( Code Total Drama Reality Introduction Song Starts )
( No Pain No Game (From Btoom!) )
(The ending of this story)
The song starts, showing the end of Code Lyoko where the Supercomputer is shut down and the former Lyoko Warriors leave the factory seemingly for the last time.
(I will hold it close as I wonder so aimlessly)
A single computer is shown coming online, lines of 1s and 0s streaming across the screen before the screen is replaced by a glowing sphere with the Eye of XANA, at least eight variations appearing on it. From the sphere came lines of data emerging in eight different directions. The lines of data formed into various regions, all of them floating landscapes resembling a forest, a desert, an arctic, mountains, volcanoes, swamp and a jungle.
(Into this new world)
The new lands orbited the golden sphere as the camera zoomed in on the Eye of XANA staring at the screen.
(The game has only just begun)
The Eye then flashes red, and the sphere turns black.
(I can see it in your eyes)
A girl with pink hair sits on her bed, panting as she turns to see two pictures of her friends and her father. She smiles briefly but that smile turns to a look of horror as both her friends and her father are engulfed by a great darkness and the red Eye shines down on her. The Supercomputer, thought to be shut down, is reactivated and there is a flash of light.
(This is where tomorrow brings a new game)
Aelita is shown alone both in the real world and in Lyoko, hordes of monsters surrounding her.
Geoff is first shown in his human form before transitioning to his Lyoko form.
Next to him is Bridgette, holding her surfboard in the real world before changing into her Lyoko form, her board splitting into two swords.
(It's time to learn that pain is gain)
Gwen is shown sitting in front of tree, looking up and is instantly changed into her Lyoko Avatar, brandishing her scythe.
DJ is shown in the woods, tending to a little rabbit as he stands up and morphs into his Lyoko form, turning to face the camera with a stern glare.
LeShawna is last, ready to fight in both her human form and her Lyoko form.
(Ready fight!)
William and a dark reflection of himself as XANA's General are shown standing back-to-back, turning to face each other and swinging their swords.
The screen is split by the two swords, showing New Lyoko as the title appears:
CODE: TOTAL DRAMA REALITY
(I gotta crush and paint away the anguish)
Aelita is shown first, sitting at the computer before she is then shown as the DJ of a party. She morphs into her Lyoko form and conjures an energy field.
This was followed quickly by Geoff wildly waving his hat while riding something with Bridgette holding onto him by the back.
(Of my past for the sake of my future)
Gwen is shown next, drawing in her sketchbook and signifying with a sad face as Duncan, Courtney and Trent appear behind her, their backs facing in her direction.
(Until my life comes to an end)
DJ is shown running for his life from appears to be a giant bear.
(I am gonna fight to tear apart that destiny)
LeShawna is shown next, standing confidently with her team, ready to face whatever crazy challenge comes next.
(Aoh, break out and start a revolution)
The antagonists of Total Drama: Heather, Courtney, Justin, Anne Maria, Jo, Lightning, Scott and Alejandro in the Total Drama Machine are shown from left to right, grinning or glaring at the camera, holding up an imaginary case of the million- dollar prize money in their hands. Chris Mclean is shown next, arms crossed as the chair he is sitting in spins to meet the camera, zooming out to show it is the monitor room for the Total Drama show.
A dark shadow appears above them, scrawny in appearance and hair falling over the left eye as it glares darkly at the screen.
(Until you find the answer you're looking for)
The camera then shows Aelita with the new Lyoko Warriors, the TD Lyoko Warriors and William sitting around a campfire, all of them staring up into the starry night sky, a picture of her friends and father resting in Aelita's hands.
(I'll challenge all my limits)
Aelita in her Lyoko form with her wings sprouting from her back is shown, clutching Mr. Puck in her hands as she seemingly falls back, her friends and relatives in the background.
The camera moves down to show William kneeling down, clutching his sword in both hands. As this happens, the camera moves down, showing depictions of the TD Lyoko Warriors and other characters in the background.
The camera continues to move down to show Geoff pulling Bridgette into sharing a picture with LeShawna bringing her face up over Bridgette's shoulder, the three of them in their Lyoko forms. While this happens, Harold, Lindsay, Beth, Trent, Katie and Sadie are shown in the background.
Below them is Gwen with her arms and legs curled around her with her cape swirling behind her like wings while Heather and Courtney are shown in the background glaring at each other followed by Sierra clutching Cody who looks distressed, Eva crossing her arms along with B and Beth both waving, the latter looking very shy. Behind Gwen appeared Dawn in her own Lyoko form in a meditative pose while upside down while facing Gwen with her eyes closed, her light robe contrasting with Gwen's cape with dark clothing, almost forming a yin-yang symbol.
Behind Dawn appears Scott, snickering evilly.
(Knowing this could be my only chance now)
DJ is shown last, seemingly falling back while holding his pet rabbit: Bunny in his hands with a happy smile. His teammates shown in the background starting with Duncan, Tyler, Justin and Alejandro ending with Chef Hatchet and Chris McClean.
He is followed by Mike and Zoey, both clutching their hands and smiling at each other as in background appears Brick, Jo, Lightning, Sam and Staci.
