"...Please, take care of Crystal!" the image said. Phong listened and watched the message, recorded earlier by Bob and Glitch.
When the message finished playing, Phong steepled his hands in thought. Nearby, Matrix was feeding Crystal with a bottle AndrAIa had found in the basket. Every once in a while, Matrix would stop feeding the baby in order to burp her.
Bob and the others watched in awed silence as the green warrior showed them a gentler side of himself. Never in a billion hours would they have thought that Matrix would be the fatherly type!
"It is obvious, my children," Phong said slowly, "that Matrix is the logical choice for the child's father. His remarkable -- if not perfect-- resemblance to her real father is almost -- like fate."
Crystal began crying again. Quickly, but carefully, Matrix checked her for any signs of discomfort that may be causing her to cry.
"Uh...Dot!" Matrix smiled sheepishly at his sister.
Dot came over to see what he wanted. "What is it, Matrix?" she asked.
"Her...uh...diaper's wet."
"Well, change it."
"I don't know how," he admitted.
"I'll show you. I changed yours often enough when you were her age." Matrix blushed, remembering that he was Dot's younger brother.
By now, Mouse and Ray -- having left the picnic basket and cloth with Cecil -- had joined them, as well as had "Little" Enzo and Frisket.
"Alphanumeric, Matrix! Where'd you get the baby?"
"Shh...don't scare her, Enzo," Matrix warned. The small, green sprite, so much shorter than Matrix, stood on tiptoe to try and see the baby.
His eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets when he saw the pale skin of a User!
"She's a User!" he exclaimed, forgetting to keep his voice down.
Crystal began whimpering at the unfamiliar voice.
"I told you to keep quiet!" Matrix snarled softly. To Crystal, he said gently, "Shh...Crystal...it's okay, now. Enzo didn't mean to scare you. Shh..."
At the sound of Matrix's voice, Crystal once again calmed down. She gurgled as she looked up at him, secure in the knowledge that "daddy" was there, and she was safe.
The gathered sprites continued to watch as Phong rolled up to Matrix and Crystal. The old sprite strained his neck to examine the baby. Sensing what Phong wanted, Matrix knelt down on one knee, bringing the infant in his arms to eye level with the wise, old sprite.
For a nano, Phong gazed at Crystal, a smile of wonder crossing his ancient face. A baby --sprite, binome, or User-- can soften the hardest of hearts, or bring joy to those without joy, Phong knew.
Phong turned to Matrix.
"You must take a wife, my son. Crystal must have a mother, as well as a father." Matrix nodded, rising from his knee.
The tall, green warrior approached Mouse. "Would you hold her a microsecond, please?" he asked. "There's something I gotta do."
"Sure, honey," Mouse answered, taking the baby in her arms.
Matrix walked toward AndrAIa, pulling something out of his pocket. He stopped when they were only an inch or so apart.
"AndrAIa," he began, trying to find the words he wanted to say. "There is something I've been meaning to ask you, something I've been trying to find the courage to ask you for a long time."
Matrix opened the object from his pocket, a tiny box of crystal glass. Inside was a diamond set in the bowl of a tiny, gold clamshell, like a pearl.
Once again, Matrix fell on one knee, looking up at the sea sprite he loved, his eyes pleading. "AndrAIa," he said, slipping the ring on her finger, "will you marry me?"
AndrAIa smiled, beaming warm love at her man, her beloved Enzo Matrix. "Oh, Sparky!" AndrAIa smiled with happiness. "My beloved! Of course I'll marry you!"
Matrix grinned, stood up, and kissed AndrAIa's lips, long and hard.
There was a soft, almost silent "Yes!" from Little Enzo, who pumped an arm, and whispered gasps of joy from Bob, Dot, and the others.
Phong just smiled wisely.
"Bob, will you be my Best Man?" Matrix asked.
"Of course, Matrix," the chromed Guardian smiled, brown eyes warm and gentle.
"And Dot..." AndrAIa began.
"You don't even have to ask: Yes, I'll be your Maid of Honor, AndrAIa," Dot smiled. She hugged both her brother and her sister-in-law-to-be in happiness.
Soon, Phong, Matrix, AndrAIa, Bob, and Dot were in position, with Little Enzo acting as Ring Bearer. He carried, on a small, white, satin pillow, two gold rings. Enzo stood beside Phong, ready for his part in the ceremony.
Matrix and AndrAIa stood facing Phong, with Bob and Dot right behind them. AndrAIa held a small bouquet of daisy wheels in her hands.
"My children, we are gathered here today to join these two sprites in the bonds of Holy Matrimony. May they remain so in happiness and health for all their lives.
"Enzo Matrix, take AndrAIa's hand, if you please." Matrix gently gripped AndrAIa's hand in his. "Do you, Enzo Matrix, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do," Matrix answered, his gold eye glittering as if it were a living part of him, as he smiled at AndrAIa.
"And do you, AndrAIa, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do," AndrAIa smiled, gazing lovingly at her handsome warrior.
"The rings, please." Little Enzo stepped forward, holding the pillow out to the bride and groom.
Matrix took the first ring and slipped it on AndrAIa's finger, to join the engagement ring.
"Beloved AndrAIa, with this ring, I do thee wed."
Now, AndrAIa took the remaining ring, placing it on Matrix's finger as she smiled at him.
"My dearest Enzo, with this ring, I do thee wed."
Now, Phong clasped their held hands with his own, thin ones. Little Enzo stepped back, his part finished.
