Authors' Note: So I've finally drafted an Animorphs fanfiction which does not make me puke. This can mean only one course of action- the internet.

Disclaimer: The ideas and characters of Animorphs were originally drafted by Katherine A Applegate. The series ended sometime in 2000, but some people still ponder on about it. Note particularly that the italicized quotes are from Book 11, The Forgotten.

Summary: There's a lecture going on, but Aximilli-Esgarrouth-Isthill isn't paying attention. Inspired by The Forgotten. And by this point, I'm pretty sure someone's done this already; but hey, a different perspective doesn't hurt.

Distraction

Aximilli-Esgarrouth-Isthill was not paying attention.

Perhaps he should have been. The Sario Rip was one of the most debated, and hence convoluted, time-space phenomena in the Andalite community. Yes, Andalites were the most brilliant species in the galaxy, but even they couldn't completely decipher the mechanics of time-space transportation in a few centuries. You'd have to be an Ellimist to do that.

But, Aximilli thought reasonably, if they didn't know Sairo Rip Physics, what good would a lecture on it do?

Aximilli tilted his eyes - the main ones – left and ahead. There, standing as rigidly as anyone else, and diligently listening, was Marill-Quaramath-Fisshal, already pegged down by the masters as a future scientist. She was definitely attractive, even with a nose slightly flatter than the norm. Assaf had remarked (privately) on her flawless legs. Aximilli had wholeheartedly agreed (again, privately. Marill had two older brothers), but he had thought her smile was prettier.

This, he'd kept to himself. His older brother might be one of the greatest War Princes, but even Elfangor couldn't shut up Assaf when he really got in the mood to tease. At most, it was dumbstruck adoration for several moments.

Their teacher paused for calling up visuals on the computer. Then Aximilli noted Marill was looking at him.

Not with her main eyes, of course. But still.

Assaf, who prided on his ability to observe everything at once, even more so than the rest of them, noticed. And being Aximillis' shorm, he had to comment on it.

((Aximilli! She's looking at you!))

His tone made Aximilli blush lightly. (Assaf was incredibly good at doing that. Aximilli got embarrassed easily.) He averted his main eyes, but he couldn't resist turning his right stalk towards her. He saw the smile in her eyes.

Assaf let out a cry of triumph, in private thought speak.

((By now, I'm sure you're all aware that, minimally defined, a Sario Rip is a hole in space-time.)) The teacher continued, having entertained the more serious students with a series of low-definition images of black rips. ((But the specific characterization, as well as the theory behind it, are a lot more complex. In truth, mostly approximate to date. Conclusive proof-))

Aximilli lost track of what she was saying, being too busy watching Marill, and occasionally the pictures, which were vaguely interesting. But only because the black reminded him of the obsidian dunshar gamer. The oblong stone, which you could touch only with the tails. Aximilli experimentally flicked his tail, imagining a double lined cross, his teams' mark, being etched. He wouldn't admit it, but he was glad his team hadn't picked the circle. They were so much harder to etch and somehow, he could never really manage it.

((Be careful!)) Hirund-Elafor, who was behind him, snapped.

((…two identical consciousnesses at the same real time, would damage the continuum. It has been demonstrated, in such a case, that space-time itself will destroy both individuals, as their combined existence is very similar to matter and anti-matter, which in contact…))

Marill had concentrated all her attention (and eyes) on the teacher by now. Aximilli felt a little disappointed. And slightly annoyed at the entire Sario Rip set of theories.

((I think she likes you.)) Assaf encouraged.

((Maybe.)) Aximilli told him.

((…escape from a Sario Rip, or rather, returning to the space-time the individual is meant to be in; the actual timeline. The hypotheses proposed are many, but most have not been experimented upon. The simplest method, in theory, is to create a second Sario Rip to repair timelines. Recall however, that in addition to being erratic in formation, the Rip might as well send the individual to a separate timeline…))

Aximilli settled for tapping his hooves impatiently. Point zero zero eight nine days before the lecture was over. At least it would be soon. He was already planning dunshar tactics. Hirund-Elafor was an expert slicer. But he was slow, so if they could-

((…or alternatively, the non-existence of one consciousnesses can effectively repair the continuum…))

He glanced at Merill again. Maybe he'd be able to let her into the game. She wasn't very fast, but he could help her-

((…based on the theory that the simultaneous existence of two identical consciousnesses…))

Except that Assaf wouldn't stand for it, as pretty as she was. He was determined to win this round of the game at least-

((…space-time anomaly. Most of Sario Rip physics remain a matter of speculation to this date.)) She smiled at them. ((Perhaps, someday, someone here might rewrite the laws themselves.))

Aximilli shifted again. Almost time…

((And that will be it for today.))

Aximilli relaxed, relieved. Good. Now he could get to the game.

He looked at Merill again. She was lost in thought, probably thinking about what she'd learnt today. Aximilli had a feeling the teacher had meant Merill when she'd said one of you. She was clever. And pretty, especially with her eyes far away and that smile-

((Aximilli!)) Assaf called, impatient.

Aximilli tore his eyes off Merill (well, most of them, anyway) and trotted to catch up with Assaf, belatedly realizing there were huge gaps in whatever he'd managed to assimilate that day.

But, he justified himself. Dunshar was much more important than a time-space anomaly with near zero possibility of occurrence. You'd have to be a full-blooded warrior with a panache for getting involved in high-power energy beam collisions to actually experience one. And even then…

Aximilli was reasonably confident Sario Rips would not be part of his future. It was a simple thing to be sure of. Like saying Elfangor was great or Marill was pretty…

Really pretty…

((Aximilli!)) Assaf called a third time, exasperation evident. ((Stop daydreaming. That's what happened last time, and I couldn't show my face to Hirund-Elafor for weeks-))

The injustice of this accusation brought Aximilli back to reality. ((You missed the gamer. I'd tossed it perfectly well-))

((Yes.)) Assaf conceded. ((To Hirund-))

Aximilli argued back, all the way to the dunshar field.

"They teach you this stuff in schools, huh?"

((Yes.))

"And you didn't pay much attention to this lesson, huh?"

((True))

"I can see why. This time travel stuff will make your head explode."

((Exactly. And on that day, there was this game...and this female...))

- Excerpt, Animorphs #11, The Forgotten

End Note: I was annoyed with the whole angular brackets disappearing thing, but it turned out okay otherwise. And as for Assaf, I know Ax's shorm was mentioned somewhere in The Sacrifice, but I don't have the book to refer to; and so he is entirely made up. As for the game, think of it was a combination of swordplay, football and tic-tac-toe. In case anyone's wondering (you probably aren't) etching a circle gives more points than etching a cross, so it is pretty much even.

Ah, leave a thought, then?

(Revised 18/05/08)