Sorry for not updating sooner. I took a week's break. I made this chapter longer, though. Hope you like it. R&R. Enjoy.
Thank you yumiulrichlovers for your review. Was happy to see the number go up at least by one.
Chapter 10: Into the Sea
Jeremy's POV
"Jeremy, you coming?" William asked me when we got to the elevator. I had already texted Odd and Ulrich to come and since Yumi was with Ulrich and Korran I didn't have to text her.
"Sure," I said. "Just let me install something first. Meanwhile you go deactivate the tower and wait for me in sector five."
"We don't have the Skid," Aelita reminded me. Sadly she was right but I have been working on something useful.
"I know," I said. "Go," I got out on the lab room. I sat on the chair and accessed the supercomputer. Lyoko's globe appeared. "Aelita and William will go to the forest sector and deactivate the tower. Angelo and Hunter, I will send you to sector five. Wait right in the same room you get virtualized in. Aelita and William first," I said and started the virtualization process for the forest sector. "Tower to south from where you are," I said as soon as the screen read them on Lyoko. "Hunter and Angelo," I started the virtualization process and sighed when they were on sector five.
"How much time do we wait?" Angelo asked.
"Not much, I don't see monsters near Aelita and William and they are pretty close. They seem just fine for now. Might take a few minutes," I typed in codes. I had to install a last program into me and another program that I had worked over night and that I was sure was effective. Hope it does or we'll be doomed.
Aelita's POV
William had his mantas flying around the area. There were no sign of creatures but I was aware that the tower was purple which meant Lexia and I knew well that Meiah might be in the tower but I had to risk it.
As soon as we got to the tower I hit my star and flew into it. I wasn't going to take any chances. Effectively she was there. But to my surprise William was inside the tower with me. He started fighting Meiah. How? Maybe the fact he had Xana's codes meant that he could access the towers while activated.
I got to the terminal and deactivated the tower. "Good job," Jeremy said. "Get out of there now. Go to the edge of the sector. I'll send the transporter towards you."
"On it," I said and went down. William was still fighting with Meiah. "William, let's go," I said.
"Light sprint," he said and we started the race towards the edge of the sector.
"Code Scipio, see you on sector five," Jeremy said as the transporter appeared and took us away.
William's POV
We got to sector five. Jeremy was just getting virtualized. He sighed when he fell. "Ready?" he asked. We all nodded.
"The Skid," Aelita reminded him. We couldn't go anywhere into the net without the ship. We couldn't go to the digital sea like if it was any other sector.
"I took care of that problem," Jeremy said. "Let's go," he started running. Okay, one day he enters Lyoko and the next day he thinks he can command every mission like if he spent a lifetime on Lyoko.
"Mind explaining?" Hunter said to him. He jumped and started running on the wall like if there was no gravity in the room. How could he walk on walls? Spiderman, I hissed in my thoughts.
"Remember the barriers?" Jeremy asked. "The ones around the mantas?"
"Yes," I replied waiting for him to say more.
"Well I kind of thought about it and finally came up with the idea to make a barrier just like that one but around the vehicles. A barrier like a force-field that could repel the cyber water in the digital sea. It was easy to program. It was what I put around the Skid for protection. We will be safe within the bubble."
"That way use the vehicles to travel towards the replikas instead of the Skid," Aelita said. "Did you manage it?"
"Nearly but I have to get to the Celestial Dome first," he said. "I have to install it right in the interface."
As soon as we got to the Celestial Dome Jeremy accessed the interface. "I'll help," Aelita said and walked up to him. After a few minutes they nodded and Jeremy closed his eyes and the vehicles appeared in front of us. The problem was that there were only three vehicles and we were too many. I didn't think sharing would be a good idea especially because of my blade. I still couldn't find the right command to put it away and call it back.
"William, your ride isn't here. It's on the other room where the Skid used to be," Jeremy said.
I frowned. "All the way over there?" I asked him. He nodded. "Fine, should have told me before," I said and started walking towards the elevator. It took me to the other chambers and I started running towards the room where I knew the Skid was. We had come here before these alien people arrived so I got to see where the chamber was.
It was silent. There still weren't creepers but I could feel Xana close. I took the elevator to the other room and sighed. This was stressing. I couldn't help but feel exposed being here alone in Lyoko where the Skiphosoa could attack me. I virtualized a creeper next to me just in case.
The name suited them well. My creeper was worse than the others. Since it was white it looked like a ghost. Anyone would fear it but I knew I had it under my control. At least having it as company eased my fear.
The elevator stopped with a clank. I started walking deeper into the room. All I saw was this small ship where only one person fitted in. For some reason I recognized it even though I didn't remember doing anything with it. My mind flashed with codes. A second later I found myself holding up my head from a sudden headache. The security around the small ship unlocked and it was released. I took a few steps more and stood in the center of what seemed a target.
