AN: Hello, readers. I hope many of you are well and safe in this whole pandemic ordeal. I don't find it at all easy to be under quarantine. Too much time in my house drives me nuts. But still, there's nothing to do because so many stores and other locations are closed. So, I figured it was better to write than go stir-crazy. Please read, review, and enjoy. Thank you all so much for your support. -Pagliacci-11
Jeremy still couldn't believe his eyes as he reviewed the footage for the fourth time. He wanted to be skeptical of its contents, and yet the evidence was overwhelming. The footage had been pulled from a location's raw security feed at the time of the event back in 1994. The footage was by every extent of his analysis unaltered. It was the hard truth, indeed, the most unsettling truth that what was before him was real.
Jeremy replayed a segment of the audio-files, "Now, John, understand that we do truly appreciate what you have done for our vision. You and Waldo have done wonderfully in securing the necessary protocols and making your marvelous machines. But now comes the time where your tools are to be utilized how they were originally designed in conception. But because we cannot have simple people running around proclaiming what is at work—especially when it comes to safeguarding the people; it comes to the element of what to do with you and those like you. For me, such a method has a simple answer, but an immensely gratifying one."
Jeremy paused the feedback, "Safeguarding the people?" he thought, "North-Gate has a similar objective, to safeguard us. But that said, considering what the program has shared with us, what are we being safeguarded from? I know now this being, this Sylvia, is a living being just as Aelita was. But why keep this portion of herself secret?"
As Jeremy thought, the phone began to ring. Jeremy checked the caller ID, and it was Aelita's new number, and he answered, "Hello, how are you."
"Jeremy, did you see what North-Gate sent us?" Aelita asked her voice in shock.
"Yes, I did. I'm glad you sent it to me."
"Is there any way any of this footage could have been falsified?"
"I've looked through the files; I've looked at everything that was given. Aelita, the only thing that has been modified, is a refresh period which continually stored the video and audio-logs. That's the only current thing. The rest is the original video and audio recordings. It's even still in the old coding and video transcription feed from nineteen ninety-four. I had to do a few configurations to even play the videos fully."
"So, so it's all true then?"
"Unfortunately, it seems so. Your mother used both your father and Johnathan Barrow to make two programs in the wake of Carthage. The machines, I'm honestly not sure just how they exactly factor into your mother's plan. But their importance is definitely there."
"With respect, Jeremy, I feel you're looking for an answer which is already in front of you. The answers that we have are in North-Gate's manual. It was meant to be paired with Lyoko. Even though both projects were designed separately, they easily can be linked to each other. I have a strong instinct that North-Gate when the program acquired Lyoko, it was doing its best to achieve its original objective. However, with what happened to its creator, it may have changed its primary goal a bit."
"Fair point. A question I have, though, what are we going to do about your mother? Something tells me that if North-Gate and even Sylvia now knows the full extent of all of this, the program may already be making its move."
"I honestly believe that if the program knows and has known all of this information, then it was just waiting for the right moment to act upon it. What becomes of my mother? In light of this evidence, it will sort itself out in due time."
"Are you feeling alright?" Jeremy asked, "I know how you wanted to reconnect with your mother. Seeing what you've seen, what are your thoughts?"
"My thoughts? I honestly don't give a fuck. She's made her bed, now she must lie in it. She lied to my father, almost would have destroyed him just as she did John Barrow. My father was able to save me and keep me safe from his own program, but more than that, he kept me safe from her. Mother left Sylvia fatherless and locked in a case for a while and killed her father right before her eyes. If John Barrow recorded all of this, then he knew what he was doing. He was having his program protect his daughter, and when the time came, I honestly feel he's given consent for the program to kill my mother. So, yeah, Jeremy, those are my thoughts. Fuck that lying cunt of woman!"
"Your anger is justified, that's for sure," Jeremy said, albeit a bit nervously.
"Forget my anger. I'm more concerned about what Sylvia will do, now she knows what she knows. Because honestly, Jeremy, I feel she's been pulling her punches."
"You're not alone there. But see, I don't think she'll hurt us. She may hurt your mother and those tied to her. But that in itself would be a project even for North-Gate to undertake."
"I don't know, Jeremy. At this point, I really don't know. Something tells me, just my gut instinct is screaming; we should just be honest with Sylvia. That we tell her about the bot that's been going through her system. Jeremy, I don't think she's going to be angry. If anything, she may be grateful for our honesty."
