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Animorphs 1x01: The Gift
By Aragorn
INT. MALL – ARCADE
We're shown a few random shots inside the arcade as 'Welcome to the Jungle' by Guns N Roses plays over the scene.
The arcade is filled with teenagers, but two of these teenagers, JAKE AND MARCO, play a two-person shooting game, complete with plastic gun controllers. Jake is kind of tall with a short hair – it is obvious he has recently gotten a hair cut, while his Filipino best friend has long hair that ends right in front of his eyes and is a good half a foot or more shorter.
They're both shouting at each other, as well as at the game, as they shoot up monsters, aliens, and mutants. All of a sudden the words 'Insert Coin to Continue...' pop up on screen.
MARCO
Let's continue this bad boy. I know we can beat the SleazeTroll if we work together on it.
JAKE
Sounds good. Do it up.
There is a pause as both are silent.
MARCO
Well?
JAKE
Well what?
MARCO
It's your turn to put the money in. I put it in last time.
JAKE
No, I did. It's your turn.
MARCO
I'm pretty sure I did. Remember when we got killed by the Mutant Alligator Cops on the River level?
JAKE
Yeah, and then I put money in when we died at the hands of the Alien Bounty Hunters on that one level with the entrance to the city.
MARCO
And that came before the river.
Jake sighs, frustrated, giving in.
JAKE
Well I'm out of change.
Marco frowns.
MARCO
So am I.
JAKE
I guess we should call it a night then.
Marco looks back at the game, torn between leaving with Jake or finding more change off someone.
MARCO
Alright, let's leave. But next time...next time those Alien scumbags are ours.
They make their way around the dozens of other people in the arcade and out into the Mall hallways, which also has a decent amount of people in them. They're laughing and talking about video games when Jake spots a person and calls out.
JAKE
Hey Tobias!
As Jake raises his hand to catch the person's attention, Marco quickly pushes down on Jake's arm.
MARCO
What are you doing!? We can't be seen with him! If anyone sees us, we'll be bullied just as much as him!
JAKE
Oh Marco, be sensible. Tobias is the new kid at school, and that's the only reason why he's picked on. In a couple months nobody will even register him.
MARCO
(under his breath)
It's because he's strange...
JAKE
Just be nice to him, ok? Please?
Before Marco can say anything back, another teen with straggly blond hair, TOBIAS, walks over.
TOBIAS.
Hey Jake. What's up?
Jake shrugs.
JAKE
Not much. Just heading home form the Arcade
MARCO
(jerking his thumb at Jake)
Yeah, because certain people keep forgetting that the SleazeTroll
shows up right after you cross the Nether Fjord. So certain people keep losing the game – and losing our quarters.
Tobias smiles, but it seems forced. Almost as if he's nervous about something. Then he speaks up.
TOBIAS
So, like, maybe I can walk home with you guys.
Marco shoots Jake a worried glance, but Jake ignores it.
JAKE
Sure, why not?
Marco sighs with frustration, but doesn't say anything as the three of them make their way to the exit doors. As they are leaving, two girls standing right by the doors turn to them and smile. This is RACHEL and CASSIE.
Rachel is tall with long flowing blond hair and looks like she belongs in a fashion magazine. Cassie is shorter, dark-skinned, and is wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, with her hair cut pretty short.
RACHEL
Hey guys.
The trio stops and smiles at them.
JAKE
Hey.
Tobias looks at Rachel.
TOBIAS
You guys know each other?
JAKE
Yeah, Rachel is my cousin. Have you guys met?
RACHEL
Kind of. I kind of saved him from getting an Atomic Wedgie in the hallway at school a few days ago.
Marco tries not to snicker, but can't help it. Rachel glares at him.
RACHEL
(glaring at Marco)
Some people can be really mean.
JAKE
Her friend there is Cassie.
Cassie politely nods her head at Tobias.
CASSIE
Hello.
JAKE
You guys heading home?
RACHEL
Yeah, we were just about to leave.
Jake sneers.
JAKE
You shouldn't go walking home by yourselves after dark. I mean, being girls and all.
RACHEL
Oh, and are you going to come and protect us, you big, strong m-a-a-a-n? You think we're helpless just because...
CASSIE
(cutting Rachel off)
Actually, I'd appreciate it if they did walk with us. I know you're not afraid of anything, Rachel, but if we get mugged or something, I'd rather be with four other people instead of one.
Rachel can't really argue with that and moves through the doorway first, to the chilly night outside.
RACHEL
Well come on then everyone, let's go.
EXT. MALL – NIGHT
They make their way down the street, away from the mall, vehicles passing by them every few seconds.
