Code Lyoko: Revolutions and Evolutions

Chapter 54

AN: I admittedly didn't know how quite to execute this particular chapter at first. However, after a prayer, and working bit by bit, a few happy incidents led me to create this chapter. I hope you all as always read, review, and enjoy.

I would also like to thank God for helping me to reach so many new readers. I am looking at you, readers in Russia, Spain, and France. I am glad you all seem to be enjoying what I'm writing, and I hope you continue to do so. I thank all my readers and my reviewers for your steadfast viewership and honest reviews. I much appreciate all of you as you are my reason for writing as I do.

I hope to see you next chapter.

With much appreciation and love,

Pagliacci-11

Jeremy sat with Aelita in his room. They had been sitting quietly fifteen minutes or so as they mulled over what Odd had revealed in the courtyard. For both, it was equally disconcerting. Never had they thought Odd would have willfully gone to the proverbial dark side. With William, they more than understood. The single aspect with him was he let his pride get the best of him, and XANA took control. In many ways, it was justified as a form of additional benefit of defeating XANA. While William was primarily seen with indifference with two exceptions to the rule, the group knew he was equally a reason to stop XANA. Odd, however, it was different. Much different.

"I don't understand him." Aelita finally said, "Why would he do this? Why would he willfully go over to her? Why would he even entertain her theories? Does loyalty not mean anything to him?"

Jeremy was silent a moment as he listened and then replied, "You have to consider something. Odd has been changing kind of rapidly over the past few weeks. He's taken life more seriously, and therefore he is more serious. I admit it's very odd, even for him. I don't know why he's so serious, but he is. The simple fact is, we can't allow him to compromise the team."

"We can't afford to function without him, either." Aelita replied, and she sighed, "He makes up the agile component of our team. Even if he does have loyalty to us, the simple fact he has Sylvia in his ear is a matter of concern because it could highly compromise everything we've done already."

"Now, who's slightly paranoid?" Jeremy asked, "Look, XANA's gone. Our team, as good as it was, is not exactly necessary right now. But we still can operate. Odd may be taking sips of temptation punch shall we say, but he's not that dumb or selfish to compromise all of us over a change in mindset. Do you remember Brynja? We were able to talk him out of that mess. So, there's hope."

"But Brynja nearly fucked us over due to his negligence and lack of ability to honestly keep a secret. Love makes us do stupid things apparently."

"Like threatening Odd to make him disappear. Come on, Aelita, what was that?"

Aelita looked at him, "What was what? I meant it. If he did something resulting in your death, I'd get rid of him because I know he's the only compromised element. I'm not going to have William 2.0."

Jeremy shook his head, "Aelita, you're not going to—"

"Look at my face." Aelita said, and Jeremy looked at her, "I meant it, believe me, I meant it."

Jeremy replied, "I don't like what I see, Aelita. Look at what Sylvia's done to you. You were never this way before, what changed?"

"What changed? Nothing. I've always been this way. I've had my observations, and as Ulrich said, you've tried to safeguard me from them. To your credit, thank you, but the simple fact is you never could. I've learned so much while in Lyoko that despite your want to shelter me, it was a moot point. And now I know that really, we're compromised, we have to legitimately contemplate how to fix this."