DISCLAIMER: I don't own Animorphs.

Review Corner Majigger

Estel la Rodeuse: Birdie stares, quite surprised. Erm...glad you like some of it...

But, uh, I know you're not trying to tell me what to do with my fanfic.

Um, all I can say is, if you don't like it, don't read it.

UNDERSTAND?!

Anonymous-cat: Here's part two for you.

Mutters. At least some people appreciate the work I do!

And now,

A Few Words About My Fanfics That Will Probably Make Some of You Want to Kill Me, But I'm Going to Die Eventually Anyway, So Oh, Well:

Okay, I believe in finishing my fanfics. So what I'm going to do, is basically just finish them one by one, instead of just hopping around like a nutcase, like I've been doing, starting with this puppy! So I apologize to those of you Winky binky fans. Or Feninu fans. Or So Much for Conventional Love Mertie fans. Or the numerous other ones that I probably won't get to in quite a while. I may work on the Ax and Visser diaries in between chappies, if I get extremely bored with serious romantic stuff after a while.

I PROMISE I WILL FINISH THEM ALL, MY FANS!

Oh, and also, for some reason, this program isn't accepting and saving the little arrow thingies that you use for Andalite or someone in morph thoughtspeak, so sorry if it get's confusing.

Sigh. The things I have to deal with...
Anyway. Here's the rest of the party! (Though definitely not the rest of the story!)

Tobias's POV

The party was a little more sober now. A slower dance came on the computer sound system Marco had rigged up and dragged outside. He had actually managed (with a little of Ax's Andalite computer expertise) to get a decent music feed from Earth. It was an old Jazz tune. The type of stuff people danced to at classy parties in the 1940s and 1950s.

Ax's and Estrid's parents had left, saying they would take care of little Ax and Yani for the night.

Nice of them to do so, really.

(Though I think they just adore Yani- I believe Forlay has been thinking about having a daughter, just one last child. Who knows?)

Ax took Estrid in his arms again. They both morphed human. They both began to move slowly in a circle. I watched as Estrid lay her head on Ax's shoulder.

I was happy that Ax could be free of the One momentarily.

I watched them and thought of their vows. Of how Estrid had gazed at Ax, and how he had just gazed dreamily back, like he couldn't believe she was standing in front there in front of him. A sort of relieved, happy look. When he had said 'until death' during their vows, his eyes seemed to grow pained for a second. Then there was joy in his eyes again.

With shock, I realized what he had probably been thinking at the moment.

She would die, and he would live on.

And be alone.

We would all die and leave him and he would be alone.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by the sight of Santorelli dancing with Jeanne. She was smiling and laughing at something he was saying.

I was reminded of Rachel again.

Back years ago. To a school dance.

We were slowly circling. Me looking nervously at the clock. Rachel's arms around my neck, holding me close. Pleading with me to stay. Eight minutes left in morph! And I ran out of there in a panic.

Now, standing here all alone, I thought that if I could go back in time, and she had asked me to stay a human, I would have in a second.

But I hadn't know then...

I felt all of that pain that I had felt when she first died coming, flooding back to me. I was in agony. I opened my eyes and sighed deeply, trying to fight the tears that were threatening to surface again.

I gazed up at the stars. Slowly looked down and to the left.

The doctor stood by the punch bowl, now back on the table and refilled. She was in human form again.

I almost choked on nothing right then.

Her human morph was oddly beautiful. A combination of Jeanne and Jake. They had allowed her to acquire them so she could taste stuff.

Her morph really was gorgeous though... Long brown hair. Full lips. Blue eyes.

Almost like Rachel's. Except hair a mere shade darker...

I felt it still so difficult to breathe.

She pushed her long, straight, glossy hair behind her. She was looking around with her eyes, unused to only having two eyes. I caught her eye.

She smiled a dazzling smile at me.

I suddenly felt kind of weak.

Paranoia Tobias said, "Whoa dude! Watch out!"

Live it up Tobias said, "Shut up, man!"

PT. "Got news for you buddy. She's an ANDALITE!"

LT grinned. "So am I!"

PT rolled his eyes. "She's full blooded. She's the real thing. She probably thinks you're some disgusting 'half-breed'!"

LT "So?! I just want to dance with her! She's a babe!"

PT "What? You barely know her! Besides, she's engaged to Mr. Magnificent, remember?!"

