Authors Note- Hey there everybody! Thanks so everyone who took the time to
review, it means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy this story with a twist to
everything you think. And I have a few clues in there if you want to guess
what's going on. Enjoy, and remember to tell me what you think.
***
Usagi leaned casually against the side of the run down building...waiting. She had stood there for nearly an hour now watching as multiple people walked up and down the stairs that led to the apartment. Some were children, coming to learn what no one else could teach. And others were nervous parents, unsure of what is going on but at the same time trusting the kind old woman who offered to help their kids. A person or two wore large black trench coats, and walked looking over their shoulder trying to make sure no one was following them. These people in particular caught her interest as she tried to blend in with her surroundings.
It had been a week since she had collapsed on the sidewalk, and in her own way died. It had been a week since she had come back to life with the knowledge that her world, the Matrix was about to change forever. It had been so difficult not to run to the oracle immediately and ask what was going on, and she was exercising a patience she previously didn't know she possessed to stand out in the sunshine waiting until she was sure the building was almost empty. She wouldn't want anyone near during her confrontation with her oldest friend, especially not anyone who knew her there.
She was a frequent visitor to this small run-down apartment, and had even gone as far as to make friends with some of the children and try to teach them what the Oracle could not. A few of the children she had even introduced to Zora, hoping that she could help them control this ability before the Agents could find out about them. She didn't want them to overhear what she was going to talk to the Oracle about. She didn't want anyone to accidentally overhear her biggest secret that only one other person in the world knew. She didn't want them to see her lose her control, and say something she knew she would regret later. She wanted nothing more than to scream at the world why me, why now? But there wasn't anyone who could answer those questions. However there were others that could be answered, and they would be answered tonight.
Despite the circumstances Usagi couldn't her lips from twitching into a half smile when she spotted the small bald boy walked through the door holding the hand of an older version of him. They both wore long brown robes, and neither of them looked like they belonged here. Brother and brother, both with their own tragic tale that brought them to where they were. One was still bending spoons, and had a remarkable ability to think differently than those around him. He had an openness of mind that gave him a power over the Matrix that adults would never be able to have. Well..with a few exceptions. The older version still couldn't quite believe what his brother was doing, and his mind couldn't accept where he was. But Usagi knew them both quite well; after all, she was the one who had brought them here.
She melted into the shadows a little more as they walked away. The last thing she needed was that cheery smile, and those eyes that saw more than a child ever should. She might break right then and there.
She waited until they were just out of sight to make her move. Without a sound she stood up straight, and walked towards that green door. She didn't even bother to knock, she just opened it and stepped inside.
She gave the room a quick once-over, and was relieved to see it was as she expected. Everyone had already gone home, even Marge the secretary who normally greeted everyone. She was all alone, well, except for Zora of course.
She strode purposefully through the room, not stopping when she came to the curtain that separated the rest of the apartment from the kitchen where Zora could normally be found.
"Usagi, I've been expecting you." The Oracle, also known as Zora turned from the sink, where she was washing her hands, to greet her.
Usagi sighed exasperatedly and raised one eyebrow. "Really, and here I thought you'd gone and forgotten all about me."
Zora's calm expression didn't change as she walked forward and sat down at the little wooden table off to the side. She gestured to the chair on the opposing side and said. "Have a seat."
Usagi shook her head. She could feel her anger beginning to drain, and she couldn't let that happen. Zora always did this to her, to everyone! And Usagi had a right to be angry, and she wasn't going to just chit chat with an old friend while she had some rather serious questions.
Zora didn't look surprised in the least. "Well, are you going to tell me why you're here or not?" She calmly asked Usagi, even though Usagi knew that Zora was well aware of why she was here.
