p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"It'd been a week since Alex had been taken on the Nautilus for upgrades, and Jeremie was working frantically. Patrick would arrive in less than an hour, and he wanted as much done as possible./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""At least eight more, but that won't be a problem." He skimmed through the data Franz Hopper sent. "Something different...sensors!" Jeremie highlighted a line of seemingly-nonsensical data and quickly converted it to its native format, a picture. "That looks like that ball with the Eye of Xana that William found in the Digital Sea. Xana must've set them up to try and find Franz Hopper. Tricky...Franz better be careful." Jeremie continued reading./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Aelita was with Odd at the skate park. "Who are we waiting for?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Samantha." Odd answered./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""White hipster Samantha or black skater Samantha?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Skater Samantha."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Are you sure she's coming?" Aelita sighed as she strapped her helmet and pads./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""She said she was coming, so she will." Odd insisted, excited./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""The last couple times she's been around she's caused nothing but trouble." Aelita observed, prompting Odd to frown./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""She didn't know it was important. She wanted to spend more time with me. And that was before my upgrades. Now I have them so I should be fine." Odd smiled brightly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Oh, you got upgrades? No, you know what you got? A big fat balloon for a head, one so full of hot air it's a wonder you don't float away, especially since you're so scrawny! And why do you think being upgraded makes you magically invulnerable to trouble-making girls who decide to lie in order to spend time with you? That's so stupid! You don't have to brag so much! Not everyone gets to spend time with my father so stop cramming it down everyone's throat!" Aelita snapped./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Aelita, I...I didn't know it bothered you so much." Odd blinked. "That outburst was..."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I...I'm sorry I snapped, that wasn't like me." Aelita frowned and bowed her head. "Just...please don't brag so much. I know it's in your nature to brag, but in this case, it's just hurtful./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Don't worry, Princess, I'll try to stop." Odd promised. "So, about you and Alex..."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""He's a good friend. I like having him around."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well, see, I think he's flirting with you and-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Odd, don't be stupid. He's just nice. Anyway, there she is." Odd turned around to see Samantha./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Samantha!" Odd hopped on his skateboard and rolled over to her./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Odd!" Samantha hugged him when he got close enough. "Whoa, you look different."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Thanks." Odd grinned. "I brought my cousin along, if that's okay. She wants to get better, and I figure, who else but the two best skaters out there to teach her?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""And who's first and who's second?" Samantha smirked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""We'll see in a few minutes, won't we?" Odd pushed away from Samantha, ollie'd and grinded on a pipe./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Get back here!" Samantha followed suit, doing a harder grind on the same pipe. "You won't beat me this time!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"A knock rang at Jeremie's door, in his new room. "One minute." He saved the document he was reading and closed it. He went to the door and opened it. "Patrick."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jeremie!" Patrick hugged him. "How's it going, man?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""It's going." Jeremie stepped aside so Patrick could come in with his bags. Jim was behind him. "Hi, Jim."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I'm sure you're very happy to see family." Jim set down another bag. "Need anything, Patrick?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No thanks, Mr. Morales."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Call me Jim. Mr. Morales was my father." Jim smiled and Patrick smiled back. "I'm sure Jeremie can show you around. You were here for such a short time, you probably missed a lot of the campus."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I bet I did." Patrick turned around. "What?" The look on Jeremie's face perturbed him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Nothing." Jeremie crossed the room to close the door as Patrick looked around./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Got any games on your computer?" Patrick plopped in the chair and put his fingers on the keyboard./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Hey, those keys are sensitive, be careful!" Jeremie's call came too late, as Patrick had inaverdently managed to press the shortcut keys to bring up chat windows with Yumi, Ulrich, Odd, Aelita, William, Franz, himself and Alex all at once./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Hey, aren't those five your friends? Who's the other blonde dude and that old guy? Why are they wearing those outfits?" Patrick stared at the avatars by each text box./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Get away!" Jeremie cried as he pushed over and closed the windows./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Was that you in the top corner? Why did you look so ridiculous?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Don't worry about it."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What's your problem, anyway?