"E-emily! What are you doing up?" Maya stuttered.
"I woke up to go to the bathroom and when I did you were gone," she said, "Why are you wearing that? Did you go out?"
Maya hesitated and Emily sighed, "Look you can tell me. Sorry I snapped when you came in but it's our first night as roommates and you sneak out? Where did you go?"
"It's nothing," She lied and started to change back into her pjs.
"You're not going tell me?"
"I did; it's nothing."
"You sneak out at night while I'm sleeping, and when you've been caught red-handed you refuse to tell me?"
Maya shrugged and then climbed into her bed.
"Fine."
"That's what you told her?"
"Yup," Maya said as she took a bite of her sandwich. The next afternoon she and William were the only ones at the lunch table, eating and waiting for the others the join them.
"Wow. You couldn't even have think of a lie? Anything?"
"What are you talking about, that was a lie. I told her it was nothing when it was obviously something."
William shook his head, "Emily is NOT and idiot," he said in a low serious voice, "You can't keep sneaking out and keep saying it's nothing. She isn't going to tolerate this."
"What am I suppose to say? Emily I have to leave at night to go to the abandoned factory with holds a supercomputer and scanners to take me to another world and fix monsters being controlled by an evil-"
"Stop," he put his hand up, "You obviously need a lesson in lying. And who better to teach you than me?"
"Of course you'd be the master," she grinned.
"Duh? Now to keep this short and simple, just know, the best types of lies, the ones where you'll never get caught," he smiled, "Are ones that are true."
"William what the fuck are you talking about?" She said with annoyance filled in her voice.
He laughed, "Keep everything you say as close to the truth as possible and you'll get away with it."
"Away with what?" Yumi asked as she sat down next to William.
"Nothing," Maya muttered.
"Come on have I taught you nothing?" William groaned, "I was teaching the worst liar ever how to lie."
"What the hell, that's what we were actually doing? How was that lying?" Maya outburst.
"It's not. I told the truth but not the whole truth. See? Perfect lie," he smiled and popped a grape in his mouth.
"Look I don't know what's doing on here, but I don't wanna be the 'dummy' to your problems," Yumi said.
"Aw Yumi you're too smart AND pretty to be a dummy," William smiled at her.
"Never gonna happen Dunbar," Yumi said as she ate.
Maya laughed, "Looks like you're gonna need to try a new approach Dunbar."
"Where ya going?" Yumi asked her when she stood up.
"Ulrich's room."
"Awkwardd," William sang laughingly.
"Shut up, it's not like that," she saw the questioning look on Yumi's face and said quickly, "It REALLY isn't like that," she sighed, "Look Delmas has been on my case about tutoring Ulrich and since I haven't done that yet, he's threatening to lower MY grades. So I'm going to see him."
"Aw Stern needs to be tutored by someone a year younger," William teased.
"Not funny William, she's smarter than him, heck she's smarter than us, no wonder Delmas wants her to help Ulrich," Yumi said in Ulrich's defense.
Now I get it, Maya thought, Ulrich didn't want William teasing him in front of Yumi.
"But Maya?" Yumi said, "There're no classes today, couldn't you let him just give him a break today?"
"Since there are no classes today, THAT'S why I'm gonna tutor him," Maya said then left.
"Hey William?" Yumi asked, "How long have you known-Maya?"
"W-what do you mean?"
"You know, it's like she KNOWS your every move... with me I mean."
"Well, um, you know me and her knew each other before so I came here. We went to the same school and had classes together so we knew each other for awhile."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"You know William, you really are a good liar," She smiled.
"Ulrich?" Maya knocked on his door.
"Not here," a voice replied.
She shook her head laughing and opened the door, "I didn't skip two grades for being an id-"
"Hey Maya," Odd said. He and Kiwi were the only ones on the room.
"W-where's Ulrich?"
"Like I said, not here."
"W-what?" You might have well have written MORON on her forehead.
"What were you saying before you came in here? Something like 'I didn't skip two grades for being a' what now?" He laughed.
"S-shut up Della Robbia," She sighed, "Where's Ulrich?"
