Kadic Academy Courtyard: Day…
Aelita is continuing to have nightmares of that little elf boy being chased by wolves to the point that it's starting to bleed over into daily live. Every day now she is informing the others of these nightmares. They were even here in the courtyard doing it today.
"This all started at the Hermitage." Odd crossed his arms. "If I knew what I do know, I'd have kept us well away from that place."
"Maybe staying away isn't the answer." Jeremy commented. "If the Hermitage is where this all started, then heading back there may be the answer."
"It may end up making this worse." Odd countered.
"I honestly don't like that place." Aelita added. "It's scary."
"I don't think we have much of a choice." Ulrich stated. "If we don't go, Aelita's visions are likely to get worse."
Aelita didn't know how to respond, so she looked to Odd. "What do you think?"
"I really don't want you to go back there." Odd gave her a gentle smile and grabbed her hand. "Since it seems to be our only option, I'll stick by your side the entire time."
"Hm." Aelita nodded. "Alright, as long as Odd is by my side, and the rest of you are there, I'll go."
"Since we're doing this, we should invite Hiroki." Odd declared.
"Odd, this is by no means an emergency." Yumi declared. "No way is he being invited."
"Yumi, your brother has been on his best behavior. He hasn't gone to the factory since we agreed to make him a reserve member and clearly he hasn't blabbed." Odd argued. "He wants to be involved, but he'll never learn if we don't let him. Honestly, do you want him to act out?"
"Well, no… but…" Yumi tried.
"Like it or not, your brother's not going to forget any of this." Odd stated. "Look, I know we made him a reserve member for extreme emergencies, but how can we trust he'll take these situations seriously?
If anything, we should be encouraging trial runs. Let him tag along to learn how we roll and join in on the fights where we can pick up his slack. Plus, not knowing this stuff is just asking for trouble because he's just as involved as us."
Yumi still seemed unsure, so Ulrich decided to add his two cents. "If it helps, I'll join you in keeping an eye of Hiroki." He nodded. "I know this must be hard for you Yumi, but Odd is right. Hiroki's in more danger than your average person."
"I'm not happy about this, but I'll lessen my restrictions." Yumi crossed her arms. "Call Hiroki, and he can accompany us." She shook her head. "Now, I'm wishing Hiroki wasn't as smart as he is. It gives him to much free time at that school of his."
The Hermitage
The group, with Hiroki, stood before the old building.
"Whoa, this place is really old." Hiroki commented. "What exactly are we looking for?"
"We're here to see what might be causing Aelita's visions." Yumi stated restrained.
She really didn't like her brother being near any of this, but the time to stop him had long since passed. At this point, he was in danger, and she didn't want to see him hurt from lack of knowledge. Yumi was just wishing she never wrote anything about Lyoko in her journal.
"My legs are shaking." Aelita stared at the building. "I really don't want to go back in there."
"It's alright Aelita." Odd grabbed her hand and flashed a reassuring smile. "Remember, I'll be by your side the whole time we're in there, and the others will be there for you to."
"Alright." Aelita took a deep breath. "Let's get in there."
Inside
"This place is a dump." Hiroki commented. "Where do we even start?"
Aelita's attention was drawn to the stairs. "I think… upstairs." She looked at Odd. "I think I'll be fine if you're just near."
"There's your answer Hiroki." Odd then nodded and let go of Aelita. "Don't worry Princess. I'll stay near you the whole time."
Upstairs
The group walked up the stairs following Aelita into a room that oddly suited her. At least, it looked like it would if not for the place being a wreck. Then, more visions came up freaking Aelita out. She saw that elf finding something hidden within the tree he usually ended up in.
"Whoa, hey are you okay?" Hiroki asked concerned after seeing this.
"Aelita, did you have another vision?" Odd asked.
"Yeah, but it was different this time." Aelita approached a poster. "There was something hidden with the tree which the elf found." She removed the poster to reveal a doll of the elf boy." She took it out and immediately knew his name. "Mister Puck."
