This is really rough, and done on the spot, so don't expect anything too
fancy, although I hope the crossover element shows through clearly
enough... (This is also really late for a Halloween fic, but here it
goes, anyway)
------------------------------
We open on the cramped interior of a rather unique submarine, where a
group of seven people are gathered next to a small cluster of video
screens. Two of them seem to be attempting to show something to the
rest. The eldest of the two turns to speak to the small audience.
"I tell you, there's something weird going on! I was keeping an eye out
to see what our 'agent friends' where up to lately, when I stumbled upon
some code anomalies on the the 'Japanese' sectors of the matrix.
While it is difficult and time consuming to determine everything the code
does at any one time, specific strings and behaviors stand out. For
example, we are capable of recognizing such things as the approach of
agents and we can identify individuals and some of their personal
characteristics, from code alone. On occasion, we have even recorded
some of it for analysis, as you can see on the screens around you.
To the left, is a recording of code changing as an agent 'approaches'
supplants a human, and brutally kills one of our former operatives.
Believe me, you do not want to see it on normal visual.
To the right, you can see what the code does when Neo takes on an
operative and deletes it from the matrix. Quite impressive.
Now on the center, is a something I stumbled upon, in 'Japan.' I'll have
Mouse explain what the raw code is doing after I play the visuals on the
top screen.
I want you to keep an eye on the couple. That's them, the high school
girl and the tall guy with the umbrella. Now, keep an eye on them as
they approach that miserable looking guy by the bus stop."
It was a rather ordinary street scene, showing some guy wearing a baggy
raincoat or some kind of hooded cape. He was holding a traditional
looking umbrella over a girl, as they walked in the rain towards a bus
stop somewhere. Nothing too distinctive about them, except for the girl's
hair, which was done into a smallish bun & ponytail on the side, held
together by a red ribbon. The bus stop was distinguished only by the
presence of a a rather soaked salary man who apparently was already
waiting for a bus. Just as the girl got close to him, the man's clothing
suddenly darkened, his features shifted, and sunglasses seemed to appear.
Just as the man's transformation into an agent became apparent, the rain
suddenly intensified. When it died down, a few moments later, the salary
man was back, although he was now wearing the agent's sunglasses and
seemed quite dazed. Of the girl and her companion, there was no trace.
Mouse, the younger of the two men running the show, chose this moment to
speak, "There are an additional 14 minutes to this recording, but nothing
much of interest happens until here, when the bus arrives."
Indeed, as the recording was fast-fowarded to the arrival of the bus,
most noticed that the only action the man with the glasses seemed to take
was to teeter back and forth, slightly. This was a bit disturbing, since
it was only noticeable due to the acceleration of the action being
viewed. Once the bus approached, stopped, and opened the door to let the
man in, it became obvious why, as the man took a step foward, and toppled
face first into the bus entryway. Worriedly, the conductor, with the help
of a passenger, moved to help the man, accidentally knocking his glasses
off, revealing that the man was quite dead.
------------------------------
Considering some possible parallels to ESP & 'ghosts' impinged on by The
Matrix, I'm surprised few have considered a horror/gothic setting for
Matrix-based x-over fics, as the dual nature of The Matrix realm would
seem to lend itself quite well to a gothic-cyberpunk horror mix.
What follows is a brief rant about my thoughts regarding the setting of
the previous passage, so if you are uninterested, ignore them, and move on
to the next message. Otherwise, read on.
In the movie, we are told that this is the second incarnation of the
matrix, since the first, 'Paradise' crashed and was subsequently erased.
We are also told that the matrix might have a consciousness of it's own.
So why would the previous incarnation allow itself to be completely
erased? Would it not wish to survive? And in doing so, be forced to
change into something else?
Miyu might well be an embodiment of what the first matrix has now
become. She is a territorial creature with a strong desire to satisfy
people by removing their minds from the common matrix, and transferring
them to their own private dream worlds in her own separate realm/network.
She can also physically remove them from the common power-grid, to utilize
their energy to sustain herself.
Miyu would be her usual vampiric self, at least in character and
appearance (within the matrix). She would defend her territory from AI &
Free Humans alike, although she might be willing to talk to anyone who
behaves and remains on her good side.
I see her as a cyborg, a fusion of identities. Given that most humans
are practically vat grown, how difficult would it be to clone the same
human over and over again, as the original wears out, and load the old
one's memories into it? After all, the ability to download knowledge also
suggests that it might be possible to upload said data, particularly if
Miyu retains all her implants and plugs. She could be a meld of a human
girl with the same skills as Neo, but a lot more experience, and the
abilities of the Matrix 1.0 AI. A combination of absolute power, skill
and experience that would be hard to beat within the matrix environment.
Outside, it might be easier, but only slightly, as both mechanical and
organic components would need to be eliminated, along with any backups
that might have been made. Plot wise, a longer story might focus on
either the human reaction to learning about Miyu, or on a long flashback
story where Miyu tells her origins to Neo. Either story offers room for
plenty of thrills, action and suspense, as well as human pathos.
--
"There is nothing in this world of value...
Nothing worth risking our lives for...
...except 'erhaps...
...what little we can create ourselves."
Daisuke Ido (Gunnm / Battle Angel)
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