A/N: I say, all this tiny piddly-diddly shite we're uploading right now is just embarrassing; from here on out chapters will be getting longer and longer. They will not stop (until we reach chapter 30, that is. And maybe an epilogue too); they can't. When you combine our writing styles Sniggyfrumps and I could not write less than 10 pages if we tried. I am not sorry. You people need to read more anyway.
Chapter 1
"Innocence dwells with wisdom, but never with ignorance." - William Blake
It was much to his surprise that Antauri found his private quarters already occupied when he returned from Study Hour in the West Wing Library.
"You must be my... companion." Antauri inquired politely as he warily eyed the being in front of him.
Dressed in the plain grey robes of a common Veran Scholar a gelatinous multi-hued invertebrate sat patiently waiting with legs crossed (by the Endless Void did he hope those were legs) and a tranquil look in its – her? – blue eyes.
"My name is Helen," the voice was soft and sultry; it was very inviting and reassuring-of what Antauri could not begin to guess.
"Antauri. Do you mind if I ask what you are?"
The creature slanted its compact body slightly to one side – akin to tilting one's head Antauri guessed – and looked at him quizzically. "I can be anything you want. Would you prefer a form similar to your species?"
"Oh-uh-" Antauri stuttered, dearly hoping he hadn't offended the seemingly-made-of-compact-liquid-person-thing too badly. It was very rare that he was ever so out of it as he was now, but then again now was a very peculiar situation.
"It's no trouble," she assured Antauri; seeing him trying to back-pedal out of a supposed insult. "What is your favourite colour?"
"... Er, white. Why-oh." The being which previously had been a sort of large tentacle-monster-blob-thing transformed before his very eyes into a petite white robot monkey. "Thank you?"
"Would you care for something? Food? Drink?" She sounded oddly expectant.
"No, thank you. I am... well for now. Have you done this before?"
"No. I have been selected to be exclusively yours. Before this I worked in one of the Sister Temples, away from any male-besides the occasional visit from the Masters."
"I see. And what did you study there?"
"Many the same things as you: philosophy, prophesy, rhetoric, diplomacy, etiquette, and the like."
"Do you know your purpose here?"
"Yes, my purpose here was thoroughly explained to me."
"Good, because it was not to me. I admit I have almost no knowledge of what we are supposed to do."
"... Really? Would you like me to-ah-explain?" The being-Helen seemed flustered. She stared at him with an amused yet disbelieving gleam in her eyes.
Antauri couldn't help but feel he was about to be let in on a particularly embarrassing secret. "That would be very helpful, yes."
"Perhaps we should sit down first?" The confidence from a few moments before had left her. She looked at him as if afraid he'd suddenly morph himself and her voice had taken on an uncertain and clumsy edge.
"As you wish."
As the spiritual robot monkey was slowly enlightened on the precise extent of Helen's... duties, Antauri's eyes grew considerably wider and his cheeks considerably redder.
He told himself that the Masters knew best.
Hopefully.
'How did I end up in this again?' The male simian wondered with a detached fascination.
~8~
Later that evening the two simian students walked the halls on their way to the meditation chambers. Mandarin was still fuming and grumbling under his breath. When Antauri didn't even stop to correct his improper use of language, Mandarin glanced at his black friend. Antauri seemed dazed somehow, as if lost in his own little world - unusual behaviour for the normally attentive student of the Power Primate.
"What has you so distracted this evening?" Mandarin asked with a mixture of annoyance and worry.
"... Forgive me, I was... lost in thought," Antauri answered, slightly flustered at being interrupted in his train of thought. The black cyborg had been mulling over certain aspects of life he hadn't thought to consider before.
"Oh? About what?"
"The, er, full consequences of the companion arrangement."
Mandarin huffed. "The ridiculousness of it all! Being... set up for marriage. And with such a pitiful partner to boot."
"You have met your companion then?"
"Unfortunately yes. She was already in my room when I returned from my session with Master Yun."
"What did you... do with her?" Antauri asked; hoping the other wouldn't detect the dread curiosity in his voice.
"I locked her in the washroom until she stopped talking. ... I should probably remember to let her out sometime after the Evening Meditation."
"Mandarin-!"
~8~
"Mandarin!" This time the name wasn't spoken with the umbrage of a shocked friend, but the ire of a teacher deeply upset with the disorderly conduct of his pupil.
"Yes, Master?" The voice was tight and devoid of the usually reverent tone he used toward this particular speaker.
"Your behavior of late has been increasingly... unfit for one such as yourself," the Veran Master spoke, his countenance collected as ever, but his words carrying definite severity. He reproachfully eyed the orange simian who didn't seem swayed by this scolding tone at all. "Have we not been kind to you? Did we not take you in and teach you our ways after finding you crashed and almost dead? You have great potential Mandarin-but even the greatest potential can be squandered if one does not heed the lessons of others before him. Don't you understand? We are trying to help you-you could be great."
"Great? Great how?"
"It is not entirely clear yet-you still have much to do. But I do know that your life is tied in with the fate of The Universe."
"How so, Master?" the previously rebellious simian was now completely enraptured with the Mystic's words.
"It is still unclear, Young One. But Fate has dictated that you shall be in the forefront of its plans. You have been specially chosen for such a large task. One must not take the burden lightly."
Mandarin slowly swallowed the not-so-subtle subtext of his Master's words. "I... see, Master."
The reply was rapid and ruthless: "Do you? I should certainly hope so, for this is a great privilege that you seem ready to squander."
"Do you know what I am to do? Where I am to go, Master?" Mandarin asked; his interest by no means doused by the rebuke.
