Okay. Here's some more. I get the serious feeling that people really hate my characterizations of Trin and Neo. No one likes the idea of them shouting "Fuck you" across the ship. Well, I agree that it wouldn't happen in the movie, but don't see it as far a leap as the rest of you apparently. Neo's a dork. Really. He couldn't handle himself in a fight; he has no ability for the snappy comeback. Not to Trinity. He has to resort to expletives. And I think that Trinity would change significantly once she and Neo got together, so you know.

Anyway. I know I'm really bad at this, but I'm so excited about the new movie, I just had to write something. So please don't hate me.

I also want to apologize for the Hulk Hogan line in the last chapter. That was supposed to be filler until I found a better statement, but it got left in. I'm fairly sure not everyone on the planet has vivid childhood memories of Hulk Hogan, The Macho Man Randy Savage, and the Lovely Miss Elizabeth (she was a classy lady).

Oh yeah! Xixie
Pusher looked to Morpheus before moving into the crowd. Following leisurely, Morpheus added an extra sense of presence. The two in their black clothing looked only slightly out of place in the urban crowd. However, once they made their way to the uninhabited rural area, they would stick out like sore thumbs. But trying to blend never worked well, so they would have to go with keeping out of sight.

A car was waiting for them on the other side of the street. Pusher glanced at Morpheus in question before walking over to the driver's side. Phoning Tank for directions, Morpheus looked thoughtful then buckled his seatbelt. Pusher paused, but didn't copy.

As the car moved off, Pusher looked over at his temporary captain before focusing his attention on the road. Morpheus looked at the hacker from the corner of his eye. He obviously wanted to talk about something. Morpheus was under no illusions as to the subject. He had worried about Pusher's reaction to Trinity and Neo. Years ago, when he had had the boy transferred, he had let Trinity believe she had made the decision. It was his way of allowing the young girl he already knew was to become a great leader a sense of power. Really, as wonderful a hacker as Pusher was, his name was all too fitting. He had no idea when to stop, and Morpheus had noted an inability to emotionally disassociate.

Morpheus knew that Pusher would have preferred Trinity go in with him. He had been dying to get her alone, with no possibility of Neo, to grill her.

Not specifically supportive of Neo's banishment from the Matrix, Morpheus was, however, supportive of slowly introducing the young man to other Resistance fighters as the One. He also knew that the crew of the Deviance, specifically Fencer, E5elyn, and Pusher, were very close to some of the generals running the war in Zion.

Morpheus knew that when the time came, these generals would not relish handing the war over to Neo, and Morpheus knew, by extension Trinity.

Morpheus also realized that he was destined to lead the war from Zion. The Oracle had told him, warned him that this must be carefully planned, seeds laid.

Morpheus was walking a treacherous path. He had to mold Neo into a fighter. At this point he had the power, but not the mentality. Trinity's position was understandable. Watching the one person you love die is life changing. Knowing, after that, that there is no way to ever protect him from that danger was horrifying. Morpheus understood. He loved his crew like children, but he sent them out regularly at the risk of death. Trinity also had to deal with not only being the commanding officer of Man's Matrix god, but also with being in love with him.

Their fights at first worried Morpheus. He realized that neither one could possibly function on their own. Before Neo, Trinity had been cold, not unfeeling, just mechanical. There was no going back to that for her. She had spent her time fighting for the day she would meet him. Now that she had, to lose Neo would mean losing her will to fight. He didn't want them to split of a stupid argument.

Once he had begun paying attention, it was obvious that their frequent fights were superficial. They only fought over inconsequential things. Serious problems were dealt with far more diplomatically. It was like they knew that they could never alienate one another, so fighting became a hobby. If the fighting became serious, if they hit a pressure point, the fight collapsed in on itself. Their last fight was a perfect example. Once Trinity came out with actual emotions, it was time to move to another tactic, comfort, assurance that the other was actually there.

Neo, for all his deity-like ability in the Matrix, didn't really know how to navigate the real world. Once the Matrix fell, what do you do with the One? New wouldn't survive-- not without Trinity. She was really his only link to the real world.

So Morpheus was forced to work with Trinity's fears, Neo's insecurities, and the fact that, for the purposes of the Resistance and their sanity, they were one person.

So if Pusher's presence made Trinity feel she was protecting Neo, then that was fine. Hopefully, Pusher's animosity would help Neo to begin dealing with problems in the real world. So far those had been delegated to Trinity, who would much rather protect him in the one place she was more adept.

As Morpheus starred out the window musing, Pusher decided to speak. "So you finally found the One."

Turning to look at his companion. "Yes. We did."

"I was surprised to see that he and Trinity bonded so quickly."

Pusher had learned the art of subtlety over the years.

"Hm. In retrospect, I believe I was expecting it."

"Did she train him?"

"No. I did. I meant from before he was unplugged."

"How's that? What, was he a lady's man?"

Morpheus nearly snorted. "Quite the opposite. I hesitate to use the word dork."

"Well, then."

Morpheus breathed in. Why not? The story was bound to become legend. He could get the ball rolling.

"She spent most of her time watching him, took other people's shifts. She insisted on making first contact. She programmed new clothes for the meeting-- something strapless, as I recall. Once he was unplugged she was quiet. She stayed away from him. But I caught her watching him sleep more than once."

"Think it will last?"

Morpheus didn't speak for a second. "If you were paying attention, you'd realize how absurd that question is."

Pusher scowled, but Morpheus continued. "I suggest staying out of it. There's nothing you can do, and you do not want a fight. Trinity could take you in the real world, and Neo would devastate you in the Matrix."

"Really?"

"Pusher. Neo can kick my ass in the Matrix. You have no shot."

The two were silent for the rest of the trip.