A/N NEEEEXT.

Chapter Nine

The TV was off, and he appeared to be asleep. I spent half the night telling him about all the well-known comic book super heroes, including the ones that he had heard 'Prince' Jake and Marco talking about. I was restless, worried about Azele. And part of me didn't want to fall asleep for another reason: my mind might restore everything back to normal. Who knows what would happen without Azele there in my mind.

Slowly, careful of not waking Ax, I crawled out of the scoop and out into the then-clear night sky, and began to walk. I could hear all these creatures singing in the night, and I found strangely relaxing. The moon's rays bounced off of trees and grass, so I could sort of see where I was going. Sort of. Soon enough, I realized I was heading back to the barn, where Cassie's animal rehab was- where I was when I first woke up.

The lights were on, still giving off this amber color because of all the hay. Slowly, I tiptoed to the edge of the barn, hiding behind the wall, knowing that it could be one of her parents working there. I relaxed after a few moments- it was only Cassie.

She seemed to be looking into one of the cages, looking concerned. I walked up behind her, to see what it was without a sound. It was an injured rabbit with a broken leg, and it didn't seem to be eating anything that she gave it, only curling to the back of the cage.

"Will it be okay?" I asked.

She jumped, turning around. "I didn't know you were there- you're quiet."

"Sorry," I replied, guiltily.

She gave me a sideways look. "They weren't nice to you?" She gently closed the cage, leaving the rabbit alone.

"Huh? Oh yeah- Ax was nice. He let me into his scoop-thing. Though he didn't really know all that much about super heroes." I had to grin at the thought. "But I can't really sleep, and don't want to."

Cassie smiled. "Don't worry- we'll get her. Jake and Tobias are scouting out the place of where she's being held."

"Thanks," I said- I really meant it. I sat on a bale of hay, across from her so I could watch what she was doing. After about five minutes I heard a galloping coming from the outside, and soon enough, in came Ax. "I thought you were asleep!" I accused.

(I always sleep with one stalk eye open,) he said. He gave me a suspicious look.

"Hey- I'm not going to do anything. Just couldn't sleep." Ax looked over to Cassie, who nodded, agreeing that what I was saying was the truth. Suddenly I asked, "Who is Spiderman?" It would be fun to quiz an alien on human superheroes. Ax looked at me with his main eyes, and smiled- using them. I could have sworn he was laughing.

(L)(A)(T)(E)(R)

The morning sun rose, welcoming the next day, and I found myself back in the lawn chair of the alien's scoop. I jumped up, the towel that had been covered on me falling down my shoulders. I must've fallen asleep back at the barn- and no nightmares. I was surprised.

Ax wasn't anywhere to be seen, and the TV was still on, showing the mid-morning cartoons. Nick Jr. I leaned forward for the TV remote, wanting to change it immediately, my other hand running through my bed-head hair. I settled on Cartoon Network after five minutes of searching, and realized with a rumble of my stomach that I was hungry. Hopeful, I searched around the small place for something edible. The only vaguely thing that was edible was the box that had once held Cinnamon buns.

Great.

But I curled up against the morning dew, and watched the TV trying my best to ignore the fact that I may not have a breakfast.

"Hey," said a voice coming from behind me. I jumped and turned around to see who it was. Marco.

"Hey," I answered back. I looked at him wearily. "Sorry about-"

"No problem," he interrupted. "Ax-man filled me in." He stepped into the scoop rummaging around for another chair. When he did find one, he unfolded it placing it right next to mine. I smelled food on him, coming from a box he carried in both hands.

"Well yeah- but I should've made the connection." Azele had shown me what Visser One looked like. There was a resemblance.

"Look, forget it," he said tersely.

I bit my tongue. He sighed, and opened up the box- the exact same looking box that was crammed into the corner. Cinnamon buns! My stomach roared. "You better hurry up and eat it- before Ax returns. He loves those things to death." He didn't need to tell me twice.

Soon enough I heard the characteristic galloping coming closer and closer, soon coming to a slow stop right behind us. I turned around, trying to swallow the last of the warm, sweet food. I could hear him smelling the air, and he frowned. (Marco, you did not save any for me?) I could have sworn he would have started crying, though I didn't think he could if he wanted to.

Marco looked guilty, but quickly pointed to me. "Hey, he ate them all."

