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Eyes blinked, Taiyang or Neo in his other alias has woken up. He looks around the dark room, he stretches out of the bed.
"...I can't go back, can I?" He muttered.
Morpheus is here, sitting on the chair in the far corner. "No. But if you could, would you really want to?" He asked.
No answer spoken, but deep down, he feels the answer is obvious.
"I feel that I owe you an apology." Morpheus spoke in a somber tone. "There is a rule that we do not free a mind once it reaches a certain age. It is dangerous. They have trouble letting go. Their mind turns against them. I've seen it happen. I'm sorry. I broke the rule because I had to."
He gazes at the darkness, speaking this confession to him. "When the Matrix was first built there was a man born inside that had the ability to change what he wanted, to remake the Matrix as he saw fit. It was this man that freed the first of us and taught us the truth; as long as the Matrix exists, the human race will never be free." He explained. "...When he died, the Oracle prophesied his return and envisioned that his coming would hail the destruction of the Matrix, an end to the war and freedom for our people. That is why there are those of us that have spent our entire lives searching the Matrix, looking for him."
"I did what I did, because I believe the search is over." He then stands up. "Get some rest. You're going to need it."
"For what?" Neo asked.
"...Simple, your training." Morpheus replied as he left the room.
Witnessing the truth truly shows the devastation, Ruby and Yang sees their alternate version of their father is some near shocked state. They are wondering what's next for him.
Then the scene plays out, with Taiyang also known as Neo, speaks out.
"After all that, I doubt anyone wants to be back." Coco remarked at his word. Some have to agree, meanwhile Ironwood, Glynda, and Qrow recall the time Ozpin reveal the hidden truth about the upcoming threat, they wouldn't go back, not when there's a chance.
As Morpheus speaks that, they understood the situation he has to go through. Seeing the previous events the resistance has to go through. Situation always goes dire.
Just then, he mentions a certain figure within the Matrix. The one who has full control over the Matrix.
"Woah... That person sounds, cool... Like a superhero." Ruby wondered.
"And this Oracle prophesied it..." Blake mentioned. "From the very beginning."
"Like, destiny..." Pyrrha added.
"But didn't he said he doesn't believe in fate?" Yang realized, mentioning the brief talk back at the Matrix.
"Guess we'll have to wait and see." Qrow replied, right as his variant confirmed Neo as the one.
"Training? As in learning how to fight?" Jaune perked up.
"That means he's gonna kick the Matrix's butt!" Nora gleamed. "He's gonna be the savior for everyone!"
They are eager to see how this goes...
In the hovercraft, the lights continue to flicker, due to no morning, there is only darkness.
Inside Neo has woken up, gazing at the lights. Then the door opens as a person comes in. Tank comes in to see Neo, "Morning. Did you sleep?" He asked.
"No." Neo admits.
"You will tonight. I guarantee it." He said, then offered his hand and Neo shook it. "I'm Tank. I'll be your operator." He introduced himself fully.
Just then, he noticed something about Tank... He has no holes on his arms. "You don't have..." He pointed.
"Any holes? Nope." Tank answers with a smile. "Me and my brother Dozer, we are one hundred percent pure, old fashioned, home-grown. Born free. Right here in the real world. Genuine child of Zion."
"Zion?" Neo wondered.
"If this war ended tomorrow, Zion is where the party would be." Tank smirked.
"So, it's a city?" Neo asked.
"The last human and faunus city. The only place we got left." Tank stated.
"...Where is it?" Neo is curious to ask about this place.
"Deep underground. Near the planet's core, where it's still warm. You live long enough, you might even see it." Tank explained the location. "...Damn, I got to tell you, I'm fairly excited to see what you are capable of. I mean if Morpheus is right and all. We're not supposed to talk about any of that but if you are, well then this is an exciting time." He speaks with excitement. "We got a lot to do so let's get to it."
Back at the main deck, Neo is positioned to be plugged in and on the chair.
"We're supposed to load all these operations programs first, but this is some major boring shit. Why don't we start with something a little fun?" Tank grinned as he sat on the operator's chair. He then gains some bunch of micro discs. "How about some combat training?" He asked as he held out one of the discs.
Neo noticed the label on that disc... "Jujitsu?" He calls out. "I'm going to learn jujitsu? No way..." He cannot believe he sees this.
Tank slides the disk into the drive. He loads the code, Neo suddenly jumps a bit, his eyes shut tight as he feels the additional energy inserted in him!
Then his eyes opened wide. "Holy shit!" He exclaimed.
"Hey, you like it! Ready for more?" Tank gleamed, having a playful grin.
"Ha... Hell yes!" Neo determined, wanting more.
Time passes, the computer showcases he's been learning many fighting styles. From Savate, Ken Po, Drunken Boxing... Morpheus walks in, towards the Tank.
"How is he?" He asked about Neo's status.
"Ten hours straight. He's a machine." Tank remarked on the progress.
After a long process of Neo, as his body continues to spasm and then he stops. His eyes opened, a breath escaping his mouth. He looks at Morpheus, "...I know kung fu." He muttered.
"Hmph... Show me." Morpheus smirked.
"Huh, chill guy." Sun remarked towards Tank.
"Ah, I just notice it now." Jaune noted, right after Tank explained where he comes from after revealing he has no ports like most of others.
"That Zion place must be comfy for them all." Velvet said, thinking a little happy that there are still survivors that aren't trapped by the Matrix.
"Let's see how this goes." Mercury is curious to see how this training goes. And like that they witness the training occurs by a...
"Discs? Oh..." Jaune is confused by this, only to see the first training begins.
"That's it?!" Weiss exclaimed. She is shocked to see this, all that training she occurs taking years. All to see that happens in mere seconds.
She's not the only one. After they see the montage of many different fighting styles being inserted inside Neo's mind. Some felt a little bit of jealously that he's getting so many of these trained without much effort.
Then after all that, Neo is ready for combat. Yang and Ruby while also jealous, they are intrigued to see their father fight. Yang is the most curious, since she sometimes spar with her Dad.
Now, the two are standing inside a dojo, "This is a sparring program, similar to the programmed reality of the Matrix." Morpheus in his fighter outfit stated. "It has the same basic rules. Rules like gravity. What you must learn is that these rules are no different than the rules of a computer system. Some of them can be bent. Others can be broken. Understand?"
Neo nodded, then Morpheus spoke. "Then hit me, if you can." He dared.
Neo quickly makes his combat stance with quick movement. But Morpheus makes himself steady. The two go quiet on this stare down, then Neo quickly strikes first, swinging his punches. Morpheus simply blocks them with swift speed, dodging the attacks. He spins away from his opponent. The two stopped from a distance, taking a small moment.
Deciding to change tactics, Neo quickly makes some drunken movements trying to differentiate this situation. Morpheus simply smirked and hand gestured to bring it on.
He charges, unleashing his kicks. But even then he spins, blocks, dodges his attack, with his mere hands. Standing back off, Neo attempts to kick, but Morpheus grabs his leg mid-kick. A quick twist, causing him to fly and land on the ground with a loud slam.
"Good." Morpheus remarked as Neo turned. "Adaptation. Improvisation. But your weakness isn't your technique." He stated.
Neo quickly gets up, strikes back. The two exchange blows, however Morpheus still remains defensive.
At the ship, Mouse runs at the door, then to the dining room where there is everyone on the table. "Morpheus is fighting Neo!" He announced before climbing up, the others quickly rushed out of their table, leaving their food behind.
They all rush up to see it.
Neo uses his leg kicks, but he gets pushed back. Trying to charge again, he goes a closer range, Morpheus quickly adapts the strategy and counters by grabbing his leg and pushing him out.
Neo spins back up, and runs and jumps. A kick swipe, but gets ducked. He tries to break in Morpheus' defense, but he once again counters him. Tossing him away to the floor.
At the ground, Morpheus jumps. Neo sees this, quickly rolls out as Morpheus knee' breaks through the floor with no injury after this. Neo flips up, and stands his feet. Running up to him, he continues his attack but his efforts are futile. Knocking away his moves, he countered a firm push, launching him back.
On the outside, Neo's body reacted with a motion due to the hit. Everyone is watching the simulation happening.
Recovering quickly, Neo makes his firm stance. Morpheus soon makes the offense, tensing his movements, attempting to trick him. He strikes as Neo barely manages to hold him out.
Quickly grabbing his arm, he tries to toss Morpheus, but upon flipping, he lands on his feet doing the same tactic on Neo.
