DISCLAIMER: Sadly I don't own the Animorphs, so let's just drop the subject now
AXMILI CHAPTER 2
Ax had volunteered more often than anyone else to keep watch over her. So naturally he had the least shifts of everyone.
"I'm sorry Ax, but the fact that you have feelings for her jeopardizes everything. You could take risks you wouldn't normally take." Jake sighed when shifts were being made out.
I would never put the only Yeerk Resistance on Earth in jeopardy over a female. He said angrily, but he knew Jake was right. He knew he might think irrationally, he didn't argue again.
I don't get it though, what's so special about this girl? I mean she looks like your average anarchist to me. Rachel sighed to Tobias on their third shift (which changed hourly from them to Marco and Cassie, to Jake and Ax.)
Ax and Marco hacked into her school files. They found some legal papers saying her dad was the President of the bank downtown. The deeds and everything were left in a will when he died. She's supposed to get everything when she turns 18 .
Okay that's major.
That's not all. Her mom co-owns RoQ, it's a local independent record company. Pretty small time but they do have some pretty big acts under their name. But her mom died in a car crash a little while after her dad, luckily she left a living will too, and it says the same. At 18 she gets everything her mom worked for.
A rock label? Rachel laughed. What would they want with that?
What kid wouldn't rush to The Sharing if their favorite rock band didn't say it was cool? Jake asked as he closed in. He was a mile above them.
At least now we know what the Yeerks want with her. Rachel sighed.
It has nearly been three days since we have been watching her, she is not a Controller. Ax sighed.
But they want her to be one and that's a problem. Marco sighed. We can't keep watching her all the time hoping she doesn't get infested.
What do you suggest? We make her one of us? Cassie asked. She was perched on a tree limb next to the living room window. She was hidden so didn't look out of place.
No, well all remember how well that went. Rachel spat.
Prince Jake, I believe that is your brother coming up the street. Ax reported.
WHAT?!
There was Tom, coming up with a black present in his hands. The present he had gotten for her at the mall. Jake had given him his letterman jacket, and in return Tom called him a nosy (word you can't repeat in front of your grama) and slammed his bedroom door in his face. Rain was right, he wasn't getting the hint. The real Tom had really cared about Rain, but this wasn't the real Tom. This was a power thirsty Yeerk who wanted to infest her and her family. He knocked on the door and ran a hand through his hair. She was the only one home, she answered.
"Tom." She sighed.
"Five minutes." He pleaded. She released one more sigh, and stepped aside, letting him inside.
We're going in. Jake sighed.
Luckily, Rain loved animals. Her dog had just had a litter of puppies, all of which were now getting to the age where they would be ready to give away. They were all napping in the shed, well they were in the yard, but now they were in the shed and each Animorph had an Alaskan Husky morph.
These dogs are pretty cool. They're a lot closer to wolves than a lot of dogs. Marco said.
Yeah, well come on, they've been talking for almost five minutes now, we got lucky not getting caught. Jake sighed and they all trotted inside. The house was pretty clean, with the exception of a few stray dishes in the sink, and the floor needed to be mopped. A normal house.
"I just don't understand what happened." Tom sighed.
"You changed." She answered bluntly.
"People change."
"Not like that! You really changed! I mean, you're such a jerk now. You're a jerk to everyone, especially Jake."
"Again we're talking about Jake! Is that why you left? Because you like Jake?!"
"FOR THE ZILLIONTH TIME NO! Tom, I mean, your whole life has become the Sharing. You blow off you parents, your brother, your friends, me, basketball. The Tom I remember wouldn't stop playing to save his life."
"Yeah well that Tom is dead!"
"And so is our relationship. You should probably be dating someone your own age, who's into the same things you are."
Hey she's cooking meatloaf, it smells really good. Marco swooned.
Paying attention please?! Rachel demanded.
"Rain….I was really hoping it wouldn't have to come to this. Please open your gift."
"Tom I don't want to. I don't want any gifts from you."
"I can accept the fact that out relationship is over. If you open the gift I'll never bother you again." She stared at him for a moment. Her eyes were on fire, she wasn't the type to accept any kind of bull, you could tell. She sighed, and opened the gift.
"SICK! Tom! What the hell kind of sick joke is this?!" She cried as she pulled out a jar with an over grown slug.
"NOW!" He cried into his watch. Three men jumped in through the windows like in the movies. They each grabbed her arms and held her still.
"LEMME GO! LEMME GO GOD DAMN IT!" She yelled. It all clicked in Jake's mind. No cars in the street, no one on this block was at home, no one would hear her cries. This had been planned, all of it. WHY HADN'T HE NOTICED?! She thrashed violently.
"If you could only hear my host scream, he still loves you you know." Tom chuckled.
