Disclaimer: You know the drill. No, I do not own Animorphs, Anne Rice, Jessica Simpson, the Ring, or anything else that you can think of, that's in here.

Argh. Bad ending. I ended it because the original chapter was near 7000 words....and I decided to keep the same chapter length I kept before. So I cut the chapter in half, which is why the ending is kinda choppy, but oh well. It works.

Ah. Finals are coming up, and projects are being due, so don't be surprised if it takes up to a week for me to get one of these things up. So far, I'm ok.

Anyways, I won't bore you. And here is the moment you've all been waiting for...

Chapter Twelve:

Pink. That's what I thought of first after hours of torture and time.

My head was killing me. My face felt strange and even the roots of my hair hurt. Even in Visser Three's torture chamber, the roots of my hair didn't hurt.

There was some very fruity smell coming from somewhere that I couldn't quite place. I sniffed under my armpits.

I smelled like that? When did I smell like food?

I gulped nervously, watching the two older girls fussing with my hair. If I smelled like food, did that mean people would try to eat me?

I didn't want to be eaten. And my collar was itching at me. And my face didn't feel like my face. And my hair hurt.

They straightened and took a good look at me. I picked nervously at the shirt I was wearing. Mentally, I begged not to be eaten.

"Madi." Rachel gasped. "You look-"

I glanced curiously at the clothes-obsessed girl and turned to Cassie, who was grinning at me. "I have to admit, it's a pretty good look, Rachel."

"What are you talking about?" Rachel argued. "Pretty good?! She's perfect! She's just so- cute!"

Rachel hugged me tight and wheeled me around to face the mirror. I stared at myself in the full-length mirror.

I had on a shirt. A T-shirt, as Rachel called it, which was mainly pink, with black lace around the low collar and slightly shorter sleeves, as well as the bottom of the shirt. There were dark pink bows and ribbons on the sleeves and bottom.

The T-shirt also overlapped the top of the skort. The skort fanned out a bit, black overlapping pieces of cloth called ruffles on the bottom. The main part was pink, though, with a little black bow on the waist. They said it was similar to a skirt, but skirts didn't have shorts, which, by the way, were extremely short pants. These were black and underneath the skirt part.

My hair was brushed and washed until it made the light bounce off and reflect it. It had hurt when Rachel tore through the tangles and knots with her strange plastic object that had protruding long hard sticks on one end of it.

Rachel had also bought for me a headband, which went around my head and behind my ears. It held back my hair, so that was good. It was pink, but on top and to the side there was a strange winged black creature with pink stones embedded in the wings. Cassie called it a butterfly, which she had morphed once. She said the clip was simply a cheap plastic small model of the butterfly, and she'd show a real one to me later.

Around my neck, they had put some sort of silver chain with a metallic black and pink heart in the middle.

On my feet was some sort of shoes that had black bows on the pink cloth. I didn't bother asking what they were.

"We have got to show Jake and the others." Rachel laughed. I peered at my face that had some solid thick dark tracings around my eyes and Rachel had put pink sparkles somewhere around my eyes as well. She did something to my lips, and I noticed it was shinier and pinker. My cheeks had more pink on it than I remembered. Strange.

"Pretty, huh?" Cassie smiled at me. "Rachel likes going over the top, though, but I think you look fine. No matter what the boys say."

"Do you like it, Madi?" Rachel looked apprehensive, as if saying that I liked the clothes was the most important thing in the world to her.

I considered my reflection and decided that I didn't look too bad. The ache on my hair was going away and I managed to ignore the stuff on my face. How interesting. I looked like me, yet not like me. I still wasn't sure of the purpose of this, but it had been a good learning experience. "I think I look fine." I managed to say at last, while tracing my lips with my tongue. My lips felt heavier than usually, and they tasted better as well. The flavor was interesting and sweet. I had a sudden urge to eat my lips.

"Good!" Rachel dragged me down the stairs of her house, to a bigger room, where the "boys" were resting on the big comfy seats. I liked those. They felt much better than the hard seats of the Blade ship.

"Well?" Rachel asked expectantly as I stood in front of them. I put my hands behind my back and smiled shyly, like Rachel showed me to.

