Disclaimer: Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force GO! (SRMTHFG!) is the property of Ciro Nieli and the Disney Company. This novelization is purely made for entertainment purposes amongst fans. It does not and never will be making a profit.

I live! After a fellow friend of mine (and member here as well) known as Hayley Cometra and I were discussing my novelization, we ended up actually doing a RP of Chiro meeting the Monkeys as well as several of the in show episodes. And, best of all, our own version of the events after the season four finale! We split up the characters with myself playing Antauri, Nova, Skeleton King, and Mandarin (and some others) and she with Chiro, Gibson, Sprx, and Otto (and again, some other characters too).

During this great experience, we exchanged some fantastic ideas that my co-author Hayley Cometra and myself are proud to present here. So please make sure that you give credit to her, too. She deserves as much recognition for all she has done in getting this work underway once again. If ever you get the chance, also check out her own works here on the site. She has written some great stuff.

Chapter 1: Destiny's Call

On a piece of land in the midst of a vast crystal lake was the city of Shuggazoom. It was a place where cars used air as their means to travel; a place where most pets were mechanical machines (loyal and obedient to their owners like the actual beings), and a place where buildings stood high, their metal structure nearly blinding to look at on especially bright sunny days. The untiring activity of the city went on as it always did, the civilians' forms casting reflections on the waterfront. No one ever admired it or even spared a glance at the impressive sight in their hassle. It was not that the Shuggazoomians were dull individuals or single-minded, but it so happened that they agreed on one thing only: If it's not interesting or it has no reason to cause concern, then ignore it and go about your business.

This brings to mind what would be the most appropriate term to describe Shuggazoomians: close-minded.

In their noggins, there was never that flicker of a bulb. There was never an urge to change their daily routine or ever the curiosity to know more of what lied beyond the safe boundaries of their precious home. Just like the lake, the bridge—that was the only means of leaving the haven and into the world unknown—was largely ignored. The least they had done was naming it for reference if ever it were to come up in a conversation. All citizens would agree that it was truly fitting to its title of the Zone of Wasted Years.

Why would anyone think of venturing outside their peaceful city? Who in their right mind would linger on the mere thought of it when everyone else's would cruise by it as quickly as their hover vehicles?

It would in fact surprise all to know that there was one particular boy who did have a more open mind than most. A boy who may very well be the key to something greater than anyone in the city would be able to comprehend.

But one may need to ask themselves this question: who is to say that the beginning would be as great as what is to follow? Who is to say that they don't start out as average as everyone else? Someone who has their own share of troubles?

Even as we speak?

Amongst the busy afternoon streets, a thirteen-year-old boy was shirking through the clumps of people. He often had to adjust his white backpack's straps to avoid it stripping off his shoulders. There was sweat forming in his black hairline, but he tried to ignore it.

In spite of how distressed the boy looked, this was just another typical part of the day for Chiro. He was used to running and hiding from the older, bigger, and stronger boys who taunted him and, if they were in the mood, beat him to a pulp. It was an unfortunate occurrence that he was placed on the very bottom of the school food chain and therefore an easy target for those who stood above… in more ways than one.

But not today. Chiro was determined to make it home without running into any bullies. The direction he was taking was sure to throw them off his trail.

Making sure he was not sighted by any attracted eyes, Chiro darted across the street and into a narrow alleyway. He pressed his back on the wall and stayed put for a bit to slow his heartbeat. Then with a cautious peek around the corner, he scanned the crowds with his baby blue eyes for signs of the two particular boys he was on the lookout for.

To his relief, they were nowhere in sight.

With only some turned over trash cans and the musty smell of rats scourging for food for company, Chiro was otherwise alone. He had only a little way to go before he made it to the safe zone.

He adjusted his backpack and walked on. He was half-way to the other end when he froze.

As his luck had it, blocking his way to freedom were two older—and not to mention larger—teenager boys: B.T. and Glenny.

B.T. was a lanky boy with red hair and a freckled face. Even when he wasn't grinning (like enjoying the torment of a fellow classmate), his crooked buckteeth were always noticeable; a reminder of his lack of care on his dental.

