3 am. The computer on Jeremy's desk started beeping as a window opened up. XANA would not respect their sleep, once again. A tower was activated on the forest sector.
A few minutes later, the group had gathered at the factory, and Jeremy was virtualising his friends.
ODD - And whatever is the attack this time ?
JEREMY - We don't know, I'll look for the details when you're on lyoko, for now let's not waste any time.
Instants later, the group was on the forest sector.
JEREMY - I'm sending your vehicles. The tower should be to your west.
ODD - We can see it. We're on our way.
JEREMY - Be careful, XANA seems to have been expecting you, and he seems to want his guests to have fun.
As the group entered a small clearing, three crabs were preventing them to go on.
ODD - Three crabs ? That's too easy.
But as Odd was saying that, a few more monsters materialised around them, circling them.
As the group was fighting the monsters, a white bubble started wrapping Aelita. Nobody had time to notice it, but as Aelita was trapped, the group finally dealt with the rest of the monsters.
It was at this moment that they saw Aelita had been replaced by a white bubble.
ULRICH - Whatever is that ?
JEREMY - It looks like some kind of guardian. I tried sending an Aelita clone to confuse it but it won't work. From what I see it's linked to the tower.
YUMI - And how do we get Aelita out of this ?
JEREMY - You'll need to get into the tower and get me some data.
YUMI - How likely is it to work ?
JEREMY - About 20 percents I'd say. Anybody with a better idea ?
YUMI - I'm entering the tower Einstein. Tell me what to do.
After Jeremy instructed Yumi, he was able to gain access to most of the data.
Meanwhile, Aelita was on the forest sector. Her friends were no longer here. Only the monsters. Luckily she had been able to take them out, but she had lost contact with Jeremy. Also, she had stayed on lyoko for more than a year, she could feel something was not right.
JEREMY - OK, I have good news. And bad news. Aelita has been trapped in a kind of copy of lyoko. If she is devirtualised there we won't be able to bring her back. However, she can actually enter the tower and deactivate it, if she knows which one it is, which I can tell her. But in order to do that she will need to do a few more steps in the tower. Also you can talk to her if you focus, while you are standing next to the bubble.
ULRICH - So, basically Aelita has to deactivate the tower alone, without knowing which one and with additional steps, and only us can guide her ?
JEREMY - Well, yes.
ULRICH - Great, let's get to it I guess.
However, XANA used that time to materialise some more monsters.
ODD - Em, Jeremy. We might not be able to chitchat with Aelita, we have other guests.
Jeremy could see what was happening on lyoko. His friends could never talk to Aelita like that, there were too many monsters, and more were coming.
JEREMY - OK, I don't like it, but I'm going to need to come. Protect me I'll guide Aelita.
ODD - Jeremy coming on lyoko ? That's a rare sight.
Jeremy quickly setup the differed virtualisation, and joined his friends on lyoko.
Jeremy had the appearance of an elf, with green tights, and a small skirt similar to Aelita's. He had a kind of pencil attached to his thigh, which was a blade that also allowed his to change the length of his skirt.
ODD - You're rocking that look Jerem.
JEREMY - Please, stop making fun of me.
Jeremy knew he looked ridiculous, but at least Aelita liked how he looked, that would do.
JEREMY - Anyways, please cover me, I'll try and reach Aelita.
Jeremy did not like going to lyoko, mainly because he was scared. And right now, he was frightened. But there was no alternative.
On her side, Aelita finally caught her breath by going into a tower to be protected. She had never seen such a swarm of monsters, XANA was growing stronger, that was for sure.
JEREMY - Aelita, can you hear me ?
The girl lightened up.
AELITA - Jeremy ? Finally, I thought I had lost connection. What is happening, where are the others ?
JEREMY - You have been trapped in a bubble. Go to the way tower, you can deactivate it, it will only require a few more commands.
Jeremy started explaining. Meanwhile, the rest of the group were protecting him. Jeremy barely had time to finish before he took a laser from a tarantula and was sent back to the scanners.
JEREMY - That hurts, but at least I could finish.
As Jeremy started getting back to his interface, he could see his other friends coming out of the scanners as well.
JEREMY - Good job. Now it's on Aelita's hands.
Aelita knew she was alone, and she knew she could only count on her strength and intelligence to do it. But she knew she could.
The way tower was not too far away, so she decided to quickly fly there, while staying very high to avoid attracting the monster's attention. Her plan worked, and she finally was able to reach the way tower. Inside it, she input the commands to gain access to the original tower, and finally deactivated it.
As Aelita deactivates the tower, the bubble around her pops, and she finds herself on lyoko, circled by a bunch of monsters.
AELITA - Jeremy ? I think I'm back but things aren't looking great.
JEREMY - Don't worry, the tower is deactivated, I'm bringing you back to avoid you the pain of being devirtualised.
Jeremy had already entered the command, and Aelita joined the group back at the factory.