Standing, he quickly jumps over his leg sweep. Neo ran up to the column, his speed made him go up on the side and flips above Morpheus. But that seemed a fatal issue, Neo landed only to get kicked hard, crashing into a wooden column.
Now he is panting his breath while Morpheus remains fine despite the fight. "So... How did I beat you?" He asked.
Neo sighed annoyingly, "You're... You're too fast." He muttered.
"Hmph, do you think my being faster, stronger has anything to do with my muscles in this place?" Morpheus walks up to him.
"..." Neo pants his breath.
Morpheus leans a bit forward, "Do you believe that's air you're breathing now?" He questioned.
Neo then realized it. This is just a simulated room. It's not entirely real. What he's feeling isn't the real thing. He stood up, sweat and exhaustion
Morpheus then walks back, turning away and waiting. "Again." He called out.
Everyone on the ship watches. Neo is on his stance, as well as Morpheus. Then he moves against Neo, going on the offensive as Neo quickly blocks the punches. From the perspective outside the simulation... It's very noticeable.
"Wow! He's fast! Look at his neural-kinetics! They're way above normal!" Mouse pointed out, surprised at the screen cannot keep up Neo's frames.
Morpheus continued to press on Neo, then he nearly punched him, but was held back. Neo notices and moves back. "What are you waiting for, Neo? You're faster than this." He moves his hand, gesturing to him to come. "Don't think you are. Know you are." He stated.
"..." Neo remains silent, then changes his stance. Morpheus then charges, the two quickly block each blow at near equal speed.
Morpheus puts on a temporary hold, "Come on Neo! Stop trying to hit me and just hit me!" He was tempted.
Neo goes forward, with an intense look on his face, swinging his arms at a faster speed, slightly surprising Morpheus.
Mouse tries to mimic the movement when watching this intense match.
Neo then quickly surpasses him, finally punching him in the chest, knocking him into a column. Going for a punch... Only to stop right in front of him.
"I don't believe it!" Mouse gasped. Everyone was also surprised, seeing that Morpheus had been pushed back. For once...
Neo stares at him. "I know what you're trying to do." He said.
Morpheus smirked, "I'm trying to free your mind, Neo, but all I can do is show you the door. You're the one that has to step through." He stated.
Seeing the training dojo, and hearing the rules of the Matrix.
"So, like those times when they can jump super high or punch through walls with ease." Sun recalled the times these people have 'bend' the rules. "I wonder if there are ways to bend the rules..."
"How about walking on water?" Yang suggested, while Neptune slightly flinched by the mention of water.
"Flying?" Jaune added.
"It is considered, due to rules can also be broken..." Penny noted.
"Everyone, fight's about to begin." Yang pointed out. Noticing this, they watch the fight, a bit excited how this might go. Once going into their stances, they fight!
"Here we go..." Mercury smirked.
During observing the fight, commentary happens, "Uncle Qrow, when is the last time you and Dad had a duel?" Ruby whispers to her uncle. Yang meanwhile enjoys the hand to hand combat.
"Not sure, kiddo, been a while." Qrow replied. He looks the way his counterpart fights, very smooth and defensive. He is impressed, at himself...
"Look at them go..." Emerald slightly chuckled by the mere reaction of them running up.
"Can't miss this out, can they?" Mercury commented. Emerald gives a slight nod, agreeing, at least the action isn't boring.
Upon that, they witness the kick that knocked Neo out of the fight. "Oooo..." Jaune winced by the wooden break. "That's gotta hurt..."
"Impressive, all movement, yet no sweat." Yatsuhashi acknowledged.
"Even after all that..." Coco replied.
"He's still one of the best red pill fighters." Khaos beamed.
Then they listened how did Neo lost. Just as Morpheus explained, "Ah, right, almost the fact this isn't entirely real." Yang noted.
"Here we go again." Coco replied right as Neo re-attempts a match once again.
"Woah..." Jaune is amazed, by the sheer speed especially shown in the footage.
"Already he's quick and adaptive." Ironwood remarked whisperingly.
"Yeah Dad!" Ruby gives out a small cheer.
"Really, kiddo?" Qrow glanced, though he is hiding his smirk by his niece's burst. Ruby noticed, only giving a slight apologetic shrug.
"Tank, load the jump program." He commanded as Tank inserts a different disk into the computer.
Now the two are standing on white space, it shifts into a different area. They stood on a tall skyscraper rooftop.
Neo looks at his surroundings, then Morpheus speaks to him, "Let it all go, Neo. Fear. Doubt. Disbelief. Free your mind." He then turns and runs to the edge of the rooftop. He jumped, really high...
Sailing across a large distance. He landed safely on both feet to the other building.
"...Woah." Neo softly gasped. Waiting to realize it's his turn, he looks down at the edge. Seeing the big height, then at the other side where Morpheus landed. "Okay... Free my mind, no problem. I got this..." He muttered to himself for motivation.
He makes a run. Outside the program, everyone watches in anticipation.
"What if he makes it?" Mouse wondered.
"Nope." Apoc instantly declined.
"No one's ever made their first jump." Tank reminded me.
"I know that, but what if he does?" Mouse suggested.
"He won't." Apoc responded.
Meanwhile, Trinity gazes, slightly clenching her fist. "Come on..." She whispered.
Back at the program, Neo makes the leap... Only to be short lived as he falls down fast, screaming for his life. Just as he landed on the ground, which suddenly stretches like a net when he sinks down. Then he gets launched up and now landed on the solid ground.
Neo groaned in pain due to the small blow landing. Turning around to stare up, he sees Morpheus walk up to his view, already gone down. "Do you know why you didn't make it?" He questioned.
"Because... I didn't think I would?" Neo answered, which he smirked and nodded. All the while the crew witnessed this.
"What does it mean?" Mouse perplexed.
"It doesn't mean anything." Switch answered.
"Everyone falls the first time, right, Trinity?" Cypher remarked, he turned to see her already gone.
Later, Neo gets plugged off along with Morpheus. He feels a sharp pain in his mouth, reaching it with his hand, he noticed once taken out, blood on his fingers.
"I thought it wasn't real." He said.
"Your mind makes it real." Morpheus stated.
He gazes at the blood, realizing this, "If you are killed in the Matrix, do you die here?" He asked.
"The body cannot live without the mind." He gives a passive answer, confirming his question.
The next program they see surprises them a bit by what the task is, right when Morpheus jumped far ahead to the other side. Many are impressed by this, not only of doing it, but such a rule bending capability.
Now it's Neo's turn, some wonder like Mouse if he's gonna make it. The rest are like the others, sure he did pass the combat, but only through the first error.
Some wondered, what happens if he falls? Right as Neo failed the jump, some worry is about to happened. But others notably sought this isn't how its gonna end like this...
Right as the ground reveal to be a rubber floor. "Okay, surely they ain't that crazy..." Jaune sigh in relief. He recalls the time during when he gets launch at the green forest...
Ruby and Yang perked up, seeing their Mother like this. During the jump, they both notice her eager to let their father make it... And she's the only one missing out of the group. Qrow notices this as well, something's up with her...
Then right as it goes back to normal, until right as Neo has slight blood in his mouth. Then comes to the realization about the Matrix...
"Body cannot live without a mind..." Blake repeated these words.
Everyone, even the likes of Cinder grew fearful on the idea of dying in the Matrix. A while the body remains like an husk of a corpse. They can't imagine that, such a terrifying thought.
Trinity enters the room, carrying a tray of food, "Neo, I saved you some dinner-" She noticed that he was already sleeping.
Quietly, she places the tray down, going to him. She pulls a blanket over him, staring at him closely to his face. A moment passes, she goes up and leaves the room. Closing the door...
"I don't remember you ever bringing me dinner." Cypher called out, and she turned to see him standing, arms crossed. She remains quiet, "There's something about him, isn't there?" He asked.
"Don't tell me you're a believer now?" Trinity questioned his thought.
"I just keep wondering if Morpheus is so sure, why doesn't he take him to the Oracle? She would know." Cypher assumed.
"Morpheus will take him when he's ready." She said, before turning and walking away while Cypher watched.
Somewhere in the city, Morpheus walks through the crowd of people smoothly, while Neo is being bumped by nearly anyone.
"The Matrix is a system, Neo, and that system is our enemy. But when you are inside and you look around, what do you see; businessmen, lawyers, teachers, carpenters. The minds of the very people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of the system and that makes them our enemy." He explained as a cop writing a parking ticket, gazing at Neo who's still walking.
"You have to understand that most of these people are not ready to be unplugged and many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it." He continued on.
