Lies and Calls

Delmas carries Sissi to his office. She's very upset, her makeup all messy, and tears running on her face.

Delmas: How are you, Sissi?
Sissi: How do you think? I've just been fooled in cold blood and a beast attacked me.
Delmas: Yes, I can imagine the ruse that they did to you using Mr Della Robbia's pet. They will be punished according to the school rules.
Sissi: (hateful, clenched teeth) They should jail them for life for what they did to me! Bunch of useless, maladjusted…!
Delmas: Maybe jailing them would be a bit too much. And is it okay to call them useless and maladjusted?
Sissi: Of course! Those kids clearly don't know know how to deal with people.
Delmas: Did they hurt you?
Sissi: Immensely!
Delmas: Can you show me the wounds?
Sissi: (looks away furtively) They aren't physical wounds.
Delmas: I understand.
Sissi: Why would they do something that monstrous? What's wrong with them?
Delmas: What's the monstrous part?
Sissi: I already told you!
Delmas: Scare you with a dog?
Sissi: Do you know how they fooled me, dad? Ulrich himself invited me on a date! Ulrich!
Delmas: Ah, I see, they used your feelings for Mr Stern against you.
Sissi: But Ulrich wasn't like that with me before. (somber) Must be that japanese girl. She must have given him those antisocial ideas!
Delmas: Okay, Sissi. What I can assure you is that we will not let it pass. Is that okay?
Sissi: Of course not, dad! Starting with the dog, why can that new boy bring a pet to school?
Delmas: His is an exceptional situation. In any case, it's true that he shouldn't have it loose in the courtyard. We'll be clearer and stricter with the rules that apply to his situation.
Sissi: That dog should be locked in a room for the rest of the year! And, now that I think about it, also should those three clowns!
Delmas: Maybe locking them up would be too much. We'll see what we can do.

Jim, Odd, Yumi, and Ulrich enter the library.

Jim: You'll sit and work where I can see you sitting and working! But before that, you'll give me your cell phones, which are hereby confiscated!

The kids moan as complaint.

Jim: Cut the whining! You'll leave your phones on the table!

The kids obey reluctantly.

Jim: Now, we'll wait for the headmaster, who will decide what to do with you. (looks at the kids) Hmm, now that I think about it, there's one of you missing.
Yumi: What are you referring to, Mr Morales?
Jim: Don't play Ishiyama with me, Ms dumb! Mr Belpois has been crawling alongside you for a few days now. Don't think you can fool me.
Ulrich: Sir, Jeremie didn't take a part in this.
Jim: Oh, he didn't? Listen to me, youngsters, I know Jeremie's a pretty clever kid. I wouldn't be surprised if he were the mastermind behind all this.
Yumi: Sir, Odd and I were the ones with the idea. And, with all due respect, it's not an idea I'd call "brilliant".
Jim: (raising his eyebrows) Oh, he wasn't with you then! That's even more suspicious. What's Belpois plotting on his own then?

The kids look at each other, thinking fast.

Odd: …Sir, Jeremie told me he was going to study. You know how people like him are, they can't relax for a single day.
Jim: And where would he be studying, he said? It appears he's not in the library, the number one place for studying.
Odd: Well… He didn't tell us, but I suppose he's in his room.
Jim: Ah, good, his room! What if we make sure that's the case? Ulrich!
Ulrich: …Sir?
Jim: (extending his arm with Ulrich's phone towards him) Do us the favor of calling Jeremie.
Ulrich: Uh… I don't think he'll answer…
Jim: (sarcastic) Why not? I'm listening.
Ulrich: Sissi has Jeremie's phone.
Jim: Hah! Don't take me for a fool! C'mon, just call him and let's see afterwards, okay?
Ulrich: …Okay, sir, but I'm warning you.
Jim: Yeah, yeah, we'll see.

Ulrich looks for Jeremie in his contact list and calls him.

The phone held by Sissi starts ringing.

Delmas: What is that?
Sissi: (visibly blushing) Nothing…
Delmas: Where did you get that phone? Yours is unusable.
Sissi: …I borrowed it from Herve.

Delmas stares at her. Sissi tries to hold her gaze, but looks away at times. The phone keeps ringing.

Delmas: Are you going to answer?
Sissi: Yeah… I'll go outside to answer… (rushes out)

Sissi closes the door behind her in the antechamber, where Ms Weber is. She looks at the phone screen, which shows the name "Ulrich". She almost drops the phone. She presses the ignore call button, but starts talking.

Sissi: (raising her voice in an exaggerated manner; somewhat nervous) Hello? Yeah, hi, Nicholas… Yeah, yeah, I'm fine… Yeah, I'm talking to dad. I'll be out soon. See you, bye.

Sissi puts the phone in her pocket and returns to the office.

Delmas: Well?
Sissi: It was just Nicholas, who was asking for me.

The phone starts ringing again. Sissi startles.

Delmas: That's enough. Ignore the call and leave the phone on the table.

Sissi hangs up, but doubts if leaving the phone.

Delmas: Now, miss!

Sissi obeys.

Delmas: I didn't give you permission to acquire another cell phone. You have to wait until we buy you another one.
Sissi: I'm sorry, dad, it's just that, you know how necessary is for us youngsters to stay commun… (the phone starts ringing once again) Oh, they're still calling, let me hang up!
Delmas: (looks at the phone screen) Look, it seems Mr Stern is calling you! Do you want to answer, or are you still upset at him?

Sissi starts sweating; she doesn't answer.

Delmas: I'll answer it then. I'll tell him you're with me. (picks up) Hello, Ulrich Stern?
Ulrich: Hello? Who am I talking to?
Delmas: Ah, Ulrich, it's the headmaster, Mr Delmas.
Ulrich: Hello, Mr Delmas, I suppose you're with S…

Delmas hears noises through the phone.