The shorter and tubbier boy was Glenny. His skin was much darker and he had a brown afro puffed up on his head. Though the differences between him and his accomplice were glaring, he had some similar features like the small eyes and hefty noses.

And their pairs of eyes, of course, were fixed on one thing only: Chiro.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" B.T. sneered.

"You aren't planning on missing out on us, are you?" Glenny added with a smirk.

Trying to stay calm, the boy groaned, "Come on, guys… I really don't want to go through with this again."

Both the bullies laughed.

"What do you think you can do about it, Geek?" asked B.T. "Bore us with your smart words?"

Chiro felt a swell of anger, but his next words were cool. "Nah. I think they'll be too much for your dinosaur brains anyway."

But the boy had regrettably forgotten that while the bullies were not the most intelligent there was, even they were able to recognize when they were being insulted. He didn't have time to turn around before his shirt collar was grabbed by B.T.

"Just for that, Geek," the freckled boy growled, "you're getting twice the pounding."

"Yeah, twice the pounding!" agreed Glenny.

B.T. glared at his friend. "Hey, quit repeating what I say, Glenny!"

"Why not?" Glenny asked, slightly irked.

"Just don't! It doesn't sound as—hey!"

Now realizing that B.T.'s hand was now grasping open air, the two boys looked up just in time to notice that Chiro was escaping back onto the street.

"Oh, you've done it now, Glenny!" B.T. said.

"Now what?" asked Glenny, who clearly didn't think very far in an event such as this.

B.T. smacked him upside the head. "Duh! We get him!"

"Oh, right!" realized the chubby boy, coming to his senses quick enough to run after his friend.

Controlling his rate of breathing, Chiro ran down the sidewalk. He knew for sure B.T. and Glenny would be on his tail. He disregarded the looks of some curious pedestrians as he right past them, who were then startled by the two teenage boys pushing by in chase of the thirteen-year-old.

Chiro's didn't slow down, but he did look back over his shoulder. B.T. and Glenny were catching up alarmingly fast despite his head-start. If he didn't think of something, he would be caught and… well, he didn't want to think about it.

He looked to his right. Hover cars were zipping by without so much as leaving a remnant on the paved road. He estimated that the next crossing was a quarter of a mile away.

Let's see, he thought. Running into a busy road and getting run over or getting beat up and stuffed into a trash can. What kind of options are those?

"You got nowhere to run now, Geek!" he heard B.T. shout behind him.

Okay, first one it is, Chiro quickly decided.

He made a sharp turn and ran out onto the street. There was an alarmed yell or two as the next hover car came his way, but he didn't stop.

The driver, however, did notice Chiro and slammed down on his breaks before he made impact. Chiro was already safely to the other side when he heard the driver shout something to him about staying off the road. It mostly went over his head.

He continued running and chanced another look behind him. B.T. and Glenny weren't there! They must have chickened out of following him across the hectic road. He couldn't help but give a self-satisfied smirk at what he imagined their faces looked like.

But as the vigilant young man he was, he didn't rest until that area of the city was far behind him.

The sun was setting beyond the city, filling the normally pink sky with tints of orange. The planet's orbiting moon, Ranger 7, was already fading in. Normally, this would be the point for kids to hurry home before dark (the city had set a curfew for minors), but Chiro instead slowed his pace. He didn't need to rush now.

Familiar buildings appeared on either side of him. Most were worn-out, likely standing there long, long before he was born. These were the few in the city that hadn't yet succumb to the policy of the new structural metal that now dominated the rest.

Chiro came to a stop in front of one. This one was a privately rented out apartment two stories tall. There was hint of erosion on the top left corner of the building and a crack on one of the windows which was, luckily, shielded by a tree from any probing eyes.

He smiled, a sense of serenity settling over him that would only appear when he was in the safest place in the world: Home.

Approaching the door, he reached into his pocket and fished out a bronze house key. He fitted the key into the keyhole and twisted it. The door rattled a few times before it came loose. He stepped inside into the hallway which darkened upon him closing the door.

The interior of the apartment was small. There was a kitchen and dinner table in one room. In the hall where he entered, there was a room to his left that served as an office… if it can be called at that stage. There was tons of paperwork stacked on a desk and boxes of wires and appliances shattered across the room. He vaguely remembered that when he was four or five, he nearly got buried under them after unwittingly knocking them over… and there weren't as nearly as much as they were now.

