Disclaimer: (tearfully) I confess! I don't own Animorphs. They are the
work of the brilliant K.A. Applegate. But I do own Stella. That's pretty
much it.
(A/N) For any of you who have read Alternamorphs 2: The Second Passage, that's how this story begins.....sort of. With a few minor changes of my own. This story takes place in between books 9 and 8, so a lot of things haven't happened yet. Don't get pissed if I don't follow the plot line of the series exactly, because I haven't read all of the books yet. Though I intend to. I should mention that in this story it isn't David who found the morphing cube first. Also, this is an Ax/OC fiction, so if you don't like that kind of thing then read no further. Please R/R. Okay, lets see where this ends up. Also, the first chapter moves really fast. { }= thought speech
Written in the Stars
Chapter 1: A fallen Star
My name is Aximili Esgarrouth Isthill. I am an Andalite Aristh. My human friends call me Ax.
I am certain that you already know about the Yeerks and the war from what the other Animorphs have told you. If you haven't I will just give you a few of the main points.
My older brother, Elfangor, came to this planet after a colossal space battle. He was the only survivor out of the hundreds of Andalite warriors that fought that day. He landed his fighter in an abandoned construction sight where he was found by five human adolescents. Elfangor knew that the Yeerks had followed him and in order to protect the humans he broke Andalite law and gave the humans our morphing technology. After they had left to hide, the Yeerks found my brother. The yeerk warlord Visser Three murdered him. That is how the Animorphs came into being.
I am not an Animorph but I fight along side of them and I serve their Prince, Prince Jake. They rescued me from the dome ship that had sunk to the bottom of the earth's ocean during the battle.
I now live in the forest that surrounds the home of the human called Cassie. However, I am not alone. Tobias, another of the Animorphs, lives there as well. He is a nothlit, one who is trapped in a morph. In his case, a hawk morph. He will live his life out as a hawk. But no matter, he and I have become close friends in my time here.
Originally it was only the five Animorphs and myself. That was before someone found the morphing cube. It is how one aquires the ability to morph.
It is also the reason that I met Stella, a human girl who has meant more to me than anything.
* *
*
My name is Stella. I used to be just an ordinary human girl. Unlike the other Animorphs I don't have to worry about you finding out where I live because I no longer have a home or a family. I have Visser Three to thank for that.
I live in the forest with Ax and Tobias. Ax is an Andalite and Tobias is a hawk. Actually he's a human trapped in a hawk morph. He stayed in the morph for more than two hours and now he's trapped. It's a long story and there isn't enough time to tell all of it.
But you should at least know my story. I am the outcast Animorph. I did not enter this war by choice. I was dragged into it when Visser Three murdered my parents and destroyed my home. All because I found a little, blue cube.
The other five, Jake, Cassie, Marco, Rachel and Tobias, they're pretty tight, but I'm not part of their circle. I was never anyone's friend. I guess Ax must feel that way sometimes too.
Ax is the only person that I have ever felt close to and he's not even human.
Actually I was close to my sister once but she's dead too. Killed by the Yeerks.
My life is a living black hole now, all except for Ax. My only grip on the light. My only hope.
* * *
"HEY STELLA! CATCH!" I heard the voice of some random kid call out from the chaos of the cafeteria.
Before I could even turn my head I was hit with an over ripe tomato. That would make it the fourth time this week. Without even turning to see who had thrown it I wiped the fruit from my face and tossed it into the trashcan.
"Are you all right Stella?" a boy named Jake asked me as I walked away from the cafeteria.
"I'm just fine. But you had better not be seen talking to me Jake or they'll throw food at you too." I answered contemptuously.
"Are you sure? They really shouldn't be allowed to do that."
Suddenly, a boy that I had never met before came up behind Jake.
"Pr- I mean, Jake. We sh-sh-sh-should be going-ing-ing."he said.
"And this is....?"
"My cousin, Phillip. He's visiting for the day." Jake answered.
"Hel-l-l-l-oooo, nice, nic-uh to me-et you." He said in halting English.
"Riiiiiiiiiiiight." I answered as I backed away. The dismissal bell would ring any minute and I wanted to be as far away from the school as possible.
* *
*
There was an abandoned construction site near my house and I liked to go there to be alone, and to star gaze if it was dark enough. My name is the Latin word for star and I have always had an obsession with space and the stars. More so than was normal.
When I was five the other girls I knew played with dolls. I on the other hand, was in my room looking through a telescope, with aliens on my mind.
When I was ten the other girls were begging for make up and pierced ears. I was begging for a star chart.
Now the other girls were going out on dates and I was camping out in the woods with my parents, gazing up at the night sky and thinking about my dead sister.
That was the story of my life back then.
