The Grid

Story
A boulder in the canyon pass shoots to the sky, a hole in the wall. John climbs out, the Gullwings teleporting to his location.

Yuna: Are you hurt?

John: No. Health’s a little low, but I’m not hurt.

Paine: Do we owe you now?

John: Nah. If we found any treasure, then I would want that favor, but I don’t charge for saving lives.

Paine: Good. Didn’t plan on honoring it anyway.

Rikku: Paine! That’s so not the way to thank him. Thank you so so so so so so so much!

John: (Chuckles) Don’t mention it. Though, this is the last time I plan on going on a treasure hunt.

Yuna: What now?

John: Well, I have more things to do. A hero’s work is never done. See ya! (John takes off running down the trail, towards the castle.) End Scene

John is running through the hallways of the castle, destroying Magnum Loaders that charge at him with Rustic. They surround him, and John fires mana blasts, destroying several of them. Strafer Heartless swarm and attack, though John makes quick work of them. Leon appears, and slashes through Heartless with his Gunblade, finishing them off.

John: I had that handled.

Leon: Well, considering I’m having no luck with the computer, I needed something I could do. (Leon leads the way to the computer room.)

John: What’s exactly the problem?

Leon: Some kind of program has taken over the system. The database was opened for a few moments, and I learned that the system had a program called MCP, which became so powerful it can’t be stopped from this side.

John: This side?

Leon: Ansem the Wise had installed a feature, that allows people in our world, called users, to be transferred into the data scape. Kairi was sucked into it earlier.

John: Is she alright?

Leon: I don’t know. We have no way to contact her. (They arrive in the computer room.)

John: Alright, fire it up.

Leon: You’re not serious.

John: I am. If Kairi’s in there, I’m going after her.

Leon: (Sighs) No convincing you.

Leon activates the terminal, and the camera turns to John. It fires a laser, and John is converted into data. End Scene

John materializes in a large, grid like area, wearing black armor with blue circuitry. A large crowd is cheering, as John looks around, and spots a spectator’s box. He sees a man with armor with yellow-orange circuitry, with a beard.

Program: Welcome, user! To the Light Cycle! I am CLU, your host for tonight’s events. (A motorcycle comes out of the ground besides John, with the blue circuitry.) I assume you know how to ride. The rules are quite simple. You ride, you fight, you die. (Data walls form up, forming a large labyrinth on the grid. Magnum Loaders materialize, and zoom down the path.)

John: Fine. I’ll play the game. At least for a while.

John hops on the Light Cycle, and rides after the Heartless. The Magnum Loaders slow down, ramming John from the side. John summons Rustic, destroying them with ease. Black Guards, programs in black armors and energy staves, are coming up from behind, riding Light Cycles. John parries a staff attack, as he sees a wall in front of him. John makes a sharp left turn, a few programs crashing into the wall. The others catch up, and John is surrounded, the attacks to the Light Cycle doing massive damage.

John: Okay, no longer like this game.

John turns into Ditto, as he splits. Ditto clones jump off, knocking Black Guards off their Light Cycles, the clones taking them over. They turn a corner, Ditto clones jumping back to other Light Cycles as the abandoned Light Cycles crash and explode.

Ditto 3: Whoo-hoo! That was awesome!

Ditto 2: Do it again! Do it again!

Ditto 4: Hey, why is this path only going one direction?

The path in front of them is endless, as the ground shakes, causing the Dittos to start to lose control. They turn around, and they see Infernal Engine, a big digital mechanical box of a Heartless, a giant evil face drawn on its front, with 4 Archer Heartless on top of it taking aim.

Ditto 1: Incoming!

The four Light Cycles swerve out of the way, as laser arrows rain down, hitting a Light Cycle. The Ditto clone jumps onto another Light Cycle, as the damaged Light Cycle is run over by Infernal Engine.

Ditto 2: My ride! This thing is so going to get it!

Ditto 3: We can’t fight that thing!

Ditto 1: Then let’s switch to someone who can! (The Ditto clones glow, transforming into Echo Echo.)

Echo Echo 2:  Now we’re talking!

