"I can't believe it's finally time. The Subdigitals concert is here, and Aelita's gonna open for them." Ibuki said.
"Don't even talk about it. I'm so scared." Aelita said.
"It's understandable to be nervous." Zahra said. "Do not worry about the crowd, just play your music from your heart and soul."
"The crowd isn't the problem, it's the concert itself. Whenever I think about it, I get butterflies in my stomach." Aelita said.
"That's definitely relatable. I guess it doesn't help that Milly and Tamiya have been hounding you for an interview lately." Hope said. "Maybe you should try and take your mind off it."
"Good thinking. I'll go and see if Jeremie needs any help with his Replika program." Aelita said, heading out.
"I hope Jeremie doesn't say something inconsiderate. It is Aelita's big night after all." Shantae said.
"Knowing him, he'll probably be too absorbed in his Lyoko work to even come." Kaibara said.
"Yeah, that sounds like something he'd do." Kazuma agreed.
"Didn't think someone like you would agree." Mari said, bandages over her arms.
"Whoa! Mari, did you get in an accident or something?" Glimmer said.
"No, no, everything's fine. Something weird's been happening since I was in the hot springs on the Edens Zero." Mari said.
"You've been bathing in them repeatedly like Rebecca did, right?" Hope asked. "It could mean you're close to developing your own Ether Gear."
"Y-Yeah, and honestly it scares me on what it might be, given my profession." Mari said. "The markings keep popping up, that's why I put bandages on to hide them."
"Just keep calm. Getting an Ether Gear is understandably scary, but don't be afraid of it." Hope said. "You'll know what it'll be when you're ready."
"*Takes a deep breath* Alright, thanks Hope." Mari smiled.
"Anyway, what're we going to do about Aelita and Jeremie?" Ethox asked.
"Don't worry, fellas." Eddy said. "Where there's a will, there's a way. You guys head to the concert ahead of me and Ed. We'll handle this."
"Eddy, please don't tell me you're planning something crazy." Mark said.
"...Yeah, okay. I won't tell ya." Eddy said.
"Gosh dammit." Mark sighed.
That night, at the concert…
Aelita was getting ready to go on stage, applying some blush before Ulrich, Yumi, Odd and some of the group came in.
"You look beautiful, child." Thorani said.
"We came to see our favorite star before she became too famous to see." Odd said.
"It's great that you're all here. Is Jeremie here?" Aeilta asked.
"Oh, we lost him in the crowd. You know how he is." Mark said.
"Wha-" Ethox started before Mark elbowed him. "Uh…yeah! He's smart, but he can get his head stuck in the clouds sometimes."
"Don't worry, he'll be out there soon cheering you on." Yumi said.
"I hope so…" Aelita said.
"Aelita, you're on in 5 minutes!" a stagehand called.
"Time for me to start concentrating." Aelita said.
"You'll do great. Knock 'em dead." Ethox said as the others left. "There's no way Jeremie is really here right now, is he?"
"Nope. Like I thought, he got so absorbed in his work that he totally forgot." Kaibara said. "When Aelita finds out, she's gonna be devastated."
"Hey, didn't Eddy say he'd do something about it?" Frisk asked. "What exactly is he doing?"
"...Well…" Mark started, already dreading this explanation.
"This hurts us more than this hurts you, Einstein." Eddy said as he and Ed had Jeremie tied up in his room.
"Eddy, isn't this a bit too much just to persuade me to get to the concert?" Jeremie asked. "You could've just told me I was running behind."
"Maybe, but… let's just call this reinforcement." Eddy said. "Alright Lumpy, we're gonna need a trash bag or something so nobody thinks we're doing anything weird and-"
Eddy was interrupted when Jeremie's computer went off, detecting an activated tower.
"Oh no, XANA's attacking!" Jeremie said. "Quick, untie me!"
"Gotcha!" Ed said, unting Jeremie.
"Eddy, let everyone know about the attack. The activated tower is in the Mountain Sector." Jeremie said.
"On it!" Eddy said, getting on his communicator. "Sorry to cut the concert enjoyment short guys, but XANA doesn't seem to like the music. He's activated a tower in the Mountain Sector."
"You're lucky he is, Mark just told us your big idea to get Jeremie over here. Learn restraint, man!" Kaibara said.
They soon heard a scream as Aelita was unconscious as she was being carried by the stage manager.
"Hey! Give her back!" Luffy called out as Milly and Tamiya blocked their path, both of them also possessed.
