An unsettling silence dragged on as the Lyoko Warriors focused on Jeremie. After a brief moment of typing, he looked up with haunted eyes. "I can't believe this…. This…this can't be real."
Reality started sinking in for the rest of them as they exchanged glances. Among them, Aelita seemed the most distraught. She wanted to say "I told you my dreams weren't just dreams," but thought better of it; now was not the time for gloating.
But, her father? Alive? The revelation was nearly impossible. She vividly recalled the day he sacrificed himself on Lyoko, allowing Jeremie to defeat XANA and save William. Her heart had been broken as he dissolved into pixels, leaving her in agony from the realization that she'd never see him again.
Grief washed over her once more, and anger surged in the pit of her stomach. How could he abandon her again, without even reaching out to her, but instead choosing to contact Jeremie?
Jeremie noticed the emotions washing over Aelita's face, and sighed softly as he put his laptop back into his bag. He stood, hefting the bag onto his shoulder. "Alright. First things first," he announced, wiping his hands in front of him, "someone needs to stay here, and the others need to follow me to Lyoko. Any volunteers?"
Odd hesitated, torn between excitement at the prospect of returning to Lyoko and concern about how his grades would fail. He wasn't dumb; even Jeremie could see that. He just never really applied himself to his education while this whole 'saving the world' thing had been going on. He decided to step forward then, volunteering to go. "Gotta protect our Princess, right?" he added with a wink in Aelita's direction, hoping to lighten the mood.
Aelita couldn't help but smile; Odd always knew how to lift everyone's spirits. As she turned her attention to Ulrich and Yumi, she wondered if they would both volunteer to stay.
"I'll stay," Yumi voiced at last, crossing her arms. "Anything is better than going back to that place…"
Jeremie nodded, looking then to Ulrich. "You're with us then, Ulrich."
"Yeah," he mumbled, mirroring Yumi's reluctance. It seemed he wasn't too keen on the idea either.
"Well alright! Knees to chest!" Odd called over his shoulder as he began a relaxed lope toward the woods. Aelita followed, surpassing the boy when he stopped and turned back to the other three. He gestured dramatically indicating his desire to be followed. "If you want us to 'follow' you, Einstein, you're going to have to pick up the pace."
Jeremie looked puzzled by Odd's comment, but he reluctantly started walking in Odd's direction. Ulrich hung back, waiting to speak until Jeremie was out of earshot.
"Hey, Yumi?" he began, voice hesitant.
"I'll be careful," she affirmed with a smile, resting a hand lightly on his forearm.
"Right." He smiled back at her and took a step in the direction of the woods. Seemingly as an afterthought, he added, "We got through this before. We'll get through it again."
"My gymnastics were getting a little rusty," she agreed with a tight-lipped smile. Ulrich nodded, returning the smile.
With one last lingering look, the two parted ways.
Yumi retraced her steps back to campus. Near the administrative building, she observed students displaying varying degrees of panic, milling about and engaging in animated conversations. Yumi's attention was drawn to the teachers and faculty staff who had gathered in front of the doors. They had formed a somewhat disorderly semi-circle, in rapid and hushed conversation with Principal Delmas. Discreetly, she positioned herself amidst the group of students.
"Alright, settle down!" Principal Delmas raised his voice, calling for attention. Gradually, the group of students quieted, moving closer to the front. "Please respond with 'here' when I call your name," he instructed, clearing his throat. "Abulabbas?"
As Delmas continued with the roll call, Jim maneuvered a cart through the area, distributing bottles of water and emergency blankets. He extended one towards Yumi, only to withdraw it in surprise upon recognizing her. "Ishiyama? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at home?"
"Uh, yeah, but… I-I was worried about everyone, so I came to check things out."
Nodding in understanding, Jim patted her on the shoulder, his grin wide. "Ah, Ishiyama. I forgot you've dealt with situations like this before!" He resumed his task at hand, offering her a blanket and a bottle of water. "It's nice of you to think of us. Here."
Yumi laughed half-heartedly as Jim continued down the line. He had good intentions, though sometimes his approach was a bit peculiar.
"Belpois?" Delmas continued, yet there was no response from the students. He repeated the name once more, this time with a raised voice. "Jeremie Belpois?!" he shouted.
Stepping forward, Yumi spoke up. "Sir, Jeremie, Aelita, Odd, and Ulrich went to the movies earlier. I called them and they are all safe," she reassured.