Kadic Academy: Class
Everyone returned to their respective schools and classes leaving Odd, Jeremy, Ulrich, and Aelita with the doll. They were discussing it before class began.
"Aelita dreams of this elf every night only to wake up screaming." Odd wished he was better at solving things like this. "What could it mean?" He cast a glance sideways to see Sissi gunning for the doll, so he snatched it up first. "Not happening."
He did it so quickly that a key was dislodged before clattering onto the desk. Sissi reached for it only for Ulrich to slam his hand down on top of it.
"The doll is Aelita's, so this is her key Sissi." Ulrich snatched it closer to himself. "If I were you, I'd stop trying to take thigs that don't belong to you."
Sissi walked off. "Fine, you can keep them, but only because you spoke up, Ulrich."
Ulrich passed the key to Jeremy before class began, and the teacher started their math lesson. Fortunately, Jeremy figured out the key was for a train station locker; however, he blurted that out drawing the teacher's attention.
Odd & Jeremy's Room: Next Day…
The group went without Jim or Hiroki to the train station where they found that the key led to a suitcase containing Franz Hopper's diary. The only problem was that it was encoded meaning Jeremy needed to work on cracking it.
After working on it for a few hours, Jeremy ended up turning in meaning neither saw Xana's symbol appear on screen. Come morning, a specter tried to overtake Ulrich. When it couldn't, it up and vanished. This did bring the loner to the other's room.
"Jeremy! Odd!" Ulrich shouted before closing the door. "Get up because Xana just tried to possess me."
"Wait, what!?" Odd shouted.
Jeremy immediately moved over to his systems. "The super scan isn't detecting any activated towers meaning it failed. Though, that does beg the question why he couldn't possess you. I'll need to get things ready to figure this out."
"Alright, I'll take off with Ulrich to hit the showers and leave you to it." Odd stated.
The pair left the room just before the specter went after Jeremy possessing him and turning his attention to the suitcase.
Gym Class
Jeremy, Ulrich, Aelita, and Odd were in their class and out at the track to run. Jim started with Jeremy who seemed to immediately twist his ankle. Herb was requested to take him to the infirmary, but Jeremy requested Aelita.
Odd did find that a little odd considering he'd usually ask for him. Jim okayed it, and they left. Once they were perceivably out of eyesight, Jeremy stopped limping and revealed he was possessed to Aelita. He knocked the girl out and ran with her.
Fortunately, Yumi was on a higher floor and noticed this occur from a window. Odd's phone went off prompting him and Ulrich to trade places in a way he'd be obscured from Jim's vision. Just because he was on their side, it didn't mean they could get away with anything to blatant.
"Yumi, what's up?" Odd asked.
"I think Jeremy's been possessed by Xana." Yumi replied. "I just saw him carrying an unconscious Aelita to the parklands. I'll check the super scan and meet you at the factory."
"Jim's going to be tied up with class." Odd stated. "Yumi, I know this is stressful, but…"
"Just… Just bring him." Yumi stated. "Sooner or later, he's going to be in danger anyways, but he's still not a full-time warrior, got it?"
Odd conversed with Ulrich via whisper before Jim called on him. "Ulrich, I'm counting on you to raise the average."
"Of course, but Odd and I have a 'lavatory emergency' we need to deal with." Ulrich stated using their code words for a Xana attack. "Can we attend to that."
Jim understood and wished he could go with them. "Right, go deal with your emergency." The boys ran past him. "As for the rest of you, which wimp wants to take Stern's place?"
Forest
Odd called Hiroki. "Hey, what's up Odd?"
"Hiroki, Jeremy's been possessed by Xana, and your sister is allowing you to come on this mission to Lyoko." Odd informed.
"Yes!" Hiroki exclaimed. "I promise I won't let you down, and I'll be there."
"Hold on kid." Odd stated. "If you get there before us, don't engage Jeremy. Understood?"
"Understood." Hiroki declared before hanging up.
The pair then descended into the sewer.
