Hacker was beyond furious, which confused his henchmen. He had everything he'd ever wanted, Motherboard was gone, Cyberspace was his, what could be upsetting him? They watched him pace back and forth on the control deck of the Wreaker, occasionally mumbling to himself too quietly for them to hear.
"Gee Buzzy, whadda ya think the Boss is so upset about?" Delete asked quietly.
"I dunno, Dee-Dee. Cybersites are surrendering left and right, and the ones that aren't don't stand a chance against the Boss."
"Buzz! Delete! Get over here!" Hacker bellowed, causing the two to jump.
"Y-yeah, Boss?" Buzz stammered, worried they'd somehow upset him.
"I'm going to pay the former ruler of Tikiville a visit. Make sure the Wreaker stays on course for Sensible Flats. And if you see so much as a hint of those bothersome brats, call me immediately. Do you understand?"
He didn't wait for their responses, well aware they were going to be practically tripping over themselves to agree to anything he said. He knew there was something going on, something that had to do with Motherboard, and he intended to find out what. Those power spikes hadn't happened for nothing, and then there was that woman he'd seen for just a moment after they'd stormed Control Central for the second time. Something just wasn't adding up. He had a hunch as to what it could be, but he wanted to be sure before he wasted his time chasing the meddlesome brats and their tin turkey. And the best way to find out that information was with the pre-teen he had in a holding cell.
He flipped his cape to the side as he strode down the hall of prison cells, the newest addition to the Wreaker. Various site leaders took up each one, some worse for the wear than others, all cringing away from the bars as he passed. He smirked as he walked. To think not so long ago these peons had thought him weak, inferior. Well he'd shown them!
Stopping at the last cell on the left, he peered through the bars at Creech. Dried oil coated her clothes, ripped as they were, various burns and cuts covering her exposed skin. Two manacles enclosed both her wrists, each glowing with a forcefield to prevent her from attempting to pick the locks, and both were connected to the wall. She was sitting with her back to him, appearing not to notice him, though he could tell from the rigidity of her posture she was afraid. The thought made him chuckle.
"Well Creech, are you ready to talk now?" he asked, letting himself into her cell. "You know the longer you insist upon resisting the worse it will be for your people, the very same people you claim to love." She didn't answer, though her body jerked as if to stand and face him. "That's too bad. I'll make sure to let them know the newest rations and curfew are courtesy of you. And perhaps I'll execute someone just for fun, really make a day of it."
"You're despicable," the girl whispered, so quietly he almost didn't hear.
A large grin stretched across his features.
"Why thank you, it warms the circuitry to know someone recognizes that. Now, what do you know about the earth brats and their whereabouts?"
"Nothing," Creech grit out, the same answer she'd been giving for days.
She knew she couldn't let Hacker know anything about her friends, least of all that Motherboard was alive and well. Hacker ground his teeth in frustration. If there was one thing he could say about the girl it was that she wasn't as easy to crack as some of the other rulers. Dudicas had only needed to see a few skateboards smashed and he'd spilled every bit of information he'd had, which, granted, hadn't amoutned to anything, but still.
Quickly losing patience he reached out and grabbed her shoulder, jerking her around to face him. She winced at the tight grip he had on her, slightly worried he might kill her.
"I'm not the idiot you seem to take me for. I know those kids and Digit are out there somewhere, and I know you know where. None of the other sites in my control have reported seeing them, but some of your citizens weren't so loyal." He grinned maniacally as her face paled. "I thought so. Now, are you going to tell me where they are or are we going to have to do this the hard way?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered, eyes hardening.
"Do not lie to me, girl!" Hacker yelled, shaking her violently. He reached into the inner pocket of his cape, pulling out a small chip that he stuck onto her neck before letting her go. "Now then; this chip allows me to do a number of things, none of which will benefit you. So for the last time...where are the earth brats?!"
Creech clamped her mouth shut, turning her head to face away from Hacker. She heard him growl in displeasure before her head whipped back to face him with a sickening crack. She screamed, tears streaming down her face.
