Recap:

Ulrich looked at the others. "So why are you all out here? and yes I know your reason Mr. Incredible." he said as Odd opened his mouth. Aelita looked down "I was under the impression you were trying to kidnap the princess"

Chapter 3:

"And what in the world gave you that idea?" Ulrich asked as he looked right at Aelita. Aelita paused for a moment "I saw you run off into the woods carrying her" She said.

"You didn't happen to see why I had to, did you" he sat down and took a drink from a pouch of water. Aelita shook her head "I must have missed that part". Yumi nodded "he saved my life..."

Ulrich sighed sadly. "You know Yumi, if you listen to me to begin with this wouldn't have happened."

She looked down "yeah... I know..." Ulrich shook his head and kicked the fire to life. Yumi stood "I'm going for a walk..." she left without giving anyone time to catch up to her. She still carried the baby bird in her hands as she walked. Aelita followed and left Jeremy, Odd, and Ulrich to start cooking dinner. Yumi walked down to the river and sat against a tree looking up at the sky.

Odd smiled "y'know... I'm not a kid... I'm actually almost eighteen" he said in his high pitched voice with a laugh. Jeremie shook his head "you look like your ten"

"I would say the same thing" Ulrich said, looking at Odd. "Your a little bit on the short side". Odd rolled his eyes "I'm not short... I'm fun sized!" Jeremie laughed at this as did Ulrich. "what? Aw c'mon... seriously I am seventeen, I swear it" he said.

Aelita walked up behind Yumi. "You like him, don't you?" Yumi turned around "what? I don't know what you mean? What gave you that idea?" Aelita laughed softly. "A woman can see these things." She winked

"just because he saved my life doesn't mean I'll automatically fall for him" Yumi looked down and sighed... "is it that obvious?"

"Yes, just like you know how I feel about Jeremie" Yumi looked at Aelita "then let me ask you this... would you ever give up choosing the one you love for the good of the nation?"

"if he's worth it, never" was all that she said

Ulrich and Jeremie just kept laughing. Odd looked down and then to his dog "kiwi... sick 'em!" the dog just jumped onto Ulrich and started licking his face. "Dumb mutt... you really are good for nothin" he sighed and looked up at the darkening sky. "Down boy! Hahaha! Down!" Ulrich laughed as a drop of rain hit him in the face. Kiwi jumped off of Ulrich and hid under Odd's legs shaking hearing thunder. "Jeremie, Odd, help me look inside that cave. I don't like the looked of this storm." He looked up as the sky continued to grow darker. Odd and Jeremie jumped up and went over to the cave to check inside.

"I won't go back" was all Yumi replied. "I don't want to be forced into anything" Aelita nodded and felt a drop of rain hit her nose "we should head back to camp... before the rain gets to hard"

Ulrich waited for the girls to show up. The rain started to pour harder "I don't like this... the girls have been gone too long... Aelita and Yumi would have started back by now... I wonder what's taking them so long" Jeremie said covering his head with his cloak. "there they are" Odd said as he held Kiwi. Ulrich breathed a sigh of relief and wondered why

Yumi was limping and Aelita was supporting her as they walked into camp. Ulrich looked worried just as Jeremie did "What happened?" they asked at the same time. They looked at eachother but didn't say anything

"Lightning hit a tree we were walking by. A branch from the tree fell and almost hit me... Yumi dove in the way and it caught her ankle" Aelita said as she flipped a strand of wet hair from her face. Ulrich ran to Yumi as Jeremie went to Aelita. Odd looked on and snickered at the sight. "Looked like love. What do you think Kiwi?" Kiwi barked as they blushed. Aelita smiled "I'll let you take it from here Ulrich" she said and lifted Yumi's arm off of her shoulders handing the limp girl to him. Ulrich blushed harder as he took some of Yumi's weight off her sprain. Yumi didn't notice his blush. She was busy concentrating on something other than the pain. She blinked and winced at the pain from her ankle. The five of them went deep into the cave where, the boys had a fire going and food ready. "It's a good thing I made more of the green tea. it should keep us from getting sick" Ulrich said. Yumi wiped a strand of her black hair out of her face and shivered as her body adjusted to the change in temperature. She smiled and said nothing. "ah man. I hate green tea." Odd said sticking out his tongue. "Odd, if you want to get sick be my guess" Ulrich said shaking his head and stirring the fire a bit so it could get more oxygen. Yumi glared at Odd "this stuff is sweeter than any green tea you've ever had I'm sure of that" it was the first thing she had said since they got back. Ulrich smiled when he heard what she had said but didn't say anything as he helped her sit down by the fire. "We'll see about that" was all Odd had to say. Yumi smiled "thank you" she said softly. Ulrich slapped Odd upside his head playfully as he served the tea and dinner. "There's more if anyone wants seconds" he said before sitting down next to Yumi.

