The Lyoko Fighters
Hi, sorry for the very long late, it's just I was a little disappointed that people had favorited my story without posting a comment to make me know their point of view. But hey, here's the second chapter of the Lyoko Fighters.
Chapter 2: Into the warehouse
Ulrich still stood in awe, looking at the warehouse before turning to his new friends who were already walking forward. He ran a little fast to catch up with them at the moment Max pulled out his laptop of his bag in front of the warehouse's doors.
"What is he doing?" Asked Ulrich curiously as he watched Max using his laptop.
"He's disabling the security system," answered Valeria. Ulrich turned to her with a surprised look.
"A security system?" Asked Ulrich.
"One of Max's greatest creations he's made when we came here. He created the security system to protect the warehouse from intruders thanks to secret codes he made. He's the only one to know what the codes are." Explained Chip.
"It also is necessary to keep XANA away from the existence of the warehouse." Max added.
Ulrich looked now impressed by one of his new friends' skills as Max just had finished to disable the security system.
"It's done!" Said Max as he put his laptop back in his bag and rose up.
Then, Peter and Chip opened up the doors and the others went in, closing the doors behind. Inside the warehouse was dark, dirty and cluttered with dust. Old sheets were scattered on the floor, sofas were torn as Ulrich felt chills through him.
"Wow", he said before turning to his new friends who pulled out their phones to make some light. "So, where's the lab?"
"Almost there", Lucia stated as she and Ulrich followed the others to some old, metal doors just as Peter clicked on the button. The doors opened up, causing Ulrich to jump in surprise due to the bright light that was in it. It was an elevator like the one in the factory.
"Come in", Peter said while gesturing everyone who nodded. Ulrich saw them get into the elevator, still in awe until Valeria called him, interrupting him from his thoughts."You coming?"
"Yeah, I'm coming."
Ulrich got into the elevator just as the five high school students made place for him, since he was the youngest of them. Peter then clicked on another button that caused the elevator to close its gates and went down in a dash.
Once the elevator had reached its destination, when its doors opened and that everyone got out, Ulrich looked the room, everything was dark and it was hard to see something, only Ulrich could see a shade of a computer and a turned to the others.
"It's dark here," he remarked.
However, Max grinned, seemingly to have another trick in his sleeve.
"Need some light?"
With it, he pressed on a button that a light flashed, making Ulrich to cover his eyes; the room was no longer dark, but it was now a bright blue shined the whole place.
In the middle, there was a supercomputer, a grey chair, similar to the one Jeremy always sat on, and a huge projection that showed the five worlds of Lyoko: the Desert Sector, the Forest Sector, the Ice Sector, the Mountain Sector and finally the Sector 5 in the middle.
Not so far from the supercomputer, there was a dark green sofa against the wallIt was exactly like in the factory, except it was bright blue instead of 's eyes shined in awe, unable to believe it was real before him. The others looked at him with genuine smiles, enjoying their newest member's admiration of the lab.
"So, this is your lab?" Ulrich asked while turning to his new friends. Max came closer to him, looking proud."
Yes, Ulrich," he replied. "This is Franz Hopper's second lab."
Hearing this, Ulrich harbored a surprised expression as he looked at the lab again. So it was Franz Hopper's second lab. But why making two?
"Huh? You mean this his other lab? But why did he have two? Besides, how do you know all of this?" He asked.
"To answer your first question, it was because my creator was a bit paranoid. He made sure to copy his whole work to another place in case something happen while making me the guardian of his second laboratory. As for the second, this is a bit complicated, because it is about Lucia." A robotic voice answered.
Ulrich yelped while jumping in surprise as he turned around and saw a talking yellow robot who made its way to him and the others. The robot had two big blue eyes and two symbols of Lyoko on its forehead and chest as its arms and legs were brownish yellow.
"I apologize for scaring you, I didn't mean to. Let me introduce myself: my name is Robox and I'm the guardian of Franz Hopper's second laboratory. This is a pleasure to meet you, Ulrich Stern." He said he bowed to Ulrich who still looked surprised and in awe.
"Uh, uh… nice to meet you too, Robox. But how do you know my name?"
Peter came towards him.
"Actually, I and Max were the ones who told Robox about you, because as the leader and brain of the Lyoko Fighter, we always have to warn Robox when we want to go to the warehouse or when it's for urgency. Also, we told him about you so he'll make new updates on your phone, Ulrich." Peter explained.
Ulrich blinked his eyes in confusion. "New updates?"
Max cleared his throat. "Well, since our arrival in this country, Robox and I are currently working on another security system which is about identification. This system has to identified one of us thanks to our cell phones that I'm about to finish the apply for it. This apply has the Lyoko symbol."
