Chapter 3: Camping (Part 1)

Chris's POV

I sat with my friends at the bench we normally sat at late in the afternoon. We were deciding what to do since it was a Friday and we wouldn't have school tomorrow.

"Maybe we could go camping?" Sam suggested and we all looked at her, then each other.

"That… actually sounds like a good idea." Kyra said.

"I'm on board." I said.

Everyone else agreed. "Okay. It's settled, then." I said.

Laura came walking up to us at that point. "You guys got a big weekend planned?" She asked.

"Yeah, we're going camping." Aelita replied.

"Cool. Would you guys object to one more? I love camping. My parents and I used to go all the time when I was younger."

We all looked at each other, then back at her.

"You can come with us." Yumi said, making Laura smile.

"Thank you guys so much." Laura said.

"Okay, then. Let's all head to our rooms and start packing. I'll ask my folks if they can drive us." I said, earning nods from everyone.

Yumi's POV

Laura and I walked into our room to pack.

"Hey, Yumi. Can I ask you a question?" She asked.

"Fire away, Laura." I said.

"How can you tell if a boy likes you?"

"Well, the most obvious way is if they help you, like when William helped you carry your books the other day."

She turned to me. "Okay. Thanks."

I turned to her. "No problem. Do you like William?" I asked, and she blushed.

"Y-Yeah, I do."

I nodded in understanding. "Maybe you could ask him out."

She sighed. "I want to. I'm just scared."

"It's okay to be scared. Kyra was scared when she asked Chris out." I told her.

She sighed. "Okay. I'll ask William out before the weekend is over." She declared and I smiled.

"Okay. Come on. Let's finish packing." I said. She nodded and went back to packing a few of her things.

Kyra's POV

Aelita and I were in our room packing for the camping trip. "This is so exciting! I haven't been camping since we went to that lake." I said.

"It was better after that return trip to the past." Aelita muttered.

"Very true." I said.

"So, how's it feel to be a free woman?" Aelita asked me.

"Feels good. Derek is just a psychotic asshole. I'm glad I got away from him."

"Well, if he tries to find you, he'll have us to deal with."

"Thanks, Princess."

"You're welcome."

Chris's POV

Jeremie and I were in our room, packing for the camping trip.

"I think Laura likes William." I thought aloud.

"Yeah. I see the way they look at each other."

"Absolutely. Hey, Einstein?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember that time in the Desert Sector when I almost fell into the Digital Sea?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

I shuddered, remembering that day. "Talk about a close call, eh?"

"No fucking kidding." He said.

"I could hear my girlfriend decimate the monsters."

"You would destroy all the monsters too if Kyra was in your place."

I nodded in agreement. "True."

After that, we got our things packed up for the camping trip and went to the front of the school, where we saw the others. Ulrich looked at me.

"Did you call your parents?" He asked and I nodded.

"They'll be here soon." I said, and they nodded.

After a few minutes, my folks brought a van and my dad's Jeep. The van had a trailer attached to it which was obviously for the suitcases. The ten of us loaded our suitcases in the trailer when my folks looked at me.

"The van's y'all's for the weekend. There's a clearing out near the woods by a lake. Have fun." My dad said as he and my mom loaded up in his Jeep.

"We will, Dad." I said as we all loaded in the van. Sam sat in Odd's lap as Laura laid behind them, William and Aelita. Ulrich, Yumi, and Jeremie sat in front of them as I sat in the driver's seat with Kyra next to me.

After a few hours, we made it to the clearing my parents told us about.

"Wow. It's beautiful out here." Kyra said, and I nodded.

"It sure does." I said as I stopped the van in the clearing.

"This is definitely gonna be good for us all." Yumi said.

"Yeah, it will, baby." Ulrich said.

"Then let's get unpacked and ready to enjoy this weekend." I said.

We all started unloading the trailer, got the tents made, then started a fire since it was already getting late. After that, we sat around the fire when Laura already fell asleep. William took her to the tent he was sharing with her, then walked out and sat at the fire with us.

"I gotta admit. I kinda miss fighting XANA." I said.

"You do?" Yumi asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah."

"I gotta side with him on that." Odd said. "It was fun."

"Yeah." Everyone said.

"You guys remember that one time where XANA used my robot, Kiwi 2, against us?" Jeremie asked.

"Don't remind me. My fucking leg still hurts." Ulrich said.

"I think this is gonna be great for us. You know, a little reconnecting." Kyra said.

"Yeah." I said as I wrapped an arm around her.

After a few hours, the fire died down and we all went to our tents. I pulled Kyra close. "I may miss fighting XANA, but I'm glad we're done with Lyoko."

"Me, too. I've almost lost you too many times there."

"I know. It's over though. You'll never have to deal with that again, though."

"I hope not."

"Me too." Chris said as he pulled her close.

"Let's try and sleep, okay, baby?"

"Okay."

With that, she fell asleep. I eventually did too.

I found myself in Sector Five and saw my friends dangling from the Celestial Dome as XANA stood behind me.

"You can save them, you know." XANA said to me. "All you have to do is join me."

"I'll never join you!" I growled.

"Fool." XANA said, then laughed evilly as the others let go of the edge. I acted quickly and saved them, but then, my Ghost exploded, killing me rather than devirtualizing me.

I woke up, panting then looked around and saw I was still in my tent. I sighed with relief.

"Just a dream…" I whispered, then laid back down and fell asleep.

That's chapter three. Will the events from Lyoko continue to haunt the former heroes? Find out as the story goes on. Y'all know the procedure.