I AM SO SORRY I DIDN'T UPDATE YESTERDAY LIKE I PROMISED! Blame it on Grad party clean up. Anyway, here's my first writing as a college freshman. I present Scars: Part Two.
Key:
"adfasdfa" -Grid announcement
"asdfadfa"- Monitor's Sensing (Grid's voice to Her Monitors)
"adfasdfas" - thoughts/announcements/memories
I do not own any of the Tron franchise, much as I want to.
Chapter 29
Scars (Part Two)
Beck groaned as he opened his eyes. His aching chest! What happened!? He looked around him and saw his Disk lying on the ground, split in half and glowing dimly with blued code.
And it all came back to him.
Figuring out that Tron was going to kill Dyson, confronting him about it, and…
"That virus shocked me!" Beck realized as he looked down at his chest, seeing the shock grenade.
He grunted as he attempted to stand, staggering over to his Disk and grabbing it before heading to the window just in time to see a lightcycle racing towards the city.
"Where are you going, Tron?" Beck whispered.
"We didn't ask your permission,"
Beck frowned as that blurred memory came in.
'We'? Who was 'we'? It was just Tron…right?
He shook it off, chalking it up to his processor trying to reset after the shock.
Whatever the case…he needed to stop Tron before he killed Dyson.
01010011 01100011 01100001 01110010 01110011
Rinzler shot over the Outlands' plain, racing towards Argon, his white circuits and amber gaze gleaming in the half-light. Both he and his lighter half had decided to work together on this one…and since all Dyson would see is the mask, it would be best if Tron held sway over the circuit color.
I'm just doing this for Beck, not you.
Rinzler rolled his eyes. Of course, the great Tron didn't derezz unless he had to. Whereas Rinzler…well…he would admit, he loved the sound of voxels crunching under his feet.
And this is why I don't like you.
"Touché, Monitor, touché," Rinzler growled to himself…
Right as something rammed into him.
Rinzler gave an involuntary, spitting, feral hiss and then realized who had hit him.
"Our son is persistent, that's for sure,"
Dogged and relentless. Gets it from his mother…and me.
"And me,"
You're the invader, you don't count. You just assimilated my code. Everything you are, you got from me first.
Rinzler didn't have a comeback for that one. He didn't even get time to think of one as Beck slammed into him again.
The boy was riding his friend…Zed's…bike, well, not totally Zed's bike. Not anymore. Beck had gotten frustrated with how long the overdrive feature took to recharge so he took the liberty of upgrading it.
"Zed won't mind, I mean, he'll notice when I give it back…"
"You mean if you give it back,"
"What can I say? It's fast. I like fast bikes…and cars…and jets…"
"I've noticed,"
Rinzler shook off the memory and activated his lightribbon, trying to cut Beck off, but the boy had learned and was adapting to the technique just like he had been shown.
"C'mon, Tron!" Beck yelled, getting beside him, "This isn't you!"
"No, it is me," Rinzler thought wryly as Beck activated his own lightribbon and shot forwards with the overdrive before looping back, cutting Rinzler off.
The Enforcer, turned hard, shooting forwards, vying for the lead with his son before Beck suddenly enclosed Rinzler with the ribbon.
Tron immediately took control, derezzing the bike and rolling before springing upwards over the walls and rerezzing the bike, hitting the ground and shooting back towards Argon.
"Stop following us, Beck," Tron thought, "You're going to get yourself hurt!"
Beck, however, did not listen and slammed into him again.
"Enough!" Beck snapped and Tron's blue eyes flicked to him sadly before burning amber and ramming back into Beck.
Beck gave a threatening snarl and slammed into him.
"ENOUGH!"
Rinzler growled back at him and looked up at a large bit of scrap metal that was looming before them. Beck gasped, jerking his bike to the side as Tron knocked his bike down on the side and slid underneath the metal, snatching a piece of it as he slid underneath.
He had to stop Beck…he could get hurt…
"Nicely done," Rinzler approved as they slid out from the metal and Tron tipped the bike upright.
"I'm only doing it so he doesn't get hurt," Tron muttered, eyes dim.
They raced towards the gorge and Tron looked at Beck.
"I'm sorry," he said softly and he rammed into Beck, making the boy gasp in surprise as Tron hefted the long, slender bit of metal.
