A/N: Do take note: The 'rooms' I'm referring to in Skeleton King's fortress basically means the small chambers you see in the Citadel of Bone (in the episode at the end of season one), just to clear things up.
*Zombie incident- Shadow over Shuggazoom
This story will consist of: (all platonic) Antauri/Chiro and Mandarin/Otto + Gibson/Otto. Possible (not platonic) Spova, if it doesn't drag, heheh.
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"You are his friend, his partner, his defender. He is your life, your love, your leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." -Unknown.
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Shuggazoom City, Year 40XX
"How did you become so strong, Antauri?"
(You've always been more suited for philosophy, than battle.)
Their conversation had started with a single question, but Chiro did not mind, for it might have been the last conversation they could have had between them. Just him and Antauri, in the comfort of his second in command's room, became a luxury in the midst of war.
They were in their second year of war, and after thirteen months of fighting, Shuggazoom City was finally starting to feel its effects- food shortage was increasingly becoming a problem after the local farmlands were destroyed; their allies were growing weaker day by day; citizens began living in fear and uncertainty. If their constant battles continued in the long run, Chiro didn't even need Gibson to tell him that everyone would starve to death sooner or later.
Chiro tried his best, on a cross legged position in front of a zen water stream, to will for time to stop. Antauri's breathing beside him is calm, rhythmic, and soothing, just like everything else the silver monkey does.
Time, as Chiro had expected, did not stop, and he eventually gives up on his silly ideal.
It takes a while for Antauri to reply, but when he does, Chiro's palpitating heart and clammy hands finds comfort in the silver monkey's voice.
Antauri raises an eyebrow at his student, then brings a metallic hand up tentatively to his cold torso.
"...Perhaps it is because of this body?"
Chiro laughs, a light tinkle that resounds throughout the small room. It isn't like Antauri to be so uncertain when answering a question, but Chiro guesses that even the silver monkey has questions that he cannot answer with absolute confidence.
"You know that's not what I meant, Antauri, but on the battlefield, you're one of the strongest warriors we have," then he quickly adds, "besides Nova, of course."
Antauri smiles at his student's comment, then shakes his head. "I am no stronger than the rest, much less being on par with Nova." He catches Chiro's skeptical look, collecting his words, "However, there is one thing on the battlefield which makes me want to keep fighting."
Chiro tilts his head slightly in curiosity, "And what's that?"
Antauri pauses, and his voice becomes softer, more gentle than it already is. "For us. And the team. Think about the life we'll have together after the war."
Chiro pictures everyone around the round kitchen table, warm and cosy, with plates of steaming hot food in front of them. They are laughing, smiling- doing simple daily things with no worries about any incoming attacks. No worries about who's going to go out onto the battlefield and not come back. No worries about pacing outside the surgical room and praying for someone's life- not that praying has ever worked, anyway.
A world without Skeleton King. Chiro adored the sound of that.
"We're all going to survive this, Antauri," the dark haired teenager's voice comes out much firmer than he had expected, "if our mission today goes out well..."
He doesn't need to continue the sentence to see the slight grin on his mentor's features.
"Then it will be all over." Antauri finishes.
Before Chiro can reply, the door swishes open without a knock. Nobody knocks these days, but everyone has gotten used to it- each second is crucial in a war, and they can't afford to waste any.
Gibson clears his throat. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything," he speaks out of courtesy, looking straight at his two leaders, "but everything is ready. The robot is nearing Skeleton King's fortress."
Chiro nods in acknowledgement and stands up, walking towards the door with Antauri levitating close over his shoulder. The trio makes their way down to the command centre, but it is eerily quiet when they get there.
Too quiet.
Sprx is seated on his dome shaped chair, polishing his magnets without a single sound, his eyes downcast, nervous. Nova stares at the main screen with an intense look in her pink orbs- showing the numerical distance they had left toward their destination- but it only takes one look for Chiro to know that her mind is elsewhere. Otto is dozing off lightly on his own emerald chair, his body curled up tightly into a ball. He must have been up all night upgrading the robot's attack and defense systems, so Chiro makes sure to be extra careful about making too much noise.
