Perfect Highschool I

The pair of Programs stood before Clu 2, backs straight, helmets on. The dictator was standing at the window, hands clasped behind his back, smiling. Suddenly, the Grid was filled with a brilliant white light, and one of the Programs-a scrawny female-jerked back in surprise, then leaned forward whilst tilting her head.
"Master," she said curiously, voice muffled beneath the helmet. "Is that...?"
Clu turned, grinning. "Yes, Rinzler-Chan," he said. "It is; the portal to the Real World."
Rinzler-Chan stared, confusion in her orange eyes. "You seemed almost as if...you expected this to happen," the warrior said in an almost suspicious tone, and Clu's grin only became wider.
"Indeed I did, Rinzler-Chan," he said, walking to a girl, resting a hand on the top of her helmet. He slid his hand down slowly, the helmet derezzing as he moved, until he gently cupped her chin delicately with his fingers. Obviously, the girl was afraid, worried she had said something she shouldn't have. "You see," he began in an oddly friendly tone. "I have been in contact with someone I encountered a long, long time ago. Her name is Loraina, and was a close friend of mine in the past. However, the only reason we stopped communicating was that she was a User. However, recently I have started to speak with her again, and we organized a little...trip for you two. A trip to the Real World."
At this, Rinzler-Chan's eyes widened and her circuits flashed in excitement. "Really?" she asked, struggling to remain calm. Clu nodded.
"Yes, really," he said. "You two are my best warriors. I want you to enter the Real World posing as two high school students. There, you will learn how Users think, act, and live while taking note of all their weaknesses and flaws, reporting back to me through Loraina. Am I understood?"
"Yes, sir!" Rinzler-Chan said, and her companion, Rinzler, simply nodded, his normally loud, menacing growling muted for the meeting between the three Programs. "However..."
"Yes?" Clu asked with a raised eyebrow, unused to the doubtful tone in his minion's voice.
"Will we have enough time to prepare? And once we enter the Real World,--"
Clu silenced her by raising his hand. "My warrior, do you doubt your Master's planning?" he asked in a chilling, calm voice, leaning in close, circuitry glowing a touch brighter.
Rinzler-Chan stiffened, fear almost tangible. "N-no, Your Excellency!" she stammered, and Clu smiled once again, gently patting her on the top of her head.
"Good girl," he said, as if Rinzler-Chan was a pet who had just accomplished a simple, mundane task. "Now!" he said energetically, as if he had taken Rinzler-Chan's previous excitement. "Loraina will provide you with housing, clothes, and any information that will be necessary for you to function as a User in the Real World. A Recognizer shall take you to the portal shortly. Prepare yourself. I shall see you soon, I have a few things to do before you depart."
When Clu had left, Rinzler-Chan's fear melted and was replaced with excitement. She turned to her partner-in-crime and brotherly figure, eagerly grabbing him by the arm. "Rinzler!" she exclaimed, bouncing. "We're going to the Real World, aren't you excited?"
The Program looked down at her and moved his arm away. He derezzed his helmet and gently placed a hand on the top of her head. "Calm," he said quietly, and reluctantly Rinzler-Chan settled down. "I don't like this idea much The Real World-I don't trust it. I never had. This can't be good."
"Oh, but Rinzler, think of-think of everything we know! The knowledge we gained from Flynn, from hacking....gosh!" her circuitry was glowing brightly, reflecting the excitement in her eyes and radiating from her body. "I...I can't WAIT!" She grinned childishly. "I always thought Master disliked me, but I think he doesn't hate me as much as I expected! I'm quite pleased with myself!"
"With yourself?" Rinzler asked. "Why in yourself?"
"Well, I must be doing SOMETHING differently if he'd let me venture in the Real World. He knows I want to more than ANYTHING!"
"Oh? And what makes you think a certain SOMEONE didn't put in a few good words for you, eh kiddo?" Rinzler asked, ruffling the girl's hair in a playful manner unusual for him except in the most private of times.
Rinzler-Chan whined and batted his hand away. "Shut up! You never say anything good about ME, bro!" she snapped, glaring yup at him.
