Note: I know that, in season 3, they depicted gamecubes that left quietly and didn't go BOOM. Well, I *liked* it when they exploded upwards and went BOOM. So I didn't change it. Nyahh. (For those who care I didn't explain this in Pain 3 because I think it would've spoiled the plot a bit.)
**Author's Note**

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"You're so consumed with how much you get..."

From "Frozen", by Madonna
 

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     Pain 4
 

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"*Careful* vit dat!!!" shrieked Herr doctor. "Lord Megabyte vill be MOST displeased if ve do not get this done un time."
 "We KNOW!" Snapped out a soldier binome, annoyed at the frantic doctor's whines. He and his crew were transporting a large machine into a Principal Office room-namely the one that would offer them access to the system's PID's.
 "Ack-none of these underlings appreciates my work." Herr Doctor thought to himself as he took out several tools. His assistant handed him a wrench. "They don't realize that right now, we're preparing for what will be Lord Megabyte's most glorious moment yet." A devoted smile came to his face. "Infecting this wretched place that has stood against him for so long."
 Humming happily, the doctor began his work.

   *   *   *

 Dot looked out into the city. She had opened a vid-window to a random place in the Data Park. The sprite had been feeling gloomy all second and tried to relax by looking at the deceptively peaceful scene before her. A gentle breeze stirred the tree tops. It was nearly deserted and she could pretend it was a real forest. Of course this was just the small section that had escaped destruction. If she panned the window left or right for a while the trees ended and twisted black stumps began. But it would do.
 Dot leaned back on her bed and drew her knees up to her chin-something she had found herself doing recently. The position offered her a little comfort by giving her a false sense of being inclosed and protected against the outside world. *Objectively* she knew that nothing changed but emotionally, it felt better. Today however it didn't help.
There was another reason Dot had opened up the vid-window. She wanted to remember a bit of Mainframe that looked the same as she remembered it before the chance was lost forever. News had popped up recently that made that chance's demise even sooner.
The calm scene did nothing for her. Frustrated Dot pushed the vid-window away. She put her head on her knees and groaned.
 Infecting Mainframe-Megabyte had broken the news to them a few seconds after Hexadecimal's defeat. Dot had bit her tongue in shock. He hadn't even told them when it exactly was but it would be soon, she knew. A sort of dreadful, hopeless quiet had overcome the city. Despair drifted on the streets, seeming to be carried by the wind. Dot knew it  from the few times she had to oversee things personally on the streets. She hadn't tried to talk to the normal citizens anymore...she had almost tried once, but the thought of the looks of revulsion she would  receive froze her in her tracks. The sprite had never before thought of Mainframe as a friendless city for herself...
 Losing her friends-that had been so wrenching. Being alone HURT. Dot had slowly begun to realize how isolated she was. Loneliness brought with it a sad, hungry ache that was an experience in itself. The other virals weren't exactly the best of company. As much as she  loathed to admit it the person she talked to most was Megabyte. And she HATED him.
Bob, Enzo, AndrAIa-all her real friends. Bob...Dot felt guilty whenever she though of him. She had never really told the guardian how she felt. Dot had admitted to herself that he had become more than a friend after all this time, true...but she had also given up hope. Dot tried not to think of him too much sometimes. It *did* make her feel warm to remember Bob in her happier life yet it hurt because she didn't expect to see him again. Ever.
 And speaking of things never to be seen again...
Infection had been disorienting and disturbing. Doing that to Mainframe was something she couldn't yet comprehend. Faces came and left but *Mainframe* had stayed intact, unchanging. It was the last and only symbol of what Mainframers had once stood for and what they still clung to. What they were about to lose.
 Megabyte was infecting Dot's last ray of hope. Even if one day Bob came back or if anyone else came to fight, Mainframe would be changed forever. Even if it were cleansed one day memories would still be left behind.
 Everyone in the city was terrified. Infection hung over their heads like a sharpened axe. Dot knew very well how they felt. They must be wondering if your feelings were reduced to rubble, if it hurt, if a small part inside of you stayed the same and saw and everything you did and screamed and screamed and *screamed*...
 Dot knew it wasn't as bad as that. It wasn't *pretty* but not as bad. But somehow to her an erasure of inhibitions was more unsettling than a tortured soul within a body. If a part of you was still trapped inside that meant some of you stayed uninfected, pure. But from what Dot had seen in the other virals they showed no sorrow or regret. She doubted that any of the infected truly felt as they had used to in their past lives. Except for her of course but she was different-a half-breed of sorts.
 She was only glad of one thing about all her family gone or dead. They would never be touched and would never see her as she was now.
Tainted with the one responsible for their deaths.

