Chapter 85: Recovery
By noon, Jemky's quartet along with Diddy and Dixie had been moved elsewhere. This time, the group of little kongs were in another outdoor corner, sitting on a wooden platform with some small tables, where on top of these were a variety of fruits, mostly bananas. The six children were gathered while tasting the feast that people had prepared for them. To tell the truth, the food they provided was of good quality, so much so that it made them feel that they had not eaten well for days... which was true.
Even so, it was obvious that the quartet would be clustered in a corner, while Diddy and Dixie were a little further away from them. Both groups watched each other eat while throwing some looks of weirdness between moments.
"We'll start with the spider monkey first," one of the people suddenly appeared, catching the attention of the kongs. "Then, the rest of the primates."
The six little kongs looked strangely at first at the group of people who had arrived. But then, they assumed that it was some other test that they were going to do on them, since they were near one of the entrances of the clinic.
"Come here, little boy," one of the people said, taking Diddy in his arms. "Bring the other little ones, please," they said to the other people.
The people were taking and carrying each of the kongs in their arms, and moved them back into the building. Diddy and Dixie remained normal, unlike the quartet, who were still somewhat uncomfortable with the care and treatment of the people, even as if they were afraid of them, but without being able to express it.
Later, they came to a large ward with machines, where they left all the little kongs on individual stretchers. None of them understood what would happen next, but they just saw certain people taking what appeared to be small posters and very colorful and geometric objects that looked like baby toys.
Then, they moved each of the kongs to different corners of the ward, accompanied by a couple of people in each of them. Afterwards, those people began to make signs and even games to each one, using the toys they brought, as if they were interacting with little children, in addition to doing a kind of movement exercises for them. Diddy and Dixie, each on their own, tended to respond positively to the dynamics that were communicated to them, while the quartet only looked at the people strangely, and even showed themselves as if they were intimidated.
"No, no, come here, little boy," one of the people said, holding Melenky after he tried to escape from the stretcher. "Alright, good little monkey," they added, patting him on the head in a sweet way, though that seemed to disgust him, as if it even made him uncomfortable.
On the other hand, another couple of people were trying to hold Jemky, since he had also become restless with the interactions that people made with him. He even tried to hit one of these people, so they had to hold him more tightly until they managed to restrain him.
"There, there, calm down, little one," one of the people said as holding him and put him back on the stretcher, while caressing his head sweetly. "Don't worry, we're just playing. You must cooperate with us to know how we can treat you, little boy."
Even if these people spoke affectionately to him and looked harmless, Jemky didn't change his awkward expression on his face, and even showed himself somewhat frightened. And the same happened with the rest of the quartet, who were also uncomfortable with the treatment of the people, as if they weren't accustomed to receiving so much affection or didn't like it at all.
Later, Diddy appeared to have finished the session with the people, and was carried on the same stretcher to another room. The people retreated, leaving him alone for a moment. But a while later, Diddy went to look behind one of the windows that was there, which overlooked the previous ward, mostly to take a look at Dixie and make sure she was okay. Suddenly, he heard one of the doors open.
"... We're going to have to re-educate them; their behavior is impulsive," one of the people said as they walked in with Jemky's stretcher, with him on it. "They look a little nervous too, as if they're always on the defensive."
The people transporting Jemky placed his stretcher next to Diddy's, before leaving.
"Have you heard the news about the other four little chimpanzees?" one of the people who had entered commented.
"It can't be, were they really mechanized apes?" another person added with a horrified expression. "So, was it true?!"
"Indeed. According to quick tests: their skin, fur and much of their internal organism belong to those of a young chimpanzee of flesh and blood."
"What a horror, how can someone do that to little creatures? Surely it was those Mr. Owens!"
"That's what is about to be verified. In fact, those magnetic tapes that were found inside them did turn out to have video recordings; the investigators will try to visualize them... That material is worth gold in this case."
"So... could that supposed antecedent that those tamers had have been true?"
"I would think so; I've heard that nearly a decade ago, those gentlemen had been accused of illegal business with wild animals involved, and part of that had to do with some mechanizations, I don't know if this is the same matter. But well... I don't know what became of that; I suppose it remained unpunished in the end."
"Well, it's better that they find out soon; what other atrocities would those men commit?"
"They're going to investigate everything thoroughly. In fact, the projectile that was found in the little spider monkey led to further investigations regarding the aircraft."
