The Lyoko Warriors Chapter 14: Epi 3, Chpt 1: The School Year Begins, a code lyoko fanfic

At long last, what you've all been waiting for. The next chapter in my Lyoko Warriors story! When we last left our characters, Muisaya Hiyim was rushing to Paris after the near destruction of her army, while Jeremie and Jim had discovered that Xana was still alive and were getting ready to reassemble the Lyoko Warriors.

(If you haven't yet read my rewritten version of Episode 1 Chapter 1, do not read this episode until afterwards. Some things in that version of the chapter are critical for this chapter.)

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Episode 3: The Lyoko Warriors

Chapter #1: The School Year Begins

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Jim said with a frown. "It's not like you know where they are or anything. For all we know, they might not even live in Paris anymore!" He shook his head. It was impossible.

"True," Jeremie said, agreeing. "For all we know, they might not even live in France anymore. Regardless, I will find them out where they went. I have to. Xana's back, and we are the only ones who can bring him down."

"I hate to break it to you, Jeremie," Jim said, "but now is not the time! The students are arriving today. If you don't want to get fired, you need to be their today. In fact, if we don't move now, we're going to be late."

Jeremie frowned as he glanced at the computer and then back to Jim. "But," he said nervously, "Xana's back. He could do anything! I can't just let him rampage! Something horrible could happen!"

"Today is the beginning of the new year, Jeremie," Jim said. "If you skip it, you are going to get fired. That should be obvious. It would be a horrible example to the students, and Principal Delmas would certainly have something to say about it. Besides, Xana just finished attacking. So putting this search off a couple of hours shouldn't be too dangerous."

Jeremie glanced again at the computer screen and nodded his head. "You're probably right." Then he stood up and swung his coat over his shoulders.

It was cold for being so early in the year. It was as if the whole world were darkening, as if some form of coldness was creeping over everything. Jim was aware, though Jeremie was not, that this strange weather seemed to be happening all over. Even in places like Hawaii and Japan, people were going around wearing coats. It was as if the whole world were beginning to go through a second Ice Age. The very thought sent a shiver of fear down Jim's spine.

The world was becoming scarier and darker wherever you went. He'd felt it in the air, and crime had begun to rise. Rebellions and wars were breaking out all over the place. It seemed very much like the world was coming to an end. Then, to make matters worse, they'd stumbled upon this. Xana, the nightmare that had haunted his dreams ever since Jeremie's return and regaining his memory, was alive.

"Let's go," Jeremie said with a smile, motioning to Jim. "I want to get acquainted with my new students." Then he hit the call button for the elevator, and the door opened. Stepping in, he paused and waited for Jim. There was something lightening about the arrival of students at Kadic, as there had been the previous three years as well. He enjoyed meeting the new faces and figuring out what type of student each was. His goal afterward was always the same, find a way to make every student interested. His teaching styles were bizarre, and the kind he knew Odd would like.

This time, he didn't wince at his former friend's name, he simply paused and thought. Odd Della Robia, Ulrich Stern, Aelita Stones, Yumi Ishyama, William Dunbar. I'll make up for what I did, Jeremie said quietly. We'll need to get back together to stop Xana, and I will fix everything then. Odd, Ulrich, Aelita, Yumi, William, I'm so sorry… He would never be able to make peace with everyone, not after the horrible tragedy. They're group had almost fallen apart when it had occurred. He knew, fully and completely, that what had happened was his fault. He was the one who'd come up with the idea in the first place…

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"Hey, William…" Jeremie said, approaching a student who was sitting alone and staring off into space. William was tall, about six foot, with wild dark hair and a handsome face. His smile was kind, joking, jovial. Despite the many things that he had suffered, mostly as a direct result of the Lyoko Warriors, he was still kindly and good-natured. He was the only one that Jeremie thought could possibly understand what he was going to ask.

"Huh?" William started, before turning around. "Woah, Jeremie!" he said with a shocked smile. "Haven't seen you in a long time. What's up?"