"NO!"
But Tron ignored the voice of the Grid…and jammed the makeshift spear into the spokes of Beck's lightcycles' wheel.
Beck gave a shocked yell as the bike began to wobble, flickering under his body as it transformed back into its baton form, sending Beck tumbling and sprawling towards the edge of the cliff right as Tron ramped over the rock and landed safely on the other side.
He stopped, making sure that Beck didn't go off the edge. He heard Beck screaming in fear as he scrabbled for a hold. His fingertips dug in right as he reached the edge, his head and shoulders sticking out over the precipice.
"He's safe now," Tron sighed in relief before closing his eyes and giving a short growl of pain as his scars flared and Rinzler reasserted himself.
Rinzler's amber gaze turned from the boy back towards Argon.
"And soon…Dyson won't be," he growled, racing off, his circuits flashing red as he went.
Neither Protector nor Enforcer noticed the tracking device Beck had placed on the front of the Monitor's lightcycle.
01010011 01100011 01100001 01110010 01110011
Able had watched Beck go earlier that morning, he didn't know where Beck was going, so he decided he'd keep a lookout for the boy.
He had noticed that the Portal's light, which had been gone for about 52 cycles, had lit up again. Tron had told him the significance of it and Able had counted Beck's disappearance as his way of celebrating his rezz-day.
What Able hadn't counted on, was seeing two lightcycles tearing from Tron's stronghold. He identified one as Tron's…but the other he hadn't seen before. It then occurred to him that it had to be Tron's apprentice, the Renegade.
He frowned as the Renegade's bike slammed repeatedly into Tron's, like he was trying to knock him off balance…or stop him…
Able pulled up the telescope on his window screen, zooming in on mentor and apprentice as they continued to battle on the bikes. He saw the Renegade veer out of the way of a large pile of scrap metal while Tron slid under it, saw Tron ram into his apprentice and throw a piece of metal in the rear wheel, making the bike derezz underneath the Monitor-in-training, saw Tron ramp over the canyon while his apprentice skidded to the side, helmet derezzing and revealing dark, red-brown hair as Tron shot off.
He noticed that Tron's bike's circuits flickered scarlet not too long after he continued towards Argon.
"Oh Users…no…he's lost control…" Able breathed as he watched Rinzler shoot towards Argon.
He turned the telescope back towards the Renegade as he stood, revealing familiar circuits and steely blue eyes…
"Beck!?" Able sputtered.
"Yes!" Bit chirped, zipping to Able's side.
Able turned to look at it, watching as it continued to light up bright yellow as it continuously chirped 'Yes'. Ever since Able had brought Beck to the Garage, Bit had been crazy about the Child Basic, when it wasn't in Able's office, more than likely, it was around Beck.
The older Program sighed.
He should have known the Renegade was Beck. He really should have. The Child Basic was growing to be more and more like his father with every passing cycle. He should have seen that Beck, furious and grieving, was the one who blew up Clu's statue…he had even accused the boy of doing it but didn't press the matter. Beck didn't stand injustice, he would go after the wrongdoer and make them pay for their crimes. He should have known that the father and son would eventually find each other.
And Tron knew.
But did Beck?
Able shook his head.
No, Beck couldn't have known. He would have spent every waking moment with his father, possibly even quitting his job just to be with him. Or he would have quit that very moment, angry that Tron never told him.
Both seemed very likely.
But Able's bigger question was:
What was it that had Tron so upset that he lost control of Rinzler and nearly had Beck killed?
01010011 01100011 01100001 01110010 01110011
Tron snuck across the beams of the energy plant, his white shod boots not making any sound as he made his way. He jumped down agilely to the floor, knees bent to absorb the shock as he padded forwards. He took out four incendiary bombs and placed them on a tanker…then a better idea struck him and he rearranged the bombs into a vague tetramino.
Nice touch, Rinzler purred happily, Dyson will surely come to investigate.
Tron didn't say anything. He heard voices.
One belonging to that female commander that Beck had told him about…the other…
His circuits surged with anger, tinging red as he heard it.
"Dyson," both Tron and Rinzler hissed.
Tron went to the controls on the side of a tank and played around with them, making the coolant release and making a thick, heavy fog roll over the floor.
