Chap -15
(Sabrina's POV)
I felt like the planet was crumbling away beneath my feet. Matt may have been unconscious , but he looked very dead nonetheless. Lavender was putting out everything she could , even with all the pain she was in , but she was reaching her limit.
Madison being one of the best fighters was still putting down Hork-Bajir. But there's only so much energy in one's body , and Mendelites can only release so many energy blasts from their palm before they run out - or die. If she kept going on for much longer , she'd join Matt on the ground.
M.C. had horrible gashes in each arm and was edging away from his opponents calculatingly , as though trying to decide when and how to attack next.
Most of the Hork-Bajir that were still standing were the blue bands. Only a few in the gaggle left were only regular soldiers.
I guess Visser Three didn't want us to chew up any more of his elites like we did in the forest when it was burning. So , the less expendable Hork-Bajir were put out there to die instead. Meanwhile while we were handling them , the blue bands could do the real work. That's my theory anyway.
Actually , I would have been proud. We'd really put a dent in them. There had to be twenty seven all together. At least from what I had time to count. Now there were maybe eight? No. Seven. Which means we had taken down twenty and survived. That was an accomplishment. Back on our own world that would have made us heroes.
But the seven was enough to finish us in this state. Plus , Matt was no longer game. If another one of us fell...
It had to be horrible for Melissa. It was her first battle morph , her first real battle. And it looked bleak. I had lost sight of her the endless sea of fighting bodies.
As for myself , I had a slash across my face and had just battled two of them off of me , thus making our opponents only seven in number. They left me souvenir across chest to remember them by. That's when the worst happened.
I heard M.C. yell out to me , " Sabrina! A bug fighter has landed and Melissa's been stunned!"
" Melissa , hold on!" I yelled.
I jumped over the two Hork-Bajir I'd been knocking around and ran for Melissa. One slashed me across the knee before I made it over. " AHH!"
It made my landed weak and I stumbled as I tried to run forward. Enough for them to catch up-and for two more to join. I felt like I gad swallowed glass. This was not happening.
I couldn't see Melissa over their towering forms. I totally lost my cool then. Hadn't I battled enough of these things yet? I was aggravated - and furious.
" Damn it ,GET AWAY from me!" I screamed. The boost of emotion helped my attack. Instead of channeling my energy through my hands I just let it burst forth from my body and surround me as they leapt at me.
They fell away from me like flies that had gotten to close to a bug light.
They were at the door of the ship. I ran at full tilt , cursing my luck.
No.
No.
No!
They dragged her helpless Panda form ( mercilessly rough I might add ,) inside. The door shut. The ships engine glowed blue fire. They were off the ground.
I knew I'd used all my energy. I knew flying wasn't a good idea. I'm not always smart , but I am determined. They weren't taking one of us prisoner without a fight.
One of us? Melissa? I know I had told her she was now part of the team , but I realized it was only today , that I'd began to think it. And feel it.
I got into the air , but I could barely hold myself up. Then , TSSEEEEEEEEEEW!
I was shot. I spiraled through the air trying to ignore the pain.
My last , drowsy thought before it going black was this: But you know what? Its' not just Melissa...it's not like the Andalites and the Garatrons just looking alike...you humans...you mixed up little creatures who can't fly or use your energy to fight properly...it's more than resemblance...you ...you really are...almost... like us. You...ARE...us. The story the Ellimist told us...it must be true...there's too many ways...that we are alike...
PALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!
Someone was shaking me. " Sabs! Come on! Don't be dead , please , - wake up! Asura!"
Upon hearing my true name , my eyes slowly opened. I found myself staring up at M.C.'s frightened face. I was soaked. My hairs was dripping in my face. M.C. was wet too.
" What happened?" I asked groggily. I blushed when I realized my head was in his lap.
" You don't remember? You went after that ship and it shot you. It had gotten a distance away , so when you fell I wasn't sure what part of the gardens you had landed in." he sounded really shaken. " I shook those ... those beasts off of me and I went after you.
I painfully sat up. I took in my surroundings. Whale tank. We were in the tank where they did Whale shows and the Dolphins would entertain too from what I heard. I would have drowned.
" You're bleeding."
He smiled sadly. " We're both bleeding."
" You saved my life." I said.
He looked embarrassed. " You would do the same for me."
