Data and Matter (Damien and Psyco)

[Damien]

"Sorry Foxy, but my hallucinations are caused by other... sources..." he replied over his shoulder at the browser program,"thank you for the concern though-" A frown crossed his features as he noticed the hacking program's look. Now he was worried. Almost instantly he dropped into a fighting position when the other appeared to be reaching for his sword. ".... Excuse me...?"

He wore a look of disbelief as the paw came forward to shake, and at the other's request. Standing up straight again Mark took the much larger paw in his own. Ok, not a hallucination, usually they fell apart when he made 'physical' contact, that and he could feel the other hand surrounding his own.

"Did you sat lunch...?" he asked abruptly breaking the handshake when the other got uncomfortably close. "Can programs even eat...?" he asked after a few awkward, for him, moments of the other towering over him. Giving a light cough into his fist he turned away from the hacking program and took one step, so he wouldn't be so close to the other. "Well... I might not have enough money.." he said quietly as he searched his wallet and leafed through it. A lie, he could probably buy a fast food joint out of all it's food if he had the desire. Yet... it was good to pretend... Also he didn't know what the hacking program was after, if it knew he had so much money it could- No, don't think about it. His paranoia was acting up again.

"Hmmm... it looks like I'd have enough to buy lunch for three... if you want to come...?" he directed the question at Shadowfox. "That and if programs can eat..." Letting out a soft sigh he pocketed the wallet and glanced at Syntax over his shoulder and turning to walk back to him, but at a comfortable distance, for him at least,"Remember our deal, I treat you to lunch, you tell me who was trying to hack into my computer," he said this last bit coldly, his eyes hard. "Do you have a place in mind?"

- - - - - - - - - - -

Larrin let out a small groan and sat up, several clicking sounds emitted from his throat.. "Opps, I did it again," (somewhere a once famous popstar was rolling in her grave) he mumbled and the odd noises stopped,"I used up to much energy, damn me for being programmed in a video game, therefor needing rest..." It took the feathered lizard a few moments to register his surroundings.

"Er... hello..." he almost seemed sheepish as he trained his gaze on Carter," Sorry.... about the passing out... but... where am I?"

[Frisk E. Coyote]

"Hallucinations from other sources?" The fox scratched the back of his head confusedly and his sunnies flashed with green binary code again. "Are you schizophrenic and/or suffer from mental imbalance?" He asked in his innocent, childlike tone, though his voice suggested he was probably a teenager just breaking puberty. "Because if so, I don't think I have what it takes to cure that with convenient, home-made remedies!"

"Cool, I'm Syntax." The giant program shook the human's hand a little too firmly. "I don't know, but I want a pizza, I've always wanted a pizza- ever since I hacked into that one pizza joint site and replaced all the pictures of food with naked fat people!" He growled, not angrily, but excitedly. He wasn't interested in hacking here, as it was practically his day job. He had a physical body, he could touch, smell, and taste, and it felt great. He was more interested in the human world than doing what he was programmed to do. "-You have REALLY soft hands by the way."

"Pizza... Italian... Mozzarella... Pepperoni... Eat... Consume... Digest... Delicious... Morbid Obesity Rate... Oprah Winfrey dies at 82..." Shadowfox muttered as he instinctively looked up the unfamiliar words, his brain functioning like a search engine. "Oh, can I really come too? I would really like that!" He yipped and wagged his tail.

"Yeah, yeah, a deal's a deal, you get me a pizza- and I won't just tell you, I'll show ya!" Syntax patted the human's back heartily, laughing. "Yeah, I got a map right here-" He tapped the side of his head, "Local place called Pizza House? Know it?"

- - - - - - - - - - -

Carter had his bare feet up on the seat, his arms folded on top of his knees, he was resting his chin on top of them while he watched Larrin wake up. He had a cute, curious, almost ditzy smile on his cheery, boyish face. "Good morning Mr. Program, it's no problem. You're in my room right now! I brought you here after you passed out!" He chuckled, putting his feet down. He was dressed in a baggy, long sleeved shirt, and running shorts; his comfortable casual wear at home. He'd have gone shirtless, like his older brothers, but it was a little chilly today.

"It's safe here, we've got a firewall up, so what ever was chasing you can't follow you here!" He said. "My name's Carter by the way Nice to meet you! Mind if I asked you a few questions now?"

[Damien]

Larrin swung his legs over the edge of the bed with a grunt so he eneded up perched on the edge. "Sure.... shoot," he replied with a stifled yawn and rested an elbow on one knee, his head propped up on his hand creating an arch with his back. "I'll answer any question within reason."