Neo listens, but notices the crowd, a beautiful woman in a red dress stands out, she walks past smiles at him while passing by.
A beautiful woman in a red dress smiles at Neo as she passes by.
"Were you listening to me, Neo?" Morpheus turns back. "Or were you looking at the woman in the red dress?
"Um, I was..." Neo tries to respond.
"Look again." He advised, which Neo did, only to see Watts aiming his gun, he panicked. "Freeze." He confirmed, everything except him and Neo are frozen in time.
He noticed it, Neo gazed all around the place. "This... Isn't the Matrix?" He asked.
"Just another training program designed to teach you one thing..." Morpheus walked next to the frozen Watts, "If you are not one of us, you're one of them."
"...What are they?" Neo asked, gazing at Watts.
"Sentient programs. They can move in and out of any software still hardwired to their system. That means that anyone that we haven't unplugged is potentially an Agent. Inside the Matrix, they are everyone and they are no one." Morpheus explained. "We've survived by hiding from them, running from them, but they are the gatekeepers, they're guarding all the doors, holding all the keys, which means that sooner or later someone is going to have to fight them."
"Someone?" Neo perked up.
"I won't lie to you, Neo. Every single man or woman who has stood their ground, who has fought an Agent, has died." Morpheus explained the power of the Agents. "But where they fail, you will succeed."
"Why?" He asked.
"I've seen an Agent punch through a concrete wall. Men have emptied entire clips at them and hit nothing but air. Yet their strength and their speed are still based on a world that is built by rules. Because of that they will never be as strong or as fast as you can be." Morpheus stated, informing their capabilities and Neo's potential.
Neo scratches his head, "Huh? Are you trying to tell me that I can dodge fricken bullets?" He perked up, amused by saying this.
"No. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to." Morpheus smirked. Then his phone rings, he opens it and answers.
"We got in trouble." Tank spoke through the call.
"What seemed to be in her thoughts?" Weiss wondered towards this version of Summer. Ruby and Yang thought maybe this might be something personal? Despite what Mobius say, the variants still relate to their original counterparts.
Maybe it's love? Meanwhile for the adults, they notice Cypher, while part of the group, he may have more doubts towards this. Qrow notably dislike him, something about feels off, notably he seemed to different from the rest of the group, and sometimes the way he speaks to Trinity.
Onto the next scene, the audience listens deeply as no thought can ever be spoken by the reveal of the Matrix. They listen the rules of the Matrix and how they survive against the enemy.
"Even there's nothing they can do...?" Ruby hears the statement that everyone who are still a victim in the Matrix are still a threat.
"It's still a dangerous place, Ruby to those who are aware. And those machines have access to it." Qrow reminded.
"Wow Dad..." Yang mumbled, though having a small smirk once Morpheus remarked Neo about the woman in the red dress.
"Oh jeez!" Jaune panicked right as an Agent pops out. Then confused once everything freezes.
"It's all just a simulation..." Pyrrha relieved.
"So that is why everyone is affected... Any Agent can access those who are imbued in the Matrix..." Glynda noted.
Hearing the idea of these Agents, already gain some fear. They are tough, move faster than bullets. But hearing the idea of Neo becoming the one being prophesized to defeat them.
"That will be cool!" Nora gleamed at the idea stopping bullets.
"Sorta like how you do it." Qrow remarked towards Glynda. She remains quiet, but she does agree.
Then the last scene perk up, what trouble are they are facing?
The Nebuchadnezzar flies by through the vast dark tunnels. At the cockpit, Morpheus slides to the copilot chair next to Dozer.
"Did Zion send the warning?" Morpheus asked.
"No. Another ship. Big Brother I think, they're running a parallel pipeline." Dozer replied. He looks at the scanners, seeing the landscape of the sewer while Neo and Trinity enter. Just then, an alarm blares out, "Shit, Squiddy's sweeping in quick." He realized.
"Set it down in there." Morpheus guided him, pointing the direction.
"Squiddy?" Neo wondered.
"A Sentinel. It's a killing machine designed for one thing." Trinity explained.
"Search and destroy." Dozer stated.
The ship moves as they feel the movement, it goes to a small tunnel. Once set down, Morpheus begins to commute on the intercom, "How we doing, Tank?" He calls Tank.
Tank is on the operator station as the engines shut down due to him. Everything is shut down, the lights are off, he whispers at the intercom, "Power off-line. E.M.P. armed and ready." He announced.
"E.M.P.?" Neo asked quietly.
"An electromagnetic pulse. It disables any electrical system in the blast radius. It's the only weapon we have against the machines." Trinity answered about their defense.
"...Now we wait." Dozer said, looking up.
From the windshield of the cockpit, seeing only the darkness, Neo angles around Dozer, but is stopped by Morpheus, "Don't move. It'll hear you." His red eyes glanced at him.
The shutdown shows the fog coming out of their breaths, realizing the place is cold. The windshield caused some frost, Dozer slowly brushes it off, making a clear part shown. Witnessing a Sentinel.
A large, dark mechanized being. It hovers around, with multi-tentacled tendrils and multiple sensors of red eyes all over the body. Everyone remains quiet as it searches for signs of life, then it leaves.
Within the cold room, everyone sighs in relief.
"Squiddy?" Nora wondered by the name of the danger. "Odd name for them like that."
"It's a term Nora." Ren replied. "It is still dangerous."
"They also have a E.M.P here as well." Coco recalled the previous reality.
"How can they create this technology?" Cinder muttered to herself, the idea of the fact not only the previous reality have creatures access this dangerous ability, but in form of technology. She must knows... Soon.
"The cold must be as cold as Atlas..." Weiss noticed the frost spreading on the glasses the moment the ship shuts down.
Silence remain as the scene shows, none other than a Sentinel. A large machine with many tendrils and red glowing eyes spread all over the main body. While they have seen their fair share of mechs, none quite looking monstrous as this.
Ironwood and Winter observe the design, to see it merely floating and moving fluidly like a creature. Already advanced as ever, even Penny gazes detailing the design of this machine.
Nothing have they seen like this before... Cinder admires this creation, these machines while dangerous they certainly know how to intimated and be so deadly...
"Thank goodness... It's gone." Jaune relieved, that thing is already creepy as it is.
"Just a question, how many more of them are wandering?" Velvet asked the Entities.
"Eh, hundred thousands or millions, who knows." Khaos causally replied, gaining eye widen reactions. "These machines are very relentless." He added.
Inside the ship, lights are nearly off. Everyone is asleep, except the two. Cypher is on the chair, watching on the screen. Meanwhile someone goes up behind him...
Noticing, he jumped, only to see Neo. "Whoa! Shit, Neo, you scared the crap out of me." He exclaimed.
"Sorry." Neo apologized.
"No, it's all right." Cypher sighed, he continued looking at the screen which Neo noticed.
"Is that...?" He wondered.
"The Matrix? Yeah." Cypher confirmed his wonder.
Neo sees the screen, the Matrix. But they are only shown in mere green codes spread like running waters rapidly. "Do you always look at it encoded?" He asked.
"Well you have to." Cypher replied. "The image translators sort of work to construct programs but there's way too much information to decode the Matrix. You get used to it, though. Your brain does the translating. I don't even see the code. All I see is blonde, brunette, and redhead." He pointed out. "You want a drink?"
Neo nodded his request. Cypher takes out a cup filled with liquid and hands it to him. "You know, I know what you're thinking 'cause right now I'm thinking the same thing. Actually, to tell you the truth, I've been thinking the same thing ever since I got here." He pondered while raising his cup. "...Why, oh why, didn't I take that blue pill?" He wondered.
The two take a shot of their drinks, only Neo reacting with multiple coughs. Cypher chuckled at his reaction, patting his back.
"Good shit, eh? Dozer makes it. It's good for two things: degreasing engines and killing brain cells." Cypher remarked as he poured Neo's cup for another drink, while Neo coughed.
After finishing coughing, "Can I ask you something? Did he happen to tell you why he did it?" He asked Neo. "Why are you here?"
"...Yeah." Neo replied.
"Jeez... What a mind job. You're here to save the world. You gotta be shitting me." Cypher muttered to himself in the last part. "What do you say to something like that?"
"..." Neo remained silent while looking at his drink.
"I'm going to let you in on a little secret here. Now don't tell him I told you this, but this ain't the first time Morpheus thought he found the One." Cypher stated.
This perked him up. "Really?" Neo asked.
Cypher silently nodded, "You bet your ass. It keeps him going. Maybe it keeps all of us going." He said.
