Quick footsteps crashed and crunched along the dirt path. He had so little time. Somehow, he knew, the moment the sun went down, all would be lost.

His chest constricting and legs burning, he carried on, trying to ignore how much everything hurt. Suddenly, he skidded to a halt, staring before him in confusion at the creature before him. A small dog with short fur and a long snout stared up at him, tail wagging.

"Kiwi?" he asked, confused as to why his dog was here, though he wasn't sure why. Then Kiwi did something strange.

He spoke.

"Master Odd," the dog responded, a high-pitched but definitely male voice. The dog bowed his head to his owner.

"Uh. . . hi there," he glanced around, his sense of urgency returning quickly to him. "Say, do you know where the castle is?" The dog nodded slowly.

"It is ahead, along the path from the right of the fork in the road. But Master, there is something you must know. There are three creatures you must defeat before you rescue the princess within," Kiwi spoke solemnly. Odd nodded and ran past his dog.

"Right. Thanks Kiwi, I'll give you a treat later!" Odd yelled back as he flew. The dog shook his head, smiling at his master.

As directed, Odd took the right fork in the road, but it wasn't long before he skidded to a halt once again. He smirked.

"Oh, hey, ugly. Been waiting for me long?" he asked with a grin. The Megatank before him split and started charging its eye. Odd's face hardened as he dove away, just barely missing being hit by the blast of energy from the Megatank. Odd brought his arm up.

"LAZER AR-" his eyes widened as he looked down and saw, not paws or gloves, but his bare hand holding a bow. "Oh."

He looked up, hearing the sound of charging and dove away once again. He got up on one knee, reached back and grabbed an arrow from a quiver he was sure hadn't been there before, aimed, and, practically with his eyes closed as his bravery began to flee him, let it fly. He cringed, hearing the sound of charging as he released the arrow, and prepared for the attack. . . but it didn't come. Instead, there was a loud explosion. He opened his eyes and saw the Megatank was gone. He grinned wildly and began running again.

The grand doors of the castle came into view and new energy found its way into his legs. Then the doors crashed open and a Krab stepped toward him menacingly. Odd nodded to himself.

"Yeah, okay. No, can't let Odd save the Princess from just one monster. No, if he gets off too easy, she may not be as glad. . ." his eyes narrowed as the Krab took a couple more steps. He looked down and saw his weapon was now a sword. He looked back up at the Krab, which seemed the be sizing him up.

Odd let out a scream, running at the Krab, which took a step back in confusion at this new, bold attitude. Odd leapt, kicked off one of the Krab's front legs, flipping over the top of it and, upside-down, thrust the sword into X.A.N.A.'s mark, pushing from the sword, flipping off the Krab, landing in the threshold of the castle and walking in as the Krab behind him exploded.

"Okay. Now. For the Princess. . . where are they kept. . . hmm," he cast a wary eye around at the large hall before him. Pillars were lined all around the sides of the room, and on the walls were a great amount of doors. He spotted a door ahead with a music note on it and his face split into a grin. He started running toward the door when the words of his dog echoed in his head. "Wait. . . he said three-"

Something large and scaly crashed down in front of him, then lowered its massive head to his level. Odd's eyes widened.

"D-dr-DRAGON," he screeched before fleeing to the side, hearing the dragon take a great sucking breath. "NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO," he screamed as he slide behind a pillar. There was a great blowing noise, and suddenly, he felt like the room had been transformed into a sauna. Flames licked around the edges of the pillar he was using as a hiding spot. "Okay. . . okay, Odd. Take a deep breath. In," he took a great, sucking breath, "out," he blew out.

He looked at his feet, summoning courage, away, then back again, confused. Was that. . .

"A. . . fire-extinguisher?" He picked up the tank at his feet. His face morphed into a maniacal grin. The dragon sent another great wave of fire his way, and Odd knew that the other side of the pillar was going to begin crumbling soon. He had to act fast. The fire stopped and he heard the dragon take a couple of steps in his direction. Now or never, he told himself, trying to be brave.

Odd leapt out from behind the pillar, surprising the dragon slightly, though it passed quickly and the anger returned, double.

"I'm sorry for this, my scaly friend," Odd said as the dragon began to take another sucking breath. Odd raised the fire extinguisher. "But. . . I have a Princess to save," he said, sprayed the foam straight into the dragon's mouth, the start of a flame extinguishing immediately. The dragon stared at him, shocked and indignant, as Odd began waltzing by, toward the door with the music note.

"Yeah, yeah. I know, you're mad. But I have business to attend to!" Odd said as he opened the door. He stared up at the stairs and sighed. "Alas, my worst enemy. . . exercise," he said solemnly before mounting the stairs and beginning to climb.

It was a good few minutes of climbing, and his body was wearing out quickly. Soon, he was crawling melodramatically up the stairs, but the moment a door came into view, he leapt up and started running.

"PRINCESS! I'M HERE! I'M HERE TO RESCUE-" he threw the door open.

"MR. DELLA ROBIA."

Glasses reflected light into his eyes and a load of bushy gray hair swam before his eyes. Odd sat up suddenly, wiping drool from his face.

