Jeremie brightened up when his friends arrived in the lab. "Are you ready to go?" he asked them.
"Aelita-lita-lita," said Odd.
"Looks like Odd's ready for his XYZ-game," said Yumi.
Ulrich said nothing.
"Great." Jeremie started typing. "Prepare for the big plunge."
"But I don't have a bathing suit," Yumi countered, and Odd laughed when he heard that. It reminded him of when their little group was first forming.
The Lyoko Warriors stepped into the scanners. After being virtualized, it took them scarcely over five minutes to make their way to the chamber of the core of Lyoko. Aelita was inside, her eyes closed. Her body was entirely white as snow, and around her burned an aura of green, blue, orange, and dusty pink - the colors representing the different regions of Lyoko.
"Wow. She's so lovely," Odd observed.
Yumi tipped her head to one side in thought. "Okay, Jeremie, bring her out."
"I'm starting up the program now," Jeremie called.
Aelita drifted downwards, out of the core, until Odd tenderly caught her in his arms. She was so pretty when she was sleeping. Odd couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Now it's time to take her to the tower in Sector 5."
"Are you talking about the one that we deactivated when Xana impersonated Franz Hopper?" Yumi said back to Jeremie.
"Yep. Once you get near it I'll guide you."
Yumi led the way, hopping cautiously off one long block after another. Ulrich was after her and Odd fairly behind them because of his precious cargo. He got to them soon enough. They jumped on their vehicles that they had left waiting at the beginning of the chamber and sped off, out of the chamber. They flew back to the mainland of Sector 5. From there they were directed by Jeremie down several paths and corridors and to the room, which, surprisingly, was free of monsters.
Odd, his board, and Aelita soared over the huge space between the mainland and their destination, with the rest of the team by their side.
"Mission accomplished," Jeremie applauded when Aelita was inside the tower.
- - -
Within a matter of minutes, the white glow and Lyoko-colored aura steadily rinsed out of Aelita. When she woke up, her friends, who were swarming over her, cheered.
"I can't believe you're back." Odd's eyes locked with hers dreamily. "You're a crazy mastermind for jumping into that core." His affectionate smile opened up her heart.
"I saved the core from the Scyphozoa, though, didn't I?" Aelita said casually. "Jeremie, go ahead and materialize us."
Tiny, thin sheets drank up the group and their outlined grids glimmered out of sight.
- - -
When safely back in the lab, Aelita cuddled all her friends close. "Oh, it's so wonderful to be back on Earth. I feel like I'm here for the first time. I felt so lost in the core of Lyoko - as if I were the only one alive anywhere!"
Jeremie nodded to her. "Well, that's over now. Hey, Aelita...do you know what yesterday was?"
"What?"
"It was the second anniversary of the day we met you. Yumi's throwing a party tomorrow night, and we can celebrate two things at once."
"Sounds great."
Yumi pointed to the elevator. "Uh, well, it's almost midnight. My parents are going to flip if they know I'm out late again. So...maybe we should retire for the night."
Aelita put her hand in Odd's and asked soothingly, "Would you like to walk home with me?"
He blushed and answered, "Sure. I'd love to, princess."
- - -
"It's so awesome that Aelita-lita-lita is back!" yelled Odd when he was in his room with Ulrich. "Isn't it great? I think this Friday I'll ask her out on a date. Do you think she likes ice cream? Maybe not. Or maybe yes. I don't know. What do you think, Ulrich?"
Ulrich sighed the sigh of lost love. "How should I know? Yumi and I never dated." He went over to his desk and picked up a crinkled note that was hidden under his lamp. It was a brief, formal note that he had intended several times to give Yumi over the previous summer before her "running in circles" speech, but he had always decided not to. He unfolded it and read it now.
My dearest Yumi:
As you most likely know, we have come close on various occasions to admitting our mutual affection for each other over the course of our nearly two-year friendship. I would like very much to be in a closer relationship with you, and I am somewhat confident that you are aware of this. Please let me know your thoughts on this, because I am always ready to listen to your opinion.
Your loving best friend,
Ulrich S.
Yumi's loving best friend crushed up the note and pitched it into the trash bin.