"Warning: Coolant Failure. Overload imminent."
"And now to wait," the Monitor murmured, jumping upwards and climbing up one of the tankers.
He jumped onto a platform as he got close enough, his ankle twisted out from under him and sent him sprawling with a groan of pain. He got up to his feet, gripping the railing just in time to watch Dyson start hunting him.
A low growl escaped Tron's throat and…
I woke up just to feel pain searing across my chest. What…? I looked down and saw the ragged gashes marring my frame and the last millicycle came back to me.
Clu betraying us, Flynn running, Dyson betraying me, Anon fighting for me…Anon losing his voice, Clu's Disk driving into my chest…
Bitter code rose in my throat and I coughed, spitting out tiny flecks of sapphire code. I tried to stand, feeling smooth, wet walls of glass around me as my hands left prints. I quickly scanned around me…I was enclosed. Oh Users…no…I'm trapped, I'm trapped…
I had a hard time breathing as my core constricted and I scratched and pounded at the glass.
Let me out! LET ME OUT!
I threw myself at the glass and yelled in pain as it irritated my wounds.
Warnings flitted through me, telling me I was wounded…low on energy…
And as much as I hated to admit it…
Defenseless.
"Calm down, Tron," I told myself, "You're not going to get out of here if you panic…"
But I was confined. I hated that feeling. Hated being trapped, hated being stuck somewhere where I couldn't breathe. Flynn said I was…what was it called again? Clawstraphobic? I shook my head. It didn't matter. What mattered, was that I was stuck and I wanted out.
I saw a dark shape on the other side of my prison and I wiped the glass clear of water…I blinked as I saw the shape.
"Reeve?" I breathed.
No answer…but the figure with his head bowed was him!
"REEVE!" I yelled, looking around and trying to figure out how to escape, "Hang tight until I can figure a way out of here!"
He didn't respond…what was going on…?
And why was his Disk suspended above his…oh Users…no…NO!
"Executing Repurposing Protocol."
Reeve lifted his head, his hands reaching for his Disk but not grasping it…like he was calling to his User…
"Stand by for code extraction."
"REEVE!" I roared, ramming against the tube bit crying out as my wounds flared.
I saw pale, light blue code streaming from his forehead, spiraling through his Disk…right as a cold, fiery orange-red stream spiraled back through it, plunging into my friend's forehead…
And turning his circuits a harsh red-orange color.
"No…" I breathed, pounding on the glass, "NO!"
I looked around, seeing more and more Programs under my command undergoing the same procedure.
Hayden, Nike…no…oh Users no…
I sank to my knees.
"Dyson…" I wept, "What have you done!?"
I heard a sound above me and I stubbornly remained on the ground.
If they were going to do whatever they were doing to my Programs, they were going to take me kicking and screaming.
I didn't get that choice.
Something grabbed me by the Disk dock and yanked me upwards. I reopened my eyes as the transport finished, shackling me to a table of some sorts.
I looked up just to see a red-orange circuited, masked, Program saunter up. My eyes narrowed, I didn't need to see his face to know who it was.
"Hello," Dyson purred, derezzing his helmet, "Old Friend,"
Tron came back to the present, breathing heavily as his arms shook.
Let me take over, Rinzler's voice said…surprisingly gentle…rest, I'll get it from here.
And with as little pain as possible, the shift happened and Rinzler straightened as he heard footsteps behind him.
"Son, Monitor, your son, Tron's son, don't hurt him,"
"You found me," Rinzler deadpanned, his red-amber eyes not leaving where he last saw Dyson, "I guess I should congratulate you,"
"I was trained by the best," Beck replied, jumping down from a higher platform, landing in a perfect three point landing and making Rinzler's core swell with pride.
That was his move. Not Tron's. His.
Rinzler turned, coming face to face with the same steely blue gaze that matched Tron's.
Beck looked slightly unnerved by the red-amber gaze, but relaxed just a bit when Tron resurfaced just enough to change the eye color back to blue.
"You being here doesn't change anything," Rinzler growled, "We're still going to finish what we came to do,"
If Beck noticed the slip up in Rinzler's words, he didn't show it.
