TITLE: "Adventures in Clubbing"

AUTHOR: Doctor Strangelove (strangelove317@hotmail.com)
RATING: PG-13
SPOILERS: Um, I don't know. No particular spoilers. Visser Three is still Visser Three.
FEEDBACK: I'd love it.
DISCLAIMER: K. A. Applegate owns the Animorphs.

"Adventures in Clubbing"

Written by: Doctor Strangelove

"Ax!" I had been trying to console the Andalite when he suddenly fell to the ground screaming. Ax was clutching his stomach and weeping deeply. His mouth kept opening like he was trying to scream, but no sound was coming out.

I dropped to my knees and tried to figure out what was wrong. "Ax, what's wrong?" His eyes drifted to behind me and went wide with fear. His mouth opened and he made a strange gasping sound. I whirled my head around, but there was nothing there. "Ax, what is it?"

Ax finally seemed to notice me. Tears streamed down his face, which looked mangled with pain. "Jake?"

Then he passed out.

It was about twenty minutes before Ax woke up. I had just sat there for the entire time, I didn't know what else to do.

As soon as his eyes were open Ax was looking around wildly. "Where is he?" He stood up and started fearfully eyeing the scoop.

"Where's who?"

Ax turned to looked at me, his eyes wide with terror. "Balthazar."

"Who?"

Ax stopped searching the scoop. He stood there for a moment and then turned back to me. "I don't know."

"You don't know who he is, but you know his name?" Ax slowly nodded. "Ax, what the hell happened?"

Ax shook his head and sat down again. He stared at his stomach and lifted up his shirt to feel. He had a bewildered expression on his face. "There was someone... I saw someone."

I sat down next to Ax. "Balthazar?"

"Yes. He was some large creature. He had horns and four arms. He attacked me."

"Attacked you?"

Ax nodded. "He punched a hole through my stomach. All the way through. I felt like I was dying."

"Ax, there was no one here."

"There wasn't?"

"No, you just fell over and started screaming. I though that-"

"No." Ax interrupted me. "There had to have been someone. He was here. I... He hit me. I felt it. I saw him. I saw the blood. It was real."

"Well, I didn't see anyone. Or any blood. And you're pretty hole-free at the moment."

Ax nodded reluctantly. We both just sat there, unsure of what to say.

After a few minutes I broke the silence. "Jake."

"What?"

"You called me Jake."

"I... called you Jake?"

"Yeah. After you fell to the ground. You looked up at me and said 'Jake'."

Ax thought about that, "I don't remember... I don't remember. Just Balthazar."

"What's up with that? I mean, you're seeing things, and feeling them, and you know this guy's name. You sure you've never seen him before? Like at school or something?"

"No. And he wasn't any species I recognized. I don't know how I know his name. I just do."

Again we sat there. I wanted to comfort Ax. After all the things that had happened with Marco, and now this Balthazar guy. I really wanted to help him out. But I didn't know what to do. And then I had an idea.

I stood up. "Come on, Ax."

Ax stood up but gave me a quizzical look. "Where are we going?"

"Where we can get help."

We were going to see Cassie. Okay, now I know that doesn't really seem like it would help. But, you see, our plan was to call all of the other Animorphs together. Maybe, together, we could figure things out.

And we had a lot to figure out. Tom, the whole Yeerk's plan, and now this guy. Something weird was definitely going on.

So the two of us demorphed (and then Ax morphed to his bird morph) and we went on our way to Cassie's. And then I realized, I hadn't seen Ax for a few days. He didn't know about Tom.

Well, now's as good a time as any. Hey, Ax.

Yes, Tobias?

You don't know about everything going down at the club, do you?

No.

Great.

What's happening?

Well, you remember that scrawny Controller you and Marco saw at the club? The super-strong one?

Yes.

Well, we've finally figured out what they're up to. Or we've got some idea, at least.

It seems like the Yeerks are making an army or something of people that are, well, super-strong.

