Disclaimer: If I only did have a smidgen of ownership…but I can dream….
I don't have much of a summary for this chapter. It's not that intense but there are a couple of twists and things in it. You'll just have to read it. But, get ready for the next chapter! All I'm going to say is that it's going to be intense!
Code: Lyoko
Mirror, Mirror
Part VI: Defection
Sam brushes one of the red colored strands of her hair behind her ear and gazes at the saddened boy that is walking towards her. She knew something was wrong when he called, despite his apparent happiness. He was terrible at hiding his true feelings, she recalls and smiles softly at his when he sees her. Odd returns the smiles weakly and she senses that something has bothered him personally. He drops his head slightly and she notices that he's not looking directly at her face.
"Odd? Are you ok?" she asks caringly.
Odd pauses briefly and fidgets slightly before replying, "Not really."
Then Sam does something she hasn't done in what seems like ages. She steps close to him and gently wraps her arms around him, pulling him into her hug tightly. Odd looks up in surprise, but then hugs her back. The two separate and look at each other, slightly embarrassed.
"You looked like you needed that," Sam says, brushing the same strand of dyed hair back behind her ear again.
Odd smiles and nods. "You have no idea how much I needed that. Thanks, Sam. I owe you," he replies gratefully.
Sam chuckles slightly and waves the comment off. "Maybe. We'll see. So, what's wrong?" Odd sighs and rubs his eyes. "I… did something bad. So bad that Ulrich and Jeremie had to restrain me," he replies.
Sam looks at him, hardly believing her ears. "What? What did you do?"
Odd turns his head away from her. "I… can't really tell you, but just know that my temper definitely got the better of me."
"Can't or won't tell me? Odd, you know that you can tell me anything," she states crossing her arms. "Tell me, please."
Odd shakes his head. "I can't, not won't. Mainly because you wouldn't believe me." Sam looks at him skeptically. "What did you do? Kidnap the Prime Minister's daughter? Hold up a bank?"
Odd frowns and turns around away from her. "No, nothing like that. I… let someone mess with my mind so much that I just snapped. Please, Sam, I can't tell you anymore than that so please don't pry anymore."
Sam grabs his shoulder and turns him around to look in his eyes. "Do…. you not trust me still?" she asks with a bit of worry in her voice. Odd's face softens and he smiles tenderly then gently touches her cheek with his hand. She freezes for a second but then recovers when he begins to rub her cheek with his thumb.
"No, that's not it. I do trust you, Sam. It's just that this is something that I have to deal with myself," he replies reassuringly. "And, if I tell you, your life could be in danger."
Sam gets a frightened look on her face. "Odd, you're scaring me. What's going on? What are you mixed up in? Please tell me you haven't picked up any of my old habits…"
Odd smiles and gently rests his hands on her shoulders. "No, nothing like that. I will tell you eventually, when this is all over… for good." Sam turns her head slightly. "When what is over? You're not making much sense, even more than usual."
He chuckles and slides his hands up to the cheeks. "I promise to tell you when it is over. I'll tell you everything. Everything from where I go when one of my friends calls me to what happened today. Just, be patient, ok?"
She frowns slightly in disappointment, but she sees the sincerity in his eyes. "Ok, Odd. Anything you say. But I will hold you to your promise, so don't even try to weasel out of it!" Odd gives her a big smile and replies, "I won't dream of weaseling out of it! I know you too well!" Sam gives him a commanding smile at this and places her hands on his sides. The two pause and stare into each other's eyes.
"Um, Sam?"
"Yes, Odd?"
"Are we….you know?"
"Uh, well…"
"I… promise to be more considerate this time around…"
"I don't know, Odd. It's tempting, but I don't know if I'm ready yet. No offense," Sam states dropping her hands and stepping backwards away from him. "And please don't think I'm leading you on right now, because I'm not. I saw that a good friend needed some help."
Odd smiles at her and nods. "Hey, don't sweat it. I understand. But I just want you to know that when you are ready…. I will be better. Promise."
Sam sighs and returns the smile. "Say, why don't you go and talk to Ulrich and try to straighten things out there? Then you can come by my place and we can work on that music vid."
Odd pauses for a second and then his smile grows. "Sure. I'll give you a call when I'm done." He turns and starts to leave but stops himself. "Oh, Sam?"
"Yes, Odd? What is it?"
"Thanks for being a friend. I owe you, big time! See ya later!" he says cheerily and waves. She waves back at him and Odd takes off. Sam sighs to herself and wonders how life with him again would be. She glances at her watch and realizes that she's going to be late returning the books she checked out of the library.
The HermitageYumi and Ulrich watch helplessly as Atilea spasms again. "MOMMY! WHERE ARE YOU, MOMMY!" Atilea screams again. Then, she partially regains control. "Yumi….! My….head! Hurts! Help…." Atilea screams with pain and clutches her head as best as she can with her wrists tied in the rope.
Yumi kneels down to her and tries to sit her up. "Ulrich, we've got to get her out of here!"
Ulrich snaps back to reality and kneels down on the opposite side of Atilea. "It would be easier if her hands were free."
Yumi glances at him. "Ulrich, I don't know…." A yelp of pain from Atilea cuts her off. "…but you are right." Yumi gently holds Atilea's wrist and opens the tessen fan. She grits her teeth as she tries to cut the rope without slicing Atilea's wrists, but Atilea's almost constant jerking makes it difficult to do. Yumi finally manages to free her and she and Ulrich each take and arm to wrap around their necks. Then, they gently lift her off the floor and start towards the door.
"Geez, she's heavy…" states Ulrich as he reaches for the door knob.
"I…. heard…. that!" says Atilea gently slapping his shoulder. Yumi shakes her head. "You should know better than to say anything about a girl's weight!" she reprimands playfully once they exit the Hermitage. Ulrich blushes and smiles guiltily. "Sorry," he states to Atilea quietly.
The two carry Atilea to the yard and gently lays her down in the grass. She runs her hands to the top of her head and closes her eyes. Tear tracks are visible on her soft cheeks that are slightly red from her crying. She sniffs and wipes her eyes with one hand, then opens her eyes to look at the couple beside her. She begins to tremble and Yumi hesitantly rubs her back gently.
