He sat there in his chair.... Waiting for the opportune moment to begin.... He
stared at the wall... and at the energy ball sitting in his hand. His focus
was high. He concentrated his mind until it was focused on nothing but the
energy ball, and the room around him. He stared at the wall, raised the
hand with the energy ball in it... and threw the ball.
It bounced off against the wall, it was coming right back at him... right at his face. It was but and inch away when... he caught it. He turned around in his chair and threw it again. It once again bounced off the wall and once again was coming right at him. He wanted this exercise to be executed as if it were one continuous motion... he would move in circles and each of his movements would follow up his next maneuver.
The ball composed of energy was returning. He caught it with his left hand. With his free hand he set the level trainer to level five. He then bounced the ball off the ground. It bounced in the same spots for a while then it changed its direction. With each level change, the energy ball became heavier, smoother, and more resilient. It moved form the ceiling and hit the corner of one wall it bounced on the left direction to another wall and all the while he was watching. It bounced right at him but he did not go to catch it instead he moved away from it. He was sitting close to the back wall of the room; the energy ball bounced off that wall and almost as soon as it bounced off his hand was in the air with the ball of energy in his hand. He now set the level to ten... the hardest level. On level ten the energy ball was the heaviest, the smoothest, the most resilient, and also potentially lethal....
He threw the ball down waiting to catch his senses, and off it went. In a matter of five seconds that energy ball had bounced off the floor and the ceiling fifty times. It shifted position. It was bouncing around the room. He was now going to practice dodging, which was extremely hard on level ten.... The ball bounced in a multitude of directions. It made its way towards him, flew right towards him almost as fast as a bullet. He dodged with ease... to a certain extent. It bounced off another wall this time he ducked almost as soon as he was coming up the energy ball was at him again, getting faster and more powerful as it bounced more and more. It was coming at him... he leaned back as fast as he could, his move was successful a second later it was at him again and he was moving again. He now was leaning and ducking and dodging so fast it would take an extremely trained eye to see him well. It almost looked as if there were more than one of him. The ball came towards him at an awkward position in which he didn't catch the glance and the energy ball hit him right in his shoulder. He clutched his shoulder in pain and fell form his seat.
"Training program terminated." Said the smooth, clean, almost perfect voice of the computer.
"Shit." He said with very much apparent bitterness.
"I guess you still can't beat level ten. It's a little sad my friend... but you have deffienettly improved. Your shoulder ok?" said Kid.
"Yes its ok, and thanks for your concern, Captain," he said.
He suddenly felt a feeling of being pulled, no, ripped form the world he was in he could not move or take on what was controlling him.
He opened his eyes... he was back in the real world. SHWIWINK. He heard and felt the connector needle being pulled form his plug in the back of his head. He sat up.
"You know for a computer program... it sure takes a lot out of you." He said.
"I thought this was the kid who could bend spoons in the matrix without even thinking about it. You could even taught the One how to do it." Said the voice of his crewmate Zach.
"Neo, his name was Neo, Zach. And I'm sure if we had done that kind of thing again he would've been able to bend more than a spoon, or actually, I should say, program information that came in the form of a spoon." Said Tetsujin. Testujin had been one of the other potentials as Neo was. He had talked with Neo and might have given him the most valuable advice Neo had ever gotten. And even though they had only talked and met for a couple minutes, Neo and Tetsujin had always had this... connection. Almost as if they were both linked to each other.
Kid walked in. "Zach you can go back to your quarters." Zach nodded and left.
"I was listenin' to your conversation, and you were talking about the One and how you could be better than him one day." Kid said to his friend Tetsujin.
"I bet you don't even know what his name was." Tetsujin replied.
"Hell man, I know what his name was. He was the one who freed me from the matrix. He set me free. He did. Although he liked to say ' I didn't find you, you found me.... You saved yourself.' I knew he was right. But he was there for me. In the short time I knew him." Said Kid.
"Or he was utterly annoyed with you and couldn't stand you." Testujin replied. He knew it was not entirely true, but there was some truth to his statement, though to Kid- his trusted friend and captain- he meant it as a joke. "But I think he'd be proud of you. The youngest captain ever in the fleet, and captain of the Nebacanezzer II no less."
"Actually, Admiral Morpheus is the commander of the Neb II," replied Kid.
"Yes, but he's never here is he, so in theory you're really captain... and it is your rank. But you go on believing that everything you have earned is controlled by your superiors." Testujin responded quietly but his comment hit hard.
"Ok, ok, your right, I am way to hard on myself sometimes. I also don't take enough credit for my achievements." Kid replied. "Captain Kid, of the Nebacanezzer II. I always liked the sound of that."
"I have never asked you this, but why did you keep the name Kid. Are you gonna be 80 years old and want to be called that?" Testujin inquired.
"Well first off, Neo gave me that name and he was, no is, my idol. And secondly, I always act like a Kid, but I can be deadly when needed to. I think it's real fitting." Kid replied.
"Anyway, when are we heading back to Zion?" asked Tetsujin, not making a remark on Kid's reply to his question.