Jim: Hello? Jeremie?
Delmas: Jim? What are you doing with Ulrich's phone?
Jim: Ah, headmaster, sir! I suppose you're with Jeremie, is that so?
Delmas: What makes you think that, Jim?
Jim: Well, the fact that we're calling his phone.
Delmas: And may I ask why you're calling his phone?
Jim: Mr Belpois wasn't with the kids that were bothering Sissi. Knowing his current location could be very helpful for…
Delmas: (look of disbelief) Jim, I'm not with him, but his location is not our concern in the absolute. Now hang up that condemned device and stay where you are! I'm on my way there.
Jim: I… Yes, sir. (hangs up)
Delmas: (takes off his glasses) Sissi, this phone is Jeremie's.
Sissi: …No, dad, it's Nicholas…!
Delmas: Why do you have Jeremie's phone, Sissi?
Sissi: (gives up about the lie, retakes her pride) Well, because he broke mine, the fair thing is that he pays back by giving me his…!
Delmas: (losing his patience) Sissi, Jeremie did not break your phone!
Sissi: Yeah he did! You're just too naive to realize it!
Delmas: Don't talk to your father like that! In case you did not know, I already talked to Jeremie and the situation regarding your accusation is already cleared. On the other hand, your behavior is quite worrying, Sissi: you take someone else's cell phone and then you lie about it. Maybe now's the time that you get a punishment as well.
Sissi: (red both of embarrasment and rage) No! I refuse resoundingly! This is unfair! (rushes out of the room)
Delmas: Elizabeth! (sighs and covers his face with his hands. He then puts his glasses back on) Calm down, Jean-Pierre, let's go one thing at a time.

Delmas stands up from his seat, takes Jeremie's cell phone and walks out of his office.

Delmas: Ms Weber, this phone belongs to Jeremie Belpois. (leaves the device on her desk) Next time he comes here, give it back to him, please.
Weber: Yes, Mr Delmas. I apologize for intruding, but I saw Elizabeth running energically from your office just a moment ago. Is everything okay?
Delmas: It's nothing, she just needs to be taught a bit more discipline. I'll have to solve that as well. Anyway, I'm heading to the library; I'll be back in a while.
Weber: Understood.

Delmas walks out to the courtyard. Ms Weber returns to her work, when she suddenly starts smelling a metallic odor.

Jeremie: Okay, I think those are all the test cases. Let's see if it works.
Aelita: Very well, initiating tests.

The right screen shows a list of things. At the rightmost part, each list element is accompanied by an underscore, which changes into an "o" in the list order (up to down), until all are replaced.

Jeremie: Excellent! All tests have been passed. It works!
Aelita: Great, good job!
Jeremie: You too, Aelita!
Aelita: So, ready for the immersion?
Jeremie: Oh, right… I had forgotten that… Uh… I'll go get the rest before proceeding.
Aelita: Come on, Jeremie, it's not that terrible! It's just a water dip, right?
Jeremie: Yeah… (elusive) But… I'd rather have a bit more company before trying it.
Aelita: But you already have company! I'm here! I'll be with you while you're here and everything will be under control. I know how these things work, trust me.

Jeremie keeps silent and looks away from the camera.

Aelita: (changing her expression from smiling to serious) Wait… You still don't trust me… That's it, isn't it?
Jeremie: (sighs) I don't know, Aelita… We still don't… know each other that well… Sorry, it's still hard for me.
Aelita: (upset) Hard for you? Jeremie, I thought we'd already cleared thing in that regard. What else do you want me to say or do?
Jeremie: (elusive) I don't know… I've no idea…
Aelita: (raising her voice, agitated) Well, me neither! I already told you everything about me, I've tried to minimize my stress and worries given the situation I'm in… So no, I've no idea either.
Jeremie: I'm sorry, Aelita, I don't know what to say…
Aelita: Maybe it's good that you don't say anything. With your permission, I'll be unavailable for a few hours. I'd be thankful if you turned off your microphone. (crosses her arms, shuts down the camera vision where Jeremie can be seen, and walks out of the forester's cabin.)

Jeremie sighs, turns off the microphone and stands up, with clumsy and worried gestures, like trying to find a way to say something.

Aelita suddenly starts feeling vibrations beneath her feet.

Aelita: Agh, such bad timing! Jeremie! Are you still there?

Jeremie immediately reacts, and sits back down.

Jeremie: Aelita! What's going on?
Aelita: Jeremie!
Jeremie: Ah, how dumb of me! (turns on the microphone) Aelita, here I am!
Aelita: Jeremie, I feel pulsations on the ground. Check if XANA's active; I'll go search for the origin of the vibrations.

Jeremie complies, checking the list of active programs under Lyoko.

Jeremie: You're right, it's active. And it looks like it's generating instances of another file. It's base name is "Blok". Already five copies have been made.
Aelita: Okay. Maybe it'd be better to have more help. Go call Yumi and Ulrich.

Jeremie thinks for a second.

Jeremie: I'll go to Lyoko this time! I owe you one after all.
Aelita: No, Jeremie, these cases are precisely the ones where we need all the help possible. Go look for them.
Jeremie: (sighs) You're right. I'll go get them.
Aelita: Something else: shut down the computer. If you don't, XANA will keep adding instances.
Jeremie: But, what about you?
Aelita: Retaining XANA is more important. Besides, it's not that terrible. Just… come back with them.
Jeremie: I'll do that. Until later, Aelita.
Aelita: …Goodbye, Jeremie.

Jeremie shuts down the devices and starts his way back to Kadic.

- END OF CHAPTER 12 -

A/N: I think the bit with Delmas, Sissi, and Jim ended up more ludicrous than I intended. I hope it made you laugh somewhat.