It was a stunning day in the Megapolis. Warm sun shining from above and a gentle breeze coming from the sea. Hot light kissed the skin, and the wind brought a salty smell within itself. It was truly an unusual day for this time of year since it was just the end of winter and such nicely sunny days were rather a rare thing. So rare that it brought a lot more people out of the safety of their homes to the streets to enjoy such weather.
On this unusual day, MK was walking with Wukong through the city. They were going to the market for fireworks for the coming new year. The boy somehow talked his mentor into going with him, despite how crowded it was on the streets this day. He mentioned something about really good peach cakes being sold close to the market and that they could go for them afterward. Wukong couldn't say no to that.
Sun Wukong was wearing a big hoodie and dark sunglasses, of course. He didn't want people to recognize him on the street, it already was too crowded for his liking. He did like it when people cheered for him after the fights and when they spoke about him and how awesome he is, that was the part of his fame that he liked, but... but being suddenly crowded by so many people he didn't know, that would probably try touching him and all speaking at once, uhh... Well, he would rather avoid such a situation if he could. Especially when he came here for fireworks and peach cakes, not the loud cheers and excitement of strangers.
MK on the other hand was pretty chill about this kind of stuff. He wasn't yet as known as his mentor, true, but some people already recognized him and greeted him with excitement. He was a bit shy and nervous each time, but when someone approached him he tried to be as polite and nice as he could. He always agreed to any photos or autographs, and when he had some more spare time he even agreed to longer chats with his... Well, he didn't like calling them fans but that's basically who those people were.
Although today he for sure did not have that spare time. He could see Wukong being in a hurry from the moment they entered the crowd, and he wouldn't want to stretch his mentor's anguish unnecessarily. He was really thankful that Monkey King went with him in the first place and didn't want him to regret this decision.
"Oh, how about we buy some pink ones! Like peaches! Maybe we can even find some that are gonna be in peach-shape!" MK expressed enthusiastically, wanting to draw Wukong's attention away from other people. Monkey King's ears immediately perked up at this and his golden eyes glowed in excitement at the thought.
"That's a great idea, bud!" a rusty colored-tail wagged lightly under the hoodie, and the celestial monkey started to now be the one taking the lead, solely focused on finding the mentioned fireworks. He ran from one stand to the next one, eagerly looking around for them. Oh, how he wanted to see a peach firing in the sky in pinkish lights of small explosions.
MK snickered and kept running after Monkey King. The boy didn't really mind being dragged from place to place like that. He was happy to see his mentor this excited. He also looked around at the stands, and even though he couldn't find any peach-shaped ones, he saw a few monkey-shaped, ones that his companion missed and at some point, he let go of his hand to buy a few of those too. It was the year of the tiger, but the young hero didn't really care, as long as this could bring his teacher some joy.
And speaking of his teacher... shit, he lost him in this crowd.
While the delivery boy started to slightly panic over losing the celestial monkey from sight, the mentioned simian was just jumping from stand to stand in excitement looking for peach-shaped fireworks. Oh how they were firing in his mind, he was already in awe at only the thought of the sight alone.
Wukong forgot practically all the world around him, while he really just went on this journey after those specific fireworks. And after what seemed to him like at most twenty minutes, in reality, being around two hours, he finally found a stand where an old gentleman was selling fruit-themed fireworks. His golden eyes shined in excitement as he started to look around for peach-shaped ones, and practically glowed like two flashlights when he got his hands on three of them.
"How much for them?" Wukong asked the old men, almost jumping in place from excitement.
"Well, for those it will be 600 ¥*(yuan)." he said calmly. Wukong smiled, not knowing how much it actually was. He could only tell that it was more than for his peach chips, but well, he would assume fireworks would be more expensive than his usual snack.
"My lawyer will pay for it." he said, not able to hide his childish excitement at his purchase.
"Is he... Is he here with you?" the men sounded confused, looking around for a hooded monkey's companion, which was supposed to be said lawyer.
"No. But I will leave you his phone number." Wukong said casually as he started to look for something in his pocket "Got it!" he handed the men a business card of his lawyer and 14 角**(jiao) that also were in his pocket "Here, and that's a tip." he said and before this confused old man could react and stop him, he had already disappeared in the crowd.
