Tobias

(Tobias, it is time to wake up) Ax said from the bottom of my favorite tree. Field Trip day. The bus was leaving Rachel and Marco's school for the airport at 7am in order to get a 10am flight to Washington. I stretched my wings and preened a little.

('Morning Ax. You ready to do this?) I asked my friend.

(Yes, I have studied Cassie's habits for two days. I am prepared.) Ax was going to morph Cassie and I was going to be Jake. They had never told Chapman they weren't going, and this way we wouldn't have to account for two completely new faces. Usually we tried not to morph sentient beings, but Jake and Cassie were OK with it. However, none of the human, or former human, members of the Animorphs had ever morphed the opposite sex before, and we weren't going to start now.

(Then let's roll,) I said as I swooped off my branch and through the air. I flew overhead as Ax skirted logs and bushes.

We stopped in a patch of woods near the school. It's always weird for me to go back there. It's been almost three years since I was actually enrolled there, but I still remember the hell on earth it was. Not that I had anything to fear from bullies and jerks now. Ax seemed nervous too. He'd had a bad half-day there awhile back, but I wondered if he was thinking about his own school. He never talked about it fondly.

(I see Prince Jake and Marco approaching,) he piped up.

(I heard him two minutes ago,) I said. It's this silly competition we have going. I still think my raptor eyes are better than Ax's, but they were approaching from behind us. Ax sees in 360 degrees.

"Yeah, well I see a giant blue deer and a talking bird too close to the school," Marco said. He was unusually chipper for early morning.

(Relax. No one can see us from here,) I told him.

"'Morning everybody. Where's Rachel?" asked Jake. He dropped the two duffel bags he'd been carrying on the ground and looked up at me. "If you guys can remember, take some notes for me and Cassie. We'll still have to turn in papers for this trip."

(No problem,) I said.

(Yes, homework will be a novelty,) added Ax.

"Well if that's the way you feel, do mine too," said Marco.

We chatted and made small talk for awhile waiting for Rachel. Finally she crunched through the leaf litter hauling a giant suitcase on wheels. I guessed it held about half of The Gap's spring line.

"Damn, Rachel. You know it's only a week right?" Marco made his obligatory comment.

"Some of us believe in grooming and hygiene, Marco," Rachel huffed.

"Ok guys listen up. Last minute instructions," Jake said suddenly all business, "It's an hour ride to the airport, so you two should be fine. Objectives are to find out about Yeerk penetration in high government, assess whether there's a way to alert politicians about the threat, and get me enough notes for at least a B-. The goal is NOT to wreak havoc just because it's fun. Remember: low profile. Just use your common sense, please."

"Jake, we know all of this. You told us yesterday. And the day before. And the day before!" said Rachel. She was going to be in charge in Jake's absence. I think she was getting a little touchy about all the "don't go crazy" warnings.

(The schoolyard is starting to fill up. I think it's Go Time, you guys,) I said. The atmosphere was charged like before a battle. I knew logically that nothing might happen. It might be a totally mundane week with no Controllers and no close calls. But my gut told me otherwise. Our little group couldn't even handle a school dance without a major mishap. No wonder everyone was on edge. I fluttered down to the ground and started the morph.

Morphing Jake was no big deal for me. It was no different than my own human morph. He was bulkier and only slightly taller. Bad vision compared to a red-tail. No real instincts to speak of. Jake didn't even seem weirded out by the whole ordeal. After all, Ax had morphed him awhile ago.

Speaking of Ax, he was handling the process fine too. He wasn't even playing with sounds and nearly falling over as he often did when morphing a human.

"Interesting," he commented. He spoke with Cassie's gentle, mellow voice but the Andalite penchant for scientific candor still shone through. "There are no significant differences between male and female humans aside from some anatomical discrepancies. I believe Andalites show a greater degree of sexual dimorphism. Although, there is a searing pain in my left foot."

"Um, that's because you're standing on an anthill, Ax. Not because you're a girl," said Rachel. She was rummaging through one of the duffel bags Jake had brought. She dug out some jeans and a hoodie and threw them to Ax. He put them on over his morphing outfit. "Maybe we'll get a chance to go shopping on this trip," she said, eyeing him critically, "Those are the nicest clothes Cassie packed."

"He's fine, Rachel. Very Cassie-like," said Jake. She sighed and shook her head, sending waves down through her golden hair.

"I would have to be on a superhero team with the least fashion-forward people on the planet. Shopping: it's my gift and my curse," she said as she fixed "Cassie's" short hair with a couple of barrettes.

I picked up Jake's duffel and backpack and looked back at my double.

"Be careful with that body now," he said with a strained smile. I guess the weirdness was getting to him. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Seriously."

"Don't worry, Captain," said Marco, punching me cheerfully in the arm, "I'll take care of these crazy kids. Let's go get some education in DC! By God, I feel patriotic just thinking about it."

"We'll be fine, Jake," I said over my shoulder as we marched toward the school parking lot toward the fleet of yellow buses.

"Tell Cassie I hope she feels better!" called Rachel.

We stashed the luggage and climbed aboard. The bus was already half-full of chattering, excited high school kids. A pack of girls at the back went silent as I shuffled down the aisle.

"You can sit here, Jake!" called one of them. The rest of her gang giggled annoyingly. I vaguely recognized her as the girl who'd asked Ax to dance at last weekend's school dance before he'd completely freaked her out. Oh great, I thought. This is wrong on so many levels.

"Uhh, no I'll sit over here, thanks," I replied, sitting down next to Rachel.

"Haha, sit with your cousin who you barely talk to, Jake? Of course not!" said Marco through clenched teeth, "You'll sit next to me, your best friend."

Oops. Thirty seconds in and already problems. Maybe this would be a little more complicated than I thought.