Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Matrix ❯ The Matrix- Part 5 ( Chapter 5 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Neo Rabbit 
Non Anime: Sonic Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Thriller / Sci-fi / Martial Arts / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.26.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 257 | Status: Completed
Non Anime: Sonic Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Thriller / Sci-fi / Martial Arts / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.26.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 257 | Status: Completed
Fade In-
Int.
Inside a metal compartment riveted like a submarine cabin, manic lies in a narrow bunk wearing black boots and pant and a ragged gray pullover. He sits up then glances around. An ID bag hangs from a wire behind him. Manic looks down his frearm for a cable strapped into a dime sized dival. With a labored tug, he pulls out a 4-inch long needle. Manic scowls at the cable and tosses it on the bunk. Then rubs his arms. His brow furreled, manic slowly raises his hand to the back of his head. Stumbled with green hair growing in. A two inch socket ringed with metal teeth digs into his scalps.
(Door opens)
Shadow opens a heavy metal door and walks in.
Manic: Shadow, what happened to me? What is this place?
Shadow: More important than "What" is "When."
Manic: When?
Shadow: You believe it's the year 3999, when, in fact, it's closer to 4199. I can't exactly tell you what year it is because we honestly don't know. There's nothing I can say that will explain it to you, manic. Come with me. See for yourself.
Cut To:
Int. Main Deck
Shadow: This is my ship. The nebuchadnezzar. It's a hovercraft.
Manic follows shadow up the ladder.
Shadow: This is the main deck.
Instrument panels, cables, and tubes fill a large compartment.
Shadow: This is the core...where we broadcast our pirate signal and hack into the matrix.
Nearby, blue wielding lights flickers on the metal wall.
Shadow: Most of my crew you already know.
Bunnie pulls off a vigor helmet. Shadow walks pass a row of furries.
Shadow: This is Trevor, Hershey, and Nack.
Nack: Hi.
Shadow: The ones you don't know -- Tails and his friend Cyrus. The little one behind you is Ray.
Ray wore an oversized furlined hat.
Shadow: (approaches Manic, hands on his shoulders) You wanted to know what the matrix is, manic? Bunnie.
Bunnie gently ushers manic to a worn blue vinal chair and takes the blanket from around his shoulder. Manic sits down and bunnie fastens meatl restraints across his boots. As manic tentatively leans back, shadow puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
Shadow: Try to relax.
Cyrus readies the machine and shadow touches manic's forehead.
Shadow: This will feel a little weird.
He attached a foot long probe into the socket to the back of manic's changed head. Manic clenches his teeth, then relaxes and looks around. He stands in an empty white space. Short green hair frames his face.
Shadow: This...is the construct. It's our loading program. We can load anything from clothing to equipments, weapons, training simulations, anything we need.
Shadow wears a suit and tie.
Manic: Right now, we're inside a computer program?
Shadow: Is it really so hard to believe? Your clothes are different, the plugs in your arms and head are gone, your hair has changed. Your appearance now is what we call "Residual self image." It is the mental projection of your digital self.
Manic touches a leather arm chair near a TV.
Manic: This...this isn't real?
Shadow: What is real? How do you define real? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
Shadow picks up a remote and turns on the TV.
Shadow: This is the world you know, the world as it was at the end of the 20th century.
A city skyline of Station Square appears on the screen.
Shadow: It exist now only as part of a neural-interactive simulation that we call the matrix.
Manic: (looks at him)
Shadow: (switches channel) You've been living in a dream world, manic. This is the world as it exist today.
(Thunder)
Above the jagged skyline of a ruin city, dark swirling clouds black out the sun. Our view plunges down a cliff to a ledge where Shadow sits in one of the leather arm chairs.
Shadow: (spreads out arms) Welcome to the desert...of the real.
(Thunder)
Shadow: We have only bits and pieces of information. But what we know for certain is that at some point in the early 21st century all of mobian was united in celebration. We marveled at our own magnificence as we gave birth to A.I.
Manic: A.I.? You mean artificial intelligence?
Shadow: A singular consciousness that spawned an entire race of machines. We don't know who struck first, us or them, but we know that it was us (points up) that scorched the sky.
(Thunder)
Shadow: At the time, they were dependent on solar power, and it was believed that they would be unable to survive without an energy source as abundant as the sun. Through mobian history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. (chuckles) Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony.
(Thunder)
The cables attaches a fetus to a pod.
Shadow: The mobian body generates more bioelectrical than a 120 volt battery and over 25,000 BTUs od body heat. Combined with a form of fusion, the machines had found all the energy they would ever need.
