AN: Heylo to you all. I'm finally back and honestly inspired. I have to say that it was the Season Premiere on Friday that did me in. I realized how close Season 4 was getting and that I was really really behind, considering I had promised to yank it on New Years. No, but I think I have a fairly nice start, a plot to master the one before and a plan to put it all together.
So please, read on. This IS a redo, NOTHING like the idea I had used before. This idea was originally going to be the third book but I decided that the second was more of a filler to introduce Jin into the story anyway. Then I decided that it is probably best that instead of boring you all with fillers (not that anyone can get bored with Jin) that the main story was needed and that I should treat every book like a chapter. I always organized the plot of my book so that every chapter had a reason. I decided that I needed to apply that to the series itself so that every book has a point.
Anyways, if you have not read Stronger After All, the first book in this…I believe it will be a trilogy only, then you need to go back and read it. This chapter brings in all the characters and a strange plot so knowing the story beforehand will give you a better idea what's going on.
I should also explain that Jin is in this too. If you'd like to get to know Jin as a character better, please read G-Force4's Code Lyoko: A Retelling. G-Force is a fantastic author with an awesome story that kicks anything I conjure up to the curb. Please read it, that way, you get to know Jin better. Also do look at his two Stronger After All One-Shots as they bring more of the relationship that has developed between our OC's better and introduces what a likely or canon meeting between them would be like. Don't think of it like a task either. His stories are probably the best read you'll ever get. :)
Thanks again and enjoy yourselves.
Chelsea, Plot and any other original characters I throw in for fun (c) Me, lyokolady
Jin (c) G-Force4 (hah, I almsot put :devG-Force4:)
A Code Lyoko canon characters (c) Moonscoop and Antefilms
Chapter 1: A Healthy ApologyWhen did the split happen? I'd have to say around the time Jin came back. About a year ago…it was, of course, not his fault. Jin was accepted into the group as a part of them before I even got involved. They wouldn't push him out. But when the split came and went….they pushed me out.
We don't talk to one another in the halls anymore. Not a glance, a wave, acknowledgment. Nothing. He doesn't look at me anymore. Not when he and Odd round the corner…not when we are alone in detention. I don't look at him either. I heard he wasn't on good terms with Yumi…but I doubt they could stand not talking to one another for too long. They…had something different. They've been there. I'm an intruder.
Aelita, Odd and Jeremy still speak with me and treat me as an equal. It's still hard though…Odd mentions him every now and then. And there's always the chance where I may get stuck calling him one of these days for an attack.
Yumi didn't like me in the beginning and now she doesn't even spare me a glare. I sometimes wish she would. It's better than not speaking. Jin is okay…but he is reserved when speaking to me out of loyalty to his sister. I don't blame him though…he warned me.
Lyoko is like the beacon of my life. It and Xana's attacks are the only things that bring the whole group back together, united as one. We don't bring up the split or our dislikes of one another. We fight together like teammates. We are teammates.
But when we step out of the factory and back into the real world…everything becomes real again. We become detached and indifferent again…
AAAAAAAA
"Hyah!!!!" Ulrich cried as he surged through the air. He glanced down below him, angling his gleaming reverse blade to the creature that was looking up at him, trying to anticipate his next move. Ulrich's brown eyes narrowed and gravity reached up and gripped his body, dragging him back to the desert ground. Ulrich grunted as he tore through the atmosphere and landed on the back of the opposing Krabb. He twisted the blade expertly in his hands before plunging the sharp tip into the strange insignia on the creature's back.
With another grunt of effort, he vaulted off the back and landed in a crouch as the Krabb exploded, sending shards of its body and data flying around the seventeen-year-old and blinking out of existence.
Straightening his posture, he turned and surveyed the landscape. Battling in the desert region meant, like all of the other regions on Lyoko, that one could feel a hint of the climate around them. For the ice region, there was a blistering cold. For the forest region there was always sticky humidity hovering the area. For the mountain region they could always count on a cool breeze.
As Ulrich sheathed his sword he could vouch for the heat snapping and biting at his skin. If he hadn't been in a digital world, he would've been sweating.
"Nice work on that Krabb, Ulrich," a voice came out of nowhere. "Some pretty awesome tactics."
"Thanks, Jeremy," Ulrich replied tiredly. He waved a hand at the sky. "I've been practicing a little extra these last couple of weeks."
"Hey, Ulrich! The battles not over yet!" Ulrich turned around to glance at the pink-haired girl and turned some more to see where she was pointing. A groan escaped his lips as his eyes met another dozen Krabbs. He sighed and yanked out his blade again.
