Let's Read Animorphs! The Whole Series! Ch-ch-ch-chaaanges

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freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

Epicurius posted:

It's everybody's good friend Visser Three! An Animorphs' book isn't complete until he shows up.

Come to think of it - is he in every single book?

# ? Dec 13, 2020 04:06

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# ? May 25, 2024 13:03

nine-gear crow: Aug 10, 2013

freebooter posted:

Come to think of it - is he in every single book?

"Visser Three is there. ...Visser Three is always there :rolleyes:

# ? Dec 13, 2020 04:19

disaster pastor: May 1, 2007

freebooter posted:

Come to think of it - is he in every single book?

Thus far, I think book 10 is the only one he's absent from.

# ? Dec 13, 2020 04:28

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

disaster pastor posted:

Thus far, I think book 10 is the only one he's absent from.

If you want the total list of books he's not in, as far as I can tell, it's 10, 16, In The Time of Dinosaurs, 19, 26, Elfangor's Secret, 31, 34, 35, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46,49 and The Ellimist Chronicles

# ? Dec 13, 2020 04:53

Synesthesian Fetish: Apr 29, 2008; Ya know, I useta be President... I'll let you kids punch me anywhere but the face for a dollar.

wizzardstaff posted:

https://valoscope.tumblr.com/post/632866758827638784/gallusrostromegalus-sarifel-corrisafid-ilxhel

I....honestly don't know what to say...

# ? Dec 13, 2020 05:50

Tree Bucket: Apr 1, 2016; R.I.P.idura leucophrys

Someone encountered "put some tail in them!" at a very impressionable stage, apparently

# ? Dec 13, 2020 06:15

FlocksOfMice: Feb 3, 2009

I love the presumably-Ellimist just going "no you need to be over here now" and picking up Tobias' playing piece and putting it somewhere else on the board.

# ? Dec 13, 2020 08:39

Terror Sweat: Mar 15, 2009

Yeah what happened there

# ? Dec 14, 2020 05:37

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Animorphs Book 13: The Change-Chapter 13

quote:

Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak were reunited in the shelter of the cave.

We were all exhausted and scared and confused. But we also had that slightly lunatic rush that comes from cheating death.

Marco and Cassie were both fretting about being late getting home. And everyone was getting close to the two-hour morphing limit. But despite all that, it was kind of sweet seeing the two Hork-Bajir together.

They didn�t exactly hug. I guess hugging doesn�t work all that well when you have blades all over. Ket Halpak did touch the healing wound Jara Hamee had made in his own head.

<Look, we have to get out of here,> Rachel said. She was still in her Hork-Bajir form. <I�ll be grounded for the weekend if I don�t get home. And I have the feeling we�re going to be busy this weekend, so I can�t get grounded.>

<Your mom wouldn�t ground a Packard Foundation Outstanding Student, would she?> I asked.

There was a kind of embarrassed silence. I wasn�t supposed to know about Rachel�s award.

<It�s not that big a deal,> Rachel said. She looked down at the ground.

<What do we do about these guys?> Jake asked. He was still in tiger morph. There were scratches and cuts on his sinuous orange-and-black fur. While I was off rescuing Ket Halpak, there had been a skirmish between the rest of my friends and some Controllers.

No one had been hurt. But once again, I wasn�t there when the real fighting started.

Tobias once again feeling useless.

quote:

<You guys go on home,> I told the others. <I�ll keep watch over our Hork-Bajir friends here.>

<You can�t keep watch all night,> Rachel protested.

<Hey, I have nothing else to do. I�ll take a perch in the tree by the cave entrance. Not a problem.>

 Ax chimed in.

<Let�s, um, go outside and talk about this,> Jake said. To the Hork-Bajir he said, <Jara and Ket? You have to stay in this cave till we come and get you. Tomorrow some time.>

�What will you do with Ket Halpak and Jara Hamee?� Jara asked.

<We really don�t know yet,> Jake answered honestly.

�We will wait. Here.�

�We fellana � we thank you,� Ket said.

Outside it had definitely turned dark now. No stars in the sky yet, but it was just a matter of minutes. Everyone demorphed while Ax and I kept a nervous watch.

�Okay, so what do we do about this?� Jake asked, once everyone but me was normal again.

I kept pace with the others by flitting from branch to branch. I�d let them walk a little way ahead, then fly a few yards ahead of them and wait till they caught up.

�We have two real live aliens,� Rachel said. �We could take them to the media. How can you deny there is a Yeerk conspiracy when you see those two?�

<There is already a real, live alien among you,> Ax pointed out. <Me. But I have learned about human society. Humans invent all sorts of things that are not true. I have seen photographs of aliens in human newspapers. Do most people believe them?>

�Those aren�t real newspapers,� Marco said. �No one with half a brain believes those supermarket tabloids.�

Around this time, the Weekly World News had a recurring story about the Clintons' relationship with P'Lod. Basically, the P'Lod story is as follows....Back in 1992, an unknown alien (we were later to find out his name was P'Lod), met with Bill Clinton and endorsed him at the Democratic national convention. He had previously met with George Bush and failed to endorse him. (After he won the election, Clinton and P'Lod went for a joyride in P'Lod's spaceship) Then, in 1993, the Clintons adopted an alien baby, the only survivor of a UFO crash...or so they said.

In 1995, something happened, and the bloom was off the rose, because P'Lod tried to get Newt Gingrich to run for President. Then, after the election, one of the things the Starr Report discovered was that Bill Clinton harrassed P'Lod's sexy alien secretary, almost starting an intergalactic war. It turned out, though, that Hillary was having an affair with P'Lod. Anyway, she ended up dumping P'Lod(although not before he got her alien underwear), and he wrote a book about his love affair with her, including sex tips. Anyway, it seems pretty obvious to me that the alien baby who was the "only survivor" of a UFO crash was actually Hillary and P'Lod's, and the affair led trouble in the relationship that got P'Lod to support the Republicans.

And Marco says these papers aren't real!

quote:

�And how do we know which newspapers and which TV networks are already infiltrated by the Yeerks?� Cassie said. �We could end up handing the Hork-Bajir right back to the Yeerks.�

�Well, what exactly are we supposed to do with Romeo and Juliet back there?� Marco asked sarcastically. �Rent them an apartment? Buy them a house? Get them jobs? I mean, they are just slightly obvious. You know? People are probably going to notice them if they start shopping at the mall.�

We all laughed. But it was a brief laugh. The truth is, we didn�t know what to do.

<Those two may be the only free Hork-Bajir in all the galaxy,> Ax said. <The only two free Hork-Bajir in existence.>

�Like members of an endangered species,� Cassie said thoughtfully. �The last two free Hork- Bajir. Maybe the last hope of their kind.�

�Oh, man,� Marco groaned. �Cassie, don�t start in with the ecology stuff, okay? Those are not a pair of spotted owls or humpback whales back there.�

 Ax said. <We are close to the edge of the forest.>

Everyone stopped. Even though they all were real anxious to get home to be yelled at by their various parents, no one left.

�What Cassie said may be true,� Jake pointed out. �These two are an endangered species. What do you do with an endangered species?�

Cassie shrugged. �You find them a safe, protected environment. And then you hope they have lots of little Hork-Bajir, and somehow the species survives.�

�Um, hello. This is Earth,� Marco said. �There is no safe place for an alien that looks like a mix of gargoyle and a lawn mower.�

<Yes, there is,> I said.

Four human heads and one Andalite set of eyes all turned to stare up at me.

�Where?� Rachel asked.



The picture of the place was clear in my mind. I could see it perfectly. I saw a beautiful waterfall. I saw tall trees that practically blotted out the sky in some areas. And a wide meadow filled with wildflowers. In my mind I could even imagine the place being home to Hork-Bajir.

<Maybe we could take them there,> I suggested.

Jake shrugged. �We don�t have any better plan. Right?�

�Right now I need to think about what story I�m going to tell my dad when I get home,� Marco said. �Tomorrow we can worry about taking Adam and Eve Hork-Bajir off to Tobias�s Garden of Eden.�

Not a bad description, I thought. That was a little what the valley was like. I could see the place as clearly in my mind as any place I had ever been.

There was just one little problem. I�d never been there. I�d never actually seen it.

And I had no idea where the lovely pictures in my mind had come from.

Yea, this is Ellimist foolishness. Also, Ax's question back in chapter 8 comes up, again, and good on him for asking it. "What does the Hork-Bajir want to do?" If the Animorphs are fighting for their freedom, then they have to give the Hork-Bajir the right to be free, and to make choices. The Animorphs can say, "No, what you want is too dangerous and we're not going to help" or "We think this idea would be smarter", but they can't make their decisions for them.

Chapter 14

quote:

I usually spent the night in my favorite nighttime perch. It�s a high branch, up in the very middle of an incredibly old oak. I like the rough oak bark because it�s easy to hold onto. I can sink my talons deep and drift off to my dreams.

My regular perch is deep within the tree because it keeps me out of sight of the night predators.

The raccoons and foxes and wolves all work at night. They don�t worry me too much. Wolves and foxes don�t climb trees very well.

I do keep an eye out for raccoons because they can climb when they want to. And they are nasty, dangerous enemies. But it�s a rare raccoon that can climb my tree without my hearing him.

I worry more about owls. Not that they usually prey on something as large and tough as a redtailed hawk. Mostly they eat mice, same as I do. But they still scare me because they have powers I don�t have.

I�m used to having this edge over all the other creatures. In the daylight I hear better than most animals, and I see better than any of them. My vision is many times better than human vision. If I were at home plate and you were holding a book open way out in right field, I�d be able to read it. If you were walking by on the other side of the street, I�d be able to see a flea crawling around in your hair.

But that�s all in daylight. At night I see a little better than a human � I mean, better than a normal human. But not much better.

That�s why the owls scare me. They see through darkness like I see through daylight. To an owl I�m as visible as if I were outlined in bright red flashing neon. And an owl doesn�t make any noise as it flies in for the kill. No noise. None.

It makes me nervous. But what can you do? I guess everyone has problems, right?

But at night as I listen for the sounds of raccoons scrabbling and open my eyes to watch the ghostly owls do their killing work, I wish I had a house.

If you asked me what I think of being a red-tailed hawk, I�d give you two different answers, depending on the time of day. When the sun is up, and the thermals are piling up the tall clouds, and I�m riding the high breezes a million miles above the humans who crawl along below me � well, then I�d say it�s great.

But at night, when I cower on my branch and peer half-blind through the leaves at a cold moon and can only listen to the sounds of the night predators doing their work, well, that�s different.

This particular night was different for a couple of reasons. I was not on my regular perch. I was in a scruffy pine tree that was located near the cave. I was standing guard over the Hork-Bajir, listening for any threats to them. I was out of my normal territory, in an unfamiliar tree. And I was jumpy. As I sat there with my talons dug into bark, I heard the high-pitched squeal of a mouse.

I drifted back toward sleep. I tried to remember what it had been like to sleep in a bed at night.

But I couldn�t really remember. I could only imagine what it was like for the others. Cassie, Jake, Marco, Rachel, all asleep in their beds. All with covers pulled up and pillows fluffed. Alarm clocks glowing on their night-stands.

I heard a sound. My eyes opened. I peered down through the branches and saw a shape like a deformed deer, ghostly pale in the filtered moonlight.

<Hi, Ax-man,> I said.

<Hello, Tobias. You heard me? I was trying to be silent.>

<You�re very quiet. For a big old four-legged, two-handed, four-eyed, scorpion-tailed alien.>

Ax laughed. <One of these nights I may show you.>

<Hah. Right. And eagles may fly out of my butt.>

<Is that possible?> Ax asked, sounding alarmed.

