Offspring

by SunGoddess7

PART IV IS UP!!! The story of Trinity and Neo's daughter and the choices she has to make...R&R!

1. Part I: Imprisonment

A/N: I've been having a lot of thoughts of what it might be like if Neo and Trinity had a kid, so here's my take on what it might be. No, I don't own any of the Matrix characters except for Scrylla, Sticks, Doc, Prait, Notton, and Carmen. I don't own the idea or the concept of the Matrix. So, sit back and enjoy the show!

Offspring, by SunGoddess7

Part I: Imprisonment

I am one of the few people I know who has been born in the real world.

I suppose I should get some kind of pride out of this, but really I'm quite ashamed to be born into a world so ugly, desecrated, and utterly evil. Humans are grown just to feed the machines and other humans that are cultivated for energy.

Perhaps I should explain. Unless you have been unplugged -- or freed -- like my mother, father, and other members of the ship, you live in a world that does not exist. Anything you have come to know and love is not real. It is a computer program designed to keep you in line and under Their control. This computer program is known as the Matrix.

Hits you like a cold slap in the face, huh?

There are only so many people who know this startling truth, and most were part of the Matrix themselves at one point. Only a precious few were born in Zion, one of the few cities remaining. Tank, our operator, was born in Zion, but my mother told me in a hushed voice that Tank had a brother who was born in Zion as well. That brother was killed by a traitor.

I didn't know either of them. The Nebuchadnezzar used the have five more members; their names I only recently learned. Morpheus himself told me about the ship's former crew and their grisly past.

A boy only a few years older than me named Mouse was once part of the crew. Daddy tells me I would have liked him. I will never know. He was killed by Agents.

A woman named Switch was part of the team, but the traitor killed her. He unplugged her before she was back. Apoc, a man, was killed in the same fashion.

Morpheus seemed to have the most trouble talking about the traitor, Cypher. My mother gave Morpheus all of the information of what he did, but she didn't tell me herself. She had Morpheus do it.

Cypher was released but couldn't take it. He made a deal with the Agents, which in return would have given them my father, and Morpheus as well. Tank killed Cypher after he shot Tank's brother, Dozer, with a laser gun.

The Agents wanted my father because he is the One. My father, Neo, is the only one who can kill an Agent and save the human race from the machines. My quiet, dark-haired father is one hundred million times more important that anyone on our ship. Combined.

My mother, Trinity, was part of the prophecy that the Oracle foretold. The Oracle said she would fall in love with a dead man who would be the One. Apparently things worked out because here I am. Me. Athene.

I find it ironic that Mother and Daddy named me after the Greek goddess of skill and intelligence. I find I possess neither of those qualities, yet Morpheus and Tank constantly marvel at how easily I caught on to the Matrix code. I was only eight when I finally made Tank tell me the codes to Zion. Daddy told me the Matrix codes at ten.

I remember the look he gave me the day he told me, and I relayed it back to him perfectly. There was a look of almost pride in his eyes, mixed with incredible knowing. He was smiling benignly. Being so young, my only reaction was to give him a hug for telling me, wrapping my arms around his middle. He hugged me back and I felt good that I had made him happy. Only now do I realize the significance of what I had learned.

Now I work with Tank, absorbing everything he will tell me about the Matrix, wanting desperately to go in, but knowing I will never be able to. I was never hooked up.

Not that I want holes all over my body and on my neck. That would be miserable. I can't help but flinch every time I see a plug emerge from under a sleeve. But I want to fight, to help my parents.

I can understand why they wouldn't want me to go. They're afraid I might be killed, which is a very real possibility, but if I stay with Daddy I'll be safe. He moves like the lightning that streaks through the seething, molten-gray skies. I can't help but gaze in awe every time I watch him fight in the programs. Tank patches it through onto the monitor for the rest of us to watch.

My mother moves with a liquid grace I deeply envy. When I move, I feel nothing. It's just my brain telling me to move my arm or leg. But with my mother, it's like an art form. I hope that if somehow I ever get into the Matrix, I'll be able to move like them.

I'm thirteen years of age, but the war still ages on. So far, we've only been able to free smaller and very desolate places. Tundra and deserts and small cities. We've gained six people so far. Scrylla, Sticks, Doc, Prait, Notton, and Carmen have replaced the five we lost. Space is limited on the ship, but Morpheus hardly sleeps, so when he isn't asleep, someone always uses his room. My parents now share a room, and I have my father's old room. It's the smallest one of the ship, but I don't mind. It gives me a private space to write and think and dream of seeing what it's like in the Matrix.

Now, I lay quietly on my stomach, my head cradled in my arms as I try and drift off to sleep, but it's almost impossible. In the room next door where my parents sleep, Mother and Morpheus are arguing. I lift my head slightly to hear better.

"She's too young, Morpheus. I don't want her killed like Mouse. She's all Neo and I have."

"You know she inherited some of Neo's genes, meaning she has some of the Gift. We need to get her a plug so she can help us fight."

A deep silence. My mother sounds as if she's close to tears. "No. I won't let her be killed by Agents because you fill her head with things that make her think she can do what Neo can."

"I would never do that, Trinity. I will tell her what she is capable of, but I would never want to see Athene killed. She is precious to all of us."

"If she's so precious, Morpheus, why do you want to risk the chance of her dying?" My mother asked in a poisonous voice.

"I can't tell you what to do, Trinity. I can only tell you what you should consider. She might be what we need to defeat them. Wouldn't you rather know that because you let her go out in the Matrix to defeat the machines than to know that it was you who kept her in this ship and let the war go on?"

She sighed. "It's late. I'm going to bed."

"You can't run from this, Trinity. You can't protect her forever."

"Morpheus, leave." Her tone was strong and forceful.

