Chapter 3.
No longer a shadow.
Aelita took a drink from her soda as she took a look around the guests in the garden of Ishiyamas. She was having a wonderful time with her friends and Jeremy at her first birthday party in a long time.
They were sitting in a circle on the grass, talking about some random stuff and enjoyed the tasty barbecue prepared by their American friends. Odd of course took as much food as he could on his plate and ate with great taste, to Mister Puck's surprise. Kiwi laid on the ground beside Odd, eating the remains of the hot dog that he left for him. His tail was wagging as he bit off another piece of the hotdog.
Aelita truly appreciated a day like this when she could just sit back and relax, distance herself from Xervix or Mal-Tech or any other worries.
"How can you humans consume such strange foods? Especially food that I hear is not healthy for you?" Puck asked.
"Food is good for you." Odd said with a piece of chocolate on his lips.
"Some food, yes. But that cake, which is loaded in sugar and starch is not good for you in any way and it increases your risk of health issues. So I ask you, how is that cake good for you?"
"It may not be good health wise... But it's good for your soul." Odd said, smiling as if he was in heavenly delight. "Is that why you're not eating?"
"I am a specter, remember? We don't eat."
"Oh. Trust me pal, if you ever you spend a day with me in a human form, I will show you the art and beauty of food." Odd said while sitting across from Puck.
Kiwi laid on the ground beside him, eating the remains of the hot dog that Odd left for him. His tail was wagging as he bit off another piece of the hotdog.
"There is fried chicken, spaghetti, and let's not forget my all time favorite, gravy and mashed potatoes." Odd said, his mouth salivating a little at the sound of the food he just mentioned.
"Uh oh. Sounds like Odd wants to take Puck under his wing as a food buff." Ulrich joked.
Aelita set down her plate. "Uh no, I'm sorry, but the last thing I need is Odd calling me and informing me that Puck's in the hospital with diabetes."
"It doesn't matter... I find the act of "eating" kinda gross." Puck crossed his arms. "Leave it to humans to partake in something disgusting and what not."
Odd opened his mouth, clearly disgusted by this insult on his favorite pastime. "How dare you-"
"Hmm, I wonder where Milly and Tamiya are," Aelita quickly changed the subject as she realized that she hadn't seen the two gossip girls for a good while now.
She knew that the junior journalists had been hounding them for a while since they were revealed as heroes to the world. However a word with principal Delmas was enough for the girls to give up and decide to cover their own stories. Aelita knew if they accidentally said something about their mission and Milly or Tamiya were around, they would more than likely go back to playing junior paparazzi again, which drove the gang nuts. That was why Aelita kept an eye on these two.
"Over there, with your brother." William said as he pointed with his head.
"They're getting ready to go on a date. At least Hiroki and Milly are." Yumi added.
The gang turned to see the three teens sitting next to the porch. Hiroki had his arm wrapped around Milly as they giggled and joked. They started dating just a few weeks ago and looked really cute together.
Tamiya sat with them. She listened to the conversation with Hiroki and Milly, but at the same time she had a good view at the Warriors. Every once in a while she would poke her head up and look towards them, especially at Mister Puck. She would smile and turn away when Puck would glance up and look at her.
Puck caught on a couple of times as he tried to make sense of what Tamiya was doing. It seemed really strange and suspicious to him. She behaved as if she was possessed by Xana.
"I think the one girl is infected." he said.
"Which one?" Jeremy asked, concerned.
"The one who is not dating Yumi's brother." Puck said, turning to glance at the girl again.
"What do you mean?" Ulrich asked inquisitively.
"She keeps looking at me..."
Ulrich and Odd glanced over and noticed Tamiya once again turning to look at Puck and smile at him.
Then Tamiya suddenly noticed that they were staring at her. The young girl blushed and turned away completely so that no one could see her face.
"Uh oh..." Odd said, which gathered the rest of the gang's attention.
Puck was nervous. "She's possessed, isn't she?"
"I don't think so." Ulrich said as he looked towards the others.
"What is it? Do you think she knows?"
"She doesn't. I think there's something else on her mind," Sissi said.
"What could that be?"
Odd quietly busted out in a small song. "And they call it... puppy love!"
The gang silently chuckled as Puck stared in confusion.
"Aww, my little virtual brother is growing up into a virtual man." Aelita joked as she placed her arm around Puck's shoulder.
Puck shot her a glance. "What? I don't want to be a virtual boy or man. I'm fine the way I am."
"That's what they all say." Sissi remarked. "I'm not gonna change for anything, I am not going to ever have kids... yet it eventually happens."
"Well, not me." Puck said as he folded his arms. After a few moments he slowly turned and looked at Tamiya, who was still facing the opposite direction. "I have no feelings for this Tamiya or what ever her name is."
"Then why are you staring at her?" William asked.
"No, I am not."
"Yes you are. What are you looking at, then?" William did not let go.
"I look at whatever I want," Puck said, annoyed.
Suddenly, Tamiya glanced back at Puck. Their eyes locked onto each others' as they both turned once again and faced the opposite direction. The sight was enough to make the rest of the gang laugh a little louder.
Then, Coco trotted over from her original position by Yumi's mother's side. She walked around and sniffed some of the younger teens as she searched for any scraps. As Coco approached Kiwi, her eyes grew large. She whined and cried at Kiwi, who perked his head up and glanced at her. Kiwi eventually nudged the hotdog towards the puppy, a clear sign that she could have what was left of Kiwi's scraps.
"Awww, how cute." Sissi said as she pointed at the two dogs.
"Now that's puppy love." Jeremy joked.
Yumi patted her dog as she looked over at Ulrich. Her eyes locked on his and she motioned towards Aelita. Ulrich got the message. He stood up and walked into the house.
A few moments later Ulrich reappeared outside, carefully tucking Aelita's birthday present from him and Yumi behind his back.
He recalled hours spent on trying to figure out what to get Aelita for her birthday. They did everything from asking Jeremy to trying to discreetly ask the girl herself, which turned into one hell of a mind teaser. That was until Ulrich found a thing online, which they knew Aelita would love.
Now he tried hard to hide his grin.
He walked over to the adult area when George was in the middle of one of his stories. Most of George's stories were about his days as a police officer before he joined the FBI. As a former Miami Florida police officer George had seen quite a lot. Some of the stories he shared were so strange and hilarious that people often wondered if they were true or not.
