Chapter 24
KaoruEverything was black. Totally black.
...Am I dead? Or just dreaming?
But I knew I wasn't dead. Nor was I dreaming. Because right in front of me, in the void of blackness, were the three Guardians of the Eyes of Karine and this old man.
Or at least, I think it was an old man.
"I do not understand why you wish to help us test this new master. You are the Ellimist while we are the Guardians of Karine. You had doubts over this girl," the fire dragon said."I did at first, Mercurdhe. I had feared her powers would alter space-time. But I understand she serves a greater purpose. If she herself, did not exist, many would have fallen with her," Ellimist explained.
"So, you wish to try again... You believed that there is a greater future for the Animorphs," the water dragon said.
"Not believed, Marigaya. But presumed. I assume that you find her the rightful master."
"It would have been easy for Crayak if she was in his command, but she chose to take the hard route instead of the easy route," Merurche exclaimed again. "Clever."
"Yes, I find her suitable," Marigaya uttered, nodding her head. "She is the one. Her existence may alter space-time but...it would be for the better or for the worse.
"So now is the question," the hurricane dragon said softly. "What future holds for her? Now that she has lost two possessions in this trial."
There was a pause. Then Ellimist spoke.
"It all depends on what her choice shall be, Eartegra. It all depends..."
He turned away and I could have sworn that he was looking at me. He gave me a smile. A reassuring smile.
All of a sudden, I felt this tingling sensation running in my arm. It spread rapidly up to my chest and traveled around my body. When it reached to my brain, I realized quickly it was an electric shock.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
You could have heard my scream twenty miles away.
"Erek, are you insane?! Do you want to kill her?!" I heard Marco shout.
[ I would not think that was necessary for her, ] Ax said.
"But it was the only way to wake her up," Erek explained.
I opened my eyes. Erek was kneeling next to me, holding my good arm and around me were the others, all shocked to see me smoking up with my hair standing.
"So how do you feel, Kaoru?" Erek asked.
"HOW DO I FEEL?!" I screamed, grabbing his collar and shook him continually. "I have been tormented by a giant eyeball, nearly assassinated by an insane replica of myself, almost fried to a crisp by you and you ask me how I FEEL?!"
"Guess she's alive," Rachel mumbled to Jake with a grin.
It was then I saw my left arm was bandaged up. I couldn't see through my right eye so I guessed it was also bandaged up. The armor I had worn in combat was gone. Only my original clothing. Maybe, I can't heal myself after the armor is gone. Only when it comes to me. The battle lance was gone too. So were Crayak and the creature called Drode.
"Where's Takehiro?" I suddenly asked.
Everyone didn't answer but it was Jake who pointed at something that was on the floor not far from us, covered with a thin blanket. A hand protected by a gauntlet was shown underneath.
It hit me like a ton of bricks. Everything had happened. Even though I wished it was just a nightmare.
That was my brother lying there dead.
I turned away. I didn't want to see him like that. Nobody spoke, probably too dreadful to say anything cheery. Well, how can you when someone you really cared about just died?
"Kaoru?" It was Erek who spoke. He had that puzzled face. "I know this may be the wrong time to inquire but...how is it that you and your brother have the Jauria Knight Armors?"
"...To tell you the truth, I don't know how," I admitted.
"Ax, do you know anything about the Jauria Knight Armors?" Jake asked.
[ No. This is the first time I have heard of this, ] Ax confessed.
"Erek?"
"Have you all heard of the Jaurias?" he asked.
"That they are a peaceful race in another part of the universe who, I might add, is having a civil war on their home planet? Of course we know. We heard the story," Marco said with sarcasm.
"And a race that doesn't know of the invasion of Yeerks," Erek pointed out. "Because of the civil war, they have closed all connections to other races, including the Andalites. With that, they have no clue that an invasion is happening."
[ That explains why the Jaurias have not contacted to the Andalites for so long ] Ax said.
[ Which is how long? ] Tobias asked.
"A hundred years in earth term," Erek said.
Most of our jaws dropped.
"Exactly how long can a Jauria live?" I asked.
"Usually five centuries," Erek replied. "Sometimes, seven."
Okay, that's long. Very long.
