It was a dark night in Mainframe. A cold wind rustled down the tiny alleyways, one specifically, seemed particularly cold that night. A lone binome standing in a back corner shivered quietly and rubbed himself against the wall behind him in a futile attempt to warm his poor, cold, lonely body. He flicked his few straggling pieces of hair back out of his eye. As he tried to snuggle down and fall asleep, a tear suddenly and violently appeared close to his head, sending out bright shards of azure light. The binome, screaming, ran as fast as his stunted legs would carry him away from the tear and the dark, cold alleyway. The tear however, was not racing anywhere. It slowly rotated on its axis and its colours shifted. In a flash it converted into a net portal! The portal was small, too small for a grown sprite or even a one binome, but possibly could have had a zero binome quite nicely. Anyway, a small sprite, in the midst of adolescence, dove head first out of the portal. She rolled and kicked up onto her feet. She heaved in a breath. She was alone. Crouching, she began to determine her state of health. She touched her left side and felt a small twinge of pain and her left ankle was slightly twisted. Better than she had expected. She began to look around. She was in a cold, night-time system, in a thin, dirty alleyway with high walls. She breathed in deeply, and tried to slow her racing heart.

"All right. Time to get me some food."

***

Dot sat fidgeting, staring irritably at a large vid-window in her diner. An untouched energy shake sat atop the counter next to her. She tapped the counter top with her fingernails and sighed loudly. The diner was empty. Completely empty. Even Cecil wasn't around. Bob, Matrix, Enzo, Hexadecimal and AndrAIa were all in a game and Mouse and Ray had gone off together somewhere. So she sat in her lonely diner drumming her fingers, praying for customers. Just then the doors were slammed open and a cold blast of night air screamed in. A young sprite pushed the doors shut against the wind and rubbed her hands together to get them warm. She was dressed in dark pants and a light coloured shirt, black boots and had a heavy blanket around her shoulders. She looked older than Enzo, about 1-4 or maybe 1-5. She raised her blue head and smiled nervously through long twists of dark green hair.

"Hello. Um, do you...do you have any food?"

"Sure. Have a seat." Dot directed the girl towards a bar stool. "What would you like?"

She sat and looked into Dot's eyes. She bit her lip. "I don't have any units."

"None? Why not?"

The girl held her sides and shook her head gently, "I'm not from here. I've come through the net to this system to find something that was stolen from me." She looked up at Dot, her big grey eyes pleading. "Please, I'm so hungry, so cold." She leaned forward and rubbed her hands up and down her arms.

"My name is Dot. What's your name?"

"Um, my name is...," she sighed "my name is Arial."

"Arial. Here," Dot passed her the energy shake she hadn't touched, "have this."

"Hgh!" She looked at Dot in amazement. "Thank you!" She grabbed the shake and slurped it down.

"You're welcome."

Dot sat opposite the small hunched girl gulping down her shake. She watched the girls small nervous movements and long lashed eyes flicking over the room, looking at every thing. Taking in every detail. Checking out every corner. Staring into every booth.

"Why is this place empty?"

"Slow night."

"But it's empty. Don't you have any friends?"

"Yes I do. But they're all in a game."

"No we're not." A cold wind tore into the room as Bob and Enzo came through the door.

Enzo slapped his hand on the counter, "Hey sis, hit me."

"Excuse me?"

"Hit me...with an energy shake."

"Oh. Right." She exchanged a puzzled look with Bob. "Hey Bob." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as she passed him to get Enzo a shake. Enzo stood next to Arial's stool staring at her.

"Enzo, meet Arial. Arial, this is my brother Enzo."

"Hello."

Enzo didn't move. "Hi." He eyed her warily. He'd never met a sprite her age before. She was older than him, but not as old as the others.

Bob smiled and held out his hand to Arial "My name is Bob, pleasure to meet you Arial."

"Yeah, pleasure." Arial shook Bob's hand shyly. She leaned forward on her stool and looked over to Dot. She smiled at the girl and watched as Bob and Enzo sat in a booth and began to go over the exciting parts of the game they had just played.

"...I know! But it was soooo great when Hex smacked the user over the head with her gun."

"I don't think she realised she could just fire it! That was funny."

"What about when AndrAIa rebooted into a pilot, but we couldn't find the planes!"

"I can't believe Matrix was a cabin boy! You looked really good as a navigation's officer Enzo."

"Thanks Bob!" Dot put his energy shake on the table in front of him. "Thanks Dot."

Arial was finishing her shake. She slurped the last of it and put it on the far side of the counter.

"Um, thank you very much ma'am. Is there anything I can do to pay it off before I go?"

"Where are you planning on going?" Dot wasn't sure the kid had anywhere to go and she didn't want her sleeping in a gutter somewhere..

"I was going to find somewhere to sleep, I'll find a spot, it's no trouble, really."

"Why don't we put you up for a night? You could stay in Bob's apartment."

"What about my apartment?"

"Arial could stay in your apartment for a night couldn't she?"

"Oh, I don't know about that Dot."

"Come on Bob."

Arial jumped off her chair "No, it's no trouble really."

"No, Arial. I would let you stay at my house but there's no room. Please Bob?"

"Why can't she stay at your place?"

"Where? In Enzo's room?"

He cocked his head and gave in, "All right, sure you can stay in my apartment. But just tonight."

"Oh...thank you." She smiled and turned to Dot "Thank you very much."

"Call me Dot."

"Okay, Dot." She smiled and looked at the floor.

"Great, it's settled. Bob can bring you back here tomorrow, okay?"

Arial nodded.

"Come on, then. I'll take you to my apartment. You hungry?"

Arial nodded vigorously as Bob opened the door for her.

