Dreams were an uncommon thing to the Monkey King. It wasn't as though he forced them away or denied them. He just didn't have them normally.
It wasn't uncommon, as far as he was aware. His Master had even said so himself. Some folk just don't dream as often as others.
Wukong was one of those people.
However, on rare occasions, his mind slipped into the realm of the imagination. Odd sights or strange occurrences happened behind his eyes as he slept.
Dreams and, at times, visions welcomed him.
The last one hadn't happened in over 200 years. Until tonight.
He found himself in gray shadows. There didn't seem to be an up nor down.
Pools of nothing that seemed to flow all the same. It carried him back and forth, following a cycle of similarity.
There was silence at first, then that changed. Something soft, growing stronger. He strained his ears to hear until he finally understood what it was.
A heart beat.
Steady, but definitely there. Something about it was familiar.
"...Hello?" he asked.
A path emerged before him, giving him a stable footing to move forward. Curious, he followed it, wondering where it might lead. Winding trees slowly emerged from the ground, a chill breeze followed.
There was a smell in the air that wasn't there before.
Plums.
He paused at the threshold of a wide clearing, which beckoned him into an open valley he couldn't quite recognize. The hour was late into the night, the moon high in the sky.
From the tall grass, a figure emerged. No- they more of rose upward, like a puppet tugged on a string. The limpness of its body is unnatural in how it bent before straightening into something more recognizable.
This figure stood alone in the dark, their shadow stretching as far as the moon's glow seemed to touch.
There was something small, like a key grasped in their hand.
Wukong felt the fur on his arm standing straight. An unwelcome feeling snuck into his chest. He stepped closer, cautiously. "Who goes there?"
At his call, the stillness grew wild.
The shadows twisted and churned- the realm itself being warped. Darkness leaked into Wukong's vision as the figure turned.
He knew that darkness. A kernel of it lived within him, always.
Amber eyes meet his own, and he's running. His heart stopped.
Dashing forward with such speed, yet he never seems to get closer to that lone figure, standing in the moon's warm glow.
The darkness swept past Wukong on a phantom wind, full of whispers and- pain.
So much pain and despair and guilt and fear.
He reached his hand out with a sharp cry. "Mihou!"
No response, but Wukong could feel him there. Standing. Watching.
All before he was hurtling downward, utterly blind in an impenetrable dark.
Around and around the darkness of shade enveloped him- the start and end of everything Wukong had come to know. At some point, he got used to the sensation and could straighten himself up.
Falling for forever.
...it wasn't so bad. He had been through far worse.
With that thought, he realized this was a dream.
An odd one, but surely just a dream. It calmed his nerves to register this, but something about it felt so terrifyingly real.
"Get yourself together, Wukong." he cradled his head in his hands, hunching over. "Wake up. Wake up." he repeated this over and over.
It was impossible for Mihou to be here, he knew this. Impossible for him to be anywhere anymore.
He was still 6 feet underground.
" Is that so?"
A voice. It ebbed at the back of his mind, quiet at first, then louder.
"It's been quite some time. "
He knew this voice, yet couldn't place it. It held no malice nor friendly intent. Simple and bland. He turned to face them, only to find nothing behind him. Nor ahead. Or at the sides. He was alone.
"Hello?" he asked, puzzled. "Who are you?"
" There is no need to see each other. " the voice mused. "I only came to talk and check-in on the progress. It won't take much of your time... Sun Wukong ."
An annoying sound pierced his ears, like a whistle. Sharp and startling. Wukong flinched, turning his head to the side. He rubbed his ear, "Progress?"
There is a long silence. For a moment, Wukong believes the voice has left, or never actually existed in the first place. Then they speak again,
It said something it really shouldn't have.
" The child certainly looks like the six-eared Macaque, don't they ?" A chuckle followed. Sick and twisted.
His star...
While empty a moment ago, a presence filled his hands. He looked down, startled to find his child sitting safely within his grasps.
"Qi?" His hands tightened around him by instinct. He felt relief and comfort to see him, quickly replaced with a growing concern that he was here.
