Hello again everyone! Please review if you read. I take anonymous ones too! I hope you like this chapter. It's pretty suspenseful.

Chapter 4: Ice Rain

When the group returned from their late night trip, they found Chelsea already asleep in her bed so Ulrich walked Yumi home and everyone decided to clear things up with their new friend in the morning...and plan some payback on dearest Sissy.

Chelsea arose the next morning with a horrible feeeling in the pit of her stomach. With a sigh, she pulled on the second pair of clothing Aelita had lent her and walked out of the dorm to an early breakfast, moving quietly as not to wake Aelita.

Walking into the almost empty cafeteria, she was surprised to see Odd and Ulrich sitting and talking. Odd waved her over after she had gotten her food and she slowly began her way towards them. She glanced outside the windows as she sat to see large gray clouds rolling in.

"Hey Chelsea," Odd said with a grin. Chelsea looked to Ulrich in confusion who just smiled and kept eating.

As Chelsea kept silent, picking at her...strange looking food, Odd poked her in the shoulder. "We cleared things up last night. You can talk you know."

Chelsea sighed. "I know...I still feel really horrible."

"Hey, I wouldn't have hated you even if you were dating Ulrich," Odd said with a shrug. When Chelsea and Ulrich shot him a look he chuckled nervously. "Of course you aren't dating Ulrich so everything is fine anyway."

Chelsea sighed and rested her head on a hand. "So Yumi doesn't want to kill me?"

"No..." Ulrich said. he sort of spaced out right then and blushed when Odd and Chelsea stared. "What?"

"You asked her out, didn't you?" Chelsea asked.

Ulrich blushed deeper and nodded. "To the dance. She's going to try and make up her bad attitude to you."

Chelsea raised a brow. "Don't change the subject."

"So Chelsea," Ulrich began. "My sport is usually soccer but the season's been postponed because the league is going to be bought by someone else. So...you want to try out for the track team with me tomorrow?"

Chelsea smiled slowly at him. Ulrich sure knew how to balance his friends out. He liked Yumi, was friends with Chelsea and...Chelsea really had no idea what kind of relationship Ulrich had with Aelita. With another shrug she nodded and said, "Sure Ulrich. It'll be good for me. Thanks...but you changed the subject."

"Hey Chelsea..." Odd began slowly. "Me and Ulrich were thinking...do you want to help us prank Sissy for screwing everything around last night?"

Ulrich nodded eagerly at the idea. "Yeah! We're planning on a fake date thing. You can't tell Yumi though...she'd get really mad."

Chelsea sat up eagerly, forgetting about Ulrich and his love life. "Are we going to hit her with water balloons?"

Odd blushed as Ulrich and Chelsea stared pointedly at him.

"Of course not," Odd grinned. "Here's what we're going to do..."

Jeremy sat peacefully in his bed, typing at his computer. He grinned. School didn't start for another three hours and he had gotten an inspiration only four hours ago! He was praying that the new program he had been working on would help with the towers and maybe solve what happened with Chelsea. Of course he'd need to work on it for a couple of days before he tried anything.

Suddenly a beeping broke the peace, slamming into Jeremy's silent-accustomed ears harshly. Jeremy tore towards the computer and brought up the screen. There, in the middle was a picture of a tower in the desert sector beeping with that annoying red exclamation point. Crap.

Yumi sighed as she started across the schoolyard. She had come early, hoping to catch some talking time with Ulrich and a chance to apologize to Chelsea...but mostly to chat with Ulrich. She was hoping that maybe after the dance their friends with benefits reign would be over and they'd finally begin to date exclusively.

As she was about to enter the building an icy blast of wind suddenly hit her hard, slamming her into the door.

"What's going on...?" Yumi managed to groan as rain suddenly began to pelt her face. Her body, shaking in cold tremors moved upward and she twisted around, barely managing to slip into the room.

She fell to the ground, her eyes swimming dizzily as she tried to warm herself. Finally she was able to become steady and she stumbled into the cafeteria.

"That's an insane plan," Chelsea stated flatlyafter listening to Odd and Ulrich's scheme. She smiled. "Let's do it."

"Okay...plan on it tonight. I'll call Aelita to get you-"

Odd," Ulrich growled, rolling his eyes. "Why don't we just get her cell number?"

Chelsea giggled as Odd sheepishly nodded. "Of course...I was just...testing you."

The three exchanged numbers. Ulrich suddenly reache dover and took Chelsea's cell. "I'm going to plug Jeremy, Aelita and Odd in here...just in case."

"Hey that's a nice cell phone..." Odd commented, staring at the silver cell.

Chelsea grinned at him. "It's even waterproof."

