3-7: Leapfrog
Last chapter! After this comes Episode 4: Junction. Stay tuned (or else!)
(((-7-)))
Since the pink-haired girl was the only one who could see straight, she caught sight of their destination first. The panther-like boy saw something, but couldn't quite tell what it was.
"Is there a particular reason the Tower is on top of a mountain?" Odd wondered, burned out.
"It's not a mountain, Odd. Those are platforms rising above the desert floor. They're like stepping-stones." She paused as they were approaching it. "Should we all climb up or leave Ulrich and Janika here?"
"Hey, I have an opinion too, you know!" the sassy brown-haired cheetah said angrily. "Anything could happen on the way. I can climb and I will!"
Aelita shrugged and led the two sightless cripples toward the Tower.
The platforms were suspended within easy jumping distance of each other and they spiraled up toward the Tower on the highest island. Odd leaped to the first one and reached down to give Ulrich a hand. He grasped his friend's arm and hauled him up, doing the same with Aelita and Janika.
As the dark-haired girl teetered on the edge he pulled her closer to the center and held her there to make sure she was steady. "Uh, Odd? You can let go of me now. I think I'm safe."
"Oh, sorry." He noticed the island they were standing on was glowing slightly. "Aelita, why is this big rock glowing?"
Ulrich was kneeling. "It's shaking too. Is something wrong with it?"
Aelita jerked Ulrich up and shouted, "It's going to fall! Jump to the next one!"
Odd grabbed Janika again and sprang to the second island. "Ulrich, can you try to make the distance?"
The samurai smiled in reply. "Just keep talking, buddy." He took Aelita's hand. "Tell me when to jump."
She gulped and they made a running start. He heard Odd shouting something and the ground shook under his feet. Both friends cried out at the same time and he cleared the gap he could not see. Odd caught him to keep Ulrich from landing flat on his face. He heard the platform crash into the ground behind them.
"We're going to have to speed things up. I'm not too keen about this place."
Each island started to glow and shudder as soon as they touched it. They had little more than a minute to reach the next one before it collapsed. They wound their way slowly upward in a spiral, the way back disappearing.
The four friends were nearly to the top when Odd stopped. His foggy, distorted vision seemed to clear for a moment as though through a pane of distorted glass. Lasers struck the platform around Aelita as Ulrich was devirtualized. Two Hornets buzzed close by, firing with precise aim. She screamed as one struck her in the chest, pushing her toward the edge.
"Aelita, look out!" Odd yelled as his Anticipation left its mark.
The girl with strawberry-colored hair had just reached the next platform with Ulrich when the two Hornets came zooming in. Lances of energy pierced the digital covering of the virtual island and focused on Aelita! She cried out, falling back.
"Triplicate!" Ulrich yelled. His doubles appeared and they all huddled around Aelita, protecting her. Odd grabbed Janika around the waist and took a running leap for the next island, barely making it. Both copies had vanished already. Taking aim, the purple archer fired off a volley and shooed the menaces further away, but not before Ulrich had vanished.
A stray laser struck Aelita, knocking her back toward the edge of the island! Janika heard her friend's cry and lunged forward to seize her leg as she was going over. The AI hung upside-down, staring at the ground far below while the cheetah-girl strained to hold on. Odd fired wildly to scare the Hornets away before running over to help Aelita.
She was breathing hard. "I'm not sure we can make it."
They still had a full circle of platforms to go before reaching the Tower and the Hornets were hovering just out of reach. With one hazy look at the height of the islands above him, Odd made a decision. "Aelita, get ready to make a run for the Tower."
"What?"
Instead of answering, Odd took hold of her waist and swung her straight up at the final platform. She sailed through the air and landed on the rock, nearly sliding off the other side, but she caught the edge and clung on. The Hornets tried to attack, but Odd's laser arrows kept them at bay. He could hardly distinguish them against the stark white sky, but he did his best.
Aelita leaped the last hurdle and raced toward the Tower. The Hornets had gotten out of Odd's range and were zeroing in on her. A laser blasted her in the back just as she faded through the wall. She fell to the floor of the Tower and struggled back up. The symbol in the center glowed as she approached.
Odd felt the platform shudder dangerously. It would fall any second now, but he was too exhausted to go any farther. Janika clutched his arm.
"I hope she makes it. I'm sorry you read what I said about you in my diary. It's not really like that."
He raised his eyebrows. "Er...what was it?"
The island suddenly plummeted toward the desert floor. During the free-fall Janika's face turned red as he continued to hold onto her. Apparently Sissy hadn't put it in the paper.
"Nothing."
Aelita entered the code and the past became the present...
(V)
Sissy saw the lonely bookbag sitting on the bench. With an evil grin she grabbed the handles and ran. Unfortunately, she ran straight into the gang.
"Thank you, cuz," Janika said as she deftly plucked it out of the other girl's arms.
Ulrich smirked slightly and Yumi giggled. Sissy tried to look pleasant. "I was just going to return it to you, Nika. You really shouldn't leave your things lying around. Anyone could just pick them up." She smiled forcefully and walked off muttering, "So close."
Odd placed his hand on Yumi's shoulder. "So I guess you weren't too upset about Janika having a crush on Ulrich, huh?"
Jeremy covered his eyes and Ulrich gawked while Janika shrank back from Yumi's smoldering glare. She bristled like a porcupine. "What. Did. You. Just. Say?"
Hoo boy! You can guess how relations between those two are going to be in future episodes. Review-review-review!
Hey, Half-Kittie! Just wanted to let you know I dedicated this chappie to you and Dantheman7777 since you're both so nice. The Bringer of Good Cheer also deserves a round of applause, so give him one (he's a little sensitive!)