Emi woke up on the floor...again. Sleeping on a bed was still an odd sensation for her. Every night for nearly two weeks, she woke up on the floor. Each time, it took ten mintues to uquice herself from the sheets.
The visions were getting worst. Every time she closed her eyes, she'd see flashes of unfamiliar and familiar scenecry. Sometimes she'd be in the Hertimage, francilty searching the house before being lead away by someone. A firm hand on 'her' shoulder signaled the time to leave. No matter how much 'she' struggled or pleaded for just a bit more time, the person continued to lead 'her' away. Each time she tried to get a look at the person's face, all she'd see is a grey blur. It was the same for any human like shape she looked it, minus the men in black.
No, the image of their crispy white shirts, freshly pressed black suits, and matching glasses were the only human like shapes that could clearly be seen. Just the sight of them envolved an unfamiliar feeling in the pit of her stomache. A shiver would go down 'her' spine, breathing would pick up, and she'd be momentrily frozen in place.
"Ems!" Wave brust into the room, unannoced. "Hurry up! Or well..." She withheld a laugh, seeing her friend on the floor. This wasn't a new sight for her, but funny all the same. Each time she found Emi entangled in different uwuice ways. "Need help?"
Emi ignored Wave, wiggling her amrs out of the sheets. She wrestled with the inanimte object, rolling atound on the floor. After several mintues of struggling, Emi was free. "I thought we agreed you'd knock?" She gav her friend a questioning look.
Wave tossed Emi a light purple dress from the warobe. "We're friends and both girls. What's the point in knocking?" She softed through the closet, pulling out a pair of _____ ankle boots. "Now get dressed. I'm hurgery."
Emi shooed Wave out, so she could get dressed in peace. Over the pass two weeks, Wave edged herself in Emi's life. Emi quickly learned it was easier to go along with Wave, than to talk her out of it. Thanks to Wave, Emi was able to come out of her shy shell. "Let's hope Odd hasn't eaten everything."
"He's a walking stomache!" Wave shouted, as she eagerly grabbed Emi's hand. "We can't let Odd eat all the food!"
Emi was dragged along.
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"Hey, Rosa." Wave greeted the cafertia worker. Unlike Odd, Wave generally like talking to Rosa and not just buttering her up to get extra food. "How's book club?"
"Everyone loved the book you recommed." Rosa placed soem food on Wave's tray. "We're picking another book later this week. Any suggestions?"
"Yup, I'll bring the book during dinner." Wave started to move down the line, when she noticed there was otameal and a muffin instead of toast, bacon, and eggs. "Did the menu change?"
Rosa shook her head, "Odd took the last of it. This is all we ahve left."
Emi followed Wave to the table Odd sat at with his friends. The group was laughing at somehing Odd said. An annoyed Sissi stomped away with her friends close behind her.
"You walking stomach," Wave pretended to be annoyed. "you ate everything, again." She stole a piece of bacon off his plate.
"Hey!" Odd tried to snatch the bacon away from Wave.
"Hey, Emi, Wave." Aelita greeted the two. Over the last two weeks Aelita had beome close friends with Emi. The two shared the same experience of being in a new enivorment and only knowing a few people. While Aelita did have a small group of friends, they were each often found doing their own thing. Odd and Ulrich usually liked to hang and play soccer afterschool, Jeremie spend alot of time working on his laptop, and sometimes Yumi had to leave right afterschool. Emi also understood the feeling of being alone, while having friends. Lately the Defenders had been busy with their own things. Once again Cam was locked away working on programs to aid them on Lyoko. He was even busier with the addition of fixing the modifications Xana had snuck into the materzialtion program. There was an upcoming figure skating compeition Kya was preparing for. Alexei had been roped into working on the school play since the soccer season had ended. No one knew what serect project Lynn was working on. All they knew was that most days he left right afterschool and didn't return until after dinner.
The busy schudles of the Defenders was partially why Emi quickly became friends with Wave and Aelita. While Aelita and Emi spent time together because their respective group of friends were often busy, Wave had taken it upon herself to befriend Emi. Other than Jeremie, Wave was the first person Emi had met at Kadic. She knew Cam had asked Jeremie and his friends to look after Emi, but she felt werid being around them. Anytime she came over, they'd immedialty stop talking, acting like they weren't planning something. She played it off as them plotting a prank to pull on Jim and not wanting to get her in trouble. But after Odd (with Ulrich's help sometimes) pranked Jim several times in one week, Emi suspected something else was going on.
