A/N-Last, or second to last, chappy. Everyone enjoy!
Chessrook44-The Kelbrid are Sam and her mother. They ended up adopting Bri, and are still in the story as minor characters.
Korean Pearl-I've had that problem before. Thanks for the support!
Panthergirl-Thanks! Gives panthergirl a Twinkie for reviewing.
DH-A-cat refuses to respond because she is busy washing her hair clean of ashes.
That night was one of the best nights of my life. The racing, the food, and especially the dancing were great activities, even if I fell down a lot. The dancing- it was great. I don't think Andalites dance. Well, actually, there is morph-dancing, but it isn't the same thing.
I didn't get a lot of sleep that night. We drove home in silence, and I hugged Bri briefly before she drove off. I looked towards the house, but my parents were asleep already. Alanthi and I demorphed slowly as we walked back to the woods.
So.
So what?
So what are you going to do? Alanthi looked embarrassed after voicing this question, but she pressed forward. So tomorrow I go home. Will you be coming with me?
I was silent. Then I said, Alanthi, why would it matter to you if I stayed here or came with you?
She stepped back, startled. You're…you're my friend, Zantar. At least, I think we know each other well enough to be friends. I…I just figured you might have decided by now. I'd like it if you came, you know. I'd show you around, I mean if I had some time, and… She trailed off.
I nodded. Thanks for the offer, Alanthi. I didn't say anything more.
You still haven't decided? She sounded shocked. Zantar, we're leaving tomorrow morning! You can't still be indecisive!
I shook my head. It is a big decision, Alanthi. I know you're leaving tomorrow. I think…I think in my heart, I've already decided what to do. It just hasn't come out yet. I fell silent again.
She stood there looking at me, and I at her. I could tell her thoughts were reeling. My eyes traveled over her. She was…beautiful. Very pretty, smart, and thoughtful at times…
Then my thoughts traveled back to the other girl. The human girl. The girl who wouldn't leave me, who would care if I chose to leave, but would accept my decision as a friend. Because she loved me. And I had known her all my life.
My parents. They loved me. I wasn't even a part of their species and they loved me. They had taken me in, and raised me, and loved me even though I wasn't their real son, who had died. Mother, being overprotective, and father, afraid to show his feelings but loving me all the same.
I can debate this over and over in my head all I want, but in the end it won't matter. I can't make a decision based on statistics or morals or anything else that's solid. I can just follow my heart.
Zantar?
I'll see you in the morning, Alanthi, I said, and walked away. I morphed human again, and walked into my house. I guess I must have awoken my parents, because they came out of their bedroom to sit with me on the couch.
"So, honey, how was the barbeque?"
"It was great, mom. We danced, and held races…" And I told them all about the night. We just sat there, talking, not about big decisions, but about the past. Mom told me how she had found me in the spaceship again, and dad mentioned how mom tried to feed me applesauce on my first day on earth, and we all laughed. Then Mom looked at the clock.
"Time to go to bed, sweetheart. I'll see you in the morning." And we went our separate ways.
Once outside, I sat, looking at the stars. Just looking. First as a human, then an Andalite. And they didn't look that different, either way. Had I really come from that far away?
And as I sat there, just thinking and looking and being, my heart told me what to do. I finally knew where to go. And with that, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Morning. I blinked my four eyes and looked around, then entered the house in human morph. My mother welcomed me with a hug, and almost-formed tears in her eyes. She made pancakes for breakfast, which are, by the way, delicious. Bri, Sam, and their mother joined us halfway through breakfast, and ate as well. There didn't seem to be anything to say.
When breakfast was finished, we silently cleaned up and got ready to hike up to the Andalite spaceship. I demorphed, and turned to look at the house before I left. Then I turned around and looked forward, and we hiked.
The spaceship hadn't changed in the few days I had been away. Still the cold, blue-silver color, still the same beautifully rounded edges. The ramp came out of the ship then, and the only three Andalites I have ever known came down the ramp. Mendanosh, the captain of the small scout mission that had changed my life forever. Tremain, the prejudiced, arrogant one who I didn't admire. And Alanthi- the beautiful, absent-minded scientist who wanted me to come with her. She focused all four eyes on me but said nothing.
Well, said Mendanosh, The time has come. Today we must leave, Zantar. Where do you choose- Andalite-homeworld or Earth?
I gulped, and took a deep breath. Looked around at those few people that I really knew. Then, I stated loudly and clearly what my heart had told me I must do.
Captain Mendanosh, sir, I choose Earth.
A/N- Piece of trivia here. What is the significance of Alanthi's name? No one has figured it out yet! HINT- It's in her initials.