Stay Safe, Stay Hidden My Brother.

Chapter Two: Arachnitor

Lauren trained with her team for what seemed like most of the night. Even if her perception of time had been messed with from training during night over the past year, she still hated being awake so often. Sleep was needed once in a while, especially with all the fighting in her life.

She settled down in her bed at a late time. That being two a.m, possibly later for the time it took to fall asleep. Lauren hoped to get a good sleep, but it just seemed impossible for the time being.

~~~~~~

The Shiba house wasn't too quiet when Lauren woke up. Steps down the halls of all her team members, Ji's voice scolding Mike, usual during the mornings. He would always be his loud, funny self. Espiecally when it was morning. It was one of his only times to have fun before another Nighlok came. Or a random squad attack of moogers.

Lauren scooted up on her creaky wooden bed, sitting up, she threw her blanket off her legs to the side and dropped her feet to the ground. The bottom of her feet felt cold at the contact. The air around her was warm, and surrounded her. While she was beginning to stand, footsteps approached her door. Or, were about to pass her door. "Oh..you're awake." Antonio's bead brown eyes gazed at her. Lauren tiredly nodded. "Yeah. Finally." She chuckled to herself before standing fully, the turning to push her blanket up to the pillow on her bed. She turned back, Antonio still on the frame. "So, what has Mr Antonio Garcia been up to?"

He simply rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Ah. Its been a fun morning for everyone else but me?" He pointed to his chest. "I've been forced by Ji to work on research for the black box."

"Is it almost done?" Lauren started to stand wobbly. Antonio smiled a gentle, 'gold' smile. "Almost. Lets hope we can get it done in time for the next big nighlok attack. The last one got us pretty bad. We didn't have our leader, you were battling Deker."

Lauren got a small flash of memory from the battle with Deker. He was strong, determined and so so desperate to find a "perfect match" for his sword. And this all happened shortly after she was poisoned, kidnapped and soon rescued by Antonio. Was it nessisary to fight after what she had been through? What if he had been through it..what would he have done in her place? Lauren didn't know. She didn't know who he even was now.

"Yeah. That's right. We're still waiting for another nighlok attack." Lauren followed over next to him, passing Antonio to reach her dresser. She pulled one of the drawers out and started assembling her outfit for the day. "Arachnitor has gone missing. He might come back."

"He's been gone since you were kidnapped and we fought that bunch of moogers. I don't know if Master Xandred has still kept him alive Lauren.."

He was right in that regard. Master Xandred was probably angry enough to kill Arachnitor when he desired to. She started folding her training clothes onto the bed. Part of her hoped Antonio would leave soon so she could get dressed. "Didn't you have fishing or..more black box stuff today?"

"Uh..yeah why?" He looked at her neat pile on the bed. He sighed in realization. "Oh. Right. You're training today." Antonio chuckled lightly. "Okay. I'll go. I've got to go back to Ji before he yells my head off anyway. See ya Lauren." Antonio sent back a wave before leaving and shutting the door behind him. Lauren waved back. Even if he wouldn't see it since he was already leaving. Lauren smiled gently at her friends description of his work. He was so dedicated, she hoped this dedication would get the black box activated.

~~~~

Lauren's wooden practice sword clashed against the plastic dummy in front of her. After Antonio left, she dressed to leave to the outside. Where most of the dummies were placed from before. Lauren faced her sword straight ahead towards the dummy, running up and clashing it. Her body jumped back to repeat. She was focused head-on the dummy, almost too much to hear her samuraizer starting to buzz. Putting the wood down next to the dummy, Lauren walked over to her morpher and picked it up then flipped it open. "Lauren! Something's up, we need you to come down." Mike answered back, his voice was breathy and he sounded like he had either ran or trained recently. Mike obviously wouldn't see, but she nodded to his words and a small "Hm." Then followed with. "I'll be right there."