"And so I walk up to the car and you could tell this guy was intoxicated. So I ask for his papers and he says: Scissors, I win! and drives off... Then he slams into a light pull and knocks himself out!"
Everyone at the table laughed.
"Now surely that can't be true," Takeo said.
"It is true... For some reason I always get the strangest things when I am working."
"So... when did you join the FBI?" Misato asked.
"A few years later. I became part of the Florida state drug task force and worked with a few agents at the time. Then I was recruited."
The group noticed Ulrich standing behind Travis. They turned to look at him.
Ulrich felt a little uneasy for interrupting the chat of the adults.
"Um... Travis. We're gonna give Aelita her gifts now."
"Thanks for letting me know." Travis said as he stood up, holding a drink in his hand. "We better go get the paper work all set up."
Jessica followed suit as George reached around his seat and grabbed a duffel bag. He reached in and pulled out a silver metallic, shiny envelope. The silver paper was highly reflective in the sunlight. George stood up and walked over with Ulrich at his side.
"What did you get her, George?" Ulrich asked.
"She's not the easiest person to buy gifts for." George said as he held up the envelope.
"You didn't get her a gift card, did you?"
"No! Um... Cash."
Ulrich nodded his head in agreement. "I mean, what else is she into besides nerdy stuff..."
"Hey, there is nothing wrong with nerdy stuff. Marvel all the way." George said as he pounded his chest.
Ulrich sighed as he thought to himself how similar George was to Odd. They both acted almost the same. It looked as if George and Odd were related.
"Uh, anyway... how is Travis? He seems off today." he asked as he noticed Travis was very serious and quiet.
George continued to stare at the group of teens as he realized Ulrich didn't have any idea about Travis. He realized that it was in fact the day his best friend's life was ruined.
"He... just... got a lot on his mind is all." George said.
"Like what? Is he okay?" Ulrich asked in confusion.
"No, he's fine it's just..." George said, then he stopped and looked towards Ulrich. "I shouldn't tell you. I mean... It's kinda personal. Travis doesn't like to talk about it. It's really something you should wait and let him tell you guys when he's ready."
"It's not about us, is it?" Ulrich asked in concern.
George paused as he looked towards the kitchen where his best friend and colleague was, making sure that Travis didn't hear.
"Okay, but please don't tell anyone. Today is the anniversary of his wife's death," he explained in quiet voice. "He's taking it hard because he always visits her grave site on this day... except for today."
"I had no idea." Ulrich said somberly. "I remember Puck saying something about someone close to Travis dying, but I didn't know it was his wife... And that it was today."
"He'll be OK. Just be nice to him and if he seems moody or angry, don't take it the wrong way." George said quietly as they approached the group.
Ulrich walked up and leaned over and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. Yumi wrapped hers around Ulrich as she looked into his eyes, which were sorrowful. She gave Ulrich a comforting smile as Ulrich returned the favor.
"You OK?" Yumi asked quietly.
Ulrich nodded as he breathed through his nose.
"It's nothing..." he replied, remembering George's request.
The idea of someone Ulrich looked up to losing someone he cared for was depressing. He felt sympathetic towards Travis. The idea of losing a loved one was something he couldn't even begin to fathom.
Odd was the first one to plop his gift into Aelita's lap. It was a small gift with purple and green wrapping paper and a cartoon doodle of Kiwi on it.
"Here ya go Aelita," Odd said, grinning.
Aelita held up the present and looked at it. She could tell it was from Odd because the present looked... odd.
"Why thank you Odd, but you didn't have to get me anything." Aelita said as she began to untie the bow.
"Oh come on. Of course I gotta give my best-est good friend a gift."
"Can't be any worse than his Xmas gifts." Jeremy said. "How do I go from a rubber duck to a fish flashlight?"
"Or for my birthday I went from a roll of grip tape, to just... plain tape?" Ulrich asked.
"I was poor. And besides, it's the thought that counts." Odd said in his defense.
Meanwhile, Aelita unwrapped the package; she carefully and slowly removed sections of the paper. As she removed the wrapping paper, she realized just what it was.
"Oh Odd... How did you know I needed a new hair dryer?" Aelita asked as she held it up for the others to see.
"A cute little birdy told me." Odd said as he glanced over at the smiling Sissi.
Aelita hugged Odd, thanking him at the same time.
"Guess that means you can give mine back?" Sissi asked.
"Aww... But I liked it though." Aelita joked as she made a childish frown face.
"Give me your new one, then," Sissi joked back.
She also pulled out a gift from her to Aelita. It was a white and red, pin striped bag that looked like it was a little heavy.
"This is from me and my father." she said as she slid the bag towards Aelita.
Aelita removed some of the packing paper to find a bottle of shampoo, some conditioner, a bottle of skin lotion, a small bottle of perfume and a red scented candle in a large glass bottle. On the side of the bottle it read Warm Nights On the Beach. Aelita pulled the top of the candle and smelt it. It had a small hint of pineapple, watermelon, vanilla and coconut. It smelt wonderfully pleasant.
"Oh wow. Thank you Sissi."
Aelita passed the candle to Yumi so she could smell it.
Sissi smiled. "Just figured that after a long day of school and being a super hero you could use this as a type of relax and rejuvenate package."
"I'm afraid I can't top that." William said as he pulled out a envelope from his coat pocket. He passed the envelope down to Aelita.
"It's not the gift William, it's the thought that counts." Aelita said as she read the card.
On the front of the card was a cartoon like woman who was smiling and had several hearts around her. On the left of her the card read, "On your birthday. Forget sexy movie stars or hunky sports men. Inside this card is a picture of a man all women really dream of." Aelita flipped open the card. 50 euros slid out from the inside and she saw exactly who she was meant to dream of.
Inside the card was a short, cartoon fat man with a business suit and bow tie. The man had a pair of thick glasses, a thick mustache and a bald spot on his head. Below the man were the words: "Professor Norbert Bloggs. Inventor of the anti wrinkle cream!" Off to the side of the drawing was an arrow and the words. "Jeremy in 8 years?"
Aelita laughed at the card as she held it up for Jeremy to read.
Jeremy took one look at it and grunted.
"Are you saying I am gonna be fat and bald in a few years?"
"Only if you are stuck in front of your computer until then," William said.
"Sounds like a challenge for you, Aelita!" remarked Sissi.
