Diablo ran down the halls like the very viruses of the Source were after his coding. John almost flew to keep up, dodging walls as they raced through the maze. Suddenly a voice stopped them.

"Well, well, what a surprise Mr. Montago, I thought you had been… dealt with."

"Who are you?" Demanded Diablo of the man in a suit and tie, immaculate.

"I am shocked you do not remember me Mr. Montago. I am Smith…"

"Agent Smith, long time no see. It is I, Diablo the Exile Hunter, I took over Mr. Montago's image almost thirty Matrix years ago."

"I see. I am most surprised to see you here. Have you noticed any activity from the Anomaly?"

"Not since the last Rebel attack, I'll make sure I send you an instant notification if I do."

"That would be… greatly appreciated." The man in the suit nodded, turned and walked back towards a door that opened into a white hallway. John looked around in shock, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Who was he?"

"A program linked to the Sentinels."

"Oh, those types." The exile shuddered. "I'm sure glad I'm not the virus to their vaccine."

"That makes two of us. Come on, we don't have time for this." A shriek spilt the code, forcing even the most adaptable program to raise his hands to his ears in defense against the noise.

"What the Source is that?"

"It can't be what I think it is." Diablo replied, yelling over the screams.

"What do you think it is and how do we shut it up?"

"It sounds like a Grusealog, but those are only in viral memory charts, they don't exist anymore!"

"Well, whatever it is, I want to kill it if it ain't dead."

"Deletion sounds like a brilliant option. Let's go find it." The pair dashed forward to find the horrendous noise, the little silver cloud pulsing with an unfamiliar wave formation in the hand of the Hunter.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I think we should go left." Zoe said, using her arms to balance her position in the salty liquid.

"Why?" Caitlyn asked, incredulous, her hair now a purple silken mass framing her head.

"Because there's a cave."

"Um, aren't caves a bad idea?"

"We don't have much other choice, the changed code feels icky and I want out of this set of fins!"

"You could have chosen a different body."

"Nothing else caught my attention."

"I wanted to be a dolphin." The Bold said, tilting her head to the side.

"Pinocchio, Pinocchio,

Why are you made of wood?"

"Zoe! Stop it! I have a bird-nest on my nose!"

"You must be talented, underwater birds will love you." The only response to that comment was a glare. If looks could delete, the Swift would be nothing but code.

"Let's just get out of here." Sulked the Bold.

"For once you see things my way."

"Shut up and swim you lazy barnacle."

"I did warn you about the effects of transformation when we were still captive didn't I?" It was not so much a question as a reminder.

"Yes, but I never thought I'd end up having a nesting box on my face!"

"Tsk tsk, it's just a little code." Zoe smiled, flipping her burgundy tail and streaking towards the dark cave that beckoned silently. Caitlyn followed, repeating her litany under her breath.

"It's just a little code, it's just a little code, it's just a little code…." The walls of the cave turned steeply upward, Zoe racing to meet the light, her companion looking at the tiny creatures that dwelled on the walls. The slivering silver sea snails, tiny crabs tottering along the tiny crevices, were almost enough to make the very annoyed program who still swam upward change everything, hang the consequences.

"Will you hurry up?" The Swift called, popping her head back into the water. Having reached the top and finding that fins were only useful in water, she was very unimpressed with the slow progress of her companion.

"Hold your fins, I'm coming." The purple haired woman called back. Zoe's head disappeared back above the surface. Shaking her hair, Caitlyn met her friend's eyes, raising an eyebrow as though to ask what was to be done next.

"You want to hop out now?"

"Do I have to?"

"You can keep the hair…"

"Brilliant!" No more convincing was needed, the pair soon dry and back in their land shapes, following a dry sandy path. One with hair the colour of silken summer stalks of hay, the other with waves of purple flowing down her back. They sang to pass the time.

"When you're halfway through the forest,

Then you're also halfway out,

And you know your journey's nearly at an end…"

*~*

A/N: Hey everyone, long time, no post, sorry! I hope you found the small Smith part entertaining, I did writing it. Don't panic all you Smith fans, there will eventually be more seen of him. Can someone explain why there are Smith fans please? The idea is quite paradoxical to me. Beside the point… Wait, what was the point? *Harregale pops in*

"You don't make points, you're an authoress."

"That is why I have characters to make points for me." I smile and show the printed story to the girl in black.

"Good point." She says, nods and walks back the way she had come.

Anywho,

Shaun: You are such a sweetheart, I'll add that new program soon, I have to get the girls on the way properly first. But worry not, the new character is in the works :)

Gypsy Dancer: Because he's about twice my height and has a life of his own? :p Of course I'll use the phone stuff, I'll change it but I promise you can have your purple hair from now on. I won't make you change it back for world tour, if the characters go on a performing tour… hmmm, I sense a parody in the making :D Things will move along now. And you have no idea how much I hate that stupid dancing teacher, she's a stupid moo and she should have her ankle and wrist bones fused together!!!!!! *Evil grin*

Beguile: Ooh!!! I get a Smith Plushie!!! YAY!!!! I hope I didn't make you want to hit with something heavy for making Smith funny (not funny 'ha-ha', funny strange) but I think it's entertaining. What did you think too OOC??

Trinfan: THANK YOU!!!! *Hands over a special pen made for writing inspirational and good pieces* I couldn't find a keyboard, sorry. I figured yours must be pretty magical anyway :) Let me know what you think of this chapter.