Chương 7: A Programs Memories: Final

[Beck's Pov]

Racing through the streets of Argon, I noticed the black guard began chasing me. So I did the only thing that I could do. I activated my light ribbon.

'This'll be fun.' Grinning to myself, I accelerated, my bike bursting forward.

As they sped towards me, they activated their own light ribbons before trying to smoosh me between them, only for me to speed up more and have them smash into my light ribbon, making them wobble before they were back on my tail.

Making a sharp left, I ride down an alley before making another sharp turn down into a street in hopes of losing my pursuers. I've ridden these streets for so many cycles that the layout has basically been ingrained into my being.

Turning into another street, I was sure I lost them, only to then see two black guards riding out of a street corner behind me while another rode out of an alleyway in front, sandwiching me between them. Seeing an opportunity, I swiftly maneuver in front of both black guards, forcing them into my light ribbon and causing them and their light cycles to explode.

"Two down." Looking around quickly, I see an exposed pipe.

Knowing I didn't have time to ponder any longer, I jumped off my light cycle and grabbed the pipe. As I grabbed the pipe, I watched as my bike was sent crashing into the black guard, causing an explosion on impact.

'Good riddance.' snorting as I drop down from the pipe.

Sneering at the scattered cubes on the floor, I let out another snort as I turned to leave. Without a vehicle, I really wasn't left with many other options but to run. As I ran, I was met with an abrupt kick to the face, forcing me to the ground while leaving me disoriented for a moment. It was a good thing my helmet didn't crack because Users did that kick hurt.

Grabbing my chin, I looked up to see a woman staring down at me, though I couldn't make out any of her facial features due to the helmet she wore. As she rushed at me, I used my lowered position on the ground to deliver a kick of my own, digging my heel into her face as part of her helmet shattered, sending her stumbling a few feet back.

"Doesn't feel so good to be kicked in the face now, does it?" I taunted as I jumped back to gain some distance.

Opening her cracked helmet, I could now see her facial features, and she looked none too pleased by the fact that I had just shattered part of her mask. In fact, she looked about ready to derez me.

"That's the last mistake you'll ever make." She hissed as she activated her disc.

'Called it.' I scoffed at her before grabbing my own disc and activating it.

We were at a standstill. The only things heard were the hum of our blades and the splatters of raindrops. Glaring at each other, we waited for the moment that the other would strike. Sadly, I didn't have the luxury of waiting, so being the first to make a move, I rushed at her, throwing my disc so as not to give her any room for retaliation.

Though I was surprised to see her weave under it before throwing a punch at me. Dodging the punch, my disc circles back into my hand just in time for me to block a strike from her own disc. As we lock our discs, I push her back, following up with a kick to the stomach, sending her flying before attempting to make a run for it.

As I was running, she threw her disc at me, forcing me to flip over it. By the time I turned around to face her again, she was already on me as she threw punches at me. Dodging the punches, I caught one of her fists before going to catch the other. That's when I noticed that she had already gotten ahold of her disc as she slashed down at my chest. Stumbling back, I clutched my chest as I looked at the large gash that now marred my torso.

"You're pretty good, for a fake. Who are you?" She questioned as she mocked me.

"Like you don't already know, I'm Tron!" I shouted before I delivered a surprise spin kick to her face.

Taking this chance to run, I booked it as I heard her scream with anger before she pursued me. I wouldn't be able to run for much longer now that I was wounded. I needed to escape, and I knew just how.

Immediately, I ran towards the docks, hoping to find a boat to leave in. I began making my way through the labyrinth of crates, but before I knew it, I was lost. Turning back the way I came, I found myself trapped between the female program and many crates.

"Well done, program. You managed to trap yourself." She remarked snarkily as black guards dropped down from the chopper joining at her side. "Now, how would you like to be derezzed?"

"Sorry, but I don't plan on dying here." I chuckle before dashing forward.

