The Matrix Uploaded: A Matrix Fanfiction Story

Chapter 2:

After for who knows how long…

Neo hears footsteps...like death itself was coming next for him. He feels his muscles burning. But, he stands firm. Neo turns around. Standing there is a cloaked figure…with a cloak made of little bright yellow pulsars of Matrix code. The light was near blinding. Not sure what to make of it, Neo wonders, "who are you?"

In a very distorted voice, the figure echoes, "I'm the truth: The truth…that is on the edge of death and rebirth." Neo says, "I…don't understand. Who are…?" The figure sighs heavily, "I can't stay long. The key is in you…Neo. The key…is in you." Neo hears a dog barking…of three heads. The figure starts running.

In a flash of light…Neo reactively covers his eyes. In a spinning bright yellow dharmacakra steering wheel…the figure is gone. Neo sees the jet black three headed dog of Cerberus coming after the wheel. He tumbles away in time...as Trinity's tombstone is trampled to pieces. Cerberus grabs the wheel, like it's a chew toy. But…he spits it out in a growl of frustration.

Then…Neo hears something all too familiar. Morpheus says, "Neo…can you get up? Neo?!" Neo looks up…startled by the voice.

He realizes the tombstone is very much intact. There is no Cerberus or wheel. There's only Morpheus: Looking as stoic as ever in a silvery black leather like jacket. Though…a tone of concern is carried in his voice. Neo slightly nods, "yeah. Thanks."

He gets to his feet. Nervously, Neo wonders, "you didn't by any chance see a three headed dog pass by here…did you?"

Morpheus slightly sighs, "no. No doubt you have though."

Neo figures sadly, "you think I'm going crazy? Heavy sigh. Right now…I'm not sure what to believe."

Sympathetically, Morpheus slightly chuckles, "letting go of the Matrix... No one has found that harder to do than myself. Slight sigh. I know you don't remember that day. Otherwise, I wouldn't be finding you here…with Trinity's last trace of memory. Even after that day… That day on Zion… I thought the war was won too easily. I…didn't want to believe it was over. I wanted to unplug myself, Neo. No matter what it took. No matter how many lives got in my way. After I would have freed myself…it wouldn't matter. I could free everyone else."

Neo wonders hesitantly, "and what happened?"

Morpheus slightly chuckles nervously, "I had a gun to my head…where the Machines would have been. Everyone thought it was a lost cause to get me to stand down. The block was blockaded. Slight chuckle. But…when that moment came… Tara managed to take me down. She saved me, Neo. I had no goddamn idea how that was even manageable. But…she did it. In more ways than I could even imagine. Slight sigh. But… Right now… All I'm here for is to try and save you: From making that same mistake."

Neo moderately sighs reflectively, "I'm sorry to have been among them."

Morpheus slightly sighs, "you shouldn't blame yourself. That was three years ago. You were still in a coma then. Everyone understood…all too well."

Neo figures solemnly, "still… Moderate sigh. I would've wanted to be there. Before it even started."

Morpheus solemnly nods, "I know. We can't turn back the clock, Neo. But…we can record the times." He starts walking out of the bunker. Not even so much as turning, he pauses, "you coming?"

Neo inquires tensely, "to where?" He catches up to Morpheus.

Morpheus figures, "the Zion Archives." He starts walking on, towards a winding foggy passage. On the other side is a faintly seen flight of stairs. The passage is carved out of both a Zion rock element and a Zion steam element…modeled after To the Depths of Twisted Space.

Neo decides, "all right. I'm coming."

Morpheus figures, "I figured you might say that."

Two hours later, after Neo is in slightly better condition…

Neo finds himself at a Tron like coliseum, with 32 bit blue and red blocks of computer screens. Behind them is a security grid of color coded laser turrets: Ready to disable any computer screen that so much as starts to have green Matrix code. On the screens themselves are Zion's news broadcasts, Construct Vision chatrooms, and Construct Vision one level game showcases. With all of this, Neo looks in astonishment, "oh, shhh…it. How in Zion can I keep up with all of this?"

Morpheus slightly chuckles, "because you designed them. The Zion Archives. Their functions? To prepare us for tomorrow…and to never forget the Matrix."

Quite surprised by what he's hearing…Neo wonders, "so…they're not just archives?"

Morpheus slightly nods, "exactly. They're our schools, our training facilities, and our "new age" holodeck routers. That is…for you…. Slight sigh. I take it this is all new again. In short, Neo…we're looking at your legacy. Your beacon of light: For generations to come. Long after you're gone."

Neo pieces together, "and…you think it'll have the answers I seek?" He follows Morpheus through the central entrance arch: With the words Zion Archives laser carved across it.

Morpheus slightly chuckles, "actually…I'm counting on it." He and Neo walk into a lobby, styled like a arcade with 32 bit arcade consoles from 1999. It is lit with old fashioned gold rimmed lanterns, hanging from a chandelier of golden hooks. The desk looks very much like a hand cranked vault safe lock.

