AN: Okay, here goes. I'm really bad at Matrix fanfiction, but I like writing it. So here u go. Also, if these characters suck...please review and tell me!
Disclaimer: Yes, I own The Matrix, I own Keanu. He is mine. *blinks* oh, just a dream.
Title: The next Generation.
~~~
"Hey, Apoc, wait up." Sighing, Apoc stopped and waited for his twin sister Switch. She smiled at him as she caught up and they resumed walking. "You seen little bro? Or sis?"
"Nope." He replied. "I suspect Mouse is with his newest girl and Splinter, well, I have no idea where she is."
Switch turned to Apoc and stared at him for a second. "What do you mean you don't know where Splinter is?"
She turned around and started to walk back the way she had come from. Apoc ran after her and grabbed her arm. "Switch, we never know what she gets up to, and what makes you think you can find her?"
She sighed again for good measure and turned back around, heading towards the library to study for the last test, the one they needed to get them on the ship with their parents.
Her mind wandered to her siblings. The older twins were totally different from the younger two. Apoc was tall, well muscled with dark hair and he had his admirers. Switch was tall too, with very short blonde hair that she recently bleached. Neither were anything like their parents, more like the famous hackers they were named after.
Mouse was just like who he was named after. The original Mouse from the Nebuchadnezzar. He was smart, funny and had a way with the ladies. He had inherited his father's good looks, and at 17, he had all the girls at the small Zion school at his feet. He was so smart actually that the headmaster had granted him permission to leave school for a few years to join his twin siblings and his mother and father on the Nebuchadnezzar 2.
Splinter on the other hand was different. She was a shy girl, with her mothers looks, tall, dark hair that fell over her face and very, very smart. She was the top in all her classes, and she was the best hacker around. She could crack into any computer in Zion. Even the Zion mainframe computer. Boy, she got into so much trouble for that one. But Switch was secretly very proud of her. She created viruses to challenge anyone's and used them whenever she felt the need. She was the smartest 16 year old in Zion. And probably the most feared too.
"What?" Apoc asked. "What's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing." She replied. "Where do you think Splinter is?"
"I really don't know. She could be anywhere. Last time wasn't she at that club? You know, The Matrix." He answered, referring to the club that was named after the original Matrix. It opened right after the original Matrix was destroyed. It was destroyed before the twins were born so all the four siblings knew about it was told to them by their parents.
"Well." Switch stopped and looked at the library in front of them. "I think we have studied enough. Don't you? We have studied for the past week and we already know the stuff, let's take a break."
She smiled wickedly at her brother and started to walk in the direction of The Matrix. She called to Apoc over her shoulder and he started after her. As they neared The Matrix, they could feel the beat in the ground. Switch grinned at Apoc and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the club.
~~~
She saw them before they saw her and she groaned. She was going to be in trouble. She watched them for a second but was a little thrown back by the smiles on their faces.
"Weird." She muttered. "Totally weird."
"Hey Splinter, I need a worm for Ice." Splinter's head snapped up and she growled at her best friend, Cyclone. "Oops. Sorry. Forgot."
Cyclone sat down next to Splinter and peered over her shoulder at the small computer screen. Splinter's fingers flew around the keyboard for a second or two, fished a disk out of the little shoulder back next to her and slipped it in.
"One, two, three, bingo." She whispered, grinning from ear to ear. She pressed the little button to eject the disk and passed it to Cyclone. "Take care. I mean it this time. I nearly got caught last time."
"What's on the disk?" Splinter closed her eyes and moaned. "Splinter, what's on the disk?"
"Hey to you too Switch, Apoc." She opened her eyes after a second or two and stared at her siblings. They maybe three years older but they didn't scare her. Well, much. "Umm, nothing."
"Yeah right." Switch answered her, flopping down next to her. "What is it this time?"
Splinter saw the twinkle in her eye and grinned. Switch was her favourite sister. Okay, her only sister but she was cool. "Nothing big, just a small worm for Cyclone to feed into her ex's computer."
