Orphan; (noun) A child whose parents are dead.
Everyone sat in the robot, battered and bruised, but for the most part alright. All the citizens who had helped fight were being treated in the hospital, while all the uninjured ones stood outside the robot. They didn't know what had happened, but they knew that something was wrong.
And something was very wrong. Inside of the robot, the monkeys and children sat together, confused and devastated. Their beloved friend had died, and they were terrified for their friends.
For Chiro and Franny.
They had realized at the beginning that the two were much more frail than they let on. And they were worried that they would break together. Gibson tended silently to the children's small wounds, while Antauri had a silent conversation with Michael. Nova was with the girls of the group, trying to lessen their tears. Her attempts were not working, but only making the girls angry.
"We don't want your condolences," DanI said venomously. "They don't do anything. It doesn't matter how sorry you are."
Alyss nodded, "Nothing you say or do will help Chiro."
"Or Franny," Lily added.
Nova nodded in agreement, and backed away, "I know, but…"
Sprx put a hand on her shoulder, and said ,"Be nice to her! She's only trying to help!"
Nana growled at him, "Because your help has worked so well before!" She then burst into tears, and fell into Jimmy's arms. Jimmy scowled at Sprx.
"Go away. You only make things worse. We don't like you. Any of you." Sprx recoiled and frowned. He looked at the faces of each kid, until he fell on Nana's face, who seemed worried. He smiled at her.
"Do you hate us all too?"
The hesitation immediately vanished from her face, and she looked at Chiro and Franny, who were sitting unresponsive in the corner, crying.
"I do."
She stood and ran over to the two, trying to comfort them. The others followed shortly behind, until Leo and Laira were the only ones left. Each monkey looked at the two, until Leo said, "You expect us to like you. But you're his family, and you don't do anything for him."
Laira continued, "In the end, were the ones comforting him. Not you. I never had a family, but I know this isn't what one's supposed to look like."
Gibson watched as they followed the others to Chiro and Franny and sighed.
"What are we supposed to do now?" He asked the team.
No one answered.
They instead listened and watched the children care for the one they loved. Otto appeared a minute later, carrying several little lockets, and handing each to the team.
"We forgot to wear them. The lockets Chiro gave us."
Antauri's eyes flickered to Chiro's chest, where Chiro's locket was still securely around his neck, half under his shirt.
They each put the locket's back on, but the metal which seemed so warm before, now felt all to cold against their fur.
Christy yelled, "Chiro! We're here! Please, we're all here! We love you Chiro!" Tears streamed down her face as she spoke. The other kids weren't any better off.
Kati and Jane were trying to help Franny as well, but no one was getting through to her.
At some point, Mandarin snapped. He stormed over to Chiro and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and shouted, "Wake up you fool! Gisir wouldn't have wanted this! He loved you! What about these kids? What's going to happen the them if you don't get the hell up? What about your sister! Your team!"
Chiro growled at him, "They're your team! Not mine. They were never mine."
Shocked, Mandarin dropped him, and Chiro sat up, clearly pissed. "They never showed it, but they missed you. You're their family. I'm just an orphan who was in the wrong place at the right time."
The word stung in their minds.
Orphan.
Chiro was officially an orphan now. And so was Franny.
As if she was slapped, Franny's head snapped up, and she stared shocked at her brother.
"Chi and I, are…orphans?"
Chiro's eyes widened, and he immediately pulled his sister into his arms, wrapping his arms and wings around her.
"Yes…" he said quietly, "We're orphans."
He didn't let anyone else hear her cry. He was her brother. As he watched her tears run down her face, he promised her, and himself.
"I will never make you cry again. I love you." He whispered the words to her, still shielded by his wings. She nodded, still crying. Chiro moved his wing so the team could hear him talk.
"I made a promise a while back, to some kids that I care about. I said that I'd give them a home, no matter how long it took. I will keep that promise." He looked at Mandarin fiercely. "As of today, you are the second leader of the Hyper Force. Congratulations."
The monkeys mouths were wide, and Antauri stuttered, "B-but Chiro! What are you talking about! You're our leader! What are you-"
"I'm going to stay here on Suggazume and build a home for the kids. It'll probably be an orphanage, seeing as me and Franny'll live there as well." The kids faces brightened at this, "But instead of a normal orphanage, I get to decide who gets adopted, and by who. I wont let any of my family be taken by anyone who'll hurt them. Never again."
Nova seemed close to tears, "But what about the city's safety? What about-"
Chiro cut her off too, "I'll teach the people to fight properly, and I can fight perfectly fine, thank you very much." He glared at her, "Don't get me wrong Nova. I love you. I love you all, but I think we all need a break from each other. While you guys are gone, I'll protect everyone. If I don't, you have every right to dispose of me, however you see fit."
Gibson protested, "Chiro isn't this a bit rash? Were your family! Not a bunch of kids you just met! What right do they have to have you instead of us?" Immediately Gibson realized he had said the wrong thing.
Chiro glared at him, and said, "Nice to know my 'family' thinks of me as an object. Love you too Gibbs."
Franny nudged Chiro, and he opened his wings fully. She said to everyone, "I agree this is a bold decision, but Chi is a big boy. He wont make the same mistake again. I trust him." She smiled at him, "And I think the idea of having a family again is nice."
Antauri nodded solemnly, "Very well. Chiro, we will talk more about this later. For now, we will wait until you all heal properly. If things go as you say they will, then we, along with Mandarin, will leave once the city has healed itself."
Chiro nodded, and pulled the kids closer, "Antauri, I love you guys. You guys are my family. I just…I'm tired of playing hero. I want to play house for once."
Nova's eyes softened, "It's alright Chiro. It's your choice. I just hope it's the right one."
One by one the monkeys left the room to talk about the issue. Chiro sighed and set his head back.
"It hasn't even been an hour, and I miss my dad." Franny touched his locket tenderly, and opened it. She held it up to Chiro's eyes, and he gave a watery smile at the picture he had put inside it.
"I'm so glad I made this." His eyes watered, and he put an arm over them, trying to hide his tears from the children.
Kati smiled sadly, "It's okay Chiro. You can cry. We miss him too."
Chiro looked between his fingers to see each one of his friends had tears dripping down his face. He smiled and pulled them closer, just as his eyes overflowed.
And for the second time in one hour, Chiro cried for his father.