"Oh, alright," Delmas stuttered, his eyes dropping to his clipboard as he hurriedly struck out their names. "It's good to know they're safe. Now, moving on, Blaise?"
After dealing with that issue, Yumi navigated around the group and made her way back to Jim. "Sir! What can I do to help?"
Jim glanced back at Delmas, who was engrossed in the roll call. "Uhh…" He extended a blanket towards her. "Want to help me pass these out?"
"Thank you, Sir," Yumi exhaled with relief, accepting several of the blankets. Finally, she felt a sense of purpose in staying busy.
"Elizabeth?"
Just as with Jeremie's name, there was silence from the students. Yumi turned back, her anxiety intensifying.
"Elizabeth, Dear, are you here?!" he shouted frantically. Students exchanged whispers and Delmas's eyes widened. He tossed the clipboard at Ms. Hertz.
"Susanne, continue the roll call. I need to locate my daughter. Jim, with me." Mr. Delmas motioned to his colleague and hurried towards the dorm building. Jim started in surprise, watching as he hurried off.
"Sir, I already checked the dorms," Jim called, waving him back. "I haven't checked the cafeteria."
Principal Delmas abruptly turned, and he and Jim dashed toward the small building. "Students, stay here where it's safe. The rest of you, search the campus. We must find Elizabeth!"
As the teachers dispersed throughout the campus, the students' voices grew louder. Yumi anxiously nibbled on her nails. Despite her feelings about Sissi, she wouldn't wish harm upon her. Scanning her surroundings, Yumi sought a way to capture everyone's attention.
Then, the ground trembled slightly, a much milder quake than the previous one, quickly subsiding. The students momentarily quieted, only to raise their voices even louder afterward.
Yumi glanced around the courtyard and noticed Herve and Nicholas seated on a bench at the edge of the crowd. Determinedly, she approached them.
"Move," she directed, not waiting for a response, squeezing into the space between them. They complied hesitantly, looking frantic - but she paid no mind. Yumi looked out over the sea of heads. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she took a deep breath and shouted, "Hey!"
About a quarter of the heads turned in her direction.
"Everybody, quiet!" she pressed on, raising her voice to cut through the clamor.
A chorus of "shhhh's" followed her call, momentarily increasing the overall sound of the crowd with the collective hiss.
Undeterred, Yumi began to speak, and even the shushing noises gradually faded. "Alright. Here's the plan."
~ JEREMIE TITLE CARD
While the rest of Kadic poured out of the buildings and gathered in the courtyard, an inconspicuous quartet of students slipped away, retreating to the forest trail. The path was a tapestry of dancing shadows and cascading sunlight, courtesy of the leaves overhead. Only a minor aftershock interrupted their journey, more of a shiver than a shake.
Upon finally arriving in the clearing, Ulrich knelt to remove the manhole cover. Simultaneously, Odd stepped onto the ladder's top rung and began the descent. It was then that Jeremie's laptop chimed with its all-too-familiar beeping.
Jeremie dropped to one knee, withdrawing the laptop from his bag and prying it open, precariously attempting to balance it on his thigh. The laptop teetered, slipping from his knee and hurtling towards the open manhole and Odd's face. A quick reflex from Ulrich averted disaster as he managed to catch the laptop mere moments before it would've collided with Odd-who had instinctively shielded his face with one arm.
Jeremie let out a breath of relief as he accepted the laptop from Ulrich's hands. "Sorry," Jeremie laughed awkwardly, "but maybe just hold on for a second?"
Odd shot him a reproachful glance but complied, pivoting on the ladder with an arm threaded through a rung for support.
"Here, let me help." Aelita lent her steady hand on the laptop while Jeremie quickly checked the notification. He sucked in a breath.
"What is it?" Ulrich asked.
"The tower… It deactivated itself."
"What? Are you sure?" Ulrich pressed, while Aelita herself examined the laptop.
"That's…odd," she mused aloud.
"More like unexpected and suspicious," Jeremie quipped.
"What do you think?" Aelita spoke, turning her head to Jeremie.
"I think," Odd screamed as his head emerged from the sewer entrance, "that we should all go home!"
Jeremie and Aelita shared a chilly look in Odd's direction before returning their attention back to each other. "I'm not sure," Jeremie confessed. "Not everything has to have a nefarious origin. If anything, we should investigate. Aelita, would you mind coming with me to the factory?"
"I'd love to," Aelita replied with her charming smile, closing the laptop and handing it back to Jeremie.