Diddy made a look of surprise at the conversation of the people, who then completely withdrew from that room. He wanted to keep hearing more details and even tried to go after those people to continue listening to them, but they had already closed and secured the door. A few seconds later, Diddy returned to his stretcher to continue looking towards the ward where Dixie and the other three kids of the quartet were still there.
Suddenly, Diddy also noticed that Jemky was almost next to him, to whom he gave a look of weirdness, and he returned the same expression. Then, Diddy continued to look out that window, until he felt Jemky's presence closer, causing him a little scare at first, but then downplayed it.
"Do you know what time they're going to get us out of here?" Jemky asked seriously.
"I don't know," Diddy replied coldly and without looking at him. "I don't even know where we are, don't you know either?"
"We don't even know why all this happened," Jemky added with a shrug, before entering a moment of silence as he looked at Diddy. "So, you're back with Dixie, aren't you, monkey?" he asked him with a brief mocking smile.
Diddy instantly turned to look at him with a reluctant face after that reckless question, before looking back at the window.
"What are you talking about? We haven't gotten back," he replied with a reluctant face.
"How could it not?" Jemky added, nudging him a little. "We have seen you two very close together today, since she woke up."
"Well, obviously we're going to be together in this situation, right?" Diddy replied mockingly. "We're friends."
"But you were very affectionate and hugging each other recently, how come you haven't gotten back together?"
"Wait a minute," Diddy exclaimed, looking at him again, annoyed. "And what were you doing spying on us? You didn't even hear well what we were talking about, from what I can see."
"Well, we thought you had gotten back; we were just watching that."
"Oh, you all don't change!" Diddy replied, raising his voice a little, before looking away and rolling his eyes. "And no, we haven't gotten back... We're not going back now," he added in a calmer tone. "We just clarified the situation, that's all."
"What?!" Jemky exclaimed, surprised. "I swore you were back. And how can you not get back?"
"First of all: it's very shameless of you to come and ask me that after everything you did to us," he replied, annoyed for a moment. "And second: we're just not going back, and that's all."
"Oh, but forget about that; it's not that big of a deal anymore," Jemky replied, giving him a little push as if nothing had happened. "If I hadn't done that to you, surely you two would still be kissing each other in this place."
"You're a truly shameless scoundrel!" Diddy replied, rolling his eyes back at him. "And no, it's not so much because of what you did to us, but because of our beginning. You said it: we would be in this place anyway; you already had us under surveillance to catch us. It's just that... Our relationship and wanting to take a step from friends to lovers was what got us into trouble from the start," he added, beginning to speak in a low tone. "And we don't want it to continue like this."
"Are you serious, Diddy?" Jemky exclaimed, looking at him strangely, hands at his sides. "And so much have you said that you love Dixie, and it turns out that you throw everything overboard as if nothing?"
"Of course I love her," Diddy replied. "I still love her too much, and I feel like she loves me," he added, returning to a serious tone. "But... this is not the love story we wanted. We've just been getting into trouble and exposing ourselves to so much danger; it's not what I wanted for her after everything she had to go through. We must think about whether things are right."
"Hey, but that's no impediment; you can still convince her to come back with you... You don't even have to convince her; she loves you anyway."
"Ugh, with you it's impossible to talk, really," he replied again with disgust.
"It's that you're a fool, and you don't stop being one. And so much you wanted to see Dixie again."
"Would you stop meddling in my life, clear enough?!"
"Hmm, this way you'll be without a girlfriend forever, monkey!"
"And what do I care if I have a girlfriend or not!" Diddy replied, losing patience with him. "I only care about Dixie, I care about her and that we're okay... Oh, you don't understand, and you never will," he added, rolling his eyes.
Jemky continued to look at him strangely for a few seconds at his answers.
"Well... no, I don't understand it, seriously," Jemky said, still with a look of weirdness, but sounding with some sincerity. "I never understood your way of loving, monkey... I think you need to learn more about love."
"Well, I think the one who really needs to learn is you," Diddy replied mockingly. "Have you never really loved the girlfriends you've had?... At least did you think about whether things were going well to stay together?"
"Of course I loved them... But not like you; at least I did court them first by talking to them and listening to them, then with gifts and loving details. Later it was no longer so necessary to be that loving after I got her love; it's that easy. I didn't wait for things to happen without doing anything," he finished with a shrug. "But well, I ran out of girlfriends because they all broke up with me."
Diddy now looked at him strangely, at all the normality with which he talked about those topics. Suddenly, in the midst of the atmosphere that the conversation had taken, it occurred to him to ask Jemky a somewhat unexpected question, at least to see what he would answer.
