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Mouse left the shop a few hours later, idly playing with her ring. Part of her wanted to take the shopkeeper offline, simply so nobody would be able to tell her secret, but she fought that side fiercely. She wasn't a murderer, not unless she had more just cause than that. Besides, she had more important things to worry about. Such as finding some sort of weapon that would suit her and a way out of this User-forsaken system. Mouse paused before a weapons store, glancing dispassionately over the items displayed in the window. Suddenly, she froze, her eyes landing on a pair of katana blades. She'd always been good at swordfighting; at least she had back when she used to have mock battles with… Mouse paused, her hand on the handle of the shop's door. With… who?Shaking herself, Mouse dismissed it and entered the shop. It wasn't too long after that that she exited with both blades sheathed on her back.
Mouse hunched over in the dark alley, watching the busy streets of the Supercomputer that lay before her. It had been easy enough to stow away on a ship headed there, cloaking herself as only the Mouse would know how to do. Smiling slightly, she idly played with her ring. Now that she was here, she could hack into the main database and track down Ferret's murderers. For a moment, Mouse was a little wary of the fierce, pure rage that soaked into her whenever she thought of them, but her reluctance soon passed. They had double crossed her, tricked her into letting them in, then deleted the only sprite she might have been able to call friend. They had made a fool of her and she could not tolerate that. Seeing that the coast was effectively clear of Guardians, Mouse stepped out of the alley and blended seamlessly into the crowd.
Guardian 452 zoomed across the city on his zipboard, sharp brown eyes surveying the busy sector below. Although he showed none of his excitement on the outside, his stomach was aflutter with the excitement of finally being able to go out and, well… guard. It seemed all those years at the academy were worth something after all…An incredible sense of 'wrongness' in the system shocked him out of his thoughts and the Guardian drifted closer to the source of the feeling. It was a curious ability, that was, the power to be able to tell when something was not right in the system. Carefully scouring the ground, he seemed to isolate the cause. Slowly, he approached the orange haired woman that was hunched over one of the many consoles that lay about the system. She had chosen her place well, it seemed, there was not much traffic in this area, only the stray binome or data sprite wandering by, nowhere near where she was working. Landing softly behind her, the Guardian crept forward, swiftly catching one of the women's wrists in a blue hand. "You're under arrest."
She whirled, knocking him away and drawing a sword. "Ah don't think so!" she snapped and he leapt out of the way to avoid being sliced.
"Glitch, containment field!" he snapped and the keytool complied. Her sword clattered to the ground and she struggled a bit, scowling at him. He became most profoundly glad that, for once, Glitch had worked properly.
Mouse growled softly, refraining from raising the pitch to a full roar only because she didn't want to attract attention. She had been so careful, so incredibly careful, but once she had gotten into the files of the Supercomputer, her mind had become so focused she had completely forgotten about the Guardians.Without warning, she tensed more as things became abruptly silent. The Guardian noticed it too and looked about warily. Mouse's stomach tightened as she caught a flash of a cloak, the fine silk something that she knew all too well.
"Let me go," she hissed at the Guardian. Nodding towards the shadows, she added, "You think Ah'm a menace, you haven't seen them. If Ah'm tied up like this, Ah'll be a sittin' duck."
He glanced at her, then back at the shadows, quite obviously at a loss for what to do. "How do I know that you aren't in league with them?"
Mouse smirked humorlessly at him. "You don't. You'll have to take my word on it."
"Or not," he muttered. "We're leaving." He grabbed her shoulder, poking up above the containment field and tried to drag her off. Mouse struggled against his hold.
"You ain't leavin' my katana!" she snapped irritably. "Pick it up and take it with, since you obviously ain't gonna let me git it."
The Guardian sighed and, with a roll of his eyes, walked over and bent to retrieve the sword. A gunshot zipped out of the shadows, narrowly missing the Guardian and causing Mouse to swear profusely. The bandits melted out of the shadows, the foremost taking great delight in seeing Mouse bound.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Mouse. Shame about your old teacher, eh?"
