Forked Path
By: Morgan Le Fey
Disclaimer: Don't own Animorphs. Simple as that. If I did, I would own Everworld and Remnants (kick ass books- well, I haven't read Everworld, but Remnants is.) as well and be rich. Yet I'm not so I don't.
A/N: Don't shoot me. I think Rachel and Tobias are ultra-cute together, same with Jake and Cassie. Buuut, yaoi world is a pretty place. Er, forgot, this isn't the anime section, therefore it's not yaoi, its slash. Sorry. Will be j/c, t/r in the beginning at least. BUT IS SLASH. Uh, anyway, I just felt like doing a coupling that wasn't normal. And although I know the basic story line, as of yet I've only read like the first 33, even though I know what happens, I'm not sure of why or how or when details. So if something's off, forgive me. Heehee, that's why I get to make up my own little alternate world. Yeah. ^-^ R+R please.
Soaring through the beautiful blue skies was his favorite thing to do. Even after he had been stuck so long in this very same body, riding the thermals and surfing the currents was his only escape from reality. Only now he just had to keep a time limit again. Annoying, but acceptable.
For the two hours he was allowed to morph to his so called natural body, he was trapped. But when he was a hawk, he was free. Free from all his problems. Free from everything. All that he knew was himself, the sky, and the chattering of the prey below. Somehow, the soothing noise of the prey, combined with the peace of the sky was enough to soothe his soul. He almost wished he had never been emancipated from this body, this beautiful red tailed hawk form.
But Tobias was able to morph again. Turn into a perfectly normal, everyday human. Or not, depending on how you thought about it. But compared to other human boys, being a hawk with a human mind able to morph into pretty much whichever animal he chose so long as he had it's DNA wasn't very normal.
Speaking of being human, he had a meeting to attend. With his golden hawk eyes, he was able to spot Cassie's barn a few miles away. He had gotten a little far from the town. Glancing at his watch he saw he still had about 45 minutes, and again he wished he could just stay and fly. But that wasn't to be. If he stayed even a little past the hour and thirty minute warning Rachel had given him, she would freak. And that just wouldn't do.
Tobias flew over the clouds, watching the town wearily, wondering which of the tiny people he saw were controllers, which weren't, although he had a pretty good idea of which important people were- that policeman, that executive lady, that teacher.
He reached Cassie's barn in minutes, spreading his wings wide as he landed gracefully. After all, he'd had a lot of practice. The second he touched ground he spotted Rachel tapping her index finger on a small stopwatch, "Only 30 seconds left Tobias," She said disapprovingly.
I know, I know. He replied in thought-speech. He heard Marco chuckle, "Man, she's got you whipped," He drawled, languidly stretching, "Since when has being late been a crime?"
Tobias was already starting to morph back to his human form. He felt the disconcerting crack of bones and stretching of skin that should have been painful but wasn't. Rachel politely turned her head and Marco made gagging noises, "Dude, no matter how long we've been doing this it's still disgusting." Tobias shot a glare at him, unable to speak as his beak shrunk and his mouth formed. Transition sucked.
Only Jake seemed to be able to look without cringing. In fact, he was staring. As soon as Tobias could speak he said, "Hey, Jake, that's seriously freaking me out. You look like you enjoy watching the change." Jake immediately blushed and looked away, turning his gaze towards Cassie who had just wandered in the barn with a wounded falcon and Ax right behind her. Ax was in human form, the strange mix of Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Jake's DNA. He strode over to Marco and sat next to him. Ax seemed to like him best of all, even more than 'Prince Jake'.
Tobias finally completed the change, and he self-consciously checked to see if he still had feathers or wings or any non-human parts. Cassie laughed, "You're all you Tobias."
Giving her a grateful smile, Tobias sat next to Rachel, who had cleared a little spot on her hay bale for him. Unconsciously, she took his hand, like she was trying to assure herself that he was human again.
"Okay, down to business," Jake's strong voice said loudly, eyes straying to where Tobias's and Rachel's hands met. Cassie put the falcon in a small cage and sat down.
"Yes oh fearless master. Er. Ster-er." Ax sounded the words slowly, like they were new to him.
"Okay, who's been teaching the alien sarcasm?" Rachel asked, then seemed to realize it was a stupid question, "Ax, I fear we've lost you to the dark side," She glared at Marco who smiled cheerily.
"Get on with it please. I've got to go with Mom to the Gardens." Cassie said with uncharacteristic pushiness, then looked like she regretted it, "Sorry, its just mom's been having some trouble with the animals. They seem to all be getting sick lately, and she's really stressed out," She lowered her eyes.
"It's okay," Jake said, giving her a reassuring look, "This won't take long. Rachel, you want to explain?"
Rachel flipped a stand of pure gold over her shoulder, winking quickly at Tobias, "Well, the Yeerks have been pretty low profile lately. I mean, the Sharing meetings have just stopped, we haven't found any new pools. Even Tom's acting a little strangely," Rachel cast a sympathetic look at Jake, "But there is this new club that's all the rage with the older kids. They let anyone over 14 in, and anyone under 19. It's completely unchaperoned. Tom goes there a lot."
