Chapter Four: Dawn Knows?
Odd spoke first.
"So you're like the female Dr. Dolittle, huh?"
"Yeah, and no, I have not been admitted."
"Admitted to what?"
"A mental ward."
"Oh, I've been in one of those," said Yumi," My parents had a problem with my choices in clothing. They think because I always wear black that there's something wrong with me."
"I know. Isn't that weird? I have a friend back in America who always does the Gothic thing, and her parents are always trying to get her into the psyco institution. There isn't one thing wrong with one color, especially black. Orange or pink might be a little...overboard, but if it floats your boat, go with it."
"Guys, I hate to tell you, but we should probably get to class. What do you have next, Dawn?"
"Umm.....English with Ms. Sazoon."
"That's my next class. I'll show you where it is. How'd you get into a higher English class than your grade normally allows?"
"Simple, Yumi. I'm pretty good at it, and I asked for an advanced class."
"Ms. Sazoon is a pretty tough teacher, though. Are you sure you can handle it?"
"I haven't seen a teacher I can't get along with yet. Or make fun of, for that matter."
(After the last class of the day)
Ulrich, Odd, and Jeremy were growing worried. Yumi and Dawn hadn't shown up yet, and the last bell rang nearly a half hour ago. Just as they were about ot go search for them, they came into view. As they got closer, it was plain to the boys that they thought something was funny because they were holding on to each other for support and tears of laughter were streaming down their faces.
"What's so funny you guys?"
"Da..Dawn jus...Dawn just called Ms. Sazoon a...a baboon...by acciedent!"
Dawn, who was somewhat recovered from her fit of laughter, broke into a sing-song voice.
You're a baboon
I knew it at once
Though you said I was a dunce
Your butt bounced like jello
It's a wonder you're so mellow
When we all laugh at your big, fat ass
After we walk out of your cla-ass!"
By now, the boys were laughing along with Yumi on the ground. After the laughter subsided, Jeremy turned to Dawn."Ok, that was funny, but if you want to know our secret, we have to get going."
"Well, let's go."
Dawn unzipped her backpack and pulled out her rollerblades. The boys gave her a funny look, so she explained.
"Yumi told me she thought I should bring them."
They nodded, and took her to the manhole, climbed in, and everyone began skating towards the factory. "Is everyone present and accounted for?"
"No."
"Who's missing? I see everyone."
"My brain is missing. I think Sissy stole it and put it in her empty head."
"Ok, anything other than Dawn's brain missing?"
"Nope."
"Then let's go."
They lead Dawn to the manhole, climbed down, and began skating to the factory. Dawn was ahead of the group, since she could roller blade faster than they could skateboard or scooter.
"Dawn, wait for us. You could get lost in these tunnels!"
"Don't worry, Odd. I know these sewers like the back of my hand. My big sister used to bring me to that old factory through here."
"She did?"
"Yeah. That's where we're going, isn't it?"
Dawn spun around and started skating backwards.
"You guys know about Lyoko and Aelita, don't you?"
"Yeah, but how do you know?"
"Well....It started a long while ago, when my sister came to the same boarding school we go to. She was bored most of the time because the schoolwork was too easy for her and she needed a challenge. Then she found the factory, which was then just a stockpile of computer parts and such. She created the supercomputer in her spare time. I never saw her so happy as when she was working with it. The she created Lyoko and the scanners. Most of the scanners were on the same level as the supercomputer, but she built three below it's level in case something happened to power on that level while we were in Lyoko, so we could still de-virtualize. One day, the worst happened, and one of our friends was trapped in Lyoko. Her name was Aelita. We tried to get her out, but my sister's materialization program was corrupted by a virus. She's still working on an antivirus today, and she's really quite close. Maybe we'll get Aelita out soon."
They'd reached the factory. They piled into the elevator, and Jeremy pushed the button to take them to the supercomputer. On the way, Odd had a question.
"What about Xana?"
Dawn sighed. "My elder brother was sore at my sister for not letting him know too much about Lyoko because most of the time he can't keep a secret. He created the virus that is in program X.A.N.A. to, at intervals, try to kill off Aelita. He knew that would be the ultimate revenge against my sister, hurting her through her friends. Amber originally created X.A.N.A. to help protect Lyoko from viruses and act as a kind of companion in Lyoko for Aelita until they could get her out."
"Do you think your sister would mind showing us more about Lyoko?"
Dawn smiled. "I'll ask her. She's going to be our new school nurse, anyway, since the other is moving."
"She won't bite, will she?"
"I can't promise that."
All talk ceased as the doors opened up to reveal the control room. Jeremy sat in the chair and put the headset on.
"Aelita? Are you there?"
"I'm here, Jeremy. What's up?"
"If you mean Xana, nothing yet. We have a new member, or an old member, depending on how you look at it."
"Amber?"
Dawn stepped forward. "No, Aelita. Me."
"Dawn! But you've grown! It can't have been that long ago."
"Actually it is. But you know the rules of Lyoko. You don't age while you're there."
"True."
"I'm coming to Lyoko."
"Okay. I'll be waiting for you in the forest region. Aelita out."
As Aelita logged off and ran to the forest region, Dawn turned to the others.
"You've all been to Lyoko before, correct?"
"Jeremy hasn't. Too bad, he's head over heels for Aelita."
"We'll just have to fix that. Follow me, please."
"But who'll run the supercomputer?"
"It's programed to run itself when a certain code is imputted."
Dawn lead them to a section of wall on the far side of the elevator doors. She stopped at what was apparently a solid wall.
"Uh, Dawn...?"
"It only looks like a wall. You can really just walk right through it to the scanners on the other side."
Dawn walked through, followed by the rest of Team Lyoko. They stared at these scanners. Each one had a name above it and was decorated. There were six in all. As the others studied the different scanners, Dawn walked over to a wall-mounted console and punched in the code the computer needed. Then she turned to the rest of the group.
"Pick a scanner. Just don't pick mine or Aelita's."
"Who are thes people, Dawn?"
Dawn sighed and started at the right end of the room. She pointed to a neat, clean white nameplate with the name ALEX emblazoned on it.
"My brother and the creator of X.A.N.A.'s virus. The blue one next to it was Shana's. The red one was Aelita's. The purple one was Monica's. The green one is my sister's, and this silver one is mine. Shana, Aelita, Monica, and Amber made an oath to stand by each other no matter what, to be sisters forever in spirit. If you've seen The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, it was sorta like that. In Lyoko, they each had a different element at their disposal. Perhaps Aelita can explain it better than I can. Let's go."
Dawn turned and walked into her scanner. The rest picked scanners, and they were all virtualized by the computer. After they were safely in Lyoko, a pair of dark green eyes stepped out to reveal the rest of their body to the circuts and wires. Then, the figure turned and walked swiftly to the control room, and sat down in the chair and put the headset on.
END CHAPTER
Janette: Yeah...It's been awhile....
Sharina: And you accuse me of procrastinating!
Janette: Well, if you'd update at least once a month...!
Sharina: Whatever. We need some reviews.
Janette: Changed the subject rather quickly, didn't ya?
Sharina:...........No......(pouting face)