As I stumped along through the abandoned site I saw something blue glinting beneath a small pile of crumbling concrete.
I walked over and dug the object out. It turned out to be a blue cube with a strange spidery script on it that I couldn't read. It looked like it might be worth something. Maybe I could take it home and sell it on e-bay.
Little did I know, that cube was to be my undoing.
* *
*
The next day as I was walking up to my house after school I decided the first thing that I needed to do was to see if I had any takers on the cube. I had posted an advertisement for it last night.
But as I walked through the door and into the front hall, I already knew that something was wrong. I heard voices coming from the kitchen. One voice was my mother's. The other was a harsh, cold voice that sent a chill of fear down my spine.
{ Where is the morphing cube!? I am not going to ask you again human! }
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I don't have it and neither does my daughter. Leave us alone!"
Suddenly I heard her scream in pain. Then I heard the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the ground hard.
{ Search the house! } the second voice said. { The child has got to be here somewhere. She must have the cube. } Then I heard heavy, clawed feet running down the hallway.
Quickly, I ducked into a closet and what I saw run by scared me half out of my mind.
The creatures that I saw were lizard-like and they were at least seven feet tall. Attached to almost every joint was a lethal blade. They had snake-like necks and beaks like eagles. Plus three giant blades protruding from their heads. They were like walking shredders.
When they had finally run by I cowered in the closet for a few moments. But then I heard my mother moaning and I rushed to the kitchen.
{ I warned you human. You should have given me the cube to begin with. Now you will all die! } the second voice spoke once more.
When I finally reached the kitchen I saw that the speaker was another strange creature. This one was like a cross between a centaur and a scorpion. It was all covered in blue and tan fur and it had two extra eyes coming out of its head on stalks. It had four legs that ended in sharp hooves, and to top it all off the thing had a tail that ended in a deadly blade.
This creature was surrounded by creatures even more horrible. They were centipedes blown up to roughly the size of two grown men. They had huge, gaping mouths and red, jelly-like eyes. Each of them carried a pistol like you would see on one of those science fiction movies.
But the most horrible thing of all was lying on the floor in front of the blue alien. My father lay there in a pool of his own blood, already dead. My mother lay next to him, barely breathing. Paying no heed to those terrible creatures I rushed to her side and took her head in my arms. Blood was pouring forth from a gaping wound in her chest.
"Mom!" I shouted. Her eyes were glazed over and at first she didn't seem to recognize me. But then she raised her hand up to my cheek.
"I love you." She whispered as her voice trailed off into nothingness and her hand fell to the floor, cold and lifeless.
"Mom. Dad." I whispered brokenly as I sat on the floor, sobbing helplessly.
{ You must be the girl we've been searching for. Now tell me where is the cube? } the alien said coldly. I suddenly realized that the creature had no mouth and that I heard his voice in my head.
"Cube." I said as if I was in a trance.
{ Yes, I saw your primitive transmission and rushed right over. Now where is it? }
I looked up at the alien and I saw that the blade on his tail was covered in blood. He had done it. He had killed them and he didn't seem to care at all. When I saw this, all thought left me and I was filled with a blinding rage. I completely ignored his tail blade and I leapt at him.
But he was much stronger than I was and he quickly overpowered me. He jerked my arms behind my back and quickly brought his tail blade up to my neck.
{ That wasn't smart human. Do not cross me or I will slit your throat. Now, where is the cube? }
"All right. It's in the front hall. Just let me get it."
He released my arms and proceeded to herd me away at tail point. Just then I saw my dad's pocketknife sitting on the counter where he had dropped it. Before the alien could stop me I had the knife in hand and I plunged it into his side. I stabbed him many times before I backed away.
Suddenly the walking shredders burst back into the room. But they were not alone. Each creature was fighting a wild animal. In total there was a bear, a tiger, a gorilla, a wolf, a hawk circling around the room, and another blue alien creature. The blue creature that had attacked my family before was now on the ground and before my very eyes, he was twisting and changing shape. I heard his agonized voice in my head once more.
{ Stop them! }
As I tried to reach the hallway the second blue alien reached out and grabbed me.
{ Where is the cube? } he asked urgently.
Again with the cube. I angrily shoved him aside. I turned to look at the battle again. Just then I noticed my mother's kerosene lamp. She used to love collecting old things like that. Since it was getting dark she had turned it on and the tiny flame inside of it was flickering. Suddenly it was knocked over by the gorilla as it fell backwards. The glass shattered and the carpet caught fire. The flame quickly spread to engulf the furniture and everything else in the room. I ran out into the hall with flames licking at my back. Before I left I grabbed my backpack. Which still had the cube inside. I ran out the door and down the street. I desperately hoped that someone would see what was going on and call the police or someone like that.
