Hopefully it's okay that I'm putting this here and not in the Bored Board with the others: I'm planning on making it a multi-chapter affair, so it really wouldn't work to put it in the thread.
Also, fair warning, this fic contains anachronisms that contradict when Animorphs was set. This is intentional, since the plot would not have worked otherwise, so just sit down and be quiet.
Third note: I'm not spoiling what it's crossed-over with, but that'll become obvious by the end, if not sooner. I love me a good dramatic reveal!
My name is Marco. And on this particular morning, my friends and I were lounging in my living room, watching television. My dad was gone for the day, some meeting or other, and so we had the house to ourselves. Me sprawled on the couch, Tobias leaning against the armrest of the chair Rachel had claimed, Jake in the other chair, Cassie leaning against a wall and Ax sitting cross-legged on the floor. All eyes focused on the TV set. Like any normal group of teenagers.
The key word in that last sentence, of course, being 'like.'
Case in point, the only reason we were even watching this particular TV show was because we were contemplating its strategic use. As a way of covertly spreading information against an invading alien army.
This is how I spend my Saturday.
"Are we certain that Yeerks won't watch this?" Jake wondered, casually gesturing at the TV as he turned an inquisitive glance toward Ax. Ax, who was an alien most of the time, but today had decided to be human. "Absolutely certain?"
"I see no reason why any Yeerk would feel compelled to watch a television program based on inferior human science," Ax scoffed. He glared almost disdainfully at the screen, where a conveyor belt was ejecting slices of toast from a rooftop onto the sidewalk below. "
Very inferior human science."
Rachel kicked him not-so-gently in the shoulder. "Don't judge. At the very least not until you see the water heater episode." This whole meeting had actually been Rachel's idea, oddly enough. I wouldn't have pegged her for a fan of this particular show.
. . . Well, not until I remembered that the hosts of this show had a particular affinity for explosions and violence.
"Water heater?" Ax wondered, with a quizzical look up at Rachel from his position on the floor.
While Rachel explained to Ax what a water heater was, the rest of us talked logistics.
"First, we need to make sure neither of them are controllers," Jake said. "Which means around the clock surveillance. Three days. You guys know the drill."
"Ax and I can cover most of the shifts, as usual," Tobias said. Tobias, who was normally a bird, but today had decided to be a mammal. "Although we're going to need to split up if we don't want this to take six days instead."
"Surely,
he's not a controller," Cassie said, pointing at the red-haired man laughing giddily at something. Like a little kid enthralled by a new toy.
Jake shook his head. "We can't be too sure. He has to act like that, because he's on TV, after all."
I gasped in mock indignation. "What? Televised emotions can be faked? Say it ain't so!"
Ignoring me completely, Cassie wondered out loud, "Even if they aren't controllers, are we so sure this is a good idea? Will this even work? I mean, trying to get the message out, trying to get the human race to defend itself against the Yeerks . . . " She trailed off, but the way she said it, she definitely sounded more for the idea than against it.
"It's worth a shot, isn't it?" Tobias said, nodding his agreement. "If it can be done. If we can reach out to people, let them know what's going on, all without the Yeerks knowing, why shouldn't we?"
"Ah, but that's the catch," I pointed out. "How long will it be, before the Yeerks catch on? How long can we count on them being in the dark, even if Ax is right and they don't-"
My well-reasoned argument was suddenly interrupted by a shout from Ax, his voice pitched high in alarm. "WHAT?! And you put these things in your
homes? Humans! I will never understand your species!" He glanced around nervously, as though he were suddenly expecting something in the room to explode without warning.
"Well, to be fair," Rachel countered, almost sheepishly, in the stunned silence that had followed Ax's proclamation. "They
did disable nearly every safety feature the thing had."
"Why did they-" Ax started, but cut himself off with a frustrated sigh. "I cannot even
pretend to try to understand the logic that led to these events."
"Nevermind, Ax," Rachel said dismissively, before turning her attention back to the rest of the group. "This is a chance we can't pass up, you guys. And, anyway, they practically live right next door to us. Not more than a half-hour away."
"Shall we put it to a vote?" Jake said, looking around the room, and surely already sensing what the answer would be. "All in favor of converting the Mythbusters to our cause?"
