Sorry about the total 'durn durn durn' moment at the end there, in
hindsight it was more than a little cheesy. But I really can't be bothered
to change it now... Just so you know, there's quite a lot of talking in
this chapter. I try to fit in more actions, but then it just reads really
strangely. Hope you don't mind too much the fact that this story is
marginally cheesy...
Chapter 8 - Confusion
Asha lay awake, staring at her ceiling. What was going on? David had said that something was happening in the Matrix. Neo was scared of her. What was happening?
"Hey Asha," said a voice behind her. Asha swivelled round, but she didn't need to. She knew who it was.
"You're good," said Asha.
"I aim to please," said David.
Great, thought Asha, Another reason to be confused.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
David shrugged. "Wasn't doing anything. Tapped into your thoughts. Found that you were a bit confused. There's nothing more annoying than a confused heroine, because then you get those long talks at the end of the adventure, and those are so boring..."
"You tapped into my thoughts?" Without realising she was doing so, she grabbed onto her head, as if trying to stop him gaining access to her head.
"Well, yeah. I was bored."
"Well, next time, just buy a Playstation or something, OK? Stay out of my head."
Asha then realised just how absurd this conversation was. "Wait a minute," she said, "About a month ago, you came here to try and kidnap me and make me join the agents. And now, you show up for a 'friendly chat' because you were 'bored'?"
David shrugged. "Before, I thought that you were a girl who was easily intimidated. I thought that I could scare you into joining us. But, as you remember, you have a stronger mind than I anticipated..."
Asha grinned as she remembered throwing David around the room. That had been very satisfying. She then shook herself.
"But - but - how do I know that you're not up to something now?" asked Asha, "As far as I know, you've told the agents that we're going to see the Oracle tomorrow, and they're waiting to ambush us!"
"No I haven't," said David, "For one thing, I didn't know that you were going."
"Oh," said Asha, and hit herself on the head. How could she have been so stupid? She made to hit herself again, but her hand stopped in mid-air. She looked up to see David's eyes fixed on it.
"Don't hit your head," he said, "And for another, I still need you to do something for me. You remember how I told you that something was happening?"
"Oh yeah!" she said.
"Yes, well, something's happened. The plans have been brought forward. It's going to begin soon."
Asha's brain had scarcely registered this information when footsteps came running towards her room. The door swung open, and Neo was standing on the threshold, his eyes blazing as he saw David.
"You!" he said, looking like he was torn between anger and disbelief, "What are YOU doing here?"
"I've got to be going, Asha," said David, "Nice to know my rescuing you is appreciated." He vanished.
"Neo!" said Asha angrily, "WHY do you keep DOING that?!?!?"
"What's going on?" he said, "What was he doing to you?"
"Nothing," said Asha angrily, "All he was doing was stopping me hitting my own head, and warning me about something that was happening in the Matrix. Why did you come?"
"I came because I thought that you might be in danger," said Neo, eyes still flashing, "Sorry that I showed concern. I'll wait for you to cry for help next time, but if you remember rightly, that was too late last time, wasn't it?"
Asha looked at the floor. "I'm sorry," she said, "It's just - he was trying to tell me again."
"Tell you what?"
"Tell me what's going on in the Matrix." Asha looked up into Neo's eyes. He was looking calm, albeit still slightly scruffy-looking, but Asha could feel turmoil in his mind. Confusion, anger, hurt, surprise, and mingling with it all, a fear of Asha. Where was it from? "Something's happening, and he's trying to warn me about it. He said - he said that the plans had been brought forward, and that it was going to begin soon. What can he mean?"
"I don't know," said Neo, "We're going to see the Oracle tomorrow anyway, you can ask her about it then."
"Great," said Asha, "THEN we'll get a straight answer."
* * * * *
"So, is the Oracle real?" asked Falcon as they drove through the Matrix.
