Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Michael

My name is Michael. Like the others, I’m not telling you my last name. I’d love to- honestly, it’s not like anyone’s chasing me- but I promised them I wouldn’t. Better to keep the people I care about safe.

So. Where do I start? I’m an orphan. My parents died in an accident a couple of years ago. What kind? Hard to say- the wreck left them too disfigured to even identify. One day they went out for a short trip, promised they’d be back, and then... nothing. I got the news on TV. Just like that, they were gone.

I was terrified of losing the only home I’d ever known, so I did something stupid- and, yeah, illegal. I forged an ID to pass as an adult. Nobody ever looked at me twice; I already looked older than I was, like I could pass for twenty. With that fake ID and some creative paperwork, I started picking up odd jobs. Construction was the big one. Hard, exhausting work, but cash in hand, no questions asked.

Balancing jobs with school was hell. Bills, food, and trying not to get noticed- it wore me down. The school didn’t care. Teachers never saw me as more than a nuisance. Outcast, loner, “weird kid.” I figured I’d drop out the minute I could legally get away with it. Better that than risking anyone finding out the truth; that I’d been living on my own this whole time. If they knew, it’d be foster care at best, jail at worst.

I told myself I was fine with being invisible. Safer that way. But the truth? It hurt. Even Chapman- the assistant principal- gave me the creeps. The guy used to just act like a normal cranky adult. Once, I accidentally knocked him over in a grocery store, burst a bag of flour all over him. Looked like Mr. Wilson from Dennis The Menace. I should’ve apologized, but instead I laughed until I cried. He chewed me out, all red-faced:

“You are a reckless child. If I were your parents, you’d have gotten a proper punishment.”

Back then, he felt almost normal. Now? He just stares at me like he’s trying to peel back my skull and look inside. Makes my skin crawl.

Fall break rolled around, which meant a week of construction work- no school, no stares, just me and the crew. It was almost relaxing. Until that night. I was sitting on the frame of a half-built building, staring out at the city, when I noticed a pile of rubble nearby. Something glowed faintly inside.

A box.

I climbed down, brushed the dust off it, and carried it home. When I looked closely, blue light spilled out, burning cold and bright. I placed it in a case and slammed it shut, heart hammering. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it wasn’t normal. So I took it home with me.

That’s where everything started.

That night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the box. Turning it over in my hands, I realized it wasn’t just a box- it was a perfect cube. Too perfect. The edges were sharp, the surface impossibly smooth, like no tool I’d ever seen had touched it. It had cracks across its surface, like it had been around for a long, long time.

I slipped outside for a walk, hoping the night air would clear my head. The streets were quiet, the trees whispering overhead, my thoughts circling back to the cube again and again. That’s when I noticed movement in the grass. A lizard, scrambling in the moonlight.

I crouched, caught it in my hand. It flailed, all scales and claws, until suddenly- it froze. Completely stiff. For a second I thought I’d killed it. I set it down, whispered an apology, and walked away. Weird, yeah. But what was stranger was how it stuck in my head all evening.

Later, while I was sitting at home, I thought about that lizard again. Really thought about it- its quick little heartbeat, its tiny body. That’s when it happened.

At first, I felt lightheaded. Dizzy. My skin prickled, cold and dry, like my blood had gone ice water. The room started to swell around me- no, not swell. I was shrinking. I hit the floor, tangled in my clothes, my hands clawing at the carpet. When I caught my reflection in the half-open blade of my pocketknife, I almost screamed.

A lizard stared back at me.

Not just a lizard- the lizard. The one I’d held. Except this time, I wasn’t holding it. I was it.

I flicked my tongue across my eye, the way lizards do, and nearly panicked again. But the movement was mine. The tiny body, the alien reflexes- they all belonged to me.

I had no idea how to change back. My first thought was, What if I’m stuck like this forever? Panic set in. I wanted my human body back so badly it hurt. And then- like a rubber band snapping- I felt my skin ripple.

The snout shrank. My claws stretched, fingers reforming. My blood flushed warm again. Within moments, I was human again, lying naked in a heap of loose clothes.

I sat there, shaking. Scared. Fascinated. Alive.

I could turn into animals.

 

I laid in bed and thought about my power. It was amazing but at the same time terrifying. That old comic-book line ran through my head: “With great power comes great responsibility.” And yeah, I thought about that long and hard.

Sure, it’d be great to go out and play superhero, but there were problems. One, I could get hurt. Morphing into a lizard didn’t suddenly give me Wolverine healing. Two, clothes. I could shift into an animal, but when I came back? I was completely naked. Not exactly great for keeping a “secret identity.”

And I didn’t even know the limits yet. If I could turn into a lizard, could I also turn into a bear? An eagle? If so, what then? What if I forgot how to change back?

Still, I had to know. I only had three days of fall break left, and I wasn’t working tomorrow. That gave me time. I didn’t know how to test my powers- but I was willing to try.

The next morning came, I decided to test just how far this power could go. If I could turn into a lizard, what else could I do?

I went to the zoo. Risky, sure- but I kept my distance from guards and cameras, trying to look like just another kid killing time. I focused on smaller animals first. A goat pressed against the fence. When I touched it, the same thing happened as with the lizard: stiff, frozen, like I’d hit “pause” on a living creature. My stomach sank. Did I kill it again?

I hung back, pretending to mess with my phone. A minute later the goat shook itself off and wandered away, alive and fine. Relief washed through me- and excitement too. I wasn’t stealing their life. Just... copying something.

I went home that afternoon and decided to try it for real. In the woods, far enough out where no one ever came, I focused on the goat. The change came fast- shrinking down, legs bending, fur sprouting everywhere. My clothes loosened and slipped off as my body dropped onto four hooves.

And then I ran.

The ground thundered beneath me as I darted through trees. The world smelled different, rich and sharp. The bark of a tree, the scent of leaves, even the trace of other animals nearby. It was wild, exhilarating. For the first time in years, I laughed.

But when I thought of an eagle- something I’d brushed my hand against at the zoo aviary- things got trickier. My body warped again, fur receding into feathers, front legs folding into wings, face stretching into a hooked beak. Suddenly the world seemed enormous, the air alive with currents.

I spread my wings and leapt.

And went splat.

The fall knocked the wind out of me. Not hurt, just humiliated. I tried again. And again. Sometimes I caught the air enough to glide- straight into the thorn bushes, where I got stuck like an idiot. More often, I dangled upside down from tree branches, talons locked in too deep, flapping like some broken kite.

If anyone had seen me, they would’ve laughed themselves sick.

Still I kept at it. Day after day, sneaking out to the woods, I tried to nail the takeoff. I limited myself to an hour until it became a rule burned into my brain.

It was frustrating. Painful, even. But every time I spread those wings, even for a few seconds, I felt something I’d never felt before.

Freedom.

 

I went back home and checked the clock. An hour and thirty minutes. It felt longer. I figured I should cap myself at two hours, just to be safe. The last thing I needed was to end up as some goat doing something stupid, or an eagle flapping uselessly on the ground, only to be bagged by Animal Control- or worse, shot by some hunter. Two hours max. That seemed fair.

School came back into session, which was... fun. I went to class and, like always, sat in the back where nobody noticed me. Honestly, it wasn’t new- being an outcast was something I’d gotten used to- but it still stung. People looked at me as if I were strange, someone you avoided, not mocked. Maybe the straight A’s didn’t help either. Maybe that’s why no one wanted to get close.

But now? Now I was an outcast with superpowers. That thought actually felt good. If I did something heroic, no one would ever suspect me. I could be invisible in plain sight. Still, there was a paranoia crawling at the back of my head. What if the teachers saw me as a problem? What if the students treated me like a walking hazard instead of a person? Then again, maybe I was overthinking. Maybe they were all like Mr. Chapman- distant, unreadable.