"What? Dot hasn't fed you? I'll have to remedy that. Hold on a moment."

He leaned back to Dot, "You're lucky." he whispered, and kissed her. "Goodnight. Goodnight Enzo!"

"'Night Bob! see you later!"

Bob shut the door behind him and Arial. The last trails of a blast of cold wind lingered in the diner.

Dot shut down the vid-window. "Come on Enzo, let's go."

***

Mouse sat quietly trailing her fingers through Ray's hair and shivered. He had fallen asleep, his head in her lap. She sighed and felt tempted to wake him up. But he looked so peaceful. No! That didn't matter, Mouse was cold and bored. But he had looked so sleepy. Sleepy? She must be getting soft. "Ah am." She sighed, "Ah am soft. But Ah can't help it. Can't help it at all."

So she sat, stroking his soft hair, wishing he would wake up. All of a sudden, from around the corner, there was a loud bang, a laugh and then a cackle. Mouse stood strait up in shock and had her katana in her hand in a moment. Ray fell out of her lap and smacked his head on the ground. He was awake the instant before he hit so he got all the pain first hand. He clambered to his feet and scowled at Mouse.

"What was all that for?"

"Sorry Sugar, Ah heard a noise...it must'a bin nothin'." She paused. "No! No, it weren't nothin'. Ah heard a noise." She began to walk towards the corner. "Ah heard....."

"Hex!"

Hexadecimal lept out in front of Mouse and cackled horribly. "Hello, Mouse, Ray Tracer."

"Hi Hex. How ya feelin' t'night?" Mouse rubbed her forehead and sighed.

"Splendidly thank you, Miss Mouse." She looked behind her and giggled.

"Ah," Mouse looked at Ray. He raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat. "Excuse us Hex, we have to meet up with Bob and .... and Dot.. and ..... people, so we'd better .... get going."

"Yeah, we have to go. See ya lata' Hex."

"Oh.....Goodbye!!" She twirled and sauntered off flicking her head around.

Mouse looked at Ray, "I...don'.....like her.......all that much."

"Nah, neither do I......much." They looked at each other. He coughed. "At all, much."

"Be nice, Sugar. Come on, le's go home."

They arrived in Mouse's apartment and collapsed onto the bed.

"I am about ready to sleep a hole in this thing."

"Excuse me!"

Mouse had raised her eyebrows up to the ceiling and she had an evil twinkle in her eye.

Ray looked up. "What?"

She looked away.

"What?"

She turned around with a low growl and tackled him. He landed heavily on his back and had all the air knocked out of him.

"More sleep? Ah don't think so, Sugar."

***

Arial stood wearily in the doorway of Bob's apartment. It was modest, clean-ish and homely. Bob was already inside picking up a few rather feminine clothes strewn about the place.

"Ah, thank you. I'll be off now."

"Off? Where? Don't you want to stay here?"

"No, that's okay. I don't want to impose. I'll be all right. I really need to find someone."

"Oh? Who? Maybe I know them."

"I doubt it. He'll be keeping a low profile. I.. I'll just go."

"Nonsense. Come on in. I want to help."

Arial sighed and walked in. He directed her to a sofa and she sat down. She crossed her legs and rubbed one until it was warmer.

"Cold?"

"A little."

Bob turned on the heating and looked at the small child sitting in his sofa. Her hair was running in forest green vines down the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her head was bobbing, heavy with needed sleep. He didn't particularly want her here. He wanted Dot here. Oh well. One night to make Dot happy. I can handle that.

He sat next to the fidgeting little girl.

"So.." He sat for a moment. "Who are you looking for?"

"An old acquaintance of mine. I.....um.....yeah. An old acquaintance."

"Right." Bob twiddled his thumbs. "Called?"

"You wouldn't know him." She sighed, "I'm tired, so if you don't mind, I'd like to go to sleep now."

Bob looked toward the spare room, "Sure, there's a bed in there." He stood and watched her walk in, "There is a towel in the bathroom you can use. Ah, goodnight."

"Yeah, goodnight. Rmm....thanks Bob."

Bob nodded and smiled. Great. Goodnight Dot.

***

"Goodnight Bob, thank you." Dot whispered to herself as she slipped into bed.

"GOODNIGHT DOT!"

She broke into a grin, "Goodnight Enzo!" She pulled the covers up to her throat and sighed heavily. She was warm and cozy, her covers smelt good and the air around her was still. She could just hear Enzo talking to himself in his room. She smiled, he always did that. She had missed things like that most about him. Just little things. Like the way he always had to un-tuck all the covers on his bed before he got in to sleep. She had heard that noise every night. Whether she be in bed, or making a hot energy drink last thing or thinking of work, or anything. Always hearing him thump around, knocking over his lamp, clumping around in the dark trying to turn it back on. She smiled, it was so good to have him home again. She would have to talk to Matrix more. It was all very well having Enzo back, but Matrix was around too and he remembered everything he and Dot had ever done as well as Dot did. It was really like having Enzo Matrix split in two. The man, Matrix, he was going to grow up to be and the little boy, Enzo, he had once been. Matrix had all the memories and Enzo the personality. It was frightening, but nice too. Dot began to slip off to sleep and snuggled a little further down into her covers. She breathed heavily in and was asleep as she breathed out.

***

Bob awoke suddenly and sat straight up. He turned towards the door. His bedroom door was shut and the room was silent. Someone banged on the door. The noise vibrated through Bob's insides.

"Dot?" He croaked sleepily.

"Um, no, it's Arial."

"Oh, right." Bob stumbled up out of bed, threw on a shirt and opened the door. Arial stood there looking terribly shy. She glanced up and looked away, blushing, as Bob did up the last few buttons on his shirt.

