You gaze up at the terrifying insectoid creature that tail-sweeped you to the ground, his dark magenta eyes looming down on you, almost predatory.
For a moment, he looks like he was about to attack or eat you... but then, you notice his eyes looking down at you.
He recognized your attire. Your design. He remembered seeing it outside of the game's cabinet. And he didn't know where the code's 'room' entrance was in this new game.
You were an important part of the game. If you went missing, they would send out to look for you. He couldn't harm you. Damn it.
Buuuut.. he could submit you into silence.
"Who are you?..." you ask.
What? They... didn't know who he was?
He supposed that was a good thing in other to remain hidden, but damn.
"Ugh, jus'th my luck for my reputation."
You only tilt your head confused.
Maybe he could convince them he's a secret boss from the game that no one, not even its players knew existed.
"Well, then I suppose you could-"
And they were gone.
He looked up to see your figure running away. He groaned, then flashed his teeth and took flight, his rapid buzzing wings humming behind you in the distance. You thought you had enough distance when you suddenly felt yourself lifted into the air, wrapped around sharp appendages as the ground quickly got farther and farther.
He held you up, his normal hand-looking claw holding up your face.
"And where do you think you're going?"
"Are you going to kill me?" Your voice came out more shaky than you expected.
"Well, that WAS a plan."
He took you to another isolated area in the map of your game, dropping you on the ground as he landed. You immediately scoot back, your breath heavy.
"Not if you help me."
"...Help with what?"
His sharp teeth flash a grin with half-lidded eyes before he speaks.
"Do you know what a c'thyberbug is?"
You nervously shake your head.
"Well, I didn't either. Until you get your code infused with one, and you feel the virus cours'thing through your sprites. A s'thingle cyberbug can produce enough eggs and hatchlings to take over a SINGLE entire game. And with luck.. an entire ARCADE for you to take!!"
You held your breath.
"Well. A normal cyberbug, anyway."
"Huh?"
"You see, being fused with a cyberbug, you don't just become one in the same. It takes. From each, part."
"...W-What are you trying to say?"
"I can't just create my own army on my own. Thanks to my.. original coding. It seems I need.. s'thomething else."
Your panting continued as you tried to scoot back again when he suddenly lunged forward and pinned your clothing to the ground with a giant claw, dragging you back to his face. "Do you understand what I'm saying?~"
It wasn't much of a choice. One look into his crazed, flickering, half-lidded eyes, you could easily tell. If you said no, he could just kill, or eat you. To him, he would be absorbing whatever your coding gave you.
Oooor he could hide them away long enough for the arcade to notice, and their game gets pulled. He can easily escape to another game. He’s down it twice. It’s not HIS game, after all.
There was no other choice.
Though you had to admit... That sharp-toothy grin did stir something in you.
