Fiction Challenge #1:
The Apes of Wrath
by Viking

As night descended upon the Patriot City University, graduate student Devon Farlane was pulling his hair in frustration. His research in the Biology lab had proven entirely fruitless thus far.

He gave a long yawn, and realized that he could no longer focus on the strange technological device he'd been asked to investigate. Ordinarily, odd gizmos would be more in line with an engineering student's line of work, but this one looked like a bizarre synthesis of metal and organic material.

"I'll have to ask the professor where he found this..." he mumbled. "After I get some sleep," he added with another yawn. "See you tomorrow, George."

Devon was addressing the other occupant of the room, an 800-pound gorilla named George who was locked securely in his cage. Devon's other duties involved feeding and caring for the animal, on loan to the University from the Delta Labs research facility.

Unbeknownst to Devon, George understood far more than he let on. Ever since he had been fed a bunch of bananas with a strange purple glow, George's intelligence had increased dramatically. He knew he was meant to be a test subject, and he wasn't happy with that at all.

In fact, he was downright Furious.

Furious George waited until Devon had left the room before unlocking his cage - Devon had been too sleepy to realize that he had dropped the key inches away from George.

The not-so-peaceful gorilla ambled over to the alien device Devon had left behind, which seemed patently simple to him. An ingenious bit of technology, it was designed to use organic material as fuel. Furious George saw a power supply right at hand - Devon had left an open container of Extra Chunky peanut butter. George spooned a large glob of peanut butter into the device's power source, and grunted in satisfaction as it hummed with power. George had his suspicions about the purpose of the device as well, but he needed to test it - preferably on a subject that wouldn't be too dangerous. Remembering that the labs had a variety of caged specimens a few doors away, he picked up the device and its peanut butter power source with his grim purpose in mind.

*****************************

Outside the University, the Blackbird silently patrolled the buildings. Students were tempting targets for muggers at this late hour, and she had already foiled one such attempt. She was shadowing one student heading to his dormitory when he looked up. Blackbird smiled in recognition, and landed.

"John, if I had known you'd be around at this hour, I might have been patrolling another part of the City!"

John Miller, also known as the Ant, grinned. "Just a late night study session, Blackbird. My next midterm's only..."

John was cut off by a loud rumble as one of the walls of the Biology Department collapsed. Both Blackbird and John looked at the scene in ready alertness, and then disbelief.

"Well," mused John as he quickly pulled his mask on, " there's something you don't see every day!"

Amidst the rubble sat a forty-foot tall, three-toed sloth. It blinked in confusion.

"The sloth isn't inherently dangerous, but I'd be careful around anything that size," called the Ant as he darted into an alley to change into the rest of his costume. "See if you can guide it to an open area while I check out those labs!"

Moments later, the Ant had picked his way through the rubble and found the lab in which Furious George had run his recent experiment. The sinister simian was now pointing his biological weapon at a chimpanzee.

"Hey buddy," called out the Ant in a friendly tone. "Why don't you put the gizmo down and I give you a nice banana instead?"

Furious George snarled at the Ant. "Keep away from me, you stinking human! We apes will come to rule this planet!"

For the second time that evening, the Ant paused in disbelief. "Okay - an intelligent gorilla bent on world conquest. Are you sure you haven't been reading too many comic books?"

Realizing that Furious George was about to unleash a horde of giant animals upon Patriot City, the Ant acted instinctively, lobbing an acid grenade at the alien weapon. The acid burned at both gorilla and weapon, though Furious George still activated the device. Neither of the two was prepared for the acid's effect on the weapon, however.

****************************

Having led the giant sloth to an open commons where it promptly fell asleep, Blackbird quickly flew to the gaping hole in the Biology Lab to see if the Ant needed assistance. An overpowering aroma assaulted her as she landed. "Peanut butter?" she asked incredulously.

Looking around the room confirmed her suspicions. Furious George lay unconscious under a mountain of the extra-chunky spread, and the rest of the room was covered with globs of the stuff. The Ant had been similarly spattered.

"At least 200 gallons of the stuff, I'd guess," he responded with a depressed sigh. "It's a shame I inadvertently destroyed that device he was using - it apparently could cause massive growth in organic materials. The possibilities would be astounding."

Blackbird suppressed a giggle as a very bedraggled Ant heaved another sigh. The Ant looked at her suspiciously.

"At any rate, between destroying that device and the results of this battle... I really need to take a shower."