A/N: Hi everybody! Sorry it's been awhile since I've updated, but there was the whole thing with FFN going down, and I've just had inspiration for a bunch of different stories… I've written two new songfics, as well as posted the prologue of a new original story and started working on the first chapter, and updated two other stories. At this point in time, I'm working on four long-running stories, and any other random idea that pops into my head. (Please read the other stories! They are Both Sun and Moon, an original fantasy story; The American Animagi, a Harry Potter/Animorphs crossover insanity fic, where the characters have to complete a bunch of random tasks and competitions in order for things to happen; and Hope Rising, the only story posted on my other penname Marco's Andalite Princess, which is about a girl's life and how she tries to fit in.) Anyway, about my surgery, it went really well. It was on my nose, since I broke it about five years ago and haven't been able to breathe through it since. They put me to sleep before they even stuck the IV in me, so I didn't feel a thing. When I went under, I was laughing hysterically and talking about Minnesota. And guess what! I can breathe now! The swelling and bruising are almost gone! My nose is pretty again! (After I broke it, the cartilage basically started falling off the bone, creating a big bump. My nose also shifted slightly to the side. It wasn't that big of a deal, but I was self-conscious about it.) So anyway, it went well, thanks for all your concern. Now, I know you only really care about reading the fic, so… Here it is!
Disclaimer: I realized that I forgot to put one at the beginning of the story, so here it is now. Unfortunately, I don't own Animorphs. K. A. Applegate, the brilliant sci-fi goddess, does. However, any time she feels like giving me the series, that would be great. I would publish this trilogy!
Chapter 3
"Hold it, Ax," Cassie warned. Ax pulled his tail away from Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar's jugular by about a nanometer.
I studied the Captain's face. His eyes, all three of them, held true fear. Fear, and something else. Embarrassment? Anger?
His main eyes locked with mine, pleading.
Captain Miaker and the other Murkra watched both me and Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar with unnatural intensity.
Ax and Yahal were quivering with pent up energy, but they were also looking at each other, as if they were disgusted by what they might do.
Marco's gaze was locked on the Garatron, but I could tell he was not actually looking at anything.
Everybody else was simply looking back and forth from Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar to me to Ax and Yahal and back to Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar.
There was another moment of tense silence.
"Ax," I finally said, "let him go."
An audible sigh resounded through the air. I'm still not sure whether it was me or somebody else who did it.
Ax nodded almost imperceptively at Yahal, and they both whipped their tails away. Ax reached out one weak hand to the Garatron, and Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar grabbed it. He shakily stood up.
WhereisTheOne? Whyishenothere? he asked.
Everybody shifted uncomfortably. We really did not feel like discussing all-powerful beings at the moment.
Finally, Rachel answered, having already reversed her grizzly morph so that she was human again, "He's dead."
Marco, in a new attempt to make everyone laugh, jumped in, expanding on Rachel's words. "He croaked! Expired. Bit the dirt. Went to the Happy Hunting Grounds. Is in God's care. Passed away. Keeled over. Became one of the dearly departed. Breathed his last breath. Kicked the bucket. Went to meet his maker. In other words, está muerto."
Rachel looked at him oddly. "Whatever happened to you saying you didn't speak Spanish?"
"I never said I couldn't say a few words. For example, I can say, 'La cabra larga y estampada está en los nubes, y a ella le gusta esquiar en tu naríz.'"
We all blinked and looked at him.
"Marco, would you mind telling us what that meant?" I asked.
"I, uh… Actually, I don't know," Marco responded. Rachel started laughing.
I wondered what sort of impression we were making on Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar. The poor guy had just seen all his comrades killed, probably had a huge headache from the bump The One had given him, and now the people he had offered help to were acting like psychos.
Humans, Ax snorted. Why do you have so many languages? Anyway, I was able to understand what Marco said. He stated that the large and patterned goat is in the clouds, and she likes to ski in your nose.
Now we all stared oddly at Marco.
He grinned sheepishly. "I also never said that I understood the few words I could say."
Rachel rolled her eyes at Marco. This was just great. The last thing we needed right now was a battle between Xena: Warrior Princess and Curious George.
I saw Cassie watching me, judging what I would do.
"Okay," I said, cutting in before Rachel could say a snide remark. A small smile played on Cassie's lips as I continued. She saw right through my ploy. "Anyway, Captain Bavaritun Larumian Hartar–"
YoumaycallmeBavaritun, he cut in.
