I stopped suddenly as I studied my fist. It was big. I mean it was rough and callused and had veins that pumped across the hairy, muscular forearm like I belonged to Gold's Gym and actually used my membership.
It was the hand and arm of a grown man.
My heart started up again, pumping now at record speed. I probed the polished steel door frame for my reflection, for the face I knew.
And yes, there! I saw my eyes, dark as midnight. My strong, broad face. My...
I swallowed hard.
My short-cropped hair? My six-foot frame? My day-old beard?!
I brought a hand to my face. My fingers scraped across my chin. Stubble like sixty-grit sandpaper. I needed a shave.
My breath got choppy. My head felt about ready to explode.
The Jake staring back at me was an adult!
It was the hand and arm of a grown man.
My heart started up again, pumping now at record speed. I probed the polished steel door frame for my reflection, for the face I knew.
And yes, there! I saw my eyes, dark as midnight. My strong, broad face. My...
I swallowed hard.
My short-cropped hair? My six-foot frame? My day-old beard?!
I brought a hand to my face. My fingers scraped across my chin. Stubble like sixty-grit sandpaper. I needed a shave.
My breath got choppy. My head felt about ready to explode.
The Jake staring back at me was an adult!
— Jake Berenson, Animorphs #41, The Familiar
I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Everything felt a little weird.
When I touched the bathroom doorknob, it seemed to be in the wrong place. As if someone had lowered it during the night. The ceiling felt lower too.
I turned on the light and glanced in the mirror.
Was that me?
I couldn't stop staring at myself. I looked like myself — and I didn't.
My face wasn't so round. I touched my upper lip. It was covered with blond fuzz. And I was about six inches taller than I'd been the day before!
I—I was older. I looked about sixteen years old!
No, no, I thought. This can't be right. I've got to be imagining this.
I'll just close my eyes for a minute. When I open them, I'll be twelve again.
I squeezed my eyes shut. I counted to ten.
I opened my eyes.
Nothing had changed.
I was a teenager!
When I touched the bathroom doorknob, it seemed to be in the wrong place. As if someone had lowered it during the night. The ceiling felt lower too.
I turned on the light and glanced in the mirror.
Was that me?
I couldn't stop staring at myself. I looked like myself — and I didn't.
My face wasn't so round. I touched my upper lip. It was covered with blond fuzz. And I was about six inches taller than I'd been the day before!
I—I was older. I looked about sixteen years old!
No, no, I thought. This can't be right. I've got to be imagining this.
I'll just close my eyes for a minute. When I open them, I'll be twelve again.
I squeezed my eyes shut. I counted to ten.
I opened my eyes.
Nothing had changed.
I was a teenager!
— Matt Amsterdam, Don't Go to Sleep!
"Link...?" A voice called. Navi flew into her partner's view, rubbing an eye. It seemed she herself had just awoken. "What...? Where are...? What?!" She blurted out, hardly able to form a sentence. She was staring at Link, wide-eyed and seeming almost afraid. "Look! You're...!
Confused and concerned, Link tilted his head to the side. "What is... Ngh?!" He let out a strangled noise of alarm. His voice was... it wasn't his anymore! It was new and deep! Looking himself over, he saw something that took any other words right out of his throat.
He was... taller! Yes, no longer a boy! He still had his tunic, but it was bigger to fit his taller and bulkier frame, a pair of white tights now worn underneath his tunic instead of his old shorts. On top of that, he now wore leather gauntlets too! He looked himself over, turning his hands around and noticing a golden glow fade away on his left hand. With all that was going on, he barely even questioned it.
"You’re all grown up!" Navi exclaimed, staring at Link’s new form. No longer a ten year-old boy, he was a man now! Tall as a typical Hylian adult with muscles to match! "You! Rauru, was it? Please, tell us what happened!" The two had only passed out for a moment, right? The fairy turned to the Ancient Sage, hoping to get an explanation as to what was going on.
Link stared too, worry etched on his more mature face. He felt... weird... different. The boy felt stronger, the weight that was on his back from that metallic shield not much lighter. In his rush to look over himself, he didn't even notice he was missing his slingshot, ammo pouch, and boomerang.
Confused and concerned, Link tilted his head to the side. "What is... Ngh?!" He let out a strangled noise of alarm. His voice was... it wasn't his anymore! It was new and deep! Looking himself over, he saw something that took any other words right out of his throat.
He was... taller! Yes, no longer a boy! He still had his tunic, but it was bigger to fit his taller and bulkier frame, a pair of white tights now worn underneath his tunic instead of his old shorts. On top of that, he now wore leather gauntlets too! He looked himself over, turning his hands around and noticing a golden glow fade away on his left hand. With all that was going on, he barely even questioned it.
"You’re all grown up!" Navi exclaimed, staring at Link’s new form. No longer a ten year-old boy, he was a man now! Tall as a typical Hylian adult with muscles to match! "You! Rauru, was it? Please, tell us what happened!" The two had only passed out for a moment, right? The fairy turned to the Ancient Sage, hoping to get an explanation as to what was going on.
Link stared too, worry etched on his more mature face. He felt... weird... different. The boy felt stronger, the weight that was on his back from that metallic shield not much lighter. In his rush to look over himself, he didn't even notice he was missing his slingshot, ammo pouch, and boomerang.