When school finally let out, I dropped my stuff off and went right back to the woods. The eagle was waiting. My second attempt. First, I morphed fully, then scrambled up a tree until I reached the first sturdy branch. My claws dug into the bark like they belonged there. I spread my wings, braced myself, and leapt-

CRASH.

The ground didn’t care about my hopes. The air ignored me. My wings flared too late and I hit the dirt hard enough to knock the wind out of me.

Still, I wasn’t giving up. Again and again, I tried. Every time I flapped, I crashed. Sometimes I ended up dangling upside down like a broken bat, my claws sunk too deep into the branch to let go. If anyone had seen me, they’d have laughed their heads off- or maybe assumed something was seriously wrong with me.

But I didn’t care. I was determined to fly.

All month long, I’d been sneaking to the woods and trying to nail the flight. I came close a couple of times. All I did was glide... right into the bushes and get stuck with thorns. Hurt like hell but at least I made some progress.

Did I have an encounter with anyone? Oh man. At one point, I fell into another bush and got stuck. I had to demorph just to wriggle free, and that’s when a couple of girls came walking through. Great timing.

They saw me and screamed.

I can’t blame them- seeing a half-feathered boy with a shrinking beak clawing out of the shrubbery is the stuff of nightmares. My heart just about stopped. Fortunately, I had already slowed the change before they saw too much. For quick thinking, I channeled the Highlander villain and growled, “Happy Halloween, ladies,” in my best Kurgan impression.

They froze for a second, then just laughed nervously. “Halloween always brings out the weirdos,” one muttered, brushing me off like I was some prank gone wrong.

I let out a long breath the second they were out of sight. Close. Way too close.

I was more thankful that I hadn’t finished demorphing because otherwise, the outcome would’ve been a little different with a naked boy in the bushes. Yikes, right? Well, I decided to move my flight attempts to nighttime so I don’t have to worry as much about running into people. Now finding my clothes would be rather challenging. So I went to the store to get some glow sticks so I’d at least know where my clothes would be.

When I returned to school, I was digging through my locker when I heard someone getting shoved a few rows down. I glanced over and saw him- Jake, that was his name- cornered by a couple of bigger guys.

Outcast or not, I hate bullies. Always have. I shut my locker and walked over. “Hey,” I said, flat, “Leave him alone.” They turned, smirking at me like I’d just volunteered to be the next punching bag. “Go away, creep,” one of them said. “Oh, nice insult,” I shot back, deadpan. “We’re not in elementary school anymore. Unfortunately, your brain hasn’t caught up.”

That earned me exactly what I expected: cracked knuckles and a sneer. “Okay, bright boy, let’s see if you still talk like that when we’re finished with you.”

Fine. I’ve been in enough fights to know the drill. The first one swung, and I ducked low, ramming my head into his gut like I was tackling a tree. He folded with a wheeze. The second one came at me, but I drove my fist up into his chin before he could get close. He dropped like a sack.

“Anyone else?” I asked, planting my foot on the first kid’s shoulder to shove him down when he tried to get back up.

They exchanged a look, then bolted. Cowards.

When it was over, I glanced at Jake. He was still standing there, looking at me- not scared, not grateful, just... watching. I couldn’t tell what was behind his eyes. Measuring me, maybe.

I didn’t stick around to find out. I never do.

 

The truth is, I’ve always had that protector instinct. Grew up getting in fights over it. Used to get in trouble for stepping in when no one else would. Doesn’t matter if people cheer or ignore me. I’m not in it for attention. Never wanted to be.

But is Jake okay? Yeah. At least from where I was standing.

Chapter Text

Jake)

Normally, I’m used to Marco stepping up for me, but today was one of those days he was sick and couldn’t make it. Then this guy, Michael, stepped in. I wouldn’t even call it a fight. It was over before it even began. The way he handled those two- anyone else would’ve been clobbered. But Michael? He’s not like the others.

He didn’t bother to ask if I were okay, which I was, but still- it wouldn’t have hurt. Given his circumstances,though, I get it. He’s been the social outcast of this school, written off as a weirdo for reasons no one really explains.

After school I told the others what happened. Marco was half-disbelieving, half-amused. “Aw, man, I take one day off and some weirdo takes my job?!” he laughed.

I laughed too. But part of me thought maybe Michael isn’t as weird as everyone makes him out to be. Maybe people underestimate him. For a loner, he’s sharp. He deserves better. So I figured maybe tomorrow, I’d try talking to him myself.

The next morning, I spotted him in the cafeteria, sitting in his usual corner, picking at breakfast. I started to head over, but he looked like he was carrying something heavy in his head. Then I saw it- bandages wrapped around his arm. Sprained, maybe worse. I hesitated.

In the end, I left him alone.

 

Michael)

Stupid. I was stupid. Tried flying again last night, and like before, I fell. Only this time I clipped something on the way down and a rock the size of a softball smacked my wing. Hurt like hell.

Didn’t break anything, but when I demorphed I could still feel it. From the way the bones shifted, I might’ve fractured something. No way I was going to a hospital. The last place I want to be is somewhere people start asking questions. Everything I’ve built would unravel in a heartbeat. So I wrapped it myself with one of the first-aid kits I keep around and swallowed some pain meds.

I was mad at myself all day. At school I sat in my corner, sulking like a grounded kid. With my arm the way it was, morphing had to wait.

Great.

Lunch rolled around. Like always I went for the pizza- only thing in the cafeteria that didn’t taste like punishment. Halfway through eating, someone dropped into the seat across from me.

Jake.

“How are you?” he asked.

“Fine,” I grunted. Not his fault. I was just in pain.

“What happened to your arm?” he pointed at the bandage.

I glanced down. “Uh... working out. Bench press slipped, landed on my arm. Doctor said it’s just a sprain, should heal in a few days.”

Yeah, yeah, not the best lie, but it’s all I had in the moment. Bite me.

Did he buy it? No clue. He didn’t press it, though.

“I wanted to say thank you,” he said after a pause. “For standing up for me.”

That caught me off guard. Nobody thanks me. I help people sometimes, but appreciation? Forget it. I’ve been used to silence for years.

“Don’t mention it,” I said.

“You know, those guys were bigger than you. They could have creamed you.”

I gave a half-smile. “Size matters not,” I said in my worst Yoda impression. Then I added, more seriously, “I take some lessons outside school.”

Jake smirked. Maybe I’d made a friend. Too early to tell.

“What kind of training?” he asked.

Didn’t see that one coming. I panicked a little, then settled on something halfway believable. “Online martial arts stuff.”

He studied me, sharp-eyed. For a second I thought I’d blown it. Then he just nodded. “I see. Well, thanks again.”

“Anytime,” I said, letting out the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Maybe we can hang out sometime. I can introduce you to some people.”

That one knocked me back. You stick your neck out for someone and suddenly they want to be friends? Don’t get me wrong- I wanted that. God, I wanted it. But right now? It was a risk I couldn’t afford.

“Rain check,” I said quickly. “Got stuff I need to handle.”

“Understood,” he said. He stood, giving me one last nod. “See you around.”

And just like that, he was gone.

I sat there staring at my tray, wondering if I’d just pushed away the one shot at being normal.

 

Jake)

Meeting with Michael went better than I expected. I thought he’d be bitter, or cold, the kind of attitude that earns you “outcast.” But he wasn’t. He was just... normal. Nervous, yeah, but normal.

Still, when I asked about his arm, or how he learned to fight, he hesitated. He’s hiding something. I don’t know what, but I’m not going to push. Not yet. Gotta earn his trust first.

Watching him, I could tell he’s not used to people talking to him. So I gave him space.

He seems like a good guy. Cautious. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the people who build the highest walls usually have the most to lose.

