Thankyou everyone for your reviews! I had this smile plastered on my face after I got my first review. With the influx of all these I've been skipping around the campus like Dorothy going down the yellow-brick road. (maybe I shouldn't have shared that image).
answering your comments/questions:
shiningmeadow1 : thanks for reading! : ) I do agree with you about making Marco a little too mean. I tried to make him a little less testy this chapter. Tell me what you think.
Liarrane: You caught me on that. In my outline I go straight from the Phalanx to the One. But once I started writing it I realized that going straight to the One meant that I didn't get to the Animorphs until nearly 5 or 6 chapters in. But this is my last prequel chapter. After this I'm gettting back to the One. Thanks so much for reading!
DID: do you mind if I abbreviate that? I saw you do that once in your story so that's how I got the idea. I'm glad that you like the fict so far. I've never actually met a real maid or butler before, so I have no real idea how they act. So I was just basing Weatherbee off of that butler in that show The Nanny or Fresh Prince. Also I'm amazed that you lasted so long in your no internet bet. I don't think I'd have enough fortitude to last more than a day or so.
RaspberryGirl: Thanks so much for reading and REVIEWING!!!! : ) No Tobias isn't really too big in my story. I'm considering not writing from his perspective ever
goddess of darkness3: thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it! : )
Brutal2003: I'm glad that we're on the same page. Thanks for reading.
weetzybat: I don't think I'm going to write a Tobias chapter b/c it'd be really boring and b/c like you said, leaving him out of it will add a little mystery. As far as Jake owning a Jag, but living w/his parents, that was actually in the book. (the Jag was free). These couple of chapters aren't supposed to be too moving. I wanted to make these more like part of the series so that when the plot does get rolling it'll catch ppl's attention. As far as Marco...I think he's one of the harder to write (mainly b/c my sense of humor isn't quite the same as his, so I really have to stop and think about it). I hope that this chapter seems a bit more Jake than the last one. (I have a tendency to switch from the character's voice to my own sometimes, without realizing it). so do you think this chapter sounds more Jake? (that's really important to me, since Jake is going to be on of my main POV's). Thanks Thanks Thanks for the honest opinion! I really appreciate it!
Rachel9446: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I'm glad that you like this. Rachel will be coming back one of these chapters, but the story isn't totally about her. (She'll be a main part of it, but its not totally her). I hope that I don't disappoint you). And yes, school is evil. I've been wanting to update this for a long time, but evil school has been keeping me from it.
SimplySara: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm glad that you like it.
the check-out counter girl: Does your name imply anything? (just curious). I'm glad that you like this so far and that you think that Marco's humor is good. And yes, at your suggestion he IS driving since Jake's paying. I agree with you about the plot not developing too much the last chapter. I did that purposefully. I wanted to establish a couple of things about the characters and their relations/feelings and things on Earth.
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Disclaimer: I don't own the Animorphs or this story you be included in the series. I also don't own McDonald's, Cinabun, NASA, Krispy Kreme, Passions, Batman, Superman, Spiderman
In fact I don't own anything.
boo-ho
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Jake:
After a similar experience at the Cinabun, Marco drove Cassie, Ax, and I back to his mansion. We only had a few short hours to spend together before Ax was due at the Andalite Embassy to ship out.
We were now seated in the Marco's game room talking about random things.
Marco was telling us about the role he'd just landed in an upcoming TV show.
It almost felt like old times.
Almost.
"So my character's name is Nick Lang," Marco was explaining. "And he's a mutant superhero who can turn into animals."
"Mutant superhero who can turn into animals?" Cassie asked with a slight grin.
"Yeah, but a mild mannered reporter by day." I added with a smirk.
"Detective!" Marco retorted hotly. "Clark Kent is a reporter. Nick Lang is a detective."
"Like Batman?" I asked.
"No. " Marco shook his head. "Batman was a millionaire. Nick Lang is a detective."
"Batman was a detective." I argued.
"Not like Nick Lang," Marco shot back.
(I believe that Prince Jake is correct.) Ax interrupted in thought-speak. (I have seen Batman on television, and he is a detective.)
Marco shook his head in frustration. "I know Batman was a detective, Ax-man. What you and Twiddle-Dum here don't seem to understand is that Batman was a millionaire first, detective second, superhero third . That's why Spiderman would kill ol' Batman, because Spiderman was a superhero first."
(I disagree.) Ax interjected. (Spiderman could not kill Batman. Batman is the better superhero!)
Marco shook his head in disgust. " Ax-man you've only seen the television shows, you've never actually read the comics! Spiderman is way better than Batman!"
"Marco, Ax," I stopped them. "I think you're forgetting something vitally important: Superman could beat Spiderman and Batman, even if he were surrounded by kryptonite."
"No way! Spiderman would use his web-slingers!"
(Batman has the Bat-mobile!)
Cassie quickly interrupted our rising argument. "So tell me more about your TV show," she hastily prodded Marco.
"Well," Marco said after he'd calmed down. "Nick Lang turns into animals, and I even do my own stunts."
"You do your own stunts." Cassie smiled. "Imagine that."