Behind the desk is a Operator…with mostly black medium braided hair with green streaks. He also has a round black mustache and beard…and a 32 bit dark blue lined mostly white T-shirt with a pirate ship on it. His name is Link. Link looks up, "welcome to… Slight chuckle. Welcome back, Neo." He stands up to shake his hand.

As a courtesy, Neo shakes his hand. He slightly chuckles nervously, "well…not exactly. Unfortunately. Slight sigh. But…I'm getting there. One day at a time."

Link realizes, "umm… Sure. May I ask how much…?"

Morpheus puts it simply, "seven years. But…don't worry about it."

Link uneasily nods, "ok. Anything I can do to help?"

Morpheus slightly chuckles, "tomorrow. You can leave the door open: No questions asked." He turns to Neo, "right now…you need some well deserved rest."

His muscles are still very sore. They've had time to heal. But…not by very much. Struggling to remain standing, Neo slightly sighs, "guess you're right. Thank you."

Helping Neo back out…Morpheus comments, "guess…or know?"

Early the next day, in the Zion Archives…

Neo is in a Construct Vision corridor: Circling around in one ring of a Construct. But…it's not all white. In front of Neo is a glass painting of Trinity: In a funeral gown…holding a grenade ready for a Sentinel towering from behind. Electron like orbs crackle around in dark blue neon lightning…orbiting about. And golden red Roman numerals stand out on their faces…from I to XII. Neo slightly chuckles nervously, "it's a start."

He can hear the echoes of Morpheus's words, "you sure you want to do this?"

Not far off, in Neo's eyes…

He thinks back to a orange red and bright yellow ringed corridor…from before the Construct came full circle. A Jack was folded outward…from a hidden panel. It required a Zion military personal code to even show it. Morpheus asks, "you sure you want to do this? Because this isn't just another mission, Neo. Memories have many doors. Only you can know which doors will open them again. But…open one too soon… Slight sigh. And it's a long trip back up the rabbit hole."

Like it was yesterday, Neo says, "I'm sure. I may have lost seven years of memories. But…seven years ago… History was just as simple to read as training programs. Heavy sigh. It's learning from them that can get shitty real fast."

Presently, in Neo's Construct…

Neo says, "Construct… What are the historical files from 2200 to 2207?" A program of a long blond haired priestess with a white ghostly cloak appears: With symbols of every religion imaginable in the jewels of her golden necklace.

Her voice chimes, "welcome back to the Zion Archives...Neo. Architect Level 1." It strikes Neo as sounding similar to the Oracle's voice: Only less all-seeing, and softer sounding.

Neo adds politely, "thank you."

The priestess program says, "always a pleasure to carry the Oracle's wishes. The historical files you request to know... It's hard to process your request. There's many titles."

Sympathetically, Neo moderately sighs, "all right. I don't need to know all of them. Just the ones with the most historical significance to Zion. Between 2200 and 2207. Can you process that request for me?"

The priestess program slightly smiles, "yes. Thank you very much. The Second Liberation, The First World Liberty Password…"

Neo decides conclusively, "thank you, Construct. That's more than enough."

The priestess program says, "I…process it, Neo. But, I don't understand."

Neo rationalizes, "suffice it to say… Moderate sigh. I've got a lot of catching up to do. Access The Second Liberation…and all of my personal historical files within a week of The Second Liberation. Then…all of the others taking place after The Second Liberation."

The priestess program voices uneasily, "you sure you want to access all of those files…in one archival visit? Too much memory files can…"

Neo insists firmly, "I appreciate your concern. But…I'm sure. I can take it."

The priestess program moderately sighs, "all right. I suppose I could never get you to change your mind. Accessing…The Second Liberation."

The electron like orbs spiral up into one sun: In a burst of bright light. Neo reactively covers his eyes…as the scene changes to Zion. Neo opens his eyes...to see The Second Liberation.

The reserve ground troops were charging for the Code…guns ablazing. The Code was on the docks...on the other side of the tidal waves forming between them and the rest of Zion. With about a hundred thirty thousand following The Code by now…the Matrix was taking no more prisoners. Some Zion group troops broke off in retreat…not wanting to shoot down their Matrix infected friends. But…most of them were shot to death: Screaming in fiery combustion.

Present Neo is standing out on the edge of a empty water tank like tube section: Looking out at The Code…from beyond the tube's edges. Present Neo mutters lowly to himself, "Jesus Christ!" He's just picking up the pieces of The Code in his memory…seven years later.

Then…from three other floodgates…came insanity. Morpheus's kind of insanity. The Nebuchadnezzar, the Logos, and the Zion General Class ship the Gnosis and the Mjolnir were blasting their way in: With Machine lasers. One Machine laser was still equipped to the Nebuchadnezzar. The other was on the Logos.

Inside…the Logos had two large Jacks built into its experimental hover engines. There was only room for two Jacks, two quarters with two bunks apiece, and four or so people.

