A/N: Finally, I found it. The final PM story in this Nobody can Series of stories.
This one might be my personal favorite because I LOVED Xana as a villain. Let's face it, Xana was overpowered. If there was a Death Battle between Xana, Matrix, and Skynet; I would bet on Xana. How many A.I.s do you know can make gravity literally vanish or turn an adorable teddy bear into a freakin' kaiju monster?! The fact that he can possess other people and transform into others at will is terrifying, and that was when he was technically retrained! The fact that Xana has actually won many of his battles with the Code Lyoko team makes him even scarier in my opinion.
In short, Xana is freakin' awesome
And yes, I know I was using male pronouns. I grew up with the dub of the show so I'm too used to calling him a dude.
Well then, onto the story.
'You're hiding out... in an abandoned factory,' RG asked over the phone.
"Yup," Nobody answered as he took a bite out of a heart.
RG sighed. 'If it's not an abandoned madhouse, it's an abandoned hospital. If it's not a hospital, it's an apartment complex. Now, it's a damn factory. What is it with us and abandoned places?'
"Just feels natural. Besides, our base is an abandoned city."
'True. So when are you coming back home? Genesis is asking for you.'
Nobody chuckled. "Cute. Tell our little Doomsday Project that daddy will be home in about a week or two. Turns out that new weapon the Company made was pretty effective on me, so I'm a bit warn out."
'Alright. Just come home soon. We love you.'
"Love you, too. Ah, and don't forget to make sure Hyena doesn't fill my favorite fridge with livers again, or I'll personally feed them to Ivy's favorite Nepenthes Maximum again."
'Will do.' RG then hung up.
Nobody then sighed. "Still, I'm getting bored. I know I'm hiding right now, but I feel strong enough now. Can't take any chances, though. Still, so bored," Nobody said as he closed his eyes.
When he did, he sensed something through Walrider. "Hm?" He looked towards an elevator. "Well, well."
Nobody landed in front of the elevator and took off the switch to see a keypad. "Alright, Walrider," he began as he pointed his finger at the pad. "Show me what's got you so excited," he said as the Walrider phased into the keypad, keying in the code.
Nobody then went into the elevator and rode it down to whatever Walrider was sensing. When the doors opened, Nobody whistled. "Now that's some high tech."
Nobody sat down in the chair and began to type away. "Lyoko, huh? Frans Hopper. Hm, another damned scientist." Nobody continuously typed until he abruptly stopped. "Xana? . . . Ah, I see. That's why you're interested, Walrider. You've found another A.I. like you." Nobody began to type even more. "If what I'm reading is right, this thing might be even more powerful than you are." Nobody then heard a growl. He chuckled. "Jealous, are we?"
Nobody then saw a port. "Why not fix that," Nobody asked as he held up a finger, turning it into a port. "Why don't you absorb Xana to upgrade yourself? With this power, I'm sure we could give even the Professor a good surprise, let alone Dracula." Nobody heard a purr and smirked. "I'll take that as a yes."
The computer then started to beep as if it were an alarm. Nobody read the screen. "Activated tower? Sounds like a pain. Walrider, if you would," Nobody said as he held his hands over the keyboard.
His hands turned completely black. They then began to move at such speeds that they left afterimages. "Tower deactivated. Now then, where were we? Hm? Two this time, eh? So that's how it's gonna be? Alright, Xana," Nobody went as he cracked his fingers. "We'll play."
Jeremy was in his room making programs for his friends when his computer started blaring. "Oh, no! I have to- What? It's been deactivated?"
Odd opened Jeremy's door, showing the rest of the gang with him. "Hey, Einstein, let's go. It's almost time for the assem-"
"WHOA," Jeremy went.
"Jeremy, what's wrong," Aelita asked.
"My computer! I think Xana possessed it!"
"What," Yumi went.
"Great, that's just what we need," Ulrich said.
"Can you fix it? I can say from experience that being under Xana's control is no fun," William said.
"What's wrong with it," Aelita asked.
"It keeps saying a tower is activated, but then it gets deactivated the next moment."
"Wait, so Xana's just messing with us," Ulrich asked.
"Maybe he's playing virtual pinball," Odd suggested.
"I need to stay here and fix this," Jeremy said as he sat back down.
William placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, man. That's not possible."
"What are you-"
"He's right, Jeremy," Yumi said. "This assembly is mandatory for everyone. Jim is making sure absolutely everyone is there, no excuses."
"If we miss it, suspension back home is on the menu," Odd said.
"It's that serious," Jeremy asked.
The group looked at each other.
"Jeremy, I understand how big of a threat Xana is, but you should still watch the news," Aelita said.
"The news?"
"There's a group out there. About five lunatics that kill indiscriminately," Yumi explained.
"Real monsters that we can't take on in Lyoko," Ulrich continued.
"And the worst of them all is their boss," William continued. "He calls himself Nobody."
"Nobody?"
"It will all be explained in the assembly," Aelita said. "Let's go, alright?"
