Author's Note: Hey, guys. I am in college now. I have improved on my writing skills a bit since I was a kid, so I decided to update and continue my fanfiction stories starting with this one. But I'm not sure if people are reading or not. So leave a review if you want me to continue updating, editing, and finish writing the story. Your reviews encourage and inspire me to keep writing.
(Hey! Hurry up, Ax. I know you don't want to end up as a controller,) cried Marco, in his gorilla morph.
Marco was racing down a hallway with a Hork-Bajir blade sticking out of his shoulder. He was considered the funny one of the group; although, I could never understand his sense of humor. He would come by my scoop occasionally and watch soap operas with me. We often watched the Young and the Restless together. I would ask numerous questions about the relationships between the humans and why they did certain things. One instance, a male and female were fighting then all of a sudden they kissed, and walked into a backroom together closing the door. I asked Marco about this. He told me when I was older. I then firmly stated I was older than him by Andalite standards.
At the time, I was not paying any attention to Marco's warning. Instead, I was staring at a giant bolted door, which said, 'BEWARE!' The door was made of pure steel and had many locks and latches attracted to it. I walked to the door. This may have been where the Yeerks were keeping their latest weapon. I sighed and overrode the system's lock. Human technology was so outdated and backwards. None of it offered any challenges to my intellect. A mere Andalite child could have solved this code. I wondered why not use Yeerk technology to improve such a well-fortified door.
The room was almost pitching black. But a dim light had shown through to the back of the room. I edged closer. I was startled to see a huge capsule containing what appeared to be a flowing human girl inside it. Her skin was a fair light brown color. Her hair was pure white. Her ears were also pointy. She wore a white sleeveless dress that came to her knees. I drew my face closer, all four of my eyes on her. Suddenly her eyes opened, showing their brilliant emerald-green color. To my surprise she smiled, not with her month but with her eyes… It reminded me of an Andalite smile.
Then a sweet soft thought-speak told me, (Help me, Aximili, my name is Artemis.)
It was her. She placed her hand on the glass on of the capsule. I mirrored her, placing my hand on the opposite side of the glass.
(Do not worry I will get you out.) I said, determined.
I immediately scouted for a control panel. I use all four of my eyes, I couldn't find one. I could hear the fire of dreacon beams being fired. I didn't have time to waste. So I slashed the glass opened, she fell forward unconscious into my chest nuzzling against me. I lifted her onto my back, her arms hanging off my shoulders. I ran out of the room at top speed. Just then a tiger ran to my side.
(Who is this?) asked Prince Jake.
(I will explain later,) I answered.
However, I wondered how could I explain my actions? I did not know this strange girl or who she was. But I knew if she was being held captive by Yeerks, it could mean big trouble. Another reason was I had this overwhelming feeling of curiosity, when I saw her. She looked so similar to my human friends, but beneath the skin there was something more. I felt a need to help her, to rescue her. Her eyes were beautiful and that smile… that was so Andalite in nature. It reminded me of home, of my family.
Of my brother.
Her long white hair swept across my face. Her smell was inebriating. I couldn't get distracted. Focus on the mission. We were in the Yeerk Pool underneath the high school. We heard the Yeerks were developing a new sensor that would detect Andalite DNA while in a morph. As the only Andalite, I had to come to test whether or not the new technology worked. Visser Three would not volunteer himself, for fear of showing any weakness. So he would wait until the Andalite bandits arrived with plenty of DNA to scan.
As the Animorphs and I rushed toward the exit of the Yeerk Pool, we could hear guns being fired just behind us. After making it through the basement door of the Yeerk secret entrance hidden within the school. I, Marco, and Jake rushed into the closest bathroom to the right side of the hallway. With the adrenaline rushing through our veins, Marco and Prince Jake rushed into the biggest stall in the bathroom to demorph. There was a panel of tile that could be pulled out, which hid a large group of clothes. The sounds of the panting, crunching, and snapping could be heard from the bathroom stall as Jake and Marco demorphed.
