Yumi2004

Proving Grounds Episode A
by McTrooper

Summary: An unusually hot day is made worse by a Xana attack involving a nearby lumberyard located in a mysterious forest patch.

Notes: Proving Grounds is a two episode story that takes place after the Season 1 episode Cruel Dilemma.
Episode A will be able to stand on it's own so if Episode B does’t get made it can still be enjoyed
Note: Small portions of this story were inspired by two chat room role-play sessions one summer before season 2 aired.

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Episode A Part 1
= = =
Kadic Cafeteria

Sunlight poured through the cafeteria windows as Ulrich joined Odd at the table for lunch.

"If you believe we've got a picture perfect plan we've got you fooled because we only do the best we can," Odd sung while adjusting his headphones.

"Hey Odd," Ulrich said. "What are you doing?"

"Huh?" Odd asked. "Oh this, I'm practicing my English accent."

Odd opened his CD player and showed Ulrich the disk.

"Completely Random American TV Show theme songs in English," Ulrich read aloud.

"I've noticed that people who sing along to foreign songs can sometimes lose their native accent," Odd said. "And hey, if I can work on my English while listening to music then that's not exactly studying."

"Just don't sing while you're eating," Ulrich said. "I really don't want a food shower."

Yumi and Jeremie joined the table.

"Hey guy's what's up?" Yumi asked.

"The ceiling of course," Odd answered sending specs of food flying.

"You forgot the sky and the --" Jeremie said. "Hey, my cell phone is ringing."

"What is it Jeremie?" Yumi asked.

"It's a rectangular device that you use to communicate with people," Odd joked.

"That's pretty lame Odd." Noted Yumi while smiling.

"Guy's I've got a text message from Aelita," Jeremie said. "For some reason Aelita can't seem to send information in standard electronic formats, so I set up some voice recognition software and a mirror and . . "

"Jeremie," Ulrich said. "Skip the explanation, what does the message say?"

"Well apparently some logs from the lumber yard in the forest behind Kadic attacked some workers," Jeremie said.

"Do you think it's Xana?" Yumi asked.

"It's either that or Mexican fighting trees," Odd said.

Just then the Principal made an announcement over the intercom: "Attention please. Due to cut power lines and the failure of one of our back up generators classes are dismissed for the rest of the day. Day students may call their parents to get picked up. . . ."

"Well that is a lucky break," Ulrich said. "I doubt we could have all asked to go to the infirmary."

"Let's continue this discussion in my room," Jeremie said.

The Dorm's Hallway Near Jeremie's Room

"When did Kadic get a forest behind the school?" Yumi asked on the way to Jeremie's room.

"That's a good question Yumi," Jeremie said. "I'm not sure. Last I remember it was a bunch of buildings and a field back their.

Outside of Jeremie's door the gang could hear Jim singing.
" . .walk like an Egyptian-," Jim sung as he spun around and noticed Jeremie and his friends.

"Oh, hi Jeremie this karaoke dance game you programmed is pretty cool, but you should shut it off when you’re not in your room." Jim said. "By the way who is this pink haired girl character? Is she from some anime cartoon?"

As the gang stepped closer, they could see Aelita on Jeremie's computer imitating everything Jim was doing.

"Hey Jim," Jeremie said, "Did you hear the announcement? They've canceled classes."

"Yeah," Yumi said, "and with the power problems and the heat wave everyone is supposed to leave the classroom level."

"Oh," Jim said, "I guess I better go check on things then."

Jeremie’s Room

After Jim left Jeremie and the gang got to work to figure out what's going on.

"I've been tracking the school's power usage." Jeremie said. "It looks like the lumber yard, the Mercury Sawmill, has been stealing power from the school."

"I bet Xana used the power grid to take over the saw mill and made evil logs." Yumi said.

"It looks like Xana has a real tree-t (sounds like treat, right?) in store for us." Odd said.

Ulrich rolled his eyes at Odd.
"Somebody is going to have to stay here in the real world." Ulrich said.

"I'll take this one." Odd said.

"Are you sure Odd?" Yumi asked.

"Yes," Odd said. "Besides I know a certain garden shed with the stuff I need to cut logs down to size."

"Look out world Odd's gonna be playing with a chainsaw," Ulrich said.


Episode A Part 1 end

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I figure if I start working and posting parts I'll encourage myself to keep going.
Feel free to comment and post constructive criticism too.

Episode A Part 2 Begin
[b]The Factory[b]

"Jeremie," Aelita said, "I've been following Xana's pulsations, but I'm having trouble finding the activated tower. It's almost like it isn't on any of the territories (or sectors?)"

"Hold on Aelita let me check something," Jeremie said. "I've refreshed the Lyoko maps I should be able to . . uh . . "

"What is it Jeremie?" Aelita asked.

"There is a new tower," Jeremie said.

"But how is that possible?" Yumi asked.

"I don't know," Jeremie said, "but it looks like we are going to have to investigate. The new tower is located near the Ice Sector (Territory?). Aelita, once you get to the Ice Sector it looks like you could take an ice slide right on to it, but wait until I virtualized Ulrich and Yumi."


On Lyoko . .
"Okay, we're here next to the ice slide Jeremie," Yumi said.

"What does it look like.” Jeremie asked.

"It’s like a candy land," Yumi said.

“I’ve never seen anything like this on Lyoko,” Aelita said.

“How did it get here?,” asked Ulrich.

