Sorry I haven't updated for so long - I've been mega-ultra-super-busy, and
also my account was frozen for breaking site rules, and that's why both my
party stories have vanished as well. Bummer. However, for those of you who
were going to be in the next chapter, I already had it written so I can
send it to you if you want. And I've put this message at the stop of all my
stories, so if you have a feeling of deja vu, don't worry, it's not the
Matrix.
Another exciting chapter coming! I loved writing these chapters. I won't say anything, but I will say that I'm sorry about all these cliffies! I've been going back on this and editing it recently - if you spot something that doesn't make sense, feel free to mention it. And I PROMISE that Neo won't fall in love with Asha. THIS IS NOT A MARY-SUE. I can swear that on - on muffins. There, see how serious I am?
Chapter 5 - Meeting
"You don't have to do this," said Neo as Asha started preparing to leave, "How can we trust him? Last time you saw him he could have killed you, Asha."
"I know," said Asha, "But he won't this time."
"He won't?" said Neo, "How can you be so sure?"
"I can't be sure," said Asha, "But I just know. Unless you've had any dreams that foresee my tragic and painful demise?" Neo's face stiffened. "What?" said Asha, suddenly afraid, "You haven't, had you?"
"No," said Neo.
"You've been having dreams, though, haven't you?"
"Everyone has dreams," said Neo, glancing away. Asha, however, knowing that she was onto something, persisted.
"Neo, if you've been having dreams, you have to tell us. It could be really important."
"It's not, OK?" said Neo, suddenly getting angry, "Unless-" He stopped.
"What?" said Asha, "Unless what?"
Neo looked at Asha. Asha quickly looked into his eyes, and tried to feel the emotions running through Neo's head. She was amazed to find that the main one was fear.
"Nothing," said Neo, "Don't worry about it. You go meet David. I'm sure you know what's best." The anger was still in his voice, so Asha walked away quickly. She felt a hand on her shoulder as she reached the door.
"I'm sorry, Asha," said Neo, and he sounded like he meant it, "I shouldn't have got angry. It's just. these dreams. I know that you think they're important, but I can't share them. I just can't."
Asha nodded. "I can understand that," she said.
* * * * *
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" asked Morpheus. Asha rolled her eyes. Why was she getting the third degree from everyone?
"Yes," said Asha, "I do."
"Tank will be watching you throughout this meeting. The first sign of trouble, I want you to get to an exit straight away, we'll have several set up near you-"
"I get it, Morpheus, OK?" said Asha, "Everyone thinks it's a bad idea except me. But I'm still going to go, I don't even need to be jacked in, I could go right this second!"
Morpheus held up a hand. Asha tried to calm down. Just because she was in the Real World didn't mean she wasn't hormonal.
"But I'd rather go with my captain's approval," she said.
"We're just worried, Asha," said Morpheus, "We don't want to lose you, and this could easily be a trap. We don't know why he would want to meet you."
"Neither do I," said Asha, "But I've been waiting for this. I can't explain it, but I knew that I'd see him again at some point. That's why I didn't kill him when I had the chance. He still has something to do."
"You sound like Gandalf," said Falcon. He had woken up a few hours ago, and was walking around as if in a dream. Asha smiled at him.
"That's just it. He's like Gollum," she said, "But I don't know how David would feel being compared to a five hundred-year-old schizophrenic hobbit that has an obsession for the One Ring."
"I don't know," said Trinity, "Sounds like they have a lot in common."
Tank stuck his head through the door. "Ready to go?" he asked.
"Yeah," said Asha, and lay down in the chair.
"Do I have a rough idea of where I'm dropping you off?" asked Tank. Asha closed her eyes and thought.
"Manhattan," she said, "Near Bloomingdales, I think." She grinned at Trinity. "Great, I can go shopping while I'm there."
"How do you know?" asked Falcon.
"I just do," she said. She looked round at Neo, Trinity, Morpheus and Falcon. They were all looking at her worriedly. "I'll come back," she said, "Don't worry."
* * * * *
Asha opened her eyes inside an abandoned teashop. She was in the back room. She lifted the ringing phone from the cradle. "I'm in," she said.