Ulrich swallows nervously. "What….happened?" "Yeah, you were calling out to 'mommy'," Yumi chimes in.
Atilea leans gently into Yumi and looks at him. She starts to say something, but stops. "I… don't want to say anything about the memories unless Aelita says it is ok to. Please, understand this. They are hers, after all," Atilea says after a brief pause.
Ulrich nods in understanding and begins to wonder what memories Aelita is hiding that could cause so much pain. Or was it pain just to Atilea because she doesn't truly have a mother? Whatever it was, it seemed to have subsided when they bought Atilea outside.
Then a memory flashes gently in Atilea's mind and she closes her eyes. Ulrich and Yumi notice her jerk slightly and brace themselves for another possible memory-attack, but Atilea just tilts her head slightly toward Ulrich and a questionable look appears on her face. Finally, she opens her eyes and looks up to the second story of the Hermitage. Ulrich and Yumi follow her gaze and wonders what is up there that has caught Atilea's attention.
"There's something up there, on the second floor. Something that belongs to Aelita. Something precious to her, but she may have forgotten that it is up there," Atilea says almost dreamily. Yumi side glances at her and asks, "What is it?" Atilea blinks, trying to make sense of the memory.
"I'm not sure. The memory is only a fragment, but I have a strong sensation that it is something valuable to her. Could you get it for her, Yumi? I'll tell you where it is. And, honestly, I don't want to go back in there. Those memories may come back and make my head hurt again," she replies giving Yumi a worried look.
Yumi glances over to Ulrich and he shrugs, not knowing what to say. Yumi ponders the request for a moment and finally agrees.
Atilea smiles at her gratefully and gives her a gentle hug that causes Yumi to freeze in uncertainty. "Thank you, Yumi! I appreciate it!" she says thankfully.
"Oooo-kay… Um, what is it that you want me to get?" Yumi asks unsure of how to react to her sudden friendliness. Atilea leans away from her and points to the second window on the second floor. "There, in that room, is a small, silver and pink metal box stuffed in the back of a closet. That's what I'd like for you to get for Aelita. There should be a key for the lock on the box also, but it's in a dresser drawer somewhere in the room. Hopefully, it's still in the same place as it is in the memory."
Yumi nods and stands, brushing the grass off her behind and the back of her legs. Ulrich smiles to himself as he watches his girlfriend lean over and tie her boot string. He finds his eyes wandering over her body and shakes his head slightly to clear it. "Yumi, be careful. We don't know what kind of condition the upper floors are in. You could fall through the floor and get hurt!" he cautions.
His girlfriend looks over to him and sees the look of concern on his face. She smiles softly and leans up, motioning him to come to her. He stands and steps over to her. "I will, Ulrich. Don't worry so much about me," Yumi says reassuringly. Ulrich gently places his hands on her waist and smiles at her. "I know, but I can't help it. It's just that if anything happened to you…." he says trailing off. Yumi kisses his lips and brushes a strand of his hair out of his eyes. "I will be careful. Promise. Just be careful out here, ok?" she says caringly. He nods in agreement and the couple kisses once more, then Yumi heads back into the Hermitage.
"Oh, wait, Yumi!" pipes up Atilea. Yumi turns back around to her just as she is about to enter the old house. "Yes?" Atilea fidgets slightly. "Don't open the box when you find it, ok? It means a lot to Aelita and I'd feel terrible if something very private and personal to her were violated….um, even more than it already has been. You know, since we twins were created and everything. Just promise me that you won't open it. I want Aelita to be the one to open it and to decide to share it." Yumi blinks and nods slowly, then turns and enters the building.
Ulrich watches as the door closes behind Yumi and then turns to look at Atilea. "How are you feeling?" he asks after a brief pause. She looks up at him and smiles slightly. "Better. The sharp pains have stopped but my head still throbs a little." He walks back over next to her and sits down, crossing his legs Indian-style. She looks at him, nervously.
"Ulrich?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"This. Taking me up here to see all this wonderful stuff."
He looks at her slightly dubious and sees her eyes begin to well up with tears again.
"Thank you, Ulrich, for being so honest with me."
"Um, you're….welcome."
She scoots closer to him and gently leans against his shoulder. Ulrich grows wide-eyed and is unsure how to respond.
"You may not believe me when I say this, but I consider you a friend, despite the fact that we are supposed to be enemies. You've done a lot for Aelita in the past and I know how much she values your friendship," Atilea says and gives him a slight hug with one arm, causing him to freeze.
"Yumi is one lucky woman to have you as a boyfriend," she continues, dropping her arm from his back at the same time she runs her hand across his back. Ulrich blushes and nods. "I'm lucky to have her. I don't know how many times we nearly lost each other to someone else."
Atilea smiles at him, a look of longing in her eyes. She turns away, just as a tear escapes her eye. A long pause takes place and Atilea scoots away from him and turns her attention to a dandelion blossom nearby. She leans over and picks the small, yellow flower and holds it up in front of her, admiring its beauty, with an almost child-like manner.
"This is a… dandelion, right?" she asks without looking away from the flower.
"Yeah, it is," Ulrich replies watching her gently rotate the blossom between her thumb and forefinger.
"This was Aelita's favorite flower when she was four years old," Atilea states as gentle memories begin to form in her mind.
"Well, it's not really a flower. It's more of a weed…." Ulrich says and Atilea glances at him then rolls her eyes at him.
"Usually it's Jeremie that ruins something so heartfelt with science, not you. At least that's what I gather from Aelita's memories," she replies. "Anyways, she used to gather a handful for her mother almost everyday. She was so….happy then. So innocent. But then…." She stops and her expression changes from fondness to sadness. Ulrich looks at her and sees her hide her face as tears begin to flow once more.
"Atilea…?" he starts hesitantly. He hears her sniff and sees her wipe her eyes.
"She has all these wonderful memories and what do I have?" she asks, suddenly turning to him with a look of self-disgust on her face. "Nothing! I have nothing! All I am is a copy of the real thing, just as Jeremie said! I have no parents, no home to go to, no real friends that truly care for me like you do! I…" Tears interrupt her and she puts her knees to her chest then puts her head down on them as she wraps her arms around her knees.
