The Box

       "Hey! Mom! I'm going down to the beach!" I yelled, I'm back to yelling again. (I'm want to
       tell you something right now. I'm gonna call my friends by there screen names, cause most of
       then I only know there screen names!)
       "Ok, be back by seven!" She yelled back.
       "Ok!" I was
       going to meet some of my Net friends! I've met them before, with my mom. But this time I
       was going to meet them by my self! And I was going to get us all together! I was so hyper!
       We were meeting at this swimming pool. We were going to swim but it turned out that we
       wouldn't have the time!
       "Hey! Anda! Over here!" yelled Elfy.
       "Coming!" I yelled back.
       "Hey Anda!" said Forlay
       "Hey!" said Elfy
       "Where's Yeerkiller?" I asked.
       "I think she's going to be a little late, she e-mailed me just before I left." said Forlay.
       "Ok, cool. You wanna go swimming now or something?" I asked as I took out my swim cap and goggles.
       "Hey, what's that?" asked Elfy.
       "What? That? Oh, that's a Taco Bell toy I got last night, I think it was made wrong. See? Your spouse to be able to watch your self morph a tiger. But, how? It's all one blue box." I said.
       "Hm.... I don't know" said Forlay.
       "Hey, yall!" said Yeerkiller as she came up.
       "Hey! I was beginning to wonder if you were going to come!" I said.
       "Sorry, my mom
       had to get me a new suit, I didn't even need one!" she said.
       "Well, that's Mom's for you." I
       said. We all laughed. "I like not having to type what I want to say." I said. "It gets annoying."
       "Yeah, it does." said Forlay. We all agreed on that.
       "Hey! Where did you get that?" Yeerkiller asked me.
       "I got it from Taco Bell last night. It's spouse to...." I said.
       "Yeah, I know." Yeerkiller said, interrupting. "Make you look like you morph a tiger. I have one, and it doesn't look like that!"
       "Hey! I wonder if it's real!" Elfy said.
       "Maybe." I said. "My dad thought the same thing last night."
       < Can you hear me? >
        "Ahhhh!!!" We all yelled.
        "Did you hear that?" asked Forlay.
       "Yes!" the rest of us coursed.
       < Good! Come behind the little shed next to the lifeguard stand. >
       "Do you think it's an Andalite?" I asked as we walked over there.
       < No, I'm not a Andalite. >
       "Then what are you?" asked Yeerkiller.
       < You'll see. >
       When we got there I didn't see anything, or so I thought. "Ok, where are you?" I asked.
       < Look up on the roof. > When we looked up we saw a Red Tailed Hawk, and five Sea Gulls.
       "Animorphs!" said Yeerkiller.
       < Yes, we are the Animorphs. >
       "Oh, cool!" I said. "But why do you want us? We can't morph or anything. And how come your here? The Gardens isn't any where nearby."
       < Something came up around these parts. We told our parents what we we're going on a day trip here. >
       "Ok, wait a minute. I want to know who's who." I said.
       < Should we? >
       < Ok, we'll demorph. > said someone, I'm guessing it was Jake. They all
       demorphed, Rachel looks better than the books, so does Tobias.
       "Ok, so, um, what do you want?" I asked.
       "We want another group of Animorphs." said Cassie, Cassie said that?!?
       "Why?" asked Forlay.
       "Because we want a vacation!" joked Marco, duh. Me and Yeerkiller groaned.
       "Hey, I thought it was funny." said Marco.
       "You would!" I said.
       "How long will you be here?" Elfy asked.
       "A day, duh, didn't you hear?" said Marco.
       "Yeah, but maybe you can get a hotel, my dad owns one around here, or you can stay with one of us." I said.
       "Hey! That just might work!" said Rachel.
       "Cool! Rachel, you can stay with Forlay. Is that ok with you Forlay, and your mom?" I asked.
       "I think it'll be ok, I'll go check." she said as she ran back to her house.
       "Um, Cassie.... Who wants Cassie?" I asked.
       "I'll take her!" said Yeerkiller.
       "Ok, go ask."
       "Ok." she said.
       "Jake and Marco? I'll take you two to the hotel, you can get a free room, and call your parents." I said.
       "I'll come with you Anda." said Elfy.
       "Ok, Tobias? Can you find some tree?"
       < Yeah, I think so, if not I'll just find Jake. What about Ax? >
       "I will pass as human, hew-mannnnnnn."
       "Ok, so now, you three, oh, wait! What about Yeerkiller and Forlay? They went to... Oh, here comes Forlay." I said.
       "She said yes!" she said as she ran up.
       "Cool! Could you stay here and wait for Yeerkiller?" I said. I filled her in on what was going on.
       "What about the box Prince Jake? Ake, aaake, akeee."
       "Oh, yeah, go get your bag, Anda? That's that short for?" asked Jake.
       "Ok, Marco can't laugh at this, but it's short for Andagorilla, get it? Andalite and gorilla put together?"
       "Well," said Jake. "I guess we found some girl who likes you."
       "Hey! Elfy likes Marco also! She just wanted a more original name." I said.
       "Oh? Well, then, two girls!" said Jake.
       "Hey!" Elfy and I yelled.
       I went to get my bag. "Why do you want my bag?" I asked.
       "Because you were chosen. Osennnn, choeeessen." said Ax.
       "By who? Ellmist?" asked Elfy.
       "Yes, the Ellmist." said Jake.