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Why are you back? I thought your parents wanted you closer to home." Jeremie snarked, his tone of voice obviously irritating Patrick./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I'm back here because of your crazy mom." Patrick sat on his new bed. "I didn't want to come, but since my father owes a lot of money to Aunt Beatrice she had to go and-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""She didn't make your father take that loan!" Jeremie snapped./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well, she sure didn't make it any easier." Patrick crossed his arms./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""It's not my fault your mother was in that car accident. If she hadn't been talking on her cell phone-"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""It wasn't her fault they cut her off!" Patrick interrupted, causing Jeremie to back away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""That's not what the police said. The judge found her guilty, too. My mom helped your parents out because your dad is her brother. We nearly lost our house until he sold the three lots to those Germans. If that deal hadn't gone through, we would have been worse off than you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Ulrich heard yelling from Jeremie's room. "Xana?" He went to the door and flung it open. "Jeremie! What's going on?" he yelled as it swung, and saw Patrick. "Oh, hi Patrick. Why are you guys yelling?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Ulrich, I believe you owe me a rematch, huh?" Patrick smiled at Ulrich, trying to ignore Jeremie's stare./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""He doesn't owe you anything." Jeremie growled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Shut up, Jeremie."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Whoa, wait what happened?" Ulrich looked back and forth between the two cousins./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""None of your business." Jeremie stared back at Ulrich./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""He's mad I'm here, but he's the reason why I got sent here." Patrick complained./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What? You didn't want to come back?" Ulrich blinked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No. When I first came here, sure, but at my old school, I made friends and stuff. I had to leave them behind, all because my uncle's genius son has been messing up and I have to look after him."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I haven't messed up and I don't need you to look after me." Jeremie hissed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Then why did your father call mine, telling him to send me here? I'll tell you why. Because your grades have dropped and you've been skipping classes. I had to leave my friends and Naomi behind because of you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Wait, but, your parents didn't give you a choice? Yeah, that sounds like your mom..."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Patrick ignored Jeremie. "Well, my father owes Jeremie's mom some money, and she lords the debt over him. Jeremie seems to think my mother is to blame."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I...shut up, Patrick. You had no problem coming here last time."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Last time, I wasn't leaving my friends and girlfriend behind. Last time, I was coming to a new school and maybe getting to hang out with my cousin. Now I've been sent here to babysit you because you've been messing up. If I had a choice, I would have stayed at my old school."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well, I'm sorry! I have something important that I absolutely have to take care of! Ulrich, you tell him!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well, uh, yeah, we do. But Jeremie, um...this is bad. We can't tell you, Patrick. Sorry."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well, I've been sent here to figure it out. If you won't tell me, I'll have to figure it out on my own."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""It's none of your business! Not everything involves you! If it was just me I'd understand, but you can't go sticking your nose in stuff involving Aelita, and Ulrich, and Yumi, and William and Alex!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I don't care! I don't care if they're involved, and I don't even know who Alex is, and it's because of whatever this is that I've been sent here! Maybe if I stop it, your psycho mother will let me come home!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well, man, I'm sorry, but if you get under our skin, we'll take care of you. I don't know what happened between your parents and stuff, but Jeremie's my friend and I'm going to have to stick with him." Ulrich cut in./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Don't worry, you can take out your frustrations on me in a game of foosball." Ulrich nodded and left. Patrick was on good terms with Ulrich, but not Jeremie./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Samantha and Aelita sat at a table, alone, as Odd went over to the concession stand to get the trio something to drink. "So, um, he's happy to see you." Aelita smiled sweetly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You think so? I keep messing up around your cousin. I seem to screw things up, but when he's around, I can't think." Samantha sighed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I know what you mean." Aelita blushed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""But he's your cousin." Samantha glanced over Aelita's shoulder to see Odd coming back with the drinks. "He's pretty cute, but I don't know if he's emthat /emcute." Samantha laughed as Aelita blushed more and Odd got closer. "Odd! I think she's ready to try a kick flip."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Are you sure? Her last ollie was pretty high, but she might need more time before doing one of those."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I want to try." Aelita took a lemonade from Odd. "Thanks."