Yumi ran as fast as she could through the streets, on her way home. The return trips to the past were making Xana stronger, so Jeremy had decided with this attack not to return. Yumi understood but still hated the decision, because now she had to run home and face the possibility of being caught by her parents. What was the worst that could happen to the others, being caught by Jim? Making up some excuse to him was hardly the same as Yumi lying to her parents. The others didn't really understand her dilemma here.

But as much of a hurry she was in to get home, she stopped suddenly, almost panicking, at the sight of Sissi also on the sidewalk, underneath a street lamp. Sissi looked at her disdainfully. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"That's my question. Shouldn't you be back at school, in your plushy dorm room? Isn't it against the rules to be out here right now?" Yumi accused.

"Humph. I suppose you're just out for a midnight jog. There have to be some local laws that you're breaking."

Sissi and Yumi both glared at each other. Yumi released they had both caught each other, really, so there was no reason to be on guard at all. Revealing one's misdeed would mean revealing the other's. "So, why are you out here?" Yumi asked calmly.

"I'll tell if you will," Sissi offered.

"I, I," Yumi stuttered, thinking of what she could say. "I was just out getting some air. I needed a nice walk."

"Don't you lead an awfully boring life," Sissi said, not really believing Yumi, but still wanting to talk about herself. "I just ran away."

"Ran away? Ran away from your dorm? No one might even notice until you don't show up for class."

"That's just the point!" Sissi said. "No one notices me, not until I'm done something wrong, anyway,"

At that point Yumi started to wonder why she was listening to Sissi's whining when she should be getting home as quickly as possible. "I really have to get moving, and you should too," she said.

"No, I'm not going back. there's no way I'm going back. I'm just staying out here," Sissi insisted.

"Fine, be mugged, or be tired for class tomorrow after sulking outside all night, but I'm going home," Yumi said, beginning to walk away.

"Wait!" Sissi called. A momentary expression of desperation came over her face as she spoke..

"What?" Yumi asked, turning around.

"I..." Sissi began, then looked down again.

"Sissi, I just don't have time. I have to get home. If you want to talk then why don't you just come with me?" Yumi asked. She was slightly surprised at her own offer, but she really couldn't leave Sissi out here, who knew what could happen to her.

Sissi also looked a little surprised, but then put on her calm, superior smirk again. "Fine, let's go," she said.

Yumi started walking forward silently, wondering what she was getting into, letting this girl into her house. When they got there, Yumi put a finger to her lips. "We have to be quiet, I don't want to wake my parents," Yumi whispered.

"So they don't know about your late night rendezvous- Um, walks?" Sissi asks.

"No," Yumi said, irritated.

"You're such a rebel," Sissi commented with a giggle.

"Whatever, just be quiet!" Yumi ordered, then opened the door as quietly as she could. Sissi obeyed, and then sighed in relief as they both entered Yumi's room. Sissi sunk to the floor, happy to be able to sit down after standing up for so long. Yumi turned on the light, and then sat down next to her. "So I am curious, what made you so desperate to leave?" Yumi asked.

"Just everyone on my floor," Sissi said.

"Uh huh, everyone?" Yumi questioned, raising an eyebrow. She could hardly imagine some of them, Aelita for example, being so intimidating as to drive Sissi from the school.

"Yes, they're all very jealous of me. They decided have some sort of plot going against me. 'Let's pick on the beautiful girl,' they decided. So they start blocking me in the hallways so I'm last for showers and even late for class. Then there's Millie and Tamiya looking for any scathing story to write about me in their silly rag. This conspiracy's made my life a living nightmare! I'm sick of it!"

Yumi looked at the floor. So even Sissi could be defeated. Yumi sympathized with Sissi's plight. She had had her own share of trouble in Kadic before making friends with Ulrich and the others. Others might say Sissi was being a little too dramatic, but Yumi knew what being ostracized could be like. Not to mention Yumi could go home at the end of the day, while Sissi had to live with all that unpleasantness. Still, how could she back off so easily? "If you so sick of it, why aren't you doing something about it then?" she demanded.