"How many were there?" Neo wondered.
"Five. Since I've been here." Cypher assumed.
"What happened to them?" Neo questioned.
"Dead. All dead." Cypher simply replied.
"How?" Neo cannot believe he's not the only one.
"Honestly. Morpheus." Cypher answered. "He got the mall amped up believing in bullshit. I watched each of them take on an Agent and I watched each of them die." He reminded him, as Neo remained silent. "Little piece of advice: you see an Agent, you do what we do; run. Run your ass off." He advised.
Neo finishes the cup, "Thanks... For the drink." He said.
"Anytime. Sweet dreams." Cypher nodded out, as Neo headed to the ladder.
During the scene, Blake wondered why would Cypher be in this situation to be nervous at? Then again, maybe that's not it...
Hearing Cypher talks to Neo about the Matrix, they are suprised by what it looks like, merely a code that not everyone can understand it.
"So complex..." Weiss muttered, looking at the green codes. She wonders how can Cypher read through all of this.
Then later they listen to Cypher speak about the One, "There are others... Like him?" Velvet is shocked to hear this.
"So, this quest isn't all clean..." Cinder remarked, deep down she smirked hearing this. This sounds as hapless mission, trying to defeat the mightily power.
"At least Cypher tries to be helpful..." Ruby tries to ease this scene.
"He may tell him that their quest isn't all moot like a trusted companion, this does not comfort this so called destined one." Cinder replied with a firm tone.
Hearing this, many have learn the dark side of this group. How hearing this, made it look like this quest is frivolous with man trail and errors, and in a world where they are merely a resistance against an already dominant world.
Music plays inside a restaurant, luxury by design. Then suddenly on one of the tables, Watts is seated in front of the man who is eating a juicy, gorgeous steak.
"Do we have a deal, Mr. Reagan?" Watts smiled, asking about the deal being confirmed.
The fork stabs through the piece of the steak, revealing the person holding it... None other being Cypher...
"You know, I know that this steak doesn't exist. I know when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, do you know what I've realized?" He asked as he took a bite on the steak. "Ignorance is bliss." He beamed at the texture and taste. "Mmm so, so goddamn good."
"Then we have a deal?" Watts repeated the phrase.
"I don't want to remember anything. Nothing! You understand?" Cypher pointed out. "And I want to be rich. Someone important. Like an actor. You can do that, right?" He questioned, wanting to make his life better when forgetting this moment.
Watts smiled, though it looked like his expression was strained, "Whatever you want, Mr. Reagan." He stated.
Cypher drinks his wine, "All right. You get my body back in a power plant, reinsert me into the Matrix and I'll get you what you want." He assured me.
"Access codes to the Zion mainframe." Watts requested.
"I told you I don't know them." Cypher replied. "But I can give you the man who does." He added.
"Morpheus." Watts confirmed.
Confusion happen on this scene, until dread came when seeing Watts, speaking none other to...
"Cypher!?" Sun exclaimed, then later on the sequence goes on, he realized as well as others.
"He's betraying them." Winter stated, with a glare nonetheless.
Typical. Cinder mentally thought, seeing the higher power and the inevitable quest they are going against, there's gonna be a certain someone realizing this duty is futile.
"Why?" Ruby questioned with a sadden tone, due to the fact she tries to ease Cypher. But all that talk before was just a ruse.
"That explains why he is the only one in the Matrix, he's communicating them." Blake noticed since the previous scene.
"How can he access it without that plug in?" Yang wondered.
"Must have something, a different access. The way he looks at the Matrix, he must create a projection different to the likes of going in..." Weiss theorized.
Already most of them dislike the idea Cypher betrays his group, all because of wanting to live back in a illusion... Now they worry for them.
In the mess hall of the ship, food is served on bowls that look like slimy yogurt stew. Everyone begins to dig in, "Here you go, buddy. Breakfast of champions." Tank hands Neo a bowl.
"You mean the breakfast, lunch, and dinner of champions." Apoc remarked.
"If you close your eyes, it almost feels like you're eating runny eggs." Mouse replied.
"Or a bowl of snot." Apoc added.
"But you know what it really reminds me of? Cream of Wheat." Mouse recalled, "Did you ever eat Cream of Wheat?" He asked Neo.
Neo didn't answer, "No, but technically neither did you." Switch reminded.
"Exactly my point, because you have to wonder, how do the machines know what Cream of Wheat really tasted like?" Mouse wondered aloud, "Maybe they got it wrong, maybe what I think Cream of Wheat tasted like actually tasted like oatmeal, or tuna fish. It makes you wonder about a lot of things. Take chicken for example. Maybe they couldn't figure out what to make chicken taste like, which is why chicken tastes like everything." He goes on and on. "And maybe-"
"Shut up, Mouse." Apoc scoffed. Neo then takes a spoon of the bowl, a bit weirded out by the taste, but he just swallows it.
"It's a single-celled protein combined with synthetic aminos, vitamins, and minerals. Everything your body needs. We grow it in a vat." Dozer explained what the bowl of slimy stew is.
"Oh no, it doesn't have everything the body needs." Mouse calls out, as he slides up to Neo. "So I understand you've run through the Agent training program? You know, I wrote that program." He whispered, but it's easily picked up by others.
"Here it comes." Apoc grunts.
"So what did you think of her?" Mouse asked.
"Of who?" Neo questioned, confused.
"The woman in the red dress. I designed her." Mouse revealed. "She doesn't talk much but if you'd like to, you know, meet her, I could arrange a more personalized milieu." He winked.
"The digital pimp is hard at work." Switch remarked at Mouse's quirks.
"Pay no attention to these hypocrites, Neo." Mouse pointed at her and others. "To deny our impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us human." He smirked.
Just then, Morpheus arrives and enters the hall, "I want everyone on twelve-hour standby. We're going in. I'm taking Neo to see her." He announced before he left again.
Neo raises his eyebrows, "See who?" He asked.
"The Oracle." Tank answered.
Later, everyone was strapped in on their chairs, while Tank was at his station. "All right, everyone please observe that the no smoking and fasten seat belt signs have been turned on. Sit back and enjoy your flight." He chuckled as he started up the system.'
The bodies react, eyes closed and flinching.
A phone rings, in the empty room, a moment later. Morpheus picks up the phone, in different clothing, along with everyone else. "We're in." He announced that they are in the Matrix.
The door opens as they all leave the room, seeing the city that is now a secret virtual reality. Neo is the only one without the shades as he watches, while Apoc and Switch remain at the door as guards.
"We should be back in an hour." Morpheus stated, as Cypher opens the door of the car while Trinity, Morpheus and Neo, enters the car. Cypher then glances around, before dropping inside a garbage can, revealing it to be a phone displaying a blue screen.
The scene before linger for the rest, but now they can at least settle for a moment. Despite the initial reaction of disgust by seeing the food of mush, but it is expected the fact the world is already a wasteland.
Hearing Mouse speak about what's the real thing or not, does sorta intrigue them. Like does the machines ever know taste?
Then Mouse mentions the woman in the red dress, Qrow chuckled a bit towards the later scenes, "Oh Mouse you sly..." He slightly smirked. Winter and Glynda scoffed at this.
Mercury chuckled a bit, but Emerald bump him to shut his laughter up.
"Okay, time to see her..." Coco hopes to see this Oracle. Same with others, they want to know how capable is she, and can she confirm Neo is the one?
Seeing them move out, but seeing Cypher with the others made them recall how trouble they might get in because of him...
Neo is at the back, next to Trinity as the car drives past the street.
"Almost unbelievable, isn't it?" Morpheus reminded, this is to mention the fact that the very world is merely an illusion.
Neo silently nodded, he continued to stare through the crowded city. Then he noticed something, "Woah..." He muttered.
"What?" Trinity noticed his voice raised.
Neo pointed at this restaurant, "I used to eat there... Really good noodles..." He whispered, as he turned to her, "I have these memories, from my entire life but... None of them really happened." He said. "...What does that mean?" He asked her.
"That the Matrix cannot tell you who you are." Trinity answered.
"But an Oracle can." Neo replied.
"That's different." Trinity stated.
"Obviously." Neo glanced at the car window, but curiosity perked him up as he turned back to her, asking this. "Did you go to her?"
"Yes." Trinity simply replied.
"What did she tell you?" Neo asked, wondering what this person said to her.
Trinity looks a bit hesitant despite her stern expression, "She told me..." She tries to speak, but remains silent.
"What?" Neo replied, but the car suddenly stopped, ceasing this conversation.
