Yes! Finished! Just so you know, I've already written all of the chapters, but I'm gonna wait to post them, at least a day apart.
Disclaimer: Except for Arrow, Griffin and Sphere, none of the characters are mine. They all belong to whoever made the Matrix. Everything belongs to him.
Okay, now that that's over with, on with the story!
Sacrifice
Arrow
The pipe was digging into my leg. I turned around to move it, but then I heard Switch laugh, and I whirled around to see. It wasn't often that she laughed - and even less often at one of Apoc's jokes. I smiled. Maybe it would work out after all.
"What are you doing?"
I spun around to find my face inches from Griffin's. I started, and let out a deep breath.
"Geez, Griff, don't do that!" I breathed. He cocked an eyebrow. I turned back, and peered around the corner of the console I was supposed to be repairing. Switch was smiling at Apoc now.
"Arrow, they're never gonna get together. Get over it." Griffin said in an exasperated tone, "It's like you're obsessed with it."
"Hey, I was right about Tank and Sphere, wasn't I?" I said, not moving my eyes from Switch and Apoc, who were still smiling at each other while they talked, "And anyway, look at them. They're flirting so badly!"
Griffin leaned over my shoulder to get a better look, "Arrow, that's not flirting. That's called conversing. You and I converse, does that mean we're going to get together?" I turned to him and made a face.
"Exactly my point," he said, "Now, please get back to work."
"You're not even commander. How come you get to boss me around?"
"Because I'm good at it," He said, smirking.
"Oh come on!" I crouched down in front of the console, and grabbed a tool, "You didn't come all the way down here to tell me to do my job, did you?"
"No, actually -"
"Arrow! Arrow!" Mouse came running around a corner. I glanced over my shoulder to see if Apoc and Switch had heard, but they were gone. Good. I didn't want them knowing I'd been close enough to hear them.
"Arrow! Oooh! You'll never guess what I heard!" Mouse said, and he came to a sudden halt in front of me. I stood up.
"What?"
Mouse looked at Griffin, then at me, "I heard Morpheus saying to Trinity that he found the One!"
I rolled my eyes, "Again?"
"But this time he sounded really convinced!" Griffin said.
"You knew about this?" I said accusingly.
"I came to you the minute I heard," He said, with mock sheepishness.
I turned back to Mouse, "He sounded really convinced when he thought Griff was the One!" I said. Griffin winced, "No he didn't. He doubted it."
"He was really excited about this one. He sounded so sure. I trust him!" Mouse said.
"So do I, but its happened before."
"But this guy's amazing," Mouse protested, " I was doing some research. His name's Neo. He's incredible - a genius."
"I dunno..." I said.
"Look, it doesn't matter what we think. If Morpheus thinks its him, you know what'll happen." Griffin said.
Mouse nodded, "A meeting -"
"- and a visit to the Matrix," I finished, "Oh goody."
"Okay, lets get our work finished, so that when he does call a meeting, we're finished, all right? Good. Come on, Mouse," Griffin said, starting off, "Oh, and Arrow? No more spying."
"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled. I got down on my knees, and got to work.
Mouse
By the time Morpheus called his meeting, everyone knew about the newest 'suspect', but no one said anything, as the meeting provided everyone with some time off from work.
I was late, because my hair had gotten caught in some loose wires, but when I got there, it appeared Morpheus was also late. Breathing a sigh of relief, I slipped onto the bench next to Arrow.
"Did I miss anything?" I asked her.
"Apoc made Switch laugh again," Arrow giggled, indicating the two of them down on the other end of the table. I looked across at Griffin, who rolled his eyes. Arrow was forever playing Matchmaker. Though, I must admit, she did help to get Sphere and Tank together. I looked down the table at Sphere. She was pulling her shoulder-length blonde hair into a ponytail. Tank was sitting next to her, with his arm around her waist, laughing at something Dozer had said.
Sphere was here a few months before I was liberated. She's about 21 now, and she was liberated 5 years ago, like me. She is one of the coolest people I know. She's confident, and calm, and collected. And she's absolutely gorgeous. She's one of our best fighters, and when she shoots at something, she never misses. She's funny, and sweet, and really nice. Its easy to see why Tank likes her so much.
Tank said something, and made her laugh. She twisted around and kissed him. But the moment was spoiled by Arrow's sudden shriek, because Griffin had scared her from behind. And everybody laughed.
Griffin is also older than me. He's 20, and was also
liberated when he was 16. He's what
Arrow, now she's something. She's 18, like me, and came here 4 years ago, a few months after Griffin. She's got freckles, pretty gray eyes, and this incredible red hair. Its' longer then Sphere's because she hasn't cut it since she came here. Her hair has a special meaning to her. She was 14 when we freed her. And she still misses her family so much. She wanted to find some way to remember them. So, since in reality, in our pods, we have no hair, she chose to grow her hair, and never cut it, to remind her of her life in the Matrix.
Arrow is
"Mouse!" I snapped out of my daydream about Arrow, and looked at Tank, "You're staring!" He teased.
Sphere raised an eyebrow, and smiled. Arrow looked from me to Sphere, "Is there something on my face?" she asked, confused. I blushed. I try not to stare at Arrow when I'm thinking about her, but sometimes I can't help it. Sphere leaned over, and wiped an imaginary spot of something from Arrow's face, getting me off the hook. I sent her a silent thankyou.
"Guys, settle down!" Trinity said, as she came in, "Morpheus is coming."
"Where is he?" Griffin asked.
"Taking care of something. None of your business."
"Woah, aren't we in a bad mood today," Cypher said. Trinity glared at him, and sat down next to Switch.
"You okay?" Switch asked her. Trinity nodded, and laid her head on the table.
Arrow looked at me, with concern in her eyes. She was thinking what we were all thinking. So many times, Morpheus thought he found the One. And he was destroyed when his 'suspect' died, or chickened out, or turned out now to be the One after all, in any way (like Griffin). Morpheus was really passionate about this guy - I heard him talking to Trinity. I didn't want to think about what would happen when and if this Neo died.