Phoenix ran as fast as she could, racing through the trees. Something was following her, something sinister, and she didn't want to stick around to find out what. She saw the root ahead, but didn't make it over in time. Down she went, skinning her hands on a fallen log and scratching her face and arms. She got back up and started running again, stumbling along now. Then everything went black.

Yumi, Aelita, Ulrich, Jeremie and Odd were walking along a forest path at Kadic Academy. The sound of a twig snapping disrupted the quiet and made all five jump. A dark figure stumbled out of the forest and collapsed on the path. Yumi dropped her water bottle in shock and hastily bent to pick it up.

The figure was a girl, small and thin with wavy, firey red hair. Her skin was pale and she wore black clothing. Her face and arms were covered in scratches and her hands looked skinned up.

Odd pulled out his phone to call for help, but Ulrich shook his head. Jeremie bent over the girl and studied her.

Aelita crouched next to him. "Who do you think it is?" she asked.

Jeremie replied, "I don't know," and stood back up. "Let's take her to my dorm so we can clean her up. Maybe she'll wake and we'll find out who she is."

"So she's still alive?" Odd asked.

Jeremie nodded. "Ulrich, help me carry her."

Together, Ulrich and Jeremie carried the girl to Jeremie's dorm with the rest of the group following close behind.

Yumi opened the door for Ulrich and Jeremie and followed them inside. The boys laid the girl on one of the bunks. Aelita came in and handed Ulrich some wet towels. He started to clean up her scratches. The cool cloth on the girl's face seemed to wake her. She stirred and opened her eyes, revealing irises colored like a pair of onyx stones. Cold onyx stones. She looked at the five teens gathered around her for a moment, studying them.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Odd, and these are Yumi, Aelita, Jeremie and Ulrich," he said, gesturing to each in turn.

The girl nodded. "I am Phoenix. Can you tell me where I am?"

"You are in my dorm," said Jeremie, "at Kadic Academy."

A strange look crossed Phoenix's face.

"Should I take her to Delmas to see if there's a dorm she can stay in?" Aelita asked.

Jeremie nodded. "Would you like to stay here, Phoenix? Aelita can get you a dorm, if you like."

Phoenix nodded and rose from the bed.

She followed Aelita out of the room.

"I'm not sure about her," Jeremie said once their footsteps faded away.

"Neither am I. There's something weird about Phoenix," Odd said.

"Well I think she's all right. Don't you remember how Aelita got here? Maybe she  is the same story," Yumi suggested.

The others nodded and looked at Ulrich. He shrugged and said quietly," She reminds me of someone."

Aelita led Phoenix down the hall to Principal Delmas' office. Aelita was surprised to see Delmas standing outside his office. He smiled at the girls and motioned them inside.

"Hey girls," he greeted them. " What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to request a room for Phoenix," Aelita said.

"Sure. In fact, a girl a few doors down from you just left for another school. Phoenix can stay in that room, if she likes."

Phoenix nodded. Delmas handed the key to Aelita and waved them off. Aelita led Phoenix down the hall, past her dorm and to a door only three down from her own. She unlocked the door and held it open for Phoenix. They walked inside, Phoenix shutting the door behind her. She wandered around the room, a look of deep concentration on her face.

"Aelita," she sad finally, "where are you from?"

"I am from a virtual world called Lyoko. Jeremie and the others rescued me from it," Aelita answered.

"Well, I'm from Lyoko, too. Xana created me. I wanted to escape and left the tower. He sent a Krab after me. I stunned it, and another one appeared. Somehow, I ended up here. I think I ran through a portal or something. The Krab chased me through a forest. I tripped over a branch and stumbled out of the woods. Then I passed out," Phoenix said.   

"That would explain why he hasn't been very active lately," Aelita said. "I'll bet he was busy dealing with you."

"Yeah, I'm not the most willing of servants. He was trying to build a new breed of warriors. He called us the 'Birds of Parodise'. Or the 'BOPs'. I was the leader and I led a rebellion. The main group weren't very good and phased away. I don't know where they are."

"That explains your name."

Phoenix chuckled. "I picked it out myself."

Then she took on a mischevious look. "Wanna see a trick?"

She jumped into the air, and in a split second, her skin was fiery red, she wore black leather gloves, and her hair stood out a little, like someone had put static electricity through it. She flew around the room, her stance like she was skateboarding.

Aelita watched in awe.

A knock came at the door, tearing her attention away. The door opened. Jeremie, Odd and Ulrich stood in the frame, watching Phoenix with open mouths and wide eyes.

"I can explain," Aelita said.

"Go ahead," Jeremie challenged.

Aelita was at a loss for words. Phoenix landed neatly by her side. Jeremie glared menacingly at the girls.

"She was made by XANA." Aelita said at last. "She escaped, though."

