The man looked surprised from the information of Captain of The Gorilla Guard tried to kill her.
" Helios did something to him...and Blue...couple other I found out...I didn't find out to later on..." Iris told him emotionless as she looked to the side.
The man leaned back in his chair" I just caught off gaurd...speacily considering he's your...
Ape village, 3 years ago
Iris looked at the gorilla in panic and disbelief as he kept making his grip tighter and tighter around her neck cutting off her air supply
" L-Luca*choke*w-what's wrong with you*choke" she manged to spit out.
His expression was different this time it was if he had trouble forming words he made soft grunts of desperation to speak his arms shook as he grasped around her throat tighter.
"Iiiiimm ssssoorrryy" he drawled out his voice sounded that of a zombie groaning Iris could see in his eyes he was in pain.
Iris knew this wasn't the gorilla she had become close to...she knew there was something terrible wrong with him but she also knew if stop him soon he would soon likely kill her she moved her hand around desperately and finally gasped on a bowl with water in it she quickly grabbed it and smashed it in his face along with the water.
Luca fumbled to the ground mumbling in gibberish looking up at Iris with terror in his eyes. He looked like he just woke up from a nightmare. Iris was breathing and gasping hard as she held her now sore throat trying to regain her breath while also instinctly holding her abdomen worried for her baby.
"I-im sorry" Luca groaned "It was Helios Iris...he did this" he fumbled trying to regain himself.
Iris could feel herself becoming sick from a mixture of morning sickness and flashbacks of when Onyx assaulted her she started to shake hard and then hurling violently on the ground making Luca panic making him go over to her but once he touched her back she flinched and her breathing became harder she was having panic attack as she curl up into ball Luca didn't know to do.
"I'm so sorry Iris" he signed in desperation"I felt trapped inside myself like a prison and I couldn't control what was happening to me."
Luca did the only thing that came into his mind at the time and cradled her in his arms and held her gently while hooting softly in her ear. At first she struggled at bit but she felt the gorilla heart beat against her ear, her breathing then started to return to normal. Iris soon began to relax in his embrace making Luca sigh in relief But now also felt a little awkward, Iris had never been this close to him before other then that time when she hugged him during when she was having a nightmate, he hesitantly brought his large hand to slowly stroke her hair as breathed in her scent.
Iris face turned red when she felt him do this" Luca...are you ok?" she asked him.
"There you are" Garrett spoke interrupting the two's romantic bliss.
Iris quickly pulled away while Luca looked angry to see the deserter in general making him get up and growl at him while usig his body to block the brunette from his view.
"Calm yourself Luca I'm not here to kill your beloved princess" he waved his hand towards her.
Iris rolled her eyes at him as she got up and moved last Luca " Don't call princess Garrett cause I'm not even close to that."
"Ok Joan of Arc, you got any brilliant ideas because your soldier's are slowly turning on you" he signed.
Iris shrugged" there's always been someone trying to kill me Garrett..." bringing a hand to her stomach" In the past it never bothered me cause I always found a way to handle it but now..."She looked down at stomach that will soon grow bigger" I got another life to worry about..." she said quietly.
"Than focus what's at stake, the Gorilla Helios he's done something to the soldier's they've been acting strange" he stated seriously.
Iris raised eyebrow at this "What do you mean?" she asked as she turned to Luca he was thinking the same thought as her if he wasn't the only one just how many were there.
" Strange how?" Luca signed to the other gorilla.
"They're almost emotionless but still like statues they're not themselves, including the prince" Garrett explained.
Iris frowned on deep thought at this" Helios gave me something earlier today...some sort of drug...I think he was trying to do something to me...but I can't remeber it's all fuzzy" Iris said as she held her head.
"Whatever he did to you it has caused you memory loss."
Iris closed her eyes sadly" So he really wasn't there..." Iris said quietly almost broken-hearted, she could feel a tear run one her shut eyes.
Luca looked at Iris with concern when he saw this" What's...wrong Iris?" he asked gruffly.
" Nothing...I just saw someone I miss very much when he put me under..." Iris brushed as she quickly wiped her face.
Garret had a pretty good Idea who it was judging by her reaction, but he didn't want to bring it up right now.
" We can try getting them wet" Luca signed to Garrett getting back on topic as much he wanted to know what happened to Iris while she was under he didn't want to pressure her.
"Wish I could've known sooner had to kill 3 before they could get me" Garrett cracked his knuckles.
Iris eyes widen at this so did Luca's" I know you left this tribe but we have rules and you broke the most important one" Luca signed as he bared his teeth at him.
"Doesn't matter Luca it was them or me and I had to choose me" Garrett narrowed his eyes "Besides I'll be gone once this is finished."
Iris gently touched Luca's arm which calmed him down somewhat while she did agree with Luca it wasn't the apes fault that they attacked Garrett but she also knew they had a bigger problem to deal with" Finish doing what Garrett?" she asked.
