So we've got a little fun with the "demon cat" ex-Program, and a few familiar faces return to the Grid...can you guess before they come on?

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers Prime or Tron: Legacy or Tron: Uprising or Tron: Evolution

Chapter 21

Rezolution

"Mrrooowww!"

Sam blearily opened an eye.

"MRRROOOOWWW!"

"Sam…" Quorra groaned from her side of the bed, "The cat's hungry,"

"Yeah…for my blood," Sam growled, "I'm not feeding it,"

"Sam,"

"It's Raf's cat, he can feed it,"

"Raf's over at Alan's,"

"Then the cat can go hungry," Sam huffed, "It could have stayed with Raf,"

"He's terrified of Alan and Tron,"

"Serves it right,"

"Just feed him,"

"I'm not going anywhere near that psychotic feline,"

"Feed him or I'm letting him in,"

Sam's face blanched.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me,"

Sam groaned and rolled out of bed. He stood motionless, hand on the doorknob, as he listened to the ominous echoes of menacing claws scraping down the wood.…

The next morning, Raf opened the door only to have Rinzler sprint in and rub against his legs.

He picked up the cat and Rinzler rubbed his head against Raf's neck, purring happily. Raf looked up and saw his parents coming in, Sam with multiple gashes on his face and arms.

"What happened to you?" Raf asked.

Sam glared at Rinzler, who ignored him and continued purring in Raf's arms.

"Stupid hell spawn feline," Sam growled darkly under his breath as he walked past his son and went into the kitchen so Lora could patch him up.

"Your father had to feed him," Quorra explained, "Rinzler woke up in the middle of the night and about kept us up all night with his meowing,"

"You know he hates Dad and the feeling is mutual," Raf said, scratching Rinzler's ears, "How'd you get him to do it?"

Quorra shot him a wry smile.

"I threatened to open the bedroom door,"

"I can see why that'd be bad," Beck said as he came up, reaching to the cat cautiously.

Rinzler's orange gaze locked onto Beck, holding the dark-eyed Program's gaze. It almost looked like he remembered Beck.

But either he didn't remember or he didn't care, because he rubbed his head into Beck's outstretched hand. Beck gave a slight smile as he ran his hand down the cat's soft fur.

"You know…when he's not a six foot tall Enforcer, he's kinda cute," he finally said as Rinzler's purr echoed through the space.

Quorra laughed and scratched the cat's ears.

"I don't see what Sam's problem is," she said, smiling, "He's a real sweetheart unless you're Sam or Flynn,"

"That cat in here?" Flynn's voice asked.

Raf opened his mouth to answer when his grandfather walked in. Rinzler's lazy gaze turned alert and the cat's muscles coiled as he locked onto Flynn.

Flynn backed away.

"Nice kitty…good kitty…" he stammered as Rinzler started growling.

Raf gently flicked Rinzler on the nose.

"No, Rinz," he said, "We don't attack Grandpa,"

The cat looked up at his master, slightly annoyed, before Raf set the cat down on the floor.

Rinzler sat up, licked his paws and stalked out, his lean, lithe body hugging the ground closely as he went past Flynn and into the kitchen.

"Where'd he go?" Beck asked.

Quorra held up her hand and ticked off her fingers.

Three…two…one…

Rinzler gave an ungodly scream and Sam yelled.

"AH! STUPID FELINE! OW! RAF! GET HIM OFF!"

Suddenly, a new voice yelled a battle-cry and Rinzler gave a startled yowl and the cat streaked out of the kitchen and cowered behind Raf's leg. Raf looked back up at the door right as Tron and Alan both came in. Tron looking disappointed as Alan had a death grip on his arm.

"Sorry about that, Raf…" Alan started, looking at Tron, "Go on, apologize,"

"I am sorry for not derezzing the cat when I had the chance," Tron said dryly.

"Tron…" Alan warned.

"I'm not saying it, Alan-One,"

"Tron-JA-307020," Alan said sternly and Tron stood ramrod straight.

Beck hissed, "He used his designation…that's not good,"

"Apologize for nearly killing the cat this instant," Alan ordered.

"I am sorry, Rafael," Tron growled through gritted teeth, "The feline was hurting Sam and I thought it best to stop it,"

"And?" Alan said.

"I won't derezz the cat,"

"Now, was that so hard?" Alan asked.

Tron turned his head to the side.

"Yes," he muttered.

"What was that?" Alan started.

"Nothing, Alan-One," Tron answered.

Alan closed an eye but let it go.

"Raf…didn't you say you needed to get to ENCOM?" he asked.

Raf nodded.

"I need to set something up on the server there…and then I need to go Grid side to get that end set up," he said.

"Well, let's go then," Sam said as he walked in, sucking the back of his hand, "Before that cat puts any more holes in me,"

"I've almost got it," Raf announced as he pulled up a final bit of code.

"You never really told us what you're doing," Beck pointed out, watching his User intently as Raf's fingers flew over the keys.

"You'll see when I'm done,"

"He sounds like you," Alan said, shooting a glare at Flynn, who shrugged nonchalantly.

