Hello to those of you who are still interested in this little fic, sorry for the long wait! As those of you who read my fanfiction will know by now, there is melodrama and lots of it. So, without further ado here's the next chapter. Hope you like it :) Dray xx
Soon they were nearing one of CLUs bases. The chip carried them further and further towards it, until at the last minute it pulled off to the right where an old abandoned control room stood. It was in front of this almost unnoticeable structure that the bike stopped. The canopy opened and they alighted. They brought the bike with them into the building and looked around.
"Well, let's just hope they're here." Xia said weakly.
Zuse noticed the change in her voice and turned in time to catch her as she fell to the floor.
"No... No! Come on, just a little longer..."
"Seems like you got here just in time then," came a rough voice from the other side of the room. Zuse turned to see the creator approaching. The white program touched his forehead and bowed his head slightly. The creator nodded and knelt down next to Xia. He took her disk and activated the controls. As the 3D image appeared, Zuse looked on in wonder.
"So this is why my healing was always inadequate."
The creator chuckled, a low rumble in his throat. "Your healing was adequate enough to bring her here in one piece."
"Can you repair her?"
"Yes. She's that important to you?"
Zuse's face instantly went blank. "She's an ISO, she'll be useful for the resistance."
"Zuse, you're my program, man. I know you don't like it, but I know you. You don't need to hide from me."
Zuse kept silent, but his expression softened.
"Alright. You always were stubborn. I'm just glad you're back on our side. There." he closed the program and replaced Xia's disk. "She'll need some time to recover. There are some living quarters at the back of this building, bring her in." he stood and waited for Zuse to pick Xia up before walking out into the main part of the building that had been constructed into the metal cliffs. In one of the rooms there was a bed, on which Zuse placed Xia and made sure she was comfortable before rejoining the creator in the communal room.
"Where's Sam? And Quorra? Are they alright?"
"They're fine, they've gone to scout out the base, see if we can't get in."
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"Aah, they'll be fine." The creator found some drink in a cabinet at the side of the room.
"I mean, won't they try and break in themselves? I know Quorra, she's very... Independent. And Sam, being your son, I'm sure will want to go after CLU himself."
"Ha, yeah. Well, I'll just have to be here to get them outta trouble again."
"You must... Love... Sam." Zuse tried the word out. It felt strange... Sure, he'd used it in conversation; I'd love a drink, I love what you've done with the place... But never in the context he'd been hearing it in lately. The creator looked up.
"Yeah, I do. How did you learn that concept?"
Zuse berated himself silently for his weakness. "I... Um, someone taught it to me recently."
"Xia?"
"Maybe."
The creator laughed. "And do you understand it?"
"Almost. Could you explain it to me?"
"I don't think love has a definition in the sense that you're asking for. Put simply, it's an affection or attraction to a perso... Uh - program or object, without the need for anything other than to be around it or them. It's unconditional."
"I think I see. So, Sam loves Quorra, and you love... The grid?"
The creator smiled. "That's good Zuse." he sighed. "It's so good to see you developing."
"Didn't you intend me to serve?"
"Originally, but that's not the point. You're not just a program to me, Zuse. You're my creation. I don't want you to stay the same; you need to develop your own functions, your own personality. CLU stayed the same and tried to serve the purpose I intended him for, but I didn't realise he'd take it this far." he looked sad.
"Creator?" Zuse ventured.
"Kevin. Call me Kevin, old friend." he replied wearily.
"Well, that's no way to address a sprightly young program like myself. I don't look that old, do I?" Zuse exaggerated his voice and movements in an attempt at lightening the mood. It worked. The sparkle returned to Kevin's eyes. He handed Zuse the drink he had concocted.
"Do you remember when I told you that I could get to the club faster than you, and you..."
"I drove my bike so fast that you nearly crashed into my club trying to keep up." Zuse chuckled along with Kevin.
"You were cocky about that for an entire cycle."
"I'm faster than the creator of my universe, what's not to be cocky about?" Zuse sipped his drink and felt a strange sensation. His eyes widened and he stared at the drink.
"Don't worry; I put a little something in there to buck you up. You look like you could use a little energy."
Zuse nodded gratefully.
"So, what did CLU do to you?"
"He came to the End of Line, and... Oh no... He has your disk. I'm sorry, I didn't..."
Kevin held up a hand. "It's alright. We'll get it back. It's locked for now, but it won't be long before CLU figures out the code sequence... We'll just have to get there first."
Zuse nodded and continued.
