Tales of Woe
The room had just started to come into focus for Ulrich when a blurry blonde object appeared over his head. He could tell from the conspicuous spot of purple that it was Odd, leaning over him.
"What do you want Odd?" He asked sleepily.
"Did you mean what you said yesterday? About not liking Kiks?"
"I never said I didn't like her." He replied, reaching for a pair of pants on a chair next to his bed.
"You were thinking it though."
"No I wasn't. I just wasn't in a very good mood, that's all."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Well do you mind getting into a good mood?"
"What is with you?" Ulrich asked his friend, freezing what he had been doing and staring at him suspiciously.
"What's that supposed to mean? There's nothing with me. I just want to know why you don't like her, because it has to be more than this whole 'Xana made her' thing."
"Odd, why does it matter? It's just an instinct. Why do you care?"
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe the rest of us like her?"
"Yes. I realized that, and I'm not stopping you from hanging out with her."
"Really? It seemed like that was exactly what you were doing when you insulted her last night."
"Insulted her?" Ulrich asked. "I thought we already discussed this. Listen, I'm going to apologize to her Odd, so stop freaking out. Aelita made me realize that she can help us, so I'll talk to her and everything will be fine."
"Aelita made you realize that she could help us? So you're going to walk up the her and say 'hey Kiks, I decided that you could fight for us and help us out so.. that's the reason I'm going to allow you to talk to me. Sorry I called you a product of Xana.'? Ulrich, if someone said what you said to you, how could you ever feel comfortable with them?" There was a look of desolation in the blonde haired boys eyes as he spoke, a look that made Ulrich feel as if he had just stabbed his friend.
"I'm sorry Odd. I know that there is no way I could possibly make it up to her, but for your sake I'll try." Odd nodded his head in forgiveness and turned to pick a shirt up off of his bed. With his back facing Ulrich, he began to speak softly.
"It wasn't because of Xana, Ulrich."
"What?"
"The reason you didn't like her... It had nothing to do with Xana."
"Then what was it? I don't randomly dislike girls you know." He smiled.
"It was because... because she was a girl."
"But I just said—"
"I know what you said. But you don't understand." He turned around and looked at Ulrich from across the 5 foot gap in between their beds. "Ever since that letter that Sissy pranked you with, you've been thinking about Yumi a lot more. You know that you love her, and it was hard for you to figure that out."
Ulrich sat quietly, not saying a word, but looking at his friend.
"When you found out that you liked Yumi... you decided that you didn't want other girls around. Aelita you could stand, you knew her, and you knew that her and Jeremie were going to end up together... But when you saw Kiks—"
"I'm not understanding any of this Odd."
"Your first reaction was to think about everything you went through with Yumi. How you were afraid to tell her what you felt because you didn't want to ruin your friendship. Give it up Ulrich, you knew I liked her right away."
"I didn't want you to have the same problem that I had." It finally dawned on him what Odd was trying to say.
"You still are."
"What?" He looked up in confusion.
"Did you know that you mumble her name in your sleep?"
"Whose?"
"Yumi's. Just the thought of her or the mention of her name is like torture for you, man." Odd had gotten up and walked over to take a seat next to Ulrich on his bed. His tone had now changed from anger and sadness to worry. "She's all you think about."
"I know... I just..." He looked down, trying to find the words to describe what he was going through, but they never came.
"You need to tell her how you feel. I know that all that's running through your head is what things could be like. Why don't you just take a chance and tell her? You'll feel better. For all you know, she might just not be able to tell you how she feels. I've heard that girls like it when guys get all sentimental and stuff." He teased.
Ulrich smiled. "Yeah, maybe you're right. What harm can it do?"
A devious countenance poured over Odd's face. "Just wreck your friendship and make Yumi never want to speak to you again."
"I'll pretend that you didn't just say that." Ulrich said as he stood up, threw a pillow in Odd's face and began to laugh.
