DISCLAIMER; I not own Animorphs. Me no speakee eeengleeesh!
Me is andalite.
Ha...ha..
Yeah! Whoo! Story time!
Dedications;
Wraithlord 42, michelle, genies9, JJ, and all you other kiddies who like it so far! Read on babes!
*NAT* - Don't give up on me, babe! Cassie's comin' up, though not in this chapter! Sorry! You'll just have to wait a wee bit longer, k?
Alrighty! Here we goooooo!
L'Aini's POV
I sighed. I really, really, was not in the mood to talk about anything. I was tired, and warm, and sleepy, and lazy, and very, very comfortable.
I tried to make my mind business like. (Uuuh!) I groaned in thoughtspeak.
He looked worried. (L'Ainisha? Are you alright?)
I sighed. (Yes! I'm fine...just...)
(Do you need some more time off work?) He said, gently, genuinely concerned.
(NO! No. Absolutely not.) The last thing I wanted to do was to be left to loaf around at home with nothing to do.
(I'm fine.) I said again. ( I assure you Galnuit!)
He sighed. (Well, alright. You only have to ask if you ever need time off you know. I'd understand L'Aini-)
(I'm FINE.) I said, getting annoyed.
(Alright! Alright! Goodness! Calm down!)
He instantly became all business.
(Now. What do you have to report?)
(Well...honestly? I ah, )
He looked, waiting expectantly. (Well? What?)
(Well, you see Galnuit. Aximili is...He is...Well...He's...telling the truth...)
He stared. (Ah ha...I see...Well.) He smiled, unsure. (Are you sure you are feeling alright, L'Aini?)
I huffed. (YES!) I snapped at him. (Galnuit, it's true! I've seen it with my own eyes!)
(Ah. And what exactly did you see?) He sounded skeptical now.
I sighed. How was I going to explain to him? Guess what Galnuit! Ellimists are REAL! And Aximili is now going to live forever with a psychotic soul eater in his head?! And he'd probably say Let's take a trip to the mental ward, L'Aini!
(Ah. Yes.) He said. (You can't explain. Well. That helps.)
(Galnuit-) I began trying to explain but he cut me off.
(No. No, L'Aini. Whatever sympathies, or pity you have for Prince Aximili, remember that he has been through alot. Remember that he was the ONLY one found and rescued from his ship.)
I looked at him with all four eyes. (What are you implying?)
He sighed. (I...I am not implying anything. There is a great deal we do not know and understand about this right now.) His expressions turned into that of concern. (Please L'Aini, please.)
(What?!)
(Promise me you will not believe him completely! Promise me you will always be on all four hooves, always on your guard!)
I sighed. (Oh, alright! For goodness' sake!)
He smiled. (Good. Now. I will just send the inspectors over and-)
(INSPECTORS?!) I said, shocked. (What inspectors?!)
He looked surprised, then a little suspicious at my reactions.
(L'Aini. If there is something you are not telling me...)
(Nooo.) I said, now very annoyed, and a little worried. Besides, even if I told him everything, he would still probably not believe me. Ah, well.
He'd just have to learn to believe the hard way. Like I had. With that thought I gently touched the bruise on my face.
(L'AINI?!) He yelled.
(What?)
(What is that?! Where did you get that?!) Oh! He had noticed me touching my face. (Wait,) He became angry and suspicious again. (Who gave you that?!!!)
(N-no! Nobody! I just...clumsyness, I suppose.) I blushed and tried to smile.
(Hmmm.) He said, still not entirely convinced.
I almost laughed. He could be such a Fathi to me sometimes! He was really only about in his fifties. Though I suppose a Fathi of someone my age could be about that old...I don't know. He was always so overprotective of me! I smiled affectionately.
(Don't worry about me, Galnuit. I can hold my own.) I said softly.
He smiled. (I know little one. I just...) He smiled and blushed and looked down. He looked back up into my eyes. (Be careful. Please. I'm serious. You have no idea what kind of mental case Aximili could have become.)
I sighed. (Alright!)
(And anyway, if these Animorphs don't have anything to hide, they shouldn't fear the inspectors. And neither should you, for the matter of that. If Aximili is...removed from their company, it's all for the best you know. For his good and the good of others.)