"OK," said Tank, "But remember, first sign of trouble-"
"I'll run back here before you can say 'Nebuchadnezzar'" said Asha, "But of course, that takes longer with some people than others. Just quickly."
"Right," said Tank. Asha hung up, and squeezed herself through a narrow back window. She dropped into an alleyway that went behind the teashop. Which way now? She closed her eyes and thought again.
'Forward' she heard. Asha had learnt to listen to this voice. She walked straight forward along the alley, seeming to be following a set path.
Soon she had completely forgotten the way she had come, but it didn't matter; if she concentrated she could feel the hubbub of the main street, which she knew the teashop was near to. In the meantime she trusted her instincts and followed where her feet led her.
Finally she came out into a great courtyard between buildings - very similar to the one where she had first met David. She remembered how scared she had been of him then. With a shudder of anger and, though she hated to admit it, fear, she remembered how he had kidnapped her, and used her as bait to bring Morpheus and Trinity to the agents.
Was she being completely stupid coming to meet him? She remembered Morpheus' words, about how he had no apparent reason to come and meet her. What if this was some other plan?
However, something made her stay. She felt that this was where she was meant to be meeting him, and she stood in the middle, not waiting exactly patiently - she tapped her foot and looked around the courtyard. Great, she thought, if he's going to bother sending me a message through a dream, he might as well turn up on time. Then she remembered he hadn't said just when he was turning up.
She was on the verge of calling Tank when she heard footsteps coming down the alley behind her. She was about to turn round and assume some nonchalant pose, when she realised something. David had always worn trainers with his black ensemble. The footsteps that were coming up behind her were smart shoes. Not just any smart shoes - she had seen the Matrix enough times to recognise those footsteps.
"Miss Warner," said Agent Smith from behind her, "At a risk of sounding clichéd, we've been expecting you."
Asha froze. She knew that she'd beaten Agent Smith once, but Agent Smith with Neo at her side was one thing, but on her own was another. She turned round slowly, determinedly keeping the fear out of her face. Agent Smith was there; only a few feet away from her, looking exactly the way he did last time she'd seen him.
Then she realised what he'd said. "We?" she said, trying to sound nonchalant, but her voice shook, and gave away how afraid she was. Normally she wouldn't let it show, but by the fact he was smiling, well, that was more than enough reason to be uneasy.
"We," he said. Out of the alley behind him came yet more Agent Smiths, all looking exactly the same. Asha felt her heart sink to the bottom of her boots. "All of us."
Asha watched as more and more agents came down the alley and spread into a circle around her. She wished she could be more articulate, but the only thing she could think was 'This CAN'T be good'.
"What are you doing here?" asked Asha, "I would have thought you would have learnt from when I kicked your ass last time."
"And I would have thought that you would have learnt from last time that humour doesn't affect me," said Agent Smith.
"Well, I am a slow learner," said Asha.
'Try to keep him talking' said the voice in her head.
"So, uh, how have you been?" asked Asha. As she talked, she felt her surroundings, looking for a possible escape. There was a window a couple of storeys up, but it was locked. Asha would have tried to unlock it, but it was harder to move things when they were a long way away, especially complicated things like locks. Other than that, there was no escape, except for trying to jump onto one of the surrounding buildings, but that was near impossible because of the overhang. Asha swore internally. This was the perfect place for an ambush - why hadn't she noticed?
"I have been. busy," said Agent Smith.
"Really?" said Asha, trying her luck with the lock. But it was very strong; she may as well have tried to shove a building out of the way. Besides, she didn't even know whether that was a reliable way out. She could sense movement in the building, even though it looked abandoned - what if it had more agents inside? "What you been up to?"
Asha had only seen Agent Smith laugh once, and that was in the preview for the Matrix: Revolutions she'd downloaded from the Internet. And that was creepy enough. Now he was laughing right in front of her, and it was one of the scariest things that she had ever seen.
"You watch too many James Bond films, girl," he said, "Just because you imagine yourself to be the heroine doesn't mean that the 'bad guy' will tell you everything you want to know."
Asha wasn't expecting this response. Was Agent Smith up to something? She wouldn't put anything past a guy who cackled that insanely. Agent Smith didn't seem to have noticed anything, and continued talking.
