Dear Diary,
Its been one week since I came to Kadic Academy in France. I've had a lot of fun and made some new friends. One thing that does strike me as odd is how Ulrich and his friends keep going to the nurses office or disappearing. Every time I talk to Ulrich about it he just shrugs me off and refuses to give me a straight answer. I hope he's not doing anything dangerous...Oh also there's this new guy at school, well he's not exactly new I guess he's been really sick but he's finally feeling better so he came back. He's really nice and is in my advanced writing class. We're working a play write later today, I hope Chad won't mind haha.
Asa closed her diary and put it away on her nightstand. She then grabbed some paper and began to write:
Hello Chad. It's been awhile since we've spoken and I was wondering when are we going to face time again? I really miss you and I hope during break my parents will let me fly down to visit. How are classes going? I've been texting you every day since I got here but you never reply, why is that? I also still wear the promise ring you gave me, I absolutely love it. Well, hopefully, you'll respond to this letter.
Talk to you soon, Asa
Slowly the girl folded her letter and sealed it away in an envelope.
"Well, you're certainly up early." Aelita yawned from the bed across the room. The pinkette rose from her bed and stretched out her arms.
"Yeah, I've always been an early riser." Asa smiled as she put on her shoes and opened the door. "I've got a letter to mail. See ya at breakfast!" Asa called back as she headed down the hallway towards the main office. Asa entered the office, greeting the various reception ladies as she made her way to the post office box. Carefully she slid her letter into the box with a smile.
"Fancy meeting you here." The girl turned around to face the dark brown eyes of William.
"Just dropping off a letter. What are you doing here?" Asa asked, putting her hands behind her back as she arched towards the taller boy.
"Picking up some of the work I missed when I was sick." William laughed as he scratched his head, "I missed a lot sadly."
"Yeah I think someone said you missed like a whole semester, right?" Asa questioned as the two head out of the building and towards the cafeteria.
"Yeah, sadly that's true. I hope I can still make it all up." William said.
"Well if you need I can help you. I'm ahead of all my classes right now so I have some free time to help you catch up." Asa smiled up at the boy as he opened the door to the cafeteria for her.
"Man, that would be amazing, thanks!" William exclaimed as he handed a tray to Asa and grabbed one for himself. The two kept exchanging words as they filled their trays with various breakfast foods.
"Oh there's Ulrich and everyone else, I'll talk to you later William." Asa waved goodbye at the boy as she walked over to greet her brother. Asa took a seat across from Ulrich and beside Aelita, the two roommates shared a smile before beginning to dine in.
"So, uh, Asa I saw you talking with William," Ulrich claimed, not making eye contact with the brunette.
"Yeah, we met at the office when I was dropping off a letter to Chad. He said he needed help," Asa took a quick bite of her food before continuing, "so I offered to help him after school so he can catch up."
"But don't you have other things to do other than talk to him." Ulrich's voice became cold as Asa felt the conversation heat up.
"No, actually I don't. Also, why do you care?" the table became silent, not even Odd had anything to say.
"I care because William is bad news."
"Oh yeah, how is he bad? Cause he got kicked out of his last school? Or is it because he was sick and missed a lot of school?" Asa narrowed her eyes at her brother as their faces got closer and voices got louder.
"No, he is just not a good guy believe me."
"That's it? Am I just not supposed to talk to anyone unless I get them approved by you? Ugh, Ulrich, you are so childish!" Asa grabbed her tray and stormed off, dumping the contents into the trash.
"Ulrich, old pal, that was not the way to handle that one buddy." Odd put his hand on Ulrich's shoulder but it quickly got shrugged off.
"Well it's not like I can tell her the real reason William is a bad guy. It's not like I can go 'hey Asa William is a bad guy cause he was brainwashed by a supervirus that is bent on destroying the world. Bye.'" Ulrich glared at the blond boy.
"That's true. Also, who knows what would happen if Ulrich did tell Asa the truth. I mean she has been asking us what we do whenever we vanish; I'm not sure how much longer we can lie to her." Aelita pitched in trying to defuse the tension building between Odd and Ulrich.
"Aelita's right, maybe we can free William from Xana and shut down the supercomputer. Then hopefully we don't have to lie anymore." Jeremie claimed, fixing his glasses.
The rest of the group ate in silence, not knowing that William was watching their every move. A smile crept onto the boy's face as he watched the warriors and plotted.
The school day went by quickly, Asa and Ulrich had begun talking to each other during lunch and all seemed well.
"Oh hey, Odd and Aelita think you guys could help me out after school?" Asa asked the two and she began to dine into the giant heap of spaghetti that was on her tray.
"Sure, I'd love to." Aelita smiled.
"Yeah, no problem. What exactly are we helping you with?" Odd asked.
"Also didn't you tell William you would help him?" Yumi pitched in.
"Yeah, but during English, he told me he had a project to work on so we're just gonna reschedule. Also, Principal Delmas said I could turn one of the old rooms next to Art into a clothing room so I could still do my sewing and stuff."
"No way? Asa that's incredible!" Ulrich felt overjoyed to hear that his sister could still pursue her dream of fashion.
"Yeah I talked to him when I first joined and he said Jim finished cleaning out all the dusty stuff so I just need to set it up. He ordered me mirrors and lights and a lot of my old mannequins just got in the other day. Thanks, guys I really appreciate it." Asa smiled at her friends, believing that life at Kadic Academy wouldn't be so bad.