"That's right you impudent child, this chip gives me full control over you should I so choose. And there are far more tricks it's capable of so I suggest you answer the question. Or are you that desperate to be reunited with your parents?"
Creech gasped, the mention of her parents stinging. No one had truly realized how far gone Hacker had become until he'd invaded Tikiville, killing anyone who got in his way, including her parents. A strong shock raced through her system and she screamed again, body jerking and spasming.
"The children, where are they?" Hacker asked again, barely giving her time to take a breath.
"Nowhere you'll ever find them!" she spat, panting from the agony her body was in.
"Wrong answer!"
Her arm bent itself backward of its own accord, sending her into another round of screaming. The sound was beginning to grate on Hacker's nerves, but he supposed her will would break soon enough.
They went round and round, Creech refusing to answer his questions, and as a result being tortured within an inch of her life. Her throat was raw from screaming, and she had almost no tears left. Several bones were broken, as well as a few torn muscles, not to mention the internal damage from the electrical shocks. Her ears were ringing, but she didn't need her hearing to know the question the insane cyborg kept asking. It wasn't until he granted her a reprieve for a few precious minutes that she was able to pull herself into a sitting position.
She could tell what little patience Hacker had was almost gone, the glint in his eye promising a fate far worse than imprisonment if she didn't give in soon. Another object was pulled from his cape, the metal glinting wickedly in the light. He tossed it toward her and it landed at her feet. It was then she could make out that it was a cyberblade, about five inches in length and viciously sharp.
"I'm going to ask you one final time-where are the earth children? Hacker asked, deadly calm.
"I will never tell you," Creech responded, breath rattling in her chest.
"Then you've outlived your usefulness."
Against her will her arm reached out and grasped the knife, bringing it up to her throat. She struggled against it, fought as hard as she could, but Hacker had full control. She glanced at him as the blade bit into her skin, terrified at the lack of emotion in his gaze. Her mind raced, trying to find a way out, but she could only come to one option: she had to tell him. If her people ever wanted a chance at freedom she had to be around to guide them. Tears slipped down her cheeks that had nothing to do with the pain of the cut and everything to do with the betrayal she was about to commit.
"Wait!" she yelled as she felt oil beginning to run down her neck. Her hand stopped, but didn't remove itself. She shut her eyes, taking a breath to gather herself. "They...they went to Frogsnorts. To...to find information to help Motherboard."
Tears poured down her cheeks as her arm fell limply to her side, the blade clattering across the tiles of the cell. Hacker didn't spare her a second glance as he swept out of the room, her sobs echoing down the hall.
"Buzz! Delete!" She heard him yelling, though it was growing fainter as he moved. "Change of plans! Set a course to Frogsnorts! We have some interlopers to intercept!"
What had she done?
The flight to Calamore was...intense. The energy in the cabin was definitely all over the place, a healthy mix of worry and hope as well as several other emotions no one cared to name. Stumblesnore had indeed provided provisions, including a set of impressive winter gear, as well as a map of the site. The problem was the site itself was basically a block of ice, the only way to search the surface being a laser. They had decided Doctor Marbles would handle that aspect, neither him nor Motherboard comfortable with one of the kids operating something so dangerous. When Matt had tried to argue in their favor Motherboard had merely given him a look, easily shutting him down.
She was still weak, but she insisted they move on in their venture, feeling as though they were unfairly taking up Stumblesnore's time. He had, of course, vehemently insisted that wasn't true, but they left regardless. Shari, feeling guilty for not being more helpful, had given them various potions to aid them. "Just in case," she'd said, slipping several bottles into each of her friends' hands.
So there they were, almost at the first cybersite on their list. In fairness it was unlikely that the Alganite would be found there, but with so few options each was equally as important.
"We'll be landing in approximately five minutes, I suggest everyone prepare accordingly," Doctor Marbles called over his shoulder.