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No problem, Princess." Odd handed another lemonade to Samantha./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Xana was spying on the group as always. He watched Aelita and Odd in particular. They were away from the others, and were also the biggest threat to him. Aelita could deactivate Towers, and Odd's threat level had risen significantly since his upgrades. He'd need to make sure to either destroy Franz when he returned with the upgraded Alex, or keep Franz from coming back at all./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Try it!" Odd watched as Aelita gained speed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I'm ready!" Aelita moved her foot back, kicked up the front of the board and tried to do a kick flip. She screeched as she fell on her rear./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Princess!" Odd ran over to her, worried, but Aelita laughed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I'm okay." She sat up, slowly. Odd extended a hand and pulled her up. "You were right. I wasn't ready."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Oh, come on. You did great." Samantha clapped her hands, laughing. "I remember one time, I was trying to ollie over a few bricks and nearly broke my nose. You only bruised your butt, and your pride."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""It still hurts." Aelita laughed and smiled, rubbing her hip. Odd leaned over to her ear./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Don't worry Princess. I'm sure it's still…" Before Odd could finish, a black mist appeared from a light post behind Samantha. "Samantha!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What?" Samantha's answer came in the form of the black mist attacking her. Aelita reached for her phone to find its screen was blank and cracked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Odd, call the others."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""My phone is in the lockers so that I wouldn't break it if I fell."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You could have told me about that before." Aelita held her phone out to him, showing him the damage./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Run, I'll slow Xana down." Odd took a fighting stance, one that was somewhat close to the basic shuto uke stance, but still informal and unpracticed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""But...be careful, Odd. We just got you back. We can't lose you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You won't lose me, Princess. I promise." Odd turned to Samantha. "Come on, Xana, let's see what you have for Odd 2.0."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""More than you could ever handle!" Samantha sparked with energy as Aelita sprinted away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jeremie's laptop started to beep. "Super Scan."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What's that?" Patrick blinked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""None of your business, Patrick." Jeremie opened his laptop. "Forest Sector." He closed it again, and started to leave, when Patrick grabbed his arm./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Where are you going?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""None of your business." Jeremie pulled his arm free./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""It is too. Your mother got me sent here because of you. Where you go, I go, until I can go back."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Fine, whatever, I don't care." Jeremie ran off and Patrick followed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Ulrich was in his room, working on homework, when his phone rang. He leaned over and picked it up off of his bed. "Hello?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Get to the Factory. Xana's attacking."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Got it."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Yumi was staring at a map in William's dorm room, working on a geography project./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""So that's Zimbabwe, right? Then is that Zambia? Or is it the other way?" She pointed at two African countries./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No, I think Zambia is the one on top." He stared at the map, which had no country names on it. Their task was to memorize all of the landlocked countries of Africa, and this was the practice map for South Africa./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I know Malawi is right next to that lake." Yumi's phone rang. "Jeremie?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Xana's attacking. Get to the Factory."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Okay. William's here, so don't call him."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Bye." She hung up and turned to William. "Guess who decided to attack."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jeremie tried to call Odd and Aelita, but neither one answered. "If they're together, then... I don't know." Jeremie put his phone in his pocket./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What's Xana, and what Factory?" Patrick asked, garnering no attention./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Odd dodged a punch and kicked Samantha under the ribs. "Sorry Samantha, but I won't go easy on you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You will not win, no matter what you do." Samantha's hands glowed and she threw an energy orb. He ducked, and it hit a ramp behind him./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I don't have to win. I just need Aelita to make it to the Factory." Odd lunged at Samantha and tackled her./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Aelita could see the Factory, and ran even harder. The sooner she made it to the activated Tower, the sooner Odd was out of danger./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Ulrich got to the Factory next. He took the Elevator down to the Control Room to find Aelita. "Odd said you two were going to the skate park."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Xana possessed Samantha. Odd is taking care of her."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""White hipster Samantha or black skater Samantha?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Skater Samantha."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What does he see in her, anyway?" Aelita shrugged her shoulders. "What's wrong?" When Aelita went to sit down in the computer chair, she gasped and held her hip, obviously in pain./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I hurt myself skateboarding. Nothing major. I'm sure it'll heal when I go to Lyoko." Aelita remained standing as the two waited for the others./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Jeremie and Patrick made it to the Factory. "Wow, what is this place?" Jeremie ignored Patrick and swung on a rope down to the Factory floor below. Patrick followed after him and into the elevator./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Hey Patrick." Ulrich waved as the elevator doors opened and Patrick looked around, stunned./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What is all this?