Now that Monkey King had what he wanted from the market he started to look for MK. Weird, he was sure the kid was just behind him a moment ago... Well it wasn't really a big issue, he just needed to use his Golden Vision and—
Suddenly, Wukong felt an eerie, cold shiver run down his spine and his fur bristled at that sensation. He looks around alert, feeling this uncomfortable, haunting sense of familiarity. He noticed a subtle change in the air as if his surroundings slightly shifted. And as he glances over his shoulder, he catches out of the corner of his eye, a glimpse of a shadowy figure. Clothed in a huge, dark robe, disappearing swiftly in the crowd.
His heart skips a beat or two and his breath catches in his throat as this shadowy figure seemed to somehow look, or more like feel, all too familiar — a ghost of his past. Without a second thought, he starts to go through the crowd, chasing this misty memory. He can't shake off the feeling of being watched, and shadows catching his ankles, trying to stop him in his tracks. And he can't tell if it's what really is happening or if it's solely an imagination of his, playing tricks on him.
He's not sure when he started to straight up run, chasing breathlessly this sense of darkened presence that sends shivers down his spine and makes his heart race like crazy. He is driven by this need of learning who that person is. Or rather if it is the person he thought it was.
Although, after a while he stops, realizing he lost this mysterious persona. So he only pants heavily, looking somewhere to the front. Everything around him is as if it was tuned down, making his own thoughts scream so loudly and images blast before his eyes. His mind is confused, trying so hard to rationalize this experience in any way. But Wukong feels deep down that there is more to what just happened, than him just imagining all of that.
It looked as if the past wasn't as buried as he believed it to be.
"Monkey King!" MK's voice finally reaches the Stone Monkey and golden eyes move slowly to his successor "I was looking for you for- Monkey King? Are you okay?" the boy's expression changes from exhausted and a bit upset to worried as he faces his mentor.
"Uh, yeah! Sure I'm okay, bud! Why wouldn't I be okay, haha?" Wukong said, still a bit stiff, but he tries to mask it under a well-trained smile.
"You look like you just saw a ghost." the young hero pointed out with concern.
"Ah-! No, no, I'm fine. I just.... I just thought I saw a familiar face..." he laughed in embarrassment, and slowly moved fully to MK "I wanted to talk, but lost them in the crowd." he adds, seeing an unsure expression on a young boy's face that then lightens up in excitement.
"Ooooh! Like a past friend of yours? Who was it? Are they in some legends too?" MK got a bit excited at the possibility of learning more things about his hero.
"...No, I don't think there is much about him in any books." he looked for a moment to the previous direction and sighed "And I think I just imagined it anyway."
"Whaaa, but-" the boy wanted to complain.
"Anyway. Look!" Stone Monkey interrupted and showed his successor the found peach-shaped fireworks "I found them!" he said with a proud smile.
"Oooh, this is so cool! They sure gonna look incredible!" MK said with excitement, his attention in a second shifted to the topic of New Year.
"I bet!" continued the monkey "Aaaaand, since we have fireworks already, it's peach cake time~!" his golden eyes almost shimmered.
"Oh, right! I almost forgot!" Wukong only laughed at that and followed enthusiastically after MK.
The bakery was close to the market just like the boy said and soon the two of them were sitting somewhere in the corner, waiting for their order. Everything was kept in the white and powder pink color. Some cherry blossom patterns on the tablecloths and curtains. On tables there in pots grow plants with straight leaves in bottle green color with pink edges. Obviously, Monkey King ordered peach cake and a peach-flavored soda, when his student decided on apple pie and plain Coke. They had a nice view on the rest of the place, somehow still being a bit hidden from the rest.
"—Yeah, DBK went just so crazy on everyone then! He even mistook me for you, and went so out of control that even his wife and Red Son sided with me!" MK exclaimed with a mouth full of pie.
The boy was telling his mentor about his last adventure and the fight with Demon Bull King.
"Huuuh, maybe he went crazy in his old age." the ape snickered carefree, playing with the piece of peach on his spoon.
"No, that's not it. He was... Well, I don't know him so well, but you know it was just... It was as if someone was controlling him!" the boy expressed, a bit anxious about this confrontation.
"Controlling him, huh?" Wukong put on a thinking face, giving his student a bit more attention.
"Yeah! He had those weird thing-ish containers and PIF said I need to aim for them." MK gestured fastly as if replaying the scene from his memory "And then when I destroyed them he really got back to normal." he added fastly.
"O, so there is no problem anymore." Monkey King took another big bite of his peach cake as he smiled nonchalantly.
"What?" MK blurred out a bit dumbfounded.