The kids obligingly unbuckled their seatbelts, moving to the rear of the coupe to retrieve their snowsuits. Everyone had one in their favorite color, though that did mean Doctor Marbles and Motherboard matched in blue. It had been decided they'd split into teams of two once they landed to cover more ground. Marbles and Matt would handle the laser on the surface while Digit, Jackie, Inez, and Motherboard split apart to search the various cave systems. That had been an impressive argument in and of itself, Marbles firmly believing Motherboard had no business out in the tundra in her condition, and of course she argued that she had to help because they were doing this for her in the first place. Jackie had quietly added another tally to Motherboard's side of her imaginary score card when Doctor Marbles finally threw up his hands in exasperation.
The cybercoupe landed smoothly despite the rather windy conditions, and everyone double checked that they all had a skwakpad and a copy of the map.
"Now remember, everyone needs to be extremely cautious. The weather here isn't favorable to life for extended periods of time so if you begin to feel the symptoms of exposure you must return here at once, no matter what," Marbles cautioned before opening the door.
Everyone but Matt disembarked, immediately feeling the wind tear through their chests and steal their breath.
"Is everyone alright?" Motherboard called, the wind ripping her words away.
"We're fine, MotherB!" Jackie called, tightening her hood. "Digit and I are going to start in the caves on the western part of the site."
"Motherboard and I will start in the eastern ones," Inez responded. "Call if you need us."
They parted ways, trudging through the snow and attempting to block the wind the best they could. Jackie gripped the back of Digit's jacket so the strong wind wouldn't catch under his wings. Luckily their first cave wasn't too far away and they ducked into the mouth with a sigh of relief.
"Woah," Jackie said as she pulled her hood back. "It's beautiful."
Ice crystals glittered in the light, casting a galaxy of stars on the far wall.
"Yeah, yeah, but I don't see any crystals in here other than the ones made of ice," Digit quipped.
"Yeah, I guess any actual crystals are further inside. C'mon Didge."
"So...do you think we're actually gonna find anything, Doc?" Matt asked as they waited for the laser to heat up.
The man sighed, spinning the chair to face him.
"Honestly? No. But I do understand Motherboard's insistence on the search, and she is correct that any lead is important. This site simply isn't formatted to produce crystals very often, and even more rarely are they able to be recovered. However I will gladly help her search this wasteland for as long as it takes, and considering the size of the site it shouldn't be more than a few days."
"But why agree to search if you know it's pointless?"
The man gave him a tired smile.
"Matt, Motherboard is in an odd place right now. Too vulnerable to be of great help to Cyberspace as she usually is, but not too weak to sit idly by as Hacker destroys it. She fully believes that she comes second to the needs of her citizens, even though she is incredibly ill. She is selfless to a fault, one of her few flaws, even if it impacts her more than anyone. She is also incredibly strong-willed as I'm sure you've gathered.
So until she can see that her needs are equally as important as others', she won't stop trying to find the Alganite. As much as she pretends otherwise, she's just as scared as you are. The least I can do is not cause unnecessary stress, even if I believe it's a bad idea. As you've seen, she'll likely just power through anyway. Does that answer your question?"
"Yeah," Matt grinned, "it does."
He knew Doctor Marbles spoke the truth, could remember missions where Motherboard had been more than willing to surrender to Hacker for their safety. She truly was the perfect leader for Cyberspace. It was just too bad she couldn't recognize that she was what made it great.
He tugged on the sleeves of his parka, adjusting them to make sure his hands were thoroughly covered.
"I'm just searching the holes right?"
"Affirmative."
"Cool. Let's see what this baby can do!"
The wind whipping around them was the only sound. Inez pushed against it, hissing through her teeth as ice chips cut her cheeks. She pulled her hood even higher against her face, trying to ignore how it made her glasses fog up. She glanced toward Motherboard, noticing she seemed to be struggling almost as badly despite being taller. She gasped as the cyberruler stumbled, nearly falling into the drifts of snow.
