Minreco

A man in a dark blue cloak worked on the body of an entire robotic silver monkey. His red and blue coloured eyes were concentrated. He was just trying to put on one arm, when a sudden noise startled him. He dropped the arm and jumped in surprise, then he sighed.

"DADDY!"

The man turned around and saw two small monkeys running towards him. One was male and had orange fur, the other was yellow and female. Both looked very disappointed and angry.

"Daddy", called the female and grabbed his cloak. He bent down to the two and asked: "Nova, Mandarin, what happened now?"

"Antauwi cheated again, but didn't admit it", yelled Nova and Mandarin nodded. The man narrowed his eyes. That was the sixth time in four days that some of his children came to accuse their black-furred brother on cheating in games. "Alright, I'll come."

"Thanks father", said Mandarin and ran off. Nova looked at him with big pleading eyes.

"Fine my little princess", laughed the man and his two-coloured eyes shone and he picked Nova up. She smiled and hugged him. Both made their way to the game room. The moment he walked in, he froze.

Mandarin just punched the black monkey in front of him into the face. "Just say it!", shouted Mandarin. The black monkey, Antauri, whined: "I…I haven't cheated." His orange brother prepared another punch when the man called: "Mandarin, stop this at an instant!" The orange monkey froze, then sunk his fist and accused: "He's always cheating and never admitting it!" "I am not", cried Antauri out and got up.

"Yes you do!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do…"

"STOP!" The monkeys fell silent after he had yelled. The man focused on the green monkey in the back-ground and asked: "Otto, what have you played?"

"Who am I", answered Otto. "Antauwi always knew what person we had fow him. He just thought, then asked: Am I… a answewed wight!" "One of you always told me", defended Antauri himself. "I can trust my ears!" "You are just a cheater", shouted the red monkey.

"Sprx", cut the blue monkey in. "Do we have a proof he is? No. We shouldn't accuse him for nothing." The man smiled, when Antauri suddenly mumbled: "Liar."

"What?" "You're a liar Gibson", shouted Antauri in tears. "No one of you believes me…even you don't anymore."

The man took a step back when Antauri bared his fangs at him. In his eyes shone anger and disappointment.

"I-I thought I could at least rely on your trust fa- Alchemist", went the black monkey with bitterness on. He started to cry. The Alchemist couldn't believe his ears. Antauri had called him Alchemist and not father.

He was about to pick the black monkey up when Sprx shouted: "Ya know Antauri, sometimes I wish you never were born!" Antauri laughed insanely in his tears. "Then we're already two."

"What?", yelled everyone.

"How could I be happy in a family where never anyone believes me? I often enough wished to not be born too." He shivered and went on: "And since everybody shares that thought with Sprx and me…" Antauri didn't end the sentence, but chocked a sob and then he ran on.

"Antauri wait", called the Alchemist and ran after the black monkey, accidently dropping Nova in process. The yellow girl cried out, but his worry for his black furred child was stronger. He followed the echoing sobs of Antauri through the whole lab, but then he was out of the door.

He stopped.

Tears started to escape his eyes. His son was gone. He wouldn't survive in the jungle alone.

-with Antauri-

Antauri cried hard while he ran. It wasn't his fault, the others just shouldn't talk that loud. Also, there were always so many voices in his head. Voices which told him things he didn't want to know, things that were better kept secret. He knew so much about his siblings and his father.

For example that Nova loved Sprx back even if she hit the red monkey always. Also, that the Alchemist and the Super-Hero-Guy that visited sometimes were brothers.

Antauri screamed and fell when great pain struck through him and his heart felt like it stopped beating. Nearby he heard a female wolf yowling in pain over her by the father killed son.

Finally he pushed himself up and ran on again, tears still streaming down his face. Suddenly it started to rain. Soon thunder and lightning followed and Antauri winced every time an animal which was scared of thunder winced as well. He desperately tried to find a place where he could wait for the rain to stop and finally spotted a cave. He swiftly ran up there, slipping in mud-puddles what seemed like dozens of times. His soft black fur was soaked with water and covered with brown goo. Antauri sat down, then he screamed in pain when hundreds of voices rushed through his head.

"Is that a wild animal?"

"Is it dangerous?"

Idiots, it's a child!"

