Effie liked her sleep...
it took her a while to wake up too. A trait likely picked up from being a windows ME fairy. As she woke she thought she heard a curious chime... she recognised it as the sound when her original computer booted up. For a moment she was dreaming of being back home... she tried to reach for her alarm clock but her pillows had somehow ended up on top of her. Dreamily she tried to push off them off... finding them quite attached. Eyes widening she fell of the task bar in fright.
"Ah!" she blinked "Oh.. yeah... I'm a girl..." She mused. 'for the moment' she added remembering to look up how to change her code. There were a few promising sites last night.. She looked at the time situated on the bottom-right. "Eleven o'clock?" I overslept... Mikey?" She called. She saw Mikey from the other side of the screen looking at her curiously. The digital fairy suddenly felt very conscious at the large head and eyes probing her.
"How did you get into the computer like that?" she asked eventually.
"I... just walked in" She replied. "Can't you?"
"Not like that" She replied.
When Mickey goes into the computer its more like shes just connected to it like any other machine would. Effie on the other hand, was clearly not 'just connected' or a peripheral.. she was literally inside the machine.
"Let me try something..." Mikey connected via the wifi system- but got a warning. She was already connected... that was weird. She was! She looked at the code of the computer, and its ones and zeros, all its equations making perfect sense to her... but the code that Effie was made up of, made very little sense. She could sort of get an idea where her program began and ended, but it also warped and twisted around the codes of everything else. It was like... she was actually creating shapes out of the equations that went way beyond number theory. A form of chaos theory maybe? What was a fairy actually doing in a machine? A program? Or.. maybe more like a ghost.
Mikey decided to trace just how she was connected... it didn't take long for her to trace it her low priority program, that Effie was. It was as if the digital fairy was providing the link to her outside the normal protocols. She had to find out if emergence had found this effect. It seemed significant.
Effie stepped out of the screen, and suddenly Mikey lost the connection to the computer.
"Er... what happened to the icons?" Mikey asked noticing the desktop in disarray. Was that a bite mark on the My computer icon?
"Sorry.. I was sort of.. um... testing things" Effie said a little embarrassed smoothing out her dress in a slightly feminine manner- then stopped as she realised this fidgeting. "Um- I'd like to browse the internet a bit more if you don't mind... there's a program out there that will help me change my form"
Mikey gave a half smile. "I guess... but I don't think you need to change. Your fine as you are"
"I have to try.. I just want to look"
"Well.. okay. But don't do anything unless Emergence says its safe" She warned her friend. She let the fairy go back into the computer to browse the internet when she heard the door.
Jon? Her brother was back!
"Big Brother!" Mikey went up to Jon and hugged the slug-girl.
"Oh!" Jon smiled. "Hi bro..." she smiled to her. "Have you been taking care of the house while I was gone?"
"Uh huh... guess what. the Internet's back! And I got to make some new friends there."
"That's great.. Mom and dad say school is starting up again too."
"School?" Mickey asked. School seemed so distant away with all the craziness. How could something as 'normal' as school ever come back? Mikey actually mostly liked school though. She wondered what shape her friends were in.. but what if they didn't like her any more now she was more a robot then flesh and blood- as well as being a girl. Would she have to make friends with other girls now? Would School even be needed? She hasn't found a math problem she couldn't instantly solve... a trait that she still wasn't comfortable with.
"I know its going to be weird... but I'll look out for you." Jon said firmly.
"Thanks big brother..." She smiled. "Er.. Big sister"
Jon Smiled. "Call me either..."
Becka was aghast on hearing the news. School? Like this? As a little girl?
"Can't you t'each me here?" She asked quietly. If that were at all possible...
"Listen Becka..." Jon's Mother spoke gently to her. "I know... this is really hard for you. But this is for the best... you have to learn all the things you used to know... It won't be so bad. You'll be with others just like you."
The father had a thought. "You know.. Becka is not that different from any other child. She could stay on the night school if she really wanted."