"Eheh. . . sorry, Mrs. H.," Odd said, a sheepish grin on his face. Mrs. Hertz frowned down at him before walking back up to the front of the classroom.

"As I was saying. . . when the atom. . ."

Odd's eyes drifted to a window and his mind drifted to his dream. He really would've liked to have known who the Princess had been. And now, if he ever had the dream again, he'd probably just end up seeing Mrs. Hertz instead of the original Princess, and that was no fun. . . well, okay, it was kind of funny, but it certainly wasn't the romantic ending he'd been hoping for.

It was only a few minutes before the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Odd trudged out of the class and Ulrich trotted up to him in the hallway.

"So, what was it about?" Ulrich asked and Odd glanced at him with a confused expression. Ulrich grinned. "The dream. With how much you were twitching, it had to have been interesting."

"Oh," Odd grinned. "I was fighting monsters. . . there was a Megatank and a Krab and a dragon-"

"A dragon?" Ulrich interrupted. "Why a dragon?" he asked and Odd grinned again.

"Oh, I was saving a Princess," Odd explained and Ulrich raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

"Oh? Well, who was the Princess?" he asked and Odd frowned, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I don't know. Mrs. H woke me up right before I found out," Odd said and Ulrich chuckled.

"Bummer."

The two boys traipsed off toward their dorm, and once there, Odd wasted no time in collapsing onto his bed.

"Going to see if you can carry on saving that Princess?" Ulrich grinned at him.

"What can I say? My lady needs me," Odd said before rolling over to face the wall as Ulrich chuckled.

"I hate stairs, I hate stairs, I hate stairs," Odd muttered to himself, crawling once again up the endless stair case. He felt like he'd climbed the staircase twice, and the second time, it had only gotten longer. "Why can't she just live on the first floor? She must have some buff legs," he continued muttering.

He found the door and leapt up, running for it, beside himself with excitement. He flung the door open.

"PRINCESS! I've come to rescue you!" he called, arms open, grinning so large that his eyes were squeezed shut. He heard a gasp of shock and he opened his eyes as the girl turned from the window she seemed to just have been staring out of to face him. A light pink dress flowed around her dainty body and her expression lit up, sparkling with pure joy, hair dancing around her beautiful face. . . then she looked confused.

"Odd?" she asked, her eyebrows knit together.

". . . Aelita?" Odd asked hesitantly. Aelita was. . . the Princess? Then he realized something and his face fell. "You. . . were expecting Jeremie. . . ." Aelita's eyes widened.

"Oh! Well. . . I mean. . . yes. . . but that's-"

"No, it's fine. I understand. He. . . yeah," Odd said lamely and Aelita's face softened.

"I. . . don't know. . . I'm actually not that surprised. It's not like this is the first time you've saved me," she smiled. "I had actually been hoping. . ." she trailed off and looked out the window.

Odd watched her, confused. What had she been hoping? For someone strong? Smart? Someone not him?

He turned back to the door.

"Well. . . you're free now. . . so. . . go ahead and find your prince," he said sadly, walking to the door.

"Oh, but Odd. . . ." Odd paused and heard her step toward him. A small hand laced with his and pulled, turning him to face her, just inches away. She smiled that sweet smile. "I already have."

Odd watched her in confusion and she just stared back, enjoying his confounded expression. Then she shook her head, knowing he'd never understand until she simply showed him. She stood on her toes and leaned in, and right as his eyes began to widen, finally catching up, she pressed her lips to his, her eyes shut. His eyes instantly followed, and his hands found themselves on her waist as he kissed her back.

Aelita giggled.

With a groan, Odd opened his bleary eyes and glanced around the room.

"Well, good morning, Sleeping Beauty," he heard Yumi say as he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Yumi?" he asked just to make sure. The girl snickered.

"That must've been some dream. We've been here for a while," she said and he froze.

"We?" he asked tentatively as his dream flooded back to him. Aelita. . . oh, no, Jeremie. . . .

"Aelita and I. We've been here. . . what, a half an hour?" Yumi said and Aelita giggled again.

"And you've just been curled up, twitching and smiling. What were you dreaming about?" Aelita asked.

"Probably rescuing his Princess," Ulrich commented. Odd began blushing and glanced around. The two girls were sitting on Ulrich's bed and Ulrich was sitting at the foot of Odd's.

"Oh, Princess, huh? Well, then, who was she? Someone we know? Or some mysterious stranger?" Yumi teased and Odd blushed further.

"Uhh, you don't know her. . ." Odd said quickly and Yumi grinned.

"Oh, really? Then why are you blushing so much? Hmm? I think you just don't want us to know who you like," Yumi teased further and Odd frowned, his face heating more than he thought possible.

"She must be something else to have Odd dreaming about one princess and not a whole room of them," Aelita commented, smiling.

"That's true. C'mon, Odd, who is she?" Ulrich asked, his curiosity making Odd even more nervous.

"I. . . can't tell you," Odd said truthfully this time. After all, he couldn't. He knew Jeremie and Aelita had. . . well, something. He couldn't go telling them all about this dream. That's all it was, anyways. A dream. It wasn't like he was. . . in love or anything. . . .

