Antauri awoke with a start one early morning. He glanced over at the clock on the wall. It was after three in the morning and it would be another hour and a half before he could wake his teammates for breakfast. However, food was not on his mind.
Ever since the fight with the sea monster and the waning of the Power Primate, Antauri was losing sleep and unable to concentrate in his work and practice. Though he tried various methods to appease the gradual loss in his heart and soul, he found no comfort in them. Even more distressing was his distancing from his teammates and family. Everyone was worried for him, as he suspected, but what surprised him was, Chiro, the newest addition to his family, being the most worried person of them all. The mysterious young man with no past to speak of that suddenly became a big part of the Hyperforce's present, and occupied a considerate portion of Antauri's thoughts lately. Thought he maintained a paternal need to protect and teach Chiro, he realized that what he truly felt for the boy were beyond friendship.
The door to his room opened. There stood the young man in his pale blue pajamas. He was alone.
Speak of the very Devil himself.
"Chiro? What's the matter?" Antauri asked him as the boy hesitantly walked into his room.
"I'm worried about you. Antauri, I don't want to lose you," Chiro sat on the chamber's edge. He motioned for Antauri to come closer to him. When the black monkey was close enough, he ran his hands through his fur. Antauri was surprised by Chiro's tenderness, but did not stop him from his petting. A soft mew escaped the black monkey.
Chiro began sniffling before he wrapped his arms around the surprised monkey.
"I am fine, Chiro. There is no need to shed tears for my sake."Antauri pleaded, fearing the boy was going to cry. It pained Antauri to see Chiro upset, especially when he knew Chiro was upset about him.
"Don't lie to me, Antauri. Stop keeping secrets from me. I've noticed you being distant from us...from me."
"It's not intentional."
Chiro couldn't stop the tears from falling, "Please stop shutting me out! I let you hear my thoughts; I share things with you I wouldn't tell anyone else. Why won't you do the same for me?"
Antauri had nothing to say to the boy's statement. What Chiro had lamented was true. He knew things about Chiro that his other siblings had no idea about, and yet, Antauri kept a portion of himself locked away in his mind.
". I don't know what's eating away at you, but I want to help you. Please, let me. You're not just my friend…you're more to me, Antauri and it hurts me that you're suffering like this."
"..I...I had no idea you felt this strongly about me." Antauri calmed the sobbing leader down, "Chiro, I am sorry. I never meant to make you worry so or make you feel excluded. Please understand that the reason I choose to not explain myself is to protect you."
"Antauri-"
You are more important that you realize, not because of the Power Primate, but because…because without your presence, we would not think of ourselves as a family. Without you here to inspire us every day with your childlike wonder and golden heart, we would be lost." Antauri gently ruffled Chiro's hair.
The teen smiled and gave him a squeeze, "Antauri, what's really bugging you?"
The black monkey was never one for being straight-forward, so it greatly surprised him when he stated, "Chiro, I enjoy the bond we share and I wish for this bond to last. However, it eats away at me that my feelings for you are becoming non-paternal...and more...romantic...towards you," Antauri looked into Chiro's twinkling eyes, "...I think I may have erred and fallen in love with you."
The boy said something Antauri was not expecting, "Anta, I've always loved you, not just as a mentor and a parent, but more. I didn't want to freak you out by letting you know."
"Chiro..." Antauri breathed, holding him close before giving the teen a gently peck on the lips.
He kissed back and smiled pulling away from the black monkey, "Feeling better now?"
"Kiss me again." Antauri pleaded, touching his hands.
They kissed again, this time with passion. Antauri's hands ending up being placed on Chiro's chest, feeling a soft mound and a hardening nipple. Antauri was further confused when Chiro moaned into the kiss and guided his other hand to the other mound on his chest. Chiro broke off their kiss.
"Antauri, there's something I should tell you before we go any further," Chiro began, his voice seemed to take a slighter more feminine tone, "I know you guys assumed I was boy, but I'm really a girl."
Antarui blushed at the statement, realizing the mounds on the newly-revealed girl's chest were her breasts. He instantly removed his hands off them. His cheeks were dark red from embarrassment.
"It's okay, Tauri. I want you to touch them." She breathed huskily, taking Antauri's hands and placing them back on her chest. She leaned in to kiss the black monkey once more to assure him that this was what she wanted. With his hands moving on her breasts without her aid, it freed up Chiro's hands to stroke his tail. She moved her fisted hand up and down Antauri's tail in time to him massaging her breasts.