"In 2 days. Tomorrow we have to go into the... uhhhhh... well matrix of the matrix actually. Zion has asked us to retrieve more info about the earth. We might head up a new city. So they need more info to make arrangements to start." Kid answered in his Captain tone.
"Why don't we just ask our machine friends? Don't they have the same files?" Tetsujin asked.
"Well they did, but only through the matrix. Once they shut it down they lost the info. So we need to go inside the matrix's matrix to retrieve it." Kid answered still as Tetsujin's captain.
"Alright." Tetsujin replied.
"Now get some rest, and take something for that shoulder." Kid said to Tetsujin.
"Aye sir" replied Tetsujin already making his way to his quarters.
* * *
Troy was making his way through what used to be the matrix, looking for info on a loved one he had never found. He was looking for the databases.
He saw a panel.
"This must be it," He said out loud to himself.
He opened up the menu. He saw a list of programs to choose from. Matrix history, human history, machine history, statis of matrix, old programs, The One, The Architect, The Oracle, The Merilveingian. The list seemed endless. Troy finally came upon it- old recipients of the matrix. He opened it up.
"SELECT A NAME." Said the voice of the matrix help computer.
"Djohr Majono." Troy said to the computer.
Files came up about 10 of them, all possible people that could've been Djohr. He was looking through the list... when he saw a man as one of the possible candidates to be Djohr. Troy clicked on the mystery man. He was tall, although he appeared short, he was skinny but somewhat broad, he had his hair slicked in a wave haircut was wearing some boxy kind of shades, was dressed in a full gray, expensive-looking, suit, and had extremely expensive-looking, radiant shoes.
Troy looked down to his statis, it read-matrix program, lethal to system, shut down, alter-One, once sentient program.
Alter-One? Troy thought to himself Wasn't the One, Neo. Huh, this must've been the guy that messed up the matrix 10 years ago. I remember cailin' Neo 'my own personal Jesus Christ'. Turns out he was everyone's Jesus Christ.... In that case... this guy must be like the anti-Christ. I wonder why he would come up as a potential to be Djohr? Huh, well guess I should continue looking. Troy pressed a button Danm, wrong one. He clicked the right one this time. The program closed.... But the button he had pushed first was reload.
Troy looked down at the panel when... a burst of what seemed like a million bright lights came out from the panel. It was so bright and came out so forcefully it knocked Troy down. He stared at the bright lights of grays, yellows, reds, and blacks. They started to create the form of a humanoid. It started taking shape. Then the features came in. The first feature was the sunglasses. The figure started moving towards Troy.
"Holy shit." Troy said out loud. "Get away from me-shit- get away...GET AWAY!"
But the figure was unmoved by Troy's plea for salvation. He got to Troy and bent down on one knee. He had evolved more; his hair was in a shape and he had a nose and a mouth. But he was still made up of those bright lights of red, yellow, gray, and black.
"WHAT IS THE STATIS OF THE MATRIX?" it said seeming to be made up of more than one voice. It seemed to Troy that the computer was searching for its proper voice. Troy realized this was a computer program and he is taking form... reloading. "ANSWER YOU HUMAN PIECE OF SHIT!"
In his gray suit, his shoes, and wave hair cut, he stood, tall menacing, and deadly.
"Holy shit, you're the alter- One." Troy said to the figure of Agent Smith.
"That's right, my friend. Now if you would be so kind as to tell me what the statis of the matrix is." Smith said to a petrified Troy. "No? You won't answer? Fine. It's your funeral." Smith said in the voice that would scare the scariest looking person alive. He bared his teeth at Troy, Smith was becoming extremely mad. "You are a human, you know of the matrix, or else you would not be n this place. NOW TELL ME WHAT ITS STATIS IS!!!!!!!!"
Troy knew if he didn't say anything he would be punished, but it might be dangerous to say.
In the matrix I was a guy who only cared about himself, no one else. I have a second chance at life to do good for other people... and I will do so. And with that Troy looked straight at Smith and spat in his face. "Fuck you." He said.
Smith looked down at Troy. He smiled. Smith stood up, reached into his pocket... and pulled out a handgun. Troy knew what was about to happen.
"Goodbye, Mr. Stralker." Smith aimed the gun at Troy's head... and fired 4 times. Each time a new bullet came, it would not create a new wound, but push the other bullets back farther in the same wound.
Troy's head was torn apart. Sticky blood flowed from the back of his head, making a pool around him. Blood was drooling out of his mouth, falling to the floor.
"Well then" Smith said. He looked over to the control panel Troy had been using previously. He opened up the statis of the matrix section.
Humans still plugged in.... matrix was a threat to human beings... I know all of this already. Wait look at this. Smith looked down to matrix operation...-shut down. Its not deleted... but why? Ohh, there are still humans connected to the matrix... and because humans and machines are allies, the machines wouldn't kill some of their allies. Smith smiled wickedly. He clicked on matrix operation. He then clicked on options. He scrolled the list... but found nothing, until he found the reboot option.... Smith planned on rebooting the matrix and all its programs. But this time I'll control the matrix. I will be the "One" but I'll defend the matrix, not protect its inhabitants. It will be mine.
