Fic: The Ghost of You And I-(Part II)
Author/Artist: dealingboredom
Title: The Ghost of You and I
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Word Count: 3516
Summary: "Kevin could only watch helplessly on as his creation, his other half slowly lead them back through the door to the basement where the laser lay. Whether he wanted to or not, Clu was taking him back to the grid and Alan was coming with them."
Author's note: Based on this prompt here: tronkinkmeme.livejournal.com/4397.html.
When Sam walked into the Encom boardroom thirty minutes late, he half expected to see Alan sitting in his usual seat, wearing a look that was the perfect mixture of disapproval and pride. But it was to Sam’s surprise that he found Alan’s chair empty and when he demanded to know where Alan was, the other board members could offer no answer and instead demanded answers of their own.
Was Sam taking the company back?
It was the most obvious question and Sam could not afford to linger on the Alan’s whereabouts. There were seemingly bigger things at stake. So it was with great unhappiness that Sam began the meeting. He had hoped to have Alan here to back him up. Not only because Alan would be an ally in a room full of corporate hungry sharks but because he could finally show Alan that they didn’t have to give up on Kevin Flynn’s dreams just because he was no longer around.
Now he couldn’t do that. And some part of him couldn’t help but worry over that fact. Alan wouldn’t miss Sam taking back his father’s company for the world. So where was he?
--
Kevin had been dreading Alan finally waking up. “I fail to see why you are so concerned about his well-being, Flynn. He is fine. I did not hit him very hard, just enough to knock him out.” Clu insisted, mildly offended that Kevin would think he would intentionally harm Alan.
What do you mean, you didn’t hit him very hard? Look at him, Clu! Clearly you gave him a good beating and when he wakes up, he’s going to be pissed, man. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Kevin exclaimed as he eyed Alan’s sleeping form warily. He knew Alan better then anyone and as soon as he remembered that Kevin was the cause of his injuries, he was going to get his ass kicked.
Clu merely rolled his eyes. Flynn was obviously exaggerating. There was no way Alan could kick their Asses. “He’s waking…” Clu mumbled, more for Kevin’s benefit than his own. With some trepidation, Clu watched as Alan slowly began to wake.
The soft groan that escaped Alan’s form seemed to echo in room they were currently occupying and Clu was quick to plaster a smile on his face. Kevin was strangely silent during this time, intently watching Alan as the man carefully pushed himself up.
You should say something, man. Distract him from the pain he’s likely feeling. If we were off the grid, I’d tell you to give him some painkillers or something but since we aren’t…Kevin suddenly suggested, voice trailing off. It was clear he did not want to see Alan in any amount of pain. Clu made a faint noise of agreement before tilting his head to the side in a silent question. What would make Alan feel better? Maybe we could kiss him or something, that’d distract him, Kevin offered with a cheeky grin. Clu didn’t bother to deign Kevin with a response, internally scoffing at the very idea. Instead he focused on Alan who was now staring at him, eyes unfocused.
“…Kevin?”
Alan finally asked, voice thick from sleep. Clu swallowed and he felt the smile on his face become strained as he suddenly had this strange urge to say something incredibly stupid. Or leer.
“What…happened? And where are we?”
As Alan spoke, he was gently probing his face, wincing when he managed to touch a particularly sensitive area. But his eyes were beginning to focus and as soon as it was clear that he realized that wherever they were, it wasn’t anywhere Alan was familiar with, Clu decided to answer just one of Alan’s questions.
‘We’re on the grid.”
--
It had been a difficult morning for Alan. But waking up in unfamiliar places often did make a day that was already off to a bad start, worse. Though Alan had to admit, in this case, his day was actually beginning to look up. Not only was his finding Kevin after all these years not a dream but he was inside a computer and it was beautiful.
Perhaps that was why he had yet to punch Kevin and demand answers. Because that was all he had really wanted to do when he first opened his eyes. Now that anger had been replaced. He felt more overwhelmed than anything and Alan didn’t doubt that was Kevin’s intention.
But the wonders of the grid would only work to distract him for so long.
“You said I needed to get suited up for the grid…is that why you’re wearing that outfit?” Alan asked curiously while letting his eyes wonder appreciatively over Kevin’s body.
“Something wrong with my outfit?” Kevin asked curiously, eyebrows furrowing momentarily as he glanced down at what he was wearing. He certainly found nothing wrong with the suit, as it was highly practical. Not that he was going to say that aloud as it was certainly nothing Flynn would say. Glancing up, he noticed that Alan’s eyes seemed to be lingering on his backside and…well, well, well, if he didn’t know better, he would say Alan Bradley was checking him out.
