Code Lyoko Forever Episode 4: Rumor Has It
Author: Becca Ainsley
Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Code Lyoko.
Enjoy the Story! :)
Chapter 8
Illusion Tower
"There it is!" Aelita gasped as she pointed at the white tower at the end of her and Ulrich's path. The activated tower stood tall but eerie.
The long halls of the cave seemed to become more narrow as the two approached the tower. The team of two investigated the building.
"It looks like any normal tower," Ulrich said. "Should you just go in?"
"I don't think so," Aelita answered. "What if Odd and Dani's tower is the real one?"
"Right," Ulrich sighed. "But how will we get to them in time?"
"Shh," Aelita said abruptly. "Do you hear... voices?"
"There it is!" Dani said pointing at the tower at the of her and Odd's path. The two rushed over to the tower.
Dani and Odd took turns circling the tower checking to see if it was real.
"It looks real," Odd replied. He carefully touched the walls of the tower. "I think its real."
"I don't know," Dani said. She looked up from the tower and looked down the cave. "Is it just me or does the cave get more narrow?"
Odd looked down the cave himself. "You're right," he answered. "Do you think-."
"Shh," Dani interrupted. She looked around for a few seconds then back at Odd. "Do you hear... voices?" Odd shrugged.
Dani turned her attention to the narrow walls. She gently pressed her ear to the west wall. She knocked twice on the wall. "Hello?"
"Dani?" said a muffled voice. Dani gasped and backed away from the wall.
"What's wrong?" Odd asked running up to her.
"I heard a voice," Dani replied. "Coming from the other side of this wall." Odd did the same as Dani and pressed his ear against the icy wall.
"Dani?" said the muffled voice again. Odd's purple cat ear perked up.
"It's Aelita!" Odd said to Dani.
"What?" Dani gasped.
"It's Aelita! And Ulrich must be there too!" Odd replied. "Aelita? Ulrich?" Dani pressed her ear against the wall.
"Odd!" Ulrich's muffled voice said.
"Ulrich!" Dani said. "Are you guys okay?"
"We're fine," Aelita replied. "How about you?"
"We're good, now enough with the small talk," Odd said. "Is your tower the real one or not?"
"We don't know," Ulrich said. "What about your tower?"
"We're not sure either," Dani answered. "And this wall is getting on my nerves! I can barely hear you guys."
"Us too," Ulrich added. "Let's get the wall out of the way first."
"How?" Aelita asked.
"Like this," Dani replied. She placed an arrow in her bow and released it. The arrow struck the wall leaving a large crack.
"It's just another one of XANA's tricks!" Aelita said seeing the crack on her and Ulrich's side of the wall.
"Then let's do this," Ulrich said pulling out his saber. He began slashing and stabbing the wall making the crack bigger.
"Energy Field!" Aelita threw a red energy field at the wall.
"Laser Arrow!" Odd launched three arrows at the wall. The crack was getting bigger and bigger. Finally the wall shattered, revealing another wall.
"What?!" Ulrich shouted. "This is ridiculous!" Ulrich stabbed one of his sabers into the wall in frustration.
"At least we can see you," Odd said waving.
The first ice wall was broken on the ground and a second ice wall stood in front of them. This time it was transparent and the four could see each other.
"So now we can see each others towers," Aelita said. "Let's start comparing."
"No time guys!" crackled a voice. The voice was Jeremy.
"Jeremy!" Odd replied. "Where were you all this time?!"
"XANA messed up my communication and I had to go fix it," Jeremy said. "Also Yumi is trying to fend off Delmas and Jim."
"How close are they to the supercomputer?" Ulrich asked.
"Pretty close I'm afraid," Jeremy said. "But I was able to stop the elevator. But don't quote me on that, with XANA controlling the internet, he can easily activate the elevator again. Work fast!"
"We got it Jeremy," Dani replied.
"Just pick a tower and see what will happen," Jeremy sighed. "Like I said, I can't help on my end and a guess is your best choice."
"Then go with your tower," Dani said to Aelita. "After all Odd and I can't do anything here."
"Okay," Aelita said with a nod and walked in the tower. The inside of the tower looked normal. "Jeremy, this is safe. This is-AAH!"
"Aelita!" Ulrich screamed. He ran into the tower and gasped. "Jeremy! Its the scyphozoa!"
"What?!" Jeremy gasped. "Looks like your tower is the fake. Odd and Dani's is the real one!"
