Code X.A.N.A: Succession
Chapter 2:New Year, New Kadic, Same Sissy
Hey everyone. OmegaShadow0999 here. Welcome to chapter 2 of Code X.A.N.A: Succession. I would have made an author's note last chapter, but I just figured it out. Anyway, from now on I'll be switching back and forth between P.O.V.'s, just to show you what all the characters are thinking. While the original Lyoko Warriors will no longer be focused on, seeing as how this is years later, they'll be making cameos from time to time. X.A.N.A will be the only original characters that is really paid attention too. Why? Because it's/she's(hint hint) a badass. On with the story!
12 years later…
(?'s P.O.V.)
As my parent's car rolls closer to my new school, I run my hand through the slight tuft of hair sticking out of the front of my backwards red baseball cap. My chest is tight with anticipation. I'd heard a lot about Kadic Academy, mostly from the TV graduations. My older brother had just graduated last year, and he assured me that I had nothing to worry about. Well, actually two things. Getting lost and the gym teacher. Apparently he'd been teaching for the last thirty years or so. There were confirmed rumors that he could still catch a student that had a five-second head start.
To relieve some of my anxiety, I text my friend Mephiles, who was kicked out of his last school and has to come here. Actually, his full name is Mephistopheles Fuhrer, but Mephiles is so much easier.
Hey, got any gadgets with you?
Cams, blams, and biscuits.
That was our code phrase. It meant he had supplies. Exactly which, one never knew, aside from what could be taken from the phrase itself: security cameras, mini homemade explosives (perfect for a small pantry raid), and snacks.
We finally pulled up to the main gates, and I start to seize up.
"Okay Riley, we're here," my mom says. Yeah, as if I didn't notice. And I'm having a fricking heart attack!
The trunk pops open and my dad gets out to get my luggage. I look behind us; the same thing is happening with just about every other kid. Parents saying goodbye to kids pale as ghosts and overloaded with luggage.
I gather up enough courage to get out of the car, mostly to stretch my cramped legs. I look around for Mephiles, but he isn't here.
I turn to see my dad close the trunk of the car and move the rest of my luggage onto the sidewalk. He has that look in his eyes again, and I know he won't let me go without a speech.
"Son," He says simply.
"Dad," I reply.
His eyes shine with pride and kindness. He opens his arms. I step forward and he hugs me tightly. Then he holds me at arm's length, his face serious.
"Now son, if you need anything, call us. You know we'll be there."
"Yeah dad, we've been over this a million times."
He chuckles and punches my arm lightly. "Build something for me, eh?"
I pat my ever-present tool belt, the perfect thing for a mechanic on the go.
"You know I will."
He smiles and gets in the car. My mom rolls down the window and waves as he starts the car.
"Bye, honey! Be good!"
"I will mom. Bye."
She blows me a kiss and rolls up the window. I wave as they drive off. As soon as they are out of sight, I sigh, pick up my power tool-laden backpack, grab my suitcases, and proceed into Kadic Academy.
My new home.
(?'s P.O.V.)
I look at the lady in front of me, slightly fearful. Two minutes, and I've already run into the principal.
"And who might you be?" she asks. She is wearing glasses at the end of her nose. Her hair is tied into a neat bun, and she is dressed in dress pants and shirt. There is a small pink heart pinned to her shirt. She is, surprisingly, very young looking. Late twenties, I'd say.
"Uh, Jeremiah Belpois, miss." I say nervously.
She raises an eyebrow and looks at me scornfully. "Belpois, hmm? Well, you'd better not cause any trouble, or you'll be in it real deep." With that, she turns and marches away, putting something on her checklist.
I check the letter I had received earlier this summer. It was a map of Kadic, and my room was highlighted in blue. I flipped it over to check my class schedule quickly, then I fold it up and haul my luggage behind me. In retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have lugged my desktop all the way here…
After lugging my luggage up several flights of stairs, and taking a brief moment to appreciate the verbal irony, I begin trawling through the floor to find my room.
"501…503…yes! 505, here we are."
I set my bags down and take out my key. I open the door, and one of the sparsest rooms I have ever seen greets me.
The walls are painted a tan color, and there is a large single window from which the entire courtyard is spread out below. There is a single bed on my right, and a small closet to my left. There is a desk out in front of the window. Other than that, there is nothing.
I haul my bags in and sit down on the uncovered bed, letting out a deep sigh. I stretch for a moment, then begin rooting through my suitcase.
"Here we are..." I mutter to myself as I pull out my plain blue bedsheets. I lay them on my bed and begin to tuck in the corners. No sooner than I finish, there is a knock on my door.
"It's open," I say, getting my sheets out.
"Ah, you must be Mr. Belpois, yes?" A man with glasses and a bushy moustache opens the door. He is dressed in a white lab coat. He holds out his hand.
"My name is Mr. Duplin, and I am your new science teacher." We shake hands. "I just wanted to stop by and tell you that there will be an assembly in about twenty minutes. It'll be in the auditorium, and afterwards you may go eat dinner at the cafeteria."