"Should we hang around or head back?" Ulrich asked, pointing over his shoulder.
"You should probably head back. We'll call you if we find anything." Jeremie glanced at Aelita, who nodded in approval.
"I'd honestly prefer if this were a XANA attack," Odd huffed. He ascended from the hole and stood, brushing off his shirt. As he looked up, the others were staring at him like he'd grown a tail, and not a virtual one. "Well, who am I supposed to blame for this? The Earth?"
"I understand," Jeremie sighed, wiping off his glasses. "I just don't know what to think."
Aelita comfortingly placed a hand on Jeremie's shoulder, and he smiled back at her gratefully.
"Alright then, let's go," Jeremie said, and he and Aelita climbed down the ladder.
"Have a nice walk!" Odd playfully called after them, his voice echoing down before replacing the manhole cover, shutting out the faint smells. He took a deep breath of the fresh air and exhaled heavily, relishing the moment. "Ah, the smell of romance. Truly enchanting."
Ulrich rolled his eyes and started walking back. Pulling out his mobile, he dialed Yumi's number only to be met with unanswered silence. Instinctively picking up the pace, he opted for a text instead.
The tower was deactivated so we're heading back. Jeremie and Aelita are investigating at the factory.
Patiently, Ulrich awaited Yumi's response, watching as the chat bubble symbolized her reply in progress.
Gotcha. Be on guard.
Letting out a sigh, Ulrich stowed his phone back into his pocket.
~ ULRICH TITLE CARD
Jeremie settled into the computer chair, initiating the diagnostics programs. The screen displayed their progress, and he let out a deep, audible breath. Truth be told, he'd had it easy the past year they'd been free from XANA. He definitely did not miss his greatest adversary, and hoped they would be rid of him soon. Just then, a glaring change caught Jeremie's eye-the Mountain Sector had reappeared on the holomap, distinct and undeniable. Worry stretched across his face as Aelita settled onto the edge, pulling out the laptop from his bag. So far she hadn't noticed, her attention drawn to the recent news stories and social feeds she was scrolling through.
Jeremie couldn't shake off the guilt that overwhelmed him - the resurgence of XANA, the message from Aelita's father, and most notably, his own treatment of her.
His heart pounded in his ears as he built up the courage for a response, and he paused. He was so good at explaining everything but his feelings. Now he understood how Ulrich felt.
"Aelita-"
"Jeremie, I've found something," she said simultaneously.
Well, so much for that.
Jeremie could feel the embarrassment heating up his cheeks before he moved over to Aelita. She angled the screen in his direction. "Take a look. There's a news article about the theft of Tesla's mechanical oscillator."
"You're not suggesting…?" Jeremie's words trailed off, his focus shifting from the laptop to the supercomputer. A sequence of beeping sounds emitted from the speakers. He quickly returned to his chair, his eyes widening. "Oh no…"
"What is it?" Aelita prodded urgently.
"Well, alongside running diagnostics for the towers, I've been scanning for the earthquake's epicenter," he explained, fingers dancing across the keys. "I assumed it would be here, but it's not. It's at Kadic." The screen zoomed in on the school campus, highlighting a specific area with a ping. "To be precise, just outside of the campus." He frowned, rubbing his chin and leaning back in his chair. "That's so weird, why would it…?" he mumbled to himself.
"That confirms it's a XANA attack. We've got to warn the others!" Aelita swiftly grabbed her phone and dialed Yumi.
"Yeah?" Yumi's voice sounded from the other end.
"Yumi, we think there might be a spectre on campus. Could you go and check it out?"
"Um…" Yumi frowned as she surveyed the bustling courtyard, where students and a few teachers straggled, calling Sissi's name. "Well, I'd love to help, but we're searching for Sissi," she explained, her gaze following Delmas and Jim as they hurried across the campus towards another building. "I'll keep my eyes out, though."
"Okay… Be safe," Aelita exhaled wearily before ending the call. She proceeded to dial Ulrich's number and cast a glance at Jeremie, who regarded her with evident concern.
Emerging from the forest trail, Ulrich and Odd made their way onto campus. Odd released a deep sigh, interlocking his hands behind his head. "Man, if only this was a real XANA attack. I'd really let him have it."
Ulrich was about to respond when his phone began to ring. "Hello?" he answered.
"Ulrich, could you check for a spectre on campus?" Aelita's voice came from the other end.
"Hey, is that Aelita? Find out what's happening," Odd nudged.
