Through The Looking Glass And Back Again
By Revelias
This is the sequel to History is the witness to the passing of time. I hope that everyone enjoys it. As always any comments are highly appreciated.
I do not own CODE LYOKO. I wish I did but I don't. I am only borrowing them for the duration of this story. Any resemblance between the event within to any actual events are purely coincidental.
Kadic Academy was for most part void of life. Summer vacation had begun and most of the schools student body had left in order to spend the holiday with their families. During the next few months only a handful of students would remain on campus. The majority of which would divide their time between normal summer activities such as swimming, playing ball and hanging out with friends.
Sissy Delmas ,however, was not one of those kinds of students. She hated the summer. It had been during the summer that she had lost her mother. Since then summer always reminded her of the fun filled days that she and her mother had shared. However, after the accident summer cease to hold even the vaguest possibility of anything fun for the young girl.
The lose of her mother had affected Sissy more than anyone could understand. Outwardly she had appeared to cope with her mother's death as best as any child could. Inwardly, however, she had begun to build up barrier after barrier until her heart was closed off from everyone and she was left truly alone. It was only when Sissy was alone would she allow her defenses down. During these moments years of loneliness and sadness would escape from the prison of the young girls heart to allow her sort amount of relief before the barrier was raised again and the cycle repeated itself for yet another day.
Jeremie stood outside of Sissy's door listening to the crying girl inside. "I hope were doing the right thing." He thought to himself as he slid a sealed envelope under the door before talking a last glance back and heading off to his room to await the morning.
Aelita and Jeremie were waiting at the groups usual table when Ulrich, Odd, and Yumi arrived for breakfast.
"So did anyone get much sleep last night?" Yumi asked the others.
Odd gave her one of his usual clueless looks before he shrugged and replied. "You're kidding right? Every time I thought I was about to doze off visions of Sissy under Xana control hunting us down and killing us all crept into my mind." He replied dramatically before returning to his morning meal.
"Odd's paranoia aside, I spent a few hours designing Sissy an avatar in the event that we don't change our minds about bringing her into the group." Jeremie explained.
"Really, Jeremie, what will she look like?" Aelita asked completely failing to hide her child like curiosity.
"I don't really want to say to much because I was kinda hoping to keep it a surprise." The blond boy replied before taking a small bit of his toast.
"But Jeremie why should it be such a big surpr..." Yumi begin to ask before Ulrich cut her off in order to say "Good morning Sissy." Causing the group to turn towards the girl in question.
"Good morning everyone." She replied happily to the group.
Like many nights before Sissy had cried herself to sleep while remembering how she had spent most of the day without any other human interaction. It was only after sleep had overtaken her that her belittled mind had allowed her to dream of better days filled with friends and happiness. However, as with everything that Sissy counted as good in her life the happy dreams faded all to soon against the morning rays of the sun. Sissy had come to hate the morning just for that reason.
As she arose from bed and gathered her things for the shower Sissy hadn't thought that today would be any different from yesterday. However, if she was lucky than maybe Ulrich would visit her again. A dream she knew, but one which her fragile heart clung too.
Her things gathered she headed towards the shower room to begin her morning ritual when she noticed the envelope at her door.
She didn't really think much of it at first after all it wasn't uncommon for the school to deliver information to the students via fliers and letter left under the door. It was probably just some kind of note to let everyone what kind of activities were available to them during the break. Still she might as well take a few minuets to actually see what it was.
Reading the letter Sissy's heart began to fly. Jeremie and the others wanted her to meet them after breakfast. They wanted to talk with her, to get to know her, to try and become friends.
Again and again she read the invitation. Her mind raced with possibilities of the kinds of things she could talk to them about in order to impress them. No, she had to impress them, she had to win their friendship. After all this might be her last chance her mind screamed as she finally put aside the letter and rushed into the shower to prepare for the day.
Fifteen minuets later Sissy was dressed and walking in the direction of the cafeteria. What would she say, How should she act, she questioned herself until she was standing a few feet away from the cafeteria doors. "Remember what Ulrich told you, be yourself and let everyone get to know the real you." She told herself as she took a deep breath and nervously went to join the others.
