Neo sat in the leather chair with Morpheus and Link around him.
Everything was silent as Neo prepared to plug into the matrix. Link was
the first to speak up.
"Neo, it's great having you back and all, but are you sure you wanna do this? We have no idea what kind of shape the matrix is in, and it could be very unstable." Link cautioned.
"I have to do this. I have to do this for Trinity."
Link and Morpheus were silent. They had been shocked to learn of Trinity's death, as was everyone else. If Neo wanted to do this for Trinity, they weren't going to stop him.
"Good luck, and God speed." Morpheus said as he inserted the long plug into Neo's head.
Neo awakened on a busy street. Everything seemed normal. As normal as the matrix could be, anyway. He wandered through the street and eventually ended up in a crowded plaza.
"Ah, Neo. How good it is to see you." A voice from behind said.
Startled, Neo turned around. He instantly recognized the white bearded man in the plain white suit as the Architect stood before him.
"I want to congratulate you on ending the war. Or rather, ending it for now. You see, every program has its anomalies. You my friend seem to have a skill at stopping them."
"The matrix is still here. I'm a bit surprised." Neo replied, flustered.
"Why wouldn't it be? You only stopped the machines from acting their hostility on your race. I was the one who created the matrix, remember? As long as I'm here, it's here."
"What about agent Smith? I vanquished him, did I not?"
"Of course. However, he is only gone from the matrix and from your world. Just because something is not in your perception does not mean that it no longer exists. It's merely dormant for the time being."
"Are you telling me that agent Smith still exists?"
"Every deleted program must go somewhere, mustn't it? Just as every human soul has an afterlife, so do programs. Where a program goes depends on the program's nature. If you'd like, I'll show you."
"Show me now" Neo said.
The Architect pulled from his pocket what appeared to be a pen and pressed a small button. Suddenly everything around them spun wildly, and Neo found himself in what appeared to be a whole other world. It was dark and sinister, almost like the machine world. Mass less blobs floated all around, and soon Neo saw that they were taking the shape of people. The Architect explained.
"This is where all deleted programs end up. This is the Void, Neo. Or rather, the negative region of it. You are looking at all of the bad programs, and the programs that were extremely flawed. The reason we are here in the negative region is because you inquired about agent Smith. Look to where I'm pointing."
Neo followed the Architect's finger to a silhouette in the distance. As the figure drew closer, Neo recognized agent Smith. The figure spied Neo and angrily lunged at him. Neo jumped, but was relieved to see Smith strike some kind of invisible barrier.
"Not to worry. Those programs cannot escape. The barrier will hold, as I have programmed a code that is virtually unbreakable. All of the souls and programs in there are there to stay." The Architect explained.
"What about Trinity? Is she in there too?" Neo inquired.
"Trinity is in another region of the Void. She's located in the positive region, where all of the most important programs are being held."
"Can I see her?"
"Are you sure you wish to dwell in the past and risk being heartbroken over her? You should be happy that the war is over. However, if you really wish to see her, then we shall go."
Soon, they were zooming along at high speeds again. They came to a stop near a large bright sphere of light. As they entered it, Neo saw more mass less blobs floating in a sea of light. He instantly recognized Trinity.
"Trinity!" He screamed.
"I'm here Neo" She replied. He heard the voice in his head, but not aloud. He was so glad to see her, but knew he couldn't stay.
"I miss you so much. It's okay now, Trin. The war's over, and the machines are docile. Agent Smith is gone to the negative Void, and Zion is at peace. I wish you could see it." Neo sobbed.
"I can see it Neo. I can see everything. I'm so proud of you, and I will always be watching over you and the rest of Zion." She soothed.
With that, Neo and the Architect were back on the crowded street. The Architect produced a phone.
"Here is your exit. I'm sure your friends are waiting for you."
"Neo, it's great having you back and all, but are you sure you wanna do this? We have no idea what kind of shape the matrix is in, and it could be very unstable." Link cautioned.
"I have to do this. I have to do this for Trinity."
Link and Morpheus were silent. They had been shocked to learn of Trinity's death, as was everyone else. If Neo wanted to do this for Trinity, they weren't going to stop him.
"Good luck, and God speed." Morpheus said as he inserted the long plug into Neo's head.
Neo awakened on a busy street. Everything seemed normal. As normal as the matrix could be, anyway. He wandered through the street and eventually ended up in a crowded plaza.
"Ah, Neo. How good it is to see you." A voice from behind said.
Startled, Neo turned around. He instantly recognized the white bearded man in the plain white suit as the Architect stood before him.
"I want to congratulate you on ending the war. Or rather, ending it for now. You see, every program has its anomalies. You my friend seem to have a skill at stopping them."
"The matrix is still here. I'm a bit surprised." Neo replied, flustered.
"Why wouldn't it be? You only stopped the machines from acting their hostility on your race. I was the one who created the matrix, remember? As long as I'm here, it's here."
"What about agent Smith? I vanquished him, did I not?"
"Of course. However, he is only gone from the matrix and from your world. Just because something is not in your perception does not mean that it no longer exists. It's merely dormant for the time being."
"Are you telling me that agent Smith still exists?"
"Every deleted program must go somewhere, mustn't it? Just as every human soul has an afterlife, so do programs. Where a program goes depends on the program's nature. If you'd like, I'll show you."
"Show me now" Neo said.
The Architect pulled from his pocket what appeared to be a pen and pressed a small button. Suddenly everything around them spun wildly, and Neo found himself in what appeared to be a whole other world. It was dark and sinister, almost like the machine world. Mass less blobs floated all around, and soon Neo saw that they were taking the shape of people. The Architect explained.
"This is where all deleted programs end up. This is the Void, Neo. Or rather, the negative region of it. You are looking at all of the bad programs, and the programs that were extremely flawed. The reason we are here in the negative region is because you inquired about agent Smith. Look to where I'm pointing."
Neo followed the Architect's finger to a silhouette in the distance. As the figure drew closer, Neo recognized agent Smith. The figure spied Neo and angrily lunged at him. Neo jumped, but was relieved to see Smith strike some kind of invisible barrier.
"Not to worry. Those programs cannot escape. The barrier will hold, as I have programmed a code that is virtually unbreakable. All of the souls and programs in there are there to stay." The Architect explained.
"What about Trinity? Is she in there too?" Neo inquired.
"Trinity is in another region of the Void. She's located in the positive region, where all of the most important programs are being held."
"Can I see her?"
"Are you sure you wish to dwell in the past and risk being heartbroken over her? You should be happy that the war is over. However, if you really wish to see her, then we shall go."
Soon, they were zooming along at high speeds again. They came to a stop near a large bright sphere of light. As they entered it, Neo saw more mass less blobs floating in a sea of light. He instantly recognized Trinity.
"Trinity!" He screamed.
"I'm here Neo" She replied. He heard the voice in his head, but not aloud. He was so glad to see her, but knew he couldn't stay.
"I miss you so much. It's okay now, Trin. The war's over, and the machines are docile. Agent Smith is gone to the negative Void, and Zion is at peace. I wish you could see it." Neo sobbed.
"I can see it Neo. I can see everything. I'm so proud of you, and I will always be watching over you and the rest of Zion." She soothed.
With that, Neo and the Architect were back on the crowded street. The Architect produced a phone.
"Here is your exit. I'm sure your friends are waiting for you."