Chapter Four: Prisoner
The user grew tired of the small room that was her prison. Soon she resorted to hitting the door.
"Let me out!" She demanded, banging the door with her fists. This went on until she eventually broke down into tears. Flynn and the others couldn't come after her now; she pleaded him not to. The portal would close soon anyway. There was an answering snarl through the door from Clu to her banging. He entered angrily, face contorted into a deep frown.
"You're trying my patience. Perhaps I will leave Rinzler in here to babysit you." He sneered. She whimpered. It meant little to Clu. He walked out without another word. Rinzler heard the conversation and slipped in quietly, locking the door again. The user eyed his slightly sluggish movements and pursed her lips with a hum. His systems needed a full reboot, not a quick power nap, but he couldn't while he was guarding the user. She lay on the bed tiredly. Rinzler sat stiffly on the edge, rumbling quietly. She looked up at him, shaking her head.
"Relax! Don't just sit there. It can't be comfortable. Lay back here and reboot or something." She tapped the spot next to her. He couldn't just sit on the edge of the bed and stare at her for hours. It was both creepy and made her feel guilty to watch. Rinzler looked up at her. He seemed surprised. Perhaps others were afraid of him. He hesitantly clambered over the top of the bed, next to her. He lay back, still sitting tensely, but the user ignored it and focused on his purring. Clu's greatest weapon purred like a little kitten. The thought was laughable. But she was sure Rinzler wouldn't think so. She wondered if it actually pained him to speak, or if he just preferred to remain quiet. His helmet retracted and he sat there with a blank expression on his face. It was unusual of course. Rinzler would normally refuse to take off his helmet where Clu was involved. But Clu wasn't there. And the user had already seen his face, so there was no harm done.
The user sat forward and began to meditate. It was after all, the only thing that truly kept her sane. She felt Rinzler's eyes burning into her curiously. Her shoulders relaxed and she rested her hands on her knees gently. Rinzler recognized the position, but didn't know exactly where from. The name Flynn came to mind, but he disregarded it with a snarl. The user turned to face him, tilting her head to the side. He remained silent, eyes staring into hers blankly. Her hand reached up and rubbed the scar along the side of his face. He shut his eyes lightly. It lingered there for a moment before she retracted it. Rinzler found himself leaning forward slightly and sat back stiffly. He opened his eyes and saw that she had a cut on her arm. He knew that he had done that, and felt slightly sorry for it. More blood tickled down her arm; just like it had done in the arena. Hesitantly he reached out and touched it, watching carefully as the user winced. His hand lightly skimmed over a circuit on her shoulder and she repressed a shudder. Now she knew why he had told her not to earlier.
The blood flow slowly began to decrease again and he watched it curiously as the user's eyes twinkled in amusement. He looked up at her through the helmet. She gave him a half smile.
"Does it hurt?" He asked quietly. She shook her head slowly. "Will you derezz?" He asked again, seemingly glad that she hadn't reprimanded him for speaking as Clu had.
"No. It will heal by itself." She answered, offering an extra bit of information. His eyes sparkled in interest and he rubbed the wound lightly. His hand touched another circuit and she shut her eyes. She might not be able to contain herself if he did it again. This time he seemed to realize what he'd done and smirked. Slowly, her suit formed around the cut and the circuit regenerated under his hand. He eyed it carefully before looking back at the amused user's face. He gave her a shrug and a grin underneath his helmet. His hand sat on the newly formed circuit and it pulsed brightly for a moment. He pulled it back, smirking again. She gave him an evil look before stretching a hand out to touch one of the squares on his chest. He gave a small gasp and pushed her hand back. She gave him a smirk, raising her eyebrow.
"You asked for it." She grinned and leant back on the bed. He sighed and leant back on the bedpost. She would surely be the death of him. There was a loud buzz and Rinzler's helmet slid over his face in a flash. Clu looked between Rinzler and the user before shrugging and focusing on Rinzler.
"Rinzler, come." He ordered with a blank expression on his face. Rinzler got off the bed and walked to him silently. Clu nodded and the two walked out, leaving the user in silence. Had they found Flynn and the others? She leant forward, furrowing her brows in frustration. They couldn't die. Flynn had spent 20 years in this place and was finally getting out. And Sam... Sam would be destroyed by it. As would Quorra. The user lay back and buried her face in her hands. How was she to get out? And what would happen to Rinzler? She shook her head violently. Her shoulders slumped forward in defeat before she curled up into the soft pillow. As odd as it seemed, she wanted Rinzler there. Not even caring if he stared at her while she slept. Or if he sat awkwardly on the side of the bed. Damn it her thoughts were confusing. She furrowed her eyebrows in frustration as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
The first thing she registered when she woke was a purring. Her eyes opened groggily and she rubbed them. The purring grew louder as she nudged a warm object. She opened her eyes to see Rinzler looking at her with his head tilted to the side. She shrugged and sat up. Her stomach growled loudly, making Rinzler's gaze snap back at her. A sheepish smile stretched across her face.
"I'm hungry." She stated with a shrug. He eyed her carefully and handed her a glass of energy from the table next to him. She hesitated slightly before taking it. "I'm taking it this is equal to food. Or I sure as hell hope so." She murmured to no one in particular. After eyeing the cup curiously, she took a sip. Her circuits burned and pulsed brightly. Raising an eyebrow, she drank the rest quickly. "That's… Much better. Thanks." She smiled at Rinzler. He nodded curtly and gazed past her and out the window at Tron City. The user sighed, pulling herself off the bed and sitting cross-legged in front of the wide glass window. Though Rinzler could tell she was thinking, rather than just enjoying the view. Her azure eyes sparkled as a Lightcycle sped past on the bridge and he walked over to lean on the wall next to her. "I'm sure this wasn't how you planned your day." She murmured, not looking up at him. He cocked his head to the side in confusion. "I'm sure you weren't planning to babysit a user instead of going to the games or helping Clu." She responded to the unanswered question. The suggestion that he was resentful of taking care of her hurt a little bit. "Have you always been here; working for Clu?" She gave him a sidelong glance. He shook his head hesitantly. The user sighed and looked out the window again. A tear slipped out of her eye and she brushed it away angrily. "I'm never getting out of here." He whispered, glaring down at the floor. Rinzler opened his mouth and shut it again. He wanted to comfort her somehow as much as it was against Clu's orders. Then again, he only said that he was not to let her escape. Hesitantly he knelt by her and hugged her awkwardly. She turned around to hug him back, burying her face in his chest.