Yumi sipped the tea and just stayed silent for a while. She shivered every once in a while. Aelita walked over "C'mon Yumi, I have some extra clothes in my pack... let's get you changed out of those wet clothes" Yumi nodded and Aelita helped her stand and led her to the back of the cave where she had Jeremie set up a tent. Ulrich got up as well but only to sit next to Odd. Odd looked up. "What?"

"Nothing, just want the company."

"you like her don't you" Odd said

"Who?" Ulrich asked as Jeremie sat with them.

"Lady Yumi of course"

"What about her?" Jeremie asked. "Ulrich likes her" Odd snickered. Jeremie laughed lightly

"Now why would you say that?" Ulrich said blushing slightly.

"It's obvious... the way you worry about her and blush when you're around her"

Lucia-Chan: Odd laughed. Ulrich punched his arm, just to have them laugh more. "I know how you feel Ulrich, I like Aelita but I just don't know how to tell her." Odd laughed "wow and now I'm the only one who really cant care about anyone"

"But you have Kiwi, Odd" Jeremie laughed

Odd rolled his eyes "yeah, yeah laugh it up Jer."

The girls heard the laughter. "I wonder what they're talking about?" Aelita said as she hands Yumi some clothes. Yumi shrugged "guy stuff most likely" she pulls off the wet shirt and pulls on the dry one along with a pair of warm pants. They fit much better than her fathers clothes. Once she was dressed she attempted to stand but fell over "ow..." she crawled out of the tent and slid on a pair of riding boots "okay... lets go see what's going on" Aelita helped her back to the boys as Odd was about to kiss Kiwi. Yumi covered her mouth trying to hold back laughter. Ulrich got up and helped Aelita sit Yumi down, then took a look at the ankle. "Hmmm...ill have to put a splint on that, but you'll be able to walk." Aelita raised and eyebrow at him for a moment and then smiled and nodded in understanding and walked over and sat next to Jeremie whispering "they look cute together don't you think"

"Yeah they do. I wish we could do something to help them" he whispered back

"You know very well that we cant... the emperor will have our heads" They watched as Ulrich went to his bag and gathered the supplies he'd need to place the splint on snugly. "I don't care, you saw what suitors he had at the castle." Jeremie said. Aelita nodded "That William Dunbar had the worst manners too"

Yumi pulled her sash a bit tighter noticing that the shirt was a bit low 'female clothes' she thought. And watched as Ulrich started to put the splint on her ankle. Jeremie nodded as Ulrich set the splint. "now this might hurt but only for a sec" Ulrich warned before tying the splint snugly around Yumi's foot and leg. Yumi winced but only for a moment. The pain was gone in less than a minute. "Now the best thing is to keep off of that leg for the most part, so I vote we stay here for a few more days till we start off." Ulrich said kindly. Yumi nodded "good plan". Odd fell asleep with his head tilted back and he was snoring loudly. Jeremie and Aelita nodded in agreement. "So its unanimous." Ulrich smiled as he adjusted the splint a little and checked you're other bandages. "I'll need to get some more supplies soon." Yumi smiled "thanks again... I swear I'm such a klutz sometimes..." she said and then turned to Aelita who just shook her head "no you're too much of a hero sometimes". All Ulrich did was raise an eyebrow and left it alone

Aelita walked up to the two and looked at Ulrich "can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Sure." Ulrich got up and followed Aelita towards the back of the cave. Aelita smiled "I can see you care for the princess" she said softly "I don't know what you're talking about Aelita." He looked at the floor. "I'm not blind Ulrich... I see the way you look at her."

He sighed. "Even if I do, I can't do anything about it. She's a princess and I'm just a lowly ronin. I can't be with her, but I can protect her as long as she is with me on this journey so she may be enlightened." He looked into Aelita's eyes. "What else can I do?" He pleaded. Aelita smiled "tell her" she said "now I should really take my own advice and tell Jeremie how I feel..."

Ulrich smiled "He feels the same way". Aelita blushed "now take my advice and you won't regret it... trust me" she winked and sighed then walked back over to Jeremie.

Ulrich went over to Yumi. "Uh...can I talk to you?" as he said this he looked at Aelita and Jeremie and the each gave him the thumbs up.

A/N Chapter 3 ^^ anywho, tell me what you think and chapter 4 will be up soon ^^

-LoVe-N-HaPpInEsS-