"Aelita, you know that's an immense risk. Are you sure you want to take that chance?"
"Jeremy, think about what this girl can do. She blew up a studio, she put us in a digital prison as a result that only grew tighter, the more we adapted. I feel the honesty in this regard is the best thing we can possibly do."
"If you feel sure of this, go ahead. But you realize that in revealing this bot, we lose all element of surprise if Sylvia goes haywire."
"I've not giving away my whole hand, Jeremy. Just a portion." Aelita replied, "I'll call you back soon. "
Aelita ended the call and then taking a breath, she dialed North-Gate's Directorate the phone rang, and a voice said, "Code-In, Please."
"I have no code, but I have a field kit given by overseer Cassius Dio," Aelita replied.
"What was your answer to the verification question?" the voice replied.
"Mr. Puck."
"Transferring you to the Director."
Sylvia's voice was on the line, "Hello, Sister. How are you?"
"I received your files and Sylvia, I want to help you."
"It's a flattering offer, Aelita. But I thought we already were helping each other."
"We are, but there's something you should know."
"About your bot?" Sylvia asked.
"Y-yes, how did you know?"
"Love, I know everything that comes into my system from the outside. Only you and Jeremy have the brains in the program's vicinity to make a bot with such much attention to detail. However, you are not the only one watching what I do. That is all I will say at present. So, did you call to confess that you were using your bot against me? That you are telling me now because you didn't want my full wrath, is that right?"
"Y-Yes. That's correct." Aelita said, a bit more scared than before.
"Alright, that's good. I'm glad that you're honest. I'm going to keep your bot in the system, however. I have a notion, and I know it's a sound one. In the meantime, see if you can assemble your friends. I want to give you some upgrades if you are going to be joining my army, upgrades that I know you will desperately need."
"So, you're not mad."
"No, I'm not mad, now come on. Gather your friends and meet in the factory. Once there, I will guide you further."
"I have your word; there will be no tricks?" Aelita asked.
"Aelita, if I were to destroy you, I assure you I wouldn't do it in whatever way your pretty little head is dreaming up."
"I'm sure you can understand my skepticism, can't you?"
"Of course. But that said, it is far more prudent to teach you what you need to be successful as you need to be prepared for what is coming. To be prepared is of greater benefit than not making the most of our recourses and be caught with our pants down."
Aelita hesitated a moment and said, "Alright. I'll see what I can do. I'll contact you when we're at the factory."
"No need. The security cameras your father installed do a splendid job of that already."
"Of course. I'll see you soon." Aelita ended the call.
After a moment of silence to gather her thoughts, Aelita called Jeremy. A few rings later, and he picked up.
"Jeremy, I spoke to Sylvia about the bot."
"Uh-huh, and how did she take it?" Jeremy asked.
"Jeremy, she already knew about it, but for some reason, she's keeping the bot active. She's acting on a notion that she has."
"Interesting. Is there anything else you two talked about?"
"Yes. Sylvia wants to give us a few upgrades as she termed it. It sounds like she wants to prepare us for an impending attack."
"How does she intend to give us these upgrades?"
"She wants us to meet at the factory, and she'll give us instructions from there."
Jeremy was silent a moment, "Aelita, this seems like a massive risk. The worst part is that if there's a reason she sees fit to change her mind and heaven forbid, keep us there, we'd be screwed over. We'll go, but I'm going to insist that one of us stay off-site as a security measure. That way, if she pulls anything, we can act as a jailbreak to get the rest of us out of the supercomputer."
"But how can that happen without being devirtualized? Something that is required to bring us back to Earth?"
"I've instated a protocol between several key sources and the supercomputer itself. Even with North-Gate rewriting a lot of things and expanding, it left that the subroutine I programmed untouched, which is good."
"What is the nature of the subroutine?" Aelita asked.
"I'm not going to worry you about how it works. Just know it's a method to get you out should things go pear-shaped."
"Alright. Have you managed to get a ride to Kadic from your parents?"
"Fortunately, my mom won't be as big as a problem as I thought. Her boss has called her on a business assignment to Florence. So, I don't have to worry so much about what would happen if that weren't the case."
"That's great. So when will you be here?"
"By tomorrow afternoon. I spoke with Yumi, and her parents have agreed to our summer get-together just so long as we don't wreck the house. You know how it is."