"I'm only one person, and Herb and Nicolas are hardly any help when I'm on the girl's floor, you know? I told my father about it, and he just said I'd have to learn to get along, what do you think about that?"

Yumi sighed. She wasn't sure what to say. "I guess that's what you're going to have to do," she said.

"You mean keep letting them treat me like this?" Sissi said.

"No, just figure out a way to deal with it. You're good at that, I know," Yumi said. "And if I see anyone unfairly giving you crap, I'll step in," she added.

"You will? But what about your friends? I know they don't like me very much."

"They won't care," Yumi said, although she was sure that at least Odd would have something to say if she were to stick up for Sissi, if not the rest of her group. But Yumi didn't mind, she did things her own way. She followed her conscience, which right now was telling he it would be alright to stick up for the sometimes bully.

"Thank you," Sissi said, giving Yumi a hug. Yumi was surprised by Sissi's sudden outburst of emotion, but explained it away as lack of sleep.

"It's-" Yumi began, but was stopped as she heard a knock at the door. They both froze.

Turning off the light, Yumi walked quietly to the door. She opened it up, revealing her mother while shining in the bright hallway light. Her mother couldn't have missed the extra girl in Yumi's room.

"Come out here, Yumi," her mother said calmly. Yumi obliged. "You've been out. I noticed you were missing. You worried me." Yumi didn't say anything, she only looked down at the floor. "Who is that girl?"

"A girl I know from school,"

"A live-in from Kadic? Your friend?"

"Yes," Yumi confirmed. She hated to lie- No, it wasn't exactly a lie, they were kind of being friendly now.

"I worry about you, Yumi. I'm glad to see you have a friend, but you can't be doing these dangerous things," Yumi's mother said crossly.

"I just can't help myself sometimes, Mom," Yumi said. She had imagined having a similar conversation to this about Lyoko.

"I know. Your heart's in the right place, but it's not right to run out at night like this. Promise me you won't do anything like this again."

"I can't really..." Yumi said, looking away. She'd be out in a moment's notice if Jeremy called her about a tower in Lyoko. "But I'll try not to be so stupid anymore..." she said.

Yumi's mother sighed. "We'll talk more about this tomorrow. Good night, Yumi. Your friend might as well stay here for tonight, but you can't let this happen again. Understand?"

Yumi nodded, watched her mother walk down the hall, then went back inside her room. "Nice to hear that you consider me a friend," Sissi commented, only slight sarcasm in her voice. She wanted to see Yumi's reaction. Upon seeing none, she continued. "Um... You know, I've always kind of admired you."

"Admired?" Yumi raised an eyebrow.

"You're pretty, popular, and confident, just the kind of girl I like," Sissi said.

Yumi made a face. She could disagree on all three points, although that was how she'd describe Sissi herself. When getting to know her, she did have some kind of admiration for that. Well, maybe 'admiration' wasn't the best word to use... "And you're rambling nonsense from lack of sleep, let's go to bed, and you can continue with insults in the morning," Yumi said.

"Fine," Sissi said, curling up under Yumi's blankets. "Good night,"

"Wait, that's my bed. Your's is back at school, remember?" Yumi pointed out.

"But I can't go back to school tonight, and I am a guest, you know."

"But that's my only bed, and I'm not sleeping on the floor."

"Well, you don't expect me to sleep on the floor, do you?" Sissi said.

"I guess not," Yumi said as she climbed into bed with Sissi. Sissi blushed in surprise. Yumi further stunned her by applying a quick kiss to her lips. "Good night, princess," she said. Sissi's heart started beating rapidly. She had never been in this kind of situation before -- without her initiating it, anyway. Next Yumi would... Sissi looked at her. Yumi only smiled in the darkness, quickly falling asleep.