"Are you alright, Motherboard?" she called over the wind, reaching for the woman's arm.
"I'm alright, I just tripped," Motherboard responded, giving the girl's hand a reassuring squeeze.
In truth she wished she'd listened to Marbles and his protests. The wind felt like knives against her skin even through her thick layers and trudging through the snowbanks was quickly sapping what little energy she had, not to mention her muscles were still sore from the raging fever she'd fought off. She'd never voice these things to any of the children though, they worried for her enough as it was. She ignored the way Inez's eyes bore into her own as if searching for a lie.
"I think there's a cave up ahead, do you think you can make it? We can rest once we get inside," the young girl said, tearing her eyes away and squinting at the horizon.
"I see it. Come on, it doesn't look far."
She took the lead, making sure to make a path the child could easily follow. The snow was almost to her knees, she knew Inez was having a hard time making her way through it. Inez followed her gratefully, movement much easier once she dropped into line behind the woman. She did feel bad for making her do most of the work after she'd almost fallen but truth be told each step so far had been a battle all its own.
They stumbled into the mouth of the cave several minutes later, both panting from the exertion. Icy stalactites dangled from the ceiling dangerously, and Inez gulped. She knew one loud noise could send them tumbling. Motherboard followed her gaze, biting her lip. Motioning for Inez to follow, she carefully moved through the entrance and deeper into the cave system until they were safely away from the possible danger.
Heaving a sigh she sank to the ground, relieved to be able to rest and be out of the force of the wind. She allowed her eyes to wander around the cavern they'd entered, ice sparkling prettily all around them. A faint smile crossed her features. She'd always known Cyberspace was breathtaking, but to be able to experience it like this was truly amazing, even if the circumstances were less than ideal.
A violent shiver tore up her spine, and she involuntarily curled in on herself. The sights on Calamore may be stunning, but the cold was miserable. She wondered idly if it would bother her so much if the virus wasn't ravaging her circuits. Inez, noticing what was happening, sat beside the woman, hesitating only a moment before tucking herself against her side. Hopefully her added warmth would help.
Motherboard tensed for only a moment before she realized what Inez was trying to do. She gave a quiet hum before wrapping her arm around her and tugging her closer still.
"Don't worry, Inez. We'll find something," she assured her, though she didn't entirely believe it herself.
"Okay Matt, coordinates locked, preparing to fire."
The laser blast shattered the ice as easily as it had the first twenty times, though just as every other time nothing could be seen inside the crater it left behind.
"Nothing here, Doc," Matt said into the skwak, hands shifting through the dislodged snow and ice.
He was beginning to see why the doctor had been so against searching this particular site, because it really seemed to be living up to the wasteland label he'd promised it to be. He wondered if the others were having any more luck than they were.
"Repositioning, stand by," Marbles' voice echoed.
"Got it."
Barely an hour had passed before the two search teams began to make their way back to the coupe, the cold too much to bear any longer. Ice hung off Digit's wings, making the feathers stiff and uncomfortable. Jackie helped him along, his balance thrown off by the extra weight. She could just make out the cybercoupe ahead, peacefully parked on top of the ice, the only sign it had moved at all the numerous holes off to the side.
"Well that doesn't look promising," she muttered.
Movement to their left caught her eye and she turned her head, unsurprised to see Inez and Motherboard also heading back to the safety of the coupe. Doctor Marbles hadn't been exaggerating when he said Calamore was not favorable to life. The subzero temperatures had quickly caused their search to grind to a halt after only looking through three caves, and disappointingly they had nothing to show for it other than ice and wind burn. She took note of how slowly the other two moved across the tundra, eyes widening as Inez seemed to catch Motherboard mid-fall. She hoped nothing had happened to her on top of her virus.
"C'mon, Didge, we better hurry. Motherboard isn't looking too good."