"I'm working on it, don't worry." Aelita cracked a smile as she wrapped her arms around her slightly grumpy boyfriend. "Still, bald or not, he's still mine," she said and kissed Jeremie on the cheek. He immediately looked much more content.
"By the way, what did Jeremy get you?" William asked.
Aelita giggled as she showed Jeremy the card.
Jeremy read it for a minute and smiled as he handed the card back to Aelita.
"Thanks William." Aelita said with a smile
"By the way, what did Jeremy get you?" William asked.
" Jeremy got me this." Aelita said as she reached under her shirt and pulled out her necklace. The necklace featured her mother's old locket, a crystal shard from the System, and a heart shaped necklace that was cut in half. The heart was pink with the letter A on it.
"Aww, that's nice. But wheres the other half?" Yumi asked.
Jeremy pulled a similar one from his pocket, attached to his keychain to his dorm room. It was blue with the letter J on it.
Aelita took the other half that Jeremy had and put the two heart pieces together, making a full blue and pink heart.
"I got it custom made from a guy my father knows." Jeremy said as Aelita handed him back his part.
"How did you get the money together for that?" Ulrich asked.
"I took on a job a few months ago, fixing the computers of the school and some of the other students. It actually paid well," Jeremy said.
Then came Yumi's turn to hand Aelita the gift form her and Ulrich. The gift was wrapped in white and red gift paper with a small pink bow on it. Aelita opened the gift and peeked inside. What she saw was a pink leather bound purse with straps and a silver chain hanging on it. The chain had an anime version of a girl with pink hair and wings, which looked a lot like Aelita's Lyoko form.
"Aww, guys, it's perfect. Thank you." Aelita said as she held the purse up.
"I know you don't use purses and all but I figured on a night where you and Jeremy are out and about it might come in useful." Yumi said.
"I will definitely use it," Aelita assured as she placed the rest of her gifts in the bag.
In the meantime, Travis and Jessica approached the group.
"Aelita... Jeremy... I need to see both of you." Travis said with a stern face. Both teens looked towards each other and stood up.
Jeremy had an idea of what was going to happen, but he didn't know how it would play out. It was the whole reason to get Aelita to a birthday party - so that she couldn't run away from the biggest surprise.
Travis motioned for them to follow him and Jessica into the house. They walked past Hiroki and his small group as they waved goodbye to the party before taking off. Travis held the door open for Jeremy, Jessica and Aelita.
Aelita stepped inside and noticed Jeremy's parents standing in the room as well. Not only did the teens notice the Belpois, but also a laptop and a yellow envelope sitting on the table.
"Um... Is everything OK?" Aelita asked nervously.
Travis said nothing as he thumbed through the yellow envelope.
"Travis? Jessica?" Aelita grew a little concerned.
Travis walked over and pulled out a pen and paper and walked over towards the two children. He smiled faintly as he handed Aelita the paper.
"Read it."
Aelita took the paper. She wasn't sure what exactly was going on. She wasn't too keen on Travis's expression. It made her nervous. Normally, Travis was nice to her.
Aelita hesitantly pulled the paper out of the vanilla envelope and started reading it. After a few seconds her eyes suddenly grew large as she paused at one line of the note. She then began to read every line of the paper slowly and carefully.
As she finished, she slowly looked up towards Travis, whose smile was as wide as a smile could go. It was a smile even bigger than Odd would have.
"What does it say?" Jeremy asked in an innocent tone. Anticipation was brewing in his insides.
Aelita reread a few lines until her eyes grew as big as green diamonds.
She read aloud, "The U.S. Government guarantees Aelita Rose Schaeffer a new identity. It includes a birth certificate, social security number, visa, citizenship of the U.S. and France, and family inheritance which includes the Hermitage, the house in Colorado and the bank accounts."
She lowered the letter and looked around the room. Her heart skipped a beat as she let the words sink in her consciousness.
"You mean... I..."
"You now exist!" Jeremy exclaimed, smiling widely.
Aelita gasped in excitement and happiness as she ran forward and hugged both Travis and Jessica. She held them tightly as tears of joy actually began to run down her cheeks.
"Oh my god, thank you so much! I can't thank either of you enough." Aelita said as her voice stuttered.
She found it hard to believe that Travis's promise from a few weeks ago – a promise that made everything she had been denied by Xana and Mal-Tech within her reach – eventually came to reality.
"Happy birthday, Princess." Jessica said.
Aelita slowly backed up and looked towards both agents as she wiped her tears from her eyes.
"You have no idea what that means to me." Aelita said as she sniffled.
She realized she was no longer a shadow in the darkness, a child who was left to the cold harshness of the world. She was now officially a living human being with all her rights ensured.
"I think we have an Idea." Jessica said. "But that's not all."
Jessica walked over and grabbed a laptop. She brought it over towards the pink haired teen. She opened the lid to the computer as it loaded up. Jessica then walked over and picked up a small thin black tablet with a pen on it. She connected the tablet to the USB port of the laptop as a small white light flickered on.
Travis looked towards the young girl.
"We are going to forward all of your inheritance to you. That includes money and property. In order to do that, the FBI and CIA has set up a bank account for you to use. All we need is a signature and pass code, and it's yours and only yours. No one will be able to take it."
Aelita looked over at Jeremy in confusion. He looked over and smiled as he motioned for Aelita to sign the tablet.
"You knew about this?"
He smiled. "We all did. We wanted to do it on your birthday."
Aelita smiled back as she walked over towards the laptop. She took the small stylus out of Jessica's hand and slowly signed her name on the tablet. The screen mimicked Aelita's signature as Jessica sent the signature via email. A few seconds later, a email came back through.
Travis opened the email and read it out loud.
"Your banking account is set and ready to go Aelita. The deeds to the properties are on record as well and stored in their database. Wanna know how much you got?"
Aelita nodded quickly.
Jessica clicked in a series of keys as she pulled up the account page for Aelita's bank.
"164 million dollars." she announced.
Aelita froze dead at the number. She held her breath; she felt she must have misheard something.
"I'm sorry, Jessica, but I thought I heard you say... a million dollars?" Aelita said as she looked around the room.
She could see shock on the faces of Michael and Soria. Jeremy stood with his jaw wide open.
"Jessica, tell me you said something else. I mean... surely you must be mistaken-"
"Yes. It's 164 million dollars." Jessica repeated.
"Yo...You mean I'm... I'm rich?" Aelita mumbled nervously.