Ulrich sits next to her, not sure what to do. Then, he gently touches her shoulder. He hears her sob and she buries her head deeper in her legs. "I…don't know what to say that will make you feel any better, but I'm beginning to believe that you really do feel other emotions besides hatred and anger," he says weakly.
Atilea lifts her head slightly and peers at him hopefully. "Really?"
He shrugs and replies, "Yeah. Sure."
She reaches over to him and wraps her arms around him, giving him a massive hug and nearly causing the two to fall over on each other. She buries her head in his neck and he feels her warm tears fall on his neck.
"Thank you, Ulrich! You don't know how much that means to me!" he hears her say appreciatively. "I don't think any of your other friends would have given me a chance."
She pulls away from him and gives him a huge smile and straightens his shirt collar. He regards her curiously as she once again looks at the dandelion admiringly. Then, she lifts her eyes to look at a slightly stunned Ulrich and smiles slightly flirtatious. Ulrich notices this and raises a concerned eyebrow. She reaches out and takes a hold of the button up shirt worn over his t-shirt, then takes the dandelion and sticks it in the top button hole. He looks down as she gently smoothes his shirt out again. She then gently pats his chest and smiles at him happily. "There. I want you to have it, Ulrich, as a symbol of our… sorta new friendship," she says and turns to look for another dandelion.
Ulrich looks down at the dandelion and blinks in a stunned awe, not sure if what happened was real or something fake. "Um, thanks…" he says finally, looking up to see her pick another dandelion and stick it in her hair, just above her right ear. "You're welcome!" she replies cheerily and hugs her knees, then lays her head on them, her head turned to look at him. The huge smile remains and she closes her eyes as an aura of peace settles on her face, giving her an almost angelic look.
He sighs and turns to look at the Hermitage door, wondering where Yumi is. "What's taking her so long?" he wonders out loud. Atilea lifts her head and looks at the door also. "Yeah, she should have been back by now."
Just then, a loud crash resounds from inside the Hermitage, causing Ulrich to instantly leap up from the ground and run to the Hermitage door. He flings the door open, nearly hitting Atilea in the face, who is following close behind him.
"YUMI!" Ulrich yells as he steps inside. The room is filled with dust and debris, making visibility almost non-existent.
Suddenly, he hears coughing coming from his right side. "Ulrich?" comes a familiar voice. "Yumi! Are you alright?" he asks in the general direction as he waves his hand through the air, trying to clear it, but with little success.
Yumi coughs a couple more times and stumbles toward him. As she comes within his range of vision, a wave of relief washes over Ulrich. He jogs to her and the two hug each other. Atilea steps up and hugs the two of them at the same time, happy to see Yumi safe. Yumi looks at her astonished and her jaw drops open. "Ulrich, what's gotten into her?" Yumi asks. Ulrich smiles at her and shrugs. "Ask her yourself. She'd be able to explain it better than me," he replies simply. "But first, are you alright?" Yumi glances at him and nods. "Yeah, part of the second floor fell in after I had already gotten down here," she replies. The trio separate and the air in the room begins to clear. Ulrich sees a pile of rotten boards on the other side of the room and a gaping hole in the ceiling. "Wow, termites," he says walking over to the pile and picking up a chunk of the wood, watching the tiny white insects scurry around on it. "Well, an old, abandoned house like this is an all you can eat buffet to them," Yumi states walking over to him. Atilea steps up behind Yumi and peers over her shoulder at the wood Ulrich is holding up. "Eeewww! Put that down! They're gross!" she exclaims shivering in disgust towards the blind insects.
Ulrich and Yumi turn to her and give her a surprised look. "What? They're just… um, eating the wood," Ulrich replies and holds out the wood toward Atilea. She looks at it and sees that a few of the tiny creatures have crawled onto his hand. She squeals in disgust, runs to the doorway, and hides behind it, peering around the door. Ulrich tries to suppress his laughter but fails. He sets the wood back down and gently brushes the insects off his hand. Yumi gives him a quizzical look and says, "I hope you've had your fill of fun with bugs today." He turns to her and smiles. "Yeah, I guess so." Atilea frowns at him as the two walk towards the door. "That was not funny, Ulrich! Bugs are gross!" she scolds. "Yumi, would you hit him for me, please?"
Yumi can't help but giggle. Ulrich stops and gives Yumi an innocent look. She smiles deviously and slugs his shoulder with her fist. "Ow…!" he winces, running his shoulder. The two girls laugh as the trio walks back out into the yard of the Hermitage. Yumi then turns to Atilea and hands her a pink box. "Is this the box?" she asks. Atilea glances at it and smiles. "Yes, it is! Did you find the key?" Yumi reaches into her pocket and pulls out a pink key. Atilea takes the key from Yumi and slides it into the lock to test it. She turns it slightly, feeling it activate the lock barrels inside easily. "This is the key. Thanks, Yumi!" Atilea says taking the key out of the lock and gives her a hug. Yumi is taken slightly aback by the hug and is not sure what caused this sudden change in Atilea's behavior.
Atilea tucks the box under her arm and then looks at the key, trying to decide where to put it. She tries to put it down her shirt but it falls through a couple of seconds later. Ulrich blushes and turns away as Atilea bends down to pick up the key, accidentally seeing the reason why the key fell through her shirt. Yumi sees him blushing and sees an opportunity to tease him. "What's the matter, Ulrich? Why are you blushing?" she asks him, nudging him in the ribs with her elbow. He turns to look at her and starts to reply, but his words die in his throat. Atilea tucks the key in her skirt and looks at the couple curiously, unaware of Ulrich's embarrassment. "I didn't mean to…look! It just…was there in my line of sight! It was an accident!" he exclaims defensively. Yumi giggles at him. "I know it was an accident, Ulrich! That's why I'm only teasing you and not smacking you upside the head with my boot!" Yumi replies smiling devilishly.
"See what, Ulrich?" Atilea asks genuinely innocent of what happened. Ulrich shoots her a very embarrassed look and stammers, "I, uh, n--nothing!" He turns and walks out the gate to the yard quickly. Atilea gives him a curious look and then turns to a giggling Yumi. "What? What did I miss?" she asks. Yumi shakes her head and replies, "Oh, just Ulrich embarrassing himself." Atilea tilts her head, not seeing the reason why Ulrich is embarrassed. "How? What did he see?" she asks Yumi innocently. Yumi realizes that Atilea doesn't know that she caused Ulrich's embarrassment when she leant over in front of him to pick up the key. "Oh, I'll tell you later!" Yumi replies smiling in Ulrich's direction.
