"Confusion"

Pairing: XANAxSissixOdd It was evening at Kadic Junior High. Sissi was picking of a long-sleeved dress to wear for her date tonight with Odd. Her friend Michael had given her a nice dress, similar to the kind worn by female Irish dancers. Her Scottish friends Edna and Justin had also started giving her long socks as well, hand-created by their father Thomas.
Twirling around merrily, she modeled the dress in front of her full-length mirror, giggling girlishly. A familiar, deep, sensous voice came from the wind. "It suits you, my princess.", it whispered. "XANA ?", Sissi questioned. He then appeared next to her and stroked her arm.
"But of course. Who else were you expecting ?", XANA added with a dash of humor, which typically he never used unless he was berating or insulting her and the Warriors. Yet, his demeanor was completely different than usual as if he had some alterior motive. "I have a date with Odd tonight. Why are you here ?", Sissi questioned, not certain of whether she should be utterly furious at XANA coming in unannounced and trying to seduce her or the audacity of his presense to begin with. "I'm well aware of that. You seem to forget I can see everything from my lair in the scrying bowl. It only shows me what is occuring within real time...", XANA said before Sissi rudely cut him off. "Yes, but that doesn't answer the question as to why you are here !", Sissi finally burst out angrily. He could sense her fury and it only made him love her more. "I offer you something even more than DellaRobia could ever give you, my dear. He can give you happiness for only a little while. Unlike me, he's not immortal. Secondly, he can't give you everything your heart's ever desired.", XANA said, continuing to lightly stroke her arm. Of course, XANA had a point, but now her mind was muddled. A part of her wanted to take XANA up on his offer but her heart was deeply in love with Odd. "I need time to think about this. Please leave.", Sissi said as she quickly jerked her arm away. XANA, strangely, was a gentleman in this respect and left her immediately without saying a word. Sissi sat on her bed with her head in her hands. Why did this have to be so complicated ? Suddenly, as she was sitting on the edge of her bed, contemplating, Jim entered the room and sat down next to her. "What seems to be the matter, Elisabeth ?", Jim asked, curiously. "I have quite a dilemmna on my hands. On the one hand, I have a date with Odd tonight and I love him with every fiber of my being. Right before I'm ready to go out on a night on the town with him and out of nowhere, XANA appears !", Sissi began.
"He didn't harm you, did he ?", Jim said, becoming very protective. "No. Actually he offered me the chance for immortality and everything my heart has ever wanted. The materialistic and mortal side of me longs for that, and he *knows* it !", Sissi said. "My, that really is complicated. Did you tell him you weren't interested ?", Jim said, taking her hand, wondering why Sissi's romantic life had to be so incredibly interwoven and labaranthine. "Of *course* I did, Jim. I love Odd. Problem is, somewhere deep inside me, I love XANA as well. I know, it's all so stupid ! Why do I have to be so fickle and wishy-washy ?", Sissi asked, tears brimming in her chocolate eyes. "You're not. I'm sure most normal people go through this at your age. I would still go out on your date with Odd, it's only right. Have a good time, enjoy yourself and then sleep on it. Your heart will never lead you astray.
I hope I at least gave you some good advice. I know whatever you choose, you'll do well. I believe in you.", Jim said, hugging her. He kissed her cheek before she left to be picked up by Odd, who immediately complimented her on her lovely outfit and the way her hair was styled. Jim pointed at his watch. Sissi rolled her eyes. "I know, *Jim*. We'll be home before curfew.", she reminded. He grinned and chuckled. "That's my girl.", Jim thought as he waved the two of them goodbye and returned to his rounds marching the grounds and making certain all the students were untroubled and busy with their studies. Currently, they were. There were those who weren't studying, rather, they were finished, playing music, reading books or entertaining themselves with video games. It was far too dark for them to go outside and play but they had gotten in enough physical activity earlier. Jim secretly couldn't wait to be home with Suzanne and his daughters. Just the thought of them made him smile brilliantly. He wondered what Suzanne would be fixing tonight for dinner, and what Amy and Emily would talk to him about today. He sighed pleasantly. "Not much longer, and my sweethearts will welcome me with open arms."

"The Assassin"
Pairing: XANAxSissi

The date with Odd had gone magnificently. Odd had always been the perfect gentleman and treated Sissi like a queen. He was genteel, kind and tender, but also playful and entertaining to be around. Sissi never knew what to expect from him, but that is what made dating him such an adventure. The last thing that she had recieved from him after a small heart-shaped pendant that he had saved up quite a bit of money for was a sensational kiss. Sissi had heard that it was true French people like herself knew how to kiss well but they had nothing on how Romans initiated kisses. Their passion, soul and music could be sensed all in one smooch. Needless to say, it was quite impressive. "I hope we can go out again soon. I love being with you, Elisabeth.", Odd said, holding her momentarily before kissing her hand as he left. Sissi's heart fluttered as the sensation of his kiss lingered upon her skin. She soon went to bed, dreaming of the next time she would see her. Unbeknownst to her though, XANA had planned on killing Odd and taking his place. Once he was out of the picture, she would forget him completely.

