The next day:
"Do you have any questions?" Cam watched Emi and Kya as they reviewed the data on the screen. Information on the screen displayed the four towers Emi needed to access along with a count down. When the count down ended, Xana would have access to the Tundra and Island sectors. Already growing stronger, they didn't know what else Xana would be able to do if he gained access to the new sectors.
Kya yawned. She gotten up at five am to meet Emi and Cam at the mansion. While Cam had explained the plan the day before, it'd been a simplified version. There were specific instructions the girls needed, espically if they were to avoid detection from Xana. "Will the clones be enough to fool Xana?"
"Nope." Emi answered knowing the programs limits. The idea behind the clones was based on the guardians Xana had used on them previously. Limited in it's functions, they worked on simple commands. "We'll launch the clones before leaving each tower. The number of clones used will alert Xana to our presences. But should confuse him for a few hours at least."
"Just don't get caught and all's well." Cam stated, bring up the virtalitzation program. The girls made their way to the scanners where Cam would send them to Lyoko.
Kya's POV:
"Okay Cam, we've arrived." The landscape before us was barren and rockey. A narrow platform to the back of us and a forked path in front. The mountain sector was my second least favorited sector, right at the forest sector. Both sectors had narrow pathways, not ideal for my ice skates to fight off Xana's monsters. The desert and ice sectors were wide landscapes with few narrow pathways. Along with plenty of places to hide and outside certain tiny monsters.
"The first tower is do southeast once you enter the Tundra sector." Cam instructed. "I'll stay in the lab until you arrive at there." He must've sensed my unspoken request, because the cyberjet appeared before us.
"Don't worry about us and head back." Emi hopped onto the cyberjet behind me. She placed both hands on my waist, as we took off. "You'll draw more attention to us by not being in school. Remember the reason Kya was selected to come with me."
Cam grumbled a bit, than gave in. "If I don't hear back from you guys after first period, I'm coming back to the lab."
"Relax general, we've got this. Not like Alexei who'd play around." I reassured him. This isn't our first recon mission. Only difference between this and the other ones was someone has always been in the lab to guide and support those on Lyoko. We're taking several risks today. What's one more?
The ride to the Tundra sector's entrance point was quiet. We surveyed the familiar landscape for any sign of monsters, but there wasn't so much as a kranlet. Mountains passed by, a reminder of the barren sector. When we arrived at the destination Cam had directed, a circluar path with a bounder at it's center.
Emi hopped of the cyberjet to stand in front of the bounder. She held one hand out and closed her eyes. Unlike the other times she uses her manlipcation ability, she didn't speak or move. The ground began to rumble as a low hum came from Emi. A shimmering portal opened in front of her, in front of the bounder.
"Let's get going. Xana will notice the open pathway." Emi stated as she hopped onto the cyberjet.
"How'd you open the portal? Is it part of your abilities?" I questioned as the cyberjet took us inside the portal. A flash of light blinded us, than a calm blue sky greeted us. Much like the ice sector, the Tundra sector's landscape is icy and gives of the impression of freezing cold. However, the add of snow and frozen 'rivers' made the place appear colder than the ice sector.
Not much is known about the Tundra sector, but the guys and Emi have discovered that falling through the 'rivers' doesn't dump one into the digital sea. Like the lakes of the island sector, the rivers transport the person to a random spot within the sector. Whereas we can predict where the Island sector's lakes will open up, there's no way of knowing where the rivers will take you. There also the possbility that the river won't collaspse, instead remaining soild.
"That's like asking me how do I know how to breath or walk." Emi joked. "Ever since Xana forced me to open the Island sector that day he got me to sector five, I've just been able to open the portals." She spoke as if this was something she'd always been able to do.
"We'll need to make sure Xana doesn't have access to more of Lyoko." The first tower came into sight as we rode across the sector. "Who knows, maybe we'll be able to use this against Xana."
Emi stared at the tower before getting off the cyber jet. "We'll know soon enough." She entered a tower in the Tundra sector for the first time. A new beginning in our fight against Xana.
Lynn's POV:
"You doing it again." I watched Cam restart his computer for the fifth time since third period ended ten minutes ago. The girls checked in after first period that Emi had gotten the nessary information from the first tower of the Tundra sector. They were making their way towards the second tower before we went to second period. Since than, it's been radio silence. Almost two hours with no update.
The computer turned on showing the same screen as before, a bunch of code that I don't understand. Didn't bother Cam, he began scrolling through different menus before landing on Kya's avatar. "Hello? Kya are you there?" When no reply came, he switched to Emi's avatar to repeat the process.
During all of this, Alexei strolled over with a soda in hand. "Still at it?" He watched his best friend engulfed in his work on the computer.
"Do I really need to answer that?" Not that I disagree with Cam's worry, but there hasn't been any kind of alert or an attack. Cam programed and updated the locator program himself. If something were to happen, his computer would've alerted us to an activated tower.
"General your acting like an overprotective hen." Alexei patted Cam's shoulder to get his attention. From what his describe, Alexei had to take Cam's computer during class to prevent him from checking every few minutes.
