You know... When I agreed to become the servant of the great sage- Monkey king himself I had no idea...
"THAT I'D BE STUCK HERE DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!" Jie shouted irritated by the situation she was in. She was training for like a week now but still wasn't able to use Mirror Blade.
The fact that she was recently feeling dangerous aura in the city didn't help her to focus on learning, same as MK who was cracking walls for a few days now.
Jie's main training was based on meditation, finding the necessary peace in Wukong's cave was rather hard.
After some time Jie got used to it, it was always the same- the sound of crashing, complaining, advices and repeat.
But that day there was a new sound which Jie had long forgotten... silence. Which was quickly disturbed by Monkey King who throw his staff into the wall causing it to break, funny thing is that Jie was minding her business just a few inches away from the hole.
"Jie? What are you doing here?"her master asked "Aren't you supposed to like... study or something, perhaps you got lazy huh?"
"...lazy?...LAZY?!" Jie didn't even notice that she shouted it out "For weeks now I'm only trying to study and yet YOU are getting on my nerves and even calling me lazy, YOU?!"
Monkey King's first reaction was shock, but it wasn't the first time he got on someone's nerves.
"Ok, calm down for a moment-don't you think you're a little... impatient?"
"..."
The silent that came after Wukong's words was so tense that MK caught himself sweating.
'Unfortunately' right on time he got an important call from Mei.
"So... Its seems like there is a monster or something soooo maybe... I just...-OK BYE!" He announced and ran away, he would prefer to fight every demon instead of staying there any second longer.
Jie slowly started moving after him.
"Wait! Where are you going!?"her master screamed when she was near the exit.
"I believe it's none of your business...master" She answered and then added a short and cold "I'll be back on Friday to clean up"

Two days passed since Jie had a fight with Wukong, by that time she thought she would feel calm again but even if she spent her time with Gou, like old times, she still felt irritated by her master's words.
On Friday she was supposed to go to the cave to clean it up, she promised to do so, but the thought of meeting that one monkey made her feel unpleasant. Normally she would apologise the first second but this time it was really important for her to stood her ground. Jie had a bad experience with demons who didn't let her speak for herself, by all means she wanted to prevent Wukong from acting this way towards her.
To calm her mind Jie started a new activity- taking a walk with Gou, as long as people ignored her it was perfect!
"Huh? Ms. Jie??!"
'Crumbs... it was too perfect, wasn't it?'
Jie turned back to meet a big blue giant with a cat on his arm
"Do... I know you?" She asked out of pure curiosity
"Yes! Not long ago, at Spider Queen's lair you saved me and my friends"
Well there was only one person who Jie would 'protect'
"Are you one of Monkey Boy's friend, Big Guy?"
"Yes!-call me Sandy!"
The blue giant smiled warmly towards her but Jie wasn't in mood for a chat, she also had some suspicions towards Sandy because of hi soul orb. It was cut perfectly in half, one side was bright and warm while the other one was dark and ominous... Jie didn't want to get involved with someone like that.
"Listen, it was nice to meet you but I need to go"She tried to think of something "I need to... buy food!"
It was then that she realised that she was still holding the bag with groceries.
"- For my dog!" She added while covering the bag behind her back
"I don't want to be a problem to you..." Sandy stated calmly
"Great, see you then-
"But you look troubled"
Somehow... Jie couldn't move a finger after those words. She took a deep breath and looked straight at the giant face
"What...if I am troubled?"She asked not sure herself why she was still talking with him
Sandy smiled again.
"Then I would offer you a cup of tea" he answered casually
"...only one cup..."
-10 cups of tea later-
"And then, he said that I am lazy!!!While he won't even bother to teach the kid properly or clean his damn house!" Jie kept complaining about Monkey King "Even thought he knows how much I'm trying to wield Mirror Blade again!"
Sandy nodded in a gesture of understanding, Jie didn't expect him to be such a good listener so she kept going.
"OH! And then he even called me impatient!-Which is...well... not totally true!" She took a sip of her tea to help her dried throat "It's soo good"She cried inside impressed by its taste
"So... You got frustrated at him because you're trying your best but he is disturbing you" said Sandy while petting Gou, he was more of a cat person, but there was no one who would be able to reject Gou's cutenesses!(besides some not important Monkey)
"Yes!-all the time he is either taking me to city, or making noises I can't stand!"Jie added"I would already find my inner goal if it wasn't because of him"
Sandy nodded again.
"Then I have one last question... why did you stayed with him?"
Jie blinked a few times.
"What..?"
"Since mr Monkey King is disturbing you, why did you study in his cave anyway?"
Jie was silent, not only because she didn't know what to say but also because she didn't know the answer!
Sandy was right, she shouldn't study in Wukong's cave anyway, how could she expect him to be quiet? Why didn't she just stay at her home- in silence, all calm and... alone.
"I think it's not him that makes you annoyed" Sandy continued "But the fact that you two became friends"
"WHAT?!" Jie almost dropped her cup "We aren't friends, he is my master!"
"But you want to be friends with him, that's why you stayed with him all this time, right?"
"It's impossible... How can I be his friend?!"
