Title: No Solid Ground (There's Only Us)
Rating: M (for swearing, violence and probably eventual smutz, and also there's an inter-species relationship so if that kinda thing bothers you you should probably get the hell out of dodge)
Disclaimer: This is a complete crack!fic because I love Animorphs the most and I also love Brittana the most. But I don't own any of it. At all. Ever. :c
A/N: With the Animorphs re-release upon the world, there's GOT to be some Animorphs fans out there somewhere…
My name is Santana.
At least, that's what I want you to think. See, I'm kind of a big deal- some very bad people want me dead. And, well, if they knew who I really was, that's probably how I'd end up. And I'm actually pretty okay with staying alive.
So I can't tell you my last name. Or where I live. Which is sad, really, because if I could tell you where I'm from, I'd totally represent proudly that I'm from Lima Heights Adjacent.
Hahaha, you didn't think I was serious just now, did you? Seriously? I just fucking told you that I can't tell you where I'm from. I'm not stupid- that's you.
Anyways. Bad shit happens in my 'hood. Really bad shit. And the worst part is, that's the understatement of the year.
Sometimes I wonder if I could go back and do it all over, if I would have never taken that shortcut through the abandoned construction site near my neighborhood with Sam and the others. Life would certainly be a lot less stressful. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. It would be easier. A lot less dangerous, too.
But I'd also have never met Britt.
It all started that fateful night. I'm pretty sure it was a Friday, but don't quote me on it. It's hard to remember with everything that's happened. But whatever, that's not really important.
I was at the mall, shopping for some new white sneakers after school. I'm on the cheerleading team at my high school- The Cheerios. Lame, I know, but I do it for the social standing. You see, I'm top bitch around there, and it's all thanks to the Cheerios. So I put up with the bullshit… and the skirts. My coach, she's kind of a dipshit. Her name's Roz Washington. And well. She's a little bitchy about what kind of sneakers we are supposed to have. I got a scuff on mine earlier in the week and she demanded I purchase a new pristine pair. But they have to be Nike Air Jordans or whatever-the-fuck brand she preferred, and because you can't just buy those shits anywhere, that involved a trip to the mall. And since it's a number one rule that girls, especially popular girls, cannot be seen at the mall alone, I decided to drag my best friend, Quinn, along.
"Ugh, Santana, do we have to do this today? I have a date with Puck in less than three hours and I still have to go home to do my hair," she whined, fiddling with her iPhone.
"Coach Roz will demote me if I don't get these kicks," I sniped as I analyzed each shelf of shoe at lightning speed. Reebok? No. Puma? Nope. I was an expert at shopping- it's kind of an art form.
Don't judge me.
She ignored my complaint to reply to a text she received, and I spied the Nikes on the opposite shelf of the store we were in. "Found them," I announced, scooping up the pair I needed. I looked around quickly and made eye contact with the store clerk so he would drop what he was doing and assist me.
"Hello, ma'am, may I assist you?" he intoned as he sauntered over. Why, yes, I thought you'd never ask…
"This. Size 7. Make it snappy, I have shit to do," I told him as I thrust the glossy white sneaker into his hand. He hurried away to get my shoes like an obedient puppy, and, satisfied, I turned back to Quinn. "Where are you guys going?"
As if there wasn't just a five minute break in our conversation, she replied, "He's taking me to a party." She raised her gaze to mine, her expression brightening. "Actually, do you want to come with? I don't know if anyone I know will be there…"
So Quinn was inviting me to a party only because she was scared of being alone? I inwardly rolled my eyes. "Quinn, I'm already going to the party. Mike's hosting it, remember? He invited practically the whole school."
She shrugged. "Right. Guess I forgot. So you're going?"
"Duh."
Mike lived in the neighborhood next to mine, just a much nicer one. The two neighborhoods were separated by an old abandoned construction site, which I guess makes sense. Before the housing market crashed there was a huge demand in houses in the area, but now that the economy went down the toilet, the city dropped that project faster than shit. One day there was productivity, the next day it was a ghost town. Cranes and Earthmovers rusted where they sat. The construction site was full of half-finished houses and building materials. It was the perfect place to buy, sell, and do meth, crack and other exciting drugs. It kind of became like the private playground for all the homeless and whacked-out drug addicts. It was their territory, and my parents warned me several times about going near it, especially at night. Not that I'd ever felt the need to. I'd never particularly been into being raped and murdered by some hobos in a meth-frenzy.