"Yes you are." Travis said in a happy tone. "Your family had multiple bank accounts that accumulated years of interest. We consolidated it all into one bank account."
He grabbed another vanilla envelope and gave it to Aelita.
Aelita's hands shook as she took the envelope into her hands.
"I'm rich..."
"It sounds like you are." Soria, Jeremy's mother said with a smile.
Aelita stood straight up as she felt a sudden brush of coldness flow through her. The realization had set in. She really owned all that money. Hands shaking, Aelita opened the envelope and looked through the statement, which read Aelita Rose Schaeffer. Account: Savings. Balance: 164,000,000.00.
Aelita's hands began to shake as she read the numbers over, and over again. It was right there, in print.
"Jeremy... Catch me. I think I am about to faint."
Uncertain whether Aelita was serious or not, Jeremy walked behind the pink haired girl and held his hands out.
"Anytime, Princess-"
Suddenly, Aelita fell straight backwards like a tree and landed in her boyfriend's arms. Jeremy held her there as Aelita's face looked like she had just seen a ghost. Her eyes bulged out of her head as she repeated to herself "I'm rich" over and over.
Soria, Michael and Jessica walked over to check on her as Travis began putting the papers back into the envelope.
"That almost made my day," he said as he looked towards the tarnished ring on his finger.
Lyoko, Volcano sector.
Aether stood in the central tower, away from Xervix's eyes. His thin, sharp claws scrapped away at the holo panel as he flipped through the records and the weapon he wanted.
He was studying the Marabounta. A program that Jeremy developed to try and destroy Xana a few years ago. It was a multi-tasking program that seeked out a specific code on Lyoko that most of Xana's monsters followed and destroyed them by replicating and deleting the program. However, the program that the Marabounta seeked out was also used by the gang to virtualize on Lyoko.
After it turned against them and almost destroyed both Xana and the gang, Jeremy sealed the program away. It was stored in the supercomputer in case of an emergency.
"If I could rework this program and give it a intelligence, it would be a powerful weapon. But I must find one small piece to make it so, just enough for it to obey my commands." Aether said as he flipped through another screen.
Aether walked away from the holopanel as he pondered in his mind what could be done.
"If Xervix was created with the remains of Xana's dead code, and we were created from him... I wonder if I have the same ability. And if so, how could I do the same as him? All I need is Xana's code to bring this creature to life and give it both purpose and meaning, a chance to give it the proper intelligence to obey my commands and distinguish friend from foe."
Aether stepped back as he contemplated his plan. He folded his arms behind his back as he paced the tower platform, deep in thought.
"Xervix may have showed promise and hope once, but as of late he has shown arrogance and incompetence. The idea of letting humanity live under his rule is a worthless joke. Honestly, this would never work. Him wanting the humans to survive is ridiculous."
Aether turned his eyes to the holopanel and opened up a new screen. He glanced through it as he looked up some of the old files that Aelita would glance through when she was still trapped inside the supercomputer. He looked up many of the files about Earth and its history, everything from art to war. He engrossed himself on the information.
"Why save a race that welcomes war, invites genocide and is obsessed with the destruction of their very world? These dirty ground walkers are like a disease, they just need the proper treatment." Aether remarked as he pulled up a video file.
The file showed a desert area. The desert stretched for miles. The white sands almost looked like snow on the ground, it formed large dunes and drifts. Its ground was hard and solid, a clear sign that it was salt bed. The skies above it were clear and blue, only a few small white clouds drifted overhead. With the exception of a few plants and shrubs the area was white and pristine
Suddenly the screen flashed brightly. The flash was so bright that it illuminated the entire room and bright enough to cause the holo panel to dim a little. As the flash subsided, a large red and black mushroom cloud rose into the air with a defining roar. A roar sounded as if it bellowed from the depths of hell itself, as if Lucifer himself had reached out and touched the world.
The clear blue sky was now dark, as if it just went from day to night. the clouds evaporated as the blast approached them. The shrubs and plants burst either into flames or disintegrated completely. Their shadows from the sun were burned into the ground, like a tombstone for the dead life forms.
The once beautiful desert was now reduced to a smoldering crater filled with glass and nuclear ash.
"And I know the proper treatment for such a disease." Aether said as he smiled widely.
The Volcano sector.
Central Volcano.
Xervix's lair.
Xervix forced what power he could spare into his newly forming Titan. It was a massive gamble. With the force field program keeping him confined to his lair, he was unable to recharge his energy and life points. If anything was to happen, he would be deleted immediately. And Aether would be all that was left... He couldn't rely on Aether anymore. There was something about his first Titan that was disturbing him. He felt as if Aether wanted to usurp power from himself and take over as the ruler of Earth and Lyoko. If that happened, everything Xervix fought for would be lost. He knew in the back of his mind their was only one way to deal with Aether... Deletion.
Xervix finally stopped the flow of energy and his program creation. He stood back and watched as his newest Titan came to life. The sheer size and look of the Titan impressed Xervix greatly. It was truly his best work yet.
The Titan was a little shorter then Xervix and a little leaner build then its massive creator. It wore black armor plates on its skin with traces of gold running along its edges. Four bright orange eyes sat on its face in a slanted and dagger like position. Their was no mouth or nose, just those eyes. Its head looked almost robotic, like a helmet to a suit of armor. Its head was almond shape with a jagged point on its back. His arms were jagged and serrated with a pair of long claws that protruded 6 inches away from the limb. Its shoulders were large and massive. The creature looked as if its shoulders connected to its neck.
On its chest was a large pointed piece that stuck out like a beak. On the sides were small vents which also glowed orange. A pair of thick metal tubes ran from the upper part of its chest down towards the lower part of its torso. Orange and black fluid flowed through the tubes. Its lower body greatly mimicked its upper body. Thick armor also ran down its legs. Large sharp points jutted out of its knee caps as they glistened in the reddish, orange light of the tower.
The Titan looked up and glanced around the lair. Its head turned very similar to a owl's. Instead of the body rotating with it, it merely swerved like a robot's head. It rotated 360 degrees around and back again to face its weakened master.
"My master... What be thy name?" The Titan asked as it bent down on one knee.
"Your name?" Xervix asked as he glanced at the large knight like creature. "I will decree you, Typhoon. After the Greek figure who created countless monsters."
Typhoon glanced around Xervix's lair, He noticed the large white tube that surrounded Xervix, keeping him confined to his throne.