"I believe those are called monkeys!"

"Why is it here?"

"Should I help?"

"Stop", screeched the black monkey in pain. "Please, I can't take it, stop it!" He broke down and grabbed his hurting head. He now saw the ceiling and met the gazes of hundreds of bats.

"What am I supposed to stop?"

"What's wrong with that poor kid?"

"I wish I could help!"

Antauri screamed in pain. Why didn't they stop talking? And why all of them together? "They aren't talking young one", soothed a female voice now. The voice send out a soft tune and it became silent. Antauri breathed out. This silence had been gone for months. "Do you feel better now my young friend?"

Antauri just managed a nod, not caring where the voice came from. Suddenly one of the bats spoke up again.

"Hey Aura what are you doing." Antauri followed the bats gazes and saw how a white bat with red-eyes and silver wings sailed towards him. "Helping this poor child Stone", answered Aura. Antauri recognized her voice as the one that silenced all the others. "I haven't silenced any voices", answered Aura without opening her mouth. "I merely built a blockade around your mind."

"Huh?", asked Antauri confused.

Aura gestured him to follow her and Antauri pushed himself up and tumbled a bit before he was able to follow. She led him deeper into the cave and soon Antauri wasn't able to see anything. After bumping in three walls he complained: "I can't see anything!"

"Use your mind young one", advised Aura, her voice ringing in his head. Antauri blinked confused but reluctantly closed his eyes and concentrated. Surprised he exactly knew where he had to go. He didn't see anything, he just knew. After a while Aura said: "You can open your eyes now."

Antauri did so and gasped. In front of him was a clear pool surrounded by white stones. From a hole in the cave-ceiling the last raindrops fell into it. "Wow", breathed the black monkey and Aura said: "Rest here for now. I'll be there when you wake up." Antauri instantly collapsed onto the ground and fell asleep. Aura chuckled in his head, then she remained silent so he could rest.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-with the Alchemist-

The Alchemist sat in his lab, his head resting on a table. Suddenly the door opened and a young voice called: "Alchemist, are you here?" The Alchemist looked up and saw his younger brother coming towards him. He smiled sadly. "Captain Shugazoom." The young man narrowed his eyes in concern. "What's wrong Alchemist?"

The coated man sighed, then he answered: "Antauri ran away and it's my fault as well as the others." He saw how his brother paled. Well knowing Captain Shugazoom liked the black monkey the most of the six he hugged his brother.

"But…but why?"

"Lately the others often accused Antauri on cheating in the games. He less and less played with them and said he didn't cheat. In the end…the others had no proof for him cheating, but he also had no for not doing it. That's why…why I started to have my doubts in his words too. Three days ago another incident happened and Antauri said he, like the other monkeys, sometimes wished he wasn't born. I couldn't believe what he said but…the worst for me was…when he confronted me that he knew I didn't believe him anymore either he…he called me Alchemist."

"You mean he didn't call you father like normally?"

The Alchemist nodded sadly. "Clayton what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know Al, but shall I look for him in the jungle?"

"I doubt he's still alive, but I would be very thankful when you try."

Clayton nodded, put his helmet back on and ran off. The Alchemist sat down. He had lost this whole will to live with Antauri's leaving. Without one of the monkeys their whole family was incomplete.

Otto was crying three days straight and Nova refused to leave the bed. Gibson just stared at his books instead of reading them and Sprx hadn't cracked a joke since that day. Even Mandarin, the strongest and oldest of the monkeys, just stared out of the window in hope he would see Antauri coming back.

-with Antauri-

Antauri screamed when the wolf scratched over his right eye. "Antauri, you have to plaster the image of you being three times bigger than him into his head, then he'll run away", advised Aura. Antauri nodded and concentrated.

-After he had woken up in the cave Aura had explained to him that he was a Minreco, which meant he had the ability to read and control minds. With this knowledge Antauri had understood why he knew so much of his siblings. He had always heard their thoughts. The first thing Aura had taught him was how to block thoughts out. They would always rush through his head if he wasn't blocking them. Then she had taught him how to put illusions into someone's head.-

Antauri concentrated and pushed his mind towards the wolf. The moment he felt it he thought about the picture he wanted the wolf to see. Then he opened his eyes to see how the wolf's eyes widened. Then he turned and raced off with a scared yelp.