They gaped.

"So…" Cassie put in.

They gaped.

"Jake!" Rachel snapped at the leader, and he nearly fell off his seat, looking rather shocked. "You start."

"Ahh…" He scratched his head, looking around for help. When no help came, he turned back around, wincing at the look on Rachel's face. "It's very…."

Cassie nodded encouragingly. Jake waved his hands, face steadily turning red with the effort. "…pink." He immediately winced.

Marco came alive at Jake's words, and dropped his head onto Jake's shoulder, snickering. Ok, it was more like a "BWAH-HAH-HAH-HAH". Minor technicality.

Rachel and Cassie shared a look. "Good job Jake." Rachel said sarcastically. "You know your colors. Ax?"

"She looks yummy. Uh-uh-uh-mmeeeee. Yuh-yuh. Like a cake." Ax explained. He was eating small colored pellets, and there were numerous colorful packets on the table in front of him. I edged away from him. I was not about to be eaten.

"It's a very-um- strange look." Tobias offered.

"She looks freaking horrible." Marco managed to say. "Kinda like that freaky girl in The Ring. Wearing pink."

"A Goth-confused prep." Tobias put in.

"Anne Rice meets Jessica Simpson." Jake added.

Rachel sighed. "Ignore them." Cassie turned me towards the door and led me away. "Take my advice: Boys suck at fashion."

"Hey, wait!" Jake called out. "We're going over the plan."

Cassie looked around, and stopped. "We'll be wasting too much time, though. Ax and Tobias have been in morph for a good fifteen minutes."

"Plus we're not sitting unless you admit that Madi looks good." Rachel put her hands on her hips.

Jake blinked at me. "She looks good." He lied through his teeth.

"If you like raccoons." Marco muttered, and Rachel scowled as we sat down.

"Here's the plan: We need to keep an eye on the girl Marco likes. Meaning, surveillance. Now, Erek's watching her right now, but he can't keep it up all the time, so right now, we're going in."

"The things we do for you, Marco." Rachel complained, shaking her head. "So I'm with Ax?"

"Yep, and Marco's with Madi-"

"Hold on." Marco put up a hand. "I can't go with her."

"Why not?" Cassie asked.

"Because it's bad for my image. I'm supposed to be baby-sitting her, right? So how's it going to look if I'm holding hands with an emo nine-year old?"

"Perfectly normal." Tobias chimed in. Marco shot him a look, and he shrugged.

"Ok." Jake scratched his head. "I guess it would be kinda strange for Marco to be baby-sitting in the first place-"

"Not kinda. Definitely." Marco insisted.

"-so I'll go with her." He turned to me. "If that's ok?"

I saw through his plan. Jake didn't want anyone else to be with me, just in case. He was scared of me. Of what I could do.

I cursed David in my head. Why did he make things so complicated?

"That's fine." Well, it wasn't, but a little white lie never hurt anyone, did it?

"Then it's me, Cassie, and Marco up in the air." Tobias said, as we stood up. Jake grabbed my hand, and Ax handed me a white stick with a big red flat circle on top.

"Lick it with your tongue." He instructed. "It tasted good and I have observed many smaller children eating them. They're called- I believe- mollyhops."

"Lollipops, Ax." Cassie corrected.

"LLLLLLLLL-" Ax played with the word.

I nodded and obediently stuck it in my mouth. My eyes narrowed.

"Not the wrapper." Marco sighed. He pulled it out and gingerly tore open the clear plastic.

"Ah. Artificial skin." I nodded. "Earth seems to like covering many things with artificial skin."

"She kinda reminds you of someone, huh Ax?" Tobias said dryly, as he started to morph.

I watched, rather fascinated, as Marco, Cassie, and Tobias's bodies started to crumple and mold into bird forms.

"Come on." Jake led me off, as Rachel did the same with Ax. "Time to go."

I stared. I had gone into town a week before, but just going there again made me stare.

All different sorts of people wandered the streets. They were all different shades and colors, with different colored hair and strange clothing. Some even had strange metal spikes speared through their faces and ears. There were dogs and cats on leashes, and people talking and walking all around.

