AN: I bet you're all expecting the final episode in this chapter, right? Well you're in for a surprise :P Anyways, only a couple more chapters left. Then it's off to Rogue, and it will switch between points of views. Thanks to PrincessKai317, 2theSky and Sunofaia for reviewing!

Chapter Thirty Three

"Users don't belong on the Grid. They bring nothing but trouble with them." Cyrus was glaring at her, eyes like chips of ice as she struggled to stand. "You think you're helping them? You're only making things more painful."

"Leave me alone!" Mira screamed and threw a fist at Cyrus, unable to contain her anger any longer. Pain and sorrow had filled her heart as she remembered what had happened to Able. So many lives were lost because of her. Cyrus caught her fist and grinned maliciously before throwing her back. She cried out in pain when her back slammed against the building.

"Not until the programs you care about are dead," Cyrus hissed when he caught her by the neck. Mira glared at him when he pinned her against the wall.

She was about to fight back when she heard a voice in the distance. Someone was calling to her. Cyrus reeled back in shock when the voice became louder.

"Mira!" Her eyes widened when she recognized Tron's voice. She felt someone shake her shoulders until she blinked. Cyrus had disappeared, and when her eyes opened again she found herself in her room. She looked up to see Tron standing in front of her, eyes wide in shock. "What happened?" he demanded when she shook him off.

"It was... nothing." She swallowed as she struggled to hold back the fear that had overwhelmed her.

Images of Cyrus's face had haunted her, along with Able's.

"Do you really want to go along with that?" Tron folded his arms and glared at Mira as she looked down at Rinzler. He was watching her curiously, head tilted to one side as he tried to understand what was going on. "From what I heard it was more than just nothing."

"It was a nightmare, nothing more than that." Mira looked away.

Tron let out a sigh of frustration when he realized that she wasn't going to say anything else. There really wasn't much else to say. Part of what Cyrus had said was true. Ever since she came into the picture nothing but trouble had followed.

Once he left the room Mira looked back at the stairs. Rinzler stood up and began scratching the back of his ears once she relaxed. Mira stood up as soon as she was certain that she was alone. Some small part of her knew what she had to do.

"This isn't going to be easy," she told herself. Rinzler looked up at her in surprise. "But I don't have much of a choice, do I?" She smiled when she looked down at the kitten.

Rinzler seemed to know what she was about to do. He jumped onto her shoulder and rubbed his muzzle against her cheek. Mira couldn't help but grin as she rubbed the back of his ear. She was thankful to have a companion like Rinzler. He would keep her company while she was on her own.

When she walked down the stairs she wasn't surprised that Tron had left. He was probably in the healing chamber, after the rude awakening she must have given him.

I'm sorry, she thought as she looked at the safehouse one last time. With Rinzler riding on her shoulder, she managed to bypass the security code and escape before Tron noticed her disappearance. She wasn't about to let him get in the way of her decision.

She rezzed her light cycle and headed for Argon. Rinzler held on for dear life while she sped on towards the garage. She wasn't even sure if the programs would return to work after what had happened to Able. One thing was certain, things were going to change now that he was gone.

Mira pulled on the breaks when she spotted Beck standing amongst his friends and coworkers. Rinzler looked like he was ready to jump off when he recognized Beck. She kept an eye on the kitten, unsure of how the other programs would react if they spotted him.

"Stay here," she told him. Rinzler looked up at her longingly. "I'll be right back," she promised after shaking her head in amusement.

Rinzler simply flicked his tail as she walked away. She kept her light cycle rezzed as she approached the group. They were whispering to one another in frantic voices. Mira stopped when Beck turned to stare at her. His eyes widened when he realized that she wasn't alone. Mira held her breath when he whispered something to Mara and Zed. Both programs looked like they were ready to argue when they spotted her.

"Mira, what are you-" Mira cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"Look, I don't want to get into details of why I'm here," she said. "I just... wanted to say that I'm leaving."

"What?" Beck's eyes widened once more as Mira sighed in frustration.

"I've been nothing but trouble with both you and Tron," she explained. "Which is why I'm leaving."

"Does he know about this?" Beck folded his arms and looked at her seriously. Mira looked away this time, unsure how to answer. Tron wouldn't have let her leave if she had told him her plans.

"You know what he would have done," she muttered crossly.

