Chapter 7
Later that week, after school and work, we all made our way to the Gardens on the bus. We had no other means of transportation that we could use in public. The Gardens was a fairly big combination zoo/amusement park. Of course, it had all the usual attractions of both. There were many roller coasters and rides along with all the animals and attractions of a zoo.
The main reason we were there was to acquire some dolphins. We needed fish morphs to swim way out into the ocean. We decided sharks weren't a good idea, too hard to get close to and we probably didn't need to get violent. I did try to convince them to do sharks, but Cassie said that dolphins were easier access.
We were able to get in close to the dolphins because Cassie's mom was a leading vet in the zoo section. So we decided to come in and acquire them after one of the shows. We had to get Cassie to get us a schedule so those still intact with society were able to make plans around the show.
We ended up going after supper. It was seven at night when we went. I, of course, had to morph to my wondrous alter ego, Josh Blanchett. Let's face it, if I was seen in public, I would end up causing a riot, knowing there would probably be controllers all over the place, and most everyone would probably know who I was. That would be tragic.
Sam wasn't here, as far as I knew. So we were on the way.
"So, who do you think would win, Superman or Batman?" Marco asked Jake.
"Definitely Superman." Jake answered. "No contest."
"I agree." I added. "Superman is incredibly fast, strong, and all super-alien. Bruce has money. Batman has no powers, just gadgets."
Marco shook his head. "You are both wrong. Batman would so totally rule. He may not have any superpower, but he has money, the most real superpower of them all. The bill gates of superheros. Plus, he is smart. All he had to do was carry around some kryptonite and Superman would be powerless. I say Batman would win."
{I would disagree. Superman can fly, and look what I can do. Definitely would be Superman. Us air dwellers have to stick together.} Tobias laughed. He was up above us, floating around.
"You wish." Marco muttered.
Meanwhile, Rachel and Cassie were having a conversation about whether or not vanity was important. We were all walking together, but were kind of apart. Off in our own little worlds. Whitney was kind of by herself. She didn't have much to say on either issue. Comics and vanity, two of her weaker subjects. I knew whit, she likes to think of vanity as an extra feature, but not on the top of her lists. I didn't know what she thought of comic books.
I separated from Jake and Marco to talk to Whit. "So, how ya doing?" I asked. "You seem kind of quiet."
"Just excited." She replied as a smile spread across her face. "I have always wanted to swim with dolphins, now I get to be one. I wonder what it will be like. I have all these possibilities, but I can't wait to see which one it is."
"You too, huh?" I asked. "Actually, swimming with the dolphins was one of my life's to do list. That and travel the rain forest, swim in the great barrier reef, and go skydiving. I guess you could consider flying close to skydiving."
"You are odd." Cassie said. "You have very different thoughts on life."
"I know." I answered. "You have to have balance. Gotta have some good and some bad. Some peacefulness and some action. You got'sta have balance."
"I just never saw that side of you. I knew you liked to fight, but I never knew you were so into nature."
"Well, I guess it is only natural. It is where we came from to begin with." I said. "And besides, I can't wait to be a dolphin. I guess we are just going to have to wait to see what it is like. I heard they are incredibly smart."
Marco moaned, "Oh no, it's tree hugger part 2." He rolled his eyes.
"Shut up." I insisted. "We are all entitled to our own opinions." He rolled his eyes again.
"I am kind of hesitant, though." Cassie said.
"About what?" Rachel and Whitney both asked.
"Well, if they are as smart as dolphins are, it is almost like we are stealing their bodies. You all know what it is like to morph. The mind comes along with the bodies, so how are we being polite by stealing bodies?"
"I have never seen it that way, but I see where you are coming from." Whitney stated. "But I don't agree. You see, we aren't stealing their bodies, we are using them, and we aren't taking their free will. It is only instincts."
"So it is okay to make a body to steal the minds?"
I had to but in with what was to be the final argument. "I realize you generally look at the whole picture, including the fine print, but you are missing the bottom line. We need them to save the world. As protectors here, we are forced to use whatever materials necessary to fulfill that dream. And quite frankly, they won't be around much longer if we don't do something."