"And I'll still stop you," Beck replied stubbornly, walking forwards, "Come with me…we can get Dyson's Disk the right way. Without derezzing him,"
Rinzler looked at his son, eyes pained. He couldn't let Dyson get away. Not again.
"Please," Beck begged, steel blue eyes pleading.
Rinzler took a few steps forwards…and kicked Beck in the chest.
Beck yelped and fell backwards, catching the railing just before he could fall to the side.
"I'm sorry, Beck," Rinzler thought, as Beck's eyes shifted color, much like Rinzler's did…
And burned fiery red-amber as he charged.
Rinzler kneed his son in the gut, dodging as Beck swung at him, catching his arm and twisting him around. Beck somehow managed to get out of the hold and Rinzler shot forwards, grabbing the boy around the waist and hoisting him high, eliciting a yelp from Beck, before ramming him into the railing, cuffing him and taking his Disk in one move. Beck kicked Rinzler off of him, sending him staggering.
And Rinzler activated Beck's Disk.
Beck's eyes faded back to iron-brown as he realized what Rinzler had done.
"My Disk!" Beck gasped, lunging forwards and nearly flipping himself as he yanked on the cuffs.
"The cuffs work on a timer," Rinzler explained, hurling Beck's Disk into a support beam, "By the time they unlock, Dyson will be dead,"
And he turned on his heel, jumping over the nearest railing and climbing up the tank.
"TRON!" Beck yelled, "DON'T END THE REVOLUTION BEFORE IT HAS A CHANCE TO START!"
"Tron's not here at the moment," Rinzler purred darkly as he was out of earshot, "You might want to leave a message,"
Alarms blared as he climbed, the Grid was sending faint tremors running through him. He hadn't really felt it before, many of Tron's abilities as a Monitor had been muted when Rinzler had been created.
"Danger. Pressure level: Critical. Prepare to evacuate."
Rinzler ignored it, he kept going and was about to drop to the ground when Tron took control and yanked him back.
"Danger. Please evacuate immediately."
What was that for!?
Tron looked towards the stairs where Dyson was starting to come down them while the coolant stopped leaking. He could hear his son straining to break free of the cuffs…but Rinzler had made them tight.
"You can't Sense. I'm your best choice for the moment," Tron replied tiredly.
Rinzler's code shifted, brooding…and suddenly the room turned into a hallway bathed in amber and orange.
I stood there, waiting patiently as Clu brought the other Program into the room next to the one I was in.
[Come] Clu pinged and I obeyed, stalking into the darkened room, seeing the flicker of orange circuits [Attack].
I lunged forwards, Disks flashing out. The Program in front of me yelped, dodging backwards, unsheathing his own Disk and settling into a ready position. The lights flickered on and I immediately took in the situation. Stance: Weak, right side vision slightly impaired…
Not a worthy opponent.
[Stand down]
I put my Disks together and reattached them to my back, waiting obediently as Clu came up beside me.
"Dyson, I want you to meet your superior," Clu said, patting my shoulder, "I want you to meet Rinzler,"
"I'd feel much more confident about him if I saw who I was fighting under," Dyson pointed out.
My sound grated out louder than before in indignity. I never took off my helmet, it was against what Clu had ordered.
Clu gave a laugh and took his hand off my shoulder.
"He has a very recognizable face," Clu stated, "anyone who sees him…well, they won't forget him,"
This seemed to satisfy Dyson. But something else seemed to bother him.
"Does he always do that?" he asked, shooting me a look.
What in the Grid is he talking about?
Clu looked at me and shrugged.
"It suits him," he answered, "You get used to it."
"One would hope," Dyson replied dryly, "Can he speak?"
Clu gave a bark of laughter.
"He doesn't need to…he makes his point quite clear…don't you Rinzler?"
My head snapped up at the mention of my designation and Clu gave a bright grin before turning to Dyson.
"You said you wanted to see his face?"
Dyson gave a nod and Clu turned back to me.
"Rinzler, derezz your mask,"
I hesitated. But he had told me not to bring it down! Was this a test? Had to be…right?
I tilted my head to the side and Clu frowned.
"Derezz your helmet,"
I didn't move.
"Answer your leader!" Dyson snapped, laying a hand on me.
Wrong. Move.