"Aelita, hide," Ulrich said and he moved to charge into battle. A girl dodged past him though and raced in before him.
Her long black hair streamed prettily behind her and her dark brown eyes were set determinedly on the task at hand. As suddenly as she had leapt forward, she dropped to her hands and corkscrewed through the air with a number of complex and serious cartwheels, keeping her safe as the Krabbs fired. With a final push she hefted herself onto the back of one of the Krabbs. With one fluid motion, her hand reached behind her and twisted down across the back of the Krabb. Anyone watching would have wondered how quickly she had managed to bring out the dangerous fan in her hands. It was certain then, that that fan was no ladies' toy. With a satisfied smirk on her face, the girl leaped off just as the Krabb exploded in a familiar fashion, cascading her with remains.
Aelita nodded approvingly from behind a boulder as her friend moved onto another enemy. "Good fight Yumi."
Sitting up into a crouch, the elf-like girl waited a few more moments until Ulrich and Yumi had cleared a larger path. When there were only about six Krabbs left, Aelita raced out onto the battlefield and gave a cry as she charged.
An unsuspecting Krabb whirled around to face her, surprised at another attacker. Aelita held her hands together, only a foot away from one another and immediately pink sparks formed between her palms. When the large mass of pink electricity formed fully, Aelita threw out her arm and yelled, "Energy Field!"
The ball slammed into the two forelegs of the tall Krabbe, knocking the beast forward. It roared with protest as it hit the desert floor awkwardly and struggled to get up with to legs missing. With another shout from the pink-haired elf, two pink balls slammed into the Krabb's sign, felling it on the spot.
Aelita grinned and sighed. She turned to the rest of the battlefield, just catching Ulrich match her own tactic and slice off the legs of a Krabb. He gave a battle cry then, slamming his sword into the Krabbs sign and dodging away as it shattered into pieces.
He turned to wave at her when his eyes widened with horror. "Aelita behind you!"
Aelita gasped and twirled around to face a Krabb already half charged and leering at her. Her eyes widened with fear. Suddenly two arrows came spiraling out of nowhere, sinking into the sides of the Krabb. Aelita watched as ice began to rapidly stream out from the arrows and engulf the sides. The Krabb's charge faltered and disappeared as the two arrows made impact.
Ulrich took this opportunity. "Super Sprint!"
He leapt into action, a trail of where he once was being left behind him and he was at Aelita's side in a second. He watched then as another arrow accompanied the other and sank into the sign. Ulrich threw Aelita to the ground and covered her, protecting her from such a close blast. He grunted as some shards hit him.
"Ulrich, that was a few lifepoints down," Jeremy called. "Nice save, Chelsea!"
Ulrich turned to where the deadly arrows had come from watching as a brown head disappeared behind a rock almost a half a mile down the direction he had come from. His brows met in an unknown feeling for a moment before he turned back to the task at hand.
Behind the rock, a girl sighed and rested her head against it. Her dark green eyes were closed and her hand rested limply on a bow on the ground beside her.
"No sleeping on the job, Chels," a male voice called.
Chelsea looked sighed and glanced at the person next to her. His black hair was parted the same way Yumi's was and a dark pair of sunglasses covered his eyes.
"Yeah…okay," Chelsea replied. She rolled over back onto her knees and knocked another arrow. Her eyes narrowed sharply then and she let the arrow fly. Chelsea let a grim smile spread across her lips as the sound of an explosion met her ears seconds later.
"Jin, Odd, Chelsea, move in! There are wasps coming around and Yumi and Ulrich need your fire power," Jeremy called from the sky.
"Ready to party, guys?" Chelsea and Jin turned and looked across the open pathway at the last companion to the group, Odd. His catlike outfit, strange dewdrop-like hair complete with a purple splotch on it and a wicked smile was all someone needed to know this teen's character.
Jin nodded, ready to move. Sensing the urgency of picking off the wasps, he reached down to his sides to grab his weapons of choice for this time around on Lyoko. The two handguns gleamed dangerously in his hands and the three were off.
The large group of wasps hovered ominously in front of the destination the group was so desperately fighting for: the activated tower. Some of the creatures flew in mocking circles, believing they had the upper hand. However when three new enemies flew out of the ranks the Krabbs had been protecting, they knew it was time for business.