"Tom….please….what are you doing?" She pleaded. Tom opened the jar and held the Yeerk in his fingers. She slowly slipped her hand into her pocket and slowly twisted the butterfly knife open. They were illegal, but Dad had hated her going out unprotected.
Guys! Come on! We're her dogs we can't just sit here! Cassie cried. That snapped Jake's mind back into action. He'd morphed the male, Rachel the mother, they were best suited for this job. Rachel growled at Tom.
"NO Lana! No! Stay back girl!" Rain called.
"Stupid mutt." Tom grumbled looking down at her.
"If you hurt my dog I'll-" She began, but the knife was undone. She jammed it into one of the men's thighs and twisted.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed, reeling in pain he dropped to the floor. She swung her knife blind across the other man's throat. Nothing fatal, but he would definitely feel it in the morning. He went down and she kicked his face, Tom pulled a Dracon Beam from his pocket.
"Don't move." He growled. A familiar CLICK CLICK CLICK sounded near the kitchen door. It was the real male dog.
"Jackal HELP!" She called. The real Jackal sprung lighting fast, he clasped onto Tom's wrist, long enough for Rain to punch him in the face. She was holding her steel knife in her hand, and Tom was out cold. The Yeerk fell to the floor, writhing in pain.
Don't touch it. Jake instructed.
"Who said that?" She asked.
Me.
"Jackal?" She noticed there were two.
If you want to stay alive you'd better come with me.
"But my dogs, I can't just leave them out like that." She sighed.
We put them in a safe place with a lot of water and tons of kibble, they'll be fine. Marco sighed.
"Go with Lana Jackal." Rain ordered, and when Jackal was gone she followed her "dogs" to Cassie's farm.
"So they want what my mom and dad left me?" She gasped as she sat on a bale of hay. The Animorphs spent the last two hours explaining everything. About Elfangor, the Escafil device, Visser Three, everything.
"I don't understand though, you're just a kid. Why you, why not some aunt or uncle or something?" Marco asked.
"Because my mom and dad didn't trust them. I'm an only child, they knew if something were to happen to them, and they left that stuff in the care of my aunt she would spend all the money and I wouldn't be left with anything when it came time for me to take charge. Besides it's not like I have all that money in liquid. It's tied up in the record company and the bank. Plus my college fund and stocks and stuff."
Whose I charge of the bank and record company? Tobias asked.
"Close friends of my mom and dad, they can be trusted." She nodded.
"You don't know that. They could all ready be infested." Jake sighed. Rain just stared at the floor.
"How old is that will?" Cassie asked.
"A year. It can be altered, if I give the say so."
"Why would your parents give you so much power?" Rachel asked.
"Maybe they were Controllers and couldn't do those things themselves for whatever reason." She said sadly.
"I'm sorry all this has happened to you." Cassie consulted.
"It's not your fault. You didn't invite the Yeerks here, you didn't give them a sample of the human brain. If what you say is true my parents might still be alive. Small chance, but whatever. I'll do whatever you ask me to. I guess I'm in this too now right?"
Are you sure you're the ONLY one with the power to alter ANYTHING on that will? Tobias asked.
"As sure as you are a hawk." She answered.
"Rain you don't have to do this. It was by dumb luck that you got thrown in this. We can hide you, keep you somewhere safe-" Cassie began.
"No. You guys didn't ask for this to happen to you. It happened by dumb luck to you guys too. Why should I have a choice? I wanna go in, I wanna help. I don't wanna stand on the side lines while you guys are out there risking your butts for a kid you hardly know."
"Spunky! I like this chick." Rachel laughed. Jake didn't look pleased, but what could he say? One more Animorph could tip the scale, he just didn't know which way.
"Just one question, where am I gonna stay? I can't go back home."
She can stay with me. Ax volunteered. It was too quick, but honest just the same.
"I'm really diggin' that tail, if I'm with him I know I'll be safe. Is that cool with you Jake, you bein' the leader an' all I guess you get the final say right?"
"Ax and Tobias would have time to get you morphs and train you a little so yeah, for now you stay with them. You'd better go now, it's almost dark and we don't want Cassie's mom or dad to see you here."
The Animorphs started to leave, Tobias, Ax, and Rain had to go in a different direction.
"Um guys." She called. They all turned. "Thanks….seriously. I wouldn't want to be like one of those slug dudes…. walkin' around without a soul." She looked to the ground, her lip in her teeth and headed for the woods. She wasn't like David, she wouldn't betray them.
Ax watched her and watched her, he could be with her now, she would live in his scoop, he would let her acquire him as her first morph, maybe teach her how to alter the sex like he had with his human morph. He imagined them galloping together under the night sky, it would be far more wonderful than he imagined.
This chapter was more centered around Rain, I know. I wanted to develop her character. Thanks SOOOO MUCH for the reviews, keep 'em coming. Gimme suggestions too, I want this story to go in the direction YOU want it to.
