Bob, and Matrix sat in the Saucy Mare's Mess hall drinking energy shakes, "I can't believe Megabyte MERGED!" Matrix said.
Bob nodded, "Believe it. He's here… and he's dangerous!"
Matrix shook his head, "This is bad, VERY bad!"
"What's even worse is that he has connections here.." Bob said.
Matrix looked at him, "Connections?! WHAT connections?!"
"Daemon.." Bob answered, "his Mother!" He hadn't meant to say it so bluntly, but now was not the time for subtlety.
Matrix nearly fell out of his seat, "You mean… Daemon… and Megabyte, and Hex…?!"
Bob nodded, but had nothing more to say.
*** Mainframe
Dot sat in her diner, staring at the wall, "Dot..?" a gentle voice interrupted her thoughts, "What's wrong?!"
Dot looked at the pleasant interruption, "AndrAIa! Sit down.. have an energy shake.." she smiled.
AndrAIa raised an eyebrow, but sat across from Dot, "You miss him, don't you?"
Dot studied the table top, "I'm worried about him. I lost him to the web once already… I don't want to lose him again…"
AndrAIa smiled sweetly, "At least you know he's in no danger there. He knows the web pretty well now, and he's friends with the web riders! I'm sure he's safe!"
Dot looked up at AndrAIa, and smiled, "You're worried about Matrix, aren't you?!"
AndrAIa opened her mouth for a moment, then closed it. She looked sheepish, "Yes… I am,"
"Well!" Dot said suddenly as she stood up, "Enough pining for the guys! We've got our own business to attend to!!"
"Are you needed at the Principle Office? " AndrAIa asked.
"I was just about to call in and see," Dot replied, and did so. She opened a vid window and spoke to Phong.
"Everything is fine here, my child!!" Phong replied when Dot asked him for an update. "If we need you, we will call.."
Dot nodded, "Great… see you later, Phong." Dot closed the Vid Window, and turned back to AndrAIa, "Let's say we take a stroll down Baudway. Maybe catch a show?! Take our minds off the guys!"
AndrAIa smiled, "That's a great idea….. commander!"
The two ladies left the diner and started their walk. They didn't notice the small portal that opened a few feet away, or the ragged female sprite that crawled out of it.
***
Outside Dot's Diner
The silver-skinned sprite looked around carefully, "Where am I??" she asked herself. This system did not look familiar to her. "I do not understand… how did I come to be here.. I was.. resting… after a battle… I.." She stopped. Confusion swept in. Her memory was swiss cheese. She didn't even know what her name was. "WHO AM I?!" She shouted to no one in particular.
"That's what I wanna know!!" A voice said behind her.
She spun around to see a young, green-skinned sprite staring at her, "And who are you?!" She asked.
"I'm Enzo! Are you new here?!! You look REALLY crashed!" the boy began.
She looked at herself, and noticed her ragged appearance. She was missing something. Armour! What had happened to it?! The last thing she remembered was winning a great battle... then she rested.
The woman pulled at a strand of her long purple hair, "Who am I?!" She muttered again. A name came to her. Was it her name?! Was it part of a name?! "Mickey…?!" she asked the sprite in front of her.
He looked at her, eyebrow arched, "I don't know what your name is, lady.. but if you wanna be called Mickey then I'll call ya Mickey!"
Suddenly, her golden eyes focused on the sky, "I shall rise again when I am needed…" she said. It was a phrase she knew from long ago. What was it referring too?
"WOAH, lady!! You are COMPLETELY random!!" Enzo said as he stared at her. He began to back away.
She quickly grabbed him, "The Guardians!! Where are they!?" She demanded.
"Hey…let go of me!!!" Enzo said, his voice full of fear. He tried to pull away, but she was strong. All of a sudden, a yellow and red blur attacked the woman, pulling her away from Enzo. "YAY!! FRISKET!!" Enzo shouted happily.
The dog stood on Mickey's chest, growling angrily. "You would do well to get off of me…" Mickey said coldly. Frisket stopped growling, and sniffed her a few times. He then began to whine.
