Testing Ocie Chapter Two
Here ya go!! Chapter two that is taking me forever to write because I got lazy, okay?? (sticks tongue out) I'm typing I'm typing…gah.. Oh and if something is out of date or not up to date just ignore it and go along with it! Go With the flow!! And I realize they're ooc but bah. And think- if you were in a war where no one could be trusted do you think they'd be easy going with her? And I'm letting them become more friendly with them because I want to so there.
First Person Cassie's barn Next Day.
Jake was coming up with a plan, Cassie and Rachel helping him. Tobias was listening quietly from the rafters like usual. Marco was listening from a distance, an agitated look on his face. Oh well. I was happy with Marshall and Heidi. Mostly Marshall because Heidi, as always, was being unresponsive. "You three, are you going to come over here or are you going to sit there and listen all day?" Jake called, stressed. His face was drawn and tired. Ugh. I crawled over by them and lay down, Marshall standing over me and Heidi listening closely.
"Right. So we've found another entrance that hasn't been sealed off or blocked by something that will alert them of our entrance. It's- believe it or not- in Starbucks. Or behind it." Rachel said with a grimace. I winced.
"NO! NOT STARBUCKS!! Alas, it has been corrupted." I sighed sadly. Some one chuckled a little, but said nothing.
"Anyways, we'll need something small first, then something large- dangerous." Cassie sighed, giving everyone either an ew look or a 'lizard' look. Gross.
"Um…I honestly don't think I want to try a bug. Well I have been a mosquito but it was gross. I don't want to do it again." I said, standing up. Not that it did much help. Marco still loomed over me and he's shorter than everyone here. "Lizards. Small geckos. They're everywhere." Cassie said, holding her hand out. I sighed and touched the small lizard and concentrated on it. As did everyone else. Marshall shivered and bit his lip. Tobias morphed human and stood next to Rachel as they watched. "When are we doing this, again?" Marshall asked quietly, taking a step back.
"I think we should wait until tomorrow night." Marco suggested quietly, eyes down.
"Me too." Cassie said. Jakes taught face relaxed for a second, then he was looking stressed again.
"What?! They could move it by then! I mean, if we want to catch them., we've got to go now, now, now!" Rachel said, looking at all of us in turn. "Rachel's right, guys. We have to act quickly." Jake sighed, sounding way too tired for his own health. I cleared my throat. "Why don't just a few of us go? Those who think they're not too tired to do so, they can come. The rest stay back and rest up for the next 'raid'. Right? It sounds good…" I said, looking at everyone. Rachel looked slightly thoughtful and slightly annoyed, Jake was looking stubborn -just a little-Marco was looking around like "who? Me?" and Cassie was smiling a little. Marshall didn't care, obviously, and Heidi was looking dead on her feet. No one said anything yet. Tobias didn't say anything reassuring. Not that I expected him to. But it would have helped.
"Well…don't you think that's a bit risky? I mean, what if one of us gets hurt and there's only a few of us there and no one can get help. Because there's too much going on?" Jake suggested tiredly. "Jake, I'm sure you guys did fine with only five people there before we came! I mean, Marshall, Heidi, me, and two other people can come and then the rest can stay!" I said stubbornly with my hands on my hips. Jakes shoulders slumped a little bit.
"Right. Well, who's going?" He asked, looking around tiredly. Rachel stepped forward immediately, along with Tobias and Ax. "Great. Just perfect. Who's going?" "Jake, just calm down. You haven't been getting much sleep lately. Why don't both the guys go with Rachel. It won't be that bad to have more than five people and one Andalite there. It might help. While you, Marco, and I stay here and rest up, maybe thinking of another plan for if this one goes right." Cassie said with a smile. Jake sat down with a sigh and leaned back, eyes closing.
"Alright, I'll take that as our cue to go…" I said, thinking of the pretty falcon I'd acquired; of the pattern of it's feathers. I felt my self shrink, cringing inwardly at the crunching of my spine shrinking. My fingers turned to feathers as my skin changed to the lovely pattern of her feathers. My mouth turned to a beak and my eyesight sharpened. My feet turned to talons and I lost my teeth. Marshall started to turn into his Buteo Swainsoni hawk. Dark brown feathers with a reddish hood, white throat and body, accentuated by a dark bib-like band that crosses his chest. Darker gray flight feathers highlighted his buffy wing linings. His tail was gray stripped with a white base. Heidi was the same, with a female hawk. Marshall let out a shrill, monotone skreeee. I angled my head towards him. Tobias slowly demorphed into his own body, flapping up into the rafters. We followed him as Rachel morphed eagle and Ax turned into an Osprey.
