Thanks to all my reviwers, and thanks to my beta reader, Sharina.
Chapter Six: Laughter
Jeremy, Ulrich, Odd, Yumi, and Dawn burst through the hologram and ran towards Amber.
"You're really going to materialize Aelita?"
"Yes, Jeremy. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to install this firewall around the tower she's in. After that, Alex and X.A.N.A. should have a difficult time trying to do any harm. Then, I'm going to update the program that will bring her back into this world."
"What will we do with her when she gets here?"
"I have already prepared for that. Since she will still be 13 when she re- enters this world, I have arranged for her to be under my care. She will stay in my house, if she likes, and I will enroll her in the same school as you attend."
"I guess that'll be pretty easy for you to do, since you're our new nurse."
"Yes. Okay, the firewall is installed. Aelita, prepare for the trip back. It might be rougher than usual, since you've been in there so long."
"Okay, Amber. I'm ready when you are."
"Catch ya on the flip side. Devirtualize Designate: Aelita."
The computer hummed, then quieted. Amber rose from her seat and crossed through the holographic wall.
"Aelita?"
"Yes. I'm back."
"AELITA!!!"
Jeremy and the others rushed forward and crushed the pink haired girl in an enormous group hug. Amber, meanwhile, was searching through her bag.
"What are you looking for, Amber?"
"The extra clothes I brought for you to wear."
"What's wrong with the ones I have on?"
"They're nearly twenty years out of date. Here, go put these on in the bathroom."
"Alright."
Aelita went to the bathroom to change, and Amber turned back to the computer and stared at it, mumbling to herself.
"It's over. It's finally over. Well, no, not yet. I still have Alex to deal with, and his creation."
"I'm back. How do I look?"
Aelita spun around, showing them the hip hugging, flared jeans, baby pink tank top, denim jacket, and black leather slides. Team Lyoko stared, Amber smiled and nodded her approval, and Jeremy's jaw nearly hit the floor.
"Nice, Aelita. I'm glad they fit. I got you the basics in your closet at my house, but we'll go shopping later this week. Oh, and I kept these for you."
Amber produced a pair of gold flame earrings. Aelita took them and put them in.
"Thanks Amber. I knew I could count on you to keep them. Are you wearing yours?"
Amber pulled back her hair to show her earlobes. She had gold leaf-shaped earrings in.
"Hey, sis, why don't we go back to our house? We can party there until curfew."
"Sure thing, Dawnie."
Odd raised an eyebrow. "Dawnie? Why wasn't I informed of this little nickname?"
"You never asked."
"Oh. Do you have a nickname?"
"Dawnie. Do you got a nickname?"
"Yeah, but I'm not telling."
"Yes, you will!"
Dawn jumped at Odd and started tickling him. Soon, they were both grappling on the floor.
"That's enough, you two."
They stopped and, realizing the position they were in, pulled apart quicker than necessary, blushing madly. Everyone else hid a smirk.
"Let's go, Ambie."
They arrived at Amber's house, which was a short way from both the factory and the school. It was a simple two story white house with a front porch and a white fence all around. They passed through the gate and went inside. The inside was a simply decorated as the outside. It looked like a clean, modern farmhouse that had been plucked up and planted in the city. In the backyard, there was a good-sized garden with both vegetables and flowers in it. Amber led them up the stairs, and down the hall to the last three doors. One had a blue and silver plaque that said, "Dawn's Room—A Disaster Area". Another had a green and gold plaque that told them, "Amber's Room—Mess It Up And Die". The third door had a red and gold plaque on it that proclaimed, "Aelita's Room—A Completely Different World".
"Go on, Aelita. It's your room. I'll be making something for us to eat."
"Ooh, food. I'm starving!"
"You and Dawn will get along, then, Odd. She can cook anything."
"You mean she doesn't set anything on fire?"
"Not anymore, Aelita."
Dawn turned bright red as the others laughed.
"Come on, let's go explore Aelita's room."
Aelita turned the knob and went in. The walls were a bright white, with flame trim around the bottom. Her bed was obviously custom made. It was a big four poster with a canopy. The posts were made to look like columns of fire, and on the headboard there was an inscription. Yumi bent over it and started to read it aloud.
"Here sleeps the Fire of Lyoko."
"I suppose that refers to your battle mode in Lyoko?"
"Correct."
"Come on down, you guys. Food's ready!"
The incident was forgotten, and later that night Aelita spoke with Amber about it.
"Yumi guessed it right on the dot. I kinda wish Jeremy had noticed it too."
"Oh? Why?"
"I...I kinda have a thing for Jeremy."
Amber's eyes went wide. Then she laughed.
"So, we have three Lyoko couples."
"Three?"
"You and Jeremy, Yumi and Ulrich, and then Odd and Dawn."
"Odd and Dawn? And what makes you think Jeremy is going to ask me out?"
"Oh, come on, Aelita! Open your eyes! The boy's head over heels for you! As for Odd and Dawn, didn't you see them today? They totally like each other!"
"Hmm, I thought you were protective of your younger siblings?"
"Well, I see no harm in her dating him. He seems nice enough. Maybe a bit wacko, but still a fine match. I might be fifteen years older than them, but I can still hook them up, just like you and Jeremy."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"I don't have to."
"What do you mean? Do you know something I don't?"
"Maybe."
"Tell me, please?"
"Nuh-uh. We should go to sleep. I'll enroll you tomorrow when I go up there to start my new job."
"Yeah. Goodnight, Amber."
"Goodnight, Aelita."
At the school, Odd couldn't sleep. He kept going over the events of the day in his head. Did Dawn like him? She had protected him in Lyoko, but that could have just been out of friendliness, not love.
In her dorm, Dawn was also up. Since she had the room to herself until Aelita came in the morning, she was free to turn on her bedside lamp and pace.
"Does he like me? I mean, he did try to protect me when those bullies came around, but that could have just been in newfound friendship. Something inside tells me he really loves me, though."
Suddenly, a message appeared on her computer. It was from Aelita.
"Hey Dawn! You'll never guess! Jeremy just e-mailed me and asked me out. I'm so happy!! What do you think of that? I didn't think he had it in him!"
Dawn smiled as she typed a reply.
"Hey Aelita! I would to have guessed! You're head over heels for him! Go for it!! But, while we're on the subject of dating and boys, do you think Odd has a thing for me, or is he just trying to be a good friend?"
Aelita replied a few moments later.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!? Of course he likes you! Ask him out already!! I'm sure he's still up. You can just text message him on his cell phone."
Dawn thought about it, and reached for her cell. A couple minutes later, she was on her computer again.
"Aelita, he said yes!!! Odd and I am now officially a couple! But, it's getting late. We really should go to sleep, since we got school tomorrow. Dawn out."
Aelita had one last comment.
"That's the same thing your sister told me...."
Dawn laughed, turned off her computer and her lamp, and slid under her covers. She was just about to get to sleep when she heard the door creak open. Thinking it might be Amber checking to make sure she was asleep, she faked a deep slumber. She was wide-awake, though, when a rough hand covered her mouth and another rough hand held her arms tight. The person wasn't a friend.
"You embarrassed my buddies and me on your first day here. Now, it's your turn to feel the pain and shame."
END CHAPTER
Janette: Yeah, next chapter's going to be a little...graphic.
Sharina: Some people might want to skip over it, especially if you don't like sex scenes.
Janette: Promise it will only be the sex, though. After that, I'll go on to the aftermath in chapter eight: Tears.
Sharina: So readers, what do you think will happen to Dawn and Odd after she tells Team Lyoko what happened? Find out next time!