Ax and I watched Spiderman like we planned, and then I headed home. I flew through my still open window and landed on my computer chair. I demorphed and fell on the floor. Jake walked in a few minutes later. "Where were you?" He asked
"I was with Ax, I told you." I said as I walked into my bathroom and turned on the water for a bath.
"Yeah. But I was hoping you would come home so mom and dad wouldn't get suspicious if you weren't in your bedroom. I don't think you and Ax should spend Friday nights together anymore." He got that Serious Leader look in his eyes.
"So just because you and Cassie don't do anything like that, Ax and I can't?" I asked.
"No." he blushed. "I don't really think you and Ax should be with each---. Look, it could be dangerous. I gotta go to sleep. Night." He closed the door behind him. I took a book and threw it against the door. He had been pissing me off lately.
Early the next day, I woke up and morphed to the Rough-Legged Hawk and flew to Cassie's barn. The rest were already there.
"We've formed a plan." Rachel said as I demorphed. "Cassie, Jake, and Tobias will all morph to elephant or rhino, then destroy Chapman's' house tomorrow. The rest of us will go and destroy the school. The rest of the group will join us and help total the school."
"Bet you guys have been up forever devising that complex plan." I muttered, rubbing sleep out of my eyes.
"Actually, Marco came up with it." Cassie said.
"Ah, yes. My master plan is actually going to work." Marco made his voice husky as if he were about to cry. "I finally get to see it at work!" He broke down into pretend sobs.
We all left about 30 minutes later. I went home and did some math homework (yuck!)
At about 4:00, I met Marco, Ax, and Rachel at the school. It was dark inside.
"Ready?" Rachel whispered. "Let's do it!"
As I focused on the elephant DNA inside me, my nose became a huge gray lump, then unfurled onto the ground. My legs thickened to the size of tree trunks. I grew as big as a house, covered with tough skin.
As the others finished their morphs, I let out a bellow and charged for the wall.
WHAM!
WHAM!
On the second hit, the wall
crumbled.
I made a door for you guys! I shouted gleefully. I charged in and ran through walls of lockers. Books and shredded paper flew everywhere. I ran blindly into the janitor's closet that used to be an entrance to the Yeerk pool. I tore it apart with my tusks, not realize I was reopening the entrance. I charged out to the lockers and kept on tearing them up. I heard the others making their destruction.
My first clue that the Yeerk pool was opened up was a searing pain in my leg. I looked over my shoulder and saw dozens of Hork-Bajir behind me with Dracons. And my leg was gone.
"HREEHUH!" I bellowed in pain as I slumped to the floor. The Hork-Bajir all leveled their Dracons at me, ready to kill me. A mass of gray flesh hurtled past me into them.
Megan, demorph! Ax said.
I slid into the girl's bathroom. Someone had made a nice big hole. I demorphed and took a few deep breaths. The others weren't here yet and we needed a swift killing machine. I focused on the lioness; my battle morph. Sandy fur covered me. A tail shot out of my spine and my teeth grew sharp. Before the morph was complete, I charged out, slashing and ripping. I heard bellows in the distance. The others were coming.
Jake! I cried as I pounced on a Hork-Bajir, The Yeerk pool was reopened here. There are DOZENS of Hork-Bajir. We need you now!
I followed pained bellows into the auditorium. Ax had a huge burn on his flank. I pounced on a Hork-Bajir and ripped out his throat. Ax! Demorph!
I took down all the Hork-Bajir, but more were piling in. Ax stood as his true form, an Andalite, up on the stage. I spotted a Hork-Bajir, cutting the rope that held the lights and curtain. It must have weighed a hundred fifty pounds.
I took out another Hork-Bajir and leaped up onto the one cutting the ropes. I held all the last ropes in my teeth as Ax fought off the Hork-Bajir pouring into the room.
A rhino suddenly burst through the wall, spraying us with bits of sheetrock.
Megan, let go of the ropes and get into the hall! Jake commanded.
No! If I do, the curtain holder, lights, everything will come down on Ax! I retorted.
Megan, do what I say!
No!
Yes!
Damn it, people's lives are at stake!
So is Ax's!
Jake barreled down and threw me with his horn. The ropes escaped from my mouth. The whole metal structure of the stage came crashing down on Ax.
Ax? AX?! I screamed, pawing at the wreckage.
Megan… Megan... He moaned weakly in thought speak.
Morph to something small Ax, morph to something small! I commanded. I didn't know if he did as I pawed at the wreckage. Jake ran over and butted me to the side.
Without warning, All the Hork-Bajirs' Dracons fired at the stage, blowing it up.
AX! NO! NO! I screamed.
Ax was dead.
