The Games of Moriarty

by Ragnarok777

Xana is gone. Victory has been achieved by the Lyoko Warriors. But a simple test to understand William's nightmares of Xana unveils a new enemy: Moriarty. This evil entity wishes to play a series of games that shake the Lyoko Warriors to the core.

15. Chapter 15

It has come to my attention that my Spanish may not be quite as accurate as I thought. I had hoped that my limited use of it would prevent me from making mistakes, but I'm only human. If you know Spanish and see errors, I apologize. I am taking classes so hopefully that won't be a problem later on. Anyway, try not to let things like that ruin the story for you. I hope you enjoy this one.

Part 30

The elevator doors to the lab room open. The locks creak and groan with their usual clockwork. Immediately the four warriors come out. William and Yumi are carrying Jeremie, who appears to be semi-conscious. His eyes flutter as they desperately try to understand his surroundings. Aelita walks behind them, her face full of worry. She bites her fingernails.

Aelita: Gentle…gentle…..let him rest on Odd's bed.

They gingerly set him down. Jeremie fades in and out of consciousness.

Jeremie: What…..hap-happened?

William: Odd's clone blasted you with electricity right as we entered the elevator. Just rest for a little bit. You took a lot of volts.

Jeremie: Oh…He becomes quiet and dazed again for a moment. What happened?

Yumi pats his head.

Yumi: Don't worry about it Jeremie.

Aelita takes his hand and squeezes it.

Aelita: I'll handle everything Jeremie. We're going to save Odd. Despite her obvious reluctance to leave him as he is, she gets up and heads for the computer. I'm starting a virtualization countdown. Get down to the scanner room.

William and Yumi nod.

Yumi: Got it.

They turn to go down the hatch, but they are stunned to see a small canine blocking the way. A small growl filters through his clenched jaws. William and Yumi give each other warning looks.

Yumi: Kiwi….?

The dog barks. The eye of Moriarty shines in his corneas.

William: Crap.

The small furry animal lunges for the two. William and Yumi dance away from him to prevent Kiwi from biting their ankles.

Yumi: Be careful! Last time Kiwi was possessed he zombified the entire school!

William: ….You'll have to tell me that story later. But for now….He picks up a metal rod and points it at Kiwi. BAD DOG!

Kiwi jumps on Yumi. William wacks him off. Kiwi then proceeds to chew on several wires leading to the computer mainframe. William grips his metal rod.

William: I hope animal rights advocates will forgive me for this…

A single blow sends Kiwi hurtling backwards. But he gets up as quickly as he is knocked down. He then goes for Aelita. She jumps onto the command chair to avoid him.

Aelita: Moriarty is doing everything in his power to make sure Odd ends up dead. We can't let him delay us!

Kiwi snaps at Aelita's heels and then leaps onto her lap. Aelita quickly throws Kiwi off. He lands on the keyboard. Several error messages pop up. Kiwi growls again. William takes a glance at the elevator. He points to Yumi and Aelita.

William: Get out of the way! I have an idea! Yumi and Aelita obey, leaving a clear path between Kiwi and William. William mockingly waves the rod around. Kiwi leans back on his haunches, glaring directly at William. He hits the button for the elevator several times. For a few moments he does nothing but taunt the dog. Kiwi barks. William smiles. What's the matter doggie? Want the stick? Come and get it…Kiwi prepares to pounce. William looks expectantly for the elevator to open, but it doesn't. He swears. What's taking the elevator so long?!

Yumi: William, look out!

Kiwi leaps for him. William has no choice but to duck out of the way and run. He does his best to keep close to the elevator. After a hellish few seconds, the elevator finally opens. William successfully leads Kiwi in and closes the door. Kiwi barks and tries to turn around, but the door shuts just in time. William claps his hands together.

William: Kiwi may be possessed, but he's still just as brainless as ever.

Aelita rushes to the computer again. Her eyes glue onto the glowing red screen. She starts to sort through the mess. Her face scrunches up in frustration.

Aelita: Kiwi screwed everything up! The materialization programs are all out of whack now.

William: Can you fix it?

Aelita rubs her temple vigorously. She zones out for a moment.

Aelita: With time yes. Time I'm afraid we don't have.

Yumi pats Aelita's shoulder, trying to calm her. It doesn't help much.

Aelita: There's no way I'd be able to fix the program in time.

Yumi: Then don't try. Aelita turns and looks at her like she's crazy. Yumi radiates calm and determination. Saving Odd is the priority. We need to do that no matter the risks.

Aelita: You want to go on a one-way trip to Lyoko? Absolutely not! I won't let you gamble with your lives!

Yumi: I'm not sitting here while Ulrich and Odd are risking their lives. You know I would never do that.

Aelita: No! Aelita hands Yumi Jeremie's earpiece. Yumi stares at it and gives Aelita a confused look. I'll go. Alone. You'll stay here and replace Jeremie for me. William can back up Ulrich.

Yumi almost laughs at the idea. She shoves the earpiece back at her.

Yumi: You're insane if you think I'm going to let you do that.

Aelita: I've done it before!

Yumi: Not in situations this dangerous!

William: Listen to her Aelita. She knows what she's talking about. Besides…He firmly places a hand on her shoulder. We're a team. And teams don't split up when things get tough.

Aelita watches with frustration as her friends silently intimidate her into backing down from her idea. She avoids their piercing looks.

Aelita: We've fought without materialization before…..but to decide to go into Lyoko when we already know the danger…She shakes her head. That's insane.

William shrugs with indifference. He points to Yumi and himself.

William: Do we look sane to you?

Aelita smiles lightly at this comment, marveling at their bravery. She slowly turns to the computer.

Aelita: Alright, I'll start another virtualization countdown, seeing as we missed the first one.

Yumi elbows William in the ribs.

Yumi: I'm not insane.

William: Hmm….that's debatable.

Yumi: You better watch it. I'm supposed to have your back in this crazy mission. I don't think messing with me is a good idea.

While the two talk to help ease the anxiety of the mission, Aelita has become frozen with shock. She examines what she sees on the screen with complete disbelief. She checks to make sure it's correct. Then she does it again. And then again. And again. But the result is still the same. She backs away from the computer, her hands shaking.

Aelita: Guys…..

William: Oh you wouldn't abandon me in Lyoko. Because then you wouldn't have anyone to hold your hand in Moriarty's class.

Aelita: Guys….

Yumi: Moriarty does not scare me in class!

Aelita: GUYS!

Yumi and William turn their heads at the same time.

William & Yumi: What?!

Aelita turns to look at them. Her face is ashen. She twiddles her thumbs together and swallows.

Yumi: Aelita?

Aelita: We…..have a big problem.

When Aelita does not follow up, William walks closer to her. His eyes probe her for answers.

William: What kind of a big problem?

For some reason, Aelita is unable to look William in the eye. She steps in front of the screen, hiding it from his view. She swallows nervously.

Aelita: It seems…..it seems that…

Yumi: Yes?

Aelita: It seems that the scanners weren't totally empty when the countdown ended.

The room is quiet. William cautiously thinks over Aelita's words.

William: What do you mean 'not totally empty'?

Yumi: We missed the countdown. Ulrich is busy. No one else could have possibly been virtualized.

Two very scared voices interrupt the conversation. The surprise nearly makes Yumi and William have a heart attack.

Natalya: Hello?! Is anyone there?

Christophe: Can anyone here this? Hello?! What is this place?

Nothing but the sound of the warriors shaking with shock and fear can be heard in the room. William and the others can see two new virtualization cards on the screen. The pattern of their voice waves makes the reality undeniable. Two new Alices have stumbled into Wonderland.

Natalya: HELLO?!

Aelita mechanically reaches for the earpiece. Her fingers tremble. She puts it on.

Aelita: H-hello?

Natalya: Aelita? Natalya instantly sounds relieved. Is that you?!

Aelita: Yes. It's me. She pauses. I am talking to you from the factory you entered before you got virtualized.

Christophe: Virtuawhat?...Oh God….WHAT AM I ON RIGHT NOW?! This ice place is freaking me out! Where the hell are we?!

Aelita winces.

Aelita: That is…..slighty complicated Christophe.

Scene shifts to the Ice Sector. Two figures huddle behind a large ice block in the middle of a flat area. Both look terrified and confused. They press their bodies against the block, feeling some comfort by hiding in the insane world they have fallen into. Despite their fear, they can't help but notice their new outfits. The informal and relaxed clothing Christophe is used to wearing has been replaced by something else entirely. He is decked out in a bionic suit of armor that covers all of his body except for his head and neck. The suit is colored in standard army camouflage. On his pecs are two strange circles that look like speakers. Christophe has turned from music guru into an impressive modern warrior. Natalya has also made a complete change. She is clad in a short white dress that ends above the knees. A wool belt is tied around her waist. Her skin glows with incredibly radiance, to the point that Christophe has to shield his eyes at times. And to top it all of, she is carrying a bow in her hands. A quiver of arrows is strapped around her shoulder. They take a minute to take in their strange outfits.

Natalya: What on Earth are you…..are we wearing?

Christophe: I don't know, but you look like Artemis or something. At least with the bow and all.

Natalya decides to try out her weapon. She straps a white and blue arrow to her bow. She bends it back and lets it fly. It takes a nosedive and sticks into the ice a few feet away. Christophe laughs.

Christophe: Without the aim apparently.

Natalya shoots him a cold look.