“No, no, nothing wrong with it. Not really, it fits your obnoxious and cocky attitude, I’d say.” Alan mused with a slight smirk, finally dragging his eyes up and away from Kevin’s ass.
“Says the man whose been checking me out for the past…what, minute? I hope you’re enjoying the view?”
“…Depends on what view you’re talking about, Kevin. But yes, I am enjoying it very much. Perhaps you could give me a better look later?” Alan offered with a lopsided grin. Kevin just smirked at Alan.
“You must be wondering why I never came back.” Kevin finally offered, deciding that now was best to bring up the topic they had both been avidly avoiding for some time.
Alan slowly nodded his head in agreement to the statement. Among other things, that was the one question that he found to be most pressing. Not to say he wasn’t wondering why the circuitry on Kevin’s body seemed to glow orange instead of the blue he had expected. After all, hadn’t that been how it was in the game of Tron? Assuming that game was based of this reality. Though if he were honest with himself, the color seemed strangely fitting of Kevin. Especially since it was a unique shade of orange, almost a yellow really. But he couldn’t help but long to see the lines covering Kevin’s body glow blue.
“I will tell you everything, I promise. But first, we need get you outfitted for the grid…” Clu stated. Hey, man, could you try to act a little more like me? Kevin whined, worried that Alan would start to suspect that something was up if Clu didn’t start behaving more like him
Alan just looked at Kevin strangely. It was an expression not unlike the one Tron used to give to Kevin or Clu when they did something Tron found particularly perplexing or strange.
“Of course. So where exactly is this mysterious dressing room?”
Kevin just grinned, blue eyes bright with amusement.
“Down.”
“…What’s down?” Alan asked, confusion evident in his voice.
As soon as the words left Alan’s mouth, there was the sound of something clicking into place. Alan risked a glance down at his feet, noticing with no small amount of alarm that his shoes were currently locked into place by some sort of safety measure. Before Alan could ask why only his feet were being held down, the piece of grid they were on suddenly began to descend down, air rushing past them.
The unexpectedness of it all was enough to cause Alan to reach out and latch onto Kevin’s wrist, his fingers digging into the suit. Kevin seemed unperturbed by it all, humming cheerily to himself as he shuffled his feet, a large and rather childish grin on his face.
All to soon, their little ride came to an end and the thing that had been holding Alan’s feet down disappeared with another click.
Wherever they were, it was dark.
“Hey, man. You can let go now.” Kevin assured, voice teasing while he stared rather pointedly at the hand holding his wrist in a death grip.
“Huh…? Oh, I just…where are we?” Alan blurted out, eyebrows furrowing in confusion as he reluctantly let go of Kevin’s wrist.
“We have to get you outfitted for the grid, remember?” Kevin playfully stated with a grin. One that screamed that what was about to happen was something Alan would not enjoy as much as Kevin would.
“Kevin-“ Alan began in warning but he was cut of from continuing by Kevin suddenly pushing him forward. He stumbled over his own two feet for a moment before he finally managed to regain his balance. Alan glared over his shoulder at Kevin.
“Go stand on that platform, will ya babe?” Kevin drawled, seemingly unperturbed by the nasty glare he was currently receiving.
Rolling his eyes, Alan just sighed and did as he was told. Life was easier if he just did whatever Kevin asked of him, however ridiculous the request. As soon as his shoes touched the platform, his feet were again locked into place and the sound of automatic doors opening echoed in the room.
Before Alan could even begin to think about asking Kevin what the hell was going on, three women were walking toward him.
Alan stared wide-eyed at the girls who stood around him, each just inches away from his body. One by one, they each brought their hands up and suddenly their pointer fingers flared to life with a white fire.
“...Kevin, would you care to explain to me what these three women are going to do to me exactly before I go over there and kick your ass?” Alan asked in as calm a voice as he could muster. Something that was exceedingly difficult considering his clothing was now being cut off of him.
“Don’t worry, man. You’re in safe hands. The girls here are just outfitting you for the grid. So just let them do their job.” Kevin stated while gesturing vaguely at the three programs, seemingly undisturbed by what was going on.
“…You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Alan asked in defeat after a moment. Kevin just laughed aloud at that.