"I need to go to the store tonight," Jeremie replied simply. "I was wondering if you could take me. You see, I don't have a car or anything, and…"

"Jeremie, it's late, and graduation is in the morning. What could possibly be so important that you have to do it today?" William asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Umm…A new kind of computer cartridge came out…" Jeremie began. He could feel the presence of many eyes on him. Frowning quietly to himself, he shook his head.

"A new computer cartridge," William said, raising his eyebrows with a smirk. "And this can't wait for tomorrow because…?"

"I'll show you," Jeremie said, motioning for William to follow him. Frowning and shrugging his shoulders, William stood up and followed Jeremie out of the wreck room, across campus and into the dorms. Then, to William's confusion, he turned and continued out the backdoor and into the woods.

Then William stopped and gave Jeremie a disapproving look. "Where are we going?" he asked with a frown. "You know we're not supposed to leave campus without permission!"

"I…It's…" Jeremie stammered. "It's about Lyoko." He braced himself for William's reaction. "I've been looking through it, and…"

"You turned it back on?" William asked in disbelief. His voice grew angry. "Jeremie, what do you think you're doing? When did you start this?"

"About a week ago," Jeremie replied quietly. "I wanted to see a couple of things one last time before leaving…"

"It's dangerous, Jeremie. You need to turn it back off." William said, his voice filled with apprehension. "You never know what dark secrets it might still contain!"

"I will," Jeremie said, "but I need your help first. There's a unique kind of cartridge. I ordered it and had it sent to a pawnshop dealer in town. I need that…"

"Why?" William asked, his face getting very serious. "Jeremie, you're not only endangering yourself, but all of us as long as you keep that infernal machine on! Shut it down!"

"I can't do that yet," Jeremie said. "I might…I might have found proof that Franz Hopper is still alive!"

William froze, his face filling with wonder. "You mean, Aelita might…"

"Might not be an orphan after all," Jeremie replied. "However, without that cartridge, there is no way to know for certain. I was hoping to find out whether it was true or not before I told anyone, but with the way the roads are today, I don't believe I can drive well enough to get through it alone."

William nodded his head and said quietly, "I understand. Tell you what. Get down to the factory right now, and get it as ready as possible without the cartridge. I'll go to the store and pick it up. I'll call you when I'm almost back."

So Jeremie headed down to the factory and waited. Several hours passed, and when his phone rang, it wasn't William calling him. It was Principal Delmas. According to what could be understood, a small American-looking girl had run into the road, and William had tried not to hit her. His car had gone into a spin, had spun off the road, crashed into a building and exploded. Nothing was left, and the remains of William's body were never found. It had been destroyed, utterly and completely, engulfed in the flames.

That night Jeremie wept, and the next day, he told everyone everything. How he'd turned on Lyoko, how he'd searched through it, how he'd the possibility that Franz Hopper was alive, how he'd enlisted William's help, and how it had led to both his death and the destruction of the only thing that could ever have told if Franz Hopper was still alive. He'd wanted to surprise them, and his secrecy had cost William his life…

"Jeremie?" Jim's voice said, calling him back to reality. For a second, he was puzzled. He was back at Kadic. Then he understood. He'd been so out of it that he'd made the entire trip back sort of on autopilot. In front of him were countless vehicles with students pouring out. Jim was smiling, and Jeremie searched through them, looking for the kids who would be his students.

Suddenly, a young female voice called out of the crowds. "Jim? Jim!" Jim spun around, his eyes widening. It couldn't be! Rushing out of the crowd, her black hair blowing behind her, was Willow Arkansas. Then Jim's eyes widened. When he'd seen it before, he'd never thought much about it, but now that he knew, a shiver of confusion and uncertainty ran through him. Around her neck was what he now knew to be a medallion of Xana.

So, Willow has returned. Franz Hopper might still be alive. And Jeremie is responsible for William's death. What will happen next? :) Please read and review.