A/N- I hope this isn't confusing. Okay. Anything quoted from Book 53 or 54 means present... anything else is the past, a
flash back... okay? I hope I haven't totally made u bored!!
*FLASH*
Doing good, huh Jake?
I never got a response. How could he give one.
Rachel? Rachel Where are you, already!! Its Tobias... answer me, please!
And what response could I give to him?
*FLASH*
"Do you want me to take the pickles off? Tobias? Are you listening to me??" I smiled. Just one of those Tobias things I
guess, always lost in his own world. His stop today: The "World O' Big Mac".
I frowned. Will you live without me Tobias?
I wondered. Will you go to McDonalds yourself? Will you at least be human for two hours at a time, if not more? I wanted
to cry again.
*FLASH*
"You're horrible. You know that? You're own mother can't even stand you!" Cassie spat. Sorry Cassie, I'm sorry. I wish
I weren't so mean and horrible all the time, then maybe I could be sweet to you. And will you ever realize that day-glo blue
doesn't go with day-glow green AND big rubber boots?? Oh I wish I could just drag you off to the mall one more time!!
*FLASH*
I was keeping lookout over the Gardens while Jake and Cassie went to acquire morphs. Even in all out war there were
dedicated personel trying to keep the animals safe and well fed. I peered down throught the trees of the snake habitat
one more time. Then looked away discretely. Jake and Cassie were having a private moment, it would be rude to watch.
But its okay to "accidentally" hear their conversation, right?
"...python family..snakes... far from the kind of hunger a Taxxon knows...very...olisms..."
Jake laughed "... your thinking ahead."
"If we agree... freedom here on Earth... rain forest?... destruction of the rainforest dead in its tracks."
I nearly hit a tree. Yup, thats my girl, Cassie! I looked back down. Cassie was leading Jake towards a snake the size of
the tree I nearly hit. Jake stuck one hand out to pet the snake. When he was done, he stood up, his brow was scrunched
a bit. He was trying to say something to Cassie. Maybe an apology for how he's treated her for the last days. They were
talking again, so I zoomed in to listen to the conversation. Hey, she is my best friend, and he is my cousin!
"...colonizing planets all around the galaxy. And then there's the morphing technology. Can you imagine what that is..."
Cassie nodded in response, and then went on to say something.
"...I guess I think more about us. You and me. And all of us."
Jake took Cassie into his arms. Great! Of all the places! A stinky, loud snake habitat! If I had eyes that did anything but
glared, I might have rolled them. Guys.
"ow I love you." Jake was saying. Cassie responded and put her head on his shoulder.
"...uess if we win, if we survive, maybe we should, you know, get married...eventually.... we're young, but man we've
been through enough... few extra years... dn't it?" Oh!! Was he proposing! Thats so sweet! Cassie was crying now,
but she wasn't all happy, she looked sad, worried. I pretty much knew why, so I zoned out, then decided to listen again.
"...you going to do?" I landed on a branch not too far from a tired looking snake.
"Guess I thought I'd go to college," he said.
"And study what, Jake? Me, I'll go to college, and I'll become a doctor. I'll never forget what's happened, I'll never even try,
but I'll be able to slip back into a normal life. But you, Jake?"
Yea, thats pretty much what I wanted to know. He never answered that question when I asked him, so so long ago. He
let Cassie go and kinda stood away from her now. He looked a bit hurt.
"I'm not Rachel, you know. I didn't fall in love with the fight. I don't need it like she does. I dot it, I try and do it well, but..."
I pretty much let go of that conversation. I'm not the kind of girl who looks inward, who wonders about themself. But now
even my own cousin was trying to find a way to seperate himself from me. Cassie had done that long ago. So had Marco
and Ax... and maybe even Tobias. I flew up into the sky and waited until a peregrine falcon and a osprey met me in the sky.
*FLASH*
The battle had gone wrong... so terribly wrong. I was losing blood fast, not that it mattered, my blood was poisoned with
rattlesnake venom, and I had just killed Tom. My mind was spinning, swirling, and amidst that I could hear the laughing.
Crayak. He was laughing in my head, the old coot. I began to demorph. And as I did in my reeling mind I was seeing so
many strange pictures. My life, my first time on a balance beam, meeting Cassie, crying when my parents got divorced.
