"So you see, I'm really from the future.in a way," Bob finished up.

Dot looked at him skeptically. AndrAIa was giving him a funny look as well.

"Okay, this is starting to get a little freaky," Dot finally said. Throughout the whole story she hadn't said a word. Bob had told her pretty much everything, except for a few key details. Like the relationship they once had back during their regular time.

"You're telling me," AndrAIa agreed. "I'm sorry Bob but I don't know what to think."

He sighed. "You guys don't have to believe me, but that's my reason why I need to get into the castle and get to Megabyte. I think he has something to do with this time change."

"I just want to go and kick that King's bitmap," AndrAIa said defiantly. "Infact, I think we all have our own little.reasons for going against the King." She looked meaningfully at Dot.

Bob caught on and looked at Dot as well. "What?" he asked.

Dot shook her head. "It's nothing. I just want to get back at Megabyte as well and I'll help you, I think."

He smiled. "Good, it's great knowing that we're a team again- I mean, well, not again right now but.you get what I mean."

Before the two women could even try to understand what he was trying to say, the door opened and two figures walked in. AndrAIa jumped to her feet, alert, but calmed down only after the two figures spoke, confirming themselves to be Ray and Mouse.

"Any luck?" Bob asked as they walked in, shutting and bolting the door securely behind them. The only light letting them see around the house was the candle.

"I think we found out more than what we wanted to know," Mouse said, making her way over to the bed. Ray sat down on AndrAIa's bed across from the cook.

"Megabyte's up to something," he explained, "we overheard him plotting against me, you, Dot, AndrAIa, Mouse, and Sir Matrix. He wants to kill us all."

"But why would he want to do that?" Mouse blurted out, "I didn't do anything to him! I could've poisoned him with my food, I know of plenty of opportunities, but I passed every one of them up. I didn't do anything to him!"

Dot was unusually quiet. She sat where she was, looking down at the bedcovers. She seemed deep in thought.

"He hasn't even heard of you, Bob," Ray said, "and why would he kill his own right-hand man?"

"I don't know," AndrAIa shrugged, even though she had a weird premonition inside. The kiss she had shared with the knight flashed through her mind. Had the king found out? "All I know is is that the King has a reason for wanting to kill me. I'm the Amazon Queen, remember? He'd take any chance to kill me."

"And Dot for the treason act," Ray continued, "and me for betraying him and saving her. What do you think Bob?"

Bob only shrugged. He didn't want to tell anyone what he really thought. There were too many coincidences, too many holes.

'Every single one of has done something against Megabyte back during our regular time,' he thought to himself. 'I have always been his enemy, Matrix beat him face to face, Mouse sent him to the web, and AndrAIa helped lead an army against him. And Ray had helped them get back to Mainframe'

It didn't make sense, and he didn't know why. Unless Megabyte was killing them all for revenge.

He looked up surprised, but decided not to explain his theory until later. Everyone else was looking gloomily at the floor, probably silently hating Bob for getting them involved in the 'saving Dot' business. Well, Mouse and Ray probably was, at least.

Dot was the first to speak.

"So when do we start?" she asked. He looked at her, startled. He hadn't expected her to say that. She may have looked like the Dot he once knew, but she was nothing like her.

"Tomorrow," he said, "we'll sneak into the castle and find the king."

***

Sir Matrix paced his bedroom wildly, not able to get to sleep. He hadn't even dressed into his nightclothes yet so he still donned his uniform.

The castle had been in an uproar since the disappearances of both AndrAIa and the slave. He remembered standing beside the king, awaiting the slave's sentence to be carried out, when it seemed like three different figures leapt onto the platform. One of them was Ray, their trusted royal messenger, one was Bob, the convict he had arrested before but escaped, and AndrAIa, the Amazon Queen. The fourth figure he couldn't make out until right before they got away. Mouse, the cook.

But how had the Amazon escaped? And how could Ray turn on them?

Slowly turning around, he removed his uniform and changed into his nightclothes, moving mechanically and swiftly. He reached up to scratch his arm, and remembered the tattoo there, hardly ever seen because of the armor he wore.

He couldn't remember how he got it. He had it ever since he was a little boy, waking up in the castle stables and not remembering anything. The doctors confirmed that he had amnesia- and they were right. He couldn't remember anything before that morning. He didn't know his name, who his parents were, how he had gotten there.

The people of the castle felt sorry for him and with the king's blessing took him under as a page. As he grew up he learned to become a knight, until one day he was one. And became the best fighter in all of Megaframe.

But still he didn't know how he got the tattoo. He had never seen anything like it before, never on anyone else. But who gave it to him?

