Author's Note: I did it! I freaking finally did it! I dunno if the end result is worth the wait, though. **worries** Part of why this took so long is because, well, it's really long. And I was also worried it might be too long. And also, I've been having trouble sleeping all freaking week.
I think it's an okay chapter...but, geez, I really didn't expect to be so blocked about it. Arrrgh! Hopefully Tobi's chap will be better.
And, as to the complaints about the lack of action so far -- rest assured, everybody. One more chapter and then things are going to be out-of-control. Or at the very least, sped up a heckuva lot. Oh! And if I don't update again this week, know it's because I'm going to Oklahoma for the weekend. I hope you guys like it, and that the next one's better...
And, by the way, now I know which of my readers watch South Park. =P
Chronicle One
"If you scatter thorns, don't go barefoot." - Italian Proverb
-Chapter Eleven-
Ax
My name is Ax Isthil and I'm very confused.
Then again, I'm a sixteen year old male adolescent. A little confusion is normal at this point in my life, I suppose. But I don't know if what I'm going through would be construed as "normal".
It all started my first day at George Washington High. First week of living with Loren and the Demon Dog. The day I met Hendrick Chapman.
The truth is, I'm not the kind of person to stand up to authority. I never have been.
Which doesn't help when Principal Chapman knows how to push my buttons in the first place.
But it was because of Chapman that I ended up meeting them.
Jake and Rachel Berenson, Marco Jones, Cassie Branch, and Tobias Avan. I wish we'd never met.
No, they aren't my friends. They never were, either, as far as I know. I've never quite been a friends-having guy. I don't know why, but my whole life I've kind of been an outcast.
Sometimes, it feels like maybe I am alien, foreign to this planet we call Earth.
I know that's ridiculous, though. After all, I am human, aren't I?
Even if I remember being something else.
Loren's knuckles were chalk white as she gripped the steering wheel.
"You'll be all right while I'm gone, won't you?" She asked me. Ever since I'd fainted, Loren was monitoring my health non-stop. Finding me passed on in my room had been a shock for her.
I still hadn't told her why I'd fainted. The doctor had said that there appeared to be no reason for my lapse of conscious, except perhaps an accumulation of stress. He assured Loren that I was in fine health, though she should make sure I stay that way.
"I will be fine. Ine." I stuttered. I did that on occasion, in particular around food.
Loren bit her lip as she reached the stop sign. She looked at me. "You're sure, Ax?" She asked.
"Yes, I am sure." I said for at least the fiftieth time, and I'm making no exaggeration.
"It's just," Loren sighed. "I've been taking in kids for a while, but you're my first teenager."
Her eyes were on the road, waiting for the light to change. But her words were to me.
"And I--I know you're special. But I also know your other families haven't always thought that. So, I mean, I can understand if you want to keep things from me." Loren said.
"But I'd love to help you with stuff. Teachers, cliques, girl troubles..." She continued.
"Well, as much as I can help you with girl troubles." She amended. I laughed.
The light went from red to green and Loren sped the car forward.
"I'm just worried about leaving you alone after what happened." Loren told me.
She turned the corner and made her way into the school's parking lot.
"I'm pretty sure it won't happen again." I told Loren. Which was true, I did believe that.
"And I believe you should enjoy this time with your friends." I added.
The reason Loren was even leaving me in the first place was because of a dinner she'd scheduled with her fellow co-workers before I'd fainted in my room. To tell the truth, it was only at my insistence that she didn't cancel the date. Loren parked the car and I stepped out.
"Have a good day, Ax." Loren said. I smiled at her.
"You too, Loren." I said.
Loren glared at me, faking a disgruntled demeanor. "That's Loren, Ax." She said.
I grinned. "I know, Loren." I said.
Loren stuck her tongue out at me. "Oh, just go, you troublemaker." She said, waving me away.
"All right, Loren." I said. Loren shook her head and drove away.
Then I went into the building, feeling rather good about the day ahead.
"So, you're supposed to be some kind of super-genius, right?"
I turned around just as he made his shot. The ball went through the net with a clear, soft whoosh.
Then he caught the ball as it was coasting down to the ground. He started dribbling it again.