And lately Cameron appears staring up at the others.
(To overcome this fate that has come over me)
The screen turns black and the Eye of XANA immediately flashes into existence, glowing red and shadowing the outline of a singular person with red glowing eyes.
(The ending of this story)
Aelita is shown, standing in a meadow now with the wind gently blowing through her hair.
(I will hold it close as I wonder so aimlessly)
She holds up a hand, gazing sadly up as the images of her friends and parents appear in the sky.
(Into this new world)
Her hand then becomes digital, transitioning to Lyoko.
((The game has only just begun))
She gazes up a little longer before she notices her new friends and allies standing with her and smiles before looking forward, seeing a tower in the distance.
(I can see it in your eyes)
Just as they are about to rush towards the tower, the camera angles up into the digital sky as the song reaches its end.
The scene then shifts to pictures of Aelita and her friends both old and new on a desktop as the title appears on last time:
CODE: TOTAL DRAMA REALITY
( No Pain No Game (From Btoom!) Ends )
Episode 16: Choice of Reckoning
"Well, here we are back again." Said Ulrich.
"Yep. Another full year with the special meatloaf." Said Odd.
"Some things never change. Honestly." Said Yumi.
"Sometimes that's a good thing Yumi." Aelita giggled.
"We have two hours of chemistry first" said Jeremy, checking his schedule.
"I've got history" added Yumi. "And I better get moving, Professor Fumet is usually already in the classroom by now."
Ulrich smiled. "Guys, we're better off discussing this another time, alright?"
Yumi transferred her rucksack of books from one shoulder to another.
"Well, the Prof waits for no man. I've really got to head off guys."
"We'll see each other at dinner then, in the cafeteria."
"Awesome. Well, have a good first day everybody." She answered, quickly setting off up the path beyond the gate, continuing ahead of the others.
"Hm? Uh, Jim is something wrong with the- oh!" Delmas dropped his microphone in shock as electricity crackled from it. "What is going on?!"
Suddenly the projector switched on and a red light was projected onto the wall, showing the same strange 'eye' as the billions that appeared on every TV, computer, or cell phone in France. It was blood red, as were the words, bathing the entire gymnasium in a red ominous light.
Aelita's eyes widened, and for a moment she went limp against Jeremy, who caught her. Many people had risen to their feet, murmuring and whispering to each other, slowly getting nervous as they looked at the screen.
"Jeremy, is that what I think it is? Please tell me I had too much soda and that it's gone to my head, and I've flipped my lid." Odd whispered to Jeremy through clenched teeth.
"I-I...I don't..." Jeremy stammered. "Impossible..."
All of the Lyoko Fighters were paralyzed from the seeing the Eye of the enemy that they had fought and killed two years ago appear before them, staring them right in the face.
And then came the message.
I LIVE AGAIN
AND I AM COMING FOR YOU
"Aelita, run! Get to the tower!" Ulrich said, standing in front of the pink haired girl. "Deactivate one and we can still turn this around."
"I think not." XANA said before shooting forward.
Ulrich grunted as he angled his sword and caught XANA's blade.
"This isn't like before, Ulrich." XANA spoke slowly as Ulrich shoved him back. "You think I simply announced my return just for us to pick up where we left off? Everything has changed while you remain as you were, even before I first destroyed Lyoko. Still the same children parading yourself as so-called heroes when you spent the last two years, fumbling in the ignorance of a normal life earned by the false victory I gave you."
"It doesn't matter whether you tricked us or not." Ulrich retorted as Odd and Yumi joined him. "We'll stop you no matter what."
XANA grinned. "Still so confident. Perhaps it's time I show you just how outclassed you truly are."
With that, a red Eye appeared underneath the trio, making Aelita stop and turn around to look back. Surges of orange-yellowish energy sprouted from the edges of the Eye, crackling like lightning.
"Guardian Circle!" XANA announced, narrowing his eyes. "Now, show me if you are still as capable as you believe, Lyoko Warriors."
The energy lashed out like tendrils, attempting to grab the trio as they moved to escape. Ulrich grunted as he blocked the incoming surges with his sword with Yumi standing behind him, blocking incoming surges with her fans.
Odd tried to move, using his own energy shield to block the surges as he neared the edge, but a laser shot hit him in the back. "GAH!"
The dragon themed knights appeared, one of them holding a laser pistol that hit Odd in the back. With the momentary distraction, a surge shot out and hit Odd, wrapping around his arm and allowing energy to travel down his body.
"Guys, I need a hand-" Odd was cut off as the energy formed into a Guardian that immediately swallowed him.
"ODD!" Ulrich and Yumi shouted.
More and more energy surges lashed out as the Dragon Knights surrounded the Guardian Circle, cutting them off from escaping. The Dragon Knight armed with laser pistols fired into the circle at Ulrich and Yumi, increasing the difficulty of attempting to escape the circle.
"Triangulate!" Ulrich shouted, conjuring two more copies while moving in between the three afterimages in a flash of golden yellow light.
