THE GLITCH

The screen is completely black.

A faint electronic hum breaks the silence, followed by the unmistakable chime of an old-fashioned arcade machine booting up. A tiny white pixel appears in the centre of the screen, flickering several times before exploding into a cascade of brightly coloured 8-bit graphics.

A pixelated OSW logo assembles itself piece by piece, accompanied by a triumphant chiptune fanfare. Beneath it, the words OLD SCHOOL WRESTLING PRESENTS flash in neon green before disappearing into digital static.

Suddenly, an enormous title crashes onto the screen.

The title screen remains perfectly still, save for the flashing instruction to press start. The cheerful music continues looping until a shadow passes across the screen, as though somebody is standing directly in front of the television.

An unseen force presses START.

A sharp electronic confirmation sounds, and the title screen collapses into a swirling tunnel of pixels.

Signal"Hello!? Can anybody hear me? Are we broadcasting? What the hell is going on?"

Black Scar "Signal!? Where the fuck are we!?"

Signal"I don't know! One minute we were calling the main event, and the next everything went black! Now I'm looking at some kind of bloody video game!"

Black Scar"Well, find the exit! I'm not spending my evening trapped inside a glorified arcade cabinet!"

Signal"I can't even see you, Scar! I can't see myself! I don't know where my body is!"

Black Scar"That's comforting, isn't it? We've somehow been sucked into a fucking video game, and you're telling me we've lost our bodies!"

Before Signal can respond, another electronic chime interrupts them. The screen flashes white, revealing a colourful selection menu filled with miniature pixelated landscapes.

Signal "Wait a minute. That's a level selection screen! Someone's controlling this!"

Black Scar"Then whoever's holding the controller had better start explaining themselves!"

The selection cursor moves without warning, settling over the first level. A distorted electronic voice echoes through the darkness.

System:"LEVEL SELECTED."

The screen flashes crimson.

System:"THE GRAVEYARD."

Signal"The Graveyard? Scar, what does that mean?"

Black Scar"I don't know, Signal. But I've got a very bad feeling we're about to find out."

The menu dissolves into blackness as a loading bar crawls across the bottom of the screen. Somewhere in the distance, an 8-bit church bell begins to toll.

System: "GET READY."

The screen cuts to black.

The screen flickers into life, revealing a rain-soaked city street illuminated by neon signs and flickering streetlights. An energetic 8-bit soundtrack kicks in as Darkwish materialises outside a rundown nightclub, his body rendered in the exaggerated pixelated style of a classic arcade beat-'em-up. A health bar appears above him, accompanied by a flashing instruction to move right.

Signal"It's Darkwish! He's trapped inside some kind of fighting game!"

Black Scar"Well, at least this one makes sense. Darkwish wandering the streets beating up criminals? He's been playing this game his entire life!"

A gang of thugs emerges from a nearby alleyway, armed with pipes, chains and baseball bats. Darkwish wastes little time defending himself, delivering a thunderous combination that sends the first attacker flying into a stack of rubbish bins. Another charges, only to receive a vicious uppercut that sends him tumbling across the pavement as points accumulate above Darkwish's head.

Darkwish continues advancing through the level, defeating enemies with increasingly brutal combinations until the music suddenly distorts and the screen flashes red.

WARNING — BOSS APPROACHING

Academius appears beneath a flickering streetlight, applauding sarcastically as Darkwish turns towards him.

Academius"Bravo, Darkwish! Another collection of villains beaten into submission. Does it feel good? Does every punch make you feel a little less guilty about the people you've murdered?"

Darkwish"They're attacking me. I'm defending myself."

Academius"How convenient. There's always a justification, isn't there? Jigsaw murdered your friends, so you murdered him. Jack Standard opposed you, so you beat him to death. And now you're desperately trying to convince yourself that hurting the right people somehow compensates for killing the wrong ones."

Another wave of thugs emerges from the alleyway, surrounding Darkwish as his health bar flashes.

Academius"Go on, then. Show us the hero! Beat them senseless and collect your points. Perhaps if you defeat enough criminals, you'll finally convince yourself you're not a murderer."

The first thug punches Darkwish across the face, removing a portion of his health. Darkwish instinctively raises his fists, but Academius's words cause him to hesitate.

Darkwish"I don't want to hurt anybody else."

Academius"Then don't. But don't mistake surrender for redemption."