- - - - - - - - - -

"Yes..." Mark replied to Shadowfox's questioning about his mental state,"I take medication... but I'd rather not talk about it... Part of Dad's reputation will be ruined if the information gets public." As he said this he seemed to forget about Syntax.

"Naked... fat people... right... I think that story made the news now that I think about it..." he frowned in concentration. "Uh... thanks...?" he replied to the soft hands comment flexing the fingers.

"Yes, of course you can come Foxy, I just wonder how walking into a pizza joint with two programs will ap-" he was interrupted by the patting on his back. He made a strange gasping sound and stumbled forward, nearly losing his balance. "Yeah... I do... I believe it is the same pizza house you hacked into... Well... if you have a map... lead the way..."

[Frisk E. Coyote]

"Okay! First thing's first! What kind of program are you, who are you, and what's your name?" Carter asked. "Second, what were you running from? Who's trying to terminate you?" He added. "And lastly, are you okay? You're not hurt or anything are you?"

- - - - - - - - - -

"A secret- risk to Linx Co. owner's reputation- understood! I won't mention it again!" Shadowfox saluted. "You are Mark Marsh, yes?"

"They won't care! A customer's a customer, right? And business is business!" Syn laughed after patting Mark's back. "C'mon!" He added, and lead the way, his longer legs carrying him faster and further than Mark or Shadowfox.

"Oh thank you!" The fox trotted by Mark's side obediently. "I don't have anywhere else to go!"

[Damien]

Larrin's eyes widened and he let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well... My name is Larrin, I was once a npc program within an online video game. I'm running from.... well... I noticed an area in cyberspace blocked off by a firewall, only letting humans inside, which was confusing because you need programs to keep sections of cyberspace optional, so the fact that there is an entire area that... well anyway... I tried breaking in, set off an alarm and I'm being chased... maybe..." he sighed and kicked his feet out, resting them on the arm of Carter's chair and leaning against the bed post, his arms behind his head. "No, I'm not hurt, as I sad earlier, my data was corrupted in a virus attack from the section I tried breaking into, but besides that... I'm fine..."

The lizard's eyes glazed over and he stared at the cieling. "The main reason I wanted to come into the 'real world' was to get away from my pursuers... but also to try and log into cyberspace directly into the human-only zone... I don't know what they are hiding there... but..." He shook his head, the long feathers bouncing up and down. "Never mind..."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mark shook his head as the hacking program moved on ahead, and he obediently followed. He watched Shadowfox from the corner of his eye. "Yes... I am... that is most likely why he-" he gestured with his thumb at Syntax,"-was hacking into my computer. He, or his owner/programmer, most likely thought I had some important files on my hard-drive... which I don't." With a large yawn Mark shook his head. "Don't mention it, it really isn't that big of a deal," he waved his hand dismissively at the fox.

[Frisk E. Coyote]

"Ohh! Larrin! No wonder you looked familiar!" Carter chuckled. "I used to play a lot of online games a while back, but I had to get a job because my older brother was calling me a slacker." He sighed, ruffling his red hair. "Yeah, that does sound kinda weird... programs are supposed to be essential to cyberspace, so programs being blocked out of an area's really suspicious." He nodded.

Carter examined Larrin's feet as he put them up on the armrest. "That's good... you really scared me when you popped out of nowhere and just fainted!" He laughed, absentmindedly stroking the lizard's shins. "Still, it's weird... the whole programs materializing thing... I mean, we have one program who materialized, but all he does is clean and organize and force us to take baths. I've never really seen one of you guys up close. Are you really- you know- flesh and blood?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"If you want, I can run a background check on him and his programmer!" Shadowfox offered helpfully. "But gee, you must know a lot of computers if you were raised by a computer mogul!"

"Yo, over here!" Syntax gestured at the pizza parlor, which was still in business despite the blow to their target consumers, thanks to the pictures of naked fat people, making the regulars think that their pizzas are high in fat. The hacking program loomed over Mark again, grinning. "Your hair smells nice. Can you afford an extra large?"

[Damien]

Larrin frowned and twitched his legs before letting them fall back onto the ground with gentle thuds. "I honestly don't know... We- or I at least - seem to have the five senses in tact... and I'm guessing we feel real... however... if we are actually... alive in the organic sense..." he sat up straight scratching at the bridge of his snout, his blood red eyes screwed up in concentration."Well... I guess we'd have to damage one of us to find out if we bleed or not... but I'm also assuming I can feel pain, and I don't like the idea of bleeding..."

The lizard stood up and began pacing the room. "But honestly, and I don't mean offense by this, I don't really care if we are or not... another form of life right?" he shook his head, causing the feathers to bounce again. "Anyway, I'm going to try logging into the blocked off area of cyberspace," he tapped his forehead with both his index and middle fingers and did something similar to a salute before making his way to the door.

