Odd: -hobbles in on crutches- Ooh. How could one girl do so much damage! A broken leg, a broken arm, three cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and ten stiches on my head. Geez.

Verdana: Well, you got what you deserved. Don't expect me to feel sorry for you. You obviously didn't remember th golden rule around here. Don't piss off any of the girls, 'cause they'll pummel you.

Glow: Yep, that's right. It includes me.

Jordan: Boy am I glad I'm not taking the blunt her anger.

Glow: Oh yeah, there's another rule: Don't let Odd have coffee.

Viv: and never take Viv's Starbucks cards!

Verdana: Well, that's too bad. You are off caffine for a while.

Glow: -whisperes to Viv- You want in on a little secret of mine?

Viv: sure.

"So you're telling me that you want to help? I thought you worked for my brother." Verdana asked OSTA.

He looked a little nervous. "Listen, don't hurt me. I only did what I did because the others did. There was no way I could go against them!"

Verdana smiled. "Yes, but you can forge your own path, you do know? Just because you were once one, doesn't mean that you must always be. You are your own person, whether they believe it or not." OSTA looked a little less on edge.

Viv whispered to Jordan, "What is he talking about?"

"No clue." He whispered back. Aelita just gave them a backward glance, then returned her attention to OSTA. She studied him intently. This frail being was not like the others. He seemed timid and was apparently Verdana's friend before something happened. She figured that they could probably trust him, although it might be wise to keep and eye on him.

"You can come with us. I know just the thing to release you from them forever. We'll just go-" Verdana cut off suddenly.

"Here they come." Jordan whispered.

"WHO!" Viv shouted in exasperation.

"No idea. All I know is that there are more than one of them." Jordan shrugged.

OSTA paled again. "Oh no." he moaned. "Why now?"

"You can prove that you mean well by protecting the princess!" Verdana snapped, unusually sharp. OSTA looked puzzled.

Aelita put her hand on his arm. "That would be me." He gulped then dragged her away to hide.

Verdana faced the direction of the sound and pulled out her bow. She nocked an arrow and aimed it. Jordan pulled out his rod and stood behind her. Viv floated up above to do a surprise attack.

Suddenly, out of the trees came a gigantic blob. Verdana loosed her arrow before the thing could respond. It was a direct hit, at least as close as she could get to the things heart area. It gave an unusually high-pitched screech. Jordan used his rod on it, and more wailing resulted. Verdana jumped on it's back and wrapped her chain around it's neck-like part. Furious, it split into four parts. Amazingly, the chain stayed wrapped around all four of their necks. "Release us!" they called out in unison. "How about I don't." She closed her eyes and concentrated. A portal was opened and she spun them into the purple hole by pulling on one end of the chain. The portal closed almost instantly after the last foot was through.

Viv spotted another movement in the trees. She called down a warning. Verdana nocked another arrow and Jordan prepped his rod. Out of the trees ran Tron and Yumi, closely followed by Jeremy and the Verdana puppet.

A short while later, Odd and Ulrich also arrived. "We-were-coming-to-warn- you-about-the-blob-thing. But-it-seems-you-took-care-of-it-already." Odd said, trying to catch his breath. The Verdana puppet walked over to Verdana and they merged. Odd grew stiff with fright. If Verdana didn't know about his little episode in the woods, then she did now. All she did was turn and raise her eyebrows at him. Then she looked a Yumi who was holding onto Tron's arm. Jeremy was looking around the clearing. Odd was also looking around the clearing, but for the last of the five viruses he knew was there.

Unfortunately, OSTA chose this moment to step out of the trees with Aelita.

Odd shouted, "Laser Arrow!" and shot at OSTA. OSTA was quick though and dodged.

Verdana called to Odd, "Stop! He's a friend!"

Aelita who had only been standing next to OSTA, ran over to Jeremy. Odd turned bright red and seemed to shrink. "Sorry," he mumbled to OSTA.

