Okay, this is the final battle! The battle that you probably knew was coming, Team Lyoko vs. Team (the one man team) Xana. Unfortunately, Xana hijacked Jeremie, so now he's fighting for the wrong side. And I'm blathering on and on and on and on about stuff you already know! So I will get on with the story! First I will dedicate this to everyone who reviewed within the last two chapters, because I love them! Yay! I added something that I thought was pretty cool, and I hope you all like it, it's a something new for Macas. It will come into play more effectively in the next story. Please tell me if you liked it or not.
(Macas P.O.V.)
Last Chapter
"Say what?" I ask.
"Jeremie," Jeremie (Xana) says, "is expendable. I don't really need him. He was just a pawn for my purposes. Now that you apparently don't want him either, he is of no further purpose to me." With a smirk, Jeremie falls limp to the ground.
Resume storyUlrich runs over to Jeremie at supersprint.
"Aelita! What's happening?" I yell to the sky.
"Jeremie is l-losing all his life p-points…." Aelita says sobbing.
"So? He'll be devirtualized, and come back here!" Odd says.
"No he won't. Why do you think Crabs don't get devirtualized and come here? Anything under control of Xana can't be materialized normally here." Aelita explains to him.
"He did it that one time with the roachsters!" Ulrich says.
"But that was Xana's doing. He won't do it for Jeremie."
"Guys, this is it." I say. "Xana's backed us into a corner. It's either me or Jeremie. And I won't let Jeremie die because I was to selfish for myself."
"No Macas, we'll find some other way!" Aelita yells from above.
"There's no time. Sorry guys, this is my decision." I say. "Xana! I'll do what you want on one condition!" I yell. Jeremie opens his eyes and stands up. He's still under Xana's control.
"What's the condition?"
"Last time we fought, it was a draw. Let us resume. If I win, you will release Jeremie with no harm done to him at all. If I lose, I will willingly submit myself to your every will. I will fight against Jeremie, winner take all." Jeremie smirks.
"Fine, it's a deal. Let's shake hands; that is the Earth custom, yes?"
"Yes. But if you go back on your deal, not even hell itself can protect you." I say. He walks over to me and we shake hands. I step back and prepare myself. I draw my sword and clear my mind. Aelita appears next to Odd and Ulrich. I close my eyes and shake my head.
"Aelita, what are you doing here?" I ask her without opening my eyes.
"I am Princess Aelita, Guardian of Lyoko. It is my duty to protect it. But even a princess needs help. You are the Macas, Knight of Lyoko. You will fight for it. Do well." She says in a royal tone. Under normal circumstances, I would be somewhat offended by her tone of superiority, but now it feels right. I feel something… change… inside me. I feel confident, powerful. Unbeatable.
Knight of Lyoko huh? So be it.
My eyes are still closed, I can't see anything. A vision goes through my head of Jeremie taking a cheap shot at me. I hear him quietly pull out his gun and fire. I don't block it, I just dodge. A slight move of my head to the right. The laser flies harmlessly past my head and into the distance.
"That won't work Xana." I say. I know it's insulting to him that I won't even open my eyes to fight him. But with my eyes closed, it's all a lot calmer to me. I don't have the pressures of the fight upon me. Another vision of Jeremie pulling out both pistols and firing flashes in front of me. I can't dodge all these, so I pull my sword calmly in front of my face. I block every shot, at least twenty of them.
"You're overconfidence will be your undoing." Jeremie says calmly. I open my eyes in time to see him clench his fist in front of him. Like last time, I feel my throat clench. I raise a couple feet into the air, my feet dangling. I grab with my arms, trying to touch the invisible bonds that hold me. I realize this is something that I can't counter physically, so I reach out with my mind. Besides, he's not hurting me at all, it's just a tactic to freak me out and try to make me surrender. Somehow, I can feel the presence of those around me. I know that Ulrich is standing firmly, watching carefully. Aelita is standing like the princess she is. Odd is slouching slightly, but no less interested. In front of me, a void exists. Blackness surrounding a bright human spirit. That's what's holding Jeremie.