"Really? That's awesome...but mine is way better! It has unlimited minutes!" Odd exclaimed.

"Only because your mom's afraid she's going to lose you half the time," Ulrich muttered.

"Hey! Not my problem I have five other brothers and sisters," Odd laughed with a shrug.

"So...I have everyone's number now?" Chelsea questioned as Ulrich handed her phone back to her. He nodded and opened his mouth to speak when suddenly a crash stopped him in midsentence.Yumi was laying in the the entrance of the cafeteria, shivering heavily.

Ulrich leapt to her side. "Yumi! Are you alright?"

Yumi coughed and let herself be taken up into Ulrich's arms as she managed to speak. "I...think...Xana..."

Without a word she went limp in his arms, only moving to shiver slightly in her restless sleep.

Chelsea bent beside Ulrich. "What does Xana mean?"

Ulrich looked at her. "Danger..."

Jeremy raced through the halls. He was heading towards the doors for the factory but still worry was with hi. he hadn't seen Aelita all morning. Despite the fact that he hadn't even left his room all moring, Aelita was supposed to visit him the second she woke up. it was more of tradition then an actual rule.
"Odd! Get Jeremy! Yumi's right...this must be an attack!" Ulrich exclaimed, lifting Yumi up. He turned to Chelsea. "Come with me."

"Okay..." Chelsea muttered, slightly afraid. Ulrich didn't show any fear but Odd got a dropping look on his face and Yumi was unconscious. Something must be wrong.

Ulrich took off down the hall, Chelsea hot on his heels. He went to Dorothy. "Nurse? Yumi was just outside. Sleet is coming down hard and she barely made it in!"

"Oh, dear!" the nurse exclaimed. She took Yumi immediately, Ulrich and Chelsea following. "This is the fifth person to collapse form that blasted rain. You kids shoo. I need space to work."

"C'mon," Ulrich said, grabbing Chelsea's arm. He faced her."I need you to go to your room and get warm. Something is wrong okay?"

"What's going on Ulrich? Really?" Chelsea demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. Something strange was going on. Her friends were afraid and it worried her. Yumi was in the infirmary now, because of the weather outside. Odd was getting Jeremy and all of them were moving like cheetahs to get to the places they needed to be. And the only tiem Chelsea could recall the group racing around like this was in her "dream" when the birds attacked. Somehow, Chelsea thought that this might be connected. But then, would that make her dreaming again?

Ulrich just shook his head and went running. "I'll talk later, Chelsea."

Aelita was jogging slowly across the field towards the forest. Rain was hitting her cold skin mercilessly causing her to stop everynow and then and shake in freezing tremors. Her eyelashes were thick with ice which made it hard for her to see and her legs were bare and numb.

The second she had seen Yumi race into the cafeteria she had known it was Xana and instead of waiting for Jeremy and the others to call her up, she began her way there herself.

The rain was only slightly slower in the forest but it seemed to kept a pretty light pace all around. Aelita knew that it was just because Xana wanted her alive and ready to Lyoko. The others would have a much harder time getting here.

"Later..." Chelsea repeated that word for the second time since Ulrich had ran off. She furrowed a brow. "I want to know now."

With that, she raced after him.

Aelita shivered fiercly as she stepped into the factory. The large room filled with just a single super computer and a hologram map was empty except for herself. Aelita stiffened as she heard the sound of hail begin to crash down upon the factory and she raced to the computer, setting her pink cell phone next to the keyboard.

"Starting the virtualization countdown..." Aelita muttered. She pressed the enter button and dodged into the open elevator. "Now."

Jeremy and Odd raced through the stormy weather. Hail was now pelting down on them harshly, stinging their skin like a thousand tiny bees. Their lungs were being smothered from the ice, and the air as they ran, causing their feat to become slower. And still they ran though, Jeremy set on the idea of finding Aelita waiting for him and Odd overwhelmed by the excitement of another mission.

Close behind them, Ulrich was catching up. His speed was slightly faster than theirs' helping him on his way. But he was being held back by reluctance. He'd rather stay by Yumi if he could but letting Odd go on a solo mission was just outrageous, especially with the other boy's tendancy to take things less serious than they should be. Ulrich was also set on the thought that Chelsea might ignore his wishes. She would be in horrible danger if she came outside. Luckily he, Jeremy and Odd had decided to bundle up as much as they could but would Chelsea really do that? Knowing only slightly of her determination Ulrich could only hope that she listened to him. After all, if Chelsea were to die in this weather, she'd die for real.

The three boys dodged down into the sewers, exhaling as they were brought out of the weather. But they needed to hurry. A flood was starting up in the sweres. All ready they were riding their skateboards and scooter through water that had overlapped the edge of the walk.