"I'M SORRY MR. ANDERSON, BUT THE MATRIX IS MINE NOW! YOU WON THAT BATTLE, BUT YOU HAVE LOST THE WAR." Smith laughed maniacally. He pressed reboot. That's when everyone connected was integrated into the matrix.... "WELCOME TO MY WORLD!" he laughed maniacally once again....
* * *
Tetsujin was walking around a grassy area, similar to programs he had seen in the matrix. There was no one around. Tetsujin became slightly nervous.
"Stop," said a voice. "What is your program name and function?"
"I am not a program. I am human." Tetsujin turned around and saw the figure of a man who resembled an agent of the matrix.
"Humans are banned from the matrix." The agent pulled out a gun. "You must be terminated." He undid the safety. He pulled the trigger-
-Tetsujin woke up. It was a dream. A very strange dream nonetheless. Tetsujin stared at the wall of his room; he could not get any more sleep. While he was staring his room seemed to disappear. He closed his eyes. He could hear a very aggravating sound- no an almost painful sound. He could sense the people still connected in the towers, they were fighting against something he could not read what though. He was on the verge of figuring it out when... they cut off completely. The sound was burning Tetsujin's ears, he felt as if his eardrums would crack. He screamed out in pain. He was being pulled towards something, no, ripped, from his world. He screamed, but the sound drowned everything else out. He was connecting to a program..... Matrix.... A voice said. He couldn't hold on.
The noise and the feelings ended. Tetsujin was drenched in his own sweat. He was sitting upright in his bed, exhausted, breathing and panting heavily. He felt as if he had just ran the whole distance of the earth.
He was puzzled by his dream. Most of the time, his dreams feel real.... This time, it felt unreal... almost as if he was back inside the matrix. The sensations, so false, yet were so real. They only resembled realism, and he felt that same feeling, as if he could've bent spoons all day, as was when he was a child.
He looked at his clock, it was close to waking time, 1 or 2 hours away. He could not sleep anymore. Tetsujin got up, walked out of his quarters, and headed for the mess room. As he was walking he realized something, at night, his crewmates, the ship, maybe even the world was quiet. He walked by the main deck, looked into the cockpit, and saw the Neb's autopilot going. It was searching for a clear broadcast point.
Tetsujin walked past the deck, walked down the metal stairs that led to the mess room. The door was slightly ajar. Tetsujin peeked his head in, he saw his crewmate, Sela. Every time Tetsujin saw Sela he was confused, they had been friends for a very long time, and yet he saw her as beautiful, which she was.
"I know you're there Tet." Sela said to Tetsujin. She was the only one who called him Tet, a nickname. "Can't sleep?"
"No, I had enough sleep, I'm just... confused." He responded.
"In what way?" Sela asked, obviously wanting to help her friend in any way she could.
"Well, you know how there is the connection between me, and the people still plugged in?" Sela nodded. Tetsujin was psychic when it came to the matrix, but no one could ever find out why.... "Well, I had a dream, almost as if I was in the matrix again, and there was an agent, he asked questions, I answered, he tried to kill me. I woke up then. I was sitting in my bed, when this noise like a connection was being made between something, shrill, distorted. At first it was almost low, and I sensed the people still plugged in. They were calling out for help, almost as if something was pulling them somewhere, and the longer this went on, the more intense the noise became. I was in pain, when I ... woke up you could say, I was breathing heavily and was sweating. Then I came down here."
"Well, that's something I've never heard before. To be truthful, I don't know how I can help you. But like I just did, I'll listen." Sela replied, wanting to create an explanation.
"Thanks anyway, Sela. So, are we going into the matrix, matrix later?" Tetsujin asked.
"If we can find broadcast point, yeah. This will be strange, going into the program that held us captive for so many years. I mean I know its shut down, but that essence, that knowledge will be in us." Sela said with a tad of nervousness in her voice.
"If anything does happen, which it won't, I'll protect you. There will be no harm in bringing weapons, and I have a great knowledge of that program, it wont take us." Tetsujin said giving his services.
"My bodyguard" Sela said softly. Tetsujin nodded. She went over to him, and embraced him tightly. He returned the gesture.
"What's for breakfast?" Tetsujin asked jokingly.
"Tasty wheat" Sela replied.
They both laughed whole heartily.
"Alright guys lets load this up. We have found broadcast point, and we are going in.," said the voice of the operator, Load. "Please keep your hands and feet inside of the vehicle at all times, there is no getting off once you go in, no worry of danger, just the same though, we have to keep up our dangerous appearance, so we'll be stopping off at the armory." Everyone was linked, Sela, Kid, Zach, Ratz, Zombie, and Tetsujin. "Are you ready?" They all nodded. "Enjoy your flight," He pressed load. They left the real world, and were entering the world of computer programs and machines.
The crew was in the armory program.
"Take what you need, no more no less, not like we'll need it, but don't dress, like we're going to fight a war." Said the voice of the crew's captain, Kid.
Tetsujin looked at the guns, he took 2 handguns, with silver bullets, 2 Uzi's, and shotgun. He went over to the blade weapons, he took a pair of Sais, his own personalized Katana, which he wrote himself, 2 throwing axes, a few throwing knives, and throwing stars.
