Disclaimer: I don't own Code lyoko
Summary: '"Basically, we'll leave when the factory is destroyed" The blond finished, adjusting his glasses.'
Warnings: Might be O.O.C
...
"Are you sure they said today?"
"No, I'm not, but look. Everything's set up and ready. All they're waiting for now is the clearance to begin."
"Then they'll start soon?"
"Today or tomorrow, I'd say."
"I see..."
A construction worker, one of medium age and a good sized build, looked up from his lunch, straining his ears to catch more of the conversation. "You hear that?" He asked the one next to him, an older worker nearing retirement.
"It's those kids again." He grunted, blowing a puff a smoke from his cigarette.
"They're still here?" He squinted, straining his eyes to try to make out any movement near the outside railing that lead to the nearby road. "And they ain't kids."
"They're what, in their twenties, maybe? Still kids in my book." He grumbled, eying the tent that currently housed the topics of discussion. "You know where they're from?"
"I don't even know their names... You think they're with that group of protesters that have been given us trouble?"
"I haven't seen one protest sign yet, and they've been here for ages."
"True... Then why are they here?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
"It was rhetorical." He redirected his attention to the young adults, taking a bite out of his sandwich so as to have a moment to think. All hunched together and whispering, like little kids trying to keep a secret from the bigger kids. Strange...
"Maybe their homeless?"
The old worker looked them over, taking the free moment to tap the extra ashes away from the tip of his cigarette. "Nah, check out that one kid's cloths. They're shabby, but they're expensive. Got a rich family somewhere."
"Run-aways?"
"Ain't they a little old for something like that?"
He shrugged. "It was just a suggestion... They aren't protesters, they aren't homeless, and the can't be run-aways... But why else would someone want to stay near a dump like this?"
"I don't know." He snuffed the stick out with the heel of his boot "But I'm fixin' to find out."
"Huh? Why?"
"Hey, you're the one that's so interested in them." He shrugged. "If it'll get you off my back, then I'll go."
He hesitated only a moment. ".. I'll go with you."
Upon closer examination, the tent was in worse shape than either man had expected. Patched and sewn together, tacky colors and zig-zag scars held the thin fabric together, the tacky coloring making it stand out brightly against the dark railing beside it. The flap, tied shut by string, was ragged and falling off its seams.
"Hey, you kids!"
One, a blond of medium stature, glanced up. "What is it?" he called back.
The older man leaned against the rusty railing. "You guys have been here a while, eh?"
A brunette, more muscular and lean than his geekier companion, shrugged. "Not really." He muttered.
"You got a home somewhere? A family?"
"Yeah. So?" A raven-haired women of obvious Japanese descent challenged, glaring at the two men standing in front of them.
"Hey, hey, relax." The younger man waved his hands in a 'don't shoot' sort of way. "We just wanna make sure you guys aren't homeless or something of the sort, is all."
"We're fine." The brunette grunted.
"Sorry about those two, they don't warm up to people easy." The geeky blond apologized, lightly shoving the brunette's shoulder, as he was the closest. "And no, we're not homeless. We're just waiting to see the destruction."
"It'll be like a demolition derby!" Another male, blond with a small purple streak, exclaimed. "You know, without the monster trucks." He leaned in, propping a hand on the brunette's shoulder. He allowed it. "Hey, you guys work for the company that's tearing this place down, right?"
"Obviously." He adjusted his hard hat and tugged on the neon safety shirt.
"Well, then you'll know when the buildings set to go down, right? Mind filling us in?"
"We're taking the wreaking ball to it later today, why?"
He smirked "Just wondering."
"Don't worry, we'll stay out of your way." A woman with short, bright pink, hair popped her head from around the flap. "We just want to watch."
"Basically, we'll leave when the factory is destroyed." The blond finished, adjusting his glasses.
"I-I see." The young worker stammered, dumbstruck. These kids were hanging around just to watch something get torn apart? What was the point of that? "Well, we gotta go prepare. Weird kids." He muttered to his companion as they started back towards the old, unused, factory.
"No kiddin'."
Back at the tent, blond turned to pink. "Go back to sleep. We'll wake you when it's time."
"Thanks." She yawned, sinking back under the covers.
Hours later, she was shaken awake. "It's time."
The wreaking ball struck, crushing the top corner of the wall under its sheer mass and causing debris to crumble at its edges.
"About time." The young man whistled, watching the work from a safe distance. 'I was starting to think we were gonna get called off the job."
"You ever see somethin' that weird?" The old man asked, staring at the railing.
"What's weird about an old building?"
"Not the building. Look." He pointed.
They all stood together, hands clasped together and heads bowed. Pink had her head buried in blonds shoulder, and blonds glasses were slowly fogging. The brunette stood near the raven, a hand shoved into his pocket, brown hair fanned over his face and eyes. Blond and purples shoulders shook, eyes clenched shut. Raven-hair just watched, face pinched.
"Hey, old man... I think I get it."
"Get what?"
"Why they're here. This place... it's important to 'em, or something, ya know? They probably hung out around here or somethin' as kids."
"So... We're the reason they look so sad?"
"Yeah, I think so..."
Days later, they pushed brooms around and started the long process of cleaning the small bits of rubble they could reach from the pile. "Man, this really was a big piece a' junk."
"Yeah." The young man froze, mid-sweep. "Hey, they're gone!"
"Who's gone?"
"Them, the kids." He pointed. "I didn't even notice."
"Me neither."
A cool, refreshing wind blew dust across the empty space of concrete as both men realized that while they would never know their names, they would always remember their faces.
"Man, am I exhausted." Odd complained, the first to burst through the small apartment door. "Who knew that watching our childhood sanctuary be destroyed would be so emotionally draining?"
"Ha. Ha." Ulrich grumbled, the next to appear. "Well, maybe you shouldn't have agreed to be errand boy while we waited. It probably didn't help any."
"Yeah, like you wouldn't have." He smirked. "Especially if Yumi had asked you too." Ulrich grunted.
"Remind me to hit you later." He flopped onto the couch.
Yumi snorted. "Well, I'm going to bed. Aelita, you joining me?"
"Yeah."
"So, Einstein, what're you going to do with him?"
"Do with what?"
"Your pockets glowing." Aelita commented, slipping around the stunned male staring at his left pants pocket. Sure enough, a light red tinge was emitting from it.
He sighed, pulling out a good-sized flash drive, a pulsing red eye carved into the side, a chunk of metal welding into the front, making it impossible to plug into anything. "Well, I knew X.A.N.A would be able to escape into a different computer, almost dead or not. So I downloaded what was left. You know, until we found a way to properly destroy him."
"Which we will start doing. Tomorrow." Yumi answered, stretching. "Just make sure to keep him away from any tech until we know what to do. Ulrich, are you going to bed? Ulrich?"
A soft snore emitted from the couch. Odd snorted. "Let sleeping beauty get some rest. I'll keep watch." He propped himself against the bottom of the couch. "Night."
"Night."
"You okay Aelita?" Jeremie mumbled, rubbing an eye.
"I will be, after a good nights rest, a shower, and a homemade breakfast." Catching the look in his eye, she smiled. "I'm fine Jeremie, I promise. It's just... A lot to take in, you know?" He nodded.
A pulsing flash drive on a rope necklace and their childhood sanctuary destroyed, the Lyoko warriors never slept better.
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