"So what's it gonna be?" Odd asked him, with an air of suspense.
Ulrich picked up his cell phone and waved it back and forth in front of him.
"What are you going to do with that?"
Without answering, Ulrich pushed a speed dial number and held the phone to his ear. "Yumi? Hey, it's me. I don't mean to bother you... but I need to talk to you, can you spare a moment before class? Thanks."
"You dog." Odd wailed, throwing the pillow back at him.
Odd had walked into Ms. Hertz' science class alone, since Ulrich had gone to speak with Yumi and Jeremie had decided to stay and work on a new computer program a bit longer.
As he entered, he noticed that everyone had chosen to take up one seat in the two person desks and leave the other empty, which left him plenty of places to sit... with people he didn't want to sit with. That was—until his eyes focused on Kiks. He walked over to where she was seated and caught her attention.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?"
"Oh... Odd, hey! Of course, go ahead!" She beamed up at him.
Once he was seated he leaned over so that he was closer to her and began to whisper.
"You know that Ulrich didn't mean to offend you or anything, right? You weren't to upset, were you?"
"Nah. I would have reacted the same way. So... what's going on between him and Yumi? They like each other, right?"
"So it would seem."
"Oh, I meant to tell you thank you."
"What for?" Odd asked her.
"For being so nice to me. It really made me feel a lot less nervous about being here in a new place. So... thank you."
Odd began to blush.
"No prob."
She smiled at him for a moment, when the door opened and Ulrich entered. He took a seat behind Odd and put his head down.
"What's wrong?" Odd asked him.
"I couldn't do it."
"What!? No way!"
Ulrich looked at him. I knew I wouldn't be able to.
"I tried, but all that came out was 'Yumi, you rock.'"
"I know she didn't actually believe that that was what you wanted to talk to her about."
"She didn't. I told her that I wanted her help with a school assignment."
"Smart."
Ulrich waved him off and turned his attention to Kiks.
"I'm really sorry about last night. I didn't mean to make you feel unwelcome."
She shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Like I told Odd, I would have done the same thing. Of course, that was exactly what I had intended to say... the thing about Xana... but I wasn't sure if it would sound weird."
"It wouldn't have. Listen, it doesn't matter that Xana programmed you, you're still a good guy, right?"
Kiks nodded happily.
"Then that's settled, you're one of us."
She gave him a quick and unexpected hug over the desk before turning back around and giving the teacher her attention. Ulrich shrugged.
"Happy?" He mouthed to Odd, who nodded his head and said a silent thanks.
Yumi walked quietly around the halls, not wanting to go back to her class. Something felt wrong to her, unusual, so she had asked to go to the nurse. Of course, having no intention of actually going to the infirmary she walked instead, looking down the corridors for anything suspicious. She almost prayed for something to be wrong, she liked times when she could go to Lyoko since it gave her a chance to be with Ulrich.
Come on, I know Xana's up to something; I can feel it. Her thoughts changed for a moment. If he is up to something, it probably has something to do with getting Kiks back in Lyoko. I can't let anything happen to her, she's a really sweet girl.
There was nothing substantial enough to give blame to Xana at that moment, but she knew she would find something soon.
Maybe Aelita can tell me if there is something wrong in Lyoko, then I would know if my instinct is right.
She headed in the direction of Jeremie's room. She would just go in and ask Aelita, then be out and back to class in a few moments. As she approached the door, she heard speaking within.
"I don't want to let her go back into Lyoko Aelita, I think Odd likes her, and I don't want Xana to get his hands on her... admit it, if what you told us were true, then she's a walking arsenal."
"I understand Jeremie, but she may be safer in Lyoko if Xana attacks. She is much stronger in Lyoko than she is out there, and I have no doubt that she can protect herself a bit longer. If he comes looking for her out there though—"
"Then Ulrich and Odd will protect her. Or Yumi. We won't let her get hurt Aelita."