Jin pushed his legs forward and his body fell into a swift slide. As he slid he aimed his guns forward and shouted, "Bullet Barrage!" The wasps flew around and into one another with frenzied excitement as they tried to dodge the dangerous little pieces of metal. Their attacker slid skillfully under them, though toppling recklessly into a nearby boulder with a little less grace. Jin sat up dizzily and grinned with pride as he was awarded with smashing up about half of the wasps and injuring another fourth.
"Jin, watch it!" Chelsea cried from his front. Jin turned and groaned as three angry wasps ambushed him from behind the boulder. Jin covered himself as they bombarded him with blasts and rolled fiercely to move out of the way.
"Hold on, good buddy!" Odd called and he pounced in between Jin and the wasps, raising his arm in protection. "Shield!"
A transparent purple seal streamed like light from a lamp out of his arm, creating a large half-circle around him and Jin, who had stopped rolling and was getting up behind him. The wasps buzzed furiously as their lasers did nothing against the shield.
Odd gritted his teeth as he tried to keep the shield steady. He glanced to his side. "Chelsea!"
"Right!" Chelsea cried. In one swift motioned her bow was knocked and she let go of the string. The arrow was sent rocketing into the nearest wasp. It screamed and flew into the next one, causing the ice to leak off of it and both to explode.
Chelsea moved on to the next one, only to scream and grasp her side. She looked to find who had attacked her to meet another group of wasps. She got up swiftly and waved for Odd and Jin to follow. "This is insane Jeremy. So what, did Xana waste no energy on the Earth attack so he could send more minions to pick us off here?"
"That seems to be like it," Jeremy replied. "Just get Aelita to the tower. Yumi and Ulrich have to take care of another group of Krabbs coming up from behind. Odd, head back to their section and get Aelita up with you guys. Make sure she gets there safely."
Odd nodded then and ducked below the rock to look around the edge. There Yumi had no both fans out and was facing two Krabbs at once while Ulrich was fighting another five with the help of the his trusty clones. He glanced behind him as Chelsea leaned over the rock and let loose another arrow. Jin was busy reloading after firing upon the wasps once again.
He looked up at Odd with a brow raised. "You going to head out or are you going to let me save the damsel in distress?"
Odd grinned at him and was off without a reply. He dodged across the battlefield eagerly, rolling under a Krabb that was occupied in a mad tussle with Ulrich and fleeing away from some stray wasps that had noticed his departure. He reached Aelita's new hiding place minutes afterwards and a bit out of breath.
"Hey, Princess, how're you holding up?" He asked, grinning at her. A laser slammed into the rock, just to the right of Aelita's head and Odd spun around and fired. "Laser Arrow!"
Three electric arrowheads burst from his arm and slammed into the opposing wasps. He turned back to Aelita who flashed the same smile.
"When shall we go?" she questioned.
Odd watched the terrain with practiced eyes and found the break in the battle fast. He grabbed onto Aelita's hand and pushed her in front of him, sending her running. "Go! I'll cover your back!"
Aelita let out a little cry in affirmative and brought up her Energy Fields in defense as they got flew across the battlefield.
"Be careful, Odd! This is dangerous!" Jeremy cried.
"Yeah, yeah!" Odd called through breathing. He dodged another blast. "I know what I'm doi-"
At this particular moment, Odd was faced with an ugly ironic happening. Ulrich had just finished cutting through yet another Krabb. This time, he had managed a straight through slash, splitting the monster in half. Aelita managed to make it before the large corpse fell on her, but Odd was not so fortunate.
The Krabb's corpse slammed into him, knocking him to the ground and out of view. When the Krabb's body flickered away, Odd's was no longer present.
"Ulrich! Be more careful! Aelita's just lost her only cover!" Jeremy cried.
Ulrich stopped in confusion and turned around to see that Aelita was now frantically dodging attacks and fighting off monster all by herself in open territory. "Oh…no…Super Sprint!"
Ulrich raced through the field and had his sword out the second he reached Aelita. He deflected and blocked as they moved their backs towards one another to begin another slow journey to cover.
"Agh!" Aelita turned around in a panic to see Ulrich grasping a leg. The enemies were too many and the blasts were becoming too too frequent.
A laser suddenly flew at Aelita and hit her I the stomach. She collapsed to the ground from impact and shock alone, not to mention the small stab of pain the laser always brought to them on Lyoko.
"Ulrich!"
"I got it Jeremy!" Ulrich looked up to see Chelsea standing over him and Aelita, firing at anything before it could hit her.
"We got it, Jer!" Ulrich turned again to his opposite side to find Yumi blocking blows from all around with one and sending her fan spiraling into the air with her other.