Atilea looks at her skeptically and then shakes her head, dismissing the subject for now. "Well, before we go, I want to get something first," she says glancing around the yard. Yumi watches her curiously and asks, "What is it? Maybe I could help." Then a devious twinkle appears in her eye. "Maybe I can get Ulrich to help you!" she finishes, sending him a teasing look that causes him to blush and frown at her. Atilea glances at Yumi and states, "I wish you would tell me what he saw." Then Atilea spots a cluster of dandelions and smiles happily as she jogs over to them. Yumi watches her pick several of the little yellow flowers and walk back to them smiling cheerfully, carefully holding her prize.
"Dandelions?", Yumi asks curiously as Atilea gently brushes away a stray grass blade from one of the blossoms. Atilea looks up at her with a very child-like expression and hands her one of the flowers. "For you, Yumi. As a small token of my friendship towards you."
Yumi is taken aback by this and glances over to Ulrich and sees him nod slightly, indicating that it is alright. Then, Yumi sees that he has a dandelion stuck in one of his button holes of his shirt. Yumi turns and looks at the dandelion, then up to Atilea's face. She sees a genuine feeling of care and love in her now bright and happy face. She smiles slightly and takes the flower from her and sees that Atilea has one in her hair over her ear.
"Thank you…" Yumi says softly and regards the dandelion with admiration. "I see you gave Ulrich one, too…"
Atilea nods and smiles at him. "Yeah. He was the one that really made the most difference in my life. You're very lucky to have him, Yumi. Don't ever let him go. You mean a lot to him." Yumi looks at her astonished, unable to respond. Atilea glances at Yumi and smiles. "Hey, why don't you put your dandelion in your hair like mine? It'd look great!" she says suddenly changing the subject.
Yumi looks at her dandelion and shrugs slightly. "I, uh, well, maybe…." Atilea smiles reassuringly at her. "Yeah! Go ahead! The yellow will stand out more against your ebony hair," she says holding one of the other dandelions up to Yumi's ear. "Don't you agree, Ulrich?" Ulrich glances over at Yumi and sees Yumi blushing slightly. He smiles and replies, "Yeah, it looks great on you, Yumi."
Yumi sighs and gives in to the pressure. "Fine. I'll try it. But if I don't like it, the dandelion is coming out!" she states firmly and slides the flower behind her left ear. Ulrich smiles at her, admiring his girlfriend's beauty. The flower stands out against her ebony hair but enhances her natural beauty, at least he thinks so. He walks up to her and slides an arm around her waist. "You look beautiful, Yumi," he whispers to her and gives her a kiss on the cheek. Yumi smiles and blushes, then returns the kiss. "Thank you, Sweetie, but that doesn't get you out of being teased!"
Ulrich's smile disappears and is replaced with annoyance. Atilea frowns, still bothered about not knowing what embarrassed Ulrich. "That is not why I told you were beautiful. I meant it as a heartfelt compliment. Thanks for throwing it back in my face.", he states blandly.
Yumi sighs and rolls her eyes at him. "Now you're being ridiculous, Ulrich. I know how you meant it. I was just teasing you. I swear, sometimes you take things too literally." Atilea shuffles uncomfortably and wishes there were a way she could be somewhere else instead of in the middle of a lover's quarrel. "Um, yeah, everybody's happy, right? Can we go now?" she asks uncertainly, trying not to add to the uncomfortable atmosphere.
Yumi and Ulrich realize she has been standing next to them the whole time and blushes. Both mouth "sorry" to her and Yumi turns to exit the gate. The trio walks a little ways down the path in silence. Atilea sighs loudly, finding the uneasy silence disconcerting.
"Where are we going?" she asks finally. Ulrich glances back at her and smiles. "You'll see. Just be patient, ok?" he replies. Atilea looks at Yumi for a better answer but only receives a suppressed smile, giving Atilea the suspicion that she knows where they are going, but is not entirely convinced it is the best place to go.
A little ways on, they exit the forest and come out into a clearing on top of a ledge overlooking the city. Atilea's jaw drops as the wondrous and scenic view unfolds before her. She steps past Yumi and Ulrich, almost to the edge of the high ledge and stares in awe at the panoramic view. Her eyes pan from one side to the other and back again, each time seeing something new.
"Oh, wow!" she says awestruck.
"I thought you'd like it," remarks Ulrich smiling.
Atilea just nods slowly, unable to reply.
Yumi steps closer to Ulrich and says, "This is where Ulrich and I finally made it official that we were a couple." She leans over to Ulrich and asks, "Why did you bring her here?" He looks at her and replies, "Mainly for the awesome view. I wanted to show her something that wouldn't leave her memory. Something that would stick in her mind. Nothing more, Yumi. This place means more to us than being just a pretty place to have a picnic. This is the place that I declared my love for you, Yumi."
Atilea, by now has heard the two talking and has turned around, listening in on their conversation. Ulrich takes Yumi's hands in his own and stares affectionately into her eyes. "That is something no one can take away from us, no matter who sees it besides us.", Ulrich continues. Yumi's face softens at his words and smiles affectionately back at him.
"Oh, Ulrich, you're so romantic!" says Atilea sweetly. "Yumi's heart must melt every time you talk like that!"
The couple turns their heads to look at her, blushing deeply. "Go on, don't mind me. I'm just gonna go over there and sit on that rock, so you two can have some quality time together," Atilea continues, motioning towards a boulder a few feet away. "I won't look, I promise!" she says teasingly.
Yumi starts to turn her offer down but stops when she sees Atilea walk over to the boulder, climb up on it, and make herself comfortable. Atilea gently sits the pink box down next to her and begins to take in the view once more. A gentle breeze blows by, causing her hair to rustle slightly. Atilea smiles peacefully and closes her eyes to allow her other senses to fully capture the wonder of the scene.