I turned and looked back one more time. I saw the aliens and the animals rushing out of my house just as it burst into flame.
"No!" I cried out into the night in anguish. Suddenly I heard the voice in my head again.
{ Stop her! She's got the cube! }
All of the centipedes and shredding aliens ran towards me and I bolted away. The nearest thing to my neighborhood was the wild life reservation where my family used to go camping. That was where I went.
When I reached the forest I quickly climbed one of the trees and I watched the creatures run by. Behind them came the second blue alien, not the one who had attacked my parents. I knew that this one was different.
{ Where are you? }he thought out into the forest. I don't know how I knew it but I could tell that I was the only one who could here him.
Suddenly the animals that I had heard before ran up to the alien.
{ Any sign of her? }
{ None, Prince Jake. But I know that she is here somewhere. }
This truly shocked me because it had been the tiger asking the question. For a moment I thought that the stress was finally getting to me. Hearing voices in my head? Come on!
That's when the wolf began to sniff around my tree.
{ What do you smell Cassie? Another wolf? } the tiger asked the wolf.
{ No. I think it's Stella. } how did this animal know my name? That's when the wolf looked up at the tree branches and saw me.
{ I knew it! See, she's right up there. } All the other animals followed her gaze.
{ Come down Stella. } the bear thought to me.
There was really no where to go so I slid down from the tree and stood facing all six of them.
{ Don't run away. We aren't going to hurt you. We can help you, but first, you must give us the morphing cube. } the alien thought at me.
How could they expect me to believe that? My parents had just been slaughtered because of that damn cube. Without wasting a word I turned and bolted into the forest. For a moment they just stood there, not certain of what to do. But then I heard them coming after me. I had a head start but I knew that I couldn't outrun a tiger or a wolf, and that alien thing seemed pretty fast too.
The stream that ran through the forest was just up ahead. If I could make it to the river then I would be safe. They would lose my scent.
Finally I reached the stream and plunged into it. I let the small current carry me down stream until I was almost certain that they wouldn't catch me.
As I climbed out of the stream I knew that I would have to find some sort of shelter. It wasn't a good idea to be wet in the forest at night. I could easily catch cold. Luckily I still had the pocketknife and my backpack was waterproof. It probably wasn't a good idea to find a cave either. The aliens would probably search all of those. So I just wondered the forest until the sun had finally set. I didn't mind though. I felt comfortable in these woods. My parents and I had gone camping a lot, Claire had too when she was still alive. But now I was alone.
Finally I wondered into a large meadow. I knew that it wasn't safe out in the open but I could go no further. I just collapsed and started sobbing in self-pity. My parents were dead. My home was destroyed. I was being hunted by aliens and wild animals. It was just too much. I finally cried myself to sleep, hidden by the tall grass.
* *
*
When I woke up the next morning the sun was already high in the sky. I also noticed that I was covered with a sleeping bag. Where had that come from? There was only one answer. They had found me. It must have been the animals and the second alien. My parents' killers would have just dragged me away.
As I stood up I realized that the meadow was a little too quiet for my taste. I wondered over to the edge of the forest as if I didn't suspect a thing. But I knew that they were watching me.
Suddenly a giant grizzly bear burst out of the forest and came to stand before me. I knew that it was the bear that I had seen the night before.
{ Don't be afraid. } I heard the bear's voice in my head. Before I had the chance to run the bear came forward and wrapped its arms around me. I realized that this might be my last chance to get away. I pulled the knife out of my pocket and I began to viciously stab the bear.
"HHHHRRROOOARRRHH" the bear roared in pain.
Then from another side of the meadow I saw the gorilla come running.
{ We don't want to hurt you. }
He came at me. He said they didn't want to hurt me but I didn't believe him. I couldn't afford to trust anyone just now. Before the gorilla could come any closer I brought out the knife and stabbed him too. Then I noticed that the bear was now on the ground, melting and changing shape. The same was now happening to the gorilla.
Now I could see the hawk circling overhead and the tiger and the wolf came bounding out of the forest. They came to face me.
I tried to back out of the meadow, but that was when I felt the tail blade up against my throat.
{ Not another step. } the alien warned me.
"Man, this is getting old." I said to no one in particular.
"Tell me about it." The gorilla said. Only it wasn't a gorilla anymore. Where the gorilla had sat just a few moments before there was a human boy. A boy that I recognized.
"Marco?" I said in a shocked voice. Then I looked over at what had once been the bear.
"Rachel?"
The tiger and the wolf had also become humans now.
"Jake? Cassie? What's going on here?"
These were all kids that I knew from school. They were all wearing skintight suits. How could they do this? Then the alien thought spoke again.
{ I shall remove my tail blade from your throat now. But only if you promise not to run away again. }
"Fine!"
He released me and I turned to face him.