"I'm just not sure how she would take that, she's never needed protection before. She may begin to consider herself weak and vulnerable... I'm not sure that it's good for her."
Yumi decided to use this pause in conversation to her advantage and knock quietly on the door.
"Who is it?" Jeremie's voice called out.
"Yumi." She answered quietly.
"Come on in."
She walked in awkwardly, knowing she had interrupted their conversation.
"What's wrong?"
"I just... I have a weird feeling."
"About what?" Aelita asked, a note of concern in her voice.
"Um... well it's a Xana feeling. Can you check and see if anything is wrong there in Lyoko?"
"Of course."
"I'll check for activated towers if you'd like Yumi."
"Please."
Jeremie had been pacing the room when he had been speaking to Aelita before, and now he sat down to the desk and began typing in sequences on his keyboard.
"That's weird." He said a moment later.
"What?"
"This tower isn't activated, but it's giving out an odd reading. Like it's in between or something."
"That doesn't sound good."
Aelita reappeared on the screen. "This is very strange. There are crabs and other monsters everywhere..."
"And why aren't you running?!" Jeremie howled.
"Because—they aren't moving. They're just sitting there, doing nothing."
"We should check this out. I can get Odd and Ulrich and be in the factory in 15 minutes, will you meet us there, Jeremie?"
"'Course. What about Kiks?"
"We can take her with us, and she can stay in the lab with you."
Without listening for a reply, Yumi bolted out of the room and down the hall. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Odd's number, knowing that he could mastermind a plan to get them out of class, as well as knowing that he was most likely sitting nearest to Kiks.
"Huh?" Odd said to himself as his pocket began to vibrate. He removed his cell phone and looked at the text message that had just been sent. It was from Yumi, asking him and Ulrich to meet her outside the school. He turned and glanced at Kiks who had been looking at him since he pulled out his cell phone. He turned, to see Ulrich with his head down on the table.
Leaning close to Kiks he said, "Yumi wants us to go down to the factory because something's weird in Lyoko. Are you up to getting us out of here?"
"How?"
"Just tell the teacher you don't feel good and need to go to the nurse, then ask if I can show you the way there."
"What about him?" She asked, pointing at Ulrich.
"Point out that he doesn't look so good."
She nodded and raised her hand, putting on a pained face.
"What is it Kiaka?" The teacher asked her.
"Ms. Hertz, I'm not feeling very well, do you think I could go to the nurse?"
"Of course." Kiks stood up quietly, and noticed that Ms. Hertz had already turned around.
"Do you think that someone could show me where it is? I never got a proper tour of the school."
The teacher nodded in compliance. "Odd, take her to the nurse."
Odd smiled at her, but before she had a chance to ask about Ulrich, he had caught on.
"I'm feeling pretty poorly myself Ms. Hertz."
"Go Ulrich."
He waited for Kiks and Odd to exit before following. Just as she said, Yumi was waiting outside of the school when they made it there.
"So what's the problem?" Ulrich asked.
"There's a tower..."
"Activated."
"No... but not deactivated either."
"Oh." Odd said.
They walked in silence to the entrance of the factory.
"Home sweet home." Ulrich commented as they entered.
"You don't have to be so excited." Odd retorted sarcastically.
Stepping into the elevator, Ulrich and Yumi reached for the button at the same time, their hands touching momentarily. They both pulled away and blushed trying not to show that anything was different, an action that Odd and Kiks both noticed. Odd turned quietly and looked at Kiks, who giggled silently.
"I don't understand why people don't just tell the other person when they like each other." He whispered.
"Come on, they just don't want to make things weird between them."
"In case you didn't notice, they already are."
"Hey Kiks, for future reference, if you ever need to get into the lab you just have to push this access code." Ulrich said, demonstrating the proper sequence for her.
Kiks signaled that she understood as the doors opened.
"Finally." Jeremie said as the walked into the lab. "Okay, Odd, Yumi and Ulrich, you guys are going to go to the scanner room. You're going into Lyoko."