"I see you are a prisoner." he noted.
"I am. All because of some... miscalculations on my part." Xervix said as he slowly made his way back towards his throne.
"You look as if you're in pain, my master." Typhoon noted as he tried to approach the throne.
Xervix held his claw like hand up to stop him as he sat down on the throne.
"I have been confined inside this... worthless joke of a holding cell by several individuals who I battled not to long ago. I can not leave it, nor can I access the outside world like I used to. Which is why I created you, Typhoon."
Typhoon stepped forward a little bit as he paid close attention to Xervix's words.
"I gave you much of my powers and abilities to use to free me. In my current state I am quite weak and helpless... But there is a way I can regain my original program functions." Xervix said as he held up his hand.
Four touchscreens hovered in midair as they showed pictures of Ulrich, Odd, Yumi and Aelita, the original four virtual warriors. It showed pictures and video of the 4 teens in both the real world and Lyoko.
"When I was sealed away, I discovered a possible secret that my predecessor Xana tried to use to attempt his revival... he secretly implanted source codes inside these four, which he would use to rebuild himself. Unfortunately for him, he was destroyed by a incompetent human being. These source codes could not only free me, but give us even more power and abilities like never before..." Xervix decreed.
"They were recently discovered by the young boy who created this infernal prison. He thought they were codes that had been there since the start... But I know better."
"And that's where I come in?" Typhoon asked.
"Yes. You will be in charge of creating several more Titans and new Monsters to help you accomplish this task."
Typhoon looked towards the ceiling as he thought about the task that was laid before him. He felt like it was something he could easily accomplish.
"Are there any others like me?" he asked.
"There is one left. Which brings us to the second reason you were created."
The elevator door opened, revealing the computer lab underneath the factory. Kiwi trotted in first and began sniffing around the room.
The party ended a few hours earlier. Since the gang had school early in the morning next day, they decided to stop the celebration while there was still daylight. Now they came to the factory so that Mister Puck could go back to Lyoko.
Aelita could not get over the fact that she had just inherited a fortune.
"What on Earth am I going to do about all that money?" she wondered.
"Don't worry. You deserved it. It's something that's belonged to you for several years now." Jeremy said as he walked next to her.
"Yeah. If you don't want it, I will take it." William joked.
"It's not funny, Will... I honestly don't know what to do. What would you do if you suddenly became a multi-millionaire on your birthday?" Aelita said as she slowly let a smile creep over her face.
"I'd buy ice cream." Odd said.
"Ice cream?" Sissi asked. "One ice cream cone?"
"Why not... a whole factory worth?" Odd explained as he stretched his arms out.
"Figures Odd would want to spend it on food." William said.
"Why are you afraid of it Aelita? At least now you got a way to provide for yourself." Ulrich asked in confusion.
"I'm not... It's just... I never planned in my life I would be rich." Aelita said. "I would rather earn the money like my parents did, not just have it given to me."
Aelita crossed her arms as she began to regain her composure. She felt a thin arm wrap around her waist. She turned her head and smiled at her handsome boyfriend who always seemed to be there when she needed him.
"Ulrich's right, now you don't have to worry about money and focus on school." Yumi said as she tried to help her best friend relax.
"Hm, I can put it aside for college. Hey, I could even buy that new Wii U that's out now." Aelita brightened up.
"Or you could buy the PS4. They announced it not too long ago." Odd suggested.
"I would agree with the Wii U. I've never had any issues with Nintendo. I prefer them over X-Box and PS3." William said.
"You kinda sound like a fan boy." Jeremy noted.
In response William held up his shirt, revealing that his belt buckle was in a form of a NES controller. It was mostly chrome but it was also at the same time painted to look like an actual NES controller.
"I got a NES and a Sega back in the dorm." William said as he lowered his shirt. "No school like the old school. The NES is even signed by James Rolfe!" he finished with satisfaction.
Ulrich nodded as he grinned a little. "Nice. How did you accomplish that?"
"I caught him at a video game store a few years ago. He's a pretty nice guy."
"Who is James Rolfe?" Yumi asked.
As soon as the words left her mouth, five heads slowly turned with their jaws dropped. Even Kiwi stared at her in confusion. The small dog tilted his head to the left as looked at Yumi with the usual bug eyed look.
Sissi secretly didn't know what the big deal was about either. She also had never heard of James Rolfe. She managed to figure out that whoever he was, he must have been someone important. So she just stared as well, hoping someone would explain it to her.
Yumi felt a tad bit embarrassed, as if she had just pulled an Odd. With the multiple sets of eyes staring at her, she couldn't help but blush a little. The only one who didn't seem to have an issue was Puck, who just seemed to look around in confusion
"What?" the Asian girl squeaked.
"You don't know James Rolfe?" Jeremy asked.
"No. Who is he? A game developer or something?"
"You are kidding." Odd said in disbelief.
Aelita chuckled a little at her best friend. "Yumi, haven't you heard of the Angry Video Game Nerd?"
Yumi shook her head.
"Ulrich Stern! I blame you for this..." Odd looked at his friend, shocked.
"How is this my fault?" the brown haired teen asked in defense.
"She doesn't know who the Angry Video Game Nerd is? That's like the eleventh flipping commandment!" Odd said as he placed his palm on his face.
"Hey come on guys. It's not like she just said she doesn't know who Jesus is." Jeremy said in Yumi's defense.
"Yeah, but to a gamer like me, The Nerd is close to it. Kinda like Jesus's apostle. Or his shoe shiner." William said.
"How can I be friends with some one who doesn't know the Angry Video Game Nerd?!" Odd whaled.
"Sheesh. I didn't think it was such a big deal." Yumi said, getting a little offended.
"It is a big deal!"Odd bellowed. He was acting like his wallet had just been stolen.
"At least tell us you know who The Nostalgia Critic is..." Aelita asked, hoping her best friend would know.
"Uhhhh..." Yumi shuddered.
"OH MY GOD! ULRICH STERN! WHAT KIND OF BOYFRIEND ARE YOU?!" Odd demanded.
"I didn't figure she was into that stuff, so I figured I wouldn't show her." Ulrich replied.
"Odd. Don't you think you're over reacting?" Aelita asked.
"Oh no, I am not over reacting... This is just me reacting." Odd said. " I mean, they are like two of the best things on the Internet."
Odd turned to Sissi, who had remained quiet during the whole conversation. "Sissi, you know Doug Walker and James Rolfe, don't you?"