"Um, I think he's playing video games in the game room?"
"Great," She sighed.
"Wait!" Odd called as she left the room, "Um, why are you looking for him?"
"Oh, uh, I'm supposed to help him with his studying."
Odd nodded, "Um, I don't think he's be up for studying on a Sunday, so, uh, would you rather, hang out? With me?"
"H-huh?" Talk about Book smart, boy dumb
"Never mind," He sighed and went back in his room.
Ulrich was lying on the couch in the game room as he played on his game boy.
"It's time to study," Maya said as she plopped herself on the couch in front of his.
"Can't."
"Why not?"
"Busy."
"Ulrich," She sighed, "Come on, Delmas has threatened to lower my grades."
"Later. I'm busy."
"Please?"
"No."
"Ulrich!" She slammed her notes on the table and stood up, "You will come and study with me, o-or else-"
"Or else what?" he sat up and starred at her, "You'll tell on me?" He smirked.
"N-no, I'll," she saw a green notebook on the table, "Do this," She grabbed the book and ran out the room.
"Hey!" He yelled, jumped off the couch and ran after her, "Get back here!"
Maya grinned but continue running; but she realized she was running the OPPOSITE direction of the library.
Crap she thought and ran in to the girls bathroom and locked herself in one of the stalls.
What is this anyway? she opened the book and gasped.
ULRICH HAS A DIARY?
She almost felt like laughing, SHE didn't even have one.
The page she had opened had a picture of Yumi and him together.
Aw he really does like her,she thought, Wait I shouldn't be reading this. That's completely-
"MAYA GIVE IT BACK!" Ulrich yelled as he pound on the door outside; interrupting her mind blab.
Maya sighed and went outside, "Here," she handed him the closed book.
"Did you look inside it?" he asked.
She stayed quiet and Ulrich lost it, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! HOW COULD YOU JUST STEAL SOMEONES BOOK THEN READ WHATEVER'S IN IT!"
"Sorry," she muttered.
"What did you see?"
"Only that picture of you and Yumi, but I'm pretty sure everyone knows you like her," she muttered.
He gave her a dirty look then walked away from her.
"Wait Ulrich!"
"I don't want help studying!" he yelled back at her.
"ULRICH STERN!" she yelled and he turned around and starred at her.
"WE BOTH KNOW YOU NEED MY HELP STUDYING AND I AM YOUR ONLY HOPE OF PASSING YOUR CLASSES!"
"I don't need help studying from someone younger than me."
"Who else is going to help you then? Jeremy? Aelita? They're busy enough. Yumi has a bunch of responsibility's at home, Odd isn't the smartest. And we both know you can't stand William."
He was quiet for what seemed a LOOOOONNNNG time, "Fine," he, finally, muttered.
"H-huh?" She asked in shock.
"Fine," he repeated, "Lets go."
((A few days before))
"I've been wondering Aelita," Jeremy said slowly, "Do-do you think we should...make a new sub for Lyoko?"
"You mean like a new pod for Maya and William? Are we even gonna use it?"
"We'll have to if we're going to search for your brother."
"Really!" She cried, and jumped up from his bed and hugged him.
Jeremy laughed and she asked, "But were are we gonna look? Do you think he could be in the digital sea?"
"Maybe, it's not like we could ask any of the random citizens on Lyoko if they've seen our Lyoko Prince," he teased.
She laughed, "Okay, when do we start?"
"How's now?"
"Perfect."
"No, Ulrich," she sighed, "You forgot to carry the one."
"What one!"
"That one!" Maya pointed to the numbers on the paper.
"Algebra is hard alright, can't we do something easier."
"But you were learning this in class the other day!"
"Who ever said I understood what was going on in class."
"Ulrich," she groaned, "You're not trying."
"I AM TRYING!" He yelled and got a dirty look from some of the students nearby reading, "I am trying," he lowered his voice, "It's. just. hard."
"Fine," she said through gritted teeth, "We'll do the next problem."
Just as she said that Ulrich's phone rang, "Hello? Jeremy?"
"What does he want?" Maya asked.