AXMILI CHAPTER 2
Ax had volunteered more often than anyone else to keep watch over her. So naturally he had the least shifts of everyone.
"I'm sorry Ax, but the fact that you have feelings for her jeopardizes everything. You could take risks you wouldn't normally take." Jake sighed when shifts were being made out.
I would never put the only Yeerk Resistance on Earth in jeopardy over a female. He said angrily, but he knew Jake was right. He knew he might think irrationally, he didn't argue again.
I don't get it though, what's so special about this girl? I mean she looks like your average anarchist to me. Rachel sighed to Tobias on their third shift (which changed hourly from them to Marco and Cassie, to Jake and Ax.)
Ax and Marco hacked into her school files. They found some legal papers saying her dad was the President of the bank downtown. The deeds and everything were left in a will when he died. She's supposed to get everything when she turns 18 .
Okay that's major.
That's not all. Her mom co-owns RoQ, it's a local independent record company. Pretty small time but they do have some pretty big acts under their name. But her mom died in a car crash a little while after her dad, luckily she left a living will too, and it says the same. At 18 she gets everything her mom worked for.
A rock label? Rachel laughed. What would they want with that?
What kid wouldn't rush to The Sharing if their favorite rock band didn't say it was cool? Jake asked as he closed in. He was a mile above them.
At least now we know what the Yeerks want with her. Rachel sighed.
It has nearly been three days since we have been watching her, she is not a Controller. Ax sighed.
But they want her to be one and that's a problem. Marco sighed. We can't keep watching her all the time hoping she doesn't get infested.
What do you suggest? We make her one of us? Cassie asked. She was perched on a tree limb next to the living room window. She was hidden so didn't look out of place.
No, well all remember how well that went. Rachel spat.
Prince Jake, I believe that is your brother coming up the street. Ax reported.
WHAT?!
There was Tom, coming up with a black present in his hands. The present he had gotten for her at the mall. Jake had given him his letterman jacket, and in return Tom called him a nosy (word you can't repeat in front of your grama) and slammed his bedroom door in his face. Rain was right, he wasn't getting the hint. The real Tom had really cared about Rain, but this wasn't the real Tom. This was a power thirsty Yeerk who wanted to infest her and her family. He knocked on the door and ran a hand through his hair. She was the only one home, she answered.
"Tom." She sighed.
"Five minutes." He pleaded. She released one more sigh, and stepped aside, letting him inside.
We're going in. Jake sighed.
Luckily, Rain loved animals. Her dog had just had a litter of puppies, all of which were now getting to the age where they would be ready to give away. They were all napping in the shed, well they were in the yard, but now they were in the shed and each Animorph had an Alaskan Husky morph.
These dogs are pretty cool. They're a lot closer to wolves than a lot of dogs. Marco said.
Yeah, well come on, they've been talking for almost five minutes now, we got lucky not getting caught. Jake sighed and they all trotted inside. The house was pretty clean, with the exception of a few stray dishes in the sink, and the floor needed to be mopped. A normal house.
"I just don't understand what happened." Tom sighed.
"You changed." She answered bluntly.
"People change."
"Not like that! You really changed! I mean, you're such a jerk now. You're a jerk to everyone, especially Jake."
"Again we're talking about Jake! Is that why you left? Because you like Jake?!"
"FOR THE ZILLIONTH TIME NO! Tom, I mean, your whole life has become the Sharing. You blow off you parents, your brother, your friends, me, basketball. The Tom I remember wouldn't stop playing to save his life."
"Yeah well that Tom is dead!"
"And so is our relationship. You should probably be dating someone your own age, who's into the same things you are."
Hey she's cooking meatloaf, it smells really good. Marco swooned.
Paying attention please?! Rachel demanded.
"Rain….I was really hoping it wouldn't have to come to this. Please open your gift."
"Tom I don't want to. I don't want any gifts from you."
"I can accept the fact that out relationship is over. If you open the gift I'll never bother you again." She stared at him for a moment. Her eyes were on fire, she wasn't the type to accept any kind of bull, you could tell. She sighed, and opened the gift.
"SICK! Tom! What the hell kind of sick joke is this?!" She cried as she pulled out a jar with an over grown slug.
"NOW!" He cried into his watch. Three men jumped in through the windows like in the movies. They each grabbed her arms and held her still.
"LEMME GO! LEMME GO GOD DAMN IT!" She yelled. It all clicked in Jake's mind. No cars in the street, no one on this block was at home, no one would hear her cries. This had been planned, all of it. WHY HADN'T HE NOTICED?! She thrashed violently.
"If you could only hear my host scream, he still loves you you know." Tom chuckled.
