I must say this was hard to write, I spent a lot of time over the last few days trying to decide what to write. I need to acknowledge and thank Dark Reb. He sent me a possible path for the story to take. Though I didn't follow it per say, it did spark a lot of creative juices and busted me out of my writers block. I am very grateful. Now please enjoy and let me know.
As night fell the air grew cold and Odd was glad once he reached the warmth of the sewer. He grabbed his skateboard and shot off towards the factory. The anxiety was overwhelming; the dream had Odd on edge. He entered the factory and took the elevator to the control room where he was, for once, the first one there.
"Well you're on time for once." Ulrich laughed as he stepped out of the elevator and walked to his friend's side.
"Hey Ulrich, where are the others?"
"They're on their way, they're waiting for Jeremy, he's trying to find the right disk or something."
Odd laughed, Jeremy had thousands of disks. Ulrich smiled at his friend's laughter and then grew serious.
"Odd…be honest with me…how are you doing?"
"Not good," Odd sighed, "I'm not sure how much more I can take."
Ulrich nodded and tried to give a hopeful smile, "You know it will be ok, you always save the day, cause you're Odd, that's what you do."
"Ulrich, thanks, but I'm not sure even I can beat this one, I mean what am I supposed to do?"
"Jeremy will find a way to save Kasey I'm sure." Ulrich said trying to cheer his friend up.
Odd's face became more serious as he reflected on his dream, "Ulrich, will you promise me something?"
"Sure." Ulrich answered, growing concerned at where his friend was going with this.
"If I…if something happens and I don't come out of Lyoko, I need you to do something for me."
"Odd don't talk like that…" Odd raised his hand to cut Ulrich off.
"Ulrich I'm serious, I don't have a good feeling about going."
"Then don't go."
"I must Ulrich, I have to try something just promise me three things ok?"
Ulrich nodded.
"First if I don't come back, I want you to take care of Kiwi for me. He's likes you and you'll be good to him. Second, I need you to put three roses on Sam's grave, one for me, Sam and Kasey."
"Odd I don't think it'll…" Odd cut him off again.
"Ulrich the last promise is the most important." Odd smiled up at his friend, "I want you to get it through your head that you and Yumi are meant for each other, if I'm gone I won't be here to keep pointing it out so just trust me on that…she loves you."
Ulrich blushed a little and then smiled, "Odd you'll be fine, I promise." The two exchanged a quick hug and then separated.
"Thanks man you're a good friend."
"Always there for you."
The doors to the elevator opened and in walked Jeremy and the rest.
"Alright, Yumi, Odd, Ulrich, too the scanners, let's find Kasey and get her back."
The three nodded to Jeremy and headed to the scanner room. Odd stepped into the center scanner. He'd taken the center one ever since he knew Ulrich and Yumi liked each other, that way they could look across and see the other as the doors closed. The doors closed and Jeremy scanned them in.
"Alright guys, here we go." Jeremy virtualized Odd and Odd virtualized in mid-air in the forest region.
"And now for…what the" Jeremy froze as he looked at the screen, it was flashing a warning, the two side scanners were locked up.
"Aelita get down there and see if you can get Yumi or Ulrich out, it won't virtualize them."
Aelita rushed down to the scanner room and banged on the doors.
"Guys can you hear me?"
Ulrich and Yumi both answered. Aelita tried as hard as she could but the doors wouldn't budge. She hurried back to the control room.
"Jeremy, I can't get them out, I…" Aelita froze when she saw Jeremy staring at a blank computer screen.
"What happened?"
"I don't know, but this means Odd's all by himself." The two gasped as the screen lit up with the Xana symbol.
"Hey guys, where are you?" Odd asked looking around for the others.
"Jeremy?" No answer.
Odd walked a ways into the forest region hoping to find someone. He soon found himself all alone.
Jeremy found a crowbar in a closet on the first floor of the factory and carried it back to the scanner room. With Aelita's help, they opened the doors and freed Yumi and Ulrich from their tomblike captivity.
"What's going on?" Yumi asked.
"It's bad guys, it's real bad." Jeremy said explaining the situation.
Odd stopped, he though he heard a rustle behind him. He whisked around to find and arrow stuck in the tree behind him, a note attached to it. Odd took the note off and read it.
"My dearest Odd,
Xana has allowed this to be a fair fight
If you lose you die, if I lose I die,
The fun begins in five minutes,
Happy hunting."
Odd cringed, 'I'm going to have to kill her? There's no way.'
Kasey sat on a branch eyeing Odd closely, she began counting down the time as soon as he crumpled up the note. If Odd had seen her he would've seen the smile he loved turned into an evil bloodthirsty grin.
"Oh foolish Odd, you still think I want saving." Kasey laughed to herself.
Xana appeared on the branch next to her, "It's done, now prove your loyalty and kill him."
Kasey jumped down and started following the path Odd had taken.
Jeremy was typing furiously at the computer, trying every combination that he could think of, nothing was working.
"He knew this was going to happen."
The others looked over at Ulrich who was sulking in the corner.
