Pixelate 5: Code VIRUS

Chapter 6: The Running Gag

Later that week...

Kyle and Ulrich are currently heading over to meet with the Shining half of Shining Hope for something important at 8 in the morning.

Ulrich: "So what's this important meeting about."

Kyle: "(devilishly) You'll see..."

Ulrich shuffles an extra foot away from Kyle.

Ulrich: "(nervously) Why do I feel extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden?"

Kyle: "(cackling) For that was my goal!"

Ulrich then proceeds to run at the speed of sound to get away from Kyle.

Kyle: "(awkwardly) U-Uh I uh... WAIT FOR ME!!!!!"

Kyle pushes himself to try and catch up to Ulrich.

A little while later...

Ulrich slides over to the others and begins hyperventilating.

Caleb: "A-Are you okay?"

Kyle catches up.

Ulrich: "(wheezing) No, no I'm not."

The others awkwardly stare at them.

Micheal: "Come on, let's get inside."

Everyone enters the Augment Shop.

Robert: "Andrea, you may have the honors."

She has a devilish grin on her face.

Andrea: "With plea-"

Risa: "Augments are chips you spend real world money to receive perks in Tomorrow's Reality and you insert them into the four slots on your ID Glove."

Everyone except Caleb, Isabel, and Anthony looks at Risa with a cold stare.

Isabel: "It was funny the first few times, but this was getting ridiculous by the time Risa joined."

Anthony: "I don't blame her at all for ruining your fun."

Ulrich is already surfing through the available Augments.

William: "(dramatically) Ruined! Hopeless! Utter despair!"

Kyle: "(dramatically) There's nothing left for us!"

Ulrich purchases and inserts a Scan, an EXP up, a Recharge Up, and a HP Up.

Ulrich: "I probably would've come here later today anyways. My mom just gave me my allowance."

Anthony: "Fair enough, but I wanted to see how these guys would've been thwarted by Risa this time."

Isabel: "Since when do you expand your vocabulary?"

Anthony: "(awkwardly) I-I was practicing that line in the shower last night."

Isabel: "I thought you were singing-"

Everyone else is beginning to snicker.

Anthony: "(panicking) Pl-Please don't talk about that!"

Andrea: "(snickering) That definitely makes up for it."

Risa: "Eh, I sing along to my anime OP's. I don't give a shit."

In that instant, all of the negativity generated by Risa has become a source of humor from Anthony.

Ulrich: "I'll just go ahead and uh..."

Ulrich is slinking towards the door.

Ulrich: "(awkwardly) Yeah..."

Caleb cautiously follows, leaving the two outside.

Caleb: "I-I'd rather not be making fun of someone."

Ulrich: "(relieved) Yeah. Everyone has a quirk to them and I just don't think it's right to exploit it."

Caleb and Ulrich can hear the others heading for the door.

Ulrich/ Caleb: "Uh oh..."