Reverse
Disclaimer: I don't own much, only Mirage.
*~*
Rachel was silent. I turned and shimmered away. I was scared. I was scared my action was wrong, maybe I wasn't supposed to give her life back. Maybe she was supposed to die. Maybe. I couldn't do much anymore anyway. I had done what I had done and I couldn't change it.
Or could I?
Once again, I turned to the strands of space-time. So many there were, millions, billions, even zillions of lives I had control of. I could kill anyone I wanted. Anyone except Crayak, he was machine, he was evil. It was unfair. The one thing I longed to kill was indestructable by space-time. Like me.
I focused again and I found the one strand I was searching for. Time. Rachel's life. I tried to move it, forward. It wouldn't change.
The rules. I had fallen under them. It was over. No longer could I do as I pleased, my freedom had ended, I had become a player. A player in the game, the game that controlled itself. The game that I could only change or help indirectly.
*~*
I watched as Toomin told Rachel she would be sent back, time reversed. It was a fair deal, and I wondered how the rules were not broken. She would be sent back before the she was told to murder another and lose her life herself, the yeerk threat would be over and all the Animorphs would be alive. She nodded and smiled, almost contented.
'Then you will go back.'
There was a flash and she was gone. Time reversed.
*~*
'Toomin.' I called
He jerked at the sound of his chosen name. I guess he hadn't heard it for a while.
'Toomin,' I repeated, 'I have a challenge for you.'
'What?'
'A game, Toomin. Like the games we played at home, long ago.'
He nodded, then asked. 'How?'
'I was in control, Toomin. Of everything I wanted to be in control of. I was. Not anymore, but I still have childhood memories. Memories I have collected. And this particular game was one of them.'
He nodded again.
'Shall we immerse than?' I asked
'On the other side.' He said with a smile. The old traditions were not forgotten, even after many milleniums.
*~*
The game was simple, he had played the same before. The Pangabans against the Gunja Wave. I had deliberately chosen it, for the reason of wanting to see his choice. I believed he would choose the Pangabans again. But he surprised me. He chose the Gunja Wave. And so the game proceeded. I made the same minimal move he had done with his fellow Ketran, and still did Toomin surprise me. He had increased the population of the Gunja Wave, it was a repeatition of the same game he had played with Inidar. It caused the same damage. The Pangaban became extinct soon enough.
I walked away and shimmered again without another word.
And still I had questions. Had Toomin really changed that much? Had the war really affected him in that way? There was only one way to find out.
*~*
I had a private discussion. With Crayak. Yes, Crayak. I was scared. But we made a deal. A new game, a game that we control. A game where we could interfere almost directly, but not with time. Anything else. Yes.
'Toomin.'
'Yes?' his voice held reluctancy.
'I have another game…'
'I am finished with games, don't you see, Mirage. There was already a game. One where I spent centuries playing. Games are hopeless.'
'We made a deal.'
'Not with me.'
'No, with me and Crayak.'
He turned suddenly. 'Crayak doesn't 'deal''
'He does. When it is one he cannot refuse.'
'What?'
'A game Ellimist, I game where there are no rules. Except for time. And one other factor. That is all. It is Freedom, Toomin. How can you not accept?'
He glared suspiciously. 'What game?'
'We immerse first.' I said, then turned and shimmered away.
*~*
He followed, I knew he would. As I had said before, who refused freedom when given the chance? Crayak was already there. He gave Ellimist an evil smile before turning to me. I explained the game. We would each choose a sentient species to play. They would be our….pieces. Then each of us were allowed to make one move, time not a choice. Then we would choose a form, a form of any creature.
Ellimist interuppted, 'Will this form be permanent?'
'No. We may move out of it at anytime. And become what we are now. Beings of power. But. But if your form dies, you cannot interfere any longer. You may only watch from here. Watch how the changes you have made will and have affected….all.'
He nodded, then looked to Crayak. 'We must make a promise. To follow these rules as we have done before.'
Crayak gave a menacing grin. I my heart stopped. I thought he wouldn't accept. 'Yes.' I let out a breath and took in another.
'Ok then, may the game begin. Choose.'
'The yeerks.' Crayak, obviously.
What I had expected. 'No. The Yeerks are gone. You would be reversing time to bring them back.'
He snarled 'Then I will make my move before choosing my species.'
I nodded.
He spoke his game core. 'To have the Iskoort choose parasitic lives over symbiotic. My species….the yoorts.'
'You cannot,' interrupted Ellimist, 'the iskoort was promised safe.'
'It is a new game Ellimist, the old rules mean nothing anymore.'
The Ellimist's eyes widened. 'It only takes time before they reach earth! It would be the yeerk fight once again!,' he swallowed, it was plain to see he was afraid. 'Then, in my case, I choose the humans. The Animorphs.'
'Your move?' I asked
'To repair the feelings lost in war.'
It was a small move, but it would affect many, and it would change the perspective of more.
He had changed. And he hadn't as well. He was still the gentle Ellimist that wanted to help others but different all the same. But war had changed him, he was arrogant and fierce and…things he as a child had never been before. He reminded me of…well, me. War changed people in ways unimaginable.
'Then I choose the Animorphs as well.' I spoke
'But you can't,' Ellimist appalled. 'Two cannot share one being or one core.'
'But I do not choose the Animorphs you have chosen. My game core? To have an Alternate Universe cross the universe the Animorphs reside in.'
I knew they were shocked, but I had spoken words and the last game core was opened.
The game had begun.
*~*
Ok, this chapter isn't all that good and is a bit confusing.
But I'll write and post the next one soon. Thanx for the reviews, cos im only on the second chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own much, only Mirage.