"Hey, boy.. what's the matter?!" Enzo asked. He received no answer. Frisket jumped off the woman, and ran to Enzo. "Geez.. if she scare YOU.. then that means… we gotta get outta here!!" Enzo and Frisket ran to Dot's apartment, not looking back.
*** The Web
"So… any plans for defeating Megabyte, Bob?" Matrix asked.
Bob shook his head, "You know I'm not the planner.. that's your sister's job.."
Matrix sighed, "Yeah.. I know.. I know…" he hit his fist on the table, "It's gotta be an all out attack!"
"You tried that… and Megabyte ended up here!" Bob answered.
"Well… that was Mouse's doing.." Matrix stopped for a moment, "That's it!! MOUSE!! We need her! She's supposed to be here somewhere with… the Surfer.."
Bob noticed a hint of scorn for Ray in Matrix's voice, but ignored it. "The web is a big place… there's no telling WHERE they'd be! Or for that matter, where Megabyte would be!"
A voice interrupted in Modem language, "Within a data storm.. that is where the web virus lives,"
Bob turned to see a web rider, and replied in the same tongue, "Are you sure, Cannon?!"
Cannon nodded, "There are caves there similar to the ones here. The web virus feeds on the energy of the data storm," he answered. "I had a group of riders scout out his hiding place shortly after he appeared. It is in the alpha channel," Cannon shook his head, "He has caused a few problems here… but none of these problems will compare if he figures out how to create portals from tears. He will be able to travel anywhere on the 'net!"
Bob looked determined, "A web virus invading the 'net?? I don't think so!!"
Cannon nodded, "Then we shall fight together!!"
Matrix pulled out his gun and twirled it, "I'm ready anytime!"
*** Mainframe
Turbo's apartment
Turbo sensed something odd. Something that sent shivers down his spine. Someone had just entered Mainframe! Someone that could mean the end of Daemon. "Could it be…?" he asked himself. He quickly contacted the Supercomputer.
Paige saluted him, "Yes sir… you have something to report?!" she asked.
Turbo looked at her, his face grave, "Ah think she's here…"
Paige seemed confused, "What are you talking about, sir?!"
"Ah think she's awaken…" he replied. He dared not speak her name.
Paige's eyes went wide, "That … that's impossible, sir!! She's only a legend! She doesn't exist!"
"Legends are always based on SOME truth! You know that as well as ah do!"
Paige looked at him, "Have you seen her?!"
He shook his head, "No.. but ah ---"
Paige narrowed her eyes, "If you haven't seen her, then what is the point of this call… SIR?!" she interrupted.
"The point is that ah FEEL something…" he began, but was interrupted again.
Taarna's yellow face filled Copeland's comm screen, "Daemon does not hold much faith in 'feelings', Turbo!" she snapped.
"Ah know that … but.."
"Call us when you have something SOLID!!" Taarna said, and cut the comm link.
Turbo stared at the blank screen, "Fine… don't believe me. Just don't be surprised when she comes for Daemon!" but no one was there to hear his warning.
*** The Web
"Here are the coordinates for the data storm in the alpha channel," a fellow web rider said as he handed Bob a print out.
"Thanks, Ram…" he replied. He studied the print out a moment, then looked to the Captain, "Give these coordinates to your navigator…"
"Will do, Guardian!" Capacitor replied. He walked towards the deck, and stopped when he noticed Mr. Christopher talking to the web rider leader, Cannon.
"Well… sir, for the use of our guns and ship, that will be…" he punched up something on his organizer, and showed it to the web rider.
Capacitor came up behind Mr. Christopher, and delivered a swift blow to the binome's head, "Mr. Christopher!! Are you trying to make profit off the web riders?!!" he shouted. He looked up at Cannon, "Forgive my assistant, lad," Capacitor said. Cannon nodded, and walked on. Capacitor looked at Mr. Christopher, "Well," he whispered conspiratorially , "How much are we going to make on this little attack...?" Mr. Christopher showed him the figures in his organizer, "By GAR!!" Capacitor gasped, "Who would have thought the web would be so profitable!! Keep up the good work, lad!!" and continued on his way.
