Hope Lost

Chapter 6

Survival!

I ran out the broken window, following the sound of Ulrich's screams. Drops of blood streamed down the hand I had used to break the window, as well as the one that had held the glass shard I had used to kill the man, but I pushed forward, following, in addition to the afore-mentioned screams, the drops of blood that Ulrich had left over.

After a few minutes, I found the two in a clearing located in the forest. Ulrich had numerous cuts, and was pinned against a tree. "Get away from Ulrich!" I yelled, drawing attention to me. I entered my fighting stance, drawing my right foot back and bending my elbows while closing my fists. "I don't know what you are, but anyone who attacks my friends is in for a rude awakening."

The man who was attacking Ulrich rushed at me, fist drawn back. I grabbed it and spun into a side takedown, sending the man to the ground. His exposed skull slammed against a rock and broke, sending greenish blood to the ground.

"Ae… lita… save…" the man muttered, and then started twitching. He was dead, his brain fried.

"Okay, that was weird. Did you hear what he said?" I asked Ulrich.

"He said… 'Aelita… save'. What does that mean?" he said.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you in the hospital, Ulrich."

"It's all right. You were stressed out. That's understandable. Now, what do you say we get X.A.N.A. back for everything that happened in the last week?"

"Sure thing."

We ran down the grate entrance. That's when I noticed that my skateboard was still there. I smiled again. My friends had not abandoned me, and even given me a chance to return. Let's just hope that my parents do, as well.

I jumped onto my skateboard, sliding down the sewer pipes. "Hey, Ulrich, want to race?" I yelled, exhilarated.

"Sure. Last one to the elevator has to take rear!" Ulrich yelled, accepting my challenge.

When we reached the ladder (in a dead heat), we both started trying to get on the ladder. Of course, this resulted in several falls where I decided to let him start first, and then proceeded, trying hard not to look up, which would certainly cause problems.

When I got on top of the ladder, I began running, and, for some reason, Ulrich had waited for me, perhaps to be more "gentlemanly". We rushed forward. I felt my legs aching as they begged me for a moment of rest, but I denied it.

We reached the ropes, and swung down, and our feet entered the elevator at the same moment.

"Wait, how to we solve this? It's a tie!" Ulrich exclaimed, pressing the descent button.

"Taking turns on the rear." I replied.

"Sure thing, but who takes rear first?"

"Let's decide by Rock, Paper, Scissors."

"Sure thing."

We then recited the lines, and it ended up… Another tie!

The elevator stopped, so we quickly decided on a line formation. We had ended up in the scanner room, where there were two open scanners waiting for us.

"Scanner, Ulrich. Scanner, Yumi." Jeremie's voice came over the intercom when we were both securely inside the scanners. "Transfer, Ulrich. Transfer, Yumi." I felt myself lift into the air and turn slowly. "Virtualization!" At this, I felt a rush of wind that sent my hair up.

We landed in the polar region. I snapped out my fan and took a few practice throws to make sure that I wasn't rusty. After all, it had been a while since my last trip to Lyoko.

"Ulrich, Yumi, Blocks incoming!" Jeremie yelled, and I quickly entered a stance similar to a common one by geisha. After all, I was dressed like one; why not act like one?

The Blocks opened fire at Ulrich, and he began weaving. "Yumi, find Aelita!" he yelled.

"What about you?" I exclaimed.

"Don't worry about me!"

"Ulrich, Yumi, be careful! There was a problem with the transfer!" Jeremie yelled.

I threw my fan in an attempt to draw at least one Block toward me, and managed to destroy one.

"Good one, Yumi!" Ulrich exclaimed, as he slashed through another Block. "Now, Yumi!"

I nodded, and broke off from the fighting, leaving Ulrich to fend for himself.

"Yumi, Aelita's due north." Jeremie said, and I nodded, though I know that he couldn't see me.

"Hey, Yumi!" I heard Aelita's voice as she ran over to me, her feet sliding slightly on the ice. I reentered my ready position, waiting for anything dangerous.

"Hey, Yumi." Ulrich's voice came from behind me, and I yelped. Ulrich had finished off the Blocks, and managed to sneak up behind me.

"Ulrich, you've got fifty life points left." Jeremie said.

We took off down the polar plane, with Jeremie guiding us through what looked like a valley of ice.

"Take a left!" Jeremie exclaimed. He seemed really animated in this battle. "Erm, you've got three Hornets incoming!"

"Blast it!" I exclaimed. "Jeremie, is the tower guarded?"

"Hang on. I'll check… Nope, and there're no monsters in a six-mile radius of you."

"Aelita, can you manage?"

"Yes, I can." Aelita responded.

"Then go. Ulrich and I'll cover your retreat."

"Right."

Aelita ran off, and I let loose with my fan, then dodged a laser from the first Hornet. The forward arc failed, but the return struck that one on the back, sending it crashing to the ground. Ulrich took his chance and stabbed it's X.A.N.A. eye. The Hornet exploded in a ball of fire.

Suddenly, there was a searing pain in my back as a laser from a second Hornet hit me in the back, sending me tumbling into one of the valley walls.

"Yumi, you've only got eighty life points!" Jeremie yelled.

"Long as Aelita gets past." I said grimly, as I threw my fan again. This time, a Hornet was hit, exploding in a ball of fire.

"One left!" Ulrich yelled, as he leaped onto the Hornet, and stabbed it in the eye. Then he leaped off it, as it exploded. "Now let's catch up to Aelita."

"Right."

We ran back down the valley, following the path that Aelita had left us. Behind us, X.A.N.A.'s monsters were following us.

"How's it going, Aelita?" Jeremie asked. There was a delay, and then Jeremie informed us about what was going on. "Guys, hurry. Aelita's pinned down by a Megatank and three Krabs."

"Right." I said. "Ulrich, I'm useless against Krabs and Megatanks. I'll cover your retreat and, if I'm not devirtualized, will meet up with you."

"Understood, Yumi. Be careful." Ulrich said. I nodded, and whipped open my fan. All three of the enemies I was facing were Blocks.

I took aim at the first Block's X.A.N.A. eye, and then threw my fan. It hit, destroying the monster. Two more left.

The second Block opened fire at me, and I blocked it with my fan. Then, I threw it, but this one dodged. Then, I was hit by a laser in the leg.

"Yumi, seventy life points!" Jeremie yelled.

"No problem, Jeremie." I replied, and threw my fan again, destroying the offender. One left. Then I threw again, but this one missed, and the Block fired it's ice laser. I felt ice grow over me, and I couldn't move.

"Yumi, you're out of bounds for three minutes."

A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I was having trouble deciding on what to do after Yumi chases after the clone that was attacking Ulrich.

Also, sorry for the cliffhanger, but I wanted to get at least one more chapter before May, as that's going to be a real hectic month for me. First I have try-outs for a singing contest (I'm going to be singing "A World Without Danger" as my first song), then an interview for a boarding program to Israel (three years in a boarding school, all expenses paid, with the possibility of getting a bachelor's degree, for nothing), then the test for the aforementioned program, then dress rehearsal for the singing contest, then the performance itself. As you can see, May will not have too many fanfiction updates.