There's a fire burning in my heart

[tronzler]

Who: Tronzler & anyone else who's around
Where: Roof of the Arcade, possibly parts beyond
What: Thinkin'
When: Now. Now is good.
Warnings: Depends on who tags in, will update as necessary.

Comments

[notglitching]

Rinzler had been avoiding the Arcade since Flynn showed up there after Sam's defeat. He had better things to worry about than the recurring presence of unskilled users. (Not that it wasn't worrying. Because it was.)

Sometimes, though, a program needed to get from point 0 to point 1. Possibly point 2 after that, depending. The important part is, Rinzler had a direction. A goal, even. And if this useless structure lay in the way... he wouldn't divert course.

That said, ground level was for squares. Not winners. Rinzler's business wasn't so urgent as to necessitate vehicle transport, and it was worth refamiliarizing himself with these strangely offset (wrong) surroundings. And it wasn't like many other programs tended towards the rooftops.

So when he launched himself over a short wall, fell a story (rolling on impact), leapt up to grab the nearest edge and pull himself over... what he saw made him pause. This was getting disturbingly familiar. Sleek black helmet. Familiar crouch, listening, waiting. And... wait, what exactly was wrong with those circuits? That couldn't be good for him.

Rinzler was interested. And confused. But mostly interested. The corrupted rattle shifted curiously as he stalked towards his copy. (At least this one was the right height.)

[tronzler]

He'd tracked the double's movement as soon as he'd caught it out of the corner of his eye, after all, usually he was the only one up here, or at least up at this level, in this area. He knew that Quorra and Anon both tended towards roofs in the more populated areas, but the shape was neither of them.

Another one. He unfolded to his feet as the other approached. He himself was one of the taller ones, not that he'd really paid much attention or drawn a graph or anything. His rumble was more of a cooling-metal ticking these days, but it was still there, "Identify."

[notglitching]

Rinzler's motion paused. Skipped, if only barely perceptibly. There was a moment of disbelief, a wash of surprise (jealousy). He'd known Clu was experimenting with different privileges while copying Rinzler-the one he'd met first didn't seem to have even the most basic read-access for disks. But this...

He didn't need speech. It was an imperfection.

The program resumed his motion towards the duplicate, hunched shoulders and curved spine making his own height ambiguous-though he was fairly certain this copy matched him there. The black mask dipped slightly before rising, angling at the other as the rumble modulated faintly. He's you. Right?

Suddenly, his smaller copy's 'testing' methods began to seem more and more appealing.

[tronzler]

He hadn't needed speech for quite some time, but it had always still been there, just unused except rarely, more now than he had then, of course, but that was beside the point at the moment. Clearly this one was still one of the Rinzlers, which always made him a little dizzy to think about, that there was more than one. Of course, it was always possible that this one had different damage, something that took out the vocal processors.

"As I thought." He said with a nod. He ... well, he wasn't entirely sure what to do with himself now, there wasn't any open hostility, and he certainly wasn't going to start trouble with one of the few programs who could match him.

3's a crowd. A crowd you really want to be a part of.

[here_catch]

Sometimes winners used the sidewalk too, okay? Besides, rooftops were getting a little too mainstream these days. And now that you mention it, so was traveling with a conscious destination in mind.

And so, with only the utmost edginess, Rinzler blinked out of whatever dead-pixel haze he'd been in, and was more than a little miffed to find out he'd had another one of his 'special,' and in no way imperfect baffling episodes.

Right. Well. How did he get here again?

Looking around, and then up, he noticed the bright letters proclaiming Flynn's arcade. Rinzler frowned behind his helmet. He needed to get away the garish thing out of his sight. The easiest way to do that was to scale the building. Clearly. Because walking away was for other programs.

Nearing the rooftop he picked up on a familiar rumbling noise - in stereo - and maybe a little too excitedly he hoisted himself up, landing behind his taller duplicate.

Oh look. Another copy ... A taller one... (He wasn't sure how he felt about this height trend yet, ಠ_ಠ)

Also. What was up with the guy's circuits?

That couldn't have been healthy.

Red's the new purple! And blue! Really, just make everything red. It's an improvement.

[notglitching]

The sound of motion caught Rinzler's attention, but the sideways twitch of his helmet relaxed as the ticking rattle became audible. He gave his shorter copy a brief nod as the other dropped in behind him. Hey there, double. Didn't know you were in the area.

Have you met him yet? He's different.

(And purple. Seriously, new-copy, is he interrupting something? Circuits aren't supposed to stay like that.)

You know what's purple? Awesome things. Like ... things. Awesome ones! :|

[tronzler]

Great, now there were two of them. His head cocked, just slightly, regarding them both and doing some risk assessment, really though if he wasn't going to take one of them on, he certainly wasn't going to take two of them on, he wasn't stupid regardless of what some people *coughcoughcurrentcompanycoughcough* seemed to think.

He wasn't stupid, but he also wasn't going to back down for no reason, this was his rooftop. Because he'd claimed it, just now, like, five microcycles ago, when you weren't looking. There was something like an exasperated sigh, that idling-engine ticking of a growl going to something harsh and buzzing for a moment, "Do you require assistance?"

Come over for a sleepover. We'll do you up proper. Red's in this season.

[here_catch]

Rinzler returned his copy's nod before going back to stare unabashedly at the purple circuits and the program they belonged to. And when the third spoke, Rinzler made a slight movement of surprise - just a twitch really, but coming from the enforcer, it spoke volumes.

