Caught Between Time
By Kay
Disclaimer: Don't own Ax, Jordan, Crayak, Drode, Ellimist, or any of the Animorphs. I do own Tobi. Pleeaasse don't sue me!!! Thank you. :)
Notes: The 9th sequel to A New Chapter- there'll be one more after this, I think! So rejoice! You may be free of me after that! ;) By the way, I would really really like to thank Stacy for everything- you've been great help. Couldn't do it without ya! :) :) :)
Jordan's gaze was empty and distant, as if seeing something beyond the grey, moulding walls that incased her. How many days had it been, she wondered. How many weeks? It seemed like forever, an oblivion, in this prison within a prison. Though there was light, she missed the feel of sun on her skin.
"Gods, this place really needs a maid or something. I mean, seriously, he may be an evil scum bucket, but does he have to have the place so gross and dark? I mean, jeez..." She groaned. "Oh, great, now I'm talking to myself... The lack of human contact and sun must be starting to get to me."
A thudding sound echoed above her, and she tensed. The hollow, metal clanging sound was coming from the ceiling, she realized with amazement. Scrambling to her feet, she craned her head upwards. Listening intently, she walked to the middle of the large bubble, her eyes still locked on the grey ceiling as another sound echoed. Jordan's eyes widened, and her breaths grew short. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and couldn't tear her gaze away for even a second.
The sounds stopped for an instant. Jordan, desperate, screamed, "I'M HERE- OH GOD HELP ME!" The sounds hesitated for even longer, and then to Jordan's relief the vent cover on the ceiling started to shift and rise. She didn't care who it was- what it was- as long as it was some sort of contact.
"Hello??!! Can you help me? My name- it's Jordan- and I'm stuck here and I need to get out. Please..." Her voice trailed off, ragged from the emotions bursting forth at the prospect of being here for an enternity. "Please..."
Something fell on her.
"Omph!" Jordan winced as her palms hit the hard ground, scraping on the stone. The wind was knocked out of her, and she dizzily lifted her head. The person who'd landed on her, rolled off with a moan and a sharp cry of pain.
"Aah... Oh... that hurt..." a familiar, pain-filled voice gasped. "M-my shoulder..." A soft whimper escaped from whoever had landed on her. Jordan eased herself up with a wince, propping herself up on her elbow and turning to her rescuer. She couldn't say anything.
Though the eyes were filled with pain, and the hair dusty from the vent, she would have known him anywhere.
"Ax... oh God- Ax!" Jordan felt tears well up in her eyes, joy for once instead of frustration or sadness. It had never occured to her how much she'd missed him- until she saw his face again. His brown eyes, and the familiar sound of his voice. The ache that had been cutting her up inside dimmed and at the same time overwhelmed her as she looked at the tight ball Ax was curled up in next to her on the damp floor.
"Jordan," Ax gasped, his eyes wide. He jerked up, gritting his teeth at the shooting pains in his shoulder. Struggling to sit up, he flung his arms around her with a ferocity that surprised and thrilled Jordan. She wrapped her arms around him, sobbing, reveling in the warmth of his body heat.
"God, Ax, I thought I-I'd never s-see you again..." she whispered, burying her face in his chest.
Ax didn't let her stay that way for long- he took her face and kissed her, tears streaming down his face. Kissed her hard, with all the feelings he'd been holding back, all the pressure he'd been under and the frustrations and pain all pouring into his kisses. Kissed her over and over, desperate small kisses on her face, the tip of her nose, her forehead and all over her face. Crying while he did it. Not even noticing the horrible, twisting pain in his shoulder. Jordan couldn't help but sob with him. Finally, things seemed a little right. Better.
Ax started to talk, quick devestated whispers and apologies in between his kisses. Some of them made sense to Jordan, some didn't. Things that she hardly remembered, never mattered to her. Apologies for the fight, for things that may or may not have happened. Unable to talk, Jordan wrapped her arms tightly around his shaking figure and stroked his hair gently.
"Shhh..." she murmered. "It's okay... God, I missed you. It's okay- there's nothing to be sorry for, Ax. It wasn't you... it wasn't you..."
Ax buried his face in a warm spot in her neck. "I love you... do not ever leave me... do not..."
"I love you, too- and I'm not going anywhere, Ax. Never again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It took about fifteen minutes before Ax was able to fully reassure himself that she was real, twenty before he was able to let her go in the smallest measures. It seemed like an eternity, the odd timeframe Crayak had going, until those minutes had passed- more than enough time to forgive each other. At Jordan's insistance, Ax reluctantly let her bind his arm and shoulder in a sling made from his jacket. The ripped fabric helped him stop jarring it, or moving it to the extent of incredible, tear-bringing pain that often plagued him when he dared to move it in the slightest degree.
It was only a matter of time before the real question came up.
"Umm... Ax? How do we get out of here?" Jordan asked tentativly, finished up the last knot that tied the sling together. Making sure it was tight enough, she stood up and helped Ax to his feet, seeing he was shaky from the way she had to move his entire arm to get it in the sling comfortably.
Ax was silent for a moment, confused and dazed. "What?"
"How do we get out?" Jordan demanded in concern and fear. Her bright eyes looked clouded and vague.
"We must find a way. I did not exactly have time to plan this out, you know," Ax said matter-of-factly. Jordan rolled her eyes and made an exasperating sound.
Ax studied the ceiling, tilting his head upwards and leaning on Jordan's shoulder lightly, still in some pain from the long fall down. "Perhaps through the ve-"
"I'm happy to say you are not going anywhere," a voice said from behind, giggling. The door to her prison, widely open, was blocked.
Jordan turned, her face hardening and becoming a blank mask, her eyes losing their dimness as they blazed with anger. "Drode," she growled, putting a hand over Ax's arm protectively. Ax stared at Drode darkly, wary while he hated it, the disgusting creature that caused his friends so much trouble and pain so many times, the thing that never gave them rest.
"Long time, no see, Andalite!" Drode said happily, shuffling forward. He leered at them. "Such a touching reunion. Tell me, Aximili, how are your friends, the Andalite Bandits? Oh! That's right- they're dead, my apologizes," he said in mock politeness. "I don't know how I could have forgotten."
Ax left his face a blank slate, no emotion coming through, his eyes alert but expressionless. No signs that the Drode had gotten to him were visible, except to Jordan, who noticed the way he clenched her wrist tightly with his free hand. When he spoke, his words were flat and smooth, uncaring. "Drode, you have not changed in the slightest. Let Jordan go, she has done nothing, and you have no use for this human. It is me you want."
"No," Jordan hissed at him, jerking her wrist away. "Ax, what are you doing, Ax..." He grabbed her wrist again and squeezed it enough so that she started to squirm. Letting his eyes slip away from Drode's form for a moment, he met her blue ones. His wide eyes told her what his voice could not.
Trembling, she looked down at the floor. Ax let go of her arm.
"Let her go, Drode."
"Now where would the fun be in that?" Drode asked in pretend innocence. "The two of you are such a beautiful couple- the murdering Andalite and the rage filled sister of Rachel. Now how could we break you two apart?"
Jordan took deep breaths, keeping her eyes focused on the floor, away from Drode and the open door behind him.
"Tell your master I will do anything if he lets this human go," Ax said harshly.
The Drode seemed to consider that. He thought for a moment, then stepped forward. "Well... perha-"
NOW! Jordan screamed in her mind. She looked up, past Drode and Ax, focusing on the door.
And ran.
"Go Jordan!" Ax yelled, tackling the surprised, shocked Drode. They fell to the cold, stone ground, grunting and shrieking, each struggling to be free. Jordan didn't look back, just kept running, to the door, out the door.
Harsh, bright lights shone in her eyes for a moment, but she covered her face with her arm and ducked slightly. Turning left, she continued to sprint desperatly, looking down at the floor, cold hard white marble that made her dizzy.
"This is NOT supposed to happen!" she could hear Drode scream, his voice echoing through the corridor. Blinking back the blinding lights, she raised her head, charging forward with the speed only the ones in danger require. The long, white hallway had doors on every side, millions of dark doors, black and white, some upside down. Some had handles that were twisted, melted into indecepherable shapes.
Her mind racing faster than her feet, Jordan whirled on one of the doors, and grasped the large brass handle. She knew that if she ran in this place, she'd never make it. To much open hallway, to much light. It would take less than five minutes catching her. But in these many rooms, maybe, just maybe, she'd have a slim chance. It was her only chance.
She slipped inside, shut the door gently, and found herself in pure, inky darkness. She couldn't see her hands in front of her, couldn't hear anything from the outside hall, no echoing footsteps or shouts from the struggle. Pushing back her concern for Ax, and the tears that threatened to fall in torrents, she pushed back her long blond hair and wiped the sweat off her face.
Then Jordan realized with horror that she could hear someone else breathing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"This is terrible, simply terrible, this was not supposed to happen- foolish, silly girl- we'll get her, there's no way out of my Master's home, no way to get out; we'll have her soon, don't worry about that, and when we do we'll make sure she gets what she deserves..."
