*Narrated by Bob: Guardian 452

So there I was, stuck in a world that offered no hope, no salvation. I was depressed. Not only was I in the Web, but through my attempts to travel by the means of games, I was only transported to other systems in the Web.

I admit it, I was staring to lose hope. The only thing that kept me in my present sane state was the thought that I'd find a way home; no matter what it took.

And so, I begin my log... the log of all the events that happen in my quest for the lost system of Mainframe. This log will execute in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... execute!

"WARNING! INCOMING GAME!" the disfigured male voice called over the system's com. I was suddenly more alert, and I shoved my memories of Mainframe into the back of my mind as I made a mad dash for the rapidly descending cube.

Luckily, the game was simple. I was able to defeat the user in less than a millisecond. The game had to do with a simple game of Capture the Flag. There were sixteen levels and I had to capture all of the user's flags before he got mine.

"GAME OVER"

As the cube hurtled skyward, I came to a grim realization: I'd never be able to travel outside the Web through games. I'd have to breach the Guardian Protocol and hack my way out. I couldn't do that, though. I was a Guardian who was loyal to my code. I had to find someone who wasn't a Guardian.

"Hey, ya lookin' fer somethin'?"

I spun around and gasped. There, standing in front of me, was a tall male sprite; but not just any sprite. He had violet skin, maroon eyes, and flaming, psychedelic red hair. He looked a lot like Mouse.

"Ah said are ya lookin' for somethin'?"

"Uh, yeah. As a matter of fact I am," I managed to say, rather stupidly. "Do you know how I could possibly get to the Net from here?"

"No. Mah sister would, though."

"Is her name by any chance Mouse?"

"Yeah! Ya know 'er? Where is she? I haven't seen 'er in ages!"

"She's in system Mainframe in the Net. I'm trying to get back there. Uh, since I'm gonna be hanging around you, I should at least know your name."

"Name's Fortran. Wait a nano... get back there?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later." I decided to change the subject back to my goal. "Do you know anyone here who'd know the way to the Net?"

"Ah maht. Come with me."

He gestured to me and I followed him.

We entered the system's Principal Office and I was very surprised to see that many of the sprites present wore icons. I made a mental note to ask them about this later.

Fortran asked me to talk to the elder about my problem.

"I'm Bob, Guardian 452, formerly from the Net. I was in my assigned system when a web spore came out of the virus Hexadecimal's mirror and started abducting sprites.

"After I and a female sprite named Mouse liberated the captivated sprites, I found out that Mouse's communicator was a bomb and it was about to detonate. I tried to get it out of the system, but it exploded too soon and the spore was attracted by the tear's energy. It formed a portal to the Web and we had no choice but to start a war. We joined forces with the virals, but they turned on us and sent me here, where I met Fortran."

The elder sprite looked at Bob while scratching his bristly chin, contemplating the story. After a few microseconds, he said, "Well, that certainly is an interesting story... I assume that now you must want to get back to where you came from. Is that assumption correct?"

"Yes it is."

"So, you're from the Net. Do you see all these other sprites standing around us?"

"Yes."

"They have gone through dilemmas similar to your own. They are also from the Net, and are all Guardians. They all want to get back to the Net, somehow. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to figure out a way back yet. These Guardians have formed a union to get back to the Net by force. If you like, you can join them."

"I don't know about getting back by force. If that's the only way back, I guess I'll have to go with them. But, if there is another way that you have not yet discovered, I'll have to decline your offer. For the moment, I think I'll remain neutral and get back to you when I'm ready."

"That's fine. You may do that on one condition... that you never go into this system's archives. There are things in there that are strictly confidential. Any tampering with the security system and you will be detained and sentenced to deletion."

"I agree to these terms."

"Then, you may leave."

I started to leave the building when I saw a familiar face. I turned to look closer. Yes, it was her!

"Platter? Is that you?"

"Yeah. Who wants to know?"

"It's me. Bob. Remember, back in the Supercomputer? We studied together!"

