"Should we try to talk to it?" Rachel asked, raising an eyebrow. For a whole moment, I thought she was serious.
"Yeah," Tobias nodded, overly excited about this whole thing. I shook my head before standing up, my legs cramping from the awkward position.
"Where are you going?" Marco asked as I turned to walk away.
"Home. You know, that nice hotel room, where there's a bed, and oh, you know, not a freaking spaceship," I muttered.
"Stay, please?" Cody asked, catching my arm as I moved to walk away.
"I feel like we're in the Twilight Zone," Jake muttered. He looked over at me and shrugged.
"Whatever," I grunted. I moved beside Tobias, watching as he stepped forward, hands held out in front of him.
"It's safe," he said softly, though his voice seemed to travel across the entire construction site. "We won't hurt you."
"You think it speaks English?" Cassie asked.
"Everyone speaks English on Star Trek," Marco shrugged, flashing that goofy grin of his.
"Please come out? We won't hurt you," Tobias tried again.
I know.
I looked around, completely taken by surprise. By the looks of those closest to me, I could tell they had heard it too.
"I'm not the only one that heard that, right?" Tobias asked nervously.
"Heard isn't the right word," I muttered. I was tired of the games. I stepped forward, my hands out in front of me, my heart racing in my chest.
"Can you come out?" I asked, trying my hardest to keep my voice steady. I felt Marco's arm lock around my waist. I didn't spare a glance.
Yes. Don't be frightened, it said. Or didn't say, really.
The door opened. A dim, yet blinding light glowed from the open space. Gasping, I turned into Marco's chest, shielding my eyes. As a general rule, when someone tells you not to be scared, chances are, you're going to be terrified. I'd seen enough horror movies to have every possible monster known to man flashing in my mind.
As the light dimmed, I turned again, this time, only to see what looked like a cross between a deer and a man. And a snail. The...the thing had no mouth, only three vertical slits. It had two eyes on it's face, like a human, but also had two stalk-like eyes – making it looks like a snail stuck in a human's head. It's eyes were a shocking, neon green color. It's fur, a bluish hue. It had the torso of a human, the body of a deer. After a few heart stopping seconds, I noticed the tail. It was thick and powerful. Bladed, almost resembling that of a scorpion.
After the initial shock wore off, in the matter of seconds, though they felt like years, I found myself oddly comforted by the strange alien's presence. I watched as Cody's entire body relaxed, a smile crossing his face. He took the first step towards the creature, his eyes glossy, almost as if he was stuck in a memory. A very fond, very sweet memory.
"Hello," he said gently, like he was talking to a newborn foal.
Hello it said, in a way that made little sense. He was silent, yet we all heard what he said. In our heads.
"Hey," we all said softly, in the same tone.
Tobias and Cody were standing closest to the alien when he shuddered, his legs giving way beneath him. They both made their best effort to catch him, but he slipped from their grasps, landing on the dirt with a soft, nearly silent thud.
The movement reminded me of a down horse. Your first instinct is to step forward. Then you remember that even floored, the creature was dangerous. It's hooves alone could kill you. In this case, the tail was the scary part. A wounded horse I could deal with, a wounded alien? Not so much.
I spaced out after that. My mind was caught between a dream and reality. I moved with the rest of the group, moreso because Marco's arm was still wrapped around me, in that protective, everything's going to be okay sort of way. It wasn't until later, that I realized they had waited. Waited until I snapped back to them, before carrying on with the important details.
I had snapped back to real time as the alien was telling my friends about the Yeerks. The way he described them, made me picture a slug. A parasitic, mind controlling slug. It didn't make sense, not really. What would a slug-like alien race want with Humans?
...You will place your hands on the side of the box it continued. It...the Andalite. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about that. I had been silently listening, but not really taking in any of what he was saying. I was stuck on the whole Alien invasion part of the lecture. Everything else sort of went in one ear, out the other.
I know that you are young. I know that you have no power with which to resist the Controllers. But I may be able to give you some small powers that may help. Powers no human has ever had.
We all looked at one another, trying to absorb what he was saying. Powers? What are we, ten? This didn't make an ounce of sense, not until much, much later. Tobias and Cody were standing with giddy looks on their faces. Had it been under any other circumstance, I would have slapped them. Or mashed their heads together. Whichever came first.
"What kind of powers?" Jake finally asked, taking charge of the situation. His eyes were locked on the blue box in the Andalite's hands.
It is a piece of Andalite technology that the Yeerks do not have, that no other race in the universe has, he explained. A technology that enables us to pass undetected in many parts of the universe - the power to morph. We don't share this technology with anyone. But it's your only shot.
"Morph?" Rachel asked quizzically.
"What does that even mean?" I asked softly. The first real thing I said the entire time.
To change your bodies, the Andalite said. To become any other species. Any animal. All you need to do is touch a creature. That will allow you to acquire its DNA. Then you will be able to become that creature. Nothing is too big or too small. Too complex, too simple. This require concentration and strength, but if you are strong...determined, you will be able to do it. There are, however, limitations. Dangers, really. But there is no time to explain it all...not enough time to...You will have to learn on your own. Do you wish to receive this power?
"He's kidding, right?" Marco asked Jake. His eyes were showing nothing but disbelief. Doubt.
"No," Cody said softly. His eyes were glowing with anticipation. "He's not kidding."
We all looked at him. Him and Tobias. They seemed way too eager to jump into the unknown. Which wasn't entirely surprising, but it was out of character nonetheless. For Cody at least. Tobias, well Tobias was strange to begin with.
"This is insane," Marco said, shaking his head. "This entire thing is insane. Yeerks? Spaceships? Slugs taking over people's brains? Andalites and the power to change into animals? Am I the only one who's having a hard time believing any of this?"