Darkwish slowly lowers his arms.

The thugs attack mercilessly, striking him with pipes and chains as his health bar rapidly depletes. He staggers beneath the assault but refuses to retaliate, eventually collapsing onto the rain-soaked pavement.

Signal"Darkwish isn't fighting back! He's letting them beat him!"

Black Scar"Academius has convinced him that every punch he throws makes him a murderer. He's beaten Darkwish without even touching him!"

Academius approaches the fallen vigilante, crouching beside him as the last remaining segment of his health disappears.

Academius"There. Doesn't that feel better? For once, you're the victim instead of the executioner. Unfortunately, Darkwish, being beaten doesn't make you innocent."

Academius rises, leaving Darkwish motionless beneath the flickering neon lights.

The screen turns black.

GAME OVER

CONTINUE?

09 ... 08 ... 07 ...

The screen bursts into life with the sound of gunfire and an aggressive 8-bit military soundtrack. A sprawling enemy compound appears, complete with guard towers, sandbag barricades and heavily armed pixelated soldiers patrolling the perimeter. Two characters materialise behind a concrete barrier, their names appearing above separate health bars.

Signal"Dr. Cube and Edward Newton! They've been dropped into some kind of military combat game!"

Black Scar"And look at that! Two players, one objective. They actually have to cooperate to survive!"

Cube immediately takes command, examining the enemy positions whilst Newton studies the controls appearing in front of him. Before Newton can offer a suggestion, Cube points towards a distant machine-gun emplacement.

Dr. Cube"Edward, draw their fire. I'll flank the position and eliminate the gunner."

Edward Newton"There is a considerably more efficient route through the eastern—"

Dr. Cube"That wasn't a request."

Newton falls silent before reluctantly stepping into the open. Enemy soldiers immediately concentrate their fire upon him, allowing Cube to slip behind the emplacement and eliminate its occupants. An enormous CO-OP BONUS! flashes across the screen as the barricade explodes into pixels.

The pair advance through the compound until they encounter a reinforced security door requiring two simultaneous switches. Newton begins examining the mechanism, but Cube impatiently gestures towards the opposite control panel.

Dr. Cube"Get on the switch, Edward. I'll tell you when to activate it."

Edward Newton"Yes, boss."

The switches activate together, opening the door and revealing a courtyard filled with enemy soldiers. Cube charges forward, but an explosion knocks him onto his back, leaving his health bar flashing dangerously.

System:"PLAYER ONE DOWN! REVIVE REQUIRED!"

Signal"Cube's down! Newton has to revive him or neither of them can progress!"

Newton rushes through enemy fire and drags Cube behind cover, administering a health pack as a countdown ticks towards zero.

Dr. Cube"You took your time."

Edward Newton"I crossed an active firing line to save you."

Dr. Cube"And you'll do it again if necessary. Now get moving."

Newton's shoulders slump as he follows Cube towards the final checkpoint. A massive armoured vehicle rolls into view, its cannon rotating towards them as a boss health bar fills the top of the screen.

System:"BOSS ENCOUNTER — THE WAR MACHINE."

Cube studies the vehicle before spotting a narrow maintenance passage beneath its armour.

Dr. Cube"Edward, get underneath it and plant the explosives. I'll keep its attention."

Edward Newton"The blast radius will put me directly in danger."

Dr. Cube"Then you'd better be quick."

Newton hesitates, staring at the vehicle as Cube turns towards him.

Dr. Cube"Do I need to remind you what's at stake?"

Newton's expression darkens. Without another word, he crawls beneath the vehicle, plants the explosives and narrowly escapes as Cube detonates them. The machine erupts into a spectacular shower of pixels.

The two characters stand beneath a flashing victory banner. Cube proudly folds his arms whilst Newton remains several steps behind him, visibly exhausted and humiliated.

Dr. Cube"You see, Edward? When you follow my instructions, we succeed. Perhaps you're finally beginning to understand your place."

Edward Newton"Yes, boss."

Black Scar"They made a hell of a team, Signal, but that wasn't a partnership. Cube treated Newton like a disposable weapon!"

Signal"And Newton obeyed every order. Even inside a video game, Dr. Cube has complete control over him."

The victory music abruptly slows, distorting into a sinister electronic drone.

System:"PLAYER TWO STATUS UPDATED."

System:"PROPERTY OF PLAYER ONE."