Rinzler stared at her a moment before pressing down on her head with a strong hand. "You're short, sis," he commented, knowing remarks on Rinzler-Chan's height was one of her biggest pet peeves.
"H-hey, stop it!" she yelled, struggling to push him away "Get offa me! Jarvis!!"
Hearing Rinzler-Chan's distress from outside the door, Jarvis entered, looking calm and unsurprised. Rinzler, seeing the intelligence officer, immediately straightened himself and looked at the male. "Yes, Jarvis?" he asked, and the pale Program grew paler.
"I-I heard Rinzler-Chan calling for me, so I--"
"Yeah, Rinzler!" Rinzler-Chan said, pushing him away and walking to Jarvis as she smiled at him. "He was only being kind to me. Unlike SOME people are!"
Rinzler looked away. "Whatever, sis," he snapped. "Stop being a bit brain and get ready!"
"But how! Clu never told us if we needed anything!"
"He said to prepare ourselves MENTALLY!" Rinzler snapped. "Weren't you LISTENING?"
"No!" Rinzler-Chan said. "Wait. I mean-um--"
"Ha!" Rinzler said, and Rinzler-Chan stuck her tongue out at him.
"Oh, shut up Rinzler!" she said, hands on her hips.
Jarvis watched, a faint smile on his lips. Though he feared Rinzler, his younger sister was another story. He had met the Program at the End of Line, sitting at the bar and watching the DJs closely. She wore a regular basic's uniform, but something abut her stood out. The man approached her and when she saw him, she looked down. As the beat picked up, Jarvis extended a hand to her, inviting her to the dance floor. She looked up at him, eyes wide and curious, then suddenly broke into the most free, happy and childish grin he had ever seen, grabbed his hand, and swept him onto the dance floor. She fell perfectly into the beat of the music and danced, hips swaying in time with the beat, never releasing Jarvis from her warm, confident grasp. When she danced, the mood changed-the Club was alive, filled with energy, and more Programs began to dance. They picked up the same rhythm and Jarvis was no exception. Dancing with Rinzler-Chan, he felt freer, more happy. He laughed, pulling Rinzler-Chan close, and the two began waltzing across the dance floor, ending up on top of a table, swaying their hips and spinning each other to an exciting, energetic beat. As the music slowed to a more romantic tune, they stepped down and held each other gently, twirling about the dance floor in perfect harmony. As the last song as the night finished, Rinzler-Chan bowed deeply, and Jarvis mimicked her gesture.
"You're a fine dancer," he complimented. "But I've never seen you around-are you a new worker here at the Club?"
At this, Rinzler-Chan had laughed. "Worker at the Club? Oh, User no!" she exclaimed, merriment in her eyes. "I was made to fight, and fight I shall! I am playing in the games next Cycle, should you wish to see me do what I was made to do!" She winked. "If you found my dancing pleasing, you should see me fight!"
As she promised, Rinzler-Chan fought in the next tournament. As Jarvis and Clu watched from the Command Ship, Jarvis pointed her out. She looked incredibly different from how she did at the Club. She still retained that childish happiness, the joy at just being anywhere lively, with people, but it now had a more menacing, frightening image. She carried herself with the unnatural, chilling grace of a warrior, and When she fought, it was like watching the most graceful dancer on the Grid performing the most complicated moves with the ease of a Bit flying agilely throughout the Grid. Within mere seconds all her opponents had been derezzed. Then Clu gave the order: "Let's see how good this little girl is. Release Rinzler."
At this, Jarvis's eyes had widened and he begged Clu to take back what he had just ordered. "Please, sir!" he said. "Surely there are more...amusing people to fight against him?"
Clu turned to Jarvis and said coldly, "There isn't."
"But--"
"She derezzed all the other competitors! It is the rule of the Games."
