Jade
I felt sick inside. Although I knew Marco had tried to do the right thing, just the thought of him using my own form as a morph... and seeing it... I just felt sick.
Maybe it was the exhaustion, or the fact that I'd nearly blown my own plan, but I was suddenly feeling every emotion I possibly could at once. Fear, anger, hate... like I wanted to cry and laugh at the same time... like all I wanted to do was sit down and just let myself fall apart...
Part of me wanted Marco to be with me, but another part just made me feel like I hated him. I felt betrayed.
But in spite of all that I was feeling, I kept walking. Walking was helping clear my head, at least just a little. It was also keeping me from falling on the ground and just falling asleep where I landed.
I ran a hand back through my hair, giving it a quick tug, wanting to tear it all out, then deciding against it.
Sleep will help I told myself silently. Sleep will get rid of all your doubts and clear your head.
I don't want to sleep, not just yet. I need to sort this out, or I'll just keep having nightmares...
I debated with myself as I walked, feeling the cool grass beneath my feet, and the slight wind that had picked up during the last hour. It helped me realise I wasn't dead...
I wasn't dead! Hah! I'd beaten Crayak at his own game again!
That thought should have made me want to smile and laugh. Now all it did was make me want to bawl. I was just too emotional at that moment.
Then, before I could blink, I realised I wasn't walking in the woods anymore. Wait, was I even walking? No, I was floating. Floating in a dark void. Instinctively, I panicked.
Uh-oh, am I dead? Did Crayak...
"That's not fair! I'm not dead! David didn't kill me!" I yelled suddenly, tears now streaming down my cheeks. I'd had it.
All of a sudden, what looked like different coloured threads appeared. All going in different directions, all seeming to cross paths, some suddenly separating. Some seemed to emerge from no-where, whereas others seemed to disappear into the black void.
YOU HAVE DONE WELL JADE. BETTER THAN I THOUGHT YOU WOULD.
"What? Who are you? Crayak?! I'm not dead! He didn't kill me!"
"No, you are not" The voice said again, not sounding like it was going to split my ear drums this time. And the voice... the voice was different.
"Who are you?" I asked again, determined and more than just a little angry.
"I am the Ellimist" All of a sudden, there was an old man standing in front of me. But something told me this was no man. This was something much, much bigger and older. And then I remembered the name.
"You're the Ellimist!!" I cried out, nearly on the verge of passing out. This was just way too much to absorb in one day.
"Yes, I am the Ellimist. And the Crayak has tried to 'play dirty' as you would say. He was the one who conveniently relocated the Terinans from their doomed spacecraft above the planet to the tunnels you were in. He also stopped you from exiting the tunnel before David found you"
"He... that creep!"
He nodded at me, smiling almost.
"But you have triumphed over him again. You have saved the lives of you and your friends, as well as possibly the future of the human race"
"The... huh?"
"The future rests with your friends and the Animorphs" he pointed at the threads, and I suddenly understood.
"They're lifelines, aren't they? You..."
"Yes. And for this, I will show you a glimpse of what will be now that you have survived"
In seconds, it all changed. Now it looked like I was watching a T.V screen, or maybe in a theatre...
It was just images, flashes really. But one... one stayed on that screen for just a second too long. And in that second, the image itself was burned into my brain forever.
It was an image of a bunch of kids, about the same age as I was, standing around a large wooden table. Two I recognised immediately as aliens.
And there was another...a young woman, and for a second it thought it was me. But no, it couldn't be me. The face looked... looked...
Then it was all gone again, and the threads, and the Ellimist returned.
Then... then I knew who it was, and the thought made me sick. Too bad I didn't know if you could be sick in four dimensional space.
"That last image... it was... it was her, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it is. She is a human seer"
"A human... so that's why he wanted to kill me! He knew, either way..."
"Yes. It will be all right. What is, is what must be, now and in the future"
"But I... how could I have missed it!"
"It will be all right child. You know what must be done now" he said, and I looked up at him...
But he was gone, and now all I was looking at was a bunch of trees. I felt the cool grass beneath my feet, and the wind beginning to whip at my face.
I looked around, then turned and started fast-walking back to the others. I needed them... I needed Marco...
Funny how the future makes you terrified of the present.