       "Ok, let me get this straight." I said as we walked into the Mlastic Hotel, my dad owns it.
       "The Ellimist sent you here because he wanted you to 'train' us? Why us? And how did you find us?"
       "Well," said Jake. "We herd you talking about the box, and...."
       "The Escafl Device" said Ax.
       "Yeah, what ever." said Marco.
       "Hold on, let me check and see if we have any free rooms." I said. I went to ask my dad. "Well, he said he only have one room, with 1 bed and a fold out couch, do you think one of you can sleep on the floor?" I asked.
       "Yeah, is there a sleeping bag that we can use?" asked Jake. (I, for one, am getting sick of he said, she said, Marco said, I said, aren't you?)
       "Yeah, I'll go get it, but I think Marco's the only one that'll fit, it's really small."
       "Great!" Marco said sarcastically. "I'm sleeping in a girls sleeping bag! What does it have on it? Barbie?"
       "Actually it has nothing on it, it's purple."
       "Haha?" (Ax, who else would question a laugh?) We went up the elevator and got to the room.
       "Well, here it is!" I said. "I hope we can start soon, since we only have tomorrow."
       "Well... Actually....... We kinda told our parents that we were going to camp." Jake said, and grimiced. "I even got fake camp papers, I have to call my mom and tell her what cabin I'm
in, what's the room number? 203? Ok, um, oh, there's a phone. Marco? Do you need to call
your dad?" asked Jake.
       "Nope, it's cool." he said.
       "Well, g' night, I hope I can get some sleep!" said Elfy as we walked back to the beach.
       "Yeah, hey! What are we gonna do with Rachel and Cassie? We took care or a place to sleep, but what are all the Animorphs gonna do tell tomorrow?" I asked.
       "Well, why don't..... Hey! Rachel and Cassie morph with a bathing suit, right?" I said.
       "Um, I don't know."
       "Let's go see!" We got down to the beach and Rachel, Cassie, Forlay, and Yeerkiller were already in the water. "Well, I guess that a yes! I'll race ya!" I said and I ran to the water, Elfy won. We had a blast! Jake, Ax, and Marco, and even Tobias in human morph, showed up equipped with towels and they even had there own bathing suits!
       "Hey, where did you get those?" I asked.
       "Bought them, my mom sent me money for camp." Jake grinned.
       "Ha, yeah, right, and eagles may fly out of butt!" I joked. I
       think Marco and Tobias were the only ones that cought the joke.
       "Did you get it? "I asked.
       "Um, no?"
       "Tobias said that!" Yeerkiller said.
       "Oh."
       "Anda I must asked you a question,
       estionnnn." Ax said.
       "Shoot." I said. "Why would I want to shoot you? Besides I don't have a
       shredder."
       "Never mind! Just ask your question."
       "Why does one of you have an Andalite name?"
       "Who? Oh! Forlay? That's her screen name! For the internet!" I laughed. "Hey!
       Forlay! Come talk to your son!" I laughed some more, so did everyone else, except Ax, I
       think he didn't get it. Oh, well, I hope tomorrow will be funnier!

