Nothing Left To Lose (Jon & Open)

[raccoonboy]

Joel sat staring out the window of the bugfighter he rode in as they flew over the snowy tundra below. He'd never know how reminiscent of his older brother's arrival at the Academy this was. All he could think of was how his life had changed. Over a year ago he'd been infested by the yeerk Notalc, and the other day he'd finally been rid of the alien slug.

How had it happened? What weird twist of fate had lead to him being rescued by the Animorphs when they intercepted the delivery he'd been escorting? Animorphs the name played around in the recesses of his mind. At least Sara had been connected to the Animorphs, prior to the death of the yeerk she had been a host for. After that she'd vanished. Matt... Joel had no clue what had happened to his brother. But.... maybe someone here would know what had happened to the twins.

He looked at his empty hands, his only belongings were the clothes on his back. He had nothing, not even a photo of his siblings. I always thought they'd be there when I was freed. I guess I was wrong about that.

He stared back out at the tundra, an object growing steadily bigger in the distance. It was another ship, a larger one. This, it seemed, was their destination. I have to know. Even if I never see them again, I have to know what happened to them. I never gave up hope they were still alive.... I just..... I miss them so much. A few tears came to his eyes and the young teen quickly scrubbed them away with the back of his hand as he continued to watch their ship approach the Animorphs Academy, the one place the might hold some answers for him.

[jonathan]

The ship was gliding effortlessly over the snowy landscape, humming beneath their feet. Jon sat quietly opposite of Joel, his eyes fixed on the window beside him. The edges of his lips were tugged down in a faint frown. It had been a couple days since Tsei's death, now. The whole process had been a lot more messy and strange than Jon had realized it would be. The sensation of being able to control himself, to control his own movements, his own eyes, his words, felt odd after a year of being infested. The thing that bothered him the most, however, was the silence and emptiness in his head. Tsei and him had never been friends, no, but it was still disorientating.

The bugfighter shuddered, and Jon sensed the slight change in speed as it began to slow down. Craning his neck, Jon struggled to see where they were going to land. This whole Animorph business was all very new to him. His yeerk had known about the terrorists, of course, but they'd usually only been whispers and rumors. It was an odd strike of fate that he'd been rescued. Jon was still unsure how he felt about it, and afraid that the others might sense his uncertainty about this whole Animorph business. Throughout the few days after being rescued, he had wondered whether opting to live in a human refugee camp would have been better.

A few minutes after slowing down, the bugfighter finally landed smoothly. Jon sat up straighter, stretching his sore arms and legs and suppressing a large yawn. The trip had been a long one, and he was eager to get up and start walking around and get some blood flowing. It didn't feel right to him to be cooped up in one place for too long. Jon glanced briefly over at the kid who had been saved with him, before looking away and waiting to be let out.

[beachbeagle]

Matt waited as the hanger door opened to the cold, letting in the bug fighter containing new recruits. He was waiting to greet them when they stepped off. Like Jullian on the day Matt had arrived, Matt hadn't planned well what he'd worn here. Jeans were alright, as were the tennis shoes he had on, but the shirt he wore was buttoned down and open down the front. He wrapped it closer around his bare chest until the hanger door closed. Even after that the dog tag he wore that matched one Sara owned was cold against his skin. Along with that hung a carved, black, wooden stallion that had been given to him by Rian before they'd left Chicago for L.A.

Feeling the warmth slowly return to his body, coming from the hanger which had finally readjusted to the climate control, he watched as the entry ramp to the bug fighter lowered and the door opened. The new recruits would be facing him shortly. He realized the impression he made now would matter, but when you were looking at an instructor who was physically eighteen appearance meant very little in the long run, or so Matt felt. It was his opinion he could dress however he liked because in the end his authority came through experiences most of these recruits couldn't really understand.

[raccoonboy]

The bug fighter slowed and came in for a landing on the larger ship. As it did Joel's view out the window changed from Tundra to metal. Jon, the other controller who'd been rescued with him, stood up with a glance in Joel's direction as they waited to be let off. Joel stood up too, glancing out the window to see if he could see anyone waiting for them to arrive. The window didn't offer him a view that revealed any people though.

The ramp lowered and the door opened, Joel starting down it as he glanced around for someone waiting for them. He'd been expecting someone who looked obviously like a teacher or a dean, but before he could spot much of anyone else his eyes landed on a figure in the hanger and he got tunnel vision.

He focused completely on the teenager in his gaze. The hair was bleached lighter and was longer than Joel remembered. Also his skin was tanner, so along with the hair you had to figure he'd seen some sun. Along with that he wore and outfit that suggested he'd gotten used to warmer temps. Still, Joel felt he could have recognized this particular person anywhere.

"Matt," he choked out, but it was barely audible. Joel tried again, this time it projected and received a head turn from the figure. Shock and recognition dawned on the face, but Joel didn't notice. By now he'd launched himself down the ramp and didn't stop until he'd collided with his brother, his arms wrapping around Matt and giving Joel proof that he was real.

