Note: Guess what? You all lose! Mwahahaha! I'm just kidding. Actually Animefangirl11 got it right. -throws confetti- So, she gets a cookie. In other news, this chapter is almost exactly one page longer than usual, but it's still short. I changed it so now this chapter has a different ending, sort of.
Chapter 12: Dreams and Suspicions
After Antauri screamed, he passed out.
"Antauri, wake up, please wake up" Chiro pleaded while shaking him.
That didn't do any good. He was out cold.
He turned to the others "What happened?"
"We found him but he tried to get us to leave without him. Then he collapsed like he was dying. After that, he had this 'Oh my god' face and then he screamed and you and Gibson showed up and then he passed out." Otto answered. There was a short pause.
"Why was he trying to get you guys to leave?"
"We don't know,"
"At least we found him, now we just have to find Krystal," Said Gibson picking up the lifeless Antauri.
"Is it just me or do you get the feeling that something is very, very wrong here?" asked Chiro.
"It's definitely not just you kid." Said Sparx.
The team flew back to the Super Robot. They decided they'd resume their search for Krystal tomorrow.
Gibson scanned Antauri, looking for anything unusual.
"Well team, there's good news and bad news."
"Good news first," said Nova.
"Alright, I've detected something in Antauri."
"And the bad news is?"
"It's a dangerous mixture of poisons. These poisons can destroy the body and mind of the consumer."
"And that's where Krystal comes in." said Chiro, "She can get her hands on anything: venom, bombs, weapons, poisons."
"Wait, that doesn't explain why Antauri screamed." Noted Sparx.
"I believe he screamed because he felt the poison already affecting him, which I might add can be quite painful." Gibson stated.
The hyperforce could see Antauri just lying there.
"Hey, did anyone notice that his eyes are red?" asked Chiro.
"Yeah, they're kind of hard to miss. I thought it was because of White Death." Nova answered.
"Me too, but he doesn't have it anymore does he?"
"Not to my knowledge," said Gibson.
Just then, Antauri was coming to and they informed him of the poison.
Soon things calmed down and went back to normal. Chiro, Nova, Otto, and Sparx were playing video games, Gibson decided to watch, and Antauri meditated. Suddenly he realized something.
The demon didn't take over. It was understandable that it remained dormant while I had White Death because I was unable to hurt anyone, but now…something is amiss.
Antauri was getting suspicious. He got up and left to his room unnoticed. He sat on his bed thinking intently.
"I just know this has to be a trap," he fell back, staring up at the ceiling. Antauri was lost in thought and soon fell asleep.
He was half asleep when he felt something strange. Antauri opened his eyes. The dark spirits were back. He activated his ghost claws but when he attacked them, nothing happened. He couldn't hurt them but they could hurt him. He dodged as many of them as he could but one got a hold of him. Antauri was given deep wounds and cuts across his face and chest. He was about to receive the last slash that would end his life…
Antauri awoke in a cold sweat, his heart racing. It was just a dream. He gave a sigh of relief but that relief instantly turned into fear. The sting of the cuts in his dream remained. He gulped and reluctantly looked down at his torso. The deep cuts and wounds were there. From loss of blood he soon blacked out.
A couple of hours later Antauri once again regained consciousness. He noticed the team standing around him. Gibson was the first to speak.
"You're lucky I found you when I did," he said softly.
"Luck seems to be the only thing keeping me alive," Antauri spoke weakly.
His wounds were wrapped in bandages.
"Looks like Krystal's really got it out for you. What did you do to make her hate you so much anyway?" questioned Nova.
"Do you remember that huge fire a couple of years ago?"
"Yeah,"
"I started it. Her family died along with several of her friends."
"Oh…you didn't do on purpose, right?"
"Of course not,"
"Hey, Antauri. How did you start the fire?" Otto asked.
"There was a big storm the night before and a tree was leaning against a telephone wire. I attempted to move the tree but got careless and accidentally snapped the wire which just happened to be next to a gas leak."
"You're usually pretty careful with stuff like that," commented Chiro.
"I was distracted,"
"Well anyway, we've decided to search for Krystal again. And we really think you should pass on coming with us. Gibson has volunteered to stay with you since he's the only one who knows how to deal with poison."
Antauri's only response was a short yawn.
"Who knows, maybe we could even force a cure out of her," said Nova.
"I highly doubt that. The best thing you could get out of her is a location of where to find a cure. Plus it would most likely end up being a trap anyway."
"You over estimate Krystal," said Sparx.
"I've been underestimating her for far too long, but I do have faith in you,"
"That's all we ask for"
"Alright. We'll be back soon. Gibson, take care of Antauri."
"Will do," responded Gibson with a quick salute.
And thus the hyperforce, minus Antauri and Gibson, left in search of the infamous Krystal.
About an hour had passed. The hyperforce was still looking for Krystal. Luckily, Antauri was showing no signs of being further affected by the poison, although he was a little drowsy. Gibson was just in his lab and was checking up to see how Antauri was doing. He hadn't made a sound in a while. Gibson soon noticed why. Antauri was curled up in a little ball sleeping soundly in his chair. It was nice for him to sleep peacefully without having to black out for once. Gibson was originally going to tell him the status of the poisons but decided to let him sleep. It could wait. He sat in his own chair and started reading. He could tell Antauri hadn't been sleeping well lately and needed the energy. Neither of them knew, but energy was something Antauri was really going to need in order to survive.