"Oh, I woke you didn't I? I'm really sorry. I'll be going now, thank you for having me."

"That's okay. If you need anything, just come here, or to 'Dot's Diner' and ask, all right?"

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." She turned to the front door and opened it.

"Some food before you go, Arial?"

"Ah,' She paused. "Something small to take with me, maybe?"

"Deal." Bob gave her a sandwich he'd not had for lunch the day before. Oops.

"Thanks." She opened the door again. "Say thanks to Dot for me will you? See ya." She left and shut the door behind her.

Bob went back to bed.

***

Later that day, Arial walked the streets of Mainframe munching on the last of her sandwich. It was good. She looked in all the windows she passed but didn't see anything of interest. She strolled past a street that lead to 'Dot's Diner'. She considered going down it, but only for a moment. She had other business to attend to.

***

Mouse and Ray sprinted along the street perpendicular to 'Dot's Diner'. They were racing and Mouse was winning.

"I'll get you yet!" Ray called ahead.

"Never! You're far too slow for that, Ray Tracer!"

"Not on your life!"

Mouse was approaching the corner as Ray made his move. He surged ahead in a sudden burst of speed and past Mouse easily. He ran past a few binomes and an animal sniffing around some garbage cans. Suddenly, as suddenly as he had taken the lead, Mouse had it back again. He cried out in surprise and ran harder. She spun around the corner, out of Ray's sight.

***

Arial heard noises from behind her, but before she had the chance to turn, someone smacked full into her, almost knocking her over. The sprite kept running but looked over her purple shoulder and called out "Sorry, Sugar!"

Sugar? Arial shook her head irritably and stepped to the side of the street, out of sight in the early morning light. Then another figure ran past, a little slower than the first, obviously tiring. Arial looked up a little as he ran by. As she saw the finely trimmed blonde hair and tall, lanky figure in a blue body suit, her throat clenched and she tried to stop herself from crying out and gurgled instead. Ray?! Arial began trotting after him. She found him! Where was he off to? She followed him, at a safe distance, until she saw him and the 'Sugar' woman enter 'Dot's Diner'. She watched from the street corner as he greeted Enzo, Dot and Bob and few customers.

So, Bob would have known him. Lucky I didn't say anything then.....

***

Dot looked up as Mouse and Ray walked in, laughing and panting heavily.

"Howdy folks, how are ya?"

"Not bad, yourself?"

"He's licked mizrably." Mouse grinned "Ah whipped 'im good."

Dot looked out the window and scanned the street outside. Her eye's rested on a small hunched figure around the corner of a building across the way. Peeking around the corner was Arial. Dot looked harder. She could barely see her, but it was defiantly her.

"That's strange."

Bob came over, "What?"

"Don't stare, but, can you see Arial around the corner of that building over there?"

Bob looked casually out the window and nodded. "Yeah...what's she doing?"

"I don't know. Why doesn't she just come in?"

Bob shrugged.

Ray ambled over. "Whacha'up to?"

"There was this girl arrived from the Net yesterday, came in here for some food. Poor thing didn't have any units or anything."

"She said she was looking for someone. She stayed at my apartment last night, woke me up incredibly early and then left."

"We think she's watching us from that corner over there. We don't know why she doesn't just come in."

Ray looked seemingly indifferently over to the building Dot minutely gestured to. There was a small green head pocking just around the corner. Ray's heart clenched. "She came through the Net? Did she say where from, exactly?"

"No. She didn't."

"Right."

Suddenly the Diner doors swung open and Matrix and AndrAIa burst in. Matrix was scowling and AndrAIa was beaming. She looked about as happy as Matrix looked pissed off.

"The kid was being pompous, AndrAIa."

"But he was right. He can play better than you."

"No, I, he.......that's not the point AndrAIa!!"

"Then what is the point?"

"The point is......he was being pompous."

"No it isn't, the point is...you lost and you don't like it. A kid bet you and you can't handle it. Come on you baby, it was only a game."

"I don't like that kid."

"Oh, I think we gathered that!" AndrAIa laughed and sat down in a booth next to Enzo.

"What happened AndrAIa?" Enzo looked at her then Matrix, sulking by the window with Dot, Bob and Ray, then back to AndrAIa.

"Yeah, tell us a story, Sugar." Mouse sat opposite her.

AndrAIa leaned forward and began talking in a story tellers voice.

"Well, Matrix and I were on our way here when a little binome ran in our path and Matrix almost fell over him. The binome apologised and I asked him what he was in such a hurry for. He replied that he was running to get some practice shooting hoops before his game tomorrow. He said he was the best shooter in Mainframe. Matrix laughed at the poor little guy. So, the binome challenged Matrix to a duel, the most out of ten. So, we went to the court and the duel began." She paused and looked over at Matrix. He was staring out the window. "Matrix lost, 4 to 10. So, Matrix challenged him for another ten. He lost again, 09 to 20. So, in one last bid attempt to regain his reputation in man-ly skill, he challenged the little binome to one last set of ten."

Matrix slapped his hand on the table. "Enough, enough!"

"What happened Matrix, please tell me. Please please please please?"

Matrix shook his head. "Oh go on, Honey. You know you want to."

He shook his head again. AndrAIa looked up at him and battered her eyelashes at him. He sighed. "He said he didn'thaveenoughtimetoplayguyslikeme. Ahem!" He rubbed his mouth and walked off.

The entire booth, and most of the Diner erupted into laughter.

