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Mainframe Comes Alive
This interesting story is about a storm overloading a computer with Mainframe in it. A tear forms, someone (not telling) gets sucked into it, and appears in Userworld. Phong and the others have one kooky time getting *her* back! Read on! (I will not be writing in script format this time, BTW)
The storm was quickly rolling in. John and Mike were on their computer, playing Jedi Knight. Inside, the Mainframers were in the game, fighting back.
"Watch it!" Bob said, blocking the User's lightsaber move.
"I know!" Matrix said, shooting the User, watching his life go down.
Outside, John and Mike were stunned.
"Mike, these games get harder each time I play them!" John said.
"You're right. Let's work on something else," Mike said, closing the game.
"Game Over" the computer said, and the purple cube lifted up and away, dropping Bob and Matrix. Hack and Slash came rolling up to them.
"I think we did a fine job!" Hack said.
"Yes, we did good." Slash said.
"Great."
"Excellent"
"Stupendous"
"Wonderful"
"Guys, will you stop?" an irritated Matrix said.
"Would you really call hiding from the User helping?" Bob said.
"No." Hack said.
"Not at all." Slash said.
Bob sighed. "Let's go to the Diner."
Outside of the computer, John and Mike were writing their school report.
"Mike, will we finish this before that storm comes?" John said.
"Yeah. I mean look!" Mike said, looking out the window. A bolt of lightning striked. "Forget what I said."
Without warning the computer frizzled and sparked and overloaded.
"See what happened?" John said.
In Mainframe, they were feeling the damage. The ground shook and some small buildings toppled. Bob was wondering what was happening.
"Bob, what's going on?" Matrix said.
"I don't know..." Bob said. A Vidwindow popped up. Phong appeared.
"Bob! Come to the Principle Office! We are... overloading!" the old sprite said.
By now they had reached the Diner. "Be right there, Phong." Bob said. The window closed.
"Bob!" Dot said. "What's happening?"
"The system is overloading." Bob said. Another tremor shook. "We've got to go to the Principle Office!"
"Okay, let me just finish things up here. See you in a nano." Dot said.
"Bye." Bob and Matrix started to speed off, but then a Tear appeared right by Dot. It turned into a Portal.
"Dot! Get away from there!" Bob said. Another tremor shook, and Dot was thrown in.
"Sis!" Matrix said. The Portal closed. "Where did she go?"
"Good question. Let's go to Phong." they sped off, heads hung low.
"This is great! Our dumb computer is frozen!" John said. "My thesis will never get done now!"
"Relax. Let's go to my house. Maybe my computer is working." Mike said. They started to get up, but then the computer made a weird sound, and something like a bubble appeared next to the computer.
"What the heck is that?" John said.
The bubble wavered, and Dot fell out. The bubble disappeared.
"Wha... where am I? Wait a nano... this isn't Mainframe!" Dot gasped.
"Nano? Mainframe? You okay?" Mike said.
Inside, Bob finished telling Phong the bad news.
"So she fell into a Portal? I must scan for this." Phong said. He typed onto a console. "The last Portal led to... wait, no that can't be right."
"What Phong?" Matrix said.
"Child, the Portal led to... the Userworld!"
"This is bad. Very bad." Matrix said.
"Hey, that's my line." Bob said.
Dot was slowly recovering in John's bed.
"What happened? Where is Mainframe? Where is this?" Dot said.
"Well, you're in Midstown, New York." John said.
"Midstown? I don't recall a system of that name. Can you get me a drink? I'm low on energy."
"Energy? You need energy? We can get that." John said. "C cell or D cell?"
Mouse was confused. "Can you repeat that, sugah?"
"Mouse, we need you to hack into the Userworld." Bob said.
"Now how am ah supposed ta do that?"
"I don't know. You're the hacker."
"Well, ah might as well give 'er a try." She pulled up to a console. "Sugah, what do ya want me to, anyway?"
"Get some video or audio transmissions."
"Okay, ah'll see what ah can do."
John and Mike watched Dot putting the batteries up to her body, getting the energy she needed. "Thank you."
"Now, you say you came from Mainframe?" John asked.
"Yes, I'd like you to get me back." Dot said.
"I can try." John said.
"John! I found something!" Mike said.
Mouse was typing away. "Ah think ah got somethin'!"
"What Mouse?" Bob said. Matrix and Phong crowded around her.
"It's an audio file. Ah'll play it." She typed in a command. The speakers blared with the User's voice.
"JJJohnnnn! I founnnnnnd sommmmethingggg!" the voice said, pausing in spots.
"Can you get better quality, Mouse?" Bob said, excited. Phong put his hand on Bob's shoulder.
"Bob, do not forget User time is deacelarated." Phong said. "Mouse, you can try to speed the file."
"Okay, sugah." She typed in another command. The voice came up again.
"John! I foundddd something!"
"Ah think I got it streaming, and ah'm playing it, now." the voice played out, pausing every once and a while.
"What Mike? John, something's happening with our computer. What is happening? Have you found Mainframe?"