"Jesus, Tetsujin," Zach said "Didn't kid say, not war."
"These are my bare bottom basics.... Well, alright I'll leave the shotgun." Tetsujin left the shotgun where he was standing.
Kid called up to Load. "We're all ready here, load us up Load."
"That one never gets old sir" Load said sarcastically. "Just the same though, aye sir." The crew was being pulled from this program; they were going into what was left of the matrix....
* *
*
Tetsujin was following his fellow crewmates; he felt the feeling of False reality.
"Now where would those programs be located?" Kid asked. Their dark clothing stood out greatly in the vast whiteness. Tetsujin was wearing a black overcoat, unbuttoned, and pulled back to his sides. A collar shirt, dark blue, silk rested, under it, he wore black jeans, and had high boots, dark gray, and to top it all off, almost triangular sunglasses, no frame. He stood out like black ink on white paper. Tetsujin looked over to Sela. She was wearing tight leather pants, dark red, a low cut purple blouse, with a dark red leather jacket over it. She too stood out greatly. But he couldn't help but like it, her beautiful figure stood out greatly.
"Let's find these files and get out of here," Kid said. The crew nodded.
They started to walk around, in no particular direction. Tetsujin looked at his fellow crewmates. Even thought the program was shut down, they still felt scared, and suffocated by its false control.
It's shut down now though, I have no need to- He looked straight ahead... and saw the unbelievable. What the hell? Tetsujin saw a park.
"What is this?" Kid asked, feeling very uneasy.
"The matrix" Tetsujin replied, though he wasn't exactly sure himself.
"Impossible, it was shut down."
"Yeah, but not deleted, anyone with access to the mainframe could have loaded it up."
Kid looked around at his crew. They were panic-stricken. They stood still for a minute, and then they heard footsteps, the sound of shoes crunching the ground below them. Kid and Tetsujin turned around... and saw an agent of the matrix. They looked at each other and....
"Run!!" Kid yelled.
The agent attacked Kid and Tetsujin, swinging with his right fist. They split up to the left and right side of him. The agent's fist was coming towards Kid. Kid blocked, with his arm, while Tetsujin jumped and kicked the agent in the face. The agent's head snapped backwards, his glasses breaking. The agent brought his head forward, and his body followed, he went towards Tetsujin, throwing rapid punches, left, tetsujin ducked, right tetsujin blocked, right again, made contact with Tetsujin, he stumbled back a little. The agent was kicking at him, Tetsujin regained his repose, and kicked also, each kick cancelled each other out. Tetsujin's and the agent's leg were against one another. Tetsujin jumped up pushing against the agent's leg for support, and side kicked him, but before Tetsujin's leg could come all the way back the agent grabbed his leg, and threw him into a tree. Tetsujin fell, hurt. Kid came from behind the agent swinging, he hit him in the back of the head, the agent barely budged. The agent turned around and used the back of his hand to hit Kid. Kid ducked and balanced himself on his hand, and kicked outwards into the agent's chest. The agent flew backwards, and hit a tree. Tetsujin got up, pulled out one of the Uzi's he had taken, aimed it at the agent, and pulled the trigger. A stream of bullets flew into the agent's head. The gun emptied, the agent was dead, and his head was a bloody, gory, mess.
"What the hell?" Kid asked Tetsujin.
Tetsujin was thinking, What if, someone has rebooted the matrix? If that's the case everyone connected to it to one extent would be permanently, connected, it would take another century to gain back what we have achieved, and because, we're hooked in now, if we don't get out, we could become dependant on the system, as we were before. "We have to get out of here.... NOW!"
Tetsujin and Kid ran as fast as their matrix body would let them. They caught up to the rest of the crew. Kid took out his phone and called Load.
"Load what the hell is going on?"
"You ain't gonna believe this sir but, the matrix is rebooting, the code is showing up on my screen, but only bits and pieces, its also different then it was 10 years ago, the code I mean, but I think if you don't get out now- " "We could become dependant on it" Tetsujin finished Load's statement.
"Exactly" Load said.
"Is there an exit, we can get?" Kid asked.
"Well you're in New York city in the matrix, so..." Load said thinking out loud.
Kid looked up and saw Times Square, or parts of it. "I can see that."
"I got it, go to the far gates of central park, and once you run through it you should be out, but hurry up, I have calls from Zion, saying people are already being hooked in." Load said with urgency in his voice.
Tetsujin looked behind him... and saw a wave of... something, but he had a gut feeling that was what connected you into the matrix. "RUN!!!!!!" he yelled.
The crew ran as fast as they could, trying to be one step ahead of the wave. They entered central park, the wave right behind them. They ran as fast as they could, even still the wave was catching up. Sela tripped. Tetsujin looked back, and ran for her. She had hurt her ankle, he picked her up, the wave on his back, he ran with her, but the wave was catching him, I have to make it, I have to. He had a burst of energy run through him, all tiredness was eliminated. He ran ahead of the wave. The crew was already out; he threw Sela through the gate. She was out. Tetsujin dived for the gate, the wave on his back; he was just at the tip of the portal, when he saw something... or someone.... Smith.... Tetsujin heard Neo's voice, as he went through the portal, landed with a thud, and awoke in the real world.