I suddenly felt eyes on me. Looking over to my door, I saw Daddy standing there, leaning against the frame. He walked in and squatted next to my mattress. I gave him a look of questioning. He pressed his lips together and nodded, looking down. I sighed and turned my head from him to look at the wall in front of me. He reached out and rubbed my back. He hadn't done this since I was a little girl, told of the truth of what was going on. I knew something was definitely wrong if he was doing this.

I propped myself up onto my elbow, facing him. "Why can't I go?" I asked simply and quietly. He merely shook his head. I sighed, giving him an angry look before turning away from him. He bent down to kiss me good night, but I shriveled away from him. I imagined that he looked hurt, but at this point I didn't care. I just wanted him to go.

Later on, I could hear Mother and Daddy talking about it. Their voices were muffled as opposed to the earlier fight, as the door was shut and they talked in hushed voices. I could only pick out a few words, but otherwise it was as if they were keeping it from me. I finally drifted off, dreaming of a world where the sky was blue and there was ground, like the stories Mother told me when I was little. I tried to imagine the creatures she told me about and how there were people all over the place. It was hard to imagine, as I had only known ten people for my entire life.

I woke up the next morning, my black hair falling all over my face. I looked at myself in the shiniest piece of metal in the room, trying to comb it out of my face, rubbing my dark brown eyes. Unlike my mother, I preferred to wear my hair long and free, pulling it back with strips of cloth. I walked out to see Carmen already standing around, holding a tin cup and sipping absentmindedly. She finally noticed me, putting the cup down and smiling at me. "Morning, sunshine." I smiled at her, feeling a little confused. I had never seen sunshine before, so I didn't know what to think. Her smile faded. "Sorry, I forgot." She mumbled a bit embarrassedly. I shrugged.

"It's okay. Most do."

She nodded and walked off toward the bridge. I headed toward the back to get some food. My stomach was rumbling and I was craving nourishment. Sloshing the slop into my bowl, I ate it readily, not even realizing that Notton was sitting there. He was staring at me, his jaw opened, spoon almost in his mouth. "How can you eat that shit like it's a fucking cuisine?" He asked.

"It's all I've ever known." I said, wolfing it down.

Frowning, he went back to his food, making faces with every bite. I couldn't help but laugh a little. Of course, he probably laughed at me behind my back for never knowing about the world around me. I only knew what the world was like now, and not what it was like long before I was around.

Mother walked in, her hair dishelmed and her eyes wild. I looked up and smiled at her. "Hi, Mother." I said casually as she got her food and sat down across from me. "So, have you made up your mind?"

Her eyes instantly darted up from the food to me. "How did you--oh." Her voice went from surprised to deep and annoyed in a matter of seconds. "You were eavesdropping again." I looked down guiltily, nodding. She sighed, putting her spoon down. "Athene, I don't know what to decide. You know I don't want you out there. It's so dangerous, and the Agents..." she drifted off without finishing the sentence. There was no need.

Apparently Notton felt quite awkward, so he got up and left, leaving his bowl on the stand near the door.

"Mother, you know I need to fight. You have been fighting for more than thirteen years now, and even with Daddy you haven't won yet. You heard Morpheus; I may be the one who decides whether we achieve victory or defeat."

She had picked up her spoon and began eating, but now she threw it down where it clattered noisily against the sides of the metal bowl. I nearly jumped in surprise.

"See? See what he's done? It's already begun! Athene, I'm not saying you couldn't help, but look what he's done! He's filling your head with reckless ideas that could end up getting you killed."

"Mom, Doc has the stuff to get me plugged in. All I need is the hole in my neck and I'm in. Please, I have never known any other place than the ship. I'm starting to feel trapped. You say that the people in the Matrix who haven't been freed are in a mental prison, but I feel like I'm in a real prison. You have to let me fight."

"Doc's only been working sickbay for six months. There's no way he has all of the bugs fixed. What if you get permanently stuck in the Matrix? Or if something happens while you're being transferred? I could never forgive myself."

"Are you even considering it? Or have you closed your mind off to the idea just as you are closing me off from a real life away from the ship?"

"You know that's not true!" She exclaimed.

I snorted unpleasantly. "Sure." Standing up, I slam my bowl into the pile that was stacking up, and stormed out of the room, leaving my mother to dine alone.

Tears were pricking behind my eyes, threatening to overflow. I sniffed them back, staring at the floor as I angrily made my way for the front of the ship when I ran right into someone. Looking up, I saw Daddy. Tears had leaked through and I hastily wiped them away. He reached down and held my face up so as to look at my face, even though I'm only a few inches shorter than him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concern etched into every feature.

"Nothing." I said quickly, wanting to get away as quickly as possible, but he still keept me there.

"You're not crying for nothing." He says softly.

I sighed as I had the night before. "I just fought with Mom a little, that's all." I said, walking away.

"About the Matrix?" He called after me. I stood in place. Turning on my heel I faced him once more.

"What do you think I should do, Dad? Do you want me to stay in this godforsaken hunk of metal for the rest of my life, knowing that I could be out there, helping you and mom and Morpheus and every body else?"

It was his turn to sigh, but this wasn't of exasperation. This one was because of having to speak his mind, no matter what his wife might say later.

He crossed the space so he was standing right in front of me. Whispering, he said, "I want you to go, Athene. I know you could help. But at the same time, I don't want you to leave the safety of these walls. There are so many ways you could die out there. The Agents would be desperate to get their hands on you because you're my child." I looked down. I hadn't thought about that.

"But you want me go."

He nodded, a small smile curling the corners of his lips. I hugged him. "Thanks, Dad." And then I continued for the bridge, hoping to find Morpheus and tell him what Dad had said.

I found him not on the bridge, but in his room. Not sleeping of course, but he looked as if he were deep in thought. I stood unnoticed at the doorframe of his room. I cleared my throat and he looked up from his inquisitive pose. His face broke into a smile. "Athene. I haven't seen you around lately."

