Disclaimer: No one owns the sky but someone does own Code Lyoko and it's not me.
Chapter 10: Shattering the Inevitable
There was a terrible feeling settling in Odd's gut as he climbed up onto the bridge, worse then motion sickness. He still couldn't believe he hit Sissi, she was a girl and he never hit them no matter how much they did it to him for being a 'jerk'. This was a new low.
He sped up his pace just managing to grab a hold of the rope and swing down to the dusty ground.
She must hate him more then ever now and he couldn't blame her he was hating himself right now too. Had to keep telling himself that was the only thing bogus enough to stop the future to coming into effect and so far it was working.
In the vision he wasn't there so maybe if he could make it to Lyoko they wouldn't have to sacrifice themselves like that.
He reached the elevator only to find in non-responsive after much tapping of his foot in waiting. Why was he was so impatient? Oh, that was right cause his friends were in serious trouble. The same reason he swung around to the only access speeding down the rungs.
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Jeremie was surprised to see the golden shoe emerging and had to do a double take when the boy followed "Odd?" He landed smoothly stepping toward the genius "you have to send me to Lyoko."
This was major déjà vu, the last time this happened though the Scyphozoa grabbed him so this time Jeremie had to decline "No. You can't go, last time was way to much of a pain and I still haven't managed to fix the return to the past, we can't afford mistakes."
"They are in trouble." Jeremie just turned his attention back to the screen, looked fine so he ignored the boy. "Come on Jeremie! Jeremie! Jeremie!" he continued to keep his attention on other things "no. It's too dangerous, you passed out last time…"
"I'm fine. Come on…" "No."
For a moment his words seemed effective then Odd had shattered that thought. "Damn it Jeremie, its my life. I made my choice two years ago just like everyone else, that I was willing put it on the line for all this. Or did you forget?"
Jeremie shifted uncomfortably hating moments like this "fine. Just… just go already." He was sure he would regret this.
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The elfin princess flipped up each protruding ledge as down below Ulrich sliced apart Creepers as they arose from the dark corners of the vast room. Seconds were counting down and the girl was still inches from her target.
She sprung up just on time to activate the key and just as they went on their way once more someone appeared in Carthage.
As the Transport Orb slipped away to less then a sliver the purple figure slipped silently to his knees waiting momentarily for the nauseous feeling to release its grip upon him. He rose tilting his eyes toward the only exit "alright I'm here Jeremie. Mine telling the others to wait?" He paced forward taking in faint memories of this place.
Everything started shifting, rectangles and cubes moving up against each other and rising as he entered. This is where the Scyphozoa got him last time. "Jeremie? What am I suppose to be doing?"
That's exactly why you shouldn't be there. You need to find the key quickly!
Unhindered one of his large purple paws began to rise index finger moving to direct a claw upward. Faint white light was pooling down from the object plastered high up there on the wall "that looks promising." He jumped up and began to climb.
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When the two finally made it to the huge and mostly empty room Aelita rushed to the platform's end and touched the panel that sprung up at her presence. Ulrich stood back with his thin saber drawn, waiting for the mantas which would arrive from the data streams anytime now.
"Alright Jeremie I'm starting the process."
Go ahead. Odd's on his way to help you.
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Everything was growing blurry, blinded by the tears which burned her eyes. Sissi didn't know what to do no one had ever hit her like that before and she could feel her cheek swelling under her touch.
"Della Robbia! I do hope you die…" she closed her eyes sending the salty droplets tumbling from her dark lashes. That jerk he would deserve it.
Wouldn't he?
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There the creatures were moving as if submerged in water, their large wing like fins swaying slowly at their sides as they darted toward the two warriors upon the platform.
The boy took a deep breath tilting his digital weapon before his chest "well here it goes…" He sighed heavily swinging upwards toward the diving monsters and found his blade trapped in the seconds one's underside.
Ulrich tumbled over letting go of the hilt just in time to grab the side of the platform. The manta zigzagging upward before bursting apart, his saber dropping all the way plunging down into the void as he was soon destined to do as well.
"…Aeli-" He went to ask for her help but on this smooth surface he couldn't keep grip long enough to emit for the last syllables, the name cut short as he let out a soft gasp of realization and closed his eyes ready for the end.
Nothing happened except a familiar voice reaching his ears. "Man Ulrich… you're a disaster fighting on your own." Then he was dragged back up, actually glad to see his roommate after their argument yesterday.
"Like you're any better…"
It was one of those moments in time where what would happen next was probably unavoidable and very unpredictable. Ulrich was unguarded without his weapon and edged back to the entrance of this room. When Aelita was accessing the mainframe their friend at the lab couldn't do anything for them.
Odd stepped forward lifting an arm to target the swooping monsters "mind going a little faster princess?" Or maybe not, she was due to fall at the end, he was still debating how to fix that. "I'm almost there…"
He fired three lasers but made little effect against only their undersides. They doubled around and came rocketing back with only the small shield to guard against attack pain temporarily shot up his leg at the burn of a laser.
"Okay…" He couldn't afford to lose life points if only Yumi was here too. "Okay…" he muttered again to himself leaving his friends' clueless and then he jumped. "ODD!" Odd did some stupid things which gave Ulrich all the reason to run to the edge.
With a hefty thump he found XANA'a creature beneath his claws. "What are you doing?!" "Riding the Manta Ulrich. What does it look like?"
Didn't look very safe but then when did Odd care about that?
Ulrich's distraction had him once more plummeting over the edge as if it was destined to repeat itself until it succeeded and as Odd landed once more on the platform he shot his friend sending him back to the real world.