She took a deep breath. "I'm here, because you had information that you didn't give me. Rather important information that I feel I should have had a right to know." Zora started to open her mouth, but Usagi silenced her with a glare. "You can't sit there and tell me you had no idea The One was back. If I'm not mistaken you've probably even met him. And you didn't think to tell me! I think of all of the people in the world I have a right to know! I only found out that he was even alive when I felt him die, and then come back to life. And I imagine you knew about that too, didn't you? Probably already left the Matrix and everything. Damm you all! You and you're foolish resistance are going to go and get him killed again!" When Usagi finished she found that she was slightly out of breath, and somewhere in the middle of her speech she had taken a small ring hanging on a silver cord out from under her shirt and was gripping it so tightly that her fingers were turning white.
Zora's patience didn't waver for an instance. "If you're quite done." Usagi nodded angrily. "I'll have you know that I had no idea who he was until he was brought to me. Granted, I did know who was going to find him, so he would appear this century, and that was all I knew. I didn't think that was enough information to give you without you going out and finding him before he was ever ready to be found. Besides, I highly doubt I would ever be able to find you even if I thought that would be the best solution. I have no way how you disappear the way you do, but you're impossible to find when you don't want to be."
Usagi let the calm words wash over her. She was still angry, and her fingers were still clutching at the small ring, but she let go some of the rage. Zora was right, she didn't like to be found, and no one could find her when she didn't want to be. It did hurt that Zora wouldn't have wanted her to find him though. What did she think she would do? Tell him what he couldn't know? But Zora and her resistance had motives all of their own. That foolish resistance who took, and took, but never gave. That resistance that didn't have a chance, and now had caught Raven in their web again. Never to let go.
Quickly she changed her line of thought. Just because she would forever connect the phonemon called The One with Raven, that was really wrong. And she had completely ignored the previous 'Ones' simply due to her always mistaking them. Raven had died long ago, and these men had no connection to her whatsoever.
Usagi sighed and collapsed down onto the chair. "I suppose there's not much point in shooting you, so lets just talk about what's going to happen now. And I'm going to let you know, there's no way I'm going to let him die again. Not that I really care if he accomplishes his mission, as he's failed to so many times, but when he dies..it disrupts my work. Plus it's pretty dang painful. I'm getting downright sick of it all. So I refuse to help your resistance, but I'm going to see if I can talk some sense in this boy!" Usagi hoped Zora didn't notice the false ring in her voice. The truth was, she couldn't help but relive Raven's death every time 'he' died, and would do almost anything not to live though that again.
"I wouldn't expect anything less." Zora allowed teeth to show as she smiled at her old friend. "I was hoping that you would see this as a chance to come out of your shell and join the real world again."
Usagi winced at her choice of words. "You know there's no way I can join the Real World. If I could there's no way this all would've happened."
Sorrow flashed for just a moment through Zora's unreadable eyes. "You know I didn't mean that. I just meant that you need to get out and see what's around you again, just like you used to. Maybe you could even.."
"I'm just told you I'm not going to join your resistance if that's what you're gonna ask. You know I feel about the matter, and I'm not going to change my mind. I've already fought for the resistance, and it just isn't worth it. Why should you have the right to mess with so many lives like you do on a daily basis? How can you be sure that the real world is any better than this one? I have an idea as to what it's like, and it hardly seems worth living in."
Zora sighed. "I was hoping you would change your mind just this once, but the fact still remains. You know things can't be the same now you know he's back, so what do you plan on doing about it?"
Usagi sat up a little straighter. She had thought about just that question for the past week, and she had a fairly good idea as to what she wanted. The only problem was going to be getting it. "Well, I thought I could join your little friends for a while. I wouldn't be fighting, just watching. I need to be sure Ravens safe here, and he isn't right now. He just found out who he is, he just discovered what he can do. Now is the most dangerous time of all. Since he and whatever friends he's made will be perfectly safe with me, I might even to teach him for a while. There's so much he still doesn't know, that I was unable to show him before he died. It's obvious if he came back to life that he still instinctively remembers some of what I showed him in his previous life, but that's so little of what he needs to know in order to stay alive. You need me for this. I'm the only one that can show him this. And since I can't go into the real world I think they should take a brief vacation from that world to come back to the Matrix."
Zora didn't look at all surprised. It took a lot to surprise someone who could see into the future.
