Disclaimer & Warning: This story is purely fan-made; I will not and never will own SRMTHFG! or any of it's canon characters, I'm only using them here for my own sick amusement. Be warned, this story is rated T/M for a reason. I am very big on details, and some things may be graphic in this story - gore, death, blood, etc. Triggering material may also be present in some chapters. If this offends you, please turn away now. Constructive criticism is welcome, so please feel free to do so: I am constantly learning how to be a better writer and anything to help would be greatly appreciated.

Shout Out: Thank you to all my beta readers, you know who you are. Without you, I'd never have been able to get this done!

PROLOGUE

'BACK TO THE BEGINNING'

"Sometimes it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever." - Keri Russell

[*] Shuggazoom City.

A wondrous, successful city that stood proudly for all to see even from the height of space, and the only structure to call its namesake world home. Settled upon a sparkling lake of fathomless depths, this one little city was rich in both science and mystery. For everything that was known, there was so much more that was unknown. Such as why the only place that was safe and fertile was the place the city stood upon, whereas the expanse beyond the gilded bridge at the City's entrance was a wasteland unsuited for habitation. Not even the oldest history books in the City could explain what had caused the massive devastation that encompassed over eighty percent of the planet's surface to create the Zone of Wasted Years, and those who might've witnessed the event were long since dead.

But the people who called Shuggazoom City home seemed to have little regard for the past these days. Progress was the art of moving forward, and progress was something Shuggazoom was well known for. The simple city on the simple planet was always bustling with life. The last remains of what might have been natural wildlife were long since domesticated and tamed, while plants both native and foreign grew from small parks and gardens under the watchful eye of their caretakers. Whatever couldn't be found on planet or from the odd off world visitors was instead created. Flying cars, sterling high rise buildings, and even designer pets with artificial intelligence strong enough to rival the real things. Everything in Shuggazoom City was clean and precise, a testament to how far it had come throughout the ages.

True, there were no active space ports for interstellar trading, no communications hubs for far off travelers to contact, which in turn meant that virtually no new technology or intelligence was capable of arriving in mass. In the same vein though, criminal activity was practically a nonexistent and unheard of concept. With no advantageous riches, special technologies or unique resources to attract the lowlifes of the galaxy, the people of Shuggazoom were left in relative peace. So much that police or any form of law enforcement was practically unnecessary. Once in a while the random space pirate or off-world vandal would show their face and cause a ruckus, but they soon moved off in search of better pickings.

Or at least that's what the Mayor of Shuggazoom City liked to repeat over and over during his acceptance speeches. Every year after the elections it was the same words from the year before, but the people just ate it up anyway.

And why shouldn't they think that? Despite a few faults, the population of Shuggazoom had everything it could ever want right there in the City.

The ugly truth was that for all its success and leaps, Shuggazoom City was a far cry from perfect. And it certainly was not the utopia that the Mayor and City Officials painted it out to be. Beyond the clean streets and smiling faces lay the fractures that were so desperately ignored in favor for blissful ignorance. There was no one in power who really cared to explore these faults or rectify them either. The general consensus and rule of thumb was that if it didn't concern you, then it wasn't anything to concern yourself with. Life was comfortable and rosy and anything that jarred this little niche they'd settled into was seen as a catastrophe; a closed minded and far outdated concept for a planet that claimed to be so advanced.

This is where our story begins...

[=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=]

Another day survived.

"GET HIM!"

Or maybe he was speaking too soon.

The streets and buildings of Shuggazoom City whirled past in a blur of color and concrete. Shocked exclamations and shouts of pedestrians were like white noise in his ears, the primal urge of flight-or-fight numbing him to everything but the roar of adrenaline beating against his eardrums and the angry voices behind him. His heart hammered against his rib cage so hard it made him wonder if his physics teacher was lying and it could in fact burst through his chest. Oxygen burned his throat with every quick breath he took, and he would swear up and down that bucket loads of sweat were flying off his hair, face and hands.

And to think, this day had started out with such promise. All he wanted to do was help someone out! But then again, what was that saying about good deeds and punishment?

These were the thoughts going through the mind of eleven year old Chiro Nieli on this sunny summer day in Shuggazoom City. It was taking everything in him to keep his sky blue eyes staring straight ahead, afraid that if he even so much as glanced back to check where his pursuers were he'd be caught. He didn't know where he was running at this point, just so long as it was away from the danger breathing down his neck.

