Warning: Rated 'M' for horror-genre violence, adult situations and adult language.
The main characters of this story are based on characters from the cartoon 'Code Lyoko.' I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.
Certain characters have been adapted from 'The Stand,' by Stephen King, and he is the copyright holder of these.
Certain characters are based on 'Hikaru No Go' by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata. I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.
Brief references are made to a character from 'Watership Down,' by Richard Adams, and he is the copyright holder of this character.
For a time, there was nothing but whiteness. The six seemed suspended in mid air. They couldn't tell up from down, nor left from right.
Then, all around them, a voice spoke.
"It Is Good."
And again, the voice spoke, "It Is Good."
And one last time, "It Is Good."
It seemed like the heat, that had always been around them, increased each time the Voice Spoke. It was almost unbearable to them. Then, after the last word, they were plunged into cold.
At first, the cold was as unbearable as the heat had just been. But quickly that subsided, until they felt like they were being caressed by a cool breeze on a hot summer's day.
They stood there, each woman in her man's arms, all dressed in white linen, as the brightness dimmed just a little bit. Then, someone stood before them.
Teacher the Light Bringer, Revealer Of Wisdom And Knowledge, Flame of the Refiner's Fire, known to the six as Mother Abagail.
Her face was radiant. There was no sign of harm or hurt anywhere on her. She smiled at her Pupils, and it was like the sun had risen.
"I am so proud of you, My Children," she told them, "you have endured way beyond what most your age could endure, and triumphed."
"With your victory today, you have dealt a blow to the Great Enemy, one that will not easily be recovered from."
"But what about XANA," Jeremie asked, "he escaped."
She replied, looking straight at Yumi, "trouble not your hearts for the nuisance called XANA. You will have a small roll to play, but that thing will be trapped for a time. For now, you all have shall have a Rest."
"Now it's time for you all to get on Home. God Bless, and God Speed. And who knows," she said, still looking at Yumi, "I might just decide to come and visit you someday."
With that, the universe grew bright, so bright it washed out everything else.
The last thing Yumi saw before everything went white was Abagail's eyes looking directly at her.
Sunday
The boys woke up and bolted upright. They looked around the room, trying to get their bearings. Realizing that they were back in Jeremie's room, and still alive, they bolted for the door, sheets and pillows flying. They collided, and there was a scramble to see who would actually open the door. Finally, someone was able to get their hand around the doorknob and get the door opened.
The spilled out into the hallway, crashing into the opposite wall. Unfazed, they bolted to the stairwell to get to their objective, the Girl's Dormitory.
Meanwhile, in Aelita's room, the same chaos was occurring. Once they had realized that they were still alive and home, they bolted for Jeremie's room to make sure the boys were alright.
They collided on the Boy's dorm level, just before the boy's made it to the stairwell. They landed in a pile on the hallway floor.
At last, they were together again, they had won! Everybody was alright, everyone was still alive, and...
There was someone missing. They looked at each other trying to figure out who wasn't there. Is was Sissi.
She too had rushed out with Aelita and Yumi. But when they met up with the boys, she stopped. She stood there, about three steps away from them, her hands clasped together, her face full of longing to join in, but couldn't. Because she really wasn't one of them. She was afraid that the past week had been some kind of cruel hoax, and now, at the end, she would be ridiculed and cast out.
No one said a word. Ulrich and Odd just held out their free hands and beckoned Sissi in. She nearly leaped the remaining distance into them.
Now, they were whole.
After a while, they broke their embrace. Aelita wrapped herself in Jeremie's arms, and Jeremie buried his head in her neck, feasting on the scent of her. Ulrich and Yumi locked themselves in a passionate embrace, and threatened never to come out of it. Odd and Sissi just held each other, as if both were still getting used to the idea of each being together.
But Sissi did say, "hey Odd, I've heard you're such a ladies man. So, what gives? Am I chopped liver or something?"
Odd, drawing her into a kiss, said, "no, you're a marathon, and I'm sure as heck not going to tire out in the first three minutes!"
As she pulled back from his embrace, she smirked, "you had better last longer than three minutes, buster."
After a while, the emotions were too much to maintain, and they sat back. Then the blushing and tittering started, growing into laughter. When they all ran out of their bedrooms seeking each other, they ran out in their bedclothes, which ranged from Jeremie's pajamas to Yumi's nightshirt (and little else). Realizing that they were courting disaster, they picked themselves up and went to get showered and dressed.
They spent the rest of the morning together. Jeremie and Aelita, Ulrich and Yumi, Odd and Sissi. They ate the remains of the snacks from last night. They didn't speak much, their presence together being conversation enough.
Then afternoon came. Aelita, Sissi, Odd and Jeremie decided to go the the old factory, to get Sissi set up and formally introduce her to Lyoko. As the four left, Jeremie was telling Sissi that he thought he could recreate her costume and staff weapon in the computer...
Ulrich left with Yumi to get her things and walk her home. He was going to spend as much time as he could with her before she left for Japan tomorrow. He didn't return until Monday afternoon.