This one probably won't be that popular, but it's more for me than anything anyway. I'm hoping to employ some major character development, so stick with me. I'm also jumping years a bit in the beginning, so bear with me. Also, I am perfectly aware the French really don't go by freshman and sophomore and so on, and I learned what their different years were in French, but I'm too lazy to remember or look it up, so nobody harp on me for it, okay?
I don't own Code Lyoko
This is for Dana, my best friend, confidante, and the person who pushes me to go beyond what I perceive to be my own limitations.
Princess by Ransomed Heart
Prologue:
I aimed carefully, shooting off another laser arrow with practiced skill and ease. I had been doing this so long that the motions came second nature, and I charged ahead of Aelita clearing her a path to the tower.
"Why can't this end," I heard Ulrich's annoyed voice snap from behind me. I glanced back, but as he was currently triplicated it was impossible to tell which of him had spoken. I echoed the sentiment with a slight grunt.
Jeremie had found the cure for Aelita's virus just one week ago, exactly one month into our freshman (and Yumi's sophomore) year in high school. Unfortunately, X.A.N.A. had gone attack-crazy during that time, and every time we moved to shut it down, it sent another attack our way. We were exhausted and sick of sitting through the same classes over and over.
Luckily, Jeremie finally overcame his fear of scanners, so he can join us in Lyoko, which is convenient for now because Yumi broke her ankle two attacks ago. She ran the computer now while Jeremie helped us fight (or rather, glued himself to Aelita and took hits for her. Even in Lyoko he's not athletic.)
"Watch out guys, the trail looks like Swiss cheese up ahead of you," Yumi's voice intoned from above. "If you fall in you'll be deleted." No one would know that better than her, of course.
"Gotcha, Yumi," I said by way of acknowledgement, and I heard Ulrich's response of "Right," from behind me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jeremie nod swiftly and cast a worried glance at Aelita.
He had always babied her, freaking out over even one hit and scolding the rest of us when she got hurt. Now that he was virtualized it was even worse. He never left her side, and had an annoying habit of leading her around by the hand. Ulrich chose to ignore it (or at least not mention it), Yumi attributed it to love, and I made snide comments whenever possible, usually something along the line of "Hey, Einstein, your puppy can lead herself!"
Needless to say, my relationship with wonderboy hasn't been the greatest lately, especially with Aelita materialized and able to spend even more time with him. Think of the worst public display of affection you've ever seen in your life and magnify it by like, two gazillion-thousand, and you've got the mathematical equivalent of Jeremie around Aelita. It's actually nauseating (and I did manage to get Ulrich to admit to that, at least).
Top it all off with a cherry and the fact that I've had a mild crush on Aelita for a while now. So Jeremie's sickening displays of affection kind of hit home. Not to say that Aelita isn't affectionate back, but I prefer to think that she only acts like that because Jeremie does. She certainly has to learn to act that way from someone, and it's certainly not Yumi that's teaching her (I'm going to beat Ulrich one of these days if he doesn't just ask her out...).
Running on all fours, I bounded forward and shot a laser arrow at a Hornet, catching it right in the X.A.N.A symbol for an instant kill.
"Not bad, Odd," Yumi complimented.
"All skill," I bragged slightly, aiming and firing off another arrow towards a second Hornet.
Ulrich snickered from behind, leaping forward to stab the Hornet that I had just missed. "I think you mean 'All luck!'"
I snorted, choosing to ignore the teasing. Glancing towards the tower, I saw that all of the monsters were gone or behind me. In front of me was one of the largest crevasses I had ever seen, filled with the gray mist that indicated the digital void. The only was across was one thin, moss-covered log. There was no going around this one.
"Einstein, Princess, go for it," I shouted. "We'll keep the monsters busy!"
I caught them moving away out of the corner of my eye, but focused back on the battle. I cocked my wrist and gave the monsters a wry smile. "I hope you're ready."
"Careful, Jeremie," Yumi cautioned from above. I tuned her out now and I charged back toward where Ulrich was standing in a battle stance, sword raised. He blocked a shot from a Block, and I crouched low so I was even with the symbol. I wooted as my arrow made contact and the Block exploded.
Ulrich jumped above my head and sliced the approaching Hornet through it's symbol. "Watch your back," he reminded me.
"Not a problem," I said with a wave of my hand. Ulrich snorted and ran off after the other remaining Block. I turned around and saw Jeremie and Aelita on the log.
I stood, watching them transfixed, as Aelita spread her arms wide for balance and walked across like it was nothing.
Jeremie followed suit behind her, wobbling uneasily as he inched slowly across. I sighed but couldn't really blame him. It wasn't his fault he was physically inept. He said something to Aelita, and she nodded and turned away, going to the tower.
Jeremie was cautious, but suddenly I saw him place a foot too far over on the log. It slipped and his feet came out from under him. Aelita had run for the tower already, and in fact had just vanished into it.
He grabbed at the log, fingers clutching for survival. "Odd, help Jeremie!" Yumi's voice snapped me out of my daze, and I surged forward.
"Odd, hurry," Jeremie pleaded. I reached the log and bounded onto it, grabbing his hand in my own and trying to haul him up.
I almost had him when I became aware of a sickening crack from below me. Yumi was screaming at me to hurry, the log was going to break. I pulled frantically, he was over halfway up now.
I felt the log give way, and I made a last-ditch jump for the edge or the precipice, dragging Jeremie with me. "C'mon Genius," I muttered through gritted teeth as my claws dug into the earth, one hand supporting both of our weight.
"Odd, your hand.." Jeremie's voice was pleading, his hand was slipping, but there was nothing I could do. One arm was too little strength to save us. He clutched at me like a lifeline, but his fingers were sliding from my grasp.
In a detached way, I felt his hand leave my own. I was stuck watching with a fascinated horror as Jeremie plummeted down into the digital void. He vanished into the mist, leaving my empty hand dangling.