AN: Ok, I'm glad you liked it. As usual, all disclaimers apply. Me own
Leigh, Kritra and any new character that pops up, me no own Animorph
characters.
I walked out towards them quietly, without my gloves on, which I left at home, in my morphing suit.
"Where have you been?" Jake demanded, "We went to your house only to find out that you were gone." He stares at me with those serious chocolate brown eyes of his. The kind that makes you want to squirm. You know, like when you're caught doing something wrong, they give you that certain look.
I resisted the urge to squirm or look away from his eyes. I just stood totally still, almost rigidly like a soldier. "I had to take care of something that didn't concern the mission. It wouldn't blow our cover so just chill. It wasn't like I was going to turn into a wolf or something and terrorize the neighborhood dogs."
"Listen, when we're on a mission, I'm in charge. I worry bout things like, an Animorph missing from where they're suppose to be." He told me.
"Alright, Dad, I promise I won't do it again."
"Don't push your luck, kid. You may have the power, but we know a helluva lot more than you do so shut up and follow orders." Rachel snaps at me with an angry expression.
I didn't move, nor did I speak, I only stared, "Fine."
"Ok, now lets morph owl and get this over with." Jake told everyone.
I glared at both Jake and Rachel, but didn't breath a word to them and morphed into an owl.
I would've enjoyed flying, except for the tension that was there. Of, course, Marco, being Marco, broke the tension by saying, Now, how many times have I said that this is insane?
Oh, about a million times, give or take. Rachel answered.
Ok, then I'll say it again. This is Insane!
Jake, Cassie's thought-speech filled my mind at a listened to the others talk to each other.
What are we looking for?
Erek says that the Yeerks have found another one of those alien artifacts that might contain information and technology that would help them speed up the invasion of Earth.
And so, you want to use me to tell you exactly what they are. I said, speaking up for the first time. Just like the way the Yeerks wanted to use me in that manner, only it involved getting a slug in the ear.
Listen, we are not the Yeerks. We gave you a stinkin choice so quit brooding about it. Jake told me. And yes, once we have the artifact, we will need you to read it.
What am I suppose to do, Jake? I asked, My mom is a freakin alien, like your brother and Marco's mom, and now I have a chance to get back at them. What am I suppose to do? Hmm? Ignore what is happening?
We know how you're feeling, ok? Now just calm down. Cassie said trying to smooth things over.
No you don't. I told her, Try living with not only nightmares of this, but of many other lives with death as a theme of it all. Weapons are my specialty, murder crimes; I've done it before. Been to the scenes, touched things, seen things that would make Yeerk invasion seem preferable. I paused, You seem to forget, that the Yeerks aren't the only danger.Humans themselves are just as viscous and nasty as the next badass evil alien.
That shut them up and made them think.
I fell quiet too; I had nothing more to say to them. Everything was building up and one of these days, it's going to explode and nothing will stand in its way..nothing.
Thank you for keeping us down. Marco said to me.
Shut the fuck up, Marco. I said quietly Just Shut. The. Fuck. Up.
We landed on a building and snuck in then Jake told us to go roach, not one of my favorite morphs as you can tell. It is very, very disturbing to watch. Not even Cassie's talent could make this look good. But before I began to morph, I felt something.like a crawling sensation up my spine.
What was that? I wondered. But then it was gone like it had come. I gave it no farther thought for I was used to the feeling of things at random. With my mind made up, I began to morph.
The first thing that happened was that my mouth split and became a roach's mouth, then I began to shrink as antennae came out of my head and I grew extra legs as my own legs turned brown with little feelers on them. My bones disappeared at that time so, I was on the floor as my back became a caramel brown and hard roach shell. My eyes became huge and...well, lets just say that this is something sickening an that I feel like throwing up at this point..if I had a mouth.
Everyone finished? Jake asked.
Slightly disturb, but finished. Marco said.
Ok. He said and started to crawl against the wall.Erek said that they keep the artifacts and technological stuff here, on this floor. he pause for a moment.Leigh?
Yeah? I said still a little mad at him.
Can you get any type of feeling from the object? he asked, With or without your gloves on?
I considered it, going over the possibilities in my mind, It would have to depend on what the object is or if the object is radiating with very intense emotion..I probably could. I paused, What is it that ht Yeerks have?
I'm not sure. He answered, Erek says that the rumor is, that it's some type of orb.
I considered it for a moment. This might have some connections to that disturbance on the plane.
The what? Marco asked.What does an airplane have to do with this?
Not an airplane, Polo, I corrected, The psychic plane where part of my brain frequency is in tune to. I felt it before I morphed.
Why didn't you tell us? Cassie asked.
I sighed Cause, there's a lot of shit that can do that to you, Cass. I told her, I usually write it off as a past occurrence with the building.
So, can you feel which room it's coming from? Jake asked.
I concentrated on feeling anything strange.I got nothing. Sorry, I guess it only works when I'm human.
Did you feel what direction it could be in before morphing?
Yes.
Which way?
The third door to the left.
Ok, lets go.
We were half way there when we felt the vibrations, which, at our size, felt like earthquakes.
"I don't know what the Visser is thinking." It was a male controller. His voice sounded like speakers switched on high. "Giving us a deadline like that to figure out how that thing works."