"That shall be revealed in time, Mandarin," Master Zan answered, suddenly neutral in tone. "For now, you simply need to focus on your studies and respect the Elders. This rebellion is not becoming of anything."
Mandarin visibly tensed as he was again reminded of the companion arrangement. "Master-please. I will not have any use for such a creature as the one you have sent me. I humbly request that you remove her from my side and allow me to continue my studies undisturbed."
"This creature is a gift. Do you so reject such kindness from anyone?"
"She is a distraction."
"Very well. We had hoped you would come around-but it is clear you will not bend on this issue. We shall have her removed and you will be free to return to studying. She will remain here until I am able to contact her home Temple. But just know that if you begin to slip in any area we shall have to return you to either a lower training level, or bring her back."
"I understand, Master. I will not fail you."
"You may leave now." The orange monkey did as he was told and walked confidently out of Zan's office, a pleased grin on his muzzle.
The Veran Mystic Master stood unmoving for a while before hovering out of the chambers and into the crystalloid hallways of the Temple.
The beauty and size of the large crystals adorning the pathways always entranced and amazed first visitors. However, the azure and emerald surfaces went unnoticed by Master Zan.
Too many years had passed since he had last regarded their glittering smoothness with awe.
Too many years and too many disappointments since he had stopped to invite a mesmerized young man to caress the ancient mineral formations. The eyes of humans were so expressive and these had blazed with a childish wonderment and a – Zan had realized this far too late – dangerous craving for knowledge.
Master Zan entered the swirling vortex of green energy and stepped into the innermost chamber of the Temple.
It was absurd to think that one of his stature and learning should have such base needs as a comfort zone… but the fact remained that being near the raw core of the Power Primate did bring a level of calmness to Zan's mind when he was troubled.
No. Not troubled. Simply… uncertain.
Staring into the shifting waves of green dominating the centre of the room, the erudite Mystic found himself unable to loosen the tension in his spirit. Meaningless regrets seemed to have come to bother him more and more in these last years. The hungry look in the eyes of his orange prodigy when given those clues of his alleged fate had reminded him too much of an old friend. And that look had brought them to this - a race against the rise of corruption.
No. There may be a few murky spots, but the path was otherwise clear. The Veran Mystics would offer the right guidance where they had neglected to in the past.
Mandarin would not be allowed to repeat the mistakes of his creator.
~8~
Antauri and Helen sat quietly on a bench under one large window in the Library. There was more than a little respectful distance between them. Emerald light and hues of blue and lavender shifted through the ornate crystalline indentations of the window and gave the feeling of sitting inside a giant kaleidoscope.
The Masters had thought it wise to let the couples spend the afternoon together. Getting to know each other.
The monochrome monkeys had tried to converse, but the words fell flat and the subjects felt strained. Instead they had taken to watch the train-wreck that was the other female companion frantically trying and horribly failing to bond with Mandarin. Neither of the two seemed to be enjoying their 'quality time' together.
Helen fidgeted in her robe. It was... weird, being so... fuzzy. She felt a bit too hot and it itched all the time. It was like being wrapped naked in a scratchy, hairy overcoat... although she did very much like the feel of stroking the glossy, white fur against her metal receptors.
Metal and flesh... how curious a blend. What sort of person would think of bending nature's way to one's will in such a fashion? Surely no living creature could be born naturally looking this way?
Helen stole a look at Antauri. She hadn't brushed this subject – amongst others – with him. Since the first meeting he had been extremely introverted and unwilling to even look at her... as if his gaze might defile her somehow.
Antauri focused on something on the far side of the Library. Helen followed his stare.
Mandarin had somehow managed to lose his significant other in the maze of bookshelves and the black and white robot monkeys watched him exit the room with a pleased, sneering look on his face.
"... Would you rather I leave as well?" Helen dared to ask, glancing at him quickly before snapping back to looking straight ahead.
"That will be... unnecessary." Antauri stated-that tinge of mortification still in his voice.
"I-I was told that you would be expecting my arrival. I feel I must apologize for the misunderstanding."
"No, I did know of your arrival, I was simply not told when or what exactly..." He trailed off as the uncomfortable silence took over them once again.
"I... see," she was becoming desperate to keep the conversation afloat. "And your... friend?"
"He also knew of the arrangement and stated directly that he rejected it outright. Master Zan knows that he is doing everything possible to disrupt this." Antauri had finally lost the embarrassment that had colored his voice, however now it was simply blank. Not much of an improvement in Helen's opinion.
"Did he know what the purpose of us was to be?" Helen dared ask. Anything was better than the awful silence that had dominated them for the past few hours.
"I... believe so. I believe that is why he is so set against it. I have not had time to confer properly with him."
"Oh." So it's just this particular monk who had skipped out on class that day, Helen thought. Honestly, what was she supposed to do with him? She had come ready to give herself up for the greater good of the universe and now... Now it seemed she would remain chaster than she would have if she had stayed at the Sister Monastery.
Helen began idly stroking her fur again-a habit she was slowly picking up out of frustration.
"So. Antauri," Helen tried again out of sheer determination. "What exactly would you like for me to do? I'm aware that you're not going to require me to... perform my full duties, but surely the Masters wouldn't have sent me here if they did not think that you would not require something from me."
Antauri sighed and looked at her for the first time since they had first met, "I suppose... a friend would be nice. I admit, I am not as... attentive to my corporeal needs as one ought to be." He glanced away again, that blush that was becoming increasingly familiar crept back up his face.
"Very well... a friend sounds nice." Helen smiled at him-not that he saw it.