It wasn't just the whispers, it was the way they'd make lame excuse to leave or cancel plans. How they'd disappear for hours and than reappear as if nothing happened. Emi was curious about all the secrectice, but she respected their privatic. She pretended not to notice anything and spent most of her time with Wave, when she wasn't with them or the Defenders.
"What did Sissy want?" Emi had two runins with Sissy, each time was Ulrich was showing her around. The Prinpal's daugther reminded her alot of Mara, with a high pitch voice.
"Same thing as always." Odd answered.
"Her 'Ulrich Dear'." Odd and Wave said in unison, mimicking Sissy's voice.
Ulrich passed a peerved look at the two. "Shut it!"
Wave gave a mischoivs wink. "Looks like Yumi has some completion." In the short amount of tie she knew them, Wave had picked up on the slight tension that occualy (plagued) the group. It was clear to everyone, execpt Ulrich and Yumi, the two liked each other.
"In other news," Emi interjected. "I hear there's going to be a pop quiz in science."
Ulrich sighed in frustation. He couldn't afford another bad grade, he was barely passing as it was. His father was unpleased as it was with his current grades. "Do you know what it's on?" He asked Emi, hoping she had a clue.
Emi shook her head, "Afraid not, I over heard Mrs. Hertz talking to Jim about it yesturday."
"Don't worry Ulrich, we'll help you and Odd study for it." Wave shoved a spoonful of otameal into her mouth, than made a sour face at the bland taste.
"Wave, your not a miracle worker. How are you going to get Odd to study?" Aelita smirked, passing a knowing look to Odd.
"I'll have you know, I've been studying every night." Odd said proudly, as he sipped his juice.
"Watching Dr. ______ reruns doesn't count." Wave refered to Odd's favorite show.
"I'll have you know it's thanks to my knowledge of Dr. _______ that we were about to get pass the factory's pcorssed equiment that time." Odd explained, proudly rememebering a time when his idea allowed the group to esapce one of Xana's traps. "A moment to later and it would've been to late to deactivate the tow-"
Before Odd could blurt out anymore information about Lyoko and Xana, Ulrich quickly placed a hand over Odd's mouth. "Shut it Odd, or you'll tell them everything." He whishpered to his roommate.
"You've got a little something here." Wave used her spoon to point to Ulrich's hand on Odd's mouth. She didn't notice the werid tension that replaced the calmness of their proir converstaion. She would, however, steal more food off of Odd's plate since he wasn't currently eating it. So what if there's a hand blocking him from eating, all's fair in the game of breakfast.
"What were you saying Odd?' Emi asked, when Odd didn't finish her statement. Normally, she'd let the long pause slide, but not this time. They usually didn't pay much attention to Odd when he began to speak nonsense, which was eighty-perecent of the time. So why would Ulrich go through the trouble to stop him from talking? "Something about process equiment?'
Odd passed a worried look to his friends. How was he suppose to talk his way out of this one? Luckily, it was Jeremie who answered. "He's talking about a game we've been playing."
Picking up on the lie, Aelita added. "Yeah, we've been stuck on the same level for a while and Odd actually had a good idea to get pass it."
Emi considered their words, "Two of my friends love video games, maybe they've played it. What's the name of it?" If they were telling the truth, Kya and Cam could conform this game's execistion. Cam loved video games so much, he was practilly an exerpt in gaming. While Kya often got stuck on some boss battle, but this didn't interfere with her love of playing video games.
The Lyoko Warriors shared a single questioning look with one another. How would they answer her question? Odd was the gamer of the group, with Ulrich occsionily joining him. As far as they knew, there wasn't a game that fit this descipirtion.
"Good morning students." The Warriros lucked out, Princpal Delmas has just entered the cafetira. "I have several excieting annocuenments to make." At the this point, the group's conversation had ended. Instead they listened to Princpal Delmas' announcments.
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"Couldn't this wait till afterschool?" Lynn searched the worn bookshelves. He wasn't looking for anything speific, just something that seemed out of place or didn't belong. Fifteen mintues of searching had yeilded dust, dust, and more dust. "Why is this so urget anyway?" Cam had found him just as he was walking to his second class of the day. At first, Lynn thought it was an attack. Normally, he was looking for Cam or one of the others during the school day. It was easier that way. Since Lynn was a year older and in a higher grade, Lynn rarely got to see his friends in class. The only class they shared was gym, since eigth and ninth sometimes had class together. Even than, it wasn't like they had free time to talk.
