The usual copyright BS. I don't own Animorphs and I ain't makin any money off this.

~The Last Ronin~

Rachel? Is that my name? I concentrate on the name 'Rachel' for a minute and quietly mouth the syllables, but no memory of it belonging to me forms in my head.

Not that this kid staring at me is helping any. He's got the oddest expression on his face too and I can't decide what exactly it is. My best guess is either he just won the lottery or he just saw a ghost. Although considering he's out in the woods wearing no shoes and some God awful combination of a ratty t-shirt and...bike shorts?...I doubt it's the first one.

Maybe he's just crazy. He was talking to himself when I found him after all. Plus there's the whole saying I died thing. Super creepy.

A small pressure on my hand drags me out of my thoughts. Did he just poke me? He reaches out and yes, yes he did poke me. Again he looks at me with that weird expression and crazy is starting to seem more and more likely.

Perhaps I should go...

Before I can put that plan into action he steps closer and wraps his arms around me. The air is crushed from my chest and I gasp. Ok so he's crazy and either really friendly or just doesn't understand the meaning of 'personal space'.

Leaving seems like a very good idea now, he's seriously creeping me out. Maybe if I don't do anything encouraging, like hug him back, he'll get the message and leave me alone.

For a long time he just holds me before he turns his head and his lips find mine.

What The Hell? !

Ok subtle isn't working, time for direct. I shove him away and as he stares at me, clearly surprised, I plant my fist on the side of his jaw.

Ow! Ok, direct...not such a good idea. I shake my hand to disperse the pain and back away from him. He rubs his jaw but is once again back to staring and I know this expression: confusion.

Wait...what? Confusion? I look at him closer. Maybe he does know me. Or at the very least he thinks he does. But to kiss me like that! He's confused me with his girlfriend? How in the...he's like twelve! There's no way I can be dating a twelve year old unless I'm also...I mean, I don't feel twelve.

I look down at myself.

No, definitely not twelve. So how could he possibly think that I'm his girlfriend?

Oh, right, crazy. Now it makes sense. Time to go.

I turn and head away from him as quickly as I can.

"Rachel!" he calls after me and I hear him begin to follow.

"Look," I turn on him, "I don't have time for crazy people. I have enough problems of my own right now so leave me alone!"

"Wait, stop!" he grabs my hand as I turn away again but then drops it when I glare at him, "You...don't know me?"

His voice cracks as he says that last part and again I look at him. Who is he that he's this insistent? Who is he that he's half a second away from breaking down over the fact that I don't know him?

He takes a step closer and takes my hand again; I ignore it. Tears begin to form in my eyes now that my anger is fading and I don't feel the need to help him anymore. When I...woke up I guess...he was right there having what looked to be a panic attack so I hadn't even thought about who or where I was. My body just moved on it's own; he was in trouble, I had to help him. Now though all I feel is scared. Who am I? And where am I? How did I even get here? I don't remember anything.

"Please," he says quietly, looking considerably more sane now, "you don't know who I am?"

"I don't know who I am," I whisper and shake my head to clear the tears that trickle down my cheeks.

He nods and hugs me - not like before but briefly, as if he's trying to convince himself of something.

"Well," he starts and grimaces, "I suspect I've finally lost my mind but I'll help you."

I laugh at the absurdity of needing help from someone who claims to be nuts. But I don't exactly have a mall full of people lining up to help me now either.

"So why exactly do you think you've lost your mind?" might as well find out now before he tries to convince someone that we're part of a government conspiracy that's covering up an alien invasion or something crazy like that.

"That or dreaming, though usually my dreams of you aren't this bizarre," he has a puzzled look on his face.

"Insane then, fantastic, now answer my question," I also want to know why he'd be dreaming of me in the first place but that'll have to wait.

"Because you're here," he looks like he's about to start crying again, "and you can't be, it's not possible."

"Why?" he really is messed up, poor kid...not that I'm much better off myself.

"A long time ago," he swallows heavily and then looks me in the eye, "a long time ago now, I watched you die."

I pull away from him and step back. He mentioned me having died earlier but I'm not dead, I know I'm not dead! A shiver runs up my spine and I hug myself. This kid's too morbid. But that's not why I suddenly feel cold. Despite the fact that I know I'm alive, there's this nagging part of me that says he's telling the truth.