JAKE
So which way are we taking?
MARCO
(sarcastically)
Well let's see. There's the really long, boring way, and there's the shortcut through the construction site and we can just hope there's no axe murderers out tonight. Tuff call.
RACHEL
I vote shortcut. I don't really feel like taking an extra 40 minutes to get home.
JAKE
Mom and dad swore to ground me until I'm twenty if they ever find out I've cut through the construction site.
Rachel glances at him with a twinkle in her eye.
RACHEL
Then you better make sure they don't find out. Come on.
JAKE
I don't know...
RACHEL
Well I'm going. You guys can take the long way if you want, but I thought the entire point of everyone walking back together was to protect little ol' fragile me and Cassie, and I'm going this way.
Rachel rushes on ahead, so the others have no choice but to go with her. Jake sighs and Marco leans in to him.
MARCO
I'm starting to think your cousin is slightly insane.
JAKE
Just slightly?
They cross the street and head into the nearby abandoned construction site.
EXT. ABANDONED CONSTRUCTION SITE – NIGHT
It is a big area, surrounded on two sides by trees, with the highway separating it from the mall area. There's a broad, open field between the construction site and the nearest houses, so it's a very isolated place. There are huge piles of rusted steel beams; pyramids of giant concrete pipes; little mountains of dirt; deep pits that had filled up with black, muddy water; and a creaking, rusted construction crane. Littering the ground is empty beer cans and liquor bottles.
Everyone is keeping quiet as they make their way through the area, each one nervous but not willing to admit it. Everyone is looking around nervously, on alert, except for Tobias. He is looking up at the sky, gazing at the stars, lost in his own little world. Suddenly he sees a shooting star, but then it seems to be getting brighter and brighter as it gets closer and closer, seemingly now headed directly for them. He stops and points straight up.
TOBIAS
Look!
Nobody changes where they're looking.
JAKE
No offense, but none of us really wants to be distracted right now, Tobias. We have to stay on the look out for chainsaw killers creeping up around us.
TOBIAS
Just look!
Jake looks up and sees it - a brilliant, blue-white light that is scooting across the sky, going fast at first, too fast for it to be an airplane, then slower and slower.
JAKE
My God...What is it?
Tobias shakes his head, mesmerized by it.
TOBIAS
I don't know.
Jake and Tobias look away from it and stare at each other. Suddenly Cassie looks up and sees it too.
CASSIE
It's a flying saucer!
Marco starts to chuckle.
MARCO
A flying saucer? Hey Jake, maybe those aliens from that game...
He instantly stops laughing in mid-sentence as he looks up into the sky and sees the object for himself.
RACHEL
It's coming this way.
JAKE
(whispering)
It's hard to be sure...
RACHEL
No, it is coming this way.
As they continue to stare up at it, one thing is obvious: Rachel is right. The object is coming closer and slowing down. As it gets nearer, they get a better look at it; it's as long as a school bus, with the front end a pod shaped almost like an egg. Extending from the back of the pod is a long, narrow shaft. There are two crooked, stubby wings, and on the end of each wing is a long tube that glows bright blue on the back end. It also has a sort of tail curved up and forward, corning to a point that looks as sharp as a needle.
JAKE
It's not exactly a saucer...
CASSIE
That tail thing - it looks like a weapon.
MARCO
(groaning)
Definitely.
The little ship keeps coming nearer, slowing down.
RACHEL
It's stopping.
MARCO
I think it sees us. Should we run? Maybe we should run home and get a camera. Do you know how much money we could get for a video of a real UFO?
JAKE
If we run, they might...I don't know...zap us with phasers on full power.
The ship stops and hovers almost directly over their heads. Tobias starts grinning, his eyes bright and excited.
CASSIE
What do you think it's going to do?
TOBIAS
It's going to land.
Everyone slowly moves their heads to look at Tobias with a weird look, as he continues to stare at the ship, grinning. The ship begins to descend and everyone else looks back up at it.
MARCO
It's coming right at us!
Nobody moves – they all just stand there, mesmerized, as the ship hums and glows and slowly settles down in an open space between piles of junk and tumbled walls. Now that it's closer, we can notice some black burn marks along the top of the pod section. It touches the ground and instantly the bright blue lights turn off.
RACHEL
(whispering)
It isn't very big, is it?
MARCO
(whispering)
We should tell someone. I mean, this is kind of major, you know? Spaceships don't just land in the construction site every day. We should call the cops or the army or the President or something. We'd be totally famous. We'd get to be on Letterman for sure.
JAKE
(whispering)
You're right. We should call someone.
But nobody moves.