It was almost as humiliating as it was strangely sexual. No doubt Kevin programmed it to be that way. Honestly, Alan couldn’t leave that man alone for a minute without him causing some sort of trouble.
“I hate you.”
“Naw, man, you love me.”
“As much as I love you, Mr. Flynn, it would be fantastic if you would finally be so kind as to tell me what happened to you. You went missing for thirty plus years, remember?” Alan asked while rolling his eyes.
“Man, I haven’t be called that in years.” Kevin murmured, expression thoughtful. It wasn’t quite the response Alan had hoped for but he could see that Kevin wasn’t so much as avoiding his question as he was thinking about how to answer.
“…Alan-One…”
Alan jerked out of his reverie upon hearing his username. He stared wide eyed at the women who stared just as openly back at them though their expression were more awed.
“Excuse me?”
Glancing down at himself, he realized with a start that he was wearing the same ridiculous outfit Kevin was wearing though while Kevin’s body seemed to be covered with a fair amount of circuitry, he barely had any. What circuitry he did have seemed to be mostly on his hands and upper body.
Alan was so focused on studying his grid suit that he almost didn’t notice Kevin was speaking to him.
“You know, when Sam came in here, he asked me the same question. I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. I got stuck in here by no fault but my own. Never told anyone what I was really doing, you know? Those late nights at work, the stories I told Sam when he was little, those action figures, and the Tron game…everything that everyone else thought was something I just came up with? It was all real, it happened, Alan.”
“…Then…what happened? How could you have gotten stuck in here? Why didn’t you show me, Kevin? I could have helped, I could have gotten here sooner, hell, I shouldn’t have even sent Sam in here if the stories about this place are true.” Alan stated eyebrows furrowing as he tried to understand what Kevin was telling him. Certainly he remembered those stories, how could he not? They seemed to be the only bedtime stories Sam wanted to hear after his father left.
“The portal closed on me.”
“…The what?”
“The way to get in! It closed on me, man. It uses mass amounts of power to stay open and as a result it can only stay open for a short period of time. And it only opens from the outside. Hadn’t really considered the consequences of that until I was trapped in here.” Kevin exclaimed in frustration.
“And how does Sam play into all this again?”
“He came here. You sent him here, Alan, remember? That page you got? Problem was, I didn’t send it to you. Clu did.”
“…Clu…Codified Likeness Utility, right?”
“Yeah, that’s Clu alright. But he…his directive, it was flawed. I told him to create the perfect system and, well, you know how useless it is chasing after something you can’t have. But he tried anyway. Did a pretty good job of making this place perfect, if I say so myself.” Kevin stated softly, his eyes distant as he stared right through Alan.
“…Something happened though, didn’t it? To cause him to change?” Alan offered after a moment of silence and all three of the sirens flinched at once.
“…Yeah, you could say that. You remember how I told Sam that something amazing had happened on the grid? Well, these new programs appeared, ones that I hadn’t created. It was a miracle, really, one that Clu couldn’t seem to appreciate. I mean, the computer just created them and…just, they could think, speak, and breathe on their own, Alan! They were intelligent beings, capable of their own thoughts and beliefs. It was all so overwhelming.” Kevin gestured about wildly as he spoke, his blue eyes bright with excitement.
“What were they called, these new beings?” Alan curiously asked, a faint smile on his face as he watched Kevin speak so enthusiastically. Even after all these years, Kevin was still a charismatic speaker.
“ISO’s, man. They were going to be my gift to the world. Their digital DNA could change everything in our world. And I was so focused on that, that I didn’t notice that Clu…he…well, he saw them as an imperfection and as such sought to rid the grid of them. He almost managed to, committed genocide to do so. But I saved one, the last ISO, Quorra. She escaped out with Sam.”
“…Programs can get out of the grid?” Alan asked with some alarm, his mind immediately latching onto that little detail.
“Huh? Oh, no, they can’t. Not without my disk. It was the key into and out of the portal. Clu has spent the last thirty plus years hunting me down for that disk because he figured if I could get in, he could get out. And that’s where Sam comes in. He got taken onto the grid and with his help, Quorra and I managed to both put an end to Clu’s plan as well as finally escape out into the real world. Radical, right?” Kevin asked with a grin though it seemed strained.
“…You brought Tron here, right? Where is he, Kevin?” Alan suddenly asked. The question of Tron’s whereabouts had been bothering him for a while now and he had just been reluctant to ask. Still was and rightfully so as Kevin seemed taken aback by the question.
