Sakura P.O.V
I was walking to the theater with Uncle Pigsy, Uncle Tang, MK and Mei. Uncle Tang said we're going to watch a shadow play, it sounds exciting. When we got to the theater, we paid for our tickets and went to get a seat. MK was getting excited
"I'm so excited! I haven't been to the movies in ages!" MK said with an excited tone
"Uh... MK? You do know this isn't the cinema, right?" I asked and MK gave me a confused look
"It's a shadow play, with puppets" Uncle Tang added
"Wha?! Puppets?! No! I thought we were seeing Kung Fu Monkey Cop the movie!" MK said as he pulled out the poster
"Uh... Check the back" Mei said as she pointed the back of the poster, MK looked at the back and looked upset
"Relax, MK. I'm sure the shadow play will be great" I reassured him, when MK put the poster down
"Hey Mei, Sakura. Isn't that the guy who gave me that weird key?" MK asked, when I turned around and it was the mayor that gave MK that key
"Oh yeah. Your right"
"You mean the key that could unlock anything? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's him and I'm also pretty sure he's still not actually the mayor" Mei said
'She's right about that. There's something off about him' I thought to myself and noticed that the not mayor was waving at us, but creepily. Making Uncle Tang creeped out
"Point is, whatever we're watching, you earned a break kid" Uncle Pigsy said to MK
"Yeah! You've been training super hard! I can't even remember the last time we all just hung out together. I miss this" Mei said and Uncle Tang was asking if Uncle Sandy was busy, but MK cut him off
"What're talking about? We hang out all the time" MK said
"Nuh-uh girlfriend, it's always Monkey King this or scary skeleton that! What's with you lately?" Mei asked, MK was about to explain himself when Uncle Tang cut him off
"Just yesterday, you blew off checkers night because you had to study. Study what, might I ask?" Uncle Tang asked as he threw a couple pieces of checkers at MK's face
"I have to agree with them, MK. You even cancelled on me at the last minute when you promised me that you'll help shop for ingredients for my sweets because you had to train" I said with a pout "Next time, tell me ahead next time!"
"Alright, alright, I get it! It's just... Monkey King said..." MK trailed off on his sentence, but I did notice him clenching his fist "I just... I need to be ready"
"Ready for what?" Uncle Pigsy asked, then the lights dimmed down and Uncle Tang shushed Uncle Pigsy
"It's starting!"
"Tang, would you-" Uncle Tang shushed Uncle Pigsy again
The room darkened more, I held onto MK's arm with fear overcoming me. A creepy puppet fell from above and looked at us with a grin
"Uh... Tang? What kind of play did you say this was?" Uncle Pigsy asked, then the curtains drew back to reveal the puppeteer who was wearing a robe that also covered his face
"Welcome viewers to the Shadow Play, the likes of which of have never been seen" The puppeteer said as a glowing lantern floated from his hands "It follows a tragic tale of a legendary warrior, and how those who bring light into this world, inevitably bring darkness to those they hold dear"
"Mei, I just realized something" MK whispered to Mei
"What?"
"I... I don't have any snacks!" MK whispered shouted
'Oh, MK. We just ate not too long ago' I thought as I let go of his arm
"Must get snacks!" MK said and Uncle Pigsy gave in
"Sigh. Fine, go get some snacks" When Uncle Pigsy said that MK immediately left, Uncle Tang was to tell MK what he wants, but Uncle Pigsy shushed him up. I put my attention back at the play
"Like light, heroes bring warmth, hope and friendship. But it also gives life to the darkness" The puppeteer said as the lantern glowed so bright that it blinded everyone. When light dimmed down, I realized I was all alone
"Mei? Uncle Tang? Uncle Pigsy?" I called out to them but no reply, then she heard MK coming back
"Sorry, sorry, sorry. Where's that step? Ah!" MK fell on the seats
"Do you need help MK?" I asked and I helped him carry the snacks
"Ha ha! Got back just in time! Oh, and here's that drink you asked for Mei" MK was about to hand Mei the drink, but I stopped him "Huh? Sakura? What're you?" MK was about to ask, but noticed Mei isn't here. He was about to ask me, but was distracted to the glow of the lantern and the puppeteer continued to tell the tale
"The hero and the warrior were like the sun and the moon. Their light, a protective glow shining upon the world. Together, there was nothing that could stop the two of them, either in the Celestial Realms, or on Earth"
The puppeteer showed the hero and the warrior facing off against a dragon, next it shows the hero holding a peach and later changed into an eagle. Then, the next scene shows the hero and the warrior with multiple clones, one of them punched the ground creating an impact of debris
"As time went on, the hero attained power beyond comprehension. As the hero's light, so too did his shadow. And soon, the warrior was cast in the shadow. In the darkness, the warrior was forgotten by the hero... But a goddess of cherry blossoms stayed by the warrior's side despite the hero telling her not to go" The puppeteer ended the story, when MK and I left the building, MK tried to call Mei, but she didn't answer
"Hey, Mei! So, you guys just left me and Sakura back there. Um... Where did y-?" MK didn't finish his sentence and he suddenly looked up at the building behind us
"MK? What's wrong?" I asked worriedly
"I-I'm okay. Sakura, you stay here in case everyone comes back. I'll go look for them" MK said as he quickly left, leaving Sakura alone
'I guess, I better head back inside. It looks like it's going to rain' I thought as I re-entered the building. I decided to go back to the theater room where the Shadow Play took place
"A goddess of cherry blossoms, huh? I wonder if he was talking about..."