"What has been joined under the eyes of the User, let no sprite, binome, or virus tear asunder. I now pronounce you, man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Matrix and AndrAIa, already facing each other, stepped into each other's arms. Drawing their heads together, their lips touching, ever so gently, the newly-weds kissed.
Drawing apart again, Matrix and AndrAIa turned and faced their friends.
"My children," Phong announced proudly, "I give you, Mr. and Mrs. Enzo Matrix!"
Mouse covered Crystal's ears as the assembled sprites applauded the newly-wed couple. She did not want the noise of the clapping to frighten the baby.
When the applause died down, Mouse handed Crystal to Bob and took her place beside Dot for the bouquet-tossing.
"Since we both know who we are going to marry someday, Dot, let's just say that whoever catches the flowers first, she'll be the next one to marry her man," Mouse suggested.
"Okay, Mouse," Dot agreed. They watched as AndrAIa got ready to throw the daisy wheels.
Standing with her back to them, the flowers in her right hand, AndrAIa threw the bouquet over her shoulder.
The bouquet sailed over her head and shoulder toward her two friends.
Bob, Matrix, Ray, Little Enzo, and Phong all wondered who would be the lucky woman to catch it.
Both girls had to dive for the bouquet. Neither Bob, nor Ray could look. They were not sure if they wanted to know who was going to get married next.
In nanoseconds, it was over. When the proverbial dust settled, standing in triumph, with the bouquet held high over her head, was Dot.
Bob and Ray looked at each other, Bob smiling sheepishly and blushing, Ray looking a bit relieved.
"It looks like you're next, mate," Ray said. "Better get that engagement ring ready."
Bob kept smiling (and blushing) as he handed Crystal back to Matrix.
I wonder it that jeweler in Kits' Sector is still open, he thought. I have a purchase to make, sometime in the future.
"Now, my children, Crystal will be issued an icon and become Crystal Matrix." Phong opened the file where he kept the icons that he gave to sprites and binomes registering in Mainframe, and pulled out a new, black and white icon. He turned to Matrix and AndrAIa, beginning the adoption ceremony.
"Who brings this child to Mainframe?"
"Enzo and AndrAIa Matrix," Matrix answered.
"And who wishes to adopt this child?"
"We do," Matrix said.
"What is the child's name?"
"Crystal Matrix," answered AndrAIa.
Phong now placed the icon with Crystal's PID inside it, on Crystal's sleeper.
On behalf of the Principle Office, I welcome you to Mainframe, Crystal Matrix."
Dot now stepped forward, to give her part of the ceremony.
"Oh behalf of all the citizens of this system, I, Dot Matrix, welcome you to Mainframe, Crystal Matrix."
As Dot stepped back, Bob came forward for his official part in the ceremony. "On behalf of the Port Authority and the Guardians, I, Bob, Guardian 452 of System Mainframe, welcome Crystal Matrix to Mainframe. I pledge, now and forever, to protect you, as the Guardian code, 'Mend and Defend' so dictates."
Ray now stepped forward. Phong, Dot, and Bob, as city officials, were required to give official welcome to Mainframe's newest citizen. Anyone else was free to add their welcome, if they so wished. "On behalf of all Search Engines out there in the Web, I Ray Tracer, the Web Surfer, welcome you to Mainframe, Crystal Matrix."
Mouse decided to add her "Howdies" to the others'. She stepped forward, looking down at the baby in Matrix's arms. "On behalf of all the...uh...hackers in the Net, I Mouse, welcome y'all to Mainframe, Crystal, sugah."
Little Enzo looked around at the adult sprites around him. He felt he needed to say something, but could not think of anything "official" sounding to say. Finally, he just said the first thing that came into his head. "Hi, Crystal! I'm 'Little' Enzo Matrix. Welcome to Mainframe, little niece!"
"Now," Dot said. "We need to help AndrAIa form a mother-daughter bond with Crystal."
"Yes," agreed Phong. "It certainly would not do for the baby to fear and shy away from her own mother."
"There's one way: Mother's milk. AndrAIa needs to be able to nurse Crystal with her own milk."
"How, Dot?" Matrix asked.
"Bob," Dot answered. When the blue Guardian looked her way, she continued. "Bob can use his powers to get the milk to flow."
"Can you, Bob?" AndrAIa asked.
"Yes. My healing powers could do that. Stand up, AndrAIa."
AndrAIa, who has been sitting on the couch in Phong's office, rose to stand before Bob.
Bob placed his hands on AndrAIa's shoulders. Concentrating, focusing his powers, the Guardian poured energy into her, preparing her for her upcoming duties of motherhood. In nanos, she was ready.
Matrix handed Crystal to AndrAIa, who sat down in a comfortable, straight-backed chair. Her hand moved to her halter, then stopped. She looked meaningfully around at the other sprites.
Bob caught her meaning. "Let's, uh, leave the new family alone for awhile," he suggested, ushering everyone but Matrix, AndrAIa, and Crystal out of the room.
Before he left, Bob took one last look at Crystal, and smiled. He walked back over to AndrAIa, kissed the index and middle fingers of his right hand, and touched them gently to Crystal's tiny cheek.
"Stay frosty, little User," he smiled, winking at her.
Then, he too, left the room.
AndrAIa began nursing Crystal, as the baby's first day as a citizen of Mainframe came to a close.
Next: Chapter 3: Crystal's New World