RACHEL
(whispering)
I wonder if we should try and talk to it. I mean, we should communicate, if that's even possible.
Tobias nods. He steps forward and holds out his hands, showing whoever is in the ship that he isn't carrying any kind of weapon.
TOBIAS
(to occupant of ship; loud, clear, voice)
It's safe. We won't hurt you.
Cassie
(whispering)
Do you think they speak English?
Jake lets out a nervous laugh.
JAKE
(whispering)
Well, everyone speaks English on Star Trek.
TOBIAS
(to occupant of ship; loud, clear, voice)
Please, come out. We won't hurt you.
From this point on, whenever there are < and > around words, it is thought-speech and is only heard in people's heads. The effect used for this could be like hearing someone talk in a tunnel, or a large enclosed space – like a filter of some kind.
VOICE
< I know. >
Everyone freezes and slowly begin to look around, trying to find where the voice came from. Jake and Cassie exchange looks and their fear-filled eyes meet.
TOBIAS
Did everyone just hear that?
Everyone all nods at once, very slowly.
TOBIAS
(to occupant of ship; loud, clear, voice)
Can you come out?
VOICE
< Yes. Do not be frightened. >
TOBIAS
(to occupant of ship; loud, clear, voice)
We won't be frightened.
MARCO
(under his breath)
Speak for yourself.
A thin arc of light appears on the side of the ship - a doorway opening slowly. Everyone stands still, totally hypnotized. The opening grows like a crescent moon at first, then a full bright circle. And then HE appears.
The alien has a head and shoulders and arms that are where they are on a human, with pale blue skin. Below that, he has fur - a mix of blue and tan, covering a four-legged body that resembles a deer. He has no mouth, just three vertical slits for a nose, and there are two eyes in the normal place for eyes, although they are a glittery green color, and tow more eyes on long stalks on the top of his head, like horns, that can move, twist, and point in any direction. The alien also has a long tail like a scorpion's tail, thick and powerful-looking. On the end is a curved, very sharp blade.
TOBIAS
Hello.
Jake wipes something from his eye and looks at his hand to see a tear sliding down it, confused. He looks around and sees that everyone else suddenly has mysterious tears in their eyes as well. Yet none of them can help but smile for some strange reason.
ALIEN
< Hello. >
The other teens take turns saying awkward hi's and hello's. Then, as the alien steps out of his ship, he staggers and falls to the ground. Tobias tries to grab him and hold him up, but the alien slips from his grasp and falls back down.
CASSIE
Look!
She points at a deep, black burn that covers half the alien's right side.
CASSIE
He's hurt.
ALIEN
< Yes. I am dying. >
JAKE
Can we help you? We can call an ambulance or something.
CASSIE
We can bandage that wound.
(turns to Jake)
Jake, give me your shirt. We can tear it up and make bandages.
Jake starts to take his shirt off, but the alien weakly raises a hand.
ALIEN
< No. I will die anyway. The wound is fatal. >
JAKE
But you can't die! You're the first alien ever to come to Earth!
ALIEN
< I am not the first. There are many, many others. >
TOBIAS
Other aliens? Like you?
The alien shakes his head slowly.
ALIEN
< Not like me. >
He suddenly cries out in pain; a silent sound that echoes horribly inside their minds, just like the thought-speech.
ALIEN
< They are different. >
JAKE
Different how?
ALIEN
< They have come to destroy you. >
*************
Commercial Break
*************
ALIEN
< They have come to destroy you. >
The teens all exchange worried glances.
ALIEN
< They are called Yeerks. They are different from us. Different from you, as well. Many are here. Hundreds. Maybe more. >
The alien winces in pain and Tobias shifts so he can hold him up a bit better.
MARCO
Why hasn't anybody noticed them? I think someone would have mentioned it on the news.
ALIEN
< You do not understand. Yeerks are different. They have no body like yours or mine. They live in the bodies of other species. They are... >
Suddenly we see a flash shot of a large gray-green slimy slug the size of a rat as it appears in the minds of the teens. We flash back to the regular scene a second later.
MARCO
I'm guessing that was either a Yeerk or a very big wad of gross chewing gum.
ALIEN
< They are almost powerless without hosts. They... >
Suddenly the alien screams in pain once again. After calming down for a few seconds, he continues.
ALIEN
< The Yeerks must have a host to live in. They enter the brain and are absorbed into it, taking over the host's thoughts and feelings. They try to get the host to accept them voluntarily. It is easier that way. Otherwise the host may be able to resist, at least a little. >
JAKE
This is serious stuff. You shouldn't be telling us. We're just kids, you know. This is like something the Government should know about.
