Spy Kids 3: AU

9.

Juni led the group forward through the large purple room. There were large dark purple walls they had to navigate through, some moving. Suddenly, someone emerged from behind one of the moving walls.

It was Demetra.

"What's going on, Demetra, you had a game over," Juni said warily.

"I don't know, there must've been a glitch in the game, but-" Juni cut her off, "I don't think a game that's uncheatable would easily glitch, Demetra."

Demetra looked at the group nervously, trying to come up with something to say.

Carmen walked forward and glared at her. "Juni, who's this?"

"Demetra. She was on our team before she got a game over on level 3," Juni explained.

"She's not real, Juni," Carmen revealed. Juni groaned. "Of course she isn't."

"What!" Demetra yelled. "I'm real! I've helped you guys Juni, you have to believe me!"

Carmen walked forward and swiped at the girl's head with her mechanical hand. It went right through it, showing that Demetra was nothing more than a projection.

"She's the deceiver."

Juni sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Yeah, no, I see it."

"Congratulations!" A projection of the Toymaker showed up behind Demetra like a movie screen. "You made it to the end of the game! You've won!"

Juni and Carmen backed up with the rest of the group. "And your prize is that you get to stay! Here. Welcome to the game," As the Toymaker said that, three giant robots emerged from the ground and the level began falling apart.

"Juni!" Her grandfather yelled. Everyone looked over and saw him standing at the exit portal of the game.

"Everyone go! Now!" Juni yelled and they all ran to the exit. Juni stopped by her grandfather. "Hold on! We need to shut down the game or this was just the most ridiculous way to waste 13 hours of my life!"

"I've already shut it down! The switch is right there," He gestured to the panel behind Juni. She nodded and ran to the others in the portal.

Soon her grandfather followed her and the door closed, shutting on a robot hand.

"Oh, that was close," Juni said, her heart still beating fast. She turned around and faced the group. "Hey, it was cool meeting you guys."

"Uh, yeah. You too. Oh, here," Rez handed her 3 slips of paper. She turned them over in her hand. "What's this?"

"Our emails," Francis said, "we wanted to keep in touch."

Juni nodded. "Ok, cool. I'll be sure to reach out."

Francis nodded and left. Rez and Arnold followed after him. Carmen knocked her shoulder with a smirk before disappearing into the portal. Juni rolled her eyes and turned around to face her grandfather. He looked conflicted about something.

"What's wrong?"

"How can I go back after this? I can walk, I can run. You look at me like I'm a superhero."

Juni frowns at him. "You've always been a superhero to me, grandpa. In real life you're so cool, even if other people don't think so, I know so."

"Alright Juni, I'll go back. Only if you promise me that, even though I'm in a wheelchair, you'll look at me the same because on the inside I feel like this," His battle suit glowed brightly as he relished in the last moment he had in the game.

Juni smiled and nodded. "I promise."