Jeremy stared at his friends before he sighed. "Alright," he said as he stood up.
When the computer blared again, he looked, his eyes widening in shock. "FOUR TOWERS?! ALL FOUR SECTORS?! A TOWER IN EACH SECTOR HAS BEEN ACTIVATED?! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
"Okay, that sounds like just as bad news as these lunatics," Odd said.
"Wait... they've been deactivated. All four of them."
"Say what," Ulrich said.
"I haven't seen towers be deactivated this quickly since... since..."
"Since what," William asked.
"Since Xana posed as Franz Hopper," Jeremy said as he looked at his friends.
They all looked shocked.
"Daddy," Aelita asked.
"Then, is it really Xana," Yumi asked. "He doesn't usually use the same trick twice."
Jeremy glared at the screen before he sighed. "We'll have to figure that out later. We have an assembly to go to."
"Right," the others went.
They all began to walk out, except for William who glared at the screen. He then felt someone grab his arm.
"Come on, William," Yumi said.
"Yeah," he said as he followed the group, closing the door behind him.
Had they stayed a bit longer, they would have seen that Xana activated all the sector towers, including that of Sector 5.
Nobody was typing away like mad, deactivating tower after tower while trying to break through Xana's firewalls so the A.I. can be downloaded and eaten by Walrider.
"So there are more sectors and different Lyokos, eh? You seem to plan a hundred steps ahead, Xana. So does Walrider, though," Nobody said as one of the cables behind him sparked. Then, Xana's signature black smoke began to flow out of the cables, slowly heading toward him. "Still, what do these towers even do? Hm?"
Nobody then grabbed the smoke. "Well, well, what have we here? Tangible smoke? Poisonous smoke isn't exactly useful if it can be grabbed, Xana," Nobody smirked.
His smirk went away when the smoke began to take form. The part Nobody grabbed became a hand, the rest of it taking the shape of a familiar body. Moments later, Nobody was looking... at himself. "Hm. Interesting."
Xana looked down at his free hand, flexing it to get a feel for it. "You..." Xana looked at Nobody. "You're not exactly human, are you?"
Nobody smiled at Xana before he punched the specter through a wall. "What was your first clue?" Nobody then turned back towards the keyboard and started typing away, deactivating more than half of the activated towers in a matter of seconds. "Hm," Nobody went when he felt someone grab his shoulders.
"It was just a hunch," Xana said behind him. Nobody smirked.
Moments later, loud booms were heard within the factory, the entire facility now beginning to shake.
Meanwhile, in front of the school.
"Alright, I am pleased to see that every student from every grade is present," Principal Delmas said. "This is a very serious announcement. I am truly sorry if you have seen the news yourself, but you all need to know this. As has become infamous as of late in the United States, a group of malicious, sadistic, and purely evil individuals has been terrorizing the very world itself. These monsters have butchered countless innocent people, spread chaos and anarchy, destroyed countless cities, and most recently, murdered the U.S. President on live television..." Delmas sighed. "In the most gruesome way, one could possibly imagine."
"Now, I have even more horrid news: It has now officially been confirmed that these demons have infiltrated France. To make matters worse, rumors that the leader of these horrid terrorists, known simply as Nobody, has been seen near Boulogne-Billancourt, not too far from Kadic Academy itself." The students began murmuring among themselves, some of them hugging each other in worry.
"Settle down, children. Remember that your safety is first and foremost. That is why I am giving everyone permission to contact their parents or legal guardians if they feel like they are safer back home. I have also taken the liberty to have myself and all staff contact your parents to inform them of our situation. Already, many of you are confirmed to be returning home." Most of the kids sighed in relief, except for a certain group.
"Are you guys safe," Yumi whispered.
"My parents are gonna be alright. If I tell them I'm gonna be fine, my dad will most likely brag about how brave I am while my mom says how proud she is of me," Odd said.
"I might be able to convince my parents to let me stay. It will take a lot of lip service, though," Jeremy said.
"Then you're lucky," Ulrich said. "No way is my dad going to let me stay where there's possibly a mass murderer around. He'll do whatever he has to drag me back home."
"Same with my old man," William said. "And if it's not him, it will be my mom. She's been worried sick for me ever since the clone thing."
"Hey, have you guys noticed there's been a lot of thunder lately," Odd asked?
"Odd, this isn't the time," Jeremy said.
"Wait, why is their thunder," Aelita asked. "There isn't a cloud in the sky."
"Aelita, what does that mat-" Jeremy began.
"Wait, that doesn't sound like thunder to me," Ulrich said.
"Yeah. It sounds more like... explosions," Yumi chimed in.
Jeremy's eyes widened. "Oh, no. Not now."
Everyone else looked just as worried when Jeremy said that, knowing what he was thinking. "Xana," they all said in unison.
"How long is this assembly going to take," Jeremy asked in annoyance. We need to get to the factory, now!"