The captain was Niobe: With thinly braided red streaked medium black hair, and black sunglasses that rarely come off. She was freed from the Matrix, around the same time as Morpheus. They even married in Zion…eight years ago. Before Morpheus left in search of The One. And, needless to say…their relationship had been on and off ever since.

Seraph was her First Mate and Weapons officer: With medium frontless black hair, a white jacket with a gold shirt…and gray sunglasses that rarely come off. He was one of the most adaptive men on Zion: Close to Neo's level, actually. The Operator onboard was Raul: A medium black haired short man, who favored meditation over war.

There was no room for a EMP. But, its hover engine system had a special Jack-Human pocket Matrix pilot interface: One that could move in frozen Matrix time itself…for several minutes without overloading.

A lot of damage could be done in those minutes. Even a lightning rifle could do damage in those minutes. The Matrix had adapted to them for the most part. Yet, not to Niobe's crew.

This was largely because of Cypher's betrayal of Morpheus…months ago. At the time…it was Cypher's "icing on the cake" for Agent Smith. Though, Agent Smith hardly showed any emotion: Just like most of the Agents. That is…except for when he was alone with Morpheus and Neo. Those encounters told another story altogether.

A month ago…was when the Logos's experimental pilot interface was first installed. It had been instrumental in destroying twenty five Sentinels…in that single month.

In frozen time…the Logos was blasting the other two floodgates to flying shards. All before the Machines could even see it.

Niobe was in the pilot's seat: Linked to the Logos's pilot interface. She was one of the few that could operate it…without brain death. Business like, Niobe muttered, "he better be ready for this."

Over communications, Morpheus was quick to point out, "I…thought you didn't believe in The One."

Niobe slightly smiled, "I don't: But…I believe in us."

Present Neo slightly smiles. He thinks in realization, "and that's why you thought it was won too easily, Morpheus. It was my plan to give the Matrix everything it wants: To ensure the Matrix wouldn't see his plan coming. Because…no one had ever done it before."

The Sentinels were pursuing the Zion ships…into the Zion waters. Past Neo, Morpheus, Tara, and Trinity were on the Nebuchadnezzar: All plugged into the Matrix. Naimah and Herold were barely keeping the ship going as it is. Chavez was onboard the Gnosis…with Glenda and Brando. Though, Chavez was plugged into a pocket matrix. With his ability and a Sentinel transmitter found from a certain wreckage… The Sentinels's transmissions to the Matrix became scrambled code.

Present Neo saw his past self in the Matrix: For a few brief flashes. He and his crew were in a mostly pale yellow French mansion…fighting The Code themselves in avatar form. The Code was just as distracted as the Matrix. But, they were just as deadly. They could phase in and out…into the Matrix code itself. Guns were blazing. Neo shot Bane in the arm in mid-phase…and kicked him down. Tara and Morpheus took down Duo and Alexa…the old fashioned way. But…Trinity was shot down by Persephone. Past Neo was soon up against a ruthless Merovin…with swords taken from black suits of armor. A tear fell from Present Neo's eyes…knowing all too well he wasn't in time to save her. After all… How could he have?

The tidal waves were rippling back for The Code…washing them away from the docks. Most of them drowned…in the ruins of the first Zion. The Machines were blasted with ease…by the Nebuchadnezzar's and the Logos's lasers. But…Trinity was already on her way to dying. A flash of Trinity's tombstone went by.

Cheering echoed across Zion. But…so did much mourning to come. And, much more tombstones. Herold was among the dead….among many broken families.

A few more flashes went by…of Cis. A reserve ground trooper...from that same day. She had very long white hair, and a red Chinese styled jacket. On that same day…she lost most of her family. Cis and Past Neo were both in great mourning. And…they happened to find themselves in the same pocket Matrix counseling room. They also happened to find peace in sparing…with no records or past to remind them too much of their mourning. One thing led to another…and they begun to date a year later.

Another year later…the first Zion Archives had a grand opening. Just about everyone was there: Except Morpheus. Then, four months later…Neo and Cis were engaged. And…that's when the virus hit Past Neo: The day before they would marry. The day when he finally found peace again. And now…Cis has a child. One that Present Neo is tempted to see. But…he looks away. Present Neo thinks to himself, "not yet. Moderate sigh! Not until I figure out…if we still have something. Cis and I."

A few more flashes went by…of Morpheus. After having enough of Morpheus going on and on about the Matrix…Niobe moved on from Morpheus. He left with a new Nebuchadnezzar crew: To ensure the Matrix was really gone. But, after he got back… Morpheus still wasn't all convinced. And for years… He let that fear eat away at his conscience.

Then…in a poetic twist of fate… Morpheus found peace in Tara: That day, when only Tara could save him. They've been dating ever since.

At the sheer irony, Present Neo can't help but chuckle, "shit, Morpheus. I guess you really do deserve her." The rest of the files give way to the whiteness: To silence.

But, from the back of his mind… Neo sees the figure with the cloak of little bright yellow pulsars. And…the one big question sinks in again: Is any of this for real? Or…is it just another world being pulled over his eyes?