"Bob? I don't believe it! What are you doing in such a desolate place! I thought you'd be married by now!"

"I'm not. I had a little accident." I showed her my bare wrist bracer. "Glitch is not with me anymore."

"What happened?"

"Megabyte."

"Ouch. I can't believe it's really you! How long has it been?"

"Too long. I just want to tell you one thing before we go any farther. We can't be any more than friends. There's someone in the system I left whom I care for deeply. I never got a chance to tell her how I really feel."

"I understand. I was in the same kind of situation."

Everyone was staring at us, and the elder cleared his throat.

"I guess I should leave now... everything here is starting to give me the jaggies."

"Okay, take care."

I walked out of the Principal Office shaking my head in wonder at the situation.

It has been two cycles since I entered the Web and already I'm starting to feel homesick. I miss Dot more than I expected. I guess separation is the best way to find out if you really love someone. Now I know that I do.

Fortran has proven to be a loyal friend, and Platter has not changed... much. Fortran is constantly asking about his sister and he explained to me that the last time he had seen her was ten hours ago. He hadn't seen her since before I met her. That made me wonder about what happened. I knew something terrible had happened because of the look he got on his face whenever he mentioned "the separation." I decided to ask him about it.

"Fortran, what was it that happened to you and Mouse ten hours ago?"

"Mouse and Ah were very close. Our parents were deleted in... an accident. They were comin' home from a vacation and their zip-transport crashed and..." He took a deep breath and continued, "they were deleted. Mouse and Ah weren't old enough to live by ourselves yet, so these men in black suits came an' took us away. We were separated an' sent to different families as foster children an' that was the last Ah ever heard of 'er. Mah foster parents made me go ta tha Academy, I didn't wanna become a Guardian, and I still hate it. Mah life was really screwed up after that. Ah was sent to different systems, and Ah had hope of finding Mouse, but when Ah got there, Ah found it to be just another system. If ya ever go back ta your Mainframe, Can Ah come with ya?"

"Sure, if it's to see your sister again. I know how you feel. You heard me telling Platter about how I have special feelings for a woman... I miss her terribly already! I can't begin to imagine how you feel."

"It's hell, Ah tell ya. Thanks fer lettin' me come. Ah really appreciate it. Ah'll make it up ta ya, Ah promise."

I've now become very familiar with this system, but that doesn't mean it doesn't creep me out. I've never been comfortable with web spores streaking by my head ever ten microseconds.

Nonetheless, all the Guardians have made me feel at home, and I have to say that they are hospitable, even though I'm not with their union. I still have this gut feeling that something else is going to happen... I'm not sure what.

Platter has proven to be the same loyal friend I had at the Academy, and when I feel homesick, she just reminds me of how I will get back home... someday. She has told me something I once told her: "No matter how bad you feel, how gloomy your world might be, the sun will come out again."

I was sitting in the P.O. with Fortran, when I heard a familiar voice: "Ya can't keep me here! Ah'm a Prime Guardian! Ah have mah own rahts!"

It was Turbo! He came into the main hall escorted by two rather nasty-looking web creatures. He was dirty and wet, and he had a strange glow over his icon and his temples, but it was still the same old Turbo. I called out to him.

"Bob? Is that you?"

"Yeah. How did you get here?"

"Same way you did. Daemon sent me though."

"Daemon?"

"She's a super-virus. See this?" He motioned to his icon and his left temple.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"It's the Infection. Daemon's infected the entire Guardian collective. Only you and Matrix remain clean."

"Matrix?"

"Enzo Matrix. He's been game hopping. He's compiled up already. Game tahm is accelerated, remember?"

"I though I'd never hear from him again!"

"Well, he's lookin' for ya. Ah know a way out of here. Ah created a tear in the disk platter. You can create a portal to the Supercomputer through there."

"No, I can't. I don't have a key-tool anymore."

"That's why Ah took the liberty of gettin' you a new one. Bob, meet Chip."