We ready? Tobias asked. I wondered idly who would be the leader. But of course, Jake had to stay behind and rest. The whole time I've been here, I think he slept at least four days, possibly less.
Cassie, you and Marco are the only ones who can get Jake to sleep. Maybe it would be wise to see to it that he sleep for at least a few hours. But I don't suggest taking him home- it would be wiser still to keep him here. Marshall said. I wondered for a moment why he spoke this 'aloud' until I realized that Jake had fallen asleep sitting up. Cassie and Marco nodded.
Shall we leave? Ax asked, taking flight. I launched myself into the air, giggling slightly. Of course, the feeling of flying is always enough to make me giddy, but still! It makes me giggle a lot, every time. Marshall flew above me, making his skreeee noise. Heidi made no sound, flying by me with a wary thought of Are they to be trusted? Truly, Ocie? I made a loud, shrill and coarse kek-kek-kek-kek-kek noise.
I think so. They haven't done anything to me and I've been here for almost three weeks. Wouldn't they do something by then if they wanted to hurt me? I asked privately. She dipped low and ignored me. She wouldn't admit it, but we knew she loved flying. Something must have happened to where she totally hates life. She only listened to Marshall with all ears focused.
So, your real name isn't Ocie? Where did you come up with the name Ocie? Rachel asked, flying near me. Talon got a little nervous, trying to pull away. I reassured her and stayed near Rachel.
I don't really know- Marshall helped us all pick names. If I could have, I would've shrugged.
Guys, maybe you shouldn't fly so close- it looks suspicious if so many different types of birds are flying like a flock. Tobias said tensely.
You would know. Marshall grunted, flapping away from me.
Be nice. I said gently. He didn't like Tobias much, along with Marco. He thought Tobias was annoyingly shy and that Marco had something to hold against him. Or that's what he told me. I think that maybe he didn't like Marco because I liked Marco. But who knows with this kid? He's always so cryptic. Like Ax. I think. I only met him one day ago. Or whatever…Yeah…
I think that's it. Everyone ready? Rachel made a loud noise and did a straight dive down wards, her wings folded in. I sighed and would have rolled my eyes. Tobias laughed in our heads and followed quickly. Ax went after them.
Heidi? You go first, the Ocie, then I'll follow. Marshall said commandingly. I flapped over and tried to hit him with my wing. Missed. Oh well.
Why do you have to be so bossy? I groaned. Heidi made no complaint, just dived towards the ground, on a slightly less drastic scale than Rachel and Tobias. When she landed and started demorphing, I dove down, wings tucked in, head facing directly downward.
Ocie…you idiot… I heard Marshall sigh quietly as I landed slightly wobbly. I laughed in everyone's heads and began to demorph. I felt my toes and fingers and back re appear. Then my mouth, then my skin (ew…) and finally my eye sight and ears dulled to human hearing. Gecko time. "Everyone ready?" Marshall asked, looking down at his bike shorts. That's all he could find. No shirt. I'm not complaining but it seemed to make everyone else uncomfortable. Heidi silently began morphing into the gecko, olive skin turning into greenish scales, pupils splitting and back shrinking. Her tail emerged and her hands became small clawed fingers. She shrunk completely. Then I did exactly what she did, along with Marshall, Ax, and Rachel. I looked at Tobias and freaked. Oh my goth! Run! Danger! Danger! OH MY GOTH! Hawk! Predator!! The gecko brain thought trying to scamper away. Everyone was scampering around. Tobias remained a hawk to help us.
Calm down guys. It's just me. Tobias. Ocie, Rachel, Heidi, Marshall. It's just me. Breathe. He said. I stopped moving to watch him. He wasn't moving. Right. Ocie. Ocie Rose McGavin. That's my name. Not Geico the gecko…
I got it. Marshall.
Me too. Rachel agreed.
SO DID I!! I yelped, pleased.
Uh-huh. Who other than Heidi could have such a beautiful, poetic response?
I looked at Tobias as he began to transform. Do you realize how weird it is to see a HAWK turn into a LIZARD? Sure it's way weird to watch a person turn into a lizard, but a hawk? Insane!! Way cool, though. His feathers turned to scales first, leaving a green and scaly hawk. Weird. Then he shrunk to size and his beak turned into a small mouth. His talons and wings became four oddly shaped legs. His eyes must have dulled because he groaned. The tail was the last to change. Way too weird and cool at the same time. It should be right over here, if Jake was right. Rachel said, taking the lead. We all followed directly behind her like a line of baby ducks following their mother.
Way not to be noticeable guys. Tobias said wryly, following behind Ax, who had been silent.