I looked over at Mr. Magnificent (Hanike) gorging at the snacks.

LT "Dude! Just relax, okay! It's just a freaking dance! It's not like I'm going to propose to her, anyway!"

I walked up to her, and before I knew what I was doing said. "Uh...want to dance?"

She looked surprised. "What? W-w-w-whatuh? Tuh?" She played happily with the sounds. Like Ax used to when he was first in human morph, as an Aristh.

"Do you want to dance?" I said, feeling like a stupid idiot now.

"Well...I...don't know. Know. Ou..ohwuh! I don't really know how. Ow. Huh-ow!"

"It's easy. See?" I pointed to Ax and Estrid, still going around in a circle.

"W-well...allllllright!" She smiled and blushed.

I grinned and led her out onto the grass.

I put her arms loosely around my neck, and my arms around her waist. We slowy turned.

She stumbled a little a few times, but Marco didn't smirk, or tried not to anyway. He was over near the sound system, showing little Ax dance moves. Jake was watching and grinning, laughing every now and then. Hanike watched curiously for a moment, then saw Jeanne squeezing extra icing on a cinnabon.

I looked to L'Aini and found her watching my face curiously. I grinned, the kind of grin you do when you find someone watching you and you don't know what to say or do.

She smiled that beautiful smile again and those eyes sparkled up at me in the near dark. I swallowed.

Man, with Jake's DNA in her human morph her face looked unbelievably like Rachel.

I thought how bizzarre this was, slow dancing on an alien planet with an alien woman in human form. I almost laughed. It was like some weird music video.

"What is funny?" She asked softly. Her voice was very gentle. It startled me a little.

"Oh, uh, well, nothing really. Why?"

"Oh, you were smiling."

"Well, yeah. I was just thinking how weird this is."

"Why is it 'weird'?"

"Well, the whole thing really. Dancing with an Andalite on another planet..."

"Oh." She said and laughed. She moved closer to me, peering at my eyes. "Human eyes are so strange..."

I laughed. "Why?"

"You all have many different colors of eyes. And different eye shapes and eye sizes..."

"Andalites have different eye shapes."

"Somewhat. But mostly the same. Definitely not as diverse as humans. And you have many different colors of skin too."

I laughed again. "You almost sound jealous. What's wrong with being blue?"

She laughed. "Nothing I suppose. At least we have different shades."

"Yeah. I mean, it's kind of cool."

"Why do you have different colors?"

"I don't know...we're just born that way I guess...Some of us live in sunnier places, so we end up with darker skin. Some of us live in cold places, so we end up very fair-skinned. That's just the way it is."

"Ah. Climate. I see."

I laughed. Typical Andalite- trying to analyze everything.

Though a great deal of humans were that way too.

"What is funny?"

"You."

She looked surprised. "How am I amusing?"

"You just are. You're beautiful too."

We stopped circling.

I stood there feeling stupid. I hadn't meant to say that...

She stared at me, with wide blue eyes.

I stared back.

I slowly moved forward. She just stood there. She jumped a little as I took her chin on my finger and raised her face up to mine.

I was just about to kiss her when-

"NO WAY MAN!" Marco was shouting at Jake laughing. That startled us, and we moved away from eachother quickly.

Had they seen what I was about to do?

What was wrong with me? Didn't I realize what I could have done? She was engaged! How would Hanike would have reacted had he seen? What would he have done?

But no, they weren't looking at us. My heart stopped racing. I looked over at L'Aini. She wouldn't look me in the eyes.

I tried to play it off, and looked over at Jake and Marco. Marco was pushing Jake and laughing.

"Dude! Where is it man?"

"Where is what?" Jeanne cried excitedly, catching the gleeful mood.

I walked closer. What was going on?

"Jake has a secret stash, man!"

I burst out laughing. "Didn't know you were a stoner, Jake!"

Marco laughed. "Naw, not that kind of stash. Though... man that would be funny!"

"What kind of 'stash'?" Jeanne said, giggling. Santorelli looked suspiciously at Jake. Hanike came over, looking hopeful.

"Cinnabons!"

"No." Jake said, grinning and looking secretive.

"Jake-o's got contraband!" Marco said laughing. "We do not encourage 'illegal products' aboard a ship, young man! Unless you...SHARE!"

"You mean, 'alcoholic beverages'?" I joked.

"Yep. Sure do!"