Now, Ulrich looked intrigued by Max's newest invention that he felt the urge to have more answers from his new friends. But right now, he had to focus on listening them before asking another question."It's like making scan your hand on a machine to see if you can pass, right?" He asked.
"Yeah, only with the Lyoko symbol on your phone." Max nodded.
"I see. But Robox said that it had something to do with Lucia over the fact Franz Hopper had made the warehouse his second lab. What does that mean?" He asked curiously.
A long silence paused in the lab. It was all quiet between the Lyoko Fighters and Robox, no one dared what to say or to do until Lucia chose this opportunity to tell Ulrich the link between her and Franz Hopper.
"Well…" She started quietly. "The truth is Franz Hopper, the Creator of Lyoko… was my late father's brother and as well as my paternal uncle and caretaker."
Ulrich was so surprised to hear this from Lucia's mouth. Franz Hopper had a family on his own? Never would he have guessed that someone as soft and kind as Lucia was Franz Hopper's niece. It just seemed so far-fetched, but the more he thought of it, the more the more everything made sense now. After all, how else would the Lyoko Fighters know all of this…
"I see. But if you are his niece, then where have you been all this time?" He demanded as he sat on the sofa, glancing at Lucia who sighed softly.
"It's because I was trapped on Lyoko for ten years. XANA held me captive because Uncle Franz transferred some data into my mind. He's been torturing me for months to months so I could hand these data to him when Uncle Franz's two Supercomputers were awakened separately, but on same time. As you know, he wants to take the complete control of Lyoko. But I fought back against his grasp on me, yet it tired me. Luckily, Peter, Max, Valeria and Chip have discovered this place when they came in this country and decided to help me by trying to find a way to materialize me." She started explaining as she sat down on the chair. Ulrich nodded as he kept listening to her as everyone watched them, already knowing the whole story, but they left Lucia to tell their youngest member everything.
"It was until the day Aelita was first materialized that Max and Robox finished my own materlization when I felt my prison weakened and found a way to escape him and came back on Earth. However, I had no any memories of my life on Earth that only the Returns to the Past can make me remember my past by piece to piece."
Ulrich looked impressed by Lucia's story and the fact that each Return to the Past could make her remember a little of her forgotten past. But there was something that confused him. How did Lucia know Aelita?
"Really? By the Supercomputer of the warehouse?" He asked.
Lucia, however, shook her head.
"No, it's by the factory's Supercomputer that I can remember a little of my former life on Earth, Ulrich."
Ulrich's eyes widened in shock; Lucia could remember her past through each Return to the Past by the Supercomputer of the factory? Unbelievable.
However, he still wanted to ask Lucia how she already knew Aelita before losing memories of her former life.
"Okay. Another question: how do you know Aelita?"
Lucia flinched at this question. She knew Ulrich would ask her anyway, about the fact she already knew one of his former friends: Aelita. Composing herself, she gazed at her friends, not knowing what to say to their new friend since they made the vow to never reveal anything that was related to Franz Hopper. But on the other hand, Lucia hated to lie and keeping secrets from anyone, because she knew it would hurt them, in the process, making them feel like the dark haired girl didn't trust. But as Ulrich and Aelita were friends until Jeremy kicked him out of the group, Lucia knew the brown haired boy had the right to know the truth.
With a steady breath, Lucia got up and gazed at Ulrich.
"Well, Ulrich", she started. "The truth is Aelita and I, well, we are-…"
A loud alarm ringed in the lab, causing everyone and Robox to turn to the Supercomputer whose screen was showing an activated tower. XANA had just launched an attack!
"A tower has been activated!" Stated Robox as he sat on the sofa.
"Which sector?" Peter asked.
"The Desert sector", answered the talking robot as he was manipulating the keypad.
"What monsters XANA sent on Lyoko?" Valeria asked in her turn.
"An army of Krabs and they are guarding the activated tower on plateaus north." He explained. "I'm starting to do the virtualization process while you are going to the scanner room."
Chip looked astonished and somehow annoyed. "An army of Krabs? No way."
"Got it, let's go!" Said Peter as he and the others were making their way to the elevator while Ulrich looked shocked and worried. Valeria, who was already in the elevator, turned to Ulrich, noticing his anxious face, making her to be worried for him.
"Ulrich? What's wrong?" She asked looked at the brunette who was seemingly trying to say something.
"I-I can't go back on Lyoko!" He stated. "If my former friends see me there, I'm gonna be in trouble again."
Realizing what Ulrich meant by that, Max left the elevator and went to use the keypad of the Supercomputer to recreate Ulrich's avatar. "I'm recreating your avatar, Ulrich, it won't take any longer."
