Part 2 - Seeing Clearly Through the Mists

by TeknoKat

Visser Three finds out who the Animorphs are. What are they going to do?

Seeing Clearly Through the Mists

Seeing clearly through the mists,
Is not an easy thing to do.
But when someone dies that you love,
You try your best to find your way through.


Marco and Melissa were dead.
I sat in my room, alternating crying and thinking. Most of it was crying.
Marco had been my best friend. And now he was gone. No longer alive. No longer with us.
I should have done more to help you Marco, I berated myself through the tears in my eyes. I hadn't helped him enough to save him. And now he was dead.
I sighed, and stopped crying for the moment. Marco didn't need my tears. He needed me to avenge him.
And avenge him I would.

We had buried Marco and Melissa after the battle. We had demorphed, then remorphed and carried their bodies as best we could. Tobias had gone back to hawk, and Ax had gone human.
Luckily the woods happen to be connected to that part of the city. We had gotten through to the woods with few people seeing us.
We had taken Marco and Melissa to a nice quiet patch of the woods next to a stream. The birds sang there. The deer came there to drink. It was a nice place. I also hated it.
Rachel had picked Marco and Melissa gently off her elephant back and set them gently on the ground. Then we began to dig the best we could in our morphs. It had taken us over three hours to dig their graves.
They would lay eternally with each other. Forever together, never apart.
We demorphed after Rachel laid their bodies to rest. We had a little ceremony, telling each other how they had been. Melissa hadn't been an Animorph long, but she had been as much an Animorph that me or Rachel or Tobias were.
After that, we had buried their bodies. Slowly, with many tears. All of us cried. Including Tobias who had morphed to himself. Ax had gone back to Andalite, and he grieved in his own way.
When we were done, we sat around in a circle, telling stories of mainly Marco. We said thing about Melissa too, but there just wasn't as much to say about her.
We cried some more, and we hugged each other in our own grief. Then we decided that we should go home. There was nothing much more we could do for Marco or Melissa.
We went home, crying and turning around, looking at their fresh graves. Sometimes a small smile of a memory were come, but they were few and far between.
Now we had to find our way through the mist without Marco and Melissa.

Did I want to stay an Animorph after Marco's and Melissa's death?
I was contemplating that myself as I sat on my bed. Did I want to be an Animorph after this?
No, not really, I decided. But it really wasn't a choice of wanting to be an Animorph. It was something that I was bound to do. I had to be an Animorph. I couldn't just up and walk away because my friends had died. Or could I?
I shook my head. I knew that everyone else must be going through this. I knew that I would stay an Animorph. I knew that Ax and Tobias probably would. But what about Cassie? She hadn't liked this war in the first place. Would this be her chance to get out of it?
I sighed. I didn't know. I didn't know anything any more. What was there to know?
I stood up and stretched. I looked out my window to see a red-tailed hawk. It was flying towards my window. Tobias.
I opened my window, and he landed on the sill.
He sounded concerned.
I sighed. Marco had promised me not to tell anyone. But Marco was no longer here.
"We don't have to worry about Marco's dad."
He looked at me with his fierce hawk gaze. He had a sadness in his 'voice' but it didn't reach his hawk eyes. Not that it would have changed them anyway.
"Marco's father is a Controller. He has been for almost six months. Marco promised me not to tell you guys. He wanted it to be his problem, and only his."

"Marco had one to many problems. He didn't need one more, but he made me promise. I was surprised that he had even told me. I think he told me though for the fact that I would have noticed if Marco's father was a Controller. Now he has nothing to worry about," I said softly. Tobias turned his head.

I shook my head. "Not if we tell him that he ran away. Marco had been acting more...weird lately. He will figure that he just had to much, and ran away. At least I hope that he will suspect that." I sighed.
Tobias sighed. He looked at me.
I sighed. "I had been thinking of the same thing myself. I decided that I need to stay an Animorph. As bad as it sounds I can't cut out because Marco is dead. We knew that one of us would probably end up dying. Marco and Melissa just happened to be the first." I felt a errant tear fall down my face. I wiped it away with a finger.
Then without another word, he turned around and jumped out the window and flew away.
I wished I could do the same.