"Dot!" Bob said.
"John, something just popped up on the computer. It was our sound recorder and..." Mike started to say.
"Must be your imagination. Come on. We've got to help this girl who has amnesia or something." John said.
"Okay, okay."
"Mouse, can you get video?" Bob said.
"Lemme see, sugah." Mouse typed up commands. "They don't seem ta have a video card."
"Cursors!" Bob said.
"Hold on! Ah've found out I can... communicate with the User!" Mouse said.
"This is great! Mouse, tell them something that won't... startle them." Phong said.
"Well, why don't you? Ah'm putting the microphone on..."
Mike thought he heard a voice in the computer room. "Did you hear something?" he said.
"Yes. Oh no! Someone must have broken in!" John said, rushing into the computer room. When he got there, he heard a voice coming from the computer.
"Hello? Are you there? We come in peace." the voice said.
"Um, hi." Mike said.
"Oh! You are there! Thank the U... well thank you!"
"Well, um, who is this?"
"Oh, I cannot tell you. But, do you have a spri... er... is there someone named Dot there?"
"Yes. Hey, Dot? Someone is here to talk to you!" Mike yelled.
"What is it?" Dot said.
"Dot!" the voice said.
"Phong!" Dot said.
"Phong?" Mike said.
"Dot! We are so glad to hear you!" Phong said.
"What happened? Where are you? Where am I?" Dot said.
"Child, you are in Userworld."
"Userworld?"
"Yes. We are trying to find a way to get you back into Mainframe."
"I think I have an idea, Phong." Bob said.
"What, child?" Phong said.
"Maybe one of us could go into Userworld and birng her back."
"What??? Are you random???"
"No."
"But Bob, if we could send you into Userworld, we could then just create a portal and then Dot could come back much easier."
"Yeah Bob, what are you saying?" Matrix said.
"Phong, Matrix, I want to see the Userworld. I want to see the User. I want to tell him what happens when he downloads Games and upgrades. Please Phong. I want to see Dot."
Phong sighed. "Yes child. Mouse, can you generate a Portal to Userworld?"
"Sugah, you're asking too much of me. I can't do three or four tasks at once."
"Sorry. Can I have the microphone back? I need to tell Dot this."
"Sugah, you already did." Mouse said, pointing at the microphone light. It was green, and on.
"So they're coming for me. They're going to bring me home!" Dot said, starting to cry with joy.
"Wow. Hey yes! My computer unfroze!" John said. "Now I can start my thesis!"
"User!" Phong's voice emitted from the speakers.
"Huh? What is it?"
"Please, tell me, do you have a video card?"
"Yes."
"Mouse, what happened then?"
"Sugah, ah don't know. Do y'all have a video program working?"
"No. Would you like me to start one up?"
"Yes, User."
John started up Quicktime. After he was done loading he spoke once again. "Okay, it is done."
"Thank you User. Bob, go to the place where I told you too. Mouse, get some video conformation."
"Man, is it just me, or is this really, really weird?" John said.
Inside the computer Bob zipped away to Floating Point Park. he landed on the island Phong had told him too. He turned on the device Phong had given him. "Phong, I'm at the center island."
"Excellent. hold on! We are able too see the User! Please excuse us. We will have the Portal open soon."
Bob waited on a bench patiently. He felt a presence, but he didn't know what it was. He spun around and found Hex with Enzo.
"Hello Bob! I was just taking this little sprite for a ride!" Hex said.
"Bob! Hex is so random! She spun me upside down and almost knocked me into a building!"
"Hex, why did you do that?"
"I was bored. I did make some biscuits!"
"No thanks. Can you please leave? Phong's about to open a Portal to the Userworld."
"The Userworld? Cool! Alphanumeric! Can I go? Huh? Can I? Please?"
"No. It's too dangerous."
"What about me, Bob?"
"Hex, do you think a User would like a Virus in his home?"
"No. But I'm going anyway."
Bob sighed. It was hard to stop Hex when she really wanted something. "Okay, but don't infect the User. That would get us all in trouble."
John was seeing this gold thing talking to him through his computer, showing him various things.
"This is Mouse. She is the one who allowed us to speak to you." John saw the view change to a woman with purple skin and bright orange hair.
"Hi Sugah!" Mouse said, winking.
"And this is Matrix. he used to be a small sprite, but going through your Games has made him compile faster." The view once again changed, this time to a green skinned person with green hair. He had a goatee, and had a yellow ball for his right eyeball. "Oh yes! I almost forgot. User, open a Game. Anyone."
"Okay." John opened Jedi Knight again. "Now what?"
"Listen." In the background a voice could be heard. "WARNING: INCOMING GAME. WARNING: INCOMING GAME."
"Good. Child, go out and you can show the user what happens in a Game."
John saw the green skinned person run out the door. John thought he saw a giant purple cube coming down. Then he saw Phong talking to Bob through a window.
"Bob, do not go into this Game. This is for demonstrative purposes only."