<No. See, that�s why it�s funny.>

 Ax said, clearly not understanding at all.

Nights in the forest have gotten a bit better since Ax joined our little group. Having him around is not exactly like being in a nice, snug bed. But it�s good to have someone to talk to. The other forest animals don�t have much to say.

They're good for each other. And Ax can help protect Tobias from owls.

quote:

<Our two Hork-Bajir are pretty quiet in there,> I told Ax. <They were talking earlier. Mostly in their own language. But even then they used some English words. Why is that?>

<The Hork-Bajir were never a very intellectual species,> Ax said, with a hint of snobbery. <Their own language was primitive. It only had about five hundred words. That�s what we learned in school, anyway. I suppose it�s true. I guess for duty here on Earth, the Yeerks thought they should be able to speak a few words of a human language.>

 I said. <But it was easy for me to hear. They kept using some Hork-Bajir word. It sounded like kawatnoj. Something like that, anyway.>

 Ax admitted. 

<Maybe you shouldn�t. They don�t seem to like you Andalites.>

<We tried to save them from the Yeerks,> Ax said with sudden anger. <We failed, yes. But we did try. Why should they hate us?>

Remember, Ax, like most Andalites , doesn't know that Alloran released a quantum virus to try to kill all the Hork-Bajiir, We do, which is, I think, why it's good the Andalite Chronicles came out just before that...adds to the irony here.

quote:

<Well. The Yeerks should hate us. We Andalites will defeat them in the end! And of course, you humans will help, too.>

I laughed silently. I like Ax, but he is a bit arrogant about his own species.

 Ax said. 

I didn�t answer. Mentioning the valley just reminded me. <Ax? Have you ever just had information pop into your head and not know where it came from?>

<No. I don�t think so. Maybe something I forgot and then remembered later.>

<No, this is like stuff I couldn�t possibly know. It�s like �> I froze.

Taxxons!

They were crawling through the woods. I could see them in my mind - huge centipedes, each as big around as a redwood tree. They moved on dozens of rows of needle-sharp legs. They held the upper third of their bodies erect, keeping their fragile rows of upper legs clear of the ground.

I could see them in my mind! I could see the gasping round mouths ringed with teeth. I could see the jelly-glob eyes.

<Tobias?> Ax asked, sounding concerned.

<Taxxons,> I said. <There are definitely Taxxons coming!>

<Where?> Ax asked in alarm. His tail cocked back, ready for a fight.

 I looked around me at the dark woods. No sign of anything strange. Let alone Taxxons. But I was dead sure they were coming, just the same.

<Ax? You know how I was just talking about knowing things I couldn�t possibly know? It just happened again. Just now. There are like a dozen Taxxons coming this way. Somehow they can smell the Hork-Bajir. Like bloodhounds.>

All four of Ax�s eyes looked up at me. He looked grim. <Taxxon trackers can sense warm flesh from miles away, as long as they have a sample. They�re a special breed of Taxxon. How did you know that? How did you know Taxxon trackers hunt by smell?>

 I said angrily. <Someone or something is using me, and I don�t like it very much.>

I think there's kind of a thing here, where Tobias is fighting to set the Hork-Bajir free, but meanwhile, he's being manipulated and used as a tool.

quote:

Ax ignored my outburst. <If the Yeerks have sent Taxxons, they�ll back them up with Hork-Bajir or humans. No amount of Taxxons could ever destroy a pair of Hork-Bajir. Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak could slice up Taxxons all day.>

<Can we throw the Taxxons off the scent?> I asked.

<No. If they have smelled these Hork-Bajir, nothing will throw them off.>

<Then we have to move the Hork-Bajir. Now. Taxxons can�t be all that fast. But we need to move out. Ax? I can get the Hork-Bajir started. You have to get to Jake quickly. Tell him what�s happening.>

<Yes, Tobias. I�ll do that. But how will we find you if you�re busy hiding from the Yeerks?>

<Take to the air. You all have bird of raptor morphs - eagles, ospreys, falcons. Use them. There�s nothing raptor eyes can�t find. I�ll be heading toward the mountains.>

Heading toward the mountains with a pair of Hork-Bajir, while someone or something used me like a sock puppet.

Well, that was going to change. I was the predator. I was the hunter. No one was going to use me.

I think the other thing to keep in mind about Tobias here is that he's been bounced around between uncle and aunt, neglected and abused by the people who were supposed to take care of him, and bullied by his peers. And now he's a hawk. Pretty much his entire life, he hasn't had control over his situation, which is, I think, part of the reason this is upsetting him so much now.

# ? Dec 14, 2020 05:47

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

Epicurius posted:

Tobias once again feeling useless.

To the point you made earlier about him doing something reckless and emotionally motivated (riding along with Rachel to "participate" in the battle), I wonder if part of that is because this is only his second book. So as a POV character, he's one (or three) behind the others when it comes to playing out that "learning to get over whatever your Personal Deal is" angle.

quote:

Also, Ax's question back in chapter 8 comes up, again, and good on him for asking it.

This is probably a dumb comparison, but I was rewatching Lost in lockdown and Ax reminds me of Sayid: a cultural outsider to the group, but quite a bit shrewder than he appears at first glance, and the more the series goes on with both characters the more you like them because they're just really smart, reliable, good guys; quiet, background leader types. Also they're the only ones with an actual military background in a group of erstwhile civilians.

# ? Dec 14, 2020 07:51

Remalle: Feb 12, 2020

How are Jara and Ket married? Jara mentions much later that he was young enough to have been born in captivity and presumably Ket is of a similar age, so did they happen to strike up a relationship during the moments while their yeerks were both out in the pool?

# ? Dec 14, 2020 08:15

wizzardstaff: Apr 6, 2018; Zorch! Splat! Pow!

This isn't the focus of the book at all, but I'm thinking about how much work Rachel must be putting in to get that academic award. Other characters have mentioned that being secret guerrilla warriors is really messing with their homework habits, but she's able to pull it off while also doing gymnastics and processing her parents' divorce. No wonder she's proud of it.

# ? Dec 14, 2020 08:18

disaster pastor: May 1, 2007

wizzardstaff posted:

This isn't the focus of the book at all, but I'm thinking about how much work Rachel must be putting in to get that academic award. Other characters have mentioned that being secret guerrilla warriors is really messing with their homework habits, but she's able to pull it off while also doing gymnastics and processing her parents' divorce. No wonder she's proud of it.

One of my favorite things about the books is how they manage to say, "Rachel's smart. No, really smart," without outright saying so the way they do with Marco.

One of my least favorite things about the books is how many of the ghostwriters completely missed that part of Rachel's characterization, because it wasn't as obvious as Marco's.

# ? Dec 14, 2020 15:25

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

It's a good thing Elfangor came across five smart, decent kids instead of five rear end in a top hat dummies.

Although actually the Ellimist must surely have been pulling some strings there too, since Tobias is his son and Marco's mum is Visser One, which is too much of a coincidence. And I guess it's super convenient that Cassie has access to all sorts of animals?

# ? Dec 14, 2020 23:48

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

From memory it comes out that Ellimist stacked the deck like gently caress. I guess he finally learnt to stop losing?

# ? Dec 15, 2020 00:05

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Animorphs Book 13: The Change-Chapter 15

quote:

<Jara Hamee, we have to go. Right now,> I told the Hork-Bajir as Ax ran off into the night.

Jara stuck his bladed snakelike head out through the bushes. �What has happened?�

<Taxxons are tracking you.>

I swear he went pale. His narrow eyes widened in fear. �Taxxon,� he said, as if the very word made him want to spit.

But he reacted very quickly after that. He went back into the cave and came back out with Ket. I still couldn�t really tell one of them from the other. At least not in the dark.

�Dark,� Ket said, looking around.

<Yeah, I know. But I guess that won�t stop the Taxxons. So let�s get going.>

But how exactly we were supposed to move through the pitch-black forest, I had no idea. I couldn�t see. And to my disappointment, the Hork-Bajir were not all that good at seeing in the dark, either.

It was tough going. I couldn�t exactly drag my feathers through thorn bushes. The Hork-Bajir couldn�t fly. And it was totally dark. The kind of dark you only get when you are a long way from the lights of homes and cars and streetlamps. It was so dark you couldn�t see a tree till you ran into it. It was like being blind.

I rode on Jara Hamee�s horns, just like I had with Rachel. Only we were moving more slowly and trying not to leave tracks.

�Where?� Jara Hamee asked. �Go where?�

 I grumbled. 

The Hork-Bajir grunted, like that made perfect sense to him. �My head voice told me to run.�

<When? What voice?>

I couldn�t see his face, so I couldn�t see his expression. Not that I would have known what a Hork-Bajir expression meant, anyway. �Ket Halpak and Jara Hamee at Yeerk pool. Yeerk drained out. Yeerk in pool. Head voice say, �Run. Go that way!��

I sighed and narrowly avoided getting slapped in the face by a branch. Talking to Hork-Bajir is frustrating.

<You�re saying the idea just popped into your head to run away from the Yeerk pool?> I asked.

�Head say, �Run, Jara Hamee. Take Ket Hal-pak. Run and be free. Run from Yeerks.� I ask how? How will Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak be free? Head say, �I will send a guide.��

<What?>

�Head say, �Run, Jara Hamee -��

<No, that last part. About a guide.>

�Head voice say, �I will send a guide.��

<Who? Me?>

The Hork-Bajir didn�t answer. I was quickly coming to realize that Hork-Bajir don�t really get a lot of things. Speech seems unnatural to them. And it�s true, they are not the geniuses of the universe.

Which was fine.

But I was getting more and more annoyed by the whole thing. I had been moved around, put in one place or another. Things I couldn�t possibly know had popped into my head. I was being used.

And I really didn�t like the idea of that.

I deeply didn�t like the idea of that.

<Okay, that does it. Stop,> I told the two Hork-Bajir.

They stopped. The two big monsters just stood there in the dark between trees and waited.

�We go now?�

<No.>

�Taxxons coming.�

<Yep,> I said. 

�We go now?�

<Nope. Not until I get some answers,> I said defiantly. <This little parade stops right here until I get some ->

By the time I�d said <answers> I was not in the forest anymore. I was not anywhere. Not anywhere I could understand, at least.

I felt myself floating. Hanging in the air, only there wasn�t any air. I wasn�t flying, just floating.

There was light, a beautiful blue-green sort of light. It didn�t come from any one place, though. It just seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.

One thing was for sure - I was not in the forest anymore.

HELLO, TOBIAS. WE MEET AGAIN.

The voice was huge, but not harsh. It filled my brain and seemed to resonate throughout my body.

My feathers quivered. My fingers tingled.

Fingers?

And only then did I begin to realize that I was changed.

I looked down at my body. And somehow, in a way I can�t explain, I seemed to be seeing through my body, too. It was as if I could see everything, from every angle at once. Like I was seeing myself through a million different eyes.

I was no longer a red-tailed hawk. But I was not human, either. At least not the way I had once been human.

I had arms that were wings. I had legs that ended in talons. I had a beak, but it was a mouth, too.

I know this all sounds crazy. I know it�s impossible to really imagine it very well. But somehow I was both a human and a bird and some third thing that was in between the two.

We had seen many incredible things since we�d first found a dying Andalite prince in an abandoned construction site. I�ve seen Yeerks and all their tools - the Taxxons, the Gedds, the Hork-Bajir. I�ve seen Andalites and met the Chee, the androids in human form. I�ve traveled through time and to the Yeerk pool and into orbit in spaceships.

But there was only one species that could do this. Only one species that could own that huge head-filling voice.

�The Ellimist,� I said in an actual voice that came from my own mouth.