I went downstairs, and sat on the couch. I didn't care what was one, so I just flipped through the channels on the TV. Yea.
"Jake, are you okay?" I turned my head to see my mom sitting down beside me.
"Yeah, just a little depressed." I smiled what I hoped was a nothing-is-wrong-everything-is-fine smile.
My mom shook her head, not buying it. "Are you sure that you are okay? Your eyes are puffy and red."
"Pollen," I lied. For effect I rubbed my eyes. "My eyes have been itchy all day."
"Here, let me go get some eye drops. Those will help." She stood up, and went to get the eye drops. I sighed.
She came back. "I think you are old enough to do this yourself." She handed me the eye drops. I sighed softly so that she wouldn't hear me. I tilted back my head and put a drop in each eye. I hated doing that.
"Here you go." I handed it back to my mom. She smiled like she knew what was best for all people my age. Yeah right.
I sighed again for effect, and went back to watching, and flipping through the TV channels.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. I stood up.
"I got it!" I yelled. I walked to the door. I got a bad feeling as I walked towards it. I shivered, and put it behind me. I opened the door.
I nearly fell to my knees when I saw who it was. I could feel myself shake with suddenly fear.
It was Visser Three.

He was in human morph. He smiled. It was an evil smile.
"Hello Jake. Hello my little so-thought Andalite." His smile widened. Then his eyes shifted to behind me. I looked.
Both my mother and brother, Tom, were coming up behind me. Tom was smiling. I shivered.
"Hello," said my mother. "Can we help you?"
"Why yes." The Visser looked behind him. "Take her." He stood aside and at least a half dozen human Controllers streamed into my house, and grabbed my mother. She struggled, until my brother punched her in the side of the head. She crumpled to the ground.
"Noooooooo!" I yelled. I whirled and kicked the Visser in the stomach. He bent over, and I ran towards the stairs.
How could he have found me?! How!? I screamed to myself as I kicked and punched two Controllers out of my way.
I started to run up the stairs when someone grabbed one of my ankles. It was Tom.
I looked at him, and he had a look of triumph and hate on his face. I snarled at him. "Let go of me Tom!" I growled. He shook his head and pulled.
I slid down a couple of step. I had had enough. They knew who we were! Oh my God! Cassie! Rachel!
I kicked at Tom, and one of my kicks caught him in the face. He staggered back, holding a bleeding, broken nose.
I ran up the stair, when I felt unexplainable evil coming behind me. I stopped and turned. Visser Three, still in human morph, was calmly climbing up the stairs.
"Little Jake. How could you ever think that we thought you were Andalites? How could we have been so blind? One of you always speaking. One of you always an Andalite." He smiled in triumph. "But now we know who you are. All of you." He climbed up the stairs. Towards me.
I was shaking, but with rage, not fear. "Yeerk filth. A slug. That's all you are. A mistake." I laughed harshly and without humor.
"Ah, but it is so much than what you are Little Jake."
I smiled to myself. Here we were, the Visser and I, exchanging insults. Interesting.
"I have been thinking Little Jake. Should I make you a Controller? Or should I just kill you?"
"I'll go with neither of those scum." I began to morph. The Visser smiled. I knew what he was expecting me to morph. But this wasn't the time to fight. This was the time to flee. Or fly.
I had at least a dozen Dracon beams aimed at me. My mother was awake again. I could hear her screaming.
I smiled to myself. "This is not the time Visser. But there will be. Oh will there ever be." I morphed some more. He still couldn't tell what I was becoming.
"Don't you want to know how we found you?"
I shrugged. Well sort of shrugged. My shoulders weren't exactly shoulders any more.
He grinned. He slowly became Andalite. "Didn't you noticed the white birds flying above you? Did you not notice us? Your friend was right. It was a trap. Whoever the spy was knew. We still haven't found him, if that is any consolation." His tail and tail blade came out behind him. He grinned even wider.
I smiled to myself. He didn't notice. Good for him. I was beginning to feel a little scared. I was more angry than scared. Now the Yeerks knew who I, Cassie, and Rachel were. I was worried.
"Sorry to leave so soon Visser, but I really must be going." He gave a quizzical look, and I speed morphed to fly. I was fly before anyone could react. I jumped up into the air, and buzzed towards what I hoped was my room, and my still open window.
Visser Three. I was surprised that he hadn't noticed me morph. That was probably because he had expected me to go to my tiger. He was wrong.
I flew to what I hoped was my room. I was fast, and I was agile. Maybe I would get out alive. Maybe.
Suddenly I was in a room. I could tell. The room temperature was different. There weren't as many air currents.
I could barely see with my fly eyes. But I saw enough. The room I was in was a pig sty. It was my room. Now if I could only find my window.
I heard a loud thump behind me. I knew that my room had more than me in it now.
I could feel the Visser's rage. He was in my room!
A bright light! The window! I flew at top fly speed towards it.
Open air!
I was free!
For now.

