Temet Nosce (Latin): Know thyself.

Enigma's appearance & her Matrix outfit: file/d/1FZZp9-uafsCmQEDAi96yq3ry3UJ-ratB/view?usp=drivesdk


6. Temet Nosce

"Alice, isn't it?"

She stares at the man, Morpheus, in front of her. The blanket covers her small body from the rain as she sits on a red sofa. "Yes, but I don't think you want to call me that."

"Why not?"

"Because you seem don't want to," she stops. "No, you dislike it."

He smiles like she's just solving a hard puzzle. "Trinity said you felt alienated by that name."

"Yes," Alice nods, knowing Miss Dinah isn't her real name at all. Sh e wasn't too surprised by that statement because she was already suspicious of everything Trinity had been doing so far.

"Do you feel trapped in Wonderland right now, like poor Alice?"

Alice smiled glumly. "Ironically, yes. I want answers to... all of this."

"I see," Morpheus said understandingly. "To you, what happened to you doesn't make sense. You want answers to the questions that are on your mind. But understand this. There is a price you have to pay if you want answers."

Alice knows that. Trinity had warned her. Even before meeting Morpheus, some of Trinity's friends she met gave her a look of disbelief when she arrived at this place and wanted to meet Morpheus. She can tell that by clothes they use that are similar to fugitives being chased by the police. However, Alice was tired of being in the dark. The 5-year-old girl wanted an honest answer. "I take it."

▪︎1001▪︎

"Morning," she greeted everyone while yawning, finding everyone except Morpheus already gathering and eating their breakfast. Her eyes are still heavy.

"Let me," Trinity stands up. "Here you go, girl," she gives her her meal while messing with her messy hair.

"Thanks, Trin," she replied, setting herself sit beside Neo. "You look nice with that beanie."

"I appreciate it," Neo responded, mouth curves into a smile. Last night, Enigma gave it to him after he finished training. Enigma often knit some clothes when she wasn't busy. The blondie also admits that he purposely made a beanie for him so Neo doesn't feel awkward about his hairless head.

She takes her first meal. "So," she chews it. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing relevant," Apoc shrugs.

"So I understand that you've run through the agent training program," Mouse began.

"Here it comes."

"So what did you think of her?"

Neo frowns. "Of who?"

"The woman in the red dress," Enigma answered, still eating. "Mouse designed her, which," she gives him an annoying look. "I'm very much disapproved with."

"Yeah, well you won't understand that kind of thing until you're 17," Mouse retorted before Switch kicks him under the table.

"Don't encourage her," Dozer grumbled. He already deals so much stuff with Cas and his children. If he ever let Enigma knows about Mouse's words, well... let's just say neither her, his sister Zee, and even Trinity will keep their composure with him for letting Mouse spread naughty things to Enigma.

Morpheus enters the dining. "Dozer," he called, "when you're done, bring the ship up to broadcast depth. We're going in. I'm taking Neo to see her."

"See who?" Neo asked.

"The Oracle," Enigma replied as she finish her meal, feeling anxious and excited. It's been a while since she met the Oracle. One might wonder what this meeting will do for Neo.

▪︎1001▪︎

"Unbelievable... isn't it?" Morpheus asked Neo who keeps looking outside.

Enigma remembered that feeling as well during her first time re-entering the Matrix. She keeps dazing at her surrounding, looking lost and pondering within her heart.

"God," Neo mumbled.

"What?"

"I used to eat there," he pointed out a small noodle shop. "Really good noodles."

"Would love to try it," Enigma commented, looking below. Like others, her clothes change as well. Right now, she wears a black leather jacket, white t-shirt, black frilly skirt, and black sneakers. Aside from sunglasses, she never wears any fashionable or flashy clothes like most Redpills, prefer to wear simple, but blending clothes to avoid attention.

"I have these memories from my life. None of them happened," Neo mentioned. "What does that mean?"

"That the Matrix cannot tell you who you are," Trinity assured him.

"And an Oracle can?"

