Ok, so maybe I lied just a little bit when I said that last one would be the last chapter for a while. Here's chapter 43.
I do not own any of the Tron franchise, much as I want to.
Key:
"adfasdfa" -Grid announcement
"adfasdfa" -Monitor's Sensing (Grid's voice to Her Monitors)
"adfasdfa"-thoughts/announcements/memories
Chapter 43
Tron City
"We need to move quickly," Tron said as the boys looked wide eyed at the towering skyscrapers of Tron City.
It was so much bigger than Argon.
"This was your home city," Kevin reasoned.
Tron gave a short nod.
"I know every inch of this city…and I know of two places we could hide. Three if you count one in the Outlands,"
"And they are?" Beck asked, keeping his hand on Tron's shoulder and keeping the virus at bay with his touch.
"One is the apartment where Yori and I once lived," Tron started, "The one in the Outlands is most certainly abandoned…it was Flynn's refuge after the Coup,"
"And the other one in the city?" Kevin asked.
"My tower," Tron said, "And it it likely that that is where we will stay. No one goes there anymore,"
"Why?"
Tron gave him a knowing smirk and started off.
"You'll see," he stated.
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After a few near brushes with Black Guards, the trio made it to the security tower. Tron explained its history as they had walked, saying that it was where he trained his soldiers and where he and Anon sharpened their skills against each other and against Clu.
"Of course, this was before the Games turned lethal," Tron finished as he and Beck dug their Disks into the doorframe and melted the hinges just enough that they opened without a squeal, "After that…Clu was a dictator, Anon was dead and I…I was worse than dead if you ask me,"
"Gee, makes me want to hug my uncle even more," Kevin deadpanned.
"Clu would derezz you without batting an eye," Tron reminded him, "Seeing you would either frighten him or make him angry beyond imagining,"
"We can take 'im," Kevin replied confidently as they all three went inside.
"It took your father, mother, grandfather and I combined to bring him down the first time," Tron deadpanned as he and Beck shut the door, "I don't think you will do much, Kevin,"
The Monitor looked up at the high spire of the ceiling and then looked around.
"This looks like a good enough place to rest," he stated, "You two go ahead and rest, I'll take first watch,"
"You stick by me," Beck ordered, "Don't want you accidently slipping again and trying to derezz us both,"
Tron gave a sad smile and placed his hand on Beck's shoulder.
"I'll stay close,"
"Hey, Uncle?" Kevin started, "You said Programs don't come here anymore…why?"
"Oh that's just an old story," Tron dismissed, "Some Programs think the tower's haunted,"
"Why?" Beck asked, "Who by?"
Tron gave a low laugh.
"They think it's haunted by me," he chuckled, "Or rather, my ghost,"
"But you've been in Argon…" Beck started, "What's been in here to make people think it's haunted?"
"Oh probably nothing…maybe a few Gridbugs…"
"Gridbugs?" Beck squeaked before clearing his throat, "You're not s-serious a-are you?"
Tron gave a soft, wry smile.
"You're afraid of Gridbugs,"
"I don't like the way they move," Beck growled, "I'm not the only one…"
"But you're the only one to drop a Lightjet on one," Kevin snickered, "Able told me,"
Tron shook his head while Beck snapped off at Kevin. He was so much like Yori in that sense…he had no doubt that Yori would have done the same thing.
"Alright, alright," Tron tried, "Both of you calm down…it's time to sleep,"
"I'm not tired," Beck stated.
"Oh?" Tron asked, "Try laying down…believe me Beck, you're going to want to sleep,"
"Hey, Tron?" Beck asked, "Able said you brought me to the garage…did you know my parents?"
Tron froze and then looked at the boy.
"…Yes," he started slowly.
"Do you know…who they were and why they had to give me up?"
"Yes," Tron sighed, "Beck, I want you to understand something. Your parents loved you very dearly and it nearly killed them to give you up. It nearly killed me when I had to give you to Able so I can imagine how it was for them. I made a promise not to reveal their names…but I can tell you this. They are very powerful figures on the Grid, very firm User-Believers…and Clu hates them for that. He's tried to kill them numerous times and that's why they gave you to me,"
"Do you know what they were?"
Tron gave a weak smile. He could give Beck this much.
"Your mother is a simulations Program, hence why some of your ideas are crazy and insane but they work. Your father…well…you had to get your M…"
He stopped, growling in pain as he doubled over. Beck put his hand on his father's knee, making the red flush with blue and Tron calmed down slightly.
Tron looked up at him and closed his eyes.
"I think it's time for someone to go to sleep," he said softly.
