1 New Girl

Tovah Pressman : Kadic Academy, Eighth-grade student. I was basically shaking in my boots, that's how the expression goes I'm pretty sure. But what I was mostly concerned with was my cousin, Jeremy, he may be the family genius but he wasn't my biggest fan. Not in any regards, especially not to the fact that I was going to be budding in on his school life. I got out of the car and pulled my backpack on, it mostly consisted of the things that I would be decorating my room with, oh yeah a roommate. Another thing I wasn't too thrilled about. I was an only child and used to being alone, I walked through the campus and felt eyes on me, I was a lot smaller than others. A lot smaller, it was hard to fit in sometimes. I just hoped that Jeremy wouldn't mind me bugging him in my first couple weeks. I was immediately greeted by a tall girl with a yellow headband, I raised my eyebrows and clenched my bag strap, "who are you little one?" She asked looking down at me.

"What?" I stammered. "Little one?" I asked. A girl with pink hair walked up to me and looked at the tall girl, "Sissi leave her alone, gosh, don't you get tired of hearing your own voice?" She said.

"I'm Aelita, are you Tovah?" She asked smiling.

"Yes, I'm looking for my roommate," I said running my hand through my hair.

"Well you found her! Nice to meet you," she said holding her hand out to me.

"Come on,"

Jeremy Belpois: Kadic Academy, Eighth grade student.

Just great, Ziphora is coming.

Ziphora was my cousin we definitely weren't close, she was the golden child of the family. I got the news at Christmas when we sat at the mandatory kids table. Her parents were in the Doctors Without Borders program and so her parents were shipping her to live at my school. I couldn't believe it, fighting XANA and fighting off my annoyance will be a big case.

It was the day of her arrival and Aelita was pacing in her room, I had knocked to tell her classes were canceled for some reason or another on Monday, she seemed stressed. I looked at her as Odd followed behind.

"Hey princess, what's up?" Odd asked.

"Oh nothing really, just a little stressed,"

Odd moved to lay on the other bed that was in her once one person room.

"Is it just me or does it look like you're getting a roommate?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm a bit stressed about it at the moment if I'm completely honest, I've never had to share a space," she said running her fingers through her hair.

"Oh that could be troublesome," I nodded as I rubbed my fingers against my chin.

"Yeah! I mean, me and Ulrich room together, Jeremy is you know, and now you're gonna have a roommate," Odd pointed out. "What if she's a complete tattle tail!" He giggled.

"I have faith in people," Aelita said shrugging. "I think she'll be nice,"

"Well let's just hope all your nightmares don't wake her up," Odd joked.

"Mean," I said. "Well my cousin is supposed to come-" my phone rang and I looked down and saw my aunt was calling. "I should go, my brat cousin is here. Good luck with your new roommate," I said before heading down to try and find my cousin.

After mere minutes of searching and thinking of what Ziphora could mean for fighting XANA I see that Aelita was faster than me, probably because I was day dreaming. But then it clicks...Aelita's roommate is Ziphora.

I walk up to the two and force a smile.

"Hey you two, I see you're getting cozy," I said rubbing the back of my neck.

"Yeah, Ziphora is my new roommate," Aelita smiled. "Isn't that cool?"

Ziphora looked at me as if she didn't know what to say, finally she just said "I'm gonna go get unpacked."

She walked over to the dorms and Ulrich and Odd walked over, "smokin, who's the new girl?" Odd asked.

"Odd," I rolled my eyes, "for your information that is my cousin,"

"That doesn't mean she isn't pretty," he said.

"I thought you were with Jessica," Ulrich asked.

"No she's old news,"

"You don't seem very happy to see your cousin," Aelita said.

"I'm not," I crossed my arms defensively "and case point, she is going to ruin everything," I said before walking away.

Ziphora Moretti: Kadic Academy, Eighth grade student.

I knew that I wasn't going to get the welcome wagon from Jeremy, maybe it's cause I'm the cooler cousin. Maybe it's cause I say I'm the cooler cousin. But anyhow, I got to the very pink room I now shared with Aelita and started putting my things away. Feeling utterly alone, but soon I was greeted by three people. They all greeted me and I felt a little overwhelmed as I stood on my bed hanging up posters.