"Energize," I said and a moment later I was in the ship. I took a moment and identified all the controls as if I had known them since forever. I decided that I had to give this thing a name but the only thing I could think of was Skid Jr. so I just decided to put the name thing to a side and concentrate.
I pulled the controls, pushed a few buttons. The process started and I found myself flying out through the upper part of the sector. The others were waiting for me. They were on the vehicles but I couldn't see any barriers on them. Jeremy and Aelita were on the Overwing, Angelo was on the Overboard and Hunter took the Overbike.
"Are we ready?" Jeremy asked. "I installed speakers into the vehicles and lasers too. Okay, the shields around the vehicles aren't as strong as William's so three torpedoes and you are lost forever."
"Well that's encouraging," I said with sarcasm.
"William, you have a gauge to tell you when you are in danger," Jeremy replied.
"I know," I said. "Somehow I know how to use this thing. I'll wait you all outside." I said and started towards the gate Jeremy had opened. There were behind me. I was first out and dived into the digital sea.
We were out. It was the first time I had seen the net, or I had seen it before but I couldn't remember anything. It was dark. Everything was dark. My ship was illuminated by the buttons and gauges. I found the right button for the lights and turned them on. I instantly saw Jeremy hovering on the over wing inside this big bubble. Well he did a good job programing.
Odd's POV
I read the message of Jeremy and started towards the factory. I had already woken up. I couldn't sleep that much. I just slept about two hours but that was all. It reeks when that happens.
I raced on my skateboard through the sewers. It was awkward being alone underground but I had done it before and I was getting used to it. The ladder came into view. Ulrich, Korran and Yumi were running towards me when I climbed up the ladder.
"Hey," I said and joined their run inside the factory. We slid down the ropes but Korran just jumped off the edge and feel on his feet. "What do you think the attack is about?" I asked when we got to the elevator.
"Don't know," Ulrich replied.
"This seems not to be something good," Yumi noticed. I had the feeling of being watched.
We got to the lab room. It was empty. Yumi accessed the interface, "Hello?" The hologram came to life but instead of Lyoko it was the net. How? "Okay, got it," she typed on the computer. She looked at us, "Go to the scanners. I'll send you to Lyoko."
We nodded and got into the elevator and went to the lower level. The doors of the scanners closed when we got into them.
"Okay," Yumi said. "Scanner, Odd. Scanner, Ulrich. Scanner, Korran. Transfer, virtualization."
There was always this electric feeling when getting virtualized. Like a cramp all over your body and then we were on Lyoko. We were in the ice sector. Wonder why were we here?
We were silent and a few minutes later Yumi got virtualized.
"Vehicles?" Ulrich asked.
"We won't need them where we're going. Angelo said that we should go towards Eonor and patrol," Yumi replied.
Korran smiled. "Then you will go to Eonor. It'll be a nice trip towards there. But I have to tell you, it's a war zone so as soon as we get there stay alert." We all nodded. "Code, S-C-I-P-I-A," I thought he had called to take us towards sector five but a big transporter came and took us out.
It felt like forever. The trip was even longer than going towards sector five and surely we were going to the other side of the net. You could see everything from inside the transporter. It was as if you were traveling inside a bubble. The cyber water was repelled.
Then I saw this big warp on the end. It seemed like if it was a giant whole on the net and the transporter went right through it. Everything went black and cold. Everything was always black on the net but you always saw a small gloom coming from the memory banks. Now everything was pitch black.
After a few minutes a new gloom appeared. We came up to another net. This one was just the same as the other one. A few minutes passed before we came to a darker place. There were sparks of electricity over the data banks. Maybe a rupture on the net somewhere. Then we saw a few sharks swimming. Xana's already on this side of the net. You could see a few creatures that seemed to be working in those dark parts of the net.
We passed those places fast. A globe came into view. A huge one. Too big to be a replika. Just the same size as Lyoko. The entrance opened before the transporter was even close. We entered.
The space at first was dark and then we emerged from the digital sea. This sight looked different. The transporter rose until we got to what seemed like the forest sector but it was much more complicated. The floor wasn't that smooth. It was more like a jungle. The trees here grew wide and with roots that seemed to be the ones connecting the sector. There were rocks around and trunks. I wouldn't be any more surprised if I saw a swamp around here.
The transporter came to a stop and left us on the edge of the sector. I looked around the sector exploring with my sight what I saw. Ulrich took out his blades and Yumi her fans. I remembered why they did that and got ready to shoot an arrow to whatever moved.
Then I felt that strange feeling that always took over me when I used the transporter. I threw up. Something that isn't that cute to see.
"Ew Odd," Yumi complained.
"Sorry," was all I replied.
"Come on," Korran said. "We have to move fast they already know we're here." He started running toward our left. We followed him until we got to a tower. This one was orange. I thought it was activated but when Korran ran inside I knew this was how towers looked like here on Eonor.
