Disclaimer: I do not own the Planet of the Apes or any of the non-original characters in this story. This is meant to be a work of fiction. No profit has been or will be made off of this story.

A/N: This story has completely been revamped. Originally (8 years after beginning it) I realized I had written a dreaded Mary Sue. After completely being ashamed I decided to change it for the better.

Chapter One: When World's Collide

Branches crashed, twigs snapped as several fleeing forms rushed through the dense undergrowth of the forest. They weren't supposed to be out this far; they had been warned, yet children will be children. The two agile teenagers ducked and dodged, but in the end it would not be enough to save them from their fate.

A group of apes, gorillas with a few scattered chimpanzees among them, followed the sound of the teen's rapid flight at a leisurely pace. This particular group of slavers had recently completed their monthly quota, but would not pass up the opportunity for an added bonus. The young were easier to train and brought higher prices at market. It was apparent that these humans had little experience covering their tracks and were panicked; making it rather simple to track them.

"Go left, I'll go right," the male teen panted to his female companion. It had been his idea to venture into ape territory and he would be damned if he allowed his cousin to be captured. "If we split up it will be harder for them to find us."

The girl looked at him with evident fear. They were in big trouble; more than if they had been caught by their parents. This wasn't supposed to happen! It wasn't right… "Are you sure?" she breathed as a branch barely missed cutting into her forehead.

"Just go!" And with that the teens split and began zigzagging in opposite directions.

The forward scouts of the slaving party sent word back to the beaters that the two humans had gone opposite ways. Male slaves tended to bring in more money due to their usefulness and ability to do hard labor. The choice was made to let the female run free. Besides, she had turned towards the capital. It was likely that she would be picked up by the border guards.

Near the edge of Ape City, the capital of the northern most ape province, a young female chimpanzee slipped out of door near the forest. She had finished her lessons early and escaped from the watchful eye of her tutor. Ari knew that the forest held dangerous wild humans, but she was sure that none of them would venture this close to the city. The forbidden and dangerous held vast appeal to the young ape.

As the daughter of a prominent senator, Ari, was rarely given freedom of movement. Yes, it was for her own protection, as she had been told several times, but that fact did not make it easier to bear. A few days before, Ari had overheard another group of juvenile apes talking about a secret way to exit the city. With visions of adventures filling her mind she had plotted the exact route she needed to take in order to escape the drudgery of everyday life. With a quick look over her should Ari stepped out of the city and under the dark canopy of the forest.

Call it fate, call it coincidence if you must, but these few steps that human and ape took away from their respective families changed their lives forever.

Smack! Slam! Two bodies abruptly collided into each other: one thin and gangly the other short and stocky. The momentum of the impact sent one of the bodies back several feet. The last thing the female human saw was the face of an ape peering down at her.

Ari looked down at the human she had run into. What was a human doing this close to the city? As far as Ari could tell the human was unconscious and had no brand. A small trickle of blood began to run down the human's temple.

If Ari was caught transporting a wild human into the city she knew her freedom would be revoked even more severely, but if she left the human here there was a chance it could die. Although not a human-lover by any stretch of the imagination Ari had a heart for those in need. It would be a distasteful job transporting the human back to the city though.

"Ari," a voice rumpled.

The ape in question whirled around to meet the hard stare of her bodyguard, Seiger. "Oh, you scared me."

Seiger frowned at his charge. "You should not have left the city. Your father will be very disappointed in you."

Ari's head drooped. "I know, but… I couldn't… It… I had to get away. I couldn't stand being cooped up any longer. I had to get out!" Her now defiant gaze dared Seiger to argue. She wasn't a slave, so why couldn't she roam as free as any other ape.

"There are those that would use you against your father and his views. You know it is not safe."

"Ugh." The female human stirred.

"What is that?"

"I found her. She's mine," stated Ari with an unconscious jerk of the head. An idea began to form. "She needs medical attention. You shall carry her back to the house."

A frown etched itself in the brows of the large gorilla. True, there was no mark claiming this human as a slave, but if she was wild there was no telling what diseases she might carry. His employer, Senator Sandar, would not be pleased with this development. Yet, if he did not do as his charge wished Ari would run away again and continue to cause mischief. Perhaps this human would quell her thirst for adventure. "As you please." Without effort the gorilla hefted the female human over his shoulder and motioned for Ari to lead the way. He had no intentions of allowing her out of his sight anytime soon.

"But, Father!" Voices began to filter in as a massive pounding began in the back of Marsi's skull. The last thing she could remember was running from the apes with Talren by her side. As the fog gradually began to clear from her head the conversation became easier to follow. "You know what the slavers or gorilla army would have done to her if I hadn't had Seiger bring her here." Gorillia army? Here? Marsi struggled to fill in the blanks.

"What am I going to do with you, Ari? With all the creatures you seem to be rescuing there is soon going to be no room for us to live in our own house." The voice paused. "Ari, I have overlooked your tendency to run away and misbehave, but bringing a human – a wild human – into our dwelling place is the last straw. This female human cannot stay.

Ari sighed as Marsi's heart began wilding drumming against her rib-cage. She had been captured by apes.

"But, Father – please?" Ari put on her most dejected air and pitifully gazed at her father. "I am sure she can be trained. She doesn't seem too wild." Another pause and Marsi continued to listen. Maybe she could convince them to let her go. "I will take full responsibility for her. I am sure that having someone to look after will help keep me out of trouble. I promise you won't even know she's here!"

"How did it come to this?" To me it sounded as if he was talking to himself. "What would your mother say if she were here now?" A deep silence resonated throughout the room. The tension was palpable. After a moment of consideration the senator answered: "The female human may stay."

