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Post by Aaron Chapman on Oct 29, 2008 15:06:11 GMT -8
Aaron was asleep in his room when his grandfather pounded on the door. He stood up and walked over to it, opening it. Before he'd even had a chance to react his grandfather had grabbed his arm. "Come with me boy."He struggled against the pull of the stronger man. "Let me go. Where are you taking me?" His mother appeared behind his grandfather, her face concerned and loving. "It's for your own good," said Melissa Chapman to her only child. "We know what you are. Visser 2's host gave you the morphing power. It makes you a host we can't let fall into the wrong hands."The yeerks. They were supposed to be long gone. Why would his mother be worried about.... No wait. "You're controllers!" he cried as he struggled more. "You will be too before long."The yeerks. They were back and they had his mom, his grandpa, and Tinem. Aaron had only one option in this situation. He lashed out with his leg, catching his grandpa in the gut. Mentally he hoped his real grandfather would forgive him. Chapman would have preferred death to being a controller again. Aaron had very little doubt his grandpa was really jeering at the yeerk, cheering about Aaron's escape. He ran into his room and locked the door behind him. Outside he could hear them pounding on it. He ran to the window and opened it. After a few minutes he was morphed into the sparrow he'd acquired in the woods the day Tinem had given him the power to morph. The flight to his destination didn't take too long. He only hoped someone would wake up since it was the middle of the night. Still morphed he projected his voice to the residents of the Fangor house. <<Someone please let me in.>>
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Post by Rachel Fangor on Oct 29, 2008 15:13:06 GMT -8
Rachel was having a hard time sleeping. She wasn't sure why. Finally in her head she heard, <Someone please let me in.> She moved her head and saw Tobias still sleeping, and she got up a bit groggy, and went to the door. She opened it and walked outside. "Who is that? It's the middle of the night. Can it wait?"
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Post by Aaron Chapman on Oct 29, 2008 15:24:00 GMT -8
The sparrow had landed on the doorstep and now demorphed in front of Rachel into Aaron. He was wearing an a-shirt and sleep pants that were slightly small, probably the only reason they'd morphed with him.
He tried to talk, but burst into tears as the words came flooding out, stuttering worse than usual because of the sobs. "I'm s-s-sorry. I d-didn't know where else to g-g-go. They h-have m-my mom and grandpa and T-t-tinem...." The teenage boy was in a great deal of distress that momentary panic had held at bay.
"Th-they know I c-can morph because T-tinem gave me the p-power. They were g-going to infest me." If Rachel had had any doubts about who they were, it was clear now.
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Post by Rachel Fangor on Oct 29, 2008 15:29:15 GMT -8
Rachel saw a sparrow land on her doorstep and she placed a hand on her hip, looking at it like she was trying to figure it out. Well, then it started to change. Her eyes went a little big. It was Aaron. "Aaron?" She tilted her head to the side, unsure of what was going on. Suddenly Aaron burst into tears, and Rachel was at first unsure of what to do. When he had explained, though, she knew what to do. She put a comforting arm around his shoulders and said, "It's okay. You can stay with us." She led him inside and then gave him a hug. "We'll get them back. All right? We will get them back."
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Post by Aaron Chapman on Oct 29, 2008 15:45:19 GMT -8
Aaron managed to get himself under control once Rachel had led him inside and hugged him. Despite her being someone he didn't know well, the reassuring presence was nice.
He wiped his eyes with his hands, drying the tears before nodding in response to her question. "Okay."
Outwardly he looked okay now. Inwardly he was still something of a mess. His whole world had sort of come crashing down as he'd run from home. He'd taken back every wish for excitement he'd ever had, but known that all the same he couldn't turn back. Going home would have meant the end.
"Where..." he started to ask where he should sleep, but his words caught in his throat. A small amount of his sorrow showing outwardly again.
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Post by Rachel Fangor on Oct 29, 2008 15:58:51 GMT -8
Rachel looked at him and said, "We have a guestroom right across from my room. Do you want something to eat first?" Rachel grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Aaron. "You can stay here as long as you need to." She smiled at him, trying to reassure him.