This is strange. I am in the battle for my very soul, but I am totally at peace. What's more, I can feel my surroundings as though I can see them. Very bizarre. As I feel out with my mind, I find a connection between me and Jeremie. A blue streak is connecting his fist to my throat. Once I found it, it's relatively easy to break. I concentrate on it with my mind, and it shatters. I fall to the ground landing gracefully on my feet. I straighten up and open my eyes to see Jeremie staring at me in shock.
"How did you do that? That's impossible, it took me months to program that code!"
"Nothing you can do will hurt me now. I am the chosen one, the one who will destroy you." His eyes narrow, sending malice my way. I remember that Jeremie has amazing physical speed. He rushes at me headlong. He thrusts a fist at me, I dodge. He strikes again, again, and again. I've gained speed, but not enough to beat him, so I just dodge and parry. As it turns out, my physical abilities have been enhanced as much as my mental capacity has. This goes on for a couple of minutes, but I don't strike back. Not once.
"Guys, what is happening?" Yumi's frantic voice comes from above.
The nurse must have let her out when we deactivated the tower….
"Yumi?" Ulrich says incredulously. "How did you get out of the infirmary?"
"The nurse let me out as soon as Xana's ghost had left me." I parry another blow, but almost didn't. I'm paying too much attention to Yumi and not to Jeremie.
"Macas is fighting Jeremie." Odd says.
That's an understatement.
"I'm coming down!" She says frantically.
"No Yumi!" I yell. That split second distraction cost me dearly. Finally, Jeremie manages to land a blow to my chest. I fly back a couple of feet and land on my back, but I use my momentum to do a backflip and land back on my feet.
"Yumi, it's not safe down here." I say as Jeremie pulls out his guns. I look around, but I cannot find my sword. When Jeremie has lifted me into the air, I subconsciously dropped it. Twenty feet away. Ulrich jumps forward, ready to strike if needed.
"No Ulrich. I will not let you cheat for me. If I lose, I will lose fair and square." I say, and consign myself to my defeat. There's no way I can dodge that many lasers at once. I close my eyes and prepare for defeat.
Maybe I'm not the chosen one after all….
It might have been a vision, I'm not sure. It might have been part of my new mental capabilities, I'm not sure. I think it may have been both. Either way, just a split second before Jeremie fires, I reach out and grab Ulrich's sword. It was flying in front of me, coming straight from Ulrich who had thrown it. I snap the katana around in my hands, blocking the first shot. I twist the sword around with a skill I didn't know I had, blocking every laser that Jeremie unleashed on me. Ulrich's katana is different than mine, it's slightly heavier and thinner. I adjust quickly, but it's not my sword. I'm not nearly as proficient as I know I would be with my own sword. I get hit once in the leg, but I don't stop. Jeremie backs up, firing more rounds, until we have backpedaled back to where we began. Jeremie stops, and I look down. My sword, my own precious energy sword is laying at my feet. I stoop down carefully and grab it, keeping an eye on Jeremie.
"So the tides have turned," Jeremie remarks, "you now have two weapons when you were my equal at one." I shake my head. Taking careful aim, I throw Ulrich's own katana back at him, it lands directly in his sheath without him moving.
"I don't need the extra weapon." I say. I settle into my offensive stance. Jeremie seems to recognize this, and he backs away furiously. He stops for a second and looks at his pistol. A magnificent weapon, he seems to admire it. In the blink of an eye, the pistol morphs into a long black sword, similar to my own.
"Let us continue." He says with a mocking bow.
"Let's." I say with a graceful bow of my own. He takes advantage of my distraction and charges. While still bowing, I flip my sword over my back and across my neck, blocking the blow that would have just landed.
