I woke up on top of a small bed that fit at least two people. I looked down when I felt movement in my arms, and I saw that it was Jiayi cuddled into my arms. I smiled and gave her a quick kiss on her head as I looked around. I looked at my body and saw that I was covered in bandages and some bandaids for the smaller cuts. I could feel stitches where my gash would be.
Looking around, I saw that no one was in the room I was in. Racking through my brain trying to think of where I was, I heard the door to the room open. Considering I didn't know where I was, I was immediately on high alert, more so with Jiayi in my arms. I had a little bit of energy, so I could probably use some of my magic enough to escape.
As I thought of a way to escape safely with Jiayi, the door opened more, and I quickly subdued my thoughts, as Monkey King walked in. With some food?
"Oh.. You're awake. Great. Here."
He handed me some fruit that was cut into pieces. There were some mangos, berries, and a few other fruits. I felt my stomach growl in hunger, so I took the plate gently. Looking up at the Monkey King in front of me, I looked back at the fruit and thought I was starving. I had to ask.
"This isn't going to turn me immortal, right?"
I gave him a questioning look and he went quiet after I asked but then he started laughing.
"Hahaha...no it won't make you immortal. The only thing that could would be the peaches from my tree. I thought you knew this already?"
He kept giggling at me.
"You didn't give to laugh, ya know... And Mk is the one who knows about this stuff. How was I supposed to know I'm not a fan. Especially after today."
He suddenly stopped and looked at me, shocked, as if I just gave him the worst insult ever.
"You're not a fan?"
"Not really."
"Seriously?"
"Yes. Why is that so hard to believe?"
He scoffed at me as if I was the one I'm the wrong. I raised my eyebrow as I felt Jiayi wake up from her nap and saw the plate of fruit and the orange monkey in front of us. I guess she was still shy around him and was too scared to ask for food, so she pulled on my shirt and pointed at the fruit when I looked at her. I smiled and gave her to what she was pointing at, which were strawberries. I pulled off the green leaves and handed it to her. She happily took it and ate it silently, but I could still hear her cooing because of the ripe fruit.
"Do you like strawberries, Jiayi?"
She looked up at me and nodded excitedly as she had strawberry all over her face. It was the cutest thing ever. I grabbed a napkin that was on the plate and cleaned her up. She cooed happily as I cleaned her face up.
"Well, when all of this is settled. Do you want to try some strawberry treats I have back at my place?"
She looked at me with stars in her eyes and some drool on her lip. I wiped it off of her, and she suddenly started to nod her head furiously.
"Haha...ok..ok."
"You make sweets?"
I looked back up to the Monkey King and nodded after I was done cleaning Jiayi's face.
"I do. Back at my father's noodle shop. I make different assortment of sweets from cakes to muffins to pies. It's a side hobby I like doing. Why do you ask?"
"Oh no reason... curiosity is all."
I looked away from the Monkey and out the window when something popped into my mind, which, in hindsight, I probably should have thought of after I woke up.
"Ok then...um say quick question?"
"Shoot."
"I know it might be odd to ask this of you, but I don't have much of a choice. Can you by any chance take me home? I left my phone back with my uncle in his boat, so I have no way of contacting my family or finding a way home since you live on an island."
He stood quietly while he stared at me with his hand on his chin. Jiayi had brought over the blanket that fell off of us and laid down on my lap, cuddling me as she fell back asleep.
"Hmm...I don't know after you've threatened me, I don't think I really want to help you."
I gave him a deadpanned look as if to say 'are you serious'. I placed my hand on Jiayi's back and rubbed it softly as well. I sighed loudly and looked back up at the King.
"Look, I'm sorry.. okay! Mk is super important to me to see him being thrown into this mess because of you, which makes me angry."
"But to threaten THE Monkey King. You need to have a lot of guts, kid. Also, Mk is the perfect successor to my powers. What harm can it do?"
"What harm? He's 18! And not to mention a mortal! He isn't YOU, Monkey King! He could get hurt!"
He stood up from his spot and gave me a serious glare. Crossing his arms and looking at me disappointed.
"You don't believe in him? Do you?"
"I never said that."
"But you aren't denying it? Are you?"
"You're putting words in my mouth, Monkey King. Mk is a very capable individual and one of the most optimistic people I have ever met."
"But...you...don't...believe...in...him."
I felt myself get angry and my back beginning to burn. I looked down where Jiayi was and closed my eyes, trying to calm down my nerves that were more on edge than ever before. Faust even came to life and looked at Monkey King angrily, ready to strike the simian, but I calmed him down and let him coil back into a ring.
"I knew it. You know people like you. I can't necessarily stand. You see the potential in someone, but you try to seal away, selfish if you ask me."
That was it. I wasn't going to take it anymore. Even with my current injuries, I grabbed Jiayi from my legs and held her in my arms, and stood up. I didn't look at the Monkey in front of me and started to walk out of his small home.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
"...."
I felt every part of my body screaming at me to stop, but I didn't. I only continued walking out of the cave with Jiayi in hand and the Monkey King following close behind. I passed the giant mural and suddenly felt an arm stop me. I pulled away roughly and continued from there.
"Will you stop? You're going to make your injuries worse if you keep moving."
"....."
I made it past the waterfall and along with the monkeys that were in the area. Jiayi was luckily still asleep despite the way I was walking. I then felt a presence appear in front of me. I didn't need to look at him to know who it was.
