Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi weren't returning. Something went wrong. "Oh yes, I remember now, I need a password to bring them back, but if I don't find it fast enough, they will be deleted permanently." Said Franz.
"You and your passwords, you really were insane." Said William.
"I got it! Let's try it, KADIC." Said Franz, as he entered the password.
"Guess it didn't work." Said William.
"Just wait…" Said Franz. "PASSWORD EXCEPTED." Said The computer. The scanners open up, and the group falls out. Odd falls of the edge of the platform where the scanners are, and falls right into Franz Hopper's arms.
"Gee, I'd hate to think of what would've happened if you weren't there." Said Odd.
"Be more careful! Next time, stay in your scanners until you regain composure." Said Franz. Franz lets go of Odd. "Let's get back to the school, it's almost dinner time."
"Alright! All-you-can-eat dessert day!" Yelled Odd in excitement. The group goes back to Kadic. That night, The group members were hanging out in their rooms, when a scream arose from the silence. Jeremie gets a call on his cell.
"Hello?" Said Jeremie.
"Jeremie, it's Franz, did you hear that scream?" Asked Franz.
"Wow, it must have been really loud for you to hear it all the way at the Hermitage." Said Jeremie.
"It still sounded distant, I'm monitoring the entire school through my computer. Strange, it didn't come from the school. Let's check the Factory cameras."
"Anything?"
"Oh my God… There's someone lying there on the bridge of the factory… we have to go see if they're okay, warn the others!"
"Okay, I'll warn Odd, Ulrich, and Aelita. You warn Yumi."
"Okay." Said Franz as he hung up the phone and started dialing Yumi's cell. "C'mon, answer!"
"Hello?" Said Yumi on the other line.
"Yumi, it's Franz, we have an emergency, go to the factory now!" Said Franz.
"Okay, I'm on my way." Replied Yumi, as she hung up the phone. The group meets at the Hermitage, and takes the door to the bridge of the Factory. Police cars are swarming the entire area.
"What happened?" Asked Franz, running toward a police officer.
"Someone was murdered on this bridge, do you know anything about it?" Asked the officer.
"No, not at all." Replied Franz. The group was stunned to find out what happened.
"So, that's all? No Xanadu." Said Ulrich. Aeltia turned around and started walking back toward the officer.
"Can I see the victim?" Asked Aelita.
"I can't let you cross the tape, but you can look at her from this side." Said the officer.
"Oh… Daddy? Come look at who this is…" Said Aelita, in a state of shock, as if she just got electrocuted.
"That's…" Stuttered Franz.
"Mommy…"
"That's your mother?" Asked the police officer.
"That can't be, she died long ago…" Said Franz.
"Hey chief! We found a note!" Said one of the officers inspecting the body.
"Bring it over." Said the chief. The officer brings it over to the chief and the chief starts reading it out loud. "It says, 'Dear Franz and Aelita, the disease is getting to me, so I virtualized myself into Xanadu, powering it up by the machines in the factory. I've lived there for sometime, but the machines lost power, and the computer shut off again. Now that Xanadu turned back on, I was able to escape, but Xanadu knew I escaped. He was out to get me. Once you read this, I would be dead by the disease, powered up by Xanadu. These are my final words, I love you Franz, and you too, Aelita. Goodbye.'" Aelita started crying and hugged Franz, to cry into. "What's this "Xanadu" she's talking about?"
"It's a machine I built, the only way to shut it off is by a pass code. If you destroy it while it's on, the space-time continuum will tear, creating a black-hole, capable of destroying the entire planet. The problem is I can't remember the password to shut it off, so unless you give me time to shut it off, you'll destroy the world by destroying the machine." Said Franz.
"… Okay, I believe you, contact the police when you find the password." Said the chief.
"We will." Replied Franz. The chief didn't really believe Franz, but the chief wanted whatever did this gone. The story sounded so unbelievable, it had to be true.
Chapter 15: A Password Found.