"It's bad enough losing Able and Bodhi, you don't have to leave," Beck sighed when she finally met his gaze. "We've gotten through difficult situations before..." Mira stared at him calmly, and for the first time she realized just how much she would miss him.

"Beck, don't make this any harder than it already is," she whispered. "I'm leaving, and that's final. I won't put your lives in danger again."

"Where will you go?" Mira looked down at the ground as she thought of that. She couldn't give him a straight answer, not when she knew he would follow her.

"Anywhere I can get away from Clu," she replied. "I suppose I'll just have to hide in the Outlands again."

Beck simply looked at her in surprise. He was about to say something else when Mara and Zed approached. Mira stiffened when Mara glared at her.

"Anything wrong?" Zed asked when he noticed how tense both Mira and Beck had become. Mira's eyes narrowed before she looked away once more.

"Just... tell him that I'm sorry, for everything," she muttered before turning around. She couldn't see his shocked expression. Not after everything they had been through. Without looking over her shoulder, Mira returned to her light cycle and turned away from the city. Rinzler jumped onto her shoulder just as she away from the Outlands, where she knew Tron would find her.

Mira finally looked over her shoulder and saw that Beck and his friends were still standing there. She wasn't even sure what they would think of after she had left them standing there. All that mattered right now was getting away, and there was one place she knew that she could go.

It's a long shot, but at least I can get a job, she thought as she remembered Castor and Gem. Finding Quorra was out of the question - she wasn't putting her life in danger as well. Castor knew how to avoid getting caught by Clu and his soldiers.

Rinzler held on as she swerved towards the streets as soon as she made up her mind. Tron City was a dangerous place for a User to live, but she had learned how to defend herself. She wasn't the same User Rinzler had found all those cycles ago.

"Tron City it is," she said when Rinzler looked at her questioningly. The train was the best way to Tron City, but she didn't have any tickets to show. Besides, it would risk revealing that she was User, something she didn't need the rest of the Grid to know. So taking the highway was her best option.

At least that way she could avoid getting caught by any of Tesler's guards or any other commander for that matter. Her skills on the light cycle had improved since meeting Tron and Beck. With the modified light cycle Mara and Zed had upgraded for her, she could get anywhere in a couple of cycles.

She swerved into the streets, just narrowly avoiding a tank. The driver let out an angry shout and honked several times, but Mira simply grinned back before speeding ahead. Rinzler clutched on to her shoulders with his claws. Mira's teeth clenched as she fought back the pain that quickly followed.

"Glad someone's enjoying himself," she muttered when Rinzler rubbed himself against her cheek. "We'll be home soon, hopefully."

Rinzler simply blinked when she avoided running into another light cycle. The streets were always busy with traffic, but this time they seemed strangely empty. The tank and the light cycle she had just avoided were the only vehicles she had seen. Mira suddenly pulled on the breaks when she realized why the traffic was so light.

Soldiers were scanning the area, and tackling any program that refused to show their disk. Mira cursed under her breath and turned back towards the tunnel that led to Purgos. If the soldiers caught her now there would be no chance of escape, especially with Rinzler on her shoulder.

She didn't stop until she reached the nearest building. Programs were gathered around it, but they seemed oblivious to her arrival. Most of them were either wearing hoods or looking down when she walked past. Mira avoided their sharp gazes and kept walking until she reached the nearest door.

"Is there an owner for this building?" she asked when she realized that it was locked.

"That building's for programs who have no jobs," one of the hooded programs replied after coughing. Mira's eyes widened when she realized how dull looking his circuits were. This program was in desperate need of energy. "Don't bother trying to get in."

"Is there any place I can stay? Just for one night?" Mira looked down at him pleadingly, hoping the program would give in. Rinzler ducked when the program looked at her. His skin was pale, and she knew that if he didn't get energy soon he would derezz.

"Why should I help you? Not like it's gonna get me anywhere," the program retorted.

Mira sighed in frustration when she realized that this was getting her nowhere. Suddenly a thought occurred to her. It was a risky move, but it would help them both in the long run.

"What if I did you a favor?" she suggested after the program looked away once more. She remembered the club that Galt had been killed in. It wasn't too far from here, if she remembered correctly. The program looked at her curiously as she continued, "I could get some energy for you."

She still had time to kill, and there really was no curfew in Purgos that she knew of. Besides, the least she could do was help a program in need.