"What about Kiks?" Odd asked.
"Me and Aelita have agreed that it would be best for her to sit this one out. She can stay up here with me, considering that we have to re-wire her to our computers anyway. That alone may take a little while. If you guys need help, I'll send her in."
"No you won't. The only way I want you to send her in is if all three of us go down." Ulrich said calmly.
"If all three of us are down, then it probably means that there are mega foes in there ... It means that she'll get knocked down in a second. I say she either goes in with us now or she won't go in today at all." Odd added.
Yumi had finally heard enough about whether or not Kiks would go. First Aelita and Jeremie, now Ulrich and Odd adding their ideas. "Okay, so she stays here for today. In the mean time Aelita needs our help. We're going down Jeremie." They walked out and headed down to the scanner room. Once they were out of hearing distance of Jeremie and Kiks Odd began to speak again. "You think she's really fine with us leaving her here?" "She didn't say anything." "Yeah... but... she's Aelita's friend too." "Can I tell you guys something?" Yumi asked. "Sure." "Aelita thought that she should go with us. She said she would be safer in Lyoko. I overheard her and Jeremie talking about it." "Then why is she staying here?!" Odd asked skeptically. "Because Jeremie always wins." Ulrich said. "She might be stronger in Lyoko, but she has us to protect her here." "Yeah... about that..." Odd said, stopping and waving his hand in the air for attention. "Please note that we're not going to be here because we'll be in Lyoko... leaving her with just Jeremie to protect her. Give it a break, if Xana comes along and challenges him to a math duel, then she'll be safe, otherwise she's doomed." "Then we need to move fast." Yumi said, entering the scanner. "You guys ready?" Jeremie's voice said through the intercom. "Yeah." "Transfer Odd. Transfer Ulrich. Transfer Yumi. Scan Odd. Scan Ulrich. Scan Yumi... Visualization." He said, sending them into Lyoko.
The room had just started to come into focus for Ulrich when a blurry blonde object appeared over his head. He could tell from the conspicuous spot of purple that it was Odd, leaning over him.
"What do you want Odd?" He asked sleepily.
"Did you mean what you said yesterday? About not liking Kiks?"
"I never said I didn't like her." He replied, reaching for a pair of pants on a chair next to his bed.
"You were thinking it though."
"No I wasn't. I just wasn't in a very good mood, that's all."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Well do you mind getting into a good mood?"
"What is with you?" Ulrich asked his friend, freezing what he had been doing and staring at him suspiciously.
"What's that supposed to mean? There's nothing with me. I just want to know why you don't like her, because it has to be more than this whole 'Xana made her' thing."
"Odd, why does it matter? It's just an instinct. Why do you care?"
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe the rest of us like her?"
"Yes. I realized that, and I'm not stopping you from hanging out with her."
"Really? It seemed like that was exactly what you were doing when you insulted her last night."
"Insulted her?" Ulrich asked. "I thought we already discussed this. Listen, I'm going to apologize to her Odd, so stop freaking out. Aelita made me realize that she can help us, so I'll talk to her and everything will be fine."
"Aelita made you realize that she could help us? So you're going to walk up the her and say 'hey Kiks, I decided that you could fight for us and help us out so.. that's the reason I'm going to allow you to talk to me. Sorry I called you a product of Xana.'? Ulrich, if someone said what you said to you, how could you ever feel comfortable with them?" There was a look of desolation in the blonde haired boys eyes as he spoke, a look that made Ulrich feel as if he had just stabbed his friend.
"I'm sorry Odd. I know that there is no way I could possibly make it up to her, but for your sake I'll try." Odd nodded his head in forgiveness and turned to pick a shirt up off of his bed. With his back facing Ulrich, he began to speak softly.
"It wasn't because of Xana, Ulrich."
"What?"
"The reason you didn't like her... It had nothing to do with Xana."