"Jaurias are known to be a race that understands every element and I do mean every element. From creativity to nature, perspective to life. Thus, their technology is more advanced that the technology of the Andalites. The people are ruled over by the royal bloodline of their home planet."
"Get to the point, already," Jake said. "What does this have to do with this armor that just appeared?"
"It has to do with that and the powers of Karine," Erek explained. "The Jauria Knight Armor is a protection that only the royal family can use in both offence and defense. It is said that the armor was given by the Guardians of Karine."
"What are the Guardians of Karine?" I asked. That was one important question I needed answering.
"The Guardians of Karine are beings that gives the powers of Karine to whoever is their chosen master. There are about as many Guardians as you can count the stars, each with a different power. It was believed among the Jaurias that each of them were born in a mass of a world and were named by the mass they were born in. For example, Takehiro's Guardians. Saturain was born in the planet you call Saturn."
"Really?" I said.
Erek gave a nod and went on. "Juretoji from Jupiter and Plutium from Pluto. I think you also know what the other three Guardians are named."
"Yeah. They called themselves Marigaya, Mercurdhe and Eartegra."
"So which planets did these come from?" Rachel questioned.
"Marigaya was born in Mars while Earthegra was from Earth. Mercurdhe-"
"Wait. Don't tell us. It's Mercury, right?" Marco said.
"Didn't think you'd listen in class," Rachel remarked.
This was all a little too much to absorb. To think Takehiro and I had this power...
"Wait a minute." I just realized something. "You said only the royal family can use the powers of Karine and the Jauria Knight Armors. So how is it we have this powers?"
"There can be one possibility why you and Takehiro possess them," Erek said.
"You're not saying that Takehiro and Kaoru are...Jaurias?" Jake asked. "And royalties from the royal family?"
"Nice joke, Erek," Marco laughed. "First time ever. Zack and Zoe can't really be prince and princess of an alien race from a faraway planet!"
Erek gave one look that showed he wasn't joking at all.
"You're not kidding, are you?" Marco asked.
They all turned and gave a silent stare at me, which made me feel nervous.
"NOW HANG ON A SEC! My brother and I have been living on earth for our whole lives. There's no way we can be from a royal family." I shouted. "...Can we?"
"For all I know, you could be."
I couldn't believe this. Takehiro and I couldn't be. We're humans. Just two average teenage twins. Even Grandpa and Mom are normal people. Takehiro and I couldn't be Jaurias.
Could we?
That same evening we all rested in the hideout we were in. Most of us. Jake and Marco were on standby. But for me, I was awake. I couldn't sleep. I sat near where the body of my brother was. Every time I thought of him, I kept thinking of how he died.
[ Kaoru? ]
I looked without turning around. Ax was behind me with an indecipherable face. But his eyes. They were easy to read. He was worried.
[ Are you all right? ] he asked.
I nodded. I tried to fight myself so I wouldn't cry.
[ ...I understand how you feel. I have lost a brother as well. ]
This was something.
[ From what I heard from Prince Jake, he died protecting the Animorphs. My brother was a great warrior. And so was yours. ]
"...So you're saying I should honor Takehiro?" I mumbled. I looked back at him. I was sure I was crying. "How can I? He was my brother. My twin brother. He was so close to me. There is no honor in death!"
I turned away, trying to hide my tears.
[ I know it is hard, ] Ax explained. [ But if you continue to regret yourself, then your brother will regret himself too. ]
I never realized that. I looked down at Takehiro. Would he regret himself because he saved my life? It took me a moment to think. Finally, I came to ease.
"...Ax? Thanks."
[ ...You are welcome. ]
"It's just..." It kind of felt nice to talk to someone, to get the load off the shoulders. "Everything has happened too fast. Not only that, I find out that Takehiro and I have this power and for all I know, we could be stranded aliens from another planet. I just don't know what I am anymore."
Everything fell silent for a while.
"I wish this power could be good for something else. Something that can at least help-"
It does. But you must show it to the person who needs the confidence more than anyone in your team. For we have something to show you.
I heard her. Marigaya. She spoke to me.
[ Kaoru, are you alright? ] Ax asked.
I didn't answer. I was thinking about what she said. The person who needs the confidence more than anyone could be...
Somehow I understood.
