Sissi Campus Dollhouse

[ObliviousHawk]

Kadic Academy grounds. Room 304. Dark clouds roam the skies, a storm is brewing. While the storm made the sky appear as nighttime, it's actually in the afternoon.

*RRRRRRRssssshhhhhhhhhh......* *Crack* *Rumble* Rain falls, lightning and thunder in the distance.

Sissi looking at the ceiling noticing the roar of rain: "Ohh, greaaaaaat. So much for outdoors, it's raining too hard. C'mere Nin-nin let's play." *ruffle ruffle* Sissi grabs her toy stuffed moose from underneath her bed. *Why don't you go play with your dolls?* "Hmph...that's for me to know about, I don't want everyone in my personal business!" *Except for Ulrich maybe...hehe.*

Sissi walks over to her mirror, sits down, and looks at the mirror, noticing her hair.

Sissi: "What the?! Split ends?! I just brushed it this morning!"

Sissi places Nin-nin down, grabs a brush, and starts to brush her hair.

Sissi: "Nin-nin, what do you think about Ulrich, is he sweet, caring, loveable?"

Sissi continues to brush her hair taking glances at Nin-nin in between her brushing stokes: "What's that? He is? Along with the rest of his friends? Now how can you say that Nin-nin?! Those guys kept trying to keep me out!"

Aelita is walking down the hallway overhearing Sissi: "Hmm?"

Aelita walks towards Sissi's closed door, stops and listens.

Sissi: "Well it's not like they're going to tell me everything! Ugh! This is why I can't take it! Even if I were to show who I really was, it'd take forEVERRR to adjust, that's why there's a thing called a 'persona' Nin-nin!"

Aelita tilts her head: *Persona? Sissi's hiding her true feelings when she's around people...?*
Sissi: "Well of course not! He's already with Ishiyama! At least I think he is. Huh? WHAT-- that's absurd! NO NOT HER! NOT THAT TWO TIMING TRAITOR THAT TRIED TO TAKE OVER THE SCHOOL'S POPULARITY, NO!"

Aelita: "She's probably talking about Brynja now..."

Sissi trying to hold back tears: "So why the heck are they all of a sudden playing nice?? Is this their way of saying 'We're tired of you annoying us'? Because if so then why not just say it?! Is that it? I have no real friends?! Ok calm down Elisabeth...calm down."

Aelita: *I'm not going to let her sulk. We trusted her enough to be friends. We're going to do something to cheer her up. She despised us because we didn't let her know exactly what was happening at the time. But deep down, she's kind, happy, she just wants to express it, and she takes it out on everyone else, and has a toy to comfort her.* Aelita pictures times throughout the years of how Sissi truly interacts with others when she's under pressure. And then she imagines her own toy, Mister Puck, and her sleeping in her bed. *And I'm one to talk... She's not ready to earn the trust of keeping her memories yet, but I think I know of a way see how she'll interact if she had something...different. And with all of this talk about toys, I think I know just the thing. It's a long shot, but if it works out...*

*knock knock* Aelita knocks.

Sissi: "I'M BUSY!"

*knock knock knock knock* Aelita knocks again.

*Step step STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP*

Sissi with arms to her sides, hands clinched into fists: "Grr! Herve! If that's you or Nicholas I swear I will--"

*CLICK-WRRR* *THWACK* Sissi opens the door hard enough to hit the wall behind it.

Sissi's face turns from fury to somber, with her hair still having split ends, even more split ends now due to the stress she's putting herself through: "...oh..Aelita, hi."

Aelita waves: "....may I come in?"

Sissi grabs the door out of panic, closes it: "Come i-- ababada-- sure!-- One sec!"

*Click-clank*

*step step step step step*

Sissi: *She didn't hear me go on about everything did she..? Did she???* Sissi grabs Nin-nin, and hides it.

Aelita still at the door: *She's taking this well...she doesn't want to be an embarrassment. Especially not to her new friends.* "Mmmhmhm."

Sissi goes back to her mirror and looks at her face and hair: "Oh for the love of-- Aelita, can you give me a couple of minutes?"

Aelita smiling from behind the door: "Sure, take your time!"

Sissi grabs tissues and wipes off her face, making sure her masquara doesn't bleed through, causing tears to stick to her face. "Get a hold of yourself Elisabeth! Look presentable! I can't go out looking like thiiiiiiis!"