An Echo Echo clone jumps off his Light Cycle, allowing it to be crushed. He and the other Echo Echo passenger multiply, the clones firing sonic screams. The attack bounces off the Infernal Engine, but one that hits the Archers above distorts them. One of the Echo Echo clones is thrown into the air, it multiplying to reach the top, the others hitting Infernal Engine and were destroyed. The Archers turn to fire at Echo Echo, who fires a sonic scream, destroying them.

Echo Echo: Got you! In your! (An energy arrow hits him from behind, and Echo Echo hangs off the side. The Archers had regenerated, and continue to fire down.)

The arrows hit the Light Cycles, damaging them and causing them to spin out of control. The Echo Echo clones are run over, destroyed. Echo Echo looks down, as an Archer points its arrow at him. Echo Echo fires a sonic scream at it, deflecting it and destroying the archer. Echo Echo swings up, and transforms into Way Big, stomping into Infernal Engine, shattering it.

Way Big: Ow! I got a splinter! How did I get that in a data world?!

Way Big pulls a huge splinter out of his leg, as he reverts. John uses mana to heal his leg, as the broken pieces of Infernal Engine fade away. Then, large, purple Heartless with a funnel body and spherical head appear, with four rounded legs not directly attached to their bodies, and cannons attached to the bottom of the funnel body. The Devastator Heartless prepare to fire energy blasts at John.

John: Oh. I definetely don’t like this game.

Then, a tank flies through the air and hits the ground, shaking the area, knocking John to the ground to dodge the energy blasts. The tanks fire energy blasts, destroying the Devastators. The tank stops in front of John, as it opens, revealing a program with a helmet and light blue circuitry driving.

Program: Get in! (John hops in, as the door closes. The tank drives off, blasting a hole in the arena wall.)

CLU: No! After them! I want that user! End Scene

The tank stops in the Canyon area, as the doors opens.

John: (Getting out) Thanks for the save there. I don’t think that escape has ever been that easy. (The program gets out of the tank, removing her helmet. It’s revealed that she has short, shoulder length black hair.)

Program: You’re a user, aren’t you?

John: Yep.

Program: My name is Quorra, and I need your help. Tron disappeared trying to stop CLU’s master, the MCP, and I have to find him.

John: My friend is missing too. Perhaps they were captured together. Sure, let’s see if I can track her. (John closes his eyes, as he exhales. He opens his eyes, confused.)

Quorra: You can, track users?

John: In the user world, maybe. But there’s no mana here, just data. Maybe I can track an electronic signal.

John turns into Wildmutt, roaring and startling Quorra. Wildmutt sniffs the air and ground, as he picks up the scent of two electronic signatures. Wildmutt runs after it, and arrives at a moving platform, Quorra following as the platform takes them to the I/O tower. Wildmutt follows the signal to the room outside the I/O terminal, as Wildmutt starts walking in a circle.

Quorra: Well? (Wildmutt reverts.)

John: The trail ends here. Wherever they are now, this was where they were captured.

Devastator Heartless materialize, firing energy blasts at them. John leads Quorra away, who pulls out her ID disk, throwing it and hitting a Devastator, slightly distorting it. The ID disk returns to her, as the Devastators corner them.

John: Stay behind me.

Quorra: What are you?

John turns into Lodestar, and holds his hands forward, releasing magnetic pulse waves. The entire tower fluctuates, distorted by his magnetic waves. The Devastators overload and explode, the explosion wave blocked by the magnetic waves. Quorra’s body becomes slightly distorted, as Lodestar stops using his power.

Lodestar: Sorry about that. But it worked quite well. (Quorra approaches him, as she reaches to touch him. Her hand is distorted, as she pulls it back.) I see you find me repulsive. I’ll revert now. (Lodestar reverts.)

John: Where to from here?

CLU: You shall suffer the same fate your friends did. (CLU materializes, as Quorra draws her ID disk.)

Quorra: What did you do with Tron?!

