"So how did you end up into good terms?" Odd asked.
"Long story," both Cassandra and William answered.
"A story you'll have to continue later. We need to go, it's late already," Yumi said.
William looked at Cassandra. The girl stayed expressionless. They had known each other for relatively long, but it was still impossible to him to decipher Cassandra's expressions – or more likely the lack of them. The girl hid everything from those she did not trust, meaning every single being she ever met. It took a lot for her to trust anyone.
No one protested; especially in these times the Lyoko Warriors had to keep a profile as low as possible. Many teachers had become suspicious of them as their absences at classes had increased. That was why William had been recruited. Cassandra's window disappeared from the supercomputer's screen, ultimately ending the meeting.
The group left the factory.
"So you actually were friends?" Ulrich asked William.
"Yes," William answered.
"No offense, pal, but the way you interrupted each other from time to time made me think otherwise," Odd remarked.
"I'm afraid something has been undone during the time of our separation," William admitted. "Cass is not exactly the person who holds onto friendships that easily or willingly."
"Why is that?" Yumi asked.
"It's... kinda part of who she is," William said. "She's a very complex person. No one actually has any idea about what's going on in her head. "
At this point William admitted to himself that he may not have been completely truthful on that. He had had a feeling that he knew something when he had become close to Cassandra... But now, once again, he had almost no idea about Cassandra's thoughts. He had only seen the open irritation. The irritation that had been the first – and only – thing the girl had ever shown him for a good while. It had taken a lot to see it change. But to have it reverse back to what it was? Had it been in just a fleeting moment, or had it slowly ebbed during the last months?
William had no idea.
On the next day
"You know, Cassandra should be materialized," Aelita noted to Jeremy at the breakfast. "She has been stuck there for long already."
"She said very clearly that she wants to stay on Lyoko," Jeremy reminded.
"Then why is she bitter about being stuck there and getting behind in her studies?" Ulrich wondered. "She could get out from there and continue her life."
Ulrich looked at William who sat right in front of him, waiting for an explanation from the only Lyoko Warrior who actually knew something about the girl. But what could William tell them? He decided to try to make a theory.
"I guess things have complicated so much that she prefers to stay on Lyoko for now. Things seem to be fairly simple for her there," he guessed, shrugging.
"I thought that you knew each other," Ulrich said with a challenging taunt.
"I think we did. But like I said yesterday, she is a very complex person," William replied. "I feel like I don't know her anymore..."
"Well can she be trusted? We know nearly nothing about her, or more importantly, her intentions," Yumi said. It had been difficult to her to agree to trust William this much, but what about Cassandra, whom she did not know at all? She had to be skeptical about her.
"I don't believe she would've saved William yesterday if she worked for X.A.N.A.," Odd said.
"It could be a trick, maybe part of a bigger plan. She could be an agent sent by X.A.N.A.." Yumi said.
"Hey, I don't believe she'd do that," William said, frowning. "If I can say anything about her, it's that backstabbing like that is not what she'd ever do." Not to me.
The others exchanged glances. They could trust William's judgement on Cassandra or be wary.
"She does not want to return back to Earth. Let's respect that. If she is X.A.N.A.'s agent, we find out about it. But let's believe she is one of us, ok?" Jeremy said.
No one disagreed. Changing the subject, William started to ask more questions. He wanted to know more about Lyoko and what had happened before he had joined the fight.
Jeremy's laptop beeped.
"Another X.A.N.A. attack?" Aelita asked. Jeremy opened up his laptop.
"No, it's Cassandra," Jeremy said. "What is it?"
"I suppose William is with you. I need to talk with him." the girl replied.
"Ok," Jeremy said and turned the laptop to face William.
"What is it, Cass?" William asked.
"You asked yesterday if I could teach you some basic tricks with your sword. I gave it a thought," Cassandra said, but she did not continue.
"And?" William inquired. He had learned to know this habit of Cassandra's; when she was telling something, she did not tell everything. The person she was telling it to had to ask her to continue in any way. That way she knew the person she was talking to was interested.
"I decided that I have nothing better to do. So you name the time then", Cassandra said with the expressionless mask on her face just like always. "Just make sure it's not too late in the night. Even I have to sleep."
"Sure," William said, surprised about hearing this. He had not expected Cassandra to agree to teach him after yesterday. "I will think about the time then."
"After school would be good. I will be working at the lab then, so I can monitor Lyoko while you are there," Jeremy told.
"Works for me," William replied.
"It's settled then. I'll see you at the Arena after school," Cassandra's window closed after that, leaving William no time to say anything else.
Jeremy took the laptop back. William could not help feeling happy to see Cassandra not reject him the way Yumi obviously had.
/Code Lyoko (c) Moonscoop, Cassandra Delorien, Riverain and the rest of its original characters (c) Me/