The tendrils along with the Knights began firing rapidly now as Ulrich fought harder to block the incoming attacks and hopefully at least get Yumi out. Then out of nowhere, the energy tendrils latched onto nearby rocks and boulders and shot them at Ulrich's clones, taking them out instantly. Ulrich slammed into a boulder, leaving him stunned and wide open as an energy tendril grabbed him.
"ULRICH!" Yumi shouted, trying to slash the tendril holding Ulrich but was hit from behind and grabbed by an energy tendril.
In a matter of seconds, both of them were left swallowed up by the Guardians forming around them.
"Now let's put you somewhere nice and quiet." XANA hissed before a portal opened beneath the Guardians who immediately sank into with the trio they were holding.
"It'd be too easy just to kill the three of you." XANA answered. "Fortunately, my victory in our last battle has left me in such a good mood that I've decided to spare the three of you…Well, you might not consider it sparing you."
"What are you going to do?" Yumi asked, feeling a pit rising in her stomach.
"You're no doubt aware I've recreated the Replikas that were originally destroyed. Of course, not only I've created brand new ones." XANA began, pleased by his work. "And out of the hundreds of Replikas, three of them will be your new permanent home."
That caused Odd, Ulrich and Yumi to pale slightly before Odd asked. "What do you mean three? Don't you mean one?"
"He's not leaving us together in a Replika." Yumi caught on. "You're separating us and leaving us to rot on our own Replikas."
"Correct." XANA nodded. "No weapons, no contact with the real world and no one to come to your rescue."
"Well, that was easy." XANA remarked with a grin, the large translucent screen before allowing him and the captured Lyoko Warriors to see what was happening.
"Aelita!" Odd and Yumi shouted upon seeing Aelita taking a hit in the leg.
William then came, trying to help, but the Tarantula easily injured him while setting a tree on fire.
"Ah William, it's regrettable that I had lost you as my general." XANA remarked, a look of possibly nostalgia appearing on his face. "Once Aelita is incapacitated I'll consider what to be done about you."
Ulrich grit his teeth, unable to do anything but watch as the monster turned back to Aelita.
"It's over."
"AELITA!"
XANA scowled upon sensing his tower being deactivated.
"Well, well, looks like things didn't go your way, XANA." The AI could hear Odd taunting from behind. "All that preparation and waiting and Aelita still took you down just like the good old days."
XANA turned and faced the captured Lyoko Warriors with a scowl which they smiled at.
"And we get to see the look on your face as you lose…again." Odd taunted.
"You are quite confident for a prisoner." XANA retorted.
"Not for long. I know Aelita will find a way to save us." Yumi argued.
"We'll see about that." XANA waved his hand and the three were engulfed in Guardians again that shot out of the chamber. "You may have new allies Aelita, but much has changed since before. We'll see if they can measure up to your expectations."
When she first opened her eyes, she was greeted with the familiar mountain scape of Lyoko's Mountain Sector.
Only it wasn't Lyoko.
It was a Replika she had been dumped on, left to rot by the menace that had captured her. Yumi had long since stopped calling out for anyone, accepting that no one other than XANA could possibly hear her. She wandered aimlessly, just walking the familiar terrain with the hopes that she wouldn't go insane from the lack of contact with anyone and the fact that she was trapped here.
No Jeremy to materialize her.
Jeremy…
Yumi had paused, a look of anguish on her face as she recalled being shown the recording of Jeremy being thrown into the Digital Sea, a fate she had suffered briefly before Aelita had sacrificed her chance to be materialized to save her. She never thought too much on what happened to her, mostly because she could barely remember what it was like to fall into the sea and be lost in the void forever. Now Jeremy had suffered that fate on a day that was meant to be the start of another year with her friends, living a normal life and basking in the relief that they were all living a happy and peaceful life.
Only now it had all been dashed.
XANA's return had not just been the end of their hard-earned peace, he had revealed that their victory had never been a victory at all. It had been staged to look like they had won, that Aelita's dad had given up his own life for Aelita to be safe and then XANA set his sights on them and robbed them of everything they had worked so hard and sacrificed for. Now here she was, left alone with not even Ulrich and Odd to keep her company while she wondered what was happening out there.
Was Aelita okay?
Were the people she had helping her keeping her safe?
Yumi was sure her parents had realized she had disappeared and wondered how they were reacting.
How her little brother was handling?
She couldn't even access the towers here to try contacting anyone like Aelita used to before Jeremy materialized her. Aelita had been given knowledge of how to work the towers through the Keys to Lyoko her dad had given her, but Yumi had neither the Keys nor the knowledge to use any of the towers. She couldn't call Aelita or even try calling Ulrich and Odd, wherever they would be.
It was all so…
Hopeless.
Yumi could only sit down on a large rocky platform and curl up into a ball, burying her face into her knees as she tried and failed to contain the feelings of despair that threatened to consume her. She was alone, unable to call for help, unable to even sleep, drink or eat in a world that was maintained by whatever computer it was connected with and could likely last years.
Aelita had been trapped for over a decade, but to her it was more like a few seconds before waking up with no memory. If help did not come for Yumi, would she be able to handle being trapped her for so long without going mad?
Why had this happened?
Why had it all gone so wrong?
"Yumi?"
