Zeratul perked his ears everey time a door opened to the cafeteria. He was a weary looking teenager, his brown t-shirt stained in several places with either grease or patches of dirt. His eyes were red, but burned with worn determination. He made sure his table was near where Odd and his friends sat. Jerimie and Aileta were still in line. He forgot about the cooling tea in front of him, much more in the mood for America's fine caffeine laden concoctions that dominated the landscape instead of some weak water tea.

And then he saw Yumi looking over at him in momentary interest and quickly shot his eyes back around, cursing himself quietly while paying much more attention to his tea. Yumi looked away, and Zeratul resumed watching the gang. I hope these idiots aren't as lax about using Lyoko...I don't wanna spend weeks playing stalker...this tea is reeealy bad thought Zeratul sourly. Jerimie seemed to be looking out the window at something. He quickly looked away, blushing. Zeratul sighed. A girl came rushing in, and bumped into Jerimie. "Sorry," she said, blushing. Jerimie said something back to her, also blushing, but Zeratul couldn't hear. The girl was now standing in the breakfast line with Jerimie. "I'm Liz," she said, still blushing. She looked Asian, and had hair like Yumi's only shorter. Zeratul looked away, absentmindedly stirring his tea. The line for breakfast moved very slowly for the next thirty minutes. Jerimie, Liz, and Aileta were still in line. Dear Bratollei, what is this? the Breakfast Club?...How many more people have to bump into these schmucks before he spells the beans on that internet scheme of his?...XANA, you will be mine, I have to spend twenty more hours today wtaching these idiots, I will. Zeratul stirred his tea lamely, now cold.

Something caught his eye. Yumi was leaving the cafeteria. Ulrich said something under his breath, then headed out after her. A few minutes later they both headed back in. They walked over to Jerimie and they started talking. They finally got their food, and they sat down at the table where Odd was. Liz came with them. Zeratul stopped observing the gang long enough to scratch his neck, before Odd burst out laughing. Zeratul looked over to see someone else, a guy, standing over by the table. Yumi was looking at him, with a very confused look on her face. "W-William?" she said. Another kid walked in, and drug William outside.

It started raining. Mumbling to himself, Zeratul eyes are already half-closed. "Why...did I think an all-nighter would be a good...idea?", he covers his head with his arms on the table, his tea well since cold as he tries to keep his ears trained behind him.

Then he hears it. Jeremie's small shout, barely in his sleep-like trance, "XANA!"

"Hu-what!?" muttered Zeratul groggily, knocking his tea over and turnig his head (still slumped) to the noise's general direction. "Ohhh, finally!...God, no wonder XANA wants these kids dead. I haven't even talked to them and I already feel like spending my life inside Lyoko...al-almost"

Then Zeratul hears another noise outside, quiter, he only gets a few words, "William...blown our...XANA"

"Oi" replied Zeratul to himself, picking his head off the table. "Guess even XANA can't outrun affirmative action...heh, heh," Zeratul chuckled at his own joke and then felt his eyelids dropped shut and thought a few minutes couldn't hurt.

That's when the thunder sounded, "WERE UNDER ATTACK!" shouted Zeratul, flinging his arms skyward...noticing the stares, "Ummm, false alarm, heh heh". Grabbing his tea, he quickly ran out of the cafeteria to avoid further embarrsement.