Hey guys, here's the latest chapter. The first part was partially inspired by Cyberbutterfly's "Crazy like us" in "Through a Mirror Darkly." I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please review! I'm really struggling to put this together, and I want to hear what you think. Enjoy, R&R! ~Moore12~

Eight

1982

I

Hope was hard to come by on the Game Grid. Sometimes, it was hard to keep fighting, hard to keep believing in the Users. Sometimes, it felt like his User had abandoned him—had abandoned him even though he had given him such an important task—and there was part of him that didn't want to be bothered with his mission anymore.

Sighing deeply, he turned and glanced over at the small cell next to his. He's still not back yet, he realized with a pang. He had been in this evil place long enough to know how everything worked and he knew that, by now, his friend should have already been safely deposited into his cell to live another micro. User, where is he?

To pass the time and keep his mind off his painful thoughts, he idly spun his identity disc and stared blankly at the wall. Micros passed, and still nothing. His circuits dimming, he admitted the worst had to have happened: Ram had finally been de-rezzed.

Even though he had to admit it was a miracle that the little program had lasted as long as he had—he was oddly good at calculating odds of future outcomes but he knew that wasn't enough—the fact the inevitable had happened still hurt. When I get out of this place, I'm going to teach the MCP a lesson, he thought darkly as he stared at the wall. I'm going to teach…

To his genuine relief, he was torn from his angry thoughts by the sound of footsteps coming towards them. Looking up, he saw that two guards were practically dragging his friend between them. After deactivating the force field, they pushed him inside and left, snickering about something he didn't catch because he was focused solely on Ram.

The little actuary was covered with scorch marks and appeared to barely have any energy left in him because he hadn't gotten up. No, he was still lying on his stomach where the guards had dropped him, his circuits flickering weakly. "Ram?" he called softly, trying to hide the fear in his voice. "Ram, are you okay?"

For a moment, he was convinced Ram wasn't going to respond. But then the little actuary snickered weakly and replied, his voice cracking with the effort, "Yeah, I'm alright."

"What happened to you?" he asked as he slid over to the force field that was dividing their cells. What had Ram done to possibly deserve this? he wondered, almost aloud. Who would do this?

Slowly, Ram rolled over onto his side—wincing with pain as he did—to face him. Even though he was clearly damaged, even though he was in pain, he managed to offer him a grin. "Well, ya know, I'm just such a threat to the great MCP…"

"Ram…" his voice trailed off. He didn't really know what to say, especially not when his friend was cracking jokes about being so badly damaged. "Ram, really, what happened?"

"Well," the little program said thoughtfully, his classic smirk on his face. "I won disc wars again, and…well…that didn't sit well with the Sark, right?"

He nodded for his friend to continue—he's going to be alright after all, he thought happily—and Ram obliged. "He's not happy I've lasted this long 'cause…well…ya know. So he puts me right into another match…and I win again."

Ram chuckled weakly as he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. Even though he was still smiling, even though his usual fire was present in his eyes, it was hard for him not to notice that he was moving like an outdated program. "So what happened next?" he asked, trying to hide how concerned he really was. Maybe he wasn't alright after all…

Wincing, Ram leaned up against the wall and closed his eyes. For a moment, he was convinced his friend wasn't going to answer that question but he did. With his eyes still closed, he replied, the laughter still in his voice, "Now Sark's really glitching, right? So he decides to come down there and teach me a lesson himself. Well…let's just say he was threatenin' me with deresolution and I said something along the lines of 'You ain't tough enough to de-rezz me…not without your precious MCP to help ya out.'"

He knew his friend was tough—always ready to fight…or give a quick comeback—but he never would have thought he would have stood up to Sark. Even though he had to admire the little actuary's feistiness, he had to admit it was rather stupid of him to challenge the commander like that, not when he hadn't been programmed to fight. "Wow, Ram, no wonder the guards beat you up so badly…"

To his genuine surprise, Ram just laughed, a bright smile playing on his face, "You should've seen the look on Sark's face, Tron! Made all this worth it, ya know?"

That was when he realized something: if he had been in Ram's position he would have done the same thing…well… he probably wouldn't have had such a good comeback. Allowing himself to laugh—he had to admit the actuary always had a wicked sense of humor and knew exactly what to say to cheer him up—he put aside all of his worries. He knew, deep down, Ram was okay, probably even better than ever.

"User, I wish I was there, man!" he exclaimed. "So what happened next?"

II

There was something different about that program. He couldn't place it, but there was something different about him. He had been in that prison long enough to have seen all types of programs…accounting, academic, search engines, even military programs. He thought he had seen it all, and then that program showed up. He was…different, and he knew something big was happening.

"The new guy was asking about you," he said softly, glancing over at Tron, who was, as usual, staring off into space probably contemplating taking down the MCP.

"It's too bad he's in a match now. I'll probably never meet him," Tron replied gravely; he clearly didn't care about the new guy's fate as much as he did and hadn't noticed what he had.

"You might," he answered, a genuine smile creeping across his face for the first time in cycles. "There's something different about him."

"What would that be?" Tron asked as he turned to face him, clearly interested in what he had to say. Sometimes, the security program would space out when he talked, but he didn't mind. He usually just needed to talk to keep himself from thinking about what was happening, and Tron always tuned back in when he had something important to say.