Quickly, I got to my feet and ran out of the hideout where I found Jake and Marco. Ax followed behind with Rachel and Tobias. His stomping must have waked them up.
"Whoa! What's with the Calvary?" Marco intoned.
"What's wrong, Kaoru?" Jake asked.
"Jake, you're the person who needs more confidence than anyone of us!" I explained.
"Huh?"
"Marigaya! She told me that she has something to show you. This could be another vision."
"What do you mean Marigaya has something to show me? Why me?"
"I don't have ALL the answers, okay? All I know is...if I don't do it, I'd be running away from another vision," I told him.
I didn't want to ignore another vision again. I just didn't want to. But at the same time, I was afraid. What if this vision would turn out to be bad news?
No, I told myself. I'll do what I have to do.
I held out a hand and waited for Jake to take it.
"Jake-" Rachel called but was cut short by a raise of his hand.
He gave me one meaningful look. "Let's do it."
He grabbed my hand.
And a blast of light engulfed us up. It was the Eyes of Karine. Then in the midst of it all, I saw them.
Visions.
And all of them showed Cassie and Takehiro. Cassie's caring face. Takehiro's determined look. And their smiles, too. Jake saw them too.
I see...! I thought. You wanted us to see this!
We realized what they meant.
It all ended when the blast of light faded away.
I fell to my knees, my grasp breaking away from Jake's. I tried to catch my breath. My heart was racing fast. Jake stood there, shocked.
"Hey! Are you two alright?" Marco yelled.
"...Yeah," Jake managed to speak. "But is it true? I have to trust it..."
Everyone looked puzzled at him, wondering what he had saw. Only me and Jake knew.
"It's okay..." I told them.
They all looked at me. Surprised. Because I was smiling.
"It should be okay..." I said confidently.
Hours passed. It was soon daybreak when Jake came to us, announcing, "I have a plan."
We put it in motion the next morning.
Guide led us to an empty store at the end of a long, narrow street. Ax then left. Went out for a stroll on the crowded streets, hoping to lure the Howlers to us.
Tobias, floating high above the narrow streets, reported the scene by thought-speak.
[ The Howlers are sticking together. Not as cocky as they were, though. They should spot him any second now. ]
I felt worried. For some reason, I felt uneasy. I was still being repentant about the vision. I tried my best to not imagine our plan going to fail but I couldn't help myself. Now that the plan was underway, now that the others were facing danger, I felt like a coward.
"Hey, Kaoru," Rachel called. "I want to say...I'm sorry about what I said earlier."
I looked at her meaningfully. "You shouldn't. I should be the one feeling sorry. Because I'm afraid...that this plan will..."
"No, it won't. Jake's plans have never failed once...yet."
"But I was the one who showed him the vision. And it'd be my-"
"Would you stop whimpering?" she suddenly snapped. "It doesn't matter if it's your fault or not. Now come on and morph."
No wonder Marco calls her Xena. She has a very strong will, stronger than all of us combined.
I smiled to show her that I wasn't whimpering anymore. "Okay."
I concentrated on my morph: the snow leopard. There was that strange sensation again, of bones crunching, things growing that shouldn't be growing. My fingernails sharpened into claws. My skin turned to a grayish color. Covering over were black spots.
[ What are they, blind? ] Tobias wondered. [ Ax is getting awfully close. The crowd is blocking their view of him. Too many Iskoort in the way. Oh, man! He's too...they see him! Ax-Man, run! Run! ]
I felt my teeth and jaws lengthening. Whiskers sprouted from my cheeks. I touched my ears and felt fur. The hearing of a snow leopard was extraordinary. I suddenly dropped down on all four paws. I looked back to see my tail growing longer. The snow leopard's vision blinked in. I could see Rachel's face turning into the fierce face of a grizzly.
"It's time," Jake said. "I have to do this. Rachel, Kaoru, you know what to do. If I get out of control, can't control the morph. If I start that howl...you'll have to do it."
Rachel stood directly behind Jake. Her two massive front paws lay tightly on his shoulders.
If Jake lost control of the morph, we would...would do what we had to do. Quickly. Before Jake could hurt any of us.
As backup, Marco was in gorilla morph. Just in case things got out of control. I didn't know what I could as a snow leopard but Jake did suggest I should pounce on him.
