Recently, I've been watching an awful lot of Code Lyoko and my passion for the series has been brought back. It never really left me but I didn't feel the need to write my own story based on the series unlike Bakugan which for me is in a mind block so I haven't updated that either but I will at some point.

Anyway, this story basically focuses on my main mysterious character Domino Lily who has her fair share of secrets and she isn't willing to share them with anyone. She has spent the last five years as a prisoner of Xana but she doesn't reveal why or what he wanted with her as she doesn't trust people as much as she should. Domino joins the Lyoko group but she still keeps them at a distance when it comes to anything about her but she is a strong soldier on the team.

This is different from my other Code Lyoko fics in the respect that this is much better than the others as I have gotten older which helped to improve my ideas, themes and overall stories. So please give it a chance!

This chapter is basically an introduction to the character and how she got there. It starts in season one and I'll follow that season for the most part but if I go on to cover the other seasons will be another story altogether...no pun intended.

Right, I should let you read on and I hope that you enjoy my new story. I'd love to hear what you think either good or bad because it helps to improve the story if I know what people think.

Chapter One: Domino Lily

I keep on running not sure where I am going but I managed to finally get out after all that time. I'm not going to complain about that. I see some of those creepers come towards me. A short sword manifests in my hand and I turn the blade around on me impaling myself to escape the virtual nightmare of Xana's capativity.

Spending those five years with the constant pain, torture and going through it every single day isn't something that I should remember fondly. I collapse not sure where I am but knowing that I am out of that hell pit is fine with me. It's finally back to life somewhat and back to reality in every sense of the word.

"Where did she come from?" A voice asks.

"I'm not entirely sure all I know is she was passed out in the scanner." Another says.

"She's a good looking girl though."

"What if it's a Xana trick?"

My eyes open not really taking the light that well. I shake my head feeling disorientated but that Xana name makes me sit right back up. I see a group of people not much older than me, I think they're the same age. This could be a ghost channel but why would Xana do that? It wouldn't actually achieve and besides I know the difference between reality and fantasy. Years of being in Lyoko taught me that.

"Where am I?" I ask standing up.

This computer lab I don't recognise. It's a new area and it's not home at least not my real home. This could be another factory connected to Lyoko but I thought only I knew about that. Can they be trusted or at least not be a threat? I look around the area like I've never been in actual reality. They aren't sure what to make of me. I guess I look like the threat to them.

"Domino Lily is my name." I introduce.

"Your real name?" Someone asks.

"No. That's something I keep to myself. It's easier that way at least for me."

It's strange to be back here or at least on Earth. It seems like a lifetime away. I wonder what home is like now. I might never find out. I must have just disappeared and fell off the grid. They'll never know and they must always be waiting. I wish I could find someway to let them know but something tells me that I should let things lie in the past besides this is a whole new world.

"This is the part where I learn who you are." I continue.

"I'm Jeremie. This is Odd, Ulrich and Yumi." He answers.

Huh, I never thought that guys like them would be involved with Lyoko. They must have found it accidently but there are some things I need to know. I need answers. I like the look of them, they seem harmless enough but so do I. Odd is the one who I can't seem to take my eyes off but it might be because he called me a 'good-looking girl'. I'm not really used to someone being so out there but I'm not even sure what I look like.

"So how come you were on Lyoko?" Yumi asks.

I can still feel it all like I never left. A shiver goes up my spine and then I shake the painful memories out as I think they might tear me apart if I keep on recalling them. Still, I can say what I want to say. They aren't exactly going to get anything out of me at least not that easily anyway. I've learnt to keep a lot of things to myself over the years.

"Xana. He wanted me and kept me prisoner for a long time."

"Why's that?" Ulrich questions.

"Classified."

"Classified?"

"No offense but I don't know you so I don't trust you."

I enter the elevator just heading up hoping to see something real for once. The lift heads up and I see actual sunlight for the first time in years. It's like a dream even though it's the most basic thing. I even feel goosebumps right now. I close my eyes feeling some form of spiritual ecstacy which is a rare feeling.

"It's daylight. That's the sky, the real sky." I gasp.

"You didn't see the sky on Lyoko?" Jeremie asks.

How much should I say here? I find it hard to believe that this group has any form of threat but it's better to stay on my guard just for the most obvious reasons. They mustn't know about Carthage yet so I'd rather not say something new and shock them. It could make me sound more suspicious which is something I should avoid at least for now.