"Oh hello," I said putting my hands in my shorts pockets.

"I'm Ziphora, I'm Jeremy's cousin if he hasn't mentioned," I said finishing with my posters. "I know Aelita, but I haven't met you two yet," I smiled.

"I'm Odd," he said messing with his sleeve and moving to sit on Aelita's side of the bed.

"I'm Ulrich, there's usually another girl with us but since it's Saturday she's at home." He said shrugging. "Her name is Yumi," he smiled softly.

"She sounds...nice I guess," I giggled moving to sit on my now made bed.

"Well has Jeremy told you guys anything about me?" I asked. He probably hadn't, I thought, we never got along. Not since we were young. We just always butted heads.

"No. We didn't know you guys were cousins until today. He didn't even tell me you were coming. I just thought I was getting a roommate!" Aelita giggled. "But I'm glad you're here. It can get lonely in here," she sat next to me and then looked at a clock.

"Speaking of its nearly dinner, we should get going." She stood and we all got up walking to the cafeteria.

We all found a seat and I was feeling incredibly anxious, more anxious when all of their phones buzzed and they all scurried away and I was left all alone.

Jeremy Belpois: Kadic Academy, Eighth grade student.

I sat at my computer in the lab typing away when the computer flashed in front of me, I signaled everyone and heard the elevator. But it was just a false alarm. Yumi smiled greeting us all, not having seen us since Thursday. "Hey guys, anything new?" She smiled as we all sat to gossip and catch up.

"Nothing that new." I said pulling my headset off and tossing it on the keys.

"Yes there so is. He just doesn't want to talk about it," Ulrich pointed at me.

"No way!" I rolled my eyes, a lame defense.

"Yes way, his cousin is Aelita's new roommate,"

"She's totally cute too," Odd said.

"Shut up." I crossed my arms feeling a bit heated about it. "I just don't want to talk about it." I said standing up. "I'm gonna go to my room," I grabbed my bag and pulled it over my shoulder In haste. Aelita followed behind me pulling her bag on her shoulders as she walked quickly, "Jeremy." She huffed "you're going to have to be nice, I'm sure she's nervous," she said defending Ziphora.

"She doesn't seem that bad," she said rubbing her arm nervously "so...what's the issue. Go on, tell me,"

"I'm nervous she'll find out about Lyoko, she's rooming with you, so if she finds out then we're in trouble,"

"We'll figure it out like we always do," we said reassuringly.

Ziphora Moretti: Kadic Academy, Eighth grade student

I laid in bed flipping through a book, still a bit embarrassed after dinner. Aelita enters after a while and sits on her bed, taking off her boots.

"How was your night," I asked. I wasn't going to be rude to the girl I wanted to be friends with.

"Boring," she said pulling out her pajamas. Suddenly we heard a thump-thump-thump, in the hallway after Aelita had changed into her PJs. We opened the door a hair to see a black fog filling the halls, "does this normally happen before bed?" She looked back at me as I opened the door some more, "we need to run," she said grabbing my hand. "Come on," she said as we opened the door all the way and pressed against the wall and stayed away from the weird black smoke.

"You just have to trust me okay?" She said pulling me behind her as she pulled her phone out and called Jeremy. "I guess I have no reason not to, I don't want to choke,"

The fog got thicker and thicker and it got harder to breathe, we ran into the forest, we were greeted by Odd, Ulrich, Jeremy and a tall girl who I hadn't met.

"What! Aelita!" Jeremy said his face red. "Why did you bring your new pal?" He asked Angrily.

"I wasn't going to leave her to suffocate!" She protested.

"Um, roommate over here, care to tell me what's happening?" I asked.

"No time," Jeremy said.