Yumi feels Ulrich slide his hands from her hands, up her forearms, and onto her waist. She turns to gaze into his brown eyes and lets him pull her into his arms fully. She snakes her arms around his sides and up his back. Then, the two lock in a deep, passionate kiss that lasts for what seems like an eternity.
Suddenly, Yumi's cell phone breaks the silence of the passionate kiss and startles the couple. They separate instantly and Yumi fumbles around to get her phone.
"Hello?" Yumi answers. "What? I—I can't hear you! Jeremie? You're breaking up! Look, I'm gonna have to go and get somewhere with better reception! Hold on!"
Ulrich raises an eyebrow as a look of disappointment forms on Yumi's face, followed by a look of frustration with her cell phone. "I really need to get a new phone! This one sucks!" she states in mild anger. She looks at Ulrich and says, "Hey, I'll be back in a minute. I'm going back down the path a ways. Hopefully the signal will clear up enough." Ulrich nods and she leans into him and the two kiss quickly.
Atilea watches Yumi take off back the way they came and enter the forest, out of sight. Ulrich walks casually over to her and smiles at her. "What do you think?" he asks her, indicating scenic overlook. Atilea turns and glances out across the landscape once more, then turns back to Ulrich. "I love it. It's so beautiful. I now fully realize why you fight so hard to protect this place from X.A.N.A. Thanks for showing me this, Ulrich. I owe you," she replies, sliding down to the ground from where she sat.
Atilea steps next to him and leans her head on his shoulder. He gives her a disproving look and she instantly lifts her head and blushes. "Sorry, Ulrich. I didn't mean anything by that…." she starts remorsefully. Ulrich nods slightly, accepting her apology and squats down. He begins to draw in the dirt with a stick and Atilea picks up the pink box, then checks to make sure the key is still in her skirt.
"Ulrich?"
"Yes, Atilea?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Uh, sure, I guess."
Atilea kneels down next to him and he turns his head to look at her. "Um, I just want to know, at the Hermitage, what did you see that embarrassed you? You can tell me. I mean, who am I gonna tell?"
Ulrich grows wide-eyed and blushes deeply. "I, uh, well, can't tell you… it's too embarrassing. All I have to say is that I'm sorry I…saw…" He trails off, realizing that he's about to tell. Atilea gives him a frustrated and worried frown. "Did I do something wrong or do something to make you not trust me?" she asks. Ulrich quickly shakes his head. "No, no! That's not it at all! I'm just not comfortable telling you,"
Atilea gives him a slight flirtatious smile. "What can I do to make you comfortable, Ulrich?" "Nothing! Look, could we change the subject, please?" he replies quickly. Atilea frowns in disappointment and reluctantly agrees.
Meanwhile, a little ways down the path, Yumi finally finds a spot where her cell phone gets a better signal. Jeremie was indeed on the other end and both are relieved to be able to get a good, clear signal. "I said, where are you guys? I'm ready and you were supposed to be back a while ago! What's going on?" he asks.
"Ulrich had a different place in mind to take Atilea. Sorry, I didn't realize it would take this long. Besides, Atilea was, well, enjoying herself," Yumi replies.
Jeremie looks confused and cocks his head slightly, wondering if he really heard her correctly. "Did you just say that Atilea was enjoying herself?"
"Yes, I did. She's been really… um, happy. But there is more. She had an attack of some sort when she entered the Hermitage for the first time…." Yumi starts but Jeremie interrupts her. "You took her to the Hermitage! Are you crazy!"
Yumi frowns and replies firmly, "I couldn't really help it. That is where the stairs we took to get out of the sewers led us. Don't worry, everything went fine. Mostly."
"Mostly? What do you mean, mostly?"
"Well, part of the second story floor fell down…."
"You put a hole in the second story floor! What were you doing? Giving a guided tour?"
"No, Jeremie. Look, just relax, ok? We were only in there for a short time. I had to go upstairs for….something…I'll tell you later when we get back. Look, my battery is running low and my phone could go out any second. I promise to tell you everything when we get back."
"Well, hurry up. The other two twins are getting suspicious and I don't know how much longer I can stall them"
"Ok, ok. I'll go get Ulrich and Atilea and then we'll be on our way back."
"Wait, you left Ulrich alone with Atilea! Aren't you worried…"
"No, Jeremie, I'm not worried. I'll see you later. Bye!" Yumi finishes sternly and hangs up on him. "Sheesh. He's almost as paranoid as Ulrich sometimes…"
At the ledge, Ulrich balances the stick that he drew in the dirt with on his index finger. Atilea watches him curiously and notices that he is balancing it on its end, despite the relative shortness of the stick. "So, H'cirlu really did gain his sense of balance from you, and not from some addition X.A.N.A. made to him," she says to him. He lets the stick tip over, but catches it in his hand before it has time to fall to the ground.
"I guess so. This is off-topic, but I have to know something. I know that you and Imuy have the memories that Yumi and Aelita has, but what about the other two, Dod and H'cirlu? Do they also have copies of our memories as well?" he asks.
Atilea stands and brushes the grass off her skirt. She looks at him sadly. "Yes, they do. And a word of warning. They will try to use those memories against you. They'll most likely use personal and the most deeply hidden things." Yumi returns and begins listening in to their conversation. Atilea notices she is back, but continues. "I'm certain that the memories I have been experiencing were really meant to be used against Aelita, especially the ones that caused my, um, severe headache earlier."
"Severe headache? That's an understatement!" remarks Yumi, mildly startling Ulrich who didn't realize she was behind him. Atilea shrugs modestly and replies, "Well, yeah, but I was trying to make a point." Ulrich fiddles with the stick and turns to Yumi. "What did Jeremie want?"
Yumi frowns and replies, "He was wondering where we've been. Apparently, he's ready and wants us back at the factory as soon as we can get there."
A wave of sadness overtakes Atilea and she hangs her head. She's been dreading this moment ever since she exited the cellar door back at the Hermitage and saw the real world for the first time. She sighs sadly and walks between her two escorts towards the path back to the factory. "Well, let's not keep him waiting. I'm ready to go," Atilea says depressively. Yumi and Ulrich pause before turning to follow her.