Remember, they don't interfere!

quote:

Then, from the vague turquoise fog around me, I saw it flying toward me. It was a bird of prey. A raptor. Some undefinable shape, part falcon, part eagle, part hawk. It had a snow-white belly and reddish-brown back and a tail that spread to show a dusky rainbow of colors.

The bird flew to me, then stopped and floated in midair.

YES, TOBIAS. ELLIMIST. OR AT LEAST AN ELLIMIST.

It laughed and the whole turquoise universe laughed along.

�So you�re the puppet master,� I said. �I should have known. But this isn�t how you looked last time we saw you.�

The bird shape smiled. Don�t ask me how it smiled with a beak. It just did. I CHOSE A SHAPE YOU WOULD IDENTIFY WITH.

�Baloney. You know better than that. You know I�m human.�

ARE YOU? YOU DON�T LOOK LIKE A HUMAN TO ME.

I felt a queasiness in my stomach. I looked at the body I had. A body that was equal parts boy and bird. �What do you want from me? Why are you making me do things I don�t want to do?�

WHAT HAVE I MADE YOU DO, TOBIAS?

�You put me in places I don�t want to be. You�ve dragged me into this stupid mess with these two Hork-Bajir.�

The Ellimist dissolved from bird to human. But not entirely human. He was a human with wings.

He looked like I did at that moment. And when he spoke again, it was with a simple, human voice.

�Once I put you and your friends in a position to give your own former species a chance. I looked deep into the future, and found a way to help you - without using my power directly. And now, you are in a position to help the Hork-Bajir. Do they not deserve the same chance as humans?�

�You�re trying to save the Hork-Bajir race from the Yeerks?�

The Ellimist smiled again and shook his head. �We do not interfere. We do not use our power for one species against another.�

�Bull,� I said.

The Ellimist let that go with just a faint smile. �I will not force you, Tobias. And I will not guarantee you will even succeed. There is every chance you will die and the two Hork-Bajir will die, and all will have been a waste.�

�Thanks. That really cheers me up,� I said. �Why me? Why stick me with this job? What am I, some kind of hero?�

The Ellimist didn�t laugh. �Tobias, you are a beginning. You are a point on which an entire time line may turn.�

I guess that should have made me feel important. But it didn�t. I wasn�t interested in being flattered.

�You want my help?� I asked the Ellimist. �Fine. Then I want yours. You�re just about all powerful, according to Ax. You can make entire galaxies disappear if you want. I don�t know why you don�t just make things happen the way you want them to. But, hey, whatever.� I looked him right in the eyes. Right into eyes that were a disturbing mirror image of my own.

�You want me to lead these Hork-Bajir to this place you�ve put in my head? Fine. But I want to get paid for my services.�

Honestly, good for Tobias here.

quote:

�And what do you want, Tobias?�

�You know what I want,� I said, almost choking on the words. �You know.�

�Yes. But do you know what you want, Tobias?� the Ellimist asked. �And if you get it, will you still know?�

And suddenly, without any sensation of movement, I was back in the dark of the forest.

So, an Ellimist did it.

Chapter 16

quote:

It was a long night. I can tell you that for sure. A very long night. Even the Hork-Bajir were worn out by the time the first faint gray of predawn started to appear.

The whole time I was waiting to see a bunch of Taxxons suddenly show up, followed by heavily armed Hork-Bajir. Or else Visser Three in one of his awful morphs. Every shadow looked like it could be an enemy.

And I had other enemies in the forest to worry about. I was extremely aware of the fact that any number of other birds and various hungry mammals were noticing me and thinking maybe I�d make a nice snack.

But I was riding atop a Hork-Bajir. And none of the forest predators could quite figure out how to deal with that. At one point a pair of wolves, probably scouting for their pack, stood a few dozen yards away and watched us pass.

Wolves are very smart animals. They didn�t know what the Hork-Bajir were. But they knew for sure they didn�t want to mess with them. Deer scampered away from us. Owls dismissed us. We were obviously not mice, and that�s all the owls cared about. Foxes slunk away. Raccoons froze. Only the forest�s most fearless creature ignored us and went on about its business.

In fact, I had to stop Ket Halpak from stepping on one.

<Stop! Stop! Nobody move!> I yelled, having seen the warning stripes of this most fearsome animal.

�Yeerks?� Jara Hamee responded.

�Taxxons?� Ket Halpak asked fearfully.

<No. Worse. A skunk. Just let it go on its way. Nobody move a muscle till it�s gone.>

�Hah! Small animal! Not kill Jara Hamee!�

<No, it won�t kill you. It�ll just make you wish you were dead.>

I didn�t know how much ground we had covered by the time we finally took a rest. I can�t judge distances on the ground very well anymore. All I knew was that the sky was a shade lighter than absolute black. And the Hork-Bajir had started to stumble a lot. They were beat. And I was starving.

<Do you need something to eat?> I asked the two Hork-Bajir.

�We eat,� Jara Hamee agreed. Without any delay, he walked over to a tree. A pine of some sort. He drew back and slashed at the tree trunk with his elbow blade.

SCCCRRAAACK!

He sliced it straight up, opening about a three-foot gash in the bark. With his wrist blade, he began to slice the bark away in chunks ranging from a few inches long to almost a foot square. He tossed slabs of the stripped bark to his mate and took some for himself.

<That�s what you eat?>

�Yes.�

<Is that how you eat back on your own world?>

He chewed the bark and seemed to be looking far off. �When Jara Hamee small, Jara Hamee eat from the Kanver. Eat from the Lewhak. Eat from the tall Fit Fit.�

<Are those all trees? I mean, are they like these trees?>

�Better,� Ket Halpak said.

�Better,� Jara Hamee agreed.

I got the feeling Jara thought he might have insulted me by dissing Earth trees. �Earth tree good,� he added.

�Earth tree good,� Ket Halpak agreed.

It made me smile inside. There were times when my life was just so utterly insane I could only laugh. A pair of goblins from some far-distant planet were worried they�d hurt my feelings because they didn�t like pine bark.

Then, like a light going off in my head, I realized something. <Jara, Ket? Is that why Hork-Bajir have blades? To strip the bark from trees?>

Ket Halpak stood up. I was sitting on a rotting log, so she towered above me like a skyscraper. She pointed to her elbow blade. �For straight cut.� Indicating her wrist blade, she said, �For taking off.� Sticking out her knee, she explained, �For down by ground.�

<For the bottom of trees,> I said. <Each of the blades has a special use. Each one is for harvesting tree bark.>

�Yes.�

She sat back down and took another chunk of bark.

<They aren�t weapons? You don�t use them to defend yourselves from enemies? To kill prey?>

Jara Hamee looked right at me. �Hork-Bajir have no enemy. No prey. Hork-Bajir not kill. Yeerk kill. Yeerk kill Andalite. Andalite kill Yeerk. Hork-Bajir die.�

<You�re caught in the middle. But that�s why the Yeerks took over your race - the blades. They made you deadly, once the Yeerk evil was in your head. You�re the ultimate soldiers. All because you�re adapted to eating tree bark.>

The Hork-Bajir had nothing else to say. They went back to eating.

\

It sucks, don't it?

quote:

<Look, I have to go for a while. I � um, I have to go get food, too.>

Ket Halpak held out a chunk of bark. �Our food yours.�

<Thanks. But I need a different food.>

I didn�t tell them what I ate or how I got it.

You know, it�s strange. I never feel guilty about being a predator when I�m with humans. After all, good old Homo sapiens is the king of all predators.

But these deadly looking Hork-Bajir were not predators at all. Despite their looks, they were no more dangerous than a deer with a large rack of antlers.

They were just victims. Just a species that had the bad luck to look fearsome. And now they were caught up in a war between Yeerks and the rest of the free species of the galaxy.

I thought of all the battles we�d had with Hork-Bajir. They had come close to killing me more than once. I had hated and feared them. Now I just felt sorry for them.

And I felt sorrier still, because I knew that my friends and I would fight against Hork-Bajir again in the future.

<I�ll be back in half an hour or so,> I said as I took wing. <Don�t worry. I won�t leave you.>

You know, come to think of it, we've encountered five intelligent species that play a major role in this war....humans, Andalites, Yeerks, Hork-Bajir, and Taxxons. Of those five species, only humans and Taxxons eat meat. Andalites and Hork-Bajir are herbivores, and Yeerks are autotrophs. Don't know if that means anything, but there you go.

# ? Dec 15, 2020 04:20

disaster pastor: May 1, 2007

Epicurius posted:

quote:
<Are those all trees? I mean, are they like these trees?>

�Better,� Ket Halpak said.

�Better,� Jara Hamee agreed.

I got the feeling Jara thought he might have insulted me by dissing Earth trees. �Earth tree good,� he added.

�Earth tree good,� Ket Halpak agreed.

Of all the great things in this book, this is one of my favorites. I will, on occasion, be walking around outside (less so lately, obv) and see a good tree, and think to myself, "Earth tree good."

# ? Dec 15, 2020 04:50

Synesthesian Fetish: Apr 29, 2008; Ya know, I useta be President... I'll let you kids punch me anywhere but the face for a dollar.

I remember this chapter being such a lightbulb moment as a kid. These fearsome snake/dinosaur monsters covered in blades were herbivores and were peaceful before the Yeerks came along.

It beats it into your head from book 1 that Hork Bajir were slaves of the Yeerks and peaceful but this really put the whole situation into a different light.

And while I'm sure I felt more sympathetic to them as a kid it seems even sadder now

# ? Dec 15, 2020 04:55

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

I think it's the fact that we already knew they were peaceful, but didn't know they had the intelligence of children. They're basically using child soldiers.

# ? Dec 15, 2020 07:19

Starsnostars: Jan 17, 2009; The Master of Magnetism

The tree bark scene makes me change how I picture the Hork-Bajir. I initially imagine that they had pointy teeth like a T-Rex but if they only eat tree bark then their teeth are probably flat to grind the bark.

# ? Dec 15, 2020 11:34

QuickbreathFinisher: Sep 28, 2008; by reading this post you have agreed to form a gay socialist micronation.
`

Comrade Blyatlov posted:

From memory it comes out that Ellimist stacked the deck like gently caress. I guess he finally learnt to stop losing?

Yeah if I remember correctly he specifically chose every Animorph except maaaybe either Jake or Rachel. I'm pretty sure Cassie's weird passive timeline stability power was an intentional plant. Jake and possibly Rachel were maybe chosen for their connection to Tom, Marco for Visser One, and Tobias & Ax for Elfangor (and as a result, each other).
I'm not sure when that gets fully, explicitly revealed but it feels like a late series thing. Remember...Ellimists DO NOT interfere. :downs:

The "Earth tree good" scene is one of those beautiful little Animorphs moments. I really loved this book on reread and it's cool to go through one this emotionally dense (like almost all the Tobias books are) chapter by chapter.

# ? Dec 15, 2020 13:22

ninjahedgehog: Feb 17, 2011; It's time to kick the tires and light the fires, Big Bird.

From a few posts back and haven't caught up with the rest of the thread yet, but that mock fight/dominance ritual between Rachel and Jara is really odd considering what happens in the Hork-Bajir Chronicles, where it's established that the concept of using blades for violence is completely unknown to non-infested Hork Bajir. It's the *Yeerks* that first realize this, and even the smartest Hork Bajir of all Dak Hamee is completely dumbstruck when Controllers attack him with their blades.

Of course it's entirely possible that Hork Bajir culture had completely changed since the 60s, because one of the most horrifying parts of that book is when Aldrea and Dak finally convince the free Hork-Bajir to fight against the Yeerks and they embrace the concept of blade-fighting disturbingly quickly.