Wait- he had seen it before. On that slave girl earlier that morning- Dot or whatever her name was. When he ripped her cloak off he saw the same mark on her shoulder. It looked a little different, but it was still the same.

He stopped moving, realizing. He had to find her to figure this out. That girl may be the only key to his past.

And to AndrAIa.

Deciding to wait until the following day to start, he climbed into bed and switched of the light. Slowly he fell asleep.

Unknown to him, someone was watching him. A little figure stood at his door, peering through the crack. The figure stopped, then quickly tiptoed away, chuckling maniacally under his breath. Ooh, Megabyte would be pleased, ooh.

*****

Dot was awakened by someone shaking her and softly calling her name. She opened her eyes and saw Bob bending over her, his face dangerously close to hers. Her eyes opened with surprise.

"Shhh." he whispered, straightening up. He glanced around. "Get up, we're heading out. Ray and AndrAIa are getting our disguises." He left the bedside and crossed the room where Mouse knelt, trying to figure out the oven.

Dot groaned as the light hit her face and slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Disguises?"

"We're heading into the castle," Bob explained, peering out the window. "I woke up too late though, people are already walking the streets. AndrAIa and Ray left cloaks to get more for the rest of us. I hope no one spotted them. We'll have to sneak to the castle as quickly and silently as we can."

"I hope this works, Guardian," Mouse said. Bob looked at her in surprise. "Well, that is what you said you were, right?"

Oh. "Y-yes," he stammered.

Just then the door opened and two figures came dashing in, closing the door behind them. They were heavily cloaked with other material in their hands. Ray drew his hood back and smiled at them. "Got the stuff," he said.

AndrAIa said nothing. Dumping the material on the ground, she went over to the stove and sat down, her head still covered.

Bob frowned at her. "What's wrong with her?" he asked Ray.

Ray's smile disappeared. "When we were out there, we found out that."

Bob, Mouse, and Dot were now staring at him, eyebrows raised for him to finish.

"The knights and guards kidnapped the Amazons. They put a secret attack on the forest and captured every one of them." Ray swallowed hard. "They have them in the castle dungeon as we speak."

"Oh my goodness," Dot whispered. "AndrAIa, I'm so sorry."

"Half of them were killed in the process," AndrAIa spoke up suddenly, not looking at either one of them. "The ones that are still alive won't make it. The Amazon tribe is finished."

There was a long silence. Bob looked at each one of them. "The even more reason why we should go to the castle now," he said, picking up a cloak and throwing it around his shoulders. "Let's get going."

They all looked at him in surprise, but didn't argue. Slowly each one of them reached for a cloak and put it on.

***

Cecil hated his job. Normally he was a bartender at one of the many taverns of the kingdom, but ever since the war between the Amazons and Knights got worst, he got recruited to castle guard. He didn't know why it helped anyway. Half the Amazons were killed, the other half were imprisoned. He didn't need to be guard anymore.

For now he stood at the drawbridge, watching for all the people passing through. He worked with another guard normally, but that day he was alone. He hated working alone.

He looked up suddenly when he saw five figures moving toward the castle. One of them was dressed better then the other four. It was a blue man with armor on, leading the others, cloaked and covered, by rope. Slave trader. Typical.

"Halt," he stopped them before they could get in. "What is your business here?"

"I'm trading slaves," the blue man said with a thick accent. "I have an.appointment with a fella inside the castle, goes by the name of Harry? Harrious.Potter I believe?"

Cecil looked at him doubtfully. "There's no one by that name in the castle."

"Are you sure? He's new here.new recruit? A lot of people like him.I think."

"Nope. Just what is your name, sir and what is your business here?"

"I told you, I'm a slave trader," the blue man urged. "And my name is Bo." he paused, but the 'o' still sounded. "-obby," he finished. "My name is Bobby Jackson."

Cecil still looked doubtful. "Okay, go on in."

'Bobby' smiled gratefully at him and started walking across the drawbridge toward the front gates. The four others followed behind, Cecil watching them closely.

Once they were inside, Bob was able to release the rope and heaved a sigh of relief. He could hear the others doing the same.

"Great, we're in," Dot said, moving up to Bob and touching him on the arm. He flushed and smiled at her. She smiled back.

"Come on, let's head for the dungeon," AndrAIa was saying, taking them in one direction. "We have to free my people."

The walked through several hallways before they reached the dungeon. AndrAIa's face was smiling as she approached the door. She was going to set her people free and-

She opened the door and looked in. Her eyes widened with horror as she quickly drew her head back out and slammed the door shut. The bang echoed through the castle.

"What?" Ray demanded.

AndrAIa looked like she was ready to hallucinate. "They're dead," she said, "all of them, dead."

