Hey guys! Let's see if we can get to 100 power stones, and I'll release a bonus chapter. And just a reminder, but I'll be posting chapters on my Patreon, so if you want to read ahead, you can go and do it there. Only if you want to, ofc. Anyway, cya later! Hope you enjoy the chapter!
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It has been cycles since Bodhi's death. Everything seems too unreal. One moment, everything was perfectly normal. Then the next, chaos.
What's worse is that I couldn't help but feel it was somehow my fault Bodhi had been derezzed. I started to replay the memory of his derezolution on my disc, over and over.
'I could have prevented his death. If I had just stopped him at that moment.' I berated myself as I watched him be derezzed once again.
.
.
.
.
I drowned myself in work, spending time at the club, trying to forget. Then, after that, I'd return to play the memory, the memory of failing to stop Bodhi's death haunting my thoughts.
—
Another few cycles passed, and I was back doing the usual maintenance and repairs. Mara, Zed, Able, and occasionally some other programs would come by to check if I was doing okay.
I appreciated their gestures, but none of them helped much. These feelings weren't going to vanish into thin air. At least not as things stood as they were.
After finishing work, I headed for the locker area to store my tools. As I put everything away, I glanced to the side, freezing once I noticed the name on the locker beside me.
'Bodhi…' I stared at the locker, his name still engraved on its surface.
That's when the reality of the situation finally set in. Bodhi was truly gone. We'd never see him again. And it was all Clu's fault. He was the reason Bodhi died.
If it weren't for him and his damned puppets, Bodhi would still be here right now. My jaws clamped shut, tightening to the point I felt like they'd crack.
Clenching my fists, my thoughts wandered to those responsible for this situation. Clu, General Tesler, and whoever else. They were all going to pay for what they'd done.
No matter the cost, even if I get derezzed during the process, I won't rest until I've witnessed Clu's empire in ruins. Turning, I head for the elevator to leave the locker room.
As I was making my way out of the garage, I heard the sound of footsteps running up to me. Before I could see who it was, someone grabbed me and spun me around to face them.
"Beck, don't do anything stupid."
"Yeah, we know that look of yours."
Mara and Zed stood before me, insisting that I do nothing. My face portrayed no emotion as I looked at them. They didn't get it. I couldn't just move on. If it were one of them, I'd do the same.
"Don't worry about me, I'm just… going for a walk. I'll be back soon, so don't worry about me." I faked a smile as I took Mara's hand off my shoulder.
"Yeah. As if I'm going to believe that for one second." Mara scoffed.
"This is just something I have to do." My voice was almost a whisper as I spoke to them.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Zed chuckled dryly.
Without another word, I turned to leave.
"Wait! Beck! Don't do this!" Mara shouted desperately, reaching out and grabbing my arm.
Looking back, I stared at her. Never had I heard her sound so distressed. Her face was flushed with emotions I had never witnessed her wear in front of anyone.
She was always outgoing and cheerful, never letting anyone know there was anything she couldn't handle. Yet here she was with an expression that made my heart ache.
Tears began to well up in her eyes as she stared at me. I stared back, seeing her silently begging me not to do what I was about to do.
My lips thinned as I watched the scene unfold. I wished I could accept that Bodhi was no longer here. I wish I could accept Clu's rule over our city. I truly did.
But I can't let what happened to Bodhi happen to another of my friends, especially not Mara or Zed. They might end up derezzed. And I don't know how I'd live with myself if that occurred.
"I… I'm sorry, Mara." With a tone of finality, I steeled my gaze and heart before breaking out of her grip.
"Beck? Beck?! Beck, stop! Please!!"
It was hard—ignoring her, that is. I wanted to turn back, to tell her that I was sorry. I wish I could say that I wouldn't do anything stupid, and that everything would be okay.
But I knew if I didn't do this, then they could be next. Finally, I left the garage, walking into the rain as Mara continued to call out to me.
I kept walking until the desperate cries faded away, leaving only the sound of raindrops and rumbling thunder.
"I'm doing this for them… I have to do this. For them…" I muttered repeatedly.
I began to make my way to the park, one thought constantly ringing through my head.
'Clu… I'm going to ruin everything that you've built. Be it me or another… You. Will. Fall.'
—
Hiding behind a wall, I watched guards patrolling Clu's statue from a distance. The rain was a good cover for me to act and strike when they least expected it.
But before I could act, I needed a disguise. I couldn't let them identify me no matter what. If I got captured, everyone could be derezzed just for being associated with me.
Taking off my identity disc, I attached it to my wrench, causing it to project a 3D hologram of my body. Changing my suit code was easy after all, I am a mechanic.
Tapping a few windows, my suit begins shifting until it's completely transformed into an almost black suit with the symbol that every program should recognize.
Tron.
I couldn't match the suit perfectly, but it should do for now. Tron, I'll be taking your role for just a little while. With my helmet now activated to mask my face, I was ready to enact my plan.
Peeking out from my position, I waited for a chance to sneak between guards. After a short while, I rushed at the first sign of an opening.
I was mindful of the guards so as not to be seen, and once I finally made it to the statue, I began my climb, carefully.
As I made my way to the top, I grinned as I was about to do something I'd fully enjoy. Removing my disc, I activated the blade before severing the statue's head.
Grinning widely beneath the mask, I took one of the many bombs I had carried with me off my person and tossed it into the hole where the statue's head had been.
Quickly climbing down, I bolt toward the street, pulling out a baton and activating it, causing a light cycle to materialize under me. As I rode off, I heard guards shouting at me to stop.
But it didn't matter that they were now alerted. It was already too late. Explosions went off as I rode down the road, the statue, light tanks, and maybe a few guards were blown into cubes.
