003; [voice]

[interspace]

So, who knows anything about AI and/or fixing some seriously delicate hardware? Both, even. Got a buddy of mine who fries like an egg in sunlight here and I'm hoping to get him up and running like the good ol' days. My nest egg seems to have disappeared from the last time I was here, but... I'll do whatever I can to pay you back for your time. Errands and stuff.

Seriously, I would really just appreciate getting ALFRED back. It's weird not having him around. You know?

Who the heck's Alfred?

You've seen her cool glasses? That's him!

Comments

[codes]

He's going to die if he hears you call it that.

[ Rin herself seems to be enjoying the attention nonetheless. ] Yeah, yeah. I still have the same place.

Can you believe it? I haven't even bothered to deal with this cresting thing in all this time--but they get really awesome apartments. Maybe I ought to just so I can move on up in the world.

[interspace]

That just sounds like an invitation to keep on going.

Cresting thing... That's right. I remember all that going on around the time I left. It kept happening? Damn, maybe I should see if I can get my hands on one if I can get a suite with it.

[codes]

Yeah, apparently it happens to a number of people.

[ Kind of sucks it hasn't happened to her yet, but she's not exactly throwing herself into danger. ]

City looks like shit right now too. Missed the excitement.

[interspace]

I've seen the city, yeah. Almost glad to have missed it. I soothe myself by remembering it'll probably happen all over again next month and then I don't feel nearly so bad.

[codes]

He did flee from the battle. Wonder why--it isn't as if we were strong enough to take him down.

I caused a fair bit of trouble myself.

[interspace]

Maybe he wasn't looking for a fight. It's the first thing I think of when that kind of stuff goes down.

What sort?

[codes]

Oh, he was looking for a fight.

[ Pause. ] Hold on.

[ Soon she'll receive a copy of this video sent directly to her D-Terminal. Yes, Rin just happens to back up every post. ]

[interspace]

[ Misha is silent for a while as she watched the recorded video. ]

He wasn't picking a fight with us. Well, not "us," but you know what I mean. That was taunting, pure and simple. Trying to demoralize or throw us into a frenzy or... just study our reaction.

[codes]

It worked.

Though we were already provoked by that point. We spent who knows how many weeks with different personalities. I was nice to people.

[interspace]

Surely a sign of the upcoming apocalypse that we're only now recovering from. This wouldn't happen to be that SCOPE virus thing, would it?

[codes]

Who knows what it was?

[ A dismissive grunt. ] Likely though. It's the only explanation provided to us.

[interspace]

No offense, but let's hope that never strikes again. I'd hate to go wacko like that, too.

[codes]

It likely won't.

[ If only she can see the frown on her face. ] It did confirm that we're susceptible to the same things that the Digimon are though.

[interspace]

So it's like swine flu or something. Some kind of virus everyone can catch. Good to know, bad way to find out.

[codes]

We just need to come up with a 'vaccination' for it in the future.

[interspace]

Don't you kind of need a sample of the original to make a vaccine for it?

[codes]

We do have a sample. [ Why does that sound so ominous? ]

[interspace]

Don't tell me it's some kind of digital corpse.

[codes]

Our partners.

Don't you have a second one now? It must have been explained to you.

[interspace]

Yeah, I've got a second one. Something about our first partners actually being kinda genetic siblings to the ones we just recently met. Right?

[codes]

Yes, they're created with the SCOPE Virus.

A bit more lively than a corpse, but we do have samples.

[interspace]

Oh. [ There's a slight pause before she laughs. ] That's ridiculously simple. At least we don't have to do anything stupid to get past that first step, huh?

[codes]

Considering it appears we don't die, it'll be all right to test it on ourselves as well.

[ How morbid. ] Anyway, I'll get you all caught up when I get back in.

[interspace]

That's a new one.

[ There's a huff. ] I'll look forward to it. Give me a ring when you're settled, I'll bring everything by.

[codes]

There's really been a lot that's happened. I advise asking one of those more helpful types for a guide to fill you in.