Mouse snarled at him and tried to kick the sprite, succeeding only in falling over. "Cursors and clashers, Guardian, let me OUT of this bloody thing!" He looked around at the bandits surrounding them and realized that would probably be the most logical thing to do. Quickly, he disengaged it and Mouse dove for her katana, rising once more with it in her hand.
"Looks like the little rodent has gotten out of her trap," the leader sneered. "In league with the Guardians, now, Mouse?"
She sneered at him. "Not on your life, sugah. Ah just share their opinions of trash like you!" Swinging her blade, she tried to take him out, but he nimbly danced out of her way.
"Slow and ponderous, just like that foolish teacher of yours. Honestly, Mouse, why you are so insistent about avenging his memory? He was only an old fool that was…"
Mouse cut him off, belting out her full roar. It silenced everyone, bandits and Guardian alike, as she swung at the sprite again. Once more, he dodged back, but his movements were more frantic now. None of them had ever heard a sound quite like that uttered from the mouth of a sprite and they were more than a little unnerved. Mouse continued her attack, taking out three of the bandits before they got their wits together and realized that they severely outnumbered her. She fought like a wild thing, but they were very close to taking her down when she was suddenly snagged from the battle and rising into the air. When the Guardian touched down, she turned on him. "Why did you just do that?"
He shook his head. "I don't have a clue. Has to be the programming, but I couldn't let them kill you."
She snarled. "Ah would have killed them, those…"
"They would have killed you," he said dryly. "No matter how good you are, against those odds…"
Mouse regained her composure, sliding the katana blades back in their sheaths. "Technicalities," she said breezily. "Ah'm the Mouse, sugah, odds are irrelevant. And Ah hate to be rescued and then run, but Ah've got a plane to catch." Giving him a saucy wink, she sauntered off, calling over her shoulder, "Stay frosty, hun!"
It was only after she was gone that the Guardian remembered that he had theoretically arrested her - which was just what Mouse had planned on.
****
Mouse tumbled out of her bed, hitting the ground and awakening suddenly. Gingerly rubbing her bottom, she clambered back into her bed and lay there, breathing heavily. Wiping one palm across her forehead, she pushed her sweat soaked hair out of her eyes. It was peacetime. She shouldn't be having nightmares now, especially not
about her past… Her throat felt dry and parched, and Mouse swallowed hard, trying to clear it. Stumbling to her feet, she headed for the kitchen unit, still half asleep and groggy. Suddenly, she crashed to the ground for a second time, hearing a loud clattering behind her. Looking, she let out a strangled yelp and rushed to right the Surfbaud as Raytracer materialized before her, sitting on the ground and looking a little dazed.
"Mouse…?"
"Ah'm so sorry…" she stammered, looking unsure whether she should be more worried about the 'baud or the Surfr. "Ah just wanted a drink, Ah wasn't lookin' where Ah was goin'…"
Raytracer took the 'baud from her, leaning it back up against the wall, and led the hacker over to a sofa. Mouse dropped down into the soft cushions gratefully and Raytracer brought her a drink.
"It's all right," he said once he was settled next to her. "I should know better than to leave that thing lying around like that."
"You ain't hurt then?"
He shrugged. "Been through worse. What's wrong with you, though? You look terrible."
"Thanks, sugah," Mouse grimaced, setting the glass aside. "Ah thought you were supposed to have a way with women."
"Only when they don't trip over me in the middle of the night," Ray teased gently. She chuckled and he studied her. "I mean it, Mouse, what's wrong?"
She sighed and leaned against him. "Just… dreamin'." Before he could think of a reply to that, Mouse drew away and looked into his goggles.
"Y'know somethin', Ray? Ah'm the only REAL outlaw you've got here."
"What are you talking about, Mouse? You know that Bob and I especially have prices on our head, what with Daemon and everything…"
Mouse shook her head, sending disheveled orange hair flying everywhere.
"No, that ain't what Ah meant." She planted a finger on his chest. "You and Bob are technically legal. He's a Guardian, despite what Daemon thinks, and you're a WebSurfah. Ah'm a HACKER, Ray. Ah made my livin' illegally, Bob even had to arrest me."