After removing his backpack and setting it in the kitchen, he noticed a note. He smiled, well accustomed to the hasty hand-writing of it. He removed the magnet that attached it to the fridge and read it over.

Chiro,

I may be home a little extra later than usual because of a deadline. Your dinner is in the fridge. Put it in the microwave for at least five minutes...and take it out carefully please.

I'll try to be home as soon as I can. If you're still awake when I do come home, I want to talk to you about those boys who keep picking on you.

Love, Aunt Zia

P.S. I saw your most recent report card. I'm so proud of you! There's a special surprise for you on the TV.

He groaned lightly, not liking the subject of the two bullies being discussed with his aunt. He wanted to solve his problems on his own; plus, she had enough to worry about.

His aunt, Zia, was a very sweet and polite woman. Being the optimistic person she was, she kept her chin up in the hardest of situations and always considered the benefits of others before her own.

However, she was also very busy. To support both Chiro and herself, she worked each and every day at her job, pulling in extra hours for even a measly amount of additional cash. She usually didn't get home until late in the evening because of this. It was not that her boss, Mr. Nieli, was a tyrant. In fact, it was on more than one occasion that he insisted for Zia to take it easy or take a day off, but she never did unless it was for a chance to celebrate Chiro's birthday or she was very ill (which was very infrequent).

It still amazed Chiro how she was able to do so much and make sure he was taken care of when she was not home. As far as he knew, she was his only living relative, but he loved her more than anything out there.

Curiosity overcoming his hunger for the moment, he walked over to the dining area, where a small TV and a gaming console sat next to the counter. On a box wrapped in plain brown paper was written in black marker, "Con-grade-ulations, Chiro!"

He chuckled lightly. "Aunt Zia..." He then opened the package and gasped when he saw the package inside. "Shugoken Robo Beast Wrangler! Score! ... But I'll play later; didn't get my good grades playing games all day."

Placing the game back onto the counter, he walked over to the fridge and microwaved the meal. As it was cooking, he opened his backpack and removed a book and notebook. He always ate and did his homework at the same time on weekdays, and he was always careful not to get his notebook messy.

About a half hour later, he had finished his meal and his homework. He intended to play a little bit of his new game, but he just couldn't find himself motivated. After avoiding getting beaten up, running home, and eating, he found himself very tired. He didn't even realize when he fell asleep with his head on the table.

Wednesday was just another normal day for Chiro Cipes.

/00000/

His dream was like all the other ones that preceded it: amazing, enjoyable, and—unlike his school life—exciting.

It was everything he ever wished for rolled into one.

There he was on a racked battle field, just like one of the settings in his favorite TV show. The fate of the city rested on his shoulders as he came face-to-face with two of the most notorious fiends of the galaxy: the Brass Titan and the Inflatable Nemesis.

"If it isn't Chiro," the metallic-armored man jeered. "It's been a long time."

Chiro pointed at them with a scowl. "Your wrongdoing ends here and now!"

The Inflatable Nemesis bellowed with laughter. "The odds are against you! You'll fight the both of us even though your precious teammates were easily crushed under our might?"

That said he beckoned a blubbery hand to an intact column. Three beaten people were tied to it: a muscular man, a black-haired woman, and a boy who looked younger than Chiro.

"I'm afraid we were no match for them, Chiro-san!" the man—Super Quasar—exclaimed. "They're too strong!"

"They deflected our attacks like they were nothing!" the beautiful Aurora Six added.

"And they took away our weapons!" Johnny Sunspot explained; his orange hair smothered with dust. "We're powerless!"

Chiro flashed them a thumbs up. "Don't worry, Sun Riders, I'll take it from here!"

It was the pudgy villain who made the first move. Sucking in air like a human vacuum cleaner, he inflated up until he was two times as large. Then rolling like a boulder, he went on a direct path headed for Chiro.

Was Chiro scared? No! After all, he was the member of the greatest superhero team of all time: The Sun Riders!