I'd forgotten his name. Of course, it was just my second day on the team, so I guess that's okay. Except I had this thought in the back of my mind that I should have known his name.
Like there was something that separated him from my other teammates, aside from his skill.
Another shot. This time it bounced off the rim. "I mean, you're like, a genius, right?" He asked.
"Huh?" I asked. I hadn't been paying attention. I was lost in my own thoughts.
To tell the truth, I was glad for a distraction. For someone to talk to, at least.
"Well, that's what I've heard." He said, dribbling the ball between his legs as he talked.
Then he tossed the ball to me. At the last split second, I caught it. "So, is it true?"
I tossed the ball back to him. "Yeah." I said, "But it's no big deal."
He laughed, taking his time to shoot the ball again. This time I ran up and caught it.
"You know who you remind me of?" He asked me as he jutted his arm out, trying to knock the ball out of my hands. I dodged him and threw the ball over his tall frame. Right through the hoop.
"Who?" I asked him as he caught the ball while it falling back down to the court.
"My little brother." He said as I tried, but failed, to get the ball from him. "Jake."
The ball fell out of Tom's hands. I hadn't even realized I touched it, let alone taken it from him. Tom. That was his name. Tom Berenson. Jake's brother.
Once I realized who he was I couldn't believe I hadn't remembered sooner. It was so obvious.
They had the same build, though Jake was just a bit shorter by an inch or two. Their faces were almost identical as well, except that Tom's haircut was of a different style than Jake's.
Tom also had a different way of carrying himself. There was a certain kind of confidence in his movements that was lacking in Jake. A determination that Jake was missing. It was like Tom knew his purpose in life. Like he had a mission that he was just waiting to fulfill.
Tom had gotten the ball from me again. That was when Coach Derricks blew the whistle.
We all assembled in front of Coach Derricks. That was when I noticed that we had a different waterboy. The past two days, our waterboy had been a tall and skinny red-haired boy.
Today our waterboy was a guy with a pretty average build and a mop of brown hair. There was a slight resemblance between him and Jake. As I looked at him, I felt a cold chill go down my spine. It wasn't unlike the feeling I'd experienced the first time I'd seen Tobias or the others.
Though, I must admit, the feeling came with less intensity than it had with, say, Marco.
"Who's the new kid, coach?" asked Mullins, a pretty muscular guy.
"This is, um, Erek." said Coach Derricks. Then his brows knitted in concentration. "Erek..."
"King." Erek interjected as he handed a black-haired, bespectacled boy a bottle of water.
"Yeah, that's it." Coach Derricks said. "Erek King." The boy smiled and handed a bottle to Tom.
Tom took the bottle from Erek's hands and drank. Then Erek handed a bottle to me.
I bent down to take the bottle, since Erek was kneeling on the ground. That was when I noticed that he was studying me. There was the tiniest flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"You're Axim-Ax, right?" He asked me. I nodded, wondering why Erek was stuttering.
Erek smiled. "Glad to meet you, Ax." He said.
Then I took the water bottle from him and shoved Erek's weird behavior to the back of my mind.
After that, we all headed to the locker room. I'd just like to take this moment to say that I'm not quite sure how I got on the basketball team. Well, that's not quite accurate. I do understand the events that lead to my being asked to be a part of the team, but I'm not sure where my newfound skill at the game has come from. I've never been much of an athlete.
But now I'm playing the game like I've been doing it my whole life. I don't understand.
I opened my locker, pulled out my clothes and began to change.
"Anybody got the time?" shouted someone down at the other end of the room.
"Eighty fifty-six!" I shouted back without even thinking about it.
I've always been able to know the time. It's like I have an internal clock, in a literal sense.
Yet another thing about myself that I don't understand.
Tom, who just two lockers down from me, laughed. "How d'you know?" He asked me.
I shrugged. "I just do." I said. Tom took that in, an expression almost like awe in his eyes.
"That's cool." He said, pulling a gray sweater on. "I wish I could do that, maybe that way I wouldn't be late to class so often, you know what I mean? So, it's like an internal clock?"
"Yes. Something like that." I said, putting on my plaid T-shirt.
Tom nodded to himself as he laced up one of his sneakers. "Awesome." He muttered.