Wukong's fur bristled, eyes sharpening dangerously. "Who are you?" he hissed, curling himself around his son.
"Destiny. "
He clicked his teeth in annoyance. "No such thing."
" Are you so certain ?" the voice seemed to whisper right against his ear. He whipped around to slash at them, just to hit open air. He stumbled back, clutching his child to his chest. This wasn't real.
Clearly it wasn't real. But no dream should be this intense. This was more than just some odd delusion- he was certain.
It felt familiar, actually. Dark and troubling, like a time long since forgotten. The whispers of evil and destiny. It could only be one person.
Wukong couldn't bring himself to fully believe it though, knowing he himself had helped bury that demon in the ground at the behest of his Master.
"What do you want?" he hissed. From the smoke and darkness- a hand emerged. Pale white and boney, it extended a long slender finger outward.
It pointed to his child.
" The boy. "
Wukong's voice broke out in an animalistic growl, leaping back. Rage took control, feeling an emotional surge going from 0 to 100 in an instant. "Over my dead body!" He slashed at the putrid hand, covering his child against him. He'd ripped them to shreds. "You can't have him!"
" Is that so? You should really be more grateful, Sun Wukong. You only hold him thanks to me. I can make any wish come true, afterall."
Gold stained his eyes, "Bullshit." he spat at their lies. "Leave, that is the only wish I want from you."
A perpetual silence made the air turn icey.
" Careful what you wish for, simian ." the voice chuckled. The hand began to move, circling Wukong, all while continuing to point. Round and round it went. He followed it with a sharp gaze.
" Destiny cannot be unwritten, Sun Wukong. " The boney hand's finger snapped sharply with a sickening crack. It pointed down.
Wukong made the mistake of following its direction.
Looking at his arms. At his child...
Limp and lifeless.
The normally starry eyes were murky, staring up at him with a gaze of terror.
"!!"
No.
NO!
Gone
Wukong felt himself scream. Spots of gold blinded his vision and energy surged uncontrollably.
"DON'T TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!"
His hand swung out in terror, an eruption of power forming at his fingertips.
Torn from his dream, but not in his actions, the very wall beside him was ripped from the ground as power shot forward! It was defeatingly loud, stirring every monkey within the area into a panic.
Crackling rock and twisting wood made Wukong feel sick.
And then... a sharp piercing cry.
Immortal lungs heave heavy gulps of air in an attempt to sustain his quivering form. His hand is still extended out. And just inches below his fingers...
His child
Terror consumes his expression.
He hadn't hit Qi Xiaotian, thank the stars, but he certainly was close. Missing by bare inches.
The small prince wailed in a panic, large tears slipping from his face. Whether from the surge of frightening power, or just the startling loud noise that must have hurt his preciously sensitive ears, the child cried. He clung to his doll for comfort, fleeing to it right after the moment of impact. He was hiding his face in its stomach to shield himself.
"Q...Qi..." the blood drained from his face as he shook. His eyes, blindingly gold, was blind to the world around them. It's sole focus was the small monkey he almost stole the life from with a single toss of his hand. "I-I'm sorry." His voice cracked, reeling his hand back. "I'm so so sorry baby." In a spur of desperation he surged forward to crawl to his child and check for injuries. If he had hurt him...
If he hurt his Qi....!
By the grace of some unseen power, his child was physically unharmed. Injuries to his mind however, were another matter.
The small prince's voice crackled with fright, his tail curled around himself in a quivering mess of fluff. When Wukong went to touch him, to console his little one, his child flinched away.
"!!!" Wukong recoiled
What had he said before...?
Nothing will harm you while I'm here?
What if it was him doing the harming? Such a fragile being could easily break under his immortal touch.
"I..I'm sorry.." he stuttered. "Oh Qi Xiaotian, I'm so sorry." he covered his mouth, shakily crawling backwards to the opposite side of their bed. He turned away, face still covered in a cold sweat.
Monster
Icey cold swallowed him whole. He shook his head feebly. No... No he didn't-
He pressed against the corner of the room, throat tightening painfully. Panic was taking over. Curling into himself, he cried out into the night for his monkeys. Help. Help me...!
