I took the name Erik had given me and went as Gari Yates. What I did most of the time was explore. But I knew Erik wouldn't be able to support me and him. I found a job as a waitress at a local cafe. It wasn't that difficult to morph every two hours in the restroom, the stalls were just large enough for me to fit. Being a waitress was useful too, you heard a lot, The Sharing was among them. Apparently it was a new organization, just getting it's start.
I checked out various buildings, it had been weeks and there were still no signs of Yeerk pressence. Maybe that was a good thing, or maybe it was one of the worst possible things to happen.

"Anything?"

::No::
I stepped out onto the grass, absorbing it's nutrients.
::Either they're doing a very good job of hiding, or I've been sent on a crazy swan hunt.::

"Wild Goose Chase."

::what?::

"The phrase is A Wild Goose Chase."

I nodded. ::Wouldn't be the first time, it isn't very traditional for female andalites to become warriors. Possible they just sent me here to get me out of the way.::

"Are you still going to look?"

::For now, yes.::

"But why?"

::Because, it's my mission.::

"There are a lot of dangerous things out. Youcan't just go wandering around."

::I'm a warrior. I'll be fine.::

"You hardly know Earth. You havn't seen a Yeerk ever since you crashed here. For all you know we could have been passed over. Theres no way of getting word back to your people, whats the use?"

::Maybe a human like you doesn't understand about duty.::

He frowned. "You havn't called me human in months Gari."

I narrowed my eyes. ::Perhaps because your starting to act like one now.::

I turned around, galloping away into the forest to think. There were never trees quite like this at home. But now, this place Was home, Erik had been right. I was angry at him for that, but there was guilt too, because, I had accepted Earth as my home. Why was I so content with that? Was it because of Erik? Was I so comfortable with him? He just didn't seem to mend mi, he understood, accepted things.
Why was I thinking about this human so much? Why was he so important to me?
I stopped in my tracks, finally relizing what was almost impossible. I loved him. The sudden relization prevented me from hearing the gunshot, or Erik's cries that followed, the shouting. All I felt was the searing hot pain in my side as I went down.


I woke up in pain later, the familiar bandages on my side that covered the bleeding wound. I looked up, Erik was standing in front of me. ::What happened?::

"Hunters. They decided to ignore the No Hunting signs. Thought you were a deer. Would you like to see the bullet?"

::No.::

He nodded, setting the pan down. "I'm sorry about this."

::It's alright.::

"Can you morph?"

I nodded, concentrating on my human morph. Erik grinned, draping a blanket over my shoulders and concealing my bare skin. "Tell me Erik."

"Yes?"

"When humans have been friends for a long time, and one starts to really care for the other. What happens?"

"Well, usually the person tells the other, sometimes they start dating."

"Whats dating?"

He shrugged. "Well. It's getting more involved with eachother, thinking about the person on a romantic level. Theres kissing involved."

"Kissing. whats that?"

"Well..you put your lips together and.."

"Can you show me?"

He smiled, putting my hands gently into his. "You just, lean forward and..ow!"

We both pulled back as our heads knocked together. "I don't like kissing."

He laughed, rubbing his forhead. "Thats not kissing, thats bumping heads. Here."

He leaned forward, closing in on my face as he pressed his lips into mine, lingering there before pulling away ever so slowly. I smiled, kissing was nice.

Things went very quickly after that. Erik talked a lot about Vegas and marraige. We lived together for months, I started to forget my mission. I would never be able to go home, Earth was my home now and I loved Erik.

One night when he came home, I morphed to human. I stood there before him, in the doorway with my bare back, an open robe. He just stared at me. "Gari, couldn't you find your clothes?"

"I have two hours left Erik."

"I know that but..." He stared at me, finally understanding. "Your serious about this?"

"Yes."

"What about your mission Gari?"

"That doesn't matter anymore. Your all that is important to me now. "
He nodded, taking my hands, kissing me as he lead me into the bedroom.


When it was over I rolled over onto the bed, staring at the wall. Autumn hair layed around me and I stared at my now human hands. One hour, one hour and this would all be permanent. For the first time, I stared to question my decision.

He smiled, setting down two bowls of soup. I smiled weakly, dipping the spoon into it and taking a sip.


"Gari?"

I looked up. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

"Fine just..the soup is hot."

He sat down. "I'm sorry. Gari are you sure this is what you want?"

I looked away, not wishing to answer him. I had to do this, I wanted to be with him, human was the only way.

"Asgariem, look at me."

I looked up, staring into his blue eyes, the freckles that always seemed to make him appear like a youth. Erik never used my full name, not unless he was serious. "I want to stay with you Erik. If that means becoming a nothlit, then so be it."

There were five minutes left.

"Asgariem, you don't have do this."

"It's the only way I can be with you."

"No it's not Gari. You can stay an Andalite. It doesn't matter, any way I'll love you. But I won't have you doing something you'll later regret."


Three minutes.

"I can't give you children that way."

"I don't care about that Gari. I care about you. Maybe someday you'll decide to stay human, then we can have several children. But right now, I need you to be happy. You can't be that way now, I know that."

1 minute.

I sighed, nodding. Erik was right, I didn't want to be human, not yet. But I loved him, I cared about him. looked into his eyes, watching the look of concern.

30 seconds.

My stalk eyes grew from my scalp as my skin returned to blue. Ears grew to a point and I stood to prevent the chair from breaking as I spouted two new legs and a tail. Feet turned to hooves and autumn hair melted away. My mouth disapearedand my nose shrunk and formed three slits. I looked at Erik, he was smiling.

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