Ax stumbled as he walked, wincing from the sharp pains in his arm everytime Drode bumbed into him. The creature's obnoxious voice rattled on as he pushed Ax down the long, white corridor towards an unknown destination. Ax could feel cold sweat on his face, which went along with the fact that he felt as if his internal organs were shifting inside of him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, it reminded him or morphing, but he pushed away those memories. There was to much to think of already, to much to plan out. He had to find someway out of this mess- out of this place. It did not help that he was exhausted and in pain from his injury, but the worst thing was listening to that thing ramble on.
"My master will have lots of fun with you. He's been waiting so long, you know, stewing over the last living Animorph. Do you fear him, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthil? You should, you know, he has more power than you can imagine. He will make you pay for living." The Drode giggled, and Ax got the vague sense that he was giddy, recklessly happy.
That did not help much.
"My name is not Aximili, anymore," was all he mumbled.
"Oh, yes, you're a nothit now. New name to go with your new body? To bad you can't get rid of the old memories. The old guilt." Drode cackled. Ax jerked slightly, and glanced at him.
Pleased to be getting a reaction, the Drode slowed for a moment, and leered at him. "Oh yes, the guilt. My master has seen it. Your nightmares that wake you deep in the night, screaming and crying for your lost friends. For Big Jake, the funny one who might've killed his own Mommy. For Cassie, our killer with a conscience, and Rachel, my favorite Animorph- our rage-filled psychopath. She could have belonged to us, with more time and space."
"She would never have joined you," Ax said, anger flaring. He glared at the alien servant.
"So sure? I think she would have. And what about the bird? The boy trapped in another form?" Drode laughed. "He was weak. A fool."
Before Ax could stop himself, the words slipped from his mouth. "Shut your filthy mouth. Tobias was the bravest person I will ever know, Drode."
Sensing a weak spot, Drode continued goading him on. "His so called bravery did not help him when the Yeerks killed him. Why, he died in your very arms, Andalite-nothit. How did bravery help him then? He died. Because he was weak- a fool- deserving of death-"
"Stop," Ax said loudly, his voice sounding hollow to his ears. He felt distant, cold, like a void all of a sudden. The pain in his shoulder seemed a million miles away.
"You don't like hearing the truth, Aximili? You don't realilty? He couldn't even decide whether he was hawk or human." Drode's voice turned low, cruel. "What was it like, holding him in your arms while he took his last breaths? The blood on your hands. What did you do to stop it? It was your fault- all of them, dead, who could have stopped it?"
"No one," Ax said, but he sounded weak and distant to himself. He forced the whirling emotions buried within him away. He couldn't let Drode get to him. He struggled to put one foot in front of the other, to start walking again. They had slowed to a complete stop while Drode provoked him.
"You could have, couldn't you? You were always boasting about how superior your race was. Your arrogance exceeds even mine," Drode said triumphantly, his eyes gleaming. "So how else to blame but you? You could have saved them all, you had the chances. You didn't even have to agree to go on the mission in the first place? Cassie, Killer with a Conscience, didn't want to go. Why'd you force it? All those deaths. All that pain. Why'd you do it? Why'd you kill them?"
"No, no, I did not kill them..."
Ax focused on his feet. There was a funny buzzing in his ears, and it kept getting louder and louder. Don't listen to Drode, he told himself. One foot in front of the other. Walk away. Do not listen. One footstep. Another. Do not listen.
"Of course you did! Who else's fault would it be?"
"The Yeerks," Ax replied woodenly. He tried to force himself to stop listening, to tune the Wild Card out. But anger and hate and the sharp guilt that stemmed from that last battle had been building inside of him for a long time. To long.
Do not listen... do not listen... do not listen...
"You can't ignore it- the truth has to come out sometime!" Drode laughed highly. "You killed them, you did! Killed them! Killed th-"
"YOU LIE!"
Shocked, absolute silence from Drode. Ax stood, facing him, shaking from head to toe, but for the first time totally aware. The memories spilled through his mind without his consent, but for the first time they brought no sadness, no tears. Only white, hot burning anger that washed through him. Of what had happened to his friends. Of Jordan's "death" and her kidnapping. Of what could still happen if Crayak had his way. It had been held in a long time, much to long to fight back now. The scream had erupted from Ax, who expected it just as much as the Drode had.
"You lie, Drode, it was not my fault! I did everything- everything- I could to save them! They were my friends, my allies, and they died, but it was not my fault. What could I have done? Nothing! Nothing! The Yeerks fired the weapons that sealed their fate, not I." Ax paused his tirade, amazed and exilarated, and repeated, "Not me." Finally, what Jordan and Erek had been telling him all along came through- there was nothing he could have done.
For him, it was a freeing discovery.
Drode's face has darkened to an ugly, hating color of molted purple. Sputtering, he managed to snap, "Well, when you meet your friends in the after-life, I'm sure they'll be telling you different."
Ax looked straight into his eyes. "No, Drode, you are wrong. They would tell me exactly what I have missed seeing all along."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After that, Drode was much easier to handle. The sudden confidence and calmness Ax had shown left Crayak's servant flushed in anger and hostility, but left him silent. He pushed Ax down the hall more, ignoring Ax's flinches when his shoulder was jostled. Occasionally he growled something under his breath, but Ax could never catch it.
Finally, he stopped Ax at a huge, incredibally large metal door that looked as if it was welded together with scrap iron and junk. It defied the laws of physics- the mass was to tall and wide to fit in the narrow hall way- but it was there. Ignoring and taunting all logic. It made Ax's head hurt to think about how it must be real. He knew the hall was only so much tall, but this door reached farther than he could see...
"Master, I have him," Drode said loudly. Ax tensed, feeling a heavy pause fill the air. Silently, the doors opened, still disobeying gravity and math to every extent. The creaking of the metal stopped, and Drode shoved Ax into the room before following. Ax gasped in pain, tears stinging his eyes, as he landed on his hand and knees with his shoulder feeling like a hammer had been slammed into it. He looked up.
His first impression was that the room was like the door- it defied the laws of physics. But he'd seen this room before, a long time ago. Back before the last battle, before he met Jordan, when he was someone completely different and just the same in some way. When he had a different form, with different hopes. Back then, he had stood her with his friends.
The room was shadowed in a cloak of darkness, so he could not see how large it was, but he had the sense that it was bigger than his mind could handle. It was pitch-black, except for the giant, monstrous creature in front of him. Half machine and half creature? They had never been sure. A cybornetic freak of nature, a being more powerful than Ax could comprehend, and it chilled him to the bone. He was afraid, but with good reason. This thing wanted to kill him, and it might even kill Jordan.
Crayak stared down at him with a single, scarlett eye, emotionless. "I have waited a great deal of time to get you."
Ax shivered at the cold voice, the power that was radiating off of him. "What do you want from me?"
Crayak sneered. "Your death, obviously. The end of your pathetic life; to repay you for robbing me of my victory with the Yeerks. You and your human friends have caused me enough trouble, enough for me to want you obliterated slowly and painfully. Is that enough reason, Andalite?"
"Why drag innocent humans into this?"
Drode laughed. "Innocent? Jordan? Sister of Rachel? I highly doubt it."
Crayak slowly turned his horrible, red eye to Drode with menace, who quickly shut up and looked nervous for once. The message had been clear: Crayak was running this little show, and Drode was not to interfere.
Ax looked between the two creatures, and opened his mouth to speak. He was interrupted by the knocking at the metal door- the knocking that shook the room and made his ears hurt.
Crayak spoke a single, slow word, and from his tone Ax could tell he wasn't pleased. "Enter..."
The doors slowly opened, and closed as a Howler came slinking in. Ax felt his chest tighten with anticipation and a little fear as the figure covered in weapons with molten lava skin came towards him, it's blue eyes soft and blank.
But his heart stopped for another reason.
"Ow- let GO of me!" Jordan shrieked, struggling in the Howler's grip. It just tightened on her arm, the other hand tangled in her long hair, pulling her hair back and pushing her in front of him. Jordan was repeating certain things to it that Ax hadn't known she could say.
"Ah, your lovely human is here," Crayak observed crudely. "Now the fun begins."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jordon couldn't hold back the shiver that traced up her spine when she heard Crayak's low, power-radiating voice. He was pure evil, pure darkness, and it stunned her to feel it so immensely. It was even worse than the cold, lava-skinned creature that was gripping her tightly. She could see Ax out of the corner of her eye- tense and grim. Bad sign.
"Let her go, Crayak- your fight is with me, is it not?" Ax said. Then, in a more desperate tone, "You cannot hurt her- it's against the rules, you cannot change something like this-"
Crayak sneered, and Jordan fought the urge to whimper in fear. "It is well within the Rules to do this if everyone buys the illusion, Andalite. And besides..." He laughed, the sound echoing everywhere. "She will make things more... interesting." The blood red eye slowly revolved, and stared at Jordan. "Release her."