My jaw dropped, eyes saying 'traitor!' "I-I was hungry-" I really didn't want to piss this guy off. "I'm sorry, I would have saved you some," I offered up.

He sighed. (That is okay.) He paused. (Prince Jake said that there will be a meeting in about five of your minutes-)

"They are not 'our' minutes- they are everyone's minutes," Marco snapped.

I was beginning to like this group. Slowly, but surely, we made our way to the barn- which everyone else was already in. We were fashionably late, I guess. I was beginning to get the feeling that this was the official headquarters for the resistance, or whatever.

"All right," started Jake, "We need a plan on how to get Azele. We've scouted out the place of where she's being held- and the possible entrances."

"I say that I turn into an elephant and kick their ass," suggested Rachel. Though it wasn't really a suggestion- more like a threat, I felt.

"There she goes again- all Xena warrior princess," Marco said, rolling his eyes.

"Got a better plan?" shot back Rachel.

"Yes I have a better plan," interrupted Jake.

How did I end up on my own? I asked. Oh yeah, I wasn't.

I was on my way to the Yeerk pool, and overhead there flew a red-tailed hawk and an eagle, while I was infested with four fleas. And I was to just walk right into the Yeerk pool and they would handle the rest. Well, until I let Azele into my brain again. Then walk right back out. Easy.

I knew better I became a pessimist. Plans this simple did not always end up being simple. A bump in the road.

The other entrance to the pool- there were several obviously- was through their school. It was evening and everything had a shadow. I was really jumpy, and I hoped that they didn't notice it.

(All right,) said Jake, speaking from somewhere on my arm, (There should be a janitor's closet to your left.) I was inside a building through a window that was unlocked. I hated being out in the open hall, with or without people- it would be too crowded, or someone could sneak up on me, or... I had to stop thinking- I was here to save Azele.

"Where?" I whispered, frustrated, to my arm. I looked all around the dim hallway filled with lockers and doors leading to classrooms. My eyes had just barely skimmed over a door that didn't have windows so that you could see the classrooms. That had to be it. "Never mind," I whispered, raising my arm. I hope that they heard- I probably looked pretty crazy talking into my arm like that.

I stayed back for a few seconds, noticing a kid a few years younger than me heading in the same direction that I was going in. He went into the broom closet, like a zombie, and then went through the hidden door in the wall. Cool. Following after him after a few seconds, I opened the door, and took a deep breath.

As soon as I entered, I could hear it- the whispering. It sent a shiver down my spine, but I forced myself forward. (Hard, isn't it?) asked Tobias. He had been the red-tailed hawk, but he had reduced herself into the form of a cockroach. I knew that because I nearly stomped on it. I didn't answer because I didn't know if he would understand or not.

I have never gotten used to the shear size of the pool, and my heart nearly stopped because of it. But slowly and surely, I took the steps forward into the city underground. I told myself over and over again that I was not alone- that I couldn't pass out either. My mind became so dizzy, I don't think I heard anything after that, let alone notice the 'animorphs' move off into a corner and change back to themselves.

I stared at them numbly, the only one who actually noticed, and watched them turn into an assortment of animals- wolf, tiger, gorilla. Last but not least, an elephant slowly mutated from a human blond-haired girl. The Andalite stayed the same, transforming into his normal self just as Rachel changed.

(Stay here, until we tell you to move,) Jake said. He was then a full-fledged tiger. That was when all chaos was let lose. Rachel stampeded through the cavern, her trumpet ringing over the screams. All of a sudden, it all went quiet- for about five seconds, until everyone panicked.

All six of them charged through the room. Cassie, the wolf, was to head towards the Yeerk pool and find where Azele was, and some how free her. I watched how they all moved, and was immediately amazed. I guess part of me thought they would still act somewhat human, but instead of that, they moved like fluid animals. As if they had been born into the forms that they took. Tobias flew over the pool, helping Cassie to look for Azele.

Giant Centipede-looking things attacked the five different animals, along with the bladed monsters. Humans flew left and right, trying to stay out of the way, while others took aim with small handheld weapons. No one noticed me- I was just a spectator. The screams were different, somehow. The people in cages cheered the animals on, while the bladed monsters screamed in pain.

(We found her!) yelled Tobias. That was my cue.

