Opening Moves

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A/N: This chapter will continue from where part 1 of "The Battle for the Tower: Yumi" took off. There will be some minor variations from Ulrich's story since he was delirious throughout the entire battle, even after he wakes up.

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Chapter 8

The Battle for the Tower: Yumi (Part 2)

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I stood there, for what seemed like hours. Ulrich was slowly turning lighter, becoming less defined. I was glad that I was in Lyoko, or, I knew, there would be tears in my eyes.

We were pinned down in the tower for what seemed like forever. The only thing that could pass the time usefully was to try to de-bug Ulrich's character before he vanished, and only Jeremie knew how to do that. I knew that he was smart, but he hadn't always come through for us. I was worried that he might fail again. That would mean that we would lose Ulrich, both as a friend and a fellow warrior.

"Guys, I finished the de-bugging program. Deploying it now. Let's hope for the best." Jeremie said, and I was filled with anticipation. "First stage clear... Second stage... It's clear."

Immediately, Ulrich's image became more dark, more clear. I turned back to the computer monitor, sighing slightly. I spotted Ulrich staggering over, and I ran up to him, hugging him. "Ulrich, you're awake!"

"I know, Yumi. But I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to suffocate me." Ulrich said.

"Oops, sorry." I said, and I felt that my cheeks were flaming.

Suddenly, there was a huge bang throughout the tower. The monsters were opening fire.

"Let's go, everyone. We have to reach the activated tower." Ulrich said calmly. I wondered how this was possible. We had only eliminated the first part of his ailment. He would still die if he was devirtualized.

We rushed out of the tower, weapons drawn. Immediately, the monsters focused their fire on us. I felt a light hit to my leg as a laser hit my kneecap. I threw my fan, destroying the offender.

"Hah-hah! Take that, X.A.N.A!" I yelled, ecstatic in my fighting. I saw Ulrich destroy a Block to my right. However, Odd wasn't faring too well.

He had fallen into a trap laid by three Blocks and a Roachster. The monsters were hitting him. Then, I saw his skin start to remove itself, leaving behind a white mesh. He was devirtualized. However, he had gotten one arrow off, which destroyed a Block.

For five minutes this went on. Finally, we managed to secure the tower. There was nothing to do but stand guard, and anyway there was no way monsters could get there that quickly.

"Yumi?" Ulrich asked, and I saw a faint blush on his cheeks. I could feel that it wasn't something he would usually ask, so I decided to risk it.

"Yes, Ulrich?" I asked, feeling butterflies in my stomach. Was he going to ask what I thought he was going to ask?

"Do you... err... Want to go to the prom with me?" he asked. Immediately, I felt my stomach lurch with happiness. I knew that I had always felt for him, but the past three months made our relationship rather... strange. It seemed as though he was expecting something to happen, as though we had gone through a return to the past. But that was impossible, since this was the first activated tower in these three months. (A/N: In the version of events after Ulrich managed to save Yumi, she doesn't know about the pyramid, except what she wrote in her journal.)

"Sure, Ulrich, I'd love to!" I replied enthusiastically.

"You... You mean it, Yumi?" he asked.

"Yes, I mean it, Ulrich." I said, and wrapped her arms around me. Then I leaned in, and felt his lips touch mine. I felt my heart beat faster the longer the kiss lasted. We stayed like this until I felt the familiar sensation of the return trip to the past.

I was in my room, getting dressed for the school prom. It was the next day. Then, I heard the doorbell ring. Ulrich was here already? I wasn't ready yet. I decided to put on my best dress, a black shoulder-less one. I walked down the stairs and opened the door for Ulrich.

I felt Ulrich's lips brush my cheek, and we walked the couple of blocks towards school. Looking up, the moon looked like a large, white circle. When we reached the school, we met up with Odd, Jeremie, and Aelita. Aelita had been materialized for the night, on the grounds that Jeremie felt it a good idea for Aelita to experience a school prom. Perhaps he was right.