*crimp bshh bshh bshh bshh bshh* Sissi is brushing her hair, hard and fast. *crink* Sissi snags a hair into her brush, forcing her to slow down or end up losing hair strands. "Ow! Darn it brushed too fast! Make that a few minutes Aelita."

## Down the hallway - Parallel to Aelita being at Sissi's dorm door.

*step step step-step step step step-step* Ulrich and Odd are walking down the hall, with Kiwi as company in Odd's bag.

Odd: "Well now what Ulrich? I can't just let Kiwi out into the rain when it's pouring waterfalls! He'll cause a smell in the room."

Ulrich: "Dude, your feet would probably smell worse than Kiwi even if he were wet. But we've got to take him somewhere, we're NOT going to let him go in our room that's for sure! Why not take an umbrella?"

Odd: "I don't HAVE an umbrella! The forecast lied, they said it wasn't supposed to rain for another good week."

Ulrich: "We can sneak into the bathroom and let Kiwi go there."

Odd: "A dog, using a human toilet...? That's quite humane of you."

Ulrich: "Stow it, Odd, we can just wait until the rain tapers off."

*FLASH* *CRACKLE* *RRRRRUMMMMBBBLLLEEEE* A close lightning strike hits.

Ulrich, Odd, and Kiwi turn and notice a flash of light coming from the nearby window down the hall.

Ulrich turns towards Odd with a surprised look: "...Right..."

Kiwi: *whimper*

Odd's eyes widen: "Absolutely not! Now, I know you might like hot dogs, Ulrich, but Kiwi isn't going to become one today. No sir!"

*thoump thoump thoump* Heavy footsteps.

Jim: "You two!"

Odd: "Uh oh, Kiwi, lay down." Odd notices Jim.

*zzzzzip* Odd zips his bag nearly closed.

Odd and Ulrich turn to Jim, and notice that Jim is soaking wet.

*drip drip drip drip*

Jim: "As you're well aware, outdoor activities are hereby postponed until further notice, that last lightning strike was contained by the circuit breakers, it wasn't big enough to cause the power to go out."

Ulrich: "Jim, I'm pretty sure Mrs. Hertz said that it would take only around 50 thousand volts to cause a circuit to be tripped. So even a 'small' lightning strike that directly hits--"

Jim: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it, we didn't take a direct hit. Now for safety reasons, I'll have to advise, no electronics usage until the storm passes, if you do use electronics, there's a higher chance of the electricity making its way to that equipment. So, do me the favor of telling Belpois and Stones about this when you get the chance."

*sqhrrrrish* Jim squeezes excess water off of his jacket. Starts walking down the hall, turns around while still walking.

Jim with the dawned thought pointing at Jeremie's door: "And that does NOT give them excuses for stairs! Girls are upstairs, boys are downstairs!"

Ulrich: "Huh...? Stairs? What do you mean Jim, we use stairs all the time! And we don't have an elevator."

Jim walking down the hall: "Well--uh--Ahem, I'd rather not talk about it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to make sure the rest of the buildings are intact, the storm isn't that bad right now, just...rain...and wind...and lightning..."

Ulrich turns to Odd: "...stairs? What the heck? Is he talking in riddles?"

Odd shrugs: "Don't know, come on, let's go grab a flashlight before the power does actually go out."

Ulrich: "Agreed." *Yeah, Kiwi, nervous from a power outage, and it's raining hard outside? If we're going to take shelter if things get worse, I'm NOT going to be camping in two smells that would match smelling salts when combined.*

## Back at Sissi's room

Aelita: "Give me a break Jim...if you're so concerned about stairs, then what about a ladder, a rope or something? You can still climb and descend those too."

*Click-wrr*

Sissi opens the door: "So sorry about that, I wanted to make myself look presentable, I didn't want to end up looking like something out of a cheap sitcom where everyone's laughing at you, and not even sure if the laughter is genuine or forced."

Aelita waving off Sissi's excuse: *Well...that's ALMOST admitting it* "Don't worry about it Sissi, come on, let's go." Aelita makes her way into Sissi's room.
*click-clank* Sissi closes the door behind Aelita.

Sissi: "Ok, so, what did you want?"

Aelita: "I was wondering about something Sissi, over the last two years, you've spent time scheming plans to sabotage us. Over and over again, you've wanted attention. You took the time to figure out what we're doing, spying on us, gloating about it. I guess that was the new drive you had since you couldn't get to Ulrich."

Sissi grits her teeth, then throws a hand out at Aelita: "Tch, you came here to give me a lecture? Some new friend you turned out to be."