"What?" Yumi asked.
"He made me promise to do three things if he didn't…if he didn't return from Lyoko."
Odd was walking when a vision came over him. He saw Kasey standing behind him with her bow drawn, she let the arrow fly and it hit him square in the back.
"Damn" Odd muttered. He looked behind him and saw Kasey standing there bow drawn. She let the arrow fly and Odd dove to the side, the tip of the arrow grazing his shoulder. He stood up wincing in pain, a small cut opened where the arrow had nicked him.
"So this is how it ends? This is what you think of all the times we had, all the times I risked myself for you?"
Kasey reached for another arrow, "Odd it would be best if you ran or fought, talking isn't going to save you now." Kasey smirked.
"What about when we first met." Odd yelled, "Did it not mean anything to you, the times I helped you move in or the countless meals we spent in the cafeteria together. Did the countless moments spent locked in each others gaze mean NOTHING!"
Kasey paused and lowered the bow, "Those are distant memories of a failed life, my new life is all that matters, and you…" Kasey's voice wavered, "you can't be a part of this life." Kasey raised her bow and took aim.
"If that's your choice, I won't be a part of any life, shoot me." Odd said, his face calm and calculating.
Kasey stared at the boy standing before her, 'he's not the destructive adversary Xana told me he was, he's going to let me kill him before hurting me.' Kasey let the arrow fly. The arrow flew past Odd's head nicking his ear as it passed.
"I'm not moving, you'll have to kill me to get me to leave without you." Odd said as he wiped the blood away from his ear.
"Don't be a fool, FIGHT ME!" Kasey screamed.
Odd allowed a small smile to cross his lips as he looked at Kasey.
"What's so great that you can smile?" Kasey demanded.
"You are Kasey, you make me smile."
Kasey reached for another arrow and took aim.
"Kasey you once told me you loved me was that a lie?"
"No, it was a mistake." Kasey said tears starting to form in her eyes.
"Do you remember? You asked me why I wouldn't let the Cluva take you, I told you it was because I loved you. Do you think that an enemy would say that?."
"No, but…you are the enemy, I know it, Xana said you were."
Kasey pulled the string back and aimed for Odd's heart.
Odd sighed to himself, "I guess this is it, die well, don't flinch, just take it."
Odd looked up, even with her new look, Kasey was beautiful to him.
"Just fight." Kasey pleaded, "Just fight."
"I can't, I love you too much."
Odd's heart broke, Kasey was crying, tears streaming down her face, her arms were shaking. "I can't…I can't disobey him."
"You can, I've done it a thousand times, it feels good." Odd said.
Kasey looked at Odd and smiled. "I can't." She muttered.
She dropped her bow and started running towards Odd. Odd took a step forward, opening his arms to wrap her up in a hug. The two met and Kasey's eyes opened in shock.
"What?" Odd asked.
Kasey fell into his arms, an arrow sticking out of her back. She held on tightly to Odd's neck trying to hold herself up.
"I'm…so sorry Odd…" Kasey gasped for air.
Odd gently brushed her hair with his fingers and held her. "It's ok, it will be ok, I'm not mad, just hang in there."
"Odd what's going on?"
Odd jumped at Jeremy's voice. "Jeremy, can you scan Kasey out now?"
"I can see her, but she's fading fast and she doesn't have the DNA coding, I think…"
Odd didn't let him finish, "Jeremy give her my DNA coding, do it now."
"What, but you'll be stuck in…"
"Damn it Jeremy do it now, she won't live another minute, just paste mine into hers."
Jeremy typed furiously and somehow found the program to transfer Odd's human DNA to Kasey so she could be materialized. Odd held on tight until Kasey slipped through his fingers as she dissolved into mere particles of light.
Ulrich and Yumi rushed to the scanner to find Kasey lying in the bottom of the center scanner, gasping for air.
"Where am I, where's Odd?"
The two just stared at the girl not saying a word, letting the truth sink in.
"He's stuck isn't he?" The two nodded and she broke down crying. Yumi wrapped her up in a hug and Ulrich left to talk to Odd before they lost connection again.
Odd was looking around. "Guys, I'm not sure what to do now."
"Odd, it's Ulrich, stay put, I'm going to come in."
"NO! Xana might trap you too,… and well we can't have the two of us gone, I mean who would save the world?"
Ulrich laughed, wiping a tear from his eye. "Odd, be careful, we'll come back for you, just find a safe place to hide."
"Ulrich do one thing for me."
"Anything man."
"Take care of Kasey until I get back."
Ulrich let out a long breath, "Don't worry, she'll be safe."
The computer shut down and all connection was lost, Odd was alone for the moment. He picked up Kasey's bow and arrows ,which for some reason still existed without her, and headed in search of a deactivated tower to hide in. From a distance, Xana laid down his bow, laughing.
"Now I can have some real fun with you Odd, some real fun." Xana disappeared in a mist waiting for the perfect time to strike.
Well I hope all of you enjoyed this, please review. The more reviews, the sooner I update. Oh and I know, I'm somewhat evil always leaving cliff hangars.