*~*
Rachel was silent. I turned and shimmered away. I was scared. I was scared my action was wrong, maybe I wasn't supposed to give her life back. Maybe she was supposed to die. Maybe. I couldn't do much anymore anyway. I had done what I had done and I couldn't change it.
Or could I?
Once again, I turned to the strands of space-time. So many there were, millions, billions, even zillions of lives I had control of. I could kill anyone I wanted. Anyone except Crayak, he was machine, he was evil. It was unfair. The one thing I longed to kill was indestructable by space-time. Like me.
I focused again and I found the one strand I was searching for. Time. Rachel's life. I tried to move it, forward. It wouldn't change.
The rules. I had fallen under them. It was over. No longer could I do as I pleased, my freedom had ended, I had become a player. A player in the game, the game that controlled itself. The game that I could only change or help indirectly.
*~*
I watched as Toomin told Rachel she would be sent back, time reversed. It was a fair deal, and I wondered how the rules were not broken. She would be sent back before the she was told to murder another and lose her life herself, the yeerk threat would be over and all the Animorphs would be alive. She nodded and smiled, almost contented.
'Then you will go back.'
There was a flash and she was gone. Time reversed.
*~*
'Toomin.' I called
He jerked at the sound of his chosen name. I guess he hadn't heard it for a while.
'Toomin,' I repeated, 'I have a challenge for you.'
'What?'
'A game, Toomin. Like the games we played at home, long ago.'
He nodded, then asked. 'How?'
'I was in control, Toomin. Of everything I wanted to be in control of. I was. Not anymore, but I still have childhood memories. Memories I have collected. And this particular game was one of them.'
He nodded again.
'Shall we immerse than?' I asked
'On the other side.' He said with a smile. The old traditions were not forgotten, even after many milleniums.
*~*
The game was simple, he had played the same before. The Pangabans against the Gunja Wave. I had deliberately chosen it, for the reason of wanting to see his choice. I believed he would choose the Pangabans again. But he surprised me. He chose the Gunja Wave. And so the game proceeded. I made the same minimal move he had done with his fellow Ketran, and still did Toomin surprise me. He had increased the population of the Gunja Wave, it was a repeatition of the same game he had played with Inidar. It caused the same damage. The Pangaban became extinct soon enough.
I walked away and shimmered again without another word.
And still I had questions. Had Toomin really changed that much? Had the war really affected him in that way? There was only one way to find out.
*~*
I had a private discussion. With Crayak. Yes, Crayak. I was scared. But we made a deal. A new game, a game that we control. A game where we could interfere almost directly, but not with time. Anything else. Yes.
'Toomin.'
'Yes?' his voice held reluctancy.
'I have another game…'
'I am finished with games, don't you see, Mirage. There was already a game. One where I spent centuries playing. Games are hopeless.'
'We made a deal.'
'Not with me.'
'No, with me and Crayak.'
He turned suddenly. 'Crayak doesn't 'deal''
'He does. When it is one he cannot refuse.'
'What?'
'A game Ellimist, I game where there are no rules. Except for time. And one other factor. That is all. It is Freedom, Toomin. How can you not accept?'
He glared suspiciously. 'What game?'
'We immerse first.' I said, then turned and shimmered away.
*~*
He followed, I knew he would. As I had said before, who refused freedom when given the chance? Crayak was already there. He gave Ellimist an evil smile before turning to me. I explained the game. We would each choose a sentient species to play. They would be our….pieces. Then each of us were allowed to make one move, time not a choice. Then we would choose a form, a form of any creature.
Ellimist interuppted, 'Will this form be permanent?'
'No. We may move out of it at anytime. And become what we are now. Beings of power. But. But if your form dies, you cannot interfere any longer. You may only watch from here. Watch how the changes you have made will and have affected….all.'
He nodded, then looked to Crayak. 'We must make a promise. To follow these rules as we have done before.'
Crayak gave a menacing grin. I my heart stopped. I thought he wouldn't accept. 'Yes.' I let out a breath and took in another.
'Ok then, may the game begin. Choose.'
'The yeerks.' Crayak, obviously.
What I had expected. 'No. The Yeerks are gone. You would be reversing time to bring them back.'
He snarled 'Then I will make my move before choosing my species.'
I nodded.
He spoke his game core. 'To have the Iskoort choose parasitic lives over symbiotic. My species….the yoorts.'
'You cannot,' interrupted Ellimist, 'the iskoort was promised safe.'
'It is a new game Ellimist, the old rules mean nothing anymore.'
The Ellimist's eyes widened. 'It only takes time before they reach earth! It would be the yeerk fight once again!,' he swallowed, it was plain to see he was afraid. 'Then, in my case, I choose the humans. The Animorphs.'
'Your move?' I asked
'To repair the feelings lost in war.'
It was a small move, but it would affect many, and it would change the perspective of more.
He had changed. And he hadn't as well. He was still the gentle Ellimist that wanted to help others but different all the same. But war had changed him, he was arrogant and fierce and…things he as a child had never been before. He reminded me of…well, me. War changed people in ways unimaginable.
'Then I choose the Animorphs as well.' I spoke
'But you can't,' Ellimist appalled. 'Two cannot share one being or one core.'
'But I do not choose the Animorphs you have chosen. My game core? To have an Alternate Universe cross the universe the Animorphs reside in.'
I knew they were shocked, but I had spoken words and the last game core was opened.
The game had begun.
*~*
Ok, this chapter isn't all that good and is a bit confusing.
But I'll write and post the next one soon. Thanx for the reviews, cos im only on the second chapter.