I smiled a little. (Yes.) I said. ( I suppose so. ) Though inside the sound of the word 'inspectors' really just made me shudder a little.
Galnuit left after a few minutes longer; after he explained to me that I would need to go back this afternoon. I groaned inside. Oh, well. So much for a nice, peaceful afternoon.
Hanike came on almost immediately afterward. I had gotten up, and gently laid Yani down on the floor of the scoop to sleep. I was stretching my shoulder, arm, and side that had gone numb from her weight on them, when he spoke.
(Hello my love.)
I turned and smiled at him.
(Hello.)
He smiled at me, pleased to see me.
(Aren't you supposed to be working?) I teased.
He smiled and blushed. (Perhaps. But I can see and talk to my fiance first, can't I?)
I smiled. (Of course you can.)
Yes. It was so. Hanike had asked me to marry him three months ago. It had almost been two years since Kascherm's and Anukili's deaths. I had mourned my husband. I still mourned him; crying nearly hours every night. But I felt it was time to move on. Kascherm would want me to. And I felt that Yani needed a father again.
Besides, I needed someone to support my heart through this life.
And Hanike was wonderful, and sweet, and loving. He was young. Poetic. Caring. With a characteristic of gentleness underlying everything else. And oh, so brilliant.
I felt like a traitor sometimes when I thought of how he had been Kascherm's best friend. But Kascherm had always said to him (If anything should ever happen to me, you slug, you better take care of my babies!) We had laughed at that then. Now...
Now nothing was really funny anymore.
(L'Aini?)
(Yes?)
( I'll be on leave soon.)
I beamed. He was currently stationed in space above our planet.
(Wonderful.) I breathed.
(I'll be with you in a week.) He said, his eyes grinning.
He looked very, very happy and very relieved to be finally getting off of his ship after months and months of duty. I studied him closer and saw that he looked very tired. So washed out.
(You look tired.) I spoke softly.
He smiled. (I'm exhausted. I...) He blushed. (Never mind.)
(What?) I said, looking at him sideways, beginning to smile.
(I...I want to sleep by you. Just lie down and sleep with you.)
I blushed a little. Smiled.
Damn, he really knew what to say to just get me-
He looked down. (I...I'm sorry. I shouldn't say that to you. I-)
(It's alright.) Suddenly my voice was husky. (We'll be doing much more than that, soon enough.)
He stared at me. Then blushed furiously and looked away.
(I...I...you...)
I smiled. I winked at him, the action I'd seen Menderash do. Both my right main eye, and my right stalk eye.
He smiled, puzzled. He seemed awed by me.
(You know, you're so different from every other female I've ever met.) He said softly.
I smiled. (Thank you.)
(No. Really. I mean it. I think that's why Kascherm was so crazy about you.)
I closed my eyes, feeling a pang in my hearts.
(I...I'm sorry, Ainisha, I wasn't thinking. Oh please...)
I opened my eyes and looked into his sorrowful ones. (It's...it's alright.)
(I...I know you still love him.) He said gently.
I closed my eyes and looked down. It was true. There was no use denying it. Every time I breathed, I thought of Kascherm and breathing hurt.
(It's alright.) He said. (I understand. Really.)
I tried to smile. It slipped away. I cried in my hearts; a whimpering crying of fresh pain.
(You'll always love him.)
(Y-yes.) I wept. (I'm so sorry Hanike!)
He smiled gently, sadly. (It's alright my love. And I will always love you.)
He would be right about everything he said.
***
Tobias's POV
I sighed.
What was I going to say to Estrid?!
Would she even want to talk to Ax? Would he even want to talk to her?
Maybe I should ask him...
No, he would be onto my game. How to go about doing this...
I approached him as he was feeding near a little pond he liked. I was in hawk form. He was nice and calm. Or he seemed so externally, anyway. I would never have just exactly any idea of the inside.
(Hey Ax man!)
He smiled. He looked overjoyed that I was talking to him. Like he was glad of the distraction.
(Hello Tobias.) He said softly.
I felt 'beak-tied' for a few minutes. What should I say to him?!
