Chapter Two


"Chiro?"

By noon, the boy hasn't eaten anything. He sits in the control room and hears the racket of Otto working on one of his inventions. No hunger pangs bother him; in fact, eating will probably make him feel worse. The smells will assure him that today's just another day. One week after another, fighting and protecting Shuggazoom. As altruistic as he should be, he's just an adolescent young man; as such, Chiro reflects on his future. What if he's never able to make Shuggazoom completely free?

"Chiro?"

It's all on him—he's the leader. One big mess-up, and he'll hurt his home. Every month, there'll be monsters and threats. He's been lucky, but one day he swears there'll come something so devastating. Too big for someone like him. Some dumb kid.

Chiro feels a tentative hand on his arm.

Startled, he turns his head. "Oh, hey Antauri!"

"Did you hear me?" the black simian asks.

"No—what?" Chiro blurts.

"I asked if you are feeling well," Antauri says evenly.

The boy smiles. "Yeah, Antauri. I'm feeling great. Why?"

"You seem to be less attentive than usual." Chiro blinks. He's in a daze—with one foot in the dream world, wanting to go back to bed rather than face a life of routine. Saving the world isn't like school. At school, there are breaks. Right now the hyperforce is given the closest thing to a break they've had in awhile; instead of relaxing though, they remain more guarded because of the quiet. The last attack was when they figured out that the Skeleton King created the monkey team. Nova spent several days evading even the most mundane conversations.

Chiro yawns, rubs the skin under his eyes with the back of his hands. "Didn't get enough sleep."

"Do you know why?" Even if Antauri is all calm and reasonable, it sets Chiro on edge. Seriously, why can't he just have days where he's a bit tired? Does it have to be some big deal?

"A dream," Chiro mumbles.

Honestly, he can't wait to go asleep again.

Antauri says, "Hopefully, you'll have a restful sleep cycle tonight."

"Yeah," Chiro says, stifling another yawn, "normal's nice."