*** Mainframe Mainframe streets
Mickey wandered aimlessly. Flashes of memories came to her slowly. She remembered that this was supposed to happen -- that once she was awaken, she would be confused and disoriented. Someone had told her that… or maybe she already knew. She still was not sure.
The confused sprite looked around, taking everything in. She saw a large billboard which read 'Dot's Diner.. Fastest Food in Mainframe' Mainframe! So that's where she was!
Suddenly, dizziness came over her. Flashes of memories invaded her mind. A battle. Many deletions. Destruction. She was the only one who could stop it!
Mickey grabbed her head and screamed. She fell to her knees. Words came to her. "I come from the 'net. My format ----" the words began to fade, "To destroy---" and finally stopped. She couldn't remember. Destroy?? Destroy WHAT?! "Destroy systems?" she asked herself out loud. "No… that would be wrong." Her instinct told her. As she tried to remember, the dizzy spell became stronger. And soon, everything went black.
***
Mainframe Hospital
Dot looked at the strange sprite lying in the diagnostic bed. She put a hand on her brother's shoulder. "It's a good thing you told me about her, Enzo.. she looks like she's been through a battle…" Dot shrugged, "Or something!"
Enzo just stared at the unconscious woman, "Geez… she gives me the jaggies!" he muttered.
"Enzo!" Dot scolded.
"Well.. it's true!! I mean.. she tried to attack me!"
"You said she was disoriented. I don't think she meant to frighten you…" Dot explained. She sensed something from this sprite. An aura of power! Of strength! But… it was positive. Dot felt that she was in the presence of a legend… even though she knew nothing about the woman laying before her.
Suddenly, the sprite began to wake. She sat up, and looked around. Things were a bit clearer now, "I am in Mainframe." she said. She looked at Dot, "Are you the command.com of this system?" she asked.
Dot was surprised, "Yes.. I am.. but how did you know…?"
"I have a mission," the woman interrupted. Yes. She knew now. "I need to speak to the Guardians,"
Dot looked down, "I'm… afraid that's impossible…" she said.
The sprite looked at her, "Impossible? Why?!"
Dot shook her head, "I don't know what your mission or format is.. but you're not a virus. The Guardians won't speak to you,"
The woman's eyes widened, "They will not speak to me because I am not a virus?! But… why would they wish to speak to viruses? They live to mend and defend AGAINST Viruses…"
Dot furrowed her brow, "You mean… you don't KNOW?!" she asked.
"What is it that I do not know?!" the woman asked.
"They live to divide and render now…" Dot explained.
"That is… IMPOSSIBLE!!" The sprite gasped, "The guardians would never go against their programming!!"
Dot sighed, "They've been corrupted... by a virus named Daemon…"
The sprite's eyes glowed with a gold light, "So that is why I have been awoken…" she said. She looked at Dot, "The battle will begin here…"
"What..?? What do you mean?! The battle will begin in the Supercomputer…! That's where Daemon is!" Dot replied.
The sprite shook her head, "No… it will not…" she began, "It will begin here! Someone you trust will initiate it…"
"Woah… Mickey's gone TOTALLY random now!!" Enzo said.
Mickey looked at him, "Sorry, child.. my name is not Mickey. Though it is close enough,"
"Well.. then what IS your name?!" Enzo asked.
Mickey smiled kindly at the boy, "You may call me Mickey for now. I rather like that name,"
"Ok.. MICKEY…" Dot interrupted, "Tell me what you mean?! We've just survived one battle already!! We can't afford to have another one! Not HERE!"
Mickey sighed, "This is what I see…" she explained, "Someone you trust will betray you,"
Dot glared at Mickey, "Who ARE you?!" she demanded.
Mickey was calm, "You will find out… in time.."
*** The Web
"Well.. are we ready?!" Matrix asked.
"I'm ready. Are you ready, Captain?!" Bob asked.
Capacitor nodded, "Yes, lad… the crew and I are all ready!"
Bob nodded, "Let's go then…"
Ever so slowly, the Saucy Mare 2 headed on it's way to the Alpha Channel.
Disclaimer: All ReBoot (tm) characters are property of Mainframe Entertainment.
The character of Paige is property of Joey Cruz
All other new characters are property of ME.. ^_^
The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.