"We don't even know what made the thing let alone how to open the damn thing." The second controller, a female, agreed with the male and sighs while shaking her head. " And now he expects us to figure it out in twenty- three hours..is he nuts?!"
The male controller snorted, "Yeah, but no one is going to tell him that."
They left, mumbling about coffee breaks and other things as we made our way into the room.
Ok Jake began, Ax, you go first.
Well, we don't want them knowing what we are by accident, now do we?
Prince Jake. Ax said, There are little black boxes in this room in the corners.
Destroy them.
After a few seconds Ax reported that they were all gone and we demorphed, which still wasn't pretty.
I stood in spandex pants and a tight black shirt, barefooted, in a makeshift lab like room.
"There." Cassie said seeing our prize. "There's the orb."
Sure enough the orb was in a container on a small pedestal looking nice and pretty. The orb itself was nothing more than a round, giant-size marble that was so dark red that it was almost black, looked almost innocent.
It would be to the others, but not to me. I felt the same chill from earlier go down my spine and the warning signal in my brain went off flashing: Danger! Danger! Back away from the ball and you won't get hurt!
"Now, all we have to do is get it out of here and we're home free." Jake mutters. "Ax, see what you can do."
Yes, Prince Jake.
"Oh and Ax?"
Yes?
"Don't call me 'prince'."
I edged over to Jake and said, "I don't think this is such a good idea."
"Why not?" Rachel answered before him. She turned and looked straight at me. "We get it, you see what it is, and then we use it against the Yeerks."
I bit my lower lip, "This.this isn't right." I watched as Ax cut through the security programs with ease. "Something about this doesn't seem right."
"Like what?" Cassie asked with a frown.
I shrugged, "I don't know, but my senses are going nuts. That thing has some high emotions around it and it looks just plain evil."
Looks can be deceiving, Leigh. We of all people should know that. Tobias told me. Just because it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and acts like one, doesn't mean it is a duck.
"Thank you for the philosophy, Objuan Kannobe." Marco said sarcastically.
I closed my mouth as Ax picked up the sphere. Now what Prince Jake?
"There's a window over there." Cassie told us, "We could morph and get out of here with the orb."
I didn't know what to say to that, something still nagged me about the orb and the fact that this seemed too damn easy..it might be a trap.
"Let's morph and get out of here."
"That went smoothly." Marco said. "More so than the other missions we've been on. Why can't it always be like that?"
It was Saturday, a day or two after the mission, we had decided to hold off the reading until today, which I still thought was a bad idea from the get go.
So, we're in the woods, cause it would look bad if we had the orb there, me in a trance, and Cassie's dad coming in and seeing this.
We were in a sort of semi-circle; Jake was across from me, next to Cassie. Marco was on the other side of Jake. Rachel was next to Ax on my right and Tobias was sitting on a low branch above us.
Ax had the orb and looked like he was ready to play kick ball or something.
As for me, I was leaning against a tree, away from the group, like the stranger I really was. I mean, think about, these guys knew about one another for a long time, even the alien kid seems to be part of them. But I guess that's because they had to depend on one another for a long time in those life and death situations.
"Ok, let's get this stuff over with." Jake said, " Ax, give the orb to Leigh."
At this point I was standing next to Marco. Ax began to come forward and stopped in front of me, holding the orb out for me. Take it.
I stared at it and shook my head, "No, way."
"Why the hell not?" Rachel asked.
"What's your problem?" Marco asked, "We just risked our necks for this thing."
"That thing is radiating with some bad shit." I told him, "I told you when we got in there, that thing is bad."
"Just touch it already, I do have a life you know." Rachel mutters.
"Fine, but I warned you, that if some bad shit happens cause of this, it'd be your own damn fault, not mine." Angrily I tore off my glove and touched the ball.
Instantly, I jerked away from it like I'd been burnt, holding my hand and backing away from it, eyes wide with fear.
"Dear, Goddess." I whispered.
"What?!" Jake asked almost alarmed, "What is it?!"
I didn't respond, only stared at it.
"Leigh?!" Someone was shaking me, "Leigh snap out of it!"
Then I felt a hand connect to my cheek, leaving a stinking pain in my right cheek. I looked at who had done it. It was..Cassie. Cassie had slapped me to get me out of my stupor.
Jake made a sound, drawing my attention to him. "What did you see that made you react that way?"
"You think the Yeerks are bad?" I looked at the orb again, "The beings that created..created that filth are even worse."
"What is it?" Rachel asked impatiently.
I said nothing for a moment then began to tell them what I had seen.
"There was fire, destruction, you usual chaos scene. People running, trying to get away, some bodies here and there, a baby or more wailing, screams, shouts, blood, bodies.all of the normal things. Then that thing." I motioned towards the ball, "Came along. It unfolds into some kind of organic robot and starts to finish what its masters started.." I didn't say anything after that.
"What?" Cassie touched my arm, careful not to touch my skin. "What else did you see?"
I shrugged, " Individual deaths..nothing more expect that I felt.."I paused again feeling like I was going to be sick. "It's glee.happiness. It liked killing those people. It liked to hunt and all..and worse part of it is.is that it knows exactly what it was doing. Killing everyone in sight.all gone, the cities, technology, culture, and entire fucking race.no planet, is gone."