"Can't imagine why. I've only been on this ship for the past thirteen years." I say softly, not trying to sound like a smartass. He knew I was kidding, and his smile widened.

"So, I guess you've heard," It wasn't a question.

I nodded. "I want to go, you know. More than anything in the world I want to help the Resistance. There are so few of us..." I end wistfully, putting passion into every word.

He took a deep breath. "I want you go to, Athene. You have your father in you, and I know you would be a valuable member. It's Trinity though. She never gives up, which is a wonderful quality, under different circumstances, mind you. She will fight this until either she finally understands the neediness of this or until Neo tells her, though that will take even longer. We need to convince her while there's still time."

"I can take it, you know. Whatever it is that you need me to do, I will have it done." I stated, moving further into the room.

"I know, and that's the problem. You won't consider the risks, and that's why your mother won't let you go."

"Dammit, Morpheus! That's the whole point of being in the Resistance; you do everything you can for the team, no matter the consequences!"

"You don't normally curse..." He was changing the subject.

"Only when I really believe in something," I shoot back.

He sighed, making him look far older than usual. He waved a hand at the door. "Go. I need to think."

"You can't hold this off forever, Morpheus. You said the same thing to my mother, and now I'm telling you now. If you won't have me do it, I'll make Tank or Doc or someone do it for me, with or without your consent," I threatened.

He smiled again. "I know you'll be great." He waved a final time at the door, and I walked out.

Things were so confusing. I walked down to where Scrylla's console sat. She now watched the Matrix, the green letters falling down the screen while certain symbols lit up as they fell. She stared into the infinite depths, now able to decode it with my father's help.

This time I wasn't ignored. She instantly recognized my presence. She had flaming red hair that was very short, as she had been one of our most recent releases. She smiled at me and bobbed her head up in a way of greeting before turning back to the screen.

"Seen anything unusual?" I ask, plopping down into one of the chairs.

She shook her head. "Same as usual. My eyes are starting to hurt though." She turned and grinned. I half-smiled back at her.

"So they want you to go in, don't they?"

"Does everyone know about our family crisis now?" I ask, slightly annoyed.

"Everyone but Tank, but he's always oblivious. Notton told me. Apparently he was present for the mother-daughter conflict at the breakfast table." She gave me a cautious glance out of the corner of her eye.

I looked away. People were so nosy, but what else are you going to do on a ship with no destination?

"Yeah, he was there. Up and left though. Too much emotion for him."

She nodded. "I would have left too, but out of courtesy and privacy, mind you."

"Of course," I said in my most normal voice, trying to filter out the doubt that would have poured fourth had it been anyone else. But Scrylla was new and still adjusting. Everyone was nice to her because we didn't want her to be upset with us. So far, she was great at working the console, and was an excellent combatant from what I heard. Shot with the best accuracy of us all.

I grabbed a tin cup that was resting next to her and took a swig. The minute it hit my lips Scrylla realized what was going on and cried out, "No, Athene, don't drink that!"

Too late. It tasted awful. I spit it out away from the computers, gagging and gasping for air. "What was that stuff?" I ask, wiping my lips. She grinned evilly.

"The only stuff that connects me to what I used to know," She grabbed the cup from me and drank deeply, smacking her lips together after word and letting out a huge sigh. I shuddered.

I stood up, not knowing what else to do. I could try some code breaking on an unused computer, but that was little kid stuff. I did that at five to amuse myself. I found myself heading over to Tank's place. Sprawled before his console were ten chairs arranged in a semicircle. We always had extras, in case we picked up any more freed people. I ran a hand longingly along one of the chairs, wishing I could go and learn and fight for my race. Tank came up behind me.

"You get used to it."

I turned around, a confused look upon my face.

"To staying behind. You get used to it."

"Not if you don't have anything to do. Not if you're a useless person who just can't be hooked up. At least you have to be Operator; I just hang around like a dead CPU." I say bitterly.

"You aren't useless," He said, staring down at me. "You're a huge help around the ship. You understand the Matrix more than most of us. Not to mention your Neo's kid," he said with a smile.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. This is how I was always seen: as Neo's kid, or as Trinity's kid. Even if I were twenty-one, -- God forbid I live that long -- I'll still be seen as their kid. How lame!

"Would you let me be plugged?" I asked, not looking at him.

"Yes.," He answered in a heartbeat. I merely nodded in acknowledgment. Almost everyone on the ship wanted me go to but mother. She was so stubborn! I had to convince her, to tell her I'd be okay...

That night, when Mother and Daddy were settling in for the night, I walked into their room. Daddy watched me with a look of confusion, while Mother with a look of apprehension. I crossed the room to stand before her, then kneeling to my feet. It only took a few steps. I stared her in the eyes, and then spoke the speech that had been stewing in my head for the whole day.

"Mom, I can't tell what to do. I can only tell you what's in my heart. And right now, what's in my heart, is fighting for our cause. I know that I can help in at least some small way, and even if it's not much, I want to be with you and Daddy. I always feel like a third wheel around everyone because I hardly do anything but hang around. I want to see the world before it was destroyed; made into the horrible place it is now. But most of all, I want to fight." I took a breath, staring her in the eyes still, never breaking my gaze. She held it as well, hardly blinking. "Please," I whispered, not knowing what else to see. I pleaded with her with my eyes, trying to make her see just how much I needed this.

She pursed her lips, then licked them. Finally, she nodded. Her eyes carried a heavy, irreversible sadness, but she had nodded. A slow smile curled my lips. I hardly ever smiled, but I smiled now, and hugged her. "Thank you," I whispered in her ear. Opening my eyes, I saw Daddy over her shoulder, his eyes twinkling as he watched me. He gave a slight nod of approval, and I suddenly felt warm all over. I always felt good when I pleased him, for some reason. I pulled back, grinning as widely as ever. "I have to tell Morpheus!" I exclaimed, tearing from the room.

