Pixelate 4: Shining Star

Chapter 3: My Decision

The next day after school...

Kyle: "They seriously have a new member?!"

Caleb: "H-Her name is Yukiko Fudo. She's the new Monk for them."

Anthony: "We seriously need a Ranger."

They all awkwardly stare at Caleb.

Caleb: "I-I don't want to!"

Micheal: "No one is forcing you."

Andrea: "Just wanted to offer."

The eight head over to a log in.

Caleb: "I can't!"

Caleb flashbacks to a moment where he is being punched in the face by an unknown entity.

Caleb: "(breathing heavily) I'm going to Walker!"

Caleb begins to run towards PR HQ, but at around the midpoint, inside Pixel Reality...

Isabel: "We really shouldn't have done that to him."

Robert: "Yeah, his head isn't screwed right. We should've been more considerate."

William: "We should say sorry tomorrow morning."

???: "Shining Star..."

They all react to the familiar voice.

Shining Star: "Aegis?!"

Aegis steps outside a cloud of binary.

Aegis: "(blankly) I believe that I must purge you all."

They all attack at full force, only for Aegis to remain unfazed.

Andrea: "How?!"

In PR HQ...

Walker: "Iris?!"

Walker doesn't notice Caleb entering the room.

Walker: "Aegis has been hiding in my code this whole time?!"

Caleb: "(falling apart) What?"

Caleb collapses onto the floor.

Walker: "Caleb!"

Caleb remembers all the torture and neglect he's been through.

Caleb: "(falling apart) I can't be free."

Walker jumps out of his chair to support Caleb.

Walker: "Breathe!"

Caleb continues to remember.

Caleb: "(falling apart) She'll forever haunt me."

Caleb remembers the offer given to him.

Caleb: "(snapping out of it) Unless..."

Walker: "Caleb?"

Caleb stands up with a determined look in his eyes.

Caleb: "(determined) An ID Glove..."

Walker: "What're you thinking Caleb?!"

Caleb: "It's... it's time for me to let go of my fear and fight back!"

Walker: "You're going to fight?! Aegis appears to have lost the ability to feel pain!"

Caleb: "It's my decision to fight!"

Walker cautiously grabs a spare ID Glove off a nearby shelf.

Walker: "(sighing) ID and class?"

Caleb: "Ranger and..."

Caleb looks at Echoes.

Caleb: "... Echoes."

Walker gives Caleb the glove after a little typing.

Walker: "I'll hold onto Echoes."

Caleb slips on the ID Glove as he cautiously gives Walker Echoes.

Caleb: "(deep breaths) Here I go."

Caleb hops into the nearby scanner room and inserts the ID Glove into a pedestal.

Caleb: "She won't shackle me anymore."

Caleb closes his eyes and opens them to find her in a bustling town.

Caleb: "My clothes..."

Caleb is wearing a faded pink hood, with brown leather armor underneath and heavy brown boots.

Caleb: "My weapons..."

Caleb has two worn out crossbows on his sides.

Caleb: "Time to go!"

Caleb rushes off in the direction of the eastern exit while holding his crossbows.

Meanwhile...

Aegis: "(blankly) Emotions terminated. Pointless to resist."

Shining Star has exhausted themselves trying to inflict pain.

Micheal: "(exhausted) She's fucking crazy!"

Aegis: "(blankly) Fall by my hand."

As binary swirls around her hand, arrows make contact with the back of her head.

Aegis: "Hm?"

Caleb is standing there, breathing heavily and shaking.

Caleb: "(shaking) Leave them alone!"

Anthony: "Caleb?!"

Aegis: "(blankly) Might as well make this interesting for you."

Aegis vanishes.

Caleb: "(collapsing) I can't feel my legs."

Robert picks up Caleb.

Risa: "Do you just save our asses?!"

Caleb passes out.

Kyle: "We should log out!"

The group logs out.