Chapter Two: The Games
The guards grabbed the user harshly and dragged her to a pair of foot pads. They held her in place before stepping away as the platform dropped through a tunnel in the floor. It slowed and she noticed that she was now in a small room. There was a sliding noise and a four women stepped into view. They had white suits with blue-white circuitry. They stepped up to her.
"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?" She growled. They ignored her and began to strip off her clothes, leaving her in only a bra and underwear. "Uh…" She trailed off uncomfortably. She stood frozen as a cold sensation spread up from her feet to her neck. It was the same black suit Sam had. The women stepped away to grab pieces of armor and began to attach them to her. Lights flickered up in a symmetrical patter from her toes to her shoulders. It was a very different pattern from Sam's or Quorra's. There were few markings on her and the ones that were there weren't lines like the other programs she had seen. She shrugged and noticed that one of the women was walking away towards a platform that had come out of the floor.
"Attention program." A voice spoke above her. "You will receive an identity disc. Everything you do or learn will be imprinted on this disc. If you lose your disc, or fail to follow commands, you will be subject to immediate de-resolution." The voice finished just as the woman returned with a round object. The user nodded and rolled her eyes. If it was possible, she really wanted to strangle Clu for making these women strip her. But the possibility of program's derezzing because of strangulation was probably minimal. Suddenly something connected with her back and her vision went white for a second before returning again.
"Marrying complete. Disc activated and synchronized. Proceed to games." A woman next to her spoke. They all backed away slowly and sealed themselves in the wall. The floor holds opened and the user stumbled out clumsily, not expecting it to happen. She growled and walked into the light in front of her. Clu could shove this idea where the sun don't shine. Stripper programs. Ugh.
As soon as she stepped into the small room, it began to lift up above the little chamber. Music blared through the revolving platform and the user gaped at the amount of programs gathered there. The platform spun around and stopped as an opponent growled at her. She stepped out and pulled off her disc. She stared at it curiously, wondering if she would get the hang of it quickly. The program allowed her little time to deliberate before lunging at her and throwing his disc. It whizzed towards her quickly, giving her little time to think. She ducked quickly in panic and threw her own, cutting through his chest. He derezzed with a scream as his pixels flew across the floor. The user gaped at the shards of the dead program, realizing the seriousness of what she had done.
When she regained the ability to speak and move, she let out a feral growl and paced around, waiting for the next program. He came out with a sadistic grin on his face, dark hair sitting just above his eyes. The user scowled at his over-confidence and hurled her disc at him angrily, flipping through the air to avoid the one he had previously thrown. She wasn't aware that she could do that however. Her opponent ducked and frowned at her in surprise. The user gave him a cheeky grin as her disc bounced off a wall and derezzed him easily. She let out a tired sigh. At least she wasn't sweating. That was a bonus she guessed.
Another opponent emerged from the platform and stared at her timidly. It was a wonder he'd lasted that long anyway. She eyed him sadly, wondering if she could help him escape, or at the very least; kill him quickly. He took his disc off his back, hand trembling. The user glanced at him and the gap in the floor. She put her disc back and circled him. He flinched under her gaze and she dove through the gap. With a loud crack, she landed on a platform and ran across it. She dove down again, unfortunately landing in another platform. Her eyes darted around wildly, looking for an escape. It was too late.
"Combatant Twelve versus Rinzler." The voice from above announced. The user froze and shook her head.
"Crap." She managed upon seeing his figure step out of the shadows, making a purring sound. Her heart filled with dread. Good god, she was going to die.
Rinzler was surprised. Female programs rarely went to the arena. He was also surprised in the full helmet on her face. It was unlike the other program's helmets and more like his own. Go easy on her. Tron whispered in his head. Rinzler rumbled in annoyance. The security program knew just how to annoy him at the most inappropriate times with his whispers.
In the face of death, the user felt oddly calm. She waited patiently as Rinzler hurled both of discs at her and she ducked easily, flipping when they ricocheted of the wall behind her. "C'mon, you can do better than that." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Rinzler cocked his head curiously before running towards her, thrusting the discs more violently. One disc barely missed her cheek as she ducked to avoid the other. She snarled at him, obviously losing patience. She didn't have time for games. Either he was going to kill her or she would dammed well do it herself and save Clu the trouble later. She took a deep sigh, trying to regain her 'Zen'. It worked for the most part. Calmly, she strode up to Rinzler, looking unthreatening. He watched her curiously, not thinking she would do anything. That was until she punched his face, making a crack in his helmet. He staggered back for a moment before scowling behind his helmet. Don't lose your temper. Tron warned. Rinzler circled her, fuming.
A beep sounded through the arena. Rinzler was surprisingly unprepared for it and unceremoniously slammed into the ceiling with the user. She pulled herself off the floor with Rinzler and snarled. Her patience was gone long before she ripped off her disc and hurled it at the unsuspecting program. He dropped to the floor at the last second in surprise. She stalked towards him, grabbing her disc from the air. "You're trying my patience." She seethed, scowling at him. The fury in her face made Rinzler back away slightly before snapping out of it and running to her, choosing to use close combat. She twirled around him, flipping and dodging his hits. He landed one hit, grazing her arm. She continued as if it hadn't happened, which confused him. She should have derezzed. Finally, she kicked him in the groin and he doubled over in pain. Taking the opportunity, she kneed his back and pushed him to the floor. He grunted and relaxed into the floor. Blood dripped from her arm onto the floor and caught Rinzler's attention.
"User." He spoke huskily, revealing her. The user kneed him harder, willing him to shut the hell up. It was too late. The crowd was silent and a male voice came through the speaker.
"Identify yourself." It demanded. She chose to ignore it.
"Identify." Another deeper voice boomed through the speaker. One that sounded like it shouldn't be reasoned with.
"Unknown." She shouted back. There was silence before she was dragged off Rinzler by black guards and taken away as he grunted, pulling himself off the floor. He stalked towards her silently and brushed past her. She eyes scanned the guards holding her before deciding that it wouldn't be worth derezzing them, just to be caught again. But somewhere in the back of her mind, she just knew she was going to Clu. That was one thing she was sure of.