Code Lyoko: Revolutions and Evolutions

Chapter 39

As the team headed back towards Yumi's house, Aelita was very silent. Quite a few things were going through her mind as she walked with the group down the street. At the forefront of her thoughts was what she had observed in Lyoko. How she had seen Sylvia's ruthlessness in the final test. While Odd had saved the group with his observations leading to victory, what astounded Aelita more than the push by Sylvia in the final moments, to be more specific, was the sheer ease of which she was able to kill Yumi. It was not ease of physical difficulty, but it was the mental ease and clarity of which the function was performed. And it was an observation of this mental ease; the absolute care-free willingness to shed blood which shook Aelita too her core.

That was what she could no longer take. In many regards, Aelita genuinely aspired in her heart to help Sylvia overcome what she saw as the genuine demons of Sylvia's life. However, a troubling thought was slowly rearing its head. What if Sylvia didn't want to overcome her demons? There was a reason Sylvia had done all of this, a reason she went as far as she had. Sylvia was taking out her rage on the world at large, a world that was mostly innocent of the atrocities which birthed this monster. However, Aelita knew that because of the sheer amount of planning she was witness to in Lyoko, while Sylvia's societal concepts needed work, there would be no talking her out of her decided course of select actions. Aelita, for her part, did not believe Sylvia was beyond saving; however, at the same time, Aelita knew if she didn't tread carefully, there was every chance Sylvia would rebel. That rebellion, Aelita knew in her heart of hearts, would not only be swift but extraordinarily violent.

That was why Aelita brandished her shotgun as she did, firing continually until Odd has stopped her. Because on some level, not only was she avenging Yumi, a death that if it were real would shatter her. Aelita was emptying her own rage into an avatar of a being that she knew, despite the noblest of intentions and how it seemed she was legitimately trying, Sylvia was far closer to XANA than Aelita or Sylvia would care to admit. The saving grace was that Aelita hoped against hope that Sylvia could be reached before her anger and her darker natures consumed her entirely. In many ways, Aelita much desired to have a sister in Sylvia. Still, Aelita knew if she allowed Sylvia to become just a more humane XANA, it would not be solving anything. As Aelita thought on all of this, she looked at the rose-pink of the horizon. In many ways, Aelita knew she stood at the threshold. A threshold of either giving a helping hand in shaping what could in all reality be the protector and nurturer Aelita knew the world needed or enslaving it to and eloquent master. Aelita sighed, her mind was fried. The tension was felt in her forehead, and her jaw had been clenched tightly shut since they left the factory.

How could Aelita get through? How could she reach the human whose heart lay at the heart of the social ideal? From how Sylvia spoke, Aelita knew the girl had seen pain. However, it was beyond the cruelty of what Anthea had done; it was something born of deep hatred. A hatred that even though it was intense, Aelita could tell Sylvia was doing her utmost to channel that hatred into a form of productive good for society. How did she know? Because it was all over Sylvia's dialogue. It was the constant resurgent theme, a theme of desired equality for all. Sure, Sylvia admitted nature had a hierarchy, but what was genuinely admitted in such a statement?

Aelita stopped, much to the surprise of Yumi and Odd. She took in a deep breath and let out a scream that was not only bone-chilling but terrifying. Yumi was about to go forward, but Odd shot out his hand, stopping her.

"No!" He said, looking at Yumi, "She needs this, let it happen."

The scream continued for a full two minutes, and then Aelita stopped. The dogs around the area were barking as if they were possessed. Odd gently walked forward, putting his hand on Aelita's shoulder. However, he observed that in her eyes, she, on some level, had been beaten. Her eyes were steady, staring dead ahead.