Subodhi looked up, causing the others to look up from their bowls.
Petals and flames moved down, and they moved away to reveal an unsteady Nezha leaning against Red Son. The fire demon grit his teeth, staring at them, "The morons did it. They fought Heaven."
MK, Macaque, and Nezha suddenly shuddered and gasped, glowing slightly.
Mei frowned, "What happened?" She looked up at the old man, and his expression was grim as he spoke, "Azure Lion, that fool... He is now the emperor." Tang squawked, flailing, "He WHAT?!"
---
Yellow Tusk watched his brother struggle. Celestial artifacts could only do so much to hold this immense power at bay, and to keep the world together.
"Azure, perhaps... Perhaps we should plan more accurately. I know we can do so much good. But the world is falling apart--" The lion snarled, yelling out a splintering gold split, revealing beautiful violets and stars.
"How DARE you speak against me! I...I will have to trap you as well!" He held up the scrolls, shaking as he stood against the throne. The elephant stared up at him passively, "Azure, brother, calm down. I am not speaking against you, I am simply worried."
The newly appointed emperor sagged, face dropping into horror, "Brother... My word, I am so sorry..." Peng walked in, head held high as they announced, "It seems the little group is yet to be found." They scowled, sauntering over, "Even the Monkey King's mountain seems vacant apart from the animals there."
Azure sighed, sitting back down, "I see... Well. If anyone can save Sun Wukong, surely the boy and his friends can do so! I doubt Macaque would allow..."
Memories of crimson against his blade flashed before his mind.
"...He...would do anything to protect..." Azure exhaled, rubbing his temples. Peng frowned, glancing over at the wisest of the trio, "Azure, darling, what's the matter? Why do you hesitate?" The lion trembled, "I hurt one of our own, and I nearly managed to...destroy..."
Peng scoffed, "Oh, please! Barely a scratch, brother. Do not concern yourself! They were getting in your way--"
"Enough, Peng." The lion's eyes gleamed dangerously, "Do not speak ill of--" He screamed, the world splintering even more as the Yellow Tusk struggled to seal each tear.
---
Mei glanced up at the rips in the sky, laughing softly, "At least it's pretty..?" Pigsy gave her a look as Subodhi spoke to Tang, "You should be strong enough to create the seal. I advise you to do so soon."
Nezha grumbled, bandages wrapped around his body, "I shouldn't have run, you'd have more time." Red Son scoffed, giving the deity a dirty look, "And let you get captured, too? As if!" He glanced over at Macaque, a sickening feeling in his gut as he eyes the bandages on the right side of his face.
"...Let's just get this over with." The redhead drew a seal around the scroll, gesturing for MK and Macaque to step into it, "There. Don't mess around too much, Noodle Brain." MK laughed, "Will do, Red!"
The scholar stepped forward, looking at Sandy for support as he tapped his staff against the drawn seal before the Monkey King's scroll. MK and Macaque braced themselves, feeling the warmth dance along their skins.
---
These memories were horrid.
They watched him burn, they watched as he shoved his face against the ground, trying to escape the mountain on his back. His eyes were blank, unfocused as the signs of infection set in.
The journey, at least, was kinder. And his reunion with Macaque was sweet, although a bit awkward. But it still hurt, watching the king learn how to live.
Macaque snickered to himself as he watched Wukong coo at a red-haired baby, clumsily holding him in his arms. The past Demon Bull King gave the monkey a strange look, and MK laughed, "He said everyone just thought Monkey King was weird, and just got weirder after his journey." Macaque's smile faded.
"...We need to find him."
They moved along the memories. The first Samadhi Fire ritual, the fight against the Demon Bull King, the king ignoring his grief and betrayal by continuing to defeat demons, his reunion with Macaque as Mk followed behind... It hurt, knowing he could finally see all of this.
Trapped within his memories.
Macaque sighed, running a hand through his hair in distaste, "He's close, bud. Come-- You doing okay?"
MK glitched, grimacing softly, "I... I'm a monkey. That's...That's weird. That's..." Macaque tapped his chest, using some magic to keep his human appearance in place, "Sudden change sucks when you don't expect it, huh, bud?"
The hero nodded softly, glancing up at a memory of the king struggling to groom one of his subjects. It was sweet, in a way, how the ginger had still tried his best to have a good life.