School had been going well enough; he'd gotten through his classes relatively unscathed and after the final bell had rung, he had been heading back to his little one room apartment on the other side of the City. Perhaps he should've just continued on like that, but then he'd heard the sound of crying and had gone to investigate. He was met with a very familiar sight: B.T and Glenny, local school bullies, picking on a little boy who had been unfortunate enough to cross their path. Chiro knew from terrible experience that automatically made the boy their next target. In a moment of bravado, he'd taken it upon himself to stop the injustice of it all.

In hindsight, perhaps throwing a rock at Glenny's back had not been the best course of action. Because now he was the target of their ire.

The raven-haired teen did have one thing going for him. Even with the weight of his stark white backpack slowing him he was still faster than both the bullies combined. And he was making good use of that advantage now. But this was only a temporary solution to the problem at hand; he couldn't keep running forever no matter how much he wanted to. Turning around and fighting was out of the question too. B.T and Glenny were older, bigger and stronger than he was, as they had loved to exploit whenever he found himself backed up against a wall. And asking for help from someone else was not the best idea either, as in the end B.T and Glenny would eventually catch up alone again some other day and the punishment for tattling would be even worse.

Not to mention what the consequences of this little incident could be if certain people got wind of it...

The stress of the dead run caught up to him, prompting Chiro to pause at the corner of a building. The schoolboy's sweaty palm rested against the cool stone of the wall, using it as a crutch to keep him upright as his lungs worked hard to replace lost oxygen. His mouth and throat felt dry and scratchy, producing a few hacking coughs from his chest. "Where is he?! Which way did that punk go?! Find him Glenny!" the angry voice of B.T had him finally giving into the previous urge and glancing over his shoulder in fright. He caught only a flash of the taller bully's bright ginger hair before he was running again. Adrenaline was the only thing that was keeping him going at this point, but soon that wouldn't be enough to keep the fatigue at bay. He had to find a place to hide before he collapsed in the open street.

The number of people he had to dodge began to dwindle the further he ran. A blessing in that it made the pathway easier for him to navigate, but also a curse working against him. Without obstacles Chiro was now left wide open to B.T and Glenny's sights. This time he didn't need to look behind him because he could hear the clatter of their shoes against the sidewalk, growing louder and louder as they gained on him. His salvation appeared in the form of a dark alleyway coming up out of the corner of his eye, and he dove straight for it. While the streets of Shuggazoom City were known to be straight and polished, the alleyways were instead a labyrinth that was all connected in someway, not unlike a maze. Since he was six years old mazes of any kind had been one of Chiro's favorite things; get in and get out. And in the meantime loose the bullies on your tail.

A left turn there, a quick right turn, left again, then dive left once more. For good measure, he knocked down a full trash can as he passed by to add another obstacle for his pursuers. Good idea it turned out, because he heard Glenny's very loud exclamation of disgust seconds after he turned the next right corner. Here, unable to run any farther, he stopped and slammed his side against the nearest wall, closed his eyes and prayed to any deity above listening that they hadn't notice which direction he'd taken. An angry growl from B.T echoed off the alley walls into his ears; he could practically see the redhead's vicious scowl and aggressive posture in his mind's eye.

"Aw, I'm never gonna get this gunk off of me!" that was Glenny, his moans of disgust joining B.T's snarling. "Mom's gonna be so mad! Ugh, first the rock now this?! Where did that little punk get to?! He's gonna pay for this!"

"If I knew where the twerp ran off I'd not be standing here!" came B.T's disembodied nasally reply. "If you hadn't tripped me when you fell into that trash we'd have him by now!"

"Well, how was I suppose to know he was gonna knock it over?!"

"Shut up Glenny, we're not gonna catch him this way! ...C'mon, I think he went this way! Don't worry we'll find him!"

Chiro held his breath, tensing up just encase he had to bolt again, but the sound of two sets of feet rushing off in the opposite direction of him signaled that they'd chosen the wrong path. When he could no longer hear them nearby, he allowed the relief to hit him and felt his knees give out. Leaning heavily against the wall for support, the eleven year old slowly slid to the ground, sighing shakily as he let himself relax on his knees. That had been way too close for comfort. If he hadn't had the quick thinking to knock over that trash can he didn't want to think about what could've happened. A sort of hysterical laugh bubbled from his mouth, one hand coming up from his lap to cover his eyes as his breathing evened out slowly. At least it all ended well. That boy back at the schoolyard was safe and now so was he.