The bell rang and most of the team bolted from the locker room. I myself was getting ready to leave, slinging my backpack over my shoulder, but Tom stopped me.
"Hey, Isthil! Wait a sec!" He cried. So I did.
"Look, I know I'm going to sound stupid saying this, but I've noticed you aren't the, uh, most friendly guy on the planet. But y'know, if you ever need a friend -- or just a place to go every now and then, well, I'd like to help you." Tom told me.
I just stood there, gaping at him. It's not like it was the first time I'd had someone offer me their friendship, but I hadn't been expecting it. At the very least, not from Tom.
"Well, I've gotta get to class." Tom muttered, shoving his sneaker over his foot and picking up his backpack. He didn't even look at me as he walked past. On an impulse, I shouted after him.
"Tom!" I cried. "Tom, I--" I wasn't sure what to say. So I settled on something simple. "Thanks."
Tom turned around and smiled at me. "No problem." He said. "See ya around sometime."
I went to Latin then, but lucky me, I wound up in Chapman's office. Again.
"So you don't have any new information for me?" Principal Chapman asked me.
He was pacing around his office, as if he was worried someone would barge in on the two of us.
I'd have loved if it someone had. "No, I haven't." I whispered.
"That's a shame. I'd have hoped you dug up something new, Isthil." Chapman said.
I looked down at the forest green carpet of Chapman's office. I found myself studying the individual, frayed fibers. It was easier to do than to look up at Chapman's face.
"After all, there's already some wild rumors going around the school." Chapman said.
I looked up. Chapman, who was facing the wall, hadn't noticed. He turned to face me.
It took every bone in my body not to squirm under his gaze.
"Have you heard those rumors, Isthil?" Chapman asked me. I shook my head.
I was telling Chapman the truth this time. I hadn't heard any rumors, in part because I can't be bothered to listen to gossips. Even if the gossip had to do with me. Which I hoped it didn't.
"Well, I'm sure you know that shoddy construction site by the mall?" Principal Chapman asked me.
I nodded. Yes, I knew it. In fact, Loren and had I spent half an hour trying to figure out why in the world they hadn't cleared the place up, since as Loren told me, they ended up canceling the building of whatever they were going to put in the construction site.
In the end we decided to compromise our theories. We believe it is haunted by alien ghosts.
"There was a...fireworks incident there earlier this week." Chapman informed me.
Then he laughed. "Some people think they saw UFO's. Can you believe that?" He asked, incredulous.
I wanted to inform Chapman that while the possibility of other sentient species living in our own solar system did not have a high probability, the chance that Earth was the only planet that supported life was a near impossibility. However, I kept my mouth shut.
I didn't need Chapman guessing anything. "That's ridiculous." I said, keeping up the act.
"Glad to see you agree, Isthil." Chapman said, flashing me a thin-lipped smile.
He placed his hands on his desk and looked me straight in the eyes.
"Rumors of UFOs, kids fainting for no reason, that could lead to chaos." Principal Chapman said.
Now. The time was now, if I wanted to fool him.
"I, I don't understand what those two things have in common." I said to Chapman.
Chapman frowned, then shook his head. "Well, people might start getting suspicious, you know."
"Ah." I said, taking a moment to breathe an internal sigh of relief. "I see now." I added.
Chapman didn't even suspect. He had no idea that I'd hidden the truth from him.
Because, you see, the fainting did have a connection with that old abandoned construction site.
I'd learned that when I'd eaten with them at lunch. With Tobias, Cassie, and the others.
They trusted me and told me what they knew about what was happening to them. About their shared flashbacks of aliens, of becoming animals, and of some kind of enemy. They had trusted me with their secret. Some of them less than the others, but they had hid nothing from me.
It meant a lot. More than I like to admit.
I think they thought that maybe I was one of them. I don't know if that's true.
After all, they were all friends and let's face facts; I'll never be their friend.
Even if I want to be.
"Well, I know you haven't found anything new." Chapman said to me. "But check the files again at lunch, would you, Isthil? I'd appreciate it. We don't want any crazy rumors going around, do we?"
I shook my head. "Of course not, Mr. Chapman." I said.