"Also, unlike a James Bond film, there is no man to coming swooping in and save the heroine at the last moment," said Agent Smith, "But anyway, I am coming off the point. Rather a human trait, I am ashamed to admit, so I will try to avoid it in future."
"The point?" said Asha, wondering how it was possible for only two words to scare her so much.
"I understand that you have now seen the Matrix: Reloaded."
"Yeah," said Asha, "What's that got to do with anything?"
"This," he said. Two Agent Smiths grabbed onto Asha' arms. Before Asha could fight them off, he thrust his hand into the centre of Asha's chest. Asha gasped as she felt a cold wave hit her. She glanced downwards, and saw the blackness spreading from his hand.
This was it. He'd done this to Neo, but he'd fought him off, somehow. She however couldn't think of anything to do. Her mind was filled with shock and cold, she couldn't think of anything else. Neo had described like he was dying, and that was the best way to describe it. She felt her chest seize up, she couldn't breathe. She looked at Agent Smith's face, eyes starting to fill with tears. He was smiling again, this time with real amusement in it. He was enjoying this, enjoying the fact that she was going to die.
The black substance started to creep up her neck and along her limbs. It was engulfing her, and where it went, she lost feeling. This was it. She was going to die. It was inevitable, there was no-one to save her. She struggled to stay conscious, to keep awake, but she felt darkness begin to fill the corners of her brain, and her mind slipping away. Agent Smith's smile grew wider.
"Goodbye, Miss Warner," he said.
****
Now THAT is a cliffie. I'm sorry to leave you on that, but I may not be back for a couple of weeks! Sorry! *ducks projectiles hurled at her by reviewers* Really! I am sorry!
Sirocco.flow - I know, that was very sad. They did however have a guy who seriously reminded me of 'Ello poppet' guy from 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Whether or not that's a good thing...
Alocin - Yes, there's been a bit of Smithy in this chapter! I thought you'd like that!
Luna - I'll never stop updating fics for good! I still have this story to finish, and my parody, and my parody of LOTR, and even after all those I have about a million other ideas... maybe I'll be in university by then...
Elektra, Becca and Claire - Thanks guys! Not all are loco... I'm a Matrix fan... actually, never mind.
Kit - Well done! I've still got mine this year. I'm sure Asha could kick David's ass again, but you'll just have to see, won't you?...
Im a Brandybuck - That bit was JUST SO FUNNY!!! *laughs at the memory* I also loved the bit with all the Seanns, and one of them started hitting another and saying "Stop - hitting - yourself!" Hahahahahahahahahahaha...... *gets funny looks* I dunno, maybe it's just my imagination that Gandalf's there. It was when he was still grey Gandalf, and there was a dark blue background behind him...
T'Lorie - Many! Not all of them will be appearing yet though!
Huntress - No, it's just where Asha would aim if she were fighting humans. Force of habit, I suppose. This fic has quite a few faults, I don't try and deny them.
Gone-to-jarmadanga - Thanks! Don't know what you think of this cliffie...
Littlefurryscrubcreature - I know they're evil. Probably why I like them so much... I don't have any other outlet for my evil. My reputation in my school year is the 'sweet, kind, innocent, virtuous one', which is good when they're looking for the person who left a mess on the locker room floor (not that that was me. Ahem.) and for getting away with late coursework, but if I try to do something NOT so 'sweet, kind, innocent and virtuous', no-one takes me seriously...
KnowInSight - Thanks! I don't know how soon you'll see it.
Jack Cole - Ooh, du sprechst Deutsch sehr gut. Lernst du Deutch in deine Schule? Danke schon!
MollyJean - Sorry, I'm trying to find ways to fit him in, but it's quite difficult, because I already have this story written (haha, I know the ending!) and I don't know how to get him in again. He does have an appearance before the end, but I think he needs another one... I understand the Architect now! I don't know how that sudden transition came about when I got it on DVD...
Elrothiel - Well, I was trying to make this fic as serious as it's possible for me to be... which isn't very... And yes, I do imagine David as hot. He's my favourite character, actually, along with Asha, because he's so fascinating. Even I don't fully understand him. And I still don't know who Kurt Cobain is, so not really, and Jack Sparrow's fictional, so not him really either...
Deity of Sorrow - *ears prick up* Muffin?
