The Little Adventures of our Little Warriors
Note: A Code Lyoko ficlet, this time about the tiny peregrinations our heroes undertake when they're not battling XANA, Umbra and simply relaxing.
Chapter 1—How About a Breathtaking Experience Under the Moonlight ?
Nicholas had always adored fishing. It brought back memories of how he and his father would wake up in the wee hours of the morning and head to the nearest lake to catch fish. At first, Nick wasn't very good at fishing, he learned quickly about what types of bait fish liked and sometimes the simplest approach was the easiest way to hook the bigger nibblers that had a tendency to feed at the bottom of the lake. He was about to pass on the knowledge he had been given by his father to his best friend Herve. He remembered the last time they had been fishing and how it had been difficult to catch anything since Herve was so impatient, but perhaps this would be a better opportunity for him to learn by example.
It was another calm autumn day after school, and Herve was preparing to unlock his bike and go for a ride. Nicholas joined him, two rods and a tackle and bait box as well as a lunchbox that contained a light supper by his side.
"How about a breathtaking experience under the moonlight ?", Nicholas asked, waxing poetic as he usually did when he was speaking about fishing.
"Of course. I know I complained about it the last time, but to be perfectly honest, it was an extraordinary experience. I see why now you enjoy fishing so much.", Herve stated, following his friend on the pathway to the nearest lake. Evening was closing in rather rapidly, since the days had grown shorter. Even in this light, the rays of the sun filtered through the trees causing the colorful leaves to shine in their light. It was a rather spellbinding affect, and the friends enjoyed it as well as the crisp smell of leaves and smoky fragrance of fires burning in the distance.
As soon as the two reached the lake, Nicholas whipped out a beach blanket he had kept folded up in his blanket. He and Herve sat upon it in the chilly grass and enjoyed the dinner that his mother had packed for him. It was chicken salad, fresh bottles of milk, apples and 'ants on a log'.
"Your mother really spoils us, Nick.", Herve said, taking a bite out of one of the celery sticks garnished with raisins. Nick drank his milk slowly, savoring everything his mother had made so lovingly for the two of them. Everything was finished and the two got their fishing gear ready to begin angling for fish.
Nick had recalled his training from when he was three and dictated it in a very easy manner for Herve to understand. Herve was impressed Nicholas' memory had been that clear from such a long time ago. He didn't understand why others hadn't seen him as intelligent. But they were merely judging Nicholas on his looks alone. It didn't matter much to Nicholas what other people thought of him. He let remarks like that slide by and remained true to himself, no matter what the circumstances.
At first, Nicholas was the one who was catching all of the hearty pike in the lake and Herve was becoming frustrated.
"Arggggh, I don't think the fish like me !", Herve grumbled as he cast his line into the water again. He had used traditional bait just like Nick had suggested. Then the unbelievable had happened. He got quite a big bite on his end of the line.
"I think I've gotten something.", Herve stated, with excitement building in his voice. The line started to tighten and Herve nearly lost the line when Nicholas grabbed onto it as well.
"Hold on, we've got to work together. I think you've hooked a monster.", Nicholas said, chortling a bit. With all of his upper body strength Nick assisted his friend in pulling the most gargantuan fish out of the water they had ever seen. It wasn't a pike but a mammoth catfish that would be able to feed the two of them, including all the members of their families for a couple days.
"Congrats, you've caught your first fish !", Nicholas said, patting his friend on the back. With all the fish they had caught, they gathered them into a net that Nicholas had packed into his backpack. The two rode back to Kadic on their bikes, split the harvest of fish between them before departing on their bikes to their homes. Herve hoped he could fish again with Nicholas, because it was a rather splendid experience. He felt serene, close to nature and blessed to spend time with his best friend. He knew that they would be friends long into adulthood and he would never forget the experiences he had with him in this time. If he ever felt saddened, he wouldn't for long. He would simply reminisce about the times on the lake and the gigantic catfish he had caught with Nicholas by his side.
Chapter 2—At the Discothèque
It was another day. Yet, unlike other conventional days, there was to be a concert at the local discotheque performed by the popular band the Subdigitals. Since it was Halloween night, everyone attending would be in costume. A "best costume" contest would be held and the prize was the Subdigitals' latest CD autographed in gold ink. Any fan would've loved to have this collectable.
The students had heard by word of the grapevine that there would be a concert tonight. In true fan fashion, Aelita and her friends attended the party. Aelita was dressed appropriately as Aphrodite, Jeramie as Socrates, Nicholas as David Mustaine, Herve as Nicola Tesla, Ulrich as the Red Baron, William as a samurai, Yumi as a geisha, Odd as a painter, Emily as a sorceress, Taelia as an android, Michael as the Beastmaster, Millie and Tamiya as a fire bender and water bender from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Naomi as a hippie, Sissi as a Hollywood starlet, and Jim and Suzanne dressed up as Frankenstein and his bride. It was interesting to see how people dressed this Halloween and what the Subdigitals dressed up as. Many were seasonal favorites like racecar drivers, popular cartoon characters, animals and mythical creatures.
