Distant Dreams 7
By: Olivia
Narrator: Ruiroep
Nuttypeanutbuddy@aol.com

   Marco and I sat on the hot sand on the beach, watching the others run and play. My sister, Estril in human morph played with Jake who morphed his canine Homer to escape worry and let the happiness of the dog’s spirit cheer him up. Rachel, Cassie, and Tobias flew over our heads, watching out for Controllers and just talking, my mother and Aximili walking across the brim of the beach water, Mother laughing and Aximili running a hand up and down her back lovingly. I snarled softly as Aximili laid his lips upon the top of Mother’s head. " Disgusting. " Marco turned to me, a confused look on his face. " What, your mom and dad? Yeah, they can be all over each other. Visser got to her, but I know that soon she going to be spittin' out Ax's kids soon enough. " He chuckled and went back to the leather backed book that lay in the palm of his hand. I nodded, my dark stringy hair going in my weak human eyes. I pushed it out of the way just in time to see Aximili laid his head on Mother’s. Aximili. The name sickened me, made my heart fill with hatred and contempt. Marco poked me with his elbow in my human ribs. " Dude, what’s your problem? " I turned to him, smiling. " Nothing, just thinking." Marco was my only escape from Aximili, his happy attitude and sense of human comedy enlightened me. Marco wrapped an arm around my shoulders, laughing. " Then why are you glaring like you want to kill someone? Anyway, yeah, I think your going to get at least one more brother or sister from good old daddy. I'm glad I'm on only child, but two sisters?" He shuddered and chuckled. I nodded and laughed with him as Aximili looked over his shoulder and stared at me. I glared, but turned my glance to a small-shelled animal crawling across the sand. In the corner of my eye, I saw Aximili glare back and say something to Mother. Mother nodded, agreeing to what he said and started towards the woods by the large body of water, Aximili by her side. Yes, Mother, run off with the abomination, go ahead and give me other sibling. If the child looked like Aximili, it would probably look half Yeerk! Marco removed his arm as I got up and followed them. I demorphed in the woods and morphed my bird, a small brown finch, and flew home, watching my Mother and the monster demorph and run home.

   Mother flipped through the channels, sighing. < Nothing at all. Amazing how Andalites come here, not knowing about T.V, and then watch the cube, then get bored after seeing everything! Strange. > She drummed her dainty fingers on the remote, her features confused as she gazed mindlessly into the television. I sighed and walked to the small table I found around the beach, a leg gone and replaced with many phone books. The small black radio told me the time, ten fifteen at night. Aximili slept with Estril in the corner of the scoop, Mother still staring longingly at the T.V. They would not pay much attention to me; I thought as I fooled with the radio that I had since I was a newborn, a mere infant of one. The channels came to life, beautiful music softly humming in my little corner. " All I need is a lil bit... on the cover of the Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone... I need a soldier, and he's gonna stand up for me!" The last song made me stop and stare at the radio. I glared and slammed my hoof down on the grass floor in contempt. Mother glanced at me. < What? Something wrong? > She walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder. I jerked her hand of my shoulder and kept the glare on my face. She stared at the radio, listening to the soldier song that reminded me of Aximili, the warrior, the leader, and the way he always stared at me as if he ruled over everything. The soft drumming of rain calmed me down and I turned the radio off. < No, Mother. You should sleep, be rested for tomorrow. > Unless Aximili wakes up and keeps you up all night, I thought as Mother turned the television off, the scoop pitch black except for the bursts of lighting. I stood beside Mother, listening to her peacefully breathe. I looked around the scoop with my stalk eyes, one focused on Aximili. Myself only a year old, and I hated my own father. I hoped he was not my father, and my real father was some other Andalite. A real Andalite warrior that had my talents, my cunning, and skills sharper than an Andalite’s blade. I thought about my dream father as I drifted into a restless sleep.

