Chapter 5

-Cure for the Complacency

Nova hoisted the bar high above of her head, grunting from the pain of the weight. She had been going at this work out for hours. Another fifty set before she tossed the hundred—plus pound bar back on the lift. Cracking her neck, she rubbed her shoulder while sitting up. Sweat dampening her bright fur till it was dark as dull mustard.

"Phew, what a workout!" So grinned while running a hand over her stomach. Muscles already starting to ascend outward. Not bad for only a three-week straight work out!

"Gold one…" a deep voice whisked by her, turning her sweat to near ice.

Nova groaned and sipped her power drink like a dehydrated racehorse. Oh great, here they go again.

"Geez, who needs A/C with you in the room," she chuckled as she knelt back down to continue lifting the weights. "Could you maybe stand more to the right? Could use the chill."

Vex stared, not responding in the slightest. Extending her large claws, she stopped Nova's efforts to lift it. Her normal and robotic eye burning so fiercely it halted Nova's objections to her presence. The gold warrior tried to hide her nervous state behind a sarcastic chuckle.

"Okay, why the sudden stare down? You know many are not a fan of that…"

"Changes swift upon you…" Her breath was so dense it fogged up Nova's eye-class cover. "Source to this…?"

"Uh," Nova stammered while taking a step back. She might've been feeling tense lately, but no amount of stress could stand against the former killer's stare down. "What the heck are you talking about? And seriously, stop staring so we can have a normal conversation!"

Vex softened her glare and sat down on the floor, getting below Nova's eye level. Allowing the younger female a more dominant look to ease her nerves. This seemed to work as Nova's hair fell and muscles relaxed. She placed a hand to her chest, breathing a relieved sigh at the darker monkey.

"Okay, so what's the problem now?"

Vex didn't respond, even with a softer look, her eyes alone rivalled jagged glass.

"Well? Come on, spit it out!"

"Lower tone," Vex warned, choosing to be silent on purpose to test the gold female's reaction. Knowing Nova might've been impatient on some level but never aggressive to family. This was enough to cause even her a sliver of concern. Even if that emotion was still far off from being regularly felt.

"I'm sorry, you… said you were confused about me?"

Vex crossed her arms, looking in a different direction to hide her gaze.

"Your family's…" She muttered darkly, "concern wreaks to my nostrils…" her eyes inched back towards Nova. "Something… I do not… fair well to…" Back to her feet, Vex got ahold of Nova's arm and pinned the female against the wall. Eyes intensely staring into Nova's pink orbs, scaring her into submission. Her snout flaring up as she smelt Nova's fur, almost like she was inspecting it for any hidden secrets. This causing the gold monkey's skin to crawl to be so forcefully held.

"Hey, get the heck off—huh?" Nova fell silent when the aggressive hold suddenly turned to a gentle hug. Vex sighed as she patted the gold monkey's back.

"Please… be seeing… hurt in their souls," She whispered into Nova's shoulder, tightening her hug. "For also… breaks me… to see such… ache."

Nova didn't hug back, but she loosened her stiff posture and stared at the floor. Listening to Vex's gentle words like one would listen to the ocean through a seashell.

"If hurting… please speak to Sterling. His love for family… you… is beyond measurability." She released Nova and looked down to her shocked expression. "Please… as favor—for… ehm, me?"

The way the old scarred female shifted uncomfortably yelled desperation to Nova. Hurting her heart as she sighed and gave Vex a small nod.

"Alright, I'm… sorry, I have no idea what's been going on with me lately. Just been getting bursts of energy, have no idea why."

Vex looked to the workout equipment discarded on the floor.

"Relaxation… be a notable cure?"

"It's a disease Vex," Nova laughed as she knelt against her table, thinking a bit. "But I'll talk to Gibson later and try to be a bit more aware of my behavior."

Nodding in thanks, the old monkey went her own way. Leaving a baffled Nova as she hesitantly went back to her workout.

~With Chiro~

Chiro walked down the sidewalk, a pale of freshly caught fish in hand. A big smile painted his face as he approached a small shop. The owner, a short yet stout man with a knee length brown beard, took the pail from the chosen. Slapping a wad of bills in Chiro's hand, he shook the other in thanks.

"Thank you for the help kid!"

"Of course, Mr. Tunachip, but…" Chiro pushed the bills back into the man's hand. "I can't accept payment for doing my job. Besides, we already get income for giving the city protection."

The guy sighed and crossed his arms.

"No offense, but you big time heroes really get on my nerves. I want to pay you for your time, you don't gotta act the hero with me! Be doing an old man a favor by accepting his payment…" He offered the bills back for the chosen one to take. "Please, you'd be doing this old fisherman a service… paying my employees a fair wage is what gives me joy, so please?"

Sighing, Chiro graciously took back the credits he tried to discard.

"Alright, but please keep in mind, I'm not trying to play the Hero by simply helping someone…"

"I know and giving you somethin' for that gives me joy. Don't need to be a hero for that. Thank you, kid."

