Rescued now Resting
The gang went to the cities police headquarters for safety till they found it safe to go back to the university. They told the police everything only to be told that they knew about the slave traders but that they could do nothing. Aelita kept the facts about Nathan a secret, however, he didn't give the last call she waited for. Hacker contacted her that he gave the signal but since then hours passed uneventfully.
And as the others talked amongst themselves the pink haired girl sat by a window and looked out thinking. She wondered why on such a day it was sunny, there was nothing to be happy about. Its been some hours now and the sun was drawing to the other side of the world. How is Nathan doing, did he find his sister, did they all live or was one of them killed, will she ever see him again?
Questions racked her mind and kept her distant from the others. Jeremie even noticed her troubled mind and figured what was bothering her. He couldn't help her though, what could he say without sounding like someone who didn't like what she was thinking. So the blonde boy stayed with his drink and continued conversating, watching the girl who use to be the love of his life drift away from that position.
The orange red light glazed her body with a dull essence that complemented her pink hair, only the outer shell of the true goddess there.
It was when the sun darkened into night life when the gang started to leave.
"Well the police checked the whole school over and under with dogs and specialists. There are no tracking devices, cameras, or hiding scouts on the campus, they've checked everyone and have given the okay to go back." Ulrich said coming from the office of a detective.
"All right, finally we can go back and get something to eat! All of the vending machines were empty two hours ago." Odd sighed getting up from the visitors couch.
"Ya cause you ate them dry." Yumi mumbled.
"I can whip us up some grub when we get back?" Kila asked everyone also getting up and stretching.
"Ya that sounds good."
"Great."
"Cool, then I'll get started and you all can wait in the bakery as I make the meal." The purple haired girl smiled sweetly.
Aelita rose up and didn't bother to act normal, she didn't have it in her. So when Yumi saw her sad as she was, the tall raven haired woman went up to her and became her mother figure. The others sort of quieted down when they saw Yumi comfort their princess.
As the gang started to leave the police department they all got goodbyes from the fellow officers and best wishes along the way. Not that it didn't help the sulking friend at all, its just being remembered wasn't the best way to say bye.
They turned two corners and finally came into the lobby where the exit door stood. But something great happened just then, a rush of excitement formed within their bodies. Like seeing the return of someone from a once thought no return battle.
Aelita's eyes opened up wider then anyone had ever seen, she stood frozen in place staring where everyone was looking. Ulrich, Odd, and Guerrmo had their mouths ajar, while Jeremie and the other girl gasped. The person, or persons, just a few paces away who stood still and smiling warmly that got their surprise what non other then Nathan and his sister.
The boy had the young woman close to his age on his back with his arms holding her in position. When she jumped off, the black haired boy fell to the ground face down. All the energy was gone and his body had hit the wall long ago, only running off of air to get him there. Everyone was mesmerized seeing their friend alive and with his sister he vowed to save.
Aelita was the first to rush in and flip him onto his back, checking him over for injuries. She did find one, his left arm was wounded pretty bad and the clothing around it was bloody like a water balloon hitting a bed spread. Aelita dared not touch it fearing making the injury worse, so she took out a small dark blue cloth from her pocket, recently acquired as a gift by the P.D., and wiped away the sweat from the man's face. He was practically sleeping on the floor exhausted to the max.
Before anyone knew it the gang, the police, and Aelita were seeing to the siblings health. In a matter of minutes there were taken by an ambulance and to the hospital, both he and his sister were placed in the same room for monitoring. In the mean time, after the tubes were hooked up, the I.V.'s set up, and meals given. The rescued woman talked with the gang with a ginger spirit, she took quite an interest in Odd's style of hair, the uniqueness of Ulrich and Yumi especially, and the special someone her brother told her of. She was so full with questions that it seemed like to Ulrich, Yumi, Odd, and Jeremie that she was like Princess on her first day out of Lyoko.
Upon waking up, Nathan felt happy accomplishing his goal in life and chuckled at the child-like behavior and inquisitiveness his sister showed. Aelita sat by Kila when she noticed the hero of the day awake and giggling, so she rose up and went to the bed side.
"The doctors said she's okay, but the police will have to take her into questioning when she gets out." She looked off to the second bed where their friends now gathered around, "You on the other hand have for one a broken arm, two a good amount of blood loss, and three you didn't call me back after you know what."
He didn't stop smiling and looking to his sister, the unmatched joy didn't allow for guilt. When he turned to look to her he saw she wanted a response like a mother who tried to scold him.
"I forgot to call because…I was telling my sister about the world and what she missed. And about you…" he chuckled again not afflicted by her worry.