"Everyone's busy afterschool, now's the only time someone can come with me." For Cam, skipping class to work on Lyoko related things, was nothing new. Finished his search of the desk, Cam rejoined Lynn. "Emi's been having visions almost every night for two weeks." The other night, Emi had him at one am. She'd just woken up from another dream/vision, confused and disorinted. "Oringally, we weren't going to worry about them until later. Since these dreams/visions are happening more freequecitly, we can't hold off on investaging them."
Lynn followed Cam to the living room on the first floor. They'd headed straight upstairs upon arriving at the Hertimage. Now they'd search the bottom floor. "Still doesn't example why I'm here instead of one of the others. Lynn paused to adrime an old picuture of a lake on the wall.
"It's one thing if I skip class, but uf me and Kya or Alexei skip, it'll draw to much attention." Cam's attention was drawn to a music box on top of the piano. The wooden box was covered in a layer of dust with designs craved into the wood. "Besides, Kya prefers not to miss class if possbile and Ms. Tiya will know if Alexei skips."
"How can we be sure the visions weren't apart of the attack? Or side effects from Xana's modifciations on the materizlations program?" Lynn wondered around the room. He still didn't find anything down here either.
Cam tried to open the music box, but it was locked. "You have a point, but it's too early to rule out anything." Placing the music box back, Cam joined Lynn by the door. "Let's head back. I'll round a diagonzed check on the materaizlation program during lunch."
The two went back to Kanna, dicussing the possbile causes of Emi's visions along the way.
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Emi's POV:
Once again, I found myself racing through the forest. Instead of people chasing me, I was running towards something. No, it wasn't me running. I'm looking through the eyes of someone else. Yes, this person is franticly trying to get somewhere.
We arrived at a building shrouded in shadows, that also held a sense of familarity. We hestated before going instead. The door creaked open, revealing a faintly lit hallway. Slowly, we inhed forward inside. The further in we went, the darker the hall became.
"??????" A voice called, I couldn't understand what it said. The voice itself was a muffle of sound.
Suddenly, something jerked us to the left. We didn't immeditaly follow, but after more jerking, we complied. We didn't get far, as we were shoved away.
"??????" We called, pleading. Again I couldn't understand the words spoken. A cool panick overcame what little calmness we had. Darkness engulfed us, as a scream built up in our thorat.
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"What's wrong with your friend, Ulrich?" Sissi asked.
Disorenited, Emi tried to remember where she was. Glancing at the worried face around her, she realized she was at Kadic, Outside in the courtyard specifically.
"Maybe it's time to try a new make-up." Odd said seriously to Sissi. "Your face frightened Emi."
"Shut it, pippsqueak." Sissi said, trying to hide her embrassment. "Your freaky friend needs help. For two weeks, she's kept me awake with her screaming. Now this?"
The others didn't admit it, but they were worried about Emi. During class, she appeared to be in a daze. After class, she seemed better. Until, she ran into Sissi, literically. It was than that she began screaming. She stopped after a few seconds, but didn't come out of her daze for almost a mintue.
"Maybe she's having nightmares, because her room's next to your's." Yumi walked over in the middle of the conversation. "I'd have nightmares too, if I lived next to a tone deaf gorilla."
Sissi shut up after that, as she left.
"Don't let what she said bother you." Yumi offered a gand to Emi. "She'll do anything for attention."
Emi took Yumi's hand, "Thanks, but I don't pay Sissi any mind."
"Unfortnatly, Sissi's right." Everyone looked at Aelita in shock. No one ever agreed with or said Sissi was right. "You've been waking up screaming for the last few nights. Is anything wrong? Or something bothering you?"
All eyes turned to Emi.
"The thing is," Emi pretended to fidget. "I've been staying up late every night watching horror movies." She didn't like lying, but she couldn't explain that reason was because of the visions. That a whole other conversation, one that invloves Xana.
"Are you that scared of them?" Yumi asked, concerned for their new friend.
Emi withheld a laugh. The only movies that scared her were the ones Alexei picked. "No, it's the movie playing to loud."
Everyone seemed to accept that explaination. They'd all heard from Emi and Cam about Alexei's taste in movies. Emi even showed them one her first weekend at Kadic. They knew Emi liked movies and would watch them sometimes. Still, Aelita had a feeling Emi wasn't telling them something. The sounds from the movies could explain the late night screaming, but why she screamed after bumping into Sissi.
"Hey guys." Wave came jogging over. "Jim hurt his back, so we'll have study hall in the library instead of gym."
Yumi waved bye to her friends, before going to class. Ulrich and Odd were discussing how Jim could've injuried himself this time, while Jeremie and Aelita chatted about some program.
