SEVEN: AX
"Welcome to the Quarter, everyone."
Marco welcomed us to this section of the city with arms open in the air. It was an unfamiliar place that I had never been to. The sights and smells were very different compared to everywhere else.
Cassie and Marco had urged us to follow them here. Because against all odds, they had discovered the Controller, El, alive and well. We expected this to be a joke from Marco - Rachel ready to hit him for making a 'sick' one - but Cassie insisted it wasn't.
I wasn't convinced. But she wasn't a liar either. So in the end, we came here to see for ourselves.
"What is the 'Quarter'?" I asked. I had morphed into my human form to blend in with my friends. Tobias did so as well.
"The Quarter is like our version of a Chinatown," Rachel said.
"What does that mean?" I asked again.
Marco was the one to answer. "It's a remnant of culturalism. New immigrants that didn't speak English were basically forced to live outside town. Later, the city grew to the point that it absorbed the old district. It's a hodge-podge of Asian cultures. Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean, and some Indian and Arab. That's the Quarter."
I am still unclear on some of the intricacies of human culture, but I understand that humans divide themselves into groups based on regional-cultural identities. I do not know why.
"Are you sure about this?" Prince Jake asked Cassie. "If El's still alive, we're just going to walk right in and she's not gonna recognize us at all?"
Cassie glanced at us sternly. "I'm positive. I think it should be fine."
"If she had, she would have gotten me at my house," Marco pointed.
"Or she's pretending," Rachel pointed ruptly. "Waiting for the right moment to catch us when we least expect it."
"I think that moment left my doorstep thirty minutes ago."
"I don't get it. We saw her die."
"I know. I know," Cassie said to Prince Jake. "But she's alive somehow. That's the best we can go on."
"Do you think this Yeerk's controlling a dead body then?" Rachel inquired.
"Whoa." Marco jumped with disgust. "When did this become a zombie movie?"
"That is impossible," I stated. "A Yeerk needs a functioning and active brain for them to have complete control. It cannot control the dead, or a vegetable host for that matter."
"Then who did we see at the warehouse, her twin?" Rachel frowned, folding her arms.
"Twin…" Marco repeated thoughtfully. "Do you think maybe that other El was, well-"
"Was what?"
"Someone like us. With morphing powers."
That idea visibly did not cross my friends' minds. I had suspected the possibility but it was a far-fetched idea to begin with.
"That...could explain some things," Cassie agreed.
"So you're saying that could have been an Andalite who acquired El's DNA?" Prince Jake clarified.
"It doesn't explain the Yeerk. Unless there was no Yeerk to begin with," Marco pointed.
I grumbled. "I find that hard to believe. That impudent attitude of hers is enough proof a Yeerk was present."
"Hang on. If that could have been an Andalite, doesn't that mean she was also a Controller?" Rachel asked.
"Possible…" I said distastefully. It was a terrifying thought of a Yeerk managing to infest another Andalite besides Visser Three. "It is a possibility I cannot dispute."
"Then it's also possible El's not a Controller," Cassie added lightly.
"Um, not likely," Marco stepped in. "I can't shake this feeling but…" He stopped himself, shaking his head before glancing back at our target destination. A small restaurant with an Earth bird-like symbol above its door. "We'll get our answers in there anyway."
"Well, we don't have any other choices." Prince Jake wheeled to me. "Ax, I swear, you better behave in there."
"An Andalite is always in control, Prince Jake."
Prince Jake cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Were you 'in control' at the McDonald's?"
"Or the Dairy Queen," Cassie added.
"Or the food court," Rachel chimed.
"And how many Cinnabons banned you? Three?"
These comments expressed a sense of disappointment towards me. I didn't understand why.
"I'll stay out and be on watch. El shouldn't see me there when I've already gotten takeout," Marco explained.
"Yeah, for the best. If anything happens, we get out quietly and carefully. Don't stick around," Prince Jake ordered. A plan we had no objection to.
As Marco took to an alleyway, we strode to the front door. It was a simple choice of tactic - go in as normal human children that Yeerks wouldn't think less of.
Ding!
Immediately, I was hit by a rush of powerful aromas and colors. The cramped interior had chairs and tables paired in sets and circles instead of rectangles. Several humans were sitting at them, eating, drinking and making idle chat. The walls were covered with strange monochromatic images and bizarre decorations while the ceiling had large rotating blades blowing down cool air.
"Welcome to Yan Fú Wok! Be with you in a sec," a voice called out from somewhere.
Everything of this 'Yan Foo Wak' was overwhelming, especially one ornament that was strange and captivating, placed on a counter near the door.
It was shaped like an Earth animal that humans called it a cat. With a blotchy pattern of white, orange and black. Its large eyes were unnaturally gleaming and it's mouth was a distorted double-curled line.
One of its front paws was held up in the air. Curiously, I reached out to touch it.
To my amazement, it moved! In a 'bobbing' motion. It was waving at me!
What a unique ornament! I'd certainly want to bring one to my homeworld after the war.
"Ax, don't touch anything," Cassie warned.
"Are we really sure bringing him here is a good idea?" Rachel asked.
"Hey, Cassie. Rach." I stiffened. Walking up to us was the Controller.
She was really alive, now lacking her second artificial skin. Even my friends - Cassie excluded - could not believe their eyes.
"How…" Prince Jake's voice fell silent.
Just as Cassie and Marco stated, the El Controller didn't seem to recognize us. Or she was hiding that fact very well. In her hand, she had a strange pad made of a weak material and a thin black device.
"Large crowd you brought here. And…"
She turned her attention on me.
"What is he doing…?"
Although I was on complete guard, I was still making the earthen paw shake up and down amusingly.
"Don't mind him. Really," Cassie pushed. "Ax, please."
"But Cassie, this is amazing! It is moving its paw on its own volition. Without any mechanism!" I told her.
It was then when El scowled at me impatiently, her right foot tapping. "Would you stop bobbing our statue? You're gonna get us cursed."
I stopped. The word, 'curse', was an amusing and unrealistic thing to hear - very few Andalites were the superstitious kind, my own brother included. I was part of the majority's opinion on the so-called occult.
"What an irrational thing to say. Ih-rash-uh-nl. Rash. Curses are nothing but a fool's hearsay," I rebuked.
She folded her arms. Offended, but I did not care for an enemy. "Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you for being disrespectful."
I do not need your warning, Yeerk. And I will not give you my respect.
"Sorry about that, El," Cassie apologized. She shouldn't, to this Yeerk.
"You know what? I'm not gonna judge." She glowered. "Already had a weirdo walk in a leotard this morning."
(That wasn't me!) Marco hollered.
"Shush!" Rachel snapped.
"What?"
"N-Nothing, nothing at all," Prince Jake said. "We're just here to have dinner together."
"No, there is something." Rachel then interrupted, giving a harsh grimace at El.
"Uh...what did I do now?" she asked meekly, holding the pad like it was a protective device.
"Oh, I don't know. You tell us," she barked with an aggressive version of sarcasm in her voice. "Who's V'trix?"
Cassie jumped and hissed quietly, "Rachel!" while Jake gave a disapproval look. I had to agree, it was a risky move to take.
"Hang on," El began, looking puzzled. Not shocked. "How do you-"
"Oh, you know V'trix too?"
A second female human stepped in. She looked to be a few years older than my friends - tall with black hair and eyes. Two observations I've made is how quite similar her eyes were shaped like an Andalite's and the color of her skin was different from Marco's or Cassie's.
The voice we heard first upon entering was hers. "Sounds like she's getting more popular around here."
"Heh," El chuckled. "She's not going to like that though."
"I know she's an introvert but it doesn't hurt to make more friends. Isn't she in the middle of nowhere?"
"Wait. Hanan," Cassie started cautiously. So she knew this human on an acquaintance level. "You know V'trix?"
"Of course, El's always been talking nonstop about her penpal around here," Hanan replied.
(...Penpal?) Marco hollered.
My friends looked at each, surprised. It seemed everyone did not anticipate this.
I was unsure why, however. I didn't know what a 'pen-pal' was.
"Yeah." El folded her arms. "Did Mom tell you about her or something?"
Wait, her mom? How many people know this Yeerk? Marco asked.
"Um, yeah!" Rachel's wary demeanor dispersed. She realized the best choice of action was not to persuade, especially when we had a new human with us. "Yeah. That's where I heard it. My mom was talking to her. At her shop. I was there."
El furrowed one eyebrow with a tilt of her head. It was unclear if she was buying it or not. But a more pressing question was on my mind that I had to ask.
"What is a pen-pal? Pen. Pal. Peeen. Pal. Pal."
The Controller's eyes widened like that was a bizarre question. "What planet did you come from to not know what a penpal is?"
I was about to answer that but Tobias quickly covered my mouth. "He lived a sheltered life."
"Ah. Well, I know the feeling," she explained, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "It's a friend I've been writing to for a few years now."
"Write? Rit. Rrrr. What is write?" I asked.
Her eyes narrowed thinly. "Are you being serious or pulling my leg here?"
"H-He spends a lot of time on the computer," Cassie pointed. "That's all."
"Oh, so he's a techie… Right."
"So about V'trix, um, how long have you been penpals?"
"Four years. She's from New Zealand."
(New Zealand? I'm lost.)
"So...she's a real 'person'?"
"Yeah. What's that supposed to mean?" El asked, confused at where Cassie was going with this.
"Well, V'trix doesn't sound like any name I've heard," she treaded lightly.
"Of course it's not," El replied straightforwardly. "It's a pen name I made for her." She gave a heartfelt laugh. "Thought it'd be cool to be secretive like that. Like those super villains from the shows and comics, always trading messages with each other."
"Vil. Vil-len. Len. That suits the both of you," I mocked.
"Excuse me?"
"Vanilla!" Prince Jake uttered, before sending a dark look at me. "I told him about the dessert here."
I gave an apologetic nod to him for my mishap. It was admittedly difficult when I knew we were in the presence of a Yeerk.
"O-kkk. But we don't use vanilla for our dessert. We use imported pandan."
"Can vouch for her on that," Hanan added.
"...Oh," Prince Jake uttered, both visibly unsure if he had accidentally blown our cover and surprised at the small piece of information given.
She shrugged her shoulders. "It's a common mistake if you're not from South-East Asia. They taste similar."
He held back a sigh of relief before continuing. "So V'trix's...really a penpal?"
"Yeah, she is." El then frowned at a realization. "What? You think it's childish to have one or something?"
"N-No, no! Just surprised..." Prince Jake pointed. "I don't see anyone doing that nowadays."
"He is right about that," Hanan added.
El calmed down but didn't seem to agree. "Why not? You just need to find the right friend."
"Hmph," I huffed loudly. Friend. How disgusting to hear that from a Yeerk.
"El." A third voice came from the back.
"Coming!" she hollered, with a passing glare at me. "Hanan, you take over?"
"Always." The older human took her pad as she took El's original standing spot, before hollering out to her. "Oh, the doughnuts need to be cooled."
"Got it!"
"Um...wait..." Cassie started but she had nothing convincing to stop the Controller from leaving.
"What's going on?" Prince Jake whispered. "Why is she acting like this Yeerk's a human? Isn't she the one?"
"Well, it's a convincing lie, I'll give you that," Rachel added uncertainly.
Hanan then glanced at us with a presentably bright smile. "A table for five. So which boys are treating the girls for this?"
My friends were at first puzzled by her statement.
"What do you mean by that?" Prince Jake cautiously asked.
"Oh, don't be so bash," Hanan uttered. "This is those group dates, right?"
Prince Jake flinched. "Um..."
Rachel looked surprised, as though the question was somehow provocative. "I...um, well…" It was unlike Rachel to be so flustered.
"Oh, oh. Am I hearing that right?" One of the older humans at their tables, a female, overheard our conversation with a kind chuckle. "My, how things change."
"Wait, this isn't what you think it is," Prince Jake stated clumsily.
"Hahaha. How adorably shy. I remember being thirteen. My parents wouldn't let me date by myself either. Remember the festival, dear?"
A male human laughed. "Of course. My friends begged me to help them when they knew I was with you that day."
"They had to with Lee's broken leg. And you saved the lion dance."
Hannah giggled. "Oh, would you all relaxed? You look as stiff as trees."
It was a true observation. Rachel appeared to be blushing, daring a quick glance to Tobias before shaking her head. Prince Jake had also become very red in the face. He and Cassie refused to make eye contact.
"You know what?" Cassie started, squeezing a part of her artificial skin. "I think it was a bad idea to come."
"Aw, don't go. I can convince Boss to give you the special dinner sets. On the house. You gotta treat that special someone once in awhile. Life's too short to let it slip past you."
"Here, here, Hanan," one male dark-skinned human cheered with a raise of his drink.
"You're making this harder than it should be," Prince Jake groaned.
"Ok, ok. How about this? I'll get the booth for you guys. It's private-"
"Please, stop. Please."
Hanan gave an even louder laugh at Prince Jake's plead. "Sorry, sorry. Can't help it when you stick out like this. Though I don't get your wingman here." She looked at me, keeping on her beam. "Here to break the ice for them or something?"
"Ice. Ah-ys. How do you break something so small? Sm-awl. Awl. Awl."
Hanan twirled her lips to the side with narrowed eyes. "You're an oddball, aren't you?"
"Od-bawl. Od-bawl. Bawl." Although I had no idea what that word meant, it had a nice roll on my tongue for some strange reason. "What a wonderfully-sounding name. Sound-ding. Thank you."
"Uh, you're welcome?"
Prince Jake smacked his face with his hand. I believe that is a form of facepalming Marco had explained to me once.
"Well, then. I'll take you to your seats. Boss will love to hear about you all. Bet you he'll throw in free dessert."
"Really. You're making a mountain out of a molehill," Prince Jake pleaded nervously.
(Oh, come on, you lovebirds. We don't have time for your adorable denial rants,) Marco groaned with a distinctive tone he normally says when he'd roll his eyes. (Jake likes Cassie. Cassie likes Jake. Rachel and Tobias have a thing. We all know and nobody cares. We're here for this El girl, people.)
I didn't understand why my friends were looking more awkward - to the point that Rachel's face was bright red with both embarrassment and anger.
"Actually, we should get going. I remember I need to punch someone later."
(Wait! Hold on!)
This conversation wasn't going anywhere productive. Hanan was still convincing my friends to stay, even if they were clearly uncomfortable. And she was succeeding.
However, with all of the humans focusing on my friends, this would make a promising attempt to follow after El without being noticed.
My only focus was the Yeerk right then.
The insulting little filth. She practically threw insults at me when we first met! But this time, I would get her.
I took this opportunity to slip into the back, pushing my way past these two large and draping artificial skins. They were an unsuitable choice for a door in my opinion - how easily naive humans were to use such primitive materials.
"Are you sure you counted right, Kong Kong?"
The back room was a strange one. Most of everything was silver, white and grey. I didn't know what they all other than they were either hung on the wall or stacked neatly aside. There were colorful varieties along the large silver table, however.
The different smells were coming from there.
I swallowed. All of this was making my human mouth fill with liquid uncontrollably.
No, no. Do not lose focus, I told myself. We were in enemy territory. El was indeed a valid Controller but it couldn't be said the same for the rest of the humans in this location.
Standing at a large silver door was the Controller and an older male human with a white artificial skin wrapped around his waist and a smaller one around his neck. His arms were folded as he gave a disapproving stare at the door.
What I assumed from the Controller's earlier statement, Kong Kong must be his name. Different from other human names I've heard.
"I counted correct," he said. "Only noticed them gone now."
"You double checked with the delivery truck, right? We just got those condiments last week."
"Yes. I've not used all of them yet."
"I just came in this morning. And Hanan wouldn't do anything behind our backs."
"I know. I don't know who might have taken them."
"Weird... Want me to double-count? Just to be sure."
Kong Kong admitted a sigh. "Yes. Need to wash the woks and pots."
"Sure sure, Kong Kong. I'll ask the neighbors later if anyone snuck in too." El beamed a smile and tossing back on her second artificial skin, she opened the door. Visible breaths of air seeped out from the bizarre white room for a moment. The elder human picked up a set of silver apparatus - all in different sizes - and took them outside.
It was only me. I stood up from my hiding spot-
I was stopped by a particular smell, wafted in with the others. It was partly familiar but different at the same time. But I knew this smell very well.
On a large table in the middle of the white room were littered with delicious things! It was a beautiful sight honestly. Among them was a bundle of-
"Cinnamon buns!"
I was not mistaken. However, they did look a little different. They also don't have the white creamy substance - the best part of eating a cinnamon bun.
I picked one. It was much hotter than the ones I had. I bit into it.
It was amazing! So many flavors in one! More than a cinnamon bun!
I must have more!
I ate. I didn't stop until I had every last one of this new version of cinnamon buns.
"I think we have a rat here. Geeuz, so cold."
I stopped immediately on the fifth. The large grey door opened and the Controller struggled out with a brown container in both her hands. Shoving the door shut with her shoulder, she carried her cargo to the edge of the table and examined what looked like damage.
"Either a clever one or a human one. It somehow took off the caps real eeeeee..." Her voice trailed off once she noticed me. Her eyes were very wide, a similar expression many humans gave to me for the things I did that even my friends found inappropriate.
I couldn't rule out that she could be hiding the fact she knew.
Then she glared. Profusely.
Ah. I was right. She did know.
Fair enough, Yeerk. There was no point in keeping this charade.
"Ye-"
Clank! Krack! Krack!
I did not have a chance to call her out. Because she was already bolting towards me.
"YOU THIEF! "
I admit. I was terrified of this human's reaction. I've seen many humans turn away when conversing with me.
Why was she not doing that?!
I turned, flushing to the wall. El barely missed me, except for a grab on my artificial skin.
"Gargh!"
The force of her running and me dodging threw her momentum off balance that her body knocked into the counter.
"El?!" I heard Hanan call out.
"Umm, hey! Hanan!"
"Wait, what?! What are you doing?!"
I do not know what was happening outside but it seemed my friends had their hands full with something.
El pulled herself up with teeth gritting tightly. "You're going to pay for that!"
I fled towards my only exit, the back door-
"El?" The elder human suddenly leapt through the door, holding a strange thin device like a weapon. His eyes widened at the sight of me nearly running into him.
No! I was trapped!
Kong Kong seemed to be recoiling from the fact that I was there. Enough time for me to spot another way - a staircase. I quickly dove up.
"Stop!" I heard El behind.
I searched for another exit. In a desperate attempt, I ducked into one of the rooms on the upper floor and locked the door shut. I took a quick glance at my surroundings - a different kind of interior compared to downstairs, with a musky, old smell.
(Ax! Demorph now and get out!)
I wheeled to a window, where I spotted an osprey. Marco.
"Get out of that room! No one is allowed in there!" Thud! Thud! The door shook quite violently.
"Wait, El. Let me unlock it."
I heard that voice before but my mind was too focused on my demorphing.
Krack!
I had already begun changing, tearing off my artificial skins. My tail had touched something to fall to the floor but I was too focused on escape. I quickly morphed into my Northern harrier bird as I darted to the open window and joined Marco on a ledge.
"Got it."
Just in time too. The door flew open.
"Where is he?! Where did he go?!" El hurried to the window, discovering my discarded artificial skin before glancing at an outdoor staircase. "Are you kidding me?!"
Her anger was short-lived once she wheeled around. "Oh, no. No, no, no." She leapt down to the floor, anxiously grabbing the object that I knocked over. "Please don't be broken."
She tended it carefully for a moment and placed it back at its original spot before leaving the room with a loud bang.
"Where are they?! "
(That was too close,) Marco droned. (Seriously, Ax. What were you thinking?)
(They had cinnamon buns,) I confessed.
(No. That was the Five-Spice doughnuts. He heavily sighed. Jake is going to kill you-)
(Ax.)
That was Prince Jake. We looked up to see the others in their bird morphs on the stairway. And Prince Jake had a particularly dark stare, making his peregrine falcon very threatening and frightening.
(But they had doughnuts.)
Hello all! Our next chapter: what happens when you put Ax in a small Chinese restaurant? It becomes the equivalent of a bull in a China shop. XD
I've had many ideas relating to what Ax would do with the Yan Fu Wok but to be honest, with the new change in the direction, I never imagined to make it like this (and that he gets chased out by a Controller). Additionally, this restaurant is more based on the small places I know here in Singapore so it's not really a traditional Chinese shop - especially when El's great uncle originated from Taiwan. So I might be a bit wrong in Amercian Asian food (though last time I was in USA, my friends and I were able to find few South-East Asian places).
If something bugs you, please let me know. I am always striving to improve this fic to the best I can. I hope you enjoy it!
Also shoutout to Artisan219's fanfic, Animorphs Reboot #1. It's an awesome fic on his take with the Animorphs being older and in our modern time. Give it a whirl.
PS. Yeah this is two chapters upload in a short time but I had forgotten to update at one point hence the influx. Updates will go as normal, biweekly.