I had to get to Rachel and Cassie! I had to! I flew, and flew, and flew. I flew until I thought I was far enough away. Then I flew a little bit more.
I landed and demorphed. I knew that the Visser would be scouring the land for me. And for my friends.
Dear God! My friends!
As soon I was human, and began to morph again. This time to peregrine falcon. The fastest animal alive. The animal I needed to have the slightest chance of helping my friends.
I flew at top speed to Cassie's.
Dear God, I hoped I wasn't too late.

I yelled as soon as I was in range. I flew towards the barn, hoping she was in there.
Thank God. She was!
I zoomed in, and landed on a rafter. She was so beautiful, even if she was mucking out the stalls.
"What?" she said. She looked up at me. I was panting, my little falcon chest heaving. I hopped from foot to foot.
Her eyes widened. She dropped the shovel with a clatter. She quickly picked it up.
"How do you know Jake?"
I hopped to another rafter. I had to go warn Rachel! I was starting to get more ansy.
She frowned. "What about my family?" She looked up at me. There were tears in her eyes.
I sighed. I looked around. I wished I could kiss her right then. But a bird beak doesn't make for the best kisser. I jumped from the rafter.
"She gave it to me!" She yelled. "I'll get it! Don't get caught Jake! Dear God, don't get caught!" She ran out of the barn, only a few feet behind me, and raced to the house.
I called. I knew she couldn't answer. It felt good just to say it. I needed something to feel good.
After all, I might not get out of this alive.

I raced to Rachel's. I was exhausted. But I had to get there.
Tobias!
I looked up. He was above me, flying expertly.
He spilled some air, and came down to my height.

I saw Tobias stumble in the air. He quickly caught himself. was all he said.
We raced to Rachel's.

Tobias whispered. The Yeerks were already there. And there were loud noises coming from inside the house. A hoarse roar. A roar of pain.
Tobias screamed. He dived down towards the house. I dived after him, but was quickly ahead of him. I was a peregrine falcon. The fastest animal.
I dived towards the house just as they dragged two screaming girls from inside the house. Jordan and Sara! Rachel's sisters. After them came a women, being dragged. She was unconscious.
Tobias yelled again.
Suddenly, there was a crashed of broken glass, and a bear fell out of the window. She was burned, and cut badly, but she was alive. For now.
She yelled. Her voice was ragged. She stood up into a bear crouch.
I yelled. I screamed and dive bombed a Controller that was harassing Rachel.
She swiped a clawed paw, hitting a Controller with her paw. She roared.
I flapped my wings to get some altitude to dive again.
She stopped, not finishing the sentence.
I said tersely.
yelled Tobias suddenly. He screamed and dived at the Controller about ready to fire at her head. He looked up, and quickly re-aimed at him He fired.
cried Rachel. She whirled and slapped the Controller. He crumpled.
screamed Tobias. The Controller had shot off a leg. It wouldn't kill him if he morphed before he lost to much blood. I hoped.

He yelled back. He voice shook with pain.

Then he said something private to Rachel. She said something back. I don't know what they said, but I had a feeling. I smiled to myself, and dived another Controller.
I asked Rachel. She was slowly backing away. She charged at a group of Controllers, bowling them over.
She nodded her bear head. A very odd looking thing.
She roared suddenly, and turned heel and ran. The Controllers fired after her. I made it slightly more difficult by diving at them. It wasn't enough.
she yelled.
I would have laughed, if not for the seriousness of the situation. There was a big burn hole in Rachel's bear butt.
Then Tobias was there. He began diving a Controllers heads and eyes. he yelled. We both attacked the Controllers, making it more difficult for them to fire at Rachel.
yelled Rachel suddenly. I had seen her run behind a house. When she came out, she was a wolf, and running all out towards the woods.

We winged our way out of there.

I landed in the woods. I demorphed and took a couple of deep breaths. My family were Controllers. As was Rachel's family. What of Cassie's?
I began to morph wolf. That was the morph I needed. I was already exhausted, but need comes before exhaustion.
I ran into the woods, sniffing for Cassie. I came close to her house, or at least as close as I dared.
I found her scent after a few minutes of sniffing. I also smelled that her parents were with her. Great.
I followed the scent.