"Hendrick." Chapman reprimanded. "Call me Hendrick, Ax." He told me.
I nodded, feeling a need to get out as quick as I could. "Of course, Hendrick." I said.
Chapman smiled at me. "That's right. Well, why don't you skeedaddle on to class now?" He asked.
"I'll do that, sir." I whispered, closing the door behind me.
I felt like I was going exhale my breakfast. My own guilt was making me sick.
I ended up walking it off, though, and headed to the computer lab. Third period was almost over, anyway. Nobody would miss me.
Then again, I didn't know anyone would come looking for me.
I've gotten more or less familiar with the layout of the high school. Perhaps I'm a bit more familiar with the cafeteria than any other part of the establishment, but nonetheless, I'm proud to say I know my way around GWHS. It hadn't taken as long to understand as most of the other schools I've attended during my academic career. In a way, this school seems familiar.
Almost like I'm not a new student. Like I have some brief knowledge about the building.
Which, I know, is impossible. Until I moved in with Loren, I'd never set a foot in California, New Jersey, but parts of the town seem familiar to me. The mall in particular.
I can't explain it. Nevertheless, though, this innate knowledge of the school led me to take the shortcut to the computer lab. Most people take the long six-minute trek.
They're not aware that you can cut through the library and reach the lab at any time.
For a moment I pondered the idea of going to lunch with Tobias and the others.
Then I remembered what had happened the last time that I had done that. I had upset Cassie, caused her to start crying. No, it wasn't my intention, but I still felt bad about it.
And I'm not oblivious. I had noticed how at least one of them, who shall remain nameless, did not trust me. I didn't want to deal with that, either, because I knew they all had good reason to be suspicious of me. I did not want to come to terms with my own confusion and guilt.
So I decided to help Chapman. Or at least pretend to.
One good thing about this school is the general emptiness of the computer lab. It helps when one is doing things that may or may not be illegal with the school computers.
At least, it helped until I heard I heard footsteps coming my way.
"Hey." A voice said.
I looked up for a second, and not recognizing the speaker in the dark, I turned back to the monitor. I was busy playing Tetris after all. Then I thought for a moment.
And then I had to grab the desk in front of me to keep from falling out of my chair.
"Hello." I said, trying to keep my voice steady. Trying to seem less suspicious if I could.
"Marco, wasn't it?" I asked. I didn't have to look behind me to know he was rolling his eyes.
"You know my name, Ax." He hissed. "Stop fooling around, I need to talk to you." He added.
I felt a chill go down my spine. For a brief moment, I recalled my meeting earlier with Chapman.
"Why?" I asked, pressing the ENTER key as I submitted my score under the alias bL|_|.
I could tell that, behind me, Marco was trying to peek over my head to see what I was doing.
In a way it was kind of amusing. Also, it distracted me from wondering why he was here. Which was in all respects a good thing, since I had a "bad feeling" that Chapman was involved in it.
And in that respect so was I.
"It's about Cassie and Jake." Marco whispered. I felt my blood go to ice. I stopped typing.
Cassie and Jake. I hadn't known them well by any means, but I'd liked them. They were nice to me, Cassie in particular. What in the world was happening? I turned around to face Marco.
"What's happened?" I asked him. I saw him looking at me, taking in my reaction without a word.
I saw a glimmer of a suspicion in his eyes. A suspicion directed towards me.
I felt sick deep inside, in part because I knew Marco had good reason for that suspicion.
But I didn't want to admit that to myself, him, or anyone else.
"Cassie ditched school and we don't know where Jake is." He told me.
"Cassie ditched?" I asked him. Oh, no. I thought to myself. It's Chapman.
"I have no idea why." I told Marco, lying through my teeth as I recalled the what Chapman had told me, after I'd gone to him the first time. After meeting Tobias and Marco. Before I'd met Cassie and the others. Chapman had told me he'd call in my little friends. Get the story from them.
I felt Marco's eyes scouring me. He'd caught me in my lie and we both knew it.
"Rachel says it might have something to do with Principal Chapman." Marco whispered.
I laughed, though it resembled a croak more than anything else. What have I done? I wondered.
"Rachel's nuts." I scoffed. "Chapman doesn't have any reason to be after Cassie." I told Marco.
