He don't lie
And I don't know why
He told me he loved me
And that made me cry.

Excerpt from "The Man Mountain" by Bow Wow Wow.

Once there was a little sprite who existed in a place called "Mainframe".

He had a Sister who loved him very much, a dog who seemed to like only him, a sagely old sprite who gave him wisdom and a best friend who was in fact a System Gaurdian to whom he looked up to and idolized. The little sprite's life was one of adventure and excitement and each new day held the promise of new experiences.

Anything could happen in Mainframe and often times did, yet the little sprite felt that he was missing something and he grew despondent. What he was missing was the company of sprites his own age. An experiment that went awry had robbed Mainframe of most of it's sprites and it's sister city leaving behind only a handful of sprites none of whom were the same age as the little one. He loved the attention doted on him by his sister and his Gaurdian friend but even so he needed what all children need, other children, someone to play with, to share the secrets of children with, a friend of equal or near equal age in other words.

The little sprite's wish was granted when a game cube descended one day. In it he met a young female game sprite who also was lonely and looking for a friend. They immediatly bonded and worked to defeat the User but the little sprite grew sad again. His new friend was after all, a game sprite and would leave with the game when it ended. But the game sprite had other ideas and downloaded herself onto the little one's PID Icon.

When the User was beaten and the game cube departed, the game sprite remained in Mainframe with her new friend. Neither could geuss what the future held but they didn't care. After all, they had each other...

The muscular young sprite named Enzo Matrix gazed out the window of his temporary new lodging at the Principle Office. His dog, Frisket, parked his massive body in a corner and rested. Matrix envied him. So much had happened recently in Mainframe and elsewhere and Matrix wanted to take a step back, relax and take it all in but couldn't.

New problems and challenges awaited and Matrix knew that in time, they would need to be dealt with. Matrix was restless, his mind a jumble. He continued to stare out the window and brood. A husky female voice interrupted his train of thought, "What are thinking about this time lover" the voice said. Matrix turned and saw that AndrAIa, his best friend stood in the open doorway.

"AndrAIa", Matrix responded, a little surprised. He failed to hear her come in so deep in thought he had been. "I, I wasn't thinking about anything, just admiring the scenery".

AndrAIa approached him, "Come on now lover, you know better than to pull the silicon over these eyes, what's on your mind?"

Matrix came clean. He could never pull one over on her. Matrix let out a sigh. "So much has happened lately" Matrix stated, " We found Bob in the Web, brought him home, Mainframe came back from the brink of crashing, we beat Megabyte" but AndrAIa cut him off.

"No" she said, "you beat Megabyte, remember that".

Matrix gave off a slight smile. "Okay" he said "but now we have two versions of me running around here. Think about that honey, two versions of me, the same. I'm looking at myself when I was little and he's looking back. It's, it's difficult. And Daemon is out there somewhere, corrupting the Gaurdians. Turbo said he could fight off the virus but who knows for how long. We have so much we need to deal with and soon". Matrix stood confused, looking for answers.

AndrAIa met his gaze. "We have a lot of things to work out Matrix, that's true but why don't we enjoy the moment. You said you were enjoying the scenery, well let's really do it. Let's take a walk and see how Mainframe bounced back okay?"

Matrix liked the idea. He needed to get out of the Principle Office and see first hand how Mainframe recovered in the wake of Megabyte's reign. He took her hand, "If the lady wants a walk, the lady gets a walk". He turned to Frisket who was still fast asleep. "Let's let him rest awhile" Matrix said, "He's been through alot".

"We all have" AndrAIa responded while giving Matrix's hand a reassuring squeeze, "But let's not think abut that now, let's see the sights".

"Your wish is as always my command my lady" Matrix said and he led his lady friend out the door of his apartment and out the door of the Principle Office and into the light of a Mainframe afternoon.

