"We're ready." His voice was strong.
"Not."
"What?"
"She's not happy with you."
"Why?"
"Something about a program you won't do?" The Op ventured slowly.
"She hasn't given up on that?" The One sighed.
"Nope, she spends her free time sparring."
"Shit."
"That's what I thought you'd say."
"Can she be diverted?"
"Oh, now you sound like the One. Maybe you should spar her…"
"No way, she kicks my…"
"Man Neo, you're the One, she's just Trinity, you're faster and stronger than she is."
"Yeah, but she still…"
"You ready Neo?" Steel voice cut through thin air.
"For what?" He turned to her, hoping that he was wrong.
"To get kicked." She replied with a slight smile.
"Oh shit."
"Link, load the Dojo."
"Ok, let's get you two comfortable and we'll get right to it."
"And only I can end the program." She instructed coolly.
"What about Morpheus?"
"Link, are you really that stupid?"
"No, just checking."
"Good, load us up."
"Ok, it's your funeral." The keys tapped into the silence and they were suddenly in the familiar room.
"Trinity I don't want to do this." Neo said, swallowing at the fierce light in her eyes.
"And I don't want to hold you back."
"What?"
"I don't want to be the reason you fail."
"I won't." He didn't sound certain.
"But I could. And I can't afford for that to happen. You have to do what's right Neo. No matter what."
"Even if I lose you?"
"I am just one person, the human race is more important than that." He started, falling into defensive mode.
"You want to do this Trinity…" It was a warning.
"Neo what are you worried about?" Her eyes showed her concern, his hardened.
"Nothing."
"All right." She conceded, waiting for the first punch.
"You have to hit me first." He ground out, ever the gentleman.
"You say that to the Agents?" Her eyebrow quirked in derision.
"No, they just take it for granted." He feinted, she didn't flinch.
"What did I say Neo?"
"That you want me to hit you."
"If you can." The words were cool, measured, she flexed slightly, allowing the material to glide around her.
"Trinity, this is your last chance to stop this madness…"
"The only one who is mad here is you." Brittle and filled with a disgust he had heard only once before.
"Trinity…"
"Goddamn it Neo! Just hit me!" Her fists flew in well aimed feints, her feet dancing. He blocked confused.
"Shit."
"Fight already." She muttered, another kick blocked. Sweep, jump, punch, block, thrust, counter, lock.
"You still sure?" Breath came heavily to their lungs.
"Get on with it." She snarled. Shove, flip, leap, dodge, pivot, kick, block, grab, cartwheel, kick, connection.
"Shit."
"You've said that already and you're not fighting." Her words filled with venom. He sighed.
"Ok, we'll play your way."
"About bloody time." Punch, dodge, thrust, parry, roundhouse, duck, sweep, jump, roll, stance.
"Time's running out Neo." Bullet time jump, sidestep, high kick, block, punch, lean, sweep, back flip.
"Ow." He rubbed his jaw, she clenched hers. Signature kick, backflip, sweep, backflip, kick, dodge, punch, block, feint, swivel, roundhouse, duck, sweep, hitch kick, connection.
"About time." Punch, thrust, block, kick, duck, kick, block, counter, feint, evade, flip, kick, prevention, twist, roll, Morpheus jump, flip up, kick, duck, sweep, jump, punch, block, thrust, counter, feint, feint feint, feint, feint, feint, block, connection.
"Trinity!" His eyes widened with shock. She is still. "Trinity, get up, get up, get up, get up!"
"Ah!" In-drawn breath, agony, fear, relief. He is by her side.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't meant it, I didn't…"
"Do you want me to make you do it again?" Clenched teeth, stands without assistance.
"No."
"Then stop blubbering and pretend I'm someone else." His expression changed.
"So, still think you can take me?" Cocky, arrogant, self-assured, every inch the One.
"Yeah, on my good day and your bad."
"I don't have bad days." A slight smile.
"Why?"
"Because someone loves me as much as I do them."
"Really? Do I know them?"
"I think you may have heard of her. Trinity, second on the Neb."
