Author's note: Less than 30 minutes left before it's Saturday here:D! Once again, I thank those who followed and/or clicked favourite. Also, thank you very much to the persons who wrote reviews. I was advised to rate the story Kplus. Enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko! Only my imagination:)!
Chapter 6: The provided escape
On Lyoko (present)...
Aelita's and Odd's life points had been reduced to twenty each. They were not going to make it to that tower, if they didn't get rid of those monsters. They automatically looked up when they heard Jeremy's voice. "Guys, I have some good news. I managed to remove the virus that XANA had implanted in the supercomputer. Everything is working now. The superscan displays that the second activated tower is in the desert sector. I will give you the overboard, but you will have to be careful. If that tower controls monsters that are sent to take out Yumi and Ulrich, they might be dead if we fail to deactivate the tower." "Relax Einstein, we have this covered, we will save our friends," Odd said, never wasting a chance to joke around. Aelita decided not to react and silently stepped on the overboard behind Odd. "There is a way tower west of your position," Jeremy told them. They nodded, even though Jeremy wasn't able to see it, and went west, glad to finally leave the monsters behind.
Once arriving in the desert, Jeremy instructed them to head north. According to him they would be able to see the tower easily. He was right. Aelita and Odd saw the tower, but it was completely isolated from any land. The tower just moved up and down in the air. "Well there is something you don't see every Lyoko mission," Odd said, laughing at his own joke. "Odd, stop it, I don't understand why XANA would let us get close to this tower. There are no monsters to defeat and no obstacles to cross," Aelita pondered out loud. "You're right, Aelita. But we have been in the same kind of situation before," Odd said, warily looking around him. "Back me up if anything happens. I'll try to deactivate that tower," Aelita replied. "Sure, Princess," Odd said and winked.
Aelita activated her wings and ascended towards the tower. However when she got close enough, an energy wall blocked her from entering it. "Jeremy, we have a problem. The tower is protected by some sort of energy wall around the tower,"Aelita sounded annoyed. "I'm currently working on fixing the return to the past's program. But I'll see what I can do. Just give me a few minutes," Jeremy paused and spoke again after a while. "Listen, the wall is built up from the same energy as your powers, the only difference being that XANA modified its structure. It prohibits anyone with the same kind of energy to go through, meaning you, Aelita. It is as if XANA is becoming stronger all the time. And when we launched that return to the past, he had the opportunity to fully recover and to power up. You need to find the weakest point and destroy it with one or two large energy fields, hitting it fast, one after another," Jeremy explained.
"I have absolutely no idea what you just talked about Einstein," Odd complained. "It's simple Odd, XANA has built this wall using my energy, but altering its structure. This makes sure I can't enter the tower, since the wall doesn't recognize my energy. XANA has done this on purpose. If I can't go through the wall, I won't be able to neutralize the tower. Thus leading to the possible end of our friends,"Aelita finished louder than she had begun. "Alright, don't get yourself all frustrated. You might explode and then XANA has come up with his strategy for nothing," Odd said, struggling not to laugh, after seeing Aelita's angry face. Neglecting Odd she asked Jeremy, "How do I know when I have found the weakest spot?" Odd circled around the tower on his overboard and Aelita patiently waited for an answer.
"Jeremy?"Aelita asked, worried that her friend was in trouble. "I'm sorry, guys. Where was I? Oh, you'll see a green light come by every once in a while. However it randomly changes place after it completes a lap. So you'll have to stay focused. If you see it, follow it, but hit it before it finishes the lap," Jeremy said. "Sounds feasible enough. XANA really did it this time," Aelita sighed and as she turned to Odd, she said: "Odd you'll have to help me find it and we both need to watch out for monsters." "Got it, Princess. I'll be...aaah!" Odd shouted. He had touched the energy wall, trying to break through. But it had obviously seen it as an intruder, because he had no such energy that kept him from harm. Odd had been pushed back hard and he was now falling down, his destination being the digital sea.
Aelita was too far away from Odd, she would never be able to reach him in time. "Jeremy, materialize Odd, now!"Aelita screamed. "I'm going as fast as I can Aelita. I may not be able to do it. You'll have to devirtualize him," Jeremy said, freaking out while typing madly. Aelita created two energy fields, aimed and fired. But she missed, twice! All hope seemed lost, until Odd suddenly was lifted back upwards. He was being transported to land. Confused by what had happened, Odd searched for Aelita. But she was standing at the other side of the tower's wall. "Who or what saved me?" Odd thought. "Are you alright, Odd?" A girl's voice sounded from nearby. Odd looked up and was astonished by who he saw. It was Yumi!