I love these visions…He backs away, glaring at me. I stand up straight and then back into my offensive stance. Jeremie gets ready and we clash. Left, right, left, parry, thrust, twist, up, parry, right, down, we go on like that for an even longer time, sparks flying from our swords. Eventually, fatigue sets in. My blows become slower, parries less often, and dodging a lot more. I realize Jeremie is too. Even though Xana is controlling him, Jeremie is still human, just like me. I take comfort in this and attack with renewed vigor. I have not landed a blow on Jeremie, neither has he struck me. Pulling out my best maneuver, I quickly disarm him. His sword goes high into the air, and I jump and catch it. Jeremie looks at me, defeat burning in his eyes.
"I have lost." He says fairly.
"So you have. Release Jeremie." I say. He glares at me, but then his eyes turn back to a normal white. His bright blue pupils have regained their normal color.
"Jeremie?" I ask.
"Macas?" He says, looking around.
"Jeremie!" Aelita yells. All princess-like attributes had disappeared and she acted like herself again. I turn to her and smile, but then two visions go through my head. Jeremie turns back under control, steals my sword, and hits me with it. Another vision is shown to me simultaneously. Jeremie goes back under Xana's control, and steals my sword. I turn to stop him but he hurls it towards Aelita, instantly devirtualizing her. I know I must choose one vision, one will come true. Either save myself or Aelita. I turn and see Jeremie change, just like he was supposed to. I have a choice, I must choose now, Aelita or myself. Then I realize something.
Just as Jeremie lunges for my sword, I pull it out of his reach. I swing around and hit him with the hilt across the back, sending him sprawling on the ground. I calmly walk over and put my sword to his neck.
"You lied Xana. You cheated." He grins at me, an evil grin.
"So? You can't do anything about it. You can't kill me, only Jeremie."
"Well, we just have to get Jeremie back some other way then."
"Yah right, like how? The absolute only way to free Jeremie is if he frees himself, which is impossible." Xana says.
"Oh, I think you underestimate Jeremie." I say and he just smirks at me again.
"I think not." I reach out with my mind again, feeling for Odd.
"I have a question Xana."
"What's that?" He asks, spitting venom in his voice, but I barely hear him. I reach Odd, and I can feel his consciousness. I delve into his mind, I can hear what he's thinking.
Shit shit shit shit….
"Can Jeremie hear every word we say?" I ask Jeremie.
"Ha, yes he can. I'm forcing to listen to every word your saying, just to torture him." That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I transmit a message telepathically into Odd's mind. He's surprised, but he will do what I say.
"Can Jeremie see what we're doing?"
"Everything…." He says and laughs. I reach for Aelita's mind, I can hear what she's thinking too.
Jeremie… I love you! I-I need you!
Aelita! I need your help!
Aelita looks around confused.
Who's that?
It's, Macas! I need you to do something for me!
What? Anything, if it will free Jeremie.
Odd's going to do something for me. I need you to not only embrace it, but return it!
What is it?
You'll find out in a second.
Okay, I'll do whatever you need me to.
Just remember, you have to return it.
Okay.
I pull out of Aelita's mind and go back into Odd's mind.
Odd! Now!
I grab Jeremie by the front of his armor and lift him up. I turn him around to face Odd and Aelita.
"What are you doing?"
"Jeremie, pay attention!" I say. Odd walks over to Aelita and kisses her full on the lips. Aelita looks surprised, but remembers what I say. She kisses back. Jeremie's body goes limp, and I drop him on the ground. He rolls over, holding his head. He opens his eyes, they've gone back to white.
Jeremie's broken free again!
"No, no no no nono!" Jeremie begins moaning. "Aelita, how could you?"
I quickly take my sword and stab down, devirtualizing Jeremie instantly. As soon as I do, Odd and Aelita break apart. I walk over calmly. Ulrich is looking at them like they're insane.
"What the hell are you guys doing?" He yells at them.
"Calm down Ulrich, it's my fault. I told them telepathically to do it." I say, and Ulrich calms down slightly.
