His fall from the ecstasy of dreams was abrupt and strange.
Upon waking, he found four figures floating over him, engaged in a half-whispered argument. They were small, but unnecessarily close, close enough for their breath to run over his exposed face as their shrill voices fell into what felt like an ever-running argument.
He looked around, trying to discern his surroundings but all he could perceive was a dark, echoic room; the only illumination came from a dim red light somewhere in the distance.
'My eyesight is better, but it still feels like I should be seeing more.'
'In my dream, there was heat on my skin. I felt the wind when I ran and the softness of the grass when I lay on the bank. And the... the.. sky? So blue!'
He went silent as he considered what he had seen.
'Maybe it's because I am different now? Then I felt... stronger.'
He recalled the baying hounds and the flight from their slavering maws. He recalled the thudding of his feet on stone pathways, sending deep vibrations throughout his body. He savoured the memory of the burn in his lungs and muscles as he strained them in desperation.
What he recalled was the undeniable sensation of being alive.
'I'm not sure what this is but-'
His internal monologue quieted, uncertain of how to articulate his thoughts: despite what he now knew to be some inhibited mental state, he could not stop himself from reaching a startling conclusion...
'I think I have been reincarnated!'
As ludicrous as the idea seemed, the sense of weight he derived from the dream led him to believe that he had once before been alive. Now, he was a baby, swaddled in a cot and surrounded by chattering children.
That is what the shapes above him were; his instinctual knowledge and the context of his dream informed this abduction.
"Hey, Bugs," a green-topped shape, likely a Green-haired young boy, asked, "Should this baby be quiet like that?"
Another child -a girl- answered him, she sounded a tad older and slightly more self-certain. "What? Yeah, some of them wake up like that, but don't make too much noise or-"
"WOAH! I think his skin is red!" A younger boy's voice excitedly added.
"Wukong, shut up!" Another boy's voice whispered. He hesitated before adding, "And it's definitely just the light, dummy."
"Nah uh," the younger boy, Wukong, added. "Rey, Bugs, see; the baby has red skin!"
The green-haired shape, Rey, leaned in closer. "He's right! Bugs, the baby's glowing red. He wasn't like this in the tank."
"No way..." Bugs, the girl-child said, leaning closer, "It's just the light. And it's not 'the baby', his designation is Subject Nautilus Twenty."
"I'm not calling him that! It's stupid," Wukong complained, "When is he getting his real name?"
"You're stupid, monkey." The other boy, not Rey, called out, "can't even read a designation code."
"Wiggin, stop it," Bugs chided, "and Wukong, you know he'll only get a name if Uncle gives it to him."
Who is this Uncle person? And Nautilus-20 is nice and all, but it just doesn't say ME. I'd prefer something more like... Skyborn Heavensblade!
"Speaking of Uncle..." Rey began. His green head of hair looked a little brighter until a sharp beam of green light flashed in the centre of his forehead. He said, "Oh! He's coming, hide!"
There was a scuttle and shuffle of small feet. It all went silent just as a beep and a metallic click signalled the opening of a door.
Hurried footsteps on concrete flooring were abruptly followed by the flicking of a light switch. With it, the dark room that had been illuminated only by a red beam was suddenly bathed in cold, hospitallike LED luminosity.
'Oh, I can see better now!'
The infant in the crib grew excited as he watched the colourful tiles on his ceiling. In his peripheral vision, he could make out the glass sides of his crib.
Soon, a pair of dark trousers came into view.
"Hello there, little Nautilus." A man's familiar voice gently said. "Are you ready for your first day at the Zoo?"
The man was none other than the scientist who'd created and first held him, Dr. Traubert.
Traubert tucked the slips of fabric that had gotten loose from the baby's swaddling, and then proceeded to lift him into a gentle hold.
Dr. Traubert carried an academic's demeanour. Silver-rimmed spectacles rested on a long, thin nose. His dull-green eyes looked to possess an internal twinkle as he observed the reddish-brown baby in his arms. His salt-and-pepper hair was in a tousled state, but he seemed either oblivious or uncaring.
'Ey, this guy's not too bad looking, you know.'
Dr. Traubert gently swayed the baby in his arms, speaking to him in a low voice. "Little sailor, little sailor, so far from your home seas."
The sentence was spoken in a sing-song voice, coupled with the strange variant of English being spoken, the baby had some trouble interpreting it.
The doctor's next words were easier to interpret as they were spoken clearly and loudly:
" If you come out now, you can go with us."
Silence.
"Oh? Well after the tests we'll be heading out to the Grounds..." He added with a smile.
Wiggin's shrill voice could be heard shouting; "Wukong no!"
There was a brief scuffle and a small hairy child emerged seemingly out of nowhere, causing subtle ripples in the air.
Wukong had a chubby, round face with sparse ape-like features. He looked no older than five years old, with his head framed by a swirl of bronze-gold hair, tufts of which appeared over his hands —all four of them, including the pair that served as his feet.
"Hello, Doctor Uncle-Traubert." He said innocently, his long golden tail swishing excitedly.
"Hello, Wukong. You're up early this morning." Traubert answered amiably.
Wukong's sheepish smile revealed long sharp canines. "I just wanted to see the new baby. You know, I've never seen a baby before... in person."
"I am aware, yes. Say, Wukong, are you the only one here?"
Wukong considered it for a moment before nodding. "Yup, just me."
