A Look into the Past

[disc_warrior]

WHO: Lizor and Yori (its closed for now, but depending on what happens I might open it up!)
WHEN: Right after Lizor and Yori's conversation HERE
WHAT: Yori takes Lizor to the Archives to help him get answers.
WHERE: Central Archives of Tron City
WARNINGS: None that I can think of - other than they might witness archived material that contain violence.

Comments

[yorisearching]

In the streets of Tron City there were things that seemed subtly wrong to Yori, changes that felt new and looked hundreds of cycles old. But accounting for damage and new construction in the cycles she'd forgotten and those she'd spent out at the Portal, everything would probably have felt that way without any need to blame it on the changed Grid

[disc_warrior]

Lizor followed Yori into the cavernous halls of the Archives - black eyes staring about him in suppressed amazement. He had no recollection of ever being in here - but he supposed he must have at some point. It frustrated him that he couldn't remember. That every fragment he could recognize was won through intense internal struggle

[yorisearching]

The Archive's records flared red with no data results at all when Yori input Aadi's name. She'd expected it, but winced nonetheless for Lizor's sake and moved quickly onward. "We'll find something," she murmured.

Aadi should have had at the very least a standard personality sketch like all the artists involved with the City Park. It would have been tagged Author: Iso, like all the poetry and philosophy and history Tron City's Isos had produced. The Archive had never been meant to make things hard to find. Clu, you glitch.Yori made haste to call up a different keyword--Tron City Park. She knew the cycle when that section had been completed, the artists' work celebrated, and the event had included enough Basics that Yori hoped the vidlog would be cataloged innocuously enough as to give no offense to Clu's propaganda efforts

[disc_warrior]

Lizor leaned in - though was mindful not to get into Yori's space, when she began the search at the terminal. He was so focused and intent - a group of Black Guard probably would have been able to walk in without him noticing.

Seeing the search for Aadi's name come up with nothing made something within him ache. His circuitry flickered as he fought to keep his expression neutral. He heard Yori's words that they would find something and he nodded. "I understand..." He whispered, his voice rough.

He watched as she did another search on the City Park. Of course! The art... A spark of hope lit in his black eyes at Yori's find - and he looked at her with another nod - barely able to keep the emotion from being visible in his eyes, though his face revealed nothing

[yorisearching]

The third level also was not quite where Yori's memory seemed to think it should be, but the signs at least were clear. She traced the path toward her goal up a lift and into wide rooms, corridors made of efficiently stored data hexes, each carrying visible record of some past event. No security, not here. There was plenty of information hidden in closed sections, and more that had left the Archive under Clu's orders, but logs of old parties were not much of a priority for most programs.

Following the incrementing numbers led her at last to the right date. Yori delicately lifted three clear hexes from their protective shielding, and offered the first to Lizor with a hopeful smile, not quite daring to speak.

There was a small projector set into the wall, which would do. They could have moved to one of the large projectors available for public use, but--it seemed better to look here, in the isolation of nearly forgotten data, away from curious eyes.

[disc_warrior]

Lizor followed Yori on silent feet - eyes always moving...always seeking out possible danger. He offered no words as she led the way to the place they needed to go. So much memories... Lizor marveled as he looked around him at all the data hexes. Are any of mine here too?His mind was occupied - but returned to the present when Yori offered him small clear data hex. He almost reverently took it carefully between his strong hands - his fingers visibly trembling. He moved to the wall projector...sliding the Hex into the appropriate slot. Spotting the screen flash up time points...he hesitated before touching the first one

[yorisearching]

Yori stood back from the projector, unwilling to crowd Lizor in his search. She watched the scene curiously, but without particular recognition.

They had all been so happy then.

Her mind had jumped ahead--if Aadi hadn't been at this event, or if the recorders had never gotten a close enough angle, or if Lizor very understandably just wanted more information, where could they look next?

Searching for Lizor's name would bring up a great many Games records to confuse the issue, and Yori was certain Lizor didn't want to be reminded of that any more than Yori wanted to see the names of programs who had fought Rinzler. And earlier data on Lizor, as a captured rebel, was probably a higher clearance level than these old records.

She would have to hope that Lizor remembered enough to give another lead. If not from this vid, then perhaps he would recognize another of Aadi's works from the old art catalogs, if the Archive yet kept those.

[disc_warrior]

Lizor continued to watch the scene - trying to take in as much as he could at once. Suddenly the woman with the braid turned around - her face broke into a huge beaming smile. He blinked - head jerking back as if struck...then he leaned in again

[yorisearching]

Although Lizor hadn't made a sound, Yori caught his reaction and peered more intently at its focus. The marks that matched Lizor's own, and the confident way the long-haired Iso pulled the Basic toward the group...

"Did you find her?" Yori murmured, raising a hand to brush the edge of the recording. "Is that Aadi?"

