Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews all. Thought I'd comment on some this time...
Luna: Here's the chappie, hope you'll like it, but yeah I'm totally for the original couples they planned on the show, in fact I'm writing a SxO chappie on another one of my fics. It's a collection of CL song-fics. Check it out sometime!
Lucy McGonagle: LOL!
Vic92091: I hate cliffies too...when it's other people's stories, at least sometimes. Sometimes cliffies are fun though. They build up suspense. As long as the author updates the story often enough, the cliffies aren't really so bad.
Simoo: Thank you so much! I will continue indeed.
rainingducks: LOL I know. But you don't have to wait any longer. Here's the next chappie!
Chapter 9: The Rescue
"But Yumi, you can't!" Odd protested. "I have no clue how to work this thing!" It was hard for him as it was to keep his jaw in place staring at all of those keys and buttons, but the thought of actually having to work them! It was overwhelming!
"I have to. I have to make things right again. Go to the dance with Sam or something," Yumi spat, getting up from the super-computer chair.
"But...I wanted to go with you..."
"I don't care. I should have never kissed you in the first place! It caused more trouble then I'd imagined. Now Ulrich's stuck, and I should be the one to get him, because I lov- ...I lo- ..I care about him very much." Yumi stuttered at the word "love". Now she rethought everything she'd ever thought. Did she really just like him, like a schoolgirl crush, or was it more than that? Could it be love? She shuddered at the thought of a word so powerful as love towards Ulrich. She would have to think this over more thoroughly when she was alone at home again.
"Aelita, wait, what are you doing!" Jeremie suddenly exclaimed. Yumi and Odd turned to look at the screen. Aelita jumped through Lyoko into a void. "What did she just do!"
"Is she suicidal or something!" Odd cried. Suddenly they heard a banging noise. Then the sound of footsteps. They looked over to where the sound had come from. Could it be...it was...Aelita! "AELITA!" Odd cried, running over to her and embracing her. Aelita let him hug her, then slowly eased away from his grasp.
"Yes, it's me. In the flesh. I'm going to..."
"You had best not think about getting Ulrich, because I have to do it! I have to fix what I did!" Yumi cried out before Aelita could finish. Yet another tear slipped down her cheek. Aelita ran over to her and took her in her arms.
"Shh, Yumi, I thought about going, but after that, I suppose that I should just stay here and work the super-computer..."
"Wait, you thought about going! I thought you liked Jeremie! I thought you loved Jeremie!" Yumi blurted out, then quickly covered her mouth. Aelita's face turned as pink as her pixy-like hair. Jeremie heard this and his face reddened as well.
"I do love Jeremie," Aelita finally spoke softly. "But I love Ulrich too. Like a brother, that is. Odd too. And I love you like a sister, Yumi. You've all been so good to me. I just wanted to help out."
"I understand, Aelita," Yumi agreed. "But I have to fix this on my own."
"All right. I'll work the super-computer so that Jeremie can come back to Earth."
"Wait, Aelita, I have a question," Jeremie spoke up. "How exactly did you..how were you able to.."
"Come to Earth? Simple. I've been working on the solution for years now, but now that I know it, it's so incredibly simple. Well, at least for a smart person like you, Jeremie." Aelita smiled and Jeremie's face reddened even more so. "Now I can stay here forever. You can shut down XANA once and for all."
"What..." Odd was extremely confused.
"He had no idea that I too was working on a solution for the materialization process. That meant that he couldn't affect my materialization at all. I'm home free!" Aelita exclaimed one of the new phrases from Earth she'd learned from Jeremie.
"That's wonderful Aelita! All we have to do now is de-virtualize me now, then we can shut down XANA for good!" Jeremie cried out happily. "Wait, if we have to return to the past..."
"No we don't," Aelita's grin broadened. "I tricked him into shutting down his own return to the past formula. Just jump through that void up ahead, Jeremie, and you'll be back in one of the scanners on Earth again. Then we can shut down XANA and I'll be able to live with you- all- forever!" Aelita added the word "all" at the last minute, not wanting to make him blush even redder than he already was. Jeremie nodded at this, jumping through the digital void. Then they heard the sound of the scanner whirring at the arrival to Earth..for the last time.