"Of course. That's great. Well, Odd will likely be here around the same time as you are."
"That's good. So, if all things go as planned, we shouldn't have too much of a problem."
"Jeremy, what do you think these upgrades are that Sylvia mentioned?"
"That's the thing. It could be anyone's guess. We'll honestly have to see when we get them. Don't worry, Aelita. We'll figure this out. If Sylvia is true to her word, we shouldn't have too much to fear."
"You're right. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon then. Is there anything special you'd like to eat before we go to the factory?"
"Nothing so far as I can think of. Why?"
"I've been practicing my culinary skills here and there, and I'd like to try cooking for you if that's alright?"
"When did you find yourself with that kind of time?" Jeremy asked.
"Well, it is summer break, Jeremy. Besides, you'd be amazed at how willing Ms. Hertz was to teach me some semi-advanced basics of home economics."
"She's a good teacher, Aelita. She's not as bad as most would paint her to be."
"I know she's just—"
"Just say it, she's a bit of a fuddy-duddy stuck in the ways her generation."
"Well, I don't wish to be as dismissive as that. But you have a point."
"But to answer your question, please, make what you feel comfortable with."
"Alright. Well, I'll see you tomorrow."
Meanwhile, Anthea had just awoken from the night before. The gentle buzz of flies buzzing around her vomit first roused her, and then the smell of it hit her nostrils. She gave a sigh as she looked around her. It was honestly not as bad as she'd thought it would be. After getting up, Anthea went to her closet, and after getting a spray-bottle of bleach, she began to clean up the mess. As she cleaned, her phone rang.
"Hello?" She asked.
"What happened to you last night?" Akiko asked.
"What are you talking about?"
"We had an op that we had to do, and you never showed, so we went in we were a bit underpowered."
"Oh yeah, that. Well, I've had my own developments over the past few hours."
"What exactly happened?"
"North-Gate is active. I don't know what it's going to do just yet. But it attacked me last night, and it was able to commandeer my television."
"Okay. What exactly happened?
"We had a small discussion, and then after a moment, I challenged the program, and it sent a wave that I can only say made my life a disoriented hell for I don't know how long. I felt dizzy, nauseous, my limbs felt like they were limp noodles—it was insane for a bit."
"What happened afterward?" Akiko asked.
"I fell asleep or was knocked unconscious, either one because I don't know."
"So, what do you propose we do? How should we treat this?"
"I say we don't pull any punches. We go back into Johnathan's data that we go back to his original testing sites and see if there's something we may have missed. The man had a talent for making hiding holes all over the place. We find what's left, and if there's nothing, we proceed with our eradication phase. We know that Lyoko is crucial to North-Gate's directive. It cannot function without it. So what we need to do is isolate Lyoko and destroy it. If we rob North-Gate of its primary analysis tools, it will set the program back in a substantial way. In the meantime, we continue with the supercomputer production as planned to nullify what North-Gate is attempting to do."
"I see. So, how do you propose we move forward with this?"
"We know where Lyoko sits because Belpois utilized forces to retrieve its components from North-Gate. We also know a major experimentation site of the program from that same extraction. My solution is simple. Move-in on the factory where Lyoko is based and move in on the experimentation site. Both will be of great value the first for nullifying a primary functioning component of North-Gate, the second we will get an idea of where we are headed based on what the program is doing in one area."
"Very good. Alright, I'll set up the strike teams to deal with this. When do you want this done?"
"We'll head to the factory tomorrow just after four o'clock so I can properly shut down Lyoko. We will then salvage the parts of the supercomputer to make our second supercomputer and restart Lyoko to see what developments North-Gate has made. From that point, we will see just what its planning and counteract it."
"And what of the test site that you want to look at?"
"I'm going to wait on that for a moment, I think. What we need to do right now is see precisely just what we're dealing with. When we have Lyoko back in our possession, we may be led to an overall layout for North-Gate's own plans."
"How many do you think we will need?" Akiko asked.
"We need to do this promptly. Assembly, let alone proper disassembly could take a substantial amount of time. Send in a requisition order for two-hundred and fifty men."
"Alright, I will. I'll see you tomorrow at four."
Anthea closed her phone and proceeded to clean her room from last night's attack. As she cleaned, outside sat a young woman writing down what information she had eavesdropped upon, and after a moment, she activated her implant.