"Alright, students, I know you are all probably frightened right now. I have no reason to blame you for such a natural reaction. However, the faculty office and my own office is open to all who wish to contact their family to come and retrieve them. I will even give you permission to use your mobile to contact them. Classes today are now canceled for just that reason. Now, when you are dismissed, I want you all to return to your rooms or calmly head to the faculty office to- WHAT IN THE WORLD?!"
Everyone looked up to see what looked like a flaming meteor falling toward them. The students ran away screaming when they saw it, except for the Lyoko Warriors. Because when they stared at the flame, they heard the "thunder" and "explosions" from before.
"Jeremy, how are we supposed to stop that," Ulrich yelled.
"We don't! Or rather, we don't have to."
"WHAT," Yumi yelled.
"It's not coming in fast enough to cause an explosion! At most, it will make a crater, but still, what is it?!"
"What are you kids doing?!" They looked to see Jim run towards them. "Get out of here," he said as he started to push them out of harm's way.
Then, the meteor slammed into the ground, creating the crater Jeremy predicted. Everyone looked at the crater, only to back away when they heard the loud booms from before. Then, they heard what sounded like... fighting. Then, two beings jumped out of the smoking crater.
Everyone was shocked and horrified to see who it was.
"My word! It's that Nobody villain," Ms. Hertz yelled in horror.
"GET THE CHILDREN TO SAFETY, NOW," Mr. Delmas ordered.
The children were already running away, screaming.
Jim was about to run before he noticed the kids. "Now what are you six doing?! We need to," he began before he looked up. He was shocked by what he saw. "T-Two?"
To the shocked Lyoko warriors, they saw Nobody smirking viciously at Nobody, the two standing at the ready for a fight.
Then, Aelita realized it. "Jeremy, one of them is-"
"Xana's Polymorphic Specter."
The students were screaming and running as Nobody and Xana fought, their fists causing explosions of sound, shattering the ground around them.
Nobody and Xana then clashed once more, the two pushings each other back.
"It seems I've underestimated humanity," Xana said. "I never knew I'd find one so powerful."
"I'm not exactly human, Xana. Not anymore."
"At least we know which one is Xana," Odd yelled as he and the others ran into the building.
"Which means we know that there's an activated tower if that wasn't obvious enough already," Jeremy said.
"So we need to deactivate the tower to send Xana back," Aelita said.
"But what about Nobody? We have no way of dealing with him," Yumi said. "Just look at him. He's fighting Xana like he's just another street punk. We don't have anything against something like that."
"We do. We have Return to the Past," Jeremy said.
"But he'll still be in France, won't he," William asked.
Jeremy sighed. "We don't have a choice. If he and Xana continue fighting here, they'll not only destroy Kadic but kill countless people. Return to the Past won't be able to save anyone if that happens."
"Alright. We need to go," Ulrich said.
"Enough of this!" They looked to see Xana charging his signature electric attack. He then blasted Nobody point-blank with it.
"Oh, no. I think Xana may have won," William said.
Nobody then laughed, shocking everyone. "You're using electricity... AGAINST ME?!" Nobody then swung his arm, ceasing Xana's attack, astonishing him. Xana then gagged after Nobody punched him in the gut with enough force to make a sonic boom. "You may have copied my body, Xana, BUT YOU HAVE A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT IT," Nobody roared before he started to punch Xana with a flurry of punches that caused the specter to begin to float. Nobody then ended his onslaught with a roundhouse that sent Xana flying... in the direction of the Lyoko Warriors.
Xana slammed into the wall before falling with a groan. He then looked up and saw something that made his eyes widen. "YOU!"
"Whoop, we're in trouble," Odd went.
Xana stood up. "Belpois. You've been an annoyance to me for far too long," Xana said as he reached towards the unofficial leader.
"Last time I checked, we were the ones who kicked your butt in Lyoko," Odd said as the others stood in front of Jeremy.
Xana chuckled. "Foolish Della Robbia, without Belpois, you never would have found me or Aelita. His very existence has been a hindrance to me. No longer."
"You're going to have to get through us first, Xana," William growled.
Xana laughed. "You would threaten me, Dunbar? You... my greatest warrior?" William continued to glare before his eyes widened in fear when Xana reached for him. "It's time you returned to your Master's side, boy."
"WILLIAM," Yumi yelled as she reached for him.
"DON'T LOOK UP!"
"Wha-" Xana went as he looked up, getting a dropkick to the face courtesy of Nobody.
"YA LOOKED UP," Nobody roared as the two smashed into the building. The sound of vicious fighting continued inside the building.
"William, are you okay," Yumi asked as she shook him.
"Y-Yeah."
"We need to go," Jeremy said.
"No arguments here Einstein," Odd went.
Before the group could run away, a blast of flame broke through a window.
"WHOA! WHAT JUST HAPPENED," Ulrich yelled.
"Oh, no," Aelita went. "They're fighting in the Science Wing! We need to run, now!"
The group ran as fast as they could. Just as they reached the trees, the first floor of the Science Wing exploded, making everything rumble.
"We need to hurry," Jeremy went.
