A trip to the zoo.
After we had calmed down a little from that adventure (me staying hidden in Cassie's barn, dashing up to the hay-loft when her Mom or Dad came in,) Jake proposed a plan. We were, all seven of us, sitting in Cassie's barn. Jake, who had called the meeting, started to talk.
"When our next big mission comes up, Jackie will need some better morphs."
Time froze, for me at least.
OUR? Meaning me too? I was going to get better morphs for OUR next mission?
YES!!!!!!!!!!!! YES! I was part of their team now!
"So, we're going to the Gardens. Jackie will be flying in, with Cassie. The rest of us will just be cover. Any questions?"
"Yeah. What morphs so you think she'll need, Jake?" Cassie asked.
"Jackie," he said to me," you'll need a battle morph, a bug morph, a swimming morph and a power morph. For an example, Rachel has the bear as her battle morph, fly and cockroach as her bug morphs, dolphin and whale and squid as swimming morphs, and the elephant for her power morph. She also has a wolf morph. You'll need one of those, too. Now, what morphs would you like?"
I looked at the others, and thought a moment. I was about to speak, when Jake suddenly cut in again.
"Don't get a lion morph. That's the one morph you aren't allowed to have."
I looked at him quizzically, but the other Animorphs nodded.
I was about to speak again, when,
"After she acquires her morphs, can we go to the mall and have some of the delicious cinnamon buns? Bunz. Buuuuuuuuuuunz. Buns."
I waited a minute, to see if anyone else would talk. No one did. So I said:
"I have a fly. That can be my bug morph. I'd kind of like, for my battle morph, to have a big cat, like a tiger or lion. A lynx or leopard would be cool, too. For my power morph, I'd love to have a rhinoceros. And I think a dolphin would be hard to acquire, because I have to be in human form."
"Ok, Cassie, try to hook her up with a big cat morph, not a lion, though. We've had a, well, sort of a bad experience with new Animorphs and lions. Please don't ask. But, get her a rhino, like mine, and the wolf when she gets back here, Ok? And get her any other morph she wants, but check it out with me first. I'll be down with Marco. Rachel? As soon as we're done, go to the mall and pick up a couple cinnabuns, Ok?"
Ax was thrilled. I was ecstatic too, but not because of the prospect of cinnabuns. From what Tobias had told me, I didn't want to get between Ax and his food.
I was happy because I was part of the team now. And I was getting new morphs. YES!
We flew to the zoo, excuse me, the wildlife park and flew over a couple of exhibits. I peered down into the cages.
So, where'd you like to start?
I don't know. What exhibits are coming up?
Well ,there's the water exhibit to the north, and to the west there's the monkey island. To the east over there is the elephant and rhino exhibit, and next to that is the alligator exhibit. Did Tobias tell you about the time when Rachel fell into one of those pits and morphed the alligator to save a little boy, but she was allergic to the morph, so….
We talked all the way to the 'gator exhibit. After checking it out with Jake, I acquired an alligator. I had to remorph really quickly, or I would have gotten eaten. Once I was in the air again, we flew to the elephant and rhino exhibits and I acquired both of them. Then I demorphed, and we petted the dolphins. I'm glad no controllers saw me, since I was on the most wanted list, but we put on a little act about me asking Cassie about the dolphins, so if a controller did see, he wouldn't suspect Cassie of anything. I acquired a bat almost the same way. Then I acquired a wolf, and we left for the mall. Cassie went inside to meet the others at Cinnabun. I stayed in owl morph, because I couldn't go inside. The controllers knew my name and face, and if one saw me, it'd be all over. When they came out, Ax had a little icing in his hair, and Rachel was saying something about how a certain alien was going to have to spring for snacks from now on. We left, and headed back for Cassie's place.
That night, once Cassie had left, I morphed the owl. I flew out of the barn, into the night sky. There was one morph that I desperately needed, that I hadn't gotten at the zoo. I flew for about an three hours, demorphing on the way every hour and a half. I found a family outside their house, watching the stars through a telescope. There was a mom, dad, a boy and a girl. The girl was about thirteen, and looking bored. I took a risk.
Hey little girl. Don't worry, no one else can hear me. Only you.
She looked around. She was surprised.
Listen, don't say anything, but I need you to go somewhere away from your family for just a few minutes. I need your help. Can you go in the back yard or something?
She nodded, then said something to her Mom. The mom nodded, then the girl ran into the house. The girl was very pretty, with black hair almost down to her waist. She was about 4'9". She would do perfectly.
