DETAILS CHANGED IN LIGHT OF SEASON 3!

Yay (happy look because this stupid thing won't allow me to use carrots, backslashes, underlines, or brackets)You love me!

Ricky: XP Hey, I'm the one they all love!

(raspberry)

Ricky: (raspberry back)

Anyway, thank you all for liking my story. Congrats to Movie-Brat andkatfish xX for figuring out where the beginning scene came from. You each get a slice of one of Judy Neutron's famous pies. (hands both a slice each)

Judy: (in the background) Hugh, have you been sneaking pie before supper again?

(happy look, even though semicollins are allowed)Uh, heh, heh, heh... Anyway, reviews.

FlipMyMood - thanks very MUCH!

Movie-Brat - Thanks. Enjoy your pie.

katfish xX - Yeah, I liked that picture, too. I WANT AN ULRICH PLUSHIE! That, and a Jeremie plushie, Odd plushie, Yumi plushie, and Aelita plushie... maybe even a Jimmy Neutron plushie... and a Timmy Turn--

Ricky: (covers my mouth) You're scaring me.

SamandMax0569 - XD Glad you liked the pun. I kind of thought it sounded a little corny, actually.

Ricky: HEY!

I wrote it, kid.

deadinside72 - OMG! NOT THE MUFFINS! ANYTHING BUT THE MUFFINS! Alright, I'll do it. Just don't break out the muffins!

YumiandUlrich4ever - Speak away.

purplelover - Hey, you and Odd would really get along. All very good questions, which will be answered in this chapter. Lucky you!

This chapter will also feature someone else. Someone who happened to come along almost is if the writers knew I was creating Ricky. You'll see who.

My Cousin, Ricky

Chapter 2: Hello, Cousin!

Mrs. Davis set a plate, topped with a slice of apple pie, down for the 6-year-old boy, before sitting down beside him to say, "So, I hear you're quite the child prodigy."

Ricky took a bite of his pie with a look of peppy content, then nodded. "I really got interested in reading when I was 2 and the computer when I was 3," he mumbled through a full mouth. "I'd probably be, like, in college, or something, but my teachers mentioned something called 'maturity' as to why I'm still in a normal school year. I try my best not to outshine my fellow classmates," he added.

Mr. Davis thought for a moment, then asked, "So... what are you excited about, most, in coming to France?"

"What am I most excited about?" he cried with a huge grin on his face. "About half my family is in France, including my favorite cousin!" He glanced down and saw that he'd squashed his hand into his pie, then shrugged and began to lick the apple filling off his fingers. "He's in a boarding school called Kadic Academy," he added between licks.

"Kadic, huh? That's not far from the school you'll be going to for the next year or so."

"I know," he said with a matter-of-fact tone and a big grin.

The mood was tense at the Ishiyama dinner table. At the four sides of the table sat Mr. and Mrs. Ishiyama, Yumi, and little 8-year-old Hiroki.

"Yumi, is everything alright?" asked her mother, watching her absent-mindedly poking at her food with her chop sticks.

"Um, I'm fine," she lied under her breath.

It only took a second for Hiroki to come up with his very much expected conclusion: "It's your boyfriend, Ulrich, isn't it?" he teased. "Oh, Ulrich, I love you!"

That tore it. Yumi slammed her chopsticks down on her plate and stormed up to her room. Her little brother sniggered until he saw their mother's warning look.

Flopping back-down on her bed, Yumi let out a big sigh. A moment later, her phone began to ring. She picked it up and was surprised to see Aelita's name listed. She pressed the activation button and held it up to her ear. "Aelita?"

"Hello, Yumi," spoke the soft, kind voice of the virtual girl. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, OK," she said. "Jeremie's safe and back on Earth, and that's what really matters."

"That's true," Aelita replied. "How's everyone else? Odd? Ulrich?"

"Odd's doing OK, as usual," she added the last part with a smile. "Ulrich... I'd rather not talk about that."

"Why not? Is something the matter?"

Yumi sighed. "Nothing. It's just... well, when I got stuck in the principal's office, Ulrich got me out by making a deal with Sissi to go out with her for a month. And then, I hear about this down payment, and I... I'm not sure if Ulrich really..."

"Oh, Yumi, think about it," said Aelita. "If Ulrich hadn't done what he did, we could've lost Jeremie for good. Just give him a chance. I know he cares about you."

Yumi took in her friend's words. "But... how would you...?"

"Just trust me. I can feel it."

"Math class wasn't so bad," said Odd.

"Only because she gave us a free period," Ulrich reminded him. It was the end of school, the next day, and the three boys were in Odd and Ulrich's dorm room.

That's when Jeremie piped in, saying, "Well, I found that pop quiz in history class quite refreshing."

Odd raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You would, Einstein."

At that moment, a knock came at the door and Yumi entered. "Hi, guys," she said.

"Hey, Yumi. How'd the Italian test go?" asked Odd.

Yumi raised her hand and said, "Actually, I'd rather not think about that right now." She glanced over at Ulrich. "Oh, um, hey, Ulrich."

"Hello, Yumi," he mumbled awkwardly.

She kneeled down and looked in his eyes. "OK, Ulrich. I'm willing to give you another chance. Honestly tell me: is there anything going on between you and Sissi?"

"No, Yumi, honest. I just..." he sighed. "I just got desperate. If I couldn't get Sissi to cooperate, we could've lost Jeremie forever, and she wanted 2 months minimum out of me, so I gave her one month and..." He couldn't go on.

"...a down payment: a kiss." Yumi finished.

Ulrich closed his eyes and let his head hang low. "I'm sorry."

Yumi sat down next to him. "Ulrich, I..."

Another knock came.

"Who's there?" asked Ulrich.

"Orange!" piped a familiar, high-pitched voice from the other side of the door.

"Orange who?" asked Odd.

"Orange ya' glad I came all the way from the U.S. to see you?"

Ulrich sighed--though close inspection revealed he was trying to hide a smile--and went to the door. "I almost forgot he was coming."

As soon as he opened the door, the grinning 6-year-old boy greeted, "Hello, Cousin!"

"Cousin?" asked a couple of voices behind Ulrich.

"Well, 'Cousin', I believe a few introductions are in order," said Odd.

Aaaaand... Ricky Affeber meets the gang. When Hiroki was introduced, I was all, "Hey! I wanted to introduce the cute, hyper, little relative pushing the UlrichxYumi relationship!" And then, a brilliant idea came to mind. Why not--? (Ricky covers my mouth again and winks at me) Oh, right. (sneaky grin) Why tell you know, when I can leave you hanging for the answer in the next chapter? Adios! Ciao! Hasta lavista! Happy trails, y'all! Later, dudes!

Jeremie: Uh, yeah. We get the idea.