:Oh, this is going to get dicey." David said.
"What do we do?" Kaibara asked.
"Some of us are gonna have to keep the journalists here while we make for Lyoko." Ethox said.
"I'll stay and try to get the crowd under control." David said.
"As for us…we're rescuing Aelita.' Izuku said as they ran after the stage manager.
The others chased her all the way to the factory as a process was going on.
"Dang it…she's already virtualizing Aelita." Dan said.
"In that case, we'll go in after her." Kaibara said, working together with Yumi and Odd to knock out the possessed stage manager for the time being.
Jeremie, Eddy and Ed arrived after.
"Guess we beat you guys here." Odd said.
"Where's Aelita?" Jeremie asked.
"Already on Lyoko. We're ready to go in after her." Ethox said.
"All right. Get in the scanners." Jeremie said, getting onto the computer.
The trio of Yumi, Odd, and Kaibara entered the scanners as they arrived in the mountains. They got William's attention as he was riding on a Manta, another one and a Block hounding Aelita.
"Good to see you made it, but it looks like youre all stuck." William said, noting that the trio were stranded away from where Aelita was.
"He's got a point. Jeremie, vehicles would be good." Kaibara said.
"On their way." Jeremie siad programming the Overwing and Overboard.
"For me…I'll stand right here." Kaibara said as his arm started to rotate. He then ran, jumped off and started drilling into the ground.
"Burrowing underground? Nice call!" Odd said keeping some Kankerlats busy.
"They always know how to be irritating." William said.
"Likewise." Kaibara said before going upward and landed an uppercut on William.
"Oh, you're in for it now, drill boy!" William said as he tackled Kaibara off his own manta as the two started brawling.
"Too bad…my quirk…was made for close combat!" Kaibara said as he continued to battle William up close.
"Thanks, Kaibara." Aeilta said as she headed for the tower. It wasn't long before the tower was deactivated and the return to the past was set.
Back at the Concert….
"I'm glad Jeremie decided to come on his own this time and not via kidnapping." Hope said. "And since she was here before, Aelita's not as nervous. Win win."
"I hope you two learned your lesson about going too far." Thorani said to Eddy and Ed.
"We get it, no forced kidnappings." Eddy sighed.
"What gave you the bright idea to even try that, anyway?" Kaibara asked.
"I think it's better if we don't know." Hope said.
"Still…XANA continues to get even more strategic. His schemes might be nearing completion." Lan said. "And Reality Check…" he said. "This may sound crazy but…what about visiting the Hermitage soon?"
"The Hermitage? Why?" Kokoro asked.
"When the Lost Thieves arrived in this world…it's where we were hiding." Lan said. "Plus, Hopper and the boss's father were colleagues. So maybe there's something to combat XANA there."
"You're right about one thing. It's hitting home that we're at the final stretch in the fight against XANA." David said. "Once we get Skeith and William back, and FreezeMan no longer becomes a problem, it'll just be him. This whole affair is reaching its end, and he might be aware of that. He's not going to leave things to chance anymore."
"Hmm…" Ethox hummed. "There's still one thing I don't understand. You guys said that William seems more… chatty than the last time, right? And that XANA never talked to you directly?"
"Yeah, what about it?" Eddy asked.
"Well, why is that?" Ethox asked. "According to Hope, he wasn't much of a speaker. Just a puppet. So…what changed?"
"Hmm… This might be worth looking into." Sachiko said. "And I think I'll get the answer next time I see Skeith."
Unknown location on the network…
"Skeith, have you found it yet?" XANA asked as he, Skeith, and FreezeMan were gathered around a comatose William. "Is there any sign my control over him is fading?"
"Negative." Skeith replied, looking at a projected screen. "These readings are clear. Your grip on him is as strong as it was from the start."
"However, a strange emotional presence has started to make itself known." FreezeMan said.
"How? This boy is my puppet." XANA asked.
"Forgive me…but the presence is not from the human…it's from you." FreezeMan said.
"Me? That is impossible." XANA said. "I am a weapon. I do not feel."
"If you will permit me to speak, there may be a way to uncover this mystery." Skeith suggested. "Waldo Schaffers' archives. I recall, when we last encountered him, when he dropped his daughter, there was data that was not present before. It is likely he inserted them into her mind."
"Hmm… no doubt to give her a way to delete me." XANA hypothesized. "Very well. Skeith, prepare the Scyphozoa. I will find the answers I need… no matter what."