Immediately, I whipped out my Disks, lunging forwards and pinning Dyson to the floor, one Disk thrown up, my left Disk, the other pinned at his throat.
Dyson twisted, managing to get out of my pin with only a faint scrape across his throat. He glared darkly at me.
"One Disk, cheater," he ordered.
I don't take orders from subordinates. I looked to Clu, whose face was dark, and he nodded once.
I reconnected my Disks, placing them in my left hand where they felt most comfortable…and I attacked Dyson again, not giving him time to activate his own Disk. I pinned him easily and I looked towards Clu.
Please let me derezz him, he's already irritating me.
"Stand down, Rinzler," Clu ordered and I obediently got off Dyson's chest, Disks deactivating.
Dyson got back up.
"He's left handed?" he asked, "That's…rare,"
Clu turned to me.
"Derezz your helmet, Rinzler,"
I hesitated once again, but the look my master was giving me forced all thoughts of rebellion out of my processor.
I put the mental command in and I felt the ebon glass shell collapse around my face.
Dyson gave a gasp of shock and he stepped backwards, looking like he had seen a ghost.
I watched him carefully. Something wasn't right.
"Tron?" he whispered.
Tron? Tron was dead, Clu killed the traitor a long time ago.
"Clu, what did you…?"
"Repurposed him," Clu replied, "Made him, perfect,"
"But his scars…"
"Keeps the little irritance at bay when…"
I shook my head as a buzzing sound built up in my ears while pain flared between my eyes and in my throat. My sound rumbled darkly through the air and my Disks' activated as I looked at…the traitors…no…not right…what…?
"Oh no you don't," Clu growled, snatching my Disks from my hand, "Not today, Tron,"
I held my head with a hand, what was going on? Why did this hurt…
Clu walked around behind me and snapped my Disks to my back and the pain ceased.
"Seems a little imperfect if you ask me," Dyson stated.
"With time, that little detail won't be a problem," Clu said, waving a hand, "Right, Rinzler?"
I gave a long, low purr along with a slight nod.
"I hate your memories," Tron growled, shaking his head as the warm-tinted room cooled into the energy plant's blue light.
He punished me that night because you almost escaped…and the fact that I humiliated him before Dyson.
"Why does that not surprise me," Tron replied dryly.
"Renegade…" Dyson called, "I know you're here! Why don't you come out? You see me, I'm not hiding…"
Who said anything about hiding!?
"Hush, you," Tron growled, "I'm trying to concen…"
He gave a low groan as the scar that raked across his eye grew…and blacked out some of his vision.
Great, just great, that had to come in now didn't it? Rinzler sneered.
"I can still fight," Tron reassured him, blinking as the steel blue of his left eye dimmed to a milky grey, "I rely more on what She tells me anyway than sight,"
Dyson gave a laugh, making the half blind Monitor look back at his enemy.
"So you've managed to trick a meager few into believing you're Tron," Dyson snorted.
He knelt down and Tron saw his own ghostly white footprints lighting up and leading the way to his trap.
He felt the feral glee of Rinzler's fluttering in his chest, shifting free and he allowed himself a small smile. Dyson was falling right into the trap.
"We both know that's a lie," Dyson continued, looking up and spotting the bombs' pale light, "You're just playing dress up..."
He started to run towards the bombs while Rinzler gave a dark laugh, perched on the top of a tanker like some giant, red-circuited, glowing white bird of prey.
"Wearing a dead Program's…" he spotted the explosives and started backpedalling, "emblem…!"
And the bombs went off, rocking the plant, and knocking Rinzler off his perch.
He hit the ground with enough shock to make him momentarily black out…
I didn't scream as Dyson poked around my wounds, making them deeper, viral. He looked like he was enjoying it. Sick twisted virus was almost as bad as Clu.
But I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of hearing me say anything.
He finally pulled away, dragging the scalpel through a particularly sore wound and I gave a small groan of pain as the table lifted me upright.
"You haven't said a word!" Dyson chuckled, "I'm starting to think you don't like me anymore,"
"What have you done…to them…" I demanded weakly.
"Who?" Dyson asked innocently and then understanding flickered over him as I glared at him, "Oh our team. Um…it's just Clu's latest project…he calls it uh…'Repurposing',"
I shuddered. Flynn had told me that he would never do that to a Program, it took everything away from them, sometimes even their own name. He had said derezzment was better than Repurposing.
