Chapter 7: After the match

Now at the food court, Jeremy and Aelita is sitting at the table in the food court as Odd is arguing with the chief about how much he ate yesterday.

"I knew he would get in trouble for how much he ate," Aelita jokes as she notices Jeremy just moving his mash-potatoes around on his plate. "Jeremy, is everything alright?"

He shoots up to look at her. "I'm sorry Aelita, what did you say?"

"What's wrong Jeremy? You have been in a daze since the battle."

"I don't know, it's just how they won. During the entire battle they never took us seriously, always being one step ahead of us," Jeremy points out as he notices that she moved closer to him.

"Don't worry yourself over it, they are one of the top teams in the world. And if we don't win this year we can always train and try next year."

He then places his hand on top of hers and replies. "Thanks Aelita."

She blushes as she starts moving closer to Jeremy, but interrupted as a complaining Odd comes over to them. "I can't believe this, they are limiting how much I am allowed to eat here."

"I tried to warn you Odd," she replied as her body shivers by a voice behind her.

"It's good to see you again, Aelita Hopper."

She looks behind her to see Shadow from Team Sin and she replies. "Go away."

He just chuckles as he says. "Don't tell me you still haven't been told about the Ceasefire, I save my dark side for Lyoko."

She then remembers all the things that happed in Lyoko and replies. "Still, what you did was way out of line."

"Good to know," he replied in a sinister tone. "Hope we get to meet in Lyoko again, so don't get disqualified before then."

He then walks off as the others are suspicious of him. "Ceasefire or not, I don't like him." Odd says.

Now with Ulrich as he is flipping through channels. "A major accident today when two fire trucks hit a nuclear factory, but luckily it stopped for no reason and missed the core at the last minute," then he changes the channel. "After the match in the Lyoko Tournament today, the next challenges for tomorrow is Team Shadow in the Forest Region VS Team Hyper in the Mountain Region." he then changes the channel. "Tomorrow we have an interview with the sexiest team member of the Lyoko game, Sword Hunter from Team Sin," Then he changes the channel and keeps changing as he thinks.

I am getting a bit hungry, maybe I will join the others at the Food Court.

He then turns off the TV and heads to the door, but as soon as he opens the door he sees Yumi about to knock on it. "Hey Yumi, what are you doing here?"

She then moves down her hand and replies. "I was just wondering, if you wanted to go to the Food Court."

"Yeah, I was just heading there myself."

Yumi then rubs her arm as she says. "I also wanted to..." but she was cut off as Ulrich's phone started to ring.

"Hold that thought," he replied as he answers his phone. "Hello, oh hey Sissy, so you saw the match, no what you did didn't distract me, I'm sure, I will see you when I get back to school, bye," then he looks back at Yumi and asks. "So what did you want to say to me?"

Now Yumi looks very ticked at the moment as she just replies. "Nothing, let's just meet the others."

She stomps off, leaving the Team Leader confused by her actions.

Now at the Food Court as they watch Yumi eat her rice with a pair of chop sticks at a rapid pace, making the rest of her team a bit nervous.

"What did you do this time Ulrich?" Odd whispers.

"I don't know," he whispers back. "But all of a sudden she just seemed to be in a bad mood."

"Yumi, is everything alright?" Aelita asks nervously as Yumi glares.

"Yes, I'm fine!" she snaps back and continues to eat her rice at a rapid pace, then she finishes as she stands back up and announces. "I'll be right back, I need to get some more."

"She is eating more than you Odd," Ulrich jokes as they all look at him seriously. "What?"

"I bet what ever Yumi is angry at, you had something to do with it," Odd says.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Ulrich asks in shock.

"Well, I guess if you talk to her she will settle down," Jeremy replies. "We need everyone to be focused if we want to win this tournament."

"If it will get her to settle down, I will try," Ulrich answers back as he sees Yumi walking back to the table. But before he could say anything, Sword Hunter walks up to him and says.

"Hey there, have you thought about my most generous offer?"

Yumi just slams her bowl on the table as she starts eating once again. "What are you talking about?" Ulrich asks.