“Alan-1, if you wouldn’t mind, may I place this disk in your dock?” One of the sirens interrupted as she held out a blank identity disk for him to inspect, her hand quivering ever so slightly.
Jerking his attention away from Kevin, Alan stared uncomprehendingly at the program. Kevin was quick to intervene; answering the question in Alan’s stead, as it seemed unlikely Alan was going to reply anytime soon.
“Yeah, go ahead girls, no need to ask. He doesn’t bite.” Kevin lazily drawled, “And as for Tron, yeah, he’s here…I just don’t know where. Clu reprogrammed him into Rinzler and he hasn’t been the same since.”
As Kevin spoke, the siren that had asked for permission carefully set the identity disk into place just as a computerized female voice came online. Alan was only half listening to what was being said because as soon as the disk connected with him, he felt a jolt of electricity run through him.
“Man, you and Sam can pretty much adapt to any situation, can’t you?” Kevin murmured appreciatively. “I mean most people would be freaked out but you two…” His voice trailed off as he shook his head.
“Well, I had to be able to adapt if I was going to be with you, Kevin. And Sam’s your son, a chip off the old block really. Listens to me as much as you used to.” Alan commented dryly though he seemed vaguely amused that Kevin was so surprised at his ability to adapt to strange situations.
“Oh, yeah? Glad to hear that…Sam got out okay then?”
“Yeah, he did. Him and Quorra both, it looked like. You left a big impression on him, Kevin. He’s decided to take Encom back.” Chuckling quietly, Alan took a step toward Kevin, his expression almost affectionate. The sirens immediately took a step away from Alan, watching warily as Alan made his way over to Kevin.
“Really? He’s taking back Encom?”
“Yes, he is. He asked me to be -“ Alan began before cutting himself off abruptly, his eyes widening in horror as he realized he was going to be late. Or would be late if he lingered here any longer. “Sam…I told Sam I would be at Encom at eight, Kevin.” Alan rasped, eyes suddenly desperate.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa…easy there, man. No need to worry, we have plenty of time until we need to get you back.” Kevin assured with an easy smile.
“Kevin, this is your son. I told him I would be at Encom at eight and I intend to be.” Alan snapped, blue eyes flashing with anger as he glared openly at Kevin.
“Alan, come on…I still have plenty of time to show you the grid before you have to be at Encom! Hours here are just minute’s back home, okay? So you’re not late!” Kevin insisted while trying to reason with Alan though it seemed to be backfiring majorly if the way Alan was looking at him right now was any clue.
“No, Kevin. As soon as you start showing me around, I’ll get distracted and if I get distracted here, I know I won’t be leaving anytime soon. Besides, Sam doesn’t know I’m here and that’s dangerous, right?” Alan impatiently asked.
“Well, no…it’s…we’d leave before the portal closed on us and…yeah…” Kevin hedged in an obvious attempt to avoid answering the question directly.
“…That is a bunch of bullshit and you know it, Kevin Flynn.”
“Come on, man! I promise we’ll leave well before anyone notices we’re gone! Besides, Sam doesn’t even know I’m alive so…yeah.” Kevin suddenly blurted out, desperate for Alan not to leave. But that seemed to be the wrong thing to say as Alan recoiled rather violently away from Kevin.
“…What do you mean Sam doesn’t know you alive?” Alan asked quietly, voice deceptively soft.
“I…well…he thinks I was destroyed when I reintegrated with Clu…did I mention that I had to do that?” Kevin awkwardly asked. Clu merely snorted in distaste at Flynn’s obvious failure in managing to keep Alan happy. Clearly, he shouldn’t have let Flynn taken control.
“I…what? You and Clu? You…you merged into one?” Alan asked in a mixture of amazement and dawning horror.
“Of course, I had to. It was the only way to put an end to this madness…” Kevin assured with a smile as he took a step toward Alan.
“Now, why don’t you just relax and we can-“ Kevin began but he was abruptly cut off by a sudden punch to the face. In fact, it was so unexpected that Clu could only watch with morbid fascination as blood began to dribble over his lips.
“Who are you?” Alan ground out, hands clenched into fists.
“…I’m Kevin Flynn.” Kevin easily replied, looking faintly amused that Alan would ask such an obvious question.
“Like hell you are!” Alan growled.
“…Mmm, you’re a bit more feisty then I expected. Though I can see why Flynn is so very fond of you. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Alan. I am Clu.”
