DISCLAIMER: Don't own 'em just love 'em yadda yadda yadda!
Okay. Now.
This is dedicated to Wraithlord42.
Gotta get on with the story. There will be more dedications later.
Ax's POV.
Before the collision of the One's ship and the Rachel...
***
I could not believe that it had come to this. I saw Prince Jake smile.
"Let's do it!"
I loved him and hated him so much then! The sad, lone human who had once been my prince. And before that a happy, normal young human. Before the Yeerks.
What little mind I had left whirled.
Before I knew it, the One was yelling and the Rachel was hurtling toward us.
So this is how it would all end!
No! Not Tobias! I couldn't let him die!
Oh if there was only some way I could...only some way of his living, I would...
The Rachel's nose was inches away from contact with the One's ship.
And all of Time froze.
I was no longer in the One. I was no longer part of him.
I stood, freely, in my own Andalite body!
I felt joy instantly.
Then I wondered. Was I dead? Was this death?
I was in non space.
Wait...
The Ellimist!
(Ellimist?) I asked, softly.
And he appeared out of the darkness, walking toward me.
(Hello Aximili.) He was in andalite form.
So strange. The andalite form so closely resembled Elfangor.
I breathed in my body. It felt...new. I don't know how else to describe it.
Of course, I told myself. My real body is dead...
This body was...new. I felt no aches or pains anywhere. There were no scars on this body.
I felt young. I felt like a child again. Fresh. Like I could go on for hours, running around and laughing. But it was the same age as my body! Or it appeared so, anyway...
(Ellimist,) I said. (What is this? What's going on? How am I in my body again?!)
He smiled at my numerous questions.
(Do not be afraid, Aximili.) Then he seemed sad. (You said you would do anything to save Tobias and the Animorphs.)
I felt nervous suddenly. (Well, yes...something like that...)
He laughed. (Aximili. I can give you that chance.)
My hearts felt like they would burst from hope and joy.
(Really?)
The Ellimist looked sorrowful again. (Yes. But it will mean an incredible sacrifice on your part.)
(Life?) I said. If it was life, well, I would give it! My life was meaningless to me now...
(No.) The Ellimist said. (Death.)
I felt confused. (What?)
He walked over to me and a huge screen appeared.
I laughed, amazed. I could see the two ships about to collide. I observed closer, with all four of my eyes, and saw that I could see everyone and everything frozen in time. I could see them all. Even the One. I could see their individual expressions. On Prince Jake, a frightening look of pure determination, an almost grin. Marco and Tobias stood beside him; though their eyes were closed, (and Marco was grimacing), they were standing tall beside Prince Jake. A human, and another andalite stood tall in the back round. The andalite had all four eyes facing forward, wide, but like Prince Jake's, determined. The human's eyes were wide. Another human, a female, had her eyes closed, and her body curled up, hugging her knees. They were all frozen. Even their very strands of hair were still in place. The One's eyes were wide with shock and terror. I couldn't help but smile and laugh at my opponent. My tormentor, now with terror in his eyes. I could see the very molecules of energy in the ships' engines frozen in place.
I studied this whole scene with all four eyes.
(So...I'm not dead yet?) I asked him.
(You could be.) He replied.
I turned and looked at him, confused. (So, you stopped it.)
(Yes.)
(Why?)
(I told you. I'm giving you a choice. I can rescue you. And Tobias. And the Animorphs. All from death. For a price.)
(Or...) I said.
(Or you can choose to go back, and I will let Time loose and you can take your chances.)
I shook my head. I didn't want to take my chances. Certainly not with Tobias's and Prince Jake's lives either. If I could keep them from death or pain...
(What is the price?) I asked.
He squared his andalite shoulders and looked me in the eye. (The...risk...of immortality.)
I laughed. (That's a price? It sounds more like something someone would try to buy.)
(You don't understand. Of course, I haven't told you yet. Your immortality would be...shared...)
(Shared?) I felt cold fingers grabbing my spine and hearts.
(You would be...symbiotic. Not a slave.)
I looked him in the eyes.
(With who?)
(The One.)
I rocked back, stunned. I shook my head again. (I don't understand!)
(You would share your new body with him. Forever.)
I stared at him.