I had always viewed Morpheus like an uncle, as I didn't have a real one, or at least one that I knew. Running down the hall, he was sitting at the front of the ship, steering.

"Morpheus!" I panted. "Morpheus, she said yes! I can go! She said yes!"

He turned and then hugged me. He hardly ever connected with the crew like this, but I was usually the exception, just because I was the only kid born on the ship. Oh well, it was nice. I pulled back, still grinning. "So when do I get my hole?" I asked, feeling almost giddy.

He smiled, but shook his head. "Not for a little while. I need to talk to Doc and see if he really is ready. You know how he is; all talk, little show. But I believe he can do this.," He was still smiling. I felt my face fall a little. He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll have it soon enough. Just have patience." I nodded, smiling full force again. I tore off for my room, but I was too wide-awake to sleep now. I lay on my back on the mattress; my eyes wide open, studying the ceiling, counting the bolts that held the metal above me. I was still grinning.

But it suddenly hit me what I was about to do. A hole was about to be put right at the base of my head, in the back of my neck. I instinctively put a hand to that point, subconsciously wincing. I hoped they would have me deep, deep asleep for this procedure. I definitely did not want to be awake. Still, I would finally have a chance to get out of the ship, to leave, to be free. I could hardly wait.

By morning, everyone had heard about my being hooked up soon. Everyone was always giving me encouraging smiles, and patting me on the back. I didn't mind the fact that they were happy for me to go, but I didn't like all of the extra attention. I wanted them to go back to treating me like they used to.

Two days after I talked to Morpheus I was sent to see Doc. Walking towards the very back of the ship, he sat toiling away at some tools and implements on a table, examining them closely with both his eyes and a microscope. He immediately stopped when I entered the room. Turning, he gave me a huge grin. We didn't have much of a uniform code on here, but Doc had a small red cross on the right side of his chest, just below the shoulder.

"So, ready to get your hole?"

I blanched. "You mean, you're administering it today?"

"No, no! Of course not! I'm just joking with you!" He chuckled. He was one of the oldest members on the ship. People were never released over the age of sixty, and Doc was fifty-five. He was the oldest member of our ship, and we had picked him up several years ago, when we were still rebuilding the crew. Being a resident of Zion and working as a medical advisor, we decided we needed him to replace Dozer. No one else had much experience in the way of medicine. We all respected him greatly, but not half as much as we respected Morpheus.

He patted the metal table, still smiling. "Hop on up, dear. Gotta give you a check over before we plug you in."

Turning with my back to the table, I push myself up so my legs dangle over the side. The metal is freezing cold; pressing against the skin that was exposed by holes in my clothing. I shivered involuntarily. He chuckled, his smile fading slightly as he got to work. He pulled out, if I remembered correctly from the various other check ups that Doc gave me, a stethoscope, putting two of the three prongs in his ears, while the third, rounder end he pressed against my chest. "Breathe in deeply for me.," He said. Feeling confused, I did what he said. With each breath, the placing of the silver metal changed. Then he did my back.

"Well, no irregularities there. Let's move on."

He pulled out another long metal thing, a thermometer, I think. He placed it in my mouth, under my tongue, leaving it there for several minutes before taking it out. Checking it, he made a noise that sounded like "Mmhm," while writing something down on a piece of paper. He proceeded to whack my knees and ankles with a small, hammer-like thing, and then made my eyes follow a light. I felt quite stupid throughout the entire thing, and it took all my energy not to burst out laughing as I swiveled my eyes around to follow the small bulb. Then, he made me do the stupidest thing of all. I had to walk across the room in several different fashions, on my tippy-toes as he called it, on my heels, and then as if I were on a thing called a tightrope. I looked at him, puzzled.

"Oh yes. Sorry, I forgot. Just uh, walk putting your heel to the toes of the leading foot." I nodded, understanding now. I did all of this, and he wrote it down. I felt as if an hour of my life had just been taken away.

'Oh well, at least it gave me something to do,' I thought, still feeling foolish.

Finally, he made me stand on a scale, weighing me. Then, I stood against a wall and he used an old tape measure to measure my height. Recording all of this, he took several minutes to study his notes. Finally, he looked up and smiled at me. "You check out great. I think you'll make a great asset to the team. Welcome aboard." He reached out and shook my hand. I suddenly felt accepted, as if I had never been really part of the crew until now. I couldn't stop the smile that was dawning on my face. It felt good to smile, as I had done so little of it in the past years. I exited feeling more hopeful that ever. I stopped at the door, and then turned around.

"How long do you think it will take before I can actually get hooked up?"

He leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "If your mother allows it, tomorrow."

I could feel my jaw dropping slightly. I nodded, and ran. I ran to the food room. Sticks was already sitting there, his brown hair standing up all over the place. He had apparently abandoned the use of a comb years ago; so now it just grew all of it's own accord. A fairly well built guy from working on the ship, he sat hunched over his bowl of food, scooping it into his mouth.

"Hey," He said through a mouthful of slop. "So, how does it feel to be part of the team?"

I sighed a tired sigh. He laughed. "You'll get used to it. A couple hours of uploading should do you in. Trust me, it's a doozy."

I nodded, having never really considered the actual training. I had only thought about the actual Matrix and defeating the Agents.

Finishing the last of his food by pouring it into his mouth, he slapped me on the back, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. Walking out, I was left alone, but this time I didn't go anywhere. I just sat in my seat, thinking. What would the uploading be like? Everyone said the first five minutes were the most painful, but then it's like you crave it, and just want more.

I had watched people on the monitor: the jump, the training. And now it would be my turn. Did I really think I could handle all of that pain this young? Was I that foolhardy?

I shook my head. No, Athene. Don't do this; you're talking yourself out of what you want more than anything. Just stop.

I took a deep breath, as if trying to ease a pain that was already eating away at me. I headed back to my chamber with a small, hand-held computer.

