EmereX 5
by Shadou-sama

Kenny's parents were always busy with the restaurant. Running the most popular noodle house in town was a lot of work. And since his family had moved out of the noodle house's building into a real home, he barely saw his parents anymore. But it wasn't like they completely neglected him; they usually left him supper (noodles, what else?) waiting for him, plus breakfast and lunch.

Kenny's friends thought it would be so cool to live like he did. But he knew otherwise. It was really lonely! He knew no one in this new neighbourhood, well, unless you count the old lady across the street, Mrs. Kemosabe, but half the time she was drunk of her rocker. And who wanted to hang out with an old woman?

He walked into the kitchen, trying to choose between the two soft drinks in the fridge. The age old question: Coke or Pepsi? His dad preferred Coke ("It actually has flavour!" he claimed.) and his mother preferred Pepsi ("It feels softer on your tongue," she claimed) so they always had both kinds. He decided on mixing the two together to create the ultimate soft drink. Maybe people should just do that and end the competition, Kenny mused. It was silly to argue over brands anyway.

A brand new laptop sat on the kitchen table. Kenny's parents had bought it for the other day, as the old computer was broken. Kenny hadn't used it. In fact, it scared him. He tried to rationalise the fear, why should he be afraid of an ordinary laptop? But he just couldn't shake the feeling. He was trying to fix the old one.

"Always treat if with respect," his father had said when he had given it to Kenny. "It cost a fortune," he muttered too softly for Kenny to hear.

Respect? What did he mean, always treat it with respect? It was just a stupid laptop.

He switched on the TV and settled down with his cola concoction. A green-haired woman was on the flat screen, behind a desk with a background full of televisions that were turned on. Obviously the news. Kenny was about to switch the channel when she caught his attention.

"Emera Co. has issued a recall on all EmereX 5 laptops. The model was released a week ago and has endured great success. No one knows the exact reason, but CEO Akira Manoko has released the statement that there is defective hardware. Consumers are advised to return the laptop to where they bought it for a full refund."

He looked back other his shoulder to the kitchen table. There sat his new laptop, his new EmereX 5 laptop. He wondered what was so defective that they would recall them. Well, only one way to find out.

Kenny walked over and switched on his laptop.

"My name's Dizzi, what's yours?" the computer asked. Kenny just stared. Instead of a normal Windows desktop, or even a Macintosh desktop, it showed a weird one. It looked like the computers in animes!

"K-kenny," he answered.

"I'm ready. Are you?" Dizzi asked.

Kenny's eyes widened. "What?"

"What do you want to do?"

"I just want to do something fun," he replied.

The computer was silent a moment. Then, "Click on the voice lines."

Kenny did as he was told. Click.

A weird green light enveloped Kenny. Dizzi was laughing maniacally. He felt himself pulled towards the monitor. He tried to fight it! He really did, but it was just too strong. He was pulled into the computer.

He looked around. Everything looked so-- techno. Circuit boards covered the walls, with pulses of electricity flitting around them. Where was he? Was this real? Or was he hallucinating?

A cruel laughter brought his attention the one wall that wasn't covered. It was clear in fact. Kenny ran for the opening. This was the only way out!

Crash! Kenny fell backwards. Something invisible had stopped him.

More laughter. He looked up to see a smirking bluenette outside the glass. "Finally, I'm free!" the girl said.

"What's going on? Where am I?" Kenny asked.

The girl's charcoal eyes flicked towards him. "You're in the laptop. Get comfy, you'll be there a long time." She laughed again.

"You can't--"

"Oh, I can," the girl--Dizzi, he knew now, smirked. She showed him her wrist, where a black watch clung. Pressing the round peice, her figure staticked out, then in again. But this time she looked exactly like Kenny. "Sayonara, loser." She turned the laptop off.


The End.