Suddenly Ulrich felt very uncomfortable. After the split…things had gotten uneasy around the group, most especially around the three there. Aelita also felt a bit uneasy as she watched both of their rescuers fight without ever looking at one another.
Chelsea glared ahead of her. Of course she wouldn't be able to use this time to maybe talk to him…Yumi would make certain of that. With a painful glance below her she almost met Ulrich's eyes. She cried out as a kill-hungry wasp took advantage of her break in the moment.
"Chelsea!" Ulrich closed his mouth sharply after crying out her name. He glanced at Yumi who had an incredulous look on her face and looked back at Chelsea who was struggling to get up. Another blast was about to hit her but Ulrich had had enough. He stood and parried it before it hit her.
Chelsea looked at him in amazement and he felt her eyes. "Ulrich…thank you…"
Ulrich did not meet her eyes and stood with Yumi, deflecting more blows. He spoke to her with his back turned. "Go now, with Aelita. Me and Yumi will be behind you if you get devirtualized."
Chelsea was glad that he wasn't looking at her then because she was sure that the disappointment on her face was more than visible. She nodded and when she remembered that his back was turned, she voiced her affirmation and took off with Aelita.
Long hours of training with Jin and Odd were the only things that made running and firing with her bow and arrow possible. Luckily, she had gotten pretty decent at aiming and flew forth with ease.
Or at least she would have had she not been caught unawares by a Krabb. She had been halfway to Jin by then and she stumbled as the laser hit her in her leg.
"Chelsea!" Aelita called, bending by her side.
"I'm fine," Chelsea said stubbornly, about to get up.. Then the Krabb finally caught her eye. "Aelita move!"
Fiercely, she shoved Aelita out of the way and the laser slammed into her arm. The last thing she saw before she was devirtualized was Ulrich and Yumi racing to Aelita's side.
AAAAAAA
Chelsea opened her eyes just as the scanner opened. She groaned as the physical fatigue of what she had just gone through spread throughout her body and realized that she was slumped against the back of the scanner and couldn't get up.
"Need some help, Cloud?" Chelsea looked up to see Odd grinning wearily at her from outside the scanner. Chelsea nodded her reply, too exhausted to speak.
He leaned in and threw an arm under hers, hefting her up and out of the scanner. He took her over to the wall and they both leaned against it tiredly.
"So how did you get devirtualized?" Odd questioned, closing his eyes and leaning back.
"Krabb…it was going to shoot Aelita when I was down…so I pushed her out of the way," Chelsea replied, stopping to breathe heavily in between each couple of words.
"ah, so my Cloud is a little hero," Odd said, smiling.
Chelsea shook her head and furrowed her brows. "Only you would think so."
She braced herself against the wall then and pushed herself up. "I'm going…I won't be able to get back on Lyoko for a couple of hours so I won't do much good sitting around here. I'll see you guys…"
"You sure you don't want to wait to see if they can do it?" Odd questioned, looking after her as she trudged weakly to the elevator.
"I got Aelita halfway to Jin…they should be done in a couple of minutes," Chelsea said, stepping onto the elevator with a way. "See you…"
She pressed the button, nodded at Odd and the doors shut. Sighing, Chelsea let herself drop to the floor of the elevator as it rised and opened to Jeremy's level.
He acknowledged her with a wave and then shouted an exclamation of joy. "Yes! Nice job, Ulrich! We did it!"
He then relaxed and turned away from the glow of the supercomputer to turn to her. "Nice job, today Chelsea. You should be proud for taking that laser for Aelita. She'd been hit too many times…she would've gotten devirtualized."
Chelsea nodded wearily. "I'm going to head back to the room…tell the guys I said later…"
Jeremy nodded, waved and turned back to the computer. "Alright, guys. Since the attack was spent on the increase of enemies on Lyoko, a return trip is not needed. Besides, I don't want to take that stupid exam again."
Chelsea heard voices of agreement from the monitor before closing the elevator doors and traveling to the top layer.
Once out of the factory, Chelsea stopped on the bridge and breathed in the night air. The school lights glistened from beyond the forest park and the city lights shown to the left of that. The water from the sewers shimmered with the reflection of the moon and the stars and the cool breeze of the night tickled her bare shoulders.
The day's attack had come somewhat unexpectedly for the group. It had came, luckily when the bell rang to let them out of class for the day so when Jeremy called, everyone was pumped. However, the attack not only increased the amount of enemies on Lyoko, but took away the use of vehicles. They were there working on Lyoko that day for a good long four hours.
