Another Chance
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko or the characters represented; this story is not used for profit. The story itself is my own property and may not be used in part or whole without my permission.
A/N: If you haven't read "The Last Time," here's what you need to know. Ulrich confessed to Yumi just before leaving Kadic for good and she returned his feelings. This story takes place seven years later and is in Ulrich's POV.
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The autumn leaves crunch under my feet. Mist rolls through the trees. Through the few leaves that remain, the lights shine, creating a bright gem that reaches through the dark foliage.
It's been much too long.
The past several years had been a sort of blur. I had become a soccer player but I soon dropped that. The memories of my years as a Warrior had pulled me. I had taken up the sword several years ago and ran my own dojo at home.
My mind's eye returns to the old factory. The city had finally decided to tear it down. They'd found the computer, but it was completely clean and inoperable. Jeremy had seen to that.
Jeremy and Aelita were doing very well. His computer shop was quite popular in this part of the city. They had married and now have a child, a girl that's the spitting image of her mother. We talked for more than an hour before I'd come here.
This was the one place I'd wanted to visit the most. It's been ten years, almost to the hour, since we first opened that doorway to Lyoko. We had stumbled upon it in these very woods.
The serenity wraps around me. My body instinctively enters the meditative state of relaxation I've trained for years in. I spot two sticks at my feet and expertly kick them to my hands. Within seconds they are moving in gentle arcs around me.
I spin suddenly, the sticks my swords as I begin the dance. My blades are ever flowing, my body moving in the trance of Ba Gua. The air sings with the hiss of perpetual death.
And then I thrust suddenly, altering into a variation of Shaolin arts. My limbs enter the strike, my feet moving in time with my swords to deliver the blows. I fling my body into the air, a three-way strike, and land in a crouch with my blades sweeping the leaves from the ground. I finish in a half-crouch, my blades crossed over my chest.
I breathe deeply, feeling the coolness spread through my veins. I raise my swords, slowly rolling them through my fingers around my body and head. I move through a set of Tai Chi, stretching my limbs to practiced poses, holding each for no more than a second before flowing to the next. With one final breath, I sink to one knee, the sticks crossed on the grass before me. I remain still for another second, letting the air steal the sweat that has begun to sprout on my brow.
A gentle clap breaks the silence behind me: first one strike, then two. "Beautiful."
The voice is light and warm, but with a sharp ring. My eyes flash for a moment as the familiarity settles over me. I can't help but let out a slight laugh. "I didn't know anyone was watching."
"I think I'm glad you didn't."
I rise to my feet and half-turn, looking over my old friend. She stands several feet away, resting against a tree. She's wearing a loose, black sweater that cuts off at her elbows. Her pants are light grey with black wisps down one leg. I notice her jet-black hair that reaches down to her back, longer than she used to wear it. The years had been very good to her.
In the light from the building, I see her eyes looking over me. They linger heavily on my face. I have more face stubble than I used to. I still keep my hair short. It's easier that way.
"What are you doing here?" she finally asks.
"What? No hello?" I ask jokingly.
She waits for a moment, a smile on her face. Then she runs over and wraps me in a hug. I catch her, holding her close. Years of withheld emotion suddenly come pouring out. Not as tears, but as gentle shivers. "I've missed you."
"I missed you too."
She pulls away and we begin to walk, keeping just within sight of the lights. All the while, her hand gently holds tight to mine. "So what are you doing here?" she asks again.
"I had some time off," I explain. "I remembered what day it was and decided to pay the school a visit."
She nods. "I come here often, myself. There are too many good memories here to give up." A moment of silence covers us. "So what sort of things have you been up to?"
"Well, let's see. After I went back home, I started playing soccer for a semi-pro team."
"I know," she said with a smile. "I've watched several of your games."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I still remember when you kicked that game-winner at the quarterfinals a few years ago."
"The bicycle kick into the low corner?"
"That's the one." We smile and share a laugh. Her presence fills me with a warm comfort I haven't felt in many years. In fact, I think it was when we said goodbye that I last felt it…
I continued. "I quit that after a few years and took up martial arts. That was the display you saw back there."
She smiled. "It really was impressive."
"Five years of practice." I pause. "What about you?"
"I took some college classes. I still work at the bookstore, full-time now."
"Nice, nice." I finally work up the courage to say the question that hung in the back of my head. "Any boyfriends?" I ask. I had noticed long ago that her fingers were bare.
"A few," she replies. "Nothing too serious. Well, there was one guy, but he turned out to be a jerk." She looks at me. "You?"
I shake my head. "No. I've tried, but I just can't find anyone." It's a half-truth.
We soon find ourselves at the same spot where we started. I quietly check my watch. 11:30. My heart is sad, but I say, "I should probably get going."
She clutches my hand. "Do you have a place to stay?"
"I've got a hotel on the other side of the square."
"Why don't… Why don't you come stay at my place?" she asks with a shrug. "I've got an extra bed in my apartment. We can catch up some more."
"Really?"
She nods.
I smile. "I'd like that."
We sneak through the fence and wander the streets. Lampposts keep the city glowing almost as bright as the day. A car or two passes us every so often, but we are mostly alone, alone to simply enjoy each other's company.
Eventually, we walk up to her apartment. It's small, but she says it's enough to get her by. She leads me to a sofa that unfolds into a bed and wishes me goodnight.
"Yumi…" She stops at the hallway. A knot suddenly forms in my throat, but I force it down with a gulp. "There's something I should ask. You do remember what happened when we say goodbye?"
Her eyes shift focus for a moment at the memory. "Almost every day," she answers matter-of-factly.
I go on, before my nerves can stop me. "I know it's been a long time, but… But I still have feelings for you." My head turns away slightly. It's easier to think without looking at her. "Is there any way… I don't know… Maybe you…"
Her hand suddenly turns my head. Our eyes find each other. "You talk too much." She leans forward and kisses me.
My mind shuts down. I lean into her, pulling her close. Our hearts beat together, two souls torn apart reunited with the flames of union.
I never believed in destiny. But there is one piece I will forever swear by: soul mates will always find each other.
A/N: Special thanks to beta readers, Felix the Eeveetrainer and Detective E. Yin, and the people that loved my last story. It was actually the reviews that gave me the idea for this story. Hopefully you enjoyed this one as much (or more) than the last.
And thanks to YOU for reading. Don't forget to leave your review on your way out.