"Now do you mind explaining?" Odd and Aelita ask at the same time.
"Not that that was disgusting or anything… but I don't like Aelita like that."
"Yah, Odd's a great friend and all…."
"Calm down guys. I did it for Jeremie."
"Say what? Did you see what happened to Jeremie? Did you see how much pain you caused him?" Ulrich says, getting in my face. Before I can answer, a loud voice echoes from the sky. Definitely not Jeremie, it's the voice of Xana. The voice is almost painful to hear, it sounds like sandpaper rubbing against itself.
"Bravo Macas. You have outsmarted me this time. But it will not happen again. I promise you, I will not be beaten again." It says and tapers off. I turn back to Odd and Aelita and smile.
"When you kissed, Jeremie was in such turmoil that he broke free of Xana's control. When that happened, I devirtualized him, sending him back to our world." Their eyes widen, and realization comes across their faces.
"You're a genius!" Aelita says.
"Except for one thing." Ulrich says, looking at me.
"What's that?"
"Jeremie thought it was real."
Oh crap, I forgot about that!
"Jeremie! Are you there? Yumi?" I yell to the sky, but there's no answer.
"Uh, how do we get back now?" Odd asks.
"Uh…." I say. Man, I hate it when my perfect plan has all these loose ends. After a couple minutes, Yumi comes back.
"Guys, Jeremie is okay. Sort of. He refuses to get out of the scanner or say anything to me. He just keeps saying 'Aelita how could you' over and over again. Anybody mind explaining?"
"We're going to have to send somebody else back, to get Jeremie to devirtualize us." Ulrich says, completely ignoring Yumi.
"Send me." Aelita says. By unspoken (and un-telepathic (is that a word?))agreement, Odd, Ulrich and I agree Aelita would be the best person to send back right now.
"But I don't know how to devirtualize someone!" Yumi says frantically.
"I know how." Odd says and walks in front of her. He puts his wrist to her forehead, and releases two arrows, devirtualizing her.
"Thanks Odd.…" She manages to say before she vanishes. As soon as she does, the feeling I had, the one of confidence and power, leaves me. I can no longer feel with my mind, and I know my strength and stamina have gone back to normal.
"Woah, that's weird." I say.
"What?" Ulrich asks.
"When Aelita called me the Knight of Lyoko, this… feeling came over me. I knew it was true, that I was the Knight of Lyoko. I was predestined to be. Along with that came my new powers. Strength, speed, stamina. My telepathic powers, that's how I was able to defeat Xana."
"That's pretty cool. What else can you do?" Ulrich asks.
"That was about it. But I felt very confident, I felt… powerful." I say, Odd smiles at me.
"You have got to get yourself a girl mate," I look at him strangely, he and Ulrich start laughing, "I'm serious. You have got to get out more. You're beginning to be like Jeremie."
"Hey, I resent that." I say.
"So… what was strange? You said something was weird."
"Oh yah. When Aelita was devirtualized, that feeling went away. I'm not telepathic anymore, and I'll bet Jeremie could easily defeat me."
"That sucks." Odd says still laughing.
"Well, your princess is gone. When your princess no longer needs protecting, the Knight no longer needs to fight."
"That makes sense." I say. I sit on the ground and wait for Jeremie to devirtualize us.
"So, what now?" I ask. As if on cue, three tarantulas drop out of the sky.
"I think that answers your question." Odd says. And so we fight.
The epic final battle is over (phew). I really hoped you liked it, I must have rewritten it at least twice. Please tell me if there's anything wrong or any mistakes or absolutely anything at all. The next chapter is the last one, and then there will be a sequal! Yay sequal! Now that I have given you this, I expect a review. An eye for an eye, a review for a story!
Quote Number 227. Ways of the compass: Up, down, left right.
244. Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.
247. I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross roads and not have their motives challenged.
So, until next time, see you later!