(What do we do now?) asked Marco as he demorphed, (We can't just carry an unconscious alien out the front door.)
(Ax, who is she? Why did you take her?) Jake asked while staring sternly at the humanoid-looking girl resting on my shoulders.
(I do not know, Prince Jake. I have reason to believe she was in need of rescuing. The Yeerks don't need to bring another race into their control either,) I mentioned, as a matter-of-factly.
Marco and Jake walked out of the stall, fully clothed. Marco was wearing a green ninja turtles t-shirt with a pair deep blue denim jeans. Jake was brushing the rubble from his red-black sneakers.
"So instead of answering my question, Jake. You just had to ask a few of your own, huh?" Marco said, rolling his eyes.
"Sorry, Marco. You were saying?" Jake looked back at Marco.
"We need to get her out of here incognito-style so no controller suspects us."
I handed Artemis to Marco. He held her in a bridal-style fashion. Then I began morphing into my human morph. As much as I loved being an Andalite, the human body did something that I enjoyed abusing.
A mouth.
It allowed me to use audial sounds to communicate with others. As well as the best sense of all, taste. Taste was such as wonderful experience. The buds on my tongue would come alive with sensations I never had before. I was often plagued by the "sugar rush" as the humans called it. I would always feel quick bursts of energy and overwhelming desire to devour everything in sight. Although, my friends have told me that there are certain foods I must never eat, such as cigarette butts or motor oil. Even though, the taste of these items is interesting, they are not healthy to consume. And don't even get me started on the texture of food.
Two disadvantages of being human are that you only had two eyes on the front of your head and no tail blade. I often felt weak when I did not have my tail blade. I wanted to learn actual human combat training. Apparently, humans can be formidable foes with the proper skills. Whenever, Tobias came over we would watch a series of kung-Fu movies. The humans would fight with their hands and feet in a combination of kicks and punches. But nothing, not even kung-Fu could beat a handy tail blade.
When I was finished morphing, Jake handed me some clothes. I had to keep in mind, shorts and pants go on legs and shirts as well as jackets go over the head and on the torso. If humans had more fur, they would not need such things. They couldn't even regulate their body temperature on their own. Silly humans, their evolution is so backwards.
"Hey, she's kinda cute," smiled Marco, looking down at Artemis.
"Not now, Marco," Jake stated, he walked in a circle scratching his head.
"C-cc-ute. Ute. Te. Uuuu," I played with the word sound. It was short. One syllable.
I did know whether or not Artemis was "cute", but her features were symmetrical, her hair was long, silky, and straight similar to Rachel's. Her skin was soft, smooth, and warm. She smelled of sweet fruits. But her eyes were a beautiful emerald color; I could not deny that her eyes did captivate me.
"Or that, Ax," Jake gave me a firm look.
"Yes, Prince Jake."
He sighed. He did not like being called prince. But he was my leader and I followed his orders. His bravery and determination more than proved his prowess. I was honored and grateful to have him as my prince.
The sounds of running and yelling were just outside the bathroom. Jake frantic snapped his head side to side. Marco and I stared at the door. Jake looked around the bathroom and grinned.
Jake ran to the garbage can, pulling the bag out. He tossed the bag over the stall. Then he ran to the closet inside the bathroom. The sounds of scurrying and plastic crumpling filled the room. Finally, Jake came out with a huge black garbage bag.
"Hey, Ax help me put this bag in the can," asked Jake, shaking the bag open.
"Prince Jake, I don't understand. Why are we disposing of the sanitary waste?" I asked, lining the bag along the can.
"Oh. I see what's going on," smiled Marco, lifting Artemis' higher.
I was still utterly confused.
"Ax, we are going to put her in the garbage can to hide her from the Yeerks," replied Jake.
"Oh." I finally understood the plan.
Marco and I hauled Artemis into the can. Jake then grabbed the previous bag and closed the bag holding Artemis inside. Then he gently placed the bag on top of her.
