A/N: sorry for the lack of recent updates. School's been busy….also, sorry if my italics/bold/etc. screws up. Basically, everything CharizlardLuver says in 1st person story format sense is supposed to be in italics. All online names, page titles, etc. are supposed to be in bold. Go figure if it won't work.

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…How long had I stared at the computer screen? It was glowing unnatural colors, as always. I had read and re-read every piece of information on the "look-behind-you virus" that I could find. But I was still unsatisfied. No one could really say what it was.

It was a scary dilemma. I was afraid to find out more. But I had to, I was driven to find out. With everything swirling in my mind, I headed to my post.

There were three more replies than last time I had checked.

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KETCHUP_N_MUSTARD

SOME PEPLE ARE TELLING ME THAT WINGED_GLASS_ROSE STARTED THE LOOK BEHIND YOU VRUS. I HATE HIM.

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I blinked. It was Ketchup_N_Mustard, the person from the Rocket Rogue board. I felt pity for him then. He had admitted to a group of hackers just what the virus had done to his brother

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_ sweet _ holy _ onions _

I see him a lot around someone, uhm. I think its Shadowed(insert other half here). Both of them need to be reported, if you ask me. Shadowed____ is probably a stalker or something. Whenever people try to talk to him, he just logs off. Sometimes Winged_Glass_Rose33 annoys the hell out of people, too. With his melodramatic actions in colons.

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I hadn't though of ShadowedFace in quite some time. But it hit me then. He seemed to be related to at least part of it. I took mental note to try to find out more about him

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ModernRhymes

Ah, so into the gates of hell you've wandered before? How brave are you, to be posting so publicly. Be wary, O traveler of the dangerous path… you know not what you do.

Contact me, for I know of you, and want to help: ModernRhymes@Pika-Pika.com

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ModernRhymes had posted to! Two rocket rogues out of three, did they know I had been to their secret board?

I decided against those odds. They probably were just interested from all the talk in their own board.

I wrote down MordernRhyme's e-mail address on a scrap piece of paper. When I re-read the e-mail I noticed, to my horror, my subconscious had written: 'ModernRhymes@Pika-Pika.com I'm sorry'

Had I really written that so neatly beside the e-mail address without noticing? I slammed the paper down and felt the harsh beating of my heart. I was so afraid. Was this a symptom of 'Apologetic Syndrome'? I felt all right, I truly did. Then what had possessed me to write that, in my best hand writing, unbeknownst to my consious mind?

My hands were shaking so badly I could barely type a message to ModernRhymes

To: ModernRhymes@Pika-Pika.com

From: Char_char@Kapital.com

Subject: The Look-Behind-You Virus

Dear ModernRhymes,

I got your reply. So I'm e-mailing you now. What do you want to tell me?

Writing such a short letter to someone so rich in poetic phrases made me feel uneasy. Would he judge me by my bad sounding way of saying things through text? I sighed, I couldn't even write a decent sounding story let alone a decent e-mail.

I sent it anyway. Deciding I was in no condition to try to improve my skills.

From there, I stared at the scratch piece of paper. I'm sorry, it said. I'm sorry, I had written it. I'm sorry… all those people, had apologized with those same, horrible words. I felt my face becoming hot. I was so scared now, I was about to cry. Was I going to go insane?

I wiped away the forming tears. No, I couldn't be. Everyone reported of having the virus were almost zombies the instant they opened the e-mail. I was thinking fine. I didn't feel different.

The reply from ModernRhymes came much earlier and faster than expected. I was reading it after only minutes of typing the original message.

From: ModernRhymes@Pika-Pika.com

To: Char_chat@Kapital.com

Subject: Re: The Look-Behind-You Virus

I'd much prefer for us to meet more 'in-person'. No, by no means through actual face-to-face conversation. I'm quite sure it would make you uneasy, staring at the eyes of the faceless online informer.

The second General Chat is running again, meet me there. Should there be a schedule clause for you, please just inform me, and we can set up other arrangements.

I noted how similar RRATTENAE's invitation was to his, except for the exception of an actual choice in the matter.

Pika-Pika-Chat-Chat (9:36 PM PCT)

|4 people are currently in the chat room: click here for the list|

Cluelessdewgong: PCT means Pika Central Time, kamakyze. It's the time the site goes by so people can arrange meetings on time.

Kamakyze_Lass: OoOoH! I get it now! ^.^' I've always wondered.

Cluelessdewgong: =) so how's the vulpix?

Kamakyze_Lass: Cute as ever!! :D!!

IjiiMoon: BN

Kamakyze_Lass: welcome baaaack!

Cluelessdewgong: ditto.

RRATTENAE: might I ask you all something?

Cluelessdewgong: where'd you come from? Oh well. Shoot.

Kamakyze_Lass: UuUuUuUMMMM…I guess.

IjiiMoon: UR NAME IS LIKE RRBEAN.

RRATTENAE: do you know of Winged_Glass_Rose33?

IjiiMoon: I WILL REPORT U IF U R LIKE BEAN

Kamakyze_Lass: yyeeaaah. That's why we're in this chat. He was just getting scary

Cluelessdewgong: I think Charizard_Luver was really interested, though. Right, Kamakyze?

Kamakyze_Lass: yep! Did you see her board?

IjiiMoon: I dun like rose.

RRATTENAE: I see. I posted in your friend's board. She will be here shortly, you know.

Cluelessdewgong: no, I didn't see her board. I havn't been to the message boards in a while =/

IjiiMoon: HOW DO U KNO THAT? IM TIRED OF N00BS.

Kamakyze_Lass: uuuuHhHhH… Moon, it's okay :D'''. Is she really?