Ulrich shot Odd a stern look, placing a finger to his lips. "What are you talking about?" he continued. "How could there be a spectre if a tower isn't active?"
"We made a mistake," Aelita replied. "We think that XANA is gaining power by activating and deactivating the towers."
"So should we head back?" Ulrich questioned, casting a glance at Odd, who blinked in response.
Jeremie took the phone from Aelita. "Ulrich, could you and Odd start heading back? We're going to need to deactivate this tower… I'm having trouble getting its location. It's…it's like it's both everywhere and nowhere all at once."
"What does that even mean?" Ulrich murmured, scrunching his brows.
Upon reaching the midst of campus, Odd and Ulrich were met with a chorus of name calling. Ulrich tilted his head slightly, watching as Jim ran comically between buildings, his voice booming above the rest.
From within the crowd, Yumi signaled to the pair with a brisk wave before hurrying over to them, her expression clouded with worry.
"Have either of you seen Sissi?" she inquired urgently. "Nobody can find her."
"No, we haven't," Odd replied. "What's happening?"
"After the earthquakes, the teachers evacuated the students outside," Yumi explained. "But during the roll call, Sissi didn't respond. While the teachers are searching inside the buildings, I've organized a search across the campus grounds."
"Yumi, have you seen any spectres?" Ulrich asked, pulling the phone away from his ear briefly.
"No, I've got my hands full looking for Sissi."
"Okay. I'll go look for the spectre," Ulrich told Aelita, pulling the phone back. To Odd, he added, "You head back to the factory and help Aelita and Jeremie."
"How many more times do I have to keep going back and forth here? It's so close to lunch; I'm starving," he complained with a huff. Ulrich and Yumi just glared at him.
He clicked his tongue and waved dismissively. "Fine, fine. I'm going. I'll just starve to death." Odd turned, retracing his steps through the forest toward the factory, while simultaneously, a sharp beeping pulled Jeremie's attention to his secondary monitor.
The earthquake detection program Jeremie had activated materialized on the screen, indicating an imminent quake with a magnitude of 7.6. Reacting quickly, Jeremie grabbed Aelita's arm and swiftly pulled her away from the supercomputer and towards the wall. Caught off guard by the sudden jerk, Aelita dropped her phone and stumbled, finding herself in Jeremie's arms.
"Hit the deck!" Jeremie shouted, shielding his and Aelita's heads.
Ulrich and Yumi exchanged a brief look before registering what Jeremie had said. Yumi turned, cupping her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Everyone get down!"
The students halted in their tracks, the ground heaving and thus tossing everyone off of their feet. Sissi's name was replaced by terrified screams as the entire student body scrambled for cover.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~
With her headphones on, Sissi danced on her bed, bouncing to the beat of the music. She plopped back onto her pillow, unlocking her phone to check her messages. Upon discovering multiple missed calls and texts, confusion knitted her brows, and she sat up. "Huh?"
Out of nowhere, a few decorations scattered around her room rattled, some even tumbling from the shelves. Sissi remained perplexed as she stood. However, as soon as she did so, a small vibration traveled through her feet and into her legs.
"What's going on?" she complained. The shaking gained strength, causing more decorations to crash down. Her vanity toppled over, the glass of her mirror shattering into hundreds of pieces.
Sissi screamed, realizing at once the seriousness of the situation. Just then, her sizeable wardrobe began to tip over. Spotting its shadow on the floor before her, Sissi spun around with a shriek, her hands shielding her face.
"Help me!" she cried as the wardrobe crashed down.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Odd kick-flipped off the ground, his skateboard grinding on the guardrail in front of him. The metal's vibration alerted him to the potential of another earthquake. "Oh boy, things are about to get interesting." He cast a concerned gaze up at the ceiling of the sewer.
He ollied off the rail, landing on the opposite walkway. The tunnel around him resonated with rumbling sounds. "Damn, if Kiwi hadn't eaten my headphones, this would be like a music video!"
The shaking walls shifted the position of the wheels under his board, throwing him off balance. Odd attempted to readjust, emitting a few sounds of concentration, but ultimately he was thrown off. With a shout, he tumbled to the ground, rolling perilously close to the water's edge. Wide-eyed, he watched his board roll into the water with a splash. He sat up with a pout. "Seriously?"
Right then, a piece of the sewer's ceiling crashed down in front of him, splashing into the water. "And that's my cue; exit stage left! Thank you all, and have a great night!" Odd's voice trembled as he scrambled to his feet and made for the ladder on the bridge.
