"Trinity, can I ask you a favour?"

"What?"

"Could you spar with me?"

"Where?"

"The Dojo?"

"Alright, give me a minute to fix this."

"Ok." The sparks died as she stood.

"Let's go."

*~*~*~*~*

"I want you to hit me."

"I have every intention of it."

"You won't be able to."

"Says who?"

"Morpheus."

"He doesn't know you like I do."

"Thankfully."

"Indeed." Punch, block, kick, block, flip, land, stance.

"You're good."

"I was you before you were."

"What?"

"Never mind." Freeze jump, dodge, roundhouse kick, duck, roll, stance.

"How do you do that?"

"I know you better than you know yourself."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I know." Thrust, block, kick, block, beam running, dodge, landing, kick, connection.

"Shit."

"I trained with Morpheus you know."

"You mimicked him."

"You're predictable."

"How are you so fast?"

"I'm not."

"Then how?"

"Think about it Neo, the answer is right under your nose." Dart, startle, retreat, smirk, defensive.

"Shit."

"More than you bargained for?"

"Yes."

"Good." Relaxed, stance dropped, a small smile on her lips.

"Tell me how."

"You need to learn that for yourself."

"But?"

"What?"

"You can't fight Agents, and yet?"

"I hold my own against you?"

"Yeah."

"I learn quickly."

"Very." A half stride apart, eyes locked together.

"You know it." A phone rings.

"Are you ready?" Resonant with wisdom in his voice made her stand proudly.

"Yes."

"Tell him she sent word."

"Who?"

"Zion."

"Why is everything female to you?" Neo raised an eyebrow.

"I am a captain. Even the sentinels are mildly feminine."

"I see."

"Morpheus?"

"Zion has sent word."

"About?"

"Let's find out." The white of the construct, the cold metal ship, the Real World. She paused, regaining herself, taking a moment before leaving the safety of the chair. Sometimes it seemed better to be in the dream world, she was faster, stronger, braver. And she didn't need Neo. Not when there was code around her and she could bend the rules that bound her to the cold and dreary ship, to the crew she had lost to save one man, to the feelings that while admitted still were not owned.

*~*

A/N: I got excited and decided to make them combatants, yes I know it's been done but I like it, it's a fun idea. Thanks to those who reviewed and those who will. (hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, SHOVE!)

Trinfan: Thanks for the review, you're right on the mark, the game was to open her up and since it didn't work it may recur later, when I get it right :p I hope you enjoyed this chapter too and I hope you'll review again :) And the character in Refuge from the Cold isn't Trinity, by the way, she's just a survivor who's past the point of breaking, thanks for the review there, it is a stand alone piece :)

DivaMercury: I reply to all reviewers because each reviewer is special, even the anonymous and the flamers :). They seem to get stuck for words a lot don't they? Partly why I have so much fun writing this story, they have to talk! :) 

Da Buffster: I think they have a lot of serious fun, or they would if they didn't have to save the world and all. I always imagined him living in the city for his entire life, my friends, around about 18yros, have only seen a chicken in RL a couple of times, and that was because I have one in my backyard too :)

SapphireNight: Great to meet you! Glad you like it and I hope to see you at the end of this chapter , unless I scared you off with the Trinity whooping Neo's butt :p

Posh Kovac: I'm glad you like the Truth and Dare scene, it seems very popular :) As for your story, if you need any help, you can contact me at Zanna_Dawnwings@hotmail.com and that goes for everyone else too, I am always willing to aid a fellow author :)

As promised, here are the meanings behind Niobe and ship, the Logos.

Niobe

A mortal woman in Greek mythology, Niobe, daughter of Tantalus and either Euryanassa, Eurythemista, Clytia, Dione, Laodice, wife of Amphion, boasted of her superiority to Leto because she had fourteen children (Niobids), seven male and seven female, while Leto had only two. Apollo killed her sons as they practiced athletics, with the last begging for his life, and Artemis her daughters. Apollo and Artemis used poisoned arrows to kill them, though according to some versions a number of the Niobids were spared (Chloris, usually). Amphion, at the sight of his dead sons, either killed himself or was killed by Apollo after swearing revenge. A devastated Niobe fled to Mt. Siplyon in Asia Minor and turned into stone as she wept, or committed suicide. Her tears formed the river Achelous. Zeus had turned all the people of Thebes to stone and so no one buried the Niobids until the ninth day after their death, when the gods themselves entombed them.

Mt. Sipylus has a carving of a female face on it that the locals claimed was Niobe, though it was probably originally intended to be Cybele. The rock appears to weep because it is porous limestone and rainwater seeps through the pores.

Aedon was the queen of Thebes who attempted to kill the son of her rival, Niobe, also her sister-in-law (Aedon was married to Zethus), and accidentally killed her own daughter, Itylus instead and thus, the gods again changed her into a nightingale.

Logos

Philosophy In pre-Socratic philosophy, the principle governing the cosmos, the source of this principle, or human reasoning about the cosmos. Among the Sophists, the topics of rational argument or the arguments themselves. In Stoicism, the active, material, rational principle of the cosmos; nous. Identified with God, it is the source of all activity and generation and is the power of reason residing in the human soul. Judaism In biblical Judaism, the word of God, which itself has creative power and is God's medium of communication with the human race. In Hellenistic Judaism, a hypostasis associated with divine wisdom. Christianity In Saint John's Gospel, especially in the prologue (1:1-14), the creative word of God, which is itself God and incarnate in Jesus. Also called Word.