I flew over the backyard, and saw the girl sneak out of the house, and run towards the middle of the backyard.
Don't be afraid.
I landed next to her. She jumped, startled, but didn't say a word.
What's your name, little girl?
"Sarah. Who or what are you?"
Don't be afraid. I'm an alien, sent to help save earth.
"What?"
Listen to me. I need to have your permission to change into you. I can change into people or things, other animals and stuff. But I need your permission before I change into you. It will help save earth. Will you?
"Of course. But, how will this help save earth?"
I don't have time to explain to you right now. I flew three hours to get here, and I must be back before dawn. But don't be afraid.
I demorphed, and held her hand. I acquired her. Then I morphed back into an owl.
You must not tell anyone about this, ever. And stay away from the club called The Sharing. Understood?
She nodded. I took off, leaving her behind, stunned.
I flew back to the barn, and found an angry group of Animorphs waiting for me.
"Where in the world have you been, Jacqueline! Why did you sneak away from here, acquire a strange kid who might be a controller! And expect to come back here, without telling us where you'd gone!"
"How did you know I was gone? How did you know? Did you follow me?"
"Of course we followed you! Why would you do something like that!"
I looked at them. Everyone was angry except Cassie. I turned to her.
"I needed a human morph to be able to go out in public. I can't live with you forever! I have to be able to do something all day besides sit in the barn! Now I can meet you guys at the mall, and do stuff in town, even go to school! I made sure the girl lived far enough away that I won't run into her or anything!"
"But what if she had been a controller? Jacqueline, you put us all in danger! After we just went to the trouble to get you better morphs! It was wrong!"
I thought a moment.
It was wrong!
She could have been a controller! Or she might still be! She could tell her friends what she saw! Or she could become a controller! Someone might have seen us!
"You're right." I said softly. "I'm sorry I did that so carelessly. I'm sorry I put all of us in danger. But I'm not sorry that I have a human morph."
Jake looked startled. Everyone else did too. Marco and Rachel were still angry.
"OK." Jake said slowly.
Prince Jake, I don't like to contradict you, but the danger wasn't actually as great as that. The Yeerks already know that Jacqueline has dealings with Andalites. The only one really in danger now is that little girl.
That was the first big blow-up that the Animorphs had with me. I hoped it was the last.
After we had calmed down a little from that adventure (me staying hidden in Cassie's barn, dashing up to the hay-loft when her Mom or Dad came in,) Jake proposed a plan. We were, all seven of us, sitting in Cassie's barn. Jake, who had called the meeting, started to talk.
"When our next big mission comes up, Jackie will need some better morphs."
Time froze, for me at least.
OUR? Meaning me too? I was going to get better morphs for OUR next mission?
YES!!!!!!!!!!!! YES! I was part of their team now!
"So, we're going to the Gardens. Jackie will be flying in, with Cassie. The rest of us will just be cover. Any questions?"
"Yeah. What morphs so you think she'll need, Jake?" Cassie asked.
"Jackie," he said to me," you'll need a battle morph, a bug morph, a swimming morph and a power morph. For an example, Rachel has the bear as her battle morph, fly and cockroach as her bug morphs, dolphin and whale and squid as swimming morphs, and the elephant for her power morph. She also has a wolf morph. You'll need one of those, too. Now, what morphs would you like?"
I looked at the others, and thought a moment. I was about to speak, when Jake suddenly cut in again.
"Don't get a lion morph. That's the one morph you aren't allowed to have."
I looked at him quizzically, but the other Animorphs nodded.
I was about to speak again, when,
"After she acquires her morphs, can we go to the mall and have some of the delicious cinnamon buns? Bunz. Buuuuuuuuuuunz. Buns."
I waited a minute, to see if anyone else would talk. No one did. So I said:
"I have a fly. That can be my bug morph. I'd kind of like, for my battle morph, to have a big cat, like a tiger or lion. A lynx or leopard would be cool, too. For my power morph, I'd love to have a rhinoceros. And I think a dolphin would be hard to acquire, because I have to be in human form."
"Ok, Cassie, try to hook her up with a big cat morph, not a lion, though. We've had a, well, sort of a bad experience with new Animorphs and lions. Please don't ask. But, get her a rhino, like mine, and the wolf when she gets back here, Ok? And get her any other morph she wants, but check it out with me first. I'll be down with Marco. Rachel? As soon as we're done, go to the mall and pick up a couple cinnabuns, Ok?"
Ax was thrilled. I was ecstatic too, but not because of the prospect of cinnabuns. From what Tobias had told me, I didn't want to get between Ax and his food.
