By: Rhi Marzano
Chapter 1
My name is Rhi. I am an Ellimist. To some, I am all powerful. To my own kind, I am weak. I am a contradiction. My passive powers are of the best of my generation, but my aggressive powers are among the worst. I am fully developed, but I am not given the title of full Ellimist.
After all, I still have no mate.
Something, I'm afraid, many have tried to remedy.
It was twilight when I heard a knock at the entrance of my home. I plodded my way over and poked my head out to see who it was, only to find a being masked by a bouquet of violets. ^Hello?^ I said quizzically.
Behind the mass of wildflowers was exactly what I had expected. Another second stage Ellimist desperate for a mate. ^Hi,^ he greeted. ^I'm Nigel.^
^Hi,^ I replied, unimpressed. ^I'm Rhi.^
^Oh, I know,^ he assured me.
^What do you want?^ I asked flatly.
^May I come in?^
I gave him a long steady look. ^Alright,^ I conceded.
^These are for you,^ he announced, waving the violets in the air.
^Obviously,^ I said drily. He passed me and put them in a vase. For some reason, he smelled of fish to me.
^I live in the fens,^ he commented.
^Ah,^ I said understandingly.
^I suppose you're wondering why I'm here,^ he said slowly.
^No,^ I disagreed blandly, ^not really.^
^I've come to ask you to be my mate.^
I paused and said sweetly, ^I'll have to decline that offer.^ Then I waited. One... Two... three...
^How DARE you turn me down?!^ he flared.
^If you'd done your homework, Nigel,^ I said icily, ^you'd know that I have no intention of taking a mate.^
^You're such a little chit, hung up over that rusty android swain of yours!^ he said snidely.
THAT did it. I didn't care so much when people insulted me, but when they insulted Erek... Let's just say I'm not exactly a happy camper.
I dumped the vase and its contents on top of his head, and then relocated him to a random place several light years away. It's not my fault that it happened to be the Ellimist Council Room.
Chapter 2
I hugged my knees as I sat in my room. I closed my eyes and let the emptiness wash around me. I didn't want to feel. I didn't want to think. I just wanted to rest. Sleep approached me, and I gratefully accepted it.
In my dreams, there was he.
***
"I'll miss you," he said to me after our lips parted.
^Erek, we are both nearly eternal. Trust me; we will meet again,^ I promised. We kissed again and I never wanted to leave his arms. But Dainn, our little guide, had already begun to move, as had my friends. I had to go home. It was time to leave.
I reluctantly followed them, but I couldn't look back. I couldn't bear to see Erek's face.
***
The dream always ends that way. Each time, the pain of losing him is fresh, like a knife stabbing my heart. I don't care. I would gladly suffer thrice thempain if only to relive a moment with him.
I was dreaming again when I heard a voice.
RHI!!
Let me amend that: an angry voice.
^Daddy?^ I mumbled sleepily, standing up.
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, TURNING DOWN A PROPOSAL FROM A FINE YOUNG MAN SUCH AS NIGEL, MISS SOUBRETTE?!
^First of all, Daddy,^ I said quietly, ^I'm hardly frivolous enough to be a soubrette; second of all, Nigel is not a fine young man; and lastly, I was thinking that the next time you try to send me a potential mate, I will bang them on the head with a frying pan.^
DON'T RAISE YOUR VOICE TO ME, RHI. I'M STILL YOUR FATHER, AND-
After he had been silent a moment, I said curiously, ^Daddy?^
WE'RE BEING ATTACKED, he said abruptly, BY CRAYAK. LEAVE QUICKLY.
^But Daddy, I can fight!^
NO, YOU CANNOT. YOU ARE NOT A FULL ELLIMIST. LEAVE.
^Yes, Daddy,^ I said submissively.
BYE, SWEETIE.
^Bye,^ I echoed.
I closed my eyes and slid down against the wall. Where to go?
And the, it hit me. Earth.
Chapter 3
I tried quite hard to justify my choice of Earth. It was very much like the planet my daddy had given me when I arrived home- the planet on which I reside. Therefore it wouldn't be a shock to my system, I reasoned. I also could further my father's cause of helping the Animorphs. But the real reason I could not admit to myself.
That reason would be Erek.
