"So, Gibson, what's the verdict?" Sprx asked. "Is the kid gonna be okay or what?"
The scientist turned from his microscope and computer, going over Chiro's chart.
"Well, according to the cheek cell swabs I've taken and my thorough examination, Chiro should be just fine. His temperature is ninety-nine-point-eight degrees Fahrenheit, that being thirty-seven-point-sixty-seven degrees Celsius, meaning he's relatively safe. He merely requires extensive rest and proper care…" he turned to smirk at the red monkey, "which means no late-night video game clashes, Sprx." (And truly, the rest of the Team had woken many a morning to find the two sound asleep in front of the television, video game still lighting up the screen.)
The pilot paid the comment little heed. Grinning, he walked over to Chiro, who sat on one of the infirmary beds, and laid a hand on the child's arm.
"All right, Brainstrain, whatever you say." Gibson pouted at the nickname. "As long as the kid gets better, that's all that matters."
Chiro smiled. "Thanks, guys." His eyes swept over his loyal companions. "I appreciate this."
"No trouble at all, Chiro," Gibson replied. "We are your friends, after all, and we only hope that you'll feel better soon."
"Yeah, Chiro! We wanna play with you again!" Otto cried, jumping up and down excitedly.
"And I've got some new moves to show you!" Nova quipped, flashing a grin and pounding a fist into her palm.
Antauri cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should allow Chiro to acquire some rest."
The rest of the Team nodded and filed out of the infirmary. Antauri, however, looked back over his shoulder. Something didn't feel right….
And in the next moment he discovered just what.
The alarm blared. The control room was occupied within seconds, and in the excitement no one noticed when Chiro dutifully marched in behind them.
Gibson fiddled with the main controls before a massive army of Formless appeared on screen. They were marching toward the city, regiments of at least one hundred at a time.
"The city is under attack!" Antauri cried. He turned to the tubes. "Monkeys, mobi—!"
He cut off abruptly in seeing Chiro, ready-and-willing in Hypermode.
"Chiro? You should be resting!" Gibson shouted, and the others nodded.
"What he said, kid! You can't go out there like this!" Sprx agreed.
But the teen's determined visage didn't change.
"There's no way I'm letting you guys battle those Formless and whatever else Skeleton King's planning alone! If things start looking bad, I promise I'll go back to the Robot, but I'm going!"
The monkeys were torn. He had grown so much this past year, and they knew he could take care of himself…but this was suicide! What if something happened—? They halted then and there. They wouldn't let anything happen. No matter what it took, they swore no more harm would come to their leader, to their Chosen One, to the best thing that had ever happened to them.
The rest of the monkeys looked to Antauri, who voiced their thoughts in three succinct words.
"Lead on, Chiro."
The teen smiled and turned toward the tubes.
"Monkeys, mobilize!"
Two hours later, the Monkey Team had demolished the Formless army.
Tired and sludge spattered with minor injuries sustained—a few bruises and gashes, and some slightly scraped and dented robotic parts here and there—they were glad for the release.
On Chiro's part, his breathing, exhaustion, and paleness had worsened, but he seemed otherwise in fair condition.
"Chiro? How you feelin'?" Otto asked, concerned, and the others looked over as well. The boy, squinting at something on the horizon, didn't seem to hear him. His eyes widened.
"Monkey Team, get ready! We're not done yet!"
And just like that, they struck.
"Monkey Fu!"
Twenty Formless were taken out.
"Magno-Ball Blazer!"
Thirty more down.
"Lady Tomahawk!"
Forty splattered.
"Whirling Destructo Saws!"
Twenty-five gone.
"Ghost Claw Attack!"
Fifty fell.
And somewhere in the midst of all of this, something went horribly wrong.
A thud, jerking arms and legs, labored breathing, eyes rolling back, drool pooling, and skin tinted blue.
"Chiro! Monkey Team, defensive measures!" Antauri ordered, and all simians formed a protective circle around their seizing boy-leader. They attacked with all of their strength, guarding the defenseless child from any and all who wished him harm because they loved him with everything they were and couldn't imagine life without him. Within moments they had fended off enough Formless minions for there to be a clear path to the Robot. "Otto, Gibson, get Chiro back to the Robot! Now!"
Powering their jetpacks, the green and blue monkeys took the boy's twitching limbs and flew him inside. Antauri, Nova, and Sprx turned back to the Formless army.
"Hyperforce, go!"
"Gibson, what happened to him?" Nova asked, the hours-long battle having ended at long last.
"Is Chiro gonna be okay?" Otto questioned.
The scientist was silent.
"Gibson! He's not gonna— He won't-" Sprx yelled anxiously, breaking off when the thoughts became too much.
"Gibson," Antauri's voice was ever-calm, though there was a kind of weight running beneath, "I believe we would all appreciate some answers."
The scientist sighed, reading over the contents of Chiro's chart one last time before looking up at his friends.
"It seems the strain and stress of our battle caused Chiro's fever to rise just above one-hundred-and-two degrees Fahrenheit, or thirty-eight-point-eight-nine degrees Celsius. This caused the febrile seizure we witnessed." He released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. "On the bright side, this episode appears to have been the fever's peak. His temperature's dropped to an even ninety-nine by now, which means he's out of the danger zone."
The sick bay's occupants breathed anew, and the atmosphere lightened considerably.
"That's great!" Nova breathed happily. "So what can we do to help him?"
Gibson peered over at the sleeping boy and brushed the sweaty black bangs from his face.
"Make sure he drinks plenty of fluids, don't give him too much to eat—'feed a cold, starve a fever,' as they say—and pile on the blankets."
"All of that is important, yes," Antauri piped up, smiling adoringly at their Chosen One although the child could not see it, "but I think what Chiro needs right now more than anything else is his family."
The monkeys beamed and gathered 'round the fourteen-year-old's bed.
When Chiro finally woke up, the first thing he saw was the loving family he had come to call his own.
"Hey, guys," he whispered weakly, grinning. "What's goin' on?"
The next thing he knew, he was on the bottom of a monkey-pile.
For all of it he merely beamed in contentment and hugged them back.
This was the life.
A/N: As one of my reviewers requested, I am continuing this story (and also, the moment I read the review I got an idea for a new chapter XD). The 'febrile seizure' is a real thing I discovered while searching the internet.
Hopefully, this is okay. I knew where I wanted to go with it...but getting there wasn't so easy. XD Posted later than I expected because of that and the fact that I had to take a shower, my Dad got back from a week-long business trip, etc. SRMTHFG! rules forever!
Thanks for reading, as always!