"We're here. Neo, come with me." Morpheus calls out as he and Neo leave the car. Cypher gazes at the rearview mirror where Trinity is shown in the reflection.
"Here we go again, eh, Trin?" Cypher remarked with a playful smile. Trinity remains quiet, staring at the window.
At the large building, they enter there. A blind man was seated, Morpheus and Neo entered, while Morpheus nodded to the blind man and nodded back, which slightly surprised Neo.
They head to the elevator, opening the door as the two are inside. Inside they are waiting while the elevator goes up. Neo has some questions about this Oracle before he can meet her.
"So is this the same oracle that made the, uh, prophecy?" Neo asked.
"Yes. She's very old. She's been with us since the beginning." Morpheus answered.
"The beginning?" Neo perked up.
"Of the Resistance." Morpheus explained.
"And she knows what? Everything?" Neo assumed.
"She would say she knows enough." Morpheus replied, Neo doesn't seem convinced.
"And she's never wrong." Neo added, having suspicion towards the Oracle.
"Don't think of it in terms of right and wrong. She is a guide, Neo. She can help you find the path." Morpheus assured.
"She helped you?" Neo wondered.
"Yes." He nodded.
"What did she tell you?" He asked.
"That I would find the One." Morpheus stated, then the elevator door opened. They go out, then towards the hallway. There is a door, as both of them stopped in front of it. "I told you that I can only show you the door. You have to step through it." He said.
Neo sighed deeply, he went for the door handle, but his hand wasn't reaching it. He backs away, "Morpheus, I don't think this is a good idea." He was worried.
"Why?" He wonders his words of refusal.
"I told you I don't believe in this stuff. No matter what she says I'm not going to believe it, so what's the point?" Neo reminded, that he never believed in fate, and the Oracle being the prophesier of Fate, the thing he never believed.
"What do you believe in?" Morpheus asked.
"What? What do I believe in-" Neo grunted, "What do you think? The world I grew up in isn't real. My entire life was a lie. I don't believe in anything anymore." He said.
"That's why we're here." He stated.
"Why?" Neo questioned, "So I can hear some old lady tell me, what? That I'm this guy that everybody's been waiting for? That I'm supposed to save the world? It sounds insane." He scoffed. "And I don't care who says it, it's still going to sound insane and unbelievable."
"Faith is not a matter of reasonability. I do not believe things with my mind. I believe them with my heart. In my gut." Morpheus assured.
"And you believe I'm the One?" Neo questioned.
"Yes I do." He nodded with confirmation.
"What about the other five guys? The five before me? What about them?" Neo asked, with slight anger in his tone, He did not mention Cypher yet this was brought out suddenly. "Did you believe in them too?"
However, Morpheus looked downed by this response, having a sense of guilt. "I believed what the Oracle told me..." He shook his head slightly, "No, I misunderstood what she told me. I believed that it was all about me. And then I saw you, Neo." He looks up to him.
"And my world changed. You can call it an epiphany, you can call it whatever the hell you want. It doesn't matter. It's not about a word. It's about this. So I can't explain it to you. All I can do is believe, Neo, believe that one day you will feel what I felt and know what I know, you are the sixth and the last. You are the One." He stated. "Until that time all I am asking from you is for you to hold on to whatever respect you may have for me and trust me."
"..." Hearing this, Neo can understand his emotions. With that his frustration lowered, "...Alright." He said, accepting this. He goes for the handle, but it was opened, a woman in white clothing opens the door.
"Hello, Neo. You're right on time." She smiled, giving a small bow.
Inside the apartment, it seemed to look particularly normal, "Make yourself at home, Morpheus." She nodded to him.
"Thank you." Morpheus replied.
"Neo, come with me." She guided him, leading Neo to another hall and to a room. There is another woman in white sitting on the couch watching a soap opera on a small tv.
Then there are a couple of children in the room. Some are playing, others are in meditation.
"These are the other Potentials. You can wait here." The woman gestured to Neo as she headed off.
Neo then gazes at the children, a girl is levitating some wooden alphabet blocks. A young boy with a shaved head, holds a spoon which it bends and twists itself.
Amazed and curious, Neo goes closer, seeing a pile of spoons twisted into knots. He sat next to the kid, he turned to him with a smile, and handed the spoon to Neo.
He grabbed it, only to see the spoon remain normal.
"Do not try to bend the spoon. That is impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth." The boy spoke, gaining his attention.
"What truth?" Neo wondered by this boy's words.
"That there is no spoon." The boy stated.
"...There is no spoon." Neo looks at the spoon, as he nods.
"Then you will see that it is not the spoon that bends. It is only yourself." The boy explained.
Neo gazes at the spoon, pretending this metal kitchenware isn't just solid metal. Seeing the reflective metal, it slightly bends a bit...
Until he was interrupted by a hand touch from the shoulder. He turns to see the same woman who guided him. "The Oracle will see you now." She stated as the boy smiled.
Listening the scene, Neo has some suspicions, they knew it is none other than Cypher influencing him. Then something intrigue them all is that Trinity has spoken with the Oracle.
"What is she hiding?" Ruby and Yang whispered amongst each other. They are a bit down, when Morpheus announce they have arrived, due to not getting the response.
"From the very beginning..." Ozpin wondered. "So this Oracle isn't living."
"You are correct." Mobius nodded, while Khaos is quoting 'good catch' to the headmaster. "She has been a part of the Matrix since the creation and has changed sides with humanity."
"Really!?" Weiss exclaimed.
"She's changed sides?" Pyrrha asked the entity. He nodded as they listen the scene further on.
Seeing the suspicion Neo speak about the One. It is reasonable response, given what he knows, and when bringing the mentions of others. Some expected Morpheus would ask how does he know it...
Only they hear his regrets. He stated the only know he would trust him as he can believe that the One can exist. Some admire his respect that he is willing to go forth, meanwhile Cinder consider this as a foolish aspect.
Now they watch the scene, they see children doing something intriguing.
"Are these children...?" Glynda assumed.
"Yes, like Neo and others, redpills who are being cared by the Oracle." Mobius answered.
"So they can do that if they believe enough?" Yatsuhashi asked, as Mobius nodded.
They soon see the boy bending the spoon, not as admirable compare to what they see from their world but still a notable feature.
Hearing the boy's advice on the spoon, since this is just the Matrix...
"Right, I need to remind how this world ain't entirely, 'real real'." Sun remarked.
"Woah, he almost did it!" Ruby gasped, seeing her dad almost bend the spoon.
"Alright, it's time." Coco awaiting to see this moment.
Inside the kitchen, an elderly woman is huddled beside the oven. Neo enters, peering through the door. "Hello?" He calls out.
The woman turned to him, she smirked, "I know. You're Neo. Be right with you." She assured me.
"You're the Oracle?" Neo asked.
"Bingo." She corrected, "Not quite what you were expecting, right? I got to say I love seeing you non-believers. Always a pip. Almost done. Smells good, don't they?" She referred to the oven.
"...Yeah." Neo nodded.
"I'd ask you to sit down, but you're not going to anyway. And don't worry about the vase." The Oracle replied.
"What vase?" He turned, only to knock down the vase from the table, shattering into pieces.
"That vase." She pointed out.
"Shit, I'm sorry." Neo winced.
The Oracle with oven mitts, takes her tray of cookies out, "I said don't worry about it. I'll get one of my kids to fix it." She smiled warmly.
"How did you know...?" Neo asked, confused by her prediction.
"What's really going to bake your noodle later on is, would you still have broken it if I hadn't said anything." The Oracle continues to smile, as she lights a cigarette. "You're cuter than I thought. I see why she likes you." She remarked.
Neo perked up, "Who?" He asked.
"Not too bright though." The Oracle smirked and winked. Neo seemed confused by this, "You know why Morpheus brought you to see me?" She asked, Neo nodded. "So? What do you think? You think you're the One?"
"Honestly? I don't know." Neo admits to himself.
The Oracle gestures to the wooden plaque, "These sentences there, 'Know Thyself'." She stated, "I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Being the One is just like being in love. Nobody can tell you you're in love. You just know it. Through and through. Balls to bones." She said, putting her cigarette away. "Well, I better have a look at you. Open your mouth. Say, 'ahh.'"
"Ahh..." Neo opened his mouth, she looked closer. Examining him closely, from looking at his eyes, ears, neck and his palms. After finishing the observation, she pondered. "Okay, now I'm supposed to say, 'Hmmm, that's interesting but...' Then you say-"
"But what?" Neo asked, saying what she's predicting.