I found Cassie almost a half hour later. She had gone far into the woods. Just as I told her.
I trotted up to where they were. She was sitting down, her parents looking at her and giving her the fish eye. Then they saw me.
"Keep still. Keep very, very still," said her father quietly.

A hand waved back and forth. They knew some.

Her head nodded slowly. I nodded my wolf head. Her parents blinked.
"Mom, Dad. Don't go running when you see or hear this. That wolf right there is Jake." She stood and walked towards me.
"Cassie!" Her mother yelped. "Cassie don't go any closer!"
I told her mother and father. They jumped, and looked around.
"Jake? Jake, where are you?" Cassie's father sounded angry.
They looked at me. I began to demorph.
I expected them to go running. They just gawked at me.
"Okay, no more sugar for me," said Cassie's father. Cassie smiled faintly.
I finished my morph. I felt somewhat stupid. I was only in my morphing clothes. My shirt, pants, and shoes had long since shredded.
"What are you Jake? Or was that some trick?" Cassie's mom looked at me.
"I am human. Just like you. And this was no trick. It is all real. Cassie, did you tell them of this?"
"Sort of. They only know a little bit. Enough to get them out here."
"What are you talking about Cassie?" Her father had an I-am-your-parent-so-you-had-better-tell-me voice. I smiled faintly.
She sighed softly.
We told them the story of the Animorphs.

When we had finished, the looked at us.
"You mean to tell us that you can...morph? From this Andalite prince named Alfalfa." Cassie's father looked disbelieving at us.
"Elfangor," I corrected softly. "Yes, he gave us this power. Yes, we can morph."
"And these Yeerks," Cassie's mother continued. "These Yeerks crawl into the ear canal, go to your brain, wrap around the brain, and control you."
"Yes."
"You realize this is hard to swallow? Very hard."
Cassie nodded her head. "We know. Sometimes I don't believe it myself. But it is very real. Too real."
"Then how do you know that we aren't Controllers?"
"We don't. We are going on hope to hope that you aren't Controllers. They only way we will know is if we either keep a really good eye on you two, or tie you up. I prefer keeping an eye on you two."
Cassie's father shook his head. "I don't know if I should believe this, or believe that I am, or you guys, are in some rubber room."
I looked at Cassie. "You saw me morph out of wolf. We are going to show you morphing into one." I nodded to Cassie.
We began to morph wolves.
First my nose grew, and grew, until all I could see was my nose. My ears began to crawl up to the top of my head. A tail, with no hair, grew, and my knees reversed. My eyes turned yellow, and grey and brown-black fur swept out of my body. My fingers began to shorten, and turned into paws. I fell onto four legs.
I looked at Cassie. Long fur spilled from her body, and a tail with long fur flowed out. Her body began to contort into that of the wolf. Her head remained unchanged till last. The last thing to change were her eyes. They went from dark, dark brown, to yellow. She looked at her parents.
They were calmly looking at us. Appraising us. Seeing if this was all real.
I was so tired, I really couldn't believe that I could morph again. I didn't know if I would be able to morph out. I hoped I could.
I asked them.
"I don't know what to believe any more," said Cassie's mom softly. I heard her.
said Cassie. She began to demorph. So did I.
I was so tired by the time I was demorphed that I could barely stand. Cassie looked at me and saw my ragged face.
"Are you okay Jake?"
"Yeah," I said softly. Suddenly my knees gave out.
Darkness came.

