The arrogant monkey went from smug and confident to considerably more confused. Andrew was never good at hiding his expression so to hear this was actually pretty startling.
Oikonny was always curious about that all powerful technology - the one that got his beloved uncle banished in the first place. Emperor Andross abilities, he had even found the data, his research on space and time in incomplete bits and pieces. Quantum particles were completely under his control and Andrew in retrospect wondered if it was possible -- that his uncle was able to create his army as quickly he did due to the nature of these discoveries and technology.
The young macaque never asked though, it always felt so beyond him. Even when finding more of these details of his studies, Andrew had no desire to use it. Sure he could hypothetically use it but it always terrified him. He wasn’t sure why. So he used the research and studies of his uncle’s other creations, but this was one he had vowed to never touch.
This confirmed his fears, but he immediately couldn’t accept it.
“... H-how is that possible?! I just t-thought you married into the family and they wanted to keep it low! I...” Was all he could shout in frustration and disbelief. But it actually deeply disturbed him and set his fur on end. It was like his understandable unease of the technology came at him in his face. Even if it was a lie, it still terrified him.
“I-I -- you know what? I bet you’re lying! You’re just saying that so I can’t use you for blackmail! W-well I won’t be easily fooled!”
Andrew should have been thankful that one of his tutors came back, apologized, and continued to work with him. Mr. Silveira was a patient man who was a well-renowned professor in mechanical engineering and robotics.
Ever since that fateful day he walked in listening to his various instructors giving their grievances of him, the old white-faced saki assured that things would be different for the young heir. That he would be more understanding in his teaching him.
He kept true to his word, Andrew noticed the immediate difference. No more were the thoughtful conversations, but instead, a constant concern for his well-being, from needing to take a break or claiming it was enough studying for one day. Andrew accepted the apology, as he always knew that Mr. Silveira was always an interesting person to talk to.
Was. That was the keyword.
“Let me do that for you,” The old saki stated as he took away the project that Andrew was in the process of putting things together.
A sigh of frustration at the boy’s clumsiness as he knocked the items off the table to the floor by mistake, “Not again… ” With a murmur under his breath.
“Don’t touch that! What were you thinking?” He stated in panic forcefully pulling Andrew’s hand away from fiddling with the small motor, “It’s my job to make sure you’re not hurt.”
Slowly but surely over the months what initially made him one of his favorite tutors, made him into a sentimental man he absolutely loathed. Mr. Silveira was treating him like an invalid who would never amount to anything. It was like the whole dynamic changed that fateful day when he overheard all their opinions. In fact, normally he never paid too much attention to the young prince but now he had slowed down so much for Andrew that it was belittling.
It was the usual time when he arrived in the room, but Andrew was nowhere to be seen. He looked curiously about the room, searching for him.
“Andrew? Andrew?” Worry began to consume the older ape as he looked around, worrying about his own life in panic in case he lost the child. If he couldn’t find him, there would be severe punishments. Somewhere along the way, he got the idea to perhaps look in one of the closets.
Much to his surprise, not because he found the little simian in there but what else was in there with him.
"Andrew, what do you think you’re doing?“ He walked over to one of Andrew’s closets opening it. The young macaque’s fur stood on end and so did the white-faced saki’s own. That was when the old ape realized it was the boy was the reason things were going missing.
Andrew was normally a boisterous child, but when he was quiet he could barely be detected. Somehow he managed to slip by everyone and steal so many supplies for the past few months – but to do what?
Somehow he had managed to make a little work table in this walk-in closet, where there several piles of resistors, capacitors, diodes, thermistors, LEDs, transistors, integrated circuits, transmissions, drive motors, wires, many pieces of scrap metal and much more. There was blue prints, scrawled sloppily to some degree but there were hints that he was completely concentrating. It seemed he had made several attempts to build something already, all which seemed to be half finished ideas. There also was the missing computer as well within this little work lab he built for himself, and a poorly sewn plush monkey making some odd noises on the table that was also hooked up to the computer from its tail.
All he could say was in a frustrated voice while rubbing his forehead: “Andrew, you should ask before taking all of this.”
Andrew’s ears flattened against his head, “I don’t need to ask, I’m the next emperor.” Then his golden eyes narrowed and his voice was rising up in volume, “And you were going to say no either way because you never let me do anything! You think you can compliment me and I’ll just eat it up!”
The older ape sighed for a moment finding himself at a loss for words, “That’s not true –”
“‘Oh Andrew, good job. I couldn’t do that!’” There was an unusual amount of venom from the small boy’s voice as he stomped one of his feet, “You’re my teacher! You’re supposed to know MORE than me! You can do that! I’m not an idiot!”
“I don’t think you’re an idiot An-”
"Then why do you treat me like one?! You didn’t actually defend me to say what I was good at!“ Andrew stomped his foot against the ground, growing increasingly emotional with the situation. His voice becoming fast. “That’s because I’m not good at anything like they said, right?! You’re a professional in the field and my uncle is paying you for a reason, so do your job instead of having me waste my potential!”
