Author's Note:

A few years ago, I had decided to make a story dedicated to Odd and his dynamic/purpose in the group. It wasn't what I wanted it to be, so I revised and wrote the whole story again. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed typing it up.

On with the Story!

Odd... the very comical person. Undeniably loyal to the people he likes. Some people at Kadic would call him stupid last year but couldn't call out his school work this year.

Yet there is another side to him. A side that people take advantage of.

After about a year in this commitment to try and help Aelita with finding her mother, Odd experiences some time- well a lot of time- at the dorm he is sharing with Ulrich. The brunette at this point is busy hanging out with Yumi, which he doesn't mind at all. In fact, he's happy for him finally confessing. The bad side to this is that he really has lost most of his bond with Ulrich and Yumi. As a result, Odd is usually alone in the dorm. This had left him to think, to really think.

He started to make it into an 87 percent Grade Point Average, and also being a help to all the new students there at Kadic who are being bullied. Odd realized that there's a huge percentage of students who fail to follow the Golden Rule.

Not that he follows it all the time.

He would also only see his old buddies every once in a while, would only get to see them every once in two weeks. Actually, his buddies have only wanted him to help fight XANA.

And that is when Odd Della Robbia decided to, in fact, give his time up for making a group to help people with studying with science. It's something that he is surprisingly efficient at. He called this group the A.F program.

A.F. stands for 'All Freedom' and is an open group for people to study and for students to have a place to relax. With Jim's help, Odd was able to use an empty near the end of the campus as the club spot.

One day, while he was waving to other new students, had fumbled across his old pals. The blonde smiled, but he would be lying if he said it was genuine.

"Hey Odd!" Jeremie greeted, patting his shoulder. Odd had no reaction to it.

"Where have you been? It has been a while since a XANA attack." Yumi added.

"Hey-" Odd tried his best to keep his smile. "I have been put into honors classes, so we haven't been able to talk." He was telling a half-truth there. "I've also tried to help some new students around, so my schedule can get pretty tight."

"Odd, why don't you talk to us anymore? Did we do anything?" Jeremie asked. Odd was going to lie, considering talking about his phone being broken, but he had just let it out.

"Well, sort of..." Odd thought for about two seconds before speaking again. "We've never really had a bond with each other anymore. I always try to talk to you guys, but no one ever wants to talk to me in response." His smile faded, as his old acquaintances started to notice the condescending tone

"We do talk to you Odd, as of right now" Yumi shot back. Odd was shocked; it used to be Ulrich to snap at him.

"Oh yeah Yumi; to top it all off I know why you have been avoiding me. You have each other, and apparently-" His eyebrow joined into the conversation, clearly responding to his emotion. "-That is all you need to survive. You all know that I'm still here, I'm trying my best for you to notice me. My grades are getting a lot better than you and Ulrich, and also have way more things to worry about, so why don't you all go on your merry way!?" and with that statement, left Odd storming into the cafeteria, with the others questioning themselves.

"He's such an-" Ulrich riled up, but Jeremie cut him off.

"No, I think he's got a point, think about it;" Jeremie let the group ponder before continuing. "How many times did he save any of us this month and said thank you to him?" Jeremie remarked.

"Jeremie's right! He has also been to more field trips because of his grades I assume. He has always been the one in trouble so we can get away to the factory, and even with that, he still made it in time to come on Lyoko", Aelita pointed out.

They all ran to their usual table, waiting for Odd to come out of the line. A few seconds later came out a furious Odd almost smashing the table when seeing his 'so called friends' trying to comfort him. The sight of them made him take a couple of snacks and sprinted outside, trying to find anyone, other than them to help him out with this problem. He sprinted farther and farther, passing by the forest, past the schools, past the bus stop, until reaching a bush to sulk in. He couldn't take it anymore, the pain that makes him feel like the Fifth Wheel. Of course, he had this feeling before, but not as often. Sometimes when everyone had a role on Lyoko, Odd would be left to fight the Real World. When he used to have this pain, it would usually be fixed after a couple of jokes, and even back then, still made him happy. Pushing back his tears, he walked up to his dorm to see his dog waiting at the foot of his bed.

"If only they knew how much I try..." he mumbled to himself, now practically about to tear up with Kiwi next to him, trying to make him feel better. He fell asleep after a bit of time, hoping this days like this will never come again.

"He went to the forest, basically sprinting, do you know exactly where Odd went?" Jeremie questioned to Jim. Jim scratched his head.

"He has never been like this, meaning something happened to him, badly, I know that much. If he was in the forest he probably ran back to the campus. Jim checked his old watch. "He should be at study hall."

Before Jim looked up from his watch, the others bolted back into the campus.

Odd just woke up, still feeling that pain. Physically, it felt like a lump in his throat but in his mind, it felt as if bacon never existed. And that hurt.