"I…I did it", said Antauri surprised.

Aura allowed him to feel her praise and she said in his head: "Come back to the cave young one so we can get your eye patched up. I'm very proud."

Antauri nodded and a warm feeling brushed through him. He had never had a mother, but if he would get one he hoped she would be a bit like Aura. He ran off and soon reached the cave. Silently he walked in, not to wake the other bats, and back to the secret-pool.

His black fur was already covered with a few scars. Three came from bats which got angry when he was too loud during daytime.

One near his tail from a…he really had no idea what animal that had been. It had been as big as him and a cat-head. Also a monkey-like body and strange scythes. It nearly cut his tail off.

When he arrived, Aura looked after his wound and sighed: "That will be another scar."

Antauri answered: "It could've turned out worse, not?"

"Yes, you luckily didn't lose the eye."

After the bleeding was stopped Aura cleaned the wound with the water from the pool. "Go to sleep Antauri", advised the wise bat and Antauri nodded tiredly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Antauri", began Aura one day. Antauri looked up, or better down. The three months he had spent with Aura and the bats had made him grow fast since he was always in action, be it psychical or physical. He looked deep into Aura's eyes, then felt a strange push on the wall around his mind. He lowered it short enough for Aura to get in and she stated sadly: "Antauri, it's time for you to return home, there is nothing left I can teach you."

Antauri's eyes widened. He didn't want to leave, she was his only friend.

"I am your friend, but not your only friend Antauri, your other friends are waiting at home, desperate for your return, but slowly they start to give up…they miss you."

Antauri was silent and a yarning feeling grew inside of him. Images of the Alchemist and his siblings flashed through his mind and he swallowed tears.

"Go home Antauri."

"But…what if they don't want me back after I come back?" Aura smiled and stretched upwards to strike his cheek gently.

"Then you can still come back here, not?" Antauri broke through his own walls and brought his mind towards hers. She was saying the truth.

"I'll be here", promised Aura in her mind. Antauri tried to hold the tears back, but he was still a child and so they came out. He cried long and sobbed even harder when Aura hugged him.

"Th-thanks for ev-everything Aura", sobbed the monkey. Aura's thoughts became warm and caring and she answered: "It was my pleasure to do so Antauri. Now come, I want to show you one last thing."

She let go of him and locked her thoughts away again. One moment Antauri felt lonely, then he pulled his own thoughts back as well and blocked them against everyone else's thoughts. "Look in there and tell me what you see", asked Aura and pointed into the pond. Antauri did so and looked at his reflection.

"I see myself."

"Then now try to remember how the monkey I started teaching looked like."

Antauri closed his eyes and remembered how his reflection had looked like back there. A small, sad, scared monkey with watery eyes and mud-covered fur. He compared the picture with what he saw now and smiled when he understood. The scars didn't matter and he hadn't just grown size and muscles, but also self-confidence and thoughtfulness.

"Thanks for showing this to me Aura, and farewell", said the monkey and left the cave, not looking back once.

-with the Alchemist-

The Alchemist sighed when he watched his remaining five children playing on a clearing in the jungle. His brother had given up looking for Antauri after one month. Again he remembered how cheerful Antauri had been once before the abuses had started. With another deep sigh he sat down on a rock and Nova ran towards him.

"Awe you still sad because of 'Tauwi?", asked the girl.

The Alchemist just nodded. The monkeys had an easy time to read him nowadays. Antauri's disappearance had left a big hole in his heart, a big hole nothing seemed to be able to close. He started to pet Nova, who purred happily. The Alchemist gazed up to the sky. Had it really been just three months? He felt like Antauri had been gone for at least a year.

He froze when Gibson screeched in alarm and shouted: "Wolves!"

The Alchemist stood up and saw how the four male monkeys tried to run to him, but they were swiftly stopped by three wolves. Frozen in fear the Alchemist could do nothing but hold a shivering Nova close. The biggest wolf suddenly lunged forward and directly at Gibson. The blue monkey screeched in fear, the there was a black blur and the wolf was tackled back.

Both, the wolf and its attacker rolled through the high grass, but then the attacker was thrown off, but spun around in the air and landed safely on his feet. The Alchemists eyes widened in surprise and the monkeys froze. In front of them, between the wolves and his brothers stood the missing part of their family.