Jeremie hurried to climb up the ladder to the super-computer room. Finally he reached them. He stopped to catch his breath, then said rather hoarsely, "Let's go shut XANA down."
Odd and Aelita nodded. Yumi said, "I'm going to go get Ulrich first."
"Don't you want to be with us when we shut down XANA once and for all?"
"Yes, and I'm sure Ulrich would too, but I'd rather save him, and you shouldn't put it off for fear that XANA might attack at the last minute. Just cheer louder for me when he's finally off, 'kay?"
"All right, Yumi," Aelita agreed, nudging Jeremie. At this he nodded. Odd didn't need prompting to nod as well. It was he that had asked her to the dance after she'd kissed him, messing things up even further, so he wanted her to go off and somehow make things right again. They all headed down the ladder to the main Lyoko harddrive. Aelita waved to Yumi, and she grinned. Then she opened the door to the elevator and began to climb down to wherever it was.
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Meanwhile Ulrich sat inside the elevator, his heart on fire. He was still trying to piece everything together that happened. What had happened? Did it really happen? He didn't believe it. He didn't believe anything had happened. He couldn't believe what he was thinking. "Ugh!" He banged his head against one of the elevator walls in frustration. What was happening to him? Did he really care that much about Yumi? Of course he did! He'd loved her for so long now, he just couldn't shake that feeling for sure. Just then he realized that the elevator wasn't moving. Had he come to the ground floor? He pushed the button to open the doors, but they wouldn't open, saying they weren't at a floor yet. What? "I'm stuck! Oh great." Suddenly he heard a banging noise. He looked up. The top hatch to the elevator swung open. "Who is it?" Ulrich yelled, still greatly confused. The person jumped down into the elevator. It was none other than Yumi.
"Ulrich, I.." Yumi started as soon as she had regained balance again.
"You what?" Ulrich spat at her, cutting her off. "'Oh Ulrich I'm so sorry but I must break your heart and confess that I am really deeply in love with Odd and not you so just take a hike and get your own life!' Is that what you were going to say!"
"No," Yumi started in calmly. Ulrich noticed that she wasn't about to yell at him, so he calmed down slightly. "I was going to say that I'm sorry for ever kissing Odd," at that she added in her mind, 'and that my first kiss wasn't with you. oh but don't worry. I'll make the night of the dance a night he'll never forget. If he forgives me, that is.' "And for agreeing to go to the dance with him even though I'd already asked you. I don't know what my problem was, or why Odd went along with it. So ... are we still friends?"
"Friends? Do you see us as just friends?" Ulrich asked her, trying not to raise his voice.
"Well...not exactly..I just meant...are we, you know, cool again?"
"Oh yes, of course."
"And...will you still, you know, go to the dance with me?"
Ulrich grinned. "Your wish is my command."
"Thanks. Hey c'mon, I wanna show you something!" Yumi suddenly remembered that she hadn't told him about Aelita's materialization yet, so she had decided to show him instead. She grabbed his hand with even thinking about it and helped him through the hatch of the elevator. Ulrich grinned. Same ol' Yumi was back. Now, what was this that she wanted to show him?
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WriterOfOddFics: Slight cliffie here.
Odd: What are you talking about!
WriterOfOddFics: Well, when Ulrich sees Aelita, what shall happen?
Odd: Ah, I get it. More of that fake "hidden feelings" junk again. But if anything happens, it'll be Aelita. I'm sure that Ulrich's made up his mind. He loves Yumi. But I'm not so sure about Aelita. She seemed awfully disappointed that it wasn't her that would get to save Ulrich. But then again, she said she loved Ulrich like a brother. Ok, I am now very confused!
WriterOfOddFics: You're always confused, Odd. Anyway, y'all will have to just wait and see. Oh, and review, so that you may see what happens!
Odd: Hey! Leave me alone. sniff sniff