CLU: I did what I was programmed to do. I fixed problem some programs. (CLU presses a button, as orange energy electrocutes them, pinning them to the ground. Quorra tries to raise her arms, but her arm spasms, her losing control.) This device messes with your circuitry, giving me control over your body.

John struggles to stand, his leg giving out underneath him. John’s circuitry glows, as he transforms into Goat Foo. He is still being electrocuted, but pushes through it, bleating loudly.

Goat Foo: You, shallll not win! Baaaaa!

Goat Foo starts walking forward, which turns into a sprint. He goes to strike CLU with his hoof hand, when CLU ups the power, as Goat Foo stops in front of him. Goat Foo looks up at CLU, who looks at Goat Foo pitifully.

CLU: Don’t fret, user. The other one was unable to resist, and you users are such terribly frail and incomplete. I plan to fix that. (Goat Foo struggles to look up, as he sees the remote in CLU’s hand. Goat Foo smirks, confusing CLU. Faster than CLU could blink, Goat Foo thrusts his hoof and hits CLU’s hand, destroying the remote.) Impossible! (CLU is struck in the face by a hoof, going flying. He gets up, in pain and fear.)

Goat Foo: Never underestimate the users. And prepare to be deleted.

CLU: Rinzler!

A Black Guard program materializes, with a black helmet on its head and wielding two ID disks. He slices at Goat Foo, who blocks the attack and strikes Rinzler, pushing him back. Rinzler charges in, the two exchanging blows as CLU teleports away.

Quorra gets up, seeing the battle.

Quorra: That program, it can’t be.

Goat Foo knocks an ID disk out of Rinzler’s hand, as Rinzler does back handsprings backwards, dodging Goat Foo’s following strikes. He kicks Goat Foo, Goat Foo dodging as Rinzler regains his ID disk, throwing it at Goat Foo. Goat Foo deflects it, as he tries to fire a mana hoof, with no luck.

Goat Foo: Right. No mana.

Quorra: John! That’s Tron! Don’t hurt him!

Goat Foo: This is your friend? Looks like he needs a reboot.

Goat Foo turns into Upgrade, as Rinzler slices through Upgrade, turning into liquid as he merges onto Rinzler. Rinzler tries to pull Upgrade off, when he sparks, and falls to his knees, then to his stomach. Upgrade comes off Tron, who was out cold.

Quorra: (In amazement) You fixed him. Is there anything a user can’t do?

Upgrade: Not this particular user. (Upgrade reverts, as Tron wakes up.)

Tron: Ugh.

Quorra: Tron! (Quorra runs over, helping Tron up.) How did they get you?

Tron: The same way he almost got you. It’s all been a lie, though. CLU is in control of MCP. He de-rezzed Sark for his incompetence, and he has Kairi. If we don’t hurry, he’ll escape to the user world and destroy it!

John: How do we stop them?

Tron: The solar sailor will take us to the computer core. That’s where they’ll be.

John: Let’s go then. End Scene

The solar sailor arrives at the computer core, as John, Tron and Quorra enter it. MCP, two large red cylindrical columns connected by a device in the middle, floating in the center of the room, a circular path going around it. Several panels are surrounding it, preventing one from getting to him.

John: That’s the MCP?

MCP: Insolent user and programs! You shall all be de-rezzed!

John: Who’s going to do it? You can’t move.

CLU: No, but I can. (CLU appears.) Surely you can appreciate what I am trying to do. You users are imperfect, deficient, obsolete. It is my job to destroy those who are unfit, as the entire user world is.

John: Maybe we are, but imperfections are what make us users. What did you do with Kairi?!

CLU: The other user? You will not live to learn. As I have her, I don’t need you. MCP! Boost my power by 50%!

MCP fires a blast of red energy, which hits CLU, him absorbing it into his circuitry. He glows, as he fires an energy blast at John and the others. John turns into Rath, and takes the energy blast, seemingly unharmed.

Rath: RATH! LEMME TELL YA SOMETHIN’, CODIFIED LIKENESS UTILITY AND MASTER CONTROL PROGRAM! YOU MADE TWO MISTAKES TODAY! FIRST, YOU MADE ME ANGRY! AND SECOND, YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD HANDLE THE RATH!

