Prince Elfangor's hooves clacked too loudly for my taste, but the only way to knock out a security guard was to keep him in his normal body for his tail. He also had to acquire a morph and I knew already how exhausting it was to morph. Out of all my friends, I was the only one to morph multiple times.

Tobias was the only one who morphed, and he only did it once to get to the barn. I wasn't surprised. The others still expected this all to just be a wild dream from which they'll eventually wake up from. Now that was a chilling thought. If this was a dream of theirs, it would mean that I would cease to exist when they woke up. Along with Elfangor, Melissa and everyone else.

That sent shivers down my spine. It kind of reminded me of a Doctor Who episode where everything was a simulation and when people found out it drove them to suicide.

((Daniel. There is a guard behind us. I do not think that she has noticed us yet as she is looking at her phone)) Prince Elfangor warned.

I turned to look behind me and saw the woman. She looked to be a few years older than me. Her body was actually very well defined by her uniform. I lost myself in her appearance until she looked up and locked eyes on me.

"Andali–" she didn't get to finish her warning to her radio as Elfangor struck her on the head with his tail blade. But she didn't need to. The Yeerks would already know what she was trying to say.

"Oh no."

((What's wrong?))

"She has a body camera," I pointed to the small black square that was hooked on her front pocket. "It's seen my face. And judging by what I've seen so far, that's the only camera that's recording here" –That was really crappy design on the Gardens part– "I really hope that this isn't bluetooth or wifi or else they'll already have my face recorded," I grabbed the camera and tossed it over to Elfangor.

He swiped his tail lightning fast and the camera broke in two halves.

We need to acquire the morphs, fast. Before more Controllers showed up.

Elfangor and I began to run trying to get to the cages where our animals would be. I'm gonna go to hell for being horny. I have a girlfriend for crying out loud. I shouldn't be staring at a woman like the way I did back there. Though it wasn't as bad as me flirting with anyone, right? But then again, Melissa knows about my flirting and allows it. Plus this screw up nearly cost me my identity.

"Andalite!" the yell made me jump as we turned a corner.

Great more Controllers.

"Crao!" I ducked as they swung a night stick above my head.

Elfangor wasn't so lucky. The other security guard, a man in his 40s, managed to hit Prince Elfangor's stalk eyes. The Andalite reared in pain and used his two front hooves to kick the man in the stomach sending him down to the ground in pain.

My Controller was another girl. This one was once again in her 20s. You wouldn't really see older women in these kinds of jobs. Only the younger ones from the "millennial" generation were the ones to break from the mold and choose their own jobs.

She tried to swing at me again, which I barely dodged, when I got a brilliant idea. I waited for her to bring the nightstick closer and I grabbed it. She struggled to pull it out of my grasp but I held on hard.

"Let go, you Andalite scum," she hissed with fury.

I finally managed to pull it out of her grasp and hit her as hard as I could with it. She fell to the floor unconscious. I then realized my mistake.

"Dam it. I touched the goddamn thing. If I leave it, they're gonna get my fingerprints. Why the fuck do I keep screwing up," I punched the wall and regretted it immediately.

The second guard had already passed out from the pain so I didn't have to worry about him listening to what I said. But I was still furious with myself with all the screw ups I'd committed. Hopefully the others were having better luck than me. I quickly checked to see if these Controllers had any body cameras too. Luckily for me, they didn't.

Elfangor had finally recovered from the pain inflicted on his eye stalks, though they were closed up.

"Hey, Elfangor? Can I acquire you as a morph?" I asked.

((Of course)) he gave me permission.

I pressed my hand against his blue fur and began to concentrate on him. A rush of joy came with the process. It was very different from when I acquired Russet. I've just broken one of our rules that Jake put in place. But this was a desperate moment. I couldn't let the Controllers think that I was an actual human. Maybe I could convince them that my regular appearance was just a morph.

My body began to undergo the now familiar, yet creepy, changes. The first thing to change were my fingers. I grew two extra ones making my hand look abnormally wider. My skin began to grow blue fur as my feet ripped my shoes as they turned into hard black hooves. My butt began to extend and grow its own set of feet as well. My lips closed shut and fused together as they disappeared. A tail sprouted from my rear and grew a tail blade. I wasn't sure if it was made of metal or bone. All I knew was that it would be sharp.

The last thing to change were my ears and nose. My ears grew into the shape of one of those elves from the hobbit and my nose just shrunk and become several slits. It was surprising that the sense of smell was a tad better than that of a regular human. It completely changed my expectations. Then the Andalite brain finally surfaced. It was not much different from my own. I still felt all the same emotions, love, fear, and the need for learning. But Joy was so strong. The mind was so Jovial. It took me a moment to rein in the brain and control it.

((Okay. Let's go.)) I stepped over the shredded clothes that I left on the floor and was about to gallop away when Elfangor stopped me.

((Wait. You're too identical to me)) he used his tail to cut off some fur in several places.

The Andalite in me felt dismay towards this. I had no clue why. All I knew is that I began to feel shame as the hair/fur-cut continued.

((I am sorry. This is usually reserved for those who have done something wrong in our society and is meant to instill shame, but it was necessary)) that explained the sudden shame I felt.

The speed of an Andalite was astounding. We managed to get to the habitat in under a minute. I used the key card that I stole from one of the guards on the door and waited for the click. Opening the metal door was a hard task since these Andalite arms were so weak. Even Elfangor admitted that there were so many other species that had stronger arms compared to Andalites.

But once we got the door to open we were able to get into the habitat. There weren't any people looking in thankfully. There was nothing to protect us from the view of the public except for the absence of people. Out here there would surely be cameras recording. My idea of morphing Elfangor was pretty smart as a result.

My stalk eyes swiveled around to survey the area before confusing me. I'd been keeping all four of my eyes focused on one thing because of the complication my brain had when it tried to comprehend what was happening. Looking at three different things was too much for me. So I returned to looking at everything at one time. I'd have to practice later with those extra eyes.

I couldn't see where any of the Jaguars were. So I decided to venture in further.

The leaves and small trees that decorated the habitat brushed against my fur and threatened to hit my eyes. I made the mistake of letting my instincts swivel my eyes several times disorienting me. I finally found the jaguars. They were sleeping next to the pond.

I slowly edged my way towards them trying my best to be silent.

I froze as their heads jerked up right before I could manage to lay a hand on one of them. Crao. I stayed as still as I could trying not to move a muscle. The jaguars may have already gotten the tranquilizer out of their system but they were still a bit sluggish. One of the females sniffed me out and licked my hand. I bet they've never seen anything like me. The only things to have crossed the door separating them from their world to an alien place have been other humans. And I was in my Andalite morph.

Nothing happened. No surge, the animal didn't even go docile. I had no idea what was happening but it was weird, shouldn't I have acquired the morph already?

((Daniel, I forgot to tell you that in order to acquire a new morph you need to be in your regular body))

((Now you tell me?)) I retorted. ((How am I supposed to acquire her now?)) the jaguar just lazily laid back down to absorb the sun's rays.

((Try to demorph your hand only. Focus on your hand demorphing)) he coached.

I focused on the mental image of an Andalite with a human hand. Different parts of my body became fleshy and soft like my normal human self until I finally had a human hand.

This time when I press my hand against the Jaguar I was able to acquire her easily. And thankfully just in time because the two security guards that Elfangor and I had knocked out earlier arrived.