I was happy because I was part of the team now. And I was getting new morphs. YES!
We flew to the zoo, excuse me, the wildlife park and flew over a couple of exhibits. I peered down into the cages.
So, where'd you like to start?
I don't know. What exhibits are coming up?
Well ,there's the water exhibit to the north, and to the west there's the monkey island. To the east over there is the elephant and rhino exhibit, and next to that is the alligator exhibit. Did Tobias tell you about the time when Rachel fell into one of those pits and morphed the alligator to save a little boy, but she was allergic to the morph, so….
We talked all the way to the 'gator exhibit. After checking it out with Jake, I acquired an alligator. I had to remorph really quickly, or I would have gotten eaten. Once I was in the air again, we flew to the elephant and rhino exhibits and I acquired both of them. Then I demorphed, and we petted the dolphins. I'm glad no controllers saw me, since I was on the most wanted list, but we put on a little act about me asking Cassie about the dolphins, so if a controller did see, he wouldn't suspect Cassie of anything. I acquired a bat almost the same way. Then I acquired a wolf, and we left for the mall. Cassie went inside to meet the others at Cinnabun. I stayed in owl morph, because I couldn't go inside. The controllers knew my name and face, and if one saw me, it'd be all over. When they came out, Ax had a little icing in his hair, and Rachel was saying something about how a certain alien was going to have to spring for snacks from now on. We left, and headed back for Cassie's place.
That night, once Cassie had left, I morphed the owl. I flew out of the barn, into the night sky. There was one morph that I desperately needed, that I hadn't gotten at the zoo. I flew for about an three hours, demorphing on the way every hour and a half. I found a family outside their house, watching the stars through a telescope. There was a mom, dad, a boy and a girl. The girl was about thirteen, and looking bored. I took a risk.
Hey little girl. Don't worry, no one else can hear me. Only you.
She looked around. She was surprised.
Listen, don't say anything, but I need you to go somewhere away from your family for just a few minutes. I need your help. Can you go in the back yard or something?
She nodded, then said something to her Mom. The mom nodded, then the girl ran into the house. The girl was very pretty, with black hair almost down to her waist. She was about 4'9". She would do perfectly.
I flew over the backyard, and saw the girl sneak out of the house, and run towards the middle of the backyard.
Don't be afraid.
I landed next to her. She jumped, startled, but didn't say a word.
What's your name, little girl?
"Sarah. Who or what are you?"
Don't be afraid. I'm an alien, sent to help save earth.
"What?"
Listen to me. I need to have your permission to change into you. I can change into people or things, other animals and stuff. But I need your permission before I change into you. It will help save earth. Will you?
"Of course. But, how will this help save earth?"
I don't have time to explain to you right now. I flew three hours to get here, and I must be back before dawn. But don't be afraid.
I demorphed, and held her hand. I acquired her. Then I morphed back into an owl.
You must not tell anyone about this, ever. And stay away from the club called The Sharing. Understood?
She nodded. I took off, leaving her behind, stunned.
I flew back to the barn, and found an angry group of Animorphs waiting for me.
"Where in the world have you been, Jacqueline! Why did you sneak away from here, acquire a strange kid who might be a controller! And expect to come back here, without telling us where you'd gone!"
"How did you know I was gone? How did you know? Did you follow me?"
"Of course we followed you! Why would you do something like that!"
I looked at them. Everyone was angry except Cassie. I turned to her.
"I needed a human morph to be able to go out in public. I can't live with you forever! I have to be able to do something all day besides sit in the barn! Now I can meet you guys at the mall, and do stuff in town, even go to school! I made sure the girl lived far enough away that I won't run into her or anything!"
"But what if she had been a controller? Jacqueline, you put us all in danger! After we just went to the trouble to get you better morphs! It was wrong!"
I thought a moment.
It was wrong!
She could have been a controller! Or she might still be! She could tell her friends what she saw! Or she could become a controller! Someone might have seen us!
"You're right." I said softly. "I'm sorry I did that so carelessly. I'm sorry I put all of us in danger. But I'm not sorry that I have a human morph."
Jake looked startled. Everyone else did too. Marco and Rachel were still angry.
"OK." Jake said slowly.
Prince Jake, I don't like to contradict you, but the danger wasn't actually as great as that. The Yeerks already know that Jacqueline has dealings with Andalites. The only one really in danger now is that little girl.
That was the first big blow-up that the Animorphs had with me. I hoped it was the last.