Spirit Matrix
Chapter One
"Who is it we're waiting for?" Hiei said contemptuously. Koenma, in his adult form, gave him a cold stare. He wasn't in the mood for Hiei's mouth today. He was worried about Z.
"A very special child, a girl who needs our protection."
"Who is it, though? Tell us about her." Kurama asked curiously.
"She's a fourteen-year-old girl with a very powerful psychic repertoire. Her name is Zion Anderson. She's an excellent martial artist and computer hacker."
"So, if she's such a great fighter, why does she need us?"
"Because, Kuwabaka, she's still mortal, and the creatures who are after her could probably kill her if the opportunity presented itself."
"Who's after her?"
"A race of creatures known as Agents."
"Why?"
"Because she poses a threat to them. She has certain… abilities that make it difficult for the Agents to enslave the people of her city. So does her father, but he can take care of himself." At that moment, a knock sounded at the door, and a blue-haired girl poked her head inside.
"Lord Koenma, sir?" Botan said, "They're here. And I think something bad has happened. Z looks kinda upset." Koenma frowned. What could possibly make Z upset? The girl was hard core, indifferent. She couldn't care about anything…
"Send them in, Botan. Yusuke, Kuwabara. Kurama, and Hiei, I'd like you to meet Zion Anderson, and her entourage."
The girl wasn't outrageously attractive.(take that, Mary-Sue haters!) Her hair, which fell to just past her shoulders, was straight and black, tied in a ponytail with a small braid on either side of her head. Her eyes were cobalt blue, and seemed too old and wise for such a young face. She was very pale, almost like a vampire. She wore a pair of black shorts, and black tank, and crocheted black duster that fell to her ankles. Yusuke noticed a pair of lace up, black leather boots, remarkably shiny, that looked pretty expensive. They must have been brand new!
"Wow, pretty lady!"
"Shut up, Kuwabara! What about Yukina?"
"Urameshi, Yukina is drop dead gorgeous. She's pretty." Zion cleared her throat.
"Thanks, I think. K, you know Morpheus, Niobe, Link, and Commander Lock. Lock, guard the door. Outside, thank you." The dark skinned man grumbled something about ungrateful little brats and stalked out. Zion bit her lip and looked at Koenma. She'd known him for years. He had rescued her parents and her ship, the Nebuchanezar, numerous times during her life. Now, he was offering sanctuary.
"K, the city… the city of Zion… it's been destroyed." The young prince stared, jaw slack. That city had been home to over a quarter of a billion people. There were over two thousand ships to defend it. How in the name of all that was holy could a city that huge, that well protected, be just… wiped out?
"H-how?" Her eyes went glacial, and a burning cold filled the room.
"A traitor."
"Any survivors?"
"A few. Thirty kids, a few ships' crews." Her eyes warmed a little.
"Which ships?"
"The Nebula, Eden, Space Saber, Naginata, the Horsemen, Star Sword, Shukusen, CyberThane and the Arctic Shield." Seven ships, counting the Nebuchanezar, out of over two thousand. Three hundred people, out of twenty five million.
"Kami… are you sure that's all?" Zion looked away, and Niobe gave him a curt nod. "Kami." He was reluctant to ask, but… "You're parents?"
"They're… fine. Smith is here." Botan squeaked. An agent, here?! How in the world-
"Dear Miss Anderson. How are you this fine day?" The already confused Spirit Detectives saw a man, tall and broad shouldered, in a suit and a pair of sun glasses. Agent Smith.
"Like you care. I'm human. I need to be destroyed. Why would you care how I am?"
"Touché, Miss Anderson. Let us get down to business." Zion took a fighting stance and tossed her duster to Botan. Her blue eyes narrowed, and she hissed in anger. "My comrades are coming, yes. But our battle begins now." He threw a punch, and she blocked. His fists were coming at her almost too quickly, but she knocked each one aside until something hit her in the back. She fell to the floor, winded, and looked up to see Smith smiling down at her. The others were fighting off other agents. They wouldn't be able to help her. Smith grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up off the ground.
"You know this feeling, don't you, Miss Anderson?" His voice was starting to annoy her. She hated that condescending tone. "The feeling of helplessness, that sense of aloneness when you are in trouble. It seeps into you heart even now, because you know you are going to die." His grip tightened, and she choked.
"Hiei," Kurama murmured telepathically, "you are the only who can get to her." The fire youkai glanced at Zion and continued fighting off the agents attacking him and the fox. "Our mission is to protect her. I can handle these ones. Help her." The short demon growled low in his throat, pissed off at being ordered around, but did as Kurama said.
"Sword of the Darkness Flame!" Smith fell, dropping Zion in a heap on the floor. The teenager pulled a handgun from the holster at her back and aimed at the agent attacking Koenma. BANG! She saw three attacking the red head, and fired. Kuwabara sliced his in half. Yusuke finished off the last two with Spirit Shotgun.
"What the hell were those?!" Kuwabara cried, falling into his chair.
"Those were agents." The girl stood, brushed herself off, and tossed Niobe her gun. "They disappear when you kill them in the real world. Smith, however, is worse than a frickin' virus. You can't kill him. He just keeps coming back. Daddy destroyed him once, but somehow, he came back, and now… Kami, I hate that guy."
"Wait a sec! Urameshi, where have we heard the name Anderson before?" Yusuke shrugged. "Jeez, it's right on the tip of my tongue… your Neo Anderson's kid! The computer programmer."
"Actually, that Neo Anderson is my many times great grandfather. K, are you gonna explain this to them, or do I have to?"
"Guys, Z's from the future. I know that sounds dumb, but she is. About three centuries, I think. She's actually from one of Earth's many different possible futures. Kuwabara, you look confused."
"I am, man, seriously. You lost me at three centuries."
"Basically, I'm from a different time and a different world. Okay? Kinda like Hiei." The youkai started at hearing his name. "He's from the demon world, and was born I'd say about three, four centuries ago."
"Yeah," he muttered, "something like that." She's got pretty eyes…what did I just say?
"So, shorty, what's the deal? What are we supposed to do?"
"Protect her. Keep her with you at all times. Fight off anyone who might want to harm her. Since we have the Dark Tournament in a few months, she's gonna be on your team." It took Yusuke and the others a minute for that to register, and then Botan clapped her hands to her ears as they all shouted, "WHAT?!"
"You heard me. And there's no discussing it, either. She's on your team. Get over it already. You are all dismissed. Morpheus, I'd prefer it if you and the others monitor the Matrix for me." He said as the others left. "Try to find Neo or Trinity if they're in there."
"Very well."