Chapter Text
Hi. My name is Marco. I cannot tell you my last name or where I live, for reasons that will soon be obvious. But, something that I can tell you is that our planet is under attack.
These attackers call themselves Yeerks.
Disgusting grey little slugs, that crawl into your ear canal. They go in, straight to your brain, and they seize control over your mind and body. They steal your body, your life. You aren’t yourself anymore; you aren’t in control. You’re simply a passenger, a prisoner of that alien parasite and no one notices. Why would they? You act like yourself. You talk like yourself. Nothing’s changed. Nothing’s wrong. Well, for them at least. They won’t hear your screams, your endless begging for freedom. Sounds scary, right? It sounds downright insane. But, this isn’t some science-fiction book you can find at a school fair. This is real and this is happening.
For you, maybe it’s not right now. Maybe we win this war, and I become famous and rich. Mybe I getgets books written about me. Maybe, you’re in history class, reading my autobiography. Or, maybe you aren’t in the future. Maybe you are in the now; maybe you are just as scared as me. But no matter what, for now, all you need to know is that it’s of the utmost importance that you keep quiet about what you will learn. Or they will find you, and in turn, us.
If that happens, the whole world is doomed.
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Being a teenager is weird. Adults talk to you like you’re a kid, but sometimes they decide that, actually, you are an adult. They say that you’re “basically all grown up”, that “grown ups have responsibilities” and that you should plan accordingly. So, no Mr Allen, I didn't do the Chemistry homework. I also didn't plan on witnessing a literal alien spaceship crash landing! You know those alien Invasion movies with flying saucers? Yeah, that spaceship looked nothing like a flying saucer. It was made of a white metal and was shaped sort of like a weird disfigured airplane with a mushroom shape on the top.
Hold on a second. Let me start from the beginning.
My best friend Jake and I were supposed to go to the mall after school, on Friday, but he ended up bailing on me, because his brother, Tom, invited him to hangout with some friends. Jake didn’t really explain it that well. He did say he’d meet me at the mall if he ended up leaving early. And so, I went to the mall alone hoping he would join later on. I wandered around a bit, played some games, until I ran into Jake’s cousin Rachel, and her friend Cassie.
“Marco!” I heard Rachel yell out, “I thought Jake was coming with you?” I shrugged, “He’s chose to hang with Tom for a bit, but he’ll be here.” What! I didn't want to seem pathetic. If I'm lucky he’ll show his face.
I caught Cassie and Rachel sharing a look. “What?” I said dryly. Rachel broke first, while Cassie’s eyes widened. “Well, if you want you could hang with us for a bit? Just until Jake arrives? Or maybe Jake would rather stay with us.” She gave a look to Cassie that I didn’t quite understand.
I considered my options. Stay and be around Rachel and Cassie, or go off on my own until Jake arrives, if he ever does. “Nah, I think I’ll live.”
I continued walking on my own. To be honest, it sucked. Usually it would be me and Jake sitting at a bench or walking, while joking around. Recently he’d started blowing me off. His brother, Tom, was around less, because of this club he’s in, and Jake wanted to spend time with him. So now, we hung out less than before. I didn’t know how to talk to him about it, because every time I’d try to bring it up, he’d brush me off and change the subject.
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I ended up walking straight back to the area where I had played the video games. I spotted Cassie and Rachel in the distance, and it seemed they’d ran into Tobias too. I decided to stay with them, since I didn’t think Jake was going to arrive any time soon.
The four of us left the mall together, and, thinking we were smart, we decided to cut through the abandoned construction site. Thats where all the weird Alien stuff started.
Tobias pointed up to the sky, “Guys look!”
Rachel was the first to look up, “A shooting star…”
“woah.” I said.
“It doesn't look like a shooting star.” Cassie said. Now that it was closer, it became very clear. Whatever this thing was, it was not a shooting star and it was heading straight for us.
It landed a few feet away from where we were, crouched behind large planks of wood. “A space ship.” Tobias whispered. We all locked eyes.
We saw a door opening. For a brief moment, the only thing I could see was a white light, but I was able to discern a horse? No. That most definitely was not a horse. It had four eyes. Two on its face, and two on its stalks. The upper part of its body looked eerily human if you disregard the blueish-purple colour. And the fur. It had fur. Oh, Jake is so gonna regret not having come...
<Be not afraid. I come in peace.>
I come in peace. Jeez, are we in a film?
It was really weird. We heard his voice in our heads.