[ They're on him! ] Tobias yelled. [ All six of them. Like hounds after a rabbit. Man! That boy can run! Ax-man! Opening to your right! ]
I hoped Ax was alright. I hoped this plan would work.
Jake was morphing. His skin began to erupt in blisters that formed all over his body, then burst and oozed out black glue. His stomach pinched like he was being cut in half. Like some other segmented insect. Then elastic blood red veins shot out, connecting the two halves of Jake, upper and lower.
I swallowed. It was kind of creepy seeing Jake morphing into a Howler. Even worse than me morphing into a merlin.
The next thing that happened I saw the bone of his spine. I shut my eyes out. I had enough of site seeing. Minutes passed until-
[ You can let me go, ] Jake told Rachel.
I reopened my eyes to see Jake in his complete morph.
[ Are you sure? ]
[ Yeah, ] Jake said. [ This thing isn't out of control. The killing is a game to the Howlers. They're having fun. They're enjoying it. ]
The moment he said that, I felt a little hurt.
[ ...Sounds a lot like me, ] I said painfully.
[ Here they come! ] Tobias yelled. [ Thirty seconds. Crowd is thinning out, Ax-man! They're gonna have a shot! ]
The sound of flechette guns, in the street outside our door, only a dozen feet from us.
[ Aaahhhh! ] Ax cried in pain.
[ He's hit! ] Tobias yelled.
[ Places, ] Jake ordered. [ Get ready! ]
We moved into place swiftly. Erek, too. Guide stayed close.
WHAM!
The door blew back on its hinges. Ax stumbled, bleeding, into the room.
The first Howler was two seconds behind him. He bounded into the room. Rachel and Marco hit him, simply barreling into him.
The second Howler wasn't far. This wasn't right! They weren't supposed to come so soon.
I leapt with retractable claws extending. I pushed the Howler away from the door. The Howler seized his flechette gun and aimed. But I took a pounce. And as if it was part of the snow leopard instinct, I gave a kick at the Howler's chest, claws piercing into its molten glue.
I jumped back, somersaulting in the air before landing on the ground in an attack position. It was weird. I just used karate moves on a Howler...in my morph!
I guess my instincts and the snow leopard's are as one.
Another Howler was aiming his flechette gun at me. But he missed. I had leaped into the air and pounced onto his head. The second Howler got up and took a knife. He came slashing but I leapt off and watched the knife cut at the Howler's face.
I landed far off a meter and prepared for the next attack but saw Erek waving me a signal while he held Guide up with one hand. Like he was nothing more than feathers. I drew back. The other Howlers were distracted, looking at their brothers being upset.
I stopped. The ears of the snow leopard picked up something. A sound of something coming. Like a jet.
I looked up to my right and there coming my way, levitating with her lance in her hand, was the samurai.
She was back.
Alive.
And smiling coldly.
"Miss me?"
The lance daggered at my side. She drove me away from the empty store into a giant pile of rubble far away. The pain was intense when I crashed into the pile. I struggled up on four and glared at the samurai as she levitated in midair.
"It's been a while," she hissed.
I growled irritably but choked out blood.
[ Kaoru! Are you alright? ] Tobias called.
[ I'm fine, ] I assured him. [ Don't worry about me! Worry about the plan! ]
She attacked. I dodged. She attacked again and I dodged again.
I focused. I couldn't fight as a snow leopard but I could fight her as a Jauria Knight. I morphed back to myself, dodging her attacks but there was a problem.
My hind paws were still changing. I was a mutated human being with her skin gray and her hands and feet as paws. I couldn't walk properly. She dashed quickly and I felt her lance cut at my arm. I fell, cringing in pain. I saw my hands in front of my face, normal. But I was bleeding.
A kick impelled into my stomach. I collided deeply into the pile of rubble. I had already had too many sores, bruises and cuts for one day.
The samurai raised up her lance with a face of madness. Just as she hurled it down, my battle lance materialized before me, as if answering my prayer. I grabbed it and stopped her attack with a swing of the lance.
I got up and dashed up the pile of rubble. I didn't get it. How come the armor didn't come but only the lance?
I turned back as I came into a dead end. If I climbed up the pile, she would have the advantage. I had to face her in combat.
She levitated and cut at my defending lance. A swing to the left and a swing to the right.