The group goes to the lair of Xanadu. Franz sits down at the terminal and virtualizes Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi. As luck would have it, the first thing they saw was a password fragment. "It has the letter "X"." Said Ulrich.
"Okay. Split up, you'll find them easier." Said Franz. The group scatters around Xanadu. After about thirty minutes, Odd finds another password.
"It says "NA"." Said Odd.
"That's it! the name "XANA" was to help me remember." Said Franz. "Let's see. X After NA. NAX." Said Franz as he typed the password. "It worked! Just, it's not the right one. It's only a deactivation code. Whenever Xanadu attacks, I can type that code to stop it. Just one problem, there has to be no towers possessed."
"Cool, so now we can stop Xanadu like we stopped XANA." Said Odd.
"Well, I enterd the code, so a tower wont be activated for some time." Said Franz. "Jeremie, come over here."
"Yeah, what is it?" Asked Jeremie.
"You managed to figured out how to run the super computer, so I'm going to teach you how to run this." Said Franz.
"Why?"
"In case something bad happens to me." Said Franz. Franz walks Jeremie through the procedures. Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi regroup. "You know, it's not often you go into a virtual world to relax, so why not sit back for a while?" Asked Franz.
"Sounds great, this landscape is much more beautiful than Lyoko." Said Yumi. William and Aelita are sitting on the orange couch.
"You know William, I've been concerned about Jeremie." Said Aelita.
"Why? It looks like he and Franz are having a good time." Said William.
"That's why I'm concerned. Jeremie's parents are coming to visit, and if they see him having a good time with my father, who knows what they'll do."
"Don't worry, everything's going to be alright." Said William.
"Okay, that's all you need to know." Said Franz. "Let's get back to the school." Franz de-virtualized the group.
Chapter 16: Friendly Fighters.
The group gets back to the school. It's night time, so everyone goes out to their respective rest areas. Later that night, Aelita knocks on Jeremie's door. Jeremie let's her in, and Aelita walks over to Jeremie's bed. "Jeremie, recently I've been concerned about your parents coming here." Said Aelita.
"Don't worry, I already told my dad everything that's going on. All except Xanadu, of course." Said Jeremie.
"Listen Jeremie, I've had this feeling for a long time." Said Aelita. "A feeling about my father. It's as if he likes you better."
"Don't think that Aelita, he's just teaching me how to take care of everything in case something happens to him." Said Jeremie, in an attempt to calm Aelita down.
"You don't get it Jeremie!" Said Aelita as she looked at Jeremie with teary eyes. "I feel like I'm being left out!"
"Aelita, I just told you your not being left out! Franz is just explaining everything to me!" Replied Jeremie.
"I'm sorry Jeremie, I just see you two having fun with each other and it reminds me of when I was little."
"It's alright Aelita. You have every right to be angry." Said Jeremie as he sat down next to Aelita.
"Jeremie… I've also been concerned about something else…" Said Aelita.
"Yeah, what is it?" Asked Jeremie.
"When Ulrich saw Yumi die right in front of him, Ulrich seriously got revenge. I was wondering, if I die like that, will you do something rash like that?"
"Why sure, why wouldn't I?"
"See, taht's what I'm concerned about. I know that Ulrich and Yumi will go to great lengths to be with each other, you remember that time Ulrich cheated on the lottery so Yumi didn't have to move, but what I don't know is to what lenghts you would go."
"That's something you never have to worry about, Aelita." Said Jeremie. Jeremie's cell rang. It was Franz.
"Will this ever stop for a second? Xanadu is at it again." Said Franz.
"What's he doing now?" Asked Jeremie.
"Something that's not harmful, but can't be stopped." Said Franz.
"Out with it already!"
"Xanadu is slowly creating a negtave enerygy field around us. This energy will cause anger."
"So Xanadu is trying to split us up?"
"Yes, but this energy is only there when we're near each other, so over the phone, we can settle things. I'm using XANA to help. Warn everyone, I'll warn Aelita."