"But you already know what I'm going to tell you." The Oracle replied.
Then came the realization, "I'm not the One." Neo muttered aloud.
"Sorry, kid. You got the gift but it looks like you're waiting for something." She said,
"What?" Neo asked.
"Your next life, maybe. Who knows? That's how these things go." The Oracle explained. Neo almost laughed hearing this, "What's funny?" She curiously wondered.
"Morpheus. He almost had me convinced." Neo sighed deeply, he had a feeling of disappointment.
"I know. Poor Morpheus. Without him, we are lost." She reminded me.
Neo perked up hearing this, "What do you mean, without him?" He asked.
She remains silent, before she speaks, "Are you sure you want to hear this?" She asked, Neo nodded back. "Morpheus believes in you, Neo, and no one, not you or even me can convince him otherwise. He believes it so blindly that he's going to sacrifice his life to save yours."
"What?" Neo exclaimed.
"You're going to have to make a choice. On one hand, you will have Morpheus's life. On the other hand, you will have your own. One of you is going to die. Which one, will be up to you." The Oracle stated, giving a choice to him.
Neo cannot believe he is hearing this. That he's going to die by a belief he is willing to go, merely by this?
"I'm sorry, kiddo. I really am. You have a good soul and I hate giving good people bad news. But don't worry, as soon as you walk outside that door, you'll start feeling better. You'll remember that you don't believe any of this fate crap. You're in control of your own life, remember?" She assured him, which he weakly nodded. She then hands a chocolate chip cookie to him, "Here, take a cookie. I promise by the time you're done eating it, you'll feel right as rain."
He takes it, feeling slightly better about this.
Outside the room, Morpheus waits for Neo. A door opens as he stands up, where the woman guides Neo out. With now the two by themselves, Neo is about to say something only for Morpheus placing his hand on the shoulder.
"You don't have to tell anyone what she told you. What was said was said for you and you alone." He stated.
With that, he nodded, taking a bite of the cookie, at least it tasted good...
They see the Oracle herself. She seemed like a normal lady much to akin their first impression. But looks are deceiving, as she mentions the vase before he broke it.
"She seemed nice." Ruby remarked also she looks starry seeing that she's baking cookies, choco chip in fact.
"And she seemingly all knowing." Weiss added. "She just predicted that vase is topple by him." A few nodded, noticing that ability as precognitive.
"Hang on, she mentions someone liking him?" Yang pointed out, Ruby perked up as well.
"Is that you're curious about...?" Weiss exclaimed.
"Hey, she is the Oracle and all that." Yang shrugged.
Then right as the Oracle observed him close, they wait for a response... Only to the answer to reveal, by Neo himself...
"Wait... That's it?" Neptune perplexed by the answer.
"Can't be..." Sun shook his head, "We did see him move fast and all that." He recalled.
"Pretty sure it does not compare when we last saw a boy bend a spoon with his mind." Fox reminded.
"But what is he gonna tell him?" Velvet worried, mentioning that Morpheus brings him to speak with the Oracle.
Right as she said it, the Oracle stated that Morpheus will do whatever he can to ensure Neo safety. Even willing to sacrifice... Ruby and Yang worry for this, Qrow admittedly hearing this, recalls a similar thing for a certain fallen friend...
Ozpin hears this, reminded of his quest... How they willing to go through this despite the lack of realization... His thoughts get waved away, as the scene goes on. The Oracle assures him, that all things will go well, that no matter what she said, Neo will not follow due to not following fate...
Perhaps, maybe this might be helpful? Ozpin think of this. Mobius can see this, maybe a quick talk to the immortal man alone, face to face... After this reality they viewed, after all, dear Headmaster has been through a similar path like the One...
Everyone sees this moment as a huge let down. Though hearing the Oracle being so calm after this situation, maybe there might be some hope. But what hope can it be found?
Right as the scene goes, Morpheus did not want Neo to tell what he has heard. Some worry by that this, something dreadful may happen all due to the Oracle's word.
Meanwhile, Ruby sees Neo eating the cookie, she hopes for one after seeing how good it looks... Khaos pops beside her holding a plate of choco chip cookies which she noticed, suprised by the kind gesture, she accepts them and eats them, all while watching the scene.
They returned back in the car, "Let's go." Morpheus spoke out, Cypher at the driver seat is curious.
"Well, good news or bad news?" He asked, though for his assumption, it's the latter.
"Not now, Cypher." Morpheus replied, Cypher didn't refute as he began to put in gear and drove off.
Trinity notices how silent Neo is as he finishes his cookie, "Are you all right?" She asked.
Neo turned to her, "...Right as rain." He said.
Meanwhile back at the room, Mouse's phone rings as he picks it up. "Welcome to Movie-Phone." He calls.
"They're on their way." Tank's voice announced.
The group got out of the car, Cypher smiles at Neo, "Like the man says, welcome to the real world." He remarked.
They all go into the hotel building where others are. Cypher, the last one behind the group, glanced around nervously. He cautiously wiped the sweat off his forehead, awaiting something to come...
At the operator station, Tank is monitoring the Matrix while he is typing rapidly on the keyboard. Suddenly, he noticed something happening as he worded aloud. "What is that...?"
Back at the Matrix, the group are already in the hotel, going upstairs. As Neo follows them, he turns to see a black cat meowing from the doorway of the floor, then walks by.
All seemed okay... Till Neo looks at the spot again, and sees a second cat, moving the same way as he saw the first one.
"Whoa. Deja vu." Neo mumbled. This alerted the group who heard what he was saying. They all turned to him full body.
"What did you just say?" Trinity called out.
Back at the ship, the screens glitched for a moment as Tank noticed it, "Oh shit! Oh shit!" He panicked.
Neo, confused by the sudden alert, tries to explain it, "Nothing. Just had a little deja vu." He said.
"What happened? What did you see?" Trinity asked.
"A black cat went past us and then I saw another that looked just like it." Neo stated.
"How much do you like it? Was it the same cat?" She asked.
"It might have been. I'm not sure." He replied, trying to recall the previous situation. Trinity looks to Morpheus as they look around the building, hearing for something. "What is it?" He asked.
"A deja vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something." Trinity explained as she listened for some noise... Then a sound of an engine is heard outside... Growing louder...
At the main deck, Tank realized what had happened, "It's a trap!" He exclaimed.
Hearing the sound of the bullhead engine, Morpheus looked up where the source of the sound came from. "Come on!" He yelled.
Then Apoc hands a pistol to Neo, "Something to ward off evil spirits." He advised. He accepts and places it in his belt.
Heavy bolt cutters then cut through the phone cables, preventing access or escape. Somewhere Mouse heard the commotion as his phone rings, he picks up, "They cut the hardline! It's a trap! Get out!" Tank's voice shouted with fear.
Realizing this, he drops his case he carries and runs to open the curtains from the window... Only to be sealed by a brick wall.
"Oh no." Tank muttered, watching the scene from the Matrix.
Then sound coming from the door and stairs. Heavy banging footsteps marching echoing from there, growing closer. Mouse takes his case, opens to reveal two massive guns.
Armed men go to the door and kick it open. Mouse aimed his weapons and started blasting.
The gunfire is heard from Morpheus and others from below.
The men fired back, bullets hitting Mouse as he yelled in pain, pushing back and crashing into the wall, limping. While at the ship, Mouse's body jerks up, blood spews out of his mouth, then he goes cold silent as the monitor singling his vital signs goes flat.
Tank can only look enraged in silence, seeing this.
Some worried that Cypher is here, he's planning to do something, since his previous action... Right at the hotel they entered, when Tank notices from the Matrix outside. Tension rises...
Then there is a black cat appear, nothing to say much about it. But the cat appears again, even Yang surprisingly repeated that phrase as Neo said. They noticed the sudden actions the rest of the group when they heard this.
"Oh no..." Pyrrha whispered, seeing that Tank panics seeing the Matrix glitches. Then there are sounds that cause alarm for the group.
Sudden gasps as they see the brick walls already summoned like they appear in thin air. Mouse tries to fight back with these two massive weapons... Only to witness his death instantly.
"He's..." Jaune feared the worst... Mouse is gone, just like that. Right as the reality show very little about him, dead.
Tension rises for the rest of others.
Then armed cops barged the door from down, as Morpheus saw at the bottom of the long stairs. They go up, rushing at the hall, Morpheus opens the curtains, only to see the same situation as Mouse did.
"That's what they changed. We're trapped. There's no way out." Cypher grunted as heavy footsteps were heard from the distance.