She shrugged. "I guess you are right. And it would probably be fun anyway."
So, we had all finally come to an agreement, and we were just on the outside of the sea show area. The gates were just emptying, due to the show that had just ended. Just like we had planned.
"Let's go." Jake said. We all went into the aquarium area.
The dolphins were all jumping, swimming, and cavorting about when we stepped in. One of the trainers was feeding them and playing with them.
SPLASH!
Just as we got to beside the tank, one of the dolphins beat it's tail up against the wall and soaked us. We were positively soaked.
"Teaches you to be late for a show, Cass." The trainer said.
"Oh, hi, Eileen. Just thought we would make it to the late show. Some of my particularly unenlightened friends wanted to see what dolphins were really like."
"Oh," Eileen said. "Well, I am sorry, but there are no more shows today. You will have to come back tomorrow."
"Oh, no problem. Can we just come up and see them?"
"Sure, I have to do some cleaning and stuff, so I can leave these little fishies with you? You okay with that?"
"Sure." Cassie said. We all made our way to the back door that led to the platform beside the tank.
"You would thing that a dolphin trainer would know that dolphins weren't fish." Marco said.
"She meant these fish." I said as I pointed to a big bucket filled with fish. Probably for the dolphins.
"Okay,." Cassie said. "We have Joey, Chandler, Ross, Phoebe, Rachel, and Monica." Cassie said. "Take your pick. Does Rachel want Rachel?"
"How do you know what one is which?" Rachel asked.
"I can tell by the markings, I have known them since they were transferred here five years ago." Cassie said.
"Well, I guess we get to be 'Friends' all over again, huh?" I asked, then laughed. What a bunch of names.
"I hate that show." Whitney said. "So much of a disappointment of a sitcom."
"Sure, I agree, but we can't exactly be picky." I said as I began to demorph. Let's face it, you can't acquire animals when you are morphed.
One after the other, we all acquired one of the dolphins. All a different one. I was Joey. And, of course, Rachel was Rachel. Even though the personalities didn't match at all. We all left one morph ahead. I couldn't wait to try it out.
Later that week, after school and work, we all made our way to the Gardens on the bus. We had no other means of transportation that we could use in public. The Gardens was a fairly big combination zoo/amusement park. Of course, it had all the usual attractions of both. There were many roller coasters and rides along with all the animals and attractions of a zoo.
The main reason we were there was to acquire some dolphins. We needed fish morphs to swim way out into the ocean. We decided sharks weren't a good idea, too hard to get close to and we probably didn't need to get violent. I did try to convince them to do sharks, but Cassie said that dolphins were easier access.
We were able to get in close to the dolphins because Cassie's mom was a leading vet in the zoo section. So we decided to come in and acquire them after one of the shows. We had to get Cassie to get us a schedule so those still intact with society were able to make plans around the show.
We ended up going after supper. It was seven at night when we went. I, of course, had to morph to my wondrous alter ego, Josh Blanchett. Let's face it, if I was seen in public, I would end up causing a riot, knowing there would probably be controllers all over the place, and most everyone would probably know who I was. That would be tragic.
Sam wasn't here, as far as I knew. So we were on the way.
"So, who do you think would win, Superman or Batman?" Marco asked Jake.
"Definitely Superman." Jake answered. "No contest."
"I agree." I added. "Superman is incredibly fast, strong, and all super-alien. Bruce has money. Batman has no powers, just gadgets."
Marco shook his head. "You are both wrong. Batman would so totally rule. He may not have any superpower, but he has money, the most real superpower of them all. The bill gates of superheros. Plus, he is smart. All he had to do was carry around some kryptonite and Superman would be powerless. I say Batman would win."
{I would disagree. Superman can fly, and look what I can do. Definitely would be Superman. Us air dwellers have to stick together.} Tobias laughed. He was up above us, floating around.
"You wish." Marco muttered.
Meanwhile, Rachel and Cassie were having a conversation about whether or not vanity was important. We were all walking together, but were kind of apart. Off in our own little worlds. Whitney was kind of by herself. She didn't have much to say on either issue. Comics and vanity, two of her weaker subjects. I knew whit, she likes to think of vanity as an extra feature, but not on the top of her lists. I didn't know what she thought of comic books.
