Chapter Eight

"A Pet for the Daughter"

A purple-haired girl stood outside the doorway, feeling as if she was suddenly being watched, but she only shrugged and kept on moving down the street. She looked about eight and was pretty tiny for her age, if not a bit pudgy. She had bangs cut extremely straight and neat across her forehead. Her shoulder-length hair was cut in the same way, only curling slightly inwards, framing her heart-shaped face-- just like the kids from Children of the Corn. She had large cat-shaped yellow eye that could either look adorable or dangerous.

In one of her tiny, delicate hands she carried what looked to be a catalogue. She carried it along with her as she moved down the overly tidy sidewalk. Suspicious, she turned around, yelling at the top of her lungs bringing out a Dracon beam. The street was still empty, and she turned back around with a raised eyebrow.

Soon she was at one of the large Yeerk pools where there were several people crowded around it. She was looking for someone specific because she looked around the room calculatingly. When she found exactly who she was looking for, she squealed and began to skip happily across the large, flat area about the size of a large football field. It was a very disturbing sight to see: a happily, giddy girl skipping across a place with caged humans screaming in horror. Though at that time, fewer and fewer were screaming.

She stepped up to one of the platforms where an older woman in her mid forties stood, checking off something on a holographic board. A longer-haired, older Edriss stood looking down at her daughter with loving, smiling eyes.

"Mommy, I want this one!" said the girl, lifting the heavy catalogue to her mother. "This one this one!" She began to jump up and down eagerly, as her mother tried to get a look at what she was so eager to get. Finally, Edriss took the book from the girl to get the closer look.

"No, dear, I can't let you have this, Helen," sighed Edriss. They had chosen the name from the Greek myth story about the woman who launched a thousand ships. It sounded like a conqueror's name. Plus Edriss's husband thought she was just adorable. Right then, the girl's eyes had grown twice their size, and teary.

"But mommy…" the girl whined sadly.

Edriss shook her head, not falling for the look. "No, you can't have that."

With that Helen turned on her heal and stomped off in an eight year-old way. After about a block away from the pool, the girl stopped, her eyes brightening, and turned another corner walking with a stronger walk.

"Daddy, can I have this?" asked Helen eagerly. This time she had perfected the technique and made with the eyes before her father could say no. "Mommy said to ask you," she added-- icing on the cake.

Visser Three looked down at his daughter, all four eyes trained on the little girl. He was about to say no, but something about her manor forced him to think otherwise. It had to have been the Jedi mind trick, because it took him down without a fight. He held out a delicate Andalite hand so that she could give him the catalogue. (Which one, princess?) he asked as he scanned the page over, until she pointed out exactly what she wanted. He rolled one of his eyes. (That one?) He shook his stalk eyes back and forth.

(No.) he replied, handing the catalogue back.

An evil smile that appeared in the girl's eyes-- a smile that Visser Three didn't seem to notice. She flipped a few pages over. "Can I have this one then?"

The Visser took the book back and looked at the different page. His eyes grew distant as he looked at what the girl wanted, and for a second an old rage look returned in his eyes. Helen had him in the tiny palm of her hand. (I will get you this one,) he said. Then he came back to reality. (I promise.)

"Yay!" cheered the girl, her eyes lightening up in pure delight. "I get a pet Andalite!" She paused, her face turning serious for a moment. "When are we going to get him?"

The sound of her voice made him what to keep his promise even more. (I'll get him don't worry.) Then he muttered to himself, (If I find him first.)

"What will we name him?" asked the half-human girl, eager again, knowing that he would keep his promise-- even if it killed him.

(We will keep his original name. Aximili. A nice reminder of my new trophy.) He snapped out of it again, and corrected himself. (A nice name for your gift.)

The evil grin returned on the girl's face.