"Look!" Odd shouted. From the other side of Dani and Odd's wall was another scyphozoa. "Jeremy, there's two!"
"Ulrich!" Aelita gasped.
"Come on Aelita!" Ulrich grabbed Aelita's arm but the scyphozoa's long tentacles grabbed Aelita's leg.
"Energy Field!" Aelita thrust an energy field at the scyphozoa. The scyphozoa let go and Ulrich and Aelita dashed out of the building.
"Ahh!" Ulrich gasped. "Jeremy, there's another one!"
"What is going on?!" Jeremy said in frustration.
"Yes, what is going on?" said a voice behind him. Jeremy turned to see Mr. Delmas and Jim holding Yumi.
"I'm sorry Jeremy," Yumi said. "The elevator started going again and they caught me."
"XANA," Jeremy mumbled to himself. Mr. Delmas grabbed Jeremy, yanking out his headset.
"I asked you a question Belpois," Mr. Delmas replied. "What is going on and what is this contraption?"
"Sir, I can explain," Jeremy started.
"Hey Einstein!" Odd shouted. "The scyphozoa's got Ulrich and Aelita!"
"Odd?" Mr. Delmas pushed Jeremy out of the way. "Odd Della Robia?"
"Delmas?" Odd said.
"XANA must've activated the elevator," Dani replied. "Delmas and Jim are in the supercomputer room."
"What is this?" Mr. Delmas said while investigating the supercomputer.
"Sir, this is important and you have to move!" Jeremy said trying to push Mr. Delmas out of the way.
"Not until I find out what this is," Mr. Delmas said firmly. "Or I am calling the police!"
"Save Ulrich and Aelita now!" Jeremy shouted.
Without the headset, Odd and Dani couldn't hear clearly but they could make out the message.
"We need to break down this wall and fast," Dani said to Odd.
"But how?" Odd asked. "It'll take us forever!"
"We start now," Dani replied. She grabbed her bow and started banging the wall. A few faint cracks started to show.
"Laser Arrow!" Odd shot arrows at the crack making the faint crack bigger.
"This isn't working!" Dani said in frustration.
"Wait!" Odd shouted. He pointed at Ulrich's saber on the ground. The saber that was previously stuck into the wall by Ulrich had loosened and fell.
"His saber might be strong enough to break the wall," Dani replied. Dani used her bow to make a hole near the ground big enough for her hand.
"Can you get it?" Odd asked.
"Y-yes!" Dani replied. She grabbed the saber and pulled it out from the other side. "Keep shooting Odd!"
"Right!" Odd kept firing laser arrows while Dani started slashing the wall. The cracks became bigger and bigger.
"I think the scyphozoa is almost done with them!" Dani said. "We have to hurry!"
"I have an idea!" Odd grabbed the saber from Dani's hand and her bow from her bag. He carefully slid the saber into the bow and handed it to Dani.
"Odd! You're a genius!" Dani positioned her bow at the crack in the wall and released. The saber flew through the air and landed right at the crack.
The wall started to shake then tumbled down. Odd and Dani ran over to Aelita and Ulrich.
"Laser Arrow!" Odd shot at the scyphozoa attacking Aelita. The arrow seemed to burn its tentacles and it let go of Aelita.
Dani shot an arrow at the scyphozoa attacking Ulrich. The arrow took out two of its tentacles and it dropped Ulrich on the ground.
The two scyphozoas slithered out of sight leaving Odd and Dani to care for Aelita and Ulrich.
"Ulrich! Ulrich! Can you hear me?" Dani asked picking up his body and cradling him on her lap.
"Aelita! Are you okay?" Odd said to Aelita picking her up in his arms.
"They're drained but not completely that they would be under XANA's control," Dani said to Odd.
"Jeremy, we need a return to the past!" Odd shouted.
"Let me go!" Jeremy shouted. He was squirming out of a policeman's grip.
"You have to stop them sir!" Yumi said to Mr. Delmas. Two policeman held Yumi's arm.
"No," Mr. Delmas said. "I warned Jeremy and he disobeyed me. So I called the police."
"Sir please!" Yumi pleaded. Mr. Delmas waved his hand and the policemen grabbed Yumi out. "Sir no! No!"
"Let... me... go!" Jeremy screamed. He was able to squirm his way out and he sprinted to the supercomputer.
"Hey!" yelled a policeman. He stomped over to Jeremy and grabbed him. "You can't run from me little boy. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"RETURN TO THE PAST NOW!"