Suddenly, Atilea stops and turns to look at Yumi and Ulrich resolutely. "Before we go, I want to do something." Yumi and Ulrich watch her expectantly, but aren't sure what to expect. She gets a determined smile on her face and continues, "Ulrich, you said that this spot is where you declared your love for Yumi to her. Well, I'm gonna declare something here, too, if you don't mind."
Ulrich shrugs and glances at Yumi, who is looking nervous at Atilea. "From this moment on, I declare that I am no longer going to do the bidding of X.A.N.A. With you two as my witnesses, I declare that I am going to, from this point on, take control of my own destiny! I am not going to let X.A.N.A. dictate what I do, where I go, or what I believe! I make my own choices now! And I solemnly choose to defend this world and all the beauty that is in it!" Atilea exclaims boldly. Ulrich smiles at her proudly and Yumi shakes her head, not sure if what she just heard was real or her imagination. "And furthermore, I don't care about the consequences of my decision or what X.A.N.A. might or will do to me. This place is worth fighting for," she finishes and lets of a sigh of relief.
Ulrich slowly begins clapping and Yumi hesitates before joining him. "That was great, Atilea! I'm glad you made that decision! Good for you!" Ulrich praises and places his hand on her shoulder. She smiles and blushes. "Thanks. Now, let's go back to the factory! Einstein is waiting and I'm sure you know that he's not the most patient person in the world," Atilea replies.
"Einstein?" Yumi asks softly.
"What? I know his nickname, Yumi. Remember, I have Aelita's memories. That certainly was part of them. Odd called him that every time he had a chance!"
Yumi shrugs, knowing she was right. "Alright, less talk, more walk," she says pointing towards the pathway leading back into the forest. The trio then turns and walks down the path.
Jeremie taps impatiently on the armrest of his chair and frowns. "Where are they? I called five minutes ago! They should have been here by now!" Aelita gives him an annoyed frown. "Jeremie, it takes about five minutes to get from the Hermitage's cellar to the factory bridge. I'm sure they'll be here any moment. I thought for sure I taught you little bit of patience, but I guess not!", she says sternly. Odd chuckles at him and catches a disproving glance from Jeremie. Imuy shifts uncomfortably on the floor but still can't help but chuckle at Jeremie's impatience. "I guess you guys are that impatient to die!" she states hatefully, but her statement doesn't have the affect she hoped for because the three doesn't respond at all.
"Oh, the silent treatment, I see. Well, that won't stop me from talking! I've been wondering, why did you come back, Odd? Was it because you didn't have your fill of beating up someone that is tied up and unable to defend themselves?" Imuy taunts. Odd bites his lower lip, but refuses to respond to her jibes.
Then, the maintenance door opens and Atilea, Yumi, and Ulrich enter the room. Jeremie looks up at them exasperated. "It's about time! Where all did you go? Egypt?" he exclaims.
"Um, no. But did go see the Coliseum in Rome!" Ulrich replies sarcastically. Jeremie gives him an annoyed frown. "Whatever. Look, I ready to send them back." Atilea shuffles to the center of the room nervously and gives everyone a nervous smile. Jeremie watches her confusedly and then notices that her hands are free. "Um, Ulrich, Yumi, why is her hands free?" Jeremie asks, equally nervous.
Ulrich walks over to him and gently pats his shoulder. "Relax, Jeremie. Just listen to what she has to say," Ulrich reassures him then nods to Atilea. She exhales nervously and glances around the room, then takes a deep breath and begins to speak.
"I have some things to share with all of you. First of all, I'd like to thank Ulrich and Yumi for being great escorts while I visited the real world. I really enjoyed myself and I'll never forget it. I especially want to thank Ulrich for being a true friend to me. I don't think I could have held onto my sanity if it weren't for you. I'd like to thank Aelita for convincing Jeremie to even let me go out there and experience the wonder and beauty of this world. Heh, I also thank Jeremie for being obedient to Aelita! We all know how he's such a rebel and likes to do things his own way!" Atilea giggles and is joined by Aelita and Ulrich. Jeremie frowns at them and crosses his arms. "That's not funny. And I don't have to have it MY way," he states sourly.
Atilea continues after Aelita gives him a gentle hug. "Um, I'd like to also thank Yumi for also giving me the chance to see the world you defend so avidly. Without her agreeing to escort me out there, I would not have had the chance to go. Also, for risking her neck for me, and I'll get more on that later." She pauses as she comes to Odd. She looks at him sadly and wishes she had more to say about him. "Um, Odd, I'd like to thank you for… uh, not eating all the pizza in one sitting," Atilea says weakly. "I wish I had something better than that to say, but that's all I have, I'm sorry. I know you're a good guy, based on Aelita's memories, and a very dedicated fighter. I hope that you do not lose that strong sense of loyalty. Oh, and you have a goofy sense of humor. One that really takes some getting used to. Don't lose that. It'll help you dramatically throughout your life." Odd raises his eyebrows at her statements.
"Yeah, I'm glad Odd didn't eat all the pizza either!" pipes up Ulrich. Odd gives him a speculative look. "What are you talking about? You didn't even have any pizza!" he says to Ulrich. Ulrich nods and replies, "I know, but I'm hungry now and I see that there are a coupe of slices left." "They're cold, though," informs Aelita. Ulrich shrugs and walks over to the box and picks up a slice. "So? Cold pizza's still good!" he replies before taking a bite. Yumi frowns at him and states, "I think you've been rooming with Odd too long. You're beginning to pick up his eating habits. First, eating cold pizza, then the next thing you know, he's stealing food off someone else's plate!" Ulrich swallows his bite and replies, "No, I'll never get that bad. Odd holds the patent on that habit!" Odd gives him a thumbs up and a huge smile. "Well, he'd better not try to steal anything off my plate or he'll end up with a fork in the back of his hand!" Yumi responds with playful harshness. Ulrich chuckles and walks back over next to Yumi, chewing another bite.
Atilea giggles at their conversation before moving on in her speech. "Anyways, if you are through talking about food and eating habits, I'll move on. I have something to give to each of you. Ulrich and Yumi already got theirs and I've already expressed my feelings to them." She holds up her hand, revealing the dandelions she had picked earlier. The three look at her and the flowers in confusion, unable to fully understand what she intents.