Title: The Ghost of You and I
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Word Count: 3516
Summary: "Kevin could only watch helplessly on as his creation, his other half slowly lead them back through the door to the basement where the laser lay. Whether he wanted to or not, Clu was taking him back to the grid and Alan was coming with them."
Author's note: Based on this prompt here: tronkinkmeme.livejournal.com/4397.html.
When Sam walked into the Encom boardroom thirty minutes late, he half expected to see Alan sitting in his usual seat, wearing a look that was the perfect mixture of disapproval and pride. But it was to Sam’s surprise that he found Alan’s chair empty and when he demanded to know where Alan was, the other board members could offer no answer and instead demanded answers of their own.
Was Sam taking the company back?
It was the most obvious question and Sam could not afford to linger on the Alan’s whereabouts. There were seemingly bigger things at stake. So it was with great unhappiness that Sam began the meeting. He had hoped to have Alan here to back him up. Not only because Alan would be an ally in a room full of corporate hungry sharks but because he could finally show Alan that they didn’t have to give up on Kevin Flynn’s dreams just because he was no longer around.
Now he couldn’t do that. And some part of him couldn’t help but worry over that fact. Alan wouldn’t miss Sam taking back his father’s company for the world. So where was he?
--
Kevin had been dreading Alan finally waking up. “I fail to see why you are so concerned about his well-being, Flynn. He is fine. I did not hit him very hard, just enough to knock him out.” Clu insisted, mildly offended that Kevin would think he would intentionally harm Alan.
What do you mean, you didn’t hit him very hard? Look at him, Clu! Clearly you gave him a good beating and when he wakes up, he’s going to be pissed, man. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Kevin exclaimed as he eyed Alan’s sleeping form warily. He knew Alan better then anyone and as soon as he remembered that Kevin was the cause of his injuries, he was going to get his ass kicked.
Clu merely rolled his eyes. Flynn was obviously exaggerating. There was no way Alan could kick their Asses. “He’s waking…” Clu mumbled, more for Kevin’s benefit than his own. With some trepidation, Clu watched as Alan slowly began to wake.
The soft groan that escaped Alan’s form seemed to echo in room they were currently occupying and Clu was quick to plaster a smile on his face. Kevin was strangely silent during this time, intently watching Alan as the man carefully pushed himself up.
You should say something, man. Distract him from the pain he’s likely feeling. If we were off the grid, I’d tell you to give him some painkillers or something but since we aren’t…Kevin suddenly suggested, voice trailing off. It was clear he did not want to see Alan in any amount of pain. Clu made a faint noise of agreement before tilting his head to the side in a silent question. What would make Alan feel better? Maybe we could kiss him or something, that’d distract him, Kevin offered with a cheeky grin. Clu didn’t bother to deign Kevin with a response, internally scoffing at the very idea. Instead he focused on Alan who was now staring at him, eyes unfocused.
“…Kevin?”
Alan finally asked, voice thick from sleep. Clu swallowed and he felt the smile on his face become strained as he suddenly had this strange urge to say something incredibly stupid. Or leer.
“What…happened? And where are we?”
As Alan spoke, he was gently probing his face, wincing when he managed to touch a particularly sensitive area. But his eyes were beginning to focus and as soon as it was clear that he realized that wherever they were, it wasn’t anywhere Alan was familiar with, Clu decided to answer just one of Alan’s questions.
‘We’re on the grid.”
--
It had been a difficult morning for Alan. But waking up in unfamiliar places often did make a day that was already off to a bad start, worse. Though Alan had to admit, in this case, his day was actually beginning to look up. Not only was his finding Kevin after all these years not a dream but he was inside a computer and it was beautiful.
Perhaps that was why he had yet to punch Kevin and demand answers. Because that was all he had really wanted to do when he first opened his eyes. Now that anger had been replaced. He felt more overwhelmed than anything and Alan didn’t doubt that was Kevin’s intention.
But the wonders of the grid would only work to distract him for so long.
“You said I needed to get suited up for the grid…is that why you’re wearing that outfit?” Alan asked curiously while letting his eyes wonder appreciatively over Kevin’s body.
“Something wrong with my outfit?” Kevin asked curiously, eyebrows furrowing momentarily as he glanced down at what he was wearing. He certainly found nothing wrong with the suit, as it was highly practical. Not that he was going to say that aloud as it was certainly nothing Flynn would say. Glancing up, he noticed that Alan’s eyes seemed to be lingering on his backside and…well, well, well, if he didn’t know better, he would say Alan Bradley was checking him out.
