Chapter 36
AN: In response to one of my reviews, I am going to start showing a bit more of the other character's lives and personalities. Also, I wanted to say that if season 6 isn't out by the time I finish season 5, I will end the 5th season... differently... This is by far my longest chapter, but someone asked for detail so here you go. Remember to review.
(Alex first person)
We were all in the dorm early Monday morning before breakfast, beginning work on the data. Not much was done the day before, seeing how we had both neglected processing the data, and were too tired.
"What was up with that possessed man?" I asked, finally saying what was on Jeremie, Crystal, and my mind. "He seemed to be much stronger this time."
"Well, he was intoxicated, right?" Crystal asked. "Well, with the alcohol in his blood, it would have made him much stronger and violent. Also, him having been under XANA's conscience, he wouldn't have suffered from the consequences of the intoxication, such as the inability to walk straight."
"That's a good theory," Yumi said stressing the word. "But what about Dark William? He was able to take the six of us on fairly easy. If it weren't for Crystal tackling him off the edge, he could have possibly taken us all on," she said motioning to the six that actually fought Dark William.
"I was there, too," William said.
"Pinned to a tree," Odd laughed.
"No," Jeremie said disapproving Crystal's theory. "I think it's safe to assume that the root of the problem is simple: XANA is getting much stronger." I looked down at my watch.
"It's time to go," I said putting my laptop down. We walked out the door and down to the cafeteria.
"Is the data any good?" Peter asked when we sat down.
"It'll take a while before the data is completely sorted out," Aelita said. Some of us finished.
"I've got to go back to the dorm and get ready for chemistry," Crystal said.
"See you there," I called as she walked back to her dorm.
"I better go get ready, too," Peter said. "Being switched into honors chemistry half way through the year is a bit much to go into without being fully prepared for class," he took his tray and walked down the hall towards the dorms.
(Peter third person limited)
Peter walked out of his dorm, then, for the real reason he left the others, walked to Aelita and Crystal's dorm. He knocked three times.
"Come in," Crystal said from the other side. "Hey, Peter," she said after he entered. "What's up?" She was on her computer.
"You're pretty good at computers," he said, attempting to start a conversation.
"Umm, yeah, I guess. I wasn't into them until I met Alex. But when your boyfriend is a computer program, it helps to know something about him," she said.
"Well, I wanted to let all of you guys know how thankful I am that you guys accepted me into the group, but I was afraid it might sound cliché or something... Never mind... I wouldn't expect any of you to understand..."
"Actually I think I do," she said smiling. Peter gave her a weird facial expression. "It was an attack. The school was falling apart from an earthquake. Aelita took me safely outside. She could have left me there. I would have been alright, more or less, but instead she took me with her. The radio tower on top of the science building toppled over on its way to crush Aelita. I dove, pushing her to the ground. I'm not sure what happened next, but next thing I knew I heard a snap. I had landed on my leg sideways. Ulrich picked me up and carried me through the sewers. Instead of trying to deactivate the tower and forget about me, Jeremie told them to take me into the scanners. They didn't decide to make it a close call and leave me there to bleed out. They saved me. I can't express how thankful I am for that. Is that what you mean?" Peter nodded. "They asked me if I wanted to stay in the group. How could I say no? After that first experience... I don't know. You just can't walk out of Lyoko and say, 'That place is horrible! I'm never going back!'." Peter smiled.
"I'm glad someone agrees with me," he said. "I've got to go to chemistry, now. See you there."
"See ya," Crystal said turning back to her computer.
(Alex first person)
We walked into chemistry. There were a few flasks of chemicals on Ms. Hertz counter. We all took seats. Upon sitting, Aelita pulled out Mr. Puck. She was, yet again, carrying it with her everywhere she went. None of us blamed her. It was, after all, the only piece of her past that she had any real connection with. Ms. Hertz walked in and stood behind her counter.
"Class, up here, please," she said gathering the attention to her counter. Everyone walked up. "In this bottle, we have acetone. Can anyone tell me what the chemical formula for this is?" Jeremie and I calmly raised our hands, but Herb was practically jumping to get her attention. "Jeremie?" Herb put his arms down and stared malevolently at Jeremie.
"C H three three," Jeremie said blankly.
"Correct. Any idea what it's used for?" Again, three of us raised our hands. "Alex?"
"It is used to remove paint and other artificial chemical color strainers from surfaces."
"Correct, again," she said. She picked up another bottle. "This one contains a borax solution. Anyone know its chemical name?" Again, only the three of us raised our hands. "Pichon, I am not going to call on you as long as you keep acting like a fool in my class. Jeremie?"
"Sodium tetraborate," Jeremie said in the same tone as before.
"Now, Pichon," she said annoyed. "What can it be used in?"
