When Macaque became a 'good guy', he didn't expect to end up having his own temple or an actual home. It was nice and quiet, and just far enough from the city to be like a summer home or something.
What he also didn't expect was...well, the same girl he saved to suddenly fall right into his living room.
Macaque stared as the girl who was once Lady Bone Demon's hostess face planted onto his floor. "...okayyy...how'd you do that?"
The girl panicked and got to her feet, looking around. "I...I don't even know! I was at Pigsy's Noodles one second and then here the next!" She then looked right at Macaque. "S-sorry for intruding, Mr. Macaque-"
Macaque waved his hand dismissively. "Bah, enough with the 'Mr. Macaque', you don't gotta be formal."
"S-sorry..." The girl said, nervously looking down.
Macaque then stood up from his chair before humming. "So...you really don't know how you-"
Then, a black and purple portal opened right beneath the girl and she fell through. Macaque recognized the portal immediately...because it was one of his. But he didn't summon it.
The girl shrieked as she fell through, only for another portal to hover above his couch and she crashed onto it. "Owwww..."
"...how...?" Macaque asked, walking over to the girl. "Those are my powers...how are you doing that?!"
"I-I don't know!!!" The girl exclaimed. "I-I didn't m-mean to take your powers!!!"
Macaque hummed and then his eyes glowed purple...so, she didn't take them per say. She just had them somehow. His eyes turned back to normal and he helped the girl get up. "I don't think you took them...you just inherited them for some reason...but I don't even know you, kid."
"M...my name's Bai He." She introduced.
Macaque tilted his head. "Like the tiger lily flower?"
"Y-yeah! Yeah, like that f-flower..." Bai He said, clearly a little nervous to be around Macaque and was likely still freaking out about her new powers.
Macaque hummed as he tried to think before it hit him. The final battle with Lady Bone Demon involved him, Wukong, and so many others having to use nearly all of their energy to power up MK...and Macaque hadn't done that ever since he and Wukong had their falling out over centuries ago. It was clear he was rusty.
Perhaps...he had accidentally given her some of his powers.
Macaque gulped. "...well, shi-"
"L...l-language." Bai He corrected, but then the color practically drained from her face when she saw Macaque's eyes narrow. "S-sorry!!!"
Macaque sighed. "Lighten up, kid. I ain't gonna hurt you. Alright? I may look like a bad guy, but I wouldn't have saved you if I was wanting to get rid of you."
Bai He was a bit confused before vaguely recalling that he was indeed telling the truth. Her memory was fuzzy, but after she and LBD separated, he had personally put it upon himself to catch her.
"I...I never thank you for that." Bai He said. "S-so...thank you."
Macaque seemed a little surprised, but grinned. "No problem...but, looks like you're gonna need to learn how to control those powers of yours."
Bai He's eyes widened. "H-huh...? You can't just eject them...?"
"I'd need somewhere to put them." Macaque said. "I dunno what putting them back in me will do yet. I'm sure I'll find out and when I do, then I can decide."
Bai He clearly looked a bit hesitant...before nodding. "O-okay."
After that, the rest was history. Bai He (whom he nicknamed Lily) had become his student. It had been about two weeks so far and she was slowly progressing. Of course, Macaque was teaching her the basics first. Nothing combat wise just yet.
"The thing you gotta understand about our powers is that they're based on shadows." Macaque said. "Shadows? They can take shape of just about anything and can allow you to travel pretty much anywhere. Everything casts a shadow."
Lily hummed and then nodded, closing her eyes and trying to focus. Macaque just carefully watched her shadow, pacing around her silently. It took a few seconds before suddenly, her own shadow began to crawl out onto the floor.
Macaque's eyes widened before he grinned and crossed his arms as the shadow finally stood behind her, with a blank expression and glowing purple eyes.
Lily then opened one of her eyes. "D...did I do it right?"
"Look behind ya, Lily." Macaque grinned.
Lily tilted her head before turning around. She yelped and quickly got to her feet, grabbing one of the swords from Macaque's weapon rack. "WHAT THE?!?"
"Whoa, whoa! Relax!" Macaque laughed. "That's just your clone. Guess you were just thinking about yourself."
"I...I guess I was just trying to blank my own mind out." Lily said as she put away the sword. "So, what does it do?"
Macaque shrugged. "Whatever you think. Unlike Wukong and MK's clones, they aren't exactly living. They're just copies. Your own shadow casting blank canvases."
Lily walked closer and then touched the hand of her clone. She could actually feel it and it was fascinating. "H-heh. The stare is kinda creepy..."
"Eh, you get used to it." Macaque said with a shrug before suddenly, there was a loud boom outside. Macaque turned his head and narrowed his eyes. "Oh, great. I swear, if that's the kid again..."
Lily ran over to Macaque. "W-wait! What do I do?"
"Just stay here." Macaque said, patting her head before he teleported outside.
But when he arrived through his shadowy portal...what he saw wasn't MK or anyone he was familiar with. It was some kind of...horned creature with four arms and...wings?
Macaque formed his staff and spun it around. "Hey, buddy! No soliciting!"
The creature or rather, The Oni's eyes glowed as he faced Macaque. He growled as he stood up, cracking his neck.
Macaque knew a fight was about to happen and he got in a stance. "Oh, you wanna fight? THEN BRING IT-"
"Hello there, my hairy looking sir." The Oni suddenly said politely, or rather he sounded like he was trying to be polite. "I am Lord Garmadon and I appear to be lost."
Macaque's eyes narrowed. "Uhh...what?"
Garmadon sighed. "Of course being polite doesn't work with a monkey...curse and bless your lessons, Vinnie from NGTV News."
Macaque stood up and put away his staff. "Okay, uhhh, Garmadon. I may be a monkey, but I ain't stupid. You're not from around here, are you?"
Garmadon faced him before he suddenly transformed to a more humanoid looking form. His demonic face, horns, two extra arms, and wings all disappeared and now he looked like some kind of ancient warrior. With a helmet and black, silver, and purple robes and everything.
Macaque could sense some kind of energy inside him, but it was unfamiliar. That was for sure.
"No. I'm from a realm called Ninjago." Garmadon explained as he walked over. "My realm was being invaded by the very personification of evil until he opened a hole in space and time and sucked us all in. Next thing I know, I'm separated from my son and I'm talking to you."
Macaque blinked. "...okay, damn...that's a lot...wait, that personification of evil didn't follow you or anything, did he? Cause we just fought one of those a while ago and I don't wanna fight another one."
Garmadon laughed a bit. "Oh, don't be silly...he totally followed us and is likely going to try and kill all of you."
Macaque's eyes narrowed. "...terrific."
Then, Lily slowly peeked her head out of the door. "M-Macaque...? Is everything alright?"
Macaque turned his head. "Yup. Just another world conqueror coming."
"Ah! You have a child too!" Garmadon smiled. "I see I'm talking to a fellow parent!"
"SAY WHAT-"
(Lady Bone Demon's hostess doesn't have an official name sadly! But a popular one is indeed Bai He, so I'll be using that alongside her nickname until her real name is revealed!)