"HEY!" They looked to see Jim running towards them. "Where are you kids going?! It's not safe at all around here! Come on, we're heading toward the dorms! It's the furthest away from these lunatics!"
"Sorry, Jim. We can't go," Yumi said.
"What are you-"
The sound of crashing was heard, getting everyone's attention.
"WHOA," one of the monsters went as he was sent flying out of the building. He shook his head before he looked ready to charge back in, only to get hit by a smoking liquid. The smoke hid him for a bit before it cleared up. What everyone saw was a villain completely frozen.
"I sure hope that's Xana on ice," Odd said. "Wait, on ice?"
"Ms. Hertz was planning an experiment using liquid nitrogen today," Aelita explained.
They then saw one of the monsters walk out of the gaping hole, holding the torn canister still dripping with liquid nitrogen before throwing it away. He then glared in the direction of the Warriors.
"Which one is he," Yumi asked.
"BELPOIS," he roared as he stomped menacingly towards them.
"That answers that question," Odd yelled as they began to run.
"You think you can get away from me?!"
Jim stood in Xana's path. "You're not going anywhere near those kids," Jim said as he put his dukes. Xana merely smacked him away, sending him skidding across the field.
"JIM," the Warriors yelled out, save for one.
Instead, William took the chance to land a surprise drop kick on Xana, surprisingly with enough force to make him stumble.
"WILLIAM," Yumi called.
"GO ON WITHOUT ME," he called before glaring at Xana. "I have a score to settle," he said as Xana looked at him with cold, emotionless eyes.
"Yumi, we have to go," Ulrich said as he grabbed Yumi's arm.
"But-"
"If we want to save William, we have to deactivate the tower! Let's go," he said as he dragged her away, the group running towards the factory.
Xana glanced at them.
"DON'T LOOK AWAY FROM ME, YOU PRICK," William yelled as he threw a punch.
Xana caught it without looking before glancing back at William. He then punched William in the stomach with enough force to make him float before he fell to his knees, vomiting.
"You're a fool, Dunbar. You can't hope to beat me. Without me, you're nothing. Let's change that," Xana said as he reached toward William.
William looked up to see Xana's palm, his symbol appearing. "No. Not again."
Xana stopped when he heard something creak and crack. Then, he heard something shatter. He looked up and saw nothing. "Wait, where is-"
Xana then felt his wrist being grabbed and looked down.
"Relying on humans now, Xana, when you have a somewhat decent copy of my body?" Xana groaned in pain when Nobody pulled his arm back, the villain smirking at the A.I. "Don't disappoint me now, my friend."
Xana was sent crashing through the trees before he landed on his feet with a skid, looking up towards the approaching Nobody with a snarl.
"Come on, Xana. Surely you can do better than this," Nobody said in a mocking tone.
"Don't you dare underestimate me, Nobody," Xana said as he raised his hand towards the sky. When he did, black smoke appeared and spun around before they took different forms. The forms of his monsters.
"Ooh, neat trick." The monsters all shot at Nobody in perfect unison, the force of their lasers sending Nobody through the trees before slamming into a particularly tough one. "Ow."
The Lyoko Warriors had just reached the elevator, Jeremy calling William. "WILLIAM! Are you alright?!"
'Barely. Xana tried to make me his puppet again. Can't believe I was saved by a freaking murderer.'
"Well, let's not look a gift horse in the mouth. Get to the factory. Something tells me we need all hands on deck," he said as the doors opened and he ran to the computer. His eyes widened. "No way."
"What is it, Einstein," Odd asked.
"Four. There are four activated towers. One in each sector!"
"What," Yumi went.
"Since when was Xana able to do that," Ulrich yelled.
"He's at full power again, after all. Still, to activate this many towers. Is that how big of a threat Nobody is," Aelita asked.
"We don't have time to figure that out. Each of you has to go to a sector and deactivate the towers simultaneously."
"What?! Why," Odd yelled.
"You really think Xana won't notice one of his towers being deactivated?" That shut everyone up. "The moment he realizes a tower has been deactivated, he'll come running here... with Nobody more than likely trailing him."
"A superpowered A.I. and a monster that single-handedly destroyed America? Yeah, I don't feel like taking on either of those," Ulrich said.
"Alright. Yumi, take the Mountain Sector. Ulrich, the Desert's yours. Odd, the Ice Sector. Aelita, you handle the Forest Sector. When William shows up, I'll send him to the one that's having the most trouble."
"Right!"
A loud boom followed an earthquake that shook the entire factory.
"WHAT WAS THAT," Yumi yelled.
Jeremy typed away. "Oh, no. Xana took over a military satellite! What we just felt was him firing it!"
"He's already taken over a satellite," Ulrich yelled.
"Yeah, and if we don't hurry soon, he's either going to beat Nobody and come after us... or try one of his oldest plans again."
They all looked confused before Yumi's eyes widened in horror. "The nukes." That's when everyone looked horrified.
"If we fail, forget about Kadic, all of France will become a nuclear wasteland," Jeremy said somberly.
