M&T #5 The Test

By: Maggie

RACHEL

        I felt like my chest was about to explode, I wanted to hurt, to kill whoever did this to my Tobias. But all I did was cry and let my tears fall on his face. I slowly got up, and looked around for clues to..to anything! My foot suddenly hit something soft. I looked down and soon realized it was Crayak. A dead Crayak. Tobias must have...but why was he dead? The air opened in front of me, like the Ellimist does. Only it wasn't the Ellimist, it was Maggie. She looked at me and looked confused
     "Where's Tobias?" She asked before seeing the body. Then she screamed and rushed over to him. Maggie tried everything before sitting down, defeated.
     "He's dead isn't he?" She asked me and looked about to break down in tears. Only she didn't, instead she offered me her hand. "We have to go, who knows what will pop out next."
     "Yeah," I managed to pull the words out of my brain. "Yeah, we should go."

 MAGGIE

        Everyone had gone home, most crying. Cassie was having Rachel over so they wouldn't have to explain why she was upset. Most of my fellow Animorphs were crying, they all were blaming themselves. Except me. Do you want to know a secret? I've only cried twice in my life. Those two times were the lowest points in my life, and Tobias was there both times, conforting me, helping me cope. I ran though every idea in my head that might be able to bring Toby back. Toby, the nickname I gave him somehow conforted me. All the good times we had shared came rushing back to me.
        It hit me right then, Rachel and I had left his body in the vortex. And I might have to have a funeral. Ugh, I hated funerals. Once I had attend my own. That is a memory I'd rather forget. Just then the tears came. I was
soon sobbing. I needed to be with my friends. Not the Animorphs, I'm never supposed to ask for help with them. But my old friends, the ones that Tobias and I had grown up with. The ones who would never know my secret. Marcy and Mike, Tobias' and mine's best friends. I picked up the phone and started to dial.

 MARCO

        I have always said that laughing cures the soul. Not now, laughing now would be ridiculous. I wasn't as close to Tobias, not like Maggie, Rachel, and Ax. I was worried for those three. Rachel couldn't stop crying. Ax looked like he was in shock. And Maggie, well what can I say? Maggie puts up a wall whenever emotion is about to strike. I was having a flashback to the two times when people that I was close with have died. Jake and my Mom. Jake came back because of a time thing, and as it turned out my Mom was never dead just controlled. Witch in itself was a curse and a blessing. Now I had hope to live with to free her but I also had the
extreme choice that I have to face whenever I see her, to kill or not to kill? I'm advioding the subject, aren't I? I really don't care. I felt that I should help someone to show them that I've done this and gotten through it. I decided on Maggie. I had lost a family member and she just lost her whole family, period. No dad to cry with, nothing.
        I flew over to the apartment and demorphed as soon as I got in the window. The place felt really empty.
       "Maggie?" Now I was getting nervous, "Ummm..Maggie? You in here?" Then I saw the note.
        Jake, Rachel, Marco, Cassie, Ax:
                                I've gone to New York for a while. I'll be staying with some friends. Number is 675-0900.
Just ask for Maggie or Marcy. Be back soon.

-Maggie

        Jake was NOT going to be happy about this.

 CASSIE

        "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT SHE'S GONE?" Jake roared. Marco winced, he had just called us all over to tell us that Maggie was gone. It was a dumb thing to do, I mean we should all stay in one place when something like this happen. But I also understand Maggie's view of things. I mean the only tie she has with us was Tobias. And now that he was gone she wanted to be comforted by their old friends. She was going to
have to tell them anyway. I pulled Jake over and told him this.
        "I really don't care Cassie, what if Crayak came back?" He sighed, "Marco? What's the number?"
        "Put it on speaker." Rachel whispered, I was getting really worried about her. She was either crying or just sitting there. I know that she thought it was her fault that Tobias' died, but still....
        Jake dialed the number and put it on speaker phone "Hello?" A unframiler voice answered "Is this for Maggie." She sounded as if she had been crying
        Jake took a breath "Yeah, tell her it's-"
        Maggie all of a sudden got on "Jake. I know. I'm guessing you got my note."
        Marco spoke up "Yeah we got your note Maggie. Why are you in New York?"
        You could practically hear Maggie roll her eyes "Ask Cassie."