Chelsea almost froze as she watched Ulrich and the others dive into a sewer main. With this horrible weather and fact that the sewers might be flooding Chelsea found it hard to believe that Ulrich was actually going down there.

Maybe they like doing those insanse sports. That's why they're going down there...to surf in the sewers...Chelsea contemplated the sport theory a little more as she climbed down the ladder just in time to see which corner Jeremy flew by. She quickly demolished that theory as judging from what she knew about Jeremy, he wasn't a sporty type. And besides, she highly doubted that the boys would abandon Yumi in a life-threatening situtation only to threaten their own.

But that left no other reason why they would go into the sewers. What could they possibly do down there to benefit Yumi.

Chelsea rubbed her numbclothed arms as she turned the corner only to find that besides the rushing, icy water and the soaking wall, the sewer passage was empty and she was lost.

Aelita sighed as she dropped down into the desert region, dressed in her pink elf like garb. She tookunfeeling breath of relief at the loss of the icy cold rain against her pale skin.. She glanced around and with a sigh, realized that she ahd forgotten to virtualize a vehicle. Looking ahead she spotted the glowing red tower about a half mile in front of her, leading off onto a moving, broken path and finally, the glowing red tower. What bothered Aelita the most was that it lay unguarded. And since it was unguarded, Aelita could only suspect that the Scythezoa would pay her a visit. All she could do was pray that someone was going to get here in time to help us out. With a determined nod, the girl went ahead.
Jeremy stood impatiently in the elevator as it went down to the computer room. Beside him, Odd stood, eagerly awaiting another round on Lyoko. Ulrich leaned against the elevator wall, hiding his fear for Yumi and his anxious worry for Chelsea.

As Jeremy glanced at the companion on the far side, he wondered how Ulrich could tkae all of this danger and not be worried. Of course he knew Ulrich was worried, but with yumi in danger he figured the boy might at least show it. However Ulrich just stood stock still in the elevator awaiting his time to help Aelita to the tower.

Jeremy did not even bother to wnder why Odd was so happy. He knew that more than anything except for maybe food, Odd loved the trips to Lyoko and for some reason that bugged Jeremy. With Aelita potentially in danger and Yumi on the brink of death, Jeremy sometimes wanted to hit Odd over the head for being so darn happy.

Finally the elevator opened and Jeremie dodged in.

"Jeremy! Are you there!" Aelita's panicked voice was coming from the computer.

Jeremy dove into the chair and threw the headset on. "Yes, Aelita. Odd and Ulrich are on their way!"

With that, the two boys in the elvator pressed the button and headed down, not needing another invitation to be virtualized.

Jeremy grimaced as he viewed what was causing Aelita to stress. Three dots had her trapped against a boulder, preventing her to head towards the tower. Within seconds the Schythezoa appeared on the screen, slinking it's way towards Aelita.

"Ready guys?" Jeremy called, bringing up his comrades characters.

"Ready Jeremy," Ulrich's voice answered through theheadset from the scanner room.

With that, Jeremy began the virtualization process. "Transfer, Ulrich!"

Chelsea spun around and turned back the way she had come. Glancing around the sewers she realized she had no idea where the ladder had been. She had even closed the sewer main behind her. Panicked, she tried to go the way Jeremy had gone, slushing through the rsing water.

The sewers were steadily filling. Already it was up to Chelsea's ankles and she could hardly tell which was deep water and which was the sidewalk. Rain was seeping through the tops and pouring down on the girl's head until she was positively soaked and freezing. her warm clothes that she had thrown on before, like the boys had done were now heavy and wet.

A wave of rushing water burst down one of the sewer halls, hitting Chelsea square in the hip and knocking her down. She was flung into the deeper water, sending her kicking and swimming, trying to go up but not knowing up and trying to feel ground but was lost in the muck.

She burst over the surface, coughing and gasping for breath. In desperation she climbed to the sidewalk and stood, yanking out her cell phone. She quickly dialed Ulrich's number, realizing she would need to set her friends on speedial from now on. Chelsea howled in frustration whenUlrich didn't answer and she tried Odd too but he didn't pick up either. Suddenly she remembered Ulrich had plugged in jeremy and Aelita's number as well.

Quickly, Chelsea dialed Aelita's number.

"Okay guys, get Aelita fast," Jeremy was saying. "The Scythezoa is already here!"

Suddenly an annoying ringing errupted in the computer room. Jeremy searching for the sound only to see Aelita's pink cell phone next to the keyboard. He wondered if he should answer, knowing that Aelita hadn't given her phone out to anyone else...so maybe it was Yumi.

Auickly he answered. "Hello?"