"I'm so glad you could make it in time, Yumi," Jeremy said, content with his friend's actions. But how did you end up here? Where were you? What has happened? Where is Ulrich?" Odd asked hastily. "Calm down, Odd. I'll explain later. Ulrich is in trouble," Yumi said, her face showed sadness when she mentioned Ulrich. "Aelita, let's go find that green thing," she said, when Aelita had caught up to them. "Right!"Aelita said and they went to search for a flash of green.
"I found it!"Aelita exclaimed for the second time that day. "Good, now follow and hit it with your energy fields, "Jeremy sounded excited because of the discovery. It was all a mystery as well. But he had enough time to figure it out, at least he hoped he did. Aelita had a large energy field in her hands, which she threw against the weak spot. The wall shocked and shuffled. Aelita hit it again and there was a loud explosion. It had cost the Lyoko warriors some life points. Odd got devirtualized. "Aelita, you have five life points left. Yumi, you have 85. Be careful girls. Aelita can't be devirtualized or we won't be able to save Ulrich," Jeremy was worried again.
Aelita went into the tower, rose up and typed in Code: Lyoko. When she was out of the tower, Jeremy materialized both Yumi and Aelita. Once in the lab, all the others were staring at Yumi. She got the message and started explaining everything. She told them what had happened at her house and how she came to know what date and time it was. She told them how she ended up with Ulrich. She told them about the monsters, the wounds, and Ulrich's actions. She tried to keep her face as neutral as possible. Eventually, she came to the point of the event after Ulrich's second sacrifice...
Hours ago in the forest (past)...
Ulrich and Yumi suddenly heard nothing but the swishing of the thin branches and the leaves. The monsters had situated themselves in moon-shaped formation around them. They were alone with nothing to fight. Relieved that the monsters didn't fire, they both looked around for an escape route, but then the bright bowl returned. The following message was displayed: Only one of you can use me to return to the future. Try anything else and one of you dies, obviously referring to the monsters. XANA has ordered me to show you this last message. One person stays behind...forever. Unless you save him or her within five hours after your arrival in the present. You have three minutes to decide.
Yumi was shocked. Ulrich however did not even think before saying: "Yumi, I'll stay, you must go." Yumi stood there looking at him in amazement. "Ulrich don't behave stubborn. You're hurt too badly. You should go and help the other with this mission and get me out in time." Yumi spoke firmly. "That's my point. I am in no condition to run to the factory. I wouldn't make it there. A person without wounds is of more use to our friends than me now," Ulrich replied. Yumi was about to discuss her way out of it, but Ulrich simply grabbed her hand and let her touch the bright bowl, hoping it would work. There was a white flash and Yumi had disappeared, leaving Ulrich behind with the monsters. Ulrich did not want a discussion, he wanted her to be safe. Besides, he needed to spend some time alone, after what just happened. The count-down had started. Never before was he this worried about time as this moment.
Meanwhile with Yumi in the present a quarter of an hour ago...
Yumi was furious. Ulrich had sacrificed himself three times...for her. She set aside her thoughts and ran to the factory as quickly as she could. There she met Jeremy, who explained his part swiftly. Yumi was able to keep up, and she was transferred to Lyoko to help the others.
Present time...
"And that is how I got here in time to save Odd," Yumi finished. "Wow," Odd said. He was about to add something, but Aelita interrupted him. "Jeremy have you finished repairing the program yet?" She asked. "No, I haven't. It is complicated and it will take time to fix everything. I have never realized how much pressure XANA actually put on us. But this is almost unbearable. I mean, we could lose Ulrich permanently," Jeremy said. The others silently nodded. "I'll stay here to help you out, but Yumi and Odd should get some rest," Aelita told Jeremy. "No, I'm not going anywhere until I am certain that Ulrich is returning here!" Yumi shouted. "Calm down, Yumi. We'll all stay here," Odd said, showing a little smile.
Yumi slowly sat down on the ground, pulling her knees towards her. She pictured Ulrich, unharmed and armoured, ready to fight. Just like it had always been. Then she thought about the incident that had occurred. Ulrich whispering those words. They were stuck in her head. "Because I need you. I told you I'd do anything for you. I can't lose you."