All around him were nothing but trees, reaching up into the clouds where the tops could not be seen and were endless in number. The ground beneath his feet were green, carpeting of grass and moss remaining firm under each step and broken into large segments, connected by narrow paths. The sky was engulfed by a bright orange glow that was reflected by the sea below.
This was the Forest Sector.
Or the Forest Replika to be more precise.
Ulrich could only walk along the narrow path he was on, just taking the chance to try remain calm and collect his thoughts.
How had this happened?
Oh, XANA came back from the dead, captured him, Yumi and Odd and then dumped him here while leaving their last sight of Aelita gaining help which sparked the small bit of hope in Ulrich that she might save him, Yumi and Odd.
And Jeremy…
Ulrich wanted to believe that Jeremy could be saved. Yumi and Aelita had both been flung into the Digital Sea and they had survived, even with help. No matter what, Ulrich clung to the hope that Jeremy could be saved, no matter how fragile the chance was. They all had gone up against everything XANA had thrown at them before with certain death being the most likely scenario and each time they survived. Now though, Ulrich knew he just had to hold on until the chance to escape finally came.
At the very least the Forest Sector was beautiful enough for him to find a way remain calm, despite everything that has happened. Football season had started up, his grade had improved but not enough to please his father but at this point Ulrich could safely say he was just about done trying to please that man. He was just glad he could be with Yumi and wanted to continue being with her this new year…
Except that was unlikely to happen now.
The horror of XANA's return was great but as long as he could still be with Yumi and the others, he thought he could handle it. Maybe that's why XANA did this, separating them from each other as revenge for all the times they foiled him. A petty and heartless last attempt to have the last laugh against them while he finally took over the world. Ulrich couldn't even try working the towers to contact Yumi, Odd or even call for help from Aelita in the real world.
So here he was, all alone.
Funny, at the beginning when he started attending Kadic, he was fine with being a loner. That was before he met Jeremy, Odd, and Yumi but now…
"There's not even a monster for me to take my frustration out on." Ulrich grunted.
He didn't even have his swords with him.
If something didn't happen soon, he was going to-
"Ulrich!"
Why did it have to be a Desert Replika?
It was hot and bright and Odd couldn't even try taking a nap in the shade. If Odd ever imagined returning to Lyoko, he would have wanted it to be somewhere nice, like maybe the Ice Sector.
Oh wait, that might be too cold, even for him.
He could have preferred the Forest or Mountain Sectors but being stuck in one sector for so long would drive even Odd crazy. Is this how Aelita handled herself before Jeremy materialized her? At least she could talk to Jeremy and the others and wasn't stuck in one sector.
This wasn't Lyoko.
It probably wasn't even a Replika.
It was a prison.
Even Odd could tell that this Replika only existed to keep him prisoner while Ulrich and Yumi were locked in their own Replikas. XANA must be really ticked with them if he just locked them here with no way out instead of just killing them. Odd wanted to believe he could find a way out but not even his bravado was enough to cover the growing fear inside him.
The fear of not getting out of here.
The fear of never seeing his friends or family again.
The fear of remaining helpless as XANA took over the world.
It made him feel helpless and he hated it. He could admit he had missed being on Lyoko and would have jumped at the chance to be a hero again but not like this.
Not like this.
He couldn't even imagine how Aelita was feeling.
XANA coming back was one thing but to find out XANA had faked his death the whole time and tricked not just them but Aelita's dad…He couldn't even try calling her and being the metaphorical shoulder to cry on like he tried to be when things got rough between her and Jeremy. XANA tricked them all and he wasted no opportunity in rubbing their faces in it.
Heck, he went as far as to make a human face to show them how pleased he was that his plan had worked.
"Did it really never occur to any of you, not even you Jeremy that I would not anticipate such a plan? To use a multi-agent system to destroy another multi-agent system? You believe yourselves to be so intelligent that you couldn't comprehend the idea that not only as a multi-agent system but as an artificial intelligence I would not recognize a threat to me? No, I knew what you had planned, and I even anticipated it long before you had even considered it." XANA spoke with satisfaction. "I knew from the moment when Jeremy created that program, he had designated as the Marabounta that he would eventually return to that idea when you all realized the number of Replikas I had created. I planned every step of what happened leading up to the last confrontation. The XANA that was destroyed was a copy. A powerful one that could have evolved as I do, but a copy none the less."
"As our battles continued, I realized that as long as my creator was alive, I would always be watching over my back for him, which is why I continued to try to toss Aelita into the Digital Sea, so he would come into the open to rescue her and allow me to dispatch him. But you kept on interfering, so I had to make an alternate plan. Remember your trip to the Siberian Base? It was there you discovered the key programs needed to release William from me and where you discovered the hundreds of supercomputers I controlled when I made my strongest creation, the one you had named the Kolossus." XANA continued. "At that point, Jeremy realized he needed to find a faster way to destroy all of my replicas to destroy me. And what did he come up with? A virus of his own to destroy me, a multi agent system that would spread all over the network and specifically wipe out anything that had to do with me. So, I left the network...I put myself into a computer and disguised myself as another program and waited as my copy did battle with you making you all believe I was making my last stand."