AndrAIa said quietly to Enzo and Mouse, "I think the kids words were more like: really pathetic losers like him!" Matrix glared at AndrAIa. She blushed and tried to stop laughing. "It's not funny, lover. I'm sorry." She kissed his cheek as the laughing began to die down. Dot wiped a tear from her eye and chuckled. "Aha, it is funny, brother." She smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Aha ha. Ahem." She looked down and crushed her smile.

Ray leaned against the window, smiling faintly at the joke. He didn't feel like laughing at all. He gulped as his smile became forced. He had to get out of here. But, if he left he would be alone. Out there. He looked out the window and gulped again, he couldn't see her. He looked back at his smiling friends. He had to get out.

He tapped Mouse on the shoulder. "I gotta go for a while, I'll see you later."

Mouse looked up at him. "Where you goin'?"

"Out. I'll see you soon." He kissed the top of her head and left, nodding to Dot as he went.

He rushed out into the street, then hurried away, she could be anywhere.

***

Arial saw Ray leave the Diner. Where's he off to now? She stepped away from the corner and thought about how to follow him. She stayed on her side of the building and ran along where she guessed Ray would be on the other side. Carefully trying to keep up with the speed she guessed Ray to be moving, she approached another building corner and slowly peeped around. She couldn't see Ray. She waited a moment. He didn't come. She began sneaking down the side street in the shadow. She was nervous. What if he came around the corner? What if he saw her? Where would she hide? She began looking for a place big enough for her to get out of sight. She couldn't find one. She began sweating. What if he.....

Suddenly Ray appeared around the corner. She froze. Maybe if she didn't move, he wouldn't see her standing in the shadows....... He leaned against the wall.

"Hello. Feel like havin' a little chat?"

Arial lowered the pitch of her voice. "Certainly Mr. Tracer."

"What do ya want?"

"Have you really forgotten? Surely you haven't. Surely not."

"I have no idea what you're on about kid."

"I'm afraid I don't believe you. Give me what I want and I'll leave you alone."

"I have no idea what you're on about. Seeya round junior." He turned to leave.

Junior? Arial raised her volume ever so slightly. "I have a feeling you don't know who I am Mr. Tracer."

"Sure I do, ya're that damn kid sprite that won't leave me alone."

"My name, Mr. Tracer?"

Ray paused, he knew, so he lied.

"If my memory serves me correctly, ya name, boy, is Tamrof Tide."

She chuckled, regaining her normal voice. "Not even close."

Ray raised an eyebrow and leaned on the wall again. He crossed his arms. "Really. Who are ya then? Oh please, do tell."

"My name is Arial." She stepped into the light.

Ray stopped for a moment. His heart had just skipped a beat. She looked exactly the same.

"I don't have anything for ya."

"Au contraire, Mr. Tracer."

"I'm not even gonna talk to ya. Goodbye." He turned away and began walking back to the Diner. He might be safer there.

She watched him go. "Goodbye for now, Ray."

***

Enzo 'Sparky' Matrix, better known as Matrix, sat at the counter in his sisters Diner staring at AndrAIa. She was sitting in a puddle of warm afternoon light with Dot and Mouse. The light flowed in the window and it shone off her hair and skin and made her seem to sparkle. She looked beautiful sitting there, laughing with her friends. Dot spotted him staring and smiled when she caught his eye. He smiled back, a little embarrassed and looked over to Bob and little Enzo and took a swig of his energy shake. He looked down into the drink. He always had loved these. He had missed them. They gave him a real sense of being home. Right where he should be. He leaned back against the counter and sighed comfortably.

Ray came back in to the Diner quietly. He eased the door shut and nodded over to Mouse. He sat next to Matrix and smiled faintly. He looked distracted. He was nervous, wringing his hands on the counter.

"What's up, Ray?" Matrix asked quietly and looked sideways at Mouse, but she was acting normally, telling a joke. Nothing wrong there.

Ray looked over to him and breathed out tensely. He shrugged. "Nothin', mate. Why d'ya ask?"

"You look nervous."

Ray looked at his seriously and frowned heavily. "Actually mate," He paused and sighed, "Nervous ai'nt the word. More like shit scared."

Matrix was surprised. "Of what?"

"Not here." He raised his voice and stood up, pushing in his chair. "Wanna come for a stroll, mate?"

Mouse looked up ,"But ya jus' came back, Ray."

"I know, I'll be back again soon. Promise ya. Right?"

"Sure. Seeya lata'."

He leaned close to Matrix's ear as he passed. "Com'on mate."

Matrix got up, kissing AndrAIa on the head as he went.

Outside, Ray looked around tensely and began walking briskly away. Matrix caught up with him and walked close. "Care to tell me what this is about?"

"Not yet."

"Oookaay."

They walked until the day light began to fade away and Matrix was getting irritated. "Care to tell me why it is, exactly, that we are walking in the direction of, oh, nothing and have been for-"

"All right, I guess this'll do." He paused, looked around and sighed. "This'll have to do." He sat on a box, just lying around on the road and began twiddling his thumbs. "See Matrix. The thing is, the bloke you see sitting here," touching his chest, "may seem a nice gentlemanly type, but I wasn't always. 'Til quite recently in fact. I, uh, you see it's all, well..." He stopped. He sighed, "Well..."

"Come on Ray. Just spit it out."

"Look mate, you know that girl, the one that stayed at Bob's last night?"

"Yeah."

"I know her. She's sort'v a surfa, like me. Heh, I um-, well really she-, I sort of-, I guess you could say, borrowed her surf board."

"Borrowed?"

"Yeah. I did give it back. I swear!"

Matrix nodded. "All right. So....."

"Well, Before I gave it back, I sort of ah...."

"Borrowed?"

