Summary: Aelita is changing.
Disclaim. I don't own anything in this story (unless you count the plot)
Warning: This contains FLUFF!
In Lyoko. Forest Region
A golden gleam atop the second tower shimmered as silver-white wings unfurled. A distant sound of metal clanging against metal broke the silence of the virtual land, only to echo into obviation.
Seraph was not calm.
The bioroid gazed out over the strange new home she had, quite literally, landed herself in. Lyoko. That's what the human-hearted one called it. Lyoko. Such a strange name.
Memories flooded, unbidden, unwanted, into Seraph's mind. Yuina. Shy, pretty, blond Yuina. Seraph's only human friend. The only person that knew the bioroid as a person, not just as a weapon. Yuina was gone, forever.
Pale fists clenched.
Lucifer. Black winged and wicked. Thief and murderess. The Seventh and most deadly Sin. She was here, God damn her. In this place. She had followed her.
Seraph could smell it. Feel it. All but see or hear it. But she knew Lucifer was there.
She wanted to warn the humans. The three warriors, with their fierce fighting, and teasing grins; the speaker, simply a voice that softened only when speaking to the other one. Her. The pink-haired child with bioroid blood. Something had been mistaken in her process. She was an emulate and a bioroid all in one. A freak. An accident.
Or, as the speaker called her, a "Princess."
She didn't look royal to Seraph. Quiet but quick to anger, kind but slightly suspicious. Powerful and weak all at the same time. She had strange markings on her face: perhaps her maker's markings?
A dry smile spread slowly over cold red lips. That girl was no human. She was a bioroid changeling, pure and simple. The one, and only one.
And who was this enemy they spoke of? X.A.N.A. The girl- Aelita- said that X.A.N.A. was a machine that wanted to destroy earth. It controlled Lyoko during an attack, turning a tower red.
And it sent minions. Little robot creatures with deadly lasers. They all had the same symbol upon them. That eye.
A shiver ran, unbidden, down Seraph's metal spine. She had seen that symbol before. It had a connection with Lucifer. Nothing else made her so furious and afraid.
She would have to warn them before the next attack.
Red eyes closed as she once again unfurled her wings. She needed to fly.
101010101010101010
Back on Earth.
"So this bioroid chick just… fell out of the sky? Just like that?"
Aelita nodded, watching cautiously as Odd swung his fork around as he spoke. "She said she had lost her 'coordinates', but she wouldn't explain any farther."
"A bioroid's life is run by missions," Jeremie added. "You said she wanted to destroy Lucifer?"
Aelita nodded again, looking up at him. "Something about the fact that Lucifer killed her Emulate. Or, that's what she seemed to implying."
"Lita," Yumi began, raising her eyebrows. "Please, speak slower. This is harder to digest than Odd's cooking."
The blond-purple haired boy next to her glared. "My food is not that bad," he protested. "You're just jealous that you aren't as talented as I am." He put his nose in the air, one hand to his chest.
"Posing for a statue?" Ulrich commented from Yumi's other side, looking down the table to grin evilly at his roommate. "I think you're gonna have to wait a very long time, Odd."
Yumi, Jeremie and Aelita all dissolved into giggles as Odd stuck his tongue out at Ulrich, and returned to shoveling down his food. "I think we should return to talking about our new friend now," the Japanese girl commented once she caught her breath. Jeremie smiled wryly, as did Aelita.
"Our new friend is in Lyoko now," Jeremie told Yumi. The girl's eyes widened.
"Wa- why? Isn't that not a good idea? What if she sabotages something?"
Aelita and Jeremie looked at each other with that 'I knew this would happen' glance. "There isn't anything for her to sabotage, really," Aelita told Yumi, sighing slightly. "She can't get into a tower unless I'm there, and there's nothing else she can mess with. It's safe." Yumi simply raised her eyebrows.
Jeremie looked at her, frowning. "Yumi, Aelita knows what she's talking about." The pink-haired girl next to him looked back up at the young man, surprised. Was he...defending her? She hesitated, then laid a gentle hand on his arm.
"Jeremie," she began, and the boy blushed slightly, and grinned sheepishly at Yumi.
"Sorry for getting all grumpy," he mumbled, ducking his head. "I'm just…" He trailed off, and Yumi grinned evilly.
"Don't worry, Einstein," she told him, and winked at Aelita. "Besides: it's cute when you defend her like that." The pink-haired girl blushed darkly, as did Jeremie, who hid his face in his hands.
"Not…cute," Aelita heard him mutter through his hands. A giggle forced it's way from her throat, and she blushed again. Typical Jeremie. Being insulted because someone said he was cute.
To her, and Jeremie's, obvious relief, the bell rang a few seconds later. Still blushing, Aelita and Jeremie went off to work on the anti-virus as the other three went off to study hall. The two were silent as they walked toward the dorms, though Aelita was sure the world could have heard how loud her heart was beating. After a few moments, she took a breath, and broke the silence.
"Jeremie?"
The young man looked slightly startled, then looked down at her, smiling. "Yeah, Princess?"