'Maybe I'll do some hacking just to entertain myself,' I considered. I typed with my two main fingers on my right hand, holding the thing steady in my left, getting into the Matrix mainframe and probing the information. There was hardly anything new. A few walls had been switched around due to previous missions we had administered, but otherwise it was still all the same. I sat the device on the floor, rolling onto my back and sighing, yearning for when I could finally get plugged in. It would at least give me something to do. I issued a sound from the back of my throat in frustration, not knowing what else to do. How had I lived like this for thirteen years?

I felt like a trapped animal. I literally felt like clawing at the walls, trying to free myself from this prison. I was considering going to the front of the ship, taking hold, and taking us down to Zion, just to be able to walk around a new place, see something, hear something, feel something new. Zion was a mere shell of her former self, and it wasn't that great a sight, but it was better than this godforsaken ship that I was now bone weary of. I hated every bolt, every strip of metal that held her together, because every bolt and every strip of metal was what was detaining me from a real life. Now I hated the Machines. It was them. They were the reason I was kept here, waiting for my release, though if I were to look at it from the point of view of someone who's been plugged in, for my capture. I was going into a world where people were kept on a farm and used as pawns in a game so much greater than them, they'd probably rather die than know the truth. But if they would open their minds to the freeing truth, we could destroy Them. There would be too many of us, if we got our hands on the right equipment, for them to stop us. We would gain control of the world again, though it would be almost impossible to live as the human race did years ago. Humans killed the sun in an effort to stop them, and we need sun to survive. Perhaps, with technology taken from the Machines, we could find a planet that could house us. Mars maybe, or Io, one of the moons from Jupiter. We would find a way to thrive once more.

I had to get out of here. It wasn't a question or a request. It was a demand. I jumped from my bed and strode purposely for Doc's medical wing. I found him bent over several pieces of paper attached to a makeshift clipboard, while simultaneously consulting his computer.

"Doc," I called out, making him snap his head over my way. "I want to be plugged in."

He gave me an appraising look. "Tomorrow. We'll start tomorrow. But first, let me be so I can finish the program." He ended with a wink. I could feel myself getting even more anxious.

How was I going to wait until tomorrow?

It was easier than I had first feared, although when it finally came I wished I had just waited.

Running back to my room to try and calm my nerves, I pulled out an old and tattered thing called a 'book'. Tank had gotten it in Zion, one of the few of its kind left. It was his special gift to me for one of my birthdays. It was called 'The Odyssey' and it was written by a man who lived an extremely long time ago named Homer. It was quite engaging, really, though some of what they were saying was lost on me. No one talked like that any more, and sometimes, when my pride would let me, I would ask either Morpheus or Tank what it meant. Usually it would be Morpheus. Soon enough the ancient chatter had made my eyelids droop and I fell asleep, not even dreaming.

When I finally awoke, it was because I was being shaken. Scrylla was shaking me roughly, her flaming hair the first thing I saw before she finally blurred into focus.

"It's time.," She said, a smile curling her lips slightly.

This woke me up. I jumped up, wrapping my fingers around my hair and smoothing it out behind my head. I followed Scrylla's quick steps as we went to the Sickbay. Morpheus, Mom, Daddy, and Doc were already there, waiting.

"Are you ready?" He asked softly, and I nodded. He patted the table again, only this time it was in a slightly somber way. "Lay down." He turned around and returned with a sharp needle-like implement in his hand. "I'm going to insert this in you and it's going to make you fall into a very deep, deep sleep. You'll also be quite numb so as not to feel too much pain. By the time you wake up, we should be done. Okay?"

I licked my lips slowly, and nodded. He depressed one end of the barrel, causing a liquid to shoot out the needle end. Lifting the sleeve of my arm, he plunged the needle into my upper arm, making me cry out. Pulling it out, my arm felt as if it had fallen asleep, and I was not far behind. Almost immediately, my eyes felt as if lead was implanted in them. Things blurred together, until the last thing I saw was a giant light behind pulled over my head, and then passing out.

Sometime later, I came to, the giant light blinding me again. I could feel something going on in my neck, like pain but not quite, as if from a far away place. My father's face swam in and out of vision, leaning in close to me, smoothing my hair away from my face.

"Soon.," Was all he said, and the words echoed in my head before all went black again.

When I finally came back again, I was in my room as if nothing had happened and the whole procedure was just a dream. I was lying on my stomach, my neck and shoulders aching. With a slight moan, I reached behind my head to rub my neck, but as soon as my fingers brushed skin I pulled it back, my eyes widening, a sudden jolt rushing through my body, because what I had brushed was not skin.

Swallowing hard, I reached back again. This time, I left my fingers there, despite the slight pain that I felt with the depression of fingers against such a tender spot.

It felt like a plastic-metallic circle at the nape of my neck. The outer ring was about three fourths of an inch thick, while the inner ring was very thin and metallic. The metal was cold to the touch, and it made me shiver. Not from the icy bite that had nipped my fingers, but realizing that I now had a hole the size of a penny in the back of my neck. And it hurt like heck.

I slowly sat up, feeling somehow disfigured. My hair fell down over it easily, tickling the hole and sending slight sparks of pain. I grabbed a piece of cloth and pulled my hair into a bun, keeping the new addition away from anything that might agitate it. Feeling again, I felt that there was a small, two inch wide radius of hair shaved off, my scalp quite evident, and I imagined a small semi-circle cut into my hair as it was pulled tight into the loose twist that I now wore higher than usual.

Now staying as clear of the 'wound' as possible, I rubbed my shoulders, trying to rid them of the aching feeling. I slowly walked out of my room, a slight wobbling to my movement. Prait was in the hallway, talking with Tank. Both turned to me at the same time, but said nothing. Just gave me a glance over, staying silent. Tank had a whisper of a smile on his lips, and Prait was looking slightly sick. I could understand that. I was feeling slightly sick myself.

