Worlds Collide

 

Synopsis:   Continuing from the previous episode, the Mobians meet the Lyoko Warriors.

 

Chapter 1—What’s Lyoko ?

            Following the diverse group of middle aged and young adults, the sextuplet caught up to corner the main culprit and cornered it.    Amy quickly smashed the primary virus and it disappeared.   All of them were catching their breath and noticed that everything had gone eerily quiet.

            ‘Too much quiet is never a good thing.’, Sissi said, profoundly.  

            ‘Yeah, XANA would always do that and make a sneak attack, so eyes peeled, everyone.’, Jim pointed out.   He and Suzanna surveyed the room, as all of them did.

            ‘So, where are you from ?’, Jeramie asked, studying the hedgehogs.   The friends had seen some unusual, surreal things before but never anthropomorphic beings.  

            ‘We’re from Mobius.  What about you ?’, Sonia answered, smiling warmly.  

            ‘We’re all from France, but this is actually part of Lyoko.’, Kimiko stated, briefly. 

            ‘What is Lyoko ?’, all six of them asked in unison, clearly perplexed.    Just then, the newer, deadlier form of the virus they thought they had eradicated had come back, simply to taunt them.   Banally, the prickly virus wagged its fanny at them, mocking them and giving them a huge raspberry.

            ‘We’ll explain later.   This little booger just got a whole lot nastier !’, Susanne said, her eyebrows furrowing as she led the charge after the updated version shot off, faster than any of them could keep up.  

            ‘My word, how are we ever going to be able to keep up with this force of nature ?’, Ulrich wondered aloud.    Sonic and the others raced to surround the viruses beginning to wreak havoc and he even implemented his wristwatch Timely to allow time to work in his favor.

            ‘Not today, you little scamp.’, he said.   Booster had prepared them with code that could be used to build whatever they needed for extracting and isolating the virus.  

            The last fragment was starting to take advantage of building itself. 

            ‘Terrific.’, Jim said, ramping up for a lightning attack.   There was no telling what the virus was planning to do now, but it was definitely making itself more powerful and far more massive than they ever could’ve imagined.    Bit by bit, it began to form a mech and started charging a plasma cannon.

            ‘It’s smarter than we’re giving it credit for !’, Aelita said, taking a defensive position.   Yet, there was no fear in the Lyoko Warrior’s voices as they faced off against their new foe, since the battle was only just beginning.

 

Chapter 2—Rage Against the Machine

            If the virus could fabricate anything it wanted from the ether, the hedgehogs could, too.

            ‘It might be smart, and it might know and understand this territory more than us, but we can’t let it intimidate us.’, Sonic stated.   Just as it had the whole group staring down its plasma cannon, Sonic did the same and a battle ensued.     The Warriors assisted, separating the rapidly multiplying scallywag in in many directions imaginable. 

            ‘I found the control !’, Taelia stated, cowing it.   The others were too busy fighting their own battles to notice, but she didn’t mind.   With one fluid move, she obliterated it and there was peace again.

            ‘So, this Lyoko…’, Maverick began.    Jeramie began discussing where they had come from and how the digital realm, they were fighting for now was known as Lyoko.

            ‘It’s part of a larger whole it seems.’, Odd stated.   Just then, an old familiar face floated among them, yawning, and stretching.   Apparently, Sage had been asleep and all the noise they had been making had awakened her.

            ‘I’m grateful you finally eliminated that troublemaker.’, she said.   It wasn’t known whether she had been there as a projection or where she truly was, but the six knew that seeing her was usually a sign that something else was occurring they weren’t aware of.   Even Sage with her psychic and prognostic abilities couldn’t foretell what was occurring this time.

            ‘This maniac you’re facing, he reminds me quite a bit of my late father and my sister.  Father wasn’t always this way, but my sister was disturbed the moment she was conceived.’, Sage stated, sadly.  

            ‘How can you not know what’s going to happen next ?  Usually, you have some sort of helpful information to lead us…’, Sonia lamented.    Sage didn’t have any other wise words, but all of a sudden, she felt compelled to head into more Lyokian territory versus that of the Mobian servers.   The digital landscape was far vaster than any of them had even dreamed.    There were different ‘lands’, all themed and relegated to themselves, yet interconnected by the super information highway.    Other avatars blipped in and out and started glitching.