RRATTENAE: yes, one of my friends sent for her. Both of them should be arriving soon.

Cluelessdewgong: idiotic slow computer!! All your message suddenly showed up at once after a minute of lag.

Cluelessdewgong: who is your friend? I might know of him.

Kamakyze_Lass: ya! Dewgong knows EEEEVVVEEERRYONE!

RRATTENAE: you can't know everyone. Speaking so vaguely will get you no where.

Cluelessdewgong: not everyone. I havn't many friends from the message boards anymore, since I havn't been there. But I guess I know quite a few people from the general chat and role-play…

<<ModernRhymes has entered the chat room>>

|5 people are currently in the chat room: click here for list|

RRATTENAE: Welcome Modern. It's nice to see you.

ModernRhymes: salutations to all.

IjiiMoon: HI!

Kamakyze_Lass: HiIiIi!! Is this your friend, Attenae? XP and I can speak as vaguely as I want ;)

Cluelessdewgong: hey.

ModernRhymes: Thankyou for such warmhearted greetings. However, I must ask of you to leave at the mercy of your souls.

Kamakyze_Lass: WhaAaAt!!?! Not a repeat of Rose!!!!!!

RRATTENAE: No, no. what my friend means is when your friend comes, we're going to be discussing some very important things that could put you all at risk.

Kamakyze_Lass: but charizardluver is my best online friend!!! (besides dewgong)

Cluelessdewgong: Attenae, know who's the one being vague? I am interested now. Has this got to do with Winged_Glass_Rose33?

IjiiMoon: I KNO Char! WHAT R U GOING TO SAY?

ModernRhymes: just how close do you feel to CharizardLuver, Kamakyze_Lass? You realize after this conversation we all may fall into the deep pits of hell…

RRATTENAE: Modern speaks poetically, but heed his words.

ModernRhymes: and ah, the silence comes forth… none of you have replied in your usual time span. Are you pondering? Also, yes, Cluelessdewgong, this has to do with Winged_Glass_Rose33

RRATTENAE: and the Look-Behind-You Virus.

<<CharizardLuver has entered the chat room>>

|6 people are currently in the chat room: click here for the list|

Kamakyze_Lass: Whatever you have to say to her you can say to me! I stick by my friends!

ModernRhymes: even if you have not met face-to-face? How, then, can you say you feel a strong bond to someone whose soul remains a mystery to you?

CharizardLuver: Hello

Kamakyze_Lass: We've been friends on the computer for ages!

I read all of Kamakyze's words from when I had entered. Was she talking about me? I noted how perfectly she was typing this time. Usually, as was her style, she used smiles and capitalized/uncapitalized words.

ModernRhymes: Once you enter this realm, you cannot escape. Do you understand? Everyone here speak now and stay or leave.

ModernRhymes: salutations CharizardLuver, we were just talking about you. You have a very loyal friend, be grateful. A friend is a saviour.

RRATTENAE: I agree Modern.

RRATTENAE: Now speak up, IjiiMoon, Kamakyze_Lass, and Cluelessdewgong!

IjiiMoon: I DUN WAN 2. BYE.

<<IjiiMoon has left the chat room>>

|5 people are currently in the chat room: click here for the list|

RRATTENAE: how cowardly.

Kamakyze_Lass: I'm in!

Cluelessdewgong: I will go along with this, if it's all right with Kamakyze and CharizardLuver.

Kamakyze_Lass: of course, dewgong!

CharizardLuver: sure. Thanks.

Kamakyze_Lass: No problemmmmOoO!

ModernRhymes: so it is agreed. To the devil's door we all go knocking.

RRATTENAE: I wasn't expecting to put so many people at risk. But a consious choice has been made.

CharizardLuver: …Let's get to it, then. Tell us everything.

ModernRhymes: telling you everything would be too little. There is too much to explain, and yet too little information…

RRATTENAE: start at the beginning, Modern.

ModernRhymes: The beginning? A tale such as this has no beginning, only a climax and an end. We, are unfourtunately in it's climax.

I could feel the tension building within me. ModernRhymes poetic words were so suspenseful. It was then I wondered if dewgong and Kamakyze felt it, too. I wondered if they were having second thoughts.

I wondered…if we were all not connected in some way. I thought of literal wires, connecting to each other's own body. We were all connected in some way, now. And we would never be apart again.

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Disclaimer: I don't own poke'mon, or any of its related material. It belongs to Nintendo, 4kids etc. The original characters and plot are mine, however. But I'm not making any money off of this, nor do I plan to. So- nope. Don't sue.

A/N: pay close to attention how CharizardLuver talks about not being that great in writing stories.. If you've been wondering why the sentences are choppy, and the way she tells the story itself is not always that great, that's why. Sure, with everything she's gone through (or will go through) she's become a bit more like ModernRhymes, but her skills are still lacking. I'm only hoping that's showing more than the dramaticness.

Keep a close eye on My FF.net account:: strim. I'm currently working on a fic based upon ModernRhymes in real life, his tale is a tragic one- and you all will only a glimmer of it within this story. It's yet to be uploaded, because I want to finish this story first.

//Review Answers\\

Reviewed By: Falling Leaves On: September 24, 2003 03:25 EDT
Comment/Review:
.. Woah.. This is.. just... Woah. I love it. But what does ShadowedFace have to do with anything?

Good question Falling Leaves. If you noticed in CharizardLuver's message board ShadowedFace was mentioned. And yes, this particular character does have a role to play in the plot.

Reviewed By: Q5 On: September 23, 2003 19:03 EDT
Comment/Review:
hmmmmm...still good ^_^

Ah, Q5 you're an awful loyal PPCC reader, aren't you? Thanks for that. You've helped a lot.