Defying the Darkness
Chapter Seven

Matrix looked around Bob's apartment and sighed. He wondered just how long he was supposed to stay away from AndrAIa. He missed her greatly, and as he stretched out on the hideous curved couch, he couldn't help but wish he was lying in his bed, wrapping a strong arm around her petite form.

Just as he began to doze - despite the fact that it was the middle of the second - a familiar voice nearly jolted him out of his skin.

"You're seeing it first right here folks!" Mike the TV had bounced to life in the room with his cameraman binome. "I'm here with Renegade Matrix, the sprite gone bad, gone back to good, mere mircos after his return to Mainframe! Does he pose a threat to the population? Has he seen the light and been reformatted? And what caused him to go random in the first place? Is Hexadecimal's infection starting to over-come the Net, and if so, what will the results of her Daemon-destroying infection be? All that and more, right here, right now!" The television turned to Matrix, grinning obnoxiously as he waved a microphone in the reclined sprite's face. "So, Matrix, tell me -"

"Mike!" The Renegade sat up and then stood, purposely painting a menacing expression on his face. "Get out. Now." The media monger was not about to stop, and looked to his camera and back to the subject of the interview, about to ask something else when the green male repeated himself, considerably increasing his volume the second time around. "Now!" Matrix did not wait for the two to leave of their own volition. He grabbed each of them in a hand and very swiftly sent them tumbling out the door, rubbing his head to ease the invisible ache that had arrived only moments later.

His hopes of a nap had been entirely trounced by Mike the TV and his camera-bearing assistant, and so, with a stretch and a yawn, he decided that perhaps he should brave the city of Mainframe and take a walk. Hopefully, being seen out and acting normal would do something to aid the uncomfortable feeling he had been experiencing since he had come back.

Not too long after he had left the apartment, trying not to appear awkward as he strolled, he looked up into the sky and couldn't believe his eyes. There, so far above him that she was like a miniature figurine, was AndrAIa on her ZipBoard, heading across the sector, and into Floating Point, with the seeming destination of the docks nearest to the Beverly Hills portion of the system. The very sight of her made him feel like his heart was going to explode, and he wanted to call out to her so badly that his entire bitmap hurt as he kept his silence.

He decided he'd pursue on foot, and if it so happened that he caught up and ran into her, then it was certainly no fault of his own that they were in the same place at the same time. After all, he had just been out for a walk - or so he would innocently claim to Bob and Dot if and when they found out. Mainframe was not a city for secrets, so he knew the word would probably get back to the pair sooner or later. However, his objective at the moment was to see AndrAIa again, and find out if they were going to be able to fix what he had broken.

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Whenever AndrAIa needed to find Mouse, she either went looking for Ray or Ship. She'd seen enough of the Surfr for an entire cycle, so Ship it was. As she approached, she listened closely, and upon hearing the movements of only one sprite inside, she beat on one of the massive doors, before opening it and calling: "Mouse?" She heard the Hacker moving into the cockpit, and could understand why perhaps she hadn't heard the call, so she followed the sound.

"Hey Mouse, you here?" the GameSprite asked, but the reply was not what she had been anticipating.

"No," A male voice with a thick Australian accent responded, and before AndrAIa could make any frustrated exclamation, the voice continued with. "Why're you here?" Suddenly the Surfr's goggled face appeared from around the doorway of the pilot compartment, wearing an involuntary half-smirk.

"I was looking for Mouse." The aqua-haired sprite replied, placing her hands on her hips. "Why are you here?"

"Same thing." Tracer fully exited the cockpit, saying: "I'd ask you to come and sit down, but I have a feeling you're not too keen on that idea." AndrAIa rolled her eyes and readily began to head on her way again, when he asked her a question that she could not ignore. "Have put any though to our chat earlier?"

She looked over her shoulder at him.

"Yes. Why?"

He leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed.

"I was just wonderin' if there were any grounds for further...discussion." Underneath the protective eyegear, he winked, and she knew that was precisely what he had done from watching the rest of his face accommodate the action.

"There's nothing else to talk about." She replied pointedly.

"Alright then," There was mischief in his tone. "But if you actually want me to believe that, you're going to have to kiss me."

