20
Consciousness struck like a sledge hammer... and suddenly, Marcus pulled himself off the concrete floor, shaking his head as he stood. A massive ache struck him in the temple at that very moment, a pain shooting through his entire brain.
"Hello, Marcus," a weirdly familiar voice greeted him. Marcus turned, head swimming. "Who... who's there?"
"You," it replied. And it was… sort of. It was like looking into a mirror… but the person who looked like him also seemed… warped, somehow….
Marcus stepped back. "How is this possible? Where...?"
The other him pointed to black letters on the white tiled wall, letters that read 'Mobil Ave'. "Then the Merovingian put me here.... Why can I now think as normal?" His doppelganger grinned mirthlessly. "To make sure I have full control over our body. He has learned from the mistake he made with your little girlfriend."
Marcus narrowed his eyes. "So, he meant for you to dominate me here... and we split."
"Exactly."
"What happens now?"
"What do you think, Marcus?"
"I take it we do not discuss this as civilized programs."
Marcus' statement was greeted by his own derisive smirk -- but this expression too was warped, corrupted. Marcus dropped into a fighting stance. The other him fell into the exact same stance.
Marcus then stepped back, reaching into his waistband and pulling out his pistol. "That won't work," his other self said tauntingly. Marcus completed his motion, tossing the gun away. "I know." The doppelganger casually tossed his own weapon to the side before again falling into a combative position.
Marcus then rushed forward, using his characteristic jumping kick on his "twin." The other him blocked it easily, grabbing his ankle and hurling him into the wall. Marcus struck the wall hard, causing ceramic to topple away. He then rose and threw off his trench coat, dropping back into an attack stance. Now his other side went on the offensive, coming at him quickly, suddenly dropping and sliding under Marcus, using the handstand kick Marcus himself had used on Bastet in the subway fight.
Marcus took the hit, smashing into the wall once more. His copy smirked as he rose to his feet. "All too easy… surely you're better than this?" Marcus hit the ground on his feet, and dropped back into a stance. "I'm only getting warmed up." "Now where have I heard that before?" the other mused. "Oh, yes, your kitty-girl's other half… before she lost, and to a human, no less."
"Bastet did not lose to a human." Marcus replied.
"Are you sure about that?"
"She lost to her stronger half." Marcus suddenly snapped out a roundhouse kick straight for his other self's head. The doppelganger barely blocked. "Sekhmet? Stronger? Don't make me laugh," he sneered. "Then allow me to prove my point." The Vampire twirled and snapped out a maelstrom of punches towards the dark one, followed by him dropping back on his hands and slamming his feet into the other vampire's chest.
His otherself was blown back, slamming into the wall on the opposite side of the train tracks. Marcus fell into a lower stance and held his hand out, flipping it over and making a "come on" motion with his fingers. The other Marcus snarled and attacked again with a flurry of kicks and punches, trying to drive the original program back.
Marcus blocked all of the attacks easily and calmly, and then responded by slamming both of his hands open-palmed into the chest of his double. Again he was blown back, but this time he wasn't as quick in rising. Marcus stayed still and calm, not advancing.
The other vampire charged again, this time using Marcus' jump-kick. Marcus sidestepped and grabbed the leg of the copy, lifted him into the air, and slammed him down behind him. He rolled to his feet, launching another attack. Marcus blocked it again, and then slammed another kick into the double's chest.
He was failing. This couldn't be, he'd been written to defeat Marcus, to replace Marcus, to be better than Marcus…. And yet he was losing.
"You may be a copy of me." Marcus pulled his shirt up and tossed it off, revealing the scars from where the twins and Bastet had slashed him. "You may even be superior to me, but i will win."
"You can't!" the other program cried desperately.
"I can. Because I have something to fight for."
"What the hell could give you such a delusion?"
"Sekhmet."
His copy blinked, then started to laugh. "That weak feline!?"
"You laugh. But is that blood trickling from your mouth?"
His eyes narrowed, and then he charged his "sire" once more. Marcus met the charge with a double roundhouse kick. His clone dodged one, but the other sent him crashing to the floor.
Marcus stood firm. "Please, stop this."
"There can only be one!"
"I agree, 'Duncan' " Marcus smirked.
"Then why do you want to stop!?"
"We can rejoin."
There was silence for a moment. "Not the same as either was before...but i believe it would be better than killing you." Another long silence. "If either of us kills the other, then we lose vital programming. Neither of us is a whole program."
"You have a point," he mused.
"But...how?"
"It's your plan."
"Physical contact does not seem too..." He halted. "I believe I know."
"What, then?" the copy asked.
Marcus opened his mouth and pointed to his fangs.
"… you have got to be kidding."
"I devour your code, and the two integrate themselves."
"We can't do that, though. The Merovingian made sure of that."
"It won't be feeding. It will be absorbing."
"… I suppose it's worth a shot."
"Agreed."
Slowly, cautiously, the copy approached Marcus. Marcus spent no pomp in biting. He merely slammed his fangs into the copy's neck, and concentrated on reintegrating the severed code.
Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of light as both vampires began to glow. The light filled the subway station, and then, suddenly, the two merged.
***
Valkyrie was worried, and feeling guilty that she'd left her friend to the Merovingian's tender mercies. She was also upset about losing to her brothers, though that at least was not uncommon.
