Who: Tad and Jiang What: It’s a little much to hope that no one would ever catch Jiang’s morphs. Where: A men’s bathroom somewhere on the campus of Reed College When: Backdated to Friday afternoon Warnings: Slight swears, I think? Not much. Paranoia.
This time, Jiang was cutting it close. He stared at his watch as he rushed to the bathroom, watching the minutes until the two hour mark and losing it all as they ticked away gleefully. He wouldn’t be able to make it to any of his typical hiding spaces in time, and why hadn’t he thought of that before he allowed the professor to engage him in a conversation about the program he was writing for his class project? Foolish, Jiang, foolish.
Although Jiang’s body only had two eyes, and they were both on the front of his head, somehow still Ax managed to spot the bathroom sign in the small side hall. There, he said, and Jiang dashed for it - fortunately, if anyone saw him, they would only think that he really, really had to use the restroom.
Fortunately, it was empty. It was, after all, a small and rather unimpressive bathroom in a small and unimpressive building. It didn’t even have automatic faucets or, he discovered when he ducked into the handicapped stall, an automatic flush on the toilets. There were much grander places to use the restroom on campus, so perhaps he should add this one to his list as a safe place to change. He could always use more of them.
He shed his outer clothing quickly, and tt was with three minutes left that he began the fast, awkward transition between human and Andalite. Blue fur sprouted from his body and an extra set of legs began to grow at about his waist. The eye stalks popped out of the top of his head, and he struggled not to snicker at the ticklish feeling at the base of his spine that meant a tail was beginning to sprout. Soon, his lips fused together and he couldn’t snicker at all.
Then, at last, he stood in the stall as an Andalite, four delicate blue legs and solid blue hooves peeping out from under where the metal of the divider stopped. He and Ax allowed themselves a moment to stretch, working out the kinks of sitting in class for over an hour. A run would be nice, Ax mused.
‘Perhaps this weekend,’ Jiang told him. ‘We could take a stroll by the fraternities, I am certain they will all be too intoxicated for anyone to believe they saw an alien.’ He always intended to follow through on that promise, but it hadn’t happened, yet. Maybe this weekend... maybe.
Then, the door began to open, and Jiang felt his heart in his throat for a moment before instinct slammed into effect and he began reversing the process and returning to his human body. ‘Faster, faster’ he urged it, ‘just for once go faster.’ His panic seemed to help, and he was back in his pink, furless human body so quickly that it actually hurt. Maybe whoever was walking in hadn’t noticed that momentary flash of four blue legs. Tad was having one of those days where everything went wrong. Practicing morphing with Brandon, while useful, was tiring - and altogether paranoia inducing. He'd made a habit of acquiring all animals he passed, becoming the local animal guru. His touch could make any calm down...at least once. If not, he recommended them to his roommate Brandon. It was a small charade but it kept him busy and more equipped for the future.
A girl a floor down with her rabid hamster hadn't helped matters though. The rodent had been one of those few animals that didn't respond well to Tad's powers, running the moment Tad started acquiring him. It left him without a complete morph and worse, with Sally shrieking over her "poor lost baby" who got lost in his room. They'd spent a good half hour, running about and trying to chase the thing. Eventually he showed up in Tad's underwear drawer with a pair of superman boxers on its head. A year ago and Tad would have been embarrassed - Sally was pretty in a natural way - but it was all he could do to get her out once the morph had been acquired.
That was only the start.
He and Brandon were nearly caught in their bird morphs when Leon banged on the door, having forgotten his keys again. Quick demorphing and the world's worst excuse for being in skin tight clothes together was sputtered out. ("....We were exercising. Yeah. Uh.....yeah.") Then Tad had managed to be late for his criminal psychology course, which continued to make him and Jake feel uncomfortable. Leaving that, he ended up walking under a banner being pasted up...and chose THAT moment to slip. White paint splattered all over him, leaving him bitter lipped and frustrated. Even Jake was speechless.
Someone offered him a spare t-shirt to wipe his eyes and directed him towards a bathroom. Feet squelched along cheap linoleum floors until he used the shirt to get into the room. He slammed it, frustrated, and swept over the area to see if anyone was here. He was a moment away from talking out loud to Jake to end his frustrations, but like hell was he going to do that if others were about.
