Here is the second chapter, my original plan was to have it out by last Sunday but things called life and camping got in the way. Enjoy :)
"The color is black, I'll go and check it out." Aelita said with determination. She began to move forward but then a voice called out to them.
"Don't take another step." Confused the Lyoko warriors turned around and saw the person who spoke. "Greetings my dear friends, welcome to my little home that you call Lyoko."
Yumi took a step forward, "And just who are you?" The silver-haired figure just smiled coldly.
"My name is Zach and I'm the one who keeps Lyoko in check." He said. "And just who are you intruders?"
Promptly, the warriors introduced themselves and their intentions. Zach frowned.
"I'm afraid that you don't have the right code to 'deactivate' it."
Meanwhile in the Factory...
Jeremie was perplexed about the conversation Yumi had with a person called 'Zach'. He didn't really know who he was or why he was on the surface of Lyoko. To hopefully resolve this issue, he decided to call up one of his best friends.
"Hello Kou, we have a slight problem on our hands and I need your help." He then gave his friend directions to the factory and hung up.
"Yumi, could you please not get into a fight with Zach? Help is on the way."
On Lyoko...
After hearing Jeremie's transmission, she nodded and proceeded to explain Zach everything that transpired as per his orders. Zach leaned on the tower.
"So, you beat XANA and saw that the supercomputer started up again? That last one was me, I just wanted to create a new sector." He confessed. "If you want, I'll show you but not before explaining who I am."
Zach had a slight case of amnesia and he found himself on Sector Five after the fall of XANA. He soon found that he can manipulate the coding inside Sector Five and use it to help him. He could also invent codes for the towers to do different things. He explained that he used Code: Night to take control of the tower and manipulate both Lyoko and the outside world. He blocked the feature to manipulate the outside world to avoid doing what XANA did before. He turned on the supercomputer to monitor the link between Lyoko and Earth and he monitored the Earth activities as well. In doing so, he accidentally unlocked the feature to manipulate Earth to his liking.
"It was a small thing I did," He confessed. "That accidentally paved the way for the reawakening of XANA. Now bear in mind that it is still rebooting from its defeat giving us time to abort the program not from Carthage but from my hand crafted sector. I need help from you four to set things right."
Aelita nodded, it made sense that Zach needed their help because they didn't want another XANA on the loose.
"Alright, I will add the sector to the list. Jeremie, do I have permission to take these four to the Sixth sector?"
"Just hold on for a minute. Guys, I have just added a fifth virtualization program to the mix so be ready for anything." The group nodded. Odd bent over to whisper in Yumi's ear.
"Now who does he have in store for us?" He whispered.
"Not sure Odd, it might be a boy or a girl."
Jeremie started the program and instructed Kou to step in the scanners.
"Scanner Kou." A slight pause made him think if this was a good choice or not. "Transfer Kou, virtualization."
Somewhere not too far from the group, a figure slowly materialised into Lyoko. The figure fell and crashed unceremoniously to the ground. Her Lyoko outfit consisted of a light blue skirt that just ended above her knees. She also had boots that seemed to go untill it reached her thighs. Her hair was a white as snow and her eyes were as blue as the sky. She wore a necklace with a moon on it.
That wasn't her most distinguishing feature, hers was the wolf ears and tail that she had. She also had the claws of a wolf. Strapped to her back was her weapon.
"Kou, meet up the others, they are just north of you." She nodded and rubbed her hand over her necklace. Immediately she transformed into a wolf and ran over to meet them. If she traveled normally, she would've been there in five minutes. Travelling in wolf form however, made her get there a few minutes earlier. Just before she got into sight of the group, she turned back to normal.
"Hey!" She called, startling the warriors. Before any of them could speak, she introduced herself and she added that she was friends with Jeremie.
"Whats with your ears and tail?" Odd asked, jealous that all he looked like was a purple cat with pointy hair. Kou blushed and told them that it was a family secret.
Zach cleared his throat, capturing the attention of the warriors. "Are you ready for the Sixth sector? Jeremie, can you take us to Carthage so we can access the sector?"
Jeremie entered the code, virtualised their rides and instructed them to go to the edge of the sector. Kou, having no vehicles to ride, just turned into a wolf, much to the amazement of the group. She winked before running toward the specified place. The rest of the group did the same including Zach who wasn't part of the group yet.
"What if this goes wrong Zach?" Ulrich asked. Zach then turned to Ulrich and smiled warmly.
"Trust me, we will use the emergency escape code and get out of the sector. If XANA interferes with me, we will take a tower back to the Ice sector and part ways that is, if you want to get me out of this place."
Jeremie smiled in front of his computer screen and replied courteously: "That could work with me, I'll just need to write-up the program and we will be all set."
"No need, I came up with it once XANA was destroyed in hope of getting out of here. All you need to do is authorize it." He closed his eyes, sending the data and trying not to crash at the same time.
Jeremie smiled as he saw the familiar program pop up on one of the screens. It had the same premise of the program for Aelita but with all the kinks resolved. He typed the code for the transport ships and it soon picked them up.
Odd looked disgruntled about being on the ship again.
"Ugh, not this again," He moaned, clutching his stomach. Ulrich just looked at him incredulously.
"Ok, you can ride your Overboard like a pro but you can't stand a silly transport ship?" He quipped, shaking his head.
"Quiet, we're almost there." Zach said effectively shutting them up. "Follow me to the terminal." Once they disembarked, he ran off to the left giving them no choice but to follow him. After a great deal of running, Zach waved his hand in front of the terminal. He typed down lines upon lines of coding and shut the terminal off.
"There, I have granted access to the sixth sector now. Follow me." He cued up his vehicle and the Lyoko warriors did the same. He led them downwards into a channel that was just opened leading them into Zach's personal sector.
Once they emerged from the edge of the sector, they took a good look around. It was dark out and specs of light were in the distance. They jumped off their vehicles onto the grass that covered the ground. Small, rolling hills were dotted here and there in a random yet predetermined spot. They walked down a dirt path that led to the outskirts of some small town.
"Welcome to Hope Village." Zach said, gesturing to the town and all around it. "This is what I call home and it is here where we would find the program to shut down XANA before it is too late." He directed them to a building in the center square. He opened the door and walked in, activating the main terminal.
He fiddled around with it for some time before swearing loudly.
"I can't believe it! Something is interfering with the program so I can't destroy XANA forever!" He banged his head against the wall. "It was all a trap, a clever ruse to get us here."
"And that means?" Odd asked, hoping that it wasn't what he thought it would be. Much to his dismay, it was what he thought it would be.
"XANA is awake and is back with a vengeance. I am activating the escape route now." With a flash of light, they were warped back to the Ice sector unaware of the danger around them.
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