Author's Note: See I told you I had a chapter to follow up. Orgianlly I wanted this to be all one chapter but I found it fitting to do it this way. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2: A new ally

After the return to the past, the Lyoko gang were gathered in the factory's computer lab. They were having a rather heated discussion.

"But we can save Aelita!"

"But you know for a fact that I wouldn't be here without him!"

The debate that came amongst the Lyoko group was one over Michael, a silver-haired figure that they had only just meet and quickly said goodbye to. However, they didn't have to say goodbye to him quite yet. The materialization program that was suppose to be used for Aelita still hasn't been used. So Michael could be saved, but it would mean Aelita would continue to stay on Lyoko with Michael. Everyone seemed to be in agreement except for one person.

"Jeremie. You have to understand that Michael saved Yumi's life and in a way Aelita's." Ulrich said. After the return to the past, Odd and Yumi both informed Ulrich on what had happened. Ironically enough Ulrich was getting ready himself to go to Lyoko as well. But it seems he didn't need to.

"But… I don't trust it! This is for all we know some sort of trick by XANA! What if made a program to take on this "Michael" and then trick us all? What if we restore him and it ends up being a huge mistake? We can save Aelita and shut down the supercomputer once and for all!" Jeremie exclaimed. In all truth he didn't trust it. Even now after seeing XANA destroy himself! For all they knew they were playing right into XANA's hands.

"Jeremie. If this was all some big trick by XANA, then why go through the trouble of saving me? After all, he already had gained some of Odd's trust after he destroyed two Kankrelats. If anything, it would make more sense to have me fall into the digital void." Yumi countered. The group was silent for a few moments before a familiar face popped up on screen.

"Jeremie. I am not sure what exactly what he was doing on Lyoko, but he is almost like me in a way wouldn't you agree? He too might be a program like me, and then he was able to save Yumi's life." Aelita said from her screen on the computer. "I know that it might be tough to give the program up to someone we don't truly know, but are you saying then you are willing to abandon someone that is so similar to me?" And with that bombshell everyone was silent. Especially Jeremie. Everyone realized the slight hurt in Aelita's voice. Jeremie was almost agreeing that Michael was just a program and he could be abandoned for Aelita. Meaning that Aelita was just as disposable.

"Aelita. You know that's not what I meant…" Jeremie now trying to make it right. "Alright. I guess saving you can wait for a while." The others in the room slightly fist pumped. "But I still don't trust this Michael."

"How about this?" Aelita proposed. "How about when you do re-materialize him, everyone is on Lyoko with me? That way if he ends up being this hostile of XANA then we can deal with it?" The gang quickly thought about it and agreed to it pretty fast. And with that, the gang went to the forest sector once more while Jeremie began to run the re-materialization program.

On Lyoko

"Michael… It looks like that you are very slow to remember… But the memories will come to you soon my son…"

'Memories?'

Michael awoke to himself again face down on the ground of the familiar forest sector. After quickly remembering that he got shot four times in the back, he was slow to get up. He couldn't quite see very well but he saw four figures in front of him. He then heard some voices around him that were slightly muffled.

"So that's Michael?"

"Yeah, that's him. He saved me from when I hit that Mega tank."

"It's not fair! Everyone gets to look cool on Lyoko while I get to be a stupid purple cat!"

"If anything he almost looks like a wolf. But he has the dragons on his sword…"

Michael began to have his vision and his hearing came back. When he got up completely the four figures stopped chatting didn't really know what to say. After all, he didn't exactly know what was going on.

"How are you feeling Michael?" Yumi came up to him with her hand on her fans. They would be cautious. After all, none of them really knew who this Michael was.

"I am honestly not quite sure. I mean, one minute I got shot by some lasers, the next minute I am here and now in front of 4 strangers. Well, I say strangers but I know Odd and Yumi. Who are you two?" Michael asked the pink and yellow figure.

"I am Ulrich," Ulrich replied still holding his sword in place.

"And I am Aelita." Aelita was standing the furthest away just to make sure she wouldn't get attacked if it was XANA.

