A/N: I added a new paragraph to this chapter. I didn't like how I left you guys in suspense so I decided to not be cruel (sort of) and let you know what happened. Just read the last scene and you'll know what I mean.
A/N: I really don't like making long chapters. However, sometimes it just can't be avoided. My hunting trip was disappointing. My dad and I didn't see a thing (as far as deer and elk go). Anyway, I did have time to proofread and edit this chapter so I hope you like it.
Janika: Nice summary of the chapter. I know people don't like it too much when I write those but I have to do it. BTW, the answer is that they won't avoid getting beat up (well, sort of).
thesuperdot: You'll see. Just wait.
Blood Vampire: I had a feeling that you were close by. I've read both your updates and I'll try to give you some more ideas but my schedule is insane this week.
CLNut: Thanks for the support. BTW, you are the second death threat that I've gotten so I guess I'm loved here. Thanks again. The chapter is so short because I don't like writing long chapters (with few exceptions) and I've gotten across all the points I wanted to say.
J(at)Lyoko: You'll see it in five minutes if you stay online. I'll tell you why it's metal (among other things) next chapter.
Disclaimer: I can't believe that nobody mentioned the fact that I didn't have this during the last block. You guys need to start paying attention to details (hint, hint). Anyway, I don't own Code: Lyoko or any of the characters except for Dan and Jessica.
At the Park---
I watched in awe and amazement as the X.A.N.A. possessed Dan lifted the bench where Yumi and I were sitting just a minute ago and flung it onto the pathway. He did it with such distain and hate that it made a crack in the pavement. I put my phone back in my pocket and ran in the direction away from X.A.N.A. tugging Yumi along with me.
"Well, any plans?" She asked barely being able to keep up with me.
"All I can think of is running," I replied, "How about you?"
"It's a good idea but one of us has to go to the factory and help Aelita." I slowed to let her ketch up with to me. She did. I turned my head to see the progress that X.A.N.A. made in trying to hunt us down. He was starting to run.
Yumi proposed, "Ulrich, how's this: one of us distracts Dan while the other goes to the factory."
"It's better than anything I could come up with but two questions, who's going and how do we distract him?"
"Let me go. I can't run in this dress anyway. I don't know about the second. You'll have to think of something." Yumi said. We came into a fork in the road and stopped. The right path led to downtown and thus the factory. The left circled around the park in a wavy path. I looked back thinking that Dan was right behind us but he was nowhere to be found.
"Where is he?" I asked. Yumi turned her head and scanned the park. Trees and dense foliage clouded our vision as we searched for any human activity. 'I don't get it. He should be right on our tail.' I thought.
"I don't know." Yumi replied confused.
"Well, just go and be careful. He could be anywhere." I replied finally letting her hand free. I watched as she ran off in the direction of the factory. 'She really looks good in that dress.' I thought. Then I heard the sound of leaves rustling near by. I looked over and saw Dan begin to sprint towards Yumi.
Instinctively, I searched for something to hinder him; something to throw at him. Searching my surroundings, I spotted some small to medium sized rocks. I grabbed a handful and began to throw them at Dan.
"Stay away from her!" I yelled launching the biggest of the rocks at him. To my delight it hit him dead center in the back of the head. The impact fazed him and he stumbled over his feet. However, Dan evaded falling and turned around to face me. X.A.N.A.'s symbol in his eyes turned from a "happy" yellow to bloodthirsty red in literally a blink of an eye. I had a really bad feeling about this.
I continued lobbing stones at him. He deflected the first few rocks with his mechanical arm while walking towards me. I began to pace backwards so he wouldn't get too close.
My ammunition was depleted and I threw the last round; he caught it. Dan smiled proudly displaying his prize it in his hand then he enclosed his fist around it and grinded the rock into a fine powder. He released his grip and the dust blew in the wind.
"So be it." X.A.N.A. replied in sync with Dan's voice. He then ran towards me with his right arm poised for action. After he released it I jumped back and dodged his thrust then I ran.
Sometime later at the Factory---
I got in the elevator and pushed the red button. I was hunched over trying to grab my breath. When the door opened I was greeted by Jeremy's voice on the PA system.
"Well, it's about time someone showed up. For a minute or two I was starting to think that I would have to go to Lyoko this time." He said sarcastically. I knew that he was trying to cheer me up and lighten the mood.
"I'm sure Aelita would love that, Jeremy." I replied stepping into my scanner. Then I heard him chuckle in the background. He knows I'm right.
"Transfer, Yumi. Scanner, Yumi. Virtualization!"
When I entered Lyoko I was met by a yelling Aelita. She was calling my name while being chased by three hornets. I unraveled my fan and positioned myself to throw it.
"Aelita! Get down!" I warned releasing it into the air. My weapon swirled across the green landscape in an arc. It split up the three hornets and convinced them hide behind nearby trees. I then caught my fan.
"Where's the tower?" I asked still fatigued from my jog here.
Aelita pointed in the direction she was running and said, "It's over there." I turned my head and saw the red aura. We had a straight path to the tower that was about one-hundred yards away.
"Jeremy, are there any more enemies besides the three hornets?" I asked aloud.
"No, it's just those three," he replied, "but be careful because I think they're planning something." I switched from observing the tower to analyzing the trees that the three were hiding behind. As I was moving my body, my attention was shifted to a bug flying some twenty-odd feet away from us over the digital void towards the tower. I turned to the other side and saw the other two doing the same.
The three bugs stopped and hid behind trees again about ten yards in front of us. Two on the left; one on the right.
"Okay, Aelita, let's go." I told her walking slowly down the path with my fan spread out. Aelita was close behind me as I could hear her footsteps.