"Thank you father!" Ari flung her arms around his neck in a spurt of happiness.

"But make sure she stays clean."

Trapped. Captured. Never going home. These thoughts quickly overwhelmed Marsi. As her pulse quickened the pounding in her head became worse. After a few seconds of intense pain blackness once again swallowed her consciousness as she relaxed into the world of darkness.

Brown eyes slowly opened as light, sound and pain began to filter in. Marsi sat up suddenly, unfamiliar with the surroundings. Such a quick movement made her head swim and dark swirls appear before her eyes.

"You're awake," a voice sounded from nearby.

Marsi's eyes widened as a young female chimpanzee gently touched her arm.

"It is going to be alright. I am not going to hurt you," Ari tried to keep the excitement out of her voice and calm the human down. "Relax."

Reflexively Marsi drew back from the touch and searched for a way out. A balcony presented a good option until she remembered that an ape could easily scale a wall or tree in record time. A door opened into the hall, but there was no telling how many apes were in the house; and once she escaped how would she find her way home? Where was Talren?

"Who are you? Where am I?" the words came out in a whisper as it to speak would break the spell.

"This is Ape City. I found you outside the walls during my walk. My father has agreed for me to keep you here to work."

"Am I a slave?"

Ari wrinkled her nose. Technically the human had not been branded, yet she was in possession of said human. "You are more of a servant than a slave."

An undignified noise made its way out of Marsi's nose. "Owe!" she exclaimed as her head wound made its presence known again. She winced and looked back at the ape, "What would I do as your servant?" she asked, placing a hefty dose of sarcasm on the final word.

"Well," Ari stalled, unsure of how to proceed. Human's – normal humans – did not question their master's or mistress's. "You are recovering from a major head injury." With a royal tip of the head Ari continued, "Unlike other apes - who would have killed you - I did not. I found you." Ari shoved a bowl of mush towards Marsi. "Here, eat."

Unwilling to risk the chimp's ire Marsi took a cautious spoonful and almost immediately spit it back out. After forcing herself to swallow Marsi gingerly picked up the bowl and set it aside. "No thank you, I'm not hungry."

Ari looked baffled, "You don't want to eat?"

"Eh, no thank you. I am not hungry."

Ari did not look convinced, but was unwilling to push the unfamiliar human any further. She needed for both of them to make a good impression on her father. It wouldn't do to have to punish the human so soon.

Marsi slowly exhaled as the female ape relented and removed the offending mush substance. It was at this time, however, that the wound on her head began to throb in agony. Eyes closed against the pain Marsi jumped as a hand began to push her down. Fighting panic as the ape attempted to assist her.

"Lay down. You have a big lump on your head from when you feel it hit it. Just lay still and stay calm until the vet can come and examine you." Ari bustled around the room as Marsi vainly wished for the pounding to stop.

A veterinarian, huh? She would have some stories to tell once she got home; or, rather, if she ever made it home.

"My father wanted you to be examined anyways. We do not need any diseases running rampant through the human population of the city." Inane chatter continued as Marsi slowly drifted back into the void.

"Is this the human you wanted me to take a look at?" A new, unfamiliar voice seeped into Marsi's brain. The vet had arrived for the initial examination.

An elderly gorilla took up the entire doorway. Marsi looked around in confusion and immediately dropped any eye contact. A furry paw slid behind her back and forced her into a sitting position while another hand gently probed the sensitive area of her head. The gorilla pulled out a stethoscope from his black case next he pulled out and instrument that resembled what nurses usually use to take blood pressure.

Ari carefully observed the human as the veterinarian removed his equipment from the bag. The human gave no outward sign of being afraid of any of the equipment, which was unusual. Maybe she was in too much pain to react. All of the humans Ari had been around struggled to get away from the vet. This one was different.

After carefully recording blood pressure, temperature, heart rate and pupil response the vet began an inspection of the wound itself. "There is some dirt and debris in the wound. I will need to cut part of the hair away in order to sterilize it properly."

"Do what needs to be done, I do not want my new human dying," Ari ordered imperiously.

Accustomed to the whim of wealthy Dr. Kimba simply nodded at the young female ape and retrieved a pair of shears from his bag. "I will need you to hold her head still for this process." He motioned Ari closer.

Marsi's eyes shimmered with unspent tears. Her hair! Her father had never allowed her to cut it, even as a child. As the vet approached, bringing Ari with him, she began to shake. "No, no. Don't touch me!" Marsi scooted back towards the wall, searching for some way to escape.

"Calm down, it is going to be fine. I am not going to hurt you," the vet used his most calming voice. Up until now this female had been one of the best humans he had yet to work on. "All we need to do is cut a little hair away from the wound. It must hurt. This will make it feel all better."

"Like hell!"

Talren wasn't sure how much farther he could run. The apes were toying with him, he was sure of it. Every once in a while he would catch a glimpse of them ahead of him or swinging through the trees above. His only hope was that Marsi had made it out of the forest and back to their people. With lungs burning and legs shaking Talren pushed himself harder. These apes must not learn the secret of his people. He must not be captured.

Growing weary of the chase the slavers placed a net several hundred yards ahead of Talren as he continued on a straight course. Heedless of the danger that lay ahead he rushed headlong into the net and quickly became tangled. As he struggled against the bindings a huge gorilla sauntered up to where he was. About to shout for help the gorilla shoved his gloved fist into Talren's mouth as another ape clubbed the back of his head.

A few guffaws later the slavers had stripped the human bare and placed him a cart. Tomorrow, after a night of celebratory fun they would see what price they could haggle for the human. He was strong, not many humans would have made it as far as this one. As the gorillas left for the evening visions of gold coins danced in their heads.