Please don't ask me why. I don't know. Halloween was coming (and is already gone), I got the sudden urge to do something different and decided to add a little thought that has been cooking in my head. This is the third night in a row I'm hastily making this, so I'm not sure how coherent I am anymore. The power gaming music mix I'm listening to is the only thing keeping me awake right now. xP

Have fun and don't worry, nothing traumatizing here. I'll put the disclaimer after the chapter not to spoil the surprise.

"What's this now?"

Lex turned to look at the blonde, short-haired woman, who had joined her by the door. Both of them watched the unusual sight of two predators and three humans lounging in the cozy living room, engaged in a peculiar conversation.

"I don't know who started it", Lex spoke under her breath not to disturb the strange event. "But it seems they are finally starting to get along... at least when discussing movie monsters."

"Movie monsters?" Annie raised a quizzical brow. "What? Are they trying to decide who would win a fight between the hunters and Jason Voorhees?"

"You get the idea!" Antonio's slightly slurring voice bellowed from the spacious couch, next to Mark and Scar. "I'm more of a Freddy guy myself, but hey, it's aaall goood..."

"Are you drunk?" Annie frowned in disbelief, walking briskly into the room and in front of the laid-back and happily grinning man. "Ugh, clearly... What the hell kind of a poison generates a smell like that?"

"Something stronger... than what you humans... are used to", a hoarse voice gloated from the other side of the room.

Annie turned to glare at Stealth. "What did you give him?"

Then she realized something and glanced over to Mark, who looked surprisingly comfortable to be sitting between the loud-mouthed man and silently towering Scar. "Please tell me you didn't take anything."

Mark grinned and shook his head. "I thought it better to see if Antonio survived first."

"Judging by that aroma of death he won't."

Annie returned her attention to the lightly-armored predator, who raised his hand from where he was leaning against the wall, and showed the short woman a leathery-looking cylinder. "Go ahead... and try for yourself."

Annie strode towards him without hesitation and grabbed the cylinder, chucking it out the open window next to them. Stealth let out a gurgling laughter, not looking surprised.

"Too bad... I was hoping to see... whether you would... finally let me satisfy my curiosity."

"Curious to know how a kick to the groin feels like?"

"Not that I'm complaining..." Lex decided to cut in, heading for the couch. "But how come you're all playing so nice together?"

She took a seat on the armrest next to Scar, leaning against the broad shoulder as the large hunter wrapped his arm around her waist and gestured behind the couch.

"Our guest insisted."

Lex looked back to see a figure she hadn't noticed form the doorway occupying a comfortable easy chair in the corner, perched over a laptop and tapping furiously. "Oh, our author is back."

Keith shrugged in his own easy chair. "Apparently she just realized what month it is and got a sudden urge to make us do something Halloween related."

"So... what are you doing exactly?"

"Trying to decide a movie, for one."

"And..." Mark smiled excitedly and leaned forward, elbows on his legs. "...trying to find a decent match for these guys from the movies."

"Huh..." Lex didn't sound too enthusiastic. "Well, I'm all for the first option."

Antonio had started to look as if he would pass out any second, but out of nowhere he was wide awake again, raising a finger. "Don't you get the... the beauty of this? With the authorerressh here, she can just magic us anything we want. Any movie..."

"Or any monster we want?" Annie was suddenly very interested in the topic. "Am I understanding correctly? We'll just have to think up the most powerful monsters we know and then watch them kick Stealth's ass? I'm in."

The predator in question tilted his head curiously. "Do tell... what you have in mind. Though... I doubt it will be... anything truly challenging."

"You'd be surprised by the human imagination."

"Hold your horses there!" the author interrupted. She had stopped typing and pushed up the glasses that had slid down the bridge of her nose. "I'm too busy to start writing your dream fights with random movie monsters. Besides, let's face it. Can any one of you think of a monster more terrifying and challenging than the xenomorphs?"

"Anaconda 3!" Antonio exclaimed, raising an invisible glass to toast and almost sliding to the floor. "Never seen a more terrifying and uglier thing on screen."

"Can't argue with you there", Keith made a face, while Mark chuckled on the background. "But I don't think it counts if it makes you laugh while terrifying you. I gotta admit, while I can think of many things I find terrifying, I don't have the foggiest idea what would scare these guys."

Scar and Stealth certainly hadn't lost any of their imposing physiques, dexterity or strength over the years. The normal human-sized furniture and the fairly low ceiling made them only appear even more gigantic than they already were. Lex stroked affectionately the clawed hand warming her stomach and Scar turned to give her a silent, pondering look.

"What?" Lex lowered her voice while the others continued leading the discussion further down the movie drain. "Do I dare ask what you're thinking?"

