A/N: Edit: I'm finally starting back writing this story! This was my first ever fanfiction! I wrote it about four years ago, but I've greatly improved since then. I figured if I revised the story, by the time I got to the end, I might have the inspiration to finish it. I hope you like it! This is the only chapter I've changed so far, but I plan on changing them all over time. Keep a check on them, because I'll edit the authors note once it's revised! After I revise the final chapter, I can go ahead and start writing more chapters. I hope you enjoy! Review whenever you find time

Xx -Angel

Chapter 1. The Program

Aelita's P.O.V:

Beep, beep, beep!

The ring of Aelita's alarm clock resonated throughout her room, waking her instantaneously. Climbing out of bed, she yawned, silently wishing she'd purchased a quieter alarm clock.

Approaching the mirror, she ran her fingers through her thick, pink hair, a small smile upon her lips. It was finally the day.

Jeremy had spent weeks searching tirelessly for something that would not only strengthen the skid, but also enhance their powers in Lyoko. All the effort he'd put into the search had started to look like a waste of time, but just as they were about to give up, he finally stumbled upon the perfect program. Program Beta. The software instructions were designed to work in favor of those who desired to win against Xana, giving them expediential resources and unnamed super abilities and devices. Basically, they'd have more cool stuff that was going to help them in battle and when deactivating towers. It was pretty awesome.

They'd already run a few tests to make sure it would be safe, but they hadn't yet sent anyone to Lyoko while running the program. That was what would be happening that day. They all promised to meet at the factory around sunrise, eager to run their final test on the new program.

At the factory:

"Good morning, Aelita!" Jeremy said, occupying the big, yellow chair, perched in front of the computer screen, intent on whatever he was typing. Aelita stood next to him, having just arrived. "Everything is coming together just great!"

"That's wonderful," she replied, her usual sweetness dripping into her tone of voice.

"Morning guys." Ulrich entered the factory lazily, barely dragging his feet across the cement floor as he approached his comrades. Tired wouldn't even begin to describe him.

"Are you okay? You look like you haven't slept in a year," Jeremy said. For a moment's notice, he'd glanced at his friend, but before he could finish his sentence, he'd already returned to staring at the glow of his screen.

"Geez, thanks. And yeah, I'm just exhausted because I have the two most annoying roommates in the history of the world," Ulrich answered, shoving his hands into his pockets as he scowled.

"Two?" Aelita inquired, narrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"Yeah." Ulrich rolled his eyes. "Odd and Kiwi. Odd decided to stay up all night to play video games, meanwhile the dumb dog just wouldn't shut up."

"Kiwi isn't dumb, he was just doing his job!" A familiar voice resonated, sounding louder every second as it got closer. Odd entered the factory, the usual pep in his step.

"Well, someone needs to fire him, because I need sleep," Ulrich snapped.

"You do need your sleep, Captain Grouchy," Odd replied, aggravation in his tone.

"Okay guys, as soon as Yumi gets here we need to get a head start on the program," Jeremy stated, ignoring their little argument. "That way we-"

"I'm here!" Yumi was running towards them. "Sorry I'm late, my parents had to interrogate me before I could leave." She rolled her eyes. "The usual."

"That' fine," Jeremy said. "Now everyone, head to the scanners. We can't waste any time."

Lyoko:

Upon arrival, everyone was eager to launch the new program. A short countdown proceeded, and afterwards, Lyoko still appeared the same.

"Talk to me, guys. What's happening?" Jeremy asked, double checking that the program was still running correctly.

"Not a lot," Yumi answered, scanning the area around her.

"Well, isn't that just great?" Ulrich was mumbling to himself.

"What is it, Ulrich?" Jeremy asked, annoyed by the attitude of his friend.

"My sword is gone."

"What do you mean 'gone?' "

"I don't have my fan either," Yumi added at the dawn of her realization.

"Just wait a minute... Maybe it needs a little more time. Odd, Aelita, are your powers working?"

"No," they answered in unison.

"I don't understand..." Jeremy says.

"It doesn't look like we're gonna have a little more time. Look guys, trouble." Ulrich pointed at a couple of blocks and some hornets, all of which were approaching the team with ill intent. He stood in a defensive position, waiting for them to strike.

Ka-Bink.

One of the blocks fired at Odd, striking him in the chest, knocking him back onto the ground with an unexpected amount of pain. He rubs his wound in response. "Hey, that really hurt."

"Stop complaining," Ulrich says, dodging lasers from the blocks.

"No, this time it felt-" Odd couldn't even finish before witnessing Yumi's clash with one of the hornets, earning her a strike to the arm.

"Ouch," Yumi breathed. "Everything feels… Real."

"I don't know what's going on, but your life point statuses are gone." Jeremy sounded concerned. "Hang on guys, I'm bringing you back in. Materialize Aelita. Materialize Yumi. Materialize Odd. Materialize Ulrich."

Exhausted and confused, everyone exits the elevator, making their way towards Jeremy at the super computer.

"Are you guys okay?" He asked quickly.

"For the most part." Yumi displayed the huge, dark purple bruise that had extended across her forearm, wincing slightly as she attempted to run her fingers across its entirety.

"Not to mention this." Odd tugged the bottom of his shirt down, just enough to expose the beginning of the widespread bruise that had formed upon his chest.

Jeremy's eyes widened in concern. "Hmmm." He started typing away at his computer, searching for- what the others assumed would be- answers. "Maybe it could be…" He kept typing, mumbling inaudibly to himself, before coming to a cold stop.

"No." A look of pure fear came across his face. Jeremy rubbed a hand across his forehead before typing again, this time much faster than before. "No. No. No."

"Well, spit it out, Einstein," Odd rushed.

Jeremy stopped typing once again, before putting his head in his hands. "The skid is gone too," he said quietly, before slowly looking back at the screen again. "This can't be happening."

"Some program that was," Ulrich huffed.

Jeremy sighed, letting his fingers return to the keyboard in a final attempt to fix everything. "It wasn't the program, Ulrich. This has to be Xana."

"Well, it's not safe to go back to Lyoko," Aelita stated, examining Yumi's arm.

"It's not," Jeremy replied. "I can remove the program but I don't think it's going to change anything. We aren't sending you guys back to Lyoko until- Oh no."

"What is it?" Ulrich asked.

"Activated tower," Jeremy mumbled, slumping back into his chair. "What are we going to do?"