The Core

Chapter 9: Unknown Illness

So after Dawn's "wonderful" trip to Lyoko she passes out, but something isn't right...

Odd's POV

When we had gotten to the factory Jeremy told us something went wrong in Dawn's materialization.

"What do you mean something went wrong?" I asked.

"What I mean is, Dawn was being chased by the Scyphozoa and as I materialized her it must have grabbed her. Now somethings been implanted in her that I don't know how to fix yet." He explained and frowned.

"What do you think it implanted in her?" Yumi asked.

"A virus or an illness of some sort. Until I can scan her when she's awake I won't know." I looked over at Dawn, who was passed out in the scanner.

Her eyes slowly opened and Aelita was the first to say anything.

"Are you alright, Dawn?" She nodded slowly.

"Yeah... Just tired...." And then she passed out again. I sighed and went over to pick her up.

"Odd what are you doing? We need her to stay in the scanner until I can figure out what her illness is." I shook my head and picked her up gently.

"Haven't you done enough!" I yelled and started walking towards the elevator.

"What do you mean: haven't you done enough?" He asked as I pressed the button and turned to see him.

"You couldn't have devirtualized her sooner? Or I don't know maybe have figured out how she got there in the first place?!" The doors closed and I pulled her closer to me.

"I'm so sorry, Dawn. I'll figure out how to save you. I promise..."

Aelita's POV

"Odd seemed really upset. I wonder why?" I said as the elevator doors closed.

"Who cares? Right now we need o figure out what Xana has planted inside her." Jeremy stated and headed back up the ladder to the lab.

"You all head back to the school, I'll stay here with Jeremy." I said to Urich and Yumi.

"Are you sure, Aelita?" I nodded and looked at the ladder.

"I think Jeremy is blaming himself for the virus inside Dawn. I don't want him to be left alone to grief. I doubt he could've done anything more for her. I doubt Dawn would want him to blame himself either, but for the time being Jeremy's right. We need to figure out what was planted inside her, until that comes to surface we can't virtualize her on to Lyoko. I want you two to keep an eye on her and come up with some excuse for why we aren't in class today." They both nodded and headed to the elevator. Once the doors closed I headed up the ladder after Jeremy.

When I reached the top, I saw Jeremy sitting in his chair with his head in his hands.

"Jeremy." I said and he looked up shocked that I was still here.

"Why are you still here, Aelita?" He asked in a voice that seemed so small for someone like him.

"Jeremy, you know it isn't your fault that Dawn is like this. If what you said is true, then you did your best to materialize her as fast as you could. No one would've guessed it would implanted something into her." He sighed and looked at the computer screen.

"But what if... what if I can't save her?" I walked over to him and kissed his cheek.

"I believe in you, Jeremy. You brought me back from Lyoko, so I believe you can save Dawn's life. I'll be right here to help you." He looked at me and smiled gently.

"Thanks, Aelita."

Yumi's POV

"You'd have thought the way Odd stormed out of the factory that Dawn had been killed." I said as Urich and I headed back towards the school.

"Well we don't know for sure if she is okay or not, but I can understand a little bit where Odd is coming from. I mean if it were..." He trailed off and when I looked over, there was a blush creeping into his cheeks.

"That's true, I wonder if Odd likes her and that's why he's being so overprotective of her." I finally let the idea flow out. I had been wondering for a while now why Odd was always so aggressive when it came to Dawn.

"He probably does, but that's Odd, liking anything with long hair and a pulse." Urich said laughing, but I couldn't shake the feeling that this time was different. I mean it was true that Odd always fell hard and fast for girls, but it was never like this. He was never this overprotective of a girl. "Yumi?" I shook my head and looked at Urich, he seemed to be trying to guess what was on my mind.

"Yes?" I asked.

"You think it's different this time, don't you?" I nodded slightly as we approached the science building.

"I wouldn't put too much stock into my theory if I were you. It was just a theory." I turned and started heading into the building.

Could Odd really be this crazy about Dawn?

Dawn's POV

Everything hurt. I couldn't really breath that well and what was this strange sensation? It was dark and menacing, it made my skin crawl all over. I shivered or at least I thought I did.

"So do you enjoy this nightmare, Dawn?" I knew that voice from somewhere, but where?

I couldn't speak let alone move.

"Can't move? Can't speak? What are you going to do, Dawn? Ah I know, you're going to sit and suffer just as you did in my tower of light. You'll be stuck in this illness until you return to Lyoko. My minions will free you then and only then. But I know your friends won't allow you to go back until you're cured, but that's alright with me. That just means I can focus my attention back on Aelita. Then once I have her memories, all I have to do is let the illness slowly destroy you from the inside out." This voice, it belonged to Xana!

But why was he telling me all of this? I mean I would wake up eventually right?

"Ah you are wondering why I am telling you all this. I can tell from the wandering traces of your thoughts. You shall never wake up from this nightmare until you are returned to Lyoko so you have no way of telling the other Lyoko Warriors of my plan. Goodbye for now, Dawn. When I see you next I shall finally be rid of you forever." The last thing I heard before I was thrown in a horrid nightmare was the sound of Xana laughing at my misery.