       The next day we met up at the Mlastic, my dad's hotel.
       "Ok," I said. "Now what?"
       "Well, I guess go get your bag and then we'll head to the gardens to get you some morphs." said Jake.
       Yeerkiller looked unconfertable, I guess it's cause she's gonna have to make it look like she's just getting her morphing powers. (Go and read My Chronicals by Yeerkiller) I wonder if the Animorphs know? Probably not, I wouldn't think the Ellmist would tell then the details, just
where to come and that's it.
       "Ok, today is Wild Life day, thank goodness, so we can get in for only a quarter." Elfy said.
       "Good, cause we don't want to spend all our money on one day." said Jake. Hum, I hope Rachel can stand it! I started laughing then, everyone started to look at me strangely, but Marco started laughing soon, I think he finally got it. Hey! I out joked Marco! "Ha! I out joked you!" I said to Marco.
       "You didn't even say anything! You just started laughing!" he shot back.
       "No, I was laughing too hard!" I shot back to him. Hehe. He just groaned. I looked at him sweetly, and grinned. "Ha!" I said. Then I said. "So, where do we want to start? We can't exactly go to the back, can we? I mean Cassie's mom worked at their Gardens, so they kinda, in a weird way, belonged. We don't all." "Well...." Cassie started. "My mom just bought this pass so I could go into the back way of any Gardens, with up to five other people."
       "Ok, let's see." said Jake. "There's four of you and much more of us.  Just tell us what you want and well station our selves at those animals homes."
       "Ok, cool." I said
       "Now we need to talk about what we want." said Jake.
       "Well, I want a dolphin., a gorilla, and a Red Tailed Hawk." I said.
       "Yeah me too, for the dolphin. But I want a cheetah and a Bald Eagle." said Forlay.
       "I think we all want dolphins, right?" I said.
       "Yep."
       "Ok, but I want an Elephant and a Peregrine Falcon." said Elfy.
       "And I want a Buffalo and a Merlin." said Yeerkiller.
       "So, now all we have to do is get them."

       "Ok, how do we find what we want?" I asked Cassie as we went into the back.
       "Well, I'll have to ask, this is the first time I've used this card out of town."
       "Ok, now we got a map of where everything is." Cassie said as she came out of the office.
       "The gorilla, Buffy, if dead a head."
       Since Marco isn't here then I'll say what I think he'd say. "Great choice of words!" Elfy and I said.
       "I hope this experience is better than your first time at the Gardens!" Forlay said.
       < Yeah, me too. >
       "Hey! Are ya'll here?!" asked Yeerkiller.
       "Yes they are." Cassie said. "They're fleas."
       < Boy! Do I look cute! > I'm guessing that's Marco.
       "Ok, here's the gorilla." said Cassie.
       "What if someone comes along?" Elfy asked.
       "We are allowed to get up close to the animals that have this sticker on them. See? Here it is." Cassie said as she pointed to this sticker on the door.
       "Ah, good!" I said.
       "Ok, let's get this over with." I stuck my hand in. "Hey! Wait a minute! We haven't gotten our....." I let it hang.
       < Oops! I guess we kinda forgot. > said someone, I guess it was Jake. < We usually just come in and get what we need. >
       "Ok, I, for one, do want some kinda ceremony. Last time you didn't do that he ended up bad news." I said.
       < So what do you want to do? > asked some one, I think it was Tobias.
       "Um, Mmmbop!" I said. Everyone groaned.
       "Hey! How about the Animorphs theme song?" asked Forlay.
       "Yeah!" I said.
       < One problem. > said, uh, er, thought, Marco, hey, I think I got it right! < We don't have a theme song! >
       "Yes you do." said Yeerkiller.
       < Since when? > asked Rachel. "Since September fourth at eight thirty p.m. eastern standard time." I said.
       < Hun? Oh, yeah! I for got Scholastic made a TV show of us! >
       "Yeah, duh." < But we don't know the words. >
       "I do!" Me Forlay and Yeerkiller, with a little help from Elfy, wrote the words down.
       "Ok, here we go!" I said.