Chapter Text

Marco)

So, fearless leader chatted up the weirdest kid in school. Can’t say I’m shocked- that’s kind of his thing. But Michael? I don’t get why he’s an outcast. Who isn’t these days?

If I had to guess, he’s the kind of guy who sleeps in a coffin and snacks on cockroaches for “vampiric powers.” Or maybe he writes poetry so bad it makes Shakespeare roll in his grave. Or he doodles nightmare fuel in his notebooks. Either way- guy screams “weird.”

Except, according to Jake, he doesn’t. Michael handled those bullies like they were amateurs. Quick, precise, no hesitation. For a so-called loner, that’s... impressive. Maybe too impressive.

And here’s the problem: loners like him don’t come with warning labels. He could be hiding scars. Or secrets. Or maybe even a Yeerk. For all I know, Michael’s trying to worm his way into Jake’s trust so he can get to us.

I trust Jake with my life- but this? This is one gamble I really hope he thinks twice about. One wrong call, and we’re all done for.

 

Rachel)

I don’t know Michael- not really. But I’ve heard the whispers, the “weirdo” label, the sideways looks. Honestly? It doesn’t fit. He’s tall, sure, older-looking than most of us- but that’s hardly a crime. Teenagers have growth spurts. People love excuses to push others to the edges.

Whenever I’ve noticed him, he’s kept to himself. Quiet, watchful. Nothing about him screams “creep.” If anything, he just looks like someone carrying too much alone.

When Marco started cracking jokes about Jake recruiting him, I rolled my eyes. Jake doesn’t recruit lightly- not when the stakes are this high. Still, I couldn’t help wondering: if Michael can stand up to bullies twice his size, could he stand against something like a Hork-Bajir? Or would blades and monsters send him running?

I don’t have an answer. And maybe that’s the real problem. Michael’s tough- Jake’s seen it, we’ve heard it- but we don’t know how far his strength goes. Until then, he’s unpredictable.

 

Jake)

Maybe telling everyone about Michael was a mistake. I figured it would lighten the mood- Marco roasting me about having a weirdo for a bodyguard got a few laughs. Then he asked if I was considering recruiting Michael. Naturally, I said no.

But the thought... yeah, it’s crossed my mind.

What if Michael was an Animorph, like us? He’s quick. Sharp. The way he handled those guys- it reminded me of Rachel, if she’d been a guy. Reflexes like that could be useful against Visser Three and the Yeerks.

Still, our plate’s already full. Too full. The last thing I need is another soldier- especially one who doesn’t even know the war exists. Bringing him in would mean risking more lives.

I don’t know if Michael’s the type to run or fight when things get ugly. And until I know for sure, I can’t let myself consider him anything more than what he is now: just a kid I’m watching from a distance.

 

Rachel)

We left that night. We morphed into raccoons and slipped through the trees while Tobias watched from above.

he said in thought-speak.

Jake answered.

Tobias couldn’t morph like the rest of us. He’s what the Andalites called a nothlit- stayed in morph past the limit.

he reported.

A camp. Yeerk. Crates and barrels stacked while Hork-Bajir moved them- tall, bladed, balanced by their tails. They look like living chainsaws, but they were peaceful before the Yeerks enslaved them.

Then a Taxxon appeared- think “tree-tall centipede,” lamprey mouth ringed with teeth, red jelly eyes, rows of needle legs. Always hungry. Just looking at them makes you gag. Worst part? They volunteered to the Yeerks.

Cassie asked.

Jake replied,

We retreated, demorphed a safe distance away.

“Man,” Marco spoke, “I never thought they’d start setting up in the woods.”

“I’m not sure it’s a base,” Jake said. “Could be supply staging.”

“Supplies for what? Visser Three’s birthday party?” he snorted.

“It could be a Yeerk pool,” Cassie responded.

“So, a pool party for Visser Three,” Marco joked, “And none of us are on the invite--”

Something crashed in the bushes. Marco shrieked.

We turned as a head poked out of the leaves.

“Michael?” Jake blurted, “is that you?”

No doubt about it. Michael gave a sheepish smile. “Uh... hi? Guess the cat’s out of the bag, huh?”

 

Michael)

Well, that was embarrassing.

I went deeper into the woods this time- far enough to avoid late-night dog walkers- cracked a couple of glow sticks and set them by my clothes. Then I morphed lizard.

I’ve been getting better. I used to go slow, like training wheels. Now I can speed it up. Almost natural.

I scurried to the nearest tree, climbed, and paused at the first branch. A family of raccoons skittered below. Didn’t think much of it.

Higher. More height, more room to catch air. Out on a limb- literally- I shifted. Lizard to eagle. Feathers. Talons. The branch under me.

I stood there, tense. Higher than I’d ever tried before. If I blew this- broken-bones height.

Breath in. Out. Dive.

For a second, time slowed. Then the world rushed up at me all at once. I spread my wings- finally, maybe this was the one-

Voices.

Close. My chest jolted. I flapped, lost control, grabbed for a branch, and in blind panic started to demorph. Mass surged. The branch snapped. I crashed into bushes.

Something shrieked- not me.

I got my head up, half human again. Leaves in my hair. Jake’s voice: “Michael? Is that you?”

He wasn’t alone. Two girls. Another guy. All staring.

I managed a weak smile. “Uh... hi?” Beat of silence. “Guess the cat’s out of the bag, huh?”

I stayed crouched, wishing the dirt would swallow me.

“What are you doing out here?” Jake asked.

“Sunbathing,” I deadpanned. “Might have missed a spot on my tan.”

“Oh, a comedian,” the other guy said.

Jake’s expression shifted, like puzzle pieces clicked. “Michael... you’re one of us?”

I couldn’t answer. Not yet.

 

Cassie)

Normally I’d laugh when something hilarious happens with Marco- he’s our resident clown- but not this time. Michael had literally fallen out of a tree. Tobias told Jake.

“Michael... you’re one of us?” Jake asked.

Michael looked like he wanted to disappear back into the bushes. He then took a breath. “I... it’s hard to explain,”

“Why don’t you come out and we can talk?” I said.

He flushed. “I can’t. My clothes are nearby. Look for cracked glow sticks.”

I found them fast, brought his clothes. He nodded, ducked back into the brush, and re-emerged dressed- holding his shoes.

As he laced up, Jake said, “How long have you had this?”

Michael shrugged. “Hard to say. A month? Maybe a little longer I lost track, to be honest. I found a glowing cube-shaped rock at the construction site.”

My heart thudded. The Escafil device? I looked at Jake. He looked just as shocked.

“You found a cube?” Jake asked.

“I don’t have it on me,” Michael said. “It’s at home, in a case. I touched it, and... then I was turning into animals.”

“Does anyone else know?” Jake asked, careful.

He shook his head. “No. Nobody cares enough to ask. I almost got caught once mid-change, but I convinced them it was a Halloween costume.”

Marco snorted. “You sure you weren’t just showing off?”

Michael gave him a flat look. “Oh, I just love giving people nightmares, doc.”

Jake glanced at us, then back. “You should come to Cassie’s barn. We need to talk.”

“Bad idea,” Marco said. “Giant red flag. He could be a Controller trying to sneak in.”

“Controller?” Michael blinked. “Are we talking Nintendo? Xbox? TV remote?”

Marco rolled his eyes. I bit back a laugh.

“I don’t think he is,” Rachel said, “I’m not seeing signs.”

“Well, I’m not going anywhere unless I know who you are,” Michael said.

“Right. Sorry,” Jake said. “This is Marco.” Marco wiggled his fingers. “Cassie.” I nodded. “Rachel- my cousin.” Rachel didn’t flinch.

Tobias landed on a stump. “The hawk is Tobias,” Jake said.

Tobias said.

Michael flinched. “Okay, either I hit my head on my way down or I’m hearing voices.”