“No, no, nothing wrong with it. Not really, it fits your obnoxious and cocky attitude, I’d say.” Alan mused with a slight smirk, finally dragging his eyes up and away from Kevin’s ass.
“Says the man whose been checking me out for the past…what, minute? I hope you’re enjoying the view?”
“…Depends on what view you’re talking about, Kevin. But yes, I am enjoying it very much. Perhaps you could give me a better look later?” Alan offered with a lopsided grin. Kevin just smirked at Alan.
“You must be wondering why I never came back.” Kevin finally offered, deciding that now was best to bring up the topic they had both been avidly avoiding for some time.
Alan slowly nodded his head in agreement to the statement. Among other things, that was the one question that he found to be most pressing. Not to say he wasn’t wondering why the circuitry on Kevin’s body seemed to glow orange instead of the blue he had expected. After all, hadn’t that been how it was in the game of Tron? Assuming that game was based of this reality. Though if he were honest with himself, the color seemed strangely fitting of Kevin. Especially since it was a unique shade of orange, almost a yellow really. But he couldn’t help but long to see the lines covering Kevin’s body glow blue.
“I will tell you everything, I promise. But first, we need get you outfitted for the grid…” Clu stated. Hey, man, could you try to act a little more like me? Kevin whined, worried that Alan would start to suspect that something was up if Clu didn’t start behaving more like him
Alan just looked at Kevin strangely. It was an expression not unlike the one Tron used to give to Kevin or Clu when they did something Tron found particularly perplexing or strange.
“Of course. So where exactly is this mysterious dressing room?”
Kevin just grinned, blue eyes bright with amusement.
“Down.”
“…What’s down?” Alan asked, confusion evident in his voice.
As soon as the words left Alan’s mouth, there was the sound of something clicking into place. Alan risked a glance down at his feet, noticing with no small amount of alarm that his shoes were currently locked into place by some sort of safety measure. Before Alan could ask why only his feet were being held down, the piece of grid they were on suddenly began to descend down, air rushing past them.
The unexpectedness of it all was enough to cause Alan to reach out and latch onto Kevin’s wrist, his fingers digging into the suit. Kevin seemed unperturbed by it all, humming cheerily to himself as he shuffled his feet, a large and rather childish grin on his face.
All to soon, their little ride came to an end and the thing that had been holding Alan’s feet down disappeared with another click.
Wherever they were, it was dark.
“Hey, man. You can let go now.” Kevin assured, voice teasing while he stared rather pointedly at the hand holding his wrist in a death grip.
“Huh…? Oh, I just…where are we?” Alan blurted out, eyebrows furrowing in confusion as he reluctantly let go of Kevin’s wrist.
“We have to get you outfitted for the grid, remember?” Kevin playfully stated with a grin. One that screamed that what was about to happen was something Alan would not enjoy as much as Kevin would.
“Kevin-“ Alan began in warning but he was cut of from continuing by Kevin suddenly pushing him forward. He stumbled over his own two feet for a moment before he finally managed to regain his balance. Alan glared over his shoulder at Kevin.
“Go stand on that platform, will ya babe?” Kevin drawled, seemingly unperturbed by the nasty glare he was currently receiving.
Rolling his eyes, Alan just sighed and did as he was told. Life was easier if he just did whatever Kevin asked of him, however ridiculous the request. As soon as his shoes touched the platform, his feet were again locked into place and the sound of automatic doors opening echoed in the room.
Before Alan could even begin to think about asking Kevin what the hell was going on, three women were walking toward him.
Alan stared wide-eyed at the girls who stood around him, each just inches away from his body. One by one, they each brought their hands up and suddenly their pointer fingers flared to life with a white fire.
“...Kevin, would you care to explain to me what these three women are going to do to me exactly before I go over there and kick your ass?” Alan asked in as calm a voice as he could muster. Something that was exceedingly difficult considering his clothing was now being cut off of him.
“Don’t worry, man. You’re in safe hands. The girls here are just outfitting you for the grid. So just let them do their job.” Kevin stated while gesturing vaguely at the three programs, seemingly undisturbed by what was going on.
“…You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Alan asked in defeat after a moment. Kevin just laughed aloud at that.
