Relacien: Apology

Sprx walked slowly around the inside of the Super Robot, taking in every single detail he possibly could. Sure, Sprx had spent most of his life inside the giant mobile base, and one might think there was nothing new for him to see. This couldn't be farther from the truth.

After being freed from the Soul of Evil's power, Sprx had made a point of touring the Robot and taking in all the details he could. It was quite shocking how many things he had never noticed.  Like how clean the walls were. There were literally no stains, scuffs, dents; nothing. Just the never ending sight of ruthless sterilization.

"We could use some wall decorations," Sprx commented to himself. "Maybe some paintings or a tapestry."

"I happen to like the bland whiteness."

Sprx whirled around at the sudden interjection, and smiled when he saw who it was.

"Really, Otto? "

Otto stepped away from the entrance to his tube and walked in Sprx's general direction, keeping his eyes on the wall.

"Yep. It allows me to imagine possibilities. And it keeps things in perspective."

Sprx cocked an eye ridge. Otto was being quite philosophical. Otto was never philosophical.

Jeez, how much has changed since I was on that evil power trip?

"Keeps things in perspective?" asked Sprx. "How?"

"'It reinforces and old lesson," replied Otto as he walked past Sprx and touched the wall.

"And what might that be?" asked Sprx, uncomfortable for a reason he didn't understand.

Otto turned around and looked Sprx straight in the eye. "That you can't judge a book by its cover."

Sprx gulped. He didn't like where this was going.

"I mean, think about," continued Otto. "On top it's just a sterile white wall. But beneath that there's a complex system of parts that even I only partially understand."

"Yeah, I, uh…never thought about it like that," said Sprx.

"Of course you didn't," Otto half-laughed as he shook his head. "I've never known you to think about anything."

Sprx took a step backwards. That was unexpected.

"Ouch," said Sprx. "I know I'm pretty brash, but that doesn't mean I don't think."

"You never think about the important things," stated Otto, and Sprx heard a slight edge in the normally jovial monkey's voice.

"What's up, Otto?" asked Sprx, unnerved. "This isn't like you."

"What's up?" growled Otto. "I'll tell you what's up. Because of your habit of never thinking, we're now in a full-fledged war with the Skeleton King and his kingdom."

"Oh…" Sprx simply stared at the floor. So that was it.

"I mean," continued Otto, that strange half-laugh still present, "what would possess you to pick up the Fire of Hate? Didn't Gibson tell you he felt wrong when he tried to pick up the Ice Crystal of Vengeance?"

"Well, yeah," conceded Sprx as he scratched the back of his neck. "I thought he was just weak. A coward."

"So," said Otto, "you ignored the words of the smartest member of the team. Not to mention the only one who had actually come close to one of the pieces?"

Sprx had actually felt the green simian's anger rising with each word. Sprx swallowed hard before responding.

"I just wanted to stop Skeleton King's resurrection."

"And you ended up bringing him back!"

That hurt. And it hurt all the more because it was true.

He could argue all he wanted that Valina and Mandarin had been the ones who had brought the Skeleton King back, but in the end he knew he had played the pivotal role.

He had been the errand boy. He had used his magnets to take down all five of his then-former teammates to recover the Fire of Hate. He had been the one to offer the Soul of Evil at the Resurrection.

He had been the distraction that had allowed the Resurrection to succeed.

"I know I messed up, Otto," said Sprx.

"I don't understand," said Otto. The green monkey had ejected his energy saw from his left arm and was holding the blade with his right hand. There was a distinct whirring sound that told Sprx that the saw was attempting rotate while Otto held it still.  It was Otto's ultimate sign of fury, and one Sprx had only seen the green monkey use once or twice.

"W-what don't you understand?" asked Sprx, eyeing the saw warily.

"You betrayed us, you resurrected Skeleton King, and you almost killed Nova."

At the last line, Sprx almost whipped out his magnets and pulled his own circuitry out. Surely death was better than having to live with that memory for the rest of his life. But Sprx managed to fight down the unbearable guilt.

For that moment, anyway.

"You do all of those hellish things, and the only thing I feel is complete and utter relief that you're back and unharmed."

There was a moment of stunned silence, in which Sprx must have blinked a dozen times.

"W-what?" asked Sprx. And then the green monkey was upon him.

Sprx closed his eyes, waiting for the agonizing pain of an energy saw slash. But it never came.

Instead, Sprx felt himself being crushed by a monstrous bear hug. Sprx opened one eye to find Otto hugging him close.

"You're like a brother to me, Sprx," said Otto, and as he pulled his head back Sprx could see the green monkey was crying. "Antauri, Gibson, Nova, and Chiro are the best friends a monkey could ask for. But you're my brother, Sprx. Not in the same way as you and Gibson are, but the same sentiment."

Sprx had no idea what to say. This was the last thing he had expected to hear.

"Why are you telling me this now?" asked Sprx.

"I don't know," Otto said quietly. The green primate put Sprx down and turned around.

"I really have no idea. My whole body is just itching to rip you open and tear your heart out. To do what you did to the rest of us. But all I can think is that I'm so glad to have my brother back. And I guess…I guess I'm telling you this now in case you ever…" Otto trailed off, but Sprx could fill in the rest easily enough.

"Never," said Sprx as he put a hand on Otto's shoulder. The green monkey turned around to find Sprx wearing a serious expression. "If that ever happens again, I want you to slice my head clean off."

"Are you serious?" Otto recoiled, horrified.

"Stone cold," replied Sprx. "I would sooner die than have to live with another Nova incident. And I can't think of anyone I would rather have save me from that fate."

Otto stared evenly at Sprx, wearing the same serious expression.  "Would you do the same for me?"

"I would rip your heart out if you wanted me to."

It sounded horrible, but in terms of the conversation at hand it was the perfect answer. Otto held out his hand, and his usual goofy grin appeared.

"Would you like a horizontal slice or more of a diagonal approach?"

Sprx laughed and pulled Otto into a brotherly hug.

"Whatever you're better at, bro."

After breaking the hug, Otto made his way back to his workshop and Sprx continued to tour the Super Robot.

The red monkey felt stronger, and was relieved to have one conflict resolved.  After all, there was a much bigger conflict that required his attention. And Sprx was eager to show the Skeleton King how sorry he was for deserting his ranks.

But before all of that, there was a certain yellow simian who required a much different type of apology.