“Oh, you’re just nuts,” Marco said. Jake shot him a look. Marco held up a hand: fine, I’ll behave.

“You’re not crazy,” he said, “Tobias uses thought-speak. He can’t talk like we can. He was one of us.”

“You were human?” Michael asked Tobias. “Or... a shifter like me?”

Tobias said.

“Oh. Do you just like being a hawk or...?”

“He can’t turn back,” Rachel said.

“He’s a nothlit,” I said.

“A what?” Michael asked.

“He stayed in morph for too long,” Jake said.

“Two hours,” Marco added. “Past that and it’s goodbye, humanity.”

Michael winced, then looked at Tobias. “I’m sorry.”

Tobias said.

“Speaking of which,” Marco said, “How long do you stay in morph, Mike?”

“Never longer than two hours,” Michael said. “Just a precaution in case anyone comes by... tonight being the exception.”

“What’s your longest?” Rachel asked.

“An hour and fifty-five minutes,” he said.

Our jaws dropped.

“You’re lucky you didn’t end up like Tobias,” Marco said.

“Barn,” Jake said, finally. “We’ll talk there.”

We headed out.

 

Michael)

I hung back on the way to the barn- close enough to follow, far enough to breathe. New people aren’t my thing. Marching off to a barn at night with strangers gave me creepy cult vibes, but... I went.

Inside looked... normal- if normal meant a veterinary rehab in a barn. Cages. Fluorescents. Hoses, buckets. Jake said Cassie’s dad runs it. They rescue wildlife. Sounded... good, actually

I took a seat on a hay bale. Jake leaned against a worktable.

“What I’m about to tell you doesn’t leave this group,” he said.

“Of course,” I said.

“There’s a war going on,” Jake said, “and almost no one knows. The enemy are called Yeerks.”

“Yeerks?” I echoed.

“Space slugs,” Marco said.

I wanted to laugh. I didn’t. Jake’s face said “not a joke.”

“So... how bad are they?” I asked.

“They infest your brain through the ear,” Jake said. “They control you.”

I nodded slowly. “So... slavery.”

“They’ve enslaved the Hork-Bajir,” Jake went on, “and another species, the Taxxons, volunteered as Controllers. Their leader here is a Yeerk in an Andalite body- Visser Three.”

So an alien invasion. Not the movie kind. The quiet, suffocating kind. When Jake said “war,” I’d pictured more... animals fighting animals. Beast wars. Not this.

“You don’t believe us?” Cassie asked.

“It’s a lot,” I admitted. “Hork-Bajir, Taxxons, Yeerks, Andalites- it sounds insane. I want to believe you. I’m just not a hundred percent there yet.”

“I get it,” Jake said. “But you need to know. If we found out about you morphing, the Yeerks will, too.”

I folded my arms. “People barely notice me. Being the ‘weird one’ has perks. I’m probably safe.”

“For now,” Marco said. “Then boom: Hork-Bajir crash your bedroom window and a slug takes the wheel.”

That did it. Concern beat out denial.

“How do I spot one?” I asked. “A Controller.”

“You don’t, not always,” Cassie said gently. “We didn’t even know the Hork-Bajir were enslaved at first. They used to be peaceful.”

I shook my head. I felt sorry for them. For all of them.

“Behavior changes help,” Rachel said. “Mr. Chapman--”

“Chapman?” I snapped. “He’s one too?”

Rachel nodded.

“Figures,” I muttered. “He used to be on me for everything. Lately he looks at me like he’s scanning my skull.”

“It’s not funny,” Rachel said. “Chapman’s high-ranking. And dangerous.”

I leaned back. Maybe this did explain some things. Maybe not.

The barn door slid open. Hoofbeats thudded. I turned and-

Centaur. That’s what my brain yelled first. But he wasn’t any centaur from books. Blue from head to hoof. Two eyestalks on top of his head. No mouth- just a three-slit organ. Seven-fingered hands. Tail like a scorpion with a wicked blade. His eyestalks swiveled, scanning everything.

the voice asked- in my head.

“His name is Michael,” Jake said, “He’s not a Controller, Ax.”

Ax. Good name.

I stood and approached slowly. “Guess I can cross ‘meet E.T.’ off my bucket list,” I said. “Can I...?”

Ax said.

I touched his fur. Softer than I expected. I stepped back.

“For someone meeting an alien for the first time,” Marco said, actually serious, “you’re taking it pretty well.”

“Believe me,” I responded, “I’m scared. I just don’t panic.”

he said,

I nodded. “An honor, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill.”

His stalk eyes tipped toward me- surprised, maybe.

I still had questions. Seeing Ax answered enough of them.

“So what now?” I asked.

“You helped me,” Jake said, “We’ll help you. After that... your choice.”

I thought about it. Then I said the thing no one expected.

“Then I want in.”

 

Jake)

There are a lot of things I expect- ambushes, Visser Three pulling a stunt. A volunteer? Not on the list.

“Michael...” I said carefully.

“You do realize what you’re asking for, right?” Marco said. “We’re not handing out ‘Slug-Fest’ T-shirts.”

“I’m aware,” Michael said, “You’ve been fighting this alone. I don’t know how many Yeerks are out there, but if it’s just you and Ax, you’re outnumbered. What’s one more? I won’t get in the way.”

“It’s not just numbers,” Rachel said. “It’s the weight. You carry it.”

“I’ve carried weight,” Michael said. “It’s nothing new to me. And if you’re worried I’ll kill Controllers- I won’t.”

He raised a hand like he was swearing in. “I won’t kill Hork-Bajir, Taxxons, or even Visser Three. I’ll focus on liberating Controllers.”

“Not every Taxxon is a Controller,” Marco said. “Most Taxxons are Yeerks’ besties. No guilt there.”

I appreciated Michael’s confidence- his promise- even as a knot formed in my stomach. He might be thinking it’s a game. Or maybe he knows exactly what he’s asking for.

“We’ll have to talk it over, Michael.”

“Of course,” he said, and stepped outside.

 

Marco)

Okay, I joked about Jake recruiting Michael, but I never thought we’d get an actual volunteer. Michael seems like a good kid. Heart’s in the right place. Brain checked out for vacation.

Volunteering for an alien war is suicide. Promising not to kill? We all said that once. Keeping it is the hard part. I wanted to laugh him out of the barn, but honestly? I respect him.

We didn’t volunteer. Elfangor dropped the morphing power on us, and then Visser Three killed him. But Michael? He walked toward the fire. Guts. More than I had at the start. I expected him to sprint for the nearest psych ward. Instead he was calm. Says he’s scared on the inside- sure. I still picture him riding into battle on Ax’s back while “Ride of the Valkyries” plays.

He worries me, though. Calm at meeting Ax. Calm after hearing “Invisible alien war.” And then: “Sign me up.” If I could go back to the night we met Elfangor and hit “volunteer,” I’d have peaced out in a heartbeat.

 

Rachel)

None of us expected someone to ask for this. We’ve kept the war secret for a reason. Jake warned him about Yeerks and Visser Three. It should’ve ended there. Instead, Michael volunteered.

Part of me thinks he could be useful. He didn’t panic at Ax. He stood his ground with blades pointed at him earlier this week. Another part of me remembers: bravery can be recklessness in a mask.

We were circled the worktable.

“I don’t know, Jake,” Marco said. “Bringing him in is a stack of red flags. We just info-dumped the apocalypse, he met Ax, and he was weirdly calm. You said he’s not a Controller- but he could be.”

Ax said,

“Maybe he told the truth,” Cassie said, “he looked nervous to me- just composed. I think he could help. With supervision.”

“Cassie’s right,” I said. “An extra hand helps. But we watch him. We don’t know his limits.

Tobias glided down to the table.

Family. I thought of my sisters. My parents. Jake nodded.

We found Michael by the fence, watching the wild horses. He turned to our footsteps.