The teenager knows that his teammates are all trying to compose themselves for the last battle, that each of them is mentally preparing for the worst outcome.
But Chiro won't let any casualties happen. He'll make sure that they get the ending they deserve, at all costs. After all, that's what they've been fighting for in the first place...
Right?
Sprx is the first to notice Chiro's presence in the room. The red monkey flashes a half hearted grin and swings his magnet around absentmindedly in the air. "It's finally time, eh, kid? Who knows, after this, when Shuggazoom is finally peaceful, maybe this baby won't ever need to be polished again."
Chiro gathers whatever cheer that is left in him and gives the red monkey a thumbs up. "We'll be able to make this mission a success. Easy as pie."
"That's supposed to be Otto's line," Nova averts her eyes away from the screen, and readjusts her position on her chair until she is fully comfortable, "but who's to say that we don't all agree?"
At the sound of his name, the green monkey immediately shoots up from his seat. "Huh, wha-? Did someone call me? Are we there yet?"
Chiro cannot help but allow a genuine smile to cross his face as he straps himself down onto his chair, with everyone else following suit.
"Alright, team, it's now or never," the teenager barks out. He is able to see everyone's expressions clearly, around him. Anticipation, fear, worry...
Hope.
Chiro takes in a deep breath.
"Does everybody remember the strategy?" Antauri asks, and smiles when everybody nods. "Excellent. Prepare for landing in five minutes."
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The place surpasses all his expectations.
Chiro has been to the Citadel of Bone enough times to know that there is nothing there he couldn't defeat singlehandedly—besides the dark lord himself- but this, this monster in front of him...
The sixteen year old teenager desperately holds back a small strangled choke.
The Pit of Doom has been utterly transformed. Chiro takes a minute to glance around his surroundings- there are at least a thousand rooms in front of him, and he doesn't dare to fathom about the possibility of there being more if he moves deeper inside the fortress. In each room are several of Skeleton King's formless minions preparing weapons, sharpening their claws, or even seeming to be communicating with one another.
It was as if each and every one of them had a will of their own.
The air smells of death- sweat and ooze and all sorts of bodily liquids mixed together. It takes Sprx everything he has not to gag at the horrible stench, and the red monkey has never been so grateful for the little traces of fresh air they had left at their hiding spot outside the fortress.
Groups of dozens of minions were marching in sync, inspecting for intruders. Chiro raises a gloved hand and signals for his team to crouch down lower behind him.
"Alright," the teenager lets out a shaky breath, his back resting on a nearby boulder (or was it a bone shaped like a boulder?) for support, "Sprx and Gibson, go to the leftmost room and run straight through. Don't stop. One of the rooms will eventually lead you to Mandarin. Neekita told us that the experimenting chamber is where he'll be at in forty-five minutes, and that's the shortest route."
Chiro fishes out a small, round, metallic device from his pocket, and throws it gently toward Sprx, to which the pilot skillfully catches.
"That's one of Otto's lighting grenades. It should stun Mandarin long enough for Gibson to use one of his energy cuffs to chain him on the wall. When the grenade is used, make sure to activate your photochromic vision."
Sprx nods and smirks, "You got it, kid. Don't worry. Brainstrain and I will get this covered."
Chiro then turns toward Otto and Nova, who are both intently waiting for orders.
"I want you two to go to the rightmost room," the teenager begins, "and if you turn right after the first exit, you'll find yourselves at where the formless are made. Nova, make sure to destroy the main source of ooze, and try not to make so much noise. Otto, your job is to watch her back. We don't need Skeleton King generating more soldiers when we're going to take him out.
"Antauri and I will find the core of the fortress, where Skeleton King resides. Along the way we'll be planting explosives at the fortress's main support pillars, so watch out for routes six, seven and nine. Antauri will send out a signal once we locate the core, and everyone is to immediately regroup at where we are. Then we'll launch a full on attack. Understand?"
"Affirmative."
"Yea!"
"Let's do this, kid!"
"I can't wait to smash that thick skull of his."
"Positive."
