Disclaimer: I don't own SRMTHFG or any of its characters, just my character and this plot.
Note: I'm planning to include replies to the reviews given to me in response to each chapter. Since I already have a few for the first chapter, I thought I might go ahead and put them in here.
Chapter Two: Damsel in Distress
Laser after laser after missile barely missed Chiro as he landed back on his feet. A mechanical arm full of claws swept in his direction, but he heard its approach and rolled away before it could rake his back. Turning in the other direction, he looked up in time to see a larger missile aimed directly at him!
Not losing his focus, he stood tall and used a Lightning Kick on the missile's nose, deflecting it, but not easily. It flew straight for a laser cannon, destroying them both before the laser could open fire.
Finally, all was quiet. Chiro breathed heavily, exhausted but victorious.
He was soon standing with the others in the Command Center, watching a replay of the last few moments of training.
"You were ten seconds slower that time, Chiro," Antauri calmly pointed out.
"Ease up, Antauri," Otto interceded. "We've all had it hard today, what with our weird dreams and all, and ya can't expect us to clear a harder level first time we try."
"It will be even more difficult when Skeleton King launches his next attack, Otto," the Black Monkey grimly replied.
Disappointed, Chiro's only answer was a sigh.
"Don't feel bad," Nova encouraged him.
"Indeed," Gibson agreed. "By my calculations, it won't take an extensive period of time for you to accumulate those ten seconds."
Sprx chuckled. "Hey, kid, even just now, you've entered your time to the Five Fastest and kicked mine off."
Everyone looked at a smaller monitor as it displayed the results of the training level. Five time scores flashed on the screen with corresponding faces. Otto's was in fifth place, at least two minutes behind Nova's fourth. Antauri's third position was ahead of her score by a fraction of a second, and Chiro's recently-added time settled in second place.
But the pole position was ahead of Chiro's by more than a minute, and there was no face with it.
This was something Chiro noticed immediately. If this were a game the team was playing, he would have been at least a little jealous. But in this case, for some odd reason, he felt more curious than jealous. "Hey, who has first place?" he asked.
Upon hearing that question, Otto's face began to sadden. "Oh…" he faintly whined.
But before anyone could answer, the alarm suddenly blared! Everyone's attention turned to the main monitor as it displayed a planetary scan of Shuggazoom. A large blip just crossing a high orbit approached the planet rapidly!
"Something's entering the planet's atmosphere!" Sprx said.
"Nova, prepare to fire," Antauri instructed.
She was already typing feverishly on the keyboard, but everyone noticed quickly that frustration was growing on her face. "I can't lock onto it! It's moving too fast!"
"It's gonna crash beyond the outskirts in 15 seconds!" Otto yelled, beginning to panic.
"The sonic boom from such a crash will generate an intense shockwave!" Gibson realized.
"Monkey Team, brace for impact!" Chiro shouted.
All six of them scrambled to their command chairs, each of them strapping themselves in as they would during their Super Robot battles. Gibson typed a command into his personal computer, switching the main monitor to see the horizon just as the object zoomed into view.
When the object disappeared over the horizon, citizens screamed and ran for cover. A few moments later, all of Shuggazoom City and the Super Robot began to quake in reaction to the sonic boom! The only reason why the Super Robot kept from falling head over heels was the fact that the anchors were firmly attached to the Robot's feet!
But, much to everyone's surprise, the earthquake subsided quickly. Sprx shook his head with a cartoonish "aye-yi-yi" sound. The Hyperforce looked as one at the monitor.
"Damage report, now!" Chiro commanded.
Sprx examined his readouts carefully, confused. "Weird. I'm not reading any kind of destruction at all out there!"
"That's impossible!" Nova exclaimed. "Maybe the scanners are jammed."
"No, they're workin' just fine," Otto replied after seeing his own damage report.
"Then let's make use of them," Antauri calmly suggested. "Gibson, full analysis on the crash object."
All six of them left their command chairs and approached the main monitor. As Gibson typed on the keyboard, the monitor displayed in slow motion the last few seconds recorded before the crash. As what seemed to be a light blue ball came to the center of the monitor, he paused the screen and zoomed in on it. Scientific data of all kinds appeared beside it.
"It appears to be a small celestial body consisting of a central mass encased in a stardust envelope," the Blue Monkey revealed.
"Looks more like a comet to me," Otto stated.
Annoyed, Gibson regarded the Green Monkey. "Is that not what I just said?"
"Wait a sec," Nova commented, pointing to the object. "There's some kind of shadow inside it!"
Looking at a dark spot that she was pointing at, everyone watched as Gibson resumed typing. The image enhanced even more, revealing an indistinct silhouette.
"It appears you were right, Nova," Antauri commented. He then closed his eyes and focused, using his Power Primate energy to look beyond what could be seen. "And I am sensing a presence coming from that direction."
"Presence?" Sprx echoed, surprised. "You mean there's someone out there? It was some kind of ship?"
Again, no answers were provided as the computer interrupted, this time with a beep. Everyone listened as the speakers began to project static.