They pushed forward, changing course slightly to meet up with the other half of their team. Motherboard had resorted to leaning partially against Inez after her last fall, though she hated to add her extra weight onto the tiny shoulders. Inez didn't complain, merely set her features in a determined expression and kept moving, resolved to make sure the woman made it back to the coupe, especially since they were so close.
"Inez!" Jackie called, catching her attention. "Are you alright?"
"We're alright, what about you guys?" she yelled back.
"Fine, but Digit's wings are frozen!"
They met up in front of the cybercoupe, the hatch hissing open to welcome them, heat flowing out and steaming up the air.
"Hey guys!" Matt called down the ramp, appearing shortly after.
His face fell as he took in the returning group, all four looking worse for wear. Despite having shed his protective gear already he wasted no time in rushing down to meet them and wrapping an arm around Motherboard's waist, relieving Inez of her weight. He carefully guided her up the ramp, noticing how violently she seemed to be shivering despite the heat he could feel trapped underneath her outerwear. The girls and Digit trudged behind him, sore from pushing through the deep snow. The heat stung their faces as they entered, causing them to wince and Inez's glasses to fog up.
Matt helped Motherboard over to a chair, Marbles stepping in to replace him as she sat.
"What happened? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just exhausted from the snow," she answered, allowing her eyes to slip closed.
He didn't fully believe her, able to tell from the way Matt had helped her inside it was something more, but he didn't push. He glanced at the kids, eyes tracing them for signs of injury and relieved to find none. They were stripping off their snowsuits, flexing their fingers and trying to reacclimate to the warmth they were now in. Digit was slowly regaining movement in his wings as the ice began to melt and drip off, and Matt had begun to help him out of his own protective wear.
He turned his attention back to his friend, noticing she seemed to be on the brink of sleep. Gently, he began to help her as Matt was helping Digit, taking care as he knew she was still sore. He heard the kids talking quietly as they hung their clothes back up, and he wasn't surprised to overhear they hadn't found anything of note. Motherboard's eyes flickered back open as she felt herself being pulled upright and her coat removed. She gave Marbles a grateful smile, allowing them to close once more.
"Is she okay, Doc?" Digit asked, leading the kids over and shaking off the last of the melted ice.
"She says so, but I have my doubts," he replied, keeping his voice low so he wouldn't wake her.
"You worry too much," she said, startling them all.
"With good reason," he responded. "You're shaking like a leaf and no doubt withholding information about your adventure."
Inez and Jackie shared a look, wondering if this would turn into another argument. It was amusing to watch them fight, they acted like a married couple more often than not, but it was still awkward. Today though Motherboard simply shrugged, allowing Doctor Marbles to come closer and begin examining her.
"Hmm, no external damage, but I can hear your circuitry straining against the high temperatures of your CPU. I'm worried there's going to be damage to the nanites and wiring if we can't get that fever to break soon."
"I find it hard to believe I'm running hot, I feel quite cold," she replied.
"Yes, an unfortunate symptom of a fever, though I know so far you've only felt over warm. Perhaps you'd better lie down for a bit to see if that helps."
There was a small cot in the back of the ship that folded into the wall, with a press of the button it unfolded for her. Ordinarily she'd argue, try and convince him she could still contribute to a discussion or search, but the exhaustion weighing on her was far too heavy. Wordlessly she made her way to the small bed, asleep almost before she'd completely lain down. Marbles watched her with concern before beckoning everyone closer to the control panel.
"We have to hurry. The virus is causing internal damage. The exhaustion is only going to get worse, the symptoms more aggressive."
"She fell a few times," Inez said quietly, "but she kept telling me she was fine."
Jackie and Matt frowned deeply. That did not sound good. Marbles sighed.
"That's what I was afraid of. The virus seems to be attacking her operating system, specifically the programming for her balance and movement. Perhaps that means it isn't directed completely at her CPU, which is good, but still not ideal."
"What can we do?" Jackie asked.
"Keep her comfortable, unfortunately not much else unless we're able to locate the Alganite."