It bounced off against the wall, it was coming right back at him... right at his face. It was but and inch away when... he caught it. He turned around in his chair and threw it again. It once again bounced off the wall and once again was coming right at him. He wanted this exercise to be executed as if it were one continuous motion... he would move in circles and each of his movements would follow up his next maneuver.
The ball composed of energy was returning. He caught it with his left hand. With his free hand he set the level trainer to level five. He then bounced the ball off the ground. It bounced in the same spots for a while then it changed its direction. With each level change, the energy ball became heavier, smoother, and more resilient. It moved form the ceiling and hit the corner of one wall it bounced on the left direction to another wall and all the while he was watching. It bounced right at him but he did not go to catch it instead he moved away from it. He was sitting close to the back wall of the room; the energy ball bounced off that wall and almost as soon as it bounced off his hand was in the air with the ball of energy in his hand. He now set the level to ten... the hardest level. On level ten the energy ball was the heaviest, the smoothest, the most resilient, and also potentially lethal....
He threw the ball down waiting to catch his senses, and off it went. In a matter of five seconds that energy ball had bounced off the floor and the ceiling fifty times. It shifted position. It was bouncing around the room. He was now going to practice dodging, which was extremely hard on level ten.... The ball bounced in a multitude of directions. It made its way towards him, flew right towards him almost as fast as a bullet. He dodged with ease... to a certain extent. It bounced off another wall this time he ducked almost as soon as he was coming up the energy ball was at him again, getting faster and more powerful as it bounced more and more. It was coming at him... he leaned back as fast as he could, his move was successful a second later it was at him again and he was moving again. He now was leaning and ducking and dodging so fast it would take an extremely trained eye to see him well. It almost looked as if there were more than one of him. The ball came towards him at an awkward position in which he didn't catch the glance and the energy ball hit him right in his shoulder. He clutched his shoulder in pain and fell form his seat.
"Training program terminated." Said the smooth, clean, almost perfect voice of the computer.
"Shit." He said with very much apparent bitterness.
"I guess you still can't beat level ten. It's a little sad my friend... but you have deffienettly improved. Your shoulder ok?" said Kid.
"Yes its ok, and thanks for your concern, Captain," he said.
He suddenly felt a feeling of being pulled, no, ripped form the world he was in he could not move or take on what was controlling him.
He opened his eyes... he was back in the real world. SHWIWINK. He heard and felt the connector needle being pulled form his plug in the back of his head. He sat up.
"You know for a computer program... it sure takes a lot out of you." He said.
"I thought this was the kid who could bend spoons in the matrix without even thinking about it. You could even taught the One how to do it." Said the voice of his crewmate Zach.
"Neo, his name was Neo, Zach. And I'm sure if we had done that kind of thing again he would've been able to bend more than a spoon, or actually, I should say, program information that came in the form of a spoon." Said Tetsujin. Testujin had been one of the other potentials as Neo was. He had talked with Neo and might have given him the most valuable advice Neo had ever gotten. And even though they had only talked and met for a couple minutes, Neo and Tetsujin had always had this... connection. Almost as if they were both linked to each other.
Kid walked in. "Zach you can go back to your quarters." Zach nodded and left.
"I was listenin' to your conversation, and you were talking about the One and how you could be better than him one day." Kid said to his friend Tetsujin.
"I bet you don't even know what his name was." Tetsujin replied.
"Hell man, I know what his name was. He was the one who freed me from the matrix. He set me free. He did. Although he liked to say ' I didn't find you, you found me.... You saved yourself.' I knew he was right. But he was there for me. In the short time I knew him." Said Kid.
"Or he was utterly annoyed with you and couldn't stand you." Testujin replied. He knew it was not entirely true, but there was some truth to his statement, though to Kid- his trusted friend and captain- he meant it as a joke. "But I think he'd be proud of you. The youngest captain ever in the fleet, and captain of the Nebacanezzer II no less."
"Actually, Admiral Morpheus is the commander of the Neb II," replied Kid.
"Yes, but he's never here is he, so in theory you're really captain... and it is your rank. But you go on believing that everything you have earned is controlled by your superiors." Testujin responded quietly but his comment hit hard.
"Ok, ok, your right, I am way to hard on myself sometimes. I also don't take enough credit for my achievements." Kid replied. "Captain Kid, of the Nebacanezzer II. I always liked the sound of that."
"I have never asked you this, but why did you keep the name Kid. Are you gonna be 80 years old and want to be called that?" Testujin inquired.
"Well first off, Neo gave me that name and he was, no is, my idol. And secondly, I always act like a Kid, but I can be deadly when needed to. I think it's real fitting." Kid replied.
"Anyway, when are we heading back to Zion?" asked Tetsujin, not making a remark on Kid's reply to his question.
"In 2 days. Tomorrow we have to go into the... uhhhhh... well matrix of the matrix actually. Zion has asked us to retrieve more info about the earth. We might head up a new city. So they need more info to make arrangements to start." Kid answered in his Captain tone.
