Nightmares of Fear
Note: With XANA reborn after putting himself in a state of stasis, he formulates a new plot to shake up the student population at Kadic. Seeing as his former plan to drain the energy of the boarders by harvesting their energy from sleep, XANA thinks it easier to strike the students and the Warriors at their weakest, during finals. With fear and nightmares of failing and loss of confidence, the students don't know whether they can bear anymore pressure. Some, like poor Sissi, even become suicidal, but Susanne and Jim help the students overcome their demons and promise the students if they study hard (and even Jim acts as a role model by joining the students in enlightenment) that there will be a gargantuan party held in the auditorium for acing the big test of the end of the year.
"A foolish inconsistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Chapter 1—Pressure's On
It was the most dreaded time of the educational calender: Finals. Even teachers loathed this time of the year. Depending on how well they taught, their evaluations would display their abilities and their prowess in their areas of expertise. Some teachers feared their worst students would simply flunk out and have to retake the course the next year. It was a fact that subjects had become more challenging and students that had been failing were just starting to realize that they would have to start buckling down, gritting their teeth and cracking open those thick, musty tomes instead of using them as pillows to sleep through class. Besides, there had been a collaboration begun by Jim and Susanne to host a rather gargantuan party in the auditorium if the students did tremdendous work on their final assessments. Most students, though they were troubled by the days of hammering notes, books and listening to audio tapes as much as they could before "crunch time" began.
Nicholas, Odd, and Sissi were among the failing students that had really become nervous about doing well this time. They didn't want to be stuck in their classes forever and be left behind. Besides, it was their graduating year. They were Seniors, and they couldn't allow a slight case of "senioritis" get to them to thwart their efforts in doing the best that they could. But, they, as well as many others were surprised with Jim going above and beyond the call of duty. In the past, he had never had much time for books, unless it was something amusing like a comic book or something short like a fiction novel. He was actually sitting down and studying among the rest, providing that he would get to know all of the subject areas that his friends would be having difficulty in. Granted, Jim wasn't a rocket scientist, but he had become more intelligent in years past and his IQ had since increased. Being the husband of a nurse had helped him better himself, and he wasn't prideful in admitting it. He knew he wouldn't have come this far if it hadn't been for Susanne. Thanks to her pulling in for the party project, (which was brilliant on her part), he knew that the students would have something exciting and enjoyable to look forward to should they succeed. But only now did the labor pains, griping, groaning and moaning begin.
Through the power of the main crystal in the core of the "wired", XANA watched in anticipation as he becan formulating his next move. He noticed that there was a universal demon surfacing when it came to the probability of failure, or feeling inadequate. XANA rubbed his hands together greedily and laughed malciously. Using the power of the crystal he could focus his Onieru Beam to cause the students to begin having thoughts of self-doubt as a start, and increasing to more hurtful thoughts or behaviors in the downward spiral of guilt would follow. XANA evilly grinned as he fired the beam and watched as his latest "flower of doom" began to bloom.
Chapter 2—Fears Realized
Nicholas had broken out into a heavy sweat as he was pouring over all the books and notes he had in front of him. It was almost too much. He wanted to scream, but couldn't do so since he was in the library (of all places). He inhaled and exhaled rapidly, putting all his notes and books together and placing them in his bag.
"Maybe I just need to get some air...", he thought, lugging his bookbag over his left shoulder and walking outside to sit down on a stump as he watched the birds flying freely in the sky.
"Man, I envy those birds. I wish I could just fly away and be free.", he mused, sighing, falling on his back gently on the old stump. Soon, he saw Jim looking down on him.
"Hey, Nicholas. What seems to be the trouble ?", Jim inquired, knowing something was wrong with his young friend.
"I feel so overloaded with all of this work. I have been doing nothing but studying since finals week began. I can hardly keep my eyes open...I feel so tired...", Nicholas bemoaned as his eyes began to look heavy.
"Buck up, Nick. It'll be alright. Don't let whatever this is get the best of you.", Jim said, helping the youngster back up, then patting him on the back. That little display of motivation had shaken off Nicholas' thoughts at least for a time. But it was only a matter of time until worse feelings began to resurface. Soon, Jim and Susanne's mettle was going to be tested with XANA's attack growing stronger with each new release of power from the core of Lyoko.
Poor Sissi sat alone in her room spinning around a rather sharp letter opener with her slender index finger. She exhaled sharply, a piece of errant hair hanging in front of her face. Not even having the energy to push it back she looked at her stack of notes once again. She had read her notes countless times and hadn't seen any point in going back and doing so for yet another time. In fact, everything seemed bleak.
"What's the point of even trying, all I do is fail. I'd be better off if I didn't even exist at all.", Sissi said, as she began crying to the point that she began shaking. She then took the letter opener in her right hand and eyed her wrists through blurry vision. Having heard the unmistakable sounds of sobbing, Susanne and Jim burst in the door just at the right time and took the letter opener from her.