I could see myself the night we met Elfangor, my hair had been sticking out on end, so not a good look for me. Being a
cat. My first official kill. Becoming the bear. Making fun of Marco. Feeling really stupid as Ax explained stuff. Jake telling
me that I was out of control. David, me fighting him, and then being trapped by him, and then his freedom, he had cried.
And then, when time resumed, I had offered him a hand, and he stood up, and smiled, and walked away, though his face
was permanently altered. It was still David.
Tobias. Sweet Tobias. My Tobias. I remembered kissing him for the first time. Flying with him. Hugging him and even
dancing with him. I wanted him now, just a moment with him, to hug and kiss him again, and dance with him in the
moonlight. Corny. It was always something I had dreamed of doing. Dancing with Tobias under a full moon. I guess not
all of our dreams come true.
I spit the snake out, and stood up. I was human now, myself. Maybe human against human I was strong, but against
lions, and a polar bear? Never. I never stood a chance. I saw them then. Watching me. Jake, my cousin, my leader,
my friend. Cassie, my best friend, my fellow warrior, my compass towards right and wrong. Marco, funny Marco, the guy
who saved my soul from falling into the pits of hell when the war first started. And Ax, a warrior, a strong warrior, so much
like his own brother, and he didn't even know it.
And then I saw Tobias. He was human, and he was crying. I wanted to cry with him then. Just the two of us, holding each
other and crying. Its only you know, Tobias, I thought. Can you make it? I'll come and help if I can. Can you smile one last
time? For me? Thats okay. Because I have some strength left. And its for you. So take my smile now, and when you die
Smile for me then. Because I'll be waiting, just for you. And then we'll be happy. I'll wait for you. . . forever.
"I love you" I said, and tried to smile.
You fight well, human the stupid polar bear said. And then he killed me.
Time stopped and I talked to the Ellimist for a while. He told me his story. It was a bit confusing, but I understood when he
showed me. He was alone in his war. And he was trapped. Like me. Thats what he had been. Just a teenager with all the
same hormones and stuff and he had gotten stuck like me. He told me I was a happy accident. I was "special" in a way. I
wansn't meant to be apart of the original group. So I guess he couldn't work everything, huh? And then as time resumed,
I began to die.
It was strange. Things sped up, and slowed down, there was no real sense of time. But I saw my friends, and family. Mom
crying when she learned of my death, she didn't stop crying for a while, neither did Jordan or Sara, but Jordan put on a
smile that was like mine. Carry on my legacy, sweet sister. My funeral, everyone crying, even Marco! The president, and
other important people talking about me. They didn't even know me, what could they possibly say to make a difference in
my friends' lives. Time sped up again. And I saw Tobias, as sad and as alone as ever, he sat under a tree and cried, and
Jake too, he was crying, he should be happy, its over, it wasn't his fault. He was okay, alive, he should be going to school.
And where was Cassie. Oh. Cassie! She was happy. But she wasn't with Jake, no she was with some other guy. And
Marco even had a girlfriend now. She was pretty, yes, but stupid, he could so do better than her! He was rich too. Ax was
a prince. He had finally stepped out of Elfangor's shadow. And then things went wrong for Ax. He was captured by...
something. Crayak was involved though. Whatever this creature was it had some sort of connection to Crayak. Jake was
out of his funk, and Tobias was alone. But he talked to Toby, and Cassie. Never Loren, I don't know why, she looked for
him for a while. But then just kinda gave up. And I watched a boy. With a different face, and a new look on life. One day he
came to my memorial. Roses and all. He smiled, as if remembering something, said thank you, and left the roses. David.
Then Jake was talking to a couple of Andalites that I had remembered from Ax's ship. He went to talk to Tobias, and they
found Marco, and then went on some yeerk ship in space... The Rachel. They named it after me. I approved. They
floated around in space... and then they found it. The Blade Ship. The place where I died. They rounded on eachother
for a while. And then The Rachel began to slam towards the blade ship. An impossible suicidal move. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!"
I yelled for no reason... both ships erupted in flames and explosions and as I watched there came a voice from behind me
"Rachel?" I froze. Was it him? Could it really be?
I turned, very slowly...
Tobias.
He was smiling. And it was beautiful. He walked toward me and put his hand up to my face, then laughed!
"Whats so funny?"
"You're real... I never thought I'd get to see the real you again... I... love you, Rachel."
"I love you too, Tobias. I always will."
