Wow, has it really been over a month since I updated? I'm really slacking off, aren't I? Anyway, I'm going to hurry and update, I have to go to work soon.This chapter is dedicated to all those who got close! That includes: TheSuperGirlOfDreams, Lillia Rose and Rycr! Hurray for you!
This chapter is semi-confusing, so I'm going to put in little side notes to help you along. Like this next part is just after the RTTP.
(Odd P.O.V.)
"…smash all her ideas into little tiny bits." Ulrich says. The return to the past dropped us off right after the confrontation with Sissi. I turn to Ulrich to make a comment about how I saved his butt again, but before I can, Ulrich runs over to Sissi and grabs her by the shoulders.
"Sissi! Where's Herb?" She just stares at him.
"Where is Herb?" She shakes herself a little.
"Uh, in his room. Studying. Why?" Ulrich doesn't respond, he just runs off. I race to keep up, Sissi lags behind. I turn the corner just as Ulrich destroys Herb's door. The door falls down and Ulrich rushes inside. I walk up and look inside as well.
Sitting at his desk is Herb. He's not moving, Ulrich is shaking him. Ulrich looks at us with a grave expression.
"What's wrong? Is he sick?" Sissi walks over and looks at him.
"No Sissi. He's dead." Ulrich says, emotion thick in his voice
"Ulrich, this isn't funny. What's really wrong with him?" Sissi manages to say.
"I'm not joking. I'm sorry Sissi." Sissi walks over and hugs his unmoving body.
"No! No! No! This can't be!" I follow Ulrich out the door.
"We need to go tell Mr. Delmas." He says.
"Ulrich, what happened? How did you know Herb was dead?"
"While you were in Lyoko, I was fighting Theo, who was possessed. Just before Aelita deactivated the tower, he wanted to do some lasting damage. A 'going away present' he called it. He shot a fireball at Sissi. Herb pushed her out of the way and took the full brunt of the blast, it piercing his stomach and destroying the wall behind him" My eyes widen considerably.
"Then I called Jeremie and told him to return to the past. It didn't happen in time." I stare ahead, fighting back tears of my own.
"Damn you Xana." I manage to say.
We arrive at the headmaster's office, and the secretary isn't there. So we just walk up to his door and open it. He is sitting at his desk doing paperwork.
"Oh, hello boys. What can I do for you?"
"We found Herb in his room."
"Yes, okay."
"He's dead." Mr. Delmas stands up abruptly.
"What?"
"Herb is dead." He walks over to us.
"Take me there." We take him back to Herb's room, where Sissi is still crying over Herb's body. Ulrich takes Sissi and leads her away. She latches onto him and cries into his chest. I lead them to the bench. Avery, Jeremie and Aelita are there waiting for us.
This next part is before the RTTP, just after Theo attacks.
(Ulrich P.O.V.)
I think we forgot something: Theo is possessed by an evil AI. He runs after me at an amazing speed. With one hit, he knocks me flat against a wall. I don't think I completely passed out, but I was definitely dazed for a while. After a second, Theo disregards me and runs off. Meanwhile, I can't even move. I can't get my brain to think straight. I shake my head, and some of the dizziness clears. I stand up wobbly and take a few steps. After a moment, I run off as fast as I can towards the factory. As soon as I enter the courtyard, my blood runs cold. Theo is standing there, waiting for me.
"Hello Lyoko Warrior Ulrich, I have been waiting for this. Let the fight begin." He says in his horrible voice. He gets into fighting position. I drop quickly into my own, but I know I'm no match. Right now, I'm only trying to stall for time. He charges me and throws a couple punches. I parry them and throw a hard right to his face. Laughing, he grabs my hand. He takes me by the arm and throws me hard. I get thrown at least ten feet and skid to a halt on the ground.
I stagger back to my feet. I'm still half-dazed from the hit he gave me earlier. Theo charges again, and I take no precautions. I yell as I do a spinning roundhouse kick to his head. This time, he goes sprawling to the ground. Immediately, he gets back up and the fight resumes. I get my ass kicked. Sure, I throw in a couple of good punches, but he just gets back up. I block a shot from the right, only to be hit in the face from the left. I stagger backwards, that's going to leave a bruise.
"Come on Lyoko Warrior Ulrich. Is that all you have? Lyoko Warrior Yumi gave me a better fight than that. Maybe I should go find her instead."
No! Not Yumi!
That's it. Once he threatens Yumi, I lose all inhibition. Theo staggers back from a well placed kick to the groin, and I nail him in the face. Left, right, left and a kick to finish the job. Theo falls to the ground, but he isn't fazed. He gets back up and smiles.