I felt the dead end behind my back. I had been so caught up in the fight that I never knew I was going backwards.
Instantly, I somersaulted, avoiding a thrust of her lance and landed on the ledge that was above her. I drew back just as she floated onto the ledge. She threw her cold smirk. She wasn't going down easily despite of all her cuts and lost of blood. I needed something. Something that could once and for all get rid of her.
She darted. I held up my lance for protection.
And then...
My eyes were blinded by a sudden light that just appeared before me. I gazed up with one arm covering my eyes. And I saw it.
The broken reversed-edge sword. Its handle was flowing above the broken sword. The scabbard was not very far from the sword.
Whispers. I heard them. Whispers muffling about. It was a different language being spoken. Coming from the sword. Coming from my lance. It was like they were communicating to each other.
The next thing that happened was too weird for words.
Like glass, it broke into pieces, revealing something inside. It was like as if the sword had an outer layer. Even the scabbard did the same.
There before me was a totally different sword. Its design was different and it was brand-new. The handle that had changed too was fixed in position. It was like it was made from another world. As if invisible hands were holding them, the sword slipped into the scabbard.
My lance suddenly drew away from my grip. And closer to the sword.
Out of the blues, the sword emerged into the light blades, combining. It disappeared into the lance and a change was beginning to happen.
The blades shifted and swirled while the rod shortened. Its shape turned spherical and flat. The light of the blades grew brighter that blurred the samurai's eyes.
Our powers of cutting wind and fire shall help you in the curve of your sword.
Mercurdhe spoke to me. He and Earthegra were helping me.
I grabbed the changing circular blade. The heat from the blade was mild but at the same time, the power was strong. I whirled back, ready to throw it at the samurai. I gave it a spin. The circular blade twirled like a cyclone, slicing the air. It slithered towards the samurai, giving a whistle.
But she dodged to the left. I watched the blade spin away.
"Looks like you need target practice," the samurai sneered coldly as she came closer.
I stood still. The spinning blade arched suddenly to the left. By my own will. It disappeared behind a pile of rubble and kept on spinning.
She was coming close. Two feet. One feet. Less than a feet. I could hear her breath pant loudly.
"I'll gain your wish...to meet your brother once again!" she yelled, raising up her lance.
I heard the whispering of the spinning blade coming from behind me.
And I ducked.
SLASH!
The blade spun towards the samurai just after I ducked. The circular blade sliced her, leaving a cut that appeared around her waist, where smoke arose. Her upper part of her body fell backward while her lower part plunged forward.
This time she wasn't coming back. I was sure of it.
The blade whirled itself to me and I caught it with my good hand. The blade then disappeared, as if returning to wherever it came from. At the same time, the reversed-edge sword appeared in my hand, still brand-new.
I sighed with relief.
I heard a beam firing. Then before I knew it, I was shot right into my back. I felt the shot run out of my stomach. I fell back, tumbling down the pile of rubble. I felt the ground hit me and blood flying pass my eyes. I heard my spine break.
I couldn't move. I must have been paralyzed on my legs. It was like death was coming to take me again.
[ Kaoru! ] Rachel screamed.
The scream of a Howler wailed above me. Then I came to the hairy face of Rachel.
[ Kaoru! Morph quickly! ] she yelled. [ What are you waiting for? Morph! ]
"No... I don't have to," I coughed.
[ What are you saying?! Of course, you have to! ]
"It's almost over," I told her with a smile. "So I have nothing to worry about."
[ What are you saying?! If you die, I'll never- ]
"Like I said before... It's going to be okay... I'm going to trust my vision. I'm not going to die. Not yet... Otherwise, Takehiro will be angry at me."
She shifted back her grizzly bear face, probably startled. I smiled at her. I had to tell her something.
"Rachel? Can you do my a favor when this is over? Can you...teach me how to be more of a girl?"
[ What kind of favor is that? ] Rachel uttered, looking at me as if I was crazy or something.
"Yeah, it's a silly favor," I admitted. "...Miaso and Sakura... They once told me I always acted like a tomboy... I never did any girly stuff before. Those two... I envied them. They were sisters and always did many things like talk about make up, kimonos and stuff."