"How're you doing?" Asked Tank, walking over.

I merely nodded, not trusting myself with words at the moment.

"Did Doc tell you how long it might be before you can get plugged in?" Prait asked in a quiet voice.

I shrugged. He really hadn't said anything about that, come to think of it. I'd have to ask him. I started making my way for that way, but Tank stopped me.

"He's in his quarters. He hadn't slept in twenty-six hours, your procedure took so long." I stopped, and turned around, starting to head for the Dorms, as many referred to it. Through my slight haze I counted the doors along the wall. Five...six...seven. I knocked tentatively on the door. No answer.

"He needs sleep, Athene. It's best to leave him alone until he has had some," Came a voice from behind.

Morpheus stood behind me, resting his hand on my shoulder. I slowly turned around.

"How long before I can be plugged in?" I asked, the words tumbling out before I could think of a more subtle way of asking.

He looked me up and down, giving me another appraising look. "Now, if you feel up to it. Just make sure your mother doesn't know until it's too late." He smiled a slight smile. I smiled faintly at him and nodded vigorously, though the effort made pain shoot up and down my back and I stopped abruptly. I felt as if I would never need to sleep again.

"Come then.," He said, turning and heading for the core, quickly whispering to Tank, who cursed aloud, but whispered something back. They had a quick, two-minute conversation before Tank, wearing a large grin on his face, joined Morpheus and me.

Finally getting to the wing, Tank flopped into his well-worn chair before the console, lacing his fingers and turning them out, cracking them before he started to work tapping and punching out codes with amazing speed and accuracy upon the keyboard. He suddenly stopped. "I need someone to assist," He said urgently. Flicking his eyes at Morpheus, he jumped up and ran off, quickly returning with Prait, who was wearing a similar dopey grin. Sitting back before his space once more, he became almost invisible behind the piles of monitors and CPU's. I sat down up on one of the reclined chairs across from Morpheus, who paced slightly before me, my back raised from the almost flat position that the chairs usually rested in. Prait put a hand on my collarbone and pushed me back gently until I lying down, eyes flicking around the room nervously, though his smile never faltered.

"This is going to feel...a little weird," he said. I furrowed my brows slightly, resting my head down, as Prait bent down to get something, though it was hidden from my sight. Suddenly, a feeling like the icicles my mother had told me about being shoved right into the new hole in the back of my neck burst into my system, making my cry out in pain. No sooner had the sound left my lips than I was in a white room, where the walls connected with the ceiling and floor almost seamlessly, making as if I were in a giant white sphere. Suddenly, the white room was gone and images were flashing in quite rapid succession across my eyelids, making them flutter, but not open enough to be back in the real world. Men in white suits kicked, punched, jumped and seemed to fly everywhere, and while they did this, all of it, every action, was imprinted upon my mind, though the pain was excruciating. I yelled some more, and it stopped as soon as soon as it had started.

"You okay?" asked Tank.

Gasping for air as if I had been holding my breath the entire time, I nodded, unable to speak. Tank grinned again, and it all started up once more.

It continued again, the men in white suddenly jumping out at me, though never actually hitting me until it suddenly stopped. Though I had been going for five hours straight, it was such an abrupt stop it took me by surprise. I squeezed my eyes shut, blocking out everything, and then flew them open. I was back on the ship again, Morpheus and Prait watching me with scrutinizing eyes. My breathing was labored, but I was suffocating as I had been before. Morpheus turned to the panel.

"Are you finished? Is that all?"

Unable to see from my spot lying down, I assumed Tank had nodded because Morpheus turned back to me. "Do you want to go directly into sparring?"

I waited a few minutes, sizing him up. He was far larger than me, but something in the back of my mind told me I could take him. I suppressed a smile, and nodded. Morpheus grinned, although his wasn't as half as dopey as everyone else's. It was a superior smile, as if he knew something I didn't. Still grinning, he backed up and laid down in one of the chairs. Prait walked over, putting the cuffs over his and feet, inserting the metallic rod and suddenly Morpheus was, mentally, gone. Walking over, Prait repeated the process with me. I couldn't help yelling out again. It hurt so bad!

But no sooner did I yell was I in a different place again, this time a room with a springy floor, and very thin, paper walls that were cut into squares by the pattern that the wooden beams made. I looked down. I was cloaked in a rich, blue, robe-like shirt, with loose fitting pants of the same color, trimmed in a deep green. Somehow, something told me what to do. I pulled my legs apart in some kind of stance, I wasn't sure which, and parted my arms into a fighting stance. Morpheus merely stood there, his hands folded over the other, glancing knowingly at me.

"The niceties must be observed first. Didn't you pick that up in the Uploading?"

Oh. Duh. I copied Morpheus' stance, my legs locked together and hands folded over the other. Morpheus bowed, and I did also, though not as deeply as he did. Now, he pulled back into a fighting stance and I mirrored it. I wasn't sure what form he was going to strike with first, but I didn't have much time to think about it, as suddenly his fists were flying at me, hitting my in the shoulders. I instinctively ducked, landing with one leg bent and the other strait, my hands curved so the tips brushed the ground and swung my leg out, trying to trip him, but he jumped. I rolled under him, coming up behind and gave my highest tornado kick, but was so fast! Whatever I pulled he countered with greater speed and accuracy.

Finally, I was mad. I had him in the perfect position, and punched hard aiming right for his face. He caught my arm, and flipped me over his shoulder, making me land on my back and knocking the wind out of my lungs. Pain racked the entire back part of my body, and I hissed air back into my system, trying to regain my breath. Morpheus stood in a regal stance, his legs locked together, though his hands were locked behind his back. He grinned that same knowing smile down at me.

"Come on, Athene. Don't play games. I'm trying to teach you, but if you won't even apply yourself, let's give up."

