OMG! 106 reviews! I think I just about poo my pants! The other day I suddenly thought to myself 'I wonder how many reviews I have'. I checked and I nearly uh, "crapped my pants" as the saying goes.

Anyway I think I'll just get to the story seeing as how I'm so late. By the way, sorry about that. I didn't go to my grandfathers on Friday I went on Saturday instead. I go to his house kind of late at night so I can't use the computer until the morning, BUT I couldn't use it then either. I had a friggin' pain in the ass Biology report I had to type up. AND I'm friggin' lazy!

Disclaimer: If you don't know it by now you have problems. (Just like me!)

Key

Thoughts

'Talking through telepathy'

(Action while using telepathy: laugh, sigh, whimper, etc.)

End Key Chapter 11: The Battle For Life

Chiro's breathing was getting worse. His body was constantly in a cold sweat and his flush was deepening. His frail form was occasionally wracked with a coughing fit and when the fit was over, the blood had to be wiped away. He trembled in his sleep and whimpered.

He was having difficulty keeping his word. Chiro had told Antauri he'd hold on. The saying "easier said than done" fitted to the situation in which Chiro found himself.

Chiro's body was fragile and ravaged by a virus. The Deadly Virus. It was eating away at his body. Taking it apart from the inside out.

It was only a matter of time before his frail form would cease to live. Until that time his immune system was fighting back. It was an all out war and his body was the battlefield.

But was this battle to be won? It had to be. The life of a young teenaged child was on the line. If the war inside his body wasn't won by his immune system soon… he would die.

Chiro whimpered again. He called to someone who wasn't there. He called for his fatherly figure, who was doing his best to obtain the ingredience needed to cure the boy of the Deadly Virus. "Antauri…"

Athelas turned her attention to Chiro as he called. He was growing worse without his friend there. As his connection to the child weakened with distance, the boy became increasingly ill.

Athelas reached out and stroked his head, running her fingers gently through his hair. He seemed to relax slightly at the touch. She wasn't Antauri, but she was someone who cared.

The door opened and Wish came in. Her sea blue eyes were sad. She stood just inside the room, watching the scene before her. Wish shifted her weight slightly, causing the golden bell at her neck jingled softly.

"Athelas?" the violet furred monkey asked after a short pause. "You should go get some rest. I'll stay here with him."

The blonde sighed. She knew her friend was right. "All right, but keep a close eye on him." She stood and left the room.

Wish watched after her for a moment before going to the boy's side. She placed one of her metal hands upon his forehead. Chiro shivered at her touch.

She removed her hand and picked up a thermometer that rested on the bed table. She coaxed the boy's mouth open and placed it under his tongue. She waited a minute and took it out.

She read the number and nearly dropped the glass object in her hands. It read 109. Well past deadly, by 3 degrees to be exact. How is it he was still alive? Wish put the thermometer back where it goes and looked at Chiro again.

It was then she could sense it. Chiro wasn't alone in this war after all. His friends and the Power Primate were there to help. And she wasn't about to be left out.

She closed her eyes and concentrated. Slowly she reopened her eyes and found herself in darkness. This didn't bother her. She had visited the plane of her mind before. Little glowing dots that looked like stars faded into view. It looked almost as though she were in space somewhere.

She scanned the vast expanse of the stars. Each one was a memory, a power, a personality. She stopped when she saw a star with a green glow. There. She floated to it.

It was a small glass orb with green energy trapped inside. She reached out a hand and touched it with her fingertips. It was warm and comforting. "Help Chiro. This is a battle he cannot win on his own. I shall send you to him. You are a major general. Defend him, then you shall return to me. Now go."

The orb began to glow with a blinding light. It engulfed the universe of her mind, before it faded. She was left in darkness once again.

Wish opened her eyes and nodded to herself in satisfaction. The power she sensed was stronger now. And it surrounded him with a faint glow.

She had contributed to the war.

Something brushed her mind. Jen…

'Wish are you there?'

'Of course I'm here! This is my mind isn't it?'

(Nervous laugh) 'Yeah, sorry, I wasn't thinking. How's Chiro?'

(Sigh) 'Not so great. His temperature has sky rocketed to 109. He's having more trouble breathing too. I've given him my essence of the Power Primate to help him, but I don't know how much help that'll be.

'That's bad…Just keep a close eye on him until we get back.'

'I will. I'll do what I can for him.' The connection faded. "Don't worry, Chiro. I'm here for you." She reached out and began to run her metal fingers through his wild black hair. "I promise you that."

"Thank you… Wish." His voice was forced and weak.

"Anything for a friend.

I hope this was worth the wait. Sorry again!

Reply Reviews:

Spdgirl: Sorry I didn't update that soon.

4Evermonkeyfan: Glad you think that.

shamaru1: I'm really pleased to know that so many people like this. I haven't had a single flame for this story. Chiro will be all right.

Crystal Persian: I'm no genius. You're exaggerating. Glad to hear you like the story though!