Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Not a single thing from Animorphs! Only those you don't recognize however.
A/N: Okay onto my second fic. I came up with this idea when I was just rousing around the Internet and then BOOM! I just came up with this idea! And in my story the yeerks have NOT taken the morphing device at all, I'll explain why in the later chapters. Yippee! This makes this story an AU though. So now ya know.
Summary: The Animorphs lost the war and the yeerks have succeeded. What happens thirty years later when a new band of kids escape from the yeerks and find the morphing cube? Why, they must save the world of course!
-Faith is Still at Hand-
-Prologue-
I stared out of my cage seeing controllers walk around the yeerk pool eyeing the people trapped in their cages. I stared sullenly onto the floor realizing for a long time how I was a slave to the yeerks. I remembered the story of my ancestors however, they were free people, with no yeerks to boss them around and control their minds. They didn't even know that yeerks existed. But it's different now, humans are no longer free, trapped in there own minds begging for the yeerks that control them to leave them alone.
I was born as a slave; my mother was merely a controller who used to be free about fifteen years ago. As a matter of fact, I don't even know who my mother is. I was raised as a free person for about four years, until at the age of five I lost my freedom. The controllers brought me down to the yeerk pool and I remembered myself so clearly, how I fought against them just to keep my freedom. But I was forced to put my head down into the yeerk pool and felt as a yeerk slithered inside my ear canal crawling its way to my brain. I lost control immediately after the yeerk had taken my mind to being under his power.
Ten years of being a slave, now I am fifteen and I'm used to being what I am. A slave. After all, there's no hope left at all. When I was little I had hope the andelites would come save us since they were the only species left uncontrolled by the yeerks. But I began to realize they had a war of their own, after the yeerks became a strong empire, they started attacking the andelites. And I don't think the andelites are going to win, in my opinion anyway.
But I did remember something, some part of history about thirty years ago. I remembered people telling the tale of how these groups of kids, which called themselves animorphs, had a chance to save Earth from the yeerks. It was just a tale nowadays, a dream we humans now keep in mind remembering that there was a chance humans could've remained free.
I hate them though, because it hurts me. It hurts me because I always feel a tinge of hope that someday, maybe, another band of kids free from yeerk control will try to save the world again. But it's never happened, that's why it hurts me. I think it's all a lie, I mean, how can KIDS save the world? If you hear that word nowadays, you think, 'what a lie! That's a bunch of boloney!'
But in the tale about these so-called animorphs, they die. The story says the yeerks capture them, torture em, and then kill em. Because they had killed thousands of yeerks after bombing one of the yeerk pools. I wondered how stupid the yeerks were for doing that, I mean, they were morphers for crying out loud! A useful body a high-ranking yeerk could have! But then again, it's just a story.
Sometimes though, I have dreams of them. I dream of myself being a animorph, seeing myself turn into a bird and stay that way forever. I have heard about the andelites how they have created a morphing device that makes humans turn into any living creature they wanted. All they needed was their DNA. But I've also heard of the rules since my yeerk explained it to me once when they went searching for the morphing cube. Too bad no yeerk has been able to find it, but I've heard that one time they almost had a chance to take the morphing cube. But tough luck, they controller who almost got it died from the animorphs. It's just another fake story I believe in too.
What could I believe in anyway? All my life I have practically been told lies. So what's the point in believing everything? Just live your life, make the yeerks get what they want, and get over with it. That's the motto everybody uses today.
I sighed and looked up to see Mary, a friend of mine since I had known four years, look at me sadly.
"What's wrong Jack?" She asked me quietly. My real name is Jacqueline, but I rather be called Jack.
"Nothing, just thinking about…you know… that there's hope." I answered meekly.
She sighed and nodded sadly. "I think about that every day."
I made a small smile at her. "Maybe one day we could run away and find the morphing cube." I began.
She smiled remembering the story she and I both shared. "And turn into birds."
"And never come back."
"AND laugh our heads off at the yeerks for finding the morphing cube ourselves!" She laughed.
"Not to mention poop on top of their heads when we fly by!" I laughed along.
She giggled and whispered, "Plus poke Visser One's eye out." She grinned evilly.
I rolled my eyes, I knew Visser One was able to morph, so he could heal that wound anytime he wanted.
"Oh come on Jack! Lighten up, it's just a joke." Mary said.
I frowned and picked up a small stone on the ground looking at it carefully. Then I grinned and threw it at a controller right in the head making it spin around yelling threats whoever did that. I merely smiled and pretended I hadn't done anything at all. Mary glared at me then started to giggle.
I tried not to laugh as the controller continued to threat at us then started to swear. After giving up on trying to find out who hit him on the back of the head, he continued doing his job.
"Let's make up some stories." Mary suggested to me.
"Like what?" I asked.
"Like about that one fairy tale story we've heard of. The one where that princess sleeps the whole time doing nothing." She said.
"Sleeping Beauty?" I asked.
"Yeah! That one."
