Just as I was getting used to having Terlin in my head, another complication approached.
This Andalite known as Prince Elfangor crash landed his ship on Earth...and ended up dying at the hands of Visser Three.
I wasn't there, thank goodness. Terlin was off in the Yeerk Pool, feeding, and I was watching some TV in the voluntary area. But, from what we found out later from the other Yeerks who had witnessed it, it hadn't been pretty.
Prince Elfangor had, apparently, been too injured from the crash to be able to concentrate on morphing-which would have completely fixed his injuries. Visser Three found him. Apparently, the two had this rivalry that was beyond just a Yeerk Visser hating an Andalite prince. After taunting him for a few minutes, Visser Three morphed this monster from another planet, and actually ate the Andalite.
Gross. And not in a good way, either. I mean, this was no video game.
Probably, had we been there, I would have had nightmares for weeks. So, yeah, I was glad to be in the voluntary area of the Yeerk Pool.
Anyway, rumor had it that there were kids setting off fireworks, and so the vice principal at my kid brother's middle school-who was also a Controller-had us try to find them, and preferably, infest them.
Terlin and I were not about to do this to Jake, so we were planning to ignore the order entirely.
Things got a little more tricky when, a couple days later, Jake asked us about The Sharing.
"You've been part of it for awhile now, haven't you, Tom?" he asked me. "How is it?"
I shrugged. "It's okay. Fun, but a lot of work once you've become a full member. Not that I mind that part too much."
"Does everyone become a full member?"
"Everything who stays with it," I replied. "You start out as an associate member, but after a month or so, they will want you to become a full member. Otherwise, there's too many people attending the events, and not enough arranging them and doing the community service and paying dues."
The dues were a small thing-just a nominal fee of five dollars a month. Since The Sharing was non-profit, adults could deduct that from taxes.
Me, I just got to deduct it from my allowance.
"Can we come to a meeting?" Jake asked, glancing at Marco. "Check it out?"
Even though this had been what I was dreading, I made myself smile and look happy. "Yeah, sure. Hang on..."
I took out my calendar. "Next one's a beach barbecue. It's tomorrow, actually. Is that too soon?" I glanced at my writing. "There's a regular one next week. Board games. And then, the following week, we're going to do this community service project they haven't told us about. That one's on a Saturday morning. Should take up most of the day."
"The barbecue sounds cool," said Marco, and Jake nodded. "Hey, man, you should see if Rachel's interested."
"Why? So it can be your first date?" I ribbed.
"Exactly, dude," Marco grinned.
Jake rolled his eyes at me. "We'll ask her about it. What time does it start? Do you want to meet there?"
"I have to get there early for the setup," I explained, which was true. "You can meet us there around 5:00. 5:30, if you don't want to be the first non full members."
"I take it arriving early means we'll get the official 'join us' speech from all of the full members?" Marco guessed. "Yeah, bro, we're better off waiting until 5:30."
I laughed. "Yeah. Don't worry-you'll still hear a lot of speeches from the full members while you're there. It just won't be as aggressive if you're not the first ones."
After Jake left, I spent the remainder of the evening worrying that not only had I cost my younger brother his freedom, but also his best friend and my cousin.
(If he becomes a full member, Tom, it won't be for awhile. Plenty of time for me to find him a decent Yeerk. His friend and your cousin, as well,) Terlin reassured me. (In fact, it might be better this way. I mean, I know you want him to remain free, but we get along fine now, don't we? If your brother became voluntary and had a decent Yeerk, it might be the same way for him.)
I was torn between agreeing with Terlin and wanting to punch him.
(I thought we had an agreement,) I told him, my teeth clenched. (We weren't going to recruit my family.)
He sighed. (We won't. But you saw him. He's interested.)
(Yeah, in joining a club. Not in losing all freedom to an alien parasite,) I shot back.
(Tom. What I'm saying is that we can prevent this. If we act now, quickly, then it would reduce the chances of him being taken later by force-)
(NO!) I yelled. (You're not taking my brother!)
I felt Terlin take complete control. Which only increased my anger at him-and at myself-but I couldn't entirely blame him for doing so. Jake or my parents could be by my room at any minute, and I couldn't be seen standing there, looking furious, possibly talking to myself under my breath.
Still, I fumed inwardly for a few minutes, while Terlin had me take several deep breaths. Which, to an extent, helped.
(I will do whatever I can to protect your family, Tom. And if I cannot safeguard their freedom, I will do my upmost to secure them with a decent Yeerk. I promise.)
His voice was gentle, and that helped. Plus, I could feel his sincerity. Terlin wasn't messing with me, wasn't lying. I felt the anger drain away.