"What are you?" I asked him, trying not to let the fear in my voice show.
{ That will be answered in due time. But for now, can you please just give us the morphing cube? }
"Why should I? That thing has wrecked my life. I think I deserve some answers before I go and hand anything over to you guys."
"You're right, you do Stella." I heard Cassie's voice from behind me.
"Just hear us out first." Jake said desperately. I jumped around to face the other four, my arms held up defensively.
"All right! Fine! What's going on?"
* * *
"Okay, let me get this straight. Earth has been invaded by a parasitic race of aliens called the Yeerks that crawl into people's brains and control them. And you five are our only hope because this guy's brother gave you the ability to morph. And this Tobias kid stayed in his morph too long and now he's trapped in it. And there's this thing called the Ellimist that can freeze time and all that jazz. And the Andalites are fighting the Yeerks but they won't be here for another year. And there's this Andalite- controller thing called Visser Three and he's the guy that killed my parents. And now you want to make me an Animorph because I found this morphing cube of yours and I know about all of you." I said skeptically about an hour later.
"I know this sounds crazy but it's true." Jake said.
"No, I believe you. But how exactly do you make me an Animorph? I'm still not clear on that point."
{ If you give me the morphing cube I will show you. } Ax said
"Andalite. Aximili Esgarrouth Isthill." I spat the words contemptuously in his face. He just stared coldly back at me.
"You want to get out of my way?" I said, shoving him.
{ Why? }
"Because my backpack is behind you." I said, the mocking tone in my voice was clear to him, but he let me pass. I went and picked up my backpack and took the blue cube out. Reluctantly I handed it to Ax.
{ Prince Jake, are we certain that we want to make her an Animorph. I am not sure that I trust this girl. }
"Well I'm not asking you to. Just get it over with!" I said impatiently.
Ax stepped forward hesitantly and I placed my hand on the cube. Instantly I felt a sharp jolt traveling all through my body and yet it wasn't painful.
"It's done. Now you have to acquire an animal. All you have to do is touch the animal and concentrate on it and you'll acquire its D.N.A pattern." Rachel said.
{ You can use my hawk form if you want to, seeing as how there aren't any animals around right now. } Tobias told me.
I looked around the meadow and my gaze fell on Ax. It might be cool to morph an alien.
"I pick you." I said fiercely, jumping forward and placing my hand on his face before he could stop me. For a moment Ax just stood there, shocked. I could almost feel it when I acquired the DNA. I stepped back and gazed at Ax's shocked face. It was almost as if I had hurt him somehow.
{ OOOOOkay, that's definitely something new. } Tobias thought spoke.
"Yeah, well, all you've got to do now is concentrate on becoming an Andalite and you'll morph." Cassie said.
For a long time I just stood there, concentrating on that image. Suddenly I began to fell the changes. It wasn't painful but it felt like it should be. My hands grew extra fingers and blue fur began to sprout all over my body. My nose became flat and my mouth collapsed in on itself. I felt the stalk eyes grow out of my head. Then I fell forward on four legs with hooves instead of feet. I felt my spine twist and elongate as the tail grew out from my back. I was an Andalite. The others looked at me in awe. Ax still stood there, dumbfounded.
"How is it?" Jake asked.
{ Wow! }
I turned to face Ax and I remembered all of the times that I had had one of those tail blades up against my throat. I wanted to find out how much Ax liked having those odds. I leapt forward and brought my tail blade up to his neck, being careful not to behead him. The look of shock in his eyes turned to anger.
{ There. We are even. } I hissed.
{ How dare you? } he hissed right back
{ How dare me? Don't you mean how dare you? How dare you people come and drag me into this war? } I thought spoke furiously as I started to demorph.
"I wouldn't demorph just yet Stella. It's impossible to morph anything less than skintight clothing and you don't have a morphing suit yet. We have some clothes stored nearby." Rachel said.
"Oh she can demorph right here. I don't mind." Marco said
"SHUT UP MARCO!" they all shouted at once.
Once we had reached their "storage room" of clothing and I had demorphed they proceeded to make plans for where I would stay.
"Maybe she could switch houses weekly or something." Jake suggested.
"No that won't work. I can't go back to school either. If I ever go out in public again Visser Three will find me. I guess I'll just...... sleep here in the woods with Ax and Tobias. There's really nothing else to be done." I told them.
"All right then. I'll lend you a sleeping bag and anything else you might need." Cassie said.
"Okay then, it's all settled. Where exactly in the woods do you two stay?" I asked Ax and Tobias.
{ Well I have a meadow as my territory and it's not exactly safe for you in the open. So I guess you'll be staying with Ax. } Tobias told me.
Ax gave Tobias an incredulous look and then his gaze fell on me and the look turned to one of horror.
