A/N: One minor mistake last chapter. I accidentally said that Tobias
demorphed to human, when he really morphed. My bad. Reviewer responses at
the bottom ^_^.
Also, I know Ax doesn't mention his scoop until #28, but lets say he got it in between his last book and #28.
\\ Thought speech //
Chapter 2
AX
\\ Tobias! // My warning came to late. The Yeerk ray hit him in the chest. I watched, struck with horror, as he began to shrink. I had seen him morph many times of course, but this was different. He was shrinking in proportion, and nothing new had appeared. He was not demorphing.
When he had reached about the height of my knees, he stopped. He looked confused, and I do not think he remembered what had just happened, for he was now a very young human child. This was not a good thing, for us or the Yeerk apparently.
"The Visser will not be pleased!" One of the female Controllers yelled very shrilly, and I cannot say I blamed her for her panic. Visser Three had not come as far as he did in the Yeerk hierarchy by being pleasant to subordinates. Particularly ones that failed.
"The Visser must not know! We will kill the evidence of this experiment and pretend it never happened." This told me two very important things. The Yeerks did not know how to fix this unpleasant situation, and secondly I had to get Tobias out of this right now. I did not like the idea of my shorm being killed, and I would save him even if it meant defying my prince.
I jumped out of the bushes, planless, and raced across the meadow. Fortunately, most of the Controllers were to surprised by my sudden appearance in the meadow to do anything but get out of my way. Unfortunately, the first to recover was the one person holding a Dracon Beam.
"Andalite!" He cried, voice full of hatred, and fired haphazardly. I dodged aside, pushing my legs to their full speed, and scooped Tobias up in my forearms as I ran by.
"Whee!" The child in my arms cried as we raced past.
"Hey! He's taking the kid!"
"He's trying to save it!"
"Stupid Andalite!" Another blast took the ground out from under my back hoof just seconds after I had moved it. I lurched forward, and my weak upper arms almost dropped the child I was holding. This way of escaping wasn't going to work.
I did not like the other alternative, but it was either surely injure him carrying him, or have him possibly get hit.
\\ Tobias, can you hold onto my back? //
"How you know my name?" The child asked in wonder. There was no time for long explanations. I'd have to hope that human children where the same as Andalite children.
\\ I am a friend Tobias. I cannot offer you proof, so you will have to trust me. // This seemed enough for him, as he asked no more question. \\ Now, can you hang onto my back while I run? //
"Piggyback?" I had no idea what that meant, and I really couldn't trust this child's reasoning, but I was out of options as the Yeerks fired at me, and I once more almost dropped him. The child yelled in fright.
\\ Yes, like a piggyback. Just wrap your arms as tight around my chest as you can. // Without further thought, I half turned and put him on my back, and held his arm while he adjusted himself. I let go, and his small arms wrapped around my upper body. They did not go all the way around, but it would have to work.
All of this was happening as I plunged into the forest, with a small group of Controllers on my trail. I very much missed having Tobias in the sky giving me directions so that I could lose them. I would have to rely upon my own knowledge of the area and what I had seen earlier.
If I remembered correctly, there was a small stream that cut across the forest, down in the direction of Tobias's meadow. It would not be more than a trickle, but it would work. It would be right about.
My hoofs splashed into the small amount of water, and the child on my back squealed. I turned as fast as I dared, and ran down stream. Now the controllers would be unable to follow my trail, and they had been just far enough behind that they most likely would not have seen me take this route. Still, I did not dare stop running until we were safely back at my scoop. I took the dirty and wiggling child off my back and inspected him.
\\ You are not harmed are you Tobias? // I asked. Rather large blue eyes blinked up at me.
"Toby." He said.
\\ What? // I was confused. He had not remembered me, but he could remember the Hork-Bajir seer? I was greatly surprised when he formed one chubby hand into a fist, and point to himself with his thumb.
"Not Tobias, Toby." He said matter-of-factly.
\\ Oh. // I did not understand fully, but I decided that he wanted to be called Toby instead of Tobias. Why, I do not know. I really needed to think. I had lost the controllers, but they now knew that an Andalite had one of their own, or so they thought. Tobias was not safe. And of course, Prince Jake must be informed of how badly our observation mission had gone. But he was at school.