"Not like that," Enigma disagreed. She wants to say more, but she can't give more explanation without spoiler him.

"Did you go to her? Both of you?"

"Yes," Trinity said and Enigma nods.

"What did she tell you?"

"She told me..." she stops suddenly, remembering what the old woman said many years ago. She never told this to anyone, even Enigma. She's not sure if telling this will solve her doubt and worry.

"What?" Neo pondered before the car stops.

"We're here. Neo, come with me," Morpheus announced. "Enigma, you too."

Enigma frowns. Her? "Why?"

"The Oracle wants to see you too."

The blonde gulps. This is certainly new.

▪︎1001▪︎

As they enter the building, a blind man nod to Morpheus. Enigma knows him as one of the Oracle's acquaintances, but she never asked his name as he never revealed his.

After Morpheus presses the Oracle's residence floor, Neo asks. "So... is this the same Oracle that made the prophecy?"

"Yes. She's very old. She's been with us since the beginning."

"The beginning...?"

"Of the Resistance."

"And she knows what, everything?"

"She would say she knows enough."

"And she's never wrong."

"Try not to think of it in terms of right and wrong," he corrected. "She is a guide, Neo. She can help you to find the path."

"She helped you?"

"Yes."

"What did she tell you?"

Morpheus smirks as the door opens. "That I would find The One."

Neo looks at Enigma who hasn't said anything. "You too?"

She nods. "Three years ago. Assuring me, more or less."

"About?"

She steps outside, deep in her thoughts. "Myself...and my gift."

Now he's confused. "A... gift?"

Enigma bites her lips. "She called it 'the Sight'. I can see... things in my dream. Not every dream, per se. Usually, it's random and I see so many moments, memories, events that happen in present. I can see the past as well, but most of them..." her jaw goes slack. "Pure nightmare."

He wants to ask further, but he lost his intention as Morpheus stops in front of a door. "I told you I can only show you the door. You have to walk through it," he reminded him.

Neo slowly reaches the knob... and a woman in a white gown appears while opening it. "Hello, Neo. You're right on time." She let them in. "Make yourself at home, Morpheus. Neo, Enigma, come with me."

She leads them into another room where many children gather around. Enigma waves her hand at each of them, who all replies with a beaming smile and nod. She remembers them during her first visit.

"These are the other potentials," she stated, "you can wait here."

"Hi, Enigma," a brunette girl around Enigma's age greeted while levitating some wooden alphabet before letting another girl levitate those.

"Hi," Enigma replied before frowning at the TV. "Should change it," she mumbled.

Neo watches as Enigma closes her eyes, pointing her pointing finger at the screen... and the TV itself keeps flickering between each channel, shocking him.

"Looney Toons won't play until evening," the brunette told her like already knows what she was searching for.

Enigma switches off the TV, eyes narrowing. "Bummer," she complained with a pouty mouth that Neo had to stop himself from smiling. That reaction makes her looks adorable.

His eyes spot a boy and some spoons that already bend. He watches as the child takes one and the spoon bending around before returning to normal. He watches with curiosity while sitting down.

The boy gives him the spoon. "Do not try and bend the spoon," he shared. "That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth."

Neo examines it. "What truth?"

"There is no spoon."

"There is no spoon?"

Enigma smiles, watching while slowly sitting beside the boy. "Then you'll see that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself," he added.

Neo gazes at it, watching intensely as the spoon bends itself...

"The Oracle will see you now," the priestess called, snapping him back. The spoon still looks normal. He shrugs and gives it back to the boy who smiles. Enigma stands up with Neo and they enter the kitchen.

The girl smiles when she smells something familiar.

"Be patience, my dear," the Oracle said, not looking behind. "The cookies are still not ready."

"I know," Enigma smiles, proceeds to sit on a chair near a desk while Neo still standing.

"I know, you're Neo. Be right with you."

"You're the Oracle?" Neo asked, not expecting the Oracle as... well, as a nice-looking granny.

"Bingo," she turns around. "Not quite what you were expecting, right?" She stands up. "Almost done. Smell good, don't they?"