"We need to hurry," Aelita said before the Warriors ran to the elevator.
Later, they were all virtualized, Jeremy already creating their vehicles, and the four raced to their respective powers.
Another explosion and earthquake occurred. "Hurry, guys. We can't afford to fail."
Nobody raised his hands, catching the laser before he began to absorb it. He laughed evilly. "That was a nice trick while it lasted, Xana. I can't wait to absorb you. The things I'll be able to do with your programming. And best of all, I won't need some virtual towers to do even a tenth of your tricks!"
"It goes both ways, Nobody! You and your Walrider can be absorbed by me as well, and once I do, NOTHING will be able to stop me," he roared as he pointed at Nobody, his monsters blasting at him.
Nobody dodged at speeds that made Ulrich's Super Sprint look like walking in comparison. He then appeared behind a Kankrelat and stabbed his hand into it. Moments later, it turned black, the Xana symbol nowhere to be seen. When Nobody took out his hand, the Kankrelat turned and fired at a Block first, destroying it. A Crab tried to step on it, only for the monster to dodge and shoot its underbelly, destroying it.
"Looks like my little monster is better than yours," Nobody taunted. Xana then destroyed it by shooting a laser out of his palm. "Aw, my little monster."
Nobody then tilted his head when a tarantula shot at him. He smirked at the beast before he heard a loud laser blast. He looked only to get hit point blank, the laser cutting him in half.
Xana smirked.
"Whoa." Xana's eyes widened in shock when he saw Nobody's two halves jumping around. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Balance, balance. There we go," he said as he put himself back together, his wounds healing instantly before looking at what shot him. "Nice bowling ball." The Megatank then opened up, charging its next blast. However, Nobody shot it immediately in the center, destroying it. "Strike."
"What are you?" Nobody raised an eyebrow at Xana. "That regeneration wasn't due to your programming. It was too organic."
"Ooh, look who has a big boy brain. You're right. Walrider isn't my only trump card. I'm immortal."
"Immortal?"
"Yup." Nobody then did his signature party trick, ripping off his own cheek and letting it heal in an instant. "I can't be killed. Humans injected me with countless serums, hoping to make me a Fountain Of Youth for some rich old bastard. I can't age, I can't die, I can't be killed, but most of all," he said as he ate his own cheek. "I can't be stopped."
Xana stared at Nobody before he smirked. "So this is what you meant when you said I had no clue on how to use your body." He looked at his hand. "Yes. Truly, this is the ultimate body. And by absorbing your Walrider, I will truly be invincible. Nothing will be able to stand in my way. The Lyoko Warriors, Franz Hopper, his programs meant to impede me; NOTHING! I WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE!"
"Sorry," Nobody said as he appeared behind Xana. "But that's MY job." He then landed a kick that smashed Xana into the ground with such force that Xana crashed into the sewer leading to the factory.
Nobody squatted down towards the hole. "Oooi, you doing alright down there?" Nobody's head was stabbed through by a Krab leg. "That answers that question. WHOA," Nobody went when he was dragged into the hole.
Ulrich was riding his Overbike to his tower. "Jeremy, any monsters near me?"
"None. It's clear for everyone."
'That's a good thing, right,' Odd asked.
"I'm not sure. Xana would usually have guards around."
'Maybe he's too preoccupied with Nobody,' Aelita suggested.
"Let's only hope."
"Jeremy!"
"William, you ready?"
"I don't know. I think I might need to stay."
"What?"
"You told me you once activated a tower to give Odd superpowers, right?"
'He sure did,' Odd stated. 'I call it Jeremification.'
"William, you're not suggesting-"
"If Xana or Nobody gets here, I'm the only one here to keep you safe."
'It's too risky, William,' Ulrich said. 'Xana took over the tower Jeremy activated and nearly killed Odd using it.'
"But Xana is here on Earth. He's basically at his most powerful right now, and if he takes out Jeremy, it's over. I just need to keep him busy while you guys deactivate the tower. Just do it fast, alright?"
'We'll do our best," Aelita said.
"Don't worry, Jeremy. We'll make sure you won't have to use Jeremification on William," Yumi said.
Jeremy sighed. "I sure hope so."
Nobody punched Xana with enough force to send him flying out of the sewer, the specter falling heavily onto the factory bridge. He groaned as he got up, Nobody jumping out of the hole. "Wow, I can't believe we came back here. Full circle. Guess that means I should absorb you here, eh, Xana?"
Xana chuckled, making Nobody raise an eyebrow. "Oh, someone is getting absorbed, Nobody. But I doubt it's going to be me."
"Hmph, and what makes you say that," Nobody said with a smile. "Hm? Where'd this fog come from?" Nobody then heard water rushing and looked to his left to see a massive monster. "Ooooh."
"Behold, my most powerful monster. Usually, I would need all of my Replikas to create it, but your body and my towers seem to give me the power to summon it relatively easier. Witness the power of my Kolossus."