I did not like the thought of placing trash on top of her. Seemed rude, disrespectful and embarrassing. I sighed, it had to be done. There was no other way. Although, I wish I could have come up with a better plan than putting her in the waste disposal unit.
Marco, Jake, and I walked out the bathroom. I held a mop in my hand, Jake pushed a large gray garbage can, and Marco was fastening his belt. Two male controllers strolled up to us.
"What are you, kids, doing here after school so late?" asked the bespectacled controller with green cargo pants.
"We were running in the halls early today and knocked over the janitor. He told us as punishment for knocking him down, we had to take out the trash out of each classroom and take it out back to the dump behind the school," I lied.
Marco and Jake look dumbfounded; they were surprised that I spoke so clearly and without playing with words. It was not the time to play around. I knew we needed to get her out of here.
The another controller with a cut on his left brow looked back the bespectacled man and back at the boys, "Just be careful next time, sons. If you are having trouble, any at all, you should go to the Sharing," he smirked.
"We'll be sure to think about it. But, we have to hurry up and take the garbage out."
"Yeah, gotta get home in time for meatloaf night," winked Marco.
"It is?" I asked, becoming confused and hungry all at once.
"Yeah, come on, Philip," whispered Jake upon hearing a low moaning noise from the bag in the trash can.
"What was that sound?" asked the bespectacled man.
"I just came out of the bathroom. The mystery meat from lunch is really putting up a fight," Marco rubbed his stomach, "I say wait fifteen to twenty minutes tops before going in there fellas."
"Alright, boys. Run along. It's getting late," smirked the man with the cut over his brow.
The boys hurried off to the back entrance of the school. I called to Tobias to see if the coast was clear.
(No one can you. You're good.) replied Tobias, flying high above us. He was our lookout. He was a nothlit, a person trapped in morph. He had accepted this with dignity. He was also my shorm and my nephew. Shorm means tail blade. A shorm is the human equivalent to 'best friend'. Your shorm is a person who you can trust to put a tail blade to your throat and will not harm you.
My brother, Elfangor, is Tobias' biological son. Long ago, he became a human nothlit and married a woman named, Lauren. They got married and had a child. But for reasons, unknown to me or Tobias, he left Earth to fight in the Andalite-Yeerk War. He became a prince and gained great honor and valor. Sometimes, I felt a twinge of bitterness toward my brother. My brother's achievements overshadowed any and all attempts at my own actions of bravery and integrity. Elfangor's little brother…
I quickly demorphed as Marco and Jake began to open the trash bag revealing Artemis sleeping soundly inside.
"Hurry. Let's get to Cassie's barn as soon as possible," said Jake as they rushed into the woods with Tobias as their lookout.
Jake and Marco began to morph into a flea and wolf. Once they were finished morphing, they headed off.
I placed Artemis over my shoulders. She sighed, flaring her nostrils to inhale my scent. Even in the mist of danger and fright, she held a calming aura around her. Her presence was like a serene babbling brook. The wind blew gently on the water's horizon as the sun rose causing the melting of purplish and orange colors. I wanted more than anything for her to wake up so I may look into those eyes that entranced my attention and reminded me so much of home.
When we reached the barn, the rest of the Animorphs had already demorphed. Rachel was shaking hay from her, when she noticed Artemis.
"Who is she?" she asked, walking cautiously up to me.
I placed on Artemis a golden bed of hay, watching her whimper in withdrawal from me. I brushed white tassels of hair from her face. She pressed into my hand. She was drawn to me even in her sleep. Maybe her species is very affectionate or used to physical contact. Either way, I did not mind.
I stood and looked back at Rachel. (I don't know who she is. The Yeerks held her captive in some capsule. She asked for my help.)
"Oh, I see. So we just grab and nab every alien we see. What if she is with the Yeerks? What if you just exposed all of us?" she yelled, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"I don't think if she was sided with them, that they would lock her up," said Marco, placing a hand to her shoulder.
"And she asked for help. We did find Ax-man that way, too," Cassie reminded her.
"Sorry, guys. You're right," sighed Rachel.