Motherboard slept, and as she slept, she dreamed. Memories blended into one another in her mind, warping and changing. One minute she was watching Doctor Marbles boot up Hacker, the next the kids were celebrating Mother's Day with her. She knew it was wrong, that the details didn't match, but she couldn't manage to sort them out as the visions kept shifting and changing. Finally her dreams settled, though it still wasn't pleasant.
She was alone, in her new form, and wandering. She knew she was looking for something, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. It must have been important though, otherwise why would she be so desperate to find it? She kept walking, nothing seeming to change until she noticed the temperature dropping. It had been pleasantly warm at the beginning, comfortable, but now she felt as though she were freezing. She upped her pace, hoping keeping in motion would keep her warm, but it only helped a fraction.
Voices suddenly seemed to be coming from far ahead of her, too garbled and warped to properly make out, but she felt as though she recognized them regardless. She began to run toward where they seemed to be coming from, hoping that they could help her either find whatever it was she was looking for or get her out of the frozen wasteland she now seemed to be in. As she moved the voices moved as well, never getting any closer no matter how hard she pushed herself. She began to panic, the sensation of being trapped too much to bear. Her breathing became even more labored than it already was, dark spots dancing in front of her eyes as her oxygen levels decreased.
Her body ached, unused to so much physical activity at once. The cold bit at her, making the entire ordeal even worse. Just as she thought she was about to collapse, it all faded away and she sighed in relief, only to scream as a massive shock seemed to set her ablaze.
Motherboard woke with a choked gasp, still feeling the pain from her dream. It took a few seconds for her to calm down, vision finally clearing, and it was then she realized that what she had assumed to be phantom pain was in fact quite real. It seemed the shock that had woken her was more than a figment of her mind. Her entire body simultaneously felt like it was freezing and on fire, not to mention she was afraid that if she moved her limbs wouldn't respond to her commands.
Gingerly, she shifted on the bed, hissing through her teeth as her body responded but not without sending massive aches up and down her form. She stilled, contemplating if she should even attempt getting up, but worried that if she fell back asleep her mind would take her to even worse places. She could hear the kids and Digit talking quietly at the front of the ship, and some other odd sounds she couldn't quite place but assumed were Marbles. She noticed the room seemed even brighter than it had when she'd fallen asleep and wondered how much time had passed. But, if it was near nightfall, there was something she wanted to show the kids to hopefully get their minds off the current situation.
Resolve renewed, she took a deep breath before forcing herself to sit up and allowing the blankets to fall away, only for chills to immediately radiate up her spine. She clenched her teeth, pulling one at random from the pile and wrapping it around her shoulders as she stood. She began heading toward the front of the ship where everyone seemed to have congregated, observing the small kitchenette type area that had been set up in her absence. Something was being boiled in a little carafe, though with the lid closed she couldn't tell what.
Doctor Marbles was the first to notice her, attention turning from some sort of notebook.
"Did you rest well?" he asked, causing the kids to pause in their conversation and turn to face her.
"Yes," she lied, only a little guilt nagging at her. "How long was I asleep?"
"Only a few hours, long enough for the sun to begin to set."
He motioned out the window, revealing that the sky was gradually shifting from light to dark gray. Luckily, the windstorm that had seemed to plague them all day had stopped and the clouds were thinning, revealing small glimpses of the sky. She smiled, pleased that her plan would come to fruition.
Turning back to face the squad, she noticed cards strewn everywhere along with various other games. Digit, Jackie and Matt each held a hand of cards while Inez seemed to be watching from the side. She settled on the floor beside them, all the kids shifting to make room.
"What are you playing?" she asked, unable to recognize the game.
"Kings Corner," Jackie answered, laying down a card. "It's sort of like multiplayer solitaire."
"Which I hate. Why did I agree to play again?" Matt asked, shifting through his rather full stack of cards before slapping them face down on the floor and motioning for Digit to take his turn.
"Because Inez wouldn't play and it's more fun with more players," Jackie replied. "Besides, we said if you played you could pick what we play next."