"Hello, young lady" I jumped at the voice from behind me "I apologize. I didn't mean to scare you"
"Oh. You're the puppeteer" I said
"Indeed, I am. But you do know the show is over, right?" The puppeteer said and I nodded
"I know. But I have a question. It's about the goddess of cherry blossoms" I said and I noticed he jumped a little
"What do you want to know about her?"
"Well, how did the warrior meet her?" I asked
"The warrior was training one day, and he heard a sound of ocarina. He followed the sound, once he got close to the source, there he saw a beautiful goddess sitting on a branch of a cherry blossom tree playing the ocarina. Over time, the warrior and the goddess spent time together, they laughed together, sometimes argue, and the goddess even lend the warrior her shoulder for him to cry on. But one day, when he was about to meet at their usual place, there before the warrior was a grave. The warrior learned the goddess had passed away; he didn't know how she passed away, but the story also tells that the warrior is still looking for the person responsible for killing the one he loves so dearly" The puppeteer said
"That's sad..." I said looking down and I felt his hand on back
"I apologize. I didn't mean to make you sad"
"It's alright. But thank you for telling me the story. I was curious about her for a while" I said with a sad smile "Guess I better call MK and check on him" I pulled out my phone to call him
"Forgive me for doing this" The puppeteer said and next thing I knew, I passed out, dropping my phone to the floor
No One P.O.V
MK was looking around the city for his friends but didn't find them anywhere. So, he decided to go back to the theater where Sakura is. When he got to the theater, he was hoping to see Sakura, but sadly she was nowhere to be seen
'Not her too...' MK thought sadly as he entered the theater room and started to eat the popcorn that he didn't during the show
'Where is everyone? Where's Sakura? I thought she was supposed to be here' MK thought while eating popcorn, but was startled when the puppeteer appeared behind
"Ah, you again? You must be my biggest fan. You are aware that the play is over, right?" The puppeteer asked
"So... Um, what happened to him? The warrior?" MK asked the puppeteer as he chuckled
"What would you like to hear? The hero suddenly remembered his beloved friend the warrior? That they lived happily ever after?" The puppeteer asked
"What? No! Uh... Maybe? Okay, I'm telling a complete stranger about this but..." MK started to explain to the puppeteer about how he feels like the warrior in the story, the puppeteer was about to tell him that he was missing the point, but MK cut him by saying what if Monkey King chose the wrong person, and suddenly Monkey King appeared next to him, making him fall from his seat
"This again? Look I know your not really here, but I've been doing what you've been telling me to do. Believing in myself, blah blah blah. But I'm not ready for this, I can't face the Lady Bone Demon alone. I just feel so..." Then, Monkey King laughed
"Ugh! If your not gonna help, then leave me alone!" MK shouted as he was about to punch Monkey King, but he blocked his punch
"Woah, bud. Have you been working out? You pack a bigger punch than I remember" Monkey King said
"No, no, no! It's... It's you... Macaque!" MK said with a surprised look
"Ahaha! The one and only!" Macaque said as he changed from Monkey King to himself "Why so glum? I've noticed lately that you've been looking a little down!"
"Why are you here?! Gasp! Oh no! I just!"