"As a matter of fact, I still don't see why it is that after he died they all took to only spending time in the Matrix just for business, and only for a few minutes at a time. It's a wonderful place, and it's a shame not to come and visit like they used to."
Zora finally took the chance to speak up. "It's all well and good that you guys could all get together and hang out back then. After all, you were perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. But these past few hundred years have been different. After he died, and you left there wasn't anybody to stand up to the agents anymore. It was just plain stupid to risk death just for a chocolate milk shake."
'Mmmm, chocolate milk shake.' "Be that as it may, I guess since we're back it would be a shame not to use this opportunity to it's fullest value. You need me, and the only place I'm able help is here. Anyway, if Raven doesn't manage to stop the bullets, I could always just make them disappear." Usagi finished with a shrug.
"It does sound like a good plan, and I had already decided it was in everyone, and the resistance's best interest before you got here." She gave a small secretive smile. "But before you leave there's one thing you need to know. This man may look just like Raven, he may talk like Raven, and he is the same person in his own way. But this isn't Raven, this is Neo."
Usagi flinched. She had known that it wasn't her Raven, and it was instead someone completely different. But it still hurt to hear it said out loud. She quickly hid her feelings and answered. "Of course he isn't. Raven died hundreds of years ago. But how am I going to find them?"
Zora already had an answer. "Don't worry, they'll find you. I already told them to closely watch the woman who leaves this place tonight, and they should contact you in a few days."
Usagi nodded slowly. "All right, but you need to promise me one thing. No one remembers Bunny anymore, and I want to keep it that way. You can't tell them who I am. That's knowledge that I'm most likely going to die with, long after everyone who knew me is dead and gone."
Zora just nodded. "Of course."
"Well, I suppose after all of this quiet, it's about time we had some change to deal with. And I'll tell you one thing, things are going to be much different now. I promise." And with a cheery wave Usagi turned around and slowly walked away. And as she walked down the street to her car, she could practically feel the eyes watching her.
***
Well, there you go. Hope you enjoyed it. Now it's time to go back to the real world. But before you do, remember to review and tell me what you thought!
Email me at sirencalling@yahoo.com
***
Usagi leaned casually against the side of the run down building...waiting. She had stood there for nearly an hour now watching as multiple people walked up and down the stairs that led to the apartment. Some were children, coming to learn what no one else could teach. And others were nervous parents, unsure of what is going on but at the same time trusting the kind old woman who offered to help their kids. A person or two wore large black trench coats, and walked looking over their shoulder trying to make sure no one was following them. These people in particular caught her interest as she tried to blend in with her surroundings.
It had been a week since she had collapsed on the sidewalk, and in her own way died. It had been a week since she had come back to life with the knowledge that her world, the Matrix was about to change forever. It had been so difficult not to run to the oracle immediately and ask what was going on, and she was exercising a patience she previously didn't know she possessed to stand out in the sunshine waiting until she was sure the building was almost empty. She wouldn't want anyone near during her confrontation with her oldest friend, especially not anyone who knew her there.
She was a frequent visitor to this small run-down apartment, and had even gone as far as to make friends with some of the children and try to teach them what the Oracle could not. A few of the children she had even introduced to Zora, hoping that she could help them control this ability before the Agents could find out about them. She didn't want them to overhear what she was going to talk to the Oracle about. She didn't want anyone to accidentally overhear her biggest secret that only one other person in the world knew. She didn't want them to see her lose her control, and say something she knew she would regret later. She wanted nothing more than to scream at the world why me, why now? But there wasn't anyone who could answer those questions. However there were others that could be answered, and they would be answered tonight.
Despite the circumstances Usagi couldn't her lips from twitching into a half smile when she spotted the small bald boy walked through the door holding the hand of an older version of him. They both wore long brown robes, and neither of them looked like they belonged here. Brother and brother, both with their own tragic tale that brought them to where they were. One was still bending spoons, and had a remarkable ability to think differently than those around him. He had an openness of mind that gave him a power over the Matrix that adults would never be able to have. Well..with a few exceptions. The older version still couldn't quite believe what his brother was doing, and his mind couldn't accept where he was. But Usagi knew them both quite well; after all, she was the one who had brought them here.
