Rachel's Toy
Disclaimer* Animorphs belongs to Scholastic, and Witchblade belongs to Topcow. I don't own any of these concepts, and I' not making any money. (But if any of the afore mentioned owners read this and have a job opening..?)
This is a "what-if" type deal. I am disregarding the current Witchblade story line. Don't kill me for it.
Eric the Chee was worried. I took a lot to worry an immortal android, and this was one of them. When he had worked as a slave in ancient Egypt, he had seen this weapon created. He didn't know how, and that scared him. As and android, he was a creature of science, built and programmed from it. This was magic. He wanted magic to stay a part of human fireside stories to be told to frighten children into miss behaving. It shouldn't suddenly become real again, and Visser 3 should definitly not be a part of it.
The time matrix had been buried under the pyrimids. Visser 3 had discovered this, and now he had gone there to see if anything else was there.
Eric knew of something that might be there, and he had to tell the Animorphs.
"So, you are saying, Eric, that a magical artifact of incredible power is hidden in Egypt. The only problem is that it might not still be there. But if Visser 3 finds it, our butts are toast. Is that a good sum up?" asked Marco. "Have you been reading to many comic books? Checked to see if there are any bugs in your systems? Are you INSANE?"
"No, Marco," said Eric patiently. "I didn't expect you to believe me. Truthfully, though, I have seen things in my lifetime on Earth that totally defy rational explanation. I wish I could give you better information. The artifact that I remember is extremely active. It is like an artificial intelligance. It chooses who welds it. The only problem with that is that it is completely chaotic. Most of its host, or barers, or welders, whatever you want to call them, have a strong chaotic streak. Either they go mad, if their will aren't hard enough, or they become incredible warriors, for good or evil, depending on their natures. What I'm afraid of is that Visser 3 will find this thing, and use it to conquer Earth."
"Tell me, please, that there is a ray of sunshine in all this," mumbled Rachel.
"Sort of. Only a female can use it. Or it only bonds with a female user. The legends aren't to clear on that point," said Eric.
So unless Visser 3 has a sex change, we ought to be safe, right? thought spoke Tobias. Visser 3 is definitely male.
"He could find a female that it will bond to, and take her over," shot out Jake. " Or he could morph a female and it could bond to that. We are not out of the woods yet, people."
The meeting ajourned, and everyone went home.
The next couple of days were very tense, because Eric had not been able to tell the Animorphs about Visser 3's departure until after he had left. So all they could do was wait, and hope they got lucky.
So they did. Visser 3 came as grumpy as he ever did, and promptly killed any Controller in his line of sight.
The Animorphs breathed a sigh of relief.
Next week a collection of artifacts from Greece were making a visit to the local museum. All the Animorphs, including Ax and Tobias, had wanted to see it. The reason for them all going was because Eric was going to tell them the real story behind most of the objects, and his commentary made even Marco interested in going.
They all reached there at about 4:00 that day. Eric extented his hologram so that Ax and Tobias could demorph and morph again. Then they all went inside.
Eric led them around, telling them humorus and etremely colorful stories about that time period. They were hearing the real story of Lysystrata, when Rachel looked over and saw a strange glove in the back of one of the cases. It had an odd organic look, almost if it was alive. Jewels shone out of various places in its make up. Rachel was totally caught up in looking at it.
"Hey, Eric. Know what this thing is?" she called.
Eric strode over and peered over her shoulder. His holographic face went pale.
"That's the Witchblade."
"The what?" said Rachel, confused.
"The artifact that, ah, you know was so interested in," whispered Eric. There were a lot of people about. He gestured to the others, and they came over. He hurriedly whispered what they had found, putting up his hologram again.
"I can't believe it! Of all the places for it to be, it's in our museum!" snorted Tobias.
"We've got to get it out of here. If any Controllers find out that it is here, we are so dead." Yelled Marco.
"Hmm," said Ax. "I believe that I have a plan, Prince Jake."