It took a few moments before Matthew's arms found their way around Joel. It was only after this that Joel found his voice again. "I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again. After you ran away.... I never gave up believing you were out there somewhere."

[beachbeagle]

Matt hadn't been looking when Joel came out. He'd been glancing around and waiting until the 'new recruits' got down the ramp further. It was when he heard his name in a voice that he recognized and hadn't expected to hear that he glanced.

Matt had only time to register his shock and surprise as the fact matched the voice and to brace himself as Joel came darting forward and collided with him. The teen hugging him felt real, and yet Matt's own arms wrapping around his brother were tentative. Matt felt like this was a dream, like it would be like a soap bubble, if he tried to hard he'd pop it and Joel would gone again. His arms met a solid form though and as Joel started talking to him tears found their was down Matt's face. For the first time in a while he was crying tears of joy though, rather than tears of sadness.

"I know. I was recruited and then I was sent to lead a faction in Los Angeles. If I could have done something to save you, I would have. I wanted to, but I just didn't have the opportunity. I'd hoped Sara would, but she was sent to Washington, DC after becoming an Animorph because of the Sub-Visser in Chicago being pissed with her." His voice was cracking, and yet Matt hadn't been happier in a long time.

"If I could have, I would have been there when you were saved, Joel. I felt like I'd failed you, being your brother and having you be a controller still after a year of me being an Animorph." And yet.... things would be better now. For the first time in a long while, Matt felt positive about that much.

[jonathan]

Joel started out the bug fighter first, with Jon trailing slowly behind. The inside of the hangar was nice and warm, and their footsteps clattered as they both made their way down the ramp. Jon took a moment to notice that there was somebody waiting for them--a guy that looked around his age--before Joel hurled himself down the rest of the way down the ramp and hugged the guy.

Jon made it the rest of the way down the ramp, feeling slightly awkward witnessing what looked like a happy reunion. Scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably, he glanced around the hangar for any other people, involuntarily listening to their conversation. It looked like this guy--Matt, was what Joel had called him--was the only one so far to greet him. Letting his gaze wander to the high ceiling of the hangar, he waited quietly for them to finish.

[xander]

Xander walked across the hanger toward the bug fighter. Class had ended a while ago but he wanted to run the obstacle course again. He’d just over the net wall when he heard the hanger doors open and close. Instead of finishing the course he climbed back over the wall to see who had arrived. It was either another teacher or recruit. Either way he figured he’d familiarize himself.

Of course the second he caught sight of people it became awkward. Matt was crying and hugging one of the kids, both of them rambling on about something he couldn’t quite hear. Rather than interrupt the pair he walked up next to the third wheel of the group.

“So, whatcha here for Mate?” He asked glancing up at the taller boy.

[gabriel]

Adamo pushed himself away from the console and looked over at Zach, his eyebrows raised in a question. Zach wasn't looking at him however, his attention was focused on the board in front of him. He flipped a couple of switches and waited a moment as a few symbols quickly sprang into existence above the console, a serious expression on his face as the symbols made reflections in his dark eyes as they flitted through the air. After a moment the symbols disappeared and Zach turned to see his brother waiting for him. He nodded, signaling that his scan of the bug fighter's navigation systems had gone fine. Adamo also nodded and stood up. He'd finished his own diagnostic tests a littler earlier than Zach and had just been waiting for the all clear.

Adamo stretched and then walked towards the exit of the Bug Fighter. He smiled when he saw the touching reunion scene in front of him and he felt Zach's heavy hand on his shoulder has he came up beside him. "I'm glad this one went well," Zach said, a large smile on his face though he was talking quietly.

"Yeah," Adamo agreed. "Can't imagine what it's like not see your brother for that long." Adamo said, still watching the pair. "At least we always had each other, even when we were captured."

Zach shoved him gently down the ramp though even a gentle shove for Zach was enough to push Adamo off balance. Adamo often thought of his brother as a young lion, the guy just did not know his own strength sometimes. "Who says I wanted to have to see your face all the time," Zach said teasingly before sticking his tongue out at Adamo.

Adamo shook his head and turned away. He walked over to the new recruit and the Xander kid they'd dropped off a while ago. "How goes it?" he asked, coming to stop beside them? "Hope the flight wasn't too bad for you," he said with a sideways glance to Jon.

"And if it was too bad," Zach said, coming up behind him, "we are trying to get in flight movies but so far no luck. So don't complain or Seiya might fire us," Zach said in a conspiratorial whisper that was not quiet at all.

Adamo again shook his head in amused exasperation. "You know your whispers are the loudest things ever right?" he said, turning to him.

"I know, I just do it to piss you off," Zach said instantly in a normal voice.

"Whatever," Adamo said waving him away and crossing his arms.

[jonathan]

Jon was busy looking up at the ceiling of the hangar, hands on the back of his head and fingers interlocked. It was touching knowing that some families were being reunited, even in the face of a Yeerk-conquered Earth. Jon had no family to speak of, really. At least, not any that he had been in touch with for a few years. Once he had learned about the yeerks, he'd sometimes wondered if they had been infested too.