"Sissi, what do you think you're doing, honey ?", Susanne said, receiving the traumatized young lady into her arms.
"I can't take it anymore, Mrs. Morales. I...I...I...", Sissi began, some tears still running down her cheeks. Jim joined his wife and softly stroked Elisabeth's silken hair.
"It's no reason to commit suicide, Sissi. You're too special for something so trivial.", he said, in a strong, but tender tone. Sissi's sobs began to cease after a while and she hugged the two happily.
"You know what, both of you are absolutely right. Thank you for helping me see that. I love you !", she said, getting back to her studies after she had embraced them. Susanne and Jim smiled at one another and made sure she was alright before they exited her dormatory. Matters began to become a bit worse once they day progressed, which kept Susanne, Jim and the other councellors on the grounds busy. It was then that the Moraleses had a plan. Even though the students were running themselves ragged by studying alone, it would be far more effective if they studied in groups at the local hotel. Jim and Susanne had realized what the students were facing was an accelerated attack from XANA. But, as long as they took the advice of their guardians and mentors, they would overcome this overrated attempt to sap the energy of the harried students.
Chapter 3—Fight, Fight, Fight
It had been a long day, and the students had studied all they could before wearing themselves out. At least as study buddies, they had taken upon the burden together instead of shouldering it all upon themselves. So much work had been done that the students had been able to toss themselves into bed and immediately fall asleep upon covering under their sheets and falling instantly travelling to pleasant dreams...for the moment.
XANA wasn't finished torturing the boarders at Kadic after his initial Onieru Beam had been rendered useless. Placing his hand under his chin, XANA pondered momentarily until he decided to fire the beam once it was charged up to its peak. It hadn't been completley powerless in its initial plot. The energy it had sapped from the weakened students before had been enough to make the crystal's beam more potent.
The students were beginning to experience nightmares, many of them waking up with violent starts, their brows belabored with sweat. Jim and Susanne had helped the students face their fears, but never like this. Calmly, the two of them took upon the fears they could and gathered the Warriors together to put this recent scheme to bed, quite literally. All the while, Sissi was having troubles waking from her nightmare. This was a definate problem that seemed to have no solution at the time, but no matter what happened, Odd kept a hold of her hand as much as he could.
In her nightmare, a mysterious monster had used a magical container and had trapped Elisabeth inside. "Where am I?", she queried. Then she saw where she was and pounds her fists on the bottle walls. "LET ME OUTTA HERE! Somebody! Anybody!", she pleaded. Her outward apperance was still one of unbridled terror but then she heard a familiar voice.
"Sissi, it's me. This is only an illusion. What you are seeing now isn't real. Just focus on my voice.", Odd said, with love and encouragement in his tone. In the real world, still no sound escaped her mouth, but her demeanor and expression was beginning to change. Her glazed eyes began to become warm in color until their full chocolate hue returned. Sissi shook her head, regaining her balance.
"Odd, why are we in Lyoko ?", Sissi asked, clearly confused.
"We'll all explain to you on the way. For now, stay focused and remember we're all here for you...and that I love you.", Odd said, planting a soft kiss on his girlfriend's cheek. Sissi blushed momentarily, but the gesture had been enough to stir her on to follow Odd and the others to the heart of Lyoko.
XANA wasn't concerned with the Warriors since he had the rest of the boarders at Kadic right where they wanted. Unfortunately, some of the seniors back in the real world were getting hurt by this abysmal process that XANA created. There wasn't much more time to be lost, or students' lives would be in danger.
As a whole, the Warriors had monsters and XANA to face all at once. Ulrich, one of the faster Warriors in the group, had used Triplicate to confuse monsters and destroy them one by one. The others were working rapidly as well, keeping their eyes on XANA at all times. Finally, Ulrich had found the core of Lyoko and landed a hard flip kick to it. There was a resounding BOOM when his heel crashed into it. All of a sudden, the crystal began to crumble into pieces.
XANA wrenched at his heart, trying to stop the destruction of his main source of power and dissolved. He nearly cursed in futility but was long since gone after the main core had been decimated. Then, unexpectedly, the Warriors had been transported back to Earth without even having to activate their morphers. Unpresendented as that might've been, the battle against XANA had been won and more important matters were at hand.
Chapter 4—Onward Student Soldiers, Welcoming Victory
Although the Warriors had been tired by the final battle with XANA, they still had studying to do before the day of finals began. For the moment, the hotel Clairemont was providing ample room and board for the students and keeping them relaxed after their studies. Kadic's funds were big enough to allow the students at least some time for rest and relaxation before finals actually began, and their reward would be grand if they excelled in their finals.
