Glow: I now have time to talk...much thanks to those who helped to get this chapter out there after...such a long time..., but enough of that. The last thing you want is me boring you with various random things...
Verdana: I will find out how you keep getting caffine! You are driving me crazy!
Viv: My Starbucks card has gone missing again...and why is there a can of something called Surge in the trash?
Glow: Hey, don't look at me for the card...I swear I didn't take it...although I may just know who it was...Surge is a...ummm...type of juice that I drink now...no...umm...caffine or such in it...-cough-
Verdana: -looks suspicious- OOOkkkaaayyy then...
Viv: Who was it so that I may pulverize them!
Glow: Hey, calm down...you lent it to Jordan, remember? Although I'm pretty sure he didn't get it...your middle man still has it...
Verdana: read the story...I'm gonna go see this "middle man" pulverized!
Out of the trees burst the human shaped blob thing. It reared up and trumpeted loudly. Suddenly, they heard a shout and saw a girl leap up from behind it and land on its head.
"Take that! And that!" she screeched at it. Odd stared at her. She looked a bit like Verdana, if you stared hard enough. - -How odd.- - he thought. Then he started laughing. - - hehehehehe! Odd, as in me!- -
Ulrich looked over and saw that Odd was high off something. Rolling his eyes, he punched him on the side of his head.
"Enough. We don't have time for you to go crazy, in fact we have-" He broke off. - -The girl really is pretty. Do I have a girlfriend? I don't think so. I'll just ask her. She can be my girlfriend- -
Yumi stared at Ulrich. He had this dreamy look on his face and she knew it had nothing to do with her. She turned and glared at the girl. She kept on fighting, oblivious to Yumi's gaze boring a hole in her back.
By now the girl had tied up the blob and was walking over to them. Jeremy and Yumi looked at each other, a little concerned about the way their friends were acting. Ulrich was ignoring Yumi which he had never done before. It hurt her that he would give her up over a girl he'd never met.-----If he gave her up at all --- she thought bitterly.
Yumi clenched her fists as the girl came up to Ulrich and placed a hand on his cheek. "And who might this cute boy be?"
"Get your bloody hands off him!" Yumi exploded. Jeremy jumped back with wide eyes. It was the first time he had seen her do that, ever.
"No, no, it's alright. I don't mind." Ulrich murmured dreamily.
Yumi ignored him and said icily "Okay bitch, I don't know who you are, or where you came from, but you get rid of whatever you did to my boyfriend!"
The girl put her hand to her forehead and shook her head. "Of course, of course. How dreadfully inconsiderate of me. I shall begin the introductions. I am Shanil, slayer of viruses. I am the next generation of anti-virus and I will destroy all of you!"
Yumi rolled her eyes. "Now why would a slayer of viruses want to destroy us humble humans?"
Shanil's eyes grew wide with anger. "No one can fool me! I know that no human can ever enter the virtual world! It is quite impossible and it would be a severe breach of protocol for anyone to help them enter. By the way, what did you say your name was?"
"I didn't." Yumi shot back. "I am Yumi, that is Jeremy, that is Odd, and that is Ulrich-MY boyfriend! and that is Verdana." She gestured to each on turn.
Ulrich spoke in the whispery voice "What? I don't have a girlfriend. I'm going to ask Shanil to be mine."
Yumi mouth hung open. "Y-y-y-you're dumping me for HER?"
"Oh yes YUMI, he is mine. Go find someone who cares about you. We don't." Shanil pointed to Odd, Ulrich and herself.
"Fine! I know who will. Oh, and another thing. This isn't over." Yumi retorted.
"Oh, you poor, deluded virus. You think I've stolen something of yours. How can I steal what was never there in the first place." She spoke in an even tone, but it was clear she was enjoying every moment of it.
Yumi just smiled and walked off. It was a good thing she had made Odd tell her the direction that Verdana had gone. The puppet Verdana followed her, as did Jeremy. Now that her back was turned, no one saw the tears go sliding silently down Yumi's cheeks.
As soon as they were out of sight, Shanil whispered to Odd and Ulrich. "Shall we find out where she's going? I think she will lead us right to her virus buddies." She squealed. "OOOOOOH! This is going to be fun!" In all the excitement, no one noticed that the blob had disappeared.
Yumi kept walking, and now Jeremy was having a hard time keeping up with her. He was a little more clumsy and he had to walk slower. But Yumi had other plans. She seemed to want to go as far from that clearing as possible.
"Yumi, stop." he barely managed to gasp out. "I know you want to get away from there as fast as is humanly possible, but there are some of us that aren't that fit."
