The Core

Chapter 13: Aftermath

So Dawn has destroyed all of Lyoko, Xana and herself. Now it's time to see what that has created for the Lyoko Warriors.

Odd's POV

Since of course she had to devirtualize me first, I rushed up the ladder and into the lab the second I was out of the scanner.

"Is she still there?" I asked Jeremy and he nodded, but I could see the worry on his face. That's when I heard two more people coming up the ladder.

"Hey guys..." Ulrich said helping Yumi up from the ladder.

"Did she devirtualize you too?" I asked and they looked away from my gaze. "You devirtualized YOURSELVES?!" I yelled.

"We had to, Odd. She has made her decision, who are we to stand in the way of that. It's Dawn's life, not ours. We can't choose it for her." Yumi said, her face filled with sadness. That's when we all heard Dawn calling out to Jeremy.

"Jeremy, please this is the last thing I can ask of you, but please devirtualize Aelita." Jeremy froze for a second, but then started typing away on his keyboard.

"Please forgive me, Aelita." He said quietly as Aelita devirtualized from Lyoko. We waited for Aelita to come up the ladder and she rushed to the computer looking like she was about to smack Jeremy when we all heard Dawn's voice again.

"You've all given me an amazing life and I couldn't have asked for better friends and family. Goodbye..." And with that we could only sit and watch as all of Lyoko was destroyed with Xana and Dawn.

"You idiot..." Aelita said walking towards the elevator slowly. She was taking this harder than I was, but then again she was Dawn's sister, even if they were never truly related.

"Aelita..." Jeremy said.

"I don't blame you, Jeremy. I just need some time alone for a little bit." The doors closed and I walked towards the elevator as well.

"Odd, not you too." Ulrich said.

"What can I say, she was different than any other girl I've liked. So am I not allowed to be sad too, I think we've all earned that right. See you guys later..." I muttered as the elevator opened again. I stepped inside slowly like Aelita. I couldn't be around any of them right now without thinking about her sad face. That smile she gave me as I disappeared, it was so sad and filled with pain that I could feel it inside myself.

How could she say goodbye so easily? It was like she never felt anything towards any of us...

Dawn...

Aelita's POV

Even after I had left the factory it was like I was seeing her die over and over and over again. My mind kept replaying the sadness written across her face as I disappeared from Lyoko. I shivered and thought about how long I had known her for. Three years she had lived with my father and I, she had given me someone to talk to in that horrible house after my mother was taken away from me.

That's when something appeared in my memory, it was like it had just been placed there.

"Here we are going far to save all that we love, if we give all we got we will make it through, here we are like a star shining bright on your world. Today make evil go away..." The words felt wrong just saying them, because I knew where they had come from. They were part of a song Dawn had written to help me sleep at night.

"What was that you were just saying, Aelita? It sounds like it belongs in a song." I turned when I heard Odd's voice. I could see he had his hands in his pockets and he was staring more past me than at me directly.

"My sister use to sing it to me. I had forget about it though, but I'm wondering why it just came to me now."

My mind was drawing a blank. That's when Jeremy came rushing out with Yumi and Ulrich right behind him.

"Something incredible just happened, Lyoko just re-materialized." Odd and I froze staring at him stunned.

"But without Dawn is that even possible?!" I asked.

"I don't know, but I'm going to send you all in there now. Let's go." Jeremy stated and we followed him back inside the factory.

Dawn, did you send me that message? Are you truly gone?