Power (Book 1 in SRMTHFG Series)

13

"You're going down, Monkey Boy!" I tease. We drew a line in the dirt and Otto helped us plan out a race track. Whoever makes it to the boulder a mile ahead first wins.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure a Monkey Boy could beat a girl any day," Chiro says, revving his engine.

"On your marks!" Otto says. "Get set... GO!" We zoom past the starting line.

Thank goodness Otto installed this retractable windshield. Chiro zooms ahead of me. I turn the rocket boosters on high and catch up a little.

"This bike of mine on this planet of Fay
Will go as fast as I wish when I say."

The bike immediately zooms ahead. Almost there! Chiro calls over the communicator.

"Alright, if you wanna play it that way!" He sticks his arm out the window and uses his powers to blast ahead.

"Faster!" I cry. "Faster than Chiro!" The bike goes as fast as lightning. I reach the rock first!

"Stop!" The bike skids to a halt. Chiro lands beside the rock.

"No fair!" he whines.

"Nobody ever said we couldn't use our powers," I point. Suddenly, a pain comes to my head.

"Ow!" I say, holding it.

"What are you remembering now?" Chiro asks. I frown.

"Nothing... it just feels like someone's close. Really close." I explain to Otto, too. "Oh. It's gone now." I put my arms down.

"Help!" a girl cries out. She screams. "Somebody help me! Please!"

We look up in alarm. I hop on my bike, Chiro in his ship, and Otto in his car.

"I'll let the others know-" Chiro starts.

"There's no time! C'mon!" I protest. I head towards the sound. We round a small mountain to find a girl with blue skin and black hair. She has dark purple eyes and she's pressed against the mountain. She has on a black dress that reaches her knees and black boots. Around her are five Formless.

"Help!" the girl cries. Chiro, Otto and I hop out.

Chiro throws lightning bolts at two Formless. Otto cuts through the other three. I run to the girl.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yes, thank you!" she says happily. "I don't know what I would have done if you guys didn't come!"

"No problem," Otto says.

"What's your name?" Chiro asks.

"Kelinet. Kelinet Skong," she says. "I'm from Fay, but after Skeleton King attacked us, I had to flee. I was able to stow away on a rocket passing by here and jumped out. I had a small jet pack that let me zoom into here, but in an instant I was attacked by those- those things!"

"Kelinet Skong," I repeat. Something's a little off about her, but I can't put my finger on it.

"Yes," Kelinet says. "You can call me Keli if you want."

"Okay, Keli," Chiro says. "You got anywhere to go?"

Keli nods. "Yes, my old home. Can you come with me in case there's any more of those monsters there?"

"Sure!" Otto says, whirring his saws. "They'll get some of this if they think they can hurt you!" She hops in Otto's hovercar. Otto and Keli lead the way, Chiro at back, and me in the middle. I message Chiro.

"Chiro?" I say.

"What's up?"

"About Keli..."

"Oh, no," Chiro says. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna fall head over heels for her and betray Jinmay. I'd never do anything like that."

"No, not that," I reply. "It's just... don't you think she's a little... different?"

"Well, yeah, she's not exactly 'human'."

"No. I mean different as in strange. A bad strange."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I can just feel it."

"Feel it?" Chiro says. "That's ridiculous."

"It's called women's intuition!" I fire back.

"Fine, we'll stay on our toes, but just give her a chance, okay?"

"Fine." I say. We reach Keli's home.

I stare at it. Chiro seems oblivious as he doesn't look at it right away.

"Chiro?"

"What?!" he asks, annoyed.

"I found another reason why I think she's off."

"What's that?"

I point ahead. "I don't think girls - even aliens - live in dark caves."