"This is Vogue." She said.
"Code in, please."
"000251846."
"Proceed."
"Eagle is closing in on the Situation Room. Repeat, Eagle is closing in on the Situation Room."
"ETA?"
"Seventeen hours."
"Host?"
"Two Eggs Benedict with a side of Hash browns."
"Noted. Continue to observe, keep your distance. When the subject has left, move in on the domicile."
"Understood."
The girl put her notepad back in her pocket and continued with the trimming of the rosebushes nearby.
In time, Anthea came out, and the girl called out, "Hello Miss. Kragel! Having a nice day?"
Anthea waved and approached the girl, "Hello, Madeline. How are you doing these days?"
"Oh, the usual, you know. School, work at the grocers, studies, that kind of thing. How are you?"
"I've had a bit of a rough start, but I have faith it will get better." Anthea replied, "How are your parents?"
"Mom's at work, and dad's going to work at the gas station soon. I'm just trimming the stuff here." Madelyn gestured to the roses, "It's a nice bit of therapy, that and mowing."
"You're honestly one of the very few women I know who enjoys mowing. Ever thought about doing it as a summer job?"
"Daddy asked the same thing, and I honestly don't see why not. I mean, it's practically that time, and most are too lazy these days to mow of their own volition. Besides, plenty of elderly people in town to work for anyway."
"See? You're already thinking ahead." Anthea replied, "It's good. It shows ambition."
Madeline nodded, "Big plans in the city today? You look quite smart."
"Office work for my tyrannical overlords of work. Being a secretary sucks, but they have a good medical and dental plan."
"Hey, gotta' take care of the teeth. It's one of your best features."
"Thank you." Anthea replied, "I'll be back this afternoon if you'd like to have tea."
"Sure, thanks for the invitation. Oh, been meaning to ask. Will you be coming to the football match this weekend?"
"I'm not sure myself. If my work history is any indication, it's going to be fifty-fifty. However, if I do end up being free, I'll come. I'd love to see how your team has perfected its formations."
"It's not so much the formation that counts, it's the coordination. But I think we've done great, but perhaps I'm a touch biased."
"We'll see this weekend," Anthea said with a smile. She checked her watch, "I'll see you this afternoon."
Madeline nodded, "I look forward to it."
Anthea went back to her car, and as she drove away, she waved goodbye to Madeline, who waved back, and after Anthea had turned the corner of the street, Madeline listened intently. Waiting for five seconds, she then went into action. Changing out of her gardening shoes, she put on a pair of brand-new sneakers she kept for just such a purpose. Madeline took a pair of vinyl gloves and put them in her pocket. She then jogged over to Anthea's apartment door, and taking out a key, entered the building. She then approached Anthea's door and putting her gloves on, Madeline used a second key and unlocked the door and headed inside.
The smell of bleach was heavy in the air, and Madeline immediately went to work. Going directly to Anthea's room, she used her fingers and felt slowly and methodically around. Madeline knew almost all of Anthea's hiding spots by now; she should as she had known the woman for four years. However, as she looked methodically through, she found nothing. Yet unknown to her, a camera was observing her from a snow-globe of the Great Wall of China.
Akiko called Anthea, "You have a stranger in your home."
"No worries. Who is it?"
"Your neighbor, by all appearances."
"I figured as much. But no worries. Even if the little lady tries to deny it, there are other ways to find her out."
Madeline got a message through her implant, "Take the money at the top of her dresser and get out. They're onto you."
Madeline did as she was told and quickly left the domicile. Just in time, an intense series of hives were breaking out on her arms.
"Fuck," Madeline said to herself, "she had to use bleach today of all days."
Madeline went to Anthea's dresser and took forty of the one hundred and fifty Euros and headed out.
Akiko observed this, and she made a small note on a pad of paper.
Back at Kadic, Aelita was swimming her usual laps. It was, in a way, Aelita's sanctuary to have the pool to herself at this time of day. None to critique her form, no one to compete with. It was a fantastic bit of exercise, a pleasant bit of time to recollect herself. Aelita swam one last final lap before getting out and drying off. It was how she kept her head together in times like this. Aelita knew she had a way out, she knew Sylvia, and by extension, North-Gate wanted to help her and the rest of the team. But she knew; equally, she had to be careful. Aelita went to the shower, and as she cleaned herself from the chlorine, she felt a great deal more relieved.