They rushed through the shattered remains of his wall, cooing and chirping with concern. Alert and fur standing up for any sign of intruders or for. All they found was their startled Prince and crumpling Kind.
Not sure what had occurred, they watched their King point feebly to his cub. Too distraught to care for anyone right now but conscious enough to recognize this.
Understanding immediately, the eldest of the monkey's scoop the child into their arms to console him, eyeing their kind with saddened eyes.
At some point the child's tears dried, and he was lulled to sleep.
Their King however, cowered in his corner until dawn broke. Uttering the same phrase, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
_________________________________
"Good Morning everybody!"
It had been a few hours into the morning when the Monkey King emerged from the waterfall. Large bags under his eyes and fur in disarray. Behind him, his monkey's trailed at a slow and steady pace. Each eyeing their King with quiet concern. Expecting the monkey to crack and fall to pieces at any moment.
"Man!" Wukong stretched. "What a Beautiful dayyyy!"
He was returning to the top of the mountain today. His baby was hungry, and after all, he planted the peach tree there especially for him. "Who's a hungry boy~ My Qi Xiaotian is." he said with a bright smile and equally bright attitude. Even if it never reached his eyes.
All while holding his child at a safe distance using his tail.
It was fine.
He definitely wasn't avoiding holding his child with his bare hands, he just thought it was easier carrying him with his tail. That's all...
Qi Xiaotian looked at him with confusion as they walked on their normal path up the mountain. Today had been a roller coaster of emotions already and he hardly understood exactly what it was that had happened. Now, things were the same as yesterday, like nothing bad had happened but... things were somehow different too?
Normally he would be clinging to his father's back, or on his head. He had never been carried by his tail before. It was kind of fun, so he swung his legs with a giggle.
Eventually though, it bored him. Eventually he wanted more. Wanted to nuzzle into his father's neck and play with his ears and find bugs on his head. So he whined for his dad to bring him closer.
Wukong didn't.
He just smiled and swayed Xiaotian a little using his tail to settle the baby.
Which left a pouting cub instead, grumpily puffing his cheeks as they got to the top of the mountain for some breakfast.
The stark contrast between yesterday morning and today was staggering in terms of how Wukong's mental state felt about the top of the mountain.
For years, Wukong had hated coming up here.
In his mind, this place had become withered and worn away. At a second glance, this place was thriving. The flowers that Macaque had planted had sprouted yet again this year, and the tree was in full blossom. So beautiful and lovely and- and frail.
The flowers could easily be trampled. The tree could topple with a brush of his hand. It paled in comparison to the brute strength Wukong had in his pinky alone.
"...." biting his lower lip, he rushed past the flowers in a quickened pace, keeping his arms firmly at his side. He stood before the tree, making sure to hold his child tightly with his tail.
B-But not too tightly!
"Hungry bud?" he asked with a small voice, gesturing to the tree. Fresh round peaches hang patiently along its branches,. Wukong didn't feel very hungry...
In fact, one might say he was teetering on a dangerous sort of edge in his mind. But he had a child to raise, so he couldn't let that thought linger long.
"Want a peach?" he asked his son, gesturing to them. He rung his hands together, hoping to seem normal to his child.
Distracted from combing through his father's fur at the end of his tail, his child titled his head. Seeing the peaches his eyes sparkled, half nearly leaping to grab a hold of them. 'Whoa there!" Wukong caught the wiggling scamp, "Eager, eager! Downright obsessed..."
His son chirped and patted his father's tail to be released, whining for a peach.
"Yes yes, I'll grab you one." Tucking his son down towards the ground to stop his fussing he grabbed a rather juicy looking one from the lower branch. Taking a testing bit out of it, he deemed it perfect. "Here. Sniff first." he told his son, lifting him up by tail to smell. Wanting his son to learn the ripe from the bad. When his baby tried to bite right into it he held him away. "Sniff first." he instructed.
Just get back into the routine, Wukong's inner voice instructed. It'll pass.
Wide eyes stared at him, a wiggle to his son's nose as he sniffed... then promptly bit down.
