It was late afternoon and the gang had gathered in the caferitra for lunch. Instead of their usual lively converstaion, no one was in a joking mood. Mostly, because of Kya. "The answer is no." Kya slammed her fist onto the table, knocking her cup over. "I don't care what your reasoning is, I won't allow either one of you to do this."
Alexei and Cam looked at each other. They had discussed everything the night before, hoping they could get Kya to agree. "We've barely mangaged to stop the last few attacks." Alexei explained. "Cam doesn't and can't keep going to Lyoko. He's need in the lab, where he do the hacks and guide us. Kya, we need a third defender on Lyoko."
Kya acrossed her arms, "Cam can teach me how to hack, I've done it before."
Cam shook his head, "You've gotten lucky before. Besides, there isn't enough time to teach you. You've got practice, plus tutoring to help maintain your grades. I've also got my hands full working on the programs."
"That's my point. The three of us barely have enough time to battle X.A.N.A. and be good students. How do you think Lynn will feel? He has alot more going on then us." Kya glared at Alexei and Cam. Lynn was another Lyoko Defender and a member of their small group of friends. A year older, Lynn was in the ninth grade while the others were in the eigth grade. Lynn was a core member of the group, acompanying Kya and Alexei to Lyoko. He was also Kya's best friend and the only friend she had upon tranfering into Kanna Academy two years ago.
"We get it, really we do. Lynn's perferring for that competition." Alexei tried to calm Kya down. "We know how important it is to him. When we agreed it would be best if Lynn took sometime to speretae himself from Lyoko to foucs on the competition. Lynn made it perfectly clear, we were to contact him the minute we needed help. Well Kya, that time is now."
"We've already contacted Lynn, Kya. He'll be prepared should be need him on Lyoko. Hopefully it won't come to that." Cam placed his hand on Kya's should.
Kya sighed, "Why did you bother asking me about this, if you already did it? Does my oppenent matter so little to you?" Grabbing her tray and bag, she left her freinds. Angery at them, but more at herself. Had she been a better defender, Lynn wouldn't have been dragged back into everything.
"Just give her some space, general." Alexei patted Cam's back. "You know how close the two of them are. Kya just needs sometime alone."
Cam saddly watched as Kya left the cafetira. Apart of him wanted to chase after her, but he knew Alexei was right.
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Kya's POV:
After leaving the guys, I found myself sitting in the quad under a tree staring at the leaves. "What was the point in asking my option if they'd already made their descion." Lynn is my best friend and the only friend I had at Kanna Academy upon transferring in two years ago. While we did meet Alexei and Cam that same year, it'd been several months after the school year began. Lynn was the only person I knew and could count on. Even after discovering Lyoko, for a while I avoided direct contact with Alexei and Cam.
Lynn's been my best friend since elementary school. We're both from the same town and our families are friends. Naturally, Lynn should've been friends with my older brothers. Since their all boys and close in age. But Lynn wasn't like other boys has age. Instead of playing sports, reading comics, and watching action movies. Lynn wanted to stay inside and practice with his different instruments, listen to oprea music, or watch musicals on tv. Not that share a strong passion for music like Lynn does. But after hearing him play, I often wonder over to just listen during my free time. One day, Lynn caught me singing along by mistake. That was the day we made our deal. I'd sing in his band (if he ever made one) and he'd create different music arrangements for me use during my competions.
"Hey K." Lynn flopped down beside me, a goofy grin on his face. "I think this new song will really improve the demo. Do you mind singing? I've got some simple lyrics right here." That's Lynn for you, always opmicits and a chatterbox. He'll have a whole conversation himself, without realizing no one's said a word. "What's wrong?" He asked, when I wasn't smiling.
"It's nothing." I gave a slight smile. "Let me see the lyrics." I tried to grab the paper from Lynn, only for him to hold it out of reach.
"They told you didn't they." Lynn confirmed, from the frown I gave. "I'm a Defender as well, never forget that. There'll be other contests to enter, but only one Lyoko and Defenders. I want to help."
"No. I won't allow you to waste this chance." I played with a string on my shirt. "Music is the only thing you've ever wanted. Your father doesn't want doing this as a career, but I know you'll be great. Winning this contest will take you another step closer to completing your dream."
Lynn ran his fingers through his blonde hair, letting out a heavy sigh. "K, we can't keep doing this. My dreams will come true no matter what. Whether it's fifty days from now or fifty years. But you guys are my friends. I'll do anything to protect everyone, including Emi."