"Where are we?" I asked Korran when I entered the tower. There was the same type of target here as there was on the towers of Lyoko and I understood that they did not mean Xana but Lyoko.
"This is the jungle sector, as in Lyoko we have five sectors. These sectors are: Jungle, Isles, Caverns, Inverse, and Core," Korran said.
"We are in the jungle," Ulrich noticed. "So what do we do?"
"Run a scan," Korran replied. He went to the interface and started looking through the programs. "Be aware of anything."
"Where does this tower get you to?" Yumi asked.
Korran started the scan and the screen went red looking for towers. "This one takes you to the inverse sector.
"Can I go take a look?" Yumi asked him.
"No," Korran said flatly. "The word inverse means upside down. We couldn't go there without Hunter unless you had wings or wanted to fall into the digital sea."
"Then what happens if Hunter gets devitualized and you are all there?" Yumi asked.
"Hold on tight to the ceiling," Korran responded. "I only have invisibility. Leiah is the one who can teleport and Angelo has wings."
"I could solve that," I said looking at my claws.
Korran shook his head. "What's your ability, kitty?"
"I'm not a kitty," I complained. "I can create towers just like this one."
"That gives you advantage," Korran said. "You?" he asked Yumi."
"Telekinesis," she replied. He looked at Ulrich.
"Triplicate," he said and split into three.
Korran smiled, "Awesome," he said.
"Thanks," all three Ulrichs said together. Then they united back to one Ulrich.
There was a beep and Korran looked at the screen. "No towers activated. Do you want to explore the other sectors?"
"Of course," Yumi beamed.
Yumi's POV
This was interesting. This place was much more different than Lyoko. Though similar but everything differently. I was eager to see the other areas.
Korran walked out first. Then Ulrich, I followed and Odd was the tail. It was different to see Korran on the virtual world. He was more beast-like here. He had a leather and steel armor and he had this wolfish appearance on his face. His arms were covered in fur and his hands had the same claws only that these looked sharper.
A laser flew towards Korran but he quickly deflected it with his blade. That thing made an X between his fingers. I wondered what it was. Korran instantly disappeared.
"Shield!" Odd called. "Laser arrow!" he shot at a creature that seemed to be a cross between a creeper and a kankerlet.
I heard a buzzing noise and threw one of my fans. One of the three hornets coming was hit and defeated. "Xana," I hissed.
"They are both here," Ulrich said. He deflected a laser. "Super sprint," he ran full speed at the creature and "Impact!" The creature blew up. "What are these things?"
"Crawlers," Korran's voice said from somewhere. "Move on to the north," he said. I started running towards where he had said. Ulrich and Odd were behind me. I nearly flinch when I saw Korran materialize in front of me. We kept running. Lasers came from every direction. We were all deflecting attacks. Odd was the only one that was dodging them.
We spotted a tower but it was guarded by a block and a crab. I took care of both of them with on shot. We ran into the tower full speed. I stopped inside the safety of the tower to catch my breath that now I asked if I really needed it in a virtual world.
Korran stood on the edge. "We have to continue."
"There is a war out there," Ulrich gasped the words. He held himself on his knees.
"Told you," Korran sighed and looked at all of us. "Let's go to the Isles sector."
"Korran," Odd started. "Why is the code Scipia?" That seemed to be a good question. I found myself wondering too.
"Because," Korran started explaining, "It was easier to remember if the codes were similar. The code just activates the program. If you are going to Core area you just have to give the code S-C-I-R-I-A. They are all similar."
I nodded. "And I thought Franz wanted to protect his projects." I hid my dual metal fans. I think we could have a break here.
"Who said he didn't? The codes are similar for that reason," Korran stated. That made me think and he was right. Korran jumped off the edge of the tower.
"Doesn't he get tired?" Ulrich asked. I knew what he meant. We walked with him all around town and that is a lot to say because the town is huge. He didn't even stop for the bathroom in all of the morning.
"Let's go," I said. We stood at the edge and dropped away. It was the same traveling through towers here. We came up to a tower. Korran was waiting for us at the entrance. He jerked his head for us to follow.
We walked out of the tower to see a new sector. This one was more illuminated and more flat. There weren't that many trees but there were a few scattered around with rocks. There were many isles around us that were connected by natural bridges of sand and rock. What mostly made this sector be the Isles was that it was at the same level as the digital sea. If the sea was an inch higher the sector would be entirely flooded.
Hornets flew our way. "Run," Odd said and we started running. This was all a war zone because there were these fishes that jumped out of the sea and threw lasers. Odd got to destroy one and Korran said that neither he nor anyone of his group had gotten to destroy one before. I guess I understand that. Those things are fast and they always return into the sea. And there are pretty much four per isle and that is a lot.
