A/N: I know that Visser Three is a bit sentimental but who cares?
Ariadne POV
I knew Tobias was following me. A little later I knew the others were following Alyachies and I too. But I wasn't paying attention to that. Oh gosh. Rachel and Tobias really loved each other. A lot. I had been reading her mind and I thought, of coarse she's probably still gonna be thinking of curses to call me. But she wasn't. She was thinking of Tobias. She wasn't trying to use him in anyway, or pretend to love him. She loved him and would probably always love him. I decided right then that maybe Rachel wasn't so bad after all.
But that wasn't all I was thinking about either. I was scared. I would never admit it to anybody but I was absolutely terrified.
It wasn't completely about the Yeerk Pool (I'm not going to lie and say I WASN'T afraid of the Yeerk Pool, because I was). It wasn't totally about seeing Visser Three in the flesh for the first time. It was that I wanted to see Visser One. THAT scared me a lot. I wanted her to be there. I want her to treat me like she used to when I was young.
But I knew she wouldn't. She would glare at me, treat me like scum. Maybe who I really wanted to see was Eva. She was so nice to me. Always nice to me.
But I also didn't want her to be there. The sight of Eva might set Marco off. I didn't know then that Marco had already seen Eva a few times before. I didn't think about HOW Marco found out about his mother.
But it was no time to think about it. So I sang softly to myself
My tea's gone cold; I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window and I can't see at all
And even if I could it would all be gray, but your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad
I drank too much last night, got bills to pay, my head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today, I'm late to work again
And even if I live, they'll all imply that I might not last the day
And then you call me and it's not so bad, it's not so bad
I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life
I push the door, I'm home at last and I'm soaking through and through
then you handed me a towel and all I see is you
Even if my house fell down now, I wouldn't have a clue
because you're near me
I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life
Alyachies had come up beside me while I sang. She listened patiently. When I was done she asked. "Who sings that?"
I almost smiled. We were talking about songs while walking towards hell. What a fitting conversation.
"Dido, I think." said a voice behind me. I turn and see Rachel behind us.
I nodded. "Yeah. Thank You, it's called."
We were silent for a moment. Then Rachel spoke.
"I wanted to say that I'm sorry that I was like that. We just have to careful."
I nodded again. "Yeah. I understand. Did Tobias tell you to apologize?" I said calmly.
She looked like she was trying to control the words that wanted to come out of her mouth. She probably was. But she got it controlled. "No. I told the others I would see you guys were ok and then go and tell them whether or not."
Alyachies smiled. "Well, we're in one piece aren't we? We'll wait here. "
When Rachel was out of sight, Alyachies turned on me. "Ariadne, why do you have to be so mean?"
"I don't know. I just am."
"Don't act like that with me! What do you have against her? You trying to get her to stop with Tobias?"
I was taken back but I hoped I didn't show it. "No. I don't dislike her at her. I just wanted to know if she's the kind of person who apologizes by free will."
She looked a bit suspicious but could say no more because the others were coming closer.
I turned to the others. "So who knows the way?"
Cassie POV
I was in the middle of the group with Alyachies. We had become fast friends in the walk to the Yeerks Pool. She was so unlike her twin sister.
She was clever. Not just in the way Marco was clever but smart clever. She might actually have been able to be a straight A student AND be an Animorph at the same time. Yeah, that kind of smart.
But she didn't like to show it often. She was nice to talk to. She wasn't very loud or very quiet. All in all a good person.
I let her do most of the talking. She probably had wanted for a long time to tell about her childhood. I opened my ears to her and let her talk.
I can't say I listened to every bit. At times my mind went to something else but after a little while I would follow her words again.
At last the screams reached my ears. I wanted to leave. I didn't want to listen anymore. I felt like screaming myself. I looked at Alyachies and felt a small scent of anger in the air. Maybe it was from Ariande. I wasn't sure and didn't want to find out.
Alyachies POV
The air was static. That's how it felt to me at least. I wrapped my arms around myself. I wasn't ready to admit that I was terrified. I didn't want to admit either that I was angry. I was angry at myself for feeling HOMESICK for Visser Three. I was really, really angry at myself.