"Thanks, Turbo. I don't know how to thank you."

"Then don't. You should be goin--"

"Hey, what about me?" It was Fortran. "I was s'posed ta come with ya, Bob."

"This is bad. Very bad. How can I get you through?"

"Try the archives."

"The archives are restricted to any and all. There's no way you can get away with that."

"Ah'll keep ya covered. There's document in there called 'Net travel'. Get that an' Ah'll help ya wit tha rest."

I felt really uncomfortable sneaking into the archives like this, but I guess I didn't really have a choice.

I stepped through the doorway with Fortran on my heels. I was about halfway into the room when an alarm sounded loud and clear, loud enough to scare anyone to deletion. I merely jumped, then panicked.

A big mob of officers in black suits and sunglasses came barging in through the door. "All right, guys. Whose bright idea was it to come here. I can only take one of you."

"I--" I was about to continue when Fortran cut me off.

"It was mah fault... Ah wanted the precious forbidden documents. Take mah life. I don't need tah live no more."

"All right, you can have your last conversation with your friend there and then you're coming with us."

Fortran walked over to me.

"Why did you admit it? I was the one who needed the file."

"But you are in love with someone. You need her, she needs you. Ah have no one. Ah also promised tah make it up to ya. I didn't get to see Mouse, but Ah never go against mah promise."

"Don't you want to see Mouse?"

"Tell her I died with honor. That's all she'll need to hear." With that, Fortran was dragged out of the room. I'd never see that brave warrior again.

I stood close to the tear with Chip at the ready. I took a deep breath and said: "Chip. Portal." And I leapt through.

I was in the Supercomputer, and all I had to do was find some kind of transport back to Mainframe.

"Bob! Is that you?"

I spun around. I saw two adult sprites, a male and a female, and a dog that looked a lot like Frisket running towards me. "Who are you, and how do you know me?"

The male sprite smiled. He was really big. He had pale green skin, violet eyes and wore a Guardian's icon. "Bob, it's me. It's Enzo."

I was dumbfounded. Now that I looked closer, I realized that it was him. "But how did you get here?"

"AndrAIa and I lost a game half an hour ago in Mainframe, but we compiled up really fast. We're using games to travel."

"AndrAIa? Enzo? This is all too much. I can't believe it. You two look very different."

"Call me Matrix."

"Uh... right. Can we please go back to Mainframe now?"

The ride back to Mainframe seemed endless. When we got there, we were all a little shocked. All of Sector G-Prime was gone, and so was Hex's island.

"Looks like we won," AndrAIa said with satisfaction.

We toured Mainframe until we came to the Diner. We got off of the hip Matrix had "borrowed" from the Supercomputer. AndrAIa told me to hide behind a nearby building. I did so.

As I watched, a figure stepped out of the Diner. I realized who it was before too long. Dot. She stepped up to Matrix and squinted a little at him. Then her jaw dropped. "Are you who I think you are?"

"Sis, it's me."

She ran to him. Even though she didn't really understand why he had grown so big, she probably didn't care. Her little brother was home.

She looked at AndrAIa and recognized her right away. I don't know how, but anyway. AndrAIa told her that she and Enzo had a surprise for her. That was my cue.

I stepped out from behind the building and looked straight at Dot. For a fleeting moment, I thought that Dot wasn't even happy to se me. Boy was I wrong. I don't think I've ever seen anyone look so happy. She ran to me, but she barely made five steps before I met her halfway. I took her in my arms and hugged her really tightly. She hugged me back.

I slowly pulled back and looked into her eyes. Right then and there I told her what I'd been meaning to tell her for three hours. That I loved her. She just smiled, and, in response, kissed me long and hard. I had never been so happy.

Later I told everyone of my adventure. I told Mouse about her brother, and when I told her that he had died in honor, she quieted and stared out the window. Platter was right in her statement. My sun did come out. I will never let anything like that happen again. That's why Dot and I have made our betrothal vows...

END