Aximili's Headache
Issetha let out a whimper of fright and Aximili could feel his muscles tense, as she snatched control of them and prepared to flee.
Let go, he said.
But…
No, he disagreed. Fleeing will get us nowhere – they would catch us and you would be starved, and from there neither of us can do nothing. Let go. Let me handle this.
The Yeerk's voice was shrill. But they'll…
They'll do no such thing, Aximili assured her. He was not certain as to what to do about this situation, but he was pretty sure he would need control over his body to do it. I won't let them. Noticing that she was still not convinced, he added; I promise.
Promise? she quavered.
On my honour as an Andalite, he said, forcing his voice calm.
Issetha let out another whimper, but Aximili felt control seeping back into his muscles. He turned his main eyes back to his Prince. His stalks scanned the area around him, and noted that while his eyes had been on Jake, Rachel had taken a place right behind him – in grizzly morph. Beside her, Cassie – a wolf, eyes concerned – and Toby and two of her Hork-Bajir warriors.
Of course. If they thought he was a Controller, Jake and Marco would not be standing in their more or less defenceless human forms without "backup".
There was only one way to take care of this.
Prince Jake, do you suspect me to be a Controller? he wondered, as calmly as he could, with false bafflement in his voice.
"I don't know what to suspect," Jake replied, "But I know I'm not taking any chances. Now whether or not you've been infested, Ax, you're a smart Andalite. And a smart Andalite wouldn't cause us any trouble if we tried to hold you for three days – and of course, destroy these spare Kandronas."
Aximili's tail twitched in alarm before he could stop it. Jake saw the motion, and raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms. "I see," he muttered. "Rach? Now. But gently – if you don't mind."
No – wait! Aximili cried, leaping out of the way as Rachel and the Hork-Bajir began forwards. Cassie was nimbler, though, and threw herself at him, in under his belly and after his front knee. As soon as her jaws closed around it Aximili lost his balance and fell heavily to his side. Wait!
Wait for what, Yeerk? Your escape?! Rachel growled, and Aximili could see the heavy grizzly step up to where his head was and raise her strong grizzly arms in preparation to knock him out.
He felt his legs start kicking. His hoof connected with something and he heard Cassie howl with pain, saw her leap back. But he had not been kicking!
Let go! he roared at Issetha.
I have to – the Yeerk began.
No! he roared at her, frustrated and angry and tense all at the same time. LET GO!!!
She did. He realized that his legs were free and tried to scramble back up. Rachel's powerful front paw slammed into his back and sent him rolling, but he rolled straight into the Hork-Bajir and knocked them both off their feet, and he managed to struggle up to his own hooves. His front knee ached where Cassie had bitten it, and would not hold his weight properly.
He had lived through worse wounds.
Wait! he cried again. Wait, I –
Cassie launched. He leapt back, narrowly avoiding her snapping jaws, and he was more or less sure it was because she had not been aiming properly. His stalks noted that both Jake and Marco were morphing. Then there was a raptor's fierce cry and pain ripped across his scalp as the images from his stalks went dead.
Not good. He backed away, head spinning madly to try to see in all directions at once, but he forced his tail down from attack as not to seem threatening. The others were too many, too powerful, knew him all too well. He had no hope of defeating them. There was only one thing to do.
Issetha, you need to leave my head.
WHAT?!
You heard me. It's the only way to convince them… They'll win, they'll overpower me and you'll be starved. I have to show them that you're not –
But they'll kill me!
I won't let them.
But –
No! I already promised. I promised on my honour as an Andalite, I won't let them… I'll promise on my life… please, Issetha, it's the only way!
Issetha hesitated a moment too long and again Aximili found himself leaping back to avoid blades, claws, jaws and paws from his friends. When he finally felt the Yeerk beginning to slither out of his ear, he felt a wave of relief and held up a hand to catch her.
Ah, perfect, Marco muttered sarcastically. It's giving up. Coward. Spoils a good fight.
Aximili ignored that and continued keeping out of their way.
It might be a trick! Rachel exclaimed suddenly. It's pretending to leave to distract us! It's still got control!
With that, she lumbered forwards and slammed her entire weight into Aximili, who fell heavily, all air slammed out of him and head spinning. Issetha fell away from his ear, away from his hands, and rolled helplessly out of reach.
Kill it! Jake ordered.
Toby stepped forwards and raised a blade, aiming calmly at Issetha, sprawled vulnerably on the ground. Aximili watched, half in horror, but half relieved.
The Yeerk had caused him a lot of trouble. The Yeerk was, in fact, the enemy. The Yeerk…
It would be so easy to just let Toby…
No. No, he couldn't. He'd promised. He'd promised.
