"Well…this bytes." Nixe commented with a chuckle as she and Riku looked each other over, taking a moment to get used to their new attires. They both wore solid black variations of their usual clothes only with glowing white lines. Riku had a helmet on his head and his coat had vanished (A/N: Riku's in his DDD Grid attire).
"Why is it that we go through this form change whenever we go to a different world?" Riku asked.
"How should I know? And it's not every world." Nixe replied as they looked around at their surroundings. They were in an alcove made of black material with glowing red edging. There were long corridors and hallways and the place seemed to vibrate almost beneath them.
"Where are we?" Nixe asked, both stepping forward to look around a corner. They saw two things that particularly stood out. First was a landscape of black and grey rock spires and crags beneath a black sky as it rolled past outside. Second and more importantly was a large wide open hangar space filled to the brim with large containers, each bearing a Heartless Logo on them.
"This isn't good." Nixe commented as Riku nodded.
"We're on some kind of Heartless carrier of some kind. But where-…" Riku said before noticing the disc attached to Nixe's back. He quickly reached behind his own back and felt around, feeling a disc attached to his own.
"Space Paranoids." Riku muttered.
"Huh?" she asked back, confused.
"It's a game." Another voice answered. The two turned, Keyblades raised, to see an older man in a black cloak with glowing white interior and a beard. Nixe almost instantly recognized him.
"Mr. Flynn?" Nixe asked, earning a curious look from the man for a moment before a smile appeared on his face.
"Little Nixe, right? Ha! I knew Sora would follow through. Never thought he'd send you, man. You've grown up so much!" Flynn commented as Nixe ran forward and hugged the older man.
"It's so good to see you again! We all thought you were dead!" Nixe said as Flynn chuckled.
"Ah it takes more than age to derez me. Speaking of which, your friend here mentioned Space Paranoids. It's either a game I made years ago, or it's the nickname a partner of mine used for his own system. I'm guessing that you're referring to the one my friend made." Flynn said as Riku gave a nod.
"Complete with a copy of the original Tron program, Sark, and the MCP. I'm guessing this isn't the same world…or at least a more advanced version." Riku said as Flynn nodded.
"You're a smart kid. Friend of Sora's I take it." Flynn said, Riku nodding.
"He's my best friend, what can I do?" Riku chuckled as Flynn gave a nod.
"I hear that. But it's a good thing you're here. I could use your help." Flynn said as he stepped over to look out into the facility.
"With what?" Nixe asked.
"Clu, the program I created to oversee the Grid, is planning an invasion of the real world. He's planning to use those monsters he's created, those Heartless. He's been hording and stockpiling them for some unknown reason. Why he's decided to launch now is what's bothering me. Either way, we have to stop him before we reach the I/O Uplink Tower." Flynn explained.
"The what?" Nixe asked, Riku motioning outside to where they could see a shimmering white beam of light shooting straight up into the sky, far off into the distance.
"That big beam over there. It's a portal to the real world, I'm betting." Riku said as Flynn patted him on the shoulder.
"You know your computers. But we can derail all of that if we can retrieve my disc." Flynn said, motioning towards the command tower near the back of the Rectifier. Riku and Nixe both looked at his back and saw the empty mount for his disc.
"I take it your disc is a means to allow Clu to escape?" Riku asked.
"You're getting scary smart." Flynn chuckled.
"Well I'll admit, that last one was a total guess." Riku replied as Nixe summoned her Keyblade.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Nixe asked, Riku summoning his sword and following after them as they ran along a series of catwalks that overlooked the hangar bay below.
"There's something else we need to find. We need to find Quorra." Flynn said as they hurried.
"Who's that?" Nixe asked.
"A friend of mine and the last of her kind. Clu captured her not long after Sora left." Flynn said as Nixe smirked.
"Whaddya wanna bet that someone up there knows where she is?" Nixe asked, earning smirks from the other two.
…
(Battle Music Cue: Disc Wars – Tron Legacy)
Up on the command deck, one of Clu's lieutenants stood guard along with two Magnum Loader Heartless that stood guard by the door. The Lieutenant heard the door open and turned in time to see the Heartless be obliterated by a quick slash from Nixe's Keyblade. Nixe and Riku immediately started heading towards Flynn's disc, Riku glaring at the Lieutenant who grovelingly backed away, head bowed.