Antauri moaned into the touch, ceasing his intimate massage. He began to unbutton Chiro's PJ top. His eyes lay on the white bra that housed Chiro's small and pert breasts. Not to leave Chiro behind as far as the state of undress, Antauri removed his helmet, and unbraided his soft black hair.
"I didn't know you had hair." Chiro commented as she removed the PJ top off her body.
"Do you...like it?" Antauri asked, getting embarrassed again.
"Of course I like it. You should leave it like this when we're alone."
Antauri smiled, "For you, anything."
"Should we…should we keep going?"
"You mean, as in intercourse."
"You read my mind Antauri." Chiro replied, giving him an Eskimo kiss.
Antauri smiled as he kissed her on the lips once and removed the rest of her nightclothes.
She lay on the bedding, now in just her bra and matching panties. She lay on the bed as the black monkey placed soft kisses on her upper body, unfastening her bra. As he nipped at her exposed bust, he removed the panties and caressed her smooth legs. Antauri was gentle with her, gently rubbing her body before taking Chiro's virginity.
She moaned as they made love for the first time. Antauri headed her every groaned command, grinding into her body as she moved before reaching his climax. He quickly withdrew from her and came on her flat abdomen as she had her first orgasm. Chiro breathed haggardly as she began to come down from her orgasm.
"Oh, my…"
"Y-Yes...that was indescribable. I hope...we can do this more often."
"You and me both."
Antauri laughed and cuddled into his new mate, "Chiro?"
"Yeah?"
"…Is that…your birth name?"
"Chiro? When I was younger, I went by Chihiro. What was before the accident nine years ago in Downtown Shuggazoom.
"Accident?"
"An explosion…I don't really remember a lot of it, I was living near the overpass near Highway 99 when it happened. After that, I thought…I thought being a girl with no parents to protect her from the scary people at night wasn't such a good idea. I thought boys were automatically strong and stuff, so I started acting more like a boy. Many people took me in, thinking I was a boy. It just…worked."
"Do you not miss being a girl?"
"Every now and then I start thinking about boys and clothes and stuff before I have to force myself to think like a boy."
"But…I rather like you as a female. And I wish to know more about you, Chihiro."
"Antauri, please don't call me that. I like being 'Chiro'. And…please don't tell the others about me being a girl."
An uncomfortable silence passed between them.
"Chiro, you asked me to be more honest. I am asking you now, to be honest with yourself and with me."
"I've been acting like a boy for so long…I don't know how to be a girl. Can I at least practice being a girl with you in private first before I tell everyone?"
"Practice?"
"Yeah! When we're alone, I can learn to be more comfortable in my body! The more I get used to you seeing me as a girl, the easier it'll be for me to tell the others. Would you help me with that?"
"I…I don't know about this, Chiro."
"Please, Antauri…this is the only way I can think of that I won't freak out about having to be a girl in front of everyone."
"I…I will aid you in this, Chiro."
"…Thank you, Anta. I love you."
"And I you, Chiro. Goodnight."
The months passed and despite Antauri getting a new body, and Chiro's continued unwillingness to reveal her true gender to the other monkeys, Chiro and Antauri grew closer in private and more comfortable having sex.
After one wild night or love-making a year and half later, Chiro was hogging the bathroom again as she had been for the past three weeks in the mornings. In addition to trying to hide her developing female body under layers of clothing and body makeup, she also took great pains to hide her recent bout of sickness.
"Chiro! Come on! I need to pee too!" Nova called out from the other side of the restroom.
After flushing the toilet and binding her breasts, Chiro came out of the bathroom sheepishly, "I'm sorry Nova... I think I caught that flu bug that's been going around."
"You are *such* a drama queen." Nova mused in good humor before entering the bathroom.
"Hey you raised me! I get it from you!" Chiro laughed as Nova opened the door to the restroom and threw bath beads at her. That was enough to chase Chiro off and leave Nova in peace.
Just as Chiro was heading towards her room, Gibson stopped her and quickly ushered her into his laboratory. Gibson was the only other monkey that knew Chiro was female. He was also aware of the sexual nature of Chiro and Antauri's relationship. The discovery had been by accident when Chiro was unable to see her normal human doctor on Shuggazoom and Gibson had to administer treatment to her. Chiro practically ordered him not to tell Sprx, Nova and Otto about it and Gibson reluctantly honored her wish. Chiro noticed the blue monkey was more worried than unusual. She reasoned it was better for Gibson to worry about her than being upset with her about Chiro refusing to be female.
"What's up, Hal?"
"Chiro...I've some starling news...you...you may need to sit down."
She did so, "Well, I'm sitting. What's wrong?"
