Chapters 5-8

The Newcomer

By Tes-sama

Chapter 5

"What are your special qualities?" Jake asked.

I considered that for a moment, then answered, "I guess I'm a mix of all of you, like

Ax. I'm somewhat reckless like Rachel- no offence Rachel; I'm just as cautious as Marco, and Cassie are. I don't want to be leader anymore than Jake does and I won't say I'm as smart as Ax, but I definitely have an agile mind. 'A Honor Roll' three years and running. To explain the agile mind thing a bit, let's just say, I went to a Science lecture at the University last March, and everyone, except me, took notes. In April I took a test on that same lecture and "aced" it.

"My math abilities are nothing to sneeze at either. In other words, I would be better able to grasp more of what Ax is saying while you guys glaze over and I have a good enough imagination that this war we're in doesn't 'blow me out of the water' like it did you all at the start." At that point, all jaws were dropped. Even Ax looked a little stunned

Well Marco, she has your same ego problem, too. Tobias chipped in, with a laugh.

Cassie smothered a laugh while looking at Rachel to see her reaction to being pegged as the "Reckless One".

"Oh, ha, ha. It is to laugh. Thank you, Tobias, I was about to add that," I continued, with a sarcastic smile, "Anyway, I guess I have a bit of your "cool under fire" attitude, and I guess I'm somewhat of a leader."

Then I heard everyone take in a sharp breath

Hey!" I exclaimed. "I'm the new kid. Besides, why would I want to be the leader? Look at what it's done to Jake. Thanks, but no thanks. I like being fourteen just fine. Going on, girl of few friends and many enemies... Guess that's doubley true now, huh?"

"Uh huh. Anyway, next question, did the Ellimist already give you the morphing capability, or do we have to use the Blue Box on you?"

You really expect me to know that? You guys didn't even know if that night in the construction site was real or just a dream. The Ellimist just asked me "If the Animorphs were real, would you join them?" And I said, "Yes!" and then suddenly I'm here hiding behind the bails of hay. Now here we are arguing just like with David only I had the choice to say no and you're making it really hard for me to feel comfortable here."

Barely slowing down to inhale, I continued with my fists on my hips and giving each one of them a hard stare. "Oh, by the way, did you ever think about how far away myfamily and friends are? Well, here's a figure for you, about a three thousand miles and possibly more than one dimension away! I mean, sure, that's not as far away as Ax's parents are, but still, you guys are from around here, and I'm not!," I snapped. I didn't even know why I raved on like that. All that I knew was that Jake asked a stupid question and I just snapped without thinking about it.

Just goes to show that I'm a lot more like Rachel than I thought.

Chapter 6

"Alright, Gina. Looks like its Cassie's turn to ask the questions," Jake said with considerable reverence, after a few minutes of silence. "And maybe Gina won't snap her head off when she asks a dumb question." Jake muttered to Marco and thought that no one heard what he had said, save for Marco.

"I heard that, Jake!" I snapped. I still sensitive to insults since I had been treated like dirt back in my school, save for my few friends, because of my bad temper.

"Alright. What did you expect to do with us when you said 'yes' to the Ellimist?" Cassie asked.

I almost laughed because the answer was so simple.

"Cassie, I think that question is simple to answer," I replied, trying not to laugh, "I expect to kick Yeerk butt."

Then Marco cut in and said, "Rachel? I think your twin just arrived." That got a laugh out of everyone, even me. It wasn't exactly an insult.

Then Marco continued and asked the rest of the group, "Now, who in their right mind would want to join us, after knowing all the riggers, all the nightmares, and all else we go through?"

I decided that I could answer that question better than the others could so I replied, "Well, for one thing Marco, I'm never in my right mind because I'm right-handed. Therefore, I'm always in my left mind."

Marco gaped at me for a moment then Marco said, "Jake, she dumb-joked me."

To which I replied, as if talking to a baby, "What? Did you sleep through Health class, too?"

Marco stuttered, "But... but... she..."

Rachel laughed and said, as she walked up to me, "I knew I liked you."

"How about we rev up the charge cards?" I asked, hopefully, "I hear Old Navy calling... Buy... Shop... Shop...Buy..."