"We'll have to watch out for the inspectors!" Jeanne cried and we all laughed. Like they would have any idea what alcohol was...

"What is this 'alcohol' you speak of?" Hanike wondered. "Is it as good as Cinnabons?"

Menderash looked happy. I had a vague idea he knew somewhat what alcohol was...

"Better." Marco said. "Now we can REALLY get this party started!"

"Oh no..." Jake said. "Why, why, why did I ever tell you?"

L'Aini's POV

I followed the others down the hall of the Rachel. I wondered again what this substance was that made them so gleeful. Champagne, they had called it. What did it do?

The lights were out down this hall and Jake and Marco were snickering gleefully as they moved the handheld lights all around.

"oooooOOOOOOoooooh!" Marco said, snickering. "I am the ghost of Visser Threeeee!"

"Man, please! Don't even mention that freak!" Prince Jake groaned.

"Whyyyyy?" Marco said. I was mystified by his drawing out vowels. What did that have to do with the supernatural spirit of Visser Three? "Does it scare you Jakey wakey? Is Jakey wakey going to winkle tinkle in his panties?!"

"Oh! So THAT'S your other stash, huh Jake?" Tobias said. "Ladies' undergarments?"

All the humans burst into fresh snickering.

"Tobias," Prince Jake said. "I am going to strangle you, stab you, and run over you with this ship." He said this in a startlingly casual tone that made me shiver. But I assumed he must be using what humans called 'sarcasm'.

"Aaah, don't get your panties in a wad, Jake!" Marco said.

They all laughed even harder than before.

Hanike stood beside me. He grinned. "These humans are strange aren't they?" He said.

I smiled. "Strange, but fun!"

He laughed softly. Then looked concerned. "I'd better demorph! I have been in morph nearly two hours!"

"So should I!" I said. Not that I needed to. But...after Tobias's puzzling display of affection towards me, I felt that I should...

Apparently Hanike had not seen it. Not that he would have dared to yell at me, or hit me. I would never have allowed him to. But he most certainly would have confronted me about it.

I noticed Tobias look back at me over his shoulder as Hanike and I stopped to demorph. But he kept going with the others.

Hanike and I stood in the darkened hallway together. Alone. We demorphed quickly.

He drew close to me. I shivered a little I felt his arms wrap around my waist.

Eee!

He chuckled. Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.

I smiled involuntarily in the dark. He pulled me close. I giggled in thoughtspeak.

Hanike, the others!

They are far ahead my love. He said softly. He nuzzled my neck. I giggled again at his boldness. We weren't even married yet!

He could be so romantic...

Now you stop that! I scolded teasingly.

Mmm, why?

Because, I said so. I said, grinning and pushed him away lightly with my tail. I began to walk forward.

Please, L'Aini, I want to spend time with you. Alone. He said, grabbing a gentle hold of my tail.

I smiled. We'll get to. Don't worry. You have plenty of time on leave, don't you?

Well, yes, but-

Then what are you worrying about my love?

He sighed. Nothing I suppose. I guess I just...I don't know. Sometimes I feel you are too good for me, a dream come true, and then I'll wake up, and you'll be gone.

I smiled even more, feeling a strong tug at all three of my hearts. He would be so perfect. It would all be so perfect with him. Yani would have a father. I would have a loving husband who really appreciated me. As much as Kascherm. Perhaps even more...

I felt guilty thinking of that. It wasn't that Kascherm had ignored me. I guess I always kind of felt that he viewed me as something to fulfill the standard of life that he was supposed to have as a Warrior. A good position in the military. A beautiful, intelligent wife. Two or three wonderful children.

No. I told myself. He loved me. He really did. He 't be tied down.

He had always been one for adventure. For being in the stars.

Now...

I tried to push away the ache in my heart. Hanike and I walked along, side by side.

We had a good many years together. I told myself.

We had a beautiful daughter, and an adorable little son together...

I felt deep sorrow again, thinking of my little Anukili, as a waddling newborn baby snuggling up to my belly at night.

No. I told myself. Don't, L'Aini. Think positive.

He gave me Hanike...

I smiled and looked at my Hanike. Yes. I could rebuild a life with him...

Maybe...maybe even have another little son...

I shook that thought away. No. The grief was too strong to even think of having another child yet.

We reached the others, and I was glad of something to distract me.

