Future Imperfect
By Neptune
Disclaimer: I don't own Code: Lyoko. In fact, I've barely seen 4 episodes of the show (and apparently it isn't available on DVD or download anywhere…If I owned the show, it would soooo be available for purchase). So don't sue me!
Summary: He's learned the hard way that not all stories have happy endings. All he can do now is fight to save the worlds they protected so long ago. Set 10 years in the future. Hints of UlrichYumi, JeremyAelita and strong friendship between all of themAU.
Rating: R—mature themes and situations.
AN: Writing has been more of a guilty pleasure I sneak in between working on Psets, going to lab and studying for tests. That's why everything is taking so much longer to write than I would like. But here is the next chapter of my CL fic.
And for those of you wondering about all my DC, X-Men and Naruto fics, I'm working on those right now! I try to post progress reports in my profile, incase people are curious, so that's a good place to see what I'm up to.
In the mean time, I hope you enjoy chapter 2.
Chapter 2: History
"Marlboroughs," Ulrich told the small Indian man who stood on the other side of the newsstand. It was one of the few places that had remained open over the years, escaping the destruction of X.A.N.A's attacks. More over, it was one of the only places that would still serve him. Though he tried to keep as low a profile as his "occupation" allowed, one look at him and it wasn't hard to figure out who he was, who his enemy was. And there were few who wanted to risk antagonizing the errant computer program.
The Indian pulled down the appropriate pack from the shelf behind him, extending it to his customer. "Twenty."
Ulrich stopped fishing for currency in his pockets, frowning at the vendor. "It was ten last week."
The man shrugged. "Demand changes."
Shaking his head, Ulrich pulled the appropriate amount of cash from his jacket. "Whatever," he mumbled, exchanging the wadded bills for his cigarettes. "I'll just quit. Then you can talk to me about demand."
The merchant's face remained impassive. "I'll see you next week."
"Hm," he said, undoing the plastic binding, extracting a stick and lighting it. His raw nerves calmed slightly as the nicotine slowly invaded his lungs.
Just hours ago, he'd visited Jeremy's small apartment for the second time in two days. Setting up a primitive security system hadn't been much of a problem. He'd called in some favors, dealers he had lent his assistance to at one time or another, and they'd provided him with an entrance scanner to monitor the doorway. He'd also gotten his hands on some taser guns, adapted from some of X.A.N.A.'s technology. "It's not a gun," he'd told Jeremy when his friend looked at the weapon dubiously, "it's a diversion." One shot could electrocute just about anything, from a human to a bot, stunning them long enough for a get away. If Jeremy wasn't willing to kill, then this was his only other option.
He'd personally installed the final security feature to his friend's door: a deadbolt. It wasn't exactly high-tech, but it would have to do.
Even with his new installments, though, Ulrich still felt uneasy about leaving Jeremy to his own devices. Ideally, he wanted his friend to leave the confines of his apartment-turned-lab to help him fight X.A.N.A. on Earth—attempt to destroy the computer virus from this side. They'd fought from Lyoko for four years, and it hadn't gotten them anywhere. And trying to reestablish the connection with Lyoko hadn't gotten them anywhere either. It had been a good idea six years ago, but that option had now timed out.
He'd explained many times to Jeremy that even though X.A.N.A. had become an active presence in this world, the virus was still weak. Hell, he hadn't even been able to materialize yet. He executed his plans through the stooges and bots he'd allied with in this realm. But the argument had just added more fuel to Jeremy's fire. Lyoko was still out there—and if X.A.N.A. could still find his way into this world, they could find their way back into his.
That had been their stalemate, and it still was, apparently. He should have fought Jeremy harder on the subject back then, but he hadn't thought the genius would hold to his idealism for long. Besides, he had soon found himself distracted with more pressing matters than X.A.N.A.—more personal matters that had shattered her life, and as a consequence, his as well.
