Ulrich, Yumi, Odd, and I made our way across the courtyard chatting aimlessly. Ulrich and I had decided to keep our relationship a secret, for the time being, we didn't want any hurt feelings or devious plans from XANA. As we walked we spotted Sissy and her cronies harassing Milly and Tamiya.

"What do you think that's about?" I asked nudging Yumi.

She shrugged and quickened her pace, "I'm not sure but it can't be good if Sissy's involved."

We made our way over in time to hear Sissy say, "Stick around and learn." she flipped her hair and smiled at Ulrich, "Hi, how are you?"

"Well, what do you know, Its Miss Conceited in person." Odd jibed.

SIssy glared at him, "No one asked you, creep." She hmphed and turned back to Ulrich and smiled "When are you going to stop being so shy and tell me how you feel about me?" I rolled my eyes and glanced at Ulrich who was clearly suppressing a laugh.

"Oh, I'm not shy. I'm just allergic to anyone who's stuck up, and in that category, you win hands down." His rebuttal caused us all to burst into laughter, including Nicholas and Herb. She gave them both a stern look shutting them up immediately.

Odd put an arm around both Milly and Tamiya's shoulders and gestured toward Sissy, "I'll be she's been telling you about how no one can resist her charm. She's right too, just take a look at the two 'nobodies' she hangs out with."

Nicholas took a threatening step toward Odd but SIssy put a hand out to stop him, "Take it easy." She said then put a hand on her hip.

Ulrich laughed, "Wow, you ought to be a dog trainer when you grow up."

"Go on, laugh all you want, show your friends how clever you are. But I see the way you look at me when they're not around." She said then stormed off, her friends in tow.

"I think she's hallucinating," Ulrich said shaking his head.

"Oh no!" Odd said facepalming himself, "Speaking of dogs I have to go and feed Kiwi."

"I'll go with you." Ulrich said turning to follow him, "Want to come with us?" he asked looking between me and Yumi.

I shrugged, "Sure, I don't have anywhere else to be."I looked to Yumi, "What do you say Yumes?"

"I'll see you later, I promised Jeremie I would stop by and see him." She gave me a hug and we went our separate ways.

Ulrich, Odd, and I sat in their room. Ulrich and I sat on his bed while Odd sat on the floor talking to Kiwi. I was spacing out thinking about our earlier encounter with Sissy. Of course, I knew Ulrich didn't have feelings for her if they did we wouldn't be together, but a nagging feeling in the back of my mind wouldn't leave me alone, but Sissy wasn't the girl I was worried about.

"Anna?" Ulrich called my name pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I looked around and noticed Odd was gone, "Where'd Odd go?"

"To get Kiwi water and grab some snacks. What's wrong, you look bothered," he said putting a hand on my cheek.

I bit my lip and looked down, "I'm just thinking too much. You know how I am."

"What are you thinking about?"

"Well, I know before I got here you uh had feelings for Yumi. I know we've never talked about it but I know they were there. I saw it when I first met you guys. I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me intentionally but I can't help but feel like a rebound sort of thing." I knew I had spoken really fast but I hope he understood what I was trying to say.

His hand left my face and I couldn't help but look at him. His face was red up to his ears. He sighed and shook his head, "Look, I liked Yumi for a long time. She was the first girl I was ever really interested in, ya know? But after dancing around each other for so long I realized that I was infatuated with the idea of her." He shifted and looked at me, "Then you came along and suddenly I knew that Yumi wasn't it, as harsh as that sounds. From the minute I first met you couldn't help but want to protect and care for you, and eventually, I wanted to do that as more than just a friend. You have no idea how happy I am that you transferred here because I really really like you, Anna."

His face was only inches away from mine and I couldn't help but close the distance. It was a firm but quick kiss and I couldn't help but smile, "I really really like you too.."

A few seconds later the door opened and Odd returned with snacks and water. He filled Kiwi's bowl and the dog immediately started to drink, "Slow down Kiwi, you look like Nicholas in the lunch room."

Odd sat back on the floor, a chocolate bar in hand, "Don't insult my dog, his manners are ten times better than that sloppy airhead."

We all laughed and Ulrich picked up his phone, a smirk on his face, "I got a great idea that might be fun. What do you say we take our 'friend' Sissy down a peg or two?"

"There's nothing in the world I would rather do, what's your idea?" I asked.

Ulrich laughed and started typing a message to SIssy on his phone, "You'll see."

The three of us hid in the bushes opposite the garden shed and waited for Sissy to open the door. As we got into position I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and Yumi's name flashed across the screen.

I showed it to the boys, "Yumi is trying to reach me."