Natalya: At least I have a weapon here in this…..whatever the hell this is.

Strange noises that sound like animal screeching enter their range of hearing. Christophe and Natalya become tense.

Christophe: Why do I get the feeling that I may need one?

Aelita's voice addresses them again.

Aelita: RUN! Those monsters are heading straight for you. Get out of there now!

Natalya: Monsters?

Sure enough, several tigers round the corner and approach Natalya and Christophe. They growl. Natalya and Christophe back up against the ice.

Aelita: Did you hear me? GET OUT OF THERE!

The tigers close in. Natalya and Christophe don't move.

Aelita: Don't try to fight them! You won't stand a chance!

Natalya: Too late….We're trapped.

Back on Earth, William grabs onto the earpiece and nearly blows out Aelita's ear drums with his sudden yelling.

William: NATALYA!

Natalya: William?! Her voice is mixed with relief and confusion. You're here too?

William: Yes. Hold on, I'm coming!

A laser blast hits Natalya's thigh. She goes down. She starts to yell.

Natalya: Oh! That burns!

Christophe step in front to protect her.

Christophe: Back off!

The moment Christophe steps toward the enemy, his right wrist begin to light up. To his great surprise, a plate of armor on his wrist elevates to form a small box near the back of his hand. A green trigger appears. Christophe looks at it with curiosity. When the tigers prepare for a second round, Christophe instinctively presses the trigger. A metal disc that looks strangely similar to a CD pops out of a slot in the box. It scrapes one of the tigers across the side. The creature growls in pain and annoyance. Christophe's curiosity turns to satisfaction.

Christophe: I guess I'm not defenseless after all…

A laser hits him directly in the chest. He falls on top of Natalya and moans in pain. Aelita scrambles into action on the keyboard. William and Yumi scurry downstairs.

Aelita: Hold on a little longer! I just need to finish one thing!

Christophe looks up. To his surprise, the tigers aren't firing. In fact, they are moving off to the side, creating a gap in the line. Something large in the distance moves forward to fill that gap. Christophe lowers his eyebrows in confusion.

Christophe: Um Aelita, I'm seeing some girl…I think it's Yumi…..riding an elephant. Is that normal?

Aelita finishes typing. The countdown begins.

Aelita: That's not possible. Yumi's not there ye-Aelita suddenly understands. She curses. Not good…..We're coming Christophe!

Christophe helps Natalya get up as the mastodon stops in front of them. The enormous creature makes the two shake in their virtual skins. But their attention is soon shifted to the female figure on top of the creature's head. The figure slides down the trunk to meet them. She slowly rises from landing in a squat position. The dark but undeniably familiar figure unnerves them. Natalya holds onto Christophe's shoulder nervously.

Natalya: Y-Yumi?

A cold tongue passes over Dark Yumi's gray lips. She opens her fans and glares at her prey.

Dark Yumi: Yes…and no.

Christophe senses the deception and attempts to fight back. He aims his newfound weapon and fires. Dark Yumi blocks the disc without batting an eye. She tilts her neck to the side with a hint of approval.

Dark Yumi: Nice reflexes. You learn quickly. She smiles. But not quickly enough.

Natalya, realizing that the flight response is not an option, raises her bow in an attempt to fight. Dark Yumi telekinetically knocks it out of her hands before she can even reach for an arrow.

Dark Yumi: Oh don't even try. Someone might get hurt. The tigers start to form a circle around them, never dropping their hunting gaze. Dark Yumi eyes them hungrily. You two should have stayed at home. Moriarty is not fond of intruders.

Christophe: More of what?

Dark Yumi turns her back to them. She waves the monsters to proceed.

Dark Yumi: Kill them.

The tigers open their mouths to finish the job. Natalya and Christophe close their eyes, helplessly waiting for the end. But a large broad sword blocks the onslaught. When Natalya notices that she hasn't been hit, she opens her eyes. In front of him is a tall warrior clad in a gold and black outfit. The warrior does not turn to look at her, but the angle of his sword tells her that she is defending him. His eyes are locked on her attacker. Natalya begins to stand.

Natalya: William?

William: Natalya His voice is stern and emotionless. Stay behind me.

Natalya and Christophe notice two figures behind them. One of the two frightens them at first because of her close resemblance to their attacker, but this new Yumi seems nobler and more human than the other. The pink hair of the other one quickly gives away her identity. William turns his head to Yumi.

William: Yumi, Aelita and I will protect them from the monsters. Do you want to handle the tramp?

Yumi's eyes glow with intense confidence and anger.

Yumi: Is that even a question?

Dark Yumi: Are you sure you want to do that with the scanners offline? She rubs her fans against her claws. You know I won't show any mercy….

Dark Yumi is telekinetically pushed backwards against the mastodon. She glares at Yumi, who cartwheels in her direction. Her opponent leaps in midair and throws a fan at her.

Yumi: Neither will I!

Dark Yumi manages to bat the fan out of the way. The tigers charge and meet head on with William's sword. Aelita puts a few dents in the mastodon's head. The mastodon responds by spraying fire at her. Natalya and Christophe watch with a combination of terror and wonder. Natalya turns to Christophe.

Natalya: You just had to step into the pod…..

The dim light of the moon filters through the upper floors of the factory. A few rats scurry along the beams near the ceiling. A cold mechanic chill hangs in the air. The darkness and stillness is enough to make one's stomach churn with uncertainty. Underneath an old desk, the timid shape of Odd can be seen hiding. He hugs his knees close to his chest. Feet tap nervously on the floor. When he realizes that the sound might give him away, he stops and shifts his nervous movement to his shoulders, which begin to shift in an irregular rhythm. His sweaty back pushes against the desk's wood. He quiets his breathing and listens for his attacker. After a few more moments of silence, he begins to lose himself in frightened thought.

Odd: He's here….I know he's here. He's just playing with me. He knows where I am.

He hugs his knees closer to his chest.

Odd: Dead. He wants me dead. Moriarty is going to kill me. Hide. I have to hide…..but where?! Where am I supposed to hide?

His back becomes even sweatier than before. His face is white. His stomach is swollen with icy fear. The feeling almost makes him sick.

Odd: I can't hide from him. Who can? That monster…..HE'S EVERYWHERE! If he wants to kill someone anywhere in the world, who can stop him? …No one. Where can I go that he won't be able to find me….Nowhere.

A clanging sound makes Odd choke with paralyzing terror. He turns his head and holds his breath. He hears nothing.

Odd: Damn it! Why doesn't he just end it already?! Haven't I suffered enough?

Odd curls into a ball.

Odd: No. There's no end to it. He always finds a way to put more pressure on. More pain. More fear. More torture….If only I hadn't accepted those powers. If only I hadn't gotten into that car. If only I hadn't come to Kadic…..

Odd struggles to breathe. He gasps as his thoughts become darker.

Odd: But no. I am going to die here. I have to die here. In an old factory surrounded by rusty metal crap. Alone. He'll laugh once and then end me. End me…End me…

Odd can't take anymore. He leans over and heaves. Vomit spills onto the grey concrete floor. It goes on for several seconds. He wipes his mouth and looks it at in disgust.

Odd: God I'm pathetic.

Footsteps echo close to him. The sound makes him bolt from his hiding place into an old bathroom. The smell hits him quickly. It makes him even queasier than before. Odd closes the door and bolts it. He grimly remembers that such a precaution will do little to stop his intended killer. Above his head, a solitary lightbulb lights up his potential tomb. Odd tries to calm himself down in this temporary place of security. He washes his face with tap water. The knob of the sink comes off. Odd watches it clang to the floor with indifference. Water drips down his sunken face. He looks into the mirror. The glass is so dirty he can barely make out his blonde ungelled hair. But he can see the look of pathetic cowardice on his face. He lowers his head.

Odd: So this is how it ends. Executed like a pig in a factory bathroom. Perfect…

Odd sinks to the floor. He notices a glass shard next to him. He picks it up and points it to the door. He tries to harden his spirit.

Odd: I might as well give my handsome double some stomach pain before he kills me.

Shortly after settling down in the bathroom, someone starts to bang on the door. The blood in Odd's veins turns to ice. His bladder leaks a little from the terror. The banging comes again. Odd holds the shard close to him, his body shuddering with the cruel acknowledgement of approaching death.

Odd: No wife. No children. No. I die as a teenager in an old bathroom. I'm going to die like an animal.

The door is broken in half. Odd watches the pieces fall to the floor. The clone walks in. He gives Odd a simple yet vicious evil stare. The sight makes Odd begin to tear up. He holds his arms close to his chest as his killer approaches. Odd makes no attempt to escape.

Odd's Clone: Hiding in a bathroom,huh? How fitting.

Odd's clone walks up to Odd. The fake taps his fingers on Odd's hair.

Odd's Clone: A shame you didn't keep your old hairstyle. He points to his pointed hair. This suits you so well, don't you think?

Odd doesn't answer. He closes his eyes and waits for him to do what he came for.

Odd's Clone: Of course, that was a different time.

Odd: ….If you have an ounce of humanity left in your body, you will kill me now. I can't endure your talking. Your words…..YOU AND YOUR HORRIBLE WORDS!

The clone pays no attention to Odd's ranting. He just keeps patting his head.

Odd's Clone: There, there. It will all be over soon. He watches the tears fall from Odd's face. He wipes one from his eye. You've already gone through the hard part. It's all downhill from here. No more worries. No more fears. No more nightmares. Nothing. Doesn't that sound great?

