Nova rolled side to side on her bed, the blanket tightening and loosening with each turn. Quick and short exhausted breaths came out in tiny coughs and yelps. Sweat drops looked like rain on her face, dribbling down over her cheeks and down her chin, swinging slightly but eventually dropping on her bed sheet. She whined a little, tears starting on her closed eyes and joining up with the rest of the drops on the golden face.

Sprx and Antauri stood by her door, watching her sleep and deal with the nightmares everyone had been having. Antauri couldn't sleep knowing a certain someone's room was bare and vacant beside his own. Sprx couldn't stand hearing Nova's diminutive shrieks in the once silent, serene room.

The black and red monkey shivered in unison, both with the feelings of regret and loneliness as they continued to watch the female simian uncomfortably tossing and turning in her long, soft bed. The two twitched a little once the figure lay still into place.

"…Antauri? Sprx? Is… is that you?"

Sprx's mouth went dry and avoided answering her voice. Antauri cleared his throat, "Yes, Nova, it's us. A-Antauri and Sprx."

Nova, whose face was covered completely, rose out of her blanket, the sheet roofed over her head.

"Please tell me it's a nightmare," She said quietly, biting back the urge to cry.

"What, Nova?"

"…Mandarin."

Antauri repeated Sprx's reaction; staying in absolute silence.

"He… He's still there, then? In his room?" Nova asked hopefully, sitting up. "It… it was just a bad dream, then?"

Before Antauri or Sprx responded, Nova laughed, wiping away her tears. "I'm sorry if I scared you guys. I… I just had a nightmare." She smiled weakly, staring at the light that glinted out of her door. "Is he still awake?"

"Um, Nova…"

"Oh, he's asleep, then?" Nova questioned, jumping out of her bed. She walked straight passed the befuddled monkeys and straight toward her leader's chamber. The stroll was so slow and full of want that it seemed like years to just get to the door and raise her hand to knock-

"Nova!"

The yellow simian looked over her shoulder. "Yeah, Sprx?"

Sprx shook his head rapidly, giving her a straight out bitter glare. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Mandarin… I was gonna wake up Mandarin…"

"What?"

"I need to talk to him, Sprx. When… When I had a bad dream… he told me to talk to him about it- even if he was asleep-"

"Talk to me, then." Sprx interrupted.

"No, Sprx, it's something I have to d-discuss with Mandarin personally-"

"Or, me, Nova," Antauri suggested suddenly. "Y-you could talk to me."

Nova shook her head and turned back, raising her hand and knocking it firmly against the metal. Silence.

"Nova-"

"Please, Antauri," Nova murmured. "I want to hear Mandarin's voice." She pressed the button and admitted herself in, looking in the lonesome, black room. Antauri and Sprx watched her in vain as she stepped toward the bed and reached for the covers… "…Mandarin?"