ScullyAsTrinity: I've been writing since I was ten (six years ago) and I've been writing fan fiction since last year. Thank you very much for your offer as a Beta, I really appreciate it. I'm not sure about a beta as of yet, but I will definitely think about it. Thanks for all your help! Cookie?
Protectress of Dalidon: Thank you so much for reviewing every chapter! I added some Tank into this chapter, and I'm still unsure about adding in anyone else yet. Probably some Apoc and Switch, but not Cypher just yet.
Emerald3: Silly me! I meant to put in the note about Demeter. I couldn't see him being married to Persephone for that long (I would have killed her, but that's just me), so I gave him another wife. The name itself is from mythology, and Demeter was Persephone's mother. Silly me! (whacks head into wall). I'm very happy to hear you're feeling better!
THANK YOU!
Disclaimer: Wachowski's. It's all them.
Author's Note: This chapter has some sexual themes in it. That scene in particular may not be suitable for young readers. It is rated R.
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Chapter 9: When You Cried I'd Wipe Away All Of Your Tears
Trinity wandered through the darkened ship. She had no idea of how late it was, but she could tell by the closed doors and the small halogen lights flickering on the floor it was sometime after night. She assumed possibly late evening, but she really had no idea, and assumptions weren't safe on that particular ship.
Her feet made barely no sound on the metal grate floor. She held her body rigid as a shiver passed through her, moving to the ladder and climbing up slowly, allowing her legs to regain a lot of their strength.
The main deck was warmer then the ship, usually kept at a standard 65 degrees or so. It was darker up here as well, the only real light coming from the green glow of Tanks computer screen by the Core. The 'genuine' child of Zion hovered around the screen, making last minute checks of the system and drinking Dozer's disgusting drink as he did so. He turned suddenly, alerted by her presence and gave a small jump.
"Jesus Christ." He said, breathing heavily. Trinity was drawn a little aback.
"Sorry." She whispered, making the operator breathe a little more slowly. He set the jug on the floor and cracked his neck.
"Nice to see you're feeling better." He said, moving back to his checks of the system. He looked through the streets of China Town. "You were pretty bad when you got back."
"So I've heard." She replied quietly, moving behind him. "What's going on?"
"Whole lot of nothing." He replied, shrugging a little as he leaned back. Her eyes adjusted to the code, seeing the familiar green shapes dripping like raindrops from the top of the screen. "A little too quiet if you ask me." Tank glanced in her direction before looking back at the screen. Trinity sighed deeply. "What are you doing up?"
"Can't sleep." She replied silently. "You?"
"I don't like sleeping. I miss too much." Tank replied, getting a different view of the city. He was in the nice division now, looking down the street of near identical houses. "God damn. I wish I could go in with you guys." He looked longingly at the screen. Trinity shook her head.
"No, you don't." She said, staring at the code. "You're lucky. Believe me." Trinity looked at him for a moment. He was still watching the screen. "What's Zion like?" The subject change seemed to be for the better. Tank always looked happier when he talked about home.
"It's home." He said with a sigh. He made a special look at her. "Maybe you'll see it, if you live long enough." Trinity's lips curved. "You'd like it. There's no Agents, no shit for food…just anal councillors who want to control you. Other then that…it's amazing." Tank looked back at the screen as Trinity brushed her fingers through her short hair.
"What about you?" He asked, causing her to look back at him. "What was your home like?"
Trinity tried to think of the best response to that. She breathed heavily, not knowing what to say.
"It wasn't real." She replied bluntly. Tank seemed a little hurt she wouldn't tell him anything, but typed in a few more commands on the keyboard, getting another angle on the houses he was looking at. He smiled at the screen.
"What?" Trinity asked.
"Runaways." He said, Trinity looking at the screen at the figure he was seeing. "Kids who sneak out. Pretty good entertainment."
The woman stared closer at the screen, looking at the figure running out of her bedroom window and down the tree. Why did that situation seem so familiar? She pushed her memories back in her head, as she recognized the girl running into the street.
"What is it?" Tank asked. Trinity watched the head of black curls disappear into the code.
"Nothing." She replied. "Nothing at all." She assured herself.
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The sounds of her mother and Tom's love making penetrated the walls without remorse for Erica's attempts at sleep. She groaned, turning over again as her mother let out another cry of passion, the headboard slamming against the wall with so much force she was afraid they might break through it. Her wrists hurt from her muscles pushing the pillow tighter to her head.
At first they never did this. It was quiet for the first month. Small make out sessions in the pantry and closets, sometimes the empty hallways. Then he started eating dinner with them, the four seated at the table as they imitated some sort of sitcom family. Quinn was poking at her broccoli with mild interest in the love fest at the other end of the table. Erica was nauseous just thinking about that man touching her mother. She pretended not to notice Tom's hand on her mother's bare thigh. She tried to look away as his lips travelled over her neck and lips. And she tried not to gag when they actually used their tongues.
Quinn had sketched what she imagined it to be like. It was fascination for her, staring at the piece of charcoal clamped between her fingers as she sketched the whole ordeal. Erica just prayed they could bang on her wall for a while, and then see how fascinated she was with it.
