I'll just get to the chapter before Zaintar gets in here so…you know…on to chapter 10!

Zaintar followed Antari as he led her to a water tower like structure. A lone tourist stood there, picturing the scenery around him. Antari went over to him. The mouth of the tourist opened and it showed a keyboard and a screen. He typed something into it. A platform appeared a couple of feet in front of them. Antari walked to it. Zaintar followed. They stepped on and the platform moved underground.

"So…I guess this is it then? I mean…I'm safe down here?" Zaintar asked him. Antari nodded.

"Yes…very safe…Skeleton King doesn't know of this place," he said. They reached a door. It swished opened. They walked in. A bunch of screen showed video cameras watching almost everything in ShuggaZoom, the streets, the alleys, even the entering of the place they were at. Zaintar whistled.

"Sweeettt…so, I get to watch you while you fight?" Zaintar looked over at the silver monkey. He sighed.

"I really hate doing this to you, Zaintar…but…"

"It's for my own good," Zaintar finished his sentence. "I know, I know." Antari motioned her to follow. They walked back onto the platform. They were silent the way back to the Robot. Zaintar didn't want to talk to the others, so she went to her room. Her guitar lay near her bed. She picked up, but then set it back down.

War…That word ran through her head. War…she leaped from her bed and went to the main room, rather fast. The rest were in there. Sprnten went over to her.

"Hey bud! How ya…" he was cut off by the wave of Zaintar's hand.

"Not now. I have a way of gettin' allies for this war that's comin'," she said. The others looked at her, confused. Even Sprnten. Zaintar sighed. "You don't remember the Rouges?" Then something went across Sprnten's face.

"Ohh yeeeeaaahhh," Sprnten said. She nodded and switched on her communicator.

"Rouges, Zaintar. Rouges, Zaintar."

Some where, on a planet far away from ShuggaZoom, Grunty the Grunt was sniffing the air. Snow whirled around him, stinging his eyes as he looked for any signs of the others coming back. Nothing. Grumbling, he jumped into the snow, making his way to the make-shift camp. He made it to the fire and dusted the snow off his armor. Lia, another Grunt, waved him over to the log she was sitting on.

"See 'em yet?" the girl Grunt asked him. Grunty shook his head.

"Nope, nothin'," he said. Bubbles, another Grunt, was off on the outer rim of the camp, making a somewhat snow Grunt. She stepped back and looked it over. Bubbles was only four, and the youngest in the group. She lived a kind of carefree life at her age, but living with the Rouge team, her life would always have dangers. Grunty looked over at the young Grunt child.

"Nice snow Grunt, Bubbles," he said to her. Bubbles turned in his direction.

"Do you fink so?" she asked. Grunty nodded.

"'Course I do. It's wonderful," he replied, sipping the liquid Lia gave him. Across from them was Tukri the elite. He was watching the flames. His white armor shone in the dimly lit area. He sighed and looked over at one of the tents. His eyes landed on a moving lump underneath one. It groaned and twisted. Tukri shook his head and walked over to the tent. He zipped opened the flap.

"Gettin' any sleep, big guy?" he joked. The lump growled then moaned.

"No," it replied, pulling off the sleeping bag. The lump was actually Spartan 631, the monster of the group. He outweighed the other Spartans by a lot, and his armor was bulkier to protect all his body. He flexed his muscles and got up. He stumbled out of the tent and sat on one of the logs, which groaned underneath his immense weight. Lia eyed him nervously, pouring him a cup of coffee. She handed it to him. He gratefully took it, filling it into a compartment that would allow him to drink it without taking off his helmet.

"Sooo…I'm takin' it that they haven't returned?" 631 said, looking at Grunty, who was fidgeting in his seat.

"Um…well…no…" the Grunt stammered. The Spartan growled and stretched. Bubbles joined the group and sat near Lia, laying her head on Lia's shoulder.

"Lia…I hurt," the little Grunt complained. Lia looked at her.

"Where, Bubs?"

"Right here, in my tummy. It feels wheird, like it got a bad somethin'," Bubbles said, pointing to her stomach. Lia's eyes widened.

"Sweetie, why don't we go get ready for bed, o.k? We'll get you some medicine and lie you down," Lia told her, picking up the child and walking over to a tent. Grunty watched as they disappeared. Then he turned to Tukri.

"We might have to find a way to get back to Earth. That tummy ache is gettin' worse," Grunty said, his face started to look troubled. Tukri nodded.

"When Ali-Koti and them get back, we'll tell them," he reassured. The squirrel Spartans scampered over to 631.

"Their back!" they exclaimed in unison. "They're safe!" 631 leaped up, Grunty and Tukri followed. Sure enough, ten lights shone through the whirling wind. A couple of minutes past and the scouting team was sitting around the fire, warming up. 631 was the first to ask the question.

"So…where are the parts?" he asked. Spartan Wolf 342 wiped some snow off her visor. Spartan Dragon 801 was the one to answer.

"The snow covered it up, the wreck, and the creatures of the night were following us and attacking. So, we hurried back," 801 replied, shaking off the snow on her tail. Ali-Koti was taken aside by Grunty and Tukri. They discussed about the sickness in Bubbles. Ali-Koti nodded and said something else. Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Hunters, stood over the group, watching them as they moved and sat. They crouched and Tweedledum leaned closer to Tweedledee.

"The snow is getting worse. If they don't take action now, we'll all be dead," he whispered. The girl Hunter nodded wisely. Spartan 007 was busy on the communicator, talking to an old time friend.

"So…Ol' Bone Bags is back," she said. Silence.

"Well…it looks like it," the voice said.

"What's the plan?"

"Where are you guys, anyway?"

"Don't know exactly. Some planet that snows a lot."

"Do you have vehicles?"

"Yeah, course, why?"

"We need ya over here at ShuggaZoom. SK has a plan formin' in his evil mind…and we need back up." Spartan 007 was silent. She hadn't felt this way before, like something horrible was going to happen to them, the Monkey Team, Sprnten, and Zaintar. She shrugged it off.

"Do you know what we're up against?"

"Nope, nothin' yet, but…think of the things he sends out sometimes when they battle you." Images popped into her mind.

"Alright. We'll be there," she said, ending the communication.

"So…it's that simple?" Sprx asked, leaning against the wall.

"Yep, that's right. Simple as that," Zaintar said. The team looked eagerly at each other. The Rouges sounded like a fighting type of a group, a group that didn't like to be messed around with. Sprnten yawned.

"Man…you can get tired fast," he said groggily. "I'm headin' off to bed. Night!"

"Good night!" the group said in unison. Sprx was soon yawning.

"I'm followin' Sprnten's idea." Soon, everyone headed to their rooms. Zaintar stood alone for a moment before also heading to bed.

Alrighty, all done. Now…I just have to deal with spastic Grunts…

Grunty: (stumbling, eye twitching) Coffee…NEED COFFEE! (He leaps at me)

Me: AAAAEEEEIIII! ATTACKIN' KILLER GRUNT! (Grunty grabs a fistful of my shirt)

Grunty: Get…coffee…NOW! (Shakes his free fist in my face)

Me: (whining) Alright, alright! I'll get you coffee! Get off of me! Next, 11!