   *   *   *

 Bleakness. *That* was her mindset now Megabyte decided.
 The virus sat on his throne, idly killing time while waiting for the PID's to become accessible. His mind turned to something he had actually been thinking of often now. Dot.
 Being able to tell someone's moods was strange but he had found that he was perversely fond of Dot in a strange sort of way. She was-interesting. In the back of his mind Megabyte had a sneaking suspicion he'd be a bit bored without a diversion. And he almost had some sympathy for the sprite.
 Nevertheless, he enjoyed her pain.
How could he not? It was there, so tempting, so uplifting, showing how EFECTIVELY he was upsetting Dot.
 The link still existed. He hadn't found a way to break it. It DID offer him a very thorough and occasionally fascinating view of Dot's mind. The difference in what they felt quietly amused him. Her reactions to what he did were quite novel from the virus's point of view. Perhaps he'd keep it just for the entertainment value. It wasn't all that irritating now. And it added greatly to her mental distress.
 With an unusually sadistic grin he sent a tendril of thought through Dot's mind. Megabyte chuckled as he felt her jump and then at the anger and revulsion it invoked.
His thoughts were interrupted by a vid-window popping up. Herr doctor appeared on it and saluted.
 "Yes?" asked Megabyte, slightly raising an eyebrow.
 "My Lord!" the doctor beamed with pride. "We have the citywide PID'S online ready for your infection Imensness!"
 Megabyte immediately forgot about Dot, snapping back to the one thing, the *only* thing that he was programmed for. Thoughts of infection and conquest ran through his mind.
 "*Good*." He said with feeling. "I'll be there shortly."
 Closing down the window, the virus threw back his head and laughed. And what was so disturbing about it was that it wasn't *maniacal* laughter. It was the laugh of someone who was, for a moment, perfectly happy.
 He eagerly almost bounded out of the room.

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 There they were. A vid-window showing an aerial view of Mainframe floated above them. Dot stared fascinated despite herself. A *huge* list of the PID's filled the room, resembling a vid-window except far more valuable. An icon was lined beside every name. It shimmered in a strange light all of its own, turning the room slightly blue. Online, there for anyone's taking. For Megabyte's specifically.
 *No*! This couldn't happen! She didn't *want* it to happen! That same sickness she remembered after her own infection rose up again as she sensed the approaching virus.
Dot morosely picked at her sleeve. He was there all the time now. Not spying on her consciously (well most of the time) but just being present. At least *usually* he was in the background. Sometimes...sometimes he'd let his presence roam through her mind and all she could do was clench her teeth and pray for him to stop. He'd almost flaunt it. Here I am, the virus seemed to say. And the WORST part of this is that I have every right to be here inside your brain. Try to stop me-you *can't*, can you? Because you're mine sprite.
Dot was starting to develop a rather sickening familiarity with him.
Late at night, deep inside where she'd never consciously admit it, Dot secretly wished Megabyte would get it over with and infect her completely. She was stuck in mid balance-unable to resist him yet not capable of being happy at carrying out his wishes. If she could only do one or the other...
 The doors opened. Flanked by two sprite guards who stopped at the door the virus stepped in.
 Dot narrowed her eyes. Sprite guards-the elite. The eyes of the two that stood beside the virus were as cold as his. Colder in fact because of the contrast between their species and their demeanor. They were the only people she really feared in this place. Dot reminded them that she was not fully infected yet had a higher status than they did and it rankled in their cores. Their resentment was so strong she could feel it. Dot wondered (not without trepidation) what full infection would be like to feel jealousy over NOT being closer tied to your viral  master. She would have given almost *anything* to be free from him.
Megabyte gave a slight nod and everyone inside saluted and bowed. Viral obedience surging within Dot's urge to follow what they did was strong. She managed to stop at simply lowering her head yet hated showing that much deference. The virus strode in, taking in the PID's. Megabyte restrained himself enough to only slightly quicken his pace.
 "They are *all* here?" he asked the doctor who simply nodded.
 Dot was probably the closest to Megabyte, near the table the PID's floated over. She could hear him breathe slightly more heavily than usual. His eyes narrowed from the light as he slowly placed a hand on the terminal softly, almost reverently. Dot felt his greed become sharp as a knife in his mind, anticipation building. Through the turmoil in her own consciousness she managed to wonder what was so special about infection to warrant this kind of feeling. The sprite chillingly realized that she was going to have an unrivaled chance for an answer.
"Oh yes." said Megabyte softly, hiding the sudden escalated rush inside. Dot gripped the edge of her organizer and tensed.
Megabyte breathed in.
"Finally...*mine*."
With that last word Megabyte brought his arms down in a fell swoop.
And Dot felt everything *twist*. There was no other word to describe it. A force surged through the system's core, stopped for a moment, changing it and absorbing it then moving on. In the vid-window it looked as if a wave of dark blue was spreading out from the principal office, sloshing over the buildings and everything in its path. But Dot noticed none of these events.
 She was too busy paying attention to the link in her head. It was as if it had exploded. Searing through her mind it felt so *GOOD*. Her eyes felt wet, not out of sadness this time but from sheer ecstasy. The most delicious feeling rippled through her making her shiver in an almost numbing wave of energy. She glanced at Megabyte who just stood there, mouth slightly parted with an incredibly self-satisfied smile on his face. She felt his sense of fulfillment. His lust for power had been sated-temporarily. She wondered how in the Net he managed to keep his feelings so in control. This something akin to rapture MUST be pounding through his head, User she could feel their minds bending to him already, searching, crying out, all focused for one glorious moment on HIM...
With a vicious shake Dot snapped out of it. Blanching she raised her hands to the her temple, trying to still her thoughts.
 "Come on Dot." She said to herself. "Step back. Try to adjust. Take a deep breath. Calm DOWN."
"It's always so...intense the first time, isn't it?" asked someone nonchalantly right in her ear. "You handled it rather well  actually. I'll expect you in the throne room a few microseconds."
 Dot nearly swallowed her tongue as she realized Megabyte had moved right behind her, leaning over her shoulder. For someone so large he could certainly move softly when he wanted to. He looked at her for a moment and a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. Mockingly the virus inclined his head to her. He then left with a smirk, going to exult in his new system.

