Episode Title: "The Priceless Treasure of Family"

Disclaimer: I don't own SRMTHFG or any of its characters, just my character, her vehicle, and this plot. I also own the new character that is introduced in this story.

Chapter One: Don't You Remember?

It was one of those rare days when everything was peaceful enough for the entire Monkey Team to be outside of the Robot and not worry too much about what their enemy's next move was going to be. The Monkey Team had earned a good day of peace; they were already settling down after their encounters with Thingy, Flytor, and Gyrus Krinkle…not to mention her first encounter with Scrapperton, even though it wasn't the first time the rest of the team met him.

Chiro and Antauri sat side by side in a calm meadow, looking around to see the members of their family. Nova, Sprx, and Otto were sparring against each other in a triangle formation, working their skills against multiple targets. Gibson was sitting on a tree branch, reading a book. And, to the surprise of almost everyone, so was Hayley.

Chiro didn't know that Hayley wasn't deeply interested reading; she usually left them for Gibson to fascinate. But she had been reading this particular book ever since they had arrived at the meadow. So the boy slowly got to his feet and approached her from behind. "Hey, Hayley," he greeted.

Because his arrival was quiet, she was jumped to her feet and nearly screamed, ready to face whatever opponent had suddenly come upon her! But Chiro raised his hands defensively, and Hayley discovered just who it was.

Both exchanged nervous chuckles as everyone looked at them.

"Sorry, Chiro," she giggled. "I thought you were a Formless."

"What are you reading?" he asked, handing her the book.

"Oh, it's a basic summary of the Celestial system, a few hundred light-years from here. I was interested in the language. I just discovered that 'arriekha' has two meanings. The more popular translation means 'strength', but it can also be translated into the word 'courage'."

(Author's Note: it's just a word I made up; it doesn't actually exist.)

Gibson closed his book and jumped off the branch, landing near the pair. "Why would the Celestial system be of any interest to you? Formal contact with the Celestians hasn't been made in more than century."

Hayley thought for a moment. She was still keeping her promise to Nova about not talking about the two Guardian Angels in the girls' possessions: the Phoenix and the Pegasus. And Hayley actually hadn't thought much about them after Nova gave her the Pegasus, but when Otto told her later that he was almost certain he saw it before, she quietly began her own research about them.

Unfortunately, she wasn't making better progress than Nova did.

Realizing that the others were still waiting for an answer from her, she said, "Idle curiosity."

"I think your curiosity should be less…idle," Otto answered, suddenly pouncing on her. Hayley dropped her book in reaction as they both laughed and wrestled in the grass.

"I'm going to get you real good this time!" she exclaimed as it was now her turn to chase him.

"I don't think so," he called back teasingly.

Everyone watched as their playful fight started to put some distance between them and the young pair.

Sprx grinned as he looked at Nova. "You know, that could be you and me out there, Nova."

The Yellow Monkey snarled softly and smacked his cheek with her tail, knocking him to the grass!

Unaware of what took place, Hayley finally caught up with Otto and jumped on top of him, landing on his back and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Got you!"

Otto laughed and began struggling to get her off. But her hold was tight, beginning to close on his windpipe. "Okay, Hayley, you win!"

But Hayley didn't hear him. Just moments after she was on top of him, she noticed a sound coming from the surrounding area. Looking up from Otto and staring into bushes, she listened intently for the sound.

"Hey, hey, Hayley! Hello! Shuggazoom to Hayley, hello! Let go!"

"Huh?" she asked, snapping back to reality. Then realizing that she was accidentally choking him, she quickly jumped off and allowed him to breathe. "Oh! Sorry, Otto."

"What's gotten into you?"

"Shh, do you hear that?"

Otto watched her carefully as she peered into the bushes. There didn't seem to be anything suspicious in there, but something inside Hayley told her otherwise.

Just as she started to turn away, something leapt on top of her! Not even a moment went by before her immediate reaction was a started screech and a thrust kick to shove off her new attacker! Whatever it was landed easily a few meters away from her.

The rest of the Hyperforce were at her side immediately, ready to counter whoever dared to attack their sister.

At first, they thought that the new arrival was, of all things, another Robot Monkey!

But after a second glance, they discovered that it didn't quite have the right criteria. A cybernetic primate, yes, but not a Robot Monkey; the most obvious indication was that none of them could sense the Power Primate in it. Metal armor covered its chest, hands, and feet. Instead of the antennas that served as the Robot Monkeys' ears, this one had its real ears. A sword was sheathed gracefully across its back. Its navy blue fur gave it a mysterious appearance as it turned to look at them with eyes red as blood.

Hayley stared back. Something inside of her soul trembled.

"Who are you?" Otto growled.

The newcomer ignored him and stared directly at Hayley. "After all this time, this isn't the kind of 'hello' I was expecting from you," he said, his voice not quite as deep as Antauri's yet also scratchy.

She only stared back, the expression on her face of genuine confusion.

"You really don't remember, do you?" he asked her, scoffing. "Blank with a big B."

Sprx was the first to notice that he was talking to her. "You know this guy, Hayley?"

"Hayley?" the stranger asked, still looking at her. "Is that your name now? I have to admit, it's a much prettier name than Spot."

Hayley gasped in shock.

Everyone else became even more confused.

"Spot?"

"What's this all about?"

"You leave her alone!"

Hayley stopped the banter by taking a few steps forward, but not much closer. She was closely scrutinizing this visitor. It was the voice that seemed most familiar to her, but…

She finally gasped again in shock, slowly beginning to back away. "No. It can't be you. You can't be…"

But quickly becoming too unstable emotionally, she turned away and ran straight out of the meadow. The others watched in surprise as she disappeared from sight. Then, they looked at the stranger again.

"You can tell her that I'll be waiting when she's ready," he answered, turning in the other direction and leaving.

---------

No one needed to be told when they entered the Robot that the first thing they needed to do was to find Hayley.

That was easier said than done.

Sprx tried looking in her quarters, thinking that she might have retreated into the safe and the familiar.

Nova checked the training rooms; it was where she would go whenever she was upset.

Otto looked in his workshop. He would sometimes find her there, examining his latest work.

Gibson entered Sick Bay, wondering if she would pretend that nothing was wrong and resume her duties.

Antauri arrived at the Robot's shoulder, knowing that he had found her there before and that he could find her there again.

None of them had any luck.

It was Chiro who finally found her. She was trying to calm herself in one of Antauri's meditation rooms. He could see her twitching. That meant that either she hadn't mastered the art of meditation or it wasn't working very well. Maybe a mixture of both.

"Hayley? Are you okay?"

"Yes, Chiro. I'll be fine."

Chiro stared at her in uncertainty. She had never reacted in any way like she did in the meadow. He stood still for a moment, hoping that his thoughts might find their way into Antauri's mind to alert him and the others that he had found her.

Then, he looked at Hayley again. "May I join you?"

"I will be glad for the company, thank you."

Smiling, he sat down in front of her, facing her.

"Who was he?" he finally asked.

"His name is Slash. I…" She paused, letting out a light sigh. "I haven't seen him since I was very young."

"Slash?" he repeated. "Never heard of him."

"No, I'm not surprised. This was before you became leader, Chiro. Before Mandarin was exiled. In fact, even before I found the Hyperforce. I doubt even they knew about him. He is…my oldest brother."

Uh oh, looks like things are going to be quite unsettling for Hayley for the next few days. But even she doesn't know how bad things are going to become. Learn more in Chapter Two: Family Meetings.