"So? What are we thinking, the club houses the delinquent controllers of the world?" Marco asked with a completely serious look on his face.
"No," Rachel shot him a dirty look, but batted her eyes to let him know she wasn't taking him seriously.
"Actually, I thought that's what we were getting at..." Jake winced, not wanting to invoke his cousin's wrath.
"Er- I mean yeah, of course. That is what we're getting at," She blushed, "Sorry, guess I'm a little used to monkey-boy being wrong."
"Thanks," Marco muttered grumpily, "I'm feeling the love in this room," he turned to Ax, "Aren't you?" Ax just looked confused.
"What's the plan?" Cassie asked, smiling at her friend's antics.
"We were thinking about scouting it out tonight. Just have to be careful- y'know, Tom," Rachel replied, "But I have a gymnastics meet that I totally forgot about. Mom's going to be there," She frowned. Rachel hated missing action, but she also didn't want to disappoint her mom.
"Oh...I can't do it either," Cassie looked apologetic, "The Gardens thing," She said for explanation, "Maybe we can do it a different night?"
"No," Jake said firmly, "We don't know if they'll move or not. Something fishy is going down. And I want to find out what," He was irritated that his plans were being questioned, even if it was from his girlfriend.
"I'm in," Tobias chimed, "Not like I have anything better to do,"
"Big surprise," Marco muttered, "Well, we all know Ax is in, and I'm starting to feel like he's my responsibility, so I guess I am too. The big oaf might get hurt," He nudged Ax in the ribs, "Speaking of, you can change back into Andalite form- trust me, you do not want to get stuck in our puny human bodies," he looked at Cassie, "I'm pretty sure her parents aren't home now."
Ax had the strange blue antennae and hooves growing out of his body before anyone could object. In two minutes flat he was back to his original Andalite form- scorpion like tail and all.
"So we'll go tonight. To Fear," Jake said resolutely.
"Uh, Fear?" Marco whimpered, "Please tell me that's not the name of the club," He gave Jake a pleading look.
"Okay, won't tell you," Jake grinned, "Don't worry, we'll have fun."
"Yes, getting our minds taken over by giant alien slugs is the pinnacle of fun in this town," Marco crossed his arms, "I think I should move."
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Fear was not Tobias's idea of a Yeerk controller hide out. Sure, some controllers were there, but the majority of the people he saw were normal, uninfested human beings as far as he could tell. Human beings he felt really uncomfortable around.
"Jake, why'd we have to dress like this?" He blushed, unbuttoning the top few buttons of his white dress shirt, "I feel like I'm going to a prom or something," He shoved his hands in the pockets of his black slacks.
"I told you Tobias, it's shirt and jacket or you can't get in," He grinned, "You don't look that bad. I mean, look at Marco," Marco was dragging Ax down the dimly lit alley in a bright yellow button down shirt, black slacks and a green tie. His claim that it had been the only nice ensemble he owned hadn't really passed with the others. However Ax looked pretty good, dressed in khakis, a black blazer, and a light blue shirt. Then there was Jake, dressed almost identically to Tobias plus a black sports jacket. They all looked decent, even Marco.
It was no problem getting into the club- all they had to do was show ID that they were over 14 and under 19 and they were in. Definitely not tight security. Inside was not typical of a club. Soft music, enchanted with the sounds of flutes and chimes drifted through the air. No one was dancing, just sitting on plush red couches talking and eating. The large stage area for bands and DJ's was empty except for a large neon sign reading FEAR in bright electric blue letters.
"Wow. Nice place those Yeerks got here. Look at those girls. Are those nachos?" Marco wandered over to the food stand, dragging Ax behind him. The Andalite-morphed-human did not look very happy as he watched Marco talk to two blondes Tobias recognized dimly from school as Shelby and Elise. They were- or at least used to be in his history class.
"Marco wastes no time. The poor Ax-man," Tobias whistled, ruffling his light, wild hair. Jake just smiled. He knew Marco well enough to know it wouldn't last long. And sure enough, the first blonde, Elise scowled and slapped him but good. Marco came staggering back rubbing his cheek.
"I think I'm in love," He flashed a cheesy grin then spotted a leggy brunette near the unused stage, "Scratch that."
Before he could start over to the girl, decked out in baggy dress slacks covered in anarchy patches, she spotted him. She glared and gave him the finger, "I think she likes me. Anyone know anything at all about the Bush administration? I could charm her with my thoughts of morphing into a gorilla and overthrowing the white house. You think it would work?"
Jake rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah. That's definitely the way to a girl's heart."
"Especially if she's a Yeerk," Tobias drawled.
Marco paled, "Well, maybe I'll just use my charm and wit minus the Animorph part. And of course my amazing cuteness, right Ax?"
"Of course Marco. Cor. Cour. Se. Orse. Horse," Ax was giggling by the time he finished the sentence.