“Michael,” Jake said, “we’ll let you in. But once you’re in, there’s no turning back. You can’t tell your parents. Or anyone.”

Michael lifted a hand. “Understood. And... that part isn’t a problem. My parents aren’t around.”

“Travel a lot?” Cassie asked gently.

“No. They died.”

My stomach sank. “Any other family?” I asked.

He shook his head. “They don’t care. Don’t care if I’m alive or dead. You don’t need to worry about loose ends. I’m... expendable, if you want to put it that way.”

Silence. Uncomfortable, heavy silence.

Jake cleared his throat. “You’re not expendable here,” he said. “You’re either in, and one of us, or you’re out. If you’re in, we watch each other’s backs. All of us.”

Michael nodded once. “Then I’m in.”

Chapter Text

Ax)

Humans are always full of surprises. The human, Michael, makes no exception. He didn’t flinch at the sight of me when other humans would’ve been terrified. He seemed more curious than frightened. What I did not expect was Michael’s ability to pronounce my full name, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, without hesitation. Most humans struggle with Andalite names, yet Michael spoke as if he practiced. I cannot decide whether to feel honored ...or uneasy.

I cautioned Prince Jake about allowing Michael to join us in this war. Michael may have talents we have yet to uncover. But I also fear that without supervision, those same talents could bring danger instead of salvation.

After we agreed upon allowing Michael in under supervision, we left to tell him. To learn that Michael has no family- beyond the passing of his parents- it brought back memories of my brother, Elfangor. I felt pity for Michael. Enough pity to advise against joining. Yet, as I looked at him closely, he seemed determined. Determined enough that no amount of advice would have changed his mind.

What troubled me most was when Michael called himself “expendable.” He spoke as if his own life mattered little. In my opinion, such views are... unsettling. Among Andalites, life is duty, and duty is life. To cast aside one’s worth is foreign to me. Is it dishonorable? Or simply human? I do not know.

As we gathered at the worktable, I turned one eyestalk to Michael while Prince Jake discussed a recon mission we would attempt tomorrow night. Michael was focused, as if every word Prince Jake said were his last. This time, I joined on the mission.

 

Tobias)

 

Everyone left after the recon plan was finished. I took flight into the night sky, thinking about everything that had just happened. I was used to being the outcast. Between Michael and me there’s one difference; Michael still has his human form; I don’t. There’ve been times I wished I could be human again. And to think- at one point Michael came close to becoming another nothlit. Maybe I wouldn’t have been alone. No. I shouldn’t think that.

Michael doesn’t deserve that.

I landed on a branch and looked out at the moon. Tomorrow night we’ll see how Michael handles himself. I heard rustling and turned my head. He was walking down the path by himself. He propped himself against a tree and crouched.

I flew down next to him.

I asked him.

He nodded. “I’m fine. Just nervous.”

I told him.

He smiled. “Was it easy for you guys?”

I said, teasing.

“Like what?” he asked.

“Ax has a brother?”

I said solemnly.

Silence. I watched the grim look cross Michael’s face. “Guess we all have something in common.”

I tilted my head. “We all lost something.”

I nodded. I added, trying to lighten the mood. He gave a small smile. “True. You guys do. Me? I haven’t known any of you. I haven’t really known anyone. And right now, even though I’ve just met you, I can tell no one trusts me. Can’t say I blame you. Hopefully, tomorrow night, I’ll earn your trust. If not, then I’ll keep working until I do.”

That did feel comfortable. Maybe this guy does have what it takes. Tomorrow night, we’ll see for sure.

 

Rachel)

I lay in bed that night, turning over the word Michael used: expendable. No one should think of themselves that way. Still, the word stuck- what does that say about us, about what we’ve done? We’ve been fighting this war a long time and we keep putting ourselves on the line. Me- I’ve always been the violent one; Marco even nicknamed me “Warrior Princess.” I respect Michael for being blunt. It takes guts to say something like that.

I turned over and slept.

The next night we met at Cassie’s barn. Michael was the second one there. Cassie helped him get the raccoon DNA so he could morph with us. Thanks to Jake’s suggestion he wore underclothes- a black stretch shirt and bike shorts- so he wouldn’t risk any more embarrassing mid-morph moments.

“Are we ready?” Jake asked. We nodded. He looked at Michael. “You ready?”

Michael nodded. No wisecracks this time. We left the barn, morphed into raccoons, and padded through the woods. Tobias flew above, scouting.

Michael breathed.

Marco said.

I wanted to roll my eyes. The two of them already sounded like brothers. A little banter never hurt on someone’s first mission.

Tobias reported.

Jake answered.

We reached the camp. Tobias wasn’t wrong: more crates and barrels, like they were setting up storage. A Taxxon crawled by.

Michael said.

Cassie said.

Michael muttered.

Then a Hork-Bajir appeared.

Marco said.

Michael’s curiosity makes me think of younger kids who point at paintings and whisper, “what’s that? what’s that?” I smiled.

Hooves sounded. An Andalite entered.

Marco whispered.

Michael said.

Ax replied, grim.

Visser Three scanned the area with his eye stalks. He demanded.

One Taxxon approached him and rasped something.

“Skreen yeht seeween kiiir.”

Visser Three roared.

The Taxxon cowered. Visser Three’s tail whipped with precise speed.

“SKREEEEE!” The Taxxon split in half.

Michael blurted, disgusted.

Cassie said softly.

Visser Three addressed the group.

More Taxxons swarmed the fallen one and began to feast. The dying Taxxon wailed.

Michael said under his breath.

When we left, Michael hadn’t said a word. None of us blamed him.

 

Michael)

The Taxxon’s screams lingered in my head. Seeing it devoured made me sick. But Visser Three- How he signed that creature’s death warrant for failure- cruelty doesn’t even cover it. That was pure evil. I didn’t say anything on the walk back. Didn’t want to.

None of it changed my oath. I volunteered. I promised. I’d keep it- even if it killed me.

We demorphed at a safe distance. Back in human form, I walked to a fallen log and sat, taking in what I’d just witnessed.

“Michael?” Jake called. I looked up. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Just... I see what you meant.”

“No shame in leaving, Mike,” Marco said.

I shook my head. “No. I’m staying.”

“Mike...” Cassie said gently.

“I’m staying.” I spoke firmly this time. “I know what I saw could give me nightmares, but I’m not going to abandon you guys.” Jake nodded.

Ax said,

“It is now,” I said. “The minute I found that cube... this was inevitable. I just didn’t see it coming.”

Ax’s eye stalks quivered. he asked.

Before I could answer, Jake cut in. “We’ll worry about that later. Right now, we make preparations. Tomorrow night, we strike their camp.”

“Well, good,” Marco said. Then he turned to me with a grin. “Because we gotta take the new guy shopping.”

“Shopping?” I raised an eyebrow.

Marco beamed. “Yep. You get to pick animals- predator or otherwise. Heck, you might even get a two-for-one special.”

 

Cassie)

Michael kept quiet after the recon mission. Seeing Yeerk cruelty up close would bother anyone. What surprised me was that he still wanted to stay in. To be honest, we were more worried about him. We could use help, sure- but what bothered us most was what he called himself earlier: expendable. Because of that, we tried-gently- to push him out before it got worse. None of us wanted his death on our consciences.

But he was more determined than ever to stay with us. Determined, and maybe stubborn.

When we reached the barn, Michael told us that at school it was best if we stayed away from him- keep treating him like the outcast. At first we wanted to object; we kind of liked him already. Then he explained: if the Yeerks were already in the school, the weirdest kid suddenly hanging out with us will raise suspicion.

I don’t like it, but it made sense.

 

Marco)

Okay, so I like the guy. He’s got a lot more guts than I thought. He managed to endure the Taxxons’ little buffet without throwing up. He’s also very expressive. And here I thought Rambo was tough.

