Retribution
Chapter III
Contemplation
Jeremy, Aelita, Odd, and Yumi sat there, simply dumbfounded. What were they supposed to think after seeing something like that? Then Odd began to speak. "So let me get this straight. I asked Ulrich if that made him a demon, he made his eyes all firey, said 'DAMN STRAIGHT!' in a really tripped out voice, and made me pass out and piss myself." Jeremy sighed, slumped down into a chair, and said, "Except for the fact that 'firey' is not a word... yep." All were then suprised when Odd began to laugh uncontollably. "Dude! If I were the one doing that to him, I'd find that hilarious! Hahahahahahaha!" Jeremy's eyes shot wide open. Then he said some things that no-one thought Jeremy could even say. "D'oh! Odd is right! He's not evil, he's just trying to be his old self! Why didn't I think of that?" A look of horror was shared by the two females in the room as they said "Did you say that Odd was right?" That was when Odd's internal annoyance device reached its max. "WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO! I'M RIGHT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YES! I AM SO SMART! I AM SO SMART! S-M-R-T!" That when Jeremy said, "That's S-M-A-R-T, Odd. Anyway, we've got to find Ulrich before he does something drastic. I better use the G.P.S. function in the supercomputer..."
Elsewhere, X.A.N.A. was watching all this with interest. "It would appear my greatest enemy has grown weak at his pinnacle. Muahahahahahaha... yeeeeessssss. If I can reach Ulrich before those idiot friends of his, the Great Chessboard will have a new black pawn. I must use the military satellite technology I pirated for such an occaision... let's see... AHA! The tip of Mt. Fuji it is!"
Ulrich was sitting on a rocky outcropping, the cold wind fighting for thermal dominance with the flames dancing on his skull. Steam was rising from empty eye sockets as Ulrich attempted to cry. "Why? Why? My friends have forsaken me, God has forsaken me... I'm using words like 'forsaken' for crying out loud! (sobs) Maybe I should just jump from this ledge right now..." That's when a booming voice yelled "For cryin' out loud, stop cryin' out loud! It makes fun of your warrior heritage!"
"Who's there?"
"It's me, X.A.N.A."
"What do you want?"
"I couldn't help but overhear. Those so-called friends of yours just abandoned
you because you are more powerful than they are."
"YOU DID THIS TO ME!"
"You did this to yourself. Do you really think I meant to give you such power?"
"Go away..."
X.A.N.A. took form at that moment. A young man in a changbao, not too dissimilar to one Chase Young, placed his hand on Ulrich's shoulder, and said "Relax. I'm still your friend." Ulrich's eyes glowed with Hellfire once more as he looked at X.A.N.A. and said "How are you my friend exactly?" X.A.N.A. smiled and said, "In combat, you were the only one who posed a challenge. We were always rivals since we 'met', and rivalry always entertains friendly notions, does it not?"
"I guess..."
"Come now. Stop this foolishness. Join me, and those who betrayed you shall fall
to their knees."
"They shall suffer my vengeance..."
"That's the spirit! Follow me, and we'll make plans to get back at those bastards." said X.A.N.A. "Where to?" "Why, Sector 6, of course!" The image-puppet flew away, and Ulrich followed on the enchanted motorcycle. Jeremy was watching the last few minutes of this conversation with his G.P.S. systems. "Oh, no. X.A.N.A. took advantage of Ulrich's emotional disrepair!" Odd, being the dumbass he is, said "Ewwwww! I didn't know that X.A.N.A. was gay!" "Not taking advantage that way! He means Ulrich is one of them now!" said Yumi. A very, VERY loud "SHIIIIIIIIITTTTTT!" reverberated through the town of Kadic as Odd began to freak out.
A/N: Stay tuned for Chapter IV: Sector 6! R&R!