ALIEN
< We had hoped to stop them. Swarms of their Bug Fighters were waiting when our Dome ship came out of Z-Space. We knew of their mothership and were ready for the Bug fighters, but the Yeerks surprised us - they had hidden a powerful Blade Ship in a crater of your moon. We fought, but...we lost. They have no doubt tracked me here. They will be here soon to eliminate all traces of me and my ship. >
CASSIE
How can they do that?
ALIEN
< Their Dracon beams will leave nothing behind but a few molecules of this ship... and this body. I sent a message to my homeworld. We Andalites fight the Yeerks wherever they go throughout the universe. My people will send help, but it may take a couple years, even more, and by then the Yeerks will have control of this planet. After that, there is no hope. You must tell people. You must warn your people! >
Marco looks at Jake and shakes his head.
MARCO
No one is ever going to believe us. They'll think we're on drugs.
Another spasm of pain rips through the alien – the Andalite.
RACHEL
Ok, I don't care if he thinks he's going to die, we have to try and help him.
ANDALITE
< There is no time. >
Eyes brighten.
< Perhaps... >
JAKE
What?
ANDALITE
< Go into my ship. You will see a small blue box. Bring it to me. Quickly! I have very little time, and the Yeerks will find me soon. >
The teens all look at each other. Who is going to be the one to go inside the ship? Marco slaps Jake on the back.
MARCO
Have fun with that, buddy.
JAKE
But...
Rachel
Go on, Jake.
TOBIAS
Go ahead. I want to stay with him.
Tobias places a comforting hand on the alien's shoulder. Jake looks at the doorway into the spacecraft, and then glances at Cassie, who smiles back at him.
CASSIE
Go ahead. You're not scared.
JAKE
(under his breath)
Yeah. Sure.
He slowly walks over to the door of the ship and peers inside.
INT. ANDALITE SHIP
Everything is a creamy color with rounded edges and shapes that tend to be oval. There is no chair, just an open space where the Andalite stands on his four hooves while he works the few controls.
Jake steps up into the ship and spots the box easily - it is sky-blue and square, four inches on each side. As he moves to grab it, something catches his eyes - a small, three-dimensional picture of four Andalites, standing all together. Two of them look like very small kids.
Jake grabs the box and heads back outside.
EXT. ABANDONED CONSTRUCTION SITE – NIGHT
Jake approaches the Andalite.
JAKE
Here's the box.
The Andalite takes the box into his hands.
JAKE
I, um...was that your family? That picture?
ANDALITE
< Yes. >
Jake looks down sadly.
JAKE
I'm real sorry.
ANDALITE
< I know that you are young. I know that you have no power with which to resist the Yeerks. But I can give you some small powers that may help. >
Everyone looks at each other yet again, except for Tobias, who never takes his gaze off the Andalite.
ANDALITE
< It is a piece of Andalite technology that the Yeerks do not have. A technology that enables us to pass unnoticed in many parts of the universe - the power to morph. We have never shared this power. But your need is great. >
RACHEL
Morph? Morph how?
ANDALITE
< To change your bodies. To become any other species. Any animal. >
Marco laughs nervously.
MARCO
Become animals? He's kidding, right?
TOBIAS
No. He's not kidding.
ANDALITE
< You will only need to touch a creature, to acquire its DNA pattern, and you will be able to become that creature. It requires concentration and determination, but, if you are strong, you can do it. There are however...limitations. Dangers. But there is no time to explain it all...no time. You will have to learn for yourselves, if you wish to receive this power. >
MARCO
This is nuts! This whole thing is nuts! Aliens and spaceships, and slugs taking over people's brains, and deer things with the power to change into animals? Give me a break.
RACHEL
We're off the map of weirdness by this point. But unless we're all just dreaming, I think we'd better deal with this.
TOBIAS
Guys, he's dying. We need to decide now.
CASSIE
I'll do it.
JAKE
I think we should all decide together. One way or the other.
Rachel hears a very low noise and looks up in the sky. Far above, two pinpoints of bright red light start shooting across the sky.
RACHEL
What's that?
The Andalite weakly lifts his head to see.
ANDALITE
< Yeerks. They are coming. >
The twin red lights slow. They turn in a circle and head back toward them.
ANDALITE
< You are out of time! You must decide! >
TOBIAS
We have to do this. How else can we fight these Yeerks?
MARCO
This is so insane! We're just teenagers!
RACHEL
I'd like more time, but we don't have that choice. I'm for it.
CASSIE
What do you say, Jake?
Jake looks up at the Yeerk ships – the Bug Fighters – and sees them circling closer. He looks back down at the dying alien.