On the other side of the construction site was a park, and a lake surrounded by woods. The park was nice, and I liked to go there a lot to sober up or make out with boys after parties before stumbling my way home.
When it was time for the party, I had my mom drive me to Mike's house and drop me off, since it was one of those rare occasions where she happened to be home. I was wearing some tight jeans and an off-the-shoulder blouse. I looked pretty damn fine if I do say so myself. And I definitely do say so myself. I waved my mom goodbye before walking right into the house. I'd done these parties enough to know the routine, and Mike hosted them quite often. He was Asian, so his parents were constantly away doing Asian Business-y things, which left him and his giant mansion of a house free to do whatever he felt like. Mike was on the football team and a genuinely likeable guy, so he always got all the popular kids to come to his parties- and that's where I come in. I was kind of obligated to make an appearance, being top bitch and all. Mike was also in Glee Club, which I didn't understand, but whatever floats his goat, I didn't give two fucks about his affinity for gay things. The downside to that, though, was that he got the unpopular kids to show up at the parties as well… which explained why Stubble McCripplePants was rolling around in his wheelchair, and why Wheezy was making googly eyes at Sam from across the room.
Just when I thought the party couldn't get any worse I ran into Rachel "Man Hands" Berry and had to actively concentrate on keeping down the alcohol I'd already drank that was threatening to re-appear at the sight of her horrendous outfit.
"Hi, Santana," she said in that overly-cheerful, grating voice of hers.
"Hobbit," I acknowledged with a glare. This bitch was killing my buzz.
She ignored my jab and continued with what she wanted to say. I'm not sure what it was, I spent the minute or so while she was talking staring over her shoulder at a spot of lint on the person behind her's jacket. Something about a club called "New Directions."
"Fascinating," I said with too much enthusiasm. She finally caught on, shot me a dark look, and stormed off. I smiled to myself. That made my night a little better.
The party continued to go downhill when the Glee kids wanted to play Spin the Bottle. That's when I decided it was my cue to leave. I found Quinn standing in the corner of the kitchen on the phone with her mom. They were arguing angrily and she had tears in her eyes. I'd have to remember to talk to her about that tomorrow. I waved to her slightly. She didn't acknowledge my presence so I just turned on my heel and left.
When I reached the front lawn I noticed Puck, Sam, Wheezy, and some gay kid standing in the grass. Puck grinned deviously at me.
"You walkin' home?" he asked, his eyes glinting mischievously.
"Nah, thought I'd come stand on the lawn like a loser."
"You can walk home with us, Santana," Sam said with an encouraging smile. God, his lips were huge. I couldn't stop staring at them.
"Have your lips always been that big?" I muttered.
Puck laughed. "If you're going to keep spouting insults like that, I'm gonna come along just for the laugh factor."
I glared at him. "I'm not sure if you should, I'm trying to avoid wild animals, not attract them with the carcass on top of your head."
Puck wisely shut up while Wheezy stifled a laugh. I raised an eyebrow at her and she raised one back in challenge. I decided in that moment that I kind of liked her.
"I'm walking Mercedes back to her house," Sam explained. "She lives in your neighborhood, right? You shouldn't head back alone, it's too late. You can walk with us-"
"All right, all right, God, just stop talking," I groaned.
Sam looked taken aback for a moment before I gestured for him to lead the way.
The gay kid stepped forward shyly for a moment. "Do you mind if I walk home with you guys?" he asked. At Sam's smile, he visibly relaxed, but kept a wary eye on me and Puck.
And that's how the five of us ended up walking back to my neighborhood on that Friday night.