None of this was going to be easy, but she allowed herself the moment of delighted triumph--that there was still a record of the Iso artist, that she had found it for Lizor.

Yori reached for the volume controls, which she'd left low to allow a faster skim of faces. "We might be able to hear some of this," she suggested.

[disc_warrior]

Lizor's breath trembled as he sucked in a breath, despite his efforts not to. He pressed a finger to the control's - pausing it while the long haired ISO was looking up at the past version of himself. She was beaming happily, and the dark armored program was grinning back, surrounded by friends.

"I...." He began, not knowing what to say at first. "That has to be her..." His brow furrowed, his dark eyes filling with anguished frustration. "But...I look at her and I don't feel anything! Before....when I saw her signature I felt that she was the most important...being in my life and now....nothing." It....broke him inside because of it. His mouth tightened as Yori revealed the possibility of sound. He quickly touched the image to unpause it...and it flickered - changing to the next one

[yorisearching]

Yori twisted her hands together in a worried sympathy for which she could find no other expression. There didn't seem to be anything helpful to say--she could only hover, wordless support, and hope that her presence was a comfort and not an intrusion.

Given the extent of the damage Lizor had taken, she wasn't surprised that the pieces were not coming together as quickly as he would like. But she couldn't make assurances that his memory only needed time, not when such promises would ring too false to bear. Some things never returned, not as they had been.

She couldn't stop her mind from drawing comparisons to Tron, wondering whether there were any similarities between Lizor's struggles and what the various versions of her beloved had gone and were still going through.

Yori shook her head once, sharply, to silence those thoughts. It was Lizor who mattered right now.

"Don't push yourself too hard," Yori murmured. "Anyone could see just from that vid that Aadi wouldn't want to cause you pain."

[disc_warrior]

Lizor straightened - but still gave the impression that he had a heavy burden on his broad shoulders. He shifted so that he could look at Yori - his face flickering with both frustration and sorrow, but it was mostly his black eyes that conveyed the anguish.

"I must continue...to search....to at least try.." He said in a quiet, strained voice. "I....just can't stand looking at her...or myself...and seeing complete strangers.." He closed his eyes, bowing his head. "This...just confirms what I felt in the park when I saw her symbol.." He whispered. "Yet...I watch and it...and it eludes me. To know that something has to be very important and not feel it...." His voice trailed off faintly and a brief shudder passed through his strong frame as part of his hair came forward to partially hide his face.

[yorisearching]

"Give it time, Lizor," Yori recommended, voice gentle. "This isn't really the kind of repair work that can be hurried."

She reached to squeeze his wrist lightly. "The Archives aren't going anywhere." Not now. "If you need a little space to think about what you've already found, we can come back another millicycle."

And Yori hadn't yet had a chance to see if any of the other returning programs remembered Aadi at all, though she wouldn't mention that possibility until she knew.

[disc_warrior]

Lizor's hands clenched restlessly into fists before jerking open...than repeating the process in a tense subtle movement at his sides. He knew Yori was right...that this had to take time. But as a warrior - he was more accustomed to facing an enemy head on....breaking through the barrier that was holding him back. His instinct was to fight.

He hated being defeated by an enemy that he could not see or touch....could not cut through with his disc.....

Her touch caused a tremor to pass through his powerful shoulders - and he sank into the seat next to where he was standing. He rested his head in his free hand, face hidden by his hair as he rested his elbow on his knees.

"I...must try and continue. Even a little more...." He said softly, his voice a bit ragged. He did not intend to take up all of Yori's time. She still had a purpose...a directive to follow. He did not wish to take her away from that.

[yorisearching]

Yori wasn't going to argue, not when she understood all too well how the idea of waiting could feel worse than the thought of being derezzed. This was Lizor's quest, and insisting he stop would only leave him to search alone.

"Here," she said, moving back to the projector and tapping the side to bring up the copy function. "Select however much of this vid you want to take with you. I think I saw another source that might be useful."

If it had been overlooked, there ought to be a catalog with representations of all the display pieces accepted at several art galleries and the park. Yori remembered the struggle of how to compress the larger displays into something that was properly representative. If Lizor had an easier time recognizing Aadi's art than his own features, it might have something to recall a memory.

[disc_warrior]

Lizor nodded, standing stiffly and taking a deep ragged breath to attempt at calming the emotional subroutines running rampant in his systems. At first glance - his face held no readable expression...but if one looked closer - the turmoil was there, deep inside his dark eyes.

He walked silently over to the projector, fingers moving quickly as he saved the relevant files he wanted. Skimming through the rest. There was no other footage that focused on Aadi on the Hex...but he was able to spot her in the crowd - copying still images of her that he could see. He had even spotted one of her in the background in his arms. It was quick - but he managed to get an image of it. After gathering what he wanted - he placed it a file, ready to be transferred.

"What source..do you speak of?" His voice was rather subdued. Tired....though grateful he was able to find -this- much.