            ‘This is troubling.’, she said, her typically stoic look became distressed and pained.   Although the virus was completely eradicated and never re-emerged, the true problem was much deeper than any of them could’ve fathomed, and it lay at the heart of Lyoko itself where one of the Sentinels was suffering grievously.  

 

 

Chapter 3—Finding the Source

            Lady Ophelia lay in the arms of her beloved, her heartbeat thready and irregular.   Her typical prismatic colors had become muted and nearly monochromatic.   

            ‘Your Highness !  What is the problem ?’, one of the Warriors asked.   The whole group did their best not to become too overcome with their mixture of emotions.  The woman they saw before them was akin to an aunt or grandmother even if she did live on a totally different plane than they did.

            ‘It all started with that hooligan and its replication.   You found the control virus, which we are grateful for, but it infected my source code.   I don’t know how long I will have or how to cease the infection.’, Ophelia said, coughing harshly.    They had never seen her so weak, but she was being addressed by sentinels and centurions, each of them doing whatever they could to keep her comfortable and cared for.    If anyone could understand the Lyokian source code, it was Aelita herself.   She was part of that world and had known nothing else for the longest time that it had become second nature.   She knew how to link into that world, even if it meant infecting herself.    Having become a mother, she knew the risks, but she also was aware if she didn’t do something immediately, the entire wired was about to go dark.   

            Sage wasn’t fairing well, either.  She had begun to look dull, pale and her eyes started to lose their sparkle.  

            ‘She’s supposed to lead us to the source !’, Maverick said to his family in a panicked whisper.

            ‘I know, but getting all pent up and bent out of shape isn’t helping us, Mav.’, Dashiel added, obviously.    The retort would have caused the emerald hedgehog to respond immaturely in the past, but he knew what his elder brother said had merit.    Amethystia felt something nearby and she turned forward, facing an obelisk that had the very fiber of the entirety of the webbed world running through it. 

            ‘It’s here, come on, I think I know what we must do, but it might seem a bit weird.’, she said.   None of them knew what Amythestia had in mind but seeing that she held insight that none of them possessed, they followed her lead.

 

Chapter 4—Recently Unlocked Ability

            Amethystia discussed quickly on how in previous wars and skirmishes, she had been able to replenish and heal any of her wounded comrades.  

            ‘Sonia and Amy could do so too.  The women had that talent.’, Manic said, a hint of jealousy in his tone.

            ‘I’m thinking all of the Celeritas can, they simply need to tap into it.   It shouldn’t be difficult.  Mine comes so easily.’, Amethystia stated.   Without really knowing how to proceed, she linked her hands with her siblings and parents, and they thought of tapping into the unlimited power the obelisk bore.   Within it, a sentience answered.

            ‘Intruder alert.’, it started to sound off.

            ‘We aren’t, we’re friends !  We’ve come to help.   We understand you are hurt.’, she began.   The sentience formed a face to seem more personable and approachable out of nanoparticles and whatever else was floating around in its ether.   It could sense their hearts were courageous, truthful, gentle, kind, and genuine.    Amethystia began humming a tune and added words that came straight from her heart.    Thinking that they could help, the Lyokoian warriors also offered their healing energy and sang along with her.

            Let go of that which hurt you

            The worst is over now

            The one who harmed you is gone

            Everything will work out

            One foot in front of the other

            Just walk your own pace

            Just be concerned of your own health

            And finish your own race…

            There was an otherworldly glow emanating from the obelisk and suddenly, Ophelia took a deep, cleansing breath, her eyes fluttering back open.    She miraculously got back to her feet and stood tall above her subjects.  Being a natural giantess as many Overseers were the phrase ‘towering above others’ came into a whole different definition.    Her husband, Oberon was rejoicing she was wholly healed.   The entire wired had been cleansed of any remnant of the insidious ARL destroyer.    Sage smiled and hugged her new friends.    She had remembered that near the brink of death she had seen Ivo and her sister on the other side, wherever they were.   They didn’t seem unhappy, but they were welcoming her into their loving arms.   

            ‘Perhaps later we will reunite.’, she mused to herself, smiling even though she was shedding a tear.