We went into this place and I followed closely behind the group, not missing a beat. I didn't want to get lost or caught in the smoke. Jeremy told me to just sit still by him. Of course. I watched closely wondering what was happening. I looked at the screen and then felt the fog come back, but by the time it had manifested again it had taken a form. It was like a ghost, it picked Jeremy up out of his chair and I stood from where I was sitting throwing a pole at the form, it released Jeremy and he was a bit shaken, but alright. He got back in his chair and went back to talking and typing. I went following the form to the lower chamber but it disappeared there were some pods, Odd fell out of one, he looked in bad shape, I helped him up and he looked a little surprised to see me.

"Jeremy let you move out of your spot?" He asked.

"Temporary," I said. "He was attacked by that thing," I said smiling.

"Can you tell me what's happening?" I asked.

"It's...complicated," he said softly as two more pods opened. Ulrich and Yumi, "what?" I asked looking at them.

"This is too weird." I said.

"Well, Aelita is all alone, Jeremy," Ulrich said "and this fog is gonna kill us,"

"I could...if I knew what was happening," I said softly. "If you gave me a chance," I said going up to Jeremy.

"It doesn't look like we have a chance," Yumi bit her lip.

"I guess we might have to," Odd said.

The fog was seeping back into the factory and we all looked at each other, worried.

"Fine, but I'll find a program to fix this when it goes sideways..." he said.

Odd took my hand and pulled me down to the pods.

He waited until it opened and I bit my lip as I got in, "is it going to hurt?" I asked.

"No, you'll be fine," he said. "It's like a video game, except kinda real," he rubbed his neck and then suddenly it shut. "Just relax," Odd said before I couldn't hear him.

I crashed onto the ground, this couldn't be good for the knees. I looked down at body, a tight blue suit with an asteroid printed on my chest, I looked like a super hero.

"So what do I do now?" I had what looked like a blaster holstered onto my hip, I pulled it off as a giant crab marched towards me, "uh, Jeremy?"

"Do you have a weapon?"

"I have a blaster,"

"Shoot it!"

I felt my fight or flight senses activate. I shot at it a couple times and then it exploded. Then a couple wasp looking bugs came towards me and I ran towards a boulder to hide.

I shrank down and noticed Aelita next to me "is this your hiding place? I can find a different one," I said somewhat jokingly, I didn't know why I was joking, this was incredibly stressful.

"So. What do I do now?" I asked.

"Well we have to get to that tower," she said pointing to a large white tower.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it will make the fog disappear and sensing how no one has responded In a while we should do it soon," I nodded, nervous. I counted to three in my head and then ran covering Aelita, I shot at the wasp bugs and hit at least one, lucky shot. Very.

Aelita made into the tower and then suddenly I was back in the scanner. Odd helped me up and I walked into the computer lab.

"So that was crazy," I said completely understating the events.

"Yes, but hopefully you won't remember any of it," Jeremy said as his finger hovered over a key.

"Why?" I asked.

"Return to the past now,"

Jeremy Belpois: Kadic Academy, Eighth grade student.

Just great, Tovah is coming.

Tovah was my cousin we definitely weren't close, she was the golden child of the family. I got the news at Christmas when we sat at the mandatory kids table. Her parents were in the Doctors Without Borders program and so her parents were shipping her to live at my school. I couldn't believe it, fighting XANA and fighting off my annoyance will be a big case.

It was the day of her arrival and Aelita was pacing in her room, I had knocked to tell her classes were canceled for some reason or another on Monday, she seemed stressed. I looked at her as Odd followed behind.

"Hey princess, what's up?" Odd asked.

"Oh nothing really, just a little stressed,"

Odd moved to lay on the other bed that was in her once one person room.

"Is it just me or does it look like you're getting a roommate?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm a bit stressed about it at the moment if I'm completely honest, I've never had to share a space," she said running her fingers through her hair.

"Oh that could be troublesome," I nodded as I rubbed my fingers against my chin.

"Yeah! I mean, me and Ulrich room together, Jeremy is you know, and now you're gonna have a roommate," Odd pointed out. "What if she's a complete tattle tail!" He giggled.

"I have faith in people," Aelita said shrugging. "I think she'll be nice,"

"Well let's just hope all your nightmares don't wake her up," Odd joked.