(Well. Uh...do you...uh...So what do you think of the doctor?!) I squeaked, desperate for conversation.
He seemed aware that I was desparately making conversation.
(Well, I don't know. She seems...nice. Rather suspicious though.)
(Yeah.) Suddenly something bothered me. (Who exactly are her superiors? Did she ever mention.)
(Oh, I imagine someone from the Board of Planetary Mental Health.) He said, vaguely.
I laughed. Then I realized he was being very, very serious.
(Uh, Ax?)
He sighed. (Yes, Tobias?)
(Do you...ever think of Estrid anymore?)
He seemed to know that I was fishing. Or he felt it anyway.
He shrugged. Laughed a little. (I don't know. I haven't really thought of her in so long. Been kind of busy lately.) He actually laughed; a true, genuine laugh.
I laughed too. Mainly because it felt good to hear him laugh again. Good to know that he could still laugh, even and especially now.
(Well, what do you think of her?)
(I...well...she...I don't really even know her anymore.) He seemed sorrowful.
(It's okay.) I said gently. (You...ever thought of getting to know her?)
(What?)
(I mean or, you know, getting to know any girl, really...)
(Tobias, really, what is this?!)
I sighed. Yep, he guessed.
(I don't know. I mean, I just thought, you're getting older now. You're an adult. Why not...)
(Get married?)
(Well, yeah!)
He laughed bitterly. (Tobias don't be so ridiculous!)
I felt hurt. He noticed he'd hurt me and looked sadly at me, his laughter stopped.
(Tobias, I'm sorry, I just-)
(No. It's okay.) I said, bitterly. (You're right. I'm stupid.)
(No. You are not, you are really not. It is very...you are concerned about me, and that's very kind of you to care, but...) He sighed sadly.
(You're my Uncie Ax Man. I just want to see you happy. See you live a normal life...for an andalite, anyway.)
He smiled sadly. Then shook his head and turned away from me. He walked away, and as he did, he said
(No one could ever love me now, anyway. No one ever would.)
And I was left with that most depressing thought, to sit by the pond with the leaves blowing in the forest wind from the trees, to contend with.
Me is andalite.
Ha...ha..
Yeah! Whoo! Story time!
Dedications;
Wraithlord 42, michelle, genies9, JJ, and all you other kiddies who like it so far! Read on babes!
*NAT* - Don't give up on me, babe! Cassie's comin' up, though not in this chapter! Sorry! You'll just have to wait a wee bit longer, k?
Alrighty! Here we goooooo!
L'Aini's POV
I sighed. I really, really, was not in the mood to talk about anything. I was tired, and warm, and sleepy, and lazy, and very, very comfortable.
I tried to make my mind business like. (Uuuh!) I groaned in thoughtspeak.
He looked worried. (L'Ainisha? Are you alright?)
I sighed. (Yes! I'm fine...just...)
(Do you need some more time off work?) He said, gently, genuinely concerned.
(NO! No. Absolutely not.) The last thing I wanted to do was to be left to loaf around at home with nothing to do.
(I'm fine.) I said again. ( I assure you Galnuit!)
He sighed. (Well, alright. You only have to ask if you ever need time off you know. I'd understand L'Aini-)
(I'm FINE.) I said, getting annoyed.
(Alright! Alright! Goodness! Calm down!)
He instantly became all business.
(Now. What do you have to report?)
(Well...honestly? I ah, )
He looked, waiting expectantly. (Well? What?)
(Well, you see Galnuit. Aximili is...He is...Well...He's...telling the truth...)
He stared. (Ah ha...I see...Well.) He smiled, unsure. (Are you sure you are feeling alright, L'Aini?)
I huffed. (YES!) I snapped at him. (Galnuit, it's true! I've seen it with my own eyes!)
(Ah. And what exactly did you see?) He sounded skeptical now.
I sighed. How was I going to explain to him? Guess what Galnuit! Ellimists are REAL! And Aximili is now going to live forever with a psychotic soul eater in his head?! And he'd probably say Let's take a trip to the mental ward, L'Aini!
(Ah. Yes.) He said. (You can't explain. Well. That helps.)