"Well, you just said that you destroyed the containers that were controlling him. Sooooo, no containers, no problem." Wukong shrugged lightly as he grinned widely.
"Are you sure? What if there is something more to it?" the delivery boy was still not really convinced and looked at his mentor with doubt.
"Nah, you worry too much bud." the celestial monkey waved his hand dismissively.
"...If you say so. Maybe you're right." MK sighed as he took a sip of his Coke.
"Of course I'm right! After all, I am called the Great Sage for a reason." Wukong took on a proud pose as he exclaimed with a cocky smile.
"Isn't it a self-proclaimed title?" the boy raised an eyebrow at his teacher's claim.
"Shh, that's not the point." Monkey King again waved his hand dismissively "The point is, I'm telling you that you don't need to worry about it, so, don't worry." he added and gave his successor a warmth and soft smile, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder in a comforting gesture.
"Okey okey." MK only sighed and smiled back.
They spend around two hours more in that bakery discussing the coming holiday before Pigsy called MK. The boy gives monkey-shaped fireworks to his mentor and hurries to Pigsy Noodles. He had an afternoon shift only because his dad also went to the market, but for some fresh ingredients and was opening the shop later. He needed to restock before the New Year's big sale.
''*★☽☼☾★*''
As the moon hung high in the night sky, its pale glow cast an ethereal light over Wukong's lying silhouette on the branch of the peach tree next to his hut. The celestial monkey narrowed his brows as he tried to remember as many details as he could of that shadow of a person in the crowd. The black robe with red ends and... was this a cloud pattern or did he only imagine that..? And that cold, dark aura... He couldn't be mistaking that feeling for anyone else. That was simply not possible to mistake that moonlike presence of the Shadow. No, it must have been him. Otherwise, he would be able to catch that person back then.
Hands under his head, Wukong was gazing up at the night sky, golden eyes focused on the moon. The sight of Macaque, or someone who bore a striking resemblance, had ignited a tempest within him, stirring the embers of buried grief. The weight of regret bore heavily upon his heart, each beat echoing the pain of a severed bond. But how was he alive..? Was it even possible? Could Macaque truly have returned, reborn, or resurrected from the depths of their shared history? Could it really be him or had Wukong already lost it and gone crazy? But it was in the past, it couldn't be affecting him now, right? And even if, there wasn't anything to regret. No, he did what he had to. Macaque was the one that was to blame and he got what he deserved. Wukong's mind became a labyrinth of conflicting emotions, a maze he found himself lost within. Doubt mingled with hope, swirling together in a turbulent dance, threatening to consume his very sanity.
He had spent centuries convincing himself that his actions were justified, that he was right to sever their once unbreakable bond. The memory of their bitter parting still etched itself vividly upon his soul. Yet, now faced with the possibility of Macaque's return, Wukong felt the weight of unspoken words, of remorse left unexpressed.
The moonlight bathed him in a soft glow, casting shadows that mirrored the complexity of his thoughts. In the depths of the night, he catches himself wishing to confront Macaque. To continue that, most likely pointless, chase after the shadows of his past. He wishes to find out if it's truly his Shadow or if it is only a cruel trick of his own mind.
Lost in contemplation, Wukong yearned for clarity. The moon, with its serene presence, served as a silent companion, comforting yet bitter. The path ahead remained uncertain, fraught with questions and buried truths. But as the moon continued its celestial journey, Wukong knew that he could not ignore the call of his past any longer. The time for reflection had come to an end, and the time for action was dawning upon him. He had decided to act on his feeling and deal with this situation.
Because if it truly was Macaque, he must be up to no good...right? Plotting some revenge or scheming against him.
And if what's left of Macaque was only a shadow of his old self, here again brought by the twisted winds of destiny that reincarnated him so painfully close to old home... Would it be selfish of Wukong to yearn to at least see what he's up to?
......
¥*(yuan) and 角**(jiao) - chinese currency; 1 ¥ equals 100角.
FH:
Yo! Soooo a few things for the start:
— This story starts after the end of season 1, ALSO season 1 episode 9(the one we're intoduced to Macaque) didn't happened;
— This story gonna be longer and gonna be updated very slowly since I'm gonna be finishing other projects first and do some smaller works in the meantime;
— I'm not sure when I start translating it to polish, but mostl likely not soon :((
Thank you for reading! Leave some comments for feadback, I love reading your reactions and opinions it helps a lot with my motivation and skapes m skills! <3
See ya!
=)