The sound of another voice brought Jon's attention away from the hangar's ceiling, down to someone he didn't recognize. A flash of relief crossed his face at the presence of another person. Lifting an eyebrow, he asked, "What do you mean? I'm here for the Academy." Folding his arms across his chest, he glanced over at Matt and Joel for a moment, then back to Xander. "Could you show me where I need to go? I don't really want to wander around blindly in this place."

He heard a couple of footsteps down the ramp, and noticed the two pilots making their way towards him and Xander. Giving them a faint smirk, he shrugged his shoulders. "The flight was fine for me. A little long, maybe. Needed some time to stretch my legs."

[beachbeagle]

After a few more moments Matt released Joel and wiped his eyes before turning to Xander and Jon. "Sorry about that. Joel is my brother. I haven't seen him for a year and a half and.... well, that was way too long."

He broke off here and turned to Joel. "By the way, Sara does recruiting here. She should be coming in at some point." His gaze turned to Zach and Adamo. "You are going to get my sister and Ethan after this trip, right?" It was an honest inquiry, because he never knew how long Sara and Ethan needed for recruiting runs.

Then he turned back to Jon. "I was supposed to show both of you where to go, but if you don't mind Xander showing you and he doesn't mind either, I might like to take Joel back to my own room and catch up. Otherwise I can show you around first."

[xander]

“Understood Guv,” Xander nodded but didn’t sound entirely dedicated to the sentiment. The whole touching moment made him practically uncomfortable. Thankfully he wasn’t alone in the audience. Made it more bearable.

“I don’t mind at all,” Xander said to enthusiastically and began walking off, “Come along boy ‘oh.” He continued walking toward the stairs, “Do need to met Seiya or somebody? Because I have no clue where I’m going. Only other place I can think of is the mess. Ya hungry or something?”

[gabriel]

"Yeah, we left them in Australia which isn't the worst off place on the globe," Zach answered Matt. "Besides those two can certainly handle themselves. We're heading back out as soon as we get something to eat," he said looking over at Adamo for confirmation only to see that Adamo wasn't paying attention to him.

Sensing his brother's attention Adamo turned and nodded. They'd been together so long that, not only had Adamo learned Zach's patterns of speech by now, his own patterns of speech were adapted to Zach's and vice versa. He often found himself leaving gaps for Zach to insert one of his smart alecky comments even when Zach wasn't around. It made his speech sound slow and deliberate which wasn't the worst thing in the world.

"I could eat," he said, following Jon and Xander. "As long as you guys are heading towards the mess hall do you mind if we join you?" Adamo asked.

Zach eyed his brother's back with an odd look in his eyes. It wasn't exactly suspicious and it wasn't completely amused either. It was a little mixture of both. He laughed a bit to himself and followed the group towards the rest of the Blade Ship.

[jonathan]

Jon nodded in understanding as Matt explained himself. It was easier to tell that the two boys knew each other in some way, and Jon wasn't at all surprised to hear Joel was his brother. Casting a glance towards Xander, who was beginning to walk away, he shrugged to Matt. "Looks like I'm going this way, then. Thanks for the offer."

Turning to follow Xander, he looked to the stairs. He hadn't eaten for awhile, and he was kind of hungry. Then again, was he supposed to go somewhere important first? He had no clue, nobody had told him. "I'm not sure. We could go to the mess, I'm hungry." Then to Adamo and Zach, the two pilots, he said, "If you want to join us." The sentiment was said more out of politeness than desire. Jon wasn't fond of large groups, or being crowded too much.

[xander]

“More the merry,” Xander said glancing at the brothers, “You two heading off again soon?” He reached the top of the stairs and took a second to remember which way to the mess. After a second he choose a direction and set off again. If it was wrong he figured the pilots would correct him, or at least laugh at him. That was another reason he disliked the space ship, he couldn’t navigate it like he could in the city.

He turned a little to the newest recruit, “So how’d you find yourself down here? By the way, name’s Xander by the way in case you didn’t hear the Boss downstairs, don’t think I caught yours.”

[gabriel]

"Oh, uh, we can get food later or something," Adamo started to say, sensing the lack of enthusiasm in Jon's voice and shying away from it. He didn't want Jon to get a bad impression of him and he wasn't that hungry. Well he was but he could-

"Nonsense," Zach said, interrupting his thoughts and his attempts to back out gracefully. Zach threw his arm around Adamo's shoulders, causing him to stagger a little, and smiled widely at Jon and Xander showing strong white teeth. "Like Xander said, the more the merrier and I wouldn't mind getting some food. You may not be hungry now," Zach continued looking at Adamo, "but you will be later and I don't want to have to deal with your growling stomach all the way to Australia and back," Zach said, poking Adamo's stomach with his free hand.

Adamo smiled weakly, for once too embarrassed to give as good as he'd got, and ducked out from under Zach's arm. "Well then I guess we better eat too," he said with an apologetic glance at Jon though he looked away before catching the recruit's eye.