"Before I hand these out, I want to explain what they mean or represent. They are a small symbol and token of my friendship and feelings of gratefulness toward you. I gave Ulrich his because he was the one that influenced me the most and caused me to see life in a whole new way. I gave Yumi hers because I know I can trust her to keep me honest and in line. I figure if she can handle keeping Ulrich in line, why not me?" Her last line joke causes Aelita and Yumi to laugh as Ulrich blushes and turns to hide his face from the group. "Thanks, Atilea. It's not like I haven't been teased enough for one day," he says in playful annoyance. Atilea smiles proudly and giggles. Yumi elbows him playfully in the ribs and gives him a commanding smile. "Ooh, looks like Ulrich pick up the 'Mr. Hen-Pecked of the Year' award today!" Odd jokes. "Ha, ha, ha. Very funny. I'm going to enjoy it when it's your turn!" Ulrich retorts.
Atilea chuckles and sighs to herself in relief. It felt good to see them laughing and enjoying each other's company again. She smiles and picks out one of the dandelions, then walks over to Jeremie. Jeremie shifts uneasily and nervously as she nears. She stops short of him and holds out the flower to him. He stares in shock at the flower, unsure of what to do. "Jeremie, I want to give this to you because I know that, because of you, none of this would have ever happened. If you hadn't discovered the factory, figured out what it was for, and helped Aelita escape from her prison of memory-loss and seclusion, none of the people you see here today would probably have never met, especially you and Aelita. I know, from her memories, she filled a void in your life you thought would never be filled. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at her. For you, Jeremie, a small, seemingly insignificant dandelion that represents a whole lot more than you realize."
Atilea patiently holds the dandelion out to him, waiting for him to take it. Jeremie eyes her and the flower cautiously. He glances over to Ulrich and Yumi, both of whom nod at him reassuringly. Jeremie reluctantly reaches out and take the yellow flower, regarding it curiously and cautiously. Atilea gives him a cheerful smile and steps back away from him. She picks out another dandelion and hesitantly walks to Odd. Odd watches her intently, not trusting her words or actions.
"Um, Odd, I know you are going to be the hardest one to gain any trust with, so if you refuse my flower, I'll understand. But, I'd really like for you to take it. I want to apologize to you personally for all the pain you suffered from X.A.N.A. and we the twins, despite knowing the others would never agree with me and what I'm doing. In fact, I can see the disdain and anger in Imuy's face right now, but I'm choosing to ignore her and do what I know is right. Honestly, right now, I could care less about what she's thinks about me. All I care about is my new friends." Atilea cautiously holds out the dandelion to him. "Also, please don't take it and try to eat it. It's not food. You could get sick," she jokes weakly, trying not to offend him while still trying to emote laughter from him, or at the least, a smile. Odd stares at the flower and then up to Atilea's face. He sees a different look in her eyes and notices a big change in her disposition. "Well, I can tell you've changed, though I'm not sure what I see is real or fake. But, I've have learned a lesson or two today also," he states and reaches for the flower. A twinkle of glee flashes in her eyes and a smile of relief and happiness forms on her lips as he takes the dandelion from her. "I've learned that a person should be given a second chance. And a third, and hopefully a fourth," he continues as he looks over to Ulrich, remembering how he restrained him earlier. Ulrich nods and gives his friend a solidifying smile.
Atilea takes the last flower and turns to look at Aelita. "I saved you for last, Aelita, on purpose because I have more than one thing to give you," she states, sneaking the key for the pink box under her arm out of her skirt. "Hey, how come I didn't get more than one thing?" Ulrich kids. Atilea rolls her eyes and replies, "What do you want? Another dandelion?" Atilea replies sarcastically. "Or—I can give you the gift of Yumi telling everyone here the reason why you got embarrassed so bad earlier, and come to think of it, I'd still like to know what you saw to get embarrassed in the first place!" Ulrich instantly gets wide-eyed and shakes his head vigorously "no". Yumi smiles at Ulrich as she ponders Atilea's idea. "All you have to do is ask for it, Atilea, and I'll tell you, right here, right now!", Yumi states defiantly. "No! That's ok! I'm fine with what I got! Really! I don't need anything more!" he exclaims backing away from the group.
Atilea gives him a controlling smile and turns back to a giggling Aelita. She stops giggling as her eye catches the glint of the pink box under Atilea's arm. Aelita looks up at Atilea's face and sees a deep compassion and warmth. Atilea pulls out the pink box and sets the dandelion on the lid carefully.
"Aelita, I… you…" She gets choked up as tears threaten to well up. Atilea regains part of her composure and continues. "I…. have seen some very painful memories that belong to you and you alone. Out of courtesy for you, I'm not going into them. I have seen memories that you have forgotten about, whether be it by time just passing or by your mind shoving them away. This box is part of the memories that has been shoved away and hidden. I saw this box in a violent memory attack, I suppose you'd call it, and I asked Yumi to retrieve it from the Hermitage for you. The contents are a mystery to me and I respected your privacy and didn't open it. After all, those memories aren't mine, but yours. I'm not going to pry or even ask you to consider telling me or anyone here about these particular memories, not even your beloved Jeremie. That I leave to you. But I warn you, this box will force some very painful memories to be uncovered. Trust me, I know first hand. They violently took me so bad that I convulsed on the floor of the Hermitage. But I don't think you'll spasm like I did. I believe I spasmed because the memories weren't native to my mind. Or it could have been the sheer volume of memories, I don't know."
Atilea sets the key to the box next to the dandelion on the lid. "Here, this is for you, Aelita, to show you that I consider you more of a potential big sister in some ways and a potential friend. I don't expect you to open the box here. I want you to choose when and where to open it."
Aelita takes the box carefully from Atilea and regards it curiously. The box feels vaguely familiar to her, until a hidden memory surfaces that causes her to close her eyes and causes tears begin to fall from them. Aelita slowly slides to her knees as a few more hidden memories surface. Jeremie starts to slide down next to his girlfriend but Aelita slides away from him and toward Atilea. He looks at her astonished, not understanding why she would do that.
Atilea lets her own tears fall from her eyes as she kneels down and gently touches Aelita's shoulder. Aelita instinctively wraps her arms around her twin and the two cry silently on each other, obviously sharing the same pain from the uncovered memories. The room grows silent, save for the humming of the computer.
