Hum, it appears that I might have lost a good portion of my audiance... I wonder if that has to do with killing Aelita... Na, that couldn't be it. She isn't really dead... is she? Would I really do something like that? maybe... But I wonder, if killing her lost me part of my audiance what would killing another be like... if she is really dead.
I ducked as a massive wave of plasma energy flew directly over my head. Quickly I created my counter attack, a small glowing green orb of energy, between my hands and shot it at my opponent. The man, wearing purely dark clothes, who looked very similar to myself, struck the orb with his right arm and it exploded into a massive wave directed at him. My opponent was thrown back and I quickly followed in pursuit thrusting myself through the air above a barren planet using my energy alone. I extended the fingers on my right hand which began to grow longer and into claws and I slashed at the man who I hated with everything in me. He grabbed my arm and pushed me back thrusting his own into my stomach; I felt a sharp pain as his claws dug into me and I could feel the blood drain out of the wound. I picked up the remote and changed the channel.
"Hey," Odd objected. "I was watching that."
"Traveler Adventures?" I questioned. "Seriously, Odd, that show is at least twenty years old. Besides it is completely unrealistic. Like anyone could control plasma and energy waves like that. It's pure science fiction."
"Oh, come on, Jeremie, it isn't that bad." Ulrich argued. "I mean some of the plot is plausible."
"Besides, not more than a month ago we lived a science fiction adventure." Yumi said.
We were all over at Yumi's house; her parents were away. She had, of course, asked if we could be over before she invited us, and her parents had agreed if we kept the house clean and stayed out of trouble. I was beginning to wonder what Yumi's parents thought of us, it wasn't like we trashed buildings... well, not since Lyoko was shut down. Anyway, we had gone over to Yumi's house to study and that was what we had begun doing, until Odd remembered that a television show that he liked to watch was on... and that was three hours ago. Needless to say I was the only one left studying while the others watched what ever was on.
"I know, but that was then, and this is now." I said. "Need I remind you that exams are coming up? Are any of you ready?"
"I don't know why you are becoming so rude." Ulrich said. "What have we done to you?"
I glared at him. How dare he ask me that; he of all people? Almost since the day that Lyoko died Yumi and Ulrich had been becoming more boyfriend and girlfriend. I didn't know if they realized that they were shoving it in my face and I didn't care. If they couldn't have the decency of not flirting around me then I couldn't be around them. I mean, how could they be that inconsiderate? They both knew what I had gone through, and yet they still...
I got up and walked towards the door. I needed to get out of here before things got worse; I really needed to calm down. It seemed that ever since Aelita died I had been on the brink of an emotional melt down. I had done what I could to prevent myself from going overboard but the others weren't helping. Ulrich and Yumi, as I have said, were flirting more now than I remember them ever doing before. Sam had, ironically, transferred to our school and she and odd hung out almost as much as Yumi and Ulrich. Sissi, though she still had her eyes on Ulrich, was considering other boys. It seemed that everyone else in our group had someone to be with.
I sighed and began heading back to the school, a nice nap would probably help me cool down. And if not I could always continue working on my new computer program. I had begun making computer programs for things that I thought could be useful, as a way to pass the time. Besides, we had seen how good I was at it when I worked on the programs for Lyoko. Anyway, anything was better than sitting around a constant reminder of my tragedy.
Jeremy!
I jumped. Quickly I looked around to see who had said my name but the streets were completely deserted, typical of this part of Paris at this time of day... It had to have been the wind; the wind playing tricks on my ears. No one was here to call my name, so it was my imagination.
Jeremie!
I jumped again and looked around, but there still wasn't anyone here. This was getting creepy; my mind was playing tricks on me. It had to be that because the voice sounded like...
Jeremie, look at me!
"Aelita?" I asked, my voice quivering. "Where are you?"
Over here!
I turned to see where the voice had come from, and of course there was nothing there.
Jeremie, come here!
"Where are you?"
Come here!
"Where?"
Walk forward!
Unconsciously I took a step forward. I could feel that I was loosing control of myself somehow, though I wasn't sure that I cared. If I could see Aelita one last time... it would mean the world to me.
"Jeremie?"
Come Here!
Now my body was walking fully on its own. I couldn't have stopped myself if I had wanted to, and I didn't want to. Now all I could do was waiting and watch to see where I led myself. Hopefully I would see Aelita in the end...