"I believe the rules are very strict. Only those not transformed can attend at night, and the changed may go during the day. Besides... a little girl should not stay up at night."
The father nodded. There were a lot of new rules likely to come in the post during the day as the world got back on its feet. Still she was concerned for Becka, being a relatively 'normal' child and going among the changed... would she stick out? Granted her hair was blue... but that was hardly a very significant change. She really hoped the child could make some friends.
Mrs Madison placed both her hands onto the young girls shoulders assuringly. "We can not teach you Becka... We have to sleep during the day, and go to work at night..."
The little girl still looked distracted.
"What's bothering you sweetie? Tell us..." Mrs Madision could tell something was weighing on her. She couldn't quite tell what it is... maybe she was finally accepting what happened to her? She hoped so... Shes not being quite as resistant. A week ago if they had told her about school she would have expected Becka to run up the ceiling.
"T-t-they will make fun of me" She said eventually. There was so much more to it then that... but this was the only way it could all be expressed by her child-like mind.
"No they won't... they won't know who you used to be, and you don't have to tell them... even if they somehow found out, you will be among many others that have changed too... " She decided to change the subject for better news. "Come here, I was able to get some clothes for you..." Most of them were from goodwill charities. Given the short notice she accepted anything she could get. "We'll get much better ones later".
The little girl gave a little sniffle but seemed to have given up the fight for now. Mrs Madison helped her pick out some clothes working out which ones should fit and which ones wont. Simple dresses, cotton tops, she tried to select the ones that she wouldn't get the child upset at but she seemed to get upset at all of them. In the end she just picked them all for her, a red dress, with white top and sleaves. White stockings and a pair of yellow buckled shoes. Becka completely objected to trying a training bra at all.. given she was still young she let it slide. She set the articles of clothing on the side for her with a sigh.
Becka looking at the pile looked even more distracted, and in the end the little girl said she wanted to be alone for a while.
Mrs Madision, though concerned, decided she needed her space. She walked out the guest room exausted and leaned on the wall in thought."Becka... you have to stop pretending..." she sighed softly saying it to herself.
"You did well with her" Her husband said with a smile.
"Did I? I don't know..." She wished she could make the child happy.
Trident stood up looking at Becka. "Why are you so upset Becka?" She was genuinely concerned. She needed the child to be strong. Thought this was going to be hard she decided to put away the attitude for the moment. Why was her partner so... urgh...
"I'm a boy," She said wiping her eyes as she stared at the tiny clothes. Clothes just the right size for her. She got used to the dress cause she knew the ones that saw her in it... but she was expected to wear these? Outside? With other people seeing her? And what if someone actually knew who she was? "A-and.." She looked to trident confessing the truth. "I- I Tried to say my old name.. but... I c-c-can't..."
"That's because your name is Becka. You're a girl now... not just any kind of girl either. A magic girl..." Trident reminded the distressed child emphasising her point with a fist. "Names have great power..." Did she even realise how unique she was? how special? Even if there were other magical girls in the world, Becka's power in that one instant was just incredible. She was certain... she was going to be pinnacle to the task.
"It's cause of magic I can't say my name?" She asked quietly. "If I get good... can the magic t'rn me back?"
"No..." Trident said softly, though was starting to lose patience. "I told you. There's something coming... something really bad. I just don't remember what... but you need to buck up. Get over this!" she said sharply.
The kid felt struck by those words but nodded. "So'ry Trident..." The girl replied eventually. "I-I want to help..." It was true, she did. She didn't just want to, she needed to help. She had to show she was capable of more then... this.
Trident ran her hand under her chin as she thought this over. "Becka? I Tell you what..." Trident started as the girl looked to her. "If you promise not to be upset any more about being a girl... I will teach you how to be the best, strongest, magic girl you can be... but you have to stop crying about this..." Trident looked to her.
Becka thought about it. "Strong?"
"Yes... You have great potential... but you must trust me. You have to do everything I say and don't question it."
"O-Okay... I- I- .. I wont cry any more" She promised.
"Good girl" she smiled. Maybe her partner will work out after all.
