a/n: Well, here it is. My third and final Marco story. It took me a while, for lack of inspiration and an exchange to New Zealand, so I haven't had much of a chance to write. I think I'm going to stop after this, because Fanfiction.net has changed quite a bit since I was first here ( back when there were only 189 fics in the Animorphs section.), and I'm growing out of writing, and even the series itself. I used to go psycho when I saw there was a new book, and I couldn't sleep until I had it. I was obsessed. But that obsession is slowly dying, and I doubt I'll be writing anything else after this. I'll stil drop in on ff.net, but much less frequently than I was six months ago.
But anyways, here is the third in my Marco trilogy, and though I don't like it as much as Marco's Bad Day, I hope you enjoy.
The Admirer
by Checkers
Marco's eyes fluttered closed, then open again. He tapped his pen on the desk, bored.
"And then if you multiply by pi, you'll get..." His teacher droned on and on, sending Marco to sleep.
Marco doodled on his maths text book, making little squiggly lines. His eyelids felt extremely heavy, and he closed his eyes. He snapped them open, and then his eyelids drooped. He was tired, so tired...
BBBRRRRIINNNNG!! The bell rang, making Marco jump. He looked u at the clock. The class was over. It was finally the end of the day. Everyone was leaving.
"Don't forget your homework!" the teacher called. Marco picked up his book quickly, and left the room.
The hallways were busy, as usual. Marco made his way to his locker, pushing through the crowds of people. He reached his locker, and spun in the familiar combination. He opened his untidy locker, struggling to hold in the avalanche of junk.
The hallway was clearing quickly. It was the end of the day, and everyone was eager to leave for whatever they had planned for their weekend. Not long after, Marco was pretty much alone with his messy locker.
Cursing, Marco shoved the stuff back into his locker. A pink violet-scented envelope fluttered to the floor, catching his eye.
"What do we have here?" Marco murmured, closing his locker. He bent down and picked up the envelope.
The envelope was intricately decorated, in strange pink flowers. Someone has too much time on their hands, Marco thought. The name "Marco" was written with a fancy script, in a shimmery purple ink. Marco had to admit, the shimmery purple ink was impressive.
Marco ripped open the violet-scented, shimmery inked letter. He pulled out the letter, and a handful of heart-shaped confetti floated to the floor. Marco was taken aback. Someone sure was keen. He puffed up. But who wouldn't be? He opened the piece of pink paper, and read the message written in the same impressive purple shimmery ink.
Dearest Marco,
I have had my eyes on you for quite some time. I am not sure I want to reveal myself to you yet, but
I want you to know, that you are my sun, my moons, and my light.
Love for eternity,
Your Secret Admirer
Marco's jaw dropped. His first secret admirer! Cool! He stuffed the letter back into it's niftily scented envelope, and into his backpack. He shoved his locker closed, not caring even slightly about homework. He had a secret admirer! He skipped down the hallway, and most of the way home, before a few bigger kids grabbed him and punched him for acting like a girl.
Marco spent that night pondering what his secret admirer was like. She would be tall, blonde, perfect, with a great sense of humour and thought that Marco was the funniest man on the planet. Of course, everyone thought Marco was the funniest man on the planet. But she would be something special. And she had good taste in shimmery ink.
Marco went to sleep and dreamed about a tall, blonde, perfect girl who was sending him letters in purple shimmery ink.
"This isn't right," Jake said. "It's too quiet. The Yeerks haven't done anything...in weeks!"
The Animorphs had met in Cassie's barn, as usual. It was the day after Marco had received the letter, and he was desperate to get home and see if he had any other pink violet scented letters.
You're being paranoid, Jake,> Tobias said from his usual spot in the rafters. So what if it's quiet?>
"They're planning something," Rachel said. She was leaning on a hay bale, and she sat forward. "Like a big conspiracy. Something big."
"It is a little quiet," Cassie agreed.
"Speaking of quiet," Jake said, looking at Marco. "What's your deal?"
"What?" Marco said, snapping out of his dream. "Oh, nothing much."
"Yeah, right," Rachel snorted.
Marco gave her a dirty look. "Well, Jake, if you must know, I got a letter yesterday. A very special letter."
"Mmm?" Jake said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, very special. Someone gave me a love note."
There was a moment of silence. Then Rachel, Cassie, Jake and Tobias all cracked up. Ax was the only one not laughing.
"You?"' Rachel gasped through her laughter. "You got a love letter?"
He probably wrote it to himself!> Tobias said. His thought-speak laughter was irritating Marco.
"No!" Marco said, puffing up. "I got a love letter, from my secret admirer, in purple shimmery ink!"
The four didn't stop laughing. Cassie wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm sorry Marco, it's not that we don't believe you, it's just...." She didn't finish her sentence, because she started giggling again.
Leave him alone!> Ax said defensively. He trotted over to Marco and placed a hand on Marco's arm. Don't worry, Marco,> Ax said. I believe you.>
Marco didn't see Ax fluttering his eyelashes of all four eyes at him.
"Oh my God!!" Marco cried opening his letterbox. "I've got another one!!"
He pulled out the letter (this time a pale gold color) and attempted to open it. But he was shaking too much, and he dropped it. He picked it up again, and skipped up to his front door. He grabbed the spare key from under the pot plant, and opened the front door. Slamming the door closed, Marco yelled, "Dad! Nora! I've got another one!"