I made my way along the cages, trying to avoid the massacre, and the gore that sleeked the floors. It somehow didn't bother me at all. Maybe before all of this had started, I might have tried to kill myself, but not as I moved towards my goal. Azele was there.

The wolf began to dig through the water, pawing at something in the lead goop. The pool had to be about two-feet deep maybe, I pondered. I suddenly felt the room freeze, and I forced myself down the place faster- as fast as I could. In the corner of my eye, flanked by at least six of the monsters, was the one that I never wanted to see again.

The Visser Three.

I was at the pool, and without another thought, I jumped right in after the wolf. By then people were taking aim, forgetting about the animals on land. The water made my feet feel heavy with each time that they pulled out to run forward, the muscles in my legs feeling the burn. Their aim was off because they didn't want to hit the pool and risk hitting one of their own.

I reached the wolf, finally, and bent over to help her with what she was trying to do. In the pool, she pawed at a small metal cage- and in it was a Yeerk. That could only be Azele. They didn't even get a chance to decide what to do with her- but only hold her in a cage where she wouldn't be free to move around. I felt a blade of anger jump up in my mind, but I shoved my hands in the lead-thick water, trying to pry open the cage.

"Please tell her that she is okay," I said to the wolf. I didn't want to scare her.

(All right,) said the wolf- I guess she told her, even though I didn't hear her.

"Thanks," I muttered, gritting my teeth as I struggled with the metal wiring. "Whoa!" I shouted, surprised. I fell back with the effort, finally getting it opened, cage and Yeerk in my hands. Carefully, but quickly I wrapped my fingers around Azele and brought her up to my ear. I tried to relax and feel the liquid lapping against my shoulders.

Just as I felt her crawl into my ear, I heard a bone-breaking roar. Around it, the screams stopped, but it felt just as loud, if not louder

(Hurry!) shouted Tobias. He could see what was happening. I didn't want to see it.

My mind became hazy as she searched through my brain, taking full control. I was once more staring through my eyes like staring out of windows. I felt safer now- away from the roar. Whatever it was, it had to be huge. She was confused at first, until I felt her shuffling though my memories.

(You're back?) she said.

(Yes!) I screamed, (We need to get out of here! There's something large in here, and I really don't want to be here with it!)

With that, she was automatically up. The wolf flanked her, as she moved my body back out of the pool. Cassie snarled at any human that tried to stop us from moving as soon as we were out. In the corner of my eye, I could see the monster- something with claws, and teeth, barely touching the ceiling. As soon as the animals saw us, they began to go towards the exit.

Suddenly we were raised off the ground. Azele shrieked rather loudly, noticing there was a huge trunk wrapped around us. (Not moving fast enough!) snapped Rachel. She put her on her trunk, and began to charge up the stairs. When she was up them, she pulled her off, and slowly began to transform in the cover of her comrades: She would not have been able to fit through the door.

The next second, we all tumbled out onto the hall, all blood slicked.

(Prince Jake, we must try and make our way out before they catch up,) suggested Ax.

Hurriedly, Azele was the first one up, running through the halls, for the nearest exit. Rachel was an eagle, zooming in after Tobias, both searching for a short-cut way out.

(Ax, get him on your back, so we can move faster,) snapped Jake.

That stopped Azele cold. She didn't like Andalites. (Please, trust him,) I begged, reading her thoughts perfectly. (He won't hurt you- they were all here to save you. Please.) Carefully, Azele did as she was told.

(I hope you are satisfied, human,) she snapped.

It was strange being on the Andalite's back- in fact; it almost made me feel giddy, like some three year-old ridding their first pony around the ring. As soon as she was on his back, we all moved out of the building within a few seconds, and into the bushes of where the forest would begin. Azele was disgusted by the fact that she had to wrap her arms around his shoulders to stay on, and tumbled off of him, as if infected with a disease.

Slowly, Jake, Rachel, Cassie, and Marco changed back to their human forms, and took a minute to catch their breath.

"I knew it," snickered Azele.

"What?" said Marco sarcastically.

"That you were human," she shrugged. "The Visser always insisted that you were Andalites, but that just seemed wrong."

"Well we want him to keep thinking that, thank-you," snarled Rachel.

"Let's just get out of here," suggested Jake. He was leaning against a tree. All of them looked tired, Marco and Rachel both a bit cranky.

I didn't care- I couldn't believe we had all made it out alive. And with Azele.