Gibson was again at it instantly, trying to work with the static. "We are receiving a long-range transmission. It's audio only, and it's a little garbled from the shockwave, but—"
"Do what you can to clear it up, Gibson," Chiro interrupted.
For several seconds, the Blue Monkey worked hard with the transmission. The static seemed to continue without end, but finally, they started to hear a female voice coming from the speakers:
"…perforce. I repeat, this is Hayley Cometra contacting the Monkey Team Hyperforce. Do you read me, team?"
All six of them reacted in surprise, but Chiro's surprise was different from the others'. He didn't recognize the name or the voice, but apparently the others did.
He realized that the moment Otto suddenly shoved between him and Gibson in his pure excitement, sending both of them to the floor!
"Hayley!" Otto screamed, chattering wildly as he came to the keyboard.
"Otto!" Gibson grunted, offended.
But the Green Monkey didn't hear him. He snatched the microphone from the keyboard and activated it. "Hayley! Is it really you? You're alive! Are you all right? Ooh, if they scratched one centimeter on ya, I'm gonna—!"
"Otto?" Hayley's voice interrupted happily. "Is that you? Otto! You mean, you guys…haven't forgotten me?"
"Of course not, silly!" Otto laughed. "How could anyone be stupid enough to forget you?"
"Then…he did lie to me! Oh, Otto, I never should have doubted you guys. I will never do that again!"
This made Otto understandably confused. "Uh...what are ya talkin' about?"
"We'd better save the explanations for later. Are the others with you?"
With a push of a button, Gibson answered, "Affirmative, Hayley. We are all present. Well, except for—"
"Gibson? Mr. Hal Gibson? Wow, I never thought I'd be glad to hear your voice again!"
Chiro looked from one monkey to another, wondering to himself to whom they were speaking. But everyone was too happy to notice his confusion, so he silently decided to stay calm. He knew that he would soon have a turn to speak with this friend of theirs.
"How in Shuggazoom were you able to escape?" Nova asked into the microphone.
Giggling, Hayley replied, "It's a long and…rather ugly story, Nova. And it certainly wasn't easy."
"Where are you presently located?" Antauri asked.
This time, the voice spoke with dread, obviously not a tone typically used by the bearer of this voice. "Much as I'd like to, Antauri, I'm afraid I can't tell you that. I'm on the run even as I speak. My power supply is almost gone, I'm sure Skeleton King's on my tail, and Mandarin may be overhearing this communication."
"Mandarin?" Gibson repeated, surprised. "Then, you are aware that he is no longer—?"
"Gibson, don't!" her voice suddenly snapped harshly, something that surprised them all. The few moments of dead air that followed told everyone that she was trying to calm herself down. When she spoke again, her voice was now filled with worry and guilt: "I'm sorry, Gibson. I fear I may not the same as I was because of Skeleton King."
"Aw, Skeleton King, Schmeleton King," Otto replied dismissively, his tone laced with a hint of his natural lightheartedness. "You handled him quite nicely the first time, Hayley, remember?"
The dark tone quickly vanished as a sweet giggle came through the speakers. "Like it was yesterday. Oh, Otto, how my positrons simply tingle with joy!"
By this time, Chiro didn't care if this was the best opportunity to speak or not. After hearing that their enemy was after someone that the Robot Monkeys apparently cared deeply about, he knew that he had to step in to find her.
"Hayley, my name is Chiro, leader of the Hyperforce."
The slight pause in the communication gave them the feeling that she was confused. "Chiro? Hmm, never heard that name before, but that voice…" She suddenly gasped. "You must be the boy I saw!"
"What do you mean, 'saw'?" Sprx asked. "You've never met the kid."
"I know that, Sprx, but… Remind me to explain that later, too. Sorry for interrupting, Chiro; what were you going to say?"
"Is there any kind of information you can give us, something that may help us find you before Skeleton King does?"
"Hmm, I can tell you the crash site coordinates. I'll be taking cover by the time you reach it, but it'll at least give you a starting point. I landed at coordinates seven-three-eight by nine-f—" She suddenly cut herself off, making everyone nervous. She then gave a great gasp and screamed, "Formless!"
For a few seconds, all the Hyperforce could do was listen as she made fighting shouts and landing blows. Some grunts confirmed the Formless, but a scream of pain from Hayley was the last thing they heard before the transmission became static again.
"Hayley!" Otto shouted into the microphone. "Are you all right? Hayley!"
No reply.
"Monkeys, Mobilize!" Chiro commanded.
Uh oh, sounds like she's in big trouble. The Hyperforcebetter hurry if they hope to save her. But how do the Robot Monkeys know her? Find out more in Chapter Three: The Adoption.
In response to Chapter One's reviews…
4Evermonkeyfan: Got your PM. Your story is very interesting. I know moving is quite hard; I just got settled in my new place myself. I hope to hear more from your story soon! And thanks for reviewing.
Fairy Whisperings: Your encouragement is much appreciated. Thanks! I hope my story will meet your expectations. This chapter and upcoming ones will pick up the pace that my first chapter lacked.
shamaru1: Wow, not even 24 hours and I'm already on your favorite list? That's very flattering. I mean, I knew that I had a talent for writing, but this? Wow! And thanks for the review.