Odd was ready to walk inside his dorm room when he noticed Sissi was there. He didn't think anything strange of this because he was already tired and was ready to go to sleep. "I wanted to thank you for our date tonight. I had a terrific time.", 'she' said, sweetly. "You're welcome.", Odd replied with a radiant smile. But no sooner had those words left his mouth that XANA had impaled him by forming his hand into the sharp point of a steel bayonette. "XANA ? But why ?", Odd coughed, spilling some blood onto the floor. He hadn't said many more words before his life force disappeared. Strangely, XANA had no idea that Odd had used Lyoko powers within the real world.
It wasn't exactly 'against the rules' so to speak but he had cast a 'revitalize/Lazarus' upon himself in the case of immenant death. For the moment, he would take the apperance of having had died but would only be asleep.
He would awaken tomorrow, but sadly he had no recourse to fight against XANA and his dastardly plots, whatever they were. Presently, all Odd could do was squirm uncomfortably in the prison of his unconcious.

XANA reappeared inconspicously in Sissi's room, easily sweeping her up into his arms. He had been so quiet that not even Jim, who stood guard over the children wasn't stirred by the swift movements XANA had made in the cover of darkness.
When Sissi had awakened, she found herself in XANA's lair and nearly screamed but XANA stopped her. "Why have you brought me here ?", Sissi questioned. "To show you all I have to offer, of course.", XANA said, his voice as smooth and charming as ever. He couldn't admit to her that he had just killed her one true love. Such a thing would be too tragic and devastating for her to bear. "Why ? Because you know my answer is still 'no'.", Sissi responded, crossing her arms and turning away from him.
"Yes, but you're inquisitive by nature. I can provide everything for you. Anything you want, whatever it is. You will never be without the finest this world and the entire universe can supply.
Ask me to take you someplace, and I can whisk you there in a moment simply by teleportation. Just say the word, my darling. The cosmos is your oyster.", XANA said. All of what he said was revealed as he spoke and everything he mentioned was tantalizingly tempting, but the thought of immortality made her realize that she would watch her friends die while she still lived. Such a thing was horribly selfish as well as terribly lonely. "Allow me to think on this a bit longer.", Sissi stated. XANA sweetly held her from behind and caressed her face. "Don't deny your love for me...I know you still love me. And I still long for you. I won't let you go so easily, my butterfly.", XANA said, kissing her cheek lovingly. A shiver passed through Sissi's frame long after the kiss traveled through her and no sooner had he kissed her had he disappeared once more and she had been returned to her room.
Shuddering, she rapidly wrapped a blanket around her and hugged herself to keep warm. She shut her eyes and eventually went to sleep, but her mind was still troubled.

"The Confrontation" Pairing:XANA X Sissi X Odd

Sissi shook her head from left to right. Incidentally, her heart had been torn between the two men she adored endlessly. She had been angered at XANA for assassinating Odd but she knew that the Lazarus spell had taken effect and soon he would be back with her. She had experienced men fighting over her before, but never to this extent. She knew once Odd awoke, he would be fighting against XANA for his right to have Sissi as his own.
Sissi felt guilty for loving the both of them. In her mind's eye, she hadn't done anything wrong, nor had she led either of them on. Her affections were straight forward and without question. She didn't understand why this had to be happening to her now.
It all seemed so inconvient, so trivial. She felt like crying. She didn't want two men fighting over her but she wasn't certain on how to stop them from doing so.

Jim noticed that Sissi seemed a bit depressed during Pencat Silat practice, which wasn't like her at all. "What's wrong, dear ?", he asked her, wrapping his arm around her affectionately. "TWo men are fighting for my affections, or, they soon will be if I don't figure out a way for them to avoid confrontation.", Sissi said, in a dejected tone. "That is a problem indeed. When I was a teen, I had issues like that too.", Jim admitted. "What did you do ?", Sissi asked, looking hopeful. "I told them the truth. My heart let me know who was the right choice for me. Measure the decisions of your heart and mind together, and your intuition will see me through.
That's what led me to Suzanne and I haven't looked back since.", Jim responded. "What if it doesn't work ?", Sissi questioned. "Then let them work it out.", Jim answered. Sissi snorted. "That really doesn't help much at all. Someone could get hurt !", Sissi exclaimed in frustration.
"I know but in essense it really is up to them after all after you tell them the truth, honey.", Jim confessed. Sissi shrugged. Jim *did* have a point, even if it wasn't what she wanted to hear. She would talk to the both of them in order to stop a heated battle.