"Eh..."Sissi paused as she tried to find a excuse. "I've seen them, but they're not my cup of tea," she lied, hoping that the gang would buy it.
"Cut me some slack, will you? Its not like I waste my time on YouTube watching two guys or what ever." Yumi got flustered.
"They're just messing with you, Yumes. I will give you the complete history on The Nerd tonight." Ulrich said as he smiled at his girlfriend.
"Don't forget the Nostalgia Critic.. He's just as good too." Jeremy said.
"Got it. Don't worry, I will cover everything..." Ulrich said.
Odd turned towards Puck as he glanced down at the virtual A.I. "Puck, do you watch the Angry..."
"Nope, and I don't care." Puck said as he smiled.
Odds eye began to twitch as he felt a sudden surge of rage build in his body. He could not believe what Puck had just said.
"Why, you little troll!" Odd growled through his teeth.
Sissi glanced around the lab as the conversation toned out. There had been something on her mind for a while that she wanted to ask the others. She knew they trusted her and they had all become good friends to her, but she was worried how they would react if she asked. She remembered a few months ago when she tried to help them the first time and they refused. It wasn't until Odd and William vouched for her that they took her advice which led to success.
Sissi breathed deeply as she finally found the courage to ask them.
"I... got a question."
"What is it, Sissi?" William asked as the others looked towards the tall girl.
"Well... I've been helping you guys for a few months now and I sometimes feel like the third wheel. It's like I have no particular task in the group. I wanna be able to contribute more than I am now. So I was wondering if the next time- if it's okay... if I could go to Lyoko?"
The rest of the gang exchanged glances around the room. Everyone was silent.
There was no doubt that Sissi had helped them out several times in the following months, even going so far as following the gang to Las Vegas. She deserved to be treated like a real Lyoko Warrior. Yet since William's possession a year ago the gang had been extremely hesitant about virtualizing new people on Lyoko.
In the end, though, the initial silence proved to be misleading.
"I have no problem with it." Jeremy said after a short consideration.
Aelita smiled and nodded with Jeremy. "It's your decision Sissi. You've been a big help these past few months and I think you would do good on Lyoko."
"Wait, hang on, she can't..." Odd protested. "I mean, she has no experience in fighting. What if something happens to her?"
Odd looked at Sissi in concern. While he agreed that they could use an extra pair of hands on Lyoko, he was uneasy about dragging Sissi into the danger of combat.
They still weren't technically boyfriend or girlfriend yet, but he had feelings for her, and he knew she was aware of them. He felt responsible for Sissi's safety. He now knew what it was like for Ulrich and Jeremy when ever something concerned Aelita or Yumi.
"Puck and myself have been working on some safety measures so that a situation like William's never happens again." Jeremy assured him. "No offense, William."
"None taken, Jeremy", William said. "Still, it won't hurt to be cautious in case something does happen. A lot could still go wrong."
"I think Sissi could work out well with us as long as we are there to show her the ropes." Yumi said in agreement. "A proper training and she should be fine."
"The sooner the better, then. Why don't we take her tomorrow after class?" Ulrich suggested.
"Great... Another human to dirty up my new home." Puck joked.
"Ok... I will go with you tomorrow," Odd said. In this situation he could not let Sissi be virtualized without his supervision. "I will teach you everything you need to know about Lyoko and becoming a Garage Kid."
"Great!" Sissi said with confidence that impressed Odd. She always knew what she wanted from life, and it definitely showed. "Sounds like a date, then."
Odd's face quickly turned red as the thought of being on Lyoko with Sissi did sound like a date. At least in this case he wouldn't have to shower or dress nicely
"Uh, hey... I would love to stay here and play who can make who melt into a pile of goo with love some more, but... I will ready to go home... NOW!" Puck said as he turned to face the elevator.
"Yeah, we will have to finish this later. We got finals in the morning after all." Jeremy said as he sat in the large computer chair.
Puck walked over to the elevator with William, Sissi and Odd as Jeremy prepared to virtualize Puck back on Lyoko. The elevator doors shut and it lowered itself to the second floor of the lab.
"So, did you have fun on Earth?" William asked.
"It was definitely a good time and all." Puck said.
"Puck... can I ask a question?" Odd said.
"I swear, If it's about those two shows you were talking about, I will launch an attack on Earth and posses your underwear to fly out of your room onto the lawn of the school."
"No no it's not that, it's just..." Odd said as he tried to word his question properly. "Have you thought about Jeremy's proposal? It would mean a lot to Aelita if she had someone who was family here on Earth."
Puck stood silent, hesitant as he thought about how he would answer the question.
"If you are worried about human living, it's not all that bad. I mean it's ten times better then living on Lyo-" Odd started until Puck interrupted him.
Puck quickly turned around and faced the three teens in anger.
"I don't want to live here on Earth. I'm OK with a visit every once in a while, but I am not OK with living here as a full term human being. I've made up my mind. End of discussion."
"Hey come on, Puck... Aelita wanted to live here on Earth long before she learned she was human. And it worked out well for her." Odd argued back as the elevator door opened, revealing the 3 scanners in the middle of the room.
"Well, that's Aelita... Not me." Puck said.
"Odd, just drop it. Puck doesn't want to come to Earth. He does not have to." Sissi said in Puck's defense.
Puck slowly walked over to the scanner as it opened up. In the back of his mind he hated the thought of going back to Lyoko. He secretly did want to live on Earth, but there was one problem...
"Puck, are you ready?" Jeremy asked over the radio.
"Yeah, I guess." Puck said.
The doors shut in front of him and the scanner began to whirl and hiss.
"Transfer: Puck." Jeremy said as the computer showed Puck's virtualization process on the screen.
Puck felt his feet lift off the ground as the heat and wind from the machine ruffled his clothing and hair.
"Scanner Puck." Jeremy said as a pair of large metal rings raised and lowered around Puck's body with a loud clanking noise.
"And... virtualization."
The scanner booth suddenly went bright. It was so bright that he could see it in his eyelids. Puck's body began to shift and alter into a form of virtual energy as it was broken down and cycled inside the computer. All Puck could do was listening to his body whoosh through the cables to the supercomputer and into Lyoko.