"And how do we know that she didn't just say that? How do we know that she isn't just here to destroy us and the supercomputer on orders from XANA?" Odd challenged.

Yumi walked up behind Ulrich and said calmly, "I think that if Phoenix meant us harm, she wouldn't have gone through so much trouble to get out of the forest. I saw a dark thing behind her when she came out."

"It could have been a wolf or something." Jeremie said.

"A wolf? At Kadic? There's no way!" Yumi argued.

"I assure you, I mean no harm," Phoenix said quietly.

"How do we know that we can trust you?" Odd demanded.

"How did you know that you could trust Aelita when she came?" Phoenix asked.

"That was different! We rescued her from the computer. She didn't come find us!" Jeremie said.

"I know, but she ran into us by accident." Aelita said.

Odd looked at Ulrich. "Why don't you pick a side? What's your opinion?"

Ulrich shrugged. "She reminds me of someone," was all he said.

Jeremie looked thoughtful. "Who?"

"An old friend of mine. But she disappeared years ago," Ulrich said.

"Really? What did she look like, Ulrich?" Phoenix asked. "You look familiar to me too."

"She had red hair, like you, and the same onyx eyes, but there wasn't the same supernatural air. I mean, we'd expect to find you on a mission for XANA, not running in a forest." Ulrich said.

"I had a friend like you, too. I can't remember much about him, so it's kind of like a deja^vu right now." Phoenix replied.

Odd looked back and forth between the two of them. "Okay, I'm confused!" he exclaimed.

"No surprise there," Ulrich muttered.

Yumi snickered. "So what are we gonna do about this?" she asked.

"I honestly don't know," Jeremie said, rubbing the back of his head.

Aelita and Phoenix sighed and joined hands. Yumi joined them. "We're for Phoenix staying," Aelita and Yumi said.

Odd and Jeremie nodded. "We think there's something strange going on with her," they said.

"And I'm Switzerland," Ulrich said, holding his hands out in front of him.

"So where does that put us?" Odd asked.

Aelita shrugged. "Maybe we can reach a compromise."

Odd dug into his food, as usual. Aelita was glaring at Jeremie. They were fighting. Each word said between them made Phoenix flinch and shrink into her chair. Yumi and Ulrich were talking, heads bent together.

"I think we should take her to the factory!" Aelita said.

"I think we should turn her out," Jeremie retorted. "What if she causes trouble for us?"

"That's a risk we'll have to take," Aelita said defiantly.

"But why should we risk our cover and our secret over a creation of XANA?"

"For the same reason you risked it when you got me out the first time. You didn't send me away! You kept me here and taught me about this world!"

Jeremie sighed and looked away from Aelita's heated gaze. She had him, and he knew it.

"You're right Aelita, but you didn't have the same weird kind of feeliing about you. Something just doesn't feel right with her around," he said.

"I don't care! She's my friend." Aelita protested.

Jeremie could see how important this was to her. Odd looked up from his food and glanced at Jeremie.

"No way! You so aren't letting her win!" Odd said harshly.

"I think she has a point."

"So? We can't get involved with Phoenix!"

Phoenix shot a glare at Odd. "No offense," he said, "But there's just something about you, and I don't trust it."

"I have done you no harm, neither do I intend to. Throw me out if you like, but know that I am here because I escaped from XANA. He'll probably come looking for me, because I was his most valuable warrior, but I don't mean to cause you any inconvenience." Phoenix said softly.

"Exactly! XANA will start coming after us because Phoenix is here, and she ran away from him!" Odd said loudly.

"SHHH!" Yumi shushed him. "Do you want Sissi and Millie coming over here?"

"No."

"Then keep your voice down!" Yumi said.

She nodded at Ulrich and turned to face the rest of the group. Ulrich did the same, taking Yumi's hand.

"We think that we should at least take Phoenix to the factory. You don't have to let her do anything except look. You don't have to send her to Lyoko, nor do anything with the computer, but at least let her see it. Maybe we can find somehting about her past anyways." Yumi suggested.

Odd and Jeremie looked at Ulrich.

"I'm with Yumi," he said softly.

"Of course," Odd remarked.

Aelita smacked him and faced Ulrich and Yumi. "I agree with you." she said.

"Then it's agreed. by a three to two vote, let's go to the factory," Ulrich said.

"But I'm not done eating!" Odd complained.

"You've eaten enough to feed the rest of the group for a week, now let's go!" Aelita said, standing.

"You don't know how much it takes to fill a growing boy," Odd grumbled.

Aelita and Jeremie laughed. Yumi shot him a glance and looked at Ulrich, who was stifling a laugh.

The group left the cafeteria and down the path that led to the factory. They climbed in the elevator and emerged in the room with the supercomputer.