"In that case lets head over there." I said, trying to be cheerful for once.
* *
*
(A/N) For any of you who have read Alternamorphs 2: The Second Passage, that's how this story begins.....sort of. With a few minor changes of my own. This story takes place in between books 9 and 8, so a lot of things haven't happened yet. Don't get pissed if I don't follow the plot line of the series exactly, because I haven't read all of the books yet. Though I intend to. I should mention that in this story it isn't David who found the morphing cube first. Also, this is an Ax/OC fiction, so if you don't like that kind of thing then read no further. Please R/R. Okay, lets see where this ends up. Also, the first chapter moves really fast. { }= thought speech
Written in the Stars
Chapter 1: A fallen Star
My name is Aximili Esgarrouth Isthill. I am an Andalite Aristh. My human friends call me Ax.
I am certain that you already know about the Yeerks and the war from what the other Animorphs have told you. If you haven't I will just give you a few of the main points.
My older brother, Elfangor, came to this planet after a colossal space battle. He was the only survivor out of the hundreds of Andalite warriors that fought that day. He landed his fighter in an abandoned construction sight where he was found by five human adolescents. Elfangor knew that the Yeerks had followed him and in order to protect the humans he broke Andalite law and gave the humans our morphing technology. After they had left to hide, the Yeerks found my brother. The yeerk warlord Visser Three murdered him. That is how the Animorphs came into being.
I am not an Animorph but I fight along side of them and I serve their Prince, Prince Jake. They rescued me from the dome ship that had sunk to the bottom of the earth's ocean during the battle.
I now live in the forest that surrounds the home of the human called Cassie. However, I am not alone. Tobias, another of the Animorphs, lives there as well. He is a nothlit, one who is trapped in a morph. In his case, a hawk morph. He will live his life out as a hawk. But no matter, he and I have become close friends in my time here.
Originally it was only the five Animorphs and myself. That was before someone found the morphing cube. It is how one aquires the ability to morph.
It is also the reason that I met Stella, a human girl who has meant more to me than anything.
* *
*
My name is Stella. I used to be just an ordinary human girl. Unlike the other Animorphs I don't have to worry about you finding out where I live because I no longer have a home or a family. I have Visser Three to thank for that.
I live in the forest with Ax and Tobias. Ax is an Andalite and Tobias is a hawk. Actually he's a human trapped in a hawk morph. He stayed in the morph for more than two hours and now he's trapped. It's a long story and there isn't enough time to tell all of it.
But you should at least know my story. I am the outcast Animorph. I did not enter this war by choice. I was dragged into it when Visser Three murdered my parents and destroyed my home. All because I found a little, blue cube.
The other five, Jake, Cassie, Marco, Rachel and Tobias, they're pretty tight, but I'm not part of their circle. I was never anyone's friend. I guess Ax must feel that way sometimes too.
Ax is the only person that I have ever felt close to and he's not even human.
Actually I was close to my sister once but she's dead too. Killed by the Yeerks.
My life is a living black hole now, all except for Ax. My only grip on the light. My only hope.
* * *
"HEY STELLA! CATCH!" I heard the voice of some random kid call out from the chaos of the cafeteria.
Before I could even turn my head I was hit with an over ripe tomato. That would make it the fourth time this week. Without even turning to see who had thrown it I wiped the fruit from my face and tossed it into the trashcan.
"Are you all right Stella?" a boy named Jake asked me as I walked away from the cafeteria.
"I'm just fine. But you had better not be seen talking to me Jake or they'll throw food at you too." I answered contemptuously.
"Are you sure? They really shouldn't be allowed to do that."
Suddenly, a boy that I had never met before came up behind Jake.
"Pr- I mean, Jake. We sh-sh-sh-should be going-ing-ing."he said.
"And this is....?"
"My cousin, Phillip. He's visiting for the day." Jake answered.
"Hel-l-l-l-oooo, nice, nic-uh to me-et you." He said in halting English.
"Riiiiiiiiiiiight." I answered as I backed away. The dismissal bell would ring any minute and I wanted to be as far away from the school as possible.
* *
*
There was an abandoned construction site near my house and I liked to go there to be alone, and to star gaze if it was dark enough. My name is the Latin word for star and I have always had an obsession with space and the stars. More so than was normal.
When I was five the other girls I knew played with dolls. I on the other hand, was in my room looking through a telescope, with aliens on my mind.
When I was ten the other girls were begging for make up and pierced ears. I was begging for a star chart.
Now the other girls were going out on dates and I was camping out in the woods with my parents, gazing up at the night sky and thinking about my dead sister.
That was the story of my life back then.
As I stumped along through the abandoned site I saw something blue glinting beneath a small pile of crumbling concrete.