(Okay,) I said, in a softer voice. Then, (I'm sorry.)
(You have no reason to apologize, Tom,) he told me, although we both knew this wasn't entirely true.
I mean, I had lost my temper at him, and there were probably some Yeerks who would "discipline" their hosts for that. Fortunately, Terlin wasn't one of them.
(I trust you,) I told Terlin. Then, (Can I have control back?)
(Certainly,) he said, and the moment after I heard the words, I felt myself in control of my body again.
Anyway, it turned out that I had no reason to worry. Even though Jake brought Marco, Rachel, and two other of his friends with him to the barbecue, none of them had any interest in attending another meeting. When I asked why, albeit not very convincingly, Jake told me that Marco thought it seemed too much like a cult.
"But, hey, it's cool that you like it," Jake told me, with a smile.
"Thanks," I said, reaching out to tousle his hair. "You know, for giving it a chance. And yeah, it can be a little...much...for some people. I'm not mad or anything. That you don't want to join."
He seemed relieved by that, and for obvious reasons, I was elated.
The attack on the Yeerk Pool happened shortly afterwards. Since Terlin had gone straight from my school to the Pool, we weren't there. But, there had been a full members only meeting at the same time, and Visser Three had been leading it when a few human Controllers burst through the door, announcing that the Pool was under attack.
(I THOUGHT I HAD DESTROYED THE ANDALITE!) he thundered.
"Visser Three," panted a female human Controller. "There must have been others on his space craft. There are at least five Andalites at the Pool at this moment. They are murdering our guards and attempting to free all of our hosts!"
From inside my head, where I had been imagining playing basketball, I forced myself out of my daydream.
(Terlin? What about the voluntary hosts?) I asked him.
(Hiding, if they're smart,) he told me, rather tersely. (Not that I have much experience with this. To my knowledge, Andalites don't bother with attacking the pools. Simply killing us in battle.)
(Weird,) I murmured. (New type of fighting, then? Free the humans and alert the newspapers?)
(Won't do much good if they did,) Terlin replied, rather disappointingly. (Humans generally don't take stories of alien abduction seriously. Even if it made it to the front page of the news.)
(But thousands telling the same story?)
Terlin gave a little laugh. (Once Visser Three arrives with backup, the Andalites will be lucky to escape with their own lives, let alone any freed hosts. This was a rather inopportune time for an attack-for the Andalites. Had they waited a day or so, the Visser wouldn't have been able to be on the scene nearly as quickly. You'll see, Tom.)
(I'd rather not witness it, firsthand,) I told him. (Especially if you're feeding when it happens. Think they'll try killing the Yeerks in the Pool?)
(Rather sounds like the hosts are their priority,) Terlin mused. (We'll find out soon enough what happened.)
One of the other Controllers suggested adjourning the meeting, as it was unlikely the Visser would return soon. So, we all gathered up our things and left.
Jake was late for curfew that night, but as my parents had been watching a movie, he managed to sneak in without getting caught. He looked...haggard.
"You okay, Midget?" I asked him.
Oddly enough, he seemed like he was about to start crying. But, he just nodded. "Yeah. Marco kicked my butt at this new video game, though."
"Aww," I said, putting an arm around his shoulder. "Well, hey. We'll get a copy of it at the mall. Practice until you kick his butt out of the galaxy, okay?"
Any other day, Jake would have been thrilled at just us going to the mall, and then playing video games together. Especially since we hadn't done it for awhile. And maybe it was just because he was tired, but when he agreed, his heart didn't seem to be in it.
(Perhaps, there's a girl involved. That small black one in the overalls who came to the barbecue?) Terlin suggested.
(Isn't he kind of young to be interested in girls?) I asked.
Although, maybe I was just saying that because a girl had-indirectly-made me a Controller. Sure, it was working out okay, but it could have gone in another direction.
(You were about his age when you had your first crush,) he replied, teasingly.
(You're lucky you're in my head, Terlin, or I'd have you in a headlock,) I told him. (Anyway, if it is unrequited love, or just the usual crush, I hope that's all it is.)
(At least, she's not a member of The Sharing,) Terlin reassured me. (Anyway, it could work out between them.)
(Well, Midget's on his own, there,) I told him. (Unless he wants my help, of course.)
Yeah, that's probably all that it was. My baby brother had his first crush.
A/N: Since Terlin's a lot less ambitious than Temrash, I imagine that his role in the invasion will be much smaller. So, when my piece clashes with canon, that's my reasoning. And, for obvious reasons, Terlin had to be at the Yeerk Pool earlier in the day, so that Jake would not see him with the voluntary hosts.
If you could take a minute to leave feedback, I would greatly appreciate it!