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MARCO
"Hey Jake"
"Marco, how's it going?"
We shook hands, before going to the table together
"How are you, Marco?" asked Cassie
"Cassie, you never fail to astonish me," I said
I sat down, as Jake sat next to me and Cassie to him
"Going really good actually," I said, "you know, family life"
I grinned and looked around, seeing my son Kevin running around with John and Tori. I looked over to my wife Melissa, who was holding the latest addition to our family: a newborn boy we named Damien. Melissa was talking to Rachel, who was busy setting the table and talking to her at the same time
Strange
I turned back to Jake
"How are things over at your place?"
"Like you, Marco, going good," grinned Jake, "Cassie here has been working hard at the veterinary"
"We get a whole lot of injured or sick animals every day," said Cassie
I started to reply, but someone spoke in thought speech
(Alright, let's go)
I looked up and saw silhouetted against the sky, a red-tailed hawk and a northern harrier
"Tobias is about to arrive"
Jake and Cassie looked up, as both birds of prey dived. The hawk shot past us, flared his wings and banked hard, before landing at Rachel's feet. The harrier on the other hand had landed near us. Both began to demorph and soon, Tobias emerged from the hawk and our Andalite friend, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill emerged from the harrier
"Tobias, you do not do that again," roused Rachel
"Yes dear, of course, dear," smiled Tobias, kissing her and walking away
(Hello all) said Ax
"Hey Ax, how's it going?" I asked
(Very well thanks, Marco, very well)
He began to morph to human and sat down once he was done. Melissa sat next to me and handed Damien to me
"You can look after him for a while," she said
"No worries. We shall bond really well. I mean, he already looks like me"
I was expecting Rachel to say something, but she was busy
Tobias sat down and grabbed a plate
"Where's your kids Tobias, I haven't seem them yet?" asked Jake
"Adam meeting his girlfriend right now, Tori's chasing Kevin with John and Leah is off applying make-up," he answered plainly
He motioned towards the house. I turned around and saw Adam enter the backyard with his girlfriend, Ashley, followed by Leah, who was playing with her hair
"Well, now that the entire gang is here," I said, "what next?"
I felt arms thrown around my neck and pulled away. Melissa turned around to face Kevin
"Kevin, you don't do that, okay, your father has got your brother"
"Okay"
Adam, Ashley and Leah sat down, quickly followed by Sam, John and Tori. Kevin wiggled in next to his mother
"Well guys, welcome back, it's good to see you again," began Tobias, "welcome to this reunion that my son told me about only yesterday"
Adam smiled, but Tobias ignored him and continued
"Lots of things have happened in the time we've missed each other, so let's all dig in and catch up"
I clapped like I was at a show
"Bravo, encore, encore"
He stood up and bowed. Melissa loaded up her plate, before taking Damien so I could fill up mine. Everyone around me was talking, so I turned to Jake
"Alright Jake, let's talk," I said, trying to be serious, "what has happened in the last few years since we've last met"
He grinned
"Working, spending time with the family, you know, that sort of thing. What about you?"
"We went around the world"
"Yeah, you told me about that, sending the postcards"
"Or at least I did," added Melissa
I ate a forkful of potato salad and was amazed at the flavour
"Hey Rachel, can I compliment you?"
"Go for it"
"Love the potato salad"
"So eat it all then"
I looked over at Ax and saw that somehow, he'd managed to get barbeque sauce all over his face, with some smears of potato salad
I brought another forkful to my mouth, but stopped. It seemed as if the air felt stranger, you know, like…stranger
I lowered the fork and saw that I wasn't the only one. Except that Ashley was frozen in motion, the fork just as her mouth
Time was standing still…
Tobias got up, followed by Jake and Ax. I put the fork down and followed them
"What is going on?" I asked
"The Ellimist," said Ax, "he has funny ways"
He was right. A wise old man appeared before us suddenly, glowing an eerie light blue
"Hi, would you like some potato salad?" I asked all of a sudden
The Ellimist smiled
"There must be a reason why you're here," said Jake
"Yes, Jake, there is. I'm here to give you an offer"
"An offer of what?" Tobias asked
"An offer to save Earth," answered the Ellimist, "to save it permanently"
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TheMelissa in this story is none other than Melissa Chapman, now married to Marco. Couldn't think of anyone else, so I got her instead. Hope you enjoy it