"Oh where is Aelita?" the woman asked sticking her head above the crowd, interjecting into their conversation.
"I'm right here." Aelita said kindly as she peeled away her fustrated self.
"Are you going to be my big sister? My brothers told me a lot about you, and I wish to learn about life with you too." The long haired girl grinned with innocence which still existed through her traumatic life.
Now Aelita is at most the same age as her brother so technically she is a big sister to her, even though she didn't know her at all. The child-like woman's smile and cheerful desposition made Aelita go with the flow. Casting away any saved angery towards Nathan, she put a hand on his as she answered back.
"Sure, I'll be your big sister." The pink haired girl nodded.
Odd and Kila jumped up and cheered in the excitement, Nathan's sister mimicked their actions which made three Odds now. The room stayed in a good mood throughout the rest of the next few days.
The End of Education
Seasons came and went, events arrived and passed, classes were succeeded with high scores, and the gang enjoyed time together. Almost everyone except Ulrich, Terra, and Guerrmo graduated. Mostly due to their careers which demanded more time and more courses before they could find a job with the top degrees behind them.
However, as for the rest they took a hold in life and began to sprout out. Odd took up his musical talent and became an aspiring guitarist. Kila, of course, worked to get her own cooking show on a major TV network which showed her making delicacies and simple to make meals. Aelita graduated with the highest degrees in computer and technology fields so she got a job which allowed her to work at home. As for Yumi and Nathan, well they took up jobs in the medical field with her becoming a Doctor and he a registered nurse. So much success, Jeremie finished his education a year earlier before everyone else and took up a job for a corporation, taking most of his life with it.
Everyone remained the same people as they had been in school with the exception of Jeremie and Nathan. The two bitter rivals could now be told apart, Jeremie was a 24 hour computer person and his counterpart a nurse for the weeks all around.
It was Jeremie's choice in jobs that lead to the breaking of his bond with Aelita. Though their teenage years kept them together like man and woman, his work seemed like the axe to the final strand of bark of the falling tree. He had no time for her as he locked himself away working every single moment of his life. Closing himself off from the outside world as he use to when he tried to make her anti virus. Only coming out to use the bathroom and eat but other then that, no social life at all. So the two broke up after four months and Aelita headed off to seek her friends.
Yumi joined Odd and shared the rent, Ulrich accompanied her a month later. Nathan had an apartment next to them but moved out to buy a house. His job allowed him to spend two days off resting and bonding with his sister, so he needed a home all his own. Within two months, he found a decent house just a block down from the Apartment Complex at a reasonable price. His sister moved in with him so he could help her further understand the world and made a quick homely atmosphere out of the brick house. Not that their parents couldn't do the same thing, but she was so close to him they couldn't refuse.
Their new home was a one story house with brick walls, a fireplace, great landscaped lawns, and carpeted interior with white walls. The backyard had a fig tree as tall as the house blooming with ripe sweet fruit and large green leaves, hibiscus plants bordering the fences displayed big red flowers, and a nicely manicured lawn which was as green as the bay miles off. Their doors to the house were locked up with dead bolts and hard wood doors to prevent any break-ins just as a reminder to themselves.
Nathan did as Yumi had done and traded in his truck as she did with Ulrich's. Yumi and him grew closer to each other so much one could hear wedding bells. Nathan couldn't help but join Odd and tease them every now and then. Yumi bought a nice Sedan and Nathan a Ford 150 which made it so easy to go fishing on the weekends with the guys. The girls would occasionally accompany them but half the time they skipped the fishing trips and went to the mall. Life was good to them, no evils dared show their heads for now.
With all the progress and prosperity, Aelita showed up at the gang's apartment one week to crash in till she found a good house to buy. But that didn't take to long when Odd and Yumi and Ulrich pushed her to a nice brick house and knocked on its door. Their Princess was most perplexed but curious as to why they brought her here, and then the door opened to reveal a well groomed man who looked just as surprised as she did.
It didn't really amaze their friends to see both the two embrace each other and kiss like no one was around. What broke up the blind intimacy was the joyful laughter of Nathan's little sister running into the doorway and saying something out of her mind.
"Yay, I have a big sister now! Hey maybe you can get married and stay here with me and my brother for good!" the long haired girl made both of them look at her and back to each other blushing madly.
"Alright you love birds, can we go inside or are we going to just stay out here and sweat in this heat?" Odd joked around and they all entered the cool air conditioned home.
Yumi laughed at the idea Nathan's sister made and nudged Ulrich. When he looked to her, she winked and left him confused the rest of the day.