June, Kent, Lisa and Pride entered a normal classroom and made a fort with tables and chairs in the corner. As aware as they were of their obligation to follow through with the group project, they refused to partake altogether, cowering in fear. The door opened and closed.
"How can I measure who's moving forward and who isn't when you don't play the game?"
Kent, knowing his Replica couldn't work in Perseus, still barged through the barricade, facing her. Her brown-ish skin and long white hair. Her white and light clothes on top of more armored protections all around.
"Oh...you're a brave one aren't you."
"Free us."
"What do you mean?"
"The second we entered this school we split into groups to figure out who will stay in the first level of Perseus and who will advance."
"And why should I ever hinder the process?"
"Because it's inhuman. We've heard gunshots. I'm pretty sure someone's dead already."
"There are two dead so far. Yes."
"Then stop the process!"
"So cruel. And for what?"
"Me? Cruel?"
"Of course. For the two that are dead already, why put a stop to it now? Shouldn't you respect their sacrifice for the cause?"
"You're completely insane."
"I don't like the way I'm spoken to right now."
Anaïs in a swift move of the right arm, even from a slight distance, shattered Kent in bits of flesh against the wall and proceeded to enter the barricade, locking every table and chair with her powers, strenghtening the blockage.
"What's your guys' names?"
"June."
"Lisa."
"Pride."
"Pride, huh?"
"It's just a name."
Pride had her eyes staring into his, intensely.
"I'm supposed to be the one that's brave...now that Kent is dead."
"You seemed to have accepted his death. That's quite soon. Maybe you hated him."
"I really liked Kent. Don't say that."
"You think you're strong. They all do. Acting tough in front of me isn't going to help you."
"You three will decide who stays and who moves forward."
"What even is out there? How could we know?"
"It's worse than anything you've ever seen or experienced. And I'm going to need high forces to help me with this. So I'll ask again. Who stays and who leaves?"
"I'd rather stay", June said. "I don't owe you a helping hand in your own fight. For killing Kent, I hope whatever's out there kills you."
"Strong words for such a young lady."
"I can do it.
"Oh, really? You think you can handle what's out there?"
"No. Absolutely not. Regardless how pretty you are, I can see in your eyes all of the evil and malice of the world."
"Then what is it?"
"I need to be stronger, taller, braver. Lisa, you can stay here and take care of June. We're splitting here."
"You decided that? You? You gave yourself the name Pride because you didn't know your own name. You have no recollection of your own family. Which keeps you up at night. How are you going to help anyone?"
"Efalis helped us grow taller. All I have to do now is grow stronger physically. And mentally I'm so much better than I used to be, so I think my mental could play a role in that."
"Both of you." She shows two guns and takes down the barricade, moving away from them. "You will decide officially...who is the best choice to move forward in Perseus."
"Wait! Pride! Don't. This whole thing could end in a second. I'm not feeling it. It's obvious you want us to kill each other, but that's not it. You manipulate people to commit atrocities, that's your main power isn't it? You draw confidence from people obeying you."
"And? I've made myself clear, haven't I?"
"That's what I'm saying. I even want to do it. I feel like I have to, but at the same time, what if we both shoot you?"
"How about you shoot me? Fascinating. A rebel. Well, try."
"Don't try provoking an immature child such as myself. I've looked at myself into the mirror at the Uncharted. I know myself. You, whatever you are...you don't know anything about us. So how can you decide for us? Plus you can't physically harm and kill us all, it's all disuassion to force us into your game. You need meat canon for what's out there."
"Maybe so. May that be the truth, I've really enjoyed this class until now. Such a shame, to be held back because you couldn't listen to the teacher."
Anaïs, same as for Kent, by a swift movement of the right arm, cut her in half. June rose from the corner, shivering.
"Oh? You were the brave one? Interesting. There are still two guns, you want to plunge right into the game?"
"I don't want to hurt Pride."
"Naturally, naturally. You don't have to. Shoot once and whoever's hurt first will be held back."
"In that case..."
June grabs the gun, spins it, reloads and aims, straight at Pride who, because of a second of hesitation, was shot first in the chest; hands in blood, he gripped the wound as tight as he could, as Anaïs approached and stared at the deep hole in his skin. Staring, doing nothing else, arms relaxed, looking without intervening in any way shape or form.
"Help...me...Anaïs..."
"He's...he's dying! Do I win?"
"Why did you do that?"
"Ana...you asked me to..."
"He was your friend! How could you! So heartless!"
"Th-then help him! Heal him!"
"It's too late. He's dead. You're a monster."
"But it was part of the game...I don't understand..."
"A game? You usually kill your friends? What are you, a school shooter?"
"Fine. I'll drop the act. Nicely played, June. You win. The next step of Perseus has oen its' doors to you."
June fell to her knees, looking at the corpses of her friends, the relief installed itself in her pained heart.
"And now you feel vindicated. See how easy it is? You can just trigger any emotion you want in the soul of a person. And you, you will be his personal canvas, seeing how weak you are."