I suddenly laughed. "Then again, after Sakura died, Masio became more tomboyish. It was her idea to have a fighting group and to train in daylight while...at night, in her opinion, become heroes."
That what our group does back in Japan. I wondered if Miaso was still doing her bossing-around and leadership back there. I bet she was.
"But she does have Sakura's warm heart..." I added weakly. "That's what makes her more of a girl than a guy."
A pause.
"That's why...I was hoping you can show me what girls do for fun. I haven't had friends...for about a year or so already."
[ ...Sure. ] Rachel answered.
I smiled feebly and waited.
I just had to trust the vision.
[ NOW! ] Jake yelled in thought-speak. [ Marco! The memory emitter! Now! He's getting up! ]
The plan was to pour all of our collective memories into the Howler's head. That was the plan.
I stopped breathing. Death had come to take me for the third time. I wasn't going to escape it this time.
Suddenly, a vision came to me. Or so I thought it was a vision.
Into the Howler's head flowed all the memories of Jake. The lives of Rachel and Marco and Ax and Tobias. And even Guide. And the long, long memory of the android, Erek.
And all the memories of my life. From the early images of my mom watching over me in her arms of a cradle, to my twin brother and our trickery of switching places, to being held by my father as a young child of five, to the dojo where we trained, to Miaso and Sakura, to the group we organized, to the good deeds we did together, to the day my mom became blind, to the day we left Japan, to school, to all that had happened since we'd taken a trip through an abandoned construction site and finally, to friends.
At least for one thing, I knew I was human. Because of my memories as a baby, I knew I wasn't Jauria. Nor was Takehiro.
What's funny I didn't see any memories of Sakura's death and my insanity. I didn't know why.
All that I remembered of my life was flowing into the mind of the Howler. All that we were emptied into that Howler's head. And from there would flow into the endless pool of collective Howler memory.
Suddenly, silence.
No battle sounds.
No Dracon beam fire.
Quiet.
"What happened?" I managed to ask.
"They're gone," Erek said. "The Howlers disappeared."
Iskoort world suddenly vanished. Simply disappeared. Gone.
I wasn't bleeding anymore. All my wounds were somehow healed. I wasn't lying on the ground either.
I was standing. In a place I had known to grow up. A place where I was born.
In Japan.
In a dojo.
I was home.
I ran. Across the wooden platforms. Over the bridge that crossed over the pond. Past the room where Grandpa used to have tea with Miaso's great uncle. Past the statues that were placed in the wide garden.
And I found it.
A small area in the training field by the pond where a cherry blossom tree was. Planted there long before I was born. Beyond that was the stone barrier and a forest.
The cherry blossom tree was where I used to rest after kendo practices. When Sakura was still alive.
The beating of two bamboo swords whipped the air. Far away by the tree were two little girls, both with black hair. One was younger than the other and had blue eyes while the other had brown eyes.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
That younger girl was me. I remembered that short hair and the clothes I wore in practice. And practicing with her was Sakura.
I remembered this day. When I was only ten.
Was this just a replay of the days when Sakura was alive?
I couldn't help myself but smile. I almost shred a tear.
"It's been a while," I said to myself.
"What is?"
I jumped in fright when I heard Jake's voice behind me. Standing right behind was everyone. Jake, Rachel and Marco. All three as humans. Ax was there too. Tobias was perching on a branch of the cherry blossom tree.
"What the heck are you guys doing here?! This is my memory! Not yours!" I shrieked.
"Who changed the channel?" Rachel growled.
[ Ellimist, ] Ax said.
"So where the heck are we? Japan?" Marco said. "Does this mean we get a free vacation?"
I took notice of something and counted my companions. Marco, Ax, Jake, Rachel, Tobias...
No Cassie. No Takehiro.
ADMITTING YOUR LIMITATIONS IS NOT EASY.
The booming voice easily filled the silence of the dojo.
"No joke," I grumbled.
YOU HAVE PASSED THE TEST.
"Thanks."
BUT THE COST WAS HIGH. YOUR ACTIONS TOOK TWO LIVES BUT GAINED ONE POWER. I WILL DO THE SAME.
"What? What do you mean?"
YOU MUST CHOOSE ONE.
"That wasn't part of the bargain!" I hollered. "We had a deal. If I won, you would give me what I desired! I desired Takehiro and Cassie!"
