Code: Lyoko

Pass the Ball

By: Chibi

Notes: Er... I'm SORRY for leaving you hanging for so long, everybody. I know I could be doing better and everything, especially since the fic is all ready FINISHED on my comp, but... Well... I totally forgot that I'd even started posting this on FFN! And then, I was looking at the number of reviews I'd gotten for certain fics on my bio and I saw it sitting there and I was like, "Oh, no..."

But I'm back! At least you won't have to doubt me so much anymore!

Disclaimer: Chibi does not own the characters of Code: Lyoko. Though she is unsure of the people who DO, she's positive that it isn't her.

Summary: As an end-of-term fever buzzes around every student, the Principal, pressured by Sissi, agrees to throw a party/ball in honor of the students who would be graduating that year and all of their accomplishments. Everyone has their eyes set on someone but complicated measurements may keep them from going with who they want to go with. These measurements in turn lead to some of the most crazy matchmaking mix-ups possible. More of a social fic than a XANA-attacks-Earth-and-almost-kills-off-an-important-character fic.

Warning: Includes Yumi/Ulrich, Odd/Sam, and possibly Jeremy/Aelita. Also a good amount of Sissi-scheming.

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Chapter Five

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"So, you see, Aelita? I... Just thought that you might enjoy this get together the school is putting on. After all, if only for a little while, you were a student." Jeremy told her as he sat alone in The Factory trying to console her into accepting his offer, "I'm not pressuring you into it, I hope. It's just, I can promise that you'll have a good time there, and..." Okay, he'd lost it. He had been about one millisecond from finally asking her to come with him but... Then there was nothing.

"Well, Jeremy, if you think that I'll honestly enjoy myself then I don't see any reason why I can't trust you. I'm to stay with Yumi?" He nodded in reply, too flabbergasted that she'd really agreed to answer with words, "What do we do at this... Dance?" The word was almost foreign to her, at least, when referred to as a noun and not a verb in her vocabulary.

"It's mostly a place to hang out with your friends, a party; there's music, and food (a LOT better food than what they try to give you at the cafeteria, if I know Sissi), and all of the chairs and tables are pushed against the wall so that students can get on the floor and dance with one another." He wanted to make the topic clear. He was startled out of his explanation when he heard Aelita giggling.

"Then I'd be happy to go, Jeremy. What better place to talk and 'hang out' with you?" Okay, was that insinuating something there? "There's only... Well... Who am I to dance with?" He somehow had the suspicion that she'd forced that question on him but, next moment, had completely shaken off that thought.

"Well, see, a lot of the students will be going with what most call a date." At the look of a curiously confused expression from Aelita, he continued, "A date is someone you ask specifically to go with you and you spend the night with them. Actually..." He withdrew a shaky breath; he'd never been able to do this if his conscience wasn't telling him that there was a slim chance that she'd accept, "...I was hoping that you'd agree to be mine."

"You want me to go to the dance to be with you? To be your... date?" Her eyes were slightly wide in shock, as if she were having trouble digesting the information, "And then... What after that?" She was expecting a certain answer, he knew, and he was going to try his hardest to give her the right one.

"I... A date is usually a person you ask because you care about them... And that's why I'm asking you, Aelita, because I care about you and I really want you to enjoy yourself with me. I know that, under most accounts, I'm just the boy who oversees the battles between you, the others, and XANA and I'm not that active in them but... I just know that I can help you have a good time if you come with me." he knew that he was hardly a step away from begging but... Well, desperately so, he wanted her to realize that he wasn't just trying to remove her from her home and use her for a night.

"I never thought of you that way, Jeremy." Her tinkling voice made him look at her. She was smiling and, unless his eyes were deceiving him, blushing as well, "I think of you as a wonderful friend and, given the chance, I would gladly go to this dance with you. I accept; I hope that you don't mind, I'm a bit new at answering to these types of inquiries." Yes, her cheeks were definitely highlighted.

He graced her with a kind smile, "Thank you Aelita. You don't know how happy I am that you've really decided to go with me. I have to call Yumi to come pick you up and help you get ready but... I can't wait to be with you." Oh, now HE was blushing. That comment sounded way too revealing about his emotions towards her.

"Get ready?" It was almost like she'd not heard it; or was she choosing to ignore it?

"Oh, of course! I forgot; on normal accounts, these dances usually have the occupants wearing more... formal wear." He stated, "I don't think that you'd be able to enter the room with anything normal on; sorry. But I know that Yumi will be able to help you in that category. Just give me a moment..." He pulled out his ear piece and dialed Yumi's cell phone and, when she answered, gave her the 411, "...Yeah, I'm about to finish now. Do you think you could... Really? Okay, we'll be down in The Factory; just proceed down to the scanners." He hung up the line and saw Aelita smiling kindly at him, "What is it Aelita?"