What bothered me was telling us to stay away at school to keep the secret safe. Smart, but I hate it. I wanted to hang out with him. But when he said the Yeerks would clock it if the weirdest kid in school suddenly had friends, I couldn’t argue.

I suggested sunglasses and goofy noses for undercover, Michael said, “Marco, you already have a goofy nose. Just wear sunglasses.” I laughed. Like me, he hides how he feels with humor. Ironic, considering how expressive he was when things got ugly. He’s a grab-bag of surprises.

Next morning, he did the head-down shuffle through the halls. Same old routine-except people started complimenting him on the fight. Loner to mini-celebrity. He looked hesitant. I almost walked up and asked for his autograph just to mess with him. If it were a normal day without Yeerks, I would’ve

School ended. We met well away from campus and headed for the zoo.

“And on your left, we got a lovely set of jaguars, fresh from the rainforest, yours for the low price of one dollar.”

Rachel just rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh. Jake fought it. Cassie laughed. Michael stepped in. “I don’t know. It doesn’t exactly scream colorful,” he said, chin in hand, pretending to appraise. “do they come in my size?”

“DO NOT ENCOURAGE HIM!” Rachel yelled- laughing. We don’t get a lot of genuine Rachel laughs. This was one. Felt like us again. No war. No Yeerks. Just... us.

“Well, if the el jaguar doesn’t suit your taste,” I continued, “might I interest you in this astonishing cheetah- very fast, very agile. On the house!”

“By jove, I’m sold,” Michael said in a terrible British accent. I laughed. We had to distract security long enough for him to reach into the bars. The cheetah approached and pressed its head to his hand, then froze as he acquired.

“I hate when that happens,” he said once we were clear.

“When what happens?” Cassie asked.

“When they freeze up like that. The first time I acquired DNA, I honestly thought I killed an animal.”

“No worries,” I said, “they wake up.”

“I know. First time- goat- I hung back and watched.”

So he cares about animals too. Cassie would approve. We helped him acquire a few more: gorilla, wolf, donkey, and a black tiger- rare, smoky white striping across the underside up to the chest. Michael didn’t want to push our luck at the zoo.

Later at Cassie’s, he was in the horse pen, petting a black mare. He hugged it, acquired, and the horse nudged him before he stepped away.

“Well,” he said, “I’m ready.”

 

Jake)

Night fell. We waited for Ax and Tobias. Michael paced in the rafters- nervous, which is normal. When they arrived, he climbed down.

Tobias reported.

“Okay,” I said. “Move out.”

We hiked in human form, tight formation. At the treeline: Taxxons and Hork-Bajir wrestling a loader. No Visser Three. We morphed- me tiger, Rachel bear, Cassie wolf, Marco gorilla. Michael chose cheetah, already low, ready to spring.

I said,

We exploded from cover. Michael sprinted- blur fast- straight at the line, snarling. Startled, they turned to us. A Hork-Bajir reached for a Dracon; Michael leaped- mid-air he shifted to wolf, clamping down on the blade-arm, dropped, then became a goat and rammed the next one in the gut. It was the bullies fight all over again- only with blades.

He turned gorilla- uppercut, cross- bodies flying. Ax said. Michael pounded his chest at a lunging Taxxon, then flipped to tiger- sidestep, tackle, rip, off again to the next.

We focused on targets. Rachel bowled a Hork-Bajir, then smashed Kandrona containers- orange light spilling into the dirt. Cassie baited a Taxxon into a wall of crates; Marco nailed it with a barrel. A second later, a Hork-Bajir flew and landed on the Taxxon, blades first.

Marco said.

Michael- back to gorilla- was slinging Hork-Bajir. Another rushed him. Michael morphed donkey and double-kicked the wind out of it. he said to it,

I could hear Marco laughing. <”Ass kicked by an ass”, I love this guy.> he said.

I called when the site was wrecked. We broke contact and ran.

We demorphed. Michael staggered, braced on a tree, breathing hard.

“You good, Mike?” Marco asked.

“Yeah. Just... worn out.”

“What you did was reckless,” I said, “You can’t throw yourself in like that.”

“Well, you did say ‘rush in’.”

Marco shrugged. “He’s got a point, Jake.”

“You’re not expendable,” I said. Pace yourself. Headlong with no plan gets you killed- or one of us. Think.”

He gave a thumbs-up.

Rachel stepped in. “We don’t need martyrs. We need teammates. Charging like that doesn’t make you a hero- it makes you a liability.”

“Okay, I get it,” Michael said. “I’ll try to rein it in.”

If Michael had another name besides “weirdo,” it’d be “wild card.” He’s unpredictable. Not always a bad thing, but not good either. He fights like someone with nothing left to lose, and that scares me. He’s braver than I gave him credit for. But watching him nearly collapse- adrenaline dump or not- concerned me.

Still, he’s one of us now. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him alive. We’ve lost too much already. The last thing we need is Michael dying because he can’t see his own worth.

 

Rachel)

So Michael earned himself a nickname from Marco: the Kung Fu Master of Morphing. Michael took it in stride- hummed “Kung Fu Fighting,” and tossed a few fake karate chops. Sometimes I can’t. He and Marco hit it off like brothers separated at birth. God help us if that’s true.

The next several missions went- mostly- without a hitch. Michael kept morphing mid-fight: switch animals, confuse the Hork-Bajir and Taxxons, strike. He stuck closer to us, but Jake still lit him up after one run when a Dracon beam almost tagged him. I know reckless. I also know where to stop. Michael doesn’t have that line yet.

At one point, Jake actually yelled at him after a mission when Michael was nearly shot with a Dracon beam. I know I’ve been reckless myself, rushing into fights, but I also know when to draw the line and pull back. Michael doesn’t have that.

What bothered me more: after every mission, he looked worse. Post-battle fatigue became nausea, headaches, dizziness. Then the same stuff happened during missions. Once, mid-gorilla, he staggered like something hit him- but he shook it off and kept going. We all noticed.

We met at the barn.

“Michael,” Jake said, “you need to cut back on constant mid-fight morphing.”

He blinked. “Why? It’s working.”

“It’s costing you,” Cassie said. “After missions you’re wrecked- fatigue, nausea, dizziness, headaches. Now it’s starting mid-mission. Constant switching is probably straining you.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said. “I lie down; it passes.”

“Until a Hork-Bajir turns you into a pin cushion,” Marco said. “Listen to us.”

Folding his arms, Michael scoffed. “What about you guys? Hadn’t you suffered any of the same stuff I did? Surely you’ve had that experience.”

“Don’t deflect,” I told, “We’ve all pushed too hard. You’re pushing harder. It shows.”

He closed his mouth, jaw tight, then nodded once. He hated being called out. Hated that we were right.

Tobias said.

Ax added.

“Fine,” he sighed.

 

Michael)

Sometimes it feels like being scolded by parents. We’re fighting a war and I am getting talked down to like I blew a football play or something. I run into the fight: “Michael, don’t do this, don’t do that.” Now I’m told not to switch morphs because maybe my body is tearing itself apart? Unbelievable. What I hate is that they’re right. I’ve felt the strain. Once I even threw up. I blamed being out of shape. Or not eating enough.

Next mission, I stuck with the black tiger. Felt fine.

For a while

Weeks blurred- recon, raids, wins, losses. We botched a rescue; I tripped an unseen sensor. They dragged the unconscious human away while we ran. Back at the barn, I kicked a bucket around the empty horse pen and called myself “stupid” till my voice went raw. Their face is still in my head.

Then I made a worse mistake.

Yeerk pool hit. Hork-Bajir. Human Controllers. No Taxxons- yet. I carved space with claws, careful not to kill. Then I heard a scream. Didn’t know if it was one of us or a human. I saw red. I changed- tiger to gorilla- and hit harder. Visser Three’s execution flashed in my head and I lost the thread.