(Cassie, she fainted upon her release from the capsule unit. Is she okay?) I faced Cassie keeping one eye stalk on Artemis.
Cassie walked over to the bed of hay Artemis was lying on. Cassie touched Artemis' forehead, "She's a little warm, but nothing is wrong as far as I can see." She stood up and stalked toward the sink. Her hand reached for a blue towel, the other turned the faucet handle. Cold water rinsed down onto towel, before she rung it out. Then she placed the towel on Artemis' forehead.
"I think she needs some rest, that's all."
"Okay. First things, first. Were we able to find out whether or not the Andalite DNA tracker works?" Jake said, looking at everyone.
(Actually, there is some good news and bad news about that,) Tobias murmured.
"I say no news is the best news," chuckled Marco, nervously.
(Well, good news is it was all a hoax. I heard a couple of controllers talking from the experimental/observational labs. Apparently, Visser Three was getting quite "testy" about our last raid. So the controllers lied about a developing an Andalite DNA scanner, so he would get off their tails. They hoped the plan had leaked so we would come and we did. To reassure Visser Three that the scanner worked, they put up more cameras in the Yeerk Pool, to help notice when we arrived."
"So the Andalite DNA scanner was just a bunch of cameras?" Marco started laughing.
"And the bad news?" asked Rachel.
(With the cameras, they most likely saw Ax-man take… Um… what's her name?"
(Artemis.) I stated.
"Oh. So they'll be looking for her."
"But why did they have her locked up?"
"What is she? Besides her hair and ears, she looks human."
"Where am I?"
Everyone turned to the strange humanoid girl rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
(Hello,) I greeted her, smiling.
Artemis opened her eyes, those beautiful green spheres. She looked up at me and smiled, too. I reached out my hand; she took it and heaved herself up.
I was glad she was finally awake. I was worried, she did not look well when she fell unconscious. I waited what seem like forever for her to open her eyes again. I did not want to tear myself away from them. Not even for a moment. I could not help it, they reminded me so much of my kind. It was almost nostalgic. She smiled with them as well as mouth. Her smile with her mouth was not unattractive. Brilliant white teeth were shining brightly. It was strange and unusual for me even though I had been surrounded by humans for quite some time.
"It's okay, you're safe now, no one is going to hurt you," said Rachel in a reassuring voice.
She looked around first at me, then everyone else, and finally up at the rafters at Tobias.
"Hello, are you okay?" asked Cassie, touching her forehead again.
Artemis looked at Cassie then at her hands and asked, "Who… am… I, where… am… I… ?"
"You mean you don't know who you are?" Jake asked, with a sad voice.
"Well, Ax, what do you think about our new found alien friend?" asked Marco.
(I have no idea. We didn't learn about her species in school. Ah, but I do know her name. It's Artemis, right?) I looked at her. Curiosity peaking, I wondered who was she, what was she? How did the Yeerks get a hold of her? What did they want from her? All these questions swirled around in my head.
"I have no idea, but Artemis seems so familiar," she said.
(Well, the least we could do is fill in you on what's going on,) called Tobias in the rafters.
"Okay," said Artemis lifting up her hands as tiny streams of light sprouted from her fingertips. Each stream met with everyone's forehead. Within a second the streams busted and Artemis fell back into the hay. When the beam touched my head, my body went numb. I felt a touch of dizziness and lightheadedness.
"Whoa, that rates an 11 on the 10 range freaky scale," giggled Rachel.
"Rach, every day is an 11 on the 10 range freaky scale," Marco reminded her.
Everyone laughed.
(What was that?) I asked, simply fascinated.
"I sort of downloaded your minds," said Artemis quietly, her face blushing into a tomato-like pigment.
"What?! You downloaded our minds!" shouted Rachel, standing up.
"Only basics," said Artemis feeling more talkative, "You know like mathematics, literature, science, history, what is going on with these Yeerks, and your names. Rachel. Cassie. Jake. Tobias. Marco. Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill."