Nodding once more, he turned on his heel and darted off. The prosthetic that replaced Chiro's right foot churned, causing his skin to itch. Dang it, he muttered while kneeling to scratch. A sign a storm was coming, an effect that always made the metal of his fake foot act up.

His thoughts drifted to Vex, wondering how the heck the old monkey dealt with it. Most of her tail, half of face, part of leg, and even insides were made of strange metals that didn't even come close to being natural. It had to be such a pain to be a bio-technical formless, or a 'techno organic' as Sprx liked to call her. Even though Gibson hated using such an informal label.

Ice began to dribble down Chiro's skin, making goosebumps pop up like popcorn. The heck? He shivered from the sudden temper drop while gazing around his environment. People walked along the streets, pulling out their umbrellas after the sound of thunder. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but this chill almost seeped to his bones, much to cold to be a pre-chill from the arriving storm.

"Maybe I'm just catching a cold," he swished his long untrimmed hair from his eyes and darted to the nearest cover. A drop of rain quickly became a million as he stood under the shop's carpet covering. The place was closed, so not like he could go inside. So, deciding to sit under the cover supported by four wooden beams was all he could do.

As people followed the chosen's one example by racing to find cover, the chill began to grow stronger. Chiro's teeth chattered as he rubbed his arms to build up some heat. Dang, what was going on? It felt like someone just threw him in a freaking freezer!

Right across the emptying street, a presence seemed to close in. The nerves rose in Chiro as the feeling grew stronger. Fear boiled up in his gut, but he couldn't figure out why. There was no sign of danger, and his sixth sense was not picking up on anything.

A lightning bolt lit up the sky in a large CRACK! Just like that, the presence vanished. No feeling drained his energy as Chiro felt his ribs loosen up enough to allow his lungs breath.

"Chiro?" Antauri called from across the street, an umbrella in hand. His silver hand waving for the young hero's attention. The lightning blasts emitting a glow of his polished silver surface. Almost making the silver monkey look like a ghostly neon light.

"Antauri! Thank gosh," Chiro huffed in relief and darted to the safety of his father figure. He grabbed the small metal monkey's hand. Like a scared child who just found their parent after being lost for several hours.

Antauri noticed the brief look of terror in his eyes.

"Chiro, what in the name of Shuggazoom is wrong? You act as if you saw a ghost."

About to answer with the truth, the worry oozing off Antauri in waves made Chiro bite his tongue. The second in command has always been his rock, a shelter from any emotional storm that hurt him. With Antauri's mental health slipping a little since the war's end, Chiro made a vow to be there for him as he had been for them.

"Sorry, I just had a spell, nothing to worry about!"

"Chiro…" Antauri's eyes sterned up, daring the young man to spit the truth out before he forced it out of him.

"Okay okay, I have no clue… It was just… something that washed over me," He smoothed his wet hair down. "Honest, I really don't know what caused it. I think the lightning might've just spooked me, never been a fan of loud noises after the war."

Not satisfied with the answer but relieved enough to hear the sincerity in his adopted son's voice removed Antauri's sternness.

"Very well, but why are you out here alone? I believe I specifically requested everyone to keep in radio contact with others, at the very least with one member, when time strikes to later evening?"

"I know I know, I'm sorry. Time just slipped away from me since today was my community service day. Gotta keep relationships with our city strong since we stepped down as 24/7 protectors, you know?"

"A noble intention, but still not enough to disregard my requests for our safety…" The silver monkey kept a snug grip on Chiro's hand as he tugged him towards the path that lead them home. "I hope you have finished your daily tasks… as now is the time to return."

"What if there not?"

"Then offer my sincerest apologies to whomever you are helping and reschedule your work for tomorrow."

Sighing, Chiro knew there was no way he was getting away now. When Antauri talked like that, he just couldn't deny the fatherly monkey's protective instincts. Not that he didn't adore this quality, Chiro just secretly wished the second in command would ease up on safety regulations. Like ever since they settled down and ceased constant fighting was when Antauri's rules became even stricter. A strange order, but something they do to keep together as a family.

Once they got to the robot, Antauri made Chiro go in first, following him a few seconds later. He shook the umbrella dry before discarding it into a nearby bin. Getting in lotus position, he hovered in midair as they entered the main-com room.

Looking around, Antauri noticed his teammates performing their regular afterwork activities. Otto, Nova, and Sprx doing their games as Gibson sett up a virtual chess bored with an empty seat waiting for Antauri. Vex, as always, was no where to be seen, but he could sense her presence nearby. Nova was who his eyes went to first, studying her as she played Chiro's GameStation with the others. No sign of anger or tension made the fatherly monkey relax a bit.

But he did notice one thing slightly off, which was the big smiles on everyone's faces. Even Chiro had a strange joyful look despite being scared straight moments earlier. This secretive aura burned fierce around the room, alerting Antauri like he saw a neon stop light. Frustration creeped up on him at the thought of being kept out of a loop. Whatever that 'loop' was, he thought he made it clear… no plans without his consent, especially if it involved dangerous plans.

"What… is the meaning behind your joyful faces?"