'Your new body', he had said. New? I looked myself over again. With shock I realized I could find none of my old battle scars. No aches or pains. The pain in my neck that I'd had when I was last in my body was gone. My fur was thick and glossy. My legs, tail, and hooves were strong. My eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell were next to perfect. It was as though I had been completely renovated, like a ship at a docking port.
I looked at him. (What do you mean by sharing my body, exactly.)
(You would have a little control over him. Just a bit more control than him.)
I nodded, still horrified. I had wanted my body completely back, not partially back.
With an aching pain in my hearts, I realized that was impossible. That body was too far gone to ever come back.
And yet...here I stood.
(Why...why can't I just have this body and take my chances?)
He shook his head. (No. I cannot simply interfere.)
(Why not?!) I yelled. (You did nothing while Rachel died! Why are you even asking me this?!)
(Tobias is important. You are important. Jake is important.)
(How?!) I asked.
He shook his head. (I'm sorry. You must either accept the deal, or not.)
I sighed. I tried to think. (What...what did you mean by "at the risk of immortality"?)
(You would live in cycles. There would be conditions. Almost no possibility of death. You would regenerate every so many decades, at the amount of years of Crayak's choosing.)
(Crayak!) I yelled. (What has he to do with this?!)
(Plenty. He is involved in the game. I cannot exclude him.) He replied calmly.
(GAME!) I roared in thoughtspeak. My tail felt the need to jam into his face. (WE ARE NOTHING BUT A GAME TO YOU! AN AMUSEMENT!)
He looked sadly at me, then looked down. He seemed to be aching inside. Weary.
He looked up at me again. Cold resolve was in his eyes.
(I have given you a choice, andalite. You will choose. Your friends can live, possibly. You can live, but you will still be controlled by the One. Or you can choose to have your own body. And minimal control over the One. Choose.)
I stared back at him. Unbelieving, for what seemed like an ice age.
I sighed. (Very well.)
The Drode came walking up, and I jumped a little at his presence.
"Ah, Aximili!" He yelled. "You've made Master Crayak very happy!" He grinned. "Well aren't you going to thank him for his wonderful gift?"
I looked to the Ellimist, to see if I was making the right choice. But he said nothing, and his expression gave nothing away. He was now in the form of an old human male that he sometimes takes. He was calm, with a self absorbed look, and when his eyes looked over the Drode, a hint of disgust showed in his features.
"Why are you here?"
Drode looked nonchalantly at him. "I came to make sure that you were telling this andalite about Master Crayak's deal."
The Ellimist laughed scornfully. "And I suppose your 'Master' would excercise his wrath on me if I didn't?" He sneered at 'wrath'.
The Drode seemed to flame a brilliant scarlet red at the Ellimist's talk of his 'Master'. "One day...one day Crayak will have you on your face and you will beg-"
"LEAVE!" The Ellimist roared, his eyes angry. The Drode let out a little yip of a whimper, then ran. He tried to look dignified as he left, but it was too late for that.
After he left, I couldn't help but smile. The Ellimist sighed aloud.
He turned to me.
(Then you have made your choice?)
I thought a moment.
(What...which choice will benefit the universe most?) I asked.
The Ellimist seemed to smile, as if he was relieved.
(You are important. Tobias is important. Jake is important. Everyone on that ship, is important.)
(Even the One.)
(Yes. Though he is...unnecessary...in his present form.) He smiled wryly, and I could tell the One must have been causing his 'game' some trouble. I felt hate and loathing for him for a moment. Then I threw it away with all of my other feelings that seemed worthless at the moment. And I was feeling quite alot right then.
I nodded slowly. (Very well.) I lifted my chin. (I accept your de-)
BOOM!
And I was back on the ship, in my own, new body, the One very confused in my head, and a broken arm, a few cracked ribs and a broken tail from the collision.
IT'S NOT REALLY JUST MY DEAL, YOU KNOW. The Ellimist replied in my head.
And I fainted; blacking out from the pain of my wounds.
***
I stood there. I had told them all I knew. And I wondered now if that silly doctor would believe me.
***
Okay...sorry if that was far fetched too, but hey! It's the Animorphs, for crying out loud!
And it's fanFICTION. So get over it. This is my little imaginary universe here, and if you don't like it, you can go indulge in somebody else's little fanfic imaginary universe. Go ahead! Have fun!
