Nari: Wow. You talk almost as much as I do. Say no more about the cats. I
am a great cat lover. I am currently in charge of taking care of 4 kittens
and finding them a home. ( My cat's first litter. 7 total.) You know , I
wondered about Dude too. But I'll answer your question about Fluffer
probably this chapter. Yes Melissa does eventually fall in love with
someone and they will be in this fic. You can wait and be surprised , or go
read my other fic 'Love the Warrior , Hate the War' to see who it is. If
you do , I ask you please to not mention him in your review , or it may
spoil a surprise for other readers. Actually it's weird: this story was
supposed to come before that one. But I was dying to write a romance , so..
DH: Who said anything about machines? I am glad I cleared things up a bit. Of course Mendelites have blood. And please explain a little more clearly , what you thought was OOC , so I can fix these things in the future.
Chapter 12
I awoke the next morning to the sound of footsteps on the wooden floor , and the smell of food cooking.
I sprang up , alarmed. Then I remembered where I was.
I laid back down slowly. I kept my eyes closed and decided not to get up right away. The Mendelite bed was comfortable. Obviously , these people took sleep seriously.
But I really hadn't slept all that much. I had too much to think about. Was I really staying here for good? I wouldn't wake up in my own room and discover that this was really a weird dream , and me and Sabrina would laugh about it at school.could I even go back to school? The almost fight with Rachel...that's what lingered in my mind the most.
I gripped the top of my sheets and sighed. She was pretty bitter when we parted. But I'm glad I said what I did. I had been keeping it inside me too long.
I took another look around my room. It wasn't bad. The shades were lavender. My bedspread was a tye dye like color. The carpet was white. The walls white. There was a little wardrobe in the corner. I suspected Matt and M.C. had recently moved it there after I arrived. There was also a little mirror on the wall.
After being lazy for another half hour , I got up and walked down the hall and into the kitchen. I noticed briefly that the hall was full of pictures. Pictures of them and the Animorphs , or just pictures of them at school or the mall , or hanging around their hideout. I noticed they were all positive pictures. Happy times.
Matt was at the stove cooking what looked like some kid of stir fry noodles. On a plate beside the stove there was already heaped omlets , and bacon , and hash browns.
Madison and Lavender were at the table watching. Lavender tossed her short black hair derisively. " Don't you think it's a little much?"
" Lavender , we get a new member to the team today , it's only polite that we make today special." Madison said.
" If she'll even eat this." Matt muttered. " I don't cook like Sabrina."
Lavender arched an eyebrow. " You're always such a pessimist."
" I think it smells great." I announced from the hall.
" Oh , you're awake." Lavender said.
" Where is Sabrina?" I asked.
" Asleep." Matt smirked. " Her and M.C. both stayed up all night on that human contraption."
I was puzzled. " What?"
" The playstation 2." Madison said.
" Ah." I said.
" We need them up soon." said Matt. " We're meeting at the abandoned shack in the woods."
" Who are we meeting?" I asked curiously.
" Jake and the others." said Madison. " We have something to offer you."
" I'll get them up." said Lavender with a wide grin. She grabbed a handful of ice out of the freezer , and went down the hall.
A moment later I heard M.C. yell. A second after that I heard Sabrina curse and shoe came flying down the hall.
I guess she isn't a morning person.
Lavender retreated down the hall yelling. " Come on , or we'll be late. I'll bring more if you don't."
I heard rummaging and muttering from the other rooms - probably them both trying to wake up and get dressed.
They both trudged in looking mutinous.
" It's your own fault you didn't sleep." Madison said.
They gave her a wounded look.
" Well ," said M.C. pulling on his shoes , " we may as well get going."
" Yeah." Sabrina agreed. " We can't glide or fly with Melissa."
" That's what you guys did last night?" I asked.
" Yes."
" Wow." I marveled.
We began to eat our food. I didn't need to change. I had slept in my clothes.
" What am I going to do about clothes and such?" I asked.
" If you're thinking you can go back to your house and snatch them so soon , think again." Matt warned. " You saw what almost happened the last time one of us visited your house."
" We do have to lay low for a while." Sabrina said. " In the mean time , you can borrow our stuff."
We exited via the drop shaft. Then we started off down the trail. We talked about normal , everyday things that people our age talked about. I was surprised they had adjusted to human things so quickly. They really had been here a while. I was curious about their families , but I felt shy to ask. They were so far way from them - maybe it wasn't the thing to bring up.