It was almost as humiliating as it was strangely sexual. No doubt Kevin programmed it to be that way. Honestly, Alan couldn’t leave that man alone for a minute without him causing some sort of trouble.
“I hate you.”
“Naw, man, you love me.”
“As much as I love you, Mr. Flynn, it would be fantastic if you would finally be so kind as to tell me what happened to you. You went missing for thirty plus years, remember?” Alan asked while rolling his eyes.
“Man, I haven’t be called that in years.” Kevin murmured, expression thoughtful. It wasn’t quite the response Alan had hoped for but he could see that Kevin wasn’t so much as avoiding his question as he was thinking about how to answer.
“…Alan-One…”
Alan jerked out of his reverie upon hearing his username. He stared wide eyed at the women who stared just as openly back at them though their expression were more awed.
“Excuse me?”
Glancing down at himself, he realized with a start that he was wearing the same ridiculous outfit Kevin was wearing though while Kevin’s body seemed to be covered with a fair amount of circuitry, he barely had any. What circuitry he did have seemed to be mostly on his hands and upper body.
Alan was so focused on studying his grid suit that he almost didn’t notice Kevin was speaking to him.
“You know, when Sam came in here, he asked me the same question. I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. I got stuck in here by no fault but my own. Never told anyone what I was really doing, you know? Those late nights at work, the stories I told Sam when he was little, those action figures, and the Tron game…everything that everyone else thought was something I just came up with? It was all real, it happened, Alan.”
“…Then…what happened? How could you have gotten stuck in here? Why didn’t you show me, Kevin? I could have helped, I could have gotten here sooner, hell, I shouldn’t have even sent Sam in here if the stories about this place are true.” Alan stated eyebrows furrowing as he tried to understand what Kevin was telling him. Certainly he remembered those stories, how could he not? They seemed to be the only bedtime stories Sam wanted to hear after his father left.
“The portal closed on me.”
“…The what?”
“The way to get in! It closed on me, man. It uses mass amounts of power to stay open and as a result it can only stay open for a short period of time. And it only opens from the outside. Hadn’t really considered the consequences of that until I was trapped in here.” Kevin exclaimed in frustration.
“And how does Sam play into all this again?”
“He came here. You sent him here, Alan, remember? That page you got? Problem was, I didn’t send it to you. Clu did.”
“…Clu…Codified Likeness Utility, right?”
“Yeah, that’s Clu alright. But he…his directive, it was flawed. I told him to create the perfect system and, well, you know how useless it is chasing after something you can’t have. But he tried anyway. Did a pretty good job of making this place perfect, if I say so myself.” Kevin stated softly, his eyes distant as he stared right through Alan.
“…Something happened though, didn’t it? To cause him to change?” Alan offered after a moment of silence and all three of the sirens flinched at once.
“…Yeah, you could say that. You remember how I told Sam that something amazing had happened on the grid? Well, these new programs appeared, ones that I hadn’t created. It was a miracle, really, one that Clu couldn’t seem to appreciate. I mean, the computer just created them and…just, they could think, speak, and breathe on their own, Alan! They were intelligent beings, capable of their own thoughts and beliefs. It was all so overwhelming.” Kevin gestured about wildly as he spoke, his blue eyes bright with excitement.
“What were they called, these new beings?” Alan curiously asked, a faint smile on his face as he watched Kevin speak so enthusiastically. Even after all these years, Kevin was still a charismatic speaker.
“ISO’s, man. They were going to be my gift to the world. Their digital DNA could change everything in our world. And I was so focused on that, that I didn’t notice that Clu…he…well, he saw them as an imperfection and as such sought to rid the grid of them. He almost managed to, committed genocide to do so. But I saved one, the last ISO, Quorra. She escaped out with Sam.”
“…Programs can get out of the grid?” Alan asked with some alarm, his mind immediately latching onto that little detail.
“Huh? Oh, no, they can’t. Not without my disk. It was the key into and out of the portal. Clu has spent the last thirty plus years hunting me down for that disk because he figured if I could get in, he could get out. And that’s where Sam comes in. He got taken onto the grid and with his help, Quorra and I managed to both put an end to Clu’s plan as well as finally escape out into the real world. Radical, right?” Kevin asked with a grin though it seemed strained.
“…You brought Tron here, right? Where is he, Kevin?” Alan suddenly asked. The question of Tron’s whereabouts had been bothering him for a while now and he had just been reluctant to ask. Still was and rightfully so as Kevin seemed taken aback by the question.
