A Crisis of Faith
Last time, Allison dropped a major bombshell on Aelita: they're first cousins. Aelita did not take the news well. It has been two days, and Aelita decides to handle the news by not handling it at all. That leaves Allison hurt-maybe. Anyway, our heroes feel the pressure from XANA while dealing with school works and changes in their lives.
Allison writes in her diary about the past few days and sighs. "Aelita is ridiculous! I'm sorry for not telling her the truth when I knew but come on! It was like two, three days, and she acts like it changes everything!" Allison picks up her bag. "In a sense, it does, but it doesn't bring back her parents, which is what she wants." In the courtyard, Ash catches up in his reading. A fellow student, Mark, taunts Ash. "I didn't know an ex-trainer can read." Ash looks up. "Of course I can read! Can you? I've seen your last English test." "Someone is bitter! Sad that you can train your little monsters anymore!" Ash growls. "Listen. Let me read in peace! Unlike you, I want to be prepared for our pop quiz!" "Can't take the trainer out of you, huh?" Ash rolls his eyes and gets back to reading. "I wonder if you're one of the kids that made Pokemon Training dangerous." Mark laughs but then sees Ash right next to his face. "Fuck you! If members of a board want to deem Pokemon Training dangerous, fine. I was flexible. However, I didn't agree to deal with assholes like you!" "What are you going to do? You don't have your Pokemon to fight your battles!" "I didn't! can knock out a punk ass motherfucker in a flash!" Mark pushes Ash. Ash pushes him back. A group of students started to make a circle around them. At the moment, Allison runs and cuts in front of Ash. "Hey, knock it off, you two!" "Oh, your little girlfriend fights your battles!" Mark teases. "At least he has one. You, my dear Mark, can't even be nice to a girl for more than five minutes," Allison said. Ash and the group of students laugh. "Wow, pretty, smart, and a wise ass. Also, she is a Top Coordinator; what about you?" Mark throwing jabs at Ash. "Last time I check, Ash was the first winner of the Aloha League, he won the Orange Island League, and made it to the top of the World Coronation Series," A fellow student said. Mark bites his lip. "Also, I conquered the Batter Frontier of Kanto," Ash said with a smirk. Mark growls and leaves. The crowd does as well. Ash sits on the bench next to Allison. "Are you okay?" Allison asks. "No. Mark is an asshole," Ash said. "I heard that he couldn't get a badge in Kalos, so he thinks the ban is karma." "Whatever! It was stupid." "So is getting into a fight. Jim could have given you bot detention." "How did you know what was going on?" "I walked out and saw the crowd placing bets." Ash lowers his head. "I'm sorry. That is all my mother needs." "I know. Tempers flare, and it has been two years since the ban has been in place. We all have adjusted well." "I know. I miss training with my Pokemon and traveling." "So do I. I miss doing contests, research projects, and meeting new people." Ash smiles and kisses Allison. "What was that for?" Allison asks with a blush. "I wanted to. Plus, it has been two days, and Aelita has not spoken to you." "Oh, well. It is her problem!" Allison said. She grabs Ash's hand. "Let's go eat." Ash blushes as they go to the cafeteria.
At breakfast, Aelita rolls her eyes when she sees Allison. Allison and Ash greet Yumi, Dawn, Aelita, and Jeremy. After a few minutes of small talk, Aelita sends Allison a text. Allison growls and responds, and Aelita curses. "Well, fuck you!" "I'm not your reflection!" Allison said with a smirk. Jeremy and Yumi read the message. "I should have let you fall into the digital sea! That's fuck up big time!" Yumi said. "Allison! I thought you and Aelita were civil." Dawn said. Ash takes Allison's phone and reads the message Aelita sends. "If you think I am talking to you. Think again. I am still mad, and I don't want to deal with your shit at the moment!" "Ok, I see why Allison wrote this," Dawn said. "Well, we're losing Lyoko by the sector, so we can't be losing people we can't bring back," Ash said as he sips his hot chocolate. "Do you agree with what Allison wrote?" Jeremy said. "No! I am not. And besides, Aelita needs to get over this. Allison didn't want to get your ups until she was sure." "But when she did, she lied to me," Aelita shouted. "No, she did not! You never suspected anything. Allison didn't ask questions; she listens. And She did forget to tell you one day because that day was so busy!" Jeremy buts in. "Aelita is the victim. You need to talk to your girlfriend." "You need to back off and talk