"Don't see any laser around here…do you?" he asked innocently.

"Flynn?" Alan asked.

"Yes?"

"Shut up,"

"Do all Users fight like this?" Beck asked, watching the two bicker back and forth.

"Did Tron and CLU go at it?" Sam queried, and Beck gave a slow nod, "Well, those two are their Users…think about it,"

"Got it!" Raf announced, throwing his hands up and getting out of his seat, "Now we just need to get the other side of the screen…and get that end set up,"

"Set up for what?" Quorra asked as her son took off down the stairs and she gave chase, "Raf!"

"Here we go again!" Jack sighed, running after his youngest friend.

Lora offered to stay on the other side of the screen to watch over Rinzler and to make sure the portal didn't close on them.

As soon as they stepped out onto the Grid though, Beck was tackled.

He put up a struggle until he was pinned to the ground…

"Huh, I thought you fought better than this," Paige's voice stated.

"Good to see you too, Paige," Beck grunted, "Now, let me up,"

She smirked and helped him up…and then socked him in the arm.

"Ow!" Beck whined, "What was that for?!"

"That was for leaving me," she growled and then gave him a light kiss, "And that was for coming back,"

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Beck asked, swaying back and forth dazedly.

"It's a User thing," she shrugged.

Beck grinned.

"I like it,"

"Beck!" two voices yelled.

"Zed! Mara!" Beck called, running up to his friends and the three of them embraced.

"They said you were in the User world…what was it like?" Zed asked.

"I heard there's a bright circle in their sky that outshines the Portal light," Mara gushed, "And that their lightcycles don't run on ribbons of light and…"

"It's all true," Beck smiled, "It's a beautiful place…but…I missed being on the Grid,"

"We missed you too," Mara said, "The Grid misses her Monitors,"

"What do you mean?" Tron asked.

"There's been uprisings since CLU was imprisoned…," Zed explained, "a bunch of CLU loyalists have been tearing apart some of the Grid,"

"We had better fix that then," Tron growled.

"We need to get this set up first," Raf reminded him, "After that then we can hunt down the troublemakers,"

"He has a point," Beck added, looking up at his mentor.

Tron growled under his breath. He didn't like it when trouble was on his Grid.

"Fine," he growled.

"Mr. Flynn?"

Flynn looked up to see Jack walk up.

"Hey, Jack," he greeted, "You can call me Flynn…everyone does,"

"Oh…sorry…uh Flynn," Jack stammered.

"You wanted me?" Flynn asked.

"Yeah…It's just…Tron's kinda gotten the short end of the stick lately," Jack started, scuffing his foot on the smooth black ground of the Grid, "And with all those uprisings…he and Beck can't get to them all,"

"What are you suggesting?" Flynn asked.

Jack took off his Disk and twisted it, revealing a second Disk and handing it to Flynn. Flynn took it with curiosity.

"You know I can't promise it'll work," he said, "Getting crushed by a Recognizer…you don't just survive that,"

"You're the creator of the Grid," Jack pointed out.

Flynn gave a wry smile.

"Give me a few minutes,"

He pulled up the hologram, which was flickering weakly.

"C'mon you scuzzy data be there…" Flynn growled, magnifying the image until he got down to the base code, "Aha!"

He pulled out a flashing red bit of code.

"Just a few more seconds…" Flynn murmured, fiddling with the Disk, "Got it!"

He lay the Disk gently on the ground as white light brimmed in the center.

"Now what?" Jack asked, watching closely.

"We wait,"

(Beginning installation)

He hears it. A whisper, a faint command…. Live.

(Current operating parameters altered from previous systems memory: Restore to function (yes/no))

A pause, a hesitation over further instruction. Should he?

((no))

(Restore memory (yes/no))

((yes))

The whisper turns into song as there is a pull towards something more…something he used to know…

(Initialize new parameters setting (yes/no))

((yes))

And once more function and form fill the void. Function: Protect the Grid, Fight for the Users.

(Install complete: Upload to system (yes/no))

((yes))

The system…his system…calls to him, embracing him in its familiar code. He stretches out sensors, linking his function to it. The system has changed, grown even, but he remembers it all the same; remembers everything.

(Final format check: begin re-boot (yes/no))

((yes))

Code became pixels, pixels became form.

The newborn Program's rezzing was soft and beautiful at the same time. Jack watched in amazement as the Program finished rezzing in and fell to his knees, shaking his masked head. Flynn gave a sad smile as he walked up to the Program and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, man, welcome back," he whispered as the Program's head snapped up, cocking to the side in curiosity, "Yeah, it's me…I've changed a bit since you saw me last huh?"

A slow nod.

Go on," Flynn said to the new Program, "Take off the mask,"

The Program looked to him, almost pleadingly, but Flynn shot him a look that screamed 'do it', and the newcomer sighed, letting the mask disintegrate….

And revealing a face that looked like a younger version of Flynn's…or the mirror image to CLU's.

"Flynn!"

The Program froze as Tron and the others came up. Quorra's hands shot to her mouth, Tron shook his head in disbelief.