Aelita: "You've also shown how you acted when in face of danger, you may not remember it, but deep down, I know you're nice Sissi, you've displayed it, time to time again. If someone were in danger, you'd step up and fight back, wouldn't matter if it were Ulrich or not."

Sissi: "Did...did you sneak in here when I was wailing about Ulrich that day?"

Aelita: "No...." *That's awkward, I actually don't know what she's talking about there, guess I was too accurate for this, we'll see what happens though.*

Sissi: "Forget I asked, ok..so what? You're giving me a life lesson? Is this your get back for that prank I did to you about the showers?"

Aelita: "No, this is no prank Sissi...you were yelling to yourself about how things have happened. And for the record, you weren't that annoying." *I'll be nice and not mention her toy...*

Sissi points at Aelita: *gasps* "You WERE spying on me, JUST NOW weren't you?"
*rumble* *rumble* The storm still persists outside.

Aelita: "Nope, you were so loud, I decided to check in on you, as friends should."

Sissi walks to her bed, and sits on it: "I--ech--UGH! You're a piece of work you know that, you just so happen to be there when I was having a venting moment. So the jig is up, you know I have moments that I just can't stand, and I take it out on myself. And now you're going to make fun of me for it HUH?!"

Aelita: "I'm not going to make fun OF you Sissi, I'm going to make fun FOR you."

Sissi: "'Fun for me'? What, you're going to surprise me with Stern?"

Aelita holding back laughter putting her hands in front of her smiling: "No no no, I'm going to show you that you're not alone, and you weren't alone, for quite some time."

Sissi: "That still sounds like a setup Aelita...what're you planning on doing? If you cross me for this, and I'll tell Daddy for trespassing into my room! Got it?"

Aelita smiling: "I'm certain you'll change your mind when this is idea is finished...I just need a little bit of time, 'kay?"

Sissi: "...Alright then." *I don't understand why...but there's an unexplainable feeling of trust here...and...deja vu?*

*Click-wrrr* Sissi opens the door.

Aelita walks out of the room: "Now, if you keep sulking, I won't do it Sissi."

Sissi sticks her tongue out at Aelita, then closes the door: "Bleh!"

*Click-wrr* Sissi closes the door.

Aelita: "That went well."

Aelita walks down the hall to her room, noticing drops of water on the ground: "Wow Jim, what in the world made you have to even head outside when it's raining this hard? It's not like this storm is that bad...right?"

Odd: "Oh hey Princess!"

Odd and Ulrich walk to Aelita, they're all at the T section in the dorm hallway.

Aelita noticing Odd and Aelita: "Hey Odd, Ulrich. I see that you've brought a little guest. He couldn't make his little trip?"

Odd: "Nope, Ulrich's idea here would've made Kiwi turn into a burnt crisp."

Ulrich eyeing Odd with a sarcastic remark, then talks to Aelita: "Oh haha! Anyway, we were just about to grab a flashlight just in case that Kiwi would have to take a dump. I'm sure he would've got spooked if the lights went out. And we can't just take him out when it's raining this hard. I suggested the bathroom, because I am NOT, dealing with either of the smells of dog droppings, or a wet dog."

Odd: "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Kiwi wouldn't have minded though."

Ulrich: "Surprising...oh and by the way Aelita, Jim mentioned a couple of things. For one, obviously, don't use electronics during this storm, and secondly, which is the really weird one, something about stairs?"

Odd: "Yeah something about girls, boys, and stairs. I don't get it though either Ulrich. How 'bout you Aelita, you know what Jim was talking about?"
Aelita blushing: "Uhh..no, not exactly."

Ulrich elbow nudging Odd smirking: "Odd she's blushing, she knows."

Odd: "Oh it's THAT kind of joke...Jim always speaks in riddles when it comes to things he'd rather not talk about, and I STILL don't get this one. Stairs? How can you say that as stairs? Girls upstairs and boys downstairs? But...that doesn't make sense! If it's the showers, that's the OPPOSITE of where one should be at..." *I could always compare it to the attacks at the pool and in the gym. But since there's already agreements to not bring them up...I won't....this time.*

Ulrich: "...Is that the idea? Don't go to something that wasn't meant--yep..."

Everyone's piecing it together.

