Mike: Ok, I’m glad you people like the story but Helldragon, dude, this pairing I’m doing is not unusual. Kasumi is Misty’s Japanese name so basically it’s an Ash + Misty pairing and I’m a very big supporter and fan of this romance. If you support DJ Rodriguez, the anti-AAML guy (Ash And Misty Love), then I suggest you don’t read my story any further. And that goes the same with anyone else who doesn’t support that romance that is reading my story.
And in case anyone is wondering, Sketch is Tracey.
Disclaimer: The Matrix is the property of the Wachowsky Brothers and Warner Bros. Inc. Pokémon is the property of Nintendo, Game Freak, and 4 Kids entertainment.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“The Oracle only tells us what we need to know.” Morpheus
~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 5: Off to the Oracle and Being in the Matrix for the First Time
A stoplight for pedestrians turned green and people of all types came walking towards and away from Satoshi and Slifer. Some were in business suits, some in uniforms, some were children running away from their parents and laughing, and some were even teenagers gossiping or other things. As Satoshi and Slifer made their way through the crowd, Satoshi had a look at his new attire for the Matrix; he wore a black long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, and black shoes. (Mike: People in the matrix sure wear a lot of black.) He also took notice to what Slifer was talking to him about. He was explaining about the people in the matrix who aren’t unplugged are their enemies.
He was paying attention when something else caught his eye…a lady. Not just any lady, she was a hot brunette with hair that extended to her upper back. She wore a stunning blue dress that made her stand out from everyone else in the crowd. He watched her walk past him and Slifer as she smiled at him. Let’s just put it this way, she was hot!
“Were you listening to me Satoshi,” Slifer asked catching Satoshi off guard. “Or were you looking at the lady in the blue dress?”
“Uh…I was…uh...” Satoshi stammered as he pointed towards her as she walked away.
Slifer chuckled and shook his head. “Look again.”
Satoshi quirked an eyebrow being confused into why he wanted him to look again. When he turned around, he found himself face to face, with a man that looked like a CIA agent, suit and all. The man was pointing a gun straight at his head. Satoshi looked in fear, as the guy was about to pull the trigger. He cringed and shielded his face with his arms just as the man was ready to fire. Slifer rolled his eyes and looked up.
“Freeze it.” He called out and just after he did the man stopped.
The man was completely frozen in place along with his expression and everything. But it wasn’t just him that was affected by this; everything around Satoshi and Slifer had been frozen like they were in a movie being paused. Everything was frozen in its place. Birds have stopped in mid-air with their wings in place of where they last flapped them, people had stopped while they had their same expressions and movements in place as well. Satoshi looked around being very confused as to how they were frozen.
“This isn’t the Matrix?” he asked while looking around.
“Nope, this is another training program to help you learn on who are enemies in the matrix are.” Slifer explained as he circled the so-called ‘agent’ and pointed to him. “Especially these guys.”
“Who are they?” Satoshi asked looking at the guy as he moved away from the barrel of the gun.
“They’re called agents; they’re a lot smarter, faster, and stronger than us. The only person who can really beat them is Neo.” Slifer explained as he looked at Satoshi. “They are anyone and no one.”
“What do you mean?” Satoshi asked again with an eyebrow quirked.
“They can take over the bodies of anyone we haven’t unplugged from the matrix.” Slifer continued to explain while adjusting his sunglasses. “Hardly anyone has stood up against an Agent and lived. So if you see an agent, you run like the rest of us.”
Satoshi took one more look at the agent and had to recognize every bit of an agent; the sunglasses, the suit, the tie, the communicator, the shoes, everything. He figured they couldn’t all be the same so they would all look different but have the same looks on their faces and outfits.
~*~*~*~*~
Satoshi lied down in his room, looking up at the ceiling and thinking about his training for the matrix. He kept thinking on who the Oracle was and how she would prophesize his destiny. He managed to complete the jump program and mastered his fighting techniques. But the more he trained; his thoughts tend to drift on Kasumi. For a girl who can really dish a good scorpion kick in his training, she was really beautiful in and out of the matrix.
The loud groan of a door opening interrupted him of his thoughts and he turned to see Kasumi at his door with a sheepish smile on her face. She wore her usual clothing from outside of the matrix, blue sweatshirt that was torn up at a couple of places, cotton sweats that were in the same boat, old military-looking boots, and her hair tied up in a ponytail to her side. She walked in when she noticed he was awake.