Chiro feels the sides of his lip twitching up, and this time, he supposes, it is as genuine as it feels. He hoists the bag of explosives over his shoulder, and readies himself.
"Alright then. Hyperforce go!"
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"Gibson, this may be our last and final mission for Shuggazoom..."
Otto fiddles around with his fingers, unable to meet his brother's black orbs.
"...if we don't make it back-"
"Otto!" Gibson sighs, exasperated at the green monkey's unusual pessimism, then places a hand on his shoulder, "we will. Together."
Gibson's voice is filled with such certainty that even he has managed to convince himself.
The green monkey stays silent for a moment, chewing on his bottom lip.
"Okay, if ya say so, but..." Otto's voice trails off, and he takes a small grey microchip from the table, "I want you to have this. It's a project that I've been working on lately. Just install this microchip in your energy cell when your energy levels are low and you'll be up and running in no time!"
Gibson politely takes the tiny invention and raises a skeptical eyebrow, but he knows better than to doubt Otto's streaks of geniuses. Then, the blue monkey thrusts it back into Otto's hands, shaking his head.
"I think you should use it for yourself instead. It will come in handy, somehow."
"No!" Realizing his sudden outburst, Otto takes only a moment to compose himself, then says quickly, "I already have one. Use it for yourself, Gibson."
Otto hates lying, but he has only created a single product so far. What choice did he have?
The green monkey places the chip firmly onto his brother's open palm, and wraps Gibson's metallic fingers around it.
"C'mon, it's just one favor I'm asking for," Otto laughs lightly, "please?"
Gibson touches the invention in his palm, feeling its smooth surface caress his fingertips. The edges of the chip are nicely and carefully cut with accurate precision.
He smiles. It's perfect.
"I'll accept it," the scientist looks into his brother's expectant eyes,"But you have to promise me that we're going to survive this. No matter what."
Realizing the intensity of his words, Gibson looks down in immediate embarrassment, his cheeks heating up. Since when had he learnt to care for Otto so much?
"Yea," the green monkey's eyes soften, his voice filled with the hope that Gibson had missed so much over the past year, "together."
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It is as if the whole fortress is alive.
Everything around them is moving, but Sprx and Gibson do not stop sprinting forward. With the Sun Riders' camouflage cape draped over their bodies, the two scramble through room after room, avoiding contact with any formless minions marching by.
No fights. Avoid using your weapons unnecessarily. Conserve as much energy as possible.
Until now, Sprx is still amazed at how upgraded the formless minions look like- new skulls, new bodies, new weapons- and to think that he was part of their resurrection process. Skeleton King's resurrection process.
The red monkey cannot suppress chill that travels down his spine whenever he thinks about the incident.
The accursed Fire of Hate.
Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Sprx almost doesn't hear Gibson whispering his name when they halt to a complete stop, with Gibson raising a hand in front of him to prevent him from going further.
"Be more careful, Sprx!" The blue monkey warns urgently, his voice low and cautious, "Watch where you're going."
Before Sprx can retort, he glances down underneath him and realizes that there's nothing there. Just an endless amount of darkness. It looks like a bottomless pit, the red monkey tries to crack a joke, but the uneasiness in his stomach doesn't go away.
One more step and he could have fallen to his death.
Sprx draws in a sharp breath. "What's down there?"
Gibson takes the scanner in his hand and moves it as close as he can toward the edge of the pit, but when it detects nothing, the blue monkey stops trying altogether.
"It's no use," Gibson sighs, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "whatever that is down there... it's not alive. There are no signs of any living biological entity."
Sprx lets out a nervous laugh.
"So we're safe, then?"
Gibson stays silent, unresponsive. His expression is grim.
"Alriiiiiight," Sprx cheerfully pipes up. He hates heavy moods. Surely they can't be good for his circuits? "Then let's use our rocket packs and get to the other side."
"...excellent idea," Gibson's voice is very slightly shaky, unsure, as he activates his own rocket pack and takes to the air with his brother, "but I cannot help feel as if... something is down there."
Sprx lets out another guffaw, but this time, it isn't as convincing as he'd hoped.