Yeah, imagine that. A year and a half ago we were still fighting the Yeerks.
And now Marco was starring in a TV show.
And the Animorphs were splitting up.
Ax was leaving. Early this morning. And Cassie was catching a morning flight back to Yellowstone. Some problem with the Hork Bajir Preserve that she needed to look into.
So it'd just be Marco and I again. Marco and I just like it had been before the construction sight.
Marco and I.
And no more Animorphs.
Marco and I.
I sighed unhappily and reached into my jeans pocket. My fingers touched the Purple Heart. Grandpa G.'s Purple Heart. He'd fought in WW Ii and he'd lived out the rest of his life alright.
I nodded my head in resolution. If Grandpa G. could do it, so could I.
"No you can't go yet, Ax." Cassie was saying. "We haven't given you your presents yet."
(Presents?) Ax asked in confusion. (Why would you give me presents?)
Yeah, why are we giving Ax presents?
Cassie smiled gently. "When a good friends leaves and goes to live somewhere else, we humans give them a going away present." She explained. "Something that will remind the friend of the people he left behind."
Ax nodded. (I understand. So you all have presents for me? )He asked hopefully.
"Of course we do." Cassie answered brightly.
We do?
"Come on Ax-man, you didn't really think we'd let you leave without loading you down first." Marco laughed. "That's not the human way." He rummaged under the sofa and produced a large rectangular object in brightly colored wrapping.
I felt sick as I realized what it was. A going away present for Ax.
And I didn't have one.
"Here," Marco said giving the present to Ax. Marco flashed a winning smile. "You're going to like this, my Andalite friend. Open it."
With his weak Andalite fingers, Ax slowly unwrapped the present and then opened the box. Inside was a collection of title-less DVD's.
Ax looked at them slightly disinterested.
(Thank you Marco ) Ax said politely. (I appreciate your thoughtfulness.)
Marco shook his head in disgust. "Ax-man, it's the new season of Passions."
Ax's main eyes flew open in shock. (The new season of Passions?) He asked incredulously. (But that is my favorite TV soap! ) He stared at Marco in wonder, ( The new season does not come out for another three months! September 14! How have you obtained a copy ?)
Marco looked smug. "You're looking at a famous celebrity," he explained cockily. "I have my sources."
Ax smiled a happy Andalite eye-smile. (Thank you very much Marco.)
Cassie stepped forward, carrying a large gift-bag. "Open mine next Ax," she handed Ax the bag. "Then you can get to Jake's."
Get to Jake's?
I felt like total scum. What kind of a person forgets to get one of their best friends a going away present?
A jerk, that's who.
Ax took the gift bag from Cassie and looked inside. (There are packets) he said confused. He pulled one out and displayed it to us. It looked like a long over-sized ketchup packet.
"That's a freeze-dried Krispy Kreme." Cassie explained. She squinted at the markings printed on the package. "Chocolate, I think." She gestured to the gift bag. "There's freeze-dried Krispy Kreme, Cinabun, and McDonald's in there."
(Truly?)
Cassie smiled. "I figured you wouldn't get much human food in space."
(But where did you get this from?)
"From some government friends that oversee the astronaut program."
Cassie shot Marco a look. "I have my sources." She replied smugly.
"Ouch," Marco winced painfully. "And Cassie strikes again."
Ax carefully placed the Krispy Kreme packet back into the gift bag. When he finished he looked at me expectantly.
They all looked at me expectantly.
What to do?
I had nothing , absolutely nothing.
I kept my face in a perfect mask. Something I'd had lots of practice with during the war. The leader could not show his feelings. I would not show my feelings.
"Hey Jake, its your turn." Marco reminded me.
I nodded and unthinkingly dug my hands deeply into my pockets.
My right hand contacted something smooth.
Grandpa G.'s Purple Heart.
I slowly pulled the medal out of my pocket and presented it to Ax.
"Ax," I said very seriously. "This was my Grandpa's when he fought in a war. It was mine when I fought the Yeerks." I placed the medal into Ax's outstretched fingers. "And now I want you to have it." I closed his fingers around it.
A deep-found respect flashed into Ax's main eyes and he bowed slightly. (Thank you Prince Jake.) He replied huskily. (I shall keep this on me at all times. I will take care of this.)
I nodded. I knew he would.
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wow, did anyone else catch the symbolism in that?
I know that lots of ppl said that the last chapter (and I know this one) is slow. But I did that one purpose. The Animorphs don't know about the One yet, so I couldn't have them doing much. I really just wanted to establish all the relationships before I got to the real story stuff.
so the next chapter the story gets going... enter the One stage left. : )
thank you everyone who reads this. Please review, so I know what you think.
Was Jake okay in this chapter?(I'm having trouble writing him when he interacts w/everyone b/c I'm not sure how despondent to make him) Is Marco's humor better?
One last thing...this story is going to be long. I outlined it earlier in the summer and its going to be long.
please review!
thankS!
DH
PS: Please tell me if you've read #54 or not, so I know how much of important stuff to mention. (If everyone's read it, then I can skip some stuff).