EDIT: Ok, caught up and I guess this book is where they first introduce the fact that the blades are for bark-stripping, not killing. But it still plays a little weird with the Hork-Bajir Chronicles where not only are they not used for violence, but they don't even really seem to have any concept of violence. But again, a lot of stuff can change in 30 years, especially when literally your entire race is wiped out or enslaved.

ninjahedgehog fucked around with this message at 23:27 on Dec 15, 2020

# ? Dec 15, 2020 22:53

Bobulus: Jan 28, 2007

ninjahedgehog posted:

From a few posts back and haven't caught up with the rest of the thread yet, but that mock fight/dominance ritual between Rachel and Jara is really odd considering what happens in the Hork-Bajir Chronicles, where it's established that the concept of using blades for violence is completely unknown to non-infested Hork Bajir. It's the *Yeerks* that first realize this, and even the smartest Hork Bajir of all Dak Hamee is completely dumbstruck when Controllers attack him with their blades.

Of course it's entirely possible that Hork Bajir culture had completely changed since the 60s, because one of the most horrifying parts of that book is when Aldrea and Dak finally convince the free Hork-Bajir to fight against the Yeerks and they embrace the concept of blade-fighting disturbingly quickly.

EDIT: Ok, caught up and I guess this book is where they first introduce the fact that the blades are for bark-stripping, not killing. But it still plays a little weird with the Hork-Bajir Chronicles where not only are they not used for violence, but they don't even really seem to have any concept of violence. But again, a lot of stuff can change in 30 years, especially when literally your entire race is wiped out or enslaved.

Oh, huh, weird parallel with the wookies in Star Wars: So wookies are really strong and can absolutely kick your rear end if they want to, that's fine, but they also have retractable claws. Apparently these claws are only used as tools for climbing the giant trees that are all over the Wookie homeworld. To use them in combat is a heresy that will get you exiled and viewed at the level of a rabid animal.

# ? Dec 15, 2020 23:54

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Animorphs Book 13: The Change-Chapter 17

quote:

As I flew up through the trees, I saw the sun just peeking up over the rim of the earth in the east. It instantly lit the treetops with gold. It was a beautiful sight. Golden leaves and dark shadows beneath, and clouds all red on one side and still night-gray on the other.

It felt good to be up off the ground. It felt good to have air beneath my wings and a cold clean breeze in my face. I�d spent the night clinging to a Hork-Bajir�s horns and slogging through the brush.

That was no place for a bird. Or even for a human in bird shape.

The air was still flat, no thermals, no up-drafts, so I had to work hard. But it felt good, flapping my wings and stretching my cramped muscles.

I would miss this when I became human again. Would the Ellimist give me back my human body and let me keep the morphing power? I hoped so. I�d hate to think I would never fly again.

Below me I spotted an opening. Not even a meadow, really, just a small clearing with tall grass and fallen logs and the telltale burrow openings of rats and voles and other tasty morsels.

But I had to be careful. This clearing probably belonged to someone. Another hawk, possibly. Not to mention other species.

I had to get in and out fast. Get in, make my kill, and bail.

I swept the ground with my laser-sharp eyes, looking for the tiny movements that would betray a mouse or a rat. Sometimes, when the light is just right and the hunger is sharp, it�s almost like I can see right through the ground. Like I can see the mice in their warm burrows.

Maybe that�s why I didn�t see the danger. Maybe it was because I was totally focused on eating.

I did spot a rat, though. A nice, plump thing, waddling along toward his own breakfast. I dived from up high.

Then I hit a sudden air pocket! It threw me off-balance and I nearly splattered myself into the dirt. I yanked back just in time and lost my rat.

<Oh, man!> I complained. <Whatever happened to the good old days, when breakfast was a nice easy bowl of Wheaties?>

Well, it would be that way again soon. As soon as the Ellimist kept his promise to me. A warm bed at night and a nice, easy breakfast in the morning.

Not that that�s how it had been when I was human. I hadn�t exactly been in a nice, normal family.

See, both my folks left a long time ago. After that I just got passed around from one aunt or uncle to another.

When I was stuck in morph and disappeared from the human world, I don�t even know if any of them looked for me.

I guess the question is, was Tobias more nurtured as a human or as a hawk? At least now, he's got his friends and he's got Ax checking up on him at night. As a human kid, he didn't even have that.

quote:

I shoved those thoughts aside. I flapped my wings, ready for takeoff. But I just cleared the tops of the tall grasses when -WHAM!

I was hit! It was like someone had thrown a brick at me. I was down, fluttering in the grass, beating my wings in terror.

What hit me? What the � what the heck was happening?

And only then did I see it poking through the grass - an intelligent, curious face, tawny fur, four big paws, and a body that might have been three feet long from its nose to the end of the weirdly curved, short tail that gave the beast its name.

Bobcat!

The wind had been knocked out of me, and I practically fell apart when I saw the big cat.

It circled around me, watching me curiously. Wondering if I would fight back. Calm brown and gold eyes surveyed me as I would survey a wounded rat.

The hawk in me wanted to flap its wings and try to scare the cat away. But the human in me knew I�d have only one chance. I was fast, but the bobcat was like lightning. And it was powerful. It had hit me with one big paw and knocked me silly. A blow that was so graceful it had almost seemed to be
slow motion. And yet it was so fast I hadn�t had a chance to even think about dodging.

How had I been so careless? How could I have missed a bobcat in the bushes? Now I was going to die because of my carelessness.

I stood on my talons, awkward and helpless on the ground. But as I stood my ground, I closed one talon around a stick. It was a bare twig really, no more than two feet long.

I stared hard at the bobcat. It could already taste hawk meat. If I moved, it would lunge. If I didn�t move, it would still lunge.

One chance � one small, desperate chance. I had to hit its eyes before it could sink its teeth into me.

The hawk in my head screamed Fly! Fly! Fly!

But the human in me said no. The hawk couldn�t win this fight. Only the human could. I clutched the stick tightly.

Lunge! The bobcat flew at me.

I jerked back, bringing the stick up off the ground.

�Yowwwrrr!� the bobcat howled as the sharp stick poked his left eye.

<Okay, now we can fly!> I flapped and I motored my little taloned feet along the ground and I hauled like I�ve never hauled before.

But the cat was after me. One step. Two steps, and it had caught up with me! Then it stopped. It turned. I saw it stare. I saw its back fur rise in alarm.

Over the bobcat loomed a shape as big around as a redwood tree. Three rows of tiny, weak claws snapped and clawed at the air. The gigantic centipede head drew back, and I could see two of the red-jelly eye clusters.

Taxxon!

Down came the round red mouth!

Down on the bobcat! And the Taxxon swallowed the cat in a single bite before the shocked animal could figure out what to do.

I was already flapping my way clear of the ground. Thorns and twigs and raspy grass ripped at me, pulling out feathers, but I didn�t care about a few feathers right then.

I found a breeze and I thanked Mother Nature for giving me wings. I shot up and up and up till I was at treetop level. Only then did I even look back.

They were crawling across the clearing and through the trees. A dozen of them. Taxxons! Out in daylight. Out where some unlucky hiker could see them.

It was insane! Totally insane!

Behind the Taxxon trackers marched a virtual army of Hork-Bajir warriors. And with the Hork- Bajir were dozens of human-Controllers, all armed to the teeth.

It hit me then with full force. The Yeerks didn�t care about being careful. The Yeerks were going to capture the two fugitive Hork-Bajir. No matter the cost. No matter who died.

It was pure Yeerk ruthlessness unleashed.

This was an army. An entire army against me and two decent, simple, and not-very-bright Hork-Bajir.

And I still hadn�t had breakfast.

All I can say is that the three of them seem pretty desperately outnumbered.

Chapter 18

quote:

I was shaking pretty badly by the time I got back up into the blue. And then the first thing I saw was a peregrine falcon riding high.

Peregrines won�t usually mess with hawks, but I wasn�t exactly feeling cocky right at that moment. I didn�t need any more trouble. I just wanted to get back to my two Hork-Bajir and get us all out of there.

<Tobias? Is that you down there, by any chance?>

I breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was Jake.

<Oh, man, am I glad to hear your voice, Jake,> I said. <The woods are full of Taxxons and Hork-Bajir and human-Controllers and anything else the Yeerks can throw at us.>

Not to mention hungry bobcats, I added silently.

<Yeah, we noticed,> Jake said. <They almost marched right into a couple of guys out fishing in one of the streams. We managed to scare the fishermen off, or they�d be Taxxon meat now.>

<We? The others are with you?> I searched the sky. Yes. A bald eagle. An osprey. I said.

<Ax is on the ground. Marco is around somewhere. Oh, there! Above you!>

I looked up just in time to see an osprey come ripping down through a wisp of low clouds in a

stoop. <Yee-hah! Tobias!> Marco yelled giddily. <Gotcha!>

<This is so not the time to be messing with me!> I yelled. 

<Chill, Tobias,> Jake said kindly. <You can relax. We�re all here to help you now.>

I heard Cassie�s thought-speak voice coming from fairly far away. <Tobias, we�ve been thinking. You know how you seem to keep ending up in just the right place at just the right time?>

<Or just the wrong place, depending on how you look at it,> I muttered.

<We�re thinking maybe there is some other � power. Some force. Some person interfering with you. Kind of manipulating you.>

If it had been anyone but Cassie, I would have probably said something sarcastic. Like <No, duh.> But it�s impossible to be sarcastic to Cassie. <Yeah, it definitely is someone messing with me,>

I said. <An old friend of ours.>

<Who?>

<It seems the Ellimist is trying to save the Hork-Bajir. Not that he�ll admit that.>

<Hmm. Ax was right,> Cassie said. <He guessed it was the Ellimist.>

Rachel was close enough now to communicate. <Yeah, and you know how Ax feels about that guy. Or creature. Or whatever the Ellimist is. Ax says to watch your butt. The Ellimist plays games with people.>

I thought of the Ellimist�s promise to me. To give me what I most wanted. But when I recalled the conversation, I couldn�t exactly remember an actual promise.

I felt a chill in my bones. Had the Ellimist really promised to make me human again?

He plays games....and, if you look back at the conversation, he didn't make any promises.

quote:

<Are you okay, Tobias?> Rachel asked. I could tell from her tone that it was a private message. Only I could hear it.

<Yeah. I guess so,> I said. <The Ellimist says he�ll � he�ll � you know. Make me human again.>

Somehow putting it in actual words didn�t sound right. And yet that was what I wanted. To be human again. To live like the others. To eat cold cereal and fried eggs for breakfast instead of hunting and killing. To walk. To spend my nights inside, in a bed. To sit down and watch TV. Or just to sit at all.

<Tobias, that would be so great!> Rachel said.

<Yeah. But like Ax said, the Ellimist plays games. And we still have to save the Hork-Bajir without getting wiped out ourselves.>

In a thought-speak voice Jake and Cassie and Marco could hear, too, I said, <Follow me, guys. I�ll take you to our two alien friends.>

I turned at an angle to the breeze. It was coming up just behind my right wing. It can be hard flying that way if the wind is too strong. You have to keep correcting your direction because the wind will kind of sneak up and push you off-course.

We flew hard and soon left the Yeerk army behind. I spotted the two Hork-Bajir through the trees. They looked like they were talking. Looking closer, I realized they were holding hands.

I felt embarrassed, just dropping out of the sky on them. <Hey, you two,> I said. <I�m coming in. Some friends are with me.>

We landed in the trees. And now we were facing a serious decision. A life- and-death decision. The others were all close to the two-hour time limit. They needed to demorph.

But so far we had not revealed our true species to the Hork-Bajir. If they were ever recaptured by the Yeerks, the Yeerks would have access to everything in their heads. Every memory.

<Jake?> I asked. <What are you guys going to do?>

<It�s a big gamble, letting these two know what we are,> he answered.

