SSJ Claire: So sorry it has taken so long. I owe that mainly to school ,
writers block , preparation for my prom , and a
wonderful , wonderful game called Kingdom Hearts.
To Neri : Thanx for the encouragement. Sorry for the wait.
" This is my fault." I said instantly , as the Yeerk Visser's parting words echoed in my head.
Run away! It doesn't matter! I'll find your forest and burn it to the ground! Do you hear me? I'll BURN it!
" They wouldn't be after you if they weren't after me." I said bitterly.
" Oh sure , Melissa." Sabrina said. " It's only that you're here. He'd never try something like this otherwise." She rolled her eyes. " Please get real."
" He said - " I protested.
" Hang whatever he said!" Matt said firmly. " It wouldn't be anything we never heard before. He always threatens us , and this isn't the first time he's acted."
" Matt is right you know." M.C. said. " So don't blame yourself. The thing we need to focus on is getting them out of here."
" He's always been a rogue." said Madison with a slight sneer. I was beginning to notice a distinctive impression of great dislike whenever the subject of Visser Three came up.
" I'm glad we all agree that Visser Three is a jerk," Lavender put in quickly, " but the forest? Shall we?"
Matt seemed to suddenly become more animated. " Yes , we need to move. And we don't even have a plan or a battle strategy."
Sabrina pulled open the door. " And we have no time. Sorry Matt , I know you hate it , but this is one of those times we'll just have to act on our best judgment and act quickly."
You never said a truer word.
I jumped.
" Tobias!" Lavender cried. " That was fast! What's going on?"
My heart had nearly gone into my throat. I had thought that was Visser Three at the door. The whole telepathy thing would take some getting used to. It hasn't gotten out of control yet , but it's bad. Jake and the gang are holding them back , but for how long ... he sounded strained.
" Are they okay?" Sabrina demanded.
Her and Lavender were facing the outside , so I had to assume 'Tobias' was perched on a branch or something in hawk form.
Not yet. he said darkly. But like I said , it's bad. The creep must have a hundred of his Blue Bands in this place. I didn't know there were so many of them! The others have only met a portion of them , I'll wager. This isn't nearly through. And worse , he has Taxxons tracking Melissa.
" Wonderful." Matt muttered.
" Nothing we never handled before." Sabrina said confidently. Or at least she sounded confident. " Lead the way Tobias. And guys , don't bother with morphs. We need to take them down quickly and the best way to do that is the way we are."
Lavender looked disgruntled. " Say goodbye to the element of surprise."
Matt nodded grimly.
He was a strategist , Lavender a spy. I guess it made sense that this disappointed them. But Madison looked ready. Calmly awaiting orders. I had the impression that she was a formidable fighter. I wondered if she was as good as Sabrina. M.C. too just waited for Sabrina's word.
" Okay ," Sabrina started forward. " Let's g -"
" What about me?" I interrupted. " What do I do in the meantime while you guys go off and risk your lives?"
" You stay put." was Sabrina's blunt reply. But I half expected that.
" I want to do something." I protested stubbornly. " I don't want to think I caused this , then didn't do anything about it."
" You're STILL talking like that?" M.C. said in disbelief. " You provoked Visser Three. Wow! Real hard to do. We can handle him though , so cut the guilt crap."
" To protect yourself when necessary is not dishonorable." Madison insisted. " And you can't even morph. You're vulnerable. We'd be handing you right to them."
" But - " I began.
" Look , Melissa, do you realize what field I chose to train in as my specialty in the academy was?" Madison demanded. "Combat. But we were also educated on enemy combat so we'd know how to counter it. Yes , I studied how the Yeerks fight. They can be fooled , but they aren't stupid. They have been in war long enough to have attained a competent ability to plot battle tactics , and knowing this particular Visser , the more brutal the better. You have not seen what they have done to Andalite bodies ;children included.. You have not seen how they've butchered Mendelites who refused to just lie down and surrender while they raided our out posts. But try to paint a picture of what they'd do to you if they caught you - and believing you've been helping us all along! You'll be tortured , and if you're lucky die. If you're not so lucky ...look at your parents...you want that to be you?"
I'd be lying if I said her speech didn't have any effect. I knew I wasn't a coward , but I wasn't a fool. What she said scared me. Allot. I wouldn't put what she said and more past the Yeerks. But I couldn't stand being useless.
Guys? Tobias prompted. Time -?
His voice carried an unmistakable note of nervousness.
" Sorry , Melissa." Sabrina said firmly. " But Madison is right. I won't take chances. Come on guys."
" You've forgotten , Sabrina." Matt pointed out. " The Taxxons."
" Blast it! He's right." said Lavender , looking irritable.
Madison sprinted down the hall. She returned with a sword - yes a sword. Silver. Black handle. Green tassel. It was medium length.