"Isn't it obvious killing Helios" he crossed his arms.
"Garrett if you do that they think it was Iris who had done it" Luca signed in enraged" Half of the village heard her arguing with her brother about him your already setting up her guilt" Luca signed as he got closer to him.
"Than how do we get rid of him he's already brainwashed half of the tribe including the prince?" Garrett huffed.
Luca huffed back in frustration" I don't know ...but the council is already throwing for about Iris's pregnancy" the gorilla eyes became sad when he signed the last part but then quickly shook off.
" Keep a eye on him for now...but don't don't do anything rash until needed" He signed to him, as much he didn't trust the other gorilla they need all the help they could get.
Garret stared at his former captain in the eyes before letting out another deep huff.
"Yeah I'll see you... Bastard" Garrett huffed cussing about it in his head.
Garrett then turned around and left the hut, Iris placed a hand on Luca shoulder making him look at her" I know you would never hurt me Luca it just..." Iris took a deep breath"...I had flashback of something that I wish I could forget..." She told him grimly.
He pressed his palm on her shoulder giving it a light squeeze "I didn't know what I was doing...I was going with Blue Eyes than all of a sudden It felt as if my brain was mushed" he signed explaining the situation.
"He made me feel defenseless...what ever he did to me...I don't to feel that way ever again" Iris looked down at the dirt as she rubbed her arms for then mental shiver she felt as she recalled the event with Helios.
Luca put his hand behind her neck and brought her forehead to rest against hers. Iris was a little taken back by this but neverless closed her eyes in content.
They both stayed in their own stand still for the longest time but then Iris finally pulled away to look at him" I want to check on Mikey...I got a bad feeling " she told him softly.
Mikey awoke from his slumber to see a place shrouded in darkness, It was blackness swirling and moving.
"Where am I?" He whispered to himself afraid of what's here.
" Mikey?" a familiar soft voice spoke making him flinch and search where it was coming from.
"No not you!" He shivered in fear to see a decomposed chimp a very young one he knew"Ben" he spoke to see the dead chimp limping towards him.
"I thought we were friends, why would you kill me!?" He cried.
"It wasn't my fault! You were making too much noise they could've spotted us!" Mikey closed his shaking his head.
" Mikey?" He heard another familiar voice this time was female.
"Grandma?" He wimpered turning to see her sick frail figure.
She gave him a weak smile" It's alright my baby..." she said holding his cheek in her hand, the chimp could feel tears flood his eyes as he looked at her...he had missed her so much.
She frowned fading to ash"No no! Come back grandma!" He collapsed crying even more pounding the floor "Why" he half-sobbed.
" Mikey..." voice called out to him"Mikey..." he could hear it again.
It was male this time...It was Onyx as if he was made of smoke "Come to me" he cooed.
Mikey backed away " No! get away" he backed away.
" Mikey! Mikey! MIKEY!" the chimp was shaking back to reality to see Iris looked at him concern and panic in her eyes as she held his shoulders.
"Iris?"Mikey spoke in concern.
" Your ok Mikey..." Iris told him softly as she stroked his head" Your ok..." She said as she brought him into a hug.
Mikey at first thought she was another hallucination but once he was in her embrace and breathed in her scent he knew she was real making him hug her as he snuggled his face into her shoulder.
"Forgive me..." he whispered his shoulders shuddering.
Iris rubbed his back" I don't blame you..." She told him softly in his ear" I never did..."
Mikey pulled away slightly so he could trail his gaze down Iris stomach. The chimp brought out shakey hesitant hand to touch it. Iris sighed deeply when she was saw this her grab his hand firmly and placed it on her abdomen" they baby isn't going come out and attack you Mikey..." she told him bluntly.
"I can't believe this is happening" he sighed feeling the abdomen he wouldn't lie that this felt good, his heartbeat was getting quicker.
"Iris look at me, how can I be a father to this child I can barely take care of myself" he said.
" And you honestly think I would make good mother..." Iris said as she ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath" I'm messed up too Mikey...I-I never planned on having children because I didn't want them to go through what I went through..." she told him depressingly.
Mikey remembered her mentioning that a long time ago...when the topic of children was brought up Iris would always make it short or would say she wouldn't pass down the" Rodeman Curse" as she would call it. But Mikey remembered how she treated the younger human children and young apes at the AO camp she loved children and was very good with them so he didn't really understand about her reasoning.
He then felt a tingling sensation behind the back of his skull something was happening. Iris looked at him with concern when she noticing something was happening with him and Luca frowned as he eyes Mikey carefully.
" Mikey what's wrong?" she asked cradling his face in her hands and made him look at her.
"F-forgive me" he rasped out grasping her by neck strangling her.
Iris one again leathery hands wrapped tightly around her throat and was violently slammed to the group with Mikey on top of her.