Jordan grunted as the Howler let her go and shoved her to the ground on her hands and knees. Instinctivly, she scrambled to her feet and moved next to Ax, swallowing her fear. He looked at her.
'I am sorry,' he mouthed. She shook her head.
'Not your fault.'
Ax took her hand and faced Crayak. "Enough- Crayak! Let her go!"
"Now why would I do that?" Crayak asked, his voice amused, but holding a cold, harsh edge to it. "And you forgot to say the magic word, Andalite."
Ax didn't reply, only glared at the hideous abomination that stood on the high, towering throne. He hated it- hated it! The deep loathing even surpassed that he had once had for Visser Three. He would not beg for his life. Not to this thing. Not like that.
But would he for Jordan? The question unsettled him. He loved her, he wanted to protect her. But he did not know if it would do any good, didn't think it could help anything but give the twisted creature in front of him some entertainment before he killed them off. He could not just stand by and let Crayak do this...
"Please," he said, forcing the word out with disgust. "Please let her go, Crayak."
Crayak laughed. It hurt his ears, hurt Jordan's ears, the cold, low amusement in it rumbling and breaking through the whole room. It was everywhere, in everything, booming louder than any thunder they'd ever heard in their lives. Ax was flinching away from it, taking small steps back with Jordan, both of their heads pounding relentlessly with the sound.
Slowly it began to fade, and Crayak grew silent. Not a good silence. The air seemed almost heavy with foreboding danger.
"I'm afraid I have other plans for her," Crayak finally said, turning his eye on her. Jordan swallowed, holding herself to try and stop the trembling that was working through her body. Then, slowly he turned it back to Ax. "Now... your turn."
Ax jerked back as a blinding light filled the room and engulfed him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ax?"
Cold. Pain. Aching pain.
"Hey, Ax-man, you okay?"
Hard ground, Ax thought dully. I'm on my back. Where am I?
^Ax? You okay? Speak to us...^
Familiar voices, Ax thought dimly. He opened his eyes blearily, and squinted against the sudden dim light that hurt his eyes. He was somewhere... somewhere he knew... A face swam into view. He couldn't see it though- the features were weaving and merging with each other, like some grotesque form of human art.
"I think he's hurt," a concerned, aching sweet voice said.
"Ca... Cass..." Ax choked, forcing the numb words through his frozen mouth. "N... where.."
"Shhh.... It's okay, we'll take care of you. Just relax," the soft voice said.
"N.. no..."
Just as the face came together, like a long-forgotten puzzle, Ax slipped back into the abyss of blackness. Before he did, he managed to take one momentary look- one millisecond of recognition, mixed in with horror, surprise, pain, anguish. Then he was gone, his eyes fluttering shut.
Cassie looked at him in concern. "Jake- go get a blanket. Maybe he was hurt on the way over here, or something. Normal people don't faint in the middle of conversations."
Marco laughed. "If you haven't noticed, Cassie, Ax isn't exactly a *normal* person. He's not even a person. He's an alien. Who knows, maybe he ate some grass that he was allergic to?"
"Marco, will you shut up," Rachel said in exasperation.
"Oh, man, I've been pierced by the dreadful Xena wit and charm again!" Marco gasped dramatically, putting his hand to his forehead and pretending to faint.
Cassie glanced at them. Tobias shuffled in the rafters above her, his gaze intensely fixed on his shorm's still form.
"Here," Jake said shortly, returning with a blanket from one of the stalls. He shoved it into Cassie's hands, his brow furrowed with worry. "What are we going to do if he doesn't wake up before his morph time's out?"
Cassie bit her lip. "Well, I have some adrenaline shots- those could work. But I don't want to take those measures yet, we'll have to wait and see if he wakes up. Rachel, can I use your sweater real quick?" Rachel nodded, and tugged off her sweatshirt, revealing her blue t-shirt underneath.
"Bear it all, baby!" Marco crowed. Rachel spared him a withering glare, and rolled her eyes. She handed the rolled up sweatshirt to Cassie, her blue eyes still fixed on her fallen friend's form. Cassie nodded her thanks, and rolled it up to form something of a pillow. Grunting, she gripped Ax's shoulders and pulled him slightly up so that his head rested on it.
"There..." she mumbled. She spread the Mexican imprinted blanket over him, the embroidered yellows and purples faded from to much time in the barn.
"What about your parents? What if they come in here and see him?" Jake asked calmly.
Cassie shook her head. "They aren't due back for another couple hours. By then Ax should be awake- even if we have to force him to conscienceness."
Her gaze fell on Ax's peaceful face, sweet and unconcerned in sleep, and frowned. "You know... I've got this weird feeling, though."
Marco raised and eyebrow and grinned. "Ut-oh."
^I've got it, too,^ Tobias interrupted. ^Something's... wrong. This is way to weird to be a coincidence.^
Jake frowned. "What sort of weird feeling?" he asked doubtfully.
Cassie looked up at Tobias, who ruffled his feathers in an almost insecure manner. "Well... it's just..."
^This feeling,^ Tobias finished lamely.
Marco laughed. "They've gone psychic, folks! Come one, come all, see the amazing animal woman who wants to let dogs vote and hugs trees, to predict the mysterious futures in our screwed up universe! And while you're here- the Amazing Bird Boy, who can telepathically talk in your mind, and will only charge a... small... fee to tell your fortune about how you will meet a dark, handsome man tomorrow, and he will break your heart because he's REALLY an escaped circus midget who had to much InstaGrow."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jordan gasped and flew her arms to her face in a pathetic attempt to stop the blinding, hot-white light that had taken Ax. She knew he was gone, because she had grabbed for him, grabbed and had taken nothing, nothing but the light in her hands. She thought it'd be like ordinary light, her hands would pass right through, and he was just gone, but she did grab onto a solid beam. The light, solid, oh god it burned. Now, holding her searing hands to her face, scared that it would take her too, she wondered if Ax had been burnt alive.
There was nothing. The light had faded, so suddenly it left her shaken. She lowered her arms, her hands aching terribly. She knew there'd be blisters soon.
There were no ashes of Ax's. Nothing left of him. She felt her breathing spasm painfully, god, this couldn't be happening.
"Where... where did he go?!" she demanded of Crayak breathlessly. He laughed, the same evil laugh that vibrated in her very soul.
"In the words of a human- Hell disguised as Heaven."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This time it was warm. Ax could feel the sun on his face, just lightly, but it was more heat that he'd had in the past few hours. He felt drowsy, comfortable, surrounded by a familiar scent of hay that made him confused. Where was he? Where did... Crayak send him? It took a moment for the name to come to him. He remembered losing conscience vaguely- a gentle face. Cassie... No, could not be her. Cassie was dead, he told himself harshly.
His eyes opened, and he blinked quickly, trying to focus. He was laying down somewhere. Where? He could feel a rough blanket that half covered him, and an uncomfortable lump under his head. The barn slowly sharpened, and his vision cleared.
The rafters had dancing sunbeams across them, from the window, and Ax could see the perch where Tobias had once sat, now empty. But there was someone beside him. Jerking awake fully, he looked over.
"Jordan?"
The girl with her back turned on him straightened in surprise. The golden hair was pushed back behind an ear as the girl turned to face Ax, who still was laying down, staring numbly.
"What?" Rachel asked, confused. "Jordan? Ax... it's Rachel. And how'd you know my sister's name?" she demanded, unaware of any time she had given out the information.
Ax stared at her. It was her- really, truly here. He had not been dreaming, this was no fantasy. Where had Crayak sent him?
"Rachel?" he asked in disbelief, staring at her as if she would disappear any moment.
"Yeah, Rachel," she said, rolling her eyes. "Who else would it be? We were worried about you, we were going to wake you up in about twenty minutes." Rachel tossed him a dubious look. "What happened? You just fainted right in the middle of our meeting."
Ax took several deep breaths, his mind racing. Finally, he forced himself to speak. "I do not know. I just felt like I was about to collapse suddenly, and... well, I am afraid I did."
"Yep, you collapsed all right. Feel better?"
"Yes." Ax struggled to sit up, pushing the worn blanket off of him with a slight grimace. "I am fine now." It was incredibally far from the truth, but it was the best thing he could think of to say. He was physically fine, yes, so that much was true.
Rachel stood, somehow perfectly clean and untouched despite the fact she had just been sitting on the ground in some hay and dirt. Ax stood with her, wary, his mind still racing. Was this Crayak's punishment? To send him back here? How was this a punishment, some small voice in his head asked. Isn't this what you wanted?
"Better call Jake and tell him you're okay. Cassie might want to know to- we were taking turns watching you, just in case you needed waking up," Rachel said, glancing at him. "You only have twenty five minutes to demorph, Ax."