TOBIAS
We have to, Jake...
Jake slowly nods.
JAKE
Yes. We have no other choice.
ANDALITE
< Then each of you, press your hand against one of the sides of the square. >
They do so and then the Andalite places his hand on a side as well. The teens all shiver as a kind of shock runs through them. The Andalite quickly removes his hand from the square.
ANDALITE
< Go now. Only remember this - never remain in animal form for more than two of your Earth hours. That is the greatest danger of the morphing. If you stay longer than two hours, you will be trapped and unable to return to human form. >
JAKE
(nodding)
Two hours.
Suddenly the Andalite swerves all his eyes up at the sky, growing large with fear.
ANDALITE
< Visser Three! He comes! >
JAKE
What's a Visser? Who's Visser?
ANDALITE
< Go now! Run! Visser Three is here! He is the most deadly of your enemies! Of all Yeerks, he alone has the power to morph – the same power you now have. Run! >
TOBIAS
No, we'll stay with you. Maybe we can help.
ANDALITE
< No. You must save your planet. >
The two red lights begin sinking toward them. But then the lights are joined by a third ship, far larger. It is black and barley visible in the night sky.
JAKE
He's right. Run!
Everyone except Tobias takes off running. Tobias stays knelt beside the Andalite and takes his hand. The Andalite presses his other hand against Tobias's head. Tobias rocks back, like he's been shocked. Then he, too, is up and running, stumbling over the loose junk and potholes of the construction site.
A beam of bright red light snaps on - a spotlight from one of the Bug fighters. The beam lights up the fallen Andalite and his ship. A spotlight from the second Bug fighter joins the first.
Jake trips and falls, his leg within the circle of that spotlight. He quickly yanks it out and crawls fast, scraping his elbows and knees on the ground. The five teens crouch behind a low crumbled wall, and turn back to witness what will happen to the Andalite.
Slowly the Bug Fighters descend. They are slightly larger than the Andalite Fighter and shaped like legless cockroaches. There are small windows like eyes on the front and on either side there are two very long, very sharp, spears.
The Yeerk Bug fighters touch down, one on either side of the Andalite ship.
MARCO
(whispering)
Okay, you can wake me up now. I've had enough of this dream.
The larger ship now begins to descend. It is built like a battle-axe from medieval ages. There is the main part which is like the handle of an ax, with a big triangular point on the front. At the rear are two huge, scimitar wings. It is ten times the size of the Bug Fighters.
The ship settles toward the ground. It looks like it is going to land directly on a big rusted earthmover parked there, but as the ship descends, the earthmover just sizzles and disappears. Once the Blade Ship lands, a door opens. Cassie starts to scream at what they see, but Jake quickly clamps his hand over her mouth.
Creatures walk off the ship. They stand on two bent-back legs and have two very long arms. On each arm there are curved horn-blades growing out of the wrist and elbow. There are other blades at their bent-back knees, and two more blades at the end of their tails. They have feet like a Tyrannosaurus Rex. As for the head, there is a neck like a snake, a mouth that is almost a falcon's beak, and, from the forehead, three daggerlike horns rake forward.
ANDALITE
< Hork-Bajir-Controllers. >
The teens jump at hearing the Andalite's words in their minds again. They are fainter than before though. Strained, like someone talking from far away.
ANDALITE
< I can direct my thought-speak directly at you five, or open for all to hear. Right now it is only you that can hear me. The Hork-Bajir were a good people, despite their fearsome looks. But their entire race has been enslaved by the Yeerks. >
Another new form exits the ship, creeping, slithering, and shimmying out. They are like massive centipedes, twice as long as a grown man. They have dozens of legs that support the lower two thirds of their bodies. The top third is held upright, and there the rows of legs become smaller, with little lobster-claw hands. Around the top of their tubular bodies are four eyes, each like a wiggling globule of red Jell-O. And at the very end, pointing straight up in the air, is a round mouth, ringed by hundreds of tiny teeth.
ANDALITE
< Taxxon-Controllers. The Taxxons are pure evil. >
MARCO
(whispering)
Yeah, I think I would have guessed that...
Hork-Bajir and Taxxons pour from the Blade Ship, spreading out around the area like well-trained Marines. They are holding small, pistol-sized weapons. They form a ring around the Andalite and his ship. Suddenly, one of the Hork-Bajir walks straight toward the teens. They duck down and hug the dirt tightly, trying to stay out of view.
The Hork-Bajir points his gun around at the darkness. His snake head swerves left and right, trying to penetrate the gloom.
