Chapter 13 Homecoming: Ulrich Stern

A.N. – Okay, so the idea behind this chapter was originally from one person, but someone else submitted an idea, so I'll be using both as they are kinda of the same. Part of the idea belongs to James Marshall and the other belongs to mordechay98. Enjoy!

Short Summary – The gang travels up North toward Germany. Ulrich is skeptical to go home as he doesn't want to encounter what Odd went through. Once there, Ulrich finds out that he may be related to someone who was once a Nazi. Confused, Ulrich wonders off and the gang knows the only one person who can save him. Upon finding him, they see him brainwashed and following in his family footsteps and starting a possible Fourth Reich.

Disclaimer – I do not own Code Lyoko. I am just a fan of the show.

Warning: If your family was impacted by the Holocaust or affected by Nazism in any way, this chapter is not meant to be offensive. Story purposes only!

Italy

The gang has spent a couple of days recovering from the Italian fiasco as well as the Spanish-Portuguese fiasco. The month was already April and the Lyoko Warriors predicted they would be back in France by Summertime. They would finish this war in a course of a year. The resistance was ready to move North toward Germany and set a closer base to France. Everyone was ready, except Ulrich.

Ulrich was sitting alone with an arm being held up by his knee. He was obviously thinking of something and didn't want to be disturbed. Ever since they made it back to Italy, Ulrich didn't want to be disturbed. There are nights he didn't sleep or even come to bed. Something about going home was troubling him.

"Is he still sulking?" Aelita asked.

"He has been like this ever since we got back" Yumi replied.

"What's he been doing recently?" Odd asked.

"Not sleeping, barely eating, being very quiet and isolated."

"Sounds like Einstein or an early version of him."

"I'm going to talk to him." Yumi was the only one who could talk to him. "Ulrich, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just worried" Ulrich replied.

"About what?"

"Germany. My parents were stranded there when the war broke out and after what happened in Italy, I don't want a repeat for me."

"We can't predict the future. No one knew that would happen to Odd's parents, but all we can do is move forward. Look at Aelita. Lost everyone and she is still fighting."

"When we get to Berlin, first thing we find is my parents."

Ulrich stood up and went over to the rest of the group with his head down, still concerned.

"Listen Ulrich. We'll look for your parents."

The group then headed to Jeremy to discuss Germany.

Jeremy's Room

Jeremy had a map of Germany out and planned some angles. "Looking at the map, Berlin should be a straight shot North" Jeremy said.

"Jeremy, think I should lead this mission" Ulrich said.

"Sure, you can lead the team through Germany."

The group got ready and departed. Right before they left Ulrich had to give Yumi something.

"Yumi, in case something happens, this is the address where my parents should be."

"Why would something happen?" Yumi asked.

"When we were in Italy and Japan, the native had something happen to them, so why it would be any different for me."

The security program did have something for Ulrich. Something that Ulrich would not expect.

Germany/Austria Border

The team crossed and Ulrich took over to lead them through Germany. "Follow me and stay close" Ulrich said. Ulrich led them up North towards Berlin. As they continued up North, they were wondering what the security program had planned for them. But what they didn't know was that his plans were only for Ulrich.

Berlin

Upon entering Berlin, they found a city not in many ruins as they expected. After what they found in Spain, anything was possible. They searched around trying to find any signs of what the security program was planning. Odd found something though.

"Hey, I found something. Think this is a clue" Odd said as they observed the swastika carved into the wall.

"That's been there for nearly a hundred years Odd" Aelita said.

"How do you know?"

"When Hitler and his Nazi regime took Germany by storm, people had swastikas in their homes and started putting them around the city. Now, Germans try to forget anything to do with the years 1930 to 1945."

"That bad?"

"That bad" Ulrich answered.

Suddenly some men showed up to not kill the warriors but to talk to them.

"We got company" Odd said ad they readied their weapons.

"Hold it. We are not here to fight" one of them said.

"What do you want?" Ulrich questioned.

"We are here looking for our leader."

"Sorry, wrong country."