"....sqeeeeeeeeee~" a few munches later and his son sounded like a small little train. His lips were curling into a grin. He seemed to enjoy the food.
Wukong was practically melting, plopping the rest of the peach in his mouth. Such a lovely child always made his day brighter. Always reminded him of the dazzling good this world still had.
Chewing, he eyed for another good peach. His son eagerly pointed to a few to get his opinion in. It was just so cute.
"Just the most adorable thing I've ever seen~" his voice got high pitched. He wanted to squish his baby's face. So soft and round. Despite his temptation, he knew better. The fragile form of his child was a thought that had been tormenting his mind since the night before. "Cute...And mortal.." he paled. How finite such a little life like this was.
"D-Don't' like that.' his voice wavered, keeping his smile as casual as possible, fumbling for a peach and missing. His laugh faltered into a worried exhale. The fear of death for himself was something he never had to worry about. But his boy? It could take him with the slightest cold at such a young age. And when he got older, a falling tree or-or some enemies!
"H-Hah..." Wukong tried to keep his smile up, but his anxiety crept behind his eyes.
He could train him! Let him grow up amongst the Monkeys. And get him a peach of immortality as soon as possible.
Of course stealing another one of those would draw the... celestial realms... attention.
He frowned.
He had never really thought about it before now, but... many people didn't like him. Not something he cried over, because they could never touch him. As much as they tried, he was the great Sun Wukong! Sage equal to heaven!
He was fine... but...
His Qi Xiaotian.
His little baby, infant better than heaven, was different.
If the celestial realm learned of his existence, what would they do? He recalled a time almost every celestial in existence had come to visit him when they first learned of his presence in the world. Both to test him and attempt to exploit him or drag him to the celestial realm for not following their rules. Rules he didn't even know about, by the way!
Or worse yet, the demon realm? The offspring of Monkey King was bound to catch the attention of well- EVERYBODY! New and old would flock this way.
From the lowest to highest point. What people couldn't do to him, they would take out on his child. And whether he liked it or not, he was very much outnumbered right now.
There wasn't a soul around who could help him, his own actions made sure of that.
There was maybe Azure Lion but.. He couldn't.
Mihou's words of warning were like alarms going off in his head. He once thought his mate foolish for worrying about having allies. Now that Wukong was truly alone, he saw exactly what it was Macaque was concerned over...
Alarm was pooling over in the back of his mind. His child was in danger, because of him.
"I..It's fine." he told himself, grabbing a peach and patting it. He was just overthinking this. No one had come to bother him for the last 500 years. The realm was at peace, as far as demon attacks anyway, and he was sure no one would come to bother them here on the mountain.
"...You'll be safe here." he extended his tail out to look at his child face to face, lifting his chin. "...Right?" Sweet rounded eyes and bouncy cheeks. Ears that could dazzle the world. A wiggle little nose and adorable tiny toes.
A smile like the light of the moon. Like Mihou's...
In the brief flash, he saw his mate.
Liu'er Mhou, laying at his feet, the light gone from his eyes.
Qi Xiaotian wouldn't be far behind him
A dark and sickening voice curled through his head. It sounded like his own but said such horrible things.
"N-No...!" He stepped back, startled. Shocking the surrounding monkey's and his child, they all yelped in surprise. Qi Xiaotian frowned. Close enough to try now, he managed to take a hold of his father's hand. He held it with as much strength as he could muster.
"Da?" he titled his head, confused as to what was wrong and nuzzled his dad's hand to comfort him in any way he could.
It was a sweet gesture, but one that fueled Wukong's dread.
Like he had been burned by fire, the Monkey King ripped himself away from the child and stumbled back, leaving the boy to polo down on the boulder with a squeak. Almost tumbling right down the cobble steps himself, Wukong caught himself on the edge in a sharp grip.
He panted, chest heaving. It was startling hard to breathe....
"Da?" His child called, on all fours and circling the rock to find some means of getting down from it. He called for his father, holding out his hands in a grabby motion for him.
Wukong didn't step closer...
Instead, with a flick of his hand, a peach snapped from the branch above and fell gingerly to the ground. Rolling against his son's legs. "SCHREE!" officially distracted by food, the small monkey sat down, peach between his lap, and bit down.