“Hi, couldn’t sleep?” She asked as she stood by the door.
“Nah…I was just thinking that’s all.” He replied as he sat up and motioned her to sit next to him.
“Thinking about what will happen when we see the Oracle?” She asked as she sat down next to him looking into his eyes.
“Yeah…” He said looking down at the floor. He then felt something lean against him. When he looked; he saw Kasumi leaning her head on his shoulder while she stared at nothing in particular.
“Don’t worry, it’s not like we’ll run into agents along the way.” She said softly as she sighed. “Even though it’ll probably happen.”
“If we do…I hope we make it out alive.” He said as he looked at the same direction that she was looking at while he leaned his head on hers and rested his cheek on top of her head. Then unconsciously, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her a little closer.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next morning, Takeshi and Sketch were waking people from their rooms. Takeshi noticed Kasumi wasn’t in her room so he went over to Satoshi’s room to see if she was in there. After reaching the door, he opened it and with the loud groan of the door, he peeked in only to see Kasumi lying down…next to Satoshi! She was facing him and him towards her, her head was buried in his chest and his arm was wrapped around her. Takeshi couldn’t help but to grin at the scene.
He went over to the two sleepy heads and shook Kasumi gently. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked at Takeshi. She got up and yawned before looking at him again. He had a hard time trying to hide his grin but he smiled instead.
“It’s time to see the Oracle.” He muttered loud enough for her to hear.
She nodded and turned to Satoshi just as Takeshi turned and left the room. She took her free hand and shook him awake.
~*~*~*~
Slifer, Kasumi, Satoshi, Record, and Noble were all strapped in and ready to log into the matrix. Sketch and Takeshi were readying them to log in as well. Takeshi sat in the chair while Sketch watched their vital signs. This time they were really going into the Matrix, where the Agents and other dangerous programs are waiting for them.
“Ok everyone, make sure you’re all strapped in and ready to go.” Takeshi said as he began to load them in.
~*~*~*~
Inside the Matrix, we see an abandoned apartment with a table with a phone ringing on it. After a few rings, a hand reached out and picked it up. The owner of the hand reached the receiver to his right ear and spoke into it.
“We’re in.” It was Slifer’s voice.
~*~*~*~*~
They were in a Ford Expedition XLT driving down one of the main streets of a Matrix version of New York City. Satoshi had been to New York before, but that was when he was Ash Ketchum. Now he was Satoshi, he no longer lived in the Matrix. He watched the scenery go by as Record drove to the Oracle’s apartment. Kasumi sat next to Satoshi while staring at him.
“I never thought all this would be the Matrix, it’s like I never left at all.” Satoshi muttered under his breath as he saw all the people going about their business unaware that they were in nothing but a dream world.
“We all felt that way when we were free.” Kasumi said as she placed her hand on his shoulder making him look at her. “You’ll get used to it.”
~*~*~*~
They had arrived in an apartment building where the Oracle lived. Slifer, Kasumi, and Satoshi all went up the elevator to the Oracle’s home while Record and Noble guarded the car and watched for Agents. Slifer had taken off his sunglasses, as did Kasumi. After a ding was heard from the elevator stopping, the doors swung open and the three of them walked to a door. Slifer knocked, of course. A Chinese-dressed man wearing sunglasses, a white Chinese shirt, and black slacks opened the door and nodded his head to them.
“The Oracle has been expecting you Slifer.” He said as he let them in. Kasumi and Slifer waited outside the door while the Chinese man (A/n: I forgot this guy’s name, someone help me out please!) escorted Satoshi to the kitchen, where the Oracle was baking a batch of cupcakes. “The Oracle will see you right away, Satoshi.”
Satoshi walked inside and saw her, The Oracle. She was a woman who looked like she was in her early 60’s and growing old rapidly but remaining a healthy, caring woman. She had just finished putting the icing on the cupcakes when she noticed Satoshi. When she looked at him, she simply smiled.
“You must be Satoshi, am I correct?” She asked as she placed some of the cupcakes on a plate.
Satoshi was actually stunned that she knew who he was but he nodded slightly and said, “Yes.”
Her smile widened as she sat down in a chair at her table. “I was wondering when I’d be seeing you.” She said as she looked up at him while placing more cupcakes on the plate. “But I’m not the only one who was waiting to meet you.”