"Jake, wake up!"
So tired. I didn't want to wake up. Leave me alone.
"Jake, wake up!" I felt a slap on my face. I groaned and sat up slowly. My muscles ached.
I opened my eyes. Rachel glared at me.
"Aah! Don't do that!" I rubbed my eyes. I didn't feel any better than I had earlier.
Cassie's mom looked at me. "Are you okay? I was worried about you. So was Cassie, but she said not to wake you."
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just to much at once I guess." I stood up, slowly so as not to fall over.
"I believe you," Cassie's mom said softly. "So does Cassie's father. He is talking to her right now. He wants to know why we hadn't been told."
"We couldn't tell anyone. We didn't know who to trust, and who not to trust."
"It took me forever to find you guys," said Rachel angrily. I knew the anger wasn't directed to me though. She was angry at the Yeerks, herself, but not me. I was glad.
"How did you find us?" I leaned carefully against a tree.
"With Tobias's and Ax's help." She looked at the ground. "I couldn't find your guys scent."
"Have Cassie's parents met Ax yet?" I asked her.
She shook her head. "No. They will be, but not yet. Cassie said to let what you guys already told them sink in."
I looked at Rachel suddenly. "The blue box! Did she get the blue box!?"
She nodded her head and picked up a pack on the ground. "It was the first thing she grabbed." She unzipped it and pulled out the blue box. The last time we had used it was with Melissa.
A sudden crunching of leaves. I looked up from the blue box, to see Cassie, and her father coming from the woods.
Cassie's father sighed, but said nothing to us. He walked over to his wife, and they huddled together, and began to talk in quiet voices.
Cassie smiled. "You are okay!" She hugged me, then kissed me softly. I kissed her back.
I pulled away first. I looked at the blue box. I asked Rachel and Cassie, "Do we make them Animorphs?"
"No," said Cassie, shaking her head. "I already asked my dad. He said no. They will help, but they don't want to morph. I don't really blame them."
"Okay. When should we show them Ax?" Rachel asked. She sat down on a rock, and turned her head. Her eyes had dark circles around them, and her face was hollow looking.
Cassie shrugged. "Anytime. Ax is waiting just a couple of dozen yards off. Tobias has been keeping an eye out for Controllers. So far they haven't come to the woods yet. Yet." She sighed.
"We might as well show them Ax now," I said. "They are going to see him sooner or later. By accident or not. They might as well get to know him now."
I looked over at Cassie's parents. Innocents thrown into a war.
"Mom, we have someone for you to meet. You too dad. His name is Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. He is an Andalite. Don't be scared of him."
I turned to the woods. "Come on out Ax!"
There was a crunching of leaves. Suddenly a blue and tan body stepped out of the forest. He stood at the fringe of the small meadow we were at. He had his tail to the ground.
He smiled with his eyes.
Cassie's parents were gaping. Cassie's dad stood up. He walked slowly over to Ax, obviously hesitant. "H-hello Aximili. I am Cassie's father." He put out his hand.
Ax looked at Cassie's dad's hand with his main eyes, while he looked at me with his stalk eyes.
"You are supposed to shake it. Use your hand. You've done it before Ax."
Ax nodded his head. He put out his hand, and shook Cassie's father's hand. He smiled.
Ax let go, and walked over to Cassie's mother. He bowed.
I smiled. Ax had been watching too much TV.
Cassie's mother smiled. She stood up, and suddenly hugged Ax. Ax looked startled, and began to back away.

"It's called a hug Ax. You've seen it before. Geesh." Rachel said this. She had crossed her arms, though there was a slight smile on her face.
Ax attempted to hug her back. Cassie's mother laughed and pulled away. "It's nice to meet you Aximili." She smiled. "I might as well treat you like you are one of my kids. I already do Rachel and Jake." She looked around. "I thought you said that Marco was with you that night. Where is he?"
I looked at Cassie and Rachel. There were already tears in Cassie's. Mine also. I watched as tears welled up in Rachel's. I turned to Cassie's parents. The saw the look on my face. They knew. I said it anyway.
"Marco's," I swallowed, "Marco's dead. He was killed yesterday in a battle." I hung my head, and let the tears fall down my face.
"Oh my God. This is war is for real," whispered Cassie's dad. He shook his head. "Dear God you poor children."
Cassie's mom was suddenly there, hugging me. I hugged her back. I needed the hug. My mother hadn't known that Marco had been killed. No comforting there.
Cassie's mother let go of me, and went over to Rachel, who was now crying. I wiped the tears from my face, and said nothing.
I sighed. "Ax, is Tobias nearby?"
He looked around the meadow with his stalk eyes.
came the faint reply.
"Ax, ask him if any Controllers are about."


said Ax.


Tobias laughed. Suddenly he was out of range.
I smiled faintly to myself. Then I frowned. Where were we going to stay? What were we going to do? We had no food, almost no clothing.
I was turning to Rachel and Cassie to address the situation, when time stopped.

