A Guardian's Past
By Julia Cat
Part 4 - Toward the Future
The whole way to Mainframe, Bob could only think about his dream. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe he'd never meet that ebony-haired beauty. Dot was like a dream to him. He just had to meet her. He had felt something special while talking to her in that dream; something he didn't quite understand. No matter. He'd find out soon enough.
As Bob exited the data-airport, his jaw went slack. The city was exactly the same as the one in his dream. He pulled out a zipboard and hopped on. He zoomed over to the big white sphere at the center of the system.
He was greeted by Phong, and a little sprite was with him. Phong introduced himself: "Greetings, Guardian Bob. We have been waiting for you for quite some time."
The little sprite stepped forward, a certain eagerness is his sparkling violet eyes. "Hi! I'm Enzo Matrix! Are you really a top-level Guardian? Can you make me one too? Do you want to meet my sister?" He paused briefly to catch his breath. He seemed about to continue, but Bob spoke up.
"Um. Whatever. Phong, can I have a tour of the system?"
"I cannot give you the tour myself, but your new partner can." Phong turned towards the back of the cavernous main hall. A woman walked out of a concealed room. It was Dot. She walked up to Bob, smiled, and held out a hand.
Bob smiled back and took it. "Bob." He kept wanting to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming again. He didn't dare.
Dot glanced at Enzo who was beaming, then answered, "Dot Matrix. Welcome to Mainframe."
Dot gave Bob the full tour of the city, not skipping a bit of space, not even the city's spookiest sector, Level 31. She had no fear. Bob had to admire her. He was no longer obsessed with her, but he knew that they'd soon become very good friends.
Later on that day, around 13:00, Dot and Bob went to Dot's Diner to talk and get better acquainted.
"So, Dot," Bob began, "you never once mentioned your parents. Who are they?" As soon as he had asked the question, he knew it had been the wrong thing to ask. Dot, previously cheerful, had drifted into an apparently painful reverie. Bob thought he could see tears in those beautiful clear violet eyes.
"About five hours back," Dot began, her voice shaky, "there was an experiment back in the twin city." She took a breath, then continued in a more steady tone. "My parents conducted that experiment. They were trying to turn nulls back into sprites, but..." she faltered, "...something went terribly wrong. The experiment went out of control. The twin city, along with my parents, was destroyed."
Bob looked at her sympathetically. He gently laid a hand over hers. There was nothing he could say that would cheer her up, he'd just make things worse. That action was probably the only one that could help her. It meant: "It's okay, you're not alone."
Dot immediately got the message and gave Bob an inquiring look. He began his long and complicated story. It took the better part of the afternoon to tell, but, when he had finished, Dot understood. She smiled.
Suddenly and without warning, a vidwindow popped open in front of the two. Enzo was on it, and, as usual, he was beaming. "Bob!" he exclaimed happily. "Phong wants to explain how the system works." He turned to Dot. "He wants you there too, Sis." The window snapped shut.
Without a nanosecond's hesitation, Bob and Dot got up and sped towards the Principal Office.
* * *
"Well, well. What have we here?" Megabyte mused, sitting on his throne in the Silicon Tor. He was watching a vidwindow on which was displayed a pair of sprites speeding towards the Principal Office on zipboards. "A new sprite in town?" He turned to one of his viral spies inquisitively.
"Sir! The tap dance shoes are laughing, and the desk chairs are having a party," the binome replied mechanically.
"What?" The virus was beyond confused.
"Sir! The new sprite in Mainframe is our new Guardian. Guardian Bob."
"Well now. This is a surprising turn of events, isn't it? This may prove to be fun, after all." He turned to his henchman. "Hack! Slash!"
"Yes Boss?"
"At your service oh great one!"
"You know, he isn't really a one, he's not a binome."
"I meant one as in person you idiot!"
"I knew that!"
"No you didn't, you just said..."
"Who cares what I said?"
"I do!"
"I just said that!"
"No you didn't, you just said--"
"Enough, you bumbling fools! Listen carefully. I have a plan to get rid of that wretched Guardian of ours. You two go and tell him that I have a little favor for him to do. I'll take care of the rest."
"Yes sir!"
"At once!"
"Right away!"
"Sure thing, you can count on us!"
"You can trust us."
"I just said that!"
"No you didn't, you said--"
"ENOUGH! I'll take care of it myself!"
* * *
Back at the P.O., Phong was going through the routine with Bob, when a vidwindow popped open if front of him. It was Megabyte. Dot smiled as she saw Hack and Slash lying in pieces in the background; obviously the result of making their boss mad.
Bob turned briefly toward Dot and smiled. The pair were already best friends. Bob no longer worried about what Mouse might think. she and Bob had grown apart since he had arrested her.
Megabyte addressed Bob and told him about the "favor". Bob agreed to do it, but he had a counter-plan in mind...
He left the P.O. to sabotage Megabyte's plan with one thought: I'm gonna love it here. Great friends, a great system, and a great life.
END