 Marco said. <But if they know we�re human, they can�t ever be captured by the Yeerks. I mean ->

 I interrupted.

<Probably better to be dead than a Controller, anyway,> Marco said.

This is Marco, the ruthless.

quote:

<Easy for you to say,> Rachel said.

<Let me talk to them. Jara and Ket are my friends,> I said.

<Hork-Bajir?> Marco crowed. <These two walking Cuisinarts, these two seven-foot-tall lawnmowers, these living razor blades are your friends?>

I ignored Marco. I looked at Jara Hamee. <Jara Hamee. I need to know something. If the Yeerks capture you ->

He didn�t even let me finish. He flung out a bladed arm, slashing the air. Then, more carefully, he pointed at his own head. Right at the scar from the cut he�d made. �No more Yeerk here. Free! Or no Jara Hamee. No Ket Halpak. Only free!�

�Free or dead,� Ket Halpak said harshly.

 Rachel said. She fluttered down from the tree. She began to demorph.

I heard Jake sigh. <Well, I guess we take a chance.>

Within a few minutes everyone was human again. Except me, of course.

I guess we surprised the Hork-Bajir. I don�t know what they expected us to be, but it wasn�t human. The two big aliens just stood and stared. And then, when they realized what Jake and Rachel and Cassie and Marco actually were, they laughed.

�KeeeRAW! KeeeRAW!�

At least, I think it was laughter. Who knows how a Hork-Bajir laughs?

�Human folk!� Ket Halpak said, sounding amazed and possibly gleeful.

Jara Hamee looked at me. �You human folk?�

 I said. <I, um, well � well, I�m not exactly the same as I used to be. I�ve changed.>

�Jara Hamee change, too. Not free. Now free.�

That�s when Ax came barreling through the woods and leaped right into the middle of our little group. He was carrying a bag. In the bag were shoes for the others. See, when you morph you can morph tight clothing, but shoes just can�t be done.

Ax set the bag down and stared in the way that only an Andalite can stare - in all directions at once.

<This is very dangerous, letting them see what you are,> Ax said heatedly. <These Hork-Bajir can never be recaptured. They can never be taken alive now!>

<They won�t be,> I said. <They�re going to be free.>

�Free or dead!� Jara Hamee yelled.

�Okay, I definitely like these guys,� Rachel said. She kind of cocked her head and looked up at Jara Hamee. �Free or dead!� she yelled, just as loudly as the Hork-Bajir had.

Cassie and Jake and I yelled it, too. With slightly less enthusiasm. In my case, I�d been too close to being dead just a few minutes earlier.

�I�ll give you two-to-one odds on �dead,�� Marco said grimly. �And if we all keep yelling with a bunch of Taxxons half a mile away, I�ll make it ten-to-one.�

Rachel ran over, grabbed Marco by the shoulders and gave him a good hard shake. �Come on, you big baby, say it - free or dead!�

�Yeah, yeah, free or dead,� Marco said. Then he laughed. �Rachel, you do know you�re insane, right?�

�Yes, but she�s a Packard Foundation Outstanding Student who�s insane,� Cassie chimed in.

�I�m sure the Yeerks will be impressed,� Marco said.

Jake smiled a curious smile at me. �Well? Let�s get going.�

And that was Marco the practical.

# ? Dec 16, 2020 05:15

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Animorphs Book 13: The Change-Chapter 19

quote:

�So where exactly are we going?� Marco asked.

<We�re going to wherever this valley is. The valley the Ellimist showed me,> I said.

�Should we be singing that valderee, valdera, valderee, valdera-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah song?� Marco asked. �I mean, we are �a-wandering.��

That song is called "The Happy Wanderer, and was written in Germany shortly after WWII. It was really popular in the 50s, and it showed up a lot on tv and in movies. Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTTq3AYC9Lk

Or if you'd rather hear it sung by Muppets:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CYDE_OGO3c

quote:

�Marco, you should never be singing anything,� Rachel said. �I�ve heard you sing.�

We were a strange little parade. After an hour we had reached the lower foothills of the mountains. And for the last two hours we�d been climbing up those hills. Up and up.

Jake, Rachel, Cassie, and Marco were all in their own human bodies. They were walking single file with the two Hork-Bajir behind.

Ax was way out in front, scouting ahead. He was far faster than any of the humans, and faster even than the Hork-Bajir. And Ax would be able to handle it if he happened to bump into some enemy Hork-Bajir.

I flew cover. I did a slow circle that carried me all the way out to where Ax was, then all around the area. That part was hard because there was a steady headwind rolling down from the mountains. On the back side of the circle I would drift around till I could see the first edge of the pursuing Taxxons.

Between Ax and me, we figured we wouldn�t be surprised by anything leaping out at us.

But the more we climbed, the higher up the foothill paths we went, the more worried I became. What was the point of leading Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak to some secluded valley if we brought a whole Yeerk army with us?

Did the Ellimist have some clever plan? Probably not. The Ellimist seemed to think he had to do the absolute minimum. He didn�t mind sticking his little finger into the time stream, but he didn�t exactly jump in all the way. I had the feeling we were on our own.

I drifted above my friends in time to hear Marco complain.

�I�m just saying, hey, is there some reason the Ellimist can�t just transport us wherever we�re going? This hill-climbing is killing my legs. Up and up and up.�

�Are you going to whine the whole way?� Rachel asked.

�Yes,� Marco confirmed. �That�s the plan. Whine the whole way.�

Atta boy. That's my hiking strategy too.

quote:

�I think it�s nice,� Cassie said. �I mean, we�re out in nature. Breathing fresh air. No noise or distractions. No TV or stereo blaring. No cars. Just nature. Trees and animals.�

�Yeah, I guess you�re right, Cassie,� Marco said. �What could be more relaxing than going on a hike with a couple of fugitive space goblins while being hunted by giant worms and probably Visser Three himself? And all the time knowing we�re following the plan of an all-powerful galactic pain in-the-butt who gets us to do all his dirty work?�

Cassie grinned. �Yeah, but while we�re running from giant worms we�re breathing nice, fresh mountain air. Come on, Marco, you could use the exercise.�
She got behind Marco and started to push him up the hill. �Just keep telling yourself - we�re having fun with nature, we�re having fun with nature.�

�How about this - I�m hungry,� Marco said just as I glided out of hearing range.

He was hungry, I was hungry. Everyone was hungry, even the Hork-Bajir, because we couldn�t let them strip bark. That would have made it even easier for the Yeerks to follow us.

Then I saw breakfast. Even though it was more like lunchtime. A mouse, sitting right out in the open. It was digging seeds out of a fallen pinecone.

I hesitated only for a moment. Then down I went. It was a perfect strike.

I felt great. The hawk part of my mind has a pretty simple outlook on life - when it eats, it�s happy. And there is a very satisfying sensation that comes from doing a job well. Even when the job is hunting mice.

I was just back above the trees when I saw the disaster looming. And heard that characteristic sound. FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP- FWOMP -

<Helicopters!> I yelled. But the others were all too far away to hear me. I cursed myself. Idiot!

Idiot! While you were hunting, the Yeerks brought in helicopters!

There were three of them, spread out over a mile or so. And they were coming up fast.

I flew. But the wind coming down off the mountains was against me, and I could barely make progress. If those choppers flew over my friends, they�d spot them in an instant. They�d see four humans, two big Hork-Bajir and an Andalite. And then everything would be over.

FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP -

The helicopters were getting near.

I used every flying trick I knew to get speed. I raced forward every time the breeze slackened. I dropped down below the trees to avoid the stronger gusts. And slowly I advanced.

<Jake! Rachel! If you can hear me, get off the trail and morph!>

They couldn�t answer, of course, because they weren�t in morph. I had no way of knowing if they�d heard me.

<Jake! Rachel! Cassie! Marco! Helicopters coming!>

And just then, the first helicopter swept over me, roaring and ripping up the air. It was like being caught in a tornado. The rotor wash grabbed me and threw me sideways through the air.

FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP -

I hit a branch.

SNAP!

I felt a jolt of pain. I flapped my wings, but only my right wing worked.

Then it hit me. The snap I�d heard had been my own bone.

I fell through the branches. WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!

I hit the ground and lay there, fluttering weakly, helpless. Helpless, as only a flightless bird can be helpless.

Panic caught me up and carried me along. No! No! My friends needed me. No! I couldn�t just lie there on the leaves. No!

And then I saw the end coming for me. Not a bobcat. Not a Taxxon or a Hork-Bajir or a Yeerk of any kind.

Just a humble, ordinary, everyday raccoon.

Raccoons can be dangerous.

Chapter 20

quote:

The raccoon watched me from masked black eyes. I flared my one good wing and snapped with my beak. But the raccoon was too smart and too experienced to fall for my tricks.

It knew I was helpless.

FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP-FWOMP -

A second helicopter passed overhead, indifferent to the plight of a crippled hawk.

The raccoon grabbed me by my broken wing and began to drag me. I was on my back, being dragged by an animal not much bigger than a large tabby cat. I snapped again and again, but I couldn�t reach the raccoon with my beak. I couldn�t turn well enough to bring my talons to bear. And the raccoon knew it.

I heard the gurgling sound of water rushing over stones. Horror filled me. The fear was so terrible I almost fainted. You see, I knew what was coming next.

People say raccoons wash their food. Actually, that�s not true. Raccoons do sometimes run water over their food, but it is not about cleanliness.

Raccoons are careful eaters. With their sensitive paws they dig through the meat, feeling for anything they don�t want. The water rushing over their paws helps them feel.

The raccoon was going to eat me. And it didn�t really care if I was still alive.

<No! No! No!> I screamed to a deaf forest.

I felt ice-cold water flow through my feathers. And I felt the busy fingers of the raccoon.

<No! NOOOOO!>

YOU ASKED ME FOR PAYMENT IN EXCHANGE FOR USING YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR REWARD NOW?

The Ellimist!

<Now! Now! Yes, now would be a really good time!> I screamed.

IT IS DONE.

<What�s done? Nothing is done, you lunatic! I�m still a bird!>

OF COURSE.

<Help me!>

The raccoon was literally looking down at me like you might look at a steak. He was deciding where to bite first.

THE ANDALITE GAVE YOU POWER. USE IT.

I was too insane with terror to figure out what he was saying at first. Then it dawned on me.

<What? What? That�s my reward? That�s all? You�re giving me back my morphing power?>

IT�S WHAT YOU WANTED.

 I screamed. <You liar! You cheat! I want to be human!>

But the Ellimist said nothing more. And my problem right then was the raccoon. His tiny, razorsharp teeth were descending toward me. So with my last ounce of self-control, ignoring the searing pain in my wing, I turned just enough to grab one of his hind legs in my weakened talon.

Focus, Tobias, I told myself. Focus or get eaten.

I focused. I concentrated with all my will. And to my utter amazement, I saw the raccoon�s eyes cloud over. I felt his grip weaken.

And like a miracle, I felt myself begin to �acquire� the raccoon. I felt it become a part of me.

I had morphed only two animals. A cat. And a red-tailed hawk. I had never escaped the redtailed morph. I didn�t have much experience morphing. Not like the others.

Right. For somebody who, in the first book, was enthusiastic about morphing, he didn't really collect a lot of morphs

quote:

And as I concentrated on the raccoon DNA inside me, I felt my beak begin to soften � my talons begin to fatten � and my wings � my glorious wings began to shrink.

The raccoon - I mean the real raccoon - recoiled in surprise. He stepped back and stared as I morphed into him.

It wasn�t much of a change of size. Raccoons aren�t much larger than hawks. But everything else was different. My eyes were growing dim. And suddenly I could smell as well as I could hear.

Feathers were melting into gray and black fur. I was morphing.

I was morphing!