"No, not the security program. Our leader from Nazi times."

"Dead as well."

"Really, because it is believed that you are a descendent of a Nazi."

"Impossible. I know my father's history. He had no biological connections to any Nazi officers or soldiers that survived."

"According to our records here of an Ulrich Stern, apparently his real great grandfather was a high-ranking Nazi official, but lost any connection to them before the Allies came through so he couldn't be prosecuted at the Nuremberg Trials."

He handed them the fake records and the Lyoko Warriors couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Has my whole life been a lie?" Ulrich said.

"We are here to help you start a new regime. To make Germany great, but not through the same methods that Hitler used and brought failure to this land. A fourth Reich."

"Ulrich's not interested!" Yumi snapped back.

"We will not take him away. We just thought he would like to know."

The men turned away and walked back to where they came from. Ulrich was still thinking about what the men said.

"Ulrich don't listen to them. Most of the high-ranking Nazis were executed or died in prison after the Nuremberg trails. If one survived, why would he come back and have your father's father or have a name that proves your connected to him. Most who escaped, stayed gone and hidden."

Ulrich was torn between the loyalty he offered to his friends or what his family legacy was.

"I think I got to make things right. Bring Germany back and then kill the security program" Ulrich said.

"That's our job Ulrich."

"Then how come all of you can harm him and I'm left out to dry! I'm just the one riding the coattails of you guys! Fighting, and winning and I'm just assisting and taking blows! I'm done! I'll lead a fourth Reich and kill the security program making me a hero!"

Ulrich left in a blind rage and went to where the men went.

"Ulrich, wait!"

He completely ignored Yumi and walked away from his so-called friends.

"Great, our strongest warrior is now our greatest enemy" Odd said and Yumi nearly in tears.

Aelita picked up the records. "These are fake."

"What?!" Yumi responded.

"Yeah, all approved records in Germany have a stamp but this one doesn't have it and the one on here looks recent. If this was Ulrich's real records, the stamp would be older."

"So, who were those guys?"

"Most likely those freelance fuckers that the security program has hunting us. They probably forged those records or got them recently from the security program."

"We have to get Ulrich."

"Like he going to believe us" Odd said.

"Odd's right. If Ulrich won't listen to you, what is the chance he'll listen to any of us. I think that his father might be the only one to help us" Aelita said.

"Then let's go" Yumi said.

"Where? Randomly in soon to be reignited Nazi Germany" Odd said.

"No. Ulrich gave me the address. We got to find them."

Ulrich's Side

Ulrich found where the men were and approached them.

"I want the security program dead. I'll lead the fourth Reich" Ulrich said.

"Good Ulrich, good. Nice to see you want to follow in your family's footsteps" a freelance soldier said.

"As long as we get to France and kill the security program."

"Don't worry. But first, you must dress like a leader."

The security program's plan was to lead a small band of soldiers to Paris and then have them turn on Ulrich and hand him over, and for now, the security program was winning.

Warrior's Side

The warriors were nearing where the address Ulrich provided is. Yumi was certain that Ulrich's father had what it took to bring his son back to reality. He would eb the only one to break him out the madness that the security program fed to him, indirectly.

"This is the place" Yumi said. She knocked on the door. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Who is it?" a man said.

"Someone you want to see. And no, we are not with the security program, promise."

Yumi backed up and the man opened the door and stepped out. The man was Ulrich's father.

"I remember you. You are that Japanese girl that my son started dating before he graduated."

"The name's Yumi and yes that's me."

"But you are all dead."

"We faked our deaths long ago to escape the government. It didn't work and it spiraled into what you see now."

"Where's Ulrich?"

"Somewhere in Berlin, ready to lead a fourth Reich."

"What?!"

"The security program faked his records and he got convinced he was a descendant of a high-ranking Nazi officer."

"If my family had any connections to the Nazis, I would flee this country."

"Well Ulrich believes him, and he is somewhere out there planning a comeback."

"Yumi wait. I think Ulrich is walking onto a trap" Aelita said.

"Obviously."

