From: "Ann Jones" Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 03:38:42 GMT Subject: submission Source: direct 5-07-00 Title: End of their era. Disclaimer: Do I need one for this? Just in case I guess you can find someone else's fanfic, read their disclaimer and that will be what I was about to write. Rating: Nothing here. Summary: If you can think of one then be my guest. Actually I'll try a little. Would you believe I wanted you to read an XF fanfic without Mulder and Scully??? Well I do hope you take the time. This is purely a piece to give back a bit of what I've taken (you'll understand when you read it.). its like an ode to the x files community on the web and to all x philes. Warning! The author's note is nearly as long as the piece! Also there is a great chance I will be the only one to understand what the hell I'm talking about, so if that happens I'm sorry. I wrote this in one day but needed to get it up quick so excuse the lack of reviewing and change, which I would no doubt make if I didn't post it up now. Given the content and the fact I fear such a time, I refuse to tempt fate a guess a date for this occurrence. So, some time in the future... Their proverbial pens were being put down. Time had passed. Since its end they had continued to meet, discuss, challenge. The ever-present topics remained to be forever dissected and analysed, each person excitedly offering up their input. This end was never wanted, never mentioned. Their unusual relationship was unique through its medium and held more than some recognised. For certain people its presence offered pure entertainment and enjoyment, a place to stop by and catch up. For others it was a getaway, a world they owned and wished for, theirs to do with whatever they wanted, deliverance. Take a little if that's all you needed or embrace it all if you could; it helped. A real world indeed but based on fiction and dreams, built on imagination and hope, preserved by all those who were fortunate to find it, to be found by it. Acceptance was indeed the name of the game. No one turned away or ignored; opposition in the field welcomed. An international close knit family flourished from a common interest growing by the day, help always at hand and waiting to be given. Areas and organisations developed early, both obscure and normal, if such a word dared be used in this circle. Each though explored its own avenue and pathway and was in itself an offering to the cause, a personal thank you in return to the original host, the reason this particular little world began. When you first enter your only desire is one of discovery. For now you will gratefully receive and learn the ways of your new world, later you will give back towards what you've taken. Those before you in turn gratefully provide what you need. You stay in the background silently observing and then one day you feel the need to take the next step. You find yourself ready to interact and give back to the community. Countless forms of this are available and you simply take your pick and proceed. By now names have become familiar, you could teach others now and infuse that into your offering back. Still, if you have not already found it, you find yourself needing more. A circle of friends is formed at a meeting place and the interaction undertakes a new level. Like countless times before as this newest aspect unfolds and adds to your experiences here you thank God you were led to this place, that you are lucky enough to know it. Others help when you need help and you can return the favour. Fun is an intricate characteristic here and enjoyment and laughter do not need to be looked for, they abound. These friendships will grow as the world continues to evolve with its host, new areas and ideas still being invented and applauded. You marvel at the extent of the following, the diversity. At each step in your journey you continue to grow and learn in the environment around you. New encounters lie around every corner. You will come across people who share their lives outside this world you enter and come to realise how deep this all can go. Outside we all keep living our lives. When you first see personal writings of life and how by interacting in your community, in this world, they have found an out, an avenue to find themselves away from troubles you realise what the world can mean to those in it, to you. It's like free therapy, uninhibited happiness without fail. And you know the day you will feel down you can come here and relax. You can chose an avenue for the time you enter and begin a new discovery line or get comfortable and return to a familiar safe house you've built. Whatever you do and wherever you go you know you will not be let down, its not allowed here in these communities, we all look after each other new and old. It is a family. You're time here moves on and you, like all others, live for years in the surroundings. That's the way it has always been and the journey has been long. As with everything though an ending to all this has approached. The host died away a long time ago but the world lived on in its memory. As timed moved on and their talks began to tire the world began to slowly deplete. People unwillingly lost the drive and left their offerings unfinished and alone, unaided and unmanned. Input had begun to cease next over time and cherished communities lost members. The friendships though remained by the strength of the connection they were built on, but the meeting places became run down. Each time you would enter another avenue would be closed to you. Sadness permeated the decreasing world as those remaining fought to keep each other, to relight the fire that burned so passionately and drew all to its brightness. But they knew the end was fast approaching, other worlds had taken precedence over the years and to outsiders theirs was but a mere memory. In truth it lived a better life than those world it preceded and those that followed. The silent and deserted pathways remain now to evoke welcome memories still in homage to their host. People would still come and areas would live on but now only to serve as a place of remembrance. Many people would move on, many left never intending and never wanting a replacement. Some exited unscathed, happy with what they received from the surface having never needed to delve further but the others who looked upon it as a refuge, a world away from troubles big and small, they left grateful for knowing it, vowing never to forget it. In other mediums hardcopies remain to be reviewed in years to come to look back upon how it all started, where the world evolved from, and its remains and dedications will be visited again. The loss remains fresh even with its expectance. They have the friendships to keep, the worthiest parting gift, and the memories of days of happiness and laughter. And now as the last pen falls, the last key compresses and the last input is processed a wondrous era ends. Each and everyone stands back, takes a bow and thank each other for this time together. We won't forget. "Hold on, hold on to yourself cause this is gonna hurt like hell." Sarah Mc Lachlan . . . . . . . . Author's Note; Please read. I hope you know what I was talking about here. The world we occupy through the medium of the Internet has opened us up to the most wonderful of experiences and possibilities, and the area we occupy, that countless people among us have built, it brings happiness to a great deal of people including myself. I dread the day I will log on to see the people I have grown to know have moved on. That is what this is about. I never want to see the day portrayed above become a reality. Also I do not wish to bring a sense of sadness with this but I hope people will go and appreciate what we have more and help to sustain it. The websites created cover a multitude of aspects of the show taking on differing views and conquering their own little corners be it humour, fanfiction, multimedia, updates...the list goes on. The chatrooms help to mould friendships and offer the most effective welcomes to this little world as personally as possible. Everyone is instantly accepted without reservations because of our common interest and all views are respected. Need help? Just ask. I love that. I'd spent a long time one night last year searching for a forgotten website when I can across a recently shut down site. The owner had posted a message in explanation, which in short told of how they had been going through a rough patch and how they were so grateful for the time they had spent in our world and the happiness they had received from feedback and interaction. They would not be able to continue to keep their site but they thanked everyone for their involvement. I hadn't seen such a personal writing on a site before and was moved. I had thought the two worlds were separate from each other but began to see they weren't. I read similar later from a writer and with the entrance into a chatroom I eventually saw how deep this can go and no only in me. [I realise this may be incredibly boring, you aren't he only one who thinks so but I have more still so...] Recently I have found refuge here from my own problems and will be forever grateful. One night I logged on after some particularly bad news in the days previous and began to look at new pages. One such page made me laugh, out loud, and for that I will be forever in debt. I didn't think it would have been possible for that to happen but I immediately e-mailed and thanked them for the cheering up to which they replied it was their pleasure. I wish for that ease of friendship to be around forever. I still come here to escape now, events are taking place around me which I know will not be resolved anytime soon, but I know I always have here. Instant alleviation from the real world. So finally, what the whole point of this is, what I really want to say, is thank you. Thank you to everyone who has created a page, who has written a fanfic, who has posted a message in a chatroom. Everyone who has visited a webpage, who has read a fanfic and who has reviewed a message in a chatroom. Everyone. Whether you're still in the background or to the forefront and known to all. To every member of this international family, thank you for adding to all this. I could go on with this all night but I'll finish up. Keep the good work going and lets not let this disappear for as long as we can help it. This all means more to people than some can know. Feedback much appreciated and welcomed at: mondi_@hotmail.com