The real raccoon had had enough. He was a smart, wily old scrapper, and he knew better than to hang around in a place where birds turn into raccoons.
He waddled away.

I was safe. For now. Safe and becoming something I had never been before. The sharp edge of terror started to recede and I could almost enjoy what was happening.

I was morphing! I had the power again. I wouldn�t have to sit on the bench when the others went into danger.

I was back!

But not human.

It�s what you wanted. That�s what the Ellimist said. But he was a liar. He was a cheat. He had tricked me. I wanted to be human. I wanted to be human again, with my own hands and feet and eyes and mouth.

No time for that now, I told myself. Get to the others. Hurry!

I took off at a run. Amazing! It was amazing to be running. To be down at ground level with things rushing past.

The ground was so close below me. It was scary, in a way. I kept thinking, pull up, pull up! In my guts I felt this need for altitude. It�s dangerous, flying too close to the ground.

And no matter how I tried to hurry, the raccoon body was not built for speed. It lumbered along.

It seemed to need to stop constantly to sniff at this or that.

It wasn�t that I couldn�t control the body. I could. That part had been fairly easy. I mean, the instincts of the raccoon, the urgent need for food, the fear of predators, all that was normal to me.

I just couldn�t get the stubby legs to move fast enough. My friends were half a mile away! I�d never reach them in time to help. I stopped. I was panting heavily. The raccoon heart was racing.

What could I do? What could I do? I�d ended up in a useless morph!

I craned my raccoon head upward. I couldn�t see very well, but I knew the sky was up there. I could see a faded sort of blue through the trees.

Wait � was it possible? Could I remorph back into my own body? My red-tailed body? DNA isn�t affected by injuries. If I morphed back to red-tail, I wouldn�t have the broken wing.

Would I?

The others had done it. They had morphed out of injured bodies. Then when they re-morphed, the bodies were whole again.

I had to try. It was so stupid! I�d been left out of so many missions because I couldn�t morph.

Now I could morph and I was totally useless.

I focused. I closed my weak raccoon eyes and focused on a different body. A body with feathers and wings. And slowly I became myself again.

So, did Tobias get what he wanted?

# ? Dec 17, 2020 06:00

Fuschia tude: Dec 26, 2004; THUNDERDOME LOSER 2019

Epicurius posted:

So, did Tobias get what he wanted?

I think so, even if he didn't say or know it then. His reaction shows otherwise. And if you think about it, especially knowing how this book ends, it really is the best resolution to the goofy metaphysical exchange that is the dilemma at the heart of this book. I mean, any time the Ellimist(s) show(s) up, it's always a bit of a mess; using such an all-powerful character basically always has to be a deus ex machina, and everything about them and every action they take kind of feels like an rear end pull. But at least giving Tobias his human morph puts some agency back in his hands; any time he wants, he can permanently return to humanity... just at the cost of being a morphless nothlit again.

Actually, speaking of that, I know in a future book they find the Andalite's cube again. Can a nothlit gain the morphing power again, or is it one and done? I guess it would have to be, otherwise any Andalite warriors would just get it refreshed if they ever got stuck in morph, and it would hardly be a downside.

# ? Dec 17, 2020 07:17

Shwoo: Jul 21, 2011

quote:

�Should we be singing that valderee, valdera, valderee, valdera-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah song?� Marco asked. �I mean, we are �a-wandering.��

My first thought was the song from that Numa Numa video. They should be singing that.

Epicurius posted:

Right. For somebody who, in the first book, was enthusiastic about morphing, he didn't really collect a lot of morphs

Rachel, Marco, and Cassie only got one each, so he came out ahead on average. Jake got three morphs, but he's the narrator and it was the first book, so he had to show off the central conceit of the series.

Fuschia tude posted:

Actually, speaking of that, I know in a future book they find the Andalite's cube again. Can a nothlit gain the morphing power again, or is it one and done? I guess it would have to be, otherwise any Andalite warriors would just get it refreshed if they ever got stuck in morph, and it would hardly be a downside.

I can't remember if it was addressed in the books, but the authors confirmed that the blue box won't work on nothlits. I guess it would undercut the drama if it did.

# ? Dec 17, 2020 07:37

SirSamVimes: Jul 21, 2008; ~* Challenge *~

That raccoon scene sticks in my mind as particularly horrifying.

# ? Dec 17, 2020 07:41

Terror Sweat: Mar 15, 2009

Once you become a nothlit, you stay a nothlit, unless you have intervention from a 4th dimensional being

# ? Dec 18, 2020 02:26

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

SirSamVimes posted:

That raccoon scene sticks in my mind as particularly horrifying.

I had completely forgotten about it until now, but it is horrifying, and excellent. A great scene and great way to reintroduce a hugely important part of Tobias' story.

Fuschia tude posted:

I think so, even if he didn't say or know it then. His reaction shows otherwise. And if you think about it, especially knowing how this book ends, it really is the best resolution to the goofy metaphysical exchange that is the dilemma at the heart of this book. I mean, any time the Ellimist(s) show(s) up, it's always a bit of a mess; using such an all-powerful character basically always has to be a deus ex machina, and everything about them and every action they take kind of feels like an rear end pull. But at least giving Tobias his human morph puts some agency back in his hands; any time he wants, he can permanently return to humanity... just at the cost of being a morphless nothlit again.

I think they handle it as well as it can be handled, and it opens up a lot of good story moments. He seems like a jerk but I'm pretty sure in the Ellimist Chronicles it's revealed he and Crayak actually did used to fight directly and intervene as much as they wanted, and nearly destroyed space-time itself, so agreed to fight in the future by carefully defined rules. It's not so much a game as it is a war, with both sides adhering to the rules of war. It's not really that different from the benevolent God/free will/problem of evil thing.

I do think he would have actually given Tobias his regular body back 24/7, with morphing power, if that was what Tobias really wanted, but it wasn't. And, interestingly, even though Tobias eventually realises that himself I'm not sure he ever discloses it to the rest of the group, particularly Rachel.

# ? Dec 18, 2020 03:13

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Animorphs Book 13: The Change-Chapter 21

quote:

I flew.
I�d only been without my wings for a few minutes, but still I felt weirded out. I mean, I know the others are used to being in different bodies. But I�m not.

I peered ahead with my hawk sight. I saw no helicopters. I did see a few shaking treetops. Large beasts were moving beneath those trees. Taxxons and Hork-Bajir.

I flew on and soon saw the tail end of the Yeerk search army. Human-Controllers, their human bodies wearing out, staggered up the hill.

Ahead of them, Hork-Bajir warriors. They were stronger and faster than the humans. Their sergeants had to keep holding them back so they wouldn�t leave the human-Controllers behind. And out in front of them all, the Taxxon trackers continued their search.

I flew hard and fast. And then, at last, I saw the helicopters. They were low to the ground. They were spread out in a line abreast. And unless I was totally mistaken, they were past where my friends would be.

I felt a chill of fear. I knew what they were going to do. This time it wasn�t the Ellimist telling me what would happen. It was my own predator�s instincts. I knew my friends were being hunted.

And I knew how the Yeerks would do it.

The helicopters were a mile away, maybe a little more. So I heard nothing of them. But as I watched, I saw the sudden red spear that shot down to the ground.

Again and again and again the helicopters fired their blazing Dracon beams down at dry trees and even dryer underbrush.

They were starting a forest fire!

Within minutes, a wall of smoke was advancing through the trees. The wall of smoke had to be a mile long, end to end. It would block Jake and Rachel and the others. It would stop them and turn them back. Back toward the waiting Taxxons and Hork-Bajir warriors.

As I watched, a flutter of pale brown. Some bird escaping the flames.

A stab of red! The bird flamed and burned in midair!

Had it been one of my friends in morph?

<What am I supposed to do?!> I yelled at the Ellimist. <This is impossible! I can�t stop those helicopters. Are you just going to stand by now and do nothing?>

There was no answer. I was not surprised. As Ax had said, the Ellimist was playing his own games. He didn�t care if I thought it was fair.

I dropped down, down below treetop level to avoid getting Draconed myself. The wind wasn�t as strong down in the trees, but I had the worse problem of having to dodge branches.

And then, just a glimpse below me! A pale blue deer with a scorpion�s tail.

<Ax! Ax, it�s me, Tobias!>

<Hello, Tobias,> Ax said as calmly as if nothing were happening.

<Where is everyone?>

<They are nearby. We seem to be in a trap.>

Say what you like about Ax....he's cool under fire.

quote:

<No kidding,> I said. Then, aiming my thought-speak at all my friends, I said, <Everyone keep your heads down. Don�t try and fly or anything. The Yeerks are shooting anything that rises above the trees.>

I came to rest on a rotting log. I was so exhausted I almost missed my landing and crashed.

A huge brown bear about the size of a mini-van came lumbering up.

<Rachel, I really hope that�s you, because I�ve had all the close calls I can stand for one day.>

<It�s me, Tobias. Chill. Take a rest. We figure we have maybe five minutes before this whole thing closes on us.>

The two Hork-Bajir appeared, accompanied by Jake in his tiger morph. Cassie and Marco came running from the direction of the helicopters. Cassie�s thick gray fur was singed. I could smell the reek of burned hair.

<More helicopters coming up to join those three!> Marco reported. <Oh, hi, Tobias. There you are. I figured you�d flown off to somewhere safe.>

I decided not to take offense. I was just too tired to care what Marco said.

<Jake, there�s no way around that wall of fire,> Cassie said breathlessly.

�No Yeerks!� Jara Hamee said fearfully. �Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak free!�

<We�ll have to fight!> Rachel said. <We go straight at those Taxxons, blow past them, catch the Hork-Bajir by surprise, no problem. We can �>

She stopped. Even she didn�t believe what she was saying.

<They won�t stop till Jara and Ket are dead,> Jake said flatly. <The Yeerks are not going to give up. They are flat-out never going to allow two Hork-Bajir to escape.>

 Marco said. But he wasn�t making a joke. <If two get away, who knows? Maybe others will try. The Yeerks can�t allow that. They need the Hork-Bajir to be without hope. They need them to be convinced there�s no way out.>

<Marco is right,> Cassie said. <Look at the risks the Yeerks are taking! I mean, geez, they�ve started a forest fire. They have Taxxons and Hork-Bajir all over this forest. They�ve gone nuts.>

�Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak free!� Jara Hamee said again. It was as if he was trying to convince himself.

<Wait a minute,> I said. <Wait a minute. What you said, Jake! What you said - they won�t give up till Jara and Ket are dead.>

<Yeah? So?> Jake asked. Then I guess he realized what I was thinking. <Hey! Rachel has already morphed Jara. Hey, are you thinking what I�m thinking>

<Yeah,> I said. <At least I think I am. When I was flying I saw a deep ravine. We should still be able to reach it! It should be perfect. But we�ll need Marco in gorilla morph.>

<We will? You lost me there, dude,> Jake said. <But, okay. If you say so, Tobias. Marco in gorilla morph. What else?>

<And we need someone to acquire and morph Ket,> I said.

<I�ll do it,> Jake said without hesitation.

<No, Jake. Not this time,> I said. <I�ll do it.>

No one said anything for a good thirty seconds. They just stared. They stared with wolf eyes and bear eyes and tiger eyes and all four Andalite eyes. They were trying to decide if I was crazy.

<You will?> Rachel asked. <You will?>

<Yeah. I will. I�ll morph Ket. I�ll morph a Hork-Bajir.>

Then Rachel clicked. <The Ellimist? That�s what he did for you? I thought he was going to make you human again.> There was an edge of anger in her tone. Of outrage.