            ‘Are you ok, Sage ?   You’re crying.’, Amy asked, curiously, her maternal instincts piquing.

            ‘I was simply reminiscing.  Sometimes you can be joyous and sad all at once.   Emotions are such a curious and oxymoronic thing.’, she said, laughing.   She made it known cryptically that it wouldn’t be the last time they would be seeing each other and disappeared into fragments among the Internet and its wild, incredibly untamed land.

            ‘Thank you for helping us solve that riddle.   We never would’ve done it without you.’, Lily said, hugging all the hedgehogs, and surprised that their quills weren’t as sharp as biology books gave them credit to be.

            ‘I followed my heart.’, Amethystia said, wisely.    Her siblings looked at her, taking the role of the leader and were immensely proud of how far she had come.   Just like themselves, the destiny they held was greater than the sum of them combined.   

            Since there wasn’t any time to chat, the sextuplet thanked the Warriors again, and they hoped they would reunite someday.   With matters the way they had been in the past, there was no telling if that was even a probability, but stranger things had happened before.  

 

Chapter 5—Returning to the Conflict back Home

            Before returning to the chaos that had gripped Mobius, Ophelia had given Sonic a transmission crystal.

            ‘In case we need you.   Jeramie has also received one.  They’ve been updated, and in the world, they make you limitless.   Let your minds go wild if the time ever arrives for such a time.’, she said.    It was obviously similar to the device that Booster and Tails had fashioned for them as a ‘fabricator’, and it even had more options, which made it customizable.   Thinking about that made their heads hurt a little, since it was more impingent on quantum mechanics and dwelling too long on that subject would make even the sanest person delirious.

            Back on Mobius, their Sergeant, an eagle named Frida, updated them on the situation.   Although the Freedom Fighters had regrouped, the situation was looking grim for all of them.   The crops had been replenished, but stocks were still bucking wildly.   However, bartering had come back into vogue and society was beginning to rebuild although so many were beleaguered by fear.    Those that had given fear precedence had been easy to control and Rancor and his growing legions had overtaken these Mobians easier than relieving a baby of its candy.

            ‘It’s just like before.  We have to keep fighting.’, Manic said, instilling hope in his friends before they all ventured out with Cyrus, Sally, and others in The Sweet Freedom.   In any event, they would catch Rancor and his growing ranks off guard before they could lay siege to any other burrows.   If they could turn them around, the odds would be in their favor, and it was up to Sonic to boost morale, as he had in times before.  

 

Chapter 6—So, It Comes to This, Does It, King Sonic ?

            Needless to say, Rancor was highly amused that Sonic and his gargantuan faction had come to ‘meet the enemy on his own turf’. 

            ‘I didn’t think you had the backbone to come here.  I was mistaken.  I’ll give you credit, you’ve got grit, and respect.   Yet, I feel it’s high time that your empire and the Mobian infrastructure needs a bit of a facelift.   Starting with you, the people will shrink and have no other option but to follow me into a brave, new era.   To think, all it took was a tiny virus, but I had no idea that would draw you right exactly where I want you.’, Rancor said, his snarl viscerally reverberating.

            'You will never beat us.', Sonic stated, taking a defensive stance.  Amy nearly stopped him from putting up his dukes but was also furious that this badger had been the cause of all of Mobius’ problems and had been trying to spin propaganda to the weaker minded that the royal family had been in charge of the stock and feed systems going psychotic when nothing could be further from the truth.   Those that consumed their news through radio received the gospel truth while others searching online had their views skewed.    Sonic knew the right methodology for putting this issue to bed was overseeing it head on.   

            The saboteur stood beside Rancor, looking accomplished, smug, and conceited.   He had a satisfied smirk on his face and laughed, wondering what the Freedom Fighters were going to do now, looking so outnumbered as they were.

            ‘We may be small in number, but what we lack in number, we make up for in talent.’, Manic said.    Each of the Celeritas clan powered up to their ultimate level, untouchable to Rancor’s ranks.   Even if they were superior in their fighting style, their weapons couldn’t even wound them. 

            ‘Are you invincible ?!   That’s not even fair !’, Rancor said, taking a swipe at Sonic’s face and hitting nothing but air.   Not looking where he was going, the badger hit a pole head on and scrambled up to his feet, adjusting his armor in frustration. 