"Oh my lord," Marco hollered, "now there are TWO shoppers!"

"Oh no," Cassie exclaimed dramatically, "Will my jeans and boots ever be safe again?!?!?"

Rachel and I turned to look at Cassie and said, "No!" at the same time.

Tobias started chuckling in our heads. Ax was just plain confused, while Jake was trying to smother a laugh. I could tell that he was thinking "Oh my poor, poor Cassie. Now that my cousin has a sister in shopping and fashion, she'll never be safe."

Now that I think about it, I could hear him think that.

"But seriously Jake," I said, trying desperately to recover my composure after laughing, "you're the leader, and I'm okay with that."

Jake looked somewhat stunned that I was able to tell what his third question would have been.

"And," I continued," I want your input on what morphs I should have. I want my morphs to compliment yours. And I don't want a golden eagle. Too flashy"

That got me stares from everyone. For some odd reason, I laughed at their reaction. I assumed it was because they hadn't had the best of luck with David. Plus, David hadn't asked for complimenting morphs, but for contradicting morphs.

Suddenly, Marco shook his head to get out of the trance and said, "Anyway, question number two." He held up two fingers to emphasize the number, "Are you going to hurt me every time I tease you?"

I just raised one eyebrow as I looked back at him and didn't say a word. Marco looked at me for about five seconds. "Ulp!" was all anyone heard.

"Hey, if 16 Questions is winding down, can I ask a really quick question?" I asked.

Sure, Tobias said, go ahead.

"All right," I said, "Do any other questions need to be answered immediately?"

While I waited for someone to say "Yes", silence retook the barn.

"Okay," I continued," Then we should get on with the next mission and I'm not of any use without morphs."

Silence, again, became the predominant sound. Jake and all the others, even Ax, were amazed that I was able to perceive that there was a mission coming up.

"Well," I said, in defense, "you have to be here for some reason. And it has to be a big mission because why would the Ellimist pick now to bring me here?"

Boy, was I right.

Chapter 7

The Gardens.

I had a good idea what it looked like, but I hadn't gotten the slightest idea what it would be like to go there with Cassie and Rachel. I like Rachel as a narrator, but my mom always said, "How many times do I have to tell you that you're prodominately Cassie or Marco with pinches of the rest?" whenever I asked which Animorph I was most like.

"What morphs do you want?" Rachel asked, snapping me out of my trance.

"I guess I wanted a cheetah, but I don't know if that compliment or contrast your morphs."

"Don't worry about complimenting our power morphs," Cassie said in her soothing, sympathetic voice, "but you're right. We don't have much speed in our group. Rachel's the only one with a cheetah. Couldn't hurt to have more than one with a cheetah. Come on. Follow me."

As I walked through the Gardens, with Cassie and Rachel leading the way, I thought about my family. My mom to be specific, and how she might be missing me. She'd been getting over-protective of me lately, due to the fact that my dad and brother died in a car crash two months before I would have turned twelve. They had gone out to pick up the pizzas we had ordered for Mark's tenth birthday.

All that I knew about the accident is that my dad and brother died and the dirtbag of a drunk that crashed into the car my brother and dad were in got away with a few scrapes and bruises.

Then came the pressure. The pressure to do well in school, help around the house, and get a job. The only escape I'd had was my books. I could almost hate my mother for forcing so much responsibility on me but I loved her.

I turned my thoughts away from the past and to the future. Where will I stay? I thought. I could conceivably stay at Erek's house or stay with another Chee.

"Gina," Rachel said in a relatively impatient tone of voice.

Stupidly, I said, "Wha?"

"We're at the Cheetah Exhibit," Cassie replied in a patient tone to counter-act Rachel's impatient one.

"Alright, but how do I get one over here without turning into Cheetah Chow?"

"Well," Cassie started, "they're kinda playful this time of day, so they'll get curious if you rattle the door."

Slowly, I poked my head into the exhibit. As I looked around I saw a mother cheetah tending to her cubs. She looked like she was four years old. "Cassie," I said in a whisper.

"What?" she replied.

"How do I get her over here," I asked, "without pulling back a stump of a hand?"

Cassie poked her head in, then, quickly, pulled back into the hallway. "Simple. Bang the door once then rattle the door until she's... two... feet... Wait! Show me your right arm!"