Odd ignored the call, "She's going to blow our cover. Turn your phones off, we can talk to her when we're done."

I complied and looked through the leaves and spotted SIssy about to open the door, "Look!" I whispered.

We watched as she slowly opened the door, "I'm here Ulrich," she peeked her head in, and seconds later she stumbled back and fell onto the ground with Kiwi standing on top of her and licking her face, "Ew! What is going on around here?!"

We came out of our hiding spots laughing, "Irresistible Sissy," I said.

"Not even a dog can resist your charm," Ulrich chimed in.

"Hey, don't knock it, Ulrich. This is a step up, Herb and Nicholas are no match for Kiwi." Odd guffawed, "Sorry to drag you away Kiwi, but its time to go," Odd beckoned Kiwi to us and smirked up at Sissy.

"You're going to pay for this" Sissy said standing up.

"That's fine, send us the bill. Ciao." I said and with that parting remark, we made our way toward a set of nearby benches.

Odd turned to Kiwi and pointed toward the dorms, "Go home Kiwi, go on." Kiwi listened and trotted away.

"It's a shame we didn't take a picture," Ulrich said.

"Yeah, imagine the headline in Milly and Tamiya's newspaper, 'Sissy and Kiwi; An Impossible Romance.'" We all laughed and sat on the benches.

A few minutes later Yumi appeared looking angry, "Oh Yumi, you got here too late. You missed a great show." Ulrich said leaning back.

"Sissy's got herself a boyfriend, although I don't think 'boy' is exactly the right word," Odd said laughing, "Anyway, they're in love."

She stalked over to us with her hands on her hips, "I've been trying to reach you for fifteen minutes, thank guys. XANA has just launched an attack."

Ulrich nodded, "Okay, I read you, it's urgent."

"Hey, you there!" Jim's voice yelled causing us all to look over. Jim and Sissy were approaching us with Kiwi in hand.

"Oh no no no no," Odd said facepalming, "as if we didn't have enough problems."

Jim stopped at our bench and held Kiwi up, "So it seems you forgot the rules here at school, huh? Pets are not allowed."

"We know that Jim, but you're not going to make a big deal out of a little dog, are you?" Odd asked timidly.

Jim grabbed the back of Odd's shirt and forced him to stand, "That's for the principal to decide. Follow me." Jim escorted Odd to the office leaving the four of us standing there.

Sissy walked over to where Jim had been standing and smirked, "You're even more of a pain in the neck than I thought." Ulrich said glaring at Sissy. She only winked in response and sashayed away. "How could she do such a thing?"

"She got her revenge but there's no point in worrying about that now, there's no time. There are too many lives at stake." Yumi said helping me up and running towards the factory.

Once we made our way to the Super Calculator Room Jeremie looked up at us confused, "Where's Odd?"

"He's in the Principal's Office because Jim found out about Kiwi," I explained.

"Okay you three, get ready for immediate departure, Aelita's waiting," Jeremie said turning his attention back to his screen.

We made our way down to the scanners and waited for Jeremie to launch the program. "Transfer Ulrich, transfer Yumi, transfer Anna. Scanner Ulrich, scanner Yumi, scanner Anna. Virtualization."

I felt the familiar sense of myself disappearing then I was floating above the vast and dry land of the Desert Sector. I felt myself become whole again before I landed on my feet on the sandy floor below.

"Everythings col Jeremie, the transfer was successful, no problem, and Aelita's here," Yumi said breathlessly.

"Good, no monsters in sight," Jeremie said.

"Any news from Odd?" Ulrich asked

"No, not yet. I'll try to contact him."

"Follow me," Aelita said taking off into the sector. We followed close behind her making sure there were no monsters. After a few minutes, we spotted the tower and stopped, "There's the tower," Aelita said.

"That's too easy," I said looking around.

"Yeah, it looks like a real XANA trap." Ulrich said walking up next to me, "Hey Jeremie, do you see anything on your screen?"

"No, nothing. Not a single monster."

Jeremie opened a news broadcast so we could hear what was going on, "Two trains are only fourteen minutes away from what could be a devastating collision. One of them is carrying highly toxic chemicals, which if released could cause major damage to the surrounding area and ruin the ecosystem around it. No one knows-"

Jeremie cut the women off, "Alert, you're surrounded by four monsters."

We looked around for a moment but couldn't spot the monsters. I was about to turn around to look behind us but Ulrich put a hand out to stop me. He didn't say anything but slowly drew his sword. I followed his lead and put a hand on my scythe that was sheathed on my back.

Ulrich grunted in frustration, "Where are they? I don't see any monsters."