Phoenix stiffened. The others walked on without her, unaware of her halt. She looked around her. A figure, much like the one that had guarded her in Lyoko, emerged from the darkness. Phoenix couldn't remember what he was called, but she remembered how strong he was.

With a cry, she ran at him and knocked him to the ground. The creature picked himself up and lunged at her. Phoenix pulled out her powers and started to hover. The others noticed the flash of light that emerged when the ball dissipated, and turned round. Aelita gasped.

Phoenix held her hands in front of her and screwed up her face in concentration. Twin balls of red light shot from her palms and flew at her opponent. He dodged them neatly and growled at her.

Phoenix steadied herself and looked up in time to see the ceiling shift and roll behind her. She felt the hard ground beneath her as she slid back a few feet from the force of the hit.

Her attacker grinned and advanced. He picked her up and pulled her into a headlock.

"Miss me?" he growled.

Phoenix looked away and reached inside herself. Her eyes started to glow brightly and she opened her mouth, already filled with the strange red light, and let out an ear piercing scream. It blew her opponent back across the room and Phoenix caught herself before she fell to the ground. She flew at her opponent, then shifted her position so she was flying at him feet first. Her boots crashed into his chest and there was an audible snap. Phoenix dropped neatly to the ground and walked behind her opponend. She wrapped both hands around his neck and squeezed. There was another snap and the creature fell limp. His form melted away and left only the eye of XANA in ashes on the floor.

Phoenix stared at the symbol then turned to the group. With another flash of light, she returned to her regular form, but she didn't move.

Odd and Jeremie were staring open mouthed at her. Yumi and Aelita looked dazed, but Ulrich looked deep in thought.

"Okay," Odd said finally. "Let's see what we can find out about Phoenix on the net."

Jeremie nodded and went to the supercomputer.

"What was that thing?" asked Yumi.

"I can't remember what it was called, but he used to guard me at the tower in Lyoko. I had to get through him to get here. He's the one that chased me through the forest." Phoenix said.

"You fight pretty good," Aelita said.

"Thanks." Phoenix said softly.

"Hey guys, look at this!" Jeremie said.

After hours of searching without results, the group retired to their dorms. Phoenix fell asleep in her dorm not long after her head hit the pillow.

She opened her eyes and blinked in the bright sunlight. Ships were everywhere. One red-painted ship floated lightly next to her. A name was emblazoned in golden lettering on the side; The Phoenix Feather. She was on a dock, and had a funny feeling she had been here before.

"Phoenix, darling, come up here!" a voice called down.

Phoenix looked up and saw a man leaning over the rail on the ship. He was smiling and beckoning to her. She saw a gangplank nearby and ran up the board onto the boat. She stepped up onto the deck.

The man came toward her. He was wearing a navy-blue jacket with a captain's hat. His boots were shiny and black. His blue jeans were faded. He had a round face with dark hair framing his dark eyes.

The man embraced her. "Good to see you, honey," he said.

"Papa?" she asked.

"Of course. You've grown so much. It's a shame that your mother died. She was a wonderful woman, but a little too keen on your safety. She wouldn't let you come with me because seafaring as a pirate is dangerous. But you're here now, and you'll be safe," he said.

"Oh, papa, I've missed you so much!" Phoenix cried.

"I've missed you too, darling," he said.

Morning light shone through the window, bringing Phoenix from her dream. She rolled over and yawned. Aelita was waking up in the bunk below her.

"Morning," Phoenix grunted.

"Morning," Aelita responded.

The two girls got ready and met up with the rest of the group for breakfast. Phoenix was brooding and said little. The table was silent. Pheonix's mood was infectous among the others. Finally, energetic Aelita was too vexed not to say anything.

"What's with you, Phoenix?" she snapped.

"Hmm?"

Phoenix looked up from the table she had been staring at.

"What's with you?" Aelita repeated.

"Oh. Nothing, nothing. I just had a funny dream, that's all," Phoenix said dissmissively.

"Really? What was it about?" Aelita asked.

"My papa and his ship. My papa was a pirate and my mother died. I went to live with him on the ship because I was too young to live on my own," Phoenix said.

Aelita looked at Jeremie. Jeremie pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"Did anything seem famiiar to you? Like de ja^ vu?" he asked.

"Yeah. The whole thing. It felt like I'd been there before," Phoenix mused.

"Hmmm..."

Jeremie exchanged looks with Odd and Ulrich. Yumi looked deep in her own thoughts.

"Back to the factory?" Odd asked.

"Back to the factory," Jeremie confirmed.

Everybody got up and dumped their trays. Jeremie practically ran back to the factory and the others had to rush to catch up.

"That's the fatest I've ever seen him move," Odd whispered to Ulrich.

"I heard that! Now hurry up!" Jeremie yelled.