Odd: "...REALLY Jim? Even I know better than that..." *Seriously, why wouldn't he tell ME that? I'd expect him to triple check me and Ulrich's room...I tried to make a world record of how many girls I hung out with on dates, and I didn't even get to second base, ever!*

Aelita: "You guys catch on quick...yeah, he was just referring to the time Jeremie and I were in his room working on building on the Skid, we were just sitting next to each other at the computer screen. He...just went on the deep end."

Odd pointing down: "Unbelieveable, you know, to be fair, we JUST had classes about that sort of thing this year, so, can't exactly blame him, stuff has happened." *And this is France for crying out loud, it openly happens during certain times of the day, and no one bats an eye there!*

Ulrich: "Fortunately not on our watch..." *That's a dark thought Odd...but it's true...*

Odd: "Anyway...what're you up to today? You came from that hallway, you usually come down this hallway directly to your room. What, did Sissi keep you busy?"

Aelita: "As a matter of fact, yes."

Ulrich: "Ah, that explains it, did she bug you about us?"

Aelita: "No actually, Sissi was in a bit of a mood, so I had a plan to cheer her up."

Odd: "That's...weird. Ok, so you're going to cheer her up, how exactly?"

Ulrich: "You're still getting used to her not acting so spoiled when she's around us these days Odd. It'll be fine. She didn't run to Principal Delmas first thing."

Odd: "Yeah you're right about that...so, what'd you talk about? Other than whatever she's apparently sulking over."

Aelita: "If you put it like that, not much. I told her that she wasn't alone, she thought she was for quite awhile."

Odd hovers his eyes toward Ulrich for a moment: "...Not alone huh?"

Ulrich: "I saw that look Odd, chill out."

Odd shrugs: "Ok."

Aelita: "I was thinking of doing something silly. We'll need the supercomputer for this though."

Ulrich: "ExCUSE ME?! I know I didn't just hear that, Odd, did you?"

Odd: "No pal, I heard it clear as day. And I didn't mistake it for thunder neither. Aelita's thinking of using the supercomputer as a toy."

Aelita: "Yes and no."

Odd: "What's the difference??"

Aelita: "We'll launch a return to the past when it's over, ok?"

Odd: "Uhhh hah...you're asking the wrong person Ms. Einstein...how about you go ask the man in charge...I'm not."

Kiwi: *bark* *whine*

Odd: "Tch, Ulrich, I'll be right back, I'll take you up on your idea, take Kiwi to the bathroom and let him go there. Better than getting soaking wet or shocked...had plenty of times with electricity, we all know how that felt..."

Ulrich nods to Odd: "Got it, we'll take this to her room." Then looks back at Aelita, tilts his head to gesture taking Aelita to her room.

*click-wrr* Aelita opens the door.

Aelita goes in the room, Ulrich goes in the room.

Aelita's room seems tidy, other than her blanket, she didn't get a chance to organize, must've been in a rush earlier during the day.

*FLASH* *rumble* Lightning appears through the window.

*click-clank* Aelita closes the door.

Ulrich gestures a hand to Aelita: "Have you lost your mind? The last time we introduced her to the factory, she told Principal Delmas everything."

Aelita walks to her bed, and sits: "She did it because she thought it was the right thing to do."

Ulrich crosses his arms: "Yeah? Now how would that work out if she was scanned? We would've had the issue of being on her leash if we do something as trivial as give her a wrong look."

Aelita smiles: "My idea won't have anything to do with Sissi being scanned, she won't remember."

Ulrich : "...then what's the point you're trying to make? We've already seen her do things that has helped us, we're just now at the point that we're considering her a friend, NOT a Lyoko Warrior yet, she backed off when the scanner was right in front of her, just like the rest of us, even Jeremie went in eventually."

Aelita: "I know but...think of it as...common ground."

Ulrich raises his eyebrow: "...common ground? What do you have in common with Sissi?"

Ulrich counts his fingers: "I don't mean to be rude, the only real thing you have in common with her is being in the same class as her, everything else is different. The attitude, the demenor, the likeness, the interests...she's been after me since day one, and I mean that in the literal sense by the way."

Aelita: "Hehe, then I'll let you in on a little secret. Sissi has more in common with others than she lets on. I won't tell you exactly what, but she's nice inside of that shell of hers."

Ulrich: "Sounds alot like Yumi." *Yeah, that giant plush toy...* "So what did you have in mind exactly? If you don't want to scan Sissi, what did you want to do? Jeremie probably wouldn't approve though."

Aelita: "Come here, I'll whisper it."

Ulrich walks to Aelita and sits next to her, Aelita reaches for Ulrich's ear.