Chapter 13
Rachel wants to run when Visser Three says for Chapman to kill her immediately. But then the cat mind helps to save her. She knows that if she even flicks one whisker that her secret will be out. That she will be dead.
Visser Three is staring at her and she can sense the Yeerk looking through his host's eyes. Chapman is also looking at her intensely. Rachel is terrified of her situation but the cat part of her doesn't give a shit. There is nothing to hunt or fear. It doesn't consider Chapman a threat.
Visser Three says, again, to kill Rachel. Rachel's response is to meow. This makes the all mighty Yeerk confused. Chapman stutters as he replies that a 'meow' is the sound a cat makes. It might possibly mean that 'Fluffers' is hungry.
The Visser then takes a swipe at Rachel with his tail-blade. Rachel reacts on pure instinct. She gets into a defensive position and takes a swipe at the Andalite tail-blade. This causes Visser Three to laugh. Both Rachel and Chapman are confused. The Visser laughing doesn't seem to make sense.
When Chapman points out that Fluffer belongs to Melissa and so killing him would blow his cover, Visser Three is angry but agrees to let Rachel live. To defend herself, Rachel rubs herself against Chapman. The Visser asks about the movement and Chapman replies it's to signal Fluffer wants to be fed.
Visser Three says that it's amusing that a cat can manipulate other creatures to do its bidding. He says Fluffer can live until they resolve the matter about Melissa. Iniss says that they had an agreement with Chapman. The Visser sneers and says that agreements are just lies to use to gain voluntary hosts. He says that if Chapman had brought him the Andalite bandits they wouldn't have to talk about a cat or girl.
Chapman says that he'll bring the Andalite bandits to Visser Three. The Visser tells the Controller to do that and the morphs into a Vanarx (things that eat Yeerks on the Yeerk home world). The Vanarx has its mouth close on Chapman's head. But, being a hologram, it does nothing. It scares Chapman shitless nonetheless.
Visser Three starts to demorph and tells Chapman not to fail him. When the hologram shuts down, the room goes dark. When Chapman finally leaves the room Ms. Chapman is there asking what Visser Three said.
What do you think Visser Three wants? What do you think he's obsessed with now?
Whoever the Yeerk the Visser killed must have been important to Chapman as he speaks out against Visser Three.
The conversation is interrupted when Melissa asks her parents for help with her math homework. While Melissa's parents being Controllers is horrible and frightening, they sure as hell should be able to help her with math!
Chapman snaps at Melissa saying that they're busy at the moment. I don't say he's wrong for snapping as he's (both Iniss and Chapman) concerned about Melissa and the fact that he's been given a death threat by his boss. Ms. Chapman is able to keep her cool better. You can tell that Melissa is disturbed but is trying to hold everything together. I want to hug her!
Rachel notices that the words the Controllers are saying are right and yet wrong at the same time. That humanity was missing from the words. This scares Rachel in a way that is different from the Yeerk pool. This is a fear that makes her want to cry instead of scream. Rachel finds herself going after Melissa.
Tobias is finally able to contact Rachel and she tells him that she's in Melissa's room. Tobias says he was worried that Rachel was trapped in the basement. Tobias says that Fluffer is trying to head home and the others are having a problem stopping him. I totally didn't see something like this being a problem!
Rachel jumps onto Melissa's bed, where her former friend is, and starts to purr. Though it takes a second for Rachel to know what the sound she's making is. Melissa than puts an arm around Rachel and that makes the cat part of her nervous. But then Melissa starts to scratch Rachel in a good spot.
Melissa asks Rachel what she did wrong. Rachel thinks that Melissa knows she's human, but then realizes that Melissa thinks she's talking to Fluffer. This scene is heart breaking. Just so damn heart breaking. We get a look into Melissa's secret pain through Rachel's cat morph.
I love and hate this scene for how heartbreaking it is.
This causes Rachel to have a new reason to fight. She sees the pain that the Yeerks have caused Melissa. How the Yeerks didn't have to infest her or for her to be brought into the war. But the Yeerks had removed Melissa's parents from her and now she only has a cat for comfort. Rachel says it's not a grand reason, but it was her reason.
Tobias continues to beg Rachel to come out, but she says to just wait and for Jake to shut up. Rachel purred as loud as she could for Melissa. Then Rachel realized how horrible it must be for families to be torn up like this. She wonders about how it would be if suddenly her parents stopped loving her like Melissa's had. At least from Melissa's point of view.
When Melissa falls asleep Rachel comes out to an angry Jake. He says she has ten minutes to spare and that she has to have a good reason for risking herself like that. Rachel reports what she learned in Chapman's basement. She also says that she's decided something and Cassie asks what.