"Mean," I said. "Well my cousin is supposed to come-" my phone rang and I looked down and saw my aunt was calling. "I should go, my brat cousin is here. Good luck with your new roommate," I said before heading down to try and find my cousin.

After mere minutes of searching and thinking of what Tovah could mean for fighting XANA I see that Aelita was faster than me, probably because I was day dreaming. But then it clicks...Aelita's roommate is Tovah.

I walk up to the two and force a smile.

"Hey you two, I see you're getting cozy," I said rubbing the back of my neck.

"Yeah, Tovah is my new roommate," Aelita smiled. "Isn't that cool?"

Tovah looked at me as if she didn't know what to say, finally she just said "I'm gonna go get unpacked."

She walked over to the dorms and Ulrich and Odd walked over, "smokin, who's the new girl?" Odd asked.

"Odd," I rolled my eyes, "for your information that is my cousin,"

"That doesn't mean she isn't pretty," he said.

"I thought you were with Jessica," Ulrich asked.

"No she's old news,"

"You don't seem very happy to see your cousin," Aelita said.

"I'm not," I crossed my arms defensively "and case point, she is going to ruin everything," I said before walking away.

Tovah Pressman: Kadic Academy, Eighth grade student.

I knew that I wasn't going to get the welcome wagon from Jeremy, maybe it's cause I'm the cooler cousin. Maybe it's cause I say I'm the cooler cousin. But anyhow, I got to the very pink room I now shared with Aelita and started putting my things away. Feeling utterly alone, but soon I was greeted by three people. They all greeted me and I felt a little overwhelmed as I stood on my bed hanging up posters.

"Oh hello," I said putting my hands in my shorts pockets.

"I'm Tovah, I'm Jeremy's cousin if he hasn't mentioned," I said finishing with my posters. "I know Aelita, but I haven't met you two yet," I smiled.

"I'm Odd," he said messing with his sleeve and moving to sit on Aelita's side of the bed.

"I'm Ulrich, there's usually another girl with us but since it's Saturday she's at home." He said shrugging. "Her name is Yumi," he smiled softly.

"She sounds...nice I guess," I giggled moving to sit on my now made bed.

"Well has Jeremy told you guys anything about me?" I asked. He probably hadn't, I thought, we never got along. Not since we were young. We just always butted heads.

"No. We didn't know you guys were cousins until today. He didn't even tell me you were coming. I just thought I was getting a roommate!" Aelita giggled. "But I'm glad you're here. It can get lonely in here," she sat next to me and then looked at a clock.

"Speaking of its nearly dinner, we should get going." She stood and we all got up walking to the cafeteria.

We all found a seat and I was feeling incredibly anxious, more anxious when all of their phones buzzed and they all scurried away and I was left all alone.

Jeremy Belpois: Kadic Academy, Eighth grade student.

I sat at my computer in the lab typing away when the computer flashed in front of me, I signaled everyone and heard the elevator. But it was just a false alarm. Yumi smiled greeting us all, not having seen us since Thursday. "Hey guys, anything new?" She smiled as we all sat to gossip and catch up.

"Nothing that new." I said pulling my headset off and tossing it on the keys.

"Yes there so is. He just doesn't want to talk about it," Ulrich pointed at me.

"No way!" I rolled my eyes, a lame defense.

"Yes way, his cousin is Aelita's new roommate,"

"She's totally cute too," Odd said.

"Shut up." I crossed my arms feeling a bit heated about it. "I just don't want to talk about it." I said standing up. "I'm gonna go to my room," I grabbed my bag and pulled it over my shoulder In haste. Aelita followed behind me pulling her bag on her shoulders as she walked quickly, "Jeremy." She huffed "you're going to have to be nice, I'm sure she's nervous," she said defending Tovah.

"She doesn't seem that bad," she said rubbing her arm nervously "so...what's the issue. Go on, tell me,"

"I'm nervous she'll find out about Lyoko, she's rooming with you, so if she finds out then we're in trouble,"

"We'll figure it out like we always do," we said reassuringly.

Tovah Pressman: Kadic Academy, Eighth-grade student

I laid in bed flipping through a book, still a bit embarrassed after dinner. Aelita enters after a while and sits on her bed, taking off her boots.