They were quiet for a while, I knew they were thinking about when they had to go up against the Howler but they, the Howlers, were like children, they did not know that what they did was wrong.
I took a deep breath and let it out, while putting my glove back on.
"So how do we use this against the Yeerks?" Jake asked us.
"We don't" I answered. "Even I cannot wish that on my enemy, no matter what."
"These are the Yeerks we're talking about." Rachel said, "They deserve what ever we throw at them."
I said nothing, at first then said, "What I'm saying is, we can't use it anyway you look at it."
"What do you mean?" Marco asked, "I see nothing wrong with using it to kill Visser Three or get rid of the Yeerks period."
"I do." I looked at them all as they stared at me. "Mean, think about it, we might not be able to control the thing, and it might turn on us once it's through with the yeerks."
Jake nodded, "True. But what else is there that you're not telling us?"
Damn, he's giving me that look again.
"There's an encryption code on it that is only accessible by three things." I grumbled, "One, it has to be attacked, two you have the password, and three, there's a key."
"One is definitely out of the question." Marco said, "So that only leaves two and three."
So how are we going to find it? Tobias asked.
I can always try and hack into it. Ax suggested, All I have to do is key it in.
I cleared my throat. "Three is out of the question." I informed them, "It was destroyed a long time ago, and so, the password is the only thing left."
Suddenly they all turned towards me, "Do you know the password, Leigh?" Jake asked quietly, very quietly.
"Yeah." I answered.
"What is it?" He stared at me with a very serious expression that would make a tiger back down.
"I won't tell you." I told him, "I can't allow you to do this."
"It is not up to you to decide this, it's a group thing." He told me, "And as part of the group we shall vote on this."
I clenched my teeth and glared at them. "Go ahead and vote, but you will not get my help from this."
"Ok, all in favor?"
Marco and Rachel raised their hand; Ax said he'd do it. So that only left Tobias, Cassie and Jake.
"Wait." I said, I didn't wan to do this, but it had to be done. "Before you vote, why don't I let you see what I had seen, then you can do what ever you like."
Can you do that? Ax asked curiously.
I nodded, grimly looking at them. "Yes, but I need to be in contact with you, meaning you have to be able to touch my skin." I explained and rolled up my sleeves and took off the gloves.
"All you have to do is allow the pictures to come to mind. If you resist it.." I trailed off and shrugged, "I don't know what would happen if you did."
Jake and the others soon crowded me; Tobias was perched on my bare shoulder since I was wearing a tank top. Jake had one hand on my shoulder, Cassie's hand was on my other shoulder, and Marco and Rachel touched my arms, I touché Ax's arm since he held the orb.
"Here goes nothing." I breathed and touched the orb as I channeled the memories and thoughts from another time.
~* In my mind*~
'Where are we?' Cassie asked.
We were all there, in our morphing suits, Tobias was human and also in his morphing suit. Ax was just floating around.
'Where's Leigh?' Jake asked looking around the darkness.
*I am here. * I answered.
'Where's here?' Marco asked.
*My mind, duh. * I grumbled, *Now just watch the show kiddies. *
'What-' Tobias began but was abruptly cut off.
Before them was a city that resembles medieval Europe, only it was modern looking, with both spacecrafts and animals transportation. The people looked like the people of earth only their skins were either blue or green with black or brown hair. Some of them had blue-green skin but all of them had dark eyes.
The market place was alive with people and children running around having fun, playing while the adults attends to business. Everything was going so well.
***
'I don't see anything wrong with this.' Rachel complained, 'What is it that you're trying to show us? Get to the point already!'
*Shut up and watch! *
***
Then a shadow fell upon the market place, a flashes of light was fired in every direction and exploded into fire. People began running and screaming in fear. Mothers held their children close as they ran from the danger..only to die by the beast itself.
The creature was tall, it's skin was red as garnet and eyes the color of a black hole; black and empty. The creature walked upright on two legs that looked like hind legs of a dog and it's face looked like a Hork-Bajir's. It's weapons would've made the Howlers seem docile in comparison as it went about, killing everything in sight, taking great delight in killing most very, very slowly. In one scene, there was a child that was crying. The child looked only about three or four months old.
The creature stops and picks the child up.
***
'He's not.He can't!?' Cassie chocked back a sob as Jake put his arms around her. 'No one.not even the Howlers were that cruel.' ***
The creature opened its mouth and bit into the baby, relishing in its screams as its blue blood trickles down the creature's throat and chin. It slowly devoured the child until there was nothing left but some clothes. Then it went back to killing and devouring people.until one person stopped it. She was the last of her kind, the last remnant of her people.
She stood before the creature with a small sword, which seemed laughable now, and began to attack it. The creature seemed to enjoy this and played with her at first, until she dealt a shocking blow by cutting off its right arm. The creature stared at it's bleeding arm in shock as the tired woman took up her position once again to attack the creature with everything she had, which she knew would kill her.
Before the creature could recover, she attacked, yelling something in the language of her people, casting the evil creature to back where it had came from; a small dark red ball. With her last ounce of energy, she sent the ball into space, hoping that it would fall into a star, and died.