your Aelita. She needs to get over this. The world does not revolt around her!" Aelita pouts. "Who said it did?" "You did!" Allison said. "I don't like that your boyfriend is upsetting Aelita," Jeremy said. "I don't like that you and your lady friend are seriously not getting over this!" Allison said. "I can't believe that we are arguing over this!" Dawn shouted. "Yes! Chill out and eat your croissants!" Yumi said. Then Odd, Ulrich, and Brock arrive at the table. "What's with the tension?" Odd said. Nobody said a word. A few minutes later, Ash J walks by. "Hello, why is everyone cranky?" "Becasue your sister loves secrets," Aelita said. "I see. You are still angry." "Yes!" "Well, get over it!" Aelita looks up. "Excuse me!" "You heard me. I know that it is a shock, and the fact that Allison didn't come forward after two days is hard but come on! This is not about the secret." "Oh, you know me so well?" "No. I heard that you have been out of it for the past few days." "Well, since we're family, it is about my parents." "I know! That is why you are angry! Being ur cousin doesn't bring them back, and it hurts that you have a family to bond with but not your parents!" Aelita gets up and is about to throw something at Ash J when Allison blocks her. "Try and see!" Allison said. That surprises Brock. "Let's cool things." Allison turns to Ash J. "I think you can go. It's okay. I can try to sm tooth things over." "Are you sure? Clearly, I got something right," Ash J said. "I think we should deal with one issue at a time." "Okay!" Ash j turns to leave when he says this. "I'm right. You have a lot of feelings and lashing out on my sister is your way-the wrong way!" Ash J leaves to sit with Rocky. Aelita leaves the tables. "That could have been bad," Dawn said. "Would your brother have done something?" Ulrich asks. "No. Suppose it was me, sure, because we're twins and we have food fights at home all the time. With Aelita, it would have raised too many questions," Allison said. "I guessing he told Rocky?" Odd asks. "Yeah, but Rocky doesn't spill secrets." "No, but he is annoying," Jeremy said. Moments later, XANA sends a ghost to possess Mark and a student named Madaline and her Pokemon, Mismagius.
After breakfast, the ninth and tenth graders go to a nearby park to study playgrounds as part of an art study. "So, split up into groups and examine the different playground structures and learn about each piece of equipment," The art teacher said. Allison and Brock pair off, so do Aelita and Ulrich, Jeremy and Dawn, Odd and Ash, and Yumi and William. Allison and Brock take a turn on the swings. "Allison, I thought you tried to talk to Aelita," Brock said. "I tried, but it is going nowhere. She feels lied to. I mean, I could have told her right away, but how would I have started," Allison said. "I mean, you did not do anything wrong. You told her the truth, and it is up to her to deal with it." Meanwhile, Ulrich talks to Aelita by the monkey bars. "Are you scared?" Aelita asks. "No. It is not that high. Plus, can we talk about you and Allison?" "No! I mean, she and her brother are something!" "Yeah, Allison told us that her brother could be headstrong." "And stubborn. He thinks he is right. He has to be right!" Ulrich looks at Aelita. "What?" "I mean, I can see the resemblance." "What?" "You are stubborn." "No way." "Plus, I was talking to Odd this morning, and I also think this is about your father. You miss him and want him with you, but instead, you have this whole family you didn't ask for." "Not true! Don't let Allison's twin get in your head." Dawn and Jeremy are by the sandbox. Dawn draws her friends in the sand. "Thinking about our friends?" Jeremy asks. "Are you?" Dawn asks. "I am. I think this whole mess is shit." "It is, but Aelita is making Allison feel bad. You know Aelita better; what should Allison do?" "Nothing. Aelita will calm down. I am starting to believe that there is something more to her anger." Over by the slides. Odd and Ash talk. "Allison is at the point where she does not care. She is not begging for forgiveness. She is like whatever," Ash said. "I know. I think that makes Aelita mad more. I wish girls don't make things complicated," Odd said. "You talked to her." "True, but she was mad at Jeremy, and Jeremy was a jerk. Allison, she is a force. I mean, she made it clear that Aelita can take her time. She made her apologies, and it is a done deal. Aelita needs to let it go. It won't help her." Moments later, Ash sees Mark and Madaline. "Great, Mark," Ash said. "I heard that Mark was giving you a hard time," Odd said. "Oh, yes!" Mark looks at Ash and shoots electricity at him. "XANA!" Odd shout!