“Andrew, you’re not going to waste away if we –” Mr. Silveira was growing increasingly agitated.
"Yes I am, that’s why you all want to keep me stupid so you can get close to Andross! You were all just here for my uncle Andross’ wealth he’s giving you! Maybe you’re planning to get rid of me when he’s gone too, huh?!“ The young monkey showed his teeth snarling at him.
"Where are you getting these ideas-”
"You never disagreed with what others were saying!“ He slammed his hand surprisingly hard against the wall, tears beginning to stream down from his eyes. It startled the old ape causing him to step back, “You only said it was harsh! You’re only got this job for the money!”
The old ape’s patience had run out with this arrogant and brazen little brat throwing a fit and various accusations to his character and honor, glaring at the young boy and harshly remarked. “Yes, of course, it’s the money, and?”
Those words shocked Andrew into a state of silence. In fact, it stopped him from his entire tirade.
"I lowered my expectations and the bar you have to pass for a reason: to make it easier for you, keep you happy instead of crying all the time, and so I can have time at home with my family. Do you have any idea how much time you take away from me spending time with my grandchildren?“ He frowned while looking down at him.
The nine-year-old felt the blood pumping in his ears and his heart racing faster overwhelmed with what he was hearing.
"Of course you don’t, the only thing you care about is yourself. I thought you would understand how good I am being to you, I gave you your chances and you repeatedly squandered them.” The old white-faced saki’s voice was barely restraining his rage.
That was when Andrew regained his composure, “Because you don’t listen to what I want–”
“And why should I?” Mr. Silveira’s normally soft voice raised to a furious rage at the cheeky child, “You’re nothing but a spoiled brat who has got everything handed to you the moment you were said to be the next in line for the throne!”
Andrew began to shake, sniveling at the increasingly loud teacher and grabbed his creation he had been making for the past months from the table which made a ‘cooing’ sound which the young boy nodded to, “H-he says you should listen to me.”
That did it. Mr. Silveira was livid. It was all one ear out and out the other with the royal terror known as Andrew Oikonny, and now he’s talking to some worthless toy. He forcefully grabbed the shoddily made piece of work from the little boy’s weak grip while pushing him back, – “You might be the heir but you will never be my Emperor, you spoiled brat!” In rage, he threw the creation against the closet wall with a crash, where it fell to the floor while Andrew was knocked against the work table. His eyes widened in terror at what was happening.
The white-faced saki raised his foot and deliberately stomped with all his weight on the awkward and poorly made toy, as it’s cooing grew faster and more distorted, “Think about other people for once in your life!“
Raising his foot again, he stomped on it, while it crunched under his foot. It was still making so much noise to a whirl of screeching while he continued his furious rant and it was driving him crazy, “What are you even trying to accomplish not listening to others?!“
Another stomp as the whirl of the machine within the poorly sewn together plush toy grew louder, making sure to deliberately was crushed under his foot. “This is why you will always be nothing but a disappointment!”
The stupid toy had by now stopped making noise, while Mr. Silveira attempted to calm his breathing. He expected some shrill whine from Andrew, the way he always put on the insincere water works with the ever so obnoxious high pitched crying he always did. Instead, he saw that the child had gone pale, trying to hold back his tears while focusing on the machine under his foot.
Machine. It was hooked to the computer by its tail. Was he actually …?
A robot. Artifical intelligence. He was actually listening! That is why –
It was the most unsettling silence and the old monkey began to shake in terror as he moved his shoe off of it. Mr. Silveira realized what he just did. “Andrew I… I’m sorry, but – but you needed to listen. I’ll help you build a new one, you would like that right?”
Andrew turned his back away from the tutor to focus at the table again, with a pathetic whimpering while Mr. Silveira carefully collected the blueprints the child created. The young prince allowed him to do so.
“You don’t have to do this alone, you understand that… right?” His voice was compassionate and pleasant once again, even if Andrew could hear that it was wavering as he could hear something being picked up behind him. Likely the broken remains of his first working robot. “You were able to do this all on your own, that’s not bad at all…”
Andrew put his head down on the work desk as he curled up just as unresponsive as ever.
“I’ll be back. I promise. Just … know you’re not alone, all right? And there are always people here to help you out.” The elderly monkey quietly stated attempting to mend what he had done as he left Andrew there to his thoughts. He had to make sure Andrew would not tell the Emperor. All he had to do was cry it out and then it would go back the way it used to be.
It was true. Andrew wasn’t alone literally speaking, but he might as well have been.
Send me "Goodbye" for the last voice message my muse leaves for yours before they die.
“Hey, son, it’s Dad --” *static* “Gosh, I should really get a new phone -- I think this one’s finally dying on me, haha. Anyway, I was just calling to check on you -- haven’t seen you for a while face-to-face, but I heard you got into that wrestling thing you’ve been training for -- congratulations! I couldn’t be more proud of you for following your dreams, and I wish you the best -- uh oh! Is that the time already? Sheesh, I’m losing track of time more and more lately ... Nate, I have to go meet the team for a briefing, but I hope to see you soon after we wrap up these missions -- keep up the good work! “