"Okay Phong."
"Now, User, please watch your screen."
John watched and started his game. he walked around, doing pretty much nothing but looking out for a green haired enemy. He found one and waited. And waited. And waited.
"Come on, do something!" John yelled out.
Matrix waited for the User to move.
"Come on, User." Matrix was growing more and more impatient. He couldn't tkae it anymore. He fired his gun.
"Finally. Yep, that must be Matrix." John moved his character into a wall. He kept banging the head into the wall.
"What is that User doing?" Matrix said. "Forget it." Matrix took John's character out.
"What the-" John started to say.
"Hush, child." Phong said.
John closed the game. Through the speakers he heard, "GAME OVER. GAME OVER."
"So this is what happens..." John said, dazed.
Hexadecimal was playing with Nulls.
"Now spin, and drop. Spin, and drop. Oh this is so fun! Spin drop. Spin drop."
"Hex, what are you doing?" Bob asked.
"Oh just having fun. Now fly!" Hex threw the Null over the island. He fell all the way to the ground and landed with a plunk.
"Oh well. There goes another." She called another one over to her. "Now spin, and drop."
Bob sighed. Suddenly a Vidwindow appeared.
"Bob, we are about to open the Portal." Phong said.
"Okay Phong." The window closed.
"Oooo, now?" Hex dropped the Null. "Forget that!"
Back in Userworld, Dot was getting nervous.
"They haven't gotten me back yet. Is osmething wrong? I hope not. C'mon Dot, you're the planmistress. Think, think!"
She heard a voice. "Dot, come here! Phong has something to say."
Yes! she thought. She ran into the computer room.
"Dot, we are about to open a Portal."
"Thank you Phong. I can finally go home."
"Bob will come out of it, and bring you home."
Even better!
"Hold on Phong." Bob said.
"What is it, child?"
"One minor problem. Hex is coming."
"Hex?" Phong, Dot, and John said.
Mouse was typing away.
"Just a few more nanos, then this baby's mine." Mouse stopped. "Ah'm done!"
In Floating Point and in John's computer room, a Portal appeared.
"Good luck, Bob." Phong said.
"You too Phong." Bob jumped into the Portal, followed by Hex.
"Now all we can do is wait." Phong said.
Bob fell out onto the ground. He felt like he had been partially erased.
"I feel so, weak." Bob said.
"Bob, what's wrong? I feel great! Of course you're not the one with transfinite power."
"Oh no. Um, do you need energy?" John asked.
"Yes... I do." Bob said, weak.
"Coming right up!" John got some C-cells out. "Here you go, Bob."
Bob put them to his body and felt the energy come into him. "Thank you."
"Now who is this?" John asked.
"This? This is Hexadecimal, a virus."
"A Virus?" John asked.
"She's a random one, one who won't do much harm unless you really tick her off."
"Exactly, Bob."
"Then I guess my worries are over." John said. Dot rushed into the room.
"Bob!"
"Dot!"
"Oh I'm so glad to see you! the Userworld is weird, isn't it?"
"I don't know. I've only been here a micro."
"Well, we'd better get back. We don't have all cycle."
"First, I think we'd better have Hex look around."
Hexadecimal ran into the kitchen. "Now what are these?" She picked up a piece of bread, and tasted it. "Yuch! Too stale." She went into the bedroom. "A bed!" She layed on it. "I could stay here forever!" she said, laughing.
"Hex? We don't have all cycle! Let's go back to Mainframe." Bob said.
"Fine, fine. Do I get to keep the bed?"
"No, Hex."
"Pity." She walked back into the computer room.
"Well, nice meeting you Users." Bob said.
"Yes. We'll be more careful when we play Games. We'll only fight the Game sprites, and when we see you we'll be sure not to win. Right Mike?" John said.
"Um, yeah. Bye!"
Bob, Dot, and Hex jumped into the Portal. It shrunk and disappeared.
In the P.O., Phong, Matrix and Mouse were greeting Dot, Bob and Hex.
"So, Dot, what is the Userworld like?" Phong asked.
"Well, they have round things that give you energy. They're easy to carry around, and they have lots of them."
"They also have comfy beds and stale food." Hex added.
"Yeah, sure Hex." Bob said.
"Well I'm glad my sis is back." Matrix said.
"Wait a nano!" Mouse said. "Hey! Ah found out when we were talking to the User, Mainframe's speed was deaccelerated!"
"I did not notice a change. It must have been without our knowing." Phong said.
"Well, it had to be, since ah just found out about it now, right sugah?"
"Um, yes. You're right, Mouse." Phong said, blushing.
In the Userworld, John and Mike were getting over the shock of what just happened.
"I think I just had a dream." John said.
"If you had a dream, then I had one too." Mike said.
"Ah, it was just a dream. Let's play some more Jedi Knight!" John stopped. "Nah, let's work on my thesis."
"Huh? You're always up for a game of that!"
"I know, but something makes me want to not play games."
"Oh well. Let's get cracking!"
THE END