Sorry for the delay! Here is the next chapter. I'll try and do better on the next one with regard to timing.

"All right, game, delete the User, rescue the princess. Bob said, as he looked around. The level that they were on was beautiful, with tall, lush trees, and colourful flowers and birds and animals going about daily business chattering to one another. The beauty was lost on the three sprites. They were stuck, with a life lying on the line, and one out of their number, Mouse having missed the cube's path.

"Let's get this over with!" Matrix growled as he switched his icon to normal, Guardian mode.

"Reboot!' They all double clicked their icons. When the green light faded, they looked around each other/. They all were wearing basic knight costumes, chest plates, sword and shield. The only exception was AndrAIa who had a slitted skirt instead of breeches as the other two did.

"Alright Bob, what's the plan?" AndrAIa asked. Bob started at her blankly

"You're joking, right?" AndrAIa shook her head, looking serious, Bob sighed

"Right, here's the plan, you two go, find and delete the User. I'll find Dot, we know she's in the game, and most probably will need help. Deal?" they both nodded

"Deal" they said in unison "Well," AndrAIa said "You aren't going to get very far standing there. Go on!" She gave him a little push towards the castle in the distance.

"Ri..right, see you back in Mainframe!" They were all trying to be more cheerful then they felt, knowing what dangers it would cause if they lost their wits in a game, even a fairly easy one like this. They went off their separate ways, each with the same fear in their mind.

"OK, so, the infirmary was right in front of us, therefore, she must be in the castle, which is right in front of me.right?" Bob shrugged, it was as good a guess as any, and started to head towards the castle. Just then, Glitch beeped, and showed a new position. "Oh no! She's rebooted! That means she's in a viable position for the user to attack!" He ran towards where Glitch specified her icon to be.

*****

Suddenly, a jolt shook Dot from her ether world crying. She slowly opened her eyes, almost afraid to find out where she was. She realized she was still alive. A small part of her was relived, but, mostly, she was sad, she didn't want to be back. It took a couple moments to realize that she was in a game. She looked around. Her room could hardly be more opposite of her feelings if it had tried. It was pastel pinks and blues. She grimaced at it. 'Oh well' she thought 'If I'm here, I have to at least try to help!' she double clicked her icon "Reboot!" she was enfulged in green, but, she screamed out in pain as the light suddenly turned red, and hurt her more then anything she could remember. She then thought no more as the darkness took her into a dreamless sleep.

*****

"Why * pant * does she have to be on tallest tower in the highest room?" Bob answered his question the next nano. "Duh, she must've rebooted as the princess!" He was talking to himself, he knew that, but, he was trying to keep his wits about him, and stick to thinking about the game until they got out, he couldn't worry about what was happening. He hadn't met any game sprites, but, as he kept reminding himself, that didn't mean that there were none. He kept a sharp eye out for them. When he finally reached the top, he realized why he hadn't met any. They were all guarding the room. He sighed in frustration, there had to be 20 of them, he could never get past all o them on his own. He tried to calm down, think of a plan. 'Who am I kidding? Trying to think of a plan like I'm.Dot.' He sighed again. She had to be behind the doors, but he had no way of getting to her. Then, he remembered the last time he thought she'd rebooted as the damsel in 'distress', and the command he'd used. "Glitch, BS'n'P!" He slipped through the wall, without the game sprites noticing him. He was immediately blinded by the brightness that the room seemed to generate, typical princess room, pastel pink with blue accents. What really surprised him was Dot. She was lying, sleeping peacefully. But, instead of regular princess garb, pink or some other silly coloured dress that was impossible to do anything in, she wore a simple well-fitted dress, a little low cut. It was the rusty colour of dried blood, with a black trim. The sleeves were long and full, hiding all evidence of what had passed. Her hair was blacker then it had been, seeming to drown the light. It was longer, down to her waist and spread out like wings. Her skin was so pale, it was almost white, and flickering every now and then. The paleness made her make up, black lip paint and eye shadow, stand out. The effect was morbidly lovely, like a deadly beauty.