"Long live the users." He said simply as they passed. Riku kept him at sword point as Nixe approached Flynn's disc.
"We're looking for someone, a girl, a program. Where is she?" Riku asked as Nixe removed the disc from its holder, causing an alarm to sound.
"Master Key Disengaged." An automated voice announced. Before the Lieutenant could answer, they heard the elevator door open again and saw Rinzler emerge with a handcuffed Quorra.
"More users?" Quorra asked, confused before Rinzler quickly threw her to the ground, drawing his twin discs from his back. Nixe and Riku both turned towards him, their weapons in hand. Nixe quickly fired off a Firaga, Riku following up with a Dark Firaga of his own. Rinzler easily sliced through both attacks but was left open for a swift superkick to the domed helmet from Riku, knocking him out and into the elevator, the doors closing behind him and sending him to the bottom floor. Nixe quickly helped Quorra to her feet, destroying her bonds with a swing of the Keyblade.
"Who are you? Friends of Sora?" Quorra asked.
"Yeah, but he didn't send us. We kinda just…stumbled in here." Nixe replied as Riku retrieved Quorra's disc from a mounting on the wall, handing it to her.
"But Clu's going to be here any minute. There's no other way out, we'll never make it in time." Quorra said but Riku and Nixe smirked at each other. Down below in the hangar area, Flynn sat in the cockpit of a Light Jet, looking up at the tower.
"Come on, kiddos." He commented worriedly. Suddenly he saw the glass on the command deck's window shatter as Nixe, Riku, and Quorra leapt out from inside, the trio riding down on Nixe's Keyblade Glider, the Glider having adopted a Grid-styled appearance but leaving a pink/purple light trail behind as they descended towards the deck. Flynn grinned up at them.
"Radical, man!" he said, impressed as the trio landed, the Keyblade Glider reverting to its normal Keyblade form in Nixe's hand.
"Made it." Riku said to Quorra with a smirk, earning a coy smirk in response from the ISO. The trio quickly climbed aboard the Light Jet with Flynn as it started to power on, it's red lights turning white in response to the Master User's power. The Jet quickly rocketed out of the hangar, flying out and away from the Rectifier at high speeds.
"Well…that was almost too easy." Nixe commented as they flew towards the I/O Beam.
"It's not over yet. Clu will be on us soon enough." Flynn said, Quorra looking over her shoulder from the pilot's seat.
"Light Jets." She commented, noticing a small cluster of red lights gaining quickly on them from behind. Nixe's Keyblade summoned itself in her hand, something which Nixe knew right off was a bad sign.
"And Heartless." She added, Riku glancing out the back window. Behind them flew two Light Jets, a red one piloted by Rinzler and a yellow one piloted by Clu himself. Flanking them were four smaller Light Jet like Heartless, the Heartless insignia emblazoned on their wings in glowing neon red while their distinctive yellow eyes pierced the darkness from beneath a backward swept metal cowling that doubled for a hood.
"I'll take the turret!" Riku said, his seat swiveling towards the back, a pair of rapid fire cannons digitizing into place outside. Quorra sped their Light Jet up, the jet emitting a pair of white light trails behind them. As soon as the approaching enemies were in range, Riku opened fire with a steady stream of white bolts of energy, causing the enemies to scatter. One of the Heartless was shot down in the first volley!
"That's one down!" he commented, Quorra bringing their jet around to fly between a veritable obstacle course of digital sea stacks over the Sea of Simulation while evading their pursuers. One of the "Dark Jet" Heartless flew across in front of them but was shot down by Quorra on the front guns.
"Alright, my turn!" Nixe commented as the cockpit canopy opened, Nixe scrambling onto the roof, using a small gravity spell to keep her grounded on the roof. She saw two of the Dark Jets coming towards them, causing her to smirk, pointing her Keyblade at them.
"Time for a power surge, bits-for-brains!" Nixe taunted before a glowing five-pointed star appeared beneath her feet, the sky above rumbling and thundering in response. Suddenly, shimmering white stars started to fall from the sky, raining down around them, crashing into the sea stacks, the sea, and even taking out the two remaining Dark Jet Heartless. Nixe was perplexed yet stunned at the attack.
"Did I do that?" she asked, confused, looking at her Keyblade, as the rain of stars ceased.