She giggles at him as she replies. "Don't you remember? I asked you in Lyoko if you wanted to train with me after I beat you, I promise I can teach you how to use that sword of yours beyond your imagination."

Ulrich just looks over to see his angry female teammate and just as he was about to reply, Susan cuts him off. "Come on, we don't have all day."

She then pulls him away from his friends by the wrist as we see Yumi break the chopsticks in her hand.

Just then, Odd's phone rings. He looks at it to se the Caller ID says Sam and answers. "Hey Sam, did you see me out in Lyoko today?" He then pauses where his face looks really nervous and scared. "No Sam, I haven't dated every girl in my grade while I dated you. I still need to go out with Cathay. WAIT! I didn't mean that!"

"Busted," Jeremy said to his girlfriend.

Now at a table not too far off, the rest of Team Sin is eating as they watch Sword Hunter run off. "Bloodlust, why do we allow her to ruin are dark reputation with her unusual outfits?" TNT asks.

"Because, it's her own way of manipulation. She uses that to make the guys around her eat out of her hands, she almost has complete control over most of them and all she has to do is wink at them."

Then Shadow just chuckles as he says. "I don't know about you guys, but I think I really got to that team's Deactivator, she seems to be terrified of me."

"By how you were planning to torture her in Lyoko till all of her life points were gone is probably the reason," Virus concluded.

"Yes, but this team really has potential, and we don't want the Underdogs of this Tournament to take our well deserved place at the top, so have fun with her Shadow, but stay within the limits of the Ceasefire."

"No problem, you know I didn't get the nickname Shadow just from playing this game."

Now with Sword Hunter and Ulrich at the Gym of the Hotel, they are on the mat with Ulrich using one wooden sword and Sword Hunter using two. "The key Ulrich is to keep your mind clear. The smallest distraction in your mind will change your victory into a defeat. Like the way you are staring at my gorgeous figure."

"I was not," He snapped back.

She giggles. "Oh don't be so rude, I was only having some fun. Now relax and follow through with your attack, and don't second guess yourself."

Ulrich takes a deep breath and charges at her, but in a flash his sword is knocked across the room and Sword Hunter is pinning him down. A shocked look comes on Ulrich's face as he is reminded of when he and Yumi train she would end up on top of him. Not knowing that Yumi was watching from a distances and stomps off at the sight.

"I'm guessing by the look on your face, this isn't the first time a girl has been on top of you," Sword Hunter giggles as Ulrich snaps out of it and moves her off.

"Like you need to know," he replied.

"You know," Sword Hunter says to him as she moves back her long black hair. "You should be a little nicer to someone who is giving you free lessons, I usually charge for this."

Ulrich just sulks as she says with a sly smile on her face. "So, a relationship problem is it? Who is the lucky girl or probably, girls?"

"Let's just get back to training," he replies as he walks over to pick up his sword.

"If you insist, but you better clear that romanced filled mind of yours if you want even a chance of making contact with that sword."

Now later than night, Ulrich stumbles back to his room. He opens the door to see Odd watching TV with Kiwi by his lap. "Odd, how did you get Kiwi in here?"

"I couldn't find anyone, so I smuggled him in here in my suitcase," Odd replies as he scratches Kiwi behind the ear.

"If the Hotel finds him you are going to be in big trouble," Ulrich added as he collapsed on top of his bed.

"You look like you got the snot beat out of you."

"I feel like it too, I am glad we got a day and maybe two off before the next match. I am going to feel this in the morning."

"Then go take a shower, it really helps."

Then Ulrich sits back up. "For once Odd, that was a good idea you had."

Ulrich then walks off to the bathroom. "Yeah, I kno... Hey!"

Now with Yumi and Aelita as Yumi walks out of the Bathroom in a white hotel robe and rubbing the side of her face with a towel. "Well, it did help a little Aelita."

"So, are you going to tell me what is wrong?"

Yumi sits down on her bed. "Nothing is wrong," she replies calmly.

"You did seem angry at lunch today, and then it seemed to get worse after Susan took off with Ulrich.

"I'm fine Aelita, I promise."

To Be Continue

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