Notes: Animorphs AU (book, not TV) at some point past the David arc, probably at least after The Separation, set in PRDT (and obviously AUing the whole thing). Why the crossover? Because Animorphs is a hell of a lot deeper now that I'm rereading it as a teenager, and PR lacks that depth.
Short summary of Animorphs – five self-described "idiot teenagers with a death wish" are given the ability to turn into animals by an alien (Andalites) to hold back an invasion of other parasitic aliens (Yeerks) that are infiltrating the Earth by controlling humans, making humans their hosts, at least until the Andalites return. Said aliens get to the human's brain and dominates it, needing to leave every three days to feed in a Yeerk pool, bathing in Kandrona rays, lest they starve. One teenager – Tobias – traps himself in the morph of a red-tailed hawk, and they are later joined by a single, young Andalite,Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (Ax). Other details will be added as necessary, and feel free to ask.
Unfortunately, the site forces me to use "-- --" to denote thoughtspeak (how Animorphs communicate in morph, and how Ax does, usually).
The Stones
"So this is our high school." Marco said, shifting the strap of his backpack on his shoulder. A massive and potentially health-hazardous mold infestation had shut down the school they'd been meant to attend for the year, so the school boards of various nearby districts took up the slack, shuffling this particular bunch of teens to a school thirty-some minutes from their homes. "So this is Reefside High."
"Disappointed by the chicks here, Marco?" Rachel sardonically asked, giving him a light shove.
"Nah, they're not bad-looking."
"Too bad for you – there go your chances." Electric sparks jumped between their locked eyes.
"We've been here for all of one minute, and you're already arguing?" Jake sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. In a much lower, conspiratorial voice, he continued, "Everyone know the plan?" Three heads nodded their affirmation. When the bell rang, they were still in the school – just not in class.
"Well, that was a bust."
"Disappointed by the lack of Yeerk ass to kick, Rachel?" Marco asked, echoing Rachel's earlier sarcasm. This time, Jake had the prescience to hold up his hand to silence his Rachel, his cousin's mouth opening for a retort; the latter shot a glower at the smarmy Hispanic boy who she so often bantered with.
--That was a little anti-climactic, though. Could someone open a door? Ax and I kinda need to get out and demorph, -- Tobias thoughtspoke, flying an erratic pattern around Jake's head.
"You know, doing that just makes me instinctively want to swat you," Jake remarked, walking towards the side door and opening it. Two flies vacated the building as a woman strode up to them.
"Skipping class?" she inquired with the lazy tone of a tiger, prey cornered. The woman introduced herself as none other than Principal Randall, and gesturing to the now ringing bell, followed up with, "Or rather, skipped class." Students poured out of their classrooms.
"Um-"
"I don't know if that's allowable in your old district, but here, we're somewhat less lenient," the principal icily stated, then waved over a teacher – a rather young one with odd spiky hair, the teens noticed – and addressed him. "Dr. Oliver, I've got a few more delinquents for you to take care of this afternoon."
"What? You can't be serious – those three are already–"
"Can't we have double detention some other day?" Jake suddenly cut in, the look of oddly serious concern on his face mirrored by the group. "We've got pressing obligations." In this case, scouting and surveillance, he thought to himself.
"Well, maybe you'll think of that next time before you choose to break school rules, Mr...?"
"Berenson."
"Berenson," she repeated, his name sounding like that of a toxic chemical coming from her mouth. "You four are spending detention today, and with Dr. Oliver," she continued, shooting the teacher a grave look before walking off.
"Great. Just great," Dr. Oliver muttered, then turned to the teens and asked, "What's your next class?"
"We all have the same schedule – Integrated Science I," Cassie mumbled softly, eyes downcast, having taken out her schedule, "With, ah, you, Dr. Oliver."
A general sigh went around.
The rest of the day flew by uneventfully, and detention rolled around all too soon. Having too many people to accommodate in one car, the other three detention-bound kids took their cars instead; comprised of an arrogant, popular jock, a fringe indie singer, and a self-absorbed computer geek, they were most incongruous bunch of seniors Jake'd ever seen. He, Cassie, Rachel, and Marco, in the meantime, piled into Dr. Oliver's jeep. A wordless car ride followed, with a red-tailed hawk hovering overhead.
Arriving at the museum, Dr. Oliver set them off on their own, telling them to look for fossils and suchlike – if they found one, he'd let them off. This seemingly innocent quest drew controversy among the group of sophomores, even as the Reefside seniors went off on their own way.
"Doesn't that seem a little...suspicious?" Marco asked, eyes narrowed, as soon as the other three were out of hearing range.
"Marco, don't be paranoid." Cassie shivered; no one wanted to think that the underground invasion had gone beyond their hometown.
"He's not being paranoid. He's being sensible," Rachel grimly stated, trying her hardest to ignore her best friend's wounded look. "The guy ditched a bunch of teenagers in front of a closed museum. Teenagers that are supposed to be in detention."