(Galnuit-) I began trying to explain but he cut me off.
(No. No, L'Aini. Whatever sympathies, or pity you have for Prince Aximili, remember that he has been through alot. Remember that he was the ONLY one found and rescued from his ship.)
I looked at him with all four eyes. (What are you implying?)
He sighed. (I...I am not implying anything. There is a great deal we do not know and understand about this right now.) His expressions turned into that of concern. (Please L'Aini, please.)
(What?!)
(Promise me you will not believe him completely! Promise me you will always be on all four hooves, always on your guard!)
I sighed. (Oh, alright! For goodness' sake!)
He smiled. (Good. Now. I will just send the inspectors over and-)
(INSPECTORS?!) I said, shocked. (What inspectors?!)
He looked surprised, then a little suspicious at my reactions.
(L'Aini. If there is something you are not telling me...)
(Nooo.) I said, now very annoyed, and a little worried. Besides, even if I told him everything, he would still probably not believe me. Ah, well.
He'd just have to learn to believe the hard way. Like I had. With that thought I gently touched the bruise on my face.
(L'AINI?!) He yelled.
(What?)
(What is that?! Where did you get that?!) Oh! He had noticed me touching my face. (Wait,) He became angry and suspicious again. (Who gave you that?!!!)
(N-no! Nobody! I just...clumsyness, I suppose.) I blushed and tried to smile.
(Hmmm.) He said, still not entirely convinced.
I almost laughed. He could be such a Fathi to me sometimes! He was really only about in his fifties. Though I suppose a Fathi of someone my age could be about that old...I don't know. He was always so overprotective of me! I smiled affectionately.
(Don't worry about me, Galnuit. I can hold my own.) I said softly.
He smiled. (I know little one. I just...) He smiled and blushed and looked down. He looked back up into my eyes. (Be careful. Please. I'm serious. You have no idea what kind of mental case Aximili could have become.)
I sighed. (Alright!)
(And anyway, if these Animorphs don't have anything to hide, they shouldn't fear the inspectors. And neither should you, for the matter of that. If Aximili is...removed from their company, it's all for the best you know. For his good and the good of others.)
I smiled a little. (Yes.) I said. ( I suppose so. ) Though inside the sound of the word 'inspectors' really just made me shudder a little.
Galnuit left after a few minutes longer; after he explained to me that I would need to go back this afternoon. I groaned inside. Oh, well. So much for a nice, peaceful afternoon.
Hanike came on almost immediately afterward. I had gotten up, and gently laid Yani down on the floor of the scoop to sleep. I was stretching my shoulder, arm, and side that had gone numb from her weight on them, when he spoke.
(Hello my love.)
I turned and smiled at him.
(Hello.)
He smiled at me, pleased to see me.
(Aren't you supposed to be working?) I teased.
He smiled and blushed. (Perhaps. But I can see and talk to my fiance first, can't I?)
I smiled. (Of course you can.)
Yes. It was so. Hanike had asked me to marry him three months ago. It had almost been two years since Kascherm's and Anukili's deaths. I had mourned my husband. I still mourned him; crying nearly hours every night. But I felt it was time to move on. Kascherm would want me to. And I felt that Yani needed a father again.
Besides, I needed someone to support my heart through this life.
And Hanike was wonderful, and sweet, and loving. He was young. Poetic. Caring. With a characteristic of gentleness underlying everything else. And oh, so brilliant.
I felt like a traitor sometimes when I thought of how he had been Kascherm's best friend. But Kascherm had always said to him (If anything should ever happen to me, you slug, you better take care of my babies!) We had laughed at that then. Now...
Now nothing was really funny anymore.
(L'Aini?)
(Yes?)
( I'll be on leave soon.)
I beamed. He was currently stationed in space above our planet.
(Wonderful.) I breathed.
(I'll be with you in a week.) He said, his eyes grinning.
He looked very, very happy and very relieved to be finally getting off of his ship after months and months of duty. I studied him closer and saw that he looked very tired. So washed out.
(You look tired.) I spoke softly.
He smiled. (I'm exhausted. I...) He blushed. (Never mind.)
(What?) I said, looking at him sideways, beginning to smile.
