“Ulrich?” Yumi tapped Ulrich once gently on the sleeve of his green coat.

“Huh?” he grumbled obnoxiously. The two had been fighting again, and Ulrich was, to say the least, irate.

“Listen, Ulrich. I’m sorry. This time it was my fault. I’m just… a little stressed out right now, I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

“Oh? No? So then you kissed William in front of me, just for kicks?” Ulrich challenged acidly.

“No.” Yumi’s face grew blank. “That wasn’t meant for your eyes. I did it to cheer him up. He’s been really down in the dumps lately. Odd says he’s asking about me almost every day now.”

“So you’re leading him on?” Ulrich raised a dark eyebrow.

“Well…”

“That’s just what I thought!” Ulrich screamed, “You haven’t changed one bit, Yumi! In fact, I think I should ask Sissi out! Maybe I’ll even take her behind the school, make out with her, as you walk by. In fact, I’ll bet you made him wait there for hours ‘till I walked by. Don’t act so innocent. We’re through!” Ulrich growled, shuffling off, his eyes emanating disdain.

“Wait, Ulrich!” Yumi forcibly grabbed his shoulder, not gently anymore, “You can be in love with two people at once, can’t you?” Yumi smiled shyly.

“Yeah! Whatever! Just leave me alone, okay?” He picked up the speed of his shuffle to a sprint, prying her unsuspecting hand off of his shoulder. “I don’t want anything to do with you!”

Ulrich ran all the way to the woods. This was one of his favorite spots to mope. An activity he frequently partook in.

Meanwhile, Jeremie and Aelita were busy at work.

“Aelita, I’ve been investigating this other Aelita. I don’t think that she’s you at all.”

“Really? Do you think it’s a polymorphic specter?” Jeremie shook his head once in response.

“No. I think it’s Franz Hopper.”

“Excuse me? Jeremie, that’s ridiculous!” Aelita snorted.

“No, really Aelita. Think about it. Franz Hopper was finally able to create a digital incarnation of himself… sort of… but, not entirely. Your genetic code is very close to his, so the program simply filled your body in, but I’m pretty sure it’s him in there.”

“Really? So my father… might be under our very noses?” Aelita gasped.

“Exactly.” Jeremie replied matter of factly.

“That’s fantastic!” Aelita grinned, “How long until we can get him out?”

“You probably don’t want to know.” Jeremie replied dryly.

“Okay, I get it. A long time. We should call the others.”

“You can try, but Ulrich and Yumi are still fighting. They might not pick up if they’re off sulking!”

“Ulrich? Miss an opportunity to mope? Highly unlikely.” The two shared a private laugh. The room was quiet. Too quiet. That’s when Jeremie realized that the subtle hum of his computer, so easily forgotten, was gone. He moved the mouse. Nothing. It was unplugged. Jeremie plugged the computer back in, and reloaded.

“XANA’s up to his old tricks! Mayday! This looks like a big one. Xana’s unplugged all of our computers, but not destroyed them. He’s trying to stall us, but why?” Jeremie muttered, half to himself, half for Aelita’s benefit.

“Look there. On the super scan. It picked something up, but not a tower…”

“Well, I’ll be.”

“What is it, Jeremie?”

“XANA has activated all of our Lyoko powers for use on Earth.” Jeremie stated grimly.

“But how, and why? Why would he want to make us stronger?” Aelita asked, confused.

“I have no idea.” Jeremie admitted, “But it can’t be good.”

“You’re right, it can’t,” Aelita agreed, “We need to tell the others- and soon!”

“I’ll call Ulrich first.” Jeremie muttered.

Aelita gave a piercing shriek, and fell to her knees. Her eyes appeared to be glazed over, but they were wide open. Suddenly, the walls of Jeremie’s room changed, and from the room another wall entirely rose.

Aelita shook. The glazed look left her eyes, and was replaced by one of fear and confusion. She fell backwards, her teeth chattering as though from a deathly cold, but the room was warm. Closing her eyes, she dropped to the floor.

Sissi, whose room was nearby, came in, looking irritated at the sound of Aelita’s screams. She stopped short, because right in front of the doorway, blocking entry and exit to the dorm, was a large, pale, wall.

“What is going on?” Sissi squealed.

“Sissi, is that you?” Jeremie muttered frantically, “Get help now! Aelita just passed out, we’re trapped, and I don’t think I can drag her out the window on my own.”

“O-okay.” Sissi stammered, “I’ll help you get her out.”

“No, she needs Nurse Yolande. Get her, first.” Jeremie heard the sound of Sissi’s footsteps leaving.

Jeremie knelt down on the floor beside Aelita, gently lifting her head, and placing it in his lap. He placed his hand on her forehead, it was colder than it should be.

Jeremie whipped out his phone, dialing the buttons to call Ulrich, “Jeremie, what’s going on? I can’t stop running! Aaah!” Jeremie heard the sound of a crash, then a distant voice, “Triplicate.” The line disconnected, Jeremie pocketed his phone, it was only a matter of time before his own power started up, he reasoned.

Yumi lay casually on her bed at home. William sat in a nearby chair that Yumi had recently added for these rendezvous.

“William, I don’t think I can keep seeing you without telling Ulrich.” Yumi sighed, reluctantly.

“I agree, we should really tell him.” William said quietly.

“No, William, that wasn’t what I meant.”

“You’re breaking up with me?” William looked hurt.

Suddenly, a pained look struck Yumi’s face. She clutched her head in agony, “Telekinesis.” She said, barely a whisper, and her body began to glow ethereally as the furniture in her room, including her bed and William’s chair, began to lift.

“Help! What’s going on!” William yelled, clinging to his chair, “Yumi? Yumi? How are you doing this?”

“William, get out! Quickly!” Yumi managed, before a scream of pure terror welled from deep inside of her, and she passed out, “I feel… weak…” she gasped, as her head soundlessly hit the pillow. However, the room remained suspended.

William began to feel nauseous, a ringing in his ears, “Super smoke.” He muttered, and disappeared.