"Household cleaning supplies," he said as if finally getting rid of some burden. She picked up the last bottle.
"This one is Vitriol, or?"
"Sulfuric acid," Jeremie said matter-of-factly.
"Indeed. And is made of?"
"Two Hydrogen atoms, one Sulfur atom, and four Oxygen atoms," I said as if bored.
"Very good. Back to your seats." She walked around and placed small beakers of each of the three chemicals on our tables and one empty beaker.
"Your lab grade will be to create twenty milliliters of Boric acid," she said. "But be extreamly careful. The sulfuric acid is highly acidic. The smallest drop can burn right through one of these tables. Good luck." I pushed aside the acetone and picked up the Borax and the sulfuric acid.
Crystal and I had finished within a few seconds, since I had already known the acetone was a bluff. I looked up at the front of the room. Ms. Hertz was writing the equation for Boric acid on the board. She tensed up for a second, then placed the dry erase marker down. Jeremie's laptop started to beep, and, without warning, Ms. Hertz turned around and chucked the bottle of sulfuric acid at Aelita's face. I moved as fast as I could, picking up an empty beaker, and stepped in front of Aelita. I caught the flask and allowed the acid to be caught in the beaker. Everyone else in the room yelled and dove beneath their desk. She stood next to the door then grabbed the closest table's flask of acetone and threw that, too. I grabbed it around the thin part, spun around, and threw it back at her. She ducked and the bottle smashed across the door. She picked up the table's bottle of sulfuric acid and threw it. I picked up Aelita and jumped out the window, breaking the glass with his shoulder and landing perfectly on the ground. Jeremie jumped out too, and I caught him. Peter and Crystal climbed out the window, climbing down with skill, dropping to each window ledge carefully. Ulrich looked down from the window, as Odd started to climb out.
"Coming?" Odd asked him. Ulrich dodged yet another bottle of sulfuric acid.
"I.. Can't.." he said wincing back at the sight. "Vertago..."
"Well, I just can't leave you here to face her alone," Odd said stepping back into the room as a bottle of Borax flew out. He motioned down for us to go on.
"Call Yumi," I said pulling off the lid. "And tell her to bring William.
(Third person omniscient)
[Science building]
"Come at us!" Ulrich yelled. Instead, Ms. Hertz opened the door and ran out and down the hall in attempt to stop the others.
"No you don't!" Odd shouted after her, jumping across tables to get to the door. Ulrich did the same. They ran out the room after her as fast as they could.
[The Track]
Yumi sat next to William in the stands watching the others play a game of soccer. Her phone started to vibrate. It was Peter.
"Hey... XANA? Okay... Yeah, William is here with me... On our way." She nodded at William. They both ran down the stands and ran towards the park, making sure Jim was focusing on the game.
[Lyoko]
Aelita spawned in the middle of the group in the ice sector, suddenly sporting a new band on her right wrist with a star on it.
"Surprise," Jeremie said.
"What is it?" Aelita asked observing it closely.
"Well, I was thinking about how you were almost sent into the digital sea Saturday, so I solved that," Jeremie said.
"Okay, but what is it?" Aelita asked again.
"Wings," Jeremie said as if it was obvious. "It's activated by close motion sensors." Aelita glided her left hand over her right. Pink wings appeared at her shoulder blades. She flapped them a few times.
"I like them," she said gazing at them. She flew up a few feet. The OverCar and OverBike spawned. Peter went to climb on the back of the OverCar.
"Nope," Alex said. "That one's for you." He motioned to the OverBike.
"How am I supposed to drive while holding this?" he asked holding up his bow. Alex walked over to him, took his bow, and touched it to Peter's back, the top part being above his left shoulder down towards his right side. It held there, stuck to his back.
"I see everything," Alex said before teleporting next to the OverCar and stepping inside with Crystal.
"Cool," Peter said. He ran and jumped onto the OverBike.
"Hold up," Jeremie said. "Here come Yumi and William." The OverWing spawned along with them.
"Nice wings, Aelita," Yumi said noticing Aelita enjoying her new flight abilities.
"The tower is north," Jeremie said.
[School grounds]
Ms. Hertz ran out of the science building and towards the park. Odd jumped on her, driving her to the ground.
"I got her!" Odd yelled back to Ulrich. As he did, Ms. Hertz charged her hands with electricity and touched it to Odd's shoulder. Ulrich pulled him off of her to protect him from the electricity. She began to climb to her feet again. Ulrich kicked at her, but she phased out, sending his leg through her. He fell backwards. She stood again, taking off for the park. Odd, still shaking from the electricity, pulled out his phone.
"Jeremie... The specter is pretty strong... No, we're still trying to stop it... On her way to the factory... Okay..." He hung up. "Jeremie is going to do his best to help slow her down, but it won't last for long. We need to go after her." He shook off the electricity. Ulrich stood up and rubbed his back. They ran off after her.
