March 20, 1999 11:30 AM
"This is the most disgusting thing I have ever done in my life." I complained.
"It's necessary. It's the only way we can catch one of these things." Cassie explained.
"Couldn't I just acquire and morph a frog?"
"Will you stop complaining?! Is it that bad?"
"I have BULLSHIT on my hand! Actual bullshit."
"Do you know a better way to catch a fly?"
"Honey. Sugar. Vinegar, even! Anything is better than bullshit!"
"It's manure, and just acquire one, a few are already flocking."
I acquired the stupid fly, and, almost immediately, my entire forearm changed. Spiky, no fingers per say, just some bigger spikes that stick to stuff.
"Oh! That's not pretty!"
"Just wait till you morph one completely." Cassie said as I shook the shit off of my fly arm. "So it's true. You do automatically morph when you acquire something."
"Yeah. Do you think it's a big deal? I don't."
"Well, it's hard to say. I'm just curious as to what this means."
"It means my body reacts differently to the biotechnology." I pressed. "It doesn't mean anything."
"Hey, guys what's up?" Marco said as he and human-morphed Aximili entered the barn. Tobias fluttered in from the rafters.
"David just acquired the fly." Cassie said.
"Ick. When we acquired flies, I swear, my hand was sticky for days."
"Sticky?" I asked.
"Yeah. You know, from the honey."
"Honey?!" I said, shooting a glare to Cassie.
"We don't have any honey!" Cassie said defensively.
"So what did you use?" Marco asked.
I wondered if Marco had seen Mallrats. I extended my right hand to him. The hand I used to acquire the fly. "Say, would you like a chocolate-covered pretzel?"
"Ok, I've seen Mallrats, so no. And may I add, ew."
"Prince Jake said we should get you a dolphin and hammerhead shark morph. Hammerhead. Haaammmmmerr."
"Don't I get to wash my hand first?" I asked. "Where is Fearless Leader and Psycho-Blonde anyway?"
They will be a little busy this weekend. Tobias answered. Their cousin Saddler died this morning.
When the trainers went away three seagulls demorphed as a red-tailed hawk and fourth seagull flew cover.
"These are the dolphins?" I asked.
"Yep. The happy family of six." Marco explains. "Joey, Chandler, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, and Ross."
"Funny, this tank doesn't say 'Central Perk' on it."
"It wasn't our idea to name them after characters in a tv show." Cassie said.
"Not a TV show, the TV show. Show some respect."
The Trainers are almost done with their lunch. Will you guys pick one? Tobias reported.
"Ok. Which one is Chandler?"
"Hey, this is where I acquired my orca morph." I said. I was in morph, the human I acquired and morphed two nights ago. Cassie didn't like me using it, so she resolved to have Aximili teach me something he calls a Frolis Maneuver. I'm sure I'll understand when I have to do it.
We were riding in a bus headed to the Poughkeepsie Ocean World.
"You flew here? As a bird?" Tobias asked me.
"Yeah, so?"
"That just seems tiring."
A half an hour later, we were around the shark tank.
"You have got to be kidding me." I said. "He'll rip me apart."
"Should we give a distraction?" Tobias suggested.
"Wait! I have an idea." I said as I jumped out toward the middle of the tank.
"David! What are you doing?!" Cassie asked me in fright.
But I was already three times my size before I hit the water. Within a few seconds after I went under, I was fully orca.
The shark saw me and began to come after me. I rushed him, but turned slightly so I caught him in my mouth broadside. I bashed him into the side of his tank. The shark was stunned. I demorphed and acquired him.
"You know, David, the answer to everything isn't always brute force." Tobias said.
"Yeah, your policy of if-it-looks-like-it-can-kill me-morph-something-bigger-and-just-cudgel-my-way-to-victory will probably get you killed." Marco added.
"You worry too much." I said.
That night, I made a call from a pay phone. Soon, a police officer arrived at the scene.
"Hello?" The officer shouting, waving his flashlight in search of the person who made the call "We got a call about a monster?"
"Yes sir." I said in my best little-kid voice, while hiding in the trees. "They had horns and blades everywhere."
"Well, don't worry. That Hork-Bajir won't hurt you."
"Hork-Bajir?" I said, dropping the little-kid pretense. I then did a quick morph. Aren't we knowledgeable in the monster department?
I dropped down from the trees and knocked him out with my brute strength. Man, I love this hork-bajir morph.
I acquired the police officer. An African male my size. I dressed up in his uniform. I took his car. I drove to my house. My parents were home. I knocked on the door. My father answered.
"Mr. Hunting?"
"Yes."
"We have some information about your missing son. May I come in?"
"Oh, yes, officer, come right in." My father said with fake concern. He went and got my mother. I walked in and stood by the stairs.
"What can you tell us about our baby?" My mother said. Ick. My mother never called me baby.
"He's pretty good." I said as I pulled out my gun and shot my father's right arm and legs. My mother, startled, ran for the kitchen. I shot her in her leg. I demorphed.
"Hello, father." I said as I peered over him.
"David! What the hell, do you think you're doing, son?"
"Tell me your name."
"It's me. James Hunting, your father!"
I bared my forearm. I morphed my forearm into a lion's claw. I swiped my father's face. "Wrong answer." I put one claw-nail to my father's throat. "Tell me your name, yeerk."
My father's eyes looked into mine. "Covar One-Nine-Nine."
I looked at my mother. "And you?!"
"Zilnay Eight-Three-Eight!!!" She shouted quickly.
"I swear to God, I'll free you both someday. But not today."
I went upstairs and got Megadeth and my journal. Both of them gifts from Stephanie. I left my parents. Shot and bleeding.
I couldn't tell you why I did it. Put it was something I felt I had to do. I have their names now. Covar and Zilnay. They will pay dearly. They are just soldiers following orders, I know, but every action done by a sentient person is of their own free will. Like Jake said. It was their choice to enslave my parents. Given the alternative, I don't think I would have done differently. But, it was their choice, nonetheless, and they will pay.
When you chose an action. You chose the consequences of that action. Every action has consequences.
I looked back one last time at my old home.
Every action.