The ball, unfortunately, did not fall into a star, it had, instead, fallen to Earth where the Egyptians worshipped it as a god, than was lost once more until found by the Yeerks.
~* Outside mind *~
(Third Pov)
The place disappeared and the Animorphs found themselves alone, and then suddenly, they were no longer in Leigh's mind. Now, they were still in the same spots as they have been before. Only difference was that Leigh was unconscious on the ground.
(An: Hey, that kind of thing takes a lot out of a girl, you know?)
"We can't do it, Jake." Cassie stated, "We can't release that thing on the Yeerks! Think about it, what if it comes after us? Or our other friends and family?"
Jake said nothing for a moment, "Let's vote on it tomorrow."
Leigh's Pov.
I awoke in a room that was not my own, but familiar to me. I still felt a little sick and still felt tired. I mean, try pulling six other consciousness with you into a vision and see what happens!
I wasn't all too sure if it would've worked. It was my first time trying to do something like that. I mean I've transferred memories to an individual before, but that was only once.
I looked around and saw that I was at Cassie's. I got up and left. I needed time to think and sleep.
So, I morphed into a red-tail hawk, and flew away from Cassie's farm.
I sat on a bench in a park, watching the children play and going over my plans. Yes, I had plans, important ones at that that I needed to discuss with Kritra. But something nagged me in the back of my head about the whole thing. Would it work? What about the Animorphs?
Could I, Leigh, start the process of eliminating the Yeerks from this world? Could I possibly set it loose, destroying everything in its path?
The memories of the fight with the creature entered my thoughts again. I knew who had created it and it's race of dog demons. I knew how to stop it as well..but the question is: Do I really want to start this senseless massacre of sentient beings? Maybe, maybe not, I still not sure. I knew that time was running out..well, at least for me it is, if what I thought were true..
I shook my head, "I have to get some sleep or something." I stood up leaving the park. My morphing suit could be considered a fashion statement or something close to it. My jazz pants were black, and my shirt was a white tank top. Grated that I was still bare footed, I didn't look too out of place in the town.
As soon as I found a safe place to morph, I morphed back into a hawk and flew back to the farm.
I landed and demorphed immediately, then started searching for my hiding spot of where I hide the dagger. I found the marked spot and dug it up.
I then sat down with the gleaming object in my hands and concentrated on Kritra.
In my mind..
'Kritra?' I called out to her. I still couldn't see her, so it made it harder to talk to her. Meaning I didn't know what her expression would be.
Ah, Leigh, so good of you to come. She answered. Have you located the Orb of Death?
'Yes.'
Splendid! Now you can get rid of all those Yeerks! And then.
'Kritra' I began, interrupting her. ' Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, why don't we just tell them about this? It makes no sense to do this and then have to fight them because of different opinions.' I told her, 'I just hate having to do this. Even if we are not really friends, they deserve better!'
She remained silent then, at least it felt that way, nodded her head. I understand your loyalty to them Leigh. She said in a low voice. But think about it. Have they ever treated you like a friend? Don't you feel like you're invading their little group? Or felt that something was amiss?
I thought about it and all those times that I did spend with them. In nearly all situations, they needed me or were yelling at me. Though I think I just need to shut my mouth sometimes, but it still stung and suddenly, I wished I were back home, with my own friends, laughing, joking, swapping story ideas, anything like that. Instead, I'm here, alone, in the middle of a war I stumbled upon. It almost didn't seem real.are first, and the more I talked to Kritra; the more it seemed to make sense, at least to me.
Don't you want this power of yours gone? She asked.
' But then I couldn't talk to you!' I exclaimed. 'You've been my only friend here! I don't want to lose you even if it meant seeing unwanted visions for the rest of my life!' I felt her smile and was unease by this. Something was up, something wasn't right.
Just what I wanted to hear. Her voice sounded odd and cold like ice. Now, find that orb and bring it back with you. Then, we shall release it on this world and the Yeerks shall perish!
'Ok.' I said a bit hesitantly. 'But what about the Animorphs?'
She seemed to ponder that for a while then answered, I-err-We shall think of something, but for now, the orb shall suffice.
I broke the connection and stared down at the blade. I didn't like how this was going, I should tell the Animorphs about this, or at least Tobias or Cassie-someone who wouldn't judge me so harshly, even if I deserved it.
I sighed and looked up at the canopy of pine trees. It was getting dark, and I should be getting home soon..Maybe.maybe this is for the best? Maybe I should tell them or I could just do it myself..
I shook my head, Goddess, was I confused. So many things buzzing around in my head, making me feel dizzy. I had to get home or else my parents would go nuts again.
With a final sigh, I buried the dagger and went home. I needed some sleep, cause tomorrow, I was going to steal the orb from Ax, and release the creature-
Cabulawalliah.
AN: So? What do you think? I kind of got this idea from one of the people who reviewed my story. She said that Leigh seemed bitchy and all...like the type of person to turn on our heroes ... So I sort of ran with the idea..and this is what popped up! Oh, and I don't own the name Cabulawalliah, since it was a title in my lang. Arts book, but I own the creature, just not the name.
Also as an answer to TPF: Well, of course she's bitchy. She's a very insecure about herself. Besides the fact that she has nightmares about killing people and so on and so forth. Leigh is just a problem child, that's all. Anyway, she shall remain bitchy until farther notice. *Nods head *
I walked out towards them quietly, without my gloves on, which I left at home, in my morphing suit.