As the Inflatable Nemesis was coming his way, Chiro's body glowed until he was much too hard to look at like the intense sun. Then, with but the tip of his finger, he stopped the bloated villain dead-on.

"No! It can't be!" the Inflatable Nemesis gasped. "Is that—?"

"It's the Blazing Sun Finger!" exclaimed Johnny in amazement.

Chiro grinned, knowing how this was going to end. "And that means you're about to be popped, Inflatable Nemesis!"

The same finger that he was used to halt the villain flicked him, without any effort, into a half-demolished building. What happened brought a whole new meaning to the phase 'the air being knocked out of you'. The villain deflated like a balloon and slowly slipped down to the ground.

Enraged that his partner was defeated, the Brass Titan turned on Chiro. "Let's see how to handle my Brass Spikes of Fury!"

He held out both his arms. Several metal spears shot from the devices on both his wrists.

Did Chiro have any idea what to do? Of course he did! He crossed his arms over his chest and shouted, "Sun Blast!"

A heat wave of energy flared from his body. The moment it contacted with the deadly spears, they were incinerated.

"No!" the Brass Titan screamed out melodramatically, unable to move away from the incoming discharge. "It is impossible! Noooooooo!"

He only had time to scream as he was thrown back. His back slammed into some debris and—rather embarrassingly for him—his armor melted off from the heat and was now in his undergarments. Though, he was too dazed and miserable to notice.

Chiro put his 'soaking in his victory' on a hold. He freed the Sun Riders from their bonds and they all smiled in gratitude.

"You did it!" said Johnny.

Super Quasar patted Chiro on the back. "You saved the city, Chiro-san!"

"And us." Aurora Six kissed the boy on the cheek. "Thank you."

Chiro felt like his legs were turning to goo from the generous reward from his own TV crush. "Oh, uh, no problem… so what do we do now?"

The Sun Riders smiled, opening their mouths… and shouting out in a single booming voice:

"It's time to wake up!"

/00000/

Chiro screamed in surprise, jolting up to a sitting position on his bed. While he calmed down, the alarm clock/radio was blaring on his nightstand.

"… Good morning, Shuggazoomians!" the announcer said cheerfully. "It's another beeaaaauuuutiful day! The temperature is seventy-six. Today's forecast features sunshine and… oh, what do you know? More sunshine! It's a perfect day to go outside and have a little family picnic in the park. That is… if you can find one open. Haha! … Okay, that's not really funny. Anyway, on a more serious note, Mayor Auman is proposing his plan today for—"

Finally realizing what happened, the boy groaned. He planted his hand on the top of the alarm, silencing the reporter's chirper voice. So much for that sweet dream to last…

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stretched his arms. Boy, I must have been really tired last night. Don't remember getting into bed or sleeping in my clothes...

After getting up and combing his hair, he left his room. As he passed the only other bedroom upstairs, Chiro took the tippy-toe route. It would have been unnecessary on a carpet, but the wood beneath it still managed to let out a protested creak for every person who so much as laid a toe on it. It further established to the boy of just how ancient the apartment was.

Chiro continued this careful tread even as he walked down the stairs. If his aunt had a deadline, he was certain that she had to be sound asleep right now.

How surprised he was when he came down! Aunt Zia was in the kitchen, just finishing preparing breakfast. She hummed an inaudible tune as she slid a spatula under some scrambled eggs on a steaming pan. The smell filled the boy's nostrils and he could feel his mouth watering somewhat.

As he went to the table, he caught sight of his books on the table and he quickly remembered.

I must have fallen asleep right here! How embarrassing... She must be really frustrated with me for putting me to bed last night.

"Morning, Aunt Zia," he said cautiously, not sure if she was annoyed with him or not. "I thought you'd be sleeping right now, since you came home late last night."

However, he didn't bother to consider that she was feeling the exact opposite. Zia looked over her shoulder—shifting her shoulder-length blue hair in the movement—to flash him her classic smile.

"Good morning, little sleepy-head," she greeted. "I just got up myself about an hour ago. I couldn't really get comfortable on that old mattress last night."

Setting down a plate and scraping some cooked eggs and bacon onto it, she said, "I was kind of surprised that you fell asleep before I got back. You must have had one tiring day yesterday."

