She was alone for once. Neo was out helping to rebuild and the work was
hard and gruelling. Normally she would be by his side, or not far from it,
but she was too tired and he had insisted she rest instead of pushing on
past the fatigue and working herself to exhaustion. Having slept for most
of the day she now felt refreshed as the night was drawing nearer, the
lights being switched off at seeming random to simulate that sunset. Really
there was an infinitely complicated pattern but she had never pondered it.
Now she wanted to be out doing something, anything. Neo wasn't back yet,
noticeably unheeding his own advice. Maybe it was the sudden feeling of
claustrophobia that made her leave the quarters; maybe it was the appealing
sound of the music coming from the night level. Whatever it was she
wandered down, unaware as she entered the party that she was being watched
any more than was usual. The followers and of the One had come to associate
her with him as they were seldom apart. Most stopped watching when they
realised she was alone. She may have saved the One and be worthy of hero,
even goddess, status, but more were still more interested in the quiet
saviour than his lover.
Gunther saw her sidle in and sit on one of the stools in the corner. That was her booth, hers and Neo's, but he wasn't to know that. He had been talking to his new captain, Marcus, when she had appeared, catching his attention merely by the proud way she carried herself even as she sat alone, the air of a Queen surrounding her. He had been freed recently and the scale of the great city still overwhelmed him, and he felt the need for something, or someone, to comfort him. He chose her. The captain talked for what seemed an age before Gunther was able to excuse himself to make his way over to the woman with eyes a startling contrast to her black hair.
Trinity watched this bald man approaching her, knowing he was going to talk to her. For some reason she was unwilling to look into, her heart began to beat faster with apprehension. He was tall and well built, but had a look around him that spoke of slowness. She was willing to be friendly to him, up until he took Neo's seat. But still she smiled politely.
"You look lonely over here," was his opening line. His voice was sleazy, and it reminded her of someone she had once known, but she couldn't bear to think who.
"I'm perfectly fine thank you," she replied, playing it cool despite the taste of metal seeping into her mouth.
"I was just wondering if you would like to dance," he said, his voice cool and casual. Her lips stayed firm, a slight change would be taken as encouragement.
"No thank you, I'm fine here." She said, trying to let him down gently, but so that he would get the picture. It was tempting to say that she was waiting for someone, it would be a slight lie as she was well aware Neo would be too tired to come down after all the work he did that day.
"You do know it is very bad manners to turn down a dance," he smiled and her stomach clenched. His words and tone were meant to persuade her by implying that he was being the soul of charity. Her muscles tensed.
"And if you know it is bad manners not to keep your hands to yourself." She replied quickly, eyes flickering to his fingers which were resting on the back of her hand. His friendly smile stayed even if it felt underlined with malice.
"I'll see you later then." And with that his hand warped around hers, giving it a squeeze and running his fingertips up her bare arm as he left in search of a more willing partner. Trinity fought the intense urge to kick him on his way. Technically he had done nothing wrong and yet if he had any social skills he would have noticed that no one touched her, the crowd moving away as she walked through them.
A while later Trinity still sat at her booth. It was getting late and she figured that she should leave, as Neo would be back soon and she wanted to be there when he opened the door, as much for her own comfort as for his. She rose from her seat and headed for the exit. Someone stepped into her path. She looked up into the face of the man she had silently labelled a slimeball as soon as he talked to her earlier.
"I never did get that dance," He half shouted over the music, grabbing onto her arm.
"I never said you would." She shouted back, trying to release the grip.
"Gunther, that's me by the way, doesn't take no for an answer." He pulled her into the mass of moving bodies, and held her close with strength she had not expected. She had underestimated him and now that there were so many people around her, the options she had at her disposal seemed pathetically minuscule. He moved not only with the music, but with force. Trinity, not usually the type to get scared, could hear the deafening roar of terror in her ears, drowning out the drums that drowned out her in their turn. His hands left no room for doubt and the slight metallic taste from earlier overran even the wetness of her saliva in her mouth. Trinity reacted. Bringing her knee up sharply she struck her target, knowing it may only stun him for a moment, pulling against the point where his thumb gripped her flesh. He stumbled backwards, releasing her and she fled, weaving through the crowds. He screamed above the music, which stopped, the dancers stilling.