Morpheus takes his jacket off, "Give me your phone." He requested at Trinity.
"They'll be able to track it." Trinity pointed out the issue on this action.
"We have no choice." He replied, with that she gives it to him as he begins to call.
Tank gets the call, "Operator." He responds.
"Tank, find a structural drawing of this building and find it fast." Morpheus' voice speaks through as he nodded and looked for a way out.
The flashlights spread out, searching through the entire hotel, like fire spreading through wood.
At the deck, Tank finds the route, "Got it." He confirmed.
"I need the main wet-wall." Morpheus' voice added.
At the room, Watts is here, examining Mouse's corpse, he reaches his earpiece, listening for the voices of these fugitives... He hears it.
"Now left, and that's it in front of you." Tank's voice spoke out.
"Good." Morpheus' voice responded.
Now he knows where they are, right as the line went out, "Eighth floor. They're on the eighth floor." He communicates to the other Agent.
The second Agent goes there, as cops follow him, reaching the eighth floor. They sweep around the room, a few enter the bathroom, seeing a large hole through the plaster and lath.
Behind the wall, everyone is hiding, inside the main plumbing wall, slowly climbing down.
The Agent and Watts are in the room, looking for them, only to see the jacket left behind by Morpheus. "Where are they?" The Agent looked around.
The cops looked around, then one of them heard something behind the wall of the bathroom they were hiding in. Inside, Cypher accidentally slipped, and is stuck between the wall and pipes.
The one cop leans closer, ear against the wall. He hears whispers and grunts, then a sudden bulge bent touched him... "They're in the walls!" He yelled.
Trinity quickly pulls Cypher free as bullets are fired through the wall. Neo takes his gun out, firing back, creating holes from both sides as light comes out of it.
The cop takes cover. Suddenly, he goes on a spasm, dropping his gun. He begins to shapeshift...
Quiet occurs, Neo listens for something. Then he hears footsteps, right as he is about to act. A fist punched through the wall, then grabbed his neck, choking him. Cypher panicked seeing who this is.
"It's an Agent!" Cypher fretted.
Just as Neo was about to choke further, Morpheus crashed through the wall and landed on the Agent, revealing to be Watts. He pins the Agent down on the floor as Trinity tries to scramble up. "Morpheus!" She yelled.
"Trinity, you must get Neo out! Do you understand? He is all that matters." Morpheus shouted as he held down Watts.
"No. No! Morpheus! Don't!" Neo worries, realizing what the Oracle mentions. That he is willing to throw his life to save him.
"Trinity! Go!" He yelled, as Trinity clenched in frustration.
"Go!" She shouted to Apoc, demanding him to climb down.
"We can't leave him!" Neo fretted.
"We have to!" She yelled, grabbing his ankle. They fall down, luckily safely landing on the lath, while skidding down.
They fall down, crashing into the ceiling. They heard distanced shouting, and projectiles fired. Grenades landed, spewing smoke. As it covers the entire dark room, Trinity looks around, she finds a cover of the catch basin, she goes there and pry it open while Cypher notices.
"Come on!" She shouted, then a smoke grenade knocked Cypher down as the cloud of smoke covered him. Without a moment, he is gone. And she can't do anything, no choice but to get out while still can.
Worry occurs for the group, everything is going against the group. Right as Watts detected where they are.
Just as another fight they thought is about to begin. They are gone, only to later shown where they are hiding. Just as things would go okay...
"Dang it, Cypher!" Nora grunted at his actions causing them to be found. Intentional or not, his coughing caused the cops to be found.
"Come on..." Velvet hoped they would make it, right as Neo fired back. Then certain gasps noticed when the cop goes into a spasm, they now see what Agents can do...
"Crud." Coco muttered right as a fist punches through the wall.
Ruby worried, seeing Morpheus pins Watts down, sure her uncle is right here, but seeing this variant going into danger. Yang clenched her fist seeing this, Qrow himself notices his nieces worry.
Then they see Cypher getting knocked out, however after they saw the betrayal, this ain't the end of him...
Morpheus remains pinning Watts, locked in a grip. However Watts remains smiling seeing his target. "The great Morpheus. We will meet at last."
"And you are?" Morpheus asked.
"Watts. Agent Watts." Watts smirked.
"You all look the same to me." He scoffed. Watts then grabs his hands, prying his grip off his throat and grabs his collar shirt/ He then headbutts him, knocking his shades off.
But that only made him smirked, then unleashing his rapid headbutts, pushing Morpheus crashing into a wall. Both get up, as Morpheus strikes his flurry of kicks and punches, only to be blocked and unfazed by the Agent.
Watts strikes his neck from both sides, smacks his face, knocking him down as he crashes his head on the toilet seat. On the ground, Watts kicked him up to another wall, he got up and was attacked only to counterattack Watts with a kick, but that counter didn't last long.
He overwhelms Morpheus with his heavy punches, pushing him back as he dodges it, which fists punch through the wall. He dodges and counterattacks, but he is simply overwhelmed by Watt's flurry of heavy attacks, and his strong defense.
He pushed him into a corner, continuously attacking him despite his redirection and blocking. Morpheus jumps up and grabs on the wall corner, kicking him, but Watts takes the opportunity and grabs his leg, swinging him into the floor.
On the ground, he struggles to get up... Watts walks off to the doorway, where the policemen await outside. "Take him." Watts commanded. The cops rushed at Morpheus, taking him down.
All that was witnessed by Tank who looked devastated by seeing this, "No!" He shouted.
Outside the street, the manhole cover opens. A truck passes by on the road, then Trinity climbs out.
Meanwhile at the ship, Tank continues on the monitors searching. Until he hears a ringing, "Operator." He calls out.
"I need an exit! Fast!" Cypher's voice calls out.
"Cypher?" Tank is surprised to hear him alive.
Seeing the fight, it was a near one-sided massacre... It is brutal seeing how the fight is, showcasing the strength and speed of a Agent. Ironwood gazes Watts' fighting style while different and new, he knew this deceased scientist isn't afraid to get his hands dirty... Thankfully he isn't alive.
Khaos snorted seeing the dialogue, he wondered if the author already lacks some comments for this.
Meanwhile Ruby and Yang gripped when seeing Morpheus is taken as Tank's shout occurs.
"Great..." Coco grunted, as soon as Cypher's voice occur. They hoped they wouldn't take the help, after what he caused. But it may be too late...
Cypher is alive, and on the public phone. Across the street, there is a crash with two cars. "There was an accident. A goddamn car accident. All of a sudden. Boom. Someone up there still likes me." He murmured nervously.
"I got you." Tank's voice responded.
"Just get me outta here." Cypher demanded.
"Nearest exit is Franklin and Erie. An old TV repair shop." Tank instructed.
Cypher hangs up as fire truck sirens blares from the distance, he smirks at his acting. "An actor. Definitely." He muttered to himself, beaming.
Meanwhile, Trinity and her group are quickly moving through the street.
"Is Morpheus alive?" Neo asked her.
"Is Morpheus still alive, Tank?" Trinity calls Tank through the phone.
"Yes. They're moving him. I don't know where yet." Tank's voice responded.
She turned to Neo, "He's alive." Confirming his status, Neo looks worried. "We need an exit!" She said to Tank.
"You're not far from Cypher." Tank replied.
This surprises her, "Cypher, I thought..." She muttered.
"So did we. I sent him to Franklin and Erie." Tank tells the location.
"Got it." She nodded, that is their destination.
At the Franklin and Eve, a TV repair shop. Cypher enters through the small window. Inside the old dusty room, he crawls out of there and he's in. At the back of the room, a phone is ringing despite its vintage appearance.
Tank enters the command, "Got him." Cypher is free from the Matrix, he is awake, not knowing for others what this action will cause...
Back at the repair shop, Neo enters through Cypher's way into the store. With everyone else following in as the phone is ringing.
"Thank the gods, I love that sound." Switch remarked.
At the main deck, Tank finishes the loading, suddenly, Cypher is behind him, carrying a heavy item covered with a blanket. He removes it, revealing it to be a large weapon. He fires it, unleashing a bolt of lightning, which only hits the chair Tank is on. He reacted, turning in shock to see this.
"Shit." Cypher grunted, quickly aiming his weapon at Tank as he turned around, right at the chest, finally knocking him down. Dozer, turned by the sudden attack, was shocked to see this.
"No!" Dozer screamed, Cypher aimed the weapon and fired a lightning beam at him, killing him.