"Where have you been?" Jake demanded, "We went to your house only to find out that you were gone." He stares at me with those serious chocolate brown eyes of his. The kind that makes you want to squirm. You know, like when you're caught doing something wrong, they give you that certain look.
I resisted the urge to squirm or look away from his eyes. I just stood totally still, almost rigidly like a soldier. "I had to take care of something that didn't concern the mission. It wouldn't blow our cover so just chill. It wasn't like I was going to turn into a wolf or something and terrorize the neighborhood dogs."
"Listen, when we're on a mission, I'm in charge. I worry bout things like, an Animorph missing from where they're suppose to be." He told me.
"Alright, Dad, I promise I won't do it again."
"Don't push your luck, kid. You may have the power, but we know a helluva lot more than you do so shut up and follow orders." Rachel snaps at me with an angry expression.
I didn't move, nor did I speak, I only stared, "Fine."
"Ok, now lets morph owl and get this over with." Jake told everyone.
I glared at both Jake and Rachel, but didn't breath a word to them and morphed into an owl.
I would've enjoyed flying, except for the tension that was there. Of, course, Marco, being Marco, broke the tension by saying, Now, how many times have I said that this is insane?
Oh, about a million times, give or take. Rachel answered.
Ok, then I'll say it again. This is Insane!
Jake, Cassie's thought-speech filled my mind at a listened to the others talk to each other.
What are we looking for?
Erek says that the Yeerks have found another one of those alien artifacts that might contain information and technology that would help them speed up the invasion of Earth.
And so, you want to use me to tell you exactly what they are. I said, speaking up for the first time. Just like the way the Yeerks wanted to use me in that manner, only it involved getting a slug in the ear.
Listen, we are not the Yeerks. We gave you a stinkin choice so quit brooding about it. Jake told me. And yes, once we have the artifact, we will need you to read it.
What am I suppose to do, Jake? I asked, My mom is a freakin alien, like your brother and Marco's mom, and now I have a chance to get back at them. What am I suppose to do? Hmm? Ignore what is happening?
We know how you're feeling, ok? Now just calm down. Cassie said trying to smooth things over.
No you don't. I told her, Try living with not only nightmares of this, but of many other lives with death as a theme of it all. Weapons are my specialty, murder crimes; I've done it before. Been to the scenes, touched things, seen things that would make Yeerk invasion seem preferable. I paused, You seem to forget, that the Yeerks aren't the only danger.Humans themselves are just as viscous and nasty as the next badass evil alien.
That shut them up and made them think.
I fell quiet too; I had nothing more to say to them. Everything was building up and one of these days, it's going to explode and nothing will stand in its way..nothing.
Thank you for keeping us down. Marco said to me.
Shut the fuck up, Marco. I said quietly Just Shut. The. Fuck. Up.
We landed on a building and snuck in then Jake told us to go roach, not one of my favorite morphs as you can tell. It is very, very disturbing to watch. Not even Cassie's talent could make this look good. But before I began to morph, I felt something.like a crawling sensation up my spine.
What was that? I wondered. But then it was gone like it had come. I gave it no farther thought for I was used to the feeling of things at random. With my mind made up, I began to morph.
The first thing that happened was that my mouth split and became a roach's mouth, then I began to shrink as antennae came out of my head and I grew extra legs as my own legs turned brown with little feelers on them. My bones disappeared at that time so, I was on the floor as my back became a caramel brown and hard roach shell. My eyes became huge and...well, lets just say that this is something sickening an that I feel like throwing up at this point..if I had a mouth.
Everyone finished? Jake asked.
Slightly disturb, but finished. Marco said.
Ok. He said and started to crawl against the wall.Erek said that they keep the artifacts and technological stuff here, on this floor. he pause for a moment.Leigh?
Yeah? I said still a little mad at him.
Can you get any type of feeling from the object? he asked, With or without your gloves on?
I considered it, going over the possibilities in my mind, It would have to depend on what the object is or if the object is radiating with very intense emotion..I probably could. I paused, What is it that ht Yeerks have?
I'm not sure. He answered, Erek says that the rumor is, that it's some type of orb.
I considered it for a moment. This might have some connections to that disturbance on the plane.
The what? Marco asked.What does an airplane have to do with this?
Not an airplane, Polo, I corrected, The psychic plane where part of my brain frequency is in tune to. I felt it before I morphed.
Why didn't you tell us? Cassie asked.
I sighed Cause, there's a lot of shit that can do that to you, Cass. I told her, I usually write it off as a past occurrence with the building.
So, can you feel which room it's coming from? Jake asked.
I concentrated on feeling anything strange.I got nothing. Sorry, I guess it only works when I'm human.
Did you feel what direction it could be in before morphing?
Yes.
Which way?
The third door to the left.
Ok, lets go.
We were half way there when we felt the vibrations, which, at our size, felt like earthquakes.
"I don't know what the Visser is thinking." It was a male controller. His voice sounded like speakers switched on high. "Giving us a deadline like that to figure out how that thing works."