XANA could see the horror slowly beginning to dawn on their faces, especially Aelita's.
"I disconnected the supercomputer of course; I counted on your persistence being my copy's downfall. All I needed to do was let you have William's freedom restored and then you would use the program to destroy me...I applaud you all for the roles you played up to this point, but now I shall not allow myself to be a victim of such plans this time around." XANA finished, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
"You tricked us!" Odd shouted.
"To win at chess, sometimes you have to give up a pawn." Ulrich growled. "Well damn, he really did have us."
"And he played us like puppets the whole way." Yumi added.
XANA grinned. "I did indeed."
And then there was Jeremy…
"Jeremy and Aelita will find us, XANA. They won't give up." Ulrich argued, only to pause as he watched XANA's smile widen.
"Well, Aelita might try but I doubt the same can be said for Jeremy." XANA retorted as he brought up a recorded image…
Of XANA throwing Jeremy into the Digital Sea.
Odd, Yumi and Ulrich looked on in horror and anguish, watching as Jeremy hit the waters with a loud splash and completely vanished, never to come back out.
"As you can see, this is not like before." XANA closed the window, pleased by grieving looks on their faces. "You three are removed as obstacles, Jeremy has been scattered to every corner of the network, leaving only Aelita to deal with. Which is why you're awake now."
A new window appeared, showing Aelita leaving the school grounds.
"Aelita…" Odd whispered, seeing the grief-stricken look on her face.
"I am allowing you the privilege of seeing her before she is removed as my final obstacle." XANA stated. "Even if she restores the upgraded Avatar, you all used prior to shutting down the supercomputer, she is still only one and you all together barely held me back."
"Leave her alone!" Ulrich shouted. "Haven't you done enough to her?! You possessed her, you stole her memory, you killed her dad!"
XANA's eyes widened briefly before he smiled. "Yes, I did."
Odd knew that XANA was evil and that he would stop at nothing to win but everything that happened in what he thought was the last twenty-four hours…
This was unspeakable.
Franz was dead and now so was Jeremy, the Einstein of the group. Aelita would no doubt be devastated by this. As much as a joker Odd liked to be, what happened to them made him angry…
This wasn't like before when they managed to save everyone in the nick of time.
XANA had called them out, lured them back to Lyoko where he sprung his trap and he didn't just stop there. He had to make it personal by bringing Jeremy to Lyoko for one last 'talk' before getting rid of him.
XANA had gone too far this time.
The only bright side was that Aelita seemed to have some help.
"What happened?" XANA narrowed his eyes as he rewound the past seconds the Tarantula witnessed before it had been stabbed. "…Aelita found herself some help."
The three Lyoko Warriors had hopeful looks on their faces now.
Maybe Aelita had a chance after all.
He had to admit that if Aelita were to find help he didn't expect it to be contestants from the reality show Total Drama.
Yeah, Odd had watched the show and he even knew the name of the contestants.
Geoff, The Funniest Guy Around and one of Odd's personal favorites.
Bridgette, the Surfer Girl.
Gwen, the Loner.
LeShawana, the Sister with Tude.
And DJ, the Brickhouse with Heart.
He even knew they would be shooting a new season in France which Odd planned to catch later before XANA announced his return. Still, the fact that Aelita had the contestants of a reality show helping her was unexpected, but he hoped they could help her.
Still, given how well they did one their first mission, Odd was willing to give them a chance and the fact that they gave him a chance to taunt XANA one more time was a bonus in his books.
"Well, well, looks like things didn't go your way, XANA." The AI could hear Odd taunting from behind. "All that preparation and waiting and Aelita still took you down just like the good old days."
XANA turned and faced the captured Lyoko Warriors with a scowl which they smiled at.
"And we get to see the look on your face as you lose…again." Odd taunted.
"You are quite confident for a prisoner." XANA retorted.
"Not for long. I know Aelita will find a way to save us." Yumi argued.
Odd had faith in Aelita, but he had to wonder how long it might take her. Would he still be sane(well, as sane as he could be) if and when she finally rescues him, Ulrich and Yumi?
He just hopes everyone will be okay…
"Odd!"
Odd's head shot up; eyes wide. "Mom?"
Aelita could only stare in shock as Yumi, Ulrich and Odd appeared the screen of her laptop, the three of them looking surprised…and hopeful.
"Mom?" Yumi called out.
"Did I hear my dad?" Ulrich asked.
"Ulrich? Yumi?" Odd looked back and forth. "Can you hear me?"
"Odd!"
Walter shoved forward, leaning towards the computer. "Ulrich, it's me."
"Dad? How am I-"
"I am here in the Principal Office with your friend, Aelita Stones…Or should I say Aelita Hopper." Walter narrowed his eyes.
Ulrich, Odd and Yumi looked stunned as Ulrich stuttered. "She-she told you-"
"Told me?! TOLD ME?! It was your friend XANA who told us!" Walter snapped. "This is why your grades was so low?! You were playing hero for a girl you first thought was an AI but turned out to be the daughter of a wanted criminal!"
Ulrich gaped. "XANA told you?!"