I held the door open with my left hand while Cassie seemed to measure my arm.

"Yeah. Two feet from the door then reach out with your right arm touch Carrie's head or flank. Preferably the head."

Nervously, I banged and rattled the door. Hey! I wonder what my mom would think if she knew that I'm an Animorph. Wait! I thought answering my own question She would probably say it's too dangerous and that I couldn't do it.

I snapped back to the present as the mother cheetah drew closer to the door. Four feet... Three feet... Two feet!

I slowly put out my right hand and touched her head Carrie pulled back only slightly, but before she could pull away completely, I started scratching behind her ears. Carrie started purring her strange cheetah purr.

As I started to acquire her DNA, I almost cried because it reminded me of my cat Goddess. Oh how I miss Goddess. Maybe I could ask the Ellimist to transport the Goddess equivalent in this place, whether it was the same dimension or not, to here so she could live with me.

"Gina," I heard Cassie say softly, "you're done acquiring her."

"Oh," I said getting my bearings again.

"Come on Gina," Rachel said, "We have to find you a place to stay permanently. It can't be the barn because Cassie's dad works in there during the day."

I felt different inside. Maybe I was homesick or I just needed something to eat.

Yeah. I'm just hungry. I'll get something to eat later.

Chapter 8

After Rachel, Cassie and I got back to the barn, Cassie went inside to call Jake and Marco and tell them to get over to the barn.

While Cassie was doing that, Rachel went out to find Tobias, and I hid in the loft of the barn so I could cry without Cassie's sympathy, Rachel's disgust, or anyone-else's sympathy or disdain.

I cried for my cat Goddess, my mom, Carolyn, LeAnn, Lindsey, Andy, Eddie, Jason, Stephanie, and some of my other friends that lived in Minnesota. And I cried because I knew that even if I found any of them, they wouldn't recognize me as their child or friend.

Gina, the others are looking for you, Tobias said in his thought-speech voice.

"Thanks, Tobias," I said wiping tears from my eyes and sniffled loudly, "Tell them I'm in here."

After about a minute, I heard the door to the barn open. I looked down and saw Jake and the others. And to my amazement Ax came in too.

Hi guys!" I said as cheerfully as I could with blood-shot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. With that I sommer-salted down the hole in the loft that made it accessible. Held on to the ledge for about three seconds the dropped into a double sommer-salt and landed neatly on the floor of the barn.

"Nice entrance," Rachel said, "but what were you doing up there?"

"I was hiding just in case Cassie's dad came home." I replied calmly.

"Uh, Gina? It's only four 'o' clock. My dad won't get home until five." Cassie said with concern coloring her voice. "Here," she continued handing me a wet wipe, " you don't look too good."

I sniffed hard again and said," Yeah, I must not. My allergies usually hit around this time of year."

We know what it's like to be secluded from friends and family... Ax said in private thought-speak.

But we're here for you now. Tobias said, finishing his uncle's sentence.

"Yeah, whatever." Rachel replied coldly to my earlier statement.

"Can we get back to the point of trying to find Janea here a place to live slash eat slash sleep?"

Marco, if you couldn't guess, said that last remark. But he said my name wrong. And that pissed me off. Well... Not really but it's too easy and too much fun to scare him.

"Gina!!! It sounds like j-e-n-a but spelled g-i-n-a!" I pulled back my fist so that I could punch him if I wanted to. Marco ran to hide behind Jake and cowered there for about five seconds. I started laughing as I lowered my fist and with that I said, "One; I wouldn't punch you with Jake around..."

"Oh I feel so much safer." Marco interrupted.

"...And Two; I have an idea on where I could stay: with the Chee." I completed my sentence without paying much attention to Marco's sarcastic interruption.

Brains and brawn. Tobias stated, 'sounding' like he was grinning.

"And enough of both to scare Marco witless." Rachel said, "Or out of what little wits he had to start with."

Rachel batted her eyes, and I immediately knew she was joking.

The reason behind that is that in a book, narrated by Marco, I think, said that when Rachel bats her eyes, she's joking.

Prince Jake, Ax began.

"Don't call me Prince." Jake said.