Puck then noticed the noise suddenly quit as he felt himself land on the ground on Lyoko. Puck opened his eyes as he realized the sights of the human world was gone, replaced with the dull colors of Lyoko. He glanced around the mountain sector. He felt alone and distant upon returning home. In the back of his mind he didn't want to return to Lyoko. Yet here he was...
"Jeremy I am here-" Puck said when suddenly, he sensed something.
Jeremy sat in the lab chair as he continued to monitor Puck's virtualization on Lyoko. He had to make sure no bugs or viruses infected the A.I. Puck was the gang's huge advantage over Xervix. Not only could he activate towers and launch his own attacks like Xervix or Xana, but he also helped program a new sling of weapons and equipment for the gang ever since Xervix's imprisonment.
"I'm gonna grab some water, who wants one?" Yumi asked.
Ulrich, Jeremy and Aelita agreed. Yumi walked over to the fridge. She pulled out four bottles of water and brought them back to the group that gathered around the computer terminal.
"So, Sissi is making the plunge," Ulrich stated, breaking the silence.
"Its definitely the best time with Xervix locked up. Plus, Aether's attacks aren't nearly as dangerous as previous attacks." Aelita said cheerfully.
"True. I never thought I would see the day Sissi Delmas would actually join the team as a full time member." Jeremy said with a smile.
"Shouldn't we be cautious? I mean... what if Odd's right, and what happened William, happens to Sissi?" Yumi asked.
"I've already taken precautions into that. Remember when I virtualized you five last week?" Jeremy said as he pulled up a new screen on one of the monitors.
The screen showed the stats of the five. It showed their speed, strength and abilities, but also something else. A large colored bar sat above their heads. Above the bar was the lettering S.C%.
"What's that?" Ulrich asked.
"One of the many new upgrades Jeremy, myself and Puck worked on. It's something we discovered a few weeks ago. They're called source codes." Aelita said.
"What's a source code?" Yumi asked in confusion.
"Source codes are codes that allow Aelita to deactivate a tower. But her codes are DNA, genetic, I mean. Then we found out that Xana installed similar source codes inside the rest of you, with the exception of William. We think he planned to use it as a weapon or something similar, but he was wiped out so the codes just sit there," Jeremy explained.
"We programmed multiple functions into them. Firstly, it can allow any of you to shut down any activated towers, just like Aelita. Secondly, it keeps a Scyphozoa from downloading and altering your mind, like it did with William's. It encrypts your digital DNA and virtual soul. It scans and copies it so that when an outside program tries to hack and control you, the source code denies it and destroys the hack at the source. So now not only does it protect you from being hacked and possessed, but it keeps your virtual bodies the same for when you are going from computer to real world. It will come in handy in case we ever have to create specters of you guys again or use the Nano Suits."
"The only thing they can't do is register your virtual soul and avatar on any of the new sectors," Aelita butted in. "But we found out that if you were devirtualized on Lyoko in a new sector that hasn't recognized your virtual form, the virtual soul gets sent to the new city sector, which holds all the memory of Lyoko."
"I still don't get what a virtual soul is." Ulrich said.
"It's your mind and body, broken down into digital information. Do you remember when my father was trying to help us? That was his virtual soul." Aelita replied.
"Sounds like you got our bases covered?" Ulrich asked.
" But back to the original subject. Tomorrow, Odd is taking her in, but William and Aelita have class tomorrow. Do you guys wanna go in with her to help out?" Jeremy asked.
"Sure... It would be like a double date." Yumi said, glomping Ulrich, who wheezed a little.
"I'll be over tomorrow after class with Miss Scott." Aelita said as she walked over to Jeremy. She grinned. "Then, it could be a triple date..."
Before the conversation could continue any further, the computer suddenly buzzed as the Superscan went off. The moniters blinked as they revealed exactly what was going on inside Lyoko.
"What is it?" Ulrich asked.
"It's an activated tower... In the Sky region." Jeremy said in amazement.
"We haven't explored that area yet, have we? The only one out of the sub sectors we checked was the Cave sector." Yumi noticed.
"Right. And it looks as though it wasn't Xervix who activated this tower... But... Aether." Jeremy said slowly.
"Well... at least we know the security program locking him in is working." Aelita said.
With a few quick strokes of keys Jeremy connected to the intercom in the scanner room.
"Guys, we have an emergency. Sissi, call George and the others. Tell them Aether is on the move. Everyone, get ready to go."
Yumi and Ulrich approached the elevator. Aelita followed them, then came to a stop and turned to Jeremy.
She didn't want to go to Lyoko. She wanted to be free from all of it, but her duty came calling back to her... that alone depressed her.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Jeremy looking at her with the same concern on his face. Jeremy also didn't want her to go. He felt as if they should have spent more time developing a way to delete Aether and Xervix instead of fooling with the source codes. This was Aelita's day and he had hoped she wouldn't have to go through this on her birthday.
But now she was.
"You be careful, okay, Aelita?"
"I will."
Jeremy leaned down and kissed Aelita's small, soft lips. Aelita returned the kiss by placing her hands around his head. She didn't want to leave him. She loved this feeling more than anything.
They finally broke off the kiss as they looked at each other.
"I love you." Jeremy said.
"I love you too... and I will be back." Aelita said as she turned to the elevator.
Aelita was now filled with determination. She wanted to finish the fight more than ever.
"Happy birthday Aelita. Sounds like Aether got you a trip to a new sector for your birthday." Odd joked when they met by the scanners.
"That's the one gift I would rather not have." Aelita said as the scanner doors opened in front of her.
Location: Unknown.
A young girl lay on a table in the middle of a dark and cold room. She slowly opened her eyes to find nothing but the same darkness she remembered seeing while she slept. Her eyes felt like they were made of dried concrete, heavy and dry. Her body was numb and senseless. She tried to move a little, but she felt as if she was paralyzed. She couldn't feel her body move.
As she moved more and more she soon realized that something was holding her down in a way that was comfortable, yet restraining. She was strapped to a large bed like table. She tried to wiggle free, but the straps were too thick and heavy for her to get free.
She tried to look around where she was at, only to find darkness, which seemed impenetrable by even the brightest of lights. The room was so cold that she could feel her breath turning to ice as she exhaled. She tried calling out for help but found she couldn't even muster the strength to say anything. All that left her mouth was a silent moan.
The young girl was a thin red head in her late teen years. Her hair was long and draped down her backside. She had a history of anorexia and abuse by kids at school and her ex boyfriend, who beat her daily. She ran away from home at the age of 15 and lived off the streets until one night she remembered 5 men approached her and attacked her. After that she woke up in the lab with no recollection of how she got there.