Tobias sighed, "Ax-man, I don't suppose Marco let you have any of those nachos. You'll love 'em. Come on." He lead Ax over to the refreshment table, smiling inwardly at the Andalite's childlike amusement. For the next ten minutes he tried desperately to keep Ax's fingers out of the nacho dip, off the pastries, and his mouth from the plastic plates.
"Ax! Plastic is not edible!" He finally shouted, drawing the attention of pretty much everyone in the room. Including plenty of known controllers. Loudly, Tobias added, "I mean you cannot give your dog plastic. I swear, the SPCA is going to find you one day, my man."
It was a weak addition, but it seemed to stifle some suspicions. Turning his attention back to the club, Tobias wondered absently why no one was dancing. The music was pulsing like the heart of his prey as he ripped it from its chest. He felt the urge to just walk out and leave. Drop the stuffy clothes and shed his vulnerable suit of skin and fly. Just fly away from everything.
He missed Rachel. He missed the security she offered him. He was in a room filled with girls, many of them eying him, but not one of them would even look at him should he show them his true form. Only Rachel. She knew what it was like to have two people in one body. Hell, they had actually broken apart once, creating the Olsen twins on steroids. But then she had taken Mean Rachel and Nice Rachel back into her body and controlled them once again. Tobias knew what that was like. He had a hawk and a boy, always competing within himself. Both were parts of him.
Jake was standing with Marco, laughing at Ax's antics. Ax was the closest thing he had to a best friend, but he would not be caught dead near him once he started dancing, which just happened to be what he was doing.
"Oh my gawd! What is that guy doing?" One girl hissed to her friend. Tobias chuckled. He wasn't quite sure himself what Ax was doing, he was just glad he wasn't with him.
Then he spotted a young man, no older than himself, talking to an older man who stood in the shadows, "That kid's on the dance floor," the younger man said nervously.
"Well get him off of it Jimil One One Two. The Visser will not appreciate the human being fried in front of all these people. Then again, maybe he will, but I will not have the plan ruined." The older man hissed back. Controllers.
Tobias signed to Jake, but the other boy wasn't looking at him. And unfortunately Ax had pulled Marco onto the floor with him.
"Hey, he's dancing! I thought that wasn't allowed." The girl near him hissed again. Then she pulled her friend over to Marco and joined him. The boy looked like he was in heaven.
Soon enough everyone was dancing excepting a few controllers. Even Jake was shaking it with some girl. The old man and Jilim did not look happy. In fact they looked like they were having the sugar low of the century.
"We have no choice. It was going to happen tonight anyway, at the Sharing meeting. But with these kids, we won't be able to pull off the operation until tomorrow. And that'll be too late-" Tobias knew he should listen, but a cute girl came up, grabbed his hand, and pulled him in to the writhing mass of bodies. He felt his body slowly loosen up, his human instincts finally taken over. After a couple of songs he could almost forget how much he wanted to fly. As for the controllers they were out of sight and out of mind. Bad move.
He had about a half hour left until he would have to demorph. He worked his way away from the girl who he had been dancing with, Nicole. Before that it had been Skyla, and before that Raylea, Erianne, and Katarynah. He was plenty popular with the girls now. Almost made him wish he still attended school. Then again, facing the wrath of Rachel every time a girl looked at him wasn't quite his idea of a good day either.
Marco was in the center, teaching Ax how to break dance. The Andalite wasn't quite getting the idea, but he had his own unique ways of dancing himself. They just helped Marco clear the area. From the looks on the girls' around them faces, Ax wouldn't be experiencing the more pleasurable aspects of female humans anytime soon. Jake was dancing with Erianne, the girl from before. When she saw Tobias she latched onto his arm, murmuring, "I knew you'd come back. That bitch Nicole doesn't hold a candle to me."
It took Tobias about five minutes to detach himself. He joined the movement of the crowd again, finding it hard to keep his feet on the ground. He felt a body pressed against his own, hot and sweaty, but surprisingly pleasant against his skin. Strong arms circled his shoulders, his first clue the body was not effeminate. But before he had a chance to turn around, the warmth was gone, replaced by fiery heat and agonized screams and a distant voice saying, "You fool! The Visser will not be pleased."
(La la, Not quite sure what I'm doing. But that's chapter one. Now please, please review but please have the maturity not to flame because of the j/r and m/a content. There was a warning and if you didn't read it well….Plus my fragile psyche doesn't handle flames well…*sobs*
Grafix: You got that right. *punches Morgan in the arm*
Dizzy: Hey, that wasn't very nice.
Grafix: Shut up Diz.
Morgan: Okay, no split personalities allowed. I promised. And I'm keeping it.
Dizzy: We're not split personalities. We're muses. *huffs indignantly*
Grafix: Yes, she muses about stories while I muse about killing you and taking the credit.
Morgan: I could take you.
Grafix: Wanna try it?
Morgan: *Shoves koala march cookies in her face*
Grafix: Ooh! Candy!!!!!!!!!
Dizzy: *sigh*