"Yeah," Neo agreed, spotting Enigma's anticipation on those cookies. It seems she loves cookies.

The Oracle takes the trail of cookies out of the oven. "I'd ask you to sit down, but you're not going to anyway. And don't worry about the vase."

"What vase?" He asked, turning around, causing his elbow to knock a vase from a table, and then breaking it.

She simply alludes. "That vase."

"I'm sorry."

"I said don't worry about it," she gazes at the blonde. "Enigma?"

"On it," Enigma said, standing up and taking the remaining away.

Neo looks back and forth between those two. "How did you know?"

"What's really going to bake your noodle later on is, would you still have broken it if I hadn't said anything?" She asked instead while lighting her cigarette. "You're cuter than I thought," she commented before sitting down. "I can see why she likes you."

"Who?" Neo pondered.

"Not too bright, though. You know why Morpheus brought you to see me?"

"I think so."

"So, what do you think? Do you think you're The One?"

"Honestly I don't know," Neo admitted

The Oracle stares at him for a moment. "You know what that means?" She gestures the sign behind him. "It's Latin. Means 'know thyself'. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Being The One is just like being in love. No one can tell you you're in love, you just know it. Through and through. Balls to bones. Well," she stands up, uses her glasses. "I better have a look at you." She grabs his face gently. "Open your mouth, say ahhh."

Neo complies as she widens his eyes, checks his ears, feels the glands in his neck, before looking at his palms. "Okay. Now I'm supposed to say, 'Ummm, that's interesting, but...' then you say..."

"But what?"

"But you already know what I'm going to tell you."

"I'm not The One," he finally told her.

"Sorry, kid. You got the gift, but it looks like you're waiting for something."

"What?" He asked as Enigma returns.

"Your next life maybe, who knows? That's the way these things go." The Oracle turns back. "Cookie?"

"Cookie," Enigma nods, looking puzzled as Neo chuckles.

"What's funny?" The Oracle asked, taking some cookies on a small plate for Enigma.

"Morpheus. He," Neo stares Enigma and the Oracle, not sure if he should continue his words. But alas, he can't keep this up forever on his own while he might get some clarity with the Oracle. Besides... he trust Enigma can keep some secret of his, so better than nothing, "he almost had me convinced."

"I know. Poor Morpheus," she put a plate and a glass of water on the table and Enigma quietly takes one. "Without him... we're lost."

Neo frowns. "What do you mean, without him?"

"Are you sure you want to hear this? Both of you?"

The blonde girl gazes her eyes on Neo, vice versa with Neo too. Both nod.

"Morpheus believes in you, Neo. And no one, not you, not even me can convince him otherwise. He believes it so blindly, that he's going to sacrifice his life to save yours."

Enigma coughs upon that statement as she quietly drinks the water the Oracle already provided, eyes shut. He's patting her shoulder to comfort her. "What?" Neo reacted, never expecting that to come out of her.

"You're going to have to make a choice. In the one hand, you'll have Morpheus' life and in the other hand, you'll have your own. One of you is going to die. Which one will be up to you," she continued. "I'm sorry, kiddo, I really am. You have a good soul, and I hate giving good people bad news."

No words come out from Neo. And honestly, Enigma can't say anything else. What can she say when someone like the Oracle just told them somebody will die?

"Oh, don't worry about it. As soon as you step outside that door, you'll start feeling better. You'll remember you don't believe in any of this fate crap. You're in control of your own life, remember?" She takes the plate to him. "Here, take a cookie. I promise, by the time you're done eating it, you'll feel right as rain."

As Neo takes one, Enigma scrunches up her face. "Oracle, why did you want to see me too? It feels like this conversation is for Neo only."

She smiles, expecting her to ask that. "Curiosity," she said, but nodding her head into the sign Temet Nosce above the door.

Do you know yourself enough, dear?

Don't be, my dear. I'm sure you will find your path.

Ah. She wants to know how much Enigma knows herself.

"And I just want to see you again, Little One," she added with a wink.