'Might as well try and study with the others back at science class, at least they need me somewhat", thought Odd, who was now taking his backpack and some extra sheets of paper with him as he leaned to the wall while he trudged down the stairs, seeing his other buddies motioning him to come into the class. He just nodded as he closed the door behind him, ready for another session.

Back at the Dorms...

"Dang it, he's not here!" Ulrich growled. The group stopped by the dorms.

"Don't worry, we will find him, he should still be in school." Aelita said, putting an arm around his shoulder.

"Wait-" Jeremie thought back to his conversation with Jim. "Right now, he has study hall, that...that means that-" Jeremie was cut off.

"At the A.F program" the group muttered in unison, now starting to sprint down the stairs, and through the clusters of people, ignoring the comments about slowing down.

Meanwhile, Back in the Science Lab...

"And that's why Earth's orbit is around the sun, Anthony. I think there is a question like that, so try studying about that topic for now." Odd replies.

"Dude, what's wrong? You don't really act like this." another person asks.

"Yeah, what is it, Odd? You can tell us." says another acquaintance of his.

"It's- It's just that my first friends here don't seem to really care about me anymore..." He tried acting as if he didn't notice the tear traveling down his right eye. "It just doesn't feel right." Odd finally tries to say, but as soon as he can say more, he saw his old 'pals' beaten down in sweat and almost fell to the floor as they came in.

"Those are the people, just don't talk to them please" Odd whispers to the study group.

"Odd! Finally! We wanted to-"

"To emphasize that fact that I'm not really needed?!" Odd quickly discards the tears that were trying their best to escape from his eyes.

"Odd, you know that you're needed our group, please know that" Yumi spoke calmly. She knew damn well that raising her voice would only make things worse.

"It. Doesn't. Matter." Odd took a deep breath. "I keep feeling this pain inside me, and it's caused by you!", Odd blurted out, nearly having his fists on the table, but was stopped by one of the students in the study group.

"Odd, I think they mean that." The girl smiled, but it didn't convince Odd.

"That tears it!" The tears were finally rolling down. "You guys can talk to me later, but now, I suggest getting 50 feet away from me at all times!" Odd blurted out again, bolting down the halls.

"So, you're his good friends?" Anthony asks, a student in his first year.

"Yeah, what about it?" Yumi replied.

"Well, I'd say that you really messed him up this time-" The short kid looks in the direction that Odd ran. "-He talks about you all the time, except for today. He didn't make any jokes today."

"So, what? Why do his stupid jokes- " Ulrich started, being cut off.

"And for the record, he has almost all A's in his class, and takes double the notes. You better think of a good plan, he seems to be pretty pissed."

"And how do you know so much about him?!" shot out Jeremie. He wasn't loud, but it caught Anthony's attention to reply.

"I am pretty sure he is closer to us more than he is to you guys at the moment. Now, take the advice. If not, you'll lose him for good." And with that, the kid led the rest of the group in study.

Sure enough, the gang went to Aelita's dorm thinking of that plan.

At Aelita's Dorm...

"So, what do we have here?" Aelita says, and instantly, came out a million suggestions in the dorm.

"We can give him money." Yumi suggested. "Actually, ignore that. That's pretty inconsiderate."

"Get him to a nice breakfast?" Aelita said.

"Better powers in Lyoko?" Yumi suggested again, this time happy with her plan.

"Maybe get him some food, to him it's heavenly!" Ulrich joked.

"No time for joking, Ulrich!" Aelita shouted.

"I think that the Lyoko idea is not that bad, shall we try that one?" said Jeremie.

"I mean, I think we should, as long as it doesn't have a bug. Jeremie, you will do that right?" Ulrich muttered, still having his mind on Odd.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure Odd will like it, and bring along something else, something he'll never forget." Aelita replied.

An obnoxious noise comes from Jeremie's laptop.

"Wow! Right on cue! XANA's attacking!" said Jeremie, closing his laptop. The group was, for once, excited that a killer virus was trying to destroy mankind.

"Well, you need to upgrade Odd, don't forget that." Yumi said calmly.

"We have no time to lose, let's go!" Ulrich jumped up, opening the door to go outside for yet another mission.

Meanwhile, during dinner...

Odd's fists kept opening and closing out of anger, heading to the cafeteria.

Sissi emerged from the school doors, with a face that says 'Let us annoy Odd'.

Yet Odd was prepared for it. He could throw some anger at Sissi.

"Hey, I heard that your pretty mad." Sissi mockingly smiled. "Can I make it so that you feel better?" Sissi started.

"Don't even try it. You have too fake of a heart to make anyone feel better."

"Don't talk to me like that! You know very well what I can do, like call my fath-"

"So you're saying that just because of your 'Father', that you can mess with me?" He quietly snarled at her, smirking.

"Yea, and for starters, call me Princess." She ran her hand through her hair.

"You sure don't look like one, I'll tell you that."

"You're going to regret that when I beat you senseless."

"You probably can't do it; you'll probably need to have Nicholas and Herve help you!"

