Chapter 43: Meet the Apes

Chapter 43: Meet the Apes

Come morning of the next day, Edgar and Professor Margaret Rust stepped into the forest with suspicion in their eyes. Their hearts with filled with excitement and fear for the unknown, while their feet shuffled warily through the undergrowth.

Behind them, Jack trailed with a wide grin. Hed experienced so many things in this forest. It had only been a few days, but he remembered every tree and bush around here. It smelled like home.

Edgar looked at the trees around him. Nothing had changed from a few steps back, where Jack assured them was the dungeons border. So, this is a dungeon, he said. Looksokay?

A conquered dungeon, Jack corrected him.

I assume there are changes deeper inside, the professor noted, inspecting everything with a sharp eye.

And you said there are monkeys? Edgar asked again. Like Brock?

In a sense.

What?

Youll see.

Jack took the lead, crossing the foliage at his normal speed. The others lagged behind greatlywhether due to stats, experience, or old age, in the professors case, he couldnt tell. To help them, Jack set to gently pulling the bushes aside and choosing easier paths. He didnt harm the forest; it felt so dear to him now.

Birds chirped overhead, and small animals darted from branch to branch. Now that the monsters were gone, the forest was repopulating, and the entire fauna heaved a collective sigh of relief.

Life was returning.

Jack spared a look for two little birds on a branch. They werent bothered by the Systems arrival. No blue screen was shoved in their faces, no life-or-death calamities, no alien overlords looming in the horizon. They were just birds.

He smiled.

The wind ruffled some leaves above, letting a ray of sunlight dotted by leafy shadows fall on the birds, scaring them and making them take off. One followed the other as they zigzagged through branches and out of sight.

Jack followed them with his eyes. As soon as he lost track, he noticed another shape silently watching from the overgrowth, melding with the shadows and with a piece of poop in hand.

Hold! he shouted, raising a hand. Wait!

The monkey stopped just short of launching its projectile. It made sounds of surprise as it noticed it was him, then of joy as it fell from the tree and gave him a bear hug.

The professor screamed and Edgar readied a fireball.

No fire in the forest, idiot! Jack berated him.

Sorry!

Uu-uu-aha! the monkey yelled, hugging Jack by the waist and lifting him up with enough strength to break a pre-System human twice over. Brock rushed at the monkey and hugged its leg, happy to be finally seeing one of his kind again. The monkey froze for a moment, then petted his headhe let it.

Easy, easy. He laughed, turning to it. He patted its shoulder and dropped back down. Professor and Edgar, this is one of the gymonkeys I was telling you about.

The professor was already squinting, then said, Fascinating

Oh, wow. I didnt know the System had a sense of humor. Edgar looked the monkey up and down, scanning it.

Gymonkey, Level 13

A monkey variant from planet Green. Gymonkeys inhabit all forest biomes and move in packs, defending their territory with flying poop and great muscles. Their unique name comes from their habit of lifting heavy things to increase their strength.

While not particularly aggressive, they are highly territorial.

Not the System, my friend; evolution! From what I understand, these monkeys appeared naturally on planet Green.

It says here theyre territorial, Jack, the professor noted. Arent we intruding?

Its okay; Im bros with their big bro, so I can bring friends over.

Excuse me?

I said, youll see. Come on, little one; take us to Harambe.

Edgar and the professor stared at the primates with wonder. When they reached the forest gym, their wonder turned into astonishment.

You have got to be kidding me, said Edgar.

This is fascinating! the professor said, watching everything wide-eyed. I cant wait to study them.

Lets leave the studying for later, Professorand be polite, please.

A third brorillaOzstood in the center of the forest gym, inspecting the exercising gymonkeys. Harambe himself appeared from behind the bananarm plant, where he liked to lounge mid-work out. The professor and Edgar gasped.

Thats a big gorilla, said Edgar.

Of course! Its their big bro, Jack replied, smiling.

A brown blur flew through the clearing and smashed into Harambe, who laughed deeply as he hugged his son. It was a touching reunion; both father and son looked at each other, then smiled widely.

When Brock finally let go and fell to the ground, Jack walked up to Harambe and exchanged a handshake. Hed quit flexing back at the gorillas, since his comparatively tiny muscles only drew their nods of sympathy.

Meanwhile, Brock had rushed over behind the bananarm tree, to the place where his mother usually rested. Jack let him be with a smile.

Harambe took his time studying Edgar and the professor. Then, slowly, he nodded and moved in for a handshake.

Easy, Harambe, Jack said quickly. Be very gentle or youll break their hands.

He listened. Despite his hands looking gigantic compared to theirs, his handshake was soft like a babys. The professor nodded in approval. What a well-behaved young man.

Its nice to meet you, Harambe, Edgar said, eyes sparkling. Nice name.

Harambe smirked and nodded. The rest of the apes had also congregated around them by now, eyes gleaming with plain curiosity. The two of them felt nervous, of course, but tried not to show it.

Meanwhile, the professor was staring at the groins of the gymonkeys and brorillas with obvious disappointment, which made the brorillas extremely uncomfortable. Three of the five started working out on the spot to feel better.

She shook her head, then said, I have only seen such idiocy in undergraduate exam answers But I have to say, Jackshe stopped as a gymonkey reached out for her hair and smelled it, then continued your friends here are very strong. Any of the brorillas could take on Henry White, and Harambe is Level 37. With them as the factions contracted monsters, I dare say were one of the strongest factions on Earth.

The monkeys and gorillas, hearing that they were very strong, cheered and started flexing at once. The professor, Edgar, and even Jack watched them with mild amusement.

Theyre plenty strong, yeah, Jack agreed. They dont like leaving their forest, but if we move our headquarters here, theyll help protect everyone. Maybe work them out, too. Thats one reason why I said we should move.

Hmm. The professor looked around. And the other reason?

Check this out.

Jack walked to the bananarm plant and, after asking permission from Harambe, took two bananarmsBrock had already eaten one, of course. Try these, he said, handing them over.

Edgar quickly peeled the bananarm and took tentative bites, while the professor studied its shape and coloration for a long moment. Earth bananas have been selectively bred for centuries, she said.

I know, Professor, I know. Its suspicious. Just eat it.

After hesitating for another moment, she slowly peeled it off and tried. Jack and the primates watched them, making Edgar so nervous he struggled to swallow. Eventually, however, he managed, and then his eyes widened at the notification.

Wow, he said. I got some bonus! Then, after perusing his status screen, his excitement morphed into puzzlement. Where is it, though?

Physical consists of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, Jack explained. The bananarm increases your Strength by ten points, but that isnt immediately visible in the Physical stat. I suspect it shows the minimum of the three sub-stats or something like thatnot the average.

Ten points?! His eyes widened. Wait. I do feel stronger. Can I have that?

A monkey handed him a dumbbell which he struggled but managed to lift. Look at that! he exclaimed, letting it drop on the ground with a thud. He flexed his biceps. Im strong!

Every primate smiled, nodded, and gave him encouraging pats in the back. Oz slung an arm over his shoulder and tried to lead him to a bench press but was stopped by Jack.

Later, please, he said. I have more things to show them.

Theres more!?

Of course! The bananarm was just the start.