- - - - - - - - -

Mark tilted his head to the side, as if listening to a voice speaking in his ear. "Huh...?" he asked after a few seconds before looking at Shadowfox. "Oh... you can try if you want... but whoever programmed him has blocked himself from being traced with a firewall.... so good luck."

The human glanced up at Syntax's calling and abruptly came to a halt when the other was suddenly looming over him. "Err... thanks..." he quickly stepped backwards to a comfortable distance. "Yes... I can afford an extra large..." he responded just as quickly while he feigned searching his wallet.

[Frisk E. Coyote]

"Yeah... that'd be bad." Carter cringed at the thought. He didn't like blood very much. "Well, do you have spit? I'm sure that's just as much proof as blood is!" He said. He watched Larrin walk around curiously, and seeing him reach for the doorknob, he panicked and flung himself at the door. "NO!! Wait- sorry-" He sighed in relief. "-You can't leave my room-" He pressed his ear against the door, and heard the sound of vacuuming. "-At least not yet."

Carter moved away from the door and slumped back down on his chair, blowing some of his hair away from his eyes. "Our anti-virus program... he's a little... how do I say this nicely? Enthusiastic? No- eccentric? Crazy, yeah, crazy. That's the word..." He grimaced. "I'm not supposed to... bring stuff home anymore."

- - - - - - - - -

"Dooon't worry Mr. Mark, I don't have to trace him!" Shadowfox snickered, his sunnies flashing with green binary code again, indicating that he was browsing. "Ruh-roh! NC-18 content! Choose to go in or leave?"

"SWEET!" Syntax practically roared, and galloped ahead, practically smashing through the doors- that is- if they hadn't been automatic.

[Damien]

"Saliva? Well..." Larrin swiped his finger along the inside of his cheek, withdrew it and ran his finger along Carter's cheek. "I do... but it vanishes if it gets a certain distance from me..." The lizard took a few steps backwards and the wet, slimy feeling along Carter's cheek vanished. "See?"

A frown crossed his muzzle at the human's reaction to him trying to leave. "Well that is unfortunate..." a glowing blue ball formed within his hands. "I need a look at this... crazy program..." what appeared to be clouds swirled within the glowing orb and the picture of the cleaning freak program appeared within the swirling mass. "Why is he vacuuming? That rug looks spotless already..."

- - - - - - - -

"NC-18 content? What could that program possible have that is of NC-18 content?" with another signature sigh Mark waved his hand,"It don't care if you choose to go in or leave, it's your choice."

A jolt passed through Mark's spine when he noticed the hacking program barreling inside. "Darn it, I'm going to have to pay for damages as well..." shaking his head in dismay Mark walked through the automatic doors and went to the ordering counter, hoping the program would be there.

[Frisk E. Coyote]

Carter's eyes widened as he felt the lizard's saliva on his cheek, feeling cold the moment it came in contact with the air, causing him to shiver. He stopped and touched his dry cheek where the saliva had been earlier before and was amazed to see that it was as if it had never been wet in the first place. "Woah, you're right... it looks like you're only organic to a degree..." The teenager thought out loud, stroking the smooth cheek on his cheek some more.

"How did you-" Carter examined the glowing blue orb in awe, impressed by Larrin's ability to survey things from a safe distance. "Van... he... well, Van likes things clean, and I mean clean." He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. The teenager recalled coming home from soccer tryouts one day (he didn't make the team), and Vanguard had picked him up, brought him to the bathroom, stripped him bare, and washed him almost raw, just because he was a little sweaty and dirty.

Within the orb, Vanguard continued to work over the rug, and when he couldn't get it clean enough to satisfy him, he picked it up and proceeded to shred it apart, dumping it into a recycle bin he materialized momentarily, before going about to clean something else.

"There're neat freaks... there are pathological neat freaks... then there's Van." The teenager grinned weakly.

- - - - - - - -

"My... choice?" The fox cocked his head to the side confusedly, as if the concept confused him. "Hmm... I don't understand... perhaps I'll enter, since I need to to procure information anyway." Shadowfox mused, and proceeded. "Information procured! Receive information, Mark Marsh?" He asked.

Syntax was sitting between a frightened couple who had been dating each other, helping himself to their fries. "Hey, pipsqueak!" He waved Mark over, his arm around the man's terrified girlfriend. "These fries are great! Can we get fries too?"

'Help. Me.' The man mouthed as Syn's other arm wrapped around him as well.

"These two are adorable together, dontcha think?" Syntax added, laughing loudly. "Hey! Why don't you two make out?"