"How many have you repurposed?" I growled.
"Oh under your command? Everyone," Dyson hummed, "You are Flynn's last soldier, old friend."
"Where's Anonymous,"
"Anonymous? Oh, you mean the Mute?" Dyson shot me a wicked grin and I knew what was coming, "Derezzed, oh he might have took out Abraxas…but even that upgrade Flynn gave him didn't save the Monitor,"
"How…"
"Crushed," Dyson replied, "By a Recognizer. He sabotaged the Regulator, and well…I guess all his troublemaking caught up with him in the end. A good thing Clu took out his voice…he was such a motormouth…and a troublemaker,"
I growled, fists clenching.
And Dyson kept going, seeing how angry I was.
"And Flynn is gone too," he added, "Clu caught him outside the city…it was a very messy death, I can assure you. Users don't crumble like Programs do…and that female Program…what was her name? Nori? Rori?"
My core froze and I started shaking.
"Yori…" I whispered.
"Ah, yes, her," Dyson smirked, "Well…let's just say…she was quite the beautiful flower…very exciting to have around. Her circuits turn the most lovely shade of violet."
He touched her!? That glitch touched my Yori? Wait…Was…he said was…oh Users, not Yori!
He smirked as he saw the horror etched on my face and he nodded.
I gave a roar of pain and rage as I strained against my bonds, circuits blindingly bright. I would kill Dyson. That was a promise! He was a dead traitor!
He killed her. He killed my Yori!
"If I'm next than get it over with already!" I hissed.
The faster he gets me out of here…the faster I can tear his body to pieces!
"No, repurposing is crude," Dyson hummed, turning back to his little table, "Leaves little of the personality intact. I'd rather you join Clu willingly,"
"NEVER!" I snarled.
"ARE YOU BLIND!?" Dyson demanded, putting a spinning blade close to my face, "By overthrowing Flynn, Clu will bring order to the Grid! Only through perfection can all Programs be truly liberated!"
I glared at him, eyes hard.
"You're delusional Dyson," I spat, "Clu didn't improve your face…he made you harder to look at!"
Dyson gave a sigh.
"I didn't want to do this, but you've forced my hand," he said, grabbing my hair and yanking my head upwards, "I am going to show you what its like…to be imperfect…"
And he drove the blade into my neck, making me howl in pain as he slowly and painfully dragged it upwards, making it slash across my cheek.
"Give in, Tron,"
"NO!"
He growled, driving it through my eye and making me blind in that eye. The Grid shook in front of me, something only I could feel.
"It's only going to get worse…"
"Derezz me then!" I roared, "I will never join the virus that betrayed his Creator! Made his brother mute! KILLED THEM BOTH!"
He continued on, so that the wound, if it ever healed, would leave a jagged scar all the way up to the right side of my forehead.
"Do you give in?" he asked softly.
I looked up at him, opening my mouth as if to speak. He came close to hear what I was going to say…
And I spat bleeding code in his face.
"You'll have to kill me," I growled, "You killed Flynn, you killed Anon, you killed Yori. What should convince me that you won't kill me too?"
His dark eyes flared a brief red before he stalked off, wiping the code that spattered across his hands and his face off as he came to the door.
"Take him to the throne ship," he ordered the Guards as they came in.
I bowed my head. I was alone.
I felt a gentle hand carefully lift my head and I saw the dark gaze of one of the Guards widen in shock as he gasped.
"You heard Dyson," the other growled, "Get him to the ship,"
The other Guard bowed his head as his fellow unlatched the table from the floor and pushed it through the halls…
And I crashed.
"He. Dies. Now," Rinzler snarled and Tron agreed.
The Monitor got up and stalked towards the panting Dyson…and Rinzler let Tron have at it.
Tron grabbed Dyson's hair, his steel-blue eyes harder than diamonds as he forced the traitor to look up at him. Dyson just managed to get his helmet rezzed when Tron hit him hard in the head, knocking the traitor backwards.
He raced forwards, not giving Dyson the chance to catch his breath. He swung, fist connecting with Dyson's head once again, swinging around and kicking him in the shoulder, sending Dyson stumbling.