Odd's voice becomes painfully weak.

Odd: I….hate you.

Odd's clone squats down to meet Odd at eye level.

Odd's Clone: I know. I know you do. But believe it or not, I don't hate you. In fact, I've never hated you….ever. You were the best puppet a sociopath could ask for. He touches Odd's chill face. Odd recoils at the touch. But still…you have to die.

The words have no effect on Odd's already frightened state. He merely turns his head to the side and focuses on the sink, thinking that it will be the last thing he ever sees with his living eyes. He closes his eyes.

Odd: Just shut up and do it.

Odd's Clone: Yes. The clone lights up with yellow light. A quick painless death. I owe you that much.

Ulrich: But I don't owe YOU that…..

Two cords wrap around the clone's neck. He is pulled back away from his victim by a resolute but clearly injured Ulrich. Several burnt marks are seen on his green jacket. He tightens the grip with murderous intent.

Ulrich: Odd, get out of here!

Odd's Clone: You idiot! The specter fluctuates. Are you trying to strangle something that doesn't need to breathe?!

Ulrich uses his grip on Odd's clone to shove the enemy into the wall.

Ulrich: If that doesn't work, I guess I can improvise. He glances at Odd. GO NOW!

Odd looks up and sees a vent on the wall. He rips the old gate off and climbs in, scurrying away from danger. Meanwhile Odd's Clone breaks away from the cords. He fries a few of Ulrich's neurons, sending the youth hurtling into an old stall. Ulrich looks up to see the clone leap to pounce on him. Ulrich leans away against the wall of the stall. The clone lands headfirst onto the toilet. Ulrich jams his foot onto the clone's neck, attempting to stick his head in the bowl. At first it starts to succeed, but the clone is not so easily beaten. With a free hand he grabs Ulrich's ankle and tosses him out of the stall and onto the wall. Ulrich feebly tries to rise, holding his shoulder. The spectral entity springs out of the stall and goes straight for Ulrich. Ulrich manages to block the first punch, but his right arm explodes in pain from the impact. Ulrich blocks the second with his left arm only to get the same result. Afterwards Odd's clone begins to hit all of his targets. He furiously punches Ulrich in the ribs and chest. His opponent is too weak and injured to fight back. Blood trickles from Ulrich's lip. The last blow plows into Ulrich's stomach with electric force and makes his entire body go limp. He falls before the entity, completely beaten. The Moriarty controlled clone surveys his victory without emotion. Meanwhile Odd continues to crawl through the vent. As the sounds of fighting grow more and more distant, Odd's level of terror begins to subside a little. A sliver of light can be seen up ahead. He crawls over a gated opening below him. He can see one of the upper factory chambers below him. Before he continues to crawl away, something catches his eye. Odd notices his attacker dragging a broken Ulrich toward the middle of the floor. Odd's lip quivers with dread at the sight. The clone roughly tosses Ulrich to the floor and then looks up toward the ceiling.

Odd's Clone: Odd, I know you're out here! I know that you can hear this! He pauses. So listen carefully to what I have to say.

Odd's eyes press against the opening, watching his enemy from the safety of his concealment.

Odd's Clone: I will give you ten minutes to give yourself up to me. Ten minutes. No more. And if you don't give yourself up by that time…..His hand sparks with electricity. He aims it at a motionless Ulrich…..then Ulrich dies.

The air in Odd's vent suddenly seems cold. A deep pit forms in his stomach. His fingers dig into his forehead as the cruel ultimatum begins to sink in.

Odd's Clone: So…what's it going to be?

The battle continues to rage on Lyoko. As Christophe and Natalya continue to hang back toward the ice block, the others are hard at work. William battles the tigers as they come, cutting several of them to pieces. When he seems to be surrounded by them, he turns into a black shadow and knocks them around like a wrecking ball. Yumi and Dark Yumi fight in a small sinkhole nearby. Their abilities are evenly matched and no clear victor can be seen in the struggle. At the same time the mastodon blows fire at Aelita. But after a heavy energy field barrage, the monster finally falls to the daughter of Schaeffer. As the massive creature sinks into the ground, Aelita flies to Christophe and Natalya.

Aelita: You guys need to take off. It's too dangerous for you to stay here.

Natalya: Okay, but where?

Aelita points off into the distance.

Aelita: Do you see that glowing blue tower up there?

The two nod at the same time.

Aelita: Go there. It's a safe zone. Just go on up and walk in. The walls are transparent.

A vulture flies overhead. It strikes Aelita on the shoulder. She winces and falls to her knees. As the creature descends for another blow, Aelita manages to take it out. But she is still in pain. Christophe bends down to examine her. His eyes are full of concern.

Christophe: Are you okay?

Aelita: Fine just She struggles to speak. Not used to pain here.

Christophe: Aelita is-His virtual body begins to feel cold- is it possible to die in this place?

Aelita rises to her feet.

Aelita: Normally you would just return to the room that you came in from. But now that the scanners are offline, yes. You can disappear forever.

Natalya and Christophe don't speak. What Aelita has just said is such a terrifying contrast to their normal lives that they can't speak. Their legs feel weak and numb. Aelita becomes annoyed.

Aelita: That's why you have to get to the tower! You'll die if you don't leave now!

Christophe: But if we can die, doesn't that mean-

Aelita: We'll be fine. We've done this before. And we accepted the risks a long time ago. You didn't. Her wings sprout from her back. So do me a favor and leave the fighting to the professionals.

She flies away to take care of more monsters. Christophe is left awestruck, watching the battle with terror and awe. He sees the others fight with a hint of regret and longing. Natalya tugs on his hand.

Natalya: You heard Aelita. Come on! We can't stay here!

Christophe reluctantly follows Natalya's prodding. The two walk away from the battle. They make their way up the ice ledge and out of danger's path. They don't look back. Aelita lands next to William in a crowd of cobras. She stands by his side. William glances in her direction.

William: Natalya and Christophe?

Aelita: Safe.

A weight is lifted from William's shoulders, knowing that both of them are safe. But he can't ignore the fact that most of his relief is for the safety of one in particular.

William: Good to hear. Ready to fight?

She shrugs.

Aelita: And die, if necessary.

William: Let's just hope it doesn't come to that.

Yumi is forced to do some serious acrobatic movements to avoid her opponent's fans. As the fans begin to return to her enemy, Yumi throws her own to knock them out of the way. Her action renders both of them unarmed. Dark Yumi improvises, thrusting a chunk of ice in her direction. Yumi responds with one of her own. The ice shatters in the middle. The two then rush each other, attacking with fists and feet. Dark Yumi's claws head for her double's face. Yumi blocks it with her wrist. Dark Yumi bears down on her.

Dark Yumi: Scared yet?

Yumi refuses to show fear.

Yumi: No, just even more pissed than before.

Dark Yumi: You're not worried about dying…..painfully?

Yumi: I know the risks. You know that. And I fight anyway.

Dark Yumi: Not even a little bit? Her claws get closer to Yumi. Yumi visibly begins to shake at the sight of the shiny metal. Dark Yumi's grin nearly reaches her ears. That's better. Fear. A lot different when you can die, isn't it?

The claws begin to scrape the skin of her cheek. Yumi bites her lip, refusing to give in to pain.

Dark Yumi: So this is what you look like only seconds away from death. How brave. How stoic. A malicious glint can be seen in her eye. But I'm still going to make you squeal like a pig!

Yumi kicks Dark Yumi in the thigh, buying her enough time to escape her deadly grasp. She recovers one of her fans and leaps into the fight again. Meanwhile Christophe and Natalya make it to the top of the ledge. It gives them a perfect view of the battle. For a moment they stare to see what's going on. It looks like the warriors can hold their own. Natalya starts to run towards the tower. But something catches Christophe's eye.

Christophe: Wait!

Natalya turns around in annoyance.

Natalya: What?!

Christophe: Look down there! He points to an ice bridge. Five scorpions are heading into the fray. William and Aelita are already busy enough as it is, and these new arrivals don't make their chances any better. Even for a Lyoko beginner the situation looks grim. Christophe watches with alarm. Reinforcements.

Natalya doesn't waste time looking.

Natalya: They can handle themselves. Come on!

Natalya tries to pull Christophe, but he resists. His eyes are locked on the battle.

Christophe: Three against…..what….fifteen monsters and some harpy that looks like Yumi? His eyes focus sharply on Natalya. Are they really that good?

Natalya groans. She understands Christophe's anxiety, but her sense of reason is strong. She grabs Christophe's shoulders.

Natalya: Yes, I know it looks bad. But look at us. She strings a bow and aims for a thin iceberg ten feet away. She fires and misses it by a mile. We're pathetic. We don't know what we're doing here. We don't even know what HERE is! Face it Christophe, we can't help. She turns away. We would only get ourselves killed.

Christophe: So we're just going to leave them to die?

Natalya: Perhaps you didn't understand. She speaks slowly and loudly. WE….CAN'T…..HELP!

Christophe shows her his wrist. The plate elevates and becomes primed for battle.

Christophe: I'm armed. You're armed. That means we can do something.

Natalya growls in exasperation.