"No prob. It used to happen to me all the time with my brothers." Verdana came over. OSTA turned from a yellow-orange to normal colors. He had brown hair and was the image of a perfect anime boy, handsome and cleverly dressed.

"OSTA, this is my friend Odd. Odd, this is my friend OSTA. I'm sure you two will be great friends." Then noticing fireworks were about to happen between Ulrich and Yumi, she raced over. Odd and OSTA eyed each other in the manner of two boys who would never be friends.

"You like her, don't you?" OSTA hissed. Odd glared at him. "Well, she's already taken. I've been her friend a lot longer than you, kittycat." - -People calling kitty and/or kitty cat is getting very annoying.- - Odd thought as he glared dangerously at OSTA.

Meanwhile, the argument between Yumi and Ulrich was picking up speed. Verdana knew what had happened, but she tried to placate them anyway. "You know what she said!" Yumi shouted.

"Well, she lied just to get you pissed off. Looks like it worked to!" Ulrich shouted back.

"Nothing you can say will change my opinion." Yumi said stubbornly.

"Oh really. It might interest you to know that the same thing is happening to you." Ulrich said smugly. There was a stunned silence. Yumi turned to look at Tron. He smiled guiltily. Yumi turned back to Ulrich.

"Okay people, nothing to see here. Go gather on the other side of that big tree." Verdana shooed away the gathering spectators. Tron tried to edge away, but Verdana caught his collar and pulled in back. "You are coming with me."

Yumi started out, feeling awkward. "Ulrich, we've-I've been real stupid and I'm sorry."

"I've been too. At least now we know how much we like each other." he added on a lighter note.

Yumi smiled. "Yep, although I'm going to have to watch you from now on. Make sure you don't turn into a two-timer." Having made up, the two of them joined the group, holding hands once again.

"Are we ready to go?" With nods from the whole group Verdana smiled. Then, she brought her fist down on Tron's head, knocking him out. "Shall we proceed, then?" Verdana led them back into the trees.

In the village, Shanil strutted down the main street. She was being escorted by two sentries, who thought she had no reason to be strutting around. This girl was being brought to the Shadow for trespassing. When they reached the place where the Shadow sat, Shanil approached him without fear.

"So you are the infamous Shadow! Well, I am your doom! They shall reward me greatly for having rid this system of the menaces that destroy it!"

The Shadow simply rolled his eyes. "Oh really? I don't have time to waste on idiots like you." He flicked one finger at her and from it came a huge lightening streak. It tore right through Shanil's extra armor and her already triply protected skin, turning her into a black skeleton of a program. The viruses who guarded her, pulled the black skeleton away and stashed it to the side of the platform. "I'll rebuild you to serve my purposes when I have time."

- -We're definitely making progress. Not very much, but it is noticeable.- - Verdana thought as she hacked through the swampy forest. She had forgotten about the thick, smelly mud hole that rested right in the middle of their path. The others, especially Viv were starting to get frustrated. Viv could not stand the fact that there was no sky to be seen. Odd, who had a little ADHD, was quickly losing interest in the extremely time-consuming task. OSTA was laughing at everything Odd did, finding it amusing in one way or another. Ulrich and Yumi kept chattering away to each other, trying to break the silence. Aelita followed after them, careful where she set her feet. Jeremy was last in line. He got the feeling they were being followed, but when he looked back, all he saw were swamp trees. - -Well of course they aren't going to be out in plain sight. That wouldn't make them very good, now would it?- - he chastised himself. He glanced back one more time and saw...

Glow: Yup, the reviewers have been leaving cafinated snacks and anti-anti-caffine pills to counter those ones that Verdana will put in those caffe mochas.

Viv: Sweet! Do you think they could leave a little extra?

Glow: I know that I'm almost out of my stash, so I drink Surge for caffine. But, you could ask them for more...

Viv: Oh, please, extremely valued readers, do leave some wonderful ultra-caffinated chocolate bars and anti-anti-caffine pills, or Surge in your review!