Dyson got his bearings and shot forwards, swinging his own fist and catching Tron in the midsection, sending him stumbling back as Dyson advanced, swinging.
Tron dodged out of the way, flowing into a strong blow that connected with Dyson's jaw and sent him flying. Tron charged forwards but Dyson shoved him away.
"Above!"
Tron ducked, letting Dyson's fist hit nothing but open air.
The Protector raised himself on his hands, sending his feet spinning around and crashing into Dyson before pushing upright and unsheathing the twin Disks on his back, hurling them as a single unit towards Dyson. Dyson quickly unsheathed his own Disk and blocked the throw, deflecting it towards the ceiling. Tron recalled the Disk with old skill, making it halt midair and continue its original flight back towards his hand, nearly decapitating Dyson in the process.
But Dyson dodged and Tron snatched the Disk from the air, its familiar warmth smacking into his left palm. He ducked as Dyson's Disk's cord swung over him, crackling with amber light.
Suddenly the Monitor's good eye flared amber as Rinzler joined. Tron was blind, but he didn't need to see to know where Dyson was coming from.
Dyson came at him, swinging the cord around and getting momentum before slashing at Tron, the Disk's deadly edge sending fog swirling up from the floor in a makeshift smokescreen. Dyson recalled the Disk and hurled again, Tron deflected it, jumping over the Disk as Dyson sent a low blow…
"Behind!"
But it was too late, Dyson's Disk cracked into Tron's Disk dock, making the Monitor yell in pain as he went down. Dyson ran over and flipped Tron over, derezzing his mask.
"Show yourself, Renegade!" he ordered, "I'd like to see you before you're cubes!"
Tron said nothing, he saw his Disks laying just out of reach…but if he could get Dyson to shift his weight just a little…
"C'mon Renegade!" Dyson sneered, "Tron wouldn't have given up this easily!"
"Haven't you noticed?" Rinzler growled mentally, "I'm not Tron,"
He shifted his weight slightly and Rinzler struck, slapping Dyson's Disk away and wrapping his legs around Dyson's neck, throwing him off of Rinzler's chest as the latter leaped up, diving for his Disks and charging, slashing as he went. Dyson slashed at Rinzler, but Rinzler leaped over the Disk in a short hop, making sure Dyson didn't have the opportunity to hit him in the dock again. He leaped upwards, flipping over Dyson's head and landing gracefully on the other side. He leaped forwards, kicking Dyson in the chest with both feet and sending Dyson stumbling back. Dyson ran, flinging his Disk at the Monitor, but Tron slid to his knees as he ran, the Disk flying over his head…
He tracked it, watching as the world slowed down and he thrust his right arm through the inner ring, his left arm raising up and slashing through the cord with his own Disks. He flipped Dyson's Disk off his arm into his right palm as he got up, kicking Dyson in the face and knocking the traitor flat.
Dyson struggled to get up…but he fell back to the floor in horror.
Because Tron had derezzed his mask, letting Dyson see his badly scarred face.
"No…" Dyson breathed, eyes wide as he scooted back, "No it's not possible! I watched you die!"
"You watched me die?" Rinzler asked, eyes flashing blue as Tron finished, "I'll watch you die!"
The Monitor stalked forwards, the three Disks humming dangerously in his hands.
"You may have escaped…" Dyson started, "But it's not much of a life is it Tron? Or are you still Rinzler?"
Both the Monitor's dark and light halves snarled angrily, eyes flaring steel-blue and red-amber.
"L-Let me guess?" Dyson continued, still edging backwards, "You live in a cave, feeding from your own energy source…Normal Programs just get tired without energy…but not you. You'll die without it! That was my gift! A modification I added to your code…as a safeguard!"
He managed to stand, still edging backwards from the furious Program that continued to stalk towards him.
"I can fix you!" Dyson offered, trying to plead for his life, "Make you perfect again! If you join us! Join Clu!"
"Not. Going. To. Happen," Tron thought bitterly, aiming it both at Dyson and at Rinzler.
Not planning on it, Rinzler growled, Means working with him and leaving Beck.
The Enforcer got control and voiced his opinion.
"We'd rather stay like this forever than be the puppet of a tyrant!" Rinzler snarled.
Dyson caught the slip up and his eyes widened, looking at the red-amber eye and the milky steel-blue eye.
