Helloooooo, oh-Readers-of-Animorphs! Name's Ruji, and this be mah firstest ever fanfiction... for anything. Oo See, I've been of the belief that if it isn't YOURS, you don't get any benefit, so I've written my own stories for years now. But Animorphs... shakes head The little sucker drew me in. I just felt compelled to compose my OWN little story on the frightening Earth KA Applegate created.

-quits making speech-

Ahem. Please read, and enjoy: Comments greatly appreciated!

I do not own Animorphs. If I did, Marco would be my love slave.

Joking, really.

Chapter One

Hey.

Name's Marco.

'Sup.

Whassat? You want my whole name, and my number, too? Of course you do. I can't beat you ladies off with a stick.

Unless my manliness and extreme adorability isn't your reasoning.

See, this is what weird junk does to you. At one point in my life, I would have been delighted to give you my full name, my number, my address, my e-mail, my shoe-size, and the color of my boxers. Because I'm a nice guy like that.

But that was at one point.

Since then, I've visited many, many points I wish I'd never been.

Okay, I can see it in your eyes. My attractiveness is being negated by my apparent lunacy. I wish I were crazy, that none of this was real, that I could wake up in my old bed to the sound of my mom's voice ordering me to school, her laughter as Dad kissed her on the cheek before he left for work…

Sorry. Bit of nostalgia there.

No more bush-beating, I'm getting to the point now.

Earth is under attack.

By aliens.

Yes, I said aliens.

At which point, out comes your handy-dandy tranquilizer to put the raving-but-sexy madman in front of you out of his misery.

You might think I'm nuts. Insane. Whacko. Off-my-rocker. Sadly, I am not. See, here's the deal. On a night that seems very long ago, I made a stupid decision that changed my life. And the lives of four other people. You better be grateful our lives got transformed, though, or you and I would be in some deep ca-ca, pardon my French.

Okay, you're saying. Let's imagine for two seconds you aren't insane. So the world is being invaded. By aliens. Where are these aliens, then? I haven't noticed any little green men running around zapping people.

Ooh-hoo, we'd be lucky if our only trouble were little green men. The real aliens are much worse than that. They're not into the whole take-over-the-world-by-force deal. Nope, they're simply slowly infiltrating every nook and cranny of the human population. These aliens aren't after our land, our resources.

They want you.

Wave your arm. They want that. Blink your eyes. They want that.

These aliens are called Yeerks. They're parasites. They have the unique ability to take over your brain and body. To make your soul, your mind, everything that is you, a prisoner in your own head. They look harmless, like slugs, but that slug can slither into your ear, flatten itself out and seep deep into your brain if you give them half a chance. They can read your memories like a book; they learn how to act just like you. You'd think that someone would notice you aren't you anymore, but the Yeerk is the master of instrumentation, and your brain is the instrument. And all you can do is watch as they move your fingers, as they draw your lips apart to smile, as they wrap your arms around your little sister in a pseudo-loving hug.

And they're here on Earth, slowly taking host after host after host. Known as "Controllers" when they're in a host. They could be anyone- your teacher, your best friend, your significant other, or even your mother.

Believe me. I know.

Now you're despairing. What hope is there against such a terrible, invisible threat that no one knows about?

This is where I come in.

Have no fear, Marco the Animorph is here.

Yep, Animorph. Animal-morpher. I came up with the name. My wit amazes me to no end. But what does it mean, you wonder? Thankfully I am also brilliant and can supply you with this information.

We, the Animorphs, can become any animal we touch. We have the DNA of fierce beasts, winged birds, and even aliens in our blood. We use this power, given to us so strangely, to protect you and everything you live for.

I am one of the few Animorphs on the planet. We are the anti-Yeerk force. We fight for you, your sister, your father, every human and living thing on this lovely little spot known as Earth.

Few, yes. There are countless millions of Yeerks coming to earth every day, and you wanna know how many of us as here to fight them?

Six. Six. Six measly kids. Though we're far from normal.

There's Jake. He's our leader. Not sure where that happened. He just is. That kinda person who always seems to know what to do. He's confident, calm, thoughtful. Tall, thickly built, brown hair and eyes. Strong silent type. My exact opposite. My best friend. He'd be lost without me, really.