   The sky was threatening more rain; even hail the radio told me as I fooled with the small objects in the radio. I heard the ruffle of feathers, knowing it was my cousin, Tobias. < Hey, someone in there? We need to get to the beach, stat! Something happened to Marco! > My eyes widened as I started to morph finch, my family morphing crow, sea gull, and northern harrier. < Tobias! We are here. What is wrong with Marco? > Tobias flew on a log outside of our scoop, his talons gripping into the rotten wood. < He was out on a boat with his dad, and he fell off the boat. > My finch morph was hyperactive, not wanting to sit still, wanting to fly away from the predators all around me. I flew out of the scoop and quickly tried to make my way to the beach. < Whoa, slow down, Road Runner! The beach is north, not west! > I turned and saw Tobias and my family going at a slow pace in another direction. I flapped my tiny wings and quickly pulled ahead. A peregrine falcon, a bald eagle and two ospreys circled around the beach. < Tobias! They can't find him in the water! > Cassie! I searched the water with my small but useful eyes. No movement, no bubbles, no Marco! I cried out in anger and flapped my wings harder, making myself go faster and faster and getting myself tired quicker. < Slow down, Ruiroep! Your wings will give out and you will have to swim to the shore! > Aximili flew past me, his intense stare focused on me as if I was a mouse of prey in a meadow. I let myself get angry, searching for Marco under the surface of the water, keeping my speed up. < Slow down! I do not want to fish you out of cold water! > Aximili practically screamed in my head. I got enraged, unable to keep my anger hidden. I flew above him, his feathery body obvious against the blue water. I dived, my small talons digging into his shoulder. < I am not your toy, Aximili! I AM NOT YOUR TOY!! > His beak fell open in a shriek as he saw his bird blood drip into the water, quickly disappearing into the salty sea. I dug even deeper into his skin, a small stream flowing as the rest of my family yelped in surprise. < Listen to me, Aximili. I will not listen to you. I am not your controller, you Yeerk! You are not my father, I know that. My father would be a much better fighter than you, you monster. Do us all a favor and burn in h- > My fake father cursed and dived, forcing me to pause my sentence and let go of his shoulder as I began to fly away. He turned up quickly and was inches from probably drowning. I desperately wanted to turn back and dunk him in the frigid water. I ignored this urge and flew quickly to somewhere no Andalite would ever go.

   The tan building quickly came up in the bright lights of the city, the dullest building in the city. The small lights out front said The Sharing. I demorphed, remorphed human, and walked in. The walls were tan, a circular desk in front of two doors. A stern female looked up from the primitive computer and told me second door. I walked in, the smell overwhelming my human nose as I went down a case of stairs. Cages lined up in four rows of five filled with humans, an area where the Controllers relaxed in large chairs covered in cloth. The Yeerk pool stood in the middle of the room, the water more like molten lead than water in the sea, small green Yeerks swimming around and soaking up Kadrona Rays. People screamed and kicked while Hork-Bajir held their heads in the water, letting the Yeerks either in or out. I walked up the ramp that let a Yeerk inside your head. The Hork-Bajir were confused instantly, but they grabbed my human arms and stuffed my head down in the sludge. I felt a Yeerk rub on my ear, numbing it, and crawling into my brain. They tugged my head out of the water, the Yeerk completely taking over. The Yeerk scanned my brain. He/I walked down the ramp. The Yeerk laughed in my head, then gasped as he read over the Andalites in the woods. < So, you are an Andalite! This will be fun! > I felt my body begin to change, my fur appearing on my arms and legs, two small legs erupting from my chest. " Andalite!" He/I turned my head and saw many Controllers that held Dracon beams. The Yeerk raised my hands that were forming two new fingers each. " I am Britto 1376." One Controller stepped out of the crowd. " Britto? How did you get an Andalite body? " The Yeerk made my human mouth sneer until it disappeared. I was fully Andalite before Britto responded. < This body just walked in from eight other Andalites, and it seems that the Andalite bandits are humans with morphing ability! > The other Controllers were silent, deadly quiet. Then they all cheered and asked where they were. The Yeerk began to tell them until I stopped him. < Excuse me, but I want to make a deal. > The Yeerk seemed annoyed. < I know that, and I agree. > I smiled mentally and let him tell the others where my family and friends lived.

   Britto flew home in my finch morph. < I will tonight, young Andalite, and I will enjoy it. Maybe we can- > I cut him short, telling him it was going to be tonight, and nothing else will happen but that. We got to the scoop, Mother tending to Aximili's burns from Dracon beams. < He is probably weak from the battle, and what your mind is telling me he is going to be very easy to kill. > Britto smiled and made my tail twitch, my blade shining in the sunlight drifting in the doorway. Aximili's eyestalks glanced at me, checking me over, and then slowly turning back to his bandages. Mother looked up from her work and smiled a long burn down her beautiful face. < Hello, Ruiroep, welcome home. Estril is out with Rachel. I need help with your father’s burns. > The Yeerk forced my body to move next to my mother, smiling up at her as my hand wrapped a bandage around Father’s disgusting arm tightly. I felt Aximili's eyes on me, all four glaring at me. His blade was at my throat in seconds. < Yeerk. > Electric hate filled the air as Aximili's tail dug deeper into my throat. The Yeerk kept his temper and kept smiling as my tail quickly was at Aximili's throat. His eyes widened as I dug my tail so deep that I almost hit his throat. Mother cried out and started towards the door. < Stop, or I will kill him! > Mother instantly stopped, her stalk eyes focused on Aximili while her main eyes glared at me. < My son is in there somewhere, and he wants you to get out of his head, you monster! > Britto laughed maniacally. < No, he wanted to be an Andalite Controller. He walked into The Sharing and obediently dunked his human head in the water. Simple and easy, about as easy as cutting Aximili's head off his neck! > He laughed again as Mother gazed into my eyes, flabbergasted from what the Yeerk had just told her. She walked over, stifled a sob, and pressed her blade against her own son’s throat. I was amazed, the Yeerk just annoyed, as the blade pressed against my throat, a small stream of blood coming from my cut. Our full attention was on Mother as Aximili's blade slid away from my neck and hit the side of my head, knocking me out along with the Yeerk.