Chiro chuckled lightly as he sat down. "Well, you know, the usual. Only things different is that I got re-assigned to track in Gym Class… and I was able to put that to good use after school."

And he quickly began eating, hoping that breakfast would keep him from discussing that topic further. After all, it was rude to eat and talk at the same time.

Zia sat down and the two enjoyed their meal together as a family. Chiro never quaffed down his food so he could savor the fullest of the meal made by his aunt's hands. Anyone who tried her cooking would agree that she was an expert if not the best. She spend a lot of care on her food preparation, making absolute certain it came out in perfection.

He suggested to her how she should totally take a job as a chef or even become an assistant for Mr. Gakslapper in his Hover Burger Business. But he knew she wouldn't; she was afraid the money for the jobs wouldn't be able to provide for paying the rent and keeping Chiro in school. More than once, he threw in a suggestion that they could find a tutor so he wouldn't have to go to school anymore; a win-win for both of them.

But she always shook her head and said in a dejected tone:

"Chiro, as much as I want to get you a tutor, we can't afford one right now. Besides, being in school can give you a chance like no other: making some wonderful friends. I'm sure that there's someone who wants to be your friend, you just haven't found them yet. Just please give it time."

Oh, right, sure. Problem was that no matter how hard Chiro tried, he couldn't seem to find any good friends. The other students in school either wanted to pick on him (by other, he meant B.T. and Glenny) or they were too scared to speak up for fear that they'll be labeled as nerds themselves.

Still Chiro really did try. Sometimes, if he wasn't busy with his schoolwork, he would ask to sit with some other kids at lunch or hang out, but they always had an excuse to avoid being around him.

"The seat's taken. Why don't you ask the guys at that other table?"

"Sorry, I have to babysit my baby brother this afternoon."

"Can't. I got to get a haircut."

Those who weren't so polite were much blander.

"Why would we want to hang out with the guy who still watches The Sun Riders?"

"A nerd is the last kind of person I want to hang out with."

"How about you hang out with that trashcan? But it probably doesn't want to be friends with you either."

At this point, Chiro seriously doubted he would ever have friends. It didn't bother him. As long as he kept up the good grades, he could have great opportunities after he graduated. He could even pay back his aunt for all she has done for him. She could have their dream job at last. That alone was enough for him to continue enduring school.

About mid-way through breakfast, Zia paused and said, "Chiro... I really want to talk to you about those bullies bothering you after school."

Chiro felt some of his appetite abandoning him. However, he was able to keep a frustrated groan from emerging. "It's not a problem at all, Aunt Zia, really," he insisted, trying to sound convincing.

"But, Chiro, it is a problem!" Zia insisted herself, her brown eyes reflecting her concern through her glasses. "I don't like seeing you coming home with bruises almost every other night. … You know what? I could ask my boss if I could take a day off and I can—"

"Oh, look at the time!" Chiro suddenly interrupted after swallowing the last bit of the half of breakfast he had the appetite for. "Better hurry to school! They're going to announce what we need to do for our Science Fair today, and I don't wanna miss it!"

Quickly, he got up, took his textbook and notebook and hastily stuffed them into his backpack. "See you later, Aunt Zia!" he said before rushing out the door.

Zia blinked a good couple times, processing what exactly happened.

With a sigh, she looked over at the half-eaten plate. "Oh, well. I'll try to talk to him later."

Chiro ran down the street until he was at a good enough distance that he knew Aunt Zia wouldn't catch up to him easily.

He sighed. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate her offer to help. But he knew she had enough on her plate without worrying about his problems, too...

"Sorry, Aunt Zia..." he whispered to himself.

He figured he should do something to make it up to her. He could make a stop at Mr. Gakslapper's after school and bring home some Hover Burgers. He knew that the middle-aged man would be more than willing to put them on the house for his favorite customer. That would perk his aunt up after a long day of work.

He put the idea aside for later so he could focus all his energy on the day.

School itself wasn't bad. Science was his favorite and best subject, and the Science Fair was something he always looked forward to. It was B.T. and Glenny that made school life so horrible.

