Warning: Rated for language, some violence and adult behavior.

The main characters of this story are based on characters from the cartoon 'Code Lyoko.' I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.


The two weeks after Ulrich graduated from Ravensbrook were the fastest Ulrich and Yumi had ever spent. The next day, Ulrich, his mother and the Ishyamas attended the hearing that finally freed Ulrich's uncle, Lemuel Kline, from prison. The evidence Jeremie had unearthed was so profound that the prosecution not only supported the motion to admit the evidence, but also moved to vacate the verdict and sentence against Mr. Kline. The judge agreed and Lemuel was a free man.

Afterwards, the old gang got together and celebrated Ulrich's mother being freed, Lemuel Kline's exoneration and everybody's graduation. The party they held at the factory was even more raucous than the celebration they had when XANA was defeated. They even made an excursion into Lyoko to visit Franz Hopper, Zoe and the others.

Yumi and Ulrich also spent time in conference with everyone involved with the Kadic Group, both kids and adults, going over what had happened over the past school year. Taylor told Yumi that he and Ann, as well as Mike Coffy and Bill Pyle would be returning to the USA with her, to join the organization there, and give her some much needed training. They were going to make sure that Yumi was well prepared the next time she had to meet up with XANA's followers.

Ulrich felt like a fifth wheel during the sessions. While Yumi was digging out XANA's followers and its method of surviving deletion, and the others were at Kadic coordinating the flow of information, he was away from the action, making up for the time he had wasted by not studying.

"Don't think for a moment that you've been wasting your time, Ulrich," Michael Belpois said, "despite what you think, you haven't been wasting your time at all."

"How so?" he asked.

"You have learned valuable skills in the year you were at Ravensbrook. And you've accomplished a great deal there, as well as what you did in freeing your mother from her captivity."

"But she did that herself," Ulrich said.

"Most of the way, yes," Desmond added, "but when it came time for her to escape, you aided her. If you hadn't been there, she would have never made it or even attempted it."

"And another thing," Jeremie's dad said, "you are embarking on a military career. The others are not. You will eventually be able to fill the void left when the Thompsons, Coffy and Pyle finally leave us."

Ulrich looked strangely at them.

"What, did you think we'd be doing this forever?" Taylor told the lad, "while we're not quite ready to shuffle of this mortal coil yet, we are getting old. And one thing you will learn in time is that every warrior must set aside his arms some day. Gomer, Sanka, Ann and I are more than happy to help you now, but sooner or later we'll have to step aside so the younger generation can take our place. You are that generation, Ulrich."


Finally, the end came again.

At the recruiting station, Yumi parted with Ulrich for the second time. This time, he was entering the military, and she was returning to school. She held him tight and kissed him deeply, thanking the heavens for their time together, no matter how brief. As he turned from her and boarded the bus with the other recruits, she was saddened once again by their parting. But now she knew that even though they were physically separated, they would always be together.


In her dreams, she saw them standing there, the Host of Heaven.

They stood before her in perfect formation, training. Each move was precisely imitated by each individual. When they moved, they radiated power, a power she had felt once before, when her life depended on it.

"It is Good," a voice said to her, the Leader of the Host, "he has learned well."

She looked into the ranks of the Host and saw her Love, her Life. Ulrich Stern matched each move the others made, adding his power to theirs, and receiving their power into him in return.

"He has much to learn before he is returned to you," the Leader told her, "just as you have much to learn before joining him. But always remember, as long as You Stand Together, Nothing Can Stand Against You. And the Host will always be at your side."

Yumi Ishiyama grasped the chain around her neck, the thin silver chain that stretched from her to him, across the world, across the universe if necessary. She concentrated for a moment, sending her love to him, feeling his brief smile in return.

"I know," she replied, "Live or Die, I Will Stand With Him."