CHAPTER 3

I sat there, thinking.

It's just the 'water' part of rain we don't like.

We like the sound of rain. The sound of raindrops splashing against the ground... the sound of large puddles forming... the sound of water dripping down from leaves... it's all soothing to us.

Well, to me, anyway.

I tried to remember what had happened to the Ditto Device.

My father had given us the power to morph. Then, a group of Rattatas had appeared, running straight past us from terror.

When I looked back at my father... the Ditto Device was gone. But where had it gone?

Perhaps Blitz or one of my human friends would remember.

BOOOMM!

A horrible, rumbling sound! Thunder.

I may like the sound of rain, but not the sound of thunder.

Blitz and Michael woke up with a start.

BOOOMM!

˂Yaaah!˃ Blitz cried. ˂Thunder! Are you guys awake? Did you hear that?˃

˂Nope, I slept right through it,˃ Michael said, in a tone that indicated 'sarcasm'. At least, I think it indicated sarcasm.

˂Stupid thunder,˃ Blitz muttered. ˂Why can't it just let us sleep?˃ He kicked a stone, which rolled outside.

˂Everyone, I have something important to ask you,˃ I said.

˂Go ahead,˃ Michael said. He was sitting down.

˂Can you remember what happened to the Ditto Device?˃ I asked.

For about a minute, we were all silent.

Michael stood up. Blitz's tail was wriggling around in the air like a restless Ekans.

˂I... I kind of remember it rolling into the bushes or something,˃ Blitz said at last. ˂I could be wrong, though. I can't remember very well.˃

˂Yeah,˃ Michael said. ˂Yeah! I remember Skipper kicking it, and it started to roll away, but then I was distracted by the Rattatas.˃

˂So Dad simply made it roll into the bushes,˃ I said. ˂Where is it now?˃

˂I dunno,˃ Blitz said.

˂No idea,˃ Michael said. ˂I think we should go looking for it tomorrow.˃

Blitz looked nervous. ˂What if someone's already found it?˃

˂We'll have to get it back,˃ Michael said. ˂No, wait! What am I saying?! I can't go on anymore missions.˃

˂What? Sure you can! I mean, we all have to morph, but you're in morph already!˃ Blitz said.

˂Well, I suppose...˃ Michael said. Then he sat down. Hard. ˂But... but look at me! I can never demorph! Please, oh please tell me there's a way to demorph!˃

˂Well... I... I don't know,˃ Blitz said. ˂There could be a way. But we don't know much about morphing.˃

I decided I better change the subject. Michael was getting incredibly unhappy.

˂The rain's not as hard now,˃ I said. ˂And it's dawn. I'm going to morph and start looking for the Ditto Device.˃

˂What morph are you going to use?˃ Blitz asked.

˂A new morph I got today... erm, yesterday,˃ I answered. ˂Rattata.˃

˂I'll morph Spearow and search from the sky!˃ Blitz said.

˂I guess I'll just stay here,˃ Michael sulked. ˂There's nothing I can really do.˃

˂Yes there is!˃ Blitz said. ˂You can climb trees and... well... look for it.˃

Michael shrugged unhappily. ˂Well, I suppose. Come on!˃ He got up and headed towards the entrance of the cave. He stepped outside. ˂The rain is pretty weak,˃ he said.

Blitz and I went outside. He was right. I could barely feel the tiny raindrops.

˂Well,˃ I said to Blitz. ˂Let's morph.˃

Author's Annotation: Looks like some of Tobias' angst from Animorphs has rubbed off on Michael. Oh well, it's understandable. Michael didn't even have a terrible home life like Tobias did. But at least there are far worse things to be stuck as, like a Farfetch'd or something. Poor Farfetch'd.