"Oh! You were the one heading towards the tower. Man, I still don't understand the whole "Tower" thing. I get the life energy but man… I haven't been long here to understand that." That last statement piqued everyone's interest.

"What do you mean by that?" Odd asked.

"Hmm… Well it's like this." Michael began to explain how he had come here a few days ago, his weird instincts, and how he somewhat sensed some of the pluses. He decided for now he would leave out the few times he had memories and the strange voice. But he did tell that he forgot something and so his memories were foggy. The Lyoko gang was taking in the fact that Michael had only come a few days ago, and the fact he was able to sense pluses like Aelita.

"How were able to sense the pulsations?" Aelita had come closer to Michael and everyone tensed a little. If it was truly XANA they would have to fight it out right now.

"Hmm… Well, I mediated for a few days which sharpened my instincts, and then once while I was away from the tower I sort of sensed it in the ground." Michael now with hands over his head and closing his eyes truly thinking about how else he could have sensed it. After seeing Michael's head beginning to have some stream from the overloading the other four began to relax and laugh. "Huh? What's so funny? I am seriously trying to think here!"

"No, it's funny because it's like Odd trying to solve a question in math! You just have that same look!" Ulrich and the others laughed as Odd related to the comment.

"Well excuse me! How was I supposed to know that you had to use the Pythagorean theorem on your triangles?" And with that everyone began to laugh. Even Jeremie laughed a little at Odds comeback.

While the entire gang was laughing two people had thoughts on their minds. The first was Michael, wondering what exactly his purpose was. The second was Jeremie now starting to rethink his previous thought.

'XANA should have at least made a move by now. And normally XANA's creatures wouldn't laugh with them. Was I wrong? Or is there something else?'

"Wait a minute." Michael bringing the entire group to a halt. "How exactly then was I brought back here then? I mean… As far as I remember I disappeared from this world right?"

"Well, that's also a long story…" Aelita began to look a little sad and Michael looked at her questionably. Aelita began to explain that they had been working on a materialization program. She left out the part though on how it was meant for her freedom and explained instead what Loyko was and what exactly XANA is.

"So in short, XANA is a super crazy AI that is trying to destroy the world and you guys are the only ones who could stop him?" Michael asked. The gang nodded and Michael began to laugh. "Geez… If I had any memories I would have called you crazy. But… I am here now. I might as well lend you a hand until I can figure myself out right?"

Everyone on Lyoko looked at each other for a few moments before truly agreeing that Michael would be a new member of the Lyoko crew.

"Well, Einstein?" You could almost hear Yumi's self-confidence level. Almost.

"Oh what the heck? I have out numbered anyway." Jeremie giving up for now at least that this was a XANA creation.

"Yeah! Welcome to the group!" Everyone shouted.

A few days later.

While not much time had passed for him, Michael was honestly bored out of his mind. Aelita showed him the various material they were able to access the tower's archives and needlessly to say he read all of it super quickly. It was like he had previous knowledge of the stuff.

Michael also learned something about his fists. When he focused his energy into his fist and released it all at once he could create a wind blast. So over the few days, he also worked to perfect it.

And so Michael was right now meditating outside the tower in the desert sector while Aelita was inside. He was currently on a pointed rock that barely held him up and he required perfect balance for. He hoped it would raise his senses and learn to focus all of his energy into one place.

TAP TAP

And raised his senses it did. Although it didn't take a genius to figure out Aelita used her creativity to get up to where Michael was.

"What is it Aelita?" Michael was still in his mediation stance.

"You know I thought having a person on Lyoko would be fun. But you have been awfully quiet lately. Are you okay?" Aelita asked in a soft voice acting like she had done something wrong.

"I am okay right now. I thought that some time away from you would be necessary." Michael said without breaking his concentration. "That program… It was meant for you wasn't it?"

'How did he…' Aelita wondered.

"I saw during your explanation that you weren't telling the complete truth. Although I already figured that it was for you, I confirmed it later on accident when Jeremie was upset that the program wasn't used on you." Michael still not having a face change. "Honestly, I am not sure if I should even be here. What is the purpose? I can't seem to understand it at all. But I figured that sometime away from me would do you good. After all you belong on earth while I am just here for the ride."