Natalya: Did you not see me fire a few seconds ago?! I'm terrible! See…She takes her bow and aims again at the iceberg. But this time her anger has made her eyes view her target with cold focus. She lets loose her arrow. Shockingly the arrow hits the target, imbedding several centimeters into the ice. The two freeze, amazed that she was so accurate. For a while Natalya doesn't speak. She then tries to shrug it off. Beginners' luck.

Christophe: Uh-huh. Sure.

Natalya: Look. I'm going to that tower. You can go with or without me, I don't care. If you want to march out there and get yourself killed, be my guest. But I know when I'm in over my head. So goodbye.

She walks away again. Christophe turns again at the battle longingly. William has been struck by a laser. Aelita is getting increasingly overwhelmed, and the battle of the Yumis is not going in the good one's direction. Christophe hardens his fist. He looks over his shoulder.

Christophe: Do you not care about them?

Natalya stops, feeling the sting of his accusation.

Natalya: Of course I do. They…She rubs her left arm. They've always been nice to me. Even when no one else was. How can you say that?

Christophe: They're taking a beating out there, Natalya. How can you stay here and do nothing?

Natalya: I….Her face stiffens. I'm not a hero okay. I'm not like them, even if I had their experience. She sadfully watches Christophe examine his weapon. Don't try to be the hero either.

Christophe ignores her. He starts to walk the opposite way.

Natalya: Twenty minutes ago you were just a music junkie at Kadic. What makes you think you can just waltz out there and fight?

Christophe doesn't bat an eye to think over his reply.

Christophe: And twenty minutes ago you were just a loudmouth screaming for the guy who is currently dying for you out there. The mention of William in this fight has brought Natalya out of her cowardice. Her eyes widen with shame at the thought of abandoning him. She looks up at Christophe. He raises his arm. So what do you say we become more than what we were twenty minutes ago….even if it's just for a minute?

A scorpion leg pins William to the ice. Aelita is pinned in by the other two scorpions. She draws two more energy fields, preparing to go down fighting. Suddenly several discs cut at the legs of Aelita's attackers. The scorpion attacking William goes limp. It falls to the side. To his shock, he sees a white arrow gleaming from the black hulk. Both turn to see Natalya and Christophe defending them.

Natalya: I….I got him. Her face becomes ecstatic. I GOT HIM!

The surviving scorpions turn their attention to the new warriors. Christophe's left wrist lights up. A second plate elevates. Christophe pulsates with excitement.

Christophe: Two is so much better than one.

William and Aelita watch in horror.

William: Natalya!

Aelita: What are you doing?! I TOLD YOU TO RUN!

The scorpions open fire. At first it seems like the two are done for. But the attack triggers something within Natalya. Her eyes turn white and her body starts to glow. She steps in front of the beams, absorbing all of it. Then, after a few second interlude, the beams pour back out of her body at the scorpions. They are destroyed. Aelita and William's mouths drop open.

Aelita: How…..she….didn't take any damage.

Christophe grins at his newfound allies.

Christophe: Still think you don't need our help?

Jeremie slowly starts to regain consciousness. His legs begin to regain strength and he raises himself up. He clutches his arm and weakly moves to the computer. He plops himself down on the command chair, rubbing his head. He takes a moment to look at the computer. Immediately his mind is assaulted by confusion. He strains his neck toward the computer.

Jeremie: What the…why am I counting five warriors?!

The answering voice makes Jeremie's glasses fall into his lap.

Natalya: Is that Jeremie? Jeremie is in this thing too?

Jeremie's mouth hangs open. He adjusts his earpiece.

Jeremie: …..Aelita? …..What's going on?

Her voice wave quickly replies.

Aelita: Long story Jeremie, and we don't have time. The materialization program is bugged up. You know what that means…

Jeremie is now fully awake. He starts working furiously, ashamed that he wasn't able to help earlier. The red light of the program lights up his hardened face.

Jeremie: Right. I'm on it.

Several banging sounds from behind the elevator door catch his attention. Jeremie turns around. A small canine passes through the metal walls. Kiwi phases in and out of existence, barking at Jeremie the entire time. He starts to growl.

Aelita: Jeremie?

Jeremie: I may be a little distracted Aelita. He gets out of the chair as the dog approaches. But don't panic. Every monster or possessed creature Moriarty sends against us only increases his power deficit in the Network. Scene shifts to the Network. The black databases continue to explode. The core and the pyramids surrounding it appear red and swollen. Energy throbs from the sickly core. Moriarty won't be able to keep this up forever. Just try to hold on. Just….

Scene shifts to Odd watching Ulrich helpless before his clone. His body trembles.

Jeremie: …Hold on…

Odd's fingers dig into the bars. He wipes his forehead. His clone paces the room below him.

Odd's Clone: Three minutes. You have three minutes left.

Odd's head bangs against the metal.

Odd: What do I do? What do I do?...What do I do?!

Odd bites his tongue and tries to block out this situation. But it is doing no good.

Odd: If I don't do anything, Ulrich dies. But if I come out of hiding….I die.

His right hand clutches his damp chest. Cold sweat drips from his nose. He tries to regulate his breathing. For a good thirty seconds he lies completely still.

Odd's Clone: Two minutes.

Odd curses under his breath. The blood around his skin loses its warmth. He checks the blood pressure on his wrist. It is very high. He feels an attack coming on.

Odd: If I keep this up, I'm going to lose it. He'll know exactly where I am, and then he'll kill me.

More cold sweat comes down over his eyes. He shudders.

Odd: I don't want to die…..

Seconds later his eyes scrunch together with frustration.

Odd: Oh what's the point?! Why should I care about dying? I have nothing to live for….No. I'm not afraid of dying.

He focuses on the clone below him. The clone turns around. He looks at his pupils, which glow with the Moriarty insignia.

Odd: I'm afraid of those eyes. And what they've done to me.

This statement brings him back to old memories. Or rather, he remembers experiences from his virtual reality treatment. Odd stands in front of Moriarty's smoky form, trying to hold his ground. Moriarty glares at him, his eyes full of hunger.

Moriarty: Come to me.

He recalls going through this experience again and again. Despite Odd's best efforts, he always ends up being consumed by Morairty. Every effort to eliminate his fear fails miserably. He falls to Moriarty every single time. Back in the vent, Odd's self-hatred continues.

Odd: Every time I've put on the helmet, I've gone nowhere. Why? Why?!

His fingers dig into his hair.

Odd: I can't face him…I can't face him. I always end up being his prey…..his little puppet.

He lowers his head.

Odd: I'm not strong enough to fight my fear.

Odd's Clone: One minute left.

Odd: And now Ulrich is going to pay the consequences.

He probes his mind for answers. He finds himself on the Mountain Sector again, cowering before his abuser.

Moriarty: You will become a powerful ally.

Smoky arms wrap around Odd. He is pulled toward the jaws of slavery. His mental self tries to fight back.

Odd: No fear…..No fear…NO FEAR!

He continues to give ground. Moriarty opens his mouth. Odd's will drains from his flesh. He sighs in despair.

Odd: I can't get rid of my fear. I can't. I am afraid of him…..

He is dragged towards his enemy without resistance.

Odd: What can I do if I can't get overcome my fear of him? I'm….I'm helpless.

Moriarty: You've come to me at last.

Those words push Odd the wrong way. He has heard it so many times without end that he has had enough. Enough of backing down. Enough of cowering. Enough of being a slave to fear. Enough of being helpless in fear. Helpless. Fear. He thinks over those two words for a long time. Then something clicks. He opens his eyes, staring into the mouth of his enemy.

Odd: No. Eliminating fear is not the answer….I understand now. I've been going about this the wrong way.

Odd raises his wrist toward the open mouth.

Odd: Courage Odd…..Courage. Fight even when you're terrified.

He cocks his wrist right as he reaches the black jaws.

Odd: IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO FEAR ME!

Odd snaps out of his mental wandering. He looks down. Odd's clone is grinning in triumph.

Odd's Clone: Time's up.

He aims at Ulrich. Odd fumes at his evil counterpart. He wastes no time. With one forceful kick, he exits the vent and comes down on his unsuspecting opponent. Odd's clone looks up just in time to see a shoe plow into his face. The clone rolls across the floor. Odd picks up a long wrench nearby. He taps it against his hand while the clone watches in surprise.

Odd: You want me dead Moriarty? Well…He points the wrench at the clone. I'm sorry. His grip on the wrench tightens. But you're not the one who's walking away from this fight alive.

The clone, seeing that his victim is going to fight, stretches his neck to the side. He then runs at Odd at full speed. Odd remains motionless, holding his wrench in preparation for a counterstrike.

Back on Lyoko, William, Aelita, and Christophe crouch behind two icebergs. An ice bridge leading to the tower is blocked by four scorpions. They are firing in between the gap. Christophe peaks his head over the edge.

Christophe: Okay, so what do we have to do?

Aelita: I have to get into that purple tower. Once I get inside, I can deactivate it and end Moriarty's attack.

Christophe: Right…but the problem is the monsters aren't complying.

Aelita: Exactly. We have to be super careful in this situation.

Christophe eagerly leans toward her.

Christophe: So what's the plan?

Aelita thinks for a moment.

Aelita: William will turn to smoke and distract them with a first strike. Then I will come in and finish them off. You will hang back in case we need help.

Christophe shakes his head.

Christophe: No way. You already tried that. And you know how well that ended.

Aelita: You were lucky last time! I'm not getting you killed on your first time in Lyoko!

Christophe: But-

Aelita groans.

