Found this in the back of my drive. I think it's about time it saw light.

Full Summary:

They woke up into a world that seemed familiar but all so new . . . Gibson and Antauri are exploring their world with their newly awaken baby sister, Nova. There are many things to discover in their father's lab and, secretly, sneaking out of the Haven to explore the forest and look for the rumored faraway places beyond even that, a world much larger waiting for them, somewhere 'above the surface.' But they must be careful. Their eldest brother, Mandarin, is very strict and no nonsense. Working directly under their father as the Alchemist's right hand, if he discovers their antics he would surely report to him and with their father's recent . . . mood swings getting more severe, it would most surely not be a good thing. They admit, though, Mandarin and their father have a very good reason to limit the younger monkeys' adventures – hidden in ever growing shadows are strange and frightening things, things that clawed their way back to lurk among the living, eluding the vigilant eyes of the spirited Captain Shuggazoom and the trickster, things that want them writhing but alive for unknown purposes.

There are mysteries to uncover, fueling their need for action despite their fears. Faded memories of "the before"- memories of a softer father, of strange but familiar faces no longer among them and a gateway and a terrible thing reaching from the depths of somewhere far beyond for them. Why does Antauri see things that aren't there? And why does their father get sicker with each passing month?

Note: The Captain stayed longer in the timeline.

Other note: These chapters are world building. A warning, it is rated T for a reason.

Story time:

CH1 - A Simple Gift

"Hey!"

No response came.

"Hey!" A small helm popped out from under the leafy growth, the small figure standing up, leaves and debris falling off its form. Its attention turned upwards to the overgrown canopy above him, the tree in his sights no different from the countless others except for one thing. "Come on! How long does it takes to get a mango!" The leaves shifted slightly.

"Hmph. If Mandarin ask why we were late, it's your fault." A dark form dropped down from the canopy with alarming speed, landing in front of Gibson causing a cloud of loose debris to billow up, coating both of their forms. "Arrg!"

Antauri straightened, smirking at the other's pulled face.

"That is not what I meant!"

"In a way it is."

Gibson shifted on his hip, crossing his arms. "Hmph."

[author note: Alchemist uses science/spells to communicate efficiently with the monkeys. Everything is typically science/magic with him.]

The Alchemist looked away from the monitors lining the wall to the tubes just as the yellow form shifted. He smiled brightly. Little Nova should be ready to come out of the gestation tube soon, her body seeming to have taken to the additional cybernetics graphed to her, finishing her form. "Now," he turned to the sealed door behind him, "to keep her brothers from being too rough." He paused. "Hmm, I am going to have to explain that eventually." He sighed deeply. She proposed a future consequence he had not intended but he could not do anything about it now. Besides, now that he must think it through, it could only help the team to have a differing view point. It will be interesting to see how she will develop with only males around. Hopefully it would not be detrimental to her.

He really couldn't be prouder of them.

"Father?"

The Alchemist swirled around, his inky cloak twisting tightly around the bottom of his form. "Mandarin, you know you and your brothers are not allowed to be in here without my explicit permission and my continuous presence in the room."

"But . . ." His sentence was sharply severed as the Alchemist's stare towards the monkey momentarily darkened.

"Yes?"

"How much longer do we have to wait?" He watched the Alchemist's gaze shift to the door.

"It won't be long. I could potentially give the final command now. Where are Gibson and Antauri?"

"They are getting a present."

"Oh?" His features brightened, a genuine smile stretched his face. "What are they giving her?" He took a few steps towards the lower line of computers.

"Gibson was going on about how it was illogical to give a keepsake."

"Which is true. She'll essentially only be a very smart toddler once she leaves the tube. It is likely she would not know its intended value at this stage in her development."

"I know that. I sugge-"

Knock knock.

The door creaked open and two heads stacked on top of each other timidly peered through the gap.

"Come in you two."

Gibson trotted up to the Alchemist. He looked up at his tall father figure. The thought flashed across his mind if they would get that tall. "Has anything happened," Gibson asked.

"No," a weathered hand rubbed the bridge of his nose, "it looks like I am going to have to manually activate her full systems. She's not activating on her own."

"It is not going to be like what happened with Antauri, is it?" Mandarin asked.

"No, that glitch was fixed." The Alchemist turned and walked over to the computers.

Antauri's tail twitched. His head veered over to the side to watch the bubbles drift up the glass side of a condenser in the far corner, hiding his face and his worried features.

"Are you going to wake her up?" Antauri asked, his gaze never fully reaching the others.

"Not quite yet. There are some more checks to run first." He thought a moment. "Mandarin, take your brothers and go practice some maneuvers and come back only when I call you."

A chorus of "yes, father" answered. As the others started to walk towards the door, Gibson's form drooping from the thought of having to leave and not get to see the process, Antauri skipped to a nearby table and deposited a plump mango on the cold, clean steel. He briefly glanced at the Alchemist, pausing in his moments, a strange look on the monkey's face, and quickly darted after the others.

The Alchemist watched him as he dashed away. He sullenly stalked to the door and lightly pressed it into its frame. The lock immediately switched on. (He could have sworn he had locked it before.)