I looked down at Tobias. He was standing in the mud, barefoot, and wearing skintight clothing, with his blonde hair standing up all over the place. He looked up at me, looking miserable. I could not wait for Prince Jake and the others to get out of school.
\\ Now, Toby, I'm going to have to change. But do not be frightened. I will still be your friend. //
"Are you doin' magic?" He asked excitedly. I knew better than to ask a human of this age what magic was. I would just go with what he could relate things too.
\\ Yes, magic. So, do not be frightened. // I closed my main eyes, and concentrated on my human morph. I felt my stalk eyes retract into my head first, and my tail began to shrink. Pink, soft flesh covered my body, replacing my blue fur. My arms expanded, grew stronger, and my fingers dwindled in number until they formed five thicker ones. My front legs vanished, but my spin had not yet straightened, and I was trying desperately to balance on my hind legs alone by swinging my arms wildly. Lips formed, then teeth, a tongue, and my jawbone. Last of all, my spin straightened and then I was finished. Tobias looked up at me in awe.
"Wow." He said. I reached into my scoop, and dressed myself quickly, before once more picking up Tobias.
"We are going to go get more of our friends. Ends. Nnnnndzzz."
"Okay." Tobias said happily. I trudged the rest of the way to the human school. Luckily I had been to school once, so I knew where it was. All the while Tobias was asking questions, until I'd tried to explain to him exactly how I could morph. He stopped asking me questions after that.
I walked up to the lady with thick glasses sitting behind a desk.
"Can I help you dear?"
"Yes. I am Phillip. I am a foreigner. I need to see Jake."
"Jake who, dear?"
"I am not a deer." I said. "I am human. Mun." She raised an eyebrow at me.
"Which Jake would you like to speak too?" She said again, her voice less patient this time. For the second time in several minutes I was confused.
"You mean there is more than one?"
"Yes, there are several."
"That is ridiculous! Shouldn't each human have a different name?" So silly, to have someone with the same name as you! How could humans keep each other straight?
"Yes, that would make things easier wouldn't it? Now, if you don't tell me which Jake you need to talk to I'm afraid I will have to ask you and your child to leave." I did not bother to tell her that my human morph was much to young to have offspring. I had another problem to worry about. I did not know how to explain to her which Jake I wished to talk to! I could not tell her Prince Jake, that would only confuse her.
"Ax?" I turned. Cassie was standing in the door, a piece of bright colored paper in her hand.
"Cassie." I greeted, smiling. She stared at me.
"Ax what are you." she looked down at Tobias, who was trying to hide behind my legs. I too looked at him, and he let out a small, frightened, sob. Cassie's eyes rounded. "Oh my.is that Tobias?!"
"Yes. Things did not go according to plan." Cassie went over to the lady behind the desk.
"I'm sorry, he's not from around here. His cousin goes here, and there is a family emergency." She told her Prince Jake's name, and the lady called his class. Cassie took me to wait in the hallway for him.
"What happened?" She asked shrilly, looking from me to Tobias and back again.
"Tobias was used as a test subject for the anti-aging ray. It did not go well."
"I gathered that." Prince Jake came running up, took one look at us, and went into what Marco calls fearless leader mode.
"I don't want details. You can fill us in when we get back to the forest. Right now you can't be here. If any higher-ranking controllers have been informed, Chapman will be here. I'll make the office some lie, and get Rachel out of class. Cassie, you and Marco follow when you can. I know it's risky, but I think this constitutes and an emergency." He looked at Tobias, who looked back with abnormally large blue eyes. I had to agree with Prince Jake. The situation was not pleasant.
End A/N: Time for reviewer responses ^_^.
Tomgirl27: Tobias won't be hurt ^_^.yet.not promising anything later. There's going to be much fluff between now and then though.
Shadow: I will try to be consistent updating quickly, but sometimes things come up. I'll try to limit it to under a month, however, as I have a cute Christmas story I want to start then. Not telling ^_-.
Scorpion Lord: Okay, I'll explain. Immortal just means you don't age. Immortal people (including the ancient gods) can be killed in battle, but they do not age. Invincible people do not age and cannot be killed or die. Make sense now?
Jinako-chan: Don't worry, there will be much of the Animorphs taking care of Toby the three year old ^_^. Next chapter is Marco. I think it will be extremely entertaining. MWHAHAHAHA!