"Chiro, there's no easy way of telling you this, so I am going to honest and frank as your doctor and as your friend.: You're five weeks pregnant."
Her eyes grew wide at the news. The room began to spin and she felt like she was falling in an emotional spiral. She placed a trembling hand on her flat stomach. She suddenly fainted, thumping upon the ground.
"Chiro! Chiro, wake up!" Gibson gasped. It took a good ten minutes and smelling salts to wake Chiro up. When she did wake up from the shock, she sat up, drew her legs to her body and began to sob.
"Chiro...I can't pretend that I understand, but I'm sorry...at this point, Sprx, Nova and Otto have to know you're a girl. You cannot hide this pregnancy, Chiro. Antauri needs be notified of this."
She nodded in an attempt to remain calm but she burst into sobs again.
"Chiro..." Gibson frowned, giving Chiro a warm hug.
Chiro sobbed for a while on the floor, confused and scared. She calmed down enough to return Gibson's hug, "Thank you, Hal. I…I…can't tell the others about me being a girl yet, but I need to tell Antauri about the baby. Do you know where he is now?
"He's in the dojo, the last I checked."
She picked herself off the floor and gave Gibson another hug before leaving the laboratory. She walked to the dojo in a daze, hoping she would be able to reach her lover without having to talk to the other three monkeys.
Antauri was meditating inside the dojo when Chiro finally reached him. He knew something was wrong with Chiro and he knew Chiro was upset. He stopped his meditation, ran to her, held her, and hugged her. He didn't even need to ask what was bothering her. With her being a carrier of the Power Primate and their frequent couplings in the year and a half of their romantic relationship, it was bound to happen—Chiro was going to procreate future generations of the Power Primate. Apparently, the Power Primate decided NOW was a good time for Chiro to bear children.
"I'm pregnant Antauri."
"…I know, Chiro. Remember, I can hear your thoughts," Antauri petted her and snuggled into her bosom, something Chiro often found comforting, "What do you wish of me to do?"
"I don't know right now, Antauri! I'm scared. Nova, Sprx and Otto…they'll know I'm a girl now. On top of that, I'm not sure they can handle me being pregnant too."
"Chiro, if anything, they will be most furious at me for fathering the child. They may feel hurt that you choose only Gibson and me to be made aware of you being female, but the idea that you are bringing another life into this world with my seed will overshadow that. Aren't you tired of having to hide your true beauty? I long for you to be truly happy in the body you were given. In my eyes, you are beautiful. Let the others see that. Know this, Chiro," He began, kissing her, "We love you, Chiro, no matter the gender you wish to be. Whatever you decide to do with the baby, we will support you. I am here for you, always, my human princess."
"You're right. I can't hide from being a girl anymore and I can't hide me being pregnant, either. I have to be honest with you …all of you. Wow, Anta, you know just what to say to get me out of a funk."
"I say these things to help you, Chiro."
"I know, Anta. You're gonna be a great father."
"You wish to keep the child?"
"Of course I'm keeping the baby."
Antauri held her as Chiro thought about how to approach the subject of revealing her true gender and the lovechild produced from her life of secrecy with Antauri.
Later on that evening, The Hyperforce was at the dinner table, eating steak and creamed potatoes. Chiro looked at the noisy gaggle of monkeys she called her family before setting her fork down. She cleared her throat, "Monkey Team, I have some important things to say," The monkeys stopped eating and looked at her, "If Gibson hasn't already told you guys, then here's the big news. I'm a girl."
Nova, Sprx and Otto gave her an incredulous look, "Now guys, you kind of assumed I was a boy to begin with, and I wasn't about to correct you guys after all you took me in. I thought if you guys knew I was girl…you'd stop loving me and throw me out the Super Robot. Two, me and Antauri…we've been together…before he became silver. And item number three is, we're gonna have a new addition to the team. I'm pregnant."
Obviously, Chiro had many questions from Sprx, Nova and Otto regarding the news, starting with why Chiro chose to live her life pretending to be a boy. Chiro told them what she remembered about the accident that made her decided to live life as a boy. During that part of the conversation, Nova let Chiro know that she was hurt and angry that Chiro didn't trust her enough to tell her. Chiro asked for her forgiveness, promising her that they would spend girl time together.