The alien fell onto ground. He was injured. <I am Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul from the Andalite home world.>
Cassie’s hands twitched. She was about to go help Elfangor, but Rachel held her back. The two girls shared a look, then turned to me and Tobias. Tobias nodded.
They walked out of our hiding spot, and I followed.
“Here,” Cassie ripped a piece her shirt off, and crouched down to deal with the Andalites wounds.
<There is nothing you can do for me. I will die.>
“No. No, we’ll save you!” She said.
Rachel nodded. “Yes, we can get your parents, Cassie. They’re vets. Or even an ambulance.”
Elfangor shook his head. <It is too late. I have come to warn you. Your planet is in grave danger.>
He was right. He wouldn’t survive injuries that deep.
Tobias and I spoke at the same time, “what do you mean?”
He explained to us that the Yeerks, an evil alien race, wanted to enslave our planet, and that the invasion had already started. He had been fighting the Yeerks. Others others from his fleet had already died.
“What can we do?” Asked Rachel. “I mean we have to do something. We cant just sit by and accept this!” The four of us agreed.
Elfangor had this strange look in his eyes, like he was hesitating. <There is indeed something you can do. We don’t have much time, a yeerk battle ship was chasing me.> He guided Tobias go into his ship and told him to retrieve something called an... Uhhhh, Eska-fill?
Tobias came back with a cube in hand.
<This is an Escafil device. It will give you the power to morph into any living being you come into contact with.> Elfangor held the cube up in one hand. It glowed a bright blue. <All you need to do is touch it.>
“I'm in.” Cassie was the first. Then Rachel. And finally, Tobias. They all put one hand on the cube, and were looking at me.
My mom’s already gone. My dad only has me left. I don’t want to leave him alone. I don't.
I don't want to risk making my dad suffer again.
But still, I place my palm on the bright blue cube. Just incase I might need to protect him, or myself, or anyone else. It didn't mean that I was gonna act.
The cube glowed a warm light orange.
<It is done.> His voice sounded weaker.
Through his thought-speech, he loaded a bunch of information into our heads, the Yeerks, controller, infestation, Kandrona rays, morphing, and many more.
We saw a small red light getting bigger and bigger in the distance. It was a Yeerk battle ship.
“Come with us. Please. We might still be able to help you.”
Elfangor shook his head, <They will never stop until they have me.>
And so, we ran and hid.
The battleship landed, and another Andalite stepped out. This one, had a menacing aura around him. Many other aliens came out. <Taxxons and Hork-Bajirs.> Elfangor supplied us, in a private thought-speech line, so as to not alert the Yeerks of our presence. <They have been fully enslaved by the Yeerks. Taxxons have a never ending hunger, and Hork-Bajirs are the ones with sharp claws.>
The Taxxons looked like giant centipedes with sharp teeth. The Hork-Bajirs, on the other hand, sort of looked like dinosaurs. We heard the second Andalites voice in our heads. Tobias, Rachel, Cassie, and I all froze up. For a moment, I thought that the Yeerks had found us, but no, the second Andalite had just been broadcasting his voice to everyone in the vicinity.
<That is Visser Three>, Elfangor said to us privately. <He is the only Yeerk to ever have infested an Andalite, and in consequence, he is the only Yeerk to have the power to morph>
Visser Three was gloating. He had finally caught the great Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul and was giving a speech about his victory.
<You’ll never win, Visser Three. There is already an Andalite army on it’s way.> And finally, we watched in horror as Visser Three morphed into a creature so grotesque that it can't even described. His newly formed tentacles grabbed Elfangor, lifted the Andalite hero up to his mouth, and dropped Elfangor inside.
Visser Three had eaten him.
I looked at the others, they looked as distressed and disgusted as I was. We had to get out of here.
I took a step back and heard a branch crack.
A Hork-Bajir and a Taxxon glanced around. The Visser, now back to his Andalite self, yelled. <What are you fools doing! Find the source of that noise!> Immediately, the aliens began to search.
We took off, each running in separate directions, hoping that the Yeerks didn't see us.
I got home really late. I walked around a bit before going home, because I was afraid of being followed. I didn’t want to lead the yeerks straight to my house. When I came in, I saw my dad laying on the couch, the same place he was when I’d left home. “Hey dad, I’m home.” I took a pizza from last nights leftovers. I didn't know if the others got home safe or if they had been caught.
This has to be some messed up dream.
I decided that I’d call everyone in the morning, and went to bed.