As she approached her room, she heard low arguing. It was between Amelia and someone else.
"What do you want me to do?" Amelia asked, "If you only knew how much rage I felt, how much fucking anger I felt, maybe you'd understand."
"But I do." A voice replied far softer than her own, "I know very well how you feel. Why do you feel mad?"
"Because he's such a fucking asshole! Because he believes in his heart that he's always fucking right and oh how, it's right for him to be angry and have what he wants, but the second you infringe on his territory, Oh, God, no! Get back in that fucking box. And I could handle that, I really could, if he wasn't such a self-righteous, condescending prick."
"But you have to consider what you did to him. That's a valid reason for his skepticism, his guarded nature. And as much as you say to him you've changed, the expression, once bitten twice shy, is very true. He has a right to feel as he does, just as you do. In many ways, both of you are to blame for what is going on."
There was silence a moment as Aelita listened, and she heard Amelia reply, "You're right. You're right. As usual."
"You're very Machiavellian, you know?" the voice asked.
"Is that such a bad thing?"
"Yes. Why? Because it's exploitation and deceit."
"Yeah, but the world does it every day to some extent, why shouldn't I?"
"You are familiar, no doubt, with the whole eye for an eye concept. That's what you really want regarding Norman."
"That's not—"
"It is, it is Amelia. It is very much. It's what you want. You feel pain at Norman's rejection, at his nature of how he accuses you of using what he says against him to weasel into his life."
"Is it my fault for being the person who listens the most to conversations? All I did with the guy was listen. Listen to his complaints, his petty insecurities, all of that and suddenly, oh, when I try and help the man knowing what I now know, suddenly I'm the bad guy? I didn't weasel the information out of you, you pompous fuck, you volunteered it! You know what his problem is? What is really is? That guy has no sense of self-identity, none! How many times did I try and help him in trying to discover himself! I gave the fucker a weapon perfectly designed to him, and what does he do? Oh, suddenly I'm the manipulator once again, because I listened to him and what he wanted? Fuck him!"
"Keep going."
"I fucking hate his wife too. I know how she feels about his educational endeavors, but guess what, I didn't weasel those details out of her either. She gave them to me, that's the best part. But she'd never admit that either; to save her own skin." Amelia sighed.
Aelita cautiously knocked on the door, Amelia replied, "Come on in."
Aelita came in, and to her astonishment, she found no second person in the room at all. She looked at Amelia and on Amelia's chest was a ventriloquist's dummy with curly blonde hair dressed in a black tank top and blue jeans with Converse Sneakers for shoes.
"Uh, you okay?" Aelita asked.
"Hmm?" Amelia asked and looked at her, "Oh yeah, better than ever. Just having therapy."
Aelita sat down, "Uh that other person was that you?"
"In a manner of speaking. Logic would say so as no one came out of the room before you knocked. However, to quote Mr. Carol, "We're all mad here."
"What's the name of the dummy?" Aelita asked.
The dummy's eyes focused on her, "Hey, it takes one to know one. How are you, Maiden of Lyoko?"
Aelita's eyes went wide, and she looked at Amelia, who smiled, "Your own realm of imagination-land? If it is, you have got a frightfully active imagination."
"What are you talking about?" Aelita asked.
The dummy spoke, "You talk in your sleep, princess. And judging by your ravings, Jeremy really Rogers your Hammerstein."
Aelita immediately blushed, and Amelia laughed, "Oh, sweetie, you blush way too easily."
Amelia looked at the dummy and then sat up and put the article in a small trunk she kept near the base of the bed.
"So, that therapy," Aelita asked, "was that just you exorcising your inner demons?"
"More like letting them out to play, so the pressure doesn't build too much in my mind and kills me."
"Why do you have so much hate for that person?"
"Because deep in my heart I'm petty and I don't let things go. Even though I'm told I should, it doesn't quite work out that way."
"It doesn't do you any good to dwell on how people hurt you. You simply learn from whatever mistakes existed and move on. "
"I know, I've heard it before from my guidance counselor."
"Then act on it for goodness sake. Your grudge whatever it is, no matter how right you feel, it's not going to affect the object of your grudge at all. It will only make you miserable."
"Do you have any idea how good it genuinely feels to hate something? How that hatred can turn into a vision?"