As soon as I neared the Yeerk Pool I felt the yearning. I wanted to go back so bad. I almost slapped myself for that. It was WRONG to like being at the Yeerk Pool. Only Yeerks liked the Yeerk Pool.
Well, I didn't LIKE the Yeerk Pool. I just wanted something familiar in the midst of strange things.
I turned to look at Jake. I felt my legs moving towards him without thinking. Soon I was right next to him.
'Alyachies, you idiot. Cassie just spent the longest time listening to you faithfully and you repay her by stealing her boyfriend? Go back right now!' I thought to myself. But by that time, it was too late. Jake had turned to look at me. I had to think of something to say, and quickly.
"What's the Yeerk Pool like?" I asked hastily, trying not to be making it up as I went along. Of coarse, I already knew. I had spent most of my later childhood there.
He was silent for a moment before answering. "There are humans in cages. Some are screaming, crying, begging. Some have already given up and are silent. But the worst are the ones that are watching TV…"
"TV? You mean the Controllers of free will? They are said to be the greater achievement of the Yeerks. In the Yeerk Pool, that is."
"Their greatest achievement?"
"Yes. They like to brag about how much power they have over us. And about how gullible we all are."
"Oh."
We walked in silence a little bit farther. But then my big mouth comes along. "I spent a lot of my childhood in the Yeerk Pool."
He glared at me slightly. "Then why did you ask me what it was like?"
CAUGHT! I gulped inwardly. "I wanted to see how you saw it." I said the first thing that had come into mind.
He obviously didn't believe me but I was now too embarrassed to want to stay near him any longer. I moved up to my brother.
We were now almost in a line. First Jake, then Ariande, Tobias, Rachel, Cassie, Marco and Ax. I moved up behind Tobias.
"Tobias. Are the Yeerks really evil? I mean, all of them?" It was nice the say the question that had haunted me all my life and especially the last few years.
He looked at me, studying me for a little while. Then he answered. "I can't say all. We've all been helped by some Yeerks. But I'm not saying Yeerks are any saints. They're like humans for the most part. Not all humans are good but also not all humans are bad."
I nodded, my thoughts floating away. I remembered talking to some of the Controllers in the cages. I tried to keep away from the begging ones and from the angry ones. They weren't fun to talk to at all. It was selfish, I know. I mean, they were going through torture almost 24/7 and I thought about how some of them weren't fun enough.
I suddenly felt some tears slide down from my face. I turned away from the others and stood a bit away from the group. As I stopped hearing their footsteps I paid no attention. Finally when I could hear them no more I realized I was alone. I called softly "Guys? Tobias? Ariande? Cassie? Jake?"
I walked faster, hoping to find them up ahead. Was I lost?
Shit.
Tobias POV
Alyachies was a strange one. Maybe not STRANGE but different. She worried about good and evil. In war that is pretty much irrelevant. Both sides are usually evil, on different extents. It was a waste of time to ponder about it.
Or was it?
Maybe she was right to think about it. Maybe the less you think about it the less important it becomes until nobody cares whether they're good or bad anymore.
I suddenly had something else to get my attention. We had entered the Yeerk Pool.
The screams were louder than usual. The plopping was driving me mad.
Rachel leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Go back, demorph and remorph."
We were stupid to let Ariande out in the open. Even stupider not to pay any attention to Alyachies. For as soon as I turned back, I noticed she wasn't with us. Then I bumped into her. She was just walking out of a tunnel we had taken to lead us to the Yeerk Pool. "Where were you?"
"I-I had to stop and…it's not important." She said shakily and suddenly I could see she had been crying. But there was no time to comfort her. I had to demorph. I left her to walk to the others while I demorphed.
Then I heard it.
{Alyachies. My dearest child. What are you doing here?} It was a voice that haunted my nightmares. Visser Three. And he had spotted Ariadne. They were twins and looked almost exactly like each other. Visser Three thought Ariande was Alyachies!