"Why don't we just ask our machine friends? Don't they have the same files?" Tetsujin asked.
"Well they did, but only through the matrix. Once they shut it down they lost the info. So we need to go inside the matrix's matrix to retrieve it." Kid answered still as Tetsujin's captain.
"Alright." Tetsujin replied.
"Now get some rest, and take something for that shoulder." Kid said to Tetsujin.
"Aye sir" replied Tetsujin already making his way to his quarters.
* * *
Troy was making his way through what used to be the matrix, looking for info on a loved one he had never found. He was looking for the databases.
He saw a panel.
"This must be it," He said out loud to himself.
He opened up the menu. He saw a list of programs to choose from. Matrix history, human history, machine history, statis of matrix, old programs, The One, The Architect, The Oracle, The Merilveingian. The list seemed endless. Troy finally came upon it- old recipients of the matrix. He opened it up.
"SELECT A NAME." Said the voice of the matrix help computer.
"Djohr Majono." Troy said to the computer.
Files came up about 10 of them, all possible people that could've been Djohr. He was looking through the list... when he saw a man as one of the possible candidates to be Djohr. Troy clicked on the mystery man. He was tall, although he appeared short, he was skinny but somewhat broad, he had his hair slicked in a wave haircut was wearing some boxy kind of shades, was dressed in a full gray, expensive-looking, suit, and had extremely expensive-looking, radiant shoes.
Troy looked down to his statis, it read-matrix program, lethal to system, shut down, alter-One, once sentient program.
Alter-One? Troy thought to himself Wasn't the One, Neo. Huh, this must've been the guy that messed up the matrix 10 years ago. I remember cailin' Neo 'my own personal Jesus Christ'. Turns out he was everyone's Jesus Christ.... In that case... this guy must be like the anti-Christ. I wonder why he would come up as a potential to be Djohr? Huh, well guess I should continue looking. Troy pressed a button Danm, wrong one. He clicked the right one this time. The program closed.... But the button he had pushed first was reload.
Troy looked down at the panel when... a burst of what seemed like a million bright lights came out from the panel. It was so bright and came out so forcefully it knocked Troy down. He stared at the bright lights of grays, yellows, reds, and blacks. They started to create the form of a humanoid. It started taking shape. Then the features came in. The first feature was the sunglasses. The figure started moving towards Troy.
"Holy shit." Troy said out loud. "Get away from me-shit- get away...GET AWAY!"
But the figure was unmoved by Troy's plea for salvation. He got to Troy and bent down on one knee. He had evolved more; his hair was in a shape and he had a nose and a mouth. But he was still made up of those bright lights of red, yellow, gray, and black.
"WHAT IS THE STATIS OF THE MATRIX?" it said seeming to be made up of more than one voice. It seemed to Troy that the computer was searching for its proper voice. Troy realized this was a computer program and he is taking form... reloading. "ANSWER YOU HUMAN PIECE OF SHIT!"
In his gray suit, his shoes, and wave hair cut, he stood, tall menacing, and deadly.
"Holy shit, you're the alter- One." Troy said to the figure of Agent Smith.
"That's right, my friend. Now if you would be so kind as to tell me what the statis of the matrix is." Smith said to a petrified Troy. "No? You won't answer? Fine. It's your funeral." Smith said in the voice that would scare the scariest looking person alive. He bared his teeth at Troy, Smith was becoming extremely mad. "You are a human, you know of the matrix, or else you would not be n this place. NOW TELL ME WHAT ITS STATIS IS!!!!!!!!"
Troy knew if he didn't say anything he would be punished, but it might be dangerous to say.
In the matrix I was a guy who only cared about himself, no one else. I have a second chance at life to do good for other people... and I will do so. And with that Troy looked straight at Smith and spat in his face. "Fuck you." He said.
Smith looked down at Troy. He smiled. Smith stood up, reached into his pocket... and pulled out a handgun. Troy knew what was about to happen.
"Goodbye, Mr. Stralker." Smith aimed the gun at Troy's head... and fired 4 times. Each time a new bullet came, it would not create a new wound, but push the other bullets back farther in the same wound.
Troy's head was torn apart. Sticky blood flowed from the back of his head, making a pool around him. Blood was drooling out of his mouth, falling to the floor.
"Well then" Smith said. He looked over to the control panel Troy had been using previously. He opened up the statis of the matrix section.
Humans still plugged in.... matrix was a threat to human beings... I know all of this already. Wait look at this. Smith looked down to matrix operation...-shut down. Its not deleted... but why? Ohh, there are still humans connected to the matrix... and because humans and machines are allies, the machines wouldn't kill some of their allies. Smith smiled wickedly. He clicked on matrix operation. He then clicked on options. He scrolled the list... but found nothing, until he found the reboot option.... Smith planned on rebooting the matrix and all its programs. But this time I'll control the matrix. I will be the "One" but I'll defend the matrix, not protect its inhabitants. It will be mine.
"I'M SORRY MR. ANDERSON, BUT THE MATRIX IS MINE NOW! YOU WON THAT BATTLE, BUT YOU HAVE LOST THE WAR." Smith laughed maniacally. He pressed reboot. That's when everyone connected was integrated into the matrix.... "WELCOME TO MY WORLD!" he laughed maniacally once again....