"He took the disk and left, but his programs left circuit-bombs everywhere. They... My club... It's gone."
"I'm sorry, Zuse. You built it, right?"
Zuse nodded.
"Then the information's on your disk. When we get back to Tron city, I'll reconstruct it for you. Exactly where it was."
Zuse stared. "I... Don't know what to say. Thank you."
"It's my pleasure to serve a friend."
"Or two." came a voice from the door.
They turned to see Xia standing and almost glowing.
"You're alright." Zuse observed.
"You were worried about me?"
"Maybe."
Kevin laughed. "It's good to see you again, Xia."
She hugged him. "It's good to see you too, father."
"Father?" Zuse's eyebrows shot up.
Kevin explained. "I always wanted a little girl. After the purge, Xia came to me and I sort of adopted her. I love her like my own daughter."
"I see... I think." Zuse said.
At that moment, Sam and Quorra burst in.
"We've found an entrance guarded by only one program. We can get to the main room from there. The disc's inside." Sam paused when he saw Zuse. Of course, thought the program. A betrayal like that would take a while to get over. Time only knew it took Zuse three cycles.
"Sam." Zuse bowed from the waist and touched his forehead.
"He's here to help us. This is Xia."
Quorra stepped forwards to greet her. Xia hugged her.
"It's so good to meet you, cousin."
"Likewise." Quorra smiled.
"Xia is one of the two remaining ISOs." Kevin explained to his son.
"Have we met before?"
"Yes Sam." she activated her camouflage chip and turned white again.
"Gem!"
She smiled and changed back.
"Now that we're all acquainted, it's time to head out."
Quorra paired up with Sam, but Xia stayed where she was.
"Do you have a bike, father?"
"Father?" Sam exclaimed.
"Yeah, I do. You go with Zuse, I'll follow you. I'll explain on the way there, Sam."
Xia approached Zuse. He smiled and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"
She smiled and took it, and they headed out to get the bike and reset the chip.
By the time they had set up, Kevin, Sam and Quorra had joined them with their own bikes.
"That's..." Kevin pointed at Zuse's bike.
"Yes it is. The bike you made for me and, I might add, the only bike that could ever go faster than yours." he grinned cheekily as Kevin rolled his eyes.
"No way! You've gotta lend that to me sometime." Sam exclaimed.
Zuse's eyes lit up. "It would be my honour, son of Flynn."
Sam looked at the program whose demeanour had turned serious. He smiled slightly and nodded. It wasn't reconciliation, but it was a start.
"Let's go." Kevin got onto his bike, started it up, and they set off towards the base.
Sam and Quorra headed for the entrance to the main room while Kevin, Zuse and Xia went to find CLU. Eventually they came to a training platform where thousands of programs were assembled with weapons and helmets. CLU was briefing them, walking up and down the platform, while his advisory program stood on the surveillance deck. A few seconds later, the advisor burst into pixels and derezzed. Sam gave them the thumbs-up as CLU walked off the platform and towards where Kevin and the two programs were hiding.
"Hello CLU." Zuse stepped out of the shadows with Xia in camouflage beside him.
CLU looked momentarily stunned before composing himself.
"Hello Zuse. Gem. What are you doing here?"
"I'm afraid I have to talk to you. Urgent business, you understand. Rather hush-hush, actually... Why don't we step into my private lounge?" he stepped aside to reveal a hooded Kevin.
"CLU."
"Kevin." CLU acknowledged icily.
Kevin sighed. "Where did it go wrong?"
CLU hesitated before answering.
"You left me. I hated when you left. So I just adapted, and found that I didn't need the precious creator after all."
"But you and me, CLU. We made such amazing stuff. We created a whole world. Look at it."
"And I'm taking care of it and making it perfect, like you told me."
"And when is it perfect? Where's the line, CLU?"
"I..." CLU looked confused. "It's..."
Xia took advantage of his temporary confusion and slipped behind him, disconnecting his disk. She threw it at Kevin, who caught it as CLU turned and pushed her into a control panel. She slammed backwards into a lever, which sliced through her middle. She doubled over, holding her crumbling stomach.
Her eyes caught Zuse's as she fell to the floor.
Kevin had accessed CLU's codes and froze him. Quorra came running through the door with Kevin's disk in her hand, Sam following close behind. She handed the disk to Kevin, who immediately forced the two discs in his hands together. He placed the new hybrid onto his back. There was a brilliant light and CLU merged with Kevin, creating an electric explosion and then... All went black.