The White Monkey

Planetoid Q

~Chiro's POV~

It's been about a week since the underwater adventure and me conquering my fear of water. Right now, Antauri was training Shouko and I on understanding the Power Primate better, under a virtual simulation. The simulation was a large black room with green squares opening and closing paths. Kinda like a maze mainframe.

"The Power Primate is the source of your hyper abilities." He told us, "Let it guide you through the maze."

I nodded and got a head-start by leaping across a few squares. I smiled, "Hey, I love mazes. I get in, I get out."

Wren landed behind me. Then I asked Antauri, "Is this timed, or a race? Cuz you're gonna be amazed how fast I get to the end before Wren does."

Antauri just floated toward a large wall. The block in front of him opened like a wall. He looked back at me and Shouko, "It is good to have an end to journey toward. But it is the journey that matters in the end."

Shouko nodded in understanding. I nodded and followed the path, "If you say so."

"Chiro, don't go down-" Shouko called, but I ended up running blindly into a wall, "That path..."

I landed on a panel and it revealed to be a trap door. I quickly grabbed the edge and started climbing up. Shouko grabbed my wrist and helped me up.

Antauri appeared above us, "Good, Chiro. I see you're approaching the problem from a new perspective."

Wren helped me to my feet. I looked around and saw the paths were closing and opening in other directions.

I turned to Antauri, "This is a messed maze, Antauri. How do Snow and I pick the right path?"

Antauri lowered his hands. I felt something strange and noticed a black orb with a green hue appear from my chest. Shouko had the same thing happening to her. The orbs flew toward Antauri and he grabbed them.

"Embrace the Power Primate. And you'll discover the right path is often the one you're already on." He told me and Shouko. The orbs floated out of his hands and floated upward into the blackness. Antauri followed after them, "Trust yourselves."

I chuckled, "That is so cheating!" Then I thought on what he said and closed my eyes, "Alright. Trust myself."

Shouko closed her eyes as well. I felt the strange feeling again, but this time it was empowering. The panel shook and started to move. I opened my eyes and smiled. The orb from my chest was visible.

Same thing was happening to Haku. But Shouko's eyelids tightened and the orb from her chest vanished. The orb was replaced by a black flame with a green hue surrounding her. She clutched her head and was gritting her teeth. Like she was in pain.

"Snow! What's wrong?" I asked, reaching out to my best friend.

The orb from my chest vanished the panel fell into the blackness below. The blackness faded to a dark purple. Like indigo.

"Antauri?" I called.

Then there was a laugh. Shouko fell to her knees with a scared look on her face. The flame was glowing brighter and her eyes were glowing the same green as before. Another black-out?