Marshall go a little to your right, then. I'll get a little bit on the wall, Heidi follow Marshall, Tobias fall back a little bit with Ax. It won't help much but just a tiny bit does a lot. I said, scampering onto the brick and latching on easily. Bug!! Bug!! Don't you dare!! I told myself, getting off the wall ASAP. I was immediately sensing warmth in the air. Unnatural warmth. My lizard mind liked it a little, but Ocie was in there too, and I did not like it. Could it possibly be something like a Kandrona?? No, they wouldn't have a Kandrona- something that important- here. Right?
Guys…? I asked wearily, stopping. Go down now. I think we just need to get in there. Yeerk pool. Rachel said, scampering down. I could barely see. Oh well. I dove down after her, followed closely by Tobias, Marshall, Ax, and Heidi. I found myself feeling lots of space, but stale air. And warmth.
Demorph? I asked hesitantly. Rachel answered by slowly turning into a human. I followed in suit, enjoying the fact that I no longer craved bugs and could see a little better. I shook myself out, scooting away from the rest of them. Ax took up the most space, which isn't saying much.
"Okay, Heidi, turn into your dingo. It moves the fastest of all of your morphs." Marshall said roughly as he began to change into the sleek black jaguar. He was grinning. I thought for a moment…Tiger…wolf…cheetah…
"Guys? Marshall, what should I become?" I asked as Rachel became a grizzly bear. Tobias was slowly becoming a polar bear along with Ax.
Cheetah. He replied immediately. I shrugged and started to morph. I think he just liked it because it was also feline and it was fast. Possibly because it could maneuver easier than a tiger in these cave like places. I won't go into detail this time, so let's just say I was magically a cheetah, standing beneath a large grizzly.
Let's roll. She said, leading the way. We were trying to be as stealthy as a band of polar bears, a cheetah, a grizzly, a jaguar, and a dingo could be. Which isn't exactly saying something but we were quiet for a pack of weirdly matched animals. Herd, or whatever. Pack. I kept my left side pressed to the wall when the cave had suddenly opened up on the right side. People and Hork-bajir and Taxxon were all gathered, either caged, free, or being dragged towards the Yeerk pool.
I shivered and slowly let the cheetah mind take over, telling her only a few things. Slugs- enemy. Giant worms- enemies. Weird smelling humans- enemies. Strange smelling alien creatures with swords- enemies. Caged humans- leave alive. And I let her slink along the wall as everyone leapt towards them.
A dracon beam was shot. I lowered onto my belly and crept forward still, letting my claws dig into the dirt. Stale.
Then I lunged! I bit into soft, fuzzy Taxxon flesh, ripping into it. A Hork-bajir cut into my back leg, but I jumped before it could even get anymore of me. The Taxxon was down. I heard a strange noise, tilting my head to watch a big human-like creature swing giant arms around and roar, attacking things. The jaguar- a cousin animal?- lunged away from the arms, eyeing them carefully. The grizzly was throwing people like crazy, putting her muzzle in the humans faces. I slunk away from her, scared slightly at her size. A polar bear roared, sinking its already bloody teeth into a Taxxon. I went for the legs of something, then went for its throat as it went down. I heard the scream, but paid that no mind as I finished it. Something seared my leg again, but I shook it off and swiped at the snake like head of something black looming over me. Danger! To your left! I turned and hissed, lowering to my belly. The dracon beam hit the Hork-bajir behind me. I purred a little and went for the cages.
The boy that Marshall didn't like was in there, shaking the bars and yelling about being let out. I cocked my head to the side, trying to understand where I recognized him from. Where…Then the human of me snapped back into focus, watching him. Jake. He looked like Jake. NO! Don't Marshall!! I lunged at him, liquid titanium muscles pouncing onto the black jaguar that was going for the boys throat. He's innocent! He hasn't done anything! The jaguar threw me and I twisted my springy spine until I was flying through the air on my belly. The Yeerk pool was rushing up on me. Oh no, oh no…oh no… I thought, trying to push myself away. A dark, thick and muscled arm caught me, pulling me to the ground and not even rocking with the impact. Marco. That's why my cheetah didn't freak at the sight of such a big creature. She'd seen or sensed him before. I brushed my body against his leg in gratitude, then moved out of the way as a dracon beam fired.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX TWO HOURS LATER XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I shivered, sitting in the barn with everyone. Nothing good. Visser Three wasn't even there, at the Yeerk Pool. It was just the one. Not The one. The one where he was hiding his sorry butt. Marco was looking slightly confused as if he didn't know why exactly he was in the battle today. Not that it was anything important- just pure danger and adrenaline. Rachel was speaking quietly to Tobias, who was in human morph. Cassie was looking at something in a horse stall. I wandered over to her, hopping up on the thing to see. "Ha. Ha. Ha-ha." I laughed in a stalled way, looking down at Jake. He was sleeping all curled up in the corner of the stall. He was covered with a thin blanket. Marshall hovered over me, looking guilty.
