"Hey, Macaque, do you know where Wukong went? I can't find him anywhere." Asked Gibbon calmly as she approached Baboon and Macaque before stopping abruptly. "What are you two doing?"
"Kinda busy right now!" Exclaimed a blindfolded Macaque.
"Learning echolocation." Said Baboon cheerfully as he spun a blindfolded Macaque.
Gibbon cringed at the sight, but refused to comment.
"Forget it, I'll just use chi or whatever to look for him-" muttered Gibbon before a loud voice cut her off.
"NO NEED!" It was Wukong on his cloud and he was loud as usual. "MONKEY KING IS HERE!"
Gibbon ignored the yelling as Macaque removed the blindfold wincing. Baboon just smiled through it.
"Looks like you're okay. No need to stay here then." Said Gibbon tiredly.
"Aww, were you worried about me?" Asked Wukong with a cheeky smile.
Gibbon wanted to retort, but he was right. She was very worried Wukong had gotten himself in some trouble like usual. And as much as she liked to deny it, she did care about the idiot.
"I hope you stub your toe." Glared Gibbon.
"Aww, I love you too." Wukong said cheerfully causing Gibbon clench her fist with the desire to punch him. "But that's not why I'm here. I've found a new friend!"
The other celestial monkeys were confused and surprised by this development.
"Dang, how many magic monkeys are there in the world?" Asked Baboon scratching his head.
"Oh no; he's not a magic monkey, silly." Said Wukong cheerfully before turning around. "You can come out now!"
Gibbon, Baboon and Macaque all stared at the area behind Wukong as his new friend came out of the bushes.
He had Azure colored skin, orange hair and a lot of muscle. Gibbon immediately recognized the entity as a celestial warrior she's seen a long time ago, but she stayed silent as Wukong started talking.
"This is Azure Lion. He used to be a celestial warrior, but not anymore."
Azure chuckled happily at Wukong's introduction of him before stepping up to introduce himself.
He was a celestial warrior who wanted to protect the weak, but realized that the jade Emperor only wanted to keep his subjects under his foot and thus decided to leave. He then heard of the monkey king and decided to meet him.
The lion was friendly enough, but Gibbon was not so trusting. Luckily, she had a way of finding out the true intentions of this fallen celestial.
The Eyes of Destiny.
They showed the fate of the celestial primates if they accepted Azure and if they didn't. The results were... confusing.
"I know he's not a monkey and that's our whole thing, but there's nothing wrong with more friends." Said Wukong cheerfully.
"No. He has to leave." Said Gibbon sternly. "He'll cause problems."
Azure's shoulder's dropped upon hearing Gibbon's rejection.
"Oh come on, Gib. You don't need to be so grumpy-" said Wukong before Gibbon cut him off.
"I can see destiny, you idiot. Accepting him would bring misfortune upon the three of us." Said Gibbon sternly gesturing towards Baboon and Macaque.
"Wait, three of us? But we're four?" Asked Wukong in confusion.
"I'm excluding you because, somehow, accepting this guy brings you good fortune." Said Gibbon in a serious tone. "He HAS to leave."
"Relax, those eyes of yours can't tell the difference between a meteor and a pebble. It's probably nothing. Besides, we can share that good fortune when it comes around." Said Wukong waving off any worries. "Now who wants to join the welcome party for our new friend?"
"Are you ignoring what I said?!" Asked Gibbon angrily.
Wukong didn't answer and instead looked over to Baboon and Macaque who sighed in defeat and followed Wukong to the party.
But before Baboon left, he patted Gibbon on the back and spoke with Macaque next to him.
"Wukong's right about one thing. Your spell can't differentiate between good and better nor can it do bad and worse." Said Baboon calmly. "There's also the chance of that Azure guy being evil. Anyway, what matters is that we keep that crazy monkey in one piece until you figure out the mystery of this weird destiny stuff."
Macaque sighed as he worried for his friends before Baboon turned to him.
"And Macaque. While we're not training, keep an ear on that Lion. I'm not stupid enough to fully trust a random person I just met."
Macaque nodded in a serious tone before Baboon smiled.
"Now, if you need me, I'll be partying hard tonight!" Said Baboon cheerfully. "YEAH!!!"
With that, Baboon left the Six Eared Macaque and the Long Armed Gibbon alone to sigh at his excitement.
xxXxx
At first, things were not so bad. Gibbon obsessively worked on the eyes of destiny to see the full effect of their confusing destiny while Baboon was completely unaffected. Macaque also lived his life normally.
He trained with Wukong, learned echolocation and even sparred with Azure on some occasions.
Problems started occuring when Wukong started making more friends.
With each new friend, Wukong became more and more distant from the other primates and closer to his new friends.
Slowly, but surely. The hero forgot his friends.
Now, the primates were strangers in their own home as the brotherhood was formed. All of their words fell on deaf ears.
All of Gibbon's warnings were always met with ignorance and the word "relax".
All of Baboon's advice was thrown away and met with "I'm sure it's fine."
Most of Macaque's words couldn't even reach his ears.
Then, the final straw fell down. When the brotherhood decided to conquer the celestial realm.
"You're really going through with this?" Asked Macaque raising a brow.
"Correction, we're going through with this. Like always. Celestial Primates up to cheeky mischief." Said Wukong cheerfully.