“Who else wants to meet me?” Satoshi asked cocking his head slightly.
“Let’s just say he has helped hundreds of people be free from the Matrix since Morpheus unplugged him.” She began as she lit a cigarette in her mouth. “He has great potential and most people refer to him as, ‘The One.’”
Satoshi put all those clues together and out of his mouth came only one word, “Neo.”
“Bingo.” She simply said as she puffed out a bit of smoke. “But unfortunately you won’t meet him under good circumstances.”
“What’re you saying? Am I going to be fighting him?” Satoshi asked raising his eyebrows a little.
She shook her head with a grin. “No, but he will need your help after you two meet.” She said making him sigh in relief. But she wasn’t done. “However, someone else you know and met will help you in this task and they will be an important person in your life.”
“Are you saying, someone I know will be there for me when I help Neo?” Satoshi asked.
“Yes, but all I’m doing Satoshi, is helping you choose your path. I can’t choose for you, this is your decision to take this destiny or not.” She said as she picked up one of the cupcakes with her free hand. “And believe me, that person is as sweet as this cupcake.” She finished as she handed it to him.
He knew that it was just an image the Matrix was giving him, but he took it anyway. He smiled and knew he was done and turned to leave while biting into the cupcake. He knew it wasn’t a real cupcake but the Matrix was telling him that it was delicious and sweet as she said. Speaking of which, he began to ponder into what she said to him about the person he had met.
~*~*~*~
Kasumi had been waiting with Slifer for a half hour now. She sighed and remembered when she went to see the Oracle. She had told her someone she’ll meet will need her help in achieving something and will become an important person in their life. The sound of a door opening interrupted her thoughts. She looked and smiled when she saw Satoshi coming out eating a cupcake. She remembered when she met the Oracle; she had given her a piece of cherry pie.
“She told me…” Satoshi began but Slifer beat him to it.
“She told you, what she needed to tell you. That’s all you need to know.” He said as the three of them made their way back to the car.
~*~*~*~
After arriving back at the apartment building they arrived in the Matrix in, the group began to head towards the apartment they need to exit the Matrix. They were halfway up the stairs when Slifer’s cell phone began to ring. He motioned everyone to stop, which they did, and answered it.
“Slifer…” He simply said as he put it to his phone. His eyes suddenly widened. “What!? Where? Alright…find another exit and fast!”
“What’s wrong Slifer?” Satoshi asked in worry.
Slifer looked at all of them. “Agents cut the hard line.”
“Shit!” Record muttered as he, Noble, Kasumi, and Slifer all pulled out their pistols.
Kasumi pulled out an extra pistol and handed it to Satoshi. Satoshi looked at it quizzically but took it. This was the first time he ever held a gun like this. But he knew it was one of his best defenses against the agents. After stopping, Slifer pulled out his cell phone again and called Takeshi.
“Takeshi I need that exit now!” Slifer said as he heard sirens outside. “Right…be ready for us.” He closed his cell phone and looked at everyone. “Everyone, we have an exit at an abandoned factory on 6th avenue, split up and head for it. You see an Agent, try to run as fast as you can and hold ‘em off as best you can. GO!”
All at once, they split up. Noble went with Record, Slifer went alone, and Kasumi went with Satoshi.
~*~*~*~*~
“Tak, do you think they’ll make it out?”
“I hope so Sketch. Wait…I recognize this code…it’s Neo!”
“Neo’s in the Matrix?”
“Him, Trinity, and Morpheus!”
“Better contact them and let them know what’s happened.”
“Right.”
Well, now things will get interesting. Satoshi and the others are definitely going to need Neo’s help. Otherwise they’ll be trapped and killed in…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mike: OK, before I go on with these notes I need your help people, I’m running out of quotes for the opening of each chapter so would someone give me some quotes from the Matrix. Vital ones from characters OTHER than Morpheus.
Now, like I said if anyone doesn’t support Ash + Misty romances better not continue reading this story because that’s what it’s going to have whether you people like it or not. Now this is only a suggestion and not an order. If you don’t support the romance then don’t talk about it in your reviews or write bad comments about it please. Anyway, I know this chapter was kinda rushed but I was kinda running out of ideas for this chapter, my REAL ideas will explode in the following chapters. So stay tuned.