"We don't even know what made the thing let alone how to open the damn thing." The second controller, a female, agreed with the male and sighs while shaking her head. " And now he expects us to figure it out in twenty- three hours..is he nuts?!"
The male controller snorted, "Yeah, but no one is going to tell him that."
They left, mumbling about coffee breaks and other things as we made our way into the room.
Ok Jake began, Ax, you go first.
Well, we don't want them knowing what we are by accident, now do we?
Prince Jake. Ax said, There are little black boxes in this room in the corners.
Destroy them.
After a few seconds Ax reported that they were all gone and we demorphed, which still wasn't pretty.
I stood in spandex pants and a tight black shirt, barefooted, in a makeshift lab like room.
"There." Cassie said seeing our prize. "There's the orb."
Sure enough the orb was in a container on a small pedestal looking nice and pretty. The orb itself was nothing more than a round, giant-size marble that was so dark red that it was almost black, looked almost innocent.
It would be to the others, but not to me. I felt the same chill from earlier go down my spine and the warning signal in my brain went off flashing: Danger! Danger! Back away from the ball and you won't get hurt!
"Now, all we have to do is get it out of here and we're home free." Jake mutters. "Ax, see what you can do."
Yes, Prince Jake.
"Oh and Ax?"
Yes?
"Don't call me 'prince'."
I edged over to Jake and said, "I don't think this is such a good idea."
"Why not?" Rachel answered before him. She turned and looked straight at me. "We get it, you see what it is, and then we use it against the Yeerks."
I bit my lower lip, "This.this isn't right." I watched as Ax cut through the security programs with ease. "Something about this doesn't seem right."
"Like what?" Cassie asked with a frown.
I shrugged, "I don't know, but my senses are going nuts. That thing has some high emotions around it and it looks just plain evil."
Looks can be deceiving, Leigh. We of all people should know that. Tobias told me. Just because it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and acts like one, doesn't mean it is a duck.
"Thank you for the philosophy, Objuan Kannobe." Marco said sarcastically.
I closed my mouth as Ax picked up the sphere. Now what Prince Jake?
"There's a window over there." Cassie told us, "We could morph and get out of here with the orb."
I didn't know what to say to that, something still nagged me about the orb and the fact that this seemed too damn easy..it might be a trap.
"Let's morph and get out of here."
"That went smoothly." Marco said. "More so than the other missions we've been on. Why can't it always be like that?"
It was Saturday, a day or two after the mission, we had decided to hold off the reading until today, which I still thought was a bad idea from the get go.
So, we're in the woods, cause it would look bad if we had the orb there, me in a trance, and Cassie's dad coming in and seeing this.
We were in a sort of semi-circle; Jake was across from me, next to Cassie. Marco was on the other side of Jake. Rachel was next to Ax on my right and Tobias was sitting on a low branch above us.
Ax had the orb and looked like he was ready to play kick ball or something.
As for me, I was leaning against a tree, away from the group, like the stranger I really was. I mean, think about, these guys knew about one another for a long time, even the alien kid seems to be part of them. But I guess that's because they had to depend on one another for a long time in those life and death situations.
"Ok, let's get this stuff over with." Jake said, " Ax, give the orb to Leigh."
At this point I was standing next to Marco. Ax began to come forward and stopped in front of me, holding the orb out for me. Take it.
I stared at it and shook my head, "No, way."
"Why the hell not?" Rachel asked.
"What's your problem?" Marco asked, "We just risked our necks for this thing."
"That thing is radiating with some bad shit." I told him, "I told you when we got in there, that thing is bad."
"Just touch it already, I do have a life you know." Rachel mutters.
"Fine, but I warned you, that if some bad shit happens cause of this, it'd be your own damn fault, not mine." Angrily I tore off my glove and touched the ball.
Instantly, I jerked away from it like I'd been burnt, holding my hand and backing away from it, eyes wide with fear.
"Dear, Goddess." I whispered.
"What?!" Jake asked almost alarmed, "What is it?!"
I didn't respond, only stared at it.
"Leigh?!" Someone was shaking me, "Leigh snap out of it!"
Then I felt a hand connect to my cheek, leaving a stinking pain in my right cheek. I looked at who had done it. It was..Cassie. Cassie had slapped me to get me out of my stupor.
Jake made a sound, drawing my attention to him. "What did you see that made you react that way?"
"You think the Yeerks are bad?" I looked at the orb again, "The beings that created..created that filth are even worse."
"What is it?" Rachel asked impatiently.
I said nothing for a moment then began to tell them what I had seen.
"There was fire, destruction, you usual chaos scene. People running, trying to get away, some bodies here and there, a baby or more wailing, screams, shouts, blood, bodies.all of the normal things. Then that thing." I motioned towards the ball, "Came along. It unfolds into some kind of organic robot and starts to finish what its masters started.." I didn't say anything after that.
"What?" Cassie touched my arm, careful not to touch my skin. "What else did you see?"
I shrugged, " Individual deaths..nothing more expect that I felt.."I paused again feeling like I was going to be sick. "It's glee.happiness. It liked killing those people. It liked to hunt and all..and worse part of it is.is that it knows exactly what it was doing. Killing everyone in sight.all gone, the cities, technology, culture, and entire fucking race.no planet, is gone."