"I... Just realized how thankful I am to have you there to count on, and to teach me and care for me." She was repeating the comment he'd said to her earlier that week. He smiled.

"Glad I could be of assistance."

---

"So, this is what you wear when going to a dance?" Aelita looked at the article of clothing in question. It was a simple peach colored dress, perfectly accenting her hair and eyes and fitting her well. It reached about down to her mid-calf and almost gave off the impression of a higher class woman. The skirt sort of 'fluttered' of its own accord, making it look like a wind was presently blowing past her when there was none.

The theme had been dubbed 'Ballet in the Plains', meaning that they had to dress accordingly; nothing too short, nothing too long, it had to be well-fitted and plain, yet dainty. Sissi had had to explain this about six times before everyone had understood her.

"More or less, yeah." Yumi smiled at her. She was so new to the world, like a baby who had finally opened its eyes for the first time, "You look very nice in it. I'm sure that Jeremy would think along the same lines." She placed a hand on Aelita's shoulder and looked at her, "So, do you want it?"

"Well, it's really nice looking, and if Jeremy would like it..." She never finished her sentence but nodded happily and looked back into the mirror. It really was nice; not too skimpy, not too complex, not too simple. As Goldilocks would have said, it fit just right.

"All right then. Let me just get my money and I'll head up to the counter and pay for it." Yumi took out a small wallet and began walking away before Aelita began to question her.

"Money? Pay..? What did you do? This would hardly be a time for these strangers to get revenge on you, no matter what!"

Yumi laughed, "No; you weren't told about the concept of money?" The peach haired Lyoko girl shook her head, "Money is used to pay for things; food, clothes, houses. It's sort of a trade but all things can be different prices." She held up the tag on the dress, which Aelita had been ignoring until that moment, "See? This costs $ 29.99 so that's how much I have to pay." She held up two twenty dollar bills, "These are types of money, and it's more than enough for that dress so that means we can afford it." She began walking away, "Now give me a moment. I need to talk to the cashier about something for me."

"Oh, but... wait!" Aelita called; now she felt embarrassed about making others care for her in more ways than one, "I don't want you to have to go through the trouble, Yumi! I-I can live without this! I'm sure that we can find something cheaper!"

"Well, considering other stores, that IS pretty cheap. Don't worry Aelita, you deserve to look this nice after everything you've gone through, finally getting this far. I'm more than happy to help you out when you need it. Besides, Jeremy donated a twenty dollar bill of his own so everything's fine."

Aelita smiled serenely at Yumi's back. Jeremy really did care about her... She had always wondered but now it seemed so obvious... She wondered what he would really think of her when she arrived with him. She really did want to please him; looks, grace, and skill. Come to think of it... She had never really given much thought into the dancing process. And now she would be expected to do something that she had no idea how to do.

"Um, Yumi..." She tugged on Yumi's shirt sleeve when she had reappeared, "I... I don't really know how to dance..."

"Don't worry. Not many people do; they just wing it."

"Wing it?"

"It means to just act spontaneous; move however you think the music wants you to and you'll be okay."

"I guess... All right."

---

"Now?"

Yumi patted her on the back and pushed her forward a bit, "Now." She agreed.

Aelita stepped forward into the room and looked around. Everything was sort of dark, and yet small lights were gleaming off of the walls, revolving around in circles. People were everywhere and, though there was hardly any chatter, the music was loud and so they didn't notice her. Which, considering, was what she had hoped for.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Yumi grinning softly at her.

"I think that the one you're looking for is over there." She pointed towards the left wall where, believe it or not, stood Jeremy, tied down in a suit and all. Aelita couldn't help but crack a smile. Compared to his usual attire, this Jeremy looked highly uncomfortable and definitely outstanding, in both senses of the word.

She nodded in thanks to Yumi and walked towards him, her mid-length skirt fluttering without a breeze; even on Earth she was able to walk with ease and grace... And she was thankful. She knew that this night meant a lot to Jeremy, as well as herself, and she didn't want to be the one to ruin it.

"Hi, Jeremy. Sorry that you had to wait." She said. He didn't even seem to see her. True, he was definitely looking AT her, but there was such an expression of awe on his face that he almost seemed to be looking right through her, or INTO her, if that was possible.

"Aelita; you look... You look..." Yes, words were very hard to find at that moment. Aelita, noticing that he was having trouble, spoke for him.

"You look very nice too, Jeremy." He smiled thankfully and let her lead him onto the dance floor, where they started to swing to the beat.

