A/N: Okay, so first thing's first. This is where I magicalfairy12 take over andplease don't hate me for taking over the story. I know Anime Bubbles and I have different writing styles, but I'm trying my best to write like her. But its hard. So, if you don't like the job I've done, just don't read it, okay? Don't flame, because I already know some of you won't like it. Anyway, if you flame, it would make me feel terrible, like I'm not doing a good enough job of continuing her story and I'm trying my best. It's all the original plotline, by the way, so the mastermind behindthis whole thing is still your beloved Anime Bubbles (who came up with a fantastic story for your guys here so you should totally thank her if you get the chance). I'm just putting her masterpiece into words.

Yumi woke up with a headache. Groaning she went to the bathroom and felt around for the medicine cabinet. Not finding it where it was supposed to be, she finally tried opening her eyes more than a smidgen. The bathroom was unfamiliar.

"Yumi?" Aelita's voice rang through the apartment. Aelita appeared at the door of the small bathroom as she watched Yumi grope around blindly. "Yumi, what are you doing?"

"Where are the aspirins?"

"If only your enemies could see you now. I'm pretty sure they would laugh." Aelita made her way over to where the medicine cabinet was and took out a bottle of aspirins, handing it to Yumi.

"Thanks."

"Where were you last night anyway? You disappeared."

"It's what I do best," Yumi said, gulping down some aspirins without water.

"But you don't do it from your partner," Aelita said, frowning at Yumi. "And I like what you did with your hair. Nice color."

Yumi's eyes flew open, fully awake. She practically pushed Aelita aside to get to the small mirror. "Shit, shit," she said, examining her light brown and streaked dirty blonde hair by holding a few strands away from her head. "I have got to get this out."

Aelita snorted. "Good luck with that. Thirty showers will probably do it."

Yumi leaned against the sink and closed her eyes briefly. Then she opened them again. "I'll just get it re-dyed. Crap, this is going to be so bad on my hair."

"Since when did you care about your hair?"

"Since I got the job."

Aelita froze. "What job?"

Yumi turned to face her bewildered and slightly angry partner. Yumi swallowed slowly and grabbed Aelita by the shoulders, pushing her out of the bathroom. "I think you might have to sit down for this."

Aelita scowled as Yumi maneuvered her to the couch. "I have a feeling I won't be liking what I'm hearing."

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Aelita and Yumi dressed in all black that night. Yumi was just pulling on one of her black leather high-heeled boots when her cell phone rang loudly on the counter. She lunged for it and checked the number. Theo. Typical.

"What?" Yumi said irritably into the phone, continuing with her zipping.

"Where have you been all day? I kind of expected you at the gym."

"Since when do you expect me to be anywhere with you?"

"Look, Yumi, I'm sorry if you are mad at me for bitching at that Ulrich guy, but I'm worried about you. I have never known you to skip out on a day at the gym."

"Theo, this really isn't a good time to talk, okay? Lita and I are just ready to head out. But if you really want to know why I wasn't at the gym, I'll tell you and it's actually kind of embarrassing."

"What?"

"I was having a bad hair day."

"Yumi! I am not joking, okay?"

"And neither am I. Look I have to go. I'll call you back or whatever, okay? I just need to go."

"Yumi! Yumi, just talk…"

Yumi ended the phone conversation with a push of the button and put her cell phone back on the counter. "Sorry, Theo. You and your worries will have to wait."

Aelita stood impatiently at the door, tapping the hardwood floor with her high-heeled boots that were identical with Yumi's. "About time you hung up on him. We have got to go."

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"So this is what it feels like with black hair," Aelita said, swishing around her newly dyed locks. "I kind of feel…exotic." Aelita did a twirl, her hair making swooshing noises.

Yumi couldn't help but give an amused snort. "Believe me, it kind of gets less exotic when you have it as your natural hair color."

"Well, its not my natural hair color. So now I'm exotic."

"You are not exotic. You are Lina. Got it?"

"I am Lina the exotic wonder."

"Oh please."

They were in an elevator on the way to the top floor of a very industrial looking building. Yumi and Aelita stopped joking around as they neared the top. The ding that sounded when they reached their destination seemed to echo in their minds as the doors slid open.

Odd Demitri was smiling at them in a gentlemen like fashion.

"I had a feeling you'd be back, Yuliana."

Yumi walked out from the elevator with Aelita close behind her, her mouth now set into a firm, business-like line. As Yumi brushed past Odd, she said, "We are not on first name terms yet, Odd Demitri."

Odd nodded respectfully and followed Yumi and her partner in. "So we aren't, Yuliana Imshi."

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"So you're back," Ulrich said from the swivel chair he was sitting in. Yumi had a strong desire to wipe that haughty smirk off his face. Instead she just gave him a curt nod and seated herself in a chair a good ways away from the one he was at. Aelita sat down beside Yumi.

"I knew you would," Ulrich continued, turning to face them. "People like you are too greedy."

He got no reaction.

"Or, perhaps, it was my manly charm. That's it, isn't it, Yuliana?"

Yumi gave him an icy glance. "An apology will suffice, Ulrike."

Ulrich snorted. "For what?"