"Good morning everyone." She replied to the group. "Jeremie I got your note, you said you wanted to see me, but if this is this a bad time I can wait till you are ready." She politely finished doing her best not to do anything that might ruin her chances with the group.
Jeremie glanced towards the other to see if anyone had any objections. However, seeing none he returned. "No its allright, would you like to join us?"
"Sure just let me get some fruit and I'll be right back." She said taking a moment to set her purse at an empty spot before she headed off to the fruit bar.
"Is it just me or does she seem really happy." Odd bewilderedly asked.
"It's not you Odd;" Ulrich replied, "If you thought that nobody liked you then suddenly someone invites you to join them for a meal and conversation you would be happy too." Ulrich finished as he and the others waited for Sissy to make her way back to the table.
"You know what Ulrich?" Odd begin watching the smiling face of the obviously happy girl approaching them "Happy really suits her."
The remainder of breakfast was spent in light conversation with the gang attempting to become better acquainted with Sissy. Although she was at the moment the focus of the groups attention Sissy managed to learn more about the individuals which she had for so long wished to befriend.
As everyone finished their meals the groups casual conversation begin to drift into a uneasy silence. As Sissy was the last to put her try away Jeremie and the others waited outside for her to join them.
"So how are going to handle this Jeremie?" Yumi asked hoping that the young genius had an ideal as to how they should proceed.
"I'll handle it, the rest of you go ahead to the factory and wait for us. That is unless anyone has changed their mind about telling her the truth?" Jeremie answered.
"All right, Einstein, we'll leave it to you to break the big news." Odd replied as he an Ulrich walked off confident that none of the others had any objections to Sissy being brought into the group.
"I guess that settles that." Yumi half laughed as she jogged off after the boys.
"I'm off too Jeremie." Aelita told the young man as she turned to join the others who had stopped a few feet ahead to wait for her.
"Aelita, before you go I need to ask you a favor." Jeremie spoke causing the pinked haired girl to pause before joining the rest of her friends.
"Yes Jeremie, what is it?" She asked giving him one of her smiles that always made him turn a several shades of pink.
"Once you get to the factory I need you to program a RTP, just in case... well you know." Jeremie asked with a clear sense of sadness in his voice.
Aelita gave her closes friend a reassuring smile before she turned to join the others saying, "I understand."
The rest of the group was just out of sight when Sissy joined Jeremie outside the cafeteria.
"So does this mean that the others have decide that I'm a lost cause" She asked from behind the boy.
"Nothing like that, we just thought that it would be best if you and I talked for a while before we rejoined the others. Are you willing to do that?" He asked looking into Sissy's hopeful eyes.
Sissy simply smiled and moved to Jeremie's side without hesitation pausing only long enough to wait for him to lead her in whatever direction he wished to go.
The two had been walking for a few moments before Jeremie began to speak. "Sissy, before we go any further I just want you to know that you will always have friends in myself and the others." He told the girl beside him.
"Thank you Jeremie, you don't know how much it means for me to hear that. I promise that I will never do anything to betray the trust you and the others have placed in me." She replied a moment before she grabbed the young man in a emotion filled hug.
Although surprised Jeremie endured Sissy's hug until she pulled away with a solemn look on her face and asked. "But there is something more you wanted to talk to me about isn't there?"
Pausing for a moment Jeremie only nodded before he and Sissy continued their long walk towards the factory.
"Sissy, you already know about Aelita but there is so much more I have to tell you before we meet up with the others." Jeremie began. "But most importantly, I need you to understand that what I tell you can never be spoken of outside our group." He continued as he watched the girl from the corner of his eye.
Sissy stopped in her tracks at that ominous way in which Jeremie was speaking. "I don't understand Jeremie. I know that all friends have their secrets but you sound as though the fate of the world may be at stake." She told her companion.
"That's because it is." He coldly responded. "Listen Sissy, if you don't think that you can handle this than tell me now before we go any further. We need to know that if you join us that we can count on you. Our lives and the lives of countless others depend on our being able to rely on one another no matter what the circumstances." Jeremie asked allowing her a few moments to consider what he was asking of her.