"Not really. I guess it would been a plus to Xana if I did." I admit.

"It sounds like Xana really gave you a run for your money." Odd says.

I show a half smirk on my face. They have absolutely no idea what it was like but I don't expect them to. Everything I know and thought I knew seems to be so far away but so close at the same time. It's not like I haven't been on Earth before but time moves on and things have changed. Five years...it seems like the world I knew is gone.

"Something like that."

"Have you ever been on Earth before?" Jeremie asks.

"Yeah just it's been awhile since I was back in reality. Five years to be exact."

"You've been on Lyoko for five years but how come we never found you?"

"Again, classified."

I sigh overwhelmed by just about everything. The worst things come free but the best things are never noticed until they're taken from you. Weird how that works. Wait, these four must have somewhere to live because it's not like I do and I can't exactly admit that without going into care or something like that. My family is long gone from my life and I think I can barely remember a time when I was with them but then I always do...

"Where am I gonna go?" I ask.

"Well, we live in a boarding school so we could enroll you there." Jeremie suggests.

"Jeremie, we don't know anything about her and you're inviting her back with us?" Ulrich says untrustful.

I guess I'm not the only one who has some trust problems. I think in his case it's just because I'm unknown to say the least. How am I going to enroll as a boarder when I have no idea how to be like a normal student or at least normal enough?

"It works for me but my documents are out of reach." I agree.

"I can forge some for you." Jeremie says.

"I'll stay here tonight."

"Why? This place isn't exactly five star." Odd asks.

"You could stay at my place until you're enrolled." Yumi replies.

"I'd rather not. I want some time to myself." I shake my head.

"Suit yourself." Ulrich responds.

"Suits me fine." I reply.

I go back into the lift not feeling the need to have anymore of a conversation. My skills with others need to be improved on but five years of isolation would definitely effect them. They seem to be friendly enough but I'm not going to go any lengths and trust them immediately even though techinally they are my only link in this world.

It would be nice to finally experience sleep after five years and not be bothered by everything happening all at once at least not for some time. Everything that is so simple and basic is like the ultimate plus for me. The things you take for granted until they're gone is unbelievable. At least Xana won't be able to reach me here at least not so directly anymore.

My eyes open back in the main hall of this factory and I decide to actually venture outside and stand on the bridge. I don't why I didn't do it anytime last night but something made me afraid of going out just in case it wasn't actually real and it was a cruel trick created by Xana. He would have made it crueller by creating something from my memories.

"Morning, Princess." Odd says.

"Not a princess." I respond.

"She's not Aelita, Odd." Jeremie sighs.

Aelita? That names rings a very strong bell. Xana didn't really seem to like her that much but it's not like there were details about it considering he doesn't actually talk but with the way those monsters were sent after her, I can put two and two together. It took some attention away from me so I wasn't complaining.

"How was the first night on Earth?" Ulrich asks.

"Sleep is something that I don't think I knew how much I missed." I answer like it was an out-of-world experience.

"Well, sleeping in class isn't that bad either." Odd agrees.

"How did it go then?" I wonder.

"The principal agreed to letting you stay on at the school." Jeremie tells me.

Good to know so I have somewhere to live while I work things out and learn some things that need to be regained in some respects. Still, I can't go saying I came from a virtual world without sounding insane so I need to know my cover. It's another thing that makes things easier for me. Funny, something about starting school makes me regret wanting to have somewhere to go. Yeah, I am still a teenager as much as I experience things that aren't typical teenage moments.

"What's my cover story?"

"Jeremie said you were a distant family member and you're an orphan. You also come from America so you might be in some culture shock." Yumi says.

"Creative so I can be completely taken back by this place and no-one will question it. I like it." I comment.

I have a new home but there's something about Lyoko. I look back at the factory thinking about everything that happened with Xana. He made my life hell for the past five years and he can't get away with that.

"Are you okay?" Jeremie asks.

"I can't just walk away. Xana put me through all of that and he'll pay for that." I say quietly.

"You know, Xana attacks us on a daily basis. We stop him all the time, you know to save the world, so you might want to stick around in that case." Odd replies.

Annoy Xana? Save the world? Find my answers? Work out the real world? Get my own revenge? It sounds like a plan to me. I might be a fish out of water right now but that will fade eventually. I can finally do things my own way and not have to answer to anyone. There's no-one that really needs to know about me.

"You four are insane for doing this but I'll stay. It's not like I have anything else to keep me busy." I confirm.