"Nooo, ah...acquired...the power cell...of the board...to power mine...to get out of a rather.. dodgy situation. So, her board is well, inactive and she's here to get back what I took."

"Why don't you just give it back??"

"Well, you see, I was a little....strapped for cash.....I sold it."

"You sold it?"

"I needed the units! Real bad. Turned out it got me in jail anyway."

"When was all this?"

"Jus' before I met you and ya lady."

"When we got you outta jail. Not that long ago. Huh?"

"Nope." Ray hung his head. "I'm not sure whatda do Matrix."

"Well, you don't have a power cell do you?"

"Not one anything like hers, it was modified for faster net surfing. That's why I was arrested, for having an 'illegally modified means of power for an illegal surfing apparatus'."

"Then, apologise and send her on her way. It won't be a problem. Not while I'm here." He smiled, that was more like a snarl. "It won't be a problem at all."

Ray shook his head, "You don't get it mate, this girl, she-"

Unexpectedly, an amasing flash of yellow light came from behind the two sprites. Suddenly lighting up the alley in the fading day light. They both jerked in surprise and Matrix fell backward behind the box-seat. He looked up and yelled at Ray to get down but he was shading his face from the light with his hand. Matrix yelled again but Ray ignored him.

He had turned his face up to the light and yelled into it, "Arial, stop it! I don't have anything to give you."

"Are you sure Mr. Tracer?" The voice was like thunder and rolled across the ground, shaking Matrix's insides.

Ray lowered his face. "Come on down Arial. This is bloody stupid. Lets have a chat about this." The light dulled momentarily, but then flared bright again. Ray cried out and shaded his eye's.

"Stop this Arial. You'll hurt yourself"

"Hurt myself? I'm not a baby anymore, Ray."

"I know Arial. Just come down and-"

"No! Give me back what's mine."

"I can't."

There was a pause, "Why?"

"I, ah," he looked over to Matrix, "I sold it."

"Liar!" She boomed.

"It's the truth! I swear! Crikey, I wouldn't've if I thought it'd get me in this much strife."

"Why did you sell it?"

I needed the units to get out of a system."

"Units? For Units!? You BASIC piece energy waste! You sold my power cell? I'm going to strip every piece of material off you until you're deleted! I swear it!"

"Now now sweetie..."

"No! Shut up! You knew Ray! You knew all this time.......but you sold it....now what do I do?" Her voice sounded like she was about to cry and the light was slowly fading and falling closer to the ground, almost like it was getting tired.

"I'll help you get through it Arial. You and me together....."

The light had faded so much Matrix was sure he could see a young girl suspended in the center. Long dark hair flailing in a horrendous windstorm he couldn't feel a breath of.

"...How about it?"

Her head raised, Matrix could see tears streaming down her face. The edge of the light was almost touching the dusty floor. Matrix looked to the floor.

"Whaddya say?"

"NO!!" The light flared again, enough to blind Matrix. He heard Ray cry out. The light shot up and glared angrily down on them from above their heads.

"Ray! Ray...where are you?"

"Here, Matrix."

The light was still burning fiercely. Matrix could barely open his eyes, but through his squinting tears, he could make out Ray on the ground, covering his head.

"Ray?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"Great. Good as I've ever been."

"Marvelous."

"Yep." Matrix murmured to himself.

The light, still fierce and blinding, began to move closer to them. It flowed over the air like light escaped from a giant light bulb. Matrix could open his eyes now, he could see Ray, still lying on the earthy flooring, surrounded in a flying cloud of dust. The light ever so slowly approaching him. It was getting lower as it came closer.

"Ray! Get up."

He lifted his head and looked at Matrix.

"Get up!"

He tried to stand but he seemed to be having some trouble.

"What's wrong?"

"My eyes, Matrix."

Matrix ran forward as best he could, the light was strong and harsh and he could barely see.

"I'm here buddy. Let's get outta here."

"Deal."

Matrix helped Ray onto his feet and they began moving away from the light.

"Where are you going Ray?" The voice snarled and rumbled heavily. The light darkened dramatically. Menacingly.

"Away from you. I have nothing to give you. Leave this system. There's nothing for you here."

"There's you. That's enough."

"What do you want me for?"

"To finish." It dulled a little further

Matrix gave the ground a 'we are getting the f^@% out of here now' look and began half dragging him in the direction of the diner.

Matrix happened to look back as the light behind them gathered speed. It was getting closer. It passed over the box-seat. When the box-seat should have come out the other side, there was nothing.

"Ah, Ray, you might want to hurry it up a little."

They both stumbled along, Ray getting better as they went. Soon he could run himself. They ran around corners and through alleyways, sprinting in front of the light that sped behind them.

Matrix stumbled over something unseen and almost fell. Ray grabbed his jerkin and hauled him up. He felt all the muscles in his arm wrench painfully.

"Aaarrh! FAQ! Run, Matrix!"

The light flared up again, so bright every little hole and corner was lit up like day. Everything the light passed over didn't come out the other side.

"She's deleting things, Ray. Everything she goes over gets deleted."

"Then jus' keep runnin' mate."

Together they ran towards the retreating dark ahead, never quite reaching it, with the ball of light close on their tails.

Abruptly the light paled greatly, almost as though Arial had stumbled. It fell suddenly, almost to the ground, but then it raised up again, higher than before, and grew to a hot, white swell of fierce burning light. It kept on coming. Matrix and ray sprinted around another corner, growing weary.

All of a sudden the ball of light darkened immensely and fell until it smashed into the ground and there it stayed. Matrix and Ray kept running, entering the darkness that lay past the puddle of light around Arial. They hunkered down, panting, and watched. They could see Arial inside the darkened light, kneeling over, holding her stomach. Her face contorted in pain. She cried out wordlessly, her eye's searching for something she couldn't see. Perhaps Ray.