"I'm with aelita at the moment, so warn Yumi." said Jeremie as he hung up the phone. "Aelita, Xanadu is creating a negative field around us that reacts when the group is with each other, let's call Odd and Ulrich and tell them."
"Why not go to their room?" Asked Aelita.
"Ulrich is attached with Odd, and especially with Yumi, so the effect won't work as well." Said Jeremie.
"Oh, and since we're attached with each other, we're not as effected."
"Exactly." Said Jeremie. Aelita called Odd, and Jeremie called Ulrich. Odd and Ulrich's phones ring at the same time.
"Hello?" They said simutaniously. Jeremie and Aelita explain everything. Odd and Ulrich were shocked. Shortly after Jeremie hung up the phone, Franz called him again.
"Meet at the factory, I already warned Yumi." Said Franz.
"Okay." Said Jeremie as he hung up. "We have to go back to the factory." Said Jeremie. Aelita collapsed to the floor. "AELITA!" Shouted Jeremie.
Chapter 17: True Power, Unleashed.
Aelita was out cold for 5 minutes. Jeremie was carrying her to the Hermitage, and was there by the time Aelita woke up. "Jeremie, I saw something." Said Aelita.
"What was it?" Asked Jeremie.
"It was, a mouth."
"That doesn't explain anything!"
"Jeremie, you can't let the anger get to you."
"Your right, I'm sorry."
"What's the hold up?" Asked Yumi as she ran toward Jeremie and Aelita. "I don't think you even care about what's going on! I mean, look at what the negative energy is doing to me now! Now hurry up to the back!"
"Were Coming! Don't spaz out!" Said Jeremie. The group goes through the sewer, via the door behind the Hermitage. They arrive at the factory's door.
"Okay, the energy gets stronger as we get closer to Xanadu. So don't get mad, even if it means no talking to each other." Said Franz. The group goes to the lair of Xanadu. Aelita blacked out again. This time, she was out for 10 minutes. "Aelita, are you all right?" Asked Franz as he kneeled next to Aelita.
"Yes,but, I saw something. It was a mouth. That was the second time I saw it." Said Aelita.
"It was probably nothing." Said Franz.
"Yes it was, because inside the mouth, was the word, Lyoko."
"Oh yes! I remember now! The shutdown password is in Xanadu, not Lyoko. Lyoko was the password to access it!" Said Franz as he walked over to the computer. "Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi, get up to the scanners."
"Hey, you not my dad!" Said Odd.
"I may not be your father, but right now, he's not here, so I'm in charge, now get up to that scanner now!" Yelled Franz.
"Okay, fine. Let's just get through this so I can be nice again!" Said Odd as he walked up the stairs to the scanners. Franz virtualized them, and entered the code.
"Okay, L Y O K O." Said Franz, as he typed in the code.
"I don't get it,I don't feel angry at all, and the password isn't doing anything." Said Ulrich.
"In Xanadu, the energy isn't there, so your nice there. About the code, just wait. Here, let me virtualize Aelita and William, they will serve as good use." Said Franz, as he virtualized Aelita and William.
"Franz, a vortex is opening, should we step through?" Asked Yumi.
"By all means, but I can't remember what's in there, so I can't warn you of anything except getting de-virtualized in there will kill you, so avoid it." Said Franz. The group steps through the vortex. On the other side, was a huge room. It looked kinda like a cave. Stone pillars hung from the ceiling, and more stone pillars were beneath them on the ground. A river of fire flowed from what looked like an alter. Behind the alter, paced a big, muscular, barrel bellied monster. It held a Staff, and at the top of it, lied a red orb.
"…Woah…" Said Odd.
"HA HA HA HA, so your finally here." Said the monster.
"Can someone send me a visual?" Asked Franz. A Video came up on the screen. "What? I… I didn't create this…"
"Who are you? And where are we?" Asked Aelita.
"You don't know? My voice doesn't sound familiar? After all the time we spent fighting each other, you don't know me? I'm XANA!" Said XANA.
"What? How… I… destroyed you!" Stuttered yumi.