That evening, like clockwork, XANA had come to visit her again, but he wasn't alone. Odd was racing in front of him, pushing him out of the way to get to Sissi first. "Why can't you just *stay down* when you are smitten ?!", XANA yelled. Sissi ran toward them, pleading with them to stop. "Sissi ! I am so relieved this rogue didn't do anything to you !", Odd said, running in front of him before XANA tried to grab him by the arm and throw him to the ground again.
Sissi yelled at the top of her lungs. "STOP ! Enough ! Cease ! Desist ! Enough already !", she screamed in exhasperation. The two stopped their tussle before it ever began. "Even though it goes against my better logic, I believe darling Sissi has an exceptional point.", XANA said, letting go of Odd's arm. Defiantly, Odd pulled away, sneering at him. "You look as if you have something important to say, dear. Go ahead...we're listening.", Odd said. The two men stood, silently, genteel and curteous. "I do, Odd. I have been thinking about the both of you. I know, unfortunately, I have to hurt one of you because I am a one man woman. I cannot date you *both*. I am by no means a 'scarlet woman' or a 'woman having loose morale'. XANA, you know I am fond of you, but eternity doesn't sound that inviting to me. It seems that with you, I would never be alone, but I would begin missing my friends.
I would see my family, loved ones, friends, relatives, everyone...withering away and dying. Thanks but, I'd rather grow old and die with one I love rather than watching everything decay around me.", Sissi said.
XANA seemed crushed and realized he had accepted his defeat like a man. For once, he felt glad he didn't raise a hand in anger or spill any blood. Before it hadn't worked anyhow. Sissi had desplayed her true affections by casting the Lazarus spell anyhow. She wouldn't have done such an altruistic act if she hadn't felt strongly for him. He was the obvious choice from all along. Although he felt dejected from his loss, he knew he could never truly buy Sissi or own her. His approach to romance had been all wrong, and although it hurt him deeply he knew when to walk away with his dignity. "The better man one the fair maiden. If love is meant in my future, it shall be done. For now, I will take my leave and thank the lovely Elisabeth for teaching a being such as myself what true love is all about.", XANA said, disappearing in an alphanumerical sequence and digitally fragmenting himself back into Lyoko. Odd came toward Elisabeth and smiled sheepishly. "So, where do we start ? I think you should have the decision of where we go this fine night.", Odd said. Elisabeth chuckled. Jim's advice had been correct after all. Luckily the mens' better judgement had delivered them from any sort of fisticuffs. Sissi chortled, glad the whole ordeal was over with. Despite the fact she wasn't at all dressed for a formal date,
she decided to take Odd out to his favorite Italian restaurant. This was definitely a night for a celebration, calling for a supreme pizza with the *works*.

"Under the Stars"
Pairing: SissiXOdd

It had been a spellbinding evening, even if it was the same pizza joint they had gone to on numerous dates in the past. "You know, I often think of the future.", he said, as they walked out toward the parking lot and gazed at the sparkling stars above. The moon was full, clear and bright.
Magic seemed to crackle in the air and the atmosphere hummed of romance. "Really ?", Sissi responded, noticing Odd waxing philosophical. He usually wouldn't do so unless he was around her. It was a more intimate,
thoughtful side that no one else knew except for her. "Yes. Someday, I hope I can marry you. I can't see myself with anyone else. You always stick out in my mind as unique and wonderful.", Odd said, kissing her cheek gently.
Sissi's cheeks mantled magenta. "You know it is funny but I have too. Right now, I think it is better to enjoy life as well as our youth.", Sissi said as she cuddled up to Odd while they walked. They made it to Odd's bicycle. He wasn't old enough to drive a car but someday would. He lifted her up and placed her on the handlebars. "Hold on tight, dear !", he said as he began peddling down the curvy roads to Kadic.

As soon as they returned, he lifted her off the bars of his bicycle and into his arms, passionately kissing her. Under the stars, she could hear a symphony swelling in her heart and mind.
For about an hour of kissing him, she was lost in another dimension completely. She wanted to stay there but knew lingering any longer could have consequences. Curteously he broke the kiss, took her hand and led her to her dorm. "To many more dates with you and to our future, my lady.", he said, bowing in a genteel way. Elisabeth chuckled. Odd had a flair for the dramatic and adored 'flexing his muscles' for his darling so to speak. "I agree to that, my liegue.", Elisabeth said as their hands departed and they said their goodbyes. Odd sang 'Funiculi Funicula' as he left and Sissi sighed as she twirled and entered her room.
She knew tomorrow she'd have to thank Jim for his sage words. For the moment, sleep was calling her and she wisked herself away to her dorm where she vested herself in her night-time garments, settled into bed and dreamt of the myriads of dates she would have with her knight in shining armor. Life indeed, was sweet.