ANDALITE
< Stay silent! Hork-Bajir do not see well in darkness, but their hearing is very good. >
The Hork-Bajir moves closer still. It is just a few away now, with just the low wall between it and the teens. Their hearts pound, knees quivering, and teeth slightly chattering in fear.
ANDALITE
< Courage, my friends. >
After a few more seconds, the Hork-Bajir moves away as something new starts coming from the Blade ship. Shaking and chattering, the teens poke their heads up to look over the low wall and see every Hork-Bajir and every Taxxon turn toward the ship. Then he appears; Another Andalite. A very strong-looking, threatening Andalite with a very large blade on his tail.
ANDALITE
< There is only one Andalite-Controller. That one is Visser Three. >
Visser Three walks confidently toward the wounded Andalite.
VISSER THREE
< Well, well. What have we here? A meddling Andalite? >
Visser Three looks more closely at the Andalite's ship.
VISSER THREE
< Ah, but no ordinary Andalite warrior! Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, if I am not mistaken! An honor to meet you once again. You've become a legend since we last met. How many of my fighters have you shredded? >
The Andalite – Elfangor – doesn't answer. He just stares at Visser Three with hatred.
VISSER THREE
< The very last Andalite in this sector of space. Yes, I'm afraid your Dome Ship has been completely destroyed. I watched it burn as it fell into the atmosphere of this little world. >
ELFANGOR
< There will be others. >
The Visser takes a step closer to the Andalite.
VISSER THREE
< Yes, and by the time they come, it will be too late. This world will be mine. My own contribution to the Yeerk Empire, Our greatest conquest. And then I'll be Visser One. >
ELFANGOR
< What do you want with these Humans? You have your Taxxon allies. You have your Hork-Bajir slaves. And other slaves from other worlds. Why these people? >
Visser Three sneers with his eyes.
VISSER THREE
< Because they are a Class Five species! They are so many, and they are so weak! Billions of bodies! And they have no idea what's happening. With this many hosts we can spread throughout the universe, unstoppable! Billions of us! We'll have to build a thousand new Yeerk pools just to raise Yeerks for half this number of bodies! Face it, you have fought well and bravely. But you have lost. >
Visser Three steps right up to Elfangor. Struggling greatly, Elfangor climbs to his feet to challenge Visser Three head-on.
VISSER THREE
< I promise you one thing, Prince Elfangor - when we have this planet, with its rich harvest of bodies, we will finally move against the Andalite homeworld. I will personally hunt down your family. And I will personally oversee the placement of my most faithful lieutenants in their heads. I hope that they will resist, so I can hear their minds scream. >
Elfangor strikes. His tail whips up and over, so fast that we can hardly even see it. The Visser twists his head aside and Elfangor's tail blade misses the Visser's head by a bare half-inch, however it slices into his shoulder. Blue blood sprays from the wound and Visser Three howls in pain. At the same time, a blinding beam of blue light shoots from the tail of the Andalite ship and it slices into the nearest Bug Fighter and the Bug Fighter sizzles and disappears. Hork-Bajir and Taxxons scatter.
VISSER THREE
< Burn his ship! >
The night explodes in blinding light. Red beams fire from the Blade ship and the remaining Bug Fighter. The Andalite ship glows, and with a strange slowness, disintegrates. In the flash and glow of the beams, a small group of humans are visible in the shadows behind the Visser.
JAKE
(whispering)
Look! There are people over there.
MARCO
(whispering)
Maybe they're prisoners.
VISSER THREE
< Take the Andalite! Hold him for me. >
Three Hork-Bajir grab Elfangor and hold him down, keeping their wrist blades by his throat. Then Visser Three begins to morph. His Andalite head grows much larger. The four horse-like legs merge into two and then expanded, each leg becoming as big around as a redwood tree. The delicate Andalite arms sprout and become tentacles.
From behind their wall, Cassie shakes her head.
CASSIE
(whispering)
This isn't real...This isn't real...
In the hideously bloated head, a mouth appears, filled with teeth as long as an arm. The mouth grows wider and wider, becoming a monstrous, terrifying grin. There is nothing left of the Andalite body - a monster has taken its place. The monster lets out a long, loud, ground-shaking roar, and the teens have to cover their ears. Visser Three reaches out with one thick tentacle and grabs the Andalite by the neck.
CASSIE
(whispering)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Rachel puts an arm around Cassie's shoulder and holds her tightly, turning her head away.
RACHEL
(whispering)
Don't look. baby.
Rachel looks around and sees tears streaming down Tobias' face. Without saying a word, she gently takes his hand in hers and squeezes it tightly as Visser Three lifts Elfangor straight up in the air, tearing him from the grasp of the Hork-Bajir.