Visser Three POV
Alyachies had returned. I knew she would. I had grown attached to her. I felt as I actually loved her. But I couldn't. I didn't! Did I?
Of coarse not. The only reason I didn't make her a host was that she did SOMETHING to herself to make her ear unable to take a yeerk. And I NEED to know what powers she held.
But I couldn't hide from myself that hadn't felt stupid with her. She was intelligent and often had asked me questions I never would have thought of myself. I almost always told her that she didn't need to know instead of admitting I had no idea.
But I did care for her. She was sweet. I had almost begun to pine when she left. But I didn't. I was Visser! I couldn't have any kind of affection for the girl! I couldn't. I wouldn't.
Then I saw the other one. Her twin. Or maybe it was Alyachies herself. I had almost no idea. They looked so much like each other it was hard to tell.
{Alaychies. Please, come back to where you belong. I have cared for you since birth and I would never harm you…} Would I? I never could, I finally decided. I did love her. That wonderful child I had raised as my own. I loved her as a parent would.
Right?
Suddenly, the twin farthest from me, turned and stared at me, her eyes burning into mine. That was Alyachies. And she responded. "You liar! You fucking liar! You never loved me! You never cared! So just shut up! Just SHUT UP!"
I was hurt. Her words stung. I DID care for her, I did. I did.
'You're finally feeling some really feelings now are you?' my host's mind said to me. 'You love her. But she knows of all those you have betrayed with lies. And believes that she is just another victim. You have suffered the consequences with you betrayals.'
{ALAYCHIES! Please…you understand not. You…you must return...} I pleaded. I had made it only in her head, though. I didn't want all the hosts and Yeerks to think of me as a pleading peasant.
"I won't. You know it as do I." she said calmly.
{Please Alyachies.}
"No. I won't."
{Then you will suffer. Or to be more exact, your sister will.} In open thought-speak I said to my guards {Get the girl!}
My guards grabbed Alyachies's sister and I gave Alyachies one last loving look. The last sign of my love for her. I hoped that she would one day understand.
Little did I know of the doom that fall upon us all.
Ariadne POV
I knew Tobias was following me. A little later I knew the others were following Alyachies and I too. But I wasn't paying attention to that. Oh gosh. Rachel and Tobias really loved each other. A lot. I had been reading her mind and I thought, of coarse she's probably still gonna be thinking of curses to call me. But she wasn't. She was thinking of Tobias. She wasn't trying to use him in anyway, or pretend to love him. She loved him and would probably always love him. I decided right then that maybe Rachel wasn't so bad after all.
But that wasn't all I was thinking about either. I was scared. I would never admit it to anybody but I was absolutely terrified.
It wasn't completely about the Yeerk Pool (I'm not going to lie and say I WASN'T afraid of the Yeerk Pool, because I was). It wasn't totally about seeing Visser Three in the flesh for the first time. It was that I wanted to see Visser One. THAT scared me a lot. I wanted her to be there. I want her to treat me like she used to when I was young.
But I knew she wouldn't. She would glare at me, treat me like scum. Maybe who I really wanted to see was Eva. She was so nice to me. Always nice to me.
But I also didn't want her to be there. The sight of Eva might set Marco off. I didn't know then that Marco had already seen Eva a few times before. I didn't think about HOW Marco found out about his mother.
But it was no time to think about it. So I sang softly to myself
My tea's gone cold; I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window and I can't see at all
And even if I could it would all be gray, but your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad
I drank too much last night, got bills to pay, my head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today, I'm late to work again
And even if I live, they'll all imply that I might not last the day
And then you call me and it's not so bad, it's not so bad
I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life
I push the door, I'm home at last and I'm soaking through and through
then you handed me a towel and all I see is you
Even if my house fell down now, I wouldn't have a clue
because you're near me
I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life
Alyachies had come up beside me while I sang. She listened patiently. When I was done she asked. "Who sings that?"
I almost smiled. We were talking about songs while walking towards hell. What a fitting conversation.
"Dido, I think." said a voice behind me. I turn and see Rachel behind us.
