*Meebo's POV*
"Hello...Hello...Welcome to Cyberspace," I smiled warmly, shaking the hand of every new download. As usual, they looked nervous and a few even seemed to be trying to breathe."Hey - no breathing. It's not neccessary here and it uses up battery power." I told one, and she drew in a sharp gasp."it's okay, people," I called. "I know it's not every day you're taken from Reality and uploaded into Cyberspace, but it's all gonna be fine. Please, this way to your files,"
I gestured them towards the emailer tutorial screen.
"I'm Meebo," I smiled at them all as they gathered around to watch, "And I'm gonna show you how to use your controls. First, the Control Panel: there's nothing easier."
I waved my hands directly in front of me until the Control Panel button picked up the motion. It appeared in front of me.
"See?" I grinned; new downloads were always nervous - and as part of the tutorial team, I knew this better than most. "So, to click on that, you just stab your hand out to it like this-" I demonstrated "-and then the Options Menu wil open up. You can use the palm of your hand to skim down that, and then just click on whatever you want."
They didn't look too confused - in fact, one kid whispered,
"This is like the iPod!"
Wow. Today's group were an easy bunch to teach. That wasn't normal. Usually, downloads were brought from Reality kicking and screaming.
"Right, guys, now we're gonna work the on-screen keyboard." I spread my fingers into claws in front of me and the keyboard popped up. "See? Easy, yeah? And then you just type in whatever."
My audience were nodding to each other, smiling; they were starting to get in.
"And, finally, let's find your display code." I pointed above my head to the star. "Look up," I told them, "We all have one of these star things. Click on it to get your code. Your code will tell you which database you're staying in tonight."
Suddenly, as each new download gathered up their suitcases, I heard a loud 'ping!' from somewhere above me. I looked up, and saw that a mail icon had appeared next to my star. I clicked on it and the message popped up in front of me.
Remember to teach them everything and email them to the hotel. If you screw up again, you're fired.
My boss. Again.
I sighed and closed the message. I couldn't lose this job; my family wouldn't cope without it.
I called the downloads over and lead them to Hotel 436, where they'd be staying.
"Okay, guys, this is your hotel. Step forward one at a time and I'll email you in." The downloads stepped up and I ticked them off a register before clicking the 'email' icon. "Okay," I said to the first, "You are..."
"Alex Mackenzie."
I found him on the list and ticked him off.
"You gotta lose that name, kiddo," I told him.
"Why?" he asked.
"Cos you'll never fit in. That's a Reality name. You're in Ficticity now. It's Cyberspace. Get a Cyber name."
The kid nodded and I emailed him in.
"Name?" i asked the next.
"Jamie Burton."
I ticked his name off the register.
"Get a Cyber name," I told him, emailing him in. It was really boring work, but it was a job.
"Name?"
"Delisle."
It was a girl this time. I looked up. She was tall and slim, with strawberry blonde hair, and she was very pretty. Okay, maybe not so boring. I grinned at her.
"Delisle what?"
"Just Delisle."
"Okay..." I found her on the the list - Delisle Microsoft. "What's with the Cyber name? I thought you were new?"
"Nah. My Grandad was on the team working to discover this place. My parents were born here."
So that was why she looked bored.
"So you've -"
"If you don't mind moving things along, some of us want to get into the hotel!"
Crap. I'd forgotten about that.
I emailed Delisle in.
"I'll see you at school." I told her.
Delisle Microsoft.
I had a feeling this term was going to be good.