Sighing deeply, he replied, unable to really articulate what it was, "I dunno, Tron. He's just different. I've been here a long time—longer than even you—and I haven't…seen any program like him."

"Maybe the Users are still with us after all," Tron smiled for the first time in cycles, his circuits brightening at the thought.

"Yeah, maybe," he smiled in return, hoping that the new program was the answer to their hopes and prayers after all…

2009

I

As the light jet rezzed around him, Ram knew he was free. He was finally free after countless cycles of fighting for his life, of having to live with the reality he had walked into a trap and essentially allowed Clu to capture him. Freedom never felt so good! he nearly screamed as he soared out the window of Clu's command ship, laughing hysterically at his good fortune. Thank the Users everybody always underestimates me…

Quickly, he surveyed his surroundings. The command ship had been parked on the light cycle grid, and he was about to fly over the stands—to the outlands, where I'll be safe, he thought—when he noticed something. Even though a program on Clu's team was de-rezzed by the User when he naively looked up to see what was happening—what a glitching idiot, he laughed—the User was still outnumbered…2 to 1. He doesn't got any teammates left, Ram realized as he looked over his shoulder to make sure that there were no light jets coming after him. He's got a 100% chance of getting killed facing Clu and Rinzler alone…

What did he care? What did the Users ever do for him? He had been abandoned two times, kicked when he was down and left to de-rezz. Where were the Users when he was left to fight for his life for cycles, when did Flynn ever listen to a word that came out of his so-called "moral compass's" mouth? Why should he care about the Users when they clearly didn't care about him? He was free, and he was out of there…

But something stopped him. Biting his lip, he realized he couldn't leave the User to die. He had to stop this and…maybe he could take down Clu while he was at it which would make everything that had happened to him worth it. Here we go, Ram, he thought as he angled the light jet down towards the course, trying his best to grin…But it never came and he knew it never would…

He wasn't free after all…

II

Sam shot across the light cycle grid, well aware he was in trouble. His last teammate had been de-rezzed by Clu himself, and now Clu was hunting him down, hurling insults at him while he did. He had to keep moving, had to keep the element of surprise on his side. Looking around—he hadn't seen Rinzler in awhile but knew he had to be lurking somewhere—he realized the crowd was going nuts after he crashed one of his opponents into a wall. What the hell is happening now? he wondered.

His curiosity got the better of him—he figured he could look up for a second—and, when he did, he saw a white-circuited light jet streaking through the sky. Realizing he couldn't let that distract him, he returned his attention to the course, only to see Rinzler shooting directly at him at full speed. This really isn't my day, he thought bitterly as he swerved as fast as he could….

Right at Clu…

He was cornered, and there was nothing he could do. Well, this is it, Sam, he thought frantically, scared for the first time in his entire life. Well, not the first time…the first time since his father disappeared. Why are you thinking about that now? he wondered as he tried to skid away from Clu. Oh, right, you're staring death in the face.

Bracing himself for the worst—Clu's taunts pounding in his ears—he continued to turn the cycle, hoping he would be able to get away but far from certain that was a possibility. He could only watch as Clu—skilled as he was—turned just as sharply so that he retained his advantage.

This is it, he thought as he gripped the controls, ready to make his last ditch move. At least I'll probably take him out with me.

He never had to make the move. Because, just as Clu was about to run into him, the light jet he had spotted earlier shot right over top of him and rammed right into Clu…

III

One moment, Clu had the User in his sites and was on the verge of deleting him forever—taking revenge on the one who had betrayed him—the next, he was spiraling through the air, his light cycle destroyed and his life in jeopardy. What happened? he raged as he grabbed his second baton, hoping to spare himself from a hard landing by rezzing a new cycle. What was that thing?

Right before he rezzed his cycle he saw something so unexpected—and so infuriating—he howled with rage. It can't be! he thought. This can't be happening! Because the thing that had prevented him from destroying the User and ruining Flynn's life was none other than that cocky little actuarial program that was supposed to have been repurposed; he was hurtling through the air just above him, pieces of a destroyed light jet all around him.

When Ram saw that he was staring at him—the stupid little virus was still very much alive—he shrugged sheepishly, and Clu knew there must be a smug smile hidden behind his black face shield. I'll wipe that smile off your face, Clu thought as he rezzed his cycle right before hitting the ground. Once and for all, I'll de-rezz you.

The cycle fully rezzed just in time—serving to protect him and give him a much needed advantage—and he hit the ground with a dull thud and skidded to a stop. The little actuary wasn't as lucky. He had no extra baton, and he slammed into the ground with such force, it was enough to make even Clu cringe. He slid to a stop a few feet from where he landed.

Clu watched the stupid little virus closely for a moment—half expecting him to get up and attack him despite his crash—before determining he was no longer a threat. He was just lying there, completely still, his circuits flickering. He's done, Clu thought, beginning to laugh. That's the end of him.

Leaving the actuary's body behind—no need to waste time de-rezzing him when he will all by himself—Clu turned his attention back to the User, who was being tracked by Rinzler nearby.

This is it, he thought as he took off, shifting into the highest gear. Nothing can stop me now!

That was when he heard a horrible crash, and he remembered that nothing was certain. The alarm ringing in his ears, he realized that he was about to face yet another opponent…