"Hurry it up Aelita!" it must be getting close now.
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Jeremie rose his fingers to announce that he became aware of Ulrich joining him but still he didn't look from the screen. "That's the most times I'm almost ever fell into the digital sea… XANA is really trying now." The genius didn't take a glance "something isn't right here…"
Only the brown haired boy turned as the elevator doors alerted them of a new arrival "Sissi?" She looked in the worse of weather. "Oh, Ulrich dear!" and back to some old habits, he put up his hands to stop her from getting any closer. "What happened to you?… Someone finally decide to get revenge for all the nasty tricks you pull?"
She averted her gaze "where's Odd?…"
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Seven, eight…
His aim was off due the dizziness which blurred up his sight and made everything fuzzy around the edges. After this was over he swore he was going to sleep and for a long time at that… Nine. The Mantas were turning in midair letting off their eerie cries as they took another dive.
This was his last arrow and they were headed straight for the girl. He knew what they were planning, the Manta that waited below to carry her away to the Scyphozoa and once that was in the process of happening he wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
He lifted his left paw curling his stiff digits, as close as his ally was there was no way he could miss. "Sorry Aelita…" It pierced straight through her back seconds before she was sent over the side.
He jerked back a step as wind brushed past from under their fins.
Curling up his tail into a tight spiral he laughed at the monsters as they swept up once more "you lose" he stuck out his tongue and moved forward to the panel tilting his head to the side "whoops…" He scratched a claw to the back of his head "I guess I should of thought things through…"
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"Odd… hit you?" Ulrich was pretty sure he hadn't heard right looking to determine if he did and found Jeremie just as puzzled. "There isn't any activated towers…" Had been the only thing Jeremie whispered at the words, he had never know their friend to take out anger in physical ways or to even have any.
Sissi nodded faintly then sucked up her regret "I was trying to stop him… That scrawny jerk!" At this moment they were interrupted as the fourth person joined them in the room "Aelita?.."
The girl came over slowly rubbing her back "it's strange that he would shoot me like that. I was almost done…" "Odd's gone crazy!" the all ignored Elisabeth's comment.
Jeremie turned his chair back around and picked up his headphone "what are you doing Odd?! You know I can't get you out of there unless Aelita shut down that program!"
XANA was going to send her to the Scyphozoa, I didn't think…
"He never does." "I hate him!" Comments from the peanut gallery were not needed at a time like this and Jeremie tried hard to think of a solution to this problem. "Odd you have to-"
Yeah I know.
Information began to span across the screen and many codes scrolled over at an alarming rate even if it was slower then normal it had Jeremie leaning forward in shock. Odd was no genius there was no way he would know how to do this. "O-Odd…?"
That's cool Einstein I only saw Aelita doing it but XANA is messing around, it's only a matter of seconds befor-
The steady pace of figures appearing upon the screen suddenly stopped as did Odd's explanation. "Odd?" Behind him Ulrich and Sissi were bickering like they were married and Aelita was asking him what was wrong.
I don't want to be digital forever Jeremie…
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Their screeches penetrated all the way to the surrounding void his tail dangling down toward the nothingness and he dug in his claws struggling for a grip on his near end. "Once Xana got what he wanted from Aelita he wouldn't hesitate to dispose of her… Ulrich wasn't even a second of thought and Yumi is only inches from death he would finish her off when done with the rest of us."
His claws whined against the platform's surface as he slipped a little more trying to claw his way back up with his climbing abilities, it didn't work very well. "This stupid vision has changed three times now and I really don't want to end up like this with XANA still winning!"
They are coming back…
Odd turned his head to see the mantas coming without even bothering to charge their beams, they were headed to knock him down. It was going to end…
Like this. On the panel above information began to shoot across once more but it wasn't to anyone's interest at the time. Franz Hopper had took over.
XANA must have been able to see the future too, must of stole Odd's stupid power when those tentacles touched him and now it was over. It was all his fault that the virus had been able to turn the tides in it's favor so he guessed it was only fair he would have to pay the price.
He just remembered something as his claws streaked the last centimeters and the mantas rammed into him. For a moment the furry fingers of his two purple paws scrapped across the monster's surface because he wanted to say before whatever happened… happened but the voice interrupted him.
The return program!
Odd Della Robbia was suddenly falling… but where to?
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It was funny that the white light had erased so much, it probably never would again. "XANA just realized we were too strong to be messing wit-" The boy stopped the words upon his tongue as a huge smile spread across his face followed by quiet a bit of laughter and he could feel the eyes boring holes into the back of his head.
"Della Robbia!" Jeremie let off a soft hum of thought seeming to finally realize what day this was. Right before the whole mess had begun and he could see the brown haired boy bending his head down as the teacher addressed their friend who sniffled his snickers. "Since you seem to know this lesson so well why don't you explain a food web to the class?"
"Um…" Odd Della Robbia had held up a finger to get a moment, turning away from Ulrich's faint smile knowing by the emotion upon his friend's face that Yumi was alright and he had just received a text message from her saying that very thing.
Sissi narrowed her eyes at the boy she had been content to stare at from behind. "What scrawny?" She expected anything other then the taste of his lips as Mrs. Hertz stuttered "Della Robbia-"
It was a shame that Elisabeth 'Sissi' Delmas couldn't remember a thing about everything that happened in the coming week and didn't have a clue why Odd Della Robbia was kissing her. She did know one thing though, she liked it.
This time XANA really had lost.
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It's done I say, done! I think I will take a break from writing for a few days…
Go ahead, read and review if you want.