Then I realized - " The others!"
I stared at him " You didn't ..."
" Desert them." he finished grimly. " No. Lavender saw you fall and told me to go after you. Said she'd beat me up if I let her best friend die. Madison said she'd help her too , if I didn't agree."
I felt guilty. He'd just saved my life. Of course M.C. would never just leave anyone to die.
" I'm sorry." I said in a small voice.
To my surprise he took my hand. " Forget it. I'm glad that your alive , that's all I cared about. We can morph something , and demorph again."
I nodded. We needed to heal our bodies. I went into my snow leopard morph. He went into his - his – his…. He noticed my look.
He laughed. / It's a porquipine./
We demorphed back to ourselves.
" How many are left?"
" Four."
"Great."
" Hey , your last attack is what saved us. There was allot more , so I'm not complaining." he said.
When we arrived , it looked like a pretty hopeless sight.
Lavender was sitting on the ground , hunched over bleeding very badly. Matt had been dragged and thrown near her. He was coming around but he looked bleary eyed and confused. Madison had her arms around Lavender's shoulders , trying to offer what little comfort there was to offer..
Two of the four Hork-Bajir were blue bands , the others looked pretty normal.
They were in a circle around Lavender , Madison , and Matt yelling furiously at one another in Galard.
"
What's their problem?" I wondered.
"
The blue bands and the others don't seem to get along very well."
M.C. said calmly. " I noticed in the fight."
They appeared to be in an argument over what to do with the 'prisoners.'
When I got closer I could hear better.
" Strategic reasons! That's your EXCUSE! You let us get mowed down and waited until the last moment like cowards to jump in!"
A blue band sneered. " I'd watch what you say , Garnass , or I'll give your name and number to the Visser for insubordination."
" Don't forget that the whole point of elites like us fighting with you fools WAS so that we wouldn't get mowed down. It was degrading enough that the Visser placed us with second rate trash like you , but to have to die for you just because you couldn't handle a few rebels on your own in absurd." jeered the other blue band.
The other Hork-Bajir soldier exploded. " You arrogant (no English translation for a word that bad!) Second rate trash am I! Those soldiers were your people too , or did you forget that you were once one of us?"
That was it. Both Hork-Bajir locked claws and started yelling incoherently at each other.
M.C. and I stared.
" You think these idiots will finish themselves off for us?" M.C. asked cheerily.
" If we let them carry on , probably so." I said. " But lets not wait to see."
The other blue-band Hork-Bajir looked up and noticed us. " You -!"
M.C. nailed him across the face. " Yeah. Me."
He dropped.
" Nice hit , buddy." came Matt's weak voice.
The two Hork-Bajir stopped fighting long enough to gape at us.
" But you -" the rude blue band began.
" Left our friends to die?" I finished disgustedly. " Please. WE are not YOU."
I used my restored energy to take him down. " Feh." said Lavender from the ground. " I didn't like that guy."
She began to cough uncontrollably.
" Lav!" Madison cried."
" Morph Lavender , your dying! Quick! " I said. I turned to the remaining Hork-Bajir. They froze. " You guys really need to find someone better to work for than Visser Three. Tell me: what did you get out of this?"
A few crickets chirped in the distance.
" That's what I thought. You stay here and try to take me and M.C. out , and I assure you will die." I said calmly. " However , your people will be here within minutes I assume to clean up the evidence."
I gave some thought to what had transpired. I looked down at my friends , then I looked at my enemies. I looked at the dead bodies. I looked back at the two Hork-Bajir that had obviously been deemed such a nonentity , so worthless that Visser Three would command them to practically commit suicide. I felt sorry for them.
" We'd rather avoid more violence , so why don't you guys disappear." M.C. suggested , saying exactly what I thought.
One of them actually laughed. A low , despairing laugh. " The Visser will kill us anyway for failing."
Most of my friends had already morphed and remorphed and were getting back on their feet.
" You have my pity." I said calmly. " But we have had enough blood shed for tonight."
We left the two controllers to ponder their fate. I did not enjoy thinking of what Visser Three would do to them.
We were halfway down the lamp lit road when I said in an empty voice. " Madison , I need a favor."
" Anything."
" Get the animorphs and tell them to gather by our place in the woods." I said. " Lavender , contact the Chee and ask Erek to gather all of the information he can on what might be happening to Melissa. And Matt , I need you to wait at out hideout for them in case they get there before I do."