SLAP! The sound echoed throughout the canyon and Michael began to fall off his rock. Before he could hit the ground Michael made a fist with some energy in it and punched at the ground. The wind blast made him descend slowly down to the ground.

"How could you say such a thing?" Aelita asked as she came down from her little staircase of creativity.

"I don't understand what you mean," Michael said as he grabbed the spot where Aelita slapped him.

"You are like me. No memories of your past, just thrown on her with no recollection of what happened, that means that I am just along for the ride?" Michael could feel the hurt in her voice and he realized what she implied. So he walked over and put his hand on her head.

"Sorry. I didn't realize that you had been thinking about this for that long. I will try to do better okay Strawberry head?" That last part somewhat confused Michael. It's not like he thought of it but he just said it.

"Hey! What makes me Strawberry head? If anything then you are a wolf!" Aelita exclaimed. Similar to Michael, Aelita didn't have that ready either. It just came off the tongue.

As the two argued about names on the way back to the tower, Michael held a hand up and pulled out his Katana.

"Something… Isn't quite right…" Michael had felt the sensation before. This meant XANA had sent something.

"Michael look!" Aelita gasped and Michael looked around to see a weird squid monster.

"What on earth is that thing!?" The Scyphozoa was approaching Michael and Aelita. "Aelita get to the tower!" Michael screamed as he tried to slash at the Scyphozoa's tentacles. Unfortunately, it was slippery and managed to grab Michael. As the Scyphozoa began to wrap its tentacles around him Michael began forming a fist of energy.

"Get… Off… Of… ME!" Michael propelled his wind blast in front of him and the Scyphozoa was blown back towards a wall before it exploded.

"Ha..ha..ha.." Michael was panting out of exhaustion. He panicked way too much and forcibly used all of his strength on that last attack.

"Michael? Are you okay?" Aelita now coming to his side.

"I think I will live. Come on. Let's get back to the tower." Aelita supported Michael as they made their way back to the neutral tower.

Once in the tower, Aelita opened up a channel feed to Jeremie and the others to explain what exactly had happened.

"Yeah. I am not sure what it wanted from us, but it tried to wrap Michael." Aelita explained.

"You are telling me that you guys have never seen this thing before I showed up?" Michael asked. Everyone was still wondering what was going on.

"A new monster?" Jeremie asked using his brain of his.

'This is because of me… With my own presence, I am endangering these people who took me in!' Michael thought to himself. Aelita didn't miss the change in Michael's face.

"Well as much we would like to talk more about it, we have a math test coming up. Let's go guys." Ulrich said over the line.

"Agreed. We will talk more about this thing later." Jeremie then cut the line.

"Okay what was that all about?" Aelita now close to Michael's face up close and personal.

"You saw that huh?" Michael didn't think anyone would notice but Aelita did. "I think it's my fault that XANA is growing stronger. After all, that thing didn't show up until I appeared. Maybe me being here is only causing more trouble for you guys."

"Michael. Look at me." Michael decided to look into Aelita's dark green eyes and he almost saw a fire. "Did you ask to be here? It's not like you had a choice to come here. You are here now and you could make a difference."

"But…"

"No buts! You are here now. It's not like we are going to throw you out." Aelita then began to look sad. "You are the only one that is here right now."

Michael didn't miss the sadness in Aelita's voice and he realized what she was going through. 'Despite how she acts sometimes, she really does feel alone. Sure according to Jeremie, they do their best to keep tabs with her. But, they have their own lives to live out too. I am sure more than anything Aelita wants that. She wants to live alongside them. So… For as long as I am here, I will do my best to make sure she isn't alone.'

"Fine then. Since you put it like that." Michael poked Aelita's forehead. "Tag! You are it!" Michael began to run out of the tower.

"Hey, that's cheating! Come back here Wolf!" Aelita began to chase Michael around the desert sector.

"No can do Strawberry head!"

Author's Note: Okay! All done here. Hopefully that makes up for the last short chapter.