"Mmmm," said Asha, not really listening. She was looking out of the tinted windows, looking for any possible sign of agents. Though David was being much less, well, evil than before, she still didn't trust him. Neo was also uneasy, but she couldn't tell why. Probably the whole fear of her thing.
She suddenly realised that Falcon was still talking. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I was just asking what the Oracle told you."
"Oh..." said Asha, "She, um, confirmed that I was the second hope, and that I was in danger."
"Were you?"
"Well, yeah, five minutes later I was running away from agents."
"Wow," said Falcon, "Accurate."
"Yeah, just a little." Falcon looked pensive and looked out the window. But Asha felt her stomach twist threateningly. In all the other confusing things buzzing round her head, the Oracle's words had been forgotten. She still had that choice to make, about Neo. Great. Her life was now just that little bit more worrying. And she thought that at this point she'd only be worrying about her GCSEs. Instead, she was thinking about her choice to save the life of the One, what was happening that could affect the whole of mankind, and in her spare time worrying about sentient programs coming after her and turning her into one of them.
"We're here," said Morpheus, "Come on Falcon, Asha."
*****
While a white-looking Falcon was led into the kitchen, Asha went into the living room and looked around.
"Where's Spoon Boy?" she asked one of the potentials, a little girl with long red hair down her back. She had been frowning at some blocks, but immediately looked up and stared at Asha confusedly.
"Who?" she asked quietly.
"Oh - the boy I was talking to last time I was here. The one bending spoons?"
"I don't know," said the girl, "I only came here last week."
"Oh," said Asha, "Is there anyone else here from say, a month ago?"
"No," said the girl, "They've all gone."
"Gone where?"
"To the Real World."
Asha blinked. He'd been unplugged. She'd never thought of that - she thought that he'd just be bending spoons forever.
"Who are you?" asked the little girl.
"I'm Asha."
"Which ship are you on?"
"The Nebuchadnezzar. Why?"
The girl's eyes widened. "With Neo?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"The woman who found me told me about him. He's going to save everyone, isn't he?"
"I hope so," said Asha, remembering the Matrix: Reloaded.
Falcon came out of the kitchen, still looking vaguely pale, but now clutching a cookie. Asha smiled at the girl, then ran to meet him.
"Good news?" she asked, but the smile faded from her face when she saw his face. "What's wrong?"
Falcon shook his head. "Does she EVER give good news?"
"Not in my experience," said Asha, "Why, what did she say?"
"She said..." began Falcon, but paused.
"You don't have to say-"
"No, its alright," said Falcon, "She told me that nothing lasts forever."
"Um..." said Asha, "Alright. That's, um..."
"I know, I know, it doesn't necessarily refer to me," he said, "But why else would she tell me? What could she mean?"
"Did she say anything else?"
Falcon shook his head. "I'd rather keep that to myself."
"That's OK," said Asha, "I haven't told you all that she told me."
The priestess came up to Asha. "Asha?"
"Yeah, I'm coming," she said, "See you outside, Falcon."
"Hope your news is better," he said.
"Yeah," said Asha, "Me too."
*****
One good thing about this chapter - no evil cliffie! I thought you deserved a break.
Im a Brandybuck - I know more about Harry Potter than is good for me... before the films came out I was a major fan of it...
Jack Cole - Return of the King solves all problems! I need to go and see it again... Why do people always look at me so strangely when they hear that I've already seen it three times?
Tanuki Yasha - Character developyness is always good! Which is probably why I'm going to write a whole story about David, for LOADS of character developyness!
Luna - My Christmas was pretty cool, except when my step relatives descended upon the house... My grandfather married again, so I have HEAPS.
Becca and Claire and Tru - Vampire penguins? Not more additons for the maniacal menagerie.
Theshiz - Well, they won't just yet. I mean, that really IS too cheesy for words if it happened - straight away, anyway.
Alocin - I really ought to put a warning at the beginning of each chapter that readers read the cliffhangers at their own risk.
Huntress - Really? You obviously haven't met my best friend.