Rachel says she will take whatever risks she has to because she hates the Yeerks so much. She says she will find a way to stop them. I'm sad since I know where this thought process will lead her.
Chapter 14
Rachel remarks that her grades are falling due to all the stress in her life. She says that she's trying to save Earth from the Yeerks and that's taking a lot out of her. Then she admits that she's not trying to save all of humanity, but her friend. Rachel is spending her energy on saving Melissa.
Rachel recounts that she now knows what's gone wrong in Melissa's life. Why her former friend is so distant. Her parents are infested and the Controllers can't act human enough. They can't act like they truly love their hosts' daughter. They can only pretend. So Melissa doesn't think that her parents love her anymore.
Whenever Rachel thinks about Melissa's situation she gets very angry. She thinks on her own parents getting divorced. She thinks about how she thought that they didn't love her when they separated. But they do still love her. Rachel then goes on to say that love is very important to the human condition.
I'll bring up now that my own parents separated when I was very little (my Mom divorced her second husband while I was in college, but he was a cheating asshole and I never liked him anyways) but I never got the pain of divorce like Rachel has here. I don't really remember the divorce happening and it was so long ago that I can't imagine my parents being together.
When Rachel leaves math class Jake informs her that there is going to be an Animorphs meeting later. It'll be where they had demorphed earlier in the book (the church tower). Rachel comments that it's a long walk and Jake says Rachel doesn't have to walk. He's hinting at Rachel using her bald eagle morph as a mode of transportation!
Rachel makes mention of it taking effort to take off. She wonders if her human body gets any of the exercise. I'm going with no to that question.
Rachel and Tobias talk. Tobias says where to go for some good thermals. I think the suggestion is partially for fun and partially to help. Rachel says that flying is beyond awesome and like the nicest thing in the world. Tobias says flying is great but there are other great things that only a human, not a bird, can experience. He says it in a way like he's stating a fact and that he's not feeling sorry for himself. But I wonder...
They spot the church tower, and possibly Cassie, and go there. Upon arrival Marco starts to say that they should have costumes. This is seriously so damn amusing. Then Jake and Tobias join in the conversation. Turns out that Marco just wants people to see them as superheroes. He brings up the X-Men outfits.
Rachel points out that they aren't superheroes in a comic book. Marco says that he wants to be a superhero in a comic book since that'll mean he won't die. I like that Marco is talking about his fear of dying in an amusing manner. Though he isn't covering up his fear that well.
Jake asks if Marco can focus on reality for once.
Rachel says that Marco's Mom died and his Dad broke down. Though Marco's mother's body was never found. She says the reason that Marco is so reluctant to fight the Yeerks is he's afraid if he dies then his father will break down even more. Jake is getting impatient and then Cassie comforts Marco. She says that the Animorphs need him but his Dad comes first.
Cassie says, "There isn’t much point in doing any of this if we forget why we’re doing it."
Rachel starts thinking about Melissa and then about her family. How great it was to have her family even when they got on her nerves. She tries to comfort Marco but he doesn't act kindly to it. Everyone has a part to play in the group and Rachel did something that she doesn't normally do.
Marco then gets serious and asks what they plan to do next. Of course he asks this in one of the most sarcastic ways possible. Rachel says that she wants to go back into Chapman's house to find out the location of the Kandrona. She says if they destroy the Kandrona they'll hurt the Yeerks badly. Of course it's safe to assume that's not the real reason she wants to go back to the Chapman house.
Marco points out the obvious flaw in her plan: they don't know what a Kandrona is. They know what it does. They know it's important to the Yeerks. They know destroying it will hurt the Yeerks. But they don't actually know what it is.
Rachel says that's why she needs to spy on Chapman. Chapman talks to Visser Three and so she'll eventually find out what a Kandrona is by sneaking into Chapman's house. Everyone looks at Rachel. Tobias asks her privately if she's really proposing the plan to spy on Chapman or if there's another reason. Jake tells her she can't go alone and Rachel says that it'd look suspicious if two cats went in.
It seems Rachel hadn't told the others about Visser Three saying to kill her. That's something sort of big and important to hide from the group, Rachel.
Cassie then says that they should at least think about it. Jake relents and says that Rachel can go in one more time and maybe they'll get lucky. Marco points out that they have never been lucky and Rachel retorts that maybe things are about to change for them.
Tobias says that finding the Kandrona isn't the only reason Rachel is going back into the Chapman house. She wants to help Melissa. Rachel replies that helping Melissa is the same thing as hurting the Yeerks. When the others are confused with her saying 'Same thing' it seems as though Tobias was talking to her privately.