"If I wasn't standing right here, looking straight into the face of a dying...Anda...whatever, I wouldn't believe it either," I murmured. I looked at the strange alien before us, my heart breaking at the fact that he was dying. He wasn't going to get out of here alive. "May I?" I asked, kneeling next to him. It was a knee jerk reaction. He nodded his head, ever so slightly. I closed my eyes as I laid a hand on his warm, blue fur. I just sat there, letting my mind clear, letting my thoughts wander. Then I saw it. The most beautiful, amazing thing I'd ever seen. I felt a smile cross my lips as I raised my hand from his fur. I couldn't...no, I had to keep it to myself.
"Thank you," I whispered.
You're welcome.
"Are you done?" Marco asked, yanking me away. I looked up at him, my eyes wide.
"Sorry," I muttered, getting up. "And don't be rough with me," I added, throwing him a dirty look. Marco sometimes forgot that he was a lot stronger than I was.
"What's that?" Rachel asked, catching all of our attentions. Up in the sky, two little red dots were approaching. From where we stood, they looked like red, hot stars.
Yeerks The Andalite said. Or thought, I guess. Either way, we could all sense how deeply embedded his hate for the alien race was.
"What?" we all asked, in an eerie unison.
There's no time! You must decide! Now! the alien roared into our minds.
"We have to," Tobias said, his mind made up.
"We're the only ones who can," Cody agreed.
"This is insane," Marco grumbled.
"I wish there was more time," Rachel said slowly. "But I'm in."
"I'd rather not die today," I shrugged. "Become whatever animal we touch? Save the world? Why not?"
"What do you say, Jake?" Cassie asked. We all turned to look at him, all except Tobias, who never took his eyes off the alien.
"I...," Jake looked over at Tobias, who nodded his head once.
"We have to," he said carefully.
"He's right," Jake said with a sigh. "We have to."
Each of you place your hand on a side of the box the Andalite said. Do not be afraid
The box glowed bright blue, a shockwave shooting up our spines. I felt dizzy, like the world was turning into a huge tilt-a-whirl.
Now go! he shouted into our minds. Remember this - never remain in animal form for more
than two of your Earth hours. Never! That is the greatest danger of the morphing! If you stay
more than two hours you will be trapped. Never to return to human form.
We all nodded, breaking away from the Andalite and his magic morphing cube.
Whatever happened next, is a mystery to me. All I remember is Cody letting out a shrill cry and taking off. Instinct overtook as I ran after him, my heart racing in my chest, my vision blurred. I followed his footsteps until I couldn't run any longer. My legs gave way. I, thankfully, fell beside a downed drainpipe. I crawled behind it, shaking like a leaf, gasping for air.
The last conscious memory I had, was the Andalite saying Visser Three
"She's coming around," I heard someone say. I felt hands pressing against my cheek. Cool...cold hands.
"Mmmm," I groaned, trying to open my eyes. I was exhausted. Physically and mentally drained. Any other day, I would have just rolled over and went back to sleep. But this wasn't your ordinary day. No. Today, we saw aliens, obtained the power to morph, and god only knows what else.
"Is it over?" I asked, slowly opening my eyes. Cassie smiled down at me, a look of concern on her face.
"Yeah," she said softly.
"He's..." I let the question fall short.
"Yeah," she said again. I felt strong arms help me sit up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marco.
"Cody?" I asked, shifting my weight so I could look around.
"Jake caught up with him," Cassie said reassuringly. "They're both fine."
"So, what did I miss?" I asked as that sank in.
"A lot. We'll fill you in later," she said with a soft smile. "Right now, how many fingers am I holding up?"
"Three, and I didn't hit my head," I grumbled. I stood up carefully, testing my own balance. I swayed at first, but my feet finally decided to listen to the rest of my body.
"Here they come," Tobias observed. He still had that star-struck look on his face. If I had been paying more attention, maybe I could have connected the dots.
"Cody, I should kill you, right now, you know that?" I growled, stomping towards him.
"Shut up," he shrugged before cracking his typical, yet so uncommon grin. It'd been months since I saw him smile so wide.
Instead of getting mad, I slapped him upside the forehead, before turning back around. "What time is it?" I asked. Everyone looked confused for a moment, before Tobias finally pulled out his cell phone.
"8:30," he said. "Why?"
"Shit!" I yelped. I spun around and grabbed Cody's shoulders. "You have to re-reserve our hotel room by 10. I have to get to work, I'm already late!"
"You're off tonight, remember?" Marco offered.
"Callie called off. Said she had some meeting to go to. The Sharing, I think? Anyway, I said I'd cover her shift, which started half an hour ago!" I shook my head. "Keys?"
"The car's at Rachel's," Cody reminded me.
"I'll run," I shrugged. Marco tossed me the keys, and before he could say anything else, I was running through the construction site, tripping over stray pieces of metal. For the first time in my entire life, I was grateful that I'd been on the track team since Freshman year. I wasn't the fastest person in the world, but at least I could get around easily.
I reached the car in under 5 minutes. A new record, I thought tiredly. As soon as I was inside the comforts of my car, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. We were freaking kids. We shouldn't be even thinking about fighting a war, let alone one between two alien races!
Maybe it was just a dream, I thought as I pulled away from the curb, my Impala's soft purr easing the tension from my bones. Just a really, really fucked up dream.
A/N - I actually hated writing this chapter, only because I had to shorten and "black out" a lot of the conversations, because as we all know, we can't copy text word for word. Because of that, I wanted to skip past the Visser Three/Elfangor scene. I'm not ready to throw myself into Visser Three's head just yet. (or would it be vise versa? Hmmmm) Anyway, thanks for reading guys!