Spotting four familiar blue hoofs though stunned him. Oh man, was the collective thought. First the Sharing, Tobias, and an Andalite? Tad swallowed watching the hooves change to feet. Okay, few options.
Random Andalite, less random but good Andalite, Alloran (possibly with Visser One inhabiting him), and Ax. Jake's last memories of the Andalite prince though nearly caused a shudder. That wasn't likely.
The question was why would they morph to a college student? Did they already know about him and Brandon? Tad's blood ran cold and led to acting dangerously.
"Nice hooves." Jiang had known this day would come. He had prepared himself for it, mentally. Admittedly, he’d imagined it in a much more dramatic fashion - the door bursting open just as he’d finished morphing, pointing fingers and accusations of “You’re an alien! We must dissect you now!” He would draw himself up with dignity and make his defense, prepared on the while to do what he must to keep his secret (and that of any other Animorphs that might be out in the world) safe.
A casual comment about his hooves was not in the plans, and he almost thanked whoever it was making it before realizing that, perhaps, the lack of panic was a bad sign. A Yeerk, after all, would be right at home as a reincarnate. Or, even worse, perhaps it was just some insane human, and he wouldn’t know the difference until he acted.
Best, then, to try those evasive techniques he had planned out, first.
He casually began pulling back on his jeans and t-shirt over his morphing suit, just in case whoever it was decided to burst in and investigate more closely after all. Then, once the t-shirt was over his head and his voice would no longer be muffled, he called out in as innocent a tone as he could manage, given the circumstances, “This space are for being full.” Best just to pretend he hadn’t understood a word of what the other young man had said. The sound of clothing and hint of shuffling he could see gave a good idea. It didn't give away much - anyone could have read the books and learned the usefulness of skintight clothing. Tad froze, watching the door before finally reaching for the faucet. Hands were rinsed, just for ease of the movement. This false casualness didn't suit him and when a voice finally came back he was relieved.
Relieved and confused that is.
It took him a good minute for him to realize the guy didn't speak English. Or was faking it. Tad wasn't going to discount that. Still he replied with a- "Uh...sure, buddy." He didn't want to move much closer but at the same time....fuck, what was he supposed to do to figure out who this was? No good plan came to mind, beyond the cheesy follow the guy around one and contact him via thoughtspeak. Of course that sketchily involved morphing.
Decisions, decisions. How crazy and reckless was he feeling?
Jake had his moments with such. Tad knew that. And otherwise, he'd be less likely to track the kid down. So, a gamble. He could make one. Possibly.
Slowly, cautiously he entered the stall next to the guy, climbing up onto the seat. He began morphing then and there, not caring what happened to his clothes. Thank god morphing was silent. He felt his body shrink, weight shifting to even go for his arns and legs. His skin grew cold and pebbled, a dark green of the lizard he'd acquired the last week. His vision shifted to that of the reptilian's just as he climbed up the side of the toilet, then the wall.
{Alright, Andalite. What've you got to say for yourself?} Jiang knew quite well that some of the Yeerks had gained access to the morphing technology. No matter how much he wanted to assume that it was a friend, it was someone Ax would know, he couldn’t be so careless as to do so.
Of course, he could no longer pretend not to understand, since the words were in his head. He could, however, still pretend he couldn’t speak so well. “I are nothing to speak for me. You have words?” Okay, so perhaps he was panicking a little. That one didn’t make sense even to him.
Quickly, in his mind, he began reviewing what morphs might be best for fighting or fleeing. Oh, if only he had thought to acquire an insect... but this possible-Yeerk - the one who had controlled Prince Jake’s brother, perhaps? - was a lizard and could have eaten him. Clever, this one, and Jiang would have to be more clever still to escape him.
What form, what form... the snake, perhaps? It was not venomous, but the stranger might not know that. Yes, that would work quite well. Holding it in his mind, he risked one more question. “I are to know who you be?” Making sense of the andalite was impossible. Tad made the leap to the cubicle wall, glad for silence. He climbed closer, reveling despite himself in what the lizard's body allowed. He could climb with ease, no care for gravity despite moving upwards. If able to, he could have smiled - albeit grimly.