And then, there in the lightest, happiest place ever, I kissed him...
flash back... okay? I hope I haven't totally made u bored!!
*FLASH*
Doing good, huh Jake?
I never got a response. How could he give one.
Rachel? Rachel Where are you, already!! Its Tobias... answer me, please!
And what response could I give to him?
*FLASH*
"Do you want me to take the pickles off? Tobias? Are you listening to me??" I smiled. Just one of those Tobias things I
guess, always lost in his own world. His stop today: The "World O' Big Mac".
I frowned. Will you live without me Tobias?
I wondered. Will you go to McDonalds yourself? Will you at least be human for two hours at a time, if not more? I wanted
to cry again.
*FLASH*
"You're horrible. You know that? You're own mother can't even stand you!" Cassie spat. Sorry Cassie, I'm sorry. I wish
I weren't so mean and horrible all the time, then maybe I could be sweet to you. And will you ever realize that day-glo blue
doesn't go with day-glow green AND big rubber boots?? Oh I wish I could just drag you off to the mall one more time!!
*FLASH*
I was keeping lookout over the Gardens while Jake and Cassie went to acquire morphs. Even in all out war there were
dedicated personel trying to keep the animals safe and well fed. I peered down throught the trees of the snake habitat
one more time. Then looked away discretely. Jake and Cassie were having a private moment, it would be rude to watch.
But its okay to "accidentally" hear their conversation, right?
"...python family..snakes... far from the kind of hunger a Taxxon knows...very...olisms..."
Jake laughed "... your thinking ahead."
"If we agree... freedom here on Earth... rain forest?... destruction of the rainforest dead in its tracks."
I nearly hit a tree. Yup, thats my girl, Cassie! I looked back down. Cassie was leading Jake towards a snake the size of
the tree I nearly hit. Jake stuck one hand out to pet the snake. When he was done, he stood up, his brow was scrunched
a bit. He was trying to say something to Cassie. Maybe an apology for how he's treated her for the last days. They were
talking again, so I zoomed in to listen to the conversation. Hey, she is my best friend, and he is my cousin!
"...colonizing planets all around the galaxy. And then there's the morphing technology. Can you imagine what that is..."
Cassie nodded in response, and then went on to say something.
"...I guess I think more about us. You and me. And all of us."
Jake took Cassie into his arms. Great! Of all the places! A stinky, loud snake habitat! If I had eyes that did anything but
glared, I might have rolled them. Guys.
"ow I love you." Jake was saying. Cassie responded and put her head on his shoulder.
"...uess if we win, if we survive, maybe we should, you know, get married...eventually.... we're young, but man we've
been through enough... few extra years... dn't it?" Oh!! Was he proposing! Thats so sweet! Cassie was crying now,
but she wasn't all happy, she looked sad, worried. I pretty much knew why, so I zoned out, then decided to listen again.
"...you going to do?" I landed on a branch not too far from a tired looking snake.
"Guess I thought I'd go to college," he said.
"And study what, Jake? Me, I'll go to college, and I'll become a doctor. I'll never forget what's happened, I'll never even try,
but I'll be able to slip back into a normal life. But you, Jake?"
Yea, thats pretty much what I wanted to know. He never answered that question when I asked him, so so long ago. He
let Cassie go and kinda stood away from her now. He looked a bit hurt.
"I'm not Rachel, you know. I didn't fall in love with the fight. I don't need it like she does. I dot it, I try and do it well, but..."
I pretty much let go of that conversation. I'm not the kind of girl who looks inward, who wonders about themself. But now
even my own cousin was trying to find a way to seperate himself from me. Cassie had done that long ago. So had Marco
and Ax... and maybe even Tobias. I flew up into the sky and waited until a peregrine falcon and a osprey met me in the sky.
*FLASH*
The battle had gone wrong... so terribly wrong. I was losing blood fast, not that it mattered, my blood was poisoned with
rattlesnake venom, and I had just killed Tom. My mind was spinning, swirling, and amidst that I could hear the laughing.
Crayak. He was laughing in my head, the old coot. I began to demorph. And as I did in my reeling mind I was seeing so
many strange pictures. My life, my first time on a balance beam, meeting Cassie, crying when my parents got divorced.