Even Imuy, is silent, though her motives may be different from the rest, notes Ulrich to himself.
Finally, the twins separate and Aelita looks deep into Atilea's eyes, seeing only compassion and love for her. "You told no one?" she manages to ask Atilea. Atilea shakes her head no and replies, "I even told Ulrich and Yumi that I wanted you to tell, if you so chose to. They're your memories, Sis, not mine." She wipes her eyes and sees Aelita pick up the dandelion and key from the lid of the box. Aelita wipes her eyes as childhood memories flood her mind as she looks at the little yellow flower. "This was my favorite flower as a child, but you knew that already, didn't you?", she asks Atilea. Atilea nods and clasps her own hands in her lap. Aelita sees the dandelion in Atilea's hair and smiles, then places her dandelion in her own hair, above her left ear. The two giggle happily, like two old friends finally seeing each other after being separated for years.
"Sister. Sis. That's going to take some getting used to," Aelita states smiling. Atilea returns her smile and stands, smoothing out her skirt. Aelita stands and pockets the key to the box and sticks the box under her arm. She then walks over to Jeremie hugs him. He smiles softly and wraps an arm around her. Atilea sighs and glances around the room, coming to rest on Imuy.
"I wish you would have chosen to go with me outside, Imuy. It would have been a good experience for you, but you chose to harden your heart, and it hurts me to know that now we are ….enemies," Atilea says sadly to her. Imuy gives her a shocked look and is unable to respond. "Which brings me to my final announcement. While I was out, Ulrich took me to a place that was a special to him and Yumi. The view was spectacular as was the company that was with me. Yes, that does include you, Yumi. Don't worry, I didn't violate Ulrich in anyway, that I know of. It was at this spot, I made a declaration. As Yumi and Ulrich as my witnesses, I declared that I would defend this world from X.A.N.A. with all the passion and energy that I can muster, same as all of you. I declared my freedom from X.A.N.A.'s hold over my life, and now, I declare it here, before all of you, so that you all know where I stand. I don't expect everyone to instantly trust me. I expect to have to earn your trust. Some will be easier to earn than others, but I'm prepared for that."
Imuy suddenly explodes in rage. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING! YOU IDIOT! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!" she yells, red-faced and trembling. Atilea looks at her sympathetically, but remains silent. "You are an embarrassment to your Maker! I hope you DIE horribly!" Imuy continues harshly.
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Imuy. I was hoping that you'd at least give it a chance, but I guess you're too jaded now for that. It pains me to know that we'll be forced to fight each other," replies Atilea caringly. Imuy spits at her and grits her teeth angrily. "You've been poisoned by their lies, Atilea! I can't believe that you would allow yourself to be debased in such a manner! Unlike you, I have no qualms of fighting you! If that is really what you want, then so be it," Imuy states coldly.
Atilea frowns at her. "That's not what I want. What I really want is to be here, to enjoy the real world, and to make my own identity instead of being a mere shadow or a copy of someone else. And I'm not poisoned by anyone's lies. I saw the world with my own eyes and made my own choice. If anyone is being poisoned by someone's lies, it's you, Dod, and H'cirlu. X.A.N.A. suppresses our true selves to keep us under control because he knows that if we ever gained our freedom, we'd see his true colors."
She turns to Jeremie and smiles slightly. "Jeremie, I'd like to add something to your plan, if you don't mind or if you even have room for anything new." Jeremie raises his eyebrows in amazement. "Um, well, it depends on what you want to add…" he says uncertainly. Atilea smiles and turns her head to look at Imuy. "Now, you just sit there quietly and behave. I'd hate for you to have your mouth taped closed," she says and then walks over to Jeremie. She then whispers her plan to him and after hearing, gets a sly smile on his face. "I hope that doesn't mess with what you've had planned too much," Atilea says normally. Jeremie shakes his head and begins to type away at the keyboard. "Not too bad. I just wish I would have thought of it first," he replies without looking up.
Atilea smiles satisfied and walks over to her new found, older sister Aelita. "This is going to be so fun!" she says enthusiastically. "What is going to be so much fun?" Aelita asks. "My plan, or rather, my addition to Jeremie's plan. You'll all see soon!" Atilea replies fidgeting excitedly. "Whatever your plan is, it won't work! I'll make sure of that!" boasts Imuy defiantly. Atilea chuckles, equally defiant, and replies, "Well, I'm counting on that!" Imuy gets a confused look and blinks rapidly. "Wha--?" she starts.
"Ok, we're ready, guys!" Jeremie informs looking up and smiling. "All of you, head down to the scanner room. Ulrich, Yumi, and Atilea will go first, then Odd, Aelita and Imuy will go next. Remember that order, ok?" Everyone nods and Odd and Aelita picks up a struggling Imuy off the floor. "Let go of me, you infidels!" she growls at the two. "Shut up," Odd says firmly as Aelita cuts the rope that binds Imuy's ankles. "And don't even think of trying to escape. It would be bad for you!" he finishes, receiving a hateful look from her.
In the scanner room, Ulrich, Yumi, and Atilea each enter a scanner pod. "Ok, here we go…. Transfer: Ulrich! Transfer: Yumi! Transfer: Atilea… whoa, that sounds so weird…" Jeremie says watching the screen. "Scanner: Ulrich, Scanner: Yumi, and Scanner: Atilea! Geez, that's a mouth full…" he states to himself. "Virtualization! Ok, next group, you're up!"
Aelita and Odd almost have to shove Imuy into the scanner pod. The door closes on her before she can turn to run out the pod. Then, Aelita and Odd each take a scanner pod. "Transfer: Aelita, Odd, and Imuy… hey that's easier to say. Why haven't I done that before?" Jeremie muses. "Scanner: Aelita, Odd, and Imuy!" Jeremie pauses and says, "Good luck, you guys. Be careful, Aelita. Love you." Aelita smiles and replies, "Love you, too Sweetie!" Jeremie smiles and finishes the sequence.
"Virtualization!"
Then, Jeremie finds the sudden silence of the room rather lonely, but he shakes the feeling off and pulls up the stat widow on the computer screen. "Good luck, all of you," he whispers.