And B.T and Glenny would likely be lost in the maze that was Shuggazoom's alleys for the next few hours too. Meaning he didn't have to deal with them for a while. Always a bonus.

A few minutes of silence and peace passed by while Chrio focused on calming down. When the rush of adrenaline finally started to subside, he shakily grabbed at the wall and pushed himself to his feet, brushing his red sweater vest off before glancing up at the sky above. Still clear and bright blue, meaning he had plenty of time to find a way out of this labyrinth and be back in his apartment before nightfall. All he had to worry himself with was possibly running into B.T or Glenny during his search. But with plenty of hiding places available and his experience using these alleys at his side, he had the upper hand here. Simple enough!

...Now which way did he come from?

[=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=]

'Alright,' was Chiro's somewhat exasperated thoughts as he turned down another pathway to yet another dead end. 'Maybe this won't be so simple.'

Chiro wasn't sure how long he'd been wandering the alleyways now, only that almost every other corner he turned led to a dead end or continued into yet more pathways to choose from. The sky was beginning to change from its pristine clear blue, taking on a vivid shade of pink that signaled the approach of dusk. Chiro still had time to spare before nightfall, but if he didn't hurry and find a way out that wouldn't be true for much longer. A groan of frustration hissed passed his teeth: he was tired, he was sweaty, and all he wanted was a warm shower before finishing off his homework, catching the late night airing of his favorite TV show and then going to bed. But it would seem whatever deity that had saved him from B.T and Glenny had now decided to play with him.

Turning around to retrace his steps for the umpteenth time, Chiro decided he didn't particularly like this game. The only good thing out of this situation was that he hadn't run into said bullies a second time.

The boy only paused at the entrance to the dead end to pick up a broken piece of concrete from the ground and use it to carve a small 'x' into the side of the wall. This place was confusing enough, and by now he knew he was far away from the alleys he was familiar with. He'd been doing this for probably the last hour or so, marking the dead ends and wrong ways as he came upon them. This way he knew where not to go when he had to retrace his steps again. The concrete in his hand was left to clatter to the ground after making the mark and Chiro was off again. So far he'd tried the left, lower and upper pathways at the last crossing, so that just left the right one to try.

As he wandered down the next passage, he hummed a small tune to himself, staring up at the filthy and dusty walls surrounding him with a contemplative look. For all that was perfect and kept up in Shuggazoom City, these dark and damp places were pretty much left to rot. Trash was piled up in forgotten cans and careless piles, rats scurried here and there, and bugs were plentiful. Only Chiro's experience in such places kept him from completely grossing out. Just think of something else to help tune out the smell and don't look the rats in the eyes and everything was fine. The trash and rotting food could be easily cleaned off of his shoes and pants with a little soap and water.

He wondered just how much soap and water, if any, could clean these alleyways though. Or if anything could at that. In many ways these alleys were a far too perfect representation of how life in Shuggazoom City really was. Sleek and colorful on the outside, but search a little deeper and the problems underneath were revealed. Rot and dirt and dust and everything bad. So was life he supposed, though he wondered if other places on other planets were just the same as this City, or if they were any better or any worse.

For everything wrong it had buried and hidden away, Chiro truly did and always would love this City; its colors, its people, its way of life. Everything he'd known since his earliest days existed was right here on this little patch of planet... but sometimes, like now, he wondered what lay beyond the borders and atmosphere of this one little City. As if in response to his unspoken thoughts, a few faint sparkles began to twinkle in the darkening skies. The first stars of the evening. Chiro's feet slowed to a stop, moving his eyes from the walls and upward to obverse the distant faded lights that weren't patient enough to wait for dark.

It was this one thought that set Chiro apart from the rest of the population, this one rogue thought that had taken root when he was seven years old and refused to let go. Just what did lay beyond the known of Shuggazoom City? Had anyone ever explored the depths of the lake the City sat upon, or thought to traverse that so called 'death trap' beyond the bridge? Did the legends of monsters lurking in the darkest parts of the water really exist? Was there anything at all in the Zone of Wasted Years besides heat and dust? And even if there really wasn't anything left to find on this world, there was still an entire galaxy out there to explore! Who knew what wonders and horrors lay beyond the sky?

