I did love writing that last chapter because I got to explore Domino just a bit more. There is a chapter coming up which is a personal attack to Domino by Xana. The last chapter addressed her claustrophobia which was interesting to write because I normally don't involve phobias in my stories. I think there are about two original Xana attacks, one I just mentioned, in this story at the moment but they aren't coming up just yet.

If anyone wants to know what Domino looks like, I'll give a description here. She has short blonde hair, green eyes, moon pale white skin and she is just about the same height as Aelita. Domino normally wears a pair of boy shorts and a short T-shirt.

Chapter Seven again is based on a first season episode. I forgot how much filler episodes were in the first season but it's great watching them again mainly because of the story but for nostalgia as well. I am looking forward to the new season later this year though. Again, there's a little something with Domino in the chapter, it's not that long but it is a hint or a foreshadow if I want to use literary terms.

So I'll stop there and let you read on. Review plese either good or bad. I hope to hear what you think. I don't own anything from Code Lyoko apart from the OCs created for this particular story and others that I have written over the years

Enjoy!

Chapter Seven: Derailed

It's a normal day for once. It's been fairly dull but it's nice to stand still for once apart from that earlier encounter with Sissi. She's still dulusional about Ulrich and insisting that he likes her. I think we all beg to differ. Sometimes I do have to wonder if she suffers from hallucinations. The school day is over so there isn't anything to do right now. We're just passing time until either a Xana attack happens or when the day is over.

Jeremie's busy in his room working on a new Xana-awareness program and Yumi stopping by in there. I'll check in later just to see it for myself but in the meantime, I've just been staying with Odd and Ulrich in their room. I'm starting to warm up to them but I'm still not ready to tell them everything. Also I think knowing them more outside of fighting Xana would be a good thing, it shows me more of a complete picture rather than just plain assumption.

You learn something new every day. I didn't really know that Odd had a dog, I heard the rumours but never confirmed them. I have nothing against dogs. I used to want a dog when I was younger but Mum and Dad said no everytime I asked. The idea was given up after the fifth time I asked. Although, Kiwi isn't the exactly the dog I had in mind when I thought about one but I think every dog has...well bad habits while eating.

"Hey, eat a little slower, Kiwi. You look Nicholas in the lunch room." Ulrich says.

"Don't insult my dog, okay. His manners are ten times better than that sloppy airhead." Odd defends.

"I got a great idea that might be fun. How about we take Sissi down a peg or two?"

"There's nothing I would rather do. Are you in, Domino?"

"I would like to see the Ice Queen get what she deserves but I'll stay out of it, Odd. I have to meet up with Callum anyway."

It was a tempting offer but pranks I don't really get involved in. I'm not against showing up arrogant idiots especially when it comes to Sissi but an encounter with her once is more than enough for me. I'd be happier if I never met her but she's determined to give us all our daily amount of grief.

I go near the school entrance seeing Callum on the outside waiting for me. I haven't seen him since I went back home and that was an eye-opener to say the least. He still thinks that I should just go back and explain everything but even if I did and they somehow manage to think that I hadn't completely lost my mind and not send me to a psyche ward, they would never let go back to Kadic. It would be too dangerous. I actually am starting to really like it here. It's really becoming like home and that isn't a feeling I get too often.

"You alright, Domino?" Callum asks.

"I'm fine."

"Since going back home. You seem to be ignoring me."

I hadn't been ignoring him but things have been rather hectic. He's been calling me just to make sure that I was alright. I meant to get back to him but I didn't. It may be because I was strangely angry at him taking me home. It was a painful reminder of what I would never really have again.

"I'd be lying if I said if I never thought about it before. You just made the thought more common now."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to make things harder."

"You didn't, Callum. It's just..."

"Complicated?"

"Something like that."

Complicated and classified. The words that I have overused over the last few weeks.

"So how is your life anyway?" Callum asks.

"It's definitely interesting, let's put it that way."

"And that group?"

"They're a part of my life even if it wasn't planned."

The entire group has become surprisingly important. When I first met them, I never imagined that I would even warm to them and I have even if it is just a little. Callum notices the surprise in my voice and gives a recognising smile. Callum is my closest friend before everything that happened with Lyoko and I really didn't have many back then. He still is but now there are more people in the mix than back then.

"Anyone standing out in that group for that sentence?"

I smile at that question thinking about it pretty hard. If I was being completely honest, there is the one that I get along with more than the other four. Aelita would be added to that category but I barely talk to her, I know her but the only time I really talk to her is when I'm on Lyoko trying to prevent a Xana attack. She's nice and I don't have a problem with her but there's not much when it comes to being close just yet.

"Probably Odd. I don't exactly know why." I admit.

"Who's he?"

Obviously Callum wouldn't know him. The others have only seen him twice just because he was talking to me. I don't know if they're ever really going to formerly meet him but there have been surprises already, I wouldn't say they're completely over yet.

"His hair looks like a spike."

"Oh, well he would stand out."

"Funny."

"What's he like?"

"Creative, funny when he is and sometimes really nice."

"Nothing else to it then?"

I know what he is trying to say but there isn't any interest in that sense. There hasn't been for as long as I've known him. The idea just isn't there.

"He's only a friend, Callum." I sigh.