Newton looks up at the message, his expression sinking further as Cube laughs.

The screen glitches to black.

A metallic corridor stretches into darkness, its walls pulsating with something disturbingly organic. PixelShift emerges from an elevator, wearing the unmistakable orange-and-red Power Suit of Samus Aran.

Pixelshift "Okay. Metroid. I know this one. Find the upgrades, kill the aliens, don't die. Easy enough."

A wet, sucking noise echoes behind him.

A small, greenish creature floats out of the darkness. Inside its translucent membrane is a familiar, furious face.

Warlord Mars"oi! turquoise twat! get back here!"

Pixelshift "Mars!?"

The creature lunges. PixelShift ducks, firing his arm cannon into a nearby Space Pirate. Mars reaches the fallen enemy first, latching onto its corpse and draining it dry.

His body swells.

Warlord Mars "HA! THAT'S MORE FUCKIN LIKE IT!"

Pixelshift "You're a Metroid! You're absorbing their energy!"

Warlord Mars "I'M ABSORBING YOUR FUCKIN FACE NEXT!"

PixelShift bolts through the corridor, blasting enemies while Mars pursues him, devouring everything left behind. Each victim makes the floating monstrosity larger, its teeth longer and its voice deeper.

They emerge into a cavern filled with enormous statues and boiling acid. PixelShift leaps across platforms as Mars tears through a swarm of alien creatures.

Warlord Mars "BAHAHAHA! I'M GETTIN BIGGER, STRONGER, AND FUCKIN HUNGRIER!"

A massive claw smashes through a platform beneath PixelShift. He lands beside a narrow opening barely large enough for a basketball.

Mars bears down on him.

Warlord Mars "NOWHERE TO RUN, YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

PixelShift grins.

Pixelshift "Actually, there's one thing you forgot."

His armor folds inward, transforming him into a glowing Morph Ball. He rolls through the opening and disappears into the tunnels.

Mars slams against the wall, unable to follow.

Warlord Mars "YOU FUCKIN CHEAT! COME BACK HERE AND FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!"

The enormous Metroid turns toward a nearby chamber filled with unsuspecting enemies.

His tentacles spread.

Warlord Mars "FINE! I'LL JUST GET BIG ENOUGH TO EAT THE WHOLE FUCKIN PLANET!"

Cut.

Back in the real world, the camera opens inside a cramped backstage workshop at the Temple, where an enormous arcade cabinet stands surrounded by tangled cables, computer monitors and hastily assembled electronic equipment.

 Its screen flickers between distorted images of the OSW roster, occasionally displaying the words THE GLITCH before dissolving into static. Respawn sits hunched over a keyboard, frantically typing commands whilst lines of code scroll across three separate monitors. His concentration is shattered when Marvolo storms into the room, looking absolutely furious.

Marvolo  "RESPAWN! What the FUCK have you done to my roster!?"

Respawn nearly falls out of his chair, spinning around to find the OSW owner towering over him.

Respawn:"Marvolo! Okay, before you start shouting, I need you to understand that this is a highly complicated situation involving experimental programming, dimensional instability and some extremely unpredictable code."

Marvolo "I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR CODE! I've got wrestlers disappearing, commentators trapped inside a fucking video game, and an entire show being broadcast through an arcade machine! I want to know how this happened!"

Respawn nervously adjusts his glasses before gesturing towards the cabinet.

Respawn:"It's the duplicate PixelShift. Ever since that thing appeared, I've been trying to figure out how to remove it from our world. I thought if I could create a contained digital environment, something built around the same programming that brought PixelShift here, I could lure the duplicate inside and isolate it. The Glitch was supposed to be a trap."

Marvolo looks towards the cabinet, where an eight-bit image of Reaver briefly flashes across the screen.

Marvolo "And instead you've trapped half my fucking company?"

Respawn:"Something went wrong during the initialisation. The programme started pulling people into its levels, rewriting their surroundings and assigning them roles inside different games. I didn't tell it to do that! It's behaving like somebody else is controlling it."

Marvolo's expression darkens.

Marvolo "Somebody else?"

Respawn:"I don't know who. Every time I try to shut it down, the system overrides me. I've tried disconnecting the cabinet, resetting the programme and even cutting the power, but it keeps running. Whoever's inside is still there, and I haven't figured out how to bring them back."