Apoc frowned at the two but was interrupted mid-frown. "Apoc, imagine seeing you here."
'Oh God. Help me'. He thought, turning to the honey sweet voice. "Hey there Vixen, how are you?"
The slight red-head smiled at him and placed a huge kiss on his cheek. "I never imagined to see you here."
He looked at her very slightly clad body and replied. "I knew you would be here."
The smile instantly left her face and she pouted at him. He forced a smile and her frown turned upside down. "You want to dance, Apoc darling?"
"Ahh, I don't dance." He replied. She shook her head at him and frowned slightly. He tried to smile at her but it came out as more of a grimace. That made her leave.
"Great one Romeo." Switch laughed. She had been watching the entire episode. He glanced over at Splinter and saw her smile slightly.
"You think that's funny do you?" He inquired, sitting down next to her. Switch sat on the opposite side of her. She nodded; the smile widened.
"Have you ever wondered why your mouth is so big bro?" Switch asked him. He shook his head, smiling.
"So your big feet can fit into it." Splinter finished for her, pointing at his large feet.
"Well excuse me little miss lanky." He replied, poking her in the ribs. She smiled at him but then her laptop emitted a small beep and she turned all her attention to it. He peered over her shoulder but received an elbow in the ribs.
"Hey, do I read your mail?" She asked him acidly.
"I dunno, you might have hacked into my computer..." He started, but was interrupted by Splinter's happy cry.
"Mum and dad coming to visit." She announced, looking up excitedly at her siblings.
When they were all younger, their parents went off a lot to fight the remaining sentinels and A.I. robots. They knew their parents loved them but they were married to the job. When the twins were old enough to look after the house by themselves, their parents left for longer periods of time, but they never missed anything crucial, like Splinter's first trip to the headmaster's office for hacking into the schools computer and changing everyone's marks to A's, at the age of nine. Or the twin's formal. They loved their kids but they did stay on the Neb 2 a lot, so it was nice when they came home.
"Cool, when?" Switch asked, peering over Splinter's shoulder. Apoc started to protest but instead he peered over her shoulder too.
"Doesn't really say." Splinter answered. "And all it really says is that we will see them soon. I assume they are coming to visit."
"Cool." Replied Cyclone.
~~~
Tapping his foot to the beat, he tightened the grip on his new girlfriend's waist. She turned her head and smiled at him.
"Come on, let's dance." She said, pulling him onto the dance floor. He laughed at her and obliged by following.
They got onto the dance floor and started to dance. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Her body pressed to his, he felt her heart hammering and he smiled. With two fingers under her chin he lifted her head to look at him and lowered his lips toward hers. She closed her eyes and...
"Mouse, long time no see." Apoc butted in.
"Shit." Mouse whispered softly, lifting his head up and turning towards his brother's voice. "Apoc. Switch. Splinter. Cyclone."
Each greeting was short and harsh; he was annoyed and he wanted them to know it.
"Mouse." Switch, Splinter and Cyclone replied, just as short and harsh.
"Guys, meet Mercuri. My girlfriend." He told them. He pointed out each to her and asked if they wanted to go somewhere more private to talk. Switch and Apoc nodded and Splinter and Cyclone just followed.
They arrived at an empty booth and they slipped in. Switch, Splinter and Cyclone on one side and Mercuri, Mouse and Apoc on the other. Splinter immediately got her laptop out and turned it on, trying to avoid a family feud. Apoc and Switch just stared at Mouse.
"I thought you guys would be studying." Mouse said to them, implying it as a question. "You know, the one to get you two on the Neb 2 with me, mum and dad."
"Yeah, thanks for reminding me." Apoc said. "Mum and dad are coming to visit."
"Ah, no they're not." Replied Splinter, looking up from her computer. "We are going to them."
"All of us?" Mouse inquired, looking at Splinter. "Even you?"
"Hey, Mouse, leave her alone." Switch replied. "If mum and dad said all of us, then all of us will be going."