Despite the disorienting tremors, Odd eventually reached the ladder. A resounding crash reverberated off the walls, causing the metal rungs to vibrate intensely. Odd hummed with worry, propelling himself up the ladder and out of the sewer.
As he emerged, a scene of destruction greeted him. The bridge leading to the factory barely clung together as the shaking gradually subsided. Another large section of the bridge plummeted into the water below, sending a spray of cold water up onto Odd's face. He swiftly wiped it away, staring at the gap between himself and the factory's entrance. "Good grief. What a day."
Grabbing hold of a dangling wire, Odd vaulted over the gap and hurried inside.
~ WILLIAM TITLE CARD
The trembling subsided, and Ulrich and Yumi remained huddled together for a moment, their arms still shielding their heads. Slowly, they glanced up at one another, both blushing and then looking away. "Sorry," Ulrich mumbled, shuffling back. Yumi stared straight ahead, brushing off her shoulder.
"It's okay," she replied softly, her face still flushed.
Ulrich looked around and realized that in the chaos, he'd thrown his phone - that, or it was simply dropped. Spotting it in the dirt, he dusted it off and returned it to his ear. "Aelita? Jeremie? You guys alright?"
At the factory, Jeremie and Aelita were bunched against the wall. Hearing a sound, Aelita remembered about her ongoing call. She uncurled from Jeremie's embrace and made her way back towards the supercomputer. Jeremie blinked as he stood, surveying the damage done to the lab. Aelita located her phone on the ground and brought it up to her ear. "Ulrich? Yeah, we're alright. Are you?"
"Yeah," Ulrich responded, scanning the area. As his gaze wandered, he noticed significant damage to several buildings, especially the dorms and the auditorium. He frowned. "What do we do?" he whispered, more to himself.
Jeremie looked to Aelita, an unspoken thought passing between them. With a sigh, Jeremie held out his hand for the phone, Aelita handing it over. "You're not gonna like this…" he said cautiously.
"Do I ever like this?" Ulrich groaned. Jeremie's resigned sigh told him more than words could.
"I think we may need William's help," Jeremie concluded.
"What?!" both Ulrich and Odd exclaimed, Ulrich through the phone and Odd as he descended the ladder on the opposite side of the wall.
Slightly startled, Aelita pressed a hand to her chest upon seeing Odd's arrival. "Odd! You made it!" Jeremie turned to Odd as soon as he touched the ground.
"Sweet baby Jesus, am I glad to see you two," Odd sighed heavily, crumpling to the ground. "I can't feel my arms… Or my legs…"
"Glad you could join us," Jeremie affirmed with a smile.
"Jeremie, don't be ridiculous," Ulrich growled on the other end of the line. "William can't be a Lyoko Warrior again. He can't be trusted!"
"Relax, it won't involve going to Lyoko," Einstein reassured, his hand out as if Ulrich was there with him. "We'll just have him keep an eye on campus and help out Yumi."
Ulrich's face heated. "Then I'll do it!"
"We need you on Lyoko," Jeremie ordered. "This is no time for disagreements."
Ulrich stared at his feet. "See you in a few," he said finally, ending the call.
Jeremie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, staring down at the now-ended call screen. Aelita took the phone from his hand, regarding him with sympathy. She understood the weight on Jeremie's shoulders, being the central figure in control and the immense stress he must be under. But she also knew how much of an asset William could truly be. He'd just been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
"William?" Odd echoed, hands to his hips as he approached the two Einsteins. "Why the sudden idea of involving him?"
Aelita shifted her gaze towards Odd, crossing her arms in response. "Because he's a valuable asset to have on our side."
"You're not worried about him turning rogue again?" Odd frowned.
"No. I'm not," Aelita replied firmly. "He's no longer under XANA's influence. If anything, I believe we all still owe him an apology." She turned her eyes to Jeremie now, who seemed - at that moment - oddly fascinated by the fabric of his pants. "He and I shared those nightmares. I want to know what it all means. If it has any connection to how XANA returned."
Odd raised his arms in defense. "Look, I'm just saying this should be a group decision. Just like how we brought him on in the first place."
Aelita sighed, nodding in agreement. "You're right, but this isn't the time or the place for this discussion. Like Jeremie said, we're just asking him to help Yumi out on campus with the spectre. No Lyoko involvement."
Odd nodded as well, his hands dropping to his sides. "Alright then. Let's go kick some XANA butt!" He hurried towards the ladder leading into the scanner room.