[Lyoko]
They arrived at the area of the tower. It was a thin ice bridge with a large flat at the other end with few spikes of ice jutting from the ground. Several Bloks and Kankrolots filled the flat, along with Hornets in the sky. Peter led the group. The monsters shot.
"Contain!" Peter yelled taking both hands off the handlebars and putting them about six inches apart. A clear force field appeared between the hands. He moved them around, catching the lasers. "Return!" he said making a hadouken-like move with his hands, sending the lasers back at them, taking out several of the monsters. It didn't surprise the group, though. He did the same against Alex on his practice day. Yumi threw a fan at the Hornets. Aelita swirled in air and shot two energy fields at the Bloks. Alex pulled up his staff and shot the several of the Hornets out of the sky. Crystal threw one of her throwing knives at a Kankrolot. William appeared in front of the group and cut through the front side of a Blok. A Kankrolot shot him in the ankle. Yumi threw a fan through it. Alex shot the rest of the Hornets out of the air. Crystal jumped out as Alex passed a Blok and stabbed it in the eye. Yumi flew by Crystal and she jumped on the OverWing with her. Peter pulled his bow up, twisted it apart, and stabbed through two bloks before twisting it back together and putting it on his back. Aelita twirled in air to dodge shots from a group of Kankrolots. Alex shot two of the ones that were shooting at her. William supersmoked into the middle of them and spun his sword around to take the rest out.
[The Bridge]
Ulrich spun around to kick the legs out from under Ms. Hertz after chasing her through the sewers. She landed on her hands and spun around to kick Ulrich in the side of the head. He laid on the ground, one hand holding him up, the other holding his head. He pulled his hand back to reveal a little bit of blood. It wasn't fatal, but it did hurt. Odd ran at her and kicked her in the chest. She landed on her hands, again, but this time Odd kicked her in the head as she tried to flip over. Odd stood on her hands. She attempted to charge up her hands with electricity, but Odd's rubber soled shoes protected him. She flipped her legs up and kicked him in the back, knocking him to the ground. She ran towards the factory and jumped over Odd. They ran after her again. Ulrich answered his phone at the ropes.
"Hey Jeremie... No, we aren't in the elevator, why?" Jeremie started to explain why, but it went unheard by Ulrich. The elevator exploded as Ms. Hertz approached it, sending her flying back. Odd took the phone from Ulrich.
"Why didn't you wait until she was in the elevator?!" Odd asked as she started to rub her head, preparing to stand up again.
"Because, we can't kill the person XANA is controlling. If we do, they won't come back during the return to the past. Besides, it was supposed to be a delay," Jeremie said on the other side of the line. Odd handed Ulrich back his phone and slid down after her.
[Lyoko]
A Blok shot the OverBike out from under Peter. He pulled his bow off of his back and shot the Blok. He landed, twisted his bow apart, and cut two Kankrolots in half. Alex drove by and Peter put his bow on his back and grabbed on. Yumi threw her fan at the Bloks. It spun around the tower and hit two more.
[The Factory]
Odd and Ulrich chased Ms. Hertz. She flipped on the ground and threw a piece of pipe at their legs, tripping them and sending them to the ground.
"What do you think she's after?" Ulrich asked. "Jeremie or the supercomputer?"
"Well," Odd said getting up. "The way I see it, if she gets Jeremie, she can attack the supercompuer without any problem."
"Then let's not let her take out Jeremie," Ulrich said running. Ms. Hertz climbed reached the ladder. She climbed down a little ways and switched to the walls. Ulrich hopped down and ran to Jeremie. Odd climbed down. As Ms. Hertz jumped at Jeremie, Odd dove on her, midair. Ulrich held down her elbows and Odd held her wrists.
[Lyoko]
William spun around with his sword, cutting several Bloks in two. Alex drifted around the tower and stepped out. Peter pulled out his bow and Alex lengthened his staff. They both began to block the tower. Aelita dove, increasing her speed dramatically. She landed in front of the tower, her wings disappearing, and walked inside.
[The Lab]
Ms. Hertz kicked Odd, knocking off Ulrich, too. She stood and ran at Jeremie.
"Return to the past, now!" he yelled when she had grabbed him.
(Alex first person)
We were back in the dorm.
"I like them," Aelita said. "The wings. They're nice. Thanks Jeremie."
"You're welcome Aelita," he said starting to rub his neck where Ms. Hertz hand been seconds ago, or almost an hour from now. "And thank you for deactivating that tower. I hadn't wanted to end up like Crystal in the hands of XANA."
"It's time for breakfast, again," Odd said jumping up. We walked down to the cafeteria and ate breakfast for the second time that day, then walked to chemistry reluctantly.