"You're just being paranoid, it's probably just some deep hole in the Pit of Doom that the old bag of bones got too lazy to fix."
"Stop creeping me out, Brainstrain." He adds as an afterthought.
Before Gibson can reply, a cold draft sweeps through the air, and the red monkey cannot help but shudder. Since when did it get so cold around here?
"The wind. It came from below," Gibson says uneasily, increasing his speed, "let's hurry. We don't have all day."
When they land on the other side of the pit, they continue the rest of the journey in silence.
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Nova tightens her grip on her cape. She doesn't like to be frightened, and she honest to god isn't, but with so many formless minions marching around, she is starting to get increasingly worried for Otto's safety.
Nova knows that Otto is perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but being the youngest member of the Hyperforce, she just can't suppress her protective instinct for him.
(She doesn't know where this instinct comes from, but she accepts it all the same.)
The golden warrior glances behind her for just a second, to see if her brother is still there.
Otto's footsteps are light, more graceful, and less clumsy now. After having taken several stealth lessons from Antauri when they were lacking spies on their side, the green monkey had trained long and hard. He had improved tremendously over two months, much to Antauri's pleasant surprise, and even started to lead several missions on his own.
The green monkey is maturing too fast for his own good.
Just like Sprx, Nova thinks fondly.
She huffs at the thought of his cocky, idiotic, and snarky face, but...
Nova shakes her head. She will never understand how boys work.
Behind her, Otto is starting to groan lightly in frustration at their seemingly endless journey. It's not because he's tired or anything, Nova wonders to herself. Cybernetic monkeys can run for miles without exhaustion now after several hours of stamina training and changes in diet. Even Chiro removed all unhealthy products from his diet just to ensure that the food he ingested did not affect his level of performance.
"I'm bored," Otto whines softly as the two slow down to a stop, when they are deeper inside the fortress, "will we be there soon?"
Nova lifts Gibson's scanner and thinks quietly, tracing the route with her finger. "We have around three kilometres left," the golden warrior estimates, "but with this speed we're going at, we should be there around twenty minutes?"
Otto stands up straighter with more enthusiasm. "Great! Then we get to get rid of the formless producing factory and regroup with Chiro!"
His shoulders sag and he pouts playfully. "I kind of miss the rest already..."
"Don't worry," Nova says reassuringly, inspecting their surroundings, "we will end the war and be home in no time."
The golden warrior's eyes see nothing but just endless corridors of bone, black ooze, and more bone. The air is starting to become stuffy, and has a heavier acrylic smell, possibly because they're nearing their destination. There are still formless minions marching around, but not as many compared to when they first entered. Nova heaves out a sigh of relief. She doesn't know how long they can keep dodging them.
Taking the scanner from her hand, Otto inserts a small disc into it and shows her a picture of where they're headed. In the middle of the room is a gigantic, black pool of ooze, and machinery (are those made of bone?), which Nova assumes is what forms the shape of Skeleton King's minions. At the back of the room is a small electric box, its color blended well together with the wall it is on. If she hadn't looked close enough, she could have missed out such an important detail.
Otto zooms in and points to the electric box, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "That's what powers Skeleton King's machines. It's the core of what makes his soldiers. Gibson's spin shocker device should do the trick in disabling its functions. First, we have to clip it onto the live wire."
Nova grins and cracks her knuckles in delight. "Then we can get rid of the machinery, uh, quietly, so that no more formless... or soldiers, or whatever, can be produced. Nice planning, Otto."
The mechanic rubs his head sheepishly and smiles, but his smile disappears as his face slowly darkens. "But there will be a lot of guards in the perimeter... we have to find another way in. We can't fight them all. Even these camouflage capes won't help us dodge them. Sooner or later we'll be found out."
Nova's grin grows wider, and her pink eyes light up, just like how her orbs glow whenever she gets an idea. "Then it's time to beat something up."
Otto looks at her with surprise. He has never questioned Nova's decisions before, but...
"But Chiro told us not to fight unnece-"
"Yea, he did," the golden warrior says quickly, hushing her brother, "but if you can't beat them, join them. It's time to look for a disguise, Otto. Let's go."
