I do not own any of these characters except for 3 that I made up.

Ultimorphs The Return of All

Prologue (Marco)

I had my eyes closed while I was tossing and turning in bed, recalling everything that happened a year ago. The war was over, and my best bud Jake had made the toughest decision ever. He had sent his brother, Tom, a controller with his cousin, Rachel, an Animorph I know as Xena, to their death. Rachel approved. However, Jake and Rachel didn't tell any of us. We found out after it was too late. Cassie was way beyond mad at Jake, and so was Tobias. Cassie had been Jake's girlfriend and Rachel's best friend at the time, and Tobias was Rachel's boyfriend that was a red-tailed hawk. Long story. Read a different book.

Anyway, in my dream, I was walking alone, when suddenly the world felt like it was shifting. I fell through a hole that had eaten me and I knew there was something wrong…wait a minute…it was just Tobias, swooping around. So why did I make a big deal out of it? I shrugged the feeling off. I was just paranoid. Tobias looked angry, and I knew it was either about Rachel or about Jake. Marco, we have a problem.

"What is it, Tobias? Did Rachel run to Neverland?" Tobias landed. Not funny, Marco since it is Jake's fault.

"Jake's fault? Why isthfe..?" I was morphing to bird, to osprey to be exact. I tried thought speech. Why is it Jake's fault? What did he do wrong? Tobias was a little angry, an understatement.

R-Rachel is going down to the Yeerk Pool with Tom.

What! Is she a controller?

No. She's going to die, and she's taking Tom with her. I was shocked…

Again. Run through it by me again. Jake couldn't have done it. It would be a Rachel-like thing, not a Jake-like thing. Come on! I've known him all my life. And Yet…

Marco, it was Jake's idea. Rachel approved. Jake didn't tell anyone because Rachel thought it best. He wanted to tell you, but Rachel disagreed. She didn't even tell Cassie. Now, Rachel is going down there alone. I swear one day…

Tobias, you need to understand something. Would you prefer saving an entire planet or just one person that would end up being lost anyway? Personally, I would prefer saving the entire planet. Jeez, is that what went through Jake's head?

Tobias fell silent after that. We reached Cassie's barn and flew in. I demorphed. Cassie looked angry. Jake wasn't there at the time. Rachel wasn't there. Ax was in human morph. Normally he's a scorpion tailed, horse bodied, human torso with a head and stalk eyed alien. Cassie exploded and yelled at me.

"YOU! You know Jake, so why would he go and do something stupid like this!"

"Huh?" was my brilliant reply to her dumb statement.

"I can't believe that you didn't talk Jake OUT of this idea! I mean…"

"Uh, Cassie? I didn't know anything about this."

"Oh, really? Well, he tells you everything…"

"I didn't tell him, Cassie. I told no one." someone said from behind me. I swear I over exaggerated it again. It was only Jake. With a pale, sick-looking face.

"So why did you send her there? Could you answer that, oh fearless leader?" she scoffed.

"Because no one else would have done it!" He shouted. Everyone was silent.

He took a couple of deep breaths and said, "Look, I wasn't thinking that she would have been the one to go. I talked to her about it and she said that Marco would do it if I asked him to, but I couldn't ask him because he is my best friend. Cassie might have been reluctant to do it, but she would for the human race. Of course Rachel couldn't let me ask because you were her best friend. Ax would have done it in a heartbeat, but Tobias wouldn't have let him. Tobias was a possibility, but Rachel said no. I was going to…"

"NO!" Someone shouted. I was surprised. It was me.

All eyes turned. "Sorry, continue." I muttered.

"But, Rachel said that Marco would have chopped her head off. She told me then that she was the only possibility, but I said no. She said, that even though Tobias and Cassie wouldn't have allowed her, she would have gone anyway. She also told me that she was doing this whether I liked it or not. I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen."

He turned away, with tears in his eyes. He said, "You can be mad at me if you want. I've gotta get out of here." Then he walked out. Everyone was silent. I looked at everyone else. "It was Xena's choice, right? She would have done it on her own."

Cassie bit her lip and slowly nodded. "But, Marco, would she have thought about the plan before Jake had?"

I was stumped on that one. "Could you guys do me one favor? Don't stress Jake out even more than he already is. He's barely in the sane category of this world." I was about to leave when Erik, the chee came walking up. "I need to speak with Ax, Marco, Tobias, and Jake. NOW!" Boy was he urgent? Jake came in behind him, and that's when we were sent to space. Jake was in command. It had been ten days…

"Attention everyone!" A loudspeaker said. "If you could all come to the main office, Prince Jake would like to speak with all of you." Ax, Tobias and I were the first ones there. After everyone arrived, Jake walked up to the front and cleared his throat.

"Welcome, everyone. I know this is what you've all been waiting for, and it will soon be over. However. If there is anyone that wishes to leave, for if you stay you may not stay alive, you can. No? All right. Ax, I need to speak to you." Two minutes later, he came out and said, "Marco, could you come in for a minute?" I walked in.

Jake looked me in the eyes. He looked sad, but happy. If that makes sense.

"Marco…you have been here for me since before I can remember, you risked your life for me many times, and I could never thank you enough." He paused. I was wondering why he was being emotional, but after a couple sentences, I knew what was going on.

"I have this watch that I bought for you, and I want you to take it now." I looked at it. On the front it said, To Marco, the best friend anyone could wish for. I started getting teary-eyed. "I need you to do one more thing for me though, Marco." I nodded, tears down my face, and choked out, "Anything, Jake."

"I need you to leave here in the escape pod. Live the life you were supposed to live." I tried to protest, but Ax knocked me out.

The last words I heard from Jake were, "You will always be a brother to me. I will always be there for you. Even if you can't see me…." Pause. "Be ready to Ram the Blade ship in 2 minutes!"

I shot up from my bed like a lightning bolt. After that incident. 2 weeks later, I got a call and a doctor said, "Marco? We found no body that belongs to Jake Berenson. He didn't make it." It had been 2 years.