He knew the guy had to be debating morphing - wise decision even if he didn't know where he was. Tad ran through what he knew of the bathroom;s layout, just making it to the inner side of his cubicle door. There should've been a vent here, if he circled back to the wall and higher. How was he for time though? It could take too long to navigate out-
Two minutes and twelve seconds, Jake voiced. Counting's better then nothing. Tad nodded, before returning to the andalite. Answer, answer but....
{Yeerk-killer,} he thought, tone grim. {I was called Yeerk Killer}. Accurately, as an insult and an honor. Tad and Jake still didn't know what it was. Jake's thought surged forward then, unexpectedly joining the stream of vocalized thought. {Evasion skills, better. Right result for any and it's not like they'll know you're...} He cut off and the two, internally froze. The epithet was familiar. Jiang knew it, as did Ax, but anyone could have read the books. Anyone could have known the right words to give, and that was what made this business so tricky. It could truly be... but then it could just be a very tricky Yeerk, and he couldn’t risk that.
But then... the voice. Jiang didn’t know it, but Ax did. Ax knew it very well, and Jiang echoed his small mental exclamation with his mouth less than a second after he made it. “Prince Jake?” It was too good to be true, it couldn’t really be...
Much more quickly and awkwardly than he’d put them on, Jiang stripped off his street clothes and, before he was even completely down to his morphing outfit, started the transition. Soon, he was standing in an Andalite form that surely Prince Jake would recognize, even after all the years. It was Ax’s voice that took over the thoughtspeech, and Jiang let him without a fight. {Prince Jake! I had wondered but I never hoped... and here, of all places, where we came by chance!}
Happiness, both for himself and his headmate, infused Jiang’s own thoughts. {It is fate, not chance.} While doubly inwardly cursing, Tad hadn’t expected much of a reply. It wouldn’t have been so bad with someone who knew Jake - really knew him versus someone who’d only interacted with him in passing and wouldn’t know his voice. The sudden, startled response of Prince Jake threw them. Only one person would react that quickly like that - and because of it, a wild, ridiculous hope developed. Ax. Ax wasn’t assimilated, Ax was here-
He scampered up and over the door, to the other side. {Ax, you’re here? Seriously? And don’t - don’t call me} Jake only laughed, before a more private apology. Didn’t mean to take control. At all but- ‘I get it,’ Tad said, feeling the same feeling of elation. Something screwed up that was fixed. Almost magically. It was just...just awesome. A little weight was lifted. But even that little bit did so much.
Tad sized up the andalite, before shaking his head. {You believe in that? Sorry for the language mix-up - didn’t intend it and had to be careful.} His “voice” grew apologetic. {You know how it is...But, I’m Tad. Normally and when less lizard-like.} His tongue-flicked out, the closest he could manage for a smile. {I’ve been Jake for a year. How long have you guys been around?} There was a lot that Ax wanted to say, but Jiang pressed him gently back. There would be time for that, and he would much prefer to remain in control, just in case. {Ax is here. He has been for about three years now.} Then, because Ax was insisting, he added, {He was afraid he would never see any of you again, after how it all ended.} Not that he remembered much of what happened after discovering the Blade Ship. He had, however, asked Jiang to purchase the final book in his series so that he could know how it ended. Both of them had felt rather cheated by the cliffhanger.
The corners of Jiang’s eyes crinkled in the peculiar mouthless Andalite smile. Language mix-up... so Jake - Tad, he reminded both himself and Ax - had been fooled. Hm, perhaps he would continue the pretense a little longer. It wasn’t as if they didn’t have other means of communication, after all. {I am Fan Jiang. Very glad to see you.} Tad bobbed his head again. {Yeah, no wonder. We were worried too.} Memories on Jake’s end had been selective - not coming as they were unneeded or whatnot. After the end, things were blurred. He supposed he’d never know what happened after the book series. It didn’t bother him as much as it should have.
{You too,} Tad thought back. {So. You’re...an exchange student here then? How long have you had Ax?} There was a strange rush of excitement in his questions, but Jake wasn’t advising him to calm down. He was trying too hard he supposed but...it bothered him. Calm cool and collected.