"Nice Shot Lock, Nix!" Riku complimented from the turret, fist pumping his left fist towards her. Nixe grinned in realization that the attack had indeed been a Shot Lock. She had intended to cast Flame Salvo but the other attack had been cast instead. Flame Salvo had been practically overwritten by this newfound power.
"Starfall." She whispered, almost awestruck. Riku was still fist pumping when a bolt of red light pierced the turret window, piercing through Riku's left arm, a clean and perfect through and through between his wrist and elbow, causing him to cringe in pain.
"GAH!" he yelped, cradling his arm. Nixe's eyes widened and mouth opened in shock at the sight. She looked back and saw Rinzler approaching on his red Light Jet. Rinzler came flying over their jet, glaring down at them. Flynn watched him pass over with a pained expression.
"Tron…what have you become?" he asked, earning only one of Rinzler's growls in response as he circled around to join up with Clu behind them. Riku had quickly pulled his injured arm inside his coat, grabbing the turret controls whilst fighting the pain, gritting his teeth as he pulled the trigger, firing at the two but a volley from Clu destroyed the turret's inner workings.
"Turret's out!" Riku cringed as he saw Clu and Rinzler forming up behind them. The two programs suddenly had to dodge a bolt of Thundaga as Nixe started firing off magic spells but her shots missed.
"Flynn! Go!" a familiar voice echoed within Rinzler's mind, causing his head to shake as if distracted or disoriented.
"Rinzler, take the shot! Finish the game!" Clu yelled, Rinzler lining up a shot. Finally, Rinzler simply let out a growl and suddenly veered upwards, leaving Clu alone. Riku and Nixe both watched him fly away in confusion. Nixe quickly had to throw up a Reflega shield just in time to deflect a few shots from Clu's jet as she scrambled back into the cockpit. Quorra quickly brought them around to avoid his attacks but didn't have to for long as Rinzler suddenly appeared from out of nowhere.
"I fight for the users!" Rinzler…or rather, Tron, declared as his jet came screaming in on a collision course with Clu's jet. Clu, unable to evade in time, yelled in anger as their jets collided, Riku and Nixe watching in disbelief as the remains of their jets crashed into the sea. (End Battle Music).
"It's over." Riku commented as Nixe hurried to the back. Flynn pulled his disc off his back, twirling it in hand slightly before looking at Quorra.
"Quorra, I need you to do something for me." He said. In the back, Nixe knelt down next to Riku as he held onto his arm beneath his coat.
"Let me see. Is it bad?" Nixe asked, Riku cringing in pain.
"No, don't! I'll be fine. I just need to take it easy for a little whi-AH!" he cringed. Nixe lifted up his empty coat sleeve, seeing the clean holes where the bolt had gone through.
"Whoa, Riku! Come on, I know cure magic! Let me help!" she said as Riku grimaced.
"It won't do any good, not on me anyways." He replied, causing Nixe to pause, a look of suspicion on her face.
"Why wouldn't it?" she asked as Riku took a deep breath and sighed. He reached up to the zipper on his coat, unzipping it and pulling the left side open, revealing his injured arm. The wound was clean but the edges around the wound were lined with a white crystalline substance. Nixe blinked in disbelief and confusion at the sight (A/N: for ambiance, I recommend cuing up "Arrival" from the Tron Legacy soundtrack right now).
"What is that? Is it because of our Grid forms?" she asked but Riku shook his head.
"No…it's because…it's because I'm not what you think I am." Riku said, earning a confused look from the Apprentice.
"What do you mean?" she asked. Riku sighed again.
"I'm not the real Riku. I never was, never will be. I'm what you might call…a Replica. A being created from the memories of another, created for a specific task. I told you that Namine was the one who sent me to protect you. She's also the one that brought me to life in the first place." Riku explained, Nixe listening to him speak with a pained expression, her eyes starting to well up with tears.
"No…no it's not true. You're real, I know you are!" she said as Riku looked at her.
"Riku is real. I am not. I told you I'm made from the memories of another, and I am. I'm made from the memories of Riku, and so I look, speak, and act, like he would. The real Riku is out there, somewhere in a world far, far away from the ones you know." Riku explained as Nixe looked away from him, lost in thought.