Jeremy's POV
We got to the first replika. We set the vehicles and William got linked into a tower what surprised me at first because I didn't think that was possible from a minor ship as the one he had and that ship seemed to still have enough energy left. The replika was not like the others Xana had made. This sector was like a cave. It was all a big net of tunnels. Angelo said it was the caves sector. I didn't know there was a sector like this in Eonor. He seemed to know it well.
I linked the vehicles into the tower too and then energized Aelita, William and I. Angelo and Hunter said they would stay back and keep an eye on things.
We were energized in a factory. I closed my eyes scanning for blue prints and in a second I had everything recorded into my mind. "Come on," I said. William and Aelita followed me. We ran through the corridors and passed doors. We got to a room where there were a few men. They were looking at us. Obviously possessed by Lexia or Xana.
"Energy field," Aelita called and attacked on of them. William charged. I took out my dagger. It didn't seem to be much but it was enough to beat whatever came close. I ran deeper into the room and passed a door and found this giant computer. I instantly started cutting cables and when I found the power source, bingo. I cut it and energized us back into the replika. I had modified the program of energizing so that when we come back we are fully aware of everything.
Angelo had this long blade in his hand and for a moment I felt this big power that made me want to run. There was too much energy in the room. "Angelo, we need to go," I told him. He hid his blade and behind the light of the blade I could see creatures in the dark like a cross between creepers and crabs. We got into the vehicles and sped out of the sector. We reached the digital sea and down we were out of the replika before it blew. I guess I had made a fatal damage to the replika.
"Success," I said when we were far from the replika.
Aelita sighed, "Well that was fast." She giggled.
"Where is the next replika?" Hunter asked from the Overbike.
"Just follow William. He has the coordinates," I replied as we drove through the internet. It was awkward that there were not sharks here. I was waiting for some to appear.
Ulrich's POV
We were in this area called the Caverns. Everything was dim here. There was only the glow of cracks on the floor that I guess led to the digital sea. We ran through the corridors. Some were wide and some were narrow. And there were creatures everywhere attacking us. Korran seemed to be good with those flying blades of him. Yumi had her fans that were just as effective. I had to get a close range attack what left me as defense.
Odd was shooting arrows but I was sure he would soon run out of them and Jeremy wasn't on the supercomputer to reload them.
"Let's get out of here," I said. I deflected a laser that was headed towards Yumi.
"Just a bit more until the edge of the sector," Korran said. We ran through another corridor before reaching light. It was very brilliant and the digital sea stood yellow under us. We were pretty high but if we fell it would be game over. I was shot and the pain was intense. Nothing like on Lyoko. Not even when Xana pulled his tricks could be compared to this.
"Argh," I flinched and fell.
"Ulrich," Yumi held me before I fell. Korran yelled the code and the transporter came to pick us up. A moment later we were in the digital sea and for once I was relieved. That was a war in there. I lost consciousness.
Yumi's POV
Ulrich was wiped out. He had his eyes closed and the electric static had faded from his chest. We were on the transporter. The net was glowing faintly in red. We passed the net fast. We were reaching the whole that led towards the Earth's net when I saw a replika going in. This one was smaller than the others.
"What is that?" I asked Korran. He looked at the replika.
"No, it can't be," Korran said. "It's the replika where Lexia's birth tower is. Then she is planning to go and attack Earth."
"We have to stop here," Odd said as we passed the replika and went into the darkness.
Korran shook his head. "The ship Angelo had made was broken when Lexia destroyed the world. She then started attacking us and left us only be in the Core area where the ship was but when she found out about its location she sent her troop to destroy it. The backup data was in a chip Angelo had made but the chip was at his house and it should be useless by now because of the radiation exposure," Korran said.
"We had the Skid," I said. "It was a big ship where we fought the replikas."
Korran sighed heavily. "There are just two reasons they make replikas. One, they gain power. Two, they hide their birth towers that way. But you can always identify the birth towers by their reduced size of the replika."
I sighed and looked down at Ulrich. He looked peaceful in the gloom. Suddenly I found myself asking if he was still alive.
I saw light at the end and when we were coming out I saw another replika coming in slowly into the tunnel. It was small and I identified it as Xana. Were they trading spaces? Or were they going to find each other in the tunnel?
Okay, I didn't give too many descriptions about Eonor because I thought that maybe all of you could have your own ideas. I kind of had a bit of trouble with the areas and I thought that since it was another 'Lyoko' in another planet that maybe it could be different too. And I gave a hint on what will come next between Yumi and Ulrich. I was asked to make the UxY but it'll be complicated because Ulrich and Yumi are constantly fighting every time they are together even though they are in love. I will pull this somehow but any ideas are accepted. Plus I will add a surprise further on in the story. I'm trying to make it short and finish it before reaching thirty chapters so maybe I'll skip time as in skip a week or two once in a while.