Yumi gave a sigh, but reluctantly slowed down and stopped. Jeremy sat down on a nearby stump
Yumi was unable to sit still, so she paced back and forth. "That little fricken bitch! How dare she think that she can just do that!" she fumed. As she walked a little further away to rant to a tree, Jeremy caught a few words, some of which were "asshole", "bastard", and "fucking hell".
Jeremy had to smile. It was so reminiscent of Verdana when she was mad. - -Thinking of which, where is she anyway?- - He glanced frantically around the area, looking for her.
"Looking for her?" a voice came from the foliage. Jeremy whipped around as fast as his suit would let him. Yumi stopped pacing and turned around to face the owner of the voice. It was a man with bright indigo hair. In his arms he held the puppet Verdana helpless. "She isn't much of a talker, I see. I really hate using this as a means of gaining peoples attention. I thought you'd never figure out that she was gone! I believe you can help me. I am Tron."
"Well, Tron, give us back our friend, then we'll talk." Yumi said firmly.
"Very well." He released her to Jeremy. "I know your little "bitch", I believe you put it." Yumi turned pink. "That is a very good word for her. She is a cadet at the anti-virus collective. That is why she mentioned protocol. And she thinks bounty hunters like me are beneath her. I'll help you get your boy back, IF you help me get revenge." Jeremy looked at Yumi, sure she would take it.
"Not interested." Jeremy stared in shock. "But, I will be willing to help you extract revenge upon her for nothing in return." The first part came as a surprise, although the second part did not.
Jeremy was still a little skeptical. "What kind of revenge?" he asked suspiciously.
"Oh, the usual kind."
Jeremy stared stonily at him. "That isn't an answer. The truth, now!"
"Sheesh, demanding little boy." Jeremy glared at him. "Okay, hold your horses. It all started two years ago...
Tron's Story
It all started two years ago when I first showed up in the system of the collective. They weren't exactly happy to see me. Okay, that's putting it mildly. They didn't appreciate my interference with something they were working on many years before. That was why they expelled me from the collective. Hard to believe that I used to be part of the same thing as Shanil, huh? You see, I take jobs from anyone, virus and program alike. They didn't like that. I killed one of their most promising students for a bounty. A sizable one I might add. He was Shanil's only friend. She'd been ostracized for simply belonging to the anti-virus family she did.
She held a grudge and I returned to the system to get another bounty, this time on one of the captive viruses they use for practice. All I was supposed to do was free him and she resented that. So she stopped me. It turns out that a few days later he broke out and destroyed half the collective. Shanil still blamed me for her mistake.
To be honest I used to take care of her, so that made the betrayal even bitterer. She took away everything I had, including the one hope I had of settling down and training others. She took away my one love. She lured her into a trap and claimed she was a virus. The other people believed her and killed my dearest. I do suppose she had that right, but she went further than that. She hunted down all my friends and brutally killed them, even the little ones. Then she sent me the videos of it. I had to watch them die over and over.
I had apologized many times over, but she does not understand the concept of that. After a while, her ruthlessness caused the leaders to not respect her any more. Desperate, she ran away to pursue the biggest fiend with the biggest reward on his head. The Shadow. He makes it no big secret where he lives, as if he almost believes nothing can touch him. This system is only for the best and fully trained. It is a challenge that she knows will make her famous if she accomplishes it. To rid this system of its viruses and make it a paradise once more is the greatest honor possible. You know, it is kinda ironic that she is turning into what she hates the most. And I know you are wondering what I am doing here. I got a job that involves capturing and killing one of the many viruses here: X.A.N.A.
"Well, that is ironic. We already defeated him, although he has been brought back." Yumi told Tron. "He might be very weak, but I believe the Shadow has revived him with ultra-strength."
Tron looked thoughtful. "It is not right to bring something back from the dead. What goes to the void, should stay in the void." Jeremy and Yumi looked at each other, then at the Verdana puppet.
"Uhh, right, yeah. They need to stay there." Jeremy said.
"You know how she thinks you are viruses simply because she found you in this system. I can tell you are not from here, nor are you viruses. I believe you really are humans, so then, which system did you enter from?"
It was Yumi who answered him. "We come from Lyoko, which is the reason we defeated X.A.N.A. That was his little hiddy hole from our friend here." She gestured to Verdana's puppet.
At that, Tron threw himself down at her feet. "M'lady! I am pleased to make your acquaintance!"
Yumi blushed bright red. "Why the change all of a sudden?"
"Because you are one of the legendary warriors of Lyoko! The brave ones, the mighty ones, the ones feared by all viruses! That idiot Shanil! She does not recognize true power when she sees it!"
"Actually, those two have none." The abruptness of the statement shocked Jeremy almost as much as what was said. The coldness was apparent in her voice, a sharp edge that had not been there before.
Tron stood up suddenly. "We have company, my friends. And I don't think it's good, either."