"Ra-" I stopped. I stopped because everything else had stopped. Everything except for me, Rachel, Cassie, Ax, and Tobias. Tobias because he was suddenly in front of us.
"Ellimist," I said, somewhat bitterly. "What do you want?"
A beam of light formed in front of me. He formed into a human. Or at least human shape. "The question I believe is more of what do you need?" He spoke like a normal human. The Ellimist smiled faintly. If he could smile at all.
demanded Ax. He took a hesitate step towards him.
"I do not come to play games Andalite." He turned towards me. "I am sorry for the loss of Marco and Melissa. They were indeed good people."
I clenched and unclenched my hands. "I ask again, what do you want?"
"Why, to help you. Have I not helped in some way every time I show myself?"
said Tobias angrily.
"I have come to help you. I have come to offer you a home, with food, clothing. Everything you will need."
"And what do you want in return?" asked Rachel.
"All I ask for in return is that you keep fighting the Yeerks."
I raised an eyebrow sceptically. "That's it?" I didn't believe him.
"Yes Jake. That is all I ask. That you continue to fight the Yeerks." The Ellimist smiled at me. Sort of. It was hard to tell since he was a formation of light.
"I think he is lying," said Rachel darkly. She crossed her arms, and looked skeptically at the Ellimist.
"I am not lying. Were would the profit be in that? I tell the truth. No tricks, no games." He bowed slightly. "Do you accept?"
I looked at everyone. Cassie had said nothing. She looked at the Ellimist. "I think he is telling the truth. I think he really means it. I say yes Jake. We need the help. There is almost no way for us to survive out here without help."
I looked back at the Ellimist. He was standing there, looking at us, waiting for an answer. "What do you think Rachel? Tobias? Ax?"
Rachel shrugged. "I think, that as long as he protects us, of sorts, that we should go along with it. If doesn't hide where we are going to be, were going to be some very dead Animorphs in a very short time."
asked Tobias. Rachel nodded her head. Tobias looked at the Ellimist.
The Ellimist laughed. "Yes, of course. I had planned to. I must protect you for you to help me."
I looked at Ax. "Ax, what do you think?"
"You are my Prince. I will do what you would have me do."
"Ax, I am not a Prince. Decide for yourself Ax."
Ax swivelled his eye stalks. Then he bowed his head. "I think we shouldn't do this. He is tricking us in some unforseen way. But I do agree that we need his help. So for that fact, I say yes." He looked at me. His eyes were almost glowing.
"Okay Ellimist. You have our answer." I looked at him. I was surprised that we hadn't been transported there. "Aren't you going to take us there?" I looked around.
The Ellimist shook his head. "No Jake. Not this time. This time, you must walk."
I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Why?"
The Ellimist smiled secretively. "You will find out. You will see."
"Then how will we get there?" asked Rachel.
"I will get you there, but you must walk. You will know when you see it. I will tell you one thing." He looked at all of us. "It is in the mountains."
"In the mountains?" Rachel gaped. "That's like, twenty miles away."
The Ellimist smiled again. "I said you had to walk. I did not say that I wouldn't help you walk faster. You won't notice, but you will get there before dark."
For the first time I noticed that it was late morning. I guessed around eleven o'clock. "Why are you doing this?" I asked softly.
The Ellimist just smiled and disappeared. I blinked, and sighed.
Wonderful.
Life's just great, isn't it?

After we told Cassie's parents what had happened, we began out trek.
Ever few hours, Tobias would come back, and report that no one was nearby. At all times we had one of us in wolf morph, not only for a guide, but for protection. On the other hand, we had an Andalite. Just about as much protection as we needed.
It really didn't seem like we were moving all that fast. But every time I looked up, and wasn't in wolf morph, we were closer to the mountains. Way closer.
It was around three or four o'clock in the afternoon, when we took a break.
We had found a small stream, and a small clearing. We sat there, drinking our fill of water, and talking.
Cassie's parents were having a hard time. They were older, and more out of shape.
Well maybe not out of shape, just not used to walking such a distance. Me, Cassie, and Rachel weren't either. We were tired, but too stubborn to say it.
Ax was lying on the ground, one hoof in the water, drinking.
That's when the Andalite fell out of the sky.