With this, Wukong was given time to think.
"C-Calm down... Calm down..." he deliberately rubbed his hand where his son had touched. It felt so warm...
He didn't deserve that warmth.
His entire life, every connection he ever made, was flooding back.
This child was going to be used as a pawn against him, like everyone else he ever cared about. This child was going to love him, and then be broken by him. Like everyone else.
He could list all his enemies and was sure the list would go on and on. How could anyone live a happy life being connected to him of all people?
Destiny cannot be unwritten, Sun Wukong .
Those words etched into the back of his mind. The voice was so familiar and cold, spurring from the darkened spots of his memories.
It was unsettling. He wanted to play it off as a dream, a delusion of his own trauma.
It would be easy to chalk it up as that... if he didn't still feel the presence now. Lingering around in the shadows. Waiting... watching...
It made Wukong worry, a question on the tip of his tongue.
What exactly brought Qi Xiaotian back from the dead? What had taken him in the first place? Wukong had never discovered the answer. Was it something unseen? Someone more powerful than anything he's encountered? Someone who, in theory... could take his child?
This mountain, which normally felt safe, felt alarmingly unguarded suddenly.
No, it was clear the child couldn't stay here. He wasn't safe.
He might-
The King covered his eyes, tormented at the dream of his baby, lifeless in his arms.
Forget the Celestial and Demon realm, h-he couldn't even trust himself around Qi Xiaotian!
He glanced at his hands, reminded of the night before. If he had aimed even an inch lower then Qi Xiaotian would have been...
A sense of hysteria made his tongue feel numb.
His child wasn't safe with him.
The words made Wukong freeze in his tracks, a feeling of molten lava burning his insides. He might hurt his star. He might bring pain and suffering to his son.
He shook his head quickly, stumbling back to devise a plan. He had to do something. Had to find some sort of insurance. Or deterrent!
His face hardened, clenching his jaw. Sighing, Wukong lowered himself to the ground. Folding his legs together, he exhaled. Inhale, exhale. Head up, and eyes closed, turning towards meditation to find his answer. He kept his back to the child, knowing the longer he looked, the harder this would be.
There was power within this child. It was small, and perhaps that is why he couldn't quite sense it before now, but it was there. It wouldn't be long until someone else senses it too, if he were to stay here.
His past would come to haunt him at some point, and he would be dead before he ever let it even near his son.
But what could he do to prevent all of this from happening?
Trusting the Monkey's to watch over his child, he let his mind fall back. Meditating until the sun was high in the sky, and his son had long since finished his peach and was fast asleep in a pile of monkeys below the tree.
He can't stay here
He swatted the very notion away. He would never send his baby away. Not after all this. Not after losing him once already.
He thought of anything else. Hiding his baby behind the mountain. Making sure he never left the mountain.
Like a prisoner in a cage...
No, he would hate that. Wukong wanted to give his child the world, not keep it from him. There are other options.
Train him.
And hope no one finds them. And if someone did before his child could gain the power he needed to defend himself?
....Take him away.
NO! No no!
Send him somewhere safe. Away from you. You are the issue here.
Whatever words he tried to find to debate that idea... didn't come. How could he possibly refute it?
Liu'er Mihou
Wukong choked. How easily he could recall. The rain... the smell... the cold.
" Mihou...?" he shook his mate, the body lifeless in his hands. Cradling the darker monkey's head in his fingers, he turned his chin towards him. "No no please... no! I'm sorry I didn't mean to... ! I'm so sorry please...!" Brushing matted fur out of his eyes. Wailing, pleading...!
Crimson red was all he could see.
Red.
Red
RED
Chest constricting, Wukong grasped his own neck for a moment, drawn painfully from his meditative state. It was like his lungs were being squeezed.
You'll be the death of him
"Stop ." he whispered, wanting to quell that whispering voice in the back of his head.
He'll love you. And then he'll despise you.
He shakes his head, "I can be better." .
No you can't.
His squeezed his eyes shut, cursing himself.
"Please..." Was this really the only way?