At this point, Rinzler walked into the Arena, and Rinzler-Chan stretched, yawning. "Alright, alright!" he heard her yell to the crowd. "I KNOW the guy's name is Rinzler, can you STOP repeating it? Geez...can we get this over with, I'm missin' some SWEET tunes at the End of Line, my friend Raines is DJing tonight and--" she stopped talking as one of Rinzler's dual disks soared at her head and she dodged under it. "Okay, kitty boy, I'll fight you! But don't go crying to your master When you get a boo-boo, a'right?" She unsheathed her own single disk ad let it fly as Rinzler let both of his fly. She jumped nimbly over them and landed after they rebounded against the wall behind her, catching the disk Rinzler had dodged. "Huh. Not bad for a guy!" she said. "This cold be fun!" She suddenly dropped into a fighting stance the pixels of her helmet gliding into place, masking her expression, looking exactly like Rinzler's. "But it's time to get serious. Lets DANCE!"
She ran forward to Rinzler's side of the Arena, disk out. She leap, throwing her disk down at him and Rinzler barely got out of the way, confused by her outgoing attack. It was rare a Program would cross into another's side in the Arena, in fact, it was an almost rude gesture. Rinzler himself rarely did it, and now, for some newly-made basic program to do it to the Grid's greatest warrior...it was unthinkable.
In the Command Ship, Clu sat back, watching the girl move. "Jarvis," he said, and the man looked at his Master, still trying to focus on the fight. "Do you...know this girl?"
"Yes, sir. I met her at the End of Line last Cycle," he said. "She was an amazing dancer, and said she was made to fight."
"She didn't lie." Clu turned on the intercom and said calmly, "Rinzler. Stand down."
Rinzler looked at Clu and lowered his disk. Rinzler-Chan looked from him to Clu, still holding her own disk.
"Bring her to me."
The crowd started booing, but Clu ordered them to silence themselves. Rinzler looked at the girl and she shrugged, sheathing her disk. She bowed. "It's been fun, Rinzler," she said. "You're a good fighter."
He grabbed her by the arm and began taking her to the Command Ship. When they arrived, Clu greeted them.
"Identify yourself, Program," he ordered, looking down at Rinzler-Chan.
"Well, my User didn't really give me an actual name. She gave me some numbers 'n' letters, though," she said.
"Then tell me those," Clu snapped, glaring at her through her helmet.
The girl derezzed her helmet and shook her brown hair from her eyes. "My User calls me TRX3...doesn't even have the decency to gimme a real name. Power to them, right?" she said in a dark tone with a dry laugh. "No, really, that's what she called me! Didn't even say if it MEANT anything, the jerk!"
Jarvis was surprised to see she didn't have some bouncy, happy name to fit the personality she showed at the Club.
"So just call me what you want!"
Clu stepped forward and ran his fingers through her hair. She stiffened slightly, obviously afraid. "You fight just lie my Rinzler," he said, smirking glancing to his warrior. "But you have much to learn..."
"Then each me," she said. "I am capable of learning. That's how I know my User's such a jerk," she said, lifting her chin slightly.
Clu laughed. "You will learn only if you join me. If you don't..." he laughed, and she knew the alternate option was immediate deresolution.
"Will I still be able to hit the End of Line?"
Clu scowled, wondering what was it with Programs and that Club. "Fine, fine," he snapped angrily. "But if you spend more time at the Club than doing what I need you to do--"
"I know, sir," she said. "I...I know."
After that, Clu assigned Rinzler to be her mentor. At first, he despised her and her carefree ways. But soon, he got used to her, and began to complain less and less about her never-ending happiness and happy-go-lucky ways. He understood why Jarvis liked her so much, she made their lives just a little bit happier, a little bit easier. Even Clu, normally so cruel and violent, calmed When in her presence. And because of the girl's skill in fighting and growing closeness to Rinzler, Clu and Jarvis often referred to her as a "second Rinzler," and thus, she was called Rinzler-Chan.
Jarvis thought of that as he watched the two argue ceaselessly.
"Forgive me for interrupting, but...his Excellency--"
"Oh, yeah!" Rinzler-Chan said. "We gotta get ready and stuff!" She looked at Jarvis. "Hey, are you coming with us?"
He shook his head. "No. I must stay," he said, sadness barely hidden in his voice. Rinzler-Chan walked over to him, gently touching his shoulder.
"Why?" she asked, and he laughed.