<Ellimists,> Ax practically spit the word. <Never trust them.>

<Oh, no,> Cassie whispered. <That�s it? He gave you back the power to morph? But not �>

<No,> I said as evenly as I could. <Looks like I�m a full member of the team again. I can morph. But I guess � I mean, it looks like I�ll still be a hawk. I�ll be keeping my wings.>

Can't say it here better than Tobias did.

Chapter 22

quote:

I quickly told them the details of my plan. I had to stick to business. There was no time for feeling sorry for myself. And I sure didn�t want them feeling sorry for me.

No time for pity. No time for anger, either. There was nothing I could do to the Ellimist. Nothing I could do.

<Okay, Cassie? We need you to stay in wolf morph. Ax, watch Cassie�s back and try to stay out of view. Marco? You know your part, right?>

�Yeah, I got it,� he said nervously. He was temporarily human. In between morphs.

Marco�s part of the plan was one of the most difficult. And if he failed, Rachel and I were dead.

<No problem, right?> I said to Marco.

�Yeah. No problem. Just make sure one of you is a few seconds behind the other. I�ll need some time.�

 Jake said. He was just coming out of his tiger morph. <Up in the air.>

<My old job,> I said.

�Yeah. Let�s hope I do it as well as you always did,� Jake said. �Cassie, Ax. Let�s move it. Marco, quit worrying. It�s just like catching a pass with your eyes closed. No big deal for Mighty Marco.�

Marco laughed. �That�s it, flatter me. Now I know we�re dead. But don�t worry, I�ll be there.�

I fluttered over to stand on Ket Halpak�s shoulder. (It isn�t easy to find a place to sit on a Hork- Bajir.) I dug my talons in just a bit to the dark, leathery skin. And I began to acquire the Hork-Bajir�s DNA. All around I could hear the sounds of enemies closing in. I heard the FWOMP-FWOMPFWOMP
of the helicopters. And now that they were getting closer, my hawk hearing could even detect the faint TSEEEW! TSEEEW! of the Dracon beams.

Sometimes there would come a loud crack, almost like sudden thunder. It was the sound of a tree exploding as the Dracon beam turned the tree sap to steam in a split second.

And there was the roar of the fire itself.

But I shut all of that out of my mind. All I had to focus on was acquiring the Hork-Bajir. Ket Halpak went slightly limp. I could feel the muscles relaxing.
At last, I flew away to a bare spot on the forest floor. The others were all watching me, even while they did their own morphs. I think they halfway suspected I was nuts. They halfway wondered if I�d just made it up about being able to morph. I closed my eyes and held the image of the Hork-
Bajir in my mind. And then, very quickly, I began to feel the changes.

I sprouted up from the pine needles and dead leaves. I rocketed up and up so fast I couldn�t help but yell.

<Yah! Whoa! Whoa!>

<Hey! He is morphing,> Marco said.

 Rachel said bitterly.

I ignored her angry tone. I couldn�t listen to her anger because it would just make me mad, too. A predator is never angry, just hungry. Anger only gets in the way.

Up and up I grew. And as I grew, my wings grew with me. It�s funny the way morphing works.

It�s never totally logical. It�s never exactly the same twice, either.

And it is always, always gross. Even as I was morphing, I was watching the others undergo changes. It was a scene out of some lunatic�s darkest nightmare. Bodies melted. Weird appendages grew suddenly, here and there. Teeth appeared before there was a mouth to hold them. Fur grew like one of those time-lapse videos of mold, just shooting out of the skin. Big humans tottered unsteadily on tiny doglike legs.

If you just happened to wander in and saw the spectacle of four kids and a bird all melting and mutating and squirming as two giant aliens watched, you�d definitely think you were insane. You�d want to see a psychiatrist. After you stopped screaming.

I could feel the changes happening in my own body. Not that they were painful. They weren�t. But I could still feel things going on. And I could hear them.

My insides were reorganizing totally. Hork-Bajir have at least two hearts, maybe more. So entire new hearts were forming inside of me. And from the hearts, new arteries and veins had to sprout and spread throughout my body.

I had to go from having a digestive system designed to handle big chunks of raw mouse to a digestive system built for tree bark.

I could hear a gurgling sound as internal organs shifted and stretched and were pushed aside to make room for totally new organs. I could hear a stretching, grinding sound as big, thick, solid bones replaced my hollow bird bones.

And on the outside I saw my wings grow till they were huge. Then, with amazing speed, the feathers melted into hard, leathery skin. There was a snap as the joints in my wings changed direction to bend the way a Hork-Bajir arm bends.

Then out came the blades.

SHWOOP! Blades at my wrists.

SHWOOP! Blades at my elbows.

SHWOOP! The forward-swept horn blades on my snake head.

Hooray for body horror!

quote:

<Hey, Tobias,> Marco said. <You kept the same feet.>

It was a joke. But it was true, too. There wasn�t much difference between my hawk talons and the feet of the Hork-Bajir. Except that they were maybe a hundred times bigger.

Somehow that made me feel good. I liked the look of those big, ripping talons. I liked thinking about what they would do to a Taxxon.

Cassie and Ax took off at a run. They had a lot of distance to cover very fast. Fortunately, a wolf can run almost flat-out all day long. And there�s no doubt about how fast an Andalite can move. No doubt. Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak left with them.

Marco was in his huge, powerful gorilla morph and getting ready to leave, too. <See you guys later. I hope,> he said.

<Be there!> Rachel growled. She pointed a dangerous Hork-Bajir hand at him.

<Okay, I�ll be there. But don�t be too long or I may decide to take a nap,> Marco joked as he lumbered off through the trees.

Jake was perched on a branch just over my head. A peregrine falcon, the fastest thing in the air. He spread his wings and took off, leaving me and Rachel alone.

Rachel had morphed into a mirror image of me. We were a fine pair of Hork-Bajir.

<Ready?> I asked her.

She peered at me from behind alien eyes. <You okay, Tobias?>

<Sure. Why wouldn�t I be?>

<Well, you haven�t exactly had a great day,> she said.

I laughed grimly. <I�m a freak of nature, Rachel. Any day I stay alive is a good day for me.>

Quite. Any idea what Tobias's plan is?

# ? Dec 18, 2020 05:23

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

I remember what it is and the big flaw I see now is surely the Yeerks wouldn't just leave two Hork Bajir corpses out in the forest for hikers to stumble across

# ? Dec 18, 2020 05:46

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

freebooter posted:

I remember what it is and the big flaw I see now is surely the Yeerks wouldn't just leave two Hork Bajir corpses out in the forest for hikers to stumble across

Counterpoint: Visser Three

# ? Dec 18, 2020 09:53

Fuschia tude: Dec 26, 2004; THUNDERDOME LOSER 2019

Comrade Blyatlov posted:

Counterpoint: Visser Three

But would he really not just order them to Dracon the bodies, just to make sure/destroy the evidence? It's not like they've been avoiding their use so far.

# ? Dec 18, 2020 12:14

Comrade Blyatlov: Aug 4, 2007; should have picked four fingers

I can't answer that, but I can say Visser One absolutely would have

# ? Dec 18, 2020 12:43

freebooter: Jul 7, 2009

Comrade Blyatlov posted:

Counterpoint: Visser Three

Mr Burns saying "It's ELEVEN FORTY FIVE!" energy

# ? Dec 18, 2020 12:44

feetnotes: Jan 29, 2008

I know what�s still to come in this book, but even at this point there would be nothing stopping Tobias from acquiring a human morph, right? Even doing a DNA mix maneuver like Ax did. I guess they are in the middle of an active emergency so there�s not a lot of time to think through implications.

# ? Dec 18, 2020 18:10

Epicurius: Apr 10, 2010; College Slice

Animorphs Book 13: The Change-Chapter 23

quote:

High above the treetops Jake flew in his swift peregrine falcon morph, calling down directions to Rachel and me.

It was weird. It almost felt like Jake had taken over my role or something. Like he was pretending to be me. Normally, I�d be the one up there riding the wind.

<Okay, not far now,> Jake said. <You�re almost there. You guys know which direction to go after the Yeerks catch your trail, right?>

<Yeah, we know, we know, Mother,> Rachel said. <What are we? Idiots?> Then to me she said, <We do know, right?>

<I�m pretty sure. I mean, it�s harder to keep track of where things are when you�re down on the ground. Just trees and bushes everywhere. You can�t see the horizon, you can�t see the sun.>

The forest was impossible for a Hork-Bajir trying to be quiet. I mean, we could have slashed our way through the brambles and thorn thickets, but that would have attracted too much attention too soon.

So we tried to hurry, but without making too much noise. And let me tell you - Hork-Bajir bodies are not built for quiet.

<That�s why you have me up here,> Jake said cheerfully. <To guide you. Don�t sweat it. I can see the ravine. I can see that Cassie and Ax and the two Hork-Bajir are getting into position. And I see Marco. Heck, with these falcon eyes I can practically see Marco�s fleas.>

<Easy for you to be cocky,> I muttered. <You�re up there safe.>

<Do you see the line of fire?> Rachel asked Jake. <Because I sure do smell it.>

<Yeah,> Jake admitted. <In fact, the fire forms a semicircle around you. The Taxxons and friends are the other half of the circle. The only way open is the ravine. So we�re just going to get one chance.>

<Wonderful,> I said.

<Okay, you guys. A big, fat pair of Taxxons are just on the other side of that pile of rocks.>

<What pile of rocks?> Rachel asked.

<Oh � well, I can see that it�s a pile of rocks from up here. From where you are it probably just looks like a thick tangle of weeds and thorns.>

<Cool,> Rachel said calmly. 

<Yep. Ladies first.>

<No, no. After you. I insist.>

We pushed our way through the bushes and climbed to the top of what did turn out to be a pile of rock boulders. At the top we stopped and stared.

Just twenty feet away were two Taxxons. Two vile, disgusting Taxxons. Allies, not just slaves, of the Yeerks. A species that ate its own when given half a chance.

As we learned in the last book, it's a little more complicated than that, for all that he's factually right.

quote:

I don�t know if it was the hawk in me that was angered by the sight of the two humongous worms marching through a decent forest, or the human side of me that just didn�t like gigantic worms, period, or some deep instinct of the Hork-Bajir mind. But I was suddenly filled with hatred and rage.

The anger hit me like a baseball bat alongside the head. It was sudden and ferocious. The plan was to run from the Taxxons. But all of a sudden, I didn�t want to run.

I wanted to see what my Hork-Bajir blades would do. I wanted to hurt the Taxxons.

<Let�s take �em,> I said.

Rachel turned her snake head toward me. <What? That�s not the plan, Tobias!>

<They shouldn�t be here. Look at them! Look at them, slithering through the forest like they own it! They shouldn�t be here. This isn�t their place, it�s ours. It�s mine!>

<Tobias, calm down. It makes me mad, too. But we have to stick with the plan.>

<No. We don�t,> I said. <I�m tired of plans.>

Rachel grabbed my shoulder. I almost spun around and slashed at her. That�s how mad I was. My arm actually came up as if I were going to strike.

But Rachel didn�t back away. <Look, Tobias. You�re mad. But it�s not the time or place. The person you�re mad at is beyond your reach. You can�t get back at the Ellimist for betraying you.>

Somehow her words penetrated the black rage that had swallowed me up. No, I couldn�t get back at the Ellimist. And it was him I was furious with.
Wasn�t it? Rachel was right. She had to beright.

It was the Ellimist�s fault.

<Stick to the plan, Tobias. Don�t get us all killed because you�re mad at the Ellimist.>

<Yeah. You�re right. The plan.>

Rachel released my shoulder. I stared down at the Taxxons. They had frozen on seeing us. They knew they were no match for a couple of desperate Hork-Bajir.

But then, through the woods, shadowy figures appeared. Hork-Bajir warriors. Hork-Bajir- Controllers.

