Summary: Aelita is changing.
Disclaim. I don't own anything in this story (unless you count the plot)
Aelita gapped at him. "A what!"
Jeremie smiled slightly. "A bioroid, Princess." The smile faded. "I did some research. A bioroid is a humanoid creature, built to look like an angel, and fight like a robot. They were made…or created…in a very different time. According to the sources, many years ago, the bioroids became more…rebellious. They gained feelings, and memories. Personalities. Some of them…" he frowned. "Became more rebellious than others, to the point of murder."
Aelita shivered, and looked up at Jeremie, her now green eyes wide. "Are you saying that I'm… that somehow I became…a bioroid?"
The young man held up a hand. "No. According to the sources, bioroids, and the gene that created them, was annihilated soon after the seven sins emerged."
"The seven…?"
"Sins," Jeremie finished. "Seven bioroid women charged with committing each of the most deadly sins in the Christian religion. These seven were…the ultimate horror. A seductive, evil, yet beautiful weapon, set to destroy all in their paths. Fallen angels," he added, a very dry smile on his lips. Aelita shivered again, and Jeremie, seeing this, put a hand on her shoulder. "Aelita, I'm telling you this because I want to help you. Are you all right? I'll stop, if you want."
Aelita shook her head furiously, her pink hair flying to cover her face. "It's something I have to know…" she whispered, clutching at Jeremie's hand. "I'm…so confused." Jeremie, blushing, kept her hand in his as he brushed a strand of pink out of her eyes with the other.
"Whatever is going on, Princess, it'll be all okay in the end. I promise." Aelita looked up at him, and to Jeremie's dismay, he saw tears glittering in the emerald depths of her eyes. The next second, Aelita buried her face against his chest and began to shake. Jeremie pulled her into a hug, his shyness fading as he felt how bad she was trembling. There was something else wrong. He started rocking her gently, stroking her hair.
"I'm so afraid, Jeremie," came a muffled whisper from the girl in his arms. "So afraid."
Jeremie simply rocked her back and forth, run gentle hands down her arms. "Shh, Princess," he whispered. "I'm here, no need to be scared. No need…no worries…" Slowly, Aelita's shiver stopped, and she pulled away, brushing tears from her cheeks.
"I'm sorry I broke down, Jeremie," she told him softly, but the young man stopped her with two fingertips against her lips.
"Don't apologize, Princess," he told her, wiping a stray tear from her face. "You have every right to cry. If you ever need someone to hug or pound on," he smiled and spread his arms. "I'm here." A smile finally spread over Aelita's lips, and she nodded. Jeremie smiled, and standing, he took her hand.
"How about we go see if we can discover any know secrets of this new form of yours?"
Aelita's eyebrows rose. "You mean, go back into Lyoko? Why?"
Jeremie squeezed her hand, a blushing beginning to form in his cheeks. "The more you learn, the less afraid you'll be." Aelita smiled slowly, thinking, then nodded.
"What about Ulrich and Odd?"
Jeremie winked. "Yumi didn't tell you? Her, those two, and Naomi were going on a double date."
Aelita followed him out the door. "All Sunday? And why couldn't you and I have gone?"
The young man's cheeks went bright red. "Uh…they didn't offer." Aelita felt her own cheeks heat, but she smiled up at Jeremie, deciding to help lighten the mood. Also…her smile turned impish…maybe even flirt a little.
"Have you…ever wanted to go on a date, Jeremie?"
Jeremie thought his face might just explode. "W-why?"
Aelita's smile was pure innocence. "Oh, just wondering." Her smile grew, and she sighed. "I've always wondered what it's like…Yumi teases me about them."
Jeremie looked at her, one blond eyebrow raised over his glasses. "About dates? Why?"
The girl's cheeks went pink, and she looked at her feet. "Oh…I don't know…" Liar, muttered a sniggering voice inside her head. You've wanted to go on a date with him for years, and you know it. Aelita sighed again, pushing that voice out of her mind. Feeling the blush on her cheeks begin to grow as Jeremie looked down her, she decided to change the subject.
"So, where did you find the information on these…bioroids?" The word was strange, almost machine-like in the way it formed on her voice. Aelita shivered. It made her think of X.A.N.A.
Jeremie blinked, obviously surprised by her question. "From a site about old robotic creations. The construction and rule of bioroids was not well known. Too many memories were modified after the seven sins attacked for people to remember much. Also, Emulates kept their silence."
"Emulates?"
Jeremie nodded. "The humans that some bioroids took over. The word emulate means-"
"-To try to be like a person to the point of copying them totally," Aelita said along with him, grinning. "That was in our vocabulary homework last week." The young genius laughed slightly and, blushing, ticked Aelita's waist lightly. The girl jumped and squeaked, unused to being tickled. Jeremie smiled as Aelita glared half-heartedly at him, until she gave up and shook her head. "Don't you tell me I deserved that," she warned. "I'm not the only one who's ticklish." Jeremie blushed, and Aelita smirked. "See?"
"You know me too well, Princess," the young man admitted, and Aelita blushed.
"Nonsense," she retorted, and grinned. "I just asked Yumi and the others the right questions." Seeing Jeremie's eyebrows go up, and his cheeks turn red, Aelita knew she had said the perfect thing to tease him. "But anyway, Jeremie, you never said what an Emulate was."
The smile in Jeremie's blue eyes vanished, and Aelita suddenly wished she had shut her mouth.
"Some humans were put into contract with the bioroids, turning the human into a bioroid at will, in order to fight battles with more intelligence and power. For most humans, it was like a friend and a guardian all in one. To some, however, they were just tools."
"Did…did the seven sins have emulates?"
Jeremie nodded. "Only one. The leader. Her name was Lucifer, and she was the cruelest of them all. Her emulate was a young girl from Japan…I believe her name was Akino or something similar to that. This girl almost was killed when Lucifer decided she didn't want a human emulate anymore, and was saved by another bioroid. Lucifer disappeared soon afterward, as did the bioroid that was her enemy."
They had reached the factory. Standing on the top of the doorway, Jeremie bowed gallantly, sweeping one hand out in front of him. "After you, milady," he said, and Aelita giggled, blushing.
"Why, thank you, good sir!" With an extra grin for Jeremie, she leaped and swung down to the second floor by the rope. Jeremie followed suite, and landed next to her. For a moment, Aelita's smile faded, and she hesitated. Seeing this, Jeremie took her hand and gently lead her into the elevator. Coming out on the computer room floor, the young man looked down at the pink-haired girl, his eyes concerned.
"Do you want me to come with you, Princess?"
Aelita blushed again, and shook her head. "I'll be fine. You stay her, and we'll talk like we used to." She smiled slightly, kissed his cheek, and walked back into the elevator, her face now bright red. For a moment, Jeremie stood, stunned by Aelita's little show of affection. Then grinning, he sat down in the controller chair.
101010101010101
Five minutes later, Aelita felt the virtual air of Lyoko encircle her body, and dropped. Opening her eyes, she smiled.
"Once again, Jeremie, totally perfect."
Like you, Jeremie thought, but only smiled and said, "Do you see anything unusual?"
"No," Aelita called back. "I just--"
A blond and white blur ran across her vision, and she gasped, turning widely. Nothing.
"Aelita?" Jeremie sounded nervous. "You okay?"
"I just thought I saw…" Aelita frowned. Maybe it was just her imagination…
Jeremie frowned, hearing the uncertainty in her voice. Then he frowned, staring at the screen. Something was wrong…
That's when Aelita screamed.
CLIFFIE! Don't worry, I'll update soon. Bu-bye for now, and please review!