            ‘Try to get those medallions from them !  They’re responsible for those god tier abilities.’, Rancor said, thinking he’d have the upper hand.   Yet, this wasn’t the case.  Even without the medallions, which were only a symbol, the Celeritas clan had innate power that was becoming more a part of them without needing augmentation.    It had just become awakened.    Presently, the medallions were becoming too hot to touch and even burning from the power that the parents and their children wielded.    The ARL did their utmost to defend themselves, but they were simply no match for the overpowered hedgehogs and their factions.  

            One tiny member of the ARL did escape.   It was a small scorpion named Tox who got when the getting was good and figured life as a nomad would suit him better rather than losing his life supporting a useless battle.   The ARL had already been divided and with him fleeing to the arid wasteland, it was as good as dead, but now, at least, he was free from Rancor’s impossible megalomaniac goals and penchant for regicide.  

            The aftermath of the battle had been gruesome.   Rancor had fought until the bitter end and lost his life because of it. 

            ‘I was so certain I had you, right where I wanted you…’, he rasped as he gurgled and gasped for his last breath.    His friends were already slain, and Trevor had died beyond a tree when a sniper’s laser had finished him off.   

            ‘You messed with my people, and I am sorry, but no one does that and doesn’t suffer the consequences of doing so.’, Sonic growled.   Seeing him in this much fury actually frightened Amy quite a bit, but there were times that anger was indeed the only solution to Mobians being oppressed.   When the news had caught wind of Rancor and his men becoming deceased, everything returned to normal.  The stocks balanced and the food shortage was becoming more of a byproduct than an event.    The burned land started to become restored once Sonic and the others began healing it and leaching the toxin out of the land that had infected some of the Indigenous people’s supply.    In a manner of minutes, everything had become vibrant, verdant, and flourished plentifully long before harvest season ever began.  

            ‘I suppose this was a test for all of us.’, Amy said, as they buried the dead and eulogized them.   Though they had few and far positive words to attach or attribute to Rancor and the others, they had become a lesson to King Sonic that even when matters are placid, one can never let their guard down, especially when security is involved.

            ‘The security will have to be more rigorous from here on out.’, Sonia added, and Manic agreed.   Biometrics can and would be implemented in the near future to prevent scallywags like Trevor from ever scheming and sneaking around where they shouldn’t have been able to do so.   It would take the Tinkers some time, but the end result meant that the Castle would be much more heavily fortified and everyone inside it would feel much safer and more at ease.

 

Chapter 7—Like Phoenixes From the Ashes

            Sonic had felt horrible for having to kill his enemies.

            ‘They left us no choice.  It was them or our subjects.’, Amy said, comforting him in their chambers before they slept.   The teen hedgehogs would have to live with the first defensive kill in their entire lives.   That sort of terrible trauma would be with them forever, but it wasn’t as if they weren’t aware of some unpleasantness that came with being royal.   

            ‘I know it’s not something that happens frequently, Sonic, but we have to continue.  Plus, we’ll need something to overshadow the gritty, sanguinary reality we all witnessed.’, Amy added.

            ‘A celebration.  That always brings people together.  Even those who had stopped supporting us for a little bit.   We all need something we can rally behind.’, Sonic said.   Amy tousled Sonic’s quills and kissed him, right between the eyes.

            ‘This is why I love you so much, Sonic.  You’re an absolute genius.’, she said, smooching him a few times.  

            ‘That goes double for my sweet Thornless Rose.’, Sonic agreed, poetically.   Basking in the glow of the love the duet had for each other, planning their initial ‘Victory Day’ would come on a weekend near to when victory over Rancor and his fanatics had been achieved, and honestly many of them thought, this couldn’t have come at a better time.   

 

Epilogue

            In the days that followed, Cecil and his family set up a portal to invite some particularly important musical guests to celebrate what would become Victory Day.   The subterfuge of Trevor had long since been forgotten and Rancor had become a footnote in Mobius’ history.   Any contentions that the hedgehogs had bore against each other were dissolved and washed away, just like any impurities the summer rains came and cleansed in the turning of the seasons.

 

To be Continued…