As we approached the hornet's nest the two on the left revealed their location and began firing laser shot at us. I deflected one of the blasts and the other missed. Then I felt a stinging sensation on my right side and fell to the ground.
"Yumi, you've got seventy life points left." Jeremy announced. Aelita helped me to my feet and I continued to deflect laser shots.
"Thanks, Jeremy." I replied regaining my balance. The hornets were changing positions. They retreated a few more yards and one from the left flew to the right. We began walking towards our destination again.
Even though neither of us couldn't see X.A.N.A.'s monsters I had a feeling that were about to launch another attack. I stopped walking and motioned Aelita to do the same. Then I saw a wing of one of the hornets on the left fluttering behind the tree. Naturally, I threw my fan in a preemptive attack.
It made two vertical incisions through the tree's trunk. The first cut was from the release. The second was made by the return trip. Between the slices was a small explosion that resulted in the alerting of the other two hornets.
They fired rapidly and hit me multiple times. I refused to move because I had to wait and retrieve my weapon. Otherwise it would disappear into the void. Aelita screamed my name but I ignored it and shoved her aside.
"Yumi, watch out! You have only forty life points left!" Jeremy yelled as I caught my fan. The hornets for a third time changed spots. They were about half way to the tower and were hiding on each side. Aelita and I decided to run this time.
X.A.N.A. might be an evil computer genius virus but I guess his program has flaws because I, again, executed the same attack pattern to take down the second hornet as I did with the first. However, in doing so I was hit trice. The last hornet disappeared underneath the bridge to the tower; waiting in ambush. We didn't have any choice but to advance.
"Jeremy do you have a fix on the last hornet's location?" I asked with Aelita at my side as we neared the flaming tower.
"Sort of," he reported, "According to my data, the last one is right behind you but I can't see it." When that thought finally processed in my brain it was too late. The last hornet arose from underneath the bridge and devirtualized me.
"Aelita, run!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs seeing Yumi devirtualize. She was at 60 life points and was almost to the tower. Aelita did but the hornet still persisted. It pained me seeing her being shot.
I watched as her stats went down. Fifty...forty...thirty. I just couldn't take it any more! "Aelita, you have thirty life points left get in that tower, now!" I demanded. Twenty...ten. Aelita was just feet away from the tower when the hornet fired the mortal blow. Aelita dove in mid air trying to evade it. I held my breath in suspense.
Meanwhile at the park---
Dan is a one man army. He's more powerful and cunning than I thought. The shear weight of his arm is made up for in his strength and stealth. My original plan was to out run him until the tower was deactivated but that didn't exactly work. You see, Dan being possessed with X.A.N.A. made him the perfect killing machine.
I can't really explain it but he knew exactly where I was this whole time; even now. He hides in anticipation behind bushes and on top of trees then when I run by him he jumps out and attacks. We've had three skirmishes already and I ended up with one or two broken ribs, a dislocated right shoulder, bruises on my legs that hurt like the devil and a very scratched up tuxedo. I don't know how much longer I can take this.
I've circled the park twice in our mini-battles and was exhausted. Arriving at the overturned bench for the third time I stopped for a breather. My left arm was holding my chest together. It hurt to inhale air but I managed.
Unaware of my surroundings I began to scan the vicinity. I had no idea as to the whereabouts of Dan so I was feeling a little scared. He could very well kill me today. Regardless of all the pain I was experiencing I'm just happy that Yumi wouldn't suffer the same fate. If worst comes to worst then I'm glad that she lived.
As I was probing the area my eye's attention was shifted from an overturned trash can to the tree on my right side. I saw a blurry figure swing down from a branch. I stepped back but it was too late. Dan's feet collided with my face. The brute force of the impact caused me to black out for a few seconds. My escape was futile.
I was woken prematurely from my coma as Dan slammed his metal fist into the base of my spine. I yelled out in pain.
He then spoke, "You should be thankful that this one knows so much about combat. Otherwise, you could be in even more pain." After that was said, I felt his metallic hand on my chin and another hand on top of my head.
As my head was twisted in an unnatural direction I saw a bright white light. Is this the light that everybody sees when they die? I couldn't fully comprehend what it is because of my condition. As it consumed me all I could think of is Yumi. I'm so glad that I finally showed her how I feel. If this is my time to go then I would die a happy person...at the spot where we kissed.
At the Black Lotus---
I found myself staring at the red leather booth adjacent from me. It took me a while to figure out what had actually happened. The battle in Lyoko was quite fierce but it looks like Aelita pulled it off in the end. Time reversal can really screw with your mind. You travel back in time and when you arrive at the proper point you are left completely clueless. Sometimes you can be in the most unusual and embarrassing situations.
The moment that I was in right now I would be classify as unusual since I was just staring blankly at the furniture. A waiter even came by and offered to take our order for drinks. I woke from my trance and told him my beverage of choice.
"What would you like Ulrich?" I asked looking over at the empty seat. He wasn't there. A confused look took control of my face.
"Ulrich?" I said looking around the room. I didn't see him anywhere. Then I remembered what had happened. I went off to fight in Lyoko but he stayed back to fight Dan. I could feel my body weaken as my mind finally comprehended the facts.
"Could you come back in a while, please?" I asked the waiter. He left which gave me time to think about the event. Is it possible that Dan being controlled by X.A.N.A. killed him? No, that can't be true. It just can't be!
A/N: Okay, like I said at the top my schedule is insane this week. I don't know when I'll have time to write the next chapter so it could be a while. However, don't be discouraged I will finish this story and please, review! Thanks.