Chapter 8 Beyond the Stars (End of Take)
A.N. – Okay, for all of you who wanted to read this on Friday, let me start off with saying, with my computer crashing, resetting, and everything else in between, it become very difficult to write this chapter. I hope to be back to normal next week, but this is just one of those things. Enjoy!
Short Summary – Aelita suggests that the upcoming movie being filmed in the factory will be the perfect set for an attack and the movie director provides the perfect monster.
Disclaimer – I do not own Code Lyoko or the story idea. I am a fan of the show and the idea was submitted by James Marshall.
After the fiasco that sent the Lyoko Warriors into a spiraling pit of doubt and mistrust, Aelita goes back to her original plan. Apparently, the only down time she would get would be in between attacks. Only problem is, she remembered how active Xana was at one point, and she knew it would happen again. She remembered the gang talking about a free movie they were seeing this afternoon, so she took the opportunity to see it.
Aelita, when first coming to Earth, was never into the film industry. It wasn't until after school ended that Odd started taking her to the movies with all their friends and showing her some classics that really hooked her. She even remembered a few before she went missing with her father. As the movie started Aelita hanged outside the theater and watched the movie.
The movie was some kind of alien space movie. Aelita remembered a space horror movie called 'Alien'. It basically showcased this space crew that discovered an alien species that then hunted them down. This movie was nowhere close to it. The movie ended like any cliché hero and damsel in distress movie. The hero kills the villain and saves the girl. When the director's name popped up on the screen, Aelita remembered the name. "Finson? Must've been in his prime. His later movies are trash." She was also listening to Finson speak and she froze with the other warriors when he announced that an abandoned factory was going to be used in his next film. Aelita converged with the others as they were discussing the current dilemma.
"Heard the latest?" Odd asks her.
"Finson's planning on using the factory as the setting for his next blockbuster," Aelita replies with confidence. They all stare at her. "I was there."
"I'm surprised you know some movie terms."
"I have a friend who taught me some things."
"Main question, how do we stop him from discovering our secret?" Jeremy asks.
"Leave it to me. I got a plan" Ulrich says as he walks into the cafeteria.
"Is it me, or does anyone else feel concerned for Ulrich's plan?" Odd asks.
"It's not just you" Aelita says, knowing Ulrich's plans never work out like they intend.
Ulrich emerged later and had an expressionless face.
"Well?" Odd asks.
"We're doing a tour this afternoon" Ulrich responds, like a robot.
After the tour, Ulrich was unable to convince him of not using the location but landed a part as a producer. There was only one catch wit this: Sissi is with him as she is an actor in the film. Aelita knew that Sissi was going to use this to be close to Ulrich to see if she can make him be with her or try to find out the secret behind their mysterious group.
"Our problems are only increasing. Not only do we have to prevent Finson from finding the lab, not we got Sissi too" Jeremy says.
"How about I watch the lab from the cameras? If anyone gets suspicious, I'll stop them" Aelita suggests.
"You know how to use the controls of the supercomputer?" Odd asks suspiciously.
"She uploaded her Lyoko avatar without even going to Lyoko. She must have some knowledge" Jeremy responds.
Aelita left and Odd had a suspicious look in his eyes.
"Don't you find that weird?"
"Is there anything in our lives that isn't weird?"
"There is something else off with her."
Aelita went to the factory through a secret entrance that only the warriors knew and surveyed the set. She saw a curtain covering something. She peeked under and saw the alien. "Perfect." Aelita was in the lab as she entered through the Lyoko door to get to where she would give Xana his next attack. "Hey Xana, I found you the perfect body."
"What do we have this time?" Xana asks curiously.
"There is an alien movie being shot at the factory and the alien is a full-blown mechanical monster with fully flexible limbs."
"Perfect. We'll move on this."
"Wait till night fall. Don't want to draw suspicion to early. Too many people."
"Will do."
Aelita returned to the lab and monitored the cameras. As she was waiting for something to happen, the night fell and Aelita was able to communicate with Xana through a link she was able to set up. "Move now."
Xana activated a tower in the ice sector and one of his specters entered the alien and it sprung to life.
"The attack is now in motion" Xana reported.
"How are you going to do this?"
"Hunt the warriors. We got a killer on our side."
"What did I say about murder?"
"Fine. I play cat and mouse, but if I find them, all bets are off."
"Great, a dangerous game of life and death" Aelita said with disappointment. 'I hope the current Aelita can deactivate the tower before anyone fatally perishes.' She though but then got an idea that could delay Xana. "I got a better idea. If you catch one, use them as bait. The alien has goo that can immobilize a person."
"Hmm. Not a bad idea."
Aelita heard someone coming. "Got to go. We'll talk later." Aelita terminates the line as Ulrich arrives.
"What are you doing here?" Ulrich asks.
"I should be asking you that question. Were you followed?"
"No, I snuck past everybody."
"Even her?"
"She was passed out. I need to talk to Jeremy."
"Why not call him?"
"Because they took my cell. Some privacy thing. Don't want any leaks about this movie being revealed."
"Well, I'm here keeping an eye on things from the security cams. Can't let anyone find out us."
"Well I know!" Sissi calls out as she climbs down the ladder.
"I thought you said she was asleep."
"Well, apparently she was faking it very well" Ulrich responds.
"Well, Ulrich is cheating on Yumi with an older woman. Now that is a surprise I didn't expect" Sissi tells the two.
"One, me and her, have no relationship going on. And two, you can't tell anybody about this!"
"Why!?"