He put up a finger to silence her while Jeremy spoke, "Okay. I'm with Maya now. I'll go get Odd, then we'll all meet."
"Factory?" Maya asked as he ended the call.
"Yeah, come on lets go get Odd."
"Transfer Odd, Transfer William, Transfer Ulrich! Scanner Odd, Scanner William, Scanner Ulrich! Virtualazation!"
The boys landed at the edge of the ice sector.
"Where's the tower?" William asked.
"There's none"Jeremy said, "Ladies your turn- Transfer Yumi, Transfer Aelita, Transfer Maya! Scanner Yumi, Scanner Aelita, Scanner Maya! Virtualaztion!"
"So if we aren't here for a mission," Ulrich asked as the girls landed next to them, "Why are we here?"
"To look for my brother," Aelita said simply.
"Okay!" Odd said after an awkward long silence, "Where do we start searching?"
"The digital Sea, of course," Jeremy said.
"Jeremy, not to be a pessimist," Yumi said, "But the Skid doesn't have enough room for Maya AND William."
"I never said we were using the Skid," Jeremy smiled.
A new type of vehicle appeared as Jeremy was talking, "It can drive on land and underwater. We'll call it... the MegaPod." ((I'm pretty sure the MegaPod couldn't ebe used underwater, but this one can *^*)) It was yellow all around with six huge black wheels; three in the black, three in the front.
"Jeremy who's driving this thing?" Odd asked as they were all seated inside; Boys in the back and girls in the front.
"Um, you could all take turns," he suggested.
"I'LL DO IT!" Odd and Ulrich shouted at the same time.
"Rock paper scissors?" Odd suggested.
"ROCK PAPER SCISS-"
"Oh gosh I'll drive," Yumi muttered and a steering wheel appeared in front of her.
"It's just like driving a car," Jeremy assured her.
Yumi slammed her foot on the peddle and it made a dive straight into the digital sea.
"Okay Einstein, what are we looking for exactly," Maya asked, "Like would it be his body just floating around?"
"Um, well in all honestly... I don't know."
"WHAT!" William yelled.
"Jeremy, how could we be looking for something-"
"Someone," Aelita corrected.
"Someone," Ulrich continued, "but not know what to look for."
"Just keep an eye out for something unusual," Aelita said.
"I think you'd accomplish more if you guys split up," Jeremy said.
"Einstein, you sick or something?" Odd laughed, "You NEVER want us to split up."
"Things are different," His voice got serious all of a sudden, "Guys listen, if you start to loose power in your hub GET BACK TO YUMI ASAP."
"Wait! Why get back to me?"
"Cause you're the driver," Jeremy said and started to break them off into their hubs
"BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DRIVE THIS!" Maya yelled.
"Don't worry," Odd's voice came into her little hub, "it's just like level four of Sea Monster Patrol."
"But I never finished that level!"
"You know this is actually pretty fun," Maya laughed as she drove around the objects underwater.
The new hubs were actually just the tires on the mega pod. It combined with the parts of the MegaPod and turned into the tire with a little yellow 'cup' over it that you'd see out off.
"Yea, but I miss the Skid," Odd pouted.
"Don't worry we'll still use it," Jeremy laughed, "Only on smaller missions though; like if I need one or two of you to stay on Lyoko."
"What's with all the spiting up lately?" Ulrich asked.
"It just gets things done faster," he said simply.
"Jeremy are there any monsters here?" William asked.
"Yea... did you run into any?"
"Not me.. but I think Aelita did."
"Jeremy I have two sharks on my tail and my missals won't launch!" Aelita cried frantically as the monsters kept shooting at her hub.
"Aelita get back to Yumi! Or Yumi find Aelita! Or you guys go help Aelita!" Jeremy cried.
"Why won't her missals launch?" Maya asked as she tried to find her cousin.
"I don't know... I know we filled all the hubs before you all got there."
"Could someone have messed with it?" Yumi asked.
"What like sabotage?" Jeremy mocked, "Who could do that?"
An arrow hit and bounced off the top of William's hub, "I think I have an idea."