Matrix leaned close to Ray's ear, "What's going on Ray?" he whispered.

"I dunno." He moved and slid closer towards Arial.

She was still there on the ground. Her light had faded so much that it was only a faint sunflower glow around her blue skin. Her mouth was open and her wrists were curled against her chest. She twitched sporadically and tears streamed down her cheeks.

Ray crept closer into the fading glow.

"Ray!" Matrix hissed at the crouched figure. "Ray!!"

"Shhhh." Ray was right down on his stomach, inching his way towards her curled body.

"Ray don't, it's a trap. No!"

But he kept edging closer.

"Arial?" He whispered to her. She was still and breathing heavily. "Arial?" he whispered into her ear and listened for any sounds she might make. There was none. "Matrix get over 'ere!!"

Matrix came running, cursing to himself for still being there. "What?"

"This is fer real, mate. Help 'er."

"How?"

They looked at each other like two school boys with a dead sparrow. "Wadda we do?"

"I don't know!"

"Quick, gimme ya jerkin."

"Jerkin?"

Ray slapped Matrix's black vest, "Give it!"

"Why?"

"To wrap 'er in! To keep 'er warm!"

"Oh." Matrix took off his thick sleeveless vest and handed it over. Rubbing his naked chest for warmth, he frowned.

Ray took the jerkin and wrapped it around Arial's front. He lifted her up and held her in his arms. Her light had all but disappeared. A faint trace was lingering around her lips but that was all. Slowly that waned away. "Let's go mate."

"Yep."

***

Mouse sat at the counter in the Diner at drummed her fingers. She was pissed off.

"Where the hell is he?"

"I don't know. But you can be sure as hell I want to."

Dot smiled over to AndrAIa. "You're overreacting."

"It comes naturally." She was pacing the door looking out into the darkness. "Where are they?"

"There." Bob nodded towards the far window. "I can see them."

AndrAIa hurried to the window. "It's them."

"I just said that!"

"RAY!! Where the hell you been boy?"

"SHHHHHHH!!! You'll wake Enzo up!"

"Too late." Enzo sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Are they back?"

"Yeah."

They all had questions, but Bob didn't have any answers for them.

"What's that Matrix's carrying?"

"I dunno."

"Why did they take so long?"

"I dunno."

"Where have they been?"

"I dunno."

"Is that a sprite he's holding?"

"I don't know."

"What time is it?"

"I don't know."

"Why's Matrix got no top on?"

"I don't know."

"Why are they all dirty?"

"I don't knooowww."

"...Shut up Bob."

"Aargg."

"Lemme see."

"Enzo!"

They all stood in a huddle by the window watching Ray and Matrix approach the diner.

Ray threw the door open, grabbed one of Enzo's blankets and tossed it onto the nearest table.

"Hellooo...." Dot stepped forward, in front of Mouse's dangerously high eyebrow.

Matrix stormed in and lay the unconscious form of Arial on the blanket.

"Arial?"

"Yeah," Ray turned. "Arial Minion, a creation of one of the huge companies in the supercomputer. They made four other 'surfers' like her. Pure energy. Hypothetically, she would've been able to disperse energy at her will. Someone sick, she could heal, a car rundown, she's better than gas."

"Hypothetically?" Bob asked.

"Well, she might have been able to do it when she got older," Ray busied himself, arranging blankets, "but she can't control it. She throws tantrums. Light or heat energy tantrums. She seems to give off more than she can get back and it's killing her. See this?.." Ray pulled up his shirt and showed them an impressive burn scar.

"You told me that was a birth mark."

"Hmmf. Nah, she gave me this in one of her heat tantrums once."

"She's coming around." Dot was leaning over her, administering first aid.

Arial opened her grey eye's and looked into Dot's. She didn't say a word.

"Arial?"

She blinked.

"Are you all right?"

She looked away.

Ray stepped over. "Arial?"

Arial looked up into Ray's eyes. Ray saw pain and anguish. She closed her eyes and seemed to fall asleep.

"Will she be all right, Dot?"

"Do you want her to be, Ray?"

"Yes!"

"I don't know, Ray. She might be fine. She might not."

"Oh."

***

Ray was the only one awake. Dot had taken AndrAIa, Enzo, and Matrix home. Mouse was sleeping opposite Ray and Bob was in a booth by himself. Ray could hear them breathing. Bob snorted. 23. Ray checked off in his head. He looked at Arial sleeping on the table. They had thought it a bit dodgey to move her, so they left her dreaming. A twist of her hair was lying across her peaceful blue face. Ray sat up, reached over and brushed it aside.

"Don't die on me kid. Huh? D'ya hear me? I'm sorry baby. I'm so sorry." He fought off the tears that welled up and sat back looking at her for a moment, memories rushing past his eyes. He blinked again, sighed and settled back down to rest.

Bob snorted. 24.

Ray woke up suddenly. He gasped in. He was shaking all over. Slowly his breath came normally and he realised where he was. The diner. 'S'all right mate, you're in the diner. The diner.

Ray looked over to Arial lying on the table above him. She was still sleeping calmly. He reached up and touched her face in the dark.

"It'll be all right Arial, jus' you wait. Me'n' Mouse'll look after ya, jus' like real folks ah? You can live here with us...." His eyebrows knitted together. "I'm sorry I hurt you Arial. Jus' don't die on me ah? Jus' don't die."... He talked to her far into the night. Whispering his own pain into hers.

***

Bob snorted and woke himself up.

He heard Ray mumble "57."

"Ray?"

"Bob?"