Immediately after he spoke four lasers appeared out of nowhere and hit each of us. In our pained and distracted state, the four Bloks took advantage and revealed themselves. They stood in a semicircle observing us. After a moment one of the Bloks scuddled forward and began to shoot at Ulrich but he was able to block it with his katana.

I unsheathed my scythe and waited for the other Bloks to make a move. I stepped in front of Aelita and tried to shield her and myself from the barrage of lasers that the three other Bloks were unleashing. After getting hit several times I could feel the pan wearing on me.

"You guys need to get out of there. You're losing too many life points!" Jeremie called out.

Ulrich let out a frustrated grunt, "Great idea, only how do you suggest we do it? Do you want us to sprout wings?" A few seconds later Yumi was devirtualized causing Ulrich to curse.

"There are a few rocks to your right, try and lose them in there," he said.

The Bloks started to advance toward us, "Anna, take Aelita with you. I'll handle them." Urich said moving in front of us.

I gaped at him, "But Ulrich-"

"Don't argue, run! Triplicate!" Ulrich jumped into the air and two copies of him appeared out of nowhere, "Go now!"

I grabbed Aelita's hand and took off toward the rocks. Aelita and I hid and watched as Ulrich fought the monsters he was able to take out three of them before being frozen by the fourth and devirtualized. I grabbed Aelita and pulled her to a different part of the rocks to try and evade the Blok but to no avail. It stood waiting for us as we turned a corner.

"Run!" I said making a break for the tower.

"Odd is on his way," Jeremie said

As Aelita and I ran the Blok began to shot at us. I sped up and pushed Aelita out of the way causing a laser to barely miss us. We tumbled to the ground and watched as the Blok began to approach us. My body felt heavy but I knew what I had to do. I tightened my grip on my scythe and took a deep breath. I visualized the space behind it and teleported there. As soon as I opened my eyes I swung my scythe and slashed the eye of XANA on the Blok causing it to explode.

"I did it!" I called out to Aelita but before I could return to her a wall of red light knocked me to the ground and I felt myself slip away.

I woke up inside of the scanner with Ulrich crouched above me, waiting patiently, "Welcome back to our world, Anna." He said helping me up.

"I did what I could" I replied as we made our way up to Jeremie and Yumi. When we made it over to the monitor a pop-up of Aelita's character card vs a Megatank appeared on the screen.

"Aelita, are you crazy?!" Yumi called out.

I felt an overwhelming sense of panic, "What are you doing, get out of there now!"

We watched as she fell to her knees and used her creativity to move the Earth and roll the oncoming Megatank away from her.

"I was sure she would do that," Jeremie gloated seemingly unfazed.

All I could do was let out a sigh of relief as she made her way to the tower. I looked at the map and saw that Odd was face to face with the Megatank, but it wasn't looking in his direction. The monster opened it's shell and let out a wall of red light toward Aelita. We watched as Odd ran to her, and pushed himself into the wall blocking it from her and stopping it altogether. As he fell to the ground we could hear him shout, "Laser arrow." and the monster disappeared.

The news channel that Jeremie had been watching previously opened and showed live footage of the two trains rapidly approaching each other. I grabbed Ulrich's hand and felt myself hold my breath in fear. But as the two trains were only mere inches apart they both stopped dead in their tracks. We all cheered and high fived.

"Just in time!" Ulrich whooped.

Jeremie typed some code into his computer then hit the enter key, "Return to the past now." A blinding white light engulfed us and I couldn't help but feel relieved.

The six of us sat hidden in the bushes across from the garden shed. Sissy was eagerly walking toward the door yet again. As she opened the door and peaked her head in she was brought tumbling to the ground by Herb who was proclaiming his love for her. Odd peeked out of his hiding spot and snapped a picture right as Herb leaned in to kiss Sissy.

"Cut it out! Are you out of your mind or what?" She said pushing him away and standing.

Herb looked up at Sissy sadly, "But I got your message: 'Meet me by the garden shed. I love you -Sissy'"

We all grouped up and looked at the polaroid, "We're gonna give Tamiya and Milly a real scoop. Guess whos going to make the front page of the next issue of the school's newspaper." Ulrich said waving the photo around.

"Just keep dreaming you creep." We heard Sissy shout, "In the meantime, you've got some explaining to do when my father hears about this."

Herb scrambled up off the floor and followed her, "Hey Sissy, wait a second."

"What a shame," Aelita said feigning sadness.

"We just saw the beginning and the end of a beautiful romance." Yumi chimed in causing us all to laugh.

I smiled at Ulrich and when he returned it I couldn't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world.