Her mother's shouts were the last straw. She kicked off the blankets and stormed out of her room, going straight down the stairs and into the kitchen.
The oven light was on. Quinn sat up at the counter with her sketchbook in front of her, chewing on pieces of harshly cut granny smith apple and a scented candle burning in front of her. Erica moved silently inside, folding her arms slowly. The joint was still stiff from the cast that had been removed only a week ago.
The two sisters said nothing, the only sound being made was Erica's footsteps to the fridge and Quinn's charcoal moving over the page. The older sister grabbed a bottle of water, opening it and chugging down half it's contents as she slammed the fridge door with her foot.
"Are they having sex?" Quinn asked, making Erica nod as she drank. She pulled the bottle from her lips and hopped up on the counter near her sister, glancing at the picture. It was her mother as a rotting corpse.
"Sounds gross." She added, shading in the gore around the open wounds. Small razorblades were scattered on the ground in the picture. "Why do they do it?"
"It's just something grown ups do." Erica added, holding the bottle between her legs as she watched her sister draw. She took another drink of water.
"Is it fun?" Quinn asked. He r sister nearly choked.
"No. It's disgusting." Erica said, almost like she was reprimanding Quinn. The younger scribbled harder on the picture, making almost realistic blood dripping from the open slashes. "Who killed her?" The older of the asked, looking over her shoulder. Quinn didn't have to think. She answered with no hesitation.
"I did."
Erica looked at her sister strangely. She took another drink of water.
"Get to bed." Erica ordered softly, hopping off the counter. Quinn picked up another piece of apple and scribbled another cut on her mother's body.
The bed struck the wall again. Erica opted not to go in that direction. She walked into the living room and watched TV.
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"Trin?" She was brought out of the memory and looked at Tank. He gazed at her, concerned from her phase out of reality. "You okay?"
"Yeah." She said, nodding. She tried to convince herself she really was. Tank looked back at the screen. "Hey. Can you run a search of the system for me?"
"Depends who you're trying to find." He said, his hands looming over the keyboard. "Hackers are tougher then civilians."
"She's a civilian." Trinity replied. "Quinn Parker."
"Old friend?" He asked as he typed in the name. She sighed and nodded slowly, watching the screen. "You have anything else? Physical description? Address?"
"New York." Trinity said, trying to remember. It was aggravating to remember faces, even if you had woken up to them for your entire life. "Black hair. Blue eyes. Petite. She'd be…" Trinity couldn't remember how long it had been. "Fourteen, almost fifteen."
Tank nodded, running the search program. The green code still fell, the new subdivision coming into view. He moved his fingers fast, scanning through the names that popped up.
"I think I've found her." He said, pointing at the screen. It was encoded, but Trinity could still make out the photograph. It was the school photograph, the graduation from junior high. She'd seen that picture so many times. Her aunt had put it on the fridge.
"That her?" He asked. Trinity nodded, still looking at the screen. Tank didn't have anything to say, noticing he was probably on hostile ground with her. "She's fifteen now." My God, Trinity thought. Her birthday had to have been…
A day or two after she left. December 22.
"Where does she live now?" Trinity asked. Tank looked through the files, finding her list of residency.
"New York. Nice neighbourhood." He said, leaning back in the chair. "With a foster family. Her dad can't be reached and her mom's dead. And her sister…" He looked at the information about her family. "Is missing. No case reports or anything."
Trinity started to feel nauseous. She felt like she was looking at the pictures again, watching herself die over and over as she stared at the screen. It made her want to vomit, but she resisted the urge.
"Can you get a live feed?" She asked, and Tank nodded, looking up at the screen not far from the one the information was posted. The code flickered and changed, showing a darkened street. The girl was walking at a quickened pace, hands in pockets. Trinity exhaled heavily, watching the sight again like she was right there.
Quinn hadn't changed much. She was still rather tiny with black curls that had grown out and become smooth waves now. But staring at her was no longer like staring at a mirror. There were now distinct differences between she and her older sister.
Trinity stood back up and patted Tank on the shoulder.
"Thanks." She said quietly, feeling her stomach hurt again. He nodded and shrugged, going back to final checks of his systems.
"See yah Trin." He said, watching her leave before starting to close down the programs.
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She composed herself as she sank on her bed. Trinity felt like someone was punching her in the gut repeatedly, although unlike in training, she was unable to punch this force back. It just kept happening, her organs choking up.
STOP IT! She scolded herself. It's nothing. It's not real.
"Who are you trying to convince?" Wraith's voice spoke clearly. Trinity breathed heavily, leaning against the wall and folding her knees into her body. God damn him. Stupid prick. Thinks he knows everything about me. Nobody does! He doesn't know shit about me!
She wanted to inject herself with heroin or sniff a line again. She wanted that state of peacefulness again. That emotionless void she could lock herself in and pretend that Mom wasn't being hit by Dad, that Quinn wasn't trying to die for her sister, that Miranda wasn't being such a bitch, and that she was in control of something.
Trinity felt her eyes burn.