Then there's Rachel, Jake's cousin. Xena, live and at large. Rachel is a gorgeous chick with long blonde hair and piercing eyes. To be frank, she's hot. If she even hears me thinking that, though, I might be abruptly a few limbs less. Rachel may appear to be the epitome of pretty-stupid blonde-dom, but beneath that lovely exterior is a demon of ruthlessness. Rachel is a fighter. A warrior, cheesy as that sounds. She charges head-long into everything we do, with gusto. And relish. She's obviously crazy. She also is one of the few women able to resist my charm. Go figure.

Then we've got Cassie. Cassie is about the sweetest, nicest, animal-lovingest, hippy-est person you'll ever know. If you can get past the doody-covered boots and the syringe that's likely to be in her hand, she's a pretty cool girl. She's our main source of animal-age, what with living on a farm and all. Cassie's black, with short hair that she claims is easier to take care of, with eyes like melted chocolate. I'm not so much one for her do-goodyness most of the time, but my main man Jake is. If you catch my meaning. They can be rather disgusting at times, really.

Okay, moving into the stranger two of our group.

Tobias, AKA Bird-Boy. Tobias is… Tobias is the closest thing we've come to a casualty. He's… well, he's… a hawk. A hawk with the ability to morph. Long freaking story.

Anyway, he used to be this kinda wussy kid with an inferiority complex and a head just the right size for the toilet bowl. Jake put a stop to that, and Tobias had happened to be there when… when the thing happened. Then he got all cocky on a mission and got stuck in hawk-morph. However, due to some semi-divine intervention, he was granted the ability to morph again, even to his old human body. But he lives as a red-tailed hawk now, eating rats and stuff, and is much less wussy. The sad part is, I think he's happier that way. As a hawk, I mean, not less wussy. Though I think he might be happier less wussy, too.

And what's a party without an alien? Ours is a blue four-eyed centaur with a butcher's knife grafted to his tail, not to mention with a brain the size of Texas and possibly a small portion of Mexico. Yep, that's Ax, our resident Andalite, little brother of Prince Elfangor. He's a good guy, despite his occasional arrogance. Lost little kid, like the rest of us. Though I'm thinking he's got some conflicting loyalty issues he needs to work out. Ax spends most of his time running around in the woods behind Cassie's house or morphing human and stuffing his face with any variety of strange inedible objects.

And last, but most certainly not least, is… me.

Marco who's-last-name-you-will-never-know.

Marco the wonderful, the magnificent, the spectacular.

Marco the suave, the handsome, the girl magnet.

Marco of the sexy brown eyes, of the thick dark hair, of the perfect tan, of the-

"How's the weather in Munchkin-Ville, Marco?"

I turned my head haughtily in Rachel's direction. "My height does not make me less of a person, Rachel," I said, making sure to sound hurt.

((Technically, yes it does.))

"No one was talking to you, mister eavesdropping-Bird-Boy."

Tobias swooped low overhead, blotting out the warm sun for a moment, before gaining altitude once more with a few flaps of his brown wings. ((Free country, Marco. My two cents are permitted.))

"I'd say they're a bit overpriced," I replied smoothly.

Aha, yes. I am the master.

"I'd say your wit is more than a bit underrated." Rachel piped, swinging her fist playfully, not to mention easily, over my head.

Ooh, ouch. Zing.

I feigned ignorance. "I will remind you both that we are on a mission here."

"Some mission," Rachel muttered, tilting her head up to glare malevolently at some innocently passing fluffy clouds. "No destruction at all, Yeerk or otherwise."

"Tobias could go naked," I suggested helpfully.

Rachel stopped to have a good long look at me.

((He's got a point, really. I am normally anyway.)) I could hear the teasing grin in Tobias's thought-speak voice. He dropped for a moment above us again, then flitted away.

"Heeey, Bird-man! I didn't know you could make a funny!" I raised my hand as though to high-five, then hastily dropped it. "You know what, never mind. I like having all my fingers."

Mighty Rachel flushed slightly. "You both are hilarious," She muttered, and kicked a rock on the sidewalk in front of us. Hard.

It flew away and pinged into a metal trashcan, leaving a neat round dent. I appraised it. Tobias did as well, from his fifty-foot vantage point.

((I'm never making you angry.))

"Did you ever consider football as a career, Xena? That'd be a heckuhva kick-off there."