He and Ash run towards Jeremy and Dawn. Jeremy checks his computer and sees that there is an activated tower in the Ice Sector. Dawn sees Ash and Odd running. "Run!" Ash said. "Why?" Dawn asks. Madaline has her Mismagius use Will-O-Wisps to attack Jeremy and Dawn. Dawn texts the others to come to the factory. Brock sees Mismagius heading towards the tenth graders. "It is going after Yumi. I'll go warn her," Brock said. Allison nods and heads for the factory. Odd sees Brock and joins him along with Ash. Yumi is by the All-Access playground with William. She notices that he fell asleep. "William?" She tries to wake him up, but when she texts her phone. She knows why he is asleep. Madaline appears and strikes Yumi, but Odd hits Madaline in the head while Ash catches Yumi. "Thanks," Yumi said. Mark comes and attacks Brock, but Yumi gets up and blocks Mark. Mismagius uses Magical Leaf, and it hits everyone. At the lab, Jeremy, Ulrich, Aelita, Dawn, and Allison are there. "Let's go to the scanners. Ulrich, you and Dawn go second," Jeremy said with a wink. "If you think you, I will talk to Allison for the minute alone, no way!" Aelita said. Allison takes the ladder to the scanner room. On Lyoko, the group is meeting with Krabs. For a while, they were winning. "Look out!" Dawn said. Ulrich is cornered by two Krabs. They knocked his weapon out of his hands. He tries to Super Sprint, but one of the Krabs shoots a blue laser at him. Dawn comes and defends him and defeats the two Krabs, but a third Krab slides by and shoots at Dawn and Ulrich, devitalizing them. Aelita hides behind Allison. "So close, but there is one more Krab," Allison said. Back on Earth, Yumi manages to knock out Madaline, but Mismagius is upset. It uses Mystical Fire to trap Odd and Brock. Ash uses a hose but no luck. He sees a wild Scrafty and tries to convince it to help. It refuses, but Ash gives it some Pokemon food that Brock made in class. It works. He battles Mismagius with Scrafty. Odd and Yumi are impressed. Mark tries to attack Yumi, but she can knock him out. Scrafty uses Ice Punch to get rid of the Mystical Fire. Odd, Brock, and Yumi deal with Mark and Madaline. On Lyoko, Allison goes after the Krab, but she is attacked by two hornets and is sent over the edge. She is safe, but a Krab box in Aelita and the Schypozoa appears. Allison is dizzy, but she can still fight. Aelita is trying to defend herself, but she is no match. Allison flies up and looks around. The Hornet is above the Krab. She flies and shoots the Krab while using her Force Field to block the Hornet. She pushes it towards the Schypozoa, and it loses concentration. Aelita runs toward the tower as Allison defeats the ugly jellyfish. The tower is deactivated. At the moment, Ash and Scrafty defeat Mismagius but was pushed into a tree by Madaline. Brock and Odd go to them. "Are you okay?" Odd asks. "Yeah, right, Scrafty?" Scrafty agrees, Brock treats Scrafty, and the Pokemon left. "Are we not doing an RTTP?" Ulrich asks. "No. I don't think we need to," Jeremy said.
A few students saw the battle and thought it was cool that Ash could battle with a wild Pokemon. Madaline nor Mismagius remembered the battle, so they thought it was the heat of the moment. Mark does not remember anything either. At the Factory, Aelita pulls Allison aside. "Look, I'm sorry. I was a jerk. Your brother was right; it was about my father." "I know. You still have to find him. You need your parents. I am a part of your family but not your only family. You can be happy and sad," Allison said. Aelita smiles, and they hug. "Also, we did not lose so that they can make up," Dawn said. "I didn't say that!" Jeremy said. "But it worked!" Ulrich said. Allison gets a phone call. "What! Ash got in trouble for battling! Hold on; I can help!" "Spoke too soon about the RTTP," Dawn said. Later that night, Allison recaps. "I pointed out that Pokemon Battling is not in the handbook!" "Good! What happened?" Ulrich asks. "Mr. Delams said that Pokemon Training is banned, but Allison said batting is not. Only the practice of traveling and going to gyms, contests. and others," Ash said. "That must have made Mr. Delmas mad," Yumi said. "He was. He said. Look here, Ms. Loopholes; I will leave Ketchum and Louise a warning. Now, get out of my office!" Allison said. "Loopholes, the best!" Jeremy said. "Can we cheer for Ash dodging a bullet, shutting the fuck out of Mark, and for the cousins making up," Dawn said. "Cheers!" Aelita said.
What a day! Fights and makes up—the best. Now, if only XANA can learn. No. Well, maybe if we take a page from our heroes, maybe. But XANA is an AI; it has tricks up its sleeves.