Aelita hears a low growl coming from above and sees the alien. "Because this will happen." Aelita snaps her fingers and the alien jumps down. The two all have the look of shock and fear at the sight of Finson's fake alien, now alive.
Aelita hides in the rafters as Sissi and Ulrich escape in the elevator. When the alien disappears, Aelita runs to the console to contact Jeremy. "No time like the present." She dials up Jeremy's cell. "Jeremy, Xana has activated a tower. I don't know where but the alien that Finson created has come to life. Better get there quickly." She hits close and then decides how to confront Xana without hurting the alien…even if the alien was enhanced with the power of Xana.
Aelita spent the whole night trying to find Ulrich, Sissi, or the alien and found neither. Morning eventually came and sun light up the factory. Aelita heard yelling and saw Finson yelling at the crew that his alien was missing. Someone reported that Ulrich and Sissi disappeared too and he got even more angry. There was no doubt he suspected they stole the alien. Now Aelita had to find them before Finson did.
Now with a search party spread out across the factory, Aelita returned to the lab to head to Lyoko. She had no other choice this time around. She couldn't risk getting caught or running into the alien. A short while later, Jeremy, Yumi, and Odd arrived.
"I'm guessing Ulrich and Sissi aren't with you" Jeremy asks.
"The alien is hunting them down. They can be anywhere in the factory" Aelita responds.
"I'll go find them. Good luck you two" Yumi said as she headed back up.
"Good luck. You're gonna need it" Aelita said knowing that Yumi is playing into Xana's hands.
Aelita and Odd headed down to the scanners and the two were virtualized into the ice sector where the tower was located. They arrive as current Aelita runs up to them. Current Aelita gave the future Aelita a funny look and it was expected after the strange encounter of theirs last time.
"You two ok?" Odd asks.
"Yeah" current Aelita answers.
"No problems" future Aelita adds.
"The tower is on the plateau ahead. Let's go!"
The three take off towards the tower.
Yumi's Point of View
Yumi searched around the machines in the factory and found no trace of Ulrich, Sissi, or the alien. She thought she heard talking, she turned the corner and found Ulrich and Sissi stuck to the wall. Obviously, the alien got to them first. Yumi cuts them down, but then Finson finds them.
Aelita's Point of View
"Be careful you guys. Xana is after you" Jeremy informs them as a squad of hornets comes in. Future Aelita hangs back to try to distract them, but they fly past her and pursue the two.
"Okay, apparently Xana doesn't want to hurt me. Gonna have to improvise," she says as she rushes towards them. The hornets fire at the two and Odd fires an arrow destroying one of the five. Aelita continues running but can't catch them. "Screw this." She activates her wings and flies towards the two. She approaches a hornet. "Energy field!" She destroys one and the hornets turn towards her. "That's right, follow me." It seems Xana got the message as they pursue her. She flies away as the others search for the tower.
Yumi's Point of View
Yumi, Sissi, and Ulrich are being interrogated by Finson about the missing alien. After about a few minutes he asks where it is, and it shows up next to him. The three run towards the door and two producers show up and are pinned to the wall by the alien's slime. The alien tries to go after the three and Finson tries to stop it but is also pinned. The three close and barricade the door before the alien can get through.
Aelita's Point of View
Aelita has led the hornets a good distance away from the current Aelita and Odd. Soon, they turn back around and go to pursue them. Aelita flies after them. She eventually comes to a slide that leads down into an ice cave. She dive bombs into it and flies through it at high speed. She eventually comes out to see tow towers instead of the normal one.
"Two towers? Clever, but we'll see better in the future" future Aelita says as Odd is struggling with the hornets. She sees current Aelita thinking about which one to pick. One of the hornets go after the current Aelita and future goes behind her and blocks. She then fires an orb. "Energy field!" She misses but saved current Aelita's life points. "I don't want to rush you Aelita, but soon we're gonna be pressed for time."
Yumi's Point of View
Aelita couldn't be more right as the alien has entered the room. It slowly approaches Yumi and Ulrich before it picks them both up and starts to strangle them.
Aelita's Point of View
"Whatever you pick, will be right" future Aelita tells her.
"But Yumi and Ulrich will die if I'm wrong" current Aelita replies.
"Trust me. Nothing will happen."
Current Aelita nods and enters the tower to her right. Future Aelita sacrifices herself just in case she needs to have a personal one-on-one with Xana. She waits in the scanner room and prepares to enter the mountain sector as current Aelita reports she picked wrong. She was about to activate her Lyoko door when current Aelita spoke.
"No, wait!" Current Aelita says as the tower deactivates.
"Return to the past now!" Jeremy says as time is reversed.
Aelita saw the group with smiles on their faces. "Did you get rid of Finson?"
"Ulrich did, convincing him that another alien was already shot there. This Finson wants to be original" Yumi replies.
"That's nice to know."
Odd's point of View
As she walks away, Odd decides to try something. "You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up." Odd then trails Aelita through the forest and hides in place where he can see her, but she can't see him. She activates her Lyoko door and enters and disappears. "So, that's how she appears and reappears. Well, I'm going to get some answers."
Odd enters through the still open Lyoko door as it closes behind him…
To be continued…
A.N. – And I end this on a cliffhanger moment. This was suggested to do this much later, but I figured to do it now. Odd will find out what it does, but not where future Aelita is and won't report it until he has more info. Normal schedule will resume, hopefully. So next update will be on Friday unless something else happens. PM me with story ideas if you have any! Don't forget to review with questions or comments! I will respond! Stay safe and healthy out there! As always, till next time! See ya! -lyokowarrior97