Fetus pods hang on metal stalks and the machines picks them.
Shadow: (V.O) There are fields, manic, endless fields, where mobian beings are no longer born. We are grown.
Under a black sky, rows of metal stalks with glowing pods recede into the pistol.
Shadow: (V.O) For the longest time, I wouldn't believe it. And then I saw the fields with my own eyes, watched them liquefy the dead so they can be fed introvenously to the living. And standing there, facing the pure, horrifying precision, I came to realize the obviousness of the truth.
Back in the white space, shadow turns off the TV.
Shadow: What is the matrix? Control. The matrix is a computer generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a mobian being into this. (holds up a battery)
Manic: (shocked, shakes head) No. I don't believe it. It's not possible.
Shadow: I didn't say it would be easy, manic. I just said it would be the truth.
Manic: Stop! (backs away) Let me out! Let me out! I want out!
Back in the Nebuchadnezzar...
Manic: (wakes up, gasps)
Bunnie: (touches his forehead) Easy, manic.
Manic: Take this thing out of me.
Cyrus holds him down.
Manic: Take this thing...
Bunnie removes the probe andmanic lurches across the room.
Manic: Don't touch me! Get away from me! Stay away from me! I don't believe it. I don't believe it. I don't believe it. (kneels)
Nack: He's gonna pop.
Shadow: Breath, manic. Just breath.
On his knees, manic vomits.
(Darkness)
Fade In-
Later in bed, manic wakes up. Blinking his black eyes, he glances up at shadow.
Manic: I can't go back, can I?
Shadow: No. But if you could, would you really want to?
Manic: (swallows saliva)
Shadow: I feel I owe you an apology. We have a rule -- We never free a mind once it reached a certain age. It's dangerous. The mind has trouble letting go. I've seen it before and I'm sorry. I did what I did because...I had to. (long pause) When the matrix was built, there was a furry born inside who had the ability to change whatever he wanted, to remake the matrix as he saw it. It was he who freed the first of us, taught us the truth. As long as the matrix exists, the mobian race will never be free. (long pause) After he died, Aleena prophesied his return. And that his coming would hail the destruction of the matrix, end the war, bring freedom to our people. That is why there are those of us who spent our entire lives searching the matrix, looking for him. (paused) I did what I did because...I believe that search is over.
Their eyes meet in a steady gaze.
Shadow: Get some rest. You're going to need it.
Shadow stands and walk to the door.
Manic: For what?
Shadow: (stops, looks at manic) Your training.
Shadow leaves.
Int.
Inside a metal compartment riveted like a submarine cabin, manic lies in a narrow bunk wearing black boots and pant and a ragged gray pullover. He sits up then glances around. An ID bag hangs from a wire behind him. Manic looks down his frearm for a cable strapped into a dime sized dival. With a labored tug, he pulls out a 4-inch long needle. Manic scowls at the cable and tosses it on the bunk. Then rubs his arms. His brow furreled, manic slowly raises his hand to the back of his head. Stumbled with green hair growing in. A two inch socket ringed with metal teeth digs into his scalps.
(Door opens)
Shadow opens a heavy metal door and walks in.
Manic: Shadow, what happened to me? What is this place?
Shadow: More important than "What" is "When."
Manic: When?
Shadow: You believe it's the year 3999, when, in fact, it's closer to 4199. I can't exactly tell you what year it is because we honestly don't know. There's nothing I can say that will explain it to you, manic. Come with me. See for yourself.
Cut To:
Int. Main Deck
Shadow: This is my ship. The nebuchadnezzar. It's a hovercraft.
Manic follows shadow up the ladder.
Shadow: This is the main deck.
Instrument panels, cables, and tubes fill a large compartment.
Shadow: This is the core...where we broadcast our pirate signal and hack into the matrix.
Nearby, blue wielding lights flickers on the metal wall.
Shadow: Most of my crew you already know.
Bunnie pulls off a vigor helmet. Shadow walks pass a row of furries.
Shadow: This is Trevor, Hershey, and Nack.
Nack: Hi.
Shadow: The ones you don't know -- Tails and his friend Cyrus. The little one behind you is Ray.
Ray wore an oversized furlined hat.
Shadow: (approaches Manic, hands on his shoulders) You wanted to know what the matrix is, manic? Bunnie.
Bunnie gently ushers manic to a worn blue vinal chair and takes the blanket from around his shoulder. Manic sits down and bunnie fastens meatl restraints across his boots. As manic tentatively leans back, shadow puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
Shadow: Try to relax.
Cyrus readies the machine and shadow touches manic's forehead.
Shadow: This will feel a little weird.