Ulrich and I walked to the dance floor. The DJ was playing a slow song. We immediately fell into sync with the music. Suddenly, we heard a loud crash. Looking around, I noticed that Odd had landed on a table and a rather menacing-looking boy was apparently the attacker. I readied myself for a possible fight.

"Yumi, stay here. I'll handle it." Ulrich whispered, walking over to Odd. I saw Ulrich lift the injured boy up. They began talking to each other, but I couldn't hear their words.

Odd charged at his attacker, arm pulled back. The unknown boy grabbed Odd's arm and threw Odd to the ground. Then, the boy twisted my friend's arm, and, when the attacker let go, Odd's arm seemed to be broken. I ran up to Odd and Ulrich, but Ulrich silently motioned for me to not get involved.

Odd threw a leg sweep to try to trip the boy, who easily jumped over the leg. I then heard a loud noise and spotted the headmaster running over. He split the two combatants up, and I let out a sigh of relief. He had at least saved Odd's life.

"Brian, I'm disappointed in you. I told you numerous times not to fight. And Odd, I'm disappointed in you too. You are both suspended from Kadic. Also, you are to leave the premises immediately. I hope this will teach you a lesson." The headmaster said.

"How long are we punished for?" "Brian" asked, a hint of contempt in his voice.

"Until I tell you otherwise." The headmaster said, walking away.

"Alright, you heard him. Get out of here!" Jim yelled.

"But, Jim, I can't walk real well." Odd said.

"I'll take him to the infirmary, Jim." Ulrich volunteered.

"No, the nurse can't mend broken ribs and arms. I'll call the hospital. But it'll be on your expense, Odd." Jim said.

Ulrich lifted Odd and helped him out of the auditorium.

"What was that about, Odd?" Ulrich asked.

"I talked to a girl a few minutes ago. He saw it and got jealous." Odd answered, a hint of pain in his voice.

"Seems a bit dangerous, all this over a girl." Ulrich said, accidentally dropping Odd onto the ground.

"Ah!" Odd yelled, clutching his arm in pain. I saw that Odd smiled slightly. What could this mean? What he hiding something? Did he have feelings for me? What was going on?

We finally reached the infirmary. The nurse, who's name was Dorothy, told us to sit down, and Odd weakly staggered into a chair near the nurse's desk. Ulrich and I sat down behind him near the wall, and Jeremie and Aelita sat off to the side, since they didn't see what had happened. I noticed that the two were blushing so fiercely that I was surprised that Dorothy didn't ask them to have their temperatures measured.

"Hello? I need an ambulance over at Kadic Junior High, I have a student here with what seems to be a broken arm, a fractured leg, and a cracked rib... You're dispatching an ambulance here right now?... Great." Dorothy said.

A few minutes later, the ambulance arrived. We watched as the orderlies put him on a stretcher and carried him into the emergency vehicle.

"I'm sorry, but you kids cannot come. He may have something slightly worse than what the nurse says, and the personnel in the back will be working on trying to find out what it is." One of the orderlies said, and we nodded grimly.

"I hope he'll be all right, Ulrich." I said, and Ulrich nodded grimly. "Well, guys, I'd better head home."

"Bye, Yumi. It was fun being with you." Ulrich said, blushing.

"Bye, Ulrich. Same here." I said, and lightly kissed Ulrich on the cheek.

"Bye, Yumi." Aelita and Jeremie said.

I began heading home. Walking past a small shop, I noticed that I was being followed by a couple of skinheads. Worried that this might be one of X.A.N.A.'s clones, I broke into a run. The skinheads followed. Frantically, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Ulrich's phone number.

"Come on, pick up, Ulrich..." I whispered, before I heard a loud gunshot and felt a sharp pain in my back. Then, everything went dark.

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A/N: I think that this chapter may have just cleared up what's going on with the clone situation. Sorry for the cliff-hanger, but this was a necessary one since this part is one where the approach I used for the sniper attack wouldn't generate the emotion I want, and I don't want to start mid-chapter narrator changes.