---
"Sissi, what's the matter?" Sam asked me.
We were heading to Yumi's house. We had been invited with the others but for various reasons we had not been able to come when the others had. Now we were free to do as we pleased, and were late. Both Sam and I knew where Yumi lived so it wasn't like we were going to get lost. Anyway, while we were turning a street on the last stretch before we reached Yumi's house I had seen Jeremie walking away. Not only that but I had heard him talking to someone. When I went back to see what he was doing, and Sam had followed shortly after, what I saw was almost frightening. Jeremie looked dazed and around him there was a faint pink light. I had called out to him but he didn't seem to hear me.
"Sam you get the others."
"What? Why?" she asked.
"I think something is wrong with Jeremie." I told her. "I'm going to follow him."
"Yeah, but why do I have to go and get them, why can't you call them with your cell phone?"
"Good point." I said. "But it would be easer to track him if there were only one of us. Besides, don't you want to see your boyfriend?"
She looked at me, her jaw hanging. Slowly a blush crept across her face and she turned to look away. "Oh, ok." She replied and headed off to Yumi's house.
I turned back to Jeremie, or rather where he had been last time I saw him. I quickly began running; looking for him. He couldn't have gone far and I would be able to follow his voice. It shouldn't be that hard...
I turned a corner and saw him turning onto another road. Slowly I quickened my pace and tried to remain quiet. I didn't think that Jeremie would notice me, but I didn't want anyone else to know that I was tracking him. There would be too many questions asked that I wouldn't want to answer. Besides if I was stopped I would probably loose him. The only problem with that, though, was that there were no people around... and that wasn't normal. Sure around this time of day there were few people around this part of Paris but it wouldn't be deserted.
I could just barely hear Jeremie now, but he seemed to just be rambling. I couldn't make any sense about what he was saying, though it sounded mostly like he was talking to someone. As I followed him I suddenly realized that he wasn't just walking randomly. He was heading to the place where the factory use to be. I had been there personally about two times, but the others had told me about it a number of times. I knew what had gone on there, and I also knew that it was being rebuilt as something else. The construction wasn't finished either, and it would be very dangerous for Jeremie to enter the construction sight.
I took out my cell phone and called Ulrich. The others probably wouldn't know where we were and I knew that they would have to if they were to help.
---
I reached for the remote. I couldn't believe Jeremie, what a jerk. We had been watching that show and he had acted like we were insulting him personally. I simply couldn't believe him, what had we done to him? I aimed the remote and changed the channel.
"Odd, turn it back!" Ulrich yelled.
"What? Ok." I changed it back and looked to see what he had been watching.
A television show had just begun and it was going through the opening credits, but something seemed strange about it. Suddenly I saw a video of myself and then of my form in Lyoko and my jaw dropped. As the credits finished it showed the X.A.N.A. symbol and the five of us, including Aelita, with the words 'Code: Lyoko' above us.
"What the..." I began.
"They made a television show about us?" Yumi suggested.
"Ghost Channel?" Ulrich read the title of the episode.
"Wait, wouldn't that be the time when we were trapped in Lyoko in a virtual earth?" Yumi asked.
"Look at us." I said. "Do we really fight that good?"
"Uh, well..." Ulrich started.
Suddenly the me on the television got hit form behind by a block. I blushed because I had just been showing off and getting hit was, well, what I deserved...
"Odd, you have lost too many life points." The Jeremie said. "Odd, what are you doing?"
What I was doing was running at the block, which now didn't seem like such a good idea. But I hit it and it disappeared.
"Hey, Jeremie, next time enjoy the show and let the real heroes get the job done." The me on television said.
"Ok this is getting to wearied." I said.
"Yeah, those people look exactly like us." Yumi said. "I don't remember any one video taping us."
"Could it be that Lyoko recorded what we did?" Ulrich suggested.
"But then why would we see Jeremie?"
"Good point." Ulrich agreed. "We should record this."
Yumi got a video tape and inserted it into a VCR. She hit the record button and suddenly Sam burst through the door.
"We think something might be wrong with Jeremie." Sam told us. "Come on, we have to go and catch up with Sissi."
We all jumped up and stared at Sam shocked. This was sudden, and Jeremie had been fine-well, ok, when he had left. What could have happened since then and now?
"What is wrong with him?" Ulrich asked.
"I don't know, and I don't think Sissi does either. Come on we have to hurry."
