his things with a clatter before standing to shake her hand.
Welman's secretary left, closing the door behind her.
"Hi, Dr. Matrix. It's an honour to meet you." Her voice was light and airy, "I'm Maxine."
"The pleasure's all mine. What's your format?"
"Search engine."
"Ah, interesting! So what do you have to offer us here?" He asked, genuinely curious. In his youth Welman oversaw all the hiring, but over time delegated employment to other sprites. With hundreds of employees he found it hard to keep track of them all at times. Remembering codes and theories were easy, names not so much.
"Since you specialize in net travel I've been hired as a consultant. I've gone through hundreds of ports and have ideas for improving the travel experience."
"Excellent. Welcome to the team. Sit, get comfortable!" He waved at the chair in front of his desk as he resumed his seat, "Would you like something to drink?"
"No, thank you. I'm fine."
"At some point I suppose I'll take you on a tour of the facility." He started.
Welman droned on and on and on about thermocouples, particle speed and other scientific things that Maxine didn't quite understand. Her eyes wandered down to the photos on his desk.
"Is this your daughter?" She asked, desperate to change the subject.
"Yes, that's my Dot. She's the command..com of this system and works right there." He pointed at the principal office.
"You must be so proud."
"I am. And here," he held up another photo, "Is Dot with her husband, Bob."
"Guardian 452."
"Yes, he's quite the son in law; very considerate and honourable."
"I can only imagine," Her eyes settled on another photo. She picked it up, "who's this?"
"My son, Enzo- he goes by just Matrix now. Much like Bob, he fought countless users during the war. Against my wishes of course. But that's just how he is, always wanting to protect sprites any way he can."
"And his wife?"
She returned the photo to its place.
"Oh, he's not married." Welman noticed her eyes light up as he spoke.
He loved his son, but Matrix hadn't really done anything with his life. He had so much potential and Welman hated to see it being wasted at the data dump of all places. Suddenly an idea dawned on him. Maybe Matrix just needed some encouragement from a motivated young lady. Someone who was going places and would push him to be better.
"That's surprising."
"You know, Maxine; my daughter hosts an open house every year and I usually extend an invitation to exceptional colleagues. Would you be interested? Bob and Matrix would also be in attendance."
"That sounds like fun, I'd love to."
Welman smiled.
# #
Matrix's heart raced as he walked along the shore. His boots sank into the sand with each step, slowing down his pace. He had raced home after work to shower and scrub the smell of garbage off of him. Being with AndrAIa was the one thing he wanted more than anything. He found himself growing anxious as he searched for her face amongst the strangers. There were a few families picnicking and kids splashing about in the water. The sun was high in the sky and it was particularly humid that day, perfect for a trip to the beach.
As he walked he thought about everything he had said in the holocard. He was embarrassed since he wasn't used to talking about his feelings, but was still glad that he did it. Just off in the distance a dirt path snaked up to a small cliff. It hung over the water with a jagged peak. AndrAIa waved from her place on top and Matrix moved quickly to meet her.
AndrAIa was beyond nervous. Her hands trembled slightly as Matrix approached. He had proved that he genuinely cared about her, but he still didn't know what she really was. If he knew the truth, she feared, he might not look at her the same way. She took a deep breath and smiled. Even if he didn't want to be with her, he deserved to know the truth. She owed him that much. She swallowed as he stopped in front of her.
At first it was awkward and neither of them spoke. AndrAIa stood with her back to the water, dangerously close to the edge. She took in every detail of his face, like it was the last time she'd ever see him. Her gaze traced his strong jawline, leading up to his eyes. Despite his rough around the edges persona, she could see the gentleness within him. He could play tough all he wanted, but his eyes gave him away.
"... You got my card?" Matrix was the first to break the silence.
"Yeah, I did." She took a few steps back, creating a bit more distance between them. Matrix got nervous watching her. She was mere inches from going over the edge of the cliff. He reached out and took her hand, pulling her towards him protectively.
She looked up at him and he let go.
"Sorry."
"I should be the one who's sorry." As she spoke the wind picked up, tossing her hair about freely, "I just ended things without giving you a proper explanation. I didn't mean to be cruel, I just…" She trailed off.
