Tronanon 4

>Kril's face becomes serious, and he continues to speak, "I can keep my guards off your back, but you know better than anyone that there's a power struggle going on right now."
"Last I knew the city was split into two territories."
>"Yes," he says, "And the games are still running in one of them."
>You sigh.
"Sorry, I thought that..."
>"Think nothing of it Anonymous. I would never open that place again, at least not as a place that results in derezzing."
>He bids the both of you goodbye.
>You watch Kril closely as he walks back into the recesses of the building. Twilight trots next to you, a worried look etched onto her features, "Are you alright, Anonymous?"
"No, I'm not alright Twilight. I've been on the run my entire existance, and I get picked up by this guy to do his dirty work without even knowing what he wants me to do. On top of that I figure out that the User that saved the Grid is missing."
>"That's Sam Flynn, right?"
"Yeah. You wanna head back?"
>Twilight narrows her eyes at you, "Are you kidding me? This place is amazing! I want to see more."
>You can't help but smile at her enthusiasm. She looks really excited to see what's out there.
"Alright, but stick close and don't touch anything unless you know what it is or what it does."
>Her look of eagerness becomes one of excitement. She looks like she wants to bounce off the walls right now, "Thank you so much Anon!"
>She leaps towards you and wraps her forehooves around your torso in a tight hug, "You're the best!"
>If you were able to blush you probably would, especially at the little nickname she's given you.
>Still, you smile.
"Ha, I'm glad you're excited, but we're not going anywhere if you're hanging off me like a fifth limb."
>"Oh." Twilight drops from you, a light blush gracing her features.
>You smile and lead her out of the building, deciding to brief her as the two of you walk down the street.
>She's still getting some confused glances, but now that she has a light suit they're fewer in number.
"The Grid used to be a lot larger when CLU was around, but when he was derezzed a lot of it was completely wiped. Right now there's the south city and the north city. I was hiding out here until Kril found me."
>"What were you hiding from?"
"Other programs."
>"Why?"
"Because I'm a virus... or at least I thought I was."
>"What's a virus?"
>This unicorn asks a lot of personal questions.
"A virus is a malignant program meant to disrupt the system in some way. Whenever a virus is found in the Grid the only available solution is to derez it. There is no other option."
>The both of you round a corner and barely avoid running into another program dressed in red.
>You continue.
>"You don't seem like a virus to me."
"Oh?"
>You feel a slight tugging on your hand, and look down to see a purple aura surrounding your hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRvVyMuWbpM
>Twilight is staring at you with a worried look on her face.
>"You're helping Kril, aren't you? Not only that, but you seem really worried about the User that's gone missing. Wouldn't that count for something?"
"That doesn't say much about who I am. That's just me worrying about my job... and continued existence."
>Twilight frowns, "What about what you said earlier? You know, about how ponies should share information with each other."
"I don't really know where that came from."
>"It came from YOU."
>You can't help but laugh. This mare is something else, that's for damn sure.
"You've known me all of what? Half a day?"
>"That's all I need."
"You didn't seem too impressed with my character when we had to derez those guards."
>"They were attacking us."
"Wow, how understanding of you."
>"I'm being serious Anon!"
"And that... that nickname. Just call me Anonymous."
>"Anon, I'm just trying to help you."
>You smirk, and fully turn to her now.
"That's kind of funny, because I don't really trust you. I haven't known you that long, and even if I did I wouldn't call you a friend."
>She's glaring now, "And why not?"
"Because a program doesn't have friends, Twilight. They have a purpose and code, and that is all."
>"I don't believe you."
>Without a word you pull the Identity Disk from your back and kneel down to her level. A small hologram appears, nothing but lines of text.
"This is my identity Twilight, now show me yours."
>"But I..."
"Show it to me."
>A purple aura surrounds her disk. She floats it from her back and next to yours.
>With a small flash the disk activates.