I walked over and dug the object out. It turned out to be a blue cube with a strange spidery script on it that I couldn't read. It looked like it might be worth something. Maybe I could take it home and sell it on e-bay.
Little did I know, that cube was to be my undoing.
* *
*
The next day as I was walking up to my house after school I decided the first thing that I needed to do was to see if I had any takers on the cube. I had posted an advertisement for it last night.
But as I walked through the door and into the front hall, I already knew that something was wrong. I heard voices coming from the kitchen. One voice was my mother's. The other was a harsh, cold voice that sent a chill of fear down my spine.
{ Where is the morphing cube!? I am not going to ask you again human! }
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I don't have it and neither does my daughter. Leave us alone!"
Suddenly I heard her scream in pain. Then I heard the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the ground hard.
{ Search the house! } the second voice said. { The child has got to be here somewhere. She must have the cube. } Then I heard heavy, clawed feet running down the hallway.
Quickly, I ducked into a closet and what I saw run by scared me half out of my mind.
The creatures that I saw were lizard-like and they were at least seven feet tall. Attached to almost every joint was a lethal blade. They had snake-like necks and beaks like eagles. Plus three giant blades protruding from their heads. They were like walking shredders.
When they had finally run by I cowered in the closet for a few moments. But then I heard my mother moaning and I rushed to the kitchen.
{ I warned you human. You should have given me the cube to begin with. Now you will all die! } the second voice spoke once more.
When I finally reached the kitchen I saw that the speaker was another strange creature. This one was like a cross between a centaur and a scorpion. It was all covered in blue and tan fur and it had two extra eyes coming out of its head on stalks. It had four legs that ended in sharp hooves, and to top it all off the thing had a tail that ended in a deadly blade.
This creature was surrounded by creatures even more horrible. They were centipedes blown up to roughly the size of two grown men. They had huge, gaping mouths and red, jelly-like eyes. Each of them carried a pistol like you would see on one of those science fiction movies.
But the most horrible thing of all was lying on the floor in front of the blue alien. My father lay there in a pool of his own blood, already dead. My mother lay next to him, barely breathing. Paying no heed to those terrible creatures I rushed to her side and took her head in my arms. Blood was pouring forth from a gaping wound in her chest.
"Mom!" I shouted. Her eyes were glazed over and at first she didn't seem to recognize me. But then she raised her hand up to my cheek.
"I love you." She whispered as her voice trailed off into nothingness and her hand fell to the floor, cold and lifeless.
"Mom. Dad." I whispered brokenly as I sat on the floor, sobbing helplessly.
{ You must be the girl we've been searching for. Now tell me where is the cube? } the alien said coldly. I suddenly realized that the creature had no mouth and that I heard his voice in my head.
"Cube." I said as if I was in a trance.
{ Yes, I saw your primitive transmission and rushed right over. Now where is it? }
I looked up at the alien and I saw that the blade on his tail was covered in blood. He had done it. He had killed them and he didn't seem to care at all. When I saw this, all thought left me and I was filled with a blinding rage. I completely ignored his tail blade and I leapt at him.
But he was much stronger than I was and he quickly overpowered me. He jerked my arms behind my back and quickly brought his tail blade up to my neck.
{ That wasn't smart human. Do not cross me or I will slit your throat. Now, where is the cube? }
"All right. It's in the front hall. Just let me get it."
He released my arms and proceeded to herd me away at tail point. Just then I saw my dad's pocketknife sitting on the counter where he had dropped it. Before the alien could stop me I had the knife in hand and I plunged it into his side. I stabbed him many times before I backed away.
Suddenly the walking shredders burst back into the room. But they were not alone. Each creature was fighting a wild animal. In total there was a bear, a tiger, a gorilla, a wolf, a hawk circling around the room, and another blue alien creature. The blue creature that had attacked my family before was now on the ground and before my very eyes, he was twisting and changing shape. I heard his agonized voice in my head once more.
{ Stop them! }
As I tried to reach the hallway the second blue alien reached out and grabbed me.
{ Where is the cube? } he asked urgently.
Again with the cube. I angrily shoved him aside. I turned to look at the battle again. Just then I noticed my mother's kerosene lamp. She used to love collecting old things like that. Since it was getting dark she had turned it on and the tiny flame inside of it was flickering. Suddenly it was knocked over by the gorilla as it fell backwards. The glass shattered and the carpet caught fire. The flame quickly spread to engulf the furniture and everything else in the room. I ran out into the hall with flames licking at my back. Before I left I grabbed my backpack. Which still had the cube inside. I ran out the door and down the street. I desperately hoped that someone would see what was going on and call the police or someone like that.
I turned and looked back one more time. I saw the aliens and the animals rushing out of my house just as it burst into flame.