Aelita: Natalya, please talk some sense into him.

There is no answer.

Aelita: Natalya?

The three look around. She is nowhere to be seen. Christophe swears.

Christophe: Great. She's run away.

William: I don't think so.

The two look at William. He is staring at the path from which they came.

William: I think she realized something we didn't.

Aelita: What are you talking about?

William: Yumi.

Aelita grabs her head in a combination of shock and alarm.

Aelita: OH MY GOD YUMI! I was so focused on the tower and protecting Natalya and Christophe, I completely forgot about her!

William continues to stare at the path.

William: I guess she didn't.

Yumi is thrown against the lower wall of the sinkhole. She is tiring, and she has lost her fans. Dark Yumi tries to finish her with a close combat slice to the head. Yumi's hand reaches out to stop her, but Dark Yumi pushes to finish her off. Yumi grimaces. Dark Yumi's gray tongue slithers around her mouth.

Dark Yumi: Die…you slut.

Yumi closes her eyes. She hears a terrible howl and winces. She opens her eyes to see a white arrow in Dark Yumi's shoulder. Yumi notices Natalya behind her. She is not holding her bow. Dark Yumi turns around and glares at Natalya with hateful shock.

Dark Yumi: You…you did-

Natalya pulls another arrow from her quiver. She uses her hand and jams the arrow into Dark Yumi's chest. The witch disappears. After her disappearance, Yumi and Natalya look at each other. Neither of them says a word. Then Natalya rubs her neck.

Natalya: When I remembered that you were still fighting, I stopped running toward the tower. I tried to get their attention, but they just kept running. So….here I am.

Yumi remains quiet for a few more seconds. She slowly gets up.

Yumi: No bow?

Natalya: I was afraid I would miss if I tried to shoot. Figured it was a risk I couldn't take.

Yumi politely nods.

Yumi: Thank you.

Several vultures fly overhead. It immediately catches Yumi's attention. They fly toward the tower.

Natalya: I don't suppose that's a good thing.

Yumi: No. Come on. The others are going to need all the help they can get.

Back at the ice bridge, all hell has broken loose. The relentless smoke arm of William carves a swathe through the scorpions. He plunges upward into one of the scorpion's bellies and emerges from the top of his shell. He then engages the enemy directly with his sword. Aelita divebombs the rest. Christophe reluctantly hangs back by the icebergs, firing at the enemy. He is having trouble hitting the moving targets. He curses several times and tries to steady himself. The flap of wings soon hits his ears. He turns around to see the vulture attackers. His body tenses at the sight.

Christophe: Uh guys…

William and Aelita are too distracted to hear them. Christophe rolls to the side, doing his best to avoid the multiple lasers. After the initial barrage, the vultures ignore Christophe and head straight for Aelita and William. Christophe sits up on the ice. His eyes lock onto the unfolding disaster.

Christophe: No….

The vultures take out Aelita from behind. Her body stiffens from the blow and she falls to the ice bridge. William takes his attention away from the last scorpion. He knows that one more strike on Aelita will end her. He rushes after her as the vultures close in.

William: NO! Get away from her!

He kneels by her side and summons a dark wall of smoke that covers them both. The vultures take aim and fire. The shield holds, but it is unlikely that it will be able to take much more damage. Christophe stands up, watching as the two warriors' lives hang in the balance. The last scorpion raises its tail to finish them off. Christophe is suddenly struck by an uncontrollable rage. His chest speakers begin to light up. Without warning an enormous soundwave of deafening rock music pierces the air and hurtles toward the enemy. The scorpion is blown off the bridge and falls into the digital sea. Half of the vultures are destroyed. The other half are dazed. Christophe falls to his knees, stunned by the amount of power he has just unleashed. William's dark cloud disappears. He is still standing, but he is clearly weak. The dazed vultures recover and head for Christophe this time. Christophe weakly raises his wrist, knowing that it won't do him much good. Fortunately two fans and several arrows interrupt his early funeral. Christophe turns around to see the two girls coming to the rescue. His heart leaps as the two take over. The vultures quickly fall to Yumi's fans. Natalya misses a lot, but the arrows do a lot to scatter the vultures and corral them into Yumi's firing range. Pretty soon they are all eliminated. The fans return to Yumi's hands and she puts them away. Natalya's eyes widen when she sees William feebly trying to stand. She lets him lean on his shoulder.

Natalya: Are you alright? Did those things really hurt you?!

William gives her a smug grin.

William: Well I'm still here, aren't I?

Aelita: We all are. She slowly starts to rise. Thank you, Yumi. We both would have died if you hadn't shown up.

Yumi holds her hands up.

Yumi: Hey. Don't look at me. Credit where credit's due. If Natalya hadn't shown up when she did I wouldn't be around to save you. And we wouldn't have made it in time if Christophe hadn't blown those other monsters to pieces.

Natalya looks at Christophe in wonder.

Natalya: What was that?! It was incredible!

Christophe braces himself against the iceberg. He can't find the strength to get up.

Christophe: Beats the hell out of me…..He groans. Literally. It really does beat the hell out of me.

Aelita smiles warmly at the two rookies.

Aelita: Thank you. You have helped us more than you could possibly know. And I would stay to thank you more but….She turns to the tower. I don't think Odd has much time. She takes a few steps and then stumbles. William and Natalya grab her. She winces. I'm so low on lifepoints, and the wounds still hurt….

Yumi comes up from behind and helps as well.

Yumi: We'll help you get there. Come on.

Christophe: And I'll…..Christophe tries to get up. He falls back down on his butt. Oh who am I kidding? I'm not going anywhere.

Yumi and Natalya prop Aelita up and help her toward the tower. William hangs back with Christophe. He limps over in his direction. He looks down on him with a slight smile on his face.

William: Congratulations. You've survived Lyoko. And you certainly did better than my first time.

Christophe: Great. His head rests against the ice. Is it always this insane?

William: No, sometimes it's worse.

The attention of the boys is drawn away in response to several gasps from the girls. They turn to see a large wall of ice forcibly rising from the circular platform, cutting off their entrance. As the obstacle rises to tower height, the five don't say anything. A few seconds after the wall is complete, Yumi jams her foot in the ice and curses.

Yumi: Moriarty I swear…!

Aelita: He's manipulated the landscape. A last ditched effort to stop us from preventing Odd's death.

William: Could you use your creativity against it?

Aelita puts her hands together in a prayer pose. She starts to sing. The ice starts to recede, but soon after Aelita collapses onto the ice. The others rush to her side, and the ice comes back.

Aelita: Too much energy. I'm sorry, but it's a waste of time.

William picks up his sword. He painfully jogs toward the ice.

William: Then we'll break it down!

Cold metal clashes against the icy barrier. He strikes furiously at the obstacle several times. He manages to make several dents in the ice, but it's not nearly good enough. He turns to his comrades.

William: Come on! HELP ME!

Yumi picks up a loose chunk of ice with her telekinesis.

Yumi: Hold on Odd!

Natalya strings her bow and fires at the massive target. It creates several cracks surrounding the arrow's landing point. William and Yumi's pummeling combines with Natalya's random but sharp attack. The wall shows signs of stress, but it holds. Aelita finds the strength to summon an energy field.

Aelita: Keep it up. Moriarty can't last forever. Scene shifts to the swollen core. The pulsations and rumbling are getting louder. Databases explode by the dozens. Back in the dormitory, cold sweat goes down Moriarty's head. But his face is resolute, refusing to flinch as he body wastes away. All that pressure has to bring him down eventually.

Kiwi latches on to Jeremie's leg. Jeremie falls to the ground. His heel strikes at Kiwi's nose, desperately trying to remove him. A tremor of pain reverberates through Jeremie's face. But suddenly the ghost occupying Kiwi's body retreats out of the dog's body and into the ceiling. Kiwi stands there stupidly for a moment, then falls over onto the floor. Jeremie rubs his leg and adjusts his glasses. He stands up and examines Kiwi.

Jeremie: I'm adding animal abuse to your list of crimes, Moriarty.

He calmly walks back down and sits in his chair. He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees that everyone is alive and well. He leans toward the screen.

Jeremie: Aelita, I'm back.

Christophe's voice vehemently replies.

Christophe: Took you long enough man! Where were you?! I thought I was going to die!

Jeremie: Sorry….Jeremie blinks several times. He is not used to hearing Christophe from Lyoko. But Kiwi wanted to play and he wasn't taking no for an answer.

Aelita: And you're okay?

Jeremie: Yes. Jeremie turns to look at the canine's sleeping body. He freed Kiwi in a desperate attempt to save himself. As if that tiny amount of power is going to give him any more than a few minutes.

Aelita: But Odd….

Jeremie: Yes. Moriarty is still after Odd. I'm afraid I haven't heard anything from Ulrich. For all I know…well…

Aelita's voice suddenly turns cold and firm.

Aelita: Don't talk like that Jeremie…

Jeremie: Right. Ulrich will pull through. In the meantime I need to fix the materialization programs.

Aelita: Forget that Jeremie. We're okay. The monsters are gone. We just need to get through this stupid wall…You need to get Odd.

Jeremie pauses. He looks down at the keyboard, considering his girlfriend's demand.

Jeremie: You want me to abandon the computer when you can't return to Earth and monsters could return at any second?

Aelita: You said that Moriarty was stretched to his limit. I'm sure he wouldn't risk it.