But first, go review this one!!! Hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Okay. Now.
This is dedicated to Wraithlord42.
Gotta get on with the story. There will be more dedications later.
Ax's POV.
Before the collision of the One's ship and the Rachel...
***
I could not believe that it had come to this. I saw Prince Jake smile.
"Let's do it!"
I loved him and hated him so much then! The sad, lone human who had once been my prince. And before that a happy, normal young human. Before the Yeerks.
What little mind I had left whirled.
Before I knew it, the One was yelling and the Rachel was hurtling toward us.
So this is how it would all end!
No! Not Tobias! I couldn't let him die!
Oh if there was only some way I could...only some way of his living, I would...
The Rachel's nose was inches away from contact with the One's ship.
And all of Time froze.
I was no longer in the One. I was no longer part of him.
I stood, freely, in my own Andalite body!
I felt joy instantly.
Then I wondered. Was I dead? Was this death?
I was in non space.
Wait...
The Ellimist!
(Ellimist?) I asked, softly.
And he appeared out of the darkness, walking toward me.
(Hello Aximili.) He was in andalite form.
So strange. The andalite form so closely resembled Elfangor.
I breathed in my body. It felt...new. I don't know how else to describe it.
Of course, I told myself. My real body is dead...
This body was...new. I felt no aches or pains anywhere. There were no scars on this body.
I felt young. I felt like a child again. Fresh. Like I could go on for hours, running around and laughing. But it was the same age as my body! Or it appeared so, anyway...
(Ellimist,) I said. (What is this? What's going on? How am I in my body again?!)
He smiled at my numerous questions.
(Do not be afraid, Aximili.) Then he seemed sad. (You said you would do anything to save Tobias and the Animorphs.)
I felt nervous suddenly. (Well, yes...something like that...)
He laughed. (Aximili. I can give you that chance.)
My hearts felt like they would burst from hope and joy.
(Really?)
The Ellimist looked sorrowful again. (Yes. But it will mean an incredible sacrifice on your part.)
(Life?) I said. If it was life, well, I would give it! My life was meaningless to me now...
(No.) The Ellimist said. (Death.)
I felt confused. (What?)
He walked over to me and a huge screen appeared.
I laughed, amazed. I could see the two ships about to collide. I observed closer, with all four of my eyes, and saw that I could see everyone and everything frozen in time. I could see them all. Even the One. I could see their individual expressions. On Prince Jake, a frightening look of pure determination, an almost grin. Marco and Tobias stood beside him; though their eyes were closed, (and Marco was grimacing), they were standing tall beside Prince Jake. A human, and another andalite stood tall in the back round. The andalite had all four eyes facing forward, wide, but like Prince Jake's, determined. The human's eyes were wide. Another human, a female, had her eyes closed, and her body curled up, hugging her knees. They were all frozen. Even their very strands of hair were still in place. The One's eyes were wide with shock and terror. I couldn't help but smile and laugh at my opponent. My tormentor, now with terror in his eyes. I could see the very molecules of energy in the ships' engines frozen in place.
I studied this whole scene with all four eyes.
(So...I'm not dead yet?) I asked him.
(You could be.) He replied.
I turned and looked at him, confused. (So, you stopped it.)
(Yes.)
(Why?)
(I told you. I'm giving you a choice. I can rescue you. And Tobias. And the Animorphs. All from death. For a price.)
(Or...) I said.
(Or you can choose to go back, and I will let Time loose and you can take your chances.)
I shook my head. I didn't want to take my chances. Certainly not with Tobias's and Prince Jake's lives either. If I could keep them from death or pain...
(What is the price?) I asked.
He squared his andalite shoulders and looked me in the eye. (The...risk...of immortality.)
I laughed. (That's a price? It sounds more like something someone would try to buy.)
(You don't understand. Of course, I haven't told you yet. Your immortality would be...shared...)
(Shared?) I felt cold fingers grabbing my spine and hearts.
(You would be...symbiotic. Not a slave.)
I looked him in the eyes.
(With who?)
(The One.)
I rocked back, stunned. I shook my head again. (I don't understand!)
(You would share your new body with him. Forever.)
I stared at him.