I was packing my bags when I smelled an odd presence in my home. Fearing it to be another suitor, I grabbed my trusty frying pan and cautiously crept through my house.
What I found was not a second stage male Ellimist.
What I found was not a male Ellimist at all.
^Kirby?^ I said in disbelief.
The sunny daughter of Mette and Ajay grinned up at me. ~hi, auntie rhi. i have a shiny thing. want to see?~
^Maybe later,^ I suggested.
Dainn stood behind Kirby with an exasperated look on her face. Dainn, who in her first stage had been a guide and a page, was now in her second stage and held the position of a child-watcher.
^Mette and Ajay left her with me before they went off to fight,^ she confided, ^but there is no way I can take care of Kirby and twelve others at the same time.^
^You want me to take care of her?^ I said dubiously.
^OhmigoshthankyousomuchRhi,^ she said hurriedly. ^I really have to go. Bye!^
^She must be really worn out,^ I mused after Dainn had left.
~auntie rhi, where are we going?~
^Earth, honey. Let's go.^
Chapter 4
We were there in seconds. Ellimist powers are useful like that.
It took all the guts I could muster to ring the doorbell to Erek King's house. I held my breath as the door swung open, but it was for naught. Jenny the Chee was the one who stood in the frame.
"Rhi," she greeted calmly. "Erek's out for awhile, but he should be home any minute. Why don't you come in?"
^Thank you,^ I said gratefully, and led Kirby in by the hand.
"Why are you here?" Maria asked bluntly from the kitchen.
Jenny sent Maria a silencing look. "She is a friend of Erek's and she has a right to be here."
Maria made a face but voiced no more objections.
~i'm hungry,~ Kirby announced.
"I'll fix you something to eat," Maria said grudgingly.
Jenny offered an encouraging smile but whether it was intended for Kirby or Maria was unclear. "By all means, Rhi, make yourself at home," she said.
"Thanks," I replied, and carefully headed to the room in which I once stayed.
It hadn't changed much in the few months since I had been here. Everything was in the same place as it had been before. Wistfully I fingered the lace on the curtains and stared out onto the balcony.
"It's been awhile, hasn't it."
Startled, I turned around. ^Yes, Erek, it has,^ I murmured.
"The child out in the kitchen... an Ellimist too?"
^Yes. Her name is Kirby,^ I told him.
"Well. That didn't take you long," he said, surly.
I gave him a puzzled look.
"I mean, I am an android and all," Erek said bitterly, "and I can't expect you to mope around about me for the rest of your life, but I didn't expect you to replace me so quickly."
^Erek-^
"No, no, I understand. You need a mate, and I suppose that you also need an heir and all."
^Erek-^
"I hope he makes you happy," he said sadly, resigned. "I really, really do. But, I-"
~auntie rhi,~ Kirby interrupted as she entered the room, ~dinner is ready.~
"Auntie Rhi?" Erek repeated, questioning.
^Erek,^ I smiled, ^this is Kirby, Mette and Ajay's daughter.^
"Not yours?"
^No, Erek. And I haven't a mate either.^
A foolish grin spread over his face. "I was being a little silly, wasn't I?"
~very,~ Kirby said without hesitation.
^Kirby,^ I chided.
~what?~ she said defensively.
^Let's go have some chow,^ I said, giving up.
Chapter 5
I put Kirby to bed on the mattress that I had once slept on. After she was asleep, I crept out onto the balcony and waited for Erek to join me. He was almost there when the doorbell rang. He mouthed the words, "Just a minute," and went to answer it.
EREK! someone shouted.
I heard the sound of the door swinging open.
"Could you be any louder?" Erek demanded irritably.
YES, the other retorted.
Quietly I snuck down the hallway and peered around the corner to see who it was.
^Mette?^ I said, surprised.
HI, she said, smiling briefly. I FIGURED I WOULD FIND YOU HERE.
^Am I that transparent?^ I sighed.
NO, RHI. I JUST KNOW YOU.
^Why aren't you still fighting? Has Crayak already halted the attack?^
NO, RHI. I AM WITH CHILD.
I squealed in delight and hugged her. ^That's wonderful!^
I TALKED TO DAINN, she said slowly, AND SHE SAID KIRBY WAS WITH YOU.
^Yeah. She's sleeping- quite peacefully, I might add.^
"Come in," Erek said politely. "It's nice to see you again, Mette."