I looked up to find a blue-purple streak falling to the ground.
Ax was instantly up, his tail arched and ready.
Rachel was already morphing to grizzly bear.
Me, Cassie, and Cassie's parents just stared.
The blue-purple streak stumbled to its feet, and looked at the sky. It held its tail arched, just like Ax. And it was looking at the sky.
Then it noticed us.
It instantly changed from looking at the sky, to looking at us.
That's when I realized it was an Andalite.
"Oh my God," whispered Cassie.
The Andalite's stalk eyes were whipping about, looking at us, and for any trouble.
I blinked my eyes.
Ax began to walk up to the Andalite.
it screamed. The Andalite whipped it's tail at Ax.
"Ax!" I yelled. I had no need to worry.
Ax expertly brought his tail up, and deflected it's tail blade. Then he whipped his tail blade, and stopped it a hair before the other Andalite's throat. One twitch would send the Andalite's head rolling. Literally.
he asked harshly. I could see that he was as startled as us.
I took a quick glance at Rachel. She was fully grizzly bear, and ready to help Ax. If he needed it.
The Andalite raised it's head.
Ax had taken a step back. He blinked his main eyes. He did not take away his tail blade from it's throat.
I took a step forward. "Ax, who is this? Would you mind introducing us?"
Myralili looked at me. I could see her tail blade quiver.
I shook my head. "No, I am not a Controller. I'm Jake." I looked at Ax. "Does..uh..it understand me?"
the Andalite said. She looked me up and down. I swear she sneered at me.
I sighed. "I am not a Controller. No one here is. Though you on the other hand..." I looked at her.
She looked at me with distain. Then she looked at Ax. she asked. Then she looked startled for a moment.
said Ax, somewhat bitterly,
She kept glaring at us, not believing that we weren't Controllers.
Ax looked at me. He said this only to me.
"Whatever you think is best Ax."
He seemed to sigh.
Myralili's eyes widened. Here main eyes narrowed.
Ax bowed his head. Then he brought it back up.
Then she sighed softly, and relaxed.
"How did you get here?" asked Cassie.
She looked sharply at Cassie. She looked at Ax. She looked at us. She looked up.
"Actually," I said, "you are. Or at least probably are. We are being hunted by the Yeerks." I looked at Ax.

"We are being protected by the Ellimist. He has said that he would protect us, as long as we would fight the Yeerks. He is giving us a home in the mountains." I looked at everyone.
Cassie's parents had not tried to hide like I figured they would. They were standing there, looking at Myralili like she was a specimen. Or maybe just something new.
Myralili laughed. She laughed again.
"Then tell me how you survived the fall. How is that they haven't found you yet?" I looked at her.
She laughed, but with less conviction. Then she stopped laughing all together. She sighed.
Something hit me. "Visser Three is your father?"
She sighed again.
Ax took away his tail blade, but he held it ready.
She seemed to shrug.
I sighed myself. "Demorph Rachel. If she does do something, I think Ax can handle her."
Rachel demorphed while Myralili looked at her with astonishment.
I smiled. "Well we might as well get to the mountains and see our new home."
We packed up what little we had unpacked and resumed our trek.

We were climbing the mountain. It wasn't all that tiring, because the Ellimist was helping us. But I felt like I should be exhausted. Again.
We climbed, and climbed. The air never seemed to thin, or cool. The Ellimist again. He was, for once, being useful. I think.
Suddenly time stopped again. Cassie's parents stopped. A bird in the air stop flying.
"Now you see why I wanted you to walk." A form of a light popped out in front of me.
I heard Myralili gasp.
"Yes, I know why you wanted us to walk now. How far until we reach our...home?"
"I feel hesitation in you Jake." The Ellimist smiled, then turned to Myralili. "See, we do exist. We do not often show ourselves, but we do exist. These people need you Myralili." He waved his hand to include us all. "Help them."
"Why are you here again Ellimist?" I was getting tired of seeing the Ellimist. I was never sure of what he was going to do.
"I came to tell you of your home. It is a valley, much like the free
Hork-Bajirs. I will hide it. Keep you safe. But you will fight the Yeerks. I will provide whatever you need. Food, clothing, water.
Necessities."
asked Tobias.
I started. I hadn't even known that Tobias was there.
"When you cross this ridge right here you will see your new home."
Then he disappeared. So did Tobias.
"I hate when he does that," griped Rachel.
"Come on Rachel, he has to impress us," said Cassie with a smile.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
We began to climb again.

It was just starting to get dark.
The sunset was spectacular. It was purple and a hot pink, with a tinge of gold.
We reached the ridge, and I smiled and waited for the rest of them to catch up to me.
Then we looked upon our new home together.


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