I separated from Jake and Marco to talk to Whit. "So, how ya doing?" I asked. "You seem kind of quiet."
"Just excited." She replied as a smile spread across her face. "I have always wanted to swim with dolphins, now I get to be one. I wonder what it will be like. I have all these possibilities, but I can't wait to see which one it is."
"You too, huh?" I asked. "Actually, swimming with the dolphins was one of my life's to do list. That and travel the rain forest, swim in the great barrier reef, and go skydiving. I guess you could consider flying close to skydiving."
"You are odd." Cassie said. "You have very different thoughts on life."
"I know." I answered. "You have to have balance. Gotta have some good and some bad. Some peacefulness and some action. You got'sta have balance."
"I just never saw that side of you. I knew you liked to fight, but I never knew you were so into nature."
"Well, I guess it is only natural. It is where we came from to begin with." I said. "And besides, I can't wait to be a dolphin. I guess we are just going to have to wait to see what it is like. I heard they are incredibly smart."
Marco moaned, "Oh no, it's tree hugger part 2." He rolled his eyes.
"Shut up." I insisted. "We are all entitled to our own opinions." He rolled his eyes again.
"I am kind of hesitant, though." Cassie said.
"About what?" Rachel and Whitney both asked.
"Well, if they are as smart as dolphins are, it is almost like we are stealing their bodies. You all know what it is like to morph. The mind comes along with the bodies, so how are we being polite by stealing bodies?"
"I have never seen it that way, but I see where you are coming from." Whitney stated. "But I don't agree. You see, we aren't stealing their bodies, we are using them, and we aren't taking their free will. It is only instincts."
"So it is okay to make a body to steal the minds?"
I had to but in with what was to be the final argument. "I realize you generally look at the whole picture, including the fine print, but you are missing the bottom line. We need them to save the world. As protectors here, we are forced to use whatever materials necessary to fulfill that dream. And quite frankly, they won't be around much longer if we don't do something."
She shrugged. "I guess you are right. And it would probably be fun anyway."
So, we had all finally come to an agreement, and we were just on the outside of the sea show area. The gates were just emptying, due to the show that had just ended. Just like we had planned.
"Let's go." Jake said. We all went into the aquarium area.
The dolphins were all jumping, swimming, and cavorting about when we stepped in. One of the trainers was feeding them and playing with them.
SPLASH!
Just as we got to beside the tank, one of the dolphins beat it's tail up against the wall and soaked us. We were positively soaked.
"Teaches you to be late for a show, Cass." The trainer said.
"Oh, hi, Eileen. Just thought we would make it to the late show. Some of my particularly unenlightened friends wanted to see what dolphins were really like."
"Oh," Eileen said. "Well, I am sorry, but there are no more shows today. You will have to come back tomorrow."
"Oh, no problem. Can we just come up and see them?"
"Sure, I have to do some cleaning and stuff, so I can leave these little fishies with you? You okay with that?"
"Sure." Cassie said. We all made our way to the back door that led to the platform beside the tank.
"You would thing that a dolphin trainer would know that dolphins weren't fish." Marco said.
"She meant these fish." I said as I pointed to a big bucket filled with fish. Probably for the dolphins.
"Okay,." Cassie said. "We have Joey, Chandler, Ross, Phoebe, Rachel, and Monica." Cassie said. "Take your pick. Does Rachel want Rachel?"
"How do you know what one is which?" Rachel asked.
"I can tell by the markings, I have known them since they were transferred here five years ago." Cassie said.
"Well, I guess we get to be 'Friends' all over again, huh?" I asked, then laughed. What a bunch of names.
"I hate that show." Whitney said. "So much of a disappointment of a sitcom."
"Sure, I agree, but we can't exactly be picky." I said as I began to demorph. Let's face it, you can't acquire animals when you are morphed.
One after the other, we all acquired one of the dolphins. All a different one. I was Joey. And, of course, Rachel was Rachel. Even though the personalities didn't match at all. We all left one morph ahead. I couldn't wait to try it out.