"No, because hating others is personally a waste of time and resource that can easily be used elsewhere. Besides, you're banking on a fifty-fifty hope that your pain turns to inspiration. But if you miss the boat, then you're just a spiteful girl spouting nothing but hot air."
"Are you always like this? Having an answer for everything?" Amelia asked as she looked up at the ceiling.
"It's not having an answer for everything; it's just using the common sense God gave a Billy-goat. Okay, you hate this person, big deal. If hate is your engine, then actively use it. Don't just sit there."
"Something tells me, you don't quite understand what I'm saying."
"No, I do. But with respect, I don't have time to waste on other people's bullshit either. Either you use anger as a fuel to move forward, or you let it go. Those are your options."
"Okay, so walk me through your thought process—"
"Stop trying to pick my brain," Aelita said, "your methods are very transparent. Look, in layman's terms, it's simple. Whatever happened, realize what happened, why it happened, and how it happened as it did. Grow yourself to either not be so much of what you were or stomach people's shit better. Because people are assholes and most are out for themselves, it's just life. Is your friend wrong for being an asshole? Sure, but you can't change him either. He's his own being and has as much free will as you. If you also are telling yourself that your Machiavellian, maybe there's more truth than you'd care to admit to what your friend accuses you of. Maybe that's your nature, your fault that you need to work on."
Amelia was silent and shifted her gaze back up at the ceiling, "The world forced you to adapt quickly, didn't it?"
"In a manner of speaking, absolutely. I had very little time to grouse. Something I think you spend a bit too much time doing if your self-dialogue is anything to go by. I'm not trying to be an ass, but I won't tolerate a mentality like yours in my living space. I have very little for do-nothing grousers."
"I'm not a do-nothing grouser as you call them. I have my reasons for feeling as I do."
"That may well be. However, it's what you do with those feelings for the better that help to mature you and help you grow. You have talent. I know that myself. You have anger, this also I know. But talent is no good if it is not exercised and refined. Rage does no good mostly at all except for being maybe a kick when exercising. You're angry with this Norman guy? Great, go and vent it. You want to fight, I can feel it in your tone, we go to the gym and have a spar. I want you to do something with what you feel, but doing nothing; is not an option. I'm not going to have you flip out and go nuts on me when I can see the danger signs a mile off."
Amelia got up immediately, "You know what, okay, get yourself ready we'll have a spar in the gym."
Aelita sighed slightly, "Alright, let's go then."
As Amelia and Aelita headed towards the gym, Aelita prepared herself mentally for what was to come. In her mind, she thought, "Great a hot-headed prima-donna with a love of fighting. Well, it could be worse. Just remember she feels she has something to prove to you, so don't at all expect her to pull punches." They entered the gym and saw Jim near the rock wall.
"Jim!" Aelita called out.
Jim looked at her, "Ah, Stones, Beck, how can I help you two?"
"Amelia and I want to spar. Can you oversee our setup?"
"Sure. Let me set up two of the wrestling mats, just a sec."
Jim went to go get the mats from a nearby room, and Aelita looked at Amelia. She could tell the girl was anticipating this. As if something had been boiling in her body for a long time, finally getting a vent to release itself. As Aelita saw this, she made a mental note to dodge as much as she could. She knew from Amelia's size, that to be hit by her fists would hurt like hell if she were to connect. Jim came out with two mats and two sets of boxing gloves. He set the mats down, and he then headed back to get the two helmets.
Jim then took the gloves and laced the girls in one by one and secured their heads within the helmets. "Now, this is going to be a clean spar. That said, if I intervene, you are to stop immediately. Are we clear?"
The girls nodded, and Jim said, "Alright, begin."
Amelia moved forward, the speed of which shocked Aelita with how quickly she closed the distance. Her fist flew forward, and Aelita blocked and counter-punched Amelia in her stomach, but the blow didn't at all seemed to phase the girl. Amelia's foot flew to the side and clipped Aelita, which was followed a swift left-left and powerful right punch to Aelita's head. Aelita took a moment to get distance and collect herself. Amelia was far more potent than she'd thought. Even with the protection of the headpiece, the blows still very much registered.
Aelita tried to sweep Amelia's feet, but the girl jumped and gave a powerful kick to Aelita's mid-section. The air was nearly knocked out of Aelita, but she moved just in time to dodge another incoming punch. Aelita delivered a left hook to Amelia's chin bringing the woman to the ground but only for a fraction of a second. Aelita was soon met with a sweep of her own, knocking her off her feet and onto her back. Aelita rolled quickly and punched her hardest into Amelia's abdomen. All three blows hit the girl's stomach, but it didn't seem to do much, not at all.