They were quiet for a while, I knew they were thinking about when they had to go up against the Howler but they, the Howlers, were like children, they did not know that what they did was wrong.
I took a deep breath and let it out, while putting my glove back on.
"So how do we use this against the Yeerks?" Jake asked us.
"We don't" I answered. "Even I cannot wish that on my enemy, no matter what."
"These are the Yeerks we're talking about." Rachel said, "They deserve what ever we throw at them."
I said nothing, at first then said, "What I'm saying is, we can't use it anyway you look at it."
"What do you mean?" Marco asked, "I see nothing wrong with using it to kill Visser Three or get rid of the Yeerks period."
"I do." I looked at them all as they stared at me. "Mean, think about it, we might not be able to control the thing, and it might turn on us once it's through with the yeerks."
Jake nodded, "True. But what else is there that you're not telling us?"
Damn, he's giving me that look again.
"There's an encryption code on it that is only accessible by three things." I grumbled, "One, it has to be attacked, two you have the password, and three, there's a key."
"One is definitely out of the question." Marco said, "So that only leaves two and three."
So how are we going to find it? Tobias asked.
I can always try and hack into it. Ax suggested, All I have to do is key it in.
I cleared my throat. "Three is out of the question." I informed them, "It was destroyed a long time ago, and so, the password is the only thing left."
Suddenly they all turned towards me, "Do you know the password, Leigh?" Jake asked quietly, very quietly.
"Yeah." I answered.
"What is it?" He stared at me with a very serious expression that would make a tiger back down.
"I won't tell you." I told him, "I can't allow you to do this."
"It is not up to you to decide this, it's a group thing." He told me, "And as part of the group we shall vote on this."
I clenched my teeth and glared at them. "Go ahead and vote, but you will not get my help from this."
"Ok, all in favor?"
Marco and Rachel raised their hand; Ax said he'd do it. So that only left Tobias, Cassie and Jake.
"Wait." I said, I didn't wan to do this, but it had to be done. "Before you vote, why don't I let you see what I had seen, then you can do what ever you like."
Can you do that? Ax asked curiously.
I nodded, grimly looking at them. "Yes, but I need to be in contact with you, meaning you have to be able to touch my skin." I explained and rolled up my sleeves and took off the gloves.
"All you have to do is allow the pictures to come to mind. If you resist it.." I trailed off and shrugged, "I don't know what would happen if you did."
Jake and the others soon crowded me; Tobias was perched on my bare shoulder since I was wearing a tank top. Jake had one hand on my shoulder, Cassie's hand was on my other shoulder, and Marco and Rachel touched my arms, I touché Ax's arm since he held the orb.
"Here goes nothing." I breathed and touched the orb as I channeled the memories and thoughts from another time.
~* In my mind*~
'Where are we?' Cassie asked.
We were all there, in our morphing suits, Tobias was human and also in his morphing suit. Ax was just floating around.
'Where's Leigh?' Jake asked looking around the darkness.
*I am here. * I answered.
'Where's here?' Marco asked.
*My mind, duh. * I grumbled, *Now just watch the show kiddies. *
'What-' Tobias began but was abruptly cut off.
Before them was a city that resembles medieval Europe, only it was modern looking, with both spacecrafts and animals transportation. The people looked like the people of earth only their skins were either blue or green with black or brown hair. Some of them had blue-green skin but all of them had dark eyes.
The market place was alive with people and children running around having fun, playing while the adults attends to business. Everything was going so well.
***
'I don't see anything wrong with this.' Rachel complained, 'What is it that you're trying to show us? Get to the point already!'
*Shut up and watch! *
***
Then a shadow fell upon the market place, a flashes of light was fired in every direction and exploded into fire. People began running and screaming in fear. Mothers held their children close as they ran from the danger..only to die by the beast itself.
The creature was tall, it's skin was red as garnet and eyes the color of a black hole; black and empty. The creature walked upright on two legs that looked like hind legs of a dog and it's face looked like a Hork-Bajir's. It's weapons would've made the Howlers seem docile in comparison as it went about, killing everything in sight, taking great delight in killing most very, very slowly. In one scene, there was a child that was crying. The child looked only about three or four months old.
The creature stops and picks the child up.
***
'He's not.He can't!?' Cassie chocked back a sob as Jake put his arms around her. 'No one.not even the Howlers were that cruel.' ***
The creature opened its mouth and bit into the baby, relishing in its screams as its blue blood trickles down the creature's throat and chin. It slowly devoured the child until there was nothing left but some clothes. Then it went back to killing and devouring people.until one person stopped it. She was the last of her kind, the last remnant of her people.
She stood before the creature with a small sword, which seemed laughable now, and began to attack it. The creature seemed to enjoy this and played with her at first, until she dealt a shocking blow by cutting off its right arm. The creature stared at it's bleeding arm in shock as the tired woman took up her position once again to attack the creature with everything she had, which she knew would kill her.
Before the creature could recover, she attacked, yelling something in the language of her people, casting the evil creature to back where it had came from; a small dark red ball. With her last ounce of energy, she sent the ball into space, hoping that it would fall into a star, and died.
The ball, unfortunately, did not fall into a star, it had, instead, fallen to Earth where the Egyptians worshipped it as a god, than was lost once more until found by the Yeerks.