Jeremie: Never doubt Moriarty when he's desperate Aelita. He can be even more dangerous than usual. I can't just walk away when five lives are on the line. Especially when two out of those five have never stepped foot in Lyoko before. That's completely unacceptable.

Aelita: What's unacceptable is allowing Moriarty to take Odd's life. Ulrich's probably injured and unable to help Odd. He's got to be scared out of his mind right now. Please Jeremie…go.

Jeremie takes one last look at the computer and gets up. He heads for the elevator.

Jeremie: I'm no Ulrich or William. He presses the button. But I'll do what I can. I promise you…

Odd slams the wrench onto the side of the clone's temple. The clone shudders for a moment, but he recovers quickly. He then lunges for Odd's throat. Odd holds the wrench out in front to block the attack. The clone rips it out of his hands with very little effort. As the metal tool clatters to the floor, Odd backs up before his attacker. Yet he shows no signs of fear. In fact, he has become furious. In a blind adrenaline rush, he charges his stronger opponent. He slams against the clone with all of his might, but it does nothing but make him budge a few centimeters. Odd punches madly, but the blows pass through him. The clone then picks Odd up from the shirt collar. Odd responds with a kick to the face. This time the attack hurts his opponent. Odd wastes no time and strikes him again with the wrench. Then again. And again. He screams at his hated enemy, cursing him vehemently with each blow. Eventually his arms start to grow tired. At that point, the clone finally has time to solidify and counterattacks. A blast of electricity slams him against the wall. Odd does not get up. The clone rises and looks over him. Odd lifts his head, glowering at his enemy without any hint of fear.

Odd's Clone: Your rage. I've never seen you feel that kind of anger before. Not even when you tried to face me alone.

A trickle of blood escapes from Odd's lips. He wipes it without any visible emotional reaction.

Odd's Clone: This is not the way I expected you to die.

His hands light up with power. Odd spits at him.

Odd: What did you expect? For me to grovel and cry?

Odd's Clone: Basically. He arches his wrist back. But no matter. I can't have you peeping in my head anymore.

He strikes and Odd screams. Over time the voltage is enough to kill him, but suddenly Odd's clone stops and backs up. Several kilometers away, Moriarty sits up in bed, a deep pain pounding in his chest. In the Network, a crack forms in the core. Moriarty's face twists in horror. He becomes bathed in cold sweat. Odd's clone stands motionless, lost for orders.

Odd's Clone: What….what is this?

Moriarty looks at his hands. His right one begins to fade. A cold chill passes over him. Meanwhile Odd stands up with his legs wobbling.

Odd: What's the matter? Don't have the guts to finish me off?!

Odd's clone replies. But his eyes are staring off into space.

Odd's Clone: Silence….

Odd: Why? Why should I?! He picks up the wrench again. He threateningly limps toward him. I've taken orders from you for too long!

He takes another step and groans. His chest aches. At the same time, Odd's Clone becomes more distant. Moriarty clutches his chest again.

Odd's Clone: What is wrong with me? Why can't I….No. It can't be.

Odd: Can't bear to do it after all your threats! You're pathetic! All this time I thought you were so terrifying, but you're even worse than me!

Odd's Clone: Silence.

Odd: I'm so sick of watching your sob story in my dreams! You disgust me….

Odd's Clone: ….Silence

Odd: Are you trying to ruin everyone's lives just because Aelita's mom dumped you?!

Odd's Clone turns to him. His gaze becomes enraged.

Odd's Clone: Silence!

Odd: You were never good enough for her.

The clone balls his fist.

Odd's Clone: SILENCE!

Odd: Imagine what she would think of you now!

Odd's Clone: I SAID SILENCE!

A torrent of electricity is fired back at Odd. He falls to the floor, almost knocked unconscious. The pain in Moriarty's chest becomes unbearable. He writhes in bed. Several more cracks form in the core. His limbs start to fluctuate. Moriarty tightens his grip on the sheets. Then, after a few agonizing seconds, his face suddenly becomes calm.

Moriarty: I understand now.

In the Network, the cracks start to heal. The swelling goes down. The databases begin to stop blowing up. The shade of royal purple begins to return to the area. Odd's clone laughs maniacally. At that time Jeremie emerges from the shadows, throwing a crowbar at the clone.

Jeremie: Get the hell away from Odd Moriarty!

Odd's clone catches the crowbar without flinching. He chuckles and looks up at Jeremie.

Odd's Clone: Save your breath Jeremie. I'm not going to kill Odd. I get it now.

Odd slowly raises his head. He pants.

Odd: What the hell are you talking about?

Odd's Clone: I can't believe I didn't see it before. Even with all the research, I was surprised it went so smoothly.

Jeremie aims a cold index finger at Moriarty.

Jeremie: Would you stop speaking in code?! I hate it when you do that!

The clone pats Jeremie's shoulder.

Odd's Clone: Calm down Jeremie. I was surprised too. You see…..it seems I can't kill Odd.

Odd's head tilts a little higher off the ground.

Odd: Explain.

The clone puts his hands in his pockets and leans against a column.

Odd's Clone: When I first came to Earth in human form, I thought I had done it all on my own. But I was wrong. There was one critical piece of the puzzle that held it all together.

Jeremie: And what would that be?

The clone points to Odd.

Odd's Clone: Him.

Jeremie's mouth drops open. Odd just stares, too shocked to speak.

Odd's Clone: My connection to you has been supporting my human form all this time. I can research and work all I want, but without the connection to an actual human being, it all falls apart. Luckily, I have Odd to prevent that. His face curls into a wicked smile. As long as we have this psychological connection, I stay alive. Which unfortunately means that I can't kill him. But oh well. No big deal.

Odd's face becomes glued to the floor. He is downcast, loathing the fact that more shame has been added to his person. He turns his head to the side and notices two old electrical cables running close to the floor. His eyes lock onto them.

Odd's Clone: And now that I am aware of that fact, I can consciously access his mind to keep my human form intact. Thus taking care of my annoying structural problem.

Odd grabs the wires and secretly begins playing with them. He grinds his teeth together in hidden anger.

Jeremie: You always find new ways to make me despise you Moriarty.

Odd's Clone: Why thank you Jeremie, I do my best.

Odd begins to cut at the cables with a small piece of sheet metal.

Jeremie: And what happens to Odd if we kill you?

Every blood vessel in Odd's body seethes with fury. The clone shrugs in typical Moriarty fashion.

Odd's Clone: I don't know Jeremie. I guess you're just going to have to take that risk.

The clone's smug sense of control is shattered when Odd comes charging at him with two wires brimming with electricity. He pins the clone against an old window and fries his entire body. The clone convulses and burns under the constant deluge of volts. Odd then kicks the clone in the chest, sending him sprawling out the window. Odd watches as the electrified clone falls all the way to the river. After another terrible electric blast in response to the water, the clone fades fades into nothingness. All is now quiet. The purple tower changes back to blue. Aelita holds up her hand.

Aelita: Hold your fire!

Natalya has an arrow drawn on her bowstring.

Natalya: Why?

Aelita: Because…..She stares in confusion. It's over.

Jeremie walks up to Odd's side. He pats his shoulder while his friend continues to stare downward.

Jeremie: That was….impressive.

Odd: Yep.

Jeremie: How do you feel?

Odd: Fine. I just need some air.

Before Jeremie can ask him what he means, Odd jumps into the branches of a tall tree leaning against the factory. He then falls down and walks away from the building. He goes to the edge of the bank and sits there, watching the water flow by him. There is not an ounce of terror on his face as he indifferently sits outside the factory's protective walls.

An hour later, the group stands around the main computer, with Jeremie sitting in the command chair. The warriors stand looking at Christophe and Natalya, who stand facing them with their backs to the elevator. All attention is focused on them, except in the case of Yumi, who gingerly tends Ulrich's wounds. She touches his stomach.

Yumi: Does it hurt there?

Ulrich releases a silent gasp.

Ulrich: Yes. Very much so.

Yumi: Sorry.

He looks up at Odd, who is standing beside Jeremie with his arms crossed.

Ulrich: You saved my butt out there man. Can't thank you enough.

Odd smiles and lets the gratitude brighten his mood.

Odd: You would've done the same for me.

Ulrich: That's what I was doing. But turns out that I ended up needing saving.

Jeremie presses his hands together, his eyes on the two stowaways.

Jeremie: So, do you understand now?

Natalya scratches the back of her head.

Natalya: It's…..a lot to swallow.

Aelita: It is a crazy story, we admit.

Jeremie: But it's a true story.

Christophe rubs his forehead. His mind is still trying to process the Wonderland he has fallen into. But one thing Jeremie has said has lodged in his mind. And it is starting to make him very angry.

Christophe: You're telling me Renard is really this evil mastermind…Moriarty?

William nods gravely.

William: We have been fighting him for several months now. Midway through the fight he decided to join us at school and mess everything up.

Natalya: The plague, the hostage crisis, the assassination attempt. All of that was Re- I mean Moriarty?

Ulrich: Yes. He's done all of it, and used it to gain power and popularity at Kadic and in France.

Christophe suddenly explodes in outrage. His face becomes very animated.

Christophe: We have to stop him! Drag him out of the school before he takes over the world!

Odd shakes his head.

Odd: If only it were that simple. But it isn't. We have to use other methods. We can fight him in Lyoko….

Yumi: But in the real world, he has the upper hand.