Ulrich flicked the butt of his cigarette, allowing the built-up ash to sputter off into the air. This wouldn't do. He was usually good at keeping thoughts of her at bay. Maybe it was seeing Jeremy again, being reminded of their history that had caused this resurfacing. The reason, however, didn't matter much. He needed to refocus himself. Harboring feelings of guilt over his ex wouldn't help him if there were an atta—
A large flare of blue light off in the distance interrupted his introspection. The muted screams confirmed his suspicions. "Someone must be reading my mind," he said as he discarded his half smoked cigarette and sprinted in the appropriate direction.
There were two robots. Two Crabs, to be exact. Looked like this wouldn't be too hard to deal with.
Ulrich couldn't quite guess what reason X.A.N.A. had to attack this relatively abandoned street. Honestly, he didn't quite care. It would be a good way to vent a little frustration, since all he had to deal with were the Earth versions of X.A.N.A.'s crab droids. These machines, and all of his attack robots for that matter, didn't translate as well into the real world as they had into the virtual one. They were slower and less maneuverable, thanks in part to the laws of physics. No, these robots didn't phase him much. It was the human support X.A.N.A. had gained that Ulrich saw as the real threat.
"Alright," he said, pulling the katana from its sheath. Hearing the sharp sliding of metal against metal always made him feel powerful. "Who's first?"
The Crab on the right hobbled towards him on its heavy mechanical legs. As it moved, the ground pocketed with its weight. Ulrich moved back slightly, holding his sword ready in front on him. When the robot was within firing range, he swung forward, cutting at the leg joint. The wires he hit there sparked and sizzled as he withdrew and ducked, avoiding the volley of plasma fire the Crab threw at him. With another hard swing, he severed the forelegs of the robot, and it fell forward onto the ground. While its circuitry sizzled, he plunged his sword through the bare top. One down, one to go.
He yanked his sword out, spinning out from the newly made debris. Plasma shots flared from the cannons of the second enemy as Ulrich pulled back. He dodged, attempting to maneuver his way back around and behind the creature. It cut off his path with a few more blasts. This one was more resilient than the last. But he'd always liked challenges. Planting the blade of his sword into a groove on the cement, he used the handle to vault himself up and over it. The momentum from his previous run carried him over the bot. He landed in a crouch, planting his left palm on the ground for added support. His right hand snaked inside his jacket, finding the holster clipped to his belt. Wrapping his fingers around the handle, he pulled out the small automatic he carried in case of emergencies. Barely taking time to aim, he fired four successive shots. Three of them hit the body of the crab, pushing it backwards with each impact. The last bullet hit the plasma cannon. It sparked and wheezed before the robot began to spasm. Small detonations began from the inside out, and Ulrich shielded his face against the raining pieces of metal and wire.
The crab stopped moving a moment later, ungracefully crashing to the ground. "Junk," Ulrich muttered as he stood and stepped through the piles of metal shrapnel and circuitry. He made his way back to the groove he'd stuck his blade in, and pulled it out. He squinted at the top of the sword, inspecting it for damages. It would need a little polishing, but otherwise, no harm. He smirked slightly at yet another small victory for himself.
"Don't pat yourself on the back just yet, Ulrich Stern. You haven't won the war."
Ulrich's shoulder tensed at the painfully familiar voice that now talked with mechanical coldness. Keeping a firm grip, he turned around to face his new opponent. The other stood in the shadows created by the flickering street lamps and building walls, his features obstructed from sight. Ulrich didn't need to see the face to recognize the person, though. "Odd."
Odd stepped forward with that same dynamic gait he'd had when they were younger. His mouth twitched into a smile that Ulrich had seen countless times over their lunches, their soccer games, their friendship. It would have been hard to realize that Odd was no longer his ally if it hadn't been for the machine-like quality of his voice. Or the circular tattoo now located around his left eye.
"You've lost weight." Odd seemed to have been scrutinizing his appearance, too. It infuriated Ulrich to no end.
"What do you care?"
