“Oh dear…”

“Phong? Do you know this sprite?” AndrAIa asked inquisitively. She wanted desperately to know who this was, and what her function was, yet she could not remove her eyes from her. This new sprite was like the others, yet; strangely different from any she had ever seen, while game hopping.

“Oh no. I’ve never met this…sprite before. But I have heard many tales about her!” Phong began to get nervous just from looking at the Stealth Ninja. She, on the other hand, smiled broadly with a slight smirk at the corner of her delicate mouth. “She is trouble! She has destroyed many systems by herself! Reeking havoc among sprites of all kinds! She lives up to her name! Chaos!” Phong’s voice exploded in anger and fear. Chaos looked shocked at the accusation, and she glanced from the terrified and furious faces of the surrounding sprites, and binomes.

“I have a very, very good explanation for all of that! You see-“ the Stealth Ninja rationalized at the group forming at her feet, when she was cut off by angry cries.

“How do we know your not here to delete us!”

“Why are you here!”

“What do you want from us!”

“You’ll have to go through all of us to destroy us!”

“You have no place being here! Leave while you still have the chance!”

The demanding, angry shouts from the surrounding binomes were multiplying, as she looked helplessly at them all, not knowing what to do or say.

“Hey! Hey everyone! QUIET!” Bob’s booming voice raised above the enraged binomes.

“Bob! Oh Bob! It really is you! Make them stop! I haven’t done anything wrong!” Chaos began to cry as she flew into Bob’s open arms. “Oh Bob.” She sobbed quietly, while Bob stroked her soft dark, brown hair.

“It’s okay. Everything is under control.” He surveyed the crowed, as he glared at the binomes. They all got the message to leave, and they did.

“Bob!”

“There you are!”

“We’ve been searching for you!”

“Yeah! Yeah we have! We have some-“

“Important news for you!”

“Yeah Bob! Very important!”

“You won’t believe how important this news is!”

“Yeah! It’s about-“

“The tear that was-“

“Released! You see Bob-“

“Why do you get to tell him! Why can’t I tell him!”

“Because you told him last time!”

“No I didn’t! You did!”

“Oh! That’s right! You can tell him!”

“Thank-you! Bob, about that tear! -”

“Yeah, about the tear!”

“Hey! I thought I was going to tell him!”

“I changed my mind!”

“You can’t do that!”

“Yes I can!”

“No you can’t!”

“Yes I can!”

“Hack! Slash! Stop babbling, and tell me what so important!” Bob’s voice stopped the bickering, momentarily.

“I’ll tell him!”

“No! I will!”

“No-“

“Hack! Slash! Slash, you tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“About the tear! What are you basic!”

“What tear?”

“The one that we were just arguing about!”

“Oh that tear! What about it?”

“Forget it! I’ll tell him!”

“Tell who what?”

“Bob! Tell Bob about the tear!”

“You needn’t shout!”

“Arg!”

“You need to take a break! I’ll tell Bob.”

“Stop arguing, and just tell me! And instead of more arguing. Why don’t you both tell me!”

“Tell you what?”

“I’ll tell Bob!”

“Okay. But I still don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Grr…Anyway! Bob! The tear that was here and gone in a nano, wasn’t a tear at all! It was some sort of portal! And from the portal came a-“

“Basic! You called me basic!”

“Slash!”

“I can’t believe you called me basic!”

“…Sigh…Continue Hack.”

“As I was saying! A sprite entered from the portal, and-“

“Look Hack! There she is!”

“What?”

“The girl from the portal! The one that was shooting energy at Matrix and the other sprites!”

“Oh! So you are right!”

“It looks like Bob has already found her!”

“So he has!”

“Why did you let us carry on, when you already knew she was here?”

“Yeah Bob! Why?”

“Uh, Bob.”

“What Slash!”

“Who is she?”

“Yeah Bob! Who is she?”

“I just said that!”

“This, is my dear friend, Chaos. The Stealth Ninja.” Bob looked at Hack and Slash, exasperated.

“AAH!”

“Not the Stealth Ninja! Not the one that destroys systems at the hint of an insult?”

“Not that one!”

“Boo!” Chaos laughed as Hack and Slash ran for cover. Bob gave the Ninja a stern look, and cleared his throat.

“You guys don’t have to worry. She won’t hurt anyone, or anything!” Bob looked over at Chaos’ smirking face, only to see it turn angelic as to assure him he was right.

“Yeah? Well I’m going to make sure she doesn’t hurt anyone again!” Matrix declared boldly as he held his gun in front of him.

“Now don’t be getting in over your head, there sugar! I still seem to recall the last time you tangled with her! It wasn’t a pretty site!” Mouse began to chuckle at the recent memory of Matrix flying into a building.

“Yeah Matrix! Don’t be getting cocky!” Matrix glared at Surfr for adding his two cents.

“Besides, I come in peace!” Chaos grinned devilishly with a hint of intrigement on her face, as she starred at Matrix’ gun. AndrAIa gave a nervous laugh as Hexadecimal stepped forward.

“Well I think this is just marvelous! Now we can finally have something to do!” Her glee was surprising, but expected. They assumed she’d be angry because Chaos would be taking attention away from Hexadecimals mystery and powers.

“Ooh! I love the outfit!” Chaos excitedly walked around Hexadecimal, examining her costume.

“Why thank you. It’s my own design.”

“Chaos. I hate to interrupt you, but could you please tell us your name, format, function, and origin?” Phong was trying to determine her reason for visiting Mainframe, but he needed her cooperation.

“Huh? Oh sure old sprite. My name is Chaos. The Stealth Ninja. My format; U -- “

“Warning. Incoming game. Warning. Incoming game.”

“Hey! Let’s go Chaos! It’ll be just like old times!” Bob grabbed Chaos’ arm and began to pull her towards the descending game cube.

“Old times? Old times! Bob! How well do you know her?” Dot had unexpectedly snuck up on Bob, and was standing behind him, demanding to know.

“Dot! Oh…Er…Ah…You guys go ahead, this might take awhile. You see Dot; she’s my best friend from the Super Computer. We used to fight the User together in those game cubes. Nothing to be jealous of.” Bob turned towards Dot, only to find a fist fly into his face.

“Jealous! Jealous am I? I don’t think so! Don’t flatter yourself pretty boy!” Dot flew off to the purple cube, not knowing whether to feel angry or hurt.

“Bad choice of words Bob. She’s seems very fragile. Try not to be so insensitive next time.” Chaos gave a pity glance at him.

“Insensitive! No. You’re right. But I’ll have to worry about that later. Let’s go. The game’s almost landed!” Bob rubbed his jaw and took hold of the Stealth Ninja’s arm again.

“No! No, Bob! I can’t go! There isn’t time to argue or complain! They’re going to need your help! Take this and go! Now!”

Chaos shoved a golden icon into Bob’s hand, and pushed him towards the game cube. Bob went as fast as he could, but it looked like he’d miss it.

At the last moment, Chaos started to glow and threw a portal that Bob smacked into. The portal transferred him right under the game cube without a moment to spare.