He attached a foot long probe into the socket to the back of manic's changed head. Manic clenches his teeth, then relaxes and looks around. He stands in an empty white space. Short green hair frames his face.
Shadow: This...is the construct. It's our loading program. We can load anything from clothing to equipments, weapons, training simulations, anything we need.
Shadow wears a suit and tie.
Manic: Right now, we're inside a computer program?
Shadow: Is it really so hard to believe? Your clothes are different, the plugs in your arms and head are gone, your hair has changed. Your appearance now is what we call "Residual self image." It is the mental projection of your digital self.
Manic touches a leather arm chair near a TV.
Manic: This...this isn't real?
Shadow: What is real? How do you define real? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
Shadow picks up a remote and turns on the TV.
Shadow: This is the world you know, the world as it was at the end of the 20th century.
A city skyline of Station Square appears on the screen.
Shadow: It exist now only as part of a neural-interactive simulation that we call the matrix.
Manic: (looks at him)
Shadow: (switches channel) You've been living in a dream world, manic. This is the world as it exist today.
(Thunder)
Above the jagged skyline of a ruin city, dark swirling clouds black out the sun. Our view plunges down a cliff to a ledge where Shadow sits in one of the leather arm chairs.
Shadow: (spreads out arms) Welcome to the desert...of the real.
(Thunder)
Shadow: We have only bits and pieces of information. But what we know for certain is that at some point in the early 21st century all of mobian was united in celebration. We marveled at our own magnificence as we gave birth to A.I.
Manic: A.I.? You mean artificial intelligence?
Shadow: A singular consciousness that spawned an entire race of machines. We don't know who struck first, us or them, but we know that it was us (points up) that scorched the sky.
(Thunder)
Shadow: At the time, they were dependent on solar power, and it was believed that they would be unable to survive without an energy source as abundant as the sun. Through mobian history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. (chuckles) Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony.
(Thunder)
The cables attaches a fetus to a pod.
Shadow: The mobian body generates more bioelectrical than a 120 volt battery and over 25,000 BTUs od body heat. Combined with a form of fusion, the machines had found all the energy they would ever need.
Fetus pods hang on metal stalks and the machines picks them.
Shadow: (V.O) There are fields, manic, endless fields, where mobian beings are no longer born. We are grown.
Under a black sky, rows of metal stalks with glowing pods recede into the pistol.
Shadow: (V.O) For the longest time, I wouldn't believe it. And then I saw the fields with my own eyes, watched them liquefy the dead so they can be fed introvenously to the living. And standing there, facing the pure, horrifying precision, I came to realize the obviousness of the truth.
Back in the white space, shadow turns off the TV.
Shadow: What is the matrix? Control. The matrix is a computer generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a mobian being into this. (holds up a battery)
Manic: (shocked, shakes head) No. I don't believe it. It's not possible.
Shadow: I didn't say it would be easy, manic. I just said it would be the truth.
Manic: Stop! (backs away) Let me out! Let me out! I want out!
Back in the Nebuchadnezzar...
Manic: (wakes up, gasps)
Bunnie: (touches his forehead) Easy, manic.
Manic: Take this thing out of me.
Cyrus holds him down.
Manic: Take this thing...
Bunnie removes the probe andmanic lurches across the room.
Manic: Don't touch me! Get away from me! Stay away from me! I don't believe it. I don't believe it. I don't believe it. (kneels)
Nack: He's gonna pop.
Shadow: Breath, manic. Just breath.
On his knees, manic vomits.
(Darkness)
Fade In-
Later in bed, manic wakes up. Blinking his black eyes, he glances up at shadow.
Manic: I can't go back, can I?
Shadow: No. But if you could, would you really want to?
Manic: (swallows saliva)
Shadow: I feel I owe you an apology. We have a rule -- We never free a mind once it reached a certain age. It's dangerous. The mind has trouble letting go. I've seen it before and I'm sorry. I did what I did because...I had to. (long pause) When the matrix was built, there was a furry born inside who had the ability to change whatever he wanted, to remake the matrix as he saw it. It was he who freed the first of us, taught us the truth. As long as the matrix exists, the mobian race will never be free. (long pause) After he died, Aleena prophesied his return. And that his coming would hail the destruction of the matrix, end the war, bring freedom to our people. That is why there are those of us who spent our entire lives searching the matrix, looking for him. (paused) I did what I did because...I believe that search is over.
Their eyes meet in a steady gaze.
Shadow: Get some rest. You're going to need it.
Shadow stands and walk to the door.
Manic: For what?
Shadow: (stops, looks at manic) Your training.
Shadow leaves.