"Hey, Jemky," Diddy said after a few seconds. "Can I ask... how did you learn about loving topics? I mean... who taught you that's how you win someone over? Your father?"
"Huh? What are you saying? Of course not," Jemky replied with a look of weirdness. "Our dads don't even care if we have a girlfriend or not... In fact, the one who taught me was the gorilla who showed us the millipede candies," he added with a small smile.
"Really? And that... was what he taught you?... And just to you or also the other three?"
"To all of us, but I was the one he wanted to teach the most. To be honest, Mandrew, Melenky and Rocky are also cowards like you; just with the breakups with their first girlfriends, they gave up," he added with a shrug. "And who taught you, monkey? I mean... who gave you love advice and taught you to be a dumb coward?"
"Well, the one who taught me to be a 'dumb coward' was Donkey," Diddy replied with a sarcastic smile. "He has a girlfriend too, in case you don't remember, and he's done pretty well."
"Was it your uncle Donkey?" Jemky said with a look of great weirdness, and remained pensive for a while at that answer. "Wow, I thought no one had taught you anything about courtships... Sure, Donkey... He was always like a father to you, wasn't he?" he added as he got a much more serious expression. "My dad doesn't even tell me anything about what it means to have a girlfriend, nor does he care. Not even he has had one… And now I don't even know who my real parents were."
"Wow... I see," Diddy replied, beginning to look at him seriously as well, while becoming curious to know if he was able to open up to talk about himself. "Hey, and… you've had many girlfriends, right? Did you really love them all... or were you just trying to show off?"
"Uhh, well... What could I tell you? I did love them, but I don't think you understand; I mean... just as I see that you love Dixie, no; I think in your place I'd already have been bored of her... What? Don't look at me like that, monkey," he finished with a mocking smile upon seeing that Diddy looked at him with great strangeness at what he said. "But yeah, although to tell the truth... sometimes I didn't know what else to do after I got a girlfriend; it was as if... I only got excited when I wanted to win her over; everything became boring later."
"And... was that what that gorilla who showed you those sweets with millipedes taught you?" Diddy asked while still looking at him strangely and still curiously. "How exactly did he teach you? I mean... what things did he tell you?"
Jemky looked at him again with another expression of strangeness... as if hesitating to answer him at first. Then, as if now showing some doubts, he looked away so he could speak.
"Well, it's that... You see, monkey, it all started because he realized that I... I was afraid of girls," he replied with a slight smile before getting serious. "I mean, when I was little, I used to fear girls a lot, even the older ones and ladies. That gorilla always had a girlfriend every week and they greeted us, but I used to hide from them, until he asked me if I was a chicken. From there, he began to advise me and told me... that I looked like a stupid and ridiculous boy for being afraid of girls, that when I grew up, I was going to be a ridiculous fool if I continued like that."
"What?" Diddy exclaimed, watching Jemky with extreme strangeness at his unexpected and sudden answer. "Hey, and did you really listen to what that crazy gorilla told you? I-I mean no offense, but... I don't think that ape was right in the head with all that he has told you or taught the four of you to do."
"Uh, t-that's what he told me," Jemky replied, stuttering a little, as if he didn't know what to answer. "He told me I was ridiculous behaving like that. He told me that to get over it, I had to become rather a true flirter, otherwise I'd never be a true strong ape, and that nobody likes those who are not like that. And he gave me a few tips on how to get a girlfriend, so that I'd stop fearing... But well, in the end that gorilla... died, and left us alone after that."
Diddy was silent for another few seconds, as he thought and tried to analyze the answers Jemky gave him. He had never spoken in depth to any of the quartet about something about their lives and, although he felt he was being a bit reckless, he also found it intriguing.
"And... can I ask what he died of?"
"We think someone killed him, we don't know who did that to him, but... one day we just found him with serious injuries, and he never woke up again."
"Oh... That sounds like that ape wasn't on the right track," Diddy told him with a look of surprise and seriousness, before entering a moment of silence. "Hey, Jemky, and... I didn't know you were afraid of girls, how come? I mean... you're so…"
Suddenly, Jemky stared at Diddy quite seriously, which made him also return a look of strangeness upon seeing an expression not so common in him.
"Uhh… well, it's that…" Jemky replied, looking away at first, but suddenly, he just smiled as if nothing had happened and looked at him again. "Ah, did I say that?... No, no, I said it just jokingly, monkey. Of course not, forget it," he continued, still smiling mockingly, although this time it looked somewhat forced.