And the noise! Vehicles raced past, making horrible blaring noises, and I laughed when I saw the three round dots of light flash: red, yellow, green.

"I see." I said faintly. "The green represents that the vehicles in a specific row may go as they wish, but red means they must stop." I turned to Jake. "What does the yellow mean?"

(Means hang on.) Marco called from above. He and Cassie and Tobias were all flying above us. I spotted Rachel and Ax across the street, Rachel restraining Ax from running after a big truck with soft music floating, and children behind it calling for "ice cream".

Jake had to hold me back, as I turned around and stared at a group of children leaning against the wall, who saluted to me as we passed. "Hello." I called.

"Want one, kid?" The girl with purple streaked hair handed me a rolled up white thin tube. "They're good-"

"No, thank you." Jake said loudly, and pushed me away.

"She said they were good." I protested. "And she wore similar clothing."

(Couple of Goth delinquents.) Tobias answered Rachel's question. (They were trying to give Madi a cigarette.)

(You have to be careful out here.) Marco told me. (People out here are psychotic. Don't take things from strangers. Hey Jake, aren't you supposed to be teaching her this stuff?)

Jake sighed. "Don't take anything unless I tell you to, Madi." He told me, and then asked the birds. "Where's your girlfriend, Laurel, going, Marco?"

(She's actually been heading towards the school.) Cassie answered.

(School's closed today, though.) Tobias said slowly.

(She's a Controller. Has to be. She's going to visit Chapman or something, right? Aw, man, and she was hot, too.) Marco sighed.

"Make sure she's going to the school to visit Chapman first." Jake cautioned.

Now we were moving quicker. My legs pumped to keep up with Jake's wide stride. I glared at the skort that Rachel had made me where. Infernal contraption. I couldn't move in this.

(Wait...wait...) Cassie said tersely. (Ok, yeah, she's in the school parking lot, and headed straight for the doors. What should we do, Jake?)

Jake paused at a big green bush. Beyond that was a big red building, and a small figure was heading for the doors. "Ok, Madi. Now we're going to run. See that big green bin?" He pointed.

I looked. It was leaning against the building. "Yes."

"Cassie, tell Rachel and Ax to meet us at the Dumpster." To me, "Stay with me, and run to the bin. Ok?"

I nodded. He looked around the empty lot, and then broke out in a run.

I moved. Jake slowed down a little to accommodate my speed, as my short legs moved furiously to keep up. The shoes weren't making it easy, either.

(You guys look stupid.) Marco offered helpfully.

We came to a stop behind the Dumpster. I put my hands on my knees, panting hard. I hadn't had to run in a while. Not like that, anyways.

Rachel and Ax skidded up. "Hey." She sounded a bit breathless.

(Laurel's in.) Cassie reported. (She's moving across the hall.)

(Make your move now, Jake.) Marco said.

"Ok." Jake beckoned us closer. "Rachel and Ax stay behind as backup. Madi and I go ahead, and inside."

"Huh?" I blinked. How would that work?

"Here." Jake hesitated, tugging on my shirt, and then sighed. "I feel like a pedophile. Rachel, can you take her clothes off?"

(Awkward.) Tobias laughed dryly.

"Just keep watching." Jake hissed, pulling off his shirt, to reveal his morphing outfit. Rachel finished pulling off my skort, and I stood in my leotard.

"There's a window up here." Rachel laced her fingers together, and put them at about knee height. "Madi. Put your foot on my hands. Ax, help."

Jake jumped and scrambled up the window, disappearing quickly inside. His head popped back up. "I'll help."

I gingerly put my foot on Rachel's hands, and supported myself with Ax's shoulder. Jake's hands clutched me, as I kicked out with my feet, hanging half in and half out.

I felt Rachel and Ax pushing hard. "This is not a particularly...easy...deed..." Ax panted.

(Yeah, I know. Students sneaking into the school?) Cassie laughed.

And then I was sliding on my stomach into the window, caught sight of Jake's surprised face, as my head slammed into his stomach. He let out a "oomph" of air, as he fell backwards.

We fell hard. I opened my eyes a crack to find myself lying on top of Jake.

(Oh, god.) Marco groaned. (That's not a good picture.)