"Unloaded all of your insecurities onto me? Ahaha! I know! But hey, no shame in that. Sometimes you gotta talk it out, y'know. I don't usually do it, I haven't for a long time. But we'd be here all day sooo..." Macaque said
"Would you get to the point already?!" MK shouted as he used his other fist to punch Macaque, but it was blocked again
"Slow down kiddo. This is the thanks I get for checking on one of my favorite students?" Macaque asked
"I'm not your student!" MK yelled
"Well with old Monkey King not around, I thought someone should teach you a lesson" Macaque said as he pushed MK back and pulled out the lantern "Ah, MK, you really are dense" Then the lantern started to glow a purple color and the light made his shadow appear on the wall behind him gaining his attention "You saw the story about a hero who got handed everything, who didn't have to work for anything, and you thought you were the other guy? The second the hero got real power; he couldn't care less about his friends. That's you!" Macaque said, making MK confused
"Me? I'm not like that" MK said trying to defend himself, but Macaque narrowed his eyes at him
"Hmm. I beg to differ, kiddo" Macaque made his lantern glow and the shadows of his friends appeared from the floor
"Guys!" MK gasped when he saw his friends' shadows
"Oh, did you just realize that they were missing? How about the sweet Sakura?" Macaque said as he showed Sakura on the stage, laying on bed with her hands held together
"Sakura! What did you do to her?!" MK shouted
"I did nothing. All I did was tell her the story about the goddess from the story and I knocked her out" Macaque said as he walked towards the unconscious Sakura and placed his hand on her cheek
"Get away from her!" MK was about to charge at him, but the shadow version of Pigsy blocked his path and was kicked away by the shadow version of Tang
"Hey, don't look at me. Focus!" Macaque said, but MK was thrown to the ground and was piled on by his friends. Then, he used his Golden Vision to find where his friends are being kept, once he got the shadows of his friends off of him, he became hesitant for a moment. Then he shook his head
"Enough!" MK summoned his staff, jumps up to the ceiling above Macaque, and drops down with the staff charging at him. Macaque caught the staff before it could hit him
"You're right. That is enough. You know, you really are just a bit too much like him. But it's good to see there's some potential" Macaque said as he broke the lantern, freeing MK's friends. With that done, Macaque disappeared
"Guys! You're okay!" MK said as he tackled and hugged his friends
"Wait, what happened?" Mei asked, and she noticed Sakura laying on one of the benches, and she started to wake up
"Ugh... What happened?" Sakura asked as she placed her hand on her forehead
"Sakura! Thank goodness you're okay!" MK said as he also tackled and hugged the girl, while hugging her, he looked at where the door is "I'll be right back!" With that, he left in a rush
Sakura P.O.V Nighttime
I was home resting, when we caught up with MK, Uncle Pigsy demanded an explanation, but MK said we needed snacks for the explanation. Once MK finished explaining what happened, we all went home for the night
'Macaque... Did you tell us that story so one of us could understand your loneliness or were you really trying to teach MK something' I thought to myself, I was about to grab my phone, but soon realized it wasn't in my pocket. I must've dropped it when Macaque knocked me out, I left my apartment and ran back to the theater
Theater
When I got there, I started look for my phone. After a couple of minutes of looking, I finally found it, I was about to leave when suddenly I heard footsteps coming. I hid under the pieces of the broken benches, then I took a peek to see who it is. I saw Macaque walking on the broken stage, and he fixed his lantern, he was about to leave when he heard clapping
"Bravo! Amazing performance! Very amazing!" The not mayor said
"Um... Thanks. I was about to go..." Then Macaque was grabbed by the not mayor
"My lady wishes to see you and she requires that as well" The not mayor said, he was about to leave, but I stopped him by kicking him to the head
I knocked the fake mayor unconscious; I grabbed Macaque's hand and ran out of the theater. We ran all the way back to my apartment, and we were both out of breath from the running
"Are you okay, Macaque?" I asked as I finally catch my breath
"Yeah. I must say you did an amazing job on that kick" Macaque complimented me
"Thanks. Though I should be the one to thank you for teaching me" I said "But what's the deal with that guy?" I asked, he was about to answer when suddenly a dark version of a crown appeared on his head and a bracelet that looks exactly like his crown appeared on my wrist
"Looks like I have a debt to pay for you" Macaque said and his eyes widen in realization 'That means... I'm no longer in debt to that demon'
"Macaque? Why does your crown look exactly like the one Monkey King wore during his journey?" I asked
"Well, you see, if a human saves a demon that is more powerful than regular demons, they become indebted towards the human that helped or saved them. So, until I meet certain conditions of my debt, I'll be protecting you" Macaque said with a bow
'Oh boy... I don't think Kyubi, MK, Mei or my uncles are gonna like this...' I thought to myself and we both entered my apartment, when we got inside, Kyubi was already in defensive position and changed forms
"Why are you near my lady?! Explain yourself demon!" Kyubi demanded
"K-Kyubi... Look at his head" I pointed at Macaque's head, when he the crown, Kyubi backed down
"Just because my lady saved you doesn't mean I trust you. I'll be keeping an eye on you, got that?" With that said, Kyubi changed back into his small fox form and went to my room with a huff
"Didn't know I'll be sharing the roof with the fox familiar" Macaque said
"Sigh... How about I'll go grab you some blankets and pillows for you? You can sleep on the couch if you want" I said and I went to grab the blankets and pillows, and thinking how to explain this to MK and the gang
To be continued in 72 Transformation