Cypher was thrown into a recognizer. Several other programs were already there with their wrists handcuffed. They all looked up as Cypher was set next to them and handcuffed. All their discs were locked.
“Another one?” a soldier asked.
“Yeah, found him in the alley,” the sentry replied.
“Well, well, well,” Pref’s voice said.
Cypher’s eyes widened. He looked around and saw Pref and Tela. Black Guards’ voices were masked by their helmets but other Black Guards could pick up on who was who.
“You programs are going to the games for your crimes against CLU,” Pref said.
He didn’t recognize Cypher. Neither of them did. Cypher wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or sad. If they knew it was him with white circuitry, they would surely derez him.
“Be sure to put on a good show,” Pref continued, “Tesler will be watching.”
The two Black Guards left the recognizer, probably to take their own. Soon after the recognizer lifted off and proceeded to the Coliseum.
“Do you think they are going to pit us against each other?” the program next to Cypher asked with a whisper.
“Maybe. They might put us up against soldiers or Black Guards,” Cypher replied. It was strange hearing his own voice when it wasn’t masked by the helmet.
“I’m just a mechanic. I’m not programmed for combat.”
“Just keep calm and hope it isn’t disc wars then. I’m sure you’re good at light cycles as a mechanic?”
“Well yeah.”
“Then just hope for that.”
The program didn’t say another word for the rest of the flight. Cypher kept quiet too. He was thinking of strategies for each game that could be played at the Coliseum. Any soldier of CLU was well-versed in combat in any situation.
The recognizer soon landed and the soldiers began to take the criminals into the arena. They were all taken to a dark room underneath the base floor. Cheering and yelling could be heard from all around. It made Cypher sick to think how many programs support the violence of CLU’s games.
The soldiers left once they programs were all locked in place by their feet. Sirens emerged from the darkness, their white suits seemingly shining. They approached the programs and simply touched their suits, causing transparent armor to appear along the arms and shoulders. The other programs armor appeared as their secondary circuit color, while Cypher’s was white.
After the Sirens had given the armor, they backed away into the darkness. The platform began to rise with a sudden jerk. The cheering got louder as the platform rose until it settled on the Coliseum floor.
“Greetings programs of Argon!” Tesler’s voice boomed over the stadium.
Cypher’s fist tightened. Their feet were unlocked, as well as their wrists and discs. Cypher let his games helmet appear over his head. Most of the other programs already had their discs out and their helmets on.
“These contestants have commented heinous crimes against Argon and for that, they must be punished! But I am a kind leader,” Tesler explained. Cypher rolled his eyes. Tesler always lied to the people. If Cypher was arrested for being in trash, then the other ‘criminals’ were probably not even criminals at all.
“I am giving them a chance to redeem themselves through giving you all entertainment!”
“Doubt that,” Cypher mumbled.
Transparent platforms began to rise, splitting the programs up into groups of three. Cypher stood in the middle of the mechanic and another program.
“Stay behind me, this is disc wars,” Cypher told the other two.
“I can handle myself,” the third program said, just before a disc came bursting through his chest.
Cypher withdrew his disc. It had been a while since he had last used it. He was more attuned to his katana.
“Oh no!” the mechanic program yelled as the other one derezzed before them.
“Don’t be full of yourself if you start doing good,” Cypher explained as he eyed several Black Guards gliding down onto their platform. “One slip up, and these guys will kill you.”
The mechanic nodded as he held his disc ready. Cypher dodged a disc that was thrown at him. Luckily for him, he knew all the moves of a Black Guard.
“Prepare to suffer for your crimes, program,” one Black Guard said to Cypher.
Cypher smirked. He charged at the Black Guard. The Black Guard threw his disc, but Cypher side-stepped to dodge it. He threw his own disc. The guard easily dodged it. Cypher went in for a punch, catching the guard. The guard didn’t catch his disc, so it fell to the platform with a clatter. Cypher then grabbed the guard and held him tightly as his own disc came back, piercing right through the Black Guard. The guard derezzed in his arms, bits falling to the floor. It wasn’t a new feeling. Derezzing was something Cypher has done before. It felt better when it was someone who blindly followed Tesler’s orders.
Cypher turned to see the mechanic somehow managing his own. A few of the other Black Guards had already been knocked out. “You going to finish them off?” Cypher asked.
“I don’t derez.”
Cypher was shocked to hear that. He figured any program would derez a soldier of CLU if they had a chance. “The others aren’t doing well,” the mechanic yelled to Cypher. Cypher looked over to see that the other 6 programs were now down to 3.
“We need to help them,” Cypher replied.
“Exactly what I was thinking,” the mechanic said as he jumped to the platform with only one program left. There was something familiar to Cypher about that mechanic. He seemed so scared in the recognizer, but now he fought like a skill warrior program. He shook his head and decided it was nothing. He jumped to the third platform. The other two programs were back to back, deflecting the Black Guards’s discs.
Cypher used his momentum to throw his disc. His disc flew directly into one of the guards. He smiled seeing the guard crumble into pieces. As Cypher’s disc came back to him, one of the programs failed to deflect and was shattered. Cypher moved quickly to attempt to finish the last Black Guard off. He was just about to throw his disc when the crowd’s cheering became more screaming. Even the Black Guard began to look around.
Above the Coliseum, a light jet was flying down into the arena.
“After them!” Tesler yelled to his soldiers.
The remaining Black Guards in the arena pulled batons out and flew into the sky in their own light jets.
“Quickly! We can escape!” the mechanic program yelled.
The platforms were lowering to the ground. The few of them remaining began to sprint towards the nearest exit.
“Don’t let those criminals escape!” Tesler’s voice yelled.
Cypher smiled as he ran, following the mechanic. Tesler’s men wouldn’t catch them now. It made Cypher wonder who the distraction in the light jet was. Was it the Renegade?
The mechanic led the other programs far away from the Coliseum. “You programs can return home and to your jobs without worry. I doubt Tesler will remember your faces.”
The other programs thanked him and Cypher. Cypher watched the rest leave, except the mechanic. “Shouldn’t you be masked?” the mechanic asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re a soldier. You fight like one, at least. You move like a Black Guard.”
Cypher chuckled. “You’d be right. I am. I fell from a malfunctioning wing chute…my circuits changed as if I hadn’t been repurposed.”
“Impressive. You fought through and managed to be your old self on the other side,” the mechanic replied.
“I suppose. I can’t go anywhere like this. If my disc gets looked at, I’ll be derezzed for looking like a traitor.”
“You have a gift, you just need to learn to control it.”
“Huh?” Cypher asked, but the mechanic pulled out a baton to light cycle away.
“Take care of yourself. Remember, Tron lives.”
Cypher nodded as the mechanic disappeared into the streets of Argon. He looked down to his power suit. Focusing hard enough, the circuits changed back to the red they once were. He did have a gift after all. Cypher could use this gift to stay close to Tesler and to show the people of Argon that even those repurposed could follow the Renegade’s path.
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