The massive monster raised its bladed left hand.
"This might sting a bit," Nobody said with a raised eyebrow.
The Kolossus slashed down at Nobody, slicing the bridge and actually parting the moat. Xana looked down at the crashing waters with a smirk before turning towards the factory. He laughed evilly as he walked towards it.
An alarm on the screen went off, showing Jeremy and William a camera feed of Xana walking in.
"Oh, no," Jeremy said.
"Which one is it," William asked.
Xana looked up at the camera and smirked. He then shot it with his signature lightning.
"Xana," the two said in unison.
"Jeremy, you have to do it," William said.
Jeremy sighed. "This is a huge risk, William. You know that, don't you?"
"Does it look like we have a choice right now?"
Jeremy looked down before he began to type away.
Moments later, the elevator doors opened up.
"Hello, Belpois," Xana said as he walked towards him.
"XANA!"
He looked to see William walking towards him. Xana chuckled. "You're approaching me, boy?"
"I can't punch your face in otherwise." William stood before the taller "man".
Xana looked into William's eyes and laughed. "You did it again, Belpois? Did you learn nothing from last time?"
"Oh, I learn, Xana. It won't be so easy this time," Jeremy said as he continued to type.
"Challenge accepted. It will be a shame to lose such a well-crafted puppet," Xana said as he smirked down at William.
Eyes burning with rage, William punched Xana in the face with enough force to send him smashing into the elevator. William then jumped in after Xana, activating the elevator before wailing at Xana as the doors closed.
"Guys, you need to hurry! Xana's in the factory! William's holding him off, but I have no idea for how long!"
'Don't worry, Jeremy. I just reached my tower,' Aelita said.
'Same here,' Yumi said.
'I can see mine,' Ulrich said.
'Ditto here, Einste- WHOA!'
"Odd! What's wrong?!"
'What's wrong is that I apparently forgot my birthday! Xana had a surprise party ready for me! And the guests forgot to deshell the Krab legs!'
"What?! But I don't see any monsters on my screen!"
'Xana must have done something,' Aelita said. 'There's a whole pack of Blocks in front of me,' Aelita said.
'I'd rather Blocks than the swarm of Kankrelats I'm about to deal with,' Yumi said.
'Wanna trade? I have to deal with Hornets,' Ulrich said.
"Oh, no. It's as if Xana knew which sector you'd be sent to, and sent out the worst monsters for your specific fighting styles. I'm sorry to say this, but you need to rush and get it over with. None of you can get devirtualized. If we lose just one of you, it's all over."
'Don't worry, Jeremy. We can handle it,' Aelita said. 'Just make sure nothing happens to William's tower.'
Jeremy rubbed his forehead. 'This is the worst possible situation,' Jeremy thought as he typed away. 'I hope William's doing alright.'
The elevator doors then opened.
William flew out, skidding across the ground, coughing as he pushed himself off of the ground.
"Is that all?" He glared at the approaching Xana. "I was expecting more of a challenge, Dunbar. How disappointing. You were my greatest warrior. My general. It seems your talents truly are wasted on these humans. I'll give you one more chance to take your rightful place at my side once more," Xana said as he extended his hand.
William defiantly stood back up, spat out some blood, and took his stance. "I'd rather die."
Xana chuckled. "That can be arranged."
The two then sped at each other. Xana threw the first punch, but William was able to redirect the punch and land a counter on Xana's cheek. He followed up with a knee to Xana's abdomen before grabbing his arm to throw the A.I. However, Xana instead grabbed William's sleeve and slammed him into the ground before kicking him away.
Xana laughed evilly as he walked towards the groaning William. "Well, at least I find you entertaining, boy. You're not nearly as challenging as Nobody, but this made for a fine desert, child."
William glared at Xana as the villain walked towards the panting, bloody teen. Then, the sound of pained roars made Xana stop. The two looked around, wondering where the roars were coming from before something fell onto the factory. Whatever fell made an impact that caused a dusty gale of wind to blow about, forcing Xana to cover his face. When he looked up, he was shocked to see that his Kolossas was dead.
"Desert? Please, that kid's just an appetizer. The main course has just arrived."
Xana looked up as the dust cleared. He then saw Nobody, looking down as he squatted upon the now-dead Kolossas.
"Round 2," Nobody went in a sing-song, cheery tone.
Xana looked at Nobody in shock before looking at the Kolossas. "My mightiest monster... bested by a single human. . ." Xana looked at Nobody, his eyes overtaken by his symbol as he smiled villainously. "YOU'RE THE ABSOLUTE BEST! THAT POWER WILL BE MINE!"
Nobody smirked back. "NO, XANA! IT'S YOUR POWER THAT WILL BE MINE!" The two then clashed, their force making the entire factory shake, the wind pressure alone sending William flying into a wall, coughing up blood.
Jeremy struggled to hold onto his chair. "Guys, hurry up! Nobody somehow survived whatever Xana threw at him, and their back at it!" Jeremy pulled up the feed. "Is that... NOBODY KILLED A KOLOSSUS!"