KnowInSight - More coming!
Sirocco.flow - Yes, I did know, but I have it on video anyway! And the sequel! But I also love Back to the Future, which is the same sort of idea.
Chapter 8 - Confusion
Asha lay awake, staring at her ceiling. What was going on? David had said that something was happening in the Matrix. Neo was scared of her. What was happening?
"Hey Asha," said a voice behind her. Asha swivelled round, but she didn't need to. She knew who it was.
"You're good," said Asha.
"I aim to please," said David.
Great, thought Asha, Another reason to be confused.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
David shrugged. "Wasn't doing anything. Tapped into your thoughts. Found that you were a bit confused. There's nothing more annoying than a confused heroine, because then you get those long talks at the end of the adventure, and those are so boring..."
"You tapped into my thoughts?" Without realising she was doing so, she grabbed onto her head, as if trying to stop him gaining access to her head.
"Well, yeah. I was bored."
"Well, next time, just buy a Playstation or something, OK? Stay out of my head."
Asha then realised just how absurd this conversation was. "Wait a minute," she said, "About a month ago, you came here to try and kidnap me and make me join the agents. And now, you show up for a 'friendly chat' because you were 'bored'?"
David shrugged. "Before, I thought that you were a girl who was easily intimidated. I thought that I could scare you into joining us. But, as you remember, you have a stronger mind than I anticipated..."
Asha grinned as she remembered throwing David around the room. That had been very satisfying. She then shook herself.
"But - but - how do I know that you're not up to something now?" asked Asha, "As far as I know, you've told the agents that we're going to see the Oracle tomorrow, and they're waiting to ambush us!"
"No I haven't," said David, "For one thing, I didn't know that you were going."
"Oh," said Asha, and hit herself on the head. How could she have been so stupid? She made to hit herself again, but her hand stopped in mid-air. She looked up to see David's eyes fixed on it.
"Don't hit your head," he said, "And for another, I still need you to do something for me. You remember how I told you that something was happening?"
"Oh yeah!" she said.
"Yes, well, something's happened. The plans have been brought forward. It's going to begin soon."
Asha's brain had scarcely registered this information when footsteps came running towards her room. The door swung open, and Neo was standing on the threshold, his eyes blazing as he saw David.
"You!" he said, looking like he was torn between anger and disbelief, "What are YOU doing here?"
"I've got to be going, Asha," said David, "Nice to know my rescuing you is appreciated." He vanished.
"Neo!" said Asha angrily, "WHY do you keep DOING that?!?!?"
"What's going on?" he said, "What was he doing to you?"
"Nothing," said Asha angrily, "All he was doing was stopping me hitting my own head, and warning me about something that was happening in the Matrix. Why did you come?"
"I came because I thought that you might be in danger," said Neo, eyes still flashing, "Sorry that I showed concern. I'll wait for you to cry for help next time, but if you remember rightly, that was too late last time, wasn't it?"
Asha looked at the floor. "I'm sorry," she said, "It's just - he was trying to tell me again."
"Tell you what?"
"Tell me what's going on in the Matrix." Asha looked up into Neo's eyes. He was looking calm, albeit still slightly scruffy-looking, but Asha could feel turmoil in his mind. Confusion, anger, hurt, surprise, and mingling with it all, a fear of Asha. Where was it from? "Something's happening, and he's trying to warn me about it. He said - he said that the plans had been brought forward, and that it was going to begin soon. What can he mean?"
"I don't know," said Neo, "We're going to see the Oracle tomorrow anyway, you can ask her about it then."
"Great," said Asha, "THEN we'll get a straight answer."
* * * * *
"So, is the Oracle real?" asked Falcon as they drove through the Matrix.
"Mmmm," said Asha, not really listening. She was looking out of the tinted windows, looking for any possible sign of agents. Though David was being much less, well, evil than before, she still didn't trust him. Neo was also uneasy, but she couldn't tell why. Probably the whole fear of her thing.