"Then what was it? I don't randomly dislike girls you know." He smiled.
"It was because... because she was a girl."
"But I just said—"
"I know what you said. But you don't understand." He turned around and looked at Ulrich from across the 5 foot gap in between their beds. "Ever since that letter that Sissy pranked you with, you've been thinking about Yumi a lot more. You know that you love her, and it was hard for you to figure that out."
Ulrich sat quietly, not saying a word, but looking at his friend.
"When you found out that you liked Yumi... you decided that you didn't want other girls around. Aelita you could stand, you knew her, and you knew that her and Jeremie were going to end up together... But when you saw Kiks—"
"I'm not understanding any of this Odd."
"Your first reaction was to think about everything you went through with Yumi. How you were afraid to tell her what you felt because you didn't want to ruin your friendship. Give it up Ulrich, you knew I liked her right away."
"I didn't want you to have the same problem that I had." It finally dawned on him what Odd was trying to say.
"You still are."
"What?" He looked up in confusion.
"Did you know that you mumble her name in your sleep?"
"Whose?"
"Yumi's. Just the thought of her or the mention of her name is like torture for you, man." Odd had gotten up and walked over to take a seat next to Ulrich on his bed. His tone had now changed from anger and sadness to worry. "She's all you think about."
"I know... I just..." He looked down, trying to find the words to describe what he was going through, but they never came.
"You need to tell her how you feel. I know that all that's running through your head is what things could be like. Why don't you just take a chance and tell her? You'll feel better. For all you know, she might just not be able to tell you how she feels. I've heard that girls like it when guys get all sentimental and stuff." He teased.
Ulrich smiled. "Yeah, maybe you're right. What harm can it do?"
A devious countenance poured over Odd's face. "Just wreck your friendship and make Yumi never want to speak to you again."
"I'll pretend that you didn't just say that." Ulrich said as he stood up, threw a pillow in Odd's face and began to laugh.
"So what's it gonna be?" Odd asked him, with an air of suspense.
Ulrich picked up his cell phone and waved it back and forth in front of him.
"What are you going to do with that?"
Without answering, Ulrich pushed a speed dial number and held the phone to his ear. "Yumi? Hey, it's me. I don't mean to bother you... but I need to talk to you, can you spare a moment before class? Thanks."
"You dog." Odd wailed, throwing the pillow back at him.
Odd had walked into Ms. Hertz' science class alone, since Ulrich had gone to speak with Yumi and Jeremie had decided to stay and work on a new computer program a bit longer.
As he entered, he noticed that everyone had chosen to take up one seat in the two person desks and leave the other empty, which left him plenty of places to sit... with people he didn't want to sit with. That was—until his eyes focused on Kiks. He walked over to where she was seated and caught her attention.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?"
"Oh... Odd, hey! Of course, go ahead!" She beamed up at him.
Once he was seated he leaned over so that he was closer to her and began to whisper.
"You know that Ulrich didn't mean to offend you or anything, right? You weren't to upset, were you?"
"Nah. I would have reacted the same way. So... what's going on between him and Yumi? They like each other, right?"
"So it would seem."
"Oh, I meant to tell you thank you."
"What for?" Odd asked her.
"For being so nice to me. It really made me feel a lot less nervous about being here in a new place. So... thank you."
Odd began to blush.
"No prob."
She smiled at him for a moment, when the door opened and Ulrich entered. He took a seat behind Odd and put his head down.
"What's wrong?" Odd asked him.
"I couldn't do it."
"What!? No way!"
Ulrich looked at him. I knew I wouldn't be able to.
"I tried, but all that came out was 'Yumi, you rock.'"
"I know she didn't actually believe that that was what you wanted to talk to her about."
"She didn't. I told her that I wanted her help with a school assignment."
"Smart."
Ulrich waved him off and turned his attention to Kiks.
"I'm really sorry about last night. I didn't mean to make you feel unwelcome."
She shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Like I told Odd, I would have done the same thing. Of course, that was exactly what I had intended to say... the thing about Xana... but I wasn't sure if it would sound weird."
"It wouldn't have. Listen, it doesn't matter that Xana programmed you, you're still a good guy, right?"
Kiks nodded happily.
"Then that's settled, you're one of us."
She gave him a quick and unexpected hug over the desk before turning back around and giving the teacher her attention. Ulrich shrugged.
"Happy?" He mouthed to Odd, who nodded his head and said a silent thanks.
Yumi walked quietly around the halls, not wanting to go back to her class. Something felt wrong to her, unusual, so she had asked to go to the nurse. Of course, having no intention of actually going to the infirmary she walked instead, looking down the corridors for anything suspicious. She almost prayed for something to be wrong, she liked times when she could go to Lyoko since it gave her a chance to be with Ulrich.
Come on, I know Xana's up to something; I can feel it. Her thoughts changed for a moment. If he is up to something, it probably has something to do with getting Kiks back in Lyoko. I can't let anything happen to her, she's a really sweet girl.
There was nothing substantial enough to give blame to Xana at that moment, but she knew she would find something soon.
Maybe Aelita can tell me if there is something wrong in Lyoko, then I would know if my instinct is right.
She headed in the direction of Jeremie's room. She would just go in and ask Aelita, then be out and back to class in a few moments. As she approached the door, she heard speaking within.
"I don't want to let her go back into Lyoko Aelita, I think Odd likes her, and I don't want Xana to get his hands on her... admit it, if what you told us were true, then she's a walking arsenal."
"I understand Jeremie, but she may be safer in Lyoko if Xana attacks. She is much stronger in Lyoko than she is out there, and I have no doubt that she can protect herself a bit longer. If he comes looking for her out there though—"
"Then Ulrich and Odd will protect her. Or Yumi. We won't let her get hurt Aelita."
"I'm just not sure how she would take that, she's never needed protection before. She may begin to consider herself weak and vulnerable... I'm not sure that it's good for her."
Yumi decided to use this pause in conversation to her advantage and knock quietly on the door.
"Who is it?" Jeremie's voice called out.
"Yumi." She answered quietly.
"Come on in."
She walked in awkwardly, knowing she had interrupted their conversation.
"What's wrong?"
"I just... I have a weird feeling."
"About what?" Aelita asked, a note of concern in her voice.
"Um... well it's a Xana feeling. Can you check and see if anything is wrong there in Lyoko?"
"Of course."
"I'll check for activated towers if you'd like Yumi."
"Please."
Jeremie had been pacing the room when he had been speaking to Aelita before, and now he sat down to the desk and began typing in sequences on his keyboard.
"That's weird." He said a moment later.
"What?"
"This tower isn't activated, but it's giving out an odd reading. Like it's in between or something."
"That doesn't sound good."
Aelita reappeared on the screen. "This is very strange. There are crabs and other monsters everywhere..."
"And why aren't you running?!" Jeremie howled.
"Because—they aren't moving. They're just sitting there, doing nothing."
"We should check this out. I can get Odd and Ulrich and be in the factory in 15 minutes, will you meet us there, Jeremie?"
"'Course. What about Kiks?"
"We can take her with us, and she can stay in the lab with you."
Without listening for a reply, Yumi bolted out of the room and down the hall. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Odd's number, knowing that he could mastermind a plan to get them out of class, as well as knowing that he was most likely sitting nearest to Kiks.
"Huh?" Odd said to himself as his pocket began to vibrate. He removed his cell phone and looked at the text message that had just been sent. It was from Yumi, asking him and Ulrich to meet her outside the school. He turned and glanced at Kiks who had been looking at him since he pulled out his cell phone. He turned, to see Ulrich with his head down on the table.
Leaning close to Kiks he said, "Yumi wants us to go down to the factory because something's weird in Lyoko. Are you up to getting us out of here?"