"Whatever you say."

I completely lost track of time during that conversation and I missed that chance to check in on Jeremie. I may have to see that new program another day. I meet up with Ulrich and Odd in the courtyard sitting on the bench. Yumi is also there and she seems to be angry at them and even at me.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I've been trying to reach you for the last fifteen , guys!" Yumi answers with a snap.

"Sorry, my phone was turned off. What's wrong?"

"Xana has just launched an attack!"

He always attacks when you least expect it. It's Xana but from the way that the attack sounds from Yumi...it does seem a devestation waiting to happen at least if we don't stop it. Those two trains hit then our entire environment is completely ruined.

"Okay, I read you. It's urgent." Ulrich responds.

"Hey, you there!" Jim shouts.

Sissi and Jim approach and Jim is holding Kiwi in his arms. If things couldn't be bad enough, Sissi just made it even worse at least for Odd.

"Like we didn't have enough problems." Odd moans annoyed.

"So it seems like you forgot the rules here at school. Pets are not allowed!" Jim continues.

"I know, Jim. But you're not going to make a big deal over a little dog, are you?" Odd responds.

"That's for the principal to decide!"

Jim drags Odd away for a meeting with Mr Delmas and Sissi stands satsified with her revenge. I don't know what Ulrich and Odd did but it must have really annoyed her to make her do something like this. Still, I think she took it too far.

"You're an even bigger pain in the neck than I thought." Ulrich says.

Sissi gives a knowing wink and walks off. Why did she do it? Even if they did have a joke at her expense, it couldn't have been that humiliating.

"How could she do such a thing?" Ulrich questions.

"She got her revenge but there's no time. There are too many lives at stake!" Yumi reminds.

We all go to the factory knowing that we still had an attack to stop. Jeremie is already waiting for us in the computer lab but he isn't expecting just three of us.

"Where's Odd?" Jeremie asks.

"He's in the principal's office because Jim found out about Kiwi." Yumi explains.

Because of the Ice Queen. I have to focus on this right now not on anything else.

"Okay, you three. Get ready for immediate departure."

We're all transfered into the desert region and see Aelita isn't too far away. There aren't any monsters for now. It seems calm for the moment.

"Everything's cool, Jeremie. The transfer was successful, no problem and Aelita's here." Yumi says.

We keep on moving forward without any problems and no monsters. The tower is just in running distance. There's something wrong here. There's a maze of rocks guarding the activated tower but apart from that, there isn't anything even preventing us.

"There." Aelita points at the tower.

"That's too easy." Yumi notices.

"Yeah, looks like a real Xana trap. Hey, Jeremie, is there anything on your screen?" Ulrich asks.

"No. Not even a single monster." Jeremie confirms.

"That's the reason I'm suspicious." I reply.

We keep on moving forward and there's still nothing. Xana never would make it this easy for us. He has to be up to something. This isn't fooling me in the slightest.

"Alert! You're surrounded by four monsters!" Jeremie tells us.

Ulrich puts his arm in front of our path and we all look around for those monsters but it's still completely clear. Where are they?

"I don't see any monsters." Ulrich mentions.

Right on cue, lasers are fired at all of us but avoiding Aelita. You didn't see them but we can definitely feel them clearly. There are three blocks but nothing else although their lasers are powerful enough to devirtualise all of us. There are strength in numbers.

"Yumi, Ulrich, Domino! You're losing too many life points. Get out of there!" Jeremie shouts.

"Great idea but how do you suggest we do it? Sprout wings, huh?" Ulrich responds sarcastically.

"There are bunch of rocks on your right. Try and lose them in there."

"You two take Aelita with you."

"But Ulrich..." Yumi doubts.

"Don't argue! Run!"

The three of us run into the rock maze and see that while Ulrich does manage to divert their attention from us. It isn't going to last long. One more hit and he's back on Earth. Ulrich manages to destroy one of those monsters with that sword but then is devirtualised by a hit from another block which then sets its sights on us. We run further into the rocks and to the tower but we can't outrun it.

"Keep on going. I'll handle this." I say.

Yumi and Aelita keep on heading forward while I can this last block. I jump towards the monster manifest a short sword around about the same length as Ulrich's as it charges a laser hitting but I manage to impale it just as I'm devirtualised. I open my eyes and see that I am back in the scanner room.

"Did what I could." I sigh.

I head up to the computer lab where the others are hoping that Odd would arrive in time to help Aelita out. Yumi's been sent back because of a Mega-tank and now Aelita's on her own. She's not far from the tower but the Mega-tank is fast in persuit. Aelita turns around facing that monster.

"Aelita! You're crazy!" Yumi gasps.

"Get out of there!" I agree.

Aelita uses her own creativity to make a ridge between her and the toughest monster we've faced so far. It keeps them apart so Aelita can keep on going and deactivate that tower before those trains collide. The Mega-tank charges for one attack and that is enough to kill Aelita. Odd from completely out of nowhere jumps and takes the hit for Aelita but because he still had all his life points, he isn't sent back here and he destroys the Mega-tank with a laser arrow. A knight in virtual armour for Aelita.

The tower is deactivated just seconds before those two trains hit and this attack is stopped like so many others. It was close but it was still stopped and another return in time to change a few things like what happened with Sissi.