She snapped around as though on a swivel and gawked at him in shock.

"Ray, are you random?" She simply could not believe her ears.

"Completely," He replied, testing his waters by stepping closer to her. "But that's a whole other matter." He now stood a hair's breadth from her, satisfied with the fact that she had not recoiled. "Y'see, if you really want me to believe you, you're gonna' have to kiss me - only once - and tell me that you didn't feel a thing." He had leaned down just slightly, so she could feel his warm breath on her lips as he spoke. He had developed a full smile, and this was accompanied by the mandatory raise of the eyebrow.

The GameSprite glanced around herself quickly, and listening to her surrounding environment, she could hear nothing but the sprite in front of her. Then, acting rashly, she made a statement towards the Surfr.

"Fine!" She snapped. "If doing that will make you drop this once and for all, then I'll do it," She pointed a finger at him in the minuscule space that was between them. "But, if you ever bring this up again -"

"I won't." He solidly affirmed, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her into a kiss.

AndrAIa had been surprised by this - she had been anticipating a nano or two of preparation, but Tracer had gone straight for the target. Trying to swallow her guilt, she let the kiss itself take over her thoughts. How very different it was from Matrix'. Her Lover had always had a more reserved passion...a gentler fashion to balance the fiery anger he often gave to the Net. Ray, on the other hand, was heated and tenacious in his ways. His mouth worked her own as if to convince her that she really did like what he was doing. His tongue writhed within her mouth and his lips sought to tell her to give in and enjoy it - to reciprocate and not be ashamed.

The pair heard a scuff and an involuntary gasp that instantly pulled them apart from one another, their heads flipping around to the source of the sound.

"AndrAIa...?" There stood Matrix, looking as though he'd suffered a great blow. Brow furrowed and jaw slackened, the colour had drained from his face as his eyes jumped back and forth between the GameSprite and the Surfr. He was trying to find words to express his disbelief, but upon finding himself incapable, he sped from the scene with alarming speed.

"Sparky, wait!" She shoved Tracer away from her and was about to take off in pursuit, when the male sprite at hand caught her wrist and gave her an enquiring look. She knew the question his muteness asked, and it made her bleary-eyed to know that she would not have been able to honestly deliver a "no" in reply had he asked aloud. She shook her head at him, pulling her arm away and taking to the air via ZipBoard to catch up with her Lover.

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"Matrix!" The GameSprite swung around in front of him, forcing him to halt and finally recognize her. "Please listen to me - that wasn't what it looked like!" She stepped onto the ground and looked up at him. "He...he kissed me first."

"I don't doubt that." The Renegade didn't know from where he summoned his words; he was simply glad that he had them now when he needed them. "The problem is that you kissed back."

She shook her head.

"No, I didn't." Her eyelids flickered as she softly put a hand to his cheek and forced his eyes to meet her own. "He just...kissed me, and I -"

"AndrAIa, you kissed him back." Matrix replied harshly. "You say it's not what it looked like, but you have no idea what it looked like." He couldn't keep looking into her aqua irises - it was too easy to get lost in them. He sent his gaze wherever it would evade hers.

"It was a mistake, Lover." Her hand slid from his face to his neck. "Please, believe me, it was a mistake." Her voice was trembling. "Please forgive me, Enzo..."

His nostrils flared and he closed his eyes.

"I can't. Not right now." He nearly choked on his words as he relayed them to her.

"But Enzo..." Her other free hand roamed through his hair.

"Matrix." He told her firmly, reaching up and pulling her arm down so he could kiss her hand, so he could hold it. "I can't AndrAIa," He whispered to her fingers.

"That's not fair." The aquatic sprite spoke in equal volume to his. "I just...it's not fair. I've already forgiven you. I forgave you that night - I wanted you to stay so we could work things out..."

"I know." He wondered if deletion was as painful as having the woman he loved do what she had done, and if having too much pride to concede and let bygones be bygones was a major flaw on his part.

"I didn't mean what I said to you that night...any of it." She fell against his chest, talking into it as she went on. "You didn't ruin my life. You are my life...I love you."