He stretched out, clasped his hands around Issetha's form and held her protectively towards him, turning so that Toby's blades couldn't reach her.
That made the entire group pull back and stare at him in horror. Even Cassie hesitated, head leaned to the side in confusion.
Aximili got back to his feet, shaking, still clutching the Yeerk as tightly as he dared without risking to harm her.
It's okay, he told her privately, knowing she could hear but not respond, guessing at how terrified she must be. I won't let them harm you.
And speaking of needing explanations… Marco said. This definitely takes the gold medal.
Aximili noted how Cassie and Jake exchanged a glance, how Jake nodded, and then how Cassie began to demorph. Her human form emerged just as quickly and surely as it always did, and then she came closer to Aximili, as if to take a good look at him.
Jake also moved closer, warily, and Rachel loomed up next to Aximili, within arm's length. More warning than he needed, and all of it telling him that if he as much as twitched his tail in the wrong direction, there would be serious trouble.
"Ax, is that really a Yeerk?" Cassie asked in the calm voice she used when speaking to a frightened animal. She stretched out a hand to pry his fingers away for a better look.
Aximili opened his hands to show Issetha. If he trusted anyone not to harm the Yeerk, it was Cassie. Which the others were probably well aware of, so he remained alert. Yes.
Cassie, is it possible that there were two Yeerks in poor Ax's head? Marco wondered. So the other one's still in there? Either that, or there's a lot more air than we previously thought.
Cassie's forehead displayed a concerned wrinkle as she tried to meet Aximili's gaze. "And you're protecting… a Yeerk?"
I… promised I would not let her be harmed. I keep my promises.
"Why?"
Otherwise she refused to leave my head. And at once he realised how that sounded, so in an attempt to make it sound better he added; She was… afraid.
Name? Jake asked curtly. Anyone we know?
You do not know her. Her name is Issetha 948 – and she is part of the Peace Movement.
That's good to hear, Tobias commented.
Whatever, Ax-man, but stop this nonsense, Marco said. Peace Movement or not, that's a Yeerk, and an Andalite protecting a Yeerk gives me the creeps. He came forwards and raised a hand to snatch Issetha.
Tail. Movement.
Marco froze, suddenly with Aximili's blade at his throat. His hand, only millimetres from the Yeerk, was carefully withdrawn. Aximili snatched his blade away just as quickly, surprised at what he'd done – and still not. He knew Marco could, when angry, have a tendency to… overdo things. And he did not need things "overdone" at that time.
Fine, Marco said slowly, his black gorilla eyes meeting Aximili's main eyes, a shadow drawn into them as if he had made some sort of decision. Fine; your way. Have it your way. Jake? Your turn.
Jake, who was demorphing, raised an eyebrow at his friend, and then turned to Aximili. "Ax – we'll have to talk this through later. We have a mission this evening. Maybe not an important one, but it needs to be done. Toby?"
The tall Hork-Bajir turned her face towards Jake. "Yes?"
"Watch him. Don't let him morph, and don't let him out of your sight. And move camp to the location we discussed earlier."
Toby nodded.
Aximili was baffled – although he shouldn't have been. Prince Jake – are you asking me… not to come with you?
"I'm asking nothing," Jake snapped, in that type of voice he knew people would listen to. "I'm ordering. For the moment, I don't know if I can trust you in a combat situation. Therefore, you're not going. Sorry, but that's the way it is."
But, Prince –
"And don't call me Prince!" Jake crossed his arms over his chest and regarded the Andalite coldly. "Do as you're told, Ax, until I've figured out what to do with this – with you. It's easier that way. Everyone else, bird morphs. Now."
Tobias settled on a perch, while Marco and Rachel started demorphing. All five of the (more or less) human Animorphs were watching the stunned Aximili with varying degrees of concern. Cassie and Jake, already human, began morphing directly to their birds of prey.
I can… I can leave Issetha here, Aximili suggested. I can –
"And what guarantee do we have that you won't stick your head into the nearest Yeerk pool?" Marco growled.
The scene went deadly quiet. Aximili visibly flinched at the insult, although his features remained at that empty Andalite calm he had been taught to show at all times.
Rachel slammed her heel down on Marco's toes. He let out a cry and jumped back, glaring at her. "What did you do that for?!"
"That was a low-blow, Marco, and you know it."
"You're taking his side?"
"Shut up!"
"No, honestly, I mean it; is Xena also going to get her own pet Yeerk? Is there some sort of club here that I don't know about? And if this is the latest craze, where can I join?"