As the guards rush towards me, I flip over their strikes, landing on one of them before propelling myself off their body and scaling the crates. Painfully pulling myself on top of the crates, I began running from the woman before the light chopper cut me off.

"How long do you think you can run program?" The woman spoke, pulling out her disc again.

Glancing at the chopper, then back at her, I dashed towards her as she slashed at me. Sliding under the attack, I kicked her in the back, sending her to the ground before rushing towards the light chopper.

"I really hope this works." Hearing the plasma cannons on the chopper powering up, I took off my disc, preparing to throw it at the chopper.

About to fire at me, I hurled my disc as hard as I could at the windshield, shattering it. Jumping onto the chopper, I clinged to it, climbing to the broken windshield before grabbing the guard piloting it and throwing him out. Now in control of the light chopper, I began to leave the vicinity. Before hearing the activation of a disc.

"You just don't give up, do you?" The woman snarled.

"Nope."

Dodging the slash, I quickly pull out my disc before clashing with the woman. Without anyone piloting the chopper, it began flying out of control as we began to fly in the direction of the outlands. Though this was honestly probably the only option for escaping I had right now.

Dodging a punch, I was caught off guard as the woman slashed me across the chest once more before kicking me out of the chopper. Panickily, I clutch onto the chopper's cannons for dear life.

"Ok, this is bad..." Throwing my disc at one of the light choppers engines, it blows up as I re-catch my disc before climbing back up and drop-kicking the woman off the control console.

Huffing, I looked around the chopper before spotting a wing chute rushing to it. As I placed it on my back, I looked back at the now-standing woman.

"It's been nice, but I seriously hope we never meet again." I sarcastically grumbled.

With that, I let myself fall out of the light chopper. As I hurled through the air, I struggled to open my wing chute. I knew almost nothing about how to use one of these things, so as one naturally would, I started panicking a little. Seeing the ground approaching fast, I desperately fumbled to get the stupid wing chute open.

Just as I got it to deploy, I felt the resistance of the air on the wing chute to my relief, but unfortunately there wasn't enough time from it opening and the ground. By the time it had opened enough to properly slow me, it was too late. Crashing into the ground, darkness began to envelope my vision.

__________________

"Hey man, are you alright?" I hear an unknown voice ask me.

"Hey, wake up." I hear them say it again, shaking me a bit.

"Wake up!" They finally shouted, forcing me to gasp awake and throwing me into a coughing fit.

Disoriented, I looked up at the stranger, flinching slightly at his appearance. He was clad in all black with pulsating circuitry that lined his arms. His mask was on, so I couldn't see his face, and with that hood draped over it, I doubt I would even be able to, even with it off. Then there were the sharp claws he had at the tip of each finger.

"Who are you? Where are we?" I asked as I tried sitting up, only to barely move my body.

"I can't answer that question." He told me.

"Are you a stray? Why don't you have a disc?" I question him further, hoping for some answers.

"I can't answer that question either, but what I do know is that you're running out of time, and we both know it." He told me.

Though I couldn't see his face, I couldn't hear him pitying me. Looking down, I saw my wounds had worsened, the impact doing nothing to help that fact. My breathing hitched as I began to despair.

"No, no, no. This wasn't supposed to happen. Users, I'm such an idiot." I cursed at myself as I tried to stand up, only to stumble and fall to my knees.

"I... am sorry for what it's worth." The mysterious figure told me.

Sitting there silently, I made a decision. It's a gamble, a huge one, but I believe it's the right one. Plus, what choice did I have? With great effort, I took off my disc as I opened my mask before asking him to sit down in front of me. As he crouched down, I looked up at him, staring into his mask with a somber but determined look on my face.

I couldn't understand why, but with the miniscule amount of time since I met this program or whatever he was, I've had this feeling that he was different. Like he was something more than meets the eye.

So…

"Hey… can I ask you a favor?"

I'll entrust everything to him. My disc, my skills, my memories.

Everything.