Aelita let out a breath of relief. She'd let the music guide her and, thankfully, Jeremy seemed to be guided the same way (little did she know that he was probably just letting her lead. Lol). They glided around a bit while the rest of a certain slow song finished and then, when a faster paced song came on, Aelita picked up her step. Jeremy followed.

(A/N: Yeah, they didn't even have time to be nervous about slow songs... Lol.)

Yumi, who was currently looking for Theo, managed to catch sight of Ulrich walking around the walls of the room. Sissi was hanging from him, literally, letting him drag her around as though it would improve his basic beliefs and feelings for her. The scene considerably upset Yumi and she turned, running straight into Theo.

"Oh, uh, there you are." She said as he helped her up.

"Yeah; I was waiting for you to come. I guess that you were just helping that friend of yours?" He nodded towards Aelita dancing with Jeremy. When Yumi gave him a questioning look, he said, "I saw you both walk in together so I just assumed it."

"Oh. Well..." She looked towards the floor and waited for some sort of sign. It was found when Theo held out his hand for her.

"Wanna dance?"

She nodded and smiled half-heartedly, risking a glance at the wandering Ulrich and Sissi, "Sure."

---

Okay, Ulrich was having what could have been, and probably was, the worst time ever. True, he was there, and he wasn't alone, but with Sissi as his date, clinging onto him as if he were a ship ready to sink, he might have been better off that way. He'd never really invited her to come along, just to straighten things out with any who might be having questions. He had walked in and she had sort of tugged him around. Then Yumi had come in and started over with that Theo and he had suddenly lost all urge to pry away from her.

And so he just walked lazily around and let Sissi hang onto him like she was. He just didn't have the heart to deal with it anymore.

He looked over and saw Yumi dancing energetically with Theo, also catching onto Herb and Nicolas standing alone along the 'Loser Wallflower' stand, presumably alone.

---

The Disk Jockey was making the whole thing a big blow-out. The music was picked from a great variety, at least, according to Odd, who was currently having the best night of his life, twisting himself and Sam wildly along the dance floor.

Yumi and Theo were working along the same lines, only neither were trying to shove all of the other students out of the main ground.

Ulrich and Sissi were standing at the Wallflower area, alongside Herb and Nick, both who were actually looking a bit happier when seeing that Sissi had been forced into the same position as them... That was until Sissi grabbed Ulrich's hand and, despite his commands to leave him alone "or else", whisked him into the center of the room, catching everyone's attention, including Yumi's, who had come to a stop mid-twirl.

And that was when it happened. The disco ball right above Sissi and Ulrich short-circuited, followed by the light bulbs crackling and the entire music board coming to a stop.

Sissi screeched in fear of the glass hitting her and, just as she was sure she was going to have to live her life with a huge piece of shattered glass and linoleum thrust into her perfect head, she was thrown out of the way and felt the weight of another body on top of her.

"Thank you so much Ulrich! I knew that you would save--" But, as she looked up, she saw, not Ulrich, but Herb, "YOU?! I-I mean, get off of me! Ulrich? Ulrich?!" She shoved him off of her and left him to search for her 'date', who seemed to have disappeared.

Actually, Odd, Yumi, Jeremy, and Aelita seemed to have vanished as well.

"I can't believe I just did that..." Herb stated, finally aware that he'd been blown off by his crush, just like always.

"Here." He looked up and saw Sissi, stiffly holding out her hand to help him up and refusing to meet his eyes, "Thank you." For one moment he had the thought that maybe things could actually make a positive turn for their... Er... Relationship, until, "Now help me find Ulrich! I want to be sure that he's okay!" She yelled at him after he was standing on his feet again.

Well, some things just never changed.

---

Meanwhile, outside, the group of five were running towards the pothole that would lead them back to their gateway into Lyoko.

"It's XANA! It's gotta be! I should have known that he couldn't stay silent for long!" Jeremy shouted as they all cluttered onto the underground latter as fast as possible without stepping on anyone's fingers or heads, and all of them took either a scooter or a skateboard and rolled down the tunnel.

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A/N: (Chibi in sing-song voice) I'm gonna leave you there! I'm gonna leave you there! I bet that you all hate me! I bet that you all hate me! Yes, I know... I said that this would be a "social fic" and all that but... I told you that I had the whole plot finally figured out and this had to become a part of it for the whole thing to work. Sorry about that! But, this just adds to the excitement, and I know that Ulrich/Yumi fans are gonna love what I have planned for them next!

Okay, well I don't really have anything else to say so I'm just gonna leave it here for the rest of you to think about! PLEASE review for me so I know how I'm doing!

Chibi ending transmission.