He'd never had a real conversation with himself yet...

He turned to look at his taller, more normal coloured copy.

Did they need assistance? Did that one? Did any of them?

You know what's red? Awesome things. Like... us!

[notglitching]

Rinzler glanced back at his small duplicate with mild concern. They didn't need assistance, remember? Except for needing Clu. They were functioning. Perfectly. (Though he was beginning to wonder about his copy at times...)

But regardless, this purple-circuited clone was clearly in greater need. Rinzler tilted his head at the figure, noting with mild amusement the faint possessiveness in his stance, the frustration in the harsh noise. The enforcer shifted. Stalked closer, nearer, a step from reach... and leaned back against a tall protrusion, his own sound only faintly edged. This is your space? You don't mind sharing, do you, copy? Rinzler didn't think so.

Delusional =/= Awesome. Just so we're clear.

[tronzler]

Well if they weren't leaving then neither was he, after all, someone had to keep an eye on them, at least for the time being, and he couldn't think of anyone better for the job.

He regarded them both for another moment before giving a narrow nod, "As you like." He said before moving back to where he'd been before, the curved jut of the roof above the sign. Only this time he was keeping tabs on the pair instead of surveying the street below.

I don't understand the question. Can you use "delusion" in a sentence plz?

[here_catch]

...

'As they liked' what?

Rinzler wasn't entirely sure what was going on here, and he was increasingly convinced that, though his second (miscoloured) copy had a weird propensity to be verbal... he couldn't actually talk. Or at least communicate with any functionality.

Insofar as what Rinzler was hearing, Purple wasn't making any sense. But that clearly wasn't the only thing wrong here, and making like his taller copy, he stalked forward. Except, unlike Tall-copy, Rinzler didn't stop just a step out of reach. No, Rinzler continued right over to Purple's portion of the roof, and then prodded him in one of his torso circuits.

Agreed. Wat iz? O.o (Also. Your FACE != Awesome. So good job with the helmet.)

[notglitching]

Rinzler was staring at his overstimulated purple-circuited copy. He was fairly sure the copy was staring back. It was fascinating.

Then his other duplicate stepped in.

The enforcer's noise skipped with something like a snicker as his smaller double reached out to prod the other. He pushed up, took a step closer, helmet tilting in amusement. This Game looked fun.

It's true! My poor not-awesome face! *crais* T,T

[tronzler]

That whole lack-of-proper-communication-even-while-talking thing was probably true, mostly due to the fact that he was out of practice. And a lot of that was his own fault, really, he'd had people offer to talk to him, he'd just decided to be a hermit keep to himself until he was more sure of himself.

The only glitch in this plan was that he hadn't yet gotten more sure of himself, and he was starting to think that he wasn't going to, at least not anytime soon, and that was part of what had him venturing out into public again. Or, you know, the edges of public, anyway.

which led to situations like this. His brow arched, though of course it was invisible behind the helmet, and he glanced down at the poke, though he didn't move just yet, even as the taller of the two moved in as well, "Yes?" Obviously they wanted something. He just had to figure out what.

Fix up your gimmicky circuits and no one will even notice!

[here_catch]

'Yes' what? That didn't make any sense either. Even more so, if offered exactly no explanation for the weird circuit colour. Rinzler could have believed that this Purple-copy had aligned himself with a new leader in Clu's absence (he would have had 'words' for the copy on that subject of course) but there were no programs that he knew of with this particular hexadecimal code. Purple existed as legitimate faction of course, but never this exact bizarre shade.

Rinzler poked another circuit, harder this time, looking up at Purple.

It's true! We can help! And Clu could help better!

[notglitching]

Rinzler was becoming increasingly surprised (and amused, and curious) at this copy's utter lack of defensive reaction. If they had anything in common, this one would be quick enough once his response threshold was crossed... but Rinzler suspected Purple was underestimating himself. Or rather, his smaller copy. Letting a threat at least equal to himself so far in his reach without a hint of reaction... Rinzler was warier about the orange copy than that, and their relationship had become almost friendly reliably allied.

Between the responsiveness (to circuit-prodding), the seeming lack of comprehension despite speech, and the just-wrong color, Rinzler could almost believe this was an example of Clu's less effective works.

(Error.)

Clu didn't make mistakes.

This copy had to serve some purpose.

Rinzler would find out what.

The enforcer closed the remaining (short) distance, now well inside the other's reach. Unlike his inquiring double, he didn't initiate contact (yet), but stepped around to the side, behind, finding the narrow gap between this duplicate and the edge. The corrupted rattle shifted through the space between as he assessed this strange version.

Liars! Lying liars who lie! Clu sucks at helping!

[tronzler]

He swatted that prodding hand away then, a ready tension sliding along his spine and into his limbs, unfolding from somewhere within, "What, do, you, want?" Users, it was like dealing with a Bit, only somehow more difficult

His growl had slipped into something a little harsher-edged, a little less idle, and if the glow of his circuits seemed to fade to something a little less purple-y and a little more orange-ish ... well, that was probably just a trick of the light, reflection from the sign below, nothing more, nothing less. (In conclusion: Totally his cousin)

One thing was obvious though: He didn't like being cornered and he certainly didn't like being surrounded. Something the horde three of them had in common more than likely.