--I think we need to run surveillance on him, Tobias said, landing on a nearby tree. There's no one around, so no problem morphing. I'd go, but I'm scouting the area until further notice.-- Two fierce hawk eyes stared pointedly at Jake.
"We need you at that, Tobias. Rachel?"
"Gotcha." With that, she concentrated on the fly, her lips melding together and extending, forming a proboscis as she rapidly shrank, flesh-colored wings sprouting from her back.
--Ready to go at your command, fearless leader,-- Rachel said, buzzing. Jake eye-rolled, then nodded.
--Hop on – I'll drop you near him. -- The red-tailed hawk descended, allowing the housefly to rest on his head; the others watched as the two left.
"We need to take a look around," Jake stated after a moment, heading into the woods, "With the museum closed, he's not around for no reason."
Tobias circled over the woods. The three teens - he heard the names Conner, Kira, and Ethan – were wandering around it, getting awfully close to where Ax was demorphing and remorphing in compliance with the two hour limit. No way was he about to allow them a glimpse of his blue-furred alien friend.
"TSEEEEEEEEEEER!" He dived at them, dodging trees with an expertness acquired through a year's constant experience. Chasing them out past the tree line, he mentally sighed with relief, pulling back skyward.
--Thank you, Tobias.-- A harrier joined him in the air, turning to head off in another direction.
--No prob.--
"Seems like a normal forest to me," Marco grumbled as they trudged around, "I'm tired of seeing so much lumber."
"Marco!" Cassie exclaimed, "Trees are more than just lumber, you know."
"He's got a point, though," Jake sighed, "There doesn't seem to be anyaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Jake!" Cassie cried. The brunette boy had fallen into what seemed at first sight to be a sinkhole, but revealed itself to be a tunnel – and from the looks of it, one excavated, not natural. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he called up, rising and dusting himself off, "But I think you two need to get down here. We might have been right to worry."
They followed the tunnel in quiet tenseness, hoping that they wouldn't find a Yeerk pool, wouldn't hear the cries of people being enslaved, wouldn't be facing the danger of Hork-Bajir arm-blades and Taxxon mouths, but ready for it as only they could be. What they discovered instead at the end of the passage was not unlike a mad paleontologist's hideout. Fossils dotted the room, but what drew their attention was the raised pedestal, upon which were three dimly glowing stones – one red, one blue, one yellow.
"What are those?" Cassie asked of no one in particular.
"Y'know, weirdness just loves us, doesn't it? Just LOVES us," Marco muttered, at which Jake gave a short, harsh laugh.
"Let's take these back to Ax. It looks like it might be alien technology," Jake asserted after a moment of silence.
"More alien technology – just what we need." The raven-haired boy eye-rolled, but consented, grabbing the blue stone. At the touch, he felt a strange tingliness course through him, unsettling, and gave a small yelp as he jumped backwards.
"What's wrong?" Cassie asked, alarmed – it took a lot to faze them these days.
"T-that felt weird. I don't know if it's a good idea to take these, you guys." His words came too late; Jake and Cassie had already grabbed the remaining stones, red and yellow respectively, each startled by the same feeling. Unsettled, they silently agreed to leave looking around until they could amass the whole group's strength.
Now out of the underground lair, a gale rose, accompanied by a loud growl as the trio turned and faced a gang of non-human beings menacingly approaching them.
"Oh, crap," Marco muttered, "Just our luck."
"Can we?" Cassie asked, shooting a wild, panicked look at Jake.
"We can't be sure they're not Controllers, Cassie. Dammit!" he hissed quietly, then exclaimed, "We've gotta run!"
They barreled over the rough terrain with the pursuers drawing ever nearer until Marco stumbled, tripping over an exposed root. Mind blazing, he tried to focus on the gorilla, tried to focus on becoming the gorilla – but found the image of a triceratops asserting itself in his mind. Fuming at himself for such a useless, random thought, he was shocked to find his skin toughening, becoming scale-like as he raised his arms to block the blow aimed at his head. With the same guidance of instinct as any animal morph, he found himself fighting, a whirl of punches and kicks. Soon enough, Cassie joined him, having awakened her own powers in screaming his name, as did Jake, dashing around at speeds unattainable by anything human. It wasn't long before the skirmish ended.
"That was..." Marco gasped, slightly short of breath.
"Weird." Cassie finished, touching a hand to her throat.
"We're freaks of nature that can become animals, Cassie. You're going to have to describe it differently," the black-haired boy commented, smirking faintly.
"We need to confront Dr. Oliver about this. These things–" Jake lifted the red gem – "are definitely not random stones, and I'll bet it's got something to do with him. He'd better explain himself."
"Or what? What if he's a Yeerk?"
Jake paused for a moment, the line of his jaw set grimly. "Well, he'd be in for a long three days."