"Another what, Marco?" His dad asked coming out of the kitchen.
"Oh.." Marco looked sheepish. He didn't think he would tell his dad about his letter. "Um...Another...another...oh, shame! Don't look at me! I'm hideous! I've got another pimple!" He covered his face with his hands and ran up the stairs. Unfortunately, it's very hard to run up stairs when you can't see where you're going, so Marco tripped on the third step and fell up the stairs.
"Are you all right?" his dad asked.
"Yep, yep, fine!" Marco said. "I've just got to go squeeze this pimple!"
He opened his fingers so he could see, and ran the rest of the way up the stairs.
Marco flopped onto his bed, and ripped open the letter. Gold glitter spilled out, and a letter, this time scented like vanilla (a/n: mmm, yummy.) Marco opened the letter, and read the shimmery gold ink.
Dearest Marco,
I can't bear to be away from you. But I am not ready to reveal myself to you. What shall I do? I need to be with you, but I fear rejection.
I so hope you feel the way about me that I feel of you.
I will just say that when I am ready, we will be together.
Love for always
Your Secret Admirer
Marco's heart fluttered. He liked the feeling of being loved.
Four days later, there had been another letter, this time in shimmery blue ink, and smelling like frankencense. Marco had come to expect a letter when he opened his locker or letterbox, but there was a break for two days. As Marco walked from the last class of the day to his locker, he wondered if his admirer was going to front up, or had lost her feelings for Marco. Marco really hoped it was the former.
He turned into his corridor and to his locker. As he turned the familiar numbers for his lock, he wondered briefly if there was going to be something.
The usual avalanche of crap fell out, and a pink letter. Marco's heart jumped. He dropped his books, and grabbed the letter, ripping it open eagerly.
Small star shaped pink confetti pieces floated out of the envelope, and Marco opened the letter. A rose-like scent hit him.
Dearest Marco,
I cannot stand this any longer. I have to meet with you. I will come to your house, at eight on Saturday night. Then, you will have to choose. If you reject me, I don't know what I will do. If you take me, I will be yours forever.
Eternal love,
Your Secret Admirer
Saturday night! She was going to meet him on Saturday night. Marco almost dropped the letter in shock. He would meet her. He wondered if it was someone he knew well. Whoever it was, she would be something special. Marco had no doubt.
Marco fixed his bow tie, and sprayed on his dad's cologne that Marco had nicked from his dad's room. He coughed in the puff of cologne, and swished it away with his hands. Marco slicked back his hair, and deemed himself beautiful.
Marco trotted down the stairs, and looked at his watch. Unfortunately, looking at his watch caused Marco to trip, and fall down the stairs.
"Marco? Are you okay?" Marco's dad cried as he came out of the kitchen.
"Urrgh," Marco replied. "I think I'm alright, though my pride is severely dented." He pulled himself to his feet.
"What time is your little date?"
"Little?" Marco demanded.
"Oh, sorry, what time is your big date?"
"Eight," Marco replied, glaring at his father.
"Well, she'll probably be here soon," Marco's dad said, looking at his watch. (He didn't fall down the stairs, though.) "Are you sure you don't want me to drive you to the movies?"
"I'm sure," Marco said. He didn't want his father to be messing up his BIG date. Marco looked in the hallway mirror, and checked his breath. In a incredible moment of synchronicity that you can never get in real life, the doorbell rang.
"I've got it!" Marco cried, and skipped to the door. He took a deep breath, slicked back his hair. In his head, he imagined his tall, blonde, perfect lady at the door. She would have a musical voice, and forty thousand bright white teeth, and big brown eyes that would look at Marco lovingly.
Marco took another deep breath. He opened the door.
His jaw dropped. His eyes went wide. "OH MY GOD!" he screamed.
Hi, Marco,> Ax said. Give me a kiss?>
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaHHHHH!" Marco screamed. He turned and ran down his hall. Ax chased him, arms out, making thought-speak kissy sounds. Marco! Marco, I love you!>
Marco was cornered. Stuck behind the stairs. Ax walked towards him. Marcooooo, I loooove you, come out and play, Marcooooo.>
"Go away!"
Oh! There you are!>
Ax had his arms wide. He grabbed Marco in a big bear hug. Marcooooooooo!>
BRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGG!!!
The bell rang. Marco awoke with a start. His heart was thumping, and his hair was a mess. He was breathing hard. "A dream," he muttered. "A dream!"
The class room was quickly emptying. His maths teacher looked up from her desk. "Go on, hurry up, Marco, surely you don't want to be stuck here!"
"Oh, yeah," Marco said. He picked up his books, and walked quickly out of the class room. His heart was slowly returning to it's normal rate as he approached his locker. He spun the familiar combination, and the familiar mess came out. Marco shoved his books into his locker, when a small flash of pink caught his eye. Marco squinted, and pulled it out of his locker.
It was a letter. Saying "Marco" in fancy shimmery purple ink.
Marco dropped the letter and screamed.
The End.
To all you who have something against pairing Marco and Ax: As usual, I was just having a bit of fun. Please don't be offended. There are surely works out there that are worthy of being offended about.