We arrived at the edge of the forest where the burnt patches of the previous night were still clearly visible. That killed out conversation.
We came to a small , rickety little shack. The wood was rotten. The remains of a campfire and some old beer cans were the only proof besides some cracked , overturned buckets was the only proof anyone had ever even been there. The walls had been made of logs at one time , hard to tell what the roof was made of. One part of the wall had caved in , and bushes were growing through them.
" ..and to top it all off , my Dad made me listen to the MOST horrible music in the world on my way there. I'm talking stuff like ' Wow , what is that , and how did it get in my radio?'"
Marco's voice could be heard from inside the shack. " Now , I'm telling you , if I had a car -"
They were all inside the shack. Jake standing , looking exasperated at Marco , Marco sitting on an overturned bucket. Cassie was sitting cross legged on the dirt floor looking half sympathetic , half amused , and Rachel was leaning on the wall with her arms crossed. Totally stoic expression.
Aximili was the first to recognize us. He seemed to prefer wondering outside the shack rather than be in. There was hardly room for him in there anyway. I didn't see Tobias , but assumed he was near by.
" Greetings." the young Andalite nodded deeply. (Thought speech)
M.C. politely did a sort of bow.
Jake came out almost immediately when he heard Aximili greet us.
" Good , you're here." he said , and to my surprise with a welcoming smile.
Maybe sleep had done him some good.
" If we'd had to listen to anymore of Marco complaining about his car-less existence -"
" Oh yeah , and like you weren't eyeballing that guy's Honda the other day." Marco scoffed obnoxiously.
Rachel was uncharacteristically silent. She had looked up when everyone else did , but she didn't really seem to be paying us any attention now.
Cassie gave me a nervous half smile. " Well I guess today is special for you. You will aquire your first morph."
" Should there be a ceremony?" Tobias asked. (thought speech)
He was in a tree of above me.
" No. No ceremonies please. That comment is strangely nostalgic , and I still have nightmares about what happened the last time we talked about a 'ceremony' for this kind of thing." Rachel said darkly , her face still turned.
I felt curious about the remark. I gave Jake a questioning look , but he was asking Cassie to hand him her back pack. I looked around at my Mendelite friends.
M.C. whispered in my ear. " There was one other human being they showed this to. He turned out to be a traitor. I suppose in a way this does bring back bad memories for them."
I nodded , wondering who would betray the animorphs - their own species for that matter!
They had pulled out a blue cube from the back pack. It had strange alien runes written on it.
Jake tried to hand it to Aximili , but the Andalite refused.
"I would have you do it , Prince Jake." he said generously. (thought speech)
I laughed. Everyone looked at me. I felt embarrassed ,despite the fact I was still snickering to myself. " PRINCE Jake?"
Jake sighed and looked exasperated. The other animorphs just looked amused.
Sabrina rolled her eyes. " Every Andalite has to have a leader to follow. For Aximili that would be Jake."
" And there's no talking him out of it , either." Marco snickered maliciously.
" I have told you before , haven't I Ax , not to call me 'Prince'?" Jake asked.
"Yes Prince Jake." (thought speech)
He sighed.
I wondered if Aximili was just being funny. All of the Mendelites laughed.
" So anyway." Jake said , changing the subject. " You need to place your hand on the cube."
I reached out and placed my hand to the side of the cube. I felt a shock run up my arm and through my body.
" That was weird." I said nervously. " Now what? I morph?"
"Technically yes , but not yet." said Aximili. "You have not aquired your first morph " (thought speech)
" Huh?"
" The best way would be to show you." Cassie said pulling open a cardboard box the I assumed had been abandoned in the corner. As soon as the opened it , a white cat sprang out. He spotted me and greeted me with a familiar meow.
" Oh cool , a kitty!" said Lavender , who is a great cat lover.
" Fluffer!" I cried happily scooping him up. He began to purr loudly. " You missed me , didn't you my boy? Yes , you missed me."
Okay , yes , I baby talk to my cat. I raised it. I've spoiled it rotten. Come on.
" Uh.you're gushing over a fur ball that tried to eat my fingers."
I ignored Marco and continued to rub Fluffer around his ears.
Lavender was eyeing him like she wouldn't mind doing some baby talk to him herself.
" A worthy choice, I think." Madison approved. " Cats are smart , and they aren't that bad for a first morph."