As the party began, there were plenty of refreshments to go around and then came a break for the band to meet the party-goers. As judges, they would overlook every participant on their creativity as well as presentation. Each costume was more challenging to judge than the last. Every costume they saw was extremely outstanding and more unique than the last. They overlooked each costume twice before making their final verdict. Much to everyone's surprise and to everyone's delight, Herve's Nicola Tesla costume was deemed most creative and accurate. If one didn't know better, one would've thought Tesla came from beyond the grave to visit them that night. Herve accepted the CD graciously, but he gave it to Aelita.
"You're the real fan of the Subdigitals, though I like their music too. Besides, I could see you really wanted the prize…", Herve said, smiling gently. Jeramie hugged his friend for the gift he had given to Aelita.
"My friend, you didn't need to do that. Clearly you were the victor of the contest.", Jeramie admitted. Already he was sounding the part of the vestige he had worn that night in the discotheque.
"Aelita's my friend, and after all, it's just a CD. Friendship is more important to all of us, and the music, it's just a way to unite us.", Herve said.
"Dude, you are waaay too deep. I think that costume's gone to your head.", Odd said, and everyone laughed. The remnant of the evening was spent dancing until the wee hours of the morning, and slept to cheesy B movies until the next day when they all went their separate ways, carrying home their treasure troves of candy and other assorted goodies.
Chapter 3—At the Carnival
Summer usually meant festivals in France, and as usual, every year, there was a carnival nearby only a few blocks away from school. The students could ride their bicycles there without breaking too much of a sweat. But to stay hydrated, they were cautious enough to bring along their water bottles in case the heat became too much for them.
Taelia had seen festivals before, but nothing of this magnitude. She felt like a little kid again, and wondered what fresh crepes from the skillet tasted like. A young man by the name of Leon Rutherford had recently taken an interest in her, but the shaggy auburn teen was a little shy. Today, he decided, was the day he would overcome his bashfulness and talk to her.
"Hello, Taelia. Isn't it a glorious day ?", he asked, directly to her smiling visage. Upon seeing her smile, he immediately flushed pink. He felt silly for feeling this way, especially since it was against his "tough guy" image. He wasn't a bully, just strong and a lot of other kids who were picked on looked to him to be their savior. He had many friends because of this, and a lot of girls liked him because he was so healthy and robust. But, he only had eyes for one lady, and that was Ms. Taelia.
Leon and Taelia, as well as the other children, had a great time at the carnival but soon it was time for everyone to head back home to Kadic to sleep for the evening. As soon as Leon walked Taelia back to her bedroom in the dormitories, he quickly and quietly headed back to his own room on the upstairs level. She thanked him for winning him an old fashioned Kewpie and a tremendous evening. Unexpectedly, right before he departed from her, she kissed him on the cheek.
"I had a splendid time, Leon. I hope we can spend much more time together in the future.", Taelia stated, sweetly. Leon felt his heart soar and was glad his persistence paid off.
Chapter 4—A Cavalcade of Pooches and Christmas Dinner
Although it was cold, the students and teachers had gone out into the snow to play when they had free time after classes. Odd and Sissi were dashing here and there behind snow walls engaging in snow wars while Kiwi and Kumquat chased one another. Suddenly, rather raucous barking was heard in the distance as a familiar figure being pulled into the snow banks.
"Wait, Obelisk ! Slow down, darn it !", Jim shouted as the wolfhound whippet mix yanked him along. If one didn't know better one would've thought Jim was skiing in the snow with the help of his extraordinarily strong dog. No sooner had Obi stopped when Jim went flying accidentally into his wife's arms and fell on top of her. It looked like a bit of a compromising position, but he scrambled up to his feet and helped her up. Obi played with the two smaller dogs as well as the other dogs in the area.
"I swear he's still got a bit of puppy in him.", Suzanne said, laughing as Jim checked to make sure she wasn't hurt. The sentimental moment was soon disrupted when Suzanne caught him off guard with a snowball. Jim laughed heartily and said, rather playfully,
"Oh, that's how you want to play, is it ? Well prepare to engage in battle, knave !"
Before Suzanne knew it, she was getting pelted in the side by Jim's snowballs and retaliating as well. As soon as he was hit in the solar plexus with one, he pretended to have been killed on the spot.
"I have fought valiantly, and alas…I have lost !", he said, falling backward. Obelisk, the hybrid, came to lick Jim on the face, and then rushed in another direction playing with some nearby kids who loved the dickens out of him. The frolicking in the snow continued until Rosa called them inside for the annual Christmas dinner that she had so painstakingly prepared.
Chapter 5—Painting the Spring Blossoms
It was a very beautiful spring day. Odd had set up his easel in the nearby field and had begun sketching out his latest masterpiece. His other friends were walking, playing, riding their bikes, walking, or taking part in other activities before returning to the library to study for the upcoming exams before break. Odd was elated his friends were nearby, and looked forward to showing them his progress.