The wolf yowled something and Antauri answered calmly: "Yes me again and I won't let you hurt them." He positioned himself protectively in front of his brothers and the wolves howled again.

"We will see", answered Antauri.

The Alchemist watched worried how all of the wolves lunged at the black simian at the same time, but Antauri didn't bother to move. He kept a stead gaze on the wolves and suddenly those froze and their ears turned left.

"I don't hear anything", whispered Nova.

Suddenly the smallest wolf yowled in panic and raced off. The second wolf followed only seconds later while the first one growled something.

"Ah", answered Antauri. "But if my ears aren't wrong the flood will be here before you reach me, not?"

Flood, wondered the alchemist. There isn't even water anywhere nearby.

The black monkey smirked and finally, with a panicked howl the last wolf ran off as well. Everybody was silent and stared at the black monkey, then the Alchemist placed Nova down and hurried to his black-furred child.

Antauri gave a surprised yelp when he was scooped up and hugged, but then he purred and hugged back. "Antauri, oh god, Antauri where were you?", whispered the Alchemist. He got no answer, the black monkey was too busy with purring. Finally Antauri smiled at him and answered: "I missed you…father." The Alchemist almost cried at the last word and one tear escaped him when Antauri nuzzled into his neck. Then he examined the monkey in his arms and gasped at the scars he saw. Especially the scar across his right eye looked bad.

Antauri saw at what he was staring and said: "They look worse than they are."

"Daddy, can you finally put him down?", complained Sprx. The Alchemist saw how the monkeys all looked up at them and Antauri let out a laugh. Smiling he set the black monkey down, who was immediately tackle-hugged by Otto.

"Antauwiiiiii", cheered the green monkey. "I missed you soooooooo!"

Antauri laughed and hugged his brother back. "I missed you too Otto." When Otto let go, Nova clung into her brother's fur and sobbed: "Antauwi, never leave us again. It wasn't the same without you." The Alchemist watched happily how Antauri was welcomed by everyone. When it was Mandarins turn he refused to hug his brother and the Alchemist was afraid Antauri would get upset, but the black monkey just smiled, lunged forward and pulled Mandarin into a hug.

"Don't be like that Mandarin, I missed you as much as the others."

Mandarin didn't hug back, but smiled a bit and meant: "Uhhh, about the cheating, I think we owe you a 'sorry'."

The Alchemist smiled, but was surprised when Antauri let go of Mandarin and scratched the back of his head.

"Well, about that, I kinda was cheating, even if I never meant to and didn't know I was."

The alchemist glanced at his child worried and Antauri looked back and asked: "Does the word Minreco mean something to you?"

"It does but why…", he trailed off when realisation hit him and he bent down to Antauri. "What am I thinking of right now?"

Antauri was silent for a while, then he raised an eyebrow and asked: "Why would I want to eat a bug?"

The man laughed and said: "I just wanted it to be something you wouldn't guess." Antauri smiled brightly. "Can someone explain now?", asked Gibson. Smiling at his children the alchemist explained: "A Minreco is a person who can read and control thoughts. It appears Antauri is one of those."

He saw how his son smiled brightly while he explained: "That was the reason I knew what you would do in our games. I had no control over my abilities and often got a headache because all of your thoughts rushed through my head." "And now", asked Sprx curiously. Antauri shrugged and meant: "Now I'm just blocking them. I…"

The black monkey trailed off. He just stared into nowhere and the alchemist was about to shake him when he shouted happily: "Aura!" Antauri ran a bit away from them and gazed into the sky. Al followed his gaze and saw a white bat with silver wings circling above them. She looked down at Antauri with proud and they stared at each other for a while, having a silent communication. Then Aura suddenly flew away and Antauri said out loud: "I'm gonna miss you too Aura, thanks for teaching me so much."

The Alchemist smiled and said: "Common kids, it's time to go home."

"Yeahhhhh", cheered the kids, then they stopped and looked at Antauri who still gazed into the sky. A lonely tear ran down his face.

"'Tauwi, youw coming?", asked Nova.

Antauri looked at them, then he nodded and raced to his family. The Alchemist smiled when the black monkey jumped into his arms.

Their family was complete once more.