Toni

(YEEEEHAAAAA!) I screamed, slamming my bulk into three Terinans that were trying to cut me up. They fell like bowling pins, and very soon there were three less Terinans to worry about.

(Take that you evil slugs!) I cried as I bowled over the four Hork-Bajir that were attacking Sean. I tossed one over my shoulder, laughing giddily.

(Toni, get a grip! We're not here to have fun!) Sean yelled, going and pouncing on another that was coming at him. He slashed its face, and it fell screaming in agony.

(You get a grip! I'm just making these creeps pay!)

(But not like-)

(Guys, shut up and let's do this!) Megan yelled, barrelling past me, foam flying from her muzzle as she bit a Terinan's arm off, then slashed a Hork-Bajir that was behind her.

For a girl addicted to fashion, she sure knew how to fight.

(I'm with her! For the parents!) I rammed a few more, tossing and stomping and soon Sean gave up and joined in. Soon, we'd finished the whole lot of them off, and looked up at the Blade ship. Kay had managed to knock one of the engines out, so it wasn't going anywhere for a while. But that still didn't mean it couldn't be deadly. Kay had barely gotten it out of firing range as the Blade ship made attack after attack on him. Then, he'd left us to deal with the dozens of Hork-Bajir and Terinans that had piled out of the ship just before the hatch closed. And trapped us outside.

(I hope they're ok in there) Megan sighed as we looked up at the ship.

(They're fine. Eight against a whole army? Easy as!)

(That's what you think Toni) Sean muttered as we finally decided to slink back into the bushes in case the ship started firing at us. I was surprised it didn't.

We shifted back, since none of us were in the best shape. I only had one eye (Phoebe had been right) and when I shifted back I was glad to know I had both eyes back. In fact, all my injuries were gone.

"Okay, now what?" Megan asked.

"Well, I say we try and get into that ship somehow" I said, wondering if I could smash through that door as an elephant. It wouldn't be easy, but I was sure I could do it.

"Yeah, but how? I don't think we could go in as bugs, and I doubt all of us pushing that door together would do a bit of good. And did I mention we don't have a handy alien around who can crack codes?"

"Who needs a code when you can smash?"

"Toni, I don't think you're thinking clearly. I know your-"

"Shut up Sean. You don't know a damn thing!"

"I know more than you think I do Toni. Ok, so… we break through. But as what?"

"Think big and mean"

I looked at Sean. He hadn't said that. Then I turned around…

And saw my father smiling at me in the dim light.

"Dad!" I cried running and jumping into his arms. He hugged me tightly.

"It's ok kid. I'm fine" he said as he let go, and Megan and Seth turned to join us.

"How did you get out here?"

"I was supposed to cover the outside. Although, I don't know how I could do that. After all…" He trailed off, and shot quick glances at Megan and Sean.

"What? What is it?" Megan asked. My dad was about to answer, but Sean broke in.

"All right then. How many of you guys… our parents… are still free, and how many have been captured?"

At that moment there was a blinding light from behind us, and we turned to see the fighter from our last fight had returned, and was giving the Blade ship hell.

"Okay, that's my que" My dad suddenly started to grow, and we barely managed to step far enough away so we wouldn't be knocked over.

"Wait! How many?" Sean insisted, and my dad stopped growing and reversed it, sighing.

"Seven. Only four of us are free. Myself, your dad, Jade, and Tobias. The rest were captured after their first attempt to put a Yeerk pool in. I'm sorry"

He began to grow again, and I saw Megan and Sean were torn. Each had a parent free and a parent Yeerked. It was probably the worst thing that could ever happen.

"Wait. I'll help" I said to my dad, focusing on the elephant and shifting as well. Strangely enough, he had become an elephant too. We both stepped forward, away from the trees.

(Now, do any of you know how to become an elephant or a rhino?) My dad asked the others as they followed us out.

"I do" Sean whispered, then as I watched a horn exploded out of his nose. Soon, he was hundred pounds of rhino, snorting and pawing the ground.

Before either my dad or me could stop him, he charged at the door, hitting it with amazing force. When he backed up, looking a little dazed, I saw the massive dent he'd created.

(All right, back up. Our turn, then you can hit it again)

My dad and I broke into a trot, then a full run, lowering our heads just before we hit the door. Stars exploded behind my eyelids as I hit, and I felt the door cringe a little more. I backed up, shaking my head and trying to clear my vision.

I heard Sean screaming in my head, then the loudest crash and thump I'd ever heard, then nothing. Megan suddenly sounded hysterical.

"NO! SEAN NO!" As I started being able to see again, I saw Megan completing her shift to polar bear and ran towards the door, then through it!