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Chiro expects that the main pillars of Skeleton King's castle will be heavily guarded, and he is not disappointed.
When he first pulls off his cape, showing his full physical form, the formless immediately charge forward, swords pointed, ready to attack. Antauri keeps his own cape on, just like how they had planned, and destroys whichever enemy that gets too close.
It was almost soothing, fighting alongside Antauri, both of them knowing that they looked out for each other's backs. Still, Chiro was the slightest bit concerned at Antauri displaying the habit of taking hits for him. It was just like this during the zombie incident when Skeleton King wanted to take over Shuggazoom- Antauri places the safety of everyone worryingly higher than his own.
"My body can withstand even the strongest of attacks. Besides, the others need you," was probably the silver monkey's excuse for it.
The formless' threat was pushed back now, so Chiro quickly bent down and tied a small bandage to Antauri's arm, just to stop more fluid from leaking out of a small crack.
"I'm alright, Chiro," Antauri says softly, wincing slightly before relief washes over his features.
"I know." Chiro just doesn't like to see his mentor bleeding.
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The dark haired teenager glances at the time on his scanner and realizes that there is almost fifteen minutes left before the team is supposed to regroup. The two explosives left in his backpack are meant to be planted near the throne room, and at this rate which he and Antauri are going, he supposes that they'll be there soon.
Both of them are walking deeper inside the fortress, and the deeper they go, the less light there is. Sometimes Chiro has to grab onto Antauri's tail just to keep track of where he is going, but he doesn't mind, and he's pretty sure that Antauri doesn't, either. Other times, there is practically no sound around them, and Chiro can hear his own blood pumping way too loudly in his ears. He shouldn't be nervous, he really shouldn't. After all, this, this mission was what he had been training for, for the past four years of his life.
Chiro silently prays for the safety of his teammates, and nearly bumps into Antauri in front of him when he notices that the silver monkey has stopped walking.
Antauri screws his eyes shut in concentration. "Skeleton King. I can sense that he is near by."
Chiro doesn't speak. His mentor turns into a deep shade of purple and extends out a violet claw.
"I will phase us through the castle walls and near to the core of this fortress, where Skeleton King resides. No matter what, don't let go."
When Chiro is in ghost mode with Antauri, his whole body turns similar to that of the silver monkey's. They had been working on this technique for weeks in Antauri's room, a process which required perfect concentration on the power primate within. Once their minds and souls are in perfect sync, Antauri's power is able to transfer to Chiro's physical form as well.
This technique has several of its advantages- phasing through walls, time, everything's Chiro's dreamed of doing as a child. At the same time, however, it requires a lot of concentration and weakens his power primate temporarily; therefore enemies will not be able to sense his presence in the perimeter.
It is a blessing in disguise, and Chiro is eternally grateful for that. He doesn't need Skeleton King to know that he is there infiltrating the fortress.
Then, Chiro presses a red button on the scanner, sending out a signal to all the other monkeys, and he hopes that all of them will show up, unharmed.
"I'm ready," the black haired teen says, taking in a deep breath, and grabs Antauri's hand, "let's go."
A/N: I hope the "ghost mode" thing makes sense... I'll try to explain it further. The other monkeys know the basics on how to wield the power primate, but they don't know it as much as Antauri or Chiro does. So I'm going to assume that the other monkeys have "weaker" power primate abilities and hence, Skeleton King cannot sense their presence because it's simply not strong enough to be detected. But Antauri and Chiro need to tone down their presence because they're basically masters of the power primate, so with "ghost mode" they are able to do so.
Ultimately this is a stealth mission they're going on. Sneaking into the fortress and disabling the main keys to Skeleton King's army before taking out the big boss himself.
If you don't understand anything, feel free to PM/review, and I'll try my best to explain :)
I'm also going to introduce another other concept called "fusion". It's basically what Antauri did to Chiro in the season two finale. You lose your physical form but you'll be stuck inside someone else's body. No character death involved. But that's another story for the next chapter, heheh.