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Well, David became a human boy again. He kept his word and became a nothlit, and we kept ours. Anny accepted David, since it was like giving a human an actual dinosaur or something. She loved it. Rtaia had also explained to Anny what we had told David. And even though her race was extremely curious, she still understood what we were asking of her. She'd make sure the other Runchak knew it as well.
We'd also explained why we had to destroy the sword, and she surprised us by smiling and nodding. She knew about its power, and she hoped we'd do just that. I was glad, otherwise we could have had another war going.
Rtaia herself had volunteered to stay on the Earth for a little while. She said it would be good for her research in human behaviour, but I knew better. Her and Ax had a thing going. I knew very soon that they were both going to get the idea to try 'kissing' as humans. And Amanda, being Amanda, laughed at that. After all, she'd kissed an alien before.
Amanda, Ithiell and Rtaia came back to America on and off during the next two weeks, and I caught Ax and Rtaia talking more and more. The Animorphs and the four of us hung out in Cassie's barn or the woods to just talk some more. Amanda and Cassie became instant friends. I couldn't say I wasn't a little jealous.
Ithiell and Jake talked too, although a lot of it was about the Yeerks. I'd caught them talking about Cassie and Amanda a couple of times too. Although I'd never really tell them about it. It was funny just listening to those two talk.
As for Marco and me? Well, we didn't exactly 'smooth things over'. But I did fly into his room one night and we both just... talked. I didn't tell him about what I'd seen, or what it meant, but I told him about what the Ellimist told me. He'd swore and cursed under his breath, but other than that, it was just a whole lot of apologising from him. I'd forgiven him, but he'd need to rebuild the trust that was lost.
We all decided to 'accidentally' meet up at the food court one day. I was with Amanda and Rachel (and yeah, those two had hit it off well too) coming out of the Gap. I swear, I felt ridiculous. A black skirt that came to just above my knees, and a purple sort of halter top. No that I didn't like the clothes, it's just skirts weren't really my thing. Neither were high heels.
"Oh stop worrying. You look great!" Rachel cried patting my bare shoulder.
"Meowr!" Amanda added, laughing happily.
"Yeah, sure" I muttered, shaking my head but smiling afterwards.
We 'bumped into' Cassie just outside, where she favoured me with a sympathetic look, then we headed off to the food court.
We 'ran into' Jake and Marco, who both sort of gave me a once over (ok, maybe Marco gave me more than a once over) before we all headed to the food court. Ax and Tobias were already there, and Ax looked like he was trying to eat a paper plate. Tobias yanked it away from his mouth, and I finally saw he was gobbling the rest of some sort of food down.
"Hey guys, didn't expect you to be here" Jake said casually as we all grabbed some seats, pushing two tables together so we could sit together. I sat between Amanda and Marco, who gave me a slight smile. I smiled back, before turning back to the others.
"So, when are you going back home?" Cassie asked Amanda as Tobias and Rachel went to get us some food.
"Not until I've done some serious shopping here! You guys have the maddest fashions here!" She cried excitedly, and she and I shared a look, and I smirked.
"In other words, never" I said, laughing a little.
"Well, she has to go home sometime" A voice said behind us and I turned to see Ithiell and Rtaia, both human, staring down at us.
"Yeah, but not for a while" she replied quickly, and Ithiell simply laughed. She got up and greeted him, and the two walked off together. Rtaia took her place, looking a little curiously at the plate that was half eaten on the table.
"Andalites can go a little crazy around food" Jake explained to her, sharing a look with Cassie, who was next to him.
"A little? A little?! Jake, my man, they go more than just a little crazy around food" Marco countered, slipping his arm carefully, and cautiously, around my bare shoulders. I let him, feeling better when he did. I guess human touch was what I needed lately. To remind me I was still alive to the world.
"Yeah, you're right" Jake admitted, smirking at his friend, then at me. I smiled right back. This day felt too good to be angry or upset with anyone. After all, my homework was done, and I'd gotten at least seven solid hours of sleep the night before. And no nightmares, either.
"Ah, I see. Is human food... addictive, then?" Rtaia asked Ax, who was blushing beetroot red.
"Food is definitely addictive to him. So is oil and cigarette butts" Marco said, jabbing a thumb at Ax. Now he was really turning a funny shade of red.