�Ssssrrrreyyyaa ssseewwwitt!� the Taxxons shrilled in their own hissing language.

From the trees a dozen Hork-Bajir suddenly broke at full run.

<Outta here!> Rachel yelled.

<Right behind you!>

We bolted. And we no longer had to worry about being too obvious. The Hork-Bajir were after us, and we had to use maximum speed to escape.

<The plan seems to be working so far,> Jake called down.

<Yeah. They�re on us,> Rachel said. We ran through the bushes like only Hork-Bajir can run.

Our arms slashed the air, again and again, quick as striking snakes. We destroyed bushes and saplings like a pair of out-of-control, nuclear-powered lawn mowers.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

But there was one big problem with doing what we were doing. See, we were slowed down a little by having to cut our way through. And the Hork-Bajir behind us could just follow our trail.

<They�re gaining on you!> Jake said.

<Yeah, we noticed. How far to the ravine?>

<Too far! You won�t make it this way.>

<Well, find a way!> I yelled. I could see the pursuing Hork-Bajir. Their horn blades were bobbing above the undergrowth. They were not far behind us. Not far, as in pretty soon I�d be smelling their bad breath.

 Jake cried. <It�s like reading a map or something. What should I be looking for?>

<We need to go at an angle,> I said. <Look for a gully or ditch that runs across our path. The deeper the better.>

<Oh. Nothing! Wait. Maybe that�s a gully. There�s a little stream running down it.>

<Just tell us left or right!> I yelled.

<Okay. Left! No! No! I was thinking my left. Go right! Okay, ten more steps �>

The Hork-Bajir were on us. In seconds they�d have us in clear view.

<There!> Jake yelled.

<Yeah!> I said. We hit a tiny, shallow stream. It was almost hidden by overhanging vines and drooping branches. <This way, Rachel.>

I crouched as low as my massive, stiff Hork-Bajir body could go, and I ran bent over along the stream. Rachel was inches behind me.

<Ow!> she yelped.

<What?>

<Your tail caught me in the neck. Never mind! Run! Run!>

Behind us I could hear the noise of the pursuing Hork-Bajir grow louder, then slowly more distant.

<All right!> Jake said. <You lost them. Now you have to cut left to get back toward the ravine.>

Up and out of the gully we leaped. Back on dry ground we found some nice, open country beneath very tall trees.

<Oh, man, this isn�t good,> Jake said.

<What? Tell me.>

<The fire is sweeping right down the lip of the ravine from the north! And the Yeerks are closing the gap from the south!>

<What do we do?> I asked.

<Look, there�s no way around this, Tobias. There�s a line of Hork-Bajir now between you two and the ravine. You have to go through them.>

<Hope you haven�t lost all that anger,> Rachel said to me. <Looks like we fight, after all.>

So, Tobias doesn't have much fighting experience, other than his standard "go for the eyes" thing (and the time when he used a gun), and it's a new morph, and unlike wolves or grizzlies or whatever, Hork-Bajir aren't particually aggressive or predators. So lets see how he does.

Chapter 24

quote:

On our left, fire!

On our right, the front ranks of Taxxons!

Straight ahead, a ravine a hundred feet deep. It was like it had been cut with a knife. Like someone had slashed the earth and made a cut so deep you could throw a skyscraper down it.

The ravine was narrow, no more than forty feet across. At the bottom, I knew, was a rushing stream. In spring it would swell with the melting ice from the mountains.

But now the stream was narrow, leaving wide sandy banks on either side.

<You�re only about fifteen, twenty seconds away from the ravine!> Jake called down. <But there are more bad guys getting in the way. I�m pretty sure I count six. Two Taxxons and four Hork-Bajir warriors.>

<Oh, man,> I muttered.

Fifteen seconds, Jake had said. I counted in my head as I ran. One � two � three � four �

�HeeeRRRROWWRRR!�

A Hork-Bajir warrior leaped at me, a blur of dark green-black leather skin and flashing blades.

Then more of them. They were everywhere!

<Rachel! Behind you!>

SLASH! A wrist blade drew a line of blood across my chest.

SLASH! I fought back, hacking at my attacker with all my speed and strength.

<AHHHH!> The pain came out of nowhere! A Hork-Bajir had jumped up from the deep grass and hit me from behind. I could feel my entire left side starting to go numb.

SLASH!

SLASH!

SLASH! My wrist blades and elbow blades ripped into Hork-Bajir flesh. I went a little crazy, I think, because I didn�t even know what I was doing anymore. I was on automatic. I was a slashing, ripping, tearing machine.

Guess he's doing ok.

quote:

But I was getting hurt at the same time. I was outnumbered. There were three Hork-Bajir on me.

Two on Rachel. There had been three on her, too, but she�d taken one of them out of the fight.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! My entire world was nothing but blow and counterblow. A wrist blade cut toward my head, and I blocked it. I swiped upward with my knee, and then jerked my talons back to catch the thigh of the Hork-Bajir behind me.

Every move happened in a split second. In the time it would take a human to blink his eyes once, I would block two thrusts and throw three of my own.

Then � WHAM! I was on my back in the dirt. My left leg had stopped working! Two Hork- Bajir now stood over me. One raised his ripping talon, ready to bring it down on my chest!

I lay back helpless, staring up at the blue sky.

Suddenly, a flash of pale gray, coming down like a rock! Like an arrow fired from a cloud it came, wings tucked back, dropping at more than a hundred miles an hour.

A peregrine falcon. The fastest thing in the air.

Jake!

At the last second, his wings opened, he took the shock of the air and he swept his talons forward, all in one fluid movement.

Even in pain, lying there a second away from death, I thought I had never seen anything so perfect in my life. In a split second Jake was gone, and the larger Hork-Bajir was screaming and holding his eyes.

I was ready. I swept my leg left to right and knocked the Hork-Bajir off his feet. I was up and hobbling on my one good leg before he hit the ground.

I ran to Rachel and helped knock her last Hork-Bajir foe to the ground.

<Ready to go?>

<Been ready,> Rachel said.

Although my one leg was almost useless, I could still use my tail for balance and hobble at a pretty good speed. Rachel soon pulled out ahead of me. But that was okay. That was the plan.

<Jake?> I said. <That was one sweet save back there. Would it be wrong for me to say I love you, man?>

<Hah-HAH! That was fun! Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, that was a rush!> Jake exulted.

Rachel and I ran toward the lip of the ravine. And now I could actually feel the heat of the fire approaching. The wind shifted and I gagged on thick black smoke. I lost sight of Rachel.

When the smoke cleared, I was face-to-face with a Taxxon. <You�re lucky I�m in a hurry, or you�d be worm hash,> I said, and brushed past the huge centipede.

<Rachel! Ten feet to your left,> Jake instructed. <Yeah! Yeah! Right there between the two saplings!>

I looked forward just in time to see Rachel leap out into the air. Out into the emptiness she went � and then disappeared. She fell from sight.

My hearts stopped beating. Both of them. I felt my throat clutch tight.

It was a hundred feet to the bottom of that ravine. Not even a Hork-Bajir could survive that kind of fall. Now it was my turn. I ran for the ravine lip.

<Oh, man!> Jake cried. <On your left! In front of you! I didn�t see them all in the smoke! Tobias, it�s him!>

A thick wall of smoke swirled around me, then blew away. It was like some horrible magic trick. One minute, there was the ravine. The next second, there stood three Hork-Bajir. And one Andalite.

One Andalite who was no Andalite at all.

Visser Three stood on the very lip of the ravine. Right in my path.

Hork-Bajir are fast. But the tail of an Andalite is faster. I couldn�t win a fight against Visser Three and three Hork-Bajir. No way.

But then it suddenly occurred to me �

I grinned. At least as much as a Hork-Bajir can grin. I looked Visser Three right in his main eyes.

�Ket Halpak free!� I yelled, using my Hork-Bajir voice.

And I charged straight at him, running flat-out, ignoring the searing pain from my injured leg.

Visser Three watched me calmly for a couple of seconds. Then it occurred to him, too. Just like it had to me. See, he might get me with his tail, and even kill me before I could get to the ravine, but my momentum would certainly carry me forward.

And I would knock Visser Three off the edge, too.

At the last second, Visser Three dodged nimbly out of my way.

�Ket Halpak and Jara Hamee freeeeeeee!� I shouted defiantly as I jumped off the edge of the ravine.

I fell.

The floor of the ravine was a long, long, long way down.

I saw a brutish, massive arm shoot out. A fist the size of a Virginia baked ham grabbed my leg,

I stopped falling. I slammed into the ravine wall. And the massive arm yanked me back upward.

Right up into the shallow cave in the ravine wall.

No Earth animal could possibly have caught a falling, seven-foot-tall Hork-Bajir in midair. No animal except a gorilla.

<Nice catch,> I said to Marco.

He hauled me up into the cave and bodily shoved me back to where Rachel was waiting quietly. We huddled there. Waiting. Silent. We were just a few feet down below the lip of the ravine.

Because of the overhang, I could look down and see the floor of the ravine. Down there, on the sand, lay the crumpled forms of two very dead-looking Hork-Bajir. A pair of hungry wolves were already tearing at their �dead� flesh.

Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak lay still as Cassie and Jake, who had to fly down to the ravine and morph from falcon to human to wolf, pretended to begin devouring them. Fortunately, Hork-Bajir can stand a lot of pain. And they heal quickly. Because I�ll tell you what - if I didn�t know the truth, even I would have thought that two dead Hork-Bajir were about to become wolf chow.

I held my breath. Would the Yeerks be fooled? Would Visser Three believe that Rachel and I had fallen to our deaths?

I heard cruel laughter in my head. <Fools,> Visser Three sneered. <No one escapes the Yeerk empire. Certainly not a pair of idiot Hork-Bajir. Look at them down there, all of you! That�s what awaits anyone who tries to escape the Yeerks!> He laughed a terrible laugh. <The wolves will give them both the burial they deserve.>

So the plan worked. Now they just have to get to the valley. I wonder how often hosts try to run away? We've seen that most of them are broken pretty quickly. But that's the Yeerks' big weakness...they have to feed every 3 days, they're helpless when they do, and they lose control of their hosts.

Epicurius fucked around with this message at 05:00 on Dec 19, 2020

# ? Dec 19, 2020 04:57

Fuschia tude: Dec 26, 2004; THUNDERDOME LOSER 2019

feetnotes posted:

I know what�s still to come in this book, but even at this point there would be nothing stopping Tobias from acquiring a human morph, right? Even doing a DNA mix maneuver like Ax did. I guess they are in the middle of an active emergency so there�s not a lot of time to think through implications.

Correct. But at this point, Ax is the only one who knows how to pull off that maneuver, and as far as we know, he's never explained it. Plus, the four others are the only reasonable possible DNA sources (especially at the moment), which would basically just give him a copy of Ax's human morph. And, on top of that making it less useful in itself, they're already all weirded out enough by Ax's appearance.

Unless he uses fewer sources; say, only Jake and Marco. But that would just make his human morph look even more like those specific people he limited it to.

# ? Dec 19, 2020 05:38

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# ? May 25, 2024 13:03

Gun Jam: Apr 11, 2015

A bit late, but:

quote:

We had seen many incredible things since we�d first found a dying Andalite prince in an abandoned construction site. I�ve seen Yeerks and all their tools - the Taxxons, the Gedds, the Hork-Bajir. I�ve seen Andalites and met the Chee, the androids in human form. I�ve traveled through time and to the Yeerk pool and into orbit in spaceships.

...When (appropriate)? Didn't the only time-traveling adventure so far war in 11, and only Jake remembered it? Did I forgot something, or he's not limiting himself to refer to things that already happen relative to this book?

# ? Dec 19, 2020 11:53

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