Chapter 4
"The EMT's say she's going to be alright." Odd said as he and Kiwi walked over to where Ulrich and Yumi were standing, Manchate in Yumi's arms. "According to them, we saved her life. Her pass-maker's battery didn't give out enough of a charge to work her heart."
"I'm just glad she's alright." Yumi said, petting Manchate's hair.
"but they said they'll have to keep her at the hospital for a few days." Kiwi said as the ambulanced pulled away from the curve and drove away.
Manchate barked, looking up at Yumi.
"What'd she say?" Yumi asked Kiwi.
"She asked if your family could watch over her until Mrs. Stratton was able to get back home." Kiwi translated.
"Of course you can." Yumi said, looking down at the dog in her arms. "My father didn't have any problem with Kiwi, and I'm sure you've got better house manners than he does."
"House manners! I was a perfect dog over at your place." Kiwi said, sounding offended.
"Ya, right. According to Hiroki, you made a mess off things. He had to get the vacuum cleaner out so Mom and Dad wouldn't say anything." Yumi said.
"Ok, so I admit, I found the little tree fun to play with, and the chips smelt so good." Kiwi said.
"No wonder you followed Odd home that day." Ulrich said, laughing, "he must've have food."
"It wasn't just that. At the time I was living under a bridge, alone!" Kiwi said, crossing his arms like he had seen Ulrich do before.
"Come on, let's get Manchate settled into my house." Yumi said, changing the subject.
"Alright, I'll go and get her stuff." Kiwi said, going back to the house.
"Don't forget to lock the door." Odd called after his dog.
…
"I think I've figured it out!" Jérémie said, looking up towards Aélita, who was standing next to him. "We've been looking at it all wrong."
"What do you mean?" Aélita asked. "Kiwi doesn't have Odd's human dna in him?"
"No, actually, Kiwi's got all of his dna and no one else's. When I split the two yesterday, I ended up pressing something I shouldn't have." Jérémie said, typing again. "Can you call Odd and tell him to bring Kiwi here?"
"Of course Jérémie." Aélita said, pulling out her cell.
…
"Where do you want her bed?" Odd asked, carrying the plush pillow-like dog bed.
"Next to my bed." Yumi said, going into the living room with Ulrich.
"Break Break Break dance! Break Break Break dance! Break Break Break dance, here we goooooooo!"
Ulrich looked up the stairs as Odd sat down the dog bed, trying to get to his phone.
"I can't believe you made that your ringtone."
"Why not?" Odd asked, hitting the talk button. "Yello."
"Odd, it's Aélita, can you bring Kiwi to the factory? Jérémie thinks he's figured out what happened."
"Sure, as soon as I get this thing up to Yumi's room." Odd said, putting the cell between his head and his shoulder to carry the bed with both hands.
"I would ask, but than I remember, it's you." Aélita said before hanging up.
Odd got to the second floor and put his phone back in his pocket. "Hey Kiwi. Einstein says he's fixed your problem." Odd said as he walked into Yumi's room.
"Really? Great!" Kiwi said, looking up from what he and Manchate were doing.
"Ya, we've got to go to the factory." Odd said, plopping down the pillow-bed next to Yumi's futon.
"Alright." Kiwi said, standing up. He looked down at Manchate and said, "Next time you'll see me, I'll have my old handsome body back."
Manchate put her paw over her muzzle, shaking her head.
"You take that back!" Kiwi exclaimed.
Manchate sat up and smiled up at the boy.
"Come on." Odd said.
The two walked down the stairs, wondering where Yumi and Ulrich had gone to."
"Hey Ulrich, Yumi! We've got to go!" Odd called out, walking down the hallway towards the living room.
"Yumi? Ulrich?" Kiwi called, opening the door to the living room.
"Break break-"
"Hey Jérémie." Odd said, his cell to his ear as he and Kiwi walked in. "Let me guess, activated tower?"
"He's already attacking you guys?" Jérémie's voice asked.
"Ya. Yumi and Ulrich are knocked out, cold." Odd said, looking down at his two friends who were laying on the ground. He saw Ulrich's hands were still in fists. "Though I don't see anything of Xana's. No possessed people, no gray ghosts, no nothing."
"Check the outlets. Maybe he's gone old school." Aélita said.
Odd leaned down towards and outlet by him and saw a gray soot-like residue. "He has."
"Odd!" Kiwi cried, jumping towards the gray flash he had seen behind Odd.
Odd turned around and fell back, towards the wall, as Kiwi tackled Xana to the ground.
"We found Xana." Odd said as the figure Xana was trying to imitate changed into a gray fog, getting out of Kiwi's grasp.
"Try to get to the factory. I don't like sending Aélita by herself." Jérémie said.
"What!" Odd cried, ducking an electrical charge Xana tryed to give him. Odd looked at the figure Xana had taken and saw his mother. "Jérémie, Aélita's a big girl now. She can fight for herself." Odd said, avoiding one of his mother's punches, only to feel her other fist in his gut, taking out his breath.
Odd dropped the phone, preventing him from hearing what Jérémie had to say to that remark.
"Kiwi! Take them two...outa here!" Odd ordered, trying to get up and catch his breath. He punched toward his mother's cheek, only for his hand to miss compleatly as Xana morphed around his hand.
"You sure you can handle him?" Kiwi asked.
"GO!" Odd ordered as he got his hand back.
Kiwi grabbed Yumi, throwing her over his shoulder and then tryed to grab Ulrich, only to have Yumi's body slip.
Kwi stood up straight and took Yumi out of the room first. He laid her down on the ground and found that Manchare had come down, hearing all the noise.
"Try to wake her up." Kiwi ordered. "I've got to get Ulrich."
Manchate barked in responce and went over to Yumi, licking her face.
Kiwi opened the door and ran in, avoiding an electical charge thrown at him. He got to Ulrich and grabbed him.
Kiwi made it to the door and looked back, towards Odd. He saw the boy with his feet off the ground. The spector disguised as his mother had his hands around Odd's throat, choking him.
Odd's eyes saw Kiwi and urged him onward.
Kiwi nodded, pushing open the door and left the living room.
Manchate was sitting down at Yumi's eyes opened, her hand going to her head as a headach was starting.
"What happened?" Yumi asked as Manchate went over to Ulrich's body.
"Xana's attacking. We've got to get ot the factory before Odd becomes Xana chow." Kiwi said as Manchate whined at Ulrich as licking him didn't work.
A bang got their attention to the wall Yumi and Ulrich were leaning on.
"Come on! We've got to go!" Kiwi said, throwing Ulrich back over his shoulder and helped Yumi to her feet.
The four ran to the door just in time for Odd's body to be flung threw the wall they had just been leaning against.
"Odd!" Yumi cried as Kiwi opened the door.
"Come on Yumi!" Kiwi cried as Manchate ran out.
Yumi turned back around and ran out the door, shutting the door behind her.
"Man Ulrich, wake up!" Kiwi said, trying to run to the factorywith Yumi and Manchate. He looked towards Yumi and asked, "Why is he so heavy?"
"You want me to carry him?" Yumi asked.
"What? What's going on!? Put me down!" Ulrich cried, causing Kiwi and Yumi to stop.
Manchate noticed and turned back as Kiwi put Ulrich on his feet.
"Come on, Aélita needs our help." Yumi said, running again with Ulrich and Kiwi trying to catch up.