"Ahmm." Bob sat up and pulled off his blanket. He grabbed his shirt and walked over the icy floor to sit beside Ray's head. He scratched his chest, yawned and leaned back.

"You jus' wake up, mate?"

"Mmhmm."

Ray pulled his blanket up to his chin and yawned too. "Get much sleep mate?"

"S'all right."

"Mm."

Bob knew that Ray hadn't slept much. He had sat awake for a while watching Ray, while he watched Arial, as she slept. He had heard Ray talking to her for a moment, sweet words about how things could be different, how he could repay her. But Bob had fallen asleep again and missed anything else Ray might of said.

Bob stood and put on his shirt.

"Well, I'm off. Promised Dot I'd be back to her place for breakfast."

"All right Bob. I'll seeya later mate."

***

Arial could hear a noise. There was an intense pain in her head. She half opened one eye, but was rewarded with more pain.

"Aaaooooww." She groaned.

Suddenly someone was over her.

"Arial?" Ray sounded worried. "Don't move. Don't try to talk. You almost killed yourself las' night, baby. You're gonna be right though. Believe me. Okay?"

She tried to listen but was so tired and aching that she fell back to sleep.

Ray was pacing. Arial had long since gone back to sleep, Mouse was irritable from lack of sleep and everyone else was probably just waking up at Dot's place.

"Siddown Ray!"

"Nah, I'm right."

"She's jus' sleepin'."

"Yeah, I know."

"FAQ...Ah'm goin'a Dot's. Ge'some breakfast. Ah'll send someone else ova', okay? Wi'some breakfast for you. 'Kay Sugar?"

"Yeah, cheers Babe."

She paused before sweeping off, "Seeya lata'."

She left, pissed off. But Ray didn't care.

"Wake up Arial!!"

But she didn't.

Ray plunked down, exhausted in a booth on the other side of the diner. He thonked his blonde head noisily on the table and sighed. "Fine."

***

AndrAIa slipped into the diner softly. Ray was fast asleep with his head down on one of the booth tables. He was snoring ever so gently. AndrAIa smiled and lay the breakfast she had brought for him down on the counter. She leaned over Arial, sleeping on another booth table. Her head was to one side and she was groaning and murmuring softly. AndrAIa touched her sweat beaded forehead and whispered to her.

"Get well little one."

She set about fixing Ray's breakfast up for him and was just putting it on the table near his head as he woke up.

He sat up and rubbed his face, "Oh, mornin'."

"Good morning."

"You didn't need to do this." He said discovering his food.

"I didn't want to wake you."

"Thanks."

"That's all right."

Ray tucked in as AndrAIa sat opposite him.

"Get much sleep last night?"

"Noh'much, nah. You?"

"A bit, yeah."

"Good on yah. Who made this?"

"Matrix."

"Yeah?"

AndrAIa nodded.

"It shows."

AndrAIa laughed. "Doesn't it though?"

"Ha ha, yeah."

Their smiles died slowly as they ran into miserable frowns.

"Did she sleep okay last night?"

"Yeah, she seemed to."

"That's good."

"I 'spose."

"Yeah." She looked over to the small, curled form on the table. "Yeah."

AndrAIa checked on Arial every so often. It was early afternoon when she thought to check her again, after four games of battle ships with Ray.

Laughing from Ray's delight at finally winning a game, she looked over her shoulder at him as she touched Arial's head.

That's not right.

She touched Arial's chest.

What the.....?

Arial was still and cold.

"Oohhh nooo." She groaned.

"What?" Ray was at her side in an instant.

"Ray!? She's..."

"No. She can't be. No AndrAIa, no. NO! NO!!!" He grabbed Arial and lifted her up in his arms. "DO SOMETHING!! GET SOMEONE!!" He dashed about frantically, not knowing where to go, who to run to. AndrAIa could only stand, breathing slowly, leaning hard on the bench to keep her balance, watching him.

Ray's tears stained his cheeks. "User no. Don't let her die. Please." He sank down onto his knees holding Arial's limp body to his chest. "USER!!! I swear if you take her from me I'll..................I'll............" He collapsed into tears, sobbing to hard to speak. "FAQ!!!!!!!!!"

AndrAIa was in a daze. She couldn't do anything. She could barely breathe. User, she's dead. Oohh, Ray. Oohh noo.

Ray was groaning in anguish with each breath, the sound hurt AndrAIa more every time.

"Ray......"

Suddenly Ray stood. He didn't look at AndrAIa at all. He placed Arial's body on the table softly. He straitened, wiped his tears, turned and left the diner. "Ray?...."

***

AndrAIa flung her hair out of her eyes again and blinked. Tears streamed down her wet face and dripped off her chin.

"Ray!?"

She had stumbled half blind around most of Mainframe searching for Ray. When her legs grew to tired to carry her, she found she was lost. "Oohhh." She turned and began making her was slowly back to where she had come from.

"Ray." She sniffed. "Come out Ray...please...Please Ray!?"

***

Sometime that afternoon AndrAIa came flying into Dot's.

"Matrix!!"

"AndrAIa?" Matrix was with her in a second.

AndrAIa looked up at him with eyes full of tears. They rushed out as she whispered to him.

"She....she died Sparky. She's dead. Ray's run off. I couldn't find him. I tried Sparky, I really did." She sucked in a hard breath. "Oh FAQ!!" She broke down into tears.

"AndrAIa!" Dot was stunned. She'd never heard AndrAIa swear like that.

Matrix was stunned too. "Arial's dead, Dot...Oh no..."

Bob sucked in a sharp breath, "Oh no, Ray...Ray!" He ran to the door and sprinted out.

"Bob!..."