" M-Mikey.." Iris grunted as she tried to pry the chimps hands of her neck.
Luca immeaditly leaped into action at this and tried to yank Mikey off the woman.
Mikey grabbed the knife behind him stabbing Luca on the arm "I'm sorry" he wimpered.
Iris used this as chance to escape from under him and quickly dragged her self away while looking at Mikey wide in horror" Mikey what's wrong with!?" She yelled at him.
Iris tried to get up to check on Luca but he stopped that right away when he signed to her firmly through his pain for her to stay in her spot not wanting Mikey to try to make a move to stab her if she did. Iris could feel herself become sick at the sight of the gorilla blood drop down his furry arm into the dirt of the cell.
"Rgh!" Mikey growled trying to slash the knife into Luca's face only for Luca to grab it out of his hand, Luca quickly restrained him calling in Spear.
" Spear!...get her out!" he barked at him as held down a struggling Mikey.
Spear raised his weapon attempting to stab Iris on her leg making her roll over to the other side of cell in panic. Luca looked at the guard in disbelief at his action.
" Spear!...what are!...you doing!?" the gorilla yelled him wondering if he lost his mind.
Spear turned his head in silence raising his spear up to stab Luca.
Iris tackle him to the ground, yanked his spear away from him and put him into a sleeper hold. Spear tried to rip Iris's arms off him but she kept a firm hold on him not loosening her arm around his neck for second. Soon the chimps struggles began to decease and soon became limp making her let go of him. Iris huffed deeply as she got off him and moved hair that fallen in her face and looked towards Luca who also knocked out his aggressor.
Iris went over to the gorilla and brought her hand to touch his injured arm making him wince.
" My mom or Tinker should look at this..." she said seriously and then turn to look at the knocked out apes" And them as well..."
Iris soon felt tight pain her abdomen her self bend over wrap her arms around it, she gritted her teeth and hissed through her pain as she fell to her knees Luca limped over to her in concern. Iris slowly fell to the ground of the cell on her side as she curled up into a ball in pain she could faintly her the gorilla call out to her. The brunette's world soon went black as she felt herself being lifted off the dirt and into the air.
Helios was sitting infront his alter nerves getting the best of him. Not only someone has killed some of the guards he had under his control but also Luca, Spear, and Mikey broke out of his hold and failed to kill Iris.
Caesar was absolutly livid when found not only was his sister was brutally strangled and passed out to overwhelming stress but also to find out Luca was stabbed. Mikey didn't speak nor did he look up he was in a zombified state ignoring the world around him. The human Carley for the most part hummed to herself yawning in the cage she was in looking up at greyish smoky sky.
Do not being part of the council the painted gorilla didn't know much else but he knew that one thing was for clear that woman was still alive...and he also knew that the group wouldn't happy about this speacily since it caused a lot attention and focus now.
"The plan must stay the same, I have to keep going...my abilities will be stronger and she must die" he whispered through a recorder.
"I will cut the cur out of her belly and slit her throat upon the rocks to dry in the glorious sun...Grey, Red, Onyx I await more from you soon..your apprentice..Mikey is getting strong Onyx you will be proud"recording ends.
Helios ran a hand down his face making the paint smear as he went into deep thought "My very life hangs in the balance right now" he thought tracing symbols onto his body smearing more paint.
"Grey will be proud" he hummed at the thought.
"How is it...so hard...to kill...one human...woman..." voice spoke up from behind the gorilla making him snap around to see a dark haired chimp who walked down wooden steps slowly towards the gorilla" But I'm ...not surprised...she still...have the strong will...in her...that fire..." A spark appeared in the apes eyes when he said this but his smirk was sadistic.
Helios eyes widened big recognizing right away.
"My Lord" he bowed.
Onyx eyed Helios's alter after getting off the last step" I thought...is was...stupid of...to try to use...the angry woman...to kill her...though.." Onyx said as he walked past Helios to get a better look at the alter.
" I have to...say way of...life is very...different...and that's coming..from me..." Onyx smirked as he turned around to look at the gorilla.
Helios looked up at the chimp a little nervous, the gorilla knew he was half of the size of Oynx but yet he knew about the chimps sadistic and ruthless nature...almost bordered on the insanity.
Iris lay asleep in Royal families hut, Cornelia stroked her hair and looked towards her husband who sat deep in thought as he held his head.
"Its seems...like the...world is against her..." Cornelia said sadly " both humans and apes..." she then turned her gaze back to the woman and sighed deeply" Caesar...I think...something doesn't feel...right.." She told him.
And here we are another chapter :D and yes Luca didn't kill Iris :) we also learned about some of Money's demons and Grey and Red group strong desire to get rid of her and the disgust they have from the hybrid she carries. Both humans and apes have difficult time accepting something new. I would like to thank my good friend of Marian of cintra for helping me she's awesome :)