Beautiful baby blues glittered at the excitement of it all, a dare-devilish smirk painting itself across his face as he let himself get lost himself in his imagination. Far away worlds full of adventure, places yet unexplored, monsters yet undefeated, heroes to meet and people to befriend. All of it just waiting for him! '...But', he thought dejectedly, his excitement fading away as he let his eyes fall to his feet and melancholy swept upon his face. 'Who am I kidding? I'll never get off this planet in my lifetime. No one leaves the planet.' as the Mayor loved to say, who would want to anyway? Pushing his imagination back into its proper place, he inhaled deeply and set off again. The first stars meant time was slipping away; the quicker he was out of this maze the better.

The stench of the trash eventually began to weaken the further he walked down the alley, and glancing down on a whim he was mildly surprised to discover grass breaking through large cracks in the visibly aged concrete. Pausing for a moment, he bent down to pick at a blade of grass in curiosity. Wherever this was, he now at least knew for sure he wasn't heading back into the heart of the City. Grass only grew in certain areas there, and it was kept up by City gardeners almost obsessively. He straightened back up, and glancing back down the alley entertained the thought of turning around and heading back the way he came. In the end however, curiosity and longing won over: he might not ever be able to ever get off of Shuggazoom, but there was something up ahead just ripe for the discovery.

With a bright smile, the eleven year old broke into a light jog, heading in the direction he'd been heading... wait, was that light up ahead?

The boy had to wince against the brightness that suddenly assaulted him, one hand raising to block it out as his eyes adjusted. When they finally did, he vaguely felt his jaw falling open at the sight before him. The buildings and streets of the City, stone and metal, faded into open nature. The air in this area was fresh, and soft grass grew wild beneath his feet. Several meters away, the grass turned into fruit trees, perhaps an orchard that had been abandoned and left to grow wild once upon a time. From the looks of it, none of this looked like it had been touched by humans hands in a long time. The darkness and dreariness of the alley was like a far away memory, taking the noise and bustle of the City with it. Chiro had never been to this part of the City before, that is... if he was still even in the City.

Childish glee struck his heart as he rushed forward, all thoughts of getting back before dark falling away in the rush that came with exploring. The soft crunch of the grass under his shoes sounded so different to the clack of stone, and as he reached out to place his palm on the trunk of the nearest tree he decided he quite liked the feel of it. There were so few trees in the City, even less of them were real like this one was. And what's more, none of them had fruit like that! Chiro eyed the large red balls growing from the tree's canopy hungrily, his stomach agreeing with his thoughts. Even just one of these fruits could probably keep him fed for days, and he had missed dinner thanks to B.T and Glenny... now how to get them down?

The boy's face settled into a determined scowl, crossing his arms over his chest as he assessed the tree for any branches that might be low enough to climb up on. However, the tree's trunk was perfectly smooth, with the lowest hanging branches far too high for him to reach. But there was surely more than one way to dislodge the fruit. And Chiro wasn't going to leave until he found one that worked. Though there were no low hanging branches he decided to risk it. After sliding his heavy backpack off and placing it beside the tree, he leaped up and tried to cling the trunk, his nails digging tightly onto the bark. He managed to scurry up only halfway to his goal before the smooth trunk and gravity teamed up to work against him.

Attempt #1: Failure, with a sore bottom to boot.

The second attempt involved using the longest stick he could find and prodding the fruit, but still the branches held strong to their prizes. The third attempt was met with slightly more success when he threw a rock at it, the branch cracking loudly in the otherwise quiet area. Taking the hint, he grabbed his backpack, took out the heaviest of his schoolbooks, and aimed. "Flying Book Strike!" he shouted with a grin, unable to resist the temptation of imitating a superhero attack, and sent the book flying. It hit true, and the branch snapped in two. The large red fruit landed upon the ground with a soft 'thump!' while his textbook was less graceful. When he retrieved it, there was a noticeable tear in several of the pages and a large grass stain, but he doubted his teacher would notice... or care. Either way, he got what he wanted.

The fruit was as tasty as it looked, tangy with a hint of sweet that sent Chiro into a daze at first bite. He settled underneath the tree with his backpack at his side, enjoying the feel of the grass around him and the shade of the leaves as he enjoyed himself. He was sure this was a little piece of paradise, because despite everything that had happened this was the best day he'd had in a while. Time slipped away from him until he took the last bite of the fruit, surprising himself. "Heh, must've been hungrier than I thought..." he muttered to himself, taking the time to wipe his juice covered hands dry on the grass before sighing and leaning back against the tree to pat his full stomach. On reflex, his eyes traveled back to the sky to check the time; still dusk, though more stars were beginning to arrive. Still plenty of time to wander about before making his way back though.