"How?"
"Just tell the teacher you don't feel good and need to go to the nurse, then ask if I can show you the way there."
"What about him?" She asked, pointing at Ulrich.
"Point out that he doesn't look so good."
She nodded and raised her hand, putting on a pained face.
"What is it Kiaka?" The teacher asked her.
"Ms. Hertz, I'm not feeling very well, do you think I could go to the nurse?"
"Of course." Kiks stood up quietly, and noticed that Ms. Hertz had already turned around.
"Do you think that someone could show me where it is? I never got a proper tour of the school."
The teacher nodded in compliance. "Odd, take her to the nurse."
Odd smiled at her, but before she had a chance to ask about Ulrich, he had caught on.
"I'm feeling pretty poorly myself Ms. Hertz."
"Go Ulrich."
He waited for Kiks and Odd to exit before following. Just as she said, Yumi was waiting outside of the school when they made it there.
"So what's the problem?" Ulrich asked.
"There's a tower..."
"Activated."
"No... but not deactivated either."
"Oh." Odd said.
They walked in silence to the entrance of the factory.
"Home sweet home." Ulrich commented as they entered.
"You don't have to be so excited." Odd retorted sarcastically.
Stepping into the elevator, Ulrich and Yumi reached for the button at the same time, their hands touching momentarily. They both pulled away and blushed trying not to show that anything was different, an action that Odd and Kiks both noticed. Odd turned quietly and looked at Kiks, who giggled silently.
"I don't understand why people don't just tell the other person when they like each other." He whispered.
"Come on, they just don't want to make things weird between them."
"In case you didn't notice, they already are."
"Hey Kiks, for future reference, if you ever need to get into the lab you just have to push this access code." Ulrich said, demonstrating the proper sequence for her.
Kiks signaled that she understood as the doors opened.
"Finally." Jeremie said as the walked into the lab. "Okay, Odd, Yumi and Ulrich, you guys are going to go to the scanner room. You're going into Lyoko."
"What about Kiks?" Odd asked.
"Me and Aelita have agreed that it would be best for her to sit this one out. She can stay up here with me, considering that we have to re-wire her to our computers anyway. That alone may take a little while. If you guys need help, I'll send her in."
"No you won't. The only way I want you to send her in is if all three of us go down." Ulrich said calmly.
"If all three of us are down, then it probably means that there are mega foes in there ... It means that she'll get knocked down in a second. I say she either goes in with us now or she won't go in today at all." Odd added.
Yumi had finally heard enough about whether or not Kiks would go. First Aelita and Jeremie, now Ulrich and Odd adding their ideas. "Okay, so she stays here for today. In the mean time Aelita needs our help. We're going down Jeremie." They walked out and headed down to the scanner room. Once they were out of hearing distance of Jeremie and Kiks Odd began to speak again. "You think she's really fine with us leaving her here?" "She didn't say anything." "Yeah... but... she's Aelita's friend too." "Can I tell you guys something?" Yumi asked. "Sure." "Aelita thought that she should go with us. She said she would be safer in Lyoko. I overheard her and Jeremie talking about it." "Then why is she staying here?!" Odd asked skeptically. "Because Jeremie always wins." Ulrich said. "She might be stronger in Lyoko, but she has us to protect her here." "Yeah... about that..." Odd said, stopping and waving his hand in the air for attention. "Please note that we're not going to be here because we'll be in Lyoko... leaving her with just Jeremie to protect her. Give it a break, if Xana comes along and challenges him to a math duel, then she'll be safe, otherwise she's doomed." "Then we need to move fast." Yumi said, entering the scanner. "You guys ready?" Jeremie's voice said through the intercom. "Yeah." "Transfer Odd. Transfer Ulrich. Transfer Yumi. Scan Odd. Scan Ulrich. Scan Yumi... Visualization." He said, sending them into Lyoko.