I nodded. "Yeah. Thank You, it's called."
We were silent for a moment. Then Rachel spoke.
"I wanted to say that I'm sorry that I was like that. We just have to careful."
I nodded again. "Yeah. I understand. Did Tobias tell you to apologize?" I said calmly.
She looked like she was trying to control the words that wanted to come out of her mouth. She probably was. But she got it controlled. "No. I told the others I would see you guys were ok and then go and tell them whether or not."
Alyachies smiled. "Well, we're in one piece aren't we? We'll wait here. "
When Rachel was out of sight, Alyachies turned on me. "Ariadne, why do you have to be so mean?"
"I don't know. I just am."
"Don't act like that with me! What do you have against her? You trying to get her to stop with Tobias?"
I was taken back but I hoped I didn't show it. "No. I don't dislike her at her. I just wanted to know if she's the kind of person who apologizes by free will."
She looked a bit suspicious but could say no more because the others were coming closer.
I turned to the others. "So who knows the way?"
Cassie POV
I was in the middle of the group with Alyachies. We had become fast friends in the walk to the Yeerks Pool. She was so unlike her twin sister.
She was clever. Not just in the way Marco was clever but smart clever. She might actually have been able to be a straight A student AND be an Animorph at the same time. Yeah, that kind of smart.
But she didn't like to show it often. She was nice to talk to. She wasn't very loud or very quiet. All in all a good person.
I let her do most of the talking. She probably had wanted for a long time to tell about her childhood. I opened my ears to her and let her talk.
I can't say I listened to every bit. At times my mind went to something else but after a little while I would follow her words again.
At last the screams reached my ears. I wanted to leave. I didn't want to listen anymore. I felt like screaming myself. I looked at Alyachies and felt a small scent of anger in the air. Maybe it was from Ariande. I wasn't sure and didn't want to find out.
Alyachies POV
The air was static. That's how it felt to me at least. I wrapped my arms around myself. I wasn't ready to admit that I was terrified. I didn't want to admit either that I was angry. I was angry at myself for feeling HOMESICK for Visser Three. I was really, really angry at myself.
As soon as I neared the Yeerk Pool I felt the yearning. I wanted to go back so bad. I almost slapped myself for that. It was WRONG to like being at the Yeerk Pool. Only Yeerks liked the Yeerk Pool.
Well, I didn't LIKE the Yeerk Pool. I just wanted something familiar in the midst of strange things.
I turned to look at Jake. I felt my legs moving towards him without thinking. Soon I was right next to him.
'Alyachies, you idiot. Cassie just spent the longest time listening to you faithfully and you repay her by stealing her boyfriend? Go back right now!' I thought to myself. But by that time, it was too late. Jake had turned to look at me. I had to think of something to say, and quickly.
"What's the Yeerk Pool like?" I asked hastily, trying not to be making it up as I went along. Of coarse, I already knew. I had spent most of my later childhood there.
He was silent for a moment before answering. "There are humans in cages. Some are screaming, crying, begging. Some have already given up and are silent. But the worst are the ones that are watching TV…"
"TV? You mean the Controllers of free will? They are said to be the greater achievement of the Yeerks. In the Yeerk Pool, that is."
"Their greatest achievement?"
"Yes. They like to brag about how much power they have over us. And about how gullible we all are."
"Oh."
We walked in silence a little bit farther. But then my big mouth comes along. "I spent a lot of my childhood in the Yeerk Pool."
He glared at me slightly. "Then why did you ask me what it was like?"
CAUGHT! I gulped inwardly. "I wanted to see how you saw it." I said the first thing that had come into mind.
He obviously didn't believe me but I was now too embarrassed to want to stay near him any longer. I moved up to my brother.
We were now almost in a line. First Jake, then Ariande, Tobias, Rachel, Cassie, Marco and Ax. I moved up behind Tobias.
"Tobias. Are the Yeerks really evil? I mean, all of them?" It was nice the say the question that had haunted me all my life and especially the last few years.
