The Matrix Uploaded: A Matrix Fanfiction Story
Chapter 1:
Side notes: If you haven't seen or read about the first movie of the mainstream The Matrix trilogy and my fanfiction The Matrix Linked, please do before reading this fanfiction. It'll make a lot more sense this way, since this is set as the third movie in my version of a The Matrix trilogy. And, it does have The Matrix Linked set as the second movie in my version of a The Matrix trilogy.
For reading about the first movie of The Matrix in both versions, I recommend the central wiki. But, if you want to know about both trilogies…I recommend both the central wiki and the Matrix wiki.
If you're all caught up…please enjoy... The beginning of the end.
Amongst the grime of the Matrix, in a matter of painful seconds…
As Neo goes off with Trinity to salvage Machine parts… His senses suddenly go to hell. Rapid alternation between memory echoes make Neo scream in incomprehensible pain. Memory echoes of the Layer… Of the 2.0 Matrix… Of the 1.0 Matrix… Of what appears to be a Matrix made nursery grid for Matrix developed baby embryos… Of the Code attack that led to Tank's death… And finally, of the most recent Sentinel attack.
As the out of nowhere chaos seems to slowly but surely fade away… Neo sees himself slightly getting up in a splitting opening steam surrounded Zion canister with Zion doctors around him.
Before he can react with all of the doctors' images fluctuating between Matrix code avatar make up and actually human, one of them greets in echoing resounding enhanced creepiness, "welcome back…Neo."
Presently…
Neo awakes…in a splitting open steam surrounded Zion canister. Uncertainly, he mutters coldly, "where am I?" He sees several doctors in black and white nurse outfits of varying age and gender. But…there are no code fluctuations to speak of. And, this brings everything into uncertainty for Neo.
A doctor with curly long blackish green hair explains, "in Zion." Her name is Zee. On her right shoulder is a brown octopus tattoo. Or, rather…of the outline of a carcass of a octopus's tentacles. Neo sits up. He's in a black sweatshirt…reminiscent of his long ago days as Thomas A. Anderson. The gas particles dissipate...in the dissipating steam. The hospital room matches exactly with one of a Zion hospital…wall for wall.
Neo figures fairly skeptically, "that's not possible. The last thing I remember was heading out into the sewers…salvaging Machine parts."
Zee sighs, "there's a lot more to remember. This way, please. Unless…you don't remember enough to walk."
Neo slightly sighs, "I do." He reluctantly follows her with a few other doctors, down a hall of a Zion Hospital.
Things already start looking off to Neo. There are windows, for one thing. Painted glass windows, no less. Painted glass windows of Buddha, of Islamic geometric shapes, and of archangels themselves decorate the hall...among many. The hall has a cathedral styled ceiling. And, the waiting room across the way looks like standing in line for a prayer. Yet, it is a Zion hospital…with its steam surrounded Zion canisters and doctors.
Through the looking glass…is Zion. It's become rebuilt as a metropolis...roughly seven years later. The docks are in one piece again. Pale blue electrical antenna rods light the ways through Zion…with enough energy to generate a grid of daylight. Very dark brown solar panels cover every rooftop and wall…cycling the electricity over and over. Pocket Matrixes have been done away with.
The rock and steam that make up Zion hold strong. They're Zion's own manufactured elements…from thirty years ago. They were made super-dense through electromagnetically charging them in caves for decades…out of the ruins of the past Zion. Even the flammable gas capsules in Zion rifles is made from a Zion fire element: One that simply can't be used slowly to draw geothermal power from…because it is just that supercharged. It takes a Zion steam element to keep it capsulated. But…without proper maintenance…it can burn away just as easily.
Neo shouts lowly, "what do you mean…there's no more Matrix?! I saw the code! It was just there…seconds ago in that room." Neo's patience for the truth is burning away…just as easily. This Zion is only faintly reminiscent of the Zion he knew…for better or worse.
Zee and her doctor associates pause at a bench. Neo sits down, sighing heavily. He insists shakily, "sniffle! It can't be that simple."
Zee sits next to him. She urges delicately, "Neo… There's no easy way to tell you this. But… Sigh. …listen. Please."
Sounding slightly calmer, Neo figures considerately, "go on."
Zee solemnly waves her doctor associates away. They leave her and Neo, for the time being. Zee goes on, "that wasn't just seconds ago. You've been in a coma...for five years. You brought a end to the war. But…in the Layer… In some godforsaken manner… The Matrix managed to somehow implant a virus into your personal code."
Automatically, Neo finds himself questioning this, "then how long ago…did I end the war?" He already feels hesitant to ask…but feels he should know.
Zee recalls sadly, "seven years ago. The virus though only begun to manifest…when you started to find peace. It was programmed to manifest at just that moment…for some godforsaken reason. Which, as we all know… Sniffle! It was second nature for the Matrix."
Neo sighs heavily, "shit. That would explain all too well. But…do I still have this virus?"
Zee reasons, "your hormones are back to normal. Psychologically though…it's hard to say. Since you were The One to end the war…we'd all be damned if it was all for nothing. But…slight chuckle. You can relax. The hormone treatments have purged your system of the virus. We checked your personal code for fluctuations…as soon as we came into this hall."
Neo wonders nervously, "so…what happens to me now?"
Zee sympathetically smiles, "well...we'll be keeping a close eye on you. Because, we don't see a reason why you shouldn't return to work: Unless that reason reveals itself in due time."
Neo sighs heavily, "right now…my muscles feel like cobwebs full of shit. So, if you would please excuse me…" He starts to get up.
Zee says nervously, "I didn't mean right away. But…you sure you want to leave?" She stands up, facing him.
Neo slightly chuckles, "not unless a reason reveals itself."
Zee figures, "well… Slight sigh. I thought the reason was obvious."
Neo urges irritatedly, "doctor…I don't recall anything for the past seven years. What is it?"
Zee concludes sadly, "Cis…your wife. Sniffle. Five years ago."
Neo is quick to point out, "and what happened to…Trinity?" It suddenly falls in place. Trinity would be the first person to see him…unless… Getting teary eyed, Neo concludes shakily, "no. She's not dead. She… She can't be!" He storms off for the elevator.
Zee is about to call out to Neo. Then, her assistant doctors come out from behind a side door. keeping a eye on them the whole time. One of them asks, "should we…?"
Zee sighs solemnly, "no. He seems sound of mind… Just not of much else. It's better to let him be…for now."
A half hour later, at a dark corner of Zion…
Neo has been coughing violently. His muscles are burning. But, he doesn't care. All he cares in this moment…is that he has found Trinity. Trinity's tombstone. It's built on a eerie yellow lit catacomb styled bunker…for the dead. The bodies are encased in human sized Zion gas capsules…kept creepily warm with steam in Zion canisters. The Zion canisters have tombstones across the top…with their names on it.
The bunker is just a rock to Neo. A rock that knows no sorrow. But, Neo stands there…hoping for Trinity to be looking down to him. And, to his silent tears. Somewhere…somehow… He hopes she is in a good place.
The tombstones also have computer screens…with level clearances for messages. Personal ones require a Jack interface to read…which is already ready for use.
And…Trinity's is no different:
Level 1 Clearance granted…
Jack interface established…
Personal code of Neo recognized.
Neo…
I wish I had one more chance to say what really mattered. To say how much I loved you…on solid earth. On Zion…away from the war. Away from any Matrix. But…you're here with me now. On Zion. And…that's all…that really matters.
-Trinity