(Wow, the first person ever to say Ax's full name so correctly and fluently, ) said Tobias trying to crack up a joke as everyone stared at him.
Marco chuckled, "And that was your first funny joke."
Earth humor still eludes me, sometimes. I did not understand most of the references to everyday media. But, I was slowly learning. I began watching comedy shows that have a human standing in front of a large audience. The human would make witty or obvious observations and the audience would laugh uproariously.
My attention turned back to Artemis. She was able to sync our ideas of various topics into her own conscious. I was seriously regretting not paying attention in class. I was a warrior, not a scholar.
I looked at her with main eyes. She held a serious look of concentration on her face. Then her body was engulfed in white light. The shape of her body morphed, changed, bent, and warped.
(Morphing is so amazing,) giggled a soft thought-speak voice.
Everyone else whipped around looking for the voice. They all turned to see the ball of light burst. Artemis was standing on the haystack. Her ears were round, and her hair was black, but her eyes were the same brilliant emerald color. She looked fully human.
(Artemis! What did you do?) I cried, shocked and bewildered.
"How did you do that? You downloaded our powers, too?" asked Jake with serious alarm.
(No, I only downloaded your mind.) Artemis shook her head, smiling with her eyes.
(Besides I morph differently than you do,) she replied.
(How?) I asked in wonder.
(Well…) she stood up as a stream of light came down her body instantly changing her back to her original form. She shook her head, letting the hay fall out of her white hair.
"Whoa!" shouted the Animorphs.
(Whoa!) I shouted completely stunned.
"I merely concentrated on a human form. You are right, the Yeerks will be on the lookout for me. I need to blend into my surroundings," Artemis stated," I must know why they want me."
Her eyes hardened. They wore no longer soft and warmhearted. Determination. Strength. Cunning. At that moment, I made a decision to protect her from the Yeerks at all costs. I can't exactly explain my feelings, but my gut told me to do so. Her resolve sparked my own.
(Don't worry. I- I mean we will ensure your safety,) I stated.
Marco smiled, I believe he caught my mistake. He even walked over to me and placed a firm hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah, and just in case… Ax-man, here, will make sure of it," said Marco, winking at me.
"Ax-man? I thought your name was Aximili. And that you were a Andalite not a human. Or does the axe has to do with your tail blade similar function?" asked Artemis, with a very confused look on her face.
"Oh, here we go again. It is a nickname we gave him, we also call him Ax or Philip in public."
"I prefer to you by your full first name if that is all right with you?" Artemis stared at me, "I happen to like it."
(Y-yes. That is fine,) I stammered a bit, I kicked up sawdust nervously.
"Will I be given a "nickname" to?" she stared at all of us.
"Um… how about Art? No, I never liked art," sighed Cassie.
"Hey, everyone gets one eventually. No, need to rush it. Right Warrior Princess," laughed Marco
"Yep, that's right, Shorty." Rachel snapped back at Marco, smirking.
"Oh, and here we have oh fearless leader, Jake," announced Marco, spinning in a circle, and stomping on his right foot, presenting his hand out to Jake. Jake shook his head, placing his hand over his face.
"We also have boy-bird wonder. Our eye in the sky. In the rafters… Here's Tobias," Marco flapped his arms and pointed to the hawk.
(Uh… hi.) Tobias said, nervously.
"And here's our little tree hugger, Cassie," Marco ran over to Cassie and hugged her tightly, "She provides us with all of our morphs."
"Hey. Please ignore Marco," Cassie struggled to get out of his grip, as he laughed.
"And you have already met, Ax-imleit" stuttered Marco trying to pronounce my name. He failed miserably. I shook my head when he looked at me, and mouthed 'sorry'.
"What an elaborate introduction! It is a pleasure to meet you all," Artemis walked over to me and grinned, "And I thank you, Aximili, for rescuing me."
(You are welcome.)
(Well, that sort of solves two problems. But now, where is she going to live or go? We need to find a place where they won't ever suspect to look,) asked Tobias.
"I have an idea." Marco said with a sly smile.