I believe we had already come to that conclusion.

Yeah, but... But then I realized that Ax was right. We hadn't really learned anything new. We weren't even sure that they were building an army. They could have other ideas. So, in fact, the only thing we really learned was, Tom was there?

Tom? He's been at the club before. In fact, he usually is there.

He was in the backroom. Whatever the Yeerks' plan is, they've already got to Tom. He was strong. Way strong. Kicked mine and Marco's asses.

That's bad.

That it is, my friend. Plus, there's some kind of morph alarm guarding the place. We'll have to figure out a new way to get in, if we're ever gonna go back.

Hmm.

And, Ax? About the whole thing with Marco? I know you're probably sick of meddling-

A little, yes.

Well, this is my last meddle. First of all, I'm sorry. I was just trying to help you out. I didn't want it to turn out like that.

Next, though, I'm not sorry for telling Marco about how you feel. It's pretty damn obvious he likes you, or as he told you, he loves you. Now, I know you've got all your reason for running away. I respect that. But you really need to talk to him. Or else things are just going to be weird between you and you'll never get a chance to be with him.

And I am now done meddling.

Ax remained silent and then, Thank you, Tobias.

Hey, what are shorms for?

Ax? Tobias?

A harrier flew up next to Ax and me. Cassie?

The harrier nodded, it looked really weird. I've been looking for you guys everywhere. There's a meeting at my barn. Erek's decoded the disk you found. And Marco has some big news as well.

Wow, good timing. We were just headed over there. We've got something too. Something weird happened to Ax.

Weird? Well, come on. You can tell the rest of the gang.

With that, the three of us headed to Cassie's barn. I don't know what happened to Ax or who this Balthazar guy was. I don't know what's going on with the Yeerks. Really, all I know is that we, the Animorphs, together, we're gonna beat it.

Silly boy. You honestly think you're going to interfere with my plans? Heh heh heh. You really don't know who you're dealing with

None of you do. You think you'll defeat me? I'm not something you can fight, silly mortals. I'm something you're puny brains can't even comprehend. You have no idea.

But soon you'll see. You all will.

To reviewers: Oh, that last part wasn't Tobias's POV.
stumbeline: A new reader! Yes! I converted another to Marco/Ax. I'm glad you like it. Thank you.
Jinako-Chan: Oh come on, cliffhangers are fun. I liked Ax eating a lot. That just appealed to me. The "Jesus bag" and waffles are an inside joke. On this school field trip, I was sleepwalking in the hotel and apparently said "I have to make waffle's for my Jesus bag." I have no idea what it means. I didn't write it right, Ax went to all those restaurants, but didn't get that much food because he had little money, it had all been wasted at the food court. So he had to go to his scoop for more nourishment. Ooh, spoilers. I'm addicted to spoilers, but I'm trying to cut back. There should be spoiler rehab for those suffering spoiler withdrawal. I see Ax as Anya. Definitely Anya. And if Marco is Xander... Well, they're not together anymore. Now Anya belongs with Giles. Um, anyway. Your friends made you Buffy? I got stuck with Andrew. It's not the One. Okay, so I'll eventually get my slash. If I write a sequel to "Boys Will Be Boys" where something happens to Jake's testicles, will that help get slash sooner?
Aqua Rhapsody: I like the "I Am Jake" fic, it's gonna be neat. And it will clear up a lot of stuff about this fic.
Myself: Yeah, this is probably my least favorite chapter. It was mostly filler, except for that part at the end. No hot wings this chapter, they just didn't fit in. Sorry. Maybe the next one. I'll try.
Lisa-Ann: He probably does. He's eaten a lot. And it's not off the scale. More like a 6.
Aaren: Hmm, black nail polish. I'll think about it. Okay, for the hot wings, how about a compromise. Every other chapter, maybe?
Alara-Sinirial-Amalon: A lot of people that don't like slash like this. Weird. But cool. And Ax is not dead. I guarantee 100% that Ax will survive this fic.