The attractive young couple walked hand in hand through the main sector, drawing admiring looks from the many binomes that were also there. This made Matrix a little uneasy. He and AndrAIa would now be the center of attention wherever they went since both had played such a major role in saving Mainframe and Matrix didn't know what to make of the new found interest.

AndrAIa for her part was tickled by all the fuss but kept her mind on her man. "So," she said, "You know I'm a good listener, lets talk about some of the things you had on your mind".

"I thought we we're doing this to take my mind off of things?" Matrix asked with a smile.

"No rule against walking and talking is there lover?" she said while returning the smile.

"No, I guess not" he replied. "So miss sprite analyst, gonna diagnose my problems?"

"Hmmm" she said. "I'll try".

The little sprite and his new friend took to each other immediately. They played together and shared their secrets as children should. They traded stories of their homes and adventures and the little sprite helped his new friend get accustomed to her new life in Mainframe.

It didn't take long for the relationship to take on a new meaning. He was a boy sprite, she a girl and soon they developed what one might call "puppy love" and they grew to depend on each other more and more. This dependence grew stronger when the Guardian was lost in the Web and the little sprite stepped into his shoes as the new defender of mainframe. The game sprite fought alongside her friend and together they worked to preserve their home but nothing lasts forever.

One day a game came down that defeated the little sprite but he and his friend were not nullified. Instead they rode the game out and used the games to travel from system to system in the hopes of making it home one day. In time the two sprites grew up and honed their skills, defeating games, repairing tears and deleting viruses, all the while the boy sprite (who had become a man) grew more and more angry and embittered with each passing day. All that held him together was the game sprite (who was now a woman). Her love for the man sprite is all that kept him from the depths of despair. She would die for him and him for her, such was their love. Throughout all this, they still had each other...

Martix and AndrAIa sat on the grass in the park. "We still have alot to do" Matrix stated. "Daemon is out there somewhere and that virus may come looking for Mainframe. And Megabyte could still be alive. Bob survived the Web, he could too. We need to always be on guard".

AndrAIa took this in, "We as in all of us, not just you lover remember that". "Remember that you don't have to carry the weight all by yourself, you have me and Bob and Dot and Mouse and the Surfer, together we're more than a match for any virus. You're not alone, you've never been alone".

"Never said I was" Matrix responded.

"I know what you said and I know what you mean. That's the benefit of us growing up together" AndrAIa responded. "I know you like a read me file. You wanted to solve everything yourself. One sprite against the system but it was never like that, not even when we went from game to game looking for a way home. Remember, you had me and Frisket with you all the time".

Matrix leaned over and kissed her cheek, "I know, deep down I know. I couldn't have survived without you both. Those were some dark times you know".

"I know lover" she replied while giving him a look that reaffirmed her belief in him. "But those days are over, you're home, we're home and you're not alone and never were" she stated again. "Dot never stopped loving you, nor did Bob or Phong and neither did..., well neither did I. We can beat any game that comes here and when the time comes to face down Daemon we can do that too. Nothing can't stop us if we work together. Now about that other problem that is plaguing your function" she mused.

"Oh and what's that?", Matrix questioned. "You know, Enzo, you, the little you."

"Oh, you're right, I'd forgotten, or at least tried to forget" Martix stated.

When Mainframe had been rebooted, the two sprites had left their icons in game sprite mode. They remained unchanged when mainframe rose from the virtual ashes but something unexpected had happened. From out of nowhere a version of the man sprite when he was little appeared in mainframe. They were the exact same sprite for all intents and purposes except one was a man, the other a child. The man sprite found himself in a difficult posistion and turned to his lady friend for support. They still had each other...

"Little me" Matrix sighed. "Not a dupe but me as a little sprite, exactly as I was back when I was that age. Even after everything we went through, this is something you don't see every cycle", Matrix said as he tried to force a slight smile.

Andraia held his left hand in both of her's and squeezed gently. "That's really what's bugging you isn't it Matrix, has been for awhile now huh?".