"Stop focusing on the abdomen, aim for my head." Amelia said, "Too many do that, to which I do this," A powerful knee came up and struck Aelita in her stomach, genuinely knocking the wind out of her. Aelita gasped, her body slumping on the knee.
"Hold off, Beck!" Jim commanded.
Amelia removed her knee, and Aelita fell to the ground gasping for air. Jim came beside her and asked, "Are you alright?"
Aelita continued to try and breathe, but it was harder than she thought.
Jim looked at Amelia, "Jesus, kid, she's a beginner! You're a fucking district finalist! What the hell's your problem?!"
Aelita got up, and with a dreadful scream, she delivered a flurry of punches first to the left then right, then a kick to the right knee, and finally a blow to the throat.
"Fighting me on false pretenses?! Is that your game?" Aelita said as she breathed heavily.
Amelia got up, "You didn't ask my fighting history, that's on you. By the way, job on the knee."
"Fuck you!" Aelita said, "Jim, we're done."
Jim sighed, "Of course. Well, alright, then."
Once the girls had finished their spar, Aelita headed towards the park. As she walked, she thought, "Is this my reward for trying to help people? To get the shit kicked out of me? That girl's knee was like being kicked by a horse. Damn!" The area was still red and quite sore once the pain had time to fully register. Aelita sat on the park bench, and she sighed. It's true, she didn't know genuinely how to fight. That was mostly Ulrich, Odd, and Yumi's domain. But it was something she genuinely wanted to improve in herself. The pain in her abdomen surged, and Aelita clutched the area as she gave a whimpering cry, "Fuck, this hurts!"
Aelita got up and headed to the infirmary, and once there, she knocked on the door. Yolanda replied, "Come in."
Aelita came in, and she said, "Miss. Yolanda, I had a broken spar with a classmate, and my stomach is killing me."
Yolanda got up and said, "What are you feeling?"
"Oh, intense burning pain and terrible tightness."
Yolanda nodded, "Here, lie down."
Aelita lay down on the bed, and the pain seemed to be a bit better, but only for a moment as the pain flared up again, and Aelita gently cried as it intensified.
Yolanda seeing this said, "What happened, what led to this?"
"She kneed me in the gut. Knocked the wind right out of me."
Yolanda said, "Let me see your stomach."
Yolanda looked at the spot, and it indeed a red that seemed to grow, "How hard did she hit you?"
"I have no clue, Miss. Yolanda, it just really hurts."
Yolanda nodded, and after listening to Aelita's stomach, she went to her cabinets and was reaching for the traditional pain suppressants, when she saw the small vial of orange tic-tacs. She held the bottle in her hand and said, "Aelita, I'm going to give you some medicine to help. But you need to rest. No strenuous activity for a bit. You can sleep here for at least an hour."
"Anything is better than this," Aelita said.
Yolanda took a tac, and she looked at Aelita's file, and after a glace, she cut a quarter of the tac. She then went over to Aelita, "Suck on this, don't swallow. It'll dissolve quickly."
Aelita took the pill fragment, and she did as instructed, "This is good. It's like candy." she said, "Getting an upgrade in medicine?"
Yolanda smiled as she sat beside Aelita on her stool, and she held Aelita's hand, "Feel better?"
"I feel nothing, actually. But—" Aelita stopped, and she gave short gasps, "Oh, this is so nice, the pain is—is almost gone! This is so—" her voice began to trail. Yolanda knew what this meant, and she took a blanket from nearby covering Aelita. Soon, Aelita slept, and Yolanda drew the blinds and sat back at her desk.
Patching into her implant, she said, "Test run is complete. The subject is stable, and pain has ceased. A slightly elevated blush confirms the healing process. A quarter of a tac is all that is needed for most females of our target demographic."
Terry replied, "Excellent, Doctor. Thank you. Keep watch until you are relieved, and then we can hang out at Beto's."
"Will do. And Terry, I just received word, your Melanie is on her way."
"Excellent. We'll use her to replace Madelyn. The girl's been compromised and will be relocated."
"Eagle has gotten used to us; we have to adapt in turn."
"Oh, Doctor, we already have begun."