Macaque suddenly froze, ears flickering, "There!" He grabbed the brunette's arm, dragging him into a golden tear.
---
Wukong stared straight ahead, watching every memory, every regret, every bit of pain in detail.
The king heard a small noise, turning his head softly. He looked at the two figures up and down, eyes landing on his halve's bandaged eye. Wukong turned, stumbling to his feet, "What..."
He walked, and the pair allowed him to reach them first. Hands reached out, tracing Macaque's face with an absurd amount of care. The king sighed, "I'm sorry. I wasn't there." MK placed a hand against the king's arm, "But you can be! We're here to bring you home!"
Wukong glanced up at Macaque, eyes trained on his face. The king closed his eyes, making sure he could remember everyone's faces for as long as possible, "Okay. Let's go." He was going to right his failures.
He had to.
---
Wukong grinned, hands clumsily landing on paper, "Okay! Let's get this started!"
He was freshly clothed, blindfold placed once more over burn scars and unseeing eyes. Luckily, all he needed was a crash-nap and a quick meal from Pigsy.
The chef was actually next to the king at the moment, eyeing him carefully as the ginger fumbled to point out MK's drawings, "So! Rundown; Peng is a very powerful foe, and not to be underestimated!" He was pointing at a thumbtack, but nobody dared to say anything.
"Macaque and Mei can fight them off, and once the fight heats up, I guarantee they'll retreat. After all, Peng only really cares about self-reservation." Mei and Macaque grinned at each other, making the others slightly nervous.
"Yellow Tusk! He's a heavy hitter, but not a moron and has a heart. Tang, Sandy, and Pigsy! Help him realize how wrong this is and boom! We have someone else on our side." He actually managed to place his hand against the correct drawing, beaming to himself as Tang shuddered.
"Great..."
Wukong then touched the last drawing, "Azure Lion. Uhm, he'll be up against MK and me. There's nothing more annoying than a couple of monkeys driving him nuts!" The boy suddenly chuckled nervously, "Uh, well... Maybe I don't need the monkey form..?"
Macaque gave the hero a look, "Bud, I don't think you have a choice." Wukong, meanwhile, pouted dejectedly, "Aw, man... I thought you liked the monkey form..." MK gawked, waving his hands out, "No, no! I do, it's cool and I like knowing something about myself, I just--"
He lowered his hands, grimacing, "I...I just don't know if I'm ready for this power, y'know?" Wukong smiled, determination shining in his expression, "Oh, yeah? Follow me."
---
Subodhi watched the team train against Wukong, humming contently to himself. Red Son glanced over at him in question, "What was it like? Being his mentor?"
The old man huffed in amusement, "He was always strange in nature, never understanding figurative language yet being the only being to truly understand my hidden messages. He was naive, confident...and oddly sweet."
Nezha smiled to himself, listening to the old master's words, "That sounds like him. Except now he's brash." Subodhi chuckled, watching the king leap away from his student with a mocking grin. "Yes. But he has grown well."
---
Wukong screeched as someone yanked his tail, sending him into Sandy's arms. He squirmed, using his strength to escape as he laughed, "Alright, who grabbed my tail? Old cheats!" He cackled, suddenly grabbed by familiar hands.
"Tag, Monkey King!"
Wukong laughed, patting MK, "Good job, bud. Say, when did you put on armor?" Tang gasped in delight, "I-It just appeared!" The king whistled, clapping his hands, "See? You're ready for this power! You deserve it."
Macaque moved out of a shadow, voice low, "So, are we ready?"
---
Azure groaned, staring at the airship coming their way, "Do they really think they will win?" He was angry, wanting nothing more than for Wukong to understand. Deep down, he hoped he would, but then his mind flashed to dark fur.
Guilt was going to suffocate him at this rate.
"That could have been Wukong." His remaining eye held venom towards him, causing him to flinch. He'd hurt a warrior who was solely trying to follow his king. "That could have been MK." What if he had struck the boy?
Azure blinked, shuddering as an artifact held back the emperor's intense power.
Peng smirked, wings forming as they readied their spear, "Let them come, brother. They will see our power!" Yellow Tusk stared at the vehicle, eyes squinted, "...Wait. This feels as if--"
Golden spheres bubbled over them, separating each member across the realm.