Deep down he knew. If history had taught him nothing, it was that people were cursed if they were around him. The greatest gift he had ever received would be destroyed and tainted by his own hands if he allowed his child to stay.
He knew himself too well.
"....No...."
Gritting his teeth he closed his eyes, willing his emotions down. Willing his desperation down. It broke and rebuilt him in a way he wasn't expecting. A kind of willpower he only had because he was a father now.
He hunched downward, burying his face into his hands. For a long time he stayed this way. The searing sun making the top of his head feel hot. At last, he found what he needed within him. It was small, but maybe it would be enough.
Resolved, he turned back to the child. He molded so perfectly into the tribe of monkey's, cradling the prince within their sleeping huddle.
Narrowing his eyes, he hardened his heart.
For his son.
To keep him safe from the world, and from himself...
This child could no longer be his.
He couldn't allow him to be, for his own safety. He would need to send Qi Xiaotian somewhere, away from his influence.
It was time for Qi Xiaotian to go.
His child... Mihou's child...
For a moment, all he could do was whisper silent apologies to his mate for what he was about to do. If he was around, he was positive his other half could come up with a better solution. Or better yet, if he was the one who died that day instead of Mihou- none of this would be happening.
But life didn't work how you wanted it to.
He focused on Qi Xiaotian's heartbeat, straining his ears to hear it pulsing so soundly. "Shh. Shh." he says to himself, assuring that for right now, everything was okay. He had time to figure this out.
He had time to do this. There was no rush in the plan he was going to put in action. But there was a snag.
Wukong was still onboard with that notion, of course, not allowing his weakness to change his mind.
There was just one hiccup to this plan.
The Location.
If not here, where would the child go? There was nowhere in this realm that was eternally peaceful, and he certainly wasn't bringing him to the celestial realm!
That was just begging for his boy to be involved in some plot or scheme later down the line.
Perhaps.. Nezha? While they had their bad moments, he was at least a noble and kind celestial being.
But... No no, if he sent Qi to Nezha he would just grow up in the Court and be used to do their bidding later. Put into some war...
Knowing them, they would put his son under watch duty over the peaches to mock him. Which, in all good sense, isn't necessarily a bad position, but it would be a deciding fate. He wanted his baby to choose his own path.
The only place he would have the best chance at is the human realm. Problem is, he wasn't exactly human. And given his reputation, a monkey that could walk and talk, was bound to catch the eyes of someone.
The best course of action that Wukong could think of was to hide the child in plain sight. Among people, without revealing himself to be different. A glamor perhaps?
Yes, that would work.
He opened his eyes, ready to test the theory. It would need to be strong enough to last even any sort of bodily injury. Not that he liked the idea of his son ever sustaining any wounds, but it was best to prepare for the worse.
Cautiously, he moved closer. As his shadow crossed over the child's face, blocking the warm bath of the sun's light, his child opened his eyes. He yawned, stretching his arms and legs as far as his little body could go. Rubbing his face, he smiled up at his Father. "Da..." he mewed drowsilly.
"Hey buddy..." Wukong says softly. "Don't... move now..." he reached out cautiously, worried he might break a bone if he gripped too hard.
He lifted the child with ease, still too afraid to touch him with his bare hands. Instead, he used his trusty tail, letting the boy dangle a little. He laid the baby stomach down, letting his arms and legs wave in the air so Wukong could properly get to his back.
The baby chirped, his tail swishing and wrapping around Wukong's wrist by instinct.
The smell of milk and sweet bread found its way to the King's nose. His baby....
Thought's of desperation startled Wukong when they slipped to the forefront of his mind. Just keep him here. Forget the glamor. Forget sending him away. Keep him. He's yours.
He belongs to you.
"....No he doesn't..." he shook his head, appalled by his own thoughts.
Returning to his task he pressed his palm to the back of the babe's back, rubbing it. Xiaotian began to wiggle, whining at such an odd position.
"...Shh. Shh now.." Wukong murmured, leaning closer to press his nose to his baby's head, nuzzling him. That sweet smell filled his nose again. His baby's smell. "Just sit still for a moment, little star."