Chapter 15
This chapter begins in such an awesome way. The night is dark and stormy and so the line that begins the chapter is a cliche. An overused line that Rachel/Applegate has fun with. It begins with 'It was a dark and stormy night' and Rachel's defense is that the weather is actually like that. She also says that she has always wanted to use that line.
Tobias says he sees Fluffer and that the cat is torturing a rat. He reassures Rachel that it's not a shrew. Rachel gets slightly angry at Tobias' comment saying just because she was a shrew doesn't mean she is a fan of them. Rachel notices that something seems to be odd about Cassie.
Tobias says that he'll scoop out the area. He has trouble flying due to the weather. He finally rights himself and gives the all clear. Rachel starts to feel sick and says she knows she'll feel better when she's in morph. I'm wondering if that's because the cat's confidence is so great or that once Rachel gets moving she'll be fine.
And AGAIN Rachel morphs without first taking off her clothing first.
Luckily Rachel is in cat morph and so doesn't pay much attention to Cassie's action. She remarks that cats don't have much interest in humans unless food is involved. Rachel then says she's off and starts moving. She remarks that she thought cats hated all water, but she realizes that cats hate rain because it makes it impossible to smell. And without smells a cat feels lost and cut off from the world.
Rachel continues saying that rain also makes it hard to listen for important sounds. She says that rain to cats is like being in the dark for humans.
With those thoughts going through her head, she runs through the kitty door. She thinks that Jake not being there is a bad omen. That something will go wrong because he's not there.
Sounds easy enough.
As Rachel starts to follow Chapman again she hears some talking to her through thought-speak. The person asks what's happening and Rachel nearly plows right into Chapman which would've blown her cover. A few seconds later the person identifies himself as Jake and repeats his previous question.
Rachel hides herself as Jake continues to question her on what is going on. She says he scared her and he asks if they are okay. This makes her even more pissed off. Jake says that he's on her and Rachel tells him to stop joking while she dodges Chapman's feet. Jake says he can't see and finally says that he's in flea morph.
Rachel is surprised about this and I'm here laughing about how much they were talking about not doing insect morphs earlier in the book.
Rachel realizes that Cassie had petted her to deposit Jake. Jake defends himself by saying that they were all worried about Rachel and that Tobias had given them information. Rachel thinks that it's both good and bad to have friends that care about you. She thinks it's creepy to have Jake on her.
When the hologram of Visser Three appears Rachel informs Jake of the situation. She also tells him to not distract her. Jake asks why bother hiding since she's undercover as Fluffer and nothing went wrong last time. The following bits of dialogue where Rachel informs Jake about the full situation and he proceeds to freak the fuck out are just priceless.
Visser Three then berates Chapman for not catching the Andalite bandits (aka the Animorphs). Chapman tries to defend himself by saying that he has to wait until the bandits show themselves. The stupid part of the conversation is when Visser Three asks how Andalites could acquire powerful morphs (like the tiger and elephant) and Chapman doesn't reply about zoos. Think, my enemies! Think!
Visser Three then goes onto saying that he needs suitable hosts to guard the Kandrona.
Jake asks what is going on and Rachel says the Visser is chewing Chapman out. Jake jokes that Marco will be sorry that he missed that happening. Rachel points out the downside is that the Visser really wants the Animorphs to be dead.
Rachel doesn't dodge one of Chapman's movements and now both Controllers are aware of her presence. The Visser asks what's happening and Chapman says it's the cat again. Visser Three reprimands Chapman for not killing Rachel earlier and the human Controller tries to tell the Visser why that didn't happen.
Chapter 16
Visser Three is happy since now they won't have to search for the Andalite bandits. They have one right in the room! Chapman asks if the Visser wants to kill Rachel. No, Chapman, he doesn't want to kill her. He wants to spend the rest of his time invading Earth by feeding her treats and petting her menacingly.
Er...Visser Three wants to torture Rachel. He tells Chapman to seize Rachel before she can morph back into 'Andalite form'. Torturing an Andalite is bringing the same sense of glee to the Visser that I have while looking at this guy:
I'd like to bring up again how much Rachel and Fluffer are alike. It's like their personalities are a match made in Heaven.
Rachel attempts to attack Chapman when he comes at her. She describes it seeming as if the Controller is moving in slow motion and she's at normal speed. She manages to scratch Chapman who recoils in pain. The Visser screams at Chapman to catch Rachel while Jake is wondering what the fuck is going on.