"it is my duty," he said, and Rinzler-Chan sighed heavily.
"But I'm gonna miss you!" she whined.
Jarvis grinned, mimicking her joyful expression.
"Don't worry," he said. "We will be able to communicate. Clu said that we must. And besides, I am his intelligence officer..."
"So?"
"So," Jarvis said with a chuckle. "You'll be reporting your research to me so that I may revise it for Clu."
"What, really?" Rinzler-Chan asked excitedly.
"Indeed," Jarvis said, and gasped as she suddenly hugged him, nuzzling her head against his cheek.
"Yes!" she said. "Then I'll get to talk to you all the time, then?"
Slowly, Jarvis put his arms around her, blushing slightly. "Of course, Rinzler-Chan!" he said. "As long as it doesn't get in the way of your duties."
"Right. Duties," Rinzler-Chan said. "That sounds boring."
"Stay focused, R-Chan," Rinzler said, walking over to the pair, patting the girls head before messing up her hair. Rinzler-Chan emitted a whine, burying her face in Jarvis's chest.
"Jarvis, make Rinzler stop!" the girl whined, before wiggling behind him, glaring at Rinzler over Jarvis's shoulders.
Rinzler laughed. "Sis, I know you have some things important to you. Go get them," he instructed. "I will be getting mine."
He exited the room and Rinzler-Chan moved away from Jarvis, sighing. "I'm gonna miss you, Jarvis," she said sadly. "You're...pretty much my only real friend, y'know?"
Jarvis turned to her, seeing her sadness. Underneath the joy was sadness, the sadness of a Program who had been made by an uncaring User. One who made a Program and took it for granted. Jarvis was one of those Programs as well, and that's what kept the two so close. That, and Rinzler-Chan's undying happiness always kept Jarvis hopeful and joyous despite Clu's frequent raging.
"Before you leave, may I give you something?" Jarvis asked suddenly taking Rinzler-Chan's hand.
"Of course," she said. "What is it?"
"Come on!"
Jarvis lead her down a few corridors before leading her into his sparsely furnished quarters. He dropped her hand and walked to a small chest near the foot of his bed, opening it. He pulled something out wrapped in black fabric and handed it to Rinzler-Chan. "You know how we, you know...hacked into parts of the Real World's system and got some how-tos on making things?" he asked, and Rinzler-Chan nodded, stroking the soft fabric while looking at him. "Well, I went back a few Cycles ago and found one...I was able to create the materials to make this, and...well I hope you like it."
Rinzler-Chan removed the fabric and found a bright, knitted scarf of all colors of the rainbow. She held it in her hands, enjoying it light, soft feel. She gently held it to her face and smiled into the fuzzy strands. Jarvis took it from her gently and wrapped it around her neck, smiling and blushing slightly.
"Jarvis," Rinzler-Chan murmured, still looking at it. "It's so amazing—thank you! You...you made it?"
"Yes," Jarvis said, even more embarrassed at Rinzler-Chan's fascination. "It's not that much, I mean, I'm sure there are better scarves out there--"
Rinzler-Chan interrupted him by wrapping her arms lovingly around him and kissing him on the cheek. "Shut up, Jarvis,": she whispered. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and I love it more than anything else I have. Thank you so much for your wonderful gift."
Jarvis, his whole face now red, hugged her back yet again and the girl gently rested her head on his shoulder.
"I know I've always wanted to go the the Real World, but..." she hesitated.
"What?" Jarvis asked. "You can tell me, Rinzler-Chan. You know that."
"well," she said slightly awkwardly. "I...I always hoped that we'd go...together, you know? 'Cause, well..."
She took her arms from around him and played with the end of the scarf. "We did so much...you know. With...hacking and all."
Jarvis saw, not for the first time, one of the rare examples of When Rinzler-Chan was awkward and unsure of what, exactly, to say. He loved those moments, and always teased her about them afterward. But it was amazing how awkward she'd get, and then in the end, freak out a little, and probably playfully shove or hit him afterward. But she didn't this time, instead she just stood there, looking down.
"Um, Jarvis?"
"Yeah?"