"No program has ever offered me help," the program snapped. "Go home before you get derezzed."

She had already left the building as the program said those words. Rinzler still held on as she made her way to the club. Purgos was infamous for the gangs that ruled it, but she knew how to avoid them. Avoid any alleys and she should be safe.

Mira held her head high as she wandered towards the club. Rinzler's eyes widened when he saw the dancing lights for the first time.

"Don't even think about it," she warned him. The last thing she needed was to stir panic in an already dangerous city. Rinzler's paws were kneading against her shoulder. She smiled before rubbing him behind the ear. This was going to be a quick and easy stop.

The programs inside were occupied. Mira took a deep breath as she wandered further into the crowd. Most of them weren't even noticing the kitten struggling to control himself. Mira glanced at Rinzler, concerned that he would jump off at any moment. She wasted no time in reaching the counter.

The bartender looked up in surprise when he noticed the stranger sitting on one of the stools. Rinzler remained where he was, gaze fixated on the bright lights.

"Can I help you?" the program asked after putting away a glass.

"Yeah, I was kind of hoping for a refill," she explained with a shrug. The program eyed her circuits warily, and she stiffened under his gaze.

"You don't look like you need a drink," he muttered.

"I know I don't, but it's been a few cycles since my last stop." A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered how dangerously close she had been to collapsing several times. When she was on her own she didn't know how much energy she needed. And when she did stop by the clubs, she was usually refused by the owner.

The program stared at her suspiciously for several nanocycles. Mira held her breath as she waited for an answer. It was unnerving having someone other than Tron or Beck staring her down. She had gotten used to Tron always watching her every move.

"Fine, just make it quick." The program grabbed a glass of energy and placed it on the counter. Mira thanked him before picking it up. She turned away on her seat, aware of the program watching her.

Once the bartender was occupied she got up and made her way to the entrance, drink still in hand. No program seemed to take any action as she left the building. Mira breathed out a sigh of relief once she was outside. That club only brought back bad memories of Lux and Kobol. And Beck nearly losing his memories.

Moving on, she told herself as she returned to the building. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no programs were following. Fortunately she had returned with both Rinzler and the drink in hand. Rinzler jumped down from her shoulder once she spotted the hooded program.

"I thought I told you to go home!" the program muttered when he realized she was standing nearby.

"Like I said, the streets are my home," Mira replied with another shrug. She looked at the energy drink. "I erm... brought you something you might need."

The program looked at her in surprise when he noticed the energy drink.

"Why would you help me?" he demanded coldly.

"Because you needed it." Mira blinked when she realized that was what Lux had said all of those cycles ago. "Are you going to take it or not?" She held out the drink while the program continued glaring at her. Rinzler was casually licking the back of his paw, oblivious to the glares.

Reluctantly the program grabbed the drink. Mira rolled her eyes as his circuits became brighter. They were glowing white and green, similar to a mechanic's look.

"Thanks." The program stood up, and Mira noticed for the first time that he was a mechanic. "The bartender at that club refuses drinks to most programs unless it's for a good reason."

Yeah, because derezzing isn't good enough, she thought with a shake of her head.

"What exactly happened?" she asked when he opened the door.

"Most of the programs working for the project under Dyson were derezzed," he explained after letting out a heavy sigh. "They didn't want anyone revealing it. I managed to barely escape, but not without losing my job and my friends."

"I know what that's like," she said bitterly. Memories of the crane's explosion were still vivid. She pictured Cyrus glaring at her, eyes like chips of ice.

"The name's Galm, by the way," the program added after they stopped walking. Mira blinked until she realized that he was waiting for her name.

"Mira." Galm looked at her in surprise before nodding.

"You can stay here for as long as you want," he said. "I know there's not much here but... it's better than nothing."

Mira thanked him gratefully as he left the room. She knew that it was risky trusting a program right from the start. But he had risked trusting her. For now she would have to relax and get some rest. Next cycle she would leave for Tron City, and hopefully find Castor and Gem.

AN: Yep, I totally went there. Galm will likely make more appearances in Rogue, but for now he's just a side-character. Anyways, don't forget to leave a review, and let me know what you thought of this chapter :)

Thought this song would go perfectly with Mira :D
"My life has never been this clear
Now I know the reason why I'm here
You never know why You're alive
Until you know what you would die for
I would die for You" - I Would Die For You, Mercy Me

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