She presented it to me , holding it out on both palms. " My pride. But I lone it to you for protection. I expect it back."
It made me nervous as I took it. How tough were Taxxons?
" Don't worry." said Lavender , reading my look of dismay. " They can be killed with a kitchen knife. But let's be on the safe side."
" That's you're sword. Are you sure - "
"It's fine , Sabrina." Madison said. To me , " We need to leave. But we'll see you in a short while."
Watching them disappear made me feel empty and alone. I was alone in the living room with a sword in my hand. Totally weird picture. Now: I could write pages of how long I waited and worried , but why bore you? Let's get to where I acted.
I was watching the distant glow the fire through the large window in the back of the kitchen. Sometimes it would seem to be receding back , but then it would seem to burn more furiously. It was driving me frantic. I had no idea what was happening. And the smell of smoke could be smelled even from my distance.
I sprang up , sword in hand , for the drop shaft. It was foolish , I know. But I couldn't stay put and I had a weapon.
I ran down the leafy , moonlit , forest path of , toward the blaze. There was lots of smoke when I got closer. I guess that was good - that meant it was dying wasn't it? I heard low moans of agony , and yells of rage that I'm sure were not human. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. Surely , I had not walked right into the battle? I began to cough. The air had invisible fingers around my neck , choking me.
I turned to flee the other way I had come. But it was impossible to tell where exactly I'd come from. I tried not to panic , but I found my self running blindly. Anywhere I could breath. Where the smoke thinned had to be the way out. But as I ran , I would keep imaging seeing Sabrina or the others through the smoke. Hurt. Even dead. And as I ran I stumbled over something.
I looked down and screamed. A bladed body , with a spiked tail , and feet like bird. The face - I tried not to look. Blood ran out of it's closed eyes sockets. A strange blood I'd never seen. Under the body the blood continued to stain the ground. The stench of the body fluid was strong , making my head swim.
I began to back away , refusing to accept ; that's when I heard them. Hissing , seething , noises. Like the woods were filled with snakes. I saw tall figures through the smoke. Tall , centipede like beings with horrible , sucking mouths.
A large mass of them immediately launched themselves at the alien corpse , and began devouring it. Several others were coming cautiously towards me.
I felt my stomach begin to churn. Ignore the body. Ignore the fact the creatures were now taking out chunks , more blood splattering the ground. Survival was all that mattered. No matter how sick I felt , I couldn't faint.
My shaking hands clutched the sword hilt. There was one thing in common between us. We were about to learn why a sword was so terrifying.
To Neri : Thanx for the encouragement. Sorry for the wait.
" This is my fault." I said instantly , as the Yeerk Visser's parting words echoed in my head.
Run away! It doesn't matter! I'll find your forest and burn it to the ground! Do you hear me? I'll BURN it!
" They wouldn't be after you if they weren't after me." I said bitterly.
" Oh sure , Melissa." Sabrina said. " It's only that you're here. He'd never try something like this otherwise." She rolled her eyes. " Please get real."
" He said - " I protested.
" Hang whatever he said!" Matt said firmly. " It wouldn't be anything we never heard before. He always threatens us , and this isn't the first time he's acted."
" Matt is right you know." M.C. said. " So don't blame yourself. The thing we need to focus on is getting them out of here."
" He's always been a rogue." said Madison with a slight sneer. I was beginning to notice a distinctive impression of great dislike whenever the subject of Visser Three came up.
" I'm glad we all agree that Visser Three is a jerk," Lavender put in quickly, " but the forest? Shall we?"
Matt seemed to suddenly become more animated. " Yes , we need to move. And we don't even have a plan or a battle strategy."
Sabrina pulled open the door. " And we have no time. Sorry Matt , I know you hate it , but this is one of those times we'll just have to act on our best judgment and act quickly."
You never said a truer word.
I jumped.
" Tobias!" Lavender cried. " That was fast! What's going on?"
My heart had nearly gone into my throat. I had thought that was Visser Three at the door. The whole telepathy thing would take some getting used to. It hasn't gotten out of control yet , but it's bad. Jake and the gang are holding them back , but for how long ... he sounded strained.
" Are they okay?" Sabrina demanded.
Her and Lavender were facing the outside , so I had to assume 'Tobias' was perched on a branch or something in hawk form.
Not yet. he said darkly. But like I said , it's bad. The creep must have a hundred of his Blue Bands in this place. I didn't know there were so many of them! The others have only met a portion of them , I'll wager. This isn't nearly through. And worse , he has Taxxons tracking Melissa.
" Wonderful." Matt muttered.
" Nothing we never handled before." Sabrina said confidently. Or at least she sounded confident. " Lead the way Tobias. And guys , don't bother with morphs. We need to take them down quickly and the best way to do that is the way we are."
Lavender looked disgruntled. " Say goodbye to the element of surprise."