Well, that's all for now. Gambatte Kudasai!
-IB
Also, I know Ax doesn't mention his scoop until #28, but lets say he got it in between his last book and #28.
\\ Thought speech //
Chapter 2
AX
\\ Tobias! // My warning came to late. The Yeerk ray hit him in the chest. I watched, struck with horror, as he began to shrink. I had seen him morph many times of course, but this was different. He was shrinking in proportion, and nothing new had appeared. He was not demorphing.
When he had reached about the height of my knees, he stopped. He looked confused, and I do not think he remembered what had just happened, for he was now a very young human child. This was not a good thing, for us or the Yeerk apparently.
"The Visser will not be pleased!" One of the female Controllers yelled very shrilly, and I cannot say I blamed her for her panic. Visser Three had not come as far as he did in the Yeerk hierarchy by being pleasant to subordinates. Particularly ones that failed.
"The Visser must not know! We will kill the evidence of this experiment and pretend it never happened." This told me two very important things. The Yeerks did not know how to fix this unpleasant situation, and secondly I had to get Tobias out of this right now. I did not like the idea of my shorm being killed, and I would save him even if it meant defying my prince.
I jumped out of the bushes, planless, and raced across the meadow. Fortunately, most of the Controllers were to surprised by my sudden appearance in the meadow to do anything but get out of my way. Unfortunately, the first to recover was the one person holding a Dracon Beam.
"Andalite!" He cried, voice full of hatred, and fired haphazardly. I dodged aside, pushing my legs to their full speed, and scooped Tobias up in my forearms as I ran by.
"Whee!" The child in my arms cried as we raced past.
"Hey! He's taking the kid!"
"He's trying to save it!"
"Stupid Andalite!" Another blast took the ground out from under my back hoof just seconds after I had moved it. I lurched forward, and my weak upper arms almost dropped the child I was holding. This way of escaping wasn't going to work.
I did not like the other alternative, but it was either surely injure him carrying him, or have him possibly get hit.
\\ Tobias, can you hold onto my back? //
"How you know my name?" The child asked in wonder. There was no time for long explanations. I'd have to hope that human children where the same as Andalite children.
\\ I am a friend Tobias. I cannot offer you proof, so you will have to trust me. // This seemed enough for him, as he asked no more question. \\ Now, can you hang onto my back while I run? //
"Piggyback?" I had no idea what that meant, and I really couldn't trust this child's reasoning, but I was out of options as the Yeerks fired at me, and I once more almost dropped him. The child yelled in fright.
\\ Yes, like a piggyback. Just wrap your arms as tight around my chest as you can. // Without further thought, I half turned and put him on my back, and held his arm while he adjusted himself. I let go, and his small arms wrapped around my upper body. They did not go all the way around, but it would have to work.
All of this was happening as I plunged into the forest, with a small group of Controllers on my trail. I very much missed having Tobias in the sky giving me directions so that I could lose them. I would have to rely upon my own knowledge of the area and what I had seen earlier.
If I remembered correctly, there was a small stream that cut across the forest, down in the direction of Tobias's meadow. It would not be more than a trickle, but it would work. It would be right about.
My hoofs splashed into the small amount of water, and the child on my back squealed. I turned as fast as I dared, and ran down stream. Now the controllers would be unable to follow my trail, and they had been just far enough behind that they most likely would not have seen me take this route. Still, I did not dare stop running until we were safely back at my scoop. I took the dirty and wiggling child off my back and inspected him.
\\ You are not harmed are you Tobias? // I asked. Rather large blue eyes blinked up at me.
"Toby." He said.
\\ What? // I was confused. He had not remembered me, but he could remember the Hork-Bajir seer? I was greatly surprised when he formed one chubby hand into a fist, and point to himself with his thumb.
"Not Tobias, Toby." He said matter-of-factly.
\\ Oh. // I did not understand fully, but I decided that he wanted to be called Toby instead of Tobias. Why, I do not know. I really needed to think. I had lost the controllers, but they now knew that an Andalite had one of their own, or so they thought. Tobias was not safe. And of course, Prince Jake must be informed of how badly our observation mission had gone. But he was at school.
I looked down at Tobias. He was standing in the mud, barefoot, and wearing skintight clothing, with his blonde hair standing up all over the place. He looked up at me, looking miserable. I could not wait for Prince Jake and the others to get out of school.