Odd seemed to mull the statement over for a while before deciding on an answer. "You're right, I don't." He shrugged his shoulders casually, and then snapped his hands up, something black and shiny held between his fingers. Ulrich barely had time to duck before Odd fired his new weapon of choice: the cross bow. An arrow brushed passed the top of Ulrich's head, cutting through a few wayward hairs.
Odd smiled. "Not bad. Your still pretty fast."
Ulrich stood again with his sword drawn between them. "You came all this way to test my reflexes? You lousy son of a—"
"Hey!" Odd clucked in mock indignation, "Is that any way to talk to your best friend?"
"We are not friends." Not anymore. "You may look like Odd, but you're not him."
"I'm not him. I'm better. " He took aim again, this time more slowly than the last. "I'll give you a head start this time. We do have a history, after all."
"I'm not running from you," Ulrich told him, gripping his sword tightly.
Odd kept the crossbow at eye level, but sighed. "You always were too stubborn for your own good."
Ulrich clenched his teeth. "Just shut your mouth. Lets finish this once and for all."
He got no answer, just an arrow flying towards his face. He spun out quickly, avoiding an impact. Almost as soon as he'd evaded, Odd sent another wave of arrows toward him. He ducked and spun again, taking refuge behind an overturned garbage can. The metal of the barrel puckered as arrows pierced it.
Ulrich sheathed his sword quickly. It wouldn't be able to help him too much in a fight like this. Instead he grabbed the gun from his holster again, shoving a clip of ammunition into the bottom. As soon as it clicked into place, he dove outward, firing. It was Odd's turn to run for cover now. He found shelter against a building wall, just outside Ulrich's firing range. "I've got to hand it to you, Ulrich," he taunted from his now concealed location, "I didn't think you'd actually be able to pull a gun on me."
Ulrich pulled himself into a crouch, still using the garbage can for cover. His breath felt heavy, and there were beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Do you really mean to kill me?"
Ulrich straightened his back, but didn't answer the question. He focused on the task at hand: getting that bow out of Odd's hands. He didn't have a detailed plan in mind, but there was no time to just hide here and think of one. Pushing up and over his makeshift shield, he charged forward, firing at the corner of the brick wall that he'd identified as the source of Odd's voice. The red mortar chipped against the impacts as he drew closer, until he reached the perpendicular wall. He pressed his back against it and stopped his firing. The empty clip fell from his gun, and he reloaded with his last round. "It's over, Odd." He swung around the corner, gun pointed forward, index finger on the trigger.
Over the tip of the barrel, he saw Odd in a similar stance, with his crossbow. Neither moved, neither breathed, and the seconds suddenly seemed like days. Slowly, though, Odd broke their trance, pulling a corner of his mouth up. "I knew you wouldn't be able to." There was a sharp click.
Ulrich staggered back a few feet before he felt the searing pain in his left shoulder. Looking down, he saw a black metal stick protruding from the joint, red starting to drip down the puncture in his coat. His right hand instinctively grabbed the injured arm. Hus gun clattered to the cement.
Odd moved closer to him, weapon lowered. He was shaking his head. "I don't blame you, you know. Not pulling that trigger." He grabbed the lapels of Ulrich's trench coat with one hand, and the arrow with the other. "Can't be easy, trying to kill a friend."
"Go to hell."
"Temper, temper, Ulrich." Odd twisted the arrow, and Ulrich grunted in pain. He soon found himself on the ground with Odd standing above him. "I know you might find this hard to believe, but I don't want to fight you. You've been a thorn in my side for the past few years, but I'm willing to put all that behind us. X.A.N.A.'s going to change this world for the better. I can see that so clearly now. We're allied with most of the world governments. And we've got non-aggression pacts with others. We'll perfect this pathetic planet. There's no need to fight it anymore." Odd stretched his hand, palm up, towards Ulrich. "Join us."
Ulrich reached up towards the offered hand. Instead of grasping it though, he swatted it away with the back of his own. "No thanks," he spat, "I don't particularly like your way of helping the world."
Odd smirked down at him before raising his crossbow and pointing it at Ulrich's chest. "Funny. That's practically the same thing she said."