A slow equivalent of a smile twisted Scar's mandibles and played in his yellowish-green eyes. "What are you afraid I'm thinking of."

Lex didn't answer, knowing they both knew exactly what had been hinted at. She was only surprised Scar didn't tease him further, instead seemingly listening to the general conversation again, though his expression betrayed his lack of focus.

"What about Graboids?" Mark was just suggesting.

Annie huffed from the side of the couch. "I don't care what it is as long as it can wipe the floor with a certain hunter's smug face."

Stealth stepped away from the wall and leaned over the unflinching woman with a challenging gleam in his yellow eyes. "This certain hunter... wouldn't be the first one to fall... out of the two of us."

"Get a room already..." Antonio waved his hand at the bickering duo, too out of it to fear the possible consequences.

An audible clap of a laptop being closed with more force than necessary was meant to silence the conversation, and it did just that. All eyes turned to the author, who was suddenly smiling.

"I think this will be enough. When I said I don't have the time to write your monster fights, it didn't mean I don't have any interest in doing so at all. In fact, I've already presented a challenge for you that has intrigued me for a while now."

Lex felt Scar's body tensing under her touch and glanced at the tall warrior, seeing the deep-set eyes narrowing. Was he still holding a grudge against the author for the trick she had once played on him?

Everyone waited to hear the true reason why they had been summoned together that night, even Antonio managed to somewhat focus his tired eyes to the right direction. The author was clearly trying to hold in her excitement, failing to completely contain the toothy grin that threatened to emerge.

"I should have known... you were up to something", Stealth somehow managed to appear interested and bored at the same time. "It seems... I'm not the only one... who enjoys playing games."

"I'm guessing you're not simply going to tell us a scary story", Keith sounded cautious, but interested too.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I am... kind of." The author put aside the small laptop and crossed her legs on the easy chair, raising her index finger. "It's a scary story with only one sentence."

Every face held a slightly different, expecting look that melted into shocked disbelief as soon as the sentence was uttered.

"One of you is not really you."

It took a brief moment for the meaning of the words to set in.

"What...?" Lex would've laughed at the statement, had she not been aware of the unlimited power authors had.

"And what is that supposed to mean, exactly", Annie's tone was far from amused.

The author shrugged, still smiling. "Exactly what I said. One of you is only pretending to be who they appear to be. In reality they're neither human nor Yautja. Though I will say the real one is just fine and okay with this, so don't worry."

"Please tell me this is not something like The Thing -thing", Mark pleaded worried, but the author refused to tell.

"Has anyone seemed different to you? Can you tell straightaway who's not themselves?"

Lex felt shivers running down her spine as the humans and hunters in the room began observing each other carefully. She also became very conscious of the arm still wrapped around her. She wanted to believe she would know if it wasn't Scar.

"What is... the point of this?" Stealth demanded, not having moved either from Annie's side.

"Just think of this as a demonstration of their abilities", the author explained, unable to resist adding: "While also an opportunity to creep the hell out of you in honor of Halloween. So... any guesses?"

Annie moved to the couch, where Mark was sitting and pulled the youngster up, pushing him behind her. "I know who it isn't."

Lex envied the temperamental woman's confidence. She really was sure she would know Mark from an impostor. Lex couldn't tell. They had all seemed like their normal selves. Even Antonio, who was still too intoxicated to pay attention to his surroundings properly. The only thing bugging Lex was Scar's silent pondering just before the author's announcement.

"Remember that little joke you played on me back in Antarctica?"

Scar's eye ridges elevated, followed by a smile tugging at his mandibles. "You mean with the dead bug and its inner mouth?"

Lex smiled back in relief. "That's the one."

"Well, that's no fun if you start comparing memories", the author shook her head in mock disappointment. "I guess I should just introduce the culprit to you, then. They actually have something in common with our hunters. Warriors with honor and pride, advanced technology, which by the way, has helped them to blend in today. And that would be your cue..."

For a few seconds, almost everyone looked around with nothing happening.

Everyone except Annie, who had closed her eyes in concentration.

The change was so abrupt and unexpected that Mark jumped back slack-jawed and Keith sprang to his feet from his chair. Annie's ruffled hair had turned blue and a pair of stalk-eyes had popped out of her head. Even Scar and Stealth stared dumbfounded at the unnatural sight of the seemingly human woman suddenly gaining two extra fingers and a bladed tail that ripped through her clothes. Her whole body began sprouting blue fur and changing shape drastically. The groaning of her bones could easily be heard as her spine began growing and twisting, bending what used to be Annie into a nightmarish form with two horse-like hooves growing quickly from her lower stomach to catch her as standing upright became impossible.

