Morning Ritual [open]

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Ax stood alone on the grass surrounding the Garibah that Stacy had abducted from his homeworld. The ship lacked the sunrise he needed to properly perform the morning ritual, but he had decided that the Garibah would make a more than adequate substitute.

< From the water that gave birth to us, > he began, dipping his right forehoof into the dish of water he'd brought with him. The lack of running water in the vicinity had been the second problem he'd faced. He wasn't particularly fond of the ritual, but he certainly wasn't going to perform them in a room devoted to waste elimination.

< From the grass that feeds us, > he continued, crushing a tuft of grass under that same hoof. < For the freedom that unites us, > he spread his arms wide and looked up at the branches of the Garibah and up further to the ceiling of Stacy's City. < We rise to the stars. >

Ax bowed low. < Freedom is my only cause. Duty to the people, my only guide. Obedience to my prince, my only glory. The destruction of my enemies, my most solemn vow. > Rising from his bow, he stepped into a fighting stance and drew his tail blade against his own throat. < I, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, Andalite warrior-cadet, offer my life. >

The ritual complete, he relaxed his tail and closed his main eyes. This was the part where he was supposed to meditated on the ritual and whether or not he was living up to it. He'd never been particularly good at that part, not being a big believer in the rituals to begin with. But he was an Andalite, and he did intend to be a warrior, to continue being a warrior, and so the ritual must be performed.

Perhaps it would give him some direction.

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[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

The morning, if it even mattered, brought its usual unease to Katara. It was sleep these days that unsettled her these days: the lack of movement didn't help any, and the nightmares wasn't somethings she felt comfortable talking about. They were still about HER, the last real fight she had where life and death were on the line. She remembered every minute in her mind, and they played out in her dreams: the instantaneous movement, her heart beating in her chest, the seconds she avoided the bolt of lightning that made her hair stand on end. She could still hear the crackle, still feel how close it was before she narrowly avoided it. Even then, it was something she could handle. Fighting close to death had been something that became common. It was the afterward that caused her the turmoil, it was the outburst, the screaming tears, that brought Katara up, that had her feeling a pain she shouldn't have, a guilt she wouldn't tell anyone. It always made the mornings the worst to wake up to.

This wasn't unlike any of those other times, and once she was up, Katara was restless. She didn't want the Sensoriums this time, so she decided to take a walk in the City. There was a slight chill in the air for her: nothing she wasn't used to, but it had been awhile since she had her coat. She didn't shiver though.

The place was new to her, almost reminded her of when Damion gave his sermon. It was different though: this kind of place felt a little more familiar somehow, like the spirituality in it had a trace of something in her world. The tranquility was definitely a plus. Here she saw a being unlike any she'd seen before, in fact, one that hardly had features she could identify with. Still, there was also a beauty in his stance, a face that echoed a string spirit that kept Katara spellbound. She couldn't hear him, but there was no mistaking what he was doing, she'd seen it done many times in her world. He was performing a ritual of some kind, and now it seemed like he was meditating. Katara watched quietly from afar, not wanting to disturb him in such a sacred place. As unfamiliar as she was in this world, she knew that much.

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Ax noticed the girl's approach, one of his stalk eyes swiveling to follow her as she moved. She didn't seem to be a threat, nor did she appear to intend to speak unless he spoke first.

"The destruction of my enemies" portion of the vow was the part he had struggled with the most in the past, since he had faced his enemy multiple times without destroying him -- Visser One, his brother's murderer. But now, on this ship, with Elfangor plucked from the past and deposited in this present; Ax was a little more caught up on the obedience due to his prince.

Jake had been his prince. He technically still was, since he had yet to release Ax from his vow of obedience. But Ax had disobeyed him already. He hadn't had any choice at the time, and he knew that it had been the most expedient thing to do, but it still weighed heavily on him.

He didn't know if he'd ever be able to look Prince Jake in the eye again.

He opened his main eyes and turned around, trying not to crush too much of the grass under hoof. He didn't need another bout of homesickness on top of everything else.

< Hello. >

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

The polie thing, of course, was to reply back, although Katara founds she felt hushed. There was a certain grace to this person, and Katara had to consider him a person and not a creature: for one, he spoke to her, and secondly, there was an intelligence in his eyes that was unmistakable. Besides, after Rufus and everything on the ship, what did she know about anything or anyone unless she asked?

"Hi. My name is Katara. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, please continue. What you were doing just caught my attention. I didn't mean to disturb you."