Marvolo grabs Respawn by the collar and hauls him out of his chair, bringing their faces inches apart.

Marvolo "Listen to me very carefully, you little technological fuckwit. I've spent months rebuilding this company after everything that's happened in Molvania. I have enough problems without some computer-generated lunatic kidnapping my entire roster and turning them into fucking Nintendo characters!"

Respawn:"I'm working on it! I swear! I just need time to find the corrupted code and reverse the transfer!"

Marvolo releases him with a violent shove, sending Respawn stumbling backwards against his desk.

Marvolo "Then you'd better work faster. Because if you don't fix this game, Respawn..."

He leans forward, his voice dropping into a menacing whisper.

Marvolo "I'll fix you."

Marvolo storms out, leaving Respawn staring anxiously at the arcade cabinet. As he returns to his keyboard, the screen flickers and a single message appears.

THE GLITCH — SYSTEM TERMINAL

ADMIN ACCESS DENIED

YOU ARE NOT PLAYER ONE.

Respawn stares at the message, his fingers hovering motionless above the keyboard.

For the first time, he realises the programme isn't simply malfunctioning.

Something is playing it.

The screen flickers into existence, revealing an enormous spaceship drifting silently through the darkness of space. Rendered entirely in atmospheric 8-bit graphics, its metallic corridors are illuminated by flickering emergency lights, whilst distant stars twinkle beyond reinforced observation windows. An ominous electronic heartbeat replaces the usual arcade soundtrack as the camera slowly descends into the ship's abandoned interior.

Inside the ship's cargo bay, Candy Man is wedged inside a narrow storage locker, his colourful costume looking horribly out of place amongst the cold grey machinery. He peers through the thin ventilation slits in the door, his masked face trembling as a faint metallic scraping echoes from somewhere beyond the room. Every few seconds, his enormous candy necklace rattles against the locker wall, forcing him to clutch it desperately against his chest.

Across the corridor, Santiago Del Toro lies concealed beneath a maintenance desk, his crimson cape gathered tightly beneath his body. His usual commanding presence has vanished, replaced by the rigid stillness of a man who knows something is hunting him. One hand covers his mouth whilst the other grips a metal pipe, although even he appears to understand that no weapon will save him if his hiding place is discovered.

Further into the ship, Rambro has squeezed himself into a cramped ventilation tunnel, his military gear scraping against the metal as he attempts to manoeuvre into the shadows. The Ring King winner clutches his weapon tightly, but his eyes remain fixed upon the darkness behind him. Despite his experience as a soldier, there is unmistakable terror written across his pixelated face.

A sudden metallic THUD reverberates throughout the spaceship.

All three characters freeze.

The overhead lights flicker, and something enormous moves across the far end of the corridor. At first, only a distorted silhouette is visible, its unnatural proportions stretching across the walls as it passes beneath a failing fluorescent light.

Then the creature steps into view.

REAVER.

His grotesque bone mask emerges from the darkness, followed by his tangled black hair and tattered clothing. The 8-bit rendering does nothing to diminish his horror. If anything, his jagged pixelated appearance makes him seem even more unnatural, as though he is a corruption within the game itself.

Reaver moves slowly through the corridor, dragging his clawed fingers along the metal walls. He stops outside Candy Man's locker, his head tilting at an impossible angle as though listening for the slightest movement. Candy Man's eyes widen behind the narrow slits, and he desperately presses his necklace against his chest to prevent another sound.

Reaver leans towards the locker.

For several agonising seconds, his bone mask fills Candy Man's entire field of vision.

Then he turns away.

The monster continues into the maintenance room, where Del Toro remains motionless beneath the desk. Reaver's bare feet pass within inches of his face, stopping abruptly when the edge of the crimson cape catches against a loose floor panel. Del Toro carefully draws the fabric beneath him, his eyes following the creature's every movement as Reaver slowly lowers his head towards the darkness beneath the furniture.

A distant mechanical alarm suddenly sounds.

Reaver straightens, turning towards the ceiling.

Above him, Rambro watches through the ventilation grille as the monster approaches the entrance to his tunnel. The soldier retreats backwards, but his boot catches against a loose metal panel, producing a sharp CLANG that echoes through the ventilation system.

Reaver stops.

His head snaps upwards.

Rambro's eyes widen as a pair of clawed hands slowly grip the ventilation grille.