She melted into the shadows a little more as they walked away. The last thing she needed was that cheery smile, and those eyes that saw more than a child ever should. She might break right then and there.
She waited until they were just out of sight to make her move. Without a sound she stood up straight, and walked towards that green door. She didn't even bother to knock, she just opened it and stepped inside.
She gave the room a quick once-over, and was relieved to see it was as she expected. Everyone had already gone home, even Marge the secretary who normally greeted everyone. She was all alone, well, except for Zora of course.
She strode purposefully through the room, not stopping when she came to the curtain that separated the rest of the apartment from the kitchen where Zora could normally be found.
"Usagi, I've been expecting you." The Oracle, also known as Zora turned from the sink, where she was washing her hands, to greet her.
Usagi sighed exasperatedly and raised one eyebrow. "Really, and here I thought you'd gone and forgotten all about me."
Zora's calm expression didn't change as she walked forward and sat down at the little wooden table off to the side. She gestured to the chair on the opposing side and said. "Have a seat."
Usagi shook her head. She could feel her anger beginning to drain, and she couldn't let that happen. Zora always did this to her, to everyone! And Usagi had a right to be angry, and she wasn't going to just chit chat with an old friend while she had some rather serious questions.
Zora didn't look surprised in the least. "Well, are you going to tell me why you're here or not?" She calmly asked Usagi, even though Usagi knew that Zora was well aware of why she was here.
She took a deep breath. "I'm here, because you had information that you didn't give me. Rather important information that I feel I should have had a right to know." Zora started to open her mouth, but Usagi silenced her with a glare. "You can't sit there and tell me you had no idea The One was back. If I'm not mistaken you've probably even met him. And you didn't think to tell me! I think of all of the people in the world I have a right to know! I only found out that he was even alive when I felt him die, and then come back to life. And I imagine you knew about that too, didn't you? Probably already left the Matrix and everything. Damm you all! You and you're foolish resistance are going to go and get him killed again!" When Usagi finished she found that she was slightly out of breath, and somewhere in the middle of her speech she had taken a small ring hanging on a silver cord out from under her shirt and was gripping it so tightly that her fingers were turning white.
Zora's patience didn't waver for an instance. "If you're quite done." Usagi nodded angrily. "I'll have you know that I had no idea who he was until he was brought to me. Granted, I did know who was going to find him, so he would appear this century, and that was all I knew. I didn't think that was enough information to give you without you going out and finding him before he was ever ready to be found. Besides, I highly doubt I would ever be able to find you even if I thought that would be the best solution. I have no way how you disappear the way you do, but you're impossible to find when you don't want to be."
Usagi let the calm words wash over her. She was still angry, and her fingers were still clutching at the small ring, but she let go some of the rage. Zora was right, she didn't like to be found, and no one could find her when she didn't want to be. It did hurt that Zora wouldn't have wanted her to find him though. What did she think she would do? Tell him what he couldn't know? But Zora and her resistance had motives all of their own. That foolish resistance who took, and took, but never gave. That resistance that didn't have a chance, and now had caught Raven in their web again. Never to let go.
Quickly she changed her line of thought. Just because she would forever connect the phonemon called The One with Raven, that was really wrong. And she had completely ignored the previous 'Ones' simply due to her always mistaking them. Raven had died long ago, and these men had no connection to her whatsoever.
Usagi sighed and collapsed down onto the chair. "I suppose there's not much point in shooting you, so lets just talk about what's going to happen now. And I'm going to let you know, there's no way I'm going to let him die again. Not that I really care if he accomplishes his mission, as he's failed to so many times, but when he dies..it disrupts my work. Plus it's pretty dang painful. I'm getting downright sick of it all. So I refuse to help your resistance, but I'm going to see if I can talk some sense in this boy!" Usagi hoped Zora didn't notice the false ring in her voice. The truth was, she couldn't help but relive Raven's death every time 'he' died, and would do almost anything not to live though that again.