"Ocie, I'm sorry about earlier. I was really angry.' He said. I shrugged and looked away, at the watch on Tobias' watch. Eight thirty pm.
"So, who's house are we supposed to stay in?" I asked loudly. Jake must've heard, because he stood and pointed at Rachel, then me. Tobias, then Marshall, Heidi then Cassie.
"Jake isn't one to talk when he first wakes up." Marco laughed as Jake stretched his back hugely. I laughed a little, too.
"Heidi has to come with me." Marshall said in a twitchy voice.
"No, she has to go with Cassie." Jake said grumpily. "Why?" "Fine, she can go with you. But Marco can yous stay at my house tonight? Two on one wouldn't be really fair, now would it?" Jake gave Marco a look, who nodded. I smiled at Rachel, who gave me a speculative look and smiled back. Something about how long I've known her -about two and a half weeks- told me she wanted to go shopping. No, I would not go shopping with Rachel. I think from the way that Cassie is always so thoroughly refusing that it would be dastardly.
"Can we please go? I'm really sleepy…" I said quietly, yawning and walking out before Marshall could say anything purposely. Marco followed me out instead of Rachel, who was still talking to Tobias. "Are you okay?" He asked. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I whispered, yawning again.
"You seemed a little…freaked out when you almost…fell in." I couldn't pretend to not know what he was talking about, though with anyone else I would have tried.
"I'm fine. Thanks. Why were you out there, today, any ways?" I asked quietly, trying not to sound ungrateful. He smiled a little, in that ironical way that I recognized as if I'd known him forever.
"I don't know. Honesty, you'd think I'd be the first to say I wanted to stay home. But I followed you guys and some how ended up following a cheetah as a lizard. Then I was fighting. You were hissing. It was confusing." I smiled cynically and pushed him against the side of the barn.
"Really? Were you worried about us? Hmmm??" I teased, holding him to the barn. Unfortunately, he's bigger than me so he just pushed me off.
"No. I was just bored." He said sarcastically, but I couldn't tell if he meant that he WAS worried, or that he- "So…you were right about your friend Heidi. I mean, she does seem pretty blood thirsty." He said, hands in his pockets. He started walking away. I followed, putting my hands in my pockets, too.
"She's been that way since we awoke. It's strange- seeing someone as blood thirsty as me. I always thought of myself as deranged or freaky. Heidi made me think that I was being melodramatic." I said quietly, half hoping he heard and half hoping he didn't.
"I know what you mean. I thought bringing home bad grades would kill me- now I know what can." He sighed. "Don't be so dark!" I snapped. "That's Marshall's job!" I added with a grin.
"Yeah, tall, dark, and stoic over there doesn't know the difference between a caterpillar and a Taxxon- which is saying something." Marco snorted. "Is someone a little jealous?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He laughed out loud and turned his head a little. "No." "What are you looking at?" I asked, trying to see over his shoulder. "Listen closely. I think that is Rachel and Tobias." He laughed a little, turning into a bird. I sighed and turned into the falcon. We followed them silently, perching in nearby trees. "What's wrong, Tobias? You're acting so weird." Rachel said, following him into the woods. I wanted to sigh in frustration, but instead of doing so, I merely followed them. Marco was following, too. Good. Because if he gets us into trouble, I'm going to beat that boy till he can't fight the Yeerks even with his mind or in his imagination. "N-nothing. Just wanted to talk." Tobias sighed, sitting at the base of a tree. I cocked my head to the side. Could he be- OHH!! I get it, I get it!!
Marco, does he…? I asked in a private thought.
Oh come on. How could you not know that? If anyone couldn't tell that, they're retarded. He laughed in my head. I froze in my spot. Thanks a lot, Marco. I laughed, trying to sound like it didn't hurt as bad as it did. I don't know why it made me feel like someone just slapped me- it must have to do with my memories trying to come back. I repressed them and tuned in to Rachel and Tobias' conversation.
"Um…well…I was…"
"Tobias, wait. I have a question to ask you and I'd rather ask this and get it over with rather than waiting for some new hell to be fall us- like the news you probably have. I wanted to know if you would go out with me the next time we have a free day." Tobias froze, not even his hair moving in the wind. Well?! Boy, answer!!