"Oh. Uh, thanks. Anyway, after The One was destroyed, we got a message from another, uh, acquaintance of ours. His name is Crayak. He was as powerful as The One, but now that The One is gone, he is free to expand. If we don't do something, with his new powers, he'll destroy the universe."
I didn't mean to sound that dramatic, but hey, it worked.
"Duh, duh, duh," Marco sang ominously, very off-key and loudly.
"For the past few millennia, he has been caught up in a game of skill and wit in our galaxy with a creature called Ellimist. Ellimist is supposedly good, and Crayak is evil. Apparently, Crayak came into our galaxy millions of years ago when he was chased out of your galaxy by The One," I explained. "When The One was destroyed, Crayak sensed that now was his chance to take back what he lost so long ago. With these new chances at power, he'll grow beyond anything that the Ellimist can control, and destroy both of our universes."
Marco caught my eye and grinned, silently mouthing something. I realized that he was translating my speech to convince Bavaritun that we were good and needed his help into Marco-ese.
Captain Bavaritun lowered all three of his remaining eyes, and bent painfully to his knees in a sort of half-bow. Jake,youavengedthedeathofmyshipmates,andsonowIpromisetohelpyouinanywaypossible. IwilltrytohelpdestroyCrayakandgrantyouuseofmyship,asIcannotflyitalone. IonlyaskthatIamreturnedsafelytomyplanetafterCrayakisdefeated. However,Irefusetoflywiththem, he said, pointing one of his many-fingered hands at Captain Miaker, Raikon, and Leenear.
We never did anything to you, Captain Miaker hissed, snapping his claw. The two other Murkra moved to flank him, trying to look as threatening as a giant crab with too many eyes could.
Everybody else shifted nervously, instinctively anticipating a fight.
Cassie took a deep breath, jutted her chin out determinedly, and marched right in between the Murkra and Captain Bavaritun.
"Look," she said, almost shouting. Cassie never shouts. "It was the Murkra's ancestors that took your ancestors from the Andalite homeworld, Captain Bavaritun. It's ancient history. Can't you just forget about it, and make peace?"
Donotdiscusswhatyoudonotunderstand,personfromAndalitespace. TheMurkratookmypeoplefromparadise. Howcanyounotexpectmetobeangry?
Cassie laughed, but it held no humor. "No, I understand," she said. "I understand hatred going back years and years for things your descendents did. And I also understand that the Murkra did not take you from paradise. They took you from a different planet that has plenty of problems of its own. Ax and Yahal," she said, pointing at the two Andalites, "live there usually. They are your cousins, both of you evolved from a common ancestor. I understand perfectly. And you, all four of you, need to snap out of it," she continued, addressing both the Garatron and the Murkra.
We were all silent for a moment, shocked by this new side of Cassie. I grinned at her, and she looked at me, her face still cross, but she was obviously pleased with herself.
Finally, after one long minute of silence, Tom started clapping. Marco joined in, and then so did everybody else. The moment of tension was broken.
"Go Cassie!" Marco cheered. "Watch out, Rachel, or else pretty soon you'll have to fight for your title as Xena. Actually, forget that. Have the fight. Both of you dressed as Xena."
The second we heard the last sentence of Marco's oration, Cassie, Rachel, Tobias, and I all jumped toward Marco. He cringed.
"Please don't hurt me. I didn't mean it. I'd much rather see Sandra like that, anyway…"
"You know, Marco, you're just digging yourself into a deeper hole. I'm about this close to morphing grizzly and taking you out," Rachel said very calmly. "Unless I decide to go elephant and stomp you to death. Or perhaps Hork-Bajir. Do you have any preference as to how you would like to die, Marco?"
The conversation continued as we grouped together and started the long trudge back to the Hork-Bajir camp and our other friends. Yahal and Captain Bavaritun even started to talk. However, I noticed that the Murkra and Bavaritun stayed as far away from each other as possible. Only Toby remained aloof, brooding in her own thoughts, until Indi and the other Hork-Bajir started following us again. Then, she hung back until she could travel with them.
"I really would like to live, Rachel."
"Well, that really is too bad for you, isn't it, Marco? You should have thought about that before you started talking about Cassie, Sandra, and me dressed in leather."
"Please don't kill me. Jake said it himself, we need everybody we can get."
"I think he would like to kill you now, too, for mentioning Cassie, wouldn't you, Cuz?"
"Yup."
"Man… And I thought you were my friend."
"Prepare to die, Buddy."