V.I.R.A.L

The day was as perfect as any day could be. The glaring heat of this summer's day was countered by the soft and soothing breeze coming from the ocean. There was not a single cloud in sight, making for the perfect day. That was, of course, the idea. Team Rhapsody accompanied by Iris had decided to hit the beach before the rush getting there early in the morning. Although the idea seemed good on paper, there would be some complications with the plan. Iris stepped onto the beach in a tank top and shorts wielding two armbands and a rubber float around her waist. She wore a straw hat ready for the enviable sun she was promised. Or so she thought. Lowering her sunglasses, she looked up at the sky with no sun in sight. The part of the beach they had called dibs on was clouded in darkness without a single bit of light embracing them. She frowned, turning to the others. "Could we have picked a worse spot to set up camp?"

Alton waved his hand carrying the pull-up barbeque and the icebox holding the food. "It may be crappy now, but trust give it by lunchtime, and the sun will make its debut. Besides no one comes over here."

Iris glares at the giant fifty-foot wall blocking the sun which covered all of Rhinefield not impressed. "I wonder why, man I hate that wall having to wake up every day with that thing from my window view…"

"I tend not to think about it."

Gale began coming down the beach in shorts and flippers. He struggled walking through the sand, flicking his feet wide up all while having his snorkel around his neck. "I heard the walls keep the titans out."

Iris and Alton stared at him blankly as both tried to stop themselves laughing. "You know Gale you put on the flippers once you get down to the ocean."

"You know, that's starting to make sense. These things are rather inconvenient, to say the least. Maybe I should act like a penguin and waddle my way around."

"Or! You can just take them off."

"Or I can just take them off…"

Emil and Percy weren't far behind carrying the hired beach chairs. Serval of Percy's clones were rushing ahead fuelled with his cocky ego. Emil wouldn't take this lightly seeing it as a competition as he carried two chairs running as fast as he could. This would prove fatal as he tumbled down a massive step dropping both chairs and crashing to the ground. Percy casually walked down with two drinks in his hands as he looked out to the sea with a gleeful look. "Talk about living life, huh!"

Alton kneeled setting the barbeque up mumbling to himself. "What's taking Zinnia so long? Did she gets lost or something?"

"I heard her struggling in the toilets," Percy stated, sipping his drink. "How hard is it to put a bikini on?"

"Don't look at me twinkle toes." Iris snapped lying down on one of the chairs. 

"Maybe I should go and check?" Alton wondered.

Gale came marching back legs wideout still wearing his flippers. "Are we all waiting to get a good view of Zinnia?"

"We're waiting alright…" He replied, folding his arms. "With how over the top Zinnia went with our costume design I dread to think how far she went with her swimming costume…"

"Alton, you doubt her too much, I am sure more than enough Zinnia has chosen the perfect bikini which will bless this world. This is Zinnia we are talking about she truly cannot go wrong."

As Gale kept on praising Zinnia, his rambles soon stopped as a cold sweat ran down his back seeing what Zinnia had chosen to wear. Running down the path, everyone was thrown off by Zinnia wearing a full scuba diving outfit with oxygen tanks to complete the set. She smiled innocently rubbing the back of her neck. "Sorry I took so long it was hard getting everything on. Is something the matter?"

Alton snickered, holding back his laugh, shaking his head. "No, no! It's just. I wouldn't expect you to wear anything different. It screams Zinnia to me. Please don't tell me that was meant to be my costume…"

"Umm… no? Anyway! The moment you mentioned the beach, I knew I had to go snorkelling!" She went on before seeing Gale. "Hey, you've got your snorkelling gear too?! No way that's great. Is, is there something wrong, Gale?"

Gale looked at Zinnia with the most disappointing expression frowning. "Oh, no. It's nothing."

Zinnia rushed down the beach as Gale slowly followed sulking the whole way. Iris lay on her front grumbling still getting no sign of any sunlight. "What's the point of that big bloody wall anyway?!"

Percy turned to the wall slurping his fruit juice nodding. "So, you've been wondering too, huh? I've seen many streamers theorise over it as well. People believe It has something to do with that incident that happened over 100 years ago involving the heroes. Others believe it's to shield us from the nuclear winter."

"Gale believes the wall is to protect us from titans."

"That's just dumb."

"What do you think we have the wall then? It only blocks this side. I truly wonder what is on the other side of the wall…"

"Well, it could be to keep something out. Or it could be to keep us in from the unspeakable horrors hidden behind the wall."