" Melissa keep your hand on the cat and try to imagine yourself at one. Aximili instructed. " If it goes limp , you have aquired him." (thought speak)
All right now what would I do if I was Fluffer? I tried ot picture him sitting under the bird feeder in the front yard , waiting for a very brave bird to try and come. Him sleeping in the fold up chair on the porch.
Fluffer's eyes drooped. He appeared to be falling asleep.
" I think she's got it." M.C. said.
"Better have someone take your kitty outside when you morph. Tobias said. said a blunt voice in my mind. "You have run away into hiding from the Yeerks. You have a name: Melissa You live with the Mendelites. Your parents are -" (thought speak)
" Ax!" Rachel snapped.
My parents! That brought everything back. I was myself again.
" I was not trying to be harsh Rachel but we needed to get her human conciousness to take over." (thought speak)
I was up to M.C. and sniffed him. "You smell like sweat." (thought speak)
"Gee thanx."
"Well this is sure weird." I said. (thought speak)
" You can thought speak privately to someone if you close your mind off to everyone else." Sabrina said. " Go on and try."
I tried Rachel. " Now you can't claim I was brave enough to handle this." (thought speak)
Don't ask me why I was pushing it. The cat brain had made me very arrogant.
" That's not what this was about!" Rachel snapped , but her eyes told me something else.
Everyone turned and looked at Rachel in surprise.
Judging by their faces I had done it.
" Can I change back?" (thought speak)
" Oh no!" said M.C..
"What?" (thought speak.)
" You don't have a morphing out fit!"
Sabrina thumped her hand against her face. " That's right , we forgot!"
" Gentlemen? Leave." Madison instructed.
Ten minutes later when I morphed back I understood why. My clothes had fallen off when I'd morphed. I sheepishly , but hastily put them back on.
Morphing was certainly an experience. It was an incredible weapon for sure. I could morph something really powerful like a lion , or a wolf. I could be anything.
Something about this new power frightened me.
" Remember. Only two hours." Matt said. " You don't want to get stuck like that."
Having this weapon meant more battles , more danger. But if this new power could save my parents , I wasn't arguing.
Still I felt weirdly changed. I wasn't just Melissa now. I had become something deadly.
Note from Author: WHAT IN A DARK PLANET HAPPENED??? All of Aximili's and Tobias's speech just didn't show up at all. ( Special thanx to Neri for pointing out the problem.) Hopefully , this replacement chapter fixed it. If not bare with me until I can figure out what happened. Actually I may not be able to do at all but "".*sigh*
DH: Who said anything about machines? I am glad I cleared things up a bit. Of course Mendelites have blood. And please explain a little more clearly , what you thought was OOC , so I can fix these things in the future.
Chapter 12
I awoke the next morning to the sound of footsteps on the wooden floor , and the smell of food cooking.
I sprang up , alarmed. Then I remembered where I was.
I laid back down slowly. I kept my eyes closed and decided not to get up right away. The Mendelite bed was comfortable. Obviously , these people took sleep seriously.
But I really hadn't slept all that much. I had too much to think about. Was I really staying here for good? I wouldn't wake up in my own room and discover that this was really a weird dream , and me and Sabrina would laugh about it at school.could I even go back to school? The almost fight with Rachel...that's what lingered in my mind the most.
I gripped the top of my sheets and sighed. She was pretty bitter when we parted. But I'm glad I said what I did. I had been keeping it inside me too long.
I took another look around my room. It wasn't bad. The shades were lavender. My bedspread was a tye dye like color. The carpet was white. The walls white. There was a little wardrobe in the corner. I suspected Matt and M.C. had recently moved it there after I arrived. There was also a little mirror on the wall.
After being lazy for another half hour , I got up and walked down the hall and into the kitchen. I noticed briefly that the hall was full of pictures. Pictures of them and the Animorphs , or just pictures of them at school or the mall , or hanging around their hideout. I noticed they were all positive pictures. Happy times.
Matt was at the stove cooking what looked like some kid of stir fry noodles. On a plate beside the stove there was already heaped omlets , and bacon , and hash browns.
Madison and Lavender were at the table watching. Lavender tossed her short black hair derisively. " Don't you think it's a little much?"
" Lavender , we get a new member to the team today , it's only polite that we make today special." Madison said.
" If she'll even eat this." Matt muttered. " I don't cook like Sabrina."
Lavender arched an eyebrow. " You're always such a pessimist."