This wasn't a conversation I was going to win, at least not today. Lynn is very sturnborn once he makes up his mind. However, he has been know to change it (with even nagging and vaild aurgments from me). "Let's go to class. Cam's been skipping often enough that the teachers are starting to actually take attendance." Getting up, I snatched the paper out of Lynn's hand.
"I'll take that as a yes?" Lynn asked.
Rolling my eyes, I place the paper inside my pocket. "Maybe, maybe not. You won't know until later." Waving bye, I made my way to class.
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Somewhere within Lyoko, a tower's glow became red. Having activated the tower, X.A.N.A. began his newest attack. This time, his spector manifested inside of the cafertia. The spector went into the fridge, before allowing the meat and other items to abosab it.
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Alexei's POV:
"Kya will be fine once she's calmed down. You were right to keep Cam from chasing after her." Emi was safely inside the tower, chatting with me. It was after school and I was inside the manison with Cam. Cam decided to work on some programs after school to distract him from Kya. Emi was entertaining me, while I waited for several of my friends to get out of practice. We were going to play basketball before the schools mandotary curfew.
"We probably shouldn't have called Lynn behide her back, but we didn't have a chose." Sitting on the hard floor, I flipped through several website while speaking to Emi. "We really need a third person on Lyoko, there's no way around it."
"Hopefully, another Key will appear soon." Emi had spent the day searching the forest sector for a key. "X.A.N.A. only has one key, while we have two. Only one more key and we'll be free of X.A.N.A."
Shaking my head, I frowned. "Whether we find all of the keys or not, we're not turning off the supercomputer until your physically here on earth with us."
"Its to dangerous to keep the supercomputer on." Emi explained. "You could always restart it, once Cam's discovered the materizaltion code."
"Wouldn't work." Cam's voice made me jump, he's be silent since we arrived at the manison. "I've thought about that to. But the supercomputer might not reconzige any codes I create for you. What I mean is, each time the supercomputer is turned off and on, it chances certain codes within it's system. This is why you lost your memories when we reactivated it."
Cam and I were going to have a long talk later. How could he even think of turning the supercomputer off with Emi still trapped? She's alive as much as we are. "How much longer till the locator program is complete?"
Cam gave me a confused look, "What do you mean? It was completed last week, after the knights attack. Had you focused on something other then the Subdigital concert, you would've know this." Rolling his eyes, Cam returned to work.
"Then why don't we run it right now? I could use a trip to Lyoko." I was beginning to miss X.A.N.A.'s attacks. Nothing strange has happened since the knights and musume attack. Being a normal student is boring.
"The program continuously runs." Emi explained, "The only time it turns off is when it detects a Key's digital signature."
"Which means, no pointless trips to Lyoko." Cam glanced over, smirking.
"Whatever." Ignoring him, I reusmed my conversation with Emi. We only really talk about movies and our small group. I valued our small chats, perfering this over someone like Mara, who never stops talking about herself. I hope this doesn't change once Emi's materizaled. Which reminds me, it's almost been a year since we meet Emi and begin our dual lives. I'll have to plan something with the others. Emi doesn't remember anything before meeting us, the group's one year aniversy can double as Emi's birthday.
"Why don't you get out of the lab and join our game of basketball?" I asked Cam, while logging off with Emi. Cam wasn't unfit, he just perferred playing video games to being outside. We use to play on the same soccer time in elementary school. But that changed once Cam discover game coding in our finally year of elementary school. Since then, he spends most of his free time either playing video games or desgining them.
"Nope, I'm good here." Cam waved, as I entered the elevator.
"Tell mom I'll be back late." My mom doesn't care what we do, as long as we attend school and let her know if we'd be out late or spending the night at a friends place. "I'll be eating dinner at school also."
"Yup." Back in work mood, Cam forgot about my persesnce.
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After their basketball game, Alexei went to the cafeteria to have dinner with his friends. There, Lynn and Kya were discussing the new lyrics for Lynn's demo. The two didn't touch their food, as they were to focused on working. "Should we switch these two parts?" Kya suggested.
Lynn read over the section, before answering. "Then we could move this section over here." The two hunched over the papers, creating notes and more lyrics.
"What are you nerds working on?" Mara snatched the paper of the table. "This is garbarg." She read over the lyrics, laughing as she finished. "Your not seriously using this for the competition are you?" The competition Lynn had entered was a major one that happened over two years and was open to everyone. Several students and staff from the academy had entered in addition to Lynn. Lynn was one of three from the school to pass into the final round.
"Bug off, Mara." Kya tried to get the paper, as Mara stepped back. "Give it back!"
