AN: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, and that it's so short. But what can you do? Not every chapter is perfect I suppose. Anyways thanks everyone for your reviews, let's see if they keep up :P

Chapter Seven

"You know it's never easy when a User is involved." Mira started to pace around the room while she waited for anything to happen. Tron had said those words after Beck left. She knew that he was frustrated with the way she acted. She couldn't blame Tron for his frustration. She refused to listen, especially when it came to Beck's safety.

He saved my life three times already, she thought as her foot began to tap against the floor.

"So is there a reason why Clu hates the Users so much?" Mira asked when Tron began to sift through images on the screen that overlooked the Outlands. "I mean, sure we can be selfish, but there's got to be another reason behind his hatred towards us."

Tron suddenly paused in his search and sighed. "Clu believes that Users are imperfect," he replied. "He doesn't realize that perfection is impossible."

Gee, who told him that? she wondered with a roll of her eyes. Clu was just one of the many faults Flynn had created. Mira had learned overtime that Flynn sought out the perfect system. His theory had been his ultimate downfall, as she had found out. She sighed and leaned against a table.

An awkward silence had suddenly fallen upon them while Mira thought about how she was going to put an end to Clu's reign. Going back to the User world was out of the question, unless someone was foolish enough to open the Portal. If she could put an end to Clu, than she could live in peace, and so could the other programs. The first thing she would do was ensure that programs survived the games. She knew that getting rid of the games was outlandish.

"You should get some rest," Tron suddenly said as he turned around to face her. She raised an eyebrow before fighting back a yawn. "Tomorrow we will continue your training."

Mira eyed him cautiously. She knew there was more meaning to his words than he'd let on. Finally she decided it was better not to argue, though some part of her wanted to know what was up. Tron was hiding something, and she wanted to know what that something was.

Once she walked up the stairs she realized that she was exhausted. She'd only gotten a few millicycles of rest throughout her time at the coliseum. Maybe rest wasn't such a bad idea after all as she looked at the bed longingly. Without a second thought she jumped onto the bed and immediately felt wariness wash over her.

. . .

When her eyes snapped open Mira realized that Beck had returned. The lights down below were flashing white and black as Tron waited for him in a chamber of sorts. Mira had not asked what the chamber was, but she had an eerie feeling it was for the scars. She sighed and jumped to her feet.

Let's see what sort of day this will bring. She told herself this until she was down the stairs and waited for them to say something.

"Thank you... for the help," Beck said when Tron stepped out of the chamber. "We would have been captured if it wasn't for you."

So that's what you were up to! Mira glared at Tron accusingly before she realized that Beck had been successful in freeing Cutler. Beck was no longer holding the ISO ring that Cutler had been wearing. She assumed that he'd returned the ring.

"So are you here to continue the fight? Or are you going to give up?" Tron's gaze never left Beck as he was left to answer the question.

"I know that there are going to be drawbacks... but it's worth fighting for when it comes to freedom," Beck finally answered. He glanced at Mira, who returned the confused look. "I'm ready to continue my training."

"You've got a lot to learn," Tron said. "But that's all I ask." Mira narrowed her eyes and wondered where he was getting at with this conversation. "It's time you two started working together. I've seen what you are capable of as a team during the games."

Embarrassment suddenly washed over Mira as she thought of their time spent together. She had been reluctant to tell Beck what Rinzler had done to her. Now that he knew, he was aware that she had the capability to keep up with him.

"What exactly do you want us to do?" Mira asked.

"Simulation test." Tron walked over to the desk and grabbed a screen with images and codes that were too complex for Mira to understand. "Beck, you'll go first."

Beck looked more confused than ever until the room around them began to change. Mira stood beside Tron and became even more confused. Didn't he just suggest that they start working together? What was the point of that if he wanted to test Beck first?

She said nothing as the images changed into what appeared to be a different city. A recognizer was waiting near the edge of the city, with programs being led to it. The programs themselves were in handcuffs, reminding Mira of her time spent in the coliseum. She fought back a shudder and watched as Tron began to work with the codes to begin the simulation.

Her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw the level of the simulation. Tron had raised the level to its highest potential.

"So what's the point of these tests?" she asked.

"You need to understand each other's weakness. Exploit those weaknesses, and find out if there is a way to fix them," Tron explained.

"Oh, that makes sense." Mira shrugged and watched as Beck ran down a half-bridge to watch the programs that were being led to the recognizer.

Within picocycles he had rezzed a light jet and flew towards the window of the recognizer. Mira was curious as to how Beck would handle the situation as he crashed into the base of the recognizer. The guards on duty were stunned, but they fought back just the same. "I think we both know where this ends," Beck said before throwing his fist into the back of one of the guards. The second guard was quick to join in the fight, but Beck had overpowered him.

Mira was shocked when Beck took off his mask. She glanced at the panel that Tron held and thought this was one mistake that would end badly. Surely revealing one's identity would lead to an even more difficult situation. One of the guards suddenly regained consciousness and looked at Beck curiously.

"Hey, I know you." Beck stiffened when the guard said that. Mira rolled her eyes and wondered whether or not she should point out his mistake. Instead she remained icily silent as she waited for what would happen next. "What you don't recognize me? I'm the one who derezzed your friend, Bodhi." This time rage gleamed within Beck's eyes as he whirled around to face the guard, who apparently realized he'd hit a sore spot.

Exploiting the loss of a friend, now that's cruel, Mira thought. She glanced at Tron, but any emotions he had were hidden. She wondered if he felt anything at all. Regret, anger, grief. All of those emotions would be coursing through her right now if she was the one running the simulation.

"You're not going to hurt another program," Beck said when he grabbed the guard by the chest. He was about to say something else when another guard reached for his own disk.

"You're derezzed!" The guard swung the disk into Beck's chest when he whirled around to face him. Mira winced when she watched the simulation come to an end. The lights gave way to the room once again as Beck sighed in frustration.

"I did pretty good until then," Beck said after Tron lifted the panel once more.

"Then you got derezzed. You showed your face." Tron's accusation confirmed Mira's fear. If this was a real fight Beck would have been derezzed on the spot. No program would have regretted doing so to the renegade.

"My mask gets itchy."

"You let your emotions get the best of you." Tron faced Mira, who simply remained silent throughout the argument. She wasn't about to put herself between the two of them. "Let's go again, this time in Argon park."

"I can't, I have a job you know." Beck sounded serious this time as he folded his arms and looked out the screen. "This whole protect the system would be easier if I could tell everyone my secret."

"All that would do is put them in danger," Mira pointed out.

She could only imagine how shocked the programs at the garage would be if they found out Beck was the renegade.

"Do you want them to get derezzed as well?" Tron added warily.

Beck looked down at the floor and didn't argue this time. Mira was about to say something else when the lights suddenly flickered on and off. Her eyes widened in shock before she shook off the fear.

"What was that?" Beck asked.

Tron led them back towards the screen that overlooked the Outlands. Mira watched warily as codes and images flickered past until Tron gave up in his search.

"I don't know… but you'll find out."

AN: Yeah, not much of an ending but it leads to the fourth episode. Hope everyone enjoyed it :)

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