Soon a slender, centaur-like creature with a long, bladed tail and no mouth stood in the living room, taking in the reactions his little performance had gained.

"Ever heard of the Andalites?" The author asked quietly, just as mesmerized as the others.

A joyous laugh from the doorway snapped them out of it.

"Annie!" Mark exclaimed immediately, happily relieved and very much confused at the same time. "You're... you this time, aren't you?"

"Sorry about that", the short-haired woman stifled her laughter. "I mainly went along with this to see the look on Stealth's face. So worth it."

The yellow-eyed hunter was quickly recovering from his shock, judging the strange, new creature with his gaze. "Is this thing... supposed to be the challenge... you were talking about?"

The Andalite held a proud and graceful posture as he turned to the taller and more muscular hunter, almond-shaped main eyes observing him just as closely. Without a warning, the long tail shot forward in a blur, curving blade stopping close to Stealth's neck.

(About what you said earlier...)

The self-assured, almost cold voice came out of nowhere, straight into everyone's heads. (Out of the two of us, you would be the first to fall.)

Stealth hadn't even flinched as the aggressive movement happened, but his posture was tense, ready to unleash his physical prowess at any moment. Nobody knew whether he could've stopped the attack had it been real, but they did know the predators weren't slow either. Both warriors kept sizing each other up, the Andalites feelings unknown, Stealth's eyes burning with the thrill of coming across with what he was clearly starting to consider a worthy adversary.

"Thought-speak..." Mark muttered to himself, amazed. "You really are an Andalite."

The deadly tail lowered slowly and the Andalite turned his main eyes to Mark, still keeping the stalk-eyes trained on the large hunter in front of him. (My appearance wasn't enough to convince you of that?)

The notion wasn't intended to taunt, and the embarrassed youth quickly realized it, grinning widely. "Sorry. I just... How were you able to imitate her so well? I had no idea."

The look in the Andalite's eyes seemed to grow warmer. (I have been on Earth long enough to have learned a few useful things. In addition to that, I was provided with the necessary information about you and your usual ways of interaction. You specifically were to be under my protection...)

The almond-eyes cast a sidelong glance at Stealth's towering form. (...while certain others were to be treated like an enemy. And I can see why now.)

Lex was finally feeling she could relax again. It had been a surprise alright, but more harmless than she had feared. Keith was already grinning too, taking part in questioning the Andalite, and Antonio had without anyone noticing somehow managed to pass out on the couch, despite the surrounding excitement, and was snoring faintly.

Lex pressed her forehead against Scar's tube-like dreadlocks, sighing deeply. "Didn't you suspect me even a little?"

"No", the gruff voice answered without hesitation. "You wouldn't have agreed to something like this."

"I wasn't so sure about you", Lex admitted, speaking what had troubled her. "You had something on your mind just now. Something was distracting you."

"...True."

"What was it?"

Scar glanced at the author, who was looking contented with the success of her little scheme. "You know I don't much care for her surprises."

Lex understood completely.

"Also... her presence reminded me of something she promised the last time she was here. A promise she has yet to keep."

Lex lifted her head to give Scar a questioning look, but the cryptic hunter didn't offer any further explanation.

"So what do you think of our special guest?"

Lex and Scar looked back to see the author had gotten up and snuck behind the couch.

"Do you think his kind would offer an interesting challenge? Speed, smarts, extra eyes, bladed tail, the ability to become not just human, but any big and dangerous species they have come in contact with. I gotta say, the thought gets me curious at least."

Scar returned his gaze forward and said nothing. Lex could've sworn he was sulking. The author seemed to think the same. Then her perplexed expression changed into realization.

"Oh..."

The realization became a knowing smirk. "Don't worry. As soon as I get the final chapter to your story done, it's time for me to deliver on what I promised you."

Scar perked up visibly, though still looking a bit suspicious. Lex didn't know what they were talking about, but something in the author's knowing look and Scar's obvious interest gave her a bad feeling.

"Scar...?"

The hunter only grinned in response, and Lex found herself wondering whether the Andalite would be willing to fill in for her too for a while.

So there, the disclaimer first: I don't own the usual cast Lex and Scar, Jason, Freddy, Graboids, The Thing or the Andalites, though on a side note, it was ridiculously fun to write the morphing scene. And dammit, I can't put the same marks to the thought-speak as in the books...

I really loved reading the Animorphs as a kid. It has been a long time since that, but the thought of predators and Andalites facing off came to me one day and hasn't left me alone since. I guess this is kind of testing the waters to see if anyone else would find the idea entertaining. Can't remember what else I was supposed to say. I think I'll go to bed now.