"This disk is everything you are. I am nothing but lines of code, a program. You..."
>You reach around the disks and tap a finger to her heart.
"You are a life, an existance."
>Her disk's hologram flares to life.
>First it shows her parents raising her.
>Then she goes to magic school to learn her passion.
>Then she gained the mark, a cutie mark it appears to be called.
>She met a small dragon named Spike, who became her one friend and confident, and she gained a mentor in the Princess of their world.
>Twilight went on to make new friends in a place called Ponyville, and learned many new things.
>Laughter, tears, joy, love.
"These are all things that something like me could never experience Twilight. These are pictures, memories filled with color, sound, and life. You are not text."
>For some reason this upsets her even more.
>"No."
"Hmm?"
>"I refuse." She gives you a sad smile, "I refuse to think like that. After everything I've learned Celestia would be disappointed in me if I accepted what you said just now."
>You don't know how to respond to her.
>Then your body goes rigid and numb.
>"Anon!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1eI-7XWjho
>You are Twilight.
>And you have no idea what the hell is happening.
>Anon just went rigid and collapsed right in front of you. His light suit flickered out and he's not moving.
>"USER SIGHTED. USER: STEP AWAY FROM PROGRAM. INITIATING CAPTURE: PROTOCALL 42-1B3. VIRUS IS TO BE USED FOR THE GAMES."
>The games. Whatever that is it doesn't sound very good to you.
>They come out of nowhere, several of them in light suits just like yours and Anon's.
>Only one difference.
>The lines of light are orange.
>they surround you and Anon in a circle.
>You take position of his body in an attempt to get them to back off, using your magic to wield your ID in front of you.
"Stay away from him!"
>One of the guards steps forward, "CEASE AND DESIST. WE WILL BE FORCED TO TERMINATE IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY."
>You grit your teeth in determination.
>You hardly know this pro... this man, but you feel like it's your responsibility to help him.
>Even Rainbow would call you crazy, and she's the Element of Loyalty.
"Kril said you would leave him alone!"
>"WE DO NOT OBEY KRIL."
>Shit, these are different guys.
>...
>...
>"STAND DOWN."
>...
>Fuck it.
>You whip the disk out in a wide arc.
>Three of the programs go down under the surprise attack, derezzing into squares of data before completely disappearing.
>There's four remaining, and they're all ready for another attack.
>Luckily, they don't know a damn thing about magic.
>There's two behind you and two in front.
>You pick up a guard behind you without even looking and send him careening into his buddy. The two in front of you now have your full attention while the others try to get untangled.
>You give another swipe with your disk, but they have light sticks out now, and they block it effortlessly.
>You charge towards the one on your left and use the slick surface to spin on your hooves, lashing out and bucking him straight in the chest.
>He goes flying back quite a good distance and lands in the middle of the street just as a light car goes speeding by.
>The car collides with him and flips, flying over to your little fight.
>You latch your ID onto you back and pick up Anon with your magic before teleporting the both of you a safe distance away.
>The car lands on the second program and careens toward the remaining two. It pins one of them just as the other is getting to his feet.
>The last program is dispatched by a final swing of your disk.
>You're magically exhausted, but you're happy that Anon is safe.

>Until your body goes rigid.

-----
>You are anonymous.exe, and you have just woken up to the sight of something you never wanted to see.
>The arena prison area, a large circular room with a white floor and black walls.
>Twilight is across from you, fully awake as well.
>It looks like she's been crying.
>It's happened.
>The North guards came all the way to the south in order to drag your happy ass back to the arena, and they got Twilight too.
>That's exactly what you didn't want.
>Luckily, you didn't plan on letting Twilight die.
>Bollocks to your own safety.
>She looks up at you, "I tried to protect you."
>You look her dead in the eye.
>there's a long moment before you speak.
"You won't die in here. I'll make sure of it."
>"What about you?"
>You don't answer that question.
>You don't plan to answer it, either.