'Your new body', he had said. New? I looked myself over again. With shock I realized I could find none of my old battle scars. No aches or pains. The pain in my neck that I'd had when I was last in my body was gone. My fur was thick and glossy. My legs, tail, and hooves were strong. My eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell were next to perfect. It was as though I had been completely renovated, like a ship at a docking port.
I looked at him. (What do you mean by sharing my body, exactly.)
(You would have a little control over him. Just a bit more control than him.)
I nodded, still horrified. I had wanted my body completely back, not partially back.
With an aching pain in my hearts, I realized that was impossible. That body was too far gone to ever come back.
And yet...here I stood.
(Why...why can't I just have this body and take my chances?)
He shook his head. (No. I cannot simply interfere.)
(Why not?!) I yelled. (You did nothing while Rachel died! Why are you even asking me this?!)
(Tobias is important. You are important. Jake is important.)
(How?!) I asked.
He shook his head. (I'm sorry. You must either accept the deal, or not.)
I sighed. I tried to think. (What...what did you mean by "at the risk of immortality"?)
(You would live in cycles. There would be conditions. Almost no possibility of death. You would regenerate every so many decades, at the amount of years of Crayak's choosing.)
(Crayak!) I yelled. (What has he to do with this?!)
(Plenty. He is involved in the game. I cannot exclude him.) He replied calmly.
(GAME!) I roared in thoughtspeak. My tail felt the need to jam into his face. (WE ARE NOTHING BUT A GAME TO YOU! AN AMUSEMENT!)
He looked sadly at me, then looked down. He seemed to be aching inside. Weary.
He looked up at me again. Cold resolve was in his eyes.
(I have given you a choice, andalite. You will choose. Your friends can live, possibly. You can live, but you will still be controlled by the One. Or you can choose to have your own body. And minimal control over the One. Choose.)
I stared back at him. Unbelieving, for what seemed like an ice age.
I sighed. (Very well.)
The Drode came walking up, and I jumped a little at his presence.
"Ah, Aximili!" He yelled. "You've made Master Crayak very happy!" He grinned. "Well aren't you going to thank him for his wonderful gift?"
I looked to the Ellimist, to see if I was making the right choice. But he said nothing, and his expression gave nothing away. He was now in the form of an old human male that he sometimes takes. He was calm, with a self absorbed look, and when his eyes looked over the Drode, a hint of disgust showed in his features.
"Why are you here?"
Drode looked nonchalantly at him. "I came to make sure that you were telling this andalite about Master Crayak's deal."
The Ellimist laughed scornfully. "And I suppose your 'Master' would excercise his wrath on me if I didn't?" He sneered at 'wrath'.
The Drode seemed to flame a brilliant scarlet red at the Ellimist's talk of his 'Master'. "One day...one day Crayak will have you on your face and you will beg-"
"LEAVE!" The Ellimist roared, his eyes angry. The Drode let out a little yip of a whimper, then ran. He tried to look dignified as he left, but it was too late for that.
After he left, I couldn't help but smile. The Ellimist sighed aloud.
He turned to me.
(Then you have made your choice?)
I thought a moment.
(What...which choice will benefit the universe most?) I asked.
The Ellimist seemed to smile, as if he was relieved.
(You are important. Tobias is important. Jake is important. Everyone on that ship, is important.)
(Even the One.)
(Yes. Though he is...unnecessary...in his present form.) He smiled wryly, and I could tell the One must have been causing his 'game' some trouble. I felt hate and loathing for him for a moment. Then I threw it away with all of my other feelings that seemed worthless at the moment. And I was feeling quite alot right then.
I nodded slowly. (Very well.) I lifted my chin. (I accept your de-)
BOOM!
And I was back on the ship, in my own, new body, the One very confused in my head, and a broken arm, a few cracked ribs and a broken tail from the collision.
IT'S NOT REALLY JUST MY DEAL, YOU KNOW. The Ellimist replied in my head.
And I fainted; blacking out from the pain of my wounds.
***
I stood there. I had told them all I knew. And I wondered now if that silly doctor would believe me.
***
Okay...sorry if that was far fetched too, but hey! It's the Animorphs, for crying out loud!
And it's fanFICTION. So get over it. This is my little imaginary universe here, and if you don't like it, you can go indulge in somebody else's little fanfic imaginary universe. Go ahead! Have fun!
But first, go review this one!!! Hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it!