Note: I got three reviews, so you get a new chapter! That wasn't so hard, now was it?
Disclaimer: I do not own Code: Lyoko. Obviously, you know that if you've read the other chapters.
The Shadowed PathYumi arrived at the airport out of breath, thanks to her parents leaving early for work. She dashed to the desk in the terminal, nearly bowling over an elderly couple in her hurry to get to the front of the line.
"Excuse me, where's the gate that the 9 am flight to Seattle is leaving from?" she asked the clearly annoyed ticket taker, ignoring the glares from the other people in line.
"I'm sorry, miss, but it's taking off. If you would like a new flight, please move to the back of the line," the politely disdainful woman said.
"No, you misunderstand. My best friend is on that flight, and I never got a chance to say goodbye!" Yumi practically wept.
"There's nothing I can do, dear. The plane is on its way to Seattle right now."
Yumi stalked off dejectedly, tossing a small parcel into the garbage as she left the airport.
Unbeknownst to her, the ticket taker hurried over to the trash can and took the parcel out, noting the name on the front. She walked back to her desk, inputting the name into the database and searching for a match while the people in line looked on.
The computer came up with a match within a few seconds, and the woman quickly stuck a shipping label onto the package and wrote down the address listed on the screen. She tossed it into the airmail bin, and resumed her task of admitting people to their boarding gates.
Three years later
Yumi, Odd, Aelita, and Jeremie are joking in the cafeteria while Sissi seethes in the background. All of them look basically the same as when they went to school at Kadic, but Aelita's virus hasn't yet been cured. Jeremie finally gave up on talking to Aelita through a computer, and materialized her for good, while writing a program that would automatically alert him if a tower were activated.
Jeremie pulls out his laptop to check on Lyoko, when suddenly an announcement comes over the intercom.
"Attention, students. There will be an assembly this afternoon in the auditorium. This is a mandatory school event. That is all."
"I wonder what that's about?" Jeremie wondered out loud.
"I don't know, but we're going to be late for first period if Odd doesn't hurry it up," Yumi grimaced.
"Hey, when you eat as much as I do, you have to eat it slowly to avoid cramps!" Odd argued while stuffing his face with cereal.
Six hours later
"Welcome, students. I have brought you here to announce that we here at Napoleon High will be participating in a foreign exchange program!" the principal announced.
His audience mumbled in acknowledgement as he continued, "The coordinators at the American school have already selected the people who will be exchanged. The participants are: Milly Solovieff, Anne-Sophie Munier, Tamiya Diop, Xavier Gosselin, Emilie Leduc, Jeremie Belpois, Elisabeth Delmas, Bastien Roux, Herb Pichon, Thomas Jolivet, Aelita Lyoko, Theo Gauthier, Odd Della Robbia, Nicolas Poliakoff, Yumi Ishiyama, and Priscilla Blaisse. Please come to the administrative building after school to pick up you permission forms."
"WHAT?" Yumi, Aelita, Jeremie, and Odd said in unison.
Odd whispered to the rest of the group, "What if this XANA attempting to get rid of our interference? What if when we leave, he launches an attack and there's nothing in his way?" Aelita stayed oddly silent during his speculation, but nobody thought anything of it.
"Aelita Lyoko, I have a note for you from the student liason at Washington High," the principal interrupted.
As Aelita left, Yumi snickered, "Student liason. Probably some bureaucratic nerd who has no social life."
Moments later, Aelita returned with the note open is her hands. "This 'liason' apparently has heard of me, and has asked specifically for me to be our student coordinator, who I will be in contact with."
"There's something not quite right about this. Obviously this is no ordinary school-planned exchange trip, since whomever the coordinator was chose only people who went to Kadic with us," Jeremie noted.
"You're right, Jeremie. I picked up on that too…" Yumi said, frowning.
"Well guys, I think we should put it to a vote. All in favor of going through with the trip?"
(End Chapter)
(A/N) Yes, that chapter was sort of dull, but it hints at things to come, and it ties the settings together. The next chapter will definetly involve a bit more action (not necessarily on Lyoko, though)
Thanks to KeikoNishidera for pointing out that I had Ulrich's name on the list of people to be exchanged! I was on autopilot I guess.
Yes, all the names on that list are eople from the show. If you doubt it, check the secondary characater list on won't post the next chapter until I get three more reviews!