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""We'll explain it to you after the attack is over." Jeremie sat down in the chair. "Aelita, where's Odd?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Fighting Samantha. Xana possessed her."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Samantha? Black skater Samantha?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yup."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""So he's still seeing her?" Jeremie had a twinge of hope in his voice. Sure, she was trashy and a felon, but anyone to keep Odd away from Aelita would do just fine./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I guess they both still like each other." Aelita looked at the screen. "The Mountain Sector. We better be ready for the Dark Angel."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yeah, without Odd and Alex, we'll have to be extra careful." Ulrich looked at the elevator. "Did you call Yumi and William?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""They're coming." Jeremie nodded./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Odd was running away from Samantha. Others had seen the fight, for one, and he didn't want the crowd to get hurt, for two. "Come on, Xana, I think Samantha could run faster than that." Odd leapt over a small fence. Samantha simply phased through it./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Yumi and William made it to the Factory and took the elevator down to the Control Room. "Oh, um, Patrick?" Yumi blinked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Who's that?" William stared at Patrick./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You don't remember me, Will?" Patrick made a fake hurt expression./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""It's William, and um, no."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""We played foosball together."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You probably played foosball with my clone."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""That...isn't the weirdest thing I've heard today." Patrick admitted./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Get to the Scanner Room, you four." Jeremie brought up the Scanners window and three ID Cards as the Warriors got on the elevator and took it down./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Transfer William, Transfer Ulrich, Transfer Yumi. Scanner William, Scanner Ulrich, Scanner Yumi. Virtualization." They landed on Lyoko in the Mountain Sector as planned, and Jeremie pulled up Aelita's ID Card./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Hey, your friends are wearing those dopey outfits again." Patrick looked over Jeremie's shoulder at the ID Cards as his cousin's hands flew over the keys./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Transfer Aelita. Scanner Aelita. Virtualization." She landed near the others as the vehicles formed. "Head north on that path, then go east at the second turn. Be on the lookout for any monsters or the Nautilus."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Got it, Jeremie." Ulrich barked as he climbed onto the Overbike and took off./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Odd saw the riverfront near the Factory and ran towards it. He leapt over the side and dove in. Samantha leapt after him, leaving a little splash. Odd swam to the other side and climbed out. Samantha simply used Xana's powers to fly out of the river, and landed in front of Odd. "I'm done letting you run." Samantha charged with energy as Odd backed away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Hey, I was just playing. Samantha's my friend and I know how much she likes to play." Odd gave one of his stupid gigantic grins./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You will never play again." Samantha lunged at Odd who fell backwards, grabbed Samantha, and used her momentum to fling her several meters away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Maybe not with Samantha but I have someone else in mind." Odd grinned again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Ever the pervert, Odd. You won't be joking for long." Samantha growled as she crawled back up./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"The Warriors arrived at the Tower. "The Dark Angel brought some friends." Ulrich observed as he unsheathed one of his swords, using the other hand to drive the Overbike. Three Megatanks and two Hornets circled around the Dark Angel./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""As Odd would say, it's time for a Yoo-hoo its us." Yumi withdrew a fan with her free hand./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I'm ready." William pulled his Zweihander from the black smoke, trying to keep it level as he held Yumi's waist with his other hand./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""This might be fun." Aelita on the Overboard created an energy orb./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Odd and Samantha wrestled on the ground. Both were soaking wet, and Odd was tiring. Even his upgrades didn't make him invincible, unlike a Xana possession. Samantha was effectively untouchable. She smashed her fist against his temple, and he screamed out./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You will die now." Samantha charged with energy./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"William held his Zweihander defensively, blocking lasers from the Hornets, as Yumi launched her fans at them, and missed. They spiraled in the air and boomeranged back to her, and she threw them again. One hit a Hornet and destroyed it./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Good job, Yumi." William blocked another laser./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Just keep blocking them." Yumi threw a fan at the last Hornet but missed it again./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Ulrich went after the Dark Angel. "Stand still!" Ulrich swung a sword at its head. It dodged it and Ulrich tried to shove his other sword into its stomach. The Dark Angel moved in an abnormal way to