Aelita bit her lip, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks at the sound of her nickname. "Why do you think they tease us like that? I mean, you and I together. Why…" she trailed off, seeing Jeremie's face turn red at the question. A small smile grew on her lips as she saw the sheepishly look in his sapphire eyes. Jeremie was being shy again.
Then, to her surprise, Jeremie stopped walking. Aelita frowned, and turned to look at him. "Is there something wrong, Jeremie?" He didn't answer for a moment, just looked at her.
"A-Aelita," he began, obviously nervous. The pink haired girl waited patiently, curious at his sudden fear of speaking. "There's…something I've been wanting to tell…to say to you…but…" he stopped, then took her hand. Both blushed at the contact, but Jeremie's face grew determined. "Aelita…I don't want to…to lose you." Aelita's eyebrows rose for a moment, already knowing this. Then it clicked, and the girl's cheeks heated. Making a decision, she moved closer, and kissed his lips lightly. For a moment, the world seemed to fade as she felt Jeremie cup her face in his hands, kissing back. A warm shock went down her spine, and Aelita pulled back, blushing. Jeremie looked down at her, blinking, his face now very red.
"W-what was that for?" he asked, stunned. Aelita smiled.
"I love you too," she said simply, her cheeks pink. Jeremie's eyes widened. Then a huge, boyish grin appeared on his face, and he threw his arms around her, holding her closer. Aelita laughed, and rested her head on his chest. Everything felt so perfect in his arms. Everything.
"You've made me so happy, Princess," Jeremie whispered, pulling back and kissing her forehead. Aelita smiled, and let her fingers play with his hair as he held her.
"And you are my savior, Jeremie," she answered simply, smiling. "You have given me more happiness than I could ever deserve. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'd gladly do it again."
Jeremie just kissed her gently, one hand coming up to caress her cheek. Aelita smiled against his lips, covered his hand with hers, and pulled back slightly.
"Oh my God, just, like, get a room!"
A horribly high, rude voice broke through their 'love mist' like a rock, and both of them turned to glare at the interruption: Sissy Delmas.
Sissy glared back, hands on hips. "Didn't you hear me, you stupid lovebirds? Get outta the hall before you make me sick!"
Aelita opened her mouth to answer angrily back, but Jeremie squeezed her hand. She glanced at him, and he winked. "Aelita?" he began loudly, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Do you hear something?"
The pinkette smiled, and put her arms around his neck. "Why, yes, Jeremie, I think I did, a few moments ago," she answered, grinning. "It was a squeak, wasn't it? Very high and annoying." Jeremie nodded, and rested his forehead against hers.
"Probably a rat or something," he added, and both fought a laugh as Sissy let out a furious shriek and stopped off. The second she was out of ear shot, however, the couple burst into giggles, and half-ran to Jeremie's dorm. When Jeremie finally locked the door behind he and Aelita, the two were out-of-breath and in pain from way too much laughing.
"So you are here, humans?"
Aelita almost jumped a foot. "Seraph!" she yelped, recognizing the bioroid's face on the computer screen. "How in the name of Lyoko did you find how to use the over-world connection?" Both humans saw the bioroid shrugged her slender shoulders.
"I touched the floating board in the tower," she answered simply. She raised her eyebrows at the panting couple. "Are you two in well condition?"
Jeremie and Aelita looked at each other and blushed. "Yeah, fine, thanks," Jeremie answered breathily, earning a chuckle from the girl beside him.
Those golden eyebrows raised higher. "Why are your hands joined?"
Both of them blushed darkly, unconsciously inching closer to once another. Aelita bit her lip, then looked back up at the on-screen bioroid. "It's hard to explain, Seraph," she answered, feeling her cheeks become even more red. "It's…"
"Love?" Seraph asked, smiling slightly. "Yes, I do believe that's what Yuina called it. When two humans become more than friends. An attraction, that can lead to both joy and trouble." Jeremie and Aelita both gaped at the bioroid, who just looked sternly back at them. "Robotic or not, I do understand most human emotion." She rolled her eyes at the astonished looks at the couple's faces. "Anyway, humans. I have something grievous to discuss with you. This enemy of yours, this X.A.N.A…somehow, he…it…whatever you wish to call it, is working with Lucifer. I can feel it in every inch of this strange air."
Jeremie frowned. "Seraph, you know that's impossible-"
The bioroid glared at him, her eyes flashing. "Do not tell me what is possible or not, human," she hissed. "My kind will exist far beyond the time your grave crumbles into dust."
Aelita's green eyes flashed as dangerously as Seraph's. "Don't you dare talk to him that way, Seraph," she said, meeting the bioroid's eyes squarely. "I don't get angry often, but if you make me, you won't like it."
To both her, and Jeremie's surprise, Seraph smiled wryly. "Use that anger against your real enemies, changeling. I am only warning you." She nodded to the pair of them, then her face blinked off the screen.
A few moments, later, Aelita finally broke the confused silence. "Did she say…changeling?"
Yes, she did. Bowahaha…I know, I'm nuts. Well, sorry it took so long to write this. Thanks and tell me what cha think!