"Emi? You coming?" Wave asked, when Emi didn't follow them.
"Hmmm...oh yeah." Emi followed behind Wave, her thoughts elsewhere. The visions were now affecting her when she was awake. What would happen the next time a vision occured? Jeremie and the others couldn't be with her twenty-four seven. Even than, they probably wouldn't be able to snap her out of it. For that, they'd have to know about the visions in the first place.
"I'm hungrey. Who else could go for a second lunch?" Odd rubbed his stomach.
Ulrich paused to stare at his roommate in disbeilf. "You can't be serious. Lunch wasn't that long ago."
"Plus you ate four serving and half of mine!" Wave declared, still outraged at what happened. She'd stopped eating for two mintues to talk to Emi. When she looked at her food, Odd had the tray in front of him, chowing down.
Odd's stomach growled in disapproval. "My stomache agrees with me. 'Lunch' barely was enough to be a snack. Plus three hours ago is a long time!"
Aelite rolled her eyes, "Relax Odd, this is our last class for today. We'll get you something to eat later."
"Promise?" Odd's eyes lit up in happiness.
Wave noticed Emi wasn't walking with them and went to check on her. "You okay?"
Emi nodded. "Yeah, but I've gotta make a phone call. Cover for me?"
Wave gave a slaute, "Aye, aye captain." She bounced off to catch up with the others.
Emi waited until they were out of sight before calling Cam.
He answered on the second ring. "Everything okay, Emi?"
Emi took a moment to calm her thoughts. "It's the visions, there getting worst."
"I know Emi, we'll look into it. I promise." Cam had several theroies on the cause of the visions. He wasn't confident in any of them yet, to share with the others. On top of that, there was still other things he had to complete. Cam was swamped with so much, he didn't know where to start.
"No, Cam it's not like before. Now it's happe-" Emi was cut off by a loud sound in the background.
It was several long seconds before Cam answered again. "Mr. Z just arrived, I've gotta go. We'll talk about it tomorrow afterschool." He whipshered before hanging up.
Emi let out a sigh as she looked at her cell. The purple device had been gifted to her by the others after the attack at the Hemitage. They'd meant to give her the phone sooner, but had gotten side tracked by their busy lives.
How could she forget? They had lives long before meeting her. Emi couldn't expect them to be with her all the time. Now that she attended Kadic, a whole different school, it was even more unreasonable. She almost missed living on Lyoko. At least than she could call them at time and they'd usually answer. Two weeks living on Earth, and she was beginning to miss her nightly chats with Alexei. Heck, she even missed watching lame movies with him. And Cam, who would nag him to go to sleep at two in the morning?
Maybe being on Lyoko wasn't all that bad. At least she didn't have visions there.
"Lyoko..." Emi said thought aloud. All of this started after she left Lyoko. She hadn't stepped foot on Lyoko sense Xana's last attack involving the Heritmage. Could the visions be getting worst because she's been away from Lyoko for so long?
It made sense. She's never been away from Lyoko for more than a day or two. After her first materialize and the discovery of Xana's modifications, Emi visited the others a few times. Always having to return to Lyoko afterwards.
As an A.I., its not hard to believe something could've missed with her programing. The only way to find out would be to go to the mansion and Lyoko.
Emi immedialty dismissed the thought. The others were to busy currently to waste time on a trap to Lyoko that might be pointless. Even if Kya, Lynn, or Alexei could accompany her; they'd need Cam to be in the lab analazying everything.
She couldn't ask them to devote more time to help her than they already have. They didn't shut off the supercomputer after discovering her and Xana. Nor did they give up once they found Xana's modifications and couldn't turn the supercomputer off. They've risked alot to keep her safe and defeat Xana muiltplue times.
No, this was something she'd have to do on her own. Once she got on Lyoko, it'd be like old times.
Emi quickly sent a message to Cam, letting him know she was going to Lyoko. She than left Kadic's school grounds and headed for the access tunnels. The now familiar pathway lead her straight to the shed outside of the mansion. Emi entered onto the second floor, were she valuted over the railing and grabbed onto a rope to swing onto the first floor. From there she than entered the hidden elevator in the library.
Arriving in the lab, Emi opened the materlaiztion program on the computer. She remembered seeing a werid icon somewhere in the program when Cam had made modifications that allowed her to materlzia someone onto Lyoko, when she still lived there.
A timer popped onto the screen with a mintue countdown. Emi raced back to the elevator and headed for the scanners. Moments later, she was inside the scanner as the doors closed.
Emi felt a cool gust of air, followed by a bright flash of light.