ONE.
"Choose? That's impossible!"
YOU MUST CHOOSE.
"I can't choose between my brother and a friend I just met! I can't!"
CHOOSE.
"Stop telling me to choose!" I yelled, falling onto my knees. I clenched my ears tightly, trying to deafen the Ellimist's voice. I started to cry. Because I had to choose between the brother I had known for my whole life and the first friend I have ever met after so long.
I couldn't choose.
"Ellimist, why are you doing this to her?" Jake hollered angrily. "To us?"
"How can she choose between Takehiro and Cassie? This is insane!" Marco joined in the fight.
ONLY SHE MUST CHOOSE.
"No..." I whimpered. "I can't..."
[ She can't make a decision! There's no way she can choose! ] Tobias exclaimed.
There was no way to solve this. How could I choose? Choosing to let one live means choosing to let the other die. Would Cassie wish to live on with the knowledge that Takehiro was dead? Or the other way around?
If I chose Takehiro, I'd lose a friend. If I chose Cassie, I'd lose a brother.
Who was I to choose?
CHOOSE.
"I CAN'T! Don't you get it?! Takehiro has been my brother for all my life! He's my brother by five minutes! Cassie, she has been the first friend I have ever met after a year of being alone! I can't choose!"
I sobbed. Ellimist wasn't going to listen to my cries. I knew he wasn't.
I wanted someone to help me. Someone to take me away from all this. The rest of the Animorphs were watching me. Rachel in a mixture of anger and dread. Ax resigned but worried. Marco volatile. Tobias's hawk eyes, impossible to read. And Jake...
Jake imploring. Haunted. I saw it in his eyes. If he were in this mess instead of me, he would feel the same feeling I had. Indecision.
NO ONE CAN HELP YOU. YOU MUST CHOOSE BY YOURSELF.
I crouched on my knees. I was desperate for a miracle. I couldn't choose. I just couldn't.
"Sakura?" What are you doing?"
A voice. I recognized it. It was my voice. A younger version of my voice.
I gazed up to see the two young girls resting under the cherry blossom tree. Their hair and face were stained with sweat after their kendo practice. Sakura was holding up her bamboo sword, deep in thought. It was like watching a movie of your childhood memories.
"I'm comparing a part of a real sword to a particular person," she said.
"What do you mean?" my younger self asked.
"Well, the handle is used to control and lead the blade, right?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"So, the handle is my great uncle, because he's in charge of the whole dojo."
"Oh, I get it. So what about the other parts?"
"The blade is Miaso. Because she is good in offense and karate. The scabbard is Takehiro. Because he is always protected over you."
"And me?"
"Uh..."
"I don't have a part, do I?"
"Of course you do. But I'm not going to tell you," Sakura laughed.
"Oh, come on, tell me."
"I'll tell you on your birthday. That will be your birthday present."
My younger self stared at Sakura, startled. Then gave a giggle. So did Sakura. I remembered this day. This was the day before Sakura died. She never told me what part she compared to me because she died a month before my birthday. So I never found out what part I was.
I looked down at the new reversed-edge sword. The reversed-edge sword may have made my life miserable. That was because I thought of it as a sword of death.
But it was also a sword of life. It depends of who wields it for what purpose.
I found my answer in that sword.
I picked up the sword and got up, wiping my face clean of tears.
"Ellimist! Here's my answer!" I shouted. "I choose...the Animorphs!"
There was a silent pause. A very long pause.
WHY DO YOU CHOOSE THAT?
"I'll tell you why! Because it's one thing! One thing that I desire! The one thing that has everyone in it! Including Takehiro and Cassie! You said you would give me one thing! That's one thing! Nothing more!"
My breathing became heavy. I could feel my heart race fast. I waited. Waited for Ellimist to accept my choice.
IS THAT YOUR CHOOSE?
"Yes. It's the only way...I can get back both. And there's nothing that would change my mind into changing my decision."
THEN YOU MUST PAY THE PRICE FOR YOUR CHOICE. YOU MUST TAKE YOUR BROTHER'S PLACE SO THAT HE LIVES. THAT MEANS YOU WILL NOT BE AMONG YOUR FRIENDS AGAIN.
