"I know you're here somewhere..."

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

There's a Matrix in the bar—

—and there he goes—

Upstairs.

Downstairs.

Outside.

On the roof.

Around the lake.

Partway into the forest.

Towards the mountains.

Other parts of the back area.

Inside.

Down to the garage.

Upstairs.

To the fireplace, the bar, and the booths. Even the tables section.

This is one sprite determined to find something, isn't he?

Do you want to interrupt him? AndrAIa had said to stay out of the bar until he calmed down after the news of Megabyte's return, and since he figures he's not in KILLITDEAD!mode, he's calm enough to visit the bar.

So he won't bite your head off if you did interrupt him. Especially if you offer to help him find what he's looking for.


[Tiny witchy tag: Penelope Clearwater]

Comments

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

She's got no idea where she is or who any of these people are but the large part of her that is Helpful!Penny is still there so she taps this strangely coloured man on the shoulder and asks, "Are you alright, sir? Do you want help with anything?" Besides, she might get some answers about this place from himand that can't be a bad thing.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

And Matrix whirls around sharply.

Oh. It's one of the patrons.

Everything's safe—for the lady.

"I'm fine. And I'm looking for someone."

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

"Good to know, that you're okay." The green man whirls around a bit too sharply, in her knowledge it's because he's been under watch and had to sneak around to keep things safe too. Her colleagues moved a bit like that too before the end.
"Who are you looking for?" She doubt she'll know the person but it doesn't harm to ask.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

More like it's something that came from spending hours in Games. He tends to act faster than his brain can think.

And that led to stuff being shot.

Matrix works his jaw. AndrAIa would be unhappy he started a scene now.

"His name is Megabyte. He's a virus. And he came into this bar about last second."

Describe him?

"Blue. Green markings on his chest. Red crest sticking out the back of his head and a big jaw. Ugly."

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

Penny frowns at the name and puts her hand on her backpack where her precious floppy discs are, "Megabyte, like the computer term?" Maybe it's a codename or something? She tries to put together a picture of what he must look like from the description but comes up with nothing special. "I haven#t seen him although I've only just got here myself. I could help you look though, if you like.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

"Not quite like what you're thinking," he says, glad he doesn't have to explain computers to the woman. "He's from my world, which exists inside one world's computer network. He's a virus program. I'm a sprite."

It's complicated.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. He's dangerous. Caused us a lot of problems when he was in Mainframe and he may be trying to get back there."

So Matrix has taken it upon himself to look for the virus and...

...he really has no idea what he'd do once he found Megabyte, and he can't count on either individual doing anything that wouldn't lead to a Rule 2 violation.

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

"Oh, erm, okay." She's not sure how that works but she'll take his word for it. The talk of viruses makes her think of the discs again and the one or two blank ones she's got in her pack. She digs around in her backpack and pulls one out. One of the vile spattered yellow colour flopy discs that she'd avoided using because she hated the colour. "If he's a virus, could you trap him in this? I'm not sure what damage he could do in here, for example - I don't think there's anything for him to infect.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

Penelope's question makes it sound like Megabyte could be contained inside an object Pokemon-style, to be let out later whenever someone decides to.

He'd laugh if this wasn't so serious.

"You could, but I don't know how you'd get him inside that to see if it would work."

The idea has merit, though. Megabyte can't cause trouble if he's inside a floppy disc.

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

"Oh." She feels like laughing at herself for the idea now. "Does it work the opposite way? What trouble can he cause if he's here and not in a computer?" She doesn't think that the bar, wherever it is works that way. Possibly. Maybe. She hopes.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

"Plenty."

Pause.

"The worst he can do he can do only to data life, like infect them and control them, but he's physically strong and could do serious damage in a fight."

Spoken from experience.

"Best to keep your distance from him."

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

It's at this point that Penny pulls out her wand. "I'll keep my distance, sure, but don't think I won't help out if I see him." She thinks her magic still works here, she can still feel the flow of it through her hand and into her wand. "I've got my own protection, don't worry."

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

Matrix is all "you can't be serious"-faced.

"I saw one of those before. Did more to the owner than to anyone else."

Pause.

"You can try using that on him but you'd only succeed in making him mad."

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

Now she's curious, "What do you mean?" If magic didn't work here then she was in trouble. "Maybe, but where I come from magic and technogy don't mix, it's usually the technology that loses out. It's not like we've found him yet anyway."

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

"Magic works here just fine. I just don't think it'd do much damage to him. He's tough, and I mean he's pretty solid. I decked him as hard as I could, and that managed to only dent him."