Out of the trees stepped Shanil, Odd, and Ulrich. The two boys took up defensive places around her. Yumi glanced back at Jeremy and Tron. Only, Tron wasn't there. Yumi turned back and saw that he had somehow gotten behind Shanil and now had a knife to her throat. Odd and Ulrich, still in their dreamy state, were not quick enough. Tron whispered in her ear, "Happy to see me?" Then he knocked her out.
Odd and Ulrich instantly froze. - -What am I doing here? And why was I so happy and hyper?- -Odd thought. - -Why am I running to help this girl? I have a girlfriend. Speaking of which, who is that guy and why is Yumi looking at me angrily?- - "Hey Yumi. What's going on?" Ulrich asked.
"Save your questions for someone who cares enough to answer them." Yumi snarled at him. Tron had moved back to his place next to Yumi. He offered his arm to her and she willingly took it. They turned around and headed away.
Tron called back to them, "Hey guys, pick up the body while you're back there!" They looked to Jeremy for support. He just raised his eyebrows and followed the other two, the Verdana puppet in tow. Odd just stared stupidly at them, but Ulrich was seething. - -Who does that guy think he is! He can't just walk in and take my girlfriend! - - He was feeling a little more uncertain of Yumi's love for him every second he stood there. He had no idea what he did to deserve her ostracizing him.
He walked over to the girl and picked her body up, with the help of a stunned Odd. In fact, he was so stunned that he did not complain at all. They took the first step to follow the rest of the group, when the memories came rushing back. All at once, they understood. Ulrich hung his head in shame. He never would have done that to Yumi if he had been in control of his words and actions. They rushed to catch up with the others.
A little while later, they stopped for a break. Ulrich approached Yumi and Tron. He noted, with a lot of jealousy, that they were holding hands. "Hey, ummm, I'm real sorry about this whole thing. I-"
"And I don't care. I am no longer your girlfriend, if I ever truly was. Tron is my new boyfriend. So go away. I hate you."
Ulrich walked back over to Odd, as seeing that they both had been excluded from the group. - -Boy am I glad that Verdana wasn't here to see this. I'm sure that if we had been going out, she wouldn't just stop at rejection, she'd inflict pain upon me till I am but an inch from death. Then she would destroy me in the worst way possible. From the inside, much like Yumi is doing to Ulrich. Can't say we didn't deserve it.- - Odd thought. He caught sight of the Verdana puppet watching him. He shivered and wondered if Verdana could see what she saw. He did not have any time to ponder this because Tron told them it was time to get moving again.
"If we want to catch up to your friends, we better hurry." Then he returned to the front with Yumi and took her hand again. Odd and Ulrich picked up Shanil's body once more and started after the others.
The lair of the Shadow
SIRS was taking a gamble. He had a plan, but he had no way of knowing if it would work. All he had was hope that it would work and faith in Indevrigo's power against her brother.
Back to Yumi's group
"We're getting closer to your friends. See these trails were made only moments ago, for the system had not closed it again." Tron told Yumi. She nodded.
"Verdana! Verdana, wait up, it's Jeremy and Yumi!" Jeremy called out. She did not answer.
"Perhaps the trail was not made by them." Odd ventured.
Yumi glared at him. "No more idiotic comments from you. You have no idea what the hell you are talking about! Now Tron dear on the other hand, knows exactly what he's talking about."
Ulrich felt the now familiar rage bubble up. It gave him a sick feeling in his stomach. Odd was totally confused. - -I know that the trail does not belong to Verdana. She's more careful than that and it appears to be made by a huge creature. Kinda like that blobby thing.- - Some how it had gotten ahead of them. "Hello people! This was obviously not made by Verdana, but the blobular thing. It got in front of us and now we are behind!" he relayed.
Tron studied the trail more closely. "Kitty is right. Drop the body and let's run!" Odd and Ulrich gratefully dumped Shanil's body on the ground. - -Hold on Verdana, we're...I'm coming to help!- - Odd thought.
Viv: ODD! Get your purple self in gear and come over here right now!
Jordan: What's going on guys?
Viv: READ THE STUFF BEFORE THE STORY!
Jordan: Okay, just don't hurt me!
Verdana: So Odd was your middle man?
Odd: Did someone say my name?
Viv: Odd Della-Robia! You--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(sensored for violent conduct and other terrible things)
Glow:I think it's time we take Viv off the caffine too...-winks-
Jordan: -nods- Viv's scary when she's like that. Okay...nothing to see here people...go, umm, reveiw or something...yeah, leave a review...we'll tell the reaults of this argument in the next chappie!
Glow: ...that is if there is anything left of Odd afterwards...-smiles- enjoy the suspense and leave a review!