Animorphs 2.0

The Story He Saw

A/N: This might be a little confusing. Keep in mind, it's all that happened to Tobias in the canon story, simply with my Tobias watching. I wrote it this way because I wanted a Tobias who knew his father to experience everything the other Tobias did, except with more knowledge. For example, imagine a Tobias who'd been raised by his father watch him die. i know it's sad, but that's kind of the point. I hope you like it.

<Father, I'm so sorry.> He looked up. I was shocked. I hadn't expected him to hear me.

<My son.> He replied. <How do you...>

I swallowed the lump in my throat. <The Ellimist, Father. I come from a...parallel world.>

He looked at me with hope. <And in this world you know me? I haven't abandoned you?> He needed to know, his eyes pleading. The tears I'd been holding back came now, tearing down my face. <You never abandoned me Father, never. Not in this world and not in that one.>

<But I left you my son, and your mother wasn't there to->

<The Ellimist, Father. He forced you to. You said yourself if you had a choice, right?> I sat on the ground next to him.

<Tobias, am I a good father?> That he needed to ask this broke my heart. The tears wouldn't stop now that I sat in front of my dying father. So this is what the end of the world feels like, I thought. It hurt. But my father needed the answer to his question so I told him,

<Yes, Father. You are the best.> I didn't move as he wiped the tears from my face with weak fingers. I was unable to speak, or even think clearly.

<If you find your mother, tell her I love her.>

<I will.> I paused, and then unable to help myself, I added, <I love you, Dad.>

<I love you too, son.> He replied. And I believed him. <Now go, Tobias. You knew me as your father; you shouldn't have to watch what happens next. Remember me with honor.> I nodded and went to join my other self, but I didn't look away. No Father, I thought. I will honor you by seeing you go. I watched the other Tobias as events unfolded. He looked exactly like me, but, at the same time, very different. He looked more afraid, unsure of himself. I could tell that he didn't grow up in a happy home. It was in his eyes, his posture. Yet when he looked at Elfangor, the great Andalite Prince, there was wonder and adulation in his eyes. He must know. I said to myself, though it's impossible. He must know Elfangor is his father. I watched silently as another ship descends and I almost screamed at what came out. Visser Three. The Abomination. No, I thought. Not this. I didn't say anything as he laughed at Elfangor and morphed into a horrible creature. He picked him up and my teeth clenched. Still laughing he dropped him in one of the creature's many mouths.

"Nooooo!" I yelled and began rushing forward. I slammed into an invisible wall. "No!" I shouted again. I banged on the barrier with my fists, wailing. I didn't calm down for a long time. I cursed the Visser, I cursed the Ellimist, and everything else in the world that was wrong. After a while, exhausted, I looked down at the Tobias of this world. He was crying, too. I'm sorry, I told him silently. When the Hork-Bajir and Taxxons came looking in this area, and the five of them ran, I sat still, unable to move. My tears had long gone, but that hole inside me was still there. When everyone, including the Visser, was gone I stood up. I took a shaky breath, it hurt. I shouted up at the sky.

"Is this it?! Is this what you want from me? You want me to choose this?!" I got no reply. Instead, the world around me faded and I appeared somewhere else. I was on a tree branch, somehow I didn't fall. A red-tailed hawk sat next to me. My hawk. The bird morph I use. So this was me in this world. But why was I on a branch instead of in a bed? There was nothing there but a meadow so I couldn't be doing surveillance. Then, I realized the hawk was trying to sleep. I gasped. I was a nothlit. I was trapped in hawk morph. This didn't hurt me as much as I'd thought it would. After seeing my father die, I felt kind of numb. But it was more than that. I realized that the Tobias in this world didn't have a happy life as a human. He would prefer being a hawk. Having the ability to fly, to fight the Yeerks, it would seem like a better life. I did feel some pity for him, though. There are disadvantages to not being human. I blinked and we were both somewhere else. A room. A boy slept in a bed. He woke up from the rustling of the hawk's feathers. It was me as well. I was confused. This was obviously the Ellimist's doing, but why? I watched as the hawk flies onto third Tobias's arm and I realized what he was doing. The Ellimist was giving this world's me a chance to be human for two hours at a time. I blinked and I was back in the tree.

Are you happy now, Tobias?

At first I thought the Ellimist was talking to me, but no. It must be the hawk sitting next to me. This must be the conclusion of some deal. This was familiar territory for me; I've been on the receiving end of some of those "agreements" myself.

The world dissolved again and this time I listened as Tobias found out who his father was. I could see the shock he was trying to hide. I saw the tears that didn't leave his eyes. I followed him after he left the building. I sat next to him on the bench as he cried. This brought tears to my eyes as well and so two Tobias' now cried for their fallen hero.

I was in nothingness again. The Ellimist was all around. "How do you expect me to choose that? When I know all that will happen? Why wouldn't you just make me go, like you did Elfangor?"

All this already did happen, Tobias. I showed you this so you would know your past. As for why I didn't force you, this situation is different. I didn't put you in this world. Some other entity greater than me allowed this to happen, and for things to return to normal, you need to choose the right path. We do not interfere in the affairs of others. This must be your choice.

"Well then there's my answer. I won't choose. I'll stay where I am and won't decide."

Tobias that world was never meant to be. Even I don't know what the consequences of a situation such as this could be. You need to choose for the greater good of the people of both worlds. I will give you time, Tobias. When you're ready, call for me.

nonic8