Then she had to explain that she had been sexually active with Antauri only, and that no romantic relationship occurred privately with Jinmay, her widely-believed girlfriend. Though Chiro really did care for Jinmay, and at one point thought, she was in love with her; she was not in love with the android and never revealed to the android her true gender. Chiro felt obligated to continue acting like a boy by appearing to date Jinmay, though the discussion about Jinmay's relationship to Chiro was cut short by the heated discussion of Antauri's true relationship with Chiro. Chiro pleaded with the others not to get angry with Antauri, for she was the one that asked him from the moment she revealed herself as a girl to him, to keep her true gender a secret. Gibson decided not to join the discussion, knowing that his reaction—anger, concern and morbid curiosity—had already ran its course with him when he examined Chiro that fateful day.
As Chiro expected and dreaded, the three now-informed monkeys were not thrilled that their newly-revealed female Commander was knocking interspecies boots with their second-in-command/older brother and having a baby before she reached the age of legal consent; which on Planet Shuggazoom, is sixteen. Chiro ended up fleeing the dinner table in tears that night, thinking her friends and family hated her and thought of her to be a liar and an interspecies whore. She fled to the safety of her room, away from the concerned voices of her teammates and flung herself into bed, crying herself to sleep. Later in the night, Antauri came into her room and roused her from her troubled slumber. Chiro grew upset again, but Antauri convinced her to calm down and come with him to the command center to have an honest discussion about her pregnancy.
She was relieved of all her fears when Sprx, Otto, Nova and Gibson offered to have an honest relationship with Chiro. They were upset, yes, but they cared for Chiro. They wanted her to stay on the Super Robot. With some time to cool down and think, they realized they should have figured her out from the beginning about Chiro being female. They accepted Chiro being female, but were still disappointed with the unexpected pregnancy and the relationship that she had in secret with Antauri. They agreed to help Chiro with her pregnancy, but it would take time for them to get over the fact that Antauri was the baby's father and Chiro's lover.
The night ended on hopeful note, with Chiro realizing that there was no need to pretend to be something she was not. For the first time since that fateful day as a small child, she felt loved and accepted as a girl. The months following her pregnancy, Chiro became more comfortable being a girl openly. She started working harder towards having honest relationships with her teammates. Now that she no longer had to hide her real relationship with Antauri, their relationship became serious once it was out in the open. He moved into her quarters and turned his into a room for the baby. They were conscious to remain serious and professional in battle and in training, but when there was downtime, they were hot and heavy. Antauri was looking forward to becoming a father and, soon, Chiro was looking forward to being a mother. Although the Hyperforce accepted Chiro being female, their allies had mixed reactions to the new. The most note-worthy reactions were that Jinmay felt betrayed by Chiro and ended up shunning her and that Johnny Sunspot suddenly took an interest in her. Clayton Carrington was not bothered by Chiro's true gender, having suspected it from their first meeting. He was happy that Chiro was openly female and became Chiro's godfather.
When Chiro was six months pregnant, Clayton took her out baby-shopping as a birthday treat, for she turned sixteen the day before. The shopping trip started out fine until they ran into Jinmay and Prometheus 5, the robot Jinmay got involved with during the year. While Slingshot tried to be amicable towards the expectant mother, Jinmay was not so very forgiving and she let Chiro know that the minute Slingshot and Clayton parted from them and went off on his own in the mall.
"I know I hurt you, but you have someone that'll be honest with you and treat you better! Isn't that better than dwelling on the past?" Chiro offered, clearly in tears with Jinmay's unwillingness to forgive her.
The female android was not swayed by the pregnant mother's reflection, "You're sick and twisted, you know that? How anyone can still even believe you, never mind touch you is beyond me."
"I'm sorry you feel that way, May-chan."
"You have no right to call me that."
"I'm still the same person you cared about!"
"No, you're not! You pretended to be a BOY, Chiro—if THAT even is you're real name!"
"Well, it's sort for Chihiro-"
"Everything you did while you were pretending to be a boy—a boy I thought loved me-was all a lie. How do I know you're even really pregnant, or even if it's that lolicon Antauri's?"
That was the benediction. Chiro curled up her fist and punched Jinmay so hard it knocked her to the ground landing ass-first on the carpet. The pregnant mother's fist was bleeding.
"I'm sorry; Jinmay, but you will NOT make remarks about my baby. The baby has nothing to do with what happened between us. You have every right to be pissed at me, but don't take it out on Antauri or the baby. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going home."
Chiro coolly strolled away from the fuming female android and went in search of her Godfather. Clayton was exiting another store with arms full purchases.
"Mr. Carrington, I want to go home, please."
"Chiro? What's the matter."
"I gave Jinmay a right hook and bruised her cheek."
"Chiro, I know you're pregnant but that's no excuse-"
"She was taking her pettiness out on the baby and Antauri! I wasn't gonna stand for that! If she wants a fight, she can fight me, no one else!"