Splinter nodded and glared at her brother. Apoc grinned until she glared at him too.
"When do you go?" Mercuri asked, speaking for the first time. She took Mouse's hand. "How are you getting to them?"
"Well." Splinter clicked around for a second and then read it out. "'You will board the Scorpio on B-Dock 8 at 09:00 in three days from receiving this message. The Scorpio and the Neb 2 cross paths within another day and we will meet you.'"
"Cool, the Scorpio and the Neb 2." Cyclone exclaimed, looking up from Splinter's computer. "You guys are so lucky."
"Look, I have to go." Mercuri said. Apoc and Mouse got up for her to get out of the booth. She gave Mouse a peck on the cheek and a quick smile before melting into the crowd on the dance floor and leaving.
Mouse slid back into the seat and looked into the expectant eyes of Apoc and Switch.
"What?" He asked, even though he know the question.
"Who is the poor girl?" Switch asked. "Does she know of your long line of broken hearts?"
"She's a girl from school Switch." He replied jauntily. "What is it of your business anyway?"
"Well excuse me for wondering who she is. And if you are going to break another young girls heart." Mouse smiled at her serious face and she couldn't help but smile at him. She could never stay mad at him for long.
"Come on, let's dance." Cyclone said, pushing the girls out of the booth.
They spent the rest of the night dancing in The Matrix.
Three days later
All four of them stood on B-Dock 8, staring up at the hovercrafts. There were a couple waiting for refuelling or repairs whilst two more were being filled with supplies and boarded.
Splinter was carrying her shoulder bag with her beloved laptop with all her disks and supplies she would need for a couple of weeks. Her eyes were drawn to the huge ships that came and went from the Zion docks regularly.
Apoc carried a small bag with the few meagre belongings the older three siblings needed. Switch and Mouse followed him.
A tap on the shoulder made Splinter turn around and she was instantly enveloped in a bear hug. "I'm gonna miss you Splin." Cyclone whispered into her ear. Splinter smiled and hugged her back tightly. "Have fun and please say hi to your parents for me."
"I will." Splinter whispered back. "I'll miss you too. Write to me often."
Cyclone nodded, the tears in her eyes evident. Cyclone never cried but Splinter had been her best friend since, well, forever.
They broke away and stood side by side as they heard the hovercraft approach. As the huge flood lights swam around the air, a horrid screeching filled the air.
"Apoc, oh Apoc darling." All five beings on the B-Dock moaned and Apoc slowly turned around to face Vixen.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, less than nicely.
"I only wanted to see you off." She replied, a large frown painted on her face. "Oh, and to see Kitten and Fox off too."
Apoc looked up and saw Kitten and Fox walk up behind their sister. Apoc shook Fox's hand and actually had a genuine smile for Kitten.
Fox was a little less than a year older than the twins but Vixen still acted like the older of the three.
Even though Vixen and Kitten were identical twins, Kitten tried to take a more subtle approach to her looks. Her hair was shorter that Vixens long locks and she had dyed it a darker red, rather than Vixen's flame red. They were still both tall, thin and beautiful but Kitten tried not to show off her good looks or the fact that she was related in anyway to Vixen.
"Kitten, what are you doing here?" Switch asked, hugging her best friend. She smiled politely at Fox.
"We've been recruited to go on the Neb 2." She replied. Fox grinned and picked up the small bag he was carrying.
"Come on guys. It's landed." Mouse yelled at them, referring to the Scorpio as he walked briskly up to it.
"Well, here goes nothing." Switch said, linking arms with Kitten and followed Mouse, Apoc and Fox onto the Scorpio with Splinter tagging along behind.
"Tut-tar Apoc. See you later Kitten, Fox." They all heard Vixen cry out after them. "Oh, and goodbye Switch, Mouse and Splinter."
"Bye Splinter." Cyclone yelled out. "See ya later Switch, have fun Apoc, Bye Kitten and Fox. Oh, and bye Mouse."
The six young adults stepped onto the ship that would change their lives forever.