Rachel swung a fist at him, which he easily avoided, but he was unlucky and his heel caught on a root. He fell back, and Rachel dove forwards to seize him by the collar and shove him back against a tree. "I. Said. Shut. Up."
"Just because he's your bird-friend's best bud –"
Tobias's gaze grew fierce, and he looked about ready to dive off his perch. Jake reversed the morph, deciding to intervene before things got out of control. "Marco, Rachel, could you please stay focused? I seem to remember asking you to morph, but I don't see any morphing happening."
"I'll show you some morphing," Rachel snarled, and if she'd had fur it would have been bristling… "I'll morph Marco's face into a bloody mush." …actually, there was bristling taking place on her back. Aximili could see the first hints of grizzly fur appearing through her morphing suit – and then it was gone. In an uncharacteristic display of self-control, she let go off Marco's collar, straightened, and turned to Aximili. She gave the Andalite a look almost as sharp as the one she'd given Marco. "Just so you know, I'm not on your side. Not on this one. I'm just not on his, either."
She aimed a kick at Marco's knee. Jake grabbed her shoulder to stop her. "Rachel, morph. Now."
She wrenched free, glared at her cousin – but did as she was told. When all five were done morphing, they flew off in the direction of the city. Aximili watched them, still stunned at being left behind.
Toby nodded towards the Yeerk. "Are you going to hold that the rest of the day, or do you want a box to put it in?"
Aximili shook his head. The frustration at being left behind – actually left behind for a mission – had to come out, and now he glowered at Toby for no specific reason, the typical Andalite unconcern plastered all over his face as if with glue. I will not have her put in any boxes, he announced, and held the Yeerk up to his ear, an almost defiant look breaking through the indifference on his face.
Toby's Hork-Bajir face was not very expressive, but her small, dark eyes were, and they glimmered with disquiet at that gesture. "Very well," she said. "But don't take that anger out on us Hork-Bajir. It's not our fault."
When Toby left, Aximili dutifully scooped up the Kandronas that still lay where they had been left on the ground. Then he left the scene in the opposite direction from Toby – but was aware of the two Hork-Bajir warriors who flanked him.
He was actually being watched! Monitored! As if he couldn't be trusted!
The anger steamed in him, threatening to explode.
Oh, stop that, ordered a dry voice in his head. Stop it. Being mad won't help you. Your Prince is right, too.
You can be quiet, Aximili snapped at his Yeerk. This is your fault.
Certainly. Because I'm the one who insisted that I was to be kept alive.
Aximili refused to acknowledge that.
Besides, Issetha added, It's not you they don't trust. It's me.
You're here on my account. And they should trust my judgment.
But your so-called judgment, Andalite, the Yeerk reminded him, her voice suddenly sharp, concerning any Yeerk, would be to tear it out of your head and rip –
Issetha! he protested.
It's true, Aximili, and you know it, insisted the Yeerk. And they know it, too. That's why they reacted like they did. They don't understand your behaviour, and most sentient creatures are afraid of what they don't understand.
That Prince Jake and the others would be afraid of me is preposterous!
They're not afraid in that way. They're just confused. Give them some time.
Aximili gave a mental sigh. And until then?
Until then, I suggest you do what you usually do, which is to find a nice, large log and start splitting it into multiple pieces with that very formidable tail-blade of yours.
Aximili felt a stalk stop swivelling and thoughtfully – with a touch of pride – turn to survey his blade. Knowing that someone else was watching him, through one of his own eyes, was slightly unnerving. He didn't know what to think of it. But for some reason it was not unpleasant.
It is a most useful weapon, she continued. You should be proud of it.
I am, Aximili said carefully. He shuddered before he spoke again; Very well. Let us find a log. And Issetha?
Yes?
Kindly return my stalk.
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Author's Note;
This time, have not been lazy. As you can see, the
chapter is up and readable.
I've decided to try and puzzle this into the books' story-line, and it'll fit somewhere after #50 and before the end of #52. Not perfectly, probably, but close enough. Also wondering if I should end this "sadly", or "tragically". Not "sad" at all, you say? Well, if this is going to fit into the books, then Ax's fate is pretty much sealed at "sad" anyway. I could of course end everything before #54. Except I've already written something after that, which I'm pretty fond of, and I don't want to waste it. So "sadly" or "tragically", take your pick.
And a note to Wilfred K. Statler: I tried mailing you about those thought-speech signs, but I keep getting error messages. I don't know whether or not to trust those messages, but it won't hurt to repeat things. The thought-speech signs don't show in text-documents. In Word-documents they usually do, but the formatting can turn odd. You could also use Words to save it as "a web page", and then upload it. Should work.