He looked at me, studying me for a little while. Then he answered. "I can't say all. We've all been helped by some Yeerks. But I'm not saying Yeerks are any saints. They're like humans for the most part. Not all humans are good but also not all humans are bad."
I nodded, my thoughts floating away. I remembered talking to some of the Controllers in the cages. I tried to keep away from the begging ones and from the angry ones. They weren't fun to talk to at all. It was selfish, I know. I mean, they were going through torture almost 24/7 and I thought about how some of them weren't fun enough.
I suddenly felt some tears slide down from my face. I turned away from the others and stood a bit away from the group. As I stopped hearing their footsteps I paid no attention. Finally when I could hear them no more I realized I was alone. I called softly "Guys? Tobias? Ariande? Cassie? Jake?"
I walked faster, hoping to find them up ahead. Was I lost?
Shit.
Tobias POV
Alyachies was a strange one. Maybe not STRANGE but different. She worried about good and evil. In war that is pretty much irrelevant. Both sides are usually evil, on different extents. It was a waste of time to ponder about it.
Or was it?
Maybe she was right to think about it. Maybe the less you think about it the less important it becomes until nobody cares whether they're good or bad anymore.
I suddenly had something else to get my attention. We had entered the Yeerk Pool.
The screams were louder than usual. The plopping was driving me mad.
Rachel leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Go back, demorph and remorph."
We were stupid to let Ariande out in the open. Even stupider not to pay any attention to Alyachies. For as soon as I turned back, I noticed she wasn't with us. Then I bumped into her. She was just walking out of a tunnel we had taken to lead us to the Yeerk Pool. "Where were you?"
"I-I had to stop and…it's not important." She said shakily and suddenly I could see she had been crying. But there was no time to comfort her. I had to demorph. I left her to walk to the others while I demorphed.
Then I heard it.
{Alyachies. My dearest child. What are you doing here?} It was a voice that haunted my nightmares. Visser Three. And he had spotted Ariadne. They were twins and looked almost exactly like each other. Visser Three thought Ariande was Alyachies!
Visser Three POV
Alyachies had returned. I knew she would. I had grown attached to her. I felt as I actually loved her. But I couldn't. I didn't! Did I?
Of coarse not. The only reason I didn't make her a host was that she did SOMETHING to herself to make her ear unable to take a yeerk. And I NEED to know what powers she held.
But I couldn't hide from myself that hadn't felt stupid with her. She was intelligent and often had asked me questions I never would have thought of myself. I almost always told her that she didn't need to know instead of admitting I had no idea.
But I did care for her. She was sweet. I had almost begun to pine when she left. But I didn't. I was Visser! I couldn't have any kind of affection for the girl! I couldn't. I wouldn't.
Then I saw the other one. Her twin. Or maybe it was Alyachies herself. I had almost no idea. They looked so much like each other it was hard to tell.
{Alaychies. Please, come back to where you belong. I have cared for you since birth and I would never harm you…} Would I? I never could, I finally decided. I did love her. That wonderful child I had raised as my own. I loved her as a parent would.
Right?
Suddenly, the twin farthest from me, turned and stared at me, her eyes burning into mine. That was Alyachies. And she responded. "You liar! You fucking liar! You never loved me! You never cared! So just shut up! Just SHUT UP!"
I was hurt. Her words stung. I DID care for her, I did. I did.
'You're finally feeling some really feelings now are you?' my host's mind said to me. 'You love her. But she knows of all those you have betrayed with lies. And believes that she is just another victim. You have suffered the consequences with you betrayals.'
{ALAYCHIES! Please…you understand not. You…you must return...} I pleaded. I had made it only in her head, though. I didn't want all the hosts and Yeerks to think of me as a pleading peasant.
"I won't. You know it as do I." she said calmly.
{Please Alyachies.}
"No. I won't."
{Then you will suffer. Or to be more exact, your sister will.} In open thought-speak I said to my guards {Get the girl!}
My guards grabbed Alyachies's sister and I gave Alyachies one last loving look. The last sign of my love for her. I hoped that she would one day understand.
Little did I know of the doom that fall upon us all.