Chapter 10: Yours is an Empty Hope
There were voices all around them… Concerned voices of the team as Chiro and Antauri broke through the fog they were under.
"Mgh…?" Chiro's eyes opened slowly.
This was familiar. Waking up, lying on one of the Med Bay tables, the loud noises from the monitor echoing in his ear.
Ow!
Was this what a hangover felt like!?
Gibson appeared in his field of vision, relieved.
"Are you with us, Chiro?"
He nodded.
"Where's…?"
Antauri let out a hiss of pain as he came to, bringing a hand to his forehead.
Ugh, I don't think I've had a headache this bad since…
THUD!
"WHY DO YOU FLOAT EVERYWHERE!?"
Two weeks ago… right…
"Antauri?"
His head snapped up, relief coursing through his system.
Chiro smiled tiredly.
"You okay?"
"Ngh… I've had worse." He grimaced. "You?"
"Hungover."
Gibson stifled a laugh, running a hand through the boy's hair.
"Somehow it doesn't surprise me. As Sparx so "helpfully" described it, you were basically drunk off sheer energy."
"Yeah, Antauri filled me in, in there…"
Gibson stopped short, looking up with a warning glare in Antauri's direction.
He winced, moving back on the bed.
"Hey, don't be mad at him." Chiro cut in. "He told me the truth."
"Then… you understand why that happened then?"
"Yep."
Gibson took a step back, bringing a hand to his chin, before giving a shrug.
"Then, I suppose there's not much left to discuss, is there?"
Chiro sat up carefully, his head in his hands.
"Ow…"
Antauri moved closer, rubbing a circle on his back.
"Shh…"
"One moment, I'll get the painkillers."
Chiro nodded.
"I don't suppose healing energy's on the menu, huh?"
Antauri chuckled.
"Not today… but someday in the future, perhaps."
Chiro nodded.
"Right."
The door to the Med Bay slid open as three very worried faces peered through.
"Hey, is the kid up-" Sparx looked up at Chiro, before heaving a massive sigh of relief. "Oh finally."
"Chiro!"
"Everyone, don't overwhelm him-" Gibson cautioned… but it was too late.
He was nearly slammed into the monitor next to the table as the others rushed over.
"UWAH! SAVAGES, THE LOT OF YOU!"
Chiro's eyes widened before he yelped as he was tackled back down by a horde of very relieved, very concerned monkeys.
Nova wrapped her arms around his neck, letting out a small churr.
"You're okay!"
Sparx ruffled up his hair.
"Way to stir up drama, Kid!"
Chiro chuckled, smiling sheepishly.
"Didn't mean to."
Otto hugged him tightly, sighing in relief.
"Don't ever scare us like that again."
Chiro nodded, bringing his arms around them as best as he could.
He looked over at Antauri and Gibson.
"Come on. You're not getting out of this."
Antauri chuckled, moving closer, leaning against Chiro's shoulder.
"As long as you do not mind… I believe we all needed this."
Gibson sighed, smiling as he crossed his arms.
"What are we going to do with you?"
Chiro smirked, his eyes flashing green.
His heart skipped a beat as the energy coursed through his system once more… but it was gentle, not a shuddering net of electricity… just warmth.
"Teach me everything."
oooooo
The greenhouse was quiet, for the most part. It was lush, filled with rare flowers and plants of all kinds.
This was her paradise away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
She walked carefully around, checking them over for any damage. Her fingers deft as she swiftly snipped away any brown or discolored leaves or petals.
Anything she cut away, she put into a little jar she carried with her.
Mila sighed as she examined one plant in particular, the orange cosmos.
They were lush and their colors, as usual, were vibrant but they still made her heart sink a little.
These were plants Chiro had been cultivating himself and she had to admit, she was proud when he had success.
He's so busy. He barely has time for this…
A twinge of guilt ate at her as she thought back to the conversation they had a while back.
How he looked at her with disappointment.
The way her heart raced when she witnessed his first training session and had to stop attending them in fear of not being able to stop herself from interfering.
She sighed, running a hand through her hair.
Maybe I should reconsider after all. One semester where he's not in public school, say I'm homeschooling him.
They can't do crap about it anyways. I'm an adult, I'm his legal guardian-No…
I'm his parent.
There was no replacing that.
… That's it, isn't it?
Mila rubbed at her eyes, trying to keep herself calm.