"I can't believe what I've heard." Robert muttered, sharing a look with his wife. "We've had this girl over for dinner, but you told us she was Yumi's pen pal, Odd."
Odd chuckled weakly. "Well, she kind of was."
"And that she's actually supposed to be ten years older than she is now!"
Aelita nervously fidgeted in her seat.
"What's going on here?" Yumi asked. "Did XANA tell all our parents?"
"Indeed he did and he showed us Jeremy's video diary." Micheal Belpois replied, causing the three and Aelita to flinch. "Speaking of, where is Jeremy? Why isn't he with you?"
Aelita looked down at the ground while Ulrich, Odd and Yumi couldn't bear to speak. Their silence caused Michael to pale.
"No…" The father of Jeremy fell to his knees. "Please tell me-"
"I'm sorry. It's true." Aelita lifted her head, a tear coming down her cheek. "XANA killed him."
This caused the parents to pale but before anyone could speak, the wire sparked and the superscan beeped, showing an activated tower.
XANA's Eye appeared on Jean-Pierre's computer screen and from it emerged a specter. "You always were gullible, Aelita."
Aelita paled.
The super-scan in the lab alerted Franz to a tower being activated in the Forest Sector. "So soon? What are you up to, XANA?"
He urgently typed at the keyboard, bringing up several windows.
"Hopefully I can access the tower remotely and see what he's up to."
The specter landed on the ground and shifted. "If you thought I would try bargaining all the lives of your friends and leave out one important detail like that, you underestimate me yet again."
The specter solidified, taking the form of a tall dark-haired boy, dressed primarily in black with a black leather jacket and white fur collar while the red Eye of XANA was imprinted on his shirt. Red streaks highlighted his hair and his eyes were red, briefly flashing with the Eye symbol before returning to normal. The surrounding parents were all frozen, Jim gaping and Jean-Pierre seemingly moving to pick up his phone. Behind the door, Sissy stepped back, covering her mouth.
XANA's eyes turned sharply to Jean-Pierra and with a simple surge of electricity the phone was fried. "There's no need to bring the authorities into this. Now…let's talk."
'Talk?' Aelita wondered to herself.
This wasn't how the XANA she knew operated but to be honest, XANA had shown to be completely different from before ever since his return. It's almost as if being dormant wherever he had been had somehow changed him.
Made him act more…human.
"You may not see Jeremy now, but his data is easily accessible, and I can easily reconstitute him back to his original state." XANA spoke calmly. "As you have heard, Jeremy was not the first to be thrown into the Digital Sea and come back. Anyone with the right knowledge can restore him which I am willing to do as long you agree to my terms."
"Terms?" Ulrich asked, hearing everything with Odd and Yumi.
A window opened and Franz could see the Principal Office of Kadic. "I did it. I managed to access the tower and piggyback on XANA's signal. Now what is he up to?"
"The terms are in exchange for granting you three your freedom and Jeremy being restored, you along with Aelita will be expelled from Kadic and relocated to other schools, far from each other along with the supercomputer being shut down. I only needed it back on to lure you back, but it has served its purpose."
Franz's eyes widened.
"Do this and all four of your children will be released and reunited with you."
"So that's his plan." Franz muttered. "I can't use a Return to the Past yet…but I can try something that will surprise him."
He looked through the list of contacts that had been stored in the computer and then another program as he adjust his headset. "Testing…Testing…"
Geoff answered his cell phone. "Hello?"
"Geoff! Get the others; XANA has activated a tower in the forest region!" Aelita shouted.
"Uh oh." He looked to the others. "Guys, we got a problem involving you-know-who and you know where! Let's go!"
Franz typed away at the computer once the call ended. "Now I need to get Aelita out of there."
"I am still sending you to another school, Ulrich! Your grades come first, and you should have told the authorities about this in the first place!" Walter snapped at Ulrich.
"Didn't you hear a single world listening to Jeremy's diary?! XANA can't be trusted! He'll just get rid of us all when he has what he wants!" Ulrich shouted back. "You can't be this dumb!"
"I'm smart enough to see that sending you to this school was a mistake from the start! Your defiance towards me and your mother even as it is plain to see this is where you got playing hero only shows I was right from the start!"
"Yumi, I'm sure there are other schools you can go to but we can't let you play hero like this anymore." Taeko actually agreed with Walter.
"Mom, listen. You can't trust XANA will just hand us over. Not after all this time." Yumi argued but her parents would not relent.
"Odd, I commend you for trying to save the world and all, but you still lied in our name to get Aelita an identity." Robert shook his head. "This is not okay."
"Okay, maybe not but we had good reason." Odd weakly defended.
Jean-Pierre turned to XANA. "Why do you want Stones and Dunbar? I won't hand them over, especially since it was said in Jeremy's diary you already had Dunbar as a prisoner."
"I don't want them as prisoners, I actually to seek to help them finally move on from Lyoko." XANA replied with a sly grin as he glanced at Aelita. "Even after all this time, they are still connected to Lyoko and myself. For them to ever truly be free, that connection must be severed."
Connected?
How are they-
Aelita paled as she realized what XANA was talking about. 'The Keys to Lyoko.'