"Nixe, I know you're probably angry for this secrecy, but you have to believe that I-…" he said before, without warning, Nixe suddenly threw his arms around him, holding him close in a loving embrace.
"You're real to me." She cried softly, stunning Riku into speechlessness.
"No mission or mandate could force someone like you to protect me, not unless your heart and mind wasn't already devoted one hundred percent to the task. Replica or not, you're real. Your emotions are real. Your strength is real. Your character is real. I don't care if you're made of memories or not. You've stuck by me, willing to sacrifice life and limb to keep me safe, to make me stronger, to help my people. You've asked for nothing in return and I believe you seek nothing more than the satisfaction of seeing your mission to its completion. It's not because that's what you were made for, it's because you're that kind of guy." Nixe whispered into his ear, holding him tight. She then pulled back, looking at her with a touched smile on his face.
"What will happen once your mission is complete?" she asked, Riku taking a breath.
"I think you know the answer to that." He replied softly. Nixe lowered her head slightly.
"I thought so." She mumbled. Riku looked towards the front.
"We should probably-." He said before he suddenly felt Nixe grab him by the jaw, turn his head towards her, and kiss him square on the lips, surprising him. Nixe pulled back, her cheeks flushed, looking bashful.
"Now at least you can scratch off 'get kissed by a girl' from your 'secondary objectives' list." Nixe said as Riku chuckled.
"Alright you. Come on." He said, slipping his arm back into his sleeve only keeping it bent in the hole, using it as a makeshift sling. Their Light Jet began to land on a platform at the base of where the portal was located. The jet dematerialized around them, the four heading for a flight of stairs leading up to the portal, the beam of light shining straight up into the sky. As they climbed the stairs, they beheld the portal's base before them, a narrow bridge spanning a vast pit between them and the portal. But standing in their path on the other end of the bridge, was someone they didn't expect to see…
Clu, smiling at them almost mockingly.
"I had a feeling you'd be here!" Flynn called over the howling of the winds near the portal, walking ahead onto the bridge towards Clu.
"The cycles haven't been kind, have they?!" Clu replied.
"Nah, you don't look so bad!" Flynn called back. Clu's smile vanished as Flynn came to a stop.
"I did everything! Everything you ever asked!" Clu called.
"I know you did!" Flynn replied calmly.
"I executed the plan!" Clu yelled.
"As you saw it!" Flynn replied.
"You…you promised, that we would change the world, together! You broke your promise!" Clu yelled, pained and hurt by what he perceived as Flynn's age old betrayal, walking towards him as he spoke.
"I know. I understand that now." Flynn replied.
"I took this system, to its maximum potential. I created the perfect system!" Clu said, Master User and Program now face-to-face and mere feet from each other while the others lingered slightly behind, watching the exchange.
"The thing about perfection, is that it's unknowable. It's impossible but it's also right in front of us all the time! You wouldn't know that because I didn't know that when I created you! I'm sorry, Clu. I'm sorry." Flynn said, his arms open as if pleading for Clu to understand. (Battle Music Cue: Flynn Lives – Tron Legacy) Clu stepped forward, his expression being one of stark realization yet confusion. Suddenly he kicked Flynn in the stomach, the kick sending Flynn sliding back across the ground. Nixe and Riku quickly summoned their weapons and charged towards him but Clu quickly blocked with his disc, forcing them past him on the bridge, putting Clu between them and Flynn and Quorra.
"Go." Flynn whispered to Quorra from the ground. Quorra gave a sad but understanding nod, using a grappling hook to swing around Clu, landing on the other side behind Riku and Nixe, holding a blade made of light in a reversed grip in her right hand. Clu was undaunted and was ready to fight them.
"Clu! Remember what you came for." Flynn yelled, earning Clu's attention. After a moment's consideration, Clu turned and started walking towards Flynn, the bridge separating and forcing the trio to move backwards, away from the edge, all while Flynn watched. Once he reached his user, Clu kicked him across the face, causing him to roll onto his chest.
"Flynn!" Nixe yelled in alarm. Clu knelt down over Flynn, removing his disc from his back.
"You knew I'd beat you. And still you did all this, for them?" Clu asked as he stood up, looking at the disc in his hand, but was stunned when a hologram of Quorra's head appeared.
"No…" he stammered, looking across the bridge to see Quorra trying to guide Nixe and Riku backwards across the bridge, Flynn's disc attached to her back.