Suddenly, the darkness retreated as a large bright light came on. The light hung over the young woman's body as she tried to squint and look away from it. The brightness was enough to give her a headache and almost lose consciousness. All she could do was stare at the light and try to close her eyes.
She glanced around the room to find all kinds of strange pieces of equipment. Large monitors and instruments lined the area around her. They were nothing like she had seen in any hospital dramas.
A large metal door slid open as seven men stepped into the room from the corner. Five of the men were dressed in straight red and black gowns while the other two wore what appeared to be business suits with dark sunglasses. The two men in business suits stood to the side of the girl while the doctors began to gather their equipment.
"Wh... Wh... Are... Yo... Doing." The girl said weakly.
No one answered her. No one even bothered to look at her; instead they continued to prepare for something. Their demeanor was cold and emotionless as they ignored the girl's pleas for help and understanding.
The girl looked up and saw what appeared to be a glass balcony. It sat above like an observation room. She could barely make out the silhouettes of three men inside it.
Estrada stood at the window as he glanced downwards towards the operating room, smoking on a large cigar. He looked around the room he stood in as two other agents, Agents Chris and Jerome approached him.
After his failure in Amines to acquire Jeremy and Aelita, Chris was reassigned to the current project Estrada had placed into effect. With Aelita now transcended from Avatar to Savior it was only a matter of time till the appearance of the Guardian. They needed something more than agents to stop it. They needed a force that could stand toe to toe with the gang, and this would be one of them.
Chris kidnapped everyone of the subject for Estrada's plan single-handed. In the back of his mind, the only thing he could think of was revenge on Jeremy and Aelita for the embarrassment they had given him a while ago, and also revenge on Frank Morse. Even though he killed Frank, Chris wanted to show him that all his attempts and deeds were for nothing.
"Is this the final one?" Estrada asked.
"Indeed." Chris said.
Jerome pulled a file from the table, He opened it up as he read the young girl's biography out loud. "Name...Tasha Rouland. Age 17. Mother and father Vincent and Mimi Rouland. Location Montreal Canada. Blood type A positive. History of mental stress and attempted suicide."
The other agent pulled the file out of Jerome's hands as he glanced through it. "Says here that she was pregnant at age 15 by her ex boyfriend... But he beat her badly and she lost it. Which must be why she ran away from home."
"That is of no concern." Chris said, shooting a glance towards Jerome. "After today Tasha Rouland will be found dead in a back alley, the result of starvation."
Estrada took the file and glanced through it. He laid the file on the table as he stepped back. He placed his cigar in the ashtray. The stench filled the room so badly it would make any normal person gag. Estrada then walked over to a nearby computer terminal; the long and large machine looked like a metal desk with the computer built into it. Several buttons and monitors lined it as they showed the stats of a giant monster.
The door to the observation booth slid open as a young woman walked into the room. She wore a large white lab coat and high heels. She also wore a navy blue skirt and blouse. She was of Asian ethnicity with long black hair. Her face was thin and fragile, while her eyes gleamed like diamonds.
"Ah, Dr. Asagami. It's a pleasure to see you join us." Estrada said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"I understand you wanted to see me, sir?" Asagami said.
"Yes I do." Estrada said as he pulled up the stats of the giant creature on the screen.
"How goes the rest of project Alpha? And the inductee you have decided to name... Gilgamesh?" Estrada said.
"Yes sir. He is the farthest ahead of the project. So far his body augmentation has been completed. The only thing left is to insert the virtual relay synapses in his mind, which will allow his mind to move faster then an average super computer. At the same time it will allow him to interfere with any computer by merely concentrating on it. He, like the others, will be able to peruse your targets across both Lyoko and Earth." The young Asian said with resentment in her mind.
"And how goes the other part of the plan, Jerome?" Estrada asked.
"Five U.S. Senators, the Prime Minister of the United kingdom, and the entire French government." Jerome said in response.
"Excellent... All we need now is to convince the Titan Aether to work with us and the children will be as good as ours. And once the Hermes satellite is airborne, we will have the Earth, Aelita, and her so called Guardian in our hands." Estrada said.
"Sir...What will happen to the members of Project Alpha once we are done?" Asagami asked nervously.
Estrada said nothing as he turned to look back out the observation window, onto the operating room.
"Sir... These are innocent people. Four of them are children. What are you going..."Asagami asked before Estrada cut her off.
"I wonder how your dear friend Saki is doing?"
Asagami stopped as her heart jumped into her throat. The very name of her friend was enough to cause her to sweat in fear.
"Last I heard she was safe in sound in section 221. Imagine what would happen if one of the air valves were to be severed." Estrada said deviously.
"I Understand." Asagami said as she tried to walk out the room.
"Before you go... Perhaps you would like to see your next patient." Estrada suggested.
Asagami shuddered at the thought as she stepped out the room. She already had nightmares about her subjects when they came to her for indoctrination. She didn't want to see how they came to her in that state.
"I'm sorry sir. I have work to do." Asagami said as the door shut behind her.
Estrada stared at the door as he thought to himself just how she had acted, asking about her test subjects. Did she show compassion and remorse? Or was it just curiosity?
"Once project Alpha is finished... You know what to do with the good doctor, don't you?" Estrada asked Jerome, who nodded.
Meanwhile down in the operation room, Tasha began to panic. She was able to speak full sentences now. Her mind was sparking full of horrifying thoughts of what was about to happen.
"Please tell me whats going on... PLEASE?!" the young girl shouted.
One of the men in the lab coats approached her with a pair of round metal clamps. He bent down and placed them into Tasha's eye sockets, to keep her from closing her eyes.
"You will watch this." The doctor said as he stepped back.
Tasha stared in confusion as she suddenly heard a loud whirling noise. She looked over to see a doctor approach her with a strange looking machine.
The machine was triangular shaped with a round bottom. The machine had a large needle like object on it, which glowed white at the tip of it. The doctor placed the machine on Tasha's chest. As it suddenly glowed brighter and finally released a red beam which pointed straight down towards Tasha's chest.
Suddenly the loud whirling noise got louder as a second Doctor approached with a saw. He angled it downwards towards the young girl's arm as he prepared to cut.
All Tasha could do was scream in horror.
Estrada watched with a smile.
"We remove their humanity... to make them tools."