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Ax sketched a little bow in response. < You weren't disturbing anything; I've completed the ritual. My name is Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, but I'm also accustomed to 'Ax' if you'd prefer something shorter. >

He could use a distraction instead of going over and over what he'd already done. Obsessing wouldn't do him any good, after all.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara gave him a smile. "I'm glad to know that. Hello Ax: I have to damit I've never seen anyone like you before on the ship so far. If you don't mind me saying, you have to be one of the more beautiful beings on this ship. I know its forward, but the way you moved, and the sincerity in what you were doing: I felt it just by watching you. It reminded me a lot of some of the people back home, sages preparing for their own private worship of a spirit being, or a preparation of battle."

Katara sat cross legged. "This is the first time homesickness felt like a good thing. So could you tell me, WHY were you doing that ritual?"

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Ax blinked slowly in surprise at the compliment. The Animorphs, when they commented on his appearance, had usually said something about how he looked "freaky, but not in a bad way, just...well, bladed tail, Ax-man".

< I...thank you, > he said, bowing again and feeling unusually flattered. Also a little embarrassed, if only because he doubted that he took the rituals as seriously as he ought to. < That was the morning ritual. Observing the rituals is a requirement for being a warrior. The morning ritual is a essentially a pledge to fight for freedom for all species of the universe -- and on this ship, I suppose the multiverse as well. >

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara was definitely charmed and fascinated. The Southern Watertribe had their own rituals of course, the painted faces being one of them before a battle. Still, they were only situated with defending their tribe and its neighboring vicinities, not other species. To have the ability to do that, well, it was way beyond any feat Katara could imagine.

"The more I'm here, the more I see people trying to look out for each other. I think it helps we've all had to fight for causes we believed in. There's still a lot to get used to, and a lot of...grievances to be had. Still, I could think of worse situations than a ship where you get to meet many new and interesting people."


Katara looked around. "What is this place?"

[is-gud-dog.livejournal.com]

Grass had always been a luxury, before. In the custody of the labs, the only grass he'd felt underfoot was the luxuriant plantlife of South American jungle. Missions had always been brief--the drop, usually a few miles outside security perimeter, kill the guards, breach, cut the camera feed, kill all personnel, kill the target, then back to the drop point for retrieval. It hadn't been a terrible existence; he was fed, given a job, part of a team, with a daily routine he could easily follow. Certainly life in a puppy mill, or as a fighting dog, would have been worse, not that Bandit was aware of the possibilities. Bandit's perception of his life was mostly limited to the present; he didn't mull over the possibilities of his destiny, the consequences of his actions, the psychological trauma of his victims and their families.

He just did what he was told and got a reward at the end of the day. He experienced no doubt nor felt any guilt. As long as the treats kept coming, Bandit was safe in the knowledge that he was doing a good job, and that all was correspondingly well in the world.

But he enjoyed the grass. The smell and the feel and the softness of it. He rolled. Over and over until his fur was moist and green and stuck everywhere with little tufts. It was wonderful. After a moment of mindless rolling, he did finally care to notice the Andalite at the foot of the Tree. His tail wagged as he stood up and shook himself. He listened, ears perked, but wasn't catching anything. Impatient and curious, he then went up the hill at a politely slow amble to introduce himself.

HELLO, he offered as a greeting.

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Ax watched the dog approach, and fortunately for his dignity, only twitched a little in surprise when it spoke. A closer look assured him that this was apparently a dog rather one of the Pemalites that Erek the Chee had told him and the Animorphs about. Tentatively, he presented a seven-fingered hand for the dog to sniff.

< Hello, > he returned. < You're certainly an unusual dog. >

[is-gud-dog.livejournal.com]

IS GUD DOG, he told the Andalite as reassurance. He certainly didn't say it offhandedly; the fact that Ax might not take it at face value was completely foreign to him. Ax's telepathy also didn't seem to bother him, but he could clearly tell the larger creature wasn't vocalizing. It certainly did make communication easier.

His tail wagged delightedly at the offered hand. He sniffed it with great wonder, filing the odd, spicy scent in the 'other' category. Not quite animal, not quite human, but something else: it didn't so much bother him as spark his curiosity.

SMELL NOT ANIMAL. NOT HUMAN. ?WHAT IS? He queried.

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Prince Jake had a dog named Homer. When Ax had been masquerading as Prince Jake, he'd learned how to treat dogs. When the "gud dog" was finished smelling his hand, he reached out and gently scratched behind one of its ears. Andalite hands were weaker than human hands, but the dog would likely still enjoy it.

< I am an Andalite, > he said. < My home planet is very, very far away from Earth. >

Assuming that was where the dog was from. But most of the people on board seemed at least familiar with Earth if they weren't from there themselves.