Ax felt sweat bead up on his forehead, and he nodded, his throat constricted painfully. Could he morph, he wondered. He wasn't sure this little set up of Crayak's included that minor detail. Closing his eyes, he tentativly tried.
Nothing happened. No blue fur rippled down his arms, no legs grew out of his chest, no muscular tail appeared with a blade. Not even the stalk eyes popped up. Ax opened his eyes. Rachel was staring at him impatiently.
"Well? What's the matter?"
"I-I think I will wait. I will demorph in my scoop," Ax mumbled, avoiding her piercing gaze. "I am still a little tired."
Rachel stared at him, and slowly shrugged. "Um... okay. See you." She walked out of the barn, still looking hard at him. Trust Rachel to be suspicious, Ax thought. But why shouldn't she be? He would be as well.
Ax slowly stood, and looked around, taking in everything. Nothing had changed, there was no flaw to this place that hadn't been there in his past. It was like he was living in a memory, but as if it were only yesterday that he knew this place, was with these people. His friends. Tobias... Tobias was alive here. They all were. The war was not over, probably, and he had never met Jordan here. But they were alive.
A fierce ache started in his chest. A bittersweet longing that spread through him, desperate and addictive. Tempting.
He missed Jordan and his life... didn't he? He could always find someway back. Was it so wrong just to see where he was, and when? Just to see... what was happening. Get an idea of the situation?
You are fooling yourself, a small voice in his head snapped in anger. Quit lying to yourself. You have to find a way home.
The world he was living in seemed far away, faded like an old photograph. He could barely remember the trial that had decided the drunk driver's fate.
Ax shook his head, confused and suffering. So maybe if he did not tell them, just for a little while, then he could have some time to think this thing out. And was it so wrong? So wrong to want to just... just see them again? To live how he once did, for just a little bit?
Was it so wrong?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day after school ended, Jake called another meeting at the barn. Ax found out from a strangely silent Tobias, who just told him and flew off. It made him wonder if Tobias was suspicious at all, but he didn't comment. What was he supposed to say? He made it through the night without problem, since Tobias or any of them didn't even stop by, so there was no having to explain why he was always in human morph. He simply watched T.V., and curled up the best he could. He used some of the human clothes he had stashed there to use as a blanket, and slept the best he could on the ground. Luckily woke up right before Tobias came to see him.
Now they were all there, milling around in their usual positions in the barn. Silent. It made Ax want to laugh and cry at the same time to see Tobias up in the rafters, Rachel pacing, Marco lounging back with an exasperated look on his face, Cassie trying to make a baby deer swallow a pill, and Prince Jake standing and looking at them all. So familiar. So wonderful to see this again. He'd forgotten almost how much he missed it.
"Well, first of all, Ax, are you okay?" Jake asked calmly. "We didn't know what to think yesterday."
"I am fine," Ax said calmly, trying to sound normal. He succeeded. But he could still see Rachel and the others giving him slightly surprised looks that he was in human form still.
"You can demorph, if you want, Ax," Cassie offered, giving him a puzzled but warm smile.
Ax shook his head. "No, thank you. I am fine." Rachel raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.
Jake continued looking at Ax intently, the serious look on his face one that seemed so familiar. Grown-up look, the kind used when someone's seen to much, done to much. Ax had never really looked at his Prince this way before, he'd never seen the worn, tired look. Or maybe he had, only in a different way. Was it his Prince who had changed, or was it himself?
So much was the same, and yet everything was different.
"Are you sure there's nothing wrong, Ax?" Jake insisted. "I mean, do you have another one of those brain tumor things? You have to tell us these things."
"Yeah," Marco chimed in. "I want a chance to be the next Noah Wrylie, and place Operation instead of throwing up Pepsi and maceroni and cheese in bed."
Ax shook his head, recalling the yamphut incident with clear memories. He'd been so very sick. And to wake up finding a Yeerk in his head... the fear was still there. "No. I do not have yamphut again. I also must point out to you, Marco, that you look nothing like Noah Wrylie, and even if you did, I would not allow you near my head with a scalpel." He smiled.
Absolute silence- except for Marco saying, "Who are you and what have you done with Ax?"
Ax swallowed quickly, feeling nervous as all the eyes were stuck on him. "I do not know what you mean, Marco."
"You aren't playing with sounds," Rachel said in amazement. "You're making jokes. What the heck happened to you when you fainted?"
Ax cursed himself for being so careless and not remembering his behavior during the war. Of course he should be making sounds, playing with his words. The habit had died off after he became a nothlit.
"I am sorry. Sorrr-eee. I was trying to honor your wishes that I would stop with the mouth sounds playing. Iiiing. Outh. Plaaaaay. Ing. Nuh."
It took a little effort, but he managed to sound convincing. The others laughed, and Marco said something about how they shouldn't have said anything, and let him keep going and talking the "normal" way.
"So you're okay," Jake finally said. "What could have caused it?"
Ax bit his lip. He knew very well what had caused it- he'd just been passed into another dimension or some illusion of some kind. But what could he tell them to make them let it be?
"It could have been the heat," Cassie said lamely, obviously trying to give Ax some dignity. "It happens sometimes."
"Or maybe he saw how horrible your clothes are today," Rachel muttered, eyeing Cassie's short faded jeans and plaid top.
Ax interrupted. "I believe it was a fluke." Remembering a second later, he added, "Uke. Fluuuu-kuh."
"A fluke?" Marco said skeptically.
"Yes. Esssss. A fluke." Ax shrugged. "Perhaps it was the heat, as Cassie said. Eat. He-tuh. Heat."
Jake nodded slowly, accepting the answer since there wasn't another one. "Okay- the heat. It *was* boiling yesterday..."
"I'm meeeeelllltttiiiiing!" Marco announced. "Oh, what an ugly, tree-hugging world!!! I'll get you, Xena, and your little bird, too!!!"
Everyone laughed, and Ax relaxed once more. This was where he belonged, he thought dreamily. Where he always belonged.
NO, no, that's not right, you belong somewhere else, a voice screamed. Jordan- you belong with her, and Erek, somewhere else, far away from here. You need to get back.
But, surely, just a little longer would not hurt...?
Ax looked up instintively, and stared into the amber eyes of his shorm. Tobias was looking straight at him, impassive and silent. Eyes bore in, through his soul. They seemed almost accusing.
Ax looked away, feeling worse than ever. Yes, a little while longer would not hurt...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The woods were warm tonight, the breezes bringing on the scent of a new summer coming soon. They brought the scent of grasses and wild flowers, and the pine, dusty scent of sun in the evening. Even the air was humid, damp with warmth, curling around Ax like a blanket. The grass brushing against his face felt good, too, something he hadn't felt for a long time, as he laid down against a tree. It would be so much easier to sleep tonight.
Closing his eyes, he desperatly tried to bring on sleep, but visions were plagueing him. Of Jordan, and how he just left her with the greatest evil in the universe. What was Erek thinking right now? Did he think Ax was gone for good, driven by grief from Jordan's faked death? What was happening to him? He wanted to leave this place, didn't he? He had to someday, but that thought brought a cold knot in his stomach.
Tossing restlessly, he opened his eyes and stared blankly at the sky. He could just make out the star where his people were...
^You know, last time I checked, Ax didn't sleep in human morph, curled up with a blanket against a tree,^ a voice said coldly in thoughtspeak.
Ax jerked up, and looked around before spotting Tobias's hawk form perched on a branch just above him. "Tobias..." Ax said lamely. "I was merely... I was..." His mind was racing frantically, despite the calm expression on his face. WHat could he say to explain this?
^Don't try to explain,^ Tobias snapped. ^Just tell me who you are, and what have you done with Ax?^
Ax sighed. "I am Ax." Now that the truth was out, he had no choice but to tell the truth. "I am simply a..." He paused, biting his lip. "Different one."
^A different one?^ Tobias asked skeptically. ^Can you explain a little bit more, please?^
Ax settled himself more comfortably and looked up at his old friend. "Basically, I come from the future. Another time and place, where things are different. I am not sure exactly how to tell this..."
Tobias swooped down silently, and landed on a fallen branch near where Ax was sitting, his red feathered wings fluttering as he settled. After settling comfortably, he looked at Ax with his unnerving stare. ^You've got all night, I think you'll find a way,^ he said quietly.
Ax took a deep breath and began the long, hard story.
It was time to tell the truth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO BE CONTINUED....