Quickly, Jake and I scrambled up, brushing ourselves out. Jake's face slowly started to turn a red color.

"I'm sorry." I managed humbly. I felt rather scarred.

"No, it's fine." He mumbled back, sounding as embarrassed as I felt.

(Hey, lovebirds.) Marco said. (Hurry up. Laurel's going to reach Chapman's office before you.)

I followed Jake to the door of the classroom we were in. There were rows of gray desks and chairs. I maneuvered past them, to the door.

Jake peeked out the small window at the top of the door. "All clear." He grabbed the gray handle of the door, and turned it.

The minute we were outside, Jake started running again. I sighed, not happy about all the running, and then hurried to catch up.

It was surprisingly easy to move in a leotard. We whizzed past white walls and posters and doors and...I couldn't count the things I saw. I stopped trying, and focused on our mission.

Jake slowed to a stop at a corner. I bumped into his back, surprised.

He held up a hand and peeked around the corner. I leaned back, just breathing.

"Ok." He whispered. "You have a fly morph, right?"

I blinked, surprised. "Yes. You want me to morph that?"

He nodded. "Do it now." I started to focus, when he caught my wrist, making me stop. "Remember to control the fly brain. It's going to be hard, but try to control it."

We both focused. I pictured the fly, and then felt myself shrink.

The fly. I remembered how small it was the last time, remembered the Taxxon-like arms and legs. It had six.

An extra pair sprouted from my chest. My arms and legs were getting thinner and harder. Small hairs appeared on the limbs.

My mouth disappeared and became a long tube. My hair shrunk back, my head got bigger compared to the rest of my body.

I must've been ugly. I wouldn't know, because then my vision shattered. My eyes grew wider, the perceptions becoming more and more numerous, and in different colors based on the different light rays.

I didn't even feel the wings come in. But without turning my head around, I saw the wings growing on my back, big gossamer things.

(Interesting.) I said. (This creature doesn't need to turn around to see. That's efficient.)

(Mad?) Jake asked, surprised. (You don't have any trouble controlling the fly brain?)

I paused, feeling the fly brain come in. It weakly tried to gain control, and I crushed the resistance. (No trouble.)

(Must be from being a Controller.) Cassie philosophized.

(Ok, just follow me, Madi.) I saw another fly's wings flap. Except flap wasn't the word for it, because flapping would mean the slow rhythm of moving wings. This was more like buzzing. Quick movements of the wings.

I accessed the fly brain, and learned how to fly. I moved my wings.

(Oh!) I yelled out, as I suddenly moved.

It was so fast, so quick, it was like being in an aircraft, on the outside. That was what I was like. An aircraft, soaring about.

And all because of two strange-shaped clear things on my back. Incredible.

(Follow me.) Jake called, and I turned, quickly, easily, to follow him. The reflexes of this tiny creature was insane. So fast.

The vision was still broken up, but it wasn't that hard to understand it. My directions were muddled, but otherwise, everything was fine.

(Ready?) Jake asked. I rolled in midair, getting used to the body.

(Yes.) I said. (I'm ready.)

See? Bad ending. I put in so many descriptions and stuff. The good part isn't even here yet.

But...you get some interaction with Madi and the other Animorphs. Which is good.

Feel like Madi doesn't talk. Which should bother me, but it doesn't. Probably because Madi's character doesn't really talk. She talks to herself, sure, but not to anyone else. lol

metamorphstorm: Yeah, Madi is kinda freaky, right? But that's why I love her. She's so scary, and so weird. *eyeroll* I always thought the Animorphs needed a goth. And I think of Madi as a typical emo/Goth girl. Goths are cool. I always wanted to be a Goth. lol

wordcrafter: I give you cookies. Lots of them. Yes, it is a Komodo dragon. *cheers and waves around a banner while blowing on a party blowout thing* Cool animals. If I could morph, I wouldn't mind going komodo. Gila monster isn't a bad guess, but it wasn't big or fast enough for me. And you'll see, Madi needs to be big and fast later.

So yeah. Remember, reviewing is cool. And I'll love you to bits if you do. (Which actually sounds kinda painful if you think about it...)