"Ah. Human food is also... interesting to me as well" I think she was trying to make Ax feel better. Didn't seem to help.
Rachel and Tobias came back with a few burgers and a giant cinnamon bun, putting it in front of Ax. To my surprise, Rtaia leaned over and picked a small piece from the bun, putting it carefully in her mouth and chewing it. Then her eyes widened in surprise.
"This is... this is... what kind of food is this?!" She cried, looking exited.
"Is she acting?" Marco asked in my ear, and I shrugged, my arm snaking its way around his waist. He hardly flinched.
"It's called a cinnamon bun. Want one too?" Tobias asked, smirking at her. Ax looked amazed as well.
"Please!"
"All right, but don't let Ax eat my burger, ok? I've been having a craving for that all week" he said to all of us, and Jake nodded.
"Bird-boy has cravings?"
"I guess so"
Ax looked amazed as Rtaia took another small piece from his, eating it and glaring hungrily down at the rest of it.
"Oh my god, it's a girl version of Ax" Jake marvelled, and we all laughed.
"Yeah, and she's supposed to know better too" I added, smiling at Rtaia, who turned and looked at me, seemingly a little embarrassed. She'd had human food before, but I guess none of it involved sugar on a bun before. It was still amazing to watch.
Tobias soon came back, and we all sat and watched in awe as the two competed to see which one of them could finish theirs first. Needless to say, Rtaia won. Ax ended up choking on his halfway through.
"Man, I hope I never see that again. That just makes me sick" Rachel said, sticking her tongue out and making a face.
"I don't think I want my burger anymore" Cassie agreed.
"I'll have it!" Ax and Rtaia cried in unison.
We sat and talked for a while longer, before we all began to split up again. Rtaia and Ax went off with Tobias, and Cassie and Rachel went to find Amanda (Rachel to give her a makeover, and Cassie to try and save her). Jake pulled me aside for a moment before I left too, talking in low tones so Marco wouldn't hear.
"Look, I just want to say... well... you saved our butts back there. Big time"
"I'm guessing this is your way of thanking me?"
"Uh, yeah. Thanks"
"Well, I don't think you should..."
"Look, I know it was nearly a mega disaster back there, but if it wasn't for your plan to begin with, we might have... well, we might have had to kill him"
"It was a stupid, desperate plan. I was tired, electrocuted, and panicked"
"I guess that's what works in war. Crazy spur of the moment plans"
I looked up at him curiously. He just smiled sheepishly and shrugged.
"Well, the Crayaks's probably not finished with me... with either of us... yet, so..." I trailed off and shrugged back.
"Yeah, but for now, we won" We stood awkwardly for a few minutes, before I sighed and grabbed his arm gently, pulling him further away from Marco.
"Look, the Ellimist said..."
"I know what he told you. Amanda told Cassie, and Cassie told me" he added quickly, and I sighed again.
"Well, I didn't... I didn't tell her everything" I looked up, meeting his gaze, and told him about what I'd seen. The images... and the woman I'd seen. I explained what I thought of it, watching as his faced turned from curiosity to shock.
"You're... sure that's what you saw"
"Uh-huh. There's no other explanation for it" He turned away, thought for a moment, then turned back to me and nodded.
"I won't tell anyone. But... I think... I mean, I guess that's good news, right?"
"I don't know. But it means there's still hope for the human race. And..."
"Yeah"
We fell silent, before Marco yelled out,
"Hey! You wouldn't be trying to steal my girl there, would you?!"
Jake and I looked at each other, and we both laughed.
"We'll watch each others backs, ok?"
"Sure" I said, then thought of something.
"Hey, I just had an idea"
"And that is...?"
"Let's go to the arcade"
"No. Really?"
"Yeah, but you guys better be prepared to get your butts whipped" I told him, unable to keep a smile from my face.
"You're on. Hey, Marco! We've just been challenged to a game!"
"I accept!" was his response, and I couldn't help but laugh at them.
The war wouldn't be over for a while, but I knew... while I was still young... I was going to enjoy every minute of being a kid. Every normal minute. Crayak would have to wait.
The Ellimist had shown me I had a lot more to do before I died.
And one of them was to teach these boys a lesson in humility.