Diddy looked at Jemky with greater strangeness at his singular reaction; in fact... it seemed as if he had become defensive to answer.
Suddenly, a door to that room opened, and more people came in pushing stretchers, where Dixie, Rocky and Mandrew came. The latter showed themselves as if they were in a tense position in the presence of the people.
Diddy smiled at Dixie from a distance for a couple of seconds, and she returned the same gesture. The people left Dixie next to him, as if they already knew for sure that the two of them were inseparable in that group of little kongs.
Later, Melenky had also been admitted to that room, completing the entire group. The kids in the quartet gathered with each other too, except for Jemky... Diddy even did not know if he had seen wrong, but he seemed to see that Jemky had remained pensive and with an expression of discomfort never seen before in him, until later he realized that Diddy was looking at him and seemed to come to his senses, and then joined his group. Diddy made a gesture of strangeness, and even wondered if perhaps he had not been reckless somewhere in the conversation between the two of them, since the answers that Jemky gave him had generated some doubt and astonishment. The only time he had heard anything profound about them was the time Dixie had asked Jemky if at home nobody paid attention to him, or even seeing how their dads treated the four of them.
"Will we take them to the playground now?" one of the people asked the others.
"I would think so; they already look able to go. We even need to assess their interaction there during recreation moments. That's the last diagnostic phase before starting their respective rehabilitations."
The kongs didn't seem to understand what the people were talking about, but they just looked at them, each with different doubts. The kids in the quartet seemed to be tense, while Diddy and Dixie just wanted to know how long they would have to keep waiting for answers about how and when they could get out of that place.
"How did that happen so long ago?" Dixie asked, showing astonishment.
"They said that," Diddy replied as they were being carried on stretchers by people in the corridors. "I didn't quite understand what they were talking about."
"Had those tamers planned for years to do that atrocious mechanization on animals?"
"Something like that was what I understood from those people. But anyway, at least they said they'll review the video recordings... We'll have to wait and see what they say about it after watching them."
"You know something, Diddy?" Dixie said pensively for a few seconds. "Well, I don't know if it was true or not, but... when I saw my parents before I woke up... at the end they told me something... about how they always tried to keep us safe from those tamers."
"What are you saying?" Diddy exclaimed with a look of surprise. "How's that?"
"I don't know what they meant, but... just now that you tell me what they said about those monstrous men, I just remembered it."
Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted as the illumination of the outer sky reappeared in front of their and the quartet's eyes. The people had taken them back outdoors again, although this time, the six little kongs were speechless at the stage in front of their eyes: something that seemed to be a colorful playground area, as if it were for little children. The only detail in particular was that in that area there were vines and handles almost everywhere, as if it were designed for primates.
"We're going to be monitoring them, don't forget," one of the people said as they were transporting the six of them to that area. "And if there is any anomaly, we must go to help them immediately."
Then, the people were taking the six kongs in their arms and took them directly to that playground, where each one was placed in different points of the area.
"You're going to stay here, little ones," one of the people told them. "Take a break, and we hope we don't see any harmful behavior between you, okay?"
The people began to withdraw from the area completely, which became somewhat strange to the kongs, as they had said they would be monitoring them, but then downplayed it. Among the six kongs they looked at each other with so much confusion and without knowing what proceeded.
"Oh, I want to go home now," Mandrew said, breaking the silence and complaining as he watched the place. "I don't understand why they make us do absurd things, in what kind of hospital does someone do that?"
"Yeah, I want to leave too," Jemky added in the same way. "What time will they let us see our dads again? Won't they already be fine so we can all escape from this place?"
"I think they won't be gotten out yet, but they're recovering too," Rocky added, shrugging and sitting down. "Well, what else is left? We'll have to wait for them in the meantime."
"In that case... what's next then?" Mandrew said mockingly. "Stay and play in this silly area for babies?"
"Hey, and Melenky?" Jemky asked, looking everywhere upon realizing that their langur friend was missing.
"Hey, come here!" Melenky's voice echoed in the distance. "Check this out!"
The quartet looked strangely in the direction where they had heard Melenky, and immediately went to follow him. Diddy and Dixie, on the other hand, were still looking at the site doubtfully, but after a few seconds, they beckoned to follow in the footsteps of the quartet to snoop around as well. They crossed that striking playground, which had certain shortcuts, platforms and levels everywhere, which even caught the attention of the kongs.