I chuckled to myself as I heard the explosions in the distance. My plan went off without a hitch. And I had more to come in the future.
—
Third POV
In the depths of Tesler's ship, a guard was facing the wrath of his commanding officer. He stood before Tesler, his arm leaking code as he tried to alleviate the pain by holding it tightly.
"What do you mean destroyed?! How could you let this happen with so many of you patrolling the area?!" Tesler shouted, slamming the arm of his throne with anger.
"I'm sorry, sir, we couldn't get a good look at him, it all happened too fast, but it looked like..." The guard stuttered.
"Spit it out!"
"Like Tron." The guard said, hesitant to say the name.
"Tron?" Tesler said, his eyes holding a scrutinizing gaze. The name was bitter to his tongue.
When he was about to continue the conversation, he was cut off by a door opening beside him. A hue of yellow came through as a figure walked out.
"Tron's dead, Tesler. I killed him myself." The figure spoke through their helmet.
Swiftly getting up from his seat, Tesler shouted at one of his generals standing to the side, waiting for their orders.
"Paige, see to it personally. I want him found! Now!"
—
Jay raced through the streets of Argon before realizing that Black Guards were chasing him. So, doing the only thing he could do in the situation, he activated his bike's light ribbon.
'This is where the fun begins.' Accelerating, Jay's light cycle lurches forward with a burst of speed.
Seeing this, the guards activated light ribbons of their own before accelerating until they were beside him. Immediately, they twisted their bikes in unison, attempting to slam into his light cycle.
Before they could succeed, Jay sped up further, causing them to crash into his light ribbon. Wobbling, they were forced to back off, though it wasn't long before they were back on his tail.
Making a sharp turn, Jay rode down an alley before making another turn down into a street in hopes of losing his pursuers.
Every turn was mapped out in his head. Having ridden on the streets for so many cycles, every turn and street was ingrained into his being.
As he turned down another street, he was sure he had lost them, only for two Black Guards to ride out of a street corner behind him, and another out of an alleyway in front of him.
Seeing an opportunity, Jay swiftly maneuvered in front of both black guards, forcing them into his light ribbon, causing them to crash.
The guards flipped into the unable to do anything as they came crashing back down, causing them and their light cycles to explode into cubes.
"Two down." Looking around quickly, Jay sees an exposed pipe, gears turning in his head.
Knowing he had no more time to ponder, he jumped off his light cycle and grabbed the pipe. As he grabbed the pipe, he watched the bike wobble uncontrollably.
It then flipped through the air, heading straight for the Black Guard. Unable to move out of the way quickly enough, the Black Guard collided with the light cycle.
'Good riddance.' Jay snorted as he watched them explode.
Dropping from his hanging position, Jay turned to leave, left with no other option but to run on foot. Running, he turned a corner only to be met with an abrupt kick, forcing him to the ground.
'Damn, that hurt. At least my helmet's intact…' Momentarily disoriented, he grabbed his chin over his helmet and hissed in pain.
Looking up, he sees a cloaked figure towering over him, their features obscured by a helmet over their own. Right when they were about to attack, Jay dug the heel of his foot into their face.
Not expecting retaliation, the figure failed to dodge, causing a part of their helmet to shatter, sending them stumbling a few feet back as they glared from the opening.
"Doesn't feel so good to be kicked in the face now, does it?" Jay taunted before jumping back to gain some distance.
The figure said nothing, standing only in silence, before they opened her cracked helmet. As they opened the mask, Jay could now fully see their features.
It was a woman. She had a sharp jawline, long lashes, and she looked to be of Asian descent. But what Jay noticed the most was that she stared with cold fury in her eyes.
"That's the last mistake you'll ever make." She hissed as she activated her disc.
Jay scoffed before grabbing his disc and activating it as well. The hum of their blades and the drumming of rain were the only sounds heard in that moment.
They both stood there, glaring at one another, waiting for the other to make a move. Jay broke first. He rushed at her, throwing his disc to give her no room for retaliation.
To his surprise, the woman effortlessly dodged the attack before kicking Jay in the stomach, sending him to the ground again. Rolling Jay caught his disc just in time to block another attack.
"You fight like an amateur. Am I supposed to believe that you're Tron? Pathetic." She snorted, breaking Jay's defense before slashing him across his chest.
Reeling in pain, Jay throws his disc at her. She dodges, but Jay, anticipating this, uses the opportunity to kick her across the face, sending her to the ground.
"I'd love to stay and chat, but I got people to see, and an empire I need to see crumble." Jay huffs before turning and bolting away from the woman.
Growling, the woman began to chase after him. Jay ran for what felt like hours. He continued to run, dodging the woman's disc every now and again when she threw it.
Knowing he wouldn't be able to run for much longer, Jay ran toward the only place he thought he would be able to lose her.
'I need to get to the docks.'
.
.
.
.
Running through the labyrinth of crates, Jay turns a corner only to be met with a dead end. Turning around, he tries to look for another exit, but the woman is already in front of him.
"Did you really think you could run forever?" She asked, pointing above her as a light chopper hovered above them.
Two Black Guards dropped from the light chopper, landing behind her before activating their disc. They all slowly moved toward Jay, like predators that had cornered their prey.
"Take him." She commanded the two guards.
The Black Guards moved to take Jay. Pushing through the pain, Jay dashed forward, dodging the two guards' attack before using their bodies to propel himself up.
Painfully, he climbed to the top of the crates, pulling himself up before continuing his escape. However, he was quickly stopped by the light chopper.
Turning to run the other way, the woman was there to cut off his other escape route. He had nowhere left to run, and his wound was getting worse as time passed.
"How long are you going to keep this up for?" The woman sighed as she pulled out her disc.
"As long as I need to. After all… " Jay activated his disc, "I'm Tron."