"Thank you," I say. Mr. Duplin smiles and walks out. I put my comforter on the bed and start taking out my desktop set. I smile, remembering my dad's pictures of his room. I decide to place it so I can see the door when I sit down. I take a brief moment to look out at the courtyard and the sunset. I check my watch. Twenty minutes to configure an entire computer setup?
Give me something my dad didn't teach me already.
(?'s P.O.V.)
My head is on my hand, because I'm totally bored. This chick started off with "Hello, my name is Ms. Delmas, and I am…" and then descended into worthless yapping. I pat my stomach as it growls, and I check my phone. 7:31.
And she won't shut up for another hour.
So, instead of suffering the noise, I whip out my ear buds and jam the into my ears. Turning my music player on, I start listening to my rock band, the Depth Chargers. My head starts bobbing as my guitar solo comes on, and at first, nobody notices. But as the music builds, it takes every ounce of will in my body to not jump up and start playing the air guitar to the notes I've memorized for hours.
Unfortunately, when the music reaches its peak, I can't resist swinging my head in a circle, and as soon as I stop swinging, somebody snatches the bud out of my right ear.
Bad move.
I turn the music off, take out the other bud, and glare at the kid to my right. He is wearing a red backwards baseball cap, with a small tuft of hair sticking out. He has an dark gold shirt on that is splattered with a few oil stains, and a pair of dark denim jeans.
"Watch it," he says.
"Well then YOU do something about HER," I say, nodding my head in Ms. Delmas's direction.
"Fine," he says. He turns and looks about the room. Following his gaze, I see he's looking at the wireless speakers. He then takes out a small device and depresses a button on it. He checks for any teachers who might be looking. He then tosses it onto the speaker closest to us. After it hits the speaker, Ms. Delmas' voice is drowned out by static, which quickly turns to "Ten Billion Bottles of Beer on the Wall, Ten Billion Bottles of Beer…"
One group of kids takes the initiative to get up and leave as soon as the first stanza is finished. Some of us hold out, but the entire assembly vanishes to the cafeteria in about forty seconds.
Me and the other kid get up and face each other, and I now have a grin plastered on my face.
"Nice work kid. Need some company at dinner?"
He shrugs. "I guess. I'm sure Mephiles won't mind."
I raise an eyebrow. "Mephiles? Your friend's name is Mephiles?"
He grins. "Actually, it's Mephistophiles, but that's a bit too long."
I laugh. "Speak of the devil."
He shakes his head and holds out his hand. "I'm Riley Arados."
We shake. "Ampalia Polis."
(?'s P.O.V.)
I pick at me food lazily. Riley's late again. He'd better not be…
I look up and see him walking in with a girl. She is about his height, with a royal purple long sleeved shirt and dark pink knee-length shorts. Her brown hair is a little lower than her shoulders, and she's grinning and laughing as Riley talks. Normally that wouldn't bug me, but she's got that face that says Do not screw with me or else. But one thing is wrong here.
Riley's with a girl.
A hot, badass girl.
That defies the laws of Riley's life. He is not supposed to get a girlfriend. Not before me.
I get up and walk as fast as possible while not being suspicious. We stop right in front of each other, and I'm tapping my foot.
"Hey Mephiles," he says casually, holding his dinner tray. His 'girl' is looking me over.
"You're not going to win, Riley," I say. His female companion looks at him quizzically.
"He and I made a bet when we were five on who would get a girlfriend first. Neither of us has won yet. I said to let it go a month ago, but he still insists."
The girl turns to me. "Ampalia Polis," she says, making a mock curtsy. "Nice poncho."
I wink at her. "It hides a lot of stuff." I take my dagger out of its sheath, then slide it back in just enough for her to hear the shishink of the metal. She starts laughing.
We head back to my table and sit down with our food. I start shoveling it in. A few bits of food drop on my poncho, but since it's already dirt brown, I don't care. Riley is talking to Ampalia in between mouthfuls, and she is laughing and taking swigs of her milk carton like it's a beer keg.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see a really neatly dressed dirty blonde kid walk up to us. He has glasses (no surprise there), a sky blue sweater, and khaki pants. In essence, a modern geek.
"Is this seat taken?" he asks, pointing to the seat next to me. I wave my hand dismissively. "Sure kid, we could use one more."
He sits down, and immediately all eyes are on him. His head lowers. Honestly, I can't blame him. I was like that up until last year. And of course, Riley says the first thing.
"So what's your name?" He asks with a smile.
"Uh…Jeremiah…" he says quietly. I give him a friendly slap on the back.
"Well Jeremiah, welcome to our little group. You're lucky number four." He smiles weakly. I can tell he wants to talk, but he's brains, not social.
"Ah, don't worry. You'll loosen up." He smiles again and turns his attention to his food.
"Well, I don't know about loosening up, but can I be number five?" A female voice asks. We all look at the next newcomer, and I'm shocked.
Dun Dun Duuunn! Guess who's next to be introduced?
