train

The train ride to the capital is going to take longer than Beck had originally thought. Flynn should’ve done something about the speed of this thing before he disappeared, he thinks a little bitterly as they rumble past an Occupation stronghold, and maybe also done something about the whole political situation they’re in now. Just, you know. Made it a little less shit.

He pushes out these thoughts with a sigh—they’re unproductive, as satisfying as they are—and turns to his companion across from him. Tron’s currently disguised as a medical program, and he’s looking at the window, surreptitiously using the reflective surface there to monitor his surroundings. Beck should be doing the same—they are, after all, heading straight into the foundation of Clu’s empire—but all he can think about is the fact that he’s on a train, with Tron, in relative privacy, and with maybe an hour or two to spare.

This is a great time to talk.

“So,” he says. “Uh. What was defeating the MCP like?”

“Fine,” Tron curtly replies.

… Okay, then. Beck bites back a groan and decides to try again.

“Then… what was the old system like? Like, what did you do there?”

“Stop asking incriminating questions, Beck.”

“I’m not.”

Tron ignores him.

Ignores him.

And that… that might be worse than a triple shift at the garage, or making a mortal enemy out of the Occupation, or being sentenced to one of those public executions as a “competitor.” Beck would honestly rather be face-to-face with Cyrus again than have Tron ignore him any longer.

“How about we play a game?” he says, and glances out the window. “Okay, I spy—”

“Beck,” Tron cuts in sternly.

“Yeah? I mean, that’s not how the game works, but—”

Tron’s glaring—as usual—but at least he’s not ignoring him anymore. “Beck, I know that’s not how the game works. I was just—”

“Okay, then let me finish next time. I spy—”

Beck.”

Beck looks at him. “I spy”—and this time Tron just sighs, crosses his arms, and leans back—“with my little eye, something… gray.”

“The Grid,” Tron replies flatly.

Beck grins. “Yep! You got it!”

Tron rolls his eyes—something he picked up from Flynn, probably—but he smiles back. It’s just a little thing, a small quirk of his lips, but Beck notices. And now that he’s in a better mood…

“Really, though,” he says. “What was defeating the MCP like?”