Milliways: Digitizing [The Cure, Part 1]

[ami_imperfect]

Dani stands nervously in the room that holds Ray's digitizing laser. She feels like a hundred butterflies have been turned loose in her stomach, laid eggs which hatched into caterpillars which then turned into butterfiles. After all this time spent worrying, she's finally going to be cured.

Possibly.

She looks over at Danny.

"You ready?"

Is her voice really that shaky?

Comments

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

He took her hand in his own, and squeezed slightly.

"As long as you are," he said.

"Hey, listen, you're going to be fine. I talked to Harper, he said the digitizing laser won't aggravate anything--what's there is already there. So that just leaves the procedure, but code is easier to fix than DNA. It'll be easier for them to figure out what's wrong. You'll be able to fly and use your powers, and won't have to worry anymore." He wouldn't have to worry anymore either. "It'll be fine. I'm going to be here the whole time."

She knew he'd do whatever he had to, to make sure she was okay.

[mendanddefend_archive]

"It doesn't hurt," offers Bob. "Digitization, I mean. It's just... really freaky."

[ami_imperfect]

Her smile is weak, but she manages one all the same.

"Thanks," she says to both of them. Then she turns, takes a deep breath and looks at Enzo.

"Okay, we're ready."

[a1enzo]

Enzo smiles at her and nods. "Let's do it!" He checks the laser's alignment one last time and fires.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

Oh for the days when getting zapped with lasers and having his body change wasn't so typical.

Although the purple was different.

So was his code, in his head, telling him exactly what he was, in a way that scared him a little, because he didn't like mind control or anything that even remotely resembled, but was also comforting, as it all became clear:

His format? Hero. His Function: To Protect and Serve.

"Am I like a sprite cop now? What's going on?" A pause. "I feel like wearing a cape again."

[ami_imperfect]

When the laser hits, Dani's breath hitches in her throat. She feels herself coming apart, breaking up and suddenly she's scared and she thinks she's disappearing and she doesn't want to do this anymore...

...then slowly she's being built up again, number by number until she's solid and whole again. And in her mind, a little voice utters,

My format: Hero.
To Protect and Serve.


Dani looks at her hands - purple? - before looking over at Danny. "Since when have you worn a cape?" she asks.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"Since that time I split myself in two with the Fenton Ghostcatcher and turned into Fun Danny and Super Danny. Super Danny--I--really had a thing for capes. Of course, it was my bed sheet..."

He made his way over to the button.

"You feeling okay?"

[ami_imperfect]

"Yes." Her response is squeaked, mainly because she's trying to stifle her laughter at the mental image of Danny with a bedsheet tied around his neck like a cape.

She's not having a lot of luck.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"You're allowed to laugh. Sam and Tucker might've if he hadn't been so annoying."

Button push time.

[ami_imperfect]

Well, as long as you're giving her permission...

Dani's still giggling as she steps up beside Danny to push the button.

[a1enzo]

And they're back!

"Alphanumeric!" Enzo cries, running over to give Dani a hug - Stage 1 accomplished! - then pulling back to examine her more closely. She's still her, but besides the obvious purple, she's, well, smoother. Her hair's fused into a single mass, though it follows the same general configuration, and her clothing is mostly skins now, with the addition of a matching grey-blue belt to take the place of her vanished pockets. Obviously a sprite, but still Dani.

"You look nice," he tells her.

[ami_imperfect]

Her cheeks flush a darker purple at the compliment.

"Thanks, Enzo," she replies shyly.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"You can stop hugging now." Slight glare. "Now to test something out..."

With that, the familiar rings of light swept up and down him (wonderfully rendered) and he transformed, skin going very white, the familiar black and white costume, and his eyes going a searing green.

He formed a glowing glob of energy in his hand, and it was entirely possible he glanced over at Enzo as he did it. He looked more threatening transformed.

"Looks like it's all in working order."

[a1enzo]

Enzo utters a slight meep and drops his arms quickly.