My blood boiled at these comments. How could he do this? He knew I was just starting out! I bared my teeth, clenched together, snapping myself into fighting stance in the most powerful way I could muster, wanting to seem like I was someone to be reckoned with. I ran for him, his back was turned and he didn't seem to see me, but at the very last second, his wrist shot into view at the exact level of my face and I ran right into it, and blood starting gushing from my nose. I cried out, back away and holding my nose in my hand. Morpheus came around again and the deadly dance began once more. Punch, kick, duck, spin, jump, elbow, knife hand, spear hand, I ran the moves over in my head as my body lashed out with each command.

Somewhere when we were punching with each other Morpheus was still smiling.

"Come on Athene! You're better than this! We didn't go to all this trouble just so you could flop around!"

Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew what he was doing, but at this point I really didn't care because the rest of my mind was blinded with rage. I lashed out with even more fury and ferocity. I was lashing with my fists, him blocking every move when a thought suddenly bubbled in my head.

I spun around as if to do a back kick but at the last moment flipped over at incredible speed, tumbling over myself, landing on my feet right behind him and kicked right between his shoulder blades. His body arched back and he fell to the ground. I jumped down and twisted his arm behind him, my wrist cocked and ready to punch. Holding him there for a few seconds, I then got up off him to allow him to get up again. When he turned around, his smile had widened even further. It was eerie.

"I told you you could do better."

I now felt drained, as if I had used every ounce of my energy. But no, I was back on the ship again, feeling very tired. The instant the pike was out of my head and my hands were free, I went to my nose and drew back blood. Scowling over at Morpheus, I couldn't help but smile at the proud grin on his face. Wiping away the bloody mess from my face with my sleeve, I realized that the whole crew was gathered around Tank's console and mother suddenly dashed from the group, enveloping me in her grasp.

"Why didn't you tell me, Athene? I was so worried when I couldn't find you, and then Sticks here told me you were fighting Morpheus..." Now she rounded on him. "Morpheus, how could you! I wanted to talk to her first, warn her! Look what you did, you gave her a bloody nose!"

Morpheus continued to smile at her, but now his smile wandered over her shoulder to the person behind her. Wiggling out from my mother's grasp, I looked up.

Dad stood there, grinning the proudest grin I've ever seen. He nodded at me. This was his approval, and I felt filled again.

"She moves almost as quickly as you, Neo. Truly, this is your offspring."

"She's also truly her mother's," he said in reply. "No one could move with as much animalistic grace as she showed." He smiled at me again and I felt myself glow. Mom grabbed my hand and squeezed it, though in a loving way this time. It was the first time I'd ever been called graceful.

"Next time we'll have to show her the real Matrix.," Mom said quietly.

"But isn't it practically the same thing?" I asked, slightly confused.

"It was our program that we formed using the same principals as the Matrix," Said Morpheus in reply. "In the real program, we have no control over what happens. The Agents do."

I nodded, understanding.

"The real Matrix is even prettier than that, though, we could simulate the same thing, only it wouldn't just be images. It would be the actual people who are still plugged in, not simulated," Pointed out Dad. "But you'll like it, except for the Agents shooting at you and all."

They chuckled darkly, even though it wasn't funny at all.

"So when do I get to go to the real thing?" I asked anxiously. Dad cast a sideways glance at Mom, who put a hand to her mouth and looked away.

"Not today," He said quietly, ruffling my hair.

I nod and bow my head.

"Get some rest, Athene. You'll need it." Said Morpheus in a final tone, and with that I headed off for my room. The instant my head touched the worn mattress, I was asleep.

Though it was all a mind game, I still felt as if I had done all of that in real life. I understood that because my mind thought it, it made it real, but it didn't make me once ounce less tired. I slept for what seemed like days, the only thing waking me being hunger.

I didn't want to leave the comfort and sanctity of my room, but the growling pain in my stomach made me get up and have some nourishment. I wolfed it quickly, even though my body still felt incredibly sluggish. As soon as the bowl was empty, I wanted to go back to sleep, and it felt as if I was pulling the weight of the world as I slumped back to my bed, where I surprisingly didn't fall back asleep. I rolled and tossed into all kinds of different positions, but I just could not go back to Dreamland. I beat the mattress with my fists, though I didn't expect that to help. I sighed, putting my hands over my face and breathing out heavily. Resigning myself to it, I sat up. Reaching over to the table that rested by my bed, I grabbed my book and immersed myself in it.

So far in my book, I was only up to Odysseus fighting the Cyclops, Polyphemus, and how three of his men had been eaten already. It wasn't very descriptive, the words were actually quite plain, but I could easily picture Prait being picked up by the back of his shirt and dropped into the mouth of a gigantic man with one eye. I shuddered at the image and shut the book. Now things were just miserable. I couldn't sleep, couldn't read...what was there to do without leaving my room.

I tried to remember the stories my mother had told me as a little girl. Little Goldilocks and how she had broken into the home of three bears, which I didn't know how to picture until she explained it to me. Even then, after she had explained what bears were, I had questioned the entire story. Like, 'How did these bears come into the possession of an entire cottage? Why did they have chairs, and beds, when they can't even use these pieces of furniture? And why are they eating porridge, if they eat fish and plants as you have told me?' Now I regret that. I wish I hadn't been so analytical by nature, and just gone along with things. But now I'm like how I am now. Cold and untrusting.

Fuming, I wished I could sleep, because if we were going in tomorrow as I hoped we were, I'd be tired beyond belief. I ripped the blanket off my bed and wrapped it around my shoulders and walked out, the ends trailing on the floor. I wandered around the ship like a lost soul. Everyone was asleep, except for Morpheus and Prait, who always worked at the helm. I stayed clear of there, and merely inspected every part of the ship, memorizing every bolt and pipe, the memories burned into my mind. My eyelids felt heavy and my legs felt as if I had just run a mile. I walked down to a slightly hidden hallway, my footsteps echoing off of the grated metal floors and bouncing off the metallic walls. Leaning against one wall, I sank to the floor, collapsing in a heap, the blanket piling around me. Leaning my head back against the wall, I closed my eyes, breathing out gently. I felt wasted, just like I should after having been uploading for five hours straight. I sat there, my breaths hanging in the air and coming back twice as loud.