The quick change hit me- vertigo, half-step of lag. I caught a Hork-Bajir’s arms anyway- left my flank open-

Pain. Like falling sideways onto a kitchen knife. Deep, hot, wrong.

I roared- anger and pain- and body-slammed the first Hork-Bajir into the one that stabbed me. Both down. No one saw. Good. I demorphed, stripped a jacket and shirt off an unconscious Controller, twisted the shirt into a tight bandage around my waist, threw on the jacket, and kept a hand clamped there.

We left. I stayed quiet.

 

Marco)

Michael was unusually quiet on the way back. More quiet than usual. At the barn, he drifted off to the side. Jake started debrief: after a pool raid, Yeerks double security. Standard.

I turned to Michael with a grin. “Well, maybe Kung Fu Rambo can get some exercise in.”

He didn’t respond. He winced and tightened his jacket. Dark blotch. Red flecks on the hay.

“Michael,” Jake said, eyes hard, “what are you hiding?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Yeah, leaking all over the place is perfectly normal,” I said.

“Jacket off,” Jake said.

“No.”

“Michael...” Rachel said, her tone rising menagingly.

“Best that you do it, Mike,” I implied.

He sighed. Then he cracked it open. Makeshift bandage, soaked. Blood tracking down his side.

“What happened?”

He closed the jacket. “Heard someone yell. Thought it was one of you- or a human. I... slipped. Went back to mid-fight morphing.”

“Oh my god, Michael,” Rachel said disappointingly, “this is exactly what we warned you about. You got lucky. Next time- maybe not.”

“I know,” he grimaced, “I lost the thread.”

“You’re lucky you didn’t lose consciousness,” I said.

“We need to get you to the hospital,” Cassie said.

“NO!” Michael yelled.

“Hey, I don’t like the doctors as much as you do,” I said, “but we can’t have you leaking all over the place, especially in Cassie’s barn.”

“No hospital,” Michael said firmly, “It’s not that I worry about Yeerks being over there, but... I faked an I.D. to get by and if they find out, it’s going to be hard to help out.”

We traded looks.

“Well, then,” Jake said, “we go to Plan B.”

Michael edged away. “What’s Plan B?”

“We play doctor,” I said, “and you get to be our first patient.

“Nope.” He turned to leave. “I’ll just go home, take some medicine, warm up a hot bath, and I’ll be fine.

Rachel stepped in front of him. “You’re not leaving.”

“I said I’ll be--” Michael protested.

“You’ll pass out before you even leave this property,” Cassie said gently, “Plus, you’ll get infected.”

Michael turned away, only to be stopped by me. “Mikey, Mikey, Mikey,” I said, “I love ya, man, but you’re staying until we put you back together.”

We surrounded him.

“I’ll morph and bail out of here before you guys can touch me,” he threatened.

Tobias said.

We closed in. Rachel feinted- he flinched- Jake grabbed him from behind (careful of the wound). He thrashed like a wild thing. Rachel took his legs; I and Cassie- and even Ax- piled on.

“LET... GO... OF... ME!”

“Can’t do that, Humpty Dumpty,” I said. “You had a great fall.”

We got him to the table. He bucked up again. “Michael,” Rachel said, “Stop... kicking!”

“Marco?” Jake said.

I grinned. “Oh, this is going to be fun.” I morphed gorilla and pinned him.

“I said I’m fine!” Michael said.

“Shut up,” Rachel growled.

Cassie dug out the kit: hydrogen peroxide and sutures. Michael saw the bottle and went wide-eyed.

“Listen,” he blurted, “I’ll stop fighting. I’ll take cauterizing, I’ll take band-aids, needles, I’ll even take the stitches. Just don’t pour that on me.”

“Oh, NOW you want to negotiate,” Rachel said, “you’ll charge a Hork-Bajir, but one fizz bottle and you fold? Just shut up and let us help you.”

“Please,” he begged as he squirmed.

“Sorry,” Cassie said gently. “We’re not risking infection.”

“Ax, rag,” Jake said. Ax fetched it; Jake stuffed it gently into Michael’s mouth. Rachel cut the bandage. Cassie poured.

Even gagged, he screamed. White bubbles fizzed. Then he went limp.

“Finally,” Rachel muttered as she pulled the rag and rinsed it.

I remarked,

Rachel returned and wiped the wound. Cassie stitched- clean, quick, neat.

I said, I demorphed. Michael blinked awake.

“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Rachel said.

Michael sat up, weakly but he looked at his stitched wound. “How long was I out?” he asked.

“Long enough to do that.” Cassie answered.

“Don’t do this again,” Jake said.

Michael didn’t argue.

“On the bright side,” I said, “at least you got a cool scar to impress the ladies- way better than scaring them off with the smell of gangrene.”

He managed a weak smile. “Is that why you’re still single?”

The barn echoed with laughter.

 

Jake)

Ever since that night when we had to help Michael with his injury, I had been thinking on one thing; the Escafil device. Michael mentioned it some time ago about how he found it and it’s been on my mind for a while. I’ve had the Escafil device securely hidden in my room where my parents can’t find it. So how did Michael come across it?

I met with him in the bathroom at school. I made sure we were alone before I began. “Michael,” I said, “about the cube you said you found...”

He looked at me.

“How exactly did you find it?”

He explained everything. It sounded odd but I can tell he wasn’t lying. “Can you bring it to the barn after school?” I asked him.

“Of course,” he said, “if you guys know anything about it, I’m happy to listen.”

“We’ll talk at the barn,” I told him.

Something about this felt unsettling. If he’s lying, we’ll know. But if he’s telling the truth... honestly, I don’t know what to say other than everything we’ve known has changed. And I don’t know if we’ll be ready.

School ended and Rachel and Cassie were able to meet with me at the barn. Marco had to go downtown with his parents. He showed up later with Ax and Tobias. Then finally, Michael arrived.

He had a container in hand. “I’ve kept it in here since I found it,” he said as he set it on the table. He then unhooked the locks and opened the container. We stared in disbelief; it is the Escafil device. But it’s cracked, like someone tried to break it. Not only that, the light seemed to be more dim than the one I have.

Ax said as he approached it. His eye stalks turned to Michael. he asked.

“I found this in the construction yard I was working at,” Michael explained. Ax picked up the cube, his hand slightly trembling.

He examined it closely.

“I don’t understand,” Michael said.

“Someone or something took a crack at it,” Marco said.

Ax explained,

Michael folded his arms. “What does that mean for me?” he asked.

Ax turned his eye stalks to Michael.

Michael laughed bitterly. “So I’m a hazard. A walking time bomb.”

“No,” I said sharply, “Don’t start thinking like that. You’re one of us.”

“You got rocks in your head, Mikey?” Marco said. “If anything, you’re more like a glitchy action figure. Still collectible.

“Michael, please don’t say that,” Cassie said softly, “you’re not broken. You’re still you. Don’t let this make you think otherwise.”

Rachel’s tone was harder, but her eyes didn’t leave his. “The only hazard here is your self-destructive attitude,” she said, “You’re not going to be taken down by a cracked cube; your recklessness, your “expendable” attitude, that’s going to get you killed.”

Michael just shook his head and turned away.

Tobias said.

Silence fell in the barn. “Ax,” I said, “Can I see it for a moment?”

Ax warily handed the cube to me. As I looked at it, I told the others, “we’ll need to break into the school tonight and look further into this. Maybe we can find out what’s wrong with this.”

 

Rachel)

There’s been plenty of times I would’ve said “bad idea” to some of Jake’s plans. Breaking into a school late at night just to look into Michael’s cracked discovery? Bad idea. But it mattered more to find out what that broken Escafil device actually was.