Gina might be right. After all, the Chee would have no problems hiding her. Ax pointed out.

"Cassie? Can you call Erek and tell him to come here?" I asked.

Cassie looked at Jake for approval. Jake nodded; Cassie left while Marco rolled his eyes.

I sat down on the nearest bail of hay, grabbed my bag, reached in blindly and pulled out a deck of Sailor Moon cards.

Hey! I didn't know I had those in here, but what the heck... "Anyone what to play crazy eights?" I said, holding up the deck of cards.

No answer. Oh well, I thought, I'll just read then.

I pulled out "The Pretender", and began to reread some of my favorite parts.

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~' I read silently.

Amazing, Tobias said from the rafters. I had forgotten that Tobias likes to read over peoples' shoulders.

"What's so amazing?" I thought.

Just in case your wondering, what's amazing is that it's written just like it happened. Tobias said like he was answering my question.

This is the point where I lost my place in my book.

"Testing. Can you hear me?" I tried experimentally, hope and disbelief over-coming me.

No answer.

I wrapped my fingers around the citrine on my power necklace (I'll explain later) and concentrated on relaxing. I should have remembered that no one but Tobias and Ax could use thought speech as a human and only because their human forms were just morphs for them.

Well... at least I know, even if you do know more about us, that you don't always remember everything. Tobias said, chuckling from above.

All right, remember how I said I had lost my spot in the book I was reading? Forget that. I dropped the book as I stood up, still clutching the citrine.

"What's wrong?" Marco asked me as he picked up my book, or Tobias's book. Which ever you prefer.

~Wrong? Nothing's wrong. Just the fact that Tobias is talking to me and I'm some how able to talk back, while I'm human has me somewhat stunned. ~ was my sarcastic reply, rubbing fiercely at the citrine. I didn't know how to block out anyone from that kind of telepathy so I'm sure that Cassie heard me from her house. And that's what sent her running into the barn and careening into Jake.

At that point all present in the barn lost their composure. Jake and Cassie lost most of their dignity as well.

I was the first to be able to speak with out laughing out of the three laughing hyenas that were Rachel, Marco and I.

"All right!" I yelled to everyone in the barn. Everyone stopped laughing to look at me for two seconds then we all started laughing again.

"AHEM!" I cleared my throat so I could get the attention of everyone. They stopped laughing for good now and paid attention.

"Now. I know for a fact, or rather an assumed fact on my part, that most of you want to find out what I know about you."

Murmurs of agreement filled the barn. I smirked slightly and tip out all the books in my bag.

"Anyone for a little reading?" I asked, grinning at the semi appalled looks that Jake, Rachel, Marco, and Cassie gave me.

"You call that little?" Marco asks sarcastically.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." I answered my own question and ignoring Marco's comment.

I dug through my bag and grabbed Book Twenty-two.

"Rachel! Heads up!" I tossed the book to Rachel. She looks at the cover then opens it.

I dug some more and found Book Fifteen.

I threw the book at Marco. He caught it but only out of reflexes. I smirked.

"Heads up, Marco." I grinned.

Marco smiled painfully and read the back of the book. I saw his eyes widen and he quickly opened the book to a page towards the back.

"Jake." I called out, tossing him Megamorphs 2. He looked at it then cautiously opened it to the middle and read.

I dug further. Cassie would be a hard one... No! Nineteen would be perfect!

"Here you go, Cassie." I said, tossing her the book. She looked at the cover, seemingly realizing what the book must be about.

At that moment, Ax cleared his human throat. I started.

"Ah! Ax. Up for a little reading?" I ask, handing him Book Eighteen.

He looked at me strangely and opened it to the first page.

I returned to 'my spot' as I waited for them to finish reading what they wanted.

Disclaimer: SEE! I told you Gina had flaws. Deep-seated depression, pressured by her mother... You get the idea. Anyways! The Animorphs, Ax,the Ellimist, and the Chee aren't mine, but K.A.A.'s and Scholastic's. Okay! Chapters 9-12 are a long way off. I only just finished 8 last night. That and I have other series that I need to work on or suffer the end result of my faithful readers death threats (mostly from my brother). Okay! Tah-tah!

~Tes-sama