Summary: Aelita is changing.
Disclaim. I don't own anything in this story (unless you count the plot)
"Although Doe wrote in two different levels, he was still respected in his life time. His fame has just begun to resurface-"
Yumi's mind zoned out on the lesson as the girl finally gave up on trying to be interested. Poetry just never really did much for her, even though it was ancient and all…
Bzzzt. Bzzzzbzzt.
Huh? Yumi put a hand on the cell phone in her pocket: it was vibrating. Keeping one eye on the teacher, she pulled the phone out and saw a now-familiar text message on the screen:
S.O.S.
X.A.N.A.
J.
The Japanese girl scowled, and looked at the clock. One minute left of class. What was the point of asking to go to the bathroom now? She frowned, and bit her lip. Did the guys know? Still watching the teacher, she quickly forwarded Jeremie's message to Ulrich's phone. Two seconds later, she got an answer back:
O.K.
Yumi shook her head, and stood as the bell rang. Maybe for once she could beat them to the factory, not the other way around. She sighed, and run off down the hall.
10101010101010101
"Aelita, the others are coming. Are you alright?"
Jeremie practically could hear her scowl in her voice as she answered. "Mostly." He shook his head, worried more for the bioroid bothering Aelita than Aelita herself. He knew how… testy his Princess could get when angry. This would be interesting. Very interesting.
"Where are the enemies? Your fortress? Your leader? Are you prepared at all to fight a battle, or do you just plan to sing at them, or what ever you do?"
Aelita closed her eyes, praying for patience, and turned to look at Seraph, who was gazing skeptically around the tower. "We've fought like this for years now, without any of the things you mentioned," she told the bioroid, trying to lose her temper. "Please do NOT mock me, or my power. Or my friends. It's not a good idea."
Seraph's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"
"A promise."
"I hate to break up this wonderful little talk," Jeremie began suddenly, and Aelita hide a smirk as Seraph jumped in surprise. "But we have robots to fight." Aelita nodded, then looked at her new companion. A frown creased the bioroid's brow as she mouthed the word "robot". The pink haired girl raised her eyebrows, and Seraph glared at her.
"You battle robots?" A strange look was in her metallic eyes.
Aelita nodded, and walked out of the tower, expecting the bioroid to ask more questions. When only silence followed her, the girl frowned, and turned. Seraph stood behind her, still as stone except for her hair and wings, which blew in the wind. "What's wrong, Seraph?" Aelita asked, confused, frustrated, and a little worried. The bioroid's eyes were guardedyet bright as she stared up into the virtual sky.
"She is here," said Seraph in a hissing whisper. "I feel it. Now. She is watching-"
"WHAT THE-!"
Seraph and Aelita both looked in the direction of the sudden out burst. The next second, a glowing fan flew inches over Seraph's head, slicing off a few locks of golden hair. The bioroid screamed and unfurled her wings, the shadow sword appearing back in her hand. Not thinking, Aelita unfurled her own wings, and sped to a spot between the enraged bioroid and the three humans who had just appeared out of thin air.
"STOP!" Aelita bellowed, throwing her own power into the word as she unfurled her wings to the fullest extent.
Ulrich, Odd, and Yumi gazed, open mouthed, at the scene before them. When had Aelita become… an angel? And who was that other woman who had tried to attack them? Finally, Yumi spoke the question that cut through the tensioned air like a knife:
"What the hell is going on?"
Without turning to look at them, Aelita's eyes flashed. "This woman is named Seraph. She's a bioroid, which Jeremie and I will have to explain later. My own change is one that I still can't explain. Don't attack Seraph, or she'll attack you. Seraph?" The bioroid's eyes were glowing with obvious anger, but she looked at Aelita. "These three are my friends. Don't attack them, because they, as you've seen, will fight back." Seraph nodded, and the sword in her hand vanished. Aelita sighed, and drifted back to the ground. Turning around, she smiled at the humans, who just raised their eyebrows at the "Princess". The next second, Jeremie spoke over the Lyoko-Earth connection, his voice tight with worry.
"You guys…you have some company coming…get ready."
Odd made a fake solute to the sky. "Right away, sir!" Aelita, Yumi and Ulrich just rolled their eyes. Seraph frowned, watching the four friends as they got into battle position.
"I don't understand-" she began, but then her voice died. She had seen what they were fighting.
Ten megatanks, and a swarm of hornets were coming toward them, already shooting off lasers. The three humans that had appeared so suddenly were now fighting furiously, exploding creature after creature faster that the bioroid's eyes could follow. Aelita stood to one side, after a small hesitation, joined the battle. It was obvious that she didn't know how to summon her weapon. Seraph hesitated, then flew up to be beside the pink-haired one, trying to curb her anger.
"You will be wounded if you have no weapon, human," she told her, and Aelita's head whipped around.
"I don't need one," she answered, frowned. "I'm confusing the…" she stopped and flew at a stray hornet that had broken from the ranks. With a high sung note that seemed to make the air shiver, electric blue sparks flew from her fingertips. The hornet buzzed angrily, and flew at Aelita. Then, to everyone's astonishment, the hornet melted. Not exploded, like all the others had, but melted. A silver/black/gold liquid came from the places the sparks hit, dripping, then disappearing into thin air. A few seconds later, the whole thing dissolved, and the spot where it had occupied was totally empty.
For a moment, Aelita stared, stunned, at her own hands. A slow smile went across her lips, and with a cry, she launched herself at the rest of the hornets. In moments the whole swarm was gone, leaving Lyoko empty of enemies- for the moment at least. Very slowly, Aelita drifted to the ground, seeing and feeling the stares of Seraph and her three friends.
"Aelita?" Jeremie's voice echoed with relief. "What happened? Are you okay, Princess?"
Aelita nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "I'm fine…just a little amazed."
"You aren't the only one," Ulrich muttered under his breath, and Aelita grinned at him. Directing attention back to Jeremie, she called:
"Anymore enemies, Jeremie?"
"Not for the moment," the genius answered, still sounding relieved. "You know where the tower is, Princess. Due north." Aelita nodded, and ran off, the other three following her. Seraph hesitated, then followed silently, virtual air filling her wings.
10101010101
Aelita was the last one out of the scanner, stumbling blindly over the metal rim. To her surprise, she found herself suddenly braced against a warm, vaguely fuzzy form. She blinked, and looked up into Jeremie's blue eyes. For a moment, Jeremie held her, smiling at his Princess, and Aelita felt her heart speed up. Then, to her hidden dismay, Jeremie came to his senses, and his face went very red.
"I- I was just wondering if you were alright, Aelita," he half-whispered, pulling back. Aelita nodded, still half-breathless with his earlier actions.
"I'm fine, Jeremie, don't worry," she told him once she had gotten her breath back. The young man nodded, and began to walk toward the elevator. Realizing Aelita was still behind him, he turned. Aelita was standing there, watching him.
"Princess?"
The girl's cheeks went pink, and she went to his side. "Sorry," she said softly, grinning up at him. "My minds just a bit… frazzled after what happened in Lyoko. Are you sure Seraph will be trusted to stay in Lyoko?"
Jeremie nodded, punching the code to return to the top floor of the factory. "Bioroids are never untrustworthy, except for the Seven Sins." Aelita nodded, and sighed. Without a word, Jeremie put a comforting hand around her shoulders. Not caring to look if he was blushing or not, the tired girl leaned against him, and the two stood in silence, waiting to come back to the real world.
The calm before the storm. That's all I'm saying. Please, please review!