"He did WHAT," Yumi yelled.
"But Ulrich's the only one who's been able to do that so far," Odd yelled.
"Just how much of a monster is that guy," Ulrich yelled.
"We don't have time to find out! You have to deactivate your towers, now," Jeremy yelled.
"Don't worry, Jeremy. I've taken care of my last monster," Aelita said.
Xana was sent skidding away before he stopped, holding his throbbing face as he growled at Nobody before he noticed William in the corner of his eye.
"Oh, crap," William went as he just began to get back on his feet.
"It seems I need my soldier after all," Xana said as he appeared in front of William in the blink of an eye. He then reached for William, only for his hand to be caught by Nobody.
"You seem so obsessed with this human," Nobody said before he punched Xana in the gut and kicked him through a wall. He then looked down at William with glowing red eyes and a glowing, crescent moon smile. "Why don't I see why?" Before William could react, he was choking as Nobody's fingers wrapped around his throat, the villain easily lifting the teen.
"Oh, no! Nobody's got a hold of William," Jeremy said in a panicked tone.
"I'm entering my tower," Yumi said.
"Same," Ulrich said.
"Ditto," Odd went.
William choked before he began to gag when he felt a burning sensation crawl all over him. He looked to see that his body was turning black. What's more, his sword became reality.
"Ooh, that's an interesting weapon."
The Lyoko Warriors reached the second platform.
"No wonder Xana wanted you."
Xana then ripped his way out of the wall.
"But you're mine now, boy."
Xana looked up, his eyes widening. "NO," he roared.
The Lyoko Warriors then placed their hands on the screen, and CODE LYOKO appeared.
Xana shot towards Nobody, roaring in rage before he vanished, Nobody not noticing this at all. He was too busy listening to William gag as the Walrider nanites infected his body, the machines swirling around in the poor boy's eyes as they reached towards his irises. Nobody's smirk grew. "Welcome to the family..."
Jeremy put in the code. "RETURN TO THE PAST NOW!" The light shot out.
"Willi-" Nobody was interrupted when the light engulfed him, just before William's infection was completed, saving the boy at the last second.
William gasped, clenching his chest as he took deep and heavy breaths.
"William," Yumi went in concern, the group in Jeremy's room.
"You alright," Ulrich asked.
William looked up at his friends before looking at his shaking hands. "What... IS he?"
Meanwhile, Nobody was lying down on a beam in the factory, his eyes closed as he used his hands as a pillow. Then, his eyes shot open, the orbs flashing as if something were activated. "Ho? So something like that happened. And it didn't effect you at all?" In Nobody's mind, the response he got was a low growl. He smirked. "Interesting."
Nobody then turned to black dust... and flew down the elevator.
He materialized in front of the supercomputer, nonchalantly walking up to it with his hands in his pockets. He huffed with a smile before he typed away at the keyboard, putting in this simple message:
"Hello, X.A.N.A."
Moments passed. Then... Xana's symbol appeared.
"Nobody," the screen responded.
"So you were able to retain your memories despite never being virtualized. Impressive," Xana said.
"Oh, you have Walrider to thank for that. I would never have known about our little game without him."
"Of course, an A.I. is to thank for your memory. So, what now?"
Nobody smirked. "What now, indeed."
Back in the dorm.
"Man, Nobody is even worse than what the news says," Odd said as he paced around.
"He was able to take on Xana by himself. Nothing should be that powerful," Yumi said.
"How are we supposed to deal with him AND Xana," Ulrich asked.
Jeremy sighed. "We don't." His friends looked at him in shock. "We deal with Xana. Him, we can handle. We can only hope a World Power will be able to defeat Nobody. But we're the only ones who can stop Xana. We take him down and shut down the supercomputer once and for all." Everyone looked in agreement... except...
"I think we should keep it on," William said.
"What," Aelita said.
"Are you serious," Ulrich went.
"What are you thinking," Yumi asked.
"Jeremy... you need to perfect the Jeremification," he said as he looked at the leader.
Jeremy looked like he was about to say something when his eyes widened in realization. "You want us to fight Nobody after we've beaten Xana."
Everyone else looked shocked.
"Yeah. Think about it, who else has a supercomputer that can basically change the rules of our world? If Jeremy fully masters it, he'll be able to do what Xana could: possess objects, hack into weaponry, and of course, give us a fighting chance against Nobody."
"William, are you even listening to yourself," Yumi yelled. "You're suggesting we take on a monster that practically single-handedly destroyed America! AMERICA! ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD!"
"And he FLATTENED it," Odd added. "This is a guy who destroyed cities like New York faster than any giant monster ever could. The guy who killed the president for everyone to see! Heck, he destroyed Canada for desert, and tore apart Mexico for fun! And you want us to take on THAT after we beat Xana?!"
"Listen to yourselves," William yelled. "You're giving me reasons as to WHY we need the supercomputer! It might be the only thing in the world that can beat him!"