\\ Now, Toby, I'm going to have to change. But do not be frightened. I will still be your friend. //
"Are you doin' magic?" He asked excitedly. I knew better than to ask a human of this age what magic was. I would just go with what he could relate things too.
\\ Yes, magic. So, do not be frightened. // I closed my main eyes, and concentrated on my human morph. I felt my stalk eyes retract into my head first, and my tail began to shrink. Pink, soft flesh covered my body, replacing my blue fur. My arms expanded, grew stronger, and my fingers dwindled in number until they formed five thicker ones. My front legs vanished, but my spin had not yet straightened, and I was trying desperately to balance on my hind legs alone by swinging my arms wildly. Lips formed, then teeth, a tongue, and my jawbone. Last of all, my spin straightened and then I was finished. Tobias looked up at me in awe.
"Wow." He said. I reached into my scoop, and dressed myself quickly, before once more picking up Tobias.
"We are going to go get more of our friends. Ends. Nnnnndzzz."
"Okay." Tobias said happily. I trudged the rest of the way to the human school. Luckily I had been to school once, so I knew where it was. All the while Tobias was asking questions, until I'd tried to explain to him exactly how I could morph. He stopped asking me questions after that.
I walked up to the lady with thick glasses sitting behind a desk.
"Can I help you dear?"
"Yes. I am Phillip. I am a foreigner. I need to see Jake."
"Jake who, dear?"
"I am not a deer." I said. "I am human. Mun." She raised an eyebrow at me.
"Which Jake would you like to speak too?" She said again, her voice less patient this time. For the second time in several minutes I was confused.
"You mean there is more than one?"
"Yes, there are several."
"That is ridiculous! Shouldn't each human have a different name?" So silly, to have someone with the same name as you! How could humans keep each other straight?
"Yes, that would make things easier wouldn't it? Now, if you don't tell me which Jake you need to talk to I'm afraid I will have to ask you and your child to leave." I did not bother to tell her that my human morph was much to young to have offspring. I had another problem to worry about. I did not know how to explain to her which Jake I wished to talk to! I could not tell her Prince Jake, that would only confuse her.
"Ax?" I turned. Cassie was standing in the door, a piece of bright colored paper in her hand.
"Cassie." I greeted, smiling. She stared at me.
"Ax what are you." she looked down at Tobias, who was trying to hide behind my legs. I too looked at him, and he let out a small, frightened, sob. Cassie's eyes rounded. "Oh my.is that Tobias?!"
"Yes. Things did not go according to plan." Cassie went over to the lady behind the desk.
"I'm sorry, he's not from around here. His cousin goes here, and there is a family emergency." She told her Prince Jake's name, and the lady called his class. Cassie took me to wait in the hallway for him.
"What happened?" She asked shrilly, looking from me to Tobias and back again.
"Tobias was used as a test subject for the anti-aging ray. It did not go well."
"I gathered that." Prince Jake came running up, took one look at us, and went into what Marco calls fearless leader mode.
"I don't want details. You can fill us in when we get back to the forest. Right now you can't be here. If any higher-ranking controllers have been informed, Chapman will be here. I'll make the office some lie, and get Rachel out of class. Cassie, you and Marco follow when you can. I know it's risky, but I think this constitutes and an emergency." He looked at Tobias, who looked back with abnormally large blue eyes. I had to agree with Prince Jake. The situation was not pleasant.
End A/N: Time for reviewer responses ^_^.
Tomgirl27: Tobias won't be hurt ^_^.yet.not promising anything later. There's going to be much fluff between now and then though.
Shadow: I will try to be consistent updating quickly, but sometimes things come up. I'll try to limit it to under a month, however, as I have a cute Christmas story I want to start then. Not telling ^_-.
Scorpion Lord: Okay, I'll explain. Immortal just means you don't age. Immortal people (including the ancient gods) can be killed in battle, but they do not age. Invincible people do not age and cannot be killed or die. Make sense now?
Jinako-chan: Don't worry, there will be much of the Animorphs taking care of Toby the three year old ^_^. Next chapter is Marco. I think it will be extremely entertaining. MWHAHAHAHA!
Well, that's all for now. Gambatte Kudasai!
-IB