" I think it smells great." I announced from the hall.
" Oh , you're awake." Lavender said.
" Where is Sabrina?" I asked.
" Asleep." Matt smirked. " Her and M.C. both stayed up all night on that human contraption."
I was puzzled. " What?"
" The playstation 2." Madison said.
" Ah." I said.
" We need them up soon." said Matt. " We're meeting at the abandoned shack in the woods."
" Who are we meeting?" I asked curiously.
" Jake and the others." said Madison. " We have something to offer you."
" I'll get them up." said Lavender with a wide grin. She grabbed a handful of ice out of the freezer , and went down the hall.
A moment later I heard M.C. yell. A second after that I heard Sabrina curse and shoe came flying down the hall.
I guess she isn't a morning person.
Lavender retreated down the hall yelling. " Come on , or we'll be late. I'll bring more if you don't."
I heard rummaging and muttering from the other rooms - probably them both trying to wake up and get dressed.
They both trudged in looking mutinous.
" It's your own fault you didn't sleep." Madison said.
They gave her a wounded look.
" Well ," said M.C. pulling on his shoes , " we may as well get going."
" Yeah." Sabrina agreed. " We can't glide or fly with Melissa."
" That's what you guys did last night?" I asked.
" Yes."
" Wow." I marveled.
We began to eat our food. I didn't need to change. I had slept in my clothes.
" What am I going to do about clothes and such?" I asked.
" If you're thinking you can go back to your house and snatch them so soon , think again." Matt warned. " You saw what almost happened the last time one of us visited your house."
" We do have to lay low for a while." Sabrina said. " In the mean time , you can borrow our stuff."
We exited via the drop shaft. Then we started off down the trail. We talked about normal , everyday things that people our age talked about. I was surprised they had adjusted to human things so quickly. They really had been here a while. I was curious about their families , but I felt shy to ask. They were so far way from them - maybe it wasn't the thing to bring up.
We arrived at the edge of the forest where the burnt patches of the previous night were still clearly visible. That killed out conversation.
We came to a small , rickety little shack. The wood was rotten. The remains of a campfire and some old beer cans were the only proof besides some cracked , overturned buckets was the only proof anyone had ever even been there. The walls had been made of logs at one time , hard to tell what the roof was made of. One part of the wall had caved in , and bushes were growing through them.
" ..and to top it all off , my Dad made me listen to the MOST horrible music in the world on my way there. I'm talking stuff like ' Wow , what is that , and how did it get in my radio?'"
Marco's voice could be heard from inside the shack. " Now , I'm telling you , if I had a car -"
They were all inside the shack. Jake standing , looking exasperated at Marco , Marco sitting on an overturned bucket. Cassie was sitting cross legged on the dirt floor looking half sympathetic , half amused , and Rachel was leaning on the wall with her arms crossed. Totally stoic expression.
Aximili was the first to recognize us. He seemed to prefer wondering outside the shack rather than be in. There was hardly room for him in there anyway. I didn't see Tobias , but assumed he was near by.
" Greetings." the young Andalite nodded deeply. (Thought speech)
M.C. politely did a sort of bow.
Jake came out almost immediately when he heard Aximili greet us.
" Good , you're here." he said , and to my surprise with a welcoming smile.
Maybe sleep had done him some good.
" If we'd had to listen to anymore of Marco complaining about his car-less existence -"
" Oh yeah , and like you weren't eyeballing that guy's Honda the other day." Marco scoffed obnoxiously.
Rachel was uncharacteristically silent. She had looked up when everyone else did , but she didn't really seem to be paying us any attention now.
Cassie gave me a nervous half smile. " Well I guess today is special for you. You will aquire your first morph."
" Should there be a ceremony?" Tobias asked. (thought speech)
He was in a tree of above me.
" No. No ceremonies please. That comment is strangely nostalgic , and I still have nightmares about what happened the last time we talked about a 'ceremony' for this kind of thing." Rachel said darkly , her face still turned.
I felt curious about the remark. I gave Jake a questioning look , but he was asking Cassie to hand him her back pack. I looked around at my Mendelite friends.
M.C. whispered in my ear. " There was one other human being they showed this to. He turned out to be a traitor. I suppose in a way this does bring back bad memories for them."
I nodded , wondering who would betray the animorphs - their own species for that matter!
They had pulled out a blue cube from the back pack. It had strange alien runes written on it.