   *   *   *

 And across the system spilling over the edge of the city limits, a wave of deep blue rippled once then settled.

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 Megabyte stood, opening up various vid-windows of the newly taken city. He tilted his head back and his mouth opened a bit again in a smile. The best part of infection was afterwards when the greed that normally drove him was sated yet the euphoria was still flooding his mind...
Waiting there he resumed thoughts of Dot again. She had been absolutely stunned when the infection took place-he was surprised she remained upright. It was odd to think that someone else knew how he felt during such an-intimate moment. But...
He placed his hands behind his back and unconsciously shifted into a more thoughtful posture.
 The sky was starting to cloud up, as if nature realized what was happening in the world of sprites and was mimicking it it. Dot tried to settle herself as she opened the doors. Not that that would stop Megabyte from knowing what she felt, Dot thought bitterly.
 Stepping in Dot saw no other guards than those outside the door. A bit odd, although lately the virus had seemed to prefer privacy more often than not.
 "Ah-prompt as always." Megabyte said turning around.
 Dot said nothing.
 The virus held out a file. Dot reached out, paused for a moment, then snatched it away. She opened it and her eyes widened. The city's schematics were listed there. But why...
 "You're being promoted." The virus said. "I'll need your help setting up Dot. You're basically to help me re-organize the place." He smiled at her sardonically. "Just think of it as an upgrade from engineering."
 Dot nearly dropped the file. Ask HER to re-organize Mainframe to help smooth out his domination? And she had just thought things couldn't get worse...
"Should I expect a title change or something?" she asked, only mildly shocked.
 "Oh, go ahead and make up something if you'd like. To be honest I  don't care too much myself." The virus said airily waving a hand. "Read it carefully by the way-I'll need your input on several important details."
 "Such as what?"
 "ABC building. How many factories we can make, materials needed for upgrades, that sort of thing...oh and I'll need all Principal Office data available on portals."
 "What?" It was more an automatic exclamation than one of shock.
 "Well you don't think that we're going to stay *here*, now do you? I intend to move onto another system as soon as possible."
 Dot stepped back.
 "We might just try to take over a few smaller ones at first to build up the army and so on..." he continued.
 "But-" Dot got out. "This is my *home*..."
 Megabyte frowned. "Really Dot-you *knew* I didn't plan to stay here."
 That was true Dot realized. She knew that the virus desired more systems to devour. She'd never thought of this pertaining to her. The possibility that she'd be infected and have to go along had never come to her. Or that she'd help to *organize* it. He was using her skills in quite twisted ways. As Megabyte's voice cut into her thoughts she realized he had jumped into her head again.
Her flood of emotions had suddenly poured into the virus's mind. Mild shock at realizing they *would* leave one day, mixed impressions of his new rule and-grief? Why grief?
He couldn't help it. Megabyte had been so puzzled at that he had dived into her head without thinking. Grief-what for?
 Dot's eyes snapped open and she gulped in pain as he mercilessly pushed through her thoughts, deeper. It *hurt*. The feel of his mind slithering through hers, searching for something, *hunting* made her want to scream. Parts of her that she wanted no one to see were being ripped out and exposed to the light of an alien mind.
 With an inhuman effort she managed not to move, not to cry out. Not that Megabyte would have noticed if she had. The virus ignored her and leaned a hand against an armrest of his throne, eyes closed in concentration.
  Ah-he found it now. The city was tied to her family. Memories of happier things. *That* was why she felt so reluctant to leave and had found tainting it so repellant. Understanding the virus pulled back to the normal connection level.