When Chapman has a good grip on Rachel, Visser Three tells Chapman to bring her to him. Chapman asks what he should do if Rachel demorphs into 'her Andalite shape'. The Visser reminds Chapman that he has weapons and to use them on her if she demorphs. The Visser also tells Chapman to bring Melissa.
Chapman gets nervous about this. It's like he truly cares for the daughter of his host. Visser Three says that it's because of Melissa that Rachel was able to infiltrate the house. Once the hologram goes away Chapman throws Rachel across the room. I'd berate him for that, but he seems to really care for Melissa and now she's going to get infested. And it's all because of this damn cat.
As Rachel is concentrating on righting herself and Chapman is getting a handheld Dracon beam, Jake is wondering what the fuck is going on. Any point of him in flea morph, so far, is making me laugh. Especially when he asks what's going on. I don't know if those are supposed to be funny moments or not.
Chapman calls to his wife and then threatens Rachel. It turns out Iniss doesn't want Melissa taken since it would make Chapman an unwilling host. And Iniss doesn't want that to happen. So I guess Iniss doesn't care so much for Melissa than for the ease he can control his host. Understandable.
Ms. Chapman asks what is going on and Chapman explains. Jake asks what is going on and Rachel says that she's about to be put into a cage. Chapman tells Rachel to go into the cage, while threatening her, and Rachel goes in. She knows it's useless to fight now. Chapman then tells Ms. Chapman to get Melissa. This is where things get odd...
This scene is so moving because it shows a few things. It shows that hosts can resist the Yeerks. No host, according to Iniss, has ever won against a Yeerk. But they can resist. However, the most moving thing about this little scene is the fact that we see how much Melissa's parents really love her. They are willing to be infested but resist when Melissa's freedom is threatened. Chapman was an ass in The Andalite Chronicles, but his character has seemed to evolved during the interim. A lot, I might add.
The Yeerks regain control of their hosts and this has made an impact on Rachel. She had trouble, before, seeing Yeerks and their hosts as two separate beings. But now she has proof that there are two different creatures in one body. She tells Jake that the Yeerks are now regaining control.
Iniss tells the Yeerk in Ms. Chapman that he can't handle his host being rebellious. He has to be at school every day. Chapman is needing time to recover but he'll rebel again when he's recovered. But Iniss is annoyed because he thinks that what Chapman will be doing is just annoying and useless. Ms. Chapman points out that Chapman doesn't have to win, he just has to wait for one moment and then strike.
Chapman says he'll try to explain to the Visser why Melissa must stay a free human being. As Chapman is taking Rachel and Jake out Melissa comes in. She is confused about Fluffer being in the cage. Rachel becomes frightened because if Melissa doesn't back off then she'll be infested for sure.
Melissa is crying over Fluffer and Rachel is overloaded. She is dealing with possibly losing a friend and Jake yelling at her telling her to explain the situation.
Rachel looks as she is getting closer and closer to the car. Suddenly the real Fluffer comes shooting across the lawn. Because Rachel has cat vision she is able to see Tobias. Fluffer is scared and sees the cage and tries to get in it. He is shocked when he sees himself. Rachel says the cat part of her is confused since it's not part of any 'cat reality'. She also notices Tobias cut Fluffer to get him moving in the right direction.
Melissa is shocked and asks what's going on. Chapman replies that the cat in the cage isn't Fluffer and he's taking it to a shelter so 'his' owners can pick him up. Melissa asks why he didn't say that before and Chapman says he didn't notice her. The daughter brings up the fact that she was crying. Chapman is confused. And I think this part is more painful because we, the readers, know that her parents love her dearly. They love her so much that it gives them the strength to resist their Yeerks. But she doesn't know that and thinks this is further proof that she's doing something wrong.
Rachel points out the only way things end out well is if Jake jumps off now and she gets tortured. To do otherwise is to risk two members of the team, of which one is the leader. I am getting teary eyed over the fact that Rachel is risking so much since she is so young.
Rachel informs Jake that they're at the Construction site. When he continues to refuse to get off her she starts to scratch him off. He finally relents and says he'll get off her.
Rachel looks at the Construction site and remembers the events from the first book. The events that started them off on the path to become Animorphs. She thinks of Elfangor dying and the fact that, like him, she was losing her fight. She starts to think if there is any hope and if fighting the Yeerks is just a useless gesture.
Before Jake jumps off he tells Rachel to be strong. To make sure that Jake has truly gone she talks to him. She says that she does need him and that she has changed her mind. When he doesn't reply she realizes she is all alone. Because Jake would totally not lie to her or anything.
Fear starts to eat away at her so she tries to borrow the cat's courage. But when the door of the Blade ship opened up Rachel experienced only fear.
Animorphs Re-Read Table of Content
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