Noticing everyone getting slightly creeped out, Alton cleared his throat. "Anyway. Iris, I'm sorry your sister couldn't come down."

Iris shrugged her shoulders, trying to play it off. "It's no big deal. Her loss really. Our father wanted her to focus on her streaming career. I hardly get to spend any time with her these days…"

"Sorry to hear that." He grumbled. "I'm sure next time we can get her to come. If not, I'll drag her here."

Iris giggled, putting her sunglasses back on. "You're a funny guy Alton, I appreciate it. I honestly I didn't expect you lot to invite me."

"Don't go thanking me, the moment we came up with coming out Zinnia was the one to instantly suggest inviting you. See this as a thank you for the ordeal with Pokiero."

"You don't have to go thanking me for it. We were more than happy to help. Hell, the moment I told Alice I was asked to help Ava- I mean Dauntless out she was all over it. I had to stop her from coming down herself and showing Pokiero a thing or two. She was about ten minutes away from helping you lot take down the Phantom Streamer before she was dragged home by my father."

Alton chuckled getting the barbeque going. "Well once we get popular enough for your father's liking, we will defiantly have to get a joint-stream going."

"For real! Although… I still have to get accepted into the network first…"

"Wait your father doesn't let you stream with your sister?" Emil asked. "Sounds like something the Montagues would do."

"Oh, it's not like that. Trust me… it's. How do I put this? My sister is crazy strong and stunning. She's like perfect and is hitting it with the viewers. She's growing like crazy, and my father doesn't want me to get in the way of that. I can't blame him, I'm still brand new at this. I'll be streaming side by side with her soon just you wait!"

"If not there's always a place here," Percy claimed sitting in the sand.

"You how I might take that deal one day…" Iris smiled, faintly lying back. She however quickly rose back up looking at her phone. "Oh, shit that reminds me have you seen Vanguard's streams lately? He's been taking down more and more streamers going through mental breakdowns."

Alton peered at the phone seeing another streamer like the one the fought off in the arcades a month back explode into a purple haze. He gave a concerned look. "So, it wasn't a one-time thing… we ran into one of these streamer meltdowns cases not too long ago. Never seen anything like it. When I looked into it, I found out that the case was of some upcoming hotshot streamer. What she said before she well, you know, really stuck with me."

"What did she say?"

"The garden grows. I have no idea what that means, though."

Iris shook her head just as confused. "Well, these streamer meltdowns have been happening a lot more lately. The Phantom streamer was one case. Blew up an entire police escort."

"I know it's horrible, but what has this got to do with Vanguard?"

"Nothing, I think. But there is one thing. I find it strange how it's always Vanguard, who is the one to take down these mental breakdowns. You're the only other known streamers who have lived to tell the tale."

"Nothing strange about that. Vanguard's track record is more than triple most streamers. I'm not surprised that he's always at the scene to take care of it. The cases probably get reported to V.I.R.A.L, which in return makes its way to Vanguard."

"You're not wrong…" She mutters still conflicted. "But there is one thing that has bothered me. These meltdowns only happen to famous streamers or upcoming ones. There hasn't been a single case in any low ranked streamers or non-streamers at all."

"You've been looking into this, heavily haven't you?"

"Of course, if this could reach my sister, I have to look into it stopping it before it's too late."

"Even I've got to admit that's strange." Emil agreed.

Alton looked over to seeing Zinnia and Gale making sandcastles as he hummed. "If that is the case, Team Rhapsody should be fine… for now. But if we are to get popular, then I'd rather not have someone target us directly."

Iris sat up, sipping her drink. "It's one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you about it. I can't mention this to my father as it is only rumours and speculation. I want you to help me. If what I believe is to be true, then I am as good as a target as ever. If I'm hit with a streamer meltdown that will only look bad for my sister. The culprit would expect my sister to give up with the loss of a family member."

"That's if there even is a culprit… besides this is very risky and dangerous. I'm sure your sister would disapprove."

"She doesn't have to know. And If I turn out to be wrong well, we can all go home safe and sound, and I'll buy you an ice cream. But if there is someone out here causing streamer's deaths, then I can't sit by, and I'm sure Zinnia would agree on that too."

Alton glanced over to the other nodding. "You have a point. I disagree with using you as bait, but we'll help. Now onto more pressing matters, I have an important question for you Iris… how do you take your steak."

Iris snickered, rolling her eyes. "Medium-rare."

"That was the correct answer. Even if it's only for this mission, it still counts, so welcome aboard Team Rhapsody Iris."

"Why thank you, kind sir, looking forwards to working with you."