"Well, our time here is limited. Your friends have destroyed my monsters, Aelita is preparing to enter my tower. Your new friend is quite good. So, I will leave you with a going away present." He looks to the side, and I look too. My blood runs cold again.
Sissi, Herb and Nicholas were watching the fight. He powers up his hand, until it's glowing bright red. With one swift thrust, he sends a fireball flying with astonishing speed at Sissi. At the last second, Herb pushes her out of the way, the fireball hits him in the stomach. His shirt is incinerated instantly, but that's the least of his worries. The fireball doesn't stop at his stomach, it completely penetrates him, demolishing the wall behind him.
"HERB!" I yell. I try to move, but I can't. I'm too exhausted. As Herb collapses, Sissi and Nicholas just look on wide eyed. After a second, Sissi lets out an anguished cry and bends over Herb. She begins to cry as Herb's blood seeps out through his large wound, onto the ground and her. Theo falls to the ground, showing that they had deactivated the tower. I quickly pull out my cell phone and dial Jeremie's number.
"Ulrich? What's going on?"
"Return to the Past! Now! No time to explain!" Jeremie doesn't even answer, I hear keys typing, and see the large white bubble appear. I fear it's too late to save Herb as the bubble quickly sends me into oblivion….
(Still Ulrich P.O.V.)
"…smash all her ideas into little tiny bits." I say and stop. The return to the past dropped us off right after my confrontation with Sissi.
Herb!
I run over to Sissi and grab her by the shoulders.
"Sissi! Where's Herb?" She just stares at me with a blank expression.
"Where is Herb?" She shakes herself a little.
"Uh, in his room. Studying. Why?" I let go of her and run off. Odd is close behind me and Sissi a little farther back. I run to Herb's room and knock on the door. No one answers.
"Herb? Are you in there?" Still no answer. I grab the doorknob and twist, but the door is locked. Odd and Sissi walk up just as my foot collides with the door. The door springs open to reveal my greatest fear.
Sitting at his desk is Herb. He's not moving, his head is lying on the desk. I run over and shake him, but he doesn't respond. I turn him over, his eyes are closed with a blank expression on his face. Odd and Sissi walk into the room gingerly. I put my ear to his chest to confirm it. Herb has no heartbeat. He is dead.
"What's wrong? Is he sick?" Sissi walks over and looks at him.
"No Sissi. He's dead." Sissi looks at me in shock, Odd gasps. Sissi begins to cry.
"Ulrich, this isn't funny. What's really wrong with him?" Sissi manages to say.
"I'm not joking. I'm sorry Sissi." Sissi realizes I'm not joking, she hugs Herb's body and cries.
"No! No! No! This can't be!" I walk out the door and Odd follows me.
"We need to go tell Mr. Delmas." I say, and he nods.
"Ulrich, what happened? How did you know Herb was dead?"
"While you were in Lyoko, I was fighting Theo, who was possessed. Just before Aelita deactivated the tower, he wanted to do some lasting damage. A 'going away present' he called it. He shot a fireball at Sissi. Herb pushed her out of the way and took the full brunt of the blast, it piercing his stomach and destroying the wall behind him. Then I called Jeremie and told him to return to the past. It didn't happen in time." Odd just look ahead, deep in thought.
"Damn you Xana."
We arrive at the headmaster's office, and the secretary isn't there. So we just walk up to his door and open it. He is sitting at his desk doing paperwork.
"Oh, hello boys. What can I do for you?"
"We found Herb in his room…"
"Yes, okay."
"He's dead." Mr. Delmas stands up abruptly.
"What?"
"Herb is dead." He walks over to us.
"Take me there." We take him back to Herb's room, where Sissi is still crying over Herb's body. I walk over and help Sissi stand up so that her father can look at Herb. As soon as I do, she latches onto me and starts crying even harder into my shoulder. I lead her away so that Mr. Delmas can do whatever he needs to. Odd, Sissi and I walk to the bench where the gang usually sits. Yumi, Avery, Jeremie and Aelita are there waiting for us. Yumi abruptly stands when she sees my arm around Sissi, comforting her.
"Um, guys. We have horrible news." Everyone looks at me confused.
I told you so! I feel sorry for Herb. Maybe I shouldn't have done that. But then again, it wouldn't let the story progress much further. So, in other words, Herb sacrificed himself for my story! Moment of silence Okay, moment's over.
If you didn't like this part, don't worry, it will get back to the OddxAvery soon. For those of you who did like it, there will be more to come. So now I leave you with another quote:
391. Toast always lands butter side down. Cats always land on their feet. Tie them together and you get anti-gravity
389. A vase is basically a flower torture device: You rip it from it's home, put it in a small container and watch it die slowly.