Everyone stared at Antauri, the question very off coming from someone like him. Someone who couldn't sleep without knowing they were at least happy. He took note of this and softened his expression with a clear of his throat.

"Pardon, to revise my question… you all seem to be keeping mutual information quiet. From me specifically… why is that?"

This wouldn't have bothered him as much if Nova hadn't showed signs of being happy as well given her aggressively starved attitude towards physical improvement has made her a bit of a bummer to be around as of late. So, this sudden mood change has alerted him the most.

As they all snickered, Sprx just kept playing his game. Not even making eye contact with his suspicious superior.

"Want the details? Talk to the one-eyed creeper that spies on everyone all day…" His thumbs continued to pound on the remote control. "Least with you talking to her will get BOTH of you off our tails," he paused. "No offense, just that you been a total safety head-case lately, and this doesn't help our mood with One-Eye upping her 'keeping track' of us for you."

Everyone cut Sprx a sharp look. Not even phasing the pilot from his game as he shrugged.

"What? I said no offense!"

Sighing, Antauri folded his arms.

"So… Vexahlia is the one to speak to if I'm to find out anything?"

"That's what he said," Nova added before going back to her game.

Grumbling, he shot Gibson and Otto some weary looks. Both just shrugged and went back to doing what they previously attending to. Finally fed up with the silent treatment, he hovered right into the next room. A spot that had the lowest light frequency in the entire robot as well as the lowest temperature. Something his beloved gravitated towards.

He didn't bother knocking and opened the door to the internal freezer storage. A place where they usually kept items that needed to be kept at a below zero degrees. Way in the back, as always, was Vex propped up against the wall. A glass of chilled fruit punch in one hand with a small tablet playing movies in the other. Antauri huffed and approached her.

"Vexahlia, a moment of your time."

She clicked off the tablet and moved her mechanical right eye towards him without turning her head. The gesture informing him he had her complete attention.

"Everyone is acting strange and have exposed you as the source of the reason why. Mind sharing?"

The x-hunter sipped her drink, staring at him with those deep calloused eyes. So much of nothing reflected off her, giving him no clue of the reasons circulating in her head. Even with their souls tied, reading her was still next to impossible. This bothered the male even more.

"Well? Are you not going to speak, or do I have to—eh?" He paused when she placed a claw over his mouth to shush him.

Swiftly, she wrapped her claws around his neck and pushed him against the wall. Antauri froze at the rough gesture as her eyes pierced into him. The look so without words it left his mechanical joints stiff. Her jaws opened, revealing the massive deadly fangs chipped and worn from too much grief and death. He couldn't move, frozen in place, watching as she knelt forward and pressed her snout into his.

The roughness converted to immediate sweetness as she tenderly kissed him. Large claws tracing down his eyes. So gentle and attentive as her long white mane fluffed up to show her delight to see him. He melted into her once the shock left. Confused, but still mysteriously delightful… amazing how she never bored him. Even with a never changing face.

She removed her mouth from his.

"Stress management… tender greeting… to one foremost in… my thoughts…"

"T—thank you…" Antauri sighed, feeling like fifty percent of his stress was lifted. He knelt into her supportive shoulder. Strong enough to hold anything he threw her way. "I just… wanted to ask you something."

"Cautionary reasons… from your family…?" She whispered in his ear.

The tone of her deep invasive voice was so tame yet tainted with remaining danger—it made his toes shiver and tail curl. A strange feeling to experience in a robotic body, so organic. All he could do was stupidly mutter a 'yes' to confirm the female's question. She gave him a tiny smirk, eyes struggling to summon the expression she needed to show him how happy she was.

"Possible cure… for ailments befalling… your family." She securely held his hand in her own. "A… vacation secured… online… delightful sounding, nyet?"

"Vacation?" Antauri's blissful state came to a screeching halt. "What do you mean?"

She smirked, still internally laughing at his 'happy triggers' from being teased with a kind yet dangerous touch. One wouldn't think a pacifist such as him would take strange enjoyment from that. Oh well, not like she could judge.

"Da, trip to relaxing facility… done under certain distance away from… home facility."

"I know what a vacation is, what I don't understand is what brought it on?"

She crossed her arms and stood to full height, gazing down at him. Sarcasm written all over her face. And here she thought she was the oblivious one.

"For you… and… your family's… well-being. Arranged it…" she looked to the clock. "In… two twenty-four hours… small clock's hand on two… large hand on six… will be time."

"Um, you mean in two days at 2:30 we'll be going on a trip."

Vex nodded.

"Being of too late… nonrefundable… passes."

Antauri till couldn't believe what he was hearing. Hardly anyone on the team makes plans like this without his knowledge. But the ringleader behind this idea being the quietest monkey into the whole galaxy? All his brain could do was generate ERROR messages all over his CPU.

"O…kay, where exactly are we going?"

She whispered the answer in his ear. His eyes lit up light S.O.S flares.

"H—how? Even with our reputation, such a place is near impossible to reserve… even the most qualified elites can barely get in! How did you…"

"Label it… as my… knack…"