She was afraid of the future and what it would change for their family. She had worked her tail off to keep Chiro happy and healthy.
The idea of being replaced… of never seeing him, scared her bad enough her heart clenched at the mere thought.
They don't know everything about him though.
They can't replace the fact I know him better than anyone. They can't replicate that…
Was that it?
Was that what she was so afraid of?
Her stomach dropped as it settled in.
She was disgusted with herself at the thought, shaking it out of her head.
No.
Nothing changed that much, she told herself.
They were still family.
That was still her kid.
No one can take that from me…
Her grip on her sheers tightened, her knuckles turning white.
No one's trying to take him from me, you idiot.
Are you THAT insecure, huh?
What am I doing…?
She sighed heavily, rubbing at her eyes, looking around.
It was hard though, wondering if she was even doing the right thing.
Wondering how her parents would've handled it all.
Her mom especially, she had been SO protective of Chiro when he was younger.
What would they have said?
Dad… would probably get apprehensive but he loved all that super sentai stuff. He'd probably be just as happy about it as Chiro…
And then Mom…
… I don't know…
I just know I don't know what to do…
She sniffled a little.
"Mom… I wish I could've asked you about all this stuff." She murmured. "You would've known what to do… I don't… I…"
She let out a frustrated yell, kicking a watering can across the room as it clattered across the floor, water spilling everywhere.
"I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS I NEED!"
Her voice shook as she threw down her sheers and let out another scream.
"WHY THE HECK DID YOU LEAVE ME TO DO THIS ALL ALONE!?"
Her voice echoed through the greenhouse as she panted, trying to calm down.
Steady Mila… C'mon, calm down…
You have to keep it together.
If Chiro comes home and sees you upset…
She took a deep breath.
"Ichi's safe… He's with his…" She frowned. "He's with his team. I'm here… I still have to keep a roof over our heads…"
She sighed shakily.
I don't know though…
It was like a weight on her, dragging her down every time it rushed to the forefront of her mind.
The image of that creature, towering over her and Chiro.
His eyes as if they saw right through her.
He has to fight that.
And that monster…
That monster took everything from us.
That was the hardest part about it.
She had spent the last seven years trying to manage her grief, Chiro's grief, the weight of what felt like the very planet itself, laying itself across her back and weighing her down.
She went from a college student, to a parent in the matter of a few short hours, that seemed more like years.
The lights above flickered.
She looked up, confused.
They did it again.
She swallowed hard, taking a step back.
The greenhouse shook on its very frame as the shelves of plants began to rattle.
Outside, there was a loud engine roaring.
Nononono…
Her heart raced.
"No…" Her voice shook as her heart raced.
The temperature of the greenhouse was dropping rapidly.
A sickly green mist appeared as the lights continued to flicker…
POP!
One bulb at the far end of the green house shattered, exploding in its socket.
Mila's eyes widened as she shook her head backing up.
"No, no…." She whined. "This isn't real…"
POP!
Another lightbulb shattered as the mist grew thicker.
Around her, the plants began to droop as if the life was being sucked right out of them.
Healthy flowers she had just pruned, withering up into a sickly, brown and dropping dead at her feet as she moved backwards.
Mila put her hands to her head, letting out a nervous laugh, despite it all.
I've definitely cracked. This is it, I've lost my mind from stress and this is the BIG one…
Yes! That was her answer!
This isn't happening right now. I'm dreaming. This is a nightmare.
This was a bad dream… Right?
It had to be.
"It's not real…"
POP!
"It's not real…" She chanted repeatedly. "It's not real, it's not real, it's not real…"
The dying flowers and trees around her twisted and shifted, scraggly limbs all reaching towards her.
The mist grew thick, surrounding her.
Mila whimpered, her eyes stinging as she kept moving backwards, looking around for some kind of exit.
The door to the main part of the shop was too far away.
"Huh, I could install an extra door here." Otto had offered when they made a stop to get Chiro's gym attire on their way back from shopping.
"Maybe a different time."
I should've listened…
Her heart leaped into her throat as out of the mist rose shadows, twisting and turning around.
"I'll see you after training!" Chiro had called over his shoulder, hurrying out the door.
"Be back before dinner, okay?"
Chiro looked over his shoulder.
"You wanna come with me?"
She shook her head.
"No, I got work here."
POP!
"I should've been there…" She whispered.
Ichi…
I'm so sorry.