“Alan-1, if you wouldn’t mind, may I place this disk in your dock?” One of the sirens interrupted as she held out a blank identity disk for him to inspect, her hand quivering ever so slightly.
Jerking his attention away from Kevin, Alan stared uncomprehendingly at the program. Kevin was quick to intervene; answering the question in Alan’s stead, as it seemed unlikely Alan was going to reply anytime soon.
“Yeah, go ahead girls, no need to ask. He doesn’t bite.” Kevin lazily drawled, “And as for Tron, yeah, he’s here…I just don’t know where. Clu reprogrammed him into Rinzler and he hasn’t been the same since.”
As Kevin spoke, the siren that had asked for permission carefully set the identity disk into place just as a computerized female voice came online. Alan was only half listening to what was being said because as soon as the disk connected with him, he felt a jolt of electricity run through him.
“Man, you and Sam can pretty much adapt to any situation, can’t you?” Kevin murmured appreciatively. “I mean most people would be freaked out but you two…” His voice trailed off as he shook his head.
“Well, I had to be able to adapt if I was going to be with you, Kevin. And Sam’s your son, a chip off the old block really. Listens to me as much as you used to.” Alan commented dryly though he seemed vaguely amused that Kevin was so surprised at his ability to adapt to strange situations.
“Oh, yeah? Glad to hear that…Sam got out okay then?”
“Yeah, he did. Him and Quorra both, it looked like. You left a big impression on him, Kevin. He’s decided to take Encom back.” Chuckling quietly, Alan took a step toward Kevin, his expression almost affectionate. The sirens immediately took a step away from Alan, watching warily as Alan made his way over to Kevin.
“Really? He’s taking back Encom?”
“Yes, he is. He asked me to be -“ Alan began before cutting himself off abruptly, his eyes widening in horror as he realized he was going to be late. Or would be late if he lingered here any longer. “Sam…I told Sam I would be at Encom at eight, Kevin.” Alan rasped, eyes suddenly desperate.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa…easy there, man. No need to worry, we have plenty of time until we need to get you back.” Kevin assured with an easy smile.
“Kevin, this is your son. I told him I would be at Encom at eight and I intend to be.” Alan snapped, blue eyes flashing with anger as he glared openly at Kevin.
“Alan, come on…I still have plenty of time to show you the grid before you have to be at Encom! Hours here are just minute’s back home, okay? So you’re not late!” Kevin insisted while trying to reason with Alan though it seemed to be backfiring majorly if the way Alan was looking at him right now was any clue.
“No, Kevin. As soon as you start showing me around, I’ll get distracted and if I get distracted here, I know I won’t be leaving anytime soon. Besides, Sam doesn’t know I’m here and that’s dangerous, right?” Alan impatiently asked.
“Well, no…it’s…we’d leave before the portal closed on us and…yeah…” Kevin hedged in an obvious attempt to avoid answering the question directly.
“…That is a bunch of bullshit and you know it, Kevin Flynn.”
“Come on, man! I promise we’ll leave well before anyone notices we’re gone! Besides, Sam doesn’t even know I’m alive so…yeah.” Kevin suddenly blurted out, desperate for Alan not to leave. But that seemed to be the wrong thing to say as Alan recoiled rather violently away from Kevin.
“…What do you mean Sam doesn’t know you alive?” Alan asked quietly, voice deceptively soft.
“I…well…he thinks I was destroyed when I reintegrated with Clu…did I mention that I had to do that?” Kevin awkwardly asked. Clu merely snorted in distaste at Flynn’s obvious failure in managing to keep Alan happy. Clearly, he shouldn’t have let Flynn taken control.
“I…what? You and Clu? You…you merged into one?” Alan asked in a mixture of amazement and dawning horror.
“Of course, I had to. It was the only way to put an end to this madness…” Kevin assured with a smile as he took a step toward Alan.
“Now, why don’t you just relax and we can-“ Kevin began but he was abruptly cut off by a sudden punch to the face. In fact, it was so unexpected that Clu could only watch with morbid fascination as blood began to dribble over his lips.
“Who are you?” Alan ground out, hands clenched into fists.
“…I’m Kevin Flynn.” Kevin easily replied, looking faintly amused that Alan would ask such an obvious question.
“Like hell you are!” Alan growled.
“…Mmm, you’re a bit more feisty then I expected. Though I can see why Flynn is so very fond of you. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Alan. I am Clu.”