"It's a good thing you are recording that show, isn't it?" I said, and laughed to myself.
---
Aelita, I could hear Aelita's voice. I was following the sound of her voice. The buildings around me, the people, the cars, they were nothing, I did not see them... I was following Aelita's voice. That was all I knew; all I cared about. I had to find Aelita; had to. I knew she would just be around the next corner, but, no, it must be the next.
Jeremie, come here! Help me!
"Aelita where are you?" I called out to her.
Jeremie, please, save me!
"Where are you?"
Jeremie, I can't hold on... HELP!
I couldn't stop. She needed me. I didn't know what was happening but she needed me. I had to help her, she was still alive and I wouldn't allow anything to change that.
Jeremie, it hurts!
There, just between those two buildings, a light. I could literally feel her presence. Must, through that gap between the buildings. There, over that bridge, in that, Aelita. Aelita! "Aelita!"
I ran forward, jumping over or dodging around anything in my way. I could see her, she was bent over and twisted with fear and pain. I could almost reach her, almost. Suddenly I was ripped back, my body fell to the ground and I could feel something pulling me. NO, I mustn't allow this to happen. I had to get to her. I had to help her. I had to.
"Jeremie! Snap out of it!" Wind, wind was all it was. "Jeremie!"
I thrashed my arms and legs about trying to get away. Suddenly I was free-yes-I ran forward towards Aelita, but again I was knocked to the ground and dragged back. Both my hands were gripped tightly and I couldn't wrench them free so I used my legs kicking wildly trying to hit whatever was holding me from Aelita.
Jeremie... help...
"Aelita!"
---
We were running, running to the factory as fast as we could. Ulrich and Odd were close behind us. I simply couldn't believe it. Sure Jeremie had been angry when he had left, but crazy? Sissi had called just moments ago and explained to Sam what was going on. Sam told us that Jeremie was calling out 'Aelita' and running around madly. She had also told us that he was probably heading towards the factory. We had to get there before he could do himself any real harm. The factory was, of course, now a construction sight for that major new American company, but it wasn't nearly done yet. Who knows what things could happen to Jeremie there.
Now we were on the final stretch, the ex-factory was just around the next set of buildings. We could hear Jeremie's screaming, his mournful, frantic ratings. What could be happening to him, what could be making him suffer like this? It was almost worse than when she had died.
"Aelita! No! Aelita!"
"Oh, thank god, you are here! Help me with him!" Sissi yelled over Jeremie's screams.
We rushed forward and grabbed hold of anything that we could get a grip on. Jeremie continued to struggle against us, almost as though he didn't even see us. Odd and Ulrich were trying to get his legs under control, while I was keeping his torso on the ground and Sissi was holding on to his arms trying to allow Sam to help her. Meanwhile Jeremie was thrashing, hitting and kicking any of us that let go for a second.
"Aelita! No! Let me go! I have to help her!" Jeremie screamed. "They are hurting her!"
I looked over into the construction sight. There was a faint pink glow floating not ten feet away but it was so dim that I was sure that it was simply my imagination or a reflection. Yet, something seemed seriously wrong. First of all there were no people around, none what so ever. Next was the fact that the construction sight was open but seemed to be abandoned. And then there was the fact that Jeremie was going insane. But above all that I had the strangest feeling that there were three others here with us.
"Damn! Can't we get him to calm down at all?" Ulrich asked. "I have already been kicked in the stomach more than I like, and I think my nose and lip are bleeding."
"At least there aren't any people around." Odd commented. "This would look pretty awkward."
"Yeah, but if there were people around then we would be getting some help." I said.
"Aelita!" Jeremie yelled.
Suddenly I felt myself being pushed back. I found it extremely difficult to keep hold of Jeremie at all; my arms and hands just couldn't get to him. Then, with little warning, we all flew into the air and away from Jeremie. I landed hard on the concrete and heard the others land hard as well. As quickly as I could I jumped up and ran to stop Jeremie from continuing into the construction sight. Sissi was about as close to him as I was and we both reached him at the same time. We jumped at him but as soon as our hands touched him he suddenly collapsed onto the ground.
"Oh my god, Jeremie!" I yelled.
"What happened to him?" Ulrich asked as he ran to us.
"He just collapsed." Sissi said. "I don't know what it was, he just..." she checked his pulse. "Oh, no! We have to get him to a hospital now! I can't feel a pulse!"