"She'll have to wait until after the baby is born to fight you." Clayton quickly escorted her out the mall and back to the Super Robot. Chiro was so upset at the confrontation that the moment she was onboard the Super Robot, she went into her and Antauri's suite and remained there for the rest of the afternoon.
Again, Antauri had to coax her out. Chiro was more stubborn than ever, thanks to the emotions brought on by her pregnancy and the confrontation.
"Chiro, please come out."
"I don't want to."
"You're being stubborn."
"Who's the pregnant one again?"
"Granted you are carrying my child, but you cannot resort to this childish tantrum whenever someone rightfully gets upset at you."
"She was talking crap about you and the baby! What was I supposed to do?"
"You could have left her well alone and not stoop to her level and hit her."
"And left her get away with it? You and the baby had nothing to do with me being dishonest! She could insult me for all I care, but you didn't do anything wrong!"
"Other than help hide your secret, ravage and impregnate you."
"Okay, the last one we could have controlled, but I wanted you to help me hide my secret. That's my fault. You didn't 'ravage' me, Antauri. I wanted it just as badly as you did, screw legal consent."
Antauri felt out a heavy sigh. He needed to change the subject and try another angle to get Chiro out of the room.
"Ro-chan, come out. Please."
"Using my pet name is not gonna work."
"But Sprx, Gibson and Otto toiled all day to have the nursery for the baby ready for you today. You simply must see it. And Nova prepared upside-down pineapple cake for dessert."
Chiro opened the door. Her eyes were still puffy from crying and her hand was still bruised from where she punched Jinmay earlier.
"They…they did that…for me?"
"Yes, Ro-chan. Come with me and see the nursery. Then I'll cut you a slice of the cake."
"…Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah, okay."
Antauri took her by the hand and showed her the decorated nursery. "Well, what do you think?"
The room was violet with white carpeting. The walls were hand-painted with stars and various planets of the Ranger Galaxy. In a baby armoire, there was the boxed clothing that Clayton purchased for the baby. The crib was solid white with a galaxy mobile hanging over it. The blanket draped over the side of the crib had the named Chiro and Antauri choose for their unborn daughter: Luna.
"An-Antauri...I don't know what to say…I gotta find Sprx, Gibson and Otto and thank them for this!" "Before you do thank them, I have something I wish to ask of you, something I should have asked you yesterday," The silver monkey got on one of his knees, " I too, need to thank them. They did all of this so that I could go out get this," He presented Chiro a simple gold band with a bright gem in the center, "Chiro, will you marry me?"
The pregnant mother's eyes lit up, "Y-Yes!"
Antauri placed the band on her finger and kissed her tenderly. Hand-in-hand and excited, they went about the Super Robot thanking the rest of the Hyperforce and Clayton Carrington for everything they had done for them and their unborn child.
Three months after that fateful day, Chiro went into labor, on time. Gibson rushed her and Antauri to the ER in the Super Robot. It took over 24 hours of dealing with a high fever and blood loss, but Chiro lived through the pain and fever to give birth. By sunrise the next day, she was holding her baby girl. The baby was the spitting image of Chiro, from her big blue eyes to her soft black hair.
"Chiro...she's beautiful." Antauri offered sleepily as he sat by their side. A small puffy black tail was jutting out of Luna's backside, swishing back and forth. Chiro gently stroked the tail, hearing the baby coo at the touch. Mother and Father smiled down at their daughter, watching her yawn before drifting off to sleep in Chiro's arms.
"Chiro...I've been thinking...since we have Luna...I was hoping we could make our family grow...in a few years time, of course and perhaps live near the Super Robot?"
"I was thinking the same thing. There's a dojo nearby we can fix up. It is a perfect place to raise a nice big family."
Antauri cuddled both mother and child as the rest of their family, who had been waiting outside the ER, were allowed to come in and see Chiro and the newborn.
"Shh, she just went to sleep." Chiro whispered to the visitors. As she looked at her family and friends, she was surprised to find a blushing Jinmay in the mix.
"…I thought you didn't want anything to do with me?"
"…I thought I didn't want anything to do with you either. You really were pregnant."
"Come on, Jinmay. Can't this wait? I just pushed a baby out and I'm tired."
"…I came here to apologize to you about what I said all those months ago."
"Apology accepted. Can we be friends again, please?"
"Yes."
When Chiro recovered from childbirth several weeks later, she and Antauri were wed. It was a rather loud and joyous celebration, with Luna as an honored guest. The newly married couple moved out of the Super Robot and into the dojo they spoke of, making a new home for their daughter.