Still, didn’t he have the right to be excited over the thought that someone was back in the right condition? Aside from Brandon in a human body? He shook his head in an entirely human gesture. {I haven’t met any others from ...our world. Just Tobias. He’s my roommate actually. One of them.} So much to take in, for both of them, and Jiang was relieved that they were speaking mind-to-mind instead of in English - his comprehension was good, but at the moment he expected it would fail him. The basics, then, he would deal with first.
{Yes, I am an exchange student. I come from China.} There didn’t seem to be a great demand for more information than that; it was not relevant to Tad’s interest in him, and so there was no need to head off those inevitable awkward questions about his culture. He tapped a hoof gently against the floor, thinking. {Aximili has been with me for about three years, I suppose. It seems much longer, at times.} Three years of learning to be an even more alien creature than he already felt he was, and three years of constantly looking over his shoulder for Yeerks. Then again, it was also three years of the beauty of morphing, which more than made up for it.
At the mention of Tobias, Ax surged yet again to the forefront of their mind. {Tobias is here, also?} He subsided again with a soft apology, but Jiang picked up where he had left off. {We would very much like to meet him, as well.} Not that he thought Tad would be keeping a secret like this from the only other Animorph he knew, so he was certain this Brandon would be told of his presence as soon as Tad could do so. He only hoped Tobias was as eager to see Ax as Ax was to see him. Then, both because it was true and because it was polite, he added, {Though seeing you is far beyond what we ever dared up for.} There was no sense in hurting anyone’s feelings. {I know the feeling,} Tad sympathized. He meant it positively though - as positively as he could. He didn’t blame Jake’s arrival and issues for fucking up his life. He didn’t truly blame it all. It just weighed down on him, until moments like these. Ax was here. Ax, not-Ax - somehow something not screwed up. It nearly made him dizzy how positive he felt. With three, he nearly had a chance.
Another bobbed nod and Tad answered {I’m sure he’d like to meet you two. I share a room with two other guys - Brandon and Leon. Brandon’s Tobias, though I just learned a couple weeks ago. Right when...} And he cut off, pausing. That might be better to deal with what had been said before switching to bad news. {Same, Jiang. We’re just thrilled to know you guys are alright.} There was a long pause though before he admitted, {There’s more to it then that though. Sharing’s started up again. I’m not asking - or ordering - anything. You guys were a prince of your own, at the end there. But...} He trailed off. With Ax, before, it had been easiest to let the leader-guise drop down. It took only a moment of silent conference for Jiang to speak for both of them: {You will always be our true prince...} And then, with a teasing note, {Prince Tad.} He wondered if Tad would mind it as much as Jake did. He certainly hoped that was the case, as it would entirely ruin his fun if the other young man was fine with it.
The news, though, was serious enough that it distracted him from his play after only a moment. {That is not as good to hear, about the Sharing. Some things should stay in the world of the book, rather than invade ours.} It had been too good to be true, though, that only the good parts of Aximili’s world would cross over. That was what had made him so wary, in the years they’d been together. Truly, Ax added, it is a relief to have it done, so that we do not have to wait for it any longer.
One thing they could agree on without even needing to check, however, is that they were certainly glad not to be in charge in this unfamiliar place. {We are yours to command, my prince.} Ax took his turn to speak, Jiang more than willing to let him. Though it initially threw Tad off, a slightly hysterical laugh welled up at the title. Just like old times. Even if they were Tad and Jiang, rather then Jake and Ax, it was a throwback. He didn’t care that the title was annoying - that he was no more a prince then Jake ever was. That Jiang and Ax had no business calling him that. He was glad just to have him on his side again, his to team up with - to have an old friend back. He barely kept the laughter from entering the thought speech stream. {Don’t call me that.} Habit, a throw back to old times.
And that agreement was enough. Tad climbed down the rest of the restroom door. With a final leap to the floor, he gave the alien a look. {Thank you...I know you don’t have to. And I appreciate it, more then you can guess.} He paused. {Alright, you probably can.} This time, he did laugh, beginning to demorph. {First order - we let Brandon know our favorite alien’s here.} As he grew taller, legs changing into arms and body returning to a normal pink. {Then we’ll begin plans.}