Natalya grabs the sides of her head. She stares at the floor, doing her best to adjust to this terrifying reality.

Natalya: This is awful….Just awful. And to think my biggest worry not too long ago was a guy ditching me. She stares at William, her eyes pleading for forgiveness. I'm so sorry. I….understand now.

William closes his eyes and sighs.

William: Lying to you was one of the hardest things I have ever done. But I didn't have a choice. It would have been much better for you not to know the truth. But it's too late now.

Natalya turns her head toward Christophe. She slams her hand against her forehead.

Natalya: And I was so angry I dragged you into this as well. I….God what have I done?

Christophe clenches his fist.

Christophe: Don't apologize. I'm glad I know now. I knew there was something terribly wrong with Renard. He looks around the room. This isn't exactly what I had in mind, but I don't care. Now that I know, I want to help. Let me help you. He leans toward the warriors. Let me go to Lyoko and fight Moriarty with you!

This request causes the warriors to look at each other, wondering how to respond to the request. Several look unsure, especially Yumi and William. Christophe immediately becomes frustrated at their hesitation.

Christophe: Come on! It's obvious that you guys could use some not me and Natalya?

Natalya holds her hands up.

Natalya: Whoa. Hold on. When did I agree to that?

Yumi looks at Jeremie. He gives her a nod of consent. She starts to speak up.

Yumi: Christophe, last time we had someone join us, it didn't end so well.

Natalya: What didn't…? She snaps her fingers. Oh yeah, you said someone got possessed by that other guy for a while. What was his name? Xantax?

Aelita: Xana…

Natalya: Right. So who was it?

There is a pause. The eyes of the veterans inadvertently focus on William. Natalya and Christophe end up looking at him as well. He sighs.

William: Me. I was the new guy. The new guy who was way in over his head. And I'm still dealing with the consequences. Xana now lives inside of me, as a prisoner of my own subconscious.

Natalya raises her eyebrow. She walks up to William and blatantly points at his skull.

Natalya: You mean you have an undead evil thing living inside your brain?

William winces from a sudden headache.

Xana: THING! You Siberian witch! I am an ingenious work of artificial intelligence!

Natalya: William?

William: Ow….he says hi.

Natalya: And the tree branch-

William motions for her not to talk about it. He nods and ends the exchange before any of them get too suspicious. He is saved by Jeremie, who is tired of being off topic.

Jeremie: The point is that William paid the price for being a new recruit, and we would rather you not do the same.

The others nod in agreement. Christophe peers at the faces that seem unified in agreement. He is taken aback by this refusal. He stuffs his hands in his pockets and avoids looking at them. He rubs the back of his neck, trying to hide how angry he is.

Christophe: So that's it? Seriously? His foot taps against the floor. My history teacher wants to take over the world and you want me to do nothing?! Is this some kind of joke?!

Yumi holds up her hand to signal for him to calm down.

Yumi: Hold on. We never said you couldn't help.

Ulrich: We do need you two.

Natalya scratches her head.

Natalya: But you said-

Jeremie: We would rather you not go to Lyoko. However, we are in need of help at the school. What you have been doing so far in class has been very helpful and we appreciate it, but now that you know the truth, you can help us even more.

Christophe is still very much annoyed and disappointed.

Christophe: How?

Jeremie: For starters, you could join the group Jim is forming to oppose The Order.

Natalya: Jim's forming a group to oppose The Order?!

Aelita smiles and nods.

Aelita: Yes. We've been told to spread the word to anyone who refuses to wear The Order patch.

Christophe: Okay, so we join your little club. Wonderful. Anything more exciting?

Ulrich: Sometimes it's hard to take care of Moriarty attacks during school. We could tell you when one was happening and let you cover for us. Maybe even let you try to stop the attack on Earth, although that can be very dangerous.

This is not improving Christophe's mood.

Christophe: Okay, so we're club members AND your personal distractions.

Jeremie: We would keep you up to date on all the new developments happening in the fight against Moriarty. You would get the real story. We will never hide the truth from you. To be honest, it's too late to do that anyway. Even if our return to the past program was up and running, you have already been scanned.

William: And….William takes a moment to pause. In case of emergencies, and only the gravest of emergencies, you can be our backup on Lyoko. If something goes wrong and we absolutely need reinforcements, we'll let you know. But don't expect us to do that too often.

Aelita: More importantly, now that you are Lyoko Warriors…..or at least Honorary Lyoko Warriors…..you need to keep our secret. Even if you know people who hate Renard, you can't tell them the truth. If people knew, it could backfire very quickly. Those students would be at risk, and there's no telling what Morairty would do if his cover was completely blown. So you must keep our secret safe. She levels her eyes at them. Do you promise to keep everything you've seen here a secret?

Christophe and Natalya look at each other. They turn back at the warriors.

Christophe & Natalya: Yes.

Yumi: Do you promise to help your fellow Lyoko Warriors, and put their needs above your own?

Christophe & Natalya: I promise.

Jeremie cranes his neck forward.

Jeremie: And most importantly, do you swear to fight Moriarty in any way possible? Do you swear to oppose him, even when it seems impossible? Do you swear to do whatever it takes to stop him, even if it means putting your life on the line? Do you swear to do all of this?

Natalya swallows nervously. Christophe, however, is firm and does not hesitate to reply.

Natalya & Christophe: I swear.

Jeremie smiles. He gets up out of his chair and shakes both of their hands.

Jeremie: Congratulations. You are now Lyoko Warriors.

The older warriors clap. Christophe frowns, feeling only a hollow victory. William notices this and begins to speak up.

William: Please don't take this decision personally. We are insanely impressed by what you did today. But we also care about you. His eyes wander toward Natalya. We…uh…we really care about you. And we don't want to see you hurt. So don't misunderstand me. I was a rookie too. And I paid a terrible price. This fight is terribly dangerous. And now that Moriarty knows you are with us, you now have to share our danger. So please understand that we are doing our best to protect you from a terrible reality that we can no longer hide you from.

Christophe remains quiet. Natalya, however, decides to speak.

Natalya: That's fine. Really it is. I….I'm not much of a fighter. I mean, I will if I have to, but Lyoko is a dangerous place. Personally, I'd like things to return to normal. She sighs sadly. But that's no longer possible. And I have no one but myself to blame.

Jeremie: I know it's overwhelming. I won't try to downplay that. But remember that you're not alone. And thanks to you, we are no longer alone either. He leans back in the chair. Just try to return to your normal lives as much as possible. Whatever you do, you must pretend that everything is business as usual. Moriarty knows that you know his secret, but let's try not to let his posse know that.

The now eight warriors walk across the bridge. Odd walks in front of Jeremie, carrying a few things with him. Kiwi is by his side. Jeremie and Ulrich freeze in place when they see this.

Jeremie: Odd?

Odd turns back around. His face is completely calm.

Odd: Something wrong?

Ulrich: No but you….you well

Odd: Ulrich I'm insulted.

Ulrich's eyes widen.

Ulrich: What? Why?!

Odd: You didn't notice something new about me.

Jeremie and Ulrich look at Odd's face. Their eyes then move up to his hair. His pointed, gelled hair.

Jeremie: Your hair!

Ulrich: Lyoko style is back!

Odd: No. Odd points to himself. Odd the Magnificent is back! He turns around and walks away. See you back at the room.

The warriors' hearts warm to see Odd finally walk away from the factory. But then Ulrich notices Christophe sulking away. It temporarily dampens Ulrich's mood.

Ulrich: Are you sure you want to do this? At this point, we could use all the help we can get.

Jeremie: I'm not risking any more lives unless I have to. And besides-His face darkens- I fear that it's only a matter of time before those terrible emergencies come and force us to let them fight.

Natalya walks up behind William. She stuffs her hands in her pockets and acts bored. She then slyly walks up to William's side. William glances in her direction.

William: Hey.

Natalya: Hey.

Awkward pause. As the two near the sewer entrance back to Kadic, Natalya coughs.

Natalya: Aren't you forgetting something?

William gives her a strange look. He scratches the back of his neck.

William: Uh…..I am?

Natalya: Yeah….Her eyes narrow in their gaze towards him. Our date, remember?

William turns a little red and stutters.

William: Date? But I never-

Natalya: You said you would take me out for ice cream.

William's face lights up with recognition.

William: Right. I knew that. I did. But…

Natalya: But what?

William: Well….He shrugs his shoulders. That was to explain everything to you. And now everything has been explained to you.

Natalya looks at the ground.

Natalya: Yeah but-

William: But what? There's no need to do that now.

Natalya blushes and avoids his gaze.

Natalya: Couldn't we just….you know….do it anyway?

William looks at her strangely, clearly not understanding her emotional subtext.

William: But it's pretty late. Why would you want to go get ice cream with me right now?

Natalya stares at William, her eyes welling up with hurt. After a second of confusion, the message hits him like a tidal wave. He curses his stupidity. All of the warriors excluding them have gone down the sewers, except for Ulrich, who is just about to close the hatch. He gives him a look that says "You are the biggest idiot on the face of the planet" right before he disappears. William grimaces.

William: Natalya, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way, I-

Natalya: Forget it.

She turns her back to him. William touches her shoulder.

William: We can go get ice cream. Come on, I don't mind.

Natalya bites her lip.

Natalya: You don't…..mind?

William: I mean….I'd love to! Really!

Natalya: I don't feel like it anymore.

