We Have Each Other - Under Construction

Chapter 5

*Chihiro POV*
I grunt in frustration, hitting the backspace button on my keyboard harder than necessary. I've been working on reprogramming Alter Ego for the past week. I was absolutely devastated when I saw them get destroyed.
Luckily, I remember the coding I did to create them in the first place!
The only problem is my hands. They're shaking so hard that I frequently press the wrong keys. It's so annoying that I can't just type what I'm thinking!
I sigh and look to my left. The window shows a beautiful sunrise, coloring the morning sky pink. The heavy clouds forming reminds me of cotton candy, giving me a moment of calm.
I never realized how pretty the sky could be before I went to Hopes Peak. I guess things just get more beautiful once they're taken away.
I close my computer and stand up, stretching my arms. I walk to the kitchen and grab a mug, making myself some hot chocolate.
My shaky hands didn't help much with the brewer. Once I get it, I stroll to the window, stirring the hot chocolate mix into the warm water. I sit on the windowsill, the cold wood pressing against my legs and back through my pajamas. I let my mind go blank as I stare at the cotton candy clouds.
I absentmindedly sip my hot chocolate, a sense of serenity surrounding me as I watch the sky go from pink, to orange, to misty gray.
It looks like it's going to rain.
"Chihiro?" I'm snapped out of my trance by a voice. I turn my head to see my dad standing in the doorway, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Are you okay? You were staring into space." He walks over and sits down across from me. I give a small smile and nod my head.
"Just taking a break." I tell him, looking down at my barely sipped hot chocolate. Though now it's more like cold chocolate.
Dad looks at me, concerned.
"How long have you been sitting here?" He asks me. I just shrug, playing with the end of my shirt. He sighs and adjusts, pulling me into a side hug.
I curl up next to him and set my hot chocolate to the side.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready for work?" I ask quietly. Dad hugs me a bit tighter.
"I asked for the day off so I could spend time with you." I smile a little, happy to be with him. I missed him so much when I was trapped. Now that I'm back home, I don't want to leave. I don't want to take the chance of losing everything again.
"So what do you want to do?" Dad asks. I move away picking up my hot chocolate and taking a large gulp, thinking about my answer.
"Can we go out somewhere? I feel like I need to walk around." I say, staring at the sky once more. Dad's face twists into a grimace.
"I'm really sorry kiddo, but we can't." I look at him, confused.
"Why not?" He stands up and moves to the couch, picking up the remote and turning on the TV. He spends a few seconds flipping through channels before settling on the news.
"In other news, the missing ultimates have been found, and returned home safely." The reporter says in a professional voice.
"We have yet to see any of the students or their family members to give us inside information about the incident-" Dad switches off the TV before the woman can say any more. He sighs deeply and sits back down beside me.
"If you're seen anywhere the press will be harassing you." He huffs.
"So it's better for you to stay inside for now, okay?" He looks at me with sympathy. I smile a little and nod, signaling that I understand.
He returns my smile and looks back to the couch, where my laptop lays dormant.
"Are you working on anything right now?" He asks. My face lights up and I dart over to the couch, picking up my laptop and going back to my father.
I open the computer and launch into the story of how I first created Alter Ego.

                       ***** Time Skip *****

We worked out a system. I told dad the code and he typed it into the computer.
Within two hours, the hard part was over. Now all that's left is to wait for it to gather the information that's currently on the laptop.
The laptop I'm using isn't restricted like the one in Hopes Peak, so this model will be even more advanced than Alter Ego.
I want to name it something else though. If I just name this new program Alter Ego, it'll feel like I'm trying to replace the old one. When in reality, this model will be smarter, faster, and all around better than Alter Ego ever was!
After a lot of thinking, I came up with a new name, 'Pixel'.
I leave the laptop open, waiting patiently for Pixel to learn all they can before introducing themselves. Dad sits next to me, bouncing his leg in anticipation. Slowly but surely, the loading bar fills to 100%, and an avatar that looks just like me appears on the screen.
"Hello! My name is Pixel. You must be Master Chihiro and Master Taichi!" Pixel says cheerfully.
I squeal a little in excitement, dad's hands rush to the keys, waiting for me to tell him what to type.
"Hi Pixel! This is Chihiro and Taichi!" I exclaim, confirming who the program was speaking to. Pixels avatar changes to a wide smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you! Do you have any tasks for me?" They ask politely. I think for a while, wanting to analyze their abilities.
"Estimate where Earth will be in relativity to Halley's Comet in 1,000 years." I command. Pixel goes silent, thinking over their answer.
Pixels avatar changes to a pleasant smile.
"I estimate Earth to be approximately 137.4 kilometers away from Halley's Comet in the year 3020." Pixel states confidently. (This is not a fact, I made up a number)
I clap my hands excitedly as dad adjusts his glasses, a look of amazement on his features.
"Incredible!" He exclaims. "This is truly the next generation of programming!" He looks to me, pulling me into a side hug. I flinch a little, but otherwise lean into him.
"By the way, Masters, it's going to rain soon. I suggest you stay inside." Pixel says. As if on cue, I start to hear the pitter patter of raindrops on the roof. I rush to the window, kneeling on the windowsill.
When was the last time I saw it rain? I can't remember. It's so pretty, like jewels falling from the sky.
I look around frantically, the walls seeming to close in on me. Walls... I've had enough walls. I start hyperventilating as my eyes land on the front door.
I dash through it and out into the rain, which is getting heavier by the second.
I stand in my front lawn getting my breathing under control. I look up to the gray sky, letting the water droplets fall onto my face.
Dad runs out after me.
"Chihiro what are you doing?" He shouts, worried.
"Come back inside, you'll get sick." He grabs my arm and tries to pull me back toward the house.
I flinch violently, my breathing picking up again. I start pulling against dad's grip, panicking. Dad gets the hint and quickly lets go. I spend a few minutes trying to calm myself down before speaking.
"I don't want to go inside." I mutter, barely audible.
"I spent six months inside. No more..." I see dad nod from the corner of my eye, retreating a little to give me some space.
I spend a while there, just looking at the sky that I missed more than I realized. Eventually, I come to my senses. I could catch something much worse than a cold if I stay out here for too long.
I reluctantly turn to face my father and nod slowly, starting toward the house.
When we get inside, dad rushes to the bathroom to get us some towels. While he's gone, I pick up my phone and text me classmates. I really want to see them again.