Plague, along with Netto, found himself very tense the next day. Netto had told his close circle of friends - Meiru, Enzan, Dekao, Yaito, and the rest - about the virus 'infecting' both of them.

And that very day they got the chance to see it in action.

"Hmm... what do you think of this, Netto?" Meiru was looking through a small boutique store with her friend... but there was no answer. She glances around quickly.

"Netto-kun?"

But Netto was gone... Meiru frowned, and started looking for him. It didn't take long to find that he'd left the boutique.. heaving a sigh, Meiru went back into the main area

of the mall. "Boys!" He was probably looking at tools or knives or something.

When she did find Netto, though, it was at an odd place... in the pet store. He was standing in front of a wire cage, seemingly entranced by the kittens at play.

"Netto! Did you have to run off like that?" Meiru complained, not noticing the odd way his hand slowly touched the wires, gripping them hard. "I was looking all over for you!"

"What do you want, Meiru?" Meiru blinked at the odd tone of his voice... it sounded deeper than normal, vaguely scratchy. And as he turned his head to look at her, there was something... odd in his brown eyes.

She blinked, a bit taken back. "No...I just wanted to know where you went. You should let me know when you run off, especially with that virus-thing trying to take over."

Netto didn't reply. He traced his finger along the bars of the cage. "Too bad they're stuck in here, isn't it?"

"Uh..." The pink haired girl wondered if he'd heard a word she said.

Netto continued. "Trapped, only allowed access to a limited space...sort of like the Net."

"Netto...?"

"Imagine knowing your only purpose is destruction...but you just can't do it. You want to be different, more powerful...but you can't." He stepped back and examined the cage. "You're stuck in a box...you can destroy what's inside of it, and nothing else..."

"...Netto?"

The brunette turned and smiled evilly at Meiru. "Through your little friend, I have found a doorway out of that box."

Meiru gasped.

"You're the virus!" She backed away, frightened, as Netto laughed softly.

"Yes indeed." He turned back to the kittens, watching as they tussled over a ball of string* So cute... but they'd be so much cuter in little, tiny pieces, don't you think?" He slowly carressed the cage again.

"Netto!" Meiru suddenly grabbed his shoulder... she couldn't stand it, couldn't stand hearing those alien words come from her friend's mouth. But a stinging slap drove her away.

"Don't touch me!" The virus snarled, but wobbled before gripping the cage again. It moved slowly, clumsily, as it walked toward Meiru... then stopped, swaying.

"...Meiru?" Netto suddenly blinked, looking around. "...How did I get here?"

"Netto..." She breathed, "Is it really you?"

He stepped forward, the evil glint in his eyes replaced with concern. "What..what happened?" He questioned, motitioning toward the red mark on her face.

Meiru shrank back. "The virus...he had control of you, for a second there..."

Netto's eyes went wide. He looked closely at the red imprint of a hand on Meiru's cheek. "And...did he do this?"

She nodded.

"Meiru..." he whispered, "I think...I want to go home now."

Nodding in agreement, she added, "Netto, check on Plague."

Netto blinked, then pulled out his red PET, to try to rouse the Navi. "Plague, are you there?" For a moment, there was no response. "Plague?" Then Plague popped onto

the screen so quickly, it was almost violent.

"Netto, I'm sorry! Rockman... he's hurt... I hurt him!" Plague vanished back into the digital stream, as Netto stared.

"What?!?" He pulled out Rockman's PET to check on him... not noticing, or caring, that the DNA link between them seemed to have been temporarily pre-empted by the virus. He was feeling no pain, despite Rockman's injury.

He opened Rockman's program and gasped, seeing the Navi sprawled on the ground, unconcious.

"Meiru!" He shrieked, "Meiru, have Roll contact everyone else, quick!"

Meiru gasped, and pulled out her PET. "Right away!"

Plague appeared in the screen, kneeling to hug the battered Rockman. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." He lightly touched Rockman's face, shivering.

Rockman hadn't even known anything was wrong... Plague had shot him from behind. Fortunately, it had taken the virus a while to find Rockman, or he'd probably be deleted now.

I'm so sorry...

"Rock!" Meiru gasped, as she appeared. She ran to his side and grasped his hand. "Rock, wake up!"

Blues, Gutsman and Glyde soon showed up as well.

"What happened?" Glyde questioned, looking at the damaged Rockman with deep concern.

"The virus took control of me..." Plague gasped, "I'm so sorry, I couldn't-"

"So you did this?" Roll snapped.

Plague's eyes widened. "No, I just-"

"It's your fault de gutsu!" Gutsman added.

"No! No, you've got it all wrong! I...I didn't! I couldn't-"

Blues said nothing, but aimed his buster at Plague. Plague just stared up at them, his eyes wide and moist with tears. He'd thought they understood...

"Everyone, no!" Netto snapped at the PET. "It's not his fault, he didn't know what he was doing... I slapped Meiru. It took over both of us." That seemed to calm Gutsman

slightly, although he rubbed his head.

"Dekao not like that, de guts..." He knew exactly how Dekao felt about Meiru. Blues frowned, staring at Plague.

"It would be safest if he were deleted." He said coldly, and Plague winced. Netto bridled.

"Except for the DNA link! That would kill me too!" Then he suddenly blinked. "...Why aren't I in pain?" He should be, with Rockman hurt... Rockman stirred slowly with a groan.

"Rockman!" Netto exclaimed, "Does it still hurt?!"

Blinking a bit, Rockman nodded. "Yeah..but, why are you even asking? Can't you feel it?"

Shaking, Netto answered tearfully, "...no."

The blue navi's eyes widened. "Wh...what? What do you mean?"

Netto sniffed, rubbing his face. "The virus... it took me over, Rockman. And Plague hurt you at the same time..." He didn't know why he couldn't feel anything from

Rockman... but it had to be connected. Plague cuddled Rockman anxiously.

"We need help... can we contact Doctor Hikari? It's only been two days..." He didn't think they would last the whole week. Not if the virus was already this agressive.

  Netto nodded. "I don't want to disturb him at the convention...but this is an emergency. Call him as soon a..." He trailed off as his eyes suddenly stared blankly at nothing.

"Netto?" Meiru called.

The brunette started shivering. "It's so cold..." he gasped.

"Netto!" The pink haired girl called, "Netto, what's wrong?"

"Wh...what? No...no, go away...leave me alone..." He put his hands over his ears. "Shut up...Leave me alone!"

Plague was shivering, too, huddling against Rockman... "I-It's the virus..." He could feel that horrible, horrible cold, seeping into his joints, making his bones ache. There was a soft muttering in his ears... A hard hand suddenly gripped his arm... Plague turned his head slowly, looking up into Blues' emotionless face.

"Gutsman, help me hold him." As Gutsman gripped his other arm, though, Plague felt the cold receeding.

"I... th-think it's better... Netto-kun?" He gasped, looking into the monitor, eyes wide. This was scaring him a great deal...

..."Netto-kun!"

The boy went limp and collapsed on the floor of the pet store.

"Netto!" Meiru shrieked, turning towards one of the clerks. "Please, sir! Call an ambulance!"

The clerk blinked. "Right away!" He'd been watching most of this, a little confused.

"Netto!" Rockman reached, out, pale, then looked at Plague. Plague stared up at him, wide eyed.

They both seemed to be fine...