dodge it, twisting around and bending backward./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Energy Field!" Aelita threw an energy field at a Megatank, but hit the outer shell. "Energy Field!" She charged more energy into this one, making it larger than normal. When the Megatank opened to fire, she launched the orb and destroyed it./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Triplicate!" Ulrich split apart and the two clones attacked the Dark Angel. "Triangulate!" They began to run./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""This trick will not work on me, Ulrich. I am too fast and agile. Xana used quite a bit of data and resources to give me self-awareness and a higher degree of intelligence than all other monsters combined." A clone slashed at the Dark Angel, but it dodged and reached out, hitting the clone, destroying it, plus the Triangulation barrier./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You're faster than I thought." Ulrich and the clone stopped. "But we'll kill you again anyway." Ulrich lunged at the Dark Angel. It bent backwards and Ulrich flew over it, but as it bent back up, the clone swung and slashed it across the chest. It spun around and kicked the clone away as the wound glowed and sparked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Yumi threw her fans with a shout and missed, but as they came back, she put her hands to her temples and began to glow. "Telekinesis..." she breathed. Her fans glowed as well, and it flew around again, this time hitting the Hornet./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Energy Field!" Aelita flung it, but the Megatank rolled out of the way and she missed. It opened and charged up a shot. It turned off into the distance, for some reason, and Aelita looked where it was aiming. A huge splash displaced the waters of the Digital Sea, and something vaulted out./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""The Nautilus!" Aelita yelled. "No, the Megatank is going to blast it!" Yumi glanced over and swung her arm toward the Megatank, the still-glowing fans looping around and slicing through its Eye, then returning to her hands./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Aelita, go! Hurry!" Yumi yelled as she panted, tired from using her power./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No, something's on the screen. Aelita, watch out! The Scyphozoa is coming!" Jeremie screamed as loud as he could./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No!" William saw it first. "Rosetta!" He swung his sword and sent an energy blade to the Scyphozoa. The attack hit its mark, but the Scyphozoa remained. "Aelita run, fly, anything! Don't let it get to you or the Nautilus!" William charged another energy blade and launched it. It missed the body of the Scyphozoa, but cut through most of its tentacles./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""William, you just lost sixty Life Points."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I know!" A capsule, like the one fired when Odd returned, launched from the Nautilus and buffeted the Scyphozoa, which floated away. "Get away! We won't let you take anyone else!" This monster scared him more than any other. "Die!" He launched a third energy blade at the Scyphozoa as it hovered away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"A figure shot out of the Nautilus and landed, much more gracefully than any of his previous landings on Lyoko. "Happy to see me, I hope." Alex's body was more muscled and toned, and his headband was gone, instead replaced by two green marks like triangular claws facing downward on either temple, and two slimmer, smaller marks below each cheek. The scleras of his eyes were as black as the jet suit he wore. However, the most notable upgrade to his apparel was a forest green longcoat, with metallic gray pads on the shoulder and four claw-mark rips on each arm, going down, showing his bare muscled arms. His old green shoulder pads were gone, as was the ring with the bolt on his chest. The ring was instead replaced by the two green lines converging and going straight down his torso. Another green line circled the neck of his jumpsuit./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Stupid boy." The Dark Angel levitated away from Ulrich, onto a small tree. It propelled off and took flight, soaring through the Lyoko air and ramming William off of the Overwing. Yumi was the next to be shoved out, and both were lucky enough to land on solid ground. The Dark Angel flew towards the Nautilus, firing lasers rapidly and getting closer./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Energy Field!" Aelita aimed for Dark Angel, and missed it, instead hitting the Overwing. As the machine became a wireframe and faded away, the Dark Angel maintained its momentum and wasn't able to use its hovering ability to right itself. Once it finally stopped sailing away horizontally, it had nothing to propell off of and it couldn't take flight. Seconds later, the monster fell into the Digital Sea./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Nice, Aelita!" Alex smiled warmly. "Too bad, too. I wanted to take a shot at that monster. Can the returning hero get a hug from the lovely princess?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Ha!" Aelita laughed as she dismounted the Overboard to give him a quick hug. "You sound like Odd. I'm worried about him, but he can hold his own with his own upgrades. For now I want to talk to my father." She looked past him, off into the horizon. "Where'd the Nautilus go?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Guess he already left." Alex shrugged./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I...I'll go deactivate the Tower." She stepped back onto the Overboard and took off for the Tower./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Odd had managed to get away from Samantha before she finished him off, but she soon had him pinned again. This time he had no way to escape her superhuman hold./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Tower deactivated." The screens fell around Aelita./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Whoa." Samantha was herself again as the sign of Xana disappeared from her eyes. "Odd," In the moment she had weakened, Odd had rolled over on top of her, and realized she was no longer Xanafied. "What happened?