~* Outside mind *~
(Third Pov)
The place disappeared and the Animorphs found themselves alone, and then suddenly, they were no longer in Leigh's mind. Now, they were still in the same spots as they have been before. Only difference was that Leigh was unconscious on the ground.
(An: Hey, that kind of thing takes a lot out of a girl, you know?)
"We can't do it, Jake." Cassie stated, "We can't release that thing on the Yeerks! Think about it, what if it comes after us? Or our other friends and family?"
Jake said nothing for a moment, "Let's vote on it tomorrow."
Leigh's Pov.
I awoke in a room that was not my own, but familiar to me. I still felt a little sick and still felt tired. I mean, try pulling six other consciousness with you into a vision and see what happens!
I wasn't all too sure if it would've worked. It was my first time trying to do something like that. I mean I've transferred memories to an individual before, but that was only once.
I looked around and saw that I was at Cassie's. I got up and left. I needed time to think and sleep.
So, I morphed into a red-tail hawk, and flew away from Cassie's farm.
I sat on a bench in a park, watching the children play and going over my plans. Yes, I had plans, important ones at that that I needed to discuss with Kritra. But something nagged me in the back of my head about the whole thing. Would it work? What about the Animorphs?
Could I, Leigh, start the process of eliminating the Yeerks from this world? Could I possibly set it loose, destroying everything in its path?
The memories of the fight with the creature entered my thoughts again. I knew who had created it and it's race of dog demons. I knew how to stop it as well..but the question is: Do I really want to start this senseless massacre of sentient beings? Maybe, maybe not, I still not sure. I knew that time was running out..well, at least for me it is, if what I thought were true..
I shook my head, "I have to get some sleep or something." I stood up leaving the park. My morphing suit could be considered a fashion statement or something close to it. My jazz pants were black, and my shirt was a white tank top. Grated that I was still bare footed, I didn't look too out of place in the town.
As soon as I found a safe place to morph, I morphed back into a hawk and flew back to the farm.
I landed and demorphed immediately, then started searching for my hiding spot of where I hide the dagger. I found the marked spot and dug it up.
I then sat down with the gleaming object in my hands and concentrated on Kritra.
In my mind..
'Kritra?' I called out to her. I still couldn't see her, so it made it harder to talk to her. Meaning I didn't know what her expression would be.
Ah, Leigh, so good of you to come. She answered. Have you located the Orb of Death?
'Yes.'
Splendid! Now you can get rid of all those Yeerks! And then.
'Kritra' I began, interrupting her. ' Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, why don't we just tell them about this? It makes no sense to do this and then have to fight them because of different opinions.' I told her, 'I just hate having to do this. Even if we are not really friends, they deserve better!'
She remained silent then, at least it felt that way, nodded her head. I understand your loyalty to them Leigh. She said in a low voice. But think about it. Have they ever treated you like a friend? Don't you feel like you're invading their little group? Or felt that something was amiss?
I thought about it and all those times that I did spend with them. In nearly all situations, they needed me or were yelling at me. Though I think I just need to shut my mouth sometimes, but it still stung and suddenly, I wished I were back home, with my own friends, laughing, joking, swapping story ideas, anything like that. Instead, I'm here, alone, in the middle of a war I stumbled upon. It almost didn't seem real.are first, and the more I talked to Kritra; the more it seemed to make sense, at least to me.
Don't you want this power of yours gone? She asked.
' But then I couldn't talk to you!' I exclaimed. 'You've been my only friend here! I don't want to lose you even if it meant seeing unwanted visions for the rest of my life!' I felt her smile and was unease by this. Something was up, something wasn't right.
Just what I wanted to hear. Her voice sounded odd and cold like ice. Now, find that orb and bring it back with you. Then, we shall release it on this world and the Yeerks shall perish!
'Ok.' I said a bit hesitantly. 'But what about the Animorphs?'
She seemed to ponder that for a while then answered, I-err-We shall think of something, but for now, the orb shall suffice.
I broke the connection and stared down at the blade. I didn't like how this was going, I should tell the Animorphs about this, or at least Tobias or Cassie-someone who wouldn't judge me so harshly, even if I deserved it.
I sighed and looked up at the canopy of pine trees. It was getting dark, and I should be getting home soon..Maybe.maybe this is for the best? Maybe I should tell them or I could just do it myself..
I shook my head, Goddess, was I confused. So many things buzzing around in my head, making me feel dizzy. I had to get home or else my parents would go nuts again.
With a final sigh, I buried the dagger and went home. I needed some sleep, cause tomorrow, I was going to steal the orb from Ax, and release the creature-
Cabulawalliah.
AN: So? What do you think? I kind of got this idea from one of the people who reviewed my story. She said that Leigh seemed bitchy and all...like the type of person to turn on our heroes ... So I sort of ran with the idea..and this is what popped up! Oh, and I don't own the name Cabulawalliah, since it was a title in my lang. Arts book, but I own the creature, just not the name.
Also as an answer to TPF: Well, of course she's bitchy. She's a very insecure about herself. Besides the fact that she has nightmares about killing people and so on and so forth. Leigh is just a problem child, that's all. Anyway, she shall remain bitchy until farther notice. *Nods head *