Okay, people. Yes, I realize I'm leaving you hanging. And chances are it may take me a while to do more. ::sighs:: But I've got to post this- it's been FOREVER, and I think most people have forgotton my series! GAH! But hopefully I'll have more done in a month or so, when I don't have Debate and stuff. Then... you will find out the answers to all your questions!! Will Ax go back to his true time?! Will they escape Crayak?! Will Jordan end up alive again?! DOES GREEN JELLO _TRULY_ HAVE A HEARTBEAT?!?!? Find out- in #10 of my "NEw CHapter" series!!! :) :) :)
By Kay
Disclaimer: Don't own Ax, Jordan, Crayak, Drode, Ellimist, or any of the Animorphs. I do own Tobi. Pleeaasse don't sue me!!! Thank you. :)
Notes: The 9th sequel to A New Chapter- there'll be one more after this, I think! So rejoice! You may be free of me after that! ;) By the way, I would really really like to thank Stacy for everything- you've been great help. Couldn't do it without ya! :) :) :)
Jordan's gaze was empty and distant, as if seeing something beyond the grey, moulding walls that incased her. How many days had it been, she wondered. How many weeks? It seemed like forever, an oblivion, in this prison within a prison. Though there was light, she missed the feel of sun on her skin.
"Gods, this place really needs a maid or something. I mean, seriously, he may be an evil scum bucket, but does he have to have the place so gross and dark? I mean, jeez..." She groaned. "Oh, great, now I'm talking to myself... The lack of human contact and sun must be starting to get to me."
A thudding sound echoed above her, and she tensed. The hollow, metal clanging sound was coming from the ceiling, she realized with amazement. Scrambling to her feet, she craned her head upwards. Listening intently, she walked to the middle of the large bubble, her eyes still locked on the grey ceiling as another sound echoed. Jordan's eyes widened, and her breaths grew short. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and couldn't tear her gaze away for even a second.
The sounds stopped for an instant. Jordan, desperate, screamed, "I'M HERE- OH GOD HELP ME!" The sounds hesitated for even longer, and then to Jordan's relief the vent cover on the ceiling started to shift and rise. She didn't care who it was- what it was- as long as it was some sort of contact.
"Hello??!! Can you help me? My name- it's Jordan- and I'm stuck here and I need to get out. Please..." Her voice trailed off, ragged from the emotions bursting forth at the prospect of being here for an enternity. "Please..."
Something fell on her.
"Omph!" Jordan winced as her palms hit the hard ground, scraping on the stone. The wind was knocked out of her, and she dizzily lifted her head. The person who'd landed on her, rolled off with a moan and a sharp cry of pain.
"Aah... Oh... that hurt..." a familiar, pain-filled voice gasped. "M-my shoulder..." A soft whimper escaped from whoever had landed on her. Jordan eased herself up with a wince, propping herself up on her elbow and turning to her rescuer. She couldn't say anything.
Though the eyes were filled with pain, and the hair dusty from the vent, she would have known him anywhere.
"Ax... oh God- Ax!" Jordan felt tears well up in her eyes, joy for once instead of frustration or sadness. It had never occured to her how much she'd missed him- until she saw his face again. His brown eyes, and the familiar sound of his voice. The ache that had been cutting her up inside dimmed and at the same time overwhelmed her as she looked at the tight ball Ax was curled up in next to her on the damp floor.
"Jordan," Ax gasped, his eyes wide. He jerked up, gritting his teeth at the shooting pains in his shoulder. Struggling to sit up, he flung his arms around her with a ferocity that surprised and thrilled Jordan. She wrapped her arms around him, sobbing, reveling in the warmth of his body heat.
"God, Ax, I thought I-I'd never s-see you again..." she whispered, burying her face in his chest.
Ax didn't let her stay that way for long- he took her face and kissed her, tears streaming down his face. Kissed her hard, with all the feelings he'd been holding back, all the pressure he'd been under and the frustrations and pain all pouring into his kisses. Kissed her over and over, desperate small kisses on her face, the tip of her nose, her forehead and all over her face. Crying while he did it. Not even noticing the horrible, twisting pain in his shoulder. Jordan couldn't help but sob with him. Finally, things seemed a little right. Better.
Ax started to talk, quick devestated whispers and apologies in between his kisses. Some of them made sense to Jordan, some didn't. Things that she hardly remembered, never mattered to her. Apologies for the fight, for things that may or may not have happened. Unable to talk, Jordan wrapped her arms tightly around his shaking figure and stroked his hair gently.
"Shhh..." she murmered. "It's okay... God, I missed you. It's okay- there's nothing to be sorry for, Ax. It wasn't you... it wasn't you..."
Ax buried his face in a warm spot in her neck. "I love you... do not ever leave me... do not..."
"I love you, too- and I'm not going anywhere, Ax. Never again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It took about fifteen minutes before Ax was able to fully reassure himself that she was real, twenty before he was able to let her go in the smallest measures. It seemed like an eternity, the odd timeframe Crayak had going, until those minutes had passed- more than enough time to forgive each other. At Jordan's insistance, Ax reluctantly let her bind his arm and shoulder in a sling made from his jacket. The ripped fabric helped him stop jarring it, or moving it to the extent of incredible, tear-bringing pain that often plagued him when he dared to move it in the slightest degree.
It was only a matter of time before the real question came up.
"Umm... Ax? How do we get out of here?" Jordan asked tentativly, finished up the last knot that tied the sling together. Making sure it was tight enough, she stood up and helped Ax to his feet, seeing he was shaky from the way she had to move his entire arm to get it in the sling comfortably.
Ax was silent for a moment, confused and dazed. "What?"
"How do we get out?" Jordan demanded in concern and fear. Her bright eyes looked clouded and vague.
"We must find a way. I did not exactly have time to plan this out, you know," Ax said matter-of-factly. Jordan rolled her eyes and made an exasperating sound.
Ax studied the ceiling, tilting his head upwards and leaning on Jordan's shoulder lightly, still in some pain from the long fall down. "Perhaps through the ve-"
"I'm happy to say you are not going anywhere," a voice said from behind, giggling. The door to her prison, widely open, was blocked.
Jordan turned, her face hardening and becoming a blank mask, her eyes losing their dimness as they blazed with anger. "Drode," she growled, putting a hand over Ax's arm protectively. Ax stared at Drode darkly, wary while he hated it, the disgusting creature that caused his friends so much trouble and pain so many times, the thing that never gave them rest.
"Long time, no see, Andalite!" Drode said happily, shuffling forward. He leered at them. "Such a touching reunion. Tell me, Aximili, how are your friends, the Andalite Bandits? Oh! That's right- they're dead, my apologizes," he said in mock politeness. "I don't know how I could have forgotten."
Ax left his face a blank slate, no emotion coming through, his eyes alert but expressionless. No signs that the Drode had gotten to him were visible, except to Jordan, who noticed the way he clenched her wrist tightly with his free hand. When he spoke, his words were flat and smooth, uncaring. "Drode, you have not changed in the slightest. Let Jordan go, she has done nothing, and you have no use for this human. It is me you want."
"No," Jordan hissed at him, jerking her wrist away. "Ax, what are you doing, Ax..." He grabbed her wrist again and squeezed it enough so that she started to squirm. Letting his eyes slip away from Drode's form for a moment, he met her blue ones. His wide eyes told her what his voice could not.
Trembling, she looked down at the floor. Ax let go of her arm.
"Let her go, Drode."
"Now where would the fun be in that?" Drode asked in pretend innocence. "The two of you are such a beautiful couple- the murdering Andalite and the rage filled sister of Rachel. Now how could we break you two apart?"
Jordan took deep breaths, keeping her eyes focused on the floor, away from Drode and the open door behind him.
"Tell your master I will do anything if he lets this human go," Ax said harshly.
The Drode seemed to consider that. He thought for a moment, then stepped forward. "Well... perha-"
NOW! Jordan screamed in her mind. She looked up, past Drode and Ax, focusing on the door.
And ran.
"Go Jordan!" Ax yelled, tackling the surprised, shocked Drode. They fell to the cold, stone ground, grunting and shrieking, each struggling to be free. Jordan didn't look back, just kept running, to the door, out the door.
Harsh, bright lights shone in her eyes for a moment, but she covered her face with her arm and ducked slightly. Turning left, she continued to sprint desperatly, looking down at the floor, cold hard white marble that made her dizzy.
"This is NOT supposed to happen!" she could hear Drode scream, his voice echoing through the corridor. Blinking back the blinding lights, she raised her head, charging forward with the speed only the ones in danger require. The long, white hallway had doors on every side, millions of dark doors, black and white, some upside down. Some had handles that were twisted, melted into indecepherable shapes.
Her mind racing faster than her feet, Jordan whirled on one of the doors, and grasped the large brass handle. She knew that if she ran in this place, she'd never make it. To much open hallway, to much light. It would take less than five minutes catching her. But in these many rooms, maybe, just maybe, she'd have a slim chance. It was her only chance.
She slipped inside, shut the door gently, and found herself in pure, inky darkness. She couldn't see her hands in front of her, couldn't hear anything from the outside hall, no echoing footsteps or shouts from the struggle. Pushing back her concern for Ax, and the tears that threatened to fall in torrents, she pushed back her long blond hair and wiped the sweat off her face.
Then Jordan realized with horror that she could hear someone else breathing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"This is terrible, simply terrible, this was not supposed to happen- foolish, silly girl- we'll get her, there's no way out of my Master's home, no way to get out; we'll have her soon, don't worry about that, and when we do we'll make sure she gets what she deserves..."