"Jeremy is that you?" Jeremy was surprised to hear Chelsea's panicked voice come from the phone. But even moreso that the loud sound of rushing water was barely letting the girl's voice be heard.

"Chelsea! What's going on?" Jeremy demanded.

"I'm stuck in the sewers-I'm sorry I followed you guys but-" Chelsea's voice was cut off as the huge sound of water broke it.

"Chelsea? Hello? Chelsea!" Jeremy cried into the phone.

Chelsea coughed and sputtered and finally answered. "I'm sorry i followed you guys...b-but I'm lost and it's flooding and I might drown-Oh!"

The line went dead abruptly after that. jeremy gaped at Aelita's phone. Now not only was Yumi near death but Chelsea might already be lost!

"Hurry up, guys!" Jeremy called into the headset at Odd and Ulrich's beeping dots. "Chelsea followed us."

"Oh no..." Ulrich muttered. "Is she there?"

"No worse. She's stuck in the sewers. Her line just went dead and the sewers are flooding."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Odd asked. "Let's go!"

Ulrich charged forward at Odd's statement. he was dressed in a samurai's outfit, a trusty reverse balde in it's sheith on his waist. Just like Aelita his form had changed. But now he had powers. He could make two clones of himself. He could run faster than the speed of light. And he planned to use these weapons in order to help Aelita, Yumi and Chelsea now.

Ahead of him and Odd, who was now dressed in purple and yellowwith claws on his handsrunning atUlrich's lower left, was Aelita, pressed against a large boulder surrounded by three blocks and the Scythezoa..

"Odd, cover me!" Ulrich called behind to his partner and he leaped forward, twisting out his blade and holding it in front of him.

Aelita yelped as the Scythezoa wrapped its jellyfish-like tentecles around her, pressing two to her head.

"C'mon Ulrich," Jeremy murmured, his voice echoing across the sky.

Ulrich bent his knees and leaped into the air with a mighty call. As he was coming back down, just off to the side of the Scythezoa, he slashed his blade down, cutting it into the tentacles.

Odd leaped into the circle behind Ulrich and fired at the nearest offending block. It exploded at the teenager's true aim.

As the wounded Scythezoa retreated, Ulrich leapt in front of Aelita's fallen figure as the two other angry blocks decided it was time to attack. Ulrich manuevered his sword around in difficult alignments, blocking the lasers that were being shot at Aelita.

Odd flipped towards the one blocks, motioning to Ulrich to take the other one.

Aelita rubbed her head as her vision came into focus and she looked up to see that her friends were busying the attackers. Seeing her opening Aelita sprang to her feet and raced towards the first moving path as it went up and down.

Chelsea groaned with frutration as her cell phone was knocke dout of her hands.smashed against the wall from a wave. It was waterproof but definitely not smashing proof. Struggling she began to climb the wall. It was slippery and wet but using her leg muscles to heave herself, she managed to reach the little ledge on the side of the wall and sit herself on it. The water had been up to her stomach byt the time her phone was destroyed. She could only hope now that the boys were helping her. She knew that they were doing something. they wouldn't let her down.

Nurse Dorothy was panicked as she paced around the hospital room. The cases were so many she had to place some people on the floor. Students, teachers everywhere were dropping from the cold because they hadn't been dressed for it. And each and all of them were getting horribly sick from it.

Maybe if they had at least had a coat or a jacket on they would've gotten inside... Dorothy thought to herself. She walked over to one of the first ones to get caught in the storm. A ninth grader dressed in black and she pressed her hand to the girls forehead, only to yank it away wuickly. It was as if Yumi's head was on fire it was so hot. the girl was twitching and flimching and moaning in her feverish sleep.

Quickly, Dorothy put a thermometor in Yumi's mouth. When it was done, the nurse gaspe din surprise at the temperature. 105.

Ulrich shoved his blade into the blocks weak point and using his superspeed, leapt off it. He looke dover at his friend just in time to see Odd fiish off his block too.

"Aelita! You're good to go!" Ulrich called.

Aelita nodded distractedly as she counted the pace of the moving paths. When she had gootten them all she waited a moment before leaping from one to the other, landing on the last hard spinnning one. She grasped her head dizzily. Just one more jump...

Chelsea gasped as the water reached her little ledge and pushed upward. Quickly, she raised her hands and pressed them against the ceiling as not to be forced up by the waves.

Aelita leaped onto the next one and raced into the tower.

Chelsea gasped for breath as the water pushed up more. She was kicking for her life.

Aelita raised onto the highest platform and laid her hand on the pad. AELITA.

The water rised up and sealed the little airspace that she had. This is the end..

CODE

LYOKO

"Jeremy launch it!" Ulrich called.

Jeremy nodded from his spot at the computer and typed in the codes. "Return to the past now!