"It's all right, AndrAIa. You can tell me, I'll be fine." Matrix put on a brave face while bracing himself for the worst.
"Can I trust you?"
"Of course."
She backed away once again.
"There's something I have to show you, then." AndrAIa gave a sad smile before taking one last step back, plunging over the edge.
"AndrAIa!" Matrix screamed.
Matrix ran and jumped with no hesitation. By the time he did she was already fully submerged under the water below. As he fell he cursed himself for not holding on to her. Matrix sucked in a deep breath before landing with a crash.
Despite the heat the water was ice cold. Beneath the surface everything was murky which made it hard to see. Matrix got his bearings and spun around, trying to find her. She couldn't have gone that far. She only hit the water seconds before he did, yet she was nowhere in sight. He popped his head above the surface. Matrix gasped, looking around. She wasn't there. He dove back under, trying to stay calm. Where was she?
His panic was instantly quelled as a warm embrace took him from behind.
"Enzo, I'm right here." The voice sounded like AndrAIa. Matrix was sure he was suffering from lack of oxygen. How could he be hearing her voice when they were under water?
"AndrAIa?" He thought to himself as he turned. Once he saw that it was her he tried to pull her to the surface, but she resisted. AndrAIa kept a firm grip of his hand, holding him in place.
"It's all right to breathe, as long as you're touching me you'll be fine."
Matrix took a deep breath, trusting her. At first it hurt as the water rushed into his lungs, but slowly his body got used to it.
"What's going on, AndrAIa? How is this possible?"
"... I'm from Treasure of Atlantis. All the sprites there can communicate telepathically and breathe under water."
"Treasure of Atlantis?" Matrix's eyes grew wide as realization sunk in.
"I'm a game sprite, Enzo."
He looked at her for a moment, processing what had just been said.
"It doesn't matter to me if you're a game sprite or not. You're still AndrAIa. Why wouldn't you just tell me?"
"...I thought you would look at me differently."
"Well, I don't." he thought, placing his free hand gently on her cheek.
"I don't think you understand," AndrAIa pulled his hand away, "in the eyes of the net, I'm less than a sprite. I'm always going to be treated differently, no matter what I do. I'll always be inferior."
Matrix watched her with sad eyes. He was well aware that he had lived a life of extreme privilege. In all honesty, Matrix couldn't say that he'd ever met a game sprite outside of a game. He socialized with the more well off members of society, who were system born sprites mainly. The little he did know about game sprites was from a handful of stories he heard second hand. He was aware that they were treated like second class citizens, but had never given it much thought. Matrix was almost too embarrassed to look her in the eyes. How had he been so complacent for so long? He wallowed in his own misery for cycles and didn't even give anyone else's struggles a thought.
"AndrAIa…"
"I know this isn't what you expected, but I hope you can forgive me for not telling you sooner. I wouldn't want you to ruin your reputation."
"What are you talking about? AndrAIa, I don't care about my reputation; and it certainly doesn't mean more to me than you do."
"I'm a game sprite and you're the son of Welman Matrix. I'm not like you, and I don't want to hold you back."
Matrix placed a hand under her chin, angling her face upwards and into a kiss. She was surprised, but kissed him back. He pulled away and smiled down at her.
"AndrAIa, we are exactly the same."
"But you deserve a happy life, Enzo. One where you can be proud of the sprite by your side. I can't give you that."
"But-"
"Goodbye, Enzo."
AndrAIa, despite her feelings, was sticking with her decision. For his sake she had to. She began to drift away slowly, allowing herself to be carried by the tide. Right before letting go of his hand Matrix thought the one thing he had been too afraid to say out loud.
"I love you."
She paused, stunned. He couldn't have meant it; they barely knew each other. There was a sincerity in his eyes that pulled her back in, despite every part of her wanting to leave.
"I know it's crazy, but that's how I feel." He continued, "I've known since the first day we met. My reputation- my life means nothing without you."
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
He kissed her again. AndrAIa acknowledged how weak she was for giving in completely, but she couldn't help herself.
"Enzo… I love you too."
End Log