"Chelsea, wait up!" Chelsea looked up and realized that she had paused long enough for the rest of the gang to be done and up.
Aelita reached her first and touched her shoulder. "Hey, thanks for the save back there…"
Chelsea nodded tiredly. "Yeah, no problem. It saved the mission so…"
Aelita nodded and headed back to Yumi who spoke with her as well. Chelsea sighed and watched them jealously for a moment. She looked away then and began to walk as the group headed on.
Jin came to her side. Yumi was preoccupied with Aelita at the moment and wasn't paying attention to her brother's light exchange. His portable headphones were already blaring in his ears and he was walking with his hands set easily in his pockets. They walked in silence for a few moments before he spoke. "You know, talking would really do you some good every now and then. It's been proven that not talking really isn't healthy for the vocal chords."
"I talk!" Chelsea defended, failing miserably.
Jin shrugged and grinned a little. "Still…your mouth was one of the busier parts of yourself a while back."
Chelsea narrowed her eyes at him as they walked. "Well, at least you don't see me falling around like a klutz all the time!"
Jin looked at her with shock for a moment and then his eyes flashed as well. "Would you just watch yourself? After all this time you still have no control over that anger of yours! After what it did to you! I was fooling around Chels."
Chelsea looked like she was about to fight back but she stopped in time and her shoulders sagged. "I…sorry."
Jin nodded and stretched. "The Kadic Dance-Off is tomorrow and I plan to win. I've been practicing for ages!" At that moment he busted a move and danced a few feet ahead of the gang.
Yumi laughed then, taking notice of the movement. "Aniki, you've been practicing your whole life."
"Exactly! That key point right there has got to land me in first place," Jin said, returning to Chelsea's side.
"That may be so for you, but I actually have my own music video to air once I become the greatest dancer known to man!" Odd said, pumping his fists into the air. He broke into a loud chorus of "Break, break break dance!" before rounding upon Jin. "What do you say to that, Mini Michael?"
"Hey, I take that as a compliment!" Jin fought back, pulling his headphones away from his ears. This conversation had grasped his attention. "He may not be the greatest person…personally…but you have to admit, he has mad skills on the dance floor."
"Sure, sure…but I am all original…"
Chelsea shook her head and smiled a little at the boys' friendly banter. She supposed the final win of that long battle had put everyone in good spirits. Tired spirits but good ones nonetheless. Times like these were rare when so much tension was put forth between the group.
Throughout the rest of the walk, Ulrich, Chelsea and Yumi kept quiet most of the time and Jeremy and Aelita began to take part in Jin and Odd's conversation on the Dance-off the next day.
Once they were all back, the gang had quieted down and began to go their separate ways. Jin and Yumi waved their goodbyes. Yumi grinned at Jeremy and Yumi and rested her eyes on Ulrich. "I'll see you all later. Mom wants us home right away. Bye…Ulrich!"
Ulrich blinked in amazement and looked up slowly to wave a little, still shocked. Yumi waved hesitantly again and left with Jin.
Chelsea glanced at Ulrich, his eyes still locked on Yumi's shrinking back. She frowned and began to walk away.
"Oh, Chelsea," Ulrich called her back.
Chelsea hid a hopeful smile and turned back around to see him, holding out a hand. "You left this at the factory. I just remembered I got it for you."
Chelsea looked down at his hand and found her cell phone to be there. She hadn't realized that she had left it there. With a small sigh, she took the phone and nodded quietly. "Thanks Ulrich."
He nodded and turned away, not looking at her. Chelsea stood there staring at his back. What was she doing? Aelita and Jeremy were almost into the building, and here she was alone. She could do something about it…she needed to do something about it.
"Ulrich?"
"Hm?"
Chelsea almost didn't speak as his eyes met hers for the first time in a year. She faltered under the gaze she had gotten so unaccustomed to seeing, but used to imagining. She had waited for this a moment for a long time…for a very long time and now she couldn't say a word.
Jin's voice flashed into her mind. "You know, talking would really do you some good every now and then…"
Her mouth opened but nothign came out. She nodded again and looked down. "Thank you."
EDIT: I DID edit the end...sorry...
A/N: No, this is not a random little story with a crazy plot that came out of now where and ends here. This, I plan on being a rather long and interesting plot. And don't worry about the split. You'll find out more about that later though the main reason I believe was obvious.
Reviews please! I'd especially like some detailed ones on how you think the plot, my writing style and everything is holding up. This sucker is planned for once. I'd especially, if you don't mind, like a review from G-Force on how I held up with Jin during this chapter.