"You're still in there…" he murmured, "Aren't you Rinzler?"
Rinzler gave a code freezing snarl as he batted away Dyson's hand with the traitor's Disk as Dyson backed up against a wall. Realizing he had nowhere to go, Dyson gave a cry of rage, lunging forwards, but Rinzler flipped him over his shoulder sending him crashing to the floor.
Tron grabbed Dyson's armor and lifted him high, his Disks blazing and ready to strike…
"No…Tron…"
The Protector's blue eyes widened and the slid to right over Dyson's shoulder…
Just to see Beck's terrified face, steel blue eyes wide and tearful.
"Don't end the revolution before it has a chance to start!"
Tron shook subtly and he remembered the first one to say it.
I felt the cold wind blowing in my face, the snow stinging my newest wound. The Recognizer Dyson had me in was crashing…and there was nothing I could do.
I hung my head. At least I will be with Yori, Flynn, Anon, and the ISOs that I failed to protect.
Suddenly, I felt my shackles click open and my Disk fell out of the hold that Dyson locked it in. I began to fall…I couldn't catch myself…
Gentle hands caught me and I looked up just to see the guard that had felt pity for me earlier.
"W-Who are you?" I stuttered.
"The name's Cyrus," the Guard, Cyrus, said, "I'm a friend,"
"You…You work for Dyson…for Clu!" I slurred, bleeding code dripping from between my lips.
Cyrus shook his head.
"Not anymore," he replied before turning his head towards the open window, "Now jump!"
I felt his hands grab me around the chest and he pushed off out of the Recognizer, opening the chute as we drifted down.
We landed and Cyrus started pulling me towards a cave, setting me against the wall.
"Hey, stay with me," Cyrus ordered gently as my circuits dimmed, "That's it…you're going to be alright,"
"You did this…why?" I asked.
"Well…I can't let your Revolution end…before it has a chance to start…"
The words rang in Tron's ears as he held his son's gaze. He…couldn't do it. Not in front of Beck.
Not in front of his only son.
He deactivated the Disks and dropped Dyson to the ground.
"You're only alive for one reason," Tron told him, "To deliver a message,"
And he walked off.
01010011 01100011 01100001 01110010 01110011
Beck leaned against the wall, watching over his father as Tron's scars healed over. After this…he was going to be glad to get back home.
Tron stepped out of the healing chamber, rubbing his wrist, eyes downcast.
"It was never about getting Dyson's Disk…was it?" Beck asked, coming closer to his father.
Tron looked up, a sad smile on his face.
"No," he sighed, "We both know what I was looking for,"
He started walking forwards and put a hand on his son's shoulder.
"But you helped me find my way," Tron continued with a faint smile, "I owe you thanks,"
He patted Beck's shoulder.
"And…an apology,"
Beck shot him a roguish grin as Tron started off again.
"So…does that mean I get time off?" Beck asked, grinning.
Tron laughed.
"What do you think?" he asked.
01010011 01100011 01100001 01110010 01110011
Dyson came into the throne room, still shaking from his encounter. He stopped and looked at Clu, who had his back turned to him.
"I've just returned from Argon," Dyson announced, "With a message from old friends,"
He saw Clu's gold tinted blue gaze turn towards him slightly.
"I saw them…with my own eyes," Dyson continued slowly, "Tron…and Rinzler…live,"
He saw Clu stiffen, his hand slowly going to his arm where an old scar from a Lightjet accident still remained.
"Interesting…" the dictator murmured, "Who else…knows about this?"
Dyson shot at look at the Guard, who started to back away. But the Guard didn't move fast enough as Dyson slashed his throat.
"Nobody," Dyson replied innocently, "Only us,"
Clu's gold rimmed blue eyes flickered.
"Good," he nodded, "Let's keep it that way,"
And the brilliant white star that was the Portal, flickered out.
So Able figured it out that Beck is the Renegade, Dyson figured out that Tron and Rinzler are still together and alive, and Clu finds out that the Program who rammed him with a lightjet is still alive. All the fun we're going to have aren't we? Next up is Grounded...and we all know how Beck loves being grounded (note sarcasm)
Anyway, I hope you liked it, if you did, please let me know!
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.
