in the Read-Only Room

[a1enzo]

The Read-Only Room's main window is littered with packets of microchips: empty, full, and spilled across its surface. Several cups are similarly disposed, except (fortunately) for the spillage. On another window - this one vertically oriented - is playing a more-or-less accurate but otherwise flat-out embarrassing reenactment of the adventures of Enzo Matrix Mk. 1.

Enzo Matrix Mk. 2 is sitting on a chair-configured zipboard with his feet up on the main window, slurping away at yet another energy shake. He's already watched through his other self's entire saga; now he's reviewing the highlights. Lousy acting or not, cheap sets or not, there's something really gripping about watching your own eye being gouged out.

"Game over," announces a somewhat wobbly voice as a purple cube is raised from the miniature set by a clearly visible rope. "User wins."

"Noooooo!" cries a binome who sounds nothing like Sis. (Honestly, do they even try?)

Comments

[nofileext]

Phong rolls in, intending to keep an eye on the little sprite as instructed.

"Ah, young Enzo. Hard at work, I see." Heh, heh. Library humour.

[a1enzo]

... Something in Enzo reaches the breaking point. Part of it's the emphasis on 'young' - again, they always feel the need to add that now, this Enzo's just a little kid, thanks for rubbing it in, everyone - but part of it's Phong's little joke. Work? What work? THEY WON'T LET HIM DO ANYTHING!

He kicks the table-window away angrily and stands. "Young Enzo, young Enzo! Everybody says 'young Enzo' this or 'little Enzo' that! Well, it's gonna stop."

[nofileext]

"My child, what is the matter?" asks Phong in astonishment.

[a1enzo]

All the simmering frustration and jealousy - jealous of himself, and how random is that? - is finally boiling over.

"I've just watched all the things I've done." All the things Matrix has done. People respect Matrix. Matrix helps people. "I'm a Guardian now," a renegade, no one stops a renegade from helping, a renegade doesn't have to listen to anyone, even other Guardians, "and I'm big, with a cool gun and a babe for a girlfriend! No one's gonna call me 'little Enzo' ever again!"

He snatches his icon off his cap and smacks it onto his left shoulder, then clicks it hard enough to give himself a bruise but he doesn't care, if they won't let little Enzo help then he just won't be little Enzo and thanks, Bar, your cute little joke is back and it's just gotten a bit more serious.

[nofileext]

"Oh dear."

[a1enzo]

"No," he declares, standing proudly in Bar's Mardi Gras gift. "From now on, you can call me 'little Matrix'!"