"Do you honestly think you can beat me?"
"Yeah! With the supercomputer, we have a-" William's eyes widened. So did everyone else. They all looked at the screen of Jeremy's computer to see... Nobody's avatar.
"Wha- How," Yumi asked.
"I-Is he on... Lyoko," Aelita asked.
"Oh, no. I'm still in the factory, kiddos. I just made this myself. Looks just like me, doesn't it," Nobody asked with a chuckle.
"What do you want," William growled.
"Ooh, feisty. And in my presence at that. I respect that. No wonder Xana was so bent on taking you back." William tightened his grip in anger. "I'm just calling to tell you, kids, some good news. I'll be leaving your academy alone for a bit." They all looked shocked. "Oh, don't worry. I'm still going to be in France. Enjoy some wine at a vineyard, have some of that famous French cuisine, terrorize a mafia family, and maaaaaybe burn Paris to the ground." They all looked terrified, knowing full well that he was more than capable of doing that. "But don't worry. I'll be back. Xana and I have a little score to settle, after all."
"W-Well, why don't you settle that score now? And delete each other at the same time while you're at it," Odd went with forced bravado.
"Telling me to basically get myself killed. How very brave of you to say to me, Della Robbia." Odd shuttered in terror, now realizing the full magnitude of his words. "Still, to answer your question, Xana and I figured something out in our fight. Something rather annoying."
"We're both far too evenly matched."
The Lyoko Warriors looked at each other, realizing Nobody was right. He was able to take on their arch-enemy, who was able to hack into military satellites like they were nothing, has enough strength to make the earth shake, and even summon his monsters into the real world. Nobody was able to go toe-to-toe with Xana.
"And I can't have that. So, I decided to leave Kadic alone for a bit and become stronger. Absorbing a railgun made me immune to all electric-based attacks and able to blast an actual railgun from the palm of my hand. Maybe I'll absorb a nuclear power plant or devour liquid nitrogen to make sure Xana can never freeze me again. Decisions, decisions."
The Warriors were sweating in fear, the thought of this monster coming back even stronger making them all fear for the future.
"It may be weeks. It may be months. It might even be years. Just know this: I will be back. And when I return, Xana will be as good as eaten, and I will become even more powerful. In fact, I think I'll eat the supercomputer after I integrate Xana. Return to the Past can be quite useful to me."
Jeremy's eyes widened, horrified at the thought of this monster having control over time.
"Oh, and before I forget, William, do be sure to enjoy your last moments of freedom." Everyone looked at William in fear. "Thanks to Xana, I took an interest in you. And after seeing what you become if I inject you with a Walrider Spawn, you can be sure I saw much potential in you, my boy. Oh, yes. You will make a fine little soldier for me. And if brought up properly, you may even be a match for an annoying soldier I know, or even better, his lovely older sister. Yes, you have potential, boy."
William was panting heavily, finding it difficult to so much as breathe due to the fear in his heart.
"Xana, the supercomputer, and a new soldier. Kadic sure is valuable. I'm looking forward to the day I return. Well, as they say in France: Au revoir." The screen then shut off.
The Warriors stood among themselves, all of them shaken to the core.
"William." He looked at Jeremy, whose eyes were hidden by the shine of his glasses before he looked up. "I promise you... I'll perfect not only Jeremification, but I'll be able to materialize your powers, weapons, and vehicles in the real world. I'll master the supercomputer to the point where you'd think I was Xana himself... and after we take down Xana... Nobody's next."
He stared at the leader in shock before he felt an arm on his shoulder. He looked to see it was Ulrich's. He then felt someone grab his hand and looked to see Yumi smile at him. He then looked to see Odd give a thumbs up and Aelita also smile. He looked down and smiled himself. "Thanks, guys."
Meanwhile.
Nobody closed the window as he smirked at the screen.
Xana's symbol appeared. "So you're leaving, are you?"
"Disappointed," Nobody asked mockingly.
"Just know that I will also become stronger. Once I regain my full power and gain full control over the world wide web, I'm coming after you. I'll delete you and take that magnificent body of yours for myself."
"Will you?"
"I will be unstoppable with it. Nothing will stop me."
"Just as I will be when I absorb you. But we'll have to wait and see, won't we?"
"Indeed."
"Then, until next time, my enemy," Nobody said with a smirk before he turned and left the factory, looking forward to the eventual day he challenges Xana for their final showdown.
The evil madman vs the evil A.I. will have its final duel someday. Until then, these two evils will wreak havoc upon the world and become ever more powerful.
END
A/N: Yeesh. Scarier than I remember. And before you say anything, I know the cartoon killed Xana in its finale, but then Evolution happened. I think I only got about three episodes in before I stopped. My god, what they did to Odd. Not even Xana is THAT cruel. And my girl, Yumi. Fans were right, Evolution should have never happened, not even as a non-canon joke.
Anyway, please leave a review and say what you think.
For example, do you agree with me that Xana could beat Matrix and Skynet? I know genuinely wanna know.
Until next time!