"Absolutely not!" Exclaimed Gibbon angrily as she slammed her fist onto the table around which the brotherhood sat. "We formed the celestial primates to protect ourselves from the celestial realm, not conquer it!'
"Relax, after this we won't have a celestial realm to worry about!" Exclaimed Wukong cheerfully.
"Wukong, you do realize how much damage this'll cause, right?" Asked Baboon with a frown.
"I'm sure it'll be fine." Replied Wukong nonchalantly.
"Wukong, I know you're excited but crossing the Jade Emperor is bound to have- aaand you're not listening." Said Macaque tiredly as Wukong started playing around with a banana Jade Emperor cosplay.
The three monkeys sighed before an unpleasant voice reached their ears.
"Ha, you three were always the lowest of the bunch. The cowardly, the lazy and the useless." Said the golden winged Peng, a member of the brotherhood calling out Macaque, Baboon and Gibbon in order. "I, for one, am done squabbling for scraps."
"Indeed. The Jade Emperor and his followers have lorded long enough with no regards for those they ruled." Added Yellow Tusk, another of member of the brotherhood.
Gibbon sighed as the brotherhood continued the conversation without them before whispering.
"I can't do this anymore. He's going crazy. Even more than normal." Said Gibbon with a frown.
"We can't just leave him." Argued Macaque.
"Yes, I can. HE already abandoned us." Said Gibbon with a deep frown. "If we stay here, we'll only get the short end of the stick. I'm leaving."
Baboon didn't reply as he witnessed the conversation. Waiting to see what happens.
Gibbon turned to Wukong who just happened to be smiling at them from his seat for some reason and yelled in a tone loud enough to be heard by everyone. "Wukong, I QUIT!"
"What?" Asked Wukong in confusion.
"I'm done dealing with you ignoring every I say. I'm leaving the team." Gibbon continued as she turned around to leave.
Wukong's brain stopped working as he tried to process what he had just heard, it never crossed his mind that he'd ever hear the words "I quit."
"Looks like you finally revealed your cowardly side." Scoffed Peng.
"Says the parasite. Always leeching off of someone else." Said Gibbon rolling her eyes without turning around.
Angered by the insult, Peng stood up from his seat and started saying things Gibbon didn't bother listening to.
"Peng, calm down." Said Azure softly before turning to Gibbon. "Gibbon, I apologize that-"
"Don't. I don't want apologies, I want to leave." Gibbon cut him off.
As Wukong stared at Gibbon's back, too shocked to speak, Peng decided this was enough.
"Enough." He said brandishing his spear. "You asked for this."
"Peng, wait-" said Azure, but it was too late. Peng spear was already at Gibbon's back.
But suddenly, it stopped midair along with it's holder. It was as if they were frozen in time.
The brotherhood, save for Wukong who was still in shock and the other primates, stared at Peng suspended midair in confusion.
Gibbon turned around with a bored expression before Peng abruptly slammed into the ground causing a small crater.
Gravity was increasing on the body of Peng making him unable to get up as he glared at her.
"Let this be a lesson. Just because I like doing math all day, doesn't mean I can't subtract your bones from your body." Said Gibbon increasing the gravity on Peng causing him scream in pain.
Seeing this, Yellow Tusk rushed in to attack Gibbon with his giant hammer. But the hammer never landed as it was caught effortlessly by Baboon.
"I didn't need help." Said Gibbon rolling her eyes.
"Can't blame me for making sure." Said Baboon before a pillar rose from the ground and slammed into Yellow Tusk, throwing him across the area. "Sorry, Wukong. I'm leaving too. I'm not mad at you or anything. Just...disappointed."
"Macaque? Your choice?" Asked Gibbon calmly.
"We won't hate you no matter what you pick." Added Baboon with a smile.
Wukong stared at Macaque as the six eared mokey clenched his fists.
"I'll..."
Macaque knew which choice was right. Gibbon said it multiple times. If he were to stay here, something bad will happen to him while only good awaits Wukong. Couple that with the rift Wukong placed between them...
There was really one good option.
"I'll stay."
Yet he didn't take it. He chose his friend over rationality.
Wukong snapped back into reality upon hearing Macaque's words.
"Well, if you ever need us. We'll be at my place." Said Baboon cheerfully holding a thumbs up.
With that, the celestial primates were split and the brotherhood including Macaque attacked the celestial realm.
xxXxx
The night after the brotherhood's attack on the celestial realm.
"You're gonna build a library?" Asked Baboon raising a brow.
"After we left Wukong, I've realized I'd really like to settle down somewhere and write everything I knew down." Said Gibbon holding a book. "Will you just stay on this mountain forever?"
"Nah, I've decided to do the exact opposite of you. You see, Miss Einstein, I've realized that out there existt music I've never heard and art I've never seen and cuisine I've never tasted." Said Baboon dramatically.
"Just admit you're hungry." Deadpanned Gibbon before she heard a rustle from a nearby bush.
The two monkeys immediately put up their guard, ready to fight whatever might be after them.
But all they saw was a familiar six eared monkey.
"Macaque! How ar-" said Baboon before noticing Macaque's shocked expression. "Macaque?"
A few tears falling out of Macaque's eyes told them all they needed to know.
Wukong betrayed him.
xxXxx
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Toodles.