The rest of the fight was what gave Megabyte most of his injuries.

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I, um, I was thinking more of paralysing or binding him rather than, you know, blsting him away. They didn't really teach that at school." Besides, she hadn't seen this Megabyte, she'd make up a plan if/when he appeared. "So what are you going to do when you do see him?"

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

Matrix is still skeptical. Penelope will find herself in a hospital bed if she actually tries that.

"I still say it's not a good idea, and..."

Pause.

"I don't know. If I'm lucky nothing will happen and neither of us will be celled."

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'm here now and I don't actually have to be near him when I cast my spells, I've got a pretty good distance aim, you see."

She frowns, not understanding the terminology he's using, "Celled?"

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

Poor Penelope doesn't seem to be getting it.

Better that someone else from home explain it all to her because it's amazing he's maintained his patience this long.

"Celled. If you're caught breaking the rules by security you can be incarcerated for a time they deem suitable."

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

She senses that the green man's back is getting up with her offers to help. Can't be helped sometimes so she'll back of a bit for now.

"And what sort of rules were you planning to break? Is this Megabyte person worth getting celed for?"

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

"Wasn't planning on rule-breaking," he says, then adds, "He might be worth it if he puts up a good fight before I finish him off."

AndrAIa will never let that one go—being celled would be a wrist-slap compared to what his wife would do to him for punishment.

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

She catches on something in the reply, "Finish him off. Does that mean what I think it means?" If it does, she's leaving right now. She gave up all she had at home to save figting in a war so she's not about to do anything like that here.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

"He starts it I finish it. If he's smart he won't try anything, and I won't do anything to him."

One thing you've got to learn about Matrix, Penelope, is that Matrix's hatred for viruses runs long and deep and extends far back into his childhood.

Damn straight if Megabyte starts anything it will be the last thing the virus does, and damn the consequences.

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

"So what are you after him for?" She's worried she's out of her depth here. That she's ended up with something akin to the Order and the Death Eaters style of meeting. If it is she's gone. She doesn't want to get mixed up in a fight like that.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

"I'm checking to make certain I know exactly where he is in this bar."

Pause.

"Hopefully nothing bad will happen if I do find him."

It's only because of Bob that Matrix is reconsidering deleting Megabyte where he lies or stands. For now.

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

"See, I can actually help you with that. Put a tracking spell on him if you've got anything approaching a map of the bar and you'll be able to follow him."

If there's any fighting though, she's heading the other way. It may be cowardly but she was born a Ravenclaw not a Gryffindor.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

Basically Penelope didn't get the suicide gene that plagues so many Gryffindors.

"You ... could do that, maybe," he mutters, thinking that's marginally better than anything like a paralysis spell. "But I have no map of the bar, so you'll have to get one yourself."

[set-of-pictures.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'm too new here to know my way around. Do you know anybody who might be able do draw one up for me? I could put the spell on somethinglike a piece of blue tac or gum which you could then stick to Megabyte if you see him and transfer the spell."

[death_gone_mad]

While Enzo is in the forest, a woman calls out from behind a thick tree trunk.

"Hey, you! Could you help me?"

From what is visible, her shoulders are naked as is her head. Well, no, some of her hair has grown back.

While Matrix is outside the bar, somewhat near her lair

[red-cg-insanity.livejournal.com]

Well this was different. That virus-hating behemoth out crashing around in her area? Hex didn't think so.

Popping up suddenly (as was her wont) and hovering behind Matrix, Hex's mask was [Puzzled.] "Looking for something, cheeky?" she demanded roughly, inspecting her nails.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

Sneaking up on Matrix and being a virus is just the combination that'd lead you to being shot.

He whips around, gun in his hand—

—then puts it away.

She's not Megabyte so he's going to let her abrupt appearance slide. But he will glower.

"Yeah. Your brother."

[red-cg-insanity.livejournal.com]

Hex's mask is [Blank] for a long, long moment. Then, with a swipe of her hand, she is [Outraged.] "MEGABYTE?!" She stands upright and floats, hovering and looming over Matrix. "He's here?!"

[whipped_weapon]

There is a quiet drow surreptitiously surveying the surroundings. He's been out-world twice now and it's been.. interesting.

Today, he would normally be relaxing, but he's found recently found out that one of his friends' enemies is in the Bar. This.. is not a good thing.

Fortunately he's just caught sight of the bigger, equally green sort-of-clone of the aforementioned friend.

Cautiously, he ventures to ask, "Has Enzo talked to you about an.. unwanted.. recent arrival, yet?"