Chapter 7

-Arrival to the Misty Gate

The robot, after three days of flying, arrived into the atmosphere of a strange planet. Its whole surface was covered in mist. A transparent azure string of lights floated through the skies like disembodied ghosts. No one could tell if it was lighted from civilization or nature. The waters appeared to be an even deeper hue of purple and blue. Everyone on the team was practically on edge the closer they got to it.

"Uh… are you sure this is the correct destination?" Gibson asked Vex while keeping a tight hand on the robot's controls.

Vex gave a slow cryptic nod. Her silence not reassuring everyone else as they shifted uncomfortably. The old assassin tiredly exhaled through her nostrils.

"Peculiar externally …" she started once they got past the clouds.

The robot started to tremor, causing everyone to tense up. Till it all calmed down, the mist began to disappear, appearing a large island in the distance. High standing mountains with peaks dipped in light blue snow. Sparkling water glimmered at the peaks' feet with multiple rows of gently lit flames waving ships with their warm welcome.

"Yet… warming internally." The old monkey smiled at the awe-struck faces of the team. "Learned yet… never… judge at face value…"

"Wow, from the outside this planet looked like the Graveyard Capital. But now, dang… a lot more… beautiful then I thought." Sprx commented.

Everyone nodded in agreement when they found long wooden docks. A variety of parked ships decorated the docks' edges till the robot found a spot large enough to accommodate it. Metal feet hitting the ground, its hatch opened, giving exit to the eager monkey team. They all power walked onto the wood platform and basked in the strange island's beauty.

The plants seemed to be painted in sparkling dust that perfectly mirrored the stars that rested dangerously close to the atmosphere. Lights in the sky, like Earth's Northern Lights, danced in a rhythmical way like it was the happiest thing to exist. The beaches' sand also sparked every time their feet touch the surface.

"Dang, it's like a light show!" Otto waved his hands excitedly as he leaped into the sand to catch the sparkles. Yet having no luck as they vanished before his hands could even touch them.

"The radiation levels on this planet are off the charts," Gibson rambled his calculations while looking at his scanners. "Yet… this planet's dark waters seem to be absorbing them… but the liquid's hydration levels are clean enough to drink."

"Strange yet beautifully accommodating," Antauri noted while hovering in the middle of Chiro and Vex. His sapphire optics glanced down to his stone-faced wife. "How did you discover such a planet?"

"And how exactly were you able to get us in?" Gibson added without looking away from his screen. "The safety regulations we had to pass through was unbelievably high… Even I had trouble wrapping my head around their endless amount of insanely strict protocols."

"Yea, and those nuclear gun turrets circling the planet on those satellites are pretty scary…" Otto pointed out while abounding his task in catching the neon sand. "I have never seen guns wielding that much power…"

"Yea, this place makes the most secured prison planets look like a walk-in grocery store." Sprx shoved Antauri out of the way to get a spot next to Vex. "So, spill one-eye, how were you able to get us in here?"

"A… favor… is owed." She answered while pushing Sprx's annoying face away.

"A favor? Sooo, this is like blackmail huh?" Nova teased while elbowing her fellow female. "Because there is no way in heck any outsider is getting in here without some major influence."

"No dangers lurk amuck… ease tensions…" She added while using her other arm to push Nova away. Keeping both red and yellow monkey out of her strict boundary line. "Wouldn't insist your rest… here… if in any way unsafe. Be trusting… me… please."

"Hey, I don't care, this place is really neat," Chiro added while speed walking ahead of his group. His black hair flowing in the breeze as he gazed down a cliff's edges. On the rock's face was a large glass-domed building. Windows carefully painted and decorated with extreme care. It all was as if the most prestigious painting just came alive. Even a large waterfall fell over the building as if masking it from any outside views.

"That our hotel?" Chiro eagerly asked, hoping for a yes. He wanted to go into that place real bad.

"Da," Vex robotically answered. "Dat… being the refuge for rest… local facilities—" she pointed a finger to the north, right over a huge collage of trees. "Being north…"

"Okay, so we're not too far from a town. That's good, least we can explore outside of this facility alone." Gibson growled as Antauri took the scanner from his hands and away in his bag.

The silver monkey tsk'd his friend.

"We're on a trip, let's try and keep our minds occupied on each other rather than work."

"Fine, but I'm still going to be using my tablet. Still need to ensure my work stays updated."

"And try to use regular length sentences this time, heh brain strain?"

"That's a riot coming from someone who must use his entire vocabulary in a single sentence, Sprx."

"Wha— Oh you just had to start that, huh!"

Just as the red and blue monkeys began their verbal rumble, Nova smacked them both in the back of the head.

"Seriously, knock it off you two." She marched ahead as the two pitifully rubbed their helmets. Pouting at having to be disciplined by the pint-sized powerhouse. Nova smirked at them, just because they didn't fight as a team as often as they used to, she was still their third in command. It was a good moment to remind them of this fact.