"I wouldn't expect anything less." Zora allowed teeth to show as she smiled at her old friend. "I was hoping that you would see this as a chance to come out of your shell and join the real world again."
Usagi winced at her choice of words. "You know there's no way I can join the Real World. If I could there's no way this all would've happened."
Sorrow flashed for just a moment through Zora's unreadable eyes. "You know I didn't mean that. I just meant that you need to get out and see what's around you again, just like you used to. Maybe you could even.."
"I'm just told you I'm not going to join your resistance if that's what you're gonna ask. You know I feel about the matter, and I'm not going to change my mind. I've already fought for the resistance, and it just isn't worth it. Why should you have the right to mess with so many lives like you do on a daily basis? How can you be sure that the real world is any better than this one? I have an idea as to what it's like, and it hardly seems worth living in."
Zora sighed. "I was hoping you would change your mind just this once, but the fact still remains. You know things can't be the same now you know he's back, so what do you plan on doing about it?"
Usagi sat up a little straighter. She had thought about just that question for the past week, and she had a fairly good idea as to what she wanted. The only problem was going to be getting it. "Well, I thought I could join your little friends for a while. I wouldn't be fighting, just watching. I need to be sure Ravens safe here, and he isn't right now. He just found out who he is, he just discovered what he can do. Now is the most dangerous time of all. Since he and whatever friends he's made will be perfectly safe with me, I might even to teach him for a while. There's so much he still doesn't know, that I was unable to show him before he died. It's obvious if he came back to life that he still instinctively remembers some of what I showed him in his previous life, but that's so little of what he needs to know in order to stay alive. You need me for this. I'm the only one that can show him this. And since I can't go into the real world I think they should take a brief vacation from that world to come back to the Matrix."
Zora didn't look at all surprised. It took a lot to surprise someone who could see into the future.
"As a matter of fact, I still don't see why it is that after he died they all took to only spending time in the Matrix just for business, and only for a few minutes at a time. It's a wonderful place, and it's a shame not to come and visit like they used to."
Zora finally took the chance to speak up. "It's all well and good that you guys could all get together and hang out back then. After all, you were perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. But these past few hundred years have been different. After he died, and you left there wasn't anybody to stand up to the agents anymore. It was just plain stupid to risk death just for a chocolate milk shake."
'Mmmm, chocolate milk shake.' "Be that as it may, I guess since we're back it would be a shame not to use this opportunity to it's fullest value. You need me, and the only place I'm able help is here. Anyway, if Raven doesn't manage to stop the bullets, I could always just make them disappear." Usagi finished with a shrug.
"It does sound like a good plan, and I had already decided it was in everyone, and the resistance's best interest before you got here." She gave a small secretive smile. "But before you leave there's one thing you need to know. This man may look just like Raven, he may talk like Raven, and he is the same person in his own way. But this isn't Raven, this is Neo."
Usagi flinched. She had known that it wasn't her Raven, and it was instead someone completely different. But it still hurt to hear it said out loud. She quickly hid her feelings and answered. "Of course he isn't. Raven died hundreds of years ago. But how am I going to find them?"
Zora already had an answer. "Don't worry, they'll find you. I already told them to closely watch the woman who leaves this place tonight, and they should contact you in a few days."
Usagi nodded slowly. "All right, but you need to promise me one thing. No one remembers Bunny anymore, and I want to keep it that way. You can't tell them who I am. That's knowledge that I'm most likely going to die with, long after everyone who knew me is dead and gone."
Zora just nodded. "Of course."
"Well, I suppose after all of this quiet, it's about time we had some change to deal with. And I'll tell you one thing, things are going to be much different now. I promise." And with a cheery wave Usagi turned around and slowly walked away. And as she walked down the street to her car, she could practically feel the eyes watching her.
***
Well, there you go. Hope you enjoyed it. Now it's time to go back to the real world. But before you do, remember to review and tell me what you thought!
Email me at sirencalling@yahoo.com