A/N: Please, please, please review when you finish! PLEASE! And I hope you like this chapter! Oh, and for those of you who read Fearless, something kind of funny is happening. Yesterday, when I discovered Fearless fanfics on FFN, I was happy, because I figured that I could start doing "Conversations of a Deranged Gaia and Scary Guy" or something like that. I announced it to all my friends who love that series, and they went psycho. They seemed to think that I, hyper, happy-go-lucky, crazy Ax could not play Gaia if my life depended on it, and by doing a Conversations with her, I would ruin her. Anyway, to prove to them that I could be as Gaia Moore-y as I wanted, I'm spending all of today acting like her. Funfun, huh? Lol. Anyway, here's the chapter! Please review!
Chapter 21
Attack them, but leave the humans and Prince Aximili for me, The One said, his stolen features twisted into a disturbing smile. He raised his hands, and suddenly my friends were in their normal bodies again. Except for me. I was in my human body.
The Garatron surrounding us started to come forward.
No! Hewilljustabsorbyou! Hedoesnotcareaboutus. Wherehaveourbrothersgone? Heabsorbedthem! Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar shrieked.
Fool, The One growled.
With that, The One swung at the Captain with the flat of his stolen tail blade, and hit the Captain in the head with the flat of the blade. Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar crumpled without another word.
I looked around with my dim human eyes. Indi and his group of Hork-Bajir were hightailing it as fast as they could away from us. I didn't blame them.
The Garatron, who had been joined by the two that had been with The One and Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar, hesitated, unsure of what to do. Should they listen to their unconscious leader and disobey The One, risking his wrath? Or listen to The One and hope for the best?
Now! he exclaimed. Now, before they have time to change their shapes again.
Ax, my shorm, was quivering like a leaf. He me my eyes with his main ones for a moment, his look terrified.
One of the biggest, most pumped up Garatron gave us one final glance, but then turned to The One. No, he said, and started to walk away slowly, an insult. One by one, the other Garatron started to follow.
Without a word, The One became translucent again, and within seconds, every single Garatron in the clearing had been absorbed, with the exception of Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar.
Ax collapsed from fear, shivering on the ground.
The One turned to face us.
I groped the air beside me, trying to find Rachel's hand. We were going to die. Rachel was never going to make it back to earth to see her family, and I would never be able to return to my meadow and to see my mother. We would never be able to grow old together.
"Cassie…" Jake said.
"I know," she answered. "I know."
Rachel appeared next to me. "Well," she breathed shakily, "at least this time we can have a minute or two to say goodbye in person, right?"
I am the servant of the People, Yahal started to say, bowing his head. It was the Andalite death ritual.
I am the servant of my prince, Ax said, joining Yahal. Ax's voice was shaky, but defiant. He was looking at Jake.
I squeezed Rachel's hand, and started to say what I knew of the ritual with Yahal and Ax. My father was, after all, an Andalite.
"I am the servant of honor. My life is not my own, when the People have need of it. My life is given for the People, for my prince, and for my honor."
I am the servant of honor. My life is not my own, when the People have need of it. My life is given for the People, for my prince, and for my honor. Ax stood up, empowered by his small act of defiance.
Toby was looking around at the sky, the trees, the grass, and the depths of Father Deep.
We were cornered. With a cliff behind us and The One and the unconscious form of Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar in front of us, and thick trees to either side, there was no way we could escape. I realized that I was shaking.
Tom started into nothing, his eyes glazed. Whether it was from fear or something else, I didn't know.
"Tobias," Rachel said, "I love you."
"I love you, too," I said. I'm sure that I was crying, somewhat.
With that, we pulled each other close, and kissed. In it were all the things that we had left unsaid: All the bitterness, sadness, happiness, and love that we felt. It was overwhelming.
I pulled her closer, and she tightened her arms around me.
It was our last act together.
As we kissed each other goodbye, The One came closer, flickering between shapes.
And as he loomed closer, he became translucent.