Always there

Chapter 14: Xana’s Attack

“Hey Yumi, do you know if anything is wrong with Aelita?” Ulrich asked as they walked back to her house.

“Hm? No, why?” Yumi asked.

“Well, she’s been acting…I don’t know...funny lately.” Ulrich said.

“Funny like ‘ha ha’ funny or funny like ‘weird’ funny?”

“Weird funny.” Ulrich said, “She kept staring at me in Health Class and batting her eyes. I kind of got the feeling she was flirting with me.” Yumi raised an eyebrow.

“Are you sure you aren’t just seeing things the way you want to see them?” Yumi asked. Ulrich wrapped his arm around her waist, leaned over, and gave her a kiss.

“You’re the only girl I love.” Ulrich said.

“Good answer.” Yumi said, kissing him back.

“Blechk!” Hiroki said. He had followed them back home and snuck up on them. Ulrich couldn’t help but grin and Yumi couldn’t help but chase her little brother down the street. They all arrived back at the house laughing. And just as Ulrich put his bag down his cell phone rang.

“Hello?” he asked, forgetting to check the caller I.D.

“Its Xana.” Jeremy said. Ulrich sighed and gave Yumi a look she well recognized.

“Hiroki, tell Mom we’re studying with Jeremy.” Yumi said as she and Ulrich ran out the door.

***

“Scanner Yumi. Scanner Odd. Scanner Ulrich. Scanner Aelita. Virtualization.” Jeremy
said as his four closest friends once again vanished from the physical realm and entered
the virtual one.

“Alright, Jer, where is it?” Ulrich asked.

“To your right.” Jeremy said. The group was in the Forest Sector and they ran along.

“No vehicles?” Odd asked.

“No. There’s a glitch in their program. Probably Xana also. You’ll have to hoof it for now.

“No sweat.” Yumi said. They didn’t go far before Jeremy yelled

“Blocks! Five of them.”

“I-“ Odd started, but was cut off.

“We’ve got them.” Ulrich and Yumi said together. They ran ahead. Two Blocks appeared from behind a couple of rocks but by the time they swiveled into an attack they were exploding; one had a sword sticking out of its eye and the other had a fan flying through it.

The other three Blocks were all scurrying towards them from the path leading towards the Tower. Yumi ran ahead and threw both of her fans, one hitting its mark the other one going wide. Of the two remaining Blocks, one shot a freeze ray at Yumi, striking her leg as she landed, Ulrich, who was behind her, ran by and swiped his sword at the ice, shattering it. Yumi grabbed his hand and, using the momentum he had built from running, pulled him around in a complete circle before letting go, allowing him to ‘fly’ through the air into the right-most Block. The last Block came up behind him and prepared to fire. Ulrich ducked as Yumi’s fan, the one that ‘missed’ flew back and destroyed it.

“Wow, nice work.” Odd said as he and Aelita caught up.

“Very nice.” Aelita said, giving Ulrich a wink.

“Let’s get to the Tower.” Ulrich said quickly.

“Jeremy, any idea what Xana’s doing?”

“Not yet. I’m keeping an eye on the news.” Jeremy said, “Uh-oh.”

“William.” Ulrich and Yumi said before Jeremy could. The dark suited pretty-boy strutted around the Tower, flailing his sword as if in a challenge.

“Hello honey.” He said in his dark, Xanafied voice.

“Don’t you dare call me that.” Yumi said, pulling out both fans. Ulrich stepped up beside her and drew his twin swords. “You hit him high,” Yumi said,

“And you hit him low.” Ulrich finished. They both ran at William

“Odd! Mantas!” Aelita said, pointing up at the sky.

“I got ‘em.” Odd said, knealing down, aiming his first shot, “Just stay behind me princess.”

***

“Kyah!” Yumi yelled as she carwheeled around one of William’s slashes, leaving him open for a counterattack by Ulrich. William had to bend over backwards to avoid the glowing swords in his nemesis’s hands. Unfortunalty, Yumi was already waiting and as he bend backwards he found himself staring upside down at Yumi’s foot as she kicked his face. He flipped around and groaned then yelled ‘Supersmoke’ and flew off towards Aelita, his real target. Yumi and Ulrich in hot pursuit.

William appeared behind Aelita and grabbed her by the throat and pulled her around and threw her towards the edge of the green sector. He walked over, intent on pushing her off.

“Nice try!” Ulrich and Yumi shouted, tackling him from the side. Odd ran over and helped Aelita up.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Aelita said.

“Hurry, get to the Tower!” Jeremy yelled. Aelita nodded and ran towards the Tower.
After a brief scuffle, Ulrich had William in a Full Nelson and Yumi was practicing her boxing on his face.

“Supersmoke!” William yelled, slipping from Ulrich’s grasp. Yumi’s fist hit Ulrich that time.

“Oh! Sorry!” Yumi said.

“Its okay.” Ulrich said, rubbing his nose. William, unfortunately, had passed Aelita and was now blocking her way to the Tower. Not to mention, there were about fifty Mantas flying around.

“Oh no!” Jeremy yelled.

“Oh no what?” someone from behind asked. He turned around to see who it was.

“Oh no!” Jeremy yelled.

“Jeremy? What’s wrong?” Yumi asked, “Aside from the army of Mantas.”

“Its your brother!” Jeremy said, staring at a curious, yet smiling, Hiroki.