The doctor gave the monkey-child a humour filled inspection. "If you say so." He punctuated the statement with a small wink that made Wukong giggle. "Come along then, we'll have to get your newest brother innoculated and show him around, do you think you can help me with that?"
Following Wukong's enthusiastic nodding, they left the hospital like room. Dr. Traubert had to produce a silver key-card before the metallic door beeped open for them.
They exited into a wide corridor. Its walls were filled with clear glass windows revealing what looked like numerous empty nurseries. After passing the nurseries, they reached the opposite end of the corridor where once more Dr. Traubert produced his key-card to open two darkly coloured metal doors.
Through the doors, two men stood guard. The pair stood at nearly two and a half metres tall, towering over the scientist, the red baby, and the monkey-child.
'What do they feed these giants?!'
The duo were clad in archaic plate armour, each carrying a sheathed short sword at the waist.
They looked puzzled at the sight of Wukong accompanying Dr. Traubert, but they quickly controlled themselves when the scientist simply walked past.
Wukong clasped Nautilus-20's hand as they walked, "Did you see that, Baby? Those Valoured look so cool! I always ask to touch the swords but they don't ever let me."
Chuckling, Dr Traubert said, "Their swords are enchanted to work only for them. You couldn't use them even if they wanted you to. Plus, you're so small, Wukong, you're not yet strong enough. But one day you will be, and then you can get your own sword."
Wukong looked excited at the prospect of becoming a Valoured warrior.
The trio soon entered a large metal-lined room.
Scientists and doctors fussed around the room. When Dr Traubert entered with subject Nautilus-20 and Wukong, all activity paused.
Dr Traubert spoke loudly, "Everyone, I know we're all excited at the devatting of the final Subject, but now's not the time to get sloppy. I understand the urge to get him processed quickly, but the name of the game is thorough inspection and effective care. Clear?"
A unanimous "Yes, doctor!" followed.
This Dr. Traubert guy runs a tight ship.
Subject Nautilus was carried off into a corner of the large room, and Wukong followed. A reedy-voiced doctor tailed after them, unpacking a vial of medicine and a wickedly sharp needle.
"Hold him tight, doc." The reedy-voiced dr said.
What's he going to do with tha- OWWW!
The sound of a crying infant filled the space. The assembled doctors and scientists paid no mind. While Wukong took Subject Nautilus' tiny hand into his small, hairy one. "Shh. Don't cry. It's okay, Baby. It's only a small poke."
'Unhand me! This quack just tried to kill me with his tiny blade!'
Dr Traubert began shushing the small infant while another doctor neared. When Subject Nautilus finally quieted, he was handed to the new doctor, who lifted him onto a scale.
"Nine pounds!" The female doctor happily declared.
Dr Traubert began stroking his chin. "That's two pounds heavier than yesterday. How?"
"Maybe the nutrient solution is that effective?" She added in a questioning tone.
"No," Dr Traubert answered. "Even then, this drastic a change is unprecedented. -Hmm-. I think we have to revise just how 'human' we consider this subject to be. His metabolism is beyond what we've calculated so far... order an increase in his nutrient supply."
"Yes doctor."
After that, more doctors appeared and a new string of tests were conducted, with Dr Traubert making pronouncements based on the results.
After the umpteenth test, Wukong had wandered off in boredom. Dr Traubert called for him suddenly. "Wukong, we're done with the tests now."
'FINALLY! I felt like a guinnea pig with all that prodding and poking.' Subject Nautilus thought.
Wukong made his joy evident by doing a backflip. His landing elicited some soft gasps.
Dr Traubert carried the infant subject out of the room, with young Wukong following some distance behind.
They walked through a large laboratory space. Even more scientists wandered this space. Advanced machinery beeped and buzzed and clanked. Low, whispered voices were audible over the sounds.
The trio passed through the room into a long hallway. Dr Traubert passed his silver keycard on a sealed door, and the metallic doors parted.
Beyond the doorway, tall, thin trees grew on a verdant field of grasses and shrubs. Flowers littered the space, and their scent carried throughout.
The sudden change from a lifeless laboratory to green haven was jarring, so jarring that they almost missed the inhabitants of the hidden park.
Children and adolescents frolicked in the park while lab-coat-adorned scientists quietly observed. At first glance they appeared to be normal children, but at second glance, oddities were unveiled.
Several had scales and fangs. Some had fur, horns and sharp claws. One was altogether too large to appear human, with wrinkled grey skin, like that of an elephant.
'What is this place?'
Wukong grinned, revealing the large fangs on his apelike visage. "Baby, look," He said, "We're in the Grounds. Whoo!"
He ran off, leaving Subject Nautilus alone in the arms of Dr Traubert. The doctor looked at the infant in his arms with a genial expression. He began walking deeper into the Grounds.
The ceiling of the Grounds unveiled itself to the infant. It was a clear dome, open to the sky. A sky littered with stars, and there, taking up a significant portion of the heavens, was a large blue and green planet. Whispy clouds roiled on its surface.
Dr Traubert seemed to follow the infant's eyes. He pointed up to the large planet. "You have a good eye, little sailor. That's the earth. It's our homeworld." He gestured around with his freehand. "And this place... no matter what they tell you, it's got nothing on the Earth. This place is nothing more than a zoo."
Subject Nautilus took in the Doctor's words, but his eyes remained fixed on the distant Earth. In the depth of his heart, where none could ever hope to look, a burning desire was born. A desire to see the Earth's blue sky.