   I woke up, the barn roof over my head and Cassie hovering over me. I bucked on the table, and then realized that the Yeerk was gone. < Where is it?!? > I stood up, trying to regain my balance, but having to lean on the table from dizziness. Cassie smiled and explained that Eric had came by and got the slug out. < No, no, no! > Cassie seemed surprised. `" What? We just saved the human race from you!" My thoughts focused on Marco. < Have you found Marco? > Cassie nodded and pointed to the window in the room facing the horse stalls. The Animorphs were there, staring at me and smiling, except Aximili. The biggest smile I saw was Marco's, grinning ear to ear. He opened the door and let everyone in, my mother running to me, sliding on the linoleum floor, and smothering me in a hug. < Oh, my baby! > She hugged me tighter. Aximili's ears twitched and his eyestalks swerved to the main front door. < Someone is here. > We heard something outside and seconds later twenty Hork-Bajir and Taxxon Controllers swarmed into the barn. The Controllers glared at the others, their eyes full of hatred. < Oops. > Aximili glared at me with his stalk eyes. < Oops? You traitor! > I looked at him long and hard, slamming my hoof down in contempt. Aximili’s full attention was on me. He stepped in front of me, my mother stepping back in awe. I turned my head up, not caring if my stalk eyes saw nothing but the white ceiling. Aximili glared down at me, his eyes full of hatred. < How dare you! > His temper got the best of him. His blade shot through the air, quickly pulling back as the new cut on my face bled black-blue blood. He shot again, but I blocked his blade with mine. My mother cried out as the door was knocked down by a Hork-Bajir. I realized he was staring at me, wanting to know what to do, and that he thought I was still a Controller. I smiled and turned my stalk eyes to the large creature in the doorway. < Kill them all! > A swarm quickly barged in the little room, leaving me alone to do whatever I wanted to do. And that was to kill Aximili.

   I stepped up to him, his attention focused on the two monsters in front of him, his stalk eyes on one and his main eyes on the Hork-Bajir. I cried out as his tail blade met with my upper waist, a large chunk sliding out my left side. He quickly destroyed the monsters and turned to me, being almost two feet taller than me, casting a shadow across my body. < You have drawn your last breath, Ruiroep. I shall tell your mother you died of a Hork-Bajir blade. > I stepped back as his blade shone behind his shoulder, threatening to kill me. I let my blade hang over my shoulder, my hearts full of hate, yet something in me said be afraid, be very afraid. < You will never live the guilt of killing your own flesh and blood. My mother will not believe your pitiful attempt to lie, for she is not as stupid as you are. > Aximili chuckled, his blade digging deep into my neck. < If you were my son, would I have the- Ahh! > I quickly caught him just below the nose, a long, deep cut that made blood flow over his chin. He wiped it away with hand and glared at me after glancing at his now bloody hand. He did not talk anymore, his tail did the talking. I was quickly cut up, my blade being blocked from my attacks. I was weak from blood loss, Aximili having barely a scratch, but he was breathing roughly. I felt a rush of air as Mother came to my rescue, standing beside me in lion morph, bleeding. < How dare you strike at my son, abomination! > She screamed at Aximili, Aximili just standing there as the next fleet of Controllers stormed in and started another attack on the Animorphs. I saw the muscles in his arms tighten, his face twisted in guilt and hate as I held the cut on my neck together. He glared down at Mother, his ugly green eyes blazing in hatred at her reasoning, telling him the she loved him, and that she wanted to live a long life with her family that may grow overtime. Aximili sighed, turning his glare to the wall, probably wishing to cut her head off to make her shut up. What will he do to my mother and I?

   < Ax! We need you over here! > Jake called as he just stood there. He ran over to Jake and quickly took care of the Hork-Bajir that swarmed the Animorphs. Mother laid her lion head on my leg, her lion lungs heaving a great sigh. < What am I to do? We need to get home and- > The sickening voice made the room freeze, Hork-Bajir and Animorph. < Now, why are you going home when I just got here, Zizih? You did not miss me? I missed you and your family! > Visser walked in, his head held high along with his tail. He laughed maniacally, stepping up to me. < Good work, Britto. I will see that you are Sub- Visser Five soon enough. > I stood beside him. < Britto is not there anymore. Only an Andalite looking for revenge on a certain other Andalite. > Visser stared down at me and laughed. He laid a hand on my right shoulder. Mother snarled and leapt, only to be loped in the head. She fell to the floor on her side, her chest rapidly jumping as she tried to breathe. < Do...not...lay a ...hand on him! > Visser laughed. I shook my head. < No, not her. > I pointed at Aximili, his eyes wide and fearful. < Him. >

                                              To Be Continued...