(I...I want to sleep by you. Just lie down and sleep with you.)
I blushed a little. Smiled.
Damn, he really knew what to say to just get me-
He looked down. (I...I'm sorry. I shouldn't say that to you. I-)
(It's alright.) Suddenly my voice was husky. (We'll be doing much more than that, soon enough.)
He stared at me. Then blushed furiously and looked away.
(I...I...you...)
I smiled. I winked at him, the action I'd seen Menderash do. Both my right main eye, and my right stalk eye.
He smiled, puzzled. He seemed awed by me.
(You know, you're so different from every other female I've ever met.) He said softly.
I smiled. (Thank you.)
(No. Really. I mean it. I think that's why Kascherm was so crazy about you.)
I closed my eyes, feeling a pang in my hearts.
(I...I'm sorry, Ainisha, I wasn't thinking. Oh please...)
I opened my eyes and looked into his sorrowful ones. (It's...it's alright.)
(I...I know you still love him.) He said gently.
I closed my eyes and looked down. It was true. There was no use denying it. Every time I breathed, I thought of Kascherm and breathing hurt.
(It's alright.) He said. (I understand. Really.)
I tried to smile. It slipped away. I cried in my hearts; a whimpering crying of fresh pain.
(You'll always love him.)
(Y-yes.) I wept. (I'm so sorry Hanike!)
He smiled gently, sadly. (It's alright my love. And I will always love you.)
He would be right about everything he said.
***
Tobias's POV
I sighed.
What was I going to say to Estrid?!
Would she even want to talk to Ax? Would he even want to talk to her?
Maybe I should ask him...
No, he would be onto my game. How to go about doing this...
I approached him as he was feeding near a little pond he liked. I was in hawk form. He was nice and calm. Or he seemed so externally, anyway. I would never have just exactly any idea of the inside.
(Hey Ax man!)
He smiled. He looked overjoyed that I was talking to him. Like he was glad of the distraction.
(Hello Tobias.) He said softly.
I felt 'beak-tied' for a few minutes. What should I say to him?!
(Well. Uh...do you...uh...So what do you think of the doctor?!) I squeaked, desperate for conversation.
He seemed aware that I was desparately making conversation.
(Well, I don't know. She seems...nice. Rather suspicious though.)
(Yeah.) Suddenly something bothered me. (Who exactly are her superiors? Did she ever mention.)
(Oh, I imagine someone from the Board of Planetary Mental Health.) He said, vaguely.
I laughed. Then I realized he was being very, very serious.
(Uh, Ax?)
He sighed. (Yes, Tobias?)
(Do you...ever think of Estrid anymore?)
He seemed to know that I was fishing. Or he felt it anyway.
He shrugged. Laughed a little. (I don't know. I haven't really thought of her in so long. Been kind of busy lately.) He actually laughed; a true, genuine laugh.
I laughed too. Mainly because it felt good to hear him laugh again. Good to know that he could still laugh, even and especially now.
(Well, what do you think of her?)
(I...well...she...I don't really even know her anymore.) He seemed sorrowful.
(It's okay.) I said gently. (You...ever thought of getting to know her?)
(What?)
(I mean or, you know, getting to know any girl, really...)
(Tobias, really, what is this?!)
I sighed. Yep, he guessed.
(I don't know. I mean, I just thought, you're getting older now. You're an adult. Why not...)
(Get married?)
(Well, yeah!)
He laughed bitterly. (Tobias don't be so ridiculous!)
I felt hurt. He noticed he'd hurt me and looked sadly at me, his laughter stopped.
(Tobias, I'm sorry, I just-)
(No. It's okay.) I said, bitterly. (You're right. I'm stupid.)
(No. You are not, you are really not. It is very...you are concerned about me, and that's very kind of you to care, but...) He sighed sadly.
(You're my Uncie Ax Man. I just want to see you happy. See you live a normal life...for an andalite, anyway.)
He smiled sadly. Then shook his head and turned away from me. He walked away, and as he did, he said
(No one could ever love me now, anyway. No one ever would.)
And I was left with that most depressing thought, to sit by the pond with the leaves blowing in the forest wind from the trees, to contend with.