They kept the game going, cards being picked up and discarded at a rapid rate. It was quite interesting to watch, though she understood why it might be frustrating to play. As an argument started up between Matt and Jackie over whether his move had been correct she turned to Inez.
"Why didn't you want to play?"
The girl shrugged.
"I don't really like solitaire itself, and I know how much of a sore loser Matt is," she replied with a grin. "Plus sometimes I just like to watch."
Motherboard smiled, tucking the blanket more tightly around herself and settling in to watch the rest of the game, though occasionally glancing out of the windows to keep track of the time. It was nice to be a part of this, to be able to watch the kids play without the distance of her screen between them. Eventually Jackie triumphantly threw down her last card, winning the game, and though Matt did complain they moved on to Go Fish.
"Motherboard, do you want to play?" Digit asked as he shuffled the deck in preparation for the deal.
Smiling, she nodded her ascent, sliding in between Inez and Matt and accepting the cards. She'd never actually played the game before, though of course knew how it was done, and found it extremely fun, especially playing with her favorite people. The kids bantered back and forth, exchanging light teasing and jokes, and she found herself to be the happiest she'd been since the whole ordeal began.
Night had well and truly fallen by the time a few rounds had been completed, and the sky was bright and clear. She stood, stretching and dropping the cards back into the pile.
"Where are you going?" Matt asked, glancing up at her.
"C'mon, Motherboard, you can't give up!" Digit said. "You haven't won yet!"
"I'll be back shortly, I just want to speak to Doctor Marbles for a moment."
"The kids beat you at Go Fish?" he asked with a smile as she approached.
She rolled her eyes, smiling to let him know she wasn't annoyed.
"It isn't as though I've had much practice," she quipped, settling in the chair beside him. "What are you working on all alone over here?"
"Just some notes on what we've discovered thus far and tracking the progression of your virus. It seems to me that this site can safely be crossed off the list and assumed to be counterproductive to our needs."
"It isn't entirely useless."
She leaned closer and whispered her plan in his ear. He grinned, pleased to assist her. They stood, and he safely stored his notes in the glove compartment before heading toward the back of the coupe. Motherboard returned to the squad, though made sure to change her position to be facing the front windshield.
"What's up, MotherB?" Jackie asked, noticing she'd changed spots.
The lights went down as she finished her question, the kids gasping and beginning to panic.
"Oh no! We must have lost power!" Inez cried.
"Yoikes! Where's the doc?" Digit asked, head swiveling around.
"It's okay," Motherboard soothed, shifting to better accommodate her next phase of her plan. "The lights have just been turned off, we haven't lost power."
"But why?" Matt asked.
"Because there's something I want to show you," she answered, motioning them all closer.
They crawled over, settling around her. A swish of air displacing signaled another change, the chairs in front of the main control panel descending into the floor, leaving the view unobstructed. Marbles reappeared, precariously balancing five mugs. He handed them out, seating himself by Motherboard to ready for the show. Digit and the kids gasped in delight as they realized what they'd been handed.
"Hot chocolate!" Inez squealed first, eagerly bringing the cup up to her mouth.
Motherboard chuckled at her reaction, eyes flicking toward the windows as the first flickers of light began to appear.
"Kids, look outside," she coaxed.
Their heads turned, gasps echoing through the room as the light fully formed and washed over them. Lights danced in the sky, shades of green, blue, pink and purple mixing and swirling around. It was gorgeous.
"It's like the northern lights," Inez whispered.
"The cyber-lights are our version, and they're only visible here and in Penguia," Motherboard answered gently, trying not to break the spell of the lights.
"I…I've never seen them before. They're beautiful," Digit said, wiping away a tear.
Motherboard turned to face Doctor Marbles, sharing a smile with him. This was going just as she'd hoped. Gradually, barely looking away from the sky, the kids changed position, slowly sliding back to lean against the adults. Jackie was partially against Marbles while Matt had taken residence against Motherboard's right side. That left no space for Inez, though without hesitation she'd settled herself in the cyberruler's lap. Motherboard herself was leaning slightly against Doctor Marbles, allowing him to support part of her weight as she watched her kids watch the sky.