< My name is Ax, > he added.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

Zuko liked the tree, the little bit of unfaked life that was floral, not the living ship holding him prisoner. He already agreed with Ax on one thing - it was a good place to meditate.

The scarred prince nodded to the furred blue . . . thing, which he had rationalized long ago by assuming Ax was some kind of trapped spirit, and seated himself in a lotus position beneath the tree. He had no candles to practice with, so he placed his hands, palms-up, in front of him, and as he breathed out, a small flame blossomed above them. He breathed in, and the flame shrank and disappeared. It bloomed again as he breathed out, extending the breath as long as it would go.

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Ax nodded back in response, although his main eyes had remained closed for Zuko's entire approach. One of his stalk-eyes followed the human as he sat down at the base of the tree and began his own ritual. The appearance of the flame itself earned the opening of one of Ax's main eyes. He'd noticed fire flashing around during the battle against the Yeerks, but he hadn't known where it had come from.

He'd have to ask about that, after he apologized to Zuko for the title confusion. But that would have to wait until after the human had completed his meditation.

Ax could wait.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

Zuko still had a bit of a long way to go in his meditation, so Ax would have to wait.

At least he'd have something interesting to watch as he did, because after the initial period of sitting and breathing, Zuko rose to his feet in a single fluid motion and began to go through his firebending katas, the graceful, sharp movements terminating in bursts of fire of different shapes and intensity.

Never once did he strike the tree, slowly and carefully as he moved.

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Ax had seen martial arts performed on his television more than once, and he'd seen Rachel perform gymnastics during team meetings. But he was still utterly amazed by the sort of things that humans could do without falling over like he was sure they ought to.

He took a few steps back to give Zuko more space to move.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

Such are the benefits of lifelong training, and a highly specialized inner ear.

When Zuko was done - the katas he could do here had to be simple, as opposed to the ones in the Sensorium, where he could call up a non-flammable dojo and really cut loose - he returned to a standing position and exhaled, drawing his chi back into his center. He exhaled once more, then nodded to Ax again.

"I hope I wasn't bothering you."

It was the polite thing to say, even if he didn't necessarily worry about bothering people very often.

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Humans would never cease to amaze him, really.

Ax nodded back in acknowledgment. < You weren't bothering me. I hope I didn't interfere with your practice. >

He inclined his upper body in a bow. < I also wanted to apologize for my earlier confusion about your title when we last spoke, Prince Zuko. I hope I did not offend you too deeply. >

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

See, this is where things get hilarious, because that whole Philip-Ax thing? Zuko missed that. He blinks a few times before answering, though his expression doesn't change.

"No, it's fine," he says, assuming that he's . . . forgotten speaking to the blue manhorse spirit thing. "There was no offense. Please forget it ever happened."

And he bows politely, racking his brains to remember when he spoke to this guy last.

[tobiasf.livejournal.com]

Tobias had watched, silently, just as he had so many times back on Earth. He spoke only when Ax had finished, noticing as he did the others who had gathered as well. He was perched on the grass because the tree didn't have anywhere that looked like he could perch comfortably in its densely packed branches.

< Stacy has a bit of your homeworld? > he asked. < Is that one of the trees that was on your ship? The others told me about being in the dome when they found you. Although they said the trees looked like an earth plant called aspragus. Different species?. >

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

< Yes, she does, > Ax said, glancing over at his shorm. < This wasn't one of the trees on the Dome Ship, though. It's far too large. This tree is...probably the closest thing we have to a place of worship; which is probably why Stacy has it here. I believe I told you about my Guide Tree back home? This could be considered the Guide Tree of the entire Andalite species. >

[tobiasf.livejournal.com]

< Yeah, I think you did. I think it'd feel wierd if we had them. I'd be afraid I'd hurt it if I perched in it. Although people would probably cut them down a lot less than they do. >

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

Ax shuddered a little at the idea of someone cutting down a Guide Tree. The very idea was just so indescribably wrong.

< It is rather impenetrable without breaking the branches, isn't it? > he agreed. < Perhaps we could construct something more comfortable for you to perch on when you visit this place. >

Tobias had just as much right to be here as Ax or Elfangor did, since he was Elfangor's son. Not that the other crew members shouldn't be there, but this was an Andalite tree and Tobias was part Andalite.

[tobiasf.livejournal.com]

Tobias listened as Ax explained. < That's very interesting. Yes, it would be helpful I think. > He nodded his hawk head.

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

< Would you like to introduce yourself to the tree? > Ax asked after a moment. < It might be able to recognize your Andalite ancestry. >

[tobiasf.livejournal.com]

< How exactly does one make introductions to a tree? > Tobias asked. It still seemed wierd to him given the nonsentient nature of Earth trees.