"What's going on, Melen-" Rocky asked before being interrupted by a ball that bounced off his face, though not hitting him.
"Come and see this!" Melenky exclaimed in the distance.
All the kongs present were amazed at what they saw: it was nothing more than a pool filled with colorful and elastic balls, where Melenky was submerged and playing inside it.
"Hey, is it serious, Melenky?!" Mandrew said mockingly.
"Hey, this doesn't look bad," Jemky said suddenly when he too was already inside the ball pit.
"Really?" Rocky said as he entered, and then submerged as he slipped every second among the colorful balls. "Hey, it feels good to be here. Come, Mandrew, look!"
Mandrew still seemed hesitant to follow his group, but after a few seconds, he was joining the game too.
"Move aside, here I go!" Melenky was heard shouting suddenly.
Melenky was now on a platform that was a few meters above the ball pit, from where he then jumped with the help of a vine and dropped into the same pit, causing several balls to bounce when he fell.
"Hey, I want to try!" Jemky exclaimed, looking in amazement at Melenky.
"Let's see, me too," Mandrew added, becoming more confident with the game as well.
Suddenly, the quartet seemed to have regained energy, and began to climb the platforms and vines they found in their path, and then drop into the ball pit. It wasn't something seen in them before, but now they seemed to be having fun like little children.
"I bet you can't make it there and jump!" Jemky pointed to a high platform.
On the other hand, Diddy and Dixie had entered the ball pit too, although they were rather just inspecting the area with tranquility. When suddenly, one of the kids of the quartet fell right in front of them, causing several balls to bounce towards the two. Both were going to move away, but not before the other three kongs fell sharply on the colorful balls too, creating a splash of them. Then, the four of them were seen again.
"I told you to wait for me to jump first!" Jemky complained to Mandrew by throwing a ball in his face.
"I wasn't going to jump yet; Melenky was the one who pushed me!" Mandrew replied by returning the attack with another ball to Jemky and then to Melenky, although the latter bounced off Rocky.
"And why me, you fool?!" Rocky exclaimed, taking another ball too and throwing it to Mandrew, but it fell to Melenky.
Suddenly, a war of colorful balls had been set up between the quartet, who had started it first in a plan of revenge, but their faces were changing little by little until they took it to a game mode while laughing.
Diddy and Dixie were about to walk away from the meeting point, when suddenly, some balls bounced on both, which made them turn to look behind them, and they saw Melenky looking at them in a cheerful way.
"Hey, join," Melenky told them, throwing more balls at them and laughing playfully. "Don't just stand there, come."
The other three kids looked oddly at Melenky at first, but then looked at Diddy and Dixie for a few seconds, before smiling serenely at them and beckoning them to join the game, earning dubious looks from both of them.
"Come on, this is fun," Melenky told both, taking them by the arms. "Don't be boring."
"Yeah, come on. What else is there to do here?" Jemky told them in the same way. "You can play with us."
Diddy and Dixie were still negative at the idea of joining the quartet, but the four of them kept pulling their arms or throwing balls at them while laughing... although this time in a friendly way not seen before in them.
"We're not going to fight you; it's not what you think," Rocky added in the same tone.
Suddenly, among so much fiddling with the colorful balls, Diddy returned the same movement to the quartet, before Dixie did the same action too, throwing balls in large quantities to them, which made the four frustrated at them.
"Hey, but don't overdo it either!" Rocky complained to them, returning the throws in large quantities as well.
Suddenly, another ball-throwing war had been waged, this time between the six kongs, creating a competition on both sides. Then, some of them started running through the ball pit to be able to reach each other and aim better on the throws. Later, they went up the platforms of different levels of the area, taking with them several balls to throw at each other. Although Diddy and Dixie weren't so sure they had played along with the quartet, at least they felt the game was entertaining.
"You can't get this far, monkey!" Mandrew told Diddy in a mocking tone from a distant platform.
"Did you forget I could do long jumps?" Diddy replied in the same tone, making a cartwheel to gain momentum in jumping to that platform.
Without realizing it at first, Diddy and Dixie had integrated into the quartet's game, and in fact... they weren't having such a bad time. Obviously, both did not trust them entirely and still tried to be aware in case the game began to get rough or with signs that they should flee. At least for Diddy, it was not the first time he played with the four of them; he even remembered a little about the times where they were his friends. The game had taken on an entertaining level, which made them continue for quite some time...