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Chapter 10

They were late. They were very, very late.

Ulrich groaned, remembering the group's families that they had left at dinner earlier that night. Yumi noticed his frustration immediately, slowing to a halt, and the others followed her lead, coming to a stop.

"What's up?" Odd asked, dropping his hands from where he held them behind his head, joking with Mikhail. It was a credit to him for his trust in Jeremie that allowed him to joke casually while something so crushing had happened. Despite everything, he had the utmost faith that things would turn out alright.

"Our families . . ." Ulrich started, gesturing helplessly, unable to find the right words. "They're, uh, probably still there . . ."

"Oh! You're right!" Yumi exclaimed, clapping a hand to her mouth, "How could we forget?"

"Let's go!" Odd suggested, setting off at a jog, closely followed by Yumi.

"Hold on, wait!" Ulrich cried, reaching his hand towards them, dropping it as he saw the futility of his cause. Sighing, he turned to Mikhail, smiling apologetically.

"Mikhail, can you take Deane back to the dorms for tonight? I doubt he would want to be seen in the state he is now," Deane nodded, and Ulrich clapped him on the shoulder, shouting over his own as he turned, sprinting after Odd and Yumi. "I'll make up something or other; don't worry!"

"There they go . . ." Deane sighed, cringing slightly with the movement. The adrenaline had kept him going so far, but now that things had calmed down he felt drained, his body heavy. "Always walking one step ahead of us . . ."

"Well," Mikhail said, falling into step next to him as they turned the corner, heading the opposite way than their friends had headed, starting towards Kadic, "They're our seniors, both in this school and the virtual world. We just need to keep running."

"I suppose you're right . . ." Deane sighed, walking I silence for a few minutes, the only sound the snow underneath their boots. "Hey, Mikhail, can you keep a secret."

The other boy's eyes flashed in the dim light, and for a moment Deane thought he saw something unsure in his eyes, immediately dismissing the possibility as Mikhail nodded sincerely, his face blank as he answered.

"Of course."

Anastasia flitted around the inside of the tower curiously, moving from wall to edge, looking down into the digital abyss, to the wall once more, exploring. Aelita's eyes traced Anastasia's face as she moved, noting her warm smile, something she never seen the girl express in the real world.

"Why are you so happy here?" Aelita finally asked, unable to restrain herself any longer. Anastasia didn't pause for even a moment as she laughed, suddenly flipping ten feet into the air.

"I feel alive," she answered, twirling. "In the other world, my body is sickly and frail, but here I feel as though anything is possible. I've only just come to this world, but already this world feels more real than the other."

"I can understand, if only a little," Aelita mused, lying back against the floor. "I've lived on Lyoko longer than not, after all."

"Hey, hey, can we explore, please?" Anastasia asked enthusiastically, suddenly appearing above Aelita.

"Whaat . . . ? I don't really-" Aelita mumbled, stretching comfortably. Jeremie wouldn't approve if they needlessly put themselves in danger, after all.

"Pleasee?" Anastasia begged, down on her knees, and Aelita relented.

"Oh, all right. On one condition," she negotiated, sitting upright, leaning on one arm as she regarded her over-eager companion. "Answer a question, in full."

"Sure," Anastasia nodded, still kneeling, and Aelita tensed, expecting some sort of resistance.

"Who are you really?"

"Hmm . . . pass!" Anastasia said, cheerfully brushing the question off, and Aelita sighed in exasperation, standing and walking to the entrance.

"Well, we've got time; I'll find out sooner or later."

The group's parents were standing outside the hotel when Ulrich and Yumi jogged up, Odd wheezing close behind.

"I'm so sorry we took so long," Ulrich apologized, Yumi quickly backing him up, apologizing severely for their lack of foresight.

"We finished dinner twenty minutes ago . . ." Mrs. Stern shook her head. "Honestly. Although, I suppose this is what we've come to expect . . . Where are Jeremie and Aelita? Oh, and Deane, I believe his name was. Did they already head back?"