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Someone knocked at the door. Trinity jerked awake a little, stretching out her stiff legs as the joints cracked. The squeak of the door and Wraith stuck his head in.
"Morning." He said. "Better get up because Morpheus said today's the day."
That peaked her curiosity, especially while she was half asleep and un showered.
"For what?" She asked. Wraith opened the door a little more.
"To see the Oracle."
Trinity sighed. She got off the bed and followed Wraith to the Core.
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She had read that appearances could be deceiving somewhere, but she couldn't remember the exact location or time of it. Wherever it was, Trinity was unprepared to step inside the kitchen of the notorious Oracle and find her the way she was.
From the few descriptions she had received from the crew made the Oracle out to be some divine being in a massive temple with priestesses and attendants. The priestesses had existed, that was one thing she was sure of. But she didn't expect the Oracle to be the short , dark skinned woman in the kitchen with odd rimmed glasses. Her hair was dark and curly, frizzing out in every direction.
Trinity didn't say anything.
"Not what you expected, is it?" She asked, moving the glasses down her nose a little bit. Trinity stood composed at the door. "But it never is, is it?"
"You're the Oracle?" She asked, but it was more of a statement for her to believe what she was seeing. The woman nodded, moving her hand across the table and picked up her box of cigarettes. Trinity's attuned senses picked up everything. The aroma of cookies baking mixed with cigarette smoke. Somehow, it wasn't a horrible scent.
"That's a little too obvious." She replied, pulling a cigarette from the box and placing it at her lips. She lit a match and raised the flame to the tip. When it was removed, she broke the silence. "Sit down. Let's talk."
Trinity didn't move. Was this some kind of cruel joke?
"Come on. I don't bite." The Oracle puffed on her cigarette, the smoke hanging over them and hovering around the kitchen light. Trinity finally pulled out the chair and slid into it as comfortably as she could in her leather gear.
"Did you know I was going to do that?" She asked, watching the Oracle's every move. The short woman smiled and gave a small laugh.
"How much of an Oracle would I be if I didn't?"
"What if I didn't sit down?"
"That would have been your choice." The prophetess said in her defence, smoking again. "Cigarette?"
"What do you think I'm going to say?" Trinity answered her offer with a question, testing her. She wasn't convinced this woman was who she claimed to be.
"Well, that's your choice as well." She replied, putting the box back down on the table. "But life's too damn short to waste thinking about whether or not I can predict your choices. And I know you see it the same way."
"What if I were to take a cigarette right now?" She asked.
"There's too many things in this world to question." The Oracle stated, tapping the cigarette ash into the ashtray. "You either want a cigarette or you don't. Just like you either want to hear what I'm about to tell you or you don't."
"Why do people call you the Oracle?" Trinity asked sternly, looking at her with her powerful stare. The Oracle shrugged, pouting her bottom lip a little.
"People are either afraid of the things they don't understand or amazed by them. It just so happens that people were amazed in my case and gave me that name." She said, still smoking on her cigarette. Trinity exhaled deeply, her muscles tensing. The Oracle shook her head. "I know, I know. You don't believe all this bullshit. It's all just a load of crap to you and you want no part of it. I've heard it all before, trust me." Trinity looked back at the Oracle, lifting her eyes from the table as she stared through the dark sunglasses.
"Do you know why Morpheus brought you here?" She asked. Trinity didn't move. The Oracle leaned forward. "Doesn't matter anyway. What does matter is the answer to his question. You're not the One."
Trinity looked at the Oracle, trying to find the purpose behind her last phrase. She had known she wasn't the One. Wraith had filled her in on a few details and Tank told her some information, but no one had been really helpful about it. And now, here she was, being told the very news she had in some way wanted to hear.
"You look more relieved then you should. Maybe that's a good thing." Trinity tilted her head a little. "What's really going to get you thinking is the more important piece of information I have to tell you. And you can choose to listen or not." The Oracle stared at Trinity, her cigarette held to one side.
She forced her head to nod at the Oracle, who continued after inhaling the smoke of her cigarette.
"You hide yourself behind this wall. And you think that you're all powerful. The truth is, you're petrified, and no matter how many times you hear it the more that wall of ice builds around your heart." The Oracle puffed her cigarette, sending a cloud of white smoke to the light above the kitchen. "You're going to have one hell of time when he steps into your life."
"The One." Trinity had mouthed to herself, getting a smile from the Oracle who took another puff of her cigarette.
"Bingo." She commented. Somehow, that wasn't a comfort to Trinity. "You're smarter then I thought. Most just walk in here and ask me stupid questions, making me run in circles repeating myself. They think it's some privilege to be sitting here. I just think it's tiring, personally. And something tells me you hate small talk."
"It's not something I like to do, no." She answered quietly.
"Soft spoken. Tough. You're a stone Trinity. But eventually you are going to meet him, and you are going to have to realize that being a rock is okay. But pushing everyone you love and care for away? That's lonely."
"Being lonely's okay."
"Like I said. You are going to have so much trouble when he comes along."
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The latter part of the Oracle scene can also be read in my other story, The Allegory of the Cave. Well, there it is. And only three more chapters to go. Please Review.