Virtual Insanity!
To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Yeah, I agree with you on that. Virus is really a few chips short of a motherboard. And the number of chips he's missing increases every day. Yeah, I could imagine Hi-Tech as a rather fun-loving, happy-go-lucky kind of guy, based on "Valor vs. Venom". Hi-Tech in that movie to me looked like a fun-loving guy. I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!
To Haretrigger: Hey there Haretrigger! It's been a long time since I last heard a review from you, although your e-mails are really cool to read. Yeah, I knew that about the title of the story. "Virtual Insanity" is the title of an old Jamiroquai song. I struggled to come up with a title for the story, and "Virtual Insanity" fit it to a tee, so I used it. I agree, Virus and virtual reality is not a good combination. You bet Virus will be in his element in virtual reality. Virus's mutant ability is technological-based, and in virtual reality, he could have god-like power because of his power to transform into living binary code. Yeah, Virus is no quitter, I can give him that. Virus is one of my favorite creations. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for the new chapter of "Thesis of a BlackWinged Angel"! You all should read it. It's a good fic. One of my characters is in it!
To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Little Shop of Mutants", and "Welcome to the Enchanted Land"!
To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!
To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! I agree with you, Virus is messing a few memory cards from his old Gamecube. More like a few hundred memory cards from his Gamecube. He's already hearing voices in his head. I'm really glad you liked the last chapter, Red! I'm making this story up as I go along, and I really don't know where to go next. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff", and "Memories Are Made of This"!
Disclaimer: "Maybe they don't like you either, Paul." - Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, Rocky III
Chapter 3: Method to the Madness!
Virus's Lab
"Let's just make some minor adjustments…" Virus mumbled to himself as he kneeled down near his chair with a soldering iron. "Let's see now…here…" He started to use the iron on the chair.
"I can't believe that I am stuck in this stupid DNA-repair tank." Cobra Commander grumbled from his DNA repair tank. "I should be leading Cobra to victory! Oh God, now I'm starting to talk like Serpentor. I gotta get out of here!"
"I dunno, mate." Virus smirked. "Personally, I think I'd make a great leader for Cobra."
"Really." Cobra Commander said snidely. "And what makes you say that?"
"Well…" Virus's ego enjoyed the stroking. "I'm intelligent…I'm capable…I know what I want…I only expect the best…And unlike Serpentor, whose face keeps changing and all his facial forms are ugly, I'm incredibly handsome, in that Johnny Depp kind of way, of course."
"BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!" Cobra Commander howled with laughter. "You! You leading Cobra! That's a laugh! You can barely lead ants to a picnic!" A growl escaped from Virus's gritted teeth. "You must not look in a mirror much, boy! You're not that much of a looker! You look more like Andre the Giant than Johnny Depp! Only difference was, unlike you, Andre the Giant actually got dates! AHHHHHH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!" Cobra Commander laughed happily. Virus's face turned bright red with rage. He got up, picked up a lead pipe, stomped up to the tank, and whacked it with the pipe, making a loud clang. "HEY! What was that for?" Cobra Commander yelled loudly.
"I want you to keep in mind one bloody thing, Commander." Virus snarled to the tank. "I'd advise you to cease and desist making all those bloody jokes about me! Every day, I wake up and I want to die because the woman I love is trapped in the clutches of a muck-drinking, swamp-dwelling monster! She was the only thing in me life that was good to me! I decide to live every day because I refuse to give that demonic Toad the satisfaction of knowing I'm not around! So if you don't stop making fun of me, I'll switch the tank into reverse and de-evolve your arse into something even lower than a snake: A BLOODY FROG! YOU GOT ME?" Virus snapped in rage.
"Okay, okay! Sheesh!" Cobra Commander tired to calm the enraged inventor. Man, this kid is paranoid. He decided to change the subject. "So…how do you plan to beat the Malibu Joes and the West Coast Misfits, heh heh?" Virus calmed down and smirked when he heard that statement.
"Easy, mate." Virus smirked. "I plan to use me VR chair to sabotage Hi-Tech's chair. The next person who sits in will end up trapped in virtual reality. Then…" Virus held up a brown bag that was on the table. "I'll travel to the base via wireless connection, and whack those other bloody fools with these." Virus pulled out a small black shiny disc from the bag. "This is a remote VR system. Plant this on someone, and it will trap their minds in virtual reality. I plan to use their VR system to enter the base, and trap all their minds. Once they're trapped in VR, I'll destroy their minds. If their minds are destroyed, their bodies will be mindless husks. Malibu Base will be lifeless." Virus smiled proudly. "Those filthy West Coast Misfits and Malibu Joes will be a pain in Cobra's neck no more, and from there, we can eliminate the original Joe and Misfit teams." Virus snickered. "Ahhh, killing people is so much fun." I'm going to go torture those freaks in virtual reality. I shall make those West Coast Misfits pay for humiliating me!
General Whithalf's office, Malibu Base
"So, what is this thing you have going on again?" General Whithalf asked Hi-Tech in a confused manner as he turned the helmet upside down and around and around. Hi-Tech was sitting across from him. With them was a teenage blonde girl dressed in a green t-shirt and blue jeans, and a cat-like teen boy dressed like an 80s rocker and his brown with black-tipped hair that resembled the mane of a lion. He also happened to have a blue 8-pointed star birthmark over his right eye. The girl was Theresa Rourke, a second-generation mutant who led the West Coast Misfit team. Born and raised in Ireland, Theresa possessed the mutant power to generate sonic vibrations in the form of a powerful sonic scream. She was known as Siryn. The boy was Ace Starr, a Los Angeles native. He was a feral mutant with a feline mutation. He had enhanced abilities, enhanced senses, and the power to fire blue lasers from his claws.
"It allows us to use virtual reality to hack into enemy computer systems, General." Hi-Tech explained.
"Sounds like some of those new-fangled video games to me." Whithalf scratched his head. "I like those games with that nice little Italian plumber and that friendly-looking little blue hedgehog."
"That would explain the Super Mario plushies in yuir desk, sir." Theresa giggled. "They're really cute." Ace started whistling the Super Mario theme. Hi-Tech started laughing.
"Quite." Whithalf snickered. "So, when do you plan to test this out?"
"I've been working on this thing for quite a while now." Hi-Tech replied. "It's…sort of my pet project. I could use a person to help me test it out."
"I'll see if I can find somebody." Whithalf grinned.
"Maybe you kids can help me." Hi-Tech offered.
"Uh…" Ace and Theresa looked at each other.
"Umm, Hi-Tech, uhh…" Ace started.
"We know that ye are…capable…uh…" Theresa continued.
"But…um…you see…the Joes have…a record…" Ace added.
"Their inventions…tend to…act…uh…act up…uhm…" Theresa finished.
"BYE!" The two teenage mutants ran out of the office as fast as their legs could carry them. General Whithalf and Hi-Tech blinked.
"Nobody ever wants to help me." Hi-Tech pouted.
Well, well, well! Looks like Virus's little plan has come together! What insanity will happen next? Can our heroes stop Virus's plan? Who is Hi-Tech's test subject going to be? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!