"Don't worry Mouse," He called over his shoulder, "I'll find him."

There was a pause. "Not before Ah do." Mouse ran out behind him.

"Mouse!..." Matrix passed the sobbing AndrAIa to Dot and ran to the door. "Well FAQ this."

"Stay Matrix. Don't you go to. They'll find him."

He turned back inside. "Yeah, I guess."

Enzo was sitting on the couch staring at AndrAIa crying.

"Come on AndrAIa, calm down. Not in front of Enzo, okay?" Dot whispered to her. She took a deep breath and dried her tears.

"I'm all right Dot." She sniffed. "I'm worried about Ray though. He was pretty upset."

"Yeah. I bet he was. Come on." Dot took AndrAIa into her room to lie down. Matrix followed. "Talk to Enzo would you Matrix."

Matrix gave her a knowing glance. "Sure."

***

Enzo sat nervously on the couch as Matrix came back in from Dot's room. He sat down next to him.

"You okay, Kid?"

"Yeah."

"You know Arial's died."

Enzo nodded.

"Of course you do." He stumbled. "Are you okay?"

"Is she really dead?"

"Looks like it, yeah."

"Oh. Ray's pretty upset, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Oah." Enzo said around his tongue.

"If you wanna talk, you can come to me. You know that don't you?"

"Mmmhmm. Yep."

"Okay." Matrix slapped his knees. "All right then." He stood up.

"Matrix?"

"Yeah, Enzo?"

"Was she Ray's sister or something?"

"No Enzo. What gave you that idea?"

"He loved her a lot huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I don't know. Why?"

"I dunno. Just a thought."

"Yeah, okay."

***

Bob found Ray at the harbor. He was sitting at the end of a pier, staring out over the sea.

"Ray?"

"Yeah."

"You okay?"

"Yeah. She'll be right, mate."

"Arial really dead, Ray?"

He breathed out heavily. "Yeah, mate. Really."

"That's hard."

"Gotta be, ah?"

"Mmmhmm. What you goin'a do now?"

"Nothing. It's all done already."

***

Mouse stood in Dot's empty diner. There were a few blankets around, some breakfast dishes and a binome reading the 'closed' sign outside, but not much else. Arial was gone.

"Where you at Ray?"

Mouse spun on her heel and left.

"So, we have'n' a funeral?"

"Nope."

"No?"

"She's gone." Ray stood and began walking off. Bob followed.

"Yeah she's dead, but.."

"She's gone, Bob."

"Yeah, but, we should do something."

"I said it's done."

"Done?"

"Done!"

"What's done, Ray?"

He stopped. He paused then turned. "I threw her off the pier."

"OFF THE PIER?!" Bob realised he had yelled and lowered his voice as he rushed along behind Ray. "Off the pier!? Why Ray?!"

"She liked the sea."

"She liked the sea?"

He faced Bob, angry. "Yeah! She did!" He turned again and stormed off.

"Ray! Wait!" Bob ran after him. "Ray....wait. Ray! FAQ, User you asshole. Ray!!"

Ray had no intention of stopping however. He disappeared from Bob's view around the side of a building. "Aaarrhh!" Bob stopped running and stood in the road. "Great."

***

Mouse had decided to check around the water-front. She was on her way there when she heard: "OFF THE PIER?!!"

That was Bob!

She began to run toward the pier.

She could hear people talking.

"Yeah! She did!"

That was Ray!

Mouse ran faster. Suddenly Ray came barreling around the corner in front of Mouse. He saw her, scowled, grabbed her arm and whispered hoarsely, "Come on, quickly."

***

Ray took Mouse to the top of the tallest building in Mainframe. They sat on the warm roof, looking out over the tall buildings glinting in the afternoon sunlight.

"Beautiful."

"Yeah." Mouse looked over to Ray. "Ray, why are we here?"

"Because it's beautiful."

"Oh."

Ray sighed and crossed his legs. "Mouse..."

"Yeah Sugar?"

"Baby," He paused and sighed. "She died."

"Ah know."

"I threw her off the pier."

Mouse sucked in a shocked breath. "The pier? Why?"

"She liked the sea."

"Oh..." She looked out over the buildings. "Okay."

"I can't believe she's dead."

"You knew her well huh?"

Ray nodded. "I lived with her brother and sister, twins, Ker and Ash for hours."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Ash, Ker and Arial Minion. Creations of a twisted resource lab scientist, along with two others, Evas and his sister Viner Bold. Last I heard only Viner Bold was still alive."

"Only one, outta five?"

Ray nodded. "One." He sighed. "Ker was my best friend."

Mouse reached over and took Ray's hand. He squeezed hers as he slipped over to sit right up next to her. She lay the side of her head on his shoulder.

Maybe getting soft won't be so bad.

***

Bob arrived back at his apartment and fell exhausted onto the couch.

"Oaugh." He closed his eye's and felt like sleeping for an hour.

***

Dot pulled Enzo's blanket up to his throat and kissed his forehead.

"Goodnight Enzo." She turned off his lamp and shut his door silently.

***

AndrAIa and Matrix were sitting up in their apartment in the dark.

"I love you AndrAIa." She smiled down at his head in her lap and kissed his hair.

***

Ray carried the sleeping Mouse back to their bed from the kitchen.

"There you go Baby." He rubbed her hair back and lay down next to her. "Goodbye Arial." He stared up at the ceiling, imagining that he could see right out of Mainframe into the Web, past all the other systems, even over the Super Computer, to where he imagined sprites go after they get deleted. He imagined he could see Arial with her sister, Ash and her brother, Ker and even Evas behind them. He imagined Ker turned and smiled at him. Ray stared into his eyes and smiled too.

The End