Bob walked up to the bed, a little cautious in case of traps, but he had no trouble. He sat down beside Dot, removing a stray lock of hair from her forehead. To add to his surprise, she was cold, alarming after having a high fever. He quickly checked for life signs, to be relived she was on line, but only just. Her pulse was weak, but steady, and her breathing was erratic. Dot didn't wake up, or even move throughout the whole process. Suddenly, something hit Bob, shouldn't she be awake if she rebooted? And, she shouldn't have been able to reboot in her current state! You had to be running at least 60%, she couldn't have been running at more then 40%. A chill ran through him. Something was going on, something he didn't know about, but something he had to know. He tried to wake Dot up gently by calling her name, but she didn't respond at all. Not a twitch or a muscle spasm. He tried a little louder, still nothing. He started getting frantic, shaking her.

"Dot! Wake up! This isn't funny anymore!" When he got to this point, Glitch whirred and beeped in a language only Bob could really understand. Bob nodded, and answered his keytool. "Yes, yes that would work, thanks Glitch!" He had been reminded of the standard procedure of waking up sleeping royalty. Gently, he once more leaned down, and pressed his lips slowly against Dot's. She woke up, and jerked back. This was not the reaction Bob had hoped for, but at least she was awake. She looked at Bob, surprise at first, then recognition.

"Why?" She asked, "Why did you do it? Why not just let me go?" Bob was startled by the question. It took him a few minutes to work out the meaning of it.

"What do you mean 'why'? Because I care to much about you to let you go without a fight!" Dot looked at him, and the look was something that could pierce anything, not cold, but it seemed as if she was looking straight into his files, reading his thoughts. Bob shivered a little.

"Well you shouldn't! Why should you? I hurt you1 I cast you aside for.for him!" She sat up and glared at him with surprising strength, though tears fell indifferently. He tried to calm her, anything to keep her here, with him. He gently made her lie down again, and wiped up the worst of the tears that still ran unchecked. Then, he slid down next to her, for comfort and security, something she could hold onto.

"Yes Dot, you did, I'm not going to lie to you, it did hurt. But, you know what? I forgive you! I understand why you did what you did; I know what you went through. Not first hand mind you, but I do understand. And you know what?" He turned her to face him, she shook her head. "I still love you, nothing should ever change that." He leaned to kiss her. She turned her head, and refused to accept it.

"I know you have, that what's makes it even worse." Suddenly, her eye opened wide, her breathing stopped, and she mouthed 'No'. She began to shake, all over. Suddenly Bob realized that AndrAIa and Matrix were taking an awful long time to win what had seemed like an easy game. He hoped they won soon; he didn't have nearly enough skills to help Dot. And that's what nearly killed him. He was helpless to help the one he loved.

*****

I love her pain. It makes me feel alive. As alive as I can be in the Ethernet. If I can break this group up from beyond the grave, my function is complete. I will be true to my programming. A predator, hunting only the weak and helpless. Besides, she will hurt the system most. Her scream is the music in my life. I am determined she will come to join me.

*****

"Matrix, please, stop hitting him, and delete him! I know you have anger problems." the User's sword whizzed past her head, just barely missing her, "But, your sister needs help, immediately! Now! As in, not later!" The helmet banged against the wall beside her, with great enough force to create a huge dent. The words "Game over" echoed, as they were transported back inside the principal office. She looked around, to find her lover running, hell-bent towards the infirmary. She followed as fast as she was able. She was already picking up signs of distress. She could hear the accent that was Mouse, hopping from having just missed the cube, yelling something, as she got closer, she could hear better.

".ain't what ah wanna hear! Now, y'all better have some good news, or else, somethin' is gonna be hittin' floor, an' it ain't gonna be the sword!" She ran harder, if Mouse was upset, it was something big.

*****

Doctors had rushed in as soon as the game left, ushering bob from his spot, assuring him that it was 'only' a seizure, they knew what they were doing, she would be fine. However, Bob very much doubted that Dot would ever be 'fine' again.