Strange how things can change huh? Gaia used to be an ordinary forum, a place where we could chat, hang out, and discuss the happenings in real life. That's all there ever was. Now we have games to play, worlds we can hang out in, and homes to furnish. Just an ordinary day, as some would call it.

Chapter 1

I strolled down 2nd avenue of Barton town, checking out the shops as I passed by them. I peeked every once in a while at the new clothing hanging in the window of the Barton Boutique, and the new diamond earrings in Julia's shop. I couldn't help but peer at the reflection of myself in the glass and smile.

At least one thing didn't change; my clothing was still the average red kimono and straw hat that I had always worn. And although some new accessories were added, they were still years old and still kept the style that had always been.

I walked to the home section and pressed a button on the daily chance. The vending machine did not respond. The hand just moved back and forth in rhythmic patterns. I pressed the button again, but still nothing happened. Again I pressed it, but still nothing. Eventually I got caught up into such a furry that I pressed the button over and over again repeatedly, and after awhile gave up. Leaving the machine behind to go join the users in the discussion forum.

"There are glitches everywhere!" A girl screamed complaining at the top of her lungs. "The baits gone, booty grab isn't working, Skittles World is busted!"

"I know, the same thing happened to me as well." A user replied holding his g-blade in a defensive stance. "The site's rigged. Last night I lost a monthly collectible to the server." He pointed to the empty space in his inventory. "I reported it, but haven't gotten a response yet."

"It takes awhile for a mod to respond." A user replied defensively. "Just keep waiting, you'll get a response."

"Like hell I would! I bought that item with my own paycheck. I want it back now!"

"Be patient! The mods are busy with all the glitches around the site. It'll get fixed eventually."

"No it won't! It never will! The mods haven't responded in weeks!" With that the user got up and began to leave. "If this doesn't get resolved soon I'm leaving Gaia. This place isn't worth its weight in gold."

I stared back at him as he walked down the street, my eyes eventually losing site of him as new users begging for his items swamped him.

Another old user gone, what has this site come to?

"So, Zookaroo!" Asked a girl from behind me. She was wearing bunny ears and held a kiki in her arms. She reminded me of another user I had known.

"Did anything happen to one of your items?"

"Yes, actually I replied, being cool. When I joined years ago and got my first trunk, I had gotten a fresh grass skirt."

The girl's eyes widened. "What a waste! That item is like 100k now! Did you report it?"

"I did actually." My attention turned back to where the user had been. "I never got a reply."

That night I stared at the ceiling from the covers of my bed. Thinking about all the things I had experienced the previous night, the users leaving, the discussion, the glitches. Questions swarmed my head. What is happening to Gaia? Where is this entire event heading? Where are the mods, and most importantly: Where is Gaia headed? While thinking about all these things, I fell into a restless sleep.