Walking down the steep winding stairs, they made it to the glass tower's entrance. The doors swished open and allowed the entire team entrance before closing. Chairs and other furniture in the lobby were made of reflective silk-like fabrics. Matching the carpet floors in softness. Otto's eyes sparkled as he dropped his items and pressed his whole face into the floor.

"This is so so so so soft…" he flopped on his belly to roll around. "It feels like a fluffy cloud… I could sleep here forever!"

"Hehehe, hate to break it to ya, but we have rooms booked." Sprx chuckled as Otto whined in protest.

"Otto, you're not sleeping in the lobby. Now stop embarrassing us and stand up like a civilized simian." Gibson barked loud enough for all the lobby attendants to stare at them.

The green mechanic grumbled and swiftly got to his feet. Crossing his arms and looking to the side to pout. Vex placed a shaky hand on his shoulder, pulling the green male into her shoulder.

"Midnight hour… accompany me for file completing… may role on floors then."

That perked the green monkey right up as he grabbed Vex in a tight hug.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Once Vex wiggled away from Otto, Antauri cleared his throat. Everyone gave room for their mentor as he hovered to the front desk and presented their Hyperforce badge and intergalactic passports. The elderly man with three eyes and long fangs took the items and scanned them.

"From the planet… Sugarroom…"

"Shugg-a-zoom," Antauri gently corrected before Sprx could throw out a snide comment on his mistake. "Yes, we are merely tourists hoping to spend a few weeks in this facility."

"Big-time heroes huh? We don't… get many of them, round' here…" he stamped their items and gave them a room key. "Room already booked… one family-sized condo large enough to comfortably house up to fifteen people. Top floor, the best view of the entire island. If there are any requests… simply call."

"Thank you." Antauri bowed after recovering the key and led his team away and onto the elevator.

After an uncomfortable ten-minute ride with everyone crammed together, they eventually made it to the top floor. Once Antauri found the door and opened it, Otto plowed through everyone to be the first in. His eyes as wide as saucers when examining their room.

"Wow… look at this place!"

The entire room was square in shape and held many ancient looking furniture. Walls a deep grey with massive windows giving them a terrific outlook of the landscape. A few TVs hung under some 3D like paintings decorated the walls with several other luxuries. The room also came equipped with a large kitchen connected to sleeping quarters which consisted of large bunk beds with different sizes.

"Eh… it's kinda creepy." Sprx shuttered while rubbing his itchy fur, "not a fan of the old haunted mansion look… all that's missing is some spiderwebs and paintings with moving eyeballs."

"I don't know, I think it's really unique," Chiro ran his hand over the redwood carved coffee table. "Seems like a lot of history here."

"Yea yea, blah blah blah, history this history that! You sound like brain strain," Sprx complained while hesitantly peaking into the closest. He jumped in shock when air vents shot a gust of freezing air into his face. Causing the red pilot to yodel and fall backward.

"Y—yep… can tell one-eye picked this room out," he shot Vex a sarcastic grin. "Just couldn't think of happy and bright stuff could ya?"

She just stared at the pilot, ignoring his jabs.

"Only room… large enough… to house… your family unit."

Nova tossed her yellow bag onto the bed closest to the window. She smirked at Vex.

"Why do we all have to stay in one room? Paranoid much? Hah!"

Vex said nothing as she stalked out of the room and into the hallway. Otto jumped and ran after the old monkey to ensure she kept her earlier promise in letting him lay on the lobby carpet again. Nova sighed when the door quietly shut behind the black and green simians.

"Geez, can't even smile."

"Ease up, Vex obviously jumped through a ton of hoops to give us a cool place like this to crash. Besides, check out all the fun stuff we can do!" Chiro shoved a pamphlet into Nova's face. "We can do underwater snorkeling, skiing, exploration to underground ruins, and a ton of other stuff!"

Nova laughed and shoved the paper out of her face. "Definingly sounds like fun! So, what's the plan for tonight?" She grabbed Chiro's wrist, almost crushing the bone. "I say Chiro and I run out for a bite to eat! We can bring everyone back to something!"

Chiro winced at her crushing grip but made no move to complain.

"S—sure, guess that wouldn't hurt…"

"We just got here," Antauri protested, forcing Nova to let go of Chiro's hand. "Besides, everyone could use some rest after our three-day-long flight… tomorrow we can journey to the nearest food joint. Preferably something healthy."

Nova's brow lined furrow, till she quickly threw on a happy face and laughed Antauri's concern off.

"Oh alright, geez, no need to be a fuddy dud."

"Agreed, let's head to bed…" Gibson slipped into a too-large night robe with a matching night-cap and slippers. "I'm beyond exhausted…" he yawned and found the third bed.

Everyone muttered their goodnights, got relaxed, and nestled into their own selected beds. Antauri removed his helmet and plugged into the nearest power outlet. Rubbing Chiro's head, he whispered goodnight and turned off the lamp. But his eyes remained online, unable to truly go to sleep until his beloved came back with Otto.