Disclaimer: SRMTHG; I don't now, ever have, or ever will own it, capisce?

Author Notes: Just the usual here, thanks again for everyone who's read and reviewed my works. And as always, advice and constructive criticism are always appreciated.

Rating: T

Warnings: Language, violence, OC death

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Chapter 7
Ō

TIME: 2 Minutes Later
LOCATION: Wellington, New Zealand

After Antauri explained to Chiro what had happened, Chiro was relieved, albeit annoyed.

"You mean I spent hours chasing him down for nothing?!" he yelled. After everything was said and done, Chiro was still a teenage boy, and sometimes it showed.

Antauri remained calm. "Yes Chiro. It is better to be safe than sorry."

Chiro sighed and slid down the wall, sitting on the ground.

I shouldn't be so hard on him, Antauri thought. He was alone for almost two months and now he has to go all of this. He has the right to be stressed out. "It's going to be alright Chiro, we have Otto and we can find the rest of the team." Antauri left out the rest. I hope.

"Yeah…I guess you're right; speaking of Otto by the way…"

Antauri tilted his head in confusion "Yes?"

"If the power primate wakes you guys up from the whole spell thing, why didn't it happen when I shook Otto's hand?"

"You shook his hand?"

Chiro nodded. "Yeah, after I helped patch up that Jeff guy."

Antauri thought for a moment. "You must not have been in contact long enough. You said it took you a few minutes to drag my human body into the hall right?"

"I think it was like a minute-and-a-half, but yeah."

"Mwah?"

Chiro and Antauri swung their heads as the green monkey began to move. The two quickly made their way over where Chiro helped Otto up. "Otto, are you okay?"

"My head hurts…" he moaned as he struggled to stay upright, even with Chiro's help. "What happened?" He rubbed his eyes in an attempt to ease the pain, when he opened them he saw his two teammates. "Chiro? Antauri? What's going on?"

Chiro let go of Otto as he stood on his own.

"Otto try to remember for a moment," said Antauri.

Otto closed his eyes and tried to get a fix on his memories, despite the haze his mind seemed to be in.

"Ally!" he suddenly gasped as he tried to dash off. Antauri grabbed Otto and yanked him back before he could go anywhere however.

"Otto, what do you think you're doing. Think carefully."

"B-bu-but Ally and Jeff and…" he trailed off. "Nothing makes sense!"

Chiro attempted to explain. "Otto, one of Valina's spells went bad and transported you and the rest of the team here, while at the same time…turning you human. Now that you're back don't you think they might freak out?"

"No!" he yelled at Chiro, more upset then angry. "I know them better then that! They're my friends! If I explained things they would understand!"

Antauri put his hand on Otto's shoulder. "Then what Otto? Assuming they believe any of this, imagine what you would be doing by exposing them to all of it: Mandarin, Valina, and the Skeleton King. Do you really think it's worth the risk?"

Otto looked away. "It's not fair."

"They'll be safe this way Otto," Chiro consoled.

He turned back with tears in his eyes. "Can't I at least say good-bye?"

Antauri sighed. "You know the answer to that Otto."

Otto wiped away the tears. "L-let's just go, okay?"

"Alright Otto," Chiro smiled sadly. "Do you need any help walking?"

"No. Where's the rest of the team?"

"Um, well…"

Antauri picked up for Chiro. "We haven't found them yet Otto. Nova, Gibson and Sprx are still missing."

Otto seemed to snap out of his sadness and grinned. "Well, let's go find them then!"

The other two teammates looked at each other, both weary of Otto's sudden cheerfulness.

As they left the alley, the subject they had been talking about brought Antauri's thought to a subject he had been trying to avoid. I hope Hyun Jae's okay.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Hyun Jae was okay, well physically at least. Her mental status was another story.

"What do you mean you can't find anything?!" About half the people in the room looked towards the girl before returning to what they had been previously doing. Such occurrences weren't exactly unexpected at a police station, after all.

