(Untitled)

[notascreensaver]

One can hear a certain pair of sprites returning before seeing them; the relative peace of Mainframe shattered by the roar of two massive bikes approaching. Two specks appear in the sky growing larger and larger as the pair get closer and descend, finally touching down and parking in front of Dot’s Diner. The twin roaring stops as both bikes are

Comments

[renegade_enzo]

This is the part he wanted very much to not come, but time flies when you're on the run, and eventually, you have to come back home.

He's got nothing to say; he only nods. Stiffly, like a soldier, and with no readable expression, he heads towards the door of the Diner, and the commotion that will soon begin.

[mend_and_defend]

"Dot, calm down. They'll be back really soon, I..."

Bob trails off as he senses the two sprites approaching the Diner.

Speak of the devil...

[command_dot_com]

"Bob, if you ask me to calm down one more time..."

She is trying to be calm. Really.

She isn't doing that thing where her jaw twitches.

"When they get back I'd like to hear a FULL explanation for this behavior."

[nullofscience]

Mostly, he had been keeping back on this one. Welman had already offered the fatherly 'I'm sure everything is fine, so there's no need to worry' advice and all the other various parts that went with it. That hadn't helped much, so he was attempting to build a new remote control for Mike, waiting for the time when his presence was needed the most.

And yes...that time was now.

He put down what he was working on and readied himself, walking over in his exo-suit.

"I'm sure you'll get one, Dot, but take it calmly and hear him out. He deserves at least that much."

That sounded almost like granting a dying man his last request, which...may not be so unrealistic.

[renegade_enzo]

Dying man's request. How disturbingly appropriate a metaphor it is.

Dot's going to erase the pair of them. Possibly starting with him, on account of being family.

Though it takes several picoseconds longer than it should to open the door, the door is opened regardless.

[command_dot_com]

Ofcourse she's going to start with him. He knows better than to pull that kind of cruft around her.

Dot's half-growling rant is cut short as her head snaps up at the sound of the Diner door opening. And then she's completely silent, save for the tapping of her fore and index digits tapping on the surface of the table.

She's giving that angry-mother glare that she does so well, with the definite feeling of somebody had better explain themselves and quickly.

If they don't want their baby-pictures and the Captain Binome under-roos on the evening news.

...At least she isn't doing that 'silent growling' thing.

[renegade_enzo]

That starts next, right?

Casually, as though this were just a normal cycle in Mainframe, he makes his way over to where Dot, Bob, and Welman are, and seats himself.

And wait for AndrAIa to follow suit.

[notascreensaver]

The Game sprite in question enters just behind Matrix, wearing the same air of casualness and while he crosses the diner to seat himself, AndrAIa saunters up to the counter and retrieves a mug of Java.

Joining the group, she slides into the booth beside her companion and taking a long drought from the mug she regards the null and pair of sprites from over the top of her mug.

AndrAIa places the mug on the table and leans back slightly in her seat. A moment longer of silence, then:

"Matrix and I are married."

[command_dot_com]

"Well tha--..."

Wait a freaking nano, what did she just say?!?

0.o

0.0

D=<

WHAT.

[mend_and_defend]

Bob is.

Um.

He's trying to look sufficiently surprised, at least? (He wasn't expecting AndrAIa to just come out and say it, anyway...)

[nullofscience]

Well, if he could jawdrop, it would happen. In this case, the null sort of flopped forward and the controls of the exo-suit. This made one of the legs jerk up, forcing Welman off balance and onto the floor for a second. When he got up, he was prying his null-self from the glass dome.

"Well, that's...wow. Didn't see that one coming."

Plunk! The null shook its 'head', reorienting himself.

[notascreensaver]

AndrAIa glances around at the various reactions, mildly impressed that her bluntness has managed to stun Dot into silence and help Bob act convincingly surprised.

***

Thanks to AndrAIa's forwardness, we finally see a change in expression from Matrix.

No, he had nothing planned, in terms of what to say, but...

"We are, sis," he confirms.

Unable to say much else, he gives AndrAIa's hand a squeeze underneath the table. Possibly to give himself courage.

[command_dot_com]

If Dot's been stunned...it's only temporary.

Because if her expression is anything to go by, the hormones and her own temper are starting to flare up in a big way again. Even if it is...somewhat restrained.

This is good news... right?

[nullofscience]

The exo-suit folded its fingers together as Welman gathered himself again after the shock.

"So, you stopped off for an energy shake and got married in the nearest chapel at Voltas, then?"

Just imagine the Elvis binome in mind and the rest falls into place like a game of Tetris.

"You could've at least invited us."

[renegade_enzo]

Now it's Matrix' turn to look stunned. His father thought..?

"Actually, dad, we would've, but that's not why we went there. And to Radiance and the other places."

Pause. He looks from Bob to Dot to his father.

"We just needed to clear our heads before we told you the truth. The one we'd been keeping secret for so long."

[command_dot_com]

"You would've?!?!"