The screen begins to distort, the image breaking into jagged blocks as Reaver pulls himself closer to the opening. His bone mask appears directly beneath Rambro, who retreats desperately into the darkness whilst the creature's claws scrape against the metal.

The heartbeat soundtrack accelerates.

The screen cuts rapidly between Candy Man trembling inside his locker, Del Toro holding his breath beneath the desk, and Rambro crawling backwards through the increasingly narrow ventilation shaft.

Reaver's claws reach through the grille.

The lights go out.

For a moment, there is nothing but darkness and the terrible sound of something breathing.

Then two blood-red pixels illuminate the screen.

LEVEL STATUS: HUNT IN PROGRESS.

A pixelated basketball court materializes beneath Armed & Dangerous and Knock Knock. The stands are packed with screaming spectators, each sporting the same enormous, unnatural grin.

Signal “WELCOME TO NBA JAM! TWO ON TWO! NO RULES! NO MERCY!”

Black Scar “AND NO FUCKING WAY I'M COMMENTATING A GAME WITH THESE TWO ASSHOLES!”

The buzzer sounds! Deadeye steals the tip-off, launches from half-court, and sinks a three!

Signal “FROM DOWNTOWN!”

Deadeye “Hot damn! Should've been a ballplayer!”

Smiley snatches the ball, leaps thirty feet into the air, and SLAMS it through the hoop, shattering the backboard! Glass rains down as the spectators cheer.

Smiley “Oh, how delightful! Can we do that to somebody's skull next?”

Black Scar “BOOMSHAKALAKA! Unfortunately, he's still breathing!”

Siniestro retrieves the ball, effortlessly dodging Doubt and sinking another basket.

Siniestro “Predictable defense. Pathetic execution.”

Doubt retrieves the ball, staring at it miserably.

Doubt “We're all going to lose eventually.”

He passes to Smiley, who dunks again!

Signal “HE'S HEATING UP!”

Suddenly, Smiley steals the ball and scores a third consecutive basket!

Signal “HE'S ON FIRE!”

Smiley erupts into actual flames! His clothes burn, his skin bubbles, and his delighted laughter echoes through the stadium.

Smiley “OH! OH, THIS IS WONDERFUL!”

Black Scar “SOMEBODY GET SOME FUCKING GASOLINE!”

Siniestro grabs Deadeye.

Siniestro “Amigo! The ball! NOW!”

Deadeye catches the pass, but the basketball transforms into an enormous, bloodied version of the photograph Doubt gave him.

The crowd goes silent.

Doubt approaches.

Doubt“They never got to play again, did they?”

Deadeye freezes.

Deadeye “I told you not to tug that goddamn thread.”

Smiley launches himself across the court, his flaming body illuminating Deadeye's horrified expression.

Signal “HERE HE COMES! ABOVE THE RIM!”

Siniestro tackles Deadeye out of the way as Smiley crashes through the floor!

Black Scar“BOOMSHAKALAKA! STRAIGHT TO FUCKING HELL!”

The final buzzer sounds. The scoreboard flashes GAME OVER, despite there being no score.

Smiley climbs out of the crater, still burning, laughing hysterically. Doubt quietly takes his hand.

Doubt “I don't think we won.”

Smiley “Oh, sweetheart. I think we did.”

Across the court, Siniestro helps Deadeye to his feet. The Gunslinger is still staring at the bloodied photograph in his hands.

Signal “WHAT A GAME! WHAT A FINISH! WHAT THE HELL DID WE JUST WATCH?!”

Black Scar “I DON'T FUCKING KNOW, SIGNAL! BUT SOMEBODY UNPLUG THIS THING!”

The entire stadium freezes. Players, spectators, even the flames surrounding Smiley become motionless pixels.

The screen flashes.

THANKS FOR PLAYING!

The image cuts to black.

PixelShift stands before an enormous sealed doorway deep within Tourian. Its surface is covered by a strange, multicolored energy barrier. Behind him, the laboratory walls are stained with blood, and the remains of scientists hang suspended in broken containment tanks.

Pixelshift "I've tried missiles, bombs, everything. Nothing breaks this thing."

His visor scans the doorway.

Pixelshift "But there's something on the other side. I think this is our exit."

A distant, monstrous roar shakes the laboratory.

Pixelshift"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

The ceiling explodes.