"Oh my User," Dot breathed.

"Hey! You!"

They all looked up to see Guards coming in their direction, swords out.

"Run!" Bob shouted.

They all took off running in the opposite direction, their cloaks flying behind them. Dot was crying now. She couldn't believe this.

***

Matrix paced angrily in front of his solders. "You did WHAT?!" he yelled in their faces. "You captured those Amazons without my order?! You know what this is called, don't you? This kind of action can get you all hanged!"

"But sir, the King ordered it-"

Matrix whipped around. "Without consulting ME in the matter?"

The soldier who had spoken up quieted down. Matrix shook his head and continued pacing. "I can't believe this, I-"

He was cut off when a page ran into the room, flushed with excitement.

"Sir!" He said, "Sir Matrix, the Amazon, the slave, and the others have been caught in the castle!"

Sir Matrix's eyes widened, forgetting all about his army. "She's here?" he demanded.

The page nodded. "They are pursuing them as we speak."

Matrix glanced at the men, then left the room after the page, determined to get in on the action.

***

Bob and the others ran up staircases and down tight walls, trying to get away from the guards. He could hear their pursuers getting closer and closer.

"Keep going!" he yelled at them, "don't stop!"

They continued to run through the hallways, until they reached a gigantic room.

Five guards stood there, waiting for them.

They skidded to a stop and AndrAIa took out her sword, standing in front of the others. There was a horrible silence.

Bob glanced around. There was no way out of this.

"Stand back," AndrAIa directed them, and ran forward, hacking her sword at the guards, kicking and punching. Ray, Mouse, Dot, and Bob stood there, helpless. Bob felt he needed to do something. He grabbed a rod and slammed it against one of the guards, shoving him against the wall.

Yelling, AndrAIa grounded two of the remaining guards and turned to the last two. It didn't take long until they were down as well.

She shielded her sword. "Rent-a-guards," she wisecracked, just for good measure. She turned to the others. "Let's get going!" She started running for the staircase. Bob, Ray, and Mouse followed behind, Dot in the rear.

Suddenly of the supposedly knocked out guards reached out and tripped her. Dot went sprawling to the ground as he got to his feet.

"Bob!" She screamed.

He turned around just as the guard grabbed his sword.

"No!" He ran forward and threw himself against the guard. It did no good though. He was unarmed and the guard was stronger than he was. He sent him across the room.

"Bob!" Dot got to her feet and started running after him, when something stopped her. She froze in her tracks, eyes wide as she reached down to her stomach.

She had been stabbed.

The guard was smiling in victory as he took his knife back and straightened up. It didn't last long though, because AndrAIa was on him, finishing him off.

Dot couldn't remember ever feeling pain like this. Everything was threatening to blacken out on her as she fell to her knees. She swallowed hard but it only made the pain worst.

Bob was by her side right as she fell back. He caught her just before she hit the floor.

"Dot, no, hold on," he pleaded. "You'll be okay, just breath easy, okay?"

There was no way she was going to live through this. She squeezed her eyes shut for a brief moment. The pain was unbearable.

Ray and Mouse jumped to Bob's side, eyes wide with shock. "Hold on, sugah," Mouse told her.

Dot forced a smile, finding it harder to do than anything she had done before. She looked back at Bob. "I'm sorry," she started to say.

"Don't be sorry," he said, "you're shouldn't be sorry for anything."

"I'm sorry," she continued, "for losing faith. When you didn't come back to Mainframe."

His eyes widened. "You remember?"

But he got no answer. She slumped in his arms, eyes closed.

AndrAIa finished off the guard just then and turned to the others, a comforting smile starting to form on her face. But the sight of Bob holding Dot caused it to vanish.

"Oh no," she whispered, running over to them.

Bob was burying his face in Dot's neck, his body shuddering. AndrAIa felt her heart go out to him. Not only to him, but to herself. She had lost her friend.

Before she could say anything, she heard footsteps coming from the hallway. They all looked up. All except Bob, thinking the same thing.

"We gotta go, now!" Mouse hissed, "they'll catch us!"

Bob looked up just as the guards came into view. Mouse grabbed him and pushed him into a hidden, dark corner, covered by the curtain, but it was too late for her to hide as well. The guards came in just as he hid away.

He peered out through the cracks between the curtains, watching as the guards grabbed AndrAIa, Ray, and Mouse. They put up a good fight but it was no use. He wanted to go out there and help but he felt too weak, and Mouse was holding him firmly against the wall with her foot.

He felt tears in his eyes as he looked at Dot, motionless on the ground. The guards looked down at her for a moment then started carrying her away. AndrAIa and the others were pushed from the room, leaving Bob alone and unseen behind the curtain.