Young at Heart
Note: After a freak accident after a return-to-the-past, Suzanne and Jim are reverted to being 16-years-old once again. Not realizing how this could've happened, the two adults decide to enjoy their youth for as long as the affect lasts. It soon wanes away and the group realizes the two adults have always been young at heart and that will never change.
Chapter 1—After the Battle
It had been a tiring war against Umbra for the entire team, and unfortunately, Jeramie had to implement a "return to the past". He had known now that the activation would cause Umbra to grow in power, but fortunately, he had been far less powerful than he had been in the past. Someday, with the help of XANA, they hoped to finish him off, but now they had a new problem on their hands.
"Hey, what happened ? Why are my clothes so loose on me ? Did I lose weight again ?!", Jim questioned, looking at how big his sleeves were hanging around his hands.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, honey, but you're 16.", Suzanne said, taken aback at how cute he was. She remembered how handsome he had been as a teen since she had met him for the first time around that age. Emily's eyes nearly bulged out of her head seeing her parents so young again.
"How did this occur ?", she asked, pointing to the two of her parents.
"I don't know ! Why didn't it happen to any of us ?", Patric asked.
"No idea really. Must've been from that return to the past. I have no other theory on how this could've happened.", Jeramie said.
"Can you reverse this effect ?", Suzanne questioned, trying to roll up her sleeves, which kept rolling over her hands and eating them whole. Aelita tried one of her spells, hoping it would do the trick, but apparently it did nothing. The other Warriors tried the same thing, but there was no change.
"We're sorry, mates.", Michael stated sadly.
"This is so wrong.", Emily said, hanging her head.
"Hey, maybe it won't be so bad…", Suzanne said, hugging her daughter from the side.
"God, grand me the serenity to change the things I can, to accept the things I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.", she said, sulking slightly. With her friends' help, she would get through this little endeavor.
Chapter 2—If You Can't Beat 'Em
The next day, Jim and Suzanne went by different names not to give themselves away. Hopefully, the youthful affect from the return to the past incident would be wearing off before long. James went by the name Diego, and Suzanne followed suit as his fraternal sister, Dominique. Fortunately, the two looked enough like they would be fraternal twins to fit the bill in their new outfits.
As Jim and Suzanne went to their different classes, they had already begun missing one another.
"It won't be much longer until lunch, and then I can be with my cuddle bunny again.", Jim thought to himself, getting warm and fuzzy thoughts just thinking about being close to Suzanne once more. He hadn't realized he missed her so much just by being apart from her. He had forgotten that he saw her almost constantly from the field from her classroom and after classes were over for the day, they'd jog in the nearby track hand in hand. He sighed and started doodling some incredibly detailed pictures of her. There was a cute African girl sitting next to him, named Ashanti.
"You're really amazing. How long have you been drawing ?", she said. He had recognized this young woman from before. She had taken Pencak Silat classes and was quite good at using weapons in combat and close-contact combat.
"Since I was young. By the way, I'm Diego. Nice to meet you.", James said, offering his hand to shake it. She shook it firmly and stroked it somewhat with her thumb as a sign of affection. Something told him she wanted a bit more than friendship. He blushed at the sudden flirtatious look he had gotten from the attractive young woman.
"Oh boy…I am in a heap of trouble.", he thought to himself, and nothing had even happened yet.
Similarly, Suzanne, in her new, youthful frame, had boys making passes at her wherever she turned. The two had bumped into each other at lunch and hugged each other happily.
"Man, the girls…they won't leave me be !", Jim said, his hand behind his head awkwardly.
"They won't come between us though. But isn't it strange ? These kids, there our students. I only had such a thing happen occasionally. Eventually the youngsters respectfully decline when I remind them of being married. But these boys !", Suzanne said, catching her breath. The two of them would be able to get through the day, but they would have to keep possible suitors at bay somehow.
Chapter 3—A Bit of Fun
James and Suzanne had been a bit upset that they were still 16, but they had managed to fend off their admirers. It had been a hectic day and the two of them were feeling horribly tired. Both of them were almost too tired to ride their bikes home. Suddenly, they were stopped by the rest of the gang who had been following behind them.
