Pixelate 4: Shining Star

Chapter 4: Number Nine

Caleb awakens an hour later in PR HQ.

Caleb: "H-Huh?"

Caleb sits right up to see Shining Star in the room.

William: "That was nuts Caleb!"

Kyle: "You nearly had a heart attack doing that!"

Caleb: "(shaking head) Did I-"

Isabel: "Save our asses?"

Micheal: "Oh my god you did!"

Risa: "But you seriously couldn't keep your head straight."

Caleb looks at his ID Glove.

Caleb: "I actually did it."

Echoes is right next to him on the floor.

Anthony: "But what happened to Aegis and Austin? I know they separated after the last time, but shouldn't they have recombined by now?"

Walker: "No, I made certain of that."

Everyone: "Huh?"

Walker: "Shortly after they separated, I quickly activated a small program that rendered their codes incompatible."

Shining Star has a sudden realization.

Shining Star: "The Knights of Hope!"

Walker: "They appear to be fine. I was given access to the Tomorrow's Knights servers and they appear to be logging out."

Risa: "(relieved) Okay."

They hear the elevator begin to rise.

Robert: "But what did they do?"

William: "They looked and sounded like they were devoid of emotions."

Walker: "They probably removed emotion from their systems."

The elevator opens to reveal the Knights of Hope.

Roy: "Walker do you have any idea what's-"

They all look at each other awkwardly.

Zack: "Same thing with you guys?"

Kyle: "Yeah."

Walker explains the whole situation.

Tori: "This isn't good."

Asaka: "They don't appear to have blood in that form too."

Cole: "Well we're screwed!"

Walker hesitates for a moment.

Walker: "Maybe not."

Everyone: "Huh?"

Walker: "I can connect the two games and try to reinstall emotion to their systems."

Yukiko: "Connect?"

Edo: "But would the connection act like last time it happened?"

Walker: "No. It would mean having your six servers each connect to one of our servers."

Emily: "So no crazy merged set pieces?"

Walker: "Yes, and I've made modifications to the respawn system, so no boost in power."

Micheal: "Well what are you waiting for? I don't see any downsides!"

Walker: "Well not for me."

Everyone: "Why?"

Walker: "You've probably heard the who would win at school."

Roy: "Yeah."

Walker: "We would expect people only to see the fight before saying to separate again."

Yukiko: "W-Wouldn't we want to explain the issue to the public?"

Andrea: "Think about all of the panic that would ensue."

Isabel: "Besides, looks like all they want is us."

Zack: "Well go ahead and get on it Walker, we'll make the fight take place when we have eight versus nine!"

Asaka: "Guess you eight haven't met Yukiko yet."

William looks at his ID Glove.

William: "Actually..."

William sends a guild invite.

William: "... nine versus nine."

Caleb looks at his ID Glove to find an invite to Shining Star.

Edo: "When did Caleb get an ID Glove and at a time like this?"

Caleb: "I..."

Caleb stands up.

Caleb: "... chose to fight!"

Caleb accepts.

Anthony: "Congrats on being the ninth and final member of Shining Star Caleb Aegis."

Walker: "You're honestly going to fight Caleb?"

Caleb: "I... won't let that woman continue to haunt me!"

Tori: "Well said!"

Yukiko: "So... when is the merging going to happen?"

Walker: "It'll take about a week for me to work out the bugs."

Micheal: "Then tomorrow why don't we check out the Theta server before the merge?"

Robert: "That was our original plan today until Aegis showed up, and we've got a new member."

Risa: "After school tomorrow?"

Caleb: "O-Okay."

Roy: "Well see you guys in a week!"

The two groups head home, well except for Roy, he decided to head to Risa's for the latest anime conversation.