YOU TOO, she said.
"I'm sure you two have a bit of catching up to do," Erek said carefully, "but I have to go talk to my 'father.'"
So he hurried down the stairs and left us alone in the
living room. Which, of course, freed Mette to say, SO.... YOU MATED YET?
^Mette,^ I said sourly, ^if I were mated, do you think I would be here right now?^
OH. WELL, I WAS JUST BEING OPTIMSTIC. ANY POSSIBILTIES?
^You would know if there was.^
WELL, WHAT ABOUT THAT NIGEL GUY?
^Um, no.^
After about 20 seconds of silence, I blurted, ^Oh, Mettie, what am I going to do?!^
WELL, she said critically, YOU CAN START BY NOT CALLING ME "METTIE."
^Sorry, but you know what I mean.^
EREK?
^Yeah.^
I DON'T KNOW, my best friend said helplessly.
She mumbled words of comfort as I cried on her shoulder.
Chapter 6
It was a few hours later when Kirby woke up. It was then that Kirby learned something that all humans deal with. A dreadful thing that no one really wants, but everyone gets. Poor Kirby.
~apachoo!~ she sneezed.
"Bless you," Erek offered.
~are you sure that everyone gets colds?~ Kirby asked suspiciously.
YES, KIRBY, Mette smiled wanly.
^Erek, did you have Maria warm up that chicken soup?^
"Yeah," he said, whipping out a thermos. "Here you go, kiddo. This should make you feel better."
Kirby obediantly drank a bit of the soup, then promptly spit it out. ~hot,~ she blushed.
BLOW ON IT, Mette advised.
~apachoo!~ Kirby sneezed again. ~i lost my shiny thing. i need to look for it.~
^You need rest,^ I said firmly.
SO DO I, Mette said grumpily, climbing in next to her daughter.
Erek and I exited silently after noticing that both mother and daughter were sawing logs.
After a bloody hindering awkward moment, Erek spoke up. "How long have Ajay and Mette been mated?"
^Several months.^
"They've already got 1 and a half children, though," he said perplexedly.
^It generally takes an Ellimist fetus one Earth month to develop into a first stage Ellimist.^
"That explains it then."
I nodded. ^We populate ourselves rather quickly.^
Again it was silent.
"Do you ever want... children?"
Sighing, I replied, "All the time."
"Then why don't you mate?"
^Because,^ I said softly. ^I love you.^
"Oh," was all he said.
Chapter 7
There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that fills our dreams
Yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
There's no chance for us
It's all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment
Set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
-part of "Who Wants To Live Forever?" by Sarah Brightman
It was true. There was no possible future for Erek and I. I've known that since the beginning. But, God help me, I love Erek. I'll never stop.
What was I going to do?
WELL, FIRST OFF, YOU NEED TO STOP BEING SO MELANCHOLY. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU.
^Mette,^ I yawned, ^what are you doing up?^
WE NEED TO MAKE A TRIP.
^Right now? It's 3 a.m. You must be lonely.^
ZIPPEDEEDOODAH. IT'S NOT 3 AM WHERE WE'RE GOING.
^Well, where are we going?^
WHY, TO SEE MY FATHER, OF COURSE.
^Mette... your father is dead.^
AU CONTRAIRE. HE IS VERY MUCH ALIVE.
^You never told me.^
IT'S SORT OF A SECRET.
^So why are we visiting him now?^
BECAUSE, IN CASE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, THERE ARE CERTAIN RITUALS THAT MUST BE PREFORMED.
^But those involve the father, too-^
OH, COME NOW. DO YOU THINK I'M AN AMATUER?
I let that pass. ^So... where is it that he lives?^
WELL, she squirmed. THAT'S THE TRICKY PART.
^Where does he live?^ I repeated dangerously.
JAPAN.
^Mette, you know I hate flying.^
OH, GET OVER IT.
I had a feeling that going back to sleep was out of the question.
***
I have an awful, awful fear of heights. Mette knows this. She wants me to confront my fears. Sure, I'll confront them- with a generous supply of vomit.
If Mette had not been pregnant she could have transported us there in a second. But, as teleporting is not good on the unborn, we had to fly.