"I think you have more in common than you think, for example- both of you were alone for a very long time"
'No'
"It is normal for you to deny that since you were fine alone..."
'You're wrong Sandy...'
"Starting a relationship with someone after such a long time must be hard.."
'We are not similar at all... Wukong lost his friends because they died... I lost everyone because I hurt and betrayed them... And I don't want it to happen again...'
Jie was lost in her thoughts so much that she didn't notice Sandy coming closer to her and even putting his hand on her shoulder.
"This is probably why you're irritated, because you are starting something new and risky and you don't want to be hurt-
"..."
"-But it feels so good that you want to give it a chance"
Again, a bright smile showed on Sandy's face.
Jie felt so many different emotions at one time... It became troublesome.
"I guess Monkey King is also trying to became your friend, why won't you give him a chance?"
"..."
"Can I have one last cup?"
As an answer Sandy took away her cup gently and gone to the kitchen, when he was back Jie looked into a now full cup and as she was about to drink it... She dropped it.
It wasn't intentional, in fact it was because she felt as a shiver ran through her spine- no! It was more like a hit of a lightning, this feeling was so new but yet she knew what that meant.
"Monkey King..." She muttered quitly and stood before Sandy" I need to go!"
As she was about to teleport she looked one more time at a face of the gentle giant.
"Thank you... Sandy" she whispered "I'll come again if you don't mind"
"Your welcome" Sandy said goodbye with his gently smile, as he watched Jie disappear into smoke
MK watched helplessly at his mentor fighting with Macaque, in fact with the part of his power- Macaque became a strong enemy to Monkey King,
The speed, strength, power... everything was so similar and yet so different but it didn't escape MK's attention that Monkey King was holding back because of him, which made him even more ashamed.
But still there was only one Monkey King! It was the first time MK saw his mentor fighting seriously which made the fight more spectacular.
Unfortunately they escaped from his sight so MK couldn't watch how the battle of transformation have been going on or how Macaque used a horrible trick on his mentor, creating an illusion of his student- MK himself. As Wukong lowered his guard for a mere second Macaque's shadow clone used the opportunity and stroke him in the stomach, the next kick was just a matter of second but right then... a new character joined the fight...
Both simians were forced to back up because of the strong explosion of energy which left a huge cloud of pink smoke, before it calmed down...
"Forgive me for being late-
A familiar voice was heard
"JIE?!" Wukong shouted, somehow it seemed to be more angry than surprised tone of voice "Get out of there, you don't stand a chance before him!"
'I can see that...'
Jie looked at the soul of her master's opponent, it was a long time since she saw such a strong and evil aura, Wukong was right, she doesn't stand a chance before him. Her tail was trembling nervously feeling the incoming danger.
sniff...sniff....
'What an awful smell...'
"Well...welll, who do we got here?" Jie heard the male voice "Some new friend I see..."
Jie gazed for a moment at her opponent, waiting for something with an unpleasant face
"Ah! Where are my manners..."The monkey bowed before her "Let me introduce myself... They call me six-eared Macaque..." He said in a fake gentle way
'Macaque?'...
This strange name was echoing in Jie's head for a minute, then she realised and opened her mouth
"...Never heard that name before"Jie didn't even realise at first that she said it out loud until Macaque's left eye twitched
"Jie...You need to run-
"Master" Jie cut in Wukong's words "I need to talk with you but I see that you're busy now, so please let me help, even if just a little"
Wukong was silent for a moment, till he noticed shadow clones coming their way
"WATCH OUT!"
Jie in an instant cut the shadows in half which her blade, which was still trapped in scabbard. As she saw a glow on it a thought came across her mind.
'This might help...'
"Master!"Jie screamed to Wukong who was also busy fighting "Give me an order!"
"Huh? Now?!"
"Yes!- That's what I need- an order I need to fulfil...A GOAL!
Wukong's expression changed, he understood!
"I don't mean to disturb you or something..." Macaque spoke calmly "But I feel bad with being left out!" He jumped and pushed his weapon against Jie's blade.
Jie felt his power and strength but as she came closer to him the awful smell became stronger, she needed to finish it quickly!
"Jie!" She heard her master again "Listen to my order!"
Jie's ears perked to his side, hungry for words he was about to spoke.
"I order you to... protect MK!"
"..."
Jie closed her eyes, probably because of the light coming from her blade with made even Macaque step back.
Like that she touched the hilt of her sword, she felt the power that was ready to escape from the scabbard, so she took the blade out!
Everyone looked at her holding the-
"Wait...where's the blade?"Wukong blinked a few times at Jie holding a sword without it's blade!
"HAHAHAHAHhahha!" The awful, evil laugh filled the air "That's this powerful weapon?"
"What a shame..." he added quietly before attacking Jie once again but unless like before, Jie didn't block it, no! Istead she swallowed Macaques energy into scabbard and put the hilt into it again, in an instant the scabbard changed into yellow sword, made from energy so strong and wild that it was covered by lightnings.
Macaque didn't have a chance to take a closer look, since it was now Jie's turn to attack.
"Now... its time for a serious duel"