“We can worry about it later, take the ice slide down and check it out,” Jeremie said.



At Kadic

Odd was standing behind the school where the chain link fence separated the school grounds from the Mercury Sawmill's Forest.

“I wonder how I start this chainsaw? Doctor Shrenk’s Gardening Terror made it look so easy to use.” Said Odd thinking to himself.

Clouds rolled in and the sky darkened. Rain began to come down. The back doors of the school opened.

"Odd, what are you doing out here?" The Principal asked.

"I . .I'm . . uhm . . you know me I love to watch storms." Odd said.

"Without your jacket on?"

Suddenly something hit the chain link fence. Both Odd and the Principal looked at the fence.
Behind the fence logs of various size seemed to be floating a few inches above the ground.

"I don’t know what’s going on, Odd, but we need to get inside." The Principal said.

Then both noticed that the logs took turns ramming into the fence which was already deformed from their efforts.

The confusion faded from the Principal’s face. “That chainsaw isn’t going to help, Odd. There’s too many of them and there about to break through the fence.”

"But we have to protect the school somehow," Odd pointed. "Any ideas?"

“The bulldozer being used for the gym renovation might be able to keep the fence up or at least run those logs down,” the Principal said.

“I like the way you think Mr. Principal,” Odd replied.

“Odd you can call me Principal Delmas. I do have a last name you know,” Mr. Delmas said.

Back to Lyoko

“If this is a Candy Land does that make this white stuff frosting or is it still snow from the ice sector?” Asked Ulrich.

“If Odd was here he’d try to taste it or something.” Yumi joked.

A large round peppermint white and red mint candy started walking toward them followed by a large green sugar crusted gumdrop.

“Looks like we’ve got company.” Ulrich said.

“Jeremie?” Yumi asked.

“Sorry guys, I’m just trying to figure out where this tower came from.” Jeremie replied. “Looks like it’s just these two monsters for now, but I have no idea what they do. You’ll have to find it out the the hard way. I’ll try to check back in when you’re done.”

“Okay Jeremie, when were done we will wait by that hill up ahead.” Ulrich said.

“Good idea Ulrich,” Aelita said. “It will give us time to plan.”

Just then the round peppermint decided to attack with sharp white disks that had holes in them. It was so relentless that it’s little white cartoon like arms became a blur.

Ulrich’s blade got knocked out of his hand and slid across the snow.

Aelita got hit on the arm by one disk and Yumi deflected another.

“Looks like the peppermint’s stopped for now.” Yumi noted.

“It must have a charge up time for it’s attack,” Ulrich said as he ran to get his sword.

“You mean it wasn’t just being polite while we were talking?” Yumi joked as she helped Aelita up.

The gumdrop began spinning and was suddenly off the ground flying towards the heroes. It crashed into Ulrich’s sword causing sparks to fly.

Yumi threw her fan at the gumdrop and it sunk deep inside. Fan and monster dropped to the ground.

“Take cover!” Ulrich yelled. “I think Mr. Peppermint is almost ready for another game of frisbee.”

Another furious round of disks flew, but with the gang prepared nothing hit them, but one sunk deep into the defeated gumdrop and Yumi’s stuck fan popped out.

Taking the opportunity Ulrich ran to the peppermint and performed Triangulate. The confused peppermint was so distracted that it didn’t charge up it’s attack and was caught off guard when Ulrich slashed it with his sword.

The peppermint exploded in sharp shards sending Ulrich to the ground. Yumi ran to him picking him up. “I guess you won’t be able to do that again.”

“Yeah,” Ulrich said with a groan.

Aelita rescued Yumi’s fan. “Look what I found.”

“Thanks Aelita,” Yumi said. “At least that is some good news.”

Episode A Part 2 End

Note: Currently incomplete. Will edit later.

Episode A Part 3 Begin

Mr. Delmas’s Office

Mr. Delmas held up the bulldozer key after digging through his desk drawer. “You know if I hadn’t insisted on the crew leaving a copy of the key . . . Odd what are you doing?” The Principal asked.

“Grabbing duck tape, you never know if it will come in handy.” Odd replied.

On Lyoko

“What have you figured out Jeremie?” Aelita asked while huddled with the others by a frosting covered hillside.

“Xana accessed this proving grounds program and activated it. I think the program might have been intended to be a safe place to test code for creating Lyoko without damaging the super computer’s core programming. But Xana used it to create a virtual tower.” Jeremie explained his finding.

"Aren’t all the towers in a virtual world virtual?" Yumi asked.

"Well I haven't figure out all the details, yet," Jeremie said. “Xana shouldn’t have even been able to . . . Look the point is that we have to deactivate that tower.”

“Looks like we’ve got to cut back on some sugar.” Ulrich joked.

“Huh? Oh . . .” Jeremie said. “I think even Odd can do better.”


At The School’s Stadium Construction Site

“You know Odd it would be safer if I drove the bulldozer on my own, it’s not exactly a two seater.” Mr. Delmas noted.

“I guess you’re right Mr. Principal . . . I mean Principal Delmas.” Odd replied. “You better go ahead. I think I’ve found my ride.”

Odd walked over to a zero turn riding lawnmower that had been abandoned in the middle of mowing, probably because of the extreme heat of the day. Now how am I going to

While the Principal started the bulldozer Odd


***** not finished just posted to celebrate finding the forum ****

Fix errors above

Riding lawnmower with rebar duck tape