Time enough to see what else was around here.

His stomach full and his body having rested, he pushed himself to his feet and placed his backpack onto its proper place before setting out further from the City's limits. The trees continued on for a good distance, all of them full of the delicious fruit, and the grassy land stretched on as far as his eye could see. About a mile or so off he thought he could make out the start of the moat that surrounded Shuggazoom City, separating it from the Zone of Wasted Years. So this was still part of the City after all. Why had he never seen this place before then? Just how far on the outskirts was he?

A splash of pink against the green and the clatter of tin drew his attention downward, his gaze landing on a used and abandoned can of what was probably juice or soda rolling back to touch the tip of his shoe. Perhaps a piece of trash that the wind had rolled from the alleys. Another smile lit up his face and he gave the can a tentative tap, watching as it rolled over the grass before rolling back. He kicked it again, a little harder this time, and watched as it rolled further and further away. He gave chase, kicking it twice more before letting it bounce off to the side. How long had it been since he'd played kick-the-can, even if it was by himself?

Chiro allowed his eyes to wander again, glancing here and there, trying to soak in as much as he could before he had to turn around. It was getting later and later; soon the light on the horizon would be gone and he'd have to traverse the alleys in complete darkness. But as that thought crossed his mind, a large wall of metal appeared in his line of sight. "Huh?" his eyes snapped up, following the metal higher and higher on reflex. He blinked once, twice, and then his shock numbed brain caught up and registered what he was seeing. Not a mere wall of metal, but foot. A giant robot's foot! "Whoa!" he went to take a step back, but his foot ended up slipping on the grass, sending him careening to the ground with a hard thud.

The mild pain didn't even register in light of this discovery though. This robot was huge! Twice the size of the apartment complex he lived in, only being eclipsed by a few of the taller skyscrapers in the City. It looked in good shape, but who knew how long it had been out here. It looked pretty rust free, though it was covered from top to bottom in a thick green moss. Shock turned to curiosity, and he slowly pushed himself back up. He moved in closer the metal foot for a better observation, reaching out a careful hand to brush against the cool metal. "Weird, but so cool! What's a robot doing all the way out here?" he wondered aloud, staring back up at the robot's face.

A small flash of green ignited unnoticed beneath his palm; the sound of gears and hydraulics surprised him, snapping his attention from the robot's face back to its foot to witness the metal slide downward. Where there was once a solid wall now lay open space, illuminated by flickering blue lights that lined the ceiling. Had that been a door? On the robot's foot? 'Oookaaay, that's strange. Guess I tripped a switch...' he thought to himself, squinting into the opening and considering his options. Common sense and years of good behavior told him to leave, to walk away and return to his apartment while he could. But... something else was compelling him at the same time, urging him to enter.

'It's safe.'

He wasn't sure where that thought had come from, or why it chased away all his reservations about his next course of action, but it was all he needed to give him the courage to take the first step inside. Three steps in, the hydraulics from earlier sounded off again, and the door slid back up to shut out the outside world. Chiro jumped in his skin, twisting around with a nervous expression to stare at the closed off exit. Without the sunlight or an obvious exit, the flickering lights above suddenly seemed ominous in nature. The darkness beyond even more so. He was starting to wonder if this had been the best course of action...

'It's safe.'

There was that thought again, forcing down his fears and pushing him to continue his exploration. Taking a deep breath to steel his resolve, he turned away from the door and continued on towards the unknown. A spark of excitement blossomed in his chest, taking some of the caution out of his step. What was there to be cautious about here? It was an abandoned robot in the outskirts of the City, nothing was gonna jump out at him.

Chiro walked further in, but soon found his path obstructed by a set of what looked like... pipes? Six pipes to be exact, and if he looked hard enough he could just make out a groove in the nearest one. The kind one would see when they could open something up. Curiosity peeked, he reached out to touch one of them, his fingers barely brushing the smooth surface. That was all that was needed to trip a hidden button. A click was his only warning before all six tubes hissed and slid wide open. He jerked his hand away quickly, stumbling back a step and wondering if he'd tripped some kind of security system. But when nothing happened he released the breath he was holding. 'Lots of hidden buttons here. Gotta be more careful.' he chided himself.