 Dot bit back a snarl. A huge sense of violation from her shuddered through Megabyte's mind. He was a bit surprised. Surely it hadn't hurt that much. He hadn't gone in that deeply-had he? Ah well, it was no problem of his if he had.
 "Do try to pull yourself together Dot." Megabyte told her using a distant tone. "You're going to begin working on this quite soon."
 Dot would have spat if she could. Pain! The bastard *lived* off it didn't he? She had seen a glimpse of his mind and found out something very interesting.
 "So-" she said. "You're some sort of sadist? I never suspected."
 "What?"
 "You think I don't *know*? *Enjoying* it when I suffer? I never thought you were this sick!"
 Dot felt gratified when she saw the virus's eyes widen in shock. He had never suspected that she would find out.
 "It's not like *that*." He replied, slight revulsion coming into his voice.
 "Oh really? Then what *is* it like?"
"If you must know I don't know either why our little-er-*understanding* exists." he snapped, anger quickly replacing shock and fraying his temper.
 "So." said Dot flatly. "You're saying that you don't know why that...connection exists?"
 The virus said haughtily "For your information Ms. Matrix I've  tried to shut it off. I don't particularly care to see into your head *all* second."
 "Well? Why *didn't* you shut it off?" Dot asked, anger giving her courage to be incredibly forward,.
 Megabyte looked uncomfortable for a moment. "I couldn't."
 Dot looked at him, bemused.
Without warning the virus stalked a bit closer until they were only a few pixels apart. Dot tried to lean back, suddenly aware of how far she had gone.
 "And-" Megabyte hissed softly, the strain of keeping up politeness after all her probing making his anger break through to his voice. "How *dare* you question me? I don't think you quite understand-I own you. All of you. You *have* no choices anymore! If it weren't for that blasted copyright protection, I could bend your personality around in whatever way I would choose. You should be grateful I let you have enough free will to retain it!"
 At this Dot jerked back. Face flushed, she said, "I should be GRATEFUL? For the DEATH of my FAMILY?"
"Honestly Dot-" Snapped Megabyte. "It's been at least a minute-haven't you stopped *grieving* for them already?"
 Dot stood there, stunned by the sheer insensitivity of the question. The worst part was that he really meant it.
 "Do you think it just goes away?" she said slowly. "Do you think  after a while you can just *forget* about people you care dying?"
 The virus's mouth contemptuously turned up in a sneer.
 "*I* wouldn't know." he said.
 Dot paused. Of course he didn't understand. He had had no family that he cared about, no friends, no life except the one programmed for him-gain power and crush those in your way. What had she expected? Some compassion?
 "No, you wouldn't." she said, her shoulders suddenly sagging. "You couldn't. What *was* I thinking? I'll go now, shall I?" She muttered and walked off.
 The virus blinked as he stood alone in the room.
"Why do these conversations always seem to end with her walking away?" he asked himself after Dot left.

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Dot stood outside an entrance. There it was. A city of dark blue with stripes of neon green. Some red and yellow highlighted it in a few places but for the most part it had a dark atmosphere. It was truly the city of Megaframe now. The sky had turned a strange color-it was black, but the clouds were green? Bizarre-yet oddly enough aesthetically appealing. She felt slightly ashamed at the thought and even more guilty when she though how much she had enjoyed the infection. A slight buzz from it still lingered.
 "How could I have done that?" she asked herself. "How could I  ENJOY what he felt?" She knew that it hadn't been her fault or her feelings that went through her but the guilt stung nonetheless.
 All the binomes and few sprites that there were would be converted to soldiers now of course. No more worrying about Megabyte's army because they'd be a PART of the army. Dot just stood there and let the wind blow on her face.
 "I'm so alone now...if only I could let go of it...if only I could drop all my pain..."

Chapter 5