Elfangor strikes again and again with his tail, but each strike is like a pinprick against such a creature. Visser Three holds the Andalite high in the air, and then he opens his mouth wide.
Jake jumps to his feet and snatches up a rusted pipe from the ground. He starts to climb over that wall.
JAKE
You filthy...
ELFANGOR
< No, young one! >
The Andalite's silent cry makes Jake hesitate. Marco grabs Jake's shirt and pulls him back quickly, and with Tobias' help, they hold him down. Rachel lets go of Cassie so she can put her hand over Jake's mouth just as he starts trying to scream and shout.
RACHEL
(whispering)
Shut up, you idiot! You're just going to get us all killed!
Cassie puts a gentle hand on Jake's cheek.
CASSIE
Jake, don't. He doesn't want you to die for him. Don't you realize? He's dying for us.
Jake gets an arm free and shoves Marco and Tobias away angrily, but then he calms down on his own. He peeks over the wall again, quickly joined by the others. Elfangor is helpless in the grasp of Visser Three. He's held high in the air and Visser Three opens his monstrous, gaping jaws.
Elfangor is then dropped into that open mouth and the mouth closes. The teeth rip the Andalite apart. The Hork-Bajir-Controllers begin making a whuh-whuh-whuh sound, as if laughing. The Taxxon-Controllers rush forward and crowd around Visser Three, stretching up toward him. A piece of the Elfangor's body falls from the Visser's jaws and the nearest Taxxon greedily gobbles it up.
Tobias turns away and covers his face with his hands. Cassie and Jake now also have tears streaming from their eyes. Then the humans with the aliens begin laughing, showing that they are not prisoners but Human-Controllers. Visser Three morphs out of his monstrous form and slowly regains his Andalite body.
VISSER THREE
< Ahhh, nothing like a good Antarean Bogg morph for taking a bite out of your enemies. >
Again the Human-Controllers laugh and the Hork-Bajir-Controllers huff. Marco turns away and starts throwing up. The sound he makes doing so, catches the attention of the nearest Hork-Bajir. The snake head turns and Marco instantly freezes. The Hork-Bajir turns toward the teens and the nearsighted eyes aim directly at their hiding place. Without even thinking, all the teens jump up and are running away. A cry goes up from the Hork-Bajir.
JAKE
Split up! They can't follow all of us!
Marco and Tobias and Cassie take off in three different directions. Rachel keeps pace with Jake. The Hork-Bajir hesitates, unsure of who to chase.
JAKE
Rachel, we have to get them to follow us!
RACHEL
What!?
JAKE
We're the fastest. Tobias is totally out of shape, and Marco and Cassie are too short to be really fast. You're in gymnastics and I play sports.
Rachel nods and slows down just a little, and begins yelling and waving her arms as she turns back around.
RACHEL
Come on! Come on, you bastards!
The two nearest Hork-Bajir snap around and take off after Jake and Rachel.
HORK-BAJIR #1
Ghafrash! Here! Ghafrash fit! Enemy! Get!
HORK-BAJIR #2
Ghafrash fit nahar! I get! I kill!
Jake suddenly trips over some loose rocks and falls to the ground hard, with the wind knocked out of him. Rachel continues on, not even realizing her cousin fell. A spear of red light strikes a concrete pipe just beside Jake and the concrete vaporizes. The two Hork-Bajir running after them bound like devil kangaroos. Within seconds, Jake takes a huge breath of air and is up and running again. By this point, Rachel had seen what happened to Jake and turns, running back for him.
JAKE
Don't be an idiot! Run!
Rachel hesitates just a second, before she turns back around and runs away again. Jake spots a nearby entrance to one of the buildings that had almost been completed, but not quite; just bare concrete walls and scattered junk. There are hallways and little side rooms as well, like a small maze.
Jake rushes through the entrance and scurries across the first big room. He slows down and gropes in the dark until he finds a wall. The sound of claw-like feet - huge, tearing, rending claw feet - scraping over the bare concrete can be heard. A bottle goes skittering across the floor.
Jake finds a doorway in the darkness and goes through it, entering a hallway just as a tall, heavyset man in his mid-40's entered the room behind and turned on a bright flashlight. One of the two Hork-Bajir turns its head to look at the human.
HORK-BAJIR #1
Efnud to tell fallay nyot fit? Whatever order.
HUMAN
No. No need to capture them. Whoever you find, kill.
Jake stays hidden in the shadows of the hallway, but he tries to look back to see if he could see a face on the human.
HUMAN
Just save the head. Bring that to me and we can identify it.