I could see myself the night we met Elfangor, my hair had been sticking out on end, so not a good look for me. Being a
cat. My first official kill. Becoming the bear. Making fun of Marco. Feeling really stupid as Ax explained stuff. Jake telling
me that I was out of control. David, me fighting him, and then being trapped by him, and then his freedom, he had cried.
And then, when time resumed, I had offered him a hand, and he stood up, and smiled, and walked away, though his face
was permanently altered. It was still David.
Tobias. Sweet Tobias. My Tobias. I remembered kissing him for the first time. Flying with him. Hugging him and even
dancing with him. I wanted him now, just a moment with him, to hug and kiss him again, and dance with him in the
moonlight. Corny. It was always something I had dreamed of doing. Dancing with Tobias under a full moon. I guess not
all of our dreams come true.
I spit the snake out, and stood up. I was human now, myself. Maybe human against human I was strong, but against
lions, and a polar bear? Never. I never stood a chance. I saw them then. Watching me. Jake, my cousin, my leader,
my friend. Cassie, my best friend, my fellow warrior, my compass towards right and wrong. Marco, funny Marco, the guy
who saved my soul from falling into the pits of hell when the war first started. And Ax, a warrior, a strong warrior, so much
like his own brother, and he didn't even know it.
And then I saw Tobias. He was human, and he was crying. I wanted to cry with him then. Just the two of us, holding each
other and crying. Its only you know, Tobias, I thought. Can you make it? I'll come and help if I can. Can you smile one last
time? For me? Thats okay. Because I have some strength left. And its for you. So take my smile now, and when you die
Smile for me then. Because I'll be waiting, just for you. And then we'll be happy. I'll wait for you. . . forever.
"I love you" I said, and tried to smile.
You fight well, human the stupid polar bear said. And then he killed me.
Time stopped and I talked to the Ellimist for a while. He told me his story. It was a bit confusing, but I understood when he
showed me. He was alone in his war. And he was trapped. Like me. Thats what he had been. Just a teenager with all the
same hormones and stuff and he had gotten stuck like me. He told me I was a happy accident. I was "special" in a way. I
wansn't meant to be apart of the original group. So I guess he couldn't work everything, huh? And then as time resumed,
I began to die.
It was strange. Things sped up, and slowed down, there was no real sense of time. But I saw my friends, and family. Mom
crying when she learned of my death, she didn't stop crying for a while, neither did Jordan or Sara, but Jordan put on a
smile that was like mine. Carry on my legacy, sweet sister. My funeral, everyone crying, even Marco! The president, and
other important people talking about me. They didn't even know me, what could they possibly say to make a difference in
my friends' lives. Time sped up again. And I saw Tobias, as sad and as alone as ever, he sat under a tree and cried, and
Jake too, he was crying, he should be happy, its over, it wasn't his fault. He was okay, alive, he should be going to school.
And where was Cassie. Oh. Cassie! She was happy. But she wasn't with Jake, no she was with some other guy. And
Marco even had a girlfriend now. She was pretty, yes, but stupid, he could so do better than her! He was rich too. Ax was
a prince. He had finally stepped out of Elfangor's shadow. And then things went wrong for Ax. He was captured by...
something. Crayak was involved though. Whatever this creature was it had some sort of connection to Crayak. Jake was
out of his funk, and Tobias was alone. But he talked to Toby, and Cassie. Never Loren, I don't know why, she looked for
him for a while. But then just kinda gave up. And I watched a boy. With a different face, and a new look on life. One day he
came to my memorial. Roses and all. He smiled, as if remembering something, said thank you, and left the roses. David.
Then Jake was talking to a couple of Andalites that I had remembered from Ax's ship. He went to talk to Tobias, and they
found Marco, and then went on some yeerk ship in space... The Rachel. They named it after me. I approved. They
floated around in space... and then they found it. The Blade Ship. The place where I died. They rounded on eachother
for a while. And then The Rachel began to slam towards the blade ship. An impossible suicidal move. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!"
I yelled for no reason... both ships erupted in flames and explosions and as I watched there came a voice from behind me
"Rachel?" I froze. Was it him? Could it really be?
I turned, very slowly...
Tobias.
He was smiling. And it was beautiful. He walked toward me and put his hand up to my face, then laughed!
"Whats so funny?"
"You're real... I never thought I'd get to see the real you again... I... love you, Rachel."
"I love you too, Tobias. I always will."
And then, there in the lightest, happiest place ever, I kissed him...