Ax stumbled as he walked, wincing from the sharp pains in his arm everytime Drode bumbed into him. The creature's obnoxious voice rattled on as he pushed Ax down the long, white corridor towards an unknown destination. Ax could feel cold sweat on his face, which went along with the fact that he felt as if his internal organs were shifting inside of him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, it reminded him or morphing, but he pushed away those memories. There was to much to think of already, to much to plan out. He had to find someway out of this mess- out of this place. It did not help that he was exhausted and in pain from his injury, but the worst thing was listening to that thing ramble on.
"My master will have lots of fun with you. He's been waiting so long, you know, stewing over the last living Animorph. Do you fear him, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthil? You should, you know, he has more power than you can imagine. He will make you pay for living." The Drode giggled, and Ax got the vague sense that he was giddy, recklessly happy.
That did not help much.
"My name is not Aximili, anymore," was all he mumbled.
"Oh, yes, you're a nothit now. New name to go with your new body? To bad you can't get rid of the old memories. The old guilt." Drode cackled. Ax jerked slightly, and glanced at him.
Pleased to be getting a reaction, the Drode slowed for a moment, and leered at him. "Oh yes, the guilt. My master has seen it. Your nightmares that wake you deep in the night, screaming and crying for your lost friends. For Big Jake, the funny one who might've killed his own Mommy. For Cassie, our killer with a conscience, and Rachel, my favorite Animorph- our rage-filled psychopath. She could have belonged to us, with more time and space."
"She would never have joined you," Ax said, anger flaring. He glared at the alien servant.
"So sure? I think she would have. And what about the bird? The boy trapped in another form?" Drode laughed. "He was weak. A fool."
Before Ax could stop himself, the words slipped from his mouth. "Shut your filthy mouth. Tobias was the bravest person I will ever know, Drode."
Sensing a weak spot, Drode continued goading him on. "His so called bravery did not help him when the Yeerks killed him. Why, he died in your very arms, Andalite-nothit. How did bravery help him then? He died. Because he was weak- a fool- deserving of death-"
"Stop," Ax said loudly, his voice sounding hollow to his ears. He felt distant, cold, like a void all of a sudden. The pain in his shoulder seemed a million miles away.
"You don't like hearing the truth, Aximili? You don't realilty? He couldn't even decide whether he was hawk or human." Drode's voice turned low, cruel. "What was it like, holding him in your arms while he took his last breaths? The blood on your hands. What did you do to stop it? It was your fault- all of them, dead, who could have stopped it?"
"No one," Ax said, but he sounded weak and distant to himself. He forced the whirling emotions buried within him away. He couldn't let Drode get to him. He struggled to put one foot in front of the other, to start walking again. They had slowed to a complete stop while Drode provoked him.
"You could have, couldn't you? You were always boasting about how superior your race was. Your arrogance exceeds even mine," Drode said triumphantly, his eyes gleaming. "So how else to blame but you? You could have saved them all, you had the chances. You didn't even have to agree to go on the mission in the first place? Cassie, Killer with a Conscience, didn't want to go. Why'd you force it? All those deaths. All that pain. Why'd you do it? Why'd you kill them?"
"No, no, I did not kill them..."
Ax focused on his feet. There was a funny buzzing in his ears, and it kept getting louder and louder. Don't listen to Drode, he told himself. One foot in front of the other. Walk away. Do not listen. One footstep. Another. Do not listen.
"Of course you did! Who else's fault would it be?"
"The Yeerks," Ax replied woodenly. He tried to force himself to stop listening, to tune the Wild Card out. But anger and hate and the sharp guilt that stemmed from that last battle had been building inside of him for a long time. To long.
Do not listen... do not listen... do not listen...
"You can't ignore it- the truth has to come out sometime!" Drode laughed highly. "You killed them, you did! Killed them! Killed th-"
"YOU LIE!"
Shocked, absolute silence from Drode. Ax stood, facing him, shaking from head to toe, but for the first time totally aware. The memories spilled through his mind without his consent, but for the first time they brought no sadness, no tears. Only white, hot burning anger that washed through him. Of what had happened to his friends. Of Jordan's "death" and her kidnapping. Of what could still happen if Crayak had his way. It had been held in a long time, much to long to fight back now. The scream had erupted from Ax, who expected it just as much as the Drode had.
"You lie, Drode, it was not my fault! I did everything- everything- I could to save them! They were my friends, my allies, and they died, but it was not my fault. What could I have done? Nothing! Nothing! The Yeerks fired the weapons that sealed their fate, not I." Ax paused his tirade, amazed and exilarated, and repeated, "Not me." Finally, what Jordan and Erek had been telling him all along came through- there was nothing he could have done.
For him, it was a freeing discovery.
Drode's face has darkened to an ugly, hating color of molted purple. Sputtering, he managed to snap, "Well, when you meet your friends in the after-life, I'm sure they'll be telling you different."
Ax looked straight into his eyes. "No, Drode, you are wrong. They would tell me exactly what I have missed seeing all along."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After that, Drode was much easier to handle. The sudden confidence and calmness Ax had shown left Crayak's servant flushed in anger and hostility, but left him silent. He pushed Ax down the hall more, ignoring Ax's flinches when his shoulder was jostled. Occasionally he growled something under his breath, but Ax could never catch it.
Finally, he stopped Ax at a huge, incredibally large metal door that looked as if it was welded together with scrap iron and junk. It defied the laws of physics- the mass was to tall and wide to fit in the narrow hall way- but it was there. Ignoring and taunting all logic. It made Ax's head hurt to think about how it must be real. He knew the hall was only so much tall, but this door reached farther than he could see...
"Master, I have him," Drode said loudly. Ax tensed, feeling a heavy pause fill the air. Silently, the doors opened, still disobeying gravity and math to every extent. The creaking of the metal stopped, and Drode shoved Ax into the room before following. Ax gasped in pain, tears stinging his eyes, as he landed on his hand and knees with his shoulder feeling like a hammer had been slammed into it. He looked up.
His first impression was that the room was like the door- it defied the laws of physics. But he'd seen this room before, a long time ago. Back before the last battle, before he met Jordan, when he was someone completely different and just the same in some way. When he had a different form, with different hopes. Back then, he had stood her with his friends.
The room was shadowed in a cloak of darkness, so he could not see how large it was, but he had the sense that it was bigger than his mind could handle. It was pitch-black, except for the giant, monstrous creature in front of him. Half machine and half creature? They had never been sure. A cybornetic freak of nature, a being more powerful than Ax could comprehend, and it chilled him to the bone. He was afraid, but with good reason. This thing wanted to kill him, and it might even kill Jordan.
Crayak stared down at him with a single, scarlett eye, emotionless. "I have waited a great deal of time to get you."
Ax shivered at the cold voice, the power that was radiating off of him. "What do you want from me?"
Crayak sneered. "Your death, obviously. The end of your pathetic life; to repay you for robbing me of my victory with the Yeerks. You and your human friends have caused me enough trouble, enough for me to want you obliterated slowly and painfully. Is that enough reason, Andalite?"
"Why drag innocent humans into this?"
Drode laughed. "Innocent? Jordan? Sister of Rachel? I highly doubt it."
Crayak slowly turned his horrible, red eye to Drode with menace, who quickly shut up and looked nervous for once. The message had been clear: Crayak was running this little show, and Drode was not to interfere.
Ax looked between the two creatures, and opened his mouth to speak. He was interrupted by the knocking at the metal door- the knocking that shook the room and made his ears hurt.
Crayak spoke a single, slow word, and from his tone Ax could tell he wasn't pleased. "Enter..."
The doors slowly opened, and closed as a Howler came slinking in. Ax felt his chest tighten with anticipation and a little fear as the figure covered in weapons with molten lava skin came towards him, it's blue eyes soft and blank.
But his heart stopped for another reason.
"Ow- let GO of me!" Jordan shrieked, struggling in the Howler's grip. It just tightened on her arm, the other hand tangled in her long hair, pulling her hair back and pushing her in front of him. Jordan was repeating certain things to it that Ax hadn't known she could say.
"Ah, your lovely human is here," Crayak observed crudely. "Now the fun begins."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jordon couldn't hold back the shiver that traced up her spine when she heard Crayak's low, power-radiating voice. He was pure evil, pure darkness, and it stunned her to feel it so immensely. It was even worse than the cold, lava-skinned creature that was gripping her tightly. She could see Ax out of the corner of her eye- tense and grim. Bad sign.
"Let her go, Crayak- your fight is with me, is it not?" Ax said. Then, in a more desperate tone, "You cannot hurt her- it's against the rules, you cannot change something like this-"
Crayak sneered, and Jordan fought the urge to whimper in fear. "It is well within the Rules to do this if everyone buys the illusion, Andalite. And besides..." He laughed, the sound echoing everywhere. "She will make things more... interesting." The blood red eye slowly revolved, and stared at Jordan. "Release her."