"No, an execution trap. If Ulrich reaches Paris with those freelance fuckers, they'll turn him into the security program and have him executed for treason. No insurrection during the lockdown in Paris."

"Oh no."

"Come on. I know where he will be" Ulrich's dad said.

"Where?" Odd said.

"Where Hitler got elected chancellor and gave his speeches during his Nazi takeover."

Berlin

Ulrich was getting dressed like a leader by the freelance soldiers. William was also watching from the sidelines to make sure everything went as planned. Ulrich was almost completely brainwashed that he didn't even notice William was there. William contacted his master.

"The plan is almost complete master. Ulrich will become the leader of the fake fourth Reich and led an insurrection to his death" William said.

"The only thing he'll led is a pathway to the afterlife. I'll have him executed for treason" the security program said.

The Lyoko Warriors and Ulrich's father were almost at the place where Ulrich was and they were right.

"Ulrich's at the top" Aelita said.

"Ulrich come here now!" his father screamed.

"What do you want?!" Ulrich said.

"Don't talk to me like that!"

"You held information from me! Why?! Why didn't you tell me that we were from the Nazis?!"

"You are being lied to son! You think we would be here in we had any connections to the Nazis!"

"Don't matter! I'll lead a fourth Reich and defeat the security program, becoming a hero!"

"Ulrich don't do that! It's a trap! You'll be signing your death warrant once you enter Paris!" Aelita screamed at him.

"Ulrich, I order you to come down here and end this insurrection now!" his father screamed.

William decided to take matters into his own hands. "Let's go talk more personally." William led Ulrich down to ground level to where they were waiting.

"Of course, the asshole!" Yumi said catching a glance of William.

"Ulrich look at the actual family records" Ulrich's dad said sending him a piece of paper.

Ulrich looked and saw his actual great grandfather was born DURING World War II and not a Nazi. William saw this and knew he was a threat. He went over to him.

"You can't be allowed to live" William said as he held his sword above his head. He threw it down and was blocked from Ulrich.

"Not my father, motherfucker!" Ulrich said, back to his old self.

"Foolish mistake."

William and Ulrich were about to engage in a 1v1 dual. They each stood with a fighting pose and Ulrich's dad left the battle zone. The two exchanged blows and Ulrich seemed in better shape then he was in any other dual with William. This time, Ulrich was fueled by rage from deception. Ulrich was determined to defeat William and save his father. William knew he was defeated, but wanted to complete plan B.

"Super smoke!" William said and went under Ulrich's father and appeared behind him. And then right after impaled him from the back, just like Odd's parents.

"No!" Ulrich screamed. William disappeared and Ulrich ran over to his father. "Dad, stay with me."

"It's too late for me son. Listen, your mom is safe. She is at the old house that you grew up in. Get to her and have her join your resistance where she will be safe."

"I will. She'll be safe."

"Son, no matter what I said or did, know that I always loved you. You did well. Take care of that girl Yumi. You and her are the future of the Stern family. Goodbye son."

Ulrich's father passed and Ulrich's hands were covered in his blood. Ulrich made a fist. Aelita came over to him.

"I know this pain" Aelita said.

"I wanted to save him."

"I know, but we can't save everybody."

Ulrich and his friends gave him the proper burial and went off to find Ulrich's mom. Ulrich vows revenge and now with him accepting this being his fear, all Lyoko Warriors are now ready to defeat the security program.

A.N. – And now when the final fight happens, the Lyoko Warriors will become the Lyoko Earth defenders! Still some things to clean up as well the rest of Europe. Next will be a multiple country chapter as the Lyoko Warriors surround France. Then it will be a four-chapter saga as the security program tries one last ditch effort to regain control of the world. How? You'll have to read to find out! The idea of Ulrich's great grandfather being a Nazi was submitted by James Marshall. The idea of the fourth Reich was submitted by mordechay98. PM me with story ideas if you have any! Don't forget to review with questions or comments! I will respond! Stay safe and healthy out there! As always, till next time! See ya! -lyokowarrior97