"Still hasn't worn off, has it ?", Taelia said, pointing out the obvious.
"Ya think ?", Jim retorted, with some irritation.
"Pity, I was hoping you could get us in to the latest 'R' rated movie showing. Kidding ! Kidding !", Odd added, laughing. Even Ulrich had to laugh at that joke, it was rather inventive.
"Why don't we make the most of this though ? Haven't you two ever wanted to go go-carting ?", Millie asked.
"Actually, yes, I have, Millie. Those didn't come out until we were a bit older. By that time, James and I were busy in our different endeavors. He was off fighting and I was studying.", Suzanne confessed.
"Come on, let's go ! We know the best place to go ! Follow us !", Tamiya added.
"I guess we follow our little water and fire spirits !", James chuckled. Getting back some energy from their enthusiasm, the two teens followed behind the youngest members of the Lyoko Warrior clan and the rest followed suit.
Before long, everyone was suited up for safety and chose a car to race. Each car reflected the team-members respective color. Each was taught how to drive their cart and given extra rules on how to avoid accidents. Soon, the race began, and the cars sped.
Ulrich, being extremely competitive, had caught up with his arch-rival William. The two of them were in contention to reach the finish line at the same time but Patric had passed them.
"Too slow !", Patric laughed heartily until he was being passed by Sam who gave him a friendly wink.
"Oh, you clever minx !", Patric retorted, girding his confidence and pressing his foot on the gas to catch up to her. He was soon passed by Sissi and before long Jim and Suzanne were catching up to them too. Jim and Suzanne had been trailing in the back of the line of other racers. Now they had found openings within the fourth and fifth position behind Aelita, Taelia and Tamiya. The girls had been dominating the race for a while until Jim and Suzanne overtook them.
"Adios, muchachas !", Jim said, laughing heartily.
"Hasta manana !", Suzanne added, milking her new character for all it was worth.
Before the girls could blink, the two had taken the checkered flag and emerged victorious.
Chapter 4—Everyone Wins
Jim and Suzanne laughed joyously as they both sat down on a bench to catch their breath. The go-cart race had been so rapid that they had to recollect themselves. Their friends had recently caught up with them. Nicholas and Herve had been the final victors in the race; a little subdued they had come in last.
"It's about time you two showed up. We're starving !", Odd said, his first and foremost thoughts about food. Nicholas hung his head shamefully.
"Don't worry about it, we're all winners.", Herve said, reassuringly, patting his friend's shoulder.
"He's right, you know.", Jim agreed.
"Thank you so much for this, everyone. I owe you. This was the best outing we have had in ages !", Suzanne said, with a huge smile. After they all caught a collective breath, and left the arena to enjoy some food together. None of them would ever forget how rapidly Suzanne and Jim had driven that evening. Jim and Suzanne would always hold onto that moment because they could feel they were returning to normal, but they knew they would always retain that childlike wonder they thought they nearly lost.
Epilogue
Everyone knew where "Diego" and "Dominique" went, even Ashanti, the only person none-the-wiser about the exchange students' whereabouts had been Jean-Pierre. Even if Sissi had explained to him what had happened, he would've never understood.
James and Suzanne had been glad the youthful effect on their bodies had worn off finally. Jeramie still couldn't figure out why the regression in age had occurred to begin with. His calculations and scientific data simply weren't adding up.
"I suppose we'll have to mark this as a supernatural phenomena.", Aelita stated, in a somewhat pedantic way.
"You know about all things phenomenal, dear. You are one of them.", Jeramie said, to which Aelita turned to him and smooched him passionately on the lips, taking his breath away. He certainly didn't see that little display of affection coming.
"Ooo, you dog you !", Odd said, teasing him, jabbing him playfully in the ribcage. Nevertheless, the spouse team was pleased that their little trip down memory lane was through. They had maintained their youth despite returning to their actual age. They had learned that they could have fun at any age, though, and having a trip to the go-cart arena had proven that. The two knew they would definitely have to keep having days in which they did nothing else but enjoy themselves, since life was short. Fortunately, with their extended family they wouldn't be noticing the numbers known as age, and not even time could rob them of the power of their minds and the strength of their friendship.
The End