Jordan grunted as the Howler let her go and shoved her to the ground on her hands and knees. Instinctivly, she scrambled to her feet and moved next to Ax, swallowing her fear. He looked at her.
'I am sorry,' he mouthed. She shook her head.
'Not your fault.'
Ax took her hand and faced Crayak. "Enough- Crayak! Let her go!"
"Now why would I do that?" Crayak asked, his voice amused, but holding a cold, harsh edge to it. "And you forgot to say the magic word, Andalite."
Ax didn't reply, only glared at the hideous abomination that stood on the high, towering throne. He hated it- hated it! The deep loathing even surpassed that he had once had for Visser Three. He would not beg for his life. Not to this thing. Not like that.
But would he for Jordan? The question unsettled him. He loved her, he wanted to protect her. But he did not know if it would do any good, didn't think it could help anything but give the twisted creature in front of him some entertainment before he killed them off. He could not just stand by and let Crayak do this...
"Please," he said, forcing the word out with disgust. "Please let her go, Crayak."
Crayak laughed. It hurt his ears, hurt Jordan's ears, the cold, low amusement in it rumbling and breaking through the whole room. It was everywhere, in everything, booming louder than any thunder they'd ever heard in their lives. Ax was flinching away from it, taking small steps back with Jordan, both of their heads pounding relentlessly with the sound.
Slowly it began to fade, and Crayak grew silent. Not a good silence. The air seemed almost heavy with foreboding danger.
"I'm afraid I have other plans for her," Crayak finally said, turning his eye on her. Jordan swallowed, holding herself to try and stop the trembling that was working through her body. Then, slowly he turned it back to Ax. "Now... your turn."
Ax jerked back as a blinding light filled the room and engulfed him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ax?"
Cold. Pain. Aching pain.
"Hey, Ax-man, you okay?"
Hard ground, Ax thought dully. I'm on my back. Where am I?
^Ax? You okay? Speak to us...^
Familiar voices, Ax thought dimly. He opened his eyes blearily, and squinted against the sudden dim light that hurt his eyes. He was somewhere... somewhere he knew... A face swam into view. He couldn't see it though- the features were weaving and merging with each other, like some grotesque form of human art.
"I think he's hurt," a concerned, aching sweet voice said.
"Ca... Cass..." Ax choked, forcing the numb words through his frozen mouth. "N... where.."
"Shhh.... It's okay, we'll take care of you. Just relax," the soft voice said.
"N.. no..."
Just as the face came together, like a long-forgotten puzzle, Ax slipped back into the abyss of blackness. Before he did, he managed to take one momentary look- one millisecond of recognition, mixed in with horror, surprise, pain, anguish. Then he was gone, his eyes fluttering shut.
Cassie looked at him in concern. "Jake- go get a blanket. Maybe he was hurt on the way over here, or something. Normal people don't faint in the middle of conversations."
Marco laughed. "If you haven't noticed, Cassie, Ax isn't exactly a *normal* person. He's not even a person. He's an alien. Who knows, maybe he ate some grass that he was allergic to?"
"Marco, will you shut up," Rachel said in exasperation.
"Oh, man, I've been pierced by the dreadful Xena wit and charm again!" Marco gasped dramatically, putting his hand to his forehead and pretending to faint.
Cassie glanced at them. Tobias shuffled in the rafters above her, his gaze intensely fixed on his shorm's still form.
"Here," Jake said shortly, returning with a blanket from one of the stalls. He shoved it into Cassie's hands, his brow furrowed with worry. "What are we going to do if he doesn't wake up before his morph time's out?"
Cassie bit her lip. "Well, I have some adrenaline shots- those could work. But I don't want to take those measures yet, we'll have to wait and see if he wakes up. Rachel, can I use your sweater real quick?" Rachel nodded, and tugged off her sweatshirt, revealing her blue t-shirt underneath.
"Bear it all, baby!" Marco crowed. Rachel spared him a withering glare, and rolled her eyes. She handed the rolled up sweatshirt to Cassie, her blue eyes still fixed on her fallen friend's form. Cassie nodded her thanks, and rolled it up to form something of a pillow. Grunting, she gripped Ax's shoulders and pulled him slightly up so that his head rested on it.
"There..." she mumbled. She spread the Mexican imprinted blanket over him, the embroidered yellows and purples faded from to much time in the barn.
"What about your parents? What if they come in here and see him?" Jake asked calmly.
Cassie shook her head. "They aren't due back for another couple hours. By then Ax should be awake- even if we have to force him to conscienceness."
Her gaze fell on Ax's peaceful face, sweet and unconcerned in sleep, and frowned. "You know... I've got this weird feeling, though."
Marco raised and eyebrow and grinned. "Ut-oh."
^I've got it, too,^ Tobias interrupted. ^Something's... wrong. This is way to weird to be a coincidence.^
Jake frowned. "What sort of weird feeling?" he asked doubtfully.
Cassie looked up at Tobias, who ruffled his feathers in an almost insecure manner. "Well... it's just..."
^This feeling,^ Tobias finished lamely.
Marco laughed. "They've gone psychic, folks! Come one, come all, see the amazing animal woman who wants to let dogs vote and hugs trees, to predict the mysterious futures in our screwed up universe! And while you're here- the Amazing Bird Boy, who can telepathically talk in your mind, and will only charge a... small... fee to tell your fortune about how you will meet a dark, handsome man tomorrow, and he will break your heart because he's REALLY an escaped circus midget who had to much InstaGrow."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jordan gasped and flew her arms to her face in a pathetic attempt to stop the blinding, hot-white light that had taken Ax. She knew he was gone, because she had grabbed for him, grabbed and had taken nothing, nothing but the light in her hands. She thought it'd be like ordinary light, her hands would pass right through, and he was just gone, but she did grab onto a solid beam. The light, solid, oh god it burned. Now, holding her searing hands to her face, scared that it would take her too, she wondered if Ax had been burnt alive.
There was nothing. The light had faded, so suddenly it left her shaken. She lowered her arms, her hands aching terribly. She knew there'd be blisters soon.
There were no ashes of Ax's. Nothing left of him. She felt her breathing spasm painfully, god, this couldn't be happening.
"Where... where did he go?!" she demanded of Crayak breathlessly. He laughed, the same evil laugh that vibrated in her very soul.
"In the words of a human- Hell disguised as Heaven."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This time it was warm. Ax could feel the sun on his face, just lightly, but it was more heat that he'd had in the past few hours. He felt drowsy, comfortable, surrounded by a familiar scent of hay that made him confused. Where was he? Where did... Crayak send him? It took a moment for the name to come to him. He remembered losing conscience vaguely- a gentle face. Cassie... No, could not be her. Cassie was dead, he told himself harshly.
His eyes opened, and he blinked quickly, trying to focus. He was laying down somewhere. Where? He could feel a rough blanket that half covered him, and an uncomfortable lump under his head. The barn slowly sharpened, and his vision cleared.
The rafters had dancing sunbeams across them, from the window, and Ax could see the perch where Tobias had once sat, now empty. But there was someone beside him. Jerking awake fully, he looked over.
"Jordan?"
The girl with her back turned on him straightened in surprise. The golden hair was pushed back behind an ear as the girl turned to face Ax, who still was laying down, staring numbly.
"What?" Rachel asked, confused. "Jordan? Ax... it's Rachel. And how'd you know my sister's name?" she demanded, unaware of any time she had given out the information.
Ax stared at her. It was her- really, truly here. He had not been dreaming, this was no fantasy. Where had Crayak sent him?
"Rachel?" he asked in disbelief, staring at her as if she would disappear any moment.
"Yeah, Rachel," she said, rolling her eyes. "Who else would it be? We were worried about you, we were going to wake you up in about twenty minutes." Rachel tossed him a dubious look. "What happened? You just fainted right in the middle of our meeting."
Ax took several deep breaths, his mind racing. Finally, he forced himself to speak. "I do not know. I just felt like I was about to collapse suddenly, and... well, I am afraid I did."
"Yep, you collapsed all right. Feel better?"
"Yes." Ax struggled to sit up, pushing the worn blanket off of him with a slight grimace. "I am fine now." It was incredibally far from the truth, but it was the best thing he could think of to say. He was physically fine, yes, so that much was true.
Rachel stood, somehow perfectly clean and untouched despite the fact she had just been sitting on the ground in some hay and dirt. Ax stood with her, wary, his mind still racing. Was this Crayak's punishment? To send him back here? How was this a punishment, some small voice in his head asked. Isn't this what you wanted?
"Better call Jake and tell him you're okay. Cassie might want to know to- we were taking turns watching you, just in case you needed waking up," Rachel said, glancing at him. "You only have twenty five minutes to demorph, Ax."