Factory
Jeremy was about to take Aelita into the elevator when Odd, Ulrich, and Hiroki came down on the ropes drawing his attention.
"Hiroki, stay behind us." Ulrich ordered.
"Uh, yeah." Hiroki nodded.
"Man, this is weird, but don't underestimate him Ulrich." Odd remembered his time with Xanified Sissi. "People under Xana's control are no joke."
"Got it." Ulrich charged in. "Alright, looks like we're…"
He kicked only for Jeremy to grab him by the leg and throw him into a metal support.
"Alright, looks like it's my go." Odd stated.
He charged in and threw a punch only for Jeremy to catch it. Shortly after, Odd was shocked before being tossed back. Hiroki saw and experienced this with shock. It was one thing to be told about this happening, but it was another to see it.
Jeremy didn't even bother with him as he moved to collect Aelita. She had had come to and was climbing the rope back up. Hiroki saw this and acted only to receive a swift kick to the chest pushing him back. Jeremy then shocked the rope before pulling it down.
Aelita fell back to his arms as the elevator came on up, but Yumi was there swinging in with a wrench which rendered Jeremy unconscious for the moment. The rest of the group managed to recover and most of them entered the elevator.
"We need to get to that tower quickly." Yumi passed a paper to Aelita. "Here, these are the coordinates of the tower."
Ulrich stayed out as Jeremy was recovering. "You guys go ahead." He got into a stance. "Xana and I got some unfinished business."
Yumi looked from him to the others before sighing. "Hiroki, listen to Odd and do everything he says." She walked away from it. "I'll help Ulrich buy time."
Hiroki would never be able to think of his sister as lame after seeing all of this. "Y-yeah."
The elevator closed as Yumi joined Ulrich.
Ice Sector
Aelita initiated a remote virtualization which allowed her, Odd, and Hiroki to appear in the sector. Despite all he's seen today, Hiroki grinned as he looked at his ninja attire and weapons. He could most certainly deal with the danger is it let him in here.
"It feels great to be back." Hiroki declared.
"Hiroki, focus on the mission; marvel at how cool you look later." Odd declared.
"I got it." Hiroki declared firmly.
He still internally enjoyed this, but he wasn't entirely selfish. His sister and potential brother-in-law were currently fighting for their life. Not to mention that stuff at the Hermitage did open his eyes to the fact that Aelita was a human. Up until then, he didn't belief it, but he did now.
"The tower is just over there." Aelita stated.
The trio moved out.
"Alright, we all need to keep our eyes peeled." Odd stated. "Without Jeremy at the helm, we'll have no more of a warning than that of incoming enemies."
Speaking of enemies, the ground ahead was cracking forcing them to stop.
Factory
Ulrich and Yumi were dodging Jeremy which resulted in him hitting the factory and denting it under his strength.
"This isn't good." Yumi stated.
"Just keep buying time for the others." Ulrich voiced.
Jeremy punched him sending the samurai into a metal post again before Yumi rushed in only to be kicked back. Ulrich noticed a chain nearby, so he used it to catch Jeremy's leg before taking him down.
"Yumi, help me toss!" Ulrich shouted.
Jeremy moved to crush the chain just as Yumi arrived, and the pair twirled him around before throwing him away. Xanified Jeremy was quick to crush the chains and approach the pair again.
Ice Sector
Four blox came out of the ice surrounding the trio and bringing them back-to-back.
Odd took aim. "I hope you're as good in a fight as the screens showed us Hiroki."
"You kidding?" Hiroki smiled as he drew shuriken. "I'm better."
Factory
Jeremy wrapped his arms around Ulrich before letting the electricity run shocking him.
"Hands off!" Yumi declared before kicking his face allowing Ulrich to collapse to the ground.
Ice Sector
The blox started by firing on Hiroki who was able to nimble dodge all but two blast. He then picked his target and threw the shuriken he was holding nailing a Blox. Odd fired on another taking it out only to draw fire on him and Aelita from the remaining two.