Warlord Mars descends through the wreckage, now a gigantic, hideously mutated Metroid. His translucent body fills the chamber, swollen with stolen energy.

Warlord Mars "BAHAHAHAHA! FOUND YA, YOU LITTLE TURQUOISE FUCK!"

Pixelshift "Mars? Jesus Christ, how many things did you eat?"

Warlord Mars "EVERY FUCKIN THING! INCLUDING SOME SHIT I DON'T THINK WAS FOOD!"

Mars spots the doorway.

Warlord Mars "THAT THE FUCKIN EXIT!? MOVE!"

He charges, smashing into the barrier with enough force to collapse half the laboratory.

Nothing.

Warlord Mars "OH, FUCK OFF!"

He attacks again. The barrier doesn't budge.

Pixelshift "I've already tried that!"

Warlord Mars "YOU AIN'T TRIED IT WITH SIX THOUSAND POUNDS OF MARTIAN FUCKIN MEAT!"

Enraged, Mars turns and latches onto PixelShift, wrapping his enormous tendrils around the Power Suit.

Pixelshift "MARS! GET OFF!"

Warlord Mars "I'M GONNA DRAIN EVERY LAST DROP OUTTA YA!"

Suddenly, the suit begins glowing.

PixelShift's energy meter skyrockets. His arm cannon transforms, crackling with devastating rainbow-colored energy.

Pixelshift "Wait... you're charging my suit! I've got the Hyper Beam!"

Warlord Mars"THE FUCK'S A HYPER BEAM!?"

PixelShift aims at the doorway.

Pixelshift"Our way out!"

A colossal blast annihilates the barrier, revealing a swirling white vortex.

The decompression tears Mars from PixelShift's body, dragging both toward the opening.

Warlord Mars "YOU BETTER KNOW WHERE THE FUCK WE'RE GOIN!"

Pixelshift "Not a clue!"

They disappear into the light.

Back in the real world, the backstage arcade area is a chaotic mess of tangled cables, overheating computers and flickering monitors. The arcade cabinet continues to cycle through the various eight-bit worlds in which the OSW roster has been imprisoned, whilst Respawn frantically works at his keyboard. Suddenly, the door flies open and Marvolo storms into the room, looking considerably less patient than he did during his previous visit.

Marvolo "RESPAWN! I swear to fucking God, if you tell me you're still working on it, I'm going to shove that entire arcade cabinet so far up your arse you'll be shitting pixels for a month!"

Respawn spins around in his chair, but this time there's something different about his expression. Instead of fear, he's practically beaming with excitement.

Respawn:"I've got it! Marvolo, I've actually fucking got it!"

Marvolo stops in his tracks, regarding him suspiciously.

Marvolo "You'd better explain yourself very quickly."

Respawn:Remember when I told you somebody else was controlling the game? Well, I was right. Someone had hijacked the programme and was using it to control everything happening inside. Every level, every encounter, every person trapped in there. None of it was random."

Marvolo approaches the monitors, where a series of green commands begin replacing the previously corrupted red code.

Marvolo "Who?"

Respawn:"I don't know. My assumption is Pixeldupe, but whoever it was covered their tracks. I've managed to override their access. I've taken back administrative control of the entire system. The game's mine again."

Marvolo "And my roster?"

Respawn:"That's the best part! I've isolated the programme responsible for keeping them trapped. All I have to do is terminate the session, and the dimensional transfer reverses itself. Everyone gets pulled out of the game and returned to the real world. No more levels, no more monsters, no more glitches."

Marvolo folds his arms, looking towards the arcade cabinet as its screen suddenly displays a single flashing button marked END GAME.

Marvolo "So you're telling me that after all this bullshit, all you have to do is press one fucking button?"

Respawn:"Essentially, yes. The system will shut down, the game will end, and everyone will come home."

Marvolo stares at Respawn for several seconds, seemingly struggling to comprehend how such a monumental disaster could have such a simple solution.

Marvolo "Then what the FUCK are you waiting for? An invitation? PRESS IT!"

Respawn turns towards the cabinet, taking a moment to admire the culmination of his frantic efforts. His finger hovers over the illuminated button as the monitors around him begin displaying confirmation messages.

Respawn:"Okay. Here goes nothing. Goodbye, Glitch."

He presses the button.

The arcade cabinet emits a single, deafening electronic tone.

The screen flashes brilliant white.

CUT TO BLACK.