"Why?!" Clu asked, distraught by the deception.
"Because…she's suffering, Clu. That girl, Nixe, she's so much more important than you realize, and there's only one person that can relieve that suffering." Flynn replied. Nixe didn't hear this but Riku did as he looked towards Flynn.
"The Apprentice." He whispered. Clu, in anger, raised Quorra's disc before stabbing it into the ground near Flynn, turning and running towards the trio.
"GO!" Flynn called, Clu jumping across and narrowly catching onto the edge of the retracting bridge. Flynn climbed to his feet just as they heard a rumbling in the sky overhead. They looked and saw the Rectifier approaching.
"Kid! It's time!" Flynn called.
"It's what he wants." Quorra whispered to them, handing Nixe the disc, Flynn's disc, from her back. Nixe understood and took the disc in both hands.
"Take her! YES!" Flynn called. He froze however when he saw Clu climb onto the bridge. The trio quickly backed into the portal, just as Clu started to charge them. Flynn quickly dropped to his knees, hands to the floor, sending out a shockwave that, when it hit Clu it caught him in midair and started pulling him backwards towards Flynn. Clu struggled to try and reach the portal but Riku, using his bad arm, summoned his sword and slashed at Clu, sending him flying backwards into Flynn, the rogue program being absorbed by his creator. The result caused Flynn to explode in a rapidly expanding sphere of white light and energy, destroying the Rectifier and the entire landscape around it for miles, but the trio had already escaped. (End Battle Music)
Back in the real world…
Nixe, Riku, and Quorra (now in a black shirt, leather jacket, pants, and boots), stood staring at the now deactivated machine.
"Flynn." Quorra said sadly, the three lowering their heads in sadness.
"Quorra?" Riku said, catching the Iso's attention.
"Welcome to the real world." Riku said as Quorra smiled appreciatively.
"What will you do now?" Nixe asked.
"Probably remain here, try and rebuild Flynn's legacy. The Grid is still alive, still full of possibilities." Quorra said as Riku noticed something on one of the shelves, something that made him smile as he stepped over and picked up a dusty old thumb drive.
"Here…if the Grid is going to be rebuilt, it'll need a security program, and this is the best there is." Riku said, dusting it off, and handing it to Quorra. A piece of tape on the side of the drive read simply: "TRON – Source Files." Quorra smiled and nodded, pulling a chair around towards the computer.
"I guess I better get started. Is there anything I can do to help you, though?" Quorra asked but Nixe and Riku shook their heads.
"Nothing at all." Nixe said.
"Nothing that is, except live your life to its fullest. Don't let Flynn's sacrifice go to waste." Riku said, Quorra nodding with a smile. The two then turned and headed back through the hidden passage, emerging out the other side where Vincent remained on guard.
"How's your arm?" Nixe asked Riku who, looked at is arm.
"Better. The pain has eased off, but it's going to take Namine to bring me back to one hundred percent." Riku said as Vincent approached.
"Everything alright?" Vincent asked.
"Flynn's…Flynn's gone. But we managed to find a friend of his, a girl named Quorra. She's escaped the Grid with us. She's still in there." Nixe explained, Vincent giving a nod.
"And the Heartless?" Vincent asked.
"Destroyed. Flynn sacrificed himself to save us and the world." Riku explained, clutching his arm.
"You're wounded." Vincent said, Riku nodding.
"Yeah." He muttered. Nixe then snapped her fingers in realization.
"Hey! I just realized something! If we can't get you fixed up, we should at least still be able to treat your injury!" Nixe said excitedly.
"You have experience repairing Replicas, do you?" Riku asked but Nixe shook her head.
"I don't, but if anyone does know, I'll bet Professor Von Drake will! His lab's under the manor! Come on!" Nixe said, hurrying towards the door, Riku following close behind. Vincent started to follow them but froze as he stepped outside, his attention turning towards the Seventh District. His eyes couldn't see anything but he could sense it, something that made his eyes narrow in anger.
"They're here."
End Chapter 55
And so ends the Tron: Legacy world.
Well folks, we're into the home stretch! All of the Disney themed worlds are completed for this story so now we're entering endgame territory. The plot's going to start its final descent to the finale very soon so hold on for the ride folks!