"XANA or not, we'll defeat you like last time!" Said Aelita.
"HA HA, if I was defeated, then why am I here, In Xanadu's mouth?" Asked XANA.
"He does have a point, Aelita." Said William.
"Wait, Xanadu's mouth?" Said Ulrich.
"Yes. Tell you what, all of my power ins in this orb atop my staff. The staff is yours, along with all my power, just come up here and get it! Mwa ha ha ha… No walking the other direction either, if you do, you'll be sorry…
"Okay, no walking back, single file line. This is it, the final showdown!" Said Odd. The group slowly started to move forward, baby steps, then normal steps. Suddenly, a vine comes out of the ground, grabs Yumi, and starts pulling her down.
"Yumi!" Yelled Ulrich as he turned around.
"No Ulrich! Keep going forward! Don't worry about me!" Said Yumi. Ulrich slowly starts walking backwards, still facing Yumi. Another vine comes out of the ground, and grabs Aelita.
"Aelita!" Yelled Franz on the other end of the line. "Jeremie, virtualize me!"
"Okay." Said Jeremie as he stared the process. Franz made it into Xanadu, and goes into the vortex.
"Aelita, hold on!" Said Franz as he set Aelita free from the vines.
"No, I won't allow this!" Yelled XANA as he shot a bolt of lightning at Franz and knocked him back.
"DADDY!" Yelled Aelita as she reached back toward her father.
"Aelita, you know what to do… I love you…" Said Franz as he disappeared. Aelita fell to her knees and started crying. A few seconds later, she quickly turned her head to face XANA, with a very, very angry look on her face. She stood up and started walking toward XANA.
"I'm sick of you XANA!" Yelled Aelita as she flung her arm out toward Yumi, freeing her from the vines. Aelita is still walking toward XANA. "First, you kidnap my father;" She said as she flung her arm out toward XANA and flung him against the wall, still walking toward him. "Second, you take away my human memories, and as a result, binded me to Lyoko;" She said, still holding out her arm, to hold XANA in place, "And now, you KILL my father!" Aelita walked up to XANA, still binding him.
"Spare me, just take my staff and leave me alone!" Begged XANA.
"After what you did, I don't want your staff," Said Aelita as she loosened her fingers and quickly extended them again, creating more pressure. "I can't let you live. THIS ENDS HERE XANA!" XANA turned into pixels, the pixels formed into a ball, and exploded. The orb atop his staff had the words, "Franz Hopper" in it, then the orb disappeared. "Jeremie, you can de-virtualize us now."
"Okay, I'm bringing you back." Said Jeremie.
"Jeremie, enter the code, "Franz Hopper." Said Aelita.
"Okay, F R A N Z H O P P E R." Said Jeremie as he typed the code.
"That's it, the computers shut down. No more XANA, no more Xanadu." Said Yumi.
"Speaking of shutting down, did we ever turn of the super computer again?" Asked Ulrich.
"Aww man, now we have to go turn that off?" Asked Odd.
"Don't worry, this will be easier." Said Ulrich. The group goes up the elevator, across the factory, and down the elevator, into the lab.
"Why are we here?" Asked Aelita.
"To activate Return to the Past. I want to relive the time we spent fighting XANA." Said Jeremie.
"Well, I don't want to forget anything, so let's not erase our DNA from the computer." Said Yumi. Jeremie set the coordinates for the return trip.
"Okay, we'll go back in ten minutes. Let's share with each other what was best about fighting XANA." Said Jeremie.
"I liked the fighting! And we had a reason to cut class!" Said Odd.
"The fact that I died twice." Said Yumi.
"The fact that I was the strongest." Said Ulrich.
"Learning more than any text book could show me." Said Jeremie.
"I will always miss going up the towers, and entering the code: Lyoko." Said Aelita.
"Okay, the jump has started!" Said Jeremie. After the return trip, the group goes back to the factory, and shuts off the super computer. They go throughout their live as normal kids now. William? He asked for a transfer instead of getting kicked out again.