Taking a closer look at the now open tubes brought about a new discovery. 'They're colored inside!' he realized, pointing out the color of each tube from left to right aloud. "Red. Yellow. Blue. Orange. Green. Black." again the question of what this robot's purpose was for being out here popped into his mind. And what exactly was the purpose of these colored tubes? Why were they colored anyway? Choosing the tube with his favorite color, 'Sun Rider' orange, to investigate first, he poked his head inside and gazed upward, attempting to see if there was something else to these rainbow cylinders. He didn't have much of a chance for seconds later a strong suction caught him in its grip. Before he could blink he was flying up and through the orange tube against his will.

"AHHHH!" he screamed, shutting his eyes against the sensation. It wasn't painful, but it was fast and left little time even for thought, let alone a struggle. He wasn't sure how long he was caught in the grip of the suction, maybe mere seconds or stretching hours, but eventually it spat him out. He tumbled to the flooring, rolling to a stop on his side in a fetal position. He took a moment to catch his breath, then slowly opened his eyes to find himself in a completely different room from before.

Oh, so that's what those tubes were for. Transportation through the robot.

He uncurled from himself and stood up quicker this time, taking in everything there was to see. Unlike in the previous room, which had been lit by soft blue light, this area was almost completely dark save for a few flickering bulbs here and there. It was just enough for him to make out the shapes and items that were set about. Six spherical objects sat in the middle of the room, around a large circular dip in the floor. On the wall they sat facing, a huge insignia stood out: a lightning bolt cutting through yet another circle with three large dots. Stepping closer to analyze the symbol more closely, Chiro racked his brain for any place he might've seen it before; in books, on the television, flyers. Maybe even from the Old Man with the signs he'd see every now and then on his commute to and from school.

...Still nothing... Dang it, just what was the reason for all this being out here?

A sudden flash of green light caught in the corner of his eye, turning his attention away from the insignia and towards the source. He didn't see anything that could've made the flash, but as he looked around he took notice of a doorway off to the side sliding open with no prompting. Again common sense tried to assert itself, screaming in his brain that he should just leave this place. This was getting creepy now. And besides that surely it was way past dark by now, he was going to get in serious trouble! Was all this really worth that?!

'It's safe.'

He made for door, propelled by that one calming thought yet again. Entering the doorway, he found himself in a darkened area that spilled into what looked like an engine room. Bulkheads and massive generator machines surrounded him, some even dwarfing him. Surprisingly for being left abandoned for so long, the inside of the robot was in very good condition. The metal had no rust upon it, and it seemed the mossy growth was contained to the outside. Things were a little dusty, but looked like they'd still be in working order for someone who knew how. But no bulkhead or generator could compare with the sight that met his eyes at the center of the room.

Right there, in the middle of the room under the glow of a harsh blue light, was a huge switch. The biggest one he'd ever seen.

The panel it was connected to was simple enough, a few lights and buttons, though the switch was the center point. Chiro approached the panel far more cautiously than he had the transportation tubes; last thing he wanted was to bring the robot crashing down upon his head. But this switch... he wondered if this was possibly the ignition for the robot? That would explain the size and the obvious importance. Why else would someone make a switch that big? The moment that thought crossed his mind, so did the childish urge to pull the switch. If it was the ignition for the robot, he could start it up! How cool would that be?

'It's safe.'

With his smile back on his face, he placed his hand upon the large ball on top of the switch. He expected it to be somewhat difficult to pull, but it was light as a feather, its size seemingly belaying its actual weight. The moment he touched it, it slid downward...

And Chiro was blinded and deafened.

Green light, far more bright than any other he'd encountered in this robot, spilled into the room like a flood. His hands flew from the switch to cover his ears as a primal sounding roar shook the walls. Electricity sparked and a mighty force overtook him. It felt like he was in the eye of a hurricane, the sound and chaos all around him but not touching him. Yet at the same time it felt as though he was being filled to the brim with something. Chiro's eyes widened, the sting of tears filling his eyes. It was hard to breathe, like a weight was growing and expanding in his chest, and he was certain he was going to explode at anytime now as he was forced to his knees.

He was scared.

'It's alright. It's safe. You are safe here. It'll be alright.'

His last thought before unconsciousness swept over him was that he should've listened to common sense and just went home.

