Chapter 4: The Dragon goes Lyoko…

When the doors opened, they stepped into a room that had turned into a jungle of sorts. Youko sat crossed legged on the floor in the middle of what Hiei guessed were the pods. Wrapped around his wrists, that were laying on his knees, were vines that extended to the growth that was hanging around the room. The vines from his wrists moved and pulsed as they grew to push back the main growth.

"Go!" Youko yelled through clenched teeth, his eyes squeezed shut.

Hiei looked the youko over and could see the struggle he was in trying to keep the pods clear and open.

Odd and Yumi ran to two of the three pods and jumped in. Hiei could hear a hum and various noises as the machines did their thing.

"Hiei…go…you can help." Youko managed to say.

Hiei had been thinking if he should go or stay and help Youko.

Taking a deep breath, Youko continued. "I will tell you what Jeremy told me. Your image will be based off your abilities and how you view yourself." He opened his eyes, making eye contact with the fire demon. "And from me, trust them, as you do me, they have been doing this for awhile now and know what to do…listen to them." With all that said Youko's breath was now raspy and sweat was dripping down his forehead, plastering his silver hair to his face and neck.

"Hn…what makes you think I trust you." Hiei smirked, though thinking it would be interesting to see just what these 'kids' could do after hearing the story Kurama told.

Youko managed a small smile. "Jeremy, Hiei needs to go." Hiei noticed a small head set, with the mike at the fox's pale lips, apparently allowing him to talk to the boy at the computer.

Youko heard Jeremy say. "Okay, tell him to get in the pod on his left and hang on."

"Get in the one to your left." Youko said and watched his friend step in and the door closed. 'And have fun…I did.' He said in his mind.

Hiei stood there in the confined space waiting for something to happen. With his experiences in the Makai and what the fox had told him about his own trip to this Lyoko world, he was not scared, more curious maybe, but not scared.

He heard the hum again and Jeremy's voice. "Transfer Hiei…scanner…virtualization."

Hiei felt a gust of wind blowing his cloak upwards and saw a swirling image before he felt him self floating then falling. He fell in a crouch position and immediately rolled to the side, coming up in time to see a block type creature firing past where he'd just been.

He heard a scream and then watched as an oriental fan whizzed pass to hit the block, causing it to explode.

Hiei quickly took in he's surroundings. Taking note of the landscape first, he looked around at what appeared to be a desert of sorts, second he looked to see where the others were.

Yumi was blocking shots from more of the block creatures. He noticed about four more of these strange things. She threw her fan again, but missed as it was shot out of the way. She called the fan back and kept blocking.

Odd was jumping around and dodging blasts from one before doing a flip and yelling. "Laser-arrows." Small dart type arrows shot out of the boy's wrist hitting the block dead center, causing it to explode. Odd then ran to help Yumi.

He couldn't see the other girl, but then saw her head pop up from behind a boulder. Apparently she had no real powers and was hiding, staying out of the way.

The one kid who caught his attention the longest was Ulrich and the katana he held. He watched this boy as he deflected blasts with the sword and then jump up to land on top of the block, ramming his sword in its top. Within a few seconds, he flipped off as it exploded.

"Two to go." Odd said, continuing to dodge the blasts.

Hiei stood up and out of instincts reached for his sword. He noticed himself for the first time and remembered the comment Youko made about how he would appear. There was no ward on his right arm, allowing the dragon to show like a tattoo. He also noticed he was not wearing a bandana to cover the jagan. He allowed the eye to open and had no problems with controlling it. He was still wearing his black pants, boots and had on a dark blue tank top, but no cloak.

Before he could further study himself he heard Odd scream. "Hiei look out!"

Odd dove in front of him taking a hit to his side. They heard Jeremy say.

"That was ten life points, Odd."

Hiei growled and pulled his own katana. Deciding what Ulrich had done with his sword was the best option. He blurred and appeared on top of one of the two blocks, ramming his sword in its top. Before it exploded he was already on top of the other one, repeating the blow. He landed back on the ground and watched as it disappeared.

"Wow Ulrich, you better watch it, you might have some competition this time." Yumi said, sizing up the new member to their little team.

"Ha." Ulrich said under his breath, blowing off the comment, but then asked. "If Kurama's a spirit fox then what are you?"

"I'm part ice, part fire." Hiei said folding his arms across his chest.

They shrugged, not knowing what that meant.

"I've been wanting to say, I like your hair." Odd smiled, breaking the silence.

"Hn."

Aelita joined the group as Yumi asked the air. "Where to Jeremy?"

"The tower's on the northern end, head west to the bridge then north." Hiei looked up to the sky, looking to see where the voice was coming from. "And guys, Youko's getting weaker, you better hurry."

"Let's go and get this over with." Hiei said.

"Heads up, crabs on the way, appears to be five, heading from the west of your location." Jeremy said.

"Hiei, play nice now and let them have a chance." Youko's voice was heard.

"I'm the guest, shouldn't I get the fun?" Hiei said, looking to Ulrich.

"Like I told Kurama, try and keep up." Ulrich huffed and went into 'super-sprint', he was gone in a blur, heading west to take on the crabs. Hiei looked to the others and smirked before he too was gone in a flash, heading in the same direction as their friend.

"I don't know which one's more annoying." Odd said.

"Scary isn't it." Yumi smiled and the three took off running to catch up.

a)a)a)a)

When the three managed to catch up with the pair, they saw the two with their backs together surrounded by five crabs.

"Aelita stay put." Yumi said, getting ready to go help.

"Hey, give them a minute…I wanna see this." Odd said, placing a hand on Yumi's wrist, stopping her from drawing her fan.