This put him in the position to use his shield to defend them. "Their focused on me, so take them out."
"You got it." Hiroki declared as he took out a couple of grenades.
He held them out, took aim, and generated wind which shot them into the monster's symbols. They exploded on impact destroying the remaining Blox. Aelita and Odd shared a look while Hiroki celebrated.
"He really is a natural at this." Aelita stated impressed.
A megatank rolled in behind the celebrating kid and opened.
"Hiroki, look out!" Hiroki didn't heed Odd's warning in time resulting in him taking a shot to the back and materializing. "He is a natural in monster destruction, but there's a lot he could learn." The megatank turned on Odd, so he teleported in before taking aim. "Laser arrows."
He fired a couple before leaping back as the tank was destroyed.
Aelita joined him prompting the cat boy to speak. "Now, we need to get to that tower." He ran prompting her to follow. "Come on!"
Once they reached the tower, Aelita entered it.
Factory
Jeremy had Ulrich held up against the wall ready to punch him until Yumi rushed grabbing his fist. That only resulted in her getting swung clear into a wall. Ulrich took the chance to push his back against the wall and use it as leverage to kick into Jeremy's chest. While it didn't knock him back, it was enough to free the samurai from his grasp.
He capitalized with a kick to the neck only for Jeremy to pick Ulrich up and slammed him into the ground before putting a boot on him. Jeremy then charged his electricity. Ulrich tried to desperately struggle as the electricity around Jeremy built. Before he could use it, the tower had been deactivated bringing Jeremy back to normal and into unconsciousness.
Supercomputer Room, Later…
Everyone who was there gathered around Jeremy as he came to.
"Well, how are you feeling?" Yumi asked.
"Strange." Jeremy sat up. "I remember talking to Odd and Ulrich… Then, nothing. Just a black hole."
"Xana took control of you." Aelita informed.
"Not only that, but Yumi informs us he destroyed all of Franz Hopper's CD's." Ulrich stated. "Apparently, he had a problem with the guy's notes."
Jeremy stood with a smile. "What a relief."
"What do you mean it's a relief?" Odd asked. "This is a disaster."
"No, it's not." Jeremy declared. "Odd, remember how I didn't return to the dorms with you?" His roommate nodded. "Well, that's because I stopped in here to copy them onto a restricted access part of the super computer."
"Wow, sounds like something my buddy Jonny would do." Hiroki smiled. "I see why they call you Einstein."
"Still, why could Xana overtake Jeremy but not me?" Ulrich questioned.
"I may have an explanation." Yumi stated. "Apart from Jeremy and Hiroki, the rest of us have been through the scanners on multiple occasions. Maybe the process of going to Lyoko increases our resistance to Xana."
"Maybe." Jeremy stated. "Then, how do we protect me and our reserve member?"
"Well, if the scanners and going to Lyoko are what can keep us safe, it stands to reason going through them a few more times would up our resistances." Hiroki voiced.
Everyone looked at each other.
Scanners
Odd, Hiroki, and Jeremy came out of the scanners after their fifth trip to Lyoko.
"Please, tell me we're done." Jeremy begged. "I hate the scanners so much."
"I could go for round six." Hiroki stated happily.
"No wise ideas young man." Yumi's voice rang out from the elevator. "You're still not a full time member."
"I think that's enough to build your resistance." Odd ignored her as he led them back to the elevator. "Though, we'll have to do this again if it's not."
"Please, let it be enough." Jeremy pleaded to anyone who would listen and could make it so.
"Well, what did he look like on Lyoko?" Aelita asked.
"He wore this sleeveless green tunic with matching pants and a hat which had a red feather in it." Odd explained. "He also wore blue boots, a shield with the Lyoko symbol on it, and a lightweight sword."
"Well, at least we know Einstein could step in if the chips are ever really down." Ulrich stated.
No one ever knew if Jeremy would be needed, but at least the option was there. That night, Aelita finally had a good sleep with no nightmares as she hugged Mister Puck close to her.