Odd and Aelita met Asa in the abandoned room. Asa opened the door and turned on the light.
"Wow this room is going to need a lot of work," she claimed as the three began to look around. The wooden flooring was coated in dust and the paint on the walls had begun to chip and crack. The was one window in the room and even that needed cleaning.
"Well then let's get to work." Aelita smiled as she handed Asa a rag and Odd a broom.
The three friends began to wipe down the walls, window and sweep the floor. The room was beginning to look a lot better when suddenly Aelita's phone rang.
"Yes, Jeremie? Oh really, ok I'll be on my way." Aelita quickly hung up the phone and whispered into Odd's ear. She then bolted out the room.
"Aelita?" Asa called after her, looking disappointed.
"Don't worry Asa, I'll still help you and Aelita said she'll be right back. Jeremie just needed some help." Odd smiled at the girl as he grabbed a few paint buckets and brushes. "Let's get painting!" he yelled with joy.
Asa giggled and grabbed one of the buckets and began to work on the opposite wall of Odd. The two were just about done with painting when suddenly the door slammed shut.
"Huh, hey what's going on?" Asa ran to the door and tried to open it, even pushing on it with her shoulder.
"Uh, this is bad." Odd claimed as he tried to reach the window.
"Here step on this." Asa put a box down by Odd's feet and watched as climbed on top of it. "Any luck?" She asked.
"No it won't budge either. Guess we're stuck in here till Aelita gets back." Odd said, sitting on top of the box.
"Yeah, strange though the door doesn't lock and neither does the window. I wonder why they won't open." Asa pondered.
"I don't know but is it hot in here or something?" Odd asked, trying to cool himself off with his hand. "Huh, hey Jeremie what's up? No! Okay well, Asa and I are stuck in the old room, the door and window won't open and it seems to be getting hot in here." Odd rambled off as began to feel a bit light headed.
"Odd I really don't feel good. I need to...sit." the girl collapsed against the wall, her eyes barely staying open.
"Odd you need to cover your mouth! Asa's too! Asa could hardly make out Jeremie's voice as the world began to fade in her mind. Her eyes quickly opened when she felt a piece of cloth against her face. She looked up to see Odd holding a sleeve of his shirt to his mouth and nose and the other sleeve on her's.
"Odd what's going on?" her voice muffled out.
"There was a gas leak, that's why it was getting hot in here but don't worry Jeremie is getting help so as long as we keep our mouths covered we should make it." Even though she couldn't see his mouth, Asa felt Odd smile down at her and she leaned into him.
"So Jeremie where's Odd?" Yumi asked as the three teens raced through the forest sector of Lyoko.
"Not coming, he and Asa are stuck in the room and it's looking grim so hurry." Jeremie's voice filled their heads and they each quickened their pace.
"Is Asa alright?" Ulrich asked, his voice filled with worry.
"I told Odd to cover her mouth but we won't know until that tower is deactivated. You guys better hurry if we can make it in time we won't have to go back."
"Yeah that's easier said than done; look!" Ulrich stopped, the tower barely in his sights as he pointed forward. There stood William, Xana's mark printed on his forehead as he smiled at the warriors.
"I guess we now know why he canceled on Asa tonight." Aelita attempted to joke as William charged towards them.
"Less joking more fighting!" Jeremie yelled from the sidelines. Yumi flipped backward, avoiding numerous shots aimed at her and threw her fans into the air. Two enemies fell while Ulrich and William charged at each other.
The two boys continued to slash at each other, trying to aim their blows as the girls ran past them. William tried to turn away but Ulrich made sure to keep his attention. Aelita ran towards the tower with Yumi at her side, protecting the pinkette from any nearby enemies. William wailed in anger when Aelita entered the tower and began to deactivate it. William fled in a black fog as the Lyoko warriors watched the red fade away from the tower and be replaced with a gorgeous glowing silver.
Jeremie quickly devirtualized his friends and the three raced to the old room where Odd and Asa were locked in. Ulrich opened the door to find Asa unconscious in Odd's arms, a look of worry on his face.
"Ulrich she won't wake up but she's breathing." Odd wobbly stood up with Asa in his arms as Yumi and Jeremie ran over to help stabilize him.
Aelita ran ahead with Ulrich right behind in his arms while Jeremie and Yumi were helping Odd walk to the nurse's office. The pinkette pounded on the door until Nurse Yolanda finally opened up.
"Do you have any idea what time it is? Students are supposed to be in bed." Nurse Yolanda scorned the group until her eyes laid on the unconscious girl.
"Nurse Yolanda please help my sister. There was some sort of gas leak and she won't wake up." Ulrich pleaded, not taking his eyes off his sister.
"Oh my, hurry get her inside and on one of the beds. I'll start taking vitals, did anyone else breath in the gas?" The nurse quickly began to grab various needles and bags.
"Yeah Odd did, here he comes," Yumi claimed as the three limped into the room.
"Ok Odd laydown. Aelita and Yumi I could use your help while Ulrich and Jeremie go get Principal Delmas." Yolanda looked over at the boys, clearing not asking them to go but demanding them.
Ulrich stared hesitantly at his sister, not wanting to leave her side. He only looked up when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry Ulrich, I will take care of her." Yolanda smiled down at the boy, reassurance in her gaze. Ulrich nodded and followed Jeremie out of the nurse's office and towards Principal Delmas.