Date: cycle before Enzo's party

[command_dot_com]

There were always things that needed to get done early, and preferably quietly inside of the Principal Office. In various alcoves, niches, and even distinct areas specifically designed to keep a certain pair of idiots entertained, binomes went about their work. And more specifically, in more recent minutes they came through with amazing breakthroughs in the labs. Unfortunately between those amazing breakthroughs, there were very long periods of heavy stress, mild screaming, and sometimes like right now, a heavy dose of worry and helplessness.

Dot watched a particular clear enclosure inside of the Principal office. A null squeaked moving about inside of the container. Phong puttered with some equipment nearby as she watched it move around inside.

"How's he doing, Phong?"

Comments

[nofileext]

Phong sighs. "As well as any null can be said to be doing. Young Enzo has given him more toys. He appears to like the ball." He deliberately neglects to mention the squeaky toys he himself has bought for what remains of his old friend.

[command_dot_com]

"He seems happy enough."

We will not speak of the ...squeaky Mainframe Scrolling Player right in the container either. Who knows how that ended up in there.

[nofileext]

"As far as one can tell," Phong agrees. "It is difficult to be certain with one so... featureless."

Continuing in this vein can only serve to depress her. "But there is some good news!" he declares, tapping at a console. A vidwindow pwings open, displaying a pair of wireframes with accompanying code. "As you know, Welman's presence in Mainframe confirms something we had long suspected."

[command_dot_com]

"That a null retains the code of the Sprite it used to be."

As Dot says this, the wireframe of Welman Null flicks red, reading a 100% match in code.

[nofileext]

"Mouse and the tech boys have come up with a portable device to sample and download Game codes," he informs her, opening another window to display the device.

[command_dot_com]

"That means we can build up a library of Games," Dot brightens a little at this. "And then use the code to recompile the Nulls in the labs!"

[nofileext]

"Exactly," Phong declares triumphantly. "We may be able to recompile the nullified sprites!"

The red wireframe transforms, as he speaks, from a null to a sprite. Hooray for visual aids!

[command_dot_com]

"That's great Phong," Dot kneels down to put her hand to the side of Nibble's container. "But.. How do we restore Dad? He wasn't nullified by a Game."

[nofileext]

"...a solution to that problem still escapes me, my child," Phong says with a sigh.

[a1enzo]

Speaking of children, here comes one in now. "Hi, Dot. Hi, Phong." He heads straight for the tank to peer in at his father's remains. "Do we have a carrier or something?"

[mendanddefend_archive]

"We'd better," says Bob, following close behind. "Remember what happened last time he got loose?"

[a1enzo]

"He's not gonna get loose."

[command_dot_com]

"Hack and Slash think like that, Enzo." Dot chides gently.

[a1enzo]

"But he's gotta come to the party!" Enzo insists, opening the tank.

[nofileext]

Silly, silly Enzo. Nibbles bolts for the exit.

[a1enzo]

"Whoops!" Despite the total inadvisibility of touching a null, Enzo lunges to grab Dad before he can, in fact, get loose.

As he touches Nibbles, his icon glows and spins; the glow travels down his head, neck and arm, and passes into the null, which Enzo drops.

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Enzo!" Bob looks alarmed. "Are you okay?"

[command_dot_com]

"Enzo!"

Dot darts to grab him and make sure he stays upright. Crashing stupid thing to do...

[a1enzo]

"Yeah," Enzo answers Bob. And it's true; it felt weird while it was happening, but now he doesn't even tingle. "That was freaky."

[nofileext]

"I am not sure what has happened," Phong says, sounding stunned, "but... your icon is normal again!"

[a1enzo]

Enzo rolls his eyes to see.

Yeah, taking the hat off might be in order.

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Something must have triggered the code Hex left. But what...?"

[nofileext]

"I, uh, think that might have been me..."

[command_dot_com]

"That would do it." Dot says absently taking off Enzo's cap to look at it.


Then it registers just where that voice came from and who. "Dad!"

[mendanddefend_archive]

"'Dad'??" echoes Bob, bewildered. He doesn't recognize the voice--why would he? He never met Welman before the Twin City disaster--but he's gaping at the talking null anyway.

[a1enzo]

"Dad!" Enzo, who was about to snatch his cap back, leaves it to Dot and drops to his knees beside the null. "You're back! And... kinda red."

[nofileext]

"Am I? Nulls aren't very good with colour, I'm afraid."