I. Hate. Flying.
What we actually do is make ourselves invisible, and then alter the effects gravity has on us. We float up near the top of the atmosphere and follow a star or so until we get to where we need to be.
I think I puked out my intenstines somewhere over Fiji.
Regardless, we arrived in Japan, in front of a small little house.
TADAIMA [I'm back], Mette shouted gleefully as she burst into the tiny dwelling.
"Okaeri nasai [Welcome Home]," a middle aged man replied.
O-GENKI DESU KA [How are you?].
"Arigato gozaimasu. Genki desu. [Fine, thank you]," he responded. "Amana ka. [You?]"
GENKI DESU. [Fine.]
"Ojo-san ka. [And your daughter?]"
GENKI DESU. [Fine.]
Then he turned to me, and questioned, "Tomodachi ka. [And your friend?]"
^Um, Konnichiwa [hello]," I greeted in halting Japanese. ^Rhi desu. [I'm Rhi.] Ei-go ka. [English?]^
"Yes," he said, bringing a faint smile to his lips. "I've never met an Ellimist who didn't immediately adapt to any language."
^I'm not most Ellimists.^
WHERE'S AJAY? Mette asked anxiously.
"Out back," the man signaled.
She nodded and scurried in that direction.
"I am Tanaka," he introduced. "I am Mette's father."
^If you would, Tanaka-san,^ I said slowly, ^tell me how this is possible later, I would be grateful.^
Mette returned with her mate in tow. They were more in love than I had remembered them- which, I suppose, didn't surprise me. Their love grows by leaps and bounds with the passage of a single second.
FATHER, Mette announced to Tanaka, beginning the ritual, I BEAR YOU NEWS.
"What is it that you wish to tell me?"
INSIDE OF ME I CARRY A GIRL TO EXPAND THE FAMILY.
"Who is the father of this child?"
MY MATE, AJAY.
"Very well. I give my blessing on this child. She will grow to be a... uh..."
^Powerful Ellimist,^ I prompted.
"Powerful Ellimist," he finished. "Thanks."
^Now, will somebody tell me what's going on?^ I demanded. ^Last time I checked, only Ellimists could breed with Ellimists.^
WELL, DUH, Ajay said, rolling his eyes.
"Mette, Ajay, I need to talk to Rhi about this alone," Tanaka said significantly.
The two nodded and left. Knowing them, I knew where they were going.
"Mette's mother," he said softly, "was a beautiful person."
^I've met her,^ I said sourly.
"You don't like Caire," he observed.
^Let's just say we don't get along splendidly,^ I said uneasily, shifting.
"Ah," he said. "Well, I knew Caire when she was young. A 2nd stage Ellimist just like you. 'Cept I didn't know it when I first met her."
^How did you meet her?^
"I was in a cherry tree," he said, blushing. "She was walking by, and I fell out."
^Were you hurt?^ I asked, not that I was particularly concerned.
"Yes," he admitted. Caire helped me back to my house. The she healed me."
^She exposed her powers just like that?^
"Yes, she did. She was a very impulsive girl."
I thought of the regal, rigid Caire I knew. Somehow "implusive" didn't seem to fit her.
"I offered her dinner in exchange for her help," he continued.
"And thus we began to spend the 2 months following.. well... dating."
^Caire?^ I said dubiously.
"Yes," he sighed. "Caire."
^My major question is... well... uh...^
"Mette," he said knowingly. "Well, to put it frankly, we mated."
^Tanaka-san,^ I said puzzledly, ^no disrespect or anything, but only Ellimists can mate with Ellimists.^
"Yes, dear," he said patiently.
^You are not an Ellimist.^
"Also true."
^Then how?^
"This might be a shock to you," Tanaka said quietly,"but Caire used a catalyst to magnify her power to turn me into an Ellimist for a few hours."
I stared at him, gaping. ^Just so you could mate?^
"Well... yes," he said embarrassedly, coughing.
An idea occured. ^Do you still have the catalyst?^ I asked innocently.
"I always carry it with me," he said, drawing it out of his pocket. "But you may have it."
I inspected it. It was a jem of some sort. ^Thank you,^ I said sincerely.
He nodded dismissively, and then called for Mette and Ajay. "You might want to go check on Kirby," he advised.
YOU WILL PERMIT US TO LEAVE? Mette inquired politely.