RACHEL

        After our little chat with Maggie we all headed home, or rather I went home with Cassie. She has been so great though all this, never pushing me. I had never realized how much I cared for Tobias until he was gone. I
loved him. I loved him as the loner, the nothlit, and the human. And now he was gone.
        I couldn't sleep, so when Cassie finally drifted off I got up and called Maggie in New York. This time Maggie
answered.
        "Hello?" This time I defiantly knew Maggie had been crying
        "Hi Maggie, it's Rachel."
        She paused momentarily "Hi Rach, how are you doing?"
        "Not so good." I stopped "No good at all." I said my voice cracking, "And you?"
        "He was my brother." She stated with a sad voice, "He was my only family."
        I wanted to change the subject, It was just plain weird to hear Maggie depressed and well...emotional. She wasn't like that. "When are you coming home?"
        "I'll be home around 7 AM today."
        "Today? God is it Saturday already?"
        "Yeah it'd be 3 in the morning." I heard a zipper in the background. "I'm packing now."
        "Well, then I'll let you go."
        "Bye"

AX

        This wasn't possible. Tobias, my shorm could never be dead. Not possible. It was the work of that foul creature called the Ellimist. We should never had trusted him! He was evil. Tobias had been tricked by him and
we all have helped him. I didn't understand it. Maggie dealt with all this in a strange way. Leaving us all. I cried for Tobias as I did the death ritual, after all, Tobias is half Andalite. It was a way for me to say good-bye.

MAGGIE

        I had finally gotten home. I came in the house and just collapsed on the couch. I was worried about Rachel, she had sounded really bad. Not that I'm one to talk. I wanted to talk to Tobias, to make sure that he was
alright. Unlike the others I know that after life does exist. For me at least. When I die I will become a full Ellimist.
Only I won't be Maggie. I will be part of the Ellimist. Not something that I am looking forward to. But I really don't know what is happening with Tobias. All I know is that he is gone.
        I missed New York and all my friends there. All of them had been so upset when I had delivered the news, it showed how much they cared. But now that I had partners in the fight, I felt connected to them. Where ever I
would go I would fight, its my nature. But who and where should I fight?
        I needed coffee. Black coffee. I've always been addicted to it and probably always will be. Tobias can't...couldn't...stand the stuff. Suddenly a Falcon flew through the window.
        "Hey Jake. You need something?"
        Once fully demorphed he glared at me "I want an explanation. Now!"
        That pissed me off I mean my brother is dead and he can't understand why I'm upset! "Oh Gee, Jakey boy what do you want? Why I'm upset that my brother died? Why I went to see my real friends and arrived around 8 at night only to be later called at a friends house to be yelled at! I then had to leave my friends VERY early in the morning and then suprise, suprise! Get yelled at by everyone's favorite leader." I glared back at him. He was suprised I could tell. I had a temper but I try to keep it down or its total Jerry Springer.
        He went from suprised to angry fast "Don't test me Maggie. I've been leading the Animorphs for 2 years."
        "And I've been fighting since I was 3!"
        He was stunned "3 years old? My god, you had no childhood!" He was no longer mad he was pitying me. And I hate pity more than Visser 3 (Okay, so maybe I hate Visser 3 a tad more.)
        "I don't need your pity Jake."
        He then did something totally unexpected, he hugged me. "Maggie, I'm sorry."
        With that he left.  I had a very familiar feeling in my stomach, I was falling for Jake. "Great" I muttered to myself "I like one of the love birds, and he is in luv with Cassie." I needed to forget these feelings I told myself, Cassie's my friend. (a/n, all J&C fans read note at end)

RACHEL

        I was the next morning and we were all gathered in Maggie's apartment. Maggie was in the open kitchen making a salad for herself and talking away, she seemed to be on a caffeine rush. Just then air opened in front of us. Tobias. Wait a minute TOBIAS!!!!!!!
        I ran to him and jumped up and kissed him over and over not believing what I was seeing. Tobias on the other hand looked very confused.
        "WHAT. And I mean WHAT am I doing here? I was in the vortex!" Just then Ranch dressing came flying at us. Maggie had been about to put the dressing on the salad when she looked up. She tightened her grip
on the bottle and Whoops!
        "Toby!" Maggie screeched "Your alive!" She ran over and gave him a hug as I reluctantly let go of him.
        "Was I dead again?" He sighed referring to the David incident
        NO TOBIAS, YOU WERE REALLY DEAD, the Ellimist voice rand out
        "Then why am I here?" He asked
        IT WAS ALL A TEST SO THAT YOU COULD PROVE THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOUR LIFE, ALL OF THE MEMORIES OF THAT YOU ARE DEAD HAS BEEN ERASED FROM YOUR OTHER FRIENDS
        Maggie rolled her eyes calmly walked up to him and hit the Ellimist square in the jar.

AUTHOR'S NOTE!!!!
        For all you J&C fans stay tuned! You'll love what I have coming up next. And for all my fellow R&T  fans..Wow

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