"How was your night," I asked. I wasn't going to be rude to the girl I wanted to be friends with.

"Boring," she said pulling out her pajamas. Suddenly we heard a thump-thump-thump, in the hallway after Aelita had changed into her PJs. We opened the door a hair to see a black fog filling the halls, "does this normally happen before bed?" She looked back at me as I opened the door some more, "we need to run," she said grabbing my hand. "Come on," she said as we opened the door all the way and pressed against the wall and stayed away from the weird black smoke.

"You just have to trust me okay?" She said pulling me behind her as she pulled her phone out and called Jeremy. "I guess I have no reason not to, I don't want to choke,"

The fog got thicker and thicker and it got harder to breathe, we ran into the forest, we were greeted by Odd, Ulrich, Jeremy, and a tall girl who I hadn't met.

"What! Aelita!" Jeremy said his face turning red. "Why did you bring your new pal?" He asked Angrily.

"I wasn't going to leave her to suffocate!" She protested.

"Um, roommate over here, care to tell me what's happening?" I asked.

"No time," Jeremy said.

We went into this place and I followed closely behind the group, not missing a beat. I didn't want to get lost or caught in the smoke. Jeremy told me to just sit still by him. Of course. I watched closely wondering what was happening. I looked at the screen and then felt the fog come back, but by the time it had manifested again, it had taken a form. It was like a ghost, it picked Jeremy up out of his chair and I stood from where I was sitting throwing a pole at the form, it released Jeremy and he was a bit shaken, but alright. He got back in his chair and went back to talking and typing. I went following the form to the lower chamber but it disappeared there were some pods, Odd fell out of one, he looked in bad shape, I helped him up and he looked a little surprised to see me.

"Jeremy let you move out of your spot?" He asked.

"Temporary," I said. "He was attacked by that thing," I said smiling.

"Can you tell me what's happening?" I asked.

"It's...complicated," he said softly as two more pods opened. Ulrich and Yumi, "what?" I asked looking at them.

"This is too weird," I said.

"Well, Aelita is all alone, Jeremy," Ulrich said "and this fog is gonna kill us,"

"I could...if I knew what was happening," I said softly. "If you gave me a chance," I said going up to Jeremy.

"It doesn't look like we have a chance," Yumi bit her lip.

"I guess we might have to," Odd said.

The fog was seeping back into the factory and we all looked at each other, worried.

"Fine, but I'll find a program to fix this when it goes sideways..." he said.

Odd took my hand and pulled me down to the pods.

He waited until it opened and I bit my lip as I got in, "is it going to hurt?" I asked.

"No, you'll be fine," he said. "It's like a video game, except kinda real," he rubbed his neck and then suddenly it shut. "Just relax," Odd said before I couldn't hear him.

I crashed onto the ground, this couldn't be good for the knees. I looked down at the body, a tight blue suit with an asteroid printed on my chest, I looked like a superhero.

"So what do I do now?" I had what looked like a blaster holstered onto my hip, I pulled it off as a giant crab marched towards me, "uh, Jeremy?"

"Do you have a weapon?"

"I have a blaster,"

"Shoot it!"

I felt my fight or flight senses activate. I shot at it a couple times and then it exploded. Then a couple wasp looking bugs came towards me and I ran towards a boulder to hide.

I shrank down and noticed Aelita next to me "is this your hiding place? I can find a different one," I said somewhat jokingly, I didn't know why I was joking, this was incredibly stressful.

"So. What do I do now?" I asked.

"Well we have to get to that tower," she said pointing to a large white tower.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it will make the fog disappear and sensing how no one has responded In a while we should do it soon," I nodded, nervous. I counted to three in my head and then ran covering Aelita, I shot at the wasp bugs and hit at least one, lucky shot. Very.

Aelita made it into the tower and then suddenly I was back in the scanner. Odd helped me up and I walked into the computer lab.

"So that was crazy," I said completely understating the events.

"Yes, but hopefully you won't remember any of it," Jeremy said as his finger hovered over a key.

"Why?" I asked.

"Return to the past now,"