"Great!" he says in response to Danny's statement (if not the rest).

[ami_imperfect]

Dani's not so forgiving. She echoes Enzo's statement, but as soon as Danny's back is turned she sticks her tongue out at him.

[mendanddefend_archive]

What the two Fentons look like, from Bob's perspective, isn't as interesting as what they scan like. The vague, nebulous energy readings he'd gotten from scanning them in the Bar proper are now clearly defined--it's as if he's put on a set of eyeglasses and they're in proper focus for the first time. The filetype is unfamiliar, but at least detectable.

And to his keytool senses, it's blatantly obvious that Dani is... well, damaged. Her code is full of holes and unstable linkages--it's holding together, but for how long? They'd better get this taken care of, and soon.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Barbara is sitting out of the way with the case containing her equipment settled on her lap. The nature of her own digitization process means that she has to make the change last. Right before they're ready to go.

[command_dot_com]

Dot watches the process herself, never having had to experience it, it's likely to come up later after the vacation. "What exactly is the process you're using going to need, Barbara?"

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"It's fairly simple," Barbara explains as she removes two syringes from her case. "This one," she holds it up, "accelerates my thought processes to match up with Mainframe's processor speed. Or something close to it, at least. I'll inject it and jack into the system. Shouldn't be a problem."

"This other one slows me back down to this world's rate of time, and it's a bit trickier. Someone's going to have to come through before I try to come back and administer it, but it shouldn't be difficult, really."

[command_dot_com]

"You want me to do that for you? Won't be any trouble." Dot offers, looking up to watch as the two young people get scanned into the system. Oh that does not look the least bit comfortable.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"I'd appreciate it, yes." Barbara shakes her head as she looks up too, "I have to admit that I'm not always thrilled about the side-effects of the drugs, but... I don't imagine that that thing is much more fun," she nods at the digitizer.

[command_dot_com]

"Bob's said it's not painful but..." Well, let's see how much pain Bob has been known to deal with on a regular basis recently. "Considering the pain tolerance he had for the errors in his code and how long he kept that hidden from me...I'll take that with a byte of code."

"I'll let you know if he was right after our vacation."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Well, until then? I think I'll stick with this," Barbara grins.

[command_dot_com]

"By the code on that." Dot smirks. "So what's new and interesting in your world?"

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Did I tell you I made contact with myself from the future?" That's the big one these days.

[command_dot_com]

"...I think you're future self wins out over my null father."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Barbara laughs, "I don't think it's a competition. Besides... My future self is a lot like me, really. Just with more data."

[command_dot_com]

"Still, what did your future self want to talk about? Dad just asked lots of questions about Milliways."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"I... um..." Barbara ducks her head. "I contacted her. I... got copies of her archives. I'm going to change the future." Maybe. She still hasn't convinced herself it's a good idea, but she's not sure she can just stand by and let things happen.

[command_dot_com]

"...if you want any help with that.." If Dot could have done something to prevent the explosion in Lost Angles... "I still owe you double time for all you've done."

Dot looks up as the laser reforms a pair of teenagers in purple spritely form. "And our guests have arrived.."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Thanks, Dot," Babs smiles. "I appreciate it. A lot."

She turns to the two sprites, and then back to Dot, "Shall we get started?"

[command_dot_com]

Dot watches the over-protective brother show for a moment and covers her mouth smiling. "Yes, before Danny gets to anxious."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

With a nod, Barbara lifts her mask to her face and settles it into place. Her voice comes through muffled, "Ready when you are, then."

[command_dot_com]

"Ready, just say when." Dot carefully lines up the syringe point to the side of Barbara's neck.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Do it."

[command_dot_com]

The syringe is quickly asministered and Dot watches for any signs of it working.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Barbara's breathing slows and evens out into a deep and steady rhythm. The mask settled over her face hums softly as the interface lights blink in patterned sequence.

[command_dot_com]

And that means everything is working properly.

"Alright, Oracle's in the system... Let's get going."