Almost everyone in the cafeteria was listening to the argument. This was because the noise that usually filled the area disappeared. Once again, Sissi was being verbally destroyed by Odd, now having it filmed by Milly for the newspaper.

"Oh, and Sissi; remind me to have an argument with you again; I actually do feel better because of it." Odd smiled the same way she did.

'I hate to say this, but thank you, Sissi', Odd thought, as he walked away. Odd then got a call from Jeremie.

"Here we go again..." Odd thought, but he picked it up anyway.

"Odd! XANA's attacking! Come to the factory quick!" Jeremie sounded urgent.

"You got it." He hangs up on Jeremie and slides his phone back in his pocket.

Odd starts sprinting out of school, with his hair kind of messy to the sewers, where he would go down a passage to save whatever he was saving.

At the Factory...

"Aelita, you can't get hit anymore! Only 30 life points left!" Jeremie commanded to the pink-haired teen.

"You try bring here! Harder than it looks!" Ulrich was struggling to hold off the lazers coming from the monsters. "Is Odd here?" continued Ulrich.

"He is in the scanner room."

"He has the-"

"Yep."

"Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up Jeremie!" Yumi said, taking a hit.

"Transfer, Odd, scanner Odd... Virtualization!" Jeremie said, hitting the enter button.

Odd's Point of View

I see a ton of Krabes coming to Aeilta, so I start by getting on my board, shooting arrows out of my hand, and instantly killing 2 of the 9 Krabes. I motion Aelita to hop on to help kill the other monsters. I shoot one of the hornets Yumi was trying to kill and got a nod and a smile in response.

This stuff just never gets old.

Ulrich starts telling me to make a plan. And I thought of this: I can have the hornets follow me just to get them distracted, while Aelita makes a clone. Aelita and Jeremie thought it was a great idea, so we started to execute it.

As I taunt my little hornets to me, I gave another blow of my arrows. Unfortunately, it didn't hit.

It was at this moment I almost fell off my board because I had a thought in my mind. It was as if I had premonitions.

This sight told me I should have Aelita sprint for it. I threw Aelita out of my board, giving Aelita the chance to use her wings for the final stretch, and fired more arrows to help out Ulrich who just got hit by one of the Krabes. I then, using my skateboarding skills, blew up another hornet, which had made it so I can get back to helping Aelita. She just made it after me killing a block that was in front of her.

A few seconds later, I saw a flash of white coming from the tower, knowing that we saved people, once again.

Normal Point of View

They went back to where the fight had ended between Odd and Sissi, and the group, besides Odd, were at Jeremie's dorm. Just then, Odd came in, looking a bit happier, flustering from all of the compliments his friends were giving him. Ulrich gave him playful punches and put his arms around the boy in the purple.

"Odd! You were great!" Urich said.

"You did very good, Odd." Jeremie added.

A few moments later, Odd started looking less happy, until he was on the bed, putting a pillow over his face.

"Odd-" Yumi was soon cut off by the purple suit.

"Guys, are you just doing this to... just to get my forgiveness?" Odd asked, almost mumbling.

"Why would you say that? You were the best on Lyoko this month and last month! You saved us from XANA too many times to count, and we didn't even say thank you for it!" Aelita assured, putting her arm around Odd.

"Don't ever think you're not worth it! We even heard that you dissed Sissi during dinner, and we couldn't do any better than that." Yumi said, smiling at him.

"We shouldn't have hurt you like that, we really didn't know how you felt after some Anthony guy told us off" said Ulrich.

"Well, yeah, he has my back when you're not around, so he knows pretty well." replied Odd, putting the pillow back on the bed.

"Odd, we do need you a lot, and you know it. We didn't want to see you because we had a surprise for you." said Jeremie.

"Well what is it?" says an excited Odd, standing up from the bed. Just then, somebody covered his eyes.

"Surprise!" the group shouted in unison, Odd pulling away the hands to see... to see...

Samantha?

"Samantha?! How are you here? Are you okay? How have yo-" Odd got cut off blushing, while the girl in red highlights hugs him. He immediately stopped talking.

"They told me everything, and I think you should forgive them, they gave me the money to attend Kadic with you." says Samantha.

"B-but how? Did they just ask?"

Samantha just smiled at Odd. He quickly looked down in embarrassment.

"Now do you believe us?" Yumi said, smiling and tearing up because of the newcomer.

"Yeah, and I forgive you, if Sam says so."

"We really are sorry, Odd, so w-"

"Don't talk about it anymore." Odd smiled, looking at his friends and then gesturing to Sam.

"Isn't it my room?!" Jeremie scoffed but gave up as the group left Odd and Sam alone.

"Ulrich, by the way, I think we all hold a bet", Jeremie says.

"For?"

"If they kiss within the week."

"Not this again, but sure."

(FIN)

Ahhh... that's a much better chapter. I feel much happier with this.

I'll see you in a bit, when the next chapter is rebooted.

Do what you want with this. I don't care.

Peace, my peoples~