"I...I...I think, no I know, that I can help. I may not know exactly how just yet but if you give me the opportunity to prove myself than I'm sure that you want be disappointed. " Sissy said hoping that Jeremie wouldn't turn her away.
"Alright, lets keep going." He told her as he walked on after once more considering whether or not to continue.
Jeremie hoped that he had made the correct decision with Sissy. Still, even though he was determined to see this through to the end a part of him wanted to tell her to go back that she could never fit into the lives he and the others led. However, his better angels urged him not to give up on the girl to quickly. After all if all else failed the RTP would be ready to wipe out the events of the past forty-eight hours.
"Like I said before you already know that Aelita isn't really Odds cousin. What you don't know is the circumstances behind how we met her and the events of the last two years." Jeremie began as he related the entire story of the Lyoko Warriors, Franz Hopper, and XANA.
"Here they come." Aelita told the others as the factory's elevator lowered its occupants to the lab's control room.
No one said anything as Jeremie and Sissy stepped out and joined the others. Sissy could not believe that such a place could exist let alone be under the control of a group of teenagers.
"Welcome to Wonderland Alice." Odd spoke breaking the silence that had quickly dominated the room.
"So how did she handle it Jeremie? Yumi asked her friend as he moved to take is unusual seat in the control center.
"As well as could be expected, but I don't think she really believed me. So I think that in Sissy's case seeing is paramount to believing." Jeremie replied as a rye grin gracing his lips. "Aelita, Odd, and Yumi are you guys up for a quick trip?" He asked as he prepared to send his friends into Lyoko.
"Sure Jeremie." Aelita answered cheerfully as she and the others headed for the elevator.
"Sissy, come with us." Ulrich said as he took the girl's hand and led her back into the elevator. "And don't worry about a thing we have done this hundreds of times without any real...uh um well we've done this hundreds of times." He hesitantly said much to the disapproving glares of his friends.
"We don't want to worry her much now do we Ulrich?" Yumi said while swatting the back of his head for emphasis.
As the elevator doors opened Sissy looked as thought she had stepped into a scene straight out of a science fiction serial. Before her the three massive scanners stood primed for their occupants just as Jeremie had described to her earlier.
"It's all true." Sissy whispered.
"Yeah that was just about how we all reacted in the beginning." Odd chimed in as he, Yumi, and Aelita took their places inside the devices.
"Alright, here we go." Jeremie's voice called out from somewhere within the chamber. "Scanner Yumi, scanner Odd, scanner Aelita. Transfer Yumi, transfer Odd, transfer Aelita. Virtualzation." Jeremie called out each step of the transfer process before calling to the two remaining individuals. "Ulrich, Sissy if your done there please join me in control."
It took only a moment for Sissy and Ulrich to rejoin Jeremie in the control room where he was monitoring the team on Lyoko. "From here I can watch over everything that is happening with the group on Lyoko including all of their stats and enemy movements." Jeremie explained to Sissy who was intently watching the various displays before the genius.
"Yeah, besides being our leader, Jeremie makes sure that while were on Lyoko we have up to date information, transportation and weapons. The truth is that without him here at the controls none of us would last very long in the field." Ulrich spoke endearingly of his friend.
"I'm not surprised. Like, I told you before Ulrich you and the others are there for one another without question. So it doesn't surprise me that Jeremie does so much for you all while your on Lyoko." Sissy responded just as the computer alerted Jeremie of a potential problem.
"Jeremie, what is it?" Ulrich quickly asked.
"Yumi, Odd, Aelita XANA has sent two squadrons of wasps your way as well as two crabs and a mega tank. I'm sending your vehicles now. There is a tower close to your position, Head south south-west and I'll advise you en route." Jeremie informed his friends. "Ulrich, they might need you prepare to deploy."
"I'm on my way Jeremie." Ulrich responded already pressing the button for the elevator to take him to the scanner chamber.
"Is there anything that I can do Jeremie?" Sissy asked hoping to be of some help.