"That doesn't matter now, Mouse. Is that what this is about? You're honest NOW…"
"Now," she replied bitterly. "Ah dunno, Ray. Ah keep thinkin' about my past…"
He shook his head. "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad."
Mouse sighed. "Ah wouldn't be too sure about that, sugah…"
****
Even a week later, it bothered Mouse that she had lost so much control upon confronting Ferret's murderers. That she had shown this 'weakness' to a Guardian of all entities made it even worse. But the real problem was that she had taken down at least three of the bandit's - Layzir's - men. He would most certainly be after her now. Not because he cared for the fallen, oh no, more like he couldn't stand the humiliation. Fist clenching tightly around the ownership chip in her pocket, Mouse brightened a little. She still had her life, her skills, and her weapons. And now, thanks to a well played game of cards, she had a ship. Now she could come and go as she pleased and not have to worry about stowing away upon a shipping truck. Plus, that meant she'd be able to make it known that she would take jobs. Money would get you everywhere in this world, and it should be easy enough to get a job hacking or as a mercenary. That was one advantage to having lived on the wrong side of the law all her life - the 'law' ceased to be important and became only something to avoid at all costs. Reaching the hanger where her new ship was resting, Mouse surveyed it critically. It would need a Mouse's touch, but otherwise, it looked to be a fair ship. Confidentially, she strode towards it, swinging into the cockpit with ease, grinning as she started the engine.
Guardian 452 looked up from his packing as his roommate, Adlai Tangent, walked in, holding a datacard and shaking his head with a bemused smile. "Looks like your Mouse is on the move again, Bob."
Bob looked up from his things as Adlai threw the datacard on the bed. He picked it up and scanned it. "She's not my Mouse."
"You certainly act like it," Adlai teased him, throwing his lean, dark frame into a chair. "I swear, you've been more interested in her whereabouts for the past few months…"
"Curiosity!" Bob defended himself, throwing the datacard at Adlai. "She's an interesting sprite…"
Adlai ducked and rolled his eyes. "Interesting. I swear, Bob, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were sweet on her!"
Bob turned to glare at him. "I most certainly am not! It's just plain curiosity, she's the trickiest hacker I've ever heard of."
Adlai shrugged. "Whatever you say, Bob." Heaving a dramatic sigh, the deep purple sprite leaned back in his chair, running his hands through his blue hair. "What AM I going to do without you around to tease?"
"I'm sure you'll find something," Bob assured him absentmindedly, closing his bag.
"I know!" Adlai proclaimed, bounding to his feet. "I can take up the role of Mouse Hunter for you!"
Bob sighed shaking his head and giving his friend a wry smile. "I can tell you one thing I won't miss when I get to Mainframe!"
"What's that?"
"YOUR incessant teasing!"
Mouse carefully guided Ship through the Net, rather relaxed as her hands glided over the familiar controls. When she had received the vessel, its previous owner had already named it "Ship" - why, Mouse didn't have a clue. She had decided to leave it as it was until she came up with a better name, despite how silly the current one sounded. Without warning, a shutter wracked the ship and Mouse fought with the controls, trying to stabilize the spin she'd been flung into. She tumbled into a nosedive, the momentum of the speed she'd been going at sending Ship out of control. The hacker flung up her arms in a useless effort to protect her head as she slammed forward, hitting the steering handle and slipping unconscious.
Mouse awoke slowly, eyes fluttering open to stare at a wooden ceiling not too far above her. She lay in a small bed, a bit jumbled as if she'd been tossed there. Stiffly, she got up, sliding her legs around to slip off the bed, permitting herself to stand. It was a small room, bordered on three sides by wooden walls, but the fourth had bars. Outside of the bars sat a binome who seemed to be sleeping. Next to the binome was…Her katana blades. Mouse curled her lip in a snarl, loathe to the idea that someone had touched her precious weapons without her permission. She gazed at the snoring binome, idly noting that his eyes were not fully closed. There was a slight shimmer between each bar that led the hacker to suspect a force field, and the keys were too conveniently planted near one of the "openings".