"Do they make balls that look like your head?"

Yes, we were on a mission. Dangerous, grim, and deadly if executed incorrectly.

For we were headed, on that nice, lovely Saturday afternoon, to…

The mall.

I craned my head back to look at the wide expanse of glass and concrete that rose up over my head. I could practically feel Rachel's excitement coming off her in waves.

"Woah, girl. Remember why we're here." I considered patting her like an overzealous dog, but decided I liked my wrist and hand connected.

"Yeah, yeah… come on." She marched off to the alleyway between JC Penny's and Belk's. I saw a flash of red as Tobias dived down into the narrow alleyway as well.

"Better keep an eye on those two," I muttered, and followed quickly, managing to look gorgeous at the same time. I wasn't sure, but I thought I saw some brunette give me an approving once over. Aha. I am the master again.

When I entered the alleyway, Rachel had the small black backpack open, and Tobias was settling himself inside it. He looked irritated, more so than usual. He glared at me with his cranky hawk's eyes, feathers all puffed up.

((Who's brilliant idea was this again?)) He grouched, flaring out even more.

"You look a bit like a roosting chicken," I commented.

((I am not a chicken.)) Tobias sounded huffy, but in a dangerous way. ((I eat chickens for breakfast. Anyone who calls me a chicken is asking for it.))

I'd been the victim of one of his well-aimed dive-bombs before. I didn't care to have the experience again, so I merely smiled my handsome-manly-man smile. "As you like it, Sir Extra-Crispy."

Tobias gave me one last totally-uncalled-for violent glare before Rachel very carefully zipped up the backpack. "That alright, Tobias?" She asked in a soft, totally un-Rachel-like voice, shifting the backpack painstakingly slowly to her shoulders. I was beginning to feel like a third wheel here.

((S'fine, Rach. Let's go a-shoppin'!)) Tobias said mock-excitedly.

Rachel's eyes sparkled. "Indeed."

I groaned. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?..."

Allow me to explain the "mission".

Funny how I think of everything as a mission these days.

Anyway.

There was a school dance the next day, being held at the local country club. A formal dance. I wondered exactly where the school came up with the money for something like that. Anyway, in a moment of insanity, we decided we were going to have a bit of fun, since Erek assured us that the Yeerks weren't up to anything at the moment. Inviting Ax was a bit out of the question, considering the last time he was anywhere near a buffet he ate the entire thing, including a paper plate and six napkins before Jake and I got a hold of him. Jake himself had refused the opportunity to go to the dance, because he had "homework" and "hated dancing." Cassie claimed that it was her night to muck all the stalls, and besides didn't have a dress, so therefore would not be attending either. I nodded and smiled at their weak little explanations, but I knew that they wouldn't be spending the evening apart. Conniving little creatures think they're smarter than the Magnificent Marco.

Back to the point.

That left me and Rachel as the only people who thought fun was a good idea. I don't think either of us much relished the thought of an evening alone with each other, so I suggested Tobias morph a human and come along. Rachel snapped that idea up suspiciously fast, and Tobias was suspiciously agreeable. But here we face another problem. I have a dashing black suit that I am quite proud of, because it somehow manages to magnify my attractiveness to the irresistible level. Tobias, however, being a hawk, doesn't have a single outfit, much less a wardrobe to keep it in.

So here we were, at the mall, to find some suitable attire for Bird-Boy.

"Yes." Rachel said in reply, looking at me darkly.

"Feelin' the love, Rach," I leered. I paused for a moment, then held out my hands. "Hey, maybe I should carry him. I don't think you should be the one helping him try stuff on…" I winked obviously.

Rachel rolled her eyes, but I was right and she knew it. Grudgingly she removed Tobias from her back and handed him carefully to me.

I petted the bag. "I know you were looking forward to it, Tobias…"

((I will crap on your head.))

I raised my eyebrows. "Okaaaayyy, apparently we all need our space today…" I slung him carefully around my shoulders and turned to Rachel, giving her a smart salute. "At your command, ma'am! Lead on!"

"Shut up before I graft your face to this concrete." She growled, and disappeared into the light beyond the alleyway.

No sense of humor whatsoever, I tell you.

Whee, end of first chapter. I have a chunk of the second chapter written, too... that'llcome in it's own time.Lemme know what you think, I implore you!