* * *
Tetsujin was walking around a grassy area, similar to programs he had seen in the matrix. There was no one around. Tetsujin became slightly nervous.
"Stop," said a voice. "What is your program name and function?"
"I am not a program. I am human." Tetsujin turned around and saw the figure of a man who resembled an agent of the matrix.
"Humans are banned from the matrix." The agent pulled out a gun. "You must be terminated." He undid the safety. He pulled the trigger-
-Tetsujin woke up. It was a dream. A very strange dream nonetheless. Tetsujin stared at the wall of his room; he could not get any more sleep. While he was staring his room seemed to disappear. He closed his eyes. He could hear a very aggravating sound- no an almost painful sound. He could sense the people still connected in the towers, they were fighting against something he could not read what though. He was on the verge of figuring it out when... they cut off completely. The sound was burning Tetsujin's ears, he felt as if his eardrums would crack. He screamed out in pain. He was being pulled towards something, no, ripped, from his world. He screamed, but the sound drowned everything else out. He was connecting to a program..... Matrix.... A voice said. He couldn't hold on.
The noise and the feelings ended. Tetsujin was drenched in his own sweat. He was sitting upright in his bed, exhausted, breathing and panting heavily. He felt as if he had just ran the whole distance of the earth.
He was puzzled by his dream. Most of the time, his dreams feel real.... This time, it felt unreal... almost as if he was back inside the matrix. The sensations, so false, yet were so real. They only resembled realism, and he felt that same feeling, as if he could've bent spoons all day, as was when he was a child.
He looked at his clock, it was close to waking time, 1 or 2 hours away. He could not sleep anymore. Tetsujin got up, walked out of his quarters, and headed for the mess room. As he was walking he realized something, at night, his crewmates, the ship, maybe even the world was quiet. He walked by the main deck, looked into the cockpit, and saw the Neb's autopilot going. It was searching for a clear broadcast point.
Tetsujin walked past the deck, walked down the metal stairs that led to the mess room. The door was slightly ajar. Tetsujin peeked his head in, he saw his crewmate, Sela. Every time Tetsujin saw Sela he was confused, they had been friends for a very long time, and yet he saw her as beautiful, which she was.
"I know you're there Tet." Sela said to Tetsujin. She was the only one who called him Tet, a nickname. "Can't sleep?"
"No, I had enough sleep, I'm just... confused." He responded.
"In what way?" Sela asked, obviously wanting to help her friend in any way she could.
"Well, you know how there is the connection between me, and the people still plugged in?" Sela nodded. Tetsujin was psychic when it came to the matrix, but no one could ever find out why.... "Well, I had a dream, almost as if I was in the matrix again, and there was an agent, he asked questions, I answered, he tried to kill me. I woke up then. I was sitting in my bed, when this noise like a connection was being made between something, shrill, distorted. At first it was almost low, and I sensed the people still plugged in. They were calling out for help, almost as if something was pulling them somewhere, and the longer this went on, the more intense the noise became. I was in pain, when I ... woke up you could say, I was breathing heavily and was sweating. Then I came down here."
"Well, that's something I've never heard before. To be truthful, I don't know how I can help you. But like I just did, I'll listen." Sela replied, wanting to create an explanation.
"Thanks anyway, Sela. So, are we going into the matrix, matrix later?" Tetsujin asked.
"If we can find broadcast point, yeah. This will be strange, going into the program that held us captive for so many years. I mean I know its shut down, but that essence, that knowledge will be in us." Sela said with a tad of nervousness in her voice.
"If anything does happen, which it won't, I'll protect you. There will be no harm in bringing weapons, and I have a great knowledge of that program, it wont take us." Tetsujin said giving his services.
"My bodyguard" Sela said softly. Tetsujin nodded. She went over to him, and embraced him tightly. He returned the gesture.
"What's for breakfast?" Tetsujin asked jokingly.
"Tasty wheat" Sela replied.
They both laughed whole heartily.
"Alright guys lets load this up. We have found broadcast point, and we are going in.," said the voice of the operator, Load. "Please keep your hands and feet inside of the vehicle at all times, there is no getting off once you go in, no worry of danger, just the same though, we have to keep up our dangerous appearance, so we'll be stopping off at the armory." Everyone was linked, Sela, Kid, Zach, Ratz, Zombie, and Tetsujin. "Are you ready?" They all nodded. "Enjoy your flight," He pressed load. They left the real world, and were entering the world of computer programs and machines.
The crew was in the armory program.
"Take what you need, no more no less, not like we'll need it, but don't dress, like we're going to fight a war." Said the voice of the crew's captain, Kid.
Tetsujin looked at the guns, he took 2 handguns, with silver bullets, 2 Uzi's, and shotgun. He went over to the blade weapons, he took a pair of Sais, his own personalized Katana, which he wrote himself, 2 throwing axes, a few throwing knives, and throwing stars.
"Jesus, Tetsujin," Zach said "Didn't kid say, not war."