Ulrich didn't respond to the statement, and this seemed to displease his attacker. Odd elaborated for him. "All these years, I though she was dead. And then one day, bam, there she is, standing before me, feisty as the day I first met her." Ulrich's eyes widened, and Odd smiled. "I see you're just as shocked as I was that she's alive."
Oh, he was shocked all right, but not for the reason Odd thought.
"It's too bad you won't have a chance to see her again. She looked almost good enough to ea—oof!" Odd's sentence was interrupted when his legs were kicked out from under him by Ulrich's swinging feet. He fell hard onto the ground.
Ulrich was up in a flash, pulling his katana out with his good hand. Placing a boot on his enemy's chest, he held the tip of the blade to Odd's neck. "Where?"
"Where what?" Odd asked, voice straining.
Ulrich pushed against the sword. It drew blood. "Don't screw around with me. Where did you find her?"
Odd arched an eyebrow, but gave no indication that he was in pain. "Well, this certainly is surprising." He studied Ulrich's face intently before his eyes widened with pleasure. "You knew she was alive, didn't you?" The smile on his face grew, and he began to laugh. "You knew." His laughter grew louder. "Here I though that I could be the bearer of some good news," he chocked a little on his heaved breaths, "But this isn't news to you at all."
Ulrich dropped to his knees, letting the sword fall to the ground. With his now free hand, he grasped Odd's neck and began squeezing. "I said tell me where she is," he whispered dangerously.
The laughs became less pronounced, but the smile remained on Odd's face. "Yo..you..ll ha..vta
Kil..ll..me..firs.."
Ulrich set his jaw and clamped his hand down harder on Odd's neck. "That can be arranged." His fingers were turning white with the pressure he was using. Just a few more minutes and…
There was a clinkering behind him that he recognized immediately. Metal feet against cement. There were robots coming his way. "Shit," he swore softly. With only one good arm, there was no way he could take them. His only option was to run.
Leaning down close to Odd, he hissed, "This isn't over, not by a long shot," before releasing the neck from his death grip. Grabbing his sword and gun, he pushed off the ground into a fast sprint.
As the sweat streaked down his face and the throbbing in his should grew worse, he found his mind occupied with only one thought. Yumi…they've found Yumi.
All those years of work began crumbling around him.
To be continued…
Reviews:
Thank you to everyone who reviewed!
Flying Star- Well, I know not all your questions about Odd have been answered, but now you know where he fits into my crazy story. I hope this keeps you interested!
Artemis of the Ice- Thank you very much for the kind words. It means a lot to me since I'm a fan of your story. And if you're thinking the prostitute was our favorite drama queen, I think you're right :o)
Cybra- I'm glad you liked the tension between Ulrich and Jeremy. That was an interesting challenge for me, because I haven't really seen a lot go on between Ulrich and Jeremy on the show (I've been able to catch about 8 episodes now, yay!). But really, you put those two boys in a room together, and the scene practically writes itself. There's a scene in the next chapter that I'm working on right now that I've been having a lot of fun with.
UlrictheBoyWonder- Well, I know that I sometimes kill characters because I'm an angst fiend...ummm, but that my not be the answer you were looking for, haha. But I think you'll be happy with the ending of this chapter, as far as wanting Yumi alive goes. Thanks for the review!
Mega-Punk666- Thanks! I was kinda worried about the mood of this story...it's very anti-CL happiness, and I've only read a handful of CL fics that are on the darker side. This is a fandom that definitely likes to stay on the lighter side of things, I think. But I'm happy to hear that it drew you in. Hope the second chapter does too.
Just Rite- Thanks, and sorry it took me so long to continue it.
connie- Yeah, I'm a sucker for seeing young characters grow up. An even bigger sucker for writing about it :o) Glad you liked my story so far.
LilEvil- Fandom jumper! Yay, I have company. As always, thanks for your kind reviews. It's nice to know that I can write for stuff outside of DC and Marvel ;o)
