Chapter Text
"One more virus for the deletion chamber."
I.
Bob thought Dixon was being horribly rude. It was a virus, but it was right there. In any case, Bob didn't believe in deletion. Unfortunately, he was still technically a cadet and Dixon was technically his superior (by one hour) so he had to be there. Of course, that didn't stop him from speaking his mind.
Dixon was the only one he could speak his mind about such matters. She disagreed completely, but she loved to argue. "It's a virus, cadet. A dirty, no good virus. A user programmed him to infect, to corrupt, to destroy." Now that was unfair. He was sure they could do other things if they got past their programming. They needed to be fixed, not deleted.
She was too involved with the verbal sparring match that she didn't notice the virus changing, twitching against its restraints, until it was too late. Kilobyte broke free and struck Bob. Bob flew and hit the ground hard.
He was only out for a little while, but it was long enough. Dixon was hurt and it didn't look like she was going to make it. "Help! I need help in here!" They both knew it was futile. Bob still hoped until Glitch began to separate from her. "No, Glitch. Stop."
Dixon was gone and Glitch was his. He called out for a search for Kilobyte with one intent.
It brought him to a small system. Judging by the tears, there was no doubt Kilobyte came through. He started to make some mends when he noticed a girl about his age and a small boy. He paused, momentarily forgetting his purpose. He could see the fear and devastation on her face. The boy looked confused, but also like he understood what happened. "Please, I just want to help."
II.
He was not going to let Mainframe be destroyed. He had compiled in the supercomputer, but this was his home. This was his family. The bomb opened a huge tear that the web creature used to open a portal into the web, but Bob fully intended to fight back.
Dot had a solid plan, as always, but they lacked the power needed. They only way to make it work and close the web portal was to work with the local viruses. He wasn't really worried about Hexadecimal, she just wanted to fire the big cannon. The problem was with Megabyte. Megabyte was never the helpful sort.
It took some serious convincing to have Dot and Mouse go along with it. In the end, it wasn't like they had a choice and that was deciding factor. They didn't have a choice, but neither did Megabyte. It wasn't like the virus could do anything to gain from this with everyone watching him. Perhaps this would even show Megabyte that he could something other than his format.
Bob gave Enzo guardian protocol. It would help in the efforts against the web invasion and Enzo had earned it. When Enzo first snuck into a game Bob had been angry and incredibly worried but he noticed that the small sprite had potential with a little training. Enzo booted into his new uniform and Bob felt his chest swell. He never felt prouder.
It would be over soon. The city would be closed off from the web and be safe. Megabyte would start the path to change. Enzo would get proper training and everything would be fine.
III.
In all the games Enzo Matrix had ever been in, including the very first one he snuck into, he had never been more determined. He had also never been more frightened.
There was something about this game. He was close to a point of no return, he could feel it. The outcome of this game meant something big, win or lose. He kept his eyes on the User.
It was down to the final round of the final level. Enzo thought that if he just focused and kept it together he could win. He was a guardian; he had to win. There was no other option.
The User hit hard but Enzo forced himself to shake it off. Focus. Move to the left. Dodge that. The User was so much bigger, but that didn't matter, did it? Be smarter, be faster. What was he doing? Focus! Focus! Don't let him overpower you! Focus, guardian!
But it was so hot. Why did the User have to pick a form that was all heat and muscle? Shield your face and back up, just a little. Just until he stops swinging his arm.
He couldn't scream, he couldn't even breath. He couldn't see anything out of his right eye and that made his perception wrong. The User raised his arm again and Enzo knew he only had one last shot.
His right foot kicked out wildly, but he felt it make contact. The momentum of his own attack and the blow to his chest caused the User to fall. It was far from a wide margin of a victory, but the game was over.
The med trucks were there nanos after the game lifted. The found the young guardian on his knees with the game sprite's arms around his shoulders, blocking anyone's view. The dog was snarling at Mike the TV who, for once, decided to stay mute.
They rushed back to the Principal Office's medical center and wouldn't let anyone enter, not even Dot. She wasn't allowed to go in and see him until after the surgery. Mainframe was a small system even at the best of times. There wasn't much they could do except remove the eye and sew the lid shut.