"Fucking bitch!" Pulse hammering, she spun on her heel, trying to ignore the looks of the dancers. Most simply stared at him after they realised who he was talking about. The form lying on the floor repulsed her to the point of nausea and when three of the toughest resistance fighters came between her and the now rising man, Trinity almost smiled.
"Why don't you let us sort this one out?" Asked the leader of the trio with real concern and respect. She nodded, the crowd parting before her, watching the anger flashing in the eyes of the four men. As soon as the warrioress stepped into the open of the corridors her feet sped up, pounding on the metal to gain momentum. She heard someone call her name and for once she failed to heed it, surprised when her feet failed her. A hand grabbed her shoulder and she didn't pause to think, throwing attacks with her feet and arms, met at every move with skill and equal force.
"Trinity, calm down, it's Niobe." The voice registered through the haze, taking the fight out of her. Taking deep breaths she leaned against the cool wall sliding down it when her legs could no longer support her weight, the adrenalin tiring her faster than she could bear. The other woman squatted for a moment by her side before sliding a supportive arm around the limp body; there was only one person that the dark captain knew to be able to help her friend. She only hoped the One was home from work.
Neo arrived in the room just as the women reached the walkway that would lead them to their destination. He was starting to worry, having found the note left for him. He checked the small monitor that displayed time, Trinity was late. Throwing on some clean clothes, he was about to go look for his missing love but there was a knock at the door. He pulled back the metal to reveal Niobe standing with an arm around Trinity. The deep brown eyes of the captain were concerned; the blue eyes near them glazed over. Something knotted in Neo's gut.
"We had a little trouble," Niobe started, Trinity cut her off.
"I'm fine." But Neo knew different, even though she now stood with her weight on her own legs, she seemed unstable. He went to hug her, wanting to protect her from whatever had happened, but she stiffened, freezing for a moment. He frowned, searching her eyes for something to help, they didn't seem to see him at all. He let Niobe guide her to the bed, the woman whispering that she had to find Morpheus.
"He'll know what's going on."
"I hope so. Niobe?"
"Yeah?"
"What do I do?"
"Be there for her Neo, she's scared and I've never seen it before, certainly not like this." He nodded, sitting opposite the staring woman. Niobe sighed, leaving them to do just as she said. Looking back over her shoulder once she felt something catch in her throat, Trinity was staring right through Neo, her blue eyes cold and distant, her back ramrod straight. Neo was watching her with those brown eyes filled with concern and love. Shaking her head, the captain left, knowing the best thing she could do would be finding Morpheus.
Gunther saw her sidle in and sit on one of the stools in the corner. That was her booth, hers and Neo's, but he wasn't to know that. He had been talking to his new captain, Marcus, when she had appeared, catching his attention merely by the proud way she carried herself even as she sat alone, the air of a Queen surrounding her. He had been freed recently and the scale of the great city still overwhelmed him, and he felt the need for something, or someone, to comfort him. He chose her. The captain talked for what seemed an age before Gunther was able to excuse himself to make his way over to the woman with eyes a startling contrast to her black hair.
Trinity watched this bald man approaching her, knowing he was going to talk to her. For some reason she was unwilling to look into, her heart began to beat faster with apprehension. He was tall and well built, but had a look around him that spoke of slowness. She was willing to be friendly to him, up until he took Neo's seat. But still she smiled politely.
"You look lonely over here," was his opening line. His voice was sleazy, and it reminded her of someone she had once known, but she couldn't bear to think who.
"I'm perfectly fine thank you," she replied, playing it cool despite the taste of metal seeping into her mouth.
"I was just wondering if you would like to dance," he said, his voice cool and casual. Her lips stayed firm, a slight change would be taken as encouragement.
"No thank you, I'm fine here." She said, trying to let him down gently, but so that he would get the picture. It was tempting to say that she was waiting for someone, it would be a slight lie as she was well aware Neo would be too tired to come down after all the work he did that day.
"You do know it is very bad manners to turn down a dance," he smiled and her stomach clenched. His words and tone were meant to persuade her by implying that he was being the soul of charity. Her muscles tensed.