Which was the truth, in a way. All Chapman knew about Cassie was that she'd fainted for, as far as Chapman knew, no reason. "It's not like..." I said, then I paused.
I'd betrayed them and yet I hadn't. I hadn't told their secret but I had given someone enough of a clue, if that had the brains to put some kind of two and two together. No, Chapman did not know the whole story. I had not given him that. But Chapman already suspected it might have something to do with the construction site from the rumors that were flying around the school.
In confirming that Cassie and the others had undergone something strange, I had given him a clue.
"It's not like what, Ax?" Marco asked me. "What doesn't Chapman know about us?"
I ended up telling him the truth. It was all I had to give.
"It's not like he knows, you know, about everything." I whispered. I couldn't look at him.
Marco left then; more suspicious of me than he'd been when he entered the lab.
I can't say I blame him. I would be suspicious of me if I was in his shoes.
I went back to the computer and closed my game of Tetris. For a brief second, I considered the ramifications of what I was about to do. I could have had a lot going for me at GWHS and in this city. With Loren, with the basketball team. All of those were good prospects.
In retrospect, I suppose that I still had a lot going for me.
But that potential was what Hendrick Chapman had used against me. What was a bright, new future for me versus some grunt work for my principal? Grunt work that might've harmed someone else.
But not me. And not anyone that I'd known, or had wanted to, at the time.
It was selfish and it was naive of me to assume that there wouldn't be a price to pay.
I had meddled in affairs where I had not belonged all because I was too scared to say no.
But I still had the power to help. And at least I wouldn't be going down alone.
I left the computer lab when the bell for homeroom rang. I hurried my way down the hall.
Until I ran into someone. "I'm sorr--" I didn't even get to finish my apology before I hit the ground, courtesy of a sneakered foot. "Watch where you're going, freak." A voice sneered.
Then I heard that same voice shout in surprise. "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I'm going to teach you a lesson if you don't apologize, you jerk." A girl's voice hissed.
I recognized that voice. Rachel! I grabbed my books and got back on my feet.
I saw Rachel grabbing a tall, repulsive-looking boy's arm. Or to be more accurate, squeezing it.
To the point where I could see the limb turning purple.
Rachel herself looked disheveled. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she'd been crying. Except that didn't match with the cold, steel anger in her icy blue eyes. Anger for my sake.
"Ow! Jeez, let me go!" The guy whined. Rachel dug her nails into the boy's arm. "Ow!" He yelled.
"Fine, fine, I'm sorry!" He shouted, then directed his next words at Rachel. "Nutcase." He spat.
Rachel let go of his arm. The boy ran off. I just stared at Rachel, shocked.
It was like I'd just witnessed some wild animal being let loose from a cage.
Rachel turned her eyes away me as she bent down to pick up a pencil that I'd forgotten.
I had no idea what to say to her. I was grateful that she'd stood up for me, but yet, it was like I was seeing a whole new side of her that I don't think Rachel was even aware of.
Rachel got up and handed me the pencil. As I took it, her eyes flicked down to study my outfit.
"No." She said, shaking her head. She looked me in the eyes. "No, you are not wearing that."
I looked down at my clothes, beyond confused. "Why? What's wrong with it?" I asked Rachel.
Rachel looked at me like I was the most idiotic person in the galaxy. "It's plaid." She said.
"I like it." I said, looking down at my plaid shirt. I'd bought it just a few days ago.
"It's plaid." Rachel repeated, speaking as if she was explaining this to a toddler.
"I like plaid." I said, having an acute awareness of the idiocy of my words.
Rachel just shook her head, pity painted all over her face. "You're a lost cause." She said.
Then she started to walking to class and I remembered one of the two things I meant to say.
"Rachel!" I cried. She turned around to face me. "Thank you." I said.
She seemed stunned at my words but I saw a smile creep over her face. "No problem." She said.
The rest of that school day passed by without event, aside from discovering that my Algebra teacher, Mr. Bender, had decided that Marco and I would make an excellent pair as far as our next assignment was concerned. I believe Mr. Bender is suffering from severe delusions.
At practice, Tom had invited me to go with him to The Sharing once we were done.