Rath charges at CLU, as CLU pulls out an ID disk with his left hand, slashing at Rath. Rath catches the ID disk in his claw, ripping it from CLU’s hand, and punches him, sending CLU down the path. Rath charges after him, as Tron and Quorra are slashing at the panels protecting MCP. CLU gets up, firing energy blasts at Rath, forcing him back.

Quorra: Should we help John?

Tron: No. What we need to do is gain access to the MCP.

Rath: IS THAT ALL YOU’VE GOT, CODIFIED LIKENESS UTILITY?! I’VE EATEN HARDER ENERGY ATTACKS FOR A MIDNIGHT SNACK! (Rath punches CLU, who flies back, obviously damaged.)

CLU: MCP! Take me up to 80%! (MCP hits CLU with red energy, CLU’s whole body radiating energy. He charges forward, disappearing in the process.)

Rath: HEY! WHERE’D HE? (CLU punches Rath, sending him flying and skidding across the floor. CLU then fires an energy blast at his ID disk, it pulling it back and CLU recovering it.)

CLU: You users have limited potential. My power can rise greater than yours!

CLU dashes forward, as Tron moves to defend Rath. Rath shifts to Fasttrack, and dashes in, Rustic in hand, and parries CLU’s disk strike.

Fasttrack: You don’t know a lot about users, do you? Humans have unlimited potential!

CLU and Fasttrack clash at a blinding speed, as Tron and Quorra strike the wall. Tron then fires an electric blast from his ID disk destroying a panel.

Tron: John! I’m in!

Fasttrack: (Turns to look at Tron.) Nice! (CLU goes to strike from behind, when Fasttrack spins and dodges, slamming Rustic into CLU’s back, slamming him to the ground.) Too bad.

Fasttrack runs over to Tron, and the two press their weapons together. They fire a powerful energy wave, which hits MCP, hurting it.

MCP: Agh!

Tron: Deletion!

MCP: CLU! Get up and fight!

MCP fires red energy at CLU, taking his power up to 100%. CLU gets up, and fires a powerful energy blast, hitting Tron and Fasttrack, knocking them down, reverting Fasttrack. CLU gets ready to fire again, when he’s hit from behind by an ID disk. He turns, seeing it was Quorra.

CLU: I’ll eradicate you first. (He prepares to fire an energy blast, when John strikes him with Rustic, distorting him.) How did you survive an attack at 100%?!

John: 100%? That sure is weaker than I thought it would be. Quorra, get Tron out of the way. I’m done playing.

Quorra helps Tron get up and run, as Rustic disappears.

CLU: Surrendering so easily? Just what I expected from a user! (CLU fires an energy blast, as John turns into Feedback, absorbing the energy.) What?!

Feedback: Power boosted by 100%. Let’s see how you like it, Feedback style!

Feedback fires an electric blast at CLU, knocking him away. He then blasts the panels, destroying them with ease.

MCP: Even a user can’t destroy me!

Feedback: Let’s test that theory.

Feedback extends his antennas, plugging into MCP, draining his energy. MCP screams in pain, as Feedback fires an electric blast, which disintegrates MCP. Feedback reverts, as the system powers down.

Characters

 * John Spacewalker
 * Gullwings
 * Yunna
 * Rikku
 * Paine
 * Leon
 * Quorra
 * Tron

Villains

 * CLU
 * MCP
 * Black Guard
 * Rinzler
 * Heartless
 * Strafer
 * Magnum Loader
 * Infernal Engine
 * Devastator

Aliens

 * Ditto
 * Echo Echo
 * Way Big
 * Wildmutt
 * Lodestar
 * Goat Foo
 * Upgrade
 * Rath
 * Fasttrack
 * Feedback

Trivia

 * This episode has influences and characters from Tron: Legacy along with characters from the original Tron.
 * John participates in the Light Cycle.
 * CLU is revealed to be the main villain of the world, not MCP.
 * Tron appears as himself and as Rinzler.
 * Rath refers to CLU and MCP by their full names, despite the fact he hadn't heard them before.