"We haven't heard from them in two hours. Something must've happened on Lyoko. I'm going to the mansion." Cam declared.
Okay, now it's time to step in. "And do what, go to Lyoko on your own?" I moved to block Cam from leaving. We've already got Kya to cover for, I'm not able to have to explain why Cam's disappeared. "At least wait until lunch, than we'll all go together. Strength in numbers."
"What about numbers?" Emi appeared on the computer screen looking at us. "What are you boys doing?"
"Stopping mother hen from checking on her chicks." Alexei teased.
"Huh?" She raised an eyebrow, appearing confused about Alexei's reference.
Cam shoved both of us aside, "Were you attacked? Do you need back up? Forget it, I'm on my way to the mansion." He began gathering his things, not listening to either one of us. Alexei had to move his computer out of reach, while I calmed him.
"Everything's fine on Lyoko." Kya popped on screen beside Emi. "There was some diffculty finding the access route from the northern part of the Tundra sector to the southern portion."
From what the holomap Cam showed last night, the Tundra and Island sectors are each the size of two regular sector. They create an outer shell around the rest of Lyoko, surrounding the other five sectors. Cam stated there's a path that connects the two separate halves of Tundra and Island sector. This elimates having to exit and reenter, which also alerts Xana to our presences on Lyoko.
"We're leaving the second tower in the Tundra sector now. Emi's finished activating the clones, again." Kya updated us on their progress. "Look we'll let you know once we're done with the first tower of the Island sector. Until than, stay put." The connection ended, the converation was over.
"See, their fine Cam." Alexei thew his arm over Cam's shoulder. "Now let's get to art before we're forced to do another realistic drawing for homework."
At the mention of art class, Cam tossed the laptop inside his bag. He than left without a word. A reminder of Cam's dislike for the class. Although he's skilled in painting and drawing, having taken classes with his older sister as a kid, you wouldn't know it from how he acts. He got in trouble previously for his continued absences. Luckily an attack and returned to the past give Cam time to create a plan to fix the issue. Since revealing his art skills, Mrs. Reed has been trying to persuade him to join the art club.
Watching the two leave together once again reminded me that I'm a year older and grade higher than them. Naturally we have no shared classes expect the occsialy eight and nineth grade gym classes together. I've never had a problem being in a different grade, but it does get lonely. Similar to how Emi must feel having to attend a different school than us.
"Maybe I should make some friends my own age." I thought aloud as I entered the science lab. Other than members of the soccer team and other sports teams I play on, there's no one my age I really enjoy spinning time with.
Hard to believe that in my first year, without Kya, I actually thought I could befriend Avery. He was still Avery, but much less of a jerk than him is now. It's only gotten worst with time. Yeah, I should speak to Mr. C about changing dorms.
"Finally realizing that your a loser?" Avery sat at the table beside mine. "Took you long enough. Do us both a favor and inform Kya of your enlightenment so we can be friends again."
Strike that, I'll stick with the group of friends I have now. Their annoying but loyal and not idiots. Expect Alexei when it comes to his choice of movies. "Sure bud I'll do that. Right after you realize Mara's better off without you. I mean if Alexei is friends with her, she can't be all bad. But what about you?"
A smug smile on my face, I turned to face the front where Mr. Z stood about to begin class. Avery's reddening face will make this boring class more entertaining.
Emi's POV:
A flash of lightening shot in front of the cyberjet striking the three kranlets blocking the path. Beside me, Kya used lightening dash to keep up with the cyberjet I rode. She activated it a second time, speeding up. She took a defensive position, acting like a scout to take out monsters.
The narrow path of the forest sector limited Kya's movements. She appeared to rely on herspecial ability Lightening Dash. The ability generated lightening in the soles of her ice skates that she could discharge as an attack or increase her speed.
She slowed her pace to skate beside the cyberjet. "Keeping going, I'll clear a path!"
Posion shot forward, forcing us apart. The like green substance melted the ground where it landed. From behind, two more poison strays rained down. Hornets flew towards us in a V formation of five. Two on the ends launched lasers, while the other three spat posion.
Kya dashed forward, palms directed towards the Hornets. Shimmering orbs indicated the activation of her shields. The orb shields blocked the lasers and two shots of poison. The final shot landed on her leg.
Hornets are the worst monster for Kya, right before Mantas. Their flying ability keeps them away from the reach of Kya's skates. Even kicking an arc of lightening from Lightening Dash isn't guaranteed to hit. Cam usually programs ice shurken onto Kya's belt for her to have a throwing weapon. (Not that she has good aim.) Unfortunately that's not an option currently.
Looking around, I saw another platform below along with tower not far away.
"Dnuorg Esopc!" (Close Ground) The ground below Kya open, swallowing her. Hornets tried to follow, but were blocked by the immediate closing of the hole. While they were distracted, I maneuvered the cyberjet over the edge of the path to meet up with Kya.
"What was that!" Kya asked, standing up from where she landed.
"Shh." I motioned for her to follow, than pointed to the tower.