"So, we like toyin' with ouh prisonah's, eh?" Mouse whispered under her breath. She quietly fiddled with her ring, noting with satisfaction that they had not taken if off. Turning, she calmly studied the walls, looking at the various scribbles and drawings over the wooden planks.
"Hey! What are you doing?" the binome snapped, jumping to his feet and proving Mouse's theory that he hadn't really been asleep. She looked over her shoulder at him and batted her eyelashes innocently.
"Nothin' you need to fret about, sugah." Turning back to the wall, she scribbled her trademark mouse on the wall and was gone before the binome could even blink.
"Captain! Captain, our prisoner has escaped!"
Captain Gavin Capacitor turned from his position near the helm to glare at his approaching crew member. "Gar, lad, what do you mean she's escaped? Nobody escapes from the hold of the Saucy Mare!"
"The Mouse does, sugah," a voice drawled and the Captain looked up to see
his prisoner lounging against the mast, one of the katana blades sheathed, the other in her hand. "Now, Ah suggest you tell me where my ship is and allow me to leave before things git rathah… unpleasant."
"By the Code, lassie, the Crimson Binome doesn't give up that easily! Brothers and sisters, seize this arrogant knave!"
Mouse ducked the file lock shots that were aimed at her, kicking aside one of the binomes that attacked. "Ah guess Ah'm gonna have to do this the hard way," she murmured to herself, jumping down to the lower level of the deck. Looking around, she saw her ship stuck behind some crates and grinned humorlessly to herself. "They could have hid it a little bettah than THAT…"
"Princess Bula! If you don't MIND joining our little party up here?" Mouse let a small expletive slip when 'Princess' Bula came lumbering up from below deck. The barbarian towered well over everyone on the ship, including Mouse, despite the fact that she was a one binome.
"Ah think it's time for me to logoff of here…" Mouse said to herself, reaching behind her to open up the hatch to Ship.
"Don't just stand there, you scurvy dogs, stop her!" the Captain bellowed as Mouse swung into the cockpit.
"Not today, sugah," Mouse laughed, starting up the engines and blasting off.
****
Mouse rose from her bed again, not having gotten a wink of sleep since Ray had tucked her back in. She had shooed him back off to his 'baud, saying that it wasn't fair for him to be kept awake by her churning thoughts. It had taken long enough to persuade him, but now the apartment was silent and dark, save for the small red light on the Surfbaud. Stifling a yawn, she stumbled into the kitchen, walking softly around the Surfbaud so she didn't wake her lover again. Hands shaking a bit, she mixed up some hot cocoa and sat down at the table, nestling the warm mug between her hands. Staring into it's depths, Mouse tried to will sleep on herself, even if it meant using the table as a pillow. It wasn't that she wasn't tired. She was exhausted, but her thoughts refused to leave her. In the daylight hours, it was easy enough to shove aside thoughts of her past, but in the dead of night, should she awake from a nightmare…Mouse grimaced, gulping down a few mouthfuls of her cocoa. She was supposed to be competent, unshakable, not jumping at shadows like this. The perfect mercenary. Mouse groaned, dropping her head into her hands. Why did her conscience feel the need to haunt her relentlessly about this? Hadn't she done enough, risking her life for Mainframe and it's inhabitants, to soothe her mistakes of the past? Apparently not.Still, she could hardly feel that they were mistakes. They had brought here where she was today, introduced her to these people, her family - the only family she'd ever known. She had done illegal things in the past, but she was different now! Mouse would never betray the people here, not now. She had risked too much for them and should Daemon come knocking on her door and offer her freedom for their lives, she would spit in the virus' face. The vehemence of her own thoughts startled Mouse and she blinked. "Ah must be tired…" she murmured softly, dumping the now cold cocoa down the sink. Setting the mug on the counter, she shuffled back off to bed, thankfully drifting off to sleep before her head even hit the pillow.