[=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=]

In a separate room deep within the Robot, five cells began to spark and ignite. Power returned to all systems, opening the drains and slowly emptying them of the liquid to awaken the slumbering creatures within. Yet at the same moment that five pairs of eyes came online, a far more sinister force felt a powerful disturbance ripple through the threads of the universe.

From the depths of space, deep within a cavern of bone and ooze, a pair of red optics glowed in the darkness.

"So you finally show yourself... Chosen One."

STORY BROADCAST INTERRUPTED.

TO BE CONTINUED IN ARC ONE.

STAY TUNED.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Good evening once more my fellow Super Robot Monkey Team fans! This is the writer formerly known by this community as Snowbellathecheetah. Some of you may or may not remember me, but I was on here a couple years back. I had a Spova Triolgy, a Hyperforce vs Evil Hyperforce story with a twist, and the story most of you will probably know me for called 'New Beginnings', which was a story inspired by a writer called Aunna. Sadly, for all my love of these stories, years and change have forced me to make a decision to put all of these plots to rest. I just don't have the energy or desire for them anymore. But now that I am no longer giving any effort to these things, I have plenty of effort for this!

Without further adieu, I give you the culmination of my obsession: Eyes of Tomorrow. This will be my final and only contribution to the fandom unless inspiration once again strikes, but this will not be just a simple story. For those of you who didn't read the chapters before this revision I'm doing, this story is currently planned to be told in Three Arcs. The first Arc will be about the mysterious origin: how Chiro and the team bonded. I decided to take a much different approach to how Chiro found the Hyper Force, as you can see here. As well, I will be elaborating more on Chiro's life at current in later chapters - for those who read it before, I will be bringing back the Headmistress (not telling who that is for those who haven't read it yet xD) in later chapters. The Headmistress will be pivotal in the first Arc so I can't scrap her just yet. I re-read my story last night, and I felt I was giving away too much and was just rambling in the previous prologue. I like this version better; this merging of the previous first chapter and the previous prologue.

I'm also gonna start a couple little sections below here as well: for shout-outs to Reviewers and those who Favorite the story, and for references to some canonical statements made in the show that will make it into the story. Throughout the series, we get little hints into what life is like for Chiro and/or the Monkey Team beyond what's happened/happening in the episodes, especially in the first season. I'm gonna try and expand on some of these little instances as I come across them. So have fun with those!

REFERENCE CORNER:

CHIRO'S LOVE OF MAZES: The reference in this chapter is to Chiro's love of mazes. In the third episode of the series, 'Planetoid Q', Chiro states that he loves mazes. (However, I did notice that he never exactly states if he's good at them. xD) So I decided to expand on this comment he made and give it a use: getting away from bullies!

CHIRO'S AGE: I just realized I forgot to put this up. In canon, Chiro is thirteen years old at the start of the series, and turns fourteen years old a few episodes later on. But we have some information missing: he's thirteen at the start of the series... so what age was he when he found the team, and how long had he been with them before the first episode of the canon? I'm saying eleven years old. This by far isn't the only question we have in regards to Chiro, but its the only one I'm giving my answer to at this time.

SHOUT-OUT CENTRAL:

Thank you, Cluelesslittlerabbit, Pandora the Ghost Elf, Sakura9544 and Witch08 for putting this story in your Favorites! I'm glad you all enjoyed my first version of the story enough to do so! I hope this revision and the upcoming chapters pleased you just as much as the other version did.

Thank you, animerandom415 and BazookaNeon, for adding this story to your Alerts! Hopefully you still are interested in what's to come, and will stay to see the story to its completion. As well, more thanks given to Cluelesslittlerabbit, Pandora the Ghost Elf and Sakura9544, for also adding this story to your Alerts!

To Cluelesslittlerabbit: I'm happy to hear that! I'm really hoping I get this story done right, which is why I'm doing this revision of the prologue now. I hope you enjoy what else is to come. Because I have plans... big plans. ^u^

To Sakura9455: You won't have to wait any longer! =3

To Guest: Whoever you are, here's your update! Just click the Next Chapter button and enjoy!

To Pandora the Ghost Elf: EEEH! I'm happy you enjoyed it so much! I too got back into the fandom recently, and I am happy to give you my next update now. I hope you continue to enjoy this journey. =3

To michiforever900304: Glad to hear it!

To Witch08: Here ya go! =3

COMMUNICATION WITH AUTHOR OFFLINE.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME!