1 The Antimorphs Chronicals
Part Nine
Ripper
Aleks had joined our Motley Crew. The leader, the soldier and the protégé.
That's right, protégé. We had known each other for a few weeks, and Sanders and I had become as close as family. He looked up to me, idolized me.
I was his hero. He was almost…like a son to me.
Aleks? Well, Aleks hadn't been the original target of my surveillance. It was his friend, Slip, who I wanted. But Aleks had proved to be the better man, executing Slip for treason to the gang.
Such qualities would be usefull.
Together, we fled L.A. after that messy little home invasion. All the cops found were three dead gang members, the cop, and his family.
We were leaving a trail all around the country. I wonder if the Animorphs saw the news bullitans about the two slaughter's that I had been involved in thus far, and even thought that it would be me.
We needed two or three more troops before we could head into battle, and once again, headed to a large city to find him…
DALLAS
I plunged the knife back down into the dog, again and again until I was sure it was dead. Yeah, it was dead. It couldn't be re-incarnated by its satanic overlords, free to roam and kill helpless humans again.
Oh, no. This dog was good and dead.
Dear god, I thought, thank you for allowing me to destroy my enemies, satan's demons on earth.
My name is Ripper. I don't know my real name. I woke up in the sewer three years ago, with one hell of a headache. I didn't know anything about me, who my parents were, where I was, even anything about my past.
All I remembered was being trapped in a cage, having my head forced under water, and being laughed at by giant demons. I remembered grabbing a gun and shooting at demons, as they chased me out of the hell that I had been imprisoned in. I remembered collapsing in the sewer, falling asleep.
I just knew that I needed some food, so I climbed out of a man hole and walked out an alley, when my whole life just got weirder.
There was this dog, a Doberman, but it doesn't really matter what kind. They all are in the conspiracy together.
The dog spoke to me. It told me about how he and his allies were trying to enslave humanity. About how they would use our bodies and destroy our minds. About how we would soon be used in their wars and grown like cattle in cages.
I did what any god-loving American would have done: I tore the hell out of that little bitch.
From then on, I was on a holy crusade. My whole existence revolved around finding the evil dogs, and killing them, eating their bodies so that they couldn't be brought back to life .
You see, God wanted me to fight my way out of hell. He wanted me to get back to earth, and to be his champion. He wanted me to kill all the dogs.
Over the next three years, I stole dogs off the street, from back yards, from kennels, even from houses. The paper's called me the Dallas Ripper. I even made the national news. I was an urban legend, a bogey man in the back alleys and shadows of Texas. So, that's what I called myself from then on- Ripper.
Sometimes, the dogs even take human shape, and when that happens, you have to destroy them, too.
I ate the dog. It was a small Airdale Terrier, not very big at all. I stole it from some kid who was walking it. He should have thanked me for saving him from demonic possession, but instead, he ran, squealing for his mommy.
So I ate it. The dog, I mean. Anyways, when I was done, I left the bones in the alleyway. Satan could not resurrect his minions once all the flesh was consumed.
I turned around, standing up quickly, to see the demon! The same, seven foot tall demon who had chased me underground.
He had come for revenge! He would kill me, he had me cornered.
NO! He would not kill me! I had the power of God on my side, and he was just hell spawn.
"Get back, hell spawn!"
I cried out, readying my long combat knives in both hands. They were weapons of the all might God, and they would smite all who dared oppose him.
The demon laughed.
"I have been watching you, Ripper. I like your style. Let us see what you are made of."
He dove at me, his blades flashing around us like a hall of mirrors.
One of them connected, hitting my arm and tearing a huge gash in it.
"ARRRGH!" Blood was spurting everywhere, but I had to keep fighting!
I flew at him, blades out, ready to penetrate this foul manifestation of Lucifer.
"With this blessed blade, I send you to hell!"
My knives sunk into his green flesh, and he howled in pain, pulling away.
He was laughing! My blow's hadn't even fazed him!
"You are worthy, Ripper. You are worthy to join the ranks of the greatest legion of hero's on the planet."
I was confused- how could he be a hero? He was a demon!
He backed up further.
"If you value your life, you will not strike me."
Even more confusing, I thought.
Without warning, he began to shape shift! He was changing his physical form! Showing his demonic powers in public wasn't something I saw them do every day.
But he did not turn into an even larger demon, but into a young boy, around my age.
Not that I knew my age, that is.
"Who…who are you?" I stammered, "Are you in league with the demons?"
He chuckled, "No. No demons. I am a member of a powerful team of chosen ones. Those chosen to fight the dogs. God chose us, Ripper. He also gave us the power to change our forms, the power to morph. He has even given us advanced technology, alien technology."
Aliens? I didn't know anything about aliens. All I knew about were demons and dogs.
"I do not understand."
"They are not truly demons, Ripper, but aliens. Aliens with the power to assume many forms. I was tricked into joining the infidel aliens, but I managed to escape, stealing one of their space ships in the process. Now, I am looking for members to form a fighting team to kill them all! All the dogs, aliens and humans who follow them must be killed, in the name of god!" He made quite a speech.
"Then why did you take the form of a demon?" Or was it an alien? Who could be sure anymore? Everything that I thought I knew was changing.
"I had to be sure that I could trust you. I need to see if you could fight."
"Damn straight I can fight! I've been fighting for three years!"
He looked at me, "I know, Ripper, and you fought well. Buy I can give you the power to fight better. I can give you powerful weapons, including the most powerful of all. The power to morph."
I was caught back. An hour ago, I was doing my job, as God's servant on earth, but now, this kid wanted me to change shape and kill aliens? Fuck, yeah, I'd help him!
"If it helps to kill dogs, then I will help you."
"Good!" His voice lit up, "Come with me." He began to walk away, but I stood still.
"What did you say your name was?"
He turned around and looked into my eyes with a gaze that filled me with a new meaning, a new purpoise.
"My name is Taggart. David Taggart."
Part Nine
Ripper
Aleks had joined our Motley Crew. The leader, the soldier and the protégé.
That's right, protégé. We had known each other for a few weeks, and Sanders and I had become as close as family. He looked up to me, idolized me.
I was his hero. He was almost…like a son to me.
Aleks? Well, Aleks hadn't been the original target of my surveillance. It was his friend, Slip, who I wanted. But Aleks had proved to be the better man, executing Slip for treason to the gang.
Such qualities would be usefull.
Together, we fled L.A. after that messy little home invasion. All the cops found were three dead gang members, the cop, and his family.
We were leaving a trail all around the country. I wonder if the Animorphs saw the news bullitans about the two slaughter's that I had been involved in thus far, and even thought that it would be me.
We needed two or three more troops before we could head into battle, and once again, headed to a large city to find him…
DALLAS
I plunged the knife back down into the dog, again and again until I was sure it was dead. Yeah, it was dead. It couldn't be re-incarnated by its satanic overlords, free to roam and kill helpless humans again.
Oh, no. This dog was good and dead.
Dear god, I thought, thank you for allowing me to destroy my enemies, satan's demons on earth.
My name is Ripper. I don't know my real name. I woke up in the sewer three years ago, with one hell of a headache. I didn't know anything about me, who my parents were, where I was, even anything about my past.
All I remembered was being trapped in a cage, having my head forced under water, and being laughed at by giant demons. I remembered grabbing a gun and shooting at demons, as they chased me out of the hell that I had been imprisoned in. I remembered collapsing in the sewer, falling asleep.
I just knew that I needed some food, so I climbed out of a man hole and walked out an alley, when my whole life just got weirder.
There was this dog, a Doberman, but it doesn't really matter what kind. They all are in the conspiracy together.
The dog spoke to me. It told me about how he and his allies were trying to enslave humanity. About how they would use our bodies and destroy our minds. About how we would soon be used in their wars and grown like cattle in cages.
I did what any god-loving American would have done: I tore the hell out of that little bitch.
From then on, I was on a holy crusade. My whole existence revolved around finding the evil dogs, and killing them, eating their bodies so that they couldn't be brought back to life .
You see, God wanted me to fight my way out of hell. He wanted me to get back to earth, and to be his champion. He wanted me to kill all the dogs.
Over the next three years, I stole dogs off the street, from back yards, from kennels, even from houses. The paper's called me the Dallas Ripper. I even made the national news. I was an urban legend, a bogey man in the back alleys and shadows of Texas. So, that's what I called myself from then on- Ripper.
Sometimes, the dogs even take human shape, and when that happens, you have to destroy them, too.
I ate the dog. It was a small Airdale Terrier, not very big at all. I stole it from some kid who was walking it. He should have thanked me for saving him from demonic possession, but instead, he ran, squealing for his mommy.
So I ate it. The dog, I mean. Anyways, when I was done, I left the bones in the alleyway. Satan could not resurrect his minions once all the flesh was consumed.
I turned around, standing up quickly, to see the demon! The same, seven foot tall demon who had chased me underground.
He had come for revenge! He would kill me, he had me cornered.
NO! He would not kill me! I had the power of God on my side, and he was just hell spawn.
"Get back, hell spawn!"
I cried out, readying my long combat knives in both hands. They were weapons of the all might God, and they would smite all who dared oppose him.
The demon laughed.
"I have been watching you, Ripper. I like your style. Let us see what you are made of."
He dove at me, his blades flashing around us like a hall of mirrors.
One of them connected, hitting my arm and tearing a huge gash in it.
"ARRRGH!" Blood was spurting everywhere, but I had to keep fighting!
I flew at him, blades out, ready to penetrate this foul manifestation of Lucifer.
"With this blessed blade, I send you to hell!"
My knives sunk into his green flesh, and he howled in pain, pulling away.
He was laughing! My blow's hadn't even fazed him!
"You are worthy, Ripper. You are worthy to join the ranks of the greatest legion of hero's on the planet."
I was confused- how could he be a hero? He was a demon!
He backed up further.
"If you value your life, you will not strike me."
Even more confusing, I thought.
Without warning, he began to shape shift! He was changing his physical form! Showing his demonic powers in public wasn't something I saw them do every day.
But he did not turn into an even larger demon, but into a young boy, around my age.
Not that I knew my age, that is.
"Who…who are you?" I stammered, "Are you in league with the demons?"
He chuckled, "No. No demons. I am a member of a powerful team of chosen ones. Those chosen to fight the dogs. God chose us, Ripper. He also gave us the power to change our forms, the power to morph. He has even given us advanced technology, alien technology."
Aliens? I didn't know anything about aliens. All I knew about were demons and dogs.
"I do not understand."
"They are not truly demons, Ripper, but aliens. Aliens with the power to assume many forms. I was tricked into joining the infidel aliens, but I managed to escape, stealing one of their space ships in the process. Now, I am looking for members to form a fighting team to kill them all! All the dogs, aliens and humans who follow them must be killed, in the name of god!" He made quite a speech.
"Then why did you take the form of a demon?" Or was it an alien? Who could be sure anymore? Everything that I thought I knew was changing.
"I had to be sure that I could trust you. I need to see if you could fight."
"Damn straight I can fight! I've been fighting for three years!"
He looked at me, "I know, Ripper, and you fought well. Buy I can give you the power to fight better. I can give you powerful weapons, including the most powerful of all. The power to morph."
I was caught back. An hour ago, I was doing my job, as God's servant on earth, but now, this kid wanted me to change shape and kill aliens? Fuck, yeah, I'd help him!
"If it helps to kill dogs, then I will help you."
"Good!" His voice lit up, "Come with me." He began to walk away, but I stood still.
"What did you say your name was?"
He turned around and looked into my eyes with a gaze that filled me with a new meaning, a new purpoise.
"My name is Taggart. David Taggart."