"And if you know it is bad manners not to keep your hands to yourself." She replied quickly, eyes flickering to his fingers which were resting on the back of her hand. His friendly smile stayed even if it felt underlined with malice.
"I'll see you later then." And with that his hand warped around hers, giving it a squeeze and running his fingertips up her bare arm as he left in search of a more willing partner. Trinity fought the intense urge to kick him on his way. Technically he had done nothing wrong and yet if he had any social skills he would have noticed that no one touched her, the crowd moving away as she walked through them.
A while later Trinity still sat at her booth. It was getting late and she figured that she should leave, as Neo would be back soon and she wanted to be there when he opened the door, as much for her own comfort as for his. She rose from her seat and headed for the exit. Someone stepped into her path. She looked up into the face of the man she had silently labelled a slimeball as soon as he talked to her earlier.
"I never did get that dance," He half shouted over the music, grabbing onto her arm.
"I never said you would." She shouted back, trying to release the grip.
"Gunther, that's me by the way, doesn't take no for an answer." He pulled her into the mass of moving bodies, and held her close with strength she had not expected. She had underestimated him and now that there were so many people around her, the options she had at her disposal seemed pathetically minuscule. He moved not only with the music, but with force. Trinity, not usually the type to get scared, could hear the deafening roar of terror in her ears, drowning out the drums that drowned out her in their turn. His hands left no room for doubt and the slight metallic taste from earlier overran even the wetness of her saliva in her mouth. Trinity reacted. Bringing her knee up sharply she struck her target, knowing it may only stun him for a moment, pulling against the point where his thumb gripped her flesh. He stumbled backwards, releasing her and she fled, weaving through the crowds. He screamed above the music, which stopped, the dancers stilling.
"Fucking bitch!" Pulse hammering, she spun on her heel, trying to ignore the looks of the dancers. Most simply stared at him after they realised who he was talking about. The form lying on the floor repulsed her to the point of nausea and when three of the toughest resistance fighters came between her and the now rising man, Trinity almost smiled.
"Why don't you let us sort this one out?" Asked the leader of the trio with real concern and respect. She nodded, the crowd parting before her, watching the anger flashing in the eyes of the four men. As soon as the warrioress stepped into the open of the corridors her feet sped up, pounding on the metal to gain momentum. She heard someone call her name and for once she failed to heed it, surprised when her feet failed her. A hand grabbed her shoulder and she didn't pause to think, throwing attacks with her feet and arms, met at every move with skill and equal force.
"Trinity, calm down, it's Niobe." The voice registered through the haze, taking the fight out of her. Taking deep breaths she leaned against the cool wall sliding down it when her legs could no longer support her weight, the adrenalin tiring her faster than she could bear. The other woman squatted for a moment by her side before sliding a supportive arm around the limp body; there was only one person that the dark captain knew to be able to help her friend. She only hoped the One was home from work.
Neo arrived in the room just as the women reached the walkway that would lead them to their destination. He was starting to worry, having found the note left for him. He checked the small monitor that displayed time, Trinity was late. Throwing on some clean clothes, he was about to go look for his missing love but there was a knock at the door. He pulled back the metal to reveal Niobe standing with an arm around Trinity. The deep brown eyes of the captain were concerned; the blue eyes near them glazed over. Something knotted in Neo's gut.
"We had a little trouble," Niobe started, Trinity cut her off.
"I'm fine." But Neo knew different, even though she now stood with her weight on her own legs, she seemed unstable. He went to hug her, wanting to protect her from whatever had happened, but she stiffened, freezing for a moment. He frowned, searching her eyes for something to help, they didn't seem to see him at all. He let Niobe guide her to the bed, the woman whispering that she had to find Morpheus.
"He'll know what's going on."
"I hope so. Niobe?"
"Yeah?"
"What do I do?"
"Be there for her Neo, she's scared and I've never seen it before, certainly not like this." He nodded, sitting opposite the staring woman. Niobe sighed, leaving them to do just as she said. Looking back over her shoulder once she felt something catch in her throat, Trinity was staring right through Neo, her blue eyes cold and distant, her back ramrod straight. Neo was watching her with those brown eyes filled with concern and love. Shaking her head, the captain left, knowing the best thing she could do would be finding Morpheus.