Episode 2: Dying to Live: Moments Matter

(Sticky note #1: Dante's eyes turn red when he is angry or he detects an activated tower.)

"Where did you get these monsters?" Stella asked.

Lyoko, the desert region, 4 kankrelats target practice.

"I've discovered I can influence XANA monster behavior. I influenced these four to wait in the desert region after one of our last XANA attacks. Now you're going to take them out."

"Alright…"

The once frozen kankrelats suddenly shuddered to life. Swiveling around, they caught sight of Stella. Charging up their lasers four shots were fired one after another.

A violet light saber flared to life and blocked the shots effectively reflecting two shots back into a kankrelat's XANA's eye.

"You can't be a long range specialist forever Stella. You need to practice your close range battle." Dante spoke. He was sitting on a rock watching the encounter. Stella parried more lasers before replying.

"Says the one who shoots things with lightening." Stella yelled doing a handspring forward shifting instantly into her Drew demi form. As her claws came out and pierced the XANA's eye of another kankrelat. Stella retracted them quickly to twirl (shifting) and brought up two weapons, a fan and a dagger to block the remaining two kankrelats' lasers.

Stella winced as a laser shot hit her. She threw the dagger and the fan. Both hit the two kankrelats.

"Three minutes and fifty-two seconds," Dante intoned. "Better."

"I wish Drew was here." Stella said rubbing her arm.

"Why?"

"With his neat regeneration/healing ability I wouldn't have to sit in the tower until my life points are restored, the whole 10 I am missing. Quick as a snap and two blinks, I'd be healed."

"He certainly lives up to the cat having nine lives ability." Dante said as he noticed Stella looking at him intently. "What?"

As quick as a snap and two blinks several morning stars and kunai were being thrown at him. Dante jumped dodging the attack and landed with his back to Stella.

"What are you doing?"

Stella didn't reply as she flicked the whip trying to hit Dante. He dodged the blow.

"Stella," his voice had a steely quality to it.

"Yes," her voice had a playful note in it.

"What are you doing?"

"Experimenting,"

She was in her Drew demi form now preparing to fire laser arrows.

"What's the experiment?" Dante asked. He had a pretty good idea what it was.

"Can you be devirtualized?"

"Do we have to experiment with this now?"

"Yes."

"Stella." His voice had a warning note undertone in it. "Don't."

Stella hesitantly dropped her arm and shifted back to her regular form.

"Get in the tower."

"Okay." Stella sounded a bit dejected, but trudged toward the tower.

"Laser arrow!"

A roar echoed across Lyoko. "STELLA!"

(-:-)

"Moments matter."

Sakura looked at her brother in shock. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It's an answer to a question you asked a long time ago right when Stella moved into the dorm. Well, I have an answer. Moments matter. There will be time in between XANA attacks when we aren't in transition to the next one or dealing with the last one, and what we do during those moments matter. XANA understands that. He spent decades locked up in the internet before he was freed and look what he was able to accomplish."

"Nothing?"

"No, a plan. A plan that included his freedom and future."

"So, what are you trying to do besides confuse me?"

Riley gave his sister a sharp look. "What we are doing now in looking after and training Stella matters. School matters. This moment matters. Don't simply discard it because nothing is happening."

"It has been quiet lately. I mean just the regular routine, wake up, go to school, train Stella, do homework, eat sometime, go to bed, and repeat." Drew spoke up from beside Riley.

"Yes, but the routine matters. At least now we're getting a break. It could be: get up, go to school, and get killed by XANA." Riley answered.

"No, that's Stella's routine. As a group ours is: get up, got to school, save the world." Sakura replied before letting go of the stuffed animal she was clutching and headed for the door.

"C'mon Riley. You promised to spar with Stella. She was looking forward to a light saber duel and if moments matter then that duel matters. Let's go."

(-:-)

"Stella, get down from there." Drew called from the first level of the tower platform.

"No, you're scary when you're mad."

"I'm not angry."

"Really?"

"Not anymore,"

"…"

"What?"

"I don't know how to get down… Why are your eyes red?"

(-:-)

"Whoohoo! We're here!" Sakura said into the microphone as Drew pulled up the Lyoko screen.

"Sakura, give me the mike."

"No, I want to talk to Stella and Co. Stella, whatcha doin'?"

"You've been acting unnaturally happy lately. Why?"

/"It's 'cause she has a crush."/ cackled Stella's voice over the mike.

"Really," Riley smirked, "Anyone I know?"

Sakura blushed, "N-no, and drop it. Who says I have a crush on anyone."

/"Your diary."/

"My WHAT?!!"

Drew was looking at Sakura strangely. Sakura blushed a deeper crimson, "What?"

Drew turned away and shrugged, "You just didn't strike me as the type."

"What type?"

"The type to have a crush on a guy."

"What's that supposed to meant?!"

"I figured you'd fall for monsters like Dracula or Frankenstein. Both are entirely different species…like you."

Riley grabbed Sakura and had to forcibly restrain her from killing Drew.

"C'mon sis, let's go to Lyoko now to cool off."

"When you're next on Lyoko Drew, you're dead! DEAD! You hear me?"

Drew turned back to the computer, "Touchy."

Sticky Note #2: (yes you must read it readers [especially Lyokolady)

LOVE takes time to develop. Crushes (infatuation, puppy love, my own description, the love bug syndrome …) are irrational and almost instantaneous. If that is not enough explanation here's this: I am the authoress and this is for the sake of the story.

And no, the crush is not Drew. Happy Reading!