It was Puck's fault that we ended up in that construction site. He teased us and called us chicken and did everything an immature boy who was insecure about his masculinity needed to do to prove to himself in whatever warped dimension his brain lived in that he was a real man- in fact, no man was manlier- because he was not afraid of the construction site and we were. So of course we had to prove him wrong. No one calls me afraid and gets away with it. I live in Lima Heights. No crackhead is gonna scare me.
(I actually was pretty fucking terrified. I truly doubted Puck could live up to his bravado, but stupidly I followed him anyways. Biggest mistake ever.)
One might look at us and go, oh, of course that seems likely- a gay pansy who could probably rock heels better than I could, a fat black bitch, a dude with a dead opossum on his head, a smoking hot cheerleader, and a guy with lips that could swallow the planet Mars hanging out together. Totally normal to be walking through an abandoned construction site at an unsafe hour. Right.
I walked at a brisk pace, ignoring as Puck and Sam argued about whether Batman could beat Spiderman in a fight. Gay Kid walked along, staring at the sky- okay, weirdo- and Wheezy kept making attempts to initiate a conversation with me. But I couldn't be bothered with that, damn it- I had to listen for signs of approaching crackheads!
As we reached a wide open area that had been cleared away for a house that hadn't been started yet, Gay Kid suddenly pointed at the sky and shouted, "Look!"
I glared at him, trying to keep my focus on the possible attack of hobo rapists because I was absolutely sure they would go for me first. But I let my eyes flicker up to where he was pointing for a moment, and I gasped.
"The fuck?"
The rest of them made similar noises at the sight of the blue light streaking across the sky. It seemed like it was coming straight towards us. Actually, it was coming straight towards us.
"Shit! Hide!" Puck hissed. I looked around wildly before noticing a huge cement pipe and peacing the fuck out of there and behind it, with the other four kids right behind me. I heard a hissing noise and a loud thud and chanced a peek over the edge of the cement pipe.
There, in the clearing, was a spaceship.
A fucking spaceship. Like from space.
Can you believe that?
I sure as hell wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't been looking at it, but I'm telling you, shit was right there in my face.
"The fuck," I croaked again, and Puck looked at me, his eyes wide and a slight grin on his face.
"That's a fucking spaceship!" he whispered excitedly.
"No shit," I hissed.
He reached to get his phone out but I stopped him. "What the fuck are you doing? We need to get out of here! What if they are like Battle: LA aliens?"
"And what if they're like E.T.? Come on, Santana, this is the first time aliens have come to Earth! We can't pass up this opportunity!"
Just then I heard the door of the spaceship cracking open.
"Okay, fuck, for real, we've gotta go," I whispered pleadingly.
"I agree with Santana," Gay Kid said.
"How the fuck do you know my name?"
[I will not harm you.]
I froze. That shit was in my head. Like, I heard it. But I didn't hear it. By the looks on Wheezy and everyone else's faces, they heard the same thing.
"How do we know that?" Puck called loudly.
"Puck!" I hissed.
[You don't. You will just have to trust me.]
I peeked back over the wall. "Shit," I breathed. The alien had exited the spaceship and was standing braced against the side of it, clutching his chest. Or, rather, what I assumed was his chest. Look, I don't want to get too detailed here; basically he kind of looked like a centaur. But. More delicate. Like with a deer body instead of a horse one. And his ears were deer-ish. He had no mouth, and an extra pair of eyes on little stalks on top of his head. He was kind of cute, I guess. Then I saw his tail. It was thick, and powerful, and ended in like, a pointed blade. Kind of like a scorpion. Oh, and he was blue.
I could hear his breathing; it was definitely labored. I'd spent enough time volunteering at the hospital with my dad to know that he was in severe pain. He raised his head and his main eyes caught mine.
[I am Willi-Amschu-Ester… and I'm afraid I will not be alive much longer.]
"What? No! You can't! You're the first alien to make it to Earth," Wheezy said. Who knew she could get all sympathetic?
[I will die,] Willi-Whatever confirmed, [but I am not the first alien on Earth.]
"Shit," I repeated again as I felt my stomach drop.
I was kind of dreading he'd say that.
AHAHA I can't believe I'm writing this story. I must be the lamest person in all of creation.
But I will be updating it every Monday, so stay tuned! XD