"Speaking of which - Aelita, could you call William? I need to go assess the damage done to the scanners before we can send anyone in." Jeremie stood from the computer chair, taking a few steps towards the ladder before turning back to Aelita. Instead of confirmation, she crossed her arms and gave him a pointed glare.
Understanding Aelita's unspoken response, Jeremie let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll do it. Get down to the scanners while I make the call," he said, a hint of exasperation in his tone.
Aelita grinned, skipping her way over to him and kissing his cheek before heading down.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Climbing down the ladder into the sewer, Ulrich paused as he confronted the scene before him.
Sections of the ceiling had surrendered to gravity's pull, collapsing entirely and leaving an obstacle course of debris, making traversing the system impossible. The sound of the water, once a lively rush, now whispered its presence as it trickled through the small cracks woven into the wreckage. Ulrich felt unsettled suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck sticking on end. He'd been fine with traversing the sewers when it didn't feel so cramped, but upon seeing the state of it, his lungs felt heavy. He quickly ascended back up the ladder and into the forest.
Rushing towards the bridge, he came to an abrupt halt, seeing the condition before him. Ulrich winced at the sight, his fingers reaching for one of the dangling wires. He tugged down, gauging its remaining strength, satisfied when it did not snap off.
"If the bridge is like this, I hate to imagine what the inside of the factory looks like." With a 'Hup!' Ulrich propelled himself over the gap and hurried inside.
~ AELITA TITLE CARD
Watching Ulrich disappear off campus, Yumi sighed and wiped her face. What was wrong with her? There was a time when her thoughts revolved solely around Ulrich. She even thought that they would eventually end up together after defeating XANA, but now that XANA was back…
Shaking her head, Yumi got up and brushed the dust and grass off her legs. "Is everyone alright?" she called out, scanning the students as they rose from the ground. Considering no one yelled for help, she assumed things weren't too bad. That meant back on Sissi duty. Unfortunately, the condition of the buildings was deteriorating rapidly, and Yumi silently hoped that wherever Sissi was, it wasn't inside.
Her hope was immediately shattered by a faint cry for help - distant but nearby, and it sounded familiar. At least it meant Sissi was alive, but that didn't make it less frustrating. "Sissi?" Yumi called to confirm, cautiously approaching the dorms.
"Yes, it's me!" That confirmed it—Sissi's voice came from the third floor. How was she supposed to get up there? Was the building stable enough? And what if another earthquake started when they were both–
Yumi felt a tap on her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. However, she wasn't pleased with the person behind it. "Oh, come on. What do you want?"
William looked a bit hurt, but he seemed prepared for worse. "I've been given some instructions. And I know you won't believe me, so…" He turned his phone over to show her the text:
From Jeremie:
Go help Yumi. Don't let her tell you no.
Today was determined to complicate Yumi's existence. She stifled a groan of frustration; with such a specific text, there was no way to dismiss him. Avoiding eye contact, she reluctantly responded, "Fine."
"Yes!" William whispered excitedly, pumping his fist in victory. Yumi rolled her eyes at his reaction, unable to stop the smile from forming.
"Okay, let's move!" Yumi ordered, dashing towards the collapsed dorms, her long legs propelling her in great strides. William followed suit.
"Ms. Ishiyama! Mr. Dunbar! Do not enter that building!" Ms. Hertz's angry voice echoed across the courtyard. Principal Delmas and Jim watched from the administrative building.
"Not an option, Ms. Hertz!" Yumi panted as she tossed open the doors and entered the chaos. "We need to rescue Sissi!"
"Elizabeth!" Mr. Delmas screeched, hurrying towards the dorms, Jim following closely.
As William entered after Yumi, they both stood dumbfounded as the door swung shut behind them. Part of the stairwell had collapsed, leaving them wondering how to proceed. Yumi frowned then, a determined look on her face. As she began to climb the door slammed open, revealing Delmas with Jim behind his shoulder.
"Sir, the kids need you; we should stay with them," Jim urged Delmas, placing a hand on his shoulder. Yumi observed the exchange, her eyes darting between the two.
"But my daughter…! I can't bear to lose...!" Delmas struggled to finish his sentence, tears beginning to roll down his cheeks. His gaze locked onto Yumi's, pleading.
"I'll find her, I promise." Yumi nodded in determination, charging up the stairs with William trailblazing behind her. The building's structure was in terrible shape; lights hung precariously, debris was scattered everywhere, and it seemed as if the whole place could collapse with one wrong step.