"Alright, kids. Time to go to sleep. It's late. Chop, chop ! To bed, to bed, I said !", Susanne stated in a firm, but merry sing-song voice. Some of the students chortled at her humor. She managed to keep matters light even though everyone had been so serious. Jim, observing, smiled at her and sighed blissfully. Even in pajamas and with her hair down, she was a glorious vision to behold.
As Susanne ushered each child to their respective rooms, Jim helped her by corralling the "stragglers" and easing them to sleep with some lullabies he had known since his youth. A little singing always seemed to put the most stubborn night owl into a gentle slumber. His calm, tenor voice also had a magic quality in eliciting attention or coaxing a fitful child to sleep. Perhaps it was the love he emitted, or the fact he cared deeply about everyone and everything around him.
After all the seniors had gone to bed, Jim and Susanne checked on them and made sure they were snug in bed before they went to sleep themselves. Tomorrow would be the day of the finals, and everyone would be on edge. But with breathing exercises, calming Tai Chi and some prayers before taking tests and writing essays in the dreaded blue books, the students would be positive about any question that the teachers had given them.
Epilogue
By the time the students had completed their finals, they had waited in the cyber-cafe not too far away from Kadic until the results were completed. Thanks to the uber rapid computer system, the tests had been graded in less than 4 hours. Once all tests had been double checked, the principal was impressed. Not one test had been failed. When Jim and Susanne had gotten word of the students doing so well, they gave them their promised party in the auditorium.
Everything was provided, down to the last detail. Though the Warriors provided the main music, there had been a DJ that came to make sure the party got off to a resounding start. The Djs had come completely of their own will and didn't expect to be compensated for their work, but they would be paid in all due time. As the students danced to the beat of the electronic drums and the myriads of different styles the Djs created.
Jim and Susanne had made certain the students had gotten their orders of food from the local fast food joint as they had requested during the beginning of the celebration. The delivery crew came in with tons of burgers and fries along with fountain-fresh soda for the students.
Odd grabbed a root beer bottle and clinked it with another soda bottle that Ulrich had in his grasp.
"Salud, my friend !", Odd said, loudly. The rest of the students, even the faculty, heeded the call.
"SALUD !" the students responded, as well as the faculty. Everyone had raised a bottle of soda in celebration, and taken a long swig. Dancing, eating, singing and plenty of laughter echoed throughout the halls of the auditorium. Albeit Principal Jean-Pierre wasn't keen on the idea of fast food, he knew that the students weren't overindulging he had no complaints.
The celebrations continued long into the next day until everything had to be cleaned up.
The bill for the final expenses had been paid and everyone had gone to sleep. Commencement wouldn't begin until the weekend, which was only a few days away. Family and friends would be reunited and it would be a day none of them would ever forget.
When Saturday came, emotions were running the gammut but the students were euphoric that they would be graduating with honors and the top scores in the entirety of France. It was quite a feat to have accomplished this, and everyone was too humble to have admitted that.
Emily was sitting among her mom and dad as she applauded her guardians. She wondered when she would ever become a part of their team, but she was too young as for now. She had her morpher when the right time came, and she would be a great asset to them.
Before the students tossed their mortar boards to the skies with a loud cry of freedom, Emily whistled shrilly like daddy had taught her to do. She was the shrillest whistle in the crowd, and the praise came from the core of her being. For such a little girl, she had boundless energy and spirit.
When the festivities had come to a close, the students had left Kadic and the hallowed halls had become quiet. Jim looked at Susanne and a tear rolled down his cheek. No one but Susanne ever saw him cry, but she knew he had his reasons.
"I know it's hard to let them go. We'll see them again, I feel it in my heart.", Susanne said, embracing her husband close and running her hand through his brown hair tenderly. He closed his eyes as she dried away his tears with a soft kiss to his eyelids. He sniffled a bit.
"I bet you're right, Susie my dear.", Jim said. The two walked arm in arm down the halls together and left Kadic after switching off all the lights. They soon walked back to their house which was only a few blocks away from the school itself. Emily was already tucked in bed, fast asleep, looking adorable and beatific. If angels came in human form, she was one.
Susanne sighed blissfully as she curled close to Jim and gazed deeply into his eyes. She kissed him lovingly before she fell asleep by his side. Jim couldn't help but smile again looking at Susanne in her slumber. Asleep or awake, she was gorgeous. Jim couldn't have developed the idea for a celebration if it hadn't had been for her sugguestion. She was the completion of his unborn thoughts, whatever they were. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, knowing this and the fact that he would be seeing his friends again someday. It might be a while before he saw them again and matters might've changed somewhat. But they would always remain children to him in his paternal eyes. He and Susanne would never stop loving them, no matter where they were, what they did, or what they became. They were family and love, more than blood, was thicker than any human or man-made substance.
The End
Decemeber 7, 2006
Dedicated to the fallen and survivors of Pearl Harbor