The light fixture above her shook and swung, the light flickering.
The shadows became solid mass… Shadow, turning to ooze, becoming enveloped in a layer of bone.
Their arms outstretched as long blades made up of a sickly green bone appeared.
The mist swirled as the figures skulked towards her.
"No…"
POP!
Mila screamed, covering her head as the light above her shattered, glass scattering all over her and the floor.
"NOOOO!"
She looked around for something… anything…
She grabbed up a flower pot, hurled it at one of the entities, dodging to the side as its blade came down…
Right where her head had been.
"Mila…" Her mother's words echoed in her mind.
"If you were in a situation where you had to fight or die… Which would you choose?"
"I… I would choose…"
She growled as the figures turned around, easily chasing after her.
She knocked over shelves and pots as they shattered in her wake.
I'm not going down easily.
I won't leave him alone too!
"I'M GONNA FIGHT!"
The monsters were slowed only for a few minutes as she dashed across the green house, throwing things over in her wake.
She grabbed up the pressure washer she used to clean the concrete, turning it on at full blast right at one of the creatures.
It shrieked as its arm was sliced clean through before it regenerated.
She swore heavily, throwing it to the side, leaving it on as it bounced around.
The door was so close.
She could see the light of the storefront.
I'm almost there…
Come on, come on!
The mist grew thicker as it trailed into the shop.
She looked behind her, seeing the creatures were struggling to get by the chaos she left in her wake.
She couldn't afford to stop now.
Mila spotted the broom she kept by the door as she finally made it… grabbing it and stomping on the side of it with her foot.
"Come on!"
Creak!
It wasn't budging, so she kept at it, while looking up to be sure she had the time.
Thud!
It was getting closer.
"C'mon…" She whined.
"Why the heck do you keep this old thing around?"
"It'll have its uses one day, Ichi."
And that day…
CRA-ACK!
It broke off, revealing a long sharp nail at the end.
She grinned.
That day was today.
Mila held it up, brandishing her new weapon.
THUD!
She yelped, looking behind her…
The mist was all over the shop now…
The light fixtures above were swinging wildly.
The doors to the glass display cases were slamming open and closed.
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
More shadows began to swirl upwards as she backed up against the register.
POP!
POP!
POP!
Glass shattered all around her as the light bulbs above exploded, the glass in the cases shattering from the force.
The shadows took form, as it began ooze and then bone…
Mila growled, brandishing her weapon.
She let out a scream, dashing forward.
SHING!
Stabbing one right in the chest.
It looked down at her weapon before looking up at her.
Mila grinned.
"Got you-"
It raised its arm up, slamming into the side of her head.
She shrieked, as she was knocked to the side.
It turned, hitting her in the side with her own weapon as she was sent flying.
She rolled across the floor, the glass crunching under her, as she slammed into the front counter.
Her back exploded with pain as it reverberated through her entire body.
"AUGH!"
Wonder how much Gibson's charge to fix this is… She thought faintly. I gotta move… gotta get up… I gotta…
The creatures skulked towards her in the middle of the room as a new form began to take shape.
A woman, with a long dark dress, her skin a sickly gray, her hair was black and hung at her waist, her neck creaking mechanically as she looked down at Mila.
Mila looked up at her, dazed.
"Go away…" She murmured. "Please…"
The woman chuckled, snapping her fingers.
"Sorry, but I have a use for you… Take her away."
Mila shook her head, forcing herself to her feet. She winced as the glass cut into her palms, sliding as she tried to make a break for it.
One of the creatures blocked her path.
"Hm… A feisty one are we?" The woman chuckled. "I believe I know what to do with you…"
The plants had all dried up and died as before…
She pointed to them as they became enveloped in a sickly green glow, morphing and changing into massive vines.
They lunged towards Mila, grabbing her legs, pulling them out from under her.
She went down, hitting the floor HARD as something scattered across the room, flying out of her vest pocket.
"AUGH!"
She was lifted up again, upside down before she was swung hard into the wall opposite of her.
Her head slammed into the wall above the display case as pain bloomed in the back of her skull.
THUD!
"AAAAAUUUGH!"
She slid down to the floor, too dazed to move, her head spinning as it all blurred together.
She tasted copper in her mouth… the back of her head damp now as she smelled copper in the air anew.
"No…"
I'm sorry…
As everything blurred together…
Her phone started to ring.