William feels stung by her words, but he keeps up the effort at redemption.

William: I'm sorry Natalya. Please forgive me. I just didn't understand what you meant at first.

Natalya: What's hard to understand about a girl wanting to hang out with a guy she finally understands completely? Especially when that girl…..She struggles with words...admires him.

William feels heat rise to his cheeks. He instinctively takes her hand. He loves the touch of her soft skin. He takes in her beautiful features and is entranced once again. A feeling of lightness wraps around him. He deeply enjoys the feeling. But his conscience strikes him, and he painfully releases his grasp.

William: Natalya, I can't.

Natalya develops a pained look on her face.

Natalya: You can't…..or you won't?

William: I can't. I want to, but I can't.

Her voice trembles.

Natalya: Why not? You can't protect me from Moriarty anymore.

William: It's not Moriarty. It's Xana. I like you a lot Natalya. Too much in fact. And I won't see you get hurt. I have a darkness inside me. He is cruel, evil, and violent. I have control of him most of the time, but I can never escape him. I don't know what would happen if I got very close to a girl with him living inside my mind. So I can't. Once again, I want to protect you.

Natalya thinks this through. After a ten second silence, she turns to face him.

Natalya: So you have some baggage. Big deal. Everyone does.

William: I think this is a little more serious than ex-boyfriend problems, Natalya.

Natalya: You'd be surprised…

William: Natalya, I won't allow Xana to ruin your life like he did mine. If we go out, you are going to see a side of me you won't like. There's a lot of repressed pain that it would be better for you not to deal with.

Natalya puts her hands on her hips.

Natalya: And my life's been perfect?

William: No offense Natalya, but you don't have an evil being living in your brain. You haven't been enslaved by him. Your problems couldn't have been near as bad.

Natalya's skin grows cold. She turns his back to him. She starts to walk away.

Natalya: Oh yeah….? Does being orphaned by the Russian government and suffering from anorexia sound easy to you?!

William's mouth drops, stunned by what he has heard. Before he can form words, Natalya takes off toward Kadic. William stands there, unable to move. He balls his fists and looks up at the sky.

William: IDIOT!

William retreats toward his dorm. He slowly walks down the hallway and leans against the wall. His head is lowered. He tugs at his jet black hair in frustration. He ignores everyone who passes him. After the silent pity party goes on for a few minutes, he is interrupted by a proud and prominent voice.

César: Hasta luego cariña. Desayunaré contigo mañana. (See you later dear. I will eat breakfast with you tomorrow)

Isabel peaks her head out the door.

Isabel: De igual. (Whatever)

César waves an index finger at her.

César: Si el estadounidense te molesta, llámame. (If the American annoys you, call me)

Isabel: Buenas noches mujeriego. (Good night womanizer)

César acts hurt by this remark.

César: ¡Mentiras! Soy fiel. (Lies! I am faithful.)

Isabel laughs and shuts the door. César laughs and keeps walking. He is quickly struck by how down William is. He stops for a moment to casually look in his direction.

César: Hey, something wrong?

William: Please leave me alone.

César: If you're trying to convince me nothing's wrong, that's not the way to do it.

William: I am not trying to convince you nothing's wrong. I just want to be left alone.

César observes his grief closely.

César: Is it a girl?

William: Stop prying.

César: You didn't answer my question. It is a girl, isn't it?

William nods in an effort to make him leave.

William: Yes. You guessed right. Congratulations.

César: The sexy Russian?

William's eyes widen.

William: You have heard rumors about us?

César taps his chin.

César: I can't remember if it was my second or third date today who told me, but yes, I have heard. What did you do to her?

William glances off to the side.

William: I uh…..sort of turned her down and now I regret it.

César immediately shakes his head.

William: I did have good reason, but I still wonder-

César: You're William, correct?

William: Yeah.

César: William, the good Lord gives us very little time on Earth. And the time of youth is even shorter. Life and love are too valuable to be passed up, good reasons or no. So unless you truly believe that it would harm her, I would ask you to reconsider.

William rolls his eyes.

William: It's not that simple.

César: Maybe not. But when is stuff like this ever simple?

William tilts his head to the side, seeing the prince's point.

William: Maybe you're right. I just don't know how to apologize. You see, she has a lot of baggage and-

César becomes alarmed. He points to the end of the hallway.

César: Run. Run away as fast as you can.

William: But I have baggage too, so-

César's opinion suddenly changes.

César: On the other hand…

William: It's just really complicated. How do I tell you that I truly care for her but I still need time to think?

César scratches his chin. Then he snaps his fingers.

César: Serenade her.

William blinks at him several times. His mouth hangs open.

William: No.

César: Come on. What happened to the guy who put love poems all over his old school?

William abruptly turns his neck toward him.

William: What?! Who-

César: Yumi.

William: Of course.

César: So….serenade her.

William shakes his head.

William: No.

César: I will even play the violin for you.

William turns away from him.

William: Absolutely not.

César: I even have the song picked out for you.

William: I said no…..He pauses and turns around. You have a song already?

César nods his head slowly.

César: You asked how you could tell her that you care for her but need more time. I have just the thing. And it goes well with the violin.

William stares at the prince, entertaining his bold romantic move. He is still hesitant.

William: No way. It wouldn't work.

César: Not expressing your feelings to her is what won't work.

William bites his lip, seeing the wisdom in César's advice. César gives him a serious look.

César: You may think it's embarrassing, but if you really want her, you'd swallow your pride and be a man.

Aelita tries to work on homework at this late hour, but it's not working. She is starting to fall asleep on her desk. Natalya lays on her bed, wallowing in deep melancholy. A rock hits the window. At first, both ignore it. But the second rock is loud and jolts Aelita out of her half-awake state. Aelita angrily whips the window open.

Aelita: Whoever is throwing rocks better stop or I'll-!

She pauses. Natalya lifts her head up.

Natalya: What is it?

Aelita turns around with a big smile on her face. There is a big romantic inflection in her voice.

Aelita: It's for you.

Natalya gets up and walks to the window.

Natalya: What's for me? What are you talking abou-?

Natalya gazes out the window in silent wonder as she sees William and César looking up at her. César nods to William and begins to play. An enchanting violin tune that harkens back to the Europe of old filters through the air. William nervously begins to sing a little song by Alexander Rybak.

William: Now I'm home, but I cannot stay

I dream of you, every day

Got to know every inch of you

Will you make my dream come true?

There's no place like home they say

You're my home so hear me pray.

I don't know you but I need more time

Promise me, You'll be mine

Birds are flying over Europe's Skies

Tell me please, Why can't I?

Times have changed but so have I

I view my life, through your eyes

On the go in a tourist's shoes

But I'll stay, truthful to you

Cause there's no place like home they say

You're my home, So I guess I'll stay

William dives back into the chorus and gains more confidence. César pours his heart out during the instrumental. Aelita hangs back, smiling and laughing at the sight. Natalya just stands there, her eyes locked on William. William's eyes meet hers and stay there. Adrenaline pours into his body and a surprisingly beautiful voice comes out of his mouth. César taps his foot to encourage him. The serenade reaches an emotional pitch as William sings his heart out. Unfortunately Jim has heard them and is not happy. He comes out of his pajamas and begins yelling.

Jim: What is the meaning of this?! You know the rules! No serenading during quiet hours!

César turns to William.

César: ¡Corre amigo, corre! (Run buddy run!)

They take off. A heavyset Jim runs behind them.

Jim: Get back here!

Aelita and Natalya laugh their heads off as the two lunatics try to escape Jim's clutches. The next day, William and Natalya sit on a bench under the same tree. William's arm is around her shoulder, and Natalya rests on his. Milly and Tamiya walk up to them. Their reporter annoyance aura is in full swing.

Milly: Would you mind answering a question for the Kadic Herald?

Tamiya focuses the camera on them, much to their annoyance.

Tamiya: Who do you plan to ask for the Fall Formal Dance this weekend?

William raises an eyebrow at them. He points to Natalya.

William: Who does it look like?

Tamiya and Milly walk away after this curt reply. Natalya laughs as they leave.

Natalya: Bye bye witches. She then turns her head to William. That reminds me, you haven't asked me to the dance yet.

William: I have now.

Natalya: Hmmn….good point. I assume we will be going with the usual couples?

William: Yep. William leans back against the bench. We'll be able to relax for a while.

Natalya walks her fingers up his shoulder.

Natalya: Just relax?

William gives her a sly look.

William: Well, perhaps not just relaxing….

Xana's voice breaks through his peaceful mind.

Xana: Our enemy is becoming more and more powerful every day and all you can think about is mating?!

William smiles and ignores him.

Natalya: You know you can't protect me from Moriarty anymore. I know you're secret, and he knows we're together.

William brushes the thought aside.

William: If he even tries to touch you, I'll break him myself.

Natalya and William share an embrace. As they hold each other, the clock suddenly begins to strike. After the usual rings to signal the hour, the chimes suddenly change. The chimes become more erratic. The rhythm changes, as if it was forming a song. William and Natalya perk their heads up. Their ears hone in on the sound. The chime of "A World Without Danger" enters their ears. The students in the courtyard start to listen. Some have no idea what it means. But some do. William turns to face Natalya.

William: It's time.

Note: The song William sang was "Europe's Skies" by Alexander Rybak, in case you want to look him up. He's an accomplished violinist, so I thought one of his songs would be perfect for César to play.