The green sprite's hand stroked the sweep of aqua hair, and his head tilted so that his cheek rested on the top of her head.

"I know," He wanted nothing more right now that to spill out a thousand apologies and forget what he had just seen between her and the Surfr. He wanted to go back to normal. "And that's why I can't let this drop right now. I love you more than anything in this Net, and I'd do anything to keep you safe...so I think we need to take a break." He felt some part of himself shut down as he told her this. "I can't be with you right now. I'm sorry." Releasing her from himself, he hung his head and walked beyond her, halting for a moment. "I don't want this to be forever." He said, not looking back to her. "If you're willing to wait, I want us to be a couple again - just not yet. I want to get things right this time." He didn't idle for a reply, but instead continued on the path he had come. He would go back to Bob's place, and he would try to figure out whether or not what he had just done was a mistake or not.

As per the norm, Ray wasn't too far behind, and as soon as he was within arm's reach, AndrAIa instantly extended her hand and struck him across the face, finding that it had no effect on him. After all, when he and Baud were synced, he was virtually indestructible.

"I deserved that." He commented, seeing the hurt in her expression.

"Ray! There you are! I've been lookin' for you all second!" Mouse's strong accent came across the distance to greet the two sprites, and before the Hacker could get within range to get an idea of what had happened, AndrAIa departed for home on her Zip. She had a wall to patch.

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Dot remerged from the basement of the Diner, blushing slightly and smiling. She looked otherwise perfect - as always - and resumed business as usual, not drawing any attention to herself in the slightest. It was Bob who wore a badge of guilt on his chest like an icon. He hair was tousled, and he was simply incapable of wiping the silly smirk from his face. It was a sheer miracle that his uniform wasn't twisted or contorted in some fashion to further indicate what the two sprites could have been doing in the sub-level.

"We should probably go check on Enzo." The noted, checking the time on her wristwatch. I'd imagine he'll be expecting some form of meal or another soon. If he's actually been studying all this time I'll have to see about taking him Circuit Racing or something."

The blue sprite said nothing of significance initially, but only nodded in agreement.

"I'm sure he'd like that." He said finally, as if his responses had been put on a delay. I'm just gonna' run by the apartment first and check in on Matrix...see if he needs anything."

"Okay," Seeing as how the pair was still behind the bar, the female made a couple of shakes and gestured for the Guardian to lift the counter-top for her. She did eventually hand one of the two drinks to him, at which time she queried: "Meet you at my place?"

"Yep. See you there."

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"I'm sorry Sugar, but we're just not workin' out." Mouse had quite quickly cut to the chase when it came to what was on her mind when it came to her relationship with the Surfr. "I guess what I'm sayin' here is that I want to break up."

Tracer had intended to tell her precisely the same thing, but it ruffled his feathers, as they say, to be the one getting broken up with. He almost suspected that Mouse had seen it coming, and done it first just to spite him.

Truthfully, that had been precisely what she had done. She had wanted to try to work things out once more, but she wasn't blind. Her intuition and her intelligence told her that he had written this relationship off. End of file. She had simply chosen to take the initiative and be the one to end it - it gave her some kind of obscure satisfaction to be the one doing the breaking up. It was as though beating him to the punch made it worthwhile. Though, that was the way with most, if not all, relationships that she'd had.

"Right then." Ray had knit his eyebrows together. "I guess I'll be takin' the next wave outta' this system then. It's time I got back to surfing anyway." He said his piece acrimoniously and decided it was time for him to leave the conversation.

Mouse didn't want him to be too embittered by what had occurred, and so she added: "It was good while it lasted, Honey."

With such simplicity and so little having been said, their relationship met its end. Neither party was entirely content, but both understood that with their personalities being so alike, that when they started to clash, they needed to split. The Hacker knew she would regret not having fought for their so-called love, but Tracer's only regret would be that he had not only made a mess of his own situation, but of Matrix and AndrAIa's as well in an effort to discover if his sentiments were going to be reciprocated. Though, the only way to find out was to try, and everyone in this system had been subjected to worse than couple troubles - he was fairly certain they'd all recover from this soon enough, and by then he'd be back in the Web, surfing like he always had.

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