Because science was his best subject, the bullies referred to him as the Geek and picked on him constantly. And another reason why he was picked on so much was his community and family background. He had even heard vicious rumors that Zia wasn't his aunt at all, that she was actually a foster parent who forced him into saying he was adopted just to make herself look good.

Remembering that made Chiro's blood boil. He didn't mind being picked on very much, or that he came home almost every other night with bruises and cuts. But insulting the one person who loved him just for who he is and not for what he can do...unforgivable.

The Thursday school day was pretty much like any other school day. Do decent in history and geography, eat lunch, excel in science, avoid the bullies, try not to fall asleep in math, practice for track in gym, blah blah blah.

Why was his life so boring? He asked himself that every day. Why couldn't he lead a more exciting life? Like that of the Sun Riders? They didn't have to worry about school or bullying. Maybe if he ever got to meet them one day, he could ask them about the secret to their success.

There was no suspicion that during the school day, when not concentrating on science, he day-dreamed about the whole 'having superpowers' concept. It was unlikely to happen, but he could still dream couldn't he? It gave himself something to do while Mr. Hopps's did a history lecture in that melancholy voice of his.

When the last bell of the day rung, Chiro gathered his belongings and left the classroom. As he was heading out the front entrance of Shuggazoom Middle School with the other students, he checked his surrounding before starting to leave, hoping not to get seen.

Naturally, he was.

"Hey, Geek!" someone called for him before grabbing onto his upper arm. "Nice running into you here."

Groaning lightly, he turned and saw B.T.

And standing next to him was Glenny. "Not thinking about missing out on our fun, are ya? We gonna pay you triple today for missing out yesterday."

"Look, it's been a long day, guys," Chiro said in the most calm voice he could muster. "Can't we all just go home quietly today?"

"As if!" Glenny chuckled.

Looking at his partner, the red-head said, "Hey, Glenny, let's take Geek to that 'special place' we talked about yesterday, huh?"

"Ooh, good idea, B.T.," the chubby boy praised, looking at him again.

Chiro couldn't think of anything else, so he did the first thing in mind: running.

He heard some shouts (that he was sure belonged to B.T. and Glenny), but he didn't look back this time to see them chasing him. He didn't run towards home, because he knew that they knew how to block him on the way, specifically after what the trick he pulled yesterday.

Instead, he was running towards an unfamiliar part of town. It was the less crowded part of the city, where buildings were cramped together, and few people walked the streets. He wasn't sure if he would manage to lose the two bullies in this unfamiliar place, but he kept on running.

And running...

And running...

Until he suddenly found himself walking on grass instead of pavement. Startled, he came to a halt and looked around. He had apparently run so much that he arrived into the outskirts. He looked around, not seeing anything in the immediate area that looked familiar.

And B.T. and Glenny weren't anywhere. They must have gotten lost and eventually turned back when they couldn't find his trail again. That or they were too frightened to follow him into the outskirts.

"Huh, I guess track isn't so bad," he muttered to himself.

After catching his breath, he explored a little bit and came to a wooded area. As he moved in deeper, the grass grew until it nearly reached his knees. Judging from the other signs of overgrowth, the place looked like no other human has set foot in it for ages.

A thought hit Chiro. Last week in history class, he had actually given an ear to one discussion Mr. Hopps had with the class. He said years back—before most of the students were even born—there was an old reservation on the outskirts. It once served as the city's original park, being the place to go for everyone. But during the previous mayor's term, the park fell apart from poor management and had to be closed off. Some came in on occasion to cut the plant growth closer to the city to prevent any of the buildings from disintegrating, but as nature should, it continued to grow untamed, giving a somewhat eerie comparison to the few images of what the boy had seen in textbooks on the uninhabited domain of the Zone of Wasted Years.

But at least it didn't seem so bad here. It was peaceful to Chiro who was so accustomed to the constant noise of the city. He decided to walk on, not yet wishing to leave such a tranquil place.

He had been moving for a couple more minutes when he found a can lying on the ground. No doubt that whoever came in here last wanted to leave their garbage behind.

Maybe this is where they've been putting the garbage, Chiro thought, feeling bitter. He knew that if his aunt found out about this (not that he would want to tell her that he had been in the outskirts like he shouldn't have been), she wouldn't be very happy. She was very against littering and would go out of her way to pick any trash she noticed. It seemed to rub off on him over the years.