Yilantri - Well, I could only write the Architect to the best of my vocabulary. The longest word I know how to spell is antidisestablishmentarianism, and the Architect wouldn't use that word.
See y'all next update! *waves*
Another exciting chapter coming! I loved writing these chapters. I won't say anything, but I will say that I'm sorry about all these cliffies! I've been going back on this and editing it recently - if you spot something that doesn't make sense, feel free to mention it. And I PROMISE that Neo won't fall in love with Asha. THIS IS NOT A MARY-SUE. I can swear that on - on muffins. There, see how serious I am?
Chapter 5 - Meeting
"You don't have to do this," said Neo as Asha started preparing to leave, "How can we trust him? Last time you saw him he could have killed you, Asha."
"I know," said Asha, "But he won't this time."
"He won't?" said Neo, "How can you be so sure?"
"I can't be sure," said Asha, "But I just know. Unless you've had any dreams that foresee my tragic and painful demise?" Neo's face stiffened. "What?" said Asha, suddenly afraid, "You haven't, had you?"
"No," said Neo.
"You've been having dreams, though, haven't you?"
"Everyone has dreams," said Neo, glancing away. Asha, however, knowing that she was onto something, persisted.
"Neo, if you've been having dreams, you have to tell us. It could be really important."
"It's not, OK?" said Neo, suddenly getting angry, "Unless-" He stopped.
"What?" said Asha, "Unless what?"
Neo looked at Asha. Asha quickly looked into his eyes, and tried to feel the emotions running through Neo's head. She was amazed to find that the main one was fear.
"Nothing," said Neo, "Don't worry about it. You go meet David. I'm sure you know what's best." The anger was still in his voice, so Asha walked away quickly. She felt a hand on her shoulder as she reached the door.
"I'm sorry, Asha," said Neo, and he sounded like he meant it, "I shouldn't have got angry. It's just. these dreams. I know that you think they're important, but I can't share them. I just can't."
Asha nodded. "I can understand that," she said.
* * * * *
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" asked Morpheus. Asha rolled her eyes. Why was she getting the third degree from everyone?
"Yes," said Asha, "I do."
"Tank will be watching you throughout this meeting. The first sign of trouble, I want you to get to an exit straight away, we'll have several set up near you-"
"I get it, Morpheus, OK?" said Asha, "Everyone thinks it's a bad idea except me. But I'm still going to go, I don't even need to be jacked in, I could go right this second!"
Morpheus held up a hand. Asha tried to calm down. Just because she was in the Real World didn't mean she wasn't hormonal.
"But I'd rather go with my captain's approval," she said.
"We're just worried, Asha," said Morpheus, "We don't want to lose you, and this could easily be a trap. We don't know why he would want to meet you."
"Neither do I," said Asha, "But I've been waiting for this. I can't explain it, but I knew that I'd see him again at some point. That's why I didn't kill him when I had the chance. He still has something to do."
"You sound like Gandalf," said Falcon. He had woken up a few hours ago, and was walking around as if in a dream. Asha smiled at him.
"That's just it. He's like Gollum," she said, "But I don't know how David would feel being compared to a five hundred-year-old schizophrenic hobbit that has an obsession for the One Ring."
"I don't know," said Trinity, "Sounds like they have a lot in common."
Tank stuck his head through the door. "Ready to go?" he asked.
"Yeah," said Asha, and lay down in the chair.
"Do I have a rough idea of where I'm dropping you off?" asked Tank. Asha closed her eyes and thought.
"Manhattan," she said, "Near Bloomingdales, I think." She grinned at Trinity. "Great, I can go shopping while I'm there."
"How do you know?" asked Falcon.
"I just do," she said. She looked round at Neo, Trinity, Morpheus and Falcon. They were all looking at her worriedly. "I'll come back," she said, "Don't worry."
* * * * *
Asha opened her eyes inside an abandoned teashop. She was in the back room. She lifted the ringing phone from the cradle. "I'm in," she said.
"OK," said Tank, "But remember, first sign of trouble-"
"I'll run back here before you can say 'Nebuchadnezzar'" said Asha, "But of course, that takes longer with some people than others. Just quickly."