Hiei and Ulrich did slow circles, trying to keep all the crabs in site. While the crabs kept maneuvering trying to get on the duos flank. One of the crabs fired at Ulrich, who promptly deflected it with his katana.

Hiei watched the whole thing out of the corner of his eye. He was finding a newfound respect for this young one. The other two, he still had his doubts.

Another crab fired at Ulrich who deflected that shot as well. The crab directly facing Hiei fired. 'Hmp, these things are so predictable.' Hiei thought, as he positioned his own blade to deflect the shot. The bolt struck the blade as intended, but only half of it was deflected, the rest struck Hiei in the chest.

"Uggg" Hiei cried, another bolt was coming at him, again his sword moved unerringly to intercept it, but again only part of the bolt was deflected. "Oaf"

"Hiei, what's happening, you've just took 40 pts of damage." Jeremy cried.

"I don't know." Growled Hiei, as a third bolt hit his leg full on, his sword just missing it. The fire demon fell to one knee. "My sword does not stop the bolts!"

"Do you want some help?" Odd yelled.

"NO!" Hiei yelled back with frustration.

"Hiei….remember what I….." Youko didn't get to finish.

"I don't want their help, fox, I can manage." Hiei growled, getting to his feet and standing his ground.

Another shot came at him, again instincts kicked in and he went to block, but got hit in the hand.

"Hiei, one more hit and it's over." Jeremy's voice said with worry.

"Ah Hell." Ulrich cried, as a bolt, which was intended for Hiei, whizzed by him. "Triangulate."

Suddenly there were three Ulrich's surrounding Hiei in a triangle formation with him dead center.

'What?' Hiei thought, seeing the three Ulrichs. The crabs where going crazy, firing madly at the Ulrichs, but never seeming to hit as all three blocked shots.

"Bet you can't do this." Ulrich said under his breath, with a smirk.

"He did not just say that, ooh this will be bad." Youko said, though his voice was weak.

"What!" Roared Hiei. "I have something better than that trick."

Ulrich flinched, not realizing he had been heard.

"Dragon!!" Hiei raised his arm as the air begun to get heavy. "Of the." Shimmers appeared all around fire demon's arm. "DARKNESS!!"

Ulrich was finding it hard to breath. The air had a pungent taste to it, like he was breathing smoke.

"FLAME!!" Hiei called and nothing happened, the air returned to normal, although the crabs stood still in a sort of confusion.

"Well that certainly helped." Ulrich quipped.

"What the…" Hiei said in his own confusion as he looked at his arm in puzzlement.

Youko's voice was heard. "Hiei, you are in a virtual world. I believe your dragon and jagan will be useless there, since they are not a true image of you."

"What?" Hiei was still confused.

"You only borrow the dragon and the jagan was implanted." Youko said.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Hiei growled.

"Sorry….I was not thinking ab…" Was all Youko got to say.

There was no more time for talk as the crabs came out of their trance.

One of Ulrich's images took a hit and disappeared. 'Time to go offensive.' Thought Ulrich, as he let his other image fade and rushed at the closest crab.

"Arg!!" Hiei was mad, no furious. He suddenly disappeared, then reappeared on the crab Ulrich was going after. A quick sword stroke and it was gone.

"Oh…I don't think so…'Super sprint.'" Ulrich cried out and rushed to another crab, destroying it.

Odd, Yumi and Aelita watched as Ulrich destroyed the crab before he and Hiei raced toward a third one, both dodging blasts, with Hiei just beating Ulrich in destroying it.

They could hear Ulrich cry out in frustration and then the race was on for the forth.

"Well those two are certainly pals." Odd joked.

"Yeah, like you and Sissy." Yumi said with a smile.

"You three, don't just stand there. Get to the tower while the getting's good." Jeremy voice said.

"Let's go." Said Yumi. Leading the trio on a desperate sprint to the tower, out of the corner of her eye she saw Ulrich dispatch the forth crab and head to the last one.

The three came within site of the tower. Aelita cried. "We see the tower Jeremy."

"Sorry guys…there's hornets heading your way." Jeremy informed them.

Yumi pulled her fans just as a hornet came in view and started firing. She blocked with one fan and threw the other, managing to hit one.

Odd was dodging left and right, but was getting hit more and more as his 'laser arrows' were dodged. He dissolved just as Yumi managed to take out the one firing on him.

"Jeremy….Odd's out." She said.

Aelita stayed behind Yumi and moved with her as she continued to block shots. Yumi still took a few hits.

Two blurs appeared and began drawing the hornets to them.

Ulrich yelled. "Go…we'll take care of them, get Aelita to the tower."

Yumi nodded and grabbed Aelita's hand. "Let's go."

They where almost to the tower when two blurs passed them. Ulrich and Hiei appeared at the base of the tower, breathing heavily.

"Get…hunh…in the…hunh tower." Gasped Ulrich, as the two finally stopped.

Aelita walked up to the tower, rapidly dissolving into it.

a)a)a)a

Odd fell out of the pod, also breathing heavily, he managed to get through the foliage and to the center of the room where he knew Youko should be. He wasn't there.

Thinking the fox went up to be with Jeremy, he made it to the elevator and headed up. He was right and wrong at the same time. Yes, the fox was up in the control room with Jeremy, but it was not a friendly visit. Youko stood in the corner of the room and Jeremy was getting up off the floor going back to the computer.

"Odd." He heard Jeremy say. "Stay back, Kurama is still possessed….Youko's trying to control him."

The fox wailed, his voice sounding in different tones and pitch as he flickered between his fox and human forms.

Odd placed himself between his friend and the fox, willing to defend if necessary and praying to any god that would help get Aelita to the tower soon.

Finally, Aelita's voice chimed over them. "Tower Deactivated" and Odd watched the human form fall unconscious.

End Chapter 4