"Will you wait?!"
I shifted to his left side and continued walking, but I then came to a stop when he grabbed me and pushed me down to the sand.
"STOP!"
I wasn't afraid by his loud command and only sat because he forced me to. I refused to look at him even when he stood in front of me.
"Why didn't you stop?"
"...."
"Will you say something. Jeez, I said one little thing, and suddenly, you shift your whole demenor. On top of that, you're hurt, but you still continue walking."
"Heh... little thing."
"Huh?"
"How much do you know about Mk?"
"I know enough to know that he is very strong."
"Then you don't know him at all. What I said is true, you know, that he is an amazing person and I couldn't be more proud of who he is and what he can become. And for your information, I do believe in him, Sun Wukong. I have no doubt in my mind that he will grow up to do incredible things."
He looked at me curiously as I stood up and dusted myself from the sand on my bottom. Holding Jiayi in one arm. Looking up at him, my eyes were cold, and I glared at him.
"What are you...?"
"He is strong, but he is still a person with emotions. A person that gets stressed just like everybody else and he hides his exhaustion with a smile and a fun demenor. He is able to fool everybody but me.... I raised him, Sun Wukong. I know what's in his heart. I know when he lies to me. I know that in this moment, he is more than determined to defeat the Demon Bull King and save everyone. And I know he will succeed."
At this point, my body was shaking whether it was from the raw emotions I was going through or the stinging pain all over my body. I was shaking, but I tried to control it so as not to bother Jiayi.
Sun's POV:
I don't understand this human she claims that she believes in Mk but tries to keep him from showing his true potential. I wasn't really prepared to see anger I her eyes and the cold glare she gave me.
"But.. I'm terrified of what could happen. Do you think seeing someone you care about so much getting hurt is a good thing? I don't care if he has some mystical Monkey magic. He is still my little brother. He's still my family. And the thought of him going out there to defeat these demons is absolutely terrifying to me. I've raised him since he came to us, so my attachment to him, my worries, is nothing short but reasonable."
She was standing up once again and tried walking past me. And right as she passed me, she said something else.
"And you know what? I can't stand people who don't know the full story before judging someone. You may be all powerful, but you have no right to judge me just because I'm worried. If Mk chooses to become your disciple, then I won't stop him. He is his own person who can make his own choices. I will support him in everything he does, but I will never stop worrying for my little brother. Ya got that."
I was surprised to see her retort back at me. Not many people have the guts to do so for various reasons, but she didn't give a flying monkeys ass about it. I had to admit I was impressed, but one thing bothered me about what she said....
"If you believe he can do it, then why try to stop it?"
"Because...."
"Because?"
"Because I spent years making sure the family that chose me to stay safe! I want to keep him safe, but now... because of you, I won't be able to do that anymore."
With that, she continued to the shore of the island, but she stopped and looked around. I then realized that she had no way of getting back to the main land. Though she's threatened me, insulted me, and back talked to me, I could respect a person who truly cares for others and is willing to put anyone down to ensure that.
With that being said, I chuckled and walked towards her. Tapping her shoulder, she didn't look back and only asked.
"What?"
"You don't have a way to get back, do you?"
"Wipe that damn smirk off your face, Monkey King."
"You're not even looking at me. How do you know I'm smirking?"
It was true I was, but she didn't need to know that. I then summoned my Nimbus cloud and sat on top of it.
"I could hear it in your voice."
I floated in front of her and waited for her to ask if she could have a ride home. This was just so I could get her asked for permission again and, in a way, make her beg for help.
"I'm not begging."
"How'd you...."
"I see it in your face. You're pretty easy to read."
I was taken aback by that comment and retorted.
"I am not easy to read! I am the most difficult person to read in your life, kid!"
"Ok. Yeah. Sure."
She snorted and smirked back at me like it was an obvious lie. I felt my cheeks get hot from embarrassment.
"Do you want to go home?"
"Do you want a 24 year old woman stuck on this island with you. You may be cocky and arrogant, but you wouldn't dare leave someone innocent and injured by their lonesome. And with no way to heal myself, it just adds to that fact."
This woman is so infuriating, but she had a point I couldn't just leave her here injured. She would probably faint due to blood loss if I didn't intervene. With a defeated sigh, I used my tail and grabbed her by the waist, and lifted her up onto the cloud.
"Thank you. I do appreciate the help."
She said with a surprisingly sincere tone. Once in the air, I started to fly back at record-breaking speed. I completely forgot that she was not only injured but holding Jiayi, too. The poor girl was clutching to my shirt with one hand tightly since she was on my side.
I suddenly stopped as she almost toppled over the edge. Using my tail, I grabbed her and dropped her in my arms so she wouldn't fall or drop Jiayi. I'm only doing this so she doesn't drop Jiayi, that's it.
Though I gotta say she smelled really good, like fruits and freshly baked sweet good. I unintentionally pulled her closer and could smell her more, and though she was dirty and covered in blood, the smell lingered.
"Um, what are you doing?"
I snapped out of it and realized what I was doing, and I was embarrassed that I got caught.
"Nothing!"
"Uhuh?"
"I didn't do anything!"
"Ok... yeah... sure."
She looked back at the front and petted Jiayi on her head. I just continued back to Megapolis and tried ignoring her scent.