"Right," said Tank. Asha hung up, and squeezed herself through a narrow back window. She dropped into an alleyway that went behind the teashop. Which way now? She closed her eyes and thought again.
'Forward' she heard. Asha had learnt to listen to this voice. She walked straight forward along the alley, seeming to be following a set path.
Soon she had completely forgotten the way she had come, but it didn't matter; if she concentrated she could feel the hubbub of the main street, which she knew the teashop was near to. In the meantime she trusted her instincts and followed where her feet led her.
Finally she came out into a great courtyard between buildings - very similar to the one where she had first met David. She remembered how scared she had been of him then. With a shudder of anger and, though she hated to admit it, fear, she remembered how he had kidnapped her, and used her as bait to bring Morpheus and Trinity to the agents.
Was she being completely stupid coming to meet him? She remembered Morpheus' words, about how he had no apparent reason to come and meet her. What if this was some other plan?
However, something made her stay. She felt that this was where she was meant to be meeting him, and she stood in the middle, not waiting exactly patiently - she tapped her foot and looked around the courtyard. Great, she thought, if he's going to bother sending me a message through a dream, he might as well turn up on time. Then she remembered he hadn't said just when he was turning up.
She was on the verge of calling Tank when she heard footsteps coming down the alley behind her. She was about to turn round and assume some nonchalant pose, when she realised something. David had always worn trainers with his black ensemble. The footsteps that were coming up behind her were smart shoes. Not just any smart shoes - she had seen the Matrix enough times to recognise those footsteps.
"Miss Warner," said Agent Smith from behind her, "At a risk of sounding clichéd, we've been expecting you."
Asha froze. She knew that she'd beaten Agent Smith once, but Agent Smith with Neo at her side was one thing, but on her own was another. She turned round slowly, determinedly keeping the fear out of her face. Agent Smith was there; only a few feet away from her, looking exactly the way he did last time she'd seen him.
Then she realised what he'd said. "We?" she said, trying to sound nonchalant, but her voice shook, and gave away how afraid she was. Normally she wouldn't let it show, but by the fact he was smiling, well, that was more than enough reason to be uneasy.
"We," he said. Out of the alley behind him came yet more Agent Smiths, all looking exactly the same. Asha felt her heart sink to the bottom of her boots. "All of us."
Asha watched as more and more agents came down the alley and spread into a circle around her. She wished she could be more articulate, but the only thing she could think was 'This CAN'T be good'.
"What are you doing here?" asked Asha, "I would have thought you would have learnt from when I kicked your ass last time."
"And I would have thought that you would have learnt from last time that humour doesn't affect me," said Agent Smith.
"Well, I am a slow learner," said Asha.
'Try to keep him talking' said the voice in her head.
"So, uh, how have you been?" asked Asha. As she talked, she felt her surroundings, looking for a possible escape. There was a window a couple of storeys up, but it was locked. Asha would have tried to unlock it, but it was harder to move things when they were a long way away, especially complicated things like locks. Other than that, there was no escape, except for trying to jump onto one of the surrounding buildings, but that was near impossible because of the overhang. Asha swore internally. This was the perfect place for an ambush - why hadn't she noticed?
"I have been. busy," said Agent Smith.
"Really?" said Asha, trying her luck with the lock. But it was very strong; she may as well have tried to shove a building out of the way. Besides, she didn't even know whether that was a reliable way out. She could sense movement in the building, even though it looked abandoned - what if it had more agents inside? "What you been up to?"
Asha had only seen Agent Smith laugh once, and that was in the preview for the Matrix: Revolutions she'd downloaded from the Internet. And that was creepy enough. Now he was laughing right in front of her, and it was one of the scariest things that she had ever seen.
"You watch too many James Bond films, girl," he said, "Just because you imagine yourself to be the heroine doesn't mean that the 'bad guy' will tell you everything you want to know."
Asha wasn't expecting this response. Was Agent Smith up to something? She wouldn't put anything past a guy who cackled that insanely. Agent Smith didn't seem to have noticed anything, and continued talking.
"Also, unlike a James Bond film, there is no man to coming swooping in and save the heroine at the last moment," said Agent Smith, "But anyway, I am coming off the point. Rather a human trait, I am ashamed to admit, so I will try to avoid it in future."