"Tom….please….what are you doing?" She pleaded. Tom opened the jar and held the Yeerk in his fingers. She slowly slipped her hand into her pocket and slowly twisted the butterfly knife open. They were illegal, but Dad had hated her going out unprotected.
Guys! Come on! We're her dogs we can't just sit here! Cassie cried. That snapped Jake's mind back into action. He'd morphed the male, Rachel the mother, they were best suited for this job. Rachel growled at Tom.
"NO Lana! No! Stay back girl!" Rain called.
"Stupid mutt." Tom grumbled looking down at her.
"If you hurt my dog I'll-" She began, but the knife was undone. She jammed it into one of the men's thighs and twisted.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed, reeling in pain he dropped to the floor. She swung her knife blind across the other man's throat. Nothing fatal, but he would definitely feel it in the morning. He went down and she kicked his face, Tom pulled a Dracon Beam from his pocket.
"Don't move." He growled. A familiar CLICK CLICK CLICK sounded near the kitchen door. It was the real male dog.
"Jackal HELP!" She called. The real Jackal sprung lighting fast, he clasped onto Tom's wrist, long enough for Rain to punch him in the face. She was holding her steel knife in her hand, and Tom was out cold. The Yeerk fell to the floor, writhing in pain.
Don't touch it. Jake instructed.
"Who said that?" She asked.
Me.
"Jackal?" She noticed there were two.
If you want to stay alive you'd better come with me.
"But my dogs, I can't just leave them out like that." She sighed.
We put them in a safe place with a lot of water and tons of kibble, they'll be fine. Marco sighed.
"Go with Lana Jackal." Rain ordered, and when Jackal was gone she followed her "dogs" to Cassie's farm.
"So they want what my mom and dad left me?" She gasped as she sat on a bale of hay. The Animorphs spent the last two hours explaining everything. About Elfangor, the Escafil device, Visser Three, everything.
"I don't understand though, you're just a kid. Why you, why not some aunt or uncle or something?" Marco asked.
"Because my mom and dad didn't trust them. I'm an only child, they knew if something were to happen to them, and they left that stuff in the care of my aunt she would spend all the money and I wouldn't be left with anything when it came time for me to take charge. Besides it's not like I have all that money in liquid. It's tied up in the record company and the bank. Plus my college fund and stocks and stuff."
Whose I charge of the bank and record company? Tobias asked.
"Close friends of my mom and dad, they can be trusted." She nodded.
"You don't know that. They could all ready be infested." Jake sighed. Rain just stared at the floor.
"How old is that will?" Cassie asked.
"A year. It can be altered, if I give the say so."
"Why would your parents give you so much power?" Rachel asked.
"Maybe they were Controllers and couldn't do those things themselves for whatever reason." She said sadly.
"I'm sorry all this has happened to you." Cassie consulted.
"It's not your fault. You didn't invite the Yeerks here, you didn't give them a sample of the human brain. If what you say is true my parents might still be alive. Small chance, but whatever. I'll do whatever you ask me to. I guess I'm in this too now right?"
Are you sure you're the ONLY one with the power to alter ANYTHING on that will? Tobias asked.
"As sure as you are a hawk." She answered.
"Rain you don't have to do this. It was by dumb luck that you got thrown in this. We can hide you, keep you somewhere safe-" Cassie began.
"No. You guys didn't ask for this to happen to you. It happened by dumb luck to you guys too. Why should I have a choice? I wanna go in, I wanna help. I don't wanna stand on the side lines while you guys are out there risking your butts for a kid you hardly know."
"Spunky! I like this chick." Rachel laughed. Jake didn't look pleased, but what could he say? One more Animorph could tip the scale, he just didn't know which way.
"Just one question, where am I gonna stay? I can't go back home."
She can stay with me. Ax volunteered. It was too quick, but honest just the same.
"I'm really diggin' that tail, if I'm with him I know I'll be safe. Is that cool with you Jake, you bein' the leader an' all I guess you get the final say right?"
"Ax and Tobias would have time to get you morphs and train you a little so yeah, for now you stay with them. You'd better go now, it's almost dark and we don't want Cassie's mom or dad to see you here."
The Animorphs started to leave, Tobias, Ax, and Rain had to go in a different direction.
"Um guys." She called. They all turned. "Thanks….seriously. I wouldn't want to be like one of those slug dudes…. walkin' around without a soul." She looked to the ground, her lip in her teeth and headed for the woods. She wasn't like David, she wouldn't betray them.
Ax watched her and watched her, he could be with her now, she would live in his scoop, he would let her acquire him as her first morph, maybe teach her how to alter the sex like he had with his human morph. He imagined them galloping together under the night sky, it would be far more wonderful than he imagined.
This chapter was more centered around Rain, I know. I wanted to develop her character. Thanks SOOOO MUCH for the reviews, keep 'em coming. Gimme suggestions too, I want this story to go in the direction YOU want it to.