Incarnate

Meet Again

"No, it...makes me feel, uh, whole? I think? Like, something's missing, and this might be it." He fidgeted with the staff, which had been shrunken down into the size of a pencil. "I know how to do all this stuff, right? But I never...I shouldn't know how to. I just do."

They didn't say anything more, simply standing side by side.

---

MK walked along the volcanic rock, grinning, "Y'know, Monkey King actually formed the islands by stealing Princess Iron Fan's fan! Man that's--"

"Oh, it seems we have a fanboy. How sweet." The wind picked up slightly, making everyone move into defensive positions. MK glanced up, eyes wide, "Princess Iron Fan!" The maiden smirked, her fan twitching in anticipation. The brunette suddenly dove to the side, the staff lurching towards her.

The princess moved quickly, using her son's gauntlet to deflect the hero. MK grunted, refusing to give up. He swung again, moving as if the winds were once an old foe. Princess Iron Fan's smile began to slip as she grew frustrated, and the winds around her increased.

Mei suddenly yelped, slipping where she stood. MK yelled towards her, turning to see if she was alright. That was all his enemy needed.

A moment of weakness.

The staff was suddenly out of his grip, and the winds were sending him away. MK heard his friends scream for him, and the boy only gasped. This was it. He was going to die.

The heat licked at his body, and his eyes closed.

---

Sand. There was sand everywhere, and monkeys.

MK sat up slowly, blinking at the overjoyed primates. One of the monkeys hugged him, as if he were family. The brunette smiled, although mostly in confusion, before standing up to follow them. They led him through foliage, up multiple paths, and towards a large waterfall.

The brunette stared in awe before leaping on the stones, laughing as some of the monkeys began splashing around in the water. Before long, he was before the cascading waters, his face reflecting off of it. A small surge of confidence bloomed within him, and the boy wordlessly raised his hand.

Gold illuminated his vision, and the waters parted. MK stared in awe before rushing into the cave and onto a path. More monkeys shoved him along, hooting in excitement. The paths were beautiful, with foliage and bioluminescent lights covering most of the stone.

A laugh suddenly echoed out. A laugh he knew, deep within his mind.

MK gasped, running forward as fast as he could. His legs burned, and lungs heaved, but he didn't stop. Desperation fueled him, and his eyes lit up in golden hues.

He stumbled before a small hut.

"Hello? Hello!" MK frantically looked around, chest heaving. A soft voice echoed out again, "Qi Xiaotian, is that you?"

His veins burned, mind reeling. The air seemed to light up like a warm blaze, and his vision flickered back to normal. MK stumbled back, hands shaking, "...I-I'm Qi Xiaotian! I'm Qi Xiaotian!" He felt dizzy, spinning in place as his heart thundered in his ears. A body dove forward, and strong arms squeezed around his body.

MK grabbed back just as desperately, heaving, "Sun Wukong, Sun Wukong!" He remembered him. Not everything, most memories were still out of his reach. But MK knew who he was. This was his father, his brother, his closest companion in the world.

The monkey pulled back, hands shakily pressing against the brunette's face, "Hey, bud. Heard you...heard you go by 'MK' now." MK flushed, pulling away, "Oh, no... I came to confirm, yeah, and I'm glad we're together again, but the Demon Bull King is free, and the staff got taken, and my friends are out there, and--"