Title: The Forbidden Fruit
Author: Ivy
Rating: PG
Summary: Tyr eats a fruit which has some, interesting side effects.
Disclaimer: Andromeda is property of Tribune.
The entire crew of the Andromeda where on the planet M'greth. The people of the planet had signed the charter and invited the crew to have a vacation planet side. Dylan ordered the entire crew to comply, since it would be rude not to. Dylan, Beka and Rev, Trance and Harper went to the pool. Rommie said she would join them later and Tyr... Was mad at Dylan for forcing him to stay on this planet and decided to go sight seeing. He found a small hill from which he could see the surface and would prove to be good strategically incase he was attacked. He felt his stomach rumbling and realized he hadn't eaten all day. He looked around and saw a bush filled with fruit. The people of M'greth assured the crew there were no poisoness food growing on the planet. Normally, Tyr would not have entrusted his life in these people's hands, but he was starving. He took a small bite of the fruit. It was delicious! He finished it off. He began to feel better, refreshed and cheerful as he went back to their hotel. He had a strange feeling this was going to be a great day!
*************
Harper jumped Trance in the pool, drowning her. She hit him with her tail and resurfaced. She splashed water at him yelping and soon they were engaged in a fitful water fight.
"Cut it out kids", Beka told them harshly. They looked at each other and then both splashed water at her. "Hey!" She cried, joining the fight. Rev was sitting in a lounge chair, shaking his head. Dylan and Rommie were at the other end of the pool. Dylan rolled his eyes. Rommie laughed. A giant wave hit Dylan smack in the face. He opened his eyes to see the fight has moved over here. He caught Harper's arm and turned him around.
"Hey boss-having fun?" Harper asked innocently.
"I would be if you would stop this water fight Harper. You're not a five year old anymore", Dylan said sternly, letting go of his hand.
"Why are you picking on me for?" Harper asked, rubbing his wrist.
"Because you started it", Dylan replied, turning away.
"Did not!" Harper yelled.
Dylan turned his back on him and was hit by water.
"You asked for it!" He said, joining the fight. Rommie got out of the pool and joined Rev.
"They're acting like a bunch of 10 year olds", Rommie stated watching them.
"I was thinking more along the lines of 8", Rev said smiling. Rommie was concerned.
"Don't worry", Rev assured her, noticing her apprehension. "They are simply having fun."
"You're right", she admitted."And we should too."
"What do you have in mind?" Rev asked curiously.
"We can tour the planet?" Rommie offered, getting dressed.
"Sounds good to me", Rev said and they left.
"Uh! A water fight!!!" A kid cried and jumped in. Dylan caught the kid. He was a Nietchian. Harper stared at him coldly. "Won't your parents be worried?" Dylan asked the boy, who seemed familiar some how.
"My parents are dead", the boy said, freeing himself from Dylan.
"Boss" Harper whispered. "I didn't hear anything about a Nietchian colony on this planet."
"Neither have I", Dylan admitted. He grabbed the kid and took him out of the water, getting out himself. The rest of the curious crew followed suit.
"Say-where are you from?" Dylan asked him kindly.
"A ship", the boy answered shifting his legs. "Don't you recognize me?"
"Should we?" Beka asked.
The kid started to cry. Trance picked him up and tried to calm him down.
"There there, it's ok, what's your name?" She asked kindly.
"I'm... I'm Tyr Anasazi" The boy cried.
***************
"What?" Harper asked.
"Harper! Don't you recognize me?" The boy asked. "I must have hit your head too much."
"Look-what you say is impossible", Dylan tried to argue.
"I know! I don't know why I'm a kid!!! I went for a walk and I ate some yummy fruit..."
"Oh no!"
They all turned to the voice. It was the maneger of the hotel. "Did he... Eat from the forbidden fruit?"
"The what?" Dylan asked confused.
The man walked over to the boy and looked him over. "Those who eat from the fruit..." He said looking at his neck. "Get a mark like that!" He pointed at a yellow spot on his neck. "This boy.... Is not a boy. He is your crew member"
"Finally", young Tyr said rolling his eyes. They all turned to him.
"This has gotta be some bad joke", Harper muttered.
"You still don't believe me?" Young Tyr asked hurt. "OK-umm...Harper- I always call you 'boy' or the 'professor', and I hit you Dylan in the face with a basketball, which you returned to me, Beka-I told you I could cook. Look! It's me!" He folded his arms upset.
"Tyr?" Trance asked gently. "Is that really you?"
"Come we have no time to lose-he will begin to forget soon", the manager said, tugging at Dylan's arm.
"Wait-I'm coming with you!" Beka said annoyed, leaving with Dylan.
"Wait!" Harper said. "What are we suposed to do with him?"
"Babysit Harper", Beka said. They were gone before anyone could argue.
