Disclaimer: If I owned Code Lyoko, I would not be writing this fanfiction. I would be working on the second season with rabid fans at my heels. Sooo… no sueing.

Oh my gosh, all you people are SO smart, too smart. (evil eyes) And I am SO SORRY for the REALLY late update; I had writer's block and my dad created a block on Fanfiction.

Trillinka: Thank you! I hope it's up to standard.

MystDragon2K: Eh, it's not. The story wouldn't work then. Thanks, and I'll try.

dantheman7777: Thanks. Is it really THAT obvious? (sigh)

UlrichAndYumi4Ever: Gosh, you scared me for a second! I tried, I really did!

Flying Star: Confusing review; geez, think you could get a BIT more mysterious? Thanks!

Diamond-Halo: It really IS apparent, ne? Thank you! Hehe, I love disclaimers; they are SO fun to make. I'm trying to get over it. Thanks for the encouragement.

Ira Onasi: I'm sorry! This update took forever to write, but tis a late Christmas present.

Xx Pieces Of My S0ul xX: Thank you for your various reviews! I'm happy; people love my story (the idea that hit me at midnight)! (content) Well, if people cried a lot, they fall asleep easily. At least, I do. I HATE reading cliffhangers, but I LOVE making them.

UlrichAndYumi4Ever: I've continued! Writer's block is just REALLY annoying like other things, including school, homework; just basically life being a brat. (sigh)

Thank you for all these WONDERFUL reviews! This is your belated Christmas present.

Chapter 7: Surprise!!

"Oh my god!" Ulrich sprang up and while kicking his friends awake, he dashed to them (trying not to reveal gender) and hugged them tightly.

"Yumi! I thought you killed yourself! How did you manage to survive?"

Yumi blushed and answered, "Well, I misaimed and landed on an iceberg, so I hopped my way over here."

Odd and Aelita got up, shook their heads in disbelief, and flung themselves into the little heap. "So, did I miss anything?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Jeremie? Hey, Jeremie! (pause) That's strange; he's not responding."

"Uh, that's 'cause I sent him back to the school to save our butts from the principal."

"Oh."

"So, what did I miss?"

"Um, besides everyone mourning, nothing."

"Good."

"And that's the only good part about your day…" hissed a sibilant voice (Three guesses who that was.)

"Odd!!!! God, you scared me so bad!!"

"Sorry!! I couldn't resist!!"

"Just… never do it again."

"Fine."

"Hmph."

"Uh…"

"Okay, everyone shut UP!!"

Silence.

Yumi swore. Ulrich knew that HAD to be the first time she ever did. "(insert swearword)!!! I knew it!"

Ulrich finally heard the hiss that everyone heard a few seconds before; Yumi and Aelita with ears used to the sounds of Lyoko, and Odd with his cat senses had realized that they were in trouble.

Big trouble.

Black mist seeped out from fissures in the ice into a cloud. Who could it be? Hmmm…..

Ooo!!! I know!! X.A.N.A.!!!

It formed into a strange, pure black creature, contrasting darkly against the clear ice. A crimson Lyoko symbol decorated its forehead. It was shaped like a horse, except no living horse was 10 feet tall, had a sharp, ebony spear extending from the X.A.N.A. symbol on its forehead, black diamond hooves, and ruby-red armor, covering its back, chest, legs, neck, and rear. Yumi noted that the armor didn't cover its stomach.

It reared and said to their minds telepathically, 'Surrender and you can be my minions. Your Jeremie and world will be spared. If not, then you die here, for your lifepoints are still real. As for me, I have a thousand lifepoints.'

All of the humanoids quivered slightly, realizing for once, the real danger in this situation. Aelita wondered how they would be his minions if they would do nothing. Ulrich began calculating how long it would take for Jeremie to come back, so then he could help them survive. Yumi's eyes flicked around X.A.N.A.'s new form, trying to spot anymore vulnerable spots: in between armor, unprotected places, etc. Odd, the usually out-going one, thought, 'If I die, then that means NO MORE FOOD!!!'

Okay, so almost serious.

'Well, Earthlings?'

"No." they replied simultaneously.

'Wrong choice.' And it reared again, pawing the sky with ebony hooves and smashed down on the ground with earth-shaking force, causing all but Odd and Yumi to fall. They righted themselves and drew their weapons. Well, Aelita ran to safety, and Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi drew their weapons. Yumi dove quickly underneath X.A.N.A.'s stomach and shoved her fan straight at it. Odd fired an arrow, only to have it bounce off as it moved slightly. Taking Yumi's lead, Ulrich ducked underneath the stomach and shoved his sword into the stomach and pulled it back. The creature let out an inhuman scream of anguish. Then, ice boulders flew at X.A.N.A., pelting him with crystals. Ulrich glanced back and saw Aelita was breathing heavily, and Yumi slipped slightly, her aura still glowing red. 'Aelita must of made the boulders, and Yumi used her telekinesis to throw them.' X.A.N.A.'s armor was chipped, and Odd took this opportunity to fire a "Laser Arrow!" widening the cracks in the shields. Yumi flung her fan, seemingly aimless, but it penetrated through easily like a knife through soft butter. X.A.N.A. shrieked, deafening all of them. Bright light exuded from its body and blinded them. When the light faded, all there was of X.A.N.A. was black mist seeping back into the ice. They stared.

"Well, that was easy."

"Not really. Look!" Aelita pointed at the pulsations leading them to the mountain region.

"Here we go again. One last run."

Haha!! I'm back! With inspiration too. Thank you, Kingdom Hearts (the video game)! Itconvinced me to get off my lazy bum and write. I love the animation. The fic is almost done; just two chapters left. Review!