(no subject)

[oceanicbutterfly]

First of all, I'd like to point out that I have changed my username. I first joined this community on student council business, using the name president_karen. Since then, though, I've made friends here, and had many... interesting experiences. I've been here much longer than I expected at the time, and even if "President Karen" was at all still relevant, the title's days are numbered. So don't get confused.

With that out of the way, more important business related to those interesting experiences I mentioned.

For most of the time I've been here, and reportedly before that, viruses have followed certain patterns. Each month has involved one virus, or two with some separation between them. Each virus has affected a large number of members, and has lasted only a few days, occasionally with a few exceptions. These patterns, however, appear to have been disrupted. As far as I can tell, there were no viruses at all during the month of December, which is strange in of itself. January, on the other hand, had at least three, and their behavior was odd.

Almost immediately after the month started came the first, which affected only Azula and myself and lasted several weeks. This virus produced very elaborate effects in my world, creating a complex "history" for Azula and everything that it required, including an entirely new company.

It's unclear to me when the second virus started, but it was close enough to the same time as ours that we initially assumed they were the same, a general "modified memory" virus. In any event, Blackout suffered partial amnesia, apparently virus-induced. Again, he seems to have been the only one affected. From what I understand, this virus lasted even longer, and overlapped both of the other viruses in the month.

The third virus, as we are all aware, was near the end of the month. In spread and duration, it was much like earlier viruses, but it was by far the most elaborate virus I've seen here. It shared elements with the "family" virus from before, but also created an entirely new environment for those affected. There is also the matter of the faceless voice that acted as a guide, which seemed to think of the events as a game of sorts and to have some measure of control over our situations.

It's unclear whether this all was just a random occurrence, or if something has actually changed. In any event, however, it's clear that there is more to the viruses than we previously realized.

Comments

[hooded-outlaw.livejournal.com]

Wait, viruses?

[oceanicbutterfly]

They're not well understood. I described the usual patterns already, but as I said... Their normal effects tend to involve physical or mental changes to people.

[hooded-outlaw.livejournal.com]

Jeez... I wish I woulda known about that before I started posting. Any chance there's a way to avoid those things?

[oceanicbutterfly]

It seems to be purely random.

[hooded-outlaw.livejournal.com]

Just my luck.

[peoplesprincess.livejournal.com]

... Don't talk about that.

[oceanicbutterfly]

I didn't, to the extent that it was possible. If something is going on that we need to know about, then finding out about it is considerably more important than whether I'm embarassed about the details.

Azula's still overly bitchy at her for her mommy comments :|

[peoplesprincess.livejournal.com]

I'm telling you not to talk about it; your own embarrassment isn't the only factor.

Karen really doesn't mind

[oceanicbutterfly]

It's the only factor of interest.

[peoplesprincess.livejournal.com]

Just leave it alone, and shut up.

[stripping.livejournal.com]

I see... I hadn't been here long enough to know that they had a regular pattern in the first place, but it does seem strange that they've changed. Then again, irregularity seems to be the soul of this place.

[oceanicbutterfly]

Now that you mention it, that's true.

[stripping.livejournal.com]

It could end up being nothing to worry about. But you may be right, it might signal some greater change in the community.

[sun-cutie-plz.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it was whatever conrtoling this place's idea to become more likes it's name! A lot more 'drama' definatly happened did it not?

[oceanicbutterfly]

That's true as well. Knowing this place, that could be it.

[pandorabox]

Don't forget the virus that pranked the community.

[oceanicbutterfly]

That was this month, wasn't it?

[pandorabox]

Yeah. At the very beginning. It didn't hit a lot of people, but it hit enough to make an effect.

[awakeningadvent.livejournal.com]

Hm. I know that it isn't unusual for natural viruses, the kind that get people sick, to change and mutate. It's even happened to certain Reploid viruses. I wonder if the ones here are undergoing the same changes...

[oceanicbutterfly]

I'm not sure whether that would be more or less worrying.

[empress-arcana.livejournal.com]

It seems this place is more unusual than I expected.

You've been gathering information on this for a while?

[oceanicbutterfly]

That's... essentially how it is.

Not specifically, but I've been paying attention, yes.

[empress-arcana.livejournal.com]

I would imagine that any longtime member would...

From what you've said, it seems they're getting more unpredictable as time goes on.

[thricedeadwind.livejournal.com]

I cannot say such viruses which affect memory with complete and thorough effect are entirely settling.

Is there evidence such events are by whims of gods among this community, as some 'viruses' in the past have been?

[oceanicbutterfly]

Of course. How much of what we will and will not do is defined by our understanding of our past?

Not that I'm aware of. I was hoping anyone with details such as that would come forward to contribute them.

[thricedeadwind.livejournal.com]

Also, those unfamiliar with their own history may be doomed to repeat it.

I had never learned of any explanation available for viruses not directly caused by deities. Was there any given?

[oceanicbutterfly]

Not to my knowledge.

[cannotbelieve.livejournal.com]

That's a lot of stuff to think about, Minazuki-san.

[oceanicbutterfly]

You might be better off than I am. You haven't had time to get used to them following patterns.

[cannotbelieve.livejournal.com]

Is that better or worse?

[oceanicbutterfly]

It's probably better.

[cannotbelieve.livejournal.com]

I wish things would stop being weird for once.

[oceanicbutterfly]

It would be nice.

[cannotbelieve.livejournal.com]

It drives me crazy!

[visestvita.livejournal.com]

Ah, it would seem you put a lot of work into this. Just the sort of thing I'd hoped somebody would do.

[oceanicbutterfly]

It's something that needed to be addressed.

[visestvita.livejournal.com]

Good to see that someone has taken it upon themselves to do so. But it would seem we are still no closer to understanding their source?

[booktothehead.livejournal.com]

...Do you think they're...evolving?

[oceanicbutterfly]

That's a frightening way of putting it.

I don't know what's going on. I only vaguely understand how this place works in the first place.

[booktothehead.livejournal.com]

Well, the viruses here are a little like real ones, I guess, and those evolve...

[oceanicbutterfly]

I suppose so, but...

[createdpower.livejournal.com]

So others have noticed this as well. The irregularity has not continued for long enough to make any conclusions. The number of victims has always been variable; it is possible that the same number of viruses have occurred, but that they have affected only a very few beings.

[oceanicbutterfly]

That's true. But it would still be different from how we've understood the viruses to work.

[createdpower.livejournal.com]

I'm curious: how do you understand them to work? What do you consider to be their source?

[oceanicbutterfly]

I really don't understand them at all... but if they've been able to appear this many at once and affect small numbers of people, that goes against what little I thought I understood about them.

As for the source, I've always assumed they were just a side effect of whatever lets the community exist in the first place.

[createdpower.livejournal.com]

The source of viruses must be found before their behaviour can be correctly predicted. Do you have any basis for that assumption?