Mara tossed the paper to Ally, who balled it up. "Why do you bother trying?" She smirked. "Your music sucks and the lyrics are terrblie."
Frustated, Kya slammed her fist on the table. "You two no talent hags know nothing about music!" Her loud voice, made their table the center of attention. "Mara your music selections for figure skatin competitions are so horrorblie, the judges dudcte points from you." She turned to Ally, "Don't even get me started on your singing."
Anrgy and embarrased, Mara grabbed a tray from the table and dumped it onto Kya's head. "Look Ally, this fashion reject is now a work of art."
The entire caferteria brust into laugher. Kya almost lept over the table at Mara, but Lynn yanked her back by her wasit. "I pity you Mara. Needing to bully and belittle others just to improve your own pride, is sad and aweful." Taking Kya's hand, Lynn led her back to the dorms. Truthfully, he wanted to turn around and repay Mara's 'kindess'. But Kya needed him to remain calm, since her temper often overrode her judgement. A temper that often lead to arugments and fights, which wouldn't help againts Mara. Mara's family owened most of the land surrouding the academy. They've been known to make large donations to the school. Which meant getting into a fight with Mara is the quickest way to be expelled. "Go get cleaned up, I'll be back."
Leaving Kya, Lynn went to the boy's dorm flood. Lynn's mood didn't improve as he found Avery's glared greeting. "Can't I get a moment of peace away from you?" Sharing a room with Ally's cousin and Mara's childhood friend wasn't easy. Avery shared a passion for music like Lynn, often playing instruments loudly throughout the night. It didn't help that Lynn had made it into the final round of the music competition and Avery didn't. Lynn only went to his room to sleep and pick up anything he needed, preferring to stay away from Avery for as long as possblie.
"It's not like this isn't my room." Rolling his eyes, went to his side of the room. "Stop being a hermit and hang out with Mara, she needs more friends." The other didn't know how lucky they were. During school, they could all aviod Mara's group. But Lynn was forced to see Avery every single day and night. He wondered how the two of them survived this long without bloodshed.
"Just get what you need and leave." Avery went back to reading his comice book.
Most of the time, Lynn was calm and reasonable, until someone hurt his friends. Lynn was protective of those closes to him, which was why he was relucdant to temporaily leave the group. The group was made up of five friends; Cam, Alexei, Kya, Lynn, and Emi. Of the five, only Alexei, Kya, and Lynn regurlay went to Lyoko nad could effectively battle monsters. Sometimes, one of the could get caught in one of X.A.N.A.'s attacks. Leaving only one or two to journey to Lyoko.
After speaking with Cam, Lynn's concern had only grew. This small group needed all of it's members. Had he known the current situation ealier, Lynn would've rejoined the group sooner. Kya wasn't going to be happy when she learnt Lynn had decieded to fully rejoin the group.
Finding his hidden candy supply, Lynn returned to Kya's dorm. While plotting her revenge, Kya blew dry her hair. "Don't worry about Mara." Lynn leaned against the door fame. "She'll get her come-upin's during the figure skating competition you'll win."
Kya scowled, "I'm sick of taking her bullying. Why did you stop me from clawing that smirk off her face?"
Lynn hide his bemused smile, "Cuz, I don't want you getting expelled." He held up an old lunchbox. "Then you wouldn't be able to share theses."
Kya eyes lite ip, as she jumped off the bed. "You've been hiding your candy again! Share!"
Lynn held the lunchbox out of Kya's reach. He ducked, dodged, and danced around Kya, keeping the luchbox just out of reach. "Guess you really don't want any. I'll just have to enjoy this sugary goodness alone."
"Gimme!" Kya jumped on Lynn's back, throwing him off balance. The two friends tumbled to the ground, with Kya landing safely on Lynn's back. "Haha! The teasure is mine!" Taking the lunchbox from Lynn, Kya flopped on her bed to enjoy her sweets.
"You don't need any more sugar. Your hyper enough as it is." Groaning, Lynn fell onto the bed beside Kya.
"Are you really coming back?" Kya asked, changing the subject. "You should be fouscing on the competition and not us. Cam's almost finished the materaizleion program."
Refusing to answer, I pulled Kya close. As children, we often spent the night at each others houses. Little Kya was afarid of the dark, so I would pat her head until she fell asleep. The two of us falling asleep togther is nothing new for us, but anyone else might think we're dating. Which is why I quietly slipped out of Kya's room once she was asleep. For now, I'll aviod mentioning me returning to the join. During the next attack, she'll realize herself how much all five of us are completely needed to contiune battling X.A.N.A..