Ax felt sweat bead up on his forehead, and he nodded, his throat constricted painfully. Could he morph, he wondered. He wasn't sure this little set up of Crayak's included that minor detail. Closing his eyes, he tentativly tried.
Nothing happened. No blue fur rippled down his arms, no legs grew out of his chest, no muscular tail appeared with a blade. Not even the stalk eyes popped up. Ax opened his eyes. Rachel was staring at him impatiently.
"Well? What's the matter?"
"I-I think I will wait. I will demorph in my scoop," Ax mumbled, avoiding her piercing gaze. "I am still a little tired."
Rachel stared at him, and slowly shrugged. "Um... okay. See you." She walked out of the barn, still looking hard at him. Trust Rachel to be suspicious, Ax thought. But why shouldn't she be? He would be as well.
Ax slowly stood, and looked around, taking in everything. Nothing had changed, there was no flaw to this place that hadn't been there in his past. It was like he was living in a memory, but as if it were only yesterday that he knew this place, was with these people. His friends. Tobias... Tobias was alive here. They all were. The war was not over, probably, and he had never met Jordan here. But they were alive.
A fierce ache started in his chest. A bittersweet longing that spread through him, desperate and addictive. Tempting.
He missed Jordan and his life... didn't he? He could always find someway back. Was it so wrong just to see where he was, and when? Just to see... what was happening. Get an idea of the situation?
You are fooling yourself, a small voice in his head snapped in anger. Quit lying to yourself. You have to find a way home.
The world he was living in seemed far away, faded like an old photograph. He could barely remember the trial that had decided the drunk driver's fate.
Ax shook his head, confused and suffering. So maybe if he did not tell them, just for a little while, then he could have some time to think this thing out. And was it so wrong? So wrong to want to just... just see them again? To live how he once did, for just a little bit?
Was it so wrong?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day after school ended, Jake called another meeting at the barn. Ax found out from a strangely silent Tobias, who just told him and flew off. It made him wonder if Tobias was suspicious at all, but he didn't comment. What was he supposed to say? He made it through the night without problem, since Tobias or any of them didn't even stop by, so there was no having to explain why he was always in human morph. He simply watched T.V., and curled up the best he could. He used some of the human clothes he had stashed there to use as a blanket, and slept the best he could on the ground. Luckily woke up right before Tobias came to see him.
Now they were all there, milling around in their usual positions in the barn. Silent. It made Ax want to laugh and cry at the same time to see Tobias up in the rafters, Rachel pacing, Marco lounging back with an exasperated look on his face, Cassie trying to make a baby deer swallow a pill, and Prince Jake standing and looking at them all. So familiar. So wonderful to see this again. He'd forgotten almost how much he missed it.
"Well, first of all, Ax, are you okay?" Jake asked calmly. "We didn't know what to think yesterday."
"I am fine," Ax said calmly, trying to sound normal. He succeeded. But he could still see Rachel and the others giving him slightly surprised looks that he was in human form still.
"You can demorph, if you want, Ax," Cassie offered, giving him a puzzled but warm smile.
Ax shook his head. "No, thank you. I am fine." Rachel raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.
Jake continued looking at Ax intently, the serious look on his face one that seemed so familiar. Grown-up look, the kind used when someone's seen to much, done to much. Ax had never really looked at his Prince this way before, he'd never seen the worn, tired look. Or maybe he had, only in a different way. Was it his Prince who had changed, or was it himself?
So much was the same, and yet everything was different.
"Are you sure there's nothing wrong, Ax?" Jake insisted. "I mean, do you have another one of those brain tumor things? You have to tell us these things."
"Yeah," Marco chimed in. "I want a chance to be the next Noah Wrylie, and place Operation instead of throwing up Pepsi and maceroni and cheese in bed."
Ax shook his head, recalling the yamphut incident with clear memories. He'd been so very sick. And to wake up finding a Yeerk in his head... the fear was still there. "No. I do not have yamphut again. I also must point out to you, Marco, that you look nothing like Noah Wrylie, and even if you did, I would not allow you near my head with a scalpel." He smiled.
Absolute silence- except for Marco saying, "Who are you and what have you done with Ax?"
Ax swallowed quickly, feeling nervous as all the eyes were stuck on him. "I do not know what you mean, Marco."
"You aren't playing with sounds," Rachel said in amazement. "You're making jokes. What the heck happened to you when you fainted?"
Ax cursed himself for being so careless and not remembering his behavior during the war. Of course he should be making sounds, playing with his words. The habit had died off after he became a nothlit.
"I am sorry. Sorrr-eee. I was trying to honor your wishes that I would stop with the mouth sounds playing. Iiiing. Outh. Plaaaaay. Ing. Nuh."
It took a little effort, but he managed to sound convincing. The others laughed, and Marco said something about how they shouldn't have said anything, and let him keep going and talking the "normal" way.
"So you're okay," Jake finally said. "What could have caused it?"
Ax bit his lip. He knew very well what had caused it- he'd just been passed into another dimension or some illusion of some kind. But what could he tell them to make them let it be?
"It could have been the heat," Cassie said lamely, obviously trying to give Ax some dignity. "It happens sometimes."
"Or maybe he saw how horrible your clothes are today," Rachel muttered, eyeing Cassie's short faded jeans and plaid top.
Ax interrupted. "I believe it was a fluke." Remembering a second later, he added, "Uke. Fluuuu-kuh."
"A fluke?" Marco said skeptically.
"Yes. Esssss. A fluke." Ax shrugged. "Perhaps it was the heat, as Cassie said. Eat. He-tuh. Heat."
Jake nodded slowly, accepting the answer since there wasn't another one. "Okay- the heat. It *was* boiling yesterday..."
"I'm meeeeelllltttiiiiing!" Marco announced. "Oh, what an ugly, tree-hugging world!!! I'll get you, Xena, and your little bird, too!!!"
Everyone laughed, and Ax relaxed once more. This was where he belonged, he thought dreamily. Where he always belonged.
NO, no, that's not right, you belong somewhere else, a voice screamed. Jordan- you belong with her, and Erek, somewhere else, far away from here. You need to get back.
But, surely, just a little longer would not hurt...?
Ax looked up instintively, and stared into the amber eyes of his shorm. Tobias was looking straight at him, impassive and silent. Eyes bore in, through his soul. They seemed almost accusing.
Ax looked away, feeling worse than ever. Yes, a little while longer would not hurt...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The woods were warm tonight, the breezes bringing on the scent of a new summer coming soon. They brought the scent of grasses and wild flowers, and the pine, dusty scent of sun in the evening. Even the air was humid, damp with warmth, curling around Ax like a blanket. The grass brushing against his face felt good, too, something he hadn't felt for a long time, as he laid down against a tree. It would be so much easier to sleep tonight.
Closing his eyes, he desperatly tried to bring on sleep, but visions were plagueing him. Of Jordan, and how he just left her with the greatest evil in the universe. What was Erek thinking right now? Did he think Ax was gone for good, driven by grief from Jordan's faked death? What was happening to him? He wanted to leave this place, didn't he? He had to someday, but that thought brought a cold knot in his stomach.
Tossing restlessly, he opened his eyes and stared blankly at the sky. He could just make out the star where his people were...
^You know, last time I checked, Ax didn't sleep in human morph, curled up with a blanket against a tree,^ a voice said coldly in thoughtspeak.
Ax jerked up, and looked around before spotting Tobias's hawk form perched on a branch just above him. "Tobias..." Ax said lamely. "I was merely... I was..." His mind was racing frantically, despite the calm expression on his face. WHat could he say to explain this?
^Don't try to explain,^ Tobias snapped. ^Just tell me who you are, and what have you done with Ax?^
Ax sighed. "I am Ax." Now that the truth was out, he had no choice but to tell the truth. "I am simply a..." He paused, biting his lip. "Different one."
^A different one?^ Tobias asked skeptically. ^Can you explain a little bit more, please?^
Ax settled himself more comfortably and looked up at his old friend. "Basically, I come from the future. Another time and place, where things are different. I am not sure exactly how to tell this..."
Tobias swooped down silently, and landed on a fallen branch near where Ax was sitting, his red feathered wings fluttering as he settled. After settling comfortably, he looked at Ax with his unnerving stare. ^You've got all night, I think you'll find a way,^ he said quietly.
Ax took a deep breath and began the long, hard story.
It was time to tell the truth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO BE CONTINUED....
Okay, people. Yes, I realize I'm leaving you hanging. And chances are it may take me a while to do more. ::sighs:: But I've got to post this- it's been FOREVER, and I think most people have forgotton my series! GAH! But hopefully I'll have more done in a month or so, when I don't have Debate and stuff. Then... you will find out the answers to all your questions!! Will Ax go back to his true time?! Will they escape Crayak?! Will Jordan end up alive again?! DOES GREEN JELLO _TRULY_ HAVE A HEARTBEAT?!?!? Find out- in #10 of my "NEw CHapter" series!!! :) :) :)