"I'm still not tired,"
"Oh…clearly," Tron said dryly as he kept his hand on his son's shoulder…
A soft, sweet hum filled the air, creating a melody that made Beck's eyes start to flutter shut…and then snap open only to slowly close…
He finally went to sleep and Tron gave a soft laugh.
"Still works every time," he murmured, gently stroking his son's hair.
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Kevin woke as soon as he heard a soft skittering sound.
"Uncle!" he hissed.
"I hear it," Tron replied calmly, "They sense you, Kevin,"
"Sense me? What?" Kevin asked, sitting up and rubbing his head.
Tron ignored him.
"Beck…wake up," he said gently, shaking his son's shoulder, "We need to go,"
Beck's blue eyes flickered as they opened slowly.
"…Dad…" he muttered, "Five more minutes…"
"Did he just…?" Kevin asked but Tron shook his head.
"Beck, wake up," Tron ordered, shaking Beck's shoulder even harder, "Now!"
"Wha…what's going on?" Beck yawned, "Wha…"
He froze, eyes wide as his Monitor's sense kicked in.
"Where are they," he demanded.
"Where are what?" Kevin asked.
There was a skittering sound and Beck shot to his feet, Disk out.
"Beck…Kevin…run," Tron growled, circuits surging with red as something skittered into the light.
Beck gave a shriek and backed up rapidly as more little creatures poured into the room. Kevin's fingers crackled with lightning as little spider-like things came into the room.
"Gridbugs," Tron hissed, his two Disks sliding out and humming to life.
The Gridbugs immediately sensed the Monitor's code in the area and started scattering, skittering towards Kevin who held his Disk at ready.
Tron cast his Disks at the bugs, derezzing many of them and sending more of them flying.
"Kevin! Get behind Beck!" Tron ordered, "They're after you not us!"
"Me? What did I do to them!?"
"You're an ISO," Tron replied, slicing at another wave of bugs, "You draw them towards you…just like Users draw Bits,"
"Yeah, nice bit of information…" Kevin stuttered as the three of them kept the Gridbugs at bay, "How about we do this…RUN!"
The trio ran out the doors, Tron and Beck whipping around as soon as Kevin was out and slamming the doors shut, welding them to the frames with their Disks and locking the Gridbugs inside.
"We keep moving," Tron stated, "That door won't hold them for long,"
"How much farther to the Sailer?" Beck asked, panting.
"Not far…but security is being heightened…they know we're here,"
"How did they figure it out?" Beck demanded.
Tron bowed his head.
"Clu has Rinzler's signal put in the tracking system…I…I let go just long enough for him to get a fix on my signal,"
"So Cluless is coming here," Kevin figured, "Great, first Argon, now Tron City,"
"Tron City then Argon and back again," Beck corrected, "Remember, this was…"
He stopped, seeing his father frozen midstep.
"Tron?" Beck asked, coming up and putting a hand on his father's shoulder, making Tron jolt, "Are you ok?"
"This place…" he muttered, looking around the square, "I…this is a very bad memory for me…I had no idea we had gotten here…"
Beck frowned and then understanding dawned on his face.
"This was where it happened,"
Tron gave a nod.
"I stood right where you are, Beck, and Kevin is where Flynn was," he said, walking quickly across the square and standing in a certain spot, "Clu was here…"
He went across to a different side of the square.
"Dyson was here…with some Black Guards…"
Tron then knelt in a certain area and the memories rushed in.
"NO!"
And pain…so much pain…Clu's laughing face above me…
"This is where I fell," Tron said bitterly before touching a spot not far from him, "And this is where Anon lost his voice,"
He clenched his fists.
"I should have been stronger…I should have fought harder…" he growled, circuits washing with red, "I didn't…I should have took my Disks and derezzed him but I hit him…I failed…"
He gave a bitter laugh.
"Sure learned my lesson, huh Flynn?" he spat, trembling as his circuits surged with bloody scarlet, and he let out a heart-rending howl, sitting down and trying to breathe…
He felt two arms wrap around his chest and the Monitor turned slightly to see familiar, wild red-brown hair as Beck buried his head in his shoulder.
"It's ok," the boy murmured, "It's ok…everything's going to be ok. We'll get you fixed, don't worry,"
Tron closed his eyes as his circuits flickered back to blue-white.
"It's not me I'm worried about," he thought, "It's you,"
Next is the sprint to the Portal. I'll get started up on it but it'll be a miracle if I get it up before Monday.
I hope you guys liked it, if you did send in the reviews! (Along with ideas because I will need them eventually!) :)
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.