I shook my head, "You already know what happens, and I think it's kind of boring."
"I think it's interesting." She said.
I frowned and shook my head at her again. Fairy tales were something Mary and me told to each other when we were just ten years old. Now I wasn't really that interested in it as before.
"You're not like before Jack, you used to be funner." She said.
"Oh come on Mary! You know I don't like—"
Suddenly a yell was sounded nearby and I eagerly walked to the front of the cage pushing past some people. Finally something interesting was going on!
I pushed my head as far out of the metal bars as possible and peered to my left to see two animals attacking controllers vigorously. I smiled in pleasure, so maybe there was hope after all! The two animals were a snow-white tiger, and a polar bear. They came running towards my cage and the bear started to break one of the caged locks next to our cage.
"Hey over here!" I yelled waving my hand out of the cage trying to grab the bears attention. It gazed over me for awhile then came running towards my cage. As it stood in front of me, the bear swiped its mighty paw on the lock and broke it. I yelled out in excitement and pulled Mary too roughly as I opened the caged door. Mary and I ran out of the cage at full speed along with other of the humans that were set free.
I glanced at my left to see Hork Bajirs yelling at the two animals to set them free as well, but the they were busy trying to fend off yeerks.
"Come on Mary! Faster!" I yelled at her. She was slowing down since she was chubby. Since I was skinny and quicker, I grabbed her arm and made her run faster.
"No, wait! I can't… stop Jack!" She pleaded. But I didn't let go, we were almost to the stairs when I saw Mary tear free from my hand staying far behind as she couldn't run much farther.
"Mary please! Come on!" I yelled at her urgently. I tried slowing down for her to catch up, but she was just too slow, too slow…
I saw a controller not so far away aim at Mary with a Dracon Beam. My eyes shot wide open as I realized what he was about to do.
"Mary look out!" I warned her. Too late, the controller hit Mary right behind her back making it seethe through her body and a hole appeared from the front of Mary's chest. I saw her eyes wide open in surprise, and then turn to pain. She dropped to her knees and stared back at me shocked. I saw blood pour through her wound and from her mouth making it run down her chin.
I stopped and stared at her, not knowing what to do. I was about to run towards her, but then noticed the controller aim the Dracon Beam at my head.
I looked one last time at Mary and saw her eyes close as she dropped dead on the floor. I screamed in fury and ran away like a coward. Tears stung my eyes as I climbed up the stairs seeing other humans drop dead beside me as controllers killed them. Eventually I was the only one left running up the stairs dodging laser beams as they tried to hit me from behind.
Doors came into as I came to the end of the stairs. I opened the doors to see them fly open revealing woods. I ran out into the woods as fast as I could, ignoring the sounds of footsteps behind me.
I ran for about an hour without anyone catching me, which was surprising. But what really shocked me was how the yeerks didn't destroy this forest. Every other place I had gone to, it was either deserted and barely any trees around. But I didn't care, as long as the woods kept me hidden.
I stopped running and looked around carefully. Once I knew no one was around I slumped on the ground exhausted.
She's gone, I thought miserably, Mary's gone forever.
I choked back sobs as I realized I would never see her again. And I hated myself for running away from her, trying to save my own life, not hers.
I rubbed my eyes as tears fell down my cheeks and sniffed. But I started to cry harder, not being able to stop the tears as they flowed down my cheeks.
I cried and cried until they eventually turned into gasps. I couldn't accept what happened, and I couldn't be glad that I was free at last. Not without Mary with me, she was the only friend I ever had, and the only one that cared for me.
Suddenly I heard footsteps approaching and I looked up to see a boy about my age stop and look at me, along with a girl too. I stood up alarmed wondering if they were here to bring me back to the yeerk pool.
I took a step back eyeing the two suspiciously when the guy spoke up. "Hey, don't be afraid, we're not controllers." He assured.
I didn't believe him, after all, I couldn't trust anyone. The guy reached a hand out to me, but I took another step back.
The girl just glared and started to walk towards me, I grew alarmed and started to run.
"Hey wait! Stop!" The two said in unison.
But I ignored them and continued to run. I ran through the woods until there came a clearing and I stopped. There was a cliff before me and I cautiously walked towards it. I peeked down and quickly moved away. I was afraid of heights, and what I just saw was a huge waterfall, maybe about a hundred feet to the ground.
I looked behind me to hear the two run after me and stop as they saw I no longer ran. I took a deep breath and held it as they slowly approached me. I took a step back, and another, and another… until I felt there were no more steps left, just a waterfall below.
"Please, we're trying to help." The girl pleaded gently.
I didn't believe her one bit, I looked back down the cliff and decided what to do. I found me readying myself for a jump. I didn't care if I died; I just no longer wanted to be a yeerks slave! I had enough of it! Now that I could see what real freedom was like, I never wanted to go back.
I took a huge leap forward and felt myself falling, falling down to the river…
Humph! Cliffie I see, eh? Well… review if you wanna see the rest!