Matrix finally opened up, "Sure is. He's going to get all the breaks I didn't. he won't get lost in the games, grow up before his time, lose his childhood or, or", Matrix struggled to find the words. He lifted his hand to his cybernetic right eye, the one that replaced his original after he lost it in the game that stranded them away from home. He touched the scar tissue that ran down his face. He lifted his gaze to the sky then to AndrAIa. "He won't suffer like I did. I envy him AndrAIa, he'll get everything I didn't".

AndrAIa pulled him close and nuzzled his head with her's. "Oh lover", she said. She drew up and he rested his head on her shoulder as she cradled him close. "Things will be different, I know. He won't suffer that's true and that's good. You're the same sprite and he's going to need you and you need him". Matrix didn't fully understand so AndrAIa continued. "Look at him Matrix, don't be ashamed of what you were or what you became, never be ashamed. I fell in love with you when we were just little sprites, we grew up together, through the good and bad, we had each other and always will. When I see him I see you and remember how good those days were. You need to do that too. You're both going to be here and you need to understand and appreciate it. You can teach him Matrix. Tell him about all we did and all the things we saw. Watch over him, make sure he gets what you didn't get and don't be jealous or angry honey. Embrace it. See yourself in him and let him see the man he could one day become".

Matrix lifted up his head and stared at her. "And what type of man is that", he asked.

"What you are to me, Dot, Bob and everyone in Mainframe. A hero. Someone to be proud of. And you embrace what he is, what you were. Be proud of yourself and you past I am".

"It's won't be easy", Matrix said.

Andraia replied "I know but you won't be alone. I'll be here every step of the way, we all will be".

And then she stood, pulling Matrix with her. "Now handsome, what say we get back on the path and finish stretching our legs?"

"Thought you'd never ask", Matrix said. And they continued their walk.

The two young sprites continued walking all about Mainframe, marvelling at how beautiful the city looked. Either it was their extended abscense or the work of the user but Mainframe looked brighter and more vibrant than ever. This was truly home and both were so glad to be back. Night began to fall as they made their way back to the Principle Office and they made their way back to Martix's apartment. Frisket was absent. "Probably off chasing nulls", Matrix thought.

He and his lady friend were now alone and he shut the door behind them. "Have a good time?" she asked.

"The best " he replied. "You were right".

"About what?" she asked.

"Everything" he replied, "everything". He placed his arms on her shoulders and looked her deeply in the eyes. "AndrAIa, I really don't..., well, I really don't know what would have happened to me if your weren't there. I never would have made it home. I would have given up hope a long time ago. That's one thing that little Enzo won't get. The joy of growing up with someone as special as you". Andraia smiled. "I love you Andraia. More than anything more than existence itself". He looked deep into her silver eyes. It struck him how beautiful they were as was her aqua hair and tan skin.

"Enzo Matrix, I love you too" she replied. For what seemed like an eternity, the two young sprites looked into each other's eyes. Suddenly, Matrix bent down and kissed his friend on her lips. She returned the kiss. Their lips parted and no more words were needed. Matrix sat on the edge of his bed and pulled Andraia towards him. She was a willing partner and the couple shared a strong embrace, each not wanting to let go. Matrix caressed her back. Andraia kissed his neck.

That night in Mainframe, all was nominal. The system went about it's business. The Principle Office hummed with activity, patrons at Dot's Diner and Al's Wait and Eat had their dinners. Mother binomes put little binomes to bed and in an apartment tucked away in the Principle Office, two young sprites made love, finally giving into the feelings that stirred in their hearts for so long.

As the night crept on the lovers lay together. AndrAIa asleep, snuggling against Matrix's chest, his big arm cradling her. Matrix was awake and once again deep in thought. He stared at her form and then kissed her head. He pulled her close and whispered in her ear one final time "I love you". Then he lay his head back and nodded off. Had he not closed his eyes, he would have noticed a smile on his lover's face.

Once in a place called Mainframe there were two little sprites who grew up together. They were very much in love and nothing would come between them. After all, they had each other.