They were giggling and holding the handheld lights while Prince Jake and Santorelli worked to break off some cover on a ventilation shaft.

It was opened. They all ooohed! at the sight of racks of glass tubes that looked much like what one would have found in an old Andalite lab researching volatile substances.

Is any of that dangerous? Hanike pondered, voicing my thoughts. He was still holding my hand.

"You could say that." Prince Jake said and grinned.

Jeanne rushed forward and grabbed another glass creation. This was some sort of little dome like structure with a glass stick poking from the top and a flat circle at the top of that stick, on the other end, from the dome. Then she did something that puzzled me. She squealed and turned it over.

"Wine glasses!" She exclaimed. "Oh, it's been so long since I've held one!"

Marco stared at Prince Jake. "You even brought wine glasses." He shook his head, looking sad. "You are scary."

Prince Jake began handing out wine glasses to the humans. He looked to Hanike and I.

"Uh, you guys want some?"

We looked at eachother.

I don't really feel like morphing. Maybe we can drink it through our hooves! I said.

Yes! Perhaps we could! Hanike agreed.

"Okay, uh..." The wine glasses were very small. It didn't look like we would be able to use them very well without breaking them and cutting ourselves.

"Oh I know!" Marco said. He brought some odd thing up.

"Hey! That's my ice bucket!" Prince Jake complained.

"Ah, come on! We don't have any ice! Besides, we can just use liquid nitrogen!"

"Isn't that dangerous?" Tobias asked.

"Nah. Well...maybe...I don't know..."

"We'll find some ice!" Jake said. "In the meantime!" He began to grab some of the 'bottles'. "We'll just take this, outside."

"Nah!" Marco said. "Let's go to the bridge!"

"Where's Ax and Estrid?" Tobias asked.

Marco grinned mischievously. "I believe they have ah, retired, for the night!"

We all laughed. Even Hanike and I understood this time.

Hanike lifted the ice bucket with his tail. Well, I suppose we can try this together my love! He said smiling.

Why not? I said.

Tobias POV

In the bridge, we all sat, chilling while Jake poured different kinds of wine and other 'alcoholic beverages' into glasses.

I'm not Mr. Party Guy, but I guess I do like to have fun.

I just hadn't been able to a lot lately...

Yeah, see, when you're trying to rescue your uncle from a soul sucking monster, and going to another side of the universe to do it, while staying up nights having nightmares and crying over the lost love of your life, you don't really have a lot of energy to party.

I watched, laughing, as Hanike sucked up nearly all of the champagne Jake poured into the bucket.

We hadn't known how alcohol would affect an Andalite.

Apparently, very much, very quickly.

He was slurring and laughing his head off in a matter of seconds.

Bird warrior! He yelled, pointing at me and laughing.

He began to run around, jumping on the control panels.

Wheeeee! He exclaimed, very un-Andalite.

"Oh crap! He's damaging the ship even MORE! STOP HIM!" Jake yelled, and he and Marco and Menderash began trying to round Hanike up and calm him.

Oh dear... L'Aini said, then giggled. I stared. She had her hoof in the bucket now and she was looking quite unusually relaxed, and very happy.

I hurried over to her. Man, we really, really didn't need two drunk Andalites.

I grabbed her hoof, and began to move it out of the bucket.

Eeeeh! She cried, then burst into giggling. That tickles!

"Ah hah, yep. Sorry bout that." I said, rolling my eyes, but also trying not to smile.

I steadied her, putting my hands under her arms, on her ribs. She stared at me.

Oh no! You shouldn't put your arms around me! That's very...very... She was swaying fully now. Very very very improper! I'm going to have to punish you for that!

SWOK!

Her tail connected with my head.

I flipped over.

"OW!" I yelled.

Hanike, being dragged to the medi bay, called out.

THAT'S RIGHT MY LOVE! FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT! NEVER LET THEM WIN!

She giggled and waved goodbye to him.

I slowly stood. "That was not very nice."

She looked at the ground like a naughty little kid who's just spat on another kid from the top of the slide. Sorry...

"Uh, that's um...okay..." My head was pounding. Man she was strong.

I quickly demorphed, then remorphed to Andalite this time.

I decided to try the champagne myself.

"Oh man! Tobias! NO!" Marco yelled.

Oh, come on! I won't drink THAT much.

Turns out for Andalites, it doesn't take that much.