Ax told them about his idea. Eric would project a hologram of the weapon being there, and they would take it now. He could easily disable the security systems, and then they would walk out, and Eric could stay for a few minutes, giving the illusion that it was still there, and then leave. It sounded like it might work.
"You okay with that, Eric?" asked Jake.
"I don't want that thing falling into anyone's hands, let alone the Yeerks."
Rachel added her famous," Let's do it!"
They did. Ax disabled the alarms, and Rachel distracted the security guard. Jake grabbed the Witchblade, and they left the building. They got as far as the parking garage, when they heard a familiar sound. Dracon beams firing.
They picked up the pace, and rounded a corner. They almost ran into Visser 3 in human morph.
They all collectively stopped a gasp, and ducked behind a van. Jake hissed," Battle morphs, now!"
They stripped their outer clothing into their morphing outfits. They all went through the routine of mutating, stretching, changing and compressing. When they were done, a group of wolf, gorilla, grizzly bear, tiger, hawk and Andalite stood in their places.
They charged. That was all they could think to do. The building was now sealed off. They had to fight their way out.
A group of Hork-Bajir and Taxxon Controllers met them. Ax sliced a Hork-Bajir's arm off, while Cassie hamstrung another. Rachel burst Taxxon's like they were made of putty. Marco slung around a Taxxon into a Hork-Baijir like it was a baseball bat. Tobias harried Visser 3.
The fight was going in the Animorphs favor until Visser 3 morphed. He chose a huge, black obsidian elephant type creature that was covered in armor. The edges of all its surfaces were covered in razors.
One by one the Animorphs flung themselves at it, trying to get by.
Where the heck is the elevator! screamed Cassie.
Behind HIM! shouted back Tobias.
The stairs? panted Jake.
Can't find them. There aren't any! yelled Marco.
I am so tired of this. You're MINE! declared Rachel, and she made a last charge at Visser 3.
He flung her to the ground, completely severing her right leg. She lay there in shock.
Ah, did the little Andalite fall down and go boom? cackled Visser 3.
Marco darted out and yanked Rachel behind the van. Demorph, Rachel. DEMORPH! he snapped.
She barely managed. She was so weak for blood loss, she couldn' keep her concentration.
Marco left to reenter the fight, and she looked over at the Witvhblade. Pick me up, it seemed to say. Together, we can destroy any who would oppose us. We can save your friends, and conquer your enemies.
It was too much for her to resist. She crawled over to it, and slipped it onto her right hand.
THE POWER!
She stood up, and the Witchblade flowed over her and inside her. It covered her like armor, and then masked her face. She calmly walked out to face Visser 3.
Well, what is this? He sneered. Some new morph to throw at me?
She lifted her right arm, and eldritch energy seared the Controllers behind him. The Witchblade shot out tenticles, that attempted to peirce Visser 3's morph.
She and her blade snarled as this failed. She again threw magical fire, and this time he retreated.
GRGRgrhhh! he howled. You have it! You have the Witchblade! You have won today, but I will someday have it for myself! Retreat! Retreat!
The Controllers scattered.
When they had all left, the Witchblade retracted. Rachel ripped it off her arm. She had felt the addiction that thing could make. She wasn't sure she wanted it. But oh, how she did want it.
Everything went black.
Rachel woke up in Cassie's barn. She checked herself over, but seemed to be all in one piece. She couldn't remember what had happened.
"So, what have I missed?" she croaked.
Cassie gave her some water.
"We won. We have the Witchblade," said Jake.
"And you are apparently the new barer," said a less than happy Eric.
Rachel choked on her water.
"Do I have any choice in this?" she said in a shaky voice.
"I'm not sure. If you want it, though, it's right there. But I'm not sure that you can say no. I think you should wait a few days and see what happens."
"I agree with you. Let's wait and see."
Comments? Hate it, love it, think it should be used for kleenex?