Right as the thought crossed Yumi's mind, she placed her foot on a weakened part of the staircase, and crashed right through. As she fell, William grabbed her wrist, saving her from a potential disaster. "Gotcha!" he grunted, pulling her back to safety.
"Th-thanks," Yumi gasped, her heart racing. It made her wonder if this was how Odd felt when the dorms sank all those years ago.
"I know you don't trust me, but I trust you. We'll get through this. C'mon." William took the lead, testing the stability with his weight. For once, Yumi had nothing to say about William's bravado as she followed him.
Upon reaching the third floor, William turned to Yumi. "We'll need to do some climbing," he warned, turning back to face the pile of debris at the top of the stairs. Yumi simply nodded, following him as he practically leaped over the wall. On the other side, they were met with another blockage, as well as a chasm leading down to the boys' floor.
Without breaking a sweat, William charged ahead, leaping over the gap and grabbing onto a small mound of debris to catch himself. He turned to Yumi, waving his hand. "C'mon! I'll catch you, go for it!"
Concentrating on her breathing, Yumi ran and lifted off, smoothly crossing the gap and landing in front of William. However, a spike of pain shot up her leg as she landed, causing her to gasp with a wince.
"Your leg!" William exclaimed, crouching down to inspect it.
It was a nasty cut, likely from when she had fallen through the weakened stairs. Yumi attempted to stand, but the pain overwhelmed her adrenaline, causing more blood to flow from the wound. Acting quickly, William tore at his left sleeve and ripped it off in a barbaric fashion.
"Don't move," he instructed, firmly wrapping the ripped fabric around Yumi's injury and securing it with a knot around the back of her calf. "There, that should at least stop the bleeding."
Yumi looked up thankfully at William. "Thanks. We have to keep moving."
William nodded, assisting Yumi to her feet and supporting her with his arm as they cautiously continued onward.
"Hello?! I hear voices!" Sissi's voice sounded strained, laced with annoyance. "Are you gonna rescue me or what?!"
"Sissi? It's William and Yumi," William called. "Where are you?"
"Yeah, I'm on Mars- where else would I be?! I'm stuck in my room!"
William and Yumi exchanged a glance, and Yumi rolled her eyes. With an exasperated sigh, he turned to Yumi. "I'll be right back. Stay here."
"Not like I have a choice," Yumi half-heartedly laughed, gesturing to her leg. The improvised wrapping was effective, but the reddening around it was visible. William winced at the sight before hurrying towards the blocked door.
"Will you two lovebirds hurry up?! My room for one is about to become a room for none!" William gave a sly smirk to Yumi, who responded with another eye roll. William crouched down to the debris obstructing the path.
Straining with effort, he lifted and cleared the debris from Sissi's door. A groaning sound resonated from the walls, and Yumi glanced around nervously. "William? I think we should hurry."
"Yeah, no shit," William grunted, heaving another substantial piece aside. As it hit the floor, the groaning sound returned, accompanied by smaller debris clattering to the floor below. Finally, the path was clear. William threw his weight against the door, revealing Sissi trapped beneath her wardrobe. "Are you okay?" he asked, stepping in.
"Less talking, more helping!" she yelled. "Get me out of here!"
"Don't have to tell me twice," William said, lifting the wardrobe to allow her to crawl out. He motioned to the door as she straightened her clothes. "After you."
Sissi hurried out, with William following close behind. She spotted Yumi leaning against the wall, nursing her injured leg. Sissi's eyes were wide. "What happened to you?"
"It's nothing. Let's go, we need to leave," Yumi answered.
Just as Yumi spoke those words, the building groaned loudly and began to tremble. Yumi looked around in panic, and Sissi screamed.
"Brace yourselves!" William shouted, quickly gathering the two girls and huddling together as the building collapsed around them.
~ ODD TITLE CARD
Odd, Ulrich, and Aelita descended to the scanner room, where Aelita assessed the damage. One scanner was completely broken, another had a blinking internal light, while the third appeared normal. She frowned.
"Well, this is far from ideal," she mumbled, running her hand over the broken scanner's surface.
"What do we do now?" Odd asked.
"If one of the scanners is broken, then we obviously can't use that one," Ulrich noted.
"Oh, really?" Odd said sarcastically. Ulrich shot him a glare.
"And it seems risky to use the one with the blinking light," Aelita added. "It might not be properly connected."