       MOVIE OF THEME SONG

       "No turning back, no backin' down, no where to run, no silent ground.
       "No place to hide, no one to trust, no one to help you when your lost, there's only one.
       "It's all in your head, hold on, hold back on darkness.
       "Gotta take your stand, it's all in your hands."

       < Cool! I like it! >
       < Yeah. It's all in your head? Now, that's cool! >
       "Yeah, what ever, just let us do it." I said, wanting to get it over with. We found a bathroom and so Ax could demorphed without anyone screaming bloody murder.
       < Every one touch the sides. > Ax said. We did so, then we got this weird tingly feeling, I guess it was the power coming into me. I shivered.
       "Weird." Yeerkiller said. Yes, very. I thought.
       "Ok, now I get my gorilla!" I said as Ax morphed back.
       We went back to the gorilla home. (I'm not gonna say cage.) "Hi." I said to, what was it? Buffy? "Will you let me pet you?"
       "Here," said Cassie. "Give her this." she handed me a peice of fruit. I didn't know what it was.
       "Here you go, you want some fruit?" Buffy came over and took the fruit and munched on it. I stuck my hand in and she gave me her hand, it was so sweet!
       "Aw, she likes you!" said Forlay.
       I had this annoying tingly feeling, it made it hard to concentrate. "Cool!" I said.
       "Ok, now can we get my Elephant?" asked Elfy.
       "Um, sure I guess, Cassie? How can we get near a Elephant?" I asked.
       "There is this show they have, I don't particulary like it, but you can pet a Elephant at the end. It starts in a hour." she said.
       "Ok, well, Yeerkiller, let's go get your buffalo." I said. We walked over to the buffalo door and someone was there.
       "Hi kids." they said. "Can I see your pass?" Cassie let him examine it and Yeerkiller went up to pet the rhino.
       "Um, sir? Can I pet the buffalo?" asked Yeerkiller.
       "Sure, why not? Most kids wouldn't even ask!" She didn't touch it as long as I had to, probably to cover up what she already has.
       "Thanks!" we said.
       "Sure, no prob."
       We went to find the cheetah next, it was a long walk, so we talked about what we could do around here, luckily we didn't run into any people.
       "This county is the most Yeerk targeted next to ours." said Jake. "That's why we need some Animorphs around here."
       "But why here? I mean, what do we have here?" I asked.
       "Well, you have many pools around here, and you have the Underground. Since that was closed, by controller cops, the Yeerks have been using it."
       "Oh, I think I speak for all when I say ug!"
       "Yeah." We walked and talked some more.
       "Here it is." said Cassie a while later.
       "Um," said Forlay nervously. "How am I gonna get it with it out getting me?"
       < Hey! You stole my line! > Marco said.
       "Yeah?"
       "Yeah!"
       "Too bad." I said.
       "Just don't say 'Good kitty, kitty, kitty.' Ok? That's mine."
       She sighed. "Fine!" She reached in.
       "Good kitty, kitty, kitty." I said.
       < Hey! >
       "Well, I didn't promise not to say it!" Someone sighed, I think it was Jake.
       < Ok, you done Forlay? >
       "Yeah, that was cool!"
       "Do they have any of the birds we wanted here?" I asked.
       "Well, they have a bird show right after the other one." Cassie said.
       < Prince Jake I believe it is time to morph out. >
       < Yeah, ok, take us to a bathroom Cassie. >
       "Ok, guys, jump off." I saw 4 little black dots jump off of Cassie. "Come on Rachel. I can take you in."
       < You guys go back out. We'll meet you at the show. >
       "Ok." I said. I thought watching the show was going to be fun. Well, watching it was fun. But after it wasn't!

Chapter 5