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Don't worry about it." The white bubble of a return came up, reversing time all the way back to the evening before./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"The team was at the Factory, both to materialize Alex from Lyoko and to put into place the security failsafes on almost every program. "Materialization." Aelita, Yumi, Odd, Ulrich and William waited in the Scanner Room for the Scanner to open and the smoke to clear./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Did it work?" Yumi raised her eyebrow. "Nothing's happening."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Hold on." Jeremie lowered the security for a moment. "There we go." Alex's new ID Card began to discolor and empty. In the room below, the middle Scanner doors slid open and smoke came out./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Hey." He stepped out, his arms crossed. Like Odd had been, he was in a new set of clothes. He now wore a digital camo army jacket, matching pants, and his usual combat boots./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What's with the French Army getup?" William scratched his chin./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I saw Odd got some new clothes, and I've always wanted to have something like this." Alex shrugged. "It seemed reasonable to me. It's not like I'll wear it every day. I'll just go back to my normal jacket and shirt tomorrow."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""It's nice to have you back, army boy." Yumi smiled./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Five minutes before curfew, Aelita took the stairs to the boys' dorm and knocked on the door next to Jeremie's old room./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""One minute." Alex had just kicked off his combat boots and unzipped his new jacket, baring his torso now as well as his arms and shoulders. He scratched his chest, ruffling the hairs upon it, and yawned. He didn't bother to rezip the jacket, since he didn't figure anyone who would care about his chest being bare would be on the boy's floor at this hour. He opened the door and saw Aelita, who immediately gasped and covered her eyes./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What?" He blinked and looked down at himself. "Aw, that's a burn, you know I pride myself on my body."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Jeremie says it's bad for people to walk around with their chest bare, unless it's a boy who is swimming." Aelita whispered, and Alex laughed and looked at the ground./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Aelita, that only applies if you're walking around in a place like the school halls or in the city. Guys can go around shirtless on the dorm floor or in their homes or whatever."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What about girls?" Aelita looked perfectly innocent./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Don't you have your memories back?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yeah, but I was pretty sheltered. I just wore clothes because that's what I was told to do." She shrugged./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Oh. Well, as interesting as it would be if it was unisex," he raised his eyebrows playfully, "that's a guy thing."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""So, why are your breasts so puffy and hard and furry?" Alex made a laughing sound as his hand flew up to cover his mouth./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""They're called pecs, and that's just how they are if a guy stays in good shape. The hair's just there because of my dad being Italian, but it's blonde because my mom's German."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Oh, pecs like pectoral muscles? Another guy thing?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Yeah...? How do you not know...nevermind."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I think this is what Odd would call an awkward conversation."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Very much so."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"The next morning, Jeremie was arguing with Patrick once again, having not learned from his mistake the last time and not taking the chance to be on decent terms with his cousin./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Aelita was, once again, with Odd and Samantha, and Odd, once again, left to get lemonade. Aelita leaned forward on her elbows, steepling her fingers. "Samantha, why do you do the stuff you do?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""What do you mean?" Samantha blinked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""You wanted him to help you steal some equipment. Don't think I didn't hear about that. And last time you were near Odd, you didn't give him the message that Ulrich told you to. It almost got someone hurt, very badly at that." Aelita chided./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""I didn't know. I just wanted to spend more time with him."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""But you live far away now. Do you really think it would work?" Aelita glanced over, for Odd was coming back./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No, but a girl can...hey, wait a minute. I see the way you're looking at him." Samantha looked to Odd and back to Aelita. "You're cousins, aren't you?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Um, what?" Aelita peeled her eyes away from Odd./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Aren't you two cousins?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Um, can you keep a secret?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""No."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;""Well, um, don't tell anyone, but we aren't really cousins. Our families are really close, and, um, yeah."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"-( ( • ) ) -/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.08px;"Sissi was stunned. She had been going to the mall when she saw Odd. She had always thought of him as being Ulrich's annoying friend, but he'd changed. His personality had improved a bit, and he was a bit taller, a bit less scrawny. She wasn't going to intrude on anything until she saw Aelita as well. emCool, I wonder if I could hang out with them./em She started to walk over, but she heard Aelita's statementof their lack of blood relation, and Sissi gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she backed away for a second before continuing toward her friends./p