Michael’s been taking Ax’s comment hard- calling himself a hazard. Please. He’s reckless, he’s a wild card, but a hazard? That’s his attitude talking. I hate that he’s so hard on himself. Everyone’s been after him about his behavior, but if anyone should be the one to drive it into him, it should be me.

We met outside the school that night. Michael brought the cracked Escafil; Jake brought the one Elfangor gave us. If it wasn’t for the fractures and the dim light, the cubes would be a perfect match.

We had to morph into animals to be able to sneak in. Marco went in as a snake and slithered under the door, then demorphed to open it for us. We entered and demorphed as well.

The hallways were dark and quiet. Near the bathroom there was a yellow bucket and a couple of orange cones. “Keep quiet,” Jake said in a low, cautious tone.

We crept down the corridor and reached the science lab. Marco morphed again to slip in and open the door. Cassie grabbed a small notebook and pencil while we set up a microscope. We put our Escafil device under the lens first. I took a peek through, using dark lenses to keep from being blinded by its light. The surface looked clean and smooth, with tiny shimmers of light rippling across it. I told the others what I saw while Cassie scribbled notes.

We removed ours and put Michael’s under the lens. I glanced in. The surface shocked me: ridged, like a miniature canyon system. One fracture looked as if it had melted or eroded. “Jake, look at this,” I said.

Jake looked into it. His face changed the same way mine did. “What the-”

“What?” Michael asked.

“Well, from the looks of it,” Jake said slowly, “this cube has been degrading for a long time. It’s developing ridges. If I had to guess... it’s dying.”

“What about what Ax said? The instability?” Michael asked, suddenly more worried.

“It’s destabilizing,” Jake confirmed. “And I don’t pretend to be an expert in Andalite tech. But this- this is something else. As for how it ties to you, Michael, I think you--” He cut off.

The room trembled with a low rumble. Marco went to the window and peeked through the blinds. “Uh... guys? We got company.”

We all leaned to look. The Blade Ship was lowering into the parking lot. “Great,” I said, “Visser Three.”

“How’d he--?” Jake started.

He didn’t need to; as the door opened and Visser Three strode in with Hork-Bajir and Taxxons, a janitor hurried over and pointed at us.

“Controller,” Michael snarled.

“Easy, Rambo,” Marco said, then turned to Jake, “we can’t let them get to the cubes.”

“Agreed.” Jake moved. “Grab the cubes and the notes- let’s go.”

We had to find another exit when we saw shadows at our entry door. Michael stopped at a locker and fiddled with the combination.
“Michael, hurry!” Jake hissed.

“What are you doing?” Marco asked.

Michael yanked out a backpack, dumped its contents at Marco’s feet, and thrust it at him. “Put those in my pack. They’ll block the light.”

“Smart,” Cassie said, stuffing the cubes and notes into the bag. We ran as doors were bashed open and shrieks and hisses echoed. We ducked into a classroom.

“All right,” Jake said, “we can’t get out as humans and we can’t leave the cubes. Toss the pack out the window, morph, and find a way out. Avoid engaging if possible. No heroics.” He looked at Michael when he said the last part.

“Bite me, Jake,” Michael shot back with a faint smile and pushed open the window. Cassie heaved the backpack out; we heard the thump as it hit the bushes.

We morphed into wolves.
Jake said.

We moved as a unit through the dark hallways, until a voice sang out to us.

Michael asked.

Marco answered.

Michael said.

A classroom door exploded inward as a Taxxon barreled past.
Jake barked. We scattered; the Taxxon missed us.

A Hork-Bajir rounded the corner. Michael leapt at it with a snarl- then didn’t stay to fight. He sprang off and rejoined us.

A Dracon beam sizzled by. Jake ordered. We sprinted- without Michael.

The Hork-Bajir and Taxxons stormed into the cafeteria, overturning tables as they surrounded us. I asked. No one answered. Visser Three glided through the wreckage and stopped, his tail twitching with delight. he said. He extended a hand.

The intercom hissed, then Michael’s voice filled the room.

“Attention, slugheads. This is the Andalite Bandit calling for Blue Smokey aka Visser Three.You know- big, blue, ugly as sin, ego the size of a boulder weighing in on what’s left of his brain. I’m just calling to tell you that you parked your ship in a handicap spot and it’s being towed. Also, I have possession of the cubes, and if you want them, you’re going to have to pry them from my cold, dead, hands- if you can even find me.”

Visser Three slammed a hoof. His tail twitched. He gestured.

Jake yelled. We bolted.

Down the corridor, doors exploded as Hork-Bajir and Taxxons wrecked the classrooms. Michael’s laugh cut through the chaos; he’d turned the PA into his stage. “Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road,” he mocked over the speakers.

Marco panted.

Michael kept taunting.
“Good MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORNING VIETNAM!” he yelled, “Boy, the heat is building up here at the school. It’s hot- damn hot. We’ve got ugly centipedes with appetites for everything. They’ll eat you, they’ll eat your homework, they’ll even eat the hand that fed them. And those lizard men-”

Visser Three roared, crashing through another doorway.

Michael’s voice threaded directions into his taunts- little hints and turns we could follow.
Jake said. We cut left and ran. Visser Three smashed another classroom as we passed. We found an exit and dove into the night.

“ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!” Michael crowed.

“And with that, I must bid you adieu, for parting is such sweet sorrow... Visser Three, you’ll be billed for your little temper tantrum. Goodnight, ladies and germs- you’ve been wonderful.”

Jake said.

I said.

Marco argued.

Cassie arrived with Michael’s backpack. she said.

We demorphed.

Moments later, Michael joined us, but as a guinea pig. he said.

We morphed into birds.

Jake ordered.

Michael said dejectedly.

Marco said.

Tobias swooped down and carried Michael away. We took flight. We flew out of there as fast as we could. We soon flew over the construction site.

Cassie said.

Jake asked.

she said.

I said.

Jake snapped,

We flew in tense silence. Back at the barn we demorphed. Michael muttered about needing to take care of something and he walked out. The tone and speed in his voice put me on edge. Tobias shot him a look. he said.

I followed him.

He was away from the barn, hunched over and trying to stifle quiet groans. When I stepped closer I heard him wince- he was fussing with his arm.

“Unbelievable,” I said, loud enough for him to hear. He tried to hide the injury. I grabbed his wrist and pulled his sleeve up. Blood darkened the skin- a long gash across his bicep, bleeding hard.

“Again?” I said

“Rach--” he started.

“Don’t,” I snapped. “Don’t even think about telling me you’re ‘fine.’” I squeezed his wrist until he flinched.

I took the bandage from him and wrapped his arm. “I don’t understand you,” I began, “you pulled that PA stunt, scared the hell out of everyone, got yourself injured again, and then you try to hide it. Is this a game?”

He said nothing. He grimaced when I tightened the bandage. “Is it?” I demanded.

He shook his head. I loosened the wrap and wrapped tighter.

“I didn’t want to be a burden to you guys.” His voice was small. That was the last straw. I shoved him hard enough that his back hit the tree and I pinned him, making him look at me.

“Listen,” I said, voice hard, “you think you’re a burden? We’ve carried a series of burdens before you came along. You’re unique in that pain. I am so sick of this. I’m sick of you thinking you’re expendable. You’re trying to throw yourself away. For what? To prove your worth? What good is your worth if you’re dead? Have you thought about that? I told you before, we don’t need martyrs. Michael, you’re not expendable. You never were! Your parents are gone- I’m sorry for that. If your family rejected you, that’s their problem. But you have a family right here if you let us. If you want to prove your worth, then live. Fight. Be here! Stop trying to destroy yourself! Think about us, not just about you. We are here for you. We always will be. If you can’t see that, then I don’t know what to tell you.”

I let him go. “Dying isn’t proof of anything! Living is.”

I turned and walked back to the barn, leaving him with his head down.