His fingers danced in a methodical way along the baby's back.
A soft glow followed at the tips of his finger pads, setting a glamor firmly in place.
As soon as it was set, the child's form changed. That of a monkey with six beautiful ears, to a normal human child. It was a solid transformation, and one that couldn't easily be seen through. Especially since Qi's own celestial power would be too weak to be sensed or tracked.
This Glamor would keep him safe. It was one that could not be removed so easily. Only his own power at a certain level would be able to break this.
Hopefully, now this child could live a normal life. Away from his mistakes, away from the blood shed...
"There..." He sighed. With a snap of his fingers, the glamor dispersed, and his little monkey boy had returned to normal. All without Qi Xiaotian noticing a single difference. "Now you'll be safe." He turned his tail to eye his child and check how he was doing.
Quiet immedietly a small hand smacked to his cheek, startling the older Monkey. The child was pawing at Wukong's fur, entangling his fingers through it. "...Ah...!" his son smiled, and by the gods it was Macaque's smile in every way.
It broke Wukong's heart. He wanted to- to embrace him. To cradle his child close to him and keep him hidden within the mountain forever. Surely no one would know.
But someone would, eventually. Maybe tomorrow, next week, or in 100 years, but eventually. He couldn't risk that.
Lowering him back to the ground, Wukong cleared his throat. "T...Time to get you home, bud." he smiles. Where would home be though...?
He watched Qi Xiaotian nuzzle against his ankle, pawing at the long scarf that dangled over the King's shoulder. Contemplating the most important decision of his life, he reached his hand up absent-mindedly to pluck a peach from the tree. He took a nibble, biting off a small enough chunk to hand to his son's grabby hands.
He stared ahead, beyond his mountain. Far through the towering cliffs and peaks, across the seas, his golden eyes spotted city after city in the distance.
Each one held its merits and demerits.
He had traveled through every single one. Seen it's changes, it's disasters- everything.
If there was one city that seemed to prosper the most, it was one he tended to avoid. For many reasons.
The biggest reason being it was where his staff was currently located.
Megapolis.
Both the grave of DBK, and the current location of his reincarnated companions. He stopped by there once or twice to check the city out and see a glimpse of his old friends. They were living good lives.
He focused a little more, surveying the city as a whole. It was relatively peaceful, and close enough that he could... stop by. If needed to. His chain temple was close by too, just a quick 5 minute fly apart from each other.
His heart raced. Well... shit.
He had hoped to take longer to find the oh so perfect home for his child to grow up in, but here he was finding it within a few seconds. He couldn't think of anything better.
"...Shoot." he cursed.
He smacked his own head. What was he even going to do? Drop him off at some orphanage? He couldn't do that. He wanted his baby with someone he could trust- which was in short supply.The only four that had never betrayed him had long since died, reincarnated as strangers.
He paced a little in thought.
To think he was debating the idea of where he would leave Qi Xiaotian. Where he would abandon him.
He bristled at the intruding thought, crushing the peach between his palm and letting it stain his fingers.
Perhaps he should take this just one step at a time and get to the chain temple.
Yes, that sounded good. He didn't have to rush something like this. For now, he could gather up Qi's things, and take the child to the chain temple. Not many even knew of that location. It was common knowledge of his mountain, so clearly the better option was the temple.
Plenty of rooms and buildings there. Close enough to the city for Wukong to find a home for his child. Somewhere perfect.
He didn't have to do this all at once and rush into a plan. He had time to think it out. He had time.
"Alright." snagging his child with his tail, he took off down to their home to pack. "We're going on a road trip, cub." he told his child.
Qi titled his head, not recognizing that word.
He just needed to get to the city, find a good home, and not change his mind before he did so.
"....." his stance was strong, but his face was wavering.
Be strong Wukong.
"Strong." he glanced at his kid, feeling an immediate wave of weakness when Qi smiled.
"Da!"
Wukong touched his own chest, the mental vulnerability he had to that smile alone was staggeringly high.
"I can do this..." he told himself. Or at least, he could get to the city anyway. As for the next step... he'd find the courage on the way, he was sure.