No, the door had been knocked down and smashed to pieces! Sean must have broken through then kept going!

(Sean! Sean, stop! Wait for us!) I yelled as I shrunk to Cape Buffalo, then charged in after them. I knew my dad probably wouldn't be far behind me, but I knew both of them needed me now. They were unstable, and likely to do something they'd regret later.

So I called out, finding no one in the hallways I ran in, and panicked that I might be already too late…

-x-

Sean

I charged through the hallways, not wanting to believe what I'd just heard, but knowing it was true. My mum had been Yeerked, and I hadn't been there to save her.

I'd become a rhino, but had a lions eyes. I saw everything as clear as day, and had the brute force to knock out whoever I came across. And I did.

A few human controllers and a couple of Taxxons came into view, but before they could even cry out, their blood was all over the floor. Was I mad? Oh yes, I was mad all right. I almost understood Seth's anger at all this. But that's not why I was angry; I was angry because my father didn't, or couldn't, do anything to stop her from becoming one of them, and now she had an evil slug in her head, and…

She was now the enemy, and now I knew I'd have to destroy her if it came down to it. If I had no other option, I'd have to kill my own mother. The very person that gave me life to begin with.

I ran, not sure where I was going, but knowing I had to be heading somewhere. The halls had to lead somewhere…

I suddenly slammed into a door, barely aware of the pain when I hit. I backed up, then slammed it again. One more time, and I put all of the force I could into it. I fell then made a massive crash as it landed on the floor with my upper half on top of it.

I looked around, realising I must have made my way to the docking bay at the back. It had a lone bug fighter there, sitting silently in its bay. Sadly, no one else was here, and I turned my massive bulk around, ready to find something else to smash up.

Two Hork-Bajir came into view, and started firing their weapons at me. I backed up into the bay, trying to find somewhere to hide in the small space. A sudden howl and a snapping of jaws made me turn around.

A wolf was latched onto the arm of one, and the other was on the floor, perhaps dead. He was biting and yanking with all his strength.

(Hang on Seth!) I screamed, aiming my body that way and charging. He jumped away just before I hit, impaling the Hork-Bajir on my horn.

(Oh, yuk!) I shook him off, shifting back as fast as I possibly could and running back into the room. I threw up on the floor, suddenly realising what I'd done to two innocent humans as well. Seconds later I felt a hand on my back.

"You ok?"

"I… uh… yeah. I'm fine" I muttered getting up and turning back to look at my twin.

"How'd you get in here anyway?" He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Me, Toni and her dad rammed the door til it broke"

"Whoa- you mean Toni's dad's…"

"Here? Yeah. But… Seth… I need to tell you… something…"

I stopped and froze stiff as I saw the figure coming out of the small fighter. Seth turned and saw her too. She smiled at us.

"Sean, Seth, oh thank goodness it's just you! I thought… well, I was hiding in here until I could find the others"

"Mum!"

"Mum, are you ok?" Seth started moving towards her, but I grabbed his arm.

"Sean, what the hell are you doing!"

"She's not our mother Seth. She's… she's been Yeerked"

"Sean, what are you saying? Of course I'm your mother!"

"Yeah Sean. Now would you let go of me?" Seth tried to pull his arm back, but I tightened my grip.

"No Seth. It's not her. Toni's dad told me only four of them are free. Him, our dad, Jade, and Tobias. The rest were Yeerked"

"You're lying!" the thing that was pretending to be my mother said. Seth looked at me, utterly confused. I stared straight into his eyes, and he looked right back at me.

Then, he nodded.

"All right. What do we do?" he whispered.

"Grab her, knock her out, and wait for that slug to die" I said in a low voice. He nodded again, and we both turned back to her. She looked back at us… and smiled in a way I knew our mum would never smile. I knew then that I'd been right.

"Get her!" Seth yelled, and we bolted towards her. She ducked, but I grabbed her arm as she sped past.

"Let go you troublemaker!" She snarled, trying to break free but Seth grabbed her other arm, holding on tight.

"Let go! You're… you're hurting me. Sean" She suddenly put on the 'mother' voice, and looked up at me with pleading brown eyes. I slightly let go a little, unable to resist the hurt in her voice. Seconds later she yanked her arms from our grip, running out the door.

"Don't let her go!" I screamed, running after her with Seth right behind me.

"Damn! I almost believed…"

"So did I. That slimy little slug is going to pay for that!" I snarled, rage suddenly burning holes in me. It was then that I realised I hated the Yeerks more than I hated anything else in my life.

And they were going to pay for taking my sweet innocent mother from me…

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LittleMidgett; oh no! The stapler! AHHHH! (Runs and hits a wall)

Ouch! Hurtie!