Matt nodded grimly.
He was a strategist , Lavender a spy. I guess it made sense that this disappointed them. But Madison looked ready. Calmly awaiting orders. I had the impression that she was a formidable fighter. I wondered if she was as good as Sabrina. M.C. too just waited for Sabrina's word.
" Okay ," Sabrina started forward. " Let's g -"
" What about me?" I interrupted. " What do I do in the meantime while you guys go off and risk your lives?"
" You stay put." was Sabrina's blunt reply. But I half expected that.
" I want to do something." I protested stubbornly. " I don't want to think I caused this , then didn't do anything about it."
" You're STILL talking like that?" M.C. said in disbelief. " You provoked Visser Three. Wow! Real hard to do. We can handle him though , so cut the guilt crap."
" To protect yourself when necessary is not dishonorable." Madison insisted. " And you can't even morph. You're vulnerable. We'd be handing you right to them."
" But - " I began.
" Look , Melissa, do you realize what field I chose to train in as my specialty in the academy was?" Madison demanded. "Combat. But we were also educated on enemy combat so we'd know how to counter it. Yes , I studied how the Yeerks fight. They can be fooled , but they aren't stupid. They have been in war long enough to have attained a competent ability to plot battle tactics , and knowing this particular Visser , the more brutal the better. You have not seen what they have done to Andalite bodies ;children included.. You have not seen how they've butchered Mendelites who refused to just lie down and surrender while they raided our out posts. But try to paint a picture of what they'd do to you if they caught you - and believing you've been helping us all along! You'll be tortured , and if you're lucky die. If you're not so lucky ...look at your parents...you want that to be you?"
I'd be lying if I said her speech didn't have any effect. I knew I wasn't a coward , but I wasn't a fool. What she said scared me. Allot. I wouldn't put what she said and more past the Yeerks. But I couldn't stand being useless.
Guys? Tobias prompted. Time -?
His voice carried an unmistakable note of nervousness.
" Sorry , Melissa." Sabrina said firmly. " But Madison is right. I won't take chances. Come on guys."
" You've forgotten , Sabrina." Matt pointed out. " The Taxxons."
" Blast it! He's right." said Lavender , looking irritable.
Madison sprinted down the hall. She returned with a sword - yes a sword. Silver. Black handle. Green tassel. It was medium length.
She presented it to me , holding it out on both palms. " My pride. But I lone it to you for protection. I expect it back."
It made me nervous as I took it. How tough were Taxxons?
" Don't worry." said Lavender , reading my look of dismay. " They can be killed with a kitchen knife. But let's be on the safe side."
" That's you're sword. Are you sure - "
"It's fine , Sabrina." Madison said. To me , " We need to leave. But we'll see you in a short while."
Watching them disappear made me feel empty and alone. I was alone in the living room with a sword in my hand. Totally weird picture. Now: I could write pages of how long I waited and worried , but why bore you? Let's get to where I acted.
I was watching the distant glow the fire through the large window in the back of the kitchen. Sometimes it would seem to be receding back , but then it would seem to burn more furiously. It was driving me frantic. I had no idea what was happening. And the smell of smoke could be smelled even from my distance.
I sprang up , sword in hand , for the drop shaft. It was foolish , I know. But I couldn't stay put and I had a weapon.
I ran down the leafy , moonlit , forest path of , toward the blaze. There was lots of smoke when I got closer. I guess that was good - that meant it was dying wasn't it? I heard low moans of agony , and yells of rage that I'm sure were not human. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. Surely , I had not walked right into the battle? I began to cough. The air had invisible fingers around my neck , choking me.
I turned to flee the other way I had come. But it was impossible to tell where exactly I'd come from. I tried not to panic , but I found my self running blindly. Anywhere I could breath. Where the smoke thinned had to be the way out. But as I ran , I would keep imaging seeing Sabrina or the others through the smoke. Hurt. Even dead. And as I ran I stumbled over something.
I looked down and screamed. A bladed body , with a spiked tail , and feet like bird. The face - I tried not to look. Blood ran out of it's closed eyes sockets. A strange blood I'd never seen. Under the body the blood continued to stain the ground. The stench of the body fluid was strong , making my head swim.
I began to back away , refusing to accept ; that's when I heard them. Hissing , seething , noises. Like the woods were filled with snakes. I saw tall figures through the smoke. Tall , centipede like beings with horrible , sucking mouths.
A large mass of them immediately launched themselves at the alien corpse , and began devouring it. Several others were coming cautiously towards me.
I felt my stomach begin to churn. Ignore the body. Ignore the fact the creatures were now taking out chunks , more blood splattering the ground. Survival was all that mattered. No matter how sick I felt , I couldn't faint.
My shaking hands clutched the sword hilt. There was one thing in common between us. We were about to learn why a sword was so terrifying.