None of them moved. " Are you okay?" Lavender asked " Fine." I lied. " I"m fine."
" No , when you start giving orders in that monotonous voice , completely devoid of emotion you are not okay." said Lavender cooly. " So how about the real deal now?"
" Take a guess." I said nastily.
Lavender so taken aback that I apologized.
" It's not time to pick apart my brain though. They could be doing , ANYTHING to Melissa. Luck has not been on our side this passing month , and now time isn't either especially for our friend." I added. " Think. Think if that were you. And we were all just standing around , discussing me."
I noticed everyone looked uncomfortable and a little guilty.
" She's right." Madison said. To me , " But look , Melissa is important to us too. We just - we know you were close with her , so...we just worry about you , Sabs. You try to take on too much on your own."
With that closing comment , she turned and walked off towards Jake's home street , figuring she'd get him first.
My friends were worried about me. Wonderful. Like after tonight they needed something more to worry about.
Lavender morphed her favorite spy morph , the Raven and headed off to find the Chee. ( I should note that we never morph in the streets unless like during the night , we are absolutely sure no one is around.)
" May I ask why you are not coming to the hide out with me?" Matt asked in a carefully neutral tone. Probably because he sensed I was upset.
Actually I couldn't come up with a good cover up for that one. I wanted to be alone and clear my head before heading back.
" She wanted to tell me something." M.C. said.
I looked at him in surprise.
" My orders. You haven't given me my orders."
It was true. I hadn't.
Matt nodded and jumped into the air ,
rising into the clouds an out of sight.
"
You look disappointed." M.C. observed almost cheerily. "
Nope. You couldn't think of some errand to send me off to this time ,
so you could be alone and beat yourself up."
" That's not what this is about." I said defensively.
" Isn't it?" he tilted his head slightly giving me a knowing look. " It's what you always do."
I fell silent. I mean , really , what do you say to that? And he was the reason I was alive tonight. Was it fair to lie to him?
" It wasn't your fault." he said firmly. " And if you think you can follow the vapor trail of that ship or whatever , don't hold your breath because they're gone."
I turned away. I was on the edge of tears. That was exactly what I had been thinking of doing.
He laid a hand on my shoulder from behind. " What is it , Sabs? You can tell me."
I bowed my head and clenched my eyes shut harder.
" I feel like I've failed when I can't protect you guys." I half whispered. " I can't let everyone know that I'm a wreck right now. They depend on me. I can't show them that right now , not when they need me to be their leader."
" We're YOUR friends too you know." he pointed out.
" I know , but if I break down and cry , or scream or whatever it is I want to do -"
" - we will think you're absolutely normal." he finished firmly.
I felt a little reasured. M.C. is a good person , but that didn't mean I wanted to spill my emotions on him.
" I try to keep it inside." I said defiantly. " I like to deal with my feelings by myself!"
The last part ended in a sob. My tears were running freely.
" So do I." he said gently. " Unfortunately that's not always good for me."
" You too?" I turned and looked at him in surprise.
" Yes." he was smiling. A slight breeze lifted the red strands of hair form his for head. His green eyes looked at me not with pity , but with a secret understanding. " We all hold it back sometimes - keep it inside like you said."
He looked sad for a moment. " That's how I had to survive after Father died. But in the end , it just hurt me. It's okay sometimes to conceal things...but Sabs you hold in too much, and it's tearing you up. You don't have to shoulder it all by yourself. Let me help. Let the others help."
To say I was touched was an understatement. It really helps , when you're messed up , to know your friends care.
Too my surprise I through my arms around his neck and sobbed freely into his shoulder. He lay a hand lightly on my head.
" That's better." he said soothingly. " Let it all go. Better out , than in."
When I had stopped , I wiped my eyes and stood back. " Thank you." I said hoarsely.
M.C. looked into the sky. " We'll get her back."
" You bet your life , we will." I said fiercely.
I stared challengingly out into the ominous night sky.
Note : ( I will probably be heading back to work on Wed. , so I can't say when a new chapter will be up. And also please , don't assail me with questions about what Sabrina said about humans and the Elimist , that will reveal itself in due time. I will probably be working on Melissa's POV next. Untill next time.)