XANA stole the original Keys she had, and her father had given her his own to save her and William had been able to access Sector 5's data and while under XANA's control he could use the towers in Lyoko like she could.
Does that mean that William had his own keys to Lyoko now?
Aelita's eyes went wider as she realized what this meant. 'The Scyphozoa!'
"I will be waiting at the factory for you to make your decision but if I see the police approach the factory, I will ensure that Ulrich, Odd and Yumi never set foot in this world again." And with that, XANA shifted and became a black cloudy mist that his signature specter form that dispersed and vanished into the air while Ulrich, Odd and Yumi vanished from the laptop screen.
"Sir, you can't trust XANA." Aelita quickly said.
"Quiet you!" Walter barked harshly. "You don't get to say anything after this! I can't believe after a decade Franz is still causing trouble without end!"
Aelita blinked, along with several others. "…You knew my father?"
Walter shook his head. "It doesn't matter. The point is, we are getting our children back!"
Sissy moved away from the door as it opened, the parents coming out with Aelita who was being led out by gym.
"Will Mister Dunbar report to the school gates at once, please." Her father spoke over the speakers.
William was wondering why he was being called to the school gates. He had kept his cell phone with him on silent mode in case Aelita called him but so far nothing had happened. He would have tried seeing what the principal wanted from her, but he still had class, and he couldn't afford to skip. It wasn't until he could see the gates that he got the feeling something was wrong.
A bunch of adults, William recognizing two of them as Yumi's parents, with Aelita, Jim and the Principal Jean-Pierre waiting for him.
"Ah, William. Just in time." Jean-Pierra started.
Before William could ask what's going on, Aelita did so for him. "THEY'RE HANDING US OVER TO XANA IN EXCHANGED FOR ODD, YUMI AND ULRICH!"
William blanched.
They were what?!
"Miss Sto-I mean, Hopper, calm down!" Jean-Pierre reprimanded but Aelita struggled against Jim's grip.
"XANA WANTS TO USE THE SCYPHOZOA ON US AGAIN! RUN WILLIAM, NOW!" Aelita screamed. "GET TO THE FACTORY AND WARN THE OTHERS!"
William paled as the mere mention of the Scyphozoa was enough for him to take off in the opposite direction.
"Dunbar, stop!" Jean-Pierra called out. "Jim!"
"I got him!" Jim said, handing Aelita over the principal and chased after William. "Dunbar, get back here!"
"I can't let XANA give away Aelita's identity like this. Even if the principal doesn't expel her, her name could be leaked and then they can find her." Franz frantically typed. "I have to make as many preparations as I can."
He just hoped the others would arrive soon.
"Hello? Hello!" Yumi called out.
"You've been cut off, Yumi." A familiar, British sounding voice said from behind.
Yumi turned around to see none other than XANA, or rather the Avatar of XANA facing her. "…XANA. What have you done?"
"I would have thought that the answer would be obvious to you, Ulrich." XANA looked amused from the glare Ulrich was giving him. "Just as I would have thought you'd be relieved at the idea of being rescued from here."
"Rescued? Do you think I'm stupid, XANA?" Ulrich scoffed. "Do you really think any of us believe you'll actually release us or save Jeremy?"
"What you believe is irrelevant." XANA turned away. "However, I have decided to go through with it, simply because I know agreeing to my terms is the only logical decision your parents and the parents of your friends can make. Provided of course, you and the others agree to cooperate."
"Oh yeah? And what makes you think we will cooperate?" Odd asked, hands on his hips.
XANA slowly faced Odd. "Then I will be left with no other alternative than to eliminate your parents, Ulrich, Yumi's along with the principal and that gym teacher as soon as they take their first steps into the factory."
"Aelita and William won't let you do that." Yumi said hotly. "They've managed to stop you just fine up to now."
"Really? Are you actually praising William, Yumi?" XANA raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't have thought you were capable of that, given how poorly you and the others treated him following your rescue of him."
Yumi stiffened. "…How do you know about that?"
"I know a great deal of what has been happening ever since our last encounter, Ulrich. How you effectively cut William off from your social circle, blaming him alone for being captured, even though it was your collective decision that brought him to me in the first place." XANA recalled with amusement. "What's more amusing is how you justify William's capture on account of him being reckless when you and the others have been just as reckless and easy to exploit many times."
Ulrich narrowed his eyes.
"And now, you're expressing faith that he can help Aelita?" XANA mused. "I wonder if you would be thinking the same if you were out there right now, instead of here."
Odd cleared his throat and shifted a bit. "Okay, so we weren't exactly fair to him, but I know he's got good reason to help her. Like getting payback at you for starters."
"I doubt after today, there will be a chance for any payback. Your parents will do anything to save, even if it means having to give both Aelita and William up to the Scyphozoa so I can finish removing the last threats to me." XANA remarked.
"Why do you want William? After what I've seen, I doubt you need him anymore." Yumi stated.
"It's as I said, even though you removed my control over him, you have yet to permanently sever our connection. William is still connected to me and connected to Lyoko through what I gave him. His recent actions have shown that. I am just going finish what you set out to do but failed to finish." XANA replied. "At the end of the day, no one will be able to act as counter to my powers again."