"The point?" said Asha, wondering how it was possible for only two words to scare her so much.
"I understand that you have now seen the Matrix: Reloaded."
"Yeah," said Asha, "What's that got to do with anything?"
"This," he said. Two Agent Smiths grabbed onto Asha' arms. Before Asha could fight them off, he thrust his hand into the centre of Asha's chest. Asha gasped as she felt a cold wave hit her. She glanced downwards, and saw the blackness spreading from his hand.
This was it. He'd done this to Neo, but he'd fought him off, somehow. She however couldn't think of anything to do. Her mind was filled with shock and cold, she couldn't think of anything else. Neo had described like he was dying, and that was the best way to describe it. She felt her chest seize up, she couldn't breathe. She looked at Agent Smith's face, eyes starting to fill with tears. He was smiling again, this time with real amusement in it. He was enjoying this, enjoying the fact that she was going to die.
The black substance started to creep up her neck and along her limbs. It was engulfing her, and where it went, she lost feeling. This was it. She was going to die. It was inevitable, there was no-one to save her. She struggled to stay conscious, to keep awake, but she felt darkness begin to fill the corners of her brain, and her mind slipping away. Agent Smith's smile grew wider.
"Goodbye, Miss Warner," he said.
****
Now THAT is a cliffie. I'm sorry to leave you on that, but I may not be back for a couple of weeks! Sorry! *ducks projectiles hurled at her by reviewers* Really! I am sorry!
Sirocco.flow - I know, that was very sad. They did however have a guy who seriously reminded me of 'Ello poppet' guy from 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Whether or not that's a good thing...
Alocin - Yes, there's been a bit of Smithy in this chapter! I thought you'd like that!
Luna - I'll never stop updating fics for good! I still have this story to finish, and my parody, and my parody of LOTR, and even after all those I have about a million other ideas... maybe I'll be in university by then...
Elektra, Becca and Claire - Thanks guys! Not all are loco... I'm a Matrix fan... actually, never mind.
Kit - Well done! I've still got mine this year. I'm sure Asha could kick David's ass again, but you'll just have to see, won't you?...
Im a Brandybuck - That bit was JUST SO FUNNY!!! *laughs at the memory* I also loved the bit with all the Seanns, and one of them started hitting another and saying "Stop - hitting - yourself!" Hahahahahahahahahahaha...... *gets funny looks* I dunno, maybe it's just my imagination that Gandalf's there. It was when he was still grey Gandalf, and there was a dark blue background behind him...
T'Lorie - Many! Not all of them will be appearing yet though!
Huntress - No, it's just where Asha would aim if she were fighting humans. Force of habit, I suppose. This fic has quite a few faults, I don't try and deny them.
Gone-to-jarmadanga - Thanks! Don't know what you think of this cliffie...
Littlefurryscrubcreature - I know they're evil. Probably why I like them so much... I don't have any other outlet for my evil. My reputation in my school year is the 'sweet, kind, innocent, virtuous one', which is good when they're looking for the person who left a mess on the locker room floor (not that that was me. Ahem.) and for getting away with late coursework, but if I try to do something NOT so 'sweet, kind, innocent and virtuous', no-one takes me seriously...
KnowInSight - Thanks! I don't know how soon you'll see it.
Jack Cole - Ooh, du sprechst Deutsch sehr gut. Lernst du Deutch in deine Schule? Danke schon!
MollyJean - Sorry, I'm trying to find ways to fit him in, but it's quite difficult, because I already have this story written (haha, I know the ending!) and I don't know how to get him in again. He does have an appearance before the end, but I think he needs another one... I understand the Architect now! I don't know how that sudden transition came about when I got it on DVD...
Elrothiel - Well, I was trying to make this fic as serious as it's possible for me to be... which isn't very... And yes, I do imagine David as hot. He's my favourite character, actually, along with Asha, because he's so fascinating. Even I don't fully understand him. And I still don't know who Kurt Cobain is, so not really, and Jack Sparrow's fictional, so not him really either...
Deity of Sorrow - *ears prick up* Muffin?
Yilantri - Well, I could only write the Architect to the best of my vocabulary. The longest word I know how to spell is antidisestablishmentarianism, and the Architect wouldn't use that word.
See y'all next update! *waves*