"These are my bare bottom basics.... Well, alright I'll leave the shotgun." Tetsujin left the shotgun where he was standing.
Kid called up to Load. "We're all ready here, load us up Load."
"That one never gets old sir" Load said sarcastically. "Just the same though, aye sir." The crew was being pulled from this program; they were going into what was left of the matrix....
* *
*
Tetsujin was following his fellow crewmates; he felt the feeling of False reality.
"Now where would those programs be located?" Kid asked. Their dark clothing stood out greatly in the vast whiteness. Tetsujin was wearing a black overcoat, unbuttoned, and pulled back to his sides. A collar shirt, dark blue, silk rested, under it, he wore black jeans, and had high boots, dark gray, and to top it all off, almost triangular sunglasses, no frame. He stood out like black ink on white paper. Tetsujin looked over to Sela. She was wearing tight leather pants, dark red, a low cut purple blouse, with a dark red leather jacket over it. She too stood out greatly. But he couldn't help but like it, her beautiful figure stood out greatly.
"Let's find these files and get out of here," Kid said. The crew nodded.
They started to walk around, in no particular direction. Tetsujin looked at his fellow crewmates. Even thought the program was shut down, they still felt scared, and suffocated by its false control.
It's shut down now though, I have no need to- He looked straight ahead... and saw the unbelievable. What the hell? Tetsujin saw a park.
"What is this?" Kid asked, feeling very uneasy.
"The matrix" Tetsujin replied, though he wasn't exactly sure himself.
"Impossible, it was shut down."
"Yeah, but not deleted, anyone with access to the mainframe could have loaded it up."
Kid looked around at his crew. They were panic-stricken. They stood still for a minute, and then they heard footsteps, the sound of shoes crunching the ground below them. Kid and Tetsujin turned around... and saw an agent of the matrix. They looked at each other and....
"Run!!" Kid yelled.
The agent attacked Kid and Tetsujin, swinging with his right fist. They split up to the left and right side of him. The agent's fist was coming towards Kid. Kid blocked, with his arm, while Tetsujin jumped and kicked the agent in the face. The agent's head snapped backwards, his glasses breaking. The agent brought his head forward, and his body followed, he went towards Tetsujin, throwing rapid punches, left, tetsujin ducked, right tetsujin blocked, right again, made contact with Tetsujin, he stumbled back a little. The agent was kicking at him, Tetsujin regained his repose, and kicked also, each kick cancelled each other out. Tetsujin's and the agent's leg were against one another. Tetsujin jumped up pushing against the agent's leg for support, and side kicked him, but before Tetsujin's leg could come all the way back the agent grabbed his leg, and threw him into a tree. Tetsujin fell, hurt. Kid came from behind the agent swinging, he hit him in the back of the head, the agent barely budged. The agent turned around and used the back of his hand to hit Kid. Kid ducked and balanced himself on his hand, and kicked outwards into the agent's chest. The agent flew backwards, and hit a tree. Tetsujin got up, pulled out one of the Uzi's he had taken, aimed it at the agent, and pulled the trigger. A stream of bullets flew into the agent's head. The gun emptied, the agent was dead, and his head was a bloody, gory, mess.
"What the hell?" Kid asked Tetsujin.
Tetsujin was thinking, What if, someone has rebooted the matrix? If that's the case everyone connected to it to one extent would be permanently, connected, it would take another century to gain back what we have achieved, and because, we're hooked in now, if we don't get out, we could become dependant on the system, as we were before. "We have to get out of here.... NOW!"
Tetsujin and Kid ran as fast as their matrix body would let them. They caught up to the rest of the crew. Kid took out his phone and called Load.
"Load what the hell is going on?"
"You ain't gonna believe this sir but, the matrix is rebooting, the code is showing up on my screen, but only bits and pieces, its also different then it was 10 years ago, the code I mean, but I think if you don't get out now- " "We could become dependant on it" Tetsujin finished Load's statement.
"Exactly" Load said.
"Is there an exit, we can get?" Kid asked.
"Well you're in New York city in the matrix, so..." Load said thinking out loud.
Kid looked up and saw Times Square, or parts of it. "I can see that."
"I got it, go to the far gates of central park, and once you run through it you should be out, but hurry up, I have calls from Zion, saying people are already being hooked in." Load said with urgency in his voice.
Tetsujin looked behind him... and saw a wave of... something, but he had a gut feeling that was what connected you into the matrix. "RUN!!!!!!" he yelled.
The crew ran as fast as they could, trying to be one step ahead of the wave. They entered central park, the wave right behind them. They ran as fast as they could, even still the wave was catching up. Sela tripped. Tetsujin looked back, and ran for her. She had hurt her ankle, he picked her up, the wave on his back, he ran with her, but the wave was catching him, I have to make it, I have to. He had a burst of energy run through him, all tiredness was eliminated. He ran ahead of the wave. The crew was already out; he threw Sela through the gate. She was out. Tetsujin dived for the gate, the wave on his back; he was just at the tip of the portal, when he saw something... or someone.... Smith.... Tetsujin heard Neo's voice, as he went through the portal, landed with a thud, and awoke in the real world.