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Post by Aaron Chapman on Oct 29, 2008 16:06:45 GMT -8
Aaron's stomach grumbled. Adrenaline and the energy to morph and fly over here left him no real choice about that question. "I sh-should have something. I m-morphed and flew all the way over here as a sparrow so th-that took a l-lot of energy."
He looked into her face, at the reassuring smile, and a feeling of safety came to him. He was with friends, and they'd help him get his parents back just like they fought during the first yeerk war. "R-rachel.... Thanks."
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Post by Rachel Fangor on Oct 29, 2008 16:14:31 GMT -8
Rachel heard stomach growling, and said, "Nice, warm food coming up." She headed towards the kitchen and stopped when Aaron said her name. She smiled again at him, "What are friends for?" She went and opened the fridge and looked around. Ham, roast, sandwich...no, ham and pilaf sounded right. She brought it out of the fridge and put it in the microwave. When it was heated, Rachel brought it out. "I know it's a little weird for you for me to be here after...you know, but I am here for you. Don't forget that, okay?"
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Post by Aaron Chapman on Oct 29, 2008 16:28:17 GMT -8
Aaron smiled and took the offered food. It was a little weird that she was here, he had to admit that. She'd died and now she... well, wasn't dead anymore. "Well, m-my mom was fairly willing t-to accept that you were b-back.... then again sh-she might have been a c-controller even then. I did r-read about things though, l-like the Ellimist. I just kind of f-figured this was his thing, how and why was y-your business."
Warm food helped after being cold, and now that he wasn't sobbing his stutter was back to being just a habit of sorts. His head was also wrapping around his situation more and bringing him to a decision. "I w-want to help if I c-can. Help g-get them back."
He could morph. The only reason not to let him was that he didn't have anything aside from a hamster and a sparrow yet.
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Post by Rachel Fangor on Oct 29, 2008 16:33:41 GMT -8
Rachel sat down in front of Aaron. "That may be, but one never knows." She bit her lip when he said he wanted to help. "All right, we'll talk to Jake tomorrow. I have to drive out there anyways." Rachel looked at him and said, "What morphs do you have so far?" Rachel figured he didn't have much, and so she said, "You know what, don't answer that. You and I will go to the Gardens before seeing Jake. Is that all right with you?"
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Post by Aaron Chapman on Oct 29, 2008 16:46:23 GMT -8
He was about to answer the morphs question, but she probably knew he didn't have much. He'd only been able to morph for a few days. In that time he'd acquired the sparrow and a teddy bear hamster. Those didn't do him much good in battle.
He nodded. "Sure. I only have two m-morphs and neither c-can do m-much." The end of the sentence was punctuated with a yawn. Now that he'd taken care of food he needed sleep, the sleep that had been disrupted ending in him coming here.
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Post by Rachel Fangor on Oct 29, 2008 16:51:31 GMT -8
Rachel nodded and took the plate to the kitchen. "Right this way. Would you like some new pajamas? I can get some from Kodiac's room." She stood outside Kodiac's door waiting for an answer.
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Post by Aaron Chapman on Oct 29, 2008 17:03:30 GMT -8
Aaron considered the offer then nodded. "C-considering I could m-morph these ones...." They didn't really fit him. His mom couldn't exactly afford new stuff all the time though and as far as she was concerned they still fit him despite not quite reaching his ankles anymore.
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Post by Rachel Fangor on Oct 29, 2008 19:56:15 GMT -8
Rachel didn't need any more prompting. She quietly opened the door and snuck in. She opened his drawer and grabbed a pair. Then she went back out the door quietly. "Here you go." Handing them to him, she said, "Holler if you need anything." Then, without any kind of idea, she gave him another heartfelt hug.
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Post by Aaron Chapman on Oct 29, 2008 21:15:22 GMT -8
Aaron took the pajamas from Rachel. Kodaic was his age and had looked about the same size. Even if they were a bit big they appeared to have a drawstring so they'd stay on. He followed her to the guest bedroom and hesitated outside the door.
Rachel gave him a hug and he found himself hugging her back. "Thanks again. I d-don't know where else I c-could have gone. Things just, sort of f-fell apart tonight." A momentary look that was hard to describe crossed his face. "Do you... Do you think this c-could be my fault, f-for wishing things were m-more exciting the everyday life?" It wasn't a rational thought at all, but a combination of being tired and upset had put the two together.
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