"Ummm... Tyr?" Harper tried.
"Yup that's me!" The boy said excited. He noticed Trance's tail. "Hey ma'am-can I play with your
tail?"
"No!" Harper ordered.
"You're mean-I don't like you!" Tyr said stumping on Harper's foot.
"OUCH!" Harper cried. "Why you little-"
"Harper!" Trance cried, hugging the boy. "He's just a kid!"
"Like hell he is!" Harper cried, getting dressed.
"Well he IS!" Trance said, putting Tyr down.
"Yeah!" Tyr cried. "So pick on someone your own size!"
Harper went back to his room.
"Don't mind him", Trance said sweetly. "He's just not good with kids."
"Gee-I didn't notice" Tyr said. "But you're nice-I like you!"
"Thank you!" Trance said kindly, thinking how different this boy was from his older self.
They walked to Trance's room. She gave him some clothes to wear and she went to change.
"OK-Tyr. Is there anything you want to-"
He was gone.
Harper went down the hall to apologize to Trance, when he heard a noise from the closet. He opened it and saw the hiding young Tyr.
"Hey there", he tried nicely. "Whatchya doing?"
"Shhhhhhh" Tyr whispered. "Hiding"
"Who are you hiding from?" Harper asked, getting into the closet. "Because if it's the boogie-man, I hear they like closets"
"No-I'm hiding from Aunt Trance", the boy said. They heard footsteps down the hall and Tyr closed the door.
"Why would you be hiding from a sweet girl like Trance?" Harper asked. He couldn't believe this cute kid was Tyr. He never believed Tyr was ever a kid, born an angry mean adult.
"Because she's scary", Tyr said. "She's too nice"
Harper laughed. "Yup-that's our Trance. Never new anyone to hide from her for that though."
"I'm sorry I said I hated you", Tyr said.
"You didn't say you hated me"
"Oh-then I was thinking that-sorry"
"That's ok. Sorry I was a meany"
"OK" Tyr said happy. "What now?"
"Well-we can stay in this small closet-or go to my room for some pizza"
"YEY!" Tyr cried, as Harper led him out of the closet.
"There you are!" Trance called. "I was looking all over for you!"
"It's ok Trance I'm right here!" Harper joked.
"Where do you two think you're going?"
"To my room mom?" Harper offered. Tyr sneered.
"Fine!" She said. "Mind if I join you?"
The two boys agreed and the three went to Harper's room to watch Video and eat pizza.
Dylan and Beka returned with the cure. They headed to every room the crew was staying in and the last one was Harper's. They knocked on the door and heard a soft: "Come in"
They entered to find the three on the couch, Trance and Tyr asleep on each of Harper's shoulders. He motioned for them to come.
"How is he?" Beka asked.
"A kid," Harper answered.
"I guess it takes one to know one," Beka smiled.
"So-that's why we got together so well," Harper laughed.
"OK-let's get Tyr back to his normal self," Dylan said, nearing the boy.
"Do we have to?" Harper asked. "He's so cute this way!"
"Harper..."
"OK-ok!" Harper said. "But I'm sure gonna miss this kid..."
Dylan gave Tyr the antidote and Harper slipped out, standing with Beka and Dylan watching Trance
and Tyr sleep.
"You know Harper", Beka said. "I can't believe I'm saying this but... You can make a helluva dad."
"Yeah right!" Harper snorted. "I'd pitty the kid!"
They all laughed. Dylan then remembered something. "Hey! Where's Rommie and Rev?"
***********
The next day they left the planet. Tyr was back to normal, Rev and Rommie were reprimended for not telling anyone where they went and were filled in with the Tyr incident. No one dared to mention a thing to Tyr-who was more hostile than ever-not even Harper. They all assumed Tyr had no recallection of the events and left it at that. But he did. Tyr stood on the observation deck looking at the stars. He remembered every embarrassing detail of the event. He could not believe he could act in such manner. But the one thing that bothered Tyr was how he now felt towards Harper. The boy was like a friend to his younger version... But even now he had an apreciation towards him. For -if nothing more- looking out for him. As a child in a grownup world, Harper maneged to make him feel like an equal. Tyr snorted. HARPER made HIM feel like an equal. It had a strange ring to it-it should be the other way around. Tyr now saw that Harper was not just an annoyin-know it all-fixer man-with a big mouth. He had a heart. And though at times Tyr wished to rip it out of his chest, now he appreciated it. As a child he was allowed to misbehave, to be wild, to do things he couldn't do as an adult. In a way in was refreshing. He shook his head. Now he must return to being the Tyr this crew has learnt to avoid-the serious, dangerous one. He turned to go to his quarters. Some day perhaps he would not need this mask. He might even show his more... tender side. He got to his quarters and stepped in. But not today.