Why had he just let her go like that? It was unlike the Merovingian to allow one of his escapees to walk away after recapture….
"Gah!" she muttered, toppling herself onto the couch. "I don't need this!"
Suddenly, there was a knock at her door. She jumped. "What the… who the hell?" She got up and opened the door, ready to phase in case of a trap.
Seraph was waiting at the door. "Hello, Valkyrie."
"You." She didn't trust him, but she knew enough that he wouldn't harm her. Signing, she let him in. "What do you want?"
"I am told you are the only one who can help Marcus."
She blinked. "Marcus? What's wrong with him; where is he!?"
"He is in the train station...on Mobil Avenue."
"What!? Limbo? How the hell am I supposed to get there? I may be a ghost, but even One and Two have to go through the Trainman to get there!"
"I was not told how. I was merely told you were the only one who could."
Valkyrie began grumbling, even as a plan formulated in her mind. "I don't suppose you could get me to a subway?" she asked at length. "That I can do." He motioned for her to step outside her house. She did so, shutting the door behind her. She suspected it may be a key-hop, and she wasn't gonna leave her door hanging open for curious brats to wander within. He did indeed open the way to the back door system. "We will be there in no time."
"Lead the way, Wingless."
***
Rafe unwittingly committed a grave error when, within earshot of the Twins, he mused, "I wonder who that ghost babe 20 miles down the mountain is…"
They both immediately looked to him. "What?" He blinked. "A ghost program lives down the mountain some ways…," he whistled appreciatively. "And damn, is she hot."
"You speak of our sister." The angel paled as that registered. The two ghosts had somehow surrounded him. "I didn't mean any harm by it…," he said weakly. "Such a pity." Twin One said. "Because we mean harm right now." Two finished.
"… shit…."
***
Seraph led her through the identical hallways for several minutes, until he opened the way out of a service entrance on the subway. Valkyrie looked around her. "Which subway will he be on?"
"The Trainman? I am not sure."
"Hmmm… I guess I'll have to scare several coppertops, then."
Seraph looked concerned. "What if it attracts Agent attention?"
"I'll have to risk it. Besides, I'm a ghost; they can't hurt me."
Seraph bowed. "I cannot accompany you any longer. I wish you the best of luck." A little awkwardly, she bowed back. A train came through, and she phased herself onboard. Sheer, dumb luck had her reapparating inside the subway restroom. Composing herself, the near-albino slid on the mirrored sunglasses that hid her eyes and stepped out, looking for the Trainman. She spotted him, and a feral grin frighteningly similar to that of her brothers' crossed her face.
***
There was a slow rumbling that increased in volume and tempo as the train pulled into Mobil Ave. A shadowy form moved from behind one of the pillars, watching it in cold silences. There, in the driver's seat, was the Trainman… but behind him, holding a gun to his head, was a certain ghost named Valkyrie.
"Valkyrie," came the voice from behind the pillar. She looked out the window curiously.
From behind the pillar stepped a man with long hair the colour of metal. He wore a long white trench coat that had black sleeves and a black border around the edge. He wore baggy black pants that hung volumous and loose, a rust coloured shirt on his chest. The person smiled, fiery green eyes shining bright, his fangs visible. "Like the new me?"
Her eyebrows arched. "Whoa, someone got a nice makeover… get on board, I don't have all day." He walked onto the train--although it alsmot seemed like he floated. "Well, at least one cat-girl is gonna be happy to see you," she grinned as the subway started moving again.
Marcus nodded. "I'll be glad to see her, too."
Updates will be coming at a rate of two or three a day, as Soldier Zero and myself have completed the story! Enjoy!
Sci-Freak GrodySpork: Interesting name there. I know Ra is the sun god. However, I have a book called The Catswold Portal, and it mentions the trinity of the cat goddesses -- Bast the gentle, Sekhmet the warrior, and Ra the sun. Do you like the upgraded Marcus?
Sapphire: Well, here, this should keep you busy until I update Legacy again.
Garnet: You do realise all the rebels are going to die anyway, right? Maybe not during the course of this story, but this takes place a decade or so before the end of the Fourth Cycle of the Matrix... and Marcus is back to his old self, if not physically, anyway.
Winter: I still fail to see how Red's getting his ass kicked by the Twins gives him cool points. They give him human points, certainly.... And Soldier Zero is wondering if his getting Merv so well is a good thing. ^_^ *patpats Zero* Yes, Seraph's fight with Gary Stu - I mean Archangel - was fun. And I was just reminding everyone that she IS a cat-girl, after all. Of course she'll have some catlike reactions. As for Gary - I mean Archangel - the wall-walking thing was part of the reason he was freed -- potential to be a One. However, he is not the One for the Fourth Cycle, so... *shrug*
I'm obsessed with Seraph. Of course there's going to be more Seraph!
Schwarz... well, you know by now. Poor baby. Angst-city.
Hate to break it to ya, babe, but Valkyrie is not going to be badass in this story. However, Val is going to turn up at some point during Legacy, and she'll be badass then. ^_^ I feel bad for her, considering her brothers.....
Winter, Winter, Winter... is anything I do coincidental? Ever?
Of course it blends with Legacy. We started writing it five days after Revolutions came out.