The young man at the desk was obviously used to such outbreaks. "Young lady, please calm down, this isn't helping."

Hyun Jae was tempted to pummel the man. She held it in. "There has to be something, it's been two weeks! A scrap of clothing, a sighting, anything!"

The man sighed as he scrolled through the file on his computer. "Ma'am, I'm very sorry, but there's been nothing. The few leads we had were false."

"What about that kid I told you about?"

"Again nothing, no one of that description was seen entering or exiting the country at any airport in the last month. And besides you, we only have one other confirmed witness of this boy; an officer whom he asked for directions. To be honest, if it wasn't for the fact that an officer of the law backs up what you're saying, I'd honestly think you made him up. There's literally no other evidence he even exists."

Hyun Jae was devastated, there had to be something!

The officer spoke up. "Ma'am? Is there anything else?"

"No." Hyun Jae muttered sadly, as she sulked out of the station. Antauri, what could have happened to you? And how is that Chiro kid involved?

As soon as she got home she collapsed on the couch where she stayed for a few seconds. No dammit you are not going to sulk! She punched a pillow as she got up. If the police can't find Antauri then I guess it's up to me!

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

The three quickly made their way away from the hospital towards the ports of the city. After a few minutes they stopped for a moment, when Otto asked the big question.

"So where do we head next?"

Antauri and Chiro sighed. "Chiro, you kept the map right?"

Chiro rummaged through his pocket. "Already on it." He pulled out a folded piece of paper which unfolded to a map of the entire Earth.

Otto tilted his head in confusion. "How is that going to help?"

Antauri held his hands over the map. "Just wait Otto." Antauri closed his eyes to concentrate. After a few seconds a glowing dot formed on the map.

"Whoa! That's awesome!" Otto exclaimed.

Chiro smiled. He had to admit. He was amazed when he first saw it as well.

Antauri opened his eyes and looked down at the map.

"Where are we headed next?" Chiro asked.

Antauri grimaced, "Maputo, Mozambique."

"What's wrong, Antauri?"

Antauri sighed. "It's in sub-Saharan Africa."

Chiro was confused, while Otto became worried. "Oh no."

"What?"

Antauri continued to stare at the map while answering. "In short, sub-Saharan Africa is probably the most volatile region on this planet. It has an unstable climate, leaving large portions of the populations starved and dehydrated. This in turn has led to near constant violence between the people of the area."

Chiro was puzzled. "In other words…"

Antauri looked at Chiro. "Imagine if our fellow Shuggazoomians tried to settle down in the Savage Lands."

Now Chiro was horrified. "One of our teammates is there?!"

Otto tried to calm him down. "It's not all that bad! Some of the places there are a lot better than that. Besides, it's like Antauri said, he's in a city right?"

Chiro tried to collect himself. "Yeah…yeah, I guess you're probably right. We should go there right away."

"We should find the first ship to Maputo then," said Antauri.

Otto interrupted. "Whoa wait, ship? Why not a plane?"

Antauri was about to answer when Chiro exclaimed: "I AM NOT getting on one of those metallic death traps!"

Otto stared at Chiro in confusion before Antauri cleared his throat and continued. "It will be much easier for us to sneak onto a cargo ship than a plane."

Otto thought for a moment before nodding in agreement. "We should get some supplies for the trip then. It'll probably last for a couple days. I call getting the food!"

Chiro and Antauri looked at each other and smiled in knowing agreement. They had forgotten to get supplies for their trip to New Zealand; and ended up having to steal food from the ship's crew without anyone noticing.

Chiro looked back to Otto. "Alright guys, let's get to it."

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Ō- Maori for 'preparations for a journey', pronounced as long O, note that this is distinct from plain old O which would simply mean 'of'

Sub-Saharan Africa- area of African continent south of the Sahara, often considered 'Black Africa' as opposed to Northern Africa which is mainly Islamic