"What are you painting, Odd ?", Sissi asked, marveling at the detail in the sketched trees, clouds and notes on color. She could see herself in the painting as well as her friends and many other students that attended Kadic Academy. The meticulous nature of the painting itself was so exact that she was eager to see what it would look like painted.
"Just a common spring day here at Kadic. I'm thinking of calling it Frolic in the Blossoms. What do you think ?", Odd questioned.
"That name is perfect. I couldn't have thought of a more suitable name.", Sissy said, patting her love on the back as a sign of encouragement. Sissi soon had a captive audience with her, watching every brushstroke Odd made. Odd didn't seem to mind having people watch him, and it made his work go by quicker. His work was partially completed and he had allowed it to dry before carrying it back to the art classroom.
"Keep us updated on when that will be completed, ok ?", Naomi suggested. Of course, Odd nodded with a satisfied grin. Already he was getting such a positive response on "Frolic in the Blossoms". He hoped it would be featured in Kadic's spring-themed art gallery.
In a matter of a few days, Odd had completed his masterpiece and corrected what little imperfections had been left in the painting. He unveiled the finished piece to his friends. All of them whispered amongst each other and clapped in unison. Many positive words had come from the crowd, all awash in the majesty of Odd's best work to date.
"I hope you win, buddy.", Ulrich said, confidently.
"Hey, even if I don't I'm going to hang this in the cafeteria with permission.", Odd answered in return. Time would tell whether he would have his work featured in the spring gallery after the judges made their decision, but each of them felt extremely special for being a part of his artwork and being part of his muse.
After the judging was conducted on the thousands of media entered in the spring theme contest, the final verdict was delivered. Much to everyone's surprise, and to Odd's delight and pleasure, he had been chosen as the "Judges' Choice". He received a blue ribbon, had a chance to cut the ribbon at the opening of the spring theme art gallery and later after the gallery's pieces were moved for the next , his piece would remain as a tribute to his stellar creative genius. Unlike his usual demeanor of being a braggart, Odd was humble when it came to his art, because it revealed a more sensitive, private part of himself. Now everyone in Kadic could see just how incredible Odd's imagination was. Even Odd's parents had the pleasure of seeing this piece and remarked at how much their "little Michelangelo" had developed.
Chapter 6—The Big Game
Late autumn was a common time for soccer games around different campuses and this afternoon was no different. Thanks to the chilly weather, everyone was dressed warmly and anticipating the latest game that was about to occur. The band played a rousing fanfare, and Jim was part of the brass section, playing his part in unison with them all. Emily could hear her father playing amidst all the others, because his slide-trombone sounded like a bell amongst the rest of the brass.
The Kadic Gryphons emerged to confetti, fanfare, applause and air horns while the rival team the Bordeaux Bears. The Gryphons and the Bears had been bitter rivals for years. Every time the Gryphons faced the Bears, they were defeated, but not without each team congratulating the other and enjoying a victory meal for both when the game had come to an end. The game began as all others did, with polite nods and well-wishes from offense and defense. Then the umpire gave the signal and the game was on.
At first it seemed that the Bears had the upper hand in the soccer game and half time was coming up. But, the unsuspecting Bears weren't expecting a couple of sensational goals made by Ulrich and William. It was only half time and the Bears were ahead, but there was still time for the Gryphons to turn the game around in their favor.
During the second half, it seemed that the Gryphons couldn't maneuver around the Bears' defense, but William and Ulrich had decided to do a double team. They circled around the bigger players and dazzled them with fancy footwork. Another goal was scored, and then, to their surprise, a few more were scored. At the time the Gryphons had the lead, but anything could change at the last quarter.
The Bears tried to regain the lead, but they continued to be beaten by the superior tactics of Ulrich and William. Before they knew it, the Bears had lost, even though they nearly made a goal at the end. For the first time, the Bears' winning streak had been broken by the Gryphons. Admittedly, they were impressed with the Gryphons' team and how exceptionally they had played. The night ended with a handshake from each team member and a large dinner provided by Jean-Pierre at the local steakhouse. It was a rather lavish repast and everyone got as much as they wanted. Granted it wasn't a small tab to pay at the end, but the Gryphons had made new friends and learned the Bordeaux Bears weren't so "bad". They were actually teddy bears when it came down to it. They simply loved playing and realized it was a game. They hadn't been sore sports over their loss. They hoped to play many more matches against the Gryphons in the future.
Epilogue
There are many other tales which cannot be divulged here, but they are numerous and unique as the students are in Kadic. Whatever the adventure, the thread that held the students together was the same. They were united by their friendship and knowledge of closeness in familial ties. These ties grew stronger in time and would long be felt once they left Kadic to pursue their passions as they embarked on their own treks, whatever they were. None of them would forget the fun times they had when they were together no matter how old they were. In whatever events surrounded their lives in the future, their memories would go with them everywhere.
The End