"No!" I cried out into the night in anguish. Suddenly I heard the voice in my head again.
{ Stop her! She's got the cube! }
All of the centipedes and shredding aliens ran towards me and I bolted away. The nearest thing to my neighborhood was the wild life reservation where my family used to go camping. That was where I went.
When I reached the forest I quickly climbed one of the trees and I watched the creatures run by. Behind them came the second blue alien, not the one who had attacked my parents. I knew that this one was different.
{ Where are you? }he thought out into the forest. I don't know how I knew it but I could tell that I was the only one who could here him.
Suddenly the animals that I had heard before ran up to the alien.
{ Any sign of her? }
{ None, Prince Jake. But I know that she is here somewhere. }
This truly shocked me because it had been the tiger asking the question. For a moment I thought that the stress was finally getting to me. Hearing voices in my head? Come on!
That's when the wolf began to sniff around my tree.
{ What do you smell Cassie? Another wolf? } the tiger asked the wolf.
{ No. I think it's Stella. } how did this animal know my name? That's when the wolf looked up at the tree branches and saw me.
{ I knew it! See, she's right up there. } All the other animals followed her gaze.
{ Come down Stella. } the bear thought to me.
There was really no where to go so I slid down from the tree and stood facing all six of them.
{ Don't run away. We aren't going to hurt you. We can help you, but first, you must give us the morphing cube. } the alien thought at me.
How could they expect me to believe that? My parents had just been slaughtered because of that damn cube. Without wasting a word I turned and bolted into the forest. For a moment they just stood there, not certain of what to do. But then I heard them coming after me. I had a head start but I knew that I couldn't outrun a tiger or a wolf, and that alien thing seemed pretty fast too.
The stream that ran through the forest was just up ahead. If I could make it to the river then I would be safe. They would lose my scent.
Finally I reached the stream and plunged into it. I let the small current carry me down stream until I was almost certain that they wouldn't catch me.
As I climbed out of the stream I knew that I would have to find some sort of shelter. It wasn't a good idea to be wet in the forest at night. I could easily catch cold. Luckily I still had the pocketknife and my backpack was waterproof. It probably wasn't a good idea to find a cave either. The aliens would probably search all of those. So I just wondered the forest until the sun had finally set. I didn't mind though. I felt comfortable in these woods. My parents and I had gone camping a lot, Claire had too when she was still alive. But now I was alone.
Finally I wondered into a large meadow. I knew that it wasn't safe out in the open but I could go no further. I just collapsed and started sobbing in self-pity. My parents were dead. My home was destroyed. I was being hunted by aliens and wild animals. It was just too much. I finally cried myself to sleep, hidden by the tall grass.
* *
*
When I woke up the next morning the sun was already high in the sky. I also noticed that I was covered with a sleeping bag. Where had that come from? There was only one answer. They had found me. It must have been the animals and the second alien. My parents' killers would have just dragged me away.
As I stood up I realized that the meadow was a little too quiet for my taste. I wondered over to the edge of the forest as if I didn't suspect a thing. But I knew that they were watching me.
Suddenly a giant grizzly bear burst out of the forest and came to stand before me. I knew that it was the bear that I had seen the night before.
{ Don't be afraid. } I heard the bear's voice in my head. Before I had the chance to run the bear came forward and wrapped its arms around me. I realized that this might be my last chance to get away. I pulled the knife out of my pocket and I began to viciously stab the bear.
"HHHHRRROOOARRRHH" the bear roared in pain.
Then from another side of the meadow I saw the gorilla come running.
{ We don't want to hurt you. }
He came at me. He said they didn't want to hurt me but I didn't believe him. I couldn't afford to trust anyone just now. Before the gorilla could come any closer I brought out the knife and stabbed him too. Then I noticed that the bear was now on the ground, melting and changing shape. The same was now happening to the gorilla.
Now I could see the hawk circling overhead and the tiger and the wolf came bounding out of the forest. They came to face me.
I tried to back out of the meadow, but that was when I felt the tail blade up against my throat.
{ Not another step. } the alien warned me.
"Man, this is getting old." I said to no one in particular.
"Tell me about it." The gorilla said. Only it wasn't a gorilla anymore. Where the gorilla had sat just a few moments before there was a human boy. A boy that I recognized.
"Marco?" I said in a shocked voice. Then I looked over at what had once been the bear.
"Rachel?"
The tiger and the wolf had also become humans now.
"Jake? Cassie? What's going on here?"
These were all kids that I knew from school. They were all wearing skintight suits. How could they do this? Then the alien thought spoke again.
{ I shall remove my tail blade from your throat now. But only if you promise not to run away again. }
"Fine!"
He released me and I turned to face him.
"What are you?" I asked him, trying not to let the fear in my voice show.