In disgust, he kicked the can away. As if he thought that it hadn't learned its lesson, he did it again. After some more kicks, nausea was replaced by amusement as he began a one-person game on how far he could kick it.

That is until he found himself standing under a shadow. He slowly lifted his head and the game was practically forgotten.

Towering over the boy was something that he had never seen before. The structure was clearly silver, but age had taken a drastic toll on it. It sort of looked like a robot with a rectangular shape. It was hard to tell for sure because of the moss and vines growing over it. It almost blended completely with the landscape around it.

"Whoa!" Chiro gasped. "What a cool statue. But this area's been abandoned so long, looks like no one took good care of it for a while..."

Feeling a bit sad, he walked up to it and placed a hand on one of its feet and began to say, "You must have looked really cool back in the da—"

But he was interrupted when a loud rumble began, followed with a massive door opening before him.

"What the—?" he gasped, jumping back. "... Did I do that?"

His common sense was telling him that he should run...but for some odd reason, his curiosity was getting the better of him again. He slowly came in, glancing around the room, though he couldn't do that well with what little sunlight was coming in at this time of day.

Suddenly, he heard another loud rumble, and he was trapped in darkness! The door had closed behind him!

"No!" he screamed, turning around and trying to get to the door. "Let me out! Let me out!"

Of course, with it being pitch black inside, he lost his orientation easily, and he couldn't tell which way was going towards the door. He groped for a while, hoping to find some kind of exit. He then felt the edges of what seemed to be a door.

Deciding to try his luck, he carefully stepped through it and felt along it. He found a button and quickly pressed it, hoping it would open something.

Instead, he suddenly found himself being thrust upward.

"Whoa!" he screamed before, a few seconds later, he found himself stopping and tumbling out. "Weird..." he groaned, feeling queasy. "Where am I now?"

The room he had stumbled into wasn't much brighter than the first. It was a huge room with six spherical... structures of some sort in the center, a massive monitor, and a couple more spherical structures of a large size along the edges.

The only reason why he could see this room at all in the pitch black was that he could see colored lights shining from one direction in particular: red, yellow, blue, green, and purple.

He glanced at the light source and gasped.

Inside what appeared to be huge tubes of some sort were five figures. They were floating inside some kind of liquid, and apparently it was the liquid that was giving off the glowing color. He slowly approached one of them; a black figure with huge yellow-green eyes.

"Wow..." he breathed. "Are you some kind of alien?"

Though he knew he wasn't going to get a response from the figure, he couldn't help asking the question.

"This is cool," he chuckled. "I would definitely get first place in the Science Fair if I could get these things out of here. I would need to turn on the lights, though..."

It was then when he noticed a smaller, fainter white light. He looked at it and discovered that it was shining on a switch. Convinced that the switch was what would turn on the lights, he walked up to it and placed his right hand on the switch, pulling it back.

Nothing.

He tried pulling it again.

Still nothing.

"Maybe I ought to push it..." he decided.

When he did, that was when something happened... but it was the last thing he expected. Instead of a large whitish-yellow light coming on, he could see some kind of green glow surrounding him. What felt like fire and lightning traveled up his arm, causing his body to burn and convulse. He wanted so badly to let go, but to his shock and horror, he found that he couldn't.

And with the immerse pain, came something else completely unexpected: voices. Five different voices speaking at once:

"—wait, do you feel that—?"

"—it's reacting to something—"

"—do you think they're finally here—"

"—that's impossible! We've been asleep for—"

"—it's time—"

Chiro did the only thing he could do in response: scream. And what a loud scream it was before the glowing stopped and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Of course, right before he cursed his curiosity once again.

Notes:

- On an official Disney website (which is now long gone), a description for Chiro detailed that he was a latch-key kid. It means that a child will often return home to an empty house while their parents or guardians are still at work. I wanted to incorporate that idea in this story when I first started this novelization.

- Zia was originally a name suggested by another friend on the Monkey See, Monkey Fu Forums: Time Shadow. Its meaning in Italian is "aunt", but it also means "light".

- Chiro's last name is a nod to the actor of the character, Greg Cipes.