"Ah, the ship with the crazy captain."
"That's the one."
"I have heard of her. Mixed reports but overall fairly impressive."
"She is. She's so determined that I never fight her at my best."
"And do you?"
"No. I like to let her think she can take me."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence Neo." She punched his arm playfully.
"What? I was pretending you were someone else!"
"Who?"
"I can't say."
"Oh." That meant it was someone lost to both worlds and she pursued the line no further.
"Can we do something else now?"
"Link, we're done!" The world changed and the eyes opened in the cold of the Real. He looked at her, watched her rise, saw the slight wince as she moved, twisting her ribs the wrong way. He really hadn't meant to hit her, thinking that one on her feints had been real, aiming to block it but coming in contact with her ribs instead, knocking her to the other side of the Dojo, the long other side. She was again the crewmember he had said she was, in complete control and for a while he wondered if he had been wrong not to disclose the contents of his haunting nightmares to her. But then she thought no one was watching, letting her face relax into the tired lines that really described her not-so-delicate features. Heart wrenching, he took a step into the shadows and back to his work preparing for the meeting with the Oracle. If there was ever a time he needed to be sure she would be all right, it was then. But he was the One, born, or grown, into a life the required him to stand with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Fate sure had a funny way of circling around on a guy when he least expected it.
*~*
A/N: Sorry this took so long, sorry it's not brilliant, sorry the language is going down hill. Ok, now the apologies are out of the way, thank you for reviewing/reading/whatever. I am really tired so if my replies make no sense, forgive me.
Divamercury: Sorry there was such a delay but here it is! I have another chapter of this ready to post so review and then I'll put it up when I get a free half hour on the computer Lab at school.
Leeloo-dallas-multipass84: I haven't and won't ditch my stories! I refuse! Unless people stop reviewing, then I stop writing. But you get that. Hope you had fun reading this instalment. And if I were a man I think I'd be a good one but as it is, I'm not so I'll have to be a Lady instead :p Anywho, enjoy!
Trineo4life: They're going to meet the Oracle, I thought the references to Bane's strange farewell and the gift from the orphan 'Spoonboy' were clear. It's actually a scene from Reloaded so I didn't want to put too much detail in it. Sorry for the confusion.
SeleneZana: You didn't miss anything, she's trying to keep the thing Neo made her. Just a quirk I thought I'd add for fun. Have you ever wondered what would happen if a group of people who were still plugged in believed something was wrong with the world and met up? And what if one of them was from the Real World? How far would Agents go to dispose of a single Rebel? Yes, there are going to be fluffy bits, but they're at the end and I haven't got to the angsty bits yet so we'll have to see what happens. Did I put enough humour in the fight? Please let me know and listen to 'Taking Over Me' and tell me if you believe in fate or de ja vu… (Not that I can spell it but it's what happens when they change something in the Matrix)
Da Buffster: I live 45 mins from decent shops now. Damn Terang and it's smallness, I have to go all the way to Warnambol to find anything good. Grrrr. I don't get to ride unless I lease a horse from school or buy one and take it down there, really annoying, and it all depends on how many other students want to bring their horses on campus. Latin is the foundation of the English language and I like finding out what it means, after all, it was the only language the Bible was in for centuries. Which is really funny because only educated people could read Latin and it was the common people who were the most Godfearing. Strange huh? I rode a horse called Griffen yesterday and I'm thinking that either him or Gem would be great to take to school. He knows all about leg aids but he's not real pretty, Appaloosa cross something else. But Gem has big feet and little legs and can be a psycho, so I'm not sure. But the chances are the people who run the rides wouldn't sell either horse anyway. I'm so not going to put my brain into gear and try to beat your total ramble thing, I'm way too tired. That's what slamming dorm dorrs does to you, wakes you up. Grrrr. I hope this chapter wasn't very sweet, just kind of, I don't know something that isn't very sweet, like sweet and sour sauce. Ok, I'm going to sleep now… Have fun!
Angeline: Nice to hear from you, please keep reviewing because it's always good to hear from someone new! I hope you like the story so far :)