"Yes, dear," Tanaka smiled. "Go on."
^Do you need me to fly with you two?^ I asked, dreading the answer.
NO, Mette replied unexpectedly.
GO AHEAD AND TELEPORT, Ajay suggested. I CAN KEEP AN EYE ON HER.
Mette stuck out her tongue. I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.
TRUE, he said easily, BUT AS LONG AS I'M AROUND YOU WON'T HAVE TO.
^I think this is my cue to leave,^ I observed. I'm sure they couldn't hear me though.
Quietly, I summoned up the energy to transport myself back to Erek's house.
Chapter 8
I arrived, eager to try out the catalyst. I crept up to a deactivated Erek and tried to work it.
I failed. It had been clear as a bell in my studies. Catalysts are only usable once. Why hadn't I remembered?
Helpless, I began to cry. The one fleeting hope I had was gone. I sank to the floor and wept uncontrollably.
~auntie rhi,~ a soft voice whispered. ~are you okay?~
^Yes, dear,^ I replied, stifling my sniffles. ^What are you doing up?^
~i found my shiny thing,^ she said solemnly.
^Where was it, dear?^ I asked, trying to sound cheerful.
~under the bed,~ she confided. ~i'm sure i looked there a thousand times but it was right in front of my face.~
^Sometimes that happens,^ I told her.
~well, because you're my favorite auntie, i want you to have it.~
^You'd give it to me?^
~yup.~
^But it's your favorite,^ I protested.
~now it's yours,~ she said firmly, pressing it into my hand.
I gave Kirby a hug. ^I don't know what I'd do without you, Kriby,^ I said softly.
~hopefully,~ she said seriously, ~you will never have to find out.~
^Why don't you go back to bed?^ I suggested weakly.
~yes, auntie rhi,~ she said obediently, and pattered out of the room.
I turned Kriby's shiny thing over in my palm, looking at it closely. Something was familliar about it..
Trying not to get my hopes up, I drew the used catalyst out and compared the two. They were almost identical, except for one major difference.
The one Kirby had given me was unmistakably unused.
^Holy kabuzers,^ I murmered. ^How can this be?^
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, a little voice in the corner of my mind chided.
I carefully focused my aura of power onto the luminous catalyst. I sharply intook air as I felt my power intensify. It began to build until the glow around me was almost blinding. As I released it, rays of blue light shot out of me in every direction.
I opened my eyes, and looked at Erek there on the bed. Faintly I felt that I had failed again.
That is, until I noticed he was glowly, breathing- and most of all- he wasn't a deactivated android, he was a sleeping Ellimist.
^Erek,^ I said, excitement flooding me, ^wake up!^
^Uun?^ he mumbled, rubbing his eyes and forcing himself into a sitting position. ^Rhi, it's the middle of the night... mmrrph.^
The mmrrph, as you might have figured, was me kissing him.
^Well,^ he said baffledly after that little smooch, waving his hand, ^I suppose if you want to kiss me in the middle of the night, I really don't object...^
Suddenly he stared at his glowing hand.
^How does it feel to be a second stage Ellimist?^ I asked sweetly.
^Oh my god. I don't know how you did this, but I love you.^
^I love you, too,^ I said impatiently, blowing air through thinned lips, ^but we only have a few hours. Do you want to be my mate or not?^
^Well, what do you think?^
As for what happened after that... I'll let you use your imagination.
Epilogue
FATHER, I said quietly, I BEAR YOU NEWS.
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WISH TO TELL ME?
INSIDE OF ME I CARRY A BOY TO EXPAND THE FAMILY.
WHO IS THE FATHER OF THIS BOY? he said suspiciously.
I was skirting the issue, but finally replied, MY MATE. HE IS NO LONGER AMONG THE ELLIMISTS.
Which, of course, he took to mean that my mate was dead. I didn't bother to correct him.
WE OFFER OUR REGRETS AND CONDOLENCES FOR THE LOSS OF YOUR MATE. HOWEVER, I GIVE MY BLESSING ON THIS BOY. HE WILL GROW TO BE A POWERFUL ELLIMST.
THANK YOU, DADDY, I responded, and withdrew to the hallway.
MORE THAN THAT, BRIEL, I whispered to Erek's son inside of me. YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE.