"Game Over."
The shimmering purple and silver walls of the game cube receded into the sky, allowing the flame-haired hacker that remained to finally release the breath she had held for the past several microseconds. She felt a slight tingling sensation in her limbs, her body still readjusting to the time acceleration. She let her hand stray to finger the icon fixed on her belt, pleased that her handiwork had not failed her. Not that it ever did, of course.
She heard a faint rustling sound from behind her. In one quick movement her katana was drawn from its sheath and pointed just centimeters away from the eye of a very surprised CPU lieutenant.
"Um... permission to escort you to the Principle Office, ma'am?" the lieutenant stammered politely as he eyed the tip of the sword with understandable nervousness. Mouse flushed slightly and resheathed the weapon, resulting in several sighs of relief to be expelled from the mouths of the small CPU squadron kindly commissioned by the to collect her after the game's end.
"Sorry, sugah. You can't be too careful in times like these."
"Understood, ma'am," the lieutenant replied curtly. "We should head for the Principle Office ASAP. The is anxious for your return."
--
Mouse allowed herself to be escorted into the War Room. When Phong saw her enter unharmed with the rest of the retrieval party he wheeled up to her immediately.
"Ah, you're back safely! Excellent! I trust everything went smoothly?"
"It was… interesting," she replied. "But it's going to take a bit of getting used to."
"I see…"
She caught the look on his face and smiled. "Now, I know what you're thinking, but don'tcha worry." She patted the sword strapped to her back. "I don't delete that easily."
"Well, I was actually more concerned about Dot."
Mouse's expression turned serious and she let her eyes trail around the room. "Where is she, anyway? I would have thought she would be here to welcome me back."
Phong shuffled uncomfortably and arched his fingers together. "After the fate of young Enzo and AndrAIa, she was understandably... apprehensive about monitoring the game readings herself, so she chose to wait out the game elsewhere. She's in her office."
Mouse nodded and prepared to head in that direction. She wasn't surprised. Her sudden promotion to game defender wasn't well received by the at all...
--
Two Seconds Ago:
"No!"
Dot rose from her chair quickly and slammed the palms of her hands on her desk. Her unexpected shout of defiance made Mouse and Phong jump. Phong wheeled over and gently rested his hand on her shoulder.
"My child, I know this is difficult for you to accept. But I'm afraid we don't have much of a choice."
Dot relaxed slightly as the old sprite spoke, but her mouth was still set in a stubborn line. "Mouse's icon still hasn't been tested. We can't knowingly send her into this kind of danger!"
"The city can't be left defenseless, Dot," Phong countered patiently. "The viruses are contained in the firewall for the time being, but games are still a threat. We've lost both our Guardians and since Mouse has proved herself to be a formidable warrior..."
"How can you say that so calmly!? Or have you forgotten already that one of those Guardians was my brother?" Dot was practically screaming now, close to tears and even closer to an emotional breakdown. She angrily shoved Phong's hand off her shoulder and reclaimed her seat, her face buried in her hands.
"I'm sorry," she mummered, "but I refuse to let Mouse go into the games."
"My child..."
"That's an order!"
"Dot, you are upset. You're not thinking clearly..." Phong started helplessly but stopped when Mouse laid a hand on his arm, causing him to raise his head up and regard her solemn expression questioningly. The hacker - who had remained silent during the whole exchange - now spoke softly to the old sprite.
"I think you'd better let me handle this one, honey."
Phong's gaze lingered for a few moments before he wheeled out of Dot's office without another word, leaving Mouse and the emotionally exhausted alone. Mouse approached the businesswoman turned military commander cautiously and waited. After a long period of silence, Dot's hands slowly slid down from her face, revealing two clear trails of tears. When she finally spoke her voice was steady again, but she avoided eye contact.
"It's not that I doubt your abilities."
"I know."
"It's just..." Dot reached out and took Mouse's hand gently, startling her. "I can't let you do it, Mouse. After what happened to Enzo and AndrAIa. After Bob..." Her voice broke slightly as she spoke the last name. "I can't bear to lose anyone else. If you or Phong ever-"
"Now don't go talking like that, sugah."
"Mouse, I can't do this alone!"
"Now, stop that!" Mouse snapped, shutting Dot up instantly. "How would the citizens of Mainframe react to their own behaving like this?" Dot's eyes lowered. Mouse squeezed her friend's hand and spoke again in a softer tone.
"Honey, I'm sorry, but you have to face reality. This is a system without a Guardian and we're in desperate need of game defense. You and Phong can't go, you're needed here."
"But you've never been in a game before. And your icon…"
" AndrAIa's icon worked, remember? And I've taken bigger risks than this. You won't be seeing the last of me for a good while yet."
"Mouse..."
"Dot, I'm going. There's no other way," the hacker said firmly. She let Dot's hand go and started to leave the room. She paused in the doorway and glanced back. When she saw the fear and pain in Dot's eyes, she sighed.
"I'm coming back, you can count on it. And Bob is too. Even if I have to go into the Web personally and drag his ASCII back here," she snarled. But Dot saw the playful smirk on the mercenary's face and smiled, the tension in her body easing up for the first time in seconds.
"Be careful, Mouse. Please."
"You got it, sugah!" Mouse chirped with a wink.
And that was that.
--
Present:
Mouse paused outside Dot's office. She considered knocking first, but eventually decided to just walk in as she usually did. She was expected anyway.
The young woman had donned her black-rimmed glasses and was pouring over reports on her organizer. However, the set of her posture and the way her eyes stared blankly at the scrolling text gave away the fact that she was merely distracting herself from her troubles. Typical Dot.
When the door slid open, the organizer was pushed aside immediately as Dot looked up expectantly from her desk. "Mouse?"
"What, you were expecting a null?"
"Mouse!" Dot flew out of her chair in a very manner and flung her arms around the mercenary's neck. "Thank the User! So the game went well? Any problems? Are you sure you're all right?" Mouse couldn't help but be more than slightly amused. The rapid stream of words sounded suspiciously Enzo-like.
"Now, now, honey. None of that." She pulled Dot's arms away gently and chuckled. "Bad for my rep, you know."
Dot smiled and crashed back into her chair, shoulders sagging with unconstrained relief. "I just... I'm glad you're all right. I was so afraid that..."
"I told you before, Dot. Ya ain't getting rid of me that easily."
Dot was beaming now. "I know."
"I'm needed back in the War Room. We have to figured out what to do about P.O. defenses now that the shields are disabled. You going to be okay here?"
"I'll be fine. In fact, I've got too much to do myself to be hiding back here. I'll come with you." Dot reached over and snatched her organizer from her desk. Minimizing it and clipping it to her belt, she followed the hacker out of her office in higher spirits and a new rush of hope.
End