Sudden footsteps startled me, making my eyelids snap open and my head rise off its resting place against the wall. Looking down the way, I saw my father, his dark hair contrasting with his pale skin, but blending into the shadows easily. I sighed and leaned my head against the wall again. He came closer, being able to tell by the volume of his steps. He sat down next to me. I didn't even acknowledge his existence.

"Was I really that loud?" I asked, not even looking at him,

"No, I just couldn't sleep. I usually come here, especially after spewing all over it right after I'd been released."

I sprung from my seat, disgusted. He laughed. "That was before you were even being thought about being born hon. It's okay."

I sat down again, giving him an angry look that quickly melted into a gentle smile. "So, what kept you up?"

"Of all the things in the world...you!" He said, turning and giving me a sarcastic smile.

I chuckled darkly. "And what was it this time? My possible death in the Matrix...what?"

"Just thoughts," He said simply, turning away.

There was a long silence. A thought suddenly struck me.

"You never talk about your time in the Matrix. What was your family in the Matrix like? How was your childhood?"

He took a long breath, as if this were painful. Not turning to face me, he started to speak.

"My mom's name was Catherine and my father's name was Thomas, the same as my Matrix given name. I was Thomas Jr. Anderson. My father was a science professor at the local high school. My mom was unemployed and stayed at home with me...and my little brother, Kyle. We were a fairly normal family. Kyle and me were the best in all of our classes, but I was hopelessly better at math than him. We were always ahead of the class in science because of our father's profession. He would bring home chemical kits and such for us to play and tinker with. It was okay.

"Then our little family unit fell apart. When I turned 17 and Kyle 15, he had an older friend who drove a motorcycle. Kyle got a ride with him to some party. That night at around one in the morning, we got a call saying that a car had hit him. His friend was in critical condition, but Kyle had been DOA. I didn't think life was fair, after that. The kid that got him killed was living but not my brother. Our family was now so separate, it was like we were just tenants in a boarding house.

"Finally, when I was about eighteen, --I hadn't gone to college, so I could help support my family. My dad lost his job because after Kyle's death he had just stopped trying, and mom was too traumatized to do anything-- Dad brought home a CPU. I was intrigued. It was something I had only read about, and I was anxious to see how they really worked. I took it up to my room. I think Dad really wanted it for himself, but was too happy that I wanted it that he didn't care. I tinkered with that hunk of shit for hours, plugging it into every hold in the wall, trying to connect the cords to other things. Made my room look like the inside of the machine itself! Finally, one day when I finally got it to work, the screen lit up with the Matrix. At first, I had no idea what the hell it was I was looking at. I thought all computers did that at first, like some kind of coding they had to run through. Only when I finally started to understand computers that I realized they weren't supposed to do that. I started searching everywhere for that code again, but I never came past it. The Internet was a blessing and a wonderful window of opportunity. An even bigger chance to look for the green-lettered code. Finally, the name Morpheus came into the picture.

"I had finally gone off to college to see if I could get a majors in computers and was playing with a junky laptop I had bought off a guy for forty bucks. Tapping away that night in my dorm room at around two in the morning. I came across the green letters again, but it was just a flash, just like the first time, only this time around it was followed with a news report site. It telling about this internationally wanted hacker who went by the name Morpheus. I knew this guy was my idol. I wanted to find him and talk to him. By this time I had already become far more accustomed to the name 'Neo' than 'Thomas'. This was my hacking name. I had already hacked into hundreds of files, for my own pleasure at the beginning, then for money as people wanted me to check on files and download top secret information for them. I made a lot of cash that way, and that's what got me through the rest of college. I barely got through college, and got a job at a computer software designing company, and got a good pay there. But I still made a lot of money on the side by downloading things just as I had done in college. And then, I was released." He stopped there, having spoken in a monotone in almost the entire story. It was unnerving.

"What happened? I mean, once you were released? How did you find out you were the One?"

He gave me another funny look, as if trying to decide whether I was up to it, or he was. Taking another deep breath, this time because of lack of oxygen, he started again. Launching into the story of how mom had hacked into his computer and typed the cryptic messages on the screen so she could meet him at the nightclub. About how the Agents had found him at work and taken him into custody, bugging him and then being taken to Morpheus and taking the red pill over the blue pill. How he had been taken to the Oracle and told that he wasn't the One. Morpheus' capture and how he and Mom had had to go and save him. How he had been shot at least ten times in the chest, but had not died. How he had stopped the bullets in midair and destroyed the lead Agent, Agent Smith.

When he finished, we sat in an awkward silence. Now I was looking at him funny. Why had he never told me these things? Why had I always lived in shadow? I suddenly reached over and flung my arms around him, and he gathered me in to return the hug. We sat there, holding each other for a while. Finally, he kissed the top of my head.

"You better go to sleep. You need to finish your uploading if you want to go in tomorrow." I nodded and stood up. Turning to head for my quarters, I stopped and turned on my heel.

"Thank you," I said, staring him in the eyes.

"For what?" He asked, slightly confused and standing up.

"For everything," I walked up and kissed him on the cheek. "'Night dad."

"Good night, Athene."

I started to walk for my quarters once more, feeling even more ready for tomorrow than I ever had.

* * * * *

Editor's note: As you may notice, we edited this chapter, so please, nothing more about the Cypher mistake. Oh, we corrected some grammar and spelling errors too. Also, the line 'This will feel...a little weird" was resurrected just because it's such a wonderful line. Again, all credit goes to the Wachowski Bros. for being the genius' they are.

-Xenogears