Jake tried to hand it to Aximili , but the Andalite refused.
"I would have you do it , Prince Jake." he said generously. (thought speech)
I laughed. Everyone looked at me. I felt embarrassed ,despite the fact I was still snickering to myself. " PRINCE Jake?"
Jake sighed and looked exasperated. The other animorphs just looked amused.
Sabrina rolled her eyes. " Every Andalite has to have a leader to follow. For Aximili that would be Jake."
" And there's no talking him out of it , either." Marco snickered maliciously.
" I have told you before , haven't I Ax , not to call me 'Prince'?" Jake asked.
"Yes Prince Jake." (thought speech)
He sighed.
I wondered if Aximili was just being funny. All of the Mendelites laughed.
" So anyway." Jake said , changing the subject. " You need to place your hand on the cube."
I reached out and placed my hand to the side of the cube. I felt a shock run up my arm and through my body.
" That was weird." I said nervously. " Now what? I morph?"
"Technically yes , but not yet." said Aximili. "You have not aquired your first morph " (thought speech)
" Huh?"
" The best way would be to show you." Cassie said pulling open a cardboard box the I assumed had been abandoned in the corner. As soon as the opened it , a white cat sprang out. He spotted me and greeted me with a familiar meow.
" Oh cool , a kitty!" said Lavender , who is a great cat lover.
" Fluffer!" I cried happily scooping him up. He began to purr loudly. " You missed me , didn't you my boy? Yes , you missed me."
Okay , yes , I baby talk to my cat. I raised it. I've spoiled it rotten. Come on.
" Uh.you're gushing over a fur ball that tried to eat my fingers."
I ignored Marco and continued to rub Fluffer around his ears.
Lavender was eyeing him like she wouldn't mind doing some baby talk to him herself.
" A worthy choice, I think." Madison approved. " Cats are smart , and they aren't that bad for a first morph."
" Melissa keep your hand on the cat and try to imagine yourself at one. Aximili instructed. " If it goes limp , you have aquired him." (thought speak)
All right now what would I do if I was Fluffer? I tried ot picture him sitting under the bird feeder in the front yard , waiting for a very brave bird to try and come. Him sleeping in the fold up chair on the porch.
Fluffer's eyes drooped. He appeared to be falling asleep.
" I think she's got it." M.C. said.
"Better have someone take your kitty outside when you morph. Tobias said. said a blunt voice in my mind. "You have run away into hiding from the Yeerks. You have a name: Melissa You live with the Mendelites. Your parents are -" (thought speak)
" Ax!" Rachel snapped.
My parents! That brought everything back. I was myself again.
" I was not trying to be harsh Rachel but we needed to get her human conciousness to take over." (thought speak)
I was up to M.C. and sniffed him. "You smell like sweat." (thought speak)
"Gee thanx."
"Well this is sure weird." I said. (thought speak)
" You can thought speak privately to someone if you close your mind off to everyone else." Sabrina said. " Go on and try."
I tried Rachel. " Now you can't claim I was brave enough to handle this." (thought speak)
Don't ask me why I was pushing it. The cat brain had made me very arrogant.
" That's not what this was about!" Rachel snapped , but her eyes told me something else.
Everyone turned and looked at Rachel in surprise.
Judging by their faces I had done it.
" Can I change back?" (thought speak)
" Oh no!" said M.C..
"What?" (thought speak.)
" You don't have a morphing out fit!"
Sabrina thumped her hand against her face. " That's right , we forgot!"
" Gentlemen? Leave." Madison instructed.
Ten minutes later when I morphed back I understood why. My clothes had fallen off when I'd morphed. I sheepishly , but hastily put them back on.
Morphing was certainly an experience. It was an incredible weapon for sure. I could morph something really powerful like a lion , or a wolf. I could be anything.
Something about this new power frightened me.
" Remember. Only two hours." Matt said. " You don't want to get stuck like that."
Having this weapon meant more battles , more danger. But if this new power could save my parents , I wasn't arguing.
Still I felt weirdly changed. I wasn't just Melissa now. I had become something deadly.
Note from Author: WHAT IN A DARK PLANET HAPPENED??? All of Aximili's and Tobias's speech just didn't show up at all. ( Special thanx to Neri for pointing out the problem.) Hopefully , this replacement chapter fixed it. If not bare with me until I can figure out what happened. Actually I may not be able to do at all but "".*sigh*