It was perfect. It was everything she could ever want. It was—uncomfortable. Her chest began to burn, her throat to itch. She shifted, trying to ignore it, not wanting to lose the tranquility of the night.
Minutes ticked by, the sensation growing worse, and before long she found herself swallowing to try and force it away. It wasn't working, the urge to…something, gnawing at her. She attempted to take a deep breath, startling not only herself but everyone when harsh coughs rang through the air. They all jumped, especially Inez who could feel the vibrations through her own body.
"Deep breaths, Motherboard," Marbles said, wrapping an arm around her waist. She tried to follow his instructions, though breathing seemed incredibly difficult at the moment. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, sense their concern, and a blush rose on her cheeks. Finally, blessedly, she caught her breath, the burning sensation receding but not fading away. She swallowed, throat sore from the fit. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I'm sorry for startling you. It came out of nowhere," she answered, seriously considering hiding her face in his shoulder out of sheer embarrassment.
"Quite alright, no harm done, though it does seem that another symptom has appeared. Is anything else the matter?"
"My throat is a bit sore, though I suppose the coughing could have attributed to that." He hummed, obviously lost in thought. She turned her attention back to the kids, ashamed to have ruined the peace. "I'm fine, I promise. I'm sorry to have ruined the cyber-lights."
"You didn't ruin it, MotherB," Jackie said.
"Yeah, they're still up there, we can keep watching," Matt added, hoping to cheer her up.
She gave him a smile, grateful for his attempt. They all turned back to the lights, still just as mesmerizing as they had been at the beginning. All except for Inez, who shyly tapped her arm to gain her attention.
"Um, you can say no if you want but I know you said your throat hurts and hot drinks are good for that so if you want to you can have some of mine," she rambled, obviously nervous to even bring it up. She wasn't meeting the woman's eyes, a sure sign she was insecure about her answer. "I know you aren't contagious or like, actually sick with a normal virus or anything so I'm not worried," she continued before Motherboard was able to answer.
"Thank you, Inez, that's very sweet," she replied, glad to see the girl brighten immediately and proffer the cup.
She'd never actually tried the drink before, which was probably why Marbles hadn't thought to give her her own. Not to mention all the eons where she wasn't able to ingest anything at all, save for the antidote to the Spell of the Mean Green she'd processed through her cryoxide tank. She hesitated as she brought the mug to her lips, letting the smell wash over her.
The drink smelled sweet, though not sickeningly so, and she relished the warmth of the porcelain seeping into her hands seeing as she hadn't quite managed to shake the chill from earlier. She took a small sip, the chocolate sweetness rushing over her. She hummed quietly, happy. Inez grinned as she noticed the woman seemed to be enjoying the drink. Mindful that it wasn't hers, she only drank a bit more before handing the cup back to the girl, running her fingers through her hair as she settled back against her chest to continue watching the lights.
As the show continued and the night drew on, exhaustion crept in to claim everyone. The kids began yawning, the time between each blink increasing. Digit had long since passed out against Marbles' other side, one wing partially resting against Jackie. Said girl had climbed into Doctor Marbles' lap at some point and was fast asleep already, and Matt and Inez weren't far behind. Motherboard could feel them growing heavier against her as they began to succumb to sleep and she grinned, adjusting her body to pillow herself against her friend's side. It seemed they wouldn't be moving anytime soon.
She coughed quietly, one hand pressing against Inez's back so that she wasn't jostled too much. The girl grumbled sleepily, merely shifting slightly and tucking her face against the woman's neck.
"Goodnight, old friend," Motherboard whispered into the darkness.
"Goodnight, and may the morning bring good fortune," he whispered back, squeezing her waist slightly with his arm.
Silence washed over them, the only sound that of the children's breathing and occasional snoring, and all was still.