"We'll find a way, XANA." Ulrich vowed. "We always do."
"I can tell you really believe that, Ulrich." XANA grinned. "Which is why, you're not going to get the chance."
XANA held out his hand and a conjured a glowing orange sphere. The sphere grew in size as it was flung at Ulrich who tried to run…
"Oh, come on! Not again!"
Yumi tried to flee and resist but could do nothing as the Guardian swallowed her.
"I shall see to it you are conscious and able to see and hear what is happening. I wouldn't want your parents distressed by your appearance in stasis." XANA remarked.
The six young adults left the studio and went to the man hole in the park where they took the sewer tunnel to the factory. They climbed up onto the grass near the factory and came in on the second floor. Geoff let out a shout and grabbed a cable, swinging down to the floor. "WOO HOO!"
"Uh...I'll just take the stairs." DJ, Cameron and Gwen took the stairs.
"Three seasons of Total Drama and this is nothing!" Bridgette shouted before she landed next to Geoff.
"Yee haw!" LeShawna landed next to them and they all went into the elevator.
LeShawna pushed the button for down but curiously the elevator took them down to the scanner room, instead of the lab. "Uh, not exactly what I picked."
"Sorry, everyone but we're pressed for time." Aelita's voice came over the speakers.
"So, what's the trouble?" Geoff asked.
"XANA outed me at the school to my friends' parents and he's promised to their freedom in exchange for our expulsion from Kadic and relocation to other schools, separated from each other and for the supercomputer." 'Aelita' replied. "By the way, where is Dawn?"
"We tried to find her but she wasn't at the studio and she doesn't carry a cellphone." Cameron answered, walking to the latter. "Do you need some help?"
"Uh, yes. I'm starting the virtualization sequence because I know for sure that XANA will launch an attack. I am picking up signals in the Ice Sector but the Scyphozoa is waiting in the Mountain Sector."
"That what?" Gwen asked.
"It's a monster that XANA created to steal data that resembles a jelly-fish. It wraps its tentacles around you, holding you in a stasis field and then holds three tentacles to your head and can steal just about anything about you, including your memories."
"Say wha-" DJ shuddered.
"Doesn't sound as bad as the live grasshopper pizza we had to eat." LeShawna remarked with a shudder that the rest of the group shared.
"…Anyways, I've set the scanners to virtualize you all in the Mountain Sector but stay away from the Scyphozoa. It's what XANA used to possess William. I have to sneak back out and find William so Cameron will be monitoring you all in my place."
Cameron nodded and climbed up the ladder. "Okay, I'll do my best."
Oddly enough, when Cameron opened the hatch to the lab he looked in and saw Aelita was already gone.
'She must have been in a hurry.' Cameron walked over to the computer and sat down. "Okay, guys. Three go in first, followed by the last two."
"You got it!" The first three stepped inside the nearest scanner.
"Transfer DJ, Scanner DJ, Virtualization!"
"Transfer Gwen, Scanner Gwen, Virtualization!"
"Transfer LeShawna, Scanner LeShawna, Virtualization!"
"Dunbar, get back here!"
William was running through the forest, trying his best to lose Jim but the teacher was determined not to lose sight of him.
'This is bad. I can't take the manhole to the factory with him on my tail.' William frantically looked around, seeing if there was somewhere he could hide.
Help suddenly came when a hand reached down from a tree and a familiar pale blond haired girl peeked from the tree, handing upside down. "Here!"
William grabbed Dawn's hand, and she pulled him up into the tree, the two of them hiding behind the leaves as Jim rushed past the tree. William breathed a sigh of relief as Jim continued off in the direction that he had thought had seen him go before looking at Dawn.
"Thanks." He sighed in relief. "But what are you doing here? Did Aelita call you?"
"No," Dawn shook her head. "But I sensed a disturbance, and the tea leaves told me to come find you."
"Huh?" William was at a loss.
Dawn held up a small burnt leaf. "I consulted Mother Nature for advice regarding my place as a Lyoko Warrior and she warned me I needed to stick close by in case you and Aelita needed help."
"A burnt leaf…You know what, never mind." William shook his head. "I'll believe anything at this point."
"What is happening?" Dawn asked.
"XANA struck a deal with parents of Aelita's missing friends. He's going to give them back in exchange for handing me and Aelita over to him." William answered.
"They would do that?" Dawn gasped.
"Well, not if they knew him like we do. I don't know the full story myself, but I know they are taking Aelita to the factory right now." William continued. "We've got to get there first. Do you know where the others are?"
"On their way to the factory like I checked." Dawn answered. "I'm afraid I cannot verify for you since I do not carry a cellphone."
"We might have to look into that." William said dryly. "I wasn't a Lyoko Warrior for very long last time, but I think we're supposed to keep our cellphones on and with us or at least be available for communication as much as we can."
Dawn hopped down onto the ground and looked up. "Perhaps but I'm not one for electronics. Still, if it is asked of me, I'll see what I can do."
William hopped down next. "Good. Now let's get to the factory and maybe we can save Aelita and everyone."
(Credits)