The Sharing, I have learned, is sort of like a Boys and Girls club for all humanity. It's a nice concept, I must admit. But I had to decline Tom's offer. I had things of my own to attend to.
After what happened in the computer lab, I increased my collection of school files.
I had added a member of the staff to my collection.
Hendrick Chapman.
Ahoy, Maties! (reader's response)
Puar Briefs - Well, I think people dislike Ax in this fic because so far he has been acting like a jerk. As far as the Animorphs know, Ax has sold them out. Okay, so only Marco knows that...but still...and personally, I love Ax. He's one of my favorite characters. (Marco and Rachel are ties) And I like Draco because he's one of those bad guys you can't help but like at least a little. And he's always kind-of self-absorbed in most fics I read, which is pretty funny.
**shrugs** Tracey's okay. I don't hate him, but I don't love him. I'm more of a Misty gal myself. Or Richie. I would've liked to see more about Richie -- maybe Tracey and he can join the Twerp Trio. Oh, and Gary, too. Because I like Gary and he's fun. I like it when he and Ash are friends. Lovers not so much, because I just can't see Ash leaning that way. But I'm getting off-topic.
And, um, is the Roman Emperor you're talking of Nero? Or Caesar? God, I'm imaging that mixed with Antigoine...not good. And, yes, Rachel has a heart. =) I thought the height stuff would be a good throw-in. Oh my gosh! I did forget Rachel's catchphrase, didn't I? I'll have to throw that in soon. I would've thrown in a flashback when Marco said "You're insane!", but I thought that part was kind of dragging already, so I didn't. Which is also why I decided to have Ax have a flashback when Marco called him "Ax-man". I'll do both sometime, though.
And I'm glad you liked my portrayal of the Chapmans. I was afraid people might think I was going a limb with it, but Mel really reminds me of this friend of mine back when she used to be uber-religious conservative-gal. 'Course now, she's WAY liberal, but that's where I got the link, though. And I liked that scene where Ax refused to be a torturer, too. =)
Freak Apple - Yep, Marian's that girl Marco went to the symphony-thing with. She'll pop up now and then. And yep, Mr. Garrison's the psycho puppet guy from South Park.
Yep, I like my teachers. They're pretty cool. Yours sound horrible, though. Well...I'm still gonna try the job thing, but not for a couple of weeks since I'm going on a trip. Besides, the one place that almost hired me (Subway) never called back. Oh well.
Doctor Strangelove - **takes Jefferey in retribution for the lack of "I Am Jake"**
MWAHAHA! He's mine, he's...**Jefferey cuts** OW! Goddamn knife! That was my finger!
I'm glad you like Rachel, and no, Melissa isn't sleeping with Tom yet. But that's coming...no pun intended. I hope you enjoyed this chapter's WAS. And acronymns ARE fun.
Glad you liked Ms. Rosenberg and Mr. Garrison. There was also a Mr. Osbourne, but I haven't decided yet if he's the Green Goblin-y kind or the werewolf-y kind. Or if I should have Ms. Rosenberg linked with Ms. McClay or Mr. Osbourne, assuming he's wolfy. Or maybe they could all just have a torrid affair? Hmm. Yes, give straight Tom a chance. And you're right about the Tom slash, 'cuz the only person other than Marco he's been slashed with is Jake. I was gonna write an Ax/Tom once, though. But I never figured out the plot...and Tom was a sadistic bastard. Or well, his yeerk was. I also can't remember if the real Tom was straight or gay.
But I like the freed-Tom idea. We also need more Tom fic, period. "Awakening" was gonna be a Tom fic, somewhat, before I decided to give up on it. Funny enough, it was gonna be Mel/Tom, too. I like those two together but I don't know why. I like to think of this fic as a less depressing version of "The Wish". Marco's a white hat, actually. And I'm debating whether Rachel or Ax will be the dominatrix, but I think it'll be Rach. Awww, dang, no musical! At least not for a while. =( You know, the first fic idea I ever came up was this AU where the Animorphs were a famous rock band...that was a WEIRD fic.
And transvestite Marco? MY EYES! THEY BURN! And it's official, Ax = Nightcrawler.
And thank for the puppy dog eyes, but I prefer them in the puppy. Or "I Am Jake".