"Why...are you still hugging me?"
He backed away, releasing her. "Oh-I-sorry. I wasn't—um...sorry..." He was now the awkward one, struggling to come up with something to say as Rinzler-Chan smiled bashfully.
"It...it's okay, Jarvis...I liked it," she said, and they both went quiet.
After a time, Jarvis finally spoke up. "I'll really miss you, Rinzler-Chan."
Rinzler-Chan looked at him, blushing. "I...I will, too...Jarvis."
He walked forward, gently brushing her hair from her face and lightly touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers. It was rare the girl let anyone touch her face-whenever someone would, she'd jerk away and glare at them, maybe even yell at them. But for some reason, she let Jarvis do it. She gently took his hand in hers, staring at him without expression.
Jarvis shifted, uncomfortable under Rinzler-Chan's intense stare. At last, she said quietly, "Jarvis...please forgive me."
"Forgive you for wha--" Jarvis began, but Rinzler-Chan interrupted by gently pressing her lips against his.
Jarvis gasped slightly, blushing furiously as Rinzler-Chan  gently squeezed his hands. He started to sink into the kiss, smiling, and gently wrapping his arms around her waist as he closed his eyes. Their orange circuitry brightened, then slowly changed to a romantic, pale purple color in the warmth of each other's embraces. The kiss lasted for a time until they heard Clu conversing to Rinzler in the hallway.
They broke apart as the two entered, circuitry returning to their normal colors, and Clu smirked when he saw their closeness, their blushes.
"Well, well, Rinzler-Chan," he said chuckling. "I see you're still...preparing for your departure."
The girl gently took Jarvis's hand and he felt how nervous she was about the kiss and about leaving. "I...my apologies, your Excellency, if I have caused any delay. I...I am ready now, though," she said, smiling at Jarvis childishly.
Clu nodded. "You have your things?" he asked.
"I have what I need," she informed him as she patted the scarf. Clu extended an arm and obediently, Rinzler-Chan stepped forward and linked her arm through his, but didn't let go of Jarvis's hand. The four walked to the room they began in as the Ship flew swiftly to the Portal. In the presence of Clu, Rinzler-Chan felt slightly restricted, and wished she had ore alone time with Jarvis. And as the Ship touched down outside the Portal, she almost wanted to stay in the Grid. She hesitated after Clu and Rinzler exited, and Jarvis gently rested a hand on her back. "Rinzler-Chan," he said quietly. "Are you okay?"
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, looking up at Jarvis. "I....I'm going to miss you, Jarvis," she said quietly, voice wavering. "A lot...a real lot!"
Jarvis smiled, and slid the hand to her opposite shoulder, pulling her close."Don't worry," he said. "We'll be able to communicate nearly every week." He gently touched his forehead to her. "You won't be too sad without me."
Rinzler-Chan gently nuzzled him and he laughed. "You're so strange sometimes, Rinzler-Chan," he said, and she laughed.
"Indeed I am, Jarvis," she said. "Indeed I am..."
"Rinzler-Chan! Are you coming?" Clu's voice sounded below, and Rinzler-Chan looked at him.
"Of course, your Excellency," she said, taking Jarvis's hand and gently squeezing it. The two walked down to meet up with him, Rinzler-Chan's circuitry slowly brightening in excitement."I'm ready, she said, and Clu nodded.
"I hope so," he responded, and Rinzler-Chan frowned slightly, wondering what he meant.
She looked back at Jarvis and took a deep breath. "Well," she said. "Good bye for now, I suppose," she said.
"Yes..." the Intelligence officer said. "So it will be...good luck, Rinzler-Chan, and study hard, okay!"
She beamed. "Of course I will, Jarvis!" she gushed. "And you study hard, too!"
He laughed, and the girl joined her brother, taking his hand gently. She bowed to Clu and murmured, "Until next time, Your Excellency!"
He lifted a hand in a wave as the pair of Programs entered the portal, the blue glow surrounding them both. R-Chan turned and made eye contact with Jarvis, and waved. "Good bye, Jarvis!" she yelled. "I love you!"
With an intensely bright flash of light, they were gone.