"No way!" Rachel snapped.
"You can't just take her away from us! She's part of the Animorphs!" Marco said.
[ We will not allow this, ] Ax said furiously.
"...Fine," I said. "I agree, Ellimist."
"What?!" Jake yelled. "No! There's got to be another way!"
"There isn't. It's fair that my brother is alive and not me. Besides, I'm not even part of the team," I told them.
"What are you saying?" Jake asked.
I looked back at everyone, holding the sword in both my hands.
"You guys are a tight group. There's no purpose for me being in it. The Animorphs...is like a sword," I said. "Jake, you're the handle of a sword, who leads the whole group. Your leadership is what holds everyone in place. Tobias, you're the handle, too because you help everyone from bird's eye view, having control. Rachel, Ax and Marco. You are the blade of a sword. You fight willingly and bravely. You're not afraid to face the fight. And lastly, Cassie and Takehiro. They are the scabbard of the sword. They have protection over you. They protect you strongly."
"Okay, I don't get you at all," Marco said.
[ So...if you're comparing us to a sword, ] Tobias began. [ Then what are you? ]
I stepped forward towards Jake. I gave one weak smile to him and handed him the sword in his possession. I untied a string that tied the handle of the sword to the scabbard of the sword. I held it in my hand and stepped backwards.
"I'm the string. The string... It has no importance or purpose to be with a sword. That's why...you all are a very tight group," I said.
"Kaoru..." Jake uttered.
"It was nice while it lasted. I guess this will be my last goodbye," I said.
"No! You can't do this!" Rachel hollered. "What about the favor? What about Takehiro? What will he think when he finds out?"
"Nothing," I replied. "Absolutely nothing. Jake, when you see Takehiro, give him the sword."
My friends looked at me, all regretting what was happening. All wishing they could do something.
"Goodbye," I mumbled as I cried happily. "And thank you. For everything."
"No!" Jake screamed.
He ran forward, holding the sword in one hand while stretching out his other hand as if trying to stop me. Everyone followed, trying to stop me from going away.
But I wasn't going away. They were.
They suddenly froze in running position. Like time stopped. Then they slowly faded away. So was the dojo. Fading from existence. Ellimist was taking me away. Away from the Animorphs. I shut my eyes away from the fading images.
I knew I would never see them again.
But I was glad.
At least Takehiro and Cassie would live.
At least I wouldn't be part of the Animorphs.
Even though I was starting to miss them already.
*****
A/N: WOW!!! 50 REVIEWS IN ONE MONTH?!?!?! YIPEE! Thank you! All to my readers and reviewers! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!
Tigerlily-2250 – Yes, it ain't the end of Kaoru's evil self. But it is in this chapter! I'm glad you like the idea of Kaoru's battle morph. And they have gotten out of the place. At least this chapter took two days to finish. Thanks for reviewing!
Anonymous-cat – It made you think of Star Wars? Lol :P And, yes there's a special reason Zack's morph has to be reptile. I chose this because of the behavior and appearance of the Komodo dragon. Despite it sleeps at night and its great size, it is more active in the day and is an agile creature. It moves quickly over the ground and can outpace a human in thick cover. It sometimes takes to the trees, where it grips the trunk and branches with its strong claws. It can swim capably with forceful strokes of its long tail. Also, the dragon's thick, scaly skin is very tough. Plus it's longer than a car! So I choose this because of the capabilities. Also, Zack can only use this morph at day. He did, however, morphed as a dragon at nighttime in Ch. 11 but he was active inside the warehouse where there was heat. In Ch. 20, there was daylight as well so he was active as a dragon. For his battle morph at night...he hasn't got that yet. He will get one in another book. This idea of having two battle morphs, one at day and another at night, was inspired from the Yin and Yang (Light and Dark). Hope you get my point. Thanks for your reviews.
Gil – It isn't corny if you understand the consequences. If Takehiro didn't die, then Kaoru would not have her powers awaken and this whole test would be a waste for the Guardians and Ellimist. It's like a chain reaction. And yes, Cassie's coming back too. And Gil, please put that fireball away before you hurt someone. Namely, me. THANKS FOR REVIEWING!!!
John – Oh, the Yeerks will like it. Will feel the pain of defeat too! Thanks for your review!