She nodded, as she got on the cyberjet. Kya quickly directed the cyberjet to the tower. Once inside, we took a moment to catch our breath.
"We need to contact Cam, Xana's onto us!" Kya stated.
"Maybe not." Accessing the terminal, I tapped into the clones vision. This allowed me to see anything the clones saw. The first one showed them hiding from three Krabs in the ice sector. The second, they dodged several kranlets in the desert sector. Finally the mountain sector ones had just ducked into a cave to avoid the bloks.
"Xana's attacking the clones as well. Seems he's noticed our presences, but doesn't know where we are." Going through the terminal, I tried to access the supercomputer. We'll need another way to access the Island sector.
"Luckily, this is a Way Tower. We can take it to another area of the Forest Sector." I explained.
Kya stepped onto the cyberjet. "Set a delayed message to send go Cam if we don't contact soon."
"Already done." Closing the terminal, I stepped onto the cyberjet.
Kya took us over the edge of the platform into the data stream. Following it, we ended up on another platform identical to the previous one. She than exited the tower and connected our journey to the Island sector.
After school:
"Mara, no." Alexei said in a shaky voice. He tried to move away from Mara until his back hit the building. He eyes widen as she came closer.
Mara tried to pout, but her giggling made it impossible. "I need someone to practice on. We'll go to my room where no one else will see."
Alexei crossed his arms to form a giant X. "I've seen your skills in action. I refuse to look like Avery." He pointed to the male who hide his face under a hoodie.
Avery heard his name, but paid no attention to it. He needed to find Ally to ask for her help. When he agreed to be Mara's model for her to practice applying stage make up, he thought Mara would have make up remover to go with it. He's mistake for not double checking. The amount of make up Mara used was light, however it was the final product that was the issue. The mirror revealed to Avery a pink faced male with blue blush, orange eyeshadow, along with purple lips. Mara even spray painted Avery's hair purple to match the lipstick. Had he not glanced in the mirror, he'd have fake eyelashes as well.
"That's why I need the practice!" Mara stated energjctily. She knew Avery's face looked ridiculous. Not that it discouraged her. She felt all the more determined to improve her skills. She had volunteered to assist backstage in between her scenes. Applying stage make up was apart of that.
"Do you want the actors to go on stage looking a mess?" Mara questioned.
"Better them than me." Alexei quickly stated. He wanted no part of the play, even if being Mara's practice dummy would get her off his back. There were just some lines you don't cross. Getting near Mara with make up was one of them.
Lynn sat on a nearby bench looking through some files AD had given him. He hadn't given her an official answer, but he knew in his heart his decision. He would go aboard, take the oppurtiny that had been given to him. Apart of him didn't want to leave for various reasons' his friends, Lyoko, and Kya. There more reasons to stay than go. Yet the tiny portion of him that did want to go wouldn't stop urging him. There was no gurrate that anything more would come from the jounrey. But there was no proof that it wouldn't work. Risk, that what this was. Risks were nothing new to Lynn. He'd been taking risks since he discovered his love and talent for music. Risk disappointing his father. Risk going to a new school far away from home, alone and with no friends. Than risking the dangers on Lyoko and the chance of it being discovered to save Emi and stop Xana. What was one more risk?
"What are you thinking so hard about?" Cam asked.
"Steeling my heart for the next phase of my life." Lynn answered.
Cam stopped typing to look at his friend. "What do you mean?" Unlike his friends' Cam didn't have a peculiar passion. Kya was all about her figure skating, while Alexei had his movies, and Lynn focused on his music. New to earth, Emi hadn't discovered her main interest yet. Currently, everything interested her. What about Cam? He was into computers and video games, even making some video games on the side. The amount of time he spent working on Lyoko related a matters could make one think that was his passion, but it wasn't. It was a nessacity.
"I've come to terms with the fact that my father will never approve of me loving music. I'm done tip-toeing around him. Music isn't a hobby, it's my dream." Lynn clenched the papers like his life depended on it. "There are many things and people I care about, but I can't keep putting those first. Look at what almost happened with the competition."
The day they'd first brought Emi to earth, was the same day as the long awaited competition. Xana's inference nearly cost Lynn to miss the competition. Lynn didn't regret his choice to help his friends. It wasn't the first time he'd put them before anything else and it wouldn't be the last. However he wasn't going to let that stop him from achieving his dream.
Seeing Lynn's determination made Cam jealous and ashamed. How did it feel to have something important to want to accomplish simply because it was your dream or passion? Not a means to an end. "Must be nice." He muttered.
"Cam-" Lynn began, than a beeping from Cam's computer interrupted them.
Cam opened the device to see Emi's face on the screen. "We've been pinned down by Xana's monsters." A loudbangmade the image fade for a moment, than reappear. "Kya's holding them off, but more are coming. I think their trying to separat-" The video ended abruptly.
The boys looked at each other, Lynn being the first to speak. "Don't say it. Just don't."
Packing his computer away, Cam smirked. "Your right, I'll save the gloating for when everyone's around."