She suddenly realised that Falcon was still talking. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I was just asking what the Oracle told you."
"Oh..." said Asha, "She, um, confirmed that I was the second hope, and that I was in danger."
"Were you?"
"Well, yeah, five minutes later I was running away from agents."
"Wow," said Falcon, "Accurate."
"Yeah, just a little." Falcon looked pensive and looked out the window. But Asha felt her stomach twist threateningly. In all the other confusing things buzzing round her head, the Oracle's words had been forgotten. She still had that choice to make, about Neo. Great. Her life was now just that little bit more worrying. And she thought that at this point she'd only be worrying about her GCSEs. Instead, she was thinking about her choice to save the life of the One, what was happening that could affect the whole of mankind, and in her spare time worrying about sentient programs coming after her and turning her into one of them.
"We're here," said Morpheus, "Come on Falcon, Asha."
*****
While a white-looking Falcon was led into the kitchen, Asha went into the living room and looked around.
"Where's Spoon Boy?" she asked one of the potentials, a little girl with long red hair down her back. She had been frowning at some blocks, but immediately looked up and stared at Asha confusedly.
"Who?" she asked quietly.
"Oh - the boy I was talking to last time I was here. The one bending spoons?"
"I don't know," said the girl, "I only came here last week."
"Oh," said Asha, "Is there anyone else here from say, a month ago?"
"No," said the girl, "They've all gone."
"Gone where?"
"To the Real World."
Asha blinked. He'd been unplugged. She'd never thought of that - she thought that he'd just be bending spoons forever.
"Who are you?" asked the little girl.
"I'm Asha."
"Which ship are you on?"
"The Nebuchadnezzar. Why?"
The girl's eyes widened. "With Neo?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"The woman who found me told me about him. He's going to save everyone, isn't he?"
"I hope so," said Asha, remembering the Matrix: Reloaded.
Falcon came out of the kitchen, still looking vaguely pale, but now clutching a cookie. Asha smiled at the girl, then ran to meet him.
"Good news?" she asked, but the smile faded from her face when she saw his face. "What's wrong?"
Falcon shook his head. "Does she EVER give good news?"
"Not in my experience," said Asha, "Why, what did she say?"
"She said..." began Falcon, but paused.
"You don't have to say-"
"No, its alright," said Falcon, "She told me that nothing lasts forever."
"Um..." said Asha, "Alright. That's, um..."
"I know, I know, it doesn't necessarily refer to me," he said, "But why else would she tell me? What could she mean?"
"Did she say anything else?"
Falcon shook his head. "I'd rather keep that to myself."
"That's OK," said Asha, "I haven't told you all that she told me."
The priestess came up to Asha. "Asha?"
"Yeah, I'm coming," she said, "See you outside, Falcon."
"Hope your news is better," he said.
"Yeah," said Asha, "Me too."
*****
One good thing about this chapter - no evil cliffie! I thought you deserved a break.
Im a Brandybuck - I know more about Harry Potter than is good for me... before the films came out I was a major fan of it...
Jack Cole - Return of the King solves all problems! I need to go and see it again... Why do people always look at me so strangely when they hear that I've already seen it three times?
Tanuki Yasha - Character developyness is always good! Which is probably why I'm going to write a whole story about David, for LOADS of character developyness!
Luna - My Christmas was pretty cool, except when my step relatives descended upon the house... My grandfather married again, so I have HEAPS.
Becca and Claire and Tru - Vampire penguins? Not more additons for the maniacal menagerie.
Theshiz - Well, they won't just yet. I mean, that really IS too cheesy for words if it happened - straight away, anyway.
Alocin - I really ought to put a warning at the beginning of each chapter that readers read the cliffhangers at their own risk.
Huntress - Really? You obviously haven't met my best friend.
KnowInSight - More coming!
Sirocco.flow - Yes, I did know, but I have it on video anyway! And the sequel! But I also love Back to the Future, which is the same sort of idea.