He glanced at the girls and saw Aelita was smiling sweetly at him. . . ignorant to his turmoil, but still so sweet. . . and smart. . . and pretty. . . and he had to admit, he always had loved her bright pink hair. . . the way it danced when she walked. . . .

Stop it, he told himself. He knew he was being stupid. But then he started thinking again. . . and he was pretty sure he'd had other dreams where Aelita was the subject of affection. . . though they seemed far-off. . . not as detailed. . . nothing he'd have remembered when he woke. . . until now. Until he'd dreamed of a kiss, one that brought everything back to the surface.

How many times had he saved Aelita? A great deal, that was for sure. But hey, hadn't they all? That was why they went to Lyoko, after all. To protect her. But every time he'd seen her in danger. . . something had screamed inside him. He thought it was instinct telling him that if she was lost, so was all hope. They would all die. Now, he wasn't so sure. . . .

"ODD!" a voice yelled and he snapped out of his thoughts and glanced around.

"Eh?" he asked, realizing he'd been staring in the girls' direction for a while and starting to blush all over again.

"I was going to make sure it wasn't me, because you've been staring over here for a while, but now I realize you were just daydreaming," Yumi said, rolling her eyes, and Aelita giggled again, a sound that jarred Odd, stirring something in his stomach, making his feel both queasy and as light as a feather.

"I. . . have to go," Odd said suddenly, jumping up and fleeing the room. The remaining three exchanged glances.

". . . what's with him?" Yumi asked and Ulrich shrugged.

"You're being stupid, Odd," he reprimanded himself. He had found haven beneath the stairs, where he could be alone with his thoughts. "Aelita and Jeremie. That's how it's always been. And you're not gonna screw everything up for them and for the group and for yourself just because of one stupid dream," he muttered before letting his head fall to rest against his knees and groaning. "What am I gonna do?"

"Odd?" His eyes snapped open and he looked up. Oh no. . . he thought as Aelita walked toward him. "Are you okay?" she asked and he tried to hide behind his knees to conceal the blush that was creeping up on him. What was wrong with him? He'd never blushed this much before!

"Oh, uh, yeah! I'm uh, great!" he said, trying to flash his usual cheeky grin but knowing he was failing miserably. Aelita watched him warily.

"Right. . ." she said slowly, her disbelief highly evident. He noticed her step closer and froze up. No, no, no. Don't sit down. Don't sit down. Don't- Aelita slide down the wall to sit next to him and he internally groaned. "Well. . .you know you can talk to me about anything, right? I mean. . . I won't be much help. . . but I promise I won't laugh like the others," she said, giving that sweet, innocent smile once again.

"Er, yeah," Odd said as he tried to discretely scoot away. "But, really, Aelita, it's nothing." But she noticed his scooting and took it the wrong way, her face falling with hurt at the idea that he didn't want to be near her.

"It's me, isn't it?" she asked and he froze. Oh, no. . . . "I'm the one you have a problem with. . . what. . . what did I do? Whatever it is, I'm sorry. . ." He stared at her, both relief and a calm sort of sadness washing over him. What, did she think. . . he hated her or something? No, no, that couldn't happen, either.

"Oh, no, Aelita, that isn't it," Odd said, putting his arms around her and hugging her small frame to him before he could tell himself not to. Aelita sniffed.

"But. . . it is me. . . I can tell. . . what is it? What's wrong? What did I do?" she asked, looking up at him, hurt and confusion and sadness etched all over her face, and he knew he couldn't keep anything from her. He just couldn't.

"It's. . .it's nothing you did Aelita. . . I'm just. . . I'm just stupid," Odd said slowly, and Aelita looked up at him, confused but less sad, less hurt. Thank god. Odd noticed his hug started feeling less necessary and more. . . tingly. He released her but didn't scoot away this time, afraid of what would happen.

"How are you stupid?" she asked, looking genuinely concerned for him. He gave her a wry smile.

"It's. . . nothing, Princess," he said, his nickname for her slipping out before he could catch the similarity. She watched him for a moment, then something on her expression changed, her eyes lighting up with new information, the way it always had when something had clicked into place. She mouthed the word, "Princess," and he knew he only had seconds before this went too far.

"Um, well, I should get back to my room, homework and all, you know," he said quickly, getting up and going for the stairs. Her dainty hand caught his, however, and he froze.

"Odd. . . did you dream about me?" she asked. Odd refused to face her, his face slowly turning red once again. He just nodded. "Was it. . . as more than friends?" she asked hesitantly. He nodded again. He felt his chest welling with nerves and excitement. What if. . . what if she didn't take it badly? What if she didn't feel that way about Jeremie. . . but him?

Her hand slipped out of his and his world came crashing down with one simply word. . . "Oh."

Then he was running and didn't look back.

So, recently, I started re-watching Code Lyoko (God knows how long it's been) and I know I always used to just kind of automatically be like, "Aelita and Jeremie," but first episode, Odd falls on top of Aelita when saving her (or the other way, I don't remember) and I just thought, "Hm."

So. . . this is what happened. I might continue it, I might not. I haven't decided. If I do, it'll be short. But. . . yeah.

xoxmitchiexox