{ That will be answered in due time. But for now, can you please just give us the morphing cube? }
"Why should I? That thing has wrecked my life. I think I deserve some answers before I go and hand anything over to you guys."
"You're right, you do Stella." I heard Cassie's voice from behind me.
"Just hear us out first." Jake said desperately. I jumped around to face the other four, my arms held up defensively.
"All right! Fine! What's going on?"
* * *
"Okay, let me get this straight. Earth has been invaded by a parasitic race of aliens called the Yeerks that crawl into people's brains and control them. And you five are our only hope because this guy's brother gave you the ability to morph. And this Tobias kid stayed in his morph too long and now he's trapped in it. And there's this thing called the Ellimist that can freeze time and all that jazz. And the Andalites are fighting the Yeerks but they won't be here for another year. And there's this Andalite- controller thing called Visser Three and he's the guy that killed my parents. And now you want to make me an Animorph because I found this morphing cube of yours and I know about all of you." I said skeptically about an hour later.
"I know this sounds crazy but it's true." Jake said.
"No, I believe you. But how exactly do you make me an Animorph? I'm still not clear on that point."
{ If you give me the morphing cube I will show you. } Ax said
"Andalite. Aximili Esgarrouth Isthill." I spat the words contemptuously in his face. He just stared coldly back at me.
"You want to get out of my way?" I said, shoving him.
{ Why? }
"Because my backpack is behind you." I said, the mocking tone in my voice was clear to him, but he let me pass. I went and picked up my backpack and took the blue cube out. Reluctantly I handed it to Ax.
{ Prince Jake, are we certain that we want to make her an Animorph. I am not sure that I trust this girl. }
"Well I'm not asking you to. Just get it over with!" I said impatiently.
Ax stepped forward hesitantly and I placed my hand on the cube. Instantly I felt a sharp jolt traveling all through my body and yet it wasn't painful.
"It's done. Now you have to acquire an animal. All you have to do is touch the animal and concentrate on it and you'll acquire its D.N.A pattern." Rachel said.
{ You can use my hawk form if you want to, seeing as how there aren't any animals around right now. } Tobias told me.
I looked around the meadow and my gaze fell on Ax. It might be cool to morph an alien.
"I pick you." I said fiercely, jumping forward and placing my hand on his face before he could stop me. For a moment Ax just stood there, shocked. I could almost feel it when I acquired the DNA. I stepped back and gazed at Ax's shocked face. It was almost as if I had hurt him somehow.
{ OOOOOkay, that's definitely something new. } Tobias thought spoke.
"Yeah, well, all you've got to do now is concentrate on becoming an Andalite and you'll morph." Cassie said.
For a long time I just stood there, concentrating on that image. Suddenly I began to fell the changes. It wasn't painful but it felt like it should be. My hands grew extra fingers and blue fur began to sprout all over my body. My nose became flat and my mouth collapsed in on itself. I felt the stalk eyes grow out of my head. Then I fell forward on four legs with hooves instead of feet. I felt my spine twist and elongate as the tail grew out from my back. I was an Andalite. The others looked at me in awe. Ax still stood there, dumbfounded.
"How is it?" Jake asked.
{ Wow! }
I turned to face Ax and I remembered all of the times that I had had one of those tail blades up against my throat. I wanted to find out how much Ax liked having those odds. I leapt forward and brought my tail blade up to his neck, being careful not to behead him. The look of shock in his eyes turned to anger.
{ There. We are even. } I hissed.
{ How dare you? } he hissed right back
{ How dare me? Don't you mean how dare you? How dare you people come and drag me into this war? } I thought spoke furiously as I started to demorph.
"I wouldn't demorph just yet Stella. It's impossible to morph anything less than skintight clothing and you don't have a morphing suit yet. We have some clothes stored nearby." Rachel said.
"Oh she can demorph right here. I don't mind." Marco said
"SHUT UP MARCO!" they all shouted at once.
Once we had reached their "storage room" of clothing and I had demorphed they proceeded to make plans for where I would stay.
"Maybe she could switch houses weekly or something." Jake suggested.
"No that won't work. I can't go back to school either. If I ever go out in public again Visser Three will find me. I guess I'll just...... sleep here in the woods with Ax and Tobias. There's really nothing else to be done." I told them.
"All right then. I'll lend you a sleeping bag and anything else you might need." Cassie said.
"Okay then, it's all settled. Where exactly in the woods do you two stay?" I asked Ax and Tobias.
{ Well I have a meadow as my territory and it's not exactly safe for you in the open. So I guess you'll be staying with Ax. } Tobias told me.
Ax gave Tobias an incredulous look and then his gaze fell on me and the look turned to one of horror.
"In that case lets head over there." I said, trying to be cheerful for once.
* *
*