First Entrance

[corruptnconquer]

One moment there's nothing but blue sky above.

The next, there's an orb that looks a lot like this. Big enough for a human-sized figure to fit in.

Speaking of which...

From it drops a blue figure, arms windmilling and legs dolphin-kicking and voice shouting "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" all the way down

Comments

[mend_and_defend]

!

No, make that !.

[corruptnconquer]

Eloquence in simplicity, is that how they put it?

Megabyte would say something, but that requires more consciousness than he has.

Also it requires that he remove the mound of dirt from his mouth before attempting speech.

[mend_and_defend]

For a long moment, Bob just stands there, poleaxed. Eventually, his Guardian protocol prods him into action and he approaches the prone virus, slowly and carefully.

[corruptnconquer]

Good strategy. He's returning mostly to full consciousness, the dirt mound is gone, and he's attempting to get up.

He's a tough critter, we'll give him that.

"Who ... is there?"

Footsteps. He heard footsteps now he wants to know who made them.

[mend_and_defend]

"I'm not going to hurt you. Trust me."

There's precious little reason for the two of them to trust each other, but...

[corruptnconquer]

Oh yeah he's really going to trust a Guardian.

"Bob?" Pause. "It is Bob isn't it? Just the sort of person to see me in my microsecond of need."

I'd say that he's fully conscious if not fully mobile.

[mend_and_defend]

"I told you, I'm not going to hurt you. No violence, no old grudges. Rules of the house."

His tone is even, but Glitch is hyperventilating in his head.

[corruptnconquer]

No, Bob's not the type to hunt down viruses for the sole purpose of deleting them. That much he's always known.

"Has Mainframe finally taken up your pacifist stance after all this time?"

Even in pain he can manage a sneer.

[mend_and_defend]

"Look around. Does this look like Mainframe to you?"

[corruptnconquer]

Saying something totally rude and insulting did occur to Megabyte before he finally got himself upright.

But then the "We're not in Kansas any more" expression lit up, and...

He'd like the Guardian to explain this one to him please.

[mend_and_defend]

"You're in a place called 'Milliways.' Well, out back behind a place called 'Milliways,' actually. And trust me, it's nowhere near Mainframe. You can tell by the fact that you haven't been escorted to the deletion chamber yet."

[corruptnconquer]

"And certainly not while you're the only Guardian present."

Pause. He can count on Bob for some things, like "no deletion of viruses".

"So. What is this ... 'Milliways'? It looks like no part of cyberspace I have been to."

[mend_and_defend]

Bob hesitates.

"It might be better just to show you." He steps forward and (in spite of Glitch screaming NO NO NO in his head) extends a hand to the fallen virus.

[corruptnconquer]

Really Bob you should listen to your conscience keytool.

Megabyte merely makes to accept the proffered hand. All innocent-like.

[mend_and_defend]

Bob reaches out--wait, no he doesn't, because Glitch won't let him move his arm. Are you INSANE???

He lowers his arm and takes a step back.

"On second thought, let's not."

[corruptnconquer]

Saved by the bell keytool.

"Sudden surge of self-preservation, Bob? I wonder what brought that on."

In that case he will just have to slowly make his own way out of the hole.