"You first, Neo." Trinity nodded to him. Neo picks up the phone, he answers it. But, nothing has happened, no signal, only silence. "What happened?" She asked.
"I don't know. It just went dead..." Neo stated. She decides to check and takes the phone. listening to it.
"You'd be the worst actor!" Nora shouted as she huffed towards Cypher's. Hearing how Morpheus is being taken, they knew he needs to be alive due to the deal between Cypher and Watts.
Some winced by they heard Cypher is alive... Right later on, they witness his full betrayal on action. Pyrrha gasped by the horrifying reveal, they witness such a weapon took down the two members.
Nora growled in annoyance seeing how helpless she feels when watching another universe. Seeing that weapon looks like those electric weapons, she can easily absorbed and damage back, but seeing here, she can't do anything.
Others seeing, most of them shocked face. Now dread came when the group is about to pick up that phone. Then hearing Neo said the line went dead...
The ship remains silent, only the phone ringing is the source of sound. Cypher walks over the corpse of Dozer and looks at the monitor of the Matrix.
At the store, the phone continues ringing much to the worry of Trinity. Until... "Hello, Trinity." Cypher's voice calls out.
"Cypher? Where's Tank?" She asked, confused, that she heard him.
"He had an accident." He simply replied.
"An accident?" Trinity nearly rebuked, merely by hearing this.
Cypher stares at the real body of Trinity while he has the headset on. "You know, for a long time, I thought I was in love with you, Trinity. I used to dream about you..." He nuzzles her chin with his hand, "You are a beautiful woman. Too bad things had to work out like this." He said.
Hearing this, she brings up the only conclusion that he's done. "...You killed them."
"What?" Apoc exclaimed, Switch also looked shocked hearing this.
Cypher walks around the real bodies, "I'm tired, Trinity. I'm tired of this war, I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of this ship, of being cold, of eating the same goddamn goop every day. But most of all, I'm tired of this jagoff and all of his bullshit." He grunted as he went to Morpheus. "Surprise, asshole. But you never saw this coming, did you?" He mocked him in his face, "Heh, I wish I could be there when they break you. I wish I could walk in just as it happens, so right then, you'd know it was me." He mocked.
"...You gave them Morpheus." Trinity muttered.
"He lied to us, Trinity! He tricked us! If he would've told us the truth, we would've told him to shove that red pill up his ass!" Cypher shouted, angrily at Morpheus' face.
"That's not true, Cypher. He set us free." She tried to reason with him.
"Free? You call this free?" Cypher questioned her. "All I do is what he tells me to do. If I have to choose between that and the Matrix, I choose the Matrix."
"The Matrix isn't real!" Trinity
"Oh, I disagree, Trinity. I think the Matrix can be more real than this world. I mean, all I do is pull a plug here. But there, you have to watch a man die." Cypher said, right as he grabbed the cable of Apoc.
Trinity looks at Apoc, looking pale and frightened, "Trinity?" He whispered.
Then he rips the cable from Apoc's body, "Welcome to the real world, eh baby?" He replied. At the Matrix, Apoc's body dropped dead.
"No!" Switch reaches to his corpse, terrified.
Trinity desperately speaks to him. "But you're out, Cypher. You can't go back."
"That's what you think. They've promised to take me back. They're going to reinsert my body. I'll go back to sleep and when I wake up, I'll be fat and rich and I won't remember a goddamned thing. It's the perfect dream." Cypher chuckled as he then grabbed Switch's cable. "By the way, if you have anything terribly important to say to Switch, I suggest you say it now."
Trinity widened her eyes, "Please don't." She turned to Switch who stared back, realizing what's happening.
"Not like this... Not like this." She whispered, then a moment passed, she dropped dead. Cypher already pulled the plug as her mind is as gone as Apoc.
"Too late." He replied.
"Goddamn you, Cypher!" Trinity raged.
"Don't hate me, Trinity. I'm just the messenger." Cypher excused his action, "And right now I'm going to prove it to you." He goes to Neo's body as he continues, "If Morpheus was right, then there's no way I can pull this plug, is there?" He assumed.
Trinity turns fearfully to Neo, knowing he's next.
"If Neo is the One, then in the next few seconds there has to be some kind of miracle to stop me. Right? How can he be the One if he's dead?" Cypher grabs the cable. "You never did answer me, Trinity, when I asked you before. Did you buy Morpheus's bullshit?" He asked.
Trinity remains silent, as Cypher calls out, "Come on. You can tell me, did you? All I want is a little yes or no. Look into his eyes, Trinity, those big pretty eyes and tell me the truth. Yes or no." He demanded.
She stared at Neo, "...Yes." Trinity reveals her answer.
"No! I don't believe it!" Cypher exclaimed, seeing none other being Tank alive. He then aims the weapon at him. Firing the bolt that impacted him, killing him off as he got knocked backwards. He walks up to the corpse.
"Believe it or not, you piece of shit, you're still going to burn." Tank seethes at the traitor as he drops the weapon, heading to the monitor.
Trinity runs up and embraces Neo. For a moment of silence, they are alone, until the phone rings.
They both stare at it. "Go. You first this time." Neo assured her.
Later on, she wakes up. Tank unplugs her as she sees his injuries.
"Tank, you're hurt." Trinity nearly gasped.
"I'll be alright." Tank hissed, trying to sustain his wounds.
"Dozer?" Trinity asked his status. Yet Tank remains quiet, knowing what this means. She embraces him in a hug to comfort his loss...
Fear strikes them, the moment Cypher called. Qrow grunted in disgust by seeing him touch Trinity... Yang's eyes nearly blinked to red in a moment.
Certain gasps raised seeing the death of Apoc. Rage build in for students, seeing Cypher nothing but a monster, while they see the others are helpless against the situation.
"You want to go back simply because you are tired of being told what to survive..." Winter scoffed at Cypher's pathetic remark of wanting to change side. Qrow mentally agrees with her point.
"Switch..." Velvet whispered as they witnessed her death being unfold, hearing her last words made her shiver. Her hands cover her mouth, as Ruby and Yang's heart sinks hearing their mother's voice being desperate.
"Yeah right." Fox scoffed at Cypher's sentence being a messenger.
Now Ruby and Yang tensed up, seeing that their alternate father is next. Then hearing Cypher's question...
Everything they have seen for now, this belief of the One, despite the statements of this powerful being exists in the Matrix... The progress doesn't seem to be proven. Cypher while still a jerk and a traitor. He does speak of the truth of the One seemed ambiguous.
The fact this world, where the human and faunus resistance are in the midst of an already conquered world ruled by machines with powerful oppression. The fact that all can possibly win, is by the faith of a legend...
Can they truly believe that if their world has fallen? A miracle... A shimmer of hope.
Ozpin along with Ruby and Yang with the rest of those who know Summer, are waiting to hear her response in this reality. Did she really believe what the prophecy has told? Deep down, they know her, and awaiting to hear the answer being...
Yes.
Just then, as if a miracle has happened. Tank survived! He took down Cypher right as he was about to do it...
"Tank!" Nora beamed, as he survived the ambush. Even the likes of others are happy to see the tables have turned.
They have witnessed the death of Cypher, a mere feasible pathetic end for a man who wanted to seek bliss by ignorance. Even the likes of Cinder admits this man is much as a wimp.
Seeing the comfort feeling arise, Ruby and Yang smiled seeing Neo caring for Trinity. But the heartwarming didn't last as much as long. Seeing the scene of Tank and Trinity, with the exception of Neo and Morpheus...
They are the only survivors of the Nebuchadnezzar.
Onto the next and finale of the Matrix, say I may need help working on these reactions. Considering I am taking a slow ass pace when working on them.
So I hope you guys can layout support on my work, that the more help I get the quicker I can produce more content later on in this series.
Thus I invite you guys to my discord server, where I will be laying out my plans and discussions about stuff in the media.
Like that upcoming Minecraft Movie, that I actually starting to like it. In fact, how do you guys think that I think that the Minecraft Movie is gonna be another Detective Pikachu. Starts bad but the actual fully reveal thing is good, like Mario and Sonic.
With that said, I will take a break on this story as I will focus on the other projects (Blue Archive, Chainsaw Man fic, etc) I wanted to work on. Stay tune for that.
Oh! And remember to go to my second poll of RWBY Multiversal 2! Link is in the comment here, click and choose your voting so I can reveal the... 30 REACTIONS confirmed in the sequel. I will also notify what will be on the sequel here as well.
With that, have a nice day readers. Please keep on supporting and join me on discord.
Also please give good reviews, I see nothing worth looking for