Yumi retained her cool demeanor. "For being an insolent bastard." Then she pretended like she was thinking. "Oh wait, I forgot. You just can't help being what you are. Forget the apology then. Let's get down to business." Yumi leaned forward onto the table, her hands clasped in front of her, waiting.

"Oh, sassy," Ulrich said, his smirk growing wider. "More spirit than last time, I must say. It's an improvement. Who's the raven haired girl?"

"I'm her partner, Lina. And I don't really take shit from guys like you, or just guys in general, so lets get to the point. Car insurance company guy."

"Wasting no time, I see," Ulrich observed.

"I recall that last time you made it clear that you don't like to waste time either," Yumi said evenly, examining her fingernails in an act of boredom.

Ulrich paused for a moment, leaning back comfortably in his swivel chair. Then he turned to face the center of the table, two fingers on his mouth. "Okay, then. Let's get started." The hologram from the day before shimmered into view.

"So, picking up from yesterday," Odd cut in professionally. "We've gotten threats and messages from this guy dubbing himself by AAA. Once again, we have no clue who this lunatic is. Jeremiah?"

The doors slid open on their right and a blonde haired man with thick-rimmed black glasses walked in, carrying a small hand-sized tape player/recorder. Yumi regarded him suspiciously, instinctively running an eye up and down his fairly skinny body, checking if he could potentially be carrying any sort of weapon. Aelita next to her did the same, starting from the feet up. When she finally got to the man's face, she had to swallow down a gasp. That was pretty good looking Jeremiah.

Jeremiah walked to the table and set down the tape recorder on the table right in between Yumi and Ulrich, who both were looking down at it. Odd introduced the newcomer as this was happening. "This is Jeremiah Bishop. He is a weapons specialist and will be equipping us on this mission."

Jeremiah gave no one in particular a small smile. "It's what I do best." He nodded to Yumi and Aelita. Aelita could feel herself getting hot when he gave that small smile. She wished suddenly that she hadn't worn a heavy trench coat. Screw you, Yumi.

Jeremiah pressed the play button on the tape recorder and stepped back a little. It crackled and there was a lot of buzz. The message wasn't clear but Yumi could catch "virus" and "XANA". The whole message was also hard to hear because it was done completely in a whisper. Yumi made a mental note of that. This guy had some idea of what he was doing. When using voice identification, whispers were harder to identify than a regular speaking voice.

Once the message died, Jeremiah stopped the tape and took the tape recorder back in his hand. He then stepped away from the table again and stood next to Odd. Aelita tried to keep herself from staring at him. She focused painfully hard on the hologram that was spinning in front of her.

It seemed to be some sort of arcade place. She couldn't help but look away from the hologram in surprise, but she made sure she was only looking at Ulrike in surprise. "We're going to be sneaking into an normal gaming arcade?" she asked him, incredulous.

Ulrich smiled slyly. "We'll be going in broad daylight."

"But how are we going to sneak in if its broad daylig—"

"We're not sneaking in, Lina. We're going to do some research. Ask a few questions," Yumi quickly cut off her partner. She had seen Ulrike getting a little cocky in his smile over there. Yumi wasn't ready to get bested by Ulrike, not now and not ever.

"That's right," Odd cut in when he saw Ulrich open his mouth, no doubt for a cutting reply. Odd wasn't going to allow any more time to be wasted for the sake of Ulrich trying to sound smart. "We'll be going to several arcades during the next couple of days. We thought that since this guy was obvious a computer geek…"—here he turned to the blonde haired man standing dutifully next to him—"…no offense, Jeremiah, that we would start where most of them are: at arcades and cyber cafes." As Odd spoke, the holograms flashed through three more 3D models ofvarious buildings that were the best known among the geeks around town.

Ulrich smirked at the two girls when the hologram turned off and the slightly dimmed lights went back to normal. "You think you can handle it so far?"

Yumi stared back at him evenly. "Piece of cake." Then she turned to Odd and Jeremiah. "Even so, you said that Jeremiah was going to be equipping us with weapons?"

"Yes, well…" Odd started.

"You don't honestly expect that we'll equip you and your partner today, did you Yuliana?" Ulrich cut off his partner. He gave a hearty laugh and watched for Yumi's response.

"Why not?" Yumi demanded. "What if we need it?"

"So what if you do? Either die or defend yourself with your own weapons that I know you've got. Don't pretend you're defenseless." Ulrich leaned into the table to get closer to Yumi. "Did you really think we were that thick? Equip you with weapons now so later you can back out of the job but still keep our technology." Ulrich narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. "I don't think so."

"What makes you think that I'll back out, Ulrike?" Yumi said in a hard tone.

"Nothing. But that doesn't give me a reason to trust you."

Yumi narrowed her eyes back at Ulrich this time and the tension fizzled. Then Yumi abruptly stood up. Aelita was quick to also do so. They both started for the elevator door.

Odd glared at the back of Ulrich's head and called after the girls quickly. "Meet us here, three o'clock tomorrow."

"We'll be here," Yumi said firmly and walked into the elevator as it arrived and the door slid open. Aelita took the opportunity to take one last glance at Jeremiah as the doors slid shut. He happened to catch her eye and while they had eye contact, he smiled slightly and winked at her. Then the elevator was speeding its way downward back to the ground.

A/N: I truly hope you liked it:D Thanks for reading.