"Deane tripped and sprained his ankle pretty badly, so they're helping him back to the dorms," Yumi said, quickly inventing a plausible excuse. Ulrich flashed her the thumbs-up behind his back.

"On another adventure?" Mr. Della Robbia asked, laughing heartily, turning to Mr. Ishiyama. "That's our kids for us, eh?"

"Yes, yes it is," Mr. Ishiyama replied, laughing politely. "Well, Yumi, we should be heading home, now."

"Ah, yes, goodnight everyone," Yumi said meekly, following her parents to the car, waving as they drove off. It was a while before the other parents had all left, each wanting to have their fill of talk with their child's friends, but eventually Mr. and Mrs. Belpois waved goodbye, stepped into their car, and drove off, leaving Odd and Ulrich alone.

"It's so quiet . . ." Odd whispered, and Ulrich broke out laughing, punching Odd in the arm amicably as they ran towards Kadic, climbing into their beds finally in the wee hours of the morning, having had enough excitement for one day.

Emily was sitting on a bench in the courtyard of Kadic, scribbling in a notebook. Purple earbuds were inserted in her ears, from which came the faint beats of her music. By the science building, Yumi, Ulrich, and Odd were exiting, talking heatedly.

"I'm telling you, if Jeremie doesn't show up to class soon, he's going to be expelled!" Odd warned, throwing his hands in the air to make his point. "And then what? It's over. Tell him to come to class again, huh Yumi?"

"It's fine, isn't it? He'll come back as soon as he's rewritten Aelita's devirtualization program, right? Relax, he'll be back in a few days. What's with you, Odd, you seen nervous," Ulrich sighed, massaging his neck. "You're even passing me your stress. Calm down, would you?"

"That's what I'm saying!" Odd cried hopelessly, throwing himself on a bench pitifully, bringing the back of his hand dramatically to his temple. "Oh, woe is me . . ."

"Well, Odd has a point," Yumi intervened, stepping between the two. "We don't know how long it will take Einstein to bring Aelita back, we should prepare for a worst case scenario," she turned to Odd, crossing her arms. "Seriously, though, Odd? Calm down. You're freaking us out."

"Aghhh, I can't!" Odd replied, holding his head. "As her cousin, this is some heavy stuff, Ulrich. Hey, pass me a euro for some hot chocolate, would you?"

"You're not even her real cousin," Ulrich sighed, cracking a smile as Yumi giggled. "Hey, I know something to take your mind off of things. Look over there," he pointed across the courtyard, singling Emily out to Odd from the other students milling around. Odd perked up at once, already heading over, waving over his shoulder to his friends as he left.

"Right then! See you later good buddies, I'll just be over here for a bit, minding my own business . . ."

Yumi laughed, hitting Ulrich until he joined in, and the two disappeared in the opposite direction, taking advantage of their friend's distraction. Meanwhile, Odd had stopped behind Emily, unsure of what to say. Suddenly, though, Emily stretched, her look of surprise turning into a smile as she recognized the upside-down face of Odd.

"Odd! Hey!"

"Hey, Emily," Odd replied, smiling. "Mind if I join you?"

"Hmm, I wonder . . ." she trailed off mischievously, making room for him next to her, which he quickly moved to occupy. "So, Odd, what brings you here? You're usually with your friends, right?"

"Well, yeah," Odd laughed, suddenly more relaxed than he had been before: Ulrich and Yumi had been right after all . . . he'd get them back, though, just wait . . .

"Hey, Emily, can I ask you a question?"

"Hm – What?" Emily replied, caught off guard. She slipped her earbuds out, bookmarking her notebook with them as she turned her full attention to the energetic, blonde boy in front of her. "Sure, go ahead."

"Are you dating anyone?" Odd asked, not at all embarrassed with his question. Emily, however, flushed a deep red, completely unprepared for such a question.

"What?! I- um, well, no, but-" she stuttered, looking for the right words, but Odd cut in, smiling widely.

"Then, want to go on a date?"

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