The Newcomer's mouth opened, forming Tron's name over and over, but no sound came out.

Tron came closer and embraced the, very surprised, Program. The newcomer slowly embraced the older monitor, tears slipping from his eyes.

When they broke it off, the newcomer turned to Flynn.

"CLU?" he mouthed.

"Still alive," Flynn said and the new Program's eyes darkened angrily, "Now, now, I've got him on a tight leash…he won't be able to hurt you or anyone ever again,"

He didn't look convinced.

Quorra came up and the newcomer's visage brightened slightly.

"Quorra," he mouthed.

She embraced him, "I thought you were dead,"

"He was," Flynn said, "But we brought him back,"

"Ah…so that's what you were working on," came CLU's voice from his cell.

The new Program went ramrod straight, turned towards CLU, and lunged towards him with a blazing Disk, face twisted in a silent snarl. Tron and Beck caught him, holding him back from attempting to smash the glass and strangle CLU.

"Good to see you too, brother," CLU snarked.

A strangled growl emitted from Anon's throat as he lunged again, mouthing 'kill you' over and over again.

"Enough you two," Flynn ordered, coming between the monitor and the admin, "I wrote you both better than that,"

"Didn't count on him trying to kill me, did you Flynn?" CLU growled.

Anon's Disk flared as he started forwards again.

"Why won't he speak?" CLU asked, "Used to be you couldn't get him to shut up,"

"Oath of silence," Flynn said.

"Until when?"

Anon looked around for a second, spotting a spare piece of coding. He brought his Disk down hard on the code and it exploded into pixels. He pointed at CLU and then at the pixels…a deadly smile on his face.

"Oh," CLU said, blinking, "So he stays silent until I'm dead…"

Anon gave a sharp nod.

"Well…at least I get some peace and quiet," CLU muttered while Anon lunged again.

"I said enough," Flynn ordered, grabbing Anon's shoulder.

The silent Monitor's eyes were hard and grim, no child-like spark there.

"I know he did a lot to you and to the others…give him a second chance,"

Anon shook his head vehemently, his icy blue eyes harder than diamonds, then disappearing behind an obsidian mask.

He would keep it on until CLU got what was coming to him.

Flynn turned to Jack.

"Any other great ideas?" he asked sarcastically.

"You know Tron was a lot happier when he saw Anon," Jack said, "I know one other that would end up better than Anon,"

"Who?" Flynn asked.

"We'll need Lora,"

The Users had left the Grid after a few tearful goodbyes. Tron watched as Anon and Beck sparred against one another.

Anon grabbed Beck's ankle and flipped him.

"Ow!" Beck yelped, "Ok! I give!"

Anon smirked behind his mask and helped Beck up to his feet.

"Focus Beck," Tron told him, "Keep your thoughts away from that date with Paige,"

"I wasn't thinking about Paige!" Beck lied, looking around.

Anon shook his head.

"You're not helping!" Beck snapped and Anon's shoulders shook with silent laughter.

"I hate to interrupt," a female voice started and the Monitors all froze, "But I'm looking for an old friend,"

Tron turned around, face pale and shaking as he saw a ghost from his past.

A tall, blond female Program stood in the doorway, her blue eyes locked right on Tron. The eldest Monitor hadn't moved since she came in.

"Let's give them some privacy," Beck suggested, tapping Anon's shoulder.

The voluntarily mute Program nodded and he and Beck started out. Anon patted Tron's shoulder in a 'go get 'er' way and Tron shot him a glare. The mute then went to the female Program and gave her a short embrace before following his fellow Trainee out the door.

"Hello, Tron," the female Program said.

"Yori…" he breathed.

"It's been a while," Yori continued, grabbing her arm.

"Yori…"

The female Program looked up at him.

"Is that all you can say?" she asked with a smile.

Tron didn't move so Yori walked up to him, placing a hand on his cheek. He shied away from her touch but Yori didn't give up.

"You've taken it too hard, Tron," she whispered, "I forgive you, you know. You weren't yourself…but you fought to get free,"

"I wasn't strong enough," he muttered, turning his head away, "I should have been,"

She put a finger to his lips, shushing him.

"I don't want to hear it," she told him, "Yes, what CLU did to you was horrible… And what he forced you to do was even worse… But that was not your fault…it was his. So stop even trying to put the weight of the entire Grid on your shoulders. You don't have to bear that burden alone anymore,"

She gently kissed his cheek.

"You have me, and you have your two apprentices to help you," she said, "I forgive you,"

Tron gave a shuddering breath and he embraced Yori, and for the first time since he got control of himself again…

The Protector cried.

I felt so bad for torturing Tron like that, killing off Yori and losing his best apprentice (other than Beck) both to CLU...and with Anon...who can blame the poor Program for wanting to derezz CLU? After what he did to him...No, CLU won't be derezzed, not yet (if ever). Anon eventually will talk and bring down his mask but it'll be a while. As for Tron and Yori...well...I think you can picture what's going to happen with those two.

Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)

Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)

Máriessë ar mára tecië

Farewell and fair writing

Elhini Prime signing off.