"Help me to monitor the situation. The screen to the left displays everyones health and weapon status. If anyone of them drops below fifty percent than use this to tell them immediately." Jeremie told the visibly shaking girl beside him. "Sissy everything will be alright. Don't worry about the others they'll get through this with no problems. I promise." He said reassuringly as he handed Sissy a second communication headset.
"I'm ready Jeremie." Ulrich called.
"Alright, scanner Ulrich, transfer Ulrich, Virtualzation." Jeremie quickly recited has he sent his friend to back up the others.
"Everyone listen up. The tower is a few meters in front of you but XANA has sent several blocks and wasps to intercept you. Ulrich head five degrees north-west and come from the left. Yumi and Aelita you handle the wasps and Odd back them up." Jeremie instructed with certainty.
The battle was over quickly and everyone returned home safely. The group spent the remainder of the day simply enjoying one each others company and sharing stories about their lives and experiences. Within the span of a day they had each learned a variety of new things about one another. Epically about their newest member Sissy. However, as with all things the day quickly came to an end and the group said their goodbyes for the evening.
It was four thirty when the alarm clocks of the Lyoko Warriors awoke their respected owners. An hour later the five friends found themselves in the living room of the Hermitage.
"So Jeremie, how did she do?" Yumi asked while stifling a yawn.
"Considering everything she did quite well, but I still think that we should wait a little longer before we allow her on Lyoko. After all once she goes through the process she will be immune from the TRP's." Jeremie warned the others.
"Well, I guess that would be for the best if you say so Jeremie." Odd, replied as he fought to stay awake.
"Jeremie, I was wondering about something?" Aelita questioned as she lifted her head from Jeremie's shoulder. "Just when did you come up with that training simulation?"
"Well, you see, I always figured that we might want to add someone else to the group someday. However, I realized that it would be suicide just to drop someone new onto Lyoko and tell them to fight the monsters. After all look how long it took you guys to get use to your powers and abilities. So in my free time I started working on a training program that would simulate all of XANA's monsters to varying numbers and varying degrees of difficulty." Jeremie explained to everyone.
"So you made a video game?" Odd simplified Jeremie's response.
"Well yes." Jeremie confirmed.
"if you ask me Jeremie I think that you should consider designing an easier way for us to use the supercomputer. Don't misunderstand we're all happy that you're the one at the controls but what if anything ever happens to you? Sure, Aelita can operate the system but she's also needed on Lyoko to deactivate the towers which means that she can't be both places at once. I just think that if there was a simplified way for any one of us to program vehicles of resupply weapons in an emergency than our chance for success would increase." Ulrich reasoned as the group made their way to the cafeteria for breakfast.
"I've been thinking about that as well. Ever since I was almost killed by one of XANA's specters I have been working on several quick launch routines that can be activated either on or off Lyoko by any of you." Jeremie told his friends. "However, they still need some work."
"What else have you been working on that you haven't told us about Einstein?" Odd curiously asked the boy generous.
"Now that my friend will just have to be a surprise." Jeremie responded as he and the others joined Sissy at the groups normal table.
"Good morning everyone." Sissy greeted warmly as her new friends took their seats around the table.
"Morning Sissy, did you sleep alright last night?" Odd asked.
"To be honest, for the first time in a long time I sleep really well." The girl replied flashing Odd a smile before taking a drink from her juice.
"What about you Odd? Did you sleep well last night?" Sissy asked politely.
"Odd always sleeps well, its everyone else on the floor who he keeps awake with his snoring." Ulrich jokingly answered.
"Funny." Odd returned as he finished off the slice of toast he had been eating.
The remainder of breakfast was spent talking, laughing and deciding on how they would spend the remainder of the day. Yumi, Aelita and Sissy decided that they would spend the day styling each others hair. While Odd and Ulrich decided that they would spend the day at the pool. Jeremie on the other hand decided to spend the day working in the factory on several projects he had been putting off over the past few weeks.
The next few days would prove to be learning experience for each member of the group. However, little did they know that at the very moment that they were welcoming their newest friend XANA was preparing to introduce the Lyoko Warriors to a being that would prove to be their greatest challenge to date.