Ulrich sighed in relief. "Thanks." Then he frowned in worry. "But I don't think I'd be a great help on Lyoko. Remember, guys. I'm the one who set off a Return to the Past, making XANA stronger thus. Also, if we see my former friends, I… I don't wanna be hurt again." He hung his head in sadness, looking grim.
The others looked at him with sympathy as Valeria walked towards Ulrich and put her hands on the boy's shoulder before starting to speak softly and a bit firmly.
"Ulrich, forget about your former friends. Remember, they ditched you when you were trying to keep them together." She said while being reasonable to her younger friend, acting somehow like a big sister. "All we gotta do is to show them how much they screwed up when they will realize that they were so wrong to leave you behind, which will give them a lesson. But not now."
The more Ulrich thought of it, the more he realized that Valeria was right. His friends abandoned him when he was trying to help Yumi's family. But thanks of it; he had found true trustworthy new friends like the Lyoko Fighters. He was glad for making this choice to stick around with them.
"Yeah, Valeria, you're right."
The auburn haired girl smiled. "Great. Now let's go!"
Ulrich nodded and he was about to follow her when he heard his phone ring in his pocket. Intrigued, he pulled his phone out and checked on the ID. He frowned angrily when he recognized the number that was calling him. Turning away from the others, Ulrich answered his phone.
"Hello."
"Ulrich!" Started Jeremy's voice through his phone. "Come quickly at the factory now! XANA is attacking! He took control of Nicholas and the others are dealing with a lot of Krabs on Lyoko! Hurry up, we need you!"
Hearing this, Ulrich clenched his fist and teeth, totally offended by Jeremy's order. First, he and the others kicked him out of the group for setting off that return to the past, now they wanted him helping them? No way was he going to help them after what they did to him!
"No." He responded bitterly.
"Huh?! What?" Jeremy asked on the other line.
"You heard me, Jeremy, I said no", he stated.
"But Ulrich! You have to come!" Ordered Jeremy who was about to lose his patience.
"And tell me why should I help you?"
"What?"
"Don't be stupid, Jeremy. Why on earth should I help you after you guys ditched me when I was trying to keep the rest of us together?" He asked while seething to Jeremy.
"We have no time to talk about this, Ulrich! You have to come at once!" Shouted Jeremy.
"Sorry, Jeremy, but I'm not gonna help you ever again. You guys are on your own now. Bye!" With that, Ulrich hung up his phone and pulled it in his pocket back, breathing slowly.
Realizing there were eyes on his back, he turned back and saw the Lyoko Fighters and Robox looking at him with concerned expressions. "Was it… Jeremy?" Asked Chip carefully, not wanting to upset Ulrich.
"Yeah", he growled a bit, "but it doesn't matter. We've got a tower to deactivate."
After saying this, Ulrich quickly went into the elevator just as Max had finished to remake Ulrich's avatar with Robox's help.
"It's done, your avatar's new appearance is complete, Ulrich." He said.
Ulrich nodded. "Okay, thanks, Max. Let's go to the scanner room."
Nodding his head, Max went to the elevator just as Peter pressed on the button. The elevators closed its gates and went down to the scanner room. The elevator opened its gates and everyone stepped out. It looked identical to the one in the factory, except it had four scanners instead of three. Robox's voice was heard in the room.
"I'm about to launch the virtualization process. Four of you have to virtualize first, then the other two have to follow next."
"Okay, Max, Lucia, Chip and I are going on Lyoko first. Valeria, you'll virtualized with Ulrich." Stated Peter, looking at Valeria and Ulrich who nodded.
"Sure." She said.
Then, Peter, Max, Lucia and Chip got into the four scanners.
"Transfer Peter. Transfer Max. Transfer Chip. Transfer Lucia. Scanner Peter. Scanner Max. Scanner Chip. Scanner Lucia. Virtualization!" With it, Robox pressed on a button to send the four teenagers on Lyoko. Once it was done, it was the turn of Valeria and Ulrich.
"Our turn, Ulrich."
"Yeah."
Then the two went two scanners. "Transfer Valeria. Transfer Ulrich. Scanner Valeria. Scanner Ulrich."
Ulrich closed his eyes, feeling the familiar light of the virtualization process on him as he and Valeria were on their way to Lyoko where the others were waiting for them.
"Virtualization!"
End of chapter 2
So, how do you think of it?
First of all, I'm so sorry for the long delay. I was so busy with other projects I have in mind which I didn't find time to write this chapter.
Second, I would like you giving me ideas for the Lyoko Fighters' avatars on Lyoko, because I'm very suck at this.
See you next time. Bye!