**holds up Jefferey threateningly until it cuts her again and jumps out of her hand** Dammit.
Myst - Yes, read my fic! =P Read it lots and lots and lots! And the corny excuses to get Cassie to the Sharing are in those chapters you haven't read yet. And, yes, Chapman's Yeerk still can't control him. And wow, I write Cassie well? Good to know. About Rachel's "Xena-ness", though, I think that "I'm a strong warrior" belief has always been a part of her, though maybe not conciously. And why wouldn't she know Xena? I always thought Rachel was the type to look for strong chick role models, although again perhaps not conciously. And Xena was always pretty infamous where I grew up. Even if you didn't watch it, you kind of knew about it. And yes, the C/J is a-comin'. Glad you like Visser 3, too. I hope I made him creepy enough...and, ah, go ahead and guess plots. I won't mind. Also, I'd pay anyone who advertises my fic -- but I'm lacking in the money department. Hence the trying to find a job.
DJ Eagle - Glad you liked the chapter and the Rachel/Melissa and Rachel/Tobias stuff. And your name's Tom? Cool! **thinks for a sec** Or else I read that wrong and I'm really stupid...
Stink E. Burrito (SEB) - Please don't sue me, I don't even have fifty cents to my name.
And whoops, I slowed down again, sorry. I hope you didn't hemmorage in the meantime. That'd be sad. And really, really gross.
Neri - Huh, you're right, they could've enrolled Ax. It coulda worked. Too bad they didn't. And, yeah, I know it's repetitive. It won't stay that way after Tobias's chapter, but I wanted to show the different perspectives this time around. And there's some will-be-important stuff that I would've had to cut out if I hadn't written the chapters that way. Does that make sense? But, what happens next, you ask? Utter mayhem.
Kittens are awesome, but yeah, one died. Actually, that's just after the momma cats started making milk. One of them started having her babies too early and three of them died because of it. So, actually, four died. But we have six running around the house, but I'll have ta give 'em away soon. Sorry about the lack of HP Ref. I'll try to make it up somehow. And yep, HP5 is almost here! What are the yeerks planning? I can't tell you, that's a surprise! And I have no idea how to pronounce yeerk. And yes, there will be more flashbacks. Don't worry. And Tobias is next. Glad you liked the chapter and it's cool you picked up on how Rachel's changing.
Lisa-Ann - I would like to avoid a lynching if possible. But, since I was butt-lazy slow in updating, that's not possible, is it? I don't mind the not-being-my-minion. After all, a girl needs a few equals! Or at least arch-nemises, which would be writer's block in my case.
And I fixed the typo, thanks for catching that. Or at least, I think I fixed the typo.
And as for action, it's coming. Really. These chapters have been setting it up, mostly. Tobias's chapter will at least have a hint of where things are going to go...which, I'm happy to note that no one's caught onto yet. =) And please don't let the brats eat me. I'd prefer the lynching.
DawnOfEast - Glad the Marco thing's been cleared up. And I think it's fun to write Rachel before the war. As to whether she'll go nuts, I think this chapter has a clue for you. But unlike in the series, she might actually get better in this fic.
lovelyinsanity - Hey, glad you're happy about being in the reader response. And I'm glad you liked the new chapter. Personally, I wouldn't recommend flaming in the first place. But maybe that's just cause I laugh at my flamers -- but then again, the one flamer I did have...they flamed my Goosebumps fic that had absolutely nothing objectionable in it! Or without seeing if the others chapters got any better! **shrug** I don't mind if you talk and talk on, though, that's okay. I do it too. =)
Patrick Blah - I am kidding about the five-month thing. But, hey, one day? It usually takes me about two days to finish one of these babies, and that's if I've had sleep.
Glad you liked Mr. Garrison. I'm gonna have to throw some more South Park stuff in this story.
Oh, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter -- it's chock-full of Ax, after all.
To anyone who didn't get a response - I'm pretty sure FFN did delete some reviews I got for this chapter because they're not showing up on the review list. So, if I missed you this time around, I'm sorry. That's all folks. There's nothing to see now. Really. I mean it. No, really. I'm not kidding. I'm done. I mean it. =P