"Aelita's right. Better safe than sorry," Jeremie's voice boomed overhead. "Get ready. I'm still running the tower scan, so hopefully we'll have the location of the tower soon."
Odd stepped aside with exaggerated flair, gesturing gracefully towards the scanner. "Ladies first!" Aelita smiled. Even in dire straits, Odd's humor never failed to brighten her mood. Stepping into the scanner, Aelita spun 180-degrees to face the doors as the chamber sealed shut.
"Transfer, Aelita! Scanner! Virtualization!"
After passing through the supercomputer, Aelita emerged in Sector 5's Celestial Dome with a new appearance: black glovelettes, black-and-white pants with pink knee patterns, a translucent pink skirt, and a white breastplate adorned with a pink symbol, connected to a backpack-like object featuring small wings.
"So Aelita, how do you like your new look?" Jeremie's voice chimed over the intercom, as he crossed his arms in pride.
She smiled, examining herself. "I like it," she replied, her tone playful as she added, "but don't think this means you can overwork yourself, mister."
"Noted! Alright, who's next?" Jeremie's voice carried into the scanner room.
"Not it!" Odd yelled as he pushed past Ulrich, entering the scanner just as it sealed.
"That's not how 'not it' works, you dork!" Ulrich retorted.
"Sorry, can't hear you, I'm being virtualized!" Odd shouted from inside the scanner, accompanied by his best impression of a microwave.
"Odd!" Ulrich growled in frustration. Jeremie sighed with a small grin, proceeding to initiate the virtualization process.
"Transfer, Odd! Scanner! Virtualization!"
Odd materialized into the Celestial Dome and landed beside Aelita, also sporting a new look. He immediately noticed a large collar around his neck, adorned with a giant golden pawprint. With excitement, he lifted it and allowed it to flop back onto his chest. His arms showcased golden lightning-like tiger stripes, complemented by pink and purple shoulder pads. His legs featured knee pads trimmed in gold, and black boots with pale paw-shaped soles. Unseen by him, the classic image of Kiwi peeing was emblazoned on his back.
"Awesome!" Odd gleefully exclaimed. As he did, a tuft of purple hair fell over his face, which he quickly blew out of the way. "I look like a cyber tiger or something!" He turned to Aelita and smirked. "Speaking of tigers," he followed up with a teasing whistle, "looking good, Princess!"
Aelita blushed, glancing away in embarrassment. "You don't look so bad yourself."
"Moving on," Jeremie rushed, "Ulrich, your turn."
Ulrich stepped into the scanner and was turned as it closed. "Let's get this over with."
As the scanner initiated and began to hum, the room started shaking. Instantly, a red exclamation mark appeared on Jeremie's screen. "Oh no! Ulrich!" Jeremie left his seat and rushed down the ladder to reach the scanner room.
Ulrich let out a surprised shout as he was thrown against the side of the scanner, hitting his head and stumbling slightly. "Jeremie!"
"Hang on!" Jeremie skipped a few bars and leapt to the floor, racing to Ulrich's scanner and attempting to pry the doors open. After several tries, Jeremie finally succeeded and Ulrich tumbled out, groaning in pain.
"Ulrich, are you-?!" Jeremie's concern shifted to the sight of the bloodstains within the chamber and the gash on Ulrich's head.
"So much for that," Ulrich winced, holding his head. Jeremie gripped his arm, helping him to his feet. They turned back to the scanner, which was now frozen mid-virtualization. Shortly after, it seemed as if the entire world was crumbling around them as the room trembled violently. They huddled together against the wall as the shaking gradually ceased.
"Are you okay?" Jeremie repeated, pulling Ulrich back to his feet.
"I guess," he muttered. "It sounded like the whole factory just collapsed up there."
Jeremie sighed, glancing at the elevator. "If it did, we're trapped."
"How will we stop this XANA attack now?"
"They'll have to go it alone," Jeremie whispered, terrified. Shaking himself of his demeanor, he ran back to the ladder. "Come on, let's get back up to the lab."
Assisting Ulrich, the duo cautiously ascended back to the supercomputer. As they reentered the lab, Jeremie was relieved to find the room had sustained no extra damage - at least not yet.
A familiar beeping noise reached Jeremie's ears. He sank into the chair and pulled up the window, puzzled. Ulrich stood behind him, peering over his shoulder. "Did we find the tower?"
"Well, it's not exact, but…"
"Go on," Ulrich prompted.
Jeremie's gaze met Ulrich's intently. "It's somewhere in the Digital Sea."