Disclaimer and Claimer have been the same throughout the entire story. I don't own anything, except for a few choice characters. I really need to own Code Lyoko, because then I'd make it air more often! Heehee.

I just want to apologize for not updating this like I should have. It's been a little over a year, though it doesn't feel like it. I guess, with the show being off the air, I kinda lost any ideas. And, I didn't have any new ideas, either. But now that the show is back, I hope to be updating more. But with the addition of the 5th sector, it's made story writing a whole lot harder; not to mention all the plot twists --; But here's a short update for you, and I hope to have a longer one up in the future Much love to all of you who have waited, and I'm SOOOO sorry that wait was so long!

Ch. 9 The Newer, Badder Ulrich or Maybe That Jamaican Robot Theory Wasn't Such A Bad Idea

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Yumi rushed down the stairs and out into the schoolyard. As she ran, the air blowing against her felt cold on her tear streaked face. Ulrich! Ulrich was back! Whenever she doubted a God existed, some miracle happened that made her believe again.

"Ulrich!" Yumi breathed. He turned and looked at her. She didn't know how he heard her; she had spoken in not even a whisper. He smiled broadly and opened his arms. Though not usually a gesture Ulrich would make, she accepted the offer and ran into his arms, hugging him fiercely. Feeling that he was real flesh and blood, a new wave of tears cascaded down her already damp cheeks.

"Oh, Ulrich. I've missed you so much!" she whispered.

"I've missed you too." When he wrapped his arms around her, he let his hands slide down a bit more that what was customary of Ulrich. She was bothered by this, but didn't let it show.

"How you get out of Lyoko? I thought you were virtual forever?" Odd asked when Yumi pulled back. Ulrich shrugged.

"I don't even know. All I remember is blacking out and then walking out of the factory."

"You mean you don't remember anything?" Jeremie asked. It didn't seem right. Yumi had been like that before, and she didn't just waltz out of the factory. Ulrich shrugged again.

"I just don't remember anything. I wish I did, though. Then I'd be able to tell you and we'd be able to bring Aelita here!" he said with a laugh. Jeremie's mouth formed an 'o'. It didn't seem right, though. He'd have to talk to Aelita about this later. Odd clapped Ulrich on the back.

"It's good to have you back, buddy," he said, not hiding the relief in his voice. Yumi and Amaya nodded.

"I'm just glad Xana didn't take you for good," Amaya said with a smile. Ulrich just nodded, then yawned.

"I'm really tired you guys. I'm just going to go to bed, okay?" The group bid Ulrich goodnight and watched him retreat back to the dorms. The four friends exchanged glances that held skepticism in them, but said nothing.

"The tornados," Jeremie finally said, breaking the silence. They nodded in agreement and walked into the forest, searching for the clearing and the shed. Once found, Agrona trotted up to them and gave Yumi's hand a swipe with her tongue. Giving the wolf a pat on the head, she followed the others into the shed. They sat down on the wooden floor in a circle.

"Since when can Xana control natural disasters?" Jeremie asked. Odd held up his hands.

"Wait a minute. Since we're discussing something this important, shouldn't we get Ulrich, even if he is tired?" Yumi's eyes went wide.

"No!" She blushed when everyone's eyes were on her. "I mean, we should let him rest. I'll tell him all about it later." Odd nodded and motioned for Jeremie to continue.

"As far as we know, Xana can only control things if electricity or an outlet is near the object. Tornados aren't electrical," he stated. Amaya shook her head. "So how did he manage to gain control over a tornado?"

"I dunno, but if he can control a tornado, who's to say he can't control anything else that has to do with the weather?" Amaya asked.

"Xana's breaking the rules of reality here..." Odd muttered. Yumi looked down at her hands.

"So are we, every time we go into Lyoko," she whispered.

"Yumi's right. We both bend and twist the laws of reality here, but it's real to us, whether it's real to others or not. That means that what Xana is doing is real. Real is what we need to worry about," Jeremie said. Silence followed his speech.

"Ulrich was different," Yumi said with a sigh.

"Then I'm not losing it," Amaya said. "I agree with Yumi. He just didn't seem... like Ulrich." Odd furrowed his brow.

"What about him didn't seem like Ulrich? He seemed plenty Ulrich-ey to me," he said.

"I dunno. Just his actions, the way he talked, the way he laughed. It didn't feel right. Didn't feel like that was our Ulrich," Yumi shrugged. The four of them sat in contemplative silence for a few moments before Jeremie spoke up.

"Remember what happened to Yumi not too long ago? When the real Yumi was stuck in Lyoko?" Odd and Yumi nodded, while Amaya sat confused.

"I'm missing something, right?"

"Not too long ago, Yumi got into a little predicament. The real Yumi was stuck inside of a guardian in Lyoko, and a replicate of her that Xana made was with us, here," Jeremie explained. "We didn't realize that until it was almost too late."

"So what you're saying is that Ulrich might be in this thing called a guardian, and that the Ulrich back at school is a fake?" Amaya asked, amazed. Jeremie nodded.

"That about sums it up." Amaya stared at the floor.

"Damn. This sucks." The others nodded in agreement. She looked back up at them. "What are we going to do now?"

"We don't want to do anything stupid. Ulrich might figure it out. And also we might have this whole situation totally wrong. I mean, what if that really is Ulrich? He won't be too happy if we accuse him of being something evil..." Yumi said.

"There's nothing much we can do, really, until we know more. I think we should just go to bed, and talk about it tomorrow. It's a Friday, so we can decide what we want to do then and carry it all out over the weekend," Odd suggested.

"You know, that's the most reasonable thing I've ever heard out of you, Odd," Jeremie grinned. Odd stuck his tongue out at his friend. "I'll contact Aelita before I go to bed and fill her in on the situation. Then she can check out Lyoko overnight and I'll check in with her in the morning."

"Sounds like a plan. If you want, I'll send Agrona to keep watch over the factory for tonight," Amaya offered.

"Just to be on the safe side. Let's all get up earlier tomorrow morning, okay?" Yumi said, looking at her friends. They nodded.

"It's settled then. Let's meet back here at 5:30. Sound good?" They nodded again.

Amaya got up and went outside. She told Agrona to go and guard the factory, and not to let anyone she didn't recognize in. With a bark and a tail-wag, the wolf was off. The others walked out of the shed.

"Let's get back to school. It's late, and I'm tired," Yumi said. Odd yawned.

The four friends walked back up to the school. Jeremie, bidding them goodnight, departed to his dorm. Amaya invited Yumi to stay with her tonight, and Yumi accepted, calling her parents to let her know where she was. Odd went into his and Ulrich's room a little reluctantly; he didn't know what to say to his best friend after calling him a fake behind his back.

-----

In his room, Jeremie logged onto his computer.

"Aelita? Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," came her voice. Relief spread through him. She was fine. Thank goodness.

"Aelita, did you notice anything... weird?" He asked her.

"In what sense?"

"Like, I don't know, Ulrich weird. 'Cause he's back. But... he's different. He just doesn't seem the same," Jeremie explained.

"Would you like me to take a look around?" She asked.

"It would be appreciated."

"Consider it done. I'll contact you later," she said, signing out.

"Good luck, Aelita," he whispered to himself, since Aelita was no longer there to hear him. Turning his computer off, he changed into his pajamas and crawled under the covers.