I do not own the concept (or Loony Toons), just some of the characters, I know, I know. In this episode I attempt to improve my grammar and sp., while avoiding those hyphens or semicolons that this thing keeps turning into periods (grumble, grumble).

MEDEA

I've always liked the Construct. Most do, actually. Why wouldn't they? The new recruits like to use it to act out what had been their greatest fantasies inside the Matrix. Trans was still going through this stage at the time back then. I never asked him what he did though – it was on his own time, and was his own business. I suspect that I wouldn't really have wanted to have that information anyhow.

The thrill of having a little VR game wears off after a while. I had been unplugged for fifteen years, and had plenty of adrenaline to spare between dodging the sentinels and our routine trips into the Matrix. Now I use the Construct as a place for quiet meditation when I have a few spare moments, which have become fewer and farther between as time passed.

However, this foray into the Construct was for business, not pleasure. Nexus looked like a frightened animal, staring around at the pure whiteness of the Construct, utterly bewildered. I didn't envy her. This part was never easy.

"Welcome to the Construct."

Nexus whirled around to face me, and I had to hide a grin. I had forgotten that she had come to meet us in her sleepwear. The baggy boxers and camisole still looked rumpled, as if she were just rolling out of bed to head to class.

She must have noticed me looking, because she looked down on herself. A look of amused confusion replaced the fearful one. "You couldn't wait for me to get dressed…" she muttered, half to herself. Looking back at me, she grew more serious. "What is going on? That woman said something about the date…"

I nodded, solemn now. This part was never easy, and everyone reacted differently when they heard to truth. Taking a deep breath, I began.

"I am going to tell you the truth about the Matrix. About the things you have seen both in there and out here. You will find it hard to accept, but all I ask is that you try to keep an open mind…"

SKYLLA

I had to give the kid credit. After that first little upset she handled it pretty well.

The four of us, Loki, Koi, Trans and I were clustered around the screens behind Aiglos, who sat at his accustomed chair, awaiting the call from Medea. Aiglos, who's free-born from Zion, was only here a few months longer than Trans, so he still makes us stand back from the screens while he works. At that point, I was the only one allowed to hover at his shoulder since he realized that if I broke anything then I would be the one to fix it anyhow. That kind of responsibility keeps you a little lighter on your feet around the delicate stuff. Koi has since then pointed out how cute it was that Aiglos was so protective of his equipment. He immediately lifted his ban.

"Alright. This chick is strange." Trans declared after the two women had been in the Construct for ten minutes.

"Thank you for that evaluation, Trans. When it was your turn, you looked like you were going to pass out." Loki replied dryly, watching the screens. Watching them has always reminded me of this old cartoon- Loony Toons, I think they called it. There was this sketch with a big dog and a little dog. The little dog would jump around, suggesting fun things to do, and the big dog would casually smack him down, and the routine would start over again. I believe that this also is often the relationship between two brothers, but I never dared share this observation – Trans would be extremely insulted by the cartoon analogy and Loki would not appreciated anyone calling Trans his little brother or any type of relative for that matter, no matter how much it looked that way. I grinned. "She's holding her own nicely," I commented. "I think she got most of the shock out of her system when she saw the date." Koi made as to object to that statement, but I went on. "I'm serious. You didn't see her hit the floor, she looked like someone had shot her in the gut. I'm surprised that she's recovered so quickly." I shook my head. "Guess a few hard questions got answered a little prematurely."

Trans wanted to say something, but Koi sent him a warning look and he resigned himself to scowling and rolling his eyes. Typical, though he should have known by then not to set me off. I've always had a tendency to be rather opinionated, and those who opposed it without careful thought would usually rue the day.

Medea had stopped talking, and was waiting to hear what Nexus had to say. We al grew quiet and watched in anticipation.

NEXUS

Impossible.

I knew that the explanation would be far-fetched, but this was simply out of the question And yet…

I had seen the fields. The electric currents rippling up one tower and down another. The pink, pulsing pods on either side of me, above below, as far as I could see.

I had felt the holes in my body, touched to plug at the back of my head with my own hand. And in the ship, I felt so different, like I had more…gravity, for lack of a better world. Everything I touched just seemed to have more substance.

I had been looking down at the "ground", if one could even call it that. Now I raised my eyes to Medea again. I could accept her truth, given some time. Yet something else was bothering me, and it was related to the clothes I now wore.

I tried to smile as I met Medea's gaze. "I think I understand. I need to let it sink in – it's a bit much to take in at once, obviously." Medea actually looked a bit surprised at this remark, albeit a bit relieved that I hadn't burst into hysteria, most likely. "I'm still confused about the mad dash that I had to take in my undergarments though. Or why I'm still wearing them. Can I change this?"

Medea actually laughed. "Yes, though I wouldn't worry too much about that right at the moment. Your appearance now is residual self-image, the digital imprint of your human self." Her smile faded. "We had to get you away from you residence quickly because certain security programs within the Matrix became alerted to your suspicions, as well as the fact that we had contacted you." Pause. "You were smart to run when you saw that helicopter crash. They did a sweep of the areas with a clear view of the glitch a few minutes after, when they had repaired to code for that building, and they may or may not have realized that you were there- or at least, not until we established contact."

She looked as if she were about to say more, but stopped herself before it came out. Instead, she drew a cell phone from her coat pocket, the same one she wore when we met, saying brusquely, "I believe that's quite enough for one person to take in at once." She punched in a number and said, "OK, take us out now."

I opened my eyes.