Disclaimer: I own none of the matrix.
Wings fluttering. Tears flowing. Feathers falling. This was the dream she kept having.
There was more, but whenever Zephyr awoke from it slick with sweat and breathing in burning, terrified woops, it was all she could remember.
She awoke from this dream again one night, bolting upright and breathing rapidly, looking around with eyes that would not settle on one spot.
For one frightening moment, she didn't know where she was, and felt her sanity begin to crack and buckle under a considerable weight, then it all came back, like a crack on the forehead, and she fell heavily backwards, kicking up small plumes of dust.
Where are you, Smith? Damn it, where the fuck are you?! She screamed in her mind, as she brought her fist down on the beaten floor, kicking up more ancient dust.
She turned over, glaring furiously at nothing, thinking over and over of her mingled hatred and love for the man, thinking how sleep would forever be haunted by terrible dreams too horrible to remember, when her anger melted away like ice under the blazing, cruel, sun and she slipped silently towards a dreamless sleep.
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When she awoke, she felt blazing and full with violent life, and she was surprised to feel cold, very cold indeed. Her love for Smith was still there, but it was buried very deep inside, hiding fearfully from the shadow of her rage. Ka, it seemed, did not like Smith at all this day, and it would decide, as it always did, whether her hands would grip around his neck today, or next week.
And as she dressed, Zephyr was very glad to feel the glint in her eye and the smile on her face.
Today was going to be a very good day indeed. She could feel it.
As she left the ramshackle building which she had stormed into the previous night, she could only feel better. It was a beautiful day, artificial or not, and a pleasant sky and a warm wind always cheered her heart, even if it was already cheered with it's thumping, sadistic, hate.
She smiled to herself, looking around at the waking world, feeling some weird kind if joy, and with dawning realization, she realized, the sun had seemed to have awakened her burning affection for Smith, and now her rage was the one to cower. Ka was fickle, oh yes, and maybe this would be a good day, but not for her, for him.
This thought brought great fear to her heart, in Zephyr's long life, she had never really lost. Of course there had been small losses, losses were necessary and Ka never favoured one soul for long. But in the Great Scheme of Life, Zephyr had never been a loser. Now she feared the great wheel of Ka was beginning to turn again, and it was turning against her with raw determination.
Don't stand there fretting, Z!. If Ka means you to fail, then fail you shall, no matter what you do. Don't just stand there with fear beating at your heart, move along and try. The only sin is not to try. A rough voice said, and Zephyr recognized it instantly.
Reluctantly, with fear still beating relentlessly at her heart, Zephyr moved silently, towards the outer city.