Chapter 0

Exterminated

A raging fire could be seen as four large busses joined the slow moving traffic. Odd closed his eyes and looked away from the fire he could see from his seat, remembering his dog he was forced to leave in the, now destroyed, Kadic Academy.

Jeremie put his arms around Aelita, the girl crying and waiting for when the computer would see the end. Ulrich looked out the window and flinched as he saw another explosion. In the back of his mind he knew what it was. Xana had blown up yet another transformer, causing more destruction.

Yumi looked over at Ulrich in the seat next to her.

"I can't believe he won," Ulrich said, still watching the fire.

"He hasn't won yet," Jeremie said, looking at Ulrich and Yumi over Aelita's head.

"Odd, I'm… I'm so sorry about Kiwi," Sissi said as she sat down next to the purple and pink clad boy.

Odd wiped his eyes with his sleeve and looked at her. "Thanks Sissi."

"Hey Sissi, do you know where we're going?" Yumi asked as she turned around to face the principal's daughter.

"Germany, just past the mountains," Sissi said.

"Why are we heading so far?" Yumi asked.

"Daddy wants to get as far away as possible. They think the fire's going to destroy most of France. No one seems to be able to stop it," Sissi said.

"If only I had gotten to the tower in time," Aelita said.

"It wasn't your fault Aelita," Jeremie said, gently brushing her matted hair out with his hand. "The Scyphozoa came out of nowhere."

"What is he talking about?" Sissi asked Yumi.

"Nothing important," Yumi said as she turned back around to face the front of the bus. "Not anymore."

Ulrich jumped as a bright light came from the Sevres River, the one the factory was on. He looked over at Aelita and Jeremie and saw that her eyes were closed, her head leaning on Jeremie's shoulder. Jeremie was still brushing out her hair, even though Ulrich's thoughts were on the worst.

AN: Fun little tidbit, this story is eight years old. And it failed the first time through. I started this story back in June of 2010. My style was crap but the idea was there. Eight years later and I read it one night, listening to my music and just going through all my old stories when I realize there is so much potential with this story. So for my birthday I sat and re-worked this story. Fixing spelling, fixing grammar, at least to the best of my ability with how bad I am at that, and rounding out the parts that need it. Here is Changing The Tides, a story born of an attack Xana did back in season one that failed, but he would learn from his mistakes, wouldn't he? He's a learning AI and I think he would've figured out a way to destroy all he could of his enemies.

Now a note about when it takes place in the timeline, I have it taking place sometime in early Season Three (I like writing in that season since it was so short).