Jake, giving up on trying to get a look at the human, turns and makes his way quickly down the hallway, sliding along the wall with the light from the flashlight just a few steps behind him. Jake slips into another room just off of the corridor as the flashlight beam sweeps over the area he had just been. As he backs up, his feet kick something soft.
VOICE
Hey!
Jake whips around and sees a homeless man laying on the floor under a dirty blanket.
HOMELESS MAN
Get outta here! This is my place, and I ain't got nothin' for you to steal.
JAKE
Shh, be qui...
Before Jake could finish, the flashlight beam shoots right by him, missing him by a mere centimeter, and lands directly on the homeless man. A Hork-Bajir steps into the dark room as Jake quickly sneaks out of a hole in the unfinished wall. Once back outside, Jake runs away as fast as he can, the blood-curdling scream of the homeless man echoing through the air.
*************
Commercial Break
*************
INT. JAKE'S HOUSE – JAKE'S BEDROOM – DAY
Jake shoots his eyes open as a loud knocking is heard on his door. His mom pokes her head in.
JAKE'S MOM
Jake honey, are you awake? Your friend Tobias is here.
Jake moans and rubs sleep out of his eyes. He sits up.
JAKE
Ok, send him in.
Jake's mom leaves the doorway and Tobias walks into Jake's room, closing the door behind himself.
JAKE
Thank God you're ok. When I got home last night, I tried calling everyone, but nobody answered, and I didn't know your number.
Tobias
Everyone's ok. They're shaky, but they're alive.
Jake lets out a sigh of relief.
JAKE
That's good to hear.
Jake tries to get his hair to go in one direction by raking his fingers through it. He notices now that Tobias has a huge grin on his face.
JAKE
What is it?
TOBIAS
I did it.
JAKE
What are you talking about?
Jake yawns.
TOBIAS
I became Dude, my cat.
Jake stops yawning and his mouth snaps shut.
JAKE
What?
Tobias glances around like there might be spies in the room. Then he starts pacing back and forth, snapping his fingers, bursting with enthusiasm.
TOBIAS
I became Dude! Just like the Andalite said. It was so amazing! It didn't hurt or anything. I was petting him, and thinking about the whole thing last night, right? So I thought, why not give it a try? I didn't even know how to begin. So I just made sure the door to my room was locked. Fortunately, my uncle was still asleep.
JAKE
Your uncle?
TOBIAS
Uh, yeah...I guess I never told you, huh? I have no idea who my father is. He ran out before I was born, and my mom left me a few years ago. I've been shuttled back and forth between my uncle here and my aunt on the other coast. Neither really wants me, I think.
Jake is left awkward, not sure what to say. Tobias quickly gets back on topic.
TOBIAS
So anyway, there I was, just sitting on my bed, thinking about it. Concentrating. Thinking about becoming Dude. I looked down at my hand.
(grins)
I had fur, Jake. And I was growing claws. You should have seen the real Dude. He went nuts. I had to put him outside before I could morph all the way. He clawed me up pretty good.
Tobias sticks a sliced finger into his mouth as Jake swallows hard.
TOBIAS
You have no idea what it's like, Jake. Being a cat is so...it's...I can't even describe it. You're so strong, for one thing. Just all this coiled power, and the way you can move! You know what I did? I jumped onto my dresser three feet straight up in the air, and I landed like a feather. Three feet! You know how high that is when you're a cat? It's like a person jumping maybe thirty feet straight up.
JAKE
Look, Tobias, sometimes with dreams...they can be so real, it's hard to tell the difference between something real and something you're just dreaming.
TOBIAS
You think I'm crazy.
JAKE
I don't know, Tobias. You say you turned into your cat. Turned into an actual cat. Yes, I have to say that sounds crazy to me.
Tobias nods and then gives a little smile.
TOBIAS
Stay right there.
JAKE
What are you going to do?
TOBIAS
I'm going to help you decide whether it's real or not.
JAKE
Tobias...
TOBIAS
Just don't scream or anything, ok?
Jake shuts his mouth and waits. After a few seconds, nothing happens. Tobias is just standing there. Jake sighs, about to say something, but then quickly shuts his mouth